http://books.google.com/books?id=bZl4AAAAMAAJ&q=baidland#v=snippet&q=mcgrew&f=false pg. 286 Dr. R. F. Biddle Dr. Robert F. Biddle, a well known educated physician hailing from Washington, PA, where he obtained a collegiate education and where he studied medicine under Dr. Stevens, commenced practice in Monongahela City. He was a man fully 6 feet high, or rather heavy build, slow in motion when taking a walk or mounted on horseback he leaned forward. He appeared mostly to be absorbed in thought, or deep study. Large eyes and a prominent forehead. He was a man of robust constitution, capable of great endurance, and of strong, vigorous intellectual qualities. He very soon obtained the largest practice of any physician ever known in the Monongahela Valley, which he maintained until his health and physical strength gave way. His charges for medical services were notedly moderate, and it was said by persons who knew that he was so negligent in making entry of his visits to sick chambers that one third or more of such visits were never charged at all. Nor was the waste of the doctor's hard earning confined to his very low bills, or negligence of making entry, but, added to this, he was wonderfully loath to make out bills against any parties who were ready and willing to pay such bills when rendered. One man who, it is said, was indebted to the doctor for medical service and who had demanded of him right along for three years his account without success, brought him for settlement before on of our old time 'squires. On hearing day the doctor declared that he didn't owe the plaintiff one cent. "All right", said the plaintiff, "my object is bringing the suit against you is to put matters in such a shape that I will known how much I owe you." The doctor's bill was at once rendered and payment made, and both left the 'squire's office well pleased that things were no worse. The popularity of Doctor Biddle as a man and a physician became so great that he was kept on the go mostly day and night, for many years. One of the Doctor's 2 favorite horses called Ned had considerable sagacity - became so well acquainted with the roads and by roads and lanes of the country for 8-10 miles round and many stopping places, knowing the Doctor's habits of occasionally taking a snooze in the late hours of night whilst astraddle of his back, was careful as to how he carried the Doctor when in such condition. One night at a late hour having alighted at a sick house on Mingo Creek, after seeing his patient he remounted Ned and in a few moments afterwards fell asleep. The next stopping place, as the faithful horse well knew, would be at Valley Inn on the Pike, to which place the animal gently posted its way up a long hill and from the creek. In coming to the front of the residence when the sick lay, the sagacious horse made a halt without pulling of the rein, and loudly neighed with its head towards the patient's house, as much as to say to the inmates, "here we are, but the Boss you wish to see is enjoying a snooze upon my back." The weary Doctor was soon waked up and dismounted and the sick seen to. The Doctor was opposed to all kinds of display and pomposity. Plain in his dress, economical in his expenditures, a man of excellently well-balanced mind. Shrewd and quick in detecting the plots or connivances of designing men. He was strictly conscientious and honest in all his dealings. He took the grounds that every person should render a full consideration for the amount of bill charged - a man of sterling integrity, of mild temper and disposition. He would not jangle or quarrel with persons disposed to be abusive, but would get away. A profound thinker, he wrote several sensible articles for the local press upon the transpiring matters of his day. Although no office seeker he took a deep interest in the affairs of the country. When he took the stump, as betimes he did in the most exciting political campaigns, his speeches were delivered with force and telling effect. He was a warm, reliable friend and good neighbor, fond of a cigar, also of hearing or telling of a joke having a good point, which, without fail, would extort from him a hearty laugh. He was a close observer of the sagacity and acuteness of some of the animals; was disposed to think that such of them thus acute were endowed with reasoning powers. Sometimes in the Doctor's leisure moments he would close his eyes and take a hearty laugh preparatory to relating a good one in regard to some funny occurrence which had come under his notice, which he could always tell with such a grace as to bring a spontaneous burst of laughter from the whole company present. It was a matter of wonder to many why a man possessing such an excellent mind and good sense as Dr. Biddle would be so careless in keeping his accounts, and manifest so much dislike to rendering bills of service. For some 35 years he practiced early and late through every part of this town, and over the hills and dales of the surrounding country for 8-10 miles distant, for which arduous labors he nor his intelligent widow has never been half paid. Worn out in the service of the people, he d. May 12, 1864, at his home in Monongahela City, and sweetly slumbers in the Monongahela cemetery, where a snug monument is erected to his memory. (Moses Scott.) Mrs. M. J. Biddle, d., at her home on 4th St. in Monongahela, Monday, July 17, 1893, Mrs. Mary Jane Cooper, relict of the late Dr. R. F. Biddle, to whom she m. in 1848. At her death she was perhaps the oldest continuous resident of this city. She was b. Oct. 10, 1818, in this town, the daughter of John and Charity Cooper. Cooper removed from W. Newton in 1810. His wife's maiden name was Charity Sparks, daughter of Col. Richard Sparks, who was a colonel in the US Army at the close of the Revolution, and who owned in early days the well known Garret Wall farm in Forward township, in Allegheny Co., PA, on which the mother of our deceased friend was born. John Cooper and Charity Sparks were m. March 2, 1809, and Cooper d. Mar. 1, 1820, leaving a widow and 4 sons, Richard Sparks, Hezekiah D., John S., and Robert F., and 1 daughter, Mary Jane, the deceased. With the decease of Jane, John Cooper's children have all passed away. Mrs. Cooper, mother of Jane, m. John Shouse, Mar. 28, 1828, who d. at the Valley Inn, now Baidland, Aug. 13, 1834, leaving 1 son, W. H. Shouse, now of Cincinnati, OH, and 1 daughter, Fannie C., wife of Rev. J. P. Fulton, of Harper, KS. When the father of Mrs. Jane Biddle settled in this city, then called Williamsport, there were only 4 resident Presbyterians in the place, namely: John Lamb and wife, and James Gordon and wife, the arrival of John Cooper and wife making up the faithful 8 who, with James Hair and wife, formed the nucleus of that blessed church which has stood for a century gathering in the generations of the past. In this church Jane was b. and lived all of her years, doing service in untold ways and means to aid the cause of her Master. She was intellectually bright, wich added much to her usefulness as a member of the church and of society in general. Many of the older citizens will call to mind her success as a teacher in private and public schools. When the deceased joined the Presbyterian church the congregation worshipped in the brick church building on the hill, where now only can be seen the remains of the resting places of those who once made up the number who listened to the instructions of the good old minister, Dr. Ralston, and the younger Chambers and Porter. Mrs. Biddle's associates in early church work have about all gone home. Her race was long, but she reached the goal and won the prize of eternal life, through Jesus Christ.