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Below is a family biography included in the History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania published in 1889 by A. Warner & Co.   These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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CHARLES W. LIGHTHILL, foreman in rolling-mill, Allegheny, is a son of John and Nancy (Kelso) Lighthill, former of whom was a native of this county, born in 1809, and resided here all his life, dying in November, 1883; his widow is still living at the age of seventy-seven years. They were parents of eleven children, six of whom are yet living: Sarah (wife of John Weir), Charles W., Mary, David (who served in the Union army and in navy during the war and is now wharfmaster), Hannah (wife of James H. Lindsay) and Adda. The parents were members of the First Christian Church of Allegheny; by occupation Mr. Lighthill was a gardener and farmer. The paternal great-grandfather of Charles W., a German by birth, came to America about 1780, settling in Pittsburgh, where he followed teaming over the mountains for many years, and his son George (grandfather of our subject),born in Pittsburgh in 1780, served in the American army, war of 1812, and died in 1867 at the age of eighty-seven years.

Charles W. Lighthill was united in marriage Feb. 28, 1859, with Caroline, daughter of James and Mary Ferguson, of Washington county, Pa., and the fruits of this union have been two children: Sallie (wife of J. H. Crawford) and Charles S. Mr. Lighthill learned the coachmaking trade in New Haven, Conn., and after completing same he returned to this county, where he followed for a number of years same business; afterward he was engaged in boating for several years, and during the war of the rebellion was employed in building and running boats for the government. For past thirteen years Mr. Lighthill has been in the employ of Lindsay & McCutcheon in their rolling-mill in Allegheny, and is at present foreman of one of the departments. He was an alderman of Allegheny City five years, and is now serving his second term as member of the common council. He is a member of the Elks, No. 11, Pittsburgh.

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This family biography is one of 2,156 biographies included in the History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania published in 1889 by A. Warner & Co.

View additional Allegheny County, Pennsylvania family biographies here: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Biographies

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