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Inwfraita  of  JputHburgii 

Darlington  Memorial  Library 
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3  1735  060  441   734 


Vi^. 


HISTORY 

OF 

FAYETTE  COUNTY, 

PENNSYLVANIA, 

WITH 

BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES 

OF   MANY   OF   ITS 

Pioneers  and  Prominent  Men.  • 

EDITED   BY  '».'■' 

FRA.^K:LI^     ELLIS. 

ISSS  ,e^.  °':- 


PHILADELPHIA: 

L.    H.     EVERTS    &     CO. 

188  2. 

PRESS   OF   J.   B.   LIPPINCOTT  &   CO.,   PHILADELPHIi 


/- 


u 


-^ 


^ 


vS^/A 


\ 


/A 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2010  with  funding  from 

University  of  Pittsburgh  Library  System 


http://www.archive.org/details/historyoffayetteOOelli 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

Historic  Guoind   uf   Fayette— Location-,  Boi  xdaries,  and 
TOPOGIIAI'HY l;i 

CHAPTER    II. 

tTHK  Works  and  Relics  or  an  Extinct  People 16 
CHAPTER   III. 
♦  .      The  Indian  Occupation 19 

CHAPTER   IV. 
The  French  ash  Indian  Claims  to  the  Trans-Allegheny 
Region  —  George    Washington's   Visit    to    the    French 
'  Forts  in  IVi.l , -22 

CHAPTER   V. 

French  Occcpation  at  the  Head  of  the  Ohio — Washington's 

Campaign  of  1754  in  the   Yoigiiiogheny  Valley 2C 

CHAPTER   Vr. 

Braddock's  Expedition  in  175J :i7 

CHAPTER   VII. 
^  Captlre  of  Fort  Du  Qcesne— Erection  of  Fort  Burd..    49 

U  CHAPTER   VIII. 

J  Settlement  of  the  Covniv 53 

(4i  CHAPTER    IX. 

Dinmore's  War CO 

CHAPTER    X. 

The  Revolution. 

T roups  Rfii8ed  for  tlie  Field — Subsequent  Disaffection— Lochry'a  Expe- 

ditiuu 7U 

CHAPTER   XI. 

The  Revolution  {C<mthiiied). 

•Williamsou'a  Expedition— Crawford'a  Sandusky  Expedition 90 

CHAPTER    XII. 
Pennsylvania  and   Virginia   Territorial   Controversy — 
Establishment    of    Boundaries  —  Slavery    and    Servi- 
tude     114 

CHAPTER   Xlir. 
Erection  of  Fayette  County — Establishment  op  Courts — 

County  Buildings 129 

CHAPTER    XIV. 
The    Bar    of    Fayette    County— Fayette    Civil    Lists- 
County  Societies 138 

CHAPTER    XV. 

The  Whiskey  Insurrection 157 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
Fayette    County   in   the  War  of    1S12-15   and   Mexican 

War 180 

CHAPTER   XVII. 

War  op  the  Rebellion — Fayette's  First  Companies,  Eighth 

and  Eleventh  Reserves 190 


CHAPTER    Will. 
War  OF  THE  Rebellion  {r„„(,„„c./). 

Elghty-liflli  Iti't'iinenl  iiud  Second  Artillcrj- 202 

CHAPTER    XIX. 

War  of  the  Rebellion  {Coutiniiecl). 

One  Hundred  and  Slxteentli  and  One  Hundred  and  Forty-second  Regi. 

"'oots 212 

CHAPTER    XX. 
War  of  the  Rebellion  (Contluueil). 

Tlie  Fourteenth  Cavalry 216 

rilAPTER    XXr. 
War  of  the  Rebellion  (ConHiuicl). 

Tlio  Sixteenth  Cavalry 2J4 

CHAPTER   XXir. 
Economic  Geology- — Iro.n,  Coal,  and  Coke. 

The  Mineral  Itcsources  of  Fayette  County 230 

CHAPTER    XXia. 

Internal  Improvements — Population. 

Roads  and  Bridges— National   Rond—Navigation— Population  of  the 

County  hy  Decades 247 

HISTORIES  OF  BOEOUGHS  AND  TOWNSHIPS. 

UNIOXTOW.V  BOROUGH. 
Early  Taverns  and  Later  Public-Houses— Incorporation  of  the  Borough 
— Uuiontown  from  1800  to  1825— Visit  of  Lafayette,  1823— Union  Vol- 
unteers—Facta  from  the  Bnrougli  Records— List  of  Borough  OtBcers— 
Fire  Dc',.;iiliiir  i  t-  P.  -t-n:f  n— Mail  Robbery  by  l)r.  Uraddeo— Press 
of  Unii  lit  I'  ;,.,-  uf  Uuiontown — Lawyer** — Schools— 
Churclu—  i.  liiiiincial  Institutions— Fayette  C<iunty 
Mutuiil  lii.  iii-uiLM  <  inpuiiy — lluilding  and  Loan  As.suciation — 
Societies  an.l  dnl.is— Mills  und  Mannfactories— Gas-Worlts— Popnla- 
tion— Biogi  aphical  Sltetches 279 

COXXELLSVILLE  BOROUGH  AND  TOWNSHIP. 
Borough  Currency— Vocations  followed  in  Connollsvillo  iu  182:i— Inde- 
pendence Day,  1824— Bridges  Across  the  Yonghioglioiiy— Exliiiguish- 
ment  of  Files — l*ost-Oflicea  and  Postmasters- Financial  Institutions^ 
Societies  and  Ordora-Pliysicians-Newspapers-Schools— Churches- 
Burial-Grounds — Railroads— Manufactories.  The  Township.— List  of 
Township  Officers — Manufacturing  Establishments— Gibson ville—Bi. 
ographical  Sltetches 3(ja 

BROWNSVILLE  BOROUGH  AND  TOWNSHIP. 
Incorporation  of  the  Borough  and  Erection  of  tlio  Township— Public 
Ground,  Market-House,  and  other  matters  from  tli.-  n..roii;;li  Records 
—Lafayette's  Visit  to  Brownsville— Ferrir-  I:ii:_r,  ,,,  Hunlap's 
Creek. etc. — Early  Tavernsand  Later  Hot-!-  ■  i  1  1  !m- Medi- 
cal Profession — Brownsville  Schools— Ki  :  -  iii  :  Miirial- 
Grounds — Extinguishment  of  Fires — P.^~t-'ii,h,  .],n.i!i  1,:  Iji.^iilu- 
tions— Manufacturing  Establishments— Coal  Mimsi.nd  lokit- Works- 
Brownsville  Gas  Conipany — Societies  and  Orders — Brownsville  Civil 
List— Biographical  Sketches... 421 

BRIDGEPORT  BOROUGH  AND  TOWNSHIP. 
Incorporation  of  the  Borough — Erection  of  the  Township— Officers  of  the 
TownsitipandBoi-ougli — Market- House — Publx  Warehouseand  Wliarf 
— Ferries  and  Bridges  over  the  SlonongaUela— Steamboat  and  Keel- 
Boat  Building— Manufacturing  Eslablishments— Medical  Profession- 
Public-Houses — Fire  Apparatus — National  Bank — Schools — Religious 
History 465 

5 


CONTENTS. 


BULLSKIN   TOWNSHIP. 

Civil  Organizatiuu — General  Intlustrics—Peunsville— Educational  and 

EkdigioUB 485 

DUNBAR  TOWNSHIP. 
Original  Landholders— Tax-r^iy  :  m  17  <  >  l:iily  Roads— Early  Iron- 
workers—The Union  Fnrii,..  I  -'  :  '  III /ntion  and  Civil  liist 
— VillageofEastLibertj  — \i;.  -  li:.  Milage  of  Alexandnn 
—Churches— Sdiools-Manul.uUiuc,  l.iiu.UKS— Societies  and  Or- 
ders. New  Haven  Bonouaii. — Now  Haven's  rhysicians— Jnstices  of 
the  Peace— Borougli  Incorporation  anil  List  of  Officers— Schools  in 
New  Ilaven—Post-Olflce-Religious— Biographical  Notices 501 

FRANKLIN   TOWNSHIP. 

Original  l.andlioldcrs  in  Franklin-Franklin  Tax-Payei?  in  1785— Early 

Roads— 'I'ownship  Organization  and  Civil  List — Scliools — Ciinrches — 

Personal  Sketches 549 

GEORCES   TOWX.'^IIIP. 

Old   Koada  — Ashcniir-    r  It       11  in  ;,iit    ->  n       Tin    Iii.Iii>:ri.is— Coke 

Mannfactnre  — Mill'      l' ■ .     i         Ii i-       Mi,,;.iiv    Jlnnioirs— 

Scliools— Churili.-     'I    I     :      -  v'l  .        ;    Ai,    -Faircliance 

— Sniithfiold— Pliysii  im-   -■ :  M.il..  i--  i  ,,i  |,  nir, .  i.ml  Builders 

— Coopers  —  Wagon-Miikris  —  ^ucielies  and  (jiders  —  Ct'orges  Creek 
Trailing  Conumny — Justices  of  the  Peace— Biograpliical  Sketches.    5G4 

GERMAN   TOWNSHIP. 
Physicians  —  Schools  —  Churches— Bu rial-Grounds— List  of  Towusliip 
Officers— Masonlown   Biroiigh— SIcCk-llandtown— Societies  and   Or- 
ders— High  House— Military  Record  of  German  Township — Various 
Statistics  of  German  Township- Peraoniil  Sketches SOU 

HENRY  CLAY   TOWNSHIP. 

Pioneers  and  Early  Settlements— Roads— Tavern  Stands— Township 
Orgaiiizatiun  and  Officers- Jockey  Yalley—Markleysbuig— Religious 
Denoniiuations—Cemeleries— Scliools 605 

JEFFERSON   TOWNSHIP. 

Early  Kuails— TovvnshipOrganization  and  Civil  List— Schuols — Churches 
— Co^il  Prodncl  ions— Biographical  Sketches C14 

LUZERNE   TOAYNSHIP. 

Early  Roads — Township  Organization  and  List  of  Officers — Schools — 

Churches — Burial-Grounds — Village   of    Mcrrittstown— Biographical 

Mention 633 

MENALLEN    TOWNSHIP. 
Early  Roads— Early  Taverns— Township  Organization  and  List  of  Offi- 
cers-Town   of    New    Salem- Upper    Middletown— Churches— Bio- 
graphical      663 

NORTH    AND    SOUTH    UNION   TOWNSHIPS. 

NouTii  Union.— Early  Settlements— Erection  of  the  Township  and  List 

of  Officers— Schools— Soldiers'  Orphans'  School— Religio\is  Societies— 

Jlauufactnring  Industries.    Souni  Union.— Early  Settlements— Erec- 


tion, Boundaries,  and  List  of  Officers— Schools— Redstone  Coke-Works 
— Chicago  and  Connellfiville  Coke  Company's  Works.  MoNnoE.-rTav- 
erns— Stores- Manufactories— Trip-Hammer  Forge— Disliliery-Tho 
Professions  —  Churches  —  Sabbath-Schools  —  Schools  —  Biographical 
Mention 669 

NICHOL,?ON   TOWNSHIP. 

List  of  Township  Officere— Schools— Churches— Biographical 695 

PERRY  TOWNSHIP. 

Erection  of  Township  and  List  of  Officers— Perryopolis — Lay  ton  Station 

— Schools  of  the  Township— Religious  Worship — Burial-Grounds — 

Biographical  Notices 707 

REDSTONE   TOWNSHIP. 
Township  Organization  and  Civil  List — Schools— Churches— Biograph- 
ical Sketches 723 

SALT    LICK    TOWNSHIP. 

Roads— General  Industries— Mercantile  and  Other  Interests — Religious 

and  Educational 74] 

SPRINGFIELD  TOWNSHIP. 
Roads — General  Industries — Villages  and  Business  Interests — Educa- 
tional and  Religious — Biogriipliical  Mention.. 751 

SPRINGHILL   TOWNSHIP. 

Medical  Men— Early  Roads  — Early  Mannraclurers  — Springhill  Civil 

List — Schools — Churches — Soldiers— Biographical 763 

STEWART    TOWNSHIP. 

Pioneer  Settlers— Civil  Organization— Falls  City— Various  Industries  of 

the  Township— Religious  and  Educational— Schools 774 

UPPER  AND  LOWER  TYRONE  TOWNSHIPS. 
Early  Settlements— Erection  of  Tyrone  as  a  Township  of  Fayette  County 
— Changes  of  Territory  and  List  of  Officers— Erection  of  Upper  and 
Lower  Tyrone— Religious  Worship — Schools — Churches — Societies 
and  Orders — Jimtown — Coke  Manufacture — Railroads— Biographical 
Sketches 783 

WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 
Township  Organization  and  Civil  List — Early  Roads — Little  Redstone 


1  — Boi'- 
!e  City 
1  Ceme- 


WHARTON   TOWNSHIP. 


Ill  Graves— Battle- 
National  Road — 
I'tllenient— Town- 
's—Mail  Service — 
lols — Biographical 


-BxoG-:Rj^FiEj:xaj^T^. 


Allebaugh,  Samuel 005 

Allison,  James 067 

Daily,  Silas  Milto :!55 

Banning,  Anthony  R 545 

Barnes,  David 415 

Barton,  William B!l4 

Blackstone,  James 545 

Bowman,  G.  II 4,-,7 

Boyle,  diaries  E 352 

Boyd,  Archil.ald 031 

Breading,  David 051  j 

-Breading,  James  E 650 

Breading,  Nathaniel 050 

Britt,  Robert 689 


PAOE 

Brown,  Isaac 09a 

Brown,  John 827 

Brownflehl,  Bai-il 692 

Brownfield,  Evving 340 

Burton,  John 502 

Buttermore,  Smith 418 

Campbell.  George  W 762 

Caufield,  Thomas 739 

Chatland,  William 462 

Clement, Samuel  M 691 

Cochran,  James 804 

-Cook,  Edward 825 

Cook,  John  B 825 

Covert,  Benjamin 052 


CONTENTS. 


Hcnl)    MiiiiiiLe 

Herl  erti  ii,  John 

IIiliU   DiiMil 

IIil  b<!,  Siiiniiel  C 

IIill  AlcMiiKlci  and  Alexanilci  J 

Hogt  Grorgo 

Ilog^   Willium 

llo^sott.  Hoi  crt 

Ilontli   ^^llll>nl 

IIoA^ill   Jushnii  B 

Houtll    Mficd 

Hunt,  Willjiim 

Huston  Joliii 

lI^nilDmn   I  Iv,  inl  K 

Jiickson,  U  bolt 

Johnson    I)a\ul 

Ron  1  ill   IiiaiL  P 


PAOE 

TAOE 

Craft   Janios  W 

740 

IlnlKj    Lutelliis 

406 

Cr)v»laM.I,A   J 

54n 

ly J">i"b  M 

738 

Cn.«»land  (.iconHberry 

300 

Ljnn  Doiiton 

827 

CumnunKs  David 

419 

MitrchamI   L  mis 

627 

UaMlMin  Jolinll 

721 

Jlnlhoil    Htnrj  I! 

687 

naMlnon  Thoiiiaa  It 

40'> 

.  M.c  1(111   Ali-xaiidir 

302 

DainlBon  Damil  R 

400 

JMUaiiio   H  bnt^ 

638 

Danbon  John  I 

4(H 

Mill  1    L  •? 

032 

Dot»>nlU8  Artlinr  B 

544 

Milloi    Willlumll 

40! 

D\U,U,»,y 

700 

Ml  OH  J   W 

(94 

Drax    IilinF 

415 

Moigan,  loliM 

773 

Dnntan   Ihonnis 

459 

^<■«cmlOl,Goorgo  W 

417 

Duman  \Mlln.m  S 

400 

Nc«m,er,l-S 

4iO 

Dnijii     luhtim 

090 

Niitt   \damC 

1.8 

Ilunn    rhinnis 

.50:1 

Ofelcvce    loKopli 

"641 

Elll    tt      lOBOpll    h 

G28 

Ollphant,  F  H 

582 

Elliott  ^^llllanl 

628 

Ohiilmnt  S  D 

104 

E»inK  Willmtn 

or,i 

I'altoreon    Mfied 

351 

FcrfeOBH.  IdlnnndM 

414 

I'attcraon   William  G 

0)0 

F.rgns)!.   Walton 

415 

Paiill    Jiimcs 

5i8 

liuWi    Rdiirt 

7:i7 

I'ursol  James 

721 

Foniyth    William 

028 

Pfii-sul  Jtromiali 

067 

Franks,  M    W 

705 

PhlllipH     FllH 

641 

Fnck    Ilmr)  C 

414 

11  vf.id  w  n 

1>3 

Fri^bro,  lohn  D 

I  iiinUtmo    Mm 

700 

Fulkr,  smith 

347 

III  II  111  11  limes  Hum  18 

3o8 

Gallatin    Albdt 

771 

It  .  1  Jamts  SI 

540 

Gil  son    \Io\andci 

052  • 

11  lb  rl8,Giimtli 

738 

Cans  LillouHll 

77:i 

Itobinsoii  Ml  ucr 

301 

Gibs  ni   J  slllla  0 

404- 

Itibinsin    lames 

590 

G  .0   Ilonrj  li 

029 

I    ^  1,    Mm  sK 

419 

Goe.J  linS 

c;'.o 

I    1           <     1 

840 

Graham    Hugh 

III              It 

io4 

Gmno  \\iN>n 

7(1.-, 

1              1         1           11 

412 

Giiflin   William  I> 

7U0 

^     II     \l    1          w 

■-» 

Grimih  SamuilC 

820 

s   infill    Willmii 

01  > 

Hngn,     lliubon 

589 

"51.1  u    1     la    ,b 

03 

Ml  1  hens,  I  01  B 
>inilin„    John 
Stirling    T   mllMii 


004  liiuiei   Wilhrnill 

ril  Wells  Josiph 

U04  Willcj    limes 

722  Woodwaid   Diun, 

410  WoodiMiid    loseih 

741  Woik  Samuel 


J.LLTJSTR.^TI01TS. 


Adims,  John  Q  ,  Itesidcuce  0 

Allebaiigh,  Samuel 

Allisiiii,  Janios 

Bail}    Silas  Miltnn 

Banning,  Anthoii}  II 

Barton  William 

Biniis,  Oib>on,  Itesidonci  of 

Blacl  ^tune,  Jam(  s 

Bon  man,  G  H 

Bojd,  Alehlbald 


facing    O.;o       Biijle,  C  E 


faeing  355 
bctnecn044,  54i 

facing    09i 

020 

lictwoen  j44,  545 

facing  4j7 
betneen  630,  G31 


Braddoek  9  Grive 

Brtnding  James  p 

Butt  Kobcrt 

Browneller,  DaMd,  Residence  of 

Brow  n,  laale 

Biimn    luhn 


1  3o2,  353 
ing    OoO 


CONTENTS. 


Campbell,  George  W 

762 

facing    740 

7A0E 

Leisenring,  John 

Lenhart,  Leonard 

Lindley,  Lutcllus 

Linn,  James  M 

"          410 

Cbatlaud,  William 

Clement,  Samuel  M 

between  462,  463 

"        690,  691 

facing    804 

between  520,  621 

"        520, 521 

826 

"          134 

"          620 

between  652,  653 

"         740,741 

527 

feeing    5« 

between  360,  361 

facing    418 

"        244 

"        408 

"        720 

"        405 

between  544,  545 

"        706, 707 

facing    415 

"        469 

"        460 

between  688,  580 

facing    663 

between  628,  629 

between  740,  741 

facing    4U6 

"        738 

Connellsville  Coke  and  Iron  Company's  Works 

Cook,  Edward 

Map,  Battle  of  Great  Meadows 

Map  of  Coke  Region 

Map  of  Fayette  County,  1832 

Map,  Geological 

Map,  Outline  of  County 

facing    830 

■'        280 

between  240,  247 

' 

facing    250 

Cope,  Emmor,  Residence  of 

•'        230 

"          13 

Marchand,  Louis 

Mathiot,  Henry  B 

Mcllvaine,  Robert  A 

Miller,  L.S.,  Residence  of 

Miller,  William  H 

Moore,  J.  W 

"        627 

"        587 

Crawford's  House 

Oroesland,  A.  J 

Crossland,  Greensbcrry 

"        538 

"        462,463 

facing    694 

Davidson  Coke-Works 

Davidson,  Daniel  K 

Davidson,  John  H 

Davidson,  Thomas  R 

De  SauUes,  Artbur  B 

Newcomer,  George  W 

Newmyer's  Opera-House 

"        417 

"        382 

Nutt,  A.  C,  Residence  of 

Oglevee,  Joseph 

Oliphant.  F.  H 

facing    298 

Dravo,  John  F 

Duncan,  Thomas 

Duncan,  William  S 

Dunn,  Justus 

Dunn,  Thomas 

Elliott,  Joseph  S 

"        582 

Patterson,  Alfred 

Peireel,  Jeremiah,  Sr 

Peirsel,  Jeremiah,  Jr 

Phillips,  Ellis 

Playford,  W.  H 

"          667 

E«ing,  William 

facing    651 

between  544,  545 

Ferguson,  Walton 

Finley,  Robert 

First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Uniontown.... 

Ford,  Charles,  Residence  of 

Forsyth,  James  S.,  Residence  of. 

Forsyth,  William 

Franks,  JI.W 

Flick,  II.  nrvC 

Frisb«,.lol,MD 

Fuller,  Smith 

Gallatin,  Albert 

Gans,  Lebbcus  B 

Gibson,  Alexander 

Goe,  Henry  1! 

Goe,  John  S 

Graham,  Hugh 

Greene,  Wili!on 

Griffin,  William  P 

Griffith,  Samuel  C 

Hague,  Reuben 

Hansel,  Geo.  W 

Healy,  Jlanri.,- 

Hibbs,  I'Hvi.l 

Hibbs.   S;,rnn,lC  

Hill,  .\!.       .iri.i    .1     

HoK_-,  -                                                               

•'      414,415 

facing    737 

facing    620 

"          620 

between  028,  629 

"       704,705 

facing    414 

"          416 

"          347 

"          771 

"          773 

between  652,  653 

facing    629 

between  630,  631 

669 

facing    705 

between  706,  707 

facing    826 

between  588,  689 

facing    841 

"        542 

"        402 

■. 739 

:fecing   7;ia 

between  458,  4.V,. 

between  704,  705 

Redburn,  J.  T 

Red  Lion  Valley 

.    facing    368 

"        620 

"          540 

Roberts,  Griffith 

Robinson,  Eleazer 

738 

facing    361 

Rogere,  James  K 

facing    419 

Rush,  Sebastian 

ScUnatterly,  Thomas  B 

Schoonmaker,  James  M 

Searight,Wm 

facing    840 

"         412 

"          665 

between  562,563 

,  Shepler,  Joseph  T 

Smith,  Robert 

Soisson,  Joseph 

Soisson  &  Kilpatrick,  Brick-Works 

Springer,  Levi 

Staufler,  J.  R.  &  A.,  Flouring-Mills  of. 

Stantfer,  J.  R.  i  Co.,  Dexter  Coke-Works 

"        544, 545 

"        562,563 

"        420,421 

facing    4(95 

between  690,  691 

facing    802 

"        803 

Steele,  Samuel 

Stephens,  Levi 

"        4C1 

between  826,  827 

"        8-26,827 

facing    602 

603 

facing    303 

"  352, 353 
..facing  356 
leen  360,  361 
..facing  369 
..      "        409 

668 

\  eeu  458,  459 
"  604,  605 
..facing    091 


Kendall,  Isjiac  I 
King,Ju8iah 


Sturgeon,  Daniel 

Swart?.,  Joseph,  Residence  of. 

Thompsou,  Jasper  M 

Tinstman,  A.  0 

Trader,  William  H 

Cniontown  Soldiers'  Orphans'  School.. 

WVlls,  Joseph .-... 

Wilkey,  James 

Woodward,  Davis , 

Woodward,  Isaac  C,  Residence  of. 

Woodward,  Joseph 


leen  590,  591 
678,  679 


HISTORY 

OP 

FAYETTE  COUxNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


CHAPTER   I. 

HISTORIC  GROUND  OF  FAYETTE— LOCATION,  BOUN- 
DARIES, AND  TOPOURAPIIY. 

There  are  within  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  very 
few  counties  whose  boundaries  include  ground  more 
historic  than  that  which  is  comprehended  in  the  do- 
main of  the  county  of  Fayette.  A  century  and  a 
quarter  ago,  when  the  two  great  European  rivals, 
England  and  France,  contended  for  dominion  over 
the  vast  region  watered  by  the  head-streams  of  the 
Oiiio,  the  latter  nation  claimed  the  summit  of  Laurel 
Hill  as  her  eastern  boundary ;  and  in  the  strife  which- 
followed — the  contest  by  the  issue  of  which  that  claim 
was  extinguished  forever — it  was  in  the  ravines  and 
on  the  hillsides  and  meadows  lying  between  the 
Youghiogheny  and  Monongahela  Rivers  that  the 
forces,  marching  respectively  under  the  Bourbon  lilies 
and  the  cross  of  St.  George  first  met  in  actual  shock 
of  arms;  it  was  the  soil  now  of  Fayette  County 
which  drank  the  first  blood  spilled  in  that  memorable 
contlict.  Years  afterwards,  when  a  scarcely  less  fierce 
controversy  sprang  up  between  the  States  of  Penn- 
sylvania and  Virginia,  the  Old  Dominion  insisted  on 
extending  her  limits  eastward  to  that  same  Laurel 
Hill  summit,  while  Pennsylvania,  willing  at  one  time 
to  recognize  the  Monongahela  as  the  division  line, 
peremptorily  refused  to  yield  an  inch  east  of  that 
stream ;  and  so  Fayette  County,  with  contiguous 
country  lying  to  the  west  and  north  of  it,  became  the 
theatre  of  a  conflict  of  jurisdiction  which  almost 
reached  the  extremity  of  open  war. 

It  was  here,  within  what  is  now  Fayette  County,  that 
George  Washington  fought  his  first  battle,  and  here 
he  made  his  first — and  last — surrender  to  an  enemy. 
Across  these  hills  and  valleys  and  streams  the  army  of 
the  brave  Braddock  marched  in  pride  and  confidence 
to  assault  the  French  stronghold  at  the  head  of  the 
Ohio;  and  when  the  survivors  of  that  proud  host  re- 
turned by  the  same  route,  flying  in  disorder  and  panic 
from  the  bloody  field  of  the  Monongahela,  it  was  here 


that  their  dauntless  leader  died  of  his  wounds,  and 
here,  in  the  soil  of  Fayette  County,  they  buried  him. 
On  the  shore  of  the  Monongahela  River,  in  this 
county,  wa.s  held  the  first,  as  also  the  last,  public 
meeting  convened  by  the  insurgent  leaders  in  the 
famous  insurrection  of  1791-94;  and  when  at  last 
the  government  sent  an  army  to  enforce  the  laws,  the 
military  column  marched  through  Fayette,  and  the 
commanding  general  established  his  headquarters  at 
the  county-seat,  where  he  received  assurances  of  sub- 
mission from  the  disaffected  leaders.  Detailed  men- 
tion will  be  made  of  all  these  historical  fiicts,  with 
numberless  others  relating  to  this  county,  including  the 
construction  of  the  great  National  road ;  the  building, 
in  Fayette,  of  the  first  steamboat  that  ever  descended 
the  Monongahela,  the  Ohio,  and  the  Mississippi 
Rivers ;  the  erection  here  of  the  first  iron-furnace 
west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains ;  the  first  recorded 
instance  of  the  use  of  the  bituminous  coal  of  Western 
Pennsylvania  as  fuel ;'  its  first  application  to  the  man- 
ufacture of  coke,  and  the  subse(i\ient  development  of 
that  industry  to  an  extent  which  seems  destined,  in  the 
near  future,  to  place  this  county  among  the  most  pros- 
perous and  wealthy  of  the  State. 

In  regard  to  its  location  and  boundaries,  Fayette 
may  properly  be  described  as  one  of  the  southern 
tier  of  counties  in  Pennsylvania,  and  the  second  one 
from  the  western  line  of  the  .State.  It  is  joined  on 
the  west  by  the  counties  of  Greene  and  Washington  ; 
on  the  northby  Westmoreland,  of  which  itonce  formed 
a  part ;  and  on  the  east  by  Somerset.  Its  southern 
boundary  is  formed  by  the  north  line  of  the  States  of 
West  Virginia  and  Maryland.  This  is  identical  with 
the  famed  "  Mason  and  Dixon's  line,"  and  thus  for 
many  years  the  southern  border  of  Fayette  County 
formed  a  part  of  the  free-State  frontier  against  the 
dominion  of  African  slavery. 

The  two  principal  streams  of  the  county  are  the 
Monongahela  and  the  Youghiogheny  Rivers.     The 

1  By  Col.  Burd,  near  licdstooe  Creek,  in  t'iO. 


It 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


former  (and  the  larger)  stream  takes  its  rise  in  West 
Virginia,  crosses  tlie  State  line  into  Pennsylvania  at 
the  extreme  southwest  corner  of  Fayette  County,  and 
flowing  thence  in  a  meandering  but  generally  north- 
ward course,  marks  the  entire  western  boundary  of 
Fayette  against  the  counties  of  Greene  and  Washing- 
ton, for  a  distance  of  nearly  forty-seven  and  a  half 
miles.  After  leaving  the  northwestern  limit  of  Fay- 
ette, the  river  continues  in  nearly  the  same  general 
course  between  Westmoreland  and  Washington  and 
through  Allegheny  County  to  its  confluence  with  the 
Allegheny  River  at  Pittsburgh. 

The  Youghiogheny — a  mountain  stream  of  clearer 
and  purer  water  than  that  of  the  Monongahela— runs 
from  Maryland  into  Pennsylvania,  crossing  the  line 
into  this  State  at  the  extreme  southeast  corner  of  Fay- 
ette County.  Flowing  in  a  generally  northward  course 
from  this  point,  it  marks  for  a  distance  of  fifteen  and 
one-half  miles  the  boundary  between  Fayette  and 
Somerset  Counties.  From  there,  turning  somewhat 
abruptly  towards  the  west,  it  leaves  Somerset,  and,  ! 
with  the  highlands  of  Fayette  on  either  side,  passes 
through  this  county  for  a  distance  of  more  than  forty- 
four  miles  to  the  north  line.  Its  general  direction 
tlirough  Fayette  is  nearly  northwest ;  its  current  rapid, 
rushing  and  tumbling  over  a  rocky  bed  in  many  places,  , 
and  broken  at  one  point  (Ohio  Pile)  by  falls  of  con- 
siderable height.  From  the  north  boundary  of  this 
county  it  enters  Westmoreland,  and  flows  on  in  nearly  ! 
the  same  course  to  its  junction  with  the  Monongahela 
at  McKeesport. 

Besides  these  two  rivers,  Fayette  County  has  a 
great  number  of  smaller  streams,  but  among  these 
there  are  few  that  are  of  eufiicient  size  and  import- 
ance to  deserve  separate  mention.  Cheat  River, 
which  has  its  sources  in  West  Virginia,  enters  Penn- 
sylvania, and  flowing  a  short  distance  across  the  ex- 
treme southwest  corner  of  this  county,  joins  its  waters 
with  those  of  the  Monongahela.  Nearly  five  miles 
f  u-tlicr  down  the  river  is  the  mouth  of  Georges  Creek, 
which  stream  is  entirely  within  this  county.  Dun- 
lap's  Creek  and  Redstone  Creek  are  both  also  wholly 
witliin  the  county,  from  mouth  to  head-springs.  The 
iormer  enters  the  Monongahela  between  the  boroughs  ! 
of  Brownsville  and  Bridgeport,  and  the  latter  about 
one  and  a  quarter  miles  farther  north.  Jacob's 
Creek,  flowing  in  a  westward  direction,  forms  the 
northern  boundary  of  Fayette  County  for  a  little 
more  than  twenty  miles  (by  its  meandering  course) 
eastward  from  the  point  where  it  enters  the  Youghio- 
gheny River.  The  other  principal  tributaries  of 
that  river  within  the  territory  of  Fayette  are  Mounts' 
Crock,  which  rises  in  the  mountainous  region  in  the 
northeast  part  of  the  county,  and  enters  the  Youghio- 
gheny just  below  the  borough  of  Connellsville;  Indian 
Creek,  which  also  takes  its  rise  in  the  northeastern 
highlands,  and  flows  into  the  river  from  that  direction, 
about  eight  miles  above  Mounts'  Creek ;  and  Great 
Meadow  Run,  which  flows  from  itssources  in  the  Laurel  ' 


Hill  range,  first  southeasterly,  and  then  towards  the 
northeast,  entering  the  river  through  its  left  bank'near 
Ohio  Pile  Falls.  Big  Sandy  Creek  and  Little  Sandy 
Creek  rise  in  the  southern  part  of  Fayette,  and  thence 
take  a  southerly  course  into  West  Virginia,  where 
their  waters  join  those  of  the  Cheat  River,  and 
through  it  find  their  way  into  the  Monongahela. 

In  that  part  of  the  county  which  lies  northeast  of 
the  Youghiogheny  are  two  mountain  ranges,  extend- 
ing from  Westmoreland  County  in  a  direction  nearly 
south-southwest  and  parallel  with  each  other  to  the 
river.  The  more  western  of  the  two  is  called  Chest- 
nut Ridge,  and  the  other  Laurel  Hill,  the  crest  of 
which  latter  forms  a  part  of  the  county  boundary 
between  Fayette  and  Somerset,  the  remainder  of  that 
line,  about  fifteen  miles,  being  marked  by  the  Youghio- 
gheny River,  as  before  noticed.  The  valley  between 
these  ranges,  broken  somewhat  by  detached  hills,  is 
drained  by  Indian  Creek  and  its  small  tributaries. 
Its  soil  is  better  adapted  for  grazing  purposes  than 
for  the  production  of  grain.  West  of  the  Chestnut 
Ridge  is  a  valley  drained  by  Mount's  Creek  and  its 
branches.  Beyond  tliis  the  land  rises  into  hills,  of 
which  alongand  high  rangelies  between  the  Youghio- 
gheny and  Jacob's  Creek,  sloping  away  towards  both 
streams,  along  the  margins  of  which  are  narrow  bot- 
tom-lands. 

On  the  southwest  side  of  the  Youghiogheny  the 
name  of  Laurel  Hill  is  applied  to  the  mountain  range, 
which  is  in  fact  the  prolongation  of  that  known  on 
the  other  side  as  Chestnut  Ridge.  This  Laurel  Hill 
range  extends  from  the  Youghiogheny  southwest- 
wardly  nearly  by  the  geographical  centre  of  the  county, 
and  about  two  miles  east  of  L'niontown,  the  county- 
seat  ;  its  summits  being  more  than  two  thousand  five 
hundred  feet  above  se.a-level,  and  one  thousand  feet 
above  neighboring  valleys.  Across  the  southea-i 
corner  of  the  county,  extending  southward  from  thr 
Youghiogheny  to  and  across  the  State  line,  is  a  ridge 
of  rugged  hills,  which  may  properly  be  termed  th. 
prolongation  of  the  Laurel  Hill  range  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river.  These  hills  are,  however,  in  general 
much  lower  and  more  flattened,  there  being  among 
them  but  one  summit  (Sugar- Loaf )  which  in  hciglit 
appro.ximates  to  those  on  the  northeast  side  of  the 
river. 

West  of  the  Laurel  Hill  range,  and  extending  in  :i 
direction  nearly  parallel  to  it  across  this  part  of  tie 
county,  is  a  beautiful  valley  several  miles  in  width. 
drained  on  the  south  by  York's  Run  and  Georges 
Creek,  and  on  the  northwest  and  north  by  Redstone 
Creek  and  several  small  tributaries  of  the  Youghio- 
gheny River.  This  valley  is  the  "Connellsville' 
Coal  Basin,"  extending  west  to  the  "  barren  meas- 
ures," about  four  miles  west  of  the  countv-seat. 
West  of  this  valley  are  elevated  uplands,  undulating, 
and  in  many  places  hilly,  particularly  as  they  ap- 
proach the  Monongahela,  where  they  terminate  some- 
what abruptly  in  what  are  termed  the  "  river-hills," 


LOCATION,  BOUNDARIES,  AND   TOPOGRAPH i'. 


15 


which  descend  to  the  rich  bottom-liinds,  rarely  ex- 
ceeding one-fourtii  of  a  mile  in  width,  which  lie  along 
the  margin  of  the  river. 

In  all  thia  part  of  the  county  west  of  the  Laurel 
Hill,  including  the  broad  valley,  the  rolling  upland, 
the  hilly  lands  (often  tillable  to  the  summits),  and  the 
river  bottoms,  the  soil  is  excellent  for  the  production 
of  grain  and  fruits,  and  the  country  in  general  well 
adapted  to  the  various  requirements  of  agriculture. 

l)cl:iiK'y's  t'avo,  situated  in  Fayette  County,  is  a 
wonderful  natural  curiosity,  which  appears,  from  the 
descriptions  of  many  who  have  visited  it,  to  be  scarcely 
inferior  to  the  celebrated  Mammoth  Cave  in  Ken- 
tucky. Its  location  is  about  nine  miles  in  a  south- 
easterly direction  from  Uniontown.  A  great  number 
of  descriptions  of  the  cave  have  been  given  by  per- 
sons who  have  visited  it  from  time  to  time,  but  most 
of  these  accounts  bear  the  appearance  of  too  great 
embellishment.  The  description  which  is  given  be- 
low was  written  by  Mr.  John  A.  Paxton,  who  visited 
the  cave  in  1816,  and  published  his  account  of  it  im- 
mediately afterwards  in  the  American  Telegraph  of 
Brownsville.  Mr.  Paxton  was  a  Philadelphia  gentle- 
man, who  being  in  this  section  of  country  in  the  year 
named,  engaged  in  the  collection  of  material  for  a 
gazetteer  of  the  United  States,  was  detained  by  an 
accident  to  his  horse,  and  obliged  to  remain  two  or 
three  days  at  Uniontown.  While  there  he  heard  of 
the  great  cave,  and  determined  to  see  and  explore  it. 
A  party  was  accordingly  made  up,  consisting  of  Mr. 
Paxton,  William  Gregg,  John  Owens,  James  M.  John- 
ston, John  Gallagher,  and  Epliraim  Dougla.ss.  These 
having  provided  themselves  with  refreshments,  can- 
dles, tinder-box,  brimstone  niatche-s,  lanterns,  com- 
pass, chalk,  and  a  line  for  measuring,  set  out  on 
Wednesday,  Sept.  11,  1816,  and  proceeded  southeast- 
wardly  to  Laurel  Hill,  and  ascended  the  mountain 
towards  the  cave.  They  left  their  horses  at  the  farm- 
house of  Mr.  Delaney  (from  whom  the  cave  was  after- 
wards named),  and  requested  him,  in  case  they  should 
fail  to  return  from  their  exploration  the  following 
morning,  to  have  the  people  of  the  vicinity  aroused 
to  search  for  them,  as  they  had  heard  the  story  of  two 
young  men— Grain  and  Merrifield— who  had  been  lost 
in  the  cave  for  nearly  two  days,  and  were  found  at  the 
end  of  that  time  locked  in  each  other's  arms  and  des- 
pairingly waiting  for  death.  It  was  about  the  middle 
of  the  afternoon  when  the  party,  fully  equipped,  .set 
out  on  foot  for  the  entrance  of  the  cave,  and  the  story 
of  their  exploration  was  narrated  by  Paxton,  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  Laurel  Hill  Cave,  which  I  have  taken  the  liberty  to 
name,  it  being  in  want  of  one,  is  situated  in  Pennsyl- 
vania,—Fayette  County,  Georges  township, — on  the 
top  of  Laurel  Hill  Mountain,  nine  miles  southeasterly 
of  Uniontown,  three  miles  easterly  of  Delaney's  farm- 
house. At  four  o'clock  p.m.  we  commenced  our 
operations.     We  first  descended  into  a  small  pit,  on 


the  side  of  which  wc  found  the  mouth,  about  three 
j  feet  by  four,  which  we  entered,  and  immediately 
found  ourselves  in  a  passage  about  twenty  feet  wide, 
and  descending  about  fifty  ilegrecs  for  forty  feet  in  a 
j  northwest  course,  when  we  found  a  less  declivity  and 
I  smoother  floor;  here  we  left  our  great-coats  and  things 
we  had  no  immediate  use  for,  and  proceeded  in  the 
I  same  course  a  short  distance,  when  we  found  that  the 
j  passage  forked  into  two  avenues  more  contracted, 
I  both  leading,  by  a  considerable  descent,  into  the  first 
I  room  ;  this  is  about  twenty-four  feet  in  diameter,  with 
a  roof  of  rock  about  twenty  feet  high.  A  large  de- 
scending passage  leads  from  this  room,  the  same 
course,  with  a  very  high  roof,  and  is  about  twelve 
feet  wide  for  .some  distance,  when  it  becomes  more 
j  contracted  and  leads  into  the  second  room,  which  is 
j  fifty  feet  by  one  hundred,  with  a  large  body  of  rocks 
I  on  the  floor  that  have  fallen  from  the  roof,  which  is 
not  very  high.  At  the  end  of  the  passage  is  a  running 
spring  of  excellent  water.  In  this  room  the  person 
who  had  the  tinder-box  unfortunately  let  it  fall 
among  the  rocks,  which  opened  it,  and  by  this  acci- 
dent we  lost  nearly  all  our  tinder.  A  very  narrow, 
uneven,,  and  descending  passage  leads  from  the  second 
room,  in  a  northeast  direction,  to  the  narrows, — a  )ias- 
sage  two  and  a  half  feet  high  and  about  fifty  feet 
broad,  leading  horizontally  between  rocks,  with  a 
small  descent  for  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  to 
a  perpendicular  descent  over  rocks;  through  this 
small  passage  we  had  in  many  places  to  drag  our- 
selves along  on  our  bellies,  and  the  buttons  on  niy 
coat  were  torn  off'  by  the  rocks  above.  This  passage 
evidently  was  formed  by  the  foundation  of  the  nether 
rock  being  washed  by  the  veins  of  water,  which 
caused  it  to  separate  from  the  upper  rock  and  formed 
the  route  to  the  perpendicular  descent,  which  we 
found  to  be  twenty-two  feet.  I  descended  by  a  rope ; 
but  my  companions  found  their  way  down  by  cling- 
ing to  the  rocks.  We  now  found  ourselves  in  a  very 
uneven  rocky  passage,  which  ascended  about  twenty 
degrees  for  two  hundred  and  thirty-four  feet;  but  as 
we  could  not  find  an  outlet  from  this,  after  the  most 
particular  search,  we  returned  and  ascended  the  per- 
pendicular precipice,  and  to  the  right  of  it  discovered 
a  passage  which  had  a  great  descent,  was  very  rocky, 
uneven,  and  so  contracted  for  about  eighty  feet  that 
it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  we  made  our  way 
through  it;  this  led  to  a  second  perpendicular  de- 
scent of  thirty  feet  over  rocks,  which  we  with  great 
difiiculty  got  down.  We  now  found  ourselves  in  a 
large  avenue,  or  Little  IMill-Stream  Hall  (as  I  called 
it),  with  a  very  high  roof  and  about  twenty-five  feet 
wide;  it  had  a  sandy  floor,  with  a  stream  of  water 
running  through  it  sufliciently  rapid  and  large  to 
turn  a  grist-mill.  On  the  sides  of  this  stream  were 
some  large  rocks  which  had  fallen  from  the  roof.  This 
avenue- is  about  six  hundred  feet  in  length,  with  a 
considerable  descent  tn  where  the  water  loses  itself 
through  a  small  ajicrture  in  the  rocks. 


IG 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


"On  returning  from  the  bottom  of  the  avenue  ^-e 
discovered  a  passage  leading  horizontally  and  at  right 
angles  from  the  side  of  this  avenue,  the  entrance  of 
which  is  elevated  about  eight  feet  above  the  floor. 
We  found  this  a.  very  pleasant  passage  in  comparison 
to  the  rest ;  the  roof,  sides,  and  floor  were  quite  smooth, 
and  we  could  walk  upright.  It  is  one  hundred  and 
twenty  feet  long,  and  leads  into  the  last  and  largest 
avenue,  or  Great  Mill-Stream  Hall.  This  we  found 
to  be  very  spacious,  being  about  from  twenty  to  thirty 
feet  wide,  from  thirty  to  eighty  feet  from  the  floor  to 
the  roof,  and  twelve  hundred  feet  in  length,  with  a 
stream  sufficient  to  turn  agrist-mill  running  its  whole 
length.  From  the  source  of  this  stream,  where  there 
is  a  considerable  collection  of  white  spar,  formed  in 
flat  cakes  and  cones,  caused  evidently  by  the  constant 
dripping  of  water,  the  avenue  has  a  descent  of  about 
thirty  degrees  to  where  the  stream  disembogues  itself 
through  a  small  aperture  in  the  rocks.  Before  we 
arrived  at  this  aperture  the  avenue  became  so  con- 
tracted that  Mr.  Gregg  and  myself  had  to  creep  on 
our  hands  and  knees  through  the  water  for  about  fifty 
feet.  Here  in  the  sand  we  found  the  name  of '  Grain' 
written,  which  we  considered  a  mortifying  discovery, 
as  we  thought  we  were  the  first  persons  who  had 
penetrated  so  far  in  this  direction.  We  wrote  our 
names  likewise  iu  the  saud  and  then  joined  the  rest 
of  the  party. 

■'  In  our  search  through  this  great  avenue  we  had  to 
climb  over  or  creep  under  a  thousand  craggy  rocks 
that  lay  scattered  on  the  floor,  and  which  had  fallen 
from  the  sides  and  ceiling.  I  have  every  reason  to 
believe  that  no  person  except  us  ever  visited  the 
source  of  the  stream  and  head  of  the  avenue,  as  we 
found  no  sign  of  human  invention  within  many  hun- 
dred feet  of  the  spot,  and  which  was  very  common  in 
every  other  part  of  the  cave,  as  the  sides  of  every 
place  that  had  been  previously  visited  were  covered 
with  names  and  marks  made  with  coal,  and  if  any 
pirson  had  penetrated  this  far  they  certainly  would 
have  left  some  token  of  their  perseverance.  We  now 
found  ourselves  at  the  end  of  our  exploring  expedi- 
tion, and  as  we  had  plenty  of  candles  left  and  had 
taken  the  precaution  to  mark  with  chalk  an  arrow  on 
tlie  rocks  at  every  turn,  we  were  confident  of  being 
able  to  retrace  our  steps  to  the  entrance. 

"  Returning,  we  measured  with  a  line  the  extreme 
distance  we  had  been  in,  and  found  it  to  be  three 
thousand  six  hundred  feet,  but  we  must  have  trav- 
elled altogether  upwards  of  two  miles.  Our  return 
was  found  to  be  much  more  tiresome,  as  it  was  an  as- 
cemling  route  nearly  the  whole  distance.  We  arrived 
in  safc'ty  at  the  mouth  at  ten  o'clock  at  night,  after 
having  traveled  incessantly  for  six  hours.  We  were 
alinut  sixteen  hundred  feet  perpendicularly  below  the 
entrance.  We  heard  the  water  running  beneath  the 
rucks  in  every  part  of  the  cave.  The  temperature  we 
found  agreeable,  but  owing  to  our  great  exertions  we 
were  kept  in  a  jn-ofuse  perspiration  during  the  whole 


time  we  were  in.  In  different  parts  we  saw  a  few 
bats,  but  a  gentleman  from  Uniontown  informed  me 
that  the  roofs  of  the  two  first  rooms  were  covered 
with  millions  of  bats  hanging  in  large  bunches  in  a 

,  torpid  state  and  clinging  to  each  other. 

I       "This  cave  is  composed  of  soft  sandstone  rocks, 

j  and  has  every  appearance  of  having  been  formed  by 
the  veins  of  water  washing  them  and  their  founda- 
tions away,  which  caused  by  their  weight  to  separate 
from  the  standing  rocks  above.  There  is  not  the 
smallest  doubt  in  my  mind  but  this  cave  is  consider- 
ably enlarged  by  the  friction  of  the  water  each  year, 
for  all  the  rocks  on  the  floors  of  the  diflerent  apart- 
ments would  exactly  fit  the  parts  of  the  ceiling  im- 
mediately above  them.  The  rocks  that  now  form 
this  cave  will  certainly  fall  by  degrees  as  their  foun- 
dations are  washed  away,  therefore  it  is  impossible  to 
form  an  idea  of  the  very  great  spaciousness  that  it 
may  arrive  to.  The  knowledge  that  the  rocks  above 
are  subject  to  fall  is  calculated  to  create  the  most  in- 
expressible horror  in  the  minds  of  persons  who  visit 
this  subterranean  wonder.  The  arches  of  all  the 
avenues  are  formed  by  rocks  meeting  in  the  middle  of 

j  the  roofs,  with  a  crack  extending  in  each  the  whole 
length." 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE  WORKS  AXD  RELICS  OF  AN  EXTINCT  PEOPLE. 

In  Fayette  County,  as  in  many  other  parts  of  West- 
ern Pennsylvania,  and  in  a  great  number  of  locali- 
ties farther  towards  the  southwest,  there  exist  evi- 
dences of  a  very  ancient  occupation  of  these  valleys 
and  hills  by  a  people  other  than  the  native  Indians 
who  held  possession  at  the  time  when  the  first  white 
settlers  came  here.  These  evidences  are  found  chiefly 
in  curious  mounds  and  otlier  forms  of  earthwork, 
some  apparently  having  been  devoted  to  purposes  of 
sepulture  alone,  and  others  having  the  form  and  ap- 
pearance of  defenses  against  hostile  attack.'  The 
great  age  of  these  structures  was  proved,  not  only  by 
their  general  appearauce  of  antiquity,  but  more  de- 
cidedly by  the  fact  that  in  many  instances  trees  of  the 
largest  size  were  found  growing  on  the  embankments. 
In  reference  to  these  works  and  the  evidence  which 
they  furnish  that  this  region,  in  common  with  others, 
covering  the  entire  Mississippi  and  Ohio  River  val- 
leys, had  been  anciently  occupied  by  a  people  su- 


1  Tlie  Mornvian  writer,  Zeisberger,  snys,  in  reference  to  tliis  Bubjcct, 
"  In  war  they  [tlie  builders  of  tliese  cjirtben  works]  uscJ  some  ranip.Trl> 
about  tbeir  towns,  and  round  hillocks,  in  the  top  of  which  they  made  a 
hollow  place  to  ehcller  their  women  and  children  in ;  tliey  placed  them- 
selves around  and  uponitio  figlit;  in  siicli  batllcswere  commonly  niai ly 
killed,  wliom  tliey  buried  all  in  a  heap,  covering  the  corpses  with  tin? 
bark  of  trees,  stones,  eartli,  etc.  On  the  place  where  Scboi^nbrunu,  (1il> 
Christian  Indian  town,  was  built  [in  OhioJ,  one  can  plainly  sec  such  a 
wall  or  rampart  of  considerable  extent,  and  not  a  great  way  off,  in  llie 
plain,  is  such  a  burial-place,  or  made  hillock,  on  which  large  oaks  nuw 
Btai.d." 


THE   WORKS  AND  RELICS  OF  AN  EXTINCT  PEOPLE. 


perior  in  skill  and  intelligence  to  the  Indian  tribes 
whom   the  first  white  visitors   found  in  possession,  ' 
Judge  Veech  says, — 

"  That  these  [the  native  Indians]  were  the  succes- 
sors of  a  race  more  intelligent,  or  of  a  people  of  dif- 
ferent liabits  of  life,  seems  clearly  deducible  from  the 
remains  of  fortifications  scattered  all  over  the  terri- 
tory, and  which  are  very  distinct  from  those  known 
to  have  been  constructed  by  the  tribes  of  Indians 
named  or  any  of  their  modern  compeers. 

"  These  remains  of  embankments  or  '  old  forts'  are 
numerous  in  Fayette  County.  That  they  are  very 
ancient  is  shown  by  many  facts.  The  Indians  known 
to  us  could  give  no  satisfactory  account  of  when,  how, 
or  by  whom  they  were  erected,  or  for  what  purpose,  ex- 
cept for  defense.  While  the  trees  of  the  surrounding 
forests  were  chiefly  oak,  the  growths  upon  and  within 
the  lines  of  the 'old  forts' were  generally  of  large  black- 
walnut,  wild-cherry,  and  sometimes  locust.  We  have 
examined  some  which  indicated  an  age  of  from  three 
to  five  hundred  years,  and  they  evidently  of  a  second 
or  third  generation,  as  they  were  standing  amid  the 
decayed  remains  of  their  ancestors.  How  they  got 
there,  whether  by  transplanting,  by  deposits  of  floods 
or  of  birds,  or  otherwise,  is  a  speculation  into  which 
we  will  not  go.  .- 

"  These  embankments  may  have   been  originally 
composed  of  wood,  as  their  debris  is  generally  a  veg- 
etable mould.     No  stones  were  used  in  their  construc- 
tion, and  among  their  ruins  are  always  found  some 
remains  of  old  pottery,  composed  of  clay  mixed  with 
crushed  mussel-shells,  even  when  far  off  from  a  river. 
This  composite  was  not  burnt,  but  only  baked  in  ! 
the  sun.     These  vessels  were  generally  circular,  and,  | 
judging  from  those  we  have  seen,  they  were  made  to  ' 
hold  from  one  to  three  quarts.  I 

"These  'old  forts'  were  of  various  forms, — square, 
oblong,  triangular,  circular,  and  semicircular.  Their 
superficial  areas  ranged  from  one-fourth  of  an  acre  to 
ten  acres.  Their  sites  were  generally  well  chosen  in 
reference  to  defense  and  observation,  and,  what  is  a 
very  singular  fact,  they  were  very  often,  generally  in 
Fayette  County,  located  on  the  highest  and  richest  i 
hills,  and  at  a  distance  from  any  spring  or  stream  of  j 
water.     In  a  few  instances  this  was  otherwise,  water 


being  i 


sed  or  contiguous,  as  they  are  generally  ii 


Ohio  and  other  more  western  parts  of  the  Missis-  ' 
sippi  Valley. 

"Having  seen  and  examined  many  of  these  'old  | 
forts'  in  Fayette  County,  and  also  those  at  Marietta,  | 
Newark,  and  elsewhere  in  Ohio,  we  believe  they  are 
all  the  works  of  the  same  race  of  people,  as  are  also, 
the  famous  Grave  Creek  mounds,  near  Elizabethtown,  i 
Va.,  and  if  this  belief  be  correct,  then  the  conclusion 
follows  irresistibly  that  the  race  of  people  was  much 
superior  and  existed  long  anterior  to  the  modern  In- 
dian.    But  who  they  were,  and  what  became  of  them,  I 
must  perhaps  forever  be  unknown.     We  will  briefly 
indicate  the  localities  of  some  of  these  '  old  forts'  in  ' 


Fayette  County.  To  enumerate  all,  or  to  describe 
them  sei)arately,  would  weary  the  reader.  The  curi- 
ous in  such  matters  may  yet  trace  their  remains. 

"  A  very  noted  one,  and  of  most  commanding  lo- 
cation, was  at  Brownsville,  on  the  site  of  '  Fort 
Burd,'  but  covering  a  much  larger  area.  Even  after 
Col.  Burd  built  his  fort  there,  in  IT')!!,  it  retained'  the 
names  of '  the  old  fort,'  '  Redstone  Old  Fort,'  or  '  Fort 
Redstone.' 

"  There  was  one  on  land  formerly  of  William  Gee, 
near  the  Monongahela  River,  and  just  above  the 
mouth  of  Little  Redstone,  where  afterwards  was  a 
settler's  fort,  called  Cassel's  or  Castle  Fort;  and  an 
old  map  which  we  have  seen  has  another  of  these  old 
forts  noted  at  the  mouth  of  Speers'  Run,  where  Belle 
Vernon  now  is. 

"  Two  or  three  are  found  on  a  high  ridge  south- 
wardly of  Perryopolis,  on  the  State  road,  and  on  land 
late  of  John  F.  Martin.  Another  noted  one  is  on  the 
western  bank  of  the  Youghiogheny  River,  nearly  op- 
posite the  Broad  Ford,  ou  land  lately  held  by  James 
Collins. 

"There  are  several  on  the  high  ridge  of  land  lead- 
ing from  the  Collins'  fort,  above  referred  to,  south- 
westwardly  towards  Plumsock,  on  lands  of  James 
Paull,  John  M.  Austin,  John  Bute,  and  others  ;  a  re- 
markable one  being  on  land  lately  owned  by  James 
Gilchrist  and  the  Byers,  where  some  very  large  human 
bones  have  been  found.  There  is  one  on  the  north 
side  of  Mounts'  Creek,  above  Irishman's  Run. 

"  A  very  large  one,  containing  six  or  eight  acres, 
is  on  the  summit  of  Laurel  Hill,  where  the  Mud 
pike  crosses  it,  covered  with  a  large  growth  of  black- 
walnut. 

"  One  specially  noted  as  containing  a  great  quan- 
tity of  broken  shells  and  pottery  existed  on  the  high 
land  between  Laurel  Run  and  the  Youghiogheny 
River,  on  a  tract  formerly  owned  by  Judge  Young. 

"There  are  yet  distinct  traces  of  one  on  land  of 
Gen.  Henry  W.  Beeson,  formerly  of  Col.  McClean, 
about  two  miles  east  of  Uniontown. 

"  There  was  one  northeast  of  New  Geneva,  at  the 
locality  known  as  the  'Flint  Hill,'  on  laud  now  of 
John  Franks. 

"  About  two  miles  northeast  of  New  Geneva,  ou 
the  road  to  Uniontown,  and  on  land  late  of  William 
Morris,  now  Nicholas  B.  Johnson,  was  one  celebrated 
for  its  great  abundance  of  mussel-shells. 

"  On  the  high  ridge  southwardly  of  the  head-waters 
of  Middle  Run  several  existed,  of  which  may  be 
named  one  on  the  Bixler  land,  one  on  the  high 
knob  eastwardly  from  Clark  Breading's,  one  (m  the 


^  Mr.  Veech  did  not  (as  some  of  his  critics  have  Appeared  to  suppose) 
intend  to  say  thnt  Burd's  fort  occupied  the  site  and  took  the  name  uf 
Redstone  Old  Fort.  It  was  Iniilt  a  short  distance  from  the  site  of  tlie  old 
eartliworl;,  and  was  always  called  Fort  BurJ.  But  tlie  tocalUy—a.  prom- 
inent point  on  the  Monongahela — did  retain  the  appellation  of*'  Bedstone 
end  Fort"  for  a  great  many  years;  and  even  at  tlie  present  day  no 
reader  of  history  is  at  a  loss  to  undei-stand  that  the  name  designate;)  the 
site  of  the  present  borough  of  Brownsville. 


IS 


iiistohy  of  fayette  county,  pennsylyania. 


Alexander  Wilson  tract,  and  one  on  theland  of  Den- 
nis Riley,  deceased,  formerly  of  Andrew  C.  Johnson. 
"  These  comprise  the  most  prominent  of  the  'old 
forts'  in  Fayette.     Of  their  cognates,  mounds  erected  j 
as  monuments  of  conquests,  or,  like  the  Pyramids  of  ; 
Egypt,  as  the  tombs  of  kings,  we  liave  none.     Those  | 
that  we  have  seen  are  of  diminutive  size,  and  may  j 
have  been  thrown  up  to  commemorate  some  minor 
events,  or  to  cover  the  remains  of  a  warrior. 

"Piles  of  stones  called  Indian  graves  were  numer- 
ous in  many  places  in  Fayette,  generally  near  the 
sites  of  Indian  villages.  They  were  generally  on  | 
stony  ridges,  often  twenty  or  thirty  of  them  in  a  row. 
In  many  of  them  have  been  found  human  bones  in- 
dicating a  stature  of  from  six  to  seven  feet.  They 
also  contained  arrow-lieads,  spear-points,  and  hatchets 
of  stone  and  flint,  nicely  and  regularly  shaped,  but 
how  done  is  the  wonder.  On  a  commanding  eminence 
overlooking  the  Youghiogheny  Eiver,  upon  land  now 
(1869)  of  Col.  A.  M.  HilT,  formerly  William  Dicker- 
son,  there  are  great  numbers  of  these  Indian  graves, 
among  which,  underneath  a  large  stone,  Mr.  John 
Cottoni  a  few  years  ago  found  a  very  curious  chain, 
consisting  of  a  central  ring  and  five  chains  of  about 
two  feet  in  length,  each  branching  off  from  it,  having 
at  their  end  clamps,  somewhat  after  the  manner  of  j 
handcuffs,  large  enough  to  inclose  a  man's  neck,  indi- 
cating that  its  use  was  to  confine  prisoners,  perhaps 
to  fasten  them  to  the  burning  stake.  The  chains 
were  of  an  antique  character  but  well  made,  and 
seemed  to  have  gone  through  fire." 

Of  all  the  prehistoric  works  noticed  in  the  above 
account  by  Mr.  Veech,  none  was  so  tamed,  none  so  ' 
widely  known  as  the  first  one  he  mentions, — Redstone 
Old  Fort.  In  the  early  years  it  was  frequently  visited 
and  examined  by  antiquarians,  and  many  descriptions 
of  it  (all  of  them,  however,  apparently  exaggerated 
and  embellished)  were  written.  One  of  these  ac- 
counts is  found  on  page  84  of  "American  Antiqui- 
ties," by  Josiah  Priest,  1834,  being  taken  from  an 
earlier  account  in  the  "Travels  of  Thomas  Ashe," 
who  claimed  to  have  visited  the  old  fort  and  made 
some  excavations  there  in  the  year  1806.  The  ac- 
count is  as  follows  : 

"  The  neighborhood  of  Brownsville,  or  Redstone,  in 
Pennsylvania,  abounds  with  monuments  of  antiquity. 
A  fortified  camp  of  a  very  complete  and  curious  kind, 
on  the  ramparts  of  which  is  timber  of  five  feet  in 
diameter,  stands  near  the  town  of  Brownsville.  This 
camp  contains  thirteen  acres  inclosed  in  a  circle,  the 
elevation  of  which  is  seven  feet  above  the  adjoining 
ground.  This  was  a  herculean  work.  Within  the 
circle  a  pentagon  is  accurately  described,  having  its 
sides  four  feet  high,  and  its  angles  uniformly  three 
feet  from  the  outside  of  the  circle,  thus  leaving  an 
unbroken  communication  all  around.  A  pentagon  i'? 
a  figure  having  five  angles  or  sides.  Each  side  of  thu 
pentagon  has  a  postern  or  small  gateway,  opening 
into  a  passage  between  it  and  the  circle,  but  the  circle 


itself  has  only  one  grand  gateway  outward.  Exactly 
in  the  centre  stands  a  mound  thirty  feet  high,  sup- 
posed to  have  been  a  place  of  lookout.  At  a  small 
distance  from  this  jjlace  was  found  a  stone  measuring 
eight  feet  by  five,  on  which  was  accurately  engraved 
a  representation  of  the  whole  work,  with  the  mound 
in  the  centre,  whereon  was  the  likeness  of  a  human 
head,  which  signified  that  the  chief  who  presided 
there  lay  buried  beneath  it. 

"The  engraving  on  this  stone  is  evidence  of  the 
knowledge  of  stone-cutting,  as  it  was  executed  with 
a  considerable  degree  of  accuracy.  On  comparing 
the  description  of  this  circular  monument  with  a  de- 
scription of  works  of  a  similar  character  found  in 
Denmark,  Sweden,  and  Ireland,  the  conclusion  is 
drawn  that  at  some  era  of  time  the  authors  of  this 
kind  of  monumental  works  in  either  of  those  countries 
have  been  the  same." 

Having  given  the  above  account,  as  written  by 
Ashe,  it  is  proper  to  remark  that  he  did,  without 
doubt,  enlarge  upon  the  plain  facts, — in  some  particu- 
lars, at  least.  Old  residents  of  this  locality — among 
them  Mr.  Nelson  B.  Bowman,  who  was  born  in  1807, 
within  rifle-shot  of  the  place  indicated — say  that  the 
account  is  unsupported  by  anything  they  have  ever 
seen  or  heard  narrated  by  their  fathers.  Still,  the 
fact  remains  unquestioned  that  the  first  white  ex- 
plorers found  here,  within  the  present  limits  of 
Brownsville,  and  occupying  an  elevated  site  which 
commands  the  Monongahela  River  above  and  belo 
an  inclosure  of  several  acres,  surrounded  by  an  earthen 
embankment,  evidently  centuries  old,  antedating  even 
the  most  ancient  traditions  of  the  Indians,  and  this 
mysterious  work  they  christened  Redstone  Old  Fort. 
But  the  hand  of  Time  has  obliterated  all  traces  of  it, 
and  neither  parapet  nor  central  mound  have  been 
visible  for  many  years.  So  it  is  with  the  mounds 
which  have  been  mentioned  as  having  existed  in 
other  parts  of  Fayette  County.  By  the  processes  of 
agriculture,  continued  for  generations,  and  by  various 
other  means,  they  ha:ve  become  so  far  leveled  that  in 
many  cases  not  a  trace  remains,  and  in  others  the 
outline  is  barely  discernible  of  works  which  a  cen- 
tury ago  stood  out  bold  and  clearly  defined. 

With  regard  to  the  origin  of  these  ancient  works 
and  relics  many  theories  have  been  advanced,  some 
apparently  reasonable  and  others  wholly  absurd. 
Some  writers  on  the  subject  have  believed  that  they 
were  built  by  the  French,  while  some  have  attributed 
their  construction  to  the  Spanish.'     Others,  with  more 


1  nr.  W   tt  Cll  It   n 

1 1  >i    n    1  c»  1  li>   rt  I  I  ef    e  11  c  Nc«  1   rk  III., 

1      c  1  S  c    n  inl>. 

1    11     IlHling  to  tlo  xanoii.    inirtbillc  lleoias 

1     1    a  ci  b  d  tl 

lulliii     of   tloo  »   Iks.  tuLur  1        f     I  1      All 

\      1     11    \  1  1  r     f 

1      11      1     1  1  U  k  1   m  0  1  ronoi        J  soint  %  ara 

g    U    ttU.        . 

1  II            tl               1    1      ^1     k                   1  Olio 

THE  INDIAN  OCCUPATION. 


19 


Rppareiit  show  of  reason,  have  endeavored  to  prove 
that  the  builders  were  the  ancient  Aztecs,  and  finally 
some  have  advanced  thcopinion  that  they  were  erected 
by  descendants  of  the  lost  tribes  of  Israel.  What- 
ever may  be  said  of  these  latter  theories,  the  idea  of 
their  construction  by  the  French  or  Spanish  seems 
wholly  inadmissible,  on  account  of  the  number  and 
e.\tent  of  the  works  west  of  the  AUeghanies  ;  again, 
on  account  of  their  evident  antiquity,  many  of  them 
having  from  every  appearance  been  erected  long  before 
the  discovery  of  America,  and  finally  by  their  form, 
which  is  entirely  diti'erent  from  any  system  of  Euro- 
pean fortification,  ancient  or  modern. 

This  much  and  no  more  may  be  set  down  as 
reasonably  certain,  that  these. works  were  roared  by  a 
people  who  preceded  those  found  here  by  the  first  Eu- 
ropean visitors,  but  whether  they  were  Aztecs,  Toltecs, 
or  of  Jewish  origin,  as  some  have  supposed,  is  a  ques- 
tion which  will  probably  never  be  solved.  The  imagi- 
n.ition,  unrestrained  by  facts,  may  roam  at  will  in  the 
realm  of  ingenious  speculation,  but  the  subject  is  one 
of  pure  conjecture  which  it  is  not  profitable  to  pursue. 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE    IXDI.VX    OCCIPATIOX. 

Theuk  is  nothing  found  either  in  written  history 
or  in  tradition  to  show  that  the  section  of  country 
which  now  forms  the  county  of  Fayette  was  ever  the 
permanent  home  of  any  considerable  number  of  the 
aboriginal  i)eople  whom  we  know  as  Indians,  the  suc- 
cessors of  the  mysterious  mound-builders. 

When  the  first  white  traders  (who  preceded  the 
earliest  actual  settlers  by  several  years)  came  into  this 
region,  they  found  it  partially  occupied  by  roving 
Indian  bands,  who  had  here  a  few  temporary  villages, 
or  more  properly  camps,  but  whose  principal  perma- 
nent settlements  were  within  a  few  miles  of  the  con- 
fluence of  the  Allegheny  and  Monongahela  Rivers, 


its  vicinity,  lie  at  liist  assigned  it  to  tlie  awiiie  tbat  generally,  ns  he  saiil, 
attended  the  Spanish  in  tliose  days,  it  being,  in  his  opiniun,  very  necessary 
in  order  to  prevent  them  from  becoming  estrays  and  to  protect  them 
from  the  depredations  of  the  Indians. 

"Lewis  Dennie,  a  Frenchman,  aged  upwar  U  .r  -  v.  1,1  v ,  .nil  who  had 
been  settled  and  nianied  among  thcCunr<'<I":  t  -  ^  "  ,11  i-  fnrniore 
tlinn  hiilfa  century,  told  me  in  ISIO  Ihni.  i  :      litionsof 

the  ancient  Indians,  these  forts  were  ore  i  i  t  ^  n  i  .n-.  1  >i';\i)iurde, 
who  were  the  firet  Europeans  ever  seen  l-y  th-Mu  vtho  French  ne.vt,  then 
the  Dntch.nnd  finally  the  English);  that  this  army  first  appeared  at 
Oswego  in  great  force,  and  penetrated  through  the  interior  of  the  conn- 
try  searching  for  the  precious  metals;  that  they  continued  there  two 
years  and  then  went  down  the  Ohio."  After  giving  several  reasons  why 
this  account  was  to  be  considered  unworthy  of  1  elief,  Mr.  Clinton  con- 
tinued :  "  It  is  equally  clear  that  they  were  not  the  work  of  the  Indi:ins. 
Until  the  Senecas,  who  are  reuownfd  for  their  national  vanity,  had  seen 
tlie  attention  of  the  Americans  attracted  to  these  erections,  and  had  in- 
Tented  the  fabulous  accouut  of  which  1  have  spoken,  the  Indians  of  the 
present  day  did  not  pretend  to  know  anything  about  the  origin  of  these 
works.  They  wore  beyond  the  reach  uf  all  their  traditions,  and  were 
lost  in  the  ai'vss  of  unexplored  antiquity.'* 


both  above  and  below  that  point.  These  were  com- 
posed of  the  Delaware  and  Shawanese'  tribes  and 
some  colonized  bands  of  Iroquois,  or  "Mingoes,"  as 
they  were  commonly  called,  who  rei)reseiited  the 
powerful  Si.x  Nations  of  New  York.  These  last  named 
were  recognized  as  the  real  owners  of  the  lands  on 
the  upi)cr  Ohio,  the  Allegheny,  and  the  Monongahela 
Rivers,  and  it  was  only  by  their  permission-  that  the 
Delawares  and  Shawanese  were  allowed  to  occupy  the 

1  Zeisbergor,  tho  Moravian,  wiys,  "Tho  Shawnnos,  a  warlike  people, 
lived  in  Florida,  but  having  been  subdued  in  war  by  tho  Moshkos,  they 
left  their  land  and  moved  to  Susquehanna,  and  from  one  place  to  another. 
Sleeting  a  strong  parly  of  Delawares,  and  relating  to  them  their  forlorn 
condition,  they  took  them  into  their  protection  as  grai)tlehildrcn ;  tho 
Shnwaiios  called  the  Delaware  nation  thiir  .jmu.tfnlhet:  They  lived 
thereupon  in  tho  Forks  of  tho  Delaware,  anil  -.iil..l  f.i  .i  luuc  in  AVy- ' 
oming.    When  they  had  increased  again  tl.i  w  I'tstotho 

Allegheny."    'When  they  came  from  th.-  i..^  '  ;     :  ■  .\  located 

at  and  near  Montonr's  Island,  below  the  ..onilu-  1 1  i;..'  .\ll.-ghcny 

and  Slononguhela.  Tho  Delawares  cnmo  with  tliern  to  Ih..  Wrat.  both 
tiiUes  having  boon  ordered  away  from  tho  valleys  of  tho  Delaware  and 
Susiiuehunua  by  the  Iroquois,  wheni  they  were  compelled  by  conquest 
to  recognize  as  tliclr  nnistors. 

!  Tho  fact  that  tho  Six  Nations  wero  tho  acknowledged  owners  of  this 
region  of  country,  and  that  the  Shawanese  and  Delawares  wore  hero 
only  on  sufl'eiance,  seems  clear.  At  tho  ti-eaty  held  with  tho  Indians 
at  Fort  Pitt,  in  May,  1708,  a  Shawanese  chief  comidained  bitterly  to 
the  English  of  their  encroachniunt^,  iind  said,  "  Wo  desired  you  to  de- 
stroy your  folts.  .  .  .  Wo  also  desired  you  not  to  go  down  tho  river." 
In  the  next  day's  council,  Guyiisullia,  a  chief  of  the  Six  Nations,  rose, 
with  a  copy  of  the  lrv:i  I,  f  1,  l.nl  liil,  "By  this  treaty  yon  had  a 
light  to  build  fi-rts  mi  :  1  lu  re  you  pleased,  and  to  travel 

the  road  of  peace  from  1  1     1  r- sun  setting.    Atthuttrcaty 

the  Delawares  and  .si,;, ..  m  ,.  «.  1.  «i;li  uio  and  they  know  all  this  well; 
and  they  should  nevei-  have  ajioU.-ii  to  .vou  as  they  did  yesterday."  Soon 
after,  the  Shawanese  chief,  Kissinaughta,  roso  and  said,  apologetically, 
to  tho  English,  "You  desired  us  to  speak  from  our  hearts  and  tell  you 
what  gave  us  uneasiuess  of  iniial,  and  wo  did  so.  We  are  very  sorry 
wo  should  have  said  anything  to  give  offense,  and  wo  acknowledge  we 
were  in  the  wrong." 

In  'tho  same  year  (1708),  when  the  Pennsjlvnnia  commissioners, 
-Mien  and  Shippen,  proposed  t.  il..    TriMuis  t  1  =.-nd  a  deputation  of 


chiefs  wini 


ilitOE 


white  settlors  who  had  located  «r  1  :  .  n  iho  Monongahela 
Elver  and  Bedstone  Creek,  in  wli.n  i.  n  v,  1  i.ui  1. unity,  the"Whito 
Mingo"  (whose  "  Castle"  was  on  tlie  west  side  of  the  Allegheny,  a  few- 
miles  above  its  mouth)  and  throe  other  chiefs  of  tho  Six  Nations  wcio 
selected  to  go  on  that  luisbioii,  but  no  notice  was  taken  of  the  Delaware 
or  Shawanese  chiefs  in  the  matter,  uliicli  allows  clearly  enough  that 
these  two  tribes  were  not  reganliil  .-  1  imi  j  n  1  Aiicrshipin  the  lauds. 
And  it  is  related  liy  George  c.._  nl  of  a  treaty  council 

held  with  the  Six  Nations  at  Lo„  I  ;  1,  below  Pittsburgh, 

in  1751,  that  "A  Dunkord  from  Vm„i..i.i  ..ii.m  I.,  town  and  requested 
leave  to  settle  on  the  Yo-yo-gaiue  [Yoiighioglieny]  River,  a  branch  of 
the  Ohio.  He  was  told  that  he  must  apply  to  the  Onondaga  Council 
aud  be  recommended  hy  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania."  Tlie  Onondaga 

the  central  headquarters  of  the  Six  Nations. 

Another  fact  that  shows  the  Six  Nations  to  have  been  the  recognized 
owners  of  this  region  of  country  is  that  when  the  surveyors  wero  about 
to  extend  tho  Mason  and  Dixon  line  westward,  in  1707,  the  proprietaries 
asked,  not  of  the  Delawares  and  Shawanoao  but  of  the  Iroqin)i3  (Six  Na. 
tions)  permission  to  do  so.  This  permission  was  given  by  their  chiefs, 
who  also  sent  several  of  their  warriors  to  accompany  tho  surveying 
party.  Their  presence  afforded  to  the  white  men  tho  desired  protection, 
and  the  Shawanese  and  Delawares  dared  not  offer  any  molestation. 
But  after  the  Iroquois  escort  left  (as  they  did  at  a  point  on  tho  ^larylaud 
line)  tho  other  Indians  became,  in  the  absence  of  their  masters,  so  de- 
fiant and  threatening  that  the  surveyors  were  compelled  to  ubaudon  the 
running  of  the  line  west  of  Dunkard  Creek. 

Finally,  it  was  not  from  the  Delawares  and  Shawanese  but  from  tho 
Six  Nations  that  the  Penns  purchased  this  teriitory  by  tin--  treaty  of 
FortStanwix  in  1708. 


20 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


hunting-grounds  extending  from  the  head  of  the  Ohio 
eastward  to  the  Alleghenies.  Still  thej'  ahva3-s  boldly 
claimed  these  lands  as  their  own,  except  when  they 
were  confronted  and  rebuked  by  the  chiefs  of  the  Six 
Nations.  At  a  conference  held  with  the  Indians  at 
Fort  Pitt  in  17()8,  "  the  Beaver,"  a  chief  speaking  in 
behalf  of  the  Delawares  and  Mohicans,  said,  "Breth- 
ren, the  country  lying  between  this  river  and  the  Al- 
legheny Mountain  has  always  been  our  hunting- 
ground,  and  the  white  people  who  have  scattered 
themselves  over  it  have  by  their  hunting  deprived 
us  of  the  game  which  we  look  upon  ourselves  to  have 
the  only  right  to.  .  .  ."  And  it  is  certain  that,  though 
the  Iroquois  were  the  owners  of  these  hunting-grounds, 
they  were  occupied  almost  exclusively  by  the  Dela- 
wares and  Shawanese.  Washington,  in  his  journal 
of  a  trip  which  he  made  down  the  Ohio  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Allegheny  in  1770,  says,  "  The  In- 
dians who  reside  upon  the  Ohio,  the  upper  part  of  it 
at  least,  are  composed  of  Shawanese,  Delawares,  and 
some  of  the  Mingoes.  .  .  ."  And  in  the  journal  of 
his  mission  to  the  French  posts  on  the  Allegheny, 
seventeen  years  before,  he  said,  "  About  two  miles 
from  this  (he  then  being  at  the  mouth  of  the  Alle- 
gheny), on  the  south  side  of  the  river  (Ohio),  at  the 
place  where  the  Ohio  Company  intended  to  lay  off 
their  fort,  lives  Shingiss,  king  of  the  Delawares.'" 
The  exact  point  where  this  '"  king"  was  located  is 
said  to  have  been  at  the  mouth  of  Chartiers  Creek, 
and  the  principal  settlements  of  his  people  were  clus- 
tered around  the  head  of  the  Ohio.  From  here  and 
from  the  neighboring  settlements  of  the  Shawanese 
■went  forth  from  time  to  time  the  hunting-parties  of 
those  tribes,  which  formed  the  principal  part  of  the 
Indian  population  of  the  territory  of  the  present 
county  of  Fayette. 

These  Indians  had,  as  has  already  been  remarked, 
but  very  few  settlements  east  of  the  Monongahela, 
and  most  of  those  they  had  wore  more  of  the  nature 
of  temporary  camps  than  of  permanent  villages. 
Judge  Veech,  in  his  "  Monongahela  of  Old,"  men- 
tions those  which  he  knew  of  as  existing  within  the 
limits  of  Fayette  County,  as  follows:  "Our  territory 
(Fayette  County)  having  been  an  Indian  hunting- 
ground,  had  within  it  but  few  Indian  towns  or  vil- 
lages, and  these  of  no  great  magnitude  or  celebrity. 
There  was  one  on  the  farm  of  James  Ewing,  near  the 
southern  corner  of  Redstone  and  the  line  between 
German  and  Luzerne  townships,  close  to  a  fine  lime- 
stone spring.  Near  it,  on  a  ridge,  were  many  Indian 
graves.  Another  was  near  where  Abram  Brown 
lived,  about  four  miles  west  of  Uniontown.  There 
was  also  one  on  the  land  of  John  M.  Austin,  formerly 
Samuel  Stevens',  near  Sock.  The  only  one  we  know 
of  north  of  the  Youghiogheny  was  on  the  Strickler 
land,  eastward  of  the  Broad  Ford." 

1  King  Shingiss,  liowover,  was  inferior  in  tank  and  power  to  Tanacli- 
arison,  the  Half-King,  who  was  a  sachem  of  tlio  Six  Nations,  residing 


There  was  also  an  Indian  village  on  the  Mononga- 
hela, at  the  mouth  of  Catt's  Run,  and  it  is  said  that 
this  village  was  at  one  time  the  home  of  the  chief 
Cornstalk,  who  commanded  the  Indian  forces  at  the 
battle  of  Point  Pleasant,  Va.,  in  1774. 

On  the  Monongahela,  at  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's 
Creek,  where  the  town  of  Brownsville  now  stands, 
was  the  residence  of  old  Nemacolin,  who,  as  it  ap- 
pears, was  a  chief,  but  with  very  few,  if  any,  warriors 
under  him,  though  it  is  not  unlikely  that  he  had  had 
a  respectable  following  in  the  earlier  years,  before  the 
whites  found  him  here.  It  was  this  Indian  who  guided 
Col.  Thomas  Cresap  across  the  Alleghenies,  in  the  first 
journey  which  he  made  to  the  West  from  Old  Town, 
Md.,  for  the  Ohio  Company  in  1749.  The  route  which 
they  then  pursued  was  known  for  many  years  as 
"Nemacolin's  path."  Later  in  his  life  this  Indian 
removed  from  the  Monongahela  and  located  on  the 
Ohio  River.  It  is  believed  that  the  place  to  which 
he  removed  was  the  island  now  known  as  Blenner- 
hassett's  Island,  in  the  Ohio,  below  Parkersburg,  AV. 
Va. ;  the  reason  for  this  belief  being  that  there  is 
found,  in  Gen.  Richard  Butler's  journal  of  a  trip 
down  that  river  in  1785,  with  Col.  James  Monroe 
(afterwards  President  of  the  United  States),  to  treat 
with  the  Miami  Indians,  mention  of  their  passing,  in 
the  river  between  the  mouths  of  the  Little  Kanawha 
and  Hocking,  an  island  called  "  Nemacolin's  Island." 
This  was,  without  much  doubt,  the  later  residence  of 
the  old  chief  of  that  name. 

An  old  Indian  named  Bald  Eagle,  who  had  been  a 
somewhat  noted  warrior  (but  not  a  chief)  of  the  Dela- 
ware tribe,  had  his  home  somewhere  on  the  Upper 
Monongahela,  probably  at  the  village  at  the  mouth 
of  Catt's  Run,  but  whether  there  or  higher  up  the 
river  near  Morgantown  is  not  certainly  known.  He 
was  a  very  harmless  and  peaceable  man  and  friendly 
to  the  settlers,  yet  he  was  killed  without  cause  about 
1765,  and  the  cold-blooded  murder  was  charged  by 
the  Indians  upon  white  men.  Of  the  Bald  Eagle  and 
the  circumstances  of  his  death,  Mr.  Veech  says,  "  He 
was  on  intimate  terms  with  the  early  settlers,  with 
whom  he  hunted,  fished,  and  visited.  He  was  well 
known  along  our  Monongahela  border,  up  and  down 
which  he  frequently  passed  in  his  canoe.  Somewhere 
up  the  river,  probably  about  the  mouth  of  Cheat,  he 
was  killed,  by  whom  or  on  what  pretense  is  unknown.- 
His  dead  body,  placed  upright  in  his  canoe,  with  a 
piece  of  corn-bread  in  his  clinched  teeth,  was  set 
adrift  in  the  river.     The  canoe  came  ashore  at  Prov- 


-  Withers,  in  his  '-Chronicles  of  Border  Warfare,"  states  tlie  coso  dif- 
ferently, and  gives  the  names  of  tho  innrJer.is.    He  savs,  "Tlio  Bald 

Eagle  was  an  Indian  of  notoriety,  not  niil\  i>_  lil-  .  \mi  uiition,  hnt 

also  with  the  inhabitantsof  the  Nortli\V'    '  uli  whom  ho 

was  in  the  liabit  of  associating  and  hiuitii._      !  v  !>ils  among 

them  lie  was  discovered  alone  hy  Jiuvl'   -^    n.  N\  i  '    ;.i  Ihuker,  and 

Elijah  Knnner,  who,  reckless  of  the  conscqneiirr*, rdt-i  cd  him,  solely 

to  gratify  a  most  wanton  thirst  for  Indian  blood.  After  the  commission 
of  this  most  outrageous  enormity,  they  seated  him  in  the  stern  of  a 
canoe,  with  a  piece  of  juurney-cakc  thrust  into  his  mouth,  and  set  Ilim 
afloat  iu  tlie  Monongahela." 


THE  INDIAN  OCCUPATION. 


21 


ancc's  Bottom,  where  the  familiar  old  Indian  was  at 
once  recognized  by  the  wife  of  William  Yard  Prov- 
ance,  who  wondered  he  did  not  leave  his  canoe.  On 
close  observation  she  found  he  was  dead.  She  had 
him  decently  buried  on  the  Fayette  shore,  near  the 
early  residence  of  Robert  McClean,  at  what  was 
known  as  McClean's  Ford.  This  murder  was  re- 
garded by  both  whites  and  Indians  as  a  great  out- 
rage, and  the  latter  made  it  a  prominent  item  in  their 
list  of  grievances." 

A  number  of  Indian  paths  or  trails  traversed  this 
county  in  various  directions.  The  principal  one  of 
these  was  the  great  war-path  over  which  the  Senecas 
and  other  tribes  of  the  Si.x  Nations  traveled  from  their 
homes  in  the  State  of  New  York  on  their  forays  against 
Cherokees  and  other  Southern  tribes  in  the  Carolinas, 
Georgia,  and  Tennessee.  This  was  known  as  the 
Cherokee  or  Catawba  Trail.  Passing  from  the  "  Gen- 
esee country"  of  Western  New  York,  down  the  valley 
of  the  Allegheny,  it  left  that  river  in  the  present 
county  of  Armstrong,  Pa.,  and  traversing  Westmore- 
land, entered  the  territory  of  Fayette  near  its  north- 
eastern e.\tremity,  crossing  Jacob's  Creek  at  the  mouth 
of  Bushy  Run.  From  there  its  route  was  southwcst- 
wardly,  passing  near  the  present  village  of  Pennsville 
to  the  Yougliiogheny  River,  which  it  crossed  just 
below  the  mouth  of  Opossum  Run  ;'  thence  up  that 
small  stream  for  some  distance,  and  then  on,  by  way 
of  Mount  Braddock,  to  Redstone  Creek,  at  the  point 
where  Uniontown  now  stands.  From  there  it  passed 
in  a  general  southwesterly  direction,  through  the  pres- 
ent townships  of  South  Union,  Georges,  and  Spring 
Hill ;  and  crossing  Cheat  River  at  the  mouth  of  Grassy 
Run,  passed  out  of  the  county  southward  into  Vir- 
ginia, on  its  route  to  the  Holston  River  and  the  Caro- 
linas. From  this  main  trail,  at  a  point  a  little  south 
of  Georges  Creek,  in  Fayette  County,  there  struck  off 
a  tributary  path  known  as  the  Warrior  Branch,-  which 
passed  thence  across  the  Cheat  and  Monongahela 
Rivers,  and  up  the  valley  of  Dunkard  Creek  into  Vir- 
ginia. It  was  at  this  trail,  near  the  second  crossing 
of  Dunkard  Creek,  that  the  surveyors  who  were  run- 
ning the  extension  of  the  Mason  and  Dixon  line,  in 
October,  17(37,  were  compelled  to  stop  their  work,  on 
account  of  the  threats  of  the  Delaware  and  Shawanese 
warriors,  and  their  positive  refusal  to  allow  the  party 


to  proceed  farther  west;  and  it  was  not  until  fifteen 
years  later  that  the  line  was  run  beyond  this  trail. 

An  Indian  path  much  used  by  the  natives  was  one 
which  led  from  the  "  Forks  of  the  Ohio"  (now  Pitts- 
burgh) to  the  Potomac  River  at  the  mouth  of  Wills' 
Creek  (where  Cumberland,  Md.,  now  stands).  This 
was  known  as  "  Nemacolin's  Path"  or  trail,  though 
it  was  doubtless  traveled  by  Indian  parties  many 
years,  and  perhaps  ages,  before  the  birth  of  the  old 
Delaware  whose  name  it  bore."  This  trail,  starting 
from  the  head  of  the  Ohio,  joined  the  Cherokee  trail 
in  Westmoreland  County,  and  from  the  point  of  junc- 
tion the  two  trails  were  nearly  identical  as  far  south 
as  Mount  Braddock,  at  which  point  Nemacolin's  trail 
left  the  other,  and  took  a  southeasterly  course,  by  way 
of  the  Great  Meadows,  in  the  present  township  of 
Wharton,  the  Great  Crossings  of  the  Yougliiogheny, 
near  the  .southeast  corner  of  Fayette  County ;  thence 
it  crossed  the  southwestern  corner  of  Somerset  County 
into  Maryland.  There  were  numerous  other  trails 
traversing  the  county  of  Fayette,  but  none  of  them 
as  important  or  as  much  traveled  as  those  above  men- 
tioned. 

These  trails  were  the  highways  of  the  Indians, — 
the  thoroughfares  over  which  they  journeyed  on  their 
business  of  the  chase  or  of  war,  just  as  white  people 
pursue  their  travel  and  traffic  over  their  graded  roads. 
"  An  erroneous  impression  obtains  among  many  at 
the  present  day,"  says  Judge  Veech,  "  that  the  In- 
dian, in  traveling  the  interminable  forests  which  once 
covered  our  towns  and  fields,  roamed  at  random,  like 
a  modern  afternoon  hunter,  by  no  fixed  paths,  or  that 
he  was  guided  in  his  long  journeyings  solely  by  the 
sun  and  stars,  or  by  the  courses  of  the  streams  and 
mountains.  And  true  it  is  that  these  untutored  sons 
of  the  woods  were  considerable  astronomers  and  geog- 
raphers, and  relied  much  upon  these  unerring  guide- 
marks  of  nature.  Even  in  the  most  starless  night 
they  could  determine  their  course  by  feeling  the  bark 
of  the  oak-trees,  which  is  always  smoothest  on  the 
south  side,  and  roughest  on  the  north.  But  still  they 
had  their  trails  or  paths,  as  distinctly  marked  as  are 
our  county  and  State  roads,  and  often  better  located. 
The  wdiite  traders  adopted  them,  and  often  stole  their 
names,  to  be  in  turn  surrendered  to  the  leader  of  some 
Anglo-Saxon  army,  and  finally  obliterated  by  some 
costly  highway  of  travel  and  commerce.    They  are 


*  The  place  whoro  this  trail  crossed  tlie  Yougliiogheny  was  identical 
with  that  where  Gen.  Braddock  cruaacd  his  army,  on  his  march  towards 
Tort  Du  Quesnc,  in  1755. 

-  Judge  Ve<'ch  describes  the  route  of  this  trail  (proceeding  northward) 
naftdlows:  **  A  tributary  trail  called  the  Warrior  Bninch,  coming  from 
Tennessee,  through  Kentucky  and  Southern  Ohio,  came  up  Fish  Creek 
and  down  Dunkard,  crossing  Clieat  Kiver  at  McFarland's.  It  mn  out  a 
junction  with  the  chief  trail,  intersecting  it  at  William  Gans' sugar- 
camp  (between  Morris'  Cross-Roads  and  Georges  Creek,  in  Spring  Hill 
township),  but  it  kept  on  by  Crow's  Mill,  James  Robinson's,  and  the  old 
pun  factory  (in  Nicholson  township)  and  thence  towards  the  mouth  of 
Bedstone;  intersecting  the  old  Redstone  trail  from  the  lop  of  Laurel  Hill, 
near  Jackson's,  or  Grace  Church,  on  the  N'ational  road." 


3  It  received  this  name  from  the  fact  that  when  theold  "  Ohio  Company" 
was  preparing  to  go  into  the  Indian  trade  at  the  head  of  the  Ohio,  in  the 
year  1740,  one  of  the  principal  agents  of  that  company — Col.  Thomaa 
Cresnp,  of  Ohl  Town,  5Id.— employed  the  Indian  Nemacolin  (who  lived, 
as  before  mentioned,  at  the  mouth  of  Dnnlap's  Creek,  on  the  Monongahela) 
to  guide  him  over  the  liest  route  for  a  pack-horse  path  from  the  Potomac 
to  the  Indian  villages  on  the  Ohio,  a  short  distance  below  the  confluence 
of  the  Allegheny  and  Monongahela.  The  old  Indian  pointed  out  the 
path  in  question  as  being  the  most  feasible  route,  and  it  wils  atlopted. 
In  1754,  Washington  followed  its  line  with  liis  tmops  as  far  north  and 
west  as  Gist's  plantjilion.in  Fayette  County  ;  and  in  1755,  Gen.  Braddock 
made  it,  with  few  variations,  his  route  of  march  from  Fort  Cumberland 
to  Gill's,  and  tlience  northwardly  to  near  the  point  in  Westmoreland 
County  where  lie  first  crossed  the  Monongahela. 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


now  almost  wholly  effaced  and  forgotten.  Hundreds 
travel  along  or  plow  across  them,  unconscious  that 
they  are  in  the  footsteps  of  the  red  man." 

