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Congruity (Salem Township), Pennsylvania

Borland, Morrison, and Johnston research · Kevin Borland

About Congruity and scope of this article

Congruity is a census-designated place (CDP) within Salem Township, Westmoreland County, in southwestern Pennsylvania. Historically the area had its own post office (opened in the 1830s, according to nineteenth-century postal and atlas sources), and local Presbyterian church records tie the neighborhood to rural Scotch-Irish settlement patterns typical of that part of Westmoreland County.

This page centers on Congruity (Salem Township) and related Westmoreland County evidence: Presbyterian burying-ground markers, Salem Township federal censuses, county wills and deeds, and federal censuses elsewhere in the county for households tied to Congruity Presbyterian (for example Samuel and Lydia Borland, buried at Congruity). The author descends from Alexander Morrison and Sarah Ann Johnston and from Samuel and Lydia’s son James Borland; those branches meet in later generations beyond this locality.

AI-generated by Kevin Borland, based on a photograph originally taken by Alan Saltsman 24 Apr 2009.

The building depicted is the present church—not the meetinghouse these families knew; it was surely built in the twentieth century. Worship in their day would have been in an earlier meetinghouse, almost certainly log or wood-frame, on or near the same site. The cemetery behind the current structure is what survives from their era; the grave markers cited on this page still stand in that burying ground.

Samuel and Lydia Borland

Samuel Borland and his wife Lydia are buried at Congruity Presbyterian with adjacent markers typical of their generation in this burying ground, although federal censuses index their household in neighboring townships—Franklin in 1790 and 1810, Washington in 1800—consistent with worshipping at Congruity from outside Salem Township. Lydia was probably Lydia Gregg, daughter of John and Ann Gregg of Winchester, Virginia; she married Samuel in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, before the household relocated within Westmoreland County. Samuel served as a lieutenant in the Bedford County militia during the Revolutionary War. One documented descendant line runs through their son James Borland. Ann Borland, consort of John Borland (grave inscription shown below), shares lettering and monument treatment with Samuel’s family stones and may reflect Samuel’s household circle—John Borland was likely Samuel and Lydia’s eldest child.

Grave markers — Samuel, Lydia, and Ann Borland

Samuel Borland — inscription: “In memory of Samuel Borland who departed this life July 15th, 1811, aged 63 years.” Lydia Borland (adjacent stone) — inscription: “In memory of Lydia Borland (Consort of the late Samuel Borland) departed this life September 5th, 1817, aged 54.” Photo by Kevin Borland, 4 Mar 2011. Transcription by Kevin Borland.

Ann Borland — inscription: “In Memory of Ann Borland
consort of
John Borland
who departed this life
May 29th 1827.” Her husband John Borland was likely the eldest child of Samuel and Lydia Borland. Photo by Darcie Saunier, 8 Jul 2021. Transcription by Kevin Borland. Find a Grave also lists “Aged 31 years”; that line is difficult to read here—much of it lies low on the face of the stone and is partly covered after the marker settled.

Samuel Borland — will (manuscript)

Samuel Borland will — manuscript image (click for full size).

Westmoreland County will book index — Borland entries

Heading on the film: “WILL BOOK 1 - 1811-1819 (Extracts).” Index excerpt showing Borland-related probate references (click image for full size).

William Borland — son of Samuel and Lydia

William Borland, named in his father’s will among the children sharing the home plantation, remained in Franklin Township while siblings and allied lines moved or appear elsewhere. He is not the same man as William Boreland of Salem Township who married Mary A. Burns (that household is treated separately in Part III below).

Daniel Morrison; John Johnston; Alexander Morrison & Sarah Ann Johnston

These Salem Township families intersect through census households, land transfers, and church registers centered on Congruity Presbyterian. Alexander Morrison married Sarah Ann Johnston there on 14 March 1837 (indexed Pennsylvania marriages). Daniel Morrison, Revolutionary War soldier buried at Congruity, is indexed in Mount Pleasant Township in 1790 and later held Salem Township land purchased from John Hart (1809, deed below). John Johnston headed Salem households on successive federal censuses into the 1840s; his Johnston surname anchors Sarah Ann’s line for this article’s locality research.

