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ALEXANDER EDIE was born in Adams county, Pennsylvania in 1739, the son of David
Edie, who had come to this country from Scotland as a young man. Alexander had
been blessed with an adventuresome heart, and a love of family. He was married
twice and had sixteen children, eight with each wife. The frontier seemed to
call to Alexander, and it wasn't long before he left the Gettysburg area, and
ventured over the Alleghenies in search of a new life. He moved around western
Pennsylvania for a while finally settling at "Cat Fish Camp" in the Territory of
Virginia. This area is known today as the city of Washington,Pennsylvania. In
the year 1781 Alexander served as Judge of Election for the office of Sheriff at
Cat Fish Camp, and was appointed Justice of the Peace on July 15, 1781. In 1782
he served as Foreman of the first Grand Jury of Washington County, Pennsylvania,
and was involved in the laying out of the first streets for the Village of Cat
Fish Camp, Washington,PA). On March 10, 1785, Alexander Edie received a
pre-emption land grant of one thousand acres from the Governor of the Commonwealth
of Virginia, Patrick Henry. With the city of Washington growing, Alexander moved
his family to a parcel of his land along Kings Creek, in present Hancock County
West Virginia, near the area known as Hollidays Cove, (present Weirton). In 1786
and again in 1789, Alexander sold large tracts of his land to another early
pioneer by the name of James Campbell. Alexander then moved his family up the
Ohio River a few miles to the present site of New Cumberland, WV., where he
established the Edie Homestead, and many generations of Edies have flourished.
Alexander's experience as Justice of the Peace and his interest in politics were
past onto his oldest son John H. Edie, who served nine years as State Representative, in the Virginia Legislature, (1812-1821), served as Sheriff of
Brooke County, and as Justice of the Peace of Brooke County. Alexander Edie Esq.
lived to be 87 years old, and was buried in Highland, Ohio.
Above information provided by
Dale G. Patterson |