The  Indian  history  connected  with  the  annals  of 
Fayette  County  is  very  meagre.  During  the  military 
operations  of  the  years  1754  and  1700,  when  the  op- 
posing forces  of  England  and  Franco  marched  to  and 
fro  over  the  hills  and  through  the  vales  of  this 
county,  they  were  accompanied  on  both  sides  by  In- 
dian allies,  who  did  their  share  of  the  work  of 
slaughter,  as  will  be  narrated  in  the  history  of  those 
campaigns,  given  in  succeeding  pages.  After  the 
French  and  their  Indian  allies  had  e.xpelled  the  Eng- 
lish power  from  the  region  west  of  the  Alleghenies,  in 
175o,  nearly  all  the  Indians  of  the  Allegheny  and 
Monongahela  Valleys  sided  with  the  victorious 
French ;  but  many  years  elapsed  from  that  time  be- 
fore there  were  any  white  settlers  here  to  be  molested, 
and  when  they  did  come  to  make  their  homes  here 
they  suffered  very  little  from  .«uch  outrages  as  were  i 
constantly  committed  by  the  savages  upon  the  inhabit-  I 
ants  west  of  the  Monongahela.  This  was  doubtless 
largely  due  to  the  fact  that  the  red  men  regarded  the 
people  east  of  that  river  as  Pennsylvanians,  with 
whom  they  were  on  comparatively  friendly  terms ; 
while  those  west  of  the  same  stream  were  considered 
by  them  to  be  VirginianSj  against  whom  they  held 
feelings  of  especial  hatred  and  malignity.  With  the 
exception  of  the  murder  of  two  men  on  Burnt  Cabin 
Eun,'  and  the  taking  of  some  prisoners  south  of 
Georges  Creek,  the  inhabitants  of  the  territory  that  is 
now  Fayette  County  were  entirely  exempt  from  the 
savage  incursions  and  barbarities  with  which  the 
people  living  between  them  and  the  O'lio  River  were 
so  often  visited  during  the  thirty  years  of  Indian 
warfare  and  raidings  which  preceded  Gen.  Anthony 
Wayne's  decisive  victory  on  the  Maumee,  in  August, 
1794. 


1  The  ch-curash 

COS  nttoiiaing  this  Iinlian  mil.:,.- 

hy  Judge  Veech : 

Tliis  case,  iis  leliit.il   U    I    -   i  ' 

'•   :;  111, 1,11,  an  uhl 

Boldier  unci  settlor 

iitthophicelinuw.nl- Ji     ,  .      1, 

1  MiMenallen 

township,  was  llius 

rAh.iiit  three  una;,  II,  11  „n; 

thosi.iuli  "il-of  1 

•  r-    ^\:h-   or    HentuU     iMH.i.   ulu,  l,   1 

•mis  Horn  the  poor- 

\  rods  of  the  roiiJ, 

:  1     lull  Wouawaril,  uro  the  rem 

linsof  anoldclear- 

chilnrMV        l«   .. 

::;  ; !!'"!;;: "";',r,!'!ti"M' 

reniaiiis  of  an  (.111 

l.-lilUl^,    tllr.ll.lill 

CHAPTER    IV. 

THE  FRENCH  AND  ENGLISH  CLAIMS  TO  THE 
TRANS-ALLEGHENY  REGION— GEORGE  WASHING- 
TON'S VISIT   TO   THE   FRENCH   FORTS   IN   1753. 

The  written  history  of  the  section  of  country  em- 
braced in  and  between  the  valleys  of  the  Mononga- 
hela and  Youghiogheny  Rivers,  like  that  of  all  this 
part  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  commences  at 
about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  At  that 
time  both  France  and  England  were  asserting  their 
respective  claims  to  the  dominion  of  this  wilderness 
region  west  of  the  mountains ;  and  it  was  in  the  con- 
flict which  resulted  from  the  attempts  of  each  of 
these  rivals  to  expel  the  other,  and  to  enforce  their 
own  alleged  rights  by  the  fact  of  actual  possession, 
that  the  events  occurred  that  are  here  to  be  narrated, 
and  which  mark  the  beginning  of  the  history  of  the 
southwestern  counties  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  claim  which  France  made  to  the  ownership  of 
this  territory  was  based  on  the  fact  that  the  adventu- 
rous explorer  La  Salle  descended  the  Mississippi 
River  in  1682,  and  at  its  mouth,  on  the  9th  of  April 
in  that  year,  took  formal  possession,  in  the  name  of 
the  French  sovereign,  of  all  the  valley  of  the  mighty 
stream,  and  of  all  the  regions,  discovered  and  to  be 
discovered,  contiguous  to  it,  or  to  any  and  all  of  its 
tributaries.  Sixty-seven  years  later  (1749),  Captain 
Celeron,  an  officer  in  the  service  of  the  king  of 
France,  and  having  under  his  command  a  force  of 
about  three  hundred  men,  penetrated  southward  to 
the  confluence  of  the  Allegheny  and  Monongahela 
Rivers,  where  he  took  and  confirmed  the  French  pos- 
session of  the  v.allcys  of  these  tributaries,  burying 
metallic  plates,  duly  inscribed  with  a  record  of  the 
event,  as  evidences  of  actual  occupation. 

England,  on  the  other  hand,  claimed  the  country 
by  virtue  of  a  treaty  made  with  the  Six  Nations  at 
Lancaster  in  June,  1744,  when  the  Indians  ceded  to 
the  British  king  an  immense  scope  of  territory  west 
of  the  royal  grant  to  Penn,'^  co-extensive  with  the 
limits  of  Virginia,  which  at  that  time  were  of  indefi- 
nite extent.  At  a  subsequent  treaty  held  (in  1752)  at 
Logstown,  on  the  Ohio,  below  Pittsburgh,  one  of  the 
Iroquois  chiefs,  who  had  also  t.aken  part  in  the  Lan- 
caster treaty,  declared  that  it  had  not  been  the  inten- 
tion of  his  people  to  convey  to  the  English  any  lands 
west  of  the  Alleghenies,  but  that,  nevertheless,  they 
would  not  oppose  the  white  man's  definition  of  the 
boundaries. 

The  Six  Nations  in  council  had  also  decided  that, 
notwithstanding    their   friendship   for  the   English, 
they  would  remain  neutral  in  the  contest  which  they 
saw   was    imminent    between   that    nation   and   the  1 
French,  both  of  which  were  now  using  every  effort 


1  snppospil  at  that  t 


Penn's  Western  1 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON'S   VISIT  TO  THE   FRENCH  FORTS   IN   1753. 


to  strcngtlicn  tliemsclves  in  the  occupation  of  the 
territory  bordering  the  head-waters  of  the  Oliio. 

In  the  year  1750  the  "Oliio  Com))any"  (acting 
under  an  English  charter  and  royal  grant,  the  opera- 
tion of  whidi  will  be  noticed  elsewhere)  sent  its 
agent,  Cliristophcr  Gist,  to  the  Ohio  River,  to  explore 
the  country  along  that  stream,  with  a  view  to  its  occu- 
pation and  settlement.  I'nder  these  instructions  he 
viewed  the  country  along  the  west  bank  of  the  river, 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Allegheny  southwestwardly  to 
the  Falls  of  the  Ohio  (opposite  the  present  city  of 
Louisville,  Ky.),  and  in  the  following  year  (1751)  he 
explored  the  other  side  of  the  stream  down  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha.  In  1752  he  was  pres- 
ent, as  agent  of  the  "  Ohio  Company,"  at  the  Logs- 
town  treaty,  already  mentioned,  and  took  part,  with 
Col.  Joshua  Fry  and  the  two  other  commissioners  of 
Virginia,  in  the  proceedings  with  the  chiefs  of  the 
Six  Nations. 

These  and  other  movements  on  the  part  of  those 
acting  under  authority  of  the  British  king,  caused  the 
French  to  bestir  thcmselvesv,  and  move  more  energeti- 
cally towards  the  occupation  of  the  country  west  of 
the  AUeghenies.  Early  in  1753  they  began  to  move 
southward  from  Lake  Ontario  through  the  wilder- 
ness towards  the  Allegheny  River,  and  on  the  21st  of 
May  in  that  year  intelligence  was  received  that  a 
party  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  French  and  Indians 
"  had  arrived  at  a  camping-jjlace  leading  from  the 
Niagara  to  the  head  of  the  Ohio.'"  Again,  on  the 
7th  of  August,  a  report  was  received  "  of  the  passage 
of  a  large  number  of  canoes,  with  French  troops  by 
Oswego,  on  their  way  to  the  Ohio." 

This  intelligence  of  the  aggressive  movements  of 
the  French  caused  the  English  home  government  to 
adopt  more  energetic  measures  than  had  ])reviously 
been  employed  to  meet  and  resist  their  advance  into 
the  Ohio  River  country.  Among  the  official  commu- 
nications addressed  by  the  Earl  of  Holderness,  sec- 
retary of  state,  to  the  governors  of  the  several  Ameri- 
can provinces,  w.-is  one  to  Governor  Dinwiddle  of 
Virginia,  containing  directions  concerning  the  French 
encroachments.  The  letter  of  the  secretary  was  sent 
by  a  government  ship,  and  reached  Dinwiddie  in  Oc- 
tober, 1753.  In  pursuance  of  the  instructions  con- 
tained, the  governor  appointed  and  commissioned 
George  Washixgton,  then  a  youth  of  only  twenty- 


one  years,"  but  one  of  the  adjutants-general  of  the 
military  forces  of  Virginia,  as  bearer  of  dispatches  to 
the  commanding  ofliccr  of  the  intruding  French  on 
the  Ohio,'' — charged,  also,  with  the  duty  of  ascertain- 
ing the  numbers  and  efjuipmcnt  of  the  French  forces 
there,  what  forts,  if  any,  they  had  erected,  and  vari- 
ous other  items  of  military  intelligence,  which  are 
made  clear  in  his  letter  of  instructions,  of  which  the 
following  is  a  copy: 

"  micrca-i,  I  have  received  information  of  a  body 
of  French  forces  being  assembled  in  a  hostile  manner 
on  the  river  Ohio,  intending  by  force  of  arms  to  erect 
certain  forts  on  the  said  river  within  this  territory, 
and  contrary  to  the  dignity  and  peace  of  our  sov- 
ereign, the  king  of  Great  Britain. 

"These  are  therefore  to  require  and  direct  you,  the 
said  George  Washington,  forthwith  to  repair  to  Logs- 
town,  on  the  said  river  Ohio,  and,  having  there  in- 
formed yourself  where  the  said  French  forces  have 
posted  themselves,  thereupon  to  i)roceed  to  such 
place,  and,  being  there  arrived,  to  present  your  cre- 
dentials, together  with  my  letter  to  the  chief  com- 
manding officer,  and  in  the  name  of  his  Britannic 
Majesty  to  demand  an  answer  thereto. 

"  On  your  arrival  at  Logstown  you  are  to  address 
yourself  to  the  Half-King,  to  Monacatoocha,  and  the 
other  sachems  of  the  Six  Nations,  acquainting  them 
with  your  orders  to  visit  and  deliver  my  letter  to  the 

-  Fulluwing  is  a  copy  of  the  cominiBsion  : 
"To  Gr.onaE  Wasiiisotox,  Esqiii:k,  onr  of  the  Apjitants-Gexerai 

OF  THE  TlKJOrS  AND   KulUKS  IX  TIIE  COLOXY  OF  VlKOIXIA. 

"  I,  ii'p jsiiig  I'spfCial  ti  u»t  anil  conlWujico  in  tlie  ability,  conduct,  .iml 
li<lilily  of  you,  the  mill  GEOliCE  Wasuixoion,  Imve  appointed  you  my 
cxpi-css  messenger;  and  you  are  hereby  ntitliori/.ed  nnd  eiupowei-ed 
to  jiroceed  lieuce  with  all  convonlollt  and  possible  disputcli  to  tlie  part 


erOhio, 
the  CO 


the  1 


nch  I 


I  fort 


Imv     gl    e    d    t     e     ii      11 

thii     »»    k  o       of  tie  11 

1    1 

03  tie                            II      1 

1  e  JO 

nud  tl     1                                        1 

1  1                                     1      1    0  c   t 

CilJ      f    1                                          1 

e  (1  0         of          J        11     tl  0 

Oltlo"     1                                                   I 

lol      1    1    tie;    »               ono   Ij 

iscia        1      1                           II 

lo  0     1  0  re^     1    I  tl  0  Allegl  e  j 

«stl                 If                 1    1    tW 

si        ton        1      J     rn  I  an  1   1  s 

paM    3     e  t      ene       „      8  b      fc 

I     t    i     0    tIeOl   o       A  otler 

mime  which  the  French  pive  to  the  Ohio,  iind  applied  to  the  stream 

e  en  to;ihe  head  of  the  .\IIegheny,  wa. 

"  La  Belle  Kiviire,"— The  Beauti- 

lit  of  tlie  French  forces  n-sitlcs,  in 
unler  to  deliver  my  letter  ami  nicsoijige  to  Iijm;  hikI  after  waiting  nut  ex- 
ceo.lin-  uito  wi-ck  fur  nn  answer,  you  aro  to  tako  your  leave  aud  reiiiru 

1  'I  [111— it  m  I  liavo  set  my  hand  and  caused  the  grent  seiil  of 
til-  I  1,1  ii  t  I  f  iiiTixcd,  at  the  ciry  uf  Wjlliauisburg,  the  seat  of  my 
•:"\--i  i;ini)it,  ilii-  :;iiili  day  of  Octol.er,  in  the  twenty-seventh  year  of  the 
rtign  ot  his  M:jrsiy  Giurge  the  Second,  King  of  Ureut  Britain,  &c.,  &c., 
aniioipie  Duniini  ITJ^. 

"RoBF.nT  DlXWIDDIK.*' 

And  the  following  wns  the  tenor  of  the  Goveniov's  pu6?;[>ort : 

"Wherea»,  I  have  npiKiinted  George  Washington,  Keqniro,  \<y  cnm- 
mission  under  the  great  !<cul,  my  express  messenger  to  the  couiniandunt 
of  the  French  forces  on  the  liver  Ohio,  and  as  he  is  charged  with  busi- 
ness of  great  imiwrtancc  to  his  Slajesty  antl  this  dominion, 
■  *■  I  do  herehy  command  all  his  Mnjosty's  suhjects,  and  particularly  re- 
quire all  iu  alliance  and  amity  uilli  the  crown  of  Great  Biitain,  ami  all 
others  to  whoni  this  passport  may  c^^me,  agreeably  to  the  law-  of  nations, 
^•  he  aiding  and  assisting  as  a  safeguard  to  the  said  George  Wiishingloii 
and  his  attendants  iu  his  present  pa»sago  to  and  from  tlio  river  Olfio,  as 
aforesaid. 

"KOBEKT  Dixwint)iK," 

3  He  had  previously  sent  a  messenger  on  a  similar  errand.  In  a  letter 
to  the  Lords  of  Trade  he  said,  *•  My  last  to  you  was  on  the  ICth  of  June, 
to  which  I  beg  you  to  lie  referred.  .  .  .  The  person  sent  as  a  commis- 
sioner to  the  commandant  of  the  French  forces  neglected  his  duty,  and 
went  no  further  than  Logstown  on  the  Ohio.  lie  reports  the  French 
were  then  one  hundred  and  iifty  miles  farther  up  the  river,  and  I  believe 


24 


niSTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


French  commanding  cfBcer,  and  desiring  tlie  said 
chiefs  to  appoint  you  a  sufficient  number  of  their 
warriors  to  be  your  safeguard  as  near  tlie  French  as 
you  may  desire,  and  to  wait  your  furtlicr  direction. 

"You  are  diligently  to  inquire  into  the  numbers 
and  force  of  the  French  on  the  Ohio  and  the  adjacent 
country ;  how  they  are  likely  to  be  assisted  from  Can- 
ada ;  and  what  are  the  difficulties  and  conveniences 
of  that  communication,  and  the  time  required  for  it. 

"  You  are  to  take  care  to  be  truly  informed  what 
forts  the  French  have  erected,  and  where ;  how  they 
are  garrisoned  and  appointed,  and  what  is  their  dis- 
tance from  each  other,  and  from  Logstown  ;  and  from 
the  best  intelligence  you  can  procure,  you  are  to  learn 
what  gave  occasion  to  this  expedition  of  the  French; 
liow  they  are  likely  to  be  supported,  and  what  their 
pretensions  are. 

"  When  the  French  commandant  has  given  you  the 
required  and  necessary  dispatches,  you  are  to  desire 
of  him  a  proper  guard  to  protect  you  as  far  on  your 
return  as  you  may  judge  for  your  safety,  against  any 
straggling  Indians  or  hunters  that  may  be  ignorant 
of  your  character,  and  molest  you.  Wishing  you 
good  success  in  your  negotiation,  and  safe  and  speedy 
return,  I  am,  &c., 

"Robert  Dinwiddie. 

"  Wii.LlAMSBVlto,  30  OctoljCM-,  1753." 

On  the  day  of  his  appointment  Washington  left 
Williamsburg,  and  on  the  31st  reached  Fredericks- 
burg, Va.,  where  he  employed  Jacob  Van  Braam  as  a 
French  interpreter.  The  two  then  went  to  Alexan- 
dria, where  some  necessary  purchases  were  made. 
Thence  they  proceeded  to  Winchester,  whjre  pack- 
horses  were  purchased ;  after  which  they  rode  to 
Wills'  Creek  (Cumberland,  Md.),  arriving  there  on 
the  14th  of  November.  "  Here,"  said  Washington 
in  his  journal  of  the  tour,  "  I  engaged  Mr.  Gist'  to 
pilot  us  out,  and  also  hired  four  others  as  servitors, — 
Barnaby  Currin  and  John  McQuire,  Indian  traders, 
Henry  Steward,  and  William  Jenkins;  and  in  com- 
pany with  these  persons  left  the  inhabitants  the  next 
day"" 

The  party,  now  including  seven  persons,  moved 
from  Wills'  Creek  in  a  northwesterly  direction,  and 
crossing  the  Youghiogheuy  River  into  what  is  now 
Fayette  County,  proceeded  by  way  of  Gist's  place,^ 
to  Frazier's,  on  the  Monongahela,  ten  miles  above  its 
junction  with  the  Allegheny.  They  had  found  the 
traveling  through  the  wilderness  so  difficult  that  the 
journey  to  this  point  from  Wills'  Creek  occupied  a 
week.  Referring  to  this  part  of  the  route,  the  jour- 
nal says,  "  The  excessive  rains  and  vast  quantities  of 

1  Christoplier  Gist,  agent  of  the  "Oliio  Company,"  who,  a  few  montlis 
previuiisly— in  I7j3— had  locate;!  and  liuilt  a  cabin  nair  tlie  centre  of 
the  teniti>ry  of  tlio  present  county  of  Fayette,  at  the  place  now  known 
as  Mount  Braddock. 

-  "  According  to  the  beet  observation  I  could  make,"  said  Washington 
in  his  journal,  "Mr.  Gist's  new  settlement  (wliicli  wo  passed  by)  bears 
about  wcst-uorthwcrit,  seventy  miles  from  Wills'  CreeUb." 


snow  which  had  fallen  prevented  our  reaching  Mr. 
Frazier's,  an  Indian  trader,  at  tlie  mouth  of  Turtle 
Creek,  on  Monongahela  River,  till  Thursday  the  22d. 
We  were  informed  here  that  expresses  had  been  sent 
a  few  days  before  to  the  traders  down  the  river,  to 
acquaint  them  with  the  French  general's  death,  and 
the  return  of  the  major  part  of  the  French  army  into 
winter  quarters.  The  waters  were  quite  impassable 
without  swimming  our  horses,  which  obliged  us  to 
get  the  loan  of  a  canoe  from  Frazier,  and  to  send  Bar- 
naby Currin  and  Henry  Steward  down  the  Mononga- 
hela with  oua  baggage  to  meet  us  at  the  forks  of  the 
Ohio." 

Crossing  the  Allegheny,  Washington  found  Shin- 
giss,  the  Delaware  king,  who  accompanied  the  party 
to  Logstown,  which  they  reached  in  twenty-five  days 
from  Williamsburg.  On  their  arrival  they  found  the 
Indian  Monakatoocha,  but  the  Half-King  was  absent, 
hunting.  Washington  told  the  former,  through  his 
Indian  interpreter,  John  D.^vidson,  that  he  had  come 
as  a  messenger  to  the  French  general,  and  was  ordered 
to  call  and  inform  the  sachems  of  the  Six  Nations  of 
the  fact.  The  Half-King^  was  sent  for  by  runners, 
and  at  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
25th  he  came  in,  and  visited  Washington  in  his  tent, 
where,  through  the  interpreter,  Davidson,  he  told  him 
that  it  was  a  long  way  to  the  headquarters  of  the 
French  commandant  on  the  Allegheny.  "  He  told 
me,"  says  the  journal,  "  that  the  nearest  and  levelest 
way  was  now  impassable  by  reason  of  many  large 
miry  savannahs ;  that  we  must  be  obliged  to  go  by 
Venango,  and  should  not  get  to  the  near  fort  in  less 
than  five  or  six  nights'  sleep,  good  traveling."  He 
told  Washington  that  he  must  wait  until  a  proper 
guard  of  Indians  could  be  furnished  him.  "  The 
people  whom  I  have  ordered  in,"  said  he,  "are  not 
yet  come,  and  cannot,  until  the  third  night  from  this; 
until  which  time,  brother,  I  must  beg  you  to  stay. 
I  intend  to  send  the  guard  of  Mingoes,  Shannoahs, 
and  Delawares,  that  our  brothers  may  see  the  love  and 
loyalty  we  bear  them." 

Washington  was  anxious  to  reach  his  destination  at 
the  earliest  possible  time,  but,  in  deference  to  the 
wishes  of  the  friendly  Tanacharison,  he  remained 
until  the  30th  of  November,  when,  as  it  is  recorded 
in  the  journal,  "We  set  out  about  nine  o'clock  with 
the  Half-King,  Jeskakake,  White  Thunder,  and  the 
Hunter,  and  traveled  on  the  road  to  Venango,  where 
we  arrived  the  fourth  of  December,  without  anything 
remarkable  happening  but  a  continued  series  of  bad 
weather.  This  is  an  old  Indian  town,  situated  at  the 
mouth  of  French  Creek,  on  the  Ohio,  and  lies  near 
north  about  sixty  miles  from  Logstown,  but  more 
than  seventy  the  way  we  were  obliged  to  go." 

On  the  7th  the  party  set  out  from  Venango  for  the 

3  Tanacharison,  the  Half-King,  was  and  always  continued  to  be  a  firm 
and  steadfast  friend  of  the  English,  but  lie  lived  less  tlian  a  jear  fmm 
tlie  time  when  Wasliington  met  him  at  Logstown.  His  deatli  occurred 
at  Uanislurg,  Pa.  (Ihou  Ilarris'  Ferry),  in  October,  1754. 


GEORGE   WASHINGTON'S   VISIT  TO   THE   FRENCH   FORTS   IN    1733. 


French  fort,  and  reached  it  on  the  11th,  having  been 
greatly  impeded  "by  excessive  rains,  snows,  and  bad 
traveling  through  many  mires  and  swamps."  On 
the  12th,  Washington  waited  on  the  commander,  ac- 
quainted him  with  the  business  on  whicii  he  came, 
and  in  the  afternoon  exhibited  his  commission,  and 
delivered  the  letter  from  Governor  Dinwiddle.  While 
it  was  being  translated  he  employed  his  time  in  tak- 
ing the  dimensions  of  the  fort  and  making  other 
observations  with  which  he  was  charged.  In  the 
evening  of  the  14th  he  received  the  answer  of  the 
commandant  to  the  Governor;  but  although  he  wa.s 
now  ready  to  set  out  on  his  return,  he  could  not  get 
away  until  the  second  day  after  that,  as  the  French, 
although  treating  him  with  the  greatest  outward  show 
of  politeness,  were  using  every  artifice  with  his  In- 
dians to  seduce  them  from  their  allegiance  and  friend- 
ship to  the  English,  and  were  constantly  plying  them 
with  brandy,  which  made  the  Indians  loth  to  leave 
the  place.  Washington  could  not  well  go  without 
them,  and  even  if  he  could  have  done  so,  he  would 
have  been  very  unwilling  to  leave  them  behind  him, 
subject  to  the  dangerous  influence  of  the  French  offi- 
cers and  French  brandy. 

Finally,  on  the  16th,  he  induced  the  Half-King  and 
other  Indians  to  leave,  and  set  out  from  the  fort  for 
Venango,  which  was  reached  on  the  22d.  There  the 
chiefs  were  determined  to  remain  fora  time,  and  there- 
fore Washington's  party  was  compelled  to  proceed 
without  them,  accompanied  only  by  the  Indian,  Young 
Hunter,  whom  the  Half-King  had  ordered  to  go  with 
them  as  a  guide.  The  journal  of  Washington  narrates 
theevents  of  this  stage  of  the  journey  as  follows:  "Our 
horses  were  now  so  weak  and  feeble,  and  the  baggage 
80  heavy  (as  we  were  obliged  to  provide  all  the  ne- 
cessaries which  the  journey  would  require),  that  we 
doubted  much  their  performing  it.  Therefore,  myself 
and  the  others,  except  the  drivers,  who  were  obliged 
to  ride,  gave  up  our  horses  for  packs  to  assist  along 
with  the  baggage.  I  put  myself  in  an  Indian  walk- 
ing-^dress,  and  continued  with  them  three  days,  until 
I  found  there  was  no  probability  of  their  getting 
home  in  reasonable  time.  The  horses  became  less 
able  to  travel  every  day,  the  cold  increased  very  fast, 
and  the  roads  were  becoming  much  worse  by  a  deep 
snow,  continually  freezing;  therefore,  as  I  was  uneasy 
to  get  back  to  make  report  of  my  proceedings  to  his 
Honor,  the  Governor,  I  determined  to  prosecute  my 
journey  the  nearest  way  through  the  woods  on  foot. 
Accordingly,  I  left  Mr.  Van  Braaui  in  charge  of  our 
baggage,  with  money  and  directions  to  provide  ne- 
cessaries from  place  to  place  for  themselves  and  horses, 
and  to  make  the  most  convenient  dispatch  in  travel- 
ing. I  took  my  necessary  papers,  pulled  off  my 
clothes,  and  tied  myself  up  in  a  watch-coat.  Then, 
with  gun  in  hand  and  pack  on  my  back,  in  which  were 
my  papers  and  provisions,  I  set  out  with  Mr.  Gist, 
fitted  in  the  same  manner,  on  Wednesday  the  26th." 

On  the  following  day  the  two  tr:ivek'r.s  fell  in  with 


a  jiarty  of  French  Indians,'  one  of  whom  fired  on 
them,  but  fortunately  missed.  They  took  the  fellow 
in  custody,  and  kept  him  with  them  till  nine  o'clock 
at  night,  when  they  let  him  go,  and  they  contin- 
ued on  their  way,  walking  all  nighl,  to  be  out  of 
reach  of  pursuit.  On  the  next  evening  at  dark 
they  reached  the  Allegheny  just  above  Shannapin's 
town.  In  crossing  the  river  on  an  improvised  craft, 
Washington   was   thrown   off   into   the   icy  current, 

,  where  the  water  was  ten  feet  deep,  but  saved  himself 
by  catching  at  the  logs  of  the  raft.  They  were  then 
obliged  to  land  on  an  island,  and  to  pass  the  night 
there,  but  in  the  morning  found  the  river  sufficiently 
frozen  to  enable  them  to  cross  in  safety  on  the  ice  to 
the  left  bank  of  the  river.  They  suflered  severely 
from  cold  and  exposure,  and  Gist  had  his  fingers 
and  toes  frozen,  but  they  succeeded  in  reaching  Fra- 
zier's,  at  the  mouth  of  Turtle  Creek,  on  the  Monon- 
galiela,  in  the  evening  of  the  30th  of  December. 

The  journal  proceeds :  "  As  we  intended  to  take 
horses  here  [at  Frazier's],  and  it  required  some  time 
to  find  them,  I  went  up  about  three  miles,  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Youghiogheny,  to  visit  Queen  AUi- 
quippa,  who  had  expressed  great  concern  that  we 
passed  her  in  going  to  the  fort.  I  made  her  a 
present  of  a  watch-coat  and  a  bottle  of  rum,  which 

I  latter  was  thought  much  the  better  present  of  the 
two.  Tuesday,  the  1st  of  January,  we  left  Mr. 
Frazier's  house,  and  arrived  at  Mr.  Gist's,  at  Monon- 

I  gahela,"  the  2d,  where  I  bought  a  horse  and  saddle." 
From  Gist's  Washington  proceeded  on  his  return 
journey,  and,  without  experiencing  any  notable  inci- 

j  dent  or  adventure  (except  meeting  a  party  bound  for 
the  forks  of  the  Ohio  for  the  purpose  of  building  a 
fort  there,  as  will  hereafter  be  noticed),  reached  Wil- 
liamsburg on  the  16th  of  January,  1754,  and  deliv- 

]  ered  the  letter  of  the  French  commandant  to  Governor 
Dinwiddie. 

The  preceding  narrative  of  the  journeying  of  Gov- 
ernor Dinwiddle's    young  envoy  to  and  from  the 

1  Gist,  howevor,  in  liis  diao',  does  not  nientiun  any  party  or  Indians, 
but  only  the  one  who  flrcd  (Hi  tlicni.  He  snj'9,  '•  Wo  rose  early  in  the 
morning  and  set  oTit  al'ont  two  o'clock,  and  yot  to  ttio  Murderingtown, 
on  the  sonlhojist  fork  of  Braver  Creek.  Hero  we  met  an  Indian  whom 
I  thonpht  I  liad  seen  .it  Joncuiro's,  at  Venango,  when  on  our  journey  up 
to  tlie  From  h  f.irt.  This  fellow  called  me  by  my  Inilliin  name,  and  pre- 
(ended  to  be  glad  to  See  me.  I  thought  very  ill  of  the  fellow,  but  did 
not  care  to  let  the  Mtgor  (Wnsliingtun)  know  1  mistru  ted  him.  But  he 
soon  mistrusted  him  as  much  as  I  did  .  .  .  It  was  very  light  and  snow 
was  on  tlio  ground.  The  Indian  nuele  a  stop  and  turned  aliunt.  The 
filiijor  saw  him  jwint  his  gun  at  us,  and  he  fired.  Sitid  the  Msjor, '  Aro 
you  shot?'  'Xo.'said  I,  upon  which  the  Indian  ran  forward  to  a  big 
standing  white*oak,  and  beg:tn  luailing  his  gun,  but  wo  were  soon  with 
him.  I  wonld  have  kitkd  Mm,  but  the  l>LiJor  tcoiilil  not  mjfer  me.  We  let 
him  charge  bis  gnn.    We  found  he  put  in  a  ball,  then  wo  took  care  of 


hiin." 

-  "Monongahela" 
point  on  the  river  al 
to  a  large  scojio  of 
portion  of  the  prese 


as  a  name  at  that  time  applied  not  only  to  the 
le  mouth  of  Bedstone  Creek,  but  also,  indefinitely, 
uutry  adjacent  to  it,  comprising  a  considerable 
county  of  Fayette,  between  the  rivers  Mononga. 
ny.    As  Gist's  w 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


French  fort  "  Le  Bceuf,"  is  given  in  these  pages  at 
considerable  length,  less  on  account  of  the  import- 
ance of  the  events  and  incidents  related,  than  be- 
cause it  has  reference  to  the  first  and  second  appear- 
ance of  George  Washington  in  the  territory  of  Fayette 
County,  which  he  afterwards  frequently  visited,  and 
became  largely  interested  in  as  a  property  owner. 
AVithin  this  territory  is  the  spot  which  has  become 
historic  as  his  first  battle-ground,  and  here  were  first 
disclosed  his  highest  military  abilities,  in  the  wild 
and  disordered  retreat  of  Braddock's  army  from  the 
field  of  disaster  on  the  Mouongahela. 


CHAPTEE    V. 


FREXCII  OCCrPATIOX  AT  THE  HEAD  OF  THE  OHIO 
—  WASHINGTON'S  CAMPAIGX  OF  irOi  IX  THE 
YOUliHIOGHENY  VALLEY.  '. 

The  result  of  AVashington's  expedition  was  to  show 
beyond  all  doubt  that  the  design  of  the  French  was 
to  occupy,  in  force,  all  the  country  bordering  the  head- 
waters  of  the   Ohio  Kiver.     Thereupon,   Governor 
Dinwiddle   transmitted    Washington's    statement  to 
England,  and  meanwhile,  without  waiting  for  instruc-  • 
tions  from  the  home  government,  commenced  prepar- 
ations for  raising  a  force  to  be  sent  to  the  "  Forks  of  I 
the  Ohio"  (Pittsburgh),  to  take  possession  of  that  point, 
and  to  construct  a  defensive  work  to  enable  them  to  i 
hdld  the  position  against  the  French.     A  party  had  ] 
already  gone  forward  from  Virginia  across  the  moun- 
tains for  the  same  purpose,  it  being  the  one  alluded 
to  in  Washington's  journal  of  the  trip  to  Le  Bceuf, 
where  he  says,  "  The  6th  (of  January,  on  his  return  ! 
from  Gist's  to  Wills'  Creek)  we  met  seventeen  horses 
loaded  with  materials  and  storas  for  a.  fort  at  the  fork  ! 
of  the  Ohio,  and  the  day  after  some  families  going 
out  to  settle."  '  But  these  were  not  troops  sent  by 
I)inwiddie,  or  under  provincial  authority;  they  were 
merely  employes  and  colonists  going  out  under  the 
auspices  of  the  "Ohio  Company,"  to  locate  and  to 
build  a  fort  or  block-house  for  the  protection  of  them- 
selves and  the  company's  interests  on  the  frontier.        ! 

The  first  military  force  that  moved  westward  hav- 
ing the  Ohio  River  for  its  objective  point  was  a  com- 
pany under  Captain  AVilliam  Trent,  which  marched- 
from  Virginia  in  January,  1754.  From  Wills'  Creek 
Captain  Trent  moved  his  force  of  about  thirty-three 
men^  over   the  same  route  which  Washinston  had  i 


traversed  to  the  Great  Crossings  of  the  Youghiogheny 
(at  the  present  village  of  Somerfield),  and  thence  to 
Gist's  settlement.  From  Gist's  he  marched  to  the 
Monongahela,  at  the  mouth  of  Redstone  Creek,  where 
his  men  were  for  a  time  employed  in  erecting  a  store- 
house (called  the  "Hangard")  for  the  Ohio  Company. 
After  completing  it  they  continued  their  march  to 
the  present  site  of  the  city  of  Pittsburgh,  which  place 
they  reached  on  the  17th  of  February,  and  there  met 
Christopher  Gist  and  several  others.  They  imme- 
diately commenced  work  in  the  construction  of  the 
fort,  preparation  for  which  had  been  begun  by  the 
party  which  AVasbington  met  on  his  way  to  Wills' 
Creek. 

Not  long  after  the  commencement  of  the  work. 
Captain  Trent  returned  by  way  of  the  Hangard  and 
Gist's  to  AVills'  Creek,  and  Lieut.  Frazier  went  to 
his  home  on  the  Monongahela,  at  the  mouth  of  Turtle 
Creek,  leaving  the  other  commissioned  officer,  En- 
sign AVard,  in  charge  of  the  men  engaged  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  fort. 

The  work  progressed  slowly  (on  account  of  the 
severity  of  the  weather)  for  about  two  months,  when 
suddenly,  on  the  17th  of  April,  Ensign  AVard  found 
himself  confronted  by  a  hostile  force  of  about  seven 
hundred  French  and  Indians,  having  with  them  eigh- 
teen pieces  of  light  artillery.  This  force,  which  had 
come  down  the  Allegheny  River  in  sixty  bateaux 
and  a  great  number  of  canoes,  was  under  command 
of  Captain  Contrecwur,  who  at  once  demanded  a  sur- 
render of  the  work  and  position.  The  responsibility 
lay  wholly  with  AVard,  as  he  was  the  only  commis- 
sioned officer  with  the  force;  but  the  Half-King,  Tana- 
charison,  who  was  present,  and  firm  as  ever  in  his 
loyalty  to  the  English,  advised  the  ensign  to  reply  to 
Contrecceur,  that  as  he  was  not  an  officer  of  rank,  and 
had  no  authority  to  answer  the  demand,  he  hoped 
that  the  French  commander  would  wait  until  the  ar- 
rival of  his  superior  officer,  whom  he  would  at  once 
send  for.  But  Contrecceur  refused  to  accede  to  this, 
and  demanded  immediate  surrender,  saying  that,  in 
case  of  non-compliance,  he  would  immediately  take 
possession  by  force  of  arms. 

It  was  of  course  impracticable  for  this  ensign's  com- 
mand of  about  thirty-three  men  to  hold  the  position 
against  a  force  of  more  than  twenty  times  their  num- 
ber, with  artillery  ;  and,  therefore,  the  unfinished  fort 
was  surrendered  without  further  parley.    The  French 


■  from  George  Crogliau  to  Governor  Hamilton,  dntcd  March  •2.'J, 
In  the  letter  firet  referrcil  to,  Din«  idilio  snjs,  "...  In  Jiinnarv 
lissioncd  Willium  Trout  to  irtise  one  hnndred  men;  he  liad  got 


'31r.  Trent  had 


FRENCH   OCCUPATION   AT  THE   HEAD   OF   THE   OHIO. 


commander  received  Ensign  AVard  with  great  polite- 
ness, invited  him  to  'sui)|)er  that  evening,  and  enter- 
tained him  for  the  night.  On  tiie  morning  of  the  18th, 
Ward  took  his  departure,  marched  his  men  up  the 
valley  of  the  Monongahela,  and  on  the  19th  arrived 
at  the  mouth  of  Redstone  Creek.  From  that  point 
he  pushed  on  across  the  territory  of  the  present  county 
of  Fayette,  by  way  of  Gist's,  and  thence  to  the  Great 
Crossings  of  the  Youghioglieny,  and  arrived  at  Wills' 
Creek  on  the  22d  of  April.  The  fort  which  Ward 
liad  been  compelled  to  surrender  to  Contrecanir  was 
completed  by  the  French  force  with  all  practicable 
dispatch,  and  named  "Fort  du  Qucsne"  in  honor  of 
the  Marquis  du  Quesne,  the  French  Governor-Gen- 
eral of  Canada.' 
While  the  events  already  related  were  in  progress, 

•  Tlio  following  rr.Mii  111.)  "CiilcM.liuof  Vii;;liii:i 
Miinuscripts  li;:.i;  t..l>l,  II  -■!..  1  IN  II.  .,, 
mngcd  mid  (dili'-l   I'    \'  i    I  ^    1    , 

Ltgblntnreof  Vi.-ii  _ 

Cll|ituillTreilfsop<.-l;ili..:  -  .11  I!  -  I...,  I  .  1   Hm    (i: 

llie  pnrtiully  coustructcU  fuit  hy  Kusii^u  \V;iid  t 
<ler,  viz.: 

•'  Dciuisilion  token  Mnrcli  in,  1777, 
in  I'ittjliiirgli,  .U-.  Agrcinl.le  to  Not 
Agent  for  llie  lii(liini;i  fonipiiM.v,  Ik-Iuh'  .Ii.jiks  Wood  mid  Cliiiilw  Siuinis, 

(wiutilig  tlicni  CnniiissioiicTs  r..r  Collicliiij}  Kvidvlico  on  bclmlf  of  tlie 
Coniinoiiwciiltli  of  Yiigiiiiii  nguinst  Uie  sc-vcrnl  I'ereons  pretending  to 
cltiim  Ljiuds  witli  in  tlio  Territoiy  and  Limits  tlicreof,  under  Deeds  of 
Purclnises  from  IndinnR. 

"  .^Iiijor  Kdwnrd  Ward  Deposetli  nnd  sjfitli  Hint  in  the  liegiuning  of 
the  year  1704,  Willinni  Trent  K>,.inire  «;,-  ;,,.|. .,..;.. I  I  ,  d.v.  ii„„ir  I)in- 
wiildieuf  Viiginiii,Cnplain  oruCVilnl'iiiiv  t    .        .  '.^i     .lliiriDopo- 

went  WHS mipointcd  Ensign,  by  till- siiid  111        '.  :  IlicCliiefs 

nnd  Deputies  of  Hie  Si.>i  Niition?,  iiuil  i..i(.-i  .  i  Hi.  i  ■  :  ri.hiiiin  to 
ErK-t  a  Tniding  House  at  tlle  Junetioii  of  tlie  Alliglu'iiy  and  ilononga- 
liale  Hivcrs.  to  carry  on  a  Free  and  open  Trade  w  illi  the  Six  Nalions, 
nnd  tlieir  dependants  ^wliiuli  was  granted  liy  tiie  said  deputies,  with  tiiis 
restiiclion,  tinit  he  wa.^  to  form  no  Settlements  or  iniprovcnieiits  on  the 
Riid  Land,  but  on  the  Contrary  to  Evacuate  tiiesjime  when  required  by 

**.\(ter  wliich  the  said  Capt,  Trent  iulisted  n  number  of  men  not  ex- 
ceeding tliiity-tiireu.  and  itruceeded  to  erect  u  Fort  at  the  place  Iietbro 
mentioned.  That  on  the  ITth  of  April  following,  and  before  thi-  Fort 
was  nearly  completed,  this  De|ionent,  who  eonimauded  in  the  absence 
ufCupt.  Trent,  whs  put  lo  the  necessity  of  surreudciing  the  possession 
to  a  Superior  number  of  Tl-oops.  t-onimanded  by  a  French  Odicer,  who 
demanded  it  in  the  name  of  the  ICin^  of  France;  at  which  lime  the  Ualf- 
King,  and  a  number  of  the  Six  Nntions  in  Iho  English  Interests  were 
present.  This  deiioneiit  furlher  saith  that  in  the  year  17.)J,  and  before 
his  surrender  lo  the  French,  there  was  a  snnill  Village,  Inhabited  by  the 
Delawares.  on  the  Soulli  ICast  Me  of  the  Allegheny  Kiver,  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  that  place,  and  that  old  Kitlanuing,  on  the  same  side  of  the 
raid  River,  was  tlieii  Inhabited  by  the  Delawares;  that  about  one-third 
of  the  Shawanese  Inhabited  Loggs  Town  on  the  Wist  Side  of  the  Ohio, 
Rud  tended  Corn  on  the  East  Side  of  the  liivcr— and  the  utiur  part  of 
the  nation  lived  on  the  Scioto  Eiver.  That  the  Deputies  of  the  Six  Xn- 
tions  alter  the  surrender  Joined  the  Virginia  Forces,  Commanded  by 
Colonel  George  Washington,  who  was  then  on  Ins  march  at  tlie  Little 
Sleadows,  and  continued  with  him  in  the  service  of  Virginia  till  afier 
the  defeat  of  Monsieur  La  Force  and  a  party  of  French  Troops  under  his 
Command.  And  the  deponent  further  saith  that  subsequent  to  the  de- 
feat of  Odo.  Washington  at  the  great  Meadows,  the  Shawanose,  Dela- 
wares, and  many  of  the  Western  Tribes  of  Indians,  and  an  inconsider- 
able number  of  Itenegades  of  the  Seneca  Tiibe.one  of  the  Six  Sations, 
johied  the  French,  and  Prosecuted  a  War  against  the  Frontiers  of  the 
States  of  Virginia,  Maryland,  and  Pennsylvania,  till  the  conclusion  of 
the  Pence  with  the  Indians  in  the  yei'.r  1759,  but  that  he  ever  nnder- 
stooil  tli.it  the  Body  of  the  Six  Nuti  'US  continued  the  firm  Friends  of 


troops,  intended  for  the  occupation  of  the  "  Forks  of 
the  Ohio,"  were  being  raised  and  organized  under  the 
authority  of  Governor  Dinwiddle,  in  Virginia,  and 
the  first  detachment  of  these  was  sent  forward  under 
command  of  Lieut.-Col.  George  Washington,  who,  on 
the  31st  of  March,  had  received  from  the  Governor  a 
commission  {dated  JIarch  15th)  of  that  grade  in  the 
Virginia  regiment,  of  which  Col.  Joshua  Fry  was  the 
commanding  officer,  with  others  to  take  the  troops 
then  quartered  in  Alexandria,  and  to  march  them  to 
the  Ohio,  "there  to  help  Capt.  Trent  to  build  forts, 
and  to  defend  the  possessions  of  his  Majesty  against 
the  attempts  and  hostilities  of  the  French." 

The  detachment  thus  ordered  forward  under  Wash- 
ington, consisted  of  two  companies  of  infantry,  com- 
manded respectively  by  Capt.  Peter  Hogg  and  Lieut. 
Jacob  Van  Braam.^'  Besides  the  commanding  officer 
and  the  tw^o  company  commandants,  the  force  con- 
sisted of  "  five  subalterns,  two  sergeants,  six  corporals, 
one  drummer,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  soldiers; 
one  surgeon,^  and  one  Swedish  gentleman,  who  was  a 
volunteer." 

On  Tuesday,  the  2d  of  April,  at  nnon,  the  force 
marched  out  of  Alexandria  with  two  wagons,  and 
camped  that  night  six  miles  from  the  town.  From 
that  time  nothing  of  note  occurred  in  fifteen  days' 
marching,  except  that  the  detacliment  was  joined  by 
a  small  company  under  Capt.  Stephen,*  bringing  the 
total  strength  of  the  command  up  to  about  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  men. 

Washington  kept  no  regular  journal  on  tl.o  expe- 
dition, but  he  made  hasty  notes  of  many  occurrences ; 
which  notes  were  captured  by  the  French  at  the  bat- 
tle of  the  Monongahela  in  175.5,  and  were  by  them 
preserved  and  published,  though  Washington  said 
afterwards  that  they  had  distorted  parts  of  them. 
One  memorandum,  dated  April  19th,  is  to  this  effect: 
"  Met  an  express  who  had  letters  from  Capt.  Trent,  at 
the  Ohio,''  demanding  a  reinforcement  with  all  speed, 
as  he  hourly  expected  a  body  of  eight  hundred  French. 
I  tarried  at  Job  Pearsall's  for  the  arrival  of  the  troops, 
where  they  came  the  next  day.  When  I  received  the 
above  expre-ss,  I  dispatched  a  courier  to  Col.  Fry,  to 
give  him  notice  of  it. 

"Thc20ih.— CamcdowntoCol.Crcsap's[()ldTown, 
Md.]  to  order  the  detachment,  and  on  my  route  had 
notice  that  the  fort  was  taken  by  the  French.  That 
hews  w.as  confirmed  by  :Mi-.  Ward,  the  ensign  of  Capt. 
Trent,  who  had  been  obliged  to  surrender  to  a  body 


-  The  same  person  who,  in  the  preceding  autumn,  had  accompanied 
Washington  to  Fort  Le  Btcnf  as  French  interpreter. 

3  Dr.  Jamea  Craik,  aflerwards  the  f.imily  iihysicinn  of  Washington, 
nnd  his  intimate  and  life-long  friend. 

*  .\flerwards  Gen.  Stephen,  of  the  Kevolutionar}'  army,  under  Wash- 
iugton. 

5  Capt.  Trent  appears  to  have  attempted  to  conceal  the  fact  that  lie  had 
absented  lii'niself  from  his  command  at  the  Forks  of  the  Ohio,  leaving 
Ensign  Ward  in  charge,  an  offense  for  which  he  was  severely  censured 


:tialcd  foi 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  one  thousand  French  and  upwards,'  under  com- 
niaud  of  Capt.  Contrecceur,  who  was  come  down  from 
Venango  with  sixty  bateaux  and  three  hundred  canoes, 
and  who,  having  planted  eighteen  pieces  of  cannon 
against  the  fort,  afterwards  had  sent  him  a  summons 
to  depart." 

Ensign  Ward,  as  before  mentioned,  arrived  at  Wills' 
Creek  on  the  22d.  Washington,  on  receiving  Ward's 
account  of  the  surrender  of  the  fort  to  the  French, 
convened  a  council  of  war  at  Wills'  Creek  to  deter- 
mine on  the  proper  course  to  be  pursued  in  this  exi- 
gency. The  council  was  held  on  the  23d,  and  decided 
"that  it  would  be  proper  to  advance  as  far  as  Bed- 
stone Creek,  on  Monongahela,  about  thirty-seven 
miles  on  this  side  of  the  fort,  and  there  to  raise  a  for- 
tification, clearing  a  road  broad  enough  to  pass  with 
all  our  artillery  and  baggage,  and  there  to  wait  for 
fresh  orders."  The  reasons  for  this  decision  were, 
"  First,  That  the  mouth  of  Kedstone  is  the  first  con- 
venient place  on  the  river  Monongahela.  Second,  That 
stores  are  already  built  at  that  place  for  the  provisions 
of  the  company,  wherein  our  ammunition  may  be 
laid  up;  our  great  guns  may  be  also  sent  by  water 
whenever  we  should  think  it  convenient  to  attack  the 
fort.  Third,  We  may  ea.sily  (having  all  these  con- 
veniences) preserve  our  people  from  the  ill  conse- 
quences of  inaction,  and  encourage  the  Indians,  our 
allies,  to  remain  in  our  interests."  When  the  council 
had  arrived  at  this  decision,  Ensign  Ward  was  sent 
forward  to  acquaint  Governor  Dinwiddle  with  the 
facts  as  well  as  to  make  his  own  report,  taking  with 
him  an  interpreter,  and  one  of  the  young  Indians, 
while  another  Indian  runner  was  sent  to  the  Half- 
King,  at  the  Ohio,  to  notify  him  of  the  projected  ad- 
vance of  the  Virginians.^  "  I  thought  it  proper  also," 
said  Washington,  "  to  acquaint  the  Governors  of  Mary- 
land and  Pennsylvania  of  the  news." 

After  a  few  brief  preparations  Washington's  forces 
moved  out  on  the  path  leading  to  the  Great  Crossings 
of  the  Youghiogheny,  cutting  out  the  road  as  they 
proceeded ;  so  that  it  was  not  until  the  9th  of  May 
that  they  reached  the  Little  Crossings  (Castleman's 
Elver).  While  they  were  at  this  place  (May  11th) 
Washington  sent  out  a  reconnoitring  party  of  twenty- 
five  men  under  command  of  Capt.  Stephen  and  En- 
sign Peyronie,  with  orders  to  scout  along  the  line  of 
advance,  as  far  as  Gist's  place,  "to  inquire  where  La 
Force^  and  his  party  were,— and  in  case  they  were  itf 


1  Ward  overestimated  the  numbers  of  Contrec(cnr"8  force,  as  it  -nas 
very  natural  that  he  sliould  do,  under  tlie  circumstances. 

••;  Thellalf-King  had  sent  by  some  of  his  Indians  to  Washington,  at 
Wills'  Creels,  an  address  or  Biicecli  with  belts  of  wampnm.  To  tliat 
speech  Washington  now  sent  back  by  the  runner  a  written  reply,  .as- 
suring him  of  the  friendship  and  gratitude  of  the  English,  and  that  Uiey 
were  moving  towards  the  Ohio  iu  force,  and  clearing  a  road  for  a  much 
larger  army,  with  great  guns.  Ho  also  requested  the  Half-King  to  come 
up  and  meet  him  on  the  way,  to  assist  him  by  his  wise  counsel.  To  this 
request  Tanacharison  responded  by  meeting  Washington  between  the 
Yonghiogbeny  and  Gist's,  as  will  be  seen. 

3  La  Force  was  a  Frenchman,  who  had  been  sent  out  from  Tort  du 
Qucsnc  about  the  first  of  May  with  a  small  party  of  French  aad  Indians- 


the  neighborhood,  to  cease  pursuing,  and  take  care  of 
themselves;"  and,  also,  "to  examine  closely  all  the 
woods  round  about,"  and  if  any  straggling  Frenchman 
should  be  found  away  from  the  others,  to  capture,  and 
bring  him  in  to  be  examined  for  information.  "  We 
were  exceedingly  desirous,"  said  Washington,  "  to 
know  if  there  was  any  possibility  of  sending  down 
anything  by  water,  as  also  to  find  out  some  convenient 
place  about  the  mouth  of  Red  Stone  Creek,  where  we 
could  build  a  fort." 

AVashington's  forces  remained  three  days  at  the 
Little  Crossings.  Some  accounts  have  it  that  they 
made  the  long  halt  at  this  place  for  the  purpose  of 
building  a  bridge  over  the  river,  but  this  is  rendered 
improbable  by  the  following  entry,  having  reference  to 
the  day  on  which  they  moved  ou  from  their  three  days' 
encampment,  viz. :  "May  the  12th. — Marched  away, 
and  went  on  a  rising  ground,  where  we  halted  to  dry 
ourselves,  for  we  had  been  obliged  to  ford  a  deep  river, 
where  our  shortest  men  had  water  up  to  their  arm-pits." 
On  the  same  day  Washington  received,  by  courier, 
letters  informing  him  that  Col.  Fry  was  at  Winchester 
with  upwards  of  one  hundred  men,  and  would  start  ia 
a  few  days  to  join  the  advance  detachment ;  also  that 
Colonel  Innis  was-on  the  way  with  three  hundred  and 
fifty  Carolinians.  On  the  16th  the  column  met  two 
traders,  who  said  they  were  fleeing  for  fear  of  the 
French, — parties  of  whom  had  been  seen  near  Gist's. 
These  traders  told  Washington  that  they  believed  it 
to  be  impossible  to  clear  a  road  over  which  wagons  or 
artillery-pieces  could  be  taken  to  the  mouth  of  Red- 
stone Creek.  On  the  17th,  Ensign  Ward  rejoined 
Wasliington,  having  come  from  Williamsburg,  with 
a  letter  from  the  Governor,  notifying  him  that  Captain 
Mackay,  with  an  independent  company  of  one  hun- 
dred men,  exclusive  of  officers,  was  on  the  way,  and 
that  he  might  expect  them  at  any  day.  Two  Indians 
came  in  from  "the  Ohio"  the  same  evening,  and 
reported  that  the  French  at  Fort  du  Quesne  were  ex- 
pecting reinforcements  sufiicient  to  make  their  total 
force  sixteen  hundred  men. 

On  the  18th  the  column  reached  the  Great  Crossings 
of  the  Youghiogheny  (Somerfield),  where  the  com- 
panies encamped,  and  remained  several  days.  The 
j  halt  at  this  place  was  necessary  to  wait  for  lower  water 
in  the  river,  which  had  been  swollen  by  recent  rains  ; 
but  besides  this,  the  young  commander  wished  to  ex- 
amine the  stream  below,  hoping  to  find  that  it  was 
navigable  for  bateaux,  or  canoes  of  sufiicient  size  to 
carry  cannon  and  stores.  It  is  not  improbable  that 
the  opinions  so  confidently  expressed  by  the  two  fugi- 
'  tive  traders,  who  came  in  on  the  16th,  and  others,  as 
to  the  impossibility  of  opening  a  practicable  road  for 
guns  and  heavy  material  to  the  mouth  of  Redstone 
Creek,  had  impressed  him  so  strongly  as  to  cause  him 

ostensibly  for  the  purpose  of  capturing  deserters;  but  Washington,  who 
I  had  received  information  from  an  Indian  runner  sent  by  the  Half-Kieig, 
I   believed  they  had  other  purposes  in  view,  and  therefore  ordered  tbo 


WASHINGTON'S   CAMPAIGN  OF   1754   IN   THE   YOUGHIOGHENY  VALLEY. 


to  etitcrtaiu  the  idea  of  making  iiis  military  base  on 
tlie  Youghiogheny  instead  of  oa  the  Monongahela  as 
first  intended. 

Whatever  may  have  been  his  reasons,  it  is  certain 
that  Washington  decided  on,  and  made,  the  explora- 
tion, commencing  the  voyage  on  tlie  20th,  in  a  canoe, 
"with  Lieut.  West,  three  soldiers,  and  one  Indian." 
Following  "the  river  along  about  half  a  mile,"  they 
were  obliged  to  go  ashore,  where  they  met  Peter  Suver, 
a  trader,  who  spoke  discouragingly  of  their  chances 
of  finding  a  passage  by  water,  "  which,"  says  Wash- 
ington, "  caused  me  to  alter  my  mind  of  causing 
canoes  to  be  made;  I  ordered  my  people  to  wade,  ns 
tlie  waters  were  shallow  enough,  and  continued  myself 
going  down  the  river  in  the  canoe.  .  .  .  We  gained 
Turkey  Foot  by  the  beginning  of  the  night." 

On  the  morning  of  the  21st  they  remained  some 
time  at  Turkey  Foot,  "  to  examine  the  place,  which 
we  found  very  convenient  to  build  a  fort.'  From 
there  they  passed  down  the  river,  finding  nearly  every 
variety  of  channel,  sometimes  rocky  and  rapid,  and 
then  still  and  deep,  until  at  last,  at  a  computed  dis- 
tance of  about  ten  miles  below  Turkey  Foot,  "  it 
became  so  rapid  as  to  oblige  us  to  come  ashore." 
Thus  ended  Washington's  exploration  of  the  Yough- 
iogheny,  and  then  the  pju-ty  returned  to  the  camp  at 
the  Great  Crossings. 

Upon  the  return  of  Col.  Washington  from  his  ex- 
ploring trip  the  troops  were  put  in  motion,  and  crossing 
the  Youghiogheny  without  bridging  (the  high  water 
having  then  in  a  great  measure  subsided),  marched 
on  northwestwardly  towards  the  Great  Meadows, 
at  which  place  they  arrived  on  the  24tli,  at  two  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon.  In  the  morning  of  that  day,  when 
the  column  was  a  few  miles  southeast  of  the  Meadows, 
two  Indian  runners  came  in  from  the  Ohio  with  a 
message  from  the  Half-King  saying  that  "  the  French 
army"  wiis  already  on  the  march  from  Fort  du  Quesne 
to  meet  the  advancing  force  of  Wasliington,  and  also 
notifying  him  that  Tanacharison  and  the  other  chiefs 
would  soon  be  with  him  to  hold  council,  as  Wash- 
ington had  requested  in  the  dispatch  sent  to  him  from 
Wills'  Creek. 

On  the  same  afternoon  that  the  troops  arrived  at  the 
Great  Meadows,  a  trader  came  in  saying  that  he  had 
come  from  Gist's,  where  the  evening  before  he  had 
seen  two  Frenchmen  ;  he  also  knew  that  a  strong 
French  force  was  in  the  vicinity  of  Stewart's  Cross- 
ings on  the  Youghiogheny.  This  report  confirmed 
the  news  received  from  the  Half-King,  and  thereupon 
Washington  decided  to  remain  for  a  time  at  the 
Meadows,  and  avail  himself  of  the  advantage  otfered 
by  the  position.  There  were  here,  as  he  said  in  his 
notes,  "  two  natural  intrencbments,"  which  he  caused 
to  be  strengthened  to  some  extent  artificially,  and 


rhis  soems  to  show  thnl  he  then  1 
niigitml  plan  of  opemtions  bj"  m:il 
:iul  of  tlic  Muuongnhelii. 


I  contemplation  a  change  in 
M<  Imse  on  tlie  Y.  ngliioghcMy 


within  these  slight  defenses  he  placed  a  part  of  the 
troops  with  the  wagons.  The  troops  worked  two  or 
three  days  in  strengthening  the  position,  and  on  the 
27th  of  May  Washington  wrote :  "  We  have,  with 
nature's  u.ssistance,  made  a  good  entrenchiuent,  and  by 
clearing  the  bushes  out  of  the  meadows,  prepared  a 
charming  field  for  an  encounter."  Probably  he  never 
afterwards  used  so  unmilitary  an  adjective  in  describ- 
ing the  construction  and  surroundings. of  a  fortifica- 
tion. 

On  the  25th  several  small  detachments  were  sent 
out  from  the  camp  with  orders  to  reconnoitre  the 
road-  and  the  Indian  trails,  to  examine  the  woods  and 
every  part  of  the  country  thoroughly,  "and  endeavor 
to  get  some  news  of  the  French,  of  their  forces,  and 
of  their  motions."  But  these  parties  returned  in  the 
evening  of  the  same  day  without  having  made  any 
discoveries.  On  the  26th  a  messenger  (Mr.  William 
Jenkins)  arrived,  bringing  dispatches — though  of  no 
great  importance — from  Col.  Fairfax,  who,  with  Gov- 
ernor Dinwiddle,  was  then  at  Winchester. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  27th,  Christopher  Gist 
arrived  from  his  plantation,  and  re|)0rted  that  at  about 
noon  on  the  preceding  day  a  French  detachment  of 
about  filly  men  had  visited  his  house  and  committed 
considerable  depredation  there.  He  also  said  he  had 
seen  their  tracks  within  five  miles  of  the  Virgin- 
ians' camp.  On  receipt  of  this  information,  Wash- 
ington sent  out  a  detachment  of  seventy-five  men 
under  Capt.  Hogg,  Lieut.  Mercer,  and  Ensign  Pey- 
ronie, in  search  of  the  French  force.  Information 
had  already  been  received  that  a  party  of  Indians, 
under  the  friendly  Half-King,  had  come  up  the  Mo- 
nongahela, and  was  probably  uot  very  far  from  the 
Great  Meadows.  On  the  evening  of  the  27th,  an  In- 
dian messenger  from  Tanacharison  came  to  Wash- 
ington with  the  information  that  the  Half-King — 
whose  camp,  he  said,  was  only  six  miles  away — had 
seen  the  tracks  of  two  Frenchmen,  which  he  followed 
stealthily,  and  had  thereby  discovered  the  French 
party  encamped  in  a  rocky  ravine,  secluded,  and  diffi- 
cult of  access,  and  situated  about  half  a  mile  from  the 
trail.' 

On   receiving   this   intelligence,  Washington   was 


-  Tliat  i-i,  tlie  path  whicli  had  been  slightly  cleared  by  Capt.  Trent, 
and  the  Ohio  Company's  party  which  had  preceded  him  In  the  previous 
winter. 

3  "  On  tlie27lh  of  JIny  the  Ilalf-Kirg  sent  Col.  Washington  Xolice  that 
a  Taity  from  the  French  .\niiy  was  hankering  about  his  Camp,  if  ho 
would  march  some  of  his  I'eople  to  join  them,  he  did  not  doubt  of  cultiuK 
them  off.  Col.  Washington  inarched  that  Night  and  came  up  to  the  In- 
dians; one  of  the  Indian  Runnei«  tracked  the  French  Men's  Feet  and 
came  up  to  their  Lodgment ;  they  discovered  our  People  about  one  hun- 
dred yards  distant,  flew  to  their  Arms,  and  a  small  Engagement  ensued. 
We  lost  one  Man  and  another  wounded;  the  French  had  Twelve  killed 
and  Twenty-one  taken  Prisonei-s,  who  are  now  in  our  Prison;  the  In- 
dians scalped  many  of  the  dead  French,  took  up  the  Hatchet  against 
them,  sent  their  Scalps  and  a  String  of  black  Wampum  to  scveial  other 
Tribes  of  Indians,  Willi  a  desire  that  they  should  also  take  up  tlio 
ITntchet  agiiinst  the  French,  which  I  hope  tliey  have  done."— Iri/er  of 
Goc.  litiiritlilie  In   Cor.  jramiltou,  of  A'nK»ifrn»i:i,  lUtcil  Jiuie  21,  IjdJ. 


<;«,  ^ 


30 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


suspicious  thiit  the  secret  movements  of  the  French 
Avere  part  of  a  stratagem  to  draw  some  of  his  forces 
away  from  the  camp  and  then  attack  it.  He  there- 
fore ordered  the  ammunition  to  be  placed  in  a  safe 
position,  under  a  guard  strong  enough  to  prevent  it 
from  capture  in  case  of  attack,  and  then  set  out  im- 
mediately, with  the  rest  of  his  men,'  for  the  camp  of 
tlie  Half-King.  The  night  was  rainy  and  very  dark; 
the  path  over  which  they  traveled  was  narrow,  rough, 
and  hard  to  distinguish  ;  but  they  persevered,  and  in 
the  morning  at  a  little  before  sunrise  reached  the  Half-  ! 
King's  camp,^  where,  at  a  council,  held  with  the  old 
sachem,  it  was  determined  to  proceed  at  once  to  attack  i 
the  French  camp. 

The  party  whose  movements  had  been  reported  by  I 
Gist  and  others  was  the  "  P'rench  army,"  of  whose 
departure   from   Fort   Du  Quesnc  Washington  had  | 
been  apprised.     In  some  historical  accounts  of  the  1 
campaign  it  has  been  stated  that  it  was  under  com- 
mand of  M.  La  Force,  but  this  was  not  the  case  ;  it 
was  commanded  by  M.  de  Jumonville,^  a  French  en-  j 
sign,  who  was  accompanied  by  La  Force,  but  the  lat-  ! 
ter  was  simply  a  volunteer,  and  held    no   military 
command  in  the  expedition.     Afterwards  the  French 
autliorities  and  writers  claimed  that  Jumonville  him- 
self was  not  engaged  in  a  military  enterprise,  but  that 
he  was   merely  an   envoy   or   bearer  of   dispatches  I 

1  Mostaccounts  have  it  that  the  force  which  Washington  took  with  liim 
o;i  th.1t  niglit  coosisted  of  only  forty  men  ;  biit  the  language  of  liis  notes 
— tliougli  not  entirely  clear — indicatis  that  the  ntiuiber  left  to  guard  the 
ammunition  was  about  forty,and  that  tlie  reinaiuder  of  his  force  acci>m- 

sjlr.  Vc'    Ii  il,,--  t!i<    .;ir     rib"  Uiir-Kih-'s  camp  on  that  night, 

"near 11  'r''"y.  about  fifty  rods 

iii)rllr,>  i'  I  lit  nf  the  present  towu- 

^  y.ill.         _    ■       I    i: -.iiImii  uf  tlie  orders  given  by  M.  de  Contrecoeur 

"B'--ii  I  III.  i, i[. tain  of  a  company  belonging  to  the  dctach- 

nicht  .4  I.  ii  ,  iiiiiiiii.l(.r-in-cliief  at  the  Ohio  Fort  du  Quesne, 
Presqn'  Isk-  and  KiviCro  aux  Bceufs,  liath  given  orders  to  M.  de  Jumon-' 
ville,  an  ensign  of  the  troops,  to  depart  immediately,  with  one  officer, 
llireo  cadets,  one  volunteer  [La  Force],  one  Englisli  interpreter,  and 
twenty-eight  men,  to  go  up  as  far  as  the  nigh  Lands,  and  to  make  what 
discovery  he  can  ;  lie  shall  keep  along  the  river  Monongahelu  in  Peiia- 
guas,  as  far  as  the  Ilangard,  after  which  he  shall  nuirch  along  until  lie 
tinds  the  road  which  leads  to  that  said  to  liave  been  cleared  by  the  Eng- 
lish. As  tlie  Indians  give  out  that  the  English  are  on  their  march  to 
attack  110  (which  we  cannot  believe,  since  we  are  at  peace),  should  M. 
do  Jumonville,  contrary  to  our  expectations,  hear  of  auy  attempt  in- 
tended to  be  iiiiulc  by  tbe  ICii^'li^li  on  tilt-  lands  bi'loiiging  to  the  French 

senger  i '    i  ■        i  ■    .      .  ■, 1  all  the  dis- 

nions,  and  al^n  lu  bring  us  an  answer  from  llietii,  witli  all  possible  dili- 
gence, after  it  is  read. 

"  If  BI.  de  Jumonville  should  hear  that  tlio  English  intend  to  go  on 
the  other  side  of  Ihe  Great  Mountain  [the  Alleghenies]  lie  shall  not  pass 
the  High  Lands,  ^or  we  would  not  disturb  tliem  in  the  least,  being  de- 
sirous to  keep  lip  that  union  which  exists  between  the  two  crowns. 


Indiai 
iug  oi 


ville  I 


I  upm 


nrd  II 


charged  by  the  commandant  at  Fort  du  Quesne  with 
the  duty  of  delivering  a  communication  to  the  com- 
manding officer  of  the  English  force;  and  that  the 
military  party  which  accompanied  him  was  acting 
simply  as  his  guard  while  performing  this  service. 
But  if  it  was  simply  a  guard  to  a  peaceful  envoy,  then 
certainly  its  leader  adopted  a  very  strange  cour  e  in 
lurking  near  Washington's  encampment  for  two  days, 
and  hiding  his  men  in  an  obscure  and  gloomy  glen 
among  rocks  and  brushwood. 

It  having  been  determined  to  attack  Jumonville's 
party,  Washington's  men  and  Tanacharison's  Indians 
left  the  headquarters  of  the  latter,  and  marched  "  In- 
dian-file" to  near  the  French  camp,*  where  a  line  was 
formed,  with  the  English  on  the  right  and  the  Indians 
on  the  left,  and  in  tliis  order  the  combined  forces 
moved  to  the  attack.  It  was  not  a  complete  surprise, 
for  the  French  discovered  their  assailants  before  they 
were  within  rifle-range.  The  right,  under  Washing- 
ton, opened  fire,  and  received  that  of  the  French. 
The  conflict  lasted  only  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour, 
when  the  French  .«urrendered.  Their  loss  was  ten 
killed  and  one  wounded.  Among  the  killed  was  JI. 
de  Jumonville."  All  the  dead  men  were  scalped  by 
Tanacharison's  Iiidians.  Washington's  loss  was  one 
man  killed  and  two  wounded. 

The  prisoners,  twenty-one  in  number  (among  whom 
were  La  Force,  M.  Drouillard,  and  two  cadets),  were 
marched  to  the  Half-King's  camp,  and  thence  to  the 
Great  Meadows.  Two  days  later,  they  were  sent  to 
Winchester,  Va.,  with  a  guard  of  twenty  men,  under 
command  of  Lieutenant  West,  who  was  also  accom- 
panied by  Mr.  Spindorph. 

On  the  30th,  Washington  "began  to  raise  a  fort 
with  small  palisadoes,  fearing  that  when  the  French 
should  hear  the  news  of  that  defeat  we  might  be  at- 
tacked by  considerable  forces."  The  defenses  which 
his  men  had  constructed  at  the  Great  Meadows'  camp 
prior  to  this,  probably  consisted  of  parapets,  formed 
of  logs  (laid  horizontally)  and  earth,  along  the  crests 
of  the  "  two  natural  intrenchments,"  which  have  al- 
ready been  mentioned,  and  tlie  discovery  of  which 
at  the  Great  Meadows,  together  with  the  advantage 
of  a  small  stream  that  flowed  near  them,  seems  to 
have  been  a  principal  reason  for  his  selecting  that 

*  "Jumonville's  Camp,"  says  Mr.  Yecch,  "is  a  place  well  known  in  our 
mouutains.  It  is  near  half  a  mile  southward  of  Dunbar's  Camp,  and 
about  five  hundred  yards  eastward  of  Bi-nddock's road,— the  same  which 
Washington  was  then  making.  .  .  .  There  is  not  above  ground  in  Fay- 
ette County  a  place  so  well  calculated  for  concealment,  and  for  secretly 
watching  and  counting  Washington's  little  army  as  it  would  pass  along 
the  road,  as  this  same  Jumonville's  Camp."  The  spot  is  now  well 
kuowu  by  residents  in  that  part  of  the  county,  and  is  frequently  visited 
by  strangei-s  fi-om  motives  of  curiosity. 

5  The  killing  of  Jumonville  was  stigmatized  by  the  French  as  tho 
assassination  uf  a  peaceful  envoy,  and  their  writers  have  covered  thou- 
~:iih1-  .1  ]i,i-.  >  \\itli  accusations  against  Washington  as  commander  of 
111-  iiM  Kii,^  i.i..<.    Even  a  greater  amount  of  writing  h,i8  been  dono 

ly  A iiji  lilMcrianstorefutethosofalseallegations.    But  the  charac- 

I.  r  .1  w  \  ins  ,1.  X  needs  no  vindication,  and  certainly  none  will  be 


WASIIINGTONS  CAMrAIGX   OF   1734   IX   THE   YOUGIIIOGHENY  VALLEY. 


31 


place  as  a  site  for  liis  iDrtitioil  <:iiii|)  and  ti'iiiiKiraiv 
base  of  operations. 

The  little  stockade,  whicli  War>liin<;toii  built  alU-r 
the  figlit  at  Jumonville's  camp,  was  evidently  a  very 
slight  and  |)rimitive  affair,  for  on  the  2d  of  June  if.  was 
completed,  and  religious  services  were  held  in  it.  In 
the  previous  evening  the  Half-King  had  arrived,  bring- 
ing with  him  some  twenty-five  or  thirty  families  of  In- 
dians, who  had  tied  from  the  lower  Jlonongnhela  and 
the  neighborhood  of  Logstown  forfcarofthe  vengeance 
of  the  French.  The  fugitive  party  numbered  between 
eighty  and  one  hundred  persons,  including  women 
and  children.  Among  them  was  "Queen"  Alliquippa 
and  her  son.  Her  heart  had  evidently  been  touched 
in  its  tenderest  chord  by  AVashington's  present  of  a 
bottle  of  rum  to  her  in  the  preceding  December,  and 
now  she  came  to  place  herself  under  his  protection, 
she  doubtless  had  visions  of  future  favors  from  him. 
But  the  presence  of  these  refugees  was  very  embar- 
rassing to  the  young  commander  on  account  of  pros- 
pective scarcity  of  provisions,  and  for  many  otiicr 
reasons;  and  the  inconvenience  was  afterwards  in- 
creased by  the  arrival  of  other  parties  of  non-com- 
batant Indians.  One  of  these  was  a  party  of  Shaw- 
anese,  who  came  to  the  fort  on  the  2d  of  June,  and 
others  came  in  on  the  5th  and  6th.  Washington 
wislied  to  be  disencumbered  of  these  hangers-on,  and 
tried  to  have  a  rendezvous  of  friendly  Indians  estab- 
lished at  the  mouth  of  the  Redstone  Creek,  but  did 
not  succeed  in  effecting  his  purpose. 

On  the  6th  of  June,  Christopher  Gist  arrived  from 
Wills'  Creek,  with  information  that  Col.  Fry,  com- 
manding officer  of  the  Virginia  regiment,  had  died  at 
that  place  on  the  30th  of  May  while  on  his  way  to  the 
Great  Meadows  with  troojis.  By  his  death  Washing- 
ton succeeded  to  the  command  of  the  regiment.  On 
the  9th,  Major  Muse  arrived  from  Wills'  Creek  with 
the  remainder  of  the  regiment,  and  nine  small  swivel- 
guns,  with  ammunition  for  them.  But  although  the 
la.st  of  the  regiment  had  now  arrived,  the  total  force 
under  Washington  was  but  little  more  than  three 
hundred  men,  in  six  companies,  commanded  respec- 
tively by  Captains  Stephen,  Jacob  Van  Braam,  Robert 
Stobo,  Peter  Hogg,  Andrew  Lewis,'  Poison,  and 
George  Mercer.  Among  the  subalterns  were  Lieuten- 
ants John  Mercer  and  Waggoner,  and  Ensigns  Pey- 
ronie and  Tower.  Major  Muse,  as  a  man  of  some 
military  experience,  was  detailed  as  quarterma.ster, 
and  Captain  Stephen  was  made  acting  major. 

Major  Muse,  on  his  arrival,  reported  that  Captain 
Mackay,  of  the  South  Carolina  Royal  Independent 
Company,  had  arrived  with  his  command  at  Wills' 
Creek,  and  was  not  far  behind  him  on  the  march  to 
Great  Meadows.    He  (Mackay)  arrived  on  the  follow- 

1  Afterwards  Generni  Lewifi,  wlio  fuuglit  the  buttle  of  Point  Pleasant 
in  Bunmore's  war  of  1774.  He  was  a  relatire  of  Washington,  and  it  is 
said  that  in  1775  Ilie  Litter  recommended  Iiim  for  ttic  appointment  wliirli 
lie  himself  soon  after  received,  that  of  connnander-iu-chief  of  the  .\incri- 


ingday  (June  10th),  having  with  him  a  force  of  about 
one  hundred  men,  five  days'  rations  of  flour,  sixty 
cattle  on  the  hoof,  and  a  considerable  supply  of  am- 
munition. As  Capt.  Mackay  was  a  regular  officer  in 
the  royal  service,  he  displayed  from  the  first  a  disin- 
clination to  act  under  the  orders  of  a  "buckskin 
colonel"  of  Virginia  provincial  troops.  This  feeling 
extended  to  the  private  soldiers  of  the  Carolina  com- 
l>any,  but  no  act  of  pronounced  insubordination 
resulted  from  it. 

Two  days  after  the  arrival  of  Capt.  Mackay,  some 
of  Washington's  scouts  brought  in  word  that  they  had 
discovered  a  French  party,  numbering,  by  estimate, 
about  ninety  men,  between  Gist's  and  Stewart's  Cros- 
sings of  the  Youghiogheny.  This  intelligence  caused 
the  colonel  to  start  out  with  about  one  hundred  and 
thirty  men  and  thirty  Indians  to  find  them ;  but 
before  leaving  the  meadows,  he  took  the  same  pre- 
caution that  he  observed  when  he  went  out  to  attack 
the  party  under  Jumonville,— that  is,  he  directed  all 
his  ammunition  and  stores  to  be  placed  in  the  safest 
possible  position  within  the  palisade,  and  set  a  strong 
guard  over  it,  with  orders  to  keep  the  strictest  watch 
until  his  return  ;  for  he  still  feared  that  the  reported 
movement  by  the  French  was  part  of  a  stratagem  by 
which  they  hoped  to  capture  the  work  in  the  absence 
of  a  large  part  of  its  defenders.  On  moving  out  with 
his  party,  however,  he  soon  met  an  Indian  party,  who 
informed  him  that  the  alarm  was  unfounded,  for,  that 
instead  of  the  reported  party  of  ninety,  there  were  but 
nine  Frenchmen,  and  these  were  deserters.  There- 
upon he  returned  to  the  camp,  leaving  a  small  party 
to  take  the  deserters  and  bring  them  in,  which  they 
accomplished  soon  afterwards. 

Finding  that  there  was  as  yet  no  French  force  in 
his  vicinity,  Washington  now  resolved  to  advance 
towards  Redstone,  and  accordingly,  on  the  16th,  moved 
out  on  the  Nemacolin  path  towards  Gist's,  taking  with 
him  his  artillery  pieces,  some  of  the  wagons,  and  all 
his  men,  except  the  Carolinians,  under  Mackay,  who 
were  left  behind  at  the  fort  to  guard  the  stores.  This 
was  done  to  avoid  a  possible  conflict  of  authority 
with  Mackay,  who  was  indisposed  to  have  his  com- 
pany perform  its  .share  of  labor  in  clearing  the  way 
for  the  passage  of  the  train. 

This  labor  was  found  to  be  so  great  that  the  force 
under  Washington  was  employed  thirteen  days  in 
making  the  road  pa.ssable  from  the  fort  to  Gist's, 
though  the  distance  was  only  thirteen  miles.  Before 
reaching  Gist's  (on  the  27th)  Capt.  Lewis  was  sent 
ahead  with  Lieut.  Waggoner,  Ensign  Mercer,  and  a 
detachment  of  seventy  men,  to  attempt  the  opening 
of  a  practicable  road  beyond  Gist's,  towards  Redstone. 
Another  detachment,  under  Capt.  Poison,  was  sent 
out  in  advance  to  reconnoitre. 

On  the  29th  of  June  Washington  arrived  at  Gist's, 
and  there  received  information  that  a  strong  French 
force  was  advancing  up  the  Monongahela.  Tlioreupon, 
he  at  once  called  a  council  of  war,  at  which  it  was  re- 


32 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


solved  to  concentrate  all  the  forces  at  that  point,  and 
there  await  the  French  attack.  Intrenchments  were 
immediately  commenced  and  pushed  with  all  possible 
vigor ;  a  messenger  was  .sent  towards  Bedstone,  to 
call  in  Lewis's  and  Poison's  detachments,  and  an- 
other to  the  Great  Meadows,  with  a  request  to  Capt. 
Mackay  to  march  his  force  without  deiay  to  Gist's. 
He  promptly  responded  ;  and  Lewis  and  Poison  also 
came  in  the  next  morning,  having  cut  through  nearly 
eight  miles  of  road  from  Gist's  towards  Redstone.  On 
their  arrival  Washington  called  a  second  council  of 
war,  which  reversed  the  decision  of  the  first,  and  re- 
solved, without  a  dissenting  voice,  to  abandon  the 
work  at  Gist's  and  retreat  to  Wills'  Creek,  over  the 
route  by  which  they  had  advanced.  This  decision 
was  at  once  acted  on. 

In  the  retreat,  the  means  of  transportation  being  very 
deficient,'  it  is  said  that  "Colonel  -Washington  set  a 
noble  example  to  the  officers  by  leading  his  own  horse 
with  ammunition  and  other  public  stores,  leaving  his 
baggage  behind,  and  giving  the  soldiers  four  pistoles 
to  carry  it  forward.  The  other  officers  followed  this 
example.  There  were  nine  swivels,  which  were  drawn 
by  the  soldiers  of  the  Virginia  regiment,  over  a  very 
broken  road,  unassisted  by  the  men  belonging  to  the 
Independent  Company  [Mackay's],  who  refused  to 
perform  any  service  of  the  kind.  Neither  would  they 
act  as  pioneers,  nor  aid  in  transporting  the  public 
stores,  considering  this  a  duty  not  incumbent  on  them 
as  King's  soldiers.  This  conduct  had  a  discouraging 
effect  upon  the  soldiers  of  the  Virginia  regiment,  by 
dampening  their  ardor  and  making  them  more  dis- 
satisfied with  their  extreme  fatigue."^ 

The  journey  between  Gist's  and  the  Great  Meadows, 
which  Washington,  on  his  outward  marcli,  had  been 
unable  to  perforni  in  less  than  thirteen  d.ays,  was  now 
made  in  less  than  two  days,  notwithstanding  the  insuf- 
ficiency  of  transportation  and  the  severe  labor  which 
the  men  were  obliged  to  perform  in  hauling  the  artil- 
lery pieces  and  military  stores;  and  the  retreating  col- 
umn reached  the  fortified  camp  at  Great  Meadows  on 
the  l^t  of  July. 

It  had  been  the  intention,  as  before  noticed,  to  con- 
tinue the  retreat  to  Wills'  Creek,  but  on  the  arrival 
at  the  Meadows,  Washington  found  that  it  was  im- 
practicable to  go  on,  for,  says  Sparks,  "  His  men  had 
become  so  much  fiitigued  from  great  labor  and  a  de- 
ficiency of  provisions,  that  they  could  draw  the  swivels 
no  farther,  nor  carry  the  baggage  on  their  backs. 
They  had  been  eight  days  without  bread,  and  at  the 
Great  Meadows  they  found  only  a  few  bags  of  flour. 
It  was  thought  advisable  to  wait  here,  therefore,  and 
fortify  themselves  in  the  best  manner  they  could  till 


1  Sill-gent  says,  "Two  miserable  teams,  and  a  few  pack  liorses  being 
I  tlicir  means  of  tmnsporting  their  ammunition,  tlie  officers  at  once 
l.le'l  their  own  steeds  to  the  train;  and,  leaving  half  his  baggage  be- 
ind,  Washington,  for  four  pistoles,  hired  some  of  the  sokliers  to  carry 


they  should  receive  supplies  and  reinforcements. 
They  had  heard  of  the  arrival,  at  Alexandria,  of  two 
independent  companies  from  New  York,  twenty  days 
before,  and  it  was  presumed  they  must,  by  this  time, 
have  reached  Wills'  Creek.  An  express  was  sent  to 
hasten  them  on  with  as  much  dispatch  as  possible." 

When  it  had  been  decided  to  make  a  stand  at  the 
fortified  camp  at  Great  Meadows,  Washington  gave 
orders  for  the  men  to  commence,  without  delay,  to 
strengthen  the  rude  defenses  which  had  already  been 
erected.  More  palisades  were  added  ;  the  stockade 
was  extended,  and  salient  angles  formed,  and  a  broad 
but  shallow  ditch  was  made  outside  the  fort,  materi- 
ally adding  to  the  strength  of  the  work.  Outside  this 
ditch  there  was  constructed  a  line  of  defense,  similar 
in  character  to  the  modern  rifle-pits, — but  all  joined 
in  one  extended  trench, — further  protected  in  front 
by  a  low  parapet  of  logs,  embanked  with  the  earth 
thrown  from  the  trench.  The  work  was  done  under  the 
supervision  of  Capt.  Robert  Stobo,  who  had  had  some 
I  experience  in  military  engineering.  When  completed, 
I  Washington  named  it  "  Fort  Necessity,"  as  expressive 
of  the  necessity  he  was  under  to  stand  there  and  fight, 
'  because  of  his  inability  to  continue  the  retreat  to 
j  Wills'  Creek,  as  he  had  intended.  The  extreme  scar- 
city of  provisions,  and  other  supplies  too,  made  the 
name  appropriate. 

Washington's  selection  of  a  site  for  his  fortification 
has  been  often  and  severely  criticised  by  military 
'  men  as  being  badly  calculated  for  defense,  and  com- 
manded on  three  sides  by  high  ground  and  closely 
approaching  woods.  The  location  was  undoubtedly 
chosen  partly  on  account  of  the  peculiar  conforma- 
tion of  the  ground,  which  V/ashington  called  "  natural 
intrenchments,"  and  which  materially  lightened  the 
labor  of  construction,  and  still  more  on  account  of 
the  small  stream  (a  tributary  of  Great  Meadows  Run) 
which  flowed  by  the  spot,  and  across  which,  at  one 
point,  the  palisade  was  extended,  so  as  to  bring  it 
within  the  work,  and  furnish  the  defenders  with  an 
abundant  supply  of  water,  a  consideration  of  vital 
importance  if  the  fort  was  to  be  besieged. 

The  size  and  shape  of  Fort  Necessity  have  often 
been  described  by  writers,  but  the  difl^erent  accounts 
vary  in  a  remarkable  manner.  Col.  Burd,  who  vis- 
ited the  ruin  of  the  work  in  1759,  five  years  after  its 
erection,  says,  under  date  of  September  10th,  in  tliat 
year,  "  Saw  Col.  Washington's  fort,  which  was  called 
Fort  Necessity.  It  is  a  small,  circular,  stockade,  with 
a  small  house  in  the  centre.  On  the  outside  there  is 
a  small  ditch  goes  round  it,  about  eight  yards  from 
the  stockade.  It  is  situated  in  a  narrow  part  of  the 
meadows,  commanded  by  three  points  of  woods. 
There  is  a  small  run  of  water  just  by  it.  We  saw  two 
iron  swivels." 

Sparks,  in  describing  the  fort  and  its  location,  says, 
"  The  space  of  ground  called  the  Great  Meadows  is  a 
level  bottom,  through  which  passes  a  small  creek, 
and  is  surrounded  bv  hills  of  moderate  and  gi-adual 


WASHINGTON'S  CAMPAIGN  OF   1754   IN   THE   YOUGHIOGHKNY  VALLEY. 


33 


descent.  This  bottom,  or  gliide,  is  entirely  level, 
covered  with  long  grass  and  small  bushes  [Wash- 
ington mentioned  the  clearing  away  of  the  bushes 
which  covered  the  ground  wlicn  the  work  was  com- 
menced], and  varies  in  width.  At  the  point  where 
the  fort  stood  it  is  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  j 
wide  from  the  base  of  one  hill  to  that  of  the  oi)posite.  j 
Tlie  position  of  the  fort  was  well  chosen,  being  about  [ 
one  hundred  yards  from  the  upland  or  wooded  ground 
on  the  one  side,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  on  the 
other,  and  so  situated  on  the  margin  of  the  creek  as 
to  aflbrd  easy  access  to  the  water.  At  one  point  the 
high  ground  comes  within  sixty  yards  of  the  fort,  and 
this  was  the  nearest  distance  to  which  an  enemy 
could  approach  under  shelter  of  trees.  The  outlines 
of  the  fort  were  still  visible  when  the  spot  was  visited 
by  the  writer  in  1830,  occupying  an  irregular  square, 
the  dimensions  of  which  were  about  one  hundred 
feet  on  each  side.  One  of  the  angles  was  prolonged 
farther  than  the  others,  for  the  purpose  of  reaching 
the  water  in  the  creek.  On  the  west  side,  next  to  the 
nearest  wood,  were  three  entrances,  protected  by  stout 
breastworks  or  bastions.  The  remains  of  a  ditch, 
stretching  round  the  south  and  west  sides,  were  also 
distinctly  seen.  The  site  of  this  fort,  named  Fort 
Necessity  from  the  circumstances  attending  its  erec- 
tion and  original  use,  is  three  or  four  hundred  yards 
south  of  wliat  is  called  the  National  road,  four  miles 
irom  the  foot  of  Laurel  Hill,  and  fifty  miles  from 
Cumberland,  at  Wills'  Creek."  If  Sparks  had  been 
in  the  least  aci)uainted  with  military  matters,  be 
probably  would  not  have  spoken  of  a  fortified  posi- 
tion as  being  "well  chosen"  when  it  was  commanded 
on  three  sides  by  higher  ground,  in  no  place  more 
than  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  distant,  with  the 
opportunity  for  an  enemy  to  approach  on  one  side 
within  sixty  yards  under  cover  of  woods. 

The  best,  and  it  is  believed  the  only  reli.ible  de- 
scription of  the  form  and  dimension  of  the  fort,  is 
found  in  Vcech's  "  Jlonongahelaof  Old,"  as  follows: 
"The  engraving  and  description  of  Fort  Necessity 
given  in  Sparks'  Washington  are  inaccurate.  It 
may  have  presented  that  diamond  shape  in  1830,  but 
in  1816  the  senior  author'  of  these  sketches  made  a 
regular  survey  of  it  with  compass  and  chain.  It  was 
in  the  form  of  an  obtuse-angled  triangle  of  one  hun- 
dred and  five  degrees,  having  its  base  or  hypothenuse 
upon  the  run.  The  line  of  the  base  was  about  midway 
sected  or  broken,  and  about  two  perches  of  it  thrown 
across  the  run,  connecting  with  the  base  by  lines  of 
about  the  same  lengih,  nearly  perpendicular  to  the 
opposite  lines  of  the  triangle.  One  line  of  the  angle 
was  six,  the  other  seven  perches;  the  base  line  eleven 
perches  long,  including  the  section  thrown  across  the 
run.  The  lines  embraced  in  all  about  fifty  square 
perches  of  land,  or  nearly  one-third  of  an  acre.  The 
embankments   then    (1816)    were  nearly   three   feet 

1  FreoQiau  Lewis. 


above  the  level  of  the  meadow.  The  outside  "trenches" 
were  filled  up.  But  inside  the  lines  were  ditches  or 
excavations  about  two  feet  deep,  formed  by  throwing 
the  earth  up  against  the  palisades.  There  were  no 
traces  of  '  bastions'  at  the  angles  or  entrances.  The 
junctions  of  the  meadow  or  glade  with  the  wooded 
upland  were  distant  from  the  fort  on  the  southeast 
about  eighty  yards,  on  the  north  about  two  hundred 
yards,  and  on  the  south  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
yards.  Northwestward,  in  the  direction  of  the  Turn- 
pike road,  the  slope  was  a  very  regular  and  gradual 
rise  to  the  high  ground,  which  is  about  four  hundred 
yards  distant." 

Leaving  Washington  and  his  little  army  in  occu- 
pation of  their  frail  defenses  at  the  Great  Meadows, 
let  us  take  a  brief  glance  at  the  enemy  which  was 
approaching  them  from  Fort  du  Quesne  by  way  of 
the  Monongahela  Valley. 

The  French  force,  which  was  marching  in  pursuit 
of  Washington,  was  commanded  by  M.  Coulon  de 
Villiers,  from  whose  journal  of  the  campaign  a  few 
extracts  are  here  given  :  "June  the  26th. — Arrived  at 
Fort  du  Que.sne  about  eight  in  the  morning,  with  the 
several  [Indian]  nations,  the  command  of  which  the 
General  had  given  me.  At  my  arrival,  was  informed 
that  M.  de  Contrecreur  had  made  a  detachment  of 
five  hundred  French,  and  eleven  Indians  of  different 
nations  on  the  Ohio,  the  command  of  which  he  had 
given  to  Chevalier  le  Mercier,  who  was  to  depart  the 
next  day.  As  I  was  the  oldest  officer,  and  com- 
manded the  Indian  nations,  and  as  my  brother-  had 
been  assassinated,  M.  de  Contrecccur  honored  me 
with  that  command,  and  M.  le  Mercier,  though  de- 
prived of  the  command,  seemed  very  well  pleased  to 
make  the  campaign  under  my  orders 

"  The  28th.— M.  de  Contrecccur  gave  me  my  orders, 
the  provisions  were  distributed,  and  we  left  the  fort 
at  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning.  I  began  from  that 
instant  to  send  out  some  Indians  to  range  about  by 
land  to  prevent  being  surprised.  I  posted  myself  at 
a  short  distance  above  the  finst  fork  of  the  river  Mo- 
nongahela, though  I  had  no  thought  of  taking  that 
route.  I  called  the  Indians  together  and  demanded 
their  opinion.  It  was  decided  that  it  was  suitable  to 
take  the  river  Monongahela,  though  the  route  was 
longer. 

