Biography

1753 - 06/25/1821

William Hepburn (Democratic-Republican10) Huntingdon, Luzerne and Northumberland Counties 1793-1794 (Democratic-Republican10) Luzerne, Mifflin and Northumberland Counties 1794-1795.

Early Life:

William Hepburn, born 1753, Donegal, Ireland; son of Samuel Hepburn (mother and sister were lost in a shipwreck off the Jersey coast) moved, Sunbury, then moved north to Williamsport, Pennsylvania; colonel, local militia company, commander, Fort Muncy, 1778; 300-acre farmer, distiller, merchant, Justice of the Peace; Commissioner, Northumberland County, 1789-1791; elected, Democratic-Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1793-1795; appointed associate judge, Lycoming County Court, first president judge of Lycoming County; married, Elizabeth Huston Hepburn, children, Elizabeth Hepburn Stewart, Matilda Hepburn Stewart, James Hepburn, Charles William Hepburn; died, June 25, 1821 (aged 68) Williamsport, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania; internment, Wildwood Cemetery, Williamsport, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Member, Lycoming Presbyterian Church; founder of the first Masonic lodge, Lycoming County, then elected, first Worshipful Master of Lodge 106, Free and Accepted Masons.

Pennsylvania Politics: 

Justice of the Peace. 

Commissioner, Northumberland County, 1789-1791.

Elected, Democratic-Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 10th district, Huntingdon, Luzerne and Northumberland Counties, 1793-1794. William Montgomery resigned or died, replaced by William Hepburn, January 20, 1794.

Elected, Democratic-Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 10th district, Luzerne, Mifflin and Northumberland Counties, 1794-1795.

Appointed associate judge, Lycoming County Court, Governor Thomas Mifflin; colleagues then elected him to be the first president judge of Lycoming County. Had no formal legal training.

Legacy:

During his Senate tenure, he played a critical role in the formation of Lycoming County, which was to be carved from territory taken from Northumberland County, selected to a group of five state senators whose task was to prepare the division of Northumberland County. The committee prepared a report that became a bill that established Lycoming County. Governor Thomas Mifflin signed it into law on April 13, 1795. Regarded as the "Father of Lycoming County."

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members H". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

A New Nation Votes (tufts.edu)

William Hepburn (1753-1821) - Find a Grave Memorial