JOHN N. WHERRY, farmer, and president of the South Bend Fire Insurance Company, residing in South Bend township, Armstrong Co., Pa., was born Jan. 24, 1847, in that township, son of James and Sarah (Nesbit) Wherry, and a grandson of James Wherry.

James Wherry, the grandfather, was born in Ireland, and, bringing his family to America, located in Indiana county, Pa., where he died.

James Wherry (2), son of James and father of John N. Wherry, was born in Ireland and was four years old when his parents brought him to America, and he was reared in Indiana county, Pa. In 1830, with his brother, John Wherry, he came to Armstrong county, and they settled in South Bend township, where they bought 460 acres of land which they later divided, James Wherry taking 300 acres for his share.

On this land he labored until it became a finely cultivated tract, and part of it is yet owned by John N. Wherry. On this farm James Wherry died about 1870, when aged seventyyears. He married Sarah Nesbit, daughter of Nathaniel Nesbit. She lived to be ninety-three years of age, her death occurring Aug. 30, 1901.

They were members of the Presbyterian Church. James Wherry was considered an excellent farmer, and he had additional business interests, being a stone worker and contractor for many years. During this time he had contracts for public works all over the country, including Harper’s Ferry.

Seven children were born to James and Sarah Wherry, as follows: Elwood M., a missionary in India, who was sent to that field of work by the Presbyterian Church forty years ago; John N.; James, for some time a farmer in Nebraska, now living at Florence; Thomas M., who is a lumber dealer, at Sabetha, Kans.; Harriet E., who is the wife of William St. Clair, of Indiana county, Pa.; Sarah M., who for thirty years has been a missionary worke in India, under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church; and Nancy J., who died in 1885.

John N. Wherry attended the country schools more or less regularly up to the age of twenty years, after which he spent two years on the home farm and then learned the tanning business. He carried on tanning for some fifteen years and for fourteen years operated a threshing machine, after which he became a traveling merchandise dealer and for some time made trips as far as Pittsburgh, with his wagon and team of four horses, buying and selling all kinds of merchandise.

JOHN N. WHERRY, farmer, and president of the South Bend Fire Insurance Company, residing in South Bend township, Armstrong Co., Pa., was born Jan. 24, 1847, in that township, son of James and Sarah (Nesbit) Wherry, and a grandson of James Wherry.

James Wherry, the grandfather, was born in Ireland, and, bringing his family to America, located in Indiana county, Pa., where he died.

James Wherry (2), son of James and father of John N. Wherry, was born in Ireland and was four years old when his parents brought him to America, and he was reared in Indiana county, Pa. In 1830, with his brother, John Wherry, he came to Armstrong county, and they settled in South Bend township, where they bought 460 acres of land which they later divided, James Wherry taking 300 acres for his share.

On this land he labored until it became a finely cultivated tract, and part of it is yet owned by John N. Wherry. On this farm James Wherry died about 1870, when aged seventy years. He married Sarah Nesbit, daughter of Nathaniel Nesbit. She lived to be ninety-three years of age, her death occurring Aug. 30, 1901. They were members of the Presbyterian Church. James Wherry was considered an excellent farmer, and he had additional business interests, being a stone worker and contractor for many years. During this time he had contracts for public works all over the country, including Harper’s Ferry.

Mr. Wherry then settled on his farm, a fine property near South Bend, Pa., and occupies a handsome brick residence on the main road between South Bend and Apollo. Politically he is a Democrat and is influential in his party, has served as school director and tax collector, and has been his party’s chosen candidate for county commissioner. Mr. Wherry is president of the South Bend Fire Insurance Company, a mutual organization which has been in successful operation for the last thirty-eight years.

On Sept. 20, 1870, Mr. Wherry was married, in Indiana county, Pa., to Sarah Walker, daughter of James Walker, and they have had seven children born to them, four sons and three daughters, all of whom survive the mother, who died in 1909.

James Elwood, who is principal of the Caraopolis schools, formerly was a student in Grove City College; Clara B., now a stenographer in Indiana, Pa., Indiana Co.; Byron P., who is a worker in the rolling mills; Rob Roy, who is a clerk; Bessie Beulah, a teacher; Oscar M., who teaches school at South Bend; and Helen May, who is at home. Mr. Wherry is a member of the Presbyterian Church at West Lebanon, Pa., in which he is a deacon.

Source: Page 934, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914 Transcribed October 1998 by Kathy Zagorac for the Armstrong County Beers Project Published 1998 by the Armstrong County Pennsylvania Genealogy Project