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Hart's History
and Directory

: : : o f t h c : : :

THREE TOWNS

BROWNSVILLE
BRIDGEPORT
WEST BROWNSVILLE

Illustrated with Portraits & Views

Also Abridged History of
Fayette County & Western
Pennsylvania : : : : :

Price $2.50

^j^"^ Edited and Compiled by
J? PERCY HART assisted by W. H. BRIGHT

Published by
J. PERCY HART : : Cadwailader, Pa.

19 4

'Si

THE LIBRARY OF
CONGRESS,

Two Copies Received
NOV 17 i904

Cot>yri£nt Lntry

CLASS CL. XXc, Not

COPY A.

ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS IN THE YEAR 1904

BY J. PERCY HART, CADWALLADER. PA.

IN THE OFFICE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS AT

WASHINGTON. D. C.

^33

Preface

IX this abridged history of Fayette County, of Western Pennsylvania,
and of the Three Towns of BrownsviUe, Bridgeport and West Browns-
\-ille particularly, it has been the aim of the author and compiler, to
devote more time to the writing, assembling and systematic arranging of facts
and incidents of the early settlement and life, social and industrial, than to
the portrayal of the ]:)resent.

It is around the things of the past that memory most fondly clings, and
to place them upon the pages of history that old and young may pore over
them, the former with fond recollections and the latter with awakened
interest in the life and trials of our forefathers, is the incenti\-e that prompted
the writing of these pages.

With more recent history, all are more or less familiar. The history of
the world, of today, is being made and comes to us daily through the columns
of newspapers and magazines; it is being graven upon marble and granite
and upon the everlasting hills, in a manner that it will never be erased, but
the history of the past centuries, we must gather from tradition or from
musty A'olumes of ancient and almost forgotten lore. And, it is from these
that we have gathered what we here present and we assure you that it was
as inuch a pleasure as a task' to gather much of what we haw written from
the trembling lips of beautiful old age, and emljellish it by the aid of the
'l)hotographer and illustrator.

All who took part in making the earlier history of this part of Pennsyl-
vania, have long since gone to their reward but their works live after them
and will result in manifold blessings to generations yet unborn; while many
of the others who came U].)on the scene from a half to three-f|uarters of a
century later, are still with us bearing U];)on their brows the silvery crown
of interesting and instructive old age, but their memory of things seen and
heard is a rich storehouse from which an historian delights to draw, and
it is to these as well as to the ancient chroniclers of history, that we are
indebted for much that enters into this volume,

Veech, Ellis, Searight, Nelson, Crumrine and other writers of the early
history of Pennsylvania, have been drawn upon and we believe in most
instances credited with their contributions, while the vast number of others
who have generously aided us in om- search for historic incidents, is such
as to preclude the possibility of individual mention. Among them, how-
ever, are J. D. S. Pringle, D. M. Hart, William Graham, Thomas Benton
Wilgus, (now in Morgantown), James Risbeck, James Mitchell, and a diary
of Robert Rogers, kindly furnished us by Roland C. Rogers.

We also desire to express our thanks to Hunter Beall, and Mrs. Morgan
West, now at Damascus, O., the former for the ])rivilege of ]Dhotographing

an old snuffbox and the latter for a picture of an old mirror both of which
came over in the Mayflower, as well as others for interesting and valued
heirlooms that deserve a place in this work. There are no doubt manj'
other relics if they were unearthed but some are buried away in obscure
garrets to be dug up by later generations while others are in the hands of
people with whom we have not been able to communicate. We are in-
debted to our efficient photographer W. D. Pratt, for pictures of many of
the old landmarks which it would have been impossible to secure had he
not had the negatives carefully laid away for just such an emergency.

While we have pictures and biographies of nearly all of our borough and
county officials, still there are a few that we have been unable to secure.
This we regret very much but feel that we are not to blame as we made
every reasonable effort to do so.

We realize that while we have brought the record of Fayette County's
progress down to the present time and the record of the Three Towns as
well, and that while that record is one of which any county or community
might well feel proud, it will be but a few more years at the present rate of
progress when our proud position in the industrial world, will seem to those
who look back, as exceedingly primitive. The future of Fayette County
and of the Three Towns particularly, is as promising as the dawn of a new
day and all the past achievements will seem primitive and prescribed com-
pared with what we shall have before the present generation takes its place

in the ranks of generations past.

J. p. H.

Index to Departments

PAGK

Earlv History ot Western Pennsylvania 014

Fayette County History (ilo

Geology of Fayette County ()1()

Fayette County's Part in Wars 017

Earlv and Present Modes of Transportation (US

History of the National Pike OlS

Slack-Water Navigation GHt

Old Taverns Along the Pike ()2{)

Railroad History 62 1

History of the Three Towns ()22 and 62.">

Necrological Record of the Three Towns since August 10, 1869. 2r)()

History of Brownsville 024

History of Bridgeport 025

History of West Brownsville 020

Financial Institutions of the Three Towns 027

Educational History 02S

Religious History- 62U

List of Telephone Subscribers — "Bell," "Federal," "Mononga-

hela Valley" and " Home-Mutual. " 420

History of Uniontown 630

Business Directory of Uniontown 404

Directory of the Three Towns 47.")

Brownsville 47")

Bridgeport 520

West Brownsville 579

Business Directory of the Three Towns 000

Index to Illustrations 031

Index to Advertisements 030

Large Map of the Three Towns Back of Book.

Early History of Western Pennsylvania

What is now Fayette County the Seat of Early Contention — French
Invasion — The Hanguard and Other Old Forts — Washington at

JUMONVILLE and THE GrEAT MeADOWS BrADDOCK's DISASTROUS

Expedition — Buried in Fayette County — Expedition of General
Forbes — French Abandon Fort Duquesne — Mounds and Mound-
Builders — Redstone Old Fort and Fort Burd — Gist's Plantation
Called Monongahela — Division of Westmoreland County^ — Trials
of First Settlers.

FRENCH INVASION.

There is probably not a county in the state of Pennsylvania nor in any
other in the United States, that can justly lay claim to greater historical
interest than Fayette County. Located as it is, in the most prominent
path that marks the course of the aborigines from the east to the west,
that was afterward trodden by the pioneers, the trappers and traders, the
colonial forces that came across the Alleghcnies to cross swords with
the French, and that from a blazed way through almost untrodden and seem-
ingly unbounded forests, became the highway of commerce long before the iron
rails of the Pennsylvania or Baltimore & Ohio had pierced the fertile hills
or spanned the still more fertile valleys of this vast region, it has ever been
prominent in the eyes of the nation and in the eyes of the world.

It is not our purpose in this Avork to enter into a detailed history of
Fayette County, as its history has been written many times by abler men
who in their works exhausted the stibjcct and gave to those interested all
that there is to know about this section of the state and particularly of Fay-
ette County, but to deal more particularly with what has long since become
familiarly known as the Three Towns and by which name Brownsville,
Bridgeport (Cadwallader P. O.) and West Brownsville are known. How-
ever, as the links are all intact between the gradual transition of Wendell
Brown and his two sons, Manus and Adam, from nimrods to husbandmen,
in 1751, to the present time, it will not be ovit of order nor consume much
time of the reader to follow the trail of the trader till it develops into the
modern, steel highways that now vie with the ever-rolling rivers, as the
arteries of commerce.

The French had explored virtually all that vast scope of country between
the Allegheny mountains and the Mississippi river from the Great Lakes south
to the Ohio river, long before the advent of the English and had established
forts and trading places along many of the rivers, but they had made no
definite effort to hold the territory until 1749 when Marquis de la Gahs-
soniere, then Governor-General of Canada, sent one Celoron by way of the
Great Lakes, down the Allegheny and Ohio rivers to take possession of the

Washington's Mission to Le Boeuf

country m the name of the king of France. Ho.v this expedition started
from LaChme near Montreal, June 15, 1749, following the St. Lawrence the
shores of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie and then crossed over to the Allegheny
strikmg It at a point near where Warren, Pennsylvania, now stands and
contmued down that stream to the Ohio, down the Ohio to the Miami up that
stream to near its head waters thence overland to the Maumee which river
they descended to Lake Erie and returned to Montreal bv way ,,f the route
they had come, planting leaden plates all along the route x\hich bore m
scriptions setting forth the claims of France to the territory, are all matters
of history too well known to merit repetition here.

It was this mo^•e on the part of France, however, that led the English to
greater activity and it was partly to circum^'ent the French that the Ohio
Company formed in Virginia by Virginians and Marvlanders in 1748
commenced active operations shortly afterward. Subsequent to the expedi'
tion of Celoron, the visits of the French to this section of the country became
frequent and m 1753 another expedition under a French commander made
Its way into the territory now comprising Western Pennsvlvania following
closely the route that Celoron had taken, and built a number of forts

WASHLNGTON'S MISSION TO LE BOEUF.

These mox-ements on the ]jart of the French alarmed the Governor of
Virginia, who urged on by the middle colonies, sent George Washington
then a young man, to inquire of the French the motive of their movements'
Washington with seven other men among whom was Christopher Gist who
figures largely m the subsequent history of this section of the country set
out on his mission late in the fall of 1753 and after a long and tedious journey
reached Venango, an old Indian town which was an outpost of the French
forces or rather an advance post. Here he foimd Joncaire and stated his
mission. Joncaire referred him to his superior officer who was stationed at
Le Boeuf, one of the forts but recently built by the French. Thither Wash-
mgton made his way and was courteously received by Legardeur de Saint
Pierre who in turn said that he would forward Governor Dinwiddie's message
to the Governor-General in Canada, but that in the meantime he had orders
to hold the territory and that he would obey his orders to the best of his
ability. Washington could do nothing more and with this answer he re-
turned to Virginia and reported to Governor Dinwiddle at Williamsbure
January 10, 1754.

In the meantime the Ohio Company had planned to establish a fort and
colony at the forks of the river or where Pittsburgh now stands, had received
consignments of goods from England and on his way back to Virginia
Washington met a number of these people then en route to the head waters
of the Ohio. The Ohio Company had already estabhshed trading posts
along the route namely at Wills creek, at the mouth of Turtle creek (whither
Frazier had gone after being driven from Venango by the French) , and William
Trent was at the time engaged in building the Hanguard a kind of fort or
blockhouse at the mouth of Redstone just below Brownsville. Washington

The Haiiguard, l'"orl I'itl and I'"orl I)U(|uesne

on his way back to Virginia, after his mission to the French cornmandcrs,
sto])|ii'(l for a tinu' at the plantation of Gist, known then as Monongahela,
a name wliieli was ajiplied to the territory froni the motith of Redstone to
the- \'(>ugli, (iist's ]ilantation, however, was within wdiat is now Fayette
Coimty and nion' defmitcly speaking in Wliarton townshi]).

THl-: II.\X(UAR1), FORT PITT AND FOR'I' DUQUFSNF.

Early in January, 17o4, the Ohio Coni])any realizt-d that they needed a
stronger arm than they wit'lded to jn'otect their interests in this section of
the country and seeinx'd from Virginia, authority to organize a com])any
of militia to co-operate with them. Oox-ernor Dinwiddie commissioned
William Trent captain of this comjiany, John Frazier lieutenant, and Edward
Ward ensign. Trent, as stated before, was at the time engaged in building
the Hanguard at the movith of Redstone but on recei\-ing orders from the
Go\"ernor of \'irginia to jjrticeed to the Old Dominion and raise a company of
100 men. he left the work and went on his mission. After securing about
forty men. he started for the Forks (now the city of Pittslmrgh) hoping to
fill out his company on the way. He proceeded to Gist's and thence to the
mouth of Redstone where he hrst completed the Hanguard after which he
went on to the Forks where in company with Gist, George Croghan and a
nuniber of others, he commenced the work of building the fort.

After laying ottt the groimd and getting some of the logs in position, Ca])t.
Trent was forced to retiu"n to Wills creek across the mountains for provisions.
Lieutenant Frazier was called to his trading i^ost at Turtle creek and the
work at the Forks was left in charge of Ensign Ward. About this time the
French under Contrecoeur appeared in force and demanded the surrender
of the post. W^ard saw that resistance would be suicidal and on the following
day, February 17, 1754, surrendered the post and with his men ascended
the Monongahela river to Brownsville where the Hanguard had already been
completed.

The French hax'ing gained possession of the Forks of the Ohio, at once set
about to Ijuild what has since been known as Fort Du(|uesne where or near
where over a year afterward, to be exact, July 9, 1755, General Braddock
met w4th disastrous defeat and received the wound that terminated his life
at the Great Meadows in Fayette County about eight o'clock Svmday even-
ing, July lo, 1755.

WASHINGTON AND JUMONVILLE.

Unaware of the surrender of the "Forks of the Ohio" by Ward, the Gov-
ernor of Virgittia was raising and organizing troops to go forward and occupy
the position. The first detachment of these troops was sent forward under
the command of Lieut. Col. George Washington who had already received
his commission from the Governor of Virginia as Lieutenant-Colonel of the
regiment of Virginia, Col. Joshua Frye being in command. Washington
was ordered to take the troops then ([uartered at Alexandria, Virginia,
consisting of two companies of infantry properly olificered, and proceed

TheudtJie RoosL-vtlt, Tresident of the United States

George \\ d^hin.uto". First I'resideut of the ITniteil States

Washington and Jumonville

to the Ohio and there help Captain Trent to build forts and protect the rights
or possessions of His Majesty against the French.

On the second day of April, 1754, Washington left Alexandria with the
two companies consisting of about 100 men besides the officers and we
next hear of him at Jacob Pearsoll's where he received word by an express,
from Captian Trent at the Ohio, stating that he was hourly expecting an
attack by a body of 800 French troops, and asking reinforcements. W^ash-
ington's force had in the meantime been augmented by Captain Stephen and
fifty men thus bringing his troops up to a total of 150 men in the ranks.

On the 20th Washington received word from Ensign Ward of the surrender
of the Forks. This was the first intimation he had of what had transpired
at the head waters of the Ohio river. After holding a council of war at Wills
creek, Washington decided that the proper thing to do was to pvish forward
to the mouth of Redstone and there fortify to meet the enemy, having in
the meantime received word that LaForce with a number of French and
some Indians had advanced up the Monongahela river and were in the
neighborhood of Gist's place. On the 12th of May Washington received
word by carrier that Colonel Frye was at Winchester Virginia with
100 men i.n-l would start in a few days for the front to join him. He
also received word that Colonel Innis was on the way with 350 Carolinians.
On the 17th Ward who had gone on east, rettirned and joining Washington in-
formed him that Captain Mackay with a compan}' of 100 independents was
on the wav to join him and that he might expect them any day. The same
evening two friendly Indians came into camp and informed Washington that
the French at Ft. Duquesne were expecting reinforcements any dav, that
would increase their force to abotit 1,600 men. However, Washington
moved his troops forward and after experiencing some difficulty in crossing
the Youghiogheny and hesitating as to whether the Yotighiogheny or the
Monongahela were the better point at which to make a stand decided in
favor of the latter and at two o'clock in the afternoon of the 24th of May, 1 754
we find hiin at Great Meadows. Just before reaching Great Meadows two In-
dian runners met him with a message from Half-King (Tanacharison) stating
that the French army was already on the road from Fort Duquesne to meet
the English and that Half-King and the other chiefs would soon be with him
to hold a council of war, as it seems Washington had requested them to do.
by messenger, prior to this time. That same evening a trader came into
cainp at Great Meadows, from Gist's and reported that he had seen two French-
men in that neighborhood and that he also knew there was a strong French
force in the vicinity of Stewart's Crossing of the Youghiogheny. From this
and the news he had received from Half- King, Washington decided to remain
at the Meadows, at least for a time, and if needs be, fortify himself against
the enemy.

Of this place Washington wrote prior to his encounter with the French,
that it was " A charming place for an encounter" but it seems that he after-
wards found it anything else but a " Charining place. "

On the morning of the 27th Christopher Gist arrived at Great Meadows
direct from his plantation and told Washington that on the previous day a

Washington's Defeat at Great Meadows 9

detachment of the French had visited his place and had committed variolas
de])redations, and further informed Washino;ton that he had seen their tracks
witliin live miles of Fort Neec>ssit>-, Ihi' name Washington had given to his
intreneliments. On reeei])t of lliis inforniation, Washington sent out about
70 men to reconnoiter and if possible to locate the Fi-ench troo])s. From
the following accounts it does not seem that they located the iM-ench, l)ut the
same evening Washington received word from Half-King who was then en-
camped only abotit six miles away, that he had seen two Frenchmen and
following them stealthily had discovered the camp of the French forces in
a dee]) and secluded ravine \-ery dilTicult of access and only about half a mile
from the trail.

After putting the camp or fort in order, Washington with those of his men
not left to protect the stipplies, set out in the darkness for the camp of Half-
King, which they reached just before daylight on the morning of the 2Sth of
May. A short council was held with the old Sachems and it was decided to
at once attack the French who were not far away. Accordingly they marched
in single tile, early that May morning, to the French camp and forming in
line of battle with the English troops on the right and the Indians on the
left, the attack was made withotit any further preliminaries. While
Washington did not succeed in surprising the French, the attack was so
strdden and they had so little time to prepare that though they flew to arms,
they were soon thrown into confvision and after about fifteen minutes' fight-
ing during which time ten of the French were killed and one wounded, while
Washington lost only one man killed and one wounded, they surrendered.

Among the French who were killed was Jtmionville who had command of
the French forces. Twenty-one French were taken prisoners, from which it
appears that there were only 32 French in the party. Among the prisoners
was LaForce w^ho is sometimes credited with having had charge of the
French forces. The French w'ho w^ere killed in the battle were scalped
by Half-King's men and the prisoners were eventtially sent to Winchester.
Virginia.

The death of Jumonvillc and the cajiture of his company, occurred on the
morning of the 2Sth of May, 1754, in the northwest part of what is now
Wharton township, Fayette Cottnty. Pa., close to what is now known as
Washington's Spring and not far from the National Road. This is the
location given Half-King's camp by Judge Veech and the place where
Tumonville and his men were encamped, could not have been very far away.

WASHINGTON'S DEFEAT AT GREAT MEADOWS— FT. NECESSITY.

On the 30th, a few days after his encounter with and defeat of Jumon-
ville's companv, Washington commenced to build a small fort with palisades
at Great Meadows where some w'ork had previotisly been done. Washing-
ton feared that as soon as the news of Jumonville's defeat and death
reached the French at Fort Duquesne they would come out in great force,
hence the strengthening of this unforttinate position, for that is what it
certainlv proved to be. To get the benefit of two natural embankments

10 Fort Necessity

and the little stream of water, Fort Necessity was btiilt on low, open ground
with wooded heights or elevations practically on two sides of it where the
French and Indians should they come to attack the American forces, could,
under cover of the timber and from the elevations, pour volley after volley
into the fort whose occupants not being able to see the enemy, would be
absolutely helpless.

The work on Fort Necessity could not have been very extensive, for
history informs us that it was finished by the second day of June and religious
services were held in it. Aboitt the time that Fort Necessity was finished
Half- King and his men came into camp and brought with them a number
of families of Indians who had fled from the lower Monongahela river fear-
ing the vengeance of the French when they heard of Jumonville's defeat and
death. The number of these refugees was augmented from time to time, till
they became quite a burden to Washington from the fact that the provisions
in camp were not sufficient to feed such a large number of people very long
and as most of them were non-combatants, there was no possible benefit to be
derived from keeping them in camp and Washington made an effort to get
them to go into camp some distance away at the mouth of Redstone creek
but did not succeed in doing it. Among these refugees was Queen Alliquippa
and her son. It was only about a year before this when Washington had
given the "Queen" a bottle of rum when he was on his first mission to the
French, and she was located over on Turtle creek, and she no doubt hoped
for more of the "fire-water," but history does not record whether she got it
or not.

Christopher Gist arrived at Fort Necessity on the 6th of June, from Wills
creek with the information that Colonel Frye had died at Wills creek on the
30th of May. This put Washington in full command of the regiment. On
the 9th of June Major Muse arrived from Wills Creek with the remainder of
the regiment, nine swivel guns and a lot of ammunition. Washington now
had a total force of six companies but in all there were only three hundred
men besides the officers. Major Mtise on his arrival also brought word that
Captain Mackay of the South Carolina Royal Independents had arrived at
Wills creek a few days before and that he was then on his way to Fort Neces-
sity, and in fact he arrived the next day, June 10th, with about one hundred
men, supplies and ammunition. Captain Mackay does not seem to have been
of much service to Washington, however, as he and his men, being Royal troops
felt too aristocratic to take part in the, to them, menial duties of frontier
warfare, such as building roads, forts, and moving supplies and ordnance,
though they were not really guilty of serious insubordination.

After some scouting for reputed French and Indian forces that it after-
wards transpired were nine French deserters who were captured and brought
into camp, Washington commenced a movement towards the mouth of Red-
stone, taking the Nemacolin trail towards Gist's. He [took with him all
his own men, ordnance, ample ammunition and most of the wagons. He
left at the fort. Captain Mackay and his company. Though the distance
to Gist's from the fort is only thirteen miles, it took them thirteen days to
make a passable road over the distance. Before reaching Gist's a force was

Fort Necessity 11

sent ahead to open up the way from Gist's to the Redstone. It was the 29th of
Jtme when Washington reached Gist's where he received information that a
strong French and Indian force was advancing up the Monongahela river
from Fort Duquesne. A cotmcil of war was held and it was decided to con-
centrate all the forces at Gist's and there take a stand against the approach-
ing foe. The detachments that had been sent ahead to open the way from
Gist's to Redstone, were called in and Captain Mackay was ordered to move
his company from Fort Necessity to Gist's at once, an order which he promptly
olieyed. When all the forces had been concentrated at Gist's another
council of war was held and this time it was decided to abandon the
position taken at Gist's where already considerable work had been done on
intrcnchments, and retreat to Fort Necessity. Then commenced a march
that though it had taken Washington 13 days to make the distance
froin Great Meadows to Gist's, he now made it back in two days. The officers
tised their horses for pack animals, walking the distance and helping to drag
the swivel guns and other munitions of war. In this march Captain Mackay
and his men again played the aristocratic dodge or baby act, refusing to as-
sist in any of the arduous work, most of which fell upon the Virginia regiment,
Washington setting the example by leaving his own baggage behind and
using his horse for a pack animal.

On the first day of July, they reached Great Meadows and at once com-
menced to strengthen Fort Necessity for the fray. It was at first intended
to go on to Wills Creek but on reaching the Great Meadows, Washington
saw that it would be impossible for them to go further, as the men were worn-
out and could no longer drag the guns or carry their equipment. Besides,
some of the troops had been eight days without bread and only a few bagg
of flour were found at the Great Meadows, or Fort Necessity. Here they hoped
for reinforcemments and supplies but, alas, they never came. A description
of this fort is not essential to this stroy as descriptions are many and varied.
Perhaps the best is that in Veech's " Monongahela of Old. "

In the meantime while Washington was preparing to defend himself at
Fort Necessity, a force of about five hundred French and a number of Indians
had left Fort Duquesne under command of M. Coulon de Villiers, who, by the
way, was a half-brother of M. de Jumonville who had been killed only a short
time before as has been related, and were making their way up the Monongahela
river. On the 30th of June they reached the Hanguard at the mouth of
Redstone. Here they left some of their stores under a sufficient guard and
then pressed on to the Great Meadows where they arrived on the 3d of July.
According to history, the French camped at Gist's on the night of July
second and arrived at Fort Necessity about eleven o'clock on the morning
of the third, thus covering the distance between Gist's and Fort Necessity
in about five hours while it took Washington and his forces two days to cover
the same distance in their retreat a few days before. At any rate Fort
Necessity was attacked by the French and Indians on the third of July from
the wooded heights near the fort. Fighting was kept up all the remainder
of the daj' and up till abotit eight o'clock at night or in the evening, when
with the deadly fire of the French and Indians and the incessant downpour

12 General Braddock's Disastrous Kxpedition

of rain it was found useless to continue the conflict any longer, negotiations
for the surrender of Washington were commenced under a flag of truce, and
concluded and signed about midnight amid a downpour of rain and with the
dim and flickering light of a tallow dip. On the morning of the fourth of July
Washington and his force marched out of the fort and made their way back
to Wills creek. This was the first and the last time that Washington ever
surrendered to an enemy and as a strange coincidence it occurred on the day
that 22 years later became the greatest day in American history, the great
and glorious Fourth of July.

As soon as Washington had left Fort Necessity, the French took possession
of it and proceeded to demolish the work and to break the cannon the British
had left behind. They then returned to Gist's destroyed the works that
Washington had thrown up there, burned all the houses within their reach,
came on to the mouth of Redstone where they embarked for Fort Duquesne
after destroying the Hanguard. They also destroyed everything in their
reach as they went down the river and reached Fort Duqtxesne July 7th.

GENERAL BRADDOCK'S DISASTROUS EXPEDITION.

The news of Washington's defeat at Fort Necessity set England to think-
ing and it was then that Braddock's invasion of the territory west of the
Alleglienies which after Washington's defeat was entirely in the hands of
the French, took place. For the preparations for Braddock's expedition and
the details of the same, we refer the reader to Ellis' history of Fayette
County, Veech's "Monongahela of Old," and "Frontier Forts of Western
Pennsylvania," by George Dallas Albert.

To preserve the connection of this story, however, we will give a synopsis
of Braddock's movements. It was resolved by the English to reclaim the
valleys of the Allegheny and Monongahela at whatever cost and they at once
set about to do this. It was further determined to make the force a formid-
able one for that day, and accordingly General Braddock was ordered to
sail from Cork, Ireland for America to take charge of the expedition, which
he did on the 14th day of January, 1755, with the two regular regiments,
the Forty-fourth and Forty-eighth Royal regiments of Foot. These regi-
ments were commanded respectively by Col. Sir Peter Halket and
Col. Thomas Dunbar. All the preliminaries are set forth in Ellis' history
of Fayette County. In this connection suffice it to say that after much
preliminary work and no little display of "spleen" and lack of judgment
on the part of General Braddock during which time he took every occasion
to abuse the colonists, the forces arrived in the neighborhood of Fort Du-
quesne and the famous battle of the Monongahela took place. The result
was that when the English under Braddock were met between the mouth
of Turtle creek and old Fort Duquesne, Braddock seeking to conduct the
forces under his command on the principles of warfare on the plains of Europe,
huddled his men all together in an open space while the French and Indians,
very much after the order of the battle at Fort Necessity, assailed them

General liraddock's Disastrous F!x])e(litioii 13

from ambiisli and killc-il llicni like slu'c]) in a rorral. Fourteen liundrcd
and sixty Iroojis had fntrn-il tlu' tHrrst driili' undrr Hraddock on the ninth
day of July, 17.")."). but only Uvc luuith'cd ami ri,i,'hty-thri'(.' I'sraj^'d imhurt,
P'llis in his history of I'a\Hi [c (/omity sa\'s ;

'i'hc force.' which entered the fort-st dclile, \\as f(.iurleL'n hundi-ed ;md si.\t\-
strong, including officers and ])ri\ates. Of this force, four lumdred and lifty-
six were killed and four hundred and twenty-one wcjunded, making a total
of eight hrmdred and sevcnty-se\-cn. Of eighty-nine commissioned officers,
sixty-three were killed or wounded, including every officer abo\'e the rank- of
ca])tain, except Colonel Washington. Of the captains, ten were killed
and five were wounded. Of the lieutenants, fifteen were killed and twenty-
two wounded. General Braddock had four horses shot under him and
while mounting the fifth, received the fatal shot that resulted in his death
four days later at Fort Necessity. Sir Peter Halket who was next in com-
mand to General Braddock, was killed outright, while Washington had three
horses shot from imder him.

A number of women and officers' servants were also killed and scalped
but it is said that ex'ery wagoner esca])ed. General Braddock's papers
including orders, instructions, etc., about one hundred beeves, and the
army chest containing about $1 ()().()()(). were also cajitured.

The defeated and demoralized forces of Braddock returned over the course
fhey had taken, reaching the Great Meadows and encamping near Fort
Necessity on the night of the 1.3th of July, where General Braddock who had
been brought with the retreating army by several of his faithful officers
among them Washington, died at about eight o'clock. This was Stmdav
night and about daybreak next morning the General was l:)uried. When
the soldiers broke camp, the line of march was directly over the new-made
grave so as to obliterate all traces of it and thereby prevent its desecration
by the savages who were supposed to be in pursuit.

We may l:)c excused here for digressing sufficiently to say that the conduct
of Colonel Dunlxu" was to say the least. re]:)rehensiblc. While it seems
that in after years he claimed that General Braddock who was then in the
throes of death (July 1 1th) gave the orders for the destruction of all munitions
of war and in fact e\-erything that could not be carried, and a precijiitous
retreat be made to Fort Cumberland, there is no doubt that the order was
issued by Dunbar. At any rate it was done, and as it is recorded, there
was never in the annals of history, a more disgraceful scene enacted than
that rout. Imagine about 1,000 soldiers with plenty of provisions and
ammunition, located where they could have made an almost impregnable
defense, fleeing from a much smaller force that was miles away and in fact
going in an opposite direction, and you have the pictin-e that was enacted
in what is now Wharton township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, July 14,
1755.

All these things have been related here in the beginning because wdiat is
now Faj-ette County w^as virtually the center of action and many who took
part appear conspicuously in the subsequent history of the county.

IJ^ General Forbes' Expedition

GENERAL FORBES' EXPEDITIOx\— FRENCH ABANDON FORT

DUQUESNE.

The rout of Braddock as herein briefly related, left the French in absolute
possession of all territory west of the Allegheny mountains. They came to
Dunbar's camp several weeks after he had left it and destroyed whatever
they found which was certainly not much, and within sixty days there
was not left in all this section a settler or trader not friendly to the French.

"Braddock's Grave," in Wharton township, a few rods north of the
National Road and about two miles from Fort Necessity, is supposed to
be the last resting place of the brave but indiscreet General Braddock, but
there is no certainty about it. It does appear that in 1812 while a
party of men were excavating for the National Road in that section,
they exhumed parts of a human skeleton and some military trappings!
These were supposed to be the remains of General Braddock. Some ^of
the bones were carried away by relic hunters but it seems were afterwards
collected by Abraham Stewart, father of Hon. Andrew Stewart, who had
charge of the men who dug them up, and in 1820, reinterred at the spot
now known as " Braddock's Grave."

The taking of Fort Duquesne by the advance guard of General Forbes'
troops commanded by Col. George Washington, or rather the abandon-
ing of it by the French on the approach of the English, on the 25th of No-
vember, 1758, its destruction by the retreating foe and the subsequent build-
ing of Fort Pitt within a few hundred yards of the site of Fort Duquesne,
are not matters directly connected with this work, hence we pass them over
at a glance.

The next step in this synopsis will be the colonial history of what is now
Fayette County.

MOUNDS AND MOUND-BUILDERS— REDSTONE OLD FORT.

Between the events related in the preceding pages and the formation of
Fayette County in 1783 or perhaps more properly speaking, February 17,
1784 (for the cotinty lines as formed or established in 1783 were extended
in 1784), there transpired many things that will be of interest to the readers
of this book, and with these we will now deal. In doing this, however,
we will have to go back into the dim aisles of the ages, first; back to a date'
perhaps, when the foundations of the pyramids were not yet laid, and
how far back of that no history has ever told nor is there any other record
save the mounds the builders left behind them. Certain it is that some time
subsequent to the glacial period a strange people inhabited this part of North
America. It may have been long before there was a sign of civilization on
the plains of Babylonia. The first existence of human beings or perhaps more
properly speaking, the first communities of human beings seem to have made
their appearance on the earth about the time that the diluvial rivers of the
northern hemisphei-e subsided into their present, or approximately, their

Mounds and ^Moinid-r.uildcrs

Old Relic of Monnd-builders

present channels, and that, according to the best information obtainable,
was fully twenty-five thousand years ago. Those jjcople who first left, or
rather, established records of their lives and works whether tribal or national,
were the Egyptians in the \-alley of the Nile, the later Babylonians, and
the Chinese along the Hoang-Ho. Btit while all this was being done in
what is to Its the Old World, there is no reason to believe that there were
not like signs of life and progress here in what is now called the New World.
At any rate, it is not taxing the imagination too much to concltide that while
the Children of Israel were making bricks without straw, under the lash of
the Egyptian taskmasters, the progeny of the mound-builders, were gather-
ing shells along the verdant shores of some placid water, to use with clay
in making the pottery found in the only other records, the mounds, that
this ancient people left behind them.

There is every reason to believe that ages elapsed during the building of
these mounds. It would be hard to find shells enotigh along the banks of
the Monongahela river now to do much in the line of making pottery and the
probability is that when the mounds that now mark Fayette County, were
built, the waters of the Gulf of Mexico were laving the foothills of the Alle-
ghenies in this latitude and the foothills of the Rockies as well, or that neither
the Alleghenies nor Rockies existed. Gradvially receding during seem-
ingly interminable ages, the great Mississippi valley, the great plains west
of the Mississippi and the arid deserts of the west, were laid bare, and this

16 Redstone Old Fort

ancient civilization no doubt followed the receding waters for many cen-
tviries, gathering shells for their pottery and building their mounds. The
fact that some of the mounds stand on high ground and some on low, is no
indication that they were not all on a level at the time they were built.
The internal disturbances of the earth during the centuries that ha^•e passed
since these mounds were built will readily account for this Upon this
hypothesis, one we have never heard advanced, it is easy to believe that
they were built close to what was then the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, and
were built to protect their builders against high tides or just such waves as
recently rolled in and destroyed Galveston. There is another thing that
bears out this theory and that is that there has never been discovered in
any of these mounds, a trace of anything that would show a most primitive
knowledge of navigation. They had no need to cross the streams that were
slowly forming in the valleys, if indeed there were valleys then, or if they
had, these streams were at that time so small that they could easily cross
them without other means than that with which nature endowed them ;
they had no foe from which to flee nor whom to pursue; they had no
knowledge of the world beyond the waters, a world that in fact was at that
time as primitive as the one in which they lived ; they had no need for means
of na\-igation, no desire to ]>iercc beyond the \'eil that hung upon the great
waters they were following down the earth. Therefore, is it not possible that
the beautifull valleys through which these rivers now flow, were very shallow
bays or inlets on the shores of which these mounds were built and that
their builders for ages followed the receding waters, building their mounds
as some great storm or high tide indicated a necessity for them, making
their crude utensils from the shells of the shore and finally from their own
inactivity and from non-coinpetition, or ennui, went out with the last tide
and ceased to be ?

There is not a:nong all the relics taken from these mounds, an implement
of war; they had no competition, they fought no battles, there was no strife
and no need of protection save against the ebbing and the flowing of the
tide, and against this they built their mounds. Having no foe to face,
no need of energy and no victory to gain, existence itself became the burden
that crushed them and the hand of time wiped them from the face of
the earth which is a field for action, centtiries before another race of people
came tipon the scene.

The relics of these ancient mound-builders in Fayette County are numer-
ous but of no material importance to the history of the county, except that
in some instances they ha\-e been used by the early settlers in which or
on which to build their early settlers' forts, and in some instances,
military forts, as was the case when Col. J. Burd, in the fall of 1759 built
Fort Burd on the site of Redstone Old Fort at or near where the Bowman
mansion now stands, and whose parajjct may be seen from far up and down
the Monongahela river.

This mound, known as Redstone Old Fort or Fort Old Redstone, was
one of the largest and most important in Fayette County and requires no
description here. It has been described and illustrated in almost e\-ery history

18 Conditions of Penn's Charter

that has ever been ptibhshed of Western Pennsylvania. Suffice is to say,
however, that it was so well known that notwithstanding Colonel Burd gave
his name to the fort he had built, the name Old Fort or Redstone Old Fort,
has ever clung to it. But the cause that led to the building of Fort Burd,
is of inore interest and more directly concerns this story than does the fort
or its dimensions.

When the English had finally expelled the French from this section of
the country and had taken possession of it, the next thing for them to do
was to prepare to hold it and this could not be done without forts properly
garrisoned, as bases of supplies, and roads over which soldiers could march
or merchandise be transported, hence Fort Btird was built as an inter
mediate station between Fort Cumberland and Fort Pitt, the latter having
been hastily constructed the previous year after the destruction of Fort
Duquesne.

The opening of the road from Cumberland through to Wheeling, and the
contemporaneous and subsequent history has been told so often and so well
in Elhs' "History of Fayette County," in "Old Westmoreland" by Edgar
W. Hassler, in "The Monongahela of Old" by James Veech and in "The
Old Pike" by T. B. Searight, that we need not repeat it here. However,
the people who came here during this time and settled in what is now Fayette
County, the development of the country, its commercial and social interests,
are of more interest and of these we will write.

CONDITIONS OF PENN'S CHARTER.

That the reader may more fully comprehend the following, a backward
glance may not be out of order at this point. Notwithstanding that the
charter of Pennsylvania, granted William Penn by Charles II of England, in
1681, virtually conveyed the land to him and his heirs in fee simple, there
being, it is true, a stipulation that the Penns should pay to the crown two
beaver skins annually and one-fifth of the gold and silver ore, it is well known
that it was always the poHcy of Penn to buy the land of the Indians who
occupied it, before allowing or at least sanctioning settlements on it.

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA BOUGHT OF SIX NATIONS.

This is how it came that in November, 1768 at Fort Stanwix, N. Y., the
Penns bought of the Six Nations, the following land in southwestern Penn-
sylvania: "All lands lying within a boundary line extending from Canoe
Point, on the west branch of the Sesquehanna river, west by north to the site
of the Indian town called Kittanning, on the Allegheny river, thence down
along the Allegheny and the Ohio rivers to the western limits of the province,
while its western and southern boundaries were to be the western and southern
boundaries of the " Province, " then not definitely known, but which are now
defined bv the state line.

William Penn

20 Settlement of Western Pennsylvania

SETTLEMENT OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

Up until 1771 all this territory was included in the county of Bedford.
During these years the population grew very fast, west of the mountains,
and particularly during 1772, so that the seat of county eovernment wi'.s
getting too far from too many people and those west of the mountains com-
menced to clamor for a new county just as many in Pennsylvania and in many
other states are still doing. There was just as much opposition to cut-
ting up this \'ast county then as there is now to cutting up the larger cotmties
of the state, bvit it was done, nevertheless. There was also another factor
that assisted the settlers in their demand for a new county and that was the
fact that in 1772 the British troops were withdrawn from Fort Pitt which
necessitated a stronger and closer civil organization. Accordingly on Friday
February 26, 1773, the county of Westmoreland was formed Vjv the Assenibly
of the Province of Pennsylvania by an act signed by Lieutenant Governor
Richard Penn. This was the eleventh county erected under the proprietary
government.

INFLUENCE OF THE OHIO COMPANY— GIST'S PLANTATION

It was through the Ohio Company that many were induced to come over
the mountains and it seems that most of these settled within the confines of
Fayette Covmty. The Ohio Company was formed by Thos. Lee, a Mr.
Hanbury, Lawrence and John .Augustine Washington, brothers of George
Washington and about ten others. The object of this company as before
stated, was to checkmate the settlements of the French and to form permanent
English settlements. The objective point of these settlers was Fort Pitt and
their course to that point led them directly through Fayette County. The
operations of this company brought into this county, as their agent, Christo-
pher Gist who seems to have been the next permanent settler after the Browns.
We find Mr. Gist here located at what is now Mt. Braddock as early as 1753
when Washington made his ti'ip to Fort LeBoevif. and being already estab-
lished then at Mt. Braddock, he must have landed there as early as 1752.
Gist's place was located in what is now Dunbar township near the line of
North Union township. Gist called his place or plantation as they were wont
to call these settlements, " Monongahela. " According to the best information
we can gather, he had with him at that time, his two sons, Richard and Thomas
and his son-in-law, William Cromwell. It also appears that he induced a
number of other families to settle about him, probably those whom Washing-
ton met on his return from Fort LeBoeuf and who were no doubt en route to
Fort Pitt. Judge Veech in his ' Monongahela of Old" says that there is some
doubt as to these settlers being at or around Gist's, but that from the notes
of the French commander, Dc Villicres who after destroying Fort Necessity,
says that he ordered all the houses round about Gist's to be destroyed, he is
inclined to believe that they were there. Col. James Paull whose father,
George Paull, was early upon the scene and intimate with Gist, says that he
never heard of these families, but Judge Veech adds that inasmuch as Colonel

Westniorelaiul Coiintv Formed 21

Paiill was not l)i)rn till six yrars aftrr the (k'slructidii of Fort Necessity and
his father ilid not eonie into this section till after that, the families inight well
have been located thi-re and he not hear of it.

WESTMORELAND COUNTY FOR.MED.

^^'hen Westmoreland County was created it included all of the Pro\inee
west of the Laurel Hill, vaguely called Southwestern Pennsylvania. It in-
cluded the present counties of Westmoreland, Fayette, Greene, Washington,
that part of Allegheny and Beaver counties south of the Ohio river, abovit two-
thirds of the county of Indiana and one-third of the county of Armstrong.
Its area was about 4,700 square miles.

Many Scots came from the Cumberland valley and other points east of the
motm tains and made their homes in the Ligonier Valley and all along the hne
from there to Pittsburgh. These were triie to Pennsyh'ania frc^ri which
Pro\-ince they had obtained their grants. Other Scots came across the
mountains from the \-alley of Virginia and settled along the Monongahcla.
the Voughiogheny and along Chartiers creek in what is now Washington
county. These latter believed that the land upon which they settled was
in the Old Doininion as it had not yet been determined how* far west Penn-
sylvania extended. This dispute of boundary is a matter of history that need
not be repeated here suffice is to say that it resulted in no end of trotible and
led to the troublesome Mason and Dixon Line with the history of which
all readers are familiar.

DIVISION OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.

However this vast territory was not destined long to remain as West-
moreland County. March 28, 1781 Washington County was created from
Westmoreland County territory and February 17, 17S4, Fayette County
as before stated was trimmed off Westmoreland. Her domain was again
invaded September 24, 1788 when Allegheny County was formed, a part
of Washington Comity being pressed into service to f(.)rm the now famous
county of Allegheny. The next year a little more was taken from Wash-
ington County and added to Allegheny. The next division of the broad ex-
panse originally Westmoreland County, was w'hen on the 9th day of February,
1796, Greene County was carved out of Washington, Init in 1802 a part of
Greene was rettirned to Washington. Again on the 2t)th day of March,
1800 Beaver County was erected from parts of Washington and Alle-
gheny. This was the last change made and what was left of Westmoreland
as well as the counties formed from its original territory, have since re-
mained as they were then.

Long before any real permanent settlements were made in what is now
Fayette County, before the first expedition of Washington or of Braddock,
Frenchmen had come into this part of the country and intermarrying with the
Indians had formed villages at various points. Among these villages was
said to be one on George's Creek in what is now George's township.

22 First Settlers in Fayette County

They were not permanent settlers, however, and whence they eame or whither
they went, is not definitely known.

There is really no absolute certainty as to who the first acttial settlers of
Fayette County were. We can only quote from the various compilation of
facts or alleged facts that we have at hand and that come to us by tradition.
Judge Veech who is probably the best atithority, says that Wendell Brown and
his two sons, Manus and Adam with possibly a third son, Thomas, were the
first actual settlers in what is now Fayette County and that they first settled
in Province Bottom just below Jacobs Creek in what is now Nicholson town-
ship, in 1751-2. They were afterwards led to abandon this location by the
Indians who persuaded them to select a location where now some of their
descendants still reside and which is near the mouth of Redstone. It is said
that when Washington was at Fort Necessity, they furnished him provisions
but Veech rather discredits this.

FIRST SETTLERS IN WHAT IS NOW FAYETTE COUNTY.

Early in 1753 we also find William Stewart located on the Youghiogheny
at what was for a long time known as Stewart's Crossing but is now New
Haven, in Dunbar township.

In 1761 we find both William Colvin and William. Jacobs located on Red-
stone near Fort Burd.

About this time the settlements at Redstone, Gist's, Turkeyfoot and on the
Cheat, commenced to grow rapidly. These were all under the impression
that the land on which they were settling was within the domain of Virginia.
It was at this time that the controversy came up as to what Province the
land belonged or rather as to who had jurisdiction over it, because it seems
that both the Province of Virginia and Pennsylvania conceded that it as yet
belonged to the Six Nations.

Prior to the influx from the east, the Indians had been committing no end
of depredations on the western border, btit the chastisement that General
Bouquet gave them on the Muskingum over in what is now Ohio, brought them
to their senses and the security that followed accounted for the rapid growth
of the above-named settlements.

ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE FIRST SETTLERS.

Howexer the holders of real estate in Fayette County were compelled to
do more fighting for their possessions. They found that the savages were
not the only ones that wished to dispossess them. About this time the King
of England through the Governor of the Province of Virginia, made an effort
to stop further settlements in Fayette Covmty and to remove those who had
already settled. This was done on the grounds that the Indians were com-
plaining of encroachments, whether with or without foundation, we will leave
to the closer student of history, but it seems from information at hand that

The Mason and Dixon Line 23

the King and the Governors were making more Iroubk' than the savages just
then, as will he seen later on. At any rate Captain Alex. Mackay with a de-
tachment of troops, was sent to Fort Btird to order the settlers away.
Very few of them left, however, and the mihtia soon withdrew This was in
ITdr). However, in ITdT troops were again sent to Fort Burd to warn settlers
out of the forbidden territory and this time many were actually dri\'en away
but as soon as the troojis were withdrawn, they returned. They seemed
determined to stay with the soil of old Fayette County or what afterwards
became Favette Count v.

THE MASON AND DIXON LINE — PENNSYLVANIA AND VIRGINIA.

The extension of the Mason and Dixon line to the second crossing of Dunk-
ard Creek driring 1767 disclosed the fact that this territory was in Pennsyl-
vania and not in Virginia, and the Governor of Pennsyh'ania then issued an
ironclad proclamation threatening death without even the solace of a clergy-
man, to those who did not \'acate. To ex])lain the law and the ultimatum,
Governor Penn sent Rev. Captain Steele of the Presbyterian chiu-ch of Car-
lisle, Cumberland Cotmty, John Allison, Christopher Lewis, and Captain
Porter, into the valleys of the Monongahcla, A^oughiogheny and Redstone.
These gentlemen held a meeting at Fort Burd or near it, March 27, 17G7, at
which they read the Governor's proclamation and explained the reasons for it
but just about this time a number of Indians came on the scene as representa-
tives of their great men and said that the settlers should not go till the con-
clusion of a treaty then ]_iending. This virttially settled it and the settlers did
not go. Another meeting was held at Gist's, however, Ijut with no better
results and shortly afterward the commissioners rettrrned home. In their
report of the mission, they gave the names of the settlers at the different points
which as it shows virtually the entire population or the heads of families
then in Fayette County, we here append the list as it appears in Ellis'
Historv of Favette Countv.

LIST OF SETTLERS AT REDSTONE OLD FORT, GIST'S, TURKEY-
FOOT.

"The names of inhabitants near Redstone: — John Wiseman, Henry Prisser,
William Linn, Willianr Colvin, John Vcrvalson, Abraham Tygard, Thomas
Brown, Richard Rogers, Henry S\vatz (Swartz), Joseph McClean, Jesse Mar-
tin, Adam Hatton, John Verwall, Jr., James Waller, Thomas Douter (Douthet
who owned a part of the site of Uniontown), Captain Cobvirn, John Delong,
Peter A'oung, George Martin, Thomas Down, Andrew Gudgeon, Philip Sute,
James Crawford, John Peters, Michael Hooter, Andrew Linn, Gabriel Conn,
John Martin, Hans Cook, Daniel McKay, Josias Crawford, one Province."

"The names of some who met irs at Giesse's (Gist's) place: — One Bloom-
field (probably Brownficld), James Lynn, Ezekiel Johnson, Richard Har-
rison, Phil Sute, Jed Johnson, Thomas Geisse (Gist), Charles Lindsay, James

24 List of Settlers at Redstone Old Fort

Wallace (Waller), Henry Burkman, Lawrence Harrison. Ralph Hicken-
bottom.

" Names of the people at TurkeyFoot: — Henry Abrahams, Ezekiel DeWitt,
James Spencer, Benjainin Jennings, John Cooper, Ezekiel Hickman, John
Enslow, Henry Enslow, Benjamin Pvirsley. "

In a supplemental report, Steele set forth the fact to the Governor that
the people at Redstone alleged that the removal of them from the unpurchased
lands was a scheme of some gentlemen and merchants at Philadelphia to get
hold of the lands as soon as the purchase was made from the Indians and thus
get the benefits of the im]n-ovements they had made. He cited the fact, in
confirmation of their opinions, that they said a gentleman named Harris in
company with another named Wallace and one named Friggs, the latter a
pilot, had spent considerable time that summer in viewing the lands and
creeks thereabouts. Continuing, the Rev. Mr. Steele said: "I am of the
opinion from the appearance the people made, there arc about an hundred
and fifty families in the different settlements of Redstone, Youghiogheny,
and Cheat." This estimate was intended to include all the settlers in what
is now Fayette County and the, about eight, families on the east side of the
Youghiogheny at Turkey Foot.

It will be noticed that the list of these commissioners did not include
many settlers who are known to have been here and to have been of more
than ordinary prominence. Among them may be named Christopher and
Richard Gist, W^illiam Cromwell, William Stewart of the "Crossings,"
Captain William Crawford, who had been settled near the ' 'Crossings' ' for
about three years; Htagh Stevenson, on the Youghiogheny; Martin Hardin
(father of Colonel John Hardin), on Georges Creek; John McKibben, on Dun-
lap's Creek, and others.

About a month after the commissioners had met with tlic people at Red-
stone and at other places in this vicinity, they met with the government's
agents and representatives of the Six Nations in what is now Pittsburg and
made a desperate effort to get the Indians to join them in ordering the whites
from their homes here in Fayette County, but it seems that the Indians had
more honor in the matter than the government representatives and finally
absokitely refused to have anything to do with it, telling the government's
agents and representatives that they did not desire the white settlers driven
from their homes because they would only comeback as soon as the govern-
ment had bought the lands from them (the Indians) and then would not feel
kindly towards them for having taken part in driving them away. Thus
ended the effort to expel the settlers from their chosen domain.

G"Z)

Fayette County History

Growth of Population — Organization of Courts — First County Offi-
cials AND Attorneys — Present County Officials — Present At-
torneys OF Fayette County— The Poor Farm — Names and Number
OF Townships and When Erected — First Coal Discovered and Used
IN Fayette County — First Manufacture of Coke — Iron Industry
in Fayette County — Various Societies — Geology of Fayette
County.

GROWTH OF POPULATION.

From 17(t7 to the erection of the county in 17S3 the increase of population
in the county or in what is now Fayett Count)-, was phenomenal. This w-as
partly due to the fact that it was directly on the line of travel from Cumber-
land to Fort Pitt or what is no^v Pittsburg, and because what is now Fayette
County, was singularly free from the incursi(_)ns of the Indians that committed
so many and such atrociovis depredations in other sections of what was then
Westmoreland County, particularly that portion east of the Monongahela
river. There were also other causes among them the fact that the country
abounded in game, in springs and streams of |.)ure water, the soil is rich and
last, but by no means least, becatise the men who settled here first were men
of energy and ability and their judicious enthusiasm was contagious.

The lines of Fayette County as established in 1783, were extended in 1784
to include all that portion of the present county that lies north and east of
the Yotighiogheny river.

Immediately after the organization of the county there was consideral:)le
trouble about the coUectitMi of the taxes that had already been levied when
the county was formed. It was ruled that these taxes should be collected
and paid into the treasury of Westmoreland County. This trouble was most
manifest in what is now Menallen townshij^ and in the cotmtry along Georges
Creek. All these things, however, were more the result of the transition
from the free-and-easy methods of frontier life to the more circumspect man-
ner of civil procedure than anything else and soon disappeared.

SLAVERY AND SERVITUDE IN FAYETTE COUNTY.

Of the people who emigrated from the east to settle west of the Lavirel Hill
prior to 1780, a large proportion were from Virginia and Maryland, and many
of those who had held slaves east of the mountains brought those slaves with
them to their new homes in the west, for at that time the laws of Pennsyl-
vania recognized and tolerated the "])eculiar institution" as fully as did
those of Virginia. Among these were the Crawfords. Stevensons, Harrisons,

26 Slavery in Fayette Count}'

McConnicks, Vance, Wilson, and others. A most distinguished (though non-
resident) holder of bondmen in Fayette County was George Washington,
whose improvements on his large tract of land in the ]jresent township of
Perry near Perryopolis were made principally by their labor. Frequent al-
lusions to these "servants" are found in letters addressed to Coloiiel
Washington in 1774 and 1775 by Valentine Crawford, who resided on Jacob's
Creek, and acted as general agent in charge of Washington's lands and affairs
of improvement in this region.

On the first of March, 1780, the General Assembly of Pennsylvania passed
"An Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery, " which provided and declared
"That all persons, as well as Negros, and Mulattoes as others, who shall be
born within the State from and after the passing of this act, shall not be
deemed and considered as servants for life or slaves; and that all servitude
for life or slavery of children in consequence of the slavery of their mothers, in
the case of all children born within this State from and after the passing of
this act as aforesaid, shall be and hereby is titterly taken away, extinguished,
and forever abolished. Provided always, and be it further enacted. That
every Negro and Mulatto child born within this State after the passing of this
act as aforesaid (who would in case this act had not been made have been
born a servant for years, or life, or a slave) shall be deemed to be, and
shall be by virtue of this act, the servant of stich person, or his or her assigns,
who would in such case have been entitled to the ser\4cc of svich child, until
such child shall attain unto the age of twenty-eight years, in the inanner and
on the conditions whereon servants bound by indenture for four years are
or may be retained and holden."

The passage of the law for the gradual abolition of slavery in Pennsylvania
was very offensive to most of those who had come into this region with their
servants from the other side of Mason and Dixon's line. It has been said
(but with how mtich of truth is not knoAvn) that General Washington was
greatly displeased by the enactment, and the story even goes so far as to as-
sert that he regarded it as a personal affront, and that this was the cause of
his disposing of his real and personal property in Fayette County. How-
ever this may have been, it is certain that a large proportion of the Virginians
and Marylanders who had settled with their slaves west of the Laurel Hill be-
came so incensed at the adoption of this measure, and the establishment at
about the same time of the boundry line, by which, to their surprise, they
found themselves in Pennsylvania and not within the bounds of Virginia,
as they had supposed, that they sold out their possessions in the Monongahela
country and removed with their slaves to the Southwest. This was one of the
principal causes for the commencement of the very extensive emigration
from this section of the country to Kentucky, which set in about 1780, and
continued during a succeeding period of ten or fifteen years.

Among the number of residents of Fayette County who registered slaves
under the requirements of the law of 1780 are found the following-named
persons :

Edward Cook, registered Oct. 12, 1780, seven slaves, viz: James, aged 45;
Sail, 35; Davy, 24; Josvia, 22; Esther, 17; Nelly, 10; and Sue, 1 year.

Courts Ort^anized — iMrst Attorneys 27

Zachariah Cunncll, Oct. 2S, 17<S(), two slax'cs, viz.: 'I'oni, aged 32, and
Ltice, 40.

Thomas Brown, Dec. 27, 17<S2, six slaves.

William McCormick, Dec. 80, 1782, five slaves.

James Finley, 1781 and 1782, eight slaves.

Van Swcaringen, 1780, nine slaves, and in 17.S1 four more.

William Goe, 1782, ten slaves.

Robert Beall, 18 slaves; Walter Brisco, 9; Margaret Hutton, 9; Isaac Mea-
son, 8: James Cross, 8; Andrew Linn, 7; Sarah Harding, 7; Nancy Brashears,
12; RicharaJ^ble, 7; Benjamin Stevens, 6; James Dearth, 6; John Steveson,
5; Samuel Kincaid, 5; Peter Laughlin, ,5; John McKibben, 5; Edmund Free-
man. 4; James Blackiston, 4; Isaac Pierce, 4; Agustine Moore, 4; Hugh Laugh-
lin, 4; Benjamin Davis, 4; James Hammond, 4. Each of the following-named
registered three slaves, viz.: Providence Mounts, John Minter, Margaret
Vance, William Harrison, Dennis Springer, Thomas Moore, Joseph Grabel,
Robert Harrison, Isaac Newman, John Wells. Among those who registered
two slaves each were Richard Stevenson. John Harding, Mark Harding,
Robert Ross, Philip Shute, John Mason, John Laughlin, C)tho Brashears,
Jonathan Arnold, and Rczin Virgin. There were also many others who had
slaves.

COURTS ORGANIZED — FIRST ATTORNEYS.

The same act of Assembly that erected Fayette County also provided
that the Justices of the Peace then commissioned and residing within the
territory, or any three of them, could hold Courts of General Quarter Ses-
sions of the peace and such other courts as the business of the community or
the county demanded.

Under this provision the first term of Court of Quarter Sessions and Com-
mon Pleas was held in the schoolhouse at LTniontown, on the fourth Monday
of December, 1783, before Philip Rogers, Esq., and his associates. The first
business of the court was the admission of attorneys, and the first attorneys
admitted to the bar in Fayette Cotrnty were Thomas Scott, Hugh M. Brecken-
ridge, David Bradford, Michael Huffnagle, George Thompson, Robert Gal-
braith, Samiiel Irwin, and David Redick.