"  The  29th. — Mass  was  said  in  the  cami>,  after  which 
we  marched  with  the  usual  precaution. 

"  30th.— Came  to  the  Hangard,  which  was  a  sort  of 
fort  built  with  logs,  one  upon  another,  well  notched 
in,  about  thirty  feet  in  length  and  twenty  in  breadth  ; 
and  as  it  was  late,  and  would  not  do  anything  without 
consulting  the  Indians,  I  encamped  about  two  mus- 
ket-shots from  that  place.  At  night  I  called  the  sa- 
chems together,  and  we  consulted  upon  what  was  best 
to  be  done  for  the  safety  of  our  periaguas  (large  ca- 


-  Meaning  U.  do  JumoDvlIlc, 


I  Villiers' bair-brolli.;r. 


34 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


noes),  and  of  the  provisions  we  left  in  reserve,  as  also 
what  guard  should  be  left  to  keep  it. 

"  July  the  1st. — Put  our  periaguas  in  a  safe  place. 
Our  effects,  and  everything  we  could  do  without,  we 
took  into  the  Hangard,  where  I  left  one  good  sergeant, 
with  twenty  men  and  some  sick  Indians.  Ammunition 
was  afterwards  distributed,  and  we  began  our  march." 

The  force  of  De  Villiers  consisted  of  five  hundred 
Frenchmen,  and  about  four  hundred  Indians.'  March- 
ing from  the  Hangard  iu  the  morning  of  the  1st  of 
July  (at  which  time  Washington's  force  was  approach- 
ing the  Great  Meadows  on  its  retreat  from  Gist's  plan- 
tation) the  French  and  Indian  column  moved  up  the 
valley  of  Redstone  Creek  (over  nearly  the  same  route 
which  was  afterwards  traversed  by  Col.  Burd's  road) 
towards  Gist's,  where  De  Villiers  expected  to  find 
Washington,  his  Indian  scouts  having  reported  the 
English  force  to  be  at  that  place. 

"At  about  eleven  o'clock,"  continues  the  journal, 
"  we  discovered  some  tracks,  which  made  us  suspect 
we  were  discovered.  At  three  in  the  afternoon,  hav- 
ing no  news  of  our  rangers,  I  sent  others,  who  met 
those  sent  before,  and  not  knowing  each  other,  were 
near  upon  exchanging  shots,  but  happily  found  their 
mistake;  they  returned  to  us  and  declared  to  have 
been  at  the  road  which  the  English  were  clearing  ;- 
that  they  were  of  opinion  no  body  had  been  that  way 
for  three  days.  We  were  no  longer  in  doubt  of  our 
proceedings  being  known  to  the  English." 

At  daybreak  in  the  morning  of  the  2d  the  French 
force  left  its  bivouac  of  the  previous  night  and 
marched  towards  Gist's.  "After  having  marched 
some  time  we  stopped,  for  I  was  resolved  to  proceed 
no  farther  until  I  had  positive  news;  wherefore  I  sent 
scouts  upon  the  road.  In  the  meanwhile  came  some 
of  the  Indians  to  me  whom  we  had  left  at  the  Han- 
gard; they  had  taken  a  prisoner,  who  called  himself 
a  deserter.  I  examined  him,  and  threatened  him 
with  the  rope  if  he  otTered  to  impose  on  me.  I  learned 
that  the  English  had  left  their  post  [at  Gist's]  in 
order  to  rejoin  their  fort,  and  that  they  had  taken 
back  their  cannon.  Some  of  our  people,  finding  that 
the  English  liad  abandoned  the  camp,  we  went 
thereto,  and  I  sent  some  men  to  search  it  through- 
out. They  found  several  tools  and  other  utensils 
hidden  in  many  places,  which  I  ordered  them  to 
carry  away.  As  it  was  late,  I  ordered  the  detach- 
ment to  encamp  there.'  .  .  .  We  had  rain  all  night." 

1  Tho  force  of  "  five  Immlretl  French  imd  ekfen  Iiuliiins,"  wliicli  De 
"VilHcrs  mentions  in  his  joumnl  as  hiiving  been  detaolieil  under  com- 
mand of  Mercier  for  tliis  .-xpr'.iiiioii,  Iiail  been  an{;niented  by  the  large 
Indian  force  wliicli  I)e  YilljciB  brought  « ith  him  down  the  Allegheny  to 
Fort  du  Quesne. 
-  It  will  be  recollected  that  Capt.  Lewis,  with  about  seventy  men,  bad 
)  attempt  tlie  opening  of  a  road 
that  thoy  were  recalled  on  the  29tli.  It  is 
•Niits  had  come  upon  some  part  of  the  work 
hwest  of  Gist's,  but  not  the  track  between 


been  sent  forward  on  the  27th 


When  day  broke  on  the  morning  of  the  3d  of  July 
the  weather  was  still  wet  and  gloomy,  but  De  Villiers 
moved  forward  at  once  with  the  main  body,  scouting 
parties  having  been  sent  in  advance  the  previous 
evening.  The  rain  continued,  and  increased  during 
the  long  hours  of  the  march  towards  Fort  Necessity, 
but  the  French  column  pressed  on  with  energj',  and 
with  all  possible  speed,  for,  said  De  Villiers,  "I  fore- 
saw the  necessity  of  preventing  the  enemy  in  their 
works."  It  also  appears  that  he  took  the  pains  to 
ride  away  from  the  road  into  the  woods,  to  make  a 
flying  visit  to  the  rocky  defile  where  Juuwnviile  had 
lost  his  life  five  weeks  before.  "I  stopped,"  he  says, 
"at  the  place  where  my  brother  had  been  assassin- 
ated, and  saw  there  yet  some  dead  bodies,"  and  then 
proceeds  :  "  When  I  came  within  three-quarters  of  a 
league  from  the  English  fort  I  ordered  my  men  to 
march  in  columns,  every  officer  to  his  division,  that 
I  might  the  better  dispose  of  them  as  necessity  would 
require."  His  column  was  now  within  striking  dis- 
tance of  the  fort,  after  a  drenching  and  dreary  march 
of  seven  hours  from  Gist's. 

Meanwhile,  at  Fort  Necessity,  Washington  had 
been  apprised  of  the  arrival  of  the  French  at  Gist's 
on  the  2d,  and  had  been  constantly  on  the  alert  during 
the  night.  Not  long  after  sunrise  on  the  3d,  some  of 
the  advance  scouts  of  the  French  were  seen,  and 
one  of  Washington's  men  on  picket  was  -brought  in 
wounded,  but  after  this  three  or  four  hours  passed 
without  further  demonstrations.  In  the  middle  of 
the  forenoon  word  came  by  scouts  that  the  enemy  in 
strong  force  was  within  two  hours'  march,  and  after- 
wards reports  of  their  progress  were  brought  in  from 
time  to  time.  Washington  formed  his  forces  in  line 
of  battle  outside  tho  defenses,  awaiting  the  enemy's 
appearance,  and  hoping  to  induce  him  to  attack  in 
the  open  field.  Finally,  at  a  little  before  noon  the  ^ 
French  appeared  in  the  edge  of  the  woods  towards 

bis  pursuit  wore  intrenching  themselves  at  Gist's,  5t.  de  Villicre  dis- 
encumbered himself  of  all  bis  heavy  stores  at  the  Hangard,  atid  leaving 
a  sergeant  and  a  few  men  to  guard  them  and  the  periagnas,  rushed  on  in 
the  Hi'jhf,  cheered  by  the  hope  that  he  was  abi'Ut  to  .ncbievc  a  brilliant 

tation' fi;i-r-    ■ 'i  ih.'  i ,i!_..i    li.h  jl,|ii     L;v;iy  dawn  revealed  the 

rude,  liiill  '  ■  I  !  I  .  I ,  ■  ■  f  I  \\  1  :  1  I  I  I  ilicre  begun  to  erect. 
Thislliil  _.  u.ral  fire.    There  was 

noresi ,i:.     ,  ; .  >  I  .,  i  .  ■  ,i;  .  i       I    ,;    .  ...l  .Imgrined,  De  Villiers 

was  about  tn  retrace  his  t-ti-ps,  «  hen  up  cunics  a  half-starved  deserter 
from  the  Great  Meadows,  and  discloses  to  him  the  wbereahoutB  and  des- 
titute condition  of  Washington's  forces." 

But  De  Villiers  says  the  deserter  was  brought  to  bim  while  he  was  on 
the  march  to  Gist's,  and  from  him  he  learned  that  the  camp  at  that  place 
had  beOQ  abandoned  by  Washington,  who  bad  tiken  bis  cannon  with 
him;  that, having  learned  this,  they  went  to  the  place  and  "searched  it 
throughout,"  finding  tools  and  utensils  concealed  there ;  and  finally  that, 
instead  of  reaching  Gist's  place  iu  ''the  gray  dawn"  of  the  second  of 
July,  they  arrived  there  so  late  in  the  day  that  the  commander  decided 
to  go  no  farther,  and  nmde  his  camp  there  for  the  night.  As  to  the 
statement  that  the  Fjcnch,  on  coming  to  the  stockade  at  Gist's, "  at  once 
invested  it  and  gave  a  general  fire,"  it  is  hardly  to  he  supposed  that  an 
officer  of  De  Villiers' experience  would  have  shown  sujb  headlong  im- 
pulsiveness as  to  pour  a  volley  of  musketry  against  the  inanimate  logs 
when  no  living  thing  was  iu  sight. 


WASHINGTON'S  CAMPAIGN   OF    1754   IN   THE   YOUGHIOGHENY   VALLEY.        35 


the  northwest  and  began  firing  at  long  range,  but  did 
no  execution.  After  a  time,  finding  tliat  the  enemy 
mnnife.sted  no  disposition  to  make  a  general  attack. 
Col.  Washington  withdrew  his  men  within  the 
defenses,  the  Carolinians  occupying  the  ritle-pit 
trenches  behind  the  low  log  parapet  which  formed 
the  outer  line  (though  they  were  afterwards  driven 
out,  not  by  the  enemy's  fire,  but  the  torrents  of  rain 
that  inundated  the  trenches  in  which  they  were 
posted).  The  French,  finding  their  fire  ineffectual 
from  their  distant  position  in  the  woods  to  the  north- 
west,' moved  to  the  left,  where,  on  the  eastern  and 
southeastern  side  of  the  fort,  the  forest-line  was  within 
fair  musket-range  of  the  work.  From  this  new  posi- 
tion they  opened  fire  with  more  effect ;  the  battle  be- 
came general,  and  continued  through  the  remainder 
of  the  day.  An  account  of  the  conflict  at  Fort  Ne- 
cessity is  thus  given  by  Sparks : 

"At  eleven  o'clock  they  [the  French]  approached 
the  fort  and  began  to  fire,  at  the  distance  of  six  inm- 
dred  yards,  but  without  eff'ect.  Col.  Washington  had 
drawn  up  his  men  on  the  open  and  level  ground  out- 
side of  the  trenches,  waiting  for  the  attack,  which  he 
presumed  would  be  made  as  soon  as  the  enemy's 
forces  emerged  from  the  woods,  and  he  ordered  his 
men  to  reserve  their  fire  till  they  should  be  near 
enough  to  do  execution.  The  distant  firing  was  sup- 
poseil  to  be  a  stratagem  to  draw  Washington's  men 
into  the  woods,  and  thus  take  them  at  a  disadvantage. 
He  suspected  the  design,  and  maintained  his  post  till 
he  found  the  French  did  not  incline  to  leave  the 
woods  and  attack  the  fort  by  an  assault,  as  he  sup- 
posed they  would,  considering  their  superiority  of 
numbers.  He  then  drew  his  men  back  within  the 
trenches,  and  gave  them  orders  to  fire  according  to 
their  discretion,  as  suitable  opportunities  might  pre- 
sent themselves.  The  French  and  Indians  remained 
on  the  side  of  the  rising  ground  which  was  nearest  to 
the  fort,  and,  sheltered  by  the  trees,  kept  up  a  brisk 
fire  of  musketry,  but  never  appeared  in  the  open  plain 
below. 

"  The  rain  fell  heavily  through  the  day,  the  trenches 


*  Do  Vniiere'  nccount  of  ttie  opening  of  tlie  fight  was  as  follows:  *'  As 
we  had  no  knowlodne  of  tho  place,  wo  prosonted  our  linnk  to  the  fort 
when  thpy  began  to  tiro  upon  us,  and  almost  at  the  same  time  I  perceived 
the  English  on  the  right,  in  order  of  hatlle,  and  coming  towards  us.  Tlio 
Indians,  as  well  us  ourselves,  set  np  a  gie;it  cry,  and  advanced  towards 
them,  hut  they  did  not  give  us  time  to  firo  upon  tlrem  before  they  shel- 
tered themselves  in  an  iutrenchment  which  was  adjoining  to  their  fort, 
after  which  we  aimed  to  invest  the  fort,  which  was  advantageously 
enough  situated  in  a  meadow  within  a  musket-shot  from  the  woods.  Wo 
drew  as  near  to  them  as  possible  that  we  might  not  expose  his  Majesty's 
subjects  to  no  purpose.  Tlie  Are  was  very  hrisk  on  both  sides,  auil  I 
chose  that  place  which  seemed  to  me  the  most  proper  in  cose  we  should 
be  exposed  to  a  sally.  We  fired  so  briskly  as  to  put  out  (if  I  may  use 
the  expression)  tho  fire  of  their  cannon  with  our  musket-shot."  But, 
concerning  the  first  part  of  tlicaliove  account  by  Be  Villiers,  Washington 
afterwards  wrote:  *'  I  cannot  help  remarking  on  Villiers'  account  of  the 
battle  of  and  transaction  at  the  Meadows,  as  it  is  very  extraordinary, 
and  not  less  erroneous  than  inconsistent.  lie  says  the  French  received 
the  first  fire.  It  is  well  known  that  in-  received  it  at  six  hundred  prices 
distance." 


were  filled  with  water,  and  many  of  the  arms  of  Col. 

Washington's  men  were  out  of  orrler  and  used  with 

dilliculty.     In    this  way  the   battle  continued  from 

eleven  o'clock  in   the  morning  till   eight  at  night, 

when   the   French   called   and   recpiested   a  parley.' 

Suspecting  this  to  be  a  feint  to  procure  the  admission 

1  of  an  officer  into  the  fort,  that  he  might  discover  their 

condition,  Col.  Wa-shington  at  first  declined  listening 

to  the  proposal ;  but  when  the  call  was  repeated,  with 

:  the  additional  request  that  an  officer  miglit  be  sent  to 

them,  engaging  at  the  same  time  their  parole  for  his 

I  safety,  he  sent  out  Capt.  Van  Braam,  the  only  i)erson 

I  under  his  command  that  could  speak  French  except 

j  the  Chevalier  de  Peyronie,  an  ensign  in  the  Virginia 

1  regiment,  who  was  dangerously  wounded  and  disabled 

from  rendering  any  service  on  the  occasion.     Van 

Braam  returned,  and  brought  with  him  from  M.  de 

Villiers,  the  French  commander,  proposed  articles  of 

1  capitulation.     These  he  read  and  pretended  to  inter- 

j  pret,  and  some  changes  having  been  made  by  mutual 

j  agreement,   both    parties    signed   them   about   mid- 

!  night." 

j  It  was  a  mortifying  close  to  Washington's  first  cam- 
paign, and  the  scene  must  have  been  a  most  dismal 
one  when  he  signed  the  capitulation  at  dead  of  night, 
amid  torrents  of  rain,  by  the  light  of  a  solitary  splut- 
tering candle,-'  and  with  his  dead  and  wounded  men 
around  him  ;  but  there  was  no  alternative,  and  he 
had  the  satisfaction  at  least  of  knowing  that  he  had 
done  his  best,  and  that  all  his  officers,  with  a  single 
exception,*  had  behaved  with  the  greatest  coolne.ss 
and  bravery. 

The  articles  of  capitulation  were  of  course  written 
in  French.  The  following  translation  of  them  shows 
the  terms  granted  to  Washington,  viz. : 

"  AuTici.F  1. — Wc  grant  leave  to  the  English  commander  to 
retire  with  all  his  garrison,  and  to  return  peaceably  into  his 

j       2  Tho  account  given  by  De  Villiers  of  the  closing  scenes  of  the  bottle, 
and  of  tho  call  for  a  parley,  is  as  follows :  "  Towards  six  at  night  tho  fire 
j   of  the  enemy  increased  with  more  vigor  than  ever,  and  lasted  until 
i   light.    Wo  briskly  relumed  their  fire.   We  took  particular  caro  losecuro 
I   our  posts  to  keep  the  Knglish  fast  up  in  their  fort  all  night ;  anti  after  hav- 
ing fixed  ourselves  in  the  best  position  wo  could  we  let  the  English  know 
that  if  tliey  Wi)Hld  speak  to  us  we  would  stop  firing.    They  accepted  tlio 
proposal;  there  came  a  captain  to  tho  place  wliere  I  was.    I  sent  M.  lo 
Mercier  to  receive  him, and  I  went  to  the  Meadow,  where  I  told  liim  that 
as  wo  were  not  at  war  we  were  very  willing  to  t.ave  llicni  from  (lie  cruel- 
ties to  wliich  they  exposed  themselves  on  : nni     r  ih.    Tn. linns;  hut 

if  they  were  stubborn  we  would  take  auav  i  i"  i!  m  i  <  ;iis  of  es- 
caping; that  we  consented  to  be  favorable  t.  ■ ' '1    '        '    i-wewere 

come  only  to  revenge  my  brother's  ass.-\B~ii);iti  n,  lu  I  i  -  '  !]-'■  them  to 
;   quit  the  lands  of  the  king  my  master.  .  .  ." 

j       3  An  officer  who  was  present  at  the  capitulation  wrote:  "When  Mr. 

I   Van  Braam  returned  with  the  French  proposnlswe  wereoMiged  to  take 

the  sense  of  them  from  hi.<;  mouth  ;  it  rained  so  hard  that  ho  could  not 

give  us  a  written  translation  of  them,  and  we  could  scarcely  keep  the 

I   candle  lighted  to  read  them  by." 

♦  When,  in  the  following  .\ugn8t,  tho  Virginia  House  of  Burgesses 
passed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Wtishington  and  his  oflicors  "for  their  bravery 
I  and  gallant  defense  of  their  country"  at  Fort  Necessity,  tho  names  of  all 
j  the  ofTicers  were  mentioned  except  that  of  the  major  of  the  legiment, 
j  who  wos  charged  with  cowardice  in  the  battle,  and  Cai)t.  Van  Braam, 
I    who  was  believed  to  have  acted  a  treacherous  part  in  interpretinj^  the 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1  country,  nnd  iiromisc  to  hinder  bis  receiving  any  insult 
n  us  French,  and  to  restrain,  as  much  as  shall  be  in  our 


■•AuTicLf:  2. — It  shall  be  permitted  him  to  go  out  and 
Ih  him  all  that  belongs  to  them  except  the  artillery, 


illin?  thereby 


:  the 


the  honors  of  ■ 


1  that  wc 


"  AnTicLE  I.— That  as  soon  as  the  articles  are  signed  by 
both  parties  the  English  colors  shall  be  struck. 

"Article  5. — That  to-murrow,  at  break  of  day,  a  detachment 
of  French  shall  go  and  make  the  garrison  file  off,  and  take  pos- 
session of  thc.fort. 

"Article  G. — As  the  English  have  but  few  oxen  or  horses 
left,  they  are  at  liberty  to  hide  their  effects  and  to  come  again 
and  search  for  them  when  they  have  a  number  of  horses  suf- 
ficient to  carry  them  off,  and  th:it  for  this  end  they  may  have 
what  guards  they  please,  on  condition  that  they  give  their  word 
of  honor  to  work  no  more  on  any  buildings  in  this  place,  or  any 
part  on  this  side  of  the  mountains. 

".■iiiTiCLE  7. — And  as  the  English  have  in  their  power  one 
ofiiccr,  two  cadets,  and  most  of  the  prisoners  made  at  the  as- 
sassination of  M.  de  Jumonville,  and  promise  to  send  them 
back  with  a  safe  guard  to  Fort  du  Quesne,  situate  on  the  Ohio, 
for  surety  of  their  performing  this  ai  tide,  as  well  as  this  treaty, 
MM.  Jaeob  Van  Braam  and  Robert  Stobo,  both  captains,  shall 
be  delivered  as  hostages  till  the  arrival  of  our  French  and  Cnna- 
dians  above  mentioned.  "NVe  oblige  ourselves,  on  our  side,  to 
give  an  escort  to  return  these  two  officers  in  safety,  and  expect 
to  have  our  French  in  two  months  and  a  half  at  farthest." 

The  capitulation  was  signed  by  Washington,  Mac- 
kay,  and  Villiers.  The  latter  had  cunningly  caused 
the  articles  to  he  so  worded  that  the  English  officers 
(who  knew  nothing  of  the  French  language)  were 
made  to  sign  an  apparent  acknowledgment  that  the 
killing  of  Jumonville'  was  an  act  of  assafssinafion.  It 
was  suspected  that  Van  Braam,  the  so-called  inter- 
preter, knowingly  connived  at  the  deception,  and  this 
opinion  was  firmly  held  by  Washington,  who  after- 
wards wrote  in  reference  to  it  as  follows  :  "  That  we 
were  willfully  or  ignorantly  deceived  by  our  inter- 
preter in  regard  to  the  word  assassination  I  do  aver, 
and  will  to  my  dying  moment,  so  will  every  officer 
that  was  prfesent.  The  interpreter  was  a  Dutchman, 
little  acquainted  with  the  English  tongue,  therefore 
might  not  advert  to  the  tone  and  meaning  of  the 
wijrd  in  English ;  but  whatever  his  motives  were  for 
so  doing,  certain  it  is  he  called  it  the  deaih  or  the 
loss  of  the  Sieur  Jumonville.  So  wc  received  and  so 
we  understood  it,  until,  to  our  great  surprise  and 
mnrtiflcation,  we  found  it  otherwise  in  a  literal  trans- 
lation." 

The  numbers  of  the  English  forces  engaged  in  the 
battle  at  the  Great  Meadows  are  not  precisely  known. 
The  Virginia  regiment  went  in  three  hundred  strong, 
including  officers,  and  their  loss  in  the  engagement 
was  twelve  killed  and  forty-three  wounded.-     Capt. 


the  English.' 


"consent  to  sign  lliat  they 


Mackay's  company  numbered  about  oue  hundred, 
but  its  losses  in  killed  and  wounded  were  not  of- 
ficially st.ated.  On  the  French  side,  according  to  the 
statement  of  De  Villiers,  the  losses  were  two  French- 
man and  one  Indian  killed,  fifteen  Frenchmen  and 
two  Indians  seriously  and  a  number  of  others  slightly 
wounded. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  at  break  of  day,  the  troops  of 
Washington  filed  out  of  the  fort  with  drums  beating 
and  colors  flying,  and  (without  any  transportation  for 
their  effects  other  than  was  aflbrdcd  by  the  backs  and 
shoulders  of  the  men,  and  having  no  means  of  carry- 
ing tlieir  badly  wounded  except  on  improvised  stretch- 
ers) moved  sadly  away  to  commence  their  weary  jour- 
ney of  seventy  miles  over  hills  and  streams  to  Wills' 
Creek. 

Upon  the  evacuation  of  the  fort  by  Washington  the 
French  took  possession,  and  immediately  proceeded  to 
demolish  the  work,  while  "  M.  le  Mercier  ordered  the 
cannon  of  the  English  to  be  broken,  as  also  the  one 
granted  by  capitulation,  they  not  being  able  to  carry 
it  away."  The  French  commander  very  prudently 
ordered  the  destruction  of  some  barrels  of  rum  which 
were  in  the  fort,  to  guard  against  the  disorder  and 
perhaps  bloodshed  which  would  probably  have  en- 
sued if  the  liquor  had  been  allowed  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  Indians. 

De  Villiers  felt  no  little  anxiety  lest  the  expected 
reinforcements  to  Washington  should  arrive,  which 
might  place  him  in  an  unpleasant  position  and  re- 
verec  the  fortunes  of  the  day.  He  therefore  lost  no 
time,  and  took  his  departure  from  the  Great  Meadows 
at  as  early  an  hour  as  possible,  and  marched  about 
two  leagues  before  he  encamped  for  the  night.  On 
the  5th,  at  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  forenoon,  he 
arrived  at  Gist's,  where  he  demolished  the  stockade 
which  Washington  had  partially  erected  there,  "and 
after  having  detached  M.  de  la  Chauvignerie  to  bum 
the  houses  round  about,"  continued  on  the  route  to- 
wards Redstone,  to  a  point  about  three  leagues  north- 
west of  Gist's,  where  his  forces  made  their  night 
bivouac.  In  the  morning  of  the  6th  they  moved  at 
an  early  hour,  and  reached  the  mouth  of  Redstone  at  ■ 
ten  o'clock.  There  they  "  put  their  periaguas  in  order, 
victualed  the  detachment,  carried  away  the  reserve  of 
provisions  which  they  had  left  there,  found  several 
things  which  the  English  had  hidden,"  and  then, 
after  burning  the  "  Hangard"  store-house,  embarked, 
and  went  down  tlie  Monongahela.  In  the  passage 
down  the  river,  says  De  Villiers,  "  we  burned  down 
all  the  settlements  we  found,"  and  about  four  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  of  the  7th  of  July  they  arrived  at 
Fort  du  Quesne. 

As  to  the  manner  of  the  departure  of  Washington's 
troops  from  the  surrendered  fort,  De  Villiers  said, 
"The  number  of  their  dead  and  wounded  moved  me 
to   ]Mty,    notwithstanding   my    resentment    for   their 


BRADDOCKS   EXPEDITION   IN   1755. 


37 


hnving  in  such  a  manner  taken  away  my  brother's 
life.  The  savages,  who  in  everything  had  adhered  to 
my  wishes,  claimed  the  right  of  plunder,  but  I  re- 
strained them  ;  however,  tlie  English  being  fright- 
ened (led,  and  left  their  tents  and  one  of  their  colors." 
But  Washington,  commenting  on  these  statements  of 
De  Villiers,  said,  in  a  letter  written  not  long  after- 
wards, "That  we  left  our  bagg.ige  and  horses  at  the 
Uleadows  is  certain  ;  that  there  was  not  even  a  possi- 
bility to  bring  them  away  is  equally  certain,  as  wc 
had  every  horse  belonging  to  the  camp  killed  or  taken 
away  during  the  action,  so  that  it  was  impracticable 
to  bring  anything  otT  that  our  shoulders  were  not  able 
to  bear,  and  to  wait  there  was  impossible,  for  we  had 
scarce  three  days'  provisions,  and  were  seventy  miles 
from  a  supply,  yet  to  say  that  we  came  off  precipi- 
tately is  absolutely  false,  notwithstanding  they  did, 
contrary  to  the  articles,  suffer  their  Indians  to  pillage 
our  baggage'  and  commit  all  kinds  of  irregularity. 
Wc  were  with  them  until  ten  o'clock  the  next  day ; 
we  destroyed  our  powder  and  other  stores,  nay,  even 
our  private  baggage,  to  prevent  its  falling  into  their 
hands,  as  wc  could  not  bring  it  off.  When  we  had 
got  about  a  mile  from  the  place  of  action  we  missed 
two  or  three  of  the  wounded,  and  sent  a  party  back 
to  bring  them  up;  this  is  the  party  he  speaks  of. 
We  brought  them  all  safe  oft",  and  encamped  within 
three  miles  of  the  Jleadows.  The.se  are  circum- 
stances, I  think,  that  make  it  evidently  clear  that  we 
were  not  very  apprehensive  of  danger.  The  colors 
lie  speaks  of  as  left  were  a  large  flag  of  immense  size 
and  weight;  our  regimental  colors  were  brought  off, 
and  are  now  in  my  possession."-' 

From  his  camping-ground,  three  miles  southeast 
of  the  demolished  fort,  the  Virginia  regiment,  with 
Mackay's  South  Carolinians,  moved  forward  in  the 
morning  of  the  5th  of  .luly,  and  fording  the  Youghio- 
gheny  at  the  Great  Crossings,  retraced  their  steps 
over  the  route  previously  traveled,  and  reached  Wills' 
Creek  after  a  slow  and  very  toilsome  journey.  From 
that  place  Washington  went  to  Alexandria,  and  the 
"Virginia  troops  returned  to  their  homes.     Mackay's 


1  "Wo  nU  know  tliat  the  Froiicli  are  n  people  tliat  never  pny  any  re- 
gard to  treaties  lou?:er  than  tlie.v  ninl  tlicni  consistent  witli  tlieir  interest, 
anil  this  troalv  [iho  Fort  S.n-ssity  rapitnlation  articles]  tliey  brolje  ini- 
mediatt'ly,  iv  iriiiuj  iln  li.  ;i  m-  i.  m  h-li  and  destroy  everything  onr 
people  liit'l.  ' -i  .  :       I'     II-   r      .  tiiat  uur  wounded  should  meet 

with  no  nil  „  III  Col.  J.iiiia  Iiiaa  lo  Gov. 


Mtapiua 

s   Unit 

the  Half  King 

Tiir.acliaris 

W,.hingto„- 

SRldlit 

vasamil.laryc 

onininnder. 

iud  freely 

expressed  that 

opiiuon  to  the  India 

1  agent  and  interpreter,  Con 

nid  Weise. 

who  reiwrted 

it  as  follows: 
"Tile  colonel  [Washington]  was  a  good-nature<l  man,  but  h:id  no  e.x- 

would  have  tliein  evei-y  day  upon  the  scotil.  and  to  attack  the  enemy  by 
themselves,  but  would  by  no  means  take  advice  frx>Di  the  Indians,  lie 
lay  in  one  place  from  one  full  uioon  to  the  other,  without  making  any 
furtitications  except  that  little  thing  on  the  Meadow,  whereas  had  ho 
taken  advice  and  built  such  fortifications  as  he  [Tanacliarisun]  advised 
kim,  he  might  easily  have  bent  otT  the  French.  But  the  French  in  the 
eugagement,"  he  said,  "acted  like  cowards,  and  the  English  like  fools." 


Carolina  company  remained  at  Wills'  Creek,  and  to- 
gether with  two  independent  companies  from  New 
York, — all  under  command  of  Col.  James  Innes, — 
erected  the  fortification  afterwards  called  "  Fort  Cum- 
berland." This  was  then  the  western  outpost  of  Eng- 
lish power,  and  in  all  the  country  west  of  the  moun- 
tains there  was  left  r.o  bar  to  Freiuli  oecui'atii  n  and 
supremacy. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

i;i!Ari|iiH'K'.S    liXPKDITIOX    IX    1705. 

'       The  news  of  Washington's  defeat,  and  the  conse- 
quent domination  of  the  French  over  the  broad  terri- 
!  tory  west  of  the  AUeghenies,  was  forwarded  without 
delay  to  England,  where  it  produced  a  general  alarm 
I  and  excitement,  and  roused  the  ministry  to  a  dcter- 
1  mination  to  retrieve  the  disaster  and  expel  the  French, 
i  at  whatever  cost,  from  the  valleys  of  the  Mononga- 
hela  and  Allegheny  Rivers.     In  pursuance  of  this  de- 
termination, it  was  decided  to  send  out  a  military 
I  force,  to  march  from  the  Potomac  to  the  "  Forks  of 
'  the  Ohio,"  there  to  wrest  from  the  French,  by  force 
'  of  arms,  their  most  menacing  possession, — Fort  du 
!  Quesne.-' 

The  expeditionary  force,  which  was  intended  to  be 
a  very  formidable  one  (for  that  early  day),  was  to  be 
i  composed  of  the  Forty-fourth  and  Forty-eighth  Royal 
Regiments  of  Foot,*  commanded  respectively  by  Col. 
Sir  Peter  Hulket  and  Col.  Thomas  Dunbar,  with 
some  other  troops  to  be  raised  in  Virginia  and  other 
American  provinces.  The  command  of  the  expedi- 
tion was  given  to  Major-General  Edward  Braddock, 
of  the  regular  British  army,  who  was  also  made 
commander-in-chief  of  all  his  JIajcsty's  forces  in 
America. 
{  Gen.  Braddock  sailed  from  Cork,  Ireland,  on  the 
14th  of  January,  with  the  two  regular  regiments,  on 
board  the  fleet  of  Admiral  Keppel,  of  the  British 
I  navy.  The  fleet  arrived  iu  Hampton  Roads  on  the 
I  20th  of  February,  and  the  general,  with  the  admiral, 
disembarked  there  and  proceeded  to  Williamsburg, 
Va.,  for  conference  with  Governor  Dinwiddle.  There, 
also,  the  general  met  his  quarterma.ster-gcneral.  Sir 
John  Sinclair,  who  had  preceded  him  to  America,  and 
had  already  visited  Fort  Cumberland  to  make  the 
preliminary  arrangements  for  the  campaign.  "Vir- 
ginia levies"  had  already  been  raised  for  the  purpose 
of  being  incorporated  with  the  Forty-fourth  and 
Forty-eighth  Regiments,  and  these  levies  had  been 
ordered  to  Alexandria,  whither,  also,  the  fleet  wa-s 
ordered  for  disembarkation  of  the  troops. 

»  There  were,  however,  two  other  expeditions  projected,— one  against 
Kiagara  anil  Fronten;ic,  under  Gen.  Shirley,  and  another  against  Crown 
Point,  under  Gen.  William  Johnson ;  hut  the  principal  one  was  that  in- 
tended for  the  reduction  of  Fort  dii  Qiiosne. 

■<  These  regiments,  however,  were  far  from  being  full,  numbering  only 
about  tive  hundred  men  each. 


38 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Leaving  Williamsburg,  Gen.  Braddock,  Sir  John 
Sinclair,  and  the  admiral  arrived  on  the  26lh  at  Alex- 
andria, which  place  was  the  headquarters  of  the  ex- 
pedition for  nearly  two  months,  during  which  time 
(on  the  14th  of  April)  a  council  was  held  there,  com- 
posed of  the  commander-in-chief,  Admiral  Keppel, 
Gov.  Dinwiddle,  of  Virginia,  Gov.  Shirlej',  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, Gov.  Delaucey,  of  New  York,  Gov.  Morris, 
of  Pennsylvania,  and  Gov.  Sharpe,  of  Maryland  ;  at 
which  conference  the  plan  of  the  campaign'  was  de- 
cided on,  and  arrangements  made  to  facilitate  the  for- 
warding of  the  provincial  troops  destined  for  the  ex- 
pedition. 

Sir  John  Sinclair  was  dispatched  from  Alexandria 
soon  after  his  arrival  with  orders  to  proceed  to  Win- 
chester, Va.,  and  thence  to  Fort  Cumberland,  to  com- 
plete all  arrangements  for  the  army's  transportation. 
By  his  advice  Braddock  adopted  the  plan  of  moving 
his  force  from  Alexandria  in  two  divisions,  viz.:  one 
regiment  and  a  portion  of  the  stores  to  proceed  to 
Winchester,  whence  a  new  road  was  nearly  completed 
to  Fort  Cumberland,  and  the  other  regiment,  with  the 
remainder  of  the  stores  and  the  artillery,  to  move  to 
the  fort  (which  had  been  designated  as  the  general 
rendezvous)  by  way  of  Frederick,  Md.  Accordingly, 
on  the  9th  of  April,  Sir  Peter  Halket  left  Alexandria 
for  the  fort,  by  way  of  Winchester,  with  six  com- 
panies of  the  Forty-fourth  Regiment,  leaving  the 
other  four  companies  behind  under  command  of 
Lieut. -Col.  Gage^  to  escort  the  artillery.  On  the  18th 
Col.  Dunbar,  with  the  Forty-eighth,  marched  for 
Frederick,  Md.,  and  the  commander-in-chief  left 
Alexandria  for  the  same  place  on  the  20th,  leaving 
Gage  to  follow  with  the  artillery.  When  Dunbar 
arrived  at  Frederick  he  found  that  there  was  no  road 
to  Cumberland  through  Maryland,''  and  accordingly, 
on  the  1st  of  May,  he  recrossed  the  Potomac,  struck 
the  Winchester  route,  and  nine  days  later  was  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  fort.  "  At  high  noon  on  the 
10th  of  May,  while  Halket's  command  was  already 
encamped  at  the  common  destination,  the  Forty- 
eighth  was  startled  by  the  passage  of  Braddock  and 
his  staff  through  their  ranks,  with  a  body  of  light- 
horse  galloping  on  each  side  of  his  traveling  chariot, 
in  haste 'to  reach  Fort  Cumberland.  The  troops 
saluted,  the  drums  rolled  out  the  Grenadiers'  March, 
and  the  cortege  passed  by.    An  hour  later  they  heard 


I  The  council,  liowcvei ,  liad  renlly  nothing  to  do  willi  the  adoiition  of 
he  plan  of  operations,  whicli  was  made  entirely  according  to  the  niar- 
inet  ideas  and  opiniMnsof  the  conunaniler-iu-cliief. 

=  The  same  Gagu  « lu  lui  major-general  commanded  the  British  forces 
n  Boston  in  1775. 

■■'  Ca|it.  Ornie,  in  his  journal  of  the  expedition,  s.iys,  "  The  general 
rdered  a  bridge  to  be  built  over  the  Antietuni,  which  being  furnished 
nd  provision  laid  upon  the  road  Col.  Duubar  marched  with  his  regiment 
rum  Frederick  on  the  2Sth  of  April,  and  about  ttiis  time  the  bridge  over 
heOpeccon  was  tiuished  for  the  pass;i^  I  II,  ■  n  ■  ill.  i  \ .  atid  floats  were 
milt  ou  all  the  rivers  and  creeks."     I,         \    i,         ,     im  e  mentioned 

5  the  same  historic  stream  whose lu.ii-r  niK-ssed  the  ter- 

ific  battle  between  the  Union  and  L.tiii  1  i  ,i,    l,..-:.  ler  McClellan 

till  Lee,  on  the  17tb  of  SeptemLer,  ISUJ. 


the  booming  of  the  artillery  which  welcomed  the  gen- 
eral's arrival,  and  a  little  later  themselves  encamped 
on  the  hillsides  about  that  post."  The  artillery  es- 
corted by  Gage  arrived  at  the  fort  on  the  20th. 

Arriving  at  the  fort  on  the  10th,  the  general  re- 
mained there  about  one  month,  during  which  time 
his  expeditionary  force  was  completed  and  organized. 
Two  companies,  Rutherford's  and  Clarke's,  had  been 
stationed  at  the  fort  during  the  winter,  and  were  still 
there.  The  Forty-fourth  and  Forty-eighth  regulars 
had  been  augmented  to  a  total  of  fourteen  hundred- 
men  by  the  addition  of  Virginia  and  Maryland  levies 
at  Alexandria.  A  company  of  Virginia  light-horse, 
under  command  of  Capt.  Stewart,  acted  as  the  gen- 
eral's body-guard.  A  body  of  seventy  provincials 
was  formed  into  two  companies  of  pioneers,  each 
having  a  captain,  two  subalterns,  and  two  sergeants, 
and  with  these  was  also  a  very  small  company  of  guides. 
A  lieutenant,  Mr.  Spendelow,  and  two  midshipmen 
from  Admiral  Keppel's  fleet  were  present  with  about 
thirty  sailors  to  have  charge  of  the  cordage  and 
tackles,  necessary  for  the  building  of  bridges  and  the 
hoisting  of  artillery  pieces  and  other  heavy  material 
over  precipices.  The  other  provincial  troops  brought 
the  total  number  up  to  about  two  thousand  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty,  including  officers,  but  exclusive  of  wag- 
oners and  the  usual  complement  of  non-combatant 
camp-followers,  among  whoin  were  a  number  of 
women.  There  were  eight  friendly  Indians  who  ac- 
companied the  expedition. 

The  forces  of  Gen.  Braddock  were  brigaded  by  his 
orders  as  follows : 

First  Brigade,  commanded  by  Sir  Peter  Halket, 
composed  of 

The  Forty-fourth  Regiment  of  Regulars. 

Capt.  John  Rutherford's  ]  Independent  Companies 

Capt.  Horatio  Gates' '      J      of  New  York. 

Capt.  William  Poison's  Company  of  Pioneers  and 
Carpenters. 

Capt.  William  Peyronie's  Virginia  Rangers. 

Capt.  Thomas  Waggoner's  Virginia  Rangers. 

Capt.  Eli  Dagworthy's  Maryland  Rangers. 

Second  Brigade,  commanded  by  Col.  Thomas  Dun- 
bar, composed  of 

The  Forty-eighth  Regiment  of  Regulars. 

Capt.  Paul  Demerie's  South  Carolina  detachment. 

Capt.  Dobbs'  North  Carolina  Rangers. 

Capt.  Mercer's  Company  of  Carpenters  and  Pio- 
neers. 

Capt.  Adam  Stephen's  ^ 

Capt.  Peter  Hogg's  ;•  Virginia  Rangers. 

Capt.  Thoma.s  Cocke's    ) 

Capt.  Andrew  Lewis  had  been  sent  with  his  com- 
pany of  Virginians  to  the  Greenbrier  River  for  the 
protection  of  settlers  there ;  but  he  afterwards  rejoined 
Braddock's  column  on  its  way  to  Fort  du  Quesne. 


vards  Major-General  Gates,  to  whom  Burgoj-ne  surrendered  r 


BRADDOCK'S   EXPEDITION  IN   1755. 


39 


The  fielil-ofTicers  under  Brnddock  were  Lieutenant- 
Colonels  Burton  and  Gage ;  Majors  Chapman  and 
Sparks;  Brigade-Major  Francis  Halket;  Major  Sir 
John  Sinclair,  deputy  quartermaistcr-general ;  Mat- 
thew Leslie,  assistant  quartermaster-general.  The 
secretary  to  the  commanding  general  was  William 
Shirley,  and  his  aides-de-camp  were  Capt.  Robert 
Orme,  George  Washington,'  and  Roger  Morris. 
Christopher  Gist  and  Nathaniel  Gist,  his  son,  ac- 
companied the  expedition  as  principal  guides.  George 
Croghan  and  .-\ndrew  Montour  were  with  the  general 
as  Indian  interpreters. 

"  The  soldiers  were  ordered  to  be  furnished  with 
one  new  spare  shirt,  one  new  pair  of  stockings,  and 
one  new  pair  of  shoes ;  and  Osnabrig  waistcoats  and 
breeches  were  provided  for  them,  as  the  excessive 
heat  would  have  made  the  others  insupportable;  and 
the  commanding  officers  of  companies  were  desired 
to  provide  leather  or  bladders  for  the  men's  hats."'^ 

The  transportation  which  was  collected  at  Fort 
Cumberland  for  the  use  of  Braddock's  force  consisted 
of  one  hundred  and  ninety  wagons  and  more  than 
fifteen  hundred  horses.  When  he  landed  in  Virginia 
he  expected  that  "  two  hundred  wagons  and  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  carrying-horses"  would  be  furnished  by 
the  provincial  authorities,  but  when  he  arrived  at 
Frederick,  Md.,  lie  found  that  not  more  than  a  tenth 
part  that  number  had  been  raised,  and  that  some  of 
these  even  were  in  an  unserviceable  condition.  Upon 
learning  this  he  burst  out  in  fierce  invective  against 
the  inefficiency,  poverty,  and  lack  of  integrity  among 
the  provincials,  and  declared  that  the  expedition  was 
at  an  end,  for  that  it  was  impracticable  to  proceed 
without  one  hundred  and  fifty  wagons,  and  a  corre- 
sponding number  of  horses  at  the  very  least.  But  Dr. 
Benjamin  Franklin,  who  was  present  at  Frederick, 
told  the  general  that  the  Pennsylvania  farmers  were 
able  to  furnish  the  necessary  transportation,  and  that 
he  (Franklin)  would  contract  for  a  specified  sum  to 


1  After  liis  return  from  the  Fort  Kocessity  cnmpuign,  Cid.  Wnsliing- 
toii's  rank,  ns  well  as  tliat  of  other  coIuiuhI  onicers,  wivs  reduced  Ijy 
royal  onier,  wliiult  caused  liiiti  to  resign  his  coQiniift<ion,and  iit  tlie  time 
of  Gen.  Braddock's  arrival  in  .\nicricii  lie  was  not  in  the  militiry  ser- 
vice. But  Uraddcick,  well  aware  of  the  importance  of  securing  Ids 
sen-ices,  urged  WiLshington  to  take  the  position  of  volunteer  aide-de- 
camp on  his  staff,  and  the  offer,  so  earnestly  pressed,  was  accepted. 

Sparks,  in  his  "  Life  of  Washington"  (page  58),  in  speaking  of  Wash- 
ington's acceptance  of  Bnidilock's  pniposilion  to  accompjiny  him  on  the 
expedition  as  a  niemher  of  hJ9  military  family,  says,  "  His  views  on  the 
suluect  were  explained,  with  a  becoming  rmiikness  and  elevation  of 
minil,  in  a  letter  to  a  friend:  'I  may  he  allowed,' said  he, 'to  claim 
some  merit  if  it  is  considered  that  tho  sjle  motive  which  invites  me  to 
the  field  is  the  laudahle  desire  of  serving  my  country,  lu.t  the  gnitiflca- 
tion  of  Any  ambitious  or  lucmtive  plans.  This,  I  flatter  myself,  will 
manifestly  appear  by  my  going  as  a  volunteer,  without  expectation  of 
reward  or  pronpcut  of  obtitiiiinfj  (I  cowmmul,  as  I  am  confidently  assured 
U  it  not  in  Gencnit  Eradflocfi's  jioicer  to  gh-e  me  a  commiMiou  tliut  I  icould 
accept.  ...  It  is  true  I  have  been  importuned  to  make  this  camimign 
I'y  Gen.  Bradduck  as  a  member  of  his  family,  he  conceiving,  I  snp[)ose, 
that  the  small  knowledge  I  had  an  op|)urtunity  of  acquiring  of  the 
country  and  the  Indians  is  worthy  of  his  notice,  and  may  be  useful  to 
him  in  the  progre-s  of  the  expedition.'  " 

-Capt.  Dime's  Journol. 


deliver  one  hundred  and  fifty  wagons  and  the  neces- 
sary horses  at  Fort  Cumberland  within  a  given  time, 
whereupon  Braddock  proceeded  on  his  march  ;  and  in 
about  two  weeks  Franklin  had  assembled  the  specified 
number  of  wagons  and  animals  at  the  fort.  Gen. 
Braddock  was  very  grateful  for  this  service,  and  he 
warmly  complimented  Franklin  in  a  letter  which  he 
wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  dated  at  Wills'  Creek, 
June  5th,  as  follows: 

"Before  I  left  Williamsburg  the  quartermaster-gen- 
eral told  me  that  I  might  depend  on  twenty-five  hun- 
dred horses  and  two  hundred  wagons  from  Virginia 
and  Maryland ;  but  I  liad  great  reason  to  doubt  it, 
having  experienced  the  false  dealings  of  all  in  this 
country  with  whom  I  had  been  concerned.  Hence, 
before  my  departure  from  Frederick,  I  agreed  with 
Mr.  Benjamin.Franklin,  postmaster  in  Pennsylvania, 
who  has  great  credit  in  that  province,  to  hire  one 
hundred  and  fifty  wagons  and  the  necessary  number 
of  horses.  This  he  accomplished  with  promptitude 
and  fidelity;  and  it  is  almost  the  only  instance  of 
address  and  integrity  which  I  have  seen  in  all  these 
provinces." 

It  has  been  said  that,  in  procuring  the  wagons  and 
horses  from  the  Teutonic  farmers  in  the  Southern 
Pennsylvania  counties,  he  was  materially  aided  by  the 
presence  pf  Braddock's  quartermaster-general.  "Sir 
John  Sinclair*  wore  a  Hussar's  cap,  and  Franklin 
made  use  of  the  circumstance  to  terrify  the  German 
settlers  with  the  belief  that  he  was  a  Hu.ssar,  who 
would  administer  to  them  the  tvrannical  treatment 


3  This  same  Sir  John  Sinclair  was  a.  man  of  very  rough  speech  nnd 
imperious  and  domineerng  rhnractor,  as  is  made  api>arent  by  the  fol- 
lowing extract  from  a  1'  tf'-r  ^vr'tt'  n  I'V  '^Tessrs.  George  Croghan,  James 
Burd,  John  Arnistr.jiiu,  N^  1  .  i  m,  and  Adam  Hoops  to  Gover- 

nor Morris,  of  Peun-i  I  :!      '  'iiinberland,  April  10, 1735,  at 

which  time  some  of  tl mi;  i:  ;.  -,  :i-  w  ill  as  Sir  John  himself,  had 

already  reached  the  renclezviu*.  The  writers  of  the  letter  had  been 
appointed  to  view  and  lay  out  a  road  over  the  mountains,  i^nd  had  re- 
turned from  their  mission  to  the  fort.  In  the  letter  they  say,  "Last 
evening  we  came  to  the  camp,  and  were  kindly  received  liy  tho  ofTicera, 
but  particularly  Capt.  Rutherford.  We  waited  for  Sir  John  coming  to 
camp  from  the  road  towards  Winchester,  who  came  this  day  at  three 
o'clock,  but  treated  us  in  a  very  disagreeable  manner.  He  is  extremely 
warm  and  angry  at  our  province  ;  he  would  not  look  at  our  draughts, 
nor  suffer  any  representations  to  be  made  to  him  in  regard  to  the  prov- 
ince, but  stormed  like  a  lion  rampant.  He  said  our  commission  to  lay 
out  tho  road  should  have  issued  in  January  last,  upon  his  first  letter; 
that  doing  it  now  is  dcdng  nothing;  that  tho  troops  must  march  on  the 
first  of  May;  that  the  want  of  this  road  and  the  provisions  promised  by 
Pennsylvania  has  retarded  the  expedition,  which  may  cost  them  their 
lives,  because  of  the  fresh  number  nf  the  FreiRli  that  are  suddenly  like 
to  be  poured  into  the  <  iiirti\  n  it  in-ti  ili)  mi:' Ling  to  the  Ohio  he 
would  in  nine  da>s  n,:r  :  '  i  '  i.unty,  to  cut  tho 

roadH,  press  wagons,  ft'      li   i    '  ,    ;    ,    i    i  ililier  to  handle  an 

axe,  but  by  fire  and  swm  i  '  i  I  .i  ili-  mliil  it  mt  t  i  ili.  it,  and  take  every 
man  that  refused  to  the  Oiiin,  tis  h e  hail  yeetenltiy  some  of  the  Virginians; 
that  he  would  kill  all  kind  of  cjitile,  and  carry  away  the  horses,  burn 
houses,  etc. ;  and  that  if  the  French  defeated  thei'.  by  tho  dehi.vs  of  this 
province,  that  he  would  with  his  sword  drawn  pass  through  the  prov- 
ince and  treat  the  inhabitants  as  a  parcel  of  traitors  to  his  master;  that 
he  would  to-morrow  write  to  England  by  a  man.of.war,  shake  Mr. 
Tenn's  proprietaryship,  and  represent  Pennsylvania  as  disaffected,  .  .  . 


ids  for  one  he  It 


■  gene 


Igivc  uate 


40 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENXSYLVANIA. 


they  had  experienced  in  their  owu  country  if  tliey 
did  not  comply  with  his  wislies." 

At  a  council  of  war  held  at  Fort  Cumberland  the 
order  of  march  was  determined  on,  viz. :  the  advance 
was  to  be  led  by  "  a  party  of  six  hundred  men, 
workers  and  coverers,  with  a  field-officer  and  the 
([uartermaster-general ;  that  they  should  take  with 
them  two  six-pounders,  with  a  full  proportion  of  am- 
munition ;  that  they  should  also  take  with  them  eight 
days'  provisions  for  three  thousand  two  hundred  men  ; 
that  they  should  make  the  road  as  good  as  possible, 
and  march  five  days  towards  the  first  crossing  of  the 
Yoxhio  Geni,'  which  was  about  thirty  miles  from  the 
camp,  at  which  place  they  were  to  make  a  deposit  of 
jjrovisions,  building  proper  sheds  for  its  security,  and 
also  a  place  of  arms  for  the  security  of  the  men.  If 
they  could  not  in  five  days  advance  sa  far,  they  were 
at  the  exj)iration  of  that  time  to  choose  an  advan- 
tageous spot,  and  to  secure  the  provisions  and  men  as 
before.  When  the  wagons  were  unloaded  the  field- 
officer  with  three  hundred  men  was  to  return  to  camp, 
and  Sir  John  S'  Clair  with  the  first  engineer  was  to 
remain  and  carry  on  the  works  with  the  other  three 
hundred."  '^ 

This  advance  detachment  was  to  be  followed  by  the 
remainder  of  the  forces  in  three  divisions,  in  the  fol- 
lowing order:  First,  Sir  Beter  Halket's  pommand, 
with  "  about  one  hundred  wagons  of  provisions,  stores, 
and  powder ;"  second,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Burton, 
"  with  the  independent  companies,  Virginia,  Mary- 
land, and  Carolina  Rangers,"  taking  the  artillery,  am- 
munition, and  some  stores  and  provisions;  third. 
Colonel  Dunbar's  brig.ide,  "  with  the  provision- 
wagons  from  Winchester,  the  returned  wagons  from 
the  advanced  party,  and  all  the  carrying-horses." 

In  accordance  with  this  order.  Major  Chapman  with 
a  body  of  six  hundred  men,  and  accompanied  by  Sir 
John  Sinclair,  marched  at  daybreak  on  the  30th  of 
May,  but  "  it  was  night  before  the  whole  baggage  had 
got  over  a  mountain  about  two  miles  from  camp.  .  .  . 
The  general  reconnoitred  this  mountain,  and  deter- 
mined to  set  the  engineers  and  three  hundred  more 
men  at  work  on  it,  as  he  thought  it  impassable  by 
howitzers.  He  did  not  imagine  any  other  road  could 
be  made,  as  a  reconnoitring-party  had  already  been 
to  explore  the  country;  nevertheless,  Mr.  Spendelow, 
lieutenant  of  the  seamen,  a  young  man  of  great 
discernment  and  abilities,  acquainted  the  general  that 
in  passing  that  mountain  he  had  discovered  a  valley 
which  led  quite  round  the  foot  of  it.  A  party  of  a 
hundred  men  with  an  engineer  was  ordered  to  cut  a 
road  there,  and  an  extreme  good  one  was  made  in 
two  days,  which  fell  into  the  other  road  about  a  mile 
on  the  other  side  of  the  mountain." 

"Everything  being  now  .settled,  Sir  Peter  Halket, 
with  the  Forty-fourth  Regiment,  marched  on  the  7th 
of  June;  Lieutenant-Colonel  Burton,  with  the  inde- 

l  YuUgl,iogliei].v.  :  Oin.i^'s  Jouiuul. 


pendent  companies  and  Rangers,  on  the  8th,  and  Col- 
onel Dunbar,  with  the  Forty-eighth  Regiment,  on  the 
10th,  with  the  proportions  of  baggage  as  was  settled 
by  the  council  of  war.  The  same  day  the  general 
left  Fort  Cumberland,  and  joined  the  whole  at  Sjjen- 
delow  Camp,  about  five  miles  from  the  fort."  ^  The 
name  of  this  camp  was  given  in  honor  of  Lieutenant 
Spendelow,  the  discoverer  of  the  new  route  around 
the  foot  of  the  mountain. 

At  Spendelow  Camp  a  reduction  of  baggage  was 
made,  and  the  surplus  sent  back  to  the  fort,  together 
with  two  six-pounders,  four  cohorns,  and  some  powder 
and  stores,  which  cleared  about  twenty  wagons  of 
their  loads,  "and  near  a  hundred  able  horses  were 
given  to  the  public  service.  .  .  .  All  the  king's 
wagons  were  also  sent  back  to  the  fort,  they  beingj 
too  heavy,  and  requiring  large  horses  for  the  shafts, 
which  could  not  be  procured,  and  country  wagonsi 
were  fitted  for  powder  in  their  stead." 

On  the  13th  the  column  moved  to  Martin's  plan-  \ 
tation ;  on  the  15th  it  "  passed  the  Aligany  Moun- 
tain, which  is  a  rocky  ascent  of  more  than  two  miles, 
in  many  places  exceedingly  steep  ;  its  descent  is  very 
rugged  and  almost  perpendicular;  in  passing  which 
we  entirely  demolished  three  wagons  and  shattered, 
several."  That  night  the  First  Brigade  camped  about 
three  miles  west  of  Savage  River.  On  the  16th  the 
head  of  the  column  reached  the  Little  Meadows,  ten 
miles  from  Martin's  plantation  ;  but  the  rear  did  not 
arrive  there  until  the  18th.  At  this  place  they  found 
Sir  John  Sinclair  encamped  with  three  hundred  men, 
this  being  the  farthest  point  he  could  reach  in  the 
five  days  specified  in  the  orders. 

At  the  Little  Meadows  the  general  adopted  a  new 
plan  of  campaign, — to  move  forward  with  a  division 
composed  of  some  of  his  best  troops,  with  a  few  guns 
and  but  little  baggage,  leaving  the  remainder  of  his 
force  behind  to  bring  up  the  heavy  stores  and  artillery. 

This  decision  was  taken  largely  through  the  advice 
of  Washington,  who,  although  not  of  rank  to  sit  in  the 
councils  of  war,  possessed  no  small  share  of  the  gen- 
eral's confidence,  by  reason  of  the  experience  he  had 
gained  in  the  campaign  of  the  preceding  year.  He 
gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  the  movement  of  the  army 
was  too  slow,  on  account  of  the  cumbrous  wagon- 
train,  which  on  the  march  stretched  out  for  a  distance 
of  more  than  three  miles,  thus  not  only  retarding  the 
progress  of  the  forces,  but  aftbrding  an  excellent  op- 
portunity for  lurking  parties  of  the  enemy  to  attack 
and  destroy  some  lightly-defended  part  of  it  before 
help  could  arrive  from  the  main  body.  He  had  from 
the  first  urged  the  use  of  pack-horses  instead  of  wagons 
for  the  greater  part  of  the  transportation,  and  although 
his  advice  was  ignored  by  the  general,  its  wisdom  now 
became  apparent.  Ornie's  Journal  says  that  by  the 
experience  of  the  four  days'  march  from  Spendelow 
Camp  to  the  Little  Meadows,  "  it  was  found  impos- 


BRADDOCK'S   EXPEDITION   IN   1755. 


41 


I  sible  to  proceed  with  such  a  number  of  carriages. 
The  horses  grew  every  day  fainter,  and  many  died; 
the  men  would  not  have  been  able  to  have  undergone 
the  constant  and  necessary  fatigue  by  remaining  so 
many  hours  under  arms,  and  by  the  great  extent  of 
the  baggage  the  line  was  extremely  weakened.  The 
general  was  therefore  determined  to  move  forward 
with  a  detachment  of  the  best  men,  and  as  little  en- 
cumbrance as  possible." 

The  selected  force  destined  to  move  in  the  advance 
consisted  of  between  twelve  and  thirteen  hundred 
men.  "  A  detachment  of  one  field-officer  with  four 
hundred  men  and  the  deputy  quartermaster-general 
marched  on  the  18th  to  cut  and  make  the  road  to  the 
Little  Crossing  of  the  Yoxhio  Geni,  taking  with  them 
two  six-pounders  with  their  ammunition,  three  wagons 
of  tools,  and  thirty-five  days'  provisions,  all  on  carry- 
ing-liorses,  and  on  the  IDth  the  general  marched  with 
a  detachment  of  one  colonel,  one  lieutenant-colonel, 
one  m.ijor,  the  two  eldest  grenadier  companies,  and 
iive  liundred  rank  and  file,  the  party  of  seamen,  and 
eighteen  light-horse,  and  four  howitzers  with  fifty 
rounds  each,  and  four  twelve-pounders  with  eighty 
rounds  each,  and  one  hundred  rounds  of  ammunition 
ftr  each  man,  and  one  wagon  of  Indian  presents;  the 
whole  number  of  carriages  being  about  thirty.  The 
howitzers  had  each  nine  horses,  tlie  twelve-pounders 
seven,  and  the  wagons  six.  There  was  also  thirty- 
five  days'  provisions  carried  on  liorses."  Tlie  troops 
left  behind  with  Col.  Dunbar  numbered  about  nine 
hundred,  including  four  artillery  officers.  Eighty- 
four  wagons  and  all  the  ordnance  stores  and  provis- 
ions not  immediately  needed  by  the  advance  column 
"(vere  also  left  in  his  charge. 

The  advanced  force  under  IJraddock  reached  the 
Little  Cro.ssings  (Castleman's  River)  on  the  evening 
of  the  10th,  and  camped  on  the  west  side  of  the 
stream.  At  this  camp  Col.  Washington  was  taken 
seriously  ill  with  a  fever,  and  when  the  troops  marched 
the  next  morning  he  was  left  behind  with  a  guard  and 
proper  attendance'  and  comforts.  As  soon  as  able  he 
was  to  come  on  with  the  rear  division  under  Col. 
Dunbar;   but  it  has  beeu  stated  that  he  asked  and 


•  111  some  iiccoiiiita  of  tliis  sickness  of  Wusliington,  it  li»s  Icen  sinted 
tliot  Dr.  James  Cniili  (wlio  wns  willi  tlie  cxp.-.Iilion  as  ii  siirginn  in 
the  Virtrtniii  iroops,  nml  wlio  wns  nlso  tlf  :in  ;  .:i^  f;!.  nl  ,,n.|  plijsi- 
danof  Wasliiugton)  wns  left  tchind  nt  111     I  -     r  .  aiteiid 

liiln,  liut  sitcli  does  nut  nppotir  tu  liave  I  L'i'ii  T'<    .,  i  ;,    il.ii  .liiriics 

Kiiiille),  in  a  letter  written  to  tlie  editor  i.f  V  '  l  V.  imps- 

town,  Pa.,  Mnrcli  27,1818,  relates  some  coi.vr  i  -  ,  -  »  I  I  ,  ;  K.ilwitll 
Wmliinglon  in  lefereiico  toDniddock'sinmi  .1  :  ll.rUio 

fallowing  extract-!  are  made:  "On  one  li.  1 .11    i      :.    .1 |iaijy, 

some  qnc-stioii  1.,  in-  ;L-ki-.l  ,.f  iiu-,  then  silling  n.  x  ili.  I'  -i  :  mi  i  Wash- 
ington), nl.n, it  I!,  r.i^  M,  1,1  uaand  Dnnl.iir'3  Itiiii,  hj- Col.  Sprigg,  of 
M»r)lan.l,  V  I         I  !  .  IV «er,  the  President,  to  whom  I  referred 

tlieqiiesti.  11,  i  ,  ,1  1  I  _  .  1.1  (li scribed  Duiibars  camp,  to  whitli  the 
remains  i.fUi.iaa  ..  ;.',,..i;...v  .lined  ulterthcdefeat.  .  .  .  Looking  round 
seriously  to  me,  he  said, '  Bi-iid<lock  was  liotli  my  geiicnil  and  my  physician. 
I  was  attacked  with  a  dangerous  fever  on  the  luaicli,  and  he  left  a  ser- 
geant [not  a  «i(r^eon]  to  take  care  of  nic,  inid  Jdiiiee^  fexer  jioufUri^,  kUU 
iirtclit'itn  hoic  to  'jive  tlieiit,  and  a  wagon  to  hriiig  me  on  when  I  w ould  be 
able,  which  was  only  the  day  before  the  defeat.' " 


received  from  Gen.  Braddock  a  promise  that  the  fort 
should  not  be  attacked  until  he  had  recovered  aiul 
rejoined  the  assaulting  column.  It  does  not,  however, 
seem  reasonable  to  suppose  that  he  would  have  wished 
to  jeopardize  the  success  of  the  expedition  by  asking 
such  an  indefinite  delay,  nor  that  liraddock  would, 
under  any  circumstances,  have  bound  himsclt  by  :-ucli 
a  promise. 

In  four  days  from  his  departure  IVom  the  Little 
Meadows,  Gen.  IJraddock's  column  had  made  nine- 
teen miles,  and  arrived  at  the  Great  Crossings  of  the 
Youghiogheny.  The  troops  crossed  the  river  without 
bridging,-  and  on  the  night  of  the  24th  of  June  made 
their  first  camp  within  the  present  territory  of  Fay- 
ette County,  mar  a  place  known  as  the  Twelve 
Springs,  between  Mount  Augusta  and  Marlow's,  south 
of  the  National  road.  Their  march  of  that  day  was 
only  a  distance  of  about  six  miles,  from  the  river  to 
their  night  camp.  During  the  day  they  passed  an 
Indian'  camp,  recently  vacated,  which  gave  indica- 
tions that  it  had  been  occupied  by  about  one  hundred 
and  seventy  persons.  "  They  had  stripped  and  painted 
some  trees,  upon  which  they  and  the  French  had 
written  many  threats  and  bravadoes,  with  all  kinds 
of  scurrilous  language."  The  French  had  received 
early  information  of  Braddock's  coming,  and  parties  of 
them  with  their  Indian  alliesliad  advanced  east  beyond 
the  Laurel  Hill  to  meet  the  English;  not  for  the 
purpose  of  attacking  them,  but  to  hover  along  their 
front  and  flanks,  to  spy  out  their  movements,  murder 
stragglers,  and  to  keep  the  commandant  at  Fort  du 
Quesnc  informed,  from  day  to  day,  of  the  progress  of 
the  English  forcts.  From  the  time  when  the  troops 
crossed  the  Youghiogheny  hostile  Indians  were  always 
near  them  along  the  route,  and  evidences  of  their 
presence  multiplied  with  each  succeeding  day's  march. 

In  fact,  nearly  all  the  savages  west  of  the  mountains 
were  now  ranged  on  the  side  of  the  French.  A  few 
only  of  the  Indian  allies  of  the  English  had  remained 
true  to  them  after  the  surrender  of  Fort  Necessity, 
and  among  these  were  Scarooyada,  the  successor  of 
the  friendly  Htilf-king,'-  and  Mouacatoocha,  whose 
acquaintance  lie  had  m.ide  on  his  trip  to  Le  Bojuf  in 
the  previous  year.  These  two  chiefs,  with  nearly  one 
hundred  and  fifty  Seneca  and  Delaware  warriors,  had 
joined  the  English  on  their  march  to  the  Youghio- 
gheny, and  projioscd  to  accompany  them  as  scouts  • 
and  guides.  They  could  without  doubt  liave  ren- 
dered great  service  in  that  capacity,  and  if  the  warn- 
ings of  their  forest  experience  had  been  listened  to, 
might  perhaps  have  saved  Braddock's  army  from  the 
disaster  which  overtook  it.  But  the  general  despised 
and  rejected  their  services,  and  treated  them  with  so 


=  .Kn  entry  in  Oimc-s  Jnnrnal  for  this  day  is  to  tliis  'fTert :  "The  24th 
of  Juno  we  marched  at  five  in  the  mnriiing,  and  passed  the  second 
branch  of  the  Yoxhio  Ceiii,  which  is  about  one  hundred  yards  wide, 
about  three  feet  Jee|i,  with  a  very  strong  current. " 

3  The  Half-King,  Tunacharieon,  liad  died  in  the  preceding  OctoLcr,  at 
Harris'  Ferry  (now  Ilarrislurg),  on  the  Su^<iuchanDa. 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


much  ol'sliglit  and  contempt  that  they  finally  retired 
in  disgust  and  left  him  to  his  fate. 

On  the  25th  of  June,  "  at  daybreak,  three  men  who 
went  without  the  sentinels  were  shot  and  scalped." 
Gen.  Braddock  was  greatly  incensed  at  these  mur- 
ders, and  issued  an  order  directing  that  "  every  sol- 
dier or  Indian  shall  receive  five  pounds  for  each 
Indian  scalp."  On  this  day  the  column  moved  from 
its  first  camp  west  of  the  Youghiogheny  to  another 
about  seven  miles  fiirther  on,  sometimes  spoken  of  as 
the  Old  Orchard  Camp,  "near  and  northwest  of 
Braddock's  grave,"  mentioned  in  Orrae's  Journal  as 
"  two  miles  on  the  other  side"  of  the  Great  Meadows,' 
the  general  riding  in  anticipated  triumph  over  the 
very  spot  which  in  twenty  days  was  to  be  his  last 
resting-place.  On  the  following  day  the  troops 
marched  only  four  miles  (the  route  being  exceedingly 
rough  and  toilsome),  and  encamped  for  the  night  at 
the  Great  Bock,  near  Washington's  Spring,  the  same 
])lace  which  liad  been  the  camp-ground  of  the  Half- 
King  when  he  and  Washington  marched  to  attack 
tlie  camp  of  Jumonville.  At  this  halting-place  they 
found  the  marks  of  another  French  and  Indian  camp, 
so  lately  vacated  that  the  fires  were  yet  burning.  The 
Indians  who  had  occupied  it,  said  Orme,  "liad  marked 
in  triumph  upon  trees  the  scalps  they  had  taken  two 
days  before,  and  many  of  the  French  had  written  on 
them  their  names  and  sundry  insolent  expressions. 
We  picked  up  a  commission  on  the  nmrch,  which 
mentioned  the  party  being  under  the  command  of  the 
Sieur  Normanville.  This  Indian  camp  was  in  a  strong 
situation,  being  upon  a  high  rock,  with  a  very  nar- 
row and  steep  ascent  to  the  top.  It  had  a  spring  in 
the  middle,  and  stood  at  the  termination  of  the  In- 
dian path  to  the  Monongahela,  at  the  confluence  of 
Bedstone  Creek.  By  this  pass  the  party  came  which 
attacked  Mr.  Washington  last  year,  and  also  this 
which  attended  us.  By  their  tracks  they  seemed  to 
have  divided  here,  the  one  party  going  straight  for- 
ward to  Fort  du  Quesne,  and  the  other  returning  by 
Bedstone  Creek  to  the  Monongahela.  A  captain, 
four  Kulialtern,-;,  and  ninety  volunteers  marched  from 
the  eaiii]!  with  |.r<)]>er  uuiiles  to  fall  in  the  night  upon 
that  party  which  we  imagined  had  returned  by  the 
Monongahela.  They  found  a  small  quantity  of  pro- 
visions and  a  very  large  bateau,  which  they  de- 
stroyed," but  they  saw  nothing  of  the  foe  they  were 
sent  to  capture. 

The  march  of  the  27th  of  June  was  from  the  camp 


'  A1tlioti{;h  Wasliington 


cuiitributed  its  share  < 
Brnddocli  was  Imlting  a 
resistance  and  attncli  i 


at  the  Great  Rock  (called  by  Orme  "  Rock  Fort")  to 
Gist's  plantation,  about  six  miles,  over  an  extremely 
rough  and  mountainous  road.  At  Gist's  they  found 
Lieut. -Col.  Burton  and  Sir  John  Sinclair,  with  a  de- 
tachment of  about  four  hundred  men,  who  had  been 
sent  forward  to  cut  out  the  road  in  advance  of  the 
main  body. 

From  Fort  Cumberland  to  Gist's  plantation  the 
army  marched  over  the  road  opened  by  Washington 
in  the  previous  year,  but  beyond  Gist's  the  route  was 
a  new  one,  known  only  to  the  guides.^  On  the  28th 
of  June  the  column  moved  from  Gist's  to  the  Youghio- 
gheny, near  Stewart's  Crossings,  or,  as  Orme's  Jour- 
nal has  it,  "  the  troops  marched  about  five  miles  to  a 
camp  on  the  east  side  of  the  Yoxhio  Geni."  In  men- 
tioning it  as  the  east  side  the  captain  was  wholly  in 
error,  but  the  reason  why  he  made  such  a  mistake 
was  doubtless  that,  knowing  the  expeditionary  force 
t~>  be  moving  towards  an  objective  point  far  to  the 
westward  of  the  place  from  which  it  started,  it  seemed 
natural  that  it  should  cross  all  streams  from  their 
eastern  to  their  western  banks  ;  whereas,  in  making 
this  second  crossing  of  the  Youghiogheny,  exactly  the 
reverse  was  the  case,  because  Braddock  on  leaving 
Gist's  had  deflected  his  column  from  its  true  course, 
and  was  now  marching  in  a  direction  nearly  north- 
east. 

The  place  where  the  troops  encamped  was  a  short 
distance  below  the  present  borough  of  New  Haven, 
and  there,  for  some  cause  which  is  not  apparent, 
they  lay  all  day  on  the  29th.  On  the  30th  they 
crossed  the  river  to  its  right  bank  at  a  place  since 
known  as  Braddock's  Ford,''  very  near  the  later  resi- 
dence of  Col.  W^illiam  Crawford,  who  died  by  torture 
at  the  hands  of  the  Indians  in  1782,  as  narrated  in 
succeeding  pages. 

As  to  the  crossing  of  the  Youghiogheny  at  "  Brad- 
dock's Ford,"  Captain  Orme's  journal  says,  "  We 
crossed  the  main  body  of  the  Joxhio  Geni,  which 
was  about  two  hundred  yards  broad,  and  about  three 
feet  deep.  The  advanced  guard  passed  and  took  post 
on  the  other  side  till  our  artillery  and  baggage  got 
over,  which  was  followed  by  four  hundred  men,  who 
remained  on  the  east  [west]  side  till  all  the  baggage 


2  It  was  on  the  "Nemacolin 
point  ill  Westmoreland  Connty 


patli 


,"  which  from  Gist's  northward  t 
ilongtho  route  of  the  Catawba  trail 


of  the  Six  Nations. 

8  "  It  has  been  commonly  supposed,"  says  Mr.  Vrech,  "  that  a  division 
of  the  ai  my  took  place  here  in  the  march,  tlio  English  troops,  etc.,  here 
crossing  the  river  and  bearing  northward,  whilo  the  Virginia  or  coto 
forces  went  down  the  rivet  and  crossed  at  the  Broad  Ford;  thence  I 
ing  more  to  the  west,  crossing  Jacob's  Creek  at  Stouffer's  Mill,  the 
divisions  reuniting  atSewickley,  near  Painter's  Salt-Works.  There  may 
be  error  in  tliis  idea.  Orme's  Journal  has  nonoticeof  any  sncli  divis 
The  Broad  Ford  route  nuiy  be  that  which  was  traversed  by  the  detj 
nients  or  convoys  of  provisions,  etc.,  from  Dunbar's  division,  which  v 
from  time  to  time  sent  np  to  the  main  army  ;  one  of  whicli,  Orme  s 
came  up  at  Thickety  Kun,  a  branch  of  Sewickley,  on  the  6tli  of  J 
Another  detachment  of  one  hundred  men,  with  pack-horee  loads  of  Hour 
and  some  beeves,  according  to  ■Washington's  lettei-s,  left  the  camp  we»-1 
of  the  Great  Meadows  on  the  3d  of  July.  .  .  This  convoy  took  np  thi 
one  huiidrcd  beeves,  which  were  among  the  los  es  in  the  defeat." 


BRADDOCKS   EXPEDITION   IN   1755. 


43 


had  i)nssed.  We  were  obliged  to  encamp  about  a  mile 
on  tlie  west  [meaning  the  east]  side,  where  we  lialted 
R  day  to  cut  a  passage  over  a  mountain.  This  day's 
march  did  not  exceed  two  miles."  On  the  1st  of 
July  the  column  moved  on  about  five  miles  in  a 
north-northeast  direction,  but  could  advance  no  far- 
ther by  reason  of  a  great  swamp,  which  required  much 
work  to  make  it  passable."  In  reference  to  this  swamp, 
Veech  says,  "  It  can  be  no  other  than  that  fine-looking 
champaign  land  about  the  head-waters  of  Mounts' 
Creek  and  Jacob's  Creek,  north  and  east  of  the  old 
chain  bridge,  embracing  lands  formerly  of  Col.  Isaac 
Meason,  now  George  E.  Hogg  and  others." 

A  march  of  six  miles  on  the  2d  of  July  brought  the 
army  to  "Jacob's  Cabin,"  where  its  camp  was  made 
for  the  night.  On  the  3d,  "  the  swamp  being  repaired," 
says  the  journal,  "  we  marched  about  six  miles  to  tlie 
Salt  Lick  Creek.'  Sir  John  S'  Clair  proposed  to  the 
General  to  halt  at  this  Camp,  and  to  send  back  all 
our  horses  to  bring  up  Colonel  Dunbar's  detachment," 
which  was  then  encamped  at  Squaw's  Fort,  about 
three  miles  east  of  the  Great  Crossings  of  the  Youghio-  j 
gheny,  in  the  present  county  of  Somerset.  Upon  \ 
this  sugge-stion  of  Sir  John,  the  general  convened  a  ' 
council  of  war,  composed  of  Colonel  Sir  Peter  Hal- 
ket,  Lieutenant-Colonels  Gage  and  Burton,  Major 
Sparks,  and  Sir  John  Sinclair,  D.Q.G.  After  due 
consideration  of  the  proposition,  "  the  council  were 
unanimously  of  the  opinion  not  to  halt  there  for  Col- 
onel Dunbar,  but  to  proceed  the  next  morning." 

The   camp  on  Jacob's   Creek,  where  this   council 
of  war  was  held,  was  about  one  and  one-half  miles  ', 
below  Mount  Pleasant.     From  this  place  the  column 
marched   on   through   what    is    now    Westmoreland 
County  to  the  Great  Sewickley,  crossing  that  stream 
near  Painter's  Salt- Works;  thence  south  and  west  of  [ 
the  post-office  of  Madison  and  Jacksonville  to  the  I 
Brush  Fork  of  Turtle  Creek,  where  Braddock  halted  ! 
in  indecision,  as  the  crossing  of  that  stream  and  the 
passage  through  the  ravines  appeared  hazardous.   He 
finally  decided  to  abandon  the  route  orig'inally  pro- 
posed from  this  point  along  the  ridges  to  Fort   du 
Quesne,  and  accordingly,  turning  sharply  to  the  left, 
he  moved  towards  the  Monongahela,  encamping  on 
the  night  of  the  8th  of  July  about  two  miles  east  of  ' 
the  river,  below  the  mouths  of  the  Youghiogheny. 
It  was  at  this  camp  that  Washington  (although  not 
yet  fully  recovered  from  his  illness)  rejoined  the  army, 
having  left  Colonel   Dunbar's  force   near  the  Great 
Meadows,'  and  come  on  "in  a  covered  wagon,"  under 
protection  of  a  detachment  sent  on  to  guard  a  pack- 
^lorse  train   laden  with  provisions   for  the   advance 
bolumn. 

1  Now  knowD  as  Jacoli'd  Creek. 

*  "  It  Is  a  noticeable  fnct,"  aays  Veech,  "  that  Was^liington,  enfeehlerl 
•y  a  confjnming  fever,  was  so  invigorated  hy  the  sight  of  tlie  scene  of  jtis 
liscomfiture  tlio  previous  year  as  to  seize  tlie  opportunity  of  celebrating  , 
ti  first  anniversary  by  hastening  on  to  partake  in  an  achievement 
A'hich,  as  lie  fondly  hoped,  ivoiild  restore  to  his  king  and  country  nil 
:hat  had  been  lost  by  his  failure."  . 


On  the  morning  of  the  9th  of  July  the  troops  marcheil 
to  the  Monongahela  and  crossed  to  the  southwest 
shore,  moving  thence  on  the  left  bank  for  about  three 
miles;  then  recrossed  the  river  at  Fra/.ier's,  just  be- 
low the  mouth  of  Turtle  Creek.  The  crossing  was 
completed  at  about  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and 
when  the  column  reformed  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Monongahela,  it  was  within  three- fourths  of  a  mile  of 
the  i)lace  where  the  French  with  their  Indian  allies 
lay  hidden  along  the  slopes  of  the  forest  defile  which, 
ere  the  sun  went  down  on  that  memorable  day, 
was  to  be  reddened  by  the  blood  of  the  bravest,  and 
made  historic  for  all  time  as  "  Braddock's  field"  of 
disaster  and  defeat. 

The  bloody  battle  of  the  Monongahela  has  been  too 
often  described  to  require  repetition  here.  It  resulted 
in  the  utter  defeat  and  rout  of  the  English,  and  the 
headlong  flight  of  the  survivors  to  the  south  side  of 
the  river  at  the  point  where  they  had  crossed.  The 
force  which  entered  the  forest  defile  was  fourteen 
hundred  and  sixty  strong,'  including  oflicers  and  pri- 
vates. Of  this  force  four  hundred  and  fifty-six  were 
killed  and  four  hundred  and  twenty-one  wounded, 
making  a  total  of  eight  hundred  and  seventy -seven  ; 
while  only  five  hundred  and  eighty-three  escaped 
unhurt.  Of  eighty-nine  commissioned  oflicers,  sixty- 
three  were  killed  or  wounded,  including-  every  officer 
above  the  rank  of  captain  except  Colonel  Washington, 
(^f  the  captains,  ten  were  killed  and  five  wounded  ;  of 
the  lieutenants,  fifteen  killed  and  twenty-two  wounded. 
General  Braddock  had  four  horses  shot  under  him, 
and  while  mounting  the  fifth  received  the  wound 
which  proved  mortal.  Washington  had  two  horses 
shot  under  him.  Sir  Peter  Ilalket  (next  in  command 
to  Braddock)  was  killed  instantly.  Secretary  Shirley 
was  killed.  Colonel  Burton,  Sir  John  Sinclair,  and 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Gage  were  among  the  wounded, 
also  Brigade-Major  Halket,  Dr.  Hugh  Mercer,*  Major 
Sparks,  and  Captain  Orme.  Of  the  naval  officers 
present,  Lieutenant  Spendelow and  Midshipman  Tal- 
bot were  killed.  A  number  of  women  and  officers' 
servants  were  also  killed  and  scalped,  though  every 
wagoner  escaped.  One  hundred  beeves  were  captured 
by  the  enemy,  also  the  general's  papers  (orders,  in- 
structions, and  correspondence),  and  the  military 
chest,  containing  £2.5,000  in   money,  as  well  as  all 


Hied, 


■c  one.  lie  was  left  on  the  field  with  the  c 
nagei]  to  conceal  himself  behind  a  fallen 
iiti-ocilies  committed  by  the  savages  on  the  < 


wounded  men  and  on  the  dciiil.  His  phire 
covered  by  the  Indians,  who  soon  left  the  field.  When  darkness  camo 
on  Ire  crept  from  the  woods,  crossed  the  Jlonoiigahcla,  and  after  wnnilor- 
int;  in  the  woods  fur  ninny  days  wilh  his  wound  undri*6ed,  and  nearly 
faniiihed,  he  at  last  reached  F..rt  Cumberland  iu  safvty. 


1/       &^^ 


44 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUiNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Washington's  papers,  including  his  notes  referring  to 
the  Fort  Necessity  campaign  of  the  previous  year. 
Tlie  journal  of  Captain  Orme  alone  of  all  the  military 
papers  was  saved.  All  the  artillery,  ammunition, 
baggage,  and  stores  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  French 
and  Indians,  and  the  dead  and  badly  wounded  were 
left  on  the  field  to  be  scalped  and  tortured  by  the 
savages,  who,  however,  strangely  enough,  made  little 
show  of  pursuit. 

Braddock,  when  he  received  his  fatal  wound,  ex- 
pressed a  wish  to  be  left  to  die  on  the  field,  and  this 
wish  came  near  being  gratified.   Nearly  all  his  panic- 
stricken  followers  deserted  him,  but  his  aide-de-camp, 
Orme,   and   Capt.  Stewart,   of   the   Virginia    light- 
horse,  stood  faithfully  by  him,  and  at  the  imminent 
risk  of  their  own  lives  succeeded  in  bearing  him  from 
the  woods  and  across  the  river.     On  reaching  the 
south  side  of  the  Monongahela  the  general,  though  I 
suffering  intense  pain  from  his  wound,  gave  orders 
that  the  troops  should  be  rallied  and  a  stand  made 
at  that  place,  but  this  was  found  impossible.     A  few 
subordinate  officers  and  less  than  one  hundred  sol- 
diers were  all  who  remained  around  him.     Of  this  I 
Capt.  Orme's  journal  says,   "  We  intended  to  have  ! 
kept  possession  of  that  ground  till  we  could  have  i 
been   reinforced.     The  general   and   some  wounded  i 
officers  remained  there  about  an  hour,  till  most  of  1 
the  men  ran  off.     From  that  place  the  general  sent 
Mr.  Washington  to  Colonel  Dunbar  with  orders  to  , 
send  wagoners  for  the  wounded,  some  provisions  and 
hospital  stores,  to  be  escorted  by  the  two  youngest  i 
grenadier  companies,  to  meet  him  at  Gist's  planta- 
tion, or  nearer  if  possible.      It  was   found  imprac- 
ticable to  remain  here,  as  the  general  and  officers 
were  left  almost  alone;  we  therefore  retreated  in  the  | 
best  manner  we  were  able.     After  we  had  passed  the  j 
Monongahela  the  second  time,  we  were  joined  by 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Gage,  who  had  rallied  near  eighty  ] 
men.     We  marched  all  night  and  the  next  day,  and 
about  ten  o'clock  that  night  we  got  to  Gist's  planta- 


During  the  time  when  Gen.  Braddock  was  ad- 
vancing to  the  Monongahela,  Col.  Dunbar  was  toil- 
ing slowly  along  with  the  rear  division,  the  artillery, 
and  heavy  stores.  Leaving  the  Little  Crossings  soon 
alter  Braddock's  departure,  he  came  on  by  the  same 
route,  passing  the  ruins  of  Fort  Necessity  on  the  2d 
of  July,  and  a  few  days  later  reached  the  place  which 
has  borne  his  name  until  the  present  time,  and  where 
he  then  encamped  his  troops  and  trains.  This  his- 
toric spot,  known  to  this  day  as  "  Dunbar's  Camp," 
is  described  by  Veech  as  "  situated  southeast  of  the 
summit  of  Wolf  Hill,  one  of  the  highest  points  of 
Laurel  Hill  Jlountain,  and  about  three  thousand  feet 
above  the  ocean-level.  It  is  in  full  view  of  Union- 
town,  to  the  eastward,  about  six  miles  distant,  and  is 
visible  from  nearly  all  the  high  points  in  Fayette  and 
the  adjacent  parts  of  Greene  and  Washington  Coun- 


ties. The  camp  was  about  three  hundred  feet  below 
the  sunnnit,  and  at  about  half  a  mile  distance,  on  the 
southern  slope.  It  was  then  cleared  of  its  timber, 
but  is  since  much  overgrown  with  bushes  and  small 
trees.  It  is,  however,  easily  found  by  the  numerous 
diggings  in  search  of  relics  and  treasure  by  the  early 
settlers,  and  others  even  in  later  times.  Near  it  are 
two  fine  sand  springs,  below  which  a  dam  of  stones 
and  earth  two  or  three  feet  high  was  made  to  aft'ord 
an  abundant  supply  of  water."  This  camp'  was  the 
end  of  Dunbar's  outward  march,  for  he  there  received 
from  the  Monongahela  battle-field  the  fearful  tidings 
which  forbade  all  thoughts  of  a  farther  advance. 

It  was  to  this  camp  that  "  Mr.  Washington"  (as  he 
was  designated  by  Orme,  his  title  of  colonel  being 
then  only  honorary,  he  holding  no  military  rank 
under  Braddock)  was  ordered  from  the  Lower  Crossing 
of  the  Monongahela  to  proceed  with  all  possible  speed, 
and  with  peremptory  orders'-  to  Col.  Dunbar  to  send 
wagons  with  supplies  and  hospital  stores  without 
delay,  as  has  already  been  noticed.''  He  set  out  with 
two  private  soldiers  as  an  escort,  and  traveling  with- 
out halt  through  the  long  hours  of  the  dark  and  rainy 
night  which  succeeded  the  day  of  the  battle  (how  or 
where  he  crossed  the  Youghiogheny  is  not  recorded), 
came  early  in  the  morning  of  the  10th  to  the  camp 
of  Col.  Dunbar,  who,  as  it  appears,  was  greatly  de- 
moralized by  the  startling  intellinence  which  he 
brought.  At  about  the  middle  of  the  forenoon  sev- 
eral of  Braddock's  Pennsylvania  Dutch  wagoners 
(from  the  eastern  counties)  arrived  at  the  camp,  bring- 
ing the  dread  news  from  the  battle-field,  and  an- 
nouncing themselves  as  the  only  survivors  of  the 
bloody  fight  on  the  Monongahela.  Nearly  at  the 
same  time  arrived  Sir  John  Siuclar  and  another 
wounded  officer,  brought  iu  by  their  men  in  blankets. 

Dunbar's  camp  was  then  a  scene  of  the  wildest 
panic,  as  the  rattle  of  the  "  long  roll,"  beaten  by  his 
drummers,  reverberated  among  the  crags  of  the  Laurel 
Hill.     Each  one,  from  the  commander  to  the  lowest 


1  Col.  Baril,  who  visited  this  place  in  1759,  wheu  on  his  way  to  erect  a 
It  un  the  present  site  of  BrownBville,  suid  of  Dunbar's  camp  tlmt  it  . 
as  "the  \voi*st  chosen  piece  of  ground  fur  an  encanipnient  I  ever 

-  It  was  known  that  there  was  ill  feeling  on  the  part  of  Dunliar  to- 
avds  the  conunander-in-cliief,  anil  it  was  tlierefore  thought  necessary 


lof  liisciinimuMil.   "Tlioy  tnivelfj,"  s;ij  s  .In  I-.   \  ;     i    ,i, 

High  unfrequented  paths  to  avoid  the  Indians,   w         -i,i:   !,i;,_      n 

ise  dnriirs  tliedarknessof  thefii-stniglit  of  tliLii  .  }.r... iv- 

nsltr--- :t'i-l  ':-  t|".vii).  a  ..M  Cove  Run,  a  branch  ul  .^....i.  ^  l;tu.,  \uilii 

\  nfr'       1 '  I' inbar, they  mistook  the  uoiseof  theniovi-nici 

Pill.  I  11  I  !  .  ':  I  I  iiilians,  and  ran  with  theheedlossnessof  alaru 
\  Till,-  ,  .  ,  ii  ■!,  but  ouch  wended  his  way  cautiously  an 
I./,    w  :    III. iii  11,  upon  emorging  from  the  buslK 

I  til'  ;         '  I'     i!       I' I>  ahead,  his  long-lost  Indian,  wh 

;iN    I    :        ''     i  I     -  II  irrative  of  the  journey  of  Gist  an 

Irili.i'i  \^  I-    '  '  I  I     II.    M\    \  '  .    h  from  Henry  Seesou,  to  whom 


BUADDOCKS  KXPKDITION   IN    ITjj. 


45 


canip-ibllower,  believed  that  tlie  savages  and  the 
ecarcely  less  dreaded  French  were  near  at  hand  and 
would  soon  surround  the  camp. 

