My Genealogy Hound

JOSEPH PIERCE, farmer, post office Gill Hall, son of Amos and Deborah Pierce, was born in Jefferson township, in 1824, on the farm now owned by him. His great-grandfather, Andrew Pierce, came into Allegheny county with the Walls and Applegates, from New Jersey, and he (Andrew) built the first mill on the Monongahela river. Louis Pierce, subject’s grandfather, and Amos Pierce, his father, were both natives of Forward township, this county, and were born on the place now owned by David Pierce. Amos Pierce was born April 17, 1796, died February 20, 1867; Deborah Pierce, born December 8, 1790, died April 12, 1875; Lewis, born February 3, 1822, died Aug. 29, 1860; Mary A., born July 17, 1832, died Nov. 1, 1869; Jane C., born Sept. 14, 1826, died Jan. 23, 1879; James McK., born Aug. 12, 1820, died June 4, 1883. April 20, 1871, the subject of this memoir married Henrietta, daughter of David and Emeline (Mackey) Torrence, of Pittsburgh, whose parents were among the old families of the city. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce have three children: William T., born March 27, 1872; Joseph A., born August 31, 1874, and Andrew C., born May 21, 1884. The parents are members of the U. P. Church. In 1854 Mr. Pierce went west and purchased a farm near Davenport, Iowa, moving onto the same in 1857. Here he remained until the spring of 1860, when he went to the gold-diggings on the Blue river, but, not being as successful as he had anticipated, he returned to the old farm in Allegheny county, and has since here remained.