NUMBER AND NAMES OF TOWNSHIPS— W^HEN ERECTED.

At this same session of court the following townships were created : Wash-
ington, Franklin, Luzerne, Menallen, LTnion, German, Georges, Spring Hill,
and Wharton. Since then the following townships were erected: Tyrone,
March, 1784; Bullskin, March, 1784; Redstone, December, 1797, Salt Lick,
December, 1797; Dunbar, December, 1798; Bridgeport, November, 1815;
Brownsville, November, 1817; Connellsville, October 31. 1822; Henry Clay,
June 9, 1824; Perry, June 7, 1839; Jefferson, June. 1840; Nicholson, Decem-
ber 19, 1845; Youghiogheny, December 11, 1847; Springfield, March 10, 1849;

28 First County Officials

North and South Union, March 11, 1851 ; Stewart, March, 1855; at which time
the township of Youghiogheny ceased to exist, a part of its territory
being included in Stewart, and the remainder was annexed to Springfield.
In September, 1877, Tyrone Township was divided and formed into the two
townships of Upper and Lower Tyrone.

Concerning this first court, Ephriam Douglas in a letter to President Dick-
inson, under date of February 2, 1784, and written from Uniontown, says:
"The courts were opened for this county on the 23d of December last; the
gathering of people was pretty numerous, and I was not alone in fearing that
we should have had frequent proofs of that ttirbulence of spirit with which
they have been so generally, perhaps so justly, stigmatized, but I now take
great satisfaction in doing them the justice to say that they behaved to a man
with good order and decency. Our grand jury was really respectable, equal,
at least, to many I have seen in courts of long standing. "

FIRST COUNTY OFFICIALS.

The following is a list of the first officials of the different departments,
who served after the organization of the cotmty. It should perhaps be
stated here that tmtil 1839 there was no election of sheriff, prothonotary,
treasurer, register, recorder, clerk of orphans' court, or coroner. Up tmtil
this time these officers were appointed by the court. The first election of
surveyor took place in 1805 and the first election of auditor, in 1809.

For three years after the organization of the county, it had no sheriff but
the sheriff of Westmoreland Cotmty filled the position.

First Sheriff (appointed) Robert Orr, 1784.

First Sheriff (elected) William Morris, 1841.

First Prothonotary (appointed) Ephraim Dotiglass, 1783.

First Prothonotary (elected) Daniel Kaine, 1842.

First County Commissioners, Zachariah Conncll, Joseph Caldwell, Thomas
Gaddis, 1787.

The first Clerk of the Board of Commissioners of which there is any record
was in 1796 when Andrew Oliphant filled that position.

First County Treasurer (appointed) Ephraim Douglas, 1784.

First Treasurer (elected) William B. Roberts, 1839.

First Register of Deeds who it seems was also Recorder of Wills and Clerk
of Orphans' Court, (appointed) Alexander McClean, 1783 served till 1833.

First Register, Recorder and Clerk (elected) Joseph Gadd, 1842.

First Coroner (appointed) Henry Beeson, 1786.

First Coroner (elected) James C. Cummings, 1841.

First Surveyors (appointed) Archibald McClean, A. Lane. Alexander Mc-
Clean, Moses McClean, served 1769 to 1772.

First Surveyor (elected) James Snyder, 1850.

First Auditors (appointed) Alexander McClean, Presley Carr Lane and
Nathaniel Breading, 1791.

First Auditors (elected) Joseph Torrence, William Linn and Thomas Col-
lins, 1809.

Present County Officials 29

First President Jiuli^e of the courts of this jitdicial district, Nathaniel
Ewing, 1838-4S.

For a number of years after the organization of the county, the work of the
district attorney was done by a deputy attorney-general. R. Galbraith
was the first to serve in this capacity, tinder William Bradford, 1792. Prior
to this time the work was done by the attorney-general. The first District
Attorney elected was Everard Bierer, ISoO.

prp:sent coUx\ty officials.

Jvidges, E. H. Reppert and R. E. Umbel.

District Attorney, A. E. Jones.

Assistant District Attorney, Thomas Hudson.

Sheriff, S. E. Frock.

Prothonotary, P. E. Sheppard.

Treasurer, R. H. McLain.

Commissioners, M. E. Townsend, A. J. Stentz, j. S. Graham.

Poor Directors, A. E. Hosier, O. G. Chick, T. H. Ryan

Auditors, Newton Newcomer, J. H. Humbertson, James Rhodes.

Steward County Home, Joseph Miller.

Coroner, A. C. Hagan.

LIST OF PRESENT ATTORNEYS.

The foUowhig is a list of attorneys of the Fayette County bar and among
them are many \yhosc fame is not confined to Fayette County nor to the
State of Pennsylyania, while not a few have been honored with the highest
political offices in the gift of the people of the county, Congressional, Legis-
lative or Judicial District:

t'NIONTOWN.

J . B . Adams D . M . Hertzog

A. P. Austin Wm. A. Hogg

William Beeson R. F. Hop wood

John Bierer Monroe Hopwood

A. D. Boyd George D. Howell

S.P.Boyd T.J.Hudson

E. W. Boyd D. W. Henderson

John Boyle George B. Jefferies

Edward D. Brown A. E. Jones

Edward Campbell W. L. Johnson

W. N. Carr Thomas P. Jones

J. H. Carroll George B. Kain

J. S. Christy Charles F. Kef over

b. D. Clark R. P. Kennedv

Courthouse, Sheriff's Residence and Jail

M. M. Cochran
J. H. ColHns
A. F. Cooper
J. M. Core
J.R.Cray
W. E. Crow
Harry A. Cottom
Percy B. Cochran
R. W. Dawson
J. E. Dawson
k. F. Detwiler
H. S. Dumbauld
J. W. Dawson
J. K. Ewing
Nathaniel Ewing
S. E. Ewing
J. H. Field
L. H. Frasher
F. M. Fuller
E. D. Ftilton
E. Dale Field
W. L. Gans
A. C. Hagan

T. S. Lackey

R. H. Lindsey

W. C. McKcan

D. W. McDonald

J.T.Miller

L. L. Minor

W. P. Parshall

Ira E. Partridge

J. M. Oglevee

k. W. Playford

George Patterson

H. L. Robinson

F. P. Rush

C. W. Rush

B F. Sterling

Daniel Sturgeon

W.J. Sturgis

Lee Smith

J. Q. Van Swearingen

T. R. Wakefield

R. D. Warman

A. D. WiUiams

J . C. Work

CONNELLSVILLE.

Wm. H. Brown
S. R. Smith

E. C. Higbee
P. S. Newmyer
Leslie A. Howard

BRIDGEPORT (CADWALLADER P. O.)

Harry A. Cottom.

COURTHOUSE, SHERIFF'S RESIDENCE AND JAIL.

The present public buildings of Fayette County thoroughly sustain the
reputation of the county. The stone jail, one of the best of its kind in Penn-
sylvania, was completed in 1890 at a cost of $106,000. The courthouse, a
stibstantial and artistic stone structure, ninety-one feet front and one hundred
and fifteen feet deep, is three stories high, with a basement and tower, the
latter of which rises to a height of more than two hundred feet. There are
two court rooms, an elevator, and the modern conveniences and appliances
of a city courthouse. The courthouse was erected at an expense of more than
$300,000, and ranks as one of the most complete and artistic structures of
its kind in the State. It is an enduring memorial of the energy and enter-
prise of the people who designed and constructed it. The architects were

l-'avc'tte County Poorliouse and I'arni

l-"a.\<_tte CuiiiUy Court House, I'liiontowii

E. M. Butz and William Kaufman; the builders were Lawhcad, Modisette &
Co.; Elias Hatfield, John Kirk, S. A. Morris, J. W. Rutter, S. W. Patterson and
Robert Powell were the e(_)mmissioners super\-ising the construction. A
boiler house and electric plant, heat and light l.)oth the jail and the court-
house.

FAYETTE COUNTY POORHOUSE AND FARM.

The earliest reference to a county poorhouse found in the records of Fayette
is in a notice by the Commissioners, dated Oct. 14, 1822, of which the follw-
ing is a copy, viz. :

"To Daniel Lynch, Esq., High Sheriff of the County of Fayette:

Sir: Agreeably to the provisions of an Act of Assembly to provide for
the erection of a house for the employment and support of the poor in the
county of Fayette, we hereby notify you that the returns of the Judges of
Election held in the several districts of the cotmty of Fayette, on the 8th inst.
(it being the second Tuesday in October, A. D. 1822) have certified to us that
at the said election there was given for a poorhouse one thousand and twenty-
five votes, whereby it appears that there is a majority in favor of the estab-
lishment of a poorhouse of four hundred and eleven votes. You will therefore
take such order therein as is provided by the law aforesaid. "

Fayette County Poorhouse and Farm

l''ayette Count>- Home

Nothing is found showing the action taken by the sheiiff in pursuance
of the notification.

On the 12th of December, 1823, "the Poorhouse Directors met to estimate
the expense of erecting the poorhouse and of keeping the poor for one year, "
and on the 7th of January next following, the Directors pvirchased from
Peter McCann a tract of land for a poor farm. The tract contained one
hundred and thirteen acres and ninety-nine perches, situate on the National
Road, northwest of Union town, in Union township, near its western boundary.
On the 26th of April following, an order for one thotisand dollars was issued
in favor of William Livingston, Frederick Shearer, and Isaac Core, Directors
of the Poor, to be by them applied to the erection of a hotise upon the poor
farm. August 14th in the same year another order of the same amount was
issued by the Commissioners to the Directors of the Poor, " to be appropriated
in paying for the poorhouse thereon." A further sum of six hundred
dollars w^as appropriated for the same purpose in 1825 '"for repairs and ad-
ditions. "

On the 2d of June, 1834, the poor farm was enlarged b}' the ])urchase from
Alexander Turner for eight hundred and eighteen dollars of sixteen acres and
sixty perches of land adjoining the original tract. The present poor house
s on the original tract of land and is one of the finest structures for the
purpose in the state.

First Coal Used in I''avctle Countv 33

FIRST COAL USED IN FAYETTE COUNTY.

As is well known, Fayette County embraces a part of the great Appalachian
coal field and is rich in iron, limestone and fire clay. The great Pittsburg
bed of coal vmderlies this entire section, that in the Connellsville basin being
pectiliarly adapted for coke while that along the Monongahcla river, while it
also makes the best of coke is sufficiently hard to bear shipping and millions
upon millions of bushels of it are shipped by rail and river to the sovith.

The first vise of coal west of the Allegheny mountains of which we have any
authentic account is in a journal of Col. James Burd. The entry was
made Saturday September 22, 1759 while in camp abtnit four and a half
miles from the mouth of Dunlap's creek (Nemacolin creek) . He says : " The
camp moved two miles to Coal Run. This run is entirely paved in the bottom
with fine stone coal, and the hill on the south of it is rock of the finest coal
I ever saw. I burned about a bushel of it on my fire."

From this it is inferred that Colonel Burd was familiar with the use of coal
and it is an accepted fact that coal was mined and -ased east of the AUeghenies,
in Virginia, as early as 1750. But, of the untold millions of wealth that lay
hidden beneath the rugged surface of Western Pennsylvania and that has not
reached the zenith of its development, neither Colonel Burd nor any one else
for many years subseqvient, had the faintest conception. Even now the
extent and value of this depository of nature is comprehended but by few,
if in fact bv anv.

COKE FIRST MADE AND USED IN FAYETTE COUNTY.

Following the building of furnaces and rolling mills, came the discovery of
the use of coke and as a result, that industry that has now made Fayette
County, and particularly the Connellsville region, famous as well as rich, sprang
up. The making of coke in the United States and in fact in the western hemi-
sphere, originated in Fayette Cotuity, without doubt, and as before mentioned.
Colonel Meason was in all probability the pioneer, though he made but little
and used but little.

IRON INDUSTRY IN FAYETTE COUNTY.

The iron ore of Fayette Coimty early attracted attention and in fact the
first iron that was produced west of the mountains was in Fayette County
and from Fayette County ore. The blvie lump ore was the first discovered.
This lies directly below the bed of the Pittsburg coal in the Connellsville
basin. Other beds of ore were soon discovered, however, and it was not long
till the county was dotted with furnaces that were the forerunners of the
acres of seething furnaces and rumbling steel mills that now make the Monon-
gahela Valley famous the world over.

The first ftu-naces of Fayette County were of necessity small and for many
vears used charcoal for smelting though Col. Isaac Meason used some

34 Iron Industry in Fayette County

coke at his Plumsock furnace as early as 1817, and F. H. Oliphant run his
Fairchance furnace with coke for a time as early as 1836, making a good grade
of iron.

The first iron furnace west of the Alleghenies was the Alliance Iron Works
on Jacobs Creek and from court records must have been built prior to 1789.
It is further evident that shot and shell were furnished General Anthony
Wayne in his expedition against the Indians, by the Alliance Iron Works.

The Alliance furnace was soon followed by Union Furnace, by Meason,
Dillon & Co., Spring Hill Furnace, Hayden's Forge and Fairfield Furnace,
Redstone Furnace, Fairchance Furnace, and many others.

The first rolling mill in Fayette County, from the most authentic records,
was erected by Jeremiah Pears, at Pkimsock in Menallen township.
Exactly when it was built is not known but from court records it must have
been built prior to 1794. It is conceded that the first puddling and rolling of
bar iron west of the Allegheny mountains was done at this place after it
became the property of Col. Isaac Meason. The mill was erected and put
in operation by Thomas C. Lewis, a Welshman who had worked in rolling
mills in Wales. It is related by his son Samuel C. Lewis that he visited many
iron manufacturers in the cast and made every possible effort to induce
them to erect mills for rolling bar iron, but without success. He then came
west. At Conncllsville, he met Col. Isaac Meason who took kindly to the
idea immediately, at once seeing the feasibility of the plans of Mr. Lewis.
He entered into a contract with Mr. Lewis at a certain salary for three
years with the proviso that if the mill proved a success he (Lewis) should
be taken into partnership and should receive one- third of the profits.

The place selected for the mill was at Upper Middletown, then better known
as Plumsock, on Redstone Creek, about midway between Brownsville and
Conncllsville, as Mr. Meason already had some forges there. The e'recting of
that mill was attended with a great deal of difficulty, as pattern makers and
molders were not very plenty, so that a great deal of this work fell on Mr.
Lewis, who made nearly all the patterns. Taking everything into consider-
ation, the mill was completed in a very short time, having been commenced
some time in 1816, and started about September, 1817. His brother came
over when the work was pretty well on, and as he was also a first-rate mechanic,
helped the work on very much. An incident is given here, as showing the
opposition he met with in the erection of this mill. Two ironmasters from
Lancaster County, by the names of Hughes and Boyer, rode all the way on
horseback, nearly two hundred miles, went to Mr. Meason, and tried to con-
vince him that it was impossible to roll iron into bars. Mr. Meason told them
to go and talk to Mr. Lewis about it, which they did, and told him it was a
shame for him to impose on Mr. Meason, as it might ruin the old gentleman.
Mr. Lewis replied to Mr. Hughes, "You know you can eat?" "Why, yes,"
he knew that. "Well, how do you know it?" He could not give a reason
why, but he knew he could eat. "Well," says Mr. Lewis, "I will tell you
how you know it — you have done it before; and that is why I know I
can roll bar iron. I have done it before!" "Very well," said Mr. Hughes,
"go ahead, and when you are ready to start let us know, and we will come

Fayette County Agricultural Associations 35

and see the failure." According to jiromise they did come on, but left
perfectly satisfied of its success.

The persons engaged in starting the works -were Thomas C. Lewis, engineer;
George Lewis, roller and turner; Sam Lewis, heater; James Lewis, catcher.
Henry Lewis was clerk in the oi^ice. They were all brothers. James Pratt
worked the refinery, and David Adams worked the pttddling furnace.

It is not certain how long this first puddling and rolling mill continvied in
o]K'ration, nor when its fires were finally extinguished.

FAYETTE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL ASSOCL\TIONS.

As the agricultiuist was the lirst to recijrd his name on the pages of the
history of the county, so he was among the first to promulgate organiza-
tions for the exhibition of products and the furthering of agricultural inter-
ests. As early as 1822, we find the records of an agricultural association.
Of this Ellis says, in his History of Fayette County, issued in 1SS2 :

"The existence of a society for the promotion of agriculture in Fayette
County over eighty years ago is proved by an entry in the records of the Com-
missioners of date Sept. 2, LS22, at which time the board issued $150 to
Hugh Thompson, Treasurer of the Society for the Promotion of Agriculture
and Doniestic Manvifactures in Fayette County, which sum the said Society
are entitled to receive out of the County Treasury agreeable to an Act of
the General Assembly passed March 6, 1820.' '

Again March 10, 1823, we find in the Brownsville Western Register, an
advertisement of Col. Samuel Evans, Secretary of the Agricultural So-
ciet}', announcing the premiums to be awarded at the exhibition that year.
In this advertisement it is stipttlated that articles must have been manu-
factured in Fayette County otherwise they would not be entitled to premiums.
No further notice is of record concerning this organization.

The next record we find of any such organization is in 1852. This was
formed in Jefferson Township and a fair was held on the farm of Robert
Elliott. It seems that after this William Colvin of Redstone and citizens of
Brownsville and Luzerene townships, conceived the idea of organizing a
county association which they accordingly did and a fair was held on the
farm of Eli Cope, Esq., near Brownsville. Along in 1857 or 1858 it seems
that the various agricultural societies (several others had been formed
in the meantime) combined and organized one at Uniontown. Fairs
were held at or near Uniontown several times btit the Civil War seems
to have broken up this society and the next organization of the kind we find
was in 1869. The grounds of this were located on the farm of William Brit-
ton above Brownsville, but it too, proved a faikire.

Ten years later, or to be exact, July 21, 1S79, the Fayette County Agri-
cultural Association was chartered by E. B. Dawson, Robert Hogsett, William
Beeson, Josejjh M. Hadden, and John Snyder.

36 Fayette County Medical Society

FAYETTE COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY.

The first medical society organized was known as the Union Medical Society
and was organized some time prior to Oct. 9, 1809, because there appeared a
notice in the Genius of Liberty, of that date calling a meeting of this society
at the house of Mr. James Gregg in Uniontown, for Tuesday, the 7th
day of November at 11 a. m. There appears no account of the meeting
except that a committee that seems to have been appointed at the time
makes a report vmder date of Sept. 1, 1810, in which it recommends a
schedule of compensations for medical services. This report is signed by
Robert D. Moore, Lewis Sweitzer, and Lewis Marchand.

The Fayette County Medical Association was formed at a meeting of the
physicians of the county, held for that purpose at the Town Hall in Uniontown,
June 25, 1844. The physicians present were, Drs. Campbell, Stanley, John-
son, Thompson, Roberts, Worrak, Miller, Fleming, Jones, Lindley, Robinson,
Post, Fuller, Neff, Penny, Marchand, Lafferty, Fitter, Mathiot, and Shugart.
Dr. Abraham Stanley was made chairman, and was assisted by Drs. Lindley
and Campbell, the latter delivering the address. Dr. Smith Fuller and Dr.
H. F. Roberts reported a constitution and by-laws which were adopted by
the meeting. Among those who signed this document were Dr. Abraham
Stanley of Bridgeport, and Drs. W. L. Lafferty and Lewis Marchand of
Brownsville. Dr. Hugh Campbell was elected president; Dr. Smith Fuller,
treasurer; Dr. A. H. Campbell, corresponding secretary; Dr. H. F. Roberts,
recording secretary. The last record of this society is dated Dec. 19, 1844.

Another medical society was organized in Brownsville, May IS, 1869.
There were present at the organization of this society, Drs. J. S. Van Vorhees,
W. H. Sturgeon, H. F. Roberts, W. P. Duncan, S. A. Conklin, J. B. Ewing,
Knoz and Hazlet. Drs. Dtmcan, Ewing, Conklin and Sturgeon, submitted
a constitution based on one of the Allegheny County medical society's, and
by-laws were signed by the above-named physicians and the following ad-
ditional ones: Dr. F. C. Robinson and Dr. B. F. Conklin. The first officers
of this society were, Dr. Wm. S. Duncan, president; Dr. J. S. Van Vorhees,
vice president; Dr. J. B. Ewing, recording secretary; Dr. H. F. Roberts, coi-
responding secretary; Dr. W. H. Sturgeon, treasurer. At a meeting held the
following July, the constitution was also signed by Drs. Lindley, FtiUer,
Groonet, Phillips, Rogers, Patten, Mathiot, Carey, Finley, and Eastman.

This organization still exists with a membership of 77. The names of the
pi^esent officials are, Drs. George O. Evans, President; Wm. H. Means,
Vice President; Levi S. Gaddis, Secretary and Treasurer: John D. Sturgeon,
Assistant Secretary.

The stated times of meeting are the first Tuesdays of January, April, July
and October, at Uniontown. Pa.

Geologv of Fayette County

Geological Location of Fayette County — The Great Connellsville
Basin — The Monongahela Basin — Lower Productive Coal Meas-
ures — Laurel and Chestnut Ridges — Something About the Geo-
logical Structure — The Laurel Ridge Anticlinal — The Upper
Barren Series — Economic Geology of Fayette County — The Great
Coke Industry — Horizon of Iron Ore in Fayette County — Loca-
tion AND Extent of the Connellsville Coke Region — Tabulated
Coke Statistics.

In Nelson's Biographical Dictionary and Historical Reference Book of
Fayette County, we find the following condensed geological description of
Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and also a brief sketch of the oil, gas, coal,
iron and coke industries, that will prove interesting in years to come ;

GEOLOGICAL LOCATION.

"From Prof. J. P. Lesley's geological decsription of Fayette County in
1884 we condense the following: Fayette County lies in the second, third
and foiurth bituminous coal basins of Pennsylvania. The second or Ligonier
Valley basin, is lined with the lower productive coal measures, supporting
numerous isolated hills of Barren measures, none of which are lofty enough
to preserve the Pittsburg (Connellsville) coal bed. In the Youghiogheny
river gaps is the Catskill (ix) , but containing Chemung fossils (viii) . On the
Ijroad summit of Laurel Hill and Chestnut Ridge remain plates of the
conglomerate, tifty to seventy feet high, composed of a friable whitish sand-
stone, cleft in vast cubical masses, and weatherworn into shallow caves.
The "Elk Rock" is near Connellsville, and the "Cow Rock" on the edge of
the precipice is covered with Indian sculpture.

THIRD OR CONNELLSVILLE BASIN.

The third or Connellsville basin carries the Pittsburg bed four miles wide
and thirty-three miles long through its center. It also carries the upper
productive coal measure consisting of four principal coal beds and many
massive limestone strata. In two or three places its small hilltops have
preserved some of the LTpper Barren measures.

THE FOURTH OR MONONGAHELA BASIN.

The fourth or Monogahela basin occupies all the western townships, with
a multitude of collieries on the Pittsburg bed facing the river pools. The

38 Lower Productive Coal Measures

Upper Barren measures are in Jefferson, Redstone, Luzerene and German
Townships, while the Washington County series are not well exposed and
the Greene County series not preserved.

LOWER PRODUCTIVE COAL MEASURES.

The Lower Productive coal measures cover all the west half of the county.
and so do the Lower Barren measures except along Redstone Creek at upper
Middletown. The former are principally under ground, but where coming,
up on the flank of Chestnut Ridge, they show five coal beds. The lower coal
beds have not been much worked yet on account of the outcrop of the Pitts-
burg coal bed. Important beds of iron ore lie at five different horizons in
Fayette County, and have been mined a good deal for the use of local blast
furnaces. (1) First five beds of lump and flag clay- iron-stone, within
twenty-five feet txnder the Pittsburg coal bed; (2) two overlying the Mahoning
sandstone at Lemont; (3) the local Norris, Jacobs Creek or Pridevale beds
under the Mahoning sandstone ; (4) the Stanford on top of the conglomerate ;
and (5), most important of all, the Honeycomb, Kidney and Red ores of
No. XI, in the ravines of Chestnut Ridge.

LAUREL AND CHESTNUT RIDGES.

In the structural geology of Fayette Cotmty we find that the last two great
viplifts of the Appalachian chain are marked by Laurel and Chestnut Ridges.
A minor uplift parallel to Chestnut Ridge enters the county at the sovithwest
and extends into Westmoreland County. It is known as Brush Ridge, has
a thin soil, and is destitute of coal, which has been swept away. Between
Laurel and Chestnut Ridges, is the first or Ligonier basin, which holds the
two lower groups of the coal-bearing rocks. The second or Connellsville
basin is between Chestnut and Brush Ridges and holds three groups of coal-
bearing rocks.

GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE.

The geological structure of the county. Prof. John J. Stevenson states,
helps to make it prominent as a producer of iron, coal and coke. Prof.
Stevenson explains that the great fold of Chestnut Ridge has brought to light
in Deep Creek cuts, rocks that are 2,500 feet below Uniontown, and thrown
high above water level in deep ravines, on both sides, are important series
of iron ores, that, had this fold been absent, the Connellsville coaking coal
bed would have been 1,800 feet below Uniontown. He also explains that
Brush Ridge is just as important as the other ridges, that it brings to light
again the great coal bed sinking under the surface at the western base of
Chestnut Ridge, and that in rising up to lose its own coal, brought to light
the Pittsburg bed, which otherwise would have been 600 feet deep at Jennings
Run, 1,400 feet at Searights, and 1,500 feet at Brownsville. That it also
separates the coke and gas basins, and while it is the same bed on each side,

Laurel Ri(ly,e Anticlinal 39

yet the physical structure is different, the partings in the coke field being
irregular and thin, but in the gas coal field are regular and of slate. That in
chemical composition the gas coal field has a larger increase of volatile
matter, and while it prodtices good coke, yet it is recognized as a typical
gas coal with no superior in the market.

FINE BUILDING STONE.

An excellent building rock is found in different parts of Fayette County,
and especially at J^Ionroc where bluestone quarries are opened, and their
products transported over a short branch railroad to the B. & O. road at
Hutchinson Station.

The systemic or structural geology of Fayette County, shows that its
exposed, stratified rocks belong to the carboniferotis age, and the geological
column which they form is about 2,750 feet in thickness, according to ex-
posures along the three anticlinals and three synclinals of the three typo-
graphical valleys of the county.

LAUREL RIDGE ANTICLINAL.

The Lavirel Ridge anticlinal is the eastern mountain boundary of the
county and the Ligonier Valley, whose synclinal crosses Indian Creek near
the motith of Laurel Run, the Youghiogheny between the mouths of Jona-
than's and Bear Runs and the National Road, two miles west of Farmington.
Next westward comes the Chestnvit Ridge anticlinal separating the Ligonier
and Blairsville Valleys or troughs and the Blairsville synclinal crosses the
Youghiogheny between Broad Ford and Connellsville, Redstone Creek at
Uniontown and Cheat River near the Line Ferry. The Blairsville or Connells-
ville trough, for its western boundary, has the Saltsburg anticlinal (sometimes
called the Fayette County axis or Brush Ridge), which runs west of Flat-
woods, and three miles west of Uniontown crosses Georges Creek near the
Old Crow mill, and reaches Cheat river a short distance above its mouth.
The next valley west, the Libston or Irwin trough, is but partly in Fayette
County, and its synclinal crosses little Redstone near Red Lion, Redstone
at Park's Mill, Dunlap's Creek a mile below the German Township line and
the Monongahela river a mile from the mouth of Middle Run.
Formations. Measures. Feet.

XIII. The Coal Measures.

1. Upper Barren Series 236

2. Upper Productive Coal Scries 437

3. Lower Barren Series 491

4. Lower Productive Coal Series 313

XII. Pottsville Conglomerates (serai) 235

XI. Mauch Chunk Red Shale (Umbral) 200

X. Pocono Sandstone (Vespertine) S3S

IX. Catskill (Ponent) Rocks

Approximates 2,750

40 The Upper Barren Series

THE UPPER BARREN SERIES.

The Upper Barren Series are poorly represented in Fayette County, lying
oricipally in the Libston trough. The Washington limes and coals are
important, the Waynesburg and JoUytown coals almost wanting^ and its
base, the Waynesbtirg sandstone, is over 70 feet thick. The sandstone
forms a roof of the Upper Productive coal series, which contain the
great Pittsburg coal bed with its Connellsville coking coal basin and
forms a large part of the Libston and Blairsville troughs or valleys. The
Washington, Waynesburg, Redstone, Sewickley and Uniontown coals and
limes are present while the fishpot and great limestones are important. The
Lower Barren series have the Pittsburg coal for a roof and the Mahoning
Sandstone for a floor, and mark the course of the anticlinals by bands of
poor soil, these series carrying the Little Pittsburg, Elk Lick, Berlin, Piatt,
Coleman and Philson coal beds in the Ligonier Valley, varying from four to
twenty-four inches, and the Barton and a couple of other twelve-inch coal
in the Blairsville trotigh. They have the Morgantown sandstone and some
valuable limes and fire clays. The Lower Productive coal series lie along
the slopes of Chestnut and Laurel Ridges, and are between Lower Barren
Shales and the Piedmont sandstone. These series carry the Upper and
Lower Freeport and Kittanning coals and limestones, and the Clarion and
B rook ville coals. Mahoning sandstone is the important rock, while the coal
seams vary from one to five feet, and limestones and fire clays are good.
The Pottsville (serai) conglomerate, is exposed on the slopes of Chestnut and
Laurel Ridges and along the whole gorge of the Youghiogheny river in the
Ligonier Valley. The Pottsville rests on the conglomerate, and carries the
Mt. Savage coal bed in Wharton and Stewart Townships. The Mauch Chunk
red shale (umbral rocks), are along Chestnut Ridge and the Youghiogheny
river, and one of the series of rounded knobs of this series is Sugar Loaf moun-
tain, south of Ohiopyle. Fragments of a coal bed exist, but its im-
portant beds are the Mountain and Siliceous limes, the inountain increasing
southwestward to ninety feet, and the Siliceous gaining northward until
reaching fifty feet. The Pocono (Vespertine) sandstone forms nearly all
the valleys of the streams in the Ligonier Valley and fringes the western base
of Chestnut Hill Ridge; while the Catskill rocks appear in the deep movmtain
gorges near Monroe, and on the Youghiogheny at the mouth of Indian Creek
and where the river ct;ts through Laurel Hill Ridge.

ECONOMIC GEOLOGY pF FAYETTE^,COUNTY. J

In discussing the economic geology of Fayette County, Prof. J.J. Stevenson
says: "The iron ores of Fayette County have played a great part in the
history of iron manufacturing in America, and among the men who must be
recognized as contributing both to the honor and the prosperity of the county
one of the highest places must be assigned to Fidelio Hughes Oliphant ; while
still a lad he practically revolutionized the process of refining iron at Fair-
chance furnace, he was first of Americans to manufacture iron with coke as

Horizons of Iron Ore in Fayette County 41

the fuel; at the same furnace he used the first hot blast; at the same furnace
he first of all recognized the advantage of uliUzing tin' rurnace gases, and
his was the plan of placing the engine house on the top of the stack — a
cumbrous plan indeed, but sufficiently economical in the days of small
furnaces. Fifty years ago the OU])hant iron was without superior in the
county. "

HORIZOxNS OF IRON ORE IN FAYETTE COUNTY.

There are two important horizons of iron ore in Fayette Cotmty.

1. The coal ore, a persistent carbonate ore.

2. The mountain ore, an irregular but heavy yielding ore.

The coal or upper groviptmderlies the Pittsburg coal bed, and is confined to
the Connellsville basin, the northern part of Spring Hill Township and the
Monongahela river north to Cat's Run. It has four beds, the Blue Lump,
the Big Bottom, the Red Flag, and the Yellow Flag, whose combined thick-
ness averages two feet within a vertical distance of twelve feet. A late
estimate places the amount of coal ore yet unmined in the eastcni part of the
basin at one hundred and eighty millions of tons. The coal ores contain
from thirty to thirty-three per cent, of iron, and from 13 to 20 per cent, of
phosphorus. The Blue Lump was the ore first discovered and worked west
of the Allegheny mountains.

The mountain (umbral) ore or lower group, is at the base of the column
of the coal-bearing series, and lies in the underlying shales of the great con-
glomerate. It underlies a large area on each side of Chestnut Ridge. It has
four beds, the Little Honeycomb, the Big Honeycomb, the Kidney and the
Big Bottom, which are irregular in thickness, and have many gaps, but yet
average 2 feet 6 inches, and yield enormous amotmts of ore. The mountain
ores contain from thirty-two to thirty-nine per cent, of iron, from .03 to .025
of phosphorus, and .08 to .04 of sulphur. A mixture of Blue Lump and
mountain ores by F. H. Oliphant produced the famous Fairchance neutral
iron of extraordinary strength which proved by test at Washington to l)e
twice as strong as the standard.

Iron ore, limestone and coking coal can all be fotmd in the same hill along
the western base of Oiestnut Ridge, while but two miles away is a compact
fire clay of excellent equality for oven bricks and fvirnace linings. The
closeness of these ores, limestones and clay give great advantages to iron
manufacturers in the Connellsville basin.

LIMESTONE.

"Limestone is abundant, though there are narrow strips running longi-
tudinally through the country where no limestone is exposed. Thin beds
only exist in the valley between Chestnut and Laurel Ridges, but an ample
supply for all purposes can be obtained from the great mountain limestone
which is exposed in deep hollows in the sides of both ridges. The great lime-
stone is exposed also in the hollows along the western side of the Chestnut

42 Fire Clay— Oil and Gas Fields

Ridge, and it has been quarried at many localities, especially in the northern
part of the county. Some of these beds yield lime as white as the celebrated
Louisville brand. Good lime is found nearly everywhere within the Connells-
ville basin, in the hills covering the Pittsburg coal bed. This rock is in great
part clean enough to be used as a fitix in the iron furnaces, but contains more or
less oxide of iron, and therefore the lime is not pure white. The limestone
exposed along the river and lying above the Pittsburg bed is thick, and some of
it is very pure. It is quarried at more than one locality for shipment to Pitts-
burg, where it is used in the manufacture of glass and iron.

FIRE CLAY.

"Fire clays are abundant in different parts of the county. An excellent
plastic clay occurs at Greensboro and New Geneva, on the Monongahela
river. It is employed largely in the manufacture of pottery, which has a
high reputation, and can be found almost everywhere in the southeastern
states. Good brick clay is abundant everywhere in the subsoil. An excellent
non-plastic clay exists along the east slope of Chestnut Ridge, and lies not
far above the great conglomerate. It is manufacttired into brickat Lemont,
Mount Braddock, Dunbar, and on the Youghiogheny River above Connells-
ville. The bricks are decidedly good, and but little, if at all, inferior to the
bricks made at Motint Savage. Another non-plastic clay occurs in Henry
Clay and Stewart Townships, and is the same with the celebrated Bolivar
fire clay of Westmoreland County. No attempts have been made to utilize
this clay here, but in chemical composition it approached closely to the Motmt
Savage clay. "

A good quality of lire clay is foimd along Chestnut Ridge and is now being
shipped to some extent. Some of the thicker sandstone beds when crushed
and washed give a fine plate glass sand, and the Pt. Marion and XJniontown
glass works are using home sands.

OIL FIELDS.

Petroleum was fotind as early as 1845 at Brownsville, in a well which was
being drilled for salt water. Gas came in at 786 feet and the oil was reached
at the Dunkard Creek horizon.

Prof. J. J. Stevenson states that the oil-bearing rocks of Fayette County
are above water level in the deep creek cuts in Chestnut Ridge, and are 2,000
feet below the surface at Upper Middletown, and 2,500 feet at Brownsville.

German Township seems to be the heart of Fayette County's main oil
field, and a full account of its avcIIs may be found in the German Township
chapter of Nelson's work.

GAS FIELDS.

The gas in Fayette County seems to accompany the oil, and the greatest
productive gas fields surround Masontown and McClellandtown, and are
fully described in the history of German Township which is so wonderfully
rich with oil, gas and coal.

Fayette County Klondike 43

COAL FIELDS.

In the family of the carbons — diamond, graphite, coal, lignite and peat —
the coal or "black diamond," is the most tisefvil member. American coals
are classified as anthracite and bitmninous, and the latter consists of carbon,
volatile matter, water and ash, its value depending largely upon the relative
percentages of these elements in its physical strvicture. Bituminous coal is
divided into classes, steaming and gas coals. Fayette County lies in the
Appalachian or second of the seven great bittiminous coal fields of the United
States, whose yearly output is 159,000,000 tons of coal prepared for con-
sumption by a force of 250,000 men, and valued at $115,000,000.

Fayette County really has three great coal fields or regions, the Upper
Freeport bed and lower coal measvire of the Ligonier Valley, the Connellsville
and kindred beds of the Pittsburg bed in the Blairsville valley, and the harder
coals of the Pittsburg bed in the Libston Valley, while someone has classed
them as the movmtain, the valley and the river coals. The Ligonier Valley
coals have never been mined only for home consumption, but large bodies of
coal on Indian Creek have been optioned.

BITUMINOUS COAL FIELDS,

The bitiiminous coal region of Pennsylvania is divided into ten mining
districts, and the territory of Fayette County is included in the second, fifth
and ninth of these districts.

FAYETTE COUNTY KLONDIKE.

Klondike is a name applied to the coal fields of German and Menallen.
and parts of Georges, Nichols and Sovith UjiionJTywnsliips up the Mononga-
hela river from the Three Towns, from a fancied resemblance of their sudden
coal and coke development in 1S99 to the rapid development of the Alaskan
gold fields of the Klondike district. Latenr forces not yet developed, un-
known conditions and rapid and continual changes will make the writing of
its history difficult for some time to come. It seems to be largely a western
development of an eastern field, a Chicago invasion of Carnegie's Pittsburg
fuel field and the utilizing of a coal for ftirnace coke that was formerly pro-
nounced very inferior for that purpose. The Klondike east of Brush Ridge
contains a considerable area of the Connellsville coking coal.

COKE DEVELOPMENT IN FAYETTE COUNTY.

Four great companies are developing the Klondike and now own over
12,000 acres of coking coal. W. J. Rainey's heirs, the National Steel
Company, and the Continental Coke Company, are working the eastern
Klondike, while the Federal Steel Company, through the Eureka Fuel
Company, and the American Steel and Wire Company, through the American

44 The Pioneer Coke Company

Company, are operating west of Brush Ridge or in the western Klondike,
while a number of smaller companies are erecting works on small coal tracts
throtighout the Klondike.

THE PIONEER COKE COMPANY.

The pioneer company in the western Klondike is the Federal Steel Company,
whose main factor is the Illinois Steel Company and which acts through the
Eureka Fuel Company, which was chartered Sept. 14, 1899, with a capital
of $1,000,000, and whose officers are Charles H. Foote, president; T. J.
Hyman, vice president; C. P. Parker, secretary and treasurer, and John P.
Brennen, general manager. On August 3, 1899, they had bought 2,000 acres —
the Dupuy and Hillman tracts — in Nicholson, German and Menallen Town-
ships, for over $1,000,000, and afterwards added 4,000 acres more to these
tracts. It is said that these companies selected these coal lands because
the coal could be worked from the slope and without sinking shafts. Leckrone,
on the farm of James Leckrone's heirs, and Footdale, named for the president
of the company, are to be two of the four towns to be built with light and
water system, and at which will be located the four great mining plants to
be worked by electricity and compressed air. Each town will have five
hundred houses and four hundred ovens, except Leckrone, where 1,000 ovens
are to be erected. All the works on this nine-mile tract are to be supplied
from a great 4,000,000 gallon reservoir, now being completed near McClelland-
town, on the divide 1,000 feet high, by the Huron Water Company, organized
Sept. 14, 1899, with a capital of $50,000, and having the same officers as the
Eureka Fuel Company. A large pumping station has been completed at the
mouth of Brown's Run, and double engines will pump the water for four miles
through great mains into the reservoir from which pipes will carry it to the
different works. The Eureka Fuel Company, by the Masontown and New
Salem Railway, will connect with the Pennsylvania and B. & O. Railways,
and thus gain an outlet for their product. The huge water plant will cost
over $200,000, and the works over $2,000,000.

AMERICAN STEEL AND WIRE COMPANY.

Next in the Western Klondike was the American Steel and Wire Company,
acting through the American Coke Company. They located on Middle Run
and back of McClcllandtown, buying in October, 1899, nearly half a inillion
dollars' worth of land, to which body they have added largely since, until they
now have over 3,000 acres of coal. They have three great plants of over 400
ovens each, which are being built at the three new towns of Gates, Edenborn
and Lambert, named for officers of the company. Gates is at the mouth of
Middle Run, Edenborn south of it and Lambert some three miles up the
stream. Shafts some 300 feet deep are being sunk to the coal and all modern
methods of mining will be introduced by this great company.

46 The Coke Industry

THE BESSEMER COMPANY.

The Bessemer Company are building the Griffin coke works on Catt's Run,
Reeder & Fitzgerald are erecting the Shamrock works east of New Salem,
Kiester is building a coke plant at the head of Whippoorwill Valley in the
north of Menallen, and numerous small companies have sectired considerable
coal tracts on which to erect coke works.

THE NATIONAL STEEL COMPANY.

In the Eastern Klondike the National Steel Company was the pioneer
of the whole bottom. Acting through the Continental Coke Company on
May 8, 1900, it bought from J. V. Thompson and others 717 acres of coal
lands in LTniontown stibtu-bs and South LTnion and Georges Townships at
$1,000 per acre, and also took vip a previous purchase of 1,250 acres in Georges
and German at $800 per acre. The company are erecting three great plants
and three villages between Lhiiontown and Walnut Hill, which are now known
as Continental No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3.

THE W. J. RAINEY COMPANY.

The W. J. Rainey Company in August, 1899, purchased from the S. W.
Connellsville Coke Company the Revere coal tract of 1,132 acres in Georges,
German and Menallen Townships, for $1,075,000, and are constructing a four-
mile bi^anch railroad, a mile west of Uniontown, from the Coal Lick Run Rail-
road to their Revere works, now in course of erection, with several hundred
ovens. The company is also building a mining town, in the Eastern
Klondike. Robert Snead was given a contract to put eight miles of wire
fencing along the Coal Lick Run road and its branches.

THE COKE INDUSTRY.

Uncertainty marks the accounts of the few experimental coke ovens
erected in Fayette County between 1830 and 1841 in which latter year the
firms of Province McCormick, James Campbell and John Taylor, from sug-
gestions of an Englishman', built two beehive ovens and made several hundred
bushels of coke which they boated to Cincinnati, where they could not sell
it, and bartered it off at almost a total loss. Two years later came Mordecai
Cochran and his two nephews. Sample and James Cochran, and they were
successful pioneers of coke manufacture in the Connellsville region, and the
ultimate coke development of every coking coal region of the United States.
They rented McCormick's two ovens and made twenty-four hour coke, which
they introduced into the Cincinnati market, but had to wait for railroad
transportation before building works upon an extensive scale.

Tabulated Coke Statistics 47

THE CIVIL WAR RETARl)!':i) THE COKE INDUSTRY.

TIk- Civil War also held back coke manufacture in tiie Connellsville region,
which did not coiumence actively until 1871. By 1S76 there were 3,000
ovens in operation, three years later they numbered 4,000 and in lcS82 had
increased to S,400 while in 1899 19,089 ovens had an output of over 1 0,000,000
tons of coke, which sold for over $20,000,000. Add to this the product of
the thousands of ovens being erected in the Klondike and the possible works
of the Ligonier Valley, and the twentieth century coke industry of Fayette
County may reach in annual product value — the hundred-million-dollar
mark. Veechsaid: " Coal, if not king, is becoming one of the princes of the
land, and its scat of empire was the Monongahela Valley. ' ' Ellis added : " But
if coal is mighty like Philip of Macedon,its offspring, coke, is like the mightier
Alexander, and the seat of its empire is the Connellsville coal basin;" while
now comes gas, the greatest offspring of coal, like the mightier Ca\sar. who
ruled alike Philip of Macedon's home kingdom and Alexander's foreign realms,
and the seat of its empire bids fair to be Southwestern Pennsylvania and
West Virginia.

T A B U L AT E D STAT I ST ICS .

The following tabulated statement shows the total number of ovens in the
Connellsville region at the close of each year, the annual output, average
price and gross revenue of the district from 1880 vtp to and including 1899:

Total

Tons

Av.

Gross

Year.

Ovens.

Shipped.

Price.

Revenue.

1880

7,211

2,205,946

$1.70

$3,948,643

1881

8,208

2,639,002

1.63

4,301,573

1882

9,283

3,043,394
3,552,402

1.47
1.14

4,473,889

1883

10,176

4,049,738

1884

. . 10,543

3,192,105

1.13

3,607,078

1885

. . 10,471

3,096,012

1.22

3,777,134

1886

10,952

4,180,521

1.36

5,701,086

1887

11,923

4,146,989

1.79

7,437,663

1888

. . 13,975

4,955,553

1.19

5,884,081

1889

14,458

5,930,428

1.34

7,974,663

1890

. . 10,020

6,464,150

1.94

12,537,370

1891

17,204

4,760,665

1.87

8,903,454

1892

. . 17,256

6,329,452

1.83

11,598,407

1893

17,513

4,805,623

1.49

7, 141,031

1894

. . 17,834

5,454,451

1.00

5,454,451

1895

17,947

8,244,438

1.23

10,140,658,

1896

. . 18,351

5,411,602

1.90

10,282,043

1897

. . 18,628

6,915,052

1.65

11,409,835

1898

. . 18,643

8,460,112

1 .55

13,113,179

1899

19,689

10,129,764

2.00

20,259,528

48 Coal One of the Great Forces of the Future

MANY COKE OVENS BUILT SINCE 1899.

Btit, it should be remembered that vast areas of coal have been opened up
since 1899, particularly along the Monongahela river above Brownsville, and
that thousands of coke ovens have been built since then and are now in ftill
operation, and the ntnnber is being atigmented almost every day. Some idea
of this, new development can be had by a trip over the Monongahela Railroad,
while the Connellsville central railroad now building from Brownsville to
Connellsville, promises to add many more mines and doubtless many more
coke ovens.

COAL ONE OF THE GREAT FORCES OF THE FUTURE.

Coal has passed into the twentieth century with electricity and natural gas
as one of the great forces of the future. Divested in oven or retort of its ashes,
smoke, soot and dust, and with its noxious gases scrubbed and purified, it
has become a fuel gas of high grade to be delivered from central plants to
home and shop and mill and factory for everj' purpose of heat and power.

COKE AND IRON INDUSTRIES CLOSELY ALLIED

It is interesting to note how closely the coke industry follows the iron
markets. Contracts for coke are not made for long periods, and a sudden
rush in the pig iron market always has its immediate effect upon the Con-
nellsville coke region. In fact, sometimes the orders sent out to the different
plants for the week have to be changed or modified to meet hurried orders
that come in from large furnace districts. On this account shipments vary
much from month to month, as will be noticed from the various table, show-
ing the shipments in cars by months during 1899 and the average number
of cars shipped each w^orking day in the month.

LOCATION AND EXTENT OF THE CONNELLSVILLE COKE

REGION.

The Connellsville coke region is contained within a long narrow strip of
the best farming lands in Fayette and Westmoreland Cotmties, stretching
from Connellsville, which is in the center of the basin, a distance of twenty-one
miles in either direction, north and sotith. The northern boundary is at
Latrobe, Westmoreland County, and the southern boundary is not so well
defined, but is about ten miles south of Fairchance, although undeveloped
to that southern limit. Beyond Latrobe, on the north, the coal becomes
hard and the percentage of sulphur, which is an objectionable quality in coke,
becomes too high. The district is about forty- three miles long and ranges
from one to five miles in width. It contains a total area of 87,776 acres,
about 27,000 acres of which have been mined and 683 acres reserved for
buildings and other purposes, leaving a total area of 60,000 acres of solid coal
yet to be mined. It is calculated that the region is being tmdcrmined at the

Extent of Connellsville Region 49

present time at the rate of 1,2(10 aeri's a year, so ihiit ])rovicled the jiresent
rate were kejit up eoiitinually, the Hfe of Ihe region might yet be plaeed at
fifty years. In the region there are 95 plants, at whieh are located collectively
20,992 coke ovens. These plants are usually large, but vary on the whole
from 20 ovens at Home to 905 at Standard. There are now about 90 mines,
some of which are slopes, some drifts and some shafts. The shafts indicate
the depth to which the coal is covered in the region, and it is an interesting
fact that while Adelaid and Leisenring No. 3 plant are within five miles of
each other, both being in the heart of the basin near Connellsville, these two
show the extreme depths of shafts in the region, Adelaid shaft being only
81 feet deep, while Leisenring No. 3 shaft is 542 feet deep.

(1/ \^)

Fayette County's Part in Wars

Dunmore's War With the Indians — The Revolutionary War — The
Infamous Whisky Insurrection — The War of 1812-15 and the
Mexican War — The War of the Rebellion — The Famous Ringgold
Cavalry — Eighth Regiment "Memorial" — "Will Soon Answer
■Taps' " — List of Deceased Soldiers — "Greater Love Hath No
Man " — Spanish and Filipino Wars.

In the Indian hostilities of 1774, known as " Dunmore's War, " the territory
now Fayette County saw little, if anything, of actual fighting and bloodshed;
yet, in the universal terror and consternation caused by the Indian inroads
and butcheries along the Monongahela, it came near being as completely
depopulated as it had been twenty years before by the panic which succeeded
the French victory over Washington.

The Dunmore War was the result of several collisions which took place
in the spring of 1 774, on the Ohio river above the mouth of the Little Kanawha,
between Indians and parties of white men, most of whom were adventurers,
who had rendezvoused there preparatory to passing down the river for the
purpose of making settlements in the then new country of Kentucky.

Immediately afterwards occurred the murder of Logan's people at Baker's
Bottom and the killing of the Indians at Capatina Creek. The so-called
speech of Logan fastened the oditmi of killing his people in cold blood, on
Capt. Michael Cresap, of Redstone Old Fort. That the charge was false
and wholly unjust is now known by all people well informed on the subject.
Cresap did, however, engage in the killing of other Indians, being no doubt
incited thereto by the deceitful tenor of Dr. Connelly's letters, which were
evidently written for the express purpose of inflaming the minds of the
frontiersmen by false information, and so bringing about a general Indian
war.

The settlers along the frontier, well knowing that the Indians w^ould
surely make war, in revenge for the killing of their people at Capatina and
Yellow Creek, immediately sought safety, either in the shelter of the "settlers'
forts," or by abandoning their settlements and flying eastward across the
mountains. In the meantime (upon the retirement of George Rogers Clarke
from Wheeling to Redstone) an express was sent to Williamsburg, Va., to
inform the governor of the events which had occurred upon the frontier, and
the necessity of immediate preparation for an Indian war. Upon this, Lord
Dunmore sent messengers to the settlers who had already gone forward to
Kentucky to return at once for their safety, and he then without delay
took measures to carry the war into the Indian country. One force w^as
gathered at Wheeling and marched to the Muskingum country, where the
commander. Col. McDonald, surprised the Indians and punished them suffl-
cientlv to induce them to sue for peace, though it was believed that their

Dunmore's War Witli the Indians 51

reqticst was but a treacherous one, designed only to gain time for the collcetion
of a large body of warriors to renew the hostilities.

But the main forces mustered by Dunmore for the invasion of the Indian
country were a detachment to move down the Ohio from Pittsburg, tmder
the governor in person, and another Ixuly of troo])s under General Andrew
Lewis, which was rendezvoused at Camp Union, now Lewisburg, (ireen-
brier County, Va. These two columns were to meet for co-operation at the
mouth of the Great Kanawha River. Under this general plan Governor
Dunmore moved from Williamsburg to Winchester and to Fort Cumberland,
thence over the Braddock road to the Youghiogheny, and across the territory
to the present county of Fayette on his way to Fort Pitt, which in the mean-
time had been named by his partisans, in his honor. Fort Dunmore. From
there he proceeded with his forces down the Ohio ri\-er, Maj. William
Crawford of Stewart's Crossing of the Youghiogheny, being one of his principal
officers.

The force under General Andrew Lewis, eleven hundred strong, proceeded
from Camp Union to the headwaters of the Kanawha, and thence down the
valley of the river to the appointed rendezvous at its mouth, which was
reached on the Gth of October, 1774. General Lewis, being disappointed in his
expectations of finding Lord Dunmore already there, sent messengers up the
Ohio to meet his Lordship and inform him of the arrival of the column at the
mouth of the Kanawha. On the 9th of October a dispatch was received
from Dunmore saying that he (Dunmore) was at the motith of the Hocking,
and that he wottld proceed thence directly to the Shawanese towns on the
Scioto, instead of coming down the Ohio and that he should march to meet
him (Dunmore) before the Indians towns.

But on the following day (October lOth), before General Lewis had com-
menced his movement across the Ohio, he was attacked by a heavy body of
Shawanese warriors under chief Cornstalk. The light (known as the bat-
tle of Point Pleasant) raged nearly all day, and resvilted in the complete
rout of the Indians, who sustained a very heavy (though not definitely
ascertained) loss, and retreated in disorder across the Ohio. The loss of
the Virginians under Lew4s was seventy-five killed and one hundred and
forty w^ounded. Dunmore and Lewis advanced from their respective points
into Ohio to "Camp Charlotte," on Sippo Creek. There they met Corn-
stalk and the other Shawanese chiefs, with whom a treaty of peace was
made ; but as some of the Indians were defiant and disinclined for peace, Maj.
William Crawford was sent against one of their villages, called Seekunk, or
Salt Lick Town. His force consisted of two htmdred and forty men, with
which he destroyed the village, killed six Indians and took fourteen pris-
oners.

These operations and the submission of the Indians at Camp Charlotte,
virtually closed the war. Governor Dunmore immediately set out on his return
and proceeded by way of Redstone and the Great Crossing of the Youghio-
gheny to Fort Cumberland, and thence to the Virginian capital. Major
Crawford also returned to his home in the present county of Fayette.

The Revolutionary War

The "settlers' forts" and blockhouses, which by affording shelter and
protection to the inhabitants prevented an entire abandonment of this section
of the country in Dtmmore's War, were nearly all erected during the
terror and panic of the spring and svminier of the year 1774, though a few
had been built previously.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

Conspicuous as Fayette County has been in the history of Pennsylvania and
in fact in the earlier periods of the nation, she stands out still more proudly
when it comes to the defense of the nation against internal or external foes.
When the news of the battle of Lexington, came across the Alleghenics, the
hardy frontiersmen were not long in getting ready for action. Money was at
once raised to equip troops and in an incredible short time. Capt. Michael
Cresap of Redstone Old Fort, now Brownsville, had been commissioned to
raise a company in Maryland, and about twenty young men from this section
of the country marched across the motmtains and joined his company. The
names of these young men cannot be ascertained now but they were from
Fayette County. The next body of troops that joined the eastern forces
from west of the mountains, was raised in the Monongahela country. It was
a battalion that was afterwards known as the Seventh Virginia. It was
chiefly raised through the efforts of William Crawford whose headquarters
for recruiting was at his home at Stewart's Crossing, on the Youghiogheny
in what is now Fayette County. He afterv.'-ards became Colonel. The
' ' West Augusta Regiment ' ' was afterwards raised in the same section by
Colonel Crawford . This regiment in the service was known as the Thirteenth
Virginia. The fact that by the summer of 1777 two regiments had been
raised and equipped, speaks well for the patriotism of this section of the
covnitry .

The Eighth Pennsylvania was perhaps the most famous in the Revolution.
It was organized under a resolution of Congress, dated July 15, 1776, and
was made up principally from Westmoreland Cotinty and largely from that
part of Westmoreland that is now Fayette. It was tinder the command of
Col. Aneas Mackey, sometimes called McCoy, and Lieut. Col. George
Wilson of New Geneva, now in Fayette Cotmty. The conditions under which
the regiment was organized was that they were to remain here in the west
and defend this section of the country against the Indians, bttt, if it became
necessary for them to go east and join Washington's forces, they were to do
so. On the fourth day of November, the regiment Avas ordered to march
with all possible dispatch to Amboy, New Jersey, or to join Washington
wherever he might be when they reached that section of the country. The
regiment set out at once and many of them died during the winter from ex-
posure, among them being both the Colonel and Lieutenant-Colonel. The
roster of this and other regiments is found in Ellis' History of Fayette County,
issued 1882.

The Whiskv Insurrection 53

'rill-: WlllSKV INSTRRKCnoM.