True  to  their  cowardly  instincts,  Dunbar's  wagoners 
and  pack-horse  drivers,  like  those  who  were  with  Brad- 
dock  on  the  Monongahela,  and  like  many  other3  of 
the  same  base  brood  on  a  hundred  later  battle-fields, 
•were  the  first  to  seek  safety  in  iliglit,  mounting  the 
best  horses  and  hurrying  away  with  all  speed  towards 
Fort  Cumberland/  leaving  their  places  on  the  wagons 
and  with  the  pack-horse  trains  to  be  filled  by  brave 
soldiers  from  the  ranks.  Their  base  example  infected 
the  numerous  camp-followers,  who,  as  well  as  many  of 
those  from  whom  better  things  might  have  been  ex- 
pected, tied  towards  the  Great  Crossings  of  the  You- 


'   \  r  V,-  .by?  nftrp  tluir  cownnlly  flight  from  D»nl>ar'<i  comi),  several 
i  M  i    -Mi  k.-n  wagoners  nppt'aml  at  Cailide,  Iiiiiiging  with 
v>  -  uf  tho  disiiBler  to  Bradilock'd  finny.    ThL'iTupori 
M   -\  by  tho  Governor  of  IVnnsylvaniu  at  that  plac*. 
I    I    MiiMris  taken  and  subscribed  liefuru  him  iiru  fuiind  in  the 
r.iiri-yl\.iii);i  Aivbivps.    Two  of  lUeso  dfpusitions  (similar  in  tenor  to 
all  the  otlurs)  aro  here  given,  viz.: 
Matihow  Lainl  being  dniy  sworn,  deposed  and  said, — 
"...  That  thid  examinant  continued  witli  Col.  Dunbar.    And  on 
the  tentli  of  tliis  instant  Iho  regiment  being  at  about  sovon  miles  be- 
yond a  place  called  tho  Great  Meadows  at  eleven  o'clock  of  that  day, 
Iheio  was  »  rumor  in  the  camp  that  there  was  bad  new^,  and  he  was 
K,.,ni  irr.rinformed  by  ^^gonors  and  pack-lmrse  drivers,  who  were  then 
1  lo  Col.  Dunbar's  camp,  but  had  gone  out  with  tho  advanced 
1  I  G<'n.  Braddock,  that  tho  general  with  tho  advanced  party 
.    iu>d  by  the  French  on  the  ninth   instant  about  five  mites 
11.111  r  -It  DuQuesue,  and  about  forty  mih-s  from  wliere  Col.  Dunbar 
then  wai,  at  which  engagement  the  wagoners  and  puck-horse  drivers 
said  tliey  were  present;  that  the  English  were  attacked  as  they  were 
guing  up  H  hill  hy  a  numerous  bu-ly   uf  Frc-iich  aii.l  Indiiins,  wliu  k^pt 
.«   '  ■  '  ;niu;il   fire  during  IhL*   wli   : ,  i^  i...  ..:    ^^  ■  ..  ii    ;,•!■;    m  .h 

I  i  r-.;  that  most  of  tho  In  >  ;  , 

■■1  .'■  ■  !!'  ly  taken;  that  Geu<MMl    r    .  :  :     '■,■-:.!  ■  .  —  r  i   ■ 

il.iiki  :,  I  iipt.  Ormc,  and  most  of  Ml"  "[ti'  i-  T,i  -..-■■.. i;iii;j.ujt  h;::',  i- 
saiili  Uv  saw  a  Wounded  officer  biunglit  lliruiii;li  tlio  tamp  on  a  bhect; 
that  about  noon  of  the  same  day  tliey  bent  to  arms  in  Col.  Dunbar's 

others  took  to  tlight  iu  spite  of  the  opposition  made  by  the  centrys,  who 
forced  some  to  return  but  many  got  away,  amongst  whom  was  tU'.s  ex- 

Futl'iwing  is  the  deposition  of  Jacob  Iluber: 

"This  fxaminant  saiih  that  he  was  iu  Col.  Dunbar's  camp  the  tenth 
of  July  instant,  and  w;(S  informed  that  two  officers  who  had  come  from 
Fort  Cuinbcilanil.and  hiiU  proceeded  early  in  tho  morning  with  a  party 

of  Imliatis  Im  j,,iii  (.;,>it.'r;tl  ltrii.ldi>i-k,  returned  to  tho  camp  in  about 
tt  1.     i    I.I     ir  r  rj|,  i  -  •     lit.  K,  I  I  t  iini.iur  spread  that  there  was  bad 

I  I  ,1    I    I  111     '        1,1  I  I,   I  I  ,-.  I,,  thegenenil  by  reason  of  the 

-IV    n,  1 -j    I,.    ,\ ,  h  -.  vi  !,,!  ^^  T_,  I,   1  ^  ^- )i  .  uerc  couie  Ittto  Col.  Dunbnv's  , 
camp  from  Gvii.  IJraddock's,  and  who  informed  this  examinant  that 
Gen.  Bniddock  with  his  advanced  party  of  fifteen  hundred  men  had  been 
attacked  on  the  ninth  instant  wiUiin  five  miles  of  Fort  Du  Quesne  by  a  ' 
great  many  French  and  Indians  who  surrounded  them  ;  that  the  action    I 
lasted  three  hours;  that  the  most  part  of  the  English  were  killed;  that 
Ctu.  Braddock  was  wounded  and  put  into  a  wagon,  and  afterwards 
killed  by  the  Indians;  that  Sir  Peter  Halket  and  Capt.  Orme  were  also  ■ 
killeil.    And  this  examinant  further  saitti  that  he  saw  some  soldiers  re- 
turn into  Col.  Dunbar's  camp,  who  he  wasinformed  had  been  of  General 
Bradduck's  advanced  parly,  some  of  whom  were  wounded, some  not ;  also   \ 
saw  two  officers  carried  ou  sheets,  one  of  whom  wtu  said  to  be  Sir  John 
St  Clair,  whom  the  examinant  was  informed  had  received  two  wounds  ;   ' 
that  about  noon  of  the  same  day  C^l.  Dunbar's  drums  beat  to  arms;   ' 
and  both  before  and  after  that  many  soldiei-s  and  wagoners  with  other 
attendants  upon  the  camp  took  to  flight,  and  amongst  others  this  exam- 
inant.    And  further  saitb  not.'' 


gliioglieny.aiul  it  w:is  willi  the  greatest  difficulty  tliiit 
Dunbar  ])reveiiteil  the  ilesertiou  aiul  fliglit  from  bc- 
coiuiiig  general. 

At  tea  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  the  same  day 
(Thursday,  July  lOlh),  Gen.  Braddock  reached  Gist's. 
From  the  place  where  he  fell  he  was  brought  away 
on  a  tumbril.  Afterwards  the  attempt  was  made  to 
move  him  on  horseback,  but  this  he  could  endure  only 
fur  a  short  time,  after  which  he  was  dismounted  and 
carried  all  the  remaining  distance  by  a  few  of  his 
men.  The  weary  journey  was  continued  with  scarcely 
a  halt  during  all  the  night  succeeding  the  battle  and 
all  the  following  day.  Through  all  the  sad  hours  of 
that  long  march  the  gallant  Captain  Orme  (himself 
suffering  from  a  painful  wound)  and  the  no  less  brave 
and  steadfast  Virginia  cavalry  captain,  Stewart,  were 
constantly  by  the  side  of  their  helpless  commander, 
never  leaving  him  a  moment. 

The  mortally  wounded  general  must  have  been  suf- 
fering intense  agony  of  mind  as  well  as  of  body,  but 
through  it  all,  like  the  brave  and  faithful  officer  that 
he  was,  he  never  forgot  that  there  were  other  maimed 
and  suffering  ones  who  sorely  needed  aid.  "  Despite 
the  intensity  of  his  agonies,"  says  Sargent,  "  Brad- 
dock still  persisted  in  the  exercise  of  his  authority 
and  the  fulfillment  of  liis  duties."  On  reaching 
Gist's  he  found  that  no  provisions,  stores,  nor  surgical 
aid  had  arrived  there  in  obedience  to  the  command 
sent  by  Washington  to  Col.  Dunbar,  and  thereupon  he 
sent  still  more  peremptory  orders  to  that  officer  to 
forward  them  instantly,  with  the  two  only  remain- 
ing companies  of  the  Forty-fourth  and  Forty-eighth 
Regiments,  to  assist  in  bringing  oft'  the  wounded. 
The  wagons  arrived  on  the  morning  of  Friday,  the 
Uth,  and  a  party  was  then  immediately  sent  back 
towards  the  Monongahela  to  rescue  such  of  the 
wounded  as  could  be  found,  and  with  a  supply  of 
provisions  to  be  left  along  the  road  for  the  benefit  of 
those  who  might  be  missed  and  come  up  afterwards. 
Of  the  movements  of  the  general  and  his  party  on 
that  day,  Capt.  Orme's  journal  has  the  following 
entry : 

"  Gist's  plantation. 

"July  11. — Some  wagons,  provisions,  and  hospital 
stores  arrived.  As  soon  as  the  wounded  were  dressed, 
and  the  men  had  refreshed  themselves,  we  retreated 
to  Col.  Dunbar's  camp,  which  was  near  Rock  Fort. 
The  general  sent  a  sergeant's  party  back  with  provis- 
ions to  be  left  on  the  road,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Yo-vhio  Geni,  for  the  refreshment  of  any  men  who 
might  have  lost  their  way  in  the  woods.  Upon  our 
arrival  at  Colonel  Dunbar's  camp  we  found  it  in  the 
greatest  confusion.  Some  of  his  men  had  gone  off 
upon  hearing  of  our  defeat,  and  the  rest  seemed  to 
have  forgot  all  discipline.  Several  of  our  detach- 
ments had  not  stopped  till  they  had  reached  the 
camp.  It  was  found  necessary  to  clear  some  of  the 
wagons  for  the  wounded,  many  of  whom  were  in  a 
desperate  situation  ;  and  as  it  was  impossible  to  re- 


4G 


HISTORY  OP  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


move  the  stores,  thehowitzer  shells,  some  twelve-pound 
shot,  powder,  and  provisions  were  destroyed  or  buried." 

The  terror  and  consternation  at  Dunbar's  camp 
had  been  constantly  on  the  increase  from  the  time 
wlien  the  first  of  the  frightened  wagoners  had  gal- 
loped in  with  the  alarming  news  on  the  morning  of 
the  10th.  Through  all  that  day  and  the  following 
night  terrified  fugitives  from  the  field,  many  of  them 
wounded,  were  continually  pouring  in,  each  telling  a 
fearful  tale  of  rout  and  massacre,  and  all  uniting  in 
the  assertion  that  the  French  and  savages  in  over- 
whelming  force  were  following  close  in  the  rear. 
This  latter  statement  was  wholly  false,  for  the  enemy 
liad  made  no  attempt  at  pursuit  from  the  shores  of 
the  Monongahela;  but  the  tale  was  believed,  and  its 
effect  was  an  uncontrollable  panic  at  the  camp. 

On  the  arrival  of  Capt.  Stewart  with  his  escort, 
bearing  the  wounded  general,  a  decision  was  at  once 
arrived  at  to  retreat  without  delay  to  Fort  Cumber- 
land, destroying  everything  which  could  not  be  car- 
ried. It  was  a  strange  proceeding,  and  one  which 
must  now  appear  cowardly,  for  an  army  of  fully  a 
thousand  men,  many  of  them  veteran  soldiers,  with 
sufficient  artillery  and  an  abundance  of  ammunition, 
to  abandon  a  mountain  position  which  might  soon 
and  easily  have  been  rendered  impregnable,  and  to 
tly  before  the  imaginary  pursuit  by  an  enemy  which 
was  greatly  inferior  in  numbers,  and  bad  already  re- 
tired in  the  opposite  direction.  But  if  the  retreat  was 
to  be  made,  then  it  wiis  necessary  to  destroy  nearly 
everything  except  a  meagre  supply  of  provisions,  for 
tliere  was  barely  tran.sportation  enough  for  the  sick 
and  wounded,  who  numbered  more  than  three  hun- 
dred. There  were  more  than  enough  wagons  to  carry 
everything,  but  the  number  of  horses  was  small,  many 
of  the  best  having  been  ridden  away  by  the  frightened 
wagoners  and  other  fugitives,  and  most  of  those  sent 
forward  with  the  trains  of  the  advance  column  having 
been  captured  by  the  enemy  on  the  day  of  the  battle. 

Tlie  work  of  destruction  and  preparation  for  retreat 
were  commenced  immediately,  and  completed  on  the 
12th.  The  howitzers  and  every  other  artillery  piece 
except  two  were  bursted,  as  were  also  a  great  part  of 
the  shell.  Some  of  the  shells  and  nearly  all  the  solid 
shot  were  buried.  A  great  number  of  wagons  (having 
no  horses  to  draw  them)  were  burned.  Only  a  small 
part  of  the  provisions  was  saved  for  the  march,  most 
n{  them  being  destroyed  by  burning,  or  thrown  into 
the  little  pond  of  water  that  had  been  formed  by  dam- 
ming the  spring  a  short  distance  below  the  camp. 
The  powder-casks  were  opened,  and  their  contents- 
stated  at  fifty  thousand  pounds  of  powder — thrown 
into  the  pool.'     Of  all  the  immense  quantity  of  ma- 


1  "  Old  Henry  Beeson,  the  proprietor  of  Uniontown,  used  to  relate  tliat 
vlien  lie  Jirst  visited  these  locjilities.  in  1767,  there  were  some  six  inches 
if  black  nitrons  matter  visihle  all  over  this  spring  basiu."— Fcec;!. 

Tlie  inference  was  that  the  "nitrous  matter"  referred  to  came  from 
he  great  quantity  of  powder  thrown  into  the  water  by  Col.  Dunbar's 
urn,  which  may  have  Icon  the  fact. 


terial  and  stores  which  had  with  such  great  expense 
and  labor  been  transported  across  the  Alleghenies, 
and  to  the  top  of  Laurel  Hill,  there  was  only  saved 
the  least  amount  that  could  possibly  meet  the  neces- 
sities of  the  retreat  to  Cumberland. 

It  has  been  generally  believed  that  the  artillery 
pieces  were  not  bursted,  but  buried  at  Dunbar's  camp, 
as  well  as  a  great  deal  of  other  property.  Stories 
were  told,  too,  that  a  large  amount  oi  money  was  buried 
there  by  Dunbar  on  the  eve  of  his  retreat;  and  in 
later  years  numerous  diggings  were  made  there  in  the 
hope  of  finding  the  treasure.  Of  course  all  such  at- 
tempts have  proved  as  fruitless  as  they  were  foolish. 
As  to  the  statement  concerning  the  burial  of  the  can- 
non, it  was  indorsed  by  and  perhaps  originated  with 
Col.  Burd;-  but  it  was  disproved  by  a  letter  dated 
Aug.  21,  1755,  addressed  to  Governor  Shirley  by  Col. 
Dunbar,  and  indorsed  by  his  officers,  in  which  they 
said,  "  We  must  beg  leave  to  undeceive  you  in  what 
you  are  pleased  to  mention  of  guns  being  buried  at 
the  time  Gen.  Braddoek  ordered  the  stores  to  be  de- 
stroyed, for  there  was  not  a  gun  of  any  kind  buried.'' 

The  question,  who  was  responsible  for  the  disgrace- 
ful retreat  from  Dunbar's  camp,  and  the  destruction 
of  the  stores  and  war  material  at  that  place,  has  gen- 
erally received  an  answer  laying  the  blame  on  Dun- 
bar himself;  and  this  appears  to  be  just,  though  in 
his  letter,  above  quoted,  he  mentions  the  order  for  the 
destruction  as  having  been  given  by  Braddoek.  It  is 
true  that  the  orders  were  still  issued  in  his  name,  but 
the  hand  of  death  was  already  upon  him,  and  he  was 
irresponsible.  The  command  really  lay  with  Col. 
Dunbar,  had  he  been  disposed  to  take  it,  as  he  un- 
doubtedly would  readily  have  done  had  it  not  hap- 
pened that  the  so-called  orders  of  Braddoek  were  in 
this  instance  (and  for  the  first  time  in  all  the  cam- 
paign) in  accordance  with  his  wishes. 

In  regard  to  the  issuance  of  these  orders  by  the 
dying  commander,  and  Dunbar's  very  ready  and 
willing  obedience  to  them,  Sargent — who,  however, 
almost  contradicts  himself  in  the  first  and  last  parts 
of  the  extract  given  below — says,  "  Braddock's 
strength  was  now  fast  ebbing  away.  Informed  of  the 
disorganized  condition  of  the  remaining  troops,  he 
abandoned  all  hope  of  a  prosperous  termination  to  the 
expedition.  He  saw  that  not  only  death  but  utter 
defeat  was  inevitable.  But,  conscious  of  the  odium 
the  latter  event  would  excite,  he  nobly  resolved  that 
the  sole  responsibility  of  the  measure  should  rest  with 
himself,  and  consulted  with  no  one  upon  the  .steps  he 
pursued.  He  merely  issued  his  orders,  and  insisted 
that  they  were  obeyed.     Thus,  after  destroying  the 


=  On  the  lltli  of  September,  1759,  Col.  Burd  visited  Dunbar's  cam] 
and  concerning  this  visit  his  journal  says,  "  From  here  we  marched  I 
Dunbar's  camp.  .  .  .  Here  we  saw  vast  .inantities  of  cannon-ball,  mm 


BRADDOCKS   EXPEDITION   IN    1755. 


47 


stores  to  prevent  their  fiilliiig  into  the  Imnds  of  the 
enemy  (of  whose  jnirsuit  he  did  not  doubt),  the  march 
was  to  be  resumed  on  Saturday,  the  12th  of  July,  to- 
wards Wills'  Creek.  Ill  judged  as  these  orders  were, 
they  met  with  too  ready  acquiescence  at  tlie  hands  of 
Dunbar,  whose  advice  was  neither  asked  nor  tendered 
on  the  occasion.  .  .  .  For  this  service — the  only  in- 
stance of  alacrity  that  he  displayed  in  the  cam|)aign — 
Dunbar  must  not  be  forgiven.  It  is  not  perjevllij  clear 
that  Braildock  intelligentlij  ever  (/are  the  orders,  but  in 
any  case  they  were  not  fit  for  a  British  officer  to  give 
or  to  obey.  Dunbar's  duty  was  to  have  maintained 
here  his  position,  or  at  least  not  have  contemplated 
falling  back  beyond  Wills'  Creek.  That  lie  had  not 
horses  to  remove  his  stores  was,  however,  his  aftcr- 
cxcusc." 

The  destruction  of  the  guns,  aiiiiiiiiiiitidn,  and 
stores  was  finished  at  Dunbar's  camp  on  the  ll'lh  of 
July,  and  on  the  morning  of  Sunday,  the  13th,  the 
retreating  troops,  composed  of  Dunbar's  command 
and  the  remnant  of  the  force  that  fought  on  the 
Monongahela,  moved  away  on  the  road  to  the  Great 
Crossings  of  the  Youghiogheny.  They  took  with 
theni  the  only  artillery  pieces  that  were  left  (two  six- 
lHiun<lers),  a  small  quantity  of  provisions  and  lios- 
pital  stores,  and  the  remaining  wagons,  nearly  all  of 
which  were  laden  with  the  sick  and  wounded.  The 
commander-in-chief,  now  rapidly  approaching  his 
end,  was  borne  along  with  the  column.  The  entry 
for  this  day  in  Capt.  Orme's  journal  re.ads:  "July 
18lh. — We  marched  hence  to  the  camp  near  the  Great 
Meadows,  where  the  general  died." 

The  place  where  Dunbar's  troops  bivouacked  after 
this  day's  march  was   known   as   the  Old  Orchard  i 
Camp,  about  two  miles  west  of  Fort  Necessity,  and  ' 
there,  at  eight  o'clock  on  that  midsummer  Sunday 
night,  General  Braddock  breathed  his  last.     He  had 
spoken  very  little  after  the  time  when  he  was  brought 
from  the  fatal  field.     It  is  related  that  on  the  first  [ 
night  he  repeated,  as  if  soliloquizing,  "Who  would 
have  thought  it  I  who  would  have  thought  it!"  and 
after  that  wjis  silent'  until  the  fourth  day,  when  he 
said  to  Capt.  Orme,  "  We  shall  better  know  how  to 
deal  with  them  another  time."     He  spoke  no  more,  | 
and  soon  after  expired,  Captain  Stewart,  of  the  light-  i 
horse,  having  never  left  him   from  the  time  he  re-  ! 
ceived  his  wound  until  after  his  death.     Washington 
and  Orme  were  also  with  him  at  the  last  moment,  and 
it  is  said  (by  Sargent)  that  shortly  before  his  death 
the  general  bequeathed  to  Washington-  his  favorite  1 

'  Tills  conflicts  strongly  with  Sargent's  statement  that  at  Dunbar's 
CHmp  lie  "  issiicil  his  orders  and  insisted  that  they  were  obeyed."  | 

-  Notwithstanding  the  Diany  absurd  accounts  which  have  been  given   | 
of  the  disagreements  which  occurred  between  Braddock  and  Washing-  i 
ton,  and  of  the  iusoleiit  and  contemptuous  mauucr  in  which  the  latter  { 
vas  ti  eated  by  his  chief,  all  evidence  that  is  found  tends  to  show  that   | 
there  existed  between  the  two  a  friendship  such  as  is  very  rarely  known 
hb  between  a  commanding  general  and  a  mere  youth  serving  under 
him  without  military  rank,  for  in  this  campaign  Washington  held  none, 
and  was  consequently  never  aduiitteJ  to  Braddock's  councils  of  war. 
He  was  l-y  the  Diiti^h  otBccrs  below  Braddock  contemptuously  styled 


charger  and  his  body-servant,  Bisho]>,  so  well  known 
in  after-years  as  the  faithful  attendant  of  the  [latridt 
chief. 

On  the  morning  of  the  14th  of  July  the  dead  gen- 
eral was  buried  at  the  camp  where  he  died,  and  the 
artillery  pieces,  tlie  wagon-train,  and  the  soldiers, 
moving  out  to  take  the  road  to  Wills'  Creek,  jiassed 
over  the  spot,  to  obliterate  all  traces  of  the  new  grave, 
and  thus  to  save  it  from  desecration  by  the  savages, 
who  were  expected  soon  to  follow  in  pursuit.  The 
wagons  containing  the  sick  and  wounded  took  the 
lead,  then  came  the  others  with  the  hospital  stores 
and  the  meagre  stock  of  provisions,  then  the  advance 
of  the  infantry  column,  then  the  ammunition  and 
guns,  and  finally  the  two  veteran  companies  of  the 
Forty-fourth  and  Forty-eighth  British  regular  regi- 
ments, with  Stewart's  Virginia  light-horse  as  a  guard 
to  the  rear  and  flanks.  In  the  evening  of  the  same 
day  the  Youghiogheny  River  was  cro.sscd  by  the  last 
men  of  the  force,  and  the  rear-guard  bivouacked  for 
the  night  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  stream. 

It  seems  that  the  progress  made  on  the  retreat  wjis 
very  rapid,  for,  although  Braddock's  road  was  rough 
and  in  many  places  barely  passable,  the  head  of  the 
wagon-train  bearing  the  wounded  and  sick  arrived  at 
Cumberland  on  the  17th,  and  three  days  later  the  last 
of  Dunbar's  soldiers  reached  the  fort  and  lighted 
their  bivouac  fires  within  the  range  of  its  guns. 

The  expedition  of  Braddock,  from  which  such 
brilliant  results  had  been  expected,  had  proved  a 
dismal  and  bloody  failure.  The  objective  point  (Fort 
du  Qucsne)  was  still  held  by  the  French,  who,  with 
their  Indian  allies,  soon  extended  their  domination 
over  the  country  lying  to  the  southeast.  Gaining 
courage  from  their  victory,  they  came  to  Dunbar's 
camp  a  week  or  two  after  his  forces  had  left  it,  and 
there  completed  the  little  work  of  destruction  which 
he  had  left  undone.     Within  two  months  they  had 


"Mr. 'Washington,"  for  they  disliked  him,  principally  because  of  the 
cousidernlion  shown  him  by  Braddock,  and  partly  because  he  was 
merely  a  "Virginio  bucksUin,"  which  latter  fact  made  Braddock's 
friendship  for  liim  alt  the  more  galling  to  them.  In  later  years  Presi- 
dent Wnshington,  in  speaking  to  the  Hon.  William  Fiuley  (see  Xikf' 
Ite'jUlcr,  xiv.,  p.  170)  of  Braddock.  said,  "Ho  was  unfortunate,  but  his 
chavarter  was  much  loo  severely  treated.  He  was  one  of  the  honestest 
and  best  men  of  the  British  officera  with  whom  I  was  acquainted ;  even 
ill  the  manner  of  fighting  he  Wits  not  nirjre  to  blame  than  others,  for  of 
all  that  were  consulted  ojily  .n.  i  t^  u  •  |.  i-  I  t..  it.  .  .  .  Braddock 
was  both  my  general  and  my  |ili\   ,.  i  1,1,      i::,.lii,_   ni  the  latter  remark 


>tliet 


r  the  Lit 


Meadows  on  tbpoutwiird  niarrli,  ^.n    v  Iji,  i :(-i  .ii  Braddock  gave  his 

personal  attention  to  the  case,  leaving  Washington  with  a  sergeant  to 
take  care  of  him,  with  medicine  and  directions  (given  by  himself)  of 
how  to  take  it,  also  with  instructions  to  come  on  and  rejoin  him  (the 
general)  whenever  he  should  find  himself  able  to  do  so. 

As  to  the  accounts,  with  which  all  are  familiiir,  of  Washington  as- 
suming command  after  the  fall  of  Braddock,  and  saving  the  remnant  of 
the  force  from  destruction,  its  utter  absurdity  is  made  apparent  by  the 
extracts  which  have  been  given  from  Capt.  Orme's  journal.  Wushingtoii 
exercised  no  command  on  that  campaign,  and  the  only  circumstance 
which  can  give  any  color  to  the  story  is  that  some  of  the  Virginian.'*, 
knowing  him  as  an  officer  in  the  militia  of  that  colony,  were  disjiosed  in 
the  contusiou  of  the  battle  to  follow  him  in  preference  to  tli<  Ihilish 
officers,  who  desidscd  their  method  of  backwoods  fighting. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


advanced  eastward  to  the  Alleghenies  and  made  in- 
cursions beyond  tliat  range.  There  was  not  left  west 
of  the  mountains  in  this  region  a  single  settler  or 
trader  other  than  those  who  were  favorable  to  the 
French  and  their  interests.  And  this  state  of  things 
continued  in  the  country  west  of  the  Alleghenies  for 
more  than  three  years  from  the  time  of  Braddock's 
defeat  on  the  Monongahela. 

The  precise  spot  where  Gen.  Braddock  was  buried 
lias  never  been  certainly  known.  Col.  Burd,  who 
visited  it  in  1759,  when  on  his  way  to  erect  Fort  Burd, 
on  the  Monongahela,  said  it  was  about  two  miles 
from  Fort  Necessity,  and  "  about  twenty  yards  from 
a  little  hollow,  in  which  there  was  a  small  stream  of 
w.'xter,  and  over  it  a  bridge."  Gen.  Washington  said 
that  it  had  been  his  purpose  to  return  to  the  spot  and 
erect  a  monument  to  his  memory,  but  that  he  had  no 
opportunity  to  do  so  until  after  the  Revolution,  and 
then,  after  the  most  diligent  search,  he  found  it  im- 
possible to  recognize  the  spot  where  the  general  was 
buried  on  account  of  the  change  in  the  road  and  the 
extension  of  the  clearing. 

In  1812  a  party  of  men  who  were  engaged  in  pre- 
paring the  road  under  direction  of  Abraham  Stewart 
I  father  of  the  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart),  dug  out,  near 
the  bank  of  the  small  stream  known  as  Braddock's 
Hun,  the  bones  of  a  human  skeleton,  and  with  them 
some  military  trappings ;  from  which  latter  circum- 
stance the  bones  were  supposed  to  be  those  of  Brad- 
dock, — and  it  is  not  improbable  that  they  were  so, 
though  there  is  no  proof  that  such  was  the  case. 
Some  of  the  larger  bones  were  taken  away  by  the 
people  of  the  vicinity  as  relics,  but  these  were  after- 
Avards  collected  by  Mr.  Stewart,^  and  they  as  well  as 
the  others  were  reinterred  about  1820,  at  the  spot 
which  has  since  been  known  as  "  Braddock's  Grave," 
and  which  was  so  marked  by  the  words  cut  or  painted 
cm  a  board  which  was  nailed  to  a  tree  over  the  place 
of  reinterment.  This  tree  has  since  been  cut  down, 
the  grave  inclosed,  and  evergreen  trees  planted  over 
it.  The  spot  is  in  Wharton  township,  a  few  rods 
north  of  the  National  road,  southe.ist  of  the  Chalk 
Hill  hotel,  and  northwest  of  Fort  Necessity. 

For  nearly  a  century  it  has  been  believed  by  many 
that  the  shot  which  took  the  life  of  Gen.  Braddock 
was  fired  by  one  Thomas  Fossit,  who  afterwards  be- 
came a  resident  in  Fayette  County.  This  Fossit,  it 
appears,  always  wished  to  have  people  believe  that  it 
was  a  bullet  from  his  gun  that  gave  the  mortal  wound 
to  the  brave  Braddock  ;  and  many — perhaps  a  ma- 
jority— of  the  people  of  this  section  of  country  did 
for  many  years  believe  that  such  was  the  case.  The 
writer  of  this  believes  that  Fossit's  story  (whether  by 
this  is  meant  that  which  he  implied  by  significant 

1  It  has  lieen  sni.l  in  » 


silence,  or  that  which  he  at  other  times  triumphantly 
asserted)  is  false.  He  believes  this  case  to  be  similar 
to  several  of  which  he  had  personal  knowledge  in  the 
late  civil  war,  where  private  soldiers  (always  of  the 
worthless  class),  bearing  ill  will  against  officers  who 
had  administered  deserved  punishment  to  them,  made 
mysterious  muttered  threats  of  biding  their  time  till 
the  next  engagement;  and  after  the  objects  of  their 
hatred  had  fallen  in  the  front  of  battle,  could  not  re- 
frain from  expressing  satisfaction,  and  in  a  boasting 
way  saying  enough  to  have  hanged  them,  if  it  had  not 
been  susceptible  of  proof  that  they  themselves  were, 
during  the  battle,  skulking  so  far  in  the  rear  of  the 
line  of  fire  that  they  could  not  have  reached  their  pre- 
tended victim  with  any  weapon  of  less  calibre  than  a 
ten-pounder  Parrott  gun.  This,  however,  is  but  a  mere 
opinion,  and  therefore  entitled  to  no  weight  on  the 
page  of  history.  Opposed  to  it — as  has  already  been 
said — are  the  opinions  of  a  large  proportion  of  the 
people  who  have  lived  in  Fayette  County  during  the 
past  ninety-eight  years.  Under  these  circumstances 
the  only  course  which  can  properly  be  pursued  by 
the  historian  is  to  give,  without  comment,  the  several 
principal  statements  which  have  been  made  in  the 
case.     One  of  these  ^  is  as  follows : 

"  There  has  long  existed  a  tradition  in  this  region 
that  Braddock  was  killed  by  one  of  his  own  men,  and 
more  recent  developments  leave  little  or  no  doubt  of 
the  fact.  A  recent  [1843]  writer  in  the  A'ai(o;ia/  Iiitd- 
Ugencer,  w^hose  authority  is  good  on  such  points,  says, 
'  When  my  father  was  removing  with  his  family  to 
the  West,  one  of  the  Fausetts  kept  a  public-house  to 
the  eastward  from  and  near  where  Uniontown  now 
stands  as  the  county-seat  of  Fayette  County,  Pa.  This 
man's  house  we  lodged  in  about  the  10th  of  October, 
1781,  twenty-six  years  and  a  few  months  after  Brad- 
dock's defeat;  and  there  it  was  made  anything  but  a 
secret  that  one  of  the  family  dealt  the  death-blow  to 
the  British  general.  Thirteen  years  afterwards  I 
Thomas  Fausett  in  Fayette  County,  then,  as  he  fold 
me,  in  bis  seventieth  year.  To  him  I  put  the  plain 
question,  and  received  the  plain  reply,  "  I  did  shoot 
him !"  He  then  went  on  to  insist  that  by  doing  so 
he  contributed  to  save  what  was  left  of  the  army.  In 
brief,  in  my  youth  I  never  heard  the  fact  doubted  or 
blamed  that  Fausett  shot  Braddock.' 

"  The  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart,  of  Uniontown,  says 
he  knew  and  often  conversed  with  Tom  Fausett,  \ 
did  not  hesitate  to  avow,  in  the  presence  of  his  friends, 
that  he  shot  General  Braddock.  Fausett  was  a  mar 
of  gigantic  frame,  of  uncivilized,  half-savage  propensi- 
ties, and  spent  most  of  his  life  among  the  mountains 
as  a  hermit,  living  on  the  game  which  he  killed.  He 
would  occasionally  come  into  town  and  get  drunk. 
Sometimes  he  would  repel  inquiries  into  the  affair  of 
Braddock's  death  by  putting  his  fingers  to  his  lips 


•  Historical  Sketches  of  the  Slate  of 


CAPTURE  OF  rORT  DU  QUESNE. 


49 


1111(1  uttering  a  sort  of  buzzing  sound  ;  at  otiiers  lie 
would  liurst  into  tears,  and  appear  greatly  agitated  by 
conllifting  passions. 

"  In  spite  of  Braddock's  silly  order  that  the  troops 
should  not  protect  themselves  behind  trees,  Joseph 
Fausett  had  taken  such  a  position,  when  Uraddock 
rode  up  in  a  passion  and  struck  him  down  with  his 
swiinl.  Toni  Fausett,  who  was  but  a  short  distance 
from  his  brother,  saw  the  whole  transaction,  and  im- 
mediately drew  up  his  rifle  and  shot  Braddock  through 
the  lungs,  partly  in  revenge  for  the  outrage  upon  his 
brother,  and  partly,  as  he  always  alleged,  to  get  the 
general  out  of  the  way,  and  thus  save  the  remainder 
of  the  gallant  band,  who  had  been  sacrificed  to  his 
obstinacy  and  want  of  experience  in  frontier  warfare." 

But  among  all  the  authorities  on  the  subject,  prob- 
ably the  one  which  is  entitled  to  the  most  considera- 
tion is  that  of  Veech's  "  Monongahela  of  Old,"  in 
wliifli  occurs  the  following  in  reference  to  the  killing 
of  Braddock  : 

"For  at  least  three-quarters  of  a  century  the  cur- 
rent-belief has  been  that  he  was  shot  by  one  Thomas 
Fossit,  an  old  resident  of  Fayette  County.  The  story 
is  therefore  entitled  to  our  notice.  Mr.  Sargent,  in 
his  interesting  '  History  of  Braddock's  Campaign,' 
devotes  several  pages  to  a  collation  of  evidence  upon 
the  question,  and  arrives  very  logically  from  the  evi- 
dence at  the  conclusion  that  the  story  is  false;  got  up 
by  Fossit  and  others  to  hcroize  him  at  a  time  when 
it  was  popular  to  have  killed  a  Britisher.  .  .  . 

"  I'  knew  Thomas  Fossit  well.  He  was  a  tall,  ath- 
letic man,  indicating  by  his  physiognomy  and  de- 
meanor a  susceptibility  of  impetuous  rage  and  a 
disregard  of  moral  restraints.  He  was,  moreover, 
in  his  later  years  somewhat  intemperate.  When  Fa- 
yette County  was  erected  in  1783  he  was  found  living 
on  the  top  of  Laurel  Hill,  at  the  junction  of  Brad- 
dock's and  Dunlap's  roads,  near  Washington's  Spring, 
claiming  to  have  there  by  settlement  a  hundred  acres 
of  land,  which  by  deed  dated  in  April,  1788,  he  con- 
veyed to  one  Isaac  Phillips.  For  many  years  he 
kept  a  kind  of  tavern  or  resting-place  for  emigrants 
and  pack-horsemen,  and  afterwards  for  teamsters,  at 
the  place  long  known  as  Slack's,  later  Robert  Mc- 
Dowell's. His  mental  abilities  by  no  means  equaled 
his  bodily  powers;  and,  like  a  true  man  of  the  woods, 
he  often  wearied  the  traveler  with  tales  about  bears, 
deer,  and  rattlesnakes,  lead-mines  and  Indians.  I 
had  many  conversations  with  him  about  his  adven- 
tures. He  said  he  saw  Braddock  fall,  knew  who  shot 
him,  knew  all  about  it ;  but  would  never  acknowl- 
edge to  me  that  he  aimed  the  deadly  shot.  To  others, 
it  is  said,  he  did,  and  boasted  of  it.  .  .  .  The  last 
time  I  saw  him  was  in  October,  1816.  He  was  then 
a  pauper  at  Thomas  Mitchell's,  in  Wharton  township. 
He  said  he  was  then  one  hundred  and  four  years  old, 
and  perhaps  he  was.    He  was  gathering  in  his  to- 


bacco. I  stayed  at  Mitchell's  two  days,  and  Fossit 
and  I  had  much  talk  about  old  times,  the  battle,  and 
the  route  the  army  traveled.  He  stated  the  facts 
generally  as  he  had  dt)ne  before.  He  insisted  that 
the  bones  found  by  Abraham  Stewart,  Esq.,  were  not 
the  bones  of  Braddock,  but  of  a  Colonel  Jones ;  that 
Braddock  and  Sir  Feter  Halkct  were  both  buried 
in  one  grave  In  the  camp,  and  that  if  he  could  walk  to 
the  jilaco  he  thought  he  could  point  it  out  so  exactly 
— near  a  forked  apple-tree — that  by  digging  the  bones 
could  yet  be  found.  There  arc  parts  of  this  story 
wholly  irreconcilable  with  well-ascertained  facts. 
There  was  no  Col.  Jones  in  Braddock's  army.  Sir 
Peter  Ilalket  and  his  son.  Lieutenant  Halkct,  were 
killed  and  left  on  the  field  of  battle.  Braddock  did 
not  die  at  Dunbar's  camp,  but  at  the  first  camp  east- 
ward of  it,  and  it  is  nowhere  said  that  Braddock  was 
buried  in  the  camp.  .  .  . 

"Nevertheless  the  foct  may  be  that  Fossit  shot  him. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  facts  of  the  case  as  they  oc- 
curred on  the  ground  to  contradict  it ;  nay,  they  rather 
corroborate  it.  Braddock  was  shot  on  the  battle-field 
by  somebody.  Fossit  was  a  provincial  private  in  the 
action.  There  was  generally  a  bad  state  of  feeling 
between  the  general  and  the  provincial  recruits,  owing 
chiefly  to  his  obstinate  opposition  to  tree-fighting, 
and  to  his  infuriate  resistance  to  the  determined  in- 
clination of  the  backwoodsmen  to  fight  in  that  way, 
to  which  they  were  countenanced  by  the  opinion  of 
Washington  and  Sir  Peter  Halket.  Another  fact  is 
that  much  of  the  havoc  ofthe  English  troops  was  caused 
by  the  firing  of  their  own  men  wherever  they  saw  a 
smoke.  But  Braddock  raised  no  smoke,  and  when  he 
was  shot  a  retreat  had  been  sounded.  If,  therefore, 
Fossit  did  shoot  him  he  must  have  done  it  purposely. 
And  it  is  said  he  did  so  in  revenge  for  the  killing  of  a 
brother  for  persisting  in  firing  from  behind  a  tree. 
This  is  sustained  by  the  fact  that  Tom  had  a  brother 
Joseph  in  the  action  who  was  killed.  All  these  cir- 
cumstances, with  many  others,  seem  to  sustain  the 
allegation.  Against  it  are  the  inconsistencies  and 
falsities  of  other  parts  of  the  testimony  of  the  wit- 
nesses adduced,  and  even  of  Fossit's  own  narrations." 

Fossit  died  in  1818,  a  pauper  in  the  township  of 
Wharton.  He  was  at  the  time  of  his  death  about  one 
hundred  and  six  years  old,  according  to  his  own 
statement. 


'Mi.iK.ngnlulaofOld.' 


CHAPTER    VIL 

CAPTURE   OF    FORT    DU    QUE.^XE— ERECTION'   OF 
FORT    BURD. 

FliOM  July,  17or>,  when  the  French  succeeded  in 
expelling  the  English  forces  from  the  region  of 
country  west  of  the  Alleghenies,  the  former  held  ali- 
solute  possession  of  that  territory  for  more  than  three 
vears,  as  has  alreadv  been  mentioned.   Xot  long  after 


HISTORY  OF- FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


tlieir  victory  on  the  Monongaliela  tliey  reduced  their 
force  at  Fort  du  Qiiesne,  sending  a  part  of  it  to  Ve- 
nango and  other  northern  posts,  and  their  Indian 
allies,  or  a  great  part  of  them,  scattered  and  returned 
to  their  homes,  being  in  a  state  of  discontent  and  in- 
cipient disaftection,  though  still  holding  to  their 
French  allegiance. 

At  Fort  du  Quesne  the  French  captain,  Contre- 
co'ur,  remained  in  command  till  the  early  part  of 
1757.  In  that  year,  and  not  long  after  Contrecceur's 
supersedure,  the  commandant  at  Fort  Cumberland 
sent  out  a  small  party  ( probably  the  fir.st  which  crossed 
the  mountains  from  the  east  after  Braddock's  defeat) 
to  penetrate  as  nearly  as  practicable  to  the  Forks  of 
the  Ohio,  and  reconnoitre  the  country  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  French  fort.'  It  was  composed  of  five  soldiers 
from  Fort  Cumberland  and  fifteen  Cherokee  Indians, 
all  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Baker.  They  ad- 
vanced to  a  point  on  the  head-waters  of  Turtle  Creek, 
about  twenty  miles  from  the  fort,  where  they  fell  in 
with  a  French  party  of  three  officers  and  seven  men. 
In  the  fight  which  followed  they  killed  five  of  the 
French  and  took  one  (anofiicer)  prisoner.  They  then 
made  their  way  back  through  what  is  now  Fayette  | 
County,  and  arrived  in  safety  at  Fort  Cumberland 
with  their  prisoner  and  with  the  information  that  the 
French  fort  was  in  command  of  Capt.  de  Ligneris,  \ 
who  had  under  him  at  that  place  a  force  of  about  six 
hundred  French  troops  and  two  hundred  Indians. 

In  1758  the  English  ministry  planned  and  sent  for-  i 
ward  an  expedition  much  more  formidable  than  that  j 
placed  under  Braddock,  three  years  before,  for  the 
capture  of  Fort  du  Quesne.  The  command  of  this 
new  expedition  was  given  to  General  John  Forbes. 
His  force  (of  which  the  rendezvous  was  appointed  at 
Kaystown,  now  Bedford,  Pa.)  was  composed  of  three 
hundred  and  fifty  Royal  American  troops,  twelve 
hundred  Scotch  Highlanders,  sixteen  hundred  Vir- 
ginians, and  two  thousand  seven  hundred  Pennsyl- 
vania provincials,— a  total  of  five  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred and  fifty  effective  men,  besides  one  thousand 
wagoners.  The  Virginia  troops  were  comprised  in 
two  regiments,  commanded  respectively  by  Col. 
George  Washington  and  Col.  James  Burd,  but  both 
under  the  superior  command  of  Washington  as  acting 
brigadier.     Under  him,  in  command  of  one  of  the 


'  An  anecdote  of  anollior  .'niiiU  reeounoilring-imrly  tliat  mas  sent  to- 
waiils  F.jit  Jii  ijucsniMi  short  timu  nfti-rwarfls  isfoiiiirt  in  Sparks  (ii.28;i), 
in  one  Ml  \v.,,lir,.i  .1  -  1.  !t.  rsdaleil  May,  17.i8,as  loll')«s :  "  An  Indian 
naincil  I  .  ih.li  x,  i.      ur  ii..mKort  London  [Va,]  witli  a  party  of  six 

soldiers  .,,.1  ,1  ,ii>   In  ,  nndiTcninnmnd  of  I-icntennnt  Gist.    After 

great  faliiiiu-» l-n:    ,  i    ,  .  mi-i,  ,,.  ,n.v  tin- -II. -«-,.,,  t!,.- Alleglieny 

Mountains,  tliey  I  ■       ',  ^!  i     ■>!,,,    t       :  ;  !.■  nn.iitli  of  Red- 

btonej,  wlicrc  I.ini.i  I  ,  xMis  rendered 


Indii 


Virginia  companies,  was  Capt.  William  Crawford,  af- 
terwards for  many  years  a  resident  of  Fayette  County, 
at  Stewart's  Crossings.  Gen.  Forbes  arrived  at  Rays- 
town  about  the  middle  of  September,  but  Col.  Henry 
Bouquet  had  previously  (in  August)  been  ordered  for- 
ward with  an  advanced  column  of  two  thousand  men 
to  the  Loyalhanna  to  cut  out  roads.  The  main  body, 
with  Washington  in  advance,  moved  forward  from 
Raystown  in  October.  In  the  mean  time  Bouquet 
(perhaps  thinking  he  could  capture  the  fort  with  his  i 
advance  division,  before  the  arrival  of  the  main  body,  I 
and  thus  secure  the  principal  honor)  sent  forward  a  , 
reconnoissance  in  force,  consisting  of  eight  hundreil 
men  (mostly  Highlanders)  under  Maj.  WtUintn-Grant. 
This  force  reached  a  point  in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort.- 
where,  on  the  14tli  of  September,  it  was  attacked  by 
a  body  of  about  seven  hundred  French  and  a  large 
number  of  savages,  under  command  of  a  French  ofli- 
cer  named  Aubry.  Here  Grant  was  defeated  with 
much  slaughter,  the  Indians  committing  terrible 
atrocities  on  the  dead  and  wounded  Highlanders. 
The  French  and  Indians  then  advanced  against  Bou- 
quet, and  attacked  his  intrenched  position  at  Fort 
Ligonier,  but  were  finally  (though  with  great  diffi- 
culty) repulsed  on  the  12th  of  October,  and  forced  to 
retreat  to  their  fort. 

Gen.  Forbes  with  the  main  body  of  his  army  ar- 
rived at  Loyalhanna  early  in  November.  A  council 
of  war  was  held,  at  which  it  was  decided  that  on  ac- 
count of  the  lateness  of  the  season  and  approach  of 
winter  (the  ground  being  already  covered  with  snow) 
it  was  "unadvisable,  if  not  impracticable,  to  prosecute 
the  campaign  any  further  till  the  next  season,  and 
that  a  winter  encampment  among  the  mountains  or 
a  retreat  to  the  frontier  settlements  was  the  only  al- 
ternative that  remained."  Bui  immediately  after- 
wards a  scouting-party  brought  in  some  prisoners, 
from  whom  it  was  learned  that  the  garrison  of  Fort 
du  Quesne  was  weak,  and  the  Indian  allies  of  the 
French  considerably  disaffected.  Thereupon  the  de- 
cision of  the  council  of  war  was  reversed,  and  orders 
at  once  issued  to  move  on  to  the  assault  of  the  fort. 

The  march  was  commenced  immediately,  the  troops 
taking  with  them  no  tents  or  heavy  baggage,  and  only 
a  few  pieces  of  light  artillery.  Washington  with  his 
command  led  the  advance.  When  within  about  twelve 
miles  of  the  fort  word  was  brought  to  Forbes  that  it 
was  being  evacuated  by  the  French,  but  he  remem- 
bered the  lesson  taught  by  Braddock's  rashness,  and 
treatedthereport  with  suspicion,  continuing  the  march 
with  the  greatest  caution,  and  withholding  from  the 
troops  the  intelligence  he  had  received.  On  the  25th 
of  November,  when  they  were  marching  with  the 
provincials  in  front,  they  drew  near  the  fort  and  came 
to  a  place  where  a  great. number  of  stakes  had  been 

-  Tbis fight  tooli  place  at  "Grant's  IliM,"  in  the  present  city  of  Pitls- 
Lurgli.  The  total  loss  of  the  English  was  ST.'J  killed  and  43  wonnded 
more  than  one-lhird  of  Gianfs  entire  force.  The  commander  and  Major 
Lewis  werj  tiiUen  jirisoiieii?  hy  the  French  and  Indians. 


ERECTION  OF   FORT  BURD. 


51 


planted,  and  on  these  were  hanging  the  kilts  of  High- 
landers slain  on  that  spot  in  Grant's  defeat  two  months 
before.  When  Forbes'  Highlanders  saw  this  they  be- 
came infuriated  with  rage  and  rushed  on,  reckless  of 
consequences  and  regardless  of  discipline  in  their 
eagerness  to  take  blooily  vengeance  on  the  slayers  of 
their  countrymen.  They  were  bent  on  the  extermina- 
tion of  their  foes  and  swore  to  give  no  quarter,  but  soon 
after,  on  arriving  within  sight  of  the  fort,  it  was  found 
to  be  indeed  evacuated  and  in  Hames,  and  the  last  of 
the  boats  in  which  its  garrison  had  embarked  were 
seen  in  the  distance  passing  Smoky  Island  on  their 
way  down  the  Ohio. 

The  fort  was  found  to  have  been  mined,  but  either 
the  enemy  had  left  in  too  much  haste  to  fire  the  train 
or  the  fuse  had  become  extinguished.  The  troops  at 
once  marched  up  to  take  possession,  Wasliington 
witli  his  command  being  the  first  on  the  ground.  On 
tlie  following  day  he  wrote  to  the  Governor  of  Vir- 
ginia a  report  of  the  evacuation  and  capture  of  the 
post  as  follows  : 

"Camp  at  Fort  dc  Qit.s\e, 

"  To  Gov.  F.vnjriER  : 

".Sir, — I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  you  that  Fort 
Du  t^nesne,  or  the  ground  rather  on  which  it  stood, 
was  |)o.ssessed  by  his  Majesty's  troops  on  the  2uth  in- 
stant. The  enemy,  after  letting  us  get  within  a  day's 
march  of  the  place,  burned  the  fort  and  ran  away  by  the 
light  of  it,  at  night  going  down  the  Ohio  by  water  to 
the  number  of  about  five  hundred  men,  according  to 
our  best  information.  This  possession  of  the  fort  has 
been  matter  of  surprise  to  the  whole  army,  and  we 
cannot  attribute  it  to  more  probable  causes  than  the 
weakness  of  the  enemy,  want  of  provisions,  and  the 
defection  of  the  Indians.  Of  these  circumstances  we 
were  luckily  informed  by  three  prisoners  who  provi- 
dentially fell  into  our  hands  at  Loyal  Hanna,  when 
we  despaired  of  proceeding  farther.  A  council  of 
war  had  determined  that  it  was  not  advisable  to  ad- 
vance this  season  beyond  that  place ;  but  the  above 
information  caused  us  to  march  on  without  tents  or 
baggage,  and  with  only  a  light  train  of  artillery. 
We  have  thus  happily  succeeded.  It  would  be  tedious 
and  I  think  unnecessary  to  relate  every  trivial  cir- 
cumstance that  has  happened  since  my  last.  .  .  . 
This  fortunate  and  indeed  unexijected  success  of  our 
arms  will  be  attended  with  happy  effects.  The  Dela- 
Wares  are  sueing  for  peace,  and  I  doubt  not  that  other 
tribes  on  the  Ohio  are  following  their  example.  A 
trade  free,  open,  and  on  equitable  terms  is  what  they 
seem  much  to  desire,  and  I  do  not  know  so  effectual 
a  way  of  riveting  them  to  our  interest  as  by  send- 
ing out  goods  immediately  to  this  place  for  that  pur- 
pose. .  .  ." 

Thus,  after  repeated  attempts,  each  ending  in  blood 
and  disaster,  the  English  standard  was  firmly  planted 
at  the  head  of  the  Ohio,  and  the  French  power  here 
overthrown  forever.    On  the  ruins  of  Fort  du  Quesue 


another  work  was  constructed— a  weak  and  hastily- 
built  stockade  with  a  shallow  ditch — and  named 
"  Fort  Pitt,"  in  honor  of  William  I'itt,  Earl  Chatham. 
Two  hundred  men  of  Washington's  command  were 
left  to  garrison  it,  and  the  main  army  marched  east. 
Gen.  Forbes  returned  to  Philadelphia,  and  died  there 
in  March,  1759. 

The  new  Fort  Pitt  was  commenced  in  August, 
1759,  and  completed  during  the  fall  of  that  year  by  a 
force  under  command  of  Gen.  Stanwix. 

When  the  English  had  finally  expelled  the  French, 
and  obtained  possession  of  the  country  at  the  head 
of  the  Ohio,  in  1758,  and  had  built  and  garrisoned  the 
first  Fort  Pitt  at  that  place,  one  of  the  first  objects  to 
be  accomplished  was  the  establishment  of  a  route  for 
transportation  from  the  East,  with  defensive  works 
and  bases  of  supply  at  intermediate  points.  Under 
this  necessity  the  route  was  adopted  from  Fort  Cum- 
berland to  the  Monongahela  at  or  near  the  mouth  of 
Redstone  Creek,  and  thence  down  the  river  by  water- 
carriage  to  Fort  Pitt,  this  being  identical  with  the 
route  contemplated  by  the  Ohio  Company  nearly  five 
years  earlier,  when  Cajjt.  William  Trent  had  been 
sent  to  build  a  fort  for  them  at  the  forks  of  the  Ohio. 

In  pursuance  of  this  military  plan,  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  summer  of  1759,  Col.  Henry  Bouquet,  mil- 
itary commandant  at  Carlisle,  Pa.,  ordered  Col.  James 
Burd  to  inspect  the  defenses  and  stores  at  Fort  Cum- 
berland ;  thence  to  march  to  the  Monongahela,  there 
to  erect  a  fort  and  base  of  supply  at  a  point  proper 
and  convenient  for  embarkation  on  the  river.  The 
substance  of  Col.  Burd's  orders,  and  his  procedure 
under  them,  are  explained  in  a  journal  kept  by  him  at 
the  lime,  which  is  found  in  the  Pennsylvania  Archives, 
and  from  which  the  following  entries  are  extracted, 

"  Ordered  in  August,  1759,  to  march  with  two  hun- 
dred men  of  my  battalion  to  the  mouth  of  Redstone 
Creek,  where  it  empties  itself  into  the  river  Monon- 
gahela, to  cut  a  road  somewhere  from  Gen.  Braddock's 
road  to  that  place,  as  I  shall  judge  best,  and  on 
my  arrival  there  to  erect  a  fort  in  order  to  open  a 
communication  by  th,e  river  Monongahela  to  Pitts- 
burgh, for  the  more  easy  transportation  of  provisions, 
etc.,  from  the  provinces  of  Virginia  and  Maryland. 
Sent  forward  the  detachment  under  the  command  of 
Lieut.-Ool.  Shippen,  leaving  one  officer  and  thirty 
men  to  bring  our  five  wagons.  .  .  .  When  I  have  cut 
the  road  and  finished  the  fort  I  am  to  leave  one  offi- 
cer and  twenty-five  men  as  a  garrison,  and  march 
with  the  remainder  of  my  battalion  to  Pittsburgh.  .  .  . 

"10th  Sept.— Saw  Col.  Washington's  fort,  which 
was  called  Fort  Necessity.  It  is  a  small  circular 
stockade,  with  a  small  house  in  the  centre;  on  the 
outside  there  is  a  small  ditch  goes  round  it  about  eight 
yards  from  the  stockade.  It  is  situate  in  a  narrow 
part  of  the  meadows,  commanded  by  three  points  of 
woods.  There  is  a  small  run  of  water  just  by  it.  We 
saw  two  iron  swivels. 


52 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


"11th  Sejit. — Marched  this  morning;  two  miles 
from  hence  we  found  Gen.  Braddock's  grave,  about 
twenty  yards  from  a  little  hollow,  in  which  there  was 
a  small  stream  of  water,  and  over  it  a  bridge.  We  soon 
got  to  Laurel  Hill ;  it  had  an  easy  ascent  on  this  side, 
but  on  the  other  very  steep.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill 
we  found  the  path  that  went  to  Dunlap's  place,  that 
Col.  Shippen  and  Capt.  Gordon  traveled  last  winter, 
and  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  this  we  saw  the 
big  rock,  so  called.  From  hence  we  marched  to  Dun- 
bar's camp,  —  miles,  which  is  situated  in  a  stony  hol- 
low [here  follows  the  description  of  the  camp,  and 
their  search  for  buried  guns,  etc.,  as  before  quoted]. 
We  continued  our  march,  and  got  to  Guest's  place; 
here  are  found  a  fine  country. 

"  13th  Sept. — Determined,  if  the  hunters  .should 
not  return  before  noon,  to  begin  to  open  the  road  along 
some  old  blazes,  which  we  take  to  be  Col.  Washing- 
ton's.' At  noon  began  to  cut  the  road  to  Eedstone ; 
began  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  camp ;  the  course 
N.  N.  W.  The  course  of  Gen.  Braddock's  road 
X.  X.  E.,  and  turns  much  to  y"  eastward.  Opened 
this  afternoon  about  half  a  mile.  Marked  two  trees 
at  the  place  of  beginning  thus: 

"  '  The  road  to  Rechtonc,  Col.  J.  Burd,  1759. 

"  '  The  road  to  Pittsburg,  1759.' 

"  22d  Oct.— This  morning  I  went  to  the  river  Mo- 
nongahela,  reconnoitred  Eedstone,  etc.,  and  concluded 
upon  the  place  for  the  post,  being  a  hill  in  the  fork  of 
the  river  Monongahela  and  Nemocalling's  Creek, - 
the  best  situation  I  could  find,  and  returned  in  the 
evening  to  camp.  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 
a  rock  of  the  finest  coal  I  ever  saw.  I  burned  about 
a  bushel  of  it  on  my  fire. 

"23d  Oct. — Continued  working  on  the  road.  Had 
sermon  to-day  at  10  a.m.  At  noon  moved  the  camp 
two  and  a  half  miles  to  the  river  Monongahela.  No 
bateaux  arrived. 

"  2Sth  Oct. — Sunday.  Continued  on  the  works  ; 
had  sermon  in  the  fort." 

The  last  entry  in  the  journal  is  the  following: 

"4th  Nov. — Sunday.  Snowed  to-day.  No  work. 
Sermon  in  the  fort.    Doctor  Allison  sets  out  for  Phila- 

From  the  extracts  given  above  from  Burd's  journal 
we  gain  a  tolerably  clear'idea  of  the  manner  in  which 
he  conducted  the  expedition  and  built  the  fort  at  the 
mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek  on  the  Monongahela,  viz.: 
After  concluding  his  inspection  at  Fort  Cumberland, 
and  having  previously  sent  forward  a  small  detach- 
ment under  his  chief  engineer  officer,  Lieut.-Col.  Ship- 
pen,  he  set  out  with  the  remainder  of  his  force  (leav- 

1  Meaning  the  track  wliicti  \mi~  i  ,1  il.i^h  .  1,1  .  m  1  \  1  ,1  i-  r,.v\  i-  .ui-I 
Poison  for  a  distance  of  about iil      ,    1        ,1;       ,  ;    ir 

=  Thecreck  at  tlicmontli  ..I  »!i  !,  ■,,,  :  n,,  in.i,,,,  \.  1,,  m  h  t,,  ili.. 
same  afterwards  known  ag  Diiut  ip's  <  'iLnk. 


ing  his  little  wagon-train  to  follow)  and  passed  over 
the  same  route  taken  by  Braddock  three  years  before, 
to  and  across  the  Youghiogheny  at  the  Great  Cross- 
ings ;  thence  to  Fort  Necessity,  to  Braddock's  grave, 
to  Dunbar's  camp,  and  to  Gi.st's,  now  Mount  Brad- 
dock.  This  was  the  end  of  his  travel  over  the  route 
pursued  by  the  ill-fiited  expedition  of  1755.  At  Gist's 
he  ordered  his  men  to  commence  work  in  opening  a 
road  thence  northwestwardly  towards  the  Mononga- 
hela, following  the  route  which  Captains  Poison  and 
Lewis  had  partially  cut  through  for  about  eight  miles 
from  Gist's  at  the  time  when  Washington  was  in- 
trenching at  that  place  in  June,  1754. 

Having  tlius  set  his  men  at  work  on  the  road  from 
Gist's  to  the  Redstone,  Col.  Burd,  with  Col.  Thomas 
Cresap  (who  was  with  him  as  a  guide,  having  previ- 
ously explored  this  region  to  some  extent),  Col.  Ship- 
pen, and  probably  Lieut.  Grayson,  of  his  command, 
rode  forward  through  the  woods  to  the  Monongahela, 
striking  the  valley  of  Redstone  Creek,  and  following 
it  down  to  where  it  enters  the  river.  It  seems  to  have 
been  in  contemplation  to  build  the  fort  at  the  mouth 
of  this  stream,  where  Capt.  Trent's  men  had  con- 
structed the  old  "  Hangard"  store-house  four  years 
before,  but  the  orders  of  Col.  Burd  left  it  in  his  dis- 
cretion to  select  the  site  which  he  might  regard  as  the 
most  eligible.  So,  after  viewing  the  ground  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Eedstone,  and  not  finding  it  to  suit  his 
ideas  as  the  site  of  a  fortification,  he  proceeded  uj)  the 
river  until  he  came  to  the  mouth  of  Nemacolin's  or 
Dunlap's  Creek,  about  one  and  one-fourth  miles 
farther  up,  and  determined  to  erect  his  fort  just  below 
the  mouth  of  that  stream,  on  the  high  ground  (now  in 
the  borough  of  Brownsville)  commanding  the  Monon- 
gahela, the  valley  of  the  creek,  and  the  country  for 
some  distance  to  the  rear;  this  being,  as  he  said  in 
the  journal,  "the  best  situation  I  could  find." 

Having  thus  determined  the  site,  he  returned  to  his 
working-parties,  who  were  progressing  down  the  valley- 
of  the  Eedstone,  and  ordered  the  road  which  they 
were  cutting  to  be  deflected  southward  from  the  trail 
leading  to  the  mouth  of  the  Eedstone.  The  point 
where  the  new  road  was  made  to  diverge  from  the  trail 
is  described  by  Judge  Veech  as  "  a  little  northwest 
of  where  the  Johnson  or  Hatfield  stone  tavern-house 
now  (1869)  stands."  From  that  point  the  road  was 
laid  along  the  ridges  to  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek. 

On  the  23d  of  October,  Col.  Burd  removed  his  camp 
to  the  river,  and  the  building  of  the  fort  was  com- 
menced immediately  afterwards.  It  was  completed 
during  the  following  month,  but  the  precise  time  is 
not  stated.^     It  was  still  in  process  of  construction  at 


of  tlie  fort  seems  to  have  been  delayed  on  account 
of  scarcity  of  provisions.  On  tlie  2Gth  of  October,  Col.  Burd  said  iu  liis 
journal,  "I  have  kept  the  people  constantly  employed  on  the  works 
since  my  arrival,  although  we  have  been  for  eight  days  past  upon  the 
small  allowance  of  one  pound  of  beef  and  half  a  pound  of  Hour  per  man 
a  day,  and  this  day  we  begin  upon  one  pound  of  beef,  not  having  an 
ounce  of  flour  left,  and  only  three  bullocks.  I  am  therefore  obliged  to 
give  over  working  until  I  receive  some  supplies." 


nov 


SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  COUNTY, 


53 


the  date  of  the  last  entry  in  the  journal,  November  4th. 
The  "  Doctor  Allison"  referred  to  in  that  entry  as 
being  about  to  set  out  for  Philadelphia,  and  who  had 
prcaelied  the  sermons  previously  mentioned  in  the 
journal,  was  the  Kev.  Francis  Allison,  the  chaplain 
of  the  expedition. 

The  fort  when  completed  was  named,  in  honor  of 
the  commander  of  the.e.xpedition,  "  Fort  Burd."    As 
a  military  work,  it  was  far  from  being  strong  or  for- 
midable, though  bastioned.     It  was  built  in  the  form 
of  a  sipiare,  except  for  the  bastions  at  the  four  angles. 
The  curtains  were  formed  of  palisades,  set  firmly  in 
the  earth  and  embanked.     The  bastions  were  con- 
structed of  hewed   logs,  laid  horizontally  one  above 
another.    In  the  centre  of  the  fort  was  a  large  house 
also  of  hewed  logs,  and  near  this,  within  the  inclo- 
sure,  a  well.     The  whole  was  surrounded  by  a  broad 
ditch,  crossed  by  a  draw-bridge,  communicating  with 
a  gateway  in  the  centre  of  the  curtain  in  the  rear  of 
the  work.'     The  location  of  the  fort,  with  reference  ' 
to  present  landmarks    in   Brownsville,    may  be   de-  | 
scribed  as  west  of  the  property  of  N.  B.  Bowman,  and  : 
nearly  on  the  spot  now  occupied  by  the  residence  of  ! 
J.  W.  Jeffries.     South   of  the  fort  was  the  bullock- 
pen  ;  and  a  short  distance,  in  a  direction  a  little  south 
of  east,  from  the  centre  of  Fort  Burd  was  the  central  | 
mound  of  the  prehistoric  work  once  known  as  Red- 
stone Old  Fort. 

Upon  the  departure  of  Col.  Burd  with  his  command, 
after  the  completion  of  the  fort,  he  left  in  it  a  garri- 
son of  tw(*nty-five  men,  under  command  of  a  commis- 
sioned officer.  Some  accounts  have  it  that  this  officer 
was  Capt.  PauU,^  father  of  Col.  James  Paull,  who 
lived  for  many  years,  and  died  in  Fayette  County.  It 
is  certain  that  Capt.  Paull  was  aftcrwanh  in  com- 
mand at  the  fort  for  a  long  time.  Nothing  has  been 
found  showing  how  long  Fort  Burd  continued  to  be 
held  as  a  military  post.  "  But  it  seems,"  says  Judge 
Veech,  "to  have  been  under  some  kind  of  military  pos- 
session in  1774.  During  Duumore's  war,  and  during 
the  Revolution  and  contemporary  Indian  troubles,  it 
was  used  as  a  store-house  and  a  rallying-point  for  de- 
fense, supply,  an<l  observation  by  the  early  settlers 
and  adventurers.  It  was  never  rendered  famous  by 
a  siege  or  a  sally.  We  know  that  the  late  Col.  .Tames 
Paull  served  a  month's  dutv  in  a  drafted  militia  com- 


'  In  the  Pcnnsjivonia  Archives  (xli.  347)  is  (i  plan  of  tho  fort, 
bj  Col.  Shippon,  tlie  engineer.  On  this  plan  nri-  given  the 
of  the  work,  lis  fullows:  "Tho  curtain,  97!,$  fo<-'t ;  "i«  flanks,  10  feet;  I 
the  faces  of  the  bastions,  30  feet;  a  ditch  between  the  bastions,  24  feet 
wide ;  and  opposile  the  faces,  12  feet.  The  log-house  for  a  magazine,  and 
to  contain  tho  women  and  children,  39  feet  square.  A  gate  G  feet  wide 
*nd  S  feet  high,  and  a  drawbridge  [illegible,  Imt  apparently  10]  feet 
wide."  In  Judge  Vecch's  "  Monongahela  of  Old"  is  given  a  diagram  of 
Fort  Burd,  but  it  is  not  drawn  in  accordance  with  these  dimensions,  tho 
curtains  Iteing  made  too  short  as  compared  with  the  tize  of  the  Kistions. 

2  James  L.  Downian,  in  a  historical  sketch  furnished  by  him  to  the 
AnKricnn  Piimter,  and  published  in  IS43,  said  with  regard  to  this  first 
gariisoning  of  Fort  Burd,  "The  probability  is  that  after  tho  accom- 
pli^liment  of  llie  ol-jec t  for  which  the  commanding  ofliccr  was  sent  he 
placed  Capt.  Paull  in  command  and  returned  to  report." 


pany  in  guarding  Continental  stores  here  in  1778." 
It  was  doubtless  discontinued  as  a  military  post  soon 
after  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  and  all  traces  of  it 
were  obliterated  by  the  building  of  tlir  town  of 
Brownsville. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

.SETTLE-MEXT  OE    THE    CtHNTV.       - 

The  first  white  explorers  of  the  vast  country 
drained  by  the  two  principal  tributaries  of  the  Ohio 
River  were  Indian  traders,  French  and  English. 
The  date  of  their  first  appearance  here  is  not  known,  C) 
but  it  was  certainly  as  early  as  1732,  when  the  atten-  ^ 
tion  of  the  Executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania  was 
called  to  the  fact  that  Frenchmen  were  known  to  be 
among  the  Indians  within  the  supposed  western  limits 
of  the  territory  claimed  by  the  j>roprietaries  under  the 
royal  grant.  This  announcement  caused  considerable 
discussion  and  some  vague  action  on  the  part  of  the 
Council,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  fact,  which 
then  became  publicly  known,  had  the  effect  to  bring 
in  the  English-speaking  traders  (if  they  were  not  al- 
ready here)  to  gather  their  share  of  profit  from  the 
lucrative  Indian  barter. 

The  French  traders  came  into  this  region  from  the 
north,  down  the  valley  of  the  Allegheny.  Tradition 
says  they  penetrated  from  the  mouth  of  that  river 
southeastward  into  the  country  of  the  Monongahela 
(which  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt),  and  that  some  of 
them  came  many  years  before  the  campaigns  of 
Washington  and  Braddock,  and  intermarrying  with 
the  Indians,  settled  and  formed  a  village  on  the 
waters  of  Georges  Creek,  in  what  is  now  Georges 
township,  Fayette  County. 

Of  the  English-speaking  traders  some  were  Penn- 
sylvanians,  who  came  in  by  way  of  the  Juniata,  but 
more  were  from  Virginia  and  Maryland,  who  came 
west  over  the  Indian  trail  leading  from  Old  Town, 
Md.,  to  the  Youghiogheny,  guided  and  perhaps  in- 
duced to  come  to  the  Western  wilds  by  Indians,'  who 
from  the  earliest  times  were  accustomed  to  visit  the 
frontier  trading-stations  on  the  Potomac  and  at  other 
points  east  of  the  mountains.  These  traders,  both 
English  and  French,  were  adventurous  men,  ever 
ready  and  willing  to  bravo  the  perils  of  the  wilder- 
ness and  risk  their  lives  among  the  savages  for  the 
purpose  of  gain,  but  they  were  in  no  sense  settlers, 
only  wanderers  from  point  to  point,  according  to  the 
requirements  or  inducements  of  their  vocation.     Who 

3  Judfre  Veech  saj-s  ("  Jlonongahela  of  Old,"  p.  20),  "  When  the  Vir- 
ginia, Maryland,  and  Pennsylvania  traders  with  the  Indians  on  the 
Ohio  begiin  their  operations,  perhaps  as  early  as  1740,  they  procured  In- 
diana to  show  them  tho  best  and  easiest  route,  and  this  [the  Kemacoliti 
path  to  the  Youghiogheny  and  Ohio]  was  the  one  they  adopted."  Anil 
he  adds,  "There  is  s..nio  evidence  that  Indian  tni.lcrs,  both  English  and 
French,  were  in  tbii country  much  eurli,;r"  than  1740. 


54' 


HISTOKY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


they  were  is  no  more  known  than  is  the  time  when 
tliey  first  came,  for  few,  if  any,  of  their  names  have 
been  preserved,  other  than  those  of  Dunlap  and  Hugh 
Crawford,  and  they  were  of  the  class  of  later  traders, 
who  gave  up  their  calling  on  the  approach  of  perma- 
nent settlers. 

Nor  is  it  certainly  known  who  was  the  first  white 
man  who  made  a  settlement  intended  to  be  perma- 
nent within  the  territory  that  is  now  Fayette  County. 
Veech  believed  that  the  first  actual  settlers  here  were 
AVendell  Brown  and  his  two  sons,  Maunus  and  Adam, 
with  perhajis  a  third  son,  Thomas.  "  They  came," 
he  says,  "in  1751  or  1752.  Their  first  location  was  on 
Provance's  Bottom,  a  short  distance  below  little  Ja- 
cob's Creek  [in-the  present  township  of  Nicholson]. 
But  soon  after  some  Indians  enticed  them  away  from 
that  choice  alluvial  reach  by  promises  to  show  them 
better  land,  and  where  they  would  enjoy  greater  se- 
curity. They  were  led  to  the  lands  on  which,  in  part, 
the  descendants  of  Maunus  now  reside.'  .  .  .  They 
came  as  hunters,  but  soon  became  herdsmen  and  til- 
lers of  the  soil.  .  .  .  When  Washington's  little  army 
was  at  the  Great  Meadows,  or  Fort  Necessity,  the 
Browns  packed  provisions  to  him, — corn  and  beef" 
This  last  statement,  however,  seems  very  much  like  one 
of  those  doubtful  traditions  that  are  found  clinging  to 
all  accounts  of  Washington's  movements  from  Fort 
Necessity  to  Yorktown.  It  seems  improbable,  to  say 
the  least,  that  Wendell  Brown  would  in  that  early 
time,  and  at  his  remote  home  in  the  wilderness,  have 
had  sufficient  store  of  corn  and  beef  to  spare  it  from 
the  necessities  of  his  numerous  family,  and  "  pack" 
it  several  miles  across  the  mountain  and  through  the 
woods  to  help  feed  an  army.  Yet  it  may  have  been 
true.  As  to  the  date  (1751-52)  given  by  Mr.  Veech 
as  the  time  of  Brown's  first  settlement  on  the  Monon- 
gahela,  it  appears  too  early,  and  there  is  a  doubt 
whether  Wendell  Brown  should  be  named  as  the  first 
settler  in  this  county,  though  no  doubt  exists  that  he 
was  here  among  the  earliest. 

Of  settlements  made  within  the  limits  of  the  present 
county  of  Fayette,  the  earliest  which  have  been  auy- 
tliiug  like  definitely  fixed  and  well  authenticated  were 
those  which  resulted  from  the  operations  of  the  Ohio 
Company,  an  organization  or  corporation  to  which 
reference  has  already  been  made  in  preceding  chap- 
ters. The  project  of  the  formation  of  this  com- 
])any  was  originated  in  the  year  1748  by  Thomas 
Lee,  a  member  of  the  Royal  Council  in  Virginia; 
his  object  being  to  form  an  association  of  gentlemen 
for  the  purpose  of  promoting  the  settlement  of  the 
wild  lands  west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains,  within 
what  was  then  supposed  to  be  the  territory  of  the 
colony  of  Virginia,  and  also  to  secure  the  Indian 
trade.     For  this  purpose  he  associated  with  himself 


Mr.  Hanbury,  a  Loudon  merchant,  Lawrence  Wash- 
ington, and  John  Augustine  Washington,  of  Virginia 
(brothers  of  Gen.  George  Washington),  and  ten  other 
persons,  residents  of  that  colony  and  Maryland,  and  in 
March,  1749,  this  association  was  chartered  as  the 
Ohio  Company  by  George  the  Second  of  England. 

The  royal  grant  to  the  company  embraced  five  hun- 
dred thousand  acres  of  land  on  the  Ohio,  and  between 
Hhe  Monongahela  and  Kanawha  Rivers,  this  being 
given  on  the  express  condition  that  it  should  be 
improved  and  settled  (to  a  certain  specified  extent) 
within  ten  years-  from  the  date  of  the  charter. 

"The  object  of  the  company,"  says  Sparks,  "was 
to  settle  the  lands  and  to  carry  on  the  Indian  traiU- 
upon  a  large  scale.  Hitherto  the  trade  with  the 
Western  Indians  had  been  mostly  in  the  hands  of  the 
Pennsylvanians.  The  company  conceived  that  they 
might  derive  an  important  advantage  over  their  com- 
petitors in  this  trade  from  the  water  communication 
of  the  Potomac  and  the  eastern  branches  of  the  Ohio 
[the  Monongahela  and  Youghiogheny],  whose  head- 
waters approximated  each  other.  The  lands  were 
to  be  chiefly  taken  on  the  south  side  of  the  Ohio,  be- 
tween the  Monongahela  and  Kanawha  Rivers,  and 
west  of  the  Allegheuies.  The  privilege  was  reserved, 
however,  by  the  company  of  embracing  a  portion  of 
the  lands  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  if  it  should 
be  deemed  expedient.  Two  hundred  thousand  acres 
were  to  be  selected  immediately,  and  to  be  held  for 
ten  years  free  from  quit-rent  or  any  tax  to  the  king, 
(Ju  condition  that  the  company  should,  at  their  own 
expense,  seat  one  hundred  families  on  the  lands  within 
seven  years,  and  build  a  fort  and  maintain  a  garrison 
sufficient  to  protect  the  settlement. 

"  The  first  steps  taken  by  the  company  were  to  order 
Mr.  Hamburg,  their  agent  in  London,  to  send  over 
for  their  use  two  cargoes  of  goods  suited  to  the  In- 
dian trade,  amounting  in  the  whole  to  four  thousand 
pounds  sterling,  one  cargo  to  arrive  in  November, 
1749,  the  other  in  March  following.'    They  resolved 

-  Sparks,  in  his  "  Life  and  Writings  of  Washington,"  siiys  of  tliis  com- 
pany tliat  wlieu  it  was  fli-sl  instituted  Mr.  Lee,  its  projector,  was  its 
principal  organ  and  most  efficient  meinljcr.  He  died  soon  afterward*, 
and  tlu-n  tlie  cliief  management  fell  on  Lawrence  NVashington,  wholiad 
engaged  in  the  enterprise  with  an  entlitisftksm  and  energy  peculiar  to 
liirf  cliantcter.  His  agency  was  sliort,  liowever,  as  liis  rapidly  declining 
health  soon  terniinated  in  liis  death.  Several  of  the  company's  shares 
changed  hands.  Governor  Dinwiddle  [of  Virginia]  and  George  Mason 
became  proprietors.  Tliei-e  wore  originally  twenty  shares,  and  the  com- 
pany never  consisted  of  more  than  that  number  of  members." 

3  The  defeat  of  Washington  and  BraddocU  by  the  French  in  the  yrars 
1754  and  17.55,  as  already  narrated,  and  the  consequent  oxpnlsion  of 
Knglish  from  the  country  west  of  the  Alleghenies,  virtnally  closed 
operalii.iis  ..f  tli..  Oliiu  O.nipiiny.     Of  Ihia  Sparlis  says,  "  The  goods  [de^ 


sign 


1  had  c 


teiior 


IS  to  discourage  anyattempt  to  send  tlio  goods  at  the  comp 
lore  remote  point."  This  was  the  end  of  the  company's 
least  as  far  as  this  region  was  concerned.  About  17G0  i 
made  to  revive  the  project,  and  Col.  George  Mercer  was 


SETTLEMENT   OF   THE   COUNTY. 


also  that  such  roads  should  be  made  and  houses  built 
as  would  facilitate  the  communicatiou  from  the  head 
of  navigation  on  the  Potomac  River  across  the  moun- 
tains to  some  point  on  the  Monongahela.  [This  route 
would,  almost  of  necessity,  cross  the  territory  of  the 
present  county  of  Fayette.]  And  as  no  attempt  at 
estal)lishing  settlements  could  safely  be  made  without 
some  previous  arrangements  with  the  Indians,  the 
company  petitioned  the  government  of  Virginia  to 
invite  them  to  a  treaty.  As  a  preliminary  to  other 
proceedings,  the  company  also  sent  out  Mr.  Chris- 
topher Gist,  with  instructions  to  explore  the  country, 
C.xamine  the  quality  of  the  lands,  keep  a  journal  of 
his  adventures,  draw  as  accurate  a  plan  of  the  country 
fls  his  observations  would  permit,  and  report  the  same 
to  the  board." 

Gist  performed  his  journey  of  exploration  for  the 
company  in  the  summer  and  fall  of  the  year  ll'MK  In 
this  trip  he  ascended  the  Juniata  River,  crossed  tiie 
iiiimntain,  and  went  down  the  Kiskiminetas  to  the 
Allegheny,  crossed  that  river,  and  proceeded  down 
the  Ohio  to  the  Great  Falls  at  Louisville,  Ky.  On 
this  journey  he  did  not  enter  the  Monongahela  Val- 
ley, but  in  November  of  the  next  year  (1751)  he  tra- 
versed this  region,  coming  up  from  Wills'  Creek, 
crossing  the  Youghiogheny,  descending  the  valley  of 
that  stream  and  the  Monongahela,  and  passing  down 
on  the  south  and  ea.stside  of  the  Ohio  to  the  Great  Ka- 
nawha, making  a  thorough  inspection  of  the  country, 
in  which  the  principal  part  of  the  company's  lands 
were  to  be  located,  and  spending  the  whole  of  the 
winter  of  1751-52  on  the  trip,  and  returning  east  by 
a  more  southern  route. 

In  1752  a  treaty  council  (invited  by  the  government 
of  Virginia  at  the  request  of  the  Ohio  Company,  as 
before  alluded  to)  w.as  held  with  the  Six  Nations  at 
Logstown,  on  the  Ohio,  a  few  miles  below  the  conflu- 
ence of  the  Allegheny  and  Monongahela;  the  object 
being  to  obtain  the  consent  of  the  Indians  to  the 
locating  of  white  settlements  on  the  lands  which  the 
company-should  select,^thc  Six  Nations  being  recog- 
nized .IS  the  aboriginal  owners  of  this  region,  and  the 
company  ignoring  all  proprietorship  by  I'enn  in  the 
lands  west  of  the  Laurel  Hill  range. 

At  this  treaty  there  were  present  on  the  part  of 
Virginia  three  commissioners,  viz. :  Col.  Joshua  Fry, 
Luusford  Lomax,  and  James  Patton,  and  the  com- 
pany was  represented  by  its  agent,  Christopher  Gi.st. 
Every  possible  effort  had  been  made  by  the  French 
Governor  of  Canada  to  excite  the  hostility  of  the  Six 
Nations  towards  the  objects  of  the  company,  and 
the  same  had  also  been  done  by  the  Pennsylvania 
traders,  who  were  alarmed  at  the  prospect  of  com])e- 

oiit  ns  an  Rgcnt  to  Englnnd  for  this  pui-posp.  At  times  it  seemed  as  if 
his  effi-rta  would  lie  successful,  but  ulslncles  interposed,  yeare  of  delay 
succeeded,  and  finally  tlio  breaking  out  of  the  Revolution  caused  all 
hopes  of  resuscitating  the  Ohio  Company  to  bo  nbandoued,  and  closed  its 
existeuce. 


tition  in  their  lucrative  trade  with  the  natives.  These 
efforts  had  had  some  effect  in  creating  dissatisfaction 
and  distrust  among  the  savages,  but  this  feeling  was 
to  a  great  extent  removed  by  the  arguments  and  per- 
suasions of  the  commissioners  and  the  company's 
agent,  and  the  treaty  resulted  in  a  rather  reluctant 
promise  from  the  chiefs  of  the  Six  Nations  not  to 
molest  any  settlements  which  might  be  made  under 
the  auspices  of  the  company  in  the  region  southeast 
of  the  Ohio  and  west  of  Laurel  Hill. 

Immediately  after  the  conclusion  of  the  treaty  at 
Logstown,  Mr.  Gist  was  appointed  surveyor  for  the 
Ohio  Company,  and  was  instructed  to  lay  otf  a  town 
and  fort  at  Chartiers  Creek,  "  a  little  below  the  present 
site  of  Pittsburgh,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Ohio."  The 
sum  of  £400  was  set  apart  by  the  company  for  this 
purpose.  For  some  cause  which  is  not  clear  the  site 
was  not  located  according  to  these  instructions,  but 
in  the  forks  of  the  Allegheny  and  Monongahela 
Rivers,  and  there  in  February,  1754,  Capt.  Trent  with 
his  company  of  men  commenced  the  erection  of  a  fort 
for  the  Ohio  Company,  which  fort  was  captured  by 
the  French  in  the  following  April,  and  became  the 
famed  Fort  du  Quesne,  as  has  already  been  men- 
tioned. 
The  grant  of  lands  to  the  Ohio  Com|)any,  even 
I  vaguely  described  as  those  lands  were,  could  not  be  said 
!  to  embrace  any  of  the  territory  which  is  now  Fayette 
County ;  but  the  company  assumed  the  right  to  make 
their  own  interpretation,  and  as  they  ignored  all  the 
rights  of  the  Penns  in  this  region,  and,  moreover,  as 
they  had  no  doubt  that  it  was  wholly  to  the  westward 
of  the  western  limits  of  Pennsylvania,  they  professed 
to  regard  this  territory  .is  within  their  scope,  and 
made  grants  from  it  to  various  persons  on  condition 
of  settlement.  These  grants  from  the  company  gave 
to  those  who  received  them  no  title  (except  the  claim 
conferred  by  actual  occupation,  temporary  as  it 
proved),  but  they  had  the  effect  to  bring  immigrants 
here,  and  to  locate  upon  the  lands  of  this  county  the  • 
first  settlements  which  were  made  in  Pennsylvania 
west  of  the  mountains. 

Early  in  the  period  of  their  brief  operations  the 

company  made  propositions  to  the  East  Pennsylvania 

Dutch  people  to  come  here  and  settle,  and  this  offer 

was  accepted  to  the  amount  of  fifty  thousand  acres, 

to  be  taken  by  about  two  hundred  families,  on  the 

I  condition  that  they  be  exempted  from  paying  taxes 

to  support  English  religious  worship,  which  very  few 

'  of  them  could  understand  and  none  wished  to  attend. 

[  The  company  were  willing  enough  to  accede  to  this, 

'  but  it  required  the  sanction  of  government,  to  obtain 

I  which  was  a  slow  process,  and  before  it  could  be  ac- 

j  complishcd  the  proposed  settlers  became  indifferent  or 

j  averse  to  the  project,  which  thus  finally  fell  through 

and  was  abandoned. 

I      The  first  person  who  actually  located  a  settlement 
'•  on  lands  presumed  to  be  of  the  Ohio  Company  was 


56 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


their  agent,  Christopher  Gist,'  whose  name  frequently 
occurs  in  all  accounts  of  the  military  and  other 
operations  in  this  region  during  the  decade  succeed- 
ing the  year  1750.  He  had  doubtless  selected  his 
location  here  when  going  out  on  the  trip  down  the 
Ohio,  on  which  he  was  engaged  from  the  fall  of  1751 
to  the  spring  of  1752.  He  took  possession  in  the  lat- 
ter year,  but  probably  did  not  make  any  improve- 
ments till  the  spring  of  ]  753.  He  had  certainly  done 
so  prior  to  November  in  that  year,  when  Washington 
passed  his  "  plantation"  on  his  way  to  Le  Bceuf,  and 
said  of  it  in  his  journal,  "According  to  the  best  ob- 
servation I  could  make,  Mr.  Gist's  new stttkment  (which 
we  passed  by)  bears  almost  west  northwest  seventy 
miles  from  Wills'  Creek." 

The  place  where  Christopher  Gist  made  his  settle- 
ment, and  which  is  so  frequently  mentioned  in  ac- 
counts of  AVashington's  and  Braddock's  campaigns  as 
"  Gist's  plantation,"  was  the  same  which  has  been 
known  for  more  than  a  century  as  "Mount  Brad- 
dock,"  almost  exactly  in  the  territorial  centre  of 
Fayette   County,  the   site  of  his   pioneer  residence 


1  CliristoplierGistw.-vsof  Englishdesceiit.  His  gi 
toplier  Gist,  who  died  in  Baltimore  Couuty  in  li;'' 
W..S  Edith  Cronnvei:,  wlio  .died  in  1004.  They  ha 
who  was  surveyor  of  the  Western  Shore,  .lud  w  >- 
sioners,  in  1729,  for  laying  off  the  town  of  B:ilti 
magistnite  in  173G.  In  1705  he  married  Zipporah  : 
pher  was  one  of  tlie  tliree  sons.  He  was  a  resideii 
before  he  came  to  "Western  Pennsylvania  for  the 
married  Sarali  Howard;  his  brother  Natlnnil  th  i 
and  Thomas,  the  third  brother,  marri  I  ^  ill 
Jolui  Eager  ll.nvarJ.  From  cither  N  i: 
General  Gist,  will)  was  kilh.-a  at  tlic  lull  J  II, 
close  of  the  lal-  mmI  u  .i.  il.n-i  ,;  !  ,  i  „  i:, 
Kichard,  and  Tliuiji   -      n,  i  i  ■■■.    -ii!!.    i   :-,-    ',  ■ 


urr.iy,  and  Christo- 
of  North  Carolina 
>hio  ConiP'''ny-  He 
III  Mary  Howard; 


accompany  W:uihington  ..ii    ;        ,    :     ■     i    ,i    ,7    ; 

and  it  was  from  his 

journal  thatSiJarksaiidlrx. 11-              .  n         i.,, 

lilt  of  that  e.'cpedition. 

Will,  his  sons,  Nathanirl   mil    l       i,,,.  :,,    >.,,. 

iili  r.iTuldock  on  the 

mtnl    li..M   ..\     M..i,.ri,:,l:,.:,,,   ,,     i    ,    :     1  ,,    ^,  ;.,  , 

-    !■      n,,l  a  grant  of 

twelv  •  :,.    i>-  ,i,.|     ,    i.  ^  ,,l    l.i I,,   :l,      ,  ::,_      i 

■     '    i    1      .VflerBrad- 

doi'U--  ...i.   a  1 ^..1  ,,.....,;. ,1,1  ,  1    -      ,  :-  ,  ,    \ 

,:,1  Maiyland, 

andUi.U.-,>...-.„.  il„-  l-,„„iKi,i.,-,i,^   1  , 

■    ,,t,iinGist.     In 

1T50  he  went  to  the  Caroliniis  to  enli  t  .  ',       ' 

,      ill  .he  English 

service,  and  was  anccesslul   in  accumi  h 

For  a  time 

he  served  as  Indian  agent  in  the  Sniul,       1  i;i  ii: 

1,,-  1    ■ii,,vcd  from  the 

MoMongahehi  country  bade  to  Xorlh  Carolina  an 

died  ihf  re. 

Eichard  Gist  was  killed  in  Ihe  l.altle  of  King 

s  Mountain.    Thomas 

lived  on  the  plantation,  and  was  a  man  of  note  til 

his  death  abo..t  178C. 

Anno  lived  with  him  until  his  death,   when   si 

Nathaniel,  and  removed  with  him  t.,  il„    ,i  ii,i  . 

1  K   1 ky  .about  the 

beginning  of  this  century.     Nathani.li,     :     i 

..,lli.r  of  Hon. 

Montgomery  Blair,  of  Maryland,  ma.  .1 

11.11,  of  B..ck- 

ingh.am  County,  Va..  a  grandniece  of  A  i ,  1  i '  ,,  i  i. 

i.,,!l,.. mover  of  the 

Bill  of  Rights  in  the  House  of  Bnige-ses.    Xal 

aniel  was  a  colonel  in 

the  Virginia  lined. .liiiilho  lievolulion.ary  war,ai 

d  afterwards  removed 

to  Kentucky,  where  hsdied  early  in  the  present 

eent...-y  at  an  old  age. 

He  lel't  two  sons,— Henry  Cur.v  m,!  Th„n,:i.  C.  ri 

Sarah  Howard,  married  tli,,   11         :          [,' 

1   .  ,.,    :    s;  ,,,..  .,..,  ,,,„' 

from  Kentucky  and  a  di-i,;,                   ,      i      i. 

:   ,    ,  .^     ;,       i;      1,1.../ 

Brown,  was  Ihe  Demoenl  ,                          :    \.   ,    1 

,  1    ■    :  - ,  .     'rii.- 

I  being  within  the  present  township  of  Dunbar,  but 

j  very  near  the  line  of  the  northeast  extremity  of  North 

Union.     His  location  was  called  by  him  "  Mononga- 

hela,"  though  many  miles  from  that  river.     Wash- 

I  ington,  in  the  journal  of  his  return  from  Le  Bceuf, 

mentions  it  by  this  name,  as  follows :  "  Tuesday,  the 

I  1st  of  January,  we  left  Mr.  Frazier's  house,  and  ar- 

;  rived  at  Mr.  Gist's,  at  Monongahela,  on  the  2d ;"  and 

a  letter  written  by  Gist  to  Washington  about  eight 

weeks  later  is  dated  "  Mouongohella,  February  23d, 

1754." 

Mr.  Gist  brought  with  him  to  his  new  settlement 
his  sons,  Richard  and  Thomas,  and  his  son-in-law, 
William  Cromwell.  Soon  after  his  arrival  with  his 
family  there  came  eleven  other  families  from  across 
the  mountains,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Ohio  Com- 
pany, and  settled  on  lauds  in  his  vicinity,  but  the 
sites  of  their  locations  a.s  well  as  their  names  are  now 
unknown.  Washington,  when  on  his  way  from  Gist's 
back  to  Virginia,  in  January,  1754,  wrote  in  his 
journal,  under  date  of  the  6th  of  that  month,  "We 
:  met  seventeen  horses,  loaded  with  materials  and 
'  stores  for  a  fort  at  the  fork  of  the  Ohio,  and  the  day 
after  some  families  going  out  to  settle."  And  it  is 
altogether  probable  that  these  were  the  families  who 
settled  in  Gist's  neighborhood.  Sparks  says,  "In  the 
mean  time  [that  is,  between  the  appointment  of  Gist 
as  the  company's  agent  and  the  building  of  the  fort 
by  Trent]  Mr.  Gist  had  fixed  his  residence  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Alleghenies,  in  the  valley  of  the 
Monongahela,  and  induced  eleven  families  to  settle 
around  him,  on  lands  which  it  was  presumed  would 
i  be  on  the  Ohio  Company's  grant." 

Judge  Veech  expresses  some  doubt  as  to  the  settle- 
ment of  the  eleven  families  near  Gist.  He  says, 
"  We  have  seen  it  stated  somewhere  that  Gist  in- 
duced eleven  ftimilies  to  settle  around  him,  on  lands 
presumed  to  be  within  the  Ohio  Company's  grant. 
This  may  be  so.  But  the  late  Col.  James  Paull, 
whose  father,  George  Paull,  was  an  early  settler  in 
that  vicinity,  and  intimately  acquainted  with  the 
Gists,  said  he  never  heard  of  these  settlers.'.'  But  in 
addition  to  the  reasons  already  given  for  believing 
that  the  families  did  settle  there,  as  stated,  is  this 
other,  that  the  French  commander,  De  Villiers,  men- 
tions in  his  journal  that  when  returning  to  the  Mon- 
ongahela after  his  capture  of  Fort  Necessity,  on 
the  5th  of  July,  1754  (the  day  after  the  surrenderl, 
he  arrived  at  Gist's,  "  and  after  having  detached  M. 
de  la  Chauvignerie  to  burn  the  houses  round  nbout,  I 
continued  my  route  and  encamped  three  leagues 
from  thence,"  which  indicates  that  there  was  then  a 
considerable  settlement  at  that  time  in  the  vicinity  of 
Gist's.  In  regard  to  the  fact  that  Col.  James  Paull 
never  heard  of  the  settlement,  there  need  only  be 
said  that  as  he  was  born  about  six  years  after  those 
people  had  been  burned  out  and  driven  away  by  the 
French,  and  as  even  his  ftither,  Capt.  George  Paull, 
did  nut  come  to  this  country  before  the  fall  of  175S.), 


SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  COUNTY. 


it  is  by  no  means  strange  that  the  former  should  have 
kiinwti  nothing  about  their  settlement. 

