Here is a biography of William Ralston that I was kindly given by a descendant. I don't recall the book, offhand, but it is from one: WILLIAM RALSTON, a prosperous farmer and mill owner of Matthews, this county, who is now practically retired from active business, is the fourth son of Robert and Catharine (Christman) Ralston, and a native of West Vincent township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, where he was born August 20, 1820. The Ralstons came originally from the north of Ireland, the family being planted on the American continent by John Ralston, a native of north Ireland, who was in the battle of Boyne Water, under King William, July 1, 1690, and emigrated to America in August, 1728, settling in Pikeland (now West Pikeland) township, Chester county, Pennsylvania. With him came his son, Robert Ralston, who was born in Ireland, October 3, 1722. The latter became prominent in this county and served several years as a member of the State legislature, dying at his home in Pikeland township, February 19, 1814. His son, Hon. John Ralston (grandfather), was born in Vincent (now West Vincent) township, this county, November 4, 1744. When the war of the Revolution burst on the colonies he took an active part in defense of American rights, serving in the Continental army, first as captain and later as colonel of a regiment. When General Washington removed his headquarters from Yellow Springs to Reading he sent for Captain Ralston, who was then at home on a furlough putting in his crops, and requested him to pilot the command part of the way. The captain consented and escorted Washington as far as the falls of French creek, where another pilot was procured and Captain Ralston returned home. During the war his house was burned by the British scouts, and he was three times compelled to secrete himself in a barn to avoid being captured by the enemy. He was a farmer by occupation, and a democrat in politics. After the revolutionary struggle ended he was appointed justice of the peace, and for forty-one years discharged the complicated duties of that office in an able, intelligent and successful manner. He became a member of the county court in November, 1784, and occupied that position continuously until the constitution of 1790 went into effect, and on August 26, 1791, was again commissioned a justice of the peace by Governor Mifflin. April 7, 1802, he was appointed by Governor McKean an associate judge of the courts of this county, the duties of which he performed with singular fidelity during the last twenty-three years of his life. He died at his home, on the property now occupied by John Ralston in West Vincent township, September 1, 1825, in the eighty-first year of his age, and his remains were entombed at St. Peter’s church in Chester valley. He married Catharine Miller, and had five sons and two daughters: Robert, father; William, married Mary Heffelfinger in 1805, and died in 1825; John, James; Mary, married John Bingaman, and, after his decease, wedded Henry Rimby; Catharine, became the wife of Samson Davis; and George. Robert Ralston (father) was born on the old Ralston homestead, in West Vincent township, this county, April 19, 1778, where he grew to maturity and received an ordinary English education. After attaining his majority he engaged in farming, which continued to be his principal occupation through life, though he was also engaged in distilling for a time, and in various other enterprises. Politically he was a democrat and took an active interest in the success of his party. He married Catharine Christman, a daughter of George Christman, of Pikeland, and to them was born a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters: George, deceased; John, also dead; Robert; William, whose name heads this sketch; Elizabeth, deceased; Mariah, married Henry Buckwalter; Sophia, now dead; and Catharine, who became the wife of Isaac Evans. William Ralston grew to manhood in West Vincent township, this county, receiving a good English education in the public schools of his vicinity, and has spent all his life here, engaged principally in agricultural pursuits. He owns a large farm containing two hundred and fifty acres, two hundred of which are well improved, the balance being valuable woodland. His farm buildings are substantial and commodious, and he is a fine type of the independent American farmer. In political sentiment Mr. Ralston has always been a democrat, believing firmly in equal rights and exact justice to all, and special privileges to none. On January 16, 1857, the subjects of this sketch was united in marriage with Sarah Mosteller, a daughter of Henry Mosteller, a prosperous farmer of West Vincent township, this county. To Mr. And Mrs. Ralston was born a family of three children, two sons and a daughter: H. F. Ralston, who married Ella Paul, a daughter of Jacob Paul, of West Vincent township, and now resides with his father and operates the home farm; Annie, who became the wife of Clifford Emery, a farmer of this township; and William E., living at home with his parents and running a feed and saw mill owned by his father. Mrs. Sarah Ralston was born January 18 , 1826, grew to womanhood and was educated in her native township, and is a member of the Lutheran church. If anyone operates a Rootsweb page, please feel free to copy it and put it online! In fact, I think it would be nice if someone would... Thanks, Vince Summers