All readers of history are familiar witli ihe (liHieiilties experienced l)y the
government in its early i-fforts to collect a revenue on whisky and other
spirits which linally culminated in what is known as the Whisky Insin'riction.
While all the territory west of the mountains was \-irlually in open rebellion
against the collection of this tax, the chief depredations were committed in
Washington County, where the revcntie officers were held up, stri^iped. tarred
and feathered and stibmitted to all kinds of indignities. r

As manv years have passed since the people of this section of the State so
strenuoush^ opposed the government in this revenue measure, it may not be
out of order to state briefly here the grounds on which this resistance was
based. It was argued that this law bore more heavily on the people west of
the mountains than on any other section of the State or of the Union. Here
at that time a principal part of the product of the farmers, was rye. For this
there was little home demand, and it could not be transported across the
mountains at a profit except in the form of wdiisky. A horse could carry
but four bushels, but he cotild carry the product of twenty-four bu.shels in the
shape of alcohol. Whisky therefore w^as the most important item of re-
mittance to pay for their salt, sugar and iron. As a result of these peculiar
circumstances, there was in this section of the State a greater number of stills
and a larger amount of w^hisky made than in any other region of the same
population in the whole country. A large per cent, of the population of this
section of the country was Scotch or Scotch- Irish or of that descent, whose
earlier homes or the homes oi their ancestors had been in a land where whisky
was the national beverage and where excise laws and excise officers were con-
sidered the most odious of laws or of officers, and the very embodiment of
tyranny. These and various other causes to mention all of which we have
not room, account for the bitter opposition to the collection of taxes on
whisky. The revenue laws were enacted and repealed time after time but
the continued efforts to collect these taxes finally resulted in open revolt.
The first step toward this open revolt was a meeting held at Redstone Old
Fort near Brownsville, July 27, 1791. At this meeting it was resolved that
county committees should be formed in each of the four counties, Fayette,
W^estmoreland, Washington and Allegheny, to meet at the county seats of
each covmty to take steps to the end of successftiUy resisting the law. These
steps were carried otit and everybody who accepted a position under the
government to collect these taxes or had anything to do with their collection
in any way, was placed under a ban. Each of the four covinties appointed
three members of the committee to meet with others at Pittsburg in the
foUow^ing vSeptember for the pvirpose of expressing the sense of the peopile
of the four counties in an address to Congress on the sul>jeet of the excise
law and other grievances. The meeting was held at Pittsburg on the 7th
day of September, 1791, and Fayette County was represented by Edward
Cook, Nathaniel Breading, and John Oliphant. A series of resolutions were
passed at this meeting, censuring Congress for passing the law. The result
was that the law was modified shortlv afterward but it was still far from

54 The War of 1 812-15

satisfactory to the people, the revenue officers were still subjected to all kinds
of indignities, and on the 21st and 22d days of August, 1794, following the
passage of the new and modified law, there was another meeting held in
Pittsbtirg to further remonstrate against this, to the people, obnoxious law.
Fayette County was represented at this meeting by Edward Cook, Albert
Gallatin, John Smilie, Bazil Bowel, Thomas Gaddis, and John McClellan.
All this finally led to armed rebellion against the government, the robbing
of the mail and destruction of property, notably that of General Neville's and
Major Kirkpatrick's at Pittsbtirg. The leaders of the opposition to the
excise laws, called a meeting at Braddock's Field of the militia officers and
their men on the first day of August, 1794. They were instructed to come
with their arms and accouterments, with ammunition and provisions, which
though the order came from no recognized authority, they did. And while
Fayette County was represented at Braddock's Field, it is to her everlasting
credit to say that her representation was small. Pittsburg was also repre-
sented at Braddock's Field more, it is thought, to conciliate the insurrection-
ists than anything else, as it was feared the mob, for it was little less, would
march to that city and burn it because General Neville lived there. It
afterwards transpired that their fears were well foimded, for after various
harangues by the leaders the force was organized after a manner, David
Bradford and Edward Cook were chosen generals, other officers were ap-
pointed and the next day the troops, if that name may be applied to the
assembly, marched to Pittsburg. There they were filled tip with whisky
to conciliate them and some of the leaders who it seems joined them more to
get control of them and if possible prevent them from doing devilment, than
from any sympathy they had with the movement, succeeded in getting them
over onto the South Side where after all they succeeded in burning a barn
belonging to Major Kirkpatrick. Other depredations were committed in
Pittsburg, but throtigh the efforts of Col. Edward Cook, they were pre-
vented from burning Kirkpatrick's and Gibson's residences in Pittsburg.
The result of all this was that the government sent troops into this section
to quell the insurrection, though the frenzy seems to have died ovit before
the troops got here. General Lee, the Governor of Virginia had charge of
the troops and with his division camped for a time at Uniontown. In the
end a general pardon was issued for all offenders except a few of the ring-
leaders and in fact none were severely pimished for the part they took in the
whisky insurrection. Various committees met at Brownsville during the
negotiations between the representatives of the government and the insur-
rectionists, and it was here that the first and last meeting of the leaders
of the insurrection were held. The restilt of course was that the people at
last submitted to the collection of the whisky tax.

THE WAR OF 1812-15.

Again when the war of 1812 broke out, Fayette County responded promptly
and nobly. Twelve companies were raised and at once hustled to the front.
They were commanded by Captains Thos. Collins, John Phillips, James

War of the Rebellion

Whalcy, Andrew Moore, Joseph Waclsworth, Peter Hertzog, James Mc-
Clelland, John McClean, Williani Craig, Isaac Linn, James Piper and Valentine
Giesey. Captain Giesey and most of his mm were from Brownsville and the
immediate vicinity and just Ijefore they went to the front, Rew William
Johnson, pastor of the Presbyterian ehnreh ]>reachi'd a jiatriotic sermon from
the text: "Cursed be he that doeth the work of thi' Lord deceitfully; and
cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from l>lood.' '

THE WAR WITH MEXICO.

When war was declared with Mexico the response was just as prompt
but not so many men were needed. Ca])t. William B. Roberts \vho
afterwards became Colonel of Co. H 2d Regiment and Lieut. William
Qtiail who was promoted to Captain of Co. H, went to the front in the Mexican
War, with a company of Fayette Cotmty boys, and a part of Capt. P. N.
Guthrie's company was made up of Fayette County boys.

WAR OF THE REBELLION.

If ]:)rompt response to the call for troops marked the course of Fayette
County in previous wars, Lincoln's call for troops in the si)ring of LStil, was
n^et still more promptly. Within six days after the call for 75,000 men, the
"Fayette Guards," the hrst company organized in the county, was made up
and on its way to Pittsburg.

The commissioned and non-commissioned ol^cers of the "Fayette
Guai'ds" were Capt., S. Duncan Oliphant; First Lieut., Jesse B. Gardner;
Second Lieut., J. B. Ramsey; Third Lieut., Henry W. Patterson;
Sergeants; First, John Bierer; Second, Henry C. Dawson; Third, James H.
Springer; Fourth, Peter Heck; Corporals: First, B. L. Hunt; Second, O. P.
Wells; Third, J. O. Stewart; Fourth, Joseph White. The company was
afterwards reorganized and mustered in for three years as "G" Company of
the Eighth Reserve Regiment.

When the President's call was made there were in existence in Favette
County se\'eral militia organizations, armed and equipped, viz: The Lnion
Volunteers, Dunlap's Creek Cavalry, Georges Creek Cavalry, Springfield
Blues, Youghiogheny Blues, and Falls City Guards. A meeting of the officers
of these companies was held at the courthotise in Uniontown, where it was
voted unanimously to tender their services to the Governor. This was done,
but the offer was declined, for the reason that the quota of the State had
already been filled.

During the six or seven weeks next following the President's call a company
of cavalry was raised by Capt. William A. West, of this county, a veteran
of the Mexican war. Of this company sixty-seven were Fayette County men,
and the remainder were raised principally in Morgantown and Clarksburg,
W\ Va. As the Pennsylvania qviota was filled, the company could not
secure acceptance in this State, and was therefore joined to the First Cavalry
Regiment of West Virginia, Colonel Sansel, afterwards commanded by
Colonel Richmond. The officers of this company were Captain W-'est; First

56 War of the Rebellion

Lieut., H. N. Mackey; Second Lietit., Isaac Brownfield; Ord. Sergt., Dennis
Delaney.

In May and June a company of infantry was rccrtiited in Fayette County,
principally in Wharton, Henry Clay, and Stewart Townships, and was for
the same reason as mentioned above, incorporated with the Third Regiment of
West Virginia. The officers of this company were Capt., C. E. Swearingen;
First Lieut., H. C. Hagan; Second Lieut., C. B. Hadden. On the organi-
zation of the regiment at Clarksburg, W. Va., July the 4th, ISGl, Captain
Swearingen was elected Major and Lieutenant Hagan proinoted to the
captaincy.

Fayette County furnished during the war large numbers of troops for the
armies of the United States. They served in various commands, but were
most numerous in the Eighth and Eleventh Reserves, the Eighty-fifth, One
Hundred and Sixteenth, and One Hundred and Forty-second Infantry
Regiments, the Fourteenth and Sixteenth Cavalry, and the Second Heavy
Artillery of Pennsylvania.

Besides the soldiers serving in the organizations above mentioned, there
w^as also raised principally in Fayette County a company of men who joined
the Sixth Artillery (Two Hundred and Twelfth Pennsylvania Regiment).
Of this company the captain Avas Joseph Keeper and the First Lieut.
Thomas M. Fee, of Connellsville, at w^hich place thirty-fotir men of the
company w'cre enlisted.

The Eighth Reserve, or Thirty-seventh Regiment of Pennsylvania was
raised in the counties of Fayette, Washington, Allegheny, Greene, Armstrong,
Butler and Clarion. Tw-o of its companies w^ere enlisted from Fayette County
These were Companies D and G, the former under Capt. C. L. Conner of
Brownsville and the latter under Capt. S. D. Oliphant of Uniontown, who
later became a brigadier-general. This famous regiment did valiant service
all through the war taking part in many of the most terrible battles, among
them being Mechanicsvillc, Gaines' Mill, Charles City Cross Roads, Malvern
Hill, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Spottsylvania, and others
equally as bloody.

The Eleventh Reserve or Fortieth Pennsylvania w^as also partly made up
of Fayette County men and was in the heat of the fray from the beginning
of the war to its close. This regiment was captured at Gaines' Mill while
fighting away unconscious of the fact that the right and left wings of the army
had retreated or fallen back. It was thus surrounded and amid the smoke of
battle did not know it till a galling fire commenced to pour into it from the
left and right. Major Johns w^ho supposed that the lire came from some of
the Union troops who in the smoke of battle had mistaken them for the
enemy, rode quickly to the left to stop the fire w^hen he found that he was
surrotmded and there was nothing to do but surrender. They w^ere after-
wards exchanged and returned to the ranks.

The Eighty-fifth Regiment of Infantry was raised by Joshua B. Howell
of Uniontown. The Regiment rendezvoused at Camp LaFayette near
Uniontown. Of this Regiment, three companies, C, 1 and K were Fayette
County men. Part of Comi^anies E and G were also Fayette County men.

The Riiij^s^old Ca\alry

Joshua B. Howell was made Colonel; Norman Giffm, Lieutenant-Colonel;
Absalom Guiler, Major, and Andrew Stewart, Adjutant. Adjutant Stewart
was a son of "Tariff" Andy Stewart who served in Conj^ress from this distriet
for many years.

Battery K of the Second Artillery, 112th Regiment enlisted from Fayette
County, as did also Co. K llfith Regiment of Infantry. One Company of
the 142d Regiment likewise enlisted from Fayette Cotmty.

The Fovirtecnth Cavalry or the 159th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Line
imder Col. James Sehoonmaker was largely from Fayette, three companies
being wholly made up from this county. They were Co. B, Capt. Zadock
Walker; E, Capt. Ashbel F. Duncan; F, Capt. Calvin Springer.

Cos. B and G of the Sixteenth Cavalry or IGlst Regiment, Pennsylvania
Line, Capts. John F. Hurst and John K. Fisher, were also Fayette County men.

Col. A. J. Greenfield

THE RINGGOLD CAVALRY

No history, sketch or synopsis of the Rebellion would be complete without
reference to the famous Ringgold Cavalry many of the members of which
were Fayette County boys and a few of whom still live to tell of the terrible
conflicts throtigh which they passed.

58 Dies Rescuing a Comrade

For several years before the outbreak of hostilities between the North and
South there had been a cavalry company composed of young men from
Fayette and Washington Counties, under the command of Capt. John Keys.
As this company tisually assembled for drill at Beallsville, it was commonly
known as the " Beallsville Company." Captain Keys was a fully competent
leader and under his direction the company soon acc^uired a high degree of
efhciency in tactics, and became the pride of this entire section. The mem-
bers were mostly young men from the farm — the material from Avhich good
soldiers are made. They fvirnished their own horses, and entered into the
spirit of the exercise with a vim and enthusiasm which always assures suc-
cess. While the quarrel between the two sections was becoming more bitter,
and while each side was struggling in Congress to sectire an advantage over
the other Captain Keys' Company was quietly training, little dreaming then
that the time was close at hand when they would be called upon to test their
military accomplishments on the battlefield, in defense of country and
flag.

The news of the bombardment of Fort Sumter thrilled the North like an
electric shock; party lines vanished and Democrats and Republicans alike
rallied to the defense of the flag. Next day Lincoln called for 75.000 volun-
teers. This call was responded to by 300,000 men.

Captain Keys at once tendered his company to the United States Govern-
ment. The offer was promptly accepted and Co. A was mustered into service
as an independent company, being one of the very first cavalry companies to
enter service in defense of the flag. Shortly after this Lieutenant-Colonel
Greenfield received permission to organize another company in the vicinity
of Beallsville, and Company B also entered the Army of the United States as
an independent company.

In June, 1862, Captain Keys was directed by Secretary of War Stanton to
come home and raise a battalion, according to instructions he raised five other
companies which after enlistment were assembled on the Island of Wheeling
as a camp of rendezvous, and on the 13th of September, 1862, were mustered
into service as the Ringgold Battalion, U. S. Vol. Cavalry. This battalion
became part of the Army of West Virginia and at once did valiant service
in preserving that section of the Union. In April 1863 the Ringgold Bat-
talion was consolidated with another battalion, raised in the eastern part of
Pennsylvania by Col. Jacob Higgins. This union of the two battalions
formed a regiment known as the 22d Reg. Pa. Vol. Cavalry, and occurred on
Cemetery Hill near Cumberland, Md.

When we state that the Ringgold boys took part in 47 battles and heavy
skirmishes it is scarcely worth while commenting on the service they did for
the country.

DIES RESCUING A COMRADE.

The first soldiers from this section to lay down their lives vipon the altar
of their countrv were Samuel Drum and William Hartranft. Young

(irealer Love Hath No Man

^'GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN/

]>,\ W. II. I'.KicnT.

Two soldiers sleeping side by side, our country's pride were they,

Who bravely fought and early fell amidst the bloody fray.

Some forty vears or more ago, near Romney both were slain

And by their comrades carried from the sodden battle plain.

Brave vSanniel Drumm was first to die, pierced by a Minie ball

Then William Hartranft gave his life in answer to the call ;

For when Drunmi fell, Hartranft returned his fallen friend to shield

And with the brother of that friend, to bear him from the field.

Tenderly upon the brother's steed, they placed the fallen brave

And sought to bear him from the fray, perchance his life to save ;

But ere the task was half complete, Hartranft was shot and fell

To die with him he sought to save and whom he loved so well.

Comrades returned and bore them thence and sent them home to rest,

And side by side they slumber now, b}' all their country blessed ;

Year after year as time rolls on, each Thirtieth day of May,

Old comrades strew with flowers, the graves of those who fell that day,

60 Fayette County Veterans' Association

Drum was a member of the Washington Cavalry and Hartranft belonged
to a Ringgold Company. On November 13, 1861, there was severe fighting
near Romney and the boys in blue were compelled to retreat before the fierce
and fatal fire of the enemy. Just as the Union forces began to withdraw,
Samuel Drum was struck by a musket ball and fell from his horse; his
brother saw him fall and at once wheeled his horse and rode back to carry him
from the field. William Hartranft had also seen his friend fall from his
saddle and at once rode back in the face of the enemy's fire. The brother
and the friend reached the fallen trooper at about the same time. Hartranft
dismounting, picked up the body and attempted to place it on the horse in
front of the brother, while in the act he was struck by a bullet and fell dead.
The bodies were brought to Brownsville. They were the first soldiers brotaght
back from the field and the whole community turned otit to pay the last
token of respect to the young soldiers.

Hundreds were present, representing this entire community. After im-
pressive services the bodies were laid side by side in Bridgeport Cemetery,
their resting place being marked by the stone shown in our cut. On each
30th of May, the G. A. R. and patriotic people generally assemble abotit the
graves of these young martj-rs for the principal Memorial of the day.

FAYETTE COUNTY VETERANS' ASSOCIATION.

This Association was organized on Thtirsday, October 17, 1901, at a
meeting held at the courthouse at Uhiontown. Jtidge E. H. Reppert and
Burgess Frank Rutter delivered addresses of welcome, and Col. C. S. Reed
of Vanderbilt made the response.

Short impromptu talks were made by Judge Edward Campbell of Union-
town, Capt. T. M. Fee of Connellsvillc, Samuel G. Brown of Lock No. 8,
J. A. Rankin of Smithfield, J.J. Barnhart of Dunbar, and others.

A Committee on Resolutions was appointed consisting of Col. Edward
Campbell, J. B. Wiggins and J. J. Barnhart. It was decided to hold the next
meeting of the organization in Uniontown, October 16, 1902.

A permanent organization was effected by the election of W. T. Kennedy
of Uniontown as president; Lieut. Solomon G. Krepps, Sr., of Bridgeport
and Capt. Ed. Dunn of Connellsvillc vice presidents; Joseph O. Miller
secretary; A. I. Ellis of Uniontown, treastxrer; Rev. T. M. Cunningham,
chaplain.

A long list of names were sent in by soldiers who were unable to attend
requesting that their names be placed on the roll, which was done.

1^1

Will Soon Answer Taps 61

WILL SOON ANSWER '* TAPS."

Bv W. H. Bright.

"After the din of the battle's roar, "
The valiant soldiers meet once more :
But many a time the sear leaves fell
Since thev faced the hissing shot and shell.

Their ranks are thinned and other men
^ Are filling the places they filled then,

While those who still sm-vive today.
Rehearse with comrades, the bloody fray. 'x^

«??

!^ They tell of deeds of valor done, ^

m Of marches made and battles won, ©

W> 'Tillthey seem to be in the ranks once more, ^

j(^ As in the tm-bulent days of yore. ^

s , is

W They neither remember scars nor years, -^

iijif Decrepit age with its train of fears, W

S Nor one of the ills they have to bear, «(J?

W But step with the old-timc martial an". ^

^ But, alas! their thinning locks of gray, ^

"^ Tell of the years that have passed away, j^

i^ And soon, as the young men fill the gaps, W

n. The last old soldier will answer "Taps. " ^

1 W

?g&&6&&i^&§;g&&&&©©&&g^i-:§^S^^^S§r§:-§§S33SS:-i^-:§§?

62 Roster Company D, Eighth Pennsylvania Reserve Corps

EIGHTH REG. CO. D PENNSYLVANIA RESERVE VOL. CORPS.

(From "The Soldiers' Memorial" throvigh courtesy of S. G. Krepps.)

C. L. Connor, Capt., resigned Dec. 25, 18G2.

Adam Jacobs, Jr., 1st Lieut., resigned Jan. 22, 1SG2.

Robert Clark, 2d Lieut., commissioned in U. S. A. Sept. 28., 1861.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Sergeants.

1 — Solomon G. Krepps, promoted to 2d Lieut. Oct. 1, 1861; transferred to
4th U. S. Infantry, Feb. 14, 1862.

2 — George W. Miller, promoted to Orderly Sergt. Oct. 1861; promoted 1st
Lieut. Feb. 1, '62; killed Dec. 13, '62. in battle.

3 — Jos. J. Bail, promoted 2d Lictit. May 1, '62; resigned July 13, '62, dis-
ability.

4 — Samuel B. Bennington, promoted 1st Sergeant May 1, 1862; 2d Lieut.
July 13, 1862; to Capt. Dec. 28, 1862. Wounded at Fredericksburg.
Corporals.

1 — William Wilkinson, promoted Sergeant, July 1, 1861. Killed at Charles
City Cross Roads.

2 — James Binch, promoted Sergeant Aug. 5, 1862.

3 — Henry J. Gormley.

4 — Thomas McGee, promoted to Sergeant, Oct. 1, 1861 ; Quartermaster
Sergeant, Nov. 1, 1861; 1st Lieut., Dec. 14, 1862.

5 — W. F. Chess, detached on gunboat Feb. 1, 1862.

6 — John H. Gue, wounded; honorable discharge. Jan. 26, 1863.

7 — ^Josiah M. Anawalt, promoted to Sergeant, May 1, 1862; Orderly, July
13, 1862; 2d Lieut., Dec. 28, 1862.

8 — William Fullerton, promoted to Sergeant, April 1, 1863.
Musicians.

James S .Roher, Fifer.

H. Clay Gapin, commissioned in U. S. A., June 20, 1861.

William Lucas, Drummer.
Regimental Field Officers.

Colonel, George S. Hays, resigned, July 16, 1862.

Colonel, S. M. Bailey, commissioned Sept. 14, 1862.

Lieutenant-Colonel, S. D. Oliphant, resigned, Dec. 29, 1862.

Lieutenant-Colonel, William Lemon, commissioned, Dec. 29, 1862.

Major, John W. Duncan, resigned, Nov. 21, 1861.

Major, R. E. Jounston, commissioned Sept. 14, 1S62.

Adjutant, J. G. Swearingen.
Privates.

Adams, David

Archabald, Jacob, killed at Charles City Cross Roads.

Booth, John, wounded in battle at Antictam.

Baker, William N., detached on Signal Service.

Roster Compaii}- I), Kighth Pennsylvania Reserve Corps

Beckley, Eugene, discharged for wounds, Jan. 28, 18()3.

Burke, John

Brawley, John D.

Brawlcy, Charles E.

Bane, William

Barbour, James M., wounded at Fredericksburg.

Craft, D. L., detached on Signal Service.

Conley, Peter

Calvert, Enoch

Clark, Jacob

Clark, William

Campbell, Daniel

Daubbert, Frederick

Dean, William P., dicharged for wounds in battle at Mechanicsville.
Devlin, James, promoted to Corporal, Oct. 1, 1861, dicharged, >.\ug. 1, 1862.
Dawson, Elias H.

Ebbert, John H.
Evans, Fleming
Evans, James, promoted to Corporal, May 1, 1862; Sergeant, Nov. 1, 1862.

Fetistcr, Thomas

Gaskill, James E.
Gregg, William K.

Hare, James, discharged, Oct. 31, for disabiUty.

Haddock, Abraham S., promoted to Corporal, Jan. 1, 1863.

Haddock, Worcester, discharged Nov. 20, 1862, for wounds at Charles City
Cross Roads.

Hill, Ashbold F., promoted Corporal, Oct. 1861; Sergeant, May 1, 1862;
wotmded at Antietam.

Hazen, David, died of disease at Manassas, Apr. 12, 1862.

Haught, Robert, killed in battle at Fredericksburg.

Hughes, David C, promoted to Corporal, Nov. 1, 1862.

Hughes, John C.

Hoffman, WilHam H.

Hoffman, Benjamin A., detached on gunboat Feb. 17, 1862.

Hasson, James, wounded at Fredericksburg.

Jefferies, Hamon, promoted to Corporal, Jan. 1, 1863.
Jacob, Janxes, taken prisoner at Fredericksburg.

Kisinger, John W., discharged for disability, Oct. 7, 1861.

Levitre, George W.

64 Roster Company D, Eighth Pennsylvania Reserve Corps

Lucas, James, discharged for disability, Jan. 11, 1861.

Malone, David, killed at South Mountain.

Mitchell, William C, killed at Charles City Cross Roads.

McWilliams, Dennis, transferred to 6th U. S. Cavalry.

MeWilliams, Daniel, wounded at South Mountain. Dis. Nov. 30, 1862.

McCourt, Robert, discharged.

Mayhorn, Isaac, transferred to 6th U. S. Cavalry.

Montonia, William.

McWilliams, William, killed at Charles City Cross Roads.

Morgan, Edward, Jr., promoted to Corporal, Nov. 1, 1862.

Ort, George.

Page, G. W., killed at Antietam.

Ritchcy, William A., transferred to 1st Penna. Cavalry.

Rhyn, Nicholas C, died of typhoid fever, Jan. 8, 1862.

Rhyan, James

Raum, George, taken prisoner at Fredericksburg.

Rhyn, Rudolph

Rhyn, Henry, taken prisoner at Fredericksburg.

Roland, James H.

Stewart, William, wounded at Antietam.

Simmons, John

Seese, David, wounded at Antietam.

Shaw, Issachar, promoted to Corporal, May 1, 1862; sergeant, July 1, 1862;
1st Sergeant, Jan. 1, 1863.

Simpson, Thomas, wotmded at Fredericksburg.

Smith, William

Swearer, John, wounded at Antietam: honorabh^ discharged.

Swearingcn, John G., promoted sergeant, Feb. 1862; Adjutant, Dec. 14,
1862.

Sprowls, William

Swearer, Nicholas C, wounded at Gaines' Mill; honorably discharged.

Scott, George W.

Smith, James, taken prisor at Fredericksburg.

Strawn, Enos K., discharged on account of disability.

Taylor, John L., discharged on account of disabihty.
Trump, Philip W., wounded at Fredericksburg.
Troth, James, hon discharged.

Underwood, William H., deserted.
Waggoner, George

List of Deceased Soldiers— Hrownsville, Peiura 65

Waggoner, O. A.

Watkins, John W.

Wiggle, Simeon B., detached on gunboat, Vch. 17. 1S()2.

Whitmer, Elliot F.

Woodward, John, killed at Antietani.

Winder, David C, deserted.

Williams, Estess.

Yomig, John

Young, Robert., transferred to Gth U. S. Cavalry.

Engagements.

Mechanicsville, June 2(), 1S62.

Gaines' MiU, Jtinc 27. isr)2.

Charles City Cross Roads, June 30, 1<S()2.

Malvern HiU. Jtily 1, 1SG2.

Bull Run, 2d, Aug. 28, 29, 30, 1802.

Sovith Mountain, Sept. 14, 1SG2.

Antietam, September 10 and 17, 1802.

Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1802.

Organized at Brownsville, Pa., May 1, 1801.

Mustered into United States service July 29, 1801 , at Meridian Hill, D. C

LIST OF DECEASED SOLDIERS— BROWNSVILLE, PA.

(By T. a. Jeffries and J. I). S. Pringle)

William R. Sweitzer.

Thomas Fewster, Co. D, 8th Pa. Reserves.

James S. Binch, Co. D, 8th Pa. Reserves.

E. G. Beekley, Co. D, Sth Pennsylvania.

James Johnson, Co. D, 5th Reg. Pa. Heavy Artillery.

Flecher F. Chalfant, 2d Lieutenant, Co. B, 108 Pa. Vol.

W. P. Bricker, Co. E, 168 Pa. Infantry.

Cephas Taylor, Sergeant Co. B, 168 Pa.

B. F. Marshall, Co. I, First Va. Cavalry.

James H, Low, Co. G, 110 Pa. Volunteers.

William McCoy, Co. I, 5th Reg. W' . Va. Cavalry.

Alford M. Patterson, Co. B, 10th Pa. Cavalry.

EH M. LiUey, Co. G, 1st Pa. mo's Cavalry.

Capt. Isaac Lynn, Co. C, 88th.

John C. Burd, Sth Res.

Jas. Knight, 22d Pa. Cavalry, Co. 0.

Jacob Ramage.

lames H. Brown.

66 List of Deceased Soldiers — Bridgeport, Penn'a

John Young, Co. D, 8th Pa. Res.

James Beaty, 85th.

Robert McCune.

David Hager.

Peter Row.

Daniel Macoby, 8th Res.

John G. Sedgwick, 85th.

Jos. G. Thornton.

James M. Johnson, 8th Res.

U. L. Clemmer.

J as. Lucas.

Col. B. Brashear.

Col. John B. Krepps, 112 Pa.

Jas. Warnock, 112 Pa.

William Hatford.

Ashbel F. Gabler.

Charles H. Sinclair.

Col. John S. Kreeps.

John Johnson.

John T. Mechem.

George Waggoner, 85th.

R. E. Gabler, Co. G, 85th Infantry.

Hugh McGinty, Co. G, 85th Pa.

Capt. Thomas Shuman.

John N. Jacobs.

Thos. R. Marshall.

Thomas Simpson, Co. D, Sth Pa. Reserves.

James L. Brackenridge.

Eli S. Forsythe.

Paul Roach.

LIST OF DECEASED SOLDIERS— BRIDGEPORT, PA.

(Bv T. a. Jeffries and J. D. S. Pri.nc-.le)

N. C. Ryan, Co. D, 8th Pa. Res.

Geo. W. Scott, Co. D, 8th Pa. Res.

WiUiam C. Mitchell, Co. D, 8th Pa. Res., in front of Richmond.

W. F. Stewart, Co. D, 8th Pa. Res.

Daniel Campbell, Co. D, Sth Pa. Res.

William Lucas, Co. D, 8th Pa. Res.

John Woodward, 8th Reserves. Killed at Antictam.

Fleming Evans, Co. D, 8th Pa. Vol.

Charles Page, Co. D, 8th Reg. Killed at Antietam.

Ed. D. Clear, I, 85th, Sergeant.

J. W. Crawford, Co. E, S5th Pa. Infantry.

William Wampler, Co. E, 85th Pa. Infantry.

List of Deceased Soldiers — Bridgeport, Penira

John F. Booth, Co. D, 8th Pa. Reserves.

Samuel Wood, Co. C, 85th Pa.

James Day, Co. C, SSth Pa.

lohn Brawlcy, Co. C, Both Pa. Killed at'Antietam.

William Linn, Co. C, 85th Pa.

Robert Lochkart, Co. C, 58th Pa. Infantry.

John B. FauU, Co. H, 1st Pa. Cav.

Wilson Owens, Co. H, 1st Pa. Cav.

Elmer Gregg, Co. H, 1st Pa. Cav.

W. H. Michaels, Co. H, 1st Pa. Reserve Cavalry.

Henry L Tate, Co. H, 1st Pa. Reserve Cavalry.

Issac Lynn.

Z. H. Pringle, Co. I. 2d Mass. Cav. Died in Andersonville prison.

Robert K Riley, Navy.

WiUiam B. Richey, U. S. Navy. Assistant Engineer.

G. W. Shallenberger. U. S. Navy, Assistant Engineer.

William McWilliams, killed in front of Richmond.

N. P. Hormell. 7th Pa. Cavalry.

Christian Snyder, Ind. Ringgold Cavalry. Killed near Huttonsville,
Va.. Augnst ISth, 1862.

Samxiel Drmn, Ringgold Cavalry.

William F. Hartranft, Ringgold Cavalry.

Wm. N. Mitchell, Co. M, 3d Pa. Cav.

John Halley.

Townsand Hopkins. Died on U. S. gunboat Choctaw, Jan. 15, 1860, at
movith of Red River.

Martin Carter.

Hugh Pastories, Co. D, 155 Reg. Pa.

Joseph Scott.

William Benton, Co. A, 4th W. Va. Inf.

Harmon A. Shoemaker, Co. G, 54th Pa. Vol.

John Reynolds, Co. G, 22d Pa. Cavalry.

George Lopp, Co. B, 22d Pa. Cavalry.

Sol Smith, Co. G, 22d Pa. Cavalry and 85th Pa.

J. B. Grooms, Co. B, 22d Pa. Cavalry.

Wilham H. Shaffer, Co. B, Pa. Cavalry.

James Fawcett, 22d Pa. Cavalry,

Wood Hutchenson, Co. D, 22d Pa. Cavalry.

Thomas Dickenson, Co. D. 22d Pa. Cavalry.

Henry Minks, Co, G, 22d Pa. Cavalry.

Jas. W, Hendrick, Co. B, 22d Pa, Cavalry.

E. Mofhtt, Co. B, 22d Pa. Cavalry.

Jas. A. Gue, Pri. Co. E, Knapp's Ind, Bat,, Pa. Vol.

Thomas A. Johnson, killed at Gettysbttrg, July 3d, 1863.

James T. Troth, Co. F, 2d Pa. Heavy Artillery Fell at Gettysburg, June
17, 1864.

68 Died at Andersonville

DIED AT ANDERSONVILLE.

Joseph Bailes, Co. F, 2d Pro.

George B. Bvird, Co. F, 2d Pro.

Geo. Claybaugh, Co. F, 2d Pro.

Henry Patton, Co. F, 2d Pro.

Robert Seacrease, Co. F, 2d Pro.

Harmon C. M. Perrin, Co. F, ISth Pa. Cavalry, buried at i\lexandria,Va.

John Chew, Co. F, ISth Pa. Cavalry.

Ashbel F. Smith, Co. F, 1st Pa. Cavalry, Co. G, 1st Pa. L. Artillery.

J. C. Pastoriotts, Co. F, 14th Pa. Cavalry.

John Hoff, Assistant Steam Engineer, wounded at Der. Creek, March 20,
1863, died at hospital boat, Red River, near Vicksbtirg, April 7th, 1863.
Samuel Dourin, Washington Cavalry.

SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR AND FILIPINO INSURRECTION.

None of the men enlisted from Fayette County were sent to the West
Indies, and on the naval vessels were no Fayette County men of whom
we have been able to learn.

Two companies C and D, of the 10th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers,
were raised respectively at Uniontown and Connellsville and sent to the
Philippines, where they participated in the close of the Spanish-American
war and the commencement of the Filipino insurrection.

The 10th Regiment was mustered into the United States service with
Alexander L. Hawkins as colonel; James E. Barnett as lieutenant-colonel;
Harry C. Cuthbertson and Eberhart Bierer as majors. George W. Neff, of
Masontown, became major surgeon; Lewis P. McCormick, of Connells-
ville, assistant surgeon; and Reno L. Moser, of Uniontown, chief musician.
Two battalions of the 10th Regiment left Camp Hastings at Mt. Gretna, Pa.,
about the middle of May, 1898, passed through Pittsburg, May 19th, and
arrived May 24, 1898, at San Francisco, California, where they went into
camp at the Presidio, and lay until June 14th. On that day they went aboard
the transport Zelandia, and on July 20th were disembarked at Manila, where
they lay in the trenches imtil the night of July 31st, 1898, when they repulsed
an attack of 2,000 Spaniards. In this fight — the battle of Malate — Corp.
Walter E. Brown, of Co. D, was killed . On Augtist 12th the 10th was in the
attack of Manila, and after the capture performed guard duty till the night
of Feb. 5, 1899, when it went to the trenches and made a splendid charge on
the Filipinos, in which Major Bierer, Privates A. B. Rockwell and Carl W.
Debolt, of Co. C, and Lieut. A. J. Buttermore and Private E. C. Caldweh, of
Co. D. were wounded. Eighteen days later the regiment helped to save
Manila from being burned by resident Filipinos, and on March 13, 1899,

Spaiiish-Aineric-aii War and iMlipiiio liisiirrectioii 69

the 10th took up the line of march for Malolos, during which it made its daring
charge, captviring Loma church and cemetery and having only Lieut. John
Thompson and Privates John McVey and Alex. McCause wounded. The
regiment after this took part in the battles of Bocave and Marilioa, and in
the latter battle on March 29th. Corp. Thomas Critchlield, and Privates
Patrick Cummings, Ralph Downs, Alex. Young, Arch. Powell and Alex.
Coulter were wounded. Then followed the attack on Malolos, and the lOth
lost in killed Privates E. D. W. Stevens, Fred. Jennewine and Bert Armburst,
and in wounded Sergeants Agustus Remaine and Charles Ashcroft, and
Privates W. D. Lewis, James Noverch, Richard Baer, G. A. Taylor, who
died afterwards; Solomon Rush, R. J. D. Knox, and William M. Engleheart .
Two weeks later the Tenth went into active service again under General
Wheaton. They repulsed a force of insurgents the first day, and the next
week took part in the campaign about Apalit and Calumpit. On April the 14th
the 10th was ordered, back to Cavite, and on Saturday, June the 30th, sailed
on board the transport Senator from Manila for San Francisco. When two
days out from Yokohoma, on July ISth, they lost their gallant commander.
Col. Alexander L. Hawkins, who died of cancer, but whose remains were
brought to Washington, Pa., and entombed there, September 1, 1899. The
regiment arrived at San Francisco, July the 25th, was mustered out there
August 22d, and started for home, being welcomed and cheered at every
town and city along their two-thousand-mile railway journey. They received
a magnificent reception at Pittsburg, on Monday, August 28th, and the
reception of Companies C and D at Uniontown and Connellsville, their respect-
ive homes, on Tuesday, August 29th, 1899, were magnificent a,nd elaborated.

Early and Present Modes of Transportation

History of the National Pike

The Artery of Commerce to Western Pennsylvania — Enormous Cost
OF Transportation — The Old Nemacolin Trail — The "Turkey
Foot" Road — The Cumberland or National Pike — Narrow Escape
of Uniontown — Where and When Work on the Pike Was Com-
menced — Cost of the National Pike — Effect of the Pike on West-
ern Pennsylvania.

FIRST WAGONLOAD OF GOODS THAT CROSSED THE
MOUNTAINS.

With the present facihties for transporting goods, it is hard for those not
famiHar with the difficulties of pioneer days, either by experience or by famil-
iarity with the early history of the country, to comprehend the difficulties
encountered or the cause for the enormoiis cost of transportation. Prior
to 1789 all the goods brought across the mountains was brought on pack
horses, and the cost of transportation was $3.00 per hundred. A jjack horse
could carry from two to three hundred pounds and it took from ten days to
two weeks to make the trip.

ENORMOUS COST OF TRANSPORTATION.

It is said that the first wagonload of goods that was ever brought across
the mountains was hauled by John Hayden for Jacob Bowman, in 1789.
Mr. Hayden had a four-horse team, hauled 2,000 pounds and charged $3.00
per hundred for hauling. It took him one month to make the trip.

In consequence of the enormous cost of transportation, everything that
came from the east of the mountains, was high, and all that had to be trans-
ported over the mountains to the east was accordingly cheap. Salt was $4.00
and $5.00 jjer btishel of 96 pounds. Cofi^ee was 33 cents per potmd, sugar
25 cents, Jamaica spirits $2.33 per gallon, and other things were in proportion.
Iron castings were from $70 to $90 per ton. At the same time wheat was
only 67c per bushel, corn 22c and rye 50c. Notwithstanding this low price
of grain, flour was $25 per barrel in Natchez, if you could get it there. These

The 1)1(1 Neniacolin Trail 71

good prices down the river and tlie low i)rices of products here was largely
the cause of the Hat and keel Imat industry in the early days and the heavy
stanihoat Inisiness that sjirung vi]i lier^' in later years.

THE OLD NEMACOLIN TRAll

The early history of road building is a long oni' and while it would no doubt
prove interesting, must, for want of space, be omitted. The first attempt
at road building west of the AUcghenies was made by the Ohio Company
when it sent ovit Col. Thos. Creasap of Oldtown, Md., in 1750 with old chief
Nemacoliii as a guide. Col. Cresap did not build a road, however, or m.ake
any attempt to build one but simj^ly "blazed" a way from Wills Creek
(now Cumberland, Md.) to the mouth of Nemacolin Creek (now Dunlaps
Creekj which line was aftcr^^'ards closely followed by Washington and by
Braddock in their disastrous cam|)aigns against the French at Fort Ducjuesnc.
In 1753 the Ohio Company sent out a company of pioneers who did some
work on the road but at best it was inade but little better than a bridle path
for pack horses. Following this, Capt. Wm. Trent of whom mention has
already been made, was sent over the road by the Ohio Company and further
iinproved it. This was at the time when he built the old Hanguard at the
mouth of Redstone Creek in 1754. It was in this same year that Washington
again passed over the road and made it ])assable for light wagons and artillery.
Over this he dragged the same artillery that he surrendered to the French
at Fort Necessity on the fourth of julv, 1754.

THE "TURKEY FOOT ROAD."

Another road of considerable importance in the early history of Fayette
County and this section of the country was what was known as the "Turkey
Foot Road" or Smith's road leading from Shippensbvirg to Uniontown.
The east part of this road was in course of construction under the super-
\-ision of Col. James BiutI when Braddock made his march to the Mononga-.
hela river but w'hen the wagoners who ran away at the battle of the Monon-
gahcla, reached the top of the AUcghenies to which point the road had
been finished, bearing the news of Braddock's defeat, those who were at
work on the road, joined in the flight and that was the end of the work on
the road for the time being. It was not until 17(:')0 that the road was
finished to Uniontown via Sugar Loaf mountain and Dunbar's Camp. After
this many roads were opened up, notable among them being one from
Redstone Old Fort to Beeson's Mill at what is now Uniontown. One reason
given for the opening of this road was that some of the people at and near
Redstone Old Fort were compelled to go twenty miles to the mill of Henry
Beeson "and in all probability at some seasons of the year will ever have
to do so."

72 The Cumberland Road or National Pike

THE CUMBERLAND ROAD (3R NATIONAL PIKE.

Thf most important, however, was the National or Cumberland road
which was first advocated by Washington and which finally was completed
in 1820 from Wills Creek (Cumberland, Md.) to Wheeling, Virginia (now West
Virginia). In 1784 Washington himself passed over the route exploring the
territory and seeking to ascertain the best location for the proposed road.
It was on this trip that he met Albert Gallatin, then a young man, who while
Washington was studjdng maps and plans in a mountain cabin, suggested
that a certain route which he pointed out would be the best. Washington
regardedhim with some surprise and not a little hauteur but said nothing till
he had finished his examinations, when he disco\-ered that the young man
was right. He then tvirncd to him and told him that he was right. From
this meeting a warm friendship sprtmg n\-) between the Commander-in-Chief
and Albert Gallatin, that lasted as long as Washington lived. Gallatin, as
will be remembered, afterwards became Secretary of the Treasury of the
United States.

A NARROW ESCAPE FOR UNIONTOWN.

The question of the National Road was kept prominent during the ad-
ministration of Adams and also during the administration of Jefferson. It
was during the administration of the latter that the first definite move was
made to build the road. This was an act of Congress passed during 1811
appropriating $50,000 for building the road from Ctimbeland to Brownsville,
that part of the route already having been approved by President Jeft'erson.
There was a protest against the location of a part of the road in Fayette
County because it left Union town off the road and in an isolated spot. The
protest against this part of the route was headed by Ephraim Douglas,
mention of whom has already been made, and resulted in President Jefferson
changing the route to strike Uniontown. Had this not been done, there
would probably never have been a L^niontown.

WORK ON THE NATIONAL PIKE COMMENCED AT CUMBERLAND.

Work was commenced on the road at Cumberland in May, 1811 and the
first ten miles were finished in 1812. Twelve miles more of the road were
completed by 181 !. The next section was from Tomlinson to Smithfield,
a distance of IS miles. This was let in 1818 and finished in 1817. Thus
section by section the road was built westward, until in August 1818 it seems
to have been finished to Uniontown, and according to the Genius of Liberty
of the date of Aug. 8, 1818, stage coaches commenced running. The Genius
of Liberty of that 'date says: " The stages have commenced running from
Frederick Town, Maryland, to Wheeling, in Virginia, following the course
of the National Road westward from Cmnberland. This great road, truly
an honor to the United States, will l)e finisVied from Cumberland to
this ])laec in a few mrmths (some of the hea\y niasonry was not yet finished

Cost of the National I'ike 7,'}

soutlu'asl of L'niontown) and from Brownsville- to Wlu-t-liny, it is expected, in
the course of next summer, leaving only a distance u( 12 miles from Union-
town to Bro\vns\-ille. "

For some i.maeeounlal)le reason the work on the rc)ad from Uniontown to
the west end of the east section, which is a point one mile and ninety-six rods
east from the Monongahela river at Brownsville, had not been contracted
for, but was in cUic time let and built, so that in 1(S20, we lind thi- following in
the Uniontown Genius of Liberty bearing date of Deceml )er 1 ',)l h ;

"The commissioner appointed by the government of the United States,
Thomas McGiltin, Esij., has been engaged for a week or two past in examining
the United States turnjjike, made tmder contract with the go\'crnment by
James Kincaid & Co., between this place and ^^"ashington, who has approved
of it, and ordered the same to be given tip l_)y the contractors for public use.
The National Turnpike is now completed and in use of the ])ublic from
Cumberland in the state of Maryland, to Wheeling, in the state of Virginia a
distance of about one htmdred and thirtA' miles. "

COST OF THE NATIONAL PIKE.

This road when completed cost the go\-ernment about $1,70U,U()<) and was
one of the best roads ever built in the United States. The following from
the ])lans and specifications to which contractors had to subscribe will gi\'e
sonie idea of the manner in which the road was built:

'■ The natural surface of the ground to be cleared of trees and other wooden
growth, and also of logs and brush, the whole width of sixt3^-six feet, the bed of
the road to be made even thirty-two feet in width, the trees and stumps to be
grubbed out, the graduation not to exceed five degrees in elevation and de-
pression, and to be straight from point to point, as laid off and directed by
the sviperiutendent of the work. Twenity feet in width of the graduated part
to be covered with stone, eighteen inches in depth at the center, tapering
to twelve inches at the edges, wdiich are to be supiportcd by good and solid
shoulders of earth or curbstone, the upper six inches of stone to be broken so
as to pass through a ring of thi-ee inches in diameter, and the lo^v^er stratum
of stone to be broken so as to pass through a seven-inch ring. The stone part
to be well covered with gravel, and rolled with an iron-faced roller four
feet in length and made to bear three tons weight. The acclivity and de-
clivity of the banks at the side of the road not to exceed thirty degrees. "

EFFECT OF THE PIKE ON THE COUNTRY— NO TOLL.

The excellent condition of the road and being a direct route from the hitherto
separated east and west, and being absolutely free of toll, inuch was expected
of it in the way of increasing business and bringing new settlers west of the
Alleghenj- mountains. But the reality so far exceeded the most sanguine
expectations as to amaze the most optimistic. At any .given point there
passed every hour of the day and often every few minutes, stage coaches

7J: Effect of the Pike on the Country

loaded down with mail, passengers and baggage, farm wagons loaded with
household goods, the families perched on top of the load, making their way
to the great west where future fame and fortune awaited them, great Cones-
toga wagons laden with merchandise. Hour, whisky, bacon and other products
on their eastward trip and iron, salt and other merchandise on their westward
tri]j. And, as time passed by, the number of these increased instead of
diminishing, until the great National Pike was almost one continuous stream of
vehicles of every description. Added to this, were pedestrians and vast droves
of hogs, sheep and cattle and horses that were taken to the eastern market on
foot. All this created a demand and a pressing demand at that, for taverns in
the towns along the line and for others along the pike between the towns.
In this emergency there was no lack of enterprising men to take advantage of
the opportunity to gather in the shekels and as a natural consequence, the
long line of taverns for which the Nationall Pike was famous .in the heyday
of its glory, sprang up as if by magic, nor did their glory wane till the Penn-
sylvania and the Baltimore and Ohio railroads penetrated this section, the
Pennsylvania lines to Pittsburgh and the Baltimore & Ohio to Wheeling,
and put an end to its glory forever.

slack -Water Navigation

The Baltimore & Oiiio. The Nathjxal Pike and the Moxongahei.a
River, Three Links in Pioneer Commerce — Slack-Water Naviga-
tion First Taken Up by Congress in 1782 — Again in 1817 — Capital
Stock of First Company — The State Takes a Hand in 1882^ —
Second Monongahela Navigation Company — Commissioners Ap-
pointed to Take Subscriptions — $258,000 Subscribed but Much
Never Paid — The Company Comes to Grief — Capitalists buy ip
the Stock and Complete the Work — Cost of the Work and Cost
OF Tolls — Eight Years of Great Prosperity.

When the Baltimore and Ohio reached Cumberland in 1S44 the traffic on
the National Pike, o\ving to the facilities for eastern traffic reaching that
point, sprang to the zenith of its glory and it was then that the slack-water
navigation of the Monongahela river was also at its zenith. Travelers and
freight left the Baltimore & Ohio at Cumberland and were whirled over the
seventy-five miles of smooth National Pike to Brownsville, where almost
everything was transferred to the Monongahela river and taken l)y boat to
Pittsburg and on down the ri\-er, into Ohio and Kentucky. It was this in
part that gave rise to the boat-building industry at Br(_)wnsville of which
more is said under the head of the Three Towns.

SLACK-WATP:R navigation agitated in 1782.

Manv vears ])rior to this, however, the Cjuestion of im])roving the Monon-
gahela river by building dams and locks, was taken up by Congress. By an
act of assembly dated April 15, 1782, both the Allegheny and the Youghiogheny
rivers were made highways, and by another act of assembly passed and
approved March 28, 1814 the Governor of Pennsylvania was empowered and
in inanner instrvtcted to appoint three coinpetent and disinterested persons
who were citizens of the Cominonwealth and one of whom was to be a
competent surveyor, to \'iew and examine the Monongahela river from the
junction of said river with the Allegheny river to the point where said
river crosses the southern line of the state, taking notes of its various
ineanderings, the ripples and clains, distance between each, the fall froin
one to another, and the distance of each bend or turn in the river and its
direction, with a view to building a series of dams and locks for the purpose
of iinproving navigation. They were also to furnish in their report of this
survey an estimate of the cost of the work of erecting srich dams and locks
as they thought it necessary to build in order to insure continued navigation

The Old Monontrahela Still"

I
I

i
i
i

i
I

I
I

In the dim, receding ages, when the Indian's bark canoe
Glided o'er Monongahela, while the twilight shed its dew.
And the stars stole out above him, each a tiny sparkling sphere.
He was lord of all creation, there was not a "Paleface" here.

H "THE OLD MONONGAHELA STILL." ^

I I

M BY \V. H. BRIGHT. ^fl

I I

KS And the stars stole out above him, each a tiny sparkling sphere, ^^

M He was lord of all creation, there was not a " Paleface" here. U^

I
I
I

I
I

Wk.^ri^Kt

On its banks he built his wigwam, in the forests killed his game,
And he watched the days of Autumn as they set the hills aflame;
Then he wooed the dusky maiden when the Indian Summer days
Draped the river, hills and valleys with a strange, seductive haze.

And his council fires he lighted, in the valleys, on the hills,
While his children played in safety by old Fayette's many rills;
But the restless "Paleface" wandered on toward the setting sun,
And the days of Nemacolin and of Logan soon were done.

"The Old M()n()nK''ilK-l;i Slill " 7^

qj And the giants of the forest that once stood upon the height, ^

yj And the dense, umbrageous branches that once held the shades of night; ^^

m All have vanished with the Indians— all gone out upon the tide, M

Q? While the children of the forest now are scattered far and wide. ^^

m ReesCadwallader is sleeping with the forest's dusky sons, W

m Redstone Old Fort long is silent, long divested of its guns ; ^^

yj On the hill the Browns are lying, not a stone to mark their graves, M

^^ Indian Peter, too, is sleeping with the other Indian braves. &j

^t And the Three Towns form a city on the land they once possessed, M

tp That has wakened into action after half a century's rest, M

M And has taken her position on Monongahela's banks, ^

S2 With the proudest of her cities in the front commercial ranks. M

m Mi

^. On Monongahela's waters stately steam.ers ply today, \^^

W) And the trail of Nemacolin, is a beaten, broad highway; M

q" While the mansion of the " Paleface" rears its walls upon the shore ffi

^(2 Vnd the children of the Red Man play upon its banks no more. (M

»^ ^0

S Indian war-whoops long are silenced but the locomotive's blast W.

^^ That re-echoes from the hillsides, tells that olden days are passed, ^^

F/l And the rails of steel that glitter 'neath the torrid summer's sun, M

Q? Tell the tale of generations and the work that they have done. ^

t^l other tribes with other customs are upon the scene today, i^

^^ And the tomahawk and arrow both were long since laid away ; ^^

m But the river, still majestic, flows between its banks of green, m

ii \nd the moonlight falls upon it, as upon a silver sheen. ^^

^^ But, the fleets that now are bearing tons of wealth from Fayette's stores, ^i

d^ To the busy marts below us, that have risen on its shores, fe^

^^ Bear no trace nor faint resemblance to the Indian's frail canoe, ^^j

% Though the moon and stars still glimmer in their upper depths of blue. ih

f^ Where the Indian warrior hunted, fertile fields appear today, ^

m For the Indian barque and teepee with the Indian passed away;

C& While the pioneer has followed in the wake of vanished braves l^

^ And our footsteps lead us onward in the path toward their graves. j^^j
m ^^

(Jj Others soon will take our places, as we've taken theirs today, ^^

f4 And the pride of our achievements will be sadly laid away; ^^

^ ' For the world is rushing onward, as a corps to fife and drum, ^J

£jj And our wonders will seem simple in the light of years to come. i^

^^ But, the Old Monongahela still will keep her vigils here 0^

i^ While the restless generations vanish from their chosen sphere ; ^

fk Andhergentlyflowingwaters, fed by many rippling rills, ^

m Will remain to note the ages with the everlasting hills. ^

i i

78 Again Taken Up in 1817 — Name of the Conpany

of the river the year round. Nothing was done under this act, however,
and the next year it was revived and extended for a period of three years.
Under this second provision the survey was made but nothing more was
done.

AGAIN TAKEN UP IN 1817— THE NAME OF THE COMPANY.

In 1817 another act was passed and approved the 24th of March of that
year, authorizing the incorporation of a company to make a lock navigation
on the Monongahcla river. This company was to bear the name and style
of "The President, Managers, and Company of the Monongahcla Navigation
Company." The following gentlenien were appointed to serve on this
committee :

Andrew Linn, Esq., and Htxgh Ford of Freeport; James Tomlinson, Elisha
Hunt, George DaAvson, William Hogg, Jacob Bowman, Basil Brashear, Joseph
Thornton, and Israel Miller of Brownsville; James W. Nichols, and Thomas
Williams, Escp, of New Geneva (all of the above from Fayette County) ;
Charles Bollman, Joel Butler, and Jas. P. Stewart of Williamsport (now
Monongahcla City) ; Henry P. Pearson and Joseph Alexander of Frederick-
town in the county of Washington, with seven others from Allegheny Countv
and two from Greene.

CAPITAL STOCK, $78,000.

The capital stock of the company was to be seventy-eight thousand dollars,
in two thousand six hiuidred shares of sixty dollars each. As soon as five
hundred shares should be subscribed the Governor was directed to issue the
charter of the company, and it was enacted "that as soon as the company
shall have been incorporated by the Governor to make a lock navigation on
the Monongahcla river, he is hereby authorized and required to subscribe in
behalf of this Commonwealth for one thousand shares of the stock of said
company at thirty dollars for each share, to be paid upon warrants drawn bj'
the Governor of the State Treasurer in favor of the President and Managers
of said company.

By the terms of the act of incorporation, the company was required in
making their improvements on the river, " to erect at Bogg's ripple a dam at
the height of three feet six inches; at Braddock's lower ripple, a dam of the
height of three feet six inches; at Braddock's upper ripple, a dam of the height
of three feet six inches; at Peter's Creek ripple, a dam at the height of four
feet three inches ; at Frye's ripple, a dam of the height of three feet ten inches
at Forsyth's ripple, a dam of the height of three feet eight inches; at Browns-
ville ripple, a dam of the height of four feet six inches; at Smith's ripple, a
dam of the height of four feet eight and one-half inches; at Heaton's ripple,
a dam of the height of four feet five inches ; at Muddy Creek ripple, a dam of the
height of four feet five inches; at Gilmore's ripple, a dam of the height of
three feet ten inches; at Little Whitley ripple, a dam of the height of four feet
four inches; at Geneva ripple, a dam of the height of three feet four inches;

The State Takes Up the Work in 1822. 79

at Dunkurd rippk-, a dam of the height of three feet six inches, and at Cheat
river ripple, a dam of the height of three feet three inches, " with the privilege
of raising any or all the dams not to exceed six inches above the s]>eeified
height, if it should be found necessary to do so. The company were em-
powered " to for m, make, erect and set up any dams, locks or any other device
whatsoever which they shall think most tit and convenient to make a com-
plete slack-water navigation between the points aforesaid (Pittsburg and the
State line) so as to admit the safe and easy passage for loaded barges, boats,
and other crafts up, as well as down, said river," and to use the water power
created by their dams for the propulsion of machinery, or to sell or lease such
water power, but not so as to injure, impede, or interrupt navigation on the
river. It was provided by the act "that as soon as the eight first-named
dams and locks shall be erected and completed," and the Governor should have
proper evidence that they had been so completed in a workmanlike manner, he
should theretipon issue his license or permit to the company to collect tolls
from boats passing that part of the river. Owners of dams which had been
erected at certain points on the river for mill purposes prior to the passage of
the act were required to raise such dams to the specified height (if they were
not already up to it), and to keep them in repair; and for so doing they
were empowered to collect tolls from boats and other crafts passing them.

THE STATE TAKES UP THE WORK IN 1822.

