John Gourley

Birth: May 19, 1808 Derry County Londonderry, Northern Ireland Death: May 4, 1891 North Mahoning Township Indiana County Pennsylvania, USA

First Marriage: 29 March 1831 in Huntingdon Co. (now Blair Co.), Pennsylvania to Jane Ann Russell. She was born 8 August 1812 in Huntingdon Co. (now Blair Co.), Pennsylvania. She died 12 May 1862 in N. Mahoning Twp., Indiana Co., Pennsylvania.

Second Marriage: 4 July 1866 in Indiana Co., Pennsylvania, to Margaret C. Crawford (daughter of Moses C. Crawford and Mary Jamieson). She was born 20 September 1822 in Mahoning Twp. (now E. Mahoning Twp.), Indiana Co., Pennsylvania. She died 5 January 1907 in Indiana Co., Pennsylvania.

Family links:

Parents:

 George Gourley (1769 - 1853)

 Rosanna McNeil Gourley (1779 - 1853)

Spouses:

 Jane Anne Russell Gourley (1812 - 1862)

 Margaret C Crawford Gourley (1822 - 1907)

Burial: Covode Presbyterian Cemetery Covode Indiana County Pennsylvania, USA

Marion Center Independent 30 May 1891, p.3

John Gourley, a resident of Indiana Co., Pa., died on Monday evening, May 4, 1891, in the 83rd year of his age. He was born in Londonderry, Ireland, May 19, 1808, and came to America when a mere child.

In 1819, his father, in straightened circumstances, located with the family, consisting of wife and six children, of which John was second in number, in Huntingdon Co., (now Blair), Pa., where he engaged in blacksmithing and where five more children were born in the family. Being the second son and the child of poor but honest parents, he was obliged to "bear the yoke in his youth," exercising and developing those qualities and gifts which rendered him so useful in the days of his vigorous manhood. He too followed the business of blacksmithing. In the eighteenth year of his age he surrendered himself to the Lord, publicly professed his faith in Christ and became a member in the "Stone Church." (Presbyterian), in which he had been brought up. He was married to Jane Ann Russell, March 29, 1831. Four children blessed this union, only one of whom, George A. Gourley, of Covode, is now living. Being obliged to quit smithing on account of health, he removed to Indiana Col, Pa., in 1839. and purchased the farm on which he continued to reside the remainder of his life. At the time of his removal having transferred his membership to Perry church, (Presbyterian), he was in that same year ordained as Ruling Elder, in which he served fourteen years.

In 1854 the Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian church of Covode was organized. He became one of the charter members and was straightway installed as Ruling Elder therein. Here he continued to take a leading part until his death. His wife died in 1862. In 1864 he was commissioner from Kittanning Presbytery to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church which sat in Newark, New Jersey. In 1866, he married Margaret Crawford, who survives him.

He was a man of more than ordinary intelligence, of untiring energy, strong emotions, poetical talent that might have made him famous and a deep vein of native Irish humor. But it was his love of Christ and unfaltering faith, his loyalty to the Church which "he always loved and loved to work for", that made him truly a great man. He could tell with gratitude that "in childhood his mother had taught him to pray, he never neglected it."

He came to the end enjoying peace and rejoicing in hope. His parting words were: "Sweet rest, sweet rest; I am almost home."

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First Marriage: 29 March 1831 in Huntingdon Co. (now Blair Co.), Pennsylvania to Jane Ann Russell. She was born 8 August 1812 in Huntingdon Co. (now Blair Co.), Pennsylvania. She died 12 May 1862 in N. Mahoning Twp., Indiana Co., Pennsylvania.

Second Marriage: 4 July 1866 in Indiana Co., Pennsylvania, to Margaret C. Crawford (daughter of Moses C. Crawford and Mary Jamieson). She was born 20 September 1822 in Mahoning Twp. (now E. Mahoning Twp.), Indiana Co., Pennsylvania. She died 5 January 1907 in Indiana Co., Pennsylvania.* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Mar 17 2021, 20:04:53 UTC