Biography

1760 - 1822

William McArthur, Sr. (Democratic Republican18) Crawford, Erie, Mercer, Venango and Warren Counties 1801-1808

Early Life:

William McArthur, Sr., born 1760 Ireland; son of John Sarah Margaret Rule McArthur; arrived in America at the close of the American Revolution; settled in York, Pennsylvania; taught school, studied surveying the McCleans; moved west, Meadville, Pennsylvania; appointed state district surveyor; commissioned, laid out the town of Meadville for General David Meade, May 12, 1788; elected, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1800-1808; appointed, Governor Simon Snyder, Crawford County Prothonotary; Crawford County Register and Recorder, 1801-1822; Trustee of the Academy, Crawford County Pennsylvania, 1812, 1820; married, Rebecca McLean, 1805; children, William McArthur, Sarah Rule McArthur, Margaret Charlesworth McArthur, Rebecca Scott McArthur, Moses McClean McArthur, William McArthur Jr., John McArthur; died, 1822, Meadville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, no other information available.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Democratic Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 18th district, Crawford, Erie, Mercer, Venango and Warren Counties, 1801-1804, defeated, General David Meade.

Reelected, Democratic-Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 18th district, Crawford, Erie, Mercer, Venango and Warren Counties, 1805-1808. Rode back and forth spring and fall on horseback over the mountains during said terms.

Trustee of the Academy, Crawford County Pennsylvania, 1812.  

Trustee of the Academy, Crawford County Pennsylvania, 1820. 

Legacy:

Wife, Rebecca McLean, daughter of surveying instructor, Colonel Moses McClean, who served in the Revolutionary war, with his brothers, helped survey the famous Mason and Dixon's line. 

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members M". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

A New Nation Votes (tufts.edu)

History Crawford County, Pennsylvania, Volume II, Containing A History of the County; its Townships, Towns. Villages, Schools, Churches, Industries, etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and Miscellaneous Matter, etc., etc. Chicago: Warner, Berks and Company, 1885. Page 749. 

Full text of "History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania; containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of Pennsylvania; statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc. Chicago, Warner, Beers, 1885" (archive.org)