David H. McCarty

DAVID H. McCARTY. The father of David H. McCarty, of New Kensington, was Hugh McCarty, who about 1845 or '46 emigrated from Banbridge, county Down, Ireland, and settled in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he worked at landscape gardening and other branches of horticulture. Later he engaged for some years in market gardening on a tract of land which now forms a part of Allegheny City. In 1868 he settled on a farm situated where New Kensington now stands, and there continued to labor as a market gardener until 1881, when he retired and returned to Allegheny City. In that place he held at one time the office of poor director. He supported the Democratic party, and was a member of the Roman Catholic church. Mr. McCarty married Mary McNalley, a native of county Armagh, Ireland, and their children were: Edward F., lives in Allegheny City; David H., mentioned hereafter; Mary J., Louise E., married Edward F. Kelley, and after his death became the wife of John F. Donovan; and Letitia H. There were also three who died in infancy. The death of Mr. McCarty occurred in 1891, in Allegheny City, where the closing years of his life had been passed.

David H. McCarty, son of Hugh and Mary (McNalley) McCarty, was born December 12, 1852, in Pittsburg and received his education in the common schools of Allegheny City and Parnassus. In his youth he assisted in his father's business both as manager and as salesman until the year of his father's retirement, after which he conducted the business alone until 1891. He then entered the service of the Burrell Improvement Land Company as field salesman in the Kensington plan of lots, a position which he retained for two years. When the town was incorporated he was elected chief burgess for one year, and was reelected the following year for a term of three years. After serving about two years of the second term he resigned in order to accept the office of postmaster to which he was appointed by President Cleveland for a term of three years, which he completed, and then served two years under the first McKinley administration. At the end of that time he resigned and accepted the nomination for sheriff of Westmoreland county, but was defeated by B. F. May. the county being largely Republican. At the age of twenty-one he was elected a member of the council of Allegheny City and during his term of office served as chairman of the board of health. For three years he was poor director of Allegheny City, and in 1904 was again a candidate for the office of sheriff of Westmoreland county. He belongs to Electric Council, N. U. and Lodge No. 512, B. P. O. E., of New Kensington. He and his family are members of St. Joseph's (Roman Catholic) church of New Kensington.

Mr. McCarty has been twice married. His first wife was Ella, daughter of Simon and Hittie (Linton) Small, natives of Philadelphia. Mr. and Mrs. McCarty had children: Mary Hester, Agnes Ella, Hugh Simon, and George Linton, who died in infancy. The others are at home. The mother of these children died February 26, 1891, and March 2, 1897, Mr. McCarty married Susan H. Small, a sister of his first wife. By this marriage he is the father of two sons: David H. and Charles Joseph.

Source: Page(s) 181-182, History of Westmoreland County, Volume II, Pennsylvania by John N Boucher. New York, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906.
Transcribed May 2007 by Nathan Zipfel for the Westmoreland County History Project
Contributed for use by the Westmoreland County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/westmoreland/)

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