Fayette County PA Archives Biographies.....Edmiston, William A. December 23, 1846 - ????
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Marta Burns marta43@juno.com September 21, 2024, 12:27 pm

Source: Gresham and Wiley, 1889: Biographical & Portrait Cyclopedia, Fayette Co, PA, page 268
Author: John H. Gresham & Samuel T. Wiley

    William A Edmiston, cashier of the Monongahela Bank at Brownsville,
Penna, is the son of Samuel Edmiston and Margaret Bryce 
Edmiston.  His father was a native of Fulton county, Penna, and was a
chairmaker by trade.  He came to Brownsville some time in about 1840 and
opened a shop.  He continued to work at his trade until in death in 1856
in the forty fifth year of his age.  He was a Presbyterian and was of
Irish and Scotch descent.  Of the paternal grandfather of the subject of
this sketch the only facts to be gathered at this time are that he was
born in Ireland and came to American and settled in Fulton county, Penna.
    After the death of her husband, the mother of W A Edmiston was married a
second time to George W Harrison of Washington county, Penna, and they
still live on their farm in that county, three miles from Brownsville.
    Andrew Bryce, maternal grandfather of W A Edmiston, was a native of
Scotland who came to this country in about 1820.  He was a miller and
worked at that business all his life.  He died in the state of Indiana
while there on a visit.  
    William A Edmiston was born at Brownsville, December 23, 1846, and
attended the public schools of the town.  Leaving school he became a clerk
in the drug store of John Wallace & Co of Brownsville for about one year,
and afterwards he was for several years a clerk in different other stores.  
    In 1856 he secured a position of second clerk on one of the steamboats
that belonged to the Pittsburgh, Brownsville & Geneva Packet Company.
Remained there as a clerk for sixteen years, excepting the years of 1871
and 1872, engaged in the dry goods business at Brownsville.  He was
employed as first and second clerk while on the river, except during the
last four years-from 1878 to 1882-he filled the place of captain of the
steamboat Germania which ran from Geneva to Pittsburgh.
    In 1882 he was elected teller of the Monongahela Bank in which position
he continued until 1888, when he was elected cashier of the Monongahela
Bank, which was organized in 1812, chartered in 1814, and now has a
capital of $200,000 and an average deposit of $125,000, with a surplus of
$50,000.  The present officers of the bank are: Gibson Burns, president;
William A Edmiston, cashier.  The directors are: Gibson Burns, James L
Bowman, M A Cox, H W Robinson, W M Ledwith, J C Woodward, Jacob Sawyer, N
B Bowman, George E Hogg, H B Cock, W P Searight, Eli J Baily and W J Stewart.
    Mr Edmiston was for several years the clerk of the town council and is
now the treasurer.  He was twice elected on the republican ticket and
served as a member of the school board and secretary of the board during
the terms of his office-the first time in the year, 1883, and re-elected
in 1886.  
    He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Brownsville, is the
treasurer, trustee and steward of the same.  
    He was married in 1869 to Miss Virginia Beacon, daughter of Rev L B
Beacon of the Methodist Episcopal church.  They have four living children:
Clarence B Edmiston, Bessie L Edmiston, William R Edmiston, Helen V Edmiston. 

Additional Comments:
Originally submitted 2000.

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