Aiiiitlier  .settler  who  came  at  about  the  same  time 
witli  (iist  was  William  Stewart,  said  to  be  the  same 
Stewart  who  was  emi)loyed  by  Washington  in  some 
capacity  in  his  e.xpedition  to  the  French  forts  on  the 
Alloghcny  in  IToS.  He  made  his  settlement  on  the 
west  slioro  of  the  Youghiogheny,  near  where  is  the 
present  borough  of  New  Haven.  From  the  fact  of 
his  location  there  the  place  became  known  as  "Stew- 
art's Crossings,"  and  retained  the  name  for  many 
years.  That  Stewart  came  here  early  in  17.5.3  is 
shown  by  an  affidavit  made  by  liis  son  many  years 
al'terwards,  of  which  the  following  is  a  cojiy  : 
"Favktti:  CoiNTV,  »«. 

"Before  the  subscriber,  one  of  Ihc  eommonwcnUli's  jurticesof 
the  peace  for  said  county,  jicrsonally  np])earcil  William  Stcw- 
nrt.  who  being  of  lawful  ago  and  duly  sworn  on  the  Holy 
Evangelists  of  Almighty  Ood,  saith.That  he  was  living  in  this 
county,  near  Stewart's  Crossings,  in  the  year  175.3,  and  part 
of  the  year  1754,  until   ho  was  obliged  to    remove  hence  on 

unt  of  the  French  taking  possession  of  this  country;  that 
lie  was  well  acquainted  with  Captain  Christopher  Gist  and 
family,  and  also  with  Mr.  William  Cromwell,  Capt.  Gist's  son-in- 
law.     He  further  saith  that  the  land  where  Jonathan  Hill  now  , 

<  anil  the  land  where  John  Murphy  now  lives  was  settled 
by  William  Cromwell,  as  this  deponent  believes  and  always 
understood,  as  tenant  to  the  said  Christopher  Gist.     The  said  I 

nwell  claimed  a  place  called  the  '  Ueaver  Dam,'  which  is 

[ihioe  now  owned  by  Philip  Shutc,  anAwhcre  ho  now  lives; 
and  this  deponent  further  saith  that  he  always  understood  that 
the  reu.<on  of  said  Cromwell's  notsettling  on  his  own  land  (the  , 
Beaver  Dam)  was  that  the  Indians  in  this  country  at  that  tiiiirf^i 
Merc  vcrj  jdenty,  and  tho  said  Cromwell's   wife  was  afraid  or 
did  not  choose  to  live  so  far  from  her  father  and  mother,  there   ■ 
being  at  t'.iat  time  but  a  very  few  f.imilics  of  white  people  set- 
tled in  this  country.  .  .  .  When  this  deponent's  father,  himself,  [ 
and  brothers  first  came  into  this  country,  in  tho  Icginningof  tho  j 
year  175^i.  they  attempted  to  take  pusse..-sion  of  the  said  lieaver  I 
Dam,  and  were  warned  off  by  some  of  said  Christopher  Gist's  ' 


family,  who 

nfonned  the 

1  that  the  s:i 

uc  bo'.c 

nged  to  ^ 

•illi 

Cromwell,  tl 

e  said  Gist's 

son-in- 

uw. 

And  further  dc 

pone 

eaith  not. 

'  Wii.i. 

AM   Stew 

VI!T 

"Sworn  and  subscribed  before. 

eth 

s  20th 

jf  April,  1 

rsfi 

'•Ja 

MKS   FiXL 

:v.' 

The  victory  of  the  French  and  their  Indian  allies 
over  Washington  at  Fort  Necessity  in  17.54  effected  the 
expulsion  of  every  English-speaking  settler  from  this 
section  of  the  country.  There  is  nothing  to  show  that 
at  that  time  there  were  any  others  located  in  what  is 
now  Fayette  County  than  Christopher  Gist,  his  fam- 
ily, William  Cromwell,  the  eleven  unnamed  families 
living  near  them,  Stewart  and  family  at  tho  "  Cross- 
ings," the  Browns,  Dunlap,'  the  trader  on  Dunlap's 
Creek,  and  possibly  Hugh  Crawford,  though  it  is  not 
likely  that  he  was  then  here  as  a  settler,  and  if  he 


1  Dunlnp  bad  certuioty  been  located  liore  before  1750,  as  bis  place  is 
mentioned  in  Burd's  juurnol  in  that  year.  And  it  is  bnrdly  likr-ty  tluit 
lie  would  have  come  hero  after  1754  and  before  1759,  as  tlic  French  were 
then  in  undisputed  possession  of  the  cunulry,  and  \i9ed  it  wlmlly  fur 
tbvir  own  purposes. 


was  his  location  at  that  time  is  unknown.  There 
were  some  settlements  then  on  the  Monongahehi,  as 
is  shown  by  De  Villiers' journal  of  his  march  back 
from  Fort  Necessity  to  Fort  du  Qucsne.  An  entry, 
dated  July  (5, 1754,  reads,  "  I  burned  down  the  Han- 
guard.  We  then  embarked  (on  the  Monongahela) ; 
pa.ssing  along,  we  burnt  down  all  the  settlements  we 
found,  and  about  four  o'clock  I  delivered  my  detach- 
ment to  M.  de  Contrecanir."  But  there  is  nothing  to 
show  that  any  of  the  settlements  so  destroyed  by 
him  were  within  the  limits  of  the  present  county  of 
Fayette. 

After  the  French  had  been  d-iven  from  the  head 
of  the  Ohio  by  Forbes,  and  the  English  forts,  Pitt 
and  Burd,  had  been  erected  in  1750,  the  country  be- 
came comparatively  .safe  for  settlers,  but  some  time 
elapsed  before  the  fugitives  of  1754  began  to  return. 
A  few  "  military  permits"  were  issued  by  the  com- 
mandant at  Fort  Titt,  and  under  this  authority  two 
or  three  (and  perhaps  more)  temporary  .settlers  were 
clustered  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Burd  within  about 
three  years  after  its  erection.  One  of  these  was 
William  Colvin,  who  located  near  the  fort  in  1761, 
and  received  a  settlement  permit  not  long  afferward.s. 
William  Jacobs  settled  at  the  mouth  of  Redstone 
Creek  in  1761.  He  was  driven  away  by  fear  of  the 
Indians  about  two  years  later,  but  afterwards  returned, 
and  received  a  warrant  for  his  claim  soon  after  the 
opening  of  the  Land  Office. 

Upon  the  conclusion  of  peace  between  France  and 
England,  by  the  treaty  of  Paris  (Feb.  10,  1763),  the 
king  of  Great  Britain,  desiring  to  appear  to  have 
the  well-being  of  the  Indians  much  at  heart,  issued  a 
proclamation  (in  October  of  that  year)  declaring  that 
they  must  not,  and  should  not,  be  molested  in  their 
hunting-grounds  by  the  encroachments  of  settlers, 
and  forbidding  any  Governor  of  a  colony  or  any 
military  commander  to  i.ssue  any  patents,  warrants 
of  survey,  or  settlement  permits  for  lands  to  the  west- 
ward of  the  head-streams  of  rivers  flowing  into  the 
-\tlantic, — this,  of  course,  being  an  interdiction  of  all 
settlements  west  of  the  Alleghenies.  But  the  effect 
was  bad,  for  while  the  prohibition  was  disregarded  by 
settlers  and  by  the  colonial  authorities  (particularly 
of  Virginia),  it  caused  the  savages  to  be  still  more 
je.alousof  their  rights,  and  to  regard  incoming  settlers 
with  increased  distrust  and  dislike.  This  state  of  af- 
fairs was  rendered  still  more  alarming  by  the  Indian 
troubles  in  the  West,  known  as  the  Pontiac  war, 
which  occurred  in  that  year,  and  by  which  the  pas- 
sions of  the  savages  (particularly  those  west  of  the 
Alleghenies)  were  inflamed  to  such  a  degree  that  the 
few  settlers  in  the  valleys  of  the  Monongahela  and 
Youghiogheny  Rivers,  as  well  as  those  in  other  parts 
of  the  trans-Allegheny  region,  became  terrified  at  the 
prospect  and  fled  from  the  country. 

But  the  thorough  and  decisive  chastisement  admin- 
istered to  the  savages  by  Gen.  Bouquet  on  the  Mus- 
kingum in  the   fall  of  1764  brought   them  to   their 


58 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


senses,  and  made  the  conntry  once  more  safe,  so  that 
tlie  years  17G5  and  17GC  not  only  saw  the  return  of 
the  people  who  had  fled  from  the  country  between 
the  Monongahela  and  Youghiogheny  Elvers,  but  a 
very  considerable  increase  of  settlements  in  the  same 
territory  by  fresh  arrivals  of  immigrants  from  the 
frontiers  of  Maryland  and  Virginia,  to  which  latter 
province  this  region  was  then  supposed  to  belong. 
A  letter  dated  Winchester,  Va.,  April  30,  176-5,  said, 
"  The  frontier  inhabitants  of  this  colony  and  Mary-  [ 
laud  are  removing  fast  over  the  Allegheny  Mountains 
in  order  to  settle  and  live  there."  The  immigrants 
who  came  here  in  that  and  several  succeeding  years 
settled  chiefly  in  the  valley  of  the  Redstone  (which 
included  also  Dunlap's  Creek  in  usual  mention),  at 
Turkey  Foot,  and  some  other  points  below  on  the 
Youghiogheny,  in  the  valley  of  the  Cheat,  and  in 
Gist's  neighborhood.  In  the  settlements  at  these 
places,  with  that  at  Pittsburgh,  were  embraced  nearly 
all  the  white  inhabitants  of  Pennsylvania  west  of  the 
AUeghenies'  until  about  the  year  1770. 

Information  having  come  to  the  king  of  England 
that  settlements  were  being  made  quite  rapidly  west 
of  the  mountains  in  defiance  of  his  prohibition,  he, 
in  October,  176-5,  sent  the  following  instructions  to 
Governor  Penn  :  "  Whereas  it  hath  been  represented 
unto  us  that  several  persons  from  Pennsylvania  and  the 
back  settlements  of  Virginia  have  immigrated  to  the 
westward  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains,  aud  have  there 
seated  themselves  on  lands  contiguous  to  the  river 
Ohio,  in  express  disobedience  to  our  royal  proclama- 
tion of  Oct.  7, 1763,  it  is  therefore  our  will  and  pleas- 
ure, and  you  are  enjoined  and  required  to  put  a  stop 
to  all  these  and  all  other  like  encroachments  for  the 
iuture  by  causing  all  persons  who  have  irregularly 
seated  themselves  on  lands  to  the  westward  of  the 
Allegheny  Mountains  immediately  to  evacuate  those 
]iremises."  Instructions  of  the  same  purport  had 
been  sent  to  the  Governor  of  Virginia  in  1754,  and  a 
proclamation  had  been  issued  by  the  Governor,  but 
without  having  the  desired  effect.  The  dissatisfaction 
among  the  Indians  increased  rapidly,  and  to  a  degree 
which  awakened  the  authorities  to  the  necessity  for 
some  action  to  allay  it.  The  chiefs  of  the  Six  Na- 
tions were  invited  to  a  treaty  council,  which  was 
accordingly  held  at  Fort  Pitt  in  May,  1766,  at  which 
no  little  dissatisfaction  was  expressed  by  the  Indians  i 

1  Jutlge  Vcech  s.i.vs,  "  The  documentary  liistor}'  of  17(35,  '60,  'G7,  and   i 
iudeeil  of  all  that  decade,  tpejiUs  of  no  other  settlements  in  Western   | 
Pennsjivania,  or  the  West  generally,  tlian  those  within  or  iinnie-  [ 
diately   bordering   nron    the    Monongahela,  upon  Cheat,  upon    the 
Yongh,  the  Turkey  Foot,  and  Efrtstone,  the  first  and  last  being  the 
most  prominent,  and  the  last  the  most  extensive,  covering  all  llie  inte- 
rior settlements  about  Uniontown.    Georges  Creek  settlers  were  re- 
ferred to  Cheat,  those  abont  Gist's  to  the  Tough,  while  Turkey  Foot 
took  in  all  the  mnnntain  districts.    All  these  settlements  seem  to  have 
been  nni  !y -■  iit -nip  iviiieotis,  those  on  the  Redstone  and  the  Monou- 
g.ih'Ii  I    .        '    i       i    It  ,ips  the  earliest,  those  on  the  Yough  and  Tur- 
key K.    :i  '■!:  i    those  of  Georges  Creek  and  Cheat  occupy  an 
interiiH    i,  i  1   i,  hug  with  all  the  others.    They  all  range  from 


at  the  unwarranted  encroachments  being  made  by  the 
whites.  In  a  letter  dated  at  the  fort  on  the  24th  of 
the  month  mentioned,  George Croghan,  deputy  Indian 
agent,  said,  "  As  soon  as  the  peace  was  made  last  year 
[meaning  the  peace  that  followed  Bouquet's  victory 
of  1764],  contrary  to  our  engagements  to  them  [the 
Indians],  a  number  of  our  people  came  over  the  Great 
Mountain  and  settled  at  Redstone  Creek  and  upon 
the  Monongahela,  before  they  had  given  the  country  ' 
to  the  king,  their  father."  He  also  addressed  Gen. 
Gage,  commander-in-chief  of  the  British  forces  in 
America,  saying,  "If  some  effectual  measures  are  not 
speedily  taken  to  remove  those  people  settled  on  Red- 
stone Creek  till  a  boundary  can  be  properly  settled 
or  proposed,  and  the  Governors  pursue  vigorous  meas- 
ures, the  consequences  may  be  dreadful,  and  we  be 
involved  in  all  the  calamities  of  another  general 
war." 

This  resulted  in  the  ordering  of  Capt.  Alexander 
Mackay,  with  a  detachment  of  the  Forty-second  Regi- 
ment of  Foot,  to  Fort  Burd,  where  he  issued  a  proc- 
lamation, dated  at  Redstone  Creek,-  June  22,  1766, 
which  proclamation  was  as  follows :  "  To  all  people 
now  inhabiting  to  the  westward  of  the  Allegheny 
]\Iountains:  In  consequence  of  several  complaints 
made  by  the  savages  against  the  people  who  have 
presumed  to  inhabit  some  parts  of  the  country  west 
of  the  Allegheny  Mountains,  which  by  treaty  belong 
to  them,  and  had  never  been  purchased,  and  which 
is  contrary  to  his  Majesty's  royal  proclamation,  his 
Excellency,  the  commander-in-chief,  out  of  compas- 
sion to  your  ignorance,  before  he  proceeds  to  extrem- 
ity, has  been  pleased  to  order  me,  with  a  detachment 
from  the  garrison  at  Fort  Pitt,  to  come  here  and  col- 
lect you  together,  to  inform  you  of  the  lawless  and 
licentious  manner  in  which  you  behave,  and  to  order 
you  also  to  return  to  your  several  provinces  without 
delay,  which  I  am  to  do  in  the  presence  of  some  In- 
dian chiefs  now  along  with  me.  I  therefore  desire 
you  will  all  come  to  this  place  along  with  the  bearer, 
whom  I  have  sent  on  purpose  to  collect  you  together. 

"  His  Excellency,  the  commander-in-chief,  has  or- 
dered, in  case  you  should  remain  after  this  notice,  to 
seize  and  make  prize  of  all  goods  and  merchandise, 
brought  on  this  side  the  Allegheny  Mountains,  or 
exposed  to  sale  to  Indians  at  any  place  except  at  his 
Majesty's  garrison  ;  that  goods  thus  seized  will  be  a 
lawful  prize,  and  become  the  property  of  the  captors. 
The  Indians  will  be  encouraged  in  this  way  of  doing 
themselves  justice,  and  if  accidents  should  happen, 
you  lawless  people  must  look  upon  yourselves  as  the 
cause  of  whatever  may  be  the  consequence  hurtful  to 
your  persons  aud  estates ;  and  if  this  should  not  be 
sufficient  to  make  you  return  to  your  several  provinces, 
his  Excellency,  the  commander-in-chief,  will  order  an 
armed  force  to  drive  you  from  the  lands  you  have- 


SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  COUNTY. 


taken  possession  of  to  the  westward  of  the  Alleglieny  I 
Mountains,  the  property  of  the  Indians,  till  sucli  time 
as  liis  Majesty  may  be  pleased  to  fix  a  fartlier  bound- 
ary.    Snt-li  people  as  will  not  come  to  this  place  are  ' 
to  send  their  names  and  the  province  they  belong  to, 
and  what  they  are  to  do,  by  the  bearer,  that  his  E.x-  ] 
celiency.the  commander-in-chief,  may  be  ac(iuainted 
with  their  intentions."  ; 

On  the  31st  of  July  next  following  the  publication 
of  Mackay's  manifesto,  Governor  Fauquier,  of  Vir-  ; 
ginia,  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  people  wiio  had 
presumed  to  settle  to  the  westward  of  the  Alleghenies 
in  defiance  of  his  previous  warning  and  prohibition  I 
(which  had  been  regarded  by  the  people  as  a  merely  i 
formal  compliance  with  the  king's  order,  and  not  in-  1 
tended  to  be  enforced),  and  requiring  all  such  to  im- 
mediately evacuate  their  settlements,  which  if  they 
failed  to  do  promptly  they  must  expect  no  jirotection  I 
or  mercy  from  the  government,  but  would  be  left  to 
the  revenge  and  retribution  of  the  exasperated  In- 
dians. 

In  October,  176C,  Governor  Penn,  at  the  request  of 
the  Assembly,  addressed  Governor  Fauquier,  saying 
that,  without  any  authority  whatever  from  Pennsyl- 
vania, settlements  had  been  made  near  the  Redstone 
Creek  and  the  Monongahela,  and  that  he  had  no 
doubt  this  had  been  done  also  without  the  consent  of 
the  government  of  Virginia,  and  in  violation  of  the 
rights  of  the  Indian  nations.  He  desired  Governor 
Fauquier  to  unite  with  him  in  removing  the  settlers 
from  the  lands  in  the  Jlonongahela  Valley,  and  prom- 
ised, in  case  of  necessity,  to  furnisii  a  military  force 
to  etl'ect  the  object.  Governor  Fauquier  replied  to 
this  that  he  had  already  issued  three  proclamations 
to  tiic  settlers  without  effect,  but  that  the  commander- 
in-chief  had  taken  a  more  effectual  method  to  remove 
them  by  ordering  an  officer  and  a  detachment  of  sol- 
diers to  summon  the  settlers  on  Redstone  Creek,  on 
the  Monongahela,  and  in  other  parts  west  of  the  Alle- 
gheny Mountains  to  quit  their  illegal  settlements, 
and  in  case  of  a  refusal  to  threaten  forcible  expulsion 
and  seizure  of  their  movable  property. 

All  these  proclamations,  with  the  show  of  military 
force,  had  the  effect  to  terrify  a  few  of  the  settlers 
into  removal ;  but  by  far  the  greater  part  remained 
and  were  not  disturbed  by  the  military,  which,  after 
a  short  stay  at  Fort  Burd,  returned  to  garrison  at  Fort 
Pitt.  In  the  summer  of  1767,  however,  troops  were 
again  sent  here  to  expel  non-complying  settlers, 
many  of  whom  were  then  actually  driven  away;  but 
they  all  made  haste  to  return  as  soon  as  the  force  was 
withdrawn,  and  not  a  few  of  those  who  had  thus  been 
expelled  came  back  accompanied  by  new  settlers  from 
the  east  of  the  mountains. 

Finally  all  efforts  to  prevent  settlements  in  this  re- 
gion and  to  expel  those  who  had  already  located  here 
failed.  The  extension  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line 
to  the  second  crossing  of  Dunkard  Creek,  in  1767, 
showed  that  nearly  all  the  settlements  made  were  un- 


questionably in  the  jurisdiction  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
in  January,  17C8,  Governor  Penn  called  the  attention 
of  the  A.ssembly  to  this  then  recently  discovered  fact, 
narrated  the  ineffectual  efforts  made  to  that  time  to 
remove  the  settlers,  mentioned  the  exasperation  of 
the  savages,  which  might  not  improbably  result  in  a 
bloody  war,  and  advised  the  enactment  of  a  law  severe 
enough  to  effect  the  desired  result,  and  thus  avert  the 
horrors  of  a  savage  outbraak.  Accordingly,  on  the 
3d  of  February,  1768,  an  act  was  passed  providing 
and  declaring, — 

"That  if  any  person  or  persons  settle  upon  any  lands 
within  this  province  not  purchased  of  the  Indians 
by  the  proprietors  thereof,  and  shall  neglect  or  refuse 
to  remove  themselves  and  fiimilies  off  and  from  the 
said  land  within  the  space  of  thirty  days  after  he  or 
they  shall  be  required  to  do  so,  either  by  such  per- 
sons as  the  Governor  of  this  province  shall  appoint 
for  that  purpose,  or  by  his  proclamation,  to  be  set  up 
in  the  most  public  places  of  the  settlements  on  such 
unpurchased  lands,  or  if  any  person  or  persons  being 
so  removed  shall  afterwards  return  to  his  or  their  set- 
tlements, or  the  settlement  of  any  other  person,  with 
his  or  their  family,  orwitliout  any  family,  to  remain 
and  settle  on  any  such  lands,  or  if  any  person  shall, 
after  the  said  notice,  to  be  given  as  aforesaid,  reside 
and  settle  on  such  lands,  every  such  person  or  persons 
so  neglecting  or  refusing  to  move  with  his  or  their 
family,  or  returning  to  settle  as  aforesaid,  or  that 
shall  settle  on  any  such  lands  after  the  requisition  or 
notice  afore-said,  being  thereof  legally  convicted  by 
their  own  confessions  or  the  verdict  of  a  jury,  shall 
suffer  death  v'dhout  the  benefit  of  clergy. 

"  Provided  always,  nevertheless,  that  nothing  here- 
in contained  shall  be  deemed  or  construed  to  extend 
to  any  person  or  persons  who  now  are  or  hereafter 
may  be  settled  on  the  main  roads  or  communications 
leading  through  this  province  to  Fort  Pitt,  under  the 
approbation  and  permission  of  the  commander-in- 
chief  of  his  Majesty's  forces  in  North  America,  or  of 
the  chief  officer  commanding  in  the  Western  .District 
to  the  Ohio  for  the  time  being,  for  the  more  con- 
venient accommodation  of  the  soldiers  and  others, 
or  to  such  person  or  persons  as  are  or  shall  be  .settled 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Port  Pitt,  under  the  approba- 
tion and  permission,  or  to  a  settlement  made  by 
George  Croghan,  deputy  superintendent  of  Indian 
affairs  under  Sir  William  Johnson,  on  the  Ohio  River 
above  said  fort,  anything  herein  contained  to  the  con- 
trary notwithstanding." 

This  law  was  doubtless  as  severe  as  Governor  Penn 
had  desired,  but  its  folly  exceeded  its  severity,  for 
the  evident  brutality  of  its  provisions  barred  the  pos- 
sibility of  their  execution,  and  it  is  by  no  means  cer- 
tain that  this  was  not  had  in  view  by  many  of  the  mem- 
bers who  voted  for  its  enactment.  A  show  was  to  be 
made,  however,  of  carrying  the  law  into  effect,  and 
soon  after  its  passage  the  Governor  appointed  the 
Reverend  Captain  John  Steele,  of  the  Presbyterian 


GO 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Church  of  Carlisle,  John  Allison,  Christopher  Lemes, 
and  Capt.  James  Potter,  of  Cumberland  County,  to 
visit  the  Jlonongahela,  Youghiogheny,  and  Redstone 
Valleys,  as  well  as  any  other  places  west  of  the  Alle- 
glieny  Mountains  wliere  settlements  might  have  been 
made  within  the  supposed  territory  of  Pennsylvania, 
to  promulgate  and  explain  the  law,  and  induce  the 
settlers  to  comply  with  its  requirements.  The  com- 
missioners took  with  them  copies  of  a  proclamation 
by  the  Governor,  •which,  after  a  preamble  reciting  the 
provisions  of  the  law,  proceeded,  "  In  pursuance, 
therefore,  of  the  said  act,  I  have  thought  proper,  by 
the  advice  of  the  Council,  to  issue  this  my  proclama- 
tion, hereby  giving  notice  to  all  persons  to  remove 
themselves  and  families  off  and  from  said  lands  on 
or  before  the  first  day  of  May,  1768.  And  I  do 
hereby  strictly  charge  and  command  such  person  or 
persons,  under  the  pains  and  penalties  by  it  the  said 
act  imposed,  that  they  do  not,  on  any  pretense  what- 
ever, remain  or  continue  on  the  said  lands  longer  than 
thirty  days  after  the  first  day  of  May  next."  Besides 
this  proclamation,  the  commissioners  also  had  the 
Governor's  instructions  to  call  together  at  each  of  the 
settlements  .as  many  of  the  people  as  they  could,  and 
at  such  gatherings  to  read  and  explain  the  proclama- 
tion, to  remonstrate  with  the  settlers  against  their 
continuing  on  lands  which  still  belonged  to  the  In- 
dians, and  to  warn  them  of  the  terrible  danger  which 
tliey,  as  well  as  other  settlers,  were  incurring  by  their 
persistent  refusal  to  remove.  Finally,  they  were  in- 
structed to  procure,  if  possible,  the  names  of  all  the 
settlers  at  the  several  points,  and  report  the  list  to  the 
Governor  on  their  return. 

The  commissioners,  with  the  Reverend  Captain 
Steele  at  their  head,  left  Carlisle  on  the  2d  of  March, 
and  proceeded  to  Fort  Cumberland,  from  which  place 
they  traveled  over  the  route  pursued  by  Braddock's 
army  to  the  Youghiogheny  and  to  Gist's,  thence  by 
Burd's  road  to  the  Monongahela.  What  they  did  at 
the  various  settlements  visited  was  related  in  their 
report  to  the  Governor,  as  follows : 

"  AVe  arrived  at  the  settlement  on  Redstone  on  the 
23d  day  of  March.  The  people  having  heard  of  our 
coming  had  appointed  a  meeting  among  themselves 
on  the  24th,  to  consult  what  measures  to  take.  We 
took  advantage  of  this  meeting,  read  the  act  of  As- 
sembly and  proclamation  explaining  the  law,  and 
giving  the  reasons  of  it  as  well  as  we  could,  and  used 
our  endeavors  to  persuade  them  to  comply,  alleging 
to  them  that  it  was  the  most  probable  method  to  en- 
title them  to  favor  with  the  honorable  proprietors 
when  the  laud  was  purchased. 

"  After  lamenting  their  distressed  condition,  they 
told  us  the  people  were  not  fully  collected ;  but  they 
expected  all  would  attend  on  the  Sabbath  following, 
and  then  they  would  give  us  an  answer.  They,  how- 
ever, affirmed  that  the  Indians  were  very  peaceable, 
and  seemed  sorry  that  they  were  to  be  removed,  and 


said  they  apprehended  the  English  intended  to  make 
war  upon  the  Indians,  as  they  were  moving  off  their 
people  from  the  neighborhood.  We  labored  to  per- 
suade them  that  they  were  imposed  upon  by  a  few 
straggling  Indians;  that  Sir  William  Johnson,  who 
had  informed  our  government,  must  be  better  ac- 
quainted with  the  mind  of  the  Six  Nations,  and  that 
they  were  displeased  with  the  white  people's  settling 
on  their  unpurchased  lands. 

"  On  Sabbath,  the  27th  of  March,  a  considerable  . 
number  attended   (their  names  are  subjoined),  and 
most  of  them  told  us  they  were  resolved  to  move  off,  ' 
and  would  petition  your  Honor  for  a  preference  in  ob-  ; 
taining   their   improvements  when   a   purchase  was 
made.     While  we  were  conversing  we  were  informed  . 
that  a  number  of  Indians  were  come  to  Indian  Peter's.' 
We,  judging  it  might  be  subservient  to  our  main  de- 
sign that  the  Indians  should  be  present  while  we  were 
advising  the  people  to  obey  the  law,  sent  for  them.  ■ 
They  came,  and  after  sermon  delivered  a  speech,  with 
a  string  of  wampum,  to  be  transmitted  to  your  Honor. 
Their  speech  was :  '  Ye  are  come,  sent  by  your  great  '• 
men,  to  tell  these  people  to  go  away  from  the  land 
which  ye  say  is  ours;  and  we  are  sent  by  our  great  . 
men,  and  are  glad  we  have  met  here  this  day.     We 
tell  you  the  white  people  must  stop,  and  we  stop  them 
till  the  treaty,  and  when  George  Croghan  and  our 
great  men  talk  together  we  will  tell  them  what  to  do.' 
The  names  of  the  Indians  are  subjoined.'-     They  were 
from  the  Mingo  town,  about  eighty  miles  from  Red- 
stone (on  the  Ohio,  below  Steubenville). 

"  After  this  the  people  were  more  confirmed  that 
there  was  no  danger  of  war.  They  dropt  the  design 
of  ])etitioning,  and  said  they  would  wait  the  issue  of 
the  treaty.  Some,  however,  declared  they  would 
move  off. 

"  We  had  sent  a  messenger  to  Cheat  River  and  to 
Stewart's  Crossings  of  Yougheganny,  with  several 
proclamations,  requesting  them  to  meet  us  at  Giesse's 
[Gist's]  place,  as  most  central  for  both  settlements. 
On  the  30th  of  March  about  thirty  or  forty  men  met 
us  there.  We  proceeded  as  at  Red  Stone,  reading  the 
act  of  Assembly  and  proclamation,  and  endeavored 
to  convince  them  of  the  necessity  and  reasonableness 
of  quitting  the  unpurchased  land,  but  to  no  purpose. 
They  had  heard  what  the  Indians  had  said  at  Red 
Stone,  and  reasoned  in  the  same  manner,  declaring 
that  they  had  no  apprehension  of  war,  that  they 
would  attend  the  treaty  and  take  their  measures  ac- 
cordingly. Many  severe  things  were  said  of  Mr.  Cro- 
ghan, and  one  Lawrence  Harrison  treated  the  law  and 
our  government  with  too  much  disrespect. 

"  On  the  31st  of  March  we  came  to  the  Great  Cross- 
ings of  Yougheghanny,  and  being  informed  by  one 

1  "  Iiuliiin  Tt'ter"  was  then  living  in  a  cabin  located  on  what  is  now 
the  property  of  Cul.  Samuel  Evans,  three  miles  cast  of  Uniontown. 

-  \^  follows:  "The  Indians  w!io  came  to  Redstone,  viz.:  Captains 
lI;.viMi,  Hornets,  M.vg.>g-Wigo,  Xogawucli,  Strikehelt,  ToirIj,  Gillj-,  and 


SETTLEMENT  OF  THE   COUNTY. 


CI 


Speer  tliiit  eight  or  ten  families  lived  in  a  place  called  different  settlements  of  Red  Stone,  Youghoganny,  and 
the  Turkey  Fool,  we  sent  some  proclamations  thither  [  Cheat." 

by  said  Speer,  as  we  did  to  a  few  families  nigh  the  This  estimate  wsis  intended  to  include  all  the  set- 
crossings  of  Little  Yough,  judging  it  unnecessary  to  tiers  in  what  is  now  Fayette  County,  and  the  about 
go  amongst  them.  It  is  our  opinion  that  some  will  j  eight  families  on  the  east  side  of  the  Youghiogheny  at 
move  off,  in  obedience  to  the  law,  that  the  greater  I  Turkey  Foot.  The  lists  given  in  the  commissioners' 
part  will  wail  the  treaty,  and  if  they  find  that  the  In-  j  report  of  course  omitted  a  great  number  of  names  of 
dians  are  indeed  dissatisfied,  we  think  the  whole  will  settlers,  including  a  number  who  were  somewhat 
be  persuaded  to  move.     The  Indians  coming  to  Red     prominent  and  well  known  as  having  been  located  in 


Stone  and  delivering  their  speeches  greatly  ob- 
gtructed  our  design." 

Appended  to  the  commissioners'  report  was  a  list 
of  settlers,  as  follows : 

"The  names  of  inhabitants  near  Red  Stone:  John 
Wiseman,  Henry  Prisser,  William  Linn,  William 
Colvin,  John  Vervalson,  Abraham  Tygard,  Thomas 
Brown,  Richard  Rodgers,  Henry  Swatz  fSwartz],  Jo- 
seph McClean,  Jesse  Jlartin,  Adam  Hatton,  John 
Verwal,  Jr.,  James  Waller,  Thomas  Douter  [Douthet, 
who  owned  a  part  of  the  site  of  Uniontown],  Captain 
Coburn,  John  Belong,  Peter  Y'oung,  George  Martin,  I  niained,  for  all  the  settlers  were  strong  in  coniidence 


this  region  several  years  before  1708,  as  Christopher 
and  Richard  Gist,  William  Cromwell,  Stewart  of  the 
"Crossings,"  Capt.  William  Crawford,-  who  had  been 
settled  near  Stewart  for  about  three  years ;  Hugh 
Stevenson,  on  the  Youghiogheny ;  Martin  Hardin 
(father  of  Col.  John  Hardin),  on  Georges  Creek; 
John  McKibben,  on  Dunlap's  Creek,  and  others. 

The  mission  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Steele  and  his  asso- 
ciates ended  in  failure,  for  the  few  people  who  had 
promised  to  remove  disregarded  that  pronii.«e  and 


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  Provence. 

"Names  of  some  who  met  us  at  Giesse's  [Gist's] 
place:  One  Bloomfield  [probably  BrowntieJd],  James 
Lvnn,  Ezekiel  Johnson,  Richard  Harrison,  Phil  Sute, 


Jed  Johnson,  Thomas  G 

James  Wallace   [Waller?],    Henry  Burkniun,   Law- 
rence Harrison,  Ralph  Hickenbottom.' 

"Names  of  the  people  at  Turkey  Foot:  Henry 
Abrahams,  Ezekiel  Dewitt,  James  Spencer,  Benjamin 
Jennings,  John  Cooper,  Ezekiel  Hickman,  John  Ens- 
low,  Henry  Enslow,  Benjamin  Pursley." 

Mr.  Steele  made  a  supplemental  report  to  the  Gov- 
ernor, in  which,  referring  to  the  conferences  with  the 
settlers,  he  said,  "The  jieople  at  Red  Stone  alleged 
that  the  removing  of  them  from  the  unpurchased  lands 
was  a  contrivance  of  the  gentlemen  and  merchants  of 
Philadelphia  that  they  might  take  rights  for  their 
improvements  when  a  purchase  was  made.  In  con- 
firmation of  this  they  said  that  a  gentleman  of  the 
name  of  Harris,  and  another  called  Wallace,  with 
one  Friggs,  a  pilot,  spent  a  considerable  time  last 
August  in  viewing  the  lands  and  creeks  thereabouts. 
I  am  of  the  opinion,  from  the  appearance  the  people 
made,  and  the  best  intelligence  we  could  obtain,  that 
there  are  about  an  hundred  and  fifty  families  in  the 


•  Rnlpli  HlggenlKjItom  resided  on  the  Wojiiesbiirg  mini,  in  Menalleii 
iisliip,  a  little  west  uf  ilic  Siiiidy  Hill  Qimker  giavcjanl"  ("  Munong-t- 
Uelu  "'f  Old").  Mr.  Veccli  also  siiya  of  tlif  persons  named  by  Uje  cootDiis- 
.■i>*  that  tliey  resided  nt  considerable  distances  from  tlie  jilaces  where 
were  met,  as,  for  instance,  "James  McClean,  who  lived  in  North 
>n  township,  near  the  base  of  Laurel  Hill ;  Thomas  Ponthet,  on  the 
tract  where  Uniontown  now  is;  Captain  Coburn,  some  ten  miles  south- 
of  Xow  Geneva;  Gabriel  Conn,  probably  on  Georges  Creek,  near 
Wuodbridgetown.  The  Provances  settled  on  Provancc's  Bottom,  near 
sontown,  and  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  at  the  mouth  of  Big 
lilely.    The  BiownBeWs  located  south  and  southeast  of  Uui'ntovvu." 


that  results  fixvorable  to  their  continued  occupation 
would  come  from  the  treaty  council  which  was  ap- 
pointed to  be  held  at  Fort  Pitt  about  a  month  later. 
At  that  treaty  council  there  were  present  nearly  two 
thousand  Indians,  including,  besides  chiefs  and  head 
men  of  the  dominant  Six  Nations,  representatives  of 
the  Delaware,  Shawanese,  Munsee,  and  Mohican 
[Gist],  Charles  Lindsay,  |  tribes.  On  the  part  of  the  white  men  there  were 
present  George  Croghan,  deputy  agent  for  Indian 
affairs;  John  Allen  and  Joseph  Shii)pcn,  Jr.,  Esiirs., 

-  Captain  (afterwards  colonel)  William  Crawford  settled  on  the  west 
bank  of  the  Youghiogheny  at  Stcwait's  Crossings.  A  deposition  sworn 
l>y  him,  and  having  reference  to  his  settlement  here  and  some  other 
matleis,  is  funn<l  in  the  -'Calendar  of  Virginia  State  Papers  and  other 
Mauusciipts,  li;..2-178I.  Preserved  in  tlio  Capitol  at  Eichmond.  Ar- 
ranged and  edited  by  William  Palmer,  M.D.,  under  anthuiily  of  the 
l.c^i-luiuii'  >■!  Vii^iiiia,  v,.l,  i.  1st.'.."    Tin-  ili'impiii wlii.li  was  taken 


1,-,  ,    ..  :        ,,:•..■.,,-        u.  ..    ■     '    ,-  :  ,,.  .-xplain- 

tlie  cxpnlsiun  of  the  Fieiiili  and  tin-  building  uf  the  K.iglish  forts,  Pitt 
and  Bnrd. 

"  Colonel  William  Crawford  Dcposeth  and  saitli  that  his  first  acquaint- 
ance with  llie  Country  on  the  Ohio  was  in  the  year  1758,  he  then  being 
an  OITiccr  in  the  Virginia  Service.  That  between  that  time  and  the  year  ' 
1705  ft  number  of  Settlements  were  made  on  the  Public  Roads  in  that 
Country  by  Permission  ol  the  Several  Commanding  Officers  nt  Fort  Pitt. 
Tliut  in  the  Fall  of  the  year  1705  lie  made  some  Improvements  on  the 
West  Side  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains  ;  in  the  Spring  of  the  year  fol- 
lowing he  settled,  and  has  continued  to  live  out  hero  ever  since.  That 
liefoie  thiit  1i[ne,  and  in  that  yrar,  a  f'.>n^iderable  number  of  Settleuiel 
\(  : .  i,..i  I  ,  ij.  tliii,:.-  Hi  .11  ilii  .  !i>;:i  111  d,  without  permis.«ion  from  any 
'     II  :  _'  ::  ~  :,,  II  -•tllcments  were  made  with 

i    I  ■'       I      1,1     iii|.i        .  1  iiiii.  and  some  others  within  Col. 

<  I  lI  n. -.  ii  III  II.  it  iiiii..  r  ,  : ;  ,  |  .—.|it  the  people  continued  to  emi- 
grate to  this  (.'.'untry  vi-iy  fast.  Th"  Deponeiit  lieing  asked  by  Mr. 
Morgan  if  he  knows  the  names  of  those  who  settled  on  the  Indiana 
Claim  in  the  year  nCO,  and  on  what  Waters,  answers  that  Zachel  Mor- 
gan, James  Chew,  and  Jacob  Prickett  came  out  in  that  year,  and  was  in- 
formed by  them  that  they  settled  up  the  Jlonongahola ;  lliat  he  hassince 
seen  Zachel  Morgan's  plantation,  which  is  on  the  South  side  of  the  lino 
run  by  Mason  and  Dixon,  and  that  he  believes  that  to  be  the  first  set- 
tlenielit  made  in  this  Country.  .  .  ."   The  "Zachel  Morgan's  pinntaliou" 


hat^ 

iny    \ 
th«    ' 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


commissioners  for  the  province  of  Pennsylvania; 
Alexander  McKee,  commissary  of  Indian  affairs;  Col.  ' 
John  Keed,  commandant  of  Fort  Pitt,  and  several  I 
other  military  officers.  The  principal  interpreter  was 
Henry  Jfoutoiir,  and  many  of  the  Monongahela  and 
Redstone  settlers  were  present  and  among  the  most 
anxious  of  the  spectators. 

The  council  proceeded  in  the  usual  way,  with  high- 
sounding  speeches,  hollow  assurances  of  friendship, 
the  presentation  of  divers  belts  and  strings  of  wam-  j 
pum,  and  tlie  distribution  among  the  Indians  of  pres- 
ents to  the  amount  of  .£1-500 ;  but  as  the  deliberations 
progressed  it  became  more  and  more  apparent  that 
there  existed  among  the  savages  no  deep-seated  dis- 
satisfaction against  the  settlers  ;  that  nearly  all  the  j 
indignation  at  the  encroachments  of  the  whites  was  j 
felt  and  expressed  by  the  gentlemen  acting  for  the  ! 
Pennsylvania  authorities ;  that  these  were  extremely 
angry  with  the  Indians  because  in  a  few  instances 
they  had  sold  small  tracts  to  white  men,  and  be- 
cause they  were  now  exhibiting  a  decided  disincli- 
nation to  demand  the  immediate  removal  of  the  set- 
tlers. Almost  the  only  Indian  of  the  Six  Nations 
who  complained  was  Tohonissahgarawa,  who  said, 
"Some  of  them"  (the  settlements)  "are  inade  di- 
rectly on  our  war-path  leading  to  our  enemies'  country, 
and  we  do  not  like  it.  .  .  .  As  we  look  upon  it,  it  will 
be  time  enough  for  you  to  settle  them  when  you  have 
purchased  them  and  the  country  becomes  yours."  i 
The  commissioners  addressed  the  Indians,  telling  i 
them  that  when  Steele  and  his  associates  had  visited  | 
the  settlers  the  latter  had  promised  to  remove.  "  But, 
brethren,"  continued  the  commissioners,  "  we  are  sorry 
to  tell  you  that  as  soon  as  the  men  sent  by  the  Gover- 
nor had  prevailed  on  the  settlers  to  consent  to  a  com- 
pliance with  the  law,  there  came  among  them  eight 
Indians  who  live  at  the  Jlingo  town,  down  this  river, 
and  desired  the  people  not  to  leave  their  settlements, 
but  to  sit  quiet  on  them  till  the  present  treaty  at  this 
place  should  be  concluded.  The  people,  on  receiving 
this  advice  and  encouragement,  suddenly  changed 
their  minds,  and  determined  not  to  quit  their  places 
till  they  should  hear  further  from  the  Indians.  Now, 
brethren,  we  cannot  help  expressing  to  you  our  great 
concern  at  this  behavior  of  those  Indians,  as  it  has 
absolutely  frustrated  the  steps  the  Governor  was  taking 
to  do  you  justice  by  the  immediate  removal  of  those 
people  from  your  lands.  And  we  must  tell  you,  breth- 
ren, that  the  conduct  of  those  Indians  appears  to  us 
very  astonishing;  and  we  are  much  at  a  loss  to  ac- 
count for  tlie  reason  of  it  at  this  time,  when  the  Six 
Nations  are  complaining  of  encroachments  being 
made  on  their  lands.  .  .  .  But,  brethren,  all  that  we 
have  now  to  desire  of  you  is  that  you  will  immedi- 
ately send  off  some  of  your  prudent  and  wise  men 
with  a  message  to  the  people  settled  at  Red  Stone, 
Yougbiogheny,  and  Monongahela,  to  contradict  the 
advice  of  the  Indians  from  the  Mingo  town,  and  to 
acquaint  them  that  you  very  much  disapprove  of  their 


continuing  any  longer  on  their  settlements,  and  that 
you  expect  they  will  quit  them  without  delay.  If  you 
agree  to  this,  we  will  send  an  honest  and  discreet 
white  man  to  accompany  your  messengers.  And, 
brethren,  if,  after  receiving  such  notice  from  you,  they 
shall  refuse  to  remove  by  the  time  limited  them,  you 
may  depend  upon  it  the  Governor  will  not  fail  to  put 
the  law  into  immediate  execution  against  them." 

Finally  a  reluctant  consent  to  the  proposition  of 
the  commissioners  was  gained  from  the  Six  Nations' 
chiefs.  At  a  session  held  with  these  chiefs  on  the  9th 
of  May,  "  It  was  agreed  by  them  to  comply  with  the 
request  of  the  commissioners  in  sending  messengers 
to  the  people  settled  at  Red  Stone,  Youghiogany,  and 
Monongahela,  to  signify  to  them  the  great  displeasure 
of  the  Six  Nations  at  their  taking  possession  of  the 
lands  there  and  making  settlements  on  them,  and 
also  that  it  is  expected  they  will,  with  their  families, 
remove  without  further  notice.  They  accordingly  ap- 
pointed the  White  Mingo  and  the  three  deputie.s  sent 
from  the  Six  Nations'  country  to  carry  a  message  to 
that  effect,  and  the  commissioners  agreed  to  send  Mr. 
John  Frazer  and  Mr.  William  Thompson  to  accom- 
pany them,  with  written  instructions  in  behalf  of  the 
government  of  Pennsylvania." 
"  Monday,  May  9,  17G8,  p.m.  : 
"  The  Indian  messengers  having  agreed  to  set  out 
for  Red  Stone  Creek  to-morrow,  the  commissioners, 
as  an  encouragement,  to  them  for  the  trouble  of  their 
journey,  made  them  a  present  of  some  black  wampum. 
They  then  desired  Mr.  Fraser  and  Capt.  Thompson  to 
hold  themselves  prepared  for  accompanying  the  In- 
dian messengers  in  the  morning,  and  wrote  them  a 
letter  of  instructions."  In  those  instructions  they 
said, — 

"  As  soon  as  you  arrive  in  the  midst  of  the  settle- 
ments near  Red  Stone  Creek,  it  will  be  proper  to  con- 
vene as  many  of  the  settlers  as  possible,  to  whom  the 
Indians  may  then  deliver  their  message,  which  shall 
be  given  to  you  in  writing;  and  we  desire  you  will 
leave  a  few  copies  of  it  with  the  principal  people, 
that  they  may  communicate  the  same  to  those  who 
live  at  any  considerable  distance  from  them.  .  .  . 
You  may  then  acquaint  them  that  they  must  now  be 
convinced  by  this  message  and  the  speech  of  the  Six 
Nations  that  they  have  hitherto  been  grossly  de- 
ceived by  a  few  straggling  Indians  of  no  consequence, 
who  may  have  encouraged  them  to  continue  on  their 
settlements,  and  that  they  will  now  be  left  without 
the  least  pretense  or  excuse  for  staying  on  them  any 
longer.  .  .  .  But  should  you  find  any  of  those  incon- 
siderate people  still  actuated  by  a  lawless  and  obsti- 
nate spirit  to  bid  defiance  to  the  civil  authority,  you 
may  let  them  know  that  we  were  under  no  necessity 
of  sending,  in  the  name  of  the  Governor,  any  further 
notice  to  them,  or  of  being  at  the  pains  of  making 
them  acquainted  with  the  real  minds  of  the  Indians, 
to  induce  them  to  quit  their  settlements,  for  that  the 
powers  of  the  government  are  sufficient  to  compel 


SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  COUNTY. 


them  to  pay  due  obedience  to  the  laws,  and  they  may 
depend  on  it  they  will  be  eftectnally  exerted  if  they 
persist  in  their  obstinacy.  You  nuiy  likewise  assure 
them  that  they  need  not  attempt  to  make  an  offer  of 
terms  with  the  government  respecting  their  removal, 
as  we  hear  some  of  tiieni  have  vainly  proposed  to  do, 
by  siiying  they  would  go  off  the  lands  immediately 
on  condition  that  they  should  be  secured  to  them  as 
soon  as  the  purchase  is  made.  It  is  a  liigh  insult  to 
government  for  those  people  even  to  hint  at  such 
things." 

Tiie  two  gentlemen  whom  the  Pennsylvania  com- 
missioners liad  designated,  Messrs.  John  Frazer  and 
■William  Thompson,  being  ready  to  set  out  on  their 
coutcmplated  journey  from  Fort  Pitt  to  Redstone 
Creek,  the  Indian  messengers  were  sent  for,  and  at 
last  made  their  appearance  at  the  fort,  but  said  that, 
after  due  consideration  of  the  business  on  which  it 
was  ])roposed  to  send  tliem,  they  had  decided  that 
tliey  could  by  no  means  undertake  it,  and  immedi- 
ately returned  to  the  commissioners  the  wampum 
whidi  had  been  given  them.  Upon  being  interro- 
gateil  as  to  their  reasons  for  now  declining  to  perform 
what  they  had  once  consented  to,  they  answered  that 
three  of  them  were  sent  by  the  Six  Nations'  council 
to  attend  the  treaty  at  the  fort,  and  having  received 
no  directions  from  the  council  to  proceed  farther,  they 
chose  to  return  home  in  order  to  make  report  of  what 
they  had  seen  and  heard.  They  further  added  that 
the  driving  of  white  people  away  from  their  settle- 
ments w.TS  a  matter  which  r.o  Indians  could,  with  any 
satisliiction,  be  concerned  in,  and  they  thought  it 
most  proper  for  the  English  themselves  to  compel 
their  own  people  to  remove  from  the  Indian  lands. 
After  this  refusal  of  the  Indians  who  had  been  ap- 
pointed to  carry  the  message  from  the  Six  Nations, 
the  commissioners  in  vain  attempted  to  persuade  or 
procure  others  to  execute  the  business,  though  they 
used  great  endeavors  for  that  purpose,  and  they 
thought  it  both  useless  and  imprudent  to  continue  to 
press  on  the  Indians  a  matter  which  they  found  they 
were  generally  so  much  averse  to,  and  therefore  they 
concluded  to  set  out  on  their  return  to  Philadelphia 
without  further  delay.  But  in  a  short  time  after- 
wards Guyasutha'  came,  with  Arroas  (a  principal 
warrior  of  the  Six  Nations),  to  the  commissioners,  to 
whom  the  former  addressed  himself  in  effect  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  Brethren, — I  am  very  sorry  to  find  that  you  have 
been  disappointed  in  your  expectations  of  the  Indian 
messengers  going  to  Redstone,  according  to  your  de- 
sire and  our  agreement;  and  I  am  much  afraid  that 
you  are  now  going  away  from  us  with  a  discontented 
mind  on  this  account.    Believe  me,  brethren,  this 

'  This  GujMutlia,  or  Knyashuta,  was  a  chief  who  met  Wosliington  on 
his  first  appearauce  in  tliis  region  in  the  fall  of  1753.  He  was  friendly 
to  the  Knglish  as  against  tlio  Freucli,  but  in  tlio  Revolnlionary  war  tooli 
sides  against  the  settlers,  and  was  the  leader  of  the  Indian  party  which 
burned  Hannastown,  tJie  county-seat  of  Westmoreland,  in  1782. 


03 


thought  fills  my  heart  with  deepest  grief,  and  I  could 

not  suffer  you  to  leave  us  without  speaking  to  you  on 

I  this  subject   and  endeavoring  to  make  your  minds 

I  easy.    We  were  all  of  us  much  disposed  to  comply 

I  witii  your  request,  and  expected  it  could  have  been 

I  done  without  difficulty,  but  I  now  find  not  only  the 

'  Indians  appointed  l)y  us  but  all  our  other  young  men 

are  very  unwilling  to  carry  a  message  from  us  to  the 

j  white  people  ordering  them  to  remove  from  our  lands. 

They  s.iy  they  would  not  choose  to  incur  the  ill  will 

of  those  people,  for  if  they  should  be  now  removed 

they  will  hereafter  return  to  their  settlements  when 

the  English  have   purcha.«ed   the   country  from   us. 

And  we  shall  be  very  unhappy  if,  by  our  conduct 

towards  them  at  this  time,  we  shall  give  them  reason 

j  to  dislike  us  and  treat  us  in  an  unkind  manner  when 

they  again   become   our   neighbors.      We   therefore 

hope,  brethren,  that  you  will  not  be  displeased  at  us 

for  not  performing  our  agreement  witli  you,  for  you 

may  be  .assured  that  we  have  good  hearts  towards  all 

our  brethren,  the  English." 

Upon  the  conclusion  of  this  speech  the  commis- 
sioners returned  to  Guyasutha  many  thanks  for  his 
friendly  expressions  and  behavior,  assuring  him  that 
the  conduct  of  all  the  Indians  at  the  treaty  council 
met  their  full  approbation,  and  that  they  were  now 
returning  home  with  contented  minds.  They  said  to 
him  that  they  had  urged  the  chiefs  to  send  a  message 
by  their  own  people  to  the  Redstone  and  Monon- 
gahela  settlers,  entirely  on  account  of  the  great  anxiety 
they  had  to  do  everything  in  their  power  to  forward 
the  designs  of  the  government,  to  do  the  Indians 
justice,  and  to  redress  every  injury  they  complained 
of;  but,  as  they  found  that  the  course  proposed  was 
repugnant  to  them,  that  they  (the  commissioners) 
would  not  press  the  matter  further,  though  it  appeared 
to  them  to  be  a  proper  and  necessary  course,  and  one 
which  they  regretted  to  be  obliged  to  abandon.  "  They 
then  took  leave  of  the  Indians  in  the  most  friendly 
manner,  and  set  out  on  their  return  to  Philadelphia." 
This  unlooked-for  conclusion  of  the  treaty  council 
at  Fort  Pitt  ended  the  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  pro- 
prietary government  of  Pennsylvania  to  expel  the 
pioneer  settlers  from  the  valleys  of  the  Monongahela, 
the  Youghiogheny,  and  the  Redstone. 

The  aboriginal  title  to  the  lands  composing  the 
l)resent  county  of  Fayette,  as  well  as  those  embraced 
in  a  great  number  of  other  counties  in  this  State, 
was  acquired  by  the  proprietaries  of  Pennsylvania  by 
the  terms  of  a  treaty  held  with  the  Indians  at  Fort 
Stanwix  (near  Rome,  N.  Y.)  in  the  autumn  of  1768. 
In  October  of  that  year  there  were  assembled  at  the 
fort,  by  invitation  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  superin- 
tendent of  Indian  affairs,  a  great  number  of  chiefs  of 
the  Mohawk,  Oneida,  Onondaga,  Cayuga,  Seneca, 
and  Tuscarora  tribes  (composing  the  Six  Nations), 
with  other  chiefs  of  the  Delawares  and  Shawanese 
tribes,  and  on  the  24th  of  that  month  these  were  ccn- 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


vened  in  council  with  representatives  of  tlie  royal 
authority  and  of  the  governments  of  Pennsylvania, 
Virginia,  and  New  Jersey.  The  principal  white 
persons  present  at  the  council  were  "  the  Honorable 
Sir  William  Johnson,  Baronet,  his  Majesty's  super- 
intendent of  Indian  aflfiiirs;  his  Excellency  William 
Franlclin,  Esq.,  Governor  of  New  Jersey  ;  Thomas 
Walker,  Esq.,  commissioner  for  the  colony  of  Vir- 
ginia; Hon.  Frederick  Smith,  chief  justice  of  New 
Jersey  ;  Richard  Peters  and  James  Tilghman,  Esqrs., 
of  the  Council  of  Pennsylvania;  George  Croghan 
and  Daniel  Glaus,  Esqrs.,  deputy  agents  of  Indian 
affairs;  Guy  Johnson,  Esq.,  deputy  agent  and  acting 
as  secretary,  with  several  gentlemen  from  the  differ- 
ent colonies  ;  John  Butler,  Esq.,  Mr.  Andrew  Mon- 
tour, and  Pliilip  Phillips,  interpreters  for  the  Crown." 

The  council  was  opened  by  Sir  William  Johnson, 
who  stated  that  Lieutenant-Governor  Penn,  of  Penn- 
sylvania, had  been  there  and  waited  a  considerable 
time,  but  was  forced  by  press  of  business  to  return,  leav- 
ing Messrs.  Peters  and  Tilghman  as  his  commissioners. 
He  also  explained  to  the  chiefs  the  business  on  which 
he  had  called  them  together,  and  then,  after  some 
preliminary  talk,  the  council  adjourned  for  the  day. 
Afterwards  its  sessions  were  continued  from  time  to 
time  until  the  5th  of  November,  when  a  treaty,  known 
in  history  as  the  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwis,  by  which  the 
chiefs  of  the  Six  Nations  ceded  to  Thomas  Penn  and 
Richard  Penn,  for  the  consideration  of  ten  thousand 
pounds,  an  immense  tract  of  land  in  Penn-^sylvania, 
described  in  the  treaty  by  a  great  number  of  bounda- 
ries which  it  would  be  tedious  to  quote.  This  great 
purchase  may,  in  a  general  way,  be  described  as  com- 
prehending all  of  the  present  territory  of  the  counties 
of  Fayette,  Westmoreland,  Washington,  Greene,  Som- 
erset, Cambria,  Columbia,  Wyoming,  Sullivan,  and 
Susquehanna,  nearly  all  of  Wayne,  Luzerne,  Mon- 
tour, Northumberland,  Union,  and  Indiana,  and  parts 
of  Beaver,  Allegheny,  Armstrong,  Clearfield,  Centre, 
Clinton,  Lycoming,  Bradford,  Pike,  and  Snyder. 

The  Indian  title  to  this  great  tract  having  now  been 
acquired  by  the  Penns,  measures  were  immediately 
taken  to  prepare  the  newly-purchased  lands  for  sale 
to  settlers.  On  the  23d  of  February,  1769,  they  pub- 
lished an  advertisement  for  the  general  information 
of  tlie  public,  to  the  effect  that  their  Land  Office  in 
Philadelplii;i  w.miI.I  lu'  open  on  the  3d  of  April  next 
following  at  ten  (I'rlurk  a.m.  to  receive  applications 
from  all  person-  inrlincl  to  take  up  lands  in  the  new 
purchase,  upon  the  terms  of  five  pounds  sterling  per 
one  hundred  acres,  and  one  penny  per  acre  pe 


"  It  being  known  that  great  numbers  of  people 
would  attend  [at  the  Land  Office  on  the  day  of  open- 
ing], ready  to  give  in  their  locations  at  the  same 
instant,  it  was  the  opinion  of  the  Governor  and  pro- 
prietary agents  that  the  most  unexceptionable  method 
of  receiving  the  locations  would  be  to  put  them  all 
together  (after  being  received  from  the  people)  into  a 


box  or  trunk,  and  after  mixing  them  well  together  to 
draw  them  out  and  number  them  in  the  order  they 
should  be  drawn,  in  order  to  determine  the  preference 
of  those  respecting  vacant  lands.  Those  wlio  had 
settled  plantations,  especially  those  who  had  settled, 
by  permission  of  the  commanding  officers,  to  the 
westward,  were  declared  to  have  a  preference.  But 
those  persons  who  had  settled  or  made  what  they 
called  improvements  since  the  purchase  should  not 
thereby  acquire  any  advantage.  The  locations  (after 
being  put  into  a  trunk  prepared  for  the  purpose,  and 
frequently  well  mixed)  were  drawn  out" '  in  the  man- 
ner above  described. 

Prior  to  the  opening  of  the  Land  Office  in  1760,  the 
settlers  west  of  the  Alleghenies  (with  a  very  few  ex- 
ceptions^) held  the  lands  on  which  they  had  located 
solely  by  occupation,  on  what  were  then  known  as 
"tomahawk  improvement"  claims.  The  manner  in 
which  the  settler  recorded  his  tomahawk  claim  was 
to  deaden  a  few  trees  near  a  spring,  and  to  cut  the 
initials  of  his  name  in  the  bark  of  others,  as  indicative 
of  his  intention  to  hold  and  occupy  the  lands  adjacent 
to  or  surrounded  by  the  blazed  and  deadened  trees. 
These  "  claims"  constituted  no  title,  and  were  of  no 
legal  value,  except  so  far  as  they  were  evidences  of 
actual  occupation.  They  were  not  sanctioned  by  any 
law,  but  were  generally  (though  not  always)  recog- 
nized and  respected  by  the  settlers ;  and  thus,  in  the 
applications  which  were  afterwards  made  at  the  Land 
Office  for  the  various  tracts,  there  were  very  few  col- 
lisions between  rival  clainumts  for  the  same  lands. 

The  plan  of  drawing  the  names  of  applicants  by, 
lot,  which  was  adopted  at  th.e  ojjening  of  the  Land 
Office  in  April,  1769,  as  before  noticed,  was  discon- 
tinued after  about  three  months,  and  then  the  warrants 
were  issued  regularly  on  applications  as  reached  in 
the  routine  of  business  at  the  office.  In  the  first  three 
months  there  had  been  issued  daily,  on  an  average, 
over  one  hundred  warrants  for  lands  west  of  the 
mountains  and  below  Kittaning.  The  surveys  of 
lands  within  the  territory  which  now  forms  Fayette 
County  were  begun  on  the  12th  of  August,  1769,  by 
the  three  brothers,  Archibald,  Moses,  aud  Alexander 
McClean,  of  whom  the  first  two  were  deputy  survey- 
ors, while  Alexander  (who  afterwards  succeeded  to 
that  office  and  became  a  more  widely-f;\med  surveyor 
than  either  of  his  brothers)  was  then  a  young  man  of 
about  twenty-three  years  of  age,  and  an  assistant  sur- 
veyor under  them.     During  the   remainder  of  that 


J  Addison's  Reports,  Appendix,  p.  305. 

-  These  very  few  exceptions  were  pei-sons  who  lield  military  pemut3 
for  settlement  ue;\r  the  forts  and  on  the  lines  of  army  roads;  also  those 
U>  whom  "  grants  of  jirefercnce"  had  heeu  given.  Veech  6;iys  only  out 
t*'  grant  of  preference"  w.is  issued  in  .Fayette  County,  viz.,  to  Hugh 
Crawford,  dated  Jan.  22, 1768,  for  500  acres,  for  lii^  -  -  i,-,  r  ,;  "  Ti,rrr- 
prctcr  and  conductor  of  the  Indians"  in  the  nninii  .  :    :,.    u 

of  Mason  and  Di.\on's  line  in  1707.    Andinafe«ii    :  i:,     I,:, is 

sold  lands  direct  to  settlers  in  this  county,— a.s  t-  t.i  ■.  ih  l',!  wn-, 
and  to  sonic  of  Uie  Provances,  at  Provauce's  Bollcui,  vu  llu    .Muiii.n- 


SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  COUNTY. 


year  they  made  and  completed  seventy  official  surveys 
in  Fayette  County  territory;  and  in  the  following 
year  they  executed  eighty  more  in  the  same  terri- 
tory, besides  a  large  number  in  tiic  part  which  is 
still  Westmoreland  County,  and  some  in  Somerset 
and  Washington. 

In  the  next  succeeding  five  years  there  were  but 
few  surveys  of  land  made  in  what  is  now  Fayette  ter- 
ritory, viz. :  In  the  year  1771,  twelve  surveys ;  in  1772, 
fourteen  surveys;  in  1773,  eleven;  in  1774,  seven; 
in  177'),  two.  During  tlie  Revolution,  Pennsylvania 
adopted  tlie  recommendation  of  Congress  to  cease  the 
granting  of  warrants  for  wild  lands  to  settlers.  This 
was  intended  to  discourage  settlements  (temporarily) 
and  thus  promote  enlistments  in  the  Continental  army. 
It  is  doubtful  whether  this  measure  had  the  effect  in- 
tended, but  it  closed  the  Land  Office,  thus  preventing 
settlers  from  acquiring  titles  to  their  lands,  and  from 
procuring  otlicial  surveys,  of  which  none  were  made 
in  the  ])rcscnt  territory  of  Fayette  County  from  1775 
to  1782,  in  which  latter  year  three  surveys  were  made 
here,  and  the  same  number  in  1783.  On  the  1st  of 
July,  1784,  the  Land  Office  was  reopened  by  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania,'  and  from  that  time  until  1790,  the 
number  of  surveys  made  each  year  in  what  is  now 
Fayette  County  were  as  follows  :  In  1784,  twenty  ;  in 
178'),  two  hundred  and  fifty-eight;  in  1786,  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty;  in  1787,  eighty-eight;  in  1788,  sixty- 
two;  in  1789,  twenty-eight;  and  in  1790,  nineteen. 
Two  or  three  years  afterwards  they  began  to  grow  a 
little  more  numerous,  but  never  again  reached  any- 
thing like  the  previous  figures. 

During  the  Revolution,  when  Pennsylvania  had 
closed  lier  Land  Office  and  issued  no  warrants  for  wild 
lands  west  of  the  Alleghenies,  the  government  of 
Virginia  pursued  an  opposite  course  in  the  issuance 
of  "  certificates"  (corresponding  to  the  Pennsylvania 
warrants)  for  lands  in  this  same  section  of  country. 
The  reason  why  this  was  done  by  Virginia  was  be- 
cause she  claimed  and  regarded  as  her  own,  the  terri- 
tory which  now  forms  the  western  part  of  Pennsyl- 
vania as  far  eastward  as  the  Laurel  Hill.  Ou  this 
territory  (extending,  however,  farther  southward)  she 
laid  out  her  counties  of  Yohogania,  Monongalia,  and 
Ohio,  the  latter  bordering  on  tlie  Ohio  River,  and  the 
two  others  lying  to  the  eastward  of  it,  covering  all  of 
what  is  now  Fayette  County.  It  was  on  lands  in 
these  Virginia  counties  that  the  "  Virginia  certifi- 
cates" were  issued  in  great  numbers,  principally  in 
1779  and  1780.  A  board  of  commissioners,  appointed 
for  the  purpose,  granted  to  such  bona  fide  settlers  as 
would  build  a  cabin  and  raise  a  crop  a  certificate  for 
four  hundred  acres,  of  which  the  purchase  price  was 
ten  shillings  per  one  hundred  acres.  The  cost  of  the 
certificate  wjis  two  shillings  and  sixpence;  this  latter 

I  >  There  was  no  longer  nny  propriotarysliip  by  tlio  Penns,  this  Imvlng 
I  ceased  on  the  pass.ige  of  "Au  .\ct  for  vesting  tlie  estates  of  the  late  pro- 
iprietaries  in  this  Commonwealth."  Tliii,  usually  calk>a  the  "Divesting 


being  all  that  the  settler  was  compelled  to  pay  down  on 
his  purchase  of  four  hundred  acres.  Thus  the  pur- 
chaser of  lands  from  Virginia  paid  less  than  one-tenth 
the  amount  which  he  would  have  been  compelled  to  pay 
to  Pennsylvania  for  the  same  lands.  For  this  reason 
lie  often  chose  to  take  the  cheaper  Virginia  title,  and 
when  he  had  so  purchased  it  was  but  natural  that  he 
should  incline  towards  Virginia  partisanship,  at  least 
so  far  as  to  desire  the  success  of  that  government  in 
its  boundary  controversy  against  Pennsylvania.  The 
greater  part  of  the  lands  in  the  present  counties  of 
Washington  and  Greene  were  taken  up  on  these  Vir- 
ginia certificates,  but  the  reverse  was  the  case  in  the 
territory  that  is  now  Fayette,  where  nearly  all  the 
settlers  took  titles  from  Pennsylvania,  and  where  fen- 
Virginia  certificates  are  found.  Tiie  reason  for  this 
was  that  prior  to  the  close  of  the  Revolution  many, 
and  probably  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  people, 
believed  that  the  State  line  would  eventually  be  es- 
tablished on  the  Monongahela,  giving  sole  jurisdiction 
east  of  that  river  to  Pennsylvania,  and  all  west  of  it 
to  Virginia. 

But  in  the  settlement  of  the  controversy  between 
the  States  it  was  agreed  "  That  tlie  private  property 
and  rights  of  all  persons  acquired  under,  founded  on, 
or  recognized  by  the  laws  of  either  country  be  saved 
and  confirmed  to  them,  although  they  should  be  found 
to  fall  within  the  other;  and  that  in  the  decision  of 
disputes  thereon,  preference  shall  be  given  to  the  elder 
or  prior  right,  whichever  of  the  States  the  same  shall 
be  acquired  under  such  persons  paying  within  whose 
boundary  their  lands  shall  be  included  the  same  pur- 
chase or  consideration  money  which  would  have  been 
due  from  them  to  the  Slate  under  which  they  claimed 
the  right ;  and  where  such  money  hath,  since  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  been  received  by  either 
State  for  lands  which,  under  the  before-named  agree- 
ment, falls  within  the  other,  the  same  shall  be  re- 
funded and  repaid ;  and  that  the  inhabitants  of  the 
disputed  territory  now  ceded  to  Pennsylvania  shall 
not  before  the  1st  of  December  in  the  year  1784  be 
subject  to  the  payment  of  any  tax,  nor  at  any  time 
hereafter  to  the  payment  of  any  arrears  of  taxes  or 
impositions  heretofore  laid  by  either  State;  and  we 
do  hereby  accept  and  fully  ratify  the  said  recited  con- 
ditions and  the  bound;:ry  line  formed." 

And  in  the  adjustment  of  claims  which  succeeded 
the  settlement  of  the  controversy  the  rule  was  ob- 
served to  recognize  the  validity  of  the  oldest  titles, 
whether  acquired  from  Virginia  or  from  Pennsylvania. 
So  the  Virginia  certificates  (when  antedating  all  other 
claims  to  the  said  lands)  were  as  good  and  valid  as  if 
they  had  been  warrants  from  the  Pennsylvania  Land 
Office,  and  the  titles  were  afterwards  perfected  by  the 
issuance  of  Pennsylvania  patents  on  them.  The  price 
of  lands,  which  w;is  £.5  per  one  hundred  acres  under 
the  Pennsylvania  proprietaries,  and  under  the  State 
till  1784,  was  then  reduced  to  £3  10s.,  and  the  quit- 
rent  (oue  penny  per  acre  per  annum),  which  had  pre- 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


viousl y  been  required,  was  then  discontinued,  but  in- 
terest was  demanded  from  the  date  of  first  improve- 
ment. Again,  in  1792,  the  price  was  further  reduced 
to  £2  10s.  per  one  hundred  acres,  with  interest  as  be- 
fore. This  continued  till  1814,  when  the  price  was 
placed  at  $10  per  one  hundred  acres,  with  interest  from 
date  of  settlement. 


of  Capt.Cresap  being  on  the  river,  about  fifteen  miles 
'  above  us,  with  some  hands,  settling  a  plantation,  and 
that  he  had  concluded  to  follow  us  to  Kentucky  as 
soon  as  he  had  fixed  there  his  people.  We  also  knew 
that  he  had  been  experienced  in  a  former  war.  He 
was  proposed,  and  it  was  unanimously  agreed  to  send 
for  him  to  command  the  party.  Messengers  were 
dispatched,  and  in  half  an  hour  returned  with  Cresap 


CHAPTER    IX. 


DUX.MORE-rf    WAR. 


In-  the  Indian  hostilities  of  1774,  known  as  "  Dun- 
morc's  war,"  the  territory  now  Fayette  County  saw 
little,  if  anything,  of  actual  fighting  and  blood.shed; 
yet,  in  the  universal  terror  and  consternation  caused 
by  the  Indian  inroads  and  butcheries  on  the  west  of 
the  Monongahela,  it  came  near  being  as  completely 
depopulated  ns  it  had  been  twenty  years  before  by 
tlie  panic  which  succeeded  the  French  victory  over 
Washington. 

The  Dunmore  war  was  the  result  of  several  col- 
lisions which  took  place  in  the  spring  of  1774,  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.  The  circumstances  which  attended  the 
beginning  of  those  hostile  collisions  were  afterwards 
narrated  by  Gen.  George  Rogers  Clarke,  who  was 
himself  present  and  a  prominent  actor  in  the  scenes 
which  he  describes.  The  account,  which  bears  date 
June  17,  1798,  is  as  follows : 

"This  country  [Kentucky]  was  explored  in  1773. 
A  resolution  was  formed  to  make  a  settlement  the 
spring  following,  and  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Kan- 
awlia  appointed  the  place  of  general  rendezvous,  in 
order  to  descend  the  Ohio  from  thence  in  a  body. 
Early  in  the  spring  the  Indians  had  done  some  mis- 
chief. Reports  from  their  towns  were  alarming, 
which  deterred  many.  About  eighty  or  ninety  men 
only  arrived  at  the  aj)pointed  rendezvous,  where  we 
lay  some  days.  A  small  party  of  hunters  that  lay 
about  ten  miles  below  us  were  fired  upon  by  the  In- 
dians, whom  the  hunters  beat  back  and  returned  to 
camp.  This  and  many  other  circumstances  led  us  to 
believe  that  the  Indians  were  determined  on  war. 
The  whole  party  was  enrolled,  and  determined  to  ex- 
ecute their  project  of  forming  a  settlement  in  Ken- 
tucky, as  we  had  every  necessary  store  that  could  be 
thought  of.  An  Indian  town  called  the  Horsehead 
Bottom,  on  the  Scioto,  and  near  its  mouth,  lay  nearly 
in  our  way.  The  determination  was  to  cross  the 
country  and  surprise  it.  Who  was  to  command  was 
the  question.  There  were  but  few  among  us  who  had 
experience  in  Indian  warfare,  and  they  were  such  as 
wc  did  not  cboose  to  be  commanded  bv.     A\'e  knew 


j  He  had  heard  of  our  resolution  by  some  of  his  hun- 
I  ters  that  had  fallen  in  with  ours,  and  had  set  out  to 

come  to  us. 
!  "  We  thought  our  army,  as  we  called  it,  complete, 
and  the  destruction  of  the  Indians  sure.  A  council 
I  was  called,  and,  to  our  astonishment,  our  intended 
j  commander-in-chief  was  the  person  that  dissuaded 
us  from  the  enterprise.  He  said  that  appearances 
were  very  suspicious,  but  there  was  no  certainty  of  a 
war;  that  if  we  made  the  attempt  proposed  he  had  no 
doubt  of  our  success,  but  a  war  would  at  any  rate  be 
the  result,  and  that  we  should  be  blamed  for  it,  and 
perhaps  justly.  But  if  we  were  determined  to  pro- 
ceed he  would  lay  aside  all  considerations,  send  to 
his  camp  for  his  people,  and  share  our  fortunes.  He 
was  then  asked  what  he  would  advise.  His  answer 
was  that  we  should  return  to  Wheeling  as  a  conveni- 
ent spot  to  hear  what  was  going  forward  ;  that  a  few 
weeks  would  determine.  As  it  was  early  in  the  spring, 
if  we  found  the  Indians  were  not  disposed  for  war,  we 
should  have  full  time  to  return  and  make  our  estab- 
lishment in  Kentucky.  This  was  adopted,  and  in 
two  hours  the  whole  were  under  way.  .  .  . 

"  On  our  arrival  at  Wheeling  (the  whole  country 
being  pretty  well  settled  thereabouts)  the  whole  of 
the  inhabitants  appeared  to  be  alarmed.  They  fiocked 
to  our  camp  from  every  direction,  and  all  we  could 
say  we  could  not  keep  them  from  under  our  wings. 
We  ofl^ered  to  cover  their  neighborhood  with  scouts 
until  further  information  if  they  would  return  to 
their  plantations,  but  nothing  would  prevail.  By 
this  time  we  had  got  to  be  a  formidable  party.  All 
the  hunters,  men  without  families,  etc.,  in  that  quar- 
ter had  joined  our  party.  Our  arrival  at  Wheeling 
was  soon  known  at  Pittsburgh.  The  whole  of  that 
country  at  that  time  being  under  the  jurisdiction  of 
Virginia,'  Dr.  Connolly  -  had  been  appointed  by  Dun- 
more  captain  commandant  of  the  district,  which  was 
called  West  Augusta.'  He,  learning  of  us,  sent  a 
message  addressed  to  the  party,  letting  us  know  that 
a  war  was  to  be  apprehended,  and  requesting  that  we 
would  keep  our  position  for  a  few  days,  as  messages 
had  been  sent  to  the  Indians,  and  a  few  days  would 
determine  the  doubt.  The  answer  he  got  was,  that 
we  had  no  inclination  to  quit  our  quarters  for  some 

1  The  country  around  Pittsburgh  was  then  clnimtd  by  both  Virginia 
and  Penn?ylviinia,  but  Cliu-ke,  being  ii  Yirginiiin,  viewed  the  matter 
entirely  from  the  Virginian  stand-point. 

-  Dr.  John  Connolly,  a  nephew  of  George  Croglian,  tlie  deputy  super- 
intendent of  Indian  nfTairs.  « 

3  All  this  region  was  at  that  time  claimed  by  Virginia  to  be  within  its 
"  West  Augusta"  District. 


DUNMORE'S   WAR. 


67 


time,  tliat  during  our  stay  we  sliould  be  careful  tliat 
tlie  enemy  did  not  harass  the  neigliborhood  that  we 
lay  in.  Hut  before  this  answer  could  reach  Pitts- 
burgh he  sent  a  second  express,  addressed  to  Capt. 
Cresap,  as  the  most  inHuential  man  amongst  us,  in- 
forming him  that  the  messengers  had  returned  from 
tlie  Indians,  that  war  was  inevitable,  and  begging 
him  to  use  his  influence  with  the  party  to  get  them 
to  cover  the  country  by  scouU  until  the  inhabitants 
could  fortify  themselves.  The  reception  of  this  letter 
was  the  epoch  of  open  hostilities  with  the  Indians. 
A  new  post  was  planted,  a  council  was  called,  and 
the  letter  read  by  Cresap,  all  the  Indian  traders  being 
summoned  on  so  important  an  occ:isir)ii.  Action  was 
hail,  and  war  declared  in  the  most  solemn  manner; 
and  the  same  evening  (April  2(jth)  two  scalps  were 
brou^lit  into  camp.  The  next  day  some  canoes  of 
Indians  were  discovered  on  the  river,  keeping  the 
advantage  of  an  is'and  to  cover  themselves  from  our 
view.  They  were  chased  fifteen  miles  and  driven 
ashore.  A  battle  ensued  ;  a  few  were  wounded  on 
both  sides,  one  Indian  only  taken  prisoner.  On  ex- 
nniining  their  canoes  we  found  a  considerable  quan- 
tity of  ammunition  and  other  warlike  stores.  On 
our  return  to  camp  a  resolution  was  adopted  to 
inarch  the  next  day  and  attack  Logan's'  camp  on  the 
Ohio,  about  thirty  miles  above  us.  We  did  march 
about  five  miles,  and  then  halted  to  take  some  re- 
freshments. Here  the  impropriety  of  executing  the 
projected  enterprise  was  argued.  The  conversation 
was  brought  forward  by  Cresap  himself.  It  was  gen-  j 
erally  agreed  that  those  Indians  had  no  hostile  inten- 
tions, as  they  were  hunting,  and  their  party  was  com- 
posed of  men,  women,  and  children,  with  all  their  ^ 
stutf  with  them.  This  we  knew,  as  I  myself  and 
others  present  had  been  in  their  camp  about  four 
weeks  past  on  our  descending  the  river  from  Pitts- 
burgh. In  short,  every  person  seemed  to  detest  the 
resolution  we  had  set  out  with.  We  returned  in  the 
evening,  decamped,  and  took  the  road  to  Redstone." 

Immediately  afterwards  occurred  the  murder  of 
Logan's  people  at  Baker's  Bottom  and  the  killing  of 
the  Indians  at  Captina  Creek.  The  so-called  speech 
of  Logan  fastened  the  odium  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  sub- 
ject. Cresap  did,  however,  engage  in  the  killing  of 
other  Indians,  being  no  doubt  incited  thereto  by  the 
deceitful  tenor  of  Dr.  Connolly'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  frontiers,  well  knowing  that 
the  Indians  would  surely  make  war,  in  revenge  for  the 


•  The  Mingo  chief  lA)g«n,  Hio  murder  of  whose  fumily  in  this  war 
was  cli«rgeil  on  Ciipt.  Cresap;  but  the  wliole  tenor  of  this  letter  of 
Geu.  Clarlxe  goes  to  prove  tlie  injustice  of  the  cliarge. 


killing  of  their  people  at  Captina  and  Yellow  Creek, 
immediately  sought  safety,  either  in  the  shelter  of  the 
"settlers'  forts,"  or  by  abandoning  their  settlements 
and  flying  etistward  across  the  mountains.  A  glimpse 
of  the  state  of  aft'airs  then  existing  in  what  is  now 
Fayette  County  is  had  from  two  letters  written  in 
May  of  that  year  to  Col.  Geoi'ge  Washington  by  his 
agent,  Valentine  Crawford,  then  residing  on  Jacob's 
Creek,  a  few  miles  northeast  of  Stewart's  Crossings. 
The  two  letters  referred  to  are  given  below,  viz. : 

"Jacob's  Crekk,  May  G,  1774. 

"  DiCAU  Colonel,— I  am  sorry  to  inform  you  that 
the  disturbance  between  the  white  people  and  the  In- 
dians has  prevented  my  going  down  the  river,  as  all 
the  gentlemen  who  went  down  are  returned,  and  most 
of  them  have  lo.«t  their  baggage,  as  I  wrote  more  par- 
ticular in  my  other  letter  .  .  . 

"  I  got  my  canoes  and  all  my  provisions  ready,  and 
should  have  set  oft"  in  two  or  three  days  but  for  this 
eruption,  which,  I  believe,  was  as  much  the  white 
people's  fault  as  the  Indians.  It  has  almost  ruined 
all  the  settlers  over  the  Monongahela  [that  is,  on  the 
west  side  of  it],  as  they  ran  as  bad  as  they  did  in  the 
years  17.56  and  1757  down  in  Frederick  County  [his 
former  residence  in  Virginia].  There  were  more  than 
one  thousand  people  crossed  the  Monongahela  in  one 
day.  ...  I  am  afraid  I  shall  be  obliged  to  build  a 
fort  until  this  eruption  is  over,  which  1  am  in  lioi)Cs 
will  not  last  long." 

"jAioli-sCKKtK.Miiy  25,1774. 

"  From  all  accounts  Captain  Connolly  can  get  from 
the  Indian  towns  they  are  determined  on  war,  and  he 
has  sent  to  all  the  people  of  Monongahela  to  let  them 
know  that  a  large  number  of  Shawanese  have  left 
their  towns  in  order  to  cut  olT  the  frontier  inhabitants. 
This  has  alarmed  the  people  of  our  neighborhood  so 
much  that  they  are  moving  over  the  mountains  very 
fast;  but  I  have,  with  the  assistance  of  your  carpen- 
ters and  servants,  built  a  very  strong  block-house,  and 
the  neighbors,  what  few  of  them  have  not  run  away, 
have  joined  with  me,  and  we  are  building  a  stockade 
fort  at  my  house.  Mr.  Simpson  also  and  his  neigh- 
bors have  begun  to  build  a  fort  at  your  Bottom  [where 
Perryopolis  now  is],  and  we  live  in  hopes  we  can  stand 
our  ground  until  we  can  get  some  a.ssistanee  from  be- 
low." 

Again,  in  a  letter  dated  Jacob's  Creek,  June  8, 
1774,  Crawford  says  to  Washington,  "  Wc  have  built 
several  forts  out  here,  which  was  a  very  great  means 
of  the  people  standing  their  ground.  I  have  built 
one  at  my  house,  and  have  some  men  to  guard  it. 
!  Mr.  Simpson  has  also  built  a  fort  at  the  place  where 
j  they  are  building  your  mill,  by  the  assistance  of  his 
neighbors  and  part  of  your  carpenters.  I  have  sev- 
eral times  oflered  him  all  the  carpenters  and  all  the 
servants,  but  he  would  not  t.ake  any  of  the  servants 
and  but  four  of  the  best  carpenters.  His  reasons  for 
not  taking  the  servants  are  that  there  is  a  great  deal 
of  company  at  the  fort,  and  drink  middling  plenty. 


G3 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


He  thinks,  therefore,  that  it  would  be  out  of  his  power 
to  govern  them.  .  .  .  From  Indian  alarms  and  the 
crowds  of  people  that  come  to  the  fort  he  can  get 
nothing  done,  even  with  the  small  number  of  hands 
111-  lias.'" 

In  a  second  letter  of  the  same  date  he  s.ays,  "Since 
I  jnst  wrote  you  an  account  of  several  parties  of  In- 
dians being  among  the  inhabitants  has  reached  us. 
Yesterday  they  killed  and  scalped  one  man  in  sight 
of  the  fort  on  the  Monongahela, — one  of  the  inmates. 
.  .  .  There  have  been  several  parties  of  savages  seen 
within  these  two  or  three  d.\ys,  and  all  seem  to  be 
making  towards  the  Laurel  Hill  or  mountain.  For 
that  reason  the  people  are  afraid  to  travel  the  road 
by  Gist's,  but  go  a  «igh  way  by  Indian  Creek,  or  ride 
in  the  night.  .  .  .  There  is  one  unhappy  circum- 
stance: our  country  is  very  scarce  of  ammunition  and 
arms.  I  have  therefore  taken  the  liberty  to  write  to 
you  to  get  me  two  quarter-hundred  casks  of  powder, 
and  send  them  as  far  as  Ball's  Run,  or  Col.  Samuel 
Washington's,  or  Keyes'  Ferry,  where  I. can  get  them 
up  here  by  pack-horses.     I  want  no  lead,  as  we  have 

"  On  Sunday  evening,  about  four  miles  over  Mo- 
nongahela, the  Indians  murdered  one  family,  consist- 
ing of  six,  and  took  two  boys  prisoners.  At  another 
place  they  killed  three,  which  makes  iu  the  whole  nine 
and  two  prisoners.  If  we  had  not  had  forts  built  ihcre 
UHinld  not  latvc  been  ten  families  left  this  side  of  the  moun- 
tains besides  what  are  at  Fort  Pitt.  We  have  sent  out 
scouts  after  the  murderers,  but  we  have  not  heard 
that  they  have  fallen  in  with  them  yet.  "We  have  at 
this  time  at  least  three  hundred  men  out  after  the  In- 
dians, some  of  whom  have  gone  down  to  Wheeling, 
and  I  believe  some  have  gone  down  as  low  as  the 
Little  Kanawha.  I  am  in  hopes  they  will  give  the 
savages  a  storm,  for  some  of  the  scouting  company  say 
they  will  go  to  their  towns  but  they  will  get  scalps." 

It  was  the   Inliiiii   cliirf  Logan,  he  whose  former 


frirndsl: 


been  turned  into  bitter- 


est hatred  by  the  killing  of  his  people,  who  came  in 
with  his  band  to  ravage  the  settlements  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Monongahela,  throwing  all  that  country 
into  a  state  of  the  wildest  alarm.  The  present  coun- 
ties of  Wasliington  and  Greene  were  almost  entirely 
deserted  by  their  people.  Dr.  Joseph  Doddridge,  in 
his  "Notes,"  says  that  the  people  in  the  vicinity  of 
his  fitther's  settlement  (in  the  west  part  of  what  is  now 
Washington  County)  fled  across  the  ^Monongahela  to 
the  shelter  of  Morris'  fort,  in  Saii.ly  Civuk  Glade, 
southeast  of  Ilniontown.  Tlial  I'oit,  li^-  -ays,  "con- 
sisted of  an  .assemblage  ofsniall  iH.vrl-.sitiKitodonthe 
margin  of  a  large  and  noxious  marsh,  the  effluvia  of 
which  gave  most  of  the  women  and  children  the  fever 
and  ague." 

The  terror  which  prevailed  on  the  east  side  of  the 
^lonongahela  was  scarcely  less  than  that  which  drove 
tlic  people  from  the  west  side  of  that  river.  Capt. 
Arthur  St.  Clair,  of  Westmoreland  County,  wrote  to 


Governor  Penn,  saying,  "  The  panic  which  h.as  struck 
this  country  threatens  an  entire  depopulation  there- 
of." To  which  the  Governor  replied,  June  28,  1774, 
"The  accounts  which  you  have  transmitted  of  the 
temper  of  the  Indians  and  the  murders  they  have 
already  perpetrated  are  truly  alarming,  and  give 
every  reason  to  appreliend  that  we  shall  not  long  be 
exempt  from  the  calamities  of  a  savage  war.  The  de- 
sertion of  that  country  in  consequence  of  the  panic 
which  has  seized  the  inhabitants  on  this  occasion 
must  be  attended  with  the  most  mischievous  effects, 
and  prove  ruinous  to  the  immedi.ate  sufferers  and  dis- 
tressing to  the  province  in  general."  The  people  of 
this  region  sent  a  petition  and  address  to  Governor 
Penn,  setting  forth  "  That  there  is  great  reason  to  a|'- 
prehend  that  the  country  will  again  be  immediately 
involved  in  all  the  horrors  of  an  Indian  war;  that 
their  circumstances  at  this  critical  time  are  truly 
alarming, — deserted  by  the  far  greater  part  of  our 
neighbors  and  fellow-subjects,  unprotected  with  places 
of  strength  to  resort  to  with  ammunition,  provisions, 
and  other  necessary  stores,  our  houses  abandoned  ti) 
pillage,  labor  and  industry  entirely  .at  a  stand,  our 
crops  destroyed  by  cattle,  our  flocks  dispersed,  the 
minds  of  the  people  disturbed  with  the  terrors  of  fall- 
ing, along  with  the  helpless  and  unprotected  families, 
the  victims  of  savage  barbarity.  In  the  midst  of 
these  scenes  of  desolation  and  ruin,  next  to  the  Al- 
mighty, we  look  to  your  Honor,  hoping,  from  your 
known  benevolence  and  l>umanity,  such  protection  as 
your  Honor  shall  see  meet."  This  petition  and  the 
letters  above  quoted  set  forth  with  much  of  truth  and 
clearness,  the  alarming  situation  of  aflairs  existing 
west  of  the  Laurel  Hill  in  the  summer  of  1774. 

In  the  mean  time  (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  Dunniore  sent  messen- 
gers to  the  settlers  who  had  already  gone  forward  to 
Kentucky  to  return  at  once  for  their  own  safety,  and 
he  then  without  delay  took  measures  to  carry  war 
into  the  Indian  country.  One  force  was  gathered  at 
Wheeling,  and  marched  to  the  Muskingum  country, 
where  the  commander,  Col.  McDonald,  surprised  the 
Indians  and  punished  them  sufficiently  to  induce  them 
to  sue  for  peace,  though  it  was  believed  that  their  re- 
quest was  but  a  treacherous  one,  designed  only  to  gain 
time  for  the  collection  of  a  larger  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  Pittsburgh,  under  the  Gov- 
ernor in  person,  and  another  body  of  troops  under 
Gen.   Andrew   Lewis,'    which   was   rendezvoused   at 


Foil  Spccssity 


DUxXMOEE'S   WAR. 


G9 


l';iiii|i  Union,  now  Lewisburg,  Greenbrier  Co.,  Va. 
Tiu'sr  two  columns  were  to  meet  ibr  co-operation  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha  River.  Under  tliis 
general  plan  Governor  Dunmore  moved  from  Wil- 
liamsburg to  Winchester  and  to  Fort  Cumberland, 
thence  over  the  Braddock  road  to  the  Youghiogheny, 
and  across  the  territory  of  the  present  county  of  Fay- 
ette 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  River,  Maj.  William  Crawford,  of 
Stewart's  Crossings  of  the  Youghiogheny,  being  one 
of  his  principal  officers. 

The  force  under  Gen.  Andrew  Lewis,  eleven  hun- 
dred strong,  proceeded  from  Camp  Union  to  the  head- 
waters of  the  Kanawha,  and  thence  down  the  valley 
of  that  river  to  the  appointed  rendezvous  at  its  mouth, 
which  was  reached  on  the  6th  of  October.  Gen. 
Lewis,  being  disappointed  in  his  expectation  of  find- 
ing 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  mouth 
of  the  Hocking,  and  that  he  would  proceed  thence 
directly  to  the  Shawanese  towns  on  the  Scioto,  instead 
of  coming  down  the  Ohio  to  the  mouth  of  the  Kan- 
awha as  at  first  agreed  on.  At  the  same  time  he  ordered 
Lewis  to  cross  the  Ohio  and  march  to  meet  him 
(Dunmore)  before  the  Indian  towns. 

But  on  the  following  day  (October  10th),  before 
Gen.  Lewis  had  commenced  his  movement  across  the 
Ohio,  he  was  attacked  by  a  heavy  body  of  Shawanese 
warriors  under  the  chief  Cornstalk.  The  fight  (known 
asthebattleof  PointPleasant)  raged  nearly  all  day,  and 
resulted  in  the  complete  rout  of  the  Indians,  who  sus- 
tained a  very  heavy  (though  not  definitely  ascertained) 
loss,  and  retreated  in  disorder  across  the  Ohio.  The 
loss  of  the  Virginians  under  Lewis  was  seventy-five 
killed  and  one  hundred  and  forty  wounded.  Dun- 
more and  Lewis  advanced  from  their  respective  points 
into  Ohio  to  "  Camp  Charlotte,"  on  Sippo  Creek.  There 
they  met  Ccrnstalk  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  hundred  and  forty  men,  with  which 
he  destroyed  the  village,  killed  six  Indians,  and  took 
fourteen  prisoners. 

These  operations  and  the  submission  of  the  Indians 
at  Camp  Charlotte,  virtually  closed  the  war.  Governor 
Dunmore  immediately  set  out  on  his  return  and  pro- 
ceeded by  way  of  Redstone  and  the  Great  Crossings 
of  the  Youghiogheny  to  Fort  Cumberland,  and  thence 
to  the  Virginian  capital.  Major  Crawford  also  re- 
turned to  his  home  in  the  present  county  of  Fayette, 
where,  the  day  after  his  arrival,  he  wrote  Col.  George 
Washington,  the  friend  of  his  bovhood,  as  follows  : 


"Stewart's  Crossings,  Not.  14, 1774. 

