[p. 971] general farmer, residing in North Beaver Township, owner in partnership with his brother, E. A. Gwin, of the old Gwin homestead of 100 acres, was born on this same farm October 20, 1867, and is a son of James and Catherine (Leslie) Gwin. Arthur Gwin, the grandfather of Charles N., was born in Ireland and came to America in 1800 when a youth of nineteen years. For several years thereafter he lived east of the Allegheny Mountains and for a time drove an overland team between Baltimore and Pittsburg. Subsequently he came to Lawrence County and settled and died in North Beaver Township.
James Gwin was born on a farm about one and a half miles south of Mt. Jackson, in Lawrence County. In early manhood he married Catherine Leslie, who was a daughter of John Leslie, a pioneer of this section. James Gwin bought 100 acres in 1850-1, when but six of these had been cleared and all the subsequent improvements were made during his life. He died December 21, 1906, having survived his wife from September 22, 1888. Of their nine children, six survive.
Charles A. Gwin has always resided on the home farm. He received an excellent common school education and is one of the township's intelligent and representative men. He has not had occasion to make many improvements on his place, as it was well cared for by his late father, who was a carpenter by trade. In 1862 the commodious frame house was erected and in 1879 it was remodeled and modernized. The substantial barn now standing was erected by the present owner, the large one which had been built by his father having been burned in 1899. The old one was built in 1860 and the new one in 1900. The latter is one of the largest and best arranged in North Beaver Township.
Mr. Gwin was married, first, to Elizabeth Aley, a daughter of Joseph Aley. She died on Thanksgiving Day, November 29, 1906, leaving three children, Charles Raymond, James Earl and Nettie Marie. Mr. Gwin married, secondly, Bertha Shallenberger, who is a daughter of Frank Shallenberger.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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Updated: 11 Feb 2002