Alexander Morrison and Sarah Ann (Johnston) Morrison later settled in New Hagerstown, Carroll County, Ohio; that later chapter of their lives—along with several children and allied families—is sketched in Another Little Girl.

Grave markers — Johnston and Morrison

John Johnston — inscription: “John Johnson [sic] DIED Nov 16 1849 In the 89 Year of his age.” Photo taken 25 Oct 2015 by anonymous contributor “NJM”; retrieved from Find a Grave, 4 May 2026. Transcription by Kevin Borland.

Daniel Morrison — inscription: “In memory of DANIEL MORRISON who departed this life april 20 1830 aged [age illegible].” Photo by Kevin Borland, 26 Nov 2008. Transcription by Kevin Borland.

Daniel Morrison — Pennsylvania veterans burial card

Daniel Morrison — will and probate (Westmoreland County)

Indexed fields (Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records)

Name	Daniel Morrison
Residence date	About 1829
Residence place	Salem Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Will date	1 July 1829
Probate date	5 May 1830
Probate place	Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA
Inferred death date	1830
Inferred death place	Pennsylvania, USA
Case number	1000
Item description	Will Books, vols. 1–2, 1774–1839

Will manuscript (two pages). Click an image for full size.

Daniel Morrison’s Will

1000

In the Name of God Amen This First day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight Hundred and twenty nine I Daniel Morrison of Salem Township Township [duplication in original document] Westmoreland County and State of Pennsylvania Being weak of body but of sound mind memory and understanding Blessed be God for the same and considering the uncertainty of this present life Do make this my last will and Testament in this following manner.

Viz Principally and first of all I command my Immortal soul to God who I await and my body to the earth to be Buried in a decent and Christian like manner and as to what worldly property as It hath pleased God to Bestow upon me in this life I give and Bequeath in the following manner to wit I allow all of my Just and lawful Debts and financial expenses to be paid by my Executors hereinafter named

Item 2nd. I give and Bequeath unto my Beloved Wife Martha one Bed and Bed clothes and one Cow and Eight Sheep and her wheel and the Kitchen Dresser and what belongs thereto and her Wearing Apparel and her saddle and I allow my Two sons James and Henry to Maintain my said Wife Martha on the place I now Reside on so long as she remain my Widow or while her Oldest son Archibald arrives at the age of Twenty one years if so long spared and if my said Wife should leave the place I now Reside on without a Just and Lawful Cause my Two sons James and Henry aforementioned is not bound in any way whatever to find her in Separate Maintenance and if my sd Wife should Remain my Widow longer than her son Archibald arrives at the age of twenty one years then I allow her to be Maintained by her four children to Wit Isabella, Archibald, Allen Murry and Nancy Jane or the survivors of them

Item 2nd [duplicate numbering in original document]. I give and Bequeath unto my son John Thirty Dollars

Item 3rd. I give and Bequeath unto my Two sons James and Henry the Tract of Land I now Reside on with all the Buildings and Improvements Belonging thereto to be Equal shared therein and I give unto my son James his Mare and Colt and his saddle and Bridle and set of Horse Gears and one plow and one Cow.

Item 4th. I give and Bequeath unto my son Henry my Fox Horse and his saddle and Bridle and one set of Horse Gears and A Harrow and one Cow and my Great Coat

Item 5th. I give and Bequeath unto my son Alexander A two year old Colt and Forty Dollars in Money

Item 6th. I give and Bequeath unto my son Samuel One Hundred Dollars

Item 7th. I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Margaret Forty Dollars

Item 8th. I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Martha Sixty Dollars in Money and one Bureau and an umbrella

Item 9th. I give and Bequeath unto Sarah Armstrong Heiffer [sic] Calf

Likewise I allow my Executors hereafter Named to sell and Dispose of all my other property not before Bequeathed Except what grain may be on hand and in the Ground at the time of my decease Likewise all my Bedding and Wearing apparel and all my books is Excepted and I Likewise allow my Executors after Disposing of my movable property and paying all my Debts and financial Expenses and and [duplication in original document] what money I have Bequeathed and what Expenses I here may acquire on the settling of my Estate if there is an overplus I allow it to be Divided Equally Between my Two sons James and Henry for the purpose of schooling my young children I Likewise appoint Archibald McIntosh of Armstrong County my agent to sell and Convey my Tract of Land in Plumb Creek Township County of Armstrong and the Money arriving from the sale of sd Land to be placed in the hands of my Executors for the only purpose of my four youngest Children to be Divided Equally Between them or the survivors of them Likewise I constitute and appoint James Morrison and Andrew Love Executors of this my Last Will and Testament Revoking any former Will or Wills by me heretofore made and I give them full power and authority to collect all my outstanding Debts and to settle my Estate in the manner Directed above Signed and acknowledged in the presence of sd who at his request have subscribed our Names as witnesses.