"Sir,— I  yesterday  returned  from  our  late  expedi- 
tion against  the  Shawanese,  and  I  think  we  may 
with  propriety  say  we  have  had  great  success,  as  we 
made  them  sensible  of  their  villany  and  weakness,  and 
I  hope  made  peace  with  them  on  such  a  footing  as 
will  be  lasting,  if  we  can  make  them  adhere  to  the 
terms  of  agreement.  .  .  .  The  plunder  sold  for  £400 
sterling,  besides  what  was  returned  to  a  Mohawk  In- 
dian who  was  there." 

The  "  settlers'  forts"  and  block-houses,  which  by 
affording  shelter  and  protection  to  the  inhabitants 
prevented  an  entire  abandonment  of  this  section  of 
the  country  in  Diinmore's  war,  were  nearly  all  erected 
during  the  terror  and  panic  of  the  spring  and  summer 
of  the  year  1774,  though  a  few  had  been  built  previ- 
ously. Judge  Veech,  in  his  "  Monongahela  of  Old," 
mentions  them  as  follows: 

"  These  forts  were  erected  by  the  associated  efforts 
of  settlers  in  particular  neighborhoods  upon  the 
land  of  some  one,  whose  name  was  thereupon  given  to 
the  fort,  as  Ashcraft's,  Morris',  etc.  They  consisted 
of  a  greater  or  less  space  of  land,  inclosed  on  all  sides 
by  high  log  parapets  or  stockades,  with  cabins  adapted 
to  the  abode  of  families.  The  only  external  openings 
were  a  large  puncheon  gate  and  small  port-holes 
among  the  logs,  through  which  the  unerring  rifle  of 
the  settler  could  be  pointed  against  the  assailants. 
Sometimes,  as  at  Ijindley's,  and  many  of  the  other 
forts  in  the  adjacent  country  west  of  the  Mononga- 
hela, additional  cabins  were  erected  outside  of  the 
fort  for  temporary  abode  in  times  of  danger,  from 
which  the  sojourners  could,  in  case  of  attack,  retreat 
within  the  fort.  All  these  erections  were  of  rough 
logs,  covered  with  clapboards  and  weight-poles,  the 
roofs  sloping  inwards.  A  regularly  built;  fort  of  the 
first  class  had  its  angles,  block-houses,  and  sometimes 
a  ditch  protected  a  vulnerable  part.  These  block- 
houses projected  a  little  past  the  line  of  the  cabins, 
and  the  upper  half  was  made  to  extend  some  two  feet 
farther,  like  the  over-jut  of  a  barn,  so  as  to  leave  an 
overhanging  space,  secured  against  entrance  by  heavy 
log  floors,  with  small  port-holes  for  repelling  close 
attacks  or  attempts  to  dig  down  or  fire  the  forts. 
These  rude  defenses  were  very  secure,  were'seldora 
attacked,  and  seldom,  if  ever,  captured.  They  were 
always  located  upon  open,  commanding  eminences, 
sufiiciently  remote  from  coverts  and  wooded  heights 
to  prevent  surprise. 

"  The  sites  of  the  '  old  forts'  (or  prehistoric  mounds) 
were  sometimes  chosen  for  the  settlers'  forts.  This 
was  the  case  with  the  site  on  the  Goe  land,  just  above 
the  mouth  of  the  Little  Redstone,  where,  as  before 
mentioned,  there  was  erected  a  settlers'  fort,  called 
Cassell's,  or  Castle  Fort.  How  far  '  Redstone  Old 
Fort'  was  so  used  cannot  certainly  be  known,  as, 
while  it  existed  as  a  place  of  defense  after  settlements 
began,  it   was   a   kind   of  government   fort   for   the 


70 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


storage  of  ammunition  and  supplies,  guarded  .by  sol- 
diers.' Its  proper  name  after  1759  (though  seldom 
given  to  it)  was  '  Fort  Burd.'  And  there  is  evidence 
that  besides  its  governmental  purposes  it  was  often 
resorted  to  by  the  early  settlers  with  their  families 
for  protection,  though  for  that  object  it  was  less 
adajjted  than  many  of  the  private  forts." 

One  of  the  earliest  erected  forts  of  this  kind  was  by 
John  Minter,  the  Stevensons,  Crawfords,  and  others, 
on  land  of  the  former, — since  Blackiston's,  now 
Ebenezer  Moore's, — about  a  mile  and  a  half  west- 
ward of  Pennsville. 

There  was  one  on  the  old  Thomas  Gaddis  farm, 
two  miles  south  of  Uniontown,  but  what  was  its  name 
cannot  certainly  be  learned,  or  by  whom  or  when 
erected,  probably,  however,  by  Colonel  Gaddis,  as  he 
was  an  early  settler  and  a  man  of  large  public  spirit. 

Another,  called  Pearse's  fort,  was  on  the  Catawba 
Indian  trail,  about  four  miles  northeast  of  Union- 
town,  near  the  residences  of  William  and  John  Jones. 
Some  old  Lombardy  poplars,  recently  fallen,  denoted 
its  site. 

About  one  mile  northwest  of  Merrittstowu  there 
was  one  on  land  now  of  John  Craft.  Its  name  is 
forgotten. 

Su-earingen's  fort  was  in  Spring  Hill  township,  near 
the  cross-roads  from  Cheat  River  towards  Browns- 
ville. It  derived  its  name  from  John  Swearingen, 
who  owned  the  land  on  which  it  stood,  or  from  his 
son.  Van  Swearingen,  afterwards  sheriff  of  Washing- 
ton County,  a  captain  in  the  Revolution  and  in  the 
frontier  wars,  and  whose  nephew  of  the  same  name 
fell  at  St.  Clair's  defeat. 

One  of  considerable  capacity,  called  Lucas'  fort, 
was  on  the  old  Richard  Brown  farm,  near  the  frame 
meeting-house,  in  Nicholson  township. 

McCoy's  fort,  on  land  of  James  McCoy,  stood  where 
now  stands  the  barn  of  the  late  Eli  Bailey,  in  South 
Union  township. 

Morris'  fort,  which  was  one  of  the  first  grade,  was 
much  resorted  to  by  the  old  settlers  on  the  upper 
Monongahela  and  Cheat,  and  from  Ten-Mile.  It 
stood  on  Sandy  Creek,  just  by,  and  near  the  Virginia 
line,  outside  Fayette  County  limits.  It  was  to  this 
fort  that  the  family  of  the  father  of  the  late  Dr.  Jo- 
seph Doddridge  resorted  in  177-4,  as  mentioned  in  his 
notes.  The  late  Col.  Andrew  Moore,  who  resided 
long  near  its  site,  said  that  he  had  frequently  seen  the 
ruins  of  the  fort  and  its  cabins,  which  may  yet  be 
traced. 

Ashcraft's  fort  stood  on  land  of  the  late  Jesse 
Evans,  Esq.,  where  Phineas  Sturgis  lived,  in  Georges 
township.  Tradition  tells  of  a  great  alarm  and  resort 
to  this  fort  on  one  occasion,  caused  thus:  On  land 
lately  owned  by  Robert  Britt,  in  that  vicinity,  there  is 
a  very  high  knob,  called  Prospect  Hill,  or  Point  Look- 


out.    To  this  eminence  the  early  settlers  were  woa 
in  times  of  danger  to  resort  daily  to  reconnoitre  th 
country,  sometimes  climbing  trees  to  see  whether  an'yi 
Indians  had  crossed  the  borders,  of  which  they  judged 
by  the  smoke  of  their  camps.     This  hill  commanded 
a  view  from  the  mountains  to  the  Monongahela,  and 
from  Cheat  hills  far  to  the  northward.     On  the  occa- 
sion referred  to,  the  scouts  reported  tiiat  Indians  had 
crossed  the  Monongahela,  judging  from  some  smoke 
"  which  so  gracefully  curled."     The  alarm  was  given^i 
and  the  settlers  flocked  to  Ashcraft's  fort,  with  wives 
and  children,  guns  and  provisions,  and  prepared  to 
meet  the  foe,  when,  lo !   much   to  the  vexation  of 
some  and  the  joy  of  others,  the  alarm  soon  proved  I 
be  "  all  smoke." 

Besides  the  settlers'  forts  mentioned  as  above  by 
Veech,  there  was  one  where  Perryopolis  now  stand^ 
built  by  Gilbert  Simpson  (as  previously  noticed  : 
letter  of  Valentine  Crawford  to  Washington),  also 
a  strong  block-house  at  Beeson's  Mill  (now  Unioni- 
town),  and  perhaps  a  few  others  within  the  limits  of 
Fayette  County. 


CHAPTER    X. 


THE    REVOLUTION. 


Troops  liaised  fur  llie   Field— Sii 


Disaffeetiou— Lor.lir.v's  Espe- 


:)g  evidently  cniifui 


tlie  Redstone  01.1  Fort  with  F.) 


Whex,  in  the  early  part  of  May,  1775,  the  news  of 

J  the  battle  of  Lexington  sped  across  the  Alleghenies, 
announcing  the  opening  of  the  Revolutionary  st,rug- 

j  gle,  the  response  which  it  brought  forth  from  the 
people  west  of  the  mountains  was  prompt  and  unmis^ 
lakably  patriotic.  In  this  region  the  feud  was  then 
at  its  height  between  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania,  both 
claiming  and  both  attempting  to  exercise  jurisdiction 
over  the  country  between  Laurel  Hill  and  the  Ohio; 
but  the  partisans  of  both  provinces  unhesitatingly 
laid  aside  their  animosities,  or  held  them  in  abeyance, 
and  both,  on  the  same  day,  held  large  and  patriotic 
meetings,  pledging  themselves  to  aid  to  the  extent  of 
their  ability  the  cause  of  the  colonies  against  the  en-r 
croachmentsof  Britain.  Prontiuent  in  the  proceedings 
of  both  meetings  were  men  from  that  part  of  West- 
moreland County  which  is  now  Fayette.     The  meet- 

I  ing  called  and  held  under  Virginia  auspices  was 
reported  as  follows : 

I  "At  a  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  part  of  I 
Augusta  County  that  lies  on  the  west  side  of  the  ! 
Laurel  Hill,  at  Pittsburgh,  the  16th  day  of  May,  | 
1775,  the  following  gentlemen  were  chosen  a  com- 
mittee for  the  said  district,  viz. :  George  Croghan, 
John  Campbell,  Edward  Ward,  Thomas  Smallman, 
John  Canon,  John  McCullough,  AVilliam  Goe,  George 

1  Valhiiidighani,  John  Gibson,  Dorsey  Pentecost,  Ed- 


THE  KEVOLUTION. 


71 


tvard  Cook,  William  Crawford,  Devereux  Smith, 
John  Anderson,  David  Rodgers,  Jacob  Van  Meter, 
Henry  Enoch,  James  Ennis,  George  Wilson,  William 
Vance,  David  Shepherd,  William  Elliott,  Eichmond 
Willis,  Samuel  Sample,  John  Ormsby,  Richard  Mc- 
Maher,  John  Nevill,  and  John  Swearingen." 

A  standing  committee  was  appointed,  to  have  "  full 
power  to  meet  at  such  times  as  they  shall  judge  neces- 
sary, and  in  case  of  any  emergency  to  call  the  com- 
mittee of  this  district  together,  and  shall  be  vested 
with  the  same  power  and  authority  as  the  other 
f  standing  committee  and  committees  of  correspond- 
ence are  in  the  other  counties  within  this  colony." 

It  was  by  the  meeting  "  Resolved,  unanimombj, 
That  this  committee  have  the  highest  sense  of  the 
spirited  behavior  of  their  brethren  in  New  England, 
and  do  most  cordially  approve  of  their  opposing  the 
invaders  of  American  rights  and  privileges  to  the 
utmost  extreme,  and  that  eacli  member  of  this  com- 
mittee respectively  will  animate  and  encourage  their 
neighborhood  to  follow  the  brave  example.  .  .  . 

"  Hesolved,  That  the  recommendation  of  the  Rich- 
mond Convention  of  the  20th  of  last  March,  relative 
to  the  embodying,  arming,  and  disciplining  of  the 
militia,  he  immediately  carried  into  execution  with 
the  greatest  diligence  in  this  country  by  the  officers 
appointed  for  that  end,  and  that  the  recommendation 
of  the  said  convention  to  the  several  committees  of 
this  colony  to  collect  from  their  constituents,  in  such 
manner  as  shall  be  most  agreeable  to  them,  so  much 
money  as  shall  be  sufficient  to  purchase  half  a  pound 
of  gunpowder  and  one  pound  of  lead,  flints,  and 
cartridge,  paper  for  every  tithable  person  in  their 
county  be  likewise  carried  into  execution. 

"J'his  committee,  therefore,  out  of  the  deepest 
sense  of  the  expediency  of  this  measure,  most  earn- 
estly entreat  that  every  member  of  this  committee  do 
collect  from  each  tithable  person  in  their  several  dis- 
tricts the  sum  of  two  shillings  and  sixpence,  which 
we  deem  no  more  than  sufficient  for  the  above  pur- 
pose, and  give  proper  receipts  to  all  such  as  pay  the 
same  into  their  hands.  .  .  .  And  this  committee,  as 
your  representatives,  and  who  are  most  ardently  la- 
boring for  your  preservation,  call  on  you,  our  con- 
stituents, our  friends,  brethren,  and  fellow-sufferers, 
in  the  name  of  God,  of  all  you  hold  sacred  or  valua- 
ble, for  the  sake  of  your  wives,  children,  and  unborn 
generations,  that  you  will  every  one  of  you,  in  your 
several  stations,  to  the  utmost  of  your  power,  assist 
in  levying  such  sum,  by  not  only  paying  yourselves, 
but  by  assisting  those  who  are  not  at  present  in  a 
condition  to  do  so.  We  heartily  lament  the  case  of 
all  such  as  have  not  this  sum  at  command  in  this  day 
of  necessity ;  to  all  such  we  recommend  to  tender  se- 
curity to  such  as  Providence  has  enabled  to  lend  them 
so  much ;  and  this  committee  do  pledge  their  faith  and 
fortunes  to  you,  their  constituents,  that  we  shall,  with- 
out fee  or  reward,  use  our  best  endeavors  to  procure, 
with  the   money  so   collected,  the   ammunition  our 


present  exigencies  have  made  so  exceedingly  neces- 
sary. 

"  As  this  committee  has  reason  to  believe  there  is  a 
quantity  of  ammunition  destined  for  this  place  for 
the  purpose  of  government,  and  as  this  country  on 
the  west  side  of  Laurel  Hill  is  greatly  distressed  for 
want  of  ammunition,  and  deprived  of  the  means  of 
procuring  it,  by  reason  of  its  .situation,  as  easy  as  the 
lower  counties  of  this  colony,  they  do  earnestly  re- 
quest the  committees  of  Frederick,  Augusta,  and 
Hampshire  that  they  will  not  suffer  the  ammunition 
to  pass  through  their  counties  for  the  purposes  of 
government,  but  will  secure  it  for  the  use  of  this  des- 
titute country,  and  immediately  inform  this  com- 
mittee of  their  having  done  so.  Ordered,  that  the 
standing  committee  be  directed  to  secure  such  arms 
and  ammunition  as  are  not  employed  in  actual  ser- 
vice or  private  property,  and  that  they  get  the  same 
repaired,  and  deliver  them  to  such  captains  of  inde- 
pendent companies  as  may  make  application  for  the 
same,  and  taking  such  captains'  receipt  for  the  arms 
so  delivered. 

"  Resolved,  That  this  committee  do  approve  of  the 
resolution  of  the  committee  of  the  other  part  of  this 
county  relative  to  the  cultivating  a  friendship  with 
the  Indians,  and  if  any  person  shall  be  so  depraved 
as  to  take  the  life  of  any  Indian  that  may  come  to  us 
in  a  friendly  manner,  we  will,  as  one  man,  use  our 
utmost  endeavors  to  bring  such  offenders  to  condign 
punishment. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  sum  of  fifteen  pounds,  current 
money,  be  raised  by  subscription,  and  that  the  same 
be  transmitted  to  Robert  Carter  Nicholas,  Esq.,  for 
the  use  of  the  deputies  sent  from  this  colony  to  the 
General  Congress ;  whicli  sum  of  money  was  imme- 
diately paid  by  the  committee  then  present."  The 
delegates  referred  to  in  this  resolution  were  John 
Harvie  and  George  Rootes,  who  were  addressed,  in 
instructions  from  the  committee,  as  "  being  chosen  to 
represent  the  people  on  the  west  side  of  the  Laurel 
Hill  in  the  Colonial  Congress  for  the  ensuing  year," 
the  committee  then  instructing  them  to  lay  certain 
specified  grievances  of  the  people  of  this  section  be- 
fore the  Congress  at  their  first  meeting,  "  as  we  con- 
ceive it  highly  necessary  they  should  be  redressed  to 
put  us  on  a  footing  with  the  rest  of  our  brethren  in 
the  colony." 

The  meeting  held  at  the  same  time  at  the  county- 
seat  of  Westmoreland  County,  under  the  call  of  the 
Pennsylvanians,  was  reported  as  below  : 

"  At  a  general  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
county  of  Westmoreland,  held  at  Hanna's  Town  on 
the  16th  day  of  May,  1775,  for  taking  into  considera- 
tion the  very  alarming  situation  of  the  country  oc- 
casioned by  the  dispute  with  Great  Britain, — 

"  Resolved,  nnanimously.  That  the  Parliament  of 
Great  Britain,  by  several  late  acts,  have  declared 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  to  be  in 
rebellion,  and  the  ministry,  by  endeavoring  to  en- 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  FENNSYLVANIA. 


force  those  acts,  have  attempted  to  reduce  the  said 
inhabitants  to  a  more  wretched  state  of  slavery  tlian 
ever  before  existed  in  any  state  or  country.  Not 
content  with  violating  their  constitutional  and  char- 
tered privileges,  they  would  strip  them  of  the  rights 
of  humanity,  exposing  lives  to  the  wanton  and  un- 
punishable sport  of  a  licentious  soldiery,  and  de- 
priving them  of  the  very  means  of  subsistence. 

"  Rcsdhed,  unanimously,  That  there  is  no  reason  to 
doubt  but  the  same  system  of  tyranny  and  oppression 
will  (should  it  meet  with  success  in  Massachusetts 
Bay)  be  extended  to  other  parts  of  America;  it  is 
therefore  become  the  indispensable  duty  of  every 
American,  of  every  man  who  has  any  public  virtue 
or  love  for  his  country,  or  any  bowels  for  posterity, 
by  every  means  which  Gnd  has  put  in  his  power,  to 
resist  and  oppose  the  execution  of  it ;  that  for  us  we 
will  be  ready  to  oppose  it  with  our  lives  anil  fortunes. 
And  the  better  to  enable  us  to  accomplish  it,  we  will 
immediately  form  ourselves  into  a  military  body,  to 
consist  cif  r(ini|i:uiies,  to  be  made  up  out  of  the  sev- 
eral tii\vn>liiiis,  uiulerthe  following  association,  which 
is  declared  to  be  the  Association  of  Westmoreland 
County  : 

"  Possessed  with  the  most  unshaken  loyalty  and 
fidelity  to  His  iMajesty  King  George  the  Third,  whom 
we  acknowledge  to  be  our  lawful  and  rightful  king, 
and  who  we  wish  may  long  be  the  beloved  sovereign 
of  a  free  and  happy  people  throughout  the  whole 
British  l-jiipire,  we  declare  to  the  world  that  we  do 
not  mean  by  this  association  to  deviate  from  that  loy- 
alty which  wo  liold  it  our  bounden  duty  to  observe  ; 
but.  atiiiiiat'd  with  the  love  of  liberty,  it  is  no  less 
our  duty  tn  maintain  and  defend  our  just  rights 
(which  with  s(]rrow  we  have  seen  of  late  wantonly 
violated  in  many  instances  by  a  wicked  ministry  and 
a  corrupted  Parliament),  and  transmit  them  entire  to 
our  posterity,  for  which  we  do  agree  and  associate 
together. 

"First.  To  arm  and  form  ourselves  into  a  regi- 
ment, or  regiments,  and  choose  oiHcers  to  command 
us,  in  such  projiortions  as  shall  be  thought  necessary. 
"Second.  Wc  will  with  alacrity  endeavor  to  make 
ourselves  masters  of  the  manual,  exercise,  and  such 
evolutions  as  may  be  necessary  to  enable  us  to  act  in 
a  body  with  concert,  anil  tcj  that  end  we  will  meet  at 
such  times  and  jilaces  as  shall  be  appointed,  either 
.  for  the  conijianies  or  the  regiment,  by  the  officers 
commanding  each  when  chosen. 

"Third.  'J'hat  shmiM  our  country  be  invaded  by  a 
foreign  enemy,  or  should  troo|>s  Vie  sent  from  Great 
Britain  to  eulorce  the  late  arliitrary  acts  of  its  Par- 
liament, we  will  clieerfuUy  submit  to  military  disci- 
pline, and  to  the  utmost  of  our  power  resist  and 
oppose  them,  or  either  of  them,  and  will  coincide 
with  any  jilan  that  may  bo  formed  for  the  defense  of 
America  in  general,  or  Pennsylvania  in  particular. 

"  Fourth.  That  we  do  not  wish  or  desire  any  inno- 
vation, but  onlv  that  things  may  be  restored  to  and 


go  on  in  the  same  way  as  before  the  era  of  the  Stamp 
Act,  when  Boston  grew  great  and  America  was  happy. 
As  a  proof  of  this  disposition,  we  will  quietly  submit 
to  the  laws  by  which  we  have  been  accustomed  to  be 
governed  before  that  period,  and  will,  in  our  several 
or  associate  capacities,  be  ready,  when  called  on,  to 
assist  the  civil  magistrates  in  carrying  the  same  into 
execution. 

"Fifth.  That  when  the  British  Parliament  shall 
have  repealed  their  late  obnoxious  statutes,  and  shall 
recede  from  their  claim  to  tax  us  and  make  laws  lor 
us  in  every  instance,  or  some  general  plan  of  union 
and  reconciliation  has  been  formed  and  accepted  liy 
America,  this,  our  association,  shall  be  dissolved,  but 
till  then  it  shall  remain  in  full  force ;  and  to  the  ob- 
servation of  it  we  bind  ourselves  by  everything  dear 
and  sacred  amongst  men.  No  licensed  murder!  No 
famine  introduced  by  law  !" 

The  first  men  who  went  forward  from  this  region 
to  service  in  the  Revolutionary  army  were  about 
twenty  frontiersmen,  who  marched  from  the  Monon-i 
gahela  country  and  crossed  the  Alleghenies  to  join 
the  Maryland  company  commanded  by  Capt.  Michael 
Cresap,  of  Bedstone  Old  Fort  (afterwards  Browns- 
ville). He  had  been  in  Kentucky  in  the  spring  of 
1776,  but  being  taken  ill  there  had  set  out  by  way  of 
the  Ohio  and  across  the  mountains  for  his  home  in 
Maryland,  where  he  hoped  to  recover  his  health. 
"On  his  way  across  the  Allegheny  Mountains'  he 
was  met  by  a  faithful  friend  with  a  message  stating 
that  he  bad  been  appointed  by  the  Committee  of 
Safety  at  Frederick  a  captain  to  command  one  of  the 
two  rifle  companies  required  from  Maryland  by  a 
resolution  of  Congress.  Experienced  officers  and  the 
very  best  men  that  could  be  procured  were  demanded. 
'  When  I  communicated  my  business,'  says  the  mes- 
senger in  his  artless  narrative,  'and  announced  his 
appointment,  instead  of  becoming  elated  he  became 
pensive  and  solemn,  as  if  his  spirits  were  really  de- 
pressed, or  as  if  he  had  a  presentiment  that  this  was 
his  death-warrant.  He  said  he  was  in  bad  health, 
and  his  affiiirs  in  a  deranged  state,  but  that  neverthe- 
less, as  the  committee  had  selected  him,  and  as  lie 
understood  from  me  his  father  had  pledged  himself; 
that  he  should  accept  of  this  appointment,  he  would 
go,  let  the  consequences  be  what  they  might.  He  | 
then  directed  me  to  proceed  to  the  west  side  of  the 
mountains  and  publish  to  his  old  companions  in  arms 
this  his  intention;  this  I  did,  and  in  a  very  short 
time  collected  and  brought  to  him  at  his  residence  in 
Old  Town  [Maryland]  about  twenty-two  as  fine  fel- 
lows as  ever  handled  rifle,  and  most,  if  not  all  of 
them,  completely  equipped.'  " 

It  was  in  June  that  these  men  were  raised  and 
moved  across  the  mountains  to  Frederick,  Md.,  to 
join  Cresap's  company.  A  letter  written  from  that 
place  on  the  1st  of  the  following  August  to  a  gentle- 


'  Logiii 


'  hy  Col.  Bruntz  Ma 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


73 


man  in  Philadelphia  said,  "  Notwithstanding  the 
urgency  of  my  business,  I  have  been  detained  three 
days  in  this  place  by  an  occurrence  truly  agreeable. 
I  have  had  the  happiness  of  seeing  Capt.  Michael 
Cresap  inarching  at  the  head  of  a  formidable  com- 
pany of  upwards  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  men 
from  the  mountains  and  backwoods,  painted  like  In- 
dians, armed  with  tomahawks  and  rifles,  dressed  in 
hunting-shirts  and  moccasins,  and  though  some  of 
them  had  traveled  near  eight  hundred  [?J  miles  from 
the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  they  seemed  to  walk  light  and 
easy,  and  not  wit'.i  less  spirit  than  on  the  first  hour 
of  their  march."  .  .  .  They  marched  in  August,  and 
joined  Washington's  army  near  Boston,  .where  and 
in  later  campaigns  they  did  good  service.  Their 
captain's  health  growing  worse  he  resigned  and 
started  for  Maryland,  but  died  on  his  way  in  New 
York  in  the  following  October.  The  names  of  the 
men  who  were  recruited  west  of  the  mountains  for 
Cresap's  company  cannot  be  given,  but  there  can  be 
little  doubt  that  most  of  them  were  from  the  vicinity 
of  the  place  where  their  cai)taiu  had  located  his  fron- 
tier home, — Redstone  Old  Fort,  on  the  Monongahela. 

The  first  considerable  body,,of  men  recruited  in 
the  Monongahela  country  for  the  Revolutionary  army 
was  a  battalion,  afterwards  designated  as  the  Seventh 
Virginia.  It  was  raised  in  the  fall  of  1775,  chiefly 
through  the  efforts  of  William  Crawford,  whose  head- 
quarters for  the  recruiting  of  it  were  at  his  home  at 
Stewart's  Crossings  on  the  Youghiogheuy,  then  in  the 
county  of  Westmoreland,  or  rather,  as  the  Virginia 
partisans  claimed,  in  the  western  district  of  Augusta 
County,  Va.  After  raising  this  regiment,  Crawford 
did  not  immediately  secure  a  colonelcy,  but  was  com- 
lissioned  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Fifth  Virginia  in 
January,  1776,  and  in  the  latter  part  of  the  same  year 
became  colonel  of  the  Seventh.  The  regiment  wliich 
he  raised  was  made  up  principally  of  men  from  the 
region  now  embraced  in  the  counties  of  Westmore- 
land and  Fayette,  but  no  rolls  or  lists  of  their  names 
can  be  given.  The  regiment  took  the  field  early  in 
1776,  fought  well  in  the  battle  of  Long  Island, 
marched  with  Washington's  dispirited  army  in  its 
retreat  through  New  Jersey  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
same  year,  and  performed  good  service  at  Trenton, 
and  other  engagements,  but  in  the  latter  years  of  the 
war  served  in  the  Western  Department,  and  for  a  long 
time  formed  part  of  the  garrison  of  Fort  Pitt. 

The  "  West  Augusta  Regiment" — designated  as  the 
Thirteenth  Virginia— was  afterwards  raised,  princi- 
pally by  Col.  Crawford's  eflbrts,  in  the  same  region 
of  country  in  which  his  first  regiment  had  been  re- 
cruited. Of  this  last  regiment  he  was  made  colonel. 
An  extract  from  a  letter  written  by  him  to  Gen. 
Washington,^  dated  "  Fredericktown,  Maryland,  Feb- 
ruary 12, 1777,"  is  given  below,  because  of  its  reference 


gton-Crawford  Lttte 


,  p.  02. 


to  the  two  Virginia  regiments  raised  in  the  valleys  of 
the  Youghiogheny  and  Monongahela,  viz. : 

"Many  reasons  have  we  to  expect  a  war  [with  the 
Indians]  this  spring.  The  chief  of  the  lower  settle- 
ments upon  the  Ohio  has  moved  off;  and  should  both 
the  regiments  be  moved  away,  it  will  greatly  distress 
the  people,  as  the  last  raised  by  myself  [the  West 
Augusta  Regiment]  was  expected  to  be  a  guard  for 
them  if  there  was  an  Indian  war.  By  the  Governor 
of  Virginia  I  was  appointed  to  command  that  regi- 
ment at  the  request  of  the  people. 

"  The  conditions  were  that  the  soldiers  were  enlisted 
during  the  war,  and  if  an  Indian  war  should  come  on 
this  spring  they  were  to  be  continued  there,  as  their 
interest  was  on  the  spot;  but  if  there  should  be  no 
Indian  war  in  that  quarter,  then  they  were  to  go 
wherever  called.  On  these  conditions  many  cheer- 
fully enlisted.  The  regiment,  I  believe,  by  this  time 
is  nearly  made  up,  as  five  hundred  and  odd  were  made 
up  before  I  came  away,  and  the  officers  were  recruit- 
ing very  fast ;  but  should  they  be  ordered  away  before 
they  get  blankets  and  other  necessaries,  I  do  not  see 
how  they  are  to  be  moved ;  besides,  the  inhabitants 
will  be  in  great  fear  under  the  present  circumstances. 
Many  men  have  already  been  taken  from  that  region, 
so  that  if  that  regiment  should  march  away,  it  will 
leave  few  or  none  to  defend  the  country.  There  are 
no  arms,  as  the  chief  jmrt  of  the  first  men  ivere  armed 
there,  which  has  left  the  place  very  bare;  but  let  me 
be  ordered  anywhere,  and  I  will  go  if  possible.  .  .  ." 

By  the  above  letter  is  shown  the  rather  remarkable 
fact  that  by  the  early  part  of  1777  the  Youghiogheny 
and  Monongahela  region  of  country  had  furnished 
two  regiments^  to  the  quota  of  Virginia  (besides 
eight  full  companies  to  the  Pennsylvania  Line,  as  will  - 
be  noticed  below),  and  that  the  men  of  the  first  regi- 
ment raised  here  had  been  almost  completely  armed 
before  marching  to  join  the  army.  Crawford's  last  regi- 
ment, the  Thirteenth  Virginia,  performed  its  service 
in  the  West,  being  stationed  in  detachments  at  Fort 
Pitt,  Fort  Mcintosh,  and  other  points  on  the  Ohio 
and  Allegheny  Rivers.  No  list  of  its  officers  and 
men  has  been  found. 

Under  Pennsylvania  authority  a  company  was 
raised  in  Westmoreland  County  in  1776,  under  com- 
mand of  Capt.  Joseph  Erwin.  It  marched  to  Mar- 
cus Hook,  where  it  was  incorporated  with  Col.  Sam- 
uel Miles'  "  Pennsylvania  Rifle  Regiment."  It  was  ■ 
subsequently  included  in  the  Thirteenth  Pennsylva- 
nia, then  in  the  Second  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  and 
was  finally  discharged  from  service  at  Valley  Forge 
Jan.  1,  1778,  by  reason  of  expiration  of  its  term  of 
enlistment.     During   its  period  of  service  the  com- 


2  In  Febniiiry,  1" 
paid  to  Col.  Williiii 
wliicli  is  a  part  of  I 


nd  equipping  liia  regluipnt, 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY.  PENNSYLVANIA. 


pany  fought  at  Long  Island,  White  Plains,  Trenton, 

Princeton,  Quibbletown   (N.  J.),   Brandywine,   and 

Germantown.     Following  is  a  roll  of  the  company : 
Capfain. 

Erwin,   Joseph,    Westmoreland    County,   appointed 
March  9,  1776  ;  commission  dated  April  6,  1776  ; 
promoted  captain  in  Ninth  Pennsylvania. 
First  Lieutenant. 

Carnaghan,  James,  from  second  lieutenant ;  missing 
since  the  battle,  Aug.  27,  1776 ;  a/ter  release  he 
repaired  to  headquarters,  in  December,  177G,  and 
served  as  a  volunteer  at  Trenton  and  Princeton  ; 
promoted  first  lieutenant  in  Eighth  Pennsylva- 
nia on  Jan.  15,  1777. 

Second  Lieutenants. 

Carnaghan,  James,  appointed  March  1(3,1776;  pro- 
moted first  lieutenant  Oct.  24,  177(5. 

Sloan,  David,  from  third  lieutenant,  Aug.  9,1776; 
killed  in  battle  at  Long  Island,  Aug.  27,  1776  ; 
left  a  widow  Mary  and  daughter  Ann,  aged  eleven, 
in  1789  residing  in  "Westmoreland  County. 
Third  Lieutenants. 

Sloan,  David,  appointed  March  19,  1776;  promoted 
second  lieutenant,  to  date  from  Aug.  9,  177G. 

Brownlee,  Joseph,  commission  dated  April  1.5, 1776; 
promoted  second  lieutenant  Oct.  24,  1776;  miss- 
ing since  the  battle  of  Long  Island,  Aug.  27, 1776. 
Sergeants. 

Lindsay,  William. 

Eoddy,"  Samuel. 

Dugan,  Jaiues. 

Justice,  John. 

Drum  and  Fife. 

Howard,  George. 

Gunnon,  John. 

Geyer,  John,  drummer-boy  (eleven  years  of  age),  son 
of  Peter  Geyer,  below  ;  wounded  in  the  heel  at 
Germantown;  discharged  Jan.  1,  1778,  at  Valley 
Forge;  was  a  stone-mason,  residing  in  Metal 
township,  Franklin  Co.,  in  1821. 

Prioates. 

Anderson,  ;Martin. 

Bentley,  James. 

Brown,  Anilrew. 

Brownfield,  Daniel,  missing  since  the  battle,  Aug.  27, 
1776. 

Brownlee,  John,  April  1,  1776;  discharged  Jan.  1, 
1778  ;  resided  in  Donegal  township,  Washington 
Co.,  in  1814. 

Bryson,  Andrew,  April  1, 1776  ;  drafted  into  the  artil- 
lery at  Brandywine ;  discharged  Jan.  1,  1778 ; 
resided  in  Bedminster  township,  Bucks  Co.,  in 
1816. 

Carnahan,  Joseiih. 

Dunnough,  William. 

Dovle,  Sylvester. 


Fitzgerald,  Henry. 

Forsyth,  James. 

Gunnon,  Jeremiah,  missing  since  the  battle,  Aug.  27, 
1776. 

Guthry,  John,  missing  since  the  battle,  Aug.  27, 1776. 

Guthry,  William,  missing  since  the  battle,  Aug.  27, 
1776. 

Geyer,  Peter,  enlisted  at  Hannastown  ;  discharged  at 
Valley  Forge  Jan.  1,  1778  ;  wounded  by  a  bayo- 
net in  the  groin  and  by  a  ball  in  the  leg  at  Ger- 
mantown. His  wife,  Mary,  went  with  his  com- 
pany as  washer-woman,  with  her  son  John,  above 
mentioned,  and  accompanied  the  regiment  in  all 
its  marches ;  she  was  eighty-six  years  of  age  in 
1821,  then  residing  in  Cumberland  County;  she 
had  three  other  children, — Jacob,  Mary,  and 
Catharine. 

Henderson,  Edward. 

Hennan,  David. 

Hennan,  John.  ■ 

Henry,  John,  missing  since  the  battle,  Aug.  27,  177G. 

Heslet,  Robert. 

Holiday,  William. 

Johnson,  Robert. 

Kelly,  Philip,  missing  since  the  battle,  Aug.  27, 177(j. 

Leech,  Archibald,  discharged  Jan.  1,  1778  ;  resided  iu 
Armstrong  County  in  1811. 

Leech,  James. 

Leonard,  James,  discharged  Jan.  1,  1778;  resided  iu 
Warren  County,  Ohio,  in  1831,  aged  eighty-seven. 

McClelland,  David". 

McCollister,  James. 

McCord,  William. 

McKenzie,  Andy,  ''a  volunteer,"  missing  since  the 
battle,  Aug.  27,  1776. 

Miller,  Peter,  resided  iu  Bedford  County  in  1819. 

Moor,  William,  missing  since  the  battle,  Aug.  27, 
1776. 

Moll,  William,  missing  since  the  battle,  Aug.  27, 
1776. 

Nail,  James. 

Nelson,  James,  missing  since  tlie  battle,  Aug.  27,' 
1776. 

Nelson,  William,  wounded  in  the  left  knee;  missing 
since  the  battle,  Aug.  27,  1776 ;  resided  in  West- 
moreland County  in  1789. 

Orr,  David. 

Riddle,  John. 

Riddle,  Robert. 

Roddy,  Patrick. 

Sims,  John. 

Singlewood,  Stephen,  missing  since  the  battle.  Aug. 
27,  1776. 

Stamper,  Charles,  missing  since  the  battle,  Aug.  27, 
1776. 

Stone,  Allen. 

Stoops,  John,  mi.ssing  since  the  battle,  Aug.  27,  1776. 

Twifold,  William,  missing  since  the  battle,  Aug.  27, 
1776. 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


75 


Waddle,  William,  April,   1770;   discharged  Jan.  1, 
177S;  resided  in  Westmoreland  County  in  1819. 

Watterson,  John. 

Wead,  Maurice. 

Wilkinson,  Angus,  missing  since  the  battle,  Aug.  27, 
1776. 
Three  sergeants  were  also  captured,  but   the  roll 

does  not  indicate  which. 

The  Eighth  Regiment  of  the  Pennsylvania  Line 
was  raised  under  authority  of  a  resolution  of  Con- 

1,  d.ited  July  15, 1776  ("Journal,"  vol.  i.  411-19), 
for  the  defense  of  the  western  frontier,  to  garrison  the 
posts  of  Presquelsle,  Le  Bojuf,  and  Kittanning,  to  con- 
ist  of  seven  companies  from  Westmoreland  and  one 
from  Bedford  County.  On  the  29th  of  July,  1776,  the 
Convention  of  Pennsylvania,  then  in  session,  having 
recommended  for  field-officcys  of  this  regiment  Col. 
Eneas  JIackey  (written  also  McCoy),  Lieut.-Col. 
George  Wilson  (of  New  Geneva,  now  Fayette  County), 
and  Maj.  Richard  Butler,  they  were  elected  and  ap- 
pointed as  such  by  Congress.  A  resolution  of  Con- 
gress having  given  to  the  committees  of  Westmore- 
land and  Bedford  Counties  the  right  of  naming  the 
company  otRcers,  they  were  so  named  (as  in  the  roster 
hereafter  given),  and  on  the  14th  of  September,  1776, 
Congi-ess  accepted  them  and  ordered  commissions. 
On  the  2211  of  September  Congress  elected  David  Mc- 
Clure  chaplain,  and  Ephraim  Douglass  quartermaster 
of  the  regiment.  On  the  23d  of  November  Congress 
directed  the  Board  of  War  to  order  the  regiment  to 
march  with  all  possible  expedition  by  the  nearest 
route  "to  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  or  to  join  Gen.  Washing- 

vherever  he  may  be."  On  the  4th  of  November 
the  regiment  received  orders  to  march  to  Amboy, 
N".  J.,  whereupon  Lieut.-Col.  George  Wilson  wrote 
from  the  regimental  rendezvous  to  Col.  James  Wilson 
IS  follows  : 

"Ketaxian,  Dec.  5Ui,  177G. 

"  D''  Colonall :  Last  Evening  We  Rec^  Marching 
jrdors,  Which  I  must  say  is  not  Disagreeable  to  me 
mder  y"^  Sircumstances  of  y'  times,  for  when  I  enter'd 
nto  y"  Service  I  Judged  that  if  a  necesety  appeared 
:o  call  us  Below,  it  would  be  Don,  therefore  it  Dont 
:ome  on  me  By  Surprise ;  But  as  Both  y"  Officers  and 
Men  understood  they  Ware  Raised  for  y°  Defence  of 
°  Westeran  Frontiers,  and  their  fameleys  and  sub- 
tance  to  be  Left  in  so  Defenceless  a  situation  in  their 
xbstence,  seems  to  Give  Sensable  trouble,  alth°  I  Hope 
We  Will  Get  over  it.  By  Leving  sum  of  ower  trifeling 
ers  Behind  who  Pirtend  to  Have  More  Witt  then 
ieven  men  that  can  Rendar  a  Reason.  We  are  ill 
Provided  for  a  March  at  this  season,  But  there  is 
lothing  Hard  under  sum  Sircumstances.  We  Hope 
Provision  Will  be  made  for  us  Below,  Blankets, 
3ampe  Kittles,  tents,  arms,  Regimentals,  &c.,  that 
■ve  may  not  Cut  a  Dispisable  Figure,  But  may  be 
Enabled  to  answer  y"'  expectation  of  ower  Countre. 

"I  Have  Warmly  Recommended  to  y'  officers  to 


Lay  aside  all  Personall  Resentments  at  this  time,  for 
that  it  Would  be  construed  By  y"  Worald  that  they 
made  use  of  that  Sircumstance  to  Hide  themselves 
under  from  y"  cause  of  their  countrie,  and  I  hope  it 
Will  have  a  Good  Efect  at  this  time.  We  Have  isliued 
y°  Neceserey  orders,  and  appointed  y°  owt  Parties  to 
Randevous  at  Hanows  Town,  y"  1.5"'  instant,  and  to 
March  Eineditly  from  there.  We  have  Reoomended 
it  to  y"  Militia  to  Station  One  Hundred  Men  at  this 
post  until  further  orders. 

"  I  Hope  to  have  y°  Plesure  of  Seeing  you  Soon,  as 
we  mean  to  take  Philodelphia  in  ower  Rout.  In  y' 
mean  time,  I  am,  With  Esteem,  your  Harty  Well- 
wisher  and  H'''°  Ser', 

"  G.  Wilson. 
"  To  Col.  James  Wilson,  of  the  Honorable  the  Cont. 
Congress,  Phila." 

Until  the  5th  of  December,  1776,  the  regiment  was 

styled  in  the  quartermaster's  receipts  "  the  Battalion 

commanded  by  Col.  Eneas  Mackay,"  but  at  that  date 

it  is  first  styled  "The  Eighth  Battalion  of  Pcnn'a 

j  troops  in  the  Continental  service,"  showing  that  it 

I  had  then  been  assigned  to  duty  in  the  Continental 

I  Line.     The  regiment  marched  from  Kittanning  on 

i  the  6th  of  January,  1777,  and  it  and  the  Twelfth 

Pennsylvania  were  the  first  regiments  of  the  Line  in 

the  field.     The  next  notice  of  it  is  found  in  the  "  Life 

of  Timothy  Pickering"  (volume  i.,  page  122),  in  the 

following  reference  to  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania  : 

"  March  1, 1777,  S.itunlay. 

"  Dr.  Putnam  brought  me  a  billet,  of  which  the 
following  is  a  copy : 

"  '  Dear  Sir  :  Our  Battalion  is  so  unfortunate  as  not 
to  have  a  Doctor,  and,  in  my  opinion,  dying  for  want 
of  medicine.  I  beg  you  will  come  down  to-morrow 
morning  and  visit  the  sick  of  my  company.  For  that 
favor  you  shall  have  sufficient  satisfaction  from  your 
humble  servant, 

" '  James  Pigott, 
"  '  Capt.  of  8  Batt.  of  Pa. 

'"  QviDBr.ETOWx,  Fi-li,  28,  1777.' 

"  I  desired  the  Dr.  by  all  means  to  visit  them.  They 
were  raised  about  the  Ohio,  and  had  travelled  near 
five  hundred  miles,  as  one  of  the  soldiers  who  came 
for  the  Dr.  informed  me.  For  150  miles  over  moun- 
tains, never  entering  a  house,  but  building  fires,  and 
encamping  in  the  Snow.  Considerable  numbers,  un- 
used to  such  hardships,  have  since  died.  The  Colonel 
and  Lieutenant-Colonel  among  the  dead.  The  Dr. 
informed  he  found  them  quartered  in  cold  shattered 
houses." 

The  regiment  was  stationed  at  Bound  Brook,  N.  J., 
in  the  winter  and  spring  of  1777,  where  it  was  attacked 
by  the  British  and  defeated,  with  the  loss  of  a  number 
of  men.  Lieut.-Col.  George  Wilson,  of  New  Geneva, 
died  of  pleurisy  at  Quibblttown,  N.  J.,  in  February 
of  that  year. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Cols.  Mackey  and  Wilson  having  died,  Daniel 
Brodhead  became  colonel,  Richard  Butler  lieutenant- 
colonel,  and  Stephen  Bayard  major.  When  Morgan's 
rifle  command  was  organized,  Lieut.-Col.  Butler  was 
made  lieutenant-colonel  of  it,  and  Maj.  James  Ross, 
of  the  First  Pennsylvania,  became  lieutenant-colonel. 
According  to  a  return  signed  by  the  latter,  dated 
"  Mount  Pleasant,  June  9,  1777,"  the  number  of  men 
enlisted  between  the  9th  of  August  and  the  16tli  of 
December,  1776,  was  six  hundred  and  thirty ;  enlisted 
since  the  16th  of  December,  thirty-four;  making  a 
total  of  six  hundred  and  eighty-four.  The  strength 
of  the  respective  companies  was: 


Capt.  David  Kilgore's  Company       .         .     3  55 

Capt.  Samuel  Miller's         "  .         .     4  82 

Capt.  Van  Swearingen's     "  .         .     3  71 

Capt.  James  Pigott's  "  .         .     4  55 

Capt.  Wendel  Ourry's  "  .         .     4  54 

Capt.  Andrew  Mann's         "  .         .     4  58 

Capt.  James  Montgomery's  Company      .     2  57 

Capt.  Michael  Huffnagle's  "  .4  70 

Capt.  Lieut.  John  Finley's         "  .2  77 

Capt.  Lieut.  Basil  Prather's        "  .     3  69 

From  the  total,  thirty-six  were  deducted  as  prison- 
ers of  war,  fourteen  missing,  fifty-one  dead,  fifteen 
discharged,  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  deserted. 
Lieut.  Matthew  Jack,  absent  from  April  13th, 
wciunded.  Ensign  Gabriel  Peterson,  absent  from 
April  17th,  wounded.  Capt.  Moses  Carson,  deserted 
April  21st.  "  First  Lieut.  Richard  Carson,  deserted. 
Acjuila  White,  ensign,  deserted  February  23d.  Joseph 
^IcDolo,  first  lieutenant,  deserted.  Thomas  Forthay, 
ensign,  deserted.  Alexander  Simrall,  second  lieu- 
tenant, cashiered.  David  McKee,  ensign,  dismissed 
the  service.  Ephraim  Douglass,  quartermaster,  taken 
by  the  enemy  March  13th. 

Capt.  Van  Swearingen,  First  Lieut.  Basil  Prather, 
and   Second  Lieut.  John   Hardin,'  with  their  com- 


>i!jiuitiou  as  brig^tdii 


1  to  the  bravery  and  efficiency  of  Lieut. 
11,  of  Fiiyette  County,  during  liis  tci-in  of 
from  a  Ic-tter  written  by  Gen.  James  Wil- 
JM,  on  the  occasion  of  his  tenJeriiig  Uis 
.(Ijutaut-general  of  Pennsylvania,  in  17S4, 

th-  F.lection  for  Fayette  County,  Major 
r  ;!i  Sheriff 's  Office  ;  permit  me  briefly  to 
In  1  I  -  lueiif,  without  detracting  from  Ihat 


go.vi.c  to  tjie  Command- 
deed)  of  a  Lock  of  Hair, 
ufficient  for  me,  Sir,  to 
EPS  your  administration 


mauds,  were  detailed  on  duty  with  Col.  Morgan,  ancl 
greatly  distinguished  themselves  in  the  series  of  ac- 
tions that  resulted  in  the  surrender  of  Gen.  Burgoyne  at 
Saratoga.     These  commands  consisted  of  picked  ritlc- 

j  men  out  of  all  of  the  companies  of  the  Eighth  Penn- 
sylvania. 

A  return  dated  Nov.  1,  1777,  shows  the  strength  ■•{ 
the  regiment  present:  colonel,  major,  two  captain-, 
six  lieutenants,  adjutant,  paymaster  and  surgeon,  si.r- 
geant-major,  quartermaster-sergeant  and  druin-majnr, 
twenty-nine  sergeants,  nine  drums  and  fifes,  one  hun- 
dred and  twelve  rank  and  file  fit  for  duty,  twenty- 
eight  sick  present,  seventy-seven  sick  absent,  one 
hundred  and  thirty-nine  on  command  ;  total,  three 
hundred  and  fifty-one.  Prisoners  of  war,  one  sergeant 
and  fifty-eight  privates.  Capt.  Van  Swearingen, 
Lieut.  Basil  Prather,  and  Lieut.  John  Hardin  nn 
command  with  Col.  Morgan.  Vacant  oflSces :  lieu- 
tenant-colonel, four  captains,  three  lieutenants,  eight 

,  ensigns,  chaplain,  and  surgeon's  mate.     Lieut.-Col. 

1  Ross  resigned  after  the  battles  of  Brandywine  and 
Germantown. 

On  the  5th  of  March,  1777,  the  regiment  was  or- 
dered to  Pittsburgh  for  the  defense  of  the  western 
frontiers,  and   by  direction  of  Gen.  Mcintosh,  Cul. 

[  Brodhead  made,  aboutthe  12th  of  July,  a  detour  up  the 
West  Branch  to  check  the  savages  who  were  ravagin.;- 
AVyoming  and  the  West  Branch  Valley.  He  was  at 
Muncy  on  the  24th  of  July,  and  had  ordered  Caiit. 
Finley's  company  into  Penn's  Valley,  where  two  of  the 
latter's  soldiers,  Thomas  Van  Doren  and  Jacob  Shed- 
acre,  who  had  participated  in  the  campaign  against 

j  Burgoyne,  were  killed  on  the  24tli,  in  sight  of  Potters 

i  fort,  by  the  Indians.     (Pennsylvania  Archives,  O.  S., 

1  vol.  vi.  page  C66.)     Soon  after.  Col.  Hartley  with  lii- 

!  regiment  relieved  Col.  Brodhead,  and  he  proceeikl 

j  with  the  Eighth  to  Pittsburgh. 

I  A  montlily  return  of  the  troops  commanded  by  C"'.. 
Brodhead  in  the  Western  Department,  dated  July 
30,  1780,  gives  the  strength  of  the  Eighth  Pennsyl- 
vania: colonel,  lieutenant-colonel,  major,  two  captains, 
three  lieutenants,  four  ensigns,  adjutant,  paymaster, 
quartermaster,  surgeon,  surgeon's  mate,  sergeant- 
major,  quartermaster-sergeant,  one  drum  and  file 
major,  ten  sergeants,  ten  drums  and  fifes,  one  hundred 
and  twenty  rank  and  file  fit  for  duty,  four  sick,  Ium 
furloughed,  eight  on  command,  three  deserted,  >ix 
joined  the  Invalid  Company. 

In  a  letter  from  Gen.  William  Irvine  to  Gen.  Wa-li- 
ington,  soon  after  he  took  command  at  Fort  Pitt, 
dated  Dec.  2,  1781,  he  says,  "I  have  re-formed  tin 
remains  of  the  late  Eighth  Pennsylvania  into  two 
companies,  and  call  them  a  detachment  from  the 
Pennsylvania  Line,  to  be  commanded  by  Lieut.-Col. 
Bayard."  [The  first  company,  Capt.  Clark,  Lieuts. 
Peterson  and  Reed  ;  second  company,  Capt.  Brady, 
Lieuts.  Ward  and  Jlorrison.] 

Capt.  Matthew  Jack,  in  a  statement  on  file,  says, 
"  In  the  vcar  1778  the  Eighth  was  sent  to  Pittsburrrh 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


to  guard  the  frontier^  and  placed  under  the  command 

of   Gen.   Mcintosh ;    that  they   went  down   to   the 

mouth  of  the  Beaver,  and  there  built  Fort  Mcintosh, 

and  from  that  went,  upon  Mcintosh's  command,  to 

the  head  of  the  Muskingum,  and  there  built  Fort 

Laurens.     In  the  year  1779  went  up  the  Allegheny, 

j  on  Gun.  Brodhead's  expedition,  attacked  the  Indians 

:  and  defeated  them,  and  burned  their  towns.     On  the 

,  return  of  the  regiment,  its  time  having  expired,  it  was 

.  discharged  at  Pittsburgh."     For  a  full  account  of  the 

services  of  this  regiment  in  the  West,  the  reader  is 

,  referred  to  "  Brodhead's  Letter-Book,"  published  in 

I  the  twelfth  volume,  first  series,  of  Pennsylvania  Ar- 

;  chives. 

Van  Swearingen  was  probably  the  most  noted  cap- 
tain in  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania.  On  the  19th  of 
September  he  and  a  lieutenant  and  twenty  privates 
were  captured  in  a  sudden  dash  that  scattered  Mor- 
gan's men.  He  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Indians, 
but  was  rescued  by  Gen.  Fraser's  bat  man  (one  who 
takes  care  of  his  officer's  horse),  who  took  him  before 
the  general.  The  latter  interrogated  him  concerning 
the  number  of  the  American  army,  but  got  no  answer, 
except  that  it  was  commanded  by  Gens.  Gates  and 
Arnold.  He  then  threatened  to  bang  him.  "  You 
may,  if  you  please,"  said  Van  Swearingen.  Fraser 
then  rode  ofl',  leaving  him  in  care  of  Sergt.  Dunbar, 
who  consigned  him  to  Lieut.  Auburey,  who  ordered 
him  to  be  placed  among  the  other  prisoners,  with 
directions  not  to  be  ill  treated.  Swearingen,  after 
Burgoyne's  army  was  removed  to  Virginia,  made 
especial  exertions  to  have  Dunbar  and  Auburey  ex- 
changed. Swearingen  was  the  first  sheriff'  of  Wash- 
ington County  in  1781 ;  resided  in  now  Fayette 
County,  opposite  Greenfield.  His  daughter  became 
the  wife  of  the  celebrated  Capt.  Samuel  Brady  (also 
of  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania),  so  conspicuous  in  the 
annals  of  Western  Pennsylvania. 

EosTEE  OF  Field  and  Staff  Officers  of  the 
Eighth  Pennsylvania. 

Mackey,  Eneas,  of  Westmoreland  County,  July  20, 
1776 ;  died  in  service,  Feb.  14,  1777. 

Brodhead,  Daniel,  from  lieutenant-colonel,  Fourth 
Pennsylvania,  Marcli  12,  1777;  joined  April, 
1777;  transferred  to  First  Pennsylvania,  Jan. 
17,  1781. 

Lieutenant-  Colonels. 

Wilson,  George,  July  20,  1776  ;  died  in  service  at 
Quibbletown,  February,  1777. 

Butler,  Richard,  from  major,  March  12, 1777,  ranking 
from  Aug.  28,  1776 ;  transferred  to  lieutenant- 
colonel  of  Morgan's  rifle  command,  June  9, 1777 ; 
promoted  colonel  of  Ninth  Pennsylvania,  rank- 
ing from  June  7,  1777 ;  by  an  alteration  subse- 
quent to  March  12,  1777,  Kichard  Butler  was 


pl.aced  in  the  First  Pennsylvania,  and  James  Ross 
in  Eighth  Pennsylvania. 

Ross,  James,  from  lieutenant-colonel  First  Pennsyl- 
vania; resigned  Sept.  22,  1777. 

Bayard,  Stephen,  from  major,  ranking  Sept.  23,  1777; 
transferred  to  Sixth  Pennsylvania,  Jan.  17,  1781. 

Majors. 

Butler,  Richard,  July  20. 1776;  promoted  lieutenant- 
colonel  March  12,  1777. 

Bayard,  Stephen,  March  12,  1777,  ranking  from  Oct. 
4,  1776;  promoted  lieutenant-colonel,  to  rank 
from  Sept.  23,  1777. 

Vernon,  Frederick,  from  captain  Fifth  Pennsylvania, 
ranking  from  June  7,  1777  ;  transferred  to  Fourtli 
Pennsylvania,  Jan.  17,  1781. 

Captains. 

Kilgore,  David,  died  July  11,  1814,  aged  sixty-nine 
years  four  months  and  twelve  days ;  buried  in 
the  Presbyterian  graveyard  of  Mount  Pleasant 
(Middle  Church),  Westmoreland  County. — Letter 
of  Nannie  H.  Kilgore,  Oreensburg,  July  23,  1878. 

Miller,  Samuel,  died  in  service,  Jan.  10,  1778;  left  a 
Avidow,  Jane  Cruikshank,  who  resided  in  West- 
moreland County  in  1784. 

Van  Swearingen,'  Aug.  9, 1776.  Van  Swearingen  had 
been  in  command  of  an  independent  company,  in 
the  pay  of  the  State,  from  February  to  Aug.  11, 
1776,  in  defense  of  the  frontiers  in  Westmoreland 
County. 

Piggott,  James  ;  on  return  June  9, 1777,  he  is  marked 
sick  in  camp, 

Ourry,  Wendel. 

Mann,  Andrew;  on  return  of  June  9,  1777,  lie  is 
marked  sick  in  quarters  since  May  2d. 

Carson,  Moses,  left  the  service  April  21,  1777. 

Miers,  Eliezer. 

[The  foregoing  captains  were  recommended  by  the 

committees  of  Westmoreland  and  Bedford  Counties, 

and  directed  to  be  commissioned  by  resolution  of  Con- 
gress of  Sept.  14,  1776.] 

Montgomery,  James,  died  Aug.  26,  1777 ;  his  widow, 
Martha,  resided  in  Westmoreland  County  in  1824. 

Huffhagle,  Michael,  died  Dec.  31,  1819,  in  Allegheny 
County,  aged  sixty-six. 

Jack,  Matthew,  from  first  lieutenant;  became  super- 
numerary Jan.  31,  1779;  resided  in  Westmore- 
land County  in  1835,  aged  eighty-two. 

Stokely,  Nehemiah,  Oct.  16,  1777;  became  supernu- 
merary Jan.  31,  1779;  died  in  Westmoreland 
County  in  1811. 

Cooke,  Thomas,  from  first  lieutenant ;  became  super- 
numerary Jan.  31,  1779;  died  in  Guernsey  County, 
Ohio,  Nov.  5,  1831. 

1  Tlie  names  of  the  captnins  appear,  on  the  first  return  found,  in  tlie 
orOer  iudicated  above,  but  date  of  commissions  cannot  be  ascertuiued. 
riobally  thej'  wcic  all  dated  .4ug  0, 1770,  as  Van  Sivearirjgen's. 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Dawson,  Samuel,'from  Eleventh  Pennsylvania,  July 
1,  1778;  died  at  Fort  Pitt,  Sept.  6,  1779;  buried 
in  First  Presbyterian  churchyard  in  Pittsburgh. 

Moore,  James  Francis,  from  Thirteenth  Pennsylvania, 
July  1,  1778. 

Clark,  John,  from  Thirteenth  Pennsylvania,  July  1, 
1778 ;  transferred  to  First  Pennsylvania,  July  17, 
1781. 

Carnahan,  James,  from  Thirteenth  Pennsylvania, 
July  1,  1778;  transferred  to  Fourth  Pennsylva- 
nia," Jan.  17,  1781. 

Finley,  Joseph  L.,  from  Thirteenth  Pennsylvania, 
July  1, 1778  ;  brigade-ra.ijor,  July  30, 1780;  trans- 
ferred to  Second  Pennsylvania,  Jan.  17,  1781. 

Finley,  John,  from  first  lieutenant,  Oct.  22,  1777; 
transferred  to  Fifth  Pennsylvania,  Jan.  17,  1781. 

Crawford,  John,  from  first  lieutenant,  Aug.  10,  1779; 
transferred  to  Sixth  Pennsylvania,  Jan.  17,  1781. 

Brady,  Samuel,  from  captain  lieutenant,  Aug.  2, 1779; 
transferred  to  Third  Pennsylvania,  Jan.  17, 1781. 
Captain  Lieutenant. 

Brady,  Samuel,  commission  dated  July  17, 1776  ;  from 
Sixth  Pennsylvania;  promoted  captain  Aug.  2, 
1779. 

First  Lieutenants. 

Moseley,  Robert  (written  Moody  in  the  return),  re- 
signed May  1(3,  1777;  resided  in  Ohio  County, 
Ky.,  in  1820,  aged  sixty-nine. 

Cooke,  Thomas,  promoted  captain. 

Finley,  John,  promoted  captain  Oct.  22,  1777. 

Jack,  Matthew,  lost  his  left  hand  by  the  bursting  of 
his  gun  at  Bound  Brook,  N.  J. ;  promoted  captain 
April  13,  1777. 

Hickman,  Ezekiel. 

Carson.  Richard,  left  the  service  in  1777. 

ilcGeary,  William,  resigned  April  17,  1777. 

McDolo",  Joseph,  left  the  service  in  1777. 

[The  foregoing  first  lieutenants  were  commissioned 

under  the  resolution  of  Congress  of  Sept.  16,  1776.] 

Richardson,  Richard,  returned  June  9,  1777,  as  re- 
cruiting. 

Pratlier,  Basil,  returned  Nov.  1, 1777,  as  on  command 
with  Col.  Morgan  from  June  9th;  resigned  April 

Hughe-,  John,  Aug.  9,  1776;  resigned  Nov.  23,1778; 

resided  in  AVashington  County  in  1813. 
Crawford,  John,  from  second  lieutenant,   April  18, 

1777  ;  promoted  captain  Aug.  10, 1779 ;  promoted 

to  Second  Pennsylvania,  with  rank  of  captain, 

from  April  18,  1777. 
Hardin,  John,  July  13,  1777  ;  Nov.  1,  1777,  returned 

as  on  command  with  Col.  ^lorgan  ;  resigned  in 

1779;afterwar.l-i;rii..I.i]iii  Hardin, of  Kentucky ; 

murdered  by  the  linliuns.  near  Sandusky,  Ohio, 

in  1791.— Tr7///»^r»/N  M.moirs. 
Mickey,  Daniel,  became  supernumerary  Jan.  31,  1779. 
Peterson,  Gabriel,  July  26,  1777;  died  in  Allegheny 

Countv,  Feb.  12,  1832. 


Stotesbury,  John,  from  old  Eleventh  Pennsylvania, 
commission  dated  April  9,  1777  ;  he  was  a  pris- 
oner in  New  York  for  some  time ;  transferred  to 
the  Second  Pennsylvania,  Jan.  17,  1781. 

Neilly,  Benjamin,  from  ensign,  Oct.  4,  1777. 

Finley,  Andrew,  on  return  of  Nov.  1,  1777,  marked 
sick  since  October  16th  ;  retired  in  1778;  resided 
in  Westmoreland  County,  1813. 

Amberson,  William,  in  1779  he  was  deputy  muster- 
master-general  ;  resided  in  Mercer  County  in 
1835. 

Read,  Archibald,  vice  Joseph  Brownlee,  Dec.  13,  177S ; 
died  in  Allegheny  County  in  1823. 

Graham,  Alexander,  I'ice  Basil  Prather,  April  1, 1779. 

Ward,  John,  April  2,  1779;  transferred  to  Second, 
Pennsylvania,  Jan.  17,  1781. 

Second  Lieutenants, 
Thompson,  William,  Aug.  9,  1776  ;  resigned  May  17, 

1777. 
Simrall,  Alexander,  Aug.  9,  1776 ;  left  the  army  in 

1777 ;  resided  in  Jefterson  County,  Ohio,  in  1834, 

aged  eighty-eight. 
Guthrie,  James,  Aug.  9,  1776. 
Rogers,  Philip,  Aug.  9,  1776. 
Smith,  Samuel,  Aug.  9,  1776  ;  killed  at  Germantown, 

Oct.  4,  1777. 
Mountz,  William,  Aug.  9,  1776;  resigned  April  17, 

1777. 
Beeler,  James,  Jr.,  Aug.  9,  1776. 
Crawford,  John,  Aug.  9,  1776;  promoted  first  lieu- 
tenant, April  18,  1777. 
[The  foregoing  second  lieutenants  were  commis- 
sioned under  resolution  of  Congress,  Sept.  14,  1776, 
dating  as  above.] 
Owine,  Barnabas,  marked  on  return  of  Nov.  1,  1777, 

as  command  in  the  infantry. 
Carnahan,  John,  resigned  in  1779. 

Fn.nf/ns. 
Neilly,  Benjamin,  promoted  to  first  lieutenant,  Oct. 4, 

1777. 
Kerr,  Joseph. 
Simmons,  John. 
Wherry,  David. 

Mecklin,  Dewalt,  resigned  Ajiril  17,  1777. 
Weaver,  Valentine. 
Reed,  John. 
White,  Aquila,  left  the  army  Feb.  23,  1777;  resi( 

in  Montgomery  County,  Ky.,  in  1834. 
[The  foregoing  ensigns  were  commissioned  under  a 
resolution  of  Congress  of  Sept.  14,  1776.] 
Forshay,  Thomas,  left  the  service  in  1777. 
McKee,  David,  left  the  service  in  1777. 
Peterson,  Gabriel,  on  a  return  of  June  9,  1777,  he  ia 

marked  absent,  wounded,  from  April  17,  1777; 

promoted  to  first  lieutenant,  July  26,  1777. 
Guthrie,  John,  appointed  Dec.  21,  1778. 
Morrison,  James,  appointed  Dec.  21,  1778. 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


79 


Wyatt,  Thomas,  appointed  Dec.  21,  177S ;  resided  at 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  in  1834,  aged  eighty. 

Cooper,  William,  appointed  April  19,  1779. 

Davidson,  Joshua,  appointed  April  19,  1779;  resided 
in  Brown  County,  Ohio,  in  1833,  aged  eighty-one. 

Chaplain. 
McClure,  Rev.  David,  appointed  Sept.  12,  1776. 

Adjutants. 
Huffiiagle,  Michael,  appointed  Sept.  7,  1776. 
Crawford,  John,  lieutenant,  1780. 


Boyc 


Paymaster. 
John,  July  20,  1776. 


Quartermasters. 

Douglass,  Ephraim,  Sept.  12,  1776;  taken  prisoner 
while  acting  as  aide-de-camp  to  Gen.  Lincoln, 
March  13,  1777 ;  exchanged  Nov.  27,  1780 ;  pro- 
thonotary  of  Fayette  County  in  1783;  died  in 

*      1833. 

Neilly,  Benjamin,  appointed  in  1778. 

Surgeons. 
Morgan,  Abel,  from  old  Eleventh  ;  resigned  in  1779 ; 

died  in  1785. 
Morton,  Hugh,  March  7,  1780. 

Surgeo7i's  Mate. 
Saple,  John  Alexander,  1778. 


Read,  Archibald,  1778. 

Muster-roll  of  Capt.  Nehemlah  Stokebfs  company,  in 
the  Eighth  Pennsylvania  Regiment  of  Foot,  in  the 
service  of  the  United  States  of  America,  commanded 
by  Col.  Daniel  Brodhead,  talen  for  the  months  of 
October,  November,  and  December,  1778,  and  Janu- 
ary, 1779. 

Cajjtain. 

Stokely,  Nehemiah,  Oct.  16,  1777  ;  supernumerary, 
Jan.  31,  1779. 

First  Lieutenant. 

Hughes,  John,  Aug.  9,  1776  ;  resigned  Nov.  23,  1778. 

Ensign. 
\Vv:iit,  Thomas,  Dec.  20,  1778,  on  command  at  Fort 
,        Laurens. 

Sergeants. 
Crawford,  Robert,  three  years. 
Hezlip,  Rezin,  three  years. 
Smith,   John,   three   years,   on   command   at   Sugar 

Camp. 
Anii>trong,  George,  war. 


Corporals. 

Bradley,  Thomas,  three  years. 

Jarret,  William,  three  years,  on  command  at  Fort 
Laurens. 

Ackles,  Arthur,  three  years,  on  guard  at  Block-house. 

Stevenson,  James,  three  years,  on  command  at  Sugar 
Camp. 

Drummer. 

Bower,  Michael. 

Privates. 

Bacon,  John,  war,  at  Fort  Laurens. 

Caldwell,  Robert,  three  years,  on  command,  making 
canoes. 

Cline,  George,  three  years. 

Cooper,  Joseph,  three  years,  on  command  at  Fort 
Laurens. 

Counse,  Felix,  three  years. 

Eyler,  Jonas,  war,  on  command  at  Fort  Laurens. 

Fisher,  John,  three  years. 

France,  Henry,  three  years. 

Handcock,  Joseph,  three  years. 

Hill,  John,  three  years. 

Holmes,  Nicholas,  three  years. 

Holstone,  George,  three  years,  on  command  at  Fort 
Laurens. 

Keer,  William,  three  years. 

Lamb,  Peter,  three  years,  on  command  at  Fort  Lau- 
rens. 

Lewis,  Samuel,  war. 

Lynch,  Patrick,  three  years,  on  command,  boating. 

McCombs,  Allen,  three  years. 

McCaully,  Edward,  war. 

McGreggor,  John,  war. 

McKeehan,  David,  three  years,  on  command  at  Fort 
Laurens. 

McKissan,  James,  three  years. 

McLaughlin,  Patrick,  three  years. 

Matthew,  William,  three  years,  on  command,  boating. 

Marman,  George,  war,  on  command,  recruiting. 

Martin,  Paul,  three  years,  on  command  at  Fort  Lau- 
rens. 

Miller,  George,  three  years,  on  command   at   Fort 
Laurens. 

Richard,  Richard,  three  years. 

Shaw,  Jacob,  three  years,  on  furlough. 

Shelhammer,  Peter,  three  years. 

Smith,  Emanuel,  three  years. 

Smith,  Jacob,  three  years. 

Smith,  John,  war. 

Sommerville,  William,  three  years,  on  command  ;  en- 
listed Aug.  8,  1776,  under  Capt.  Ourry ;  October, 
1778,  appointed  conductor  of  artillery ;  see  letters 
to,  Pennsylvania  Archives,  second  series,  vol.  iii. 
p.  246,  etc.;  he  was  appointed  by  President  Jef- 
'  ferson  postmaster  at  Martinsburg,  Va.,  and  died 

there,  March  18,  1826,  aged  seventy. 

Steel,  Thomas,  war. 
I  Tracey,  James,  war,  on  guard. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Turner,  William,  three  years. 

AVebb,  Hugli,  war,  on  command,  at  Sugar  Camp.          j 

AVilkie,  Edward,  war,  on  command,  at  Fort  Laurens.  ' 

FonT  MclNTOSH,  Feb.  21, 1779.       j 

Then  mustered  Capt.  Stokely's  company,  as  speci-  i 
fied  in  the  above  roll.  | 

Wm.  Axuersox, 
U.JUL  Go,/.,  M.I). 

I  certify  that  the  within  muster-roll  is  a  true  state 
iif  the  company,  without  fraud  to  these  United  States, 
ur  to  any  individual,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge.       i 

KOBEET    CeA"\VFOED, 

Sergeant.       j 

I  do  certify  that  there  is  no  commissioned  officer 
present  belonging  to  the  company. 

Daniel  Bkodhead, 

Co!.  8th  Pa.  Eegt. 

CoMMlssiON-Ens'  OrnCE  fok  Aejit  Accocnts,  [ 

New  York,  July  19, 1780.       j 

This  may  certify  that  the  above  and  foregoing  is  a 
true  copy  of  the  muster-roll  of  Capt.  Stokely's  com- 
pauy,  tlie  original  of  which  is  filed  in  this  office. 

Jxo.  Pierce,  M.G. 

NOX-COMMISSIONED    OFFICERS   AND   PRIVATES    OF   , 

THE  Eighth  Pennsylvania  Kegiment,  Con-  i 

TINENTAL    LiNE.'  j 

[Those  marked  (e)  are  taken  from  a  list  in  the  Sec-  ; 
retary's  office  of  soldiers  whose  depreciated  pay  es- 
cheated to  the  State.] 

Senjrant. 
Allison,  John,  died  in  Versailles,  Ky.,  June  16,  1823, 
aged  seventy-five. 

Ciirporal. 


Fifer. 


Atkinson,  Joseph, 

Adams,  George. 

Pnvates. 
Abrams,  Gabriel,  Kilgore's  company,  1776-79. 
Aikins,  Robert,  resided  in  Bedford  County,  1790. 


Alcorn,  James,   transferred   to  Invalid  Corps,  July, 

1780. 
Allen,  William,  deserted  August,  1778. 
Anderson,  Johnson. 

Anderson,  William,  resided  in  Mercer  County,  1800. 
Anderson,  George,  resided  in  Westmoreland  County, 

1835,  aged  eighty-four. 
Armstrong,  George. 
A.skins,  George. 

Askins,  James,  deserted  August,  1778. 
Atkins,  Isaac. 

Sergeants. 

Baker,  Michael,  died  in  Greene  County,  111.,  Sept.  13, 

1831. 
Blake,  William. 
Byels,  Joseph,  of  Piggott's  company. 

Fifer. 

Bond,  John. 

Privates. 

Bacon,  John. 

Bannon,  Jeremiah. 

Beard,  John,  deserted  August,  1778. 

Berkett,  Robert. 

Berlin,  Isaac,  died  in  Crawford  County,  June  16, 1831,  , 
aged  seventy-six. 

Berry,  Michael. 

Bess,  Edward,  Van  Swearingen's  company,  1776-7 
also  in  Crawford's  campaign  ;  died  in  Washing- 
ton County,  July  17,  1822,  aged  seventy-seven. 

Bl.ike,  Luke  William. 

Blake,  Nicholas,  enlisted  August,  1776. 

Blakeney,  Gabriel,  private  at  Long  Island  ;  lieutenant 
in  Flying  Camp ;  captured  at  Fort  Washington; 
resided  in  Washington  County,  1817. 

Bodkin,  James. 

Booth,  George. 

Boveard,  James,  Kilgore's  company,  177G-79 ;  died  in 
1808,  in  East  Buffalo  township.  Union  County. 

Boyer,  Oziel,  killed  in  action. 

Brandon,  Michael. 

Bright,  John  [e].  : 

Bristo,  Samuel. 

Broadstock,  William. 

Brothers,  Mattliew. 

Brown,  John,  resided  in  Armstrong  County,  1825. 

Burbridge,  Thomas,  Kilgore's  company  ;  taken  De- 
cember, 1780 ;  in  captivity  tliree  years ;  resided 
in  Westmoreland  County,  1805. 

Burket,  Christopher. 

Burns,  Pearce,  transferred  to  Invalid  Corps,  August, 
1777. 

Byan,  David,  August,  1777-79;  Capt.  Piggott's  com- 
pany; served  at  Saratoga  under  Van  Swear- 
ingen  ;  went  West  with  regiment,  1778 ;  at  the- 
building  of  Fort  Mcintosh  and  Fort  Laurens; 
Pennsylvania  pensioner,  1813. 

Sergeants. 
Cavenaugh,  Barney. 
Cheselden.  Edward. 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


81 


Clarke,  James. 

Cooper,  William,  of  Kilgore's  company. 

Crawford,  Robert,  Aug.  20,  1776-Sept.  15,  1779;  re- 
sided in  Venango  County,  1825. 
Fifer. 

Clark,  David  (e),  Capt.  Kilgore's  company,  April, 
1777. 

Privates. 

Cain,  Bartholomew. 

Cain,  John. 

Calahan,  John. 

Call,  Daniel,  resided  in  Westmoreland  County,  1821. 

Campbell,  George,  Mount  Pleasant,  Westmoreland 
Co.,  1786. 

Carr,  Daniel. 

Carrenger,  Martin. 

Carswell,  Joseph. 

Carty,  Richard. 

Casevey,  Patrick,  deserted  August,  1778. 

Castile,  Samuel. 

Cavenaugh,  John. 

Cavenaugh,  Patrick,  enlisted  at  Carlisle  in  Capt. 
Huffnagle's  company;  he  saved  Gen.  Lincoln 
from  capture  by  the  British  in  New  Jersey; 
afterwards  express-rider  for  Gen.  Greene;  died 
in  Washington  County,  April  5,  1823,  aged 
eighty-three. 

Chambers,  Andrew. 

Chambers,  Moses,  from  Ligonier;  deserted  August, 
1778. 

Chriswell,  Joseph. 

Churchfield,  John,  enlisted  July,  1776;  wounded  in 
the  leg  in  the  battle  of  Germantovvn ;  resided  in 
Westmoreland  County,  1835,  aged  eighty-six. 

Clark,  Benjamin,  Kilgore's  company ;  wounded  at 
Bound  Brook,  1777  ;  also,  in  1778,  on  march  to 
Fort  Mcintosh;  resided  in  Steubenville,  Ohio, 
1815. 

Close,  Robert. 

Coleman,  Joseph. 

I  Conner,  John. 

I  Connor,  Bryan,  enlisted  July  2,  1777. 

I  Conway,  Felix. 

i  Cooper,  Joseph,'  deserted  August,  1778;   died  Jan. 

1        16,  1823,  in  Bedford  County,  aged  sixty-eight. 

] Cooper,  Leonard,  from  Maryland;  deserted  August, 

I  Cooper,   William,    Aug.  17,   1776-September,   1779; 
I        resided  in  Venango  County,  1810. 
iCorner,  Felix. 
ICoveney,  Felix. 
f'ripps,  John. 

C^ritrlilow,  James,  enlisted  August,  1776,  in  Capt. 
Moses  Carson's  company  ;  served  in  all  the  Sara- 
toga engagements  under  Lieut.-Col.  Butler;  re- 
sided in  Butler  County,  1835,  aged  seventy-eight. 


Crosley,  Timothy. 

Cruikshank,   Andrew,   Miller's    company,   Aug.    17, 

1776-September,  1779;  resided  in  Butler  County, 

1810. 
Curtin,  John. 

Sergeants. 
Dennison,  James. 
Donnalson,  William. 

Corporal. 
Davis,  William,  died  in  Muskingum  County,  Ohio, 
in  1834,  aged  eighty-two. 

Privates. 

Darragh,  John. 

Davis,  John,  died  in  Holmes  County,  Ohio,  June  7, 
1830,  aged  sixty-four. 

Dempey,  Thomas. 

Dennis,  Michael. 

Dennis,  Thomas,  killed  in  April,  1779. 

Dennison,  Joseph  (<?),  transferred  to  Seventh  Regi- 
ment 

Desperett,  Henry. 

Dickerson,  Henry,  enlisted  1776  in  Van  Swearingen's 
company,  at  Saratoga,  etc. ;  resided  in  Washing- 
ton County  in  1813. 

Dickson,  William. 

Dolphin,  Joseph. 

Dougherty,  James,  alias  Capt.  Fitzpatrick,  deserted 
August,  1778,  and  executed  for  robbery. 

Dougherty,  Mordecai,  brother  of  above,  deserted 
August,  1778. 

Dowden,  John. 

Du  Kinson,  Joseph,  killed  in  action. 

Sergeant, 
Evans,  Arnold  (<r). 

Drummer, 
Edwards,  Johtu 

Fifer, 
Evans,  Anthony,  promoted  to  fife-major,  Third  Penn- 
sylvania. 

Privates, 
Edwards,  David  [e). 
Everall,  Charles. 

Quartermaster-Sergeant, 


Font,  Matthew. 
Forbes,  William. 


Fitzgibbons,  James. 


Sergeants. 


Corporal, 


Privates. 
Faith,  Abraham,  Capt.  Mann's  company,  Aug.   15, 
1776-Xov.  19,  1779;  resided  in  Somerset  County 
in  1825,  aged  seventy-four. 


82 


HISTOKY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


F;iiighey,  James,  deserted  August,  1778. 

Finn,  James,  transferred  to  Invalid  Corps. 

Fitzgibbons,  David. 

Fossbrooke,  or   Frostbrook,   John,   resided   in   Bath 

Co.,  Ky.,  in  1834,  aged  one  hundred  and  four. 
Fulton,  Joseph,  July  4,  1776. 

Corpora!. 

Gladwin,  John. 

Privates. 

G.1lI.^gher,  Mii-hael,  June  7,  1776;  deserted  before  he 
reached  the  regiment. 

Gallagher,  J.,hn. 

Germain,  Henry. 

Gibbons,  David. 

Gibson,  Henry. 

Gill,  William,  wounded  in  hand  at  Bound  Brook  ; 
resided  in  Mercer  County  in  1833,  aged  eighty- 
four. 

Girdler,  James. 

Glenn,  Hug-h,  killed  in  action. 

Graham,  Alexander,  deserted  August,  1778. 

Graham,  William,  Capt.  Kilgore's  company  ;  resided 
in  Westmoreland  County  in  1811. 

Greenland,  James. 

Grimes,  John. 

Guthery,  Archibald,  killed  August,  1779. 

Gwyne.  Jo;>eph,  June  7, 177C  ;  served  three  years ;  re- 
"  sided  in  Greeue  County  in  1808. 

Cor2:ioraI. 
Halpen,  Joseph. 

Privates. 
Hamill,  Hugli,  Finley's  company,  1776-79;   resided 

in  Westmoreland  County  in  1809. 
Hancock,  Joseph   (e),  Capt.  jMann's  company,  1777; 

resided   in  Wayne  County,  Ind.,  in  1834,  aged 

sevi'iity-ii'ven. 
Hanl.y,  mVIim.']. 
Hard'-ty,  i  il.ailiah,  resided  in  Lawrence  County,  111., 

in  1S33,  aged  seventy-one. 
Harman,  Conrad,  died  in  Muskingum  County,  Ohio, 

June  9,  1822,  aged  seventy-five. 
Harvey,  Samuel. 

Hezlip,  Rezin,  Stokely's  company;  resided  in  Balti- 
more in  1813. 
Hayes,  Jacob,   from  Brandywine,  deserted   August, 

"  1778. 
Hayes,    Joel,    from    Brandywine,   deserted    August, 

'  1778. 
Hiere,  David,  deserted  August,  1778. 
Hoback,  Philip,  resided  in  Madison  County,  Ind.,  in 

1820,  aged  sixty-four. 
Hockle}^  Richard,  Capt.  Clark's  company  ;  resided  in 

Westmoreland  County  in  1813. 
Hotten,  John,  Aug.  2,  1876-Sept.  17,  1779;    resided 

in  Westmoreland  County  in  1812. 
Humbar,  Nicholas. 
Hunter,  Nicholas  [e). 


Hunter, Robert,  John  Finley's  company;  wounded  at 
Bound  Brook  and  Paoli ;  resided  in  Westmore- 
land County  in  1808. 

Hutchinson,  John. 

Sergeant. 

Jamison,  John,  Capt.  Miller's  company;  enlisted  in 
1776,  at  Kittanning;  served  three  years;  resided 
in  Butler  County  in  1835,  aged  eighty-four. 

Privates. 
Jennings,   Benjamin,  Sept.  9,  1776-Sept.  9,  1779,  in 

Kilgore's  company;  drafted  into  rifle  command; 

resided  in  Somerset  County  in  1807. 
Johnson,  Peter  (e),  resided  in  Harrison  County,  Ya., 

in  1829. 
Jones,    Benjamin,   resided    in    Champaign   County, 

Ohio,  in  1833,  aged  seventy-one. 
Jordan,  John,  Westmoreland  County. 
Justice,  Jacob,  resided  in  Bedford  Countv  in  1820. 


Sergeant. 
Drummer. 


Kerns,  Robert. 

Kidder,  Benjamin. 

Fifer. 
McKinney,  or  Kenney,  Peter,  Capt.  Clark's  company, 
1776-79;  resided  in  Butler  County  in  1835,  aged 
seventy. 

Privates. 
Kain,  John. 
Kairns,  Godfrey. 

Kean,  Thomas,  Aug.  .23,  1776,  Capt.  Montgomery's 
company ;  he  w.as  an  indented  servant  of  William 
Raukin. 
Kelly,  Edward. 
Kelly,  Roberts. 
Kelly,  Thomas. 
I  Kemble,  Jacob. 
Kerr,  Daniel. 

Kerr,  William,  Capt.  Miller's  company,  Aug.  1776- 
I  Sept.  9, 1779  ;  resided  in  Westmoreland  County  in 

1823. 
Kildea,   Michael,   paid   from   Jan.    1,    1777-Ang,  1, 
1780. 

Scrgeant-JIa/or. 
Lee,  AVilliam,  died  in  Columbiana  County,  Ohio,  Jan. 
;  6,  1828,  aged  eighty-five. 

Corporals. 

Lewis,  Samuel. 

Lucas,  Henry. 

Privates. 

Lacey,  Lawrence. 

Lacount,  Samuel. 

Landers,  David. 

Lawless,  James. 

Lecron,  John. 
1  Lewis,  Willi.im,  of  Brady's  company ;  resided  in  Mor- 
I  gan  County,  Ohio,  in  1831. 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


Lingo,  Henry,  resided  in  Trumbull  County,  Ohio, 
1834,  aged  seveuty-one. 

Long,  Gideon,  resided  in  Fayette  County,  1835,  aged 
seventy-nine. 

Long,  Jeremiah. 

Luckey,  Andrew,  of  Westmoreland  County  ;  Miller's 
company ;  became  teamster  to  Eighth  Pennsyl- 
vania ;  discharged  at  Valley  Forge  ;  resided  in 
F.iyette  County,  1822,  aged  sixty-eight. 


McClean,  ■ 


McChire,  John. 
McGregor,  John. 


Sergcanf-Major. 
Sergeants. 

Corporals. 


McAfee,  Matthew. 
Mairman,  George. 


Miller,  John,  killed  in  action. 
Privates. 
McAlly,  Edward. 
McAnary,  Patrick. 
MeCarty,  Jeremiah. 
McCaulley,  Edward. 

McChristy,  Michael,  Capt.  Van   Swearingen's  com- 
pany, October,  1777. 
McClean,  Abijah. 

McComb,  Allen,  of  Mann's  company,  177G-79;    re- 
sided in  Indiana  County,  1810. 
McConnell,  John,  of  Huffnagle's  company,  Aug.  28, 
1776-Aug.  1779  ;  died  in  Westmoreland  County, 
Dec.  14,  1834,  aged  seventy-eight. 
McFee,  Laughlin,  killed  in  action. 
McGill,  James. 
McGlauglilin,  Patrick. 

McGowan,  Mark,  enlisted  in  1775,  in  Capt.  Van 
Swearingen's  company  for  two  years;  Aug.  9, 
1776,  this  company  was  broken  up,  and  he  re- 
enlisted  under  the  same  captain  in  Eighth  Penn- 
sylvania, and  served  three  years  ;  resided  in  Mer- 
cer County,  Ky.,  in  1830. 
McGuire,  Andrew. 
Mclnamey,  Patrick. 

McKee,  John,  resided  in  Bath  County,  Ky.,  in  1830. 
McKenney,  Peter. 
McKinney,  John,  Capt.  S.  Miller's  company  ;  enlisted 

Marcii,  1778. 
Ml Kissick,  Isaac. 
3Irk'issick,   James,    Miller's    company;    resided    in 

Maryland  in  1828. 
-■\I. Mullen,  Thomas,  August,  1776-79  ;  died  in  North- 
ampton County  in  1822. 
Martin,  George. 

1  Maxwell,  James,  1776-79,  Capt.  Montgomery's  com- 
■         pany ;  resided  in  Butler  County  in  1822. 
\  Mercer,  George. 
i 


Merryman,  William. 

Miller,  Isaac. 

Miller,  John. 

Mitchell,  James,  Mann's  company,  1776-79 ;  resided 

in  Somerset  County  in  1810. 
Mooney,  Patrick. 
Moore,  John. 
Moore,  William,  Capt.  Jack's  company,  November, 

1777. 
Morrison,  Edward. 
Morrow,  William,  transferred  to  Invalid  Corps,  Au- " 

gust,  1780. 
Mowry,  Christian. 
Murphy,  Michael. 

Murray,  Neal,  August,  1776,  Miller's  company  ;  taken 
at  Bound  Brook,  April  17, 1777  ;  released,  and  re- 
joined at  Germantown,  where  he  was  again  taken 
and  made  his  escape. 

Fifcr. 
Ox,  Michael. 

Sergeants. 
Parker,  John. 

Porter,  Robert,  resided  in  Harrison  County,  Ohio, 
1834,  aged  seventy-one. 

Privates. 
Paris,  Peter,  Invalid  Corps,  Aug.  2,  1779. 
Parker,    Charles,    1776-79;    resided    in    Armstrong 

County,  1818. 
Pegg,  Benjamin,  Piggott's  company,  Aug.  13,  1776- 
September,  1779  ;  resided  in  Miami  County,  Ohio, 
in  1834,  aged  eighty-two. 
Penton,  Thomas. 

Perry,  Samuel,  Invalid  Corps,  September,  1778. 
Pettitt,  Matthew,  resided  in  Bath  County,  Ky.,  1834, 

aged  seventy-four. 
Phillips,  Luke,  Aug.  28,  1776. 
Phillips,  Matthew. 
Reed,  Samuel. 
Bidner,  Conrad. 
Robinson,  Simon. 
Rooke,  Timothy. 
Rourk,  Patrick. 

Sergeants. 
Sample,  William. 

Smith,  John,  1776-Sept.  20,  1779;  died  in  Indiana 
County,  1811. 

Corporal. 
j  Swan,  Timothy,  resided  in  Trumbull  County,  Ohio, 
in  1834. 

Privates. 
Seaton,  Francis. 

Sham,  Michael,  resided  in  Rowan  County,  N.  C,  in 

1834,  aged  eighty-six. 

j  Shedacre,  Jacob,  Finley's  company  ;  killed  by  the 

Indians  near  Potter's  fort,  Centre  County,  July 

I  24,  1778 ;  had  served  under  Morgan  at  Saratoga. 

Shcdam,  Jacob. 
I  Sheridan,  Martin. 


84 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Slierlock,  Edward,  died  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  P'eb. 
11,  1825,  aged  sixty-eight. 

Shilhammer,  Peter,  resided  in  Westmoreland  County 
in  1S24. 

Shuster,  Martin. 

Simmons,  Henry,  June  12, 1776,  HufTnagle's  company. 

.Smith,  Henry,  resided  in  Rusli  County,  Ind.,  in  1834, 
aged  sixty-nine. 

Smith,  John,  Sr.,  resided  in  Frederick  County,  Va., 

in  18.34,  aged  ninety. 
'Smith,  John,  2d,  resided  in  Westmoreland  County  in 
1835. 

Smith,  John,  3d,  from  Mifflin  County;  in  Gurry's 
company,  October,  1777  ;  re-enlisted  from  Third 
Pennsylvania,  Capt.  Cook's;  taken  and  scalped 
at  Tuscarawas. 

Steel,  Thomas. 

.Stephen,  Patrick,  Capt.  Kilgore's  company,  October, 
1777. 

Stewart,  Charles. 

Stewart,  Francis. 

Stewart,  Samuel. 

Stevenson,  Samuel. 

Stokely,  Thomas,  August,  1776  ;  resided  in  Washing- 
ton County  in  1823. 

Strajihan,  William. 

Stubbs,  Robert. 

Sutton,  David. 

Swift,  John. 

Taggert,  William,  transferred  to  Invalid  Corps,  July, 
1780. 

Tea,  .John. 

Tliarp,  Perry,  resided  in  Marion  County,  Ky.,  in  1834. 

Turner,  William,  in  Slokely's  company,  Sept.  17, 
1776-79;  resided  at  Connellsville,  Fayette  Co., 
in  1835,  aged  eighty-one. 

Tweedy,  George. 

Van  Doren,  Tiiomas,  Finley's  company;  served  at 
Saratoga;  killed  by  the  Indians  near  Potter's 
fort,  Centre  County,  July  24,  1778. 

Vaughan,  Joseph,  enlisted  in  Capt.  Samuel  Moore- 
head's  company,  April  24, 1776,  served  two  years 
and  six  months  ;  tlien  drafted  into  Capt.  Miller's, 
and  served  six  months;  resided  in  Half-Moon 
township.  Centre  Co.,  in  1822,  aged  sixty-two. 

Verner,  Peter,  Invalid  Corps,  Aug.  2,  1779. 
ScrgciuifK. 

Woods,  .Tolin,  transferred  to  Invalid  Corps. 

Wyatt,   Thomas,  promoted   ensign,    Dec.   21,   1778; 
shoulder-bone  broken  at  Brandywine. 
CnrporiiL 


Ward,  Matthias. 


Dr 


Wiiitman,  John. 

Privates. 
Henry,  1776-79 ;   resided   in  Cumberland 


Waters,  Joseph,  1776-1779. 
Watson,  John,  July  4,  1777. 
Weaver,  Adam,  1776-79,  Kilgore's  company  ;  resided 

in  Westmoreland  County  in  1821. 
Wharton,  William,  resided  in  Pendleton  County,  Ky., 

in  1834,  aged  eighty-seven. 
AVilkev,  David,  deserted  August,  1778. 
Wilkie,  Edward. 
Wilkinson,  William. 