It appears, however that this company did not comply with the require-
ments provided in the act except to open a set of books and secure svifficient
subscriptions to get the state appropriations. Accordingly we lind that in
the spring of 1822 a few days after the expiration of five 3'ears from the pas-
sage of the act authorizing the Monongahela Navigation Company, an act
was passed by the Assembly (approved April 2d of the year named) taking
the impro\-ement of the Monongahela into the hands of the State, and pro-
viding "That Solomon Krepps and Joseph Enochs of Fayette County and
William Leekey, of Pittsburg, be and they are hereby appointed commis-
sioners, who shall have power, and it shall be their ckity, to cause to be re-
moved all obstructions which impede or injui-e the navigation of said river
Monongahela, by making a slope or inclined navigation from the Virginia
State line to its junction with the Allegheny river, and said improvement to
commence at the mouth of Dtmlap's Creek, in Fayette County, and for that
purpose to employ suitable persons to perform said work;" and "That ten
thousand dollars of the stock subscribed by the Governor on behalf of this
Commonwealth in the stock of the Monongahela Na\-igation Company be
and is hereby appropriated to defray the expenses of removing the said
obstructions. "

Bv another section of the act it was provided and declared "That this
act shall not go into operation until the Monongahela Na\'igation Company
have first settled all accoimts of said company, and have paid into the
treasury of Fayette County all the unexpended balance of money in their
hands, if any be due, for the purpose of being applied agreeably to the pro-
visions of this act, * * * and until then the Monongahela Navigation

80 Second ]\Ionongahela Navigation Company

Company shall also have relinquished their shares in the stock of said
conipany, as ■well those held by individuals as those held by companies,
which relinc)uishmcnt shall have been certified and transmitted tmder the
hand and seal of the ])resident and managers of said company, or a majority
of them, to the Go\'ernor, stating that thej' relinquish all the rights, powers
and privileges in and to the river Monongahela vested in thein by an act
passed the 24th of March, 1817, entitled, 'An act to authorize the governor
to incorporate a company to make a lock navigation on the Monongahela
river,' and from thenceforth said company shall cease and determine as if
the said act had not been passed."

SECOND MONONGAHELA NAVIGATION COMPANY.

This company as the one before it, accomplished nothing of any conse-
(jtience and it was not till 1S36 that any material progress was made. March
31, 1S3G, under an act of assembh^ the Monongahela Navigation Company
(the second of the same name and style), Avas authorized and accordingly
incorporated. A capital of $300,000 was authorized in 6,000 shares each of
$50, with power to increase the number of shares to whatever extent was
necessary to eoirijjlete the work.

COMMISSIONERS TO RECEIVE SUBSCRIPTIONS APPOINTED.

The persons appointed as commissioners to receive suVjseriptions to the
stock were Thomas H. Baird, Aaron Kerr, Ephraim L. Blaine, William
Briant, Sheshbazzer Bentley, Andrew Gregg, John Bowers, William Vanlvirk,
Samuel Beatty, Williain Hopkins, and James Gordon, of Washington County,
George Dawson, Benedict Kimber, George Hogg, James L. Bowman, Israel
Miller, David Gilmore, E. P. Oliphant, Jermiah Davison, Thomas Wilson,
Tazwell P. Martin, George Cramer, Yates S. Conwell, Thomas Beatty, Aaron
Bucher, John Harslie, Andrew Stewart, Isaac Crow, George Vance, James
C. Etingon, Robert Brown, James C. Ramsey, David B. Rhodes, William.
Everhart, Westley Frost, and Samuel J. Krepps. of Fayette County; and a
number of gentlemen from Greene and Allegheny Counties. When two
thousand shares were subscribed the company was entitled to a charter, and
might organize in not less than twenty days. Upon organization the company
was empowered "to form and make, erect and set up any dams, locks or
any other device whatsoever which they shall think most fit and. convenient
to make a complete slack-water navigation between the points herewith
mentioned, to wit: the city of Pittsburg and the Virginia State line; and that
the dams that they shall so construct for the piirpose of slack-water naviga-
tion shall not exceed in height fotxr feet six inches; and that the locks for the
purpose of passing stearaboats, barges and other crafts up and down the river
shall be of sufficient width and length to admit the safe and easy passage for
steamboats, barges, and other crafts up as well as down said river. " This act,
like that which was passed for the creation of the old company in 1817,
authorized the company to use, lease or sell the water power from the dams

The Conipaii)- Comes to CJrief aiul Work is Suspended Si

U t(,

previousl}^ built, (if by them raised to the re(|uirrd height) the ri,i;lil
collect toll from lioa's passing down or u]> tin- ri\er. Hy the terms (^i the
act the eiim])any was recpiired to eonimenee work within li\-e years. an<l to
completi.' the improvemi-nls to tlie X'irginia line within Iwidvc years from its
passage, mider penalty of forfeiture of t-harter.

During the year ISMt'i suflicient stoelc was subscribed to authorize the issue
of a charter early in IS:!?. and on tb.e UHh o1 Peliruary in that year the com-
pany was organized by the election of otiicers, as follows: President, James
Clarke: Treasurer, jnhn I). Davis: Secretary, Jesse H. Duncan; Managers,
Thomas Bakewell, James L. Bowman, John H. Ewing, John Freeman,
Cephas Gregg, George Hogg, John Lyon, John Tassey, William Wade,
Samuel Walker.

$25.8,100 SUBSCRIBED BUT MANY SUBSCRIPTIONS WERE NUT

PAID.

The United States Bank was chartered in bS30 and a section of the act
stipulated that this banking instittition should subscribe -foO.OOO to the navi-
gation company at the opening of its books and $50,000 more when $100,000
of stock from other sources should have been expended on the work. The
State, by act of assembly in 183S subscribed $25,000 and by authority of
another act in 1840, sirbscribcd $100,000 more. Altogether there was raised
$258,100 or that much was subscribed but the company did not realize on
many of the subscrijjtions.

THE COMPANY CO.VIES TO GRIEF AND WORK IS SUSPENDED.

The preliminary work was at once commenced and prosectited till bS41
when it was suspended for want of funds. The year 1842 brought the com-
pany still more discouragements as the United States Bank broke and was
unable to pay its second $50,000. It was also compelled to accept a large
share of the $100,000 the State subscribed in 1840, in State bonds which it
was forced to sell at 50c on the dollar. Many of tlij individual suhiscribers
reftiscd to pay and others were unable to do so. The company then sought
to borrow more money from the State but could not because the State did
not have it. .Vn effort to interest capitalists w^as also made but was im-
successful. Added to this, in 1843 high water made a breach in dam No. 1
a hundred feet wide which before it was finally stop-[3cd in 1844, was forty
feet deep. The comi^any owed $40,000 and had not a dollar with whit-h to
pay. Accordingly everything seizaVjle was taken and sold on execution. In
May, 1841, the State had given the company power to mortgage its works
and tolls, and this was suppjlemented with additional powers in 1842, but
the comj)any's credit was gone and these powers were of no avail as it
could borrow no money.

CAPITALISTS BUY UP STOCK AND COMPLETE WORK IN 1844.
For two \'ears the work stood still or rather went to riiin and decav. lust

82 Cost of River Tolls

as it was about to give tip in despair, the misfortune of the State proved the
salvation of the slack-water navigation company. The State became so
hard pressed for money that it passed an act a\ithorizing the sale of all its
corporation stock, among the rest the $12o,00(i stock of this company.
Being able to sec\ire this stock at a low figtire, a ntimber of capitalists who
had faith in the feasibihty of the project, took hold and pushed the work to
completion. These men were, Janies K. Moorhead, Morgan Robertson,
George Schnable, Charles Avery, Thomas M. Howe, John Graham, Thomas
Bakewell, J. B. Moorhead, and John Freeman. They did the work chiefly
under sub-contractors and under the name of Moorhead, Robertson & Co.
It was Itily, 1844 before they got to w^ork but so rapidly did they push the
work that by November 15. 1S44 the work was completed and slack-water
navigation was opened as far as Brownsville and Bridgeport. At the time
of the opening of navigation, there had been expended on the work, exclusive
of engineering and officers' salaries, $418,000.

COST OF RIVER TOLLS.

The toll on coal over the entire rotite of slack-water navigation, was $2.91
per 1,000 bushels which it is said, was less than one-fourth of the rate charged
o\'er the same distance on the Schuylkill navigation which had been
made the standard for this company by the act of 1836. This rate gave
great dissatisfaction, however, and many of the coal shippers contended
that this was an outrage and that the river should be free The rate was re-
duced to $2.4()i in March 1S4'.). The wcirk on the dams and locks above
Brownsville and Bridgeport, were completed and put in operation in the
year 1904.

EIGHT YEARS OF GREAT PROSPERITY.

From the opening of slack-water navigation between Brownsville and
Bridgeport, and Pittsburg, in 1844, till the Pennsylvania Railroad reached
Pittsburg in 1852, a period of eight years, the Monongahela Navigation
Company did an enormotis business, as well as did the section of the
National Pike between the Three Towns and Cumberland, Md.

'I'he number of through passengers carried in those years between the
termini of the navigation, Browns\-ille and Pittsburg, was for each year as
follows ;

1845 ^^ J27

1846 34,984

1847 45,826

1848 47,619

1849 35,158

1850!!'!!!^ 38,988

1851 32,115

1852 25,613

Total 283,030

B. ^: (). and vSlack-Water Navigation Benefit the Pike 83

In addition to this the company carried during the eight years, over 402, ()()()
way i)assengers. The total passenger tolls for this period was over $1 20,000.

H. & O. AND SLACK-WATRk XAVK^ATTOX BEXRFFT THE PTKl',

It can easily be seen wiiat im])etns \v<iiild be lent to the bnsiruss of trans-
portation (i\-er the seventy-tive miles of National Pike lying iK'tween
Cnnilierland and Brownsville, as well as to the tmvns, the country and to
the tav(n-ns along the line with the B. &- O. completed to Cumberland and
slack-water navigation esiablished from Pittsburg to Brownsville. The
number of through passengers carried in 1S4S was 47,010. It can also
be readily realized that this was the cause for the industry of lioat Imilding
that flourished from the earliest opening of the primitive roads till the
railroads caused it to v.ane.

x\s early as 1830, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company apjjlied to
Pcnnsvlvania for aiithority to build their road through this State towards or
to the Ohio. The State granted the right and the proposition met with the
general ap]n"o\'al of the people. So much so in fact that rousing railroad
meetings were held, one for instance, in Brownsville as early as 1835 when
the preliminary sur^•eys were l:)cing made prior to the legislative enactment
authorizing the building of the road. It was proposed by the company
to build a line from Cmnberland to Brownsville and then on to Pittsburg.
At the meeting at Brownsville it was stated that the chief engineer of the
Baltimore & Ohio company had inade an examination of this section of the
country and had made his report to the effect that a railroad could be
constructed between the two places named "without the vise of any inclined
jilanc. " The chairman of the meeting above referred to was George Hogg;
\'ice chairmen. David Binns and Michael Lewis; secretaries, G. H. Bowman
and John L. Dawson; committee to draft resolutions, James L. Bowman,
George Dawson, Robert Clarke, Jonathan Binns, Jr., and John Snowdon, Jr.
At this meeting it was resolved to hold a railroad meeting on the 25th of
the same month (Noveinber, 1835). There is no record of this meeting
and the probability is that it was never held. It is certain that the
proposed railroad was never built.

REJECTED THE B. & O.

The principal reason that the road was never built is because in the meantime
the Pennsylvania Railroad was being pushed westward across the Alleghenies
with a view of making Pittsburg its western terminus, and the people of
Pittsburg who preferred the main line of the Pennsylvania to a branch of the
B. & O., now opposed the latter, and strange as it may seem, the pcojde who
earlier favored the road along its proposed line, now op])osed it Viitterly.
One of the chief grounds on which they opiiosed it was that it would ruin the
National Pike and as a result, also ruin the country. Among the most active
to oppose the B. & O. was Henry W. Becson of Uniontown. Just how a
man of his acumen could take such a jiosition, is hard to tell, for in all else

Rejected the B. & O.

he was quick to see the advantages of improvement and progression. In
a speech he made at one of the meetings in opposition to the B. & O, he fur-
nished an estimate of the number of horseshoes the blacksmiths had to make
and the number of nails it took to fasten them onto the feet of the horses,
besides many other, to him and it seems, to his hearers, platisible reasons
why the National Road was better calculated to promote the welfare of the
country than a railroad.

The result of all this opposition was that the B. & O. finally had to abandon
its proposed line through Pennsylvania and built its line to Wheeling through
Virginia, (now West Virginia). In time, however, as all are well aware, the
B. & O also reached Pittsburg. As was foreseen, the railroads killed the
traffic on the National Pike but thev made the coimtrv what it is todav.

old Taverns Along the National Pike

Uniontown in the Days of the Pike — Many Prominent Characters
Passed Over the Line — The Black Horse, The Old Workman
House, The Brashear House and Others in Brownsville — The
Barr and Old Kimber House in Bridgeport and a Few Old-timers
in West Brownsville — Reminiscences of Jenny Lind, La Fayette,
Jackson, Jefferson, Clay and Others.

Here it may be most appropriate to make brief menti( m ( )f the many ta\erns
that catered to the wants of the seemingly never-ending throng that passed
over the National Pike, or at least those located in L^niontown, Brownsville,
Bridgeport and West Brownsville, and along the road between Uniontown
and the Three Towns. Of course in this brief sketch we can only name the
most prominent, so far as we have been able to learn of them through Ellis'
History of Fayette County, Veeches' Monongahela of Old, Searight's The
Old Pike, and from the few old 'settlers who are still with us.

UNIONTOWN TAVERNS.

When the National Pike was in the heyday of its .glory, many prominent
characters passed to and fro over it and it was a trump card for the ta\'ern
that secured their patronage. President Harrison, in 1841, when on his way
to Washington to be installed in that high office, passed over the National
Pike from Indianapolis to the east and stopped in Uniontown at what was then
the Walker House. It was a log building and stood on the site now occupied
by Commercial Row. During the days of the Pike's svipremacy, there were
between twenty-five and thirty hotels in L'niontown, all of them doing a good
business. Among the prominent tavern keepers of those days may be men-
tioned Jonathan Rowland, Daniel Culp, Matthew Campbell, Colin Campbell,
Margaret Allen, Dr. Robert McClure, Thomas Collins, John Slack of Latirel
Hill fame, William Dcwnard who afterwards went to Laurel Hill, James
Gregg who kept the Gregg House, Pierson Sayers, who afterwards became
sheriff of Fayette County, James Piper who kept "The Jolly Irishman."
and William Merriinan.

TOO MUCH ROAST PIG.

Samuel Salter at whose house Chief Justice Thomas McKean always stopped
when he caine to Uniontown to hold court was another. It is related
of Justice McKean that while sto])ping there he was freqviently regaled

86 Anecdote of Manypenny and Jefferson

with roast pig. It was well prepared and served in the most tempting
manner but the Judge finally tired of it and one day in his most dignified
and peremptory manner, ordered the voting lady who was waiting on the
table to remove it as he was tired of it. The girl did so with blushing cheeks
and trembling hands, but in a few minutes, Mrs. Salter who became very
indignant at the liberties the Judge was taking, brought the pig back and
replaced it on the table, saying to the Judge, "You are Chief Justice and run
the court; I am chief cook and run this dining room. That pig must stay, "
and T. B. Searight in the "Old Pike" says it did.

ANECDOTE OF MANYPENNY AND JEFFERSON.

George Manypenny also kept a tavern in Uniontown in its early days and
it is related of him that during Jefferson's administration, he went to Wash-
ington and called on the President. Jefferson brought out the wine and
asked him to take a glass which he proinptly did. After a social chat and when
Manypenny arose to go, he told the President that he would go home and
tell the people of Uniontown that he had taken TWO glasses of wine with
the President, and that he hoped his Honor would not let him go home with
a lie on his lips. President Jefferson took the hint and in a state of great
amusement brought forth the wine once more.

GEN. LA FAYETTE AND GEN. SANTA ANNA.

The Walker House was another popular hostelry as early as 1816 and was
kept by Zadac Walker. General La Fayette was entertained at this house
when he visited this country in 1825; Santa Anna, the famous Mexican
warrior, also stopped here about the year 1834 when on his way to Wash-
ington. The name of the house was afterwards changed to the "United
States," and still later to the "Central." The "Spotsylvania House" was
also a popular stopping place.

GEN. JACKSON AT THE McCLEARY HOUSE.

The McCleary House was for many years a popular tavern. It was at
this house that General Jackson always stopjjcd and Mr. Searight in his "Old
Pike," tells the following story of Jackson:

In substance he says that on one occasion when Jackson was expected, a
committee of citizens met him on the road and tendered him the freedom of
the municipality. They also informed him that accommodations had been
provided for him at the Walker House. He replied that he always stopped
at William Hart's (who then kept the McCleary House). The chairman of
the committee rejoined that Hart was a Whig and that his house was a Whig
house. The old warrior said that Hart had always treated him right and
that he would stop there Whig or what-not, and he did.

The Swan kept by Nathaniel Brownfield, and the McClelland House were

The Half- Way House— Searighfs 87

also very popular houses in that early day. The Seaton, the National, the
Clinton, the Moran and others figure prominently in the early history of
Union town.

OLD TEAVERNS ALONG THE PIKE.

Between Lhiiontown and Brownsville, were the Moxley House, built and
first kept by Robert Himter. He was suceeeded by William Darlington who
remained in charge till 1 S4.S when he moved to the mountains and took
charge of the Stone House, then known as the Fayette Sjirings House.

THE HALF-WAY HOUvSE— SEARIGHT'S.

The next hovise of import on the way to Brownsville from Uniontown was
Searight's. It is a large stone building on the north side of the road and was
for many years a popular resort for sleighing parties from Uniontown and
Brownsville, who went there to dance and have a general good time. The
house was built by Josiah Frost abovit the time the National Road was con-
structed and was purchased by William Searight in 1S21 . It was also known
as the Half-way House, between LTniontown and Brownsville. Wm. Sea-
right the (lid proprietor of the house was superintendent of the National
Pike for inany years.

Just over the hill from Searight's coming this way, is the old Abel CoUey
place. This place was very popular in its day. The old building is still
standing. When the traffic on the National Pike ceased, Abel Colley built a
fine brick house across the road from it, and there he died. W. Searight
Colley, a son of Abel, still owns and occupies the latter property. Next
conies the Johnson or Hatfield House. About a mile west of the Hatfield
House is the old Peter Colley place. Peter Colley was the father of Abel
Colley before mentioned. He kept a tavern before the National Road was
built, and Searight says was the first man reputed to have a "barrel"
of money. Along about 1840 Arthur Wallace kept a tavern about a mile
west of Peter Colley's. Isaac Bailey who afterwards became postmaster of
Brownsville, kept this house for a time. We next come to what w^as called
the Red Ta\-ern, because it was always jiainted red. Among the many
others who kept this house was Huston Todd. He was the father of Ewing
Todd, for many years a prominent citizen of Brownsville and the grandfather
of William Todd of Bridgeport, Harry Todd of Monessen and Samuel Todd
of Charleroi. This property now belongs to the Bowman heirs or is still
owned by members of the Bowman family.

A little farther to the west, though not exactly on the National Road, is
an old stone hotise that was run as a tavern by Wilkes Brown before the
National Road was built. Wilkes Brown was a descendent of the Browns
who originally owned the land where Brownsville now stands. The next
tavern before reaching Brownsville, was a fine brick building on the sotith
side of the road. It was the property of and was kept by Daniel Brtibaker.
Brubaker purchased this property from David Auld in 1S2G and was its

Old Taverns in Brownsville

constant occupant till he died long after the National Road had lost its
prestige, except for a short time when Alex. R. Watson kept it.

OLD TAVERNS IN BROWNSVILLE.

The ancient hostelries of Brownsville next claim our attention. There
were many of them thovigh in Brownsville there were no wagon-stand taverns.
Wagoners going west passed on through Brownsville, crossed the iron bridge
and put up at the old Riley and Bar houses in Bridgeport, or stopped at
Brubaker's on the hill above Brownsville.

THOMAS BROWN'S "ORDINARY."

The name of the first pul:)lic hotise in Brownsville is not known, but it
appears likely that it was kept by Thomas Brown, as there is found in the
records of the West Augusta (Va.) court, held at Fort Dunmore in April, 1770,
an entry, dated the 16th of that month, as follows: "License to keep an
Ordinary is granted to Thomas Brow^n at his hovrse at Redstone Fort. Bazel
Brown, on his behalf, entered into bond according to law. " Nothing fvirther
is found of the "ordinary" of Thomas Brown.

THE BLACK HORSE TAVERN.

The earliest inn of Brownsville of which anything definite is known as to
its location and landlords was the "Black Horse Tavern," a stone building,
a part of which is still standing in the more recently erected stone cottage
building betw^een the residences of N. B. Bowman and James Slocum, and
occupied by Miss Mary Ledw^ith. The date of the opening of the old tavern
cannot be accurately fixed, but it is known that the pubHc meeting at Redstone
Old Fort July 27, 1791, usually referred to as the first public act in the Whisky
Insurrection, was held at the Black Horse Tavern. The last meeting of the
insurgents was also held at the same place, Aug. 28 and 29, 1794. In the
Western Telegraph (published at Washington, Pa.) of March 29, 1790
is found the following advertisement, viz.:

"Amos Wilson begs leave to inform his friends and the public that he has
purchased the house formerly occupied by Mr. Patrick Tiernan, the sign of
the Black Horse, on Front Street, Brownsville, well known by the name of
Redstone Old Fort, where he has opened a tavern, " etc.

The tavern property, together with four other lots in Browns^•ille, "be-
longing to Charles Armstrong, Elijah Clark, boat builder, and Capt. T. Shane,"
were sold at public auction on the 31st of December, 1796, by James Long,
auctioneer, but it seems probable that, notwithstanding the sale, Wilson still
continued as landlord of the Black Horse Tavern, and was keeping it in 1799,
from an account of the celebration of St. John's day (Jtme 24th) in that year
by Brownsville Lodge No. 60, of the Free Masons, viz: " In the evening re-
paired to Brother Wilson's at the Black Horse Tavern, and spent the evening
in festivity." Later it was kept successively by John Sheldon, Josiah

old Workman Tavern — Now (iirard House 89

Tennehill, Joseph Noble, Mrs. Dr. Lewis Sweitzer, and others. It was dis-
continued as a pubhc hotise many years aj:;o.

OLD WORKALVX TAVERX^NOW GIRARD HOUSE.

The old Workman House at the U]i])er end of Market Street, n(_)\v the
Girard House, or at least it stood where the (rirard House now stands, and
which is now tmder the efficient management of Mrs. James Claybaugh was
one of the earliest. The Workman House was built by John McClure Hezlop
in 1797, who presided as landlord for some time. James Workman took
possession of it in 1843 and presided over its destinies for many years. He
had a wide reputation as a genial tavern kee])er and a good caterer. He had
the patronage of the Stockton stage line at that time in its zenith, and many
interesting incidents are related of it. We cojjy the following from "The
Old Pike" by T. B. Searight:

GENERAL JACKSON WANTED HAM AND EGGS.

"The late (1894) George E. Hogg, for many years a leading and wealthy
citizen of Brownsville, is authority for the following amusing story concern-
ing James Workman, the old tavern keeper, and General Jackson. On the
occasion of one of General Jackson's freqvient trips over the National Road,
the citizens of Brownsville resolved to give him a public reception. All the
usual arrangements for siich an occasion or event, were made, including a
dinner at Workman's hotel or tavern as hostelries were then called. The
hero upon reaching town was taken to the Presbyterian church to listen to a
reception speech and receive the greetings of the people. Soon after the
audience had settled down, Mr. Workman entered the building and forcing
hiinself down the main aisle, and to a front pew occupied by General Jackson,
accosted him thus: 'General Jackson, I have been commissioned by the
committee of arrangements to provide your dinner, and have come to inquire
if there is anj'- particular article of diet you prefer above another, that I may
have the pleasure of gratifying your taste.' The old general gravely
responded 'ham and eggs.' This seemed rather confusing to the old land-
lord, who, supposing the General was joking, repeated his in(iuiry, when the
same response came the second time and in an emphatic tone, 'HAM AND
EGGS. ' Mr. Workman then hastily withdrew and going home commanded
his cook to prepare ham and eggs for General Jackson's dinner. "

ANECDOTES OF HENRY CLAY.

Another story concerning this old tavern is worthy of space. It seems
that at that time the approaches to the bridge across Dunla]T's Creek were
not in a very good condition and a stage coach in crossing it \\-ith Henry Clay
as a passenger (he must have been riding on the outside) dropped so far as
to throw the illustrious passenger otit into the mud injuring him though
as it proved afterwards, not seriously. Mr. Clay was taken to the Workman

90 Gen. La Fayette at the Brashear House

House and Dr. Stoy, an old practitioner was immediately called. The Doctor,
it is said, was given to loquacity and being very much elated at being called
to see so distinguished a patient, commenced to tell one of his long stories.
In the meantime he had prescribed brandy and held the glass containing the
liquid in his hand. Mr. Clay perceiving that the story was going to be a long
one, interrupted the Doctor to suggest that he be permitted to drink the
brandy without further delay and to rvib the glass over his wounds.

It is related that a wit who was standing near by when Mr. Clay was so
unceremoniously dumped into the mud, remarked that it was rather expensive
to bring Clay all the way from Kentucky to fill vip the chuck holes in the
National Pike.

GEN. LA FAYETTE AT THE BRASHEAR HOUSE.

A short distance below the Workman House (now the Girard) stands an
old stone house now occupied by Mrs. Westley Frost as a private residence.
This was the Brashear House and was kept by Bazil Brashear and after-
wards by James Searight of whom mention has already been made. It was
for many years a prominent hostelry and the stopping place of many illus-
trious personages, among them being La Fayette who was entertained there
when he visited America in 1S25. Bazil Brashear was a brother-in-law
of Thos. Brown, the founder of Brownsville and the grandfather of Prof.
John Brashear, the renowned astronomer and maker of astronomical intru-
ments, who now resides in Pittsburg.

At the head of old Front Street, in a frame house, James C. Beckley also
kept a tavern for a number of years. ,

THE OLD MARSHALL HOUSE.

On the grotmd now occupied by the handsome and palatial residence of
C. L. Snowdon, in the early days, there stood what was then called the
Marshall House. It was first kept as a tavern by William Reynolds who
was an agent for the Adams Express Company. It was, of course, head-
quarters for the express company and did a good business. After Mr.
Reynolds, the house was in the hands of Hiram Holmes, Isaac Vance, Harvey
Schroyer, J. W. Kisinger, Wm. Garrett and others. Its name was frequently
changed. It was once known as the Petroleum House and lastly as the
Central.

THE OLD CLARK MANSION— NOW THE STOREY HOUSE.

The old Clark mansion, now the Storey House, was converted into a hotel
about the year 1849 and immediately became the headquarters of the Good
Intent stage line. Andrew Byers who was at one time the proprietor of
the Clinton House, in IJniontown, was its first proprietor, Daniel Brown
succeeded Byers. For some time after Brown left the house it was kept by
Capt. Morgan Mason. The widow Schroyer also kept the house for a time

old Krcpp.s Homestead — Now the ^lonongahela House 91

as did Thi-aksti)n Bms. Matthew Storey had purchased it svibsequent to
the date when it was undi'r the management of Theakston Bros., however.
\\'lu'n Mr. Storey came into ])ossession of the house he sjjrcatly enlargecl and
imjirtned it and untler liis management it has grown into great favor and
I enioys a large and desirable i)atronage.

THE OLD KI^EPPS HOMESTEAD— NOW THE MONONGAHELA

HOUSE.

As is well known to the older residents of Brownsville, the Monongahela
House was for many years the private residence of Samuel J. Krepps. As
near as we can learn from the records and memory of the oldest citizens, it
was o]iened up as a tavern aliout 1844. A Mr. McCurdy was the first pro-
]irietor. It was kept in turn by Jesse Hardin, Isaac Bailey, William Gans,
l'"]jhraim H. Bar, Cyrus L. Connor, and John Krepps a son of the owner.

OLD TAVERNS IN BRIDGEPORT.

Jack Arnold seems to have been one of the first to keep a tavern in Bridge-
port. His house stood near where the market house was located which
latter building occupied the ground now laid out in a park or rather a grass plat
at the intersection of Biidge, Second and High streets. He was succeeded
by John Riley wdio kept the place for many years. The old Kimbcr House
was located where the Bar Hotise now stands. Isaac Kimber, Robert Pat-
terson, and John Neelan at different tunes presided over this hovise. The
Bar House was the piropierty of Ejihraim Bar and still belongs to his heirs. It
was kept Ijv Robert Carter, Thornton Young, George Garrard, Mathew Story,
Eli Bar, W. F. Higinbotham and others and is now a popular hostelry under
the management of John E. Rickard.

OLD TAVERNS IN WEST BROWNSVILLE.

Like all other points along the National Pike, West Brownsville, had its
old hostelries the mention of which will call to mind many interesting in-
cidents not yet forgotten by the older citizens.

As early as the year 1820, Samuel Adams kept a tavern in a frame
building on the corner of Railroad and Bridge streets. Later the frame was
torn down and the brick house now occupied as a depot by the P. V. & C, was
built on the site. Joshua Armstrong was the first occupant of the Ijrick
building. John Huston was the last one to occupiy the old frame building.
After Mr. Armstrong the house was kejit in turn by the following: Morris
Purcell, Major William Paul, Thomas Hamen Hopkins, Greenl:)erry Millburn,
John Cummins, Moses Bennington, William Dawson, James D. Dorsey, Doc.
Bar, Robert Miller, Solomon Watkins, James Nichols, and John Taylor.

West of the above-named hotel or tavern and near the foot of the hill
on the Pike, stood an old stone house in which Vincent Owen kept tavern
at the opening of the Pike and for some time afterwards. The property

92 Old Pike Reminiscences

belonged to the Krepps family, and the landing of the Krepps ferry was near
the tavern. Owens was succeeded by Samuel Acklin, after which John
Krepps took charge of the house. Morris Purcell succeeded Krepps and after-
wards went to the Adams house as above stated. The Krepps ferry which
continued till about 1845, was run in connection with this tavern. This
house closed long before the decline of travel on the Pike though we have
not been able to learn why.

T. B. Searight in his "Old Pike" relates that the father of Vincent Owen
was murdered in this old house while the latter was keeping it. Two persons
who lodged in the house the night of the murder, were suspected of the crime
but they fled before daylight the next morning and were never apprehended.
There was no apparent motive for the crime.

The present hotels of West Brownsville are the Aubrey and the Atwood,
the former presided over by David G. Province and the latter by J.J. CauUey.
The Atwood was formerly occupied by bvisiness houses and flats and was
fitted up for a hotel in 1901 by W. Breckinridge.

OLD PIKE REMINISCENCES.

T. B. Searight in his " Old Pike, " says the National Road had its contingent
of cjuaint characters, eccentric men, philosophers in one sense, and loafers in
another. They were indigenous to the road, could not live away from it,
and enjoyed the precarious subsistence they obtained on it. The loadstone
that attracted them and attached them to the road, probably above all
other influences, A\^as the piTre whisky, before mentioned. It was plentiful
and cheap, and could be obtained almost for the niere asking. It did not
contain the elements of modern whisky, which excites men to revolution,
insurrection, violence and insanity. Of the characters alkided to, whose
haunts were at the old taverns along the road between Searight's and Browns-
ville, the reader familiar with that portion of the line will readily recall
Marion Smith, (Logan) George Ducket, Jonathan Crawford, John W. Dough-
erty, Gideon Lehman and Billy Bltiebaker. Logan's forte was imitating
the crowing of a rooster. Ducket had no pronounced trait but under a
patriotic impulse volunteered as a soldier in the Mexican war, and marched
with Major Gardner, Daniel Hazard and the other heroes to the halls of the
Montezumas. Crawford was a tailor, and worked at his trade as little as
possible, but qtiietly enjoyed hi§ potations. He had nothing to say.
Dougherty was a walking arsenal, savage in appearance and gesticulation.
He carried knives, pistols and a general assortment of deadly weapons, but
was never known to use them on an adversary. Lehman was also a tailor
and bass drummer. He had a bronzed complexion and a stolid temperament.
Billy Bluebaker was elastic in motion, but lacking in brain. He wore the
smallest hat of any individual on the road, and was happy in doing little
jobs for old wagoners at his uncle's tavern. These odd characters have all
gone with the majority of the men of the road, They witnessed, and in their
Avay participated in the enlivening scenes of the great highway, and are en-
titled to a place in its history..

Visit of Jciiuy Liiul and 1'. T. Baniuin 93

VISIT OF JENNY LIND AND P. T. BARNUM.

When lonnv Lind, the world-rcnowncd songstress, made her tirst profes-
sional \-isil to the United States, she returned east from her western tour by
way of the National Road, in company with her troupe and in "chartered"
coaches of the Stockton line. P. T. Barnum, the celebrated showman, was
the great singer's manager, and was with her on the occasion referred to.
The party remained over night at Boss Rush's tavern, twelve miles east of
Uniontown. The people along the road heard of the coming of the dis-
tinguished travelers, and a number assembled at the tavern in the e\-ening to
get a glimpse of them. William Shaffer drove the coach in which Barnuni
was seated, and when he halted in front of the tavern one of the curious
called up to the driver on the box and in(iuired: " W^hich is Barnuni?"
Shaffer answered gruffly: " I don 't know Barnum from the devil. " Barnum,
meanwhile, had emerged from the coach, and standing by its side overheard
the inquiry and the driver's re])ly, and step])ing vi]) to the incjuisitor said to
him; " I am Barnum; the driver is right, it is hard to distinguish me from the
devil." The party entered the good old tavern and were entertained and
lodged in the handsome style for which Boss Rush was greatly and justly
distinguished.

Railroad History

Some Facts Abol't the Railroads That Helped to Make Fayette

t\)L-XTV AND THE ThREE ToWNS WhAT TlIEY ArE EaRLV HiSTORV

OF THE Baltimore & Ohio, the Pexxsylvaxia, the Pittsblro l\:
Lake Erie axd the Monongahela — The Coxxellsville Cextral —
Opexixg of the Monongahela Railroad a Gala Day — A Citizen
OF the Three To^YNS First Proposed the Union Pacific — Pictures
of Prominent Railroad Men \vith Biographical Sketches —
Pictures of Scenery Along the Various Lines.

THE PrrTSBURG &- CONNELLS\aLLE RAH.ROAD CO.

The Pittsburg & Connc'llsx'iUc Railroad Company \Yas incorporated April
'.]d. 1837, rechartered in lS4o, opened their road to C<>nnells\"ille in 1855,
and later under their recharter privileges, ^vhich had Ijcen repealed in 1864
and restored in 1868, they completed their road from Connellsville to Cum-
berland, April 10, 1871.

THE FAYETTE COUNTY RAILROAD COMPANY.

The Fayette County Railroad Company was incorju.irated May 1, 1857,
and com])leted its road from Uniontcnvn to Connellsville on January 1, 1860.
The road was sold by the sheriff in 18(iL', and ])urchased l)y the stockholders,
who reorganized the eomjiany, and in 18(i4 leased the road for ninety-nine
years to the Pittsburg & Connellsville Company, which also leased the Mt.
Pleasant and Broad Ford railroad opened February 18, 1871 .

BRANCH LINES OF RAILROAD.

In 1875 the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Com])any partly secured by lease
what thev failed to accomjilish by legislation half a century f)efore. They
leased the Pittsbui-g & Connellsville, the Mt. Pleasant & Broad Ford and the
Fayette County roads for ninety-nine years, thus gaining an outlet to Pitts-
Inirg and a road into the coke region of Fayette County. Twenty years
later they pushed their Fayette County road to Morgantown, W. Va., \inder
the name of the Morgantown & Fairmont Branch of the Pittsburg division,
and in 1900 built a branch from Smithfield into the Klondike.

The second great trtxnk line to secure a branch into the countv was the

96 Earlv History of the B. & O.

Pennsylvania, which obtained the Southwest Pennsylvania road, which
was completed frmn Greensburg to Uniontown in 1876, and later extended
to Fairchance by bvtying the Uniontown and West Virginia railroad. It also
secured the partly finished Redstone Branch of the Pittsburg, Virginia &
Charleston road from West Brownsville to Uniontown, completing it in 1882,
and now operating it under the name of the Monongahela Division, while in
1900 it opened the Coal Lick Run Branch road from Uniontown to Leckrone
in the Klondike. It also practically controls the Masontown and New Salem
road of that region.

EARLY HISTORY OF THE B. &- O.

And those who now see the fruits of their progressive tactics shown each
day have good reason to be proud of the old Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
It is the oldest railroad in the world, and if the policy of those in control is
but kept up it will soon be the best in the world, for it has the territory, the
monev and the brains. In almost all things the Baltimore & Ohio was the
pioneer. It was the first line to be operated for passengers or freight, the
first to utilize locomotive power, the first to come over the Allegheny
mountains, the first to employ electricity as a motive jjower, and the first
to employ electricity as a means of commtmication. It had the first telegraph
line in the world, for it was over the line from Baltimore to Washington, in
1844, that Prof. S. F. B. Morse sent his famous message, "What God hath
wrought" and in that message gave the world the telegraph.

And the route followed from Baltimore to Pittsburg is historical. A
century and a half ago the route now traversed by the road across the moun-
tains was known as the "Great Nemacolin Path," the Appian Way of the
savages. Later George W^ashington, surveyor in laying otit the route of the
stage road across the mountains to the Ohio Valley followed this same path.
Later still the French, under Pierre Duquesne, who had been usurping much
of the territory which was claimed by Great Britain, were called to account
by England, and Washington was again sent over the territory to warn the
French to leave.

On the 2d day of Febrviary, 1827, the citizens of Baltimore conferred upon
the adoption of proper measures for the commencement of the Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad, a work of deep and vital interest to the American people, by
facilitating its commerce, diffusing, and extending its social intercourse and
perpetuating the happy union of the Confederate States. An act of incor-
poration by the State of Maryland was granted February 28, 1827, and con-
firmed by the State of Virginia March 8, 1827, and the construction of the
road was commenced July 4, 1828.

THE EVENT CELEBRATED AT BALTIMORE.

The ceremonies attending this great event were conducted by the Masonic
Fraternity. The city of Baltimore was in gala attire and strangers from
distant points began arriving in town a day or two before the celebration.

IMr. Samuel Rea
Vice-rresident Moiiongahela R. R. am
Fourth A'ice-Pres. Penusv Ivania R. K,

Col. J. M. Schoonniaker
President ^Monongahela R. R. and
Vice-Pres. Pittsburg & I^ake Erie R. R.

98 The Pennsylvania Railroad — Its Growth

The leading event was the laying of the corner stone of this first railroad of the
land. The venerable Charles Carroll, of Carrolton the last surviving signer
of the Declaration of Independence, cast the first spadeful of earth for the
beginning of the railroad, saying; " I consider this among the most important
acts of my life, second only to that of signing the Declaration of Independence,
if, indeed, second to that. "

This remarkable stone was placed in the earth and the laying of the wooden
track of the railroad was then begun. Strange as it may seem, in the natural
shifting of position of the track this stone was forgotten and its exact location
in the earth remained only a matter of conjecture for nearly forty years.
The interest was revived in July, 1S9S, when a resurvey was made and the
stone located six feet under the svirface of the ground. The entire masonry
was then carefully raised above the earth and inclosed in a steel cage, so that
the famous relic will remain in public view f(jr all time.

THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD— ITS GROWTH.

There is much to admire in the history of the growth of the Pennsylvania
Railroad system. It has been likened to the growth of the United States.
Demand for communication between the early settled Atlantic slopes and
the communities formed by those who had penetrated beyond the Alle-
gheny mountains caused the rails to be spread to Pittsburg, placing this
section in communication with New York, Philadelphia, and all points there-
abouts. It gave the railroad, too, at this end the advantage of the rare and
rich territory on which they have spent millions in opening up and from which
they have also taken millions in products.

INVASION OF NEW YORK.

An effort to grasp the amount of energy and capital invested yearly by
the Pennsylvania system would l:)e futile. No one seenis to know how mitch
capital is invested, for it is past counting. It has been claimed that the line
between Pittsburg and New York cleared $165,000 per mile last year. What
an amount of money must be invested to have brought anything like
this return.

The fact remains that there is nothing too large for the Pennsylvania to
tackle. Those back of it will stof) at nothing in the way of money or trouble
to accomplish their ends.

The Pennsylvania road is tunneling imder the East ri\-er from New
Jersey right into the heart of New York, and at an expense of something like
$50,000,000 W'ill soon come above ground at Thirty-fourth street and Sixth
avenue. And there, is being erected now one of the most handsome depots
in the country.

This act of tunneling under the river and under a great part of New York,
in order to get right to the millions of people who are on the streets of
New York daily has been considered one of the most wonderful engineering
feats, as well as one of the most nervy things ever attempted.

Col. Joseph U. Crawford
Engineer of Branch Lines P. R. K. and
Chief Engineer Monongahela Railroad

Oeorge Dorsey
Right-of-Way Man for P. R. R., Monongahela
and Connellsville Central Railroads

Joseph C. Grooms

Land and Claim Agent

Pittsburg & Lake Erie R. R.

Robert W. Ta\ lor

Assistant Engineer P. R. R. and

Engineer in Charge Monongahela R. R.

100 Early History of the Pensylvania

With the New York tunnel through, under the river, the next problem to
be attacked is the Allegheny mountains, and there are those of us who, with
an even chance in life, will live to ride through the tunnel under the moun-
tains. The fearful grade is the one drawback to the road.

Already have surveys been made for the tunnel. It will be a giant under-
taking. It will be the biggest ttmnel in the world, but what of that? The
New York tunnel under the ri\'er will be the biggest of its kind.

During the present year not less than a million dollars will be spent b}^ the
Pennsylvania in improvements along the smaller lines in Western Pennsyl-
vania which it owns. Such as the Chartiers Valley Road, leading from
Carnegie to Washington, Pa., and the Pittsburg, Virginia & Charleston cut-
ting into the coke region of West Virginia.

Miles and miles of double track are scheduled for the Pittsburg, Virginia
and Charleston line. This is a line which makes but little fuss, btit quietly it
brings in more money to the common coffer than most other lines with more
pretension to fame and prestige. It is to be extended farther into the
Southwest in order to tap some virgin fields which promise coal and coke in
large quantities.

It may not be out of order here to state that the Pittsburg, Virginia and
Charleston railroad was first organized as the Monongahela Valley railroad
but the name was changed to Pittsbtirg, Virginia and Charleston, January
15, 1870.

The first officers and directors were, B. F. Jones, president; Wm. Price,
vice-president; Henry F. Voigh, treasurer; Chill W. Hazard, secretary. The
directors were, T. W. Briggs, Geo. Black, Jos. Walton, Jos. Dilworth, Dr. A.
Patton, John C. Risher, H. B. Hays.

EARLY HISTORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA.

The Pennsylvania Railroad is a monument to the perseverance of John
Stevens, of New York, who had an idea that there was a great future for the
tramway, which was then in use but lightly. Bands of iron were nailed to
the top of wooden rails, and horses pulled loaded wagons along these. As
early as 1812, Stevens, who was a steamboat man, appealed to the legisla-
ture of New York for help in working out his railroad ideas but was refused
after being told he was a crank.

Filled with sorrow at the way in which he had been treated, Stevens in
1823, then tottering on the verge of fourscore years, turned his face hope-
fully toward Pennsylvania, and after some trouble, got the legislatttre to
agree to franchise a railroad from Philadelphia to Columbia, Pa. This
franchise was given for fifty years, but Stevens was not able to raise the
capital to construct the line.

It was at Columbia that those coming from Philadelphia toward the head
waters of the Ohio took the canal, and as the years passed, the problem
of how to better the travel from Philadelphia to Columbia, became
a pressing one. In the fall of 1828 the legislature, having become satisfied

Chris. S. PriiiRle

Joint Agent at Brownsville

Union Station

Harry A. Shank
Trainmaster Monongahela K. K.

John Krniire

Snperintendent of ISIonongahela

Railroad

102

Early History of the Pennsylvania

that nothing would be done by corpoi"ations or individuals, decided to eon-
struct a line itself, and the line from Philadelphia to Columbia by way of
Lancaster was authorized. The work was then begun, btit there was great
opposition, and it w'as not until almost seven years after that the little line
was opened. This was the initial step toward a railroad system, the Pennsyl-
vania, which has since grown into the greatest in the world.

Manj^ are the amusing stories told of the initial trip over the new line. It
occurred April 15-16, 1834. There was a select party, and an engine called
Black Hawk, thought to be the acme of mechanical skill, was brought into
play. The start was made from the Columbia end of the line, and on the 15th
the party went from Coltimbia to Lancaster.

W. A. Cobiini
Veteran Railroad Man of the Three Towns

But, continue the railroad jottrney at niglit? Not they! They dis-
embarked, and put tip at a hotel, and stabled their horses for the night.
Yes, they had horses, and a tram car following the train to pick up the party
in case the engine should play out, and such a contingency was expected
every minute of the way. Those who risked life and limb behind Black
Hawk knew what the real horses could do, but they were not so sure abovit
the iron horse, so, to make sure of getting hoine properly should anything
happen, they took the horses along with them.

Kennedy Crosson J. C. Keller

Contractors for the Construction of the Monongahela and Connellsville Central
Railroad through Brownsville and Bridgeport

104 Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad

But the horses were not needed. Until death, however, those who went
on the memorable trip told with great glee of how they had at times to get
off the little train and put their shoulders to the wheel and help Black Hawk
tip the grades.

On the next day the trip was resumed, and Philadelphia was reached early
in the evening. It required 9i hours to make the trip from Lancaster.

And, thotigh now started, the trials of the railroad were not yet over. They,
in fact, had, like the road, only just begun. There was a world of opposi-
tion to' the railroad, and the gi'eatest opposing factor was the teamster.
For years great six-horse teams had traveled the highway leading over the
mountains from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, and they resented anything which
might be constructed as liable at any time to oppose them. And the team-
sters, besides, being of themselves powerful, had friends just as powerful, and
the combination fought hard. There were hundreds of small wagon taverns
along the pike, they being necessary for the accommodation of the hundreds
of six-horse teams which passed, hauling freight to or from Pittsburg. These
tavern keepers were strong now, and they saw in the coming of the railroad
the killing of their good trade, and they joined hands Avith the teamsters to
block the progress of what is now the Pennsylvania railroad. Public meet-
ings were held, and the railroad was scored roundly. In many districts
the railroad was made the bone of contention at elections, but it had come to
stay. Out of this small beginning the Pennsylvania road grew to its
present proportions, though it was not until almost the middle of the
century when the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. took shape, and later traversed
practically the route taken by the old line years before from Columbia to
Philadelphia.

THE PITTSBURGH &- LAKE ERIE RAILROAD.

The Pittsbtu-gh & Lake Erie Railroad Company, now one of the most im-
portant roads in the country, was organized May 11th, 1875, with a capital
stock of $2,000,000.

The first board of directors were :

Wm. McCreery, President; directors, Wm. McCreery, Joshua Rhodes,
James Westerman, George C. Reis, John Bissell, John F. Dravo, Wm. H.
Short, P. W. Keller, A. J. McKinley. Secretary, John Bissell; Treasurer,
Wm. M. Short.

The railroad was first constructed from Pittsburgh to Yotmgstown and New
Castle, a distance of 70 miles.

The construction of the road was let to Contractor P. J. McGann of Lan-
caster, Pa., who built it from the mill of Jones & Laughlin on the South Side
to Haselton Furnace in Ohio.

In 1877, through the President of the Company, two important contracts
were made for traffic with the L. S. & M. S. Ry., through its President, Wm.
Vanderbilt, and the Atlantic and Great Western, through its President, J. H.
Davereux.

The Lake ]\rie Never Killed a Passeiifier 10-")

In 1S7S the first locomotive crossed the Ohio River Bridge, and in this
year the following officers were elected;

James 1. Bennett, President; Jacob Ilenrichi, David Hostctter, John
Reeves, M. W. Walson, James M. Bailey, Josliua Rhodes, Wm. M. Lyon,
John F. Dravo, lames M. Schoonmaker, J. H. Davereux, John Newell,
Jacob Painter, Directors.

The Board elected John Reeves, Vice President; Samuel George, Jr.,
Treasurer; Sebastian Wimmer, Chief Engineer; Samuel Rhea, Secretary;
fames H. McCreery, General Solicitor; Wm. Stearns, Superintendent of
Construction.

October 15, 1878, the following officers were elected:

Chas. A. Chipley, General Freight Agent; A. D. Smith, Auditor and General
Passenger Agent; John G. Robinson, Secretary and Treasurer.

Nov. 22, 1878, a contract was made with the Western Union Telegraph
Company for the telegraph service, and with the Pittsburgh Transfer Com-
panv for its transfer service.

In 1879 a contract was made with the Union Express Company for ex-
press traffic. Passenger and freight trains began running February 24th,
1879.

PITTSBURG, McKEESPORT & VOUGHIOGHENY

The Pittsburg, McKeesport & Yotighiogheny Railroad, under the manage-
ment of the P. & L. E. R, R. Co., was organized in 18 — , and its construction
was finished to New Haven with its connecting branch lines in 18 — . This
road also purchased the McKeesport and Belle Vernon Railroad, which had
been constructed from McKeesport to Belle Vernon in 1890, and extended
its lines over this distance. This line was extended to Fayette City in 1895,
where the constrtiction was stoj)ped until the extension to Brownsville which
was made in 1903, and the road opened August 31st, of that year.

THE LAKE ERIE RAILROAD NEVER KILLED A PASSENGER

The Pittsburg and Lake Erie Railroad is the Pittsburg end of the immense
Vanderbilt system, or New- York Central lines, which ha\-e an aggregate
mileage of 12,000 and of the many lines controlled by the Vanderbilts there is
none which gives better results to its owners or better satisfaction to its
patrons than this same "Little Giant," a sturdy member of the Vanderbilt
family. And, the "Little Giant" never killed a passenger. No, not in the
25 years in which it has carried millions of passengers has the life of one in-
trusted to its care been lost. This is a record of which any line in the world
might well be proud. It is the truthful record of the Pittsburg & Lake
Erie.

106

Vice President and General Manager J. M. Schoonmaker

Monongahela River Bank Back of "Neck" Before Fill

VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER J. M. SCHOONMAKER

Bvit since the day uf its initiation there has been connected with the "Little
Giant" one who has ever watched. He is Col. J. M. Schoonmaker, now
vice president and general manager of the line. Much of the success of the
"Little Giant" can be traced directly to this wide-awake man, who can be
found at his office all hours of the day. There is not a move made over the
entire system of Avhich Vice President Schoonmaker is not familiar, and most
of them are made under his direct supervision.

No higher tribute can be paid Colonel Schoonmaker than in the state-
ment that it was he who put in and perfected the block system which has
made the Pittsburg & Lake Erie the most envied of roads. There is a block
approximately for every half mile of the main line of track, and its leased
lines are being fitted out with a similiar system as fast as the people handling
this equipment can jnit it in.

The advantage of a block on each half mile of track cannot be overesti-
mated. One train cannot enter on a half mile block when a red Hght is shown.
That means danger in the half mile covered by the block on which the train
is entering, and the engineer stops dead. If, however, a green light be shown,

\'icf Presitkiit and Creneral Manager J. M. Schoonmaker

107

MonongaliL-la River Bank Hack of "Neck" After Fill

that means that there is something in the seccind block ahead, and the
train moves cautiously. If both of the arms of the semaphore, the red light
and the green light, arc down, it means a clear track, and that the train can
rush ahead.

And all this is handled by electricity. Shovtld a rail break on the line the
red light and the green light for several succeeding blocks on either side of
the track will be shown, and all trains must come to a dead stop. If there
is foreign substance on the track enough to disarrange it, such as the falling of
a slide — this means that the red light and the green light will be shown,
for the circuit has been broken.

This is one of the systems installed by Colonel Schoonmaker, and to its
complete workings may be attributed much of the success of the line and its
freedom from accidents.

Since Colonel Schoonmaker assumed control of the Pittsbtu-g &- Lake
Erie its bvisiness has trebled, and more. In his work he has been ably as-
sisted by a force of officials second to none in the country. In every depart-
ment the "Little Giant" prides itself that it has the right man in the right
place, and perhaps to no department more than any other is particular credit
due. To the outsider is noticeable the esprit du corps of the official force.
They pull together, always together, and from beginning to end this is also a

108

INIonongahela Railroad Company

-^ 1

view of Point Before Cut at Mouth of Redstone Creek

feature of the rank and file of the men. Perhaps the fact that they are
well looked after will aceount for this. Their health is thought of, their
personal comforts while on duty are taken care of, and when they are off
dut3^ they have provided for their entertainment Y. M. C. A. rooms and
places of amuseinent uplifting and highly moral in their character. This
particular feature is one of the things forever in the minds of the management.

MONONGAHELA RAILROAD COMPANY.

The Monongahela R. R. and the one that will eventually make of the Three
Towns one metropolis was organized in 1900, and the stock of this company
is owned jointly by the P. R. R. Co., and the P. & L. E. R. R. Co., in equal
proportions.

It operates from Redstone Creek extending up the Monongahela River
and around to Redstone Junction and Uniontown with various branches
extending into the "Klondike Region," and at present covers a distance
of about 37 miles, all in the county of Fayette.

The officers are:

Col. J. M. Schoonmaker, of the P. & L. E. R. R. Co., President; Samuel Rea,

Munon^;ihel;i Railroad Compaii;

109

view of I'oiiit After Cut at ;\Iout}i of Redstone Creek

of the P. R. R., Vice President; T. Ashton, Treasurer, and F. W. Swartz,
Secretary.

It was concluded to Intild this road after the t\\'(j great corportions had
about decided to extend their lines into this section of the country, and as
they would have conflicted with each other's locations at several points, they
wisel)' decided to build one line, on the east bank of the river, both roads
to participate in the construction, operation and inaintenance of the same.
There were many obstacles to meet and overcome as the topography of the
cotmtry is such as to require skillful engineering to locate a line so as to do
the least harm to the property owners and yet get a proper location for the
safe operation of the railroad. This has all been accomplished, and the
engineering and rights-of-way matters have been carried throtigh with slight
recourse to the courts.

The line has already a double track from Dunlap's Creek to Redstone
Creek, and in its entire distance through the two t<_>wns of Browns\'ille and
Bridgeport there are only two grade crossings. It can readily be seen that
this railroad is of inestimable advantage to this region, as it gives us the
complete service of both the P. & L. E. R. R. and the P. R. R., with one
system of tracks and having a passenger schedule of thirty-two trains daily
to Pittsburg where connection is made with the lines of the P. R. R. and the

110 Program of Opening of the Monongaliela Railroad

P. & L. E. east and Avest and with other roads to all points of the compass.
There are two passenger trains each way, daily on the Monongahela railroad
that in addition to the above connection also make connection at Redstone
Junction and Union town, with the Sovithwestern Pennsylvania lines. The
Monongahela railroad also has the traffic of two express lines, the Adams of
the Pennsylvania lines and the American, of the P. & L. E.

Although it is operated and maintained entirely separate and apart from
either of the big systems, it connects with the P. & L, E. R. R. at a point
a few hundred feet north of Redstone Creek, and with the P. R. R. at a point
about equal distance sotith of Redstone Creek, affording ample facilities for
freight and passenger traffic in this vicinity. These roads already have an
enormous tonnage coming out of the "Klondike Region" in the way of coal
and coke and other minerals as well as a very good passenger traffic.

To handle the freight traffic of the region traversed by the Monongahela
railroad, it requires at present, twenty-five trains daily or about six hundred
cars. The traffic is mostlv coal, coke and merchandise, principally the first
two named, as the road traverses the Klondike or lower Connellsville region
which is one of the richest in the western part of Pennsylvania if not in the
world.

There are (3,000 ovens with a capacity of 60,000 tons per day, and 25 mines
with a capacity of 80,000, tons daily already in operation on the Monongahela
Railroad.

PROGRAM OF OPENING OF THE MONONGAHELA RAILROAD

While both passenger and freight traffic actually commenced on the
Monongahela railroad on Monday, August 31, 1903, the formal opening did
not occur till Friday, September 4th. This day was celebrated by a grand
banquet tendered the officers of the P., V. & C, the Lake Erie and the
Monongahela railroads, at the new Pennsylvania Hotel. The tempting viands
were prepared and served in royal style under the supervision of the genial
host of the new hostelry, James H. Risbeck, and was a fitting climax to the
completion of the road by Keller & Crossan and D. F. Keenan, the most
prominent railroad builders in the country.

The weather was perfect, every detail of the arrangements for the celebra-
tion had been carried out to the letter; except that Judge LTmble was master
of ceremonies instead of Judge Reppert who for some reason could not attend.

PROGRAM.

10:30 a. m. — Concert by the Bulger Band, at Brownsville Station.

12:00 noon — Lunches for visitors at the various hotels.

2:00 p. m. — Public exercises at the Pennsylvania Hotel, with addresses as
follows :

Address by President George L. Moore in behalf of the Board of trade.

Address by Burgess T. A. Jefferies in belialf of the people of the munici-
jjalities.

-^^l^^^^^^^K

^P...^^(:^IHHK '

^ ■ m IK 1 %; «■ M ii 1'

112 Program of Opening of the Monongahela Railroad

Address by Gcn'l Supt. J. B. Yohe, representing the P. & L. E. railway.

Address by Colonel Crawford in behalf of the P. R. R.

Address by Major G. W. Neff in behalf of the county and the Monongahcla
Valley.

Address by T. Jeff Duncan, Escp, of Washington, Pa.