Daniel Morrison [seal]

Witnesses
Andrew Love
Henry McBride

Legally proven the 5th day of May 1830 before A. Johnston Reg. Recorded Same day

May 5th 1830 Letters Testamentary Awarded to Executors both Sworn

Transcription by Kevin Borland.

Citation: Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683–1993, online database (Ancestry.com; Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015). Daniel Morrison; will dated 1 July 1829; probate 5 May 1830; probate place Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania; Register of Wills as author of the manuscript series (Will Books, 1773–1917; Will Indexes, 1773–1918); indexed residence about 1829 in Salem Township, Westmoreland County; case number 1000; item described as Will Books, volumes 1–2 (1774–1839). Original records: Westmoreland County (Pennsylvania), Register of Wills. The digital images preceding this transcription reproduce Ancestry.com’s presentation of the filmed or scanned county probate manuscripts underlying this index entry. Death date and place in the table follow Ancestry’s index inference, not necessarily explicit statements on the originals—confirm against the file packet. Digital repository: Ancestry.com, 360 West 4800 North, Provo, UT 84604.

Land record — John Hart to Daniel Morrison

Manuscript deed (click image for full size). Transcription by Kevin Borland; formal citation pending.

William Boreland household

A second Salem Township Borland cluster centers on William Boreland (grave inscription “Wm Boreland”) and Mary A. Boreland, with adult children such as Robert Borland and Mary Ann Borland (later Mary A. Adair). This man is not William Borland, son of Samuel and Lydia, who remained in Franklin Township (Part I above). Documentary proof of kinship to Samuel and Lydia Borland is still lacking; shared surname, burial at Congruity, and compatible chronology suggest a close relationship worth testing with deeds and probate, but this section treats the household on its own evidence.

Grave markers — William Boreland and family

William Borland — inscription: “Wm Boreland Died May 3, 1849, in his 68th year.” Photo by Melissa Strobel, 11 Apr 2012. Transcription by Kevin Borland.

Mary A. Boreland — inscription: “Mary A. [wife of] Wm. Boreland, died Sept 25 1873 in her 90th year.” Maiden name believed to have been Burns (not yet proved). Photo by Melissa Strobel, 11 Apr 2012. Transcription by Kevin Borland.

Mary A. Adair — born Mary Ann Borland, daughter of Wm. Boreland and Mary A. Boreland; wife of James Adair (as stated on the stone). Dates on marker: 7 July 1824 – 21 February 1875. Photo by Melissa Strobel, 11 Apr 2012. Full inscription not transcribed.

Mary Borland — born Mary Christy, daughter of James and Mary (Stewart) Christy; first wife of Robert Borland (son of Wm. Boreland and Mary A. Boreland). Death 1 February 1852, cause childbed fever (death registration). Photo by anonymous Find a Grave contributor “KRL,” 16 Aug 2014. Stone inscription not transcribed.

Mary Borland — death registration (1852)

Pennsylvania death registration, 1852 (indexed abstract below). Click image for full size. Handwritten entry not fully transcribed.

Future Research

Several key questions remain open and require additional documentation. A copy of Lydia Borland’s will—already identified in the Westmoreland County index—should be obtained. Further work is also needed to determine whether Nancy, wife of John Johnston, was née Tullis; this hypothesis is currently based on naming patterns among descendants and should be tested against land, probate, and church records.

Additional research should focus on clarifying relationships within the Congruity community. This includes determining whether the Salem Township Boreland family of William Boreland is connected to Samuel and Lydia Borland, identifying the relationship of Sarah Armstrong (named in Daniel Morrison’s 1829 will), and locating additional Congruity Presbyterian records—particularly marriage and baptismal entries—that may document these families more directly.