Fayette County PA Archives Biographies.....Arison, Matthew March 4, 1816 - ????
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Marta Burns marta43@juno.com August 26, 2024, 8:06 am

Source: Gresham and Wiley, 1889: Biographical & Portrait Cyclopedia, Fayette Co, PA, pg 311
Author: John H. Gresham & Samuel T. Wiley

 MATTHEW ARISON, one of Fayette county's self-made men 
and highly respected citizens, was born in Loudoun county, 
Virginia, March 4, 1816, and is a son of John Arison and 
Catherine Day Arison.

    His grandfather, Andrew Arison, was born in New Jersey 
in 1750; He married in 1782, Ann Davis of Loudoun county, 
Virginia, and had six children: Lucinda Arison, John Arison, 
Mathew Arison, Ann Arison, Elizabeth Arison and Ananias 
Arison, none of whom are now living.  

    His father, John Arison, was born June 7, 1780, in 
Loudoun county, Virginia, and died in Franklin township, 
March 1, 1870, and was a cooper by trade, but always 
followed farming.  He was a soldier in a cavalry company 
during the War of 1812, and was a well-respected citizen in 
both Virginia and Pennsylvania.  On September 12, 1812, he 
married Catherine Day; their union was blessed with twelve 
children: Samuel Arison (dead), Matthew Arison, Jonah 
Arison, William Arison (dead), John D Arison (dead), 
Benjamin S Arison (dead), Elizabeth J Arison, Ann Arison, 
Mariah Arison, Levi H Arison (dead), Celina Arison (dead) 
and Lydia C Arison.

    His mother, Catherine Day, was born April 22, 1796, died 
June 6, 1887, and was a member of the "Old Side Baptist." 
Her father, George Day, was born in 1756 at Alexandria, 
Virginia, and in 1780 was married to Mary Weaver of 
Baltimore, Maryland.  They had five children: Mary Day, 
Susan Day, Sarah Day, Catherine Day, and George W Day, all 
of whom are dead.  

    Matthew Arison married Eliza Gettys, December 29, 1842.  
They had six children: Sarah Ellen Arison (dead), John D 
Arison, Samuel G Arison (dead), Ann Mariah Arison (dead), 
William H Arison, and Matthew Hickman Arison.  Samuel G was 
thrown from a horse and instantly killed August 28, 1878.  
Mrs Arison died May 4, 1864.  Mr Arison married again 
December 29, 1864.  His second wife was Miss Margaret Ann 
Foster, daughter of Henry Foster (deceased).  They have six 
children: Charles T Arison, Enoch A Arison, Eliza Jane 
Arison, James E Arison, Roxalina M Arison, and Minnie L 
Arison.  

    Mathew Arison came with his father to Georges township 
in 1819, and from thence to Menallen township in 1823, where 
he received a limited school education.

    Being a poor boy, he started in the world without 
friends or influence, but, industrious and ambitious, he 
taught school, summer and winter, for about twenty two 
years.  In 1848 he bought a farm of eighty seven acres in 
Franklin township.  He now owns 150 acres of good land in 
the same township.

    In 1867-68 he with Henry Galley embarked in the oil 
business in Fayette county, but every well drilled for oil 
was a failure.  In 1889 he assisted in leasing over six 
thousand acres of land in Franklin and Tyrone townships for 
the Virgin Run Gas Company.  

    He is a republican and served as justice of the peace in 
Franklin township from 1855 to 1860 and from 1869 to the 
present time.  From 1859 to 1862 he resided in Menallen 
township, and was justice of the peace in that township.  

    He became a member of the Baptist church in 1854 and 
ordained a deacon in the same church shortly afterwards.

    He is one whose profession of Christianity has been 
nobly illustrated by an honorable and useful life.  For 
thirty five years he has been known throughout Fayette 
county as an earnest and zealous Baptist, an honest and 
consistent Christian gentleman, respected and honored by all 
who know him.  

Additional Comments:
Originally submitted 2000.

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