WILKINS, John, pioneer, born in Donegal, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1 June, 1733; died in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, 11 December, 1809. His father, John, an early settler on Chiques creek, was an Indian trader, and took an active part against the Marylanders during the boundary difficulties, who offered £50 for his arrest. He was captured and taken to Annapolis jail, but subsequently released, John, the younger, removed to Carlisle in 1763, and ten years later to Bedford, engaging in mercantile pursuits. At the opening of the Revolution he organized a company of associators, and in 1776 was commissioned captain in the Continental service, and was at Brandywine and Germantown. He was a member of the Pennsylvania constitutional convention of 15 July, 1776, from Bedford county. In November, 1783, he removed to Pittsburg, entered into business, and, upon the organization of Alleghany county, was appointed one of the associate judges of the court. He served as member of the supreme executive council in 1790, was chief burgess of the borough of Pittsburg, commissioner of public buildings, and county treasurer from 1794 till 1803. --His son, William, born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, 20 December, 1779; died in Homewood, Alleghany County, Pennsylvania, 23 June, 1865, attended Dickinson college for a short time, read law at Carlisle, and was admitted to the bar at Pittsburg on 28 December, 1801. He practised law there for more than fifty years, except when engaged in the performance of public duties, he was president of the common councils of the city in 1816-'19, was elected to the legislature in 1820, and was a candidate for speaker, but was defeated and made chairman of the judiciary committee. He resigned on 18 December, 1820, when he was appointed president-judge of the 5th judicial district of Pennsylvania. He held this office until 25 May, 1824, when he was made judge of the United States district court for western Pennsylvania. While on the bench in 1828, he was elected to congress, but declined to serve. In 1831 he was chosen United States senator for the full term of six years, and gave up the judgeship. He was a supporter of Andrew Jackson in opposition to John C. Calhoun's doctrines, and, as chairman of the senate committee, he reported the bill that passed congress, authorizing the president to use the army to suppress the nullification movement. In 1833 the electoral vote of Pennsylvania was east for him for vice-president. In 1814 he was appointed minister to Russia. In 1842 he was again elected to the house of representatives, and served until 19 January, 1844, when he was made secretary of war by President Tyler. In 1855 he was chosen state senator from Alleghany county. At, the opening of the civil war, although more than eighty years of age, he took an active interest in supporting the government as major-general of the home-guard, being always a stanch war Democrat. From 1805 until the time of his death he was active in any matter for the improvement of Pittsburg. In 1810 he helped to organize the Pittsburg manufacturing company, which in 1814 was incorporated as the Bank of Pittsburg, and he was its first president. He was interested in building the bridge across Monongahela river, and aided the Pennsylvania railroad in reaching the city of Pittsburg. His second wife was Matilda Dallas, daughter of Alexander James Dallas.