7 ;30 p. m. — Band concert at the Union Station.

8:30 p.m. — Band concert at the Barr House.

9:00 p. m. — Board of Trade banquet at the Pennsylvania Hotel, with Judge
Umbel master of ceremonies.

There was delightftil music by the Bulger band throughout the day. The
visiting railway men were met by a committee and entertained at luncheon
at the Barr House. At 2:00 p. m. on the veranda of the Pennsylvania Hotel,
George L. Moore called the public meeting to order. He said in part:

"We are met to celebrate what should have been done half a century
ago. The historian, when asked what has taken the first part in the develop-
ment of this country will answer, 'transportation. ' There can be no growth
without transportation. The first route was the river, the next the trail and
stage line. Colonel Burd came over the trail made by Nemacolin near historic
Redstone. Brownsville was laid out and plotted as a town in 1784, Bridge-
port in 1795. Bridgeport was incorporated by act of legislature Mar. 9, 1814,
and Brownsville, Jan. 9, 1815. The Dunlap bridges were built in 1794, 1809,
1821 and 1835. The river bridge was built in 1833. Among ovir earliest
industries Avas boat building. The building of the National Road was a
historic event of 1818. Soon after this the place was offered railroad facilities
by the B. & O. but the offer was dec ined. A little later the Smithfield
street bridge, Pittsburg, was built and placed so low that our shipping and
manufacturing declined. Such, in brief, was our history. During no time
have we actually retrograded. Farming and educational interests have been
fostered and we have sent out some men who have held high positions. Our
banking business has been a matter of great pride. We have furnished one
of the most logical thinkers that the country has produced and another who
now holds a national portfolio. We are met to celebrate an important event in
our history. It is my wish to see these old corporations united. We con-
gratulate you, men of the Lake Erie, the P. R. R. and the Monongahela railroad
on the manner in which you have overcome many difficulties. "

T. A. Jefferies, burgess of Bridgeport, was introduced. He welcomed the
visitors in the name of the towns. He said:

"Representatives of the various railroads and my feUow-citizens: It has
been said that we are met to celebrate what ought to have been done 50 years
ago. We feel joyful and with cause. The railways have given an imptxlse
to business, and property which a few years ago went begging, now is locked
up at most prohibitive prices. Why should we not celebrate? The day is
passed when it was considered no hardship to straddle a horse and ride miles
over the country. Gentlemen of the railroads, we recognize your difficulties
and are grateful to you. We are also pleased that the river route was chosen
rather than one farther inland that would have damaged the place even more.
We recognize the work of the right-of-way man and his difficulties. Our

Proij;rcss of ()])cniii.<;" of Moiionyaliela Railroad

113

Ureal Curvt- on MonuiiKaheln Railroad

troubles are over and we welcome and congratulate you. The town is yours.
We are sorry the president of the M. R. R. cannot be here but we are pleased
over his personal interests and glad of the choice of such courteous men in
charge of the road's interests. We are especially suited with Mr. Ermire and
are ready to join hands with him."

Mr. Jefferies mentioned J. C. Grooms, C. S. Pringle and other townsmen
who have been chosen for railway positions as specially fitted for the places.

J. B. Yohe, general superintendent of the Lake Erie then replied for his
road. He said:

" I am unaccustomed to juiblic speaking and were it not for the fact that
I am among so many old friends, I would hesitate to address j'ou. Inasmuch,
however, as on the banks of this river I first saw steamboats as they plied
the Monongahela river, and note the improved methods of transportation and
the wonderful development of your commvmity, why should I not feel at
home ?

"As one of President Schoonmaker's lieutenants and as an ofiticial of the
Pittsburg and Lake Erie railroad company, I acknowledge with grateful
thanks the hearty welcome and splendid ovation tendered us here today. I
know that it will be a difficult task indeed for us to meet or e\-en approach the

114 Superintendent J. B. Vohe's Speech

splendid service afforded yovi by our friends and neighbors, the Pennsyl-
vania railroad. I would ask for no prouder distinction for the Pittsburg and
Lake Erie Railroad Company than to ha\-e you say for us that our service
measured up to that of the Pennsylvania railroad. It is largely due to the
personal efforts of my friend Colonel Crawford and his able assistant, Mr.
Taylor, that you are today enjoying the facilities afforded by two great
railroads.

"The woi'k of extending our lines from Fayette City to your territory has
been a difficult task, but throvigh the pluck and energy of our management
our hopes are today fully realized and we bring to your commercial world, a
modern railroad, one fully equipped to meet all conditions, furnishing yovi
13,630 miles of railroad, having formed a connection with our system, under
a working arrangement, whereby your products may be speedily and safely
transported.

"This new railroad whose completion you are welcoming today will be an
important factor in your industrial development. Coal, which for j^ears has
remained undeveloped, will be ojjened up and on what are now pasture
fields there will soon be built great rows of coke ovens. Towns will be built,
industries encotiraged and your towns will enjoy and reap the benefits and
advantages of the great improvements thus made.

"The operations of this road will be suju-rvised by Mr, John Ermire, one
of your own fellow-townsmen and well kncjwn to you all. He is one of the
best known transportation men in the country thoroughly familiar with your
local conditions, courteous and kind and understanding all the wants of your
people. He will endeavor to see that they are fully met.

"We extend to you ovir hand in grateful acknowledgment of the broad-
minded spirit of co-operation with which you have received us. "

Colonel Crawford, chief engineer of constrtiction of the P. R. R. rejilied
for that line. He said:

"When the New York Central interests met Mr. Cassatt the question for
a route for the railway extension here was qtiickly settled. As a mark of
progress, I note that 52 years ago $20 would buy an acre of coal. Now $600
is the lowest price Mr. Grooms can get it for from our best friends. Every-
thing comes to him who waits. There is no telling what may be accomplished.
I hope to come back in twenty years and find even greater stirprises. You
are surrounded by about 30 coal and coke plants with thirty million of
dollars invested and a pay roll of a million a month. Now is the time to plan
sanitary sewerage and a pure water svipply for the future so you can reach out
and take care of the industries. "

Major G. W. Neff, the Tenth Regiment veteran, was called upon. He paid
tribute to the Three Towns' history. The first engine and boat that plied the
waters to New Orleans took a Brcnvnsville cargo and was built in Bridgeport
in 1814. He said;

, "If I owned the Monongahela Valley 1 wouldn't trade it for any kingdom
in Europe. Untold millions lie dormant here, ^'our |)e()])le have always been
ingenious and enterprising."

At night the first annual Board of Trade dinner in honor of the visiting

Three Towns Board of Trade IJaiuiucl

115

Moiiongahela Railroad Crane No. !

railway men was given. Landl(_)rd Risbeck served a tine menu. More tlian
one htnidred persons sat down to the bancjuet in the elegant dining room of
the new hotel. President Moore of the Board introduced the toastmaster of
the e\-ening, judge Umble, who announced the formal speeches between
courses. The judge is a tactful master of ceremonies and each theme was
enriched with a good story. Mr. L. A. Robison, general passenger agent of
the P. & L. E., was the first s].ieaker. He admitted that he represented the
spectacular element of railroading but took the credit of hrst ]:)lacing Browns-
\'ille on the railway maj). His department tights the ]:)eo])le's battles and he
asks for cordial co-o]ieration to make the local station and service the best
possible.

J. B. Yohe expressed the thanks of the railway men for the dinner tendered
them and voiced their admiration for the beautiful, new hotel. At 11 ]).m.
the special train was scheduled to leave and the railroaders had to go without
enjoying the greater part of the dinner. Attorney Wooda N. Carr, of Union-
town spoke humorously and elorjuently of the "Past, present and future of
Fayette County. " He said nothing was dearer to him than the Monongahela
valley. He considered Fayette the greatest county in the greatest state.

T. Jeff Duncan of Washington, Pa., spoke of "The boys of Brownsville."
He held that events rather than men make history and he related some of the
notable events of his bovhood here.

IIR

Three Towns Board of Trade Banquet

Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge at Point

Hon, L. F. Arensbcrg responded to the toast "The greatest state in the
Union." He told of the state's marvelous strength in resources.

W. E. Crow spoke of "Things I saw at Atlantic City. "

Major Neff spoke on the Tenth Regiment.

Chas. F. Kefover, Esq., and Attorney George Jefferies of Uniontown spoke
of county and local themes and the mellowed words flowed like honey from
the lips of these well-known orators.

The Pennsylvania Hotel, though not in eomjjlete order nor fully furnished ^
was in splendid array for the banquet and Mr. Risbeck, proprietor, and R. L.
Aubrey, owner, received many compliments on the success achieved.

The P. & L. E. officials and representatives included J. B. Yohe, general
superintendent of transportation; C. H. Bronson, L. A. Robison, L. H.
Turnier, R. Evans, W. A. Terry, J. A. Atwood, C. L. Gist, J. C. Grooms,
Myron Wood and R. M. Fulton. Colonel Crawford and Engineer Taylor
represented the P. R. R., and John Ermire, superintendent of the M. R. R.
also was present.

Among those present from down the river, were noted, from Belle Vernon,
C. F. Eggers, E. L. Sears, R. J. Linton, Samuel Jones, M, J. Clifford, C. L.
Donahoe, T. O. Nichols, J. B. Biles, Dr. J. S. Van Voorhis, John Irons, J. A.

Alon.y; the Mononjiahela I.iiie

117

Cook and T.. M. Truxall, of tin- luitcriJi-isi-; l'rcsi(U-nt Noss of the California
Normal and i'-dilor Moses of the "Sentinel;" from Charleroi, Sam Todd; from
Monessen, P. E. Uonner and W. C. Fishburn.

ALONG THE MONONGAHELA LINE.

The following are the names of the stations along the Monongahela line
from Brownsville Junction to Redstone Junction near Union town, a distance
of about 72 miles including the sjiurs that run out from a number of places:

Brownsville J unction

Brownsville

Bridgeport

Lock No. 5

Rush Run

Big Meadow Run

Maxwell

LaBelle

Fredericktown

East Millsboro

Rices Landing

Arensberg

East Riverside

Gates

Lambert

Gates

Huron

Ron CO

Masontown

Grays Landing

Martin

Grays Landing

Infield

Grays Landing

Masontown

Ronco

Huron

Lardin

Moser Rvm Junction

Edenborn

Moser Rim Junction

Leckrone

Ache Junction

Footedale

New Salem

Footedale

Ache Jvmction

Redstone Jiinction

It will be observed that several of the stations are repeated. These are
points where the train leaves the main lint' running out branches and re-
turning to the Junction station. Ache Junction on the Coal Lick end of the
line is under the Monongahela jurisdiction.

Concrete culverts wide enough for two tracks ha\-e Ijcen constructed all
along the line and the hundred-foot right of way traverses one of the prettiest
and most promising valleys on earth. Cokes is the thing and it is no longer
Peaceful Valley. Already thousands of ovens are smoking and in other
places the long rows of furnaces are in place or being started. The develop-
ment is on a scale that is almost beyond comprehension.

LaBelle is making coke and extensions go busily forward.

At Millsboro a water tank has been placed with a windmill and S H. P.
Morse gasoline ])umping engine.

The Hustead-Semans Coke company has started digging a slope at this
point and has a force of surveyors and laborers on the ground.

McLanc's Ferry is the site of a new brewery. Two coke plants ap])ear
near that point. The Ri\-erview company is on the right with 400 ovens
and the Masontown Coal and Coke company on the left of the track going up.
The Cats Run branch of the Pennsylvania meets the Monongahela line at that
point. The Coal Lick and Lambert branches, still further above, also join
the valley route.

Gates is the location of the American Steel and Wire com})any's coal ])lant
with a great, modern equipment for shaft mining and loading by rail or river.

Alonir the ]Monoii<^ahela Line

119

Connellsville Central Railroad I!ri<ly:e Across Dunlap's Creek

No. 2 is located at Martin. From that point Greensbore Hcs across the
river and New Geneva is in sis;,4it. Bessemer No. 1 Hes back a short distance
and has 400 ovens; No. 2 has over 500 planned in all. The Griffin Coke
Works lie just over the hill. The task of building a stone jjower house,
sinking a shaft and laying a coal line at Martin, is now tmder way. The
Geneva Coke Company is another factor there. From Cats Run the smoke
from Griffin can be seen. The Jacobs Creek Coal company's location is just
below No. 7 and there is also a Riverview No. 2. No. 3 is planned but not
started.

The new road is not a mistake; it has been admirably jilanned; it is in the
hands of men who have ex])erience and skill with the enthusiasm of vouth;
it has found a mountain of business, much of which will benefit the Three
Towns and their business men if they are alive to opportunity.

Many old homesteads in the valley are ([uiet places no longer. The resi-
dents must seek other homes and country seats or become a part of the new
order. Yet the smoke and bustle will be a benefit, not a curse, for it will
inake one of the finest home markets and develop the resources of the hills
as long as coal lasts and there is a demand for it.

THE CONNELLSVILLE CENTRAL.

The Connellsville Central, now building, will connect with the Monongahela
railroad at Brownsville and penetrates a tield rich in coal that is being rapidly

120 The Comiellsville Central

developed. It will only be about nine miles long when completed, but will
be one of the best feeders of the Monongahela road that it has. It will have
no adverse grades the maximum grade for two miles out of Brownsville being
only .75 per cent, and the balance of the road is practically level. The
maximum curvattue is seven per cent., and the roadbed will be as solid as
adamant.

There are six immense coal and coke plants along the line now ready for op-
eration or in course of construction. They are the Buffington which is the
property of the Frick Coke Co. ; the Low Phos. Coal and Coke Works, the
Orient Coal and Coke Co., the Brier Hill Coke Co., the Connellsville Coke Co.,
and the Union Coke Co., the last two named being the property of the Re-
public Iron Works.

Robert W. Taylor, assistant engineer of the P, R. R. and engineer in charge
of the construction of the Connellsville Central expects the road to be com-
pleted by the first of January, 1905. He has certainly done a lot of fine
work on this road and the Monongahela railroad and is one of the most \'alued
men the P. R. R. has.

As soon as the road is 0])en to traffic it will take at the least calculation 400
cars per day to carry the coal and coke out of the region tapped by this short
branch .

THE MAN WHO FIRST PROPOSED THE UNION PACIFIC.

Many public men bask in borrowed light, and in no instance is this proposi-
tion more signally illustrated than in the case of Hon. Thos. H. Benton, who
as history records, is the acci'cdited father of the Pacific Railroad. Men of
true nKiral and intellectual worth, are more often modest and tmassuming,
and while deserving the gratitude of their fellow-men live in obscurity, and
go to their reward, hardly known outside the village in which fortune
cast their lot. Stich a man was John Wilgus (grandfather of T. B. Wilgus of
Morgantown, W. Va.) the man who above all others, is entitled to the credit
and honor, of originating the idea of a railroad to the Pacific Ocean.

Coming from New Jersey in 1806, he located in the comparatively obscure
town of Perryopolis, Fayette Comity, Pa. He very early gave promise of
having a more than ordinarily bright intellect. Poverty and a lack of schools
stood in his pathway, but his insat,iable desire for learning was only limited
by insurmountable obstacles, incident to a new settlement on the border.
The Bible was his companion from his youth, and in his manhood and de-
clining years, he who sovight controversy on religious dogmas, must come fully
armed and ec[uipped. He had examined in detail all controverted points,
read all the standard authors on Bible lore, memorized whole chapters and
books of the Bible, and from studies and researches in various departments,
calling here and there, logic and analogy, and with a memory never at fault,
when a topic was once scanned, he was a formidable opponent.

In the '40's, while yet a young man, he conceived the idea of a railroad to
the Pacific, and this, when railroads were not out of their swaddling clothes

The Man Who First Proposed the Union Pacific 121

but in their infancy; before motmtains had been scaled and rivers spanned.
He contemplated and stiggested congressional aid by suggesting that the
government give a ten-mile-wide stri]) of pubHc land along each line of the
svtrveyed route; laying the road out, so as ti> run through the county seats
of successive counties; the eastern terminus to be the western shore of Lake
Sttperior, near the present site of Duluth. Also that it shtnild cross the
Rockies where the present road crosses, and its western terminus be the
Bay of San Francisco.

Drawing a map and plan of his proposed railroad, he wrote a letter detailing
the plans and methods, the reasons for the same, and forwarded the whole to
Hon. Andrew Stewart who was then a member of Congress from Union town.
I'a. The plans and details were shown to a numlier of Congressmen, who
were favorably impressed, bvit thought it advisable to have any proposition
relating thereto, come from a western man. Accordingly Senator Benton
who was nearing the zenith of his glory, was selected. He arose in his place
in the Senate on the following day and proposed the building of a road to the
Pacific.

In the later years of Mr. Stewart's life he wrote a letter to Mr. Wilgus rec-
ognizing him as the first to projiose the road, and complimenting him upon
the grand consummation of his early hopes, as the road was, at the time Mr.
Stewart wrote, nearly completed.

It is related of Mr. Wilgus, that he used to sit in his office, in the then littel
village of Perryopolis, and entertain a score or more of young men, who had
learned to love and respect him for his ready and profound answers to all
kinds of ciuestions. He was a very entertaining conversationalist and his
character for integrity was unimpeachable. "Why," the reader may ask.
" did he not make himself known?" Simply because he was modest. Com-
])limented on his great learning and intellectual grasp, by the learned of his
time, urging him to preach, practice medicine or the law, from time to time, he
])referred to keep on attaining the highest of knowledge, and then, as if
despising the dross and empty honors of earthly success, he sought the com-
panionship of children who were delighted to call him "Grand-pap." Siich
a man projjosed the building of the Pacific Railroad.

.LETTER OF "TARIFF" ANDY STEWART.

The Wilgus family ha\'e the original letter above referred to, written by
Hon. A. Stewart. We present a part of it:

Uniontown, Pa.. Jime 25, 1869.
John Wilgus, Esip'., Brownsville, Pa.

Dear Sir: I have just reed, your letter of yesterday, inclosing com-
munication to the "Commercial" of Pittsburg, in reference to a corre-
spondence between trs relative to the "Pacific Railroad" between 20 and ;10
years ago. I have a perfect recollection of having numerous letters from you
urging me as a member of the committee on railroads and canals, to call the
attention of Congress to this subieet in which vou took so much interest.

122

Letter of "Tariff" Andy Stewart

Your first route was from Lake Michigan, by the Columbia River, to the
Pacific, but after the acquisition of Cahfornia, you changed it from St. Louis
to San Francisco. Of this route, you sent me a very handsome map, following,
according to my recollection, very nearly the route on which the road has
lately been built, which map I had suspended in the Hall of the House of
Representatives, for the inspection of members.

I drew ttp a resolution authorizing the President to employ a corps of
engineers of the V . S. Army, to examine and report the practicability of the
proposed project, which resoltition I submitted to a number of members of
Congress, especially to those of the west, who were most favorably disposed.
Upon consideration and reflection, however, I concluded that the resolution
had better be first offered in the Senate, that being a smaller body, and where
smaller western states were comparatively much stronger than in the House.
I therefore took the resolution, with your map, to the Senate w^here I was
advised by those friendly to the project, to hand the papers to Senator Benton
of Missouri. I did so and he promised to attend to the matter.

I advised you of this arrangement with which you expressed yourself
satisfied and said you wotild write Benton on the subject. He afterwards
informed me that yoti had done so.

Should I find anything further material to your inquiry, I will let you know.

Very respectfully your friend,

Andrew Stewart.

Biographies of Some of the
Railroad Officials.

Col. Jamks M, Schoonmaker, though a native and resident of PittsVjurg,
was once kirgely interested in the develoj>ment of the vast coal and coke
interests in Fayette County, and his popularity here, and prominent position
in the management of the railroads, that have done so much for Fayette
Coimty and are still advancing her interests, makes special mention of him
in this work, most appropriate.

James Schoonmaker, the father of Colonel Schoonmaker, mo\-ed to Pitts-
burg from Ulster County, New York, in 1836, where he entered the drug
business when but twenty-three years of age. In 1841 , he married Miss Mary
Stockton, a daughter of Rev. Joseph Stockton of Pittsburg. To this union
there were born nine children, five sons and four daughters, James M. lieing
the oldest.

In 1862 I\Ir. Schoonmaker received his commission as colonel being then
only a little o\'er twenty years of age and believed to be the yotmgest officer of
his rank in the Federal army. Colonel Schoonmaker was conspicuous for his
activity and bravery throughout the war, taking part in the campaign in the
Shenandoah Valley with the army of the Shenandoah under Phil. Sheridan
during the fall of 1864.

After the war Colonel Schoonmaker returned to ci\-il life and was for a
number of years actively engaged in the coal and coke business with his
father-in-law, William H. Brown, but of late years has devoted himself almost
exclusively to railroad business, more extended mention of which is made
under the head of "Railroads and Transportation," in connection with the
Pittsburg & Lake Erie.

Colonel Schoonmaker is Vice President of the P. &- L. E., President of
the McKeesport iS: Yotighiogheny, and also President of the Monongahela
Railroad, the new line just opened uj) into the Klondike. He is a man of
remarkable executive ability, phenomenal energy and is verv popular in
railroad circles and there is perhaps not a man among the armv of his sub-
ordinates who is not an enthusiastic admirer of the Colonel. There is no
discord or dissension in the ranks of his men and it is to this as well as to
Colonel Schoonmaker's unqticstioned ability, that the P. & L. E. and the
other roads with which he is connected, owe their poptrlarity and success.

Colonel Schoonmaker is a director of the Union Trust Company and also
a director of a number of other like financial institutions of Pittsburg. He
has a palatial residence at the corner of Ellsworth and Morewood avenues.
East End, Pittsburg, where he and his family reside. He also has a fine
cottage in Spring Lake, N. J., where they usually spend the summer.

Joseph U. Crawford was l)orn at Ury Farm, Philadelphia, August 25,
1842, and educated at John \A'. Faires' school, from which he went to the
University of Pennsylvania in the class of 1862.

He enlisted and went out with the Washington Grays of Philadelphia in

124 Robert W. Taylor, Jr.

April, ISni; was appointed Second Lieutenant of Company B, Sixth New
Jei-sey, September, 1861; was made First Lieutenant of the same company
at the battle of Williamsburg, May 5, 1862; Captain Company A, Sixth New
Jersey, at the battle of Seven Pines, June, 1862; engineer officer, field fortifica-
tions, General Hooker's staff, at Fair Oaks, upon the Peninsula, in 1862;
served with his company as captain through the Pope and Gettysburg
campaigns; engineer officer on Major-General Gershom Mott's staff through
the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and Petersburg campaigns, and was honorably
mentioned in United States Army Re])orts for good conduct at Seven Pines,
1862, and Morton's Ford in 1863.

He followed engineering since the war, and was first identified with the
Pennsylvania railroad system as Senior Assistant Engineer of the Alex-
andria &' Fred crick sbiirg railroad during 1871 and 1872. He was Principal
Assistant Engineer, and afterwards Engineer, of the California Division of
the Texas & Pacific railroad under Col. Thomas A. Scott, and on his recom-
mendation Mr. Crawford was appointed consulting engineer to the govern-
ment of Japan in 1878, at the close of which engagement he was decorated by
the Emperor of Japan with the Order of the Rising Sun.

After his return to America he was employed by the late Jay Gould to
make transcontinental examinations and surveys between the Pacific coast
and Salt Lake City, as well as in Wyoming and Nebraska Territories.

In the fall of 1882 he again entered the service of the Pennsylvania railroad
company as Chief Engineer of the Pennsylvania Schuylkill Valley railroad,
and built the Piedmont and Cumberland railroad in 1886 and 1887. He was
appointed assistant to Mr. J. N. DuBarry, Second Vice President of the
Pennsylvania railroad company, in August, 1S8V), and, vx])on the death of
that officer, was appointed Engineer of Branch Lines.

In addition to the above positions he is a director of various companies
associated with the Pennsylvania system.

He was appointed Chief Engineer of the Southwestern and Atlantic rail-
road company, now the Norfolk and Porstmouth Belt Line railroad company,
and the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad company, on the 2Sth
of July, 1897.

Upon the recommendation of Mr. Frank Thomson, then President of the
Pennsylvania railroad company, he was appointed by the Secretary of War,
Consulting Engineer for the United States Government to examine into and
report tipon the transportation facilities in Cuba, which position he held from
October, 1898, to May, 1899.

The standing of Colonel Crawford as a civil engineer, and the confidence in
his superior ability, is shown Ity the great Pennsylvania Railroad company
in the fact that he has charge of all new lines constructed by that company
or in which that company is interested. He is chief engineer of the Monon-
ofahela River road and the Connellsville Central.

Robert W. Taylor, Jr., was b(.)rn in Muskegon, Michigan, July 4, 1872,
and is a son of R. W. and Josephine (ChoUette) Taylor. While he was yet
quite young his parents moved to Chicago and it was in the schools of that

J().sej)h C. ( ■. rooms 125

rity that lir received his early echieatidii. He afterwards took a coiirst' in
the Toledo (Ohio) Manual Trainint;- School and at Lal'^ivelte College, ]'2aston,
Pa.

After conii)leting his education he accepted a ])osition with the Lehigli
\'alley railroad as draftsman, where he remained from 1S',)4 to 1897. His
office was located at Delano, Pa. From 1S97 to IS'.)'.) he was assistant
engineer of the Cincinnati, Hamilton cK: Dayton railroad with headi [uartcrs
at Cincinnati. He then acccptctl the i)osition of assistant engineer in charge
of construction on the Lackawanna railroad with hcadfiuarters at Holx)ken,
N. J., where he remained till some time during 1900 when he went to the B. &
C). as assistant engineer with headijuarters at Baltimcjre. He remained here
till 1901 when he accepted his present position, that of assistant engineer of
the P. R. R. Mr. Taylor was engineer in charge of construction for the
Monongahela railroad and occupies the same position on the Connellsville
Central and deserves great credit for the excellent work done (m the Monon-
gahela railniad and on the Connellsville Central in and around the Three
Towns.

November 14, 1895. Mr. Taylor married Miss Sara B. Wenner, daughter of
Reuben and Elizabeth (Walton) Wenner. They ha\-e two children, Eliza-
beth and Evlyn A. Taylor.

While Mr. Taylor is yet a young man he stands high in railroad circles and
is rapidly winning his way to deserved prominence.

Joseph C. Grooms, the subject of this sketch, is one of our self-made men,
and it is with pleasure and justifiable pride that we include a short sketch
of his remarkably successful career among those of other prominent men of
the Three Towns. Perha])S no greater or more deserved mark of respect can
be shown Mr. Grooms than by quoting the following from the Pittsburgh
Press in its report of the grand opening and gala day held in Brownsville at
the formal opening of the Monongahela Railroad for traffic. Of that oc-
casion the Press says:

"The official in \vhom the citizens of Brownsville and Bridgeport felt
most greatly and directly interested, and whom they did their best to royally
entertain, was Joseph C. Grooms, the Land and Claim Agent of the Pitts-
btirgh & Lake Erie Company. Mr. Grooms is probably as well known in the
Monongahela Valley as any other railroad man. His biography is largely
a history of the construction of railroads in this \'alley, and having been
born and raised in Browns\'ille, the residents feel that the bringing of a
railroad to Brownsville, and through to points beyond, is largely the result
of Mr. Groom's jiersonal efforts."

He is a son of the late Dr. Jas. B. Grooms, and was l)orn at Carmichels,
Pa., March 7th, 1859, and came to Brownsville in bSIW;, where he entered the

126 Joseph C. Grooms

public schools, taking the full course, and afterwards attending the Eden-
btrrg State Norinal, and for several years taught in the public schools.

He got an early taste for business in selling newspapers Avhich at that time
were brought to Brownsville on the old packet lines, where he would get them
at four o'clock in the morning to be distributed among his various customers.
After this he was connected with numerous enterprises.

When the Pennsylvania Railroad was completed to West Brownsville in
1881, he went into the office under Mr. W. A. Coburn, as clerk. From this
position he was promoted to that of agent for the same company at East Eliza-
beth station, where he remained tmtil the McKeesport and Belle Vernon
Railroad was constructed.

This road did not do much business at first and had a hard struggle for
existence for a time. Mr. Grooms cultivated the acquaintance of the offi-
cials of this new road, and later, when they offered him the position of General
Passenger and Freight Agent, his friends thought it would be an injudicious
move for him to relinquish the opportunities for advancement with a great
system like the Pennsylvania for the not OA^er- brilliant prospects and pos-
sibilities of the new" road, but Mr. Grooms did not think so, and accepted the
position. As the titled official of a new road he soon came in contact with
other railroad officials, among them Col. J. M. Schoonmaker and ex-Judge
J. H. Reed. Their associations soon warmed into a friendship that has ever
since continued, and a short time afterwards, when the McKeesport & Belle
Vernon R. R. was taken over by the P. & L. E. R. R., Mr. Grooms was made
General Agent in the Monongahela and Youghiogheny Valleys of the latter
corporation, and in 1895 was appointed to the position of Land and Claim
Agent of that compan3% which office he still holds with credit, both to him-
self and the company.

When the Pittsburg and Lake Erie and the Pennsylvania, determined to
build the Monongahela railroad, Mr. Grooms was selected to purchase the
right of way through this section of the country and particularly through the
Three Towns. Owing to the vast amount of valuable property that had to
be botight, particularly throtigh the "Neck" in Brownsville and further
down the river, this was a Hurculean task, but no better man than Mr. Grooms
could have been found. It certainly speaks volumes for him to state the
fact that notwithstanding the extent and value of the property the railroad
had to have, up to the present time but one lawsuit has resulted. While
he is an affable and pleasant gentleman, he is active and ever alert to the
interests of the corporation he represents.

He is a thirty-second degree Mason, a Shriner, and a member of the M. E.
Church. He is also a director of the Fourth National Bank of Pittsbtirg.

In 1884 Mr. Grooms was married to Miss Jessie Ferguson, and they Avent
to hovisekeeping in West Elizabeth. He now lives in the Oakland district,
Pittsljurg, but has never forgotten his old friends nor the scenes of his early
days.

Mr. Grooms is not only popular with the people but stands high with the
officers of the P. & L. E. and in railroad circles generally.

George Dorsey — John l^rinire 127

George Dorsey is one of Washington (^ounty's most ]iromincnt and most
highly respected citizens. He was bnrn in ]iast BcthU'hcnn Townshi]), that
county, November 11, 1S33, and is a son of James and Elizabeth (Elder)
Dorsey who came to Washington Cotmty from Maryland in an early day.
His grandparents were both born near Elicastle City which is about twenty
miles from Baltimore, and came across the mountains and settled in Wash-
ington County in 17S2, Ideating on l.oOO acres nf land (a tomahawk claim)
375 acres of which Mr. 'Dorsey still owns.

Mr. Dorsey received his education ]irincipally in the West Brownsville
schools and has followed farming, stock-raising and trafficking in wool and
coal all his life except such time as he has devoted of late to railroading being
now one of the right-of-way men for the P. R. R., the Monongahela railroad
and the Connells\'ille Central. His sons now run the farm.

January 1, 1854, Mr. Dorsey married Miss Martha Phillips, a daughter of
Solomon and Mariah (Garrett) Phillips. To this tuiion there were born nine
children, six of whom died in infancy. The living are Mariah Elizabeth,
now the wife of W. S. Grimes who resides in East Pike Run Township, Wash-
ington County, Pa,.Cashius A. and Charles I., who as before stated now live
upon and run the home farm. The two sons married sisters, daughters of
Mr. and Mrs. John Watkins.

John Ermire, the present efficient superintendent of the Monongahela
railroad, with -headquarters in Brownsville, is a native of Pennsylvania and
was born in Wilmore, Cambria County. He is a son of Peter and Mary
(O'Neil ) Ermire, and was educated in the jiublic schools of his native borough.
He early evinced a taste for railroading and at the age of twelve years, learned
telegraphy at the station of his home town. He held his first y)osition where
he had learned the business, in 1S72. Stibscqucntly he held the position of
operator at Johnstown, Irwin, Derry vStation and was ])romoted to yard-
master on the P., V. & C. at Thompson, in October, ISSo.

The next position to which Mr. Ermire was called was that of yardmaster
and assistant trainmaster of the Sotithwestern Pennsyh^ania railroad at
TJniontown being later pi'omoted to train dispatcher on the Pennsylvania
railroad at Altoona. July 1, 1900, he was again promoted, this time being
inade assistant trainmaster of the Monongahela di\-ision of the P. R. R.
(South Side) , later coming to West Brownsville.

When the Monongahela railroad was opened tip for traffic, without any
I'xpectation on his part or any effort for such a consummation. Col. J. M.
Schoonmaker, President of the road, tendered him the position of Super-
intendent of the new road, Avhich he accepted. The position was tendered
Mr. Ermire by Colonel Schoonmaker, as a surprise, he having arranged the
whole matter with the other officers of the P. R. R. at Philadelphia. It was a
merited mark of appro\-al and one of which Mr. Ermire may well feel proud.

Some years ago Mr. Ermire was married to Miss Mary Moran, daughter of
Captain John and Ellen (Owens) Moran of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania.
In August, HH)2 thev moved to Brownsville where thev still reside.

128 Harry W. Shank — W. A. Coburn

Harry W. Shank was born at Renova, Centre County. Pennsylvania,
February 17. 1S75 and is a son of Jacob and Annie E.(lrvin) Shank. He
received his early education in the Eagleville and Beech Creek schools and
afterwards took a course ni ci\-il engineering in the International Correspond-
ence schools, at Scran ton. Pa.

In 1891 he accepted a position as telegraph operator on the Beech Creek
railroad where he remained till 1893 when he went to the Monongahela
Division of the P. R. R. In 1899 he was promoted to train dispatcher on
the same road, which position he tilled in the most satisfactory manner till
1903 when he was given the position of trainmaster on the Monongahela
railroad with headquarters at Brownsville.

Mr. Shank is a popular young man, in railroad as well as in social circles
and no doubt has a brilliant career before him. Atigust \r>, 1897, he married
Miss .Clara M. Hayes, a popular and accompUshed young lady of Pittsburg.
They have one child, a little daughter, Edna, and reside in Bridgeport, Pa.

W. A. CoBV-RX who is at present and has for many years been station agent
of the P., V. & C. at AYest Brownsville, was born in Monroe, Pennsylvania,
Augvist 24, 1849, bvit his parents moved to Bridgeport when he was quite
small and it was here that he received his education under such teachers as
Gibbons, Langdon and Horner who were considered the best and most pro-
gressive teachers of their day. He is a son of Gary D. and Phoebe (Ran-
dolph) Coburn. For some time he conducted a mercantile business in the
building that is now the P., V. &' C. Railroad depot.

Mr. Coburn learned the cabinetmaking trade tmder Isaac Stevens in
Frankfort Springs, Pennsylvania, and contintted in that business for seven
years when he returned to Brownsville and again entered the mercantile
business having a shoe store in the " Neck. " In connection with this he also
handled the business for the Adams Express Company.

In 1880 he accepted a position with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
as express messenger and to handle the freight between Belle Vernon and
Brownsville. This was before there was any passenger traffic opened up on
the road. May 1 5, 1881 he was appointed station agent at West Brownsville,
which position he has continuously held since then. He was also for a time
in charge of the scales of the P., V. & C. at West Brownsville Junction.

About twenty-three years ago he married Miss Martha B. Porter a daughter
of Elias and Margaret (Kclley) Porter of Rostraver Township, Westmoreland
County, Pennsylvania. They now reside in Bridgeport.

C. S. Pringle is a son of J. S. and Sarah Ellen (Snider) Pringle and was
born in West Brownsville, Washington Coimty, Pa.. July 10, 1864, and
educated in the West Brownsville schools which at that time were under the
efficient management of Prof. E. W. Dalbey and were efjual to any high school
in the Monongahela valley.

C. vS. Pringle 129

After com])lcting his edvication, Mr. Pringle went to -work in his father's
lioat yards in West Browns\-ille, w liere lie eon tinned for three years. He
then worked at the same business for Axton & Pringle when the ])artnershi])
was formed by Pringle and Axton, after which he commenced working for
the P. R. R. first taking a position on the construction train. When that train
was taken off the road, he returned to the boat yards where he remained
some time and then accepted the position of warehouseman at the West
Browns\'ille station of the P. R. R. or what is more familiarl}- known as the
P., \'. & C assuniing the duties of that ]:)osition in Deceml.)er, 1SS(S. He
continued in this position till July (i, lUOo when he was ap])ointed agent at
the Union station, Browns\'ille \\diere he is joint agent for the P., V. & C, the
P. & L. P". and the Monongahela raih^oad.

Mr. Pringle is not only popular in railroad circles l)Ut in church and lodge
as well. He has been an active and consistent luember of the Cumberland
Presbyterian church since 1879 and a member of the choir for the last twenty-
one years. He is a niember of the Royal Arcanum, the B. P. O. E., the Jr.
O. U. A. M., the K. of P. and the Modern Woodmen of America.

November 20, 1895 he married Miss Elizabeth E. Duerner, a daughter of
William and Mary (Stoll) Duerner of Titusville, Crawford County, Pennsyl-
^■ania. They have no children.

k='i3tj=iiii;^

^.rjr

HON. JAMEvS G. BLAINE.

Horn at West IJrownsville, Wasliiiigtoii Comil.v. Pa., .Iamiar\' M, 1S30.

History of the Three Towns

Location and Description — Early Settlers and Business Men — Steam-
boat AND Keel-Boat Building — History of the Old Wooden Bridge
— The Monongahela National Bank — Newspaper Enterprises —
Long List of Pioneer Manufacturing Industries — Biography and
Pictures of Many Prominent Citizens in the Past and Present —
History of the Distilling Business — First and Present Borough
Officials With Biography and Pictures — Large Map of the Three
Towns — Interesting Reminiscences.

SKETCH OF THE THREE TOWNS.

Nestled among the hills of Fayette County, on the banks of the historic Mo-
nongahela river, Brownsville on the one side of the no less historic Nemacolin
creek (now called Dunlap's creek) and Bridgeport on the other side, and
close to the banks of the Monongahela river on the Washington County side.
West Brownsville, are the three towns that have come to be known far beyond
their own -environments as the Three Towns. So closely are they connected
and so inseparable are their interests that whatever degree of prosperity
comes to the one is shared by the others. The main street of Brownsville
is the main street of Bridgeport, the connecting link between them being
the iron bridge across Nemacolin creek, that was bviilt by the government
in 183(5 under the super\-ision of Gen. G. W. Cass. The castings of this
bridge were made from iron ftirnished by the go\-ernment, at the Vulcan
Iron and Steel Works first established in 1S24 by John Snowden, Jr. Prior
to this there had been several bridges across this creek, the lurst one being
carried away by the great flood of 1808. The next bridge of which we have
any account, was a chain bridge that went down under a heavily loaded
wagon and fotir horses, in March, 1820, which was about the time the National
Road was completed. The contract for another bridge was then let to Samuel
Story of Bridgeport, and the plans for it were drawn by Solomon G. Krepps.
This Inidge was finished in 1821.

EARLY SETTLERS AND BUSINESS MEN.

Among the early settlers of the Three Towns, particularly those who were
in business, maj' be noted the naines of some whose descendants are still
here, though many of them have entirely disappeared. We name a few of
the most prominent.

Jacob Bowman who, by the way was postmaster in Brownsville for thirty-
four years from the time it opened, William Hogg, Geo. Hogg. Adam Jacobs,
John Snowden, Henry Switzer, Henry J. Rigden, Nathan Chalfant, Chad
Chalfant, Robert Clarke, George Kinnear, Thos. McKibben, Elijah Clarke,

rXlTKD STATES SENATOR, PHILANDER C. KNOX.

ISoni at Brownsville. Fa.\ettt- County, Pa.

Steamboat and Keel- Boat Buildintf 133

William Crawford, Valentine Giesey, George (iraff, George Johnston, Eli
-Vbranis, (leorge Dawson, James W. Jefferies, C. L. Snowden, Samnel Steele,
Dr. C\ C. Richard, George W. I'V-ar, T. S. Wright, Mrs. Jani' Ferguson, Cajn.
]\1. G. Corey, Dr. J. A. Huston, Ca].t. M. A. Cox, J. G. Sanl'nrth, J. Wallace,
A. M. Thompson, Capt. A. C. Cock. (leorge W. Jones, Ca])t. A. li. Gaskill,
James Risbeck, James S. Bench, Edward Herd, Iv Chanilierlain, E'^rank
Long, C. L. Gummert. M. D., Jacob Mark, C. P. Acklin. K. J. Shui)e, Thos. N.
Gmnmert, Fred S. Chalfant, John N. Honesty. R. \\ Hatfield, Wm. H.
LeClcre, A. A. Carmack, Dr. U. L. Clemmer, W. H. Bulger, R. R. Bulger,
C. Watkins, J. M. Bowell, William Chatland, George AV. Lenhart, Isaac L.
Burd, Capt. J. L. Hendrickson, S. A. Phillips. G. S. Moorhead, E. Kaiser,
Wm. B. Burd, W. Carlyle, John Herbertson, Judge Thomas Duncan, I). O.
Allen, Samuel Thompson, W. H. Hiller, Patrick Watson, S. J. Adams, Robt.
Buffington, John Allison, S. Voorhes, G. L. Moore, G. W. Springer, (). R,
Knight, Neal Gillespie, Ephraim Blaine, John S. Pringle, J. D. S. Pringle,
James Moffitt, Samuel Adams, Richard Watkins, Joseph Smith, Patrick
Gormley, Morris Russell, Jacob Bennett, Dvmcan Campbell, Frank Dawson,
Thos. Aubrey, Oliver C. Cromlow, E. N. Coon, Rcibert McKinley, J. D.
Woodfill, H. D. Porter, J. U. Elwood, George Wheatley, J. T. Burton,
Grant Siverd, H. B. Baker.

Among the physicians of long ago, we iind, Drs Jesse Pennel, H. W. Stoy,
Thos. G. Lamb, Caleb Bracken, Abraham Stanley, Matthew Oliver Jones,
Charles Hubbs, W. G. Hubbs, J. A. Hubbs, William Stevens Duncan, J. B.
Grooms, J. W. Worrell.

Some of the above have gone hence and cast their lots with other peo])le
while others have gone to that bourne from which no traveler ever returns.

Elsewhere in this work will be found more extended mention of many in
the above list and of others who have come vipon the scene in later years and
are still actively engaged in business or with their professional duties.

STEAMBOAT AND KEEL-BOAT BUILDING.

As the Three To\\-ns was for a long time the head of slack-water navigation
and the jiioneer p)oint in l;)oat bixilding west of the Allegheny mountains, we
deem this subject worthy of considerable space. It is here that the first
steamboats that ever navigated the Monongahela and Ohio rivers, were built,
as well as many noted and historic craft that followed the " Enterjwise" and
the "Dispatch," and here it was that hundreds of fiat and keel boats were
built for the vast army of ])eoi)]e who came through o\-er the ])rimiti\'e ]iaths
from Wills Creek (now Cumberland) and later over the National Pike, on
their way to Kentucky, Ohio and the West and South, and who invariably
stopped here, bought or built boats to carry their families and household
goods as well as other merchandise and farming im]>lements, to their desti-
nation.

In consequence of the vast importance of the boat-building industry of
this place, which is to this day still of no small import, we f[uote the following
from Ellis' Historv of Favette Countv:

134

Daniel French's Enterprises

steamer Columbia on Monongahela River

DANIEL FRENCH'S ENTERPRLSES.

"About 1811 Daniel French came from Philadelphia to Bridgeport, 'with
big schemes of manufactmnng, steamboat building and navigating western
waters. ' Some of the most influential and well-to-do citizens of Bridgeport,
Brownsville and vicinity became so impressed with the apparent feasibility
of his projects that they subscribed liberally to the stock of two companies
which were formed, one for manufacturing, and the other for the building
and running of steamboats.

THE ENTERPRISE AND DISPATCH.

"The latter company commenced operations withovit much delay, building
two steamboats, the 'Enterprise,' and the 'Dispatch.' The former was
built under the supervision of Israel Gregg, Henry M. Shreve, and Daniel
French, on the bank of the river above Dunlap's Creek where Gregg, the next
year, built the warehouse which afterward came into possession of the borough.
The ' Dispatch ' was built on the spot where the ' Monument Mills' of Mason,
Rogers & Co., was afterwards built (now the 'Eclipse Mills 'V The engines

PROiNlINKNT STEAMBOAT CAPTAINS.

Capt. Adam Jacobs. Dec'd. Capt. Isaac C. Woodward, Dec'd.

Capt. M. A. Cox, Dec'd.
Capf. I.saac M. Mason. Capt. Adam Jacobs, Jr.

136 First Steamer Between Pittsburg and New Orleans

of both the 'Entcqn-ise' and the 'Dispatch' were bnilt by Daniel French.
The career of the former boat is thus mentioned in the iovirnal of Mr. Robert
Rogers :

FIRST STEAMER BETWEEN PITTSBURG AND NEW ORLEANS.

"In 1814 the larger of the two boats (the Enterprise) was sent to New-
Orleans with Henry M. Shreve as captain. She arrived there when General
Jackson's army was there, and was pressed into government service to carry
troops and stores and contintied to do so till the close of the war. Then
Shreve started with her to Pittsburg with considerable money, but on the
way up the boat was robbed (so he said) of all her money. She finally ar-
rived at Pittsburg.and the company got possession of her again. Then they
employed Israel Gregg as captain. He ran her for a time, but made no
monev though freight and passage was high. The company then chartered
her to James Tomlinson who put his son-in-law, Daniel Worley, on as her
captain, but he made no money, and let the boat sink a short distance below
the fahs of the Ohio, so the company lost both the money and the charter.
The 'Enterprise' of Bridgeport, was the first steamer that ever made the trip
from Pittsbiirg to New Orleans and return.

ROBERT ROGERS' DESCRIPTION OF THE DISPATCH'S TRIP.

"The company's other boat, the 'Dispatch, ' is described by Mr. Rogers who
was employed on board of her in her first trip down the river, as follows:

"Our engine was on the low-pressure principle, codensing the steam, and
the fires were made inside the boilers. We had two boilers laid on the
bottom of the boat. She was open hull, and was SO feet keel and 11 feet
beam. The water wheel was only eight feet in diameter, and worked inside
the boat, the rudder being aft of it. * * * * I was second engineer
with Israel Gregg as captain. The boat started on her trip in December,
1815. Part of the load was taken on at Brigdeport, and this having been
done, it was announced that she would take her departure the next morning;
but no watchman was kept on board and during the night the river fell, so
that her bow grounded at the bank and her stern sank and filled, so that
several days more elapsed before she could be raised and made ready again.
This was finally accomplished and she proceeded down the river without
further accident, to Pittsburg where she remained a few days and then went
on down the Ohio.

ICEBOUND FOR TWO WEEKS.

"At the mouth of Big Beaver the river was fiUed with fioating ice and a
furious gale sprvmg up, which obliged Captain Gregg to tie up to the shore,
with the intention of only remaining till the next morning, but as the river
I'cll rapidly during the night, he was compelled to stay there for about two
weeks. At the end of that time the ice disap]ieared, the weather became

S M

G rt C O I C ?^ K

til ^ s .^ o

138 Whole Winter on the River

good and the 'Dispatch' proceeded down the river, but struck on the bar at
WheeHng, on the island side, and having no 'niggers' on board (says Rogers)
'we were compelled to jump into the river, full of floating ice as it was, and
pry her off with rails. ' From there no accident occurred till the boat reached
Walker's bar, below Cincinnati, and there she stuck fast and remained for
two weeks before the river rose sufficiently to float her off.' ' Mr. Rogers
proceeds: 'At Louisville, Captain Gregg left the boat, leaving the engineer
in command. I then became first engineer, and had to clerk as well as act
as steward, there being none on board. Passing from the Ohio into the
Mississippi, the boat's company frec^uently saw Indians who came down to
the river bank and sold them venison. For fear of these savages they dared
not run at night but laid up and employed the hours of darkness in cutting
wood for the next day's fticl, as there was then no wood for sale along the river.

WHOLE WINTER ON THE RIVER.

Thus the entire winter was passed on the river, and early in the spring of
1816, the "Dispatch" arrived at New Orleans. There she was boarded by
Edward Livingston, United States marshal for that district, who notified
the engineer in charge that he, Livingston, and Robert Fulton, had the ex-
clusive right to navigate the waters of Louisiana with steamboats, and they
would not iiermit that right to be infringed. But the master of the "Dis-
patch' ' pleaded ignorance of that fact, and promised to leave Louisiana and
not return, upon which he was permitted to depart with the boat without
prosecution.

But it appears that they did not live up to the agreement, for the journal
says they then took in freight and passengers and started for Alexandria at
the rapids of the Red River, whence after discharging, they started on the
return trip to Pittsburg. The boat was small and weak and so made slow
progress against the current of the Mississippi, though soiiae advantage was
gained by her light draft of water, on which account she "covild run close
inshore and around the willow banks." Arriving at the falls of the Ohio,
the water was fotmd to be low, so that the boat was hauled by a slow and
laborious process, up the rapids close in to the Kentucky shore.

"It was late in the summer," says the journal, "when we arrived at Pitts-
burg, and our trip being so long in making, we did not save any money. I
acted as clerk and first engineer on the trip from Louisville to New Orleans
and back to Pittsburg. On the whole route from New Orleans to Pittsburg, we
were not passed by a steamboat, nor did we meet a boat on^the Ohio. There
w^ere then in existence the following boats: New Orleans, Aetna, Vesuvius,
and Buffalo, on the Mississippi river. I do not remember of seeing any on
the Ohio.' ' And in writing of the trip he made two years later (1818) down
the Monongahela and Ohio, on a flatboat, Mr. Rogers says, ' I saw no steamboat
from the time 1 left Brownsville till I reached Louisville.'

140 History of the Reindeer

HISTORY OF THE REINDEER.

"In 1825, Robert Rogers, Cephas Gregg, Abram Kimber and others, built
the steamboat 'Reindeer. ' She was built in John Cock's boat yard, a short
distance above where Mason, Rogers &' Co.'s flouring mill then stood (now
the Eclipse mill), and was launched on Christmas day in the year named.
Upon her completion she was placed tinder command of Capt. Abram Kimber,
and ran for some years on the Ohio, between Pittsburg and Louisville, Ky.

KEEL-BOAT BUILDING.

About 1826, Abel Cofhn and Michael Miller commenced the building of
keel boats in Bridge]:)ort, on an extended scale, and an almost incredible
number of them were turned out by these builders. John Cock also built a
large number of them, and he as well as Coffin and Miller, btiilt some
steamboats. In 1827, Mr. Cock built for James May of Pittsburg, the two
Ohio river steamers, "Erie" and "Shamrock." Coffin and Miller built the
"Reindeer" (second of that name), the "Mountaineer,'' the "Cham]non"
(Capt. Thomas Sloan ), and many others.' '

PRINGLE'S FLAT-BOTTOM BOATS.

Boat building at this place reached its zenith, however, under John S.
Pringle, father of J. D. S. Pringle, who came here from Bedford County in
1826. He first worked for Joseph Allen. The first steamboat on which he
worked was the "Highlander," built by Robert Rogers, opposite the saw-
mill on Water street, Bridgeport. John Herbertson also worked on the
same boat. In the early part of 1828, John S. Pringle built a flat-bottom
boat for Robert Rogers and Samuel Clark, called the "Visitor," which ran
the following suinmer from Pittsburg to Louisville, and made a remarkable
success, earning $2,000 more than her entire cost during that one season, and
was then sold at $2,000 advance on her entire cost. The success of this boat
caused the building of others of similar construction by Mr. Pringle. He
then established a boat yard in West Bro\\ns\-ine. There he built a great
number of steamers and other river craft, and continued in the business at
that place until 1843 after which he purchased from Ephraim Blaine, father
of the Hon. James G. Blaine, in West Brownsville, a large tract of land in-
cluding his residence and sawmill, and established thereon the boat yard
that he ran so many years with such phenomenal success. It is estimated
that during his time Mr. Pringle built on both sides of the Monongahela river
more than five hundred steamboats besides a great number of barges and
other craft. The largest boat ever built by him was the "Illinois." This
boat was 380 feet long and 72 feet beam. She was floated down the river on
high water, to Pittsburg where her engines were placed aboard. Mr. Pringle
also built the first towboat that ever plied on the Monongahela river. She
was named the "Coal Hill."

Vl'Tl'RAN P.()AT r.riLDKRS OF THIv MONoNCAIII'.LA VALLEY

Joliii I'rinylt

Aiuluw Axtini,

FOUNDERvS OF HAMBURGER AND THOMPSON DLSTn.LF;RIF:S

Geo. W. Jones. Samuel Thompson.

142

The Prin^le Boat Buildint; Co.

(Md Prill gle Boat Yard

THE PRINGLE BOAT-BUILDING CO.

In 18G4 Mr. Pringle admitted W. W. AuU to partnership and in the follow-
ing year the Pringle Boat-Building Company was organized. The members of
this company were, John Wilkinson, James Storer, John S. Gray, James H.
Gray, William Patterson, John Starr, A. K. McKee, A. J. Smalley, A. S. Starr,
James Blair, U. G. M. Perrin, Joseph Weaver, James Patterson, A. C. Axton ,
E. F. Wise, Danier French, John Wiegel, Henry Minks, Robert Huston, Geo.
McClain, Wm. Gray, Finley Patterson, John S. Pringle, and J. D. S. Pringle,
the latter two being the principal parties to the organization. Three years
later, John S. Pringle bought ottt the company. January 1, 1879, John S.
Pringle retired from the btisiness and was succeeded by his son, J. D. S.
Pringle and his son-in-law, C. Axton. On the first day of January, 1883,
J. D. S. Pringle bovtght out his brother-in-law, Mr. Axton and became sole
proprietor.

COCK & LENHART, BOAT BUILDERS.

Another boat yard was established in West Brownsville in 1848, by John
Cock and Leonard Lcnhart. This they operated successfully for twelve
years. At the end of this time T. F. Cock and D. D. Williams took charge

;2 1^ 0)

144

Herbertson & Co. 's Foundry and Machine Shops

Thos. Faull's Steam Engriiie

of it and ran it for four years. J. M. Htitchinson and T. C. S. Williams
then bought the yard and conducted it for about five years when they sold
out to H. B. Cock & Co. They continvied the business till 1875 when the
yard was discontinued.

THE HERBERTSON & COMPANY FOUNDRY AND MACHINE SHOPS.

The foundry and machine shops of Herbertson & Co., was established in
1838 by John Herbertson and Thomas Faull, Mr. Herbertson having been the
superintendent of Snowden's foundry when the castings were made for the
Dunlap's Creek bridge. In 1842 the partnership between Herbertson and
Faull was dissolved, Mr. Herberston continuing the business. The establish-
ment w'as at first a small one compared with wdiat it is now. Almost every
year since then new departments, new machinery and more space has been
added, till now the business is one of gigantic proportions. It is still conducted
by William H. and George S. Herbertson, under the lirm name of J. Herbert-
son's Sons.

THE VULCAN IRON AND MACHINE WORKS.

One of the most important, if not the most important manufacturing
establishments in Brownsville in the eai^ly days, was the foundry, forge,

VKTERAN KNGINK BUILDKRS AND MACHINISTS.

J. Nelson Snowdon.
Thos. Faull.

John Snowdon.
John Herbert.son.

146 Vulcan Iron and Machine Works

rolling mill and machine shop of Capt. John Snowdon known as the Vulcan
Iron and Machine Works. It was located on Water street where the Connells-
ville Central R. R. is now cutting through the hill across Market and Front
streets for its tracks. In consideration of the many descendents of Capt.
John Snowdon, who are still prominent citizens of Brownsville, an extended
notice of this industry that did so much for Brownsville, may not be con-
sidered out of order.

John Snowdon came to Brownsville from Yorkshire, England, in 1818,
bringing with him his wife and two children. He was a blacksmith by trade
and a man of stiperior ability. He commenced work at his trade for John
Weaver at one dollar a day which was more than was being paid to any
blacksmith in Brownsville at that time. One of the first things he did outside
of his regtilar work in the shop, was to make a stove or what was called an
English oven for George Hogg. This work not only proved so satisfactory
that he received orders for several more stoves but served to show Mr. Hogg
who was a man of means, that Mr. Snowdon was more than an ordinary
workman and ]>rompted him to furnish him with the means for starting a
shop of his own which in time grew to the magnificent proportions herein-
after described.

The principal building was of brick, two stories high and 150x50 feet.
This was used as a finishing shop. It was admirably constructed with a
view to the convenience of the workmen and facilitating the work. Its
two floors were the full size of the building and well lighted. These rooms
were filled with the best machinery then known for the work, among which
:nay be named 19 turning lathes, six planing mills, four boring machines, and
eight drill presses. On the lower floor were ten blacksmith forges with all their
necessary ecjuipmcnts, such as cranes steam forge hammers etc. The foundry
adjoined the machine shop and was connected with it. It was 50x50 feet
and equipped with two cupolas with a capacity of twelve tons each and was
fitted out with all the other appliances of a first-class foundry. Adjoining
the latter was the pattern shop 60x40 feet, two stories high. These three
buildings were of brick and virtually formed one building two stories high, 230
feet long and with the exception of the pattern shop, 50 feet wide. In the rear
of these buildings was the rolling mill and forge in a building 180x50 feet, one
story high. The rolling mill was equipped with six pairs of rolls, two pvtddling
furnaces, two heating furnaces, one spike and one rivet machine, and turned
out about 600 tons of bar iron yearly. The forge was supplied with the ustial
appliances for bloom making. The boiler yard was also well equipped for
the rapid execution of work. The machinery of this whole establishment
was propelled by four steam engines, one with a five-inch bore, one 12 inches,
one 14 inches and the other 20 inches (stroke not given).