Cool! I'll put it up on my new site ( http://gen.atleeridge.us ) - I'm collecting them anyway, and in this case, I'm happy to do so since Ralston appears as a middle name in one of my related lines and I've always figured that there has to be a connection somewhere. We have a pair of John Ralston Bingamans (Sr. and Jr.) in my mother's line, so if anyone has a Bingaman connection, I want to know about it!. I'm reorganizing things a bit on my site and loading almost everything I come across into the Resources section, since that way everything is searchable and I can put links there as well as actual articles such as this one. -Mary At 09:17 PM 5/30/2004, Vince Summers wrote: >Here is a biography of William Ralston that I was kindly given by a >descendant. I don't recall the book, offhand, but it is from one: > >WILLIAM RALSTON, a prosperous farmer and mill owner of Matthews, this >county, who is now practically retired from active business, is the fourth >son of Robert and Catharine (Christman) Ralston, and a native of West >Vincent township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, where he was born August >20, 1820. The Ralstons came originally from the north of Ireland, the >family being planted on the American continent by John Ralston, a native >of north Ireland, who was in the battle of Boyne Water, under King >William, July 1, 1690, and emigrated to America in August, 1728, settling >in Pikeland (now West Pikeland) township, Chester county, Pennsylvania. >With him came his son, Robert Ralston, who was born in Ireland, October 3, >1722. The latter became prominent in this county and served several years >as a member of the State legislature, dying at his home in Pikeland >township, February 19, 1814. His son, Hon. John Ralston (grandfather), was >born in Vincent (now West Vincent) township, this county, November 4, >1744. When the war of the Revolution burst on the colonies he took an >active part in defense of American rights, serving in the Continental >army, first as captain and later as colonel of a regiment. When General >Washington removed his headquarters from Yellow Springs to Reading he sent >for Captain Ralston, who was then at home on a furlough putting in his >crops, and requested him to pilot the command part of the way. The captain >consented and escorted Washington as far as the falls of French creek, >where another pilot was procured and Captain Ralston returned home. During >the war his house was burned by the British scouts, and he was three times >compelled to secrete himself in a barn to avoid being captured by the >enemy. He was a farmer by occupation, and a democrat in politics. After >the revolutionary struggle ended he was appointed justice of the peace, >and for forty-one years discharged the complicated duties of that office >in an able, intelligent and successful manner. He became a member of the >county court in November, 1784, and occupied that position continuously >until the constitution of 1790 went into effect, and on August 26, 1791, >was again commissioned a justice of the peace by Governor Mifflin. April >7, 1802, he was appointed by Governor McKean an associate judge of the >courts of this county, the duties of which he performed with singular >fidelity during the last twenty-three years of his life. He died at his >home, on the property now occupied by John Ralston in West Vincent >township, September 1, 1825, in the eighty-first year of his age, and his >remains were entombed at St. Peter's church in Chester valley. He married >Catharine Miller, and had five sons and two daughters: Robert, father; >William, married Mary Heffelfinger in 1805, and died in 1825; John, James; >Mary, married John Bingaman, and, after his decease, wedded Henry Rimby; >Catharine, became the wife of Samson Davis; and George. Robert Ralston >(father) was born on the old Ralston homestead, in West Vincent township, >this county, April 19, 1778, where he grew to maturity and received an >ordinary English education. After attaining his majority he engaged in >farming, which continued to be his principal occupation through life, >though he was also engaged in distilling for a time, and in various other >enterprises. Politically he was a democrat and took an active interest in >the success of his party. He married Catharine Christman, a daughter of >George Christman, of Pikeland, and to them was born a family of eight >children, four sons and four daughters: George, deceased; John, also dead; >Robert; William, whose name heads this sketch; Elizabeth, deceased; >Mariah, married Henry Buckwalter; Sophia, now dead; and Catharine, who >became the wife of Isaac Evans. William Ralston grew to manhood in West >Vincent township, this county, receiving a good English education in the >public schools of his vicinity, and has spent all his life here, engaged >principally in agricultural pursuits. He owns a large farm containing two >hundred and fifty acres, two hundred of which are well improved, the >balance being valuable woodland. His farm buildings are substantial and >commodious, and he is a fine type of the independent American farmer. In >political sentiment Mr. Ralston has always been a democrat, believing >firmly in equal rights and exact justice to all, and special privileges to >none. >On January 16, 1857, the subjects of this sketch was united in marriage >with Sarah Mosteller, a daughter of Henry Mosteller, a prosperous farmer >of West Vincent township, this county. To Mr. And Mrs. Ralston was born a >family of three children, two sons and a daughter: H. F. Ralston, who >married Ella Paul, a daughter of Jacob Paul, of West Vincent township, and >now resides with his father and operates the home farm; Annie, who became >the wife of Clifford Emery, a farmer of this township; and William E., >living at home with his parents and running a feed and saw mill owned by >his father. Mrs. Sarah Ralston was born January 18 , 1826, grew to >womanhood and was educated in her native township, and is a member of the >Lutheran church. > >If anyone operates a Rootsweb page, please feel free to copy it >and put it online! In fact, I think it would be nice if someone >would... > >Thanks, >Vince Summers > > >==== PACHESTE Mailing List ==== >Check out the searchable USGenWeb Project Archives! >http://searches.rootsweb.com/usgwarch.html >