Fayette County PA Archives Biographies.....Blythe, John P. January 18, 1817 - ????
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Marta Burns marta43@juno.com August 26, 2024, 10:37 am

Source: Gresham and Wiley, 1889: Biographical & Portrait Cyclopedia, Fayette Co, PA, pg 315
Author: John H. Gresham & Samuel T. Wiley

John P Blythe, who prospected for gold on the Pacific 
Slope ere an iron pathway crossed the Rocky Mountains, is 
now a successful farmer of Washington township, Fayette 
county, Penna, where he was born January 18, 1817, and is a 
son of John Blythe and Ellen Fullerton Blythe.
    John Blythe emigrated from Ireland to Washington county 
in 1790 at the age of twenty three years. From Washington 
county he removed to Washington township, Fayette county, 
and purchased a farm. He married Ellen, daughter of David 
Fullerton, a Scotchman and an early settler in Eastern 
Pennsylvania. John Blythe reared a family of eleven 
children.
    John P Blythe received his education in the old 
subscription schools. He was engaged in farming until 1851. 
In the same year he went by water to California, where he 
spent four years in digging and prospecting for gold dust. 
He passed through the "Starving Time," when flour sold for 
$500 per barrel.  He passed through many perils and after 
enduring much suffering he left the gold fields in 1855.  He 
returned home via South America, where he remained several 
weeks and visited several of the principal South American 
cities.
    On December 17, 1857, he married Miss Margaret, daughter 
of John Bortner and Mary Shearer Bortner of Redstone 
township. The Bortners were of German descent and were early 
settlers in Maryland. Mr and Mrs John P Blythe have seven 
children: Anna V Blythe, born December 20, 1858, married 
Harmer Denny, June 30, 1885, and has one child; Humphrey F 
Blythe, born August 23, 1860, married Mary C Armel, July 13, 
1886, and has one child; John F Blythe, born September 6, 
1862; George R McClellan Blythe, born August 19, 1864, 
married Maggie Wells, February 7, 1889; Mary E Blythe, born 
September 19, 1866, married Charles M Ford, and has two 
children: James B Blythe, born August 4, 1868, and Ellen 
Blythe, born June 23, 1871.
    After his marriage, Mr Blythe removed in 1863 to Lynn 
county, Iowa, and from thence to Missouri, where he remained 
seven years. In 1874 he removed from Missouri to his present 
farm and began farming at which he is still engaged.
    His farm consists of one hundred and twenty acres of 
choice and well improved land. He and his family are members 
of the Presbyterian church. Politically he is a democrat and 
is one of the leading farmers of Washington township.

Additional Comments:
Originally submitted 2000.

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