The entire cost of the plant was about .1125,000 and the annual product
was valued at about $150,000. A hardware or iron store was also run in
connection with the works at which the products were sold. For many
years there were employed regularly about two hundred men in these shops.
Here were made annually the engines and all other machinery for about
fifteen steamboats and as many other engines.

¥•5

Snowdon Machine Shops and Two ( am boats

built by Snowdon's duriiiR the War.

for the Goveniinent.

148 The French Cotton and Woolen Mills

At these shops Mr. Snowdon built the engines and all the other ironwork
for steamers for Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Michigan, California and
many other states. He also built boats to run on the Rio Grande, for the
government, during the Mexican war as well as two gunboats for the gover-
ment during the Rebellion, though we understand the latter two were built
at his shops in Pittsburg where he had a plant of about the same capacity
as the Brownsville plant. He built the tii"st steamboat that ever ran on
the Sacramento river and as has been stated before, built the iron bridge
across Dunlap's Creek which was the first iron bridge built in America and
which is still standing seemingly as solid as adamant. The old metal niile-
posts that may yet be seen at a .ew places along what was once the National
Pike, were made by Mr. Snowdon in this shop.

Capt. John Snowdon was e\-er mindful of the welfare of those whom he
employed, was liberal in giving to all worthy individuals or causes, and there
was not in him a drop of penurious blood. Starting as he did in 1818 without
a dollar, by persistent application, gttided by phenomenal wisdom and
guarded by prudence, in 18G7 he had accumtilated an independent fortune and
this, too, in spite of the fact that in 1S41 he lest more than $40,000 by the
bankrupt law; that in IS.jo his entire plant including machinery, patterns
and stock was totally destroyed Ijy tire entailing a loss of over 180,000 with
but $5,000 insvirance, and that he lost over .fL'5,000 during the Rebellion Ijy
the failure of contractors in consequence of the war.

Captain Snowdon was an F. and A. M. for many years before his death.
In 1816 he married Miss Mary Smith and to them were born the following
Children: Ann who afterwards became the wife of Adam Jacobs, of Browns-
ville; Elizabeth, wife of Walter Smith of Cincinnati, Ohio; Samuel S. of St,
Louis, Mo.; I. W. S. of Brownsville; and Sarah M. wife of 1. H. Roberts,
Allegheny, Pa. Towards the latter part of his business career, his two sons
engaged in bttsiness with him. He died at Brownsville, Januaiw 25, 1875,
but the history of his life, his labors and his triumphs, will be read and held
up as an incentixe to indvistry and perseverance for many generations yet
unborn .

THE FRENCH COTTON AND WOOLEN MILLS.

It was also about the year is 11 that Daniel French of whom mention is
made elsewhere in this volume, came here and organized a company lor
manutacturing various articles among them cotton yarn, woolen yarn and the
like. We have been unable to learn the exact date when the building Avas
commenced or finished but the following advertisement of the manager, that
appeared in a newspaper (Pittsburg paper) under date of Augtist 15, 1814,
shows that it was about completed at that time. The advertisement an-
nounces to the public that "the factory is nearly ready to go into operation,
which will be drove by steam, where we intend keeping a constant supply of
cotton yarn of various descriptions, which we will sell at the most reduced
prices. And, in addition to the above we have two new wool carding machines
with first-rate cards, and having engaged an experienced carder, we hope.

150 The First Glass Plant

from our detcrniined intentions, to do our work with neatness and dispatch,
and at the usual prices, to merit a share of the patronage. (Signed) Enos
Grave, Manager of the Company."

The incorporators of this company were John Krepps, James Tomlinson,
Elisha D. Hunt, William Grififith, John McClure Hezlip, Morris Truman and
Enos Grave. The factory was not a success from a financial standpoint and
was afterwards used as a carriage factory. It was eventually destroyed by
fire.

THE FIRST GLASS PLANT.

In ISll, John Troth, Henry Minehart, Isaac Van Hook and others,
formed a stock company and erected the first glass plant in Bridgeport. The
manufacture of glass was continued here for a period of about thirty years
with varied success. The site of this glass plant was afterwards occupied
by the John Hopkins distillery.

GEO. HOGG GLASS WORKS.

Between the. Vulcan Iron and Machine Works and the brewery, was the
Brownsville Glass Works started in 1827 by George Hogg. The works ran
IS pots, employed about 100 people and turned out anntially about 20,000
boxes of the various grades of window glass. The last vestige of this
plant was removed by Kelley & Crosson, contractors, in building the
Monongahcla railroad in 1902.

ANOTHER GLASS FACTORY.

In the year 1828, George Hogg & Co. bixilt a glass factory and ran it about
a year when they sold it to John Taylor & Co., the members of which companj-
werc John Taylor and Edward Campbell. Taylor sold out to William Camp-
bell and the firm name became E. Campbell & Co. E. Campbell sold out to
Robert Forsythe and the name of the firm was again changed to Campbell &
Forsythe. They sold out to Gue & Gabler who ran the plant for several
years when it was sold out by the sheriff. It then fell into the hands of the
original owners, George Hogg & Co. It was then started again by a co-
operative firm styled Burke, Sedgwick & Co,. but after running it several
years they failed. Carter, Hogg & Co. then took a turn at it but without
success. Benedict Kimber was the next to take it up and at first made some
money out of it but he embarked in the steamboat business', and taking charge
of the boat he had botight, he left the glass factory in the hands of other
parties to manage for him. He took the cholera while on the Illinois river
and died and the glass factory again went to the wall Haught, Swearer &
Co., then bought the property and started an eight-pot factory, but they
failed in a year or two, and Robert Rogers bought the property. He leased it
to P. & I. Swearer who ran it a while and failed. They finally started it up
again and made a success of it. Finally, in 18(34, George W. Wells bought the

152

The Culbertson & Rowe Foiindrv

Peoples Coal Company's Works, lirownsville

property and increased the capacity to eight pots and later to ten. He was
doing a good business until the panic of 1S73 caused him to lose money and
he sold it to Schmertz & Quimby who ran it for some time when it again
changed hands. It was then run by different parties tintil abotit five or six
years ago when it was closed down and has not been started up since. The
Monongahela Railroad finally wiped it off the face of the map.

THE CULBERTSOX &- ROWE FOUNDRY.

John Krep]is and a numl)er of other men started a foundry about 1S27.
William Cock was foreman in this foundry for a time, and afterwards ran
it for himself. It was then rented to Culbertson & Rowe and next to John
Snowdon who had taken the contract for making the castings for the iron
bridge across Dunlap's Creek. As noted elsewhere, the government furnished
the metal and Mr. Snowdon made the castings

THE FRENCH MACHINE SHOPS.

The first machine shop in Bridgeport was also established by Daniel
French. In this shop the engines for the " Enterprise" and the " Dispatch, "

g .5 ° T

154 The Thomas Faiill Foundry

were built. Mr. French was also the inventor of the oscillating cylinder
for steam engines. He left here about 1820, going to Jcffersonville, Indiana
where he and his sons engaged in boat building.

THE THOMAS FAULL FOUNDRY.

Thomas FauU, after severing his connection with the firm of Hcrbcrtson &
Faull, established a foundry on Water Street above the Montiment Mills
(now the Eclipse Mills) . He was succeeded by his son.

THE REESE CADWALLADER MILL.

In the latter j.iart of the ISth century, Reese Cadwallader built a mill on
Dunlap's Creek, a short distance above Bridgeport, or rather where Bridge-
port now stands, and on the site of this mill the Prospect Mill was built. This
mill was at one time owned Ijy Rogers & Truman and was sold by them to
William Miller. It is now the property of George Wolford.

THE VALLEY MILLS.

A short distance above the last-named mill, there was another known as
the Valley mill. This was built in 1834 by Samuel G. Krepps who operated
it for many years. It was sold to Eli Leonard who ran it for about ten years.

THE KREPPS & CARTER PAPER MILLS.

Solomon G. Krepps and Zephaniah Carter built a paper mill on Water
Street and put it into operation in 1832. Mr. Krepps died shortly after the
mill started and his interest was sold to Robert Clarke. This paper mill
continued in operation for many years, and was then, in 1857, sold to Mason,
Rogers & Co., who converted it into a flour mill. This flour mill is now
owned and operated by the Eclipse Milling Co.

THE LANNING PLANING MILLS.

The "Steam Planing Mill, Cabinet and Chair Factory," of W. H. Lanning,
was located in "The Neck," opposite the Monongahela House, and did an
extensive business.

THE SHOE INDUSTRY.

Shoes were extensively manufactured in Brownsville in the early days.
They were of course made by hand as there was but little known then of the
present method of manufacturing shoes.

b '■*■• >

« 3 -; 1^

jL( X >

0( - g

ii c P r:

156 The First Brewery

FIRST BREWERY.

Not far below the Vulcan Iron and Machine Works along in 1825, there
stood a brewery. It was an irregular rambling mass of buildings but in the
whole contained all the departments of a first-class brewery at that daj\
In 1857 this plant was enlarged by Teece & Toynbee and still more thoroughly
equipped for the business. This brewery used from 40,000 to 45,000
bushels of barley each year. It had two steep tubs of 118 barrels capacity
each, the one perhaps of a little less capacity. They made all the varieties
of ale, beer and porter and had a good sale for their brew. One of their
brands, the " Star Ale, " was a favorite and had a wide repvitation.

THE BROWNSVILLE AGRICULTURAL WORKS.

The Brownsville Agricultural Works were not in Brownsville but in
Bridgeport, and were conducted by Carver, Wood & Crawford. They
manufactured thrashing machines that at that age were of course run by
horse power, cleaners, separators, corn shellers, cutters, cultivators, fanning
mills, double and single shovel plows, horserakcs, and other agrictiltural
implements. In connection with this they ran a jilaning mill and sash
factory.

The Bridgeport Agriculttiral Works, conducted by Aaron Bronson, also
manufactured all kinds of agricultural implements.

THE HARVEY LEONARD SAWMILL.

Harvey Leonard had a sawmill on Dunlap's Creek above the Valley Mill
and near the borough line. It seems, however, that prior to this (about
1814) Jonah Cadwallader had a sawmill on the same site, and the water both
for the Valley Mill and the sawmill of Harvey Leonard, was for years taken
from the creek at the same ]5lace where Reese Cadwallader had built his mill
inany years before.

The sawmill of Gibbons, Wood & Crumlow, on Water Street, was m its
day a very important industry.

THE TRUMAN STEEL MILLS.

About the year ISll, Morris Truman and his three sons, Morris, Jr.,
Joseph and James, came to Bridgeport, from Philadelphia, and built and
put in operation, works for the manufacture of steel. Afterwards they also
built a machine shop where steam engines were built. They also manufac-
tured the best of steel for edged tools and the like.

THE RIVER COAL COMPANY.

Of all the gigantic coal mines or plants along the Monongahela river, there
is no gainsaying the fact that the River Coal Company's new plant located

< X a '>

158 The River Coal Company

just up the Monongahela river from Bridgeport, leads them all, or Avill as
soon as it is completed.

This company has 1,600 acres in one body and is now erecting a plant that
will employ between 500 and 000 men and turn out about 8.600 tons of coal
per day.

Work was coinmenced last fall and is being pushed as fast as money and
men can push it. One slope 322 feet through the rock, for manway, is
completed and one shaft 85 feet deep for hoist way, are already completed.
Both are lined with concrete. The tramway and tipple are of steel, both
built on concrete foundations on solid rock. The tramway from the shaft
and slope to the river is 725 feet long and has three tracks. The loaded cars
are to traverse the center track while the empty cars will return on the side
tracks.

All machinery will be run by electric power to fui'nish which, two dynamos
are being placed in position. They are of 200 kilowats capacity, or more
plainly speaking, 275 horsepower each, and steam to drive the giant engines
for running these dynamos will be taken from a battery of four boilers of 250
horsepower each. A smaller dynamo is used to furnish electric lights for
offices, shops and mines.

The company now has finished and in course of construction, forty double
houses for miners, each in itself a handsome structure and good enough for
the domicile of any man; also si.x. single houses for foremen a:id a large store
building.

The boiler house, engine house, machine shops, office and all other buildings
about the mines except the coinpany houses, are of brick and of the most
substantial structure. The company has ample room for trackage on its
grounds and many of the switches and tracks are already in place, while the
tramway is nearing completion. The air shaft is also well down and like the
other shaft and slope, is lined with concrete.

F. A. McDonald is the chief engineer, bvit the work here is under the super-
vision of W. A. Smith, division engineer. Mr. Smith is yet a young man in
years Ijut ripe in experience and deserves great credit for the excellent and
rapid work that is being done on this gigantic plant. J. F. Anderson is mine
foreman and is one of the best in the State.

This mammoth plant is of no inconsiderable consequence to the Three
Towns, to Fayette County and to the Monongahela Valley, and is but the
forerunner of others in the same line and in other lines that are stu'e to follow.

THE BROWNSVILLE BREWERY.

Those wh(j are familiar with the construction of brewery plants and their
e(|uipment, emjihasi/.e the declaration that the Brownsville Brewery is one
of the most conveniently constructed and best and most modernly e(|uipped
of any along the Monongahela Valley It certainly stands among the
leading enterprises of the Three Towns, and to Mr. George J. Edel, is largely
due the credit for ihe jierfection and i-i)n\'i-nienees of the plant. Mr. Edel is

16U The Brownsville Brewery

president of the company and has served since the company was orga-
nized as building superintendent and general manager.

The promoters and organizers of the Brownsville Brewing Company,
are Geo. J. Edel, W. H. Calvert and John Monier, of Charleroi; J. L Thornton
and George Rathmell, of Bridgeport, with whom are associated many promi-
nent business men of Brownsville, Bridgeport, Uniontown, Connellsville,
Fayette City, Belle Vernon, Charleroi, Monessen and other river and inland
towns.

The company secured a charter January 12, 1903 and steps were at once
taken to secure a site and erect a plant. A plot of ground 261 by 241 feet,
on Water Street, Bridgeport, Pa., was bought from George D. Thompson and
ground was broken, March 25, of the same year, and the first beer was brewed
February 7, 1904.

The buildings are all substantial brick structures each built for an express
purpose and all are thoroughly eriuipjied with the most modern machinery
and the most up-to-date methods are tised in the production of the seductive
amber fluid.

It niay be interesting for those who care to observe the manner in which
the beverage they use, is made, to follow the grain from the car throtigh the
various processes to the kegging and Ijottling rooms. Svich a journey is
instructive as well as interesting. From the car on the siding which runs
along one side of the main btiilding and the ice plant, the grain is run auto-
matically into an elevator by which it is conveyed to the top of the five-
story main building and dumped into the storage bins which have a capacity
of eight car loads of barley malt. From here the grain is taken directly into
the clearing bins passing through fans, sieves and over a number of powerful
magnets which free it from all dust or other foreign matter, eliminating
everything that could be deleterious to absolute ptirity. The malt then goes
through the mill where it is crushed and passed on into the malt hopper
scales where it is weighed, exactly 8,000 pounds being required for each
brew. It is next conducted to the mixing kettle where it is steeped with
water and the desired substance extracted. The refuse grain falls from the
niixing kettle into the wet-grain bin thence into the drier from whence it
is carried to the top of the building into the dry-grain bin, and discharged
into sacks ready for shipment as horse feed. The Brownsville Brewing
Company has a contract with the German army for all the feed of this kind
it turns ottt, and conse{|uently it is shi]jped directly to Bremen, Germany.

At this stage the ]u-oduct that is eventually to become beer, is conveyed
to the mash tub or mixing kettle where they get from it what is known as
extract of malt after which it is carried to the brew kettle, an immense
copper rece-[5tacle, the one in the Brownsville lirewery lia\'ing a ca|)acity of
185 barrels. Here it is boiled for three and a half hours when it is again
conveyed to an u|)]H'r floor and allowed to descend over a series of copper
jiipes that are kej)! as cnld as ice by currents of cooling vapor which reduces
the li(iuid from a boiling to a freezing point almost instantaneously. This
liquid is then carried by ])i])es into the immense vats in the fermentation

162 The Brownsville Brewery

room at the to]) oi the stoek hovise where it is allowed to remain for twenty-
four hours to let all albuminous and nitrogenous substanees precipitate.
After this the beer is conducted by pipes to the fermenting room below where
are tw^enty tubs of 185 barrels each. Here it remains for from Ki to 18 days till
it is thoroughly fermented. After complete fermentation it is taken to the
story below, the storage room, where there are twenty large vats with a
capacity each of 350 barrels, or a total capacity of 7,000 barrels, where it is
left for from three to four months. It is then taken to the next story below
where it is put into 20 immense casks of 250 barrels each, or 5,000, and
kept wider ])ressure for from five to six weeks so as to insure a good and
solid foam; the grand total of beer on hand is 14,000 barrels. This gives
the plant an annual capacity of 75,000 barrels. After this it is taken to the
kegging and bottling room where it is filled into kegs or bottles for shipment
or use.

At every step the most diligent care is taken to insure absolute cleanliness
and purity. Every receptacle is thoroughly washed and cleaned wdth hot
water and the kegs are taken through a bath of hot water by an ingenious
machine for that purpose after which they are scrubbed by a machine, rinsed
with cold mater and then thoroughly inspected before they are used. The
bottles go through a similar process of cleaning and inspection. Another
ingenious machine is that which drives the hoops onto the kegs if they are
not already tight. The ice plant is one of the largest in this part of the State,
and is one of the most modern, making ice in cakes 22 feet 6 inches by 12 feet
S inches and 16 inches thick, weighing 19,000 pounds. The plant is capable
of making six of these cakes of ice each day which is a grand total of 54 tons.
The company has three fine artesian wells within its building and none btit
this water is used for any purpose.

The prime motive power of this immense ])lant is furnished by a battery
of three boilers of 200 horsepower each fired by gas, though coal may be
used, ample bins for which are provided. The gas is automatically fed by
a steam-pressure regulator and supplied wdth a high and low water whistle
or alarm, the water also being fed to the boilers automatically, thus dis-
pensing wdth the services of a fireman.

All the machinery is run by electricity each machine having a separate
or individual motor. The cvirrent is furnished these motors by two direct-
connected generators or dynamos, the one a 65 horsepower and the other
a 22 horsepower. The entire plant and all the buildings connected with it
are also lighted by electricit}^ generated in the power hotise of the building.

The ice plant alone is run by steam direct and the motive power is furnished
hv two magnificent Corliss engines, the one 195 horse-power and the other
125. The capacity of the ice machines is about 200 tons per day, much of
the capacity being utilized in cooling the variovis departments of the plant.
The exhaust steam is used in a retort for heating all the water that is used in
the boilers and about the ])lanl. An air compressor is vised to force the licjuid,
in making beer, from one vat to another.

As noted elsew'herc, the btuldings are all <<( brick, the main Inulding being
100x261 fec't, part of it five stories high ; the ice plant Imilding containing

3 H \

164 The Ph. Hamburger Distillery

the tanks, is 60x125 feet two stories high. They also have a stable that
accommodates 16 horses, sheds for wagons, an elegant office and handsome
modern residence for the resident manager and president of the company.
The present board of directors are George J. Edel, President and Super-
intendent; Sam C.Todd, Secretary; John Monier, Treasurer; W.H.Calvert,
Vice-President; J. I. Thornton, George Rathmell.

THE HAMBURGER DISTILLERY, LIMITED.

In the upper part of Bridgeport stands a mass of imposing brick buildings
that form the center of one of the most extensive and widely known business
enterprises in the Monongahela Valley, and the output of this enterprise is
not only known from ocean to ocean, but in every civilized country on the
globe. We refer to the Hamburger Distillery, Limited, and its famous
brands of pure whiskey, among the latter being the "Old Bridgeport Pure
Rye," "Bridgeport Pure Malt" and "G. W. Jones Monongahela Rye."

Western Pennsylvania has always been noted for the amount and the
excellency of its whiskey, even in the days prior to the famous Whiskey Insur-
rection, of which mention is made in the historic part of this volume.

The Hamburger Distillery, Limited, is one of the largest plants of the kind
in the world, covering about fourteen acres of ground. Almost all its buildings
are of brick, of the most modern style of architecture for the purpose to be
served, and its warehouses are thoroughly equipped with all the latest im-
provements and devices, thoroughly ventilated and heated by steam, which
manner of storage is equivalent to twice the same length of natural storage.
The capacity of the warehouses is about 60,000 barrels. Every modern
device that will make whiskey better is put into the distillery the moment
it is proven to be of excellence.

None but the best grain is used, and the utmost care is taken at every step
of the process of making whiskey to produce only the best that can be made.
Since 1885 this property has been in the hands of and owned principally
by Ph. Hamburger, whose honesty and integrity is proverbial. In Janu-
ary, 1901, the Hamburger Distillery, Limited, was organized and bought
the Ph. Hamburger Distillery property from its former owners. Mr. Ham-
burger then retired from business altogether and has since spent his time in
traveling and in philanthropic work. To those who use or handle whiskey
the name of "Hamburger" is a guarantee of purity and excellence.

For many years this business has been under the direct supervision and
management of W. V. Winans, at present president of Brigeport council,
and a man who thoroughly understands the business, and who has done
much to make the business what it is. Not a year passes that important
additions and improvements are not made, all of which are made necessary
by the growing business, a growth that is due to the excellency of the prod-
uct and the efficiency of the management.

16(5 The Thompson Distilling Company

THE TH(3MPSON DISTILLING CO.

A history of this section of Pennsylvania would not be complete without
some reference to the Thompson Distillery, or what is now known as the
Thompson Distilling Company. It is one of the leading industries in this
section of the country and has been for over half a centtiry. The business
was established by Samuel Thompson long before the war and has e\-er since
borne his name. In fact, the name of Sam Thompson in connection with a
brand of whiskey is worth more than most modern plants of today.

It may not be out of order to state here that the old stone structure now
used as a bottling house was once the home of the late illustrious James G.
Blaine, and it was here that he rccei\-ed his first instructions, which, followed
up with the Blaine persistency, made of him the leading statesman of the
nation. But it is not of Blaine that we wish to write here.

It is not essential in this article to go into the details of making whiskey, as
all readers, particularly those who are interested, are familiar with that; but
something about the output and the capacity of the plant will be of interest.

The Thompson Distilling Comjiany's plant consists of three large brick
storerooms, one five, one six and one eight stories high, besides the distillery
proper and many other outbuildings. The capacity of the distillery is about
fifty barrels per day, and e\-ery step in the process of making whiskey, from
handling the grain as it comes in to storing the whiskey and putting it on the
market, is watched and directed by men of years of experience and unciues-
tioned integrity, and this is why "Sam Thompson Whiskey" is so well and
so widely known.

The three huge storerooms before mentioned ha\'e a capacity of about
36,000 barrels, and are both constructed in the most modern manner, being
thoroughly ventilated and heated by steam. In addition to this they have
a 50,000 bushel grain storage house and are at present erecting a new pro-
cess drying house where the slop or mash, after use, is dried and prepared
for feed.

A full description of the plant cannot be given, for the reason that constant
additions and improvements are being made, so that a description of the
I)lant today would in a few months be inadequate and unjtist. y

The entire business is and has for many years been under the direct super-
vision and management of .llgernon B. Donahey, who not only thoroughly
understands the business in all its details, but who has the confidence of the
company and of the wide and growing circle of patrons. There are few
places in the civiUzed world where "Sam Thompson Whiskey" is not known
and appreciated by those who use or handle spirituous liquors.

The Sam Thom])Son Distillery is conspicuously situated in the vipper part
of West Brownsville, on the west bank of the Monongahela River, and has
been seen and heralded abroad by the hundreds and thousands of people who
have passed U]) and down this historic stream for the past half century.

TIIRKK WlvIJ.-KNOWN COLORI'I) PI{()I'I,E

Chas. Cox, Who Died at llu- Auc of 107 Years

W. H. "Tip" I'loreiice
Veteran Teamster of the Three Towns

Henrietta Hamilton

liest-Known Chambermaid on the Monon-

gahela, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers

168

El wood Natural Gas and Oil Company

Elwood Gas Co.'s Derrick, Elwood Farm

ELWOOD NATURAL GAS AND OIL COMPANY.

One of the most enterprising corporations in the Monongahela Valley,
today and one with the most flattering prospects, is the Elwood Natural Gas
and Oil Company that was organized May 9, 1903, and secured its charter
November 18th of the same year.

TIIRKR GKNKRATIONS

Jno. S. Wilgiis
For a Number of Years Postmaster at Brownsville

T. B. Wilgus, of Morgantown, W. Va.
At Otie Time a Prominent Citizen of Bridgeport

John Wilgus

The Man Who First Proposed

the Pacific Railroad

170 Public Library

This company has now leased in Washington County, Pennsylvania, cle\-en
hundred acres of land, has three wells down that by actual test yield 10,0UU,-
000 cubic feet of gas per day. The company already has franchises for
furnishing gas to the boroughs of Centreville and West Brownsville in Wash-
ington County and Bridgeport and Brownsville in Fayette, and will no doubt
extend its territory rapidly both for consumption as well as for production.

All the work on their plant including the lines they have laid and are still
laymg, is done in the most modern and approved manner, and the manage-
ment and the stockholders are all men of exceptionally strong financial
standing and good business judgment.

The stockholders are Joseph S. Elliott, Robert W. Thompson, George D.
Thompson, William H. Fisher, James I. Thornton, J. W. Breckenridge,
Thomas H. Thompson, A. L. Milliken, R. M. Poletz, O. S. Bedall and George

C. Steele.

The present officers are, Joseph S. ElHott, President; Robert W. Thompson,
Vice President: George C. Steele, Secretary and Treasurer.

The Board of Directors, Joesph S. Elliott, Robert W. Thompson, George

D. Thompson, J. L Thornton and A. L. Milliken.

PUBLIC LIBRARY.

The Ladies of the Brownsville Women's Christian Temperance Union,
believing they could exert a substantial moral influence in the community
by placing good literature within the reach of everyone, decided, in January,
1885, to establish a public library by organizing a company or association
and disposing of 100 shares of the stock at three dollars. each. This was ac-
cordingly done, the entire amount being taken by residents of the Three
Towns.

The first officers of the W. C. T. U. Library were Miss Anna E. Cox, Presi-
dent; Mrs. Sol. G. Krepps, Vice President; Miss Mamie Armstrong, Correspond-
ing Secretary; Miss Sadie H. Miller, Recording Secretary; Mrs. A. L. Duncan,
Treasurer.

A circular letter was writt<;n to many friends and former residents, solicit-
ing co-operation and a number of handsome contribtitions in books and money
were received. Among the otit-of-town contributors were, Hon. J. A.
Martin, Governor of Kansas; Messrs. T. M. and R. C. Rogers, of Philadelphia;
Capt. Isaac M. Mason of St. Louis; Wm. Clark Breckenridge of Uniontown;
Samuel J. Krepps of Oklahoma; Messrs. John L. Moorhouse Wm. C. Lilley,
Wm. H. Holmes, George W. Acklin, and Prof. John A. Brashear, all of Pitt-
Inirg.

The library was opened in rooms in the post office in Brownsville, known as
the "Rdund Corner," the evening of July 2, 1885, with rehgious exercises
conducted by the ministers of the Three Towns among them being Revs.
S. D- Day and Charlton. The President, Miss Anna E. Cox delivered an ad-
dress which was followed by a book reception and ice cream sale.

The library opened with 800 volumes which very much encouraged its
])rojectors.

Prof. I,. I'. Parker

First Principal liridgeport Piiblic

ScluKils

Miss Knieliiie I,ind>

l"or 51 Years a Teacher in the Brige-

port Pntilic Schools

J. Stanley Lincl\-

Street Commissioner of the Borongh

of Bridgeport

John J. Kathmell

For 18 Years Toll Taker at the

River Bridge

172 Newspaper Enterprises

The first bool-c committee was composed of tlie following members; Miss
Anna E. Cox, Miss Sadie H. Miller, Mrs. R. C. Miller, Mrs. Sol. G. Krepps,
Mrs. S. S. Fishburn, Dr. W. S. Duncan and Mrs. J. D. Armstrong.

The W. C. T. U. library was controlled and supported by that organization
till 1899 when a Public Library Association was formed. The library which
had grown to 1,304 volumes, with the book cases, etc., was then turned over
to the new association in the hope that it would grow niore rapidly and
become a permanent and valued institution.

The officers of the new Public Library Association were, Rev. W. S. Bow-
man, President; George W. Wilkinson, Vice President; Miss Jane Ewing,
Secretary; George W. Lenhart, Treasurer; Directors: Miss Harriet E. Abrams,
Mrs. Isaac R. Beazell, Roland C. Rogers, Rev. W. E. Rambo and C. L. Snow^-
don.

The book committee were, Roland C. Rogers, Chairman; Miss Jane Ewing
and Mrs. Isaac R .Beazell. The library under the new association was for-
mally opened in the Library Room in the Odd Fellows building or hall, Tuesday
evening, March 14, 1899, with a book reception. This library now contains
about 2,000 volumes.

NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISES.

Among the newspapers that have been ijublished in the Three Towns,
coinmencing as far back as 1810, may be mentioned, in the order of their
succession, as near as we can ascertian, there being differences in the dates
of past historians, the following:

The Western Repository, The Western Palladium, The Western Register,
The Brownsville Gazette, The Western Spy, The American Telegraph,
afterwards consolidated with the Genius of Liberty at L^niontown, The
American Observer, also later merged with the Genius of Liberty, The Browns-
ville Galaxy, The Browmsville Intelligencer, The Brownsville Free Press, The
Brownsville Clipper established by Seth T. Hurd. Mr. Hurd was succeeded
by E. A. Hastings from whom its present editor and proprietor, W. F.
Aplegate, purchased it in 1878.

Following the establishment of the Clipper came the Brownsville Times,
Greenback Banner. The Better Times, which suspended after three weeks of
adversity, The Labor Advance, The Star that only twinkled one week. The
Comet was next launched by the same men who published The Star and
while it was a daily, strange as it may seem, the Comet lived longer than
The Star, surviving for a period of three weeks. After this came The Free
Lance, The Three Towns and The Regulator.

Then The Monitor was started and rvm for about twelve years by J. E.
Mc Kinney when it changed hands, D. M. and J. Percy Hart taking it up.
After running it about a year they sold it to Edwin P. Couse, the present
editor and proprietor. This, so far as we have been able to learn, completes
the list of journalistic enterprises in the Three Towns.

WI'LL-KNOWN JX'STICKvS OI' THE PKACK

.cmirc lU-nry J. Ridden S^nirc Albert G. Booth

TWO PROMINENT iTALIANvS OF OUR TOWNvS

Robert Patriello Rosy P°'etz

Railroad Construction Contractor Notary Public and Banker

174 Pliysiciaiis of the Three Towns

PHYSICIANS OF THE THREE TOWNS.

Many eminent physicians have practied in the Three Towns since the
old Hanguard was built. Among them w-ere Drs. Mitchell and Chester,
Edward Schull, James Roberts, Thomas Blodgett, Pi]ier, John ]. Steele,
Lewis Sweitzer, Samuel Shuman, Henrs W. Stoy, R. W. Plavford, William
L. Lafcrty. W. S. Duncan, Isaac Jackson, C. C. Richard, U. L. Clemmer,
Benjamin Shoemaker, O. P. Dearth, N. W. Tnixall. C. L. Gummert and others.

In 1S31 an attempt was made to estaljlish a medical college here but
further than a notice to the effect that it was to commence in November of
that year, no record of it can be found.

The present physicians of Browmsville are Drs. C. C. Reichard, Lewis N.
Reicherd, Dr. CoUey Miller. Dr. Isaac Jackson still does some office practice.

Not least ainong ..le many prominent men of Bridgej^ort were in earlier
as well as its present practitioners of medicine. Among the most prominent
of the old-time physicians, we find Drs. Jesse Pennel, H. W. Stoy, Thos. G.
Lamb, Caleb Bracken. Abram Stanley, Mathew O. Jones, W. S. Duncan, Chas.
HtibV), W. G. Hubl), J. A. Hubb, J. A. Nelan, J. B. Grooms, Jno. W. Worrell.

Physicians who are now^ practicing in Bridgeport are Drs. Alfred Smith,
Henry Eastman, Wilbur Lilley, and F. S. Hoover, the latter just recently
located here.

PIONEER LODGES OF THE THREE TOWNS.

BROWNSVILLE LODGE, No. 60, F. and A. M.

The record of this lodge begins with an entry dated January 22, 1794, at
whiclT time John Bowles, John McDowell, Joseph Asheton (of Pittsburgh
Lodge, No. 45), James Chambers, Jr., William Arbutton, John Faraker,
James Chambers, Sr., and Jonathan Morris (of Washington Lodge, No. 54),
James Long (of No. 3, Philadelphia), and Ready McSherry (of No. 660,
Ireland), opened the new lodge No. 60, in due form, John Bowles being
appointed secretary. Applications were received from James Elliott, Jonathan
Hickman, and Charles Ford for initiation. John Christmas, Michael Sowers,
Ready McSherry were appointed a committee to inquire and to report to
the lodge the next evening.

January 23, 1794, the lodge commenced work under a dispensation of the
Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, dated December 9, 1793, Chads Chalfant,
W. M.; John Chambers, S. W.; Michael Sowers, J. W.

Twenty-seven members were added to the lodge in 1794.

In 1799 the first building owned by the lodge was erected for its use. On
the 6th day of May in that year "Bros. Rogers and Miner agreed to furnish
700 plank at the lodge for use; Bro. Gregg, lime; B. Hezlip to have doors and
windows." June 14, 1811, Chads Calfant sold for fifty dollars the lot of
ground on the southwest side of Cliurch Street, on which the Masonic Hall
building was erected in 1834.

176 Pioneer Lodges of the Three Towns

On the 2d of February. 1N2'.). Andrew Jackson, President-elect of the
United States, arrived at Brownsville by stage over the National Road from
the West, and stopped at George Gibbon's inn. There he was waited on by
Henry PiefEer, Valentine Giesey, Robert Patterson, John Blythe, andN. Isler,
who had been appointed a committee to invite him to visit the lodge. He
accepted the invitation, and was intrcditced by Brother John Davis.

Brownsville Lodge, No. 60, and Pittsburgh, No. 45, were the only lodges
west of the mottntains which did not surrender their charters dviring the anti-
Masonic excitement a little over half a century ago. From the Brownsville
Lodge have sprung the following-named lodges, viz; Fayette City, Union-
town, California, Greensborough , Connellsville, Carmicheal, and Clarksville.

BROWN.SVILLE CHAPTER, No. 164, R. A. M.

Chartered in June. 1S49. The following were the first cfficers: M. E. H.
Priest, W. L. Lafferty; King, C. P. Gumm.ert; Scribe, Thomas Duncan.

ST. OMER'S COMMANDERY, No. 7, F. T.

Application was made June 10, 1862, to the Grand Commandery of Penn-
sylvania to revive St. Omer's Commandery, which had been organized at
Uniontown in LSoS, and susyjended work in the following year. The appli-
cation was granted. E, vSir William Chatland was installed E. Commander.
The commandery was ordered removed from LTniontown to Brownsville,
where the first meeting was held October 23, 1862. The number of charter
members was tweh^e.

WESTERN STAR LODGE, No, 3(1 F. and A. M.

Chartered December 27, 1866. The Fairfax (Washington), Ecolite (LTnion-
town) . and Golden Rule (Waynesburg) Lodges were taken at different times
from this lodge.

BROWNSVILLE LODGE, No. .51, L O. O. F.

Original charter August 20, 1832. N. G., William Corwin; V. G., John
Garwood; Secretary, Thos. S. Wright; A. S., Daniel DeLaney, Jr.; Treasvirer,
Thomas Duncan.

Brownsville Lodge No. 5L L O. O. F. is one of the oldest lodges of the
order in the United States. Odd Fellowship was introduced into this
country' from England in 1819, the first American lodge ha\'ing been
organized in Baltimore by Thomas Wildey and a ftw associates who had
been made Odd Fellows in England.

In 1872 Brownsville Lodge was visited by a (lestruclixc lire which de-
stroyed all the books of record, hence but lillle of ils early history is known.
The older members, however, speak of many difficulties and trials which
beset the early years of the organization.

Joseph '1". Rosicis

One of the Karly Settlers and Business

Men of the Three Towns

Hon. Thomas Duncan
Twice Judge of I'ayette County
and Prominent Business Man

Geo. W. I.enhart

Veteran Insurance Agent of the

Three Towns

Wni. Chatland

The Originator of the "Famous

Brownsville Water Cracker"

178

Brownsville Lodge, No. 51, I. O. O. F.

First Iron Bridge in United States. Across Duulap s Creek Between
Brownsville and Bridgeport

The first meeting place was in the upper end of Brownsville. After several
years they moved to a room in a building situated on the now vacant lot
between the Monongahela Bank and the Railroad station. After a time
the Union Grocery building was purchased; another story was added and
thus the present Odd Fellows building came into existence. "While these
re]niirs were being completed the lodge met in the Wilkinson Building.

At the time of purchasing and reinodeling the grocery property consider-
able debt was incvirred but by ])rudent and conservati\-e management every
dollar of the obligation has been paid, while the treasurer's statement shows
;) very satisfactory cash balance.

The lodge is now in a very prosperous condition and has bright prospects
for a future continuance of the success which has marked its past history.

Within a few years the last two surviving Charter members passed away
namely, Brother Morrison and Brother J. A. Hill. Of those who joined shor dy
after the institution inany have died; among them Thomas Duncan, H. j.
Rigden, William S. Lafferty, J. W. Jeffrey. James Cope, S. Roberts, Henry
Delaney, J. H. Bulger. J. M. Hutchinson, and Joshua Mechem.

Among the survivors whose membership dates back fifty years more or
less are Jacob Grasier, Daniel Delaney, William B. Burd, A. D. Lockhart.
:)nd L. C. Waggoner. The present officers are: G. W. Hall, N. G.; Frank
Wright, V. G.; Albert WcUer, Warden; Daniel Delaney, Secretary; L. C.
Waggoner, Treasurer; H. H. Griggs, Chaplain, and Trustees, E. S. Delaney.
W. B. Burd. and H. C. Fox.

Prof. Jiio. A. Biashfar

'I'he Wcll-Rnowii Maker of Astronoinical

lnstr\iiuent.s. Who Spent His ICarlx

I)a>s in Hrowiisville

Percival PhiIli|)S

War Correspondent of the r<ondon Daily

Ivxpress to Japan. Was Born

in lirinvnsvillc

Cai)t. Samuel S. Brown
Who <.)vvns a Stock Kami Jnst Above Bride-
port — the Home of "Troubadour." The
Area of this Farm is 999/'2 Acres,
I'nderlaid With Coal

Al. (i. iMelds

Who Knibarked in the Show Business

When Quite Young, in Brownsville.

He and His "Pals" Used the

.Stable for a Theatre

180

Monongahela Lodtre, No. 1305, G. U. O. of O. F.

I-

Ice Goiiii; Out of :\Ioiu>iigaliL-la River

MONONGAHELA LODGE, No. 1305 G. U. O. of O. F.

The first lodge of the G. U. O. of O. F., west of the Allegheny mountains,
was established in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, June 20, 1866, by Joseph C.
Bustle of Lhiity Lodge, of Philadelphia, with a charter membership of twenty-
one, as follows:

^» N. G. Terrell, T. T. Baker, B. W. Arnett, Henry Smith, Baker Moore,
Phenton Plummer, Sydney Banks, S. C. Honesty, Moses Bolden, Samuel
Jackson, Jerry Cain, Wilbert Craig, R. R. Bolden, Jas. E. Simpson, Loyd
Demus, Samuel Mossett, Samuel D. Honesty, William Crable, Chas. Mossett,
Wm. Johns, and J. C. Alexander.

The first officers were: B. W. Arnett, N. G.; S. C. Honesty, V. G.; N. T.
Terrell, P. N. G. ; J. Cain. O. G. ; T. T. Baker, E. S.; S. Mossett, P. S.; Wm.
Crable, treasurer; R. R. Bolden, warden; J. C. Alexander, L G.

Monongahela Lodge No. 1305 has established several lodges in Pittsburg
and other points west of the Allegheny mountains and is styled the mother
of all lodges this side of the moimtains, which at this time number between
three and four thousand.

In 1894 the lodge purchased a lot and erected thereon a building 27x56
feet, three stories high, consisting of a fully equipped kitchen, pantry and
dining room on the Hrst floor; an entertainment hall on the second floor and

James Mitchell
Hridgepoi-t, Akc S9 Years

Wm. Graham
Brownsville, Ajre 93 Years

Squire Rob't McKinley
West Brownsville, Age 84 Years

182 Redstone Old Fort Encampment, No. 70, I. O. O. F.

lodge room on the third floor. The building cost about $3,000, and at this
time is used by several lodges.

The present officers are, J. M. Lanon, N. G. ; Roy Smith, V. G. ; Benj.
Tilghman, P. N. G.; T. Carson, N. F.; H. W. Mossett, P. N. F.; C. Hinton,

A. D. v.; T. W. Wood, treasurer; Benjamin Arnett, P. vS.; A. Davis, E. S. ;
Wm. Stewart, chaplain. Trustees, J. Yates, R. Kennedy, H. "W. Mossett.

REDST(3NE OLD FORT ENCAMPMENT, No. 70, I. O. O. F.

Original charter granted December 29, 1847. First officers: John J.
Rathmell, C. P.; Jacob Grazier, H. P.; James Storer, S. W. : Thomas Shuman,
J. W. ; Daniel Delaney, Secretary; Thomas Duncan, Treasurer.

TRIUMPH LODGE, No. (H.'i I. O. O. F.

Chartered November H), 1S(')7. First officers; U. L. Clemmer, N. G. ;
Florence Bernhert, V. G.; J. R. Thornton, Secretary; John R. McCixne, A. S.;
Chas. T. Hurd, Treasurer. Later officers: T. S. Wood, N. G. ; Charles
Gabler. V. G.; G. B. Clemmer, Secretary; H. H. Hawley, Asst. Secretary;
C. T. Hurd, Treasurer. Charter surrendered long since.

NEMACOLIN TRIBE, No. lli>, IMPROVED ORDER OF RED MEN.

Twentieth Sun of the Buck Moon, G. H. D. 379. Charter memljcrs: J.
M. Hutchinson, D, P. Swearer, E. N. Coon, James B. Vandyke, A. V. Smith,
R. I. Pat ton,

BROWNSVILLE LODGE, No. 357, K. of P.

Chartered May 28, 1872. S. B. P. Knox, James M. Hutchinson, James

B. Vandyke, Thomas Duncan, Nathan Crawford, Van B. Baker, John L.
Wise, Samuel A. Clear, James A. Hill, charter members.

KEYSTONE TEMPLE of HONOR, No. 4.

Chartered May 9, 1850. Charter members: John S. Pringle, Oliver C.
Cromlow, Robert K. Coulter, Hugh Kennedy, Henry C. _^/um, George C.
Ishcrwood, Freeman Wise, D. W. C. Harvey, Williani England, John H.
Lindey, James M. Hutchinson, Samuel Voorhis, Charles T. Hurd, James
Corwin, Moses Moorehouse, Thomas B, Mur])hy, William L. FauU, A. G.
Minehart, Thomas Craven, Thomas Banks.

Templar's Hall was Imuglit by the Keystone Tem])le of Honor in 1857.
and destroyed by fire in 18()1. Present building (Wilkinson Building) was
erected the same season and was used liy K. of P., Red Men, I. O. O. F~. and
others for some time.

The Compact

Si^j^ncd in the Cabin of the "Mayflower," Nov\
iith, Old Style, Nov. 21st, New Style, 1620.

" In the naVnc ot God, amen, we whose names arc
underwritten, the loyall subjects ot our dread soveraigne
Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britaine,
Franc an(1 Irchind k'ing, detendcr oi the taith, tvrc, haveing
undertaken, for the glorie of God, and advancemente of
the Christian faith, and honor oi our king and countrie,
a vo)-age to pLant the (n'st colonic m tlie nortlicrnc jiarts
of Virginia, doe b)' these presents solemnly and mutualy
in the presence of God. and one of another, covenant and
combine ourselves together into a civill body pnjitick, for
our better ordering and preservation and iurthcrcncc ot
the ends aforesaid: and bv vertue hereof to enactc, consti-
tute and frame such just and equall laws, ordenances. acts,
constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be
thought most meete and convenient lor the general good
of the colonic, unto which w-e pronn'se all due subnnssion
and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunto
subscribed our names at Cap-Codd the 1 1 of November,
in the year ot the raigne of our soveraigne lord, King
James of England, Franc and Ireland the eighteenth,
and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, ANo Dom 1620."

DEGORY PRIH6T.
THOMAS WII.LIAMS.
GII.BERT Wi:

BGESON.

Kiiulb loaned us by .Mr. Ki)laiul C. Ri.iior-

184 Keystone Temple of Honor, No. 4

KEYSTONE TEMPLE OF HONOR, No. 4, UNION SOCIAL DEGREE.

Chartered December 13, 1850. Charter members as follows: C. Harvey,
Emma Minehart, D. Cromlow, Lydia Voorhis, John S. Pringle, F. Wise, G.
C. Isherwood, Martin H. Kennedy, R. K. Coulter, J. Corwin, M. Moorehouse,
C. Drum, W. L. Faull, J. C. Lindsay, C. F. Hurd, A. G. Minehart and O. C.
Cromlow.

TEMPLE OF HONOR, No. 4, COUNCIL.

Original charter December 15, 1851; re-chartered May 19, 1853: John S.
Pringle, Freeman Wise, G. C. Isherwood, John S. Lindsey, charter members.

JOHN E. MICHENER POST, No. 173, DEPT. OF PA., G. A. R.

This post was chartered May 13, 1880, with the following-named charter
members: B. F. Campbell, William A. Barnes, N. W. Truxal, William Mc-
Coy, Daniel Campbell, Samviel Wright, William H. Shaffer, James Smith,
George W. Jenkins, John G. Jackson, Charles E. Eckles, Thomas Feuster,
N. P. Hormell, William Wright, Henry Minks, George W. Arrison, J. W. Mc-
Intyre, R. N. Chew, Henry Drake, S. WilHams, F, T. Chalfant, Hugh Mc-
Ginty, W. A. Hatight, J. H. Gibson, J. T. Wells, J. D. S. Pringle, John D.
Hart, Enoch Calvert.

MIRROR THAT HUNG IN THE MAYFLOWER.

The old mirror from which the picture on opposite page was made is now the
property of Mrs. Morgan West of Damascus, Ohio. It was brought over in the
Mayflower in 1620 by one of Mrs. West's remote ancestors and has been
hannded down through many generations, as a precious heirloom. The faces
that were reflected in this mirror as it hung on the walls of the cabin of the
Mayflower as she was rocked on the waves of the Atlantic, have long since
passed away, as have many generations after them, but the religious liber-
ties that were dearer than life to them, and the ])rinciples to maintain which
they crossed the stormy Atlantic, have grown and flourished until today
they are as a mantle of protection spread over this glorious nation. f- .

SNUFF BOX THAT CAME OVER IN THE MAYFLOWER.

Another old heirloom that is now in the hands of Hunter Bcall and that
is highly prized, is an old snuff box that was brought over in the Mayflower
by Moses Fletcher in 1620 and has been handed down through many genera-
tions, coming to Mr. Beall from his great-grandmother, Nancy Beall whose
maiden name was Fletcher, and who was also the great-grandmother of
J. Percy Hart, the publisher of this book. Mr. Beall prizes it so highly
that he remained at the art gallery or studio of our artist, W. D. Pratt, while
it was being photographed and when a good negative had been obtained, took
it away with him.

Mirror that hung: in Cabin of the Mayflower
Snuff Box that was brought over on the Mayflower

186

Peter Hunt's Famous Skatina: Rink

PETER HUNT'vS FAMOUS SKATING RINK.

One of the most famous pleasure resorts here some forty or more years ago,
was the skating rink of Peter Htmt who was himself a unique and interesting
character. This rink was located on what was for manj^ years known as the
second bottom and stood near the fill and stone bridge of the Connellsville
Central R. R., now building up Dunlap's Creek. Mr. Hunt flooded his rink
every day during the winter taking water from the mill race and thus provided
an excellent skating surface. He had a little house well provided with stoves
in which skaters could warm and ]:)Ut on or take off their skates.

The old Grooms Band led by Dr. Grooms furnished excellent mtisic, and
many was the merry lad and lass who glided over the smooth surface of that
rink to the enchanting strains of Dr. Grooms' mtisic, who would now be much
at a loss on the steel runners, while many others who were then the gayest
of the gay, like Mr. Hunt and his rink, have wandered away to other lands
or passed down over the great divide.

Outside the door of the little house, Mr. Hunt kept a thermometer and an
old Scotchman who usually swept the rink, attached mtich importance to
this thermo:Ticti-r. If it indicated extreme cold he would go in often to
warm but if the mercury was above freezing he was positive it was not cold

William Dodds James Campbell

Secretary United Mine Workers of Horn at Albanj-, one mile below Brownsville.

America. District Xo. 5 Was Pres. of the Universal Federation of

Window Class Workers of the World
John Mitchell
National President United Mine Workers of America
Patrick Dolan Theodore J- ShaiTer

President United Mine Workers of Pres. Amalgamated Assn. of Iron and Steel

America. District No. 5 Workers of America. Once lived in Krown.sville

and was Pastor of M. H. Church

188 The Old Wooden Bridsce

no matter how he felt. Not infrequently the boys played tricks on the old
man. They wonld hold the bulb of the thermometer in their hands till the
mercur}- would climb up into the sixties and it is said that one cold day the
old man was almost frozen but when he looked at the thermometer and saw
that the mercury stood far above freezing, he shambled, shivering, back to
his work murmuring that he did not know what was the matter with him as
he could not stand the cold as well as he once did.

THE OLD WOODEN BRIDGE.

There was no commvmication by bridge across the Monongahela river from
West BrownsN'ille to Bridgeport until the year 1833, all the traffic across the
stream at this point being accommodated by the ferries up to that time.
More than twenty years earlier, however, the project of bridging the river
at some point near the mouth of Dunlap's Creek was agitated by some of the
most prominent men of the vicinit}^ on both sides of the river. In 1810 an
act was passed (approved March 20th in that year) "to authorize the Gover-
nor to incorporate a company for erecting a bridge over the Monongahela
river at or near where the road leading from Brownsville to the town of
Washington crosses the same," thus authorizing the location of the bridge
at Brownsville or Bridgeport, as might be decided on. The act designated
and appointed '' Neal Gillespie, Jr., Parker Campbell, and Thoinas Acheson, of
the count)' of Washington, Jacob Bowman, Thomas Mason, Charles Shaffner,
Samuel Jackson, David Ewing, and Michael Sowers, of the county of Fayette,"
commissioners to receive subscriptions to the stock of the company to be
formed. It was provided and rcciuired by the act that the bridge should be
so constructed as not to obstrtict navigation (except so far as might be done
by the erection of the two abutments and three piers in the river), ""or in any
manner to obstruct the passage over the usual fording place, which shall at
all times be open as heretofore to persons desirous of passing through the
same." The company was of course authorized to collect tolls. The bridge
to be commenced in three years and finished in seven years from the
passage of the act, tmder penalty of forfeiture of rights and franchises
Reference to the probable early commencement and completion of the bridge
are found in the newspapers of that time; but no work was ever acttially done
on it, nor does it appear that the bridge site was definitely determined on
or the neccsarv amount of stock subscribed.

On the 16th of March, 1S30, the Monongahela Bridge Company was in-
corporated, with a capital of $44,000. The corporators were George Hogg,
James L. Bowman, Valentine Giesey, and Robert Claii<:e, of Fayette Cotinty:
Daniel Moore, Jesse Kenworthy, Ephraim L. Blaine, John Ringland, and
Thomas McKennan, of W^ashington County. By the terms of the incor-
poration William Davidson, George Craft, Isaac Meason, and Andrew Oli-
phant, of Fayette Cotmty, and John Park, Jr., WiUiam Berry, and John
Watson, of Washington County, were appointed commissioners to locate the
site of the liridge. These men. taking into consideration the great amount
of travel and traffic then coming to the river over the National Road, fixed

190 Visit of General lyaFayette

the location at the point where that road strikes the ri\er in Bridgeport, and
where the bridge now spans the stream.

Books were opened for subscriptions to the stock in July, 1830, and the
requisite amount was soon obtained. The contract for building was awarded
to Messers. LeBaron & DeMond, at $32,000, with $5,000 additional for the
approaches. They commenced work in the fall of 1831, and on the 23d of
November received the first payment of $500 on the contract. Apparently
the work was not pushed very vigorously, for the bridge was not completed
until 1833, the first tolls being received on the 14th of October in that year.

The bridge is a covered structure, of wood, six hundred and thirty feet in
length, in three spans, standing on two piers in the river between the abut-
ments. For nearly three-quarters of a century it has stood firin against the
ice and numerous great floods in the Monongahela, the most remarkable
of which was, perhaps, that which reached its most dangerous point on the
6th of April, 1852. The bridge has always been a very profitable investment
to the stockholders, but more particularly so in the jjalmy days of the
National Road, before the railways had di\'erted its travel and traffic into
other channels.

The first officers of the company were George Hogg, president ; Thomas
McKenna, secretary; James L. Bowman, treasurer.

The present officers of the bridge company are, George W. Lenhart,
President; W. A. Edmiston Secretary and Treasurer; C. L. Snowdon, S. S.
Graham, Chas. W. Bowman. M. R. Jacobs, Roland C. Rogers, Joseph Bailey.

VISIT OF GENERAL LAFAYETTE.

The visit of the Marquis de LaFayette to Brownsville, in May, 1825, was a
memorable event in the annals of the borough. Having started in 1824
from the eastern cities on an extended tour of the United States, he was at
that time mentioned moving eastward from the Ohio on his return. On the
evening of the 25th of May, he arrived at Washington, Pa., where he was to
pass the night, and in the morning proceed to Brownsville and Uniontown.
The reception committee of the last-named place were at Washington to
meet him, and it appears that he considered himself as in their charge from
the time of his leaving Washington. The message sent forward from that
place in the evening of the 25th was, "He will leave here tomorrow morning
earl}', will breakfast at Hillsborough, dine at Browns\"ille, and stip and
lodge at Uniontown . ' '

In accordance with this arrangement, General LaFayette, accompanied
by his son, George Washington LaFayette, and his private secretary, set out
froni Washington at a very early hour in the morning of the 26th, and took
the road to the Monongahela river, escorted by the reception committee and
others from Fayette County. The scenes attending the arrival of the partj-
at Brownsville were described in an accotmt written a few years later by one
who witnessed them, as follows:

"The citizens of Brownsville had also made preparations to give the
General a very warm reception. At that time there was no bridge over the

192

\'isit of General LaFavette

Fred. S. Chalfaiit, Deed, Ex-SherifT of Fayette County

Monongahcla at Brownsville, and communication was kept up between the
two counties of Fayette and Washington by means of a flatboat ferry.
This ferryboat was magnificently fitted up by the citizens of Brownsville for
this grand occasion, being nicely carpeted and decorated with beautiful
arches. A comjiany of volunteers, commanded by Capt. Valentine Giesey,
was present, each member of the company having the following appropriate
motto printed and attached to his cap, 'Welcome General LaFayette. '
Al)out the time of LaFayette's arrival on the opposite side of the river, the
volunteers, accompanied by twenty-four ladies dressed in white, representing
the then twenty- four states in the Union, entered the ferryboat, and were
sf)()n landed on the opposite side of the river, where the first general reception
given to LaFayette by the citizens of Fayette County took place, on the ferry-
boat on the west side of the Monongahela River.

"After a general welcome was extended to General LaFayette by the large
concourse of peo])le assembled on the shores, the ferryboat returned to the
Brownsville side of the river, and the distingtiished visitor was escorted,
amidst the most tmbciunded enthusiasm, to what was then called the Brashaer

Letters from Andrew Jaekson 193

Hotel, kept by Colonel Brashcar, whc-re a most suin])tuous dinner had been
prepared for the oeeasion. ba Fayette's reeeption at Brownsville, in the
language of one of the survixors of that memorable oeeasion, was afU'Ctionate
and touching. So urgent were ihe citizens of that ])lace lor the (icneral to
remain that the committee from Uniontown, of whom Cicorge ("raft, then
sheriff of Fayette County, was one, were compelled lo r^nnnd him that a very
large concourse of the citizens of the county was awaiting his arrival at Union-
town. Upon being thus reminded, the General very i)leasantly remarked
to the citizens by whom he was surrounded that he was now in the custody
of the shcritT, and that they must excuse him. '

LETTERS FROM ANDREW JACKSON,

The following letters from Andrew Jackson to a committee that had
charge of the reception tendered the General when i)assing through the
Three Towns, is well worth a ])lacc in any history.