Williams,  John,  Invalid  Corps,  Aug.  2,  1779. 
Williams,  Lewis,  resided  in  Muskingum  County,  Ohio, 

in  1834,  aged  ninety-two. 
Williams,  Thomas,  killed  in  action. 
Wilson,  George,  Capt.  HufTnagle's  company,  October, 

1777. 
Wilson,  William,  resided  in  Trumbull  County,  Ohio, 

in  1820,  aged  sixty-eight. 
Winkler,  Joseph. 

Wolf,  Philip,  resided  in  Bedford  County  in  1790. 
Wyatt,  Thomas,  promoted  sergeant. 
Wyllie,  Owen. 
Wynn,  Webster. 

Roll  of  Capt.  JoHJf  Clabk's  Company, 
"  In  a  Defacht.  from  Penn.  Line,  Commanded  by  Stephen 
Bayard,  Esq.,   Lt.   Colo.,  for  the  Jfont/is  of  Feb., 
March,  cC-  April,  1783." 

Captain. 
Clark,  John. 

Lieiitoiants. 
Paterson,  Gab"'.  Bryson,  Samuel. 

Crawford,  John.  Everly,  Mich'. 

jSergeanis. 
McCline,  John.  Blake,  Will™. 

Baker,  Mich'. 

Major. 
Lee,  AV'. 

Corporah. 
Gladwin,  John,  McAfee,  :Math-. 

Jonston,        Peter.       dis-    Marmon,  George, 
charged  March  17, 1783. 

Drummers. 
Kidder,  Benj".  Edwards,  Jno. 

Fifers. 
Bond,  Jno.  Kenny,  Peter. 


Wagon 

County  in  1819. 
Waine,  ^Michael,  deserted  Au 


3t,  1778. 


Amberson,  Johnston. 
Atcbinson,    Joseph,     d 

serted  Sept.  7,  1783. 
Bigget,  Robert. 
Boothe,  George. 
Cardwell,     Joseph,      d 

serted  April  1,  1783. 
Caringer,  Martin. 


Privates. 

Carty,  Rich''. 
Ca.steel,  Sam'. 
Chalmers,  And" 
Clark,  James. 
Connor,  John. 
Conway,  Felix. 
Cripps,  John. 
Dinnis,  Mich'. 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


85 


I  Dinnison,  James. 
i  Dixon,  Will™. 
j  Dorougli,  John. 
I  Fossbrook,  John. 

Gibson,  Henry. 

Girdler,  James. 

Harmon,  Conrad. 

Hoetzley,  Richard. 

Hutchinson,  John. 

Jones,  Benj". 

Kerns,  Godfrey. 

Kerr,  Dan'. 

Landers,  David. 

Lingo,  Henry. 

Lucas,  Henry. 

Ma.xwell,  James. 

McAuly,  Edward. 

McCristall,  Mich'. 

McGill,  James. 

McGuire,  Andrew. 


Roll  op  Capt.  Samuel  Brady's  Compaxy, 

" Nov>  Otpfain  John  Finley's  Company  of  the  Betachm'' 
from  the  Penn.  Line,  in  the  Service  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  commanded  by  U  Col"  Stepli" 
Bayard,  for  the  months  of  Feb.,  March,  &  April, 
1783." 

Captains. 

Finlev,  John. 


Mercer,  George. 

Jliller,  Isaac. 

Mooney,  Patrick. 

Jlorrison,  Edward. 

Murphy,  Mich'. 

0.\-,  Michael. 

Parker,  Charles. 

Rooke,  Timothy. 

Smith,  .John. 

Sherlock,  Edward,  pris- 
oner of  war ;  joined 
Feb.,  1783. 

Steed,  James,  deserted  27"" 
March,  1783. 

Stuart,  Charles. 

Tharpe,  Perry. 

Wliarton,  Will". 

Willson,  Will™. 

Winkler,  Joseph  V. 


Brady,  Samuel. 

Mahon,  John. 

Fletcher,  Simon. 

Font,  Matthew. 
Cheselden,  Edwa: 
Allison,  John. 

Evans,  Anthony. 

Davis,  Will™. 
Adams,  Robert. 


Adams,  George. 

Anderson,  George. 
Bannon,  Jeremiah. 
Branon,  Michael. 
Brothers,  Matthew. 
Brown,  John. 
Cain,  John. 
Callahan,  John. 
Cavenaugh,  Barney. 


Lieutenants. 

Ward,  John. 
rtcrniastcr-Serrjca  n  t. 

Sergeants. 

Sample,  Willian 
Porter,  Robert. 


Fife-Major 


Corporals. 

Swan,  Timothy. 


Whitman,  John. 


Fife 


died 


rates. 
Coleman,     Joseph, 

June  11,  1783. 
Crowley,  Timothy. 
Dimsey,  Thomas. 
Dolphin,  James. 
Evans,   Arnold,   deserted 

June  n,  1783. 
Everall,  Charles. 


Fitz  Gibbous,  David. 
Gibbons,  David. 
Gollacher,  John. 
Greenland,  James. 
Grimes,  John. 
Hanley,  Michael. 
H-obach,  Philip,  deserted 

June  2d ;  joined  June 

4,  1783. 
Jordan,  John,  discharged 

July  1,  1783. 
Kelley,  Edward. 
Lacey,  Lawrence. 
Lacorn,  John. 
Martin,  George. 
McGloughlin,  Patrick. 
Merryman,  W'". 
Miller,  John. 
Mourey,  Christian. 
Phillips,  Matthew. 


Roairk,  Patrick,  died  Sept. 

2,  1783. 
Robinson,  Simon. 
Sheredeu,  Martin. 
Sinister,  Martin. 
Simmonds,  Henry. 
Smith,  John. 
Steel,  Thomas. 
Strephan,  William, 
Stubbs,  Robert. 
Sutton,  David. 
Tea,  John. 
Terman,  Henry. 
Ward,  Matthias. 
Wilkinson,  Will"'. 
Williams,  Lewis. 
Winn,  Webster. 

(faded  out),  Hugh. 

(faded  out),  Obediah. 

John  Finley,  Capt. 


After  the  form.ation  of  the  military  organizations 
already  mentioned, — viz.:  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania 
Regiment,  the  company  which  joined  Miles'  rifle 
regiment,  and  the  two  "Virginia  battalions  raised  by 
Col.  Crawford, — and  the  march  of  a  detachment  of  two 
hundred  and  forty  Westmoreland  County  militia  to 
Philadelphia,  under  command  of  John  Proctor,  in 
January,  1777,'  no  other  troops  were  raised  in  the 
Monongahela  country  for  regular  service  in  the  Rev- 
olutionary armies,  though  an  independent  company 
was  formed  by  Capt.  Moorhead  for  special  duty  on 
the  frontier,  and  many  men  were  afterwards  raised 
for  expeditions  against  the  Indians  during  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  war  with  Britain ;  but  it  seems  to 
have  been  a  fact  beyond  the  possibility  of  denial  that 
in  the  mean  time  the  sentiment  of  patriotism  which 
at  the  commencement  of  the  war  was  almost  uni- 
versal among  the  people  west  of  the  Laurel  Hill  be- 
came greatly  diminished,  if  not  entirely  extinct,  with 
regard  to  a  large  proportion  of  the  inhabitants  of 
this  frontier  region. 

The  existence  of  this  state  of  feeling,  and  a  partial 
reason  for  it,  was  noticed  by  Gen.  Brodhead,  com- 
mandant at  Fort  Pitt,  in  a  letter  written  by  him  on 
the  23d  of  September,  1780,  in  -which  he  said,  "The 
emigrations  from  this  new  country  to  Kentucky  are 
incredible,  and  this  has  given  opportunity  to  dis- 
affected people  from  the  interior  to  purchase  and 
settle  their  lands."  Again,  on  the  7th  of  December 
following,  the  same  officer  wrote  to  President  Reed, 
"  I  learn  more  and  more  of  the  disaffection  of  the  in- 
habitants on  this  side  of  the  mountains.  The  king  of 
England's  health  is  often  drank  in  company."  And 
he  gave  it  as  his  opinion,  gathered  from  the  observa- 
tion of  many  of  his  officers,  including  Col.  John  Gib- 


omp-auieJ  i 


by  Col. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


son,  that  "Should  the  enemy  approach  this  frontier 
and  offer  protection,  half  the  inhabitants  would  join 
them."  Afterwards  Geu.  Irvine  (who  succeeded  Brod- 
head  as  commandant  at  the  fort)  wrote:  "I  am  confi- 
dent if  this  post  was  evacuated,  the  bounds  of  Canada 
would  be  extended  to  the  Laurel  Hill  in  a  few 
weeks." 

In  the  latter  part  of  1780,  Capt.  Uriah  Springer  (a 
resident  of  that  part  of  Westmoreland  County  which 
is  now  Fayette)  was  on  duty  with  his  company,  en- 
gaged in  the  collection  of  supplies  in  the  Mononga- 
hela  Valley,  at  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Burd,'  and 
while  on  this  service  experienced  great  trouble  from 
the  opposition  and  enmity  of  the  people  there,  as  is 
shown  by  the  following  letter,  written  to  him  by  the 
commandant  at  Fort  Pitt,  viz.: 

"I  have  this  moment  received  your  favor  of  yester- 
day, and  am  .-nny  Xn  timl  the  people  about  Redstone 
have  ii)tentiMii>  to  rair..-  in  arms  against  you.  I 
believe  with  vnu  tlial  there  are  amongst  them  many 
disallected,  and  conceive  that  their  jm^t  and  present 
conduct  will  justify  your  defending  ymir^t'lr  l.y  every 
means  in  your  power.  It  may  yet  be  doulitlul  whether 
these  fellows  will  attempt  anything  against  you,  but 
if  you  find  they  are  determined  you  will  avoid,  as 
much  as  your  safety  will  admit,  in  coming  to  action 
until  you  give  me  a  further  account,  and  you  may 
dejiend  upon  your  receiving  succor  of  infantry  and 
artillery.  I  have  signed  your  order  for  ammunition, 
and  have  the  honor  to  be,  etc. 

"  Daniel  Beodhead. 

"Capt.  L'eiah  Steixger." 

At  that  time  the  officers  commanding  the  few 
American  troops  west  of  tlie  .Vlleghenies  had  great 
ditficulty  in  oLtaiiiing  the  supplies  luM-e-sary  for  the 
subsistence  of  their  men.  On  the  Ttli  of  December, 
17.S(I,  Gen.  Brodhead  said,  in  a  letter  of  that  date  ad- 
dressed to  Richard  Peters,  "For  a  hmg  time  past  I 
have  had  two  partio,  commanded  by  lield-otficers,  in 
the  Country  t'.  iriipii>~  cattle,  luit  their  success  has 
been  .-o  Mnall  tliat  tli>-  troops  Imve  Ire. piently  been 
without  meat  loi-  several  days  togetiier,  and  as  those 
comnuinds  are  very  expensive,  I  have  now  ordered 
them  in."  He  also  .said  that  the  inhabitants  on  the 
west  side  of  the  mountains  could  not  furnish  one-half 
enough  meat  to  supply  the  trcjops,  and  that  he  had 
sent  a  party  of  hunters  to  the  Little  Kanawha  River 
to  kill  buffaloes,  "and  to  lay  in  the  meat  until  I  can 
detach  a  party  to  bring  it  in,  which  eannot  be  done 
before  spring."  In  the  letter  to  Peters,  aliove  cpioted 
from,  Brodhead  made  allusion  to  the  furnishing  of 


spirits  for  the  use  of  the  troops,  and  indicated  pretty 
plainly  his  preference  for  imported  liquor  over  tlie 
I  whisky  of  Monongahela,  viz. :  "  In  oue  of  your  for- 
j  raer  letters  you  did  me  the  honor  to  inform  me  that 
his    Excellency,   the   commander-in-chief,   had    de- 
manded of  our  State  seven  thousand  gallons  of  ruui, 
and  now  the  commissioner  of  Westmoreland  informs 
me  that  he  has  verbal  instructions  to  purchase  that 
1  quantity  of  whisky  on  this  side  of  the  mountains. 
I  hope  we  shall  be  furni.shed  with  a  few  hundred  gal- 
lons of  liquor  fit  to  be  drank." 


EXPEDITION    OF    COL.    LOCIIRY. 

In  1780  the  Indians  beyond  the  Ghio  had  grown 
alarmingly  hostile  and  aggressive.  Incited  to  their 
bloody  work  by  their  Briti.sh  allies  in  the  North- 
west, they  were  almost  constantly  ou  the  war-path, 
crossing  the  Ohio  at  various  points,  making  in- 
cursions into  the  frontier  settlements  east  of  that 
river,  and  assuming,  in  general,  an  attitude  so  menac- 
ing to  the  white  inhabitants  west  of  the  Laurel 
Hill  that  it  was  regarded  as  absolutely  necessary 
to  send  out  a  strong  expedition  to  meet  and  chasti-e 
them  in.their  own  country.  Accordingly,  with  tlii- 
object  in  view,  in  February,  1781,  Gen.  Washing- 
ton issued  orders  to  Gen.  George  Rogers  Clarke 
(who  had  achieved  considerable  renown  by  his  suc- 
cess in  the  command  of  an  expedition  against  the 
British  posts  between  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Rivers 
three  years  before)  to  raise  an  adequate  force  and  pro- 
ceed with  it  from  Pittsburgh  to  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio 
at  Louisville ;  thence  to  march  to  the  Wabash,  for  the  i 
purpose  indicated,  and  also  to  move,  if  practicable, 
against  the  British  posts  on  and  near  Lake  Erie. 

Clarke  was  a  Virginia  partisan,  but,  willing  to  en- 
list men  from  Pennsylvania  to  make  up  his  force,  he 
at  once  entered  into  correspondence  with  the  Execu- 
tive Council  of  this  State  to  obtain  its  consent  to  the  ' 
project,  which  he  secured  on  the  recommendation  of 
Christopher  Hays,  of  Westmoreland  County.  Under  ' 
this  authority  Clarke,  on  the  3d  of  June,  1781,  ad- 
dressed the  "  Council  of  Otficers"  of  Westmoreland 
to  secure  their  concurrence  and  assistance.  The  re- 
stdt  was  that  the  matter  was  laid  before  the  people  of  ■ 
Westmoreland  County  at  a  public  meeting  held  for 
the  purpose  on  the  18th  of  June,  which  meeting  and  i 
its  proceedings  were  reported  as  follows :  ! 

"  Agreeable   to   a   Publick   notice  given   by  Coll.  ' 
Hays  to  the  Principal  Inhabitants  of  the  County  of 
AV'estmoreland  to  meet  at  Cap'  John  McClellen's,  ou 
the  18'"  Day  of  June,  1781. 

"  And  W/mras,  There  was  a  number  of  the  Princi- 
pal people  met  on  s"  D.ay,  and  unanimously  chose 
John  Proctor,  John  Pomroy,  Charles  Campbell,  Sam'l 
Moorhead,  James  Barr,  Charles  Foreman,  Isaac  Ma-  , 
son  [Meason],  James  Smith,  and  Hugh  Martain  a 
Committee  to  Enter  into  resolves  for  the  Defence  of 
our  frontiers,  as  they  were  informed  by  Chris'  Hays, 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


S7 


Esq',  that  their  proceedings  would  be  approv"  of  by 
Council. 

"  1".  Resolved,  That  a  Campaign  be  carried  on  with 
Genl  Clark. 

"  2''.  Jiesoh-fl,  That  Genl  Clark  be  furnished  with 

0  men  out  of  Pomroy's,  Beard's,  and  Davises  Bat- 
talion. 

"S'"^  lieso/fccl,  That  Coll.  Arch''  Lochry  gives 
orders  to  s''  Colls,  to  raise  their  quota  by  Volunteers 
or  Draught. 

"4""'.  Resolved,  That  £6  be  advanced  to  every  vol- 
luntier  that  marches  under  the  command  of  Genl 
Clark  on  the  propos''  Campaign. 

"  5'".  And  for  the  further  Incouragement  of  Volun- 
tier.^,  that  grain  be  raised  by  subscription  by  the  Dif- 
ferent Companies. 

"  6""-''.  That  Coll.  Lochry  concil  with  the  Officers  of 
Virginia  respecting  the  manner  of  Draughting  those 
that  associate  in  that  State  and  others. 

"  7'".  Resolved,  That  Coll.  Lochry  meet  Genl  Clark 
and   other  officers   and   Coll.   Crawford   on   the  23'' 
Inst,  to  confer  with  them  the  day  of  Rendezvouse. 
"  Sign''  by  or""'  of  Committee, 

"  John  Peoctor,  frest." 

A  meeting  of  militia  officers  had  previously  been 
held  (June  5th)  at  the  Yohogania  County  court- 
house (near  Heath's,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Monon- 
gahela),  at  which  a  draft  of  one-fifth  of  the  militia  of 
said  county  (which,  according  to  the  Virginia  claim, 
included  the  north  half  of  Washington  County,  Pa., 
and  all  of  Westmoreland  as  far  south  as  the  centre  of 
the  present  county  of  Fayette)  was  made  for  the  ex- 
pedition. The  people,  however,  believing  that  the 
territory  claimed  by  Virginia  as  Yohogania  County 
was  really  in  the  jurisdiction  of  Pennsylvania,  denied 
the  authority  of  the  Virginia  officers,  and  refused  to 
submit  to  the  draft  until  the  question  of  jurisdiction 
was  definitely  settled.  But  the  public  notice  given  by 
Christopher  Hays,  as  mentioned  in  the  proceedings 
of  the  Westmoreland  County  meeting,  as  also  his 
declaration  to  the  people  of  Westmoreland  and  Wash- 
ington, that  he  held  in  his  hands  money  from  the  Ex- 
ecutive Council  to  be  expended  for  the  protection  of 
the  frontier,  had  the  effect  to  quiet  to  a  great  extent, 
though  not  entirely  to  allay,  the  dissatisfaction,  and 
the  work  of  raising  men  in  the  two  Pennsylvania 
counties  (or,  as  Gen.  Clarke  expressed  it,  in  Yoho- 
gania, Monongahela,  and  Ohio  Counties,  Va.)  was 
allowed  to  proceed,  though  not  without  strong  protest. 

The  commander  (under  Gen.  Clarke)  of  the  men 
raised  in  Westmoreland  was  Col.  Archibald  Lochry, 
lieutenant  and  prothonotary  of  the  county.  On  the 
4th  of  August'   he  reported  by  letter  to  President 


;  departure  Col.  Locliry  wrote  Preside! 


follows : 


"  MiEAiLES'  Mill,  Westmoeelaxii  Cohxtt, 
"  August  4tli,  1781. 
"HoxornED  Sin,— Yesterday  the  Express  arrived  with  your  Excell- 
ency's Lettei-s,  whicli  does  singular  Honour  to  our  County  to  have  the 


Reed  that  he  had  left  Westmoreland  with  Capt. 
Thomas  Stokely's  company  of  Rangers  and  about 
fifty  volunteers,  on  liis  way  to  join  Gen.  Clarke  at  the 
rendezvous  at  Fort  Henry  (now  Wheeling).  After 
liis  departure  Lochry's  force  was  augmented  to  about 
one  hundred  and  ten  men,  in  four  small  companies, 
including  those  of  Capts.  Thomas  Stokely,'  John 
Boyd,  and  Shearer  (mentioned  in  some  accounts  as 
Shannon),  and  a  small  body  of  horsemen  under  Capt. 
Campbell. 

Gen.  Clarke  had  had  his  headquarters  at  Fort 
Henry  for  several  weeks,  and  from  this  base  he  pros- 
ecuted his  recruiting  (or  rather  drafting)  in  the 
Monongahela  Valley.  This  business  he  carried  on 
with  great  vigor,  and  as  it  appears  with  very  little 
leniency  towards  those  (and  they  were  many)  who 
were  inclined  to  deny  the  jurisdiction  of  Virginia.' 
One  of  the  many  complaints  made  against  his  con- 
duct in  this  particular  was  the  following  from  James 
Marshal,  lieutenant  of  Washington  County,  em- 
bodied in  a  letter  written  by  him  to  President  Reed, 
Aug.  8,  1781,  viz. : 

"...  As  the  manner  in  which  the  general  and 
his  underlings  have  treated  the  people  of  this  and 
Westmoreland  Counties  has  been  so  arbitrary  and 
unprecedented,  I  think  it  my  duty  to  inform  your 
Excellency  the  particulars  of  a  few  facts.  The  first 
instance  was  with  one  John  Harden,  in  Westmore- 
land, who,  with  a  number  of  others,  refused  to  be 
drafted  under  the  government  of  Virginia,  alleging 
they  were  undoubtedly  in  Pennsylvania,  and  declared 
if  that  government  ordered  a  draft  they  would  obey 
cheerfully,  and  accordingly  elected  their  officers  and 
made  returns  thereof  to  Col.  Cook.  After  this  the 
general,  with  a  party  of  forty  or  fifty  liorsemen,  came 
to  Harden's  in  quest  of  him  to  hang  him,  as  the  gen- 
eral himself  declarecf ;  but  not  finding  the  old  gen- 
tleman took  and  tied  his  son,  broke  open  his  mill,  fed 
away  and  destroyed  upwards  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
bushels  of  wheat,  rye,  and  corn,  killed  his  sheep  and 


npprohation  of  Council  in  our  undertakings,  and  for  which  I  hcg  leave 

"I  am  now  on  my  Blanh 
and  about  Fifty  Vol  II  iit.-i  s  h 


Fort  Ilei 


i  it  wu 


.  SloUely's  Company  of  Rangers 
unly.  We  shidl  join  Gen.  Chii-k 
•re  His  Army  has  lay  for  some 
liave  the  Boats  there,  the  Water 


I'itt 


I  Volu 


■Rii 


some  Insinuations  been  hindered  from  going, 
very  ill  supplyed  with  Pi  ovisious,  as  there  has  been  no  possil.ility  uf  I'lo- 
curing  Meat,  particularly  as  our  Money  has  not  been  in  the  be.st  Credit. 
AVe  have  generally  had  Flour,  but  as  I  have  kept  the  men  constantly 
Scouting  it  U  hard  for  them  to  be  without  Meat.  .  .  ."—Pa.  Arch.,  1781- 
83,  p.  .■533. 

2  Capt.  Thomas  Stokely  was  a  resident  of  that  part  of  Westmoreland 
which  h.ad  then  recently  been  erected  into  Washington  Count  •.  The 
greater  part  of  bis  men,  liowever,  were  from  the  east  side  of  the  Monon- 

3  Many  of  those  people  who  had  l>ecn  willing  and  anxious  for  tho 
establishment  of  Virginia's  claim,  so  th.at  they  might  purchase  their 
lands  from  her  at  one-tenth  part  of  the  price  demanded  by  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Land  Officf,  were  now  quite  as  ready  to  deny  her  right  to  diniand 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


hojs,  and  lived  away  at  Mr.  Harden's  expense  in 
tliat  manner  for  two  or  three  days;  declared  his  estate 
forleited,  but  graciously  gave  it  to  his  wife;  formed 
an  article  in  which  he  bound  all  the  inhabitants  he 
could  laj-  hands  on  or  by  any  means  prevail  upon 
to  come  in  to  him  ;  under  the  penalty  of  ten  months 
in  the  regular  army,  not  to  oppose  the  draft." 

President  Reed,  in  his  reply'  to  Col.  Marshal's 
complaint,  said, — 

"...  But  while  we  utterly  disapprove  the  irreg- 
ularities and  hardships  which  have  been  exercised 
by  him  [Geu.  Clarke]  towards  the  inhabitants,  we 
cannot  help  fearing  that  too  many,  in  consequence  of 
the  unsettled  state  of  boundaries,  avail  themselves  of 
a  pretense  to  withhold  tlicir  services  from  the  publick 
at  a  time  wlien  they  are  most  wanted,  and  when  an 
exertion  would  not  only  serve  the  country,  but  pro- 
mote their  own  security.  We  cannot  help  also  ob- 
serving tliat,  by  letters  received  from  the  principal 
gentlemen  in  Westmoreland,  it  seems  evident  they 
approve  of  Gen.  Clarke's  expedition,  and  that  the 
lieutenants  of  both  States  united  in  the  plan  of  raising 
three  hundred  men  for  that  service.  As  the  state  of 
publick  affairs  Iiad  not  admitted  your  forming  the 
militia  sufiiciently  to  concur  in  these  measures,  we 
concluded  that  these  resolutions  would  also  include 
your  county,  and  even  now  are  at  a  loss  to  account 
for  the  dilTereut  opinions  entertained  on  the  point  by 
the  people  of  Westmoreland  and  AVashington  Coun- 
ties." 

In  a  letter  by  Christopher  Hays,  of  Westmoreland, 
and  Thomas  Scott,  of  Washington  County,  to  Presi- 
dent Reed,  dated  "  Westmoreland,  August  15, 1781," 
they  said,  "...  The  truth  of  the  matter  is,  the 
General's  Expedition  has  been  wished  well,  and  vol- 
unteers to  the  service  have  been  Incouraged  by  all 
with  whom  we  corispond;  but  we  have  heartily  repro- 
bated the  General's  Standing  over  these  two  counties 
with  armed  force,  in  order  to  dragoon  the  Inhabitants 
into  obedience  to  a  draft  under  the  laws  of  Virginia, 
or  rather  under  the  arbitrary  orders  of  the  officers  of 
that  Government,  without  any  orders  from  Virginia 
for  that  purpose,  and  this  is  really  the  part  the  Gen- 
eral hath  acted,  or  rather  the  use  which  has  been 
made  of  him  in  this  country." 

"  With  resjiect  to  Gen.  Clarke's  Proceedings,"  said 
President  licad,  in  liis  reply  to  the  above,  "we  can 
only  say  that  l.c  l;a-  no  authority  from  us  to  draft 
Jlilitia,  mucli  les^  to  cm  rrise  those  acts  of  Distress 
which  y.m  havo  hinted  at,  and  which  (ither  letters 
more  partiri:':rlv  nimuerate.  His  Expedition  ap- 
pears to  us  lav(jraMe  f.r  the  Fn.ntieiv-,  as  carrying 
Hostilities  into  the  Indian  Country,  nitlier  tlian  "rest- 
ing totally  on  the  defen-ive.  We  liiid  tlie  (  lent!, men 
of  Westmoreland,  howt'ver  dillerent  in  otlur  Things, 
to  have  agreed  in  Opinion  that  his  Expedition  de- 
served encouragement.  ..." 


Col.  Lochry,  with  his  force,  increased  to  about  one 
hundred  and  ten  men,  proceeded  to  the  rendezvous  at 
Fort  Henry,  as  before  mentioned,  expecting  there  to 
join  Gen.  Clarke ;  but  on  arriving  there  he  found 
that  the  general  had  gone  down  the  river  the  day  be- 
fore, leaving  Major  Crayeroft  with  a  few  men  and  a 
boat  for  the  transportation  of  the  horses,  but  without 
either  provisions  or  ammunition,  of  which  they  had 
but  a  very  insufficient  supply.  Clarke  had,  however, 
promised  to  await  their  arrival  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Kanawha;  but  on  reaching  that  point  they  found 
that  he  had  been  obliged,  in  order  to  prevent  desertion 
among  his  men,  to  proceed  down  the  river,  leaving 
only  a  letter  affixed  to  a  pole  directing  them  to  follow. 
Their  provisions  and  forage  were  nearly  exhausted ; 
there  was  no  source  of  supply  but  the  stores  conveyed 
by  Clarke  ;  the  river  was  very  low,  and  as  they  were 
unacquainted  with  the  channel,  they  could  not  hope  to 
overtake  the  main  body.  Under  these  embarrassing 
circumstances  Col.  Lochry  dispatched  Capt.  Shearer 
with  four  men  in  a  small  boat,  with  the  hope  of  over-  : 
taking  Gen.  Clarke  and  of  securing  supplies,  leaving 
his  (Shearer's)  company  under  command  of  Lieut. 
Isaac  Anderson,  Before  Shearer's  party  had  pro- 
ceeded far  they  were  taken  prisoners  by  Indians,  who 
also  took  from  them  a  letter  to  Gen.  Clarke,  informing 
him  of  the  condition  of  Lochry's  party. 

About  the  same  time  Lochry  captured  a  party  of 
nineteen  deserters  from  Clarke's  force.  These  he 
afterwards  released,  and  they  immediately  joined  the 
Indians.  The  savages  had  before  been  apprised  of 
the  expedition,  but  they  had  supposed  that  the  forces 
of  Clarke  and  Lochry  were  together,  and  as  they  knew 
that  Clarke  had  artillery,  they  had  not  attempted  an 
attack.  But  now,  by  the  capture  of  Shearer's  party, 
with  the  letters,  and  by  the  intelligence  brought  to 
them  by  the  deserters,  they  for  the  iirst  time  learned 
of  the  weakness  and  exposed  situation  of  Lochry's  com- 
mand, and  they  at  once  determined  on  its  destruction. 

Collecting  in  force  some  miles  below  the  mouth 
of  the  Great  Jliami  River,  they  placed  their  prison- 
ers (Shearer's  party)  in  a  conspicuous  position  on  the 
north  shore  of  the  Ohio,  near  the  head  of  Lochry's 
Island,  with  the  promise  to  them  that  their  lives 
should  be  spared  if  they  would  hail  Lochry's  men  as 
they  came  down  and  induce  them  to  land.  But  in 
the  mean  time.  Col.  Lochry,  wearied  by  the  slow 
progress  made,  and  in  despair  of  overtaking  Clarke,' 
landed  on  the  24th  of  August,  at  about  ten  o'clock  iu 
the  morning,  on  the  same  shore,  at  an  inlet  which 
has  since  borne  the  name  of  Lochry's  Creek,"  a  short 
distance  above  the  place  where  the  Indians  were  await- 
ing them.  At  this  point  the  horses  were  taken  on  shore 
and  turned  loose  to  feed.  One  of  the  men  had  killed 
a  buffalo,  and  all,  except  a   few  set   to  guard  the 

=  Tliis  ciDck  eniplips  into  the  Ohio,  nine  or  ten  miles  below  the  mouth 
of  the  ^liami.  Lochry's  Island,  near  the  head  of  which  the  prisonera 
were  jilaceil  by  the  Indi:nis  to  decoy  their  friends  on  shore,  is  three  miles 


THE   EEVOLUTION. 


89 


j  horses,  were  engaged  around  the  fires  which  they 
I  had  kindled  in  preparing  a  meal  from  it.  Suddenly 
a  volley  blazed  forth  on  them  from  a  wooded  bluff, 
'  and  simultaneously  a  large  force  of  Indians  appeared 
I  and  rushed  to  attack  them.  The  men,  thus  surprised, 
seized  their  arms  and  bravely  defended  themselves  as 
long  as  their  ammunition  lasted.  Then  they  attempted 
to  escape  by  their  boats,  but  these  were  unwieldy,  the 
water  was  very  low,  and  tlie  party,  too  much  weakened 
!  to  avail  themselves  of  this  method  of  escape,  and 
[being  wholly  unable  to  make  further  resistance,  sur- 
j  rendered  to  the  savages,  who  at  once  proceeded  to  the 
j  work  of  massacre.  They  killed  Col.  Lochry  and  sev- 
'  eral  others  of  the  prisoners,  but  were  restrained  from 
further  butchery  by  the  timely  arrival  of  their  chief,' 
who  declared  that  he  disapproved  of  their  conduct, 
but  said  he  was  unable  wholly  to  control  his  men, 
who  were  eager  to  revenge  the  acts  of  Col.  Brodhead 
against  the  Indians  on  the  Muskingum  a  few  months 
before. 

The  party  which  Col.  Lochry  surrendered  to  the 
Indians  consisted  of  but  sixty-four  men,  forty-two 
having  been  killed.  The  Indians  engaged  numbered 
over  three  hundred  of  various  tribes,  but  principally 
those  of  the  Six  Nations.  They  divided  the  plunder 
among  them  in  proportion  to  the  numbers  of  each 
tribe  engaged.  On  the  next  day  the  prisoners  were 
inarched  to  the  Delaware  towns,  where  they  were 
met  l)y  a  party  of  British  and  Indians,  who  said  they 
were  on  their  way  to  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio  to  attack 
Gen.  Clarke.  The  prisoners  were  separated  and 
taken  to  different  places  of  captivity  at  the  Indian 
towns,  and  there  they  remained  (excepting  a  few  who 
escaped)  until  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  strug- 
gle. After  the  preliminary  articles  of  peace  had  been 
signed  (Nov.  30,  1782)  they  were  ransomed  by  the 
British  officers  in  command  of  the  Northern  posts 
and  were  sent  to  Canada,' to  be  exchanged  for  British 


1  It  Ims  been  BtHted  that  the  chief  in  command  of  this  Indian  party 
vras  tlie  famuns  Cupt.  Brant,  and  tliat  he  afterwards  professed  mucli  re- 
gret for  tlie  massncro  of  Lochry  and  his  men. 

~  TIio  following  memorial  of  escaped  prisoners  helonging  to  Col.  Loch- 
rj-'s  command  was  presented  to  the  Supreme  Executive  Council,  ad- 
dressed to  President  Bloore  (and  indorsed  July  3,  ITSJ),  viz.: 

"Sir, — We,  tlio  subscrihers,  Inhabitants  of  llie  County  of  Westmore- 
land, beg  leave  to  represent  to  your  Excellency  and  Council  that  we  had 
the  misfortune  to  be  made  prisoners  of  by  tlie  Indians  on  the  24th  of 
August  last  and  carried  to  Montreal,  and  there  kept  in  close  confine- 
ment till  the  2Glh  of  May  last,  when  we  were  so  fortunate  as  to  make 
uur  escape,  and  after  a  long  and  fatigueing  nuirch  tlirough  the  Wilder- 
Ae  got  to  this  City  yesterday  at  three  o'Clock.  As  we  are  at  present 
destitute  of  both  Money  and  Cloatlies,  without  which  we  cmnot  go 
home,  We  pray  your  Exc'y  and  Council  to  take  our  case  into  Considera- 
tion, and  order  us  our  i-ay  from  the  lime  we  were  made  pri-oncrs  to 
this.  We  were  under  the  comnuind  of  Colo.  Longhcry  when  taken,  and 
have  a  list  of  all  those,  both  officers  and  privates,  who  are  now  prisoners 
of  that  parly,  which,  together  with  Ruch  information  as  is  in  our  power, 
e  ready  to  give  for  the  satisfaction  of  your  Exc'y  and  Council. 
"We  have  the  Honour  to  be 

"  Your  Excellency's  nble  Serv" 

"Isnc  Andeksox, 
*'  Lieut.  Capt,  Sheerey^s  Ompany  Rangers. 

"ElCHAnO  W.ILI.ACE, 

"Xn(c  Qttnrleriii'tstrr  to  Colonct  Lnchiij." 


prisoners  in  the  hands  of  the  Americans.  In  the 
spring  of  1783  they  sailed  from  Quebec  to  New  York, 
and  from  there  returned  home  by  way  of  Philadel- 
phia, having  been  absent  twenty-two  months.  But 
more  than  one-half  of  those  who  went  down  the 
Ohio  with  Col.  Lochry  never  again  saw  their  homes 
in  the  Monongahela  and  Youghiogheny  "Valleys. 

Besides  the  command  of  Col.  Lochry,  there  also 
went  out  in  Clarke's  expedition  another  company  of 
men  raised  in  Westmoreland  County  (principally  in 
that  part  which  is  now  Fayette),  under  command  of 
Capt.  Benjamin  Whaley,^  the  company  being  largely 
recruited  by  Lieut,  (afterwards  colonel)  James  PauU. 
This  force  embarked  in  flat-boats  on  the  Mononga- 
hela at  Elizabethtown,  and  being  joined  at  Pitts- 
burgh by  Capt.  Isaac  Craig's  artillery,  proceeded  with 
other  troops  down  the  river  to  the  appointed  rendez- 
vous at  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio,  arriving  there  late  in 
the  month  of  August.  But  the  other  forces  failing  to 
assemble  at  that  jjoint  the  expedition  was  abandoned, 
and  Capts.  Whaley  and  Craig,  with  their  commands, 
returned  on  foot  through  the  wilderness  of  Kentucky 
and  Virginia,  encountering  innumerable  perils  and 
hardships,  and  being  more  than  two  months  on  the 
homeward  journey.  Their  arrival,  as  also  the  terrible 
disaster  to  Col.  Lochry's  command,  was  announced  by 
Gen.  Irvine  (who  had  in  the  mean  time  succeeded 
Col.  Brodhead  in  the  command  of  the  Western  De- 
partment) in  a  letter  to  Gen.  Washington,  dated  Fort 
Pitt,  Dec.  2,  1781,  as  follows : 

"...  Capt.  Craig,  with  the  detachment  of  artillery, 
returned  here  on  the  26th  inst.  [ult?J  ...  A  Col. 
Lochry,  of  Westmoreland  County,  Pa.,  with  about  one 
hundred  men  in  all,  composed  of  volunteers  and  a 
company  raised  by  Pennsylvania  for  the  defense  of 
that  county,  started  to  join  Gen.  Clarke,  who,  it  is 
said,  ordered  him  to  unite  with  him  (Clarke)  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Miami,  up  which  river  it  was  previously 
designed  to  proceed  ;  but  the  general,  having  changed 
his  plan,  left  a  small  party  at  the  Miami,  with  direc- 
tions to  Lochry  to  follow  him  to  the  mouth  of  the 


"We,  the  Subscribers,  would  beg  leave  to  represent  the  Situation  of 
Honery  Dungan,  Serg«  of  Captn  John  Boyd's  Company,  and  Robert  Wat- 
son, .Tuhn  M:un.  and  Mich.  Han-,  .,f  Capt.  T!..,s.   Stok.dy's  Compy  of 


(Signed)  "  John  Bovn, 

"  O'pfii  "/  Hungers  S.  P. 
"Thomas  Sroiir.i.v, 

"  Capt.  of  Hangers  S.  P." 
—reunn.  Arrl,.,  17S1-8.'?,  pp.  T33-34. 

Among  the  prisoners  taken  from  Lorhi  v's  command  by  the  Indians 
were  Melchoir  Baker,  Eohert  Bi-hmiI  i  !,it  ,.  i  mI  Basil  Brownflehl), 
both  of  Fayette  County;  also  p.  in-   M      .r       -    II  known  in  Union- 

3  Father  of  Capt- James  Whal-.y.  I  t  W.y  ti.  (  >,in,t\,  who  was  an  officer 
in  service  in  the  war  of  1S12-13. 


90 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Falls.  Sundry  accounts  agree  that  this  party,  and  all 
of  Lochry's  troops  to  a  man,  were  waylaid  by  the  In- 
dians and  British  (for  it  is  said  they  had  artillery), 
and  all  killed  or  taken,  not  a  man  escaping,  either  to 
join  Gen.  Clarke  or  to  return  home.  When  Capt. 
Craig  left  the  general  he  would  not  be  persuaded  but 
that  Lochry  with  his  party  had  returned  home.  These 
misfortunes  throw  the  people  of  this  county  into  the 
greatest  consternation,  and  almost  despair,  particularly 
Westmoreland  County;  Luchry's  party  being  all  the 
best  men  of  their  frontier.  At  the  present  they  talk 
of  flying  early  in  the  spring  to  the  eastern  side  of  tlie 
mountains,  and  are  daily  flocking  to  me  to  inquire 
what  support  they  may  expect." 


CHAPTER    XL 

THE  UEVOLUTIOX— (0,>.(/,nie-7). 
■WiHiiinison'fi  E.xpcilitiou— Cmwfurd's  Sandusky  Expedilion. 

The  unsuccessful  campaign  of  Gen.  Clarke  down 

the  Ohio  was  followed  by  two  expeditions  sent  from 
AVcstern  Pennsylvania  against  some  settlements  or 
villases  on  the  ]\Iuskingum  occupied  by  Indian  con- 
verts, usually  kmiwn  as  the  Moravian  Indians. 

r>otli  thcsu  rx]icilitious  were  under  command  of 
Col.  David  Williamson,  of  Washington  County,  and 
were  made  up  of  volunteers  IVnm  the  region  between 
the  Monongahela  and  i  Miio  Kiveix.  It  is  not  known 
or  believed  that  any  mm  iVom  what  is  now  Fayette 
County  served  in  these  campaigns  under  Williamson, 
and  tliey  are  only  noticed  here  because  they  were 
connected  in  smne  degree  with  Col.  Crawford's  Indian 
campaign,  which  immediately  followed  them,  and  of 
which  a  more  cxtomled  narrative  will  be  given. 

Williamson's  tirst  expedition,  consisting  of  be- 
tween seventy-five  and  one  hundred  men,  went  out 
late  in  the  fall  of  1781.  The  reason  for  this  move- 
ment against  the  peaceable  Moravian  Indians  was 
that  many  of  the  frontiei-men  believed,  or  professed 
to  believe,  tliat  tliey  (the  Moravians)  were  .secretly  in 
league  witli  the  warlike  savages  who  lived  farther  to 
the  west;  that  even  if  they  did  not  fake  active  part 
in  t!ie  tiv.iuenl  raids  and  Imtcheries,  they  did  at  least 
give  shelter,  sulisisiencc,  ami  information  to  the 
Shawanese  and  Wyandnt  warriors,  and  some  even 
believed  that  the  Mnravians  themselves  mingled  with 
the  war-parties  and  wielded  the  knife  and  tomahawk. 
Williamson,  in  this  expedition,  did  not  intend  to 
use  lire  ami  sw.ird,  but  to  induce  the  Indians  of  the 
Moravian  towns  to  remove  farther  from  the  Ohio,  or, 
if  he  failed  to  acc(nn|ili>h  this,  to  take  them  all  as  pris- 
oners to  I'ort  Pitt.  With  this  intention  he  moved  his 
force  rapidly  towards  their  towns  on  the  Muskingum. 
I!ut  ill  ill'  1111:111  time  he  had  been  forestalled  in  his 
projected  work  by  a  large  party  of  the  hostile  In- 
dians    who    charged   the    Moravians   with   being   in 


league  with  the  whites,  and  on  this  plea  liad  visited 
their  towns,  broken  them  up,  driven  the  people  away  1 
to  Sandusky,  and  carried  the  white  Moravian  mis-; 
sionaries  residing  among  them,  prisoners  to  Detroit.  1 
On  his  arrival  at  the  towns,  Williamson  found : 
them  deserted,  except  by  a  small  party  of  the  Jlora- 
vians,  who  had  been  driven  away,  but  who  had  been 
allov.-ed  by  their  captors  to  return  for  the  purpose  of 
gathering  some  corn  which  had  been  left  standing  in  • 
the  fields  near  the  villages.  This  party  he  took  pris- 
oners and  marched  them  to  Fort  Pitt,  where,  however, 
they  were  soon  after  set  at  liberty  by  Gen.  Irvine,  the  < 
commandant. 

The  second  expedition  led  by  Col.  AVilliamson 
against  the  Moravian  settlements  was  made  up,  on  the 
frontier  in  the  latter  part  of  February,  and  completed 
its  bloody  work  in  March,  1782.  It  was  composed  ! 
of  volunteers  (mostly  mounted)  from  the  country 
west  of  the  Monongahela,'  but  no  lists  of  their  names 
or  places  of  residence  have  been  preserved,  a  fact 
which  is  not  strange  in  view  of  the  odium  which  has 
justly  attached  to  the  expedition  and  its  barbarous 
work  during  the  century  which  has  followed  its  exe- 
cution. 

In  the  winter  of  1781-82  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  of  the  Moravian  Indians  (including  many  women 
and  children),  who  had  been  driven  awaj'  from  their 
towns  in  the  preceding  autumn,  were  permitted  byv 
the  Wyandot  chiefs  to  return  to  them  to  secure  the 
corn  which  was  still  left  in  the  fields  there,  and  to 
make  preparations  for  a  new  crop.  The  kind  manner 
in  which  Gen.  Irvine  had  treated  their  people  who 
had  been  carried  as  prisoners  to  Fort  Pitt  the  previous 
fall  had  reassured  them,  so  that  they  came  back  to 
the  villages  without  much  fear  of  violence  from  the 
!  whites  east  of  the  Ohio. 

The  weather  in  the  month  of  February  had  been 
remarkably  fine,  so  that  war-parties  of  Indians  from 
Sandusky  had  been  able  to  move  earlier  than  usual, 
and  had  committed  many  depredations  in  the  white 
settlements.  As  these  inroads  had  occurred  so  early 
in  the  season  it  was  generally  believed  by  the  settlers 
that  the  hostile  parties  had  not  come  all  the  way  from 
the  Sandusky  towns,  but  that  the  outrages  were  either 
committed  by  Moravians  or  by  hostile  Indians  from 
the  west  who  had  been  sheltered  by  them,  and  had 

1  Stunc,  in  liis  "Life  of  Brant,"  ii.  220,  says,  "A  liand  of  lietwcen 
one  and  two  liuiulred  men  from  tlie  settlements  of  tlie  Monon^aliclu 
t'lrned  ont  in  quest  of  tlie  marauders  [tlioso  wlio  had  committed  atrocN 
lies  on  tlie  fioiilier  east  of  tlie  Oliio,  and  part  of  whom  were  supposed 
to  lie  the  Moravians],  IhirsUng  for  vengeance,  under  tlie  conmmnd  of 
Col.  David  Williamson." 

On  page  143  of  "Contributions  to  American  History,"  published  by 
the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  is  found  the  following  :"  Itt 
I^Iareli,  ITsj.  .me  liiiiidreil  and  sixty  militiamen  living  upon  the  Monon- 
gatiil.L  -  :     ::     ::  i,     -  I  i.k  Id  the  Bluskingum,  in  order  to  destroy  three 


THE   KEVOLUTIOX. 


inade  the  Muskiugum  settlements  their  base  of  oper-     other  houses.     This   done   they   went  to   the  other 


lations.  It  was  declared  that  in  either  case  the  blame 
was  chargeable  on  the  Moravians,  and  as  a  consequence 
jthe  frontiersmen  resolved  to  destroy  them.  The  hor- 
Irible  story  of  the  manner  in  which  this  was  accom- 
plished by  'Williamson's  men  is  told  in  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Archives,  1781-83,  page  524,  as  follows: 

"Eelation  of  what  Frederick  Linebach  was  told  by 
two  of  his  Neighbours  living  near  Delaware  River, 
above  Easton,  who  were  just  returned  from  the  Mo- 
nongahela : 

That  some  time  in  February  one  hundred  &  sixty 
Men,  living  upon  Monaungahela  set  off  on  Horse- 
back to  the  Muskingum,  in  order  to  destroy  Three 
Indian  Settlements,  of  which  they  seemed  to  be  sure 
of  being  the  Touns  of  some  Enemy  Indians.  After 
coming  nigh  to  one  of  the  Touns  they  discovered 
some  Indians  on  both  sides  of  the  River  Muskingum. 
They  then  concluded  to  divide  themselves  in  Two 
parties,  the  one  to  cross  the  River  and  the  other  to 
attack  those  Indians  on  this  side.  When  the  party 
got  over  the  River  they  saw  one  of  the  Indians  coming 
up  towards  them.  They  laid  themselves  flat  on  the 
ground  waiting  till  the  Indian  was  nigh  enough,  then 
of  them  shot  the  Indian  and  broke  his  arm  ;  then 
three  of  the  Militia  ran  towards  him  with  Toma- 
hawks ;  when  they  were  yet  a  little  distance  from 
him  he  ask'd  them  why  they  had  fired  at  him  ;  he  was 
Minister  Shebnshch's  (John  Bull's)  Son,  but  they 
took  no  notice  of  what  he  said,  but  killed  him  on  the 
Spot.  They  then  surrounded  the  field,  and  took  all 
the  other  Indians  Prisoners.  The  Indians  told  them 
that  they  were  Christians  and  made  no  resistance, 
n-hen  the  Militia  gave  them  to  understand  that  they 
Qiust  bring  thou  as  Prisoners  to  Fort  Pitt  they  seemed 
to  be  very  glad.  They  were  ordered  to  prepare  them- 
selves for  the  Journey,  and  to  take  all  their  Effects 
along  with  them.     Accordingly  they  did  so.     They 

ere  asked  how  it  came  they  had  no  Cattle  ?  They 
inswered  that  the  small  Stock  that  was  left  them  had 
Deen  sent  to  Sandusky. 

"  In  the  Evening  the  Militia  held  a  Council,  when 
he  Commander  of  the  Militia  told  his  men  that  he 
.vould  leave  it  to  their  choice  either  to  carry  the  In- 
lians  as  Prisoners  to  Fort  Pitt  or  to  kill  them  ;  when 
:hey  agreed  that  they  should  be  killed.  Of  this  Res- 
olution of  the  Council  they  gave  notice  to  the  In- 
lians  by  two  Messengers,  who  told  them  that  as  they 
lad  said  they  were  Christians  they  would  give  them 
:ime  this  night  to  prepare  themselves  accordingly. 
Hereupon  the  Women  met  together  and  sung  Hymns 
&  Psalms  all  Night,  and  so  likewise  did  the  Men,  and 
vept  on  singing  as  long  as  there  were  three  left.  'In 
he  morning  the  Militia  chose  Two  houses,  which 
hey  called  the  Slaughter  Houses,  and  then  fetched 
he  Indians  two  or  three  at  a  time  with  Ropes  about 
heir  Necks  and  dragged  them  into  the  Slaughter 
louses,  where  they  knocked  them  down  ;  then  they 
let  these  Two  houses  on  Fire,  as   likewise  all   the 


Towns  and  set  fire  to  the  Houses,  took  their  plunder, 
and  returned  to  the  Monaungahela,  where  they  held  a 
Vendue  among  themselves.  Before  these  Informants 
came  away  it  was  agreed  that  600  men  should  meet 
on  the  18th  of  March  to  go  to  Sandusky,  which  is 
about  100  Miles  from  the  Muskingum." 

The  number  of  Moravian  Indians  killed  was  re- 
ported by  Williamson's  party  on  their  return  at. 
eighty-eight,  but  the  white  Moravian  missionaries  in 
their  account  gave  the  number  of  the  murdered  ones 
as  ninety-six, — sixty-two  adults,  male  and  female,  and 
thirty-four  children. 

The  result  of  this  expedition  gave  great  mortifica- 
tion and  grief  to  Gen.  Irvine,  who  tried,  as  far  as  lay 
in  his  power,  to  suppress  all  accounts  of  the  horrible 
details.  By  those  who  were  engaged  in  the  bloody 
work  it  was  vehemently  asserted  that  their  action 
was  generally  approved  by  the  people  of  the  frontier 
settlements;  but  it  is  certain  that  the  statement  was 
unfounded.  Col.  Edward  Cook,  of  Cookstown  (now 
Fayette  City),  the  county  lieutenant  of  Westmore- 
land (who  had  succeeded  the  unfortunate  Col.  Lochry 
in  that  office  in  December,  1781),  in  a  letter  addressed 
by  him  to  President  Moore,  dated  Sept.  2,  1782,  ex- 
pressed himself  in  regard  to  this  Moravian  massacre 
as  follows: 

"...  I  am  informed  that  you  have  it  Reported 
that  the  Massacre  of  the  Moravian  Indians  Obtains 
the  Approbation  of  Every  man  on  this  side  of  the 
Mountains,  which  I  assure  your  Excellency  is  false; 
that  the  Better  Part  of  the  Community  are  of  Opinioa 
the  Perpetrators  of  that  wicked  Deed  ought  to  be 
Brought  toCondeiu  Punishment;  that  without  some- 
thing is  Done  by  Government  in  the  Matter  it  will 
Disgrace  the  Annals  of  the  United  States,  and  be  an 
Everlasting  Plea  and  Cover  for  British  Cruelty." 
And  the  testimony  of  a  man  of  the  character  and 
standing  of  Col.  Edward  Cook  is  above  and  beyond 
the  possibility  of  impeachment. 

CRAWFORD'.S    SANDUSKY    EXPEDITIOX. 

Even  before  the  disbandment  of  the  volunteers 
composing  Williamson's  expedition  the  project  had 
been  formed  for  a  new  and  more  formidable  one  to 
be  raised  to  inarch  against  the  Indian  towns  at  San- 
dusky, the  headquarters  of  the  hostile  tribes  that 
were  so  constantly  and  persistently  depredating  the 
frontier  settlements  east  of  the  Ohio.  INIention  of 
such  a  project  is  found  in  Linebach's  "Relation"  (be- 
fore quoted),  where  he  says,  "It  was  agreed  that  six 
hundred  men  should  meet  on  the  18th  of  March  to 
go  to  Sandusky.  .  .  ."  Whether  this  was  the  incep- 
tion of  the  plan  or  not,  it  is  certain  that  immediately 
afterwards  it  was  known  to,  and  favorably  entertained 
by,  nearly  all  the  people  living  west  of  tlie  Laurel 
Hill. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  the  first  step  to  be  taken  was 
to  lay  the   matter  before  the  commandant  at  Fort 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Pitt,   Gen.   Irvine,   to  secure    his  countenance    and 
approbation.     Tliat    this    was    successfully    accora-  I 
plished   is  shown  by  the  following  extract  from   a 
letter  written  by  the  general  to  President  Moore  of 
the  Council,  dated  Fort  Pitt,  May  9,  1782,  viz. : 

"  A  volunteer  expedition  is  talked  of  against  San- 
dusky, which,  if  well  conducted,  may  be  of  great  ser-  j 
vice  to  this  country;  if  they  behave  well  on  this  oc- 
casion it  may  also  in  some   measure    atone  for  the 
barbarity   they   are    charged    with   at    Muskingum. 
They  have  consulted  me,  and  shall  have  every  coun-  I 
tenance  in  my  power  if  their  numbers,  arrangements,  ' 
etc.,  promise  a  prospect  of  success."     There  is  in  the 
tone  of  this  letter  an  evident  resolve  on  the  part  of 
the  general  that  this  new  expedition  should  be  very 
differL-iit  in  cliaracter  from  that  which  had  so  recently 
and  so  barlxirou^ly  executed  vengeance  against  the  ! 
unresisting  Moravians;  and  this  was  afterwards  made 
still,  more  apparent  by  his  determined  opposition  to 
Col.  Williamson  .as  commander.  ! 

The  direction  and  control  of  the  projected  expedi-  ^ 
tion  was,  of  course,  with  Gen.  Irvine,  as  the  command- 
ing oflBcer  of  the  deiiarlment.     "It  was  as  carefully 
considered   and   as   authoritatively   planned   as   any 
militarv  enterprise  in  the  West  during  the  Revolution. 
As  a  distinct  undertaking,  it  was  intended  to  be  effect- 
ual in  ending  the  troubles  upon  the  western  frontiers 
of  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia.     Its  promoters  were 
not  only  the  principal  military  and  civil  officers  in 
the  Western  Department,  but  a  large  proportion  of 
the  best-known  and  most  influential  private  citizens." 
According  to  the  plan  of  the  expedition,  it  was  to  be 
made  up  of  volunteers,  each  one  of  whom  was  to 
equip  himself  with  a  horse,  arms,  and  supplies;  and 
it  was  o-iven  out,  and  not  doubted,  that  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania  would  reimburse  all  who  might  sustain 
losses  in  the  campaign.     Great  exertions  were  made 
to  induce  men  to  volunteer,  and  the   result  was   a 
rapid  recruitment.     IMauy  who  were  willing  to  serve 
in   the  expedition  were  unable  to  equip  themselves 
for  a  campaign  in  the  Indian  country,  but  in  nearly 
all  such   cases  some   friend  was   found  who  would 
loan  a  horse  or  furnish   supplies.     The   dangerous  j 
and  desperate  nature  of  the  enterprise  was  fully  un-  ' 
derstood,  yet  such  enthusiasm  was  exhibited  in  all  ' 
the   settlements  that  in  the  early  part  of  May  the  , 
number  of  men  obtained  was  regarded  as  sufficient  < 
for  the  successful  accomplishment  of  the  purjjoses  of  ; 
the  campaign. 

The  volunteers  composing  the  expedition  were 
nearly  all  from  the  country  then  comprised  in  the 
counties  of  Westmoreland  and  Washington.  Of  those 
raised  in  the  former  county  many  were  from  the  vi- 
cinity of  Uniontown  and  Georges  Creek,  and  from 
the  valleys  of  the  Youghiogheny  and  Redstone. 
These  collected  at  Redstone  Old  Fort,  where  they 
were  joined  by  men  from  the  settlements  lower  down 
the  Monongahela  and  Youghiogheny.  Crossing  the 
:\Ionongahela  at  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek,  they 


proceeded  northwestwardlj',  receiving  considerable 
accessions  to  their  numbers  from  the  settlements  on 
Ten-Mile  and  at  Catfish.'  From  the  latter  point  they 
moved  on  through  Washington  County  and  across 
what  is  now  known  as  the  Pan  Handle  of  West  Vir- 
ginia (where  their  numbers  were  still  further  aug- 
mented) to  the  Ohio  River,  at  a  point  on  its  left  bank 
opposite  Mingo  Bottom,-  the  appointed  rendezvous  of 
the  expedition,  where  the  volunteers  had  been  directed 
to  assemble  on  the  20th  of  May. 

The  enthusiasm  in  favor  of  the  expedition  was  so 
great  in  the  settlements  and  among  the  volunteers 
that  as  early  as  the  15th  of  the  month  a  great  propor- 
tion of  them  had  made  all  their  arrangements^  and 
were  on  their  way  to  the  place  of  meeting.  But  they 
did  not  all  arrive  at  the  time  appointed,  and  it  was  not 
until  the  morning  of  the  24th  that  the  last  of  the  vol- 
unteers had  crossed  from  the  Virginia  side  to  the 
rendezvous.  When,  on  the  same  day,  the  forces  were 
mustered  on  the  Mingo  Bottom,  it  was  found  that  four 
hundred  and  eighty  *  mounted  men  were  present, 
ready  and  eager  for  duty.  ^  Of  this  number  fully 
three  hundred  were  from  Washington  County,  while 
of  the  remainder  the  greater  part  were  from  the  terri- 
tory of  the  present  county  of  Fayette,  only  a  compar- 
atively small  number  having  been  raised  in  the  other 
parts  of  Westmoreland,  and  about  twenty  in  the  Pan 
Handle  of  Virginia," 

Following  is  a  list  of  men  from  what  is  now  Fay- 
ette County  who  accompanied  the  expedition.     The 


icat  of  WiLsliiiigton  Coiintj,  Pa. 
J  "CM  Miiigu  Town,"  is  on  the 
>  aud  a  Lair  miles  below  SIcuben 


1  Xuw  Wusliiugton,  the  count 

-Mingo  Buttoui,  the  .site  of 
bank  of  the  Ohio  Kiver,  about  1 
Ohio. 

3  Bntterfield,  in  his  "  Expedition  agjiiiist  Sandusky,"  s.njs,  "  It  is  a  tra- 
dition— nay,  au  established  fact — that  many,  aside  from  the  ordinary  ar- 
i-iuigemenls  necessary  for  a  month's  absence  (not  so  much,  however, 
from  a  presentiment  of  disaster  as  from  that  prudence  wliich  careful  and 
thoughtful  men  are  prone  to  exercise),  executed  deeds  'iu  consideration 
of  love  and  affectiou,'  and  nniny  witne^es  w*ere  called  in  to  subscribe 
to  *  last  wills  and  testaments.* "  The  commander  of  the  cxpeditiou,  Col. 
Crawford,  executed  his  will  before  departing  on  the  fatal  journey  to  the 


Wya 


'  Lieut.  John  Rose  (usually  mentioned  in  accounts  of  the  expedition 
M"j.  Itose),  an  aide-de-camp  of  Gen.  Irvine,  who  had  been  detailed  for 
3  same  duty  with  the  commander  of  this  expedition,  wrote  to  the  gen- 
ii ou  the  evening  of  the  24111  from  Mins;M  ll.It.ni,  and  in  the  letter  ho 
d, '*0ur  number  is  actually  four  hun.i[ii  ir.i  .  ij  i\  ir  .  n  "  Tiiiswas 
nore  favorable  result  than  had  been  i,,',  ;  >:  i-  :,  wu  tiy  a  let- 
■  written  three  days  before  (May  21sl(  l  .  .,,  .,    \\,i.- _;,,i,  hy  Gen.Ir- 


.  the  1 


'The\ 


:  tills  d 


at  Mingo  Bottom,  all  on  horseback,  with  thirty  days'  pi-ovisions.  .  .  .  U 
tluir  number  exceeds  three  hundred  I  am  of  opiniou  they  nuiy  succeed, 
as  their  march  will  be  so  rapid  they  will  probably,  iu  a  great  degree, 
effect  a  surprise." 

"  "All  were  in  high  spirits.  Everywhere  around  there  was  a  jdeasur- 
able  excitement.  Jokes  were  bandied  and  sorrows  at  parting  with  loved 
ones  at  home  quite  forgotten,  at  least  could  outward  appearances  be  relied 
upon.  Nevertheless  furtive  glances  up  the  western  hillsides  into  tbo. 
deep  woods  kept  alive  in  the  minds  of  some  the  dangerous  purpose  ofall^ 
this  bustle  and  activity."— ftiHern'i-dr"  Bulorical  AccouiU  o/  the  Exped'f 
lion  ti,jaiiiHl  gmidiisli/  uiijer  O't.  ^\^illUlm  Orair/oril. 

c  Col.  Marshal,  of  Washington  County,  in  a  letter  addressed  to  Gon. 
Irvine,  dated  May  29,  17S2,  claimed  that  of  the  4S0  men  composing  thS' 
forces  of  the  expedition  ;i20  were  from  his  county,  2C  from  Ohio  County,; 
'\'a.,  and  the  remainder  (or,  as  he  said,  about  13M)  from  the  county  of 


THE   EEVOLUTION. 


93 


list  (which  is  not  claimed  to  be  a  complete  one,  but 
which  certainly  embraces  the  greater  part  of  those 
who  went  from  this  county)  is  made  up  from  various 
sources,  but  principally  from  the  minutes  of  a  "  Court 
of  Appeal"  (a  military  tribunal)  held  at  various  times 
in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1782  at  Uniontown, 
before  Alexander  McClean,  sub-lieutenant  of  the 
countv,  viz. : 


James  Collins. 
Abraham  Plunket. 
John  Alton. 
JIoscs  Smith. 
Thomas  Patton. 
Reuben  Kemp. 
Barnabas  Walters. 
John  Patrick. 
Josiah  Rich. 
Jlichael  Andrews. 
Peter  Patrick. 
Thomas  Ross. 
Isaac  Prickett. 
William  Ross. 
Jeremiah  Cook. 
James  Waits. 
Thomas  Carr. 
Joshua  Reed. 
Richard  Clark. 
Silvanus  Barnes. 
George  McCristy. 
Joseph  Moore. 
John  Collins. 
George  Scott. 
Edward  Thomas. 
Alexander  McOwen. 
Obadiah  Stillwell. 
Levi  Bridgewater. 
Jonas  Same. 
Matthias  Neiley. 
George  Pcarce. 
Abraham  White. 
James  Clark. 
John  Lucas. 
Jeremiah  Gard. 
Daniel  Harbaugh. 
James  Paull. 
John  Rodgers. 
John  Sherrard. 
John  Crawford. 
Uriah  Springer. 
Christopher  Beeler. 


John  Smilie. 
Michael  Frank. 
James  Wood. 
James  Rankin. 
Edward  Hall.  ' 
James  Downard. 
Zachariah  Brashears. 
Henry  Coxe. 
John  Chadwick. 
John  Hardin,  Jr. 
George  Robins. 
Dennis  Callaghan. 
Thomas  Kendall. 
Joseph  Huston. 
Crisley  Cofraan. 
Jacob  Weatherholt. 
John  Jones. 
John  Walters. 
Charles  Hickman. 
Henry  Hart. 
Caleb  Winget. 
Webb  Hayden. 
William  Jolliff. 
Benjamin  Carter. 
John  Orr. 
Daniel  Barton. 
Providence  Mounts. 
Philip  Smith. 
Aaron  Longstreet. 
William  Case. 
Richard  Hankins. 
John  White. 
James  McCoy. 
George  JlcCoy. 

McCaddon. 

Nicholas  Dawson. 
Daniel  Canon. 
Alexander  Carson. 
Richard  Hale. 
Rob&rt  Miller. 
John  Custard. 


It  was  in  the  afternoon  of  the  24th  of  May  that  the 
force  was  mustered  and  divided  into  eighteen  com- 
panies, their  average  strength,  of  course,  being  about 
twenty-six  men.  They  were  made  thus  small  on  ac- 
count of  the  peculiar  nature  of  the  service  in  which 
they  were  to  engage, — skirmishing,  firing  from  cover, 
and  practicing  the  numberless  artifices  and  strata- 
7 


gems  belonging  to  Indian  warfare.  Another  object 
gained  in  the  formation  of  those  unusually  small 
companies  was  the  gathering  together  of  neighbors 
and  acquaintances  in  the  same  command.  Fur  each 
company  there  were  then  elected,  a  captain,  a  lieu- 
tenant, and  an  ensign.  One  of  the  companies  was 
commanded  by  Capt.  John  Beeson,'  of  Uniontown  ; 
another  by  Capt.  John  Hardin,  with  John  Lucas  as 
lieutenant ;  a  third  by  Capt.  Joseph  Huston,  of  Ty- 
rone, father  of  Joseph  Huston,  afterwards  sheriff  of 
Fayette  County ;  and  a  fourth  by  Capt.  John  Biggs,- 
with  Edward  Stewart  as  lieutenant,  and  William 
Crawford,  Jr.  (nephew  of  Col.  William  Crawford),  as 
ensign.  One  or  two  other  companies  were  made  up 
largely  of  men  from  the  territory  which  now  forms 
the  counties  of  Fayette  and  Westmoreland,  but  of 
these  the  captains'  names  have  not  been  ascertained. 
"  Among  those  [captains]  chosen,"  says  Butterfield, 
in  his  narrative  of  the  expedition,  "  were  McGeehan, 
Hoagland,  Beeson,  Munn,  Ross,  Ogle,  John  Biggs, 
Craig  Ritchie,  John  Miller,  Joseph  Bean,  and  An- 
drew Plood,  .  .  .  and  James  Paull  remembered,  fifty 
years  after,  that  the  lieutenant  of  his  company  was 
Edward  Stewart." 

After  the  several  companies  had  been  duly  formed 
and  organized,  the  line-officers  and  men  proceeded  to 
elect  field-officers  and  a  commandant  of  the  expedi- 
tionary force.  For  the  latter  office  there  were  two 
candidates.  One  of  these  was  Col.  David  William- 
son, who  had  previously  led  the  expedition  against 
the  Moravian  Indians  on  the  Muskingum,  and  his 
chances  of  election  seemed  excellent,  because  he  was 
a  resident  of  Washington  County,  which  had  fur- 
nished two-thirds  of  the  men  composing  the  forces. 
His  competitor  for  the  command  was  Col.  William 
Crawford,  whose  home  was  on  the  Youghiogheny 
River,  near  Braddock's  Crossing,  in  what  is  now  Fay- 
ette County.  He  was  a  regular  army  officer  in  the 
Continental  establishment  of  the  Virginia  Line,  well 
versed  in  Indian  modes  of  fighting,  and  had  already 
made  an  enviable  military  record ;  he  enjoyed  much 
personal  popularity,  and  was  also  the  one  whom  Gen. 
Irvine  wished  to  see  selected  for  the  command.' 

AVhen  the  votes — four  hundred  and  sixty-five  in 
number— were  counted,  it  was  found  that  Williamson 
had  received  two  hundred  and  thirty  against  two 
hundred  and  thirty-five  cast  for  Col.  Crawford,  who 
thereupon  became  commandant  of  the  forces  of  the 
expedition.*     Four   majors  were   then  elected,  viz.: 


1  In  the  minutes  of  Uie  miliUry  "  Court  of  Appeal,"  before  rererre4  'o, 
i3  this  entry,  under  date  of  June  5, 1782 :  "Capt.  John  Beeson's  Com- 
pany— 9th.    No  Keturu  for  Duty,  being  aU  out  on  tlie  Expedition." 

2  It  is  not  linowu  tiiat  Capt.  Diggs  was  of  Fayette,  but  his  lieutenant, 
ensign,  and  many  of  the  men  of  his  company  were  residents  of  this  part 
of  Westmorelaud. 

3  Gen.  Irvine  wrote  to  Gen.  Washington  on  the  2l8t  of  May, — "  I  have 
taken  some  pains  to  get  Col.  Crawford  appointed  to  command,  and  hujio 
he  will  bo." 

*  Doddiidge,  in  hs  "Notes"  (page  2Ca),  says  of  Ciawford  that  "  wlicn 
notified  of  his  app<antment  it  is  said  that  he  accepted  it  with  api'Urcnt 


9-1: 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


David  Williamson,  of  AVasliington  County,  Thomas 
Gaddis  and  John  McClelland,  of  that  part  of  West- 
moreland which  is  now  Fayette,  and  Brinton, 

their  rank  and  seniority  being  in  the  order  as  here 
named.  Daniel  Leet  was  elected  brigade-major. 
John  Slovcr,  of  Fayette  County,  and  Jonathan  Zane 
were  designated  as  guides  or  pilots  to  the  advancing 
column.  Dr.  John  Knight,'  post  surgeon  at  Fort 
Pitt,  had  been  detailed  as  surgeon  to  the  expedition. 

Instructions  addressed  "  to  the  officer  who  will  be 
appointed  to  command  a  detachment  of  volunteer 
militia  on  an  expedition  against  the  Indian  town  at 
or  near  Sandusky"  had  been  forwarded  by  Gen.  Ir- 
vine from  Fort  Pitt  on  the  21st  of  May.  In  these  in- 
structions the  general  expressed  himself  as  follows : 

'■The  object  of  your  command  is  to  destroy  with 
fire  and  sword,  if  practicable,  the  Indian  town  and 
settlement  at  Sandusky,  by  which  we  hope  to  give 
ease  and  safety  to  the  inhabitants  of  this  country; 
but  if  impracticable,  then  you  will  doubtless  perform 
such  other  services  in  your  power  as  will  in  tlieir  con- 
sequences have  a  tendency  to  answer  this  great  end. 

"  Previous  to  taking  up  your  line  of  march  it  will 
be  highly  expedient  that  all  matters  respecting  rank 
or  command  should  be  well  understood,  as  far  at  least 
as  first,  second,  and  third.^  This  precaution,  in  case 
of  accident  or  misfortune,  may  be  of  great  import.ance. 
Indeed,  I  think  whatever  grade  or  rank  may  be  fixed 
on  to  have  command,  their  relative  rank  should  be 
determined.  And  it  is  indispensably  necessary  that 
subordination  and  discipline  should  be  kept  up;  the 


Coucerning  this,  Cnttci  field, : 


3  of  the  expe- 


lislilm 
Of  tlu;   1 


whole  ought  to  understand  that,  notwithstanding  they 
are  volunteers,  yet  by  this  tour  they  are  to  get  credit 
for  it  in  their  tours  of  military  duty,  and  that  for 
this  and  otlier  good  reasons  they  must,  while  out  on 
this  duty,  consider  themselves,  to  all  intent,  subject 
to  the  military  laws  and  regulations  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  militia  when  in  actual  service. 

"  Your  best  chance  of  success  will  bo,  if  possible, 
to  effect  a  surprise,  and  though  tliis  will  be  difficult, 
yet  by  forced  and  rapid  marches  it  may,  in  a  great  de- 
gree, be  accomplished.  I  am  clearly  of  opinion  that 
you  should  regulate  your  last  day's  march  so  as  to 
reach  the  town  about  dawn  of  day,  or  a  little  before, 
and  that  the  march  of  this  day  should  be  as  long  as 
can  well  be  performed. 

"I  need  scarcely  mention  to  so  virtuous  and  disin- 
terested a  set  of  men  as  you  will  have  the  honor  to 
command  that  though  the  main,  object  at  present  is 
for  the  purpose  above  set  forth,  viz.,  the  protection 
of  this  country,  yet  you  are  to  consider  yourselves  as 
acting  in  behalf  of  and  for  the  United  States,  that  of 
course  it  will  be  incumbent  on  you  especially  who 
will  have  the  command  to  act  in  every  instance  in 
such  a  manner  as  will  reflect  honor  on,  and  add  re[ni- 
tation  to,  the  American  arms,  of  nations  or  inde- 
pendent States.' 

"  Should  any  person,  British,  or  in  the  service  or 
pay  of  Britain  or  their  allies,  fall  into  your  hands,  if 
it  should  prove  inconvenient  for  you  to  bring  them 
off,  you  will,  nevertheless,  take  special  care  to  liberate 
them  on  parole,  in  such  manner  as  to  insure  liberty 
for  an  equal  number  of  jjcople  in  their  hands.  There 
are  individuals,  however,  who  I  think  should 
brought  off  at  all  events  should  the  fortune  of 
throw  them  into  vour  hands.     I  mean  such  as  h 


IS   flltud   out. 

c  request  „f 

c21stof  Mm> 

achpil  the  ic 

gull  the  (lau 

,,,    ,,,,^,    ^,   ,    il,    ;     ,,,   ,   ,',^.'„',Hn,   .     11,,,:    l..',.,.,'.l_. 

3  Yet  the  llora 

vian  historians  and  their  iniiti 

O.S  have  1 

\i.  Ii  villi',  it  i>  true,  nil.. «-oil  the  tn.i>[*  tu  choose 

me.asured  ahuse 

on  the  hravo    men  who  conn 

.  ,  .1    ihi.    . 

ut  he  was  not  hackwanl  in  letting  it  be  known 

Heekcwehler,  in 

his  "History  of  the  Ind-an  .V 

ion  of  CniMfor.l." 

"gaugof  handitti 

"  and  L.'.skiel,  \vi  itiiig in  the  sum 

s  a  resident  of  Bull-skin  township,  in  what  was 

of  Indian  Missio 

n.V  Bald,  "Tho  same  giing  cf 

h.ll.'i.   l.jLa 

f  unity.    In  1770  he  had  enlisted  in  the  West 

conimitted  Uie  mn 

ssacre  on  the  Muskingum  d:d  lu 

I  give  up  11 

Virginia)  as  a  private  so'.dier.    Soon  after  en- 

design  upon  the  r 

•ninaut  of  the  Indian  congregat 

on.  though 

_riiuthy  Col.  Crawford,  the  comman.ling  officer 

l.ayed  for  a  season 

They  niaiched  in  Hay,  1-^■■2. 

to  Saudii. 

le  illli  of  August,  1T7S,  he  w:,«  i,.,|...int...|  sur- 

they  found  noih 

lig  l.it    .•iiiity  hut---     Tl,.-    T;, 

.1  ...  ill    I 

Virgiui.a.    AftenvardshiM  1.  i      n    t    !  i    .in- 

D.I).,  following  tl 

(under  comnmnd  of  Col  .1   '      ■  i          ,  .       i  .ll 

theSelllenieut  ;n 

1    ,       ,      M       .      ■    :          !■,     .■ 

\ 

0  regiment  at  the  time  tlirSi-,;   .    ,  ,  „,      „ 

r,.u,is>lvaMi,."i| 

,1.1       .    ■,.'l',.   ',     1  .    '■      ,,|    !.    ,  , 

1.'    V   ,i' 

ifeof  any  Indians  that  mi 


1-     Im 

III,.,  Ky, 

whire  hi  died 

...        11,.,,, 

They  were  the  parents 

..iM.vii.     Uuc  .,f  tli,;i  L^.iu 

,1.1,1 

udJohn, 

a  sou  of  Presley 

ue,  a  prominent  puhlic  n 

an  0 

flij 

ttc  Conn 

y.    Dr.  Knight 

recipient  of  a  pension  fro 

m  go 

irnu 

cnt,  undc 

the  act  of  May 

se  directions  were  ohseired 

Jla.i. 

W.lll 

nison  lei 

g  doiguatid  ,as 

and  Maj.  Gaddis  as  third  i 

man  1 

ulath 


many  relutivea  by  the  Imlians.  and  witnessed  tlieir  Iiorrid  niurdLrs  and 
other  deprediitiuns  on  so  extensive  .1  scaly,  they  became  subjecU  uf  that 
iiiiliscriuiinntiiig  thii-stfor  revenge  wliich  is  such  a  prominent  fuature  in 
the  savage  character,  and  liaving  liad  a  taste  of  blood  and  plniHlei', 
without  risk  or  loss  on  their  part,  they  resolved  to  go  on  and  kill  eveiy 
Indian  they  could  find,  whether  fiiend  or  fue."  Does  not  the  tenor  of 
Gen.  Inint-'s  instnulions  to  Cul.  CiawTord  conipk-ti-ly  di^pruvc  the  alio* 
gatiuus  of  Loskicl,  llecliewclder,  and  Doddridge? 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


95 


deserted  to  the  enemy  siuce  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence." 

The  forces  of  Col.  Crawford  commenced  their  march 
from  Mingo  Bottom  early  in  the  morning  of  Saturday, 
the  2oth  of  May.  There  was  a  path  leading  from 
the  river  into  the  wilderness,  and  known  as  "  Wil- 
liamson's trail,"  because  it  was  the  route  over  which 
Col.  Williamson  had  previously  marched  on  his  way 
to  the  Moravian  towns.  This  trail,  as  far  as  it  ex- 
tended, offered  the  easiest  and  most  practicable  route, 
but  Col.  Crawford  did  not  adopt  it,'  because  it  was  a 
principal  feature  in  his  plan  of  the  campaign  to  avoid 
all  traveled  trails  or  routes  on  which  they  would  be 
likely  to  be  discovered  by  lurking  Indians  or  parties 
of  them,  who  would  make  haste  to  carry  intelligence 
of  the  movement  to  the  villages  which  it  was  his  pur- 
pose to  surprise  and  destroy.  So  the  column,  divided 
into  four  detachments,  each  under  immediate  com- 
mand of  one  of  the  four  field-majors,  moved  up  from 
the  river-bottom  into  the  higher  country,  and  struck 
into  the  trackless  wilderness,  taking  a  course  nearly 
due  west,  piloted  by  the  guides  Slcver  and  Zane. 
The  advance  was  led  by  Capt.  Biggs'  company,  in 

hich  were  found  young  William  Crawford  (ensign), 
James  Paull,  John  Eodgcrs,  John  Sherrard,  Alex- 
ander Carson,  and  many  other  Fayette  County  vol- 
unteers. 

Through  the  depths  of  the  gloomy  forest,  along  the 
north  side  of  Cross  Creek,  the  troops  moved  rapidly 
but  warily,  preceded  by  scouts,  and  observing  every 
precaution  known  to  border  W-arfare,  to  guard  against 
ambuscade  or  surprise,  though  no  sign  of  an  enemy 
appeared  in  the  unbroken  solitude  of  the  woods.  No 
incident  of  note  occurred  on  the  march  until  the 
night  of  the  27th  of  May,  when,  at  their  third  camp- 
ing-place, a  few  of  the  horses  strayed  and  were  lost, 
and  in  the  following  morning  the  men  who  had  thus 
been  dismounted,  being  unable  to  proceed  on  foot 
without  embarrassing  the  movements  of  the  column, 
were  ordered  to  return  to  Jlingo  Bottom,  which  they 
did,  but  with  great  reluctance. 

On  the  fourth  day  they  reached  and  crossed  the 
Muskingum  Eiver,  and  then,  marching  up  the  western 
side  of  the  stream,  came  to  the  ruins  of  the  upper 
Moravian  village,  where  they  made  their  camp  for 
the  night,  and  found  plenty  of  corn  remaining  in  the 
iged  fields  of  the  Christian  Indians.  This  en- 
campment was  only  sixty  miles  from  their  starting- 
point  on  the  Ohio,  yet  they  had  been  four  days  in 
reaching  it.  During  the  latter  part  of  their  journey 
to  this  place  they  had  taken  a  route  more  southerly 
:han  the  one  originally  contemplated,  for  their  horses 
Iliad  become  jaded  and  worn  out  by  climbing  the 
liills  and  floundering  through  the  swamps,  and  so  the 

I  Dr.  Doddridge,  in  his  " Notes,"  eoys,  "The  army  marched  along 
i7(('(»jsoii"e  trail,  na  it  was  then  called,  until  they  arrived  at  the  uprer 

Sloravian  town."    In  this,  as  in  many  other  parts  of  Lis  narrative, 

Doda:-:<lge  was  entirely  mistaken. 


commander  found  himself  compelled  to  deflect  his 
line  of  march  so  as  to  pass  through  a  more  open  and 
level  country;  but  he  did  this  very  unwillingly,  for  it 
led  his  army  through  a  region  in  which  they  would 
be  much  more  likely  to  be  discovered  by  Indian 
scouts  or  hunting-parties. 

Up  to  this  time,  however,  no  Indians  had  been 
seen  ;  but  while  the  force  was  encamped  at  the  ruined 
village,  on  the  evening  of  the  28th  of  May,  Maj. 
Brinton  and  Capt.  Bean  went  out  to  reconnoitre  the 
vicinity,  and  while  so  engaged,  at  a  distance  of  about 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  camp,  they  discovered 
two  skulking  savages  and  promptly  fired  on  them. 
The  shots  did  not  take  efl'ect  and  the  Indians  fled, 
but  the  circumstance  gave  Col.  Crawford  great  un- 
easiness, for,  although  he  had  previously  supposed 
that  his  march  had  been  undiscovered  by  the  enemy, 
he  now  believed  that  these  scouts  had  been  hovering 
on  their  flanks,  perhaps  along  the  entire  route  from 
Mingo  Bottom,  and  it  was  certain  that  the  two  savages 
who  had  been  fired  on  would  speedily  carry  intelli- 
gence of  the  hostile  advance  to  the  Indian  towns 
on  the  Sandusky. 

It  was  now  necessary  to  press  on  with  all  practica- 
ble speed  in  order  to  give  the  enemy  as  little  time  as 
possible  to  prepare  for  defense.  Early  in  the  morning 
of  the  20th  the  column  resumed  its  march,  moving 
rapidly,  and  with  even  greater  caution  than  before. 
From  the  Muskingum  the  route  was  taken  in  a 
northwesterly  course  to  the  Killbuck,  and  thence  up 
that  stream  to  a  point  about  ten  miles  south  of  the 
present  town  of  Wooster,  Ohio,  where,  in  the  even- 
ing of  the  .30th,  the  force  encamped,  and  where  one  of 
the  men  died  and  was  buried  at  a  spot  which  was 
marked  by  the  cutting  of  his  name  in  the  bark  of  the 
nearest  tree. 

From  the  lone  grave  in  the  forest  they  moved  on 
in  a  westerly  course,  crossing  an  affluent  of  the  Mo- 
hican, passing  near  the  site  of  the  present  city  of 
Mansfield,  and  arriving  in  the  evening  of  the  1st  of 
June  at  the  place  which  is  now  known  as  Spring 
Mills  Station,  on  the  Pittsburgh,  Fort  Wayne  and 
Chicago  Railroad.  There  by  the  side  of  a  fine  spring 
they  bivouacked  for  the  night.  In  the  march  of  the  2d 
they  struck  the  Sandusky  River  at  about  two  o'clock 
P.M.,  and  halted  that  night  in  the  woods  very  near 
the  eastern  edge  of  the  Plains,  not  more  than  twenty 
miles  from  the  Indian  town,  their  point  of  destina- 
tion. They  had  seen  no  Indian  since  their  dejiarture 
from  the  night  camp  at  the  Moravian  Indian  village 
on  the  Muskingum,  though  they  had  in  this  day's 
march  unknowingly  passed  very  near  the  camp  of 
the  Delaware  chief  Wingenund. 

On  the  morning  of  the  3d  of  June  the  horsemen 
entered  the  open  country  known  as  the  Sandusky 
Plains,  and  moved  rapidly  on  through  waving  grasses 
and  bright  flowers,  between  green  belts  of  timber  and 
island  groves  such  as  few  of  them  had  ever  seen 
before.      Such   were   the   scenes    which    surrounded 


9G 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


them  during  all  of  that  day's  march,  and  at  night  j 
they  made  their  fireless  bivouac  on  or  near  the  site  of 
tlie  present  village  of  Wyandot,  not  more  than  ten 
miles  from  their  objective  pointy  where  (as  they  be- 
lieved) the  deadly  and  decisive  blow  was  to  be  struck. 
Two  hours  after  sunrise  on  the  4th  the  men  were 
aijain  in  the  saddle,  and  the  four  squadrons  began 
their  inarch,  moving  with  greater  caution  than  ever. 
A  march  of  six  miles  brought  them  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Little  Sandusky ;  thence,  having  crossed  the 
stream,  they  proceeded  in  a  direction  a  little  west  of 
north,  past  an  Indian  sugar-camp  of  the   previous 
spring  (which  was  all  the  sign  that  they  had  seen  of 
Indian  occupation),  and  passed  rapidly  on  towards 
the  Wyandot  town,'  the  objective  point  of  the  expe-  i 
dition,  which,  as  the  guide  Slover  assured  the  com-  j 
mander,  lay  immediately  before  them  within  striking  j 
distance.     Suddenly,  at  a  little  after  noon,  the  site  of 
the  town  came  in   fnll  view  through  an  opening  in 
tlie  timber,  Init  to  tlieir  utter  amazement  they  found 
only  a  cluster  of  deserted  huts  without  a  single  in-  i 
habitant!     The  village  appeared  to  have  been  de- 
serted for  a  considerable  time,  and  the  place  was  a 
perfect   solitude.     This  was   a   dilemma  which  Col.  j 
Crawford  had  not  foreseen  nor  anticipated,  and  he  at  , 
once  ordered  a  halt  to  rest  the  horses  and  give  time 
for  him  to  consider  the  strange  situation  of  affairs, 
and  to  decide  on  a  new  plan  of  operations. 

The  guides,  Slover  and  Zane,  and  some  others  in  I 
Crawford's  command  were  well  acquainted  willi  the 
location  of  the  Indian  town.  John  Slover  had  pre-  1 
viously  been  a  prisoner  with  the  Miamis,  and  during 
his  captivity  with  that  tribe  had  frequently  visited 
tlie  Wyandot  village  on  the  Sandusky.  In  guiding 
tlie  expedition  there  he  had,  of  course,  expected  to 
find  the  village  as  he  had  before  seen  it,  and  was,  like 
the  rest,  astonished  to  find  it  deserted.  The  fact,  as 
afterwards  learned,  was  that  some  time  before  Craw- 
ford's coming,  but  how  long  before  has  never  been 
delinitely  ascertained,  the  Indians,  believing  that 
their  upper  village  was  peculiarly  exposed  to  danger 
from  the  incursions  of  the  whites,  had  abandoned  it 
and  retired  down  the  river  about  eight  miles,  where 
tliey  gathered  around  the  village  of  the  Half-King, 
Pomoacan  ;  and  that  was  their  location  when  the  col- 
umns of  Col.  Crawford  descended  the  Sandusky. 

Contrary  to  the  belief  of  the  Pennsylvania  and 
Virginia  settlers  that  the  mustering  of  their  forces 
and  the  march  of  their  expedition  was  unknown  to 
the  Indians,  the  latter  had  been  apprised  of  it  from 
tlie  inception  of  the  project.  Prowling  spies  east  of 
the  Ohio  had  watched  the  volunteers  as  they  left  their 
hdines  in  the  Monongahela  Valley  and  moved  west- 
ward towards  the  rendezvous;  they  had  seen  the 
gathering  of  the  borderers  at  Mingo  Bottom,  and  had 


The  location  of  the  old  A\'yantlot  town  was  tlin 
present  towu  of  I'pper  Sandusky,  or  five  miles 
[he  river,  and  on  its  oppos  Ic  bank. 


:  southeast  of 


shadowed  the  advancing  column  along  all  its  line  ( 
march  from  the  Ohio  to  the  Sandusky.  Swift  runners  > 
had  sped  away  to  the  northwest  with  every  item  of 
warlike  news,  and  on  its  receipt,  the  chiefs  and  war- 
riors at  the  threatened  villages  lost  not  a  moment  in 
making  the  most  energetic  preparations  to  repel  the 
invasion.  Messengers  were  dispatched  to  all  the  Wy- 
andot, Delaware,  and  Shawauese  bands,  calling  on 
them  to  send  in  all  their  braves  to  a  general  rendez- 
vous near  the  Half-King's  headquarters,  and  word  ws 
sent  to  De  Peyster,  the  British  commandant  at  De- 
troit, notifying  him  of  tlie  danger  threatening  his  In- 
dian allies,  and  begging  that  he  would  send  them  aid' 
without  delay.  "This  request  he  at  once  acceded  i 
sending  a  considerable  force  of  mounted  men,  witlii 
two  or  three  small  pieces  of  artillery.  These,  however, 
did  not  play  a  prominent  part  in  the  tragedy  which 
followed. 

The  Indian  scouts  who  had  watched  the  little  army 
of  Crawford  from  the  time  it  left  Mingo  Bottom  .sent 
forward  reports  of  its  progress  day  by  day,  and  from 
these  reports  the  chiefs  at  the  lower  towns  on  the  San- 
dusky learned  in  the  night  of  the  3d  of  June  that  the 
invading  column  was  then  in  bivouac  on  the  Plains, 
not  more  than  eighteen  miles  distdnt.  The  war-pa^ 
ties  of  the  Miamis  and  Shawauese  had  not  come  in 
to  the  Indian  rendezvous,  nor  had  the  expected  aid 
arrived  from  the  British  post  at  Detroit,  but  the  chiefs 
resolved  to  take  the  war-path  without  them,  to  hara 
and  hold  the  advancing  enemy  in  check  as  much 
possible  until  the  savage  forces  should  be  augmented 
sufficiently  to  enable  them  to  give  battle  with  hope  of 
success.  Accordingly,  in  the  morning  of  the  4th  ot 
June,  at  about  the  same  time  when  Col.  Crawford 
was  leaving  his  camp-ground  of  tlie  previous  night 
to  march  on  the  deserted  Indian  town,  the  great  Dela- 
ware chief,  Capt.  Pipe,  set  out  from  his  town  wi 
about  two  hundred  warriors,  and  marched  to  the  ren- 
dezvous, where  his  force  was  joined  by  a  larger  party 
of  Wyandots  under  their  chief  Ghaus-sho-toh.  Wi 
them  was. the  notorious  white  renegade,  Simon  Girty. 
mounted  on  a  fine  horse  and  decked  out  in  full  Indian 
costume.  Tlie  combined  Delaware  and  Wyandot 
forces  numbered  in  all  more  than  five  hundred  braves: 
— a  screeching  mass  of  barbarians,  hideous  in  theli 
war-paint  and  wild  with  excitement.  After  an  orgit 
of  whooping,  yelling,  and  dancing  such  as  savages 
were  wont  to  indulge  in  before  taking  the  war-path 
the  wild  crowd  relapsed  into  silence,  filed  out  fromthi 
place  of  rendezvous,  and  glided  away  like  a  huge  ser 
pent  across  the  grassy  plain  towards  the  cover  of  I 
distant  belt  of  forest. 

In  the  brief  halt  at  the  deserted  village  Col.  Craw- 
ford consulted  with  his  guides  and  some  of  the  officer; 
as  to  the  most  advisable  course  to  be  adopted  undft 
the  strange  circumstances  in  which  he  found  himsel 
placed.  John  Slover  was  firm  in  the  opinion  that  th' 
inhabitants  of  the  village  liad  removed  to  a  town  situ 


THE  EEVOLUTIOX. 


97 


a  few  miles  below.  He  also  believed  that  other 
villages  would  be  found  not  far  away  from  the  one 
which  had  been  abandoned,  and  that  they  might  be 
surprised  by  a  rapid  forward  movement.  Zane,  the 
other  guide,  was  less  confident,  and  not  disposed  to 
advise,  though  he  did  not  strongly  oppose  a  farther 
advance  into  the  Indian  country.  The  commander, 
after  an  hour's  consideration  of  the  embarrassing 
question,  ordered  the  column  to  move  forward  towards 
the  lower  towns.  Crawford's  army  and  the  combined  \ 
Indian  forces  under  Pipe  and  Ghaus-sho-toh  were  now 
rapidly  approaching  each  other. 
,  Crossing  the  river  just  below  the  abandoned  village, 
the  Pennsylvania  horsemen  pressed  rapidly  on  in  a 
northerly  direction  to  the  place  which  afterwards 
lio'/aiiie  the  site  of  Upper  Sandusky.  There  was  no  j 
iiiiliration  of  the  presence  of  the  foe,  but  the  very  i 
sik  uie  and  solitude  seemed  ominous,  and  the  faces  of  i 
oflicers  and  men  grew  grave,  as  if  the  shadow  of  ap- 
proaching disaster  had  begun  to  close  around  them. 
A  mile  farther  on,  a  halt  was  ordered,  for  the  gloom 
liad  deepened  over  the  spirits  of  the  volunteers,  until, 
for  the  first  time,  it  found  expression  in  a  demand  from 
some  of  them  that  the  advance  should  be  abandoned 
and  their  faces  turned  back  towards  the  Ohio  River. 
At  this  juncture  Col.  Crawford  called  a  council  of 
war.  It  was  composed  of  the  commander,  his  aide- 
de-camp,  Eose,  the  surgeon.  Dr.  Knight,  the  four 
majors,  the  captains  of  the  companies,  and  the  guides, 
er  and  Zane.  The  last  named  now  gave  his  opin- 
ion promptly  and  decidedly  against  any  farther  ad- 
vance, and  in  favor  of  an  immediate  return  ;  for  to 
his  mind  the  entire  absence  of  all  signs  of  Indians 
was  almost  a  sure  indication  that  they  were  concen- 
trating in  overwhelming  numbers  at  some  point  not 
far  off.  His  opinion  had  great  weight,  and  the  council 
decided  that  the  march  should  be  continued  until 
evening,  and  if  no  enemy  should  then  have  been  dis- 
covered, the  column  should  retire  over  the  route  by 
which  it  came. 

