Homestead in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Aaron Whitaker

Photographed by Bradley Owen, September 3, 2024

1. Aaron Whitaker Marker

Inscription.
To honor the memory of
AARON WHITAKER
A soldier of the Revolution
Son of James Whitaker and his wife Catherine
Pioneer settlers about 1767 whose farm included this borough which bears their name.

* * *

Whitaker
James 1726 - 1788 his wife Catherine Petit 1726 - 1813
their son Aaron 1751 - 1833 his wife Martha Ann Roush 1763 - 1854
their son James 1790 - 1868 his wife Nancy Gilson 1801 - 1888
James & Aaron served in the Revolutionary War and Aaron's son James in the War of 1812

Erected 1916 by The Pittsburgh Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Settlements & Settlers • War of 1812 • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical year for this entry is 1767.

Location. 40° 24.011′ N, 79° 53.356′ W. Marker is in Homestead, Pennsylvania, in Allegheny County. It is on Dora Street south of Frank Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 120 Dora Street, Homestead PA 15120, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Pittsburgh.

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It is also in the American Northeast,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

in the Ohio River Valley,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Whitaker Borough Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Veterans War Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); Homestead Cemetery Civil War Memorial (approx. 0.6 miles away); Munhall Volunteer Fire Company #1 (approx. 0.6 miles away); Homestead Strike Victims (approx. 0.7 miles away); Carnegie Steel Manager's House (approx. 0.8 miles away); Munhall Borough Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.8 miles away); Stan (approx. 0.8 miles away).

Regarding Aaron Whitaker.
From: The Whitaker Family on the Monongahela River, 1767-1800
by Beaumont W. Whitaker

"Aaron Whitaker continued to farm the land inherited from his father all of his life. He was described

Photographed by Bradley Owen, September 3, 2024

2. Aaron Whitaker Marker

as a veritable giant, weighing nearly 400 pounds. He supplemented his farming by making frequent journeys to New Orleans. He would build a large flat boat or keel boat on the Monongahela at the edge of his farm, load it with his own and purchased produce, and when high water came in the spring, take it down the river to the New Orleans market; several times making the journey alone. After selling his load and the boat, he would walk back home across the Natchez Trace. On several occasions, he took ship from New Orleans to Baltimore and walked home from there."

"Aaron served in the Revolution, being listed to the Washington County 'Rangers on the Frontier' from 1778 through 1783 and in Captain Samuel Cunningham's company, Second Batallion, Washington County Militia in 1782."

Aaron Whitaker Honored, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 28, 1916

Bronze Tablet Unveiled To Honor Aaron Whitaker
Ceremony Conducted by Daughters of the American Revolution

A bronze tablet erected to the memory of Aaron Whitaker, 1751-1831, in the Whitaker Fire Engine House, Cedar Avenue, Whitaker borough, by the Daughters of the American Revolution, was unveiled

Photographed by Bradley Owen, September 3, 2024

3. Aaron Whitaker Marker

yesterday by Mary Carrick, aged 8, of Whitaker, great-great-granddaughter of Aaron Whitaker, and Miss Effie Whitaker Teemer of Lorain, OH., great-granddaughter of Aaron Whitaker. Mrs. Robert Reineman, regent of Pittsburgh Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, introduced Mrs. Mary O'Hara Darlington, historian of the chapter, who gave a brief history of the Whitaker family. A parade in which school children and citizens of Whitaker took part preceded the unveiling of the tablet. The marchers traversed the main streets of the borough and disbanded in front of the fire engine house, where national anthems were sung by the children. W. Granger was chief marshal of the parade.

Following the singing, prayer was offered by Rev. W. S. Cummings, pastor of the the Munhall Methodist Episcopal Church.

An address of acceptance was delivered by Burgess Charles J. Williams of Whitaker. Aaron Whitaker was a soldier of the Revolutionary War and was a son of James Whitaker and Catherine Whitaker, pioneer settlers of Whitaker in 1767. The borough of Whitaker stands on what formerly was part of Aaron Whitaker's farm. The tablet bears a brief

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biography of Aaron Whitaker and measures 30 by 18 inches.

Additional commentary.
1. Biological Mother of Aaron Whitaker
Aaron Whitaker's biological mother was Mary Saunders from Old Baltimore County, Maryland. I am G4 Grandson by his daughter Catherine Whitaker West who died on the West Farm in Ardara, Westmoreland County, Pensylvania in 1870.

— Submitted October 21, 2024, by David West of Erie, Pennsylvania.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 28, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 4, 2024, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,036 times since then and 733 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 4, 2024, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.