Though written nearly a quarter of a century before the riuestion of state
rights, inflamed by the agitation of the slavery (luestion, involved the country
in a l)loody war, it will be ol.iser\'ed l)y the tenor of the letter, that there was
in the mhid of General Jackson a fear or premonition that at some time there
would be an attempt made to disrupt the Union, and also that Jackson who
is the patron saint of Democracy, stood phil(iso]:)hically and hrmly for the
Union.

We are indebted to our fellow- townsman James Risl;>eck for Jackson's
letter and the comments on members of the committee.

Steamboat " Wm. Wirt,"

OJiio River, March 17, bS37.

Gentlemen: I seize the first leisure moment, to ex]n-ess my gratitude^ to
my fellow-citizens of Brownsville and Bridgeport for the warm and flattering
manner in which I was received by them, through you as their organ, during
the few minutes I had the pleasure to spend with them on the 14th inst.
on my journey to the Hermitage.

If my public services have contributed in and degree, to elevate the char-
acter of our country, or to perpetuate our liberties, it will be the cherished
and proudest consolation of my declining years, during the few remaining
days, which may under Divine Providence, be allotted to me on earth.

Relieved as I now am, of the cares of public life, and retiring into that
retirement, to which I have looked forward with so much anxiety and
anticipated pleasure, I shall not cease to feel an ardent attachment to niv
country, and an anxious desire for the preservation in all its purity and vigor
of that constitution under which these states are united. That constitution,
under a wise administration of public affairs, must continue to make us in
all future time what we now are. a jtrst, prosperous and happy people.

I have long entertained the opinion, that upon the preservation of the
Union of the States depends the last hope of the world, for rational self-
government among men. This opinion is not weakened by a long life of
experience and observation of the ]iractical operation of our system.

194 Letters From Andrew Jackson

And it is with pleasure that I bear my testimony to the fact, that no por-
tion of my fellow-citizens, have manifested a more firm attachment to the
Union, than the people of the great State of Pennsylvania, a portion of
whom yovi represent, and my parting admonition to all my countrymen is,
to preserve the Union at all hazards.

The testimonial which my fellow-citizens of Browmsville and Bridgeport,
have given me through you, of their approbation of my efforts to serve my
country, and of their personal esteem, is more gratifying to me, now that I
have become a private citizen, and have ceased to exercise authority; and I
beg you to assure them, that I will bear with me to the Hermitage the
recollection of the kind opinions which they have been pleased to convey to
me.

I cannot forbear with grateful feelings, to reciprocate the kind benediction
you have invoked from the Almighty disposer of events, for the restoration
of my health, and my eternal happiness, and beg to assure you that

I am with great respect your friend and fellow' citizen,

Andrew Jackson.
To Messrs.

Henrv T- Rigden,

W. Y". Roberts,

Eli Abrams,

Benedict Kimber,

Commiitce.

Wm. Y. Roberts was a prominent Democrat and was (the fourth) post-
master (in 1S3S), and I think was also sent to the Legislature from Fayette
County.

Eli Abrams was associate judge of this county, and taught school in
Brownsville in his young days. He also was a Democrat.

Benedict Kimber was engaged in the glass business here and for a time
was commander of some of the boats rtmning on the Monongahela River,
son, I believe, lived and probably still lives in Morgan town, W. Va.

Henry J. Rigden was the sixth postmaster of Brownsville (in 1845), was
for many years a justice of the peace here and died in 1887 at the age of 99.
Rigden was also in the war of 1812 and had charge of the work at Presque
Isle harbor from Nov. 25, 1839 to Nov. 21, 1840. He was a Democrat of the
old school.

I am not sure about Kimber' s politics but am told by all the old people
here who knew the Kimber family that they were all Democrats.

I give you this short sketch of the committee to show that " Old Hickory"
was not forgotten by the Democrats of Brownsville.

Very respectfully yours,

James Risbeck.

OUR rOvSTMASTURvS

Win. C. Steele, Brownsville J. Bennett Moffitt, West Brownsville

Solomon G. Kreeps, Sr., Cadwallader

BI^RGESSEvS OF OUR TOWNvS

Win. H. Fisher, Brownsville
Christian Snyder. West lirownsville

Thomas. A. Jeffries, Bridgeport

rRi:SII)F,NTS ()!• COUNCILS

W. \"iiil. Wiiiaiis, r.ridueport
Byron Moffitt. West Brownsville

Harr,\- Kisinser. lirovvnsville

SECRETARIES OF COUNCILS

Chas. W. Coulter, Brownsville
Edward Gregg, West Brownsville

Kdwin P. Couse, Bridgeport

PRKSIDKNTvS OF vSCHOOT, BOARDvS

Oeo. I.. Moore, Bridgeport Wni. A. Ediniston, Brownsville

Thomas. H. Moffitt, West Brownsville

OUR AvSSESSORS

Edw. S. Del,aiie\-, lirowiisvillc
William I)el<aiie\-. Hridaeport (Elect)

lycvi C. WaKgoiier, liridsjeport (Retiring-)
J. Will Harrison, West Brownsville

SO.MI-: OF OI'R AUDITORS

Joseph GrafiiiKer, Brownsville

Kinmett K. Axton, West Brownsville (Retiring)
Henry Jlossett, Bridsreport

TAX COLLECTORS

(ieorge C. .Steele, Brownsville

James Fulton, West ]?rovvnsvilIe

MEMimRvS SCHOOL BOARD, I5RO\VN\SVIIJ,E

J. A. Huston
Cha?. W. Greg-g-

Frank Gabler
Frank Gadd

MI'.MIU'.RS SCHOOL 150ARI), WlvST liROWNSVILLK

Edward Gregg
Edward Baird

George Young
David W. French

JUvSTICE.S OF THE PEACE

David M. Hart, Bridgeport
Kdw. I<. Moorhouse, Bridgeport

J. I). .S. Pringle, West Brownsville

MEMBF-RS F.OARI) Ol' HEAI/fir, T',R( )\VXSVI I.LTv

J. T. Koss
Dr. Colley Miller

Dr. Iv. N. Reichard, Sec'y
Dr. C. C. Reichard, Pres.

MEMBERvS BOARD OF HEALTH, BRIDGEPORT

Dr. Alfred C. Smith, Sec'
(jCO. S. Herl)frtsi)ii

Dr. Henr\ Ka.'^lnian. Pres.

Some of Our Business People and
Establishments

Wm. D. Pratt

Rebecca D. Pratt

W. I). Pratt is a son of H. M. and ]\Iarv Iv (Bowman) Pfatt and was born
near Sniilhricld, Fayette Cotmty, Pa., February 11, 1870. In his childhood
his health was so delicate that he did not get to attend public shool till he
was ele\-en years old, but in the meantime he had aec'|uired as much knowledge
of the common-school branches as most children would have done in school.
After he was eleven years old he started to school, first attending the common
schools and afterwards the Western Pennsylvania Classical and Scientific
Institute at Mt. Pleasant, Pa., and at the age of sixteen we find him suc-
cessfully teaching school.

Mr. Pratt taught ten terms in Fayette County, during the sunnner de\-oting
his attention to car])entering and building at which he was remarkably
successful. In the meantime he had been studymg photography more for
pastime and for love of the art than with a view to any pecuniary reward.

However, his love for the work and his success at it as an amateur, finally
prompted him to seriously consider the advisability of taking it up as a
business or profession, and having determined to do so, in May. 1S99, he
purchased the art studio he now owns and conducts, from the administrator
of the Marshal Dawson estate and has conducted the business ever since with
phenomenal success. His work ranks among the best in Western Pennsyh-ania
and his studio is the rendezvous of lovers of art from far and near.

September 12, 1895, he married Rebecca Deusenberry, daughter of George
and Alcinda (Dewalt) Deusenberry, a most estimable lady who like himself
had been educated in the connnon schools of her native county, (Mononga-
lia County. West Virginia), had afterwards tattght school and who had not
onlv a love for art but artistic abilitv as well. Mrs. Pratt in order to take a

214

Harry A. Cottom, Attorney at Law-

more active part in the work of the studio, took a course in the famous
Wolfe art studio in Dayton, Ohio, and with the knowledge gained there has
entered fully into the work with her husband and to her is due in great part,
the success with which Mr. Pratt has met. With few exceptions the illus-
trations in this work were made from photographs taken in the Pratt studio
or by Mr. Pratt in his frequent excursions among the scenic splendors of
Western Pennsylvania. Mr. Pratt has a large collection of negatives of
scenery and points of historic interest in this ]mrt of the State and elsewhere
and allows no opportunity to escape him to add to this collection.

Attorney Harry A. Cottom

H. A. Cottom, attorney at law, is one of the most promising young at-
torneys at the Fayette County bar. At present he divides his time between
Brownsville and Uniontown, being in Browns\-ille Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays and in Uniontown Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Mr. Cottom was born in Lower Tyrone Township, Fayette County, Penn-
sylvania, July 16, 1S77, and was raised on the farm working in the summer
and attending school in the winter. At the age of sixteen years he com-
menced teaching at which he continued for six years, his last work in that
line being in the West Newton and Scottdalc high schools as instrtictor in
mathematics.

At intervals from 1893 to 189<.), Mr. Cottom attended the Waynesburg
college and the Ohio Northern L'niversity gradvtating from the latter in 1899
in the A. B. course. Three years later the same institution conferred upon

I\Iax Klein, Mercliaiit Tailor 215

him the degree of A. M. He also attended the West Virginia University
Law School in 1901 dviring which time he was president of his class.

In the s])ring of 1902 he entered ihv <>lV\cv of Altnrney T. S. Lackey of
L'nionlown and on July 13, 1903, was admitted tn jiraeliee at the Fayette
County l)ar. He located in Browns\ille in August, 1903, and has already
built up a lucrative practice.

.MAX KLEIX,

Merchant Tailor

Among the most active and successful lousiness men fif the Three Towns, is
the irrepressible Max Klein, now a large investor in real estate as well as
proprietor of one of the best and most pojiular merchant tailoring estab-
lishments in Brownsville. For si >me time after coniing here Mr. Klein devoted
himself exclusively to his trade, that of tailoring, and at which he is an expert,
first working for S. H. Minehart as cutter and eoatniaker, and later commencing
business for himself. Mr. Klein has always had an eye to windward for any
opportunity that might come his way and when it was assured that the
Monongahela railroad would be built, he commenced to cast about for
desirable investment in real estate. The result was that he soon accumvilated
considerable valuable real estate, doing so before the prices commenced to
soar skyward and while others were yet hesitating as to whether it was good
policy to enter the market and as a result has found his ])roperty rapidly
increasing in value. His holdings are quite extensive and well selected and on
some of his lots in desirable residence localities he is now ha\'ing a number
of very handsome houses built.

In the meantime his mei'chant tailoring establishment is not neglected and
continues to prosper and increase in business and popularity. Mr. Klein is
a busv man bi;t is never too busv to show everv courtesv to his friends and

216 Metropolitan Life Insurance Company

those with whom he does business and it is with pleasure that his contem-
poraries note his success.

The story of Mr. Klein's life reads almost like a romance and the fact that
he started out in the world lone-handed at the age of eight years and without
any monetary assistance has achieved the degree of success he now enjoys,
is almost incredible.

Max Klein was born at Tisa Corod in Hungary. January 17, 18G9 and was
imbued with a migratory spirit prompted by a desire to see something of the
great wide world about him, from his infancy. Accordingly when he was
only eight years old, he crossed the paternal threshold, ttirned his back upon
the' scenes of his childhood days and alone faced the world to do battle for
himself. Nothing daunted by his yovith or rather infancy, for he was little
more than an infant, nor by the obstacles that confronted him he went forth
confident of success, and though his parents had means to assist him, he never
called upon them for aid or ad\-ice.

At the age of ten, he entered a tailoring establishment as an apprentice and
served there five years for his board and clothes. At the end of this time his
close application to business and natural aptitude had given him a good
practical knowledge of the business and he went to Glasgow, Scotland where
he worked at his trade sixteen months, but in the meantime his thoughts and
attention had been directed to the \'ast area of the new world on this side of
the water and he accordingly set sail for New York landing in Castle Garden
in May 1883. From there he went direct to McKeesport where he remained
for two years. He then visited Chicago, Kansas City, St. Lotiis, Dallas,
Texas and many other points in the west and south and finally returning
north worked a short time at Youngstown, Ohio, after which he came to
Brownsville. With his career here every citizen of the Three Towns, is
familiar and an admirer.

METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK.

Assets, $105,656,3n.(i0.
Ed. Taylor, Assistant Superintendent, Brownsville, Pa.

The company r>f the people, by the people, for the people. Proof of jjublic
confidence: The number of ])olicies in force is greater than that of any other
company in America, greater than that of all the regular life insurance
companies put together (less one) and can only be appreciated by comparison.
It has a greater number of policies in force than the combined population of
Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Delaware, Florida,
Colorado, Oregon, Washington, W'yoming, Nevada, Montana, Idaho, North
Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, District of
Columbia, Indian Territory, Oklahoma and Hawaii; or, as to cities it has as
many as the population of Greater New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston,
and St. Louis, combined. This company has more premium paying business
in force in the United States than any other company, and for each of the
last ten years has had morc^ new insurances accej.ited and issued than any
other company in tlie wcirlii.

Ivdward Taylor, Insurance Agent

217

Edward Ta\

Asst. Siii)t. Metropolitan I,ife Insurance Co.

sr;xificaxt facts.

This company's policy claims paid in I'.lOo average in number one for each
minute a third of each business day of S hours each and in amount, $St).()() a
minute the year throttgh. 'idle following is the daily a\-erage of business for
1903:

359 per day in number of claims paid.

6,297 per day in number of policies issued.

$1,303,559.06 per day in new insurance written.

$98,582.76 per day in payment to policy h(.)lders and addition to reserve.

$33,841.18 per day in insurance of assets as to the home trade at Browns-
ville. Mr. Tavlor located here two years and six months ago, startin.g with
some 400 ])olicy holders. During this time there has been added to this
number of members of over 1 ,400 on Mr. Taylor's books.

They write policies on people from one year to seventy years old, and fr(.)m
$800 to $100,000-00. If you wish hfe insurance of any kind, and an insurance
of which you need not be ashamed, call on Mr. TayL.ir at Room 1 Monongahela
National Bank Building, or incpiire of any of his agents and they will be
pleased to explain any of their many contracts about wdiich you wish to learn.
and you will find out to your satisfaction, that they do business with an honesty
and a fairness that is excelled bv none.

218

Howard B. Johnston, News Dealer

Howard B. Johiistuu

Howard B. Johnstox, the subject of this sketch, is a native of Browns-
ville, Pennsylvania, having been born in the house w^here he now resides,
April 21, 18G3. He is a son of William Henry and Eliza J. (Brown) John-
ston, who were among the most prominent and highly respected citizens of
Brownsville.

Mr. Johnston rccci\'ed his early education in the public schools of Browns-
ville and in the Brownsville high school and the State Normal at Kutztovvn,
Pa., graduating from the latter two with the highest honors. On completing
his education Mr. Johnston took his position in the ranks of our leading
educators and was a prominent figure in educational circles for about ten
years, six years of which time he w-as principal of the Johnstowm, Pennsyl-
vania, high school, filling the position to the entire satisfaction of all con-
cerned and with great credit to himself.

While Mr. Johnston has ahvays affiliated with the Republican party and
taken an active interest in the work and success of his party, he has never
aspired to political office.

Two years ago Mr. Johnston Ijought and assumed control of the news
agency of the Pittsburgh papers at this place and has since conducted the
business with marked success, rendering efficient and highly appreciated
service to the hundreds of readers he daily supplies. He is an active, ener-
getic man, w-ith progressive ideas, and is ever ready and willing to lend a
helping hand in promoting the welfare of the community in which he lives.

April 28, 1897, he man-icd Miss Amanda Brixner, the popular and accom-
plished davighter of Christian and Anna B. (Sammatt) Brixner, of Johns-
towm, Pennsylvania. To this union there have been born two children,
Howard Brixner Johnston and Edna Lillian Johnston. Mr. Johnston is an
honored and active member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, Brownsville.

Biographical

Skktches ok thk Livhs ok Many ok Our Eaki.v Citizens, Now Djc-
ceased; Also ok vSome of Our Present Residents, and a Numhivr
Who Now Claim Other Places as Their Homes.

luDGE Thomas Duncan. — Among the venerable men of Bridgeport, highly
esteemed by all who knew him, and identified with the interests of the
borough and its twin sister, Brownsville, by over half a eentury's residence
and active business life within their limits, and participating in the best
measures, well performing the duties and dignifiedly bearing the responsi-
bilities of good citizenship therein, watchful over the weal and social good
order of the place where he so long made his home, was J udge Thomas Duncan.
He was of Scotch-Irish extraction. His father. Arthur Duncan, emigrated
from County Donegal, Ireland al:)out 17i)3, to America, and found his way
into Fayette Countv as a soldier in the service of the Vnited States among the
troops sent hither by the government to suppress the Whisky Insurrection.
After the troops were disbanded he settled in Franklin Township, near Upjier
Middletown (then known as " Plumsoek"), Menallen Township, and mari'icd
Sophia Wharton, daughter of Arthtir Wharton, of Franldin Township, but a
nati\-e of England, who held a large tract of land in that township, and was a
man of strong individuality. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Duncan passed the greater
portion of their lives in Uiijier Middletown, l)Ut Mrs. Duncan died about 1845,
in Pittsburg, to which yilace the family had removed, and Mr. Duncan,
about in IS.jO, in Moundsville, Va., at the residence of one of his daughters,
Mrs. Nancy Rosell.

Mr. and Mrs. Duncan were the ])arents of ten children, the second in
number of Avhom was Jvidge Thomas Duncan, who was born in Franklin
Township, August 22, 1S07. He received his early education in the Thorn
Bottom schoolhousc, in those days often ].)ompously or ironically dubbed
"The Thorn Bottom Seminary," on Buck Run, in his native township.
During his boyhood he wrought more or less in the Plumsoek Rolling Mill,
and at eighteen years of age was a])])renticed to a cabinetmaker, Thomas
Hatfield, an expert mechanic, with whom he remained three years, and three
more as a partner. He then removed to Bridgeport, where he resided until
his death, February 21, 1S1)4, carrying on as his prineijial Inisiness that m
which he hrst engaged.

Note.— We regret that we are unable to print biographies of all of the prominent citizens of
the Three Towns, both living and deceased, but it is practically impossible to do .so.
Were we to attempt such a thing it would require not less than two years to complete the
work. — En.

220 Ji^it^ge Thomas Duncan

Judge Duncan always took an active part in public affairs. He was a
member of the first board of school directors in Bridgeport chosen under the
present law organizing the common schools, and earnestly advocated the
enactment of the law long before it was made. He was frequently a
member of the Common Council, and several times burgess of Bridgeport.
He also took prominent part as a Democrat in the politics of the county, was
county commissioner from 1841 to 1843, both inclusive, and was elected in
1851 associate judge of Fayette County for a period of five years, and re-
elected in the fall of 185G for a like term, and fulfilled the duties of his office
throughotit both terms.

In 1837, Judge Duncan joined the Masonic order, tiniting with Browns-
ville Lodge No. 60, and filled all the offices of the lodge. He was a member
of Brownsville Chapter. He was also a member of St. Omer's Commandery
No. 7, of Brownsville, and also a member of Brownsville Lodge, No. 51, of the
Order of Odd Fellows from 1834 to his death. Judge Duncan was a member
of the Methodist Episcopal Church from the last-named year until his death.

In May, 1829, he married Priscilla StcA'cns, daughter of Dr. Benjamin
Stevens of Union town, whose father, Benjamin Stevens, came to Fayette
County from Maryland, and was also a physician. Mr. and Mi's. Duncan
became the parents of five children, two of whom are living — Mrs. Elizabeth
Worrell, of Bridgeport, and Thomas J. Duncan, a lawyer practicing his pro-
fession at Washington, Pa.

Dr. W. S. Duncan, of Bridgeport, was the son of Judge Thomas Duncan.
Dr. Duncan was born May 24, 1834; and here it may quite as properly as
anywhere else be noted that the date of his birth Avas the only fact or
item of the following biographical sketch which the doctor has independently
furnished, he being decidedly averse, as he expressed it, to countenancing
any "representation of himself in such manner as shall seem to have been
stiggested in whole or part by himself," or, "through favorable facts which,
it will be obvious, were furnished by himself." So the interviewer was ad-
vised to refer to others, and if there are found any errors of opinion or state-
ment in this sketch they must be attributed to the writer's source of infor-
mation.

Dr. Duncan, though long since gone to his reward, merits more emphatic
notice in a work of this kind than is usually acccnxled to the living of any
profession or vocation, for he occujjied a place not only in the front rank of
the physicians of Fayette County, but among the profession at large. He
was a very careful and comprehensive investigator, and a progressive man,
keeping pace with the advance in medicine and its allied sciences by the only
means feasible and practicable, especially to a country physician at a dis-
tance from the colleges, lecture rooms, and hospitals, namely, books. The
caller-in at Dr. Duncan's office, though he came from the city, where the
best private medical libraries exist, was surprised at the extent of the doctor's
library which contained the most valuable standard medical Avorks of the past,
and was richly supplied with the most approved works newly issued in this
country and Europe. Probably not a score of physicians in such cities as

Dr. W. S. Duncan 221

New York or Phil;ulel])hia, individually jxisscss libraries comjjarablc in \alue
to that 111' Dr. Duncan, and it was prol)al)le that out of all the other nu'dieal
libraries in Fayette County not one-half as many se])arate works, or works
bv different authors, eould be ii;leaned as were contained in liis. Meilical
books are just as much a positive necessity for the inte.Ljral understanding
and seientilic practice of medicine as are good sound "horse sense," an ex-
cellent fundamental c-ducation in medical science, ])rudenee, etc., which
were too ajit to ])v sujijiosed all that a physician needs. Hi- must kec]) up
with the ad\-aneement of medical science if he would be trtily sueei'ssful
and great, and he should be unwilling to be less. Books were ])raetically
his only source of information. No one physician's "experience," though
it cover a half century of practice, and comitlcss cases of ex])eriment and
speculation, can afford any consideral)le information or "scientific facts."
in comparison with what books supply, made up as they are out of the ex-
Ijcriences and stttdies of armies of doctors and professors of medical science.
The sick e\-erywhere should consider these things, and the physician of
large practice, it may be, but who is too indolent to read, or too penurious
to provide himself with l>ooks, or he who is too jxior, it may hv, to be ^^■ell
eqtti]i]ied with l)ooks, should be shunned; the former as dangerous, sjiecula-
tive, and who indolently "sets himself up" above the ripest l:)ooks and the
l)est ])hilosophers, and so deliberately defrauds his patients by failing to fur-
nish what they have a right to ex|)eet; the latter as a subject of ])ity, of too
weak parts to know his duty U> himself and the ]ml)lie, and so willing to trille
with human life and subject it to risks rather than undertake to borrow what
he cannot do without, and be what he pretends to be. a "doctor," or learned
man in medicine. It is no more than honorably due to Dr. Duncan to
sav that he did loyal and royal honwr to the profession by ])roviding himself
in an unstinted manner with the pr(.)])er a]ipointments and equipments for
jiractice, and the universal credit which was accorded him as a strong man
in his ])rofession im]ilies the fact; for such a man as he was, is ever ready to
acknowledge that much of whatever he is he owes to his silent, richly
endowed friends, af^le b(.)r)ks.

For what follows posterity is indel)ted to two books m which professional
notice (.)f Dr. Duncan is made, one of which was entitled, "Physicians and
Surgeons of the United States." edited by William B. Atkinson, M. D., 1S7S;
the other a record of the "Transactions of the Rocky Mountain Medical
Association," with biographies of the members, by J. H. Toner. M. D., a
leading physician of Washington, D. C. (1S77):

" Dr. Dttnean was liberally educated at Mount Union College, vStark
County, Ohio. His medical stttdies were commenced in bS,55 with Dr. M.
O. Jones, then of Bridgeport. Matriculating in the tmiversity of Pennsyl-
vania, he took a full course of lectures, and received his degree of M. D.
therefrom in March, 1858. During the last year of his medical course he
was a member of the private class of Dr. J.J. Woodward (one of the medical
attendants of President Garfield in his last illness), in the special study of
pathology, anatomy, and microsco])y. In June, 1858. he formed a part-
nership with his preceptor in Bridgeport and commenced practice. The

222 Dr. James B. Grooms

partnership continued for about two and a half years, when the doctor
entered upon business alone, and remained by himself, in the office where he
wrote his first prescription, until his death which occurred May 16, 1892.

" Dr. Duncan served as a volvmteer surgeon at Gettysburg, was captured
by the Confederate troops, but succeeded in escaping. In the latter part of
his life, his labores were occasionally interrupted by excursions, the winter
months being spent in Florida or other parts of the South, and part of the
summers in New England and Canada. Like most country practitioners,
he engaged in general practice, including surgery, and performed a ntunber
of important operations — for hernia nine times, and treacheotomy seven
times, and successfully performed the operation of excision of the head of
the humerus, and of the lower part of the radius. Dr. Dtmcan was a member
of the Fayette County Medical Society, and held in turn all its offices; also
a member of the Pennsylvania State Medical Society, and was one of its
censors. He was a member of the American Medical Association, and of
the Rocky Mountain Medical Association, and was an honorary member of
the California State Medical Society."

Dr. Duncan was a close student, and contributed quite extensively to
medical literature. Among his numerous and able papers are those entitled
as follows, and that merit special mention: "Malformation of the Genito-
urinary Organs " (American Journal of Medical Science, 1859) ; "Belladonna
as an Antidote for Opium Poisoning" (Ibid., 1862); "Medical Delusions"
(a pamphlet published at Pittsburg, 1869); "Reports of Cases to Pennsyl-
vania Medical Society" (1870-72); "Iliac Aneurism Cured by Electrolysis"
(Transactions of the same society, 1875); a paper on "The Physiology of
Death" (1876).

Dr. Duncan was married March 21, 18(il, to Miss Amanda Leonard, of
Browns\-ille. They had one child, a daughter, Helen Dvmcan, who married
T. Holmes Patton. Mr. Patton died Mav 3, 1898.

Dr. James B. Grooms who died March 10, 1895, still lives in the hearts
of the people of the Three Towns, and for generations yet to come his memory
will be cherished for his magnanimity his kind heart and Avilling hand in
sympathizing with and helping those in pain and distress, for in his practice
he never turned a deaf ear to the call of the worthy, and many are the grate-
ful hearts that gladly testify to his kindness.

Dr. Grooms was born in Carmichaels, Washington County, Pa., July 2,
1827, and was a son of Benjamin and Mary B. (Keer) Grooms. He was the
eldest son of Benjamin Grooms, Avho was one of the earlier settlci^s of Greene
Cotuity, coming from Maryland, and who married Mary B. Keer.

In youth he was noted for his industrious, studious habits. His religious
inclination led him early to vinite himself with the church, and at the age of
17, was a member of the church of his choice — the Methodist Episco-
pal. His Christian experience was a beautiful realization of faith, hope and
charity. He was a self-educated man, using the money he earned himself
to fit him for the profession he loved so well. He taught school several years,

Dr. Nerval W. Truxal 223

till he finally cnmj-ilctecl his medical edncatitm in Cleveland, Ohio. On
completing his i-oiu'sc in materia mediea. \\v settled, to ]iractiee his profes-
sion in Carmichaels, Pa.

In 1853 he married ]'>lizabelh J. Wiley, dau.iihler of William Wiley, of
Carmichaels, who with Ulysses C., now in l)nsiness in Peoria, 111.; Joseph C,
land and claim a^ent of the P. &■ L. Iv R. R., Pittsburg, Pa., Cliarles E.. in
business in Brownsville. Pa., and Misses Mary B. and Mattii' (i.. at home
sur\'i\'e him.

\\'hen the nnn-mur of discontent was heard in our land, and the dark days
of civil strife caused cheeks to lilanch with fear for the safety of om- Union,
he enlisted with the Ringgold l)attalion, a comjiany Ijcing formed in Greene
and Washington Counties, and which was afterward merged into the 22d
Penn'a. calvary. He served se\-eral years, and vipon coming home the in-
delible stamp of decrepitude was ])lainly visil)lc upon his former iron frame.

The doctor was of an inventive turn, and he, with his father, patented one
of the first re])eating magazine rillcs in existence; also a rotary steam engine,
in ISGO, he, with his family moved to Bridgeport, where he practiced his
profession till death called him in his (iSth year.

Dr. Norv.\i. Wilson Trl'.x.xl, one of the ])rominent physicians who prac-
ticed medicine here in Brownsville some thirty-odd years ago, was 1>orn at
Greensburg, Pa., June 14, 1.S22, and died in Brownsville, July 11, 1893.
When a boy in his native town, he entered a jirinting oftice as an a])prentice
and learned the art preservative, afterwards ])ul)lishing a ].)aper for a time in
Mt. Pleasant, Pa. In the meantime, how-e\er, he had studied medicine, and
early in life commenced the practice of that ])rofession, which he continued
till his death. It was about the year 1868 when he located in Bnnvnsville.

When the war of the rebellion broke out, he responded to his country's
call and served as captain of Company I. Fifth W^est Virginia cavalry, till
the close of the war.

L. M. Truxal, editor and proprietor of the Enterprise a wide-awake and
uji-to-date newspaper at Belle Vernon, is a son of Dr. Truxal.

JOSEPH T.\LB(JT Rogers. — The history of Brownsville presents many ex-
amples of successful business men. One of the best of these is the late Mr.
Rogers. His character, industry and business abilities are especially worthy
of commendation.

Mr. Rogers preferred old Brownsville to all other places. He came here
as early as 1830, and from that time until 1SU3, when he retfi-ed from busi-
ness, was actively engaged in the commerciiil interests of our town. With
one exception, he w^as the oldest resident of the two towns, and of the pioneers
who were his contemporaries, only a very few survived him. He was born on
a farm near the Westland meetinghouse, in the neighborhood of Centerville.
Washington County, Pa., on the 2()th day of April, iSdCi.

The Rogers family was one of the earliest to settle in Bucks Coiinty, the
home of William Penn and one of the three original comities of the State.

Mr. Rogers's grandfather moved from Bucks to Chester Ccninty, settled

224 Joseph Talbot Rogers

there, and married Mary, daughter of Joseph Talbot, of that eormty. His
son, John Rogers, Mr. Rogers's father, came from Chester County to Wash-
ington County. His early boyhod was spent vipon the farm. At the age of
24 years, he came to this place and engaged in the manufacture of woolens.
The facory was situated at the place where Miller's flouring mill afterwards
stood. After a few years he quit manufacturing to enter mercantile
life. While in the latter he took part in other local enterprises, including
the building and furnishing of steamboats for the Ohio and Mississippi
Rivers. In this business he was associated with his cousin, Robert
Rogers, one of the well-known ]jioneers of western steamboat building.
Mr. Rogers was a shareholder and director in the Monongahela Bridge
Company, and the Second National Bank owes its existence more
to him than any other person. This Bank, as is shown by its charter
number 135, was one of the first to organize under the laws of
1863. The government was then endeavoring to establish a uniform
currency throughout the ccnmtry, b}' the organization of national
banks. This was for the pvirpose of assisting the government in its struggle
against the. Rebellion. It was at this time that Mr. Rogers displayed most,
his ability as an organizer of financial concerns. Many difficulties were en-
countered, but his determination overcame them all. When organized, this
bank was called the First National Bank, and Mr. Rogers was its First Vice
President. He afterwards became its President, and held the position
twenty-seven years, resigning it in 1893. According to the Banker's Mag-
azine, he was the oldest bank president in America. He seemed, in his old
age, to have retained all his faculties intact. Mr. Rogers married Priscilla
Mercer, daughter of Rev. Boyd Mercer, of Washington County. He resided
here continuously from 1S39 to the time of his death.

He was a man of regular habits and was particularly fond of his home,
he suffered the loss of his wife in 18G8, but continued to live happily with
his children, upon whom all his affection and interest seems to ha\'e centered,
in his old age. Foiu" children sur\-ive him: Roland C, of this ])laee, retired;
Talbot M., a retired business man of Philadelphia; Mary, wife of Rev. R. M.
Wallace, D. D., of Lewistown, Pa., and Annie, wife of Rev. T. D. Ewing,
D. D., of Corning, Iowa. Mr. Rogers left an ample forttme and a naine of
which his children may well feel proud.

John S. Wilgl's, the subject of this sketch, was born in Perryopolis,
Fayette County, Pennsylvania, October 28, 1823, and was the son of John
and Deadamia (Donnelly) Wilgus, the former of whom was born in New
Jersey, September 12, 178(). vSamuel Wilgus, grandfather of John S., was also
a native of New Jersey ^\■here he was reared and educated. He married
Miss Rhoda Whitney who bore him four childnn, William, James, Edmund
and John. He died in his native state.

John S. Wilgus passed his youth at the old home in Perryopolis, Pa., and
there received a liberal education. He commenced his business career as
a clerk in a grocery store and afterwards eml)arked in that business for hini-
self.

JdIiii vS. Wil.uus 225

September 21, 1845, he nuirricd Barbara Hunter, a daughter of Samuel
Hunter of AVestnioreland County, Pa., and to this ha]>])y luiion -were born
seven children, as follows: T. B., Melissa A. (Mrs. D. M. Hart), Jane (de-
ceased), Eva (Mrs. William Beatty), Dora (Mrs. Krepps), Blanche (Mrs.
Fred L. Mason), Ettie (Mrs. Dr. Crawford). Barbara Hunter's mother was
a Miss Nancy Fletcher, leneal descendant of Moses Fletcher, who came over
in the Mayflower in \C)2i).

John Wilgus, father of John S.. was educated by his mother and by elost'
application to books, became, considering his inferior advantages, a remark-
ably good scholar. He afterwards moved to Pennsylvania and located at
Perrj^opolis of which ])lace he was one of the justices of the ■[)eace, an office
at that time of no inconsiderable importance. He always took a deep and
active interest in the ]iolitical movements in his section and was ])rominent
in his ]>arty, lirst as a Democrat and later as a Whig. He was a consistent
Christian and an active, progressive member and local ])reacher of the Meth-
odist Episcopal Chin-ch. In New Jersey he had married Deadamia Donnelly,
daughter of Jose])h Donnelly who came to Pennsylvania with Mr. Wilgus in
1806. The children born to this union were Josejjh, Lorenzo, Melissa,
Louisa, Charlotte, Emily, John vS., Deadamia, Rhoda and Hulda. He died
near Perryopolis, Pennsylvania, in October 1S71. While a resident of Perry-
opolis, he read medicine and law, and for several years practiced as a physi-
cian. He was the first one to suggest the building of the Union Pacific Rail-
road in a letter to James K. Polk who was at that time President of the L^'nited
States, as will be seen elsewhere in this vokune under the head of "Rail-
roads."

John S. Wilgus was originally a Whig, casting his first vote for Henry Clay.
When the Rejniblican ])arty was formed, he enrolled himself under its banner
and continued with it till his death. He held warious offices of honor and trust
during his life, among theni being that of postmaster at Brownsville, to which
position he was appointed in 1873. In 1880 he went into the grocery business
in Monongahela City, which he continued till 1890 when he was elected alder-
man of that city.

He was an earnest and acti\'e memlier of the Disci])le Church and took a
deep interest in all matters for the ad\-ancement and betterment of his town,
coitnty and state. He died at Browns\'ille. Pa., Jtmi- l(i, HU)1, at the ripe
old age of 77 vears months and 1(1 davs.

Mr. Willi. -^m Chatlaxd, of Brownsville, was born at Stratford-on-Avon,
Warwickshire, England, June 1), 1811. He is the son of William Chatland
of Meriden, a borough six miles north of the city of Coventry, in the same
shire, and of Pricilla (Green) Chatland, of Brier Hill, Staffordshire.

Mr. William Chatland, Sr., died in London about 1819, at the age of forty
years, and some five years subsequent to the death of his wife, which occttrred
in 1814. Mr Chatland, who was but three years of age at the death of his
mother, was placed in the charge of his grandmother, Mrs. Ann Chatland, by
whom he was reared until about his tenth year, when his grandmother died.
He was then taken by his imcle, Jf)seph Chatland, a pros])erous baker of

226 William Chatland

Coventry, with whom he resided until about his thirteenth year, and was
then apprenticed to Daniel Claridge, a famous baker of Coventry at that
time, to learn the trade of baking in all its branches. He remained with Mr.
Claridge for seven years. After the expiration of his apprenticeship he
went to London, and there, during a period of three years and a half, occupied
positions in two first-class houses of that city. After finishing his stay in
London he rettu^ned to Coventry, established himself in the baker's btxsiness,
and married Miss Elizabeth Manton, the daughter of William Manton, a
farmer of Berkwells, W^arwickshire. He conducted business in Coventry for
some six years, after which, selling otit, he migrated with his famih' — wife
and three daughters — to the United States, arriving in New York April 20,
1S44. In a few days thereafter he took the old "Bingham Line" for Pitts-
burgh, Pa. Tarrying there a while prospecting, he eventually moved to the
county seat of Washington County, where he resided, carrying on both the
baking and confectionery business, for about eight years, and in 1852 organ-
ized a company of fifteen persons to go with him by the overland route to
California, where, at Sacramento, he bought out a baking business, which he
conducted with great success until he was seized by a fever and ague, and was
compelled to leave the country. He retttrned to his family, who had re-
mained meanwhile at Washington. Failing to find a suital)le location for
business in that town, he betook himself to Brownsville in 185-i, where he
has since resided, carrying on business by himself for about eighteen years,
when he took into partnership his son-in-law, George W. Lenhart. the hus-
band of his daughter Sarah. Lender the firm name of Chatland & Lenhart
they do an extensive business, and enjoy the re])utation of making the best
water cracker now in use. The word "Brownsville" stamped upon a cracker
means it is the best.

In 1866 George W. Lenhart became a member of the firm and he continued
a partner till 1895 when he withdrew and his son AA'illiam L. Lenhart took his
place. The younger Lenhart, like his father before him, and his grandfather
in the earlier days, is a wide-awake, progressive man and the business has
continually grown and flourished until the products of the Chatland & Len-
hart cracker factory are favorites in many states.

Mrs. Elizabeth Chatland died at Brownsville, January 28, 1874, in the
sixty-first year of her age, leaving a husband and three davightcrs, Elizabeth.
Mary Ann and Sarah Ann Kate, the latter being the yovmgest and as before
stated the wife of George W. Lenhart.

Mr. Chatland and his family were members of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in which Mr. Chatland was for many years a vestryman. From
] 884 Mr. Chatland was a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity.
He was District Deputy Grand Master for Pennsylvania for fifteen years.
District Deputy High Priest for sixteen years and also Eminent Commander
of St. Omer's Commandery No. 7, held at Brownsville, for about eighteen
years. Mr. Chatland was an old and honored citizen and was justly proud
of his record as a Mason. He died April 11, I'JOO, in his 89th year.

John IlL-rbertson 227

ic ot

loiiN Herbertson. of Bridgeport, ^vho was for over sixty years om
Ihc most active bvisiness men and suV)stantial eitizens of the borough in
whieh he resided, was l.<-rn in (^hisgow, Scotland, Sq.tember 10, ISOo. In
his chil.lhood he attended llie e(.nHn<.n schools, and ha<l the good fortune to
listen to many of the seienlilie lectures (if the renowned Vre. At seventeen
vcars of age he left home lor America. Having spent some time m learning
llic joiners' and cabinetmakers' trades, an.l thc> law at that time forbidding
mechanics to leave the realm, young Herbertson got his tools smuggled on
board the •■Commerce," the sliip on which he took ]iassage, and which,
after a voyage of hve weeks and two days, landed him in New York, m July,
1823. He soon proceeded to Marietta, Ohio, to enter upon farming under
the misrepresentations of one Nahum Ward, a great scamp, who Vjv misrey.-
resentations induced many people of Glasgow and elsewhere to lea\e then-
homes and settle upon his lands. At Marietta, Mr. Herbertson "acquired"
little else than fever and ague, and moved, after a few months, to Pittsburg,
Pa., where he arrived in April, 1 S24. He lived in Pittsburg about five years,
meanwhile learning the trade of steam-engine building. In 1829 he en-
gaged with John Snowdon, of Brownsville, as foreman in his engine shop.
He remained with Mr. Snowdon aljout seven years. During this time Mr.
Snowdon took the contract for putting up the iron bridge across Dunlap's
creek, the first ever built in America, as it is the first of its kind ever built
in any country. For this bridge Mr. Herbertson did all the headwork, and,
in fact, all the mechanical work. He designed the bridge, making the first
drawing which was sent (..n to West Point, and there accepted by the
government construction engineers. He made the patterns, supervised the
molding, and also the erection oi the bridge.

After the expiration of his engagement with Mr. Snowdon he went into
the business of engine building with Thomas Faull, the firm name being
Faull & Herbertson. This was in 1837 or 1838. He continued in business
with Mr. Faull till 1842, when the latter ^vithdrew, and Mr. Herbertson
continued the business on the same site until his death August 1 (\. 1 8i)(). He
built a large number of steamboat and mill engines. His work was ordered
from distant parts of the United States and from Mexico. As a skilled
mechanic and designer of mechanical work, but few men, if any, in his line
excelled him. Up'until his death he took an active interest m his business,
and with the aid of his sons, all thoroughly instructed in the business and
competent to take their father's idace and let him wholly retire, if he would,
he still carried on an extensive work, which, however, after September,^ 1880,
was conducted by him in partnership with his sons, George S. and William
H. Herbertson, and his son-in-law, William H. Ammon, and Mr. A. C. Cock,
under the firm name of John Herbertson & Co. The business is now con-
ducted by his sons under the firm name of J. Herbertson's Sons.

No man's reputation for integrity and the other virtues which go to make
a noble and honorable man, stood higher m his community than that of Mr.
Herbertson.

ToHX S. Prixgle.— A history, though abridged, would be incom]ilete,
even in that form, without siiccial menti<m of John S. Piingle wIk). until his

228 John S. Pringle

death June 6, 1884, was a central figure in the progressive force of the Three
Towns, though he retired from business in 1879.

He was the only son of William Pringle, a Scotchman, who emigrated to
America when a young man, and Elizabeth (Snyder) Pringle, who was of
German descent, and was born October 23, 1804, near McKee's Gap, Blair
Cotmty, Pa.

His opportunities for an education were such as the subscription schools
of the neighborhoods in which he resided during his minority afforded. He
employed his spare moments in the study of business men and methods,
and by the time he reached his majority he was fairly equipped for the work
which was to engage his attention in after years. When eighteen years of
age he left his father's house, which was then in Bedford County, and came
to "Redstone Old Fort." The first work which he performed after coming
to Fayette County was in the boat yard of Joseph Allen, at the mouth of
Little Redstone Creek. He developed a fondness and an aptness for boat
building, and after remaining with Mr. Allen one summer was employed as
foreinan in the yard of Robert Rogers, of Brownsville, for whom he built
the first flat-bottomed boat launched west of the Alleghenies. The superi-
ority of his boat over others then in use was manifest, as was also Mr. Pringle's
ability as a boat builder, and orders for vessels like this one, were so numerous
that he determined to embark in business for himself. He began in the
yard at Brownsville, and remained there until 1844, when he purchased the
Ephraim Blaine property in West Brownsville, and upon it graded and
established a boat yard, which he operated until 1879, when, incapacitated
by old age and disease, he transferred his business interests to the care of his
son, John D. S. Pringle, and his son-in-law, Andrew C. Axton, both <if whom
are noted for their energy and business ability.

Mr. Pringle was a courteous, hospitable gentleman and his life was honest,
busy and useful. He was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church,
to whose benevolent enterprises he was a liberal contributor. He died at
a ripe old age respected by his neighbors, esteemed by his friends, and sincerely
loved by his fainily.

He was married May 3, 1832, to Elizabeth P. Horner, who died November
29, 1844. By this marriage there were six children: Elizabeth, Ann, Wil-
liam H., George W., Sarah and Mary.

Mr. Pringle was again married October 16, 1845, to Sarah Ellen Snyder.
To this union there were born ten children. They are John D. S., who did
good service in the war of the Rebellion as a member of Comjaany F, Eight-
eenth Pennsylvania Cavalry; David S., Nancy, Ella, Isabel, Esther, Mary,
Simon P., Christian S., now union station agent at Brownsville, and Andrew A.

Mr. Pringle's lousiness life in this community extended over a period of
more than half a eenttiry, and in that time he launched over five hundred
boats upon the Monongahela River. The largest one in that number was
the "Illinois." She was three hundred and four feet long, had a fifty-two-
foot beam, and was seventy-five feet across the deck.

vSaiiiuel Steele 229

Mr. Samuel Steele, of Brownsville, was of Scotch-Irish extraction. His
great-grandparents came to America from the Xorth of Ireland about 1740,
and settled, it is believed, in Eastern l\'nnsyl\ ania. ( )n the ])assage over
the Atlantic Mrs. Steele presented her husband with a son, who was given
ihe nanu' of \Villiam. and who was the grandfather of Mr. Samuel Steele.
W'Uliam grew u]) to manhood and found his way into Maryland, where he
married and resideil fur a jieriod nf time, the jn'ecise ri'cord of whii-h is lost;
bi:t there se\'eral children we're' born to him, one of \vhom, the oldest son,
was b'hn, the father of Samuel Steele. About IT.So or 17S4. William Steele
removed from Maryland with his family to Fayette County, to a jxjint on
the "Old Packhorse Road" about six miles east of Brownsville, where he
purchased a tract of land, which was divided into several excellent farms,
later occupied by Thomas Mur])hy, who resided upon the old Steele home-
stead site, and others. William Steele eventually removed to Rostraver
Township, Westmoreland Coiinty, where he died in ISOti.

Some years prior tti his death Mr. William Steele purchased fr)r his sons
John and William a tract of land in what was Jefferson Township, and cm-
braced the farm later owned by John Steele and Joseph S. Elliott. John
Steele (the father of Samuel S.) eventually married Miss Agnes (often called
"Nancy") Happer, l)y wIkjui he had eight children, of whom Samuel was the
fourth in number, and was born June 15, 1X14. Mr. John vSteele died June
6, 1850, at abotrt the age of eighty-three.

Mr. Samuel Steele was brought up on the farm, and in his childhood at-
tended the subscription schools. In his eighteenth year he left home and
entered as an apprentice to the tanning and cru'rying trade in the cstal:)lish-
ment of Jesse Cunningham, his br<jther-in-law, a noted tanner of Brownsville,
■where he served three years in learning the business. /\fter the exjjiration
of his a])prenticeshi]) he entered u]»on the ]:)ursuit of \-arious businesses,
among which was flatboating agricultural ])roducts, a])]iles, cider, and
provisions of various kinds down the Monongahela to the Ohio, and on to
Cincinnati and Lousiville, where he usually sold his merchandise, but some-
times made tri])S to New Orleans. He followed the business in springtime
for some seven years, ending about February, 1S43, when occurred the death
of Mr. Jesse Cunningham. Mr. Steele then entered into iiartnershi]) \\'ith his
sister, Mrs. Cunningham, under the firm name of Samuel Steele tV' Co.,
and carried on the business at the old place till IStUJ, when the partnership
was amicably dissolved, and Mr. Steele sank a new yard, a few blocks higher
up the hill, w^here he conducted business. In 18S0 he took into partnership
with himself his son William, txnder the firm name of " Samuel Steele & Son. ' '

Ffc4ji-uary 1 1 . 1852, Mr. Steele married Miss Elizabeth A. Conwell, of Browns-
ville, by whom he had four sons and four daughters, all of whom are living.

In politics he was formerly an old-time Whig, but was later an ardent
Reptrblican. In religion he ])reserved the faith of his fathers, being a Presby-
terian. His wife and daughters were menibers of the Episco])al Chiu^ch. Mr.
Steele died August 4. 1886.

Samuel Thompson was an extensi\"e land holder, and a large coal operator
along the Monongahela river, in the Pittsburg bed of the great Apalachian

230 Samuel Thompson

coal field. He was a son of John and Ruth (Lewis) Thompson, and was
born in East Bethlehem Township, Washington County, Pa., March 23, 1820.
He was one of a family of ten children.

He remained on the old homestead about two miles from Bcallsvillc until
he was eight years old when he removed with the family to the adjoining farm
now owned by Rev. J. L. Thompson, where he spent his boyhood days. No-
vember 2d, 1843, he married Miss Martha Jane Cooper and mo\'ed into the
house in which he was born. He farmed in the summer and thrashed in the
winter. In the spring of 1848 he moved to the Rigglc farm now owned by
Lewis Weaver and which was stocked by him, a mile from Centerville, Wash-
ington County, Pa. July the 8th of the same year his wife died and he went
back to live with his father, farming in the summer and running a distillery
in the winter, hauling his ]iroduets to Brownsville from Robert Hawkins',
where he lived and farmed until 1S57. He then mo\'ed in with his brother
Isaac on a farm two miles from Bealls\-ille, which farm is still owned by one
of his sons, where they ran a distillery until 1 800, when Samuel Thompson
moved to Brownsville, where he continued the liquor business as a speculator
in 18()2 and followed the insurance business insuring against draft. He
built the distillery in West Brownsville known as the Thompson distillery.

July 12, 1859, he married Miss Esther Wilson, of Washington County, who
died May 30, 1864, leaving three children — their names are, Robert W., George
D., and Thomas H. February 25, 1872, he married for his third wife Miss
Elizabeth Crawford, of Fayette County. vShe died June 20, 1877. In 1882
Mr. Thompson married his fourth wife, Miss Bridget Dawson.

For many years Mr. Thompson served as director of the First, afterwards
the Second National Bank of Brownsville and also as a director and vice presi-
dent of the National Deposit Bank of Bridgeport. He also owned stock in the
Citizens Bank of Washington, Pa., and was a stockholder in the Nattiral Gas
Co. He and his nephews also had a bank in Eureka, Kansas. In addition
to this he owned seventeen farms aggregating 3,000 acres of good farming
land. Seven of these farms are in Washington County, five in Fayette,
two in Iowa and three in Kansas and are all underlaid with coal.

He was identified with the Second M. E. church, Bridgeport, in which he
was an earnest and zealous worker until his death.

In the spring of 1898 he was struck by a train from which he never fully
recovered, and from the injuries he died December 7, 1899.

Mr. Thompson was a man who never put off for tomorrow what he could
do today. He was philanthropic, careful of his promise and his word was as
good as his bond.

J. Nelson Snowdon was born in Brownsville October 15, 1827; he at-
tended the common schools of the borough. He is a son of Captain John
and Mary (Smith) vSnowdon.

In 1845 he accepted a position as clerk in the forwarding and grocery
house of George Cass, which position he held but a short time. He became
second clerk on one of the river packets in 1840 and remained on the river

J. Nelson Snowdon 2.'51

until 1S54, during which time he had command of and owned several boats
that wt-re runnint; on tlu' ( )hio Rix'er.

In 1854 he went into partnershi]) with his father and lirother Samuel in
the fovmdrv and machine shoj.JS and tlie boat-buiklinj^ business, the name of
the tirm being J. Snowdon & Sons. In 1S()0 Samuel withdrew, and the name
of the firm was then changed to J. Snowdon (S: Son.

This firm built two gunl)oals for the Government during the war (the
l'mi)(iua and Manayunk), at a contract pi'ice of over one million dollars.
The latter named boat was so great a fa\-orite in the Navy that when the
gunboats were sold off, at the close of the war, she was retained in the
service and her name changed to Ajax.

The firm of John Snowdon & Son also had a large foundry, machine shop
and boat yard at Pittsburgh, and employed as many as two thousand men
in this shop and the one at Brownsville. The greater part of the material
for the two gunboats was turned out at Pittsburgh.

In 1850 they turned out twenty-six complete steamboat engines. During
the same year they took contracts to build and complete, in all its parts,
an entire steamboat in sixty days, and finished and delivered it in forty-live
days — fifteen days sooner than the contract time.

In February, 1878, Mr. Snowdon was appointed postmaster at Browns-
ville by President Hayes, and reappointed in 1882 by President Arthur.

Mr. Snowdon was elected school director at the time that the erection of
a public school building was in question, against a strong opposition, as in
favor of the building, and was made chairman of the board and held that
position for eight years.

In January, 1853, he married Miss Eliza J. MeSherry, daughter of James
McSherrv, who was a tailor of Bi-ownsville. To this imion were born three
children, Charles L., J. Howard, and Mary, now the wife of Walter Bare,
of Lancaster, Pa.

T. S. Wright, a native of England, came to America and to Browns\'ille
in 1848. He learned Marble cutting under his brother Moses, by whom he
was received as a partner in 1868. The firm did an excellent business and
in 1875 Moses Wright retired. After that T. S. Wright conducted the busi-
ness alone until his death. In 1880 he put in steam power which enabled
him to manufacture granite e<iual to any city works, and superior to most of
them. This impro\-ement alone cost $2,000. Mr. Wright erected many of
the finest monuments and memorials in Fayette, Washington, Greene, West-
moreland and Allegheny counties. Among them might be mentioned the
soldiers' monument at Uniontown which is made of Massillon sandstone and
which is admired by everyone who sees it.

His workingmen, of whom he employed thirteen, were all skilled and artistic,
and worked almost exclusively from original designs by Harry S. Wright,
son of the proprietor. His works occupied two lots and buildings at the
corner formed by the junction of Front \\-ith Market Streets in Browns\-ille,
and there was not a busier place, or one better worth visiting in town. Mr.

232 Captain Adam Jacobs — Jesse H. Bulger

Wright was a live citizen, always improving, always alert to everything that
was for the benefit of the town, and was social, affable and intelligent.

Since the death of T. S. Wright, his sons have conducted the business under
the firm name of T. S. Wright's Sons and have added all the latest improved
eqtiipments for doing work economically, speedily and yet reach the highest
degree of perfection. It is but justice to the deserving to say that they
maintain the reputation their venerable father established. Their works
and warerooms are now located on Water Street in Bridgeport.

Captain Adam Jacobs was for maiiy years one of the most prominent and
active men in this section of the country and was identified with many of the
most prominent and extensi\-e enterprises. He was born in Brownsville,
January 7, 1817 and attended the pay schools of that day till he was aljout
16 years of age when he was apprenticed to G. W. Bowman to learn copper-
smithing. He remained with Mr. Bowman for about four years when he
went into the business for himself. He did not contintie at coppersmithing
long, however, for in several years we find him steamboating on the western
rivers at which he continued till 1847. While during this time he was en-
gaged to some extent in boat btiilding, from 1 847 on he ptishcd it vigorously
at times having as many as eight boats under contract at once. He built
about 130 steamboats before he finally retired from the business. Amoiig
his other enterprises he also conducted several mercantile establishments very
sticcessfuUy.

On the 22d of February, 1838, Mr. Jacobs married Miss Ann Snowdon,
datighter of John and Mary Smith Snowdon. They had ten children eight
of whom lived to maturity and some of whom are still honored members of
this commtmity.

From 1872 to his death, December 18, 1883, Mr. Jacobs divided his time
between his home in Brownsville and his country seat at "East Riverside,"
on the Monongahela River in Ltizcrne Townshij), Fayette County. Pennsyl-
vania, preferring the latter place in the summer.

Jesse H. Bulger was born near Fredericktown, Washington County,
Pennsylvania, in 1819 and received his education in the common schools of
that covmty. Mr. Bulger was a molder by trade and at one time was a member
of the firm of J. Herbertson & Sons. It was at this time thaf he made the
iron railings on the Dunlap's Creek iron bridge. He was also engaged in the
grocery business imtil the time of his death, July 9, 1901.

While Mr. Bulger was not a politician he was frecjuently chosen to fill
municipal offices, serving as a member of the board of edtication of Bridge-
port and also as treasurer of the borough for a number of years.

November 0, 1846, Mr. Bulger married Miss Mary Scott. There were
born to this marriage seven children as follows: H. Ward, now deceased;
Miles G., cashier of the Second National Bank of Brownsville; Wm. H. and
Rinard R., both of the firm of Bulger Bros., merchant tailors; Thomas W.,
who carries on the merchant tailoring business in Uniontown; Howard H.,
druggist; Jessie, now the wife of James M. West, of Pittsburg.

Rolan.l Clay Rogers 233

Roland Ci.av Roc.kks, rctiivd nuTchaiil, who resides in the old Rogers
homestead on Bank vStreet, Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, where he was born
June 23, 1S44, is one of the men to honor whom is a pleasmx-. Modest and
unassuming, with i)hilanthroi)y l)aeked by a generosity of which few people
know, in many instances not e\-en the recipients of his gi'nerosily, he goes
his way, doing good whenever and wherever o])])ortunity affords, invariably
following the scriptural injunction "Let not thy right hand know what thy
left hand doeth. " His beneficiaries are many and in fact there are few if any
pttblie enter]>rises to which he has not and does not continue to contribute.

