Stairs, Samuel

THE SAMUEL STAIRS FAMILY
The birth of the youngest of the Conrad Steer''s Family, Samuel Stairs, was recorded in the Donegal Mt. Zion Lutheran Church as occurring 6 July 1811. Not too much is known of the life of Samuel Stairs. The 1850 census for Mount. Pleasant Township lists him as 39 years old and being a farm laborer. His wife''s name was Elizabeth, age 32. The children included Catherine(9), Caroline(7), George(5), and James(2)..
The Mount Pleasant Township tax records show him paying taxes on eight to ten acres as early as 1838 and as late as 1864. An Elizabeth, presumably his wife, pays taxes through 1867, but unexplainable, on 38 to 44 acres. Then taxes are paid on 38 acres by the heirs of Samuel Stairs, at least through 1870.

It is difficult to determine where Samuel raised his family. A letter from Harry Stairs to Cora Scandrol says his father George, son of Samuel, grew up on Chestnut Ridge between Donegal and Mount Pleasant. Chestnut Ridge is essentially the border between Donegal and Mount Pleasant Townships. One of the above mentioned tax entries listed his post office address as Ridgeview. The 1882 Westmoreland History describes Ridgeview as being where the village of Kecksburg in Mount Pleasant Township now stands. Ridgeview is close to Mammoth where George raised his family. It makes sense to believe the family lived on Chestnut Ridge near Donegal in the early days and later moved to Ridgeview. The family of George?s wife originally came from Donegal Township, and we know for certain that they later lived in Mammoth near Ridgeview.
The Pennsylvania Archives says a Samuel Stair enlisted as a private in Company C, First Regiment, at Pittsburghand served between 1846 and 1848. This was the time of the war with Mexico.
Based on his tax records, Samuel probably died about 1864 and possibly his wife, Elizabeth, three years later.