My Genealogy Hound

HENRY LARGE, distiller, West Elizabeth, son of Jonathan and Easter (Finney) Large, was born July 4, 1836, on the place now owned by him, in Jefferson township. His grandfather, John Large, a soldier in the Revolution, and a native of New Jersey, came to this county about 1796, locating on the Boggs farm, Upper St. Clair township; later moved to Jefferson township, purchased the farm adjoining that owned by Henry Large, and built a distillery. His family consisted of seven children: Jonathan, Samuel, Margaret, Henry, Isaac, Nancy and Thomas, all of whom are deceased, excepting Henry, now a resident of Mifflin township, aged ninety-two years; and Margaret, now of Crawford county, Iowa. Jonathan Large was born in New Jersey, and came here when young. He married Easter, daughter of Andrew Finney, of Mifflin township; bought a farm near Lebanon church, built a distillery and tramp-mill, which later he disposed of and purchased the place now owned by Henry Large, Jr., on Peters creek, Jefferson township, and known as the Ferree purchase. The Ferrees were in the war of 1812, and Col. Ferree was identified in the whisky insurrection. Peters creek derives its name from an old Indian trapper called Peter. It was on this farm that a fort was built, in a field known as “fortfield,” only accessible from one point, being a natural fortification and affording a view of nearly eight miles up and down the creek. Jonathan Large’s children were Jane, John, Andrew, Levi, Samuel, Nancy (deceased), Harriet, Jonathan, James, Isaac and Llewellen (twins) and Henry, the youngest of the family. In 1861 Henry, the subject of this memoir, married Anna H. Greenly, and in 1863 bought the property he now owns. He is engaged in the manufacture of Monongahela rye whisky, the brand having been established by his grandfather, and has a national reputation for excellence.