Mr. Rogers is a son of Jose])h Talbot and Priscilla (Mercer) Rogers, who
were among the oldest and most prominent families of the Three Towns,
their ancestors having settled near here early in the nineteenth century.
In fact it is to his father Joseph T. Rogers more than to any other man that
the First National Bank (now the Second National Bank) owes its existence
as well as its prosperity. Roland C. Rogers was educated in the Bridgeport
public scho(.)ls and at vSchwickley academy, and early in life eml:)arked in the
mercantile business. This he followed in Philadelphia from bS()4 to 1884
with gratifying success, when he wisely decided to retire from bvisiness and
return to his native town and spend the rest of his days enjoying the fruits
of his labor and quietly furthering the interests of the municipality in which
he makes his home.

Mr. Rogers like many worthy men, is rather reticent about himself and
avoids publicity as much as possible, -[ireferring to do (|uietly and without
ostentation what his jitdgment dictates and his hands find to do. To a
casual observer, he is a courteous, affable gentleman, Intt to those who by
constant association with him have learned to really kudw him, his depth of
character and breadth of generosity, have endeared him bey(^nd that degree
ordinarily called friendshi]^.

While Mr. Rogers has ne\-er asi^ired to jjolitieal ])referment, he has been
called upon to fill many positions of honor and trust and has always made
a record that is a credit to him and his friends. For three years he was a mem-
ber of the Bridgeport council and during most of that time served as its
president. He was also chairman of the light committee during his term as
councilman and one of his firmest characteristics, that of self-sacrifice for the
pubhc good, was strongly brought out at that time. The borough was then
lighted by manufactured gas and the r|uestion of changing to electric lights
was up to the connnittee. Mr. Rogers was a large stockholder in the gas
company, and notwithstanding the fact that it was directly against his own
financial interests, as chairman of the light committee, believing it for the
best interest of the public, he recommended the adoption of the electric
light and it was accordingly done. And, it is scarcely digressing to say that
if the Congress of the United States was made up of such men, the people
would get their dues and the lobbyist would be out of a job. He has served
as a director of the Second National Bank of Brownsville, the Bridge company,
the Electric Light company, the Bridgeport Cemetery company, only taking
stock in the later company when it was assured him that it would not be
conducted for the benefit or profit of the stockholders. He is now and has

234 Solomon Gillespie Krepps

for the past thirty years, been a member of the Historical Society of
Pennsylvania, and was for many years Vice President of the Second National
Bank of Brownsville. Mr. Rogers is also a member of the Pennsylvania
Forestry Association, and with his usual characteristic of j^racticing what he
preaches, he has of his own accord, planted 170 trees in the Bridgeport ceme-
tery. He is a great admirer of art and is a life member of the Fairmont Park
Art Association of Philadelphia. While not a member, he has always been
affiliated with the Presbyterian church, and with the apostle of old believes,
and demonstrates his belief, that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Solomon Gillespie Krepps, the present efficient postmaster of Bridgeport
(Cadwallader Postoffice), is the son of Samuel J. and Elizabeth (Brooke)
Krepps, davighter of Clement and Ann (Dillon) Brooke of Baltimore, Maryland.
He is of Welsh and German descent. His great-grandfather, Christian Krepps,
was born in Germany in 1701 and came to New Jersey about 1760 and subse-
quently, about 1775, came to Western Pennsylvania and bought a tract of
land in what is now Washington County, from the Indians, beginning at
what is now West Brownsville and extending toward Maiden. When the
Indians, incited by the French, became so hostile in Western Pennsylvania,
Mr. Krepps with many other settlers of this section, left his land and went
back east, settling for the time at Philadelphia. He served during the Revo-
lutionary War as did also two of his sons.

In 17S2 he returned to the "Knob" farm and commenced the culti\'ation
of his land bvit he only enjoyed this home a short time, for in 1784 he died
from the effects of a gunshot wound he received at the battle of Brandywine.

John Krepps, then a young man of twenty years, took charge of the estate
and lived on the old home farm. The adjoining farm east, was owned by
Neal Gellespie who had bought it from Indian Peter as recorded elsewhere
in this volume, and on this farm lived the lo\'ely Mary Gillespie, to whose
charms John Krepps fell a willing A'ictim. They spent the remainder of their
days on their farm living at the foot of Krepps' Knob. The following chil-
dren were born to this union : Christian, Solomon Gillespie, Samuel Jackson,
Eleanor and John.

Samuel J. Krepps, the father of the subject of this sketch, married Miss
Elizabeth Brooke as above stated, and they settled do\\-n in the \-allev. For
a time Mr. Krepps operated a sawmill which was run by water power, the
water being taken from a dam then across the Monongahela river. In 1832
he built a house in what is now known as "The Neck," in Brownsville, for a
residence and storerooms, and which is now the popular Monongahela house.
Here they lived for many years and here their children were born. There
were born to them here, John Brooke, Mary Ellen, Anna Eliza, Clement
Dillon, Charles Wycliff, Samuel AV., Solomon Gillespie, and Christian C.
Krepps. In 1847 Samuel J. Krepps returned to the Indian Hill farm where
he and his estimable wife spent the remainder of their days. The children
attended the district schools and later took collegiate courses, Solomon G.

William C. Steele 235

Krep]is, the subject i>f Ihis sketch, selectin.tj: as his ahiia mater the laninus old
Jefferson ccihegc, then at Canonsbin-g, Pa., but now tlie \Vashini,non and
lelTcrson coUet^n', at Washin.gton, Pa.

in the si)rin,iLi; of ISCil, Solomon (i. Kre]iiis n-sponded to the eaU of his
country for \ohmteers to ])reserve llie Union and inhsted witli the first
company that left liere for tlie front, and wlneli by the way was the lirst in
the L'nited vStates to resi)ond to Lincohi's first caU. In Jul\' of the same
year he was mustered into the service at ^h■rridan llih, D. C. January (>,
18G2,liewas made second lieutenant of Comjiany 1), Pennsylvania Infantry
Corps. February HI, ISIiL', he was appointed by Abraham Lincoln to the
rank of second lieutenant in the Fourth Infantry, United States Regulars.

At the close of the war. Mr. Kre])])s returned home and in lS(iU he married
Miss Margaret Moi^itt, daughter of James and Katharine (West) Moffitt of
Bridgeport, Pa., and they took uji their home in the house on Water street,
Bridgeport, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, that had been built for his tmcle,
Solomon G. Krepps, in 1813, where they still reside. To this happy union
there have been born two children, Katharine, now Mrs. James Colvin Higin-
botham, and Solomon Gillespie Krep])s, Jr.

Mr. Solomon G. Krepps, Sr., was burgess of Bridgej)ort in 1S7.8, a member
of the board of education in 1885 and was appointed postmaster of Cad-
wallader post office, Bridgeport, January 17, 1899, which office he still holds
ably assisted by his most estimable wife

William C. Steele, the present efficient ])ostmaster of Brownsville, and
a son of Samuel and Elizabeth A. (Conwell) Steele, was born in Brownsville,
Pa., May 23, 1857, and has resided here continuously since then. He
received his education in the Brownsx'illc schools and in the Southwestern
Noi-mal. In 1878 he became a partner of his father in the tannery business,
the firm name being Samuel Steele & Son. In 1S88, Mr. Steele closed up the
tannery business and entered into the mercantile business, dealing in boots,
shoes, hats, caps, etc. Eleven years later or in 1899, he sold out his business
to take the position of postmaster of Brownsville to wdiich position he had
been appointed by President McKinley. He assumed the duties of the
office Febrviary 15, 1899 and has continued as postmaster ever since to the
entire satisfaction of the patrons of the office.

December 14, 1881, WiUiam C. Steele and Miss Ahce, datrghter of Capt. E.
D. Abrams, of Brownsville, were married. The result of this happy union,
was fotrr children, namely Bessie (deceased), Helen J., William Conwell, Jr.
(deceased), and Lawrence.

Politically Mr. Steele is a Republican and has always stood high in his
party and as a member of the community. He served for twelve years
in the borough council, and for six years as a member of the board of educa-
tion, during all of which time he was secretary of that body. He is a vestry-
man in Christ Episcopal church and a poptrlar and progressive citizen.

236 John B. Moffitt — Squire Rob't McKinley

John B. Moffitt, the present efficient postmaster of West Brownsville, is
a native of that borough and received his education in the common schools.
He is a son of James and Eliza J. (Bennett) Moffitt and followed blacksmith-
ing from 1861 to 1897 when he was appointed postmaster and has served con-
tinuottslv since then.

Robert McKinley, the subject of this sketch, is the oldest citizen of West
Brownsville, and one of the oldest of the Three Towns. He was born in
what is now a suburb of Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland, April
4, 1820, and is a son of James and Nancy (McCaslin) McKinley. Robert
Kinley's father was a subcontractor under his brother, Henry McKinley,
in building some of the eastern sections of the National Pike, and it was
probably this that led Robert's parents at an early day to come west and
settle near Beallsville, Washington County. After remaining there some
time, Robert McKinley came to Brownsville and learned the cooper trade
under Edward Stone.

Some years later, but while still a young man, he went back to his native
State and entered into partnership with his brother Henry, who w^as a printer.
They bovight the Cuinberland Alleganian, a newspaper published at Cumber-
land. This they successfully published till the death of his brother, which
occurred about three years after the partnership was formed. On the death
of his brother Mr. McKinley sold out the newspaper and, settling up his
btisincss, returned to Washington Cotmty, Pennsylvania. In the mean
time, howe\er, he had met and surrendered his heart and hand to Miss
Zillah Clark, a most charming and estimable yoting lady of Cumberland,
and the daughter of George and Nancy (Price) Clark. They were married
December 11, 1845.

It was shortly after their marriage that they came to West Brownsville,
where Mr. McKinley embarked in the grocery business, his store being lo-
cated on the corner where the P. V. & C. depot and offices are now^ located.
During the more than half century that he has lived in West Brownsville
he has been engaged in various lines of business, always meeting wdth grati-
fying success. He served as Justice of the Peace for about thirty-five con-
secutive years and has filled every municipal office in the gift of the people
with entire satisfaction to his constitutents and honor to himself, only
retiring from the office of Justice of the Peace about five years ago.

Mr. and Mrs. McKinley, who arc now qvxietly enjoying the fruits of a long
life of industry and frugality, in their handsome home in West Brownsville
on the banks of the Monongahela River, are the happy parents of ten children,
seven of whom are still living, and all of whom have long since grown to man-
hood and womanhood. The living are, William Henry, George Clark, Annie,
Addison Kirk, Mary E. (now the wife of Gordon Jones of Cincinnati), Sarah
E., and Margaret (now the wife of James F. Blair, of Pittsburgh).

William Graham 237

Mr. McKinley is a lifelong Democrat, having cast his first vote for James
K. Polk and voted for every Democratic Presidential candidate since then.
He has always taken a deep and actixc intcrt'st in all matters pertaining to
the good of the community in which he li\ed, and has the satisfaction to
spend his declining years in the midst of those who ha\'e known hiin all their
li\-es and learned to respect him for his many sterling (pialities. He has
been a lifelong member of the I^resbvlerian Church.

WiLLi.\M Gr.\ham, the oldest and one of the most respected citizens of
Browns\-ille, and in fact the oldest man in this section of the country, was
born in Brownsville, September 19, 1S12, and received his education in the
primitive schools of that day. He is a ship carpenter by trade and followed
that business most of his life, though in his early days he worked for a time
at shoemaking.

His first wife was Elizabeth Burd and to this union there were T)orn five
children, Susan, Isabel (now dead), John, Sarah, and Robert now in the drug
business in the "Neck."

Mr. Graham's second wife was Lydia Vorhees and to this second union
there were born two children, "William and [ames.

Mr. Graham has lived in and near Brownsville all his life and has seen this
country change from what was \-irtually a wilderness to one of the richest
and most jn-osperous in the Union. AA'hen the National Pike was built he
worked on it as a water boy and often relates with mtich satisfaction the fact
that as the go\-ernmcnt had established the wages at STJc and did not stipu-
late whether this ^\•as to be paid to men or boys, he got the same wages as the
men, which at that time was considered a princely :;um.

Though o\-er ninety-two years old, he is still spry and his memory and
sight is still good, and it is a rare treat to sit and hear hmi tell of the incidents
that trans]:)ired over three-c|uarters of a century ago.

James Monroe Mitchell, now the oldest man in Bridgejxjrt, was born at
Hagerstown, Maryland, November 22, 1S16, and is a son of John and Mary
Ann (Ashton) Mitchell. When he was qtiite young, he came with his parents
to Brownsville where, and in Bridgeport, he has since resided with the
exceptions of about tweh-e years during which time he lived in Perryopolis,
Pennsylvania.

Mr. Mitchell attended the public schools of Brownsville and Bridgeport
and after quitting school, took up shoemaking which he followed all his
life. During the time he was in Perryopolis, or to be exact, December 28,
183G, he married Miss Charlotte Page who was a faithful and lo\-ing

238 Stephen I. Gadd

wife till her death which occurred March 1, 1891, when she was 85 years and
one month old.

Mr. Mitchell now lives with his son Joseph on Bridgeport Hill, and is re-
markably spry for a man of his years.

Stephen 1. Gadd, a highl}' respected citizen of Brownsville Townshij), and
a blackswith l)y trade, was born in German Township, Fayette County, Pa.,
Maixh 7, 1S24 and is a son of Elijah and Mary (Haney) Gadd. His father
was also a blacksmith by trade and a native of Redstone Township, Fayette
County, Pa. His mother, Mary Haney, a daughter of Samuel Haney, was
born in German Township, Fayette County, Pa., as was also Samuel
Haney, who died there.

Stephen I. Cxadd, was educated in the schools of German township, and
learned his trade with his father. He has been twice married. Elizabeth
Blasinger, his first wife, was a daughter of William Blasinger, born near New
Salem, Menallen township, and was married July 17, 1866; Mary A. Moss,
his second wife, was the widow of Cunninghain Moss, of Luzerne Township,
to whom he was married the fourth of June, 1868. He is the father of nine
children, of whom six are living: Sarah, the wife of Wellington Reynolds;
Mary, the wife of James Ball, Jr., of Luzerene Township; Curtis, born in
Menallen Township, April 1, 1S51 ; Jennie was born July 14, 1855; Stephen, Jr.,
born May 4, 1869, in Luzerne Township, and Frank born in the same town-
ship, July 31, 1873.

Stephen Gadd is a mcml)er, and is now treasurer, of Lodge No. 613, Inde-
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a strong Deinocrat and an efhcient
worker in his party.

Adam Jacobs was born in Brownsville, Fayette County, Pennsylvania,
August 8, 1840, and is a son of Adam and Ann (Snowdon) Jacobs. He re-
ceived his education in the Brownsville schools, in Merrittstown academy and
in Kenyon College at Gambria, Ohio.

For ten years Captain Jacobs was engaged in the mercantile business with
his father in Brownsville. When the War of the Rebellion broke out, he
enlisted in the 8th Pennsylvania Reserves, Company B, and served to the
close of the war. He then returned home and commenced steamboating at
which business he continued till 1901, riinning on the Monongahela, Ohio,
Mississippi and Missouri rivers.

In 1864 he married Miss Myers, a daughter of H. H. and Eliza

Myers of Canton, Ohio. To this union there were born five children, A. M. R.,
Helen, Ann. Laura and Ledanow dead.

Mrs. Jacobs died and some years later, in 1893, Mr. Jacobs married Belle
S. Stoner, a daughter of Harry and Elizabeth Stoner of the East End,
Pittsburg. To this latter imion there were born two children, Katherinc and
Edward.

\V. II. Uriglit 239

\V. H. Brtgiit, the subject of this sketch, is a son of Geort^e and Nancy
(Saville) Britjht and was born near I-5ndge\vater, Rockingham County, Vir-
,L,nnia, |unc L'S. ISoi'. Tbs fathc-r died wlii'n he was abdut six years old and he
was taken to raise k>v John and Anna ((irabill) Sent:;er witli whom he remained
till he was seventeen years old, and who were as dear to liini as his own ]ian-nts
could have lieen. He had grown U]) on the farm and up until this time had
spent but little time in school. At the age of se\-enteen he badi- the old liome
good-liye and turned his faei- toward the great west. He stO].)])ed at Dayton,
Ohio, and went to work on a farm in Montgomei-y County, where he s]:ent his
spare time in studying, euid so diligently and persi.stently did he ]iroseeute
the task he had set himself that in a few years we find him as prinei]ial of the
Centre schools in that county and a few years later as principal of one of the
schools in Dayton. He taught here for several years and then went to Iowa
where he taught school and learned telegrap)hy on the Burlington & Quincy
railroad.

It was about this time he fell hi with George R. Ste])hens at Mt. Ayr, Iowa
and commenced a newspapier career that has co\-ere(l more than a quarter of
a century and has been remarkable for the extent of his operations. He has
owned and operated new^spapers in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana,
Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. In all of these states he would fre(|uently
occupiy the jjosition of ];rinci])al of the school or one of the schools while
publishing and editing the jjaper, l:)ut his time has been devcjted princi])ally
to newspaper work since 188U. In the interim he traveled all over the
west and south, in fact visited every state and territory in the Union and
followed the Mississippi from lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico, and the
Missotn-i f(.ir many hundreds of miles along its lower course.

In 1S7'.) he commenced to turn his mind in the channel of in\'ention, and
along with his other enterpirises, invented and patented many novel and use-
ful mechanical devices among them being a recipjrocating electric motor, a
rotary steam engine, a coml)ination s])rocket wheel for bicycles, a combi-
nation hand piece for dental engines, a combination lock on which he was
allowed a patent in February of this year, a copy-paper holder for ty])ewriter
and a twin hose coupler, considered the best ever yet produced.

Mr. Bright is the author of many serial stories, column sketches or short
stories and poems of exceptional merit; am(.)ng the latter may be named
"The Old Monongahela Still," written ex])ressly for this book, and several
shorter ones that appear duly credited. His "Moonlight on the Floor,"
"The Old-Fashioned Hollyhock," and "Thoughts of the Past," are excep-
tionally good and have appeared in many ]>ublications.

February 1, 1877 Mr. Bright married Miss Anna V. Musselman, a daughter
of Henry and Lena (Bright) Musselman of Montgomery County, Ohio. To
this union there were born five children, Clyde S., Walter R.. Homer. Pxlith
Pearl, and lola May. Clyde is now a passenger brakeman on the P., \'. & C.
and resides in West Brownsville; Edith Pearl is the wife of Gilbert Monroe
and resides in Portsmouth. Ohio, while the other three are dead. Homer
died in Iowa at the age of one year. Walter at Portsmouth, Ohio at the age
of twentv-one and lola Mav died at Oakdale, Pennsylvania, aged sixteen.

240 J. Perc.v Hart

Mr. Bright is now engaged in literary work and in company with J. Percy
Hart the pubhsher of this book and Harry Marshall, merchant of Brownsville,
is engaged in ])ronioting a corporation for the development of vast industries
in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia.

J. Percy Hart was born in Brownsville, Fayette County, Pennsylvania,
May 18, 1870, and was educated in Bridgeport and Monongahela City schools,
attending school during the day and clerking in the grocery store of his grand-
father. John S. Wilgus, in the evening and Satvirdays, at Monongahela City.
He is the son of David M. and Sarah Melissa (Wilgus) Hart who are among
the oldest and most prominent citizens of the Three Towns, and their ances-
tors were among the pioneers of Western Pennsylvania, James G. Hart,
grandfather of J. Percy, having been associate judge of Washington County,
Pennsylvania, being first elected in 1856 and again in ISOl , serving two terms.
The Wilguses were also very prominent, John Wilgus, the great-grandfather
of [. Percy Hart being the man w^ho first proposed the building of the Union
Pacific Railroad.

J. Percy Hart took early to the newspaper business, first carrying papers
and afterwards learning the iirintcr's trade in the Monitor oihce where he
continued about nine years serving most of the time as foreman, but after-
ward becoming editor and publisher. He is a staunch Reptiblican and has
always taken an active interest in the work of his party. He has served as
secretary of the council of Bridgeport, and also as secretary of the board
of health. He is at present engaged in the real estate business as junior
partner of the firm of Marshall & Hart, the firm doing an extensive business,
and is secretary of the Buckskin Gulch Mining and Milling Company, a
corporation operating a gold mine in Park County, Colorado.

Mr. Hart is of an inventive turn of mind and has perfected a number of
ingenious mechanical devices among them being the Humane Check Rein,
a device by which the driver can rein or unrein the horse he is driving without
getting out of the buggy or carriage, and on which he obtained letters patent
of the United States, in 1S99.

January 16, 1893, Mr. Hart married Miss Finley Z. Taylor, a daughter of
John W. and Katherine (Wherry) Taylor of West Brownsville. Pennsylvania.
To this union there have been born four children, Russell W., Melissa M.,
T. Benton, and J. Percy, Jr. Russell W. and T. Benton died in infancy.
Mr. Hart with his family resides in the Dr. Grooms homestead on Second
Street, Bridgeport, Pa.

Robert Petriello while a native of Italy, is a citizen of the United States
and has been prominently identified with many gigantic enterprises. He
was born at Torre le Noeello. Avellino, Italy, April 5, 1863, and came to
America in 1S7S. He is a son of Baggo and Rose Petriello and was raised
en a farm. When he set out for the New World, he determined to do what
ever his hands found to do that was honorable and in this he has persevered
and has met with flattering success.

On landing at Castle Garden, the first work that offered, was picking old
lia])er and rags, and while it lield forth to him no flattering inducements, he

Robert Petriello 241

took hold with that vim and (.-lUTt^y Uiat has c-haracterizcd his subse(|uent
carccT. At tlio end of one week he st'evm-d a posiliim with a gang of men who
were working on a raih-oad vi]) the St. Lawrenee river to \\'inni])eg, where
he handk'd the pick and shovel for nine months.

We next lind him at Pottsville, Pa., as foreman of a gang of men that he
furnished for a contractor at that ])lace. He n-mained here about three yi'ars
and during that time in addition to handling a gang of men, he also run a
bakery, fm-nishing bread for the men, as well as other supplies. From here
he went to Upper Tyrone to superintend the woi-k of building stone arches for
a liridge at that place that Contractor H. E. Gaines was erecting. When
this work was completed he went to Wilkesbarre as foreman for Charles
McFadden, in railroad construction wcirk. After eighteen months of work
at Wilkesbarre he went with McFadden to Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he
owned the commissary and also built a large Liakery.

Mr. Petriello only remained at Poughkeepsie three months when he went
to Philadelphia and opened up a wholesale grocery house. His good nature
and faith in his fellow-men, however, was his undoing here for after trusting
out about $1 0,000 worth of goods, and not being able to realize on his accounts,
he went to the wall losing everything he had. This was only an episode, how-
ever in the life of Mr. Petriello for he had not emb(.)died in his vocabulary,
the word "fail," so we next tind him at Pottstown with George Potts, for
whom he furnished a nvimber of men, and from whoni he also secured sub-
contracts amotmting to about $9,000. The work went on all O. K., l)ut
abotit pay time. Potts ran away and Mr. Petriello again found himself loser.

This was a little discouraging, but Mr. Petriello took it philosophically and
at once went to Laughan at Philadel])hia wdiere he furnished Keller &- Crosson
a lot of men and was made foreman over a number of crews, or a kind of
general boss. This was in ISSS. After nineteen months of work here he went
with the same lirm to Loretta, Cambria Cotmty wdiere he fvu-nishcd them a
number of men and also secured a sub-contract from Chas. McFadden for
five miles of grading and another sub-contract for grading about two miles
for McManus & Riley. During this time he was running a bake shop and
fm-nishing bread for the men on the works. Here, however, Mr. Petriello again
found himself up against it, for what he supposed was black dirt that was to
be remo\-ed, turned out to be S(.)lid rock and at the end of a year he found
himself $14,000 worse off than when he started the work. He then set about
to make good the deficiency to his men and piarted with the last dollar and
the last dollars' ^vorth of projserty he had in order to pay his just debts.
His wife's jewelry, valued at about $1,000 went with the rest, bringing only
about $150. He then went to Ebensburg, and when he had raised all he
could, which was about $5,000, he started for Loretta but missed the train
and getting a friend to help him they walked eight miles carrying the $5,000
in silver. This paid the men all off with the exception of three dollars each,
but when they found wdiat sacrifices he had made they exonerated him from
paying the rest. Here then he fovind himself after many years of hard work,
wdthout a dollar, but he still had his indomitable will and once more gathered
up the tangled threads of fortune and started in to win.

242 Robert Petriello

He again joined Keller & Crosson at Chestnut Hill. Philadelphia, where
he remained for two years ftirnishing thena men, bossing a gang and run-
ning a commissary and bakery. His next work was for Filbert, Porter &
Crosson at Queen Lane Reservoir in Philadelphia. This reservoir covered
about ninety acres of ground. It took three years to complete the work, but
before it was quite finished, he went to Mt. Joy, leaving his brother Sylvester,
in charge of his men and the commissary. At Mt. Joy he secured a sub-con-
tract from Filbert, Porter & Crosson for laying the trolley line all over Fair-
mont Park. It took him about a year to complete this work, when he
secured another sub-contract from the Franklin Engineering Co., for building
a trolley line all over Strawberry Mansion Park, and also another sub-contract
for luiilding a ninety-foot driveway through the same ]_)ark.

When this work was completed, Mr. Petriello secured a contract from the
city of Philadeli)hia for sewering, paving and like w-ork amoiinting to over
$100, 000. It tonk him five years to complete this work. He then secured
a contract for putting in seven miles of sewer in Morristown, New^ Jersey.
This work was done by the firm of Petriello Bros. & David Peoples. Here
Mr. Petriello remained thirteen months when he left the work in charge of his
brother Sylvester and came to Brownsville where he took a sub-contract from
Keller & Crosson to build six miles of the Monongahela railroad being that
section from Bridgeport to LaBelle. He also furnished men for Keller &
Crosson and run the commissaries. His brother, Sylvester, has been a jiartner
in all his undertakings since the latter came to this covmtry in 1889, and at
present they have a contract and are building oOO coke ovens at Orient on the
Connellsville Central Railroad, up Dunlap's Creek, and also a lot of railroad
track. These contracts cover about $90,000.

While Mr. Petriello and his brother Sylvester, have lost several fortunes,
they have never stirrendered to circtxmstances, but have pushed ahead and
are now worth about $100,000, owning $25,000 worth of property in Italy.
Robert Petriello is a director in the Italo-American Trust Company of Phila-
delphia.

Robert Petriello married Miss Ella Ritslow of his native home, December
24, 1899.

Sylvester Petriello, the brother and partner of Robert, was born in Torre
le Nocellio, Avellino, Italy, May 15, 1805, and married Miss Annie SkoceUa
of his native town.

Robert Petriello and his wife visited then- home in Italy last year sailing
from New^ York December 10, and rettxrning to this country this year arriving
in New York on the steamer Princess Irene March 31, last.

Both Robert and Sylvester Petriello are naturalized American citizens, and
are affiliated with the Republican party, always taking an active part in the
work of their ])arty as well as lending substantial financial aid. Their
permanent home is one of the most elegant residences in Queens Lane,
Philadelphia.

lohn Alfred linishear 243

IniiN Ai.FKKi) Brasiihar.— Prof, jdliii Alfred Brashcar who now resides
in Pittsliurt,'- and who is one of the most imminent astronomers and nianulae-
lurers of astronoirneal instruments in the Unitccl States, if not in the world,
is a s.)n of B. B. and |ulia l^rashear, and was liorn in Brownsville, Xoxember
24, IS-IO. His father, Basil Brown Brashear was the son of Basil Brown
Brashear, Sr., whose father, Otho Brashear, eame to Brownsx'ilU' in 177.').
Otho Brashear, the great-grandfather of I'rof. John Alfred Brashear, married
a sister of Thomas and Basil Brown who were among the earliest settlers
in this seetion of the country, the former being the founder of the town ot
Browns\-ille, an<.l as elsewhere stated, was buried in what was known as
[effries' liurving ground, and on whose t<nnbstone there was inserilied this
([iiaint ei>ita|>h; "Here lies the body of Thomas Brown, who onee was
owner of this town."

Professor Brashear's grandfather on his mother's side, was Nathaniel H,
Smith, who was well known in the early days of Brownsx'ille for his remark-
able mechanical skill. He constructed, while living here, one of the first
telegraphic instruments e\-er made, and also an electric engine or motor
that was run liy a l)attery and that worked nicely. It is authentically stated
that Mr. Smith made S( )me ( )f the tirst Daguerreotypes in this state. He was a
man of exceptional mventive ingenuity and mechanical skill and it is prob-
ably from him that Professor Brashear inherited his taste and ability for
mechanics and science. It was he wdio taught the now illustrious astrono-
mer and scientist. Professor Brashear, the constellations, as he w-as also the
first person to obtain for his apt ])Upil, \iews of the moon and of Saturn,
with a telescope which was brought here from McKees])ort about the year
1840, by "S(piire" Wami)ler.

Professor Brashear attended the public schools of Brownsxille where he
received a good common-school education and laid the foundation lor the
future achie\-ements that have marked his career. Among his teachers were
William Chalfant, Mrs. Lucy Rheasa, an aunt of Mr. Brashear, and finally
Mr. George Wilkinson, of whom Mr. Brashear says, "He was the best teacher
I ever knew."

After finishmg his school work under Mr. Wilkinson, he kept a store for
Joseph Price for some time, when he acceiited a position in the grocery store
of Thomas Murj)hy. This was not to his liking, however, so he secured a
position with the Snowden Engine Manufacturers as an a])])renticc and here
learned the trade of pattern maker. Here he was more in his element and
had an opportunity to gratify, to some extent, his taste fe)r mechanics. He
was much attached to his employers and says of them that they treated him
more like a son or brother than like an employe. After comjileting his trade
he spent a year at Louisville, Ky., at engine Iniilding and then removed to
Pittsburg, where for twenty years he had charge of the machinery of se%-eral
of the largest rolling mills in that city.

During all this time he never forgot the lessons in science his grandfather
had given him, nor did his love of scientific studies abate. He was still gazing
at the upper deep with an admiration only exceeded by his determination to

244 John Alfred Brashear

bring it closer to earth for the purpose of deeper and more effective research.
It was this determination and his love for science, particularly in the domain
of astronomy, that led him in 1875, to make his first telescope. This was
followed in 1877 with a tweh-e-inch telescope of ten feet focus with which
many of his svibsecjuent studies of the moon and comets were made.

In 1880, he gave up his position in the mill and commenced the manufac-
ture of astronomical instruments at which he has ever since been engaged,
and the fame of which has long since circled the globe. If evidence of this
was necessary it could be fotind in the fact that he has made instruments
for almost everj^ astronomical observatory and every physical laboratory
in the world. Nearly all the large and important astronomical spectroscopes
and s])ectrographs have been made by him or tmder his direct supervision,
as well as many of the more imjiortant astrophysical instruments for original
research. Further e\-idencc of the superiority of Professor Brashear's in-
struments is found in the fact that the optical instruments used by the army
and navy, such as " Range Finders," " Gtm Sights," " Meridian Instruments,"
etc., were made in his workshop.

While Professor Brashear has been active and untiring in his research
along scientific lines as well as in the prosecution of his chosen profession,
he has not been without reward financially, nor has honor justly earned,
been withheld. He has been elected to honorary and active membership
in the following societies: "Royal Astronomical Society" of Great Britain,
"British Astronomical Society" of Great Britain, "Royal Astronomical So-
ciety" of Canada, " Societe Astronomique de France," " Soeiete Astro-
nomiqtie de Belgique," "American Philosophical Society," ''American Society
of Mechanical Engineers," "American Association of Science," "American
Astrophysical Society," "Astronomical Society of the Pacific," "Academy
of Science and Art," and "Engineer Society of Western Pennsylvania,"
besides many others of less import. He has been given the degree of LL. D.
by Wooster University and Washington and Jefferson College, and the degree
of Sc. D. by the Western University of Pennsylvania.

Among the more important positions he has held may be mentioned, that
of Chancellor of the Western University of Pennsylvania; Acting Director
Allegheny Astronomical Observatory; Past President of the Engineers'
Society of Western Pennsylvania ; Past President of the Academy of Science
and Art ; Past Vice President of the American Association of Science.

Notwithstanding the strenuous life Professor Brashear has led and the
many honors that have been bestowed vipon him, he has never forgotten
the scenes of his childhood nor the good people of his native town, and often
expresses regret that he cannot see more of them and more fretjuently visit
the scenes of his early trials and triumphs, and gaze down upon the placid
waters of the historic M'rinongahela from the hills of old Fayette, from one
of which, in 1858, he looked tipon that grandly magnificent sight, Donati's
comet, of which he still speaks with enthusiasm.

September 25, 1802, John Alfred Brashear married Miss Phoebe Stewart,
a most estimaV)le and accomplished lady of l-'airchance, Fayette Cotmty,

Is;iac M. Mason 245

whoso anct'stors wxti- jiri )iniin'nl iii the early history of Western Penns\'l-
\'ania, and hke many other men who haxt' seamed lame and fiirtuiie. owes
mneli to tlie Spartan hraxery and eonstant helji and encouraj,'cmenl of his
wife.

IsAAi" M. Mason. — It is ah\ays a pleasnre to note the pronnnenee and
success of tliose who were onee eiti/.eiis of Hrownsxille, and wlio in after yein\s
cast their lot in other lands or in distant eilies. ( )f tlu.se, and there are
niany of them. C'a])t. Isaae M. ^hlson stands ])recniinent. And, while o\-er
forty years have i)assed away sinee ("a])tain Ahison removed his familv from
the hanks of the Monon.i^ahela Ri\-er to those of the (".reat I'ather of wati'rs,
the older citizens remember him well and tlu' ])resent i^eneration is as familiar
with his name as if he were still here', for almost every dav they see his nanu'
on one of the boats, that ])eantifiil and ])o])nlar excursion steamer, the
"Isaac M. Mason," and many is the merry I'xeursion party that this boat
still carries up and down the Monongahela Ri\"er durin,£j the summer season.

Isaac M. Mason was born in Brownsville, Pa., March 4, INol, and recei\-ed
his education in the prinhti\-e schools of tliat day, l)nt, notwithstanding the
limited and ])rimiti\e facilities for aci|uiring an education, that were at his
coiumand, his close a])phcation and ol)ser\-ation amjily ipialiiitd him to lill
the many high positions that he has been called uixm to till since then.

After leaving school, he clerked for al)out a year in the store of Z"phamah
Carter and then commenced the long career of steamboating that has not
only Ijrought him fame Init fortune as well. He served first as second clerk
and next as first clerk on tlie Brownsville ]iackets, for about four vc^ars and
then commenced miming from Pittsburg to vSt. Louis and from St. Louis
to St. Paul, in which serx'iec he continued till lSt);>. He was general freight
agent of the Northern Line for eleven years and serx'cd as Marshal first, then
as sheriff of St. Louis wliich forms what is known as ("ity of St. Louis County,
for eight years. After this Ca])tain Mason was, for owr ten yeai's, general su]i(.'r-
intendent of the St. Louis and Xew ( )rleans Anchor Line of packets and also
president of the com])any. He then retired from the river Inisincss and
was elected auditor of St. Louis in which ca])acitv he ser\ed for four years.
His po])ularity is shown 1iy the fact that in this election he received L';),<S4.'3
majority o\'er his opjxment. He has ser\-ed as President of the Meri'hants'
Exchange, President of the Mercantile Trust Company and in manv other
important ])ositions of honor and trust. Cajitain Mason was 7o vears old
the fourth day of last March and is still hale, hearty and actix'cly engaged
in business in St. Louis.

Capt. Samuel S. Bi^own, of Pittsburg, is one among the many men who,
while he does not reside here, has large interests in Fayette County and has
l)een largely instrumental in sp)reading her fame abroad. His fine farm of
999^ acres, all underlaid with coal, for wdiich it is said he has refused $1,000
per acre, that is now^ and has for some time been under the efficient manage-
ment of William Darby', and his stable of fine, thoroughbred horses just
above Bridgeport, are known far and wide. Mr. Brown is a genial gentleman

246 Capt. vSamuel S. Brown

affable and courteous and is a popular man and a favorite everywhere. The
following from the Pittsburg Dispatch of April 28, 1904, tuider the head of
Prominent Pittsburghers, is a brief sketch of his business career:

"Among those whose name does much to advertise Pittsburg, is Capt.
Samuel S. Browm. He was born in Minersville in what is now the Thirteenth
Ward, Pittsburg, and has grown up with the Smoky City development
in which he was and still is a prominent factor.

After serving in the Civil War with great credit, having enlisted when but
nineteen years of age, he took an active interest in the immense coal business
that had been established by his father, W. H. Brown. This took much of
his time and after the death of the senior Brown, Capt. Samuel Brown took
charge, greatly enlarging the business, and when the River Coal Combine
was organized his and his brother's interests were among the largest holdings
transferred. He now holds the position of Master of Transportation of that
corporation but refuses to draw any salary for his services.

He now owns among other property in Pittsburg, that old and popular
hostelry, the Monongahela House, having purchased it some years ago.

In the summer of 1897, when the locks on the Monongahela River were de-
clared free, his boat, the Mariner, was the first to go through the locks with-
out paying toll.

For years Captain Brown took much interest in breeding race horses and
has given to the world some of the finest horses on the tm-f. In the eighties
he astonished the racing world with Trottbadour, who was the fastest long
distance running horse of his day. During the last few years the develop-
:nent of horseflesh has taken up much of his time and attention. At present
he has a Stud of more than one hundred fine horses, among them being the
following stars of the present day: Conjurer, Proceeds, Audience, Auditor —
this being considered the best and most valuable quartet in the world.

The famous Lamplighter was also brought out by Captain Brown. His
colors, cherry and green, are seen on all the prominent race cotxrses of the
country. The late William C. Whitney was one of his closest friends and
looked to him for counsel and advice in matters of the turf.

Recently Captain Brown obtained control of the property of the Kentucky
Racing Association at Lexington, Ky., and the sport is to be revived there
soon under his magic hand. He is also a stockholder in the Saratoga race
track with August and Perry Belmont, James R. Keene and J. B. Haggin,
W'ho are all his close friends. In fact, this quintet is considered the foremost
in racing circles. Captain Brown was never known to bet much on races,
de\'oting his time to pleasure. Vjut his horses have won many large stakes."

Thomas Benton Wilgus. — April 12, 1846, in the little hamlet of Cooks-
town, now the flourishing borough of Fayette City, T. B. Wilgus first saw the
light of day. While he was yet small, his parents moved to Brownsville
where he was educated. After he had finished his school -work, he com-
menced clerking on steamboats on the Monongahela, Ohio, Mississippi and
other ri\-ers. His (irst pfjsilions were on the "Franklin" and "Telegraph,"

TluMims Bfiiton \\'il<'u.s 247

on the Monongahela River. In 1S()4 hi' was clerk on the steamer " Mereu-
ry" which was then in tlie _sj;o\-ernnu'nt ser\-iee earryin,<^ troops and eoni-
missary stores, on the CumV)erlancl River, to (jen. (ico. ]1 'i'homas who was
then stationed at Nashville, Tennessee. After thi' war closed Ik- eainc north
Init eontinuecl steamboat ini; on the ( )]iio and Mississipjii ri\-ers till 1S()<),
w hen he left the river and went into the mercantile business.

In ISJO Mr. W'il.i^ns married Bessie M., dau,t;hter of Jerman Jordan, i-^si].
To them were born, Maiul (deceased), Blanche and Frances, 'idle latter is
a vounii; lady now in school and Blanche is the wife of (icort^e Ste\'enson.
They reside in East End. Pittslnirg,

Mr. ^\'ilgus was engaged in the mercantiU' ])usincss in Browns\-ille, Indiana,
(Pa.), and in Pittsbm-g.

Mr. Wilgus became interested in mining property in Colorado, in the
neighborhood of Denver and Leadville in 1S79, and about a year later sold
out his interest for $50,000. In 1881 he retm-ned to Pittsburg and entered
the oil exchange, of which he was :in active l)roker till 1885. For six years
following this he was proprietor of the Hotel Wilgus at Monongahela City.

Always an active student, Mr. Wilgus early formed a liking for the study
of law and in 1890, finding himself with time and means to follow his fancy,
he took a course of law in the West Virginia University at Morgant(.)wn ,to
which city he had removed some years before and where he still resides. In
this, like everything else that he undertook, he met with success, passed the
examination, and was admitted to practice in the local and supreme courts
of West Virginia. He has been an active member of the I. O. O. F. since
1807 and of the Masonic fraternity (Kni.ghts Temjilar) since 1879.

Persiv.\l Phillips, one of the ytnmg men of whom Brownsville may well
feel proud, is a son of H. S. and Anna C. (Miller) Phillijjs and was Ixirn in
Brownsville, Fayette County, Pennsyh^ania, July 2, 1877, and recei\-ed his
early education in the Brownsville ptiblic schools.

In the spring of 1890 at about the age of thirteen years, he went to Pitts-
burg and that fall entered the Forbes Street School and the next summer
passed the examination for the high school. Howe\-er, in the fall of 1891 he
entered the law office of Knox & Reed as office boy, wdiere he also learned
stcnograi)hy and typewriting. He remained with Knox & Reed for two
years when he accepted a position with a South Side lirm as stenographer
and typewriter. Shortly after entering u])on his duties in his new position
he became sick and was forced to resign and come home.

Some time during the winter of 1895 he entered the office of George W.
I^enhart as clerk and during the coal strike in the following spring he reported
the strike for the Pittsburg Press, and showed such unmistakable signs of
reportorial ability that his services w^ere soon sought by other newspapers.
His reports of the riots in Stickle Hollow were clever pieces of work and were
appreciated by the Pittsburg papers.

In August of the same year the late \-etc-ran editor of the Monongahela
Daily Republican, Col. Chill Hazzard, sent for yoim.g Phillips and induced

248 Persival Phillips

him to take charge of his paper during the following fall and winter. In the
spring of 1897 he went to Pittsburg and accepted a position on the Pittsburg
Times. When the war broke out between Greece and Turkey he was sent
by the Pittsburg Press and other papers as war correspondent, to the far-
off East. His work in that field showed him master of the situation and his
reports were highly appreciated. At the close of hostilities there, he re-
turned to Pittsburg and took a position on the Pittsburg Post where he re-
mained for about two years, afterwards accepting a position on the Dispatch.
In the fall of 1900 he was sent to New York by the Dispatch to take charge
of the New York branch of that paper. The next spring he was recalled to
take the position of city editor of the Dispatch.

About the 1st of October, 1902, he resigned his position on the Dispatch
to accept a position on the London, England, Daily Express. His services
were so satisfactory that when hostilities commenced between the Japanese
and Russians in the far East, he was selected to take the position of war
correspondent and January 1, 1904, he was sent to Japan where he is now
reporting the progress of the war to the entire satisfaction of his paper and
the ever-interested public.

Mr. Phillips has won his way to eminence in newspaper work solely on his
merits and faithftilness and without any outside influences and it is safe to
predict for him a l)rilliant futm-e.

Alexander Moffitt, wh(^ resides now in Elkins, West Virginia, is a
native of Washington County having been born there July 6, 1828. He is
a son of William and Elizabeth (Hopkins) Moffitt who were also natives of
Washington County, Pa.

Mr. Moffitt came to Bridgeport about the year 1S50 and commenced busi-
ness in the old Arcade paper mill on Water Street, where the Eclipse Mills
now stand. Mr. Moffitt continued in there for two years when he
bought the old cotton factory and fitted it up for carriage making
and called it The Monongahela Carriage Works. He also bought five
adjoining lots and bviilt residences on them as well as a large paint
and trimming building, and a blacksmith shop on High Street then
known as Morgantown Street. He fitted out the old cotton factory with all
the best and latest machinery then known for the business. Here he built
carriages and other vehicles from the raw material, every particle of the
work being done in the shops. He furnished many wagons for the govern-
ment for transporting goods. In 1858 he rented or leased the business to
his brother James Moffitt and Samtiel Thompson, who run it till 1SG4. Mr.
Moffitt served his country during the entire war.

About 1865 he again embarked in the carriage business, his brother and
Thompson retiring. He put in a heavy stock of raw material and had many
vehicles finished for the market when the plant burned to the ground, June
30, 1866, as well as four of his dwelling houses, the saw mill and many logs.
It mav not be out of order here to mention the fact that during the latter

Alexander :\Iofritt 249

part of the war Samuel Thompson and James Moffitt ha\'ing dissolved part-
nership, Mr. Thompson ran the plant as a stillhouse.

Mr. Moffitt sold out all his interests in Bridgeport some years ago, and
went to Washington, D. C where he li\-etl until about tln-ec years ago,
then moving to Elkins. West Virginia, where he now resides.

Rev. Cii.\rles Armstead McGee was born in Harrison Comity, West
Vu-ginia, janviary 27, 1852, and not having the advantage of even the eom-
mon schools, is therefore a self-educated man. He worked on the farm while
educating himself and in ISSo entered the ministry of the A. M. E. Chtireh.

Since then he has served the following charges : Parkersbvirg, West Virginia
three years; Monongahela, Pa., one year; Presiding Elder of the Wheeling,
West Virginia, district, three years; Scranton, Pa., fovir years; Bradford, Pa.,
one year; Bridgeport, Pa., one year and four months, when he was again
elected Presiding Elder of the Wheeling, West Virginia, district, which
position he occupies at present.

While pastor in Bridgeport, he was t\^•iee elected a member of the school
board, and was a faithful and efficient officer.

In 1S90 Rev. McGee married Miss Gay Ankrum, a daughter of Charles and
Antoinette (Webb) Ankrum, and to this union there have been born six
children, Antoinette, Lewis, Grace, Ruth, Charles, and Richard McGee.

Necrological Record of the Three Towns
and Vicinity Since August 20, 1869

By J. D. S. Pringle.

Mrs. Mary Snider

died Aug.

1869

Mrs. Lizzie Cock

Sept

1870

Freeman Wise

Nov

1870

Mary. Haler

Jan.

1870

Joseph Brenton

Nov.

1870

Mrs. Henry Haler

" Feb.

1871

Marv Armstrong

1871

Esther Thistlethwaite

Mar.

1871

Fish Patterson

1871

0. C. Cromlow

1871

John Lindv, Sr.

1S71

Dan Watkins (baby)

" Apr.

1871

Amanda Watkins

May

1871

Mrs. TilHe Smit

Aug.

1871

Mrs. Booth

Dec ;

1871

Mrs. Lottie Hoggs

" Mav

1872

Haman Hopkins

Dec.

1872

James Hartranft

Feb.

1873

Mrs. Pracilla Duncan

1873

Maggie Auld, (brought here) Mar.

1873

Capt. John Anawalt (brough there)"

1873

Joseph Scott

died

1873

EH Wolfe

Oct.

1873

John Wolfe_^

Nov.

1873

Mrs. Sam Krepps, Sr.

1873

John S. Krepps

1873

Mrs. Hartfield

Dec.

1873

Amanda Woodward

1873

Isabelle Gregg

Tan.

1873

Harriett Wright

Apr.

1874

Mrs. BetsyWatkins

1874

Isaac Vance

1874

Lewis Grooms

1874

Nicho'.ls, (baby)

1874

Mortimer Wheeler

Aug.

1874

Allice Bevard

•; Nov.

1874

Jimmv Hutchinson

1874

Ellen Late

buried Dec.

1874

Willia Gregg

died "

1874

Jimmie Jeffries

Oct.

1874

Thomas Faull, Sr.

Jan.

1875

Mrs. Black

1875

Lizzie Jeffries

Feb.

1875

Nancy Wilkins

Mar.

1875

Dr. Charles Krepps. sht

ithimse.f "

1875

Hamilton Eekles

died Oct.

1875

Jennie Hendrix

" "

1875

John Cock

1875

George Scott

Nov.

1875

Thomas Gregg

" Apr.

1878

Maggie Patterson

1878

Lidi Clear

—

1878

Lewis Rex

187S

AbbertyChew

1878

Trissu Williams

May

1878

Mary Booth

Feb.

1878

Maud Coatsworth

Mar.

1878

Minnie Hendrix

■; Aug.

1878

Mary Adams

1878

L. y. Hopkins died

Aug

1878

Willie Cunninghain "

1878

Carrol Pat ton

1878

Raymond Hopkins "

1878

George Lowstutter "

1878

Willie Chew

1878

Charlie Cornell

Sept

1878

Frank Patterson "

1878

Richey Smith "

1878

Willie Lopp

Oct.

1878

Mar>- Minnia "

1878

Lide Cunningham "

1878

Sara Cunningham "

1878

Sammy Chew "

1878

Minty Williams "

1878

MoUie Cunningham "

1878

Dorcas Adams "

Mar.

1877

Christian Snider

Jan.

1876

Emaline Cornell "

July

1878

Elizateth Walters

1878

Iohns(.)n Gregg

—

1876

Ollie Gue

Aug.

1875

Willie Blair

Nov.

1878

Maud Wilgus "

1878

Sadie Blair "

1878

Jno. Williams (2 children)

1878

Lester Leclare died

Oct.

1878

Child of Jno. Williams "

Nov

1878

John Williams (little boy) "

1878

Child of S. Chawplevesky "

1878

Mrs. Mary A. Huston "

Aug.

1876

John Jackson

Dec.

1878

Al Theakston

Jan.

1879

Child of Wm.Kicholls

1879

Herbert Crawford

1879

Alex Shaw, Sr. "

1879

Mr. Winn "

Feb.

1879

Samuel Eckels "

1879

James Chalfant

1879

Son of Joseph Connell

Nov.

1878

Annie Hebertson "

Sept

1878

Mrs. Winn "

Mar.

1879

Minty Snider "

Apr.

1879

Maggie Fuester "

1877

Joshua Armstrong "

May

1879

Charles Page "

June

1879

Annie Richards

July

1879

Bessie Bevard "

Aug.

1879

Hannah Moffitt

Sept

1879

Katie Reynolds "

1879

Kate Smith

1879

Rhebe Woods "

Oct.

1879

Kate Smith's baby

1879

Isaac Brenton

July

1877

Henry Smalley "

Oct.

1879

Laura Norcross "

Dec.

1879

Harriett E. Stitzell

1879

S;,ille Chalfant

1879

Mary A. Woods

1879

Necrological Record of the Three Towns

251

Georse Calvert liied

Dei-.

24, 1S79

Mary Booth d

ed Ma>-

1882

Etta Haddock

1879

William Woodward

J rule

1882

James Dales

1879

Mrs. John Buffington

1882

Mrs. Thomas Gumniert

Jan.

1880

Betsy Smart

" "

14,

1882

Lizzie Faulls

1880

Mrs. Hester Simman

" ii

1882

James Patterson, Sr.

1880

Isaac Bailey

26,

1882

James Drake (lirouRht home)

I'cb.

1880

Sanuiel P. Knox

' Ma>'

1^8,

1882

Louise Brenton clieii

Mar.

1875

Mrs. Samuel P. Knox

" Huie

30,

1882

Elizabeth Bcatty

Feb.

1 880

Samuel P. Nnox's child

July

1882

William Benton

1 880

lane Tate

17,

1882

Reynolds Deems

1880

"Belle Mitchell

29,

1882

Larry Gabler

1880

Clark Mitihell

21,

1882

Harrv Howard , Sr.

Mar.

1880

Mrs. Joseph Wilkins

" Aug.

1882

Martha Moffitt

1880

Margaret McDonough

1882

Mrs.Chas. EUiott

1 .S,SO

Robert G. Mason

14,

1882

Mrs. Mary E. Cox

A,;r.

18S0

Mrs. Catharine Cc )rnell

17,

1 882

George Marker

1880

Mrs. Martha Williams

1882

Annie Thistlethwaite

1880

William Woods, Sr.

•■ Se,,t

30,

1882

Sophia Stevens "

May

1880

Jennie Brillan's bab\-

;; Oct.

1882

Mrs. Frank Jeffries "

1880

Joshua Gibljons

1882

" Granny ' ' Watkins

1880

John J. Walters

1882

James Cannon

1880

Mrs. William Taylor

Nov.

1882

Jno Johnson

Jime

1 880

Josiah Reed

15,

1882

Mrs. Haman leffers

1880

Leonard Worrell

Dec.

1882

Mrs. Eliza Motfitt

1880

Eliza McDonald

20,

1882

Harry Minehart

1880

Mrs. Betsey Dorsey

Jan.

1883

William Bane, Sr.

1880

Ellen Massev

1883

Willie McKinlev

1880

Walter This'tlethwaite

1883

Ella Reynolds

lulv

1880

Sam J. Rice

Feb.

1883

F. Chris Lineman "

Aug.

1 880

Mrs. Elmira McCoy

" "

1883

Henrv Mof^tt

Sept

1880

Loviisa Byland

1883

Gilbert Storer

Oct.

bS.SO

Harvev Shrover

Mar.

1883

Mrs. Robert Hormell

1880

Mrs. D<.rcas M.Wallace

1883

Marv Bell Theakston

Nov.

1880

Stephen H. Ward

1883

Ella Albright

1 880

James V. Dorsev

1883

Sadie Livingston "

1 880

'Nellie Wright Smith

1883

Mrs. Sallie Hnbbs

1880

David McGill

Apr.

1883

William Grimes

1880

Rebecca J. Cornell

1883

Annie Xelan

1880

Mrs. Mary Bakewell

1 883

Samuel B. Snider

1880

Mary Crawford

;; May

1883

James Patterson Jr.

Dec.

1880

Jacob Jetfries

1883

"Bertha M. Houston "

Jan.

1881

Grace "Dorsey

June

1883

John B. Krepps

1881

Jesse Calvert

1883

Ellen Lockhart

1881

Kate Walley

1883

John Patton, Sr.

Feb.

1881

Ann Mayhorn

Julv

1883

Mrs. Dr. Hubbs

1881

Da\-id Thistlethwaite

" Aug.

1883

Dr. W. G. Hubbs

Apr.

1881

William ClayVjaugh

1883

John BuffinRton "

1881

Mrs. Jos. Armstrong

Dec.

1883

Joseph Welch ''

1881

MariaJ.McCollan

1883

Grace Axton

1881

Isaac Hamilton

1883

Mrs. Marearet Faull

May

1881

Thos. C. Gummert Esf|.

1883

Isaac Dillo'i

1 SS 1

Capt. Adam Jacobs

1883

John Bevard

June

1881

Mrs. Polly Williams

1883

Mary Marker

1881

Adam N. Ailes

Jan

1884

John Paxton "

July

1881

John Devanev

Feb.

1884

Wm. R. Brit ton

1881

Kenneth H. Patton

Mar.

1884

Henry Storer

Mav

1881

Lena Spinawebber

Apr.

1884

Mrs. Phebe Coburn

lulv

1881

Mrs. Joshua Gibbons

" "

1884

Ann Crawford

Aug.

1881

G. D.'Coburn

" May

1884

Tohn S. Fluke

Jan.

1881

John S. Pringle

" June

1884

Sallie Howden

Sept

1881

Mrs. Ruth Gregg

July

1884

Mrs. Swan

Oct.

1881

Joseph Scott

1884

Capt. Steven Loomas

Nov

1881

Mrs. Clear

;; Sept

1884

Sammy Elwood "

'■

1881

Charlev Norcross

1884

Eliza Watkins

15, 18S1

Thornton Phillips

1884

Dr. Wm. Patton Sr.

23 1S81

Sophia Coburn

I Oct

1884

Richard Snider

Dec.

4,1881

Jennie Starr

1884

Elizah OfTord

10, 1881

Samuel Fulton

1884

Henry Lucas

31,1881

George Jarrett

1884

Eliza Chew

Jan.

26, 1882

Conrad Hartranft

Dec.

1884

John Worrell. Sr.

26. 1882

John Bvron Horner

1884

Rebecca Woods

Feb.

9 1876

Dr. A. Patton, Sr.

1884

Mollie Grav

9. 1882

Albert Johnson

Jan.

1885

Tom C. McDonald

14, 1882

Thomas Herd

1885

Mrs. Millie Worrell

20, 1882

Edward Riggs

'• "

1885

Elizabeth Johnson

Mar.

18, 1882

John Holly

Feb.

1885

John Hormell, Esq.

Apr

5,1882

Annie C. Walker

Jan.

1885

Thomas Fergiison

8,1882

Eilza B. Walker

Mar.

1885

Mrs. Amanda Hutchinson

May

3, 1882

Jane Richey

1885

Mrs. Ann M ffitt

1882

Grace Harrison

Feb.

1885

252

Necrological Record of the Three Towns

Annie Steele

Mary H. Ammon

Mrs. Mary Garrett

Mrs. Ella Yovmg

Mrs. Hannah Claybaugh

Sanimv Roland

Mrs. Ruth Elwood

J. Will Porter

Amos Jeffries

Belle Morton

Robert Wilson

Mrs. Joseph Watkins

William Lanning

Gen. U. S. Grant

Annie Mathews

Mrs. Jane Cock

Mrs. John Garwood

James Bowman

Hellen Taylor

Matilda Dorsey

Myrtle Springer

Mrs. Betsy Chrisman

John Starr, Sr.

Annie Berry

Mrs. Eliza Woods

Flora Watkins

John Wilkins, Sr.

William Williams

Charles Haught

Carrie Springer

Charles E. Dunlevy

Georges W. Jones

Lizz