During  the  halt  Capt.  Biggs'  company,  deployed  as 
scouts,  had  been  thrown  out  a  considerable  distance 
fto  the  front  for  purposes  of  observation.  Hardly  had 
the  council  reached  its  decision  when  one  of  the 
scouts  came  in  at  headlong  speed  with  the  thrilling 
intelligence  that  a  large  body  of  Indians  had  been 
discovered  on  the  plain,  less  than  two  miles  away. 
Then,  "in  hot  haste,"  the  volunteers  mounted,  formed, 
and  moved  forward  rapidly  and  in  the  best  of  spirits, 
the  retiring  scouts  falling  in  with  the  main  body  of 
horsemen  as  they  advanced.  They  had  proceeded 
nearly  a  mile  from  the  place  where  the  council  was 
held  when  the  Indians  were  discovered  directly  in 
their  front.  It  was  the  war-party  of  Delawares,  under 
their  chief,  Capt.  Pipe, — the  Wyandots  being  farther 
to  the  rear  and  not  yet  in  sight. 

When  the  Americans  appeared  in  full  view  of  the 
Delawares,  the  latter  made  a  swift  movement  to  oc- 
cupy an  adjacent  wood,  so  as  to  fight  from  cover,  but 


Col.  Crawford,  observing  the  movement,  instantly 
dismounted  his  men  and  ordered  them  to  charge  into 
the  grove,  firing  as  they  advanced.  Before  this  vigor- 
ous assault  the  Delawares  gave  way  and  retreated  to 
the  open  plain,  while  Crawford's  men  held  the  woods. 
The  Indians  then  attempted  to  gain  cover  in  another 
grove  farther  to  the  east,  but  were  repulsed  by  Maj. 
Leet's  men,  who  formed  Crawford's  right  wing.  At 
this  time  the  Wyandot  force  came  up  to  reinforce  the 
Delawares,  and  with  them  was  Capt.  Matthew  Elliott, 
of  the  British  army,  dressed  in  the  full  uniform  of  an 
officer  in  the  royal  service.  He  had  come  from  De- 
troit, and  arrived  at  the  Indian  rendezvous  a  little  in 
advance  of  the  British  force,  but  after  Pipe  and  Ghaus- 
sho-toh  had  set  out  with  their  braves  to  meet  Craw- 
ford. He  now  came  up  to  the  scene  of  confiict,  and 
at  once  took  command  of  both  Indian  parties.  On 
his  arrival  he  immediately  ordered  the  Delaware  chief 
to  flank  the  Americans  by  passing  to  their  left.  The 
movement  was  successfully  executed,  and  they  held 
the  position,  much  to  the  discomfort  of  the  frontiers- 
men, who,  however,  could  not  be  dislodged  from  their 
cover.  But  they  had  no  great  advantage  of  position, 
for  the  Indians  were  scarcely  less  sheltered  by  the  tall 
grass  of  the  plains,  which  almost  hid  them  from  view 
when  dismounted,  and  afforded  a  considerable  pro- 
tection against  the  deadly  fire  of  the  Pennsylvania 
marksmen.' 

The  fight  commenced  at  about  four  o'clock,  and 
was  continued  with  unabated  vigor,  but  with  varying 
success,  through  the  long  hours  of  that  sultry  June 
afternoon.  Through  it  all,  the  villanous  Simon  Girty 
was  present  with  the  Delawares,  and  was  frequently 
seen  by  Crawford's  men  (for  he  was  well  knowu  by 
many  of  them),  riding  on  a  white  horse,  giving  orders 
and  encouraging  the  savages,  but  never  within  range 
of  the  white  men's  rifles.  The  combined  forces  of  the 
Wyandots  and  Delawares  considerably  outnumbered 
the  command  of  Col.  Crawford,  but  the  latter  held 
their  own,  and  could  not  be  dislodged  by  all  the  arti- 
fices and  fury  of  their  savage  assailants.  When  the 
shadows  of  twilight  began  to  deepen  over  grove  and 
glade,  the  savage  hordes  ceased  hostilities  aud  retired 
to  more  distant  points  on  the  plains. 

The  losses  in  Col.  Crawford's  command  during  the 
afternoon  were  five  killed  and  twenty-three  wounded, 
as  reported  by  the  aide-de-camp.  Rose,  to  Gen.  Irvine. 
One  of  the  killed  was  Capt.  Ogle,  and  among  the 
oflScers  wounded  were  Maj.  Brinton,  Capt.  Ross,  Capt. 
Munn,  Lieut.  Ashley,  and  Ensign  McMasters.  Philip 
Smith,  a  volunteer  from  Georges  Creek,  Fayette 
County,  received  a  severe  wound  iu  his  elbow,  which 

1  "  Some  of  the  bonlurers  climbed  trees,  and  from  their  biisliy  tops  took 
deiidly  aim  at  the  beads  of  the  enemy  as  tliey  arose  above  Ibe  gras.s. 
Daniel  Canon  [of  Fayette  Connty]  was  conspicnons  in  tliis  novel  mode 
of  warfare.  He  was  one  of  the  dead  shots  of  the  army 
lofty  liidiDK-place  tlio  reports  of  his  unerring  rifle  gave 
evidence  of  the  killing  of  savages.  '  I  do  not  know  how  many  Indians 
I  killed,'  saiil  he, afterwards, '  but  I  never  s.iw  the  same  head  again  above 
the  grass  after  I  shot  at  it.'  "—Biillcr/idd. 


,  and  from  bis 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENXSYLVANIA. 


protruded  slightly  from  behind  the  tree  which  he  had 
taken  as  a  cover  while  firing.' 

The  losses  of  the  Indians  were  never  ascertained. 
Though  doubtless  greater  than  those  of  the  whites, 
tliey  were  probably  not  very  heavy,  because  the  savage 
combatants  were  to  a  great  extent  hidden  from  view 
by  the  tall  grass  which  grew  everywhere  in  the  open- 
ings. A  number  of  Indian  scalps  were  taken  by 
Crawford's  men,  but  no  prisoners  were  captured  on 
either  side. 

At  the  close  of  the  conflict  of  the  4th  of  June  tlie 
advantage  seemed  to  be  with  the  white  men,  for  the 
foe  had  retired  from  their  front,  and  they  still  kept 
possession  of  the  grove,'-  from  which  the  red  demons 
had  tried  persistently  but  in  vain  for  nearly  four 
liniirs  to  dislodge  them.  The  officers  and  men  of 
Cul.  Crawford's  command  were  in  good  spirits,  and 
tlie  commander  himself  felt  confident  of  ultimate 
victory,  for  his  volunteers  had  behaved  admirably, 
exhibiting  remarkable  steadiness  and  bravery  during 
the  trying  scenes  of  the  afternoon.  But  the  Indians 
were  by  no  means  dispirited,  for  they  had  suflered  no 
actual  defeat,  and  they  knew  that  their  numbers 
would  soon  be  augmented  by  the  Shawanese  and  other 
war-parties  who  were  already  on  their  way  to  join 
them,  as  was  also  the  British  detachment  which  had 
been  sent  from  Detroit.^  The  night  bivouac  of  the 
Wyandots  was  made  on  the  plains  to  the  north  of  the 
battle-field,  and  that  of  the  Delawares  at  about  the 
same  distance  south.  Far  to  the  front  of  the  Indian 
camps,  lines  of  fires  were  kept  burning  through  the 
night  to  prevent  a  surprise,  and  the  same  precaution- 
ary measure  was  taken  by  Col.  Crawford.  Out- 
lying scouts  from  both  forces  watched  each  other  with 
sleepless  vigilance  through  the  hours  of  darkness, 
aud  frontiersmen  and  savages  slept  on  their  arms. 


I.i-.mght  hin.  iK.w,..     N 

i'nmiv  I'JlN'oiiiio 

iiting:in'iisoimbletime 

I  crawled  alontr  to 

■a  dragged  uway.    I  cc 

t.ld  idainlj-  seo  the 

was  fouKlit  in  and  nro 

mid  tlic  grove  since 

i.i;  in  what  is  now  Cnvi 

0  lownsliip,  Wvnn- 

.Id  lialf  a  mile  Mst  nf 

'''n.i""iV!'TI,M! 

It  was  the  wish  of  Col.  Crawford  to  make  a  vigor- 
ous attack  on  the  Indians  at  daylight  on  the  morning 
of  the  5tli,  but,  he  was  prevented  from  doing  so  by  the 
fact  that  the  care  of  his  sick^  and  wounded  was  very 
embarrassing,  requiring  the  services  of  a  number  of 
men,  and  so  reducing  the  strength  of  his  fighting 
force.  It  was  determined,  however,  to  make  the  best 
preparations  possible  under  the  circumstances,  and  to 
attack  with  every  available  man  in  the  following 
night.  The  Indians  had  commenced  firing  early  in 
the  morning,  and  their  fire  was  answered  by  the 
whites;  but  it  was  merely  a  skirmish  at  long  range, 
and  in  no  sense  a  battle.  It  was  kept  up  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  day,  but  little  harm  was  done,  only 
four  of  Crawford's  men  being  wounded,  and  none 
killed.  Col.  Crawford,  as  we  have  seen,  was  not  pre- 
pared for  a  close  conflict,  but  he,  as  well  as  his  officers  ■ 
and  men,  felt  confident  of  their  ability  to  defeat  the 
enemy  when  the  proper  time  should  come,  attrilniting 
the  apparent  unwillingness  of  the  Indians  to  come  to  • 
close  quarters  to  their  having  been  badly  crippled  in 
the  fight  of  the  4th.  But  the  fact  wa-i  that  the  sav- 
ages were  content  with  making  a  show  of  fight  sufli- 
cient  to  hold  their  white  enemies  at  bay  while  wait- 
ing for  the  arrival  of  their  reinforcements,  which  fliey 
knew  were  approaching  and  near  at  hand. 

The  day  wore  on.  The  red  warriors  kept  up  their 
desultory  firing,  and  the  white  skirmishers  reiilicd, 
while  their  comrades  were  busily  and  confidently 
making  preparations  for  the  intended  night  a'^saultj 
but  it  was  a  delusive  and  fatal  confidence.  Suddenly, 
at  a  little  past  noon,  an  excited  scout  brought  word 
to  Col.  Crawford  that  a  body  of  white  horsemen  were 
approaching  from  the  north.  This  was  most  alarming 
intelligence,  but  it  was  true.  The  British  detachment' 
from  Detroit — Butler's  Rangers — had  arrived,  and 
were  then  forminga  junction  with  the  Wyandot  forces. 
But  this  was  not  all.  Almost  simultaneously  with  the 
arrival  of  the  British  horsemen,  a  large  body  of  Shaw- 
anese warriors  appeared  in  the  south,  in  full  view 
from  Col.  Crawford's  position,  and  joined  the  line  of 
the  Delawares. 

In  this  state  of  affairs  the  idea  of  an  attack  on  the 
Indian  camps  could  no  longer  be  entertained.  The 
commandant  at  once  called  a  council  of  war  of  his  ■ 
officers  to  determine  on  the  course  to  be  pursued  in 
this  dire  emergency.  Tiieir  deliberations  were  very 
short,  and  the  decision  unanimously  rendered  was  to 
retreat  towards  the  Ohio.  In  pursuance  of  this  de- 
cision, preparations  for  the  movement  were  at  once 
commenced.  The  dead  had  already  been  buried,  and 
fires  were  now  built  over  them  to  prevent  their  dis- 

1  been  nmdo  sicli  hy  llie  great 
lay,  and  liy  tlie  vcr.v  Iiad  water 
whicli  they  liad  Itcen  compelled  to  driiili,  the  only  water  wliit  li  could 
he  found  in  the  virinity  of  the  hattle.ground  being  a  stagnant  pool ' 
which  had  formed  ntider  the  routs  of  a  tree  which  had  been  blown  over. 
Mnj.  Hose,  in  his  re|iort  to  Gen.  Irvine,  siid,  "  Wo  were  so  much  encnni- 
hen-il  with  our  wounded  aud  sick  Ihat  the  whole  day  was  s|>cnt  in  their 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


99 


covery  and  desecration  by  the  savages.  Most  of  the 
wounded  were  able  to  ride,  but  for  the  few  who  were 
not,  stretchers  were  prepared.  These  and  other  nec- 
essary preparations  were  completed  before  dark,  and 
the  volunteers  were  ready  to  move  at  the  word  of 
command.  Meanwhile,  war-parties  had  been  hourly 
arriving  to  reinforce  the  Indian  forces,  which  had  now 
become  so  overwhelming  in  numbers  that  any  oflen- 
sive  attempt  against  them  would  have  been  madness. 

As  soon  as  the  late  twilight  of  June  had  deepened 
into  darkness,  all  scouts  and  outposts  were  called  in, 
the  column  was  formed  in  four  divisions,  each  under 
command  of  one  of  the  field-majors,  as  on  the  out- 
ward march,'  and  the  retreat  was  commenced,  the 
command  of  Maj.  John  McClelland  leading,  and  Col. 
Crawford  riding  at  the  head  of  all.  Usually  in  a  re- 
treat the  post  of  honor,  as  of  danger,  is  that  of  the 
rear-guard,  but  in  this  case  the  head  of  the  column 
was  as  much  or  more  exposed  than  the  rear,  as  the 
line  of  march  lay  between  the  positions  held  by  the 
Delawares  and  Shawanese.  That  the  advance  was 
here  considered  to  be  the  post  of  danger  is  shown  by 
the  fact  that  orders  were  given  to  carry  the  badly 
wounded  in  the  rear. 

The  Indians  had  discovered  the  movement  almost 
as  soon  as  the  preparations  for  it  commenced,  and 
hardly  had  the  head  of  the  column  begun  to  move 
when  it  was  fiercely  attacked  by  the  Delawares  and 
Shawanese.  The  volunteers  pushed  on,  fighting  as 
they  went,  but  they  suffered  severely,  and  soon  after, 
Miij.  McClelland  was  wounded,  and,  falling  from  his 
horse,  was  left  behind  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the 
savages.'^  The  division,  however,  fought  its  way  clear 
of  the  Indians,  who  did  not  then  follow  up  the  pursuit, 
probably  for  the  reason  that  they  felt  doubtful  as  to 
the  actual  intent  of  the  movement,  thinking  it  might 
prove  to  be  but  a  feint,  covering  the  real  design  of  a 
general  assault;  so,  fearful  of  some  unknown  strata- 
gem or  trap,  they  remained  within  supponing  dis- 
tance of  the  Wyandots  and  Rangers,  and  by  failing  to 
pursue  probably  lost  the  opportunity  of  routing,  per- 
haps annihilating,  the  head  division. 

When  the  advance-guard  received  the  attack  of 
the  Delawares  and  Shawanese,  the  other  three  divis- 
ions, which,  although  not  wholly  demoralized,  were 
undoubtedly  to  some  extent  panic-stricken,  most  un- 
accountably abandoned  McClelland's  command,  and 
in  disregard  of  the  orders  to  follow  the  advance  in  a 
solid  column,  moved  rapidly  off  on  a  line  diverging 
to  the  right  from  the  prescribed  route.  They  had  not 
proceeded  far,  liowever,  before  some  of  the  companies 
became  entangled  in  the  mazes  of  a  swamp,  in  which 
several  of  the  horses  were  lost.     During  the  delay 


>  Excepting  tlint  of  MajBi! 
now  commiintleil  l.y  Tli  L  1 1,  i 

2  It  was  lielievra   ,.i 

Clellaiid  was  Uillc-d  . 

effort  was  made  t..  sn     '  im  ;; 


I  was  wounded.    His  division  was 

Itioers  and  men  tliatMaj.  Mc- 
■A  IS  donbllcss  the  reason  wliy  no 

I I  .    Tlie  belief  was  erroneous',  as 


caused  by  this  mishap,  the  rear  battalion  was  attacked 
by  the  Indians,  and  a  few  of  the  men  were  wounded, 
but  the  enemy  did  not  push  his  advantage,  and  the 
divisions  pushed  on  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  de- 
flecting to  the  left  beyond  the  swamp,  and  striking 
the  trail  by  which  they  came  on  the  outward  march, 
came  about  daybreak  to  the  deserted  Indian  village 
on  the  Sandusky,  where  they  found  the  men  of  Mc- 
Clelland's division,  who  had  reached  there  an  liour  or 
two  earlier,  disorganized,  panic-stricken,  and  leader- 
less,  for  Maj.  McClelland  had  been  left  for  dead  on 
the  field,  as  before  narrated  ;  and  during  the  hurried 
march,  or  more  properly  the  flight,  from  the  scene  of 
the  fight  to  the  abandoned  village,  the  commander. 
Col.  Crawford,  had  disappeared,  and  no  one  was  able 
to  give  any  information  concerning  him,  whether  he 
had  been  wounded,  killed,  captured,  or  lost  in  the 
woods.  John  Slover,  the  guide,  and  Dr.  Knight,  the 
surgeon,  were  also  missing.  These  facts,  when  known 
by  the  men,  greatly  increased  their  uneasiness  and 
demoralizati<m. 

At  this  point  (the  deserted  Wyandot  village),  Maj. 
Williamson,  as  Col.  Crawford's  second  in  command, 
assumed  the  leadership  of  the  forces,  and  after  a  brief 
halt  the  entire  command,  now  numbering  something 
more  than  three  hundred  and  fifty  men,  continued 
the  retreat  over  the  route  by  which  they  had  come  on 
the  outward  march.  The  new  commander,  never 
doubting  that  tlie  Indians  would  pursue  him  in  force, 
hurried  on  his  men  with  all  possible  speed,  keeping 
out  the  most  wary  and  trusty  scouts  on  his  rear  and 
flanks.  The  command  passed  tiie  mouth  of  the  Little 
Sandusky  without  seeing  any  signs  of  an  enemy,  but 
while  passing  through  the  Plains,  at  about  eleven 
o'clock"  in  the  forenoon,  the  scouts  discovered  far  in 
their  rear  a  pursuing  party,  apparently  composed  of 
botli  Indians  and  white  men.  They  were  afterwards 
found  to  be  Wyandots  and  British  Rangers,  all 
mounted.  It  was  now  the  purpose  of  Maj.  William- 
son to  cross  the  Plain  country  and  reach  the  shelter 
of  the  timber  before  being  overtaken  by  the  pursuers ; 
and  the  latter  were  equ.ally  determined,  if  possible,  to 
possess  themselves  of  the  woods  in  advance  of  the 
Americans.  The  race  was  an  eager  and  exciting  one 
on  both  sides,  but  at  last  Maj.  Williamson  found  that 
the  Indians  were  gaining  on  him  so  rapidly  that  he 
would  be  compelled  to  stand  for  battle  before  reach- 
ing the  timber.  Maj.  Rose,  in  his  report  of  these 
operations  to  Gen.  Irvine,  said,  "  Tliough  it  was  our 
business  studiously  to  avoid  engaging  in  the  Plains, 
on  account  of  the  enemy's  superiority  in  light  cav- 
alry, yet  they  pressed  our  rear  so  hard  that  we  con- 
cluded on  a  general  and  vigorous  attack,  whilst  our 
light-horse'  secured  the  entrance  of  the  woods." 

The  place  where  Maj.  Williamson  found  himself 
compelled  to  stand  at  bay  before  the  pursuing  horde 

3  Referring  to  one  of  tlie  companies,  which  Col.  Crawford  bad  selected 
and  equipped  for  special  duty  as  skirnu^heri  and  scouts. 


100 


HISTORY  OP  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  AVyandots  and  British  Rangers,  in  the  early  after- 
noon of  the  6th  of  June,  was  near  the  creek  called 
Olentangy,^  a  tributary  of  the  Scioto,  near  the  eastern 
edge  of  the  Plains,  where  the  column  of  Col.  Craw- 
ford had  first  debouched  from  the  shades  of  the  forest 
into  the  open  country  on  the  morning  of  the  3d, 
when  moving  towards  the  Wyandot  town,  which  they 
found  deserted.  But  the  aspect  of  afliiirs  was  materi- 
ally changed  since  that  time.  Then  they  were  ad- 
vancing in  high  spirits  and  confident  of  victory 
over  the  savages,  now,  in  headlong  flight  before  the 
same  barbarous  foe,  they  were  turning  in  sheer  des- 
peration to  fight  for  their  lives. 

The  battle-line  of  the  Pennsylvanians  faced  to  the 
west,  and  in  its  rear,  holding  the  edge  of  the  woods, 
and  ready  to  act  as  a  reserve  corps  in  case  of  emer- 
gency, was  the  company  of  light-horsemen.  The  pur- 
suing force,  close  upon  them,  attacked  unhesitatingly 
and  with  fierce  energy,  first  striking  the  front,  then 
quickly  extending  their  battle-line  around  the  left 
flank  to  the  rear  of  Williamson's  force,  which  was 
thus  compelled  to  meet  the  savage  assault  in  three 
directions.  But  the  panic  and  demoralization  of  the 
volunteers  had  entirely  disappeared,-  and  they  met 
each  successive  onslaught  with  such  cool  bravery  and 
steadiness,  and  fought  with  such  desperation,  that  at 
the  end  of  an  hour  from  the  commencement  of  the 
battle  the  enemy  withdrew,  discomfited,  and  appa- 
rently with  heavy  loss.  Perhaps  the  sudden  cessa- 
tion of  their  firing  was  in  some  degree  due  to  the  fact 
that  just  then  a  furious  thunder-storm,  which  had  for 
some  time  been  threatening,  burst  upon  the  combat- 
ants. The  men  were  drenched  and  chilled  to  the 
bone,  while  much  of  their  ammunition  was  rendered 
useless  by  the  rain.  This,  however,  operated  tjuite  as 
unfavorably  to  the  Indians  as  to  the  whites. 

As  soou  as  the  savages  and  Rangers  withdrew,  Maj. 
Williamson,  without  a  moment's  delay,  caused  the 
dead  to  be  buried  and  the  wounded^  cared  for,  and 
then  the  retreat  was  resumed.  Capt.  Biggs'  company, 
which  seems  to  have  always  held  the  post  of  danger, 
leading  the  advance  in  the  outward  march,  now 
formed  the  rear-guard,  though  its  ranks  were  reduced 
to  nine  men  and  all  its  oflicers  were  missing.     It  was 


byflhli 


lu«',  anil  \v.aste  not  a 
■I'eml  upon  it!"  These 
iMipc'U'SsiK'ss  of  escujie 


1  to  stand  firm,  resolved  to  fight 


IS3  of  the  yolnnteers  in  this  flglit  was  tlii'co  Uillcd  and  eigh 


afterwards  relieved,  however,  and  from  that  time  each 
of  the  companies  in  turn  took  position  to  guard  the 
rear  of  the  retreating  column. 

When  Williamson  commenced  his  retreat  from  the 
battle-field,  the  enemy,  who  had  in  the  mean  time 
scattered  over  the  Plains,  soon  concentrated  and  re- 
newed the  pursuit,  firing  rapidly  but  at  long  range. 
Soou,  however,  they  began  to  press  the  rear  mori 
closely,  throwing  the  volunteers  into  some  disorder, 
which  must  have  grown  into  a  panic  but  for  the  cool- 
ness and  intrepidity  of  the  commander  and  Maj. 
Rose.  These  officers  were  unceasing  in  their  efforts, 
constantly  moving  along  the  line,  entreating  the  vol- 
unteers to  keep  solidly  together  and  preserve  unbroken 
the  order  of  march,  and  warning  them  tliat  if  any 
should  leave  the  column  and  attempt  to  escape  singly 
or  in  squads  they  would  certainly  lose  their  scalps. 
Finally  they  became  steady,  and  the  order  of  march 
was  preserved  unbroken  during  the  remainder  of  the 
day.  The  Indians  kept  up  the  pursuit,  and  occasion- 
ally attacked  with  much  vigor,  though,  as  William- 
son's force  was  now  moving  through  the  timbered 
country,  the  savages  no  longer  held  the  relative  ad- 
vantage which  they  had  possessed  in  fighting  on  the 
Plains. 

The  volunteers  bivouacked  that  night  (June  6th) 
on  the  Sandusky  River,  about  six  miles  from  the 
battle-field  of  the  afternoon ;  the  enemy's  force 
camped  about  a  mile  farther  to  the  rear.  Unusual 
precautions  were  taken  by  Maj.  Williamson  to  guard 
against  a  surprise  during  the  night,  and  at  the  first 
streakings  of  dawn  on  the  7th  the  men  fell  in  to  re- 
sume the  march  ;  but  hardly  had  the  column  been 
formed  when  the  Indians  came  up  and  opened  fire 
ujion  the  rear.  A  lively  skirmish  followed,  in  which 
two  of  the  men  fell  into  the  liands  of  the  savages,  but 
no  disorder  ensued.  The  retreat  was  continued 
steadily  and  in  good  order,  and,  much  to  Jlaj.  Wil- 
liamson's surprise,  the  Indians  suddenly  abandoned 
the  pursuit.  The  last  shot  from  the  savages  was  fired 
at  a  point  near  the  present  town  of  Crestline.  From 
there  the  column  moved  rapidly  on  in  good  order 
and  without  molestation  to  the  Ohio,  which  it  crossed 
on  the  13th  of  June.  On  their  arrival  on  the  Vir- 
ginia side  of  the  river,  the  men  not  being  compelled 
to  wait  for  a  formal  dischai-ge,  dispersed  to  their 
homes. 

Having  seen  how  Maj.  Williamson  with  the  main 
body  of  the  troops  reached  and  crossed  the  Ohio 
River,  let  us  return  to  trace  the  adventures  and  mis- 
fortunes of  the  brave  Col.  Crawford,  his  faithful 
friend  Dr.  Knight,  and  others  who  had  become  sepa- 
rated from  the  column  and  were  struggling  on  through 
the  wilderness,  with  dangers  surrounding  them  on 
every  side,  in  their  endeavors  to  escape  from  the 
savages. 

When  the  volunteers  commenced  their  retreat  from 
the  battle-field  of  the  4th  and  otli  of  June,  at  about 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


101 


nine  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  tlie  last-mentioned 
day,  Col.  Crawford  rode  at  the  head  of  the  leading 
division  (McClelland's).  A  very  short  time  after- 
wards they  wore  attacked  by  the  Delawares  and 
Shawanese,  and  (as  has  already  been  mentioned)  the 
rear  divisions  left  their  position  in  the  line  of  march 
and  moved  away  to  the  right,  leaving  the  front  di- 
vision to  extricate  itself  from  its  perilous  situation. 
They  left  in  such  haste  that  no  little  disorder  ensued, 
in  which  some  of  the  sick  and  wounded  were  left 
behind,  though  it  is  believed  that  all  but  two  were 
finally  saved  from  the  enemy.  While  the  Indian 
attack  on  the  advance  division  was  in  progress,  Col. 
Crawford  became  anxious  concerning  his  son  John, 
liis  nephew,  William  Crawford,  and  his  son-in-law, 
William  Harrison,  and  rode  back  to  find  them  or 
re  himself  of  their  safety,  but  in  this  he  was  un- 
successful. While  engaged  in  the  search  he  was 
joined  by  the  surgeon,  Dr.  Knight,  whom  he  re- 
quested to  remain  with  and  assist  him.  With  this 
equest  the  doctor  readily  complied.  He  thought 
the  missing  men  were  in  the  front,  but  as  the  colonel 
assured  him  they  were  not,  the  two  remained  behind 

considerable  time  after  the  last  of  the  troops  had 
passed  on,  the  commander  in  the  meanwliile  express- 
liimself  in  terms  of  indignation  at  the  conduct  of 
the  three  battalions  in  disobeying  his  orders  by  leaving 
the  line  of  march  and  pressing  on  in  their  semi-panic, 
forgetting   the   care  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  and 

jardless  of  everything  but  their  own  safety. 

After  the  last  of  the  troops  had  passed  on,  and 
when  Crawford  and  the  surgeon  found  it  useless  to 
remain  longer,  they  followed  as  nearly  as  they  could 
in  the  track  of  the  larger  column,  which,  however, 
by  this  time  was  a  considerable  distance  away  and 
lost  to  view  iu  the  darkness.  Proceeding  rather 
lowly  on  (for  the  colonel's  horse  had  become  jaded 
and  nearly  worn  out  by  the  fatigues  of  the  day),  they 
were  soon  after  overtaken  by  two  stragglers  who  came 
up  from  the  rear,  one  of  them  being  an  old  man  and 
the  other  a  stripling.  Neither  of  these  had  seen  or 
knew  anything  about  the  two  young  Crawfords  and 
Harrison. 

The  colonel  and  his  three  companions  had  not 
proceeded  far  when  the  sound  of  fire-arms  was  heard 
in  front  of  them  and  not  very  far  away.  It  was  from 
the  attack  which  the  savages  made  on  the  rear  of  the 
retre.ating  column  at  the  time  when  a  part  of  it  be- 
came entangled  in  the  swamp,  as  has  been  mentioned. 
The  noise  of  the  firing  before  them  caused  Crawford's 
party  to  turn  their  course  in  a  more  northerly  direc- 
tion, on  which  they  continued  for  two  or  three  miles, 
when,  believing  that  they  were  clear  of  the  enemy, 
they  turned  at  nearly  a  right  angle,  now  facing  nearly 
east,  and  moving  in  single  file,  Indian  fashion.  At 
about  midnight  they  reached  and  crossed  the  San- 
dusky River.  Near  that  stream  they  lost  the  old 
man,  who  had  lagged  behind,  and  was  probably 
killed  by  Indians. 


From  the  Sandusky  they  continued  in  an  easterly 
direction,  but  when  morning  came,  they  turned  more 
southerly.  Early  in  the  day  the  horses  ridden  by  Col. 
Crawford  and  the  boy  gave  out  entirely  and  were 
left  behind.  Early  in  the  afternoon  they  were  joined 
by  Capt.  Biggs  and  Lieut.  Ashley,  the  latter  mounted 
on  Biggs'  horse,  and  suffering  severely  from  the 
wound  received  in  the  battle  of  the  4th.  The  captain 
had  bravely  and  generously  stood  by  the  wounded 
lieutenant,  and  w.as  now  marching  on  foot  by  his  side, 
resolved  to  save  him  if  possible,  even  at  the  risk  of  his 
own  life.    And  a  fearful  and  fatal  risk  it  proved  to  be. 

At  almost  precisely  the  time  when  Biggs  and  Ashley 
were  found  by  Col.  Crawford's  party  (about  two  o'clock 
P.M.  on  the  (Jth  of  June),  the  main  body  of  volunteers, 
under  Williamson,  were  facing  to  the  rear,  forming 
line  of  battle  to  meet  the  attack  of  the  pursuing  In- 
dians, as  has  already  been  noticed.  The  distance 
from  the  field  where  the  battle  was  raging  to  the 
place  where  the  party  of  fugitives  were  at  that  time 
was  about  six  miles  in  a  northwest  direction.  After 
beingjoinod  by  Biggs  and  Ashley,  the  colonel  and  his 
companions  moved  on  slowly  (being  encumbered  by 
the  care  of  the  wounded  officer)  for  about  an  hour, 
when  their  flight  was  interrupted  by  the  same  thunder- 
storm that  burst  over  the  battle-field  of  Olentangy  at 
the  close  of  the  conflict.  Being  now  drenched  with 
the  rain,  and  wearied  by  their  eighteen  hours'  flight, 
the  commander  thought  it  best  to  halt,  and  accord- 
ingly they  made  their  night  bivouac  here,'  amid  the 
most  cheerless  surroundings,  wet,  shivering,  and  in 
constant  dread  of  being  discovered  by  prowling  sav-  ' 
ages. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  7th'  the  party  pushed 
on  in  iTearly  the  same  southeasterly  direction,  recross- 
ing  the  Sandusky  River.  An  hour  or  two  after  their 
start  they  came  to  a  place  where  a  deer  had  been 
killed.  The  best  parts  of  the  carcass  had  been  cut  off" 
and  wrapped  in  the  skin  of  the  animal,  as  if  the  owner 
had  intended  to  return  and  carry  it  away.  This  they 
took  possession  of  and  carried  with  them,  as  also  a 
tomahawk  which  lay  on  the  ground  near  by.  A  mile 
or  so  farther  on  they  saw  smoke  rising  through  the 
trees.  Leaving  the  wounded  officer  behind,  in  charge 
of  the  boy,  the  others  advanced  cautiously  towards  the 
fire.  They  found  no  person  there,  but  they  judged, 
from  the  indications,  that  some  of  the  volunteers  had 
been  there,  and  had  left  the  place  only  a  short  time 
before.  Lieut.  Ashley  was  then  brought  up,  and  they 
proceeded  to  roast  the  venison  which  they  had  cap- 
tured. As  they  were  about  finishing  their  meal  a 
white  man  was  seen  near  by,  who,  on  being  called  to, 
came  up  very  cautiously,  and  was  recognized  by  Col. 
Crawford  as  one  of  his  own  men.  He  said  he  was  the 
slayer  of  the  deer,  and  that  he  had  been  frightened 
away  from  the  carcass  by  the  approach  of  the  colonel 


nmpeil  that  night  is  about  t 


102 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


and  his  companions.  Food  was  given  him,  and  after 
eating  he  moved  on  with  the  party. 

Ahout  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  they  struck  the 
route  of  the  army's  outward  march,  at  a  bend  in  the 
Sandusky,  less  than  two  miles  distant  from  the  i)lace 
where  Williamson's  force  had  bivouacked  the  night 
before,  and  where,  in  the  morning  of  the  same  day, 
the  pursuing  Indians  had  made  their  last  attack  on 
the  retreating  column.  They  were  still  nearer  to  the 
camping-place  occupied  by  the  Indians  during  the 
jirevious  night,  and  it  is  difficult  to  understand  how 
the  practiced  eye  of  Col.  Crawford  could  have  failed 
to  discover  the  proximity  of  Indians,  but  it  is  cer- 
tain that  such  was  the  case,  for  when  Dr.  Knight  and 
Capt.  Biggs  advised  him  to  avoid  following  the  trail, 
for  fear  of  encountering  the  enemy,  he  replied  with 
confidence  that  there  was  little  danger  of  it,  for  the 
savages  would  not  follow  the  retreating  column  after 
it  reached  the  timbered  country,  but  would  aban- 
don the  pursuit  as  soon  as  they  reached  the  eastern 
verge  of  the  Plains. 

From  the  point  where  they  struck  the  trail  at  the 
bend  of  the  river,  then,  they  moved  on  over  the  route 
which  had  been  passed  by  the  troops  in  their  out- 
ward march.  Col.  Crawford  and  Dr.  Knight,  both 
on  foot,  led  the  way;  Capt.  Biggs  (now  riding  the 
doctor's  horse)  followed  some  fifteen  or  twenty  rods 
behind,  and  in  the  rear  marched  the  boy  and  the 
killer  of  .the  deer,  both  dismounted.  In  this  manner 
they  proceeded  along  the  south  side  of  the  river  until 
they  came  very  near  the  iihu-e  where  Williamson  had 
made  his  camp  of  the  previous  evening.  It  does  not 
appear  that  they  had  yet  detected  the  proximity  of  an 
enemy,  or  that  they  were  using  more  than  ordinary 
precaution  as  they  traveled.  Suddenly,  directly  in 
front  of  Crawfjrd  and  Knight,  and  not  more  than  fifty 
feet  from  them,  three  Indians  started  up  in  full  view. 
Crawford  stood  his  ground,  not  attempting  to  gain 
cover,  but  the  surgeon  instantly  took  to  a  tree  and 
raised  his  piece  to  fire,  but  desisted  from  doing  so  at 
the  peremptory  command  of  the  colonel.  Imme- 
diately afterwards,  however,  Capt.  Biggs  saw  the  sav- 
.iges  and  fired,  but  without  effect.  One  of  the  Indians 
came  up  to  Crawford  and  took  him  by  the  hand,  while 
another  in  like  manner  advanced  and  took  the  hand 
of  the  surgeon,  at  the  same  time  calling  him  "doc- 
tor," for  they  had  previously  been  acquainted  with 
each  other  at  Fort  Pitt. 

The  Indians  told  Crawford  to  order  Biggs  and  Ash- 
ley, with  the  two  other  men  in  the  rear,  to  come  up 
and  surrender,  otherwise  they  would  go  and  kill  them. 
The  colonel  complied,  calling  out  to  them  to  advance, 
but  this  was  disregarded,  and  all  four  of  them  es- 
caped, though  Biggs  and  Ashley  were  afterwards 
taken  and  killed  by  the  savages. 

It  was  a  ])arty  of  the  Delawares  who  captured  Col. 
Crawford  and'  Dr.  Knight,  and  they  immediately 
took  their  captives  to  the  camj)  of  their  chief,  Winge- 


I  nund.  The  time  this  occurred  was  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  7th  of  June  (Friday),  only  five  days  after  the 
army  had  passed  by  the  same  place  in  its  outward 
march  in  the  highest  spirits,  and  with  the  brave 
Crawford  riding  at  its  head,  happily  unconscious  of 
the  awful  doom  which  awaited  him. 

Crawford  and  Knight  remained  at  the  camp  of  the 
Dclawares  for  three  days.  During  their  stay  there 
(in  the  evening  of  Sunday,  the  9th)  a  party  of  out- 
lying scouts  came  in,  bringing  the  scalps  of  Lieut. 
Ashley  and  Capt.  Biggs,  as  also  the  horses  which  had 
been  ridden  by  those  unfortunate  ofhccrs.  Besides 
Crawford  and  Knight,  there  were  nine  other  white 
prisoners  at  the  Delaware  camp,  all  half-starved  and 
guarded  with  the  utmost  vigilance  by  the  seventeen 

I  warriors  who  composed  the  war-party  at  the  camp.  • 
Several  of  these  savages  were  personally  known  to 

I  Crawford'and  Knight. 

I  On  the  morning  of  the  10th  the  camp  was  broken 
up,  and  the  warriors  set  out  with  their  prisoners  for 
the  Sandusky  towns.  All  of  them  except  Crawford 
were  taken  to  the  old  town  at  Upper  Sandusky  ;  but 
the  colonel  was  taken  by  a  different  route  to  the  head- 
quarters of  Pomoacan,  the  great  sachem  of  the  Wyan- 
dots.  There  were  two  reasons  for  his  being  sent  to 
that  village,  one  of  them  being  to  have  him  guide  his 
captors  over  the  route  by  which  he  and  Knight  had 
come,  so  that  they  might  possibly  find  the  horses 
which  luid  been  left  behind,  and  the  other  reason 
being  to  allow  the  colonel  to  see  Simon  Girty,  who 
was  known  to  be  at  the  Half-King's  town.  Girty  was 
an  old  acquaintance  of  Crawford's,  as  has  been  seen, 
and  the  latter  had  a  foint  hope  that  by  a  personal  in- 
terview with  the  renegade  he  might  be  induced  to 
use  his  influence  with  the  Indians  to  save  the  prison- 
er's life,  or  at  least  to  save  him  from  the  torture  by 
fire.  The  hope  was  a  vain  and  delusive  one,  as  the 
event  proved,  but  the  doomed  man  in  his  extremity 
clung  to  it  as  drowning  men  catch  at  straws.  His 
savage  custodians  well  knew  that  he  would  g 
nothing  by  the  interview  with  Girty,  hut  they  granted 
his  request,  apparently  for  the  demoniac  satisfaction: 
of  witnessing  the  despair  and  agony  of  his  certain  i 
disappointment. 

The  prisoners  bound  for  the  old  town  arrived  there 
the  same  evening.     Later  in  the  night  Crawford  and 

i  his  guards  reached  Pomoacan's  village,  where  ho  had 
the  desired  interview  with  Girty,  during  which  he 
offered  the  wretch  one  thousand  dollars  to  interfere 

;  and  save  his  life.     Girty  promised  to   do  what   he 

'  could,  though  he  had  not  the  slightest  intention  of 
keeping  his  word.  He  also  told  the  colonel  that  his 
nephew,  William  Crawford,  and  his  son-in-law,  Wil- 
liam Harrison,  h.ad  been  captured  by  Shawanese 
scouts,  but  that  the  chiefs  of  that  tribe  had  decided 
to  spare  their  lives,  the  latter  portion  of  his  statement 
being  false,  as  he  well  knew.  But  the  story,  with 
the  promise  to  intercede  in  his  behalf,  had  the  effect 
to  allav  for  the  time  the  colonel's  worst  fears. 


THE   KEVOLUTION. 


103 


On  the  following  morning  (June  11th)  Crawford 
was  informed  that  he  must  go  to  the  old  town,  to 
join  the  other  prisoners,  so  that  all  could  be  marched 
body  to  the  village  of  the  Half-King.  Under 
this  order  he  was  taken  to  the  upper  village,  where  he 
arrived  about  the  middle  of  the  forenoon,  and  there 
found  the  main  body  of  the  white  prisoners,  including 
Dr.  Knight,  and  the  Delaware  chiefs,  Pipe  and  Wir.- 
genund,  who  had  come  there  at  an  earlier  hour  in 
the  morning.     Here  the  hopes  which  had  been  raised 

Crawford's  mind  by  the  promise  of  Girty  were  sud- 
denly extinguished  when  Wingenund  approached  him 
and  painted  his  face  black.  The  hypocritical  chief,' 
while  he  was  performing  the  ominous  operation,  pro- 
fessed to  be  extremely  glad  to  see  the  colonel,  and 
assured  him  that  he  was  to  be  adopted  as  an  Indian  ; 
but  Crawford  was  not  deceived  by  this  dissimulation, 
for  he  well  knew  that  when  the  Indians  painted  the 
face  of  a  prisoner  black  it  meant  but  one  thing, — that 
the  person  so  marked  had  been  doomed  to  death. 
All  the  other  prisoners,  including  Dr.  Knight,  had 
previously  been  painted  black  by  the  implacable 
pelaware,  Capt.  Pipe. 

A  little  later  in  the  day  the  whole  party  of  pris- 
[oners,  under  their  Indian  guards,  moved  out  from  the 
old  town  and  took  the  trail  down  the  river.  Col. 
Crawford  and  Dr.  Knight  (who  were  regarded  by  the 
Indians  as  their  principal  prizes)  were  marched  some 
distance  in  the  rear  of  the  others,  and  were  kept  in 
charge  by  no  less  personages  than  the  chiefs  Win- 
genund and  Pipe.  They  had  not  proceeded  far  from 
the  village  before  they  passed  the  corpse  of  one  of 
the  prisoners  who  preceded  them.  A  little  farther  on 
they  saw  another,  then  another  and  another,  four  in 
all,  killed  by  their  guards  only  a  few  minutes  before, 
and  all  bearing  the  bloody  marks  made  by  the  scalp- 
ing-knife. 

They  had  supposed  that  their  destination  was  the 
[town  of  the  Wyandot  sachem,  Pomoacan,  but  their 
hearts  sank  within  them-  when,  at  the  Big  Springs, 
on  the  present  site  of  Upper  Sandusky,  the  Indians 


le  treaclierous  Wingenund  was  i 
ways  professed  great  friendshif 
entertained  by  the  colonel  at 
[Cttpt.  Pipe  was  also  acqnaintod  with  < 
Tlie  Wyan-lota  had  advanced  m 
civiliz:ttion  than  had  the  D^daware 
Ihey,  long  l.crol-e  th.l  miii',  uiM.lii 
their  priaoiiers,  but  th.  ,    :i     .  ;  ,      i 

[other  trihes.     Tlie  [•i\~  .1     •,  1,  

n  in  their  favur  tl.al  iImo  « 

their  real  destination  was 
a-  too  well  that  m'M-cy  was 
and  Wingenund,  being  fi 
I  Crawford  and  Knight,  had 
from  the  Half-King,  Punina 
rbarity,  for,  as  the  Wyatidot 
■t  m.asters  of  that  section  of 
eadful  deed  without  the  c 
■w  cou'ld  1 
lightforwi 


acquainted  with  Col.  Crawford, 
him,  and  had  more  than  once 
house  ou  the  Youghiogheny. 
rford. 

farther  on  the  ro.ad  towards 
Shawanese.  and  not  only  bad 
iiined  the  practice  of  burning 
the  horrid  custom  among  the 
i^.  had  consequently  regarded 
to  be  taUen  to  the  home  of  the 
that  they  hail  b.-en  deceived, 
ruel  Delawares, 
:o  be  expected.  The  fact  was 
lelerniined  to  inflict  the  fire 
urse  to  stratagem  and  deceit 
lis  consent  to  the  commission 
10  niLiie  poiveirol  than  they,, 


left  the  trail  leading  to  the  Wyandot  headquarters 
and  took  that  leading  to  the  villages  of  the  Delawares. 
On  this  trail  they  proceeded  in  a  northwesterly  course 
until  they  reached  Little  Tymochtee  Creek,  where 
Crawford  and  Knight,  with  their  guards,  overtook  the 
other  surviving  prisoners,  only  five  in  number.  Here 
several  squaws  and  young  Indians  were  met,  and  all 
the  prisoners  were  halted  and  made  to  sit  on  the 
ground.  The  object  of  this  movement  became  appa- 
rent when,  a  few  minutes  later,  the  five  pri-soners  were 
set  upon  by  the  squaws  and  boys,  who  tomahawked  and 
scalped  them  all.  Some  of  the  boys  took  the  warm 
and  bloody  scalps  and  repeatedly  dashed  them  into 
tlie  fticcs  of  Crawford  and  Knight,  who  had  also  been 
seated  on  the  ground  a  short  distance  away  from  but 
in  full  view  of  the  butchery. 

Of  the  prisoners  who  had  set  out  from  the  old 
town  only  Crawford  and  Knight  now  remained.  The 
march  was  resumed  on  the  trail  to  Pipe's  town,  the 
two  prisoners  being  now  separated  and  made  to  walk 
a  hundred  yards  or  more  apart.  Ou  their  way  they 
were  met  by  Simon  Girty  on  horseback  and  accom- 
panied by  several  Indians.  Girty  spoke  to  Crawford 
and  also  to  Knight,  heaping  upon  the  latter  the  vilest 
epithets  and  abuse.  As  the  party  moved  on  they 
were  met  by  many  Indians,  all  of  whom  maltreated 
the  prisoners,  striking  them  with  clubs  and  beating 
theni  with  their  fists.  About  the  middle  of  the  after- 
noon the  party  with  their  dejected  captives  arrived 
at  a  piece  of  bottom-land  on  the  east  bank  of  Ty- 
mochtee Creek,  where  a  halt  was  made,  and  it  became 
at  once  apparent  that  witli  this  halt  the  journeying 
of  one  at  least  of  the  prisoners  was  ended.  Craw- 
ford and  Knight  were  still  separated,  and  were  not 
again  allowed  to  hold  any  conversation  together. 
Knight  was  in  charge  of  a  peculiarly  villanous-look- 
ing  Indian  named  Tutelu,  who  had  been  made  his 
special  guard,  and  who  was  to  take  him  on  the  follow- 
ing day  to  the  Shawanese  towns,  which  had  been  de- 
cided on  as  the  place  where  he  was  to  be  put  to  death. 
The  spot  where  the  party  halted  on  the  banks  of 
the  Tymochtee  was  the  place^  where  Col.  Crawford 
was  to  die.  It  had  been  fully  and  finally  decided  by 
the  chiefs  that  he  should  sutfer  death  by  the  torture 
of  fire,  and  as  all  the  barbarous  preparations  had 
been  made  there  was  but  little  delay  before  the  com- 
mencement of  the  infernal  orgie.  The  fatal  stake 
had  already  been  set,  and  fires  of  hickory  sticks  were 
burning  in  a  circle  around  it.  About  forty  Indian 
men  and  twice  that  number  of  .squaws  and  young 
Indians  were  waiting  to  take  part  in  the  torturing  of 
the  unfortunate  prisoner. 

Immediately  on  his  arrival  the  colonel  was  stripped 
naked  and  made  to  sit  on  the  ground,  with  his  hands 
firmly  bound  together  and  tied  behind  him.  Then 
the  yelling,  screeching  crowd  fell  upon  him  and  beat 


consent  thej 
np.iuied  by  ( 


3  The  siiot  where  Col.  Crawford  met  1 
slightly  rising  ground  in  the  creek  hot 
clistnnro  norUiuast  of  the  village  of  Cr 


e  death  is  1 


104 


IIISTOllY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PEXxXSYLVANIA. 


him  without  mercy  until  he  was  exhausted  and  cov- 
ered with  blood.  When  they  had  tired  of  this  the 
victim  was  dragged  to  the  centre  of  the  fiery  circle 
preparatory  to  the  last  act  in  the  hellish  drama.  A 
rope  had  previously  been  tied  around  the  stake  near 
its  foot,  and  now  the  other  end  of  it  was  made  fast  to 
tlie  cord  with  which  his  wrists  were  bound  together. 
The  rope  was  some  six  or  eight  feet  in  length,  allow- 
ing him  to  pass  two  or  three  times  around  the  stake. 
He  could  also  sit  or  lie  down  at  will. 

The  infamous  Simon  Girty  was  present,  and  re- 
mained there  during  all  the  dreadful  proceedings 
which  followed.  When  Crawford  was  led  to  the 
stake  he  called  out  to  the  renegade  (who  stood  among 
the  foremost  in  the  ring  of  savage  spectators),  asking 
him  if  they  had  determined  to  burn  him  to  death, 
and  upon  Girty's  unfeeling  rsply  in  the  affirmative  he 
replied  that  if  so  he  would  try  to  endure  it  with 
patience  and  die  like  a  soldier  and  Christian.  Then 
the  vindictive  Capt.  Pipe  addressed  the  savages  with 
violent  gesticulations,  and  at  the  close  of  his  speech 
the  assembled  barbarians  applauded  with  wild  de- 
light, whilst  some  of  the  crowd  rushed  in  upon  the 
prisoner  and  cut  off  both  his  ear?.' 

As  a  prelude  to  the  still  more  terrible  tortures  that 
were  to  follow,  the  Indians  closed  in  on  the  miserable 
man  and  fired  charges  (jf  imwdir  into  his  unprotected 
body.  More  than  fil'ty  times  w  us  this  repeated,  and 
the  pain  thus  inflicted  could  scarcely  have  been  less 
than  that  produced  by  the  flames.  After  this  satanic 
procedure  was  concluded  the  fires  (which  up  to  this 
time  had  been  burning  but  slowly)  were  replenished 
with  fresh  fuel,  and  as  the  heat  grew  more  intense, 
and  the  sufleriiii,'s  of  the  victim  became  more  and 
more  exeruciatinL',  the  joy  and  shouting  of  the  red 
devils  rose  hiirher  and  lii-hur. 

Burning  at  tlu'  sla':i-  is  universally  regarded  as 
among  the  most  tcrriM'  tintures  that  liunian  cruelty 
can  inflict.  But  the  I»  ■!  (waro  rliiLl's  had  prepared  for 
the  brave  Crawford  an  a-nny  iinao  intense  and  pro- 
tracted than  that  of  the  licking  flames,— they  roasted 
him  alive!  The  fires  were  placed  at  a  distance  of 
some  fifteen  feet  from  the  stake,  and  within  that 
dreadrul  lirch'  f.r  three  and  a  half  hours  he  sufl'ered 
analnio-t  iii(Mn,rival>l.' j.hysieal  torment,  which  death 
would  hav,'  trniiiiiatcil  in  cue-tenth  part  the  time  if 
the  fagots  had  Ijeen  jiiled  close  around  him. 

As  the  fires  burned  down  the  Indians  seized  burn- 
ing brands  and  throw  them  at  the  victim,  until  all  the 
space  which  his  ti'tinr  allowed  him  was  tiiickly  strewn 
with  coals  and  lairiiin-  cnilnrs,  cm  which  his  naked 
feet  must  tread  as  he  constantly  moved  around  the 
stake  and  back  in  the  delirium  of  his  pain.     To  in- 

1  This  ~lHt.'ni-nt  i^   1111.1.-  ill  III.'   i.iiiriliv..  uf  Dr.  Knijlit,  who,  after 


of  fills 


V  among 
the  ex- 


tensify  and  prolong  the  torture  the  savages  applied 
every  means  that  their  infernal  ingenuity  could  sug- 
gest, and  which  to  describe  or  even  to  th 
the  mind  with  sickening  horror. 

To  Simon  Girty,  who  was  in  prominent  v 
the  savage  throng,-. Crawford  called  out 
tremity  of  his  agony,  begging  the  wretch  to  end  his 
misery  by  sending  a  ball  through  his  heart.  To  this 
appeal  Girty  replied,  sneeringly,  that  he  had  no  gun, 
at  the  same  time  uttering  a  brutal  laugh  of  derisioa 
and  pleasure  at  the  hideous  spectacle.  If,  as  tradition 
has  it,  he  had  once  been  repelled  in  his  attempted  ad- 
dresses to  the  colonel's  beautiful  daughter,  Sally  Craw- 
ford, he  was  now  enjoying  the  satisfaction  of  a  terri- 
ble revenge  on  her  miserable  father  for  the  indignity. 

Through  it  all  the  brave  man  bore  up  with  as  much 
fortitude  as  is  possible  to  weak  human  nature,  fre- 
quently praying  to  his  Heavenly  Father  for  the  mercy 
which  was  denied  him  on  earth.  Towards  the  last, 
being  evidently  exhausted,  he  ceased  to  move  around 
the  stake  and  lay  down,  face  downwards,  upon  the 
ground.  The  fires  being  now  well  burned  down  the 
savages  rushed  in  on  him,  beat  him  with  the  glowing 
brands,  heaped  coals  upon  his  body,  and  scalped  him. 
Once  more  he  arose,  bloody,  blinded,  and  crisped, 
and  tottered  once  or  twice  around  the  stake,  then  fell 
to  rise  no  more.  Again  the  barbarians  applied  burn- 
ing brands,  and  heaped  live  coals  on  his  scalped  head, 
but  he  was  fast  becoming  insensible  to  pain,  his  end 
was  near,  and  after  a  few  more  vain  attempts  by  the 
savages  to  inflict  further  torments  death  came  to  the 
rescue  and  the  spirit  of  William  Crawford  was  free. 

It  was  on  the  11th  of  June,  at  about  four  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  that  the  torture  commenced.  The 
end  came  just  as  the  sun  was  sinking'  behind  the 
tops  of  the  trees  that  bordered  the  bottom-lands  of 
the  Tymochtee.  Then  the  savages  heaped  the  brands 
together  on  the  charred  and  swollen  body  and  burned 
it  to  a  cinder,  dancing  around  the  spot  for  hours, 
yelling  and  whooping  in  a  wild  frenzy  of  demoniac 
exultation. 

It  will  be  recollected  that  Dr.  Knight  was  brought 
from  the  Indian  old  town  to  the  place  of  torture  on 
the  Tymochtee  with  Col.  Crawford,  though  the  two 
were  kept  apart  and  not  allowed  to  converse  together. 
The  doctor  remained  a  horrified  spectator  of  the 
burning  of  his  superior  officer  until  near  the  time  of 
his  death.  On  his  arrival  at  the  place.  Knight  was 
fallen  upon  by  the  Indians  and  cruelly  beaten. 
While  Crawford  was  in  the  midst  of  his  greatest  suf- 
fering Simon  Girty  came  to  where  Knight  was  sitting 


=  It  Ims  been  stated  iu  somn  accounts  of  the  Jeatli  of  Col.  Crawfori 
tliat  the  British  captjtin,  Matthew  Elliott,  was  also  present  during  tlie 
dre.adful  scenes  of  the  torture.  It  may  have  been  so,  but  tha  statement 
has  .never  been  fully  substautiated,  Hud  there  are  serious  doubts  of  its  ' 
autlieniicity. 

s  "  It  was  a  tradition  long  after  repeated  by  the  Delawares  and  Wyail- 
doTs  that  Crawford  breathed  his  last  just  at  the  going  down  of  the  suu." 
—Biilkrjh-hVs  E.q,{,Ulha  agniml  Samliiakn. 


THE  EEVOLUTION. 


105 


aii'l  tnkl  him  that  he  too  must  prepare  for  the  same 
oiikal,  and  he  need  have  no  hope  of  escaping  death 
]iv  tnrture,  though  he  would  not  suffer  at  the  same 
jihnc,  but  would  be  removed  to  the  Shawanese  towns 
tn  lie  burned.  Soon  after  an  Indian  came  to  him  and 
still -k  him  rep(^atedly  in  the  face  with  the  bloody 
sialp  which  had  just  been  torn  from  Crawford's  head. 
Tuwiiids  the  end  of  the  diabolical  scene,  but  while 
( 'lawford  was  yet  living,  Knight  was  taken  away  and 
nianlied  to  Capt.  Pipe's  house,  some  three-frturths  of 
a  mile  distant,  where  he  remained  during  the  night, 
se(  iirely  bound,  and  closely  guarded  by  the  Indian 
Tiuelu,  who  had  him  iu  his  especial  charge. 

Ill  the  morning  (June  12th)  his  guard  unbound 
him.  and  having  again  painted  him  with  black,  started 
out  nil  horseback,  driving  Knight  before  him  on  foot, 
liiiunil  for  the  Shawanese  towns,  where  the  doctor  was 
to  sillier  the  torture.  Passing  by  the  spot  where 
Claw  lord  had  suffered  on  the  previous  day,  they  saw 
all  that  remained  of  the  colonel,  a  few  burned  bones, 
when  the  Indian  told  his  horrified  prisoner  that 
!  this  was  his  "  big  captain."  They  moved  on  towards 
the  southwest,  on  the  trail  to  the  Shawanese  town  of 
AV'apatomica,  nearly  forty  miles  away. 

Knight  had  not  wholly  abandoned  the  hope  of  es- 
caping the  torture,  though  his  case  looked  wellnigh 
hopeless.  He  carried  as  cheerful  a  countenance  as 
he  could,  concealed  from  his  guard  his  knowledge  of 
the  import  of  the  black  paint  on  his  face,  and  con- 
versed with  him  as  well  as  he  could,  pretendiug  that 
he  expected  to  be  adopted  into  the  Shawanese  tribe 
on  arrival  at  their  destination.  Tutelu  asked  him  if 
he  knew  how  to  build  a  wigwam,  and  Knight  assured 
him  that  he  was  excellent  at  that  business.  All  this 
pleased  the  Indian,  and  to  some  extent  threw  him  of! 
his  guard.  Tiie  journey  of  the  first  day  was  about 
twenty-five  miles.  At  the  night-camp  Tutelu  again 
bound  his  captive,  and  watched  him  closely  through 
the  night,  so  that  the  doctor,  although  he  tried  hard 
to  free  himself,  did  not  succeed. 

At  daybreak  Tutelu  rose,  stretched  his  limbs,  un- 
bound his  captive,  and  renewed  the  fire,  but  did  not 
immediately  prepare  to  resume  the  journey.  They 
had  been  greatly  tormented  by  gnats  during  the  night, 
and  the  doctor  asked  him  if  he  should  make  a  smudge 
in  their  rear  to  drive  the  pests  away.  Tutelu  told  him 
to  do  so,  whereupon  Knight  took  two  sticks  (one  of 
them  about  a  foot  and  a  half  in  length,  which  was  the 
largest  he  could  find),  and  holding  a  coal  between 
them  carried  it  behind  the  Indian  as  if  to  start  the 
smudge,  but  as  soon  as  he  had  got  the  right  position 
suddenly  turned  and  dealt  the  savage  a  blow  over 
the  head  with  all  his  strength,  partially  stunning  him 
and  knocking  him  forward  head  first  into  the  fire. 
His  hands  were  badly  burned,  but  he  immediately 
recovered  himself,  rose,  and  ran  away,  uttering  a 
l.il    .113  yell.'      The  doctor  seized  the  Indian's  gun 


:ige  of  the  Dela 


lUcre.    Ue  (Tul.^l  i 


and  followed  him,  determined  to  kill  him  ;  but  in  his 
eagerness  he  broke  or  disarranged  the  lock  of  the 
piece,  so  that  he  could  not  fire.  This  being  the  case 
he  followed  only  a  short  distance,  and  then  returned 
to  the  place  where  they  had  passed  the  night. 

Here  the  surgeon  lost  no  time  in  making  prepara- 
tions for  a  desperate  attempt  to  effect  his  escape  from 
the  Indian  country.  He  possessed  himself  of  Tutelu'a 
ammunition,  his  blanket,  and  an  extra  pair  of  mocca- 
sins, and  without  delay  commenced  his  long  journey, 
taking  a  course  about  east  by  north.  All  day  he 
traveled  without  molestation  or  notable  incident,  and 
at  night  had  emerged  from  the  timbered  country  and 
entered  the  Plains,  where  he  made  his  lonely  bivouac. 
But  he  was  too  uneasy  and  anxious  to  remain  long, 
and  so  after  two  or  three  hours'  rest  resumed  his  way, 
and  travel  ing  all  night,  guided  by  the  stars,  had  crossed 
the  open  country  and  entered  the  forest  to  the  east 
before  daylight  appeared.  During  this  day  (June 
14th)  he  struck  the  track  of  the  troops  on  their  out- 
ward march,  but  having  already  received  a  severe 
lesson  on  the  danger  of  following  this  he  avoided  it 
and  took  a  north  course,  which  he  kept  during  the 
rest  of  the  day.  That  night  he  camped  in  the  forest 
and  slept  on  undisturbed. 

The  next  morning  he  shaped  his  course  due  east, 
and  moved  on  with  greatly  lightened  spirits  but  ex- 
ceedingly weak  from  lack  of  food.  He  could  shoot 
no  game,  ibr  his  utmost  endeavors  failed  to  put  the 
lock  of  his  gun  into  working  condition,  and  finding 
at  last  that  it  was  useless  to  make  further  attempts, 
and  that  the  piece  could  be  only  an  encumbrance  to 
him,  he  threw  it  away.  He  caught  a  small  turtle, 
and  occasionally  succeeded  in  taking  young  birds,  all 
of  which  he  ate  raw.  In  this  way,  and  by  making 
use  of  nourishing  roots  and  herbs,  he  succeeded  in 
sustaining  life  through  all  the  weary  days  of  his  jour- 
ney to  civilization.  As  he  traveled  eastward  he  found 
heavier  timber,  and  saw  everywhere  great  quantities 
of  game,  which  was  very  tantalizing,  as  he  could  not 
kill  or  catch  any,  although  nearly  famished. 

For  twenty  days  from  the  time  of  his  escape  from 
his  guard  Tutelu,  Dr.  Knight  traveled  on  through  the 
wilderness,  unmolested  by  savages,  but  suffering  ter- 
ribly of  hunger  and  cold,— for  he  had  not  the  means 
of  making  a  fire, — and  on  the  evening  of  July  3d 
struck  the  Ohio  Eiver  about  five  miles  below  the 
mouth  of  Beaver.  On  the  5th  he  arrived  safely  at 
Fort  Pitt,^  where  he   remained   as   surgeon  of  the 


was  false,  nii.l  that  tlii;  iloct.jr  was  a  weak,  jjuny  man,  wliertat  the  In- 
dians ridiculed  Tuteln  without  mercy. 

-  In  .1  letter  from  Gi*n.  Irvine  to  President  Bloore,  dated  Fort  Pitt, 
Jnly5, 1782,  lie  says,  "This  moment  Doctor  Knight  has  arrived,  the 
surgeon  I  sent  with  the  volunteers  to  Sandusky ;  he  was  several  days  in 
the  hands  of  tlio  Indians,  hnt  fortunately  made  his  escape  from  his 
keeper,  who  was  condncling  him  to  anotiier  settlement  to  bo  hound 
[hnrned].    He  biings  the  ilisagrceable  account  that  Col.  Crauford  and 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Seventh  Virginia  Regiment  until  after  the  dechira-  ' 
tion  of  peace. 

James  Paull  was  but  a  private  soldier  in  the  forces 
of  Col.  Crawford,  but  as  lie  afterwards  became  an  | 
officer  of  some  distinction,  and  was  for  many  years  a  | 
Very  prominent  citizen  of  Fayette  County,  it  is  proper  , 
to  make  special  mention  of  his  adventures,  escape, 
and  return  from  the  disastrous  expedition.  [ 

When,  on  the  evening  of  the  oth  of  June,  the  forces  ' 
of  Col.  Crawford  commenced  their  retreat  from  Battle 
Island,  and  the  combined  Delawares  and  Shawanese  j 
attacked  the  advance  battalion  under  Maj.  McClel- 
land, it  will  be  recollected  that  the  three  other  divi-  j 
sions  precipitately  abandoned  the'  line  of  march  and 
moved  away  on  a  route  diverging  to  the  west,  and 
that  soon  afterwards  the  head  of  the  column  marched  [ 
by  mistake  into  a  bog  or  swamp,  where  a  number  of 
the  volunteers  lost  their  horses  by  reason  of  their 
becoming  mired  in  the  soft   muddy   soil.      Among 
those  who  were  thus  dismounted  were  James  Paull'  , 
and  the  guide,  John  Slover,  who  was  also  a  Fayette  1 
County  man  (or  rather  a  resident  of  that  part  of  West- 
moreland which   afterwards   became   Fayette).      Of 
course  they  could  not  keep  up  with  the  mounted  men 
of  the  column,  and  as  the  Indians  were  then  attack- 
ing the  rear,  their  situation  was  a  very  critical  one. 

Under  these  circumstances  instant  flight  was  neces- 
sary, and  accordingly  Paull  and  Slover,  with  live 
other  dismounted  men,  struck  into  the  woods  in  a 
northerly  direction,  thinking  it  most  prudent  to  keep 
at  a  distance  from  the  route  of  the  column.  They 
continued  on  their  course  till  the  latter  part  of  the 
night,  when  they  suddenly  found  themselves  flounder- 
ing in  the  mud  of  a  bog,  and  were  then  compelled  to 
remain  stationary  until  daylight  enabled  them  to 
move  with  more  certainty  and  safety.  They  then 
changed  their  course  towards  the  west,  but  as  they 
progressed  gradually  wore  round  more  to  the  south, 
skirting  the  edge  of  the  Plains,  until  they  found  them- 
selves headed  nearly  southeast.  During  the  day  two 
or  three  small  parties  of  Indians  were  seen  to  pass 
them,  but  by  hiding  in  the  long  grass  the  party  re- 
mained undiscovered.  At  about  three  o'clock  they 
were  overtaken  by  the  furious  rain-storm  which  (as 
before  noticed)  came  down  just  at  the  close' of  Wil- 


.'ill  the  rest  (:iK.ut  twilv,.,  to  the  tlocto 

■s  knowledge)  who 

fell  into  his 

[llR-ir]  hniids  wery  liUviR-.l  to  (li'illh  i 

.%  most  shouking 

mnnor;  the 

i.nfuitimute  coloiu-1  in  [.uiticiiliir  vaa 

upwards  of  four  ho 

.rs  burning. 

Tlie  reasuu  they  assiiju  fir  this  mioul 

union  barlmlily  is  r 

laliation  for 

the  Moravian  affuir.    Tlie  .luctor  adJa 

ih.t  lie  undei-stood 

those  people 

had  laid  aside  their  i-eligiuus  priuciple 

and  luivo  goue  to  war;  that  he 

saw  two  of  them  bring  iu  scaliis  wlio 

he  formerly  knew.' 

—Peum,.  Ar- 

c/.iiM,  1781-83,  p.  570. 

1  John  Slierrard,  whose  home  was  w 

th  the  widowed  mother  of  James 

Panll,  aii.l  wlio  was  his  particular  fra-nd,  sa^d  that  wlio 

1  the  forces 

c> leiiLi-d  moving  on  the  retreat  1. 

1    iri.i    V"''-    l''Hil 

fast  asleep, 

and  shook  him,  telling  him  that  the  ti 

and  that  he 

was  iu  danger  of  being  left  behind.     I 

1  to  his  feet, 

liamson's  battle  with  the  Indians  and  Rangers.  Paull 
and  his  companions,  being  drenched  and  chilled 
through,  made  a  halt,  and  remained  stationary  until 
evening.  Then  they  again  moved  on  to  the  eastern 
edge  of  the  Plains,  and  thence  into  the  forest.  Their 
route  since  the  morning  had  been  the  arc  of  a  circle, 
heading  successively  west,  southwest,  soutli,  south- 
east, east,  and  northeast,  the  latter  being  the  di- 
rection of  their  course  when  they  entered  the  woods. 
A  few  miles  farther  on  they  tu/ned  nearly  due  e.ist, 
thinking  that  they  were  far  enough  north  of  Wil- 
liamson's track  to  be  comparatively  free  from  danger  ■ 
of  the  pursuing  savages.  They  had  made  rather  slow, 
progress,  for  one  of  the  men  was  suffering  from  rheu- 
matism in  one  of  his  knees,  and  one  of  Paull's  feet' 
was  quite  as  much  disabled  by  his  accidentally  step- 1 
ping  on  a  hot  spade  which  some  of  the  men  « 
using  (in  the  afternoon  of  the  oth)  for  baking  bread 
in  preparation  for  the  retreat  of  that  evening. 

On  the  following  day  (June  7th)  the  party  con- 
tinued on  the  same  course,  crossed  the  waters  of  the 
tributaries  of  the  Muskingum  about  noon,  and  at  their 
camp  of  the  same  night  cooking  the  flesh  of  a  fawn 
which  they  had  been  fortunate  enough  to  catch  dur- 
ing the  day,  this  being  the  second  meal  that  they  had 
eaten  since  leaving  Battle  Island.  On  their  inarch  of 
this  day  the  man  afflicted  with  rheumatism  had  fallen 
out,  and  the  party  now  numbered  but  six. 

Danger  was  now  before  them.  They  started  on 
their  way  at  davbrcak  in  the  morning  of  the  8th,  and 
had  made  some  nine  or  ten  miles'  progress,  when,  at 
about  nine  o'clock  in  the  forenoon,  they  fell  intc 
ambuscade  of  Shawanese  Indians,  who  had  followed 
their  trail  from  the  Plains.  The  savages  fired  on  them 
and  two  of  the  men  fell.  Paull  ran  for  his  life  and 
made  his  escape,  notwithstanding  his  burned  foot,  but 
Slover  and  the  other  two  men  were  taken  prisoners 
and  conducted  back  to  the  Shawanese  towns. 

Paull  iu  his  flight  was  followed  by  two  Indians,  but. 
he  felt  that  his  life  was  at  stake,  and  strained  his 
limbs  to  their  utmost  speed,  regardless  of  the  pain  \ 
his  disabled  foot.  His  pursuers  found  that  he  wasi 
gaining  on  them  and  fired  after  him,  but  their  shots: 
passed  harmlessly  by.  He  soon  came  to  the  bluff 
bank  of  a  small  stream,  and  unhesitatingly  IcapSd 
down.  The  savages  came  up  to  the  bank,  but  there 
I  gave  up  the  pursuit.  He  soon  discovered  that  he  \ 
no  longer  followed,  but  he  was  still  very  cautious  in 
his  movements,  using  every  precaution  to  cover  his 
trail.  That  night  he  slept  in  the  hollow  trunk  of  a 
!  fallen  tree. 

I  From  this  time  he  pursued  his  way  unmolested. 
Passing  down  Sugar  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  Mus- 
I  kingum,  he  came  to  the  main  stream  at  a  place  where 
it  was  too  deep  to  ford,  which  compelled  him  to 
change  his  course  up  the  river  to  a  shallow  place, 
where  he  crossed  in  safety  and  with  ease.  Ne 
,  by  this  crossing  was  an  old  Indian  camp,  "where 
there  were  a  large  number  of  empty  kegs  and  barrels  i 


THE   KEVOLUTION. 


107 


lying  scattered  around.  It  was  now  nearly  dark  ;  so 
he  built  a  fire — the  first  he  had  ventured  to  kindle 
since  his  escape  from  the  ambuscade — and  cooked 
some  of  his  venison  (he  had  shot  a  deer  in  this  day's 
journey,  it  being  the  first  time  he  had  dared  to  dis- 
charge his  gun,  for  fear  it  might  bring  Indians  upon 
I  him);  the  smoke,  as  he  lay  down  to  rest  for  the 
night,  protecting  him  from  the  gnats  and  mosquitoes, 
which  were  very  troublesome." 

Two  days  after  he  made  this  night-camp  on  the 
Muskingum,  James  PauU  reached  the  west  bank  of 
the  Ohio  River  at  a  point  a  short  distance  above  the 
present  site  of  Bridgeport.  A  little  higher  up  the 
river  he  found  a  favorable  place  for  crossing,  and 
building  a  rude  raft  he  ferried  himself  to  the  Virginia 
side  without  much  difiiculty,  and  for  the  first  time 
since  the  evening  of  the  disastrous  5th  of  June  felt 
himself  absolutely  secure  against  capture. 

Near  the  place  where  he  landed  on  Virginia  soil 
he  found  a  number  of  horses  running  loose.  Impro- 
vising a  halter  of  twisted  strips  of  elm  bark,  he  com- 
menced operations,  having  for  their  object  the  catch- 
ing of  one  of  the  animals.  For  a  long  time  his  efforts 
were  unavailing,  but  necessity  compelled  him  to  per- 
severe, and  at  lust  he  succeeded  in  placing  his  rude 
halter-bridle  on  the  head  of  a  rather  debilitated  old 
mare,  on  whose  back  he  then  mounted  and  started  on 
bis  homeward  journey.  At  Short  Creek  he  procured 
another  horse  and  proceeded  to  Catfish  (now  Wash- 
ington, Pa.),  where  he  stopped  for  some  time  on 
account  of  his  foot  being  badly  inflamed  and  very 
painful.  This  soon  became  better  under  proper  treat- 
ment, and  he  returned  home  to  Lis  overjoyed  mother, 
who  had  been  apprised  of  his  arrival  at  Catfish,  but 
who  had  previously  almost  abandoned  all  hope  of 
ever  again  seeing  her  son. 

John  Slover  and  the  two  other  men  who  had  been 
made  prisoners  by  the  Shawanese  party  at  the  time 
when  PauU  made  his  escape  from  them  were  taken 
by  their  captors  back  to  the  Indian  main  body  on  the 
Plains,  and  thence  to  the  Shawanese  towns  on  Mad 
River,  which  they  reached  on  the  lltli  of  June.  On 
their  arrival  they  were  received  by  an  Indian  crowd 
such  as  always  collected  on  such  an  occasion,  and 
were  made  to  "run  the  gauntlet"  between  two  files 
of  squaws  and  boys  for  a  distance  of  some  three 
hundred  yards  to  the  council-house.  One  of  the  men 
had  been  painted  black  (though  why  the  Indians  had 
thus  discriminated  against  this  man  does  not  appear), 
and  he  was  made  a  special  target  for  the  abuse  and 
blows  of  the  barbarous  gang.  He  reached  the  door 
of  the  council-house  barely  alive,  but  was  then  pulled 
liark  and  beaten  and  mangled  to  death,  his  body  cut 
in  iiieces,  and  these  stuck  on  poles  about  the  village. 

Slover  and  the  other  man  ran  the  gauntlet  without 
fatal  or  very  serious  injury,  but  the  latter  was  sent 
away  the  same  evening  to  another  village,  and  no 
more  was  heard  of  him.     As  to  Slover,  l;e  was  kept 


at  the  village  for  two  weeks,  during  which  time  coun- 
cils were  held  daily  and  war-dances  every  night,  to  all 
of  which  he  was  invited  and  most  of  which  he  at- 
tended.' The  Indians  also  assigned  to  him  a  squaw 
as  a  companion,  with  whom  he  lived  in  comparative 
freedom  during  his  stay  at  the  village.'  Finally,  a 
council  was  held,  at  which  it  was  decided  that  he 
should  be  put  to  death  by  torture. 

The  next  day  "about  forty  warriors,  accompanied 
by  George  Girty,  an  adopted  Delaware,  a  brother  of 
Simon  and  James  Girty,''  came  early  in  the  morning 
round  the  house  where  Slover  was.  He  was  .sitting 
before  the  door.  The  squaw  gave  him  up.  They 
put  a  rope  around  his  neck,  tied  his  arms  behind  his 
back,  stripped  him  naked,  and  blacked  him  in  the 
usual  manner.  Girty,  as  soon  as  he  was  tied,  cursed 
him,  telling  him  he  would  get  what  he  had  many  years 
deserved.  Slover  was  led  to  a  town  about  five  miles 
away,  to  which  a  messenger  had  been  dispatched  to 
desire  them  to  prepare  to  receive  him.  Arriving  at 
the  town,  he  was  beaten  with  clubs  and  the  pipe-ends 
of  their  tomahawks,  and  was  kept  for  some  time  tied 
to  a  tree  before  a  house-door.  In  the  mean  time  the 
inhabitants  set  out  for  another  town  about  two  miles 
distant,  where  Slover  was  to  be  burnt,  and  where  he 
arrived  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  They 
were  now  at  Mac-a-chack,  not  far  from  the  present  site 
of  West  Liberty,  in  Logan  County.  Here  there  was 
a  council-house  also,  as  at  Wapatomica,*  but  only  a 
part  of  it  was  covered.  In  the  part  without  a  roof  was 
a  post  about  sixteen  feet  in  height.  Around  this,  at  a 
distance  of  about  four  feet,  were  three  piles  of  wood 
about  three  feet  high.  Slover  was  brought  to  the  post, 
his  arms  again  tied  behind  him,  and  the  thong  or  cord 
with  which  they  were  bound  was  fastened  to  it.  A  rope 
was  also  put  about  his  neck  and  tied  to  the  post  about 
four  feet  above  his  head.  While  they  were  tying  him 
the  wood  was  kindled  and  began  to  flame.  Just  then 
the  wind  began  to  blow,  and  in  a  very  short  time  the 
rain  fell  violently.  The  fire,  which  by  this  time  had 
begun  to  blaze  considerably,  was  instantly  extin- 
guished. The  rain  lasted  about  a  quarter  of  an 
hour."^ 

The  savages  were  amazed  at  this  result,  and  per- 
haps regarded  it  as  an  interposition  of  the  Great 
Spirit  oti  behalf  of  the  prisoner.  Tliey  finally  de- 
cided to  allow  him  to  remain  alive  until  morning. 


ri-  was  not  present.  Tile  war- 
!,.«•  With  wlioni  he  liveil  would 
L  largo  quantity  of  sliirig.    It 


ireil   wunia    be  nnivcd  at,— to    burn  him.''— Kii«erftWii  Eij  ciUiU 

ai„s(  S„,„lm!.ij. 

I  James  anJ  George  Girly,  as  well  as  Cart.  Matthew  Elliott,  of  the  Bri 

1  service,  were  present  at  the  Shawnnese  town,  and  took  put  in  th 

dian  ctnincils  before  mentioned. 

<  The  Indian  village  to  which  he  had  first  been  taken. 

''•  Buttorfleld'a**  Expedition  against  Sandusky." 


108 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


when,  as  they  said,  they  would  recommence  the  tor- 
ture, and  devote  the  whole  day  to  it.     He  was  then 
unbound  and  made  to  sit  on  the  ground,  where  he 
was  beaten,  kicked,  and  otherwise  maltreated  by  the 
Indians,  who  continued  dancing  round  him  and  yell- 
ing till  nearly  midnight.     Three  guards  were  then  de- 
tailed to  watch  him  during  the  rest  of  the  night;  he 
was  again  bound  and  taken  to  a  house,  where  a  rope 
was  fastened  about  his  neck  and  tied  to  a  Ijeam  of  the 
house.     His  guards  kept  awake  taunting  him  about  ! 
the  torture  he  was  to  endure  until  towards  morning, 
when  two  of  them  fell  asleep,  and  not  long  afterwards  j 
the  other  followed  their  example.     Soon  they  were 
all  asleep,  and  when  he  was  entirely  sure  that  they  [ 
were  so  Slover  commenced  attempts  to  unbind  him- 
self.  He  had  comparatively  little  difficulty  in  slipping 
the  cords  from  one  of  liis  wrists,  which  left  him  at 
liberty  to  work  at  the  rope  around  his  neck.     This  he  j 
found  much  more  securely  tied,  and  he  began  to  de- 
spair of  loosening  it,  as  the  daylight  had  begun  to 
appear  and  the  Indians  would  soon  be  on  the  alert.  ; 
At  last,  however,  he  succeeded  in  untying  the  knots,  i 
and  rose  from  his  painful  position,  free,  but  still  in 
the  greatest  danger  of  discovery. 

Stepping  softly  over  the  sleeping  warriors,  he  quickly 
left  the  house,  and  ran  through  the  village  into  a  corn- 
field. Near  by  he  saw  several  Imliaii  horses  grazing,  j 
and  having  with  no  little  difficulty  cauulit  cue  of  these, 
using  the  rope  with  which  l-.e  had  bicn  buund  as  a 
halter,  he  mounted  and  n.de  away,  tirst  slowly,  then 
more  rapidly,  and  finally  with  all  the  speed  of  which  j 
the  animal  was  capable.  Xo  alarm  had  been  given 
in  the  village,  and  he  had  therefore  reason  to  believe 
that  the  Indians  were  still  ignorant  of  his  escape. 

Slover  forced  the  horse  to  his  utmost  speed  for  a 
long  time,  but  gradually  his  jiaee  slackened  and  grew 
slower  and  slower  until  aljout  two  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, when,  finding  it  impossible  to  urge  him  beyond  j 
a  walking  gait,  he  dismounted,  left  the  animal,  and 
pushed  on  on  foot.  He  had  heard  the  distant  halloo- 
ing of  Indians  behind  him,  showing  him  that  he  was  i 


pu 


but  he  kept  on,  using  every  precaution  to 
cover  his  trail  as  he  proceeded.  Ko  Indians  appeared, 
and  he  traveled  on  without  a  moment's  stop  until  ten 
o'clock  at  night,  when,  being  very  sick  and  vomiting, 
he  halted  to  rest  for  two  hours.  At  midnight  the 
moon  rose,  and  he  jiroceeded  on,  striking  a  trail, 
which  lie  kc].t  lill  dayli-ht,  and  then,  as  a  measure 
of  precaution,  1-lt  ii.  and  struck  through  the  woods 
along  a  ridge  at  a  right  angle  from  his  previous  course. 
This  he  continued  for  about  fifteen  miles,  and  then 
changed  to  what  he  judged  to  be  his  true  course. 
From  this  point  he  met  with  no  specially  notable  ad- 
venture. On  the  third  day  he  reached  the  Muskin- 
gum, on  the  next  he  reached  and  crossed  the  Still- 
water, and  in  the  evening  of  the  fifth  day  of  his  flight 
he  camped  within  five  miles  of  Wheeling.  Up  to  this 
time  he  had  not  closed  his  eyes  in  sleep  since  he  left 
his  cabin  and  squaw  companion  at  Wapatomica. 


Early  on  the  following  morning  he  came  to  the 
Ohio  River  opposite  the  island  at  Wheeling,  and  see- 
ing a  man  on  the  other  side,  called  to  him,  and  finally 
induced  him  to  come  across  and  take  him  over  in  his 
canoe,  though  at  first  he  was  very  suspicious  and  un- 
willing to  cross  to  the  west  shore.  On  the  10th  of 
July  Slover  reached  Fort  Pitt. 

Col.  Crawford's  nephew,  William  Crawford,'  the 
colonel's  son-in-law,  William  Harrison,-  and  John 
McClelland,  of  Fayette  County,  the  third  major  of' 
the  expeditionary  force,  all  lost  their  lives  at  the 
hands  of  the  Indian  barbarians.  It  has  already  been, 
noticed  that  when  the  unfortunate  colonel  was  at 
Pomoacan's  headquarters,  on  the  niglit  before  he 
suffered  the  torture,  he  was  told  by  Simon  Girty  that, 
his  nephew  and  son-in-law  had  been  taken  prisoners 
but  pardoned  by  the  chiefs.  This  false  story  of  their 
escape  from  death  reached  the  settlements  by  some 
means,  and  the  hearts  of  their  relatives  and  friendsi 
were  thus  cheered  by  hopes  of  their  ultimate  return. 

No  particulars  of  the  time  or  manner  of  the  deaths 
of  Harrison,  McClelland,  or  young  Crawford  are 
known,  except  that  McClelland  was  shot  from  his 
horse  in  the  first  attack  by  the  Delawarcs  and  Shaw- 
anese  on  the  night  of  the  5th,  but  the  fact  of  their 
killing  by  the  savages  was  established  by  John  Slover, 
who,  on  coming  to  the  upper  Shawanese  town  on  the 
evening  of  the  11th  of  June,  saw  there  tlie  mangled 
bodies  of  three  men  bloody,  powder-burned,  and 
mutilated,  who,  the  Indians  assured  him,  had  been 
killed  just  before  his  arrival ;  and  two  of  these  he  at 
once  recognized  as  the  bodies  of  Harrison  and  young 
Crawford.  The  other  he  was  not  entirely  sure  of,  but 
had  no  doubt  that  it  was  the  corpse  of  Maj.  McCl 
land.  At  the  same  time  the  Indians  pointed  out  two 
horses,  and  asked  him  if  he  recognized  them,  to  which 
he  answered  that  he  did,  and  that  they  were  the  ones 
which  had  been  ridden  by  Harrison  and  Crawford,  to 
which  the  Indians  replied  that  he  was  correct. 

John  Crawlbrd,  the  colonel's  son,  kept  with  Wil- 
liamson's forces  on  their  retreat  to  the  Ohio,  and 
reached  his  home  on  the  Youghiogheny  in  safety. 
He  afterwards  removed  to  Kentucky,  and  died  in  that 
State  soon  after  his  settlement  there. 

Philip  Smith'  was,  as  we  have  seen,  an  active  par 
ticipant  in  the  battle  of  June  4th,  in  which  he  received 
a  wound  in  the  elbow.  When  the  retreat  commenced 
on  the  night  of  the  5th,  he  and  a  companion  named 

1  Son  of  V.-ilentine  Crawford,  of  Foj-ette  County. 
-  Husband  of  tin.*  bcuutiful  S.irHb  Crawford,  the  colonel's  d.iugbtc 
3  At  tliB  lime  when  he  volanteercd  for  Crawford's  expedition,  PI 
Sinitb  was  a  resident  of  tbat  part  of  Westmoreland  County  wliicli  t 
after  becjune  Fnyetto.  bis  home  being  on  a  small  tributary  of  George 
Crcl,,  s  .;:,,,:  !  I  I  ;i  I, n_- n  II,  the  expedition  (in  17841  he  ror 
to  01,1  ,  '-,1' .luring  the  remainder  of  bis  lift, 

Hf«.-         ii     !■         !       .         I    ,  ■>!  i,  in  ITOl.anddiedin  Kabt  1 
t,,\Mi.l.i:  ,  w  ,,;,,■.,.,  o'li  ,  M  ,     h  JT,  1838.  Several  of  bis  di  ldi< 


THE   REVOLUTION. 


lOD 


Kankin  became  separated  from  their  company,  and  i 
found  themselves  under  the  necessity  of  shifting  for 
themselves.     Both    had  lost  their  horses,  and  they  \ 
were  without  provisions,  but  had  their  guns  and  am-  | 
munition.     They   struck  off  from   the  track  of  the  [ 
troops,  and  for  two  days  were  successful  in  evading 
the  savages.     Most  of  their  traveling  was  done  by 
night.     They  suffered  greatly  for  food,  for,  though  I 
there  was  plenty  of  game,  they  were  afraid  to  shoot 
it,  for  fear  that  the  noise  of  their  pieces  would  bring  I 
Indians  upon  them.     They  ate  berries  and  roots,  and 
once  or  twice  were  fortunate  enough  to  catch  young 
birds.   Afterwards  they  found  an  Indian  pony,  which 
(not  daring  to  shoot)  Smith  killed  with  his  tomahawk 
after  repeated  ineffectual  strokes  at  it.     The  liver  of 
the  animal  was  then  taken  out  and  broiled,  and  it 
made  what  seemed  to  them  a  delicious  meal. 

On  the  night  of  the  7th,  as  they  were  moving  along, 
they  were  overtaken  by  two  other  fugitives,  mounted. 
The  four  now  traveled  on  together  for  a  time,  when, 
on  a  sudden,  as  they  had  stopped  at  a  stream,  a  party 
of  Indians  fired  on  them  from  the  high  bank,  and  the 
two  mounted  men  tumbled  from  their  horses,  dead. 
Smith  had  just  stooped  to  drink  at  the  stream,  and  a 
ball  whizzed  over  his  head;  but  he  was  unhurt,  and 
seizing  the  gun  of  one  of  the  dead  horsemen,  he 
leaped  up  the  opposite  bank  and  fled,  but  soon  threw 
away  his  gun.  His  companion,  Rankin,  had  also 
escaped  injury  from  the  Are  of  the  savages,  and  was 
running  for  life  ahead  of  Smith.  As  the  latter  pressed 
on  towards  him,  Rankin,  thinking  that  it  was  an 
enemy  who  was  pursuing,  turned  to  shoot  him,  but 
Smith  saved  himself  by  taking  to  a  tree.  This  was 
repeated  three  times,  but  finally  Rankin  discovered 
that  he  was  being  pursued,  not  by  an  enemy,  but  by 
his  companion,  Smith.  The  latter  then  joined  him, 
and  the  two  ran  on  together  and  made  their  escape, 
traveling  all  night,  and  making  no  halt  until  the 
middle  of  the  next  forenoon,  when  they  suddenly 
came  upon  an  Indian  camp,  which  appeared  to  have 
been  very  recently  left  by  the  party  who  had  occu- 
pied it,  as  the  fires  were  still  burning,  and  a  kettle  of 
hominy  was  on  one  of  them  cooking.  The  fugitives 
were  half  famished,  but  dared  not  eat  the  inviting 
mess,  fearing  that  it  might  have  been  poisoned.  But 
there  was  another  object  lying  near  the  fire  which 
sent  the  blood  curdling  to  their  hearts.  It  was  the 
still  warm  dead  body  of  a  man  who  had  been  mur- 
dered by  the  Indians  and  scalped,  evidently  while 
alive,  as  the  marks  showed  that  he  had  drawn  his 
hand  across  the  scalp- wound  several  times  and 
smeared  his  face  with  blood  from  it.  It  was  a  sick- 
ening spectacle,  and  they  were  glad  to  fly  from  it 
and  from  the  dangerous  proximity  of  the  camp-fire, 
where  they  were  liable  at  any  moment  to  be  sur- 
prised by  the  return  of  the  savages. 

They  moved  on  in  haste,  and  from  that  time  saw 
no  Indians,  nor  any  sign  of  any,  though  during  the 
succeeding  night  they  heard  whoopings,  apparently  a 
8 


long  distance  from  them.  At  this  warning  they  put 
out  their  fire  and  moved  away,  traveling  the  rest  of 
the  night.  During  the  remainder  of  their  flight  no 
incident  of  an  exciting  nature  occurred,  and  on  the 
ninth  day  of  their  journey  they  reached  the  left  bank 
of  the  Ohio,  foot-sore,  famished,  and  emaciated,  but 
safe  beyond  reach  of  their  savage  enemies. 

Nicholas  Dawson  (whose  home  was  in  what  is  now 
North  Union  township,  Fayette  Co.)  was  one  of  the 
volunteers  under  Crawford.  In  the  disorder  of  the 
night  of  the  5th  of  June  he  became  separated  from 
his  command  and  wandered  away,  with  nothing  to 
guide  him  in  the  right  direction.  While  attempting 
thus  to  make  his  way  alone  he  was  met  by  James 
Workman  and  another  straggler,  who  saw  that  he 
was  heading  towards  Sandusky,  and  consequently 
running  directly  into  danger  instead  of  escaping 
from  it.  They  tried  to  convince  him  that  he  was 
wrong,  but  he  obstinately  insisted  that  he  was  not. 
Finding  it  impossible  to  persuade  him  to  change  his 
course,  they  at  last  told  him  that  as  he  would  cer- 
tainly be  taken  by  the  Indians  if  he  kept  on,  and  as 
it  was  better  for  him  to  die  by  the  hands  of  wjiite 
men  than  to  be  tortured  by  savages,  they  were  deter- 
mined to  shoot  him  then  and  there  unless  he  con- 
sented to  turn  his  course  and  go  w^ith  them.  This 
was  an  unanswerable  argument,  and  Dawson  finally 
yielded  to  it,  though  with  a  very  bad  grace.  He 
changed  his  route,  joined  company  with  the  two  men, 
and  so  succeeded  in  making  his  escape,  and  arrived 
in  safety  at  his  home  beyond  the  Monongahela. 

John  Sherrard,  a  private  in  the  Sandusky  expedi- 
tion, was  a  man  well  and  favorably  known  among  the 
early  residents  of  Fayette  County,  and  as  he  was  also 
one  of  Col.  Crawford's  most  valuable  men,  it  is  not 
improper  to  make  special  mention  of  his  services  and 
adventures  in  the  campaign.  He  does  not  come  into 
particular  notice  until  the  afternoon  of  June  4th, 
when  the  northern  and  western  borders  of  the  grove 
known  as  Battle  Island  were  fringed  with  the  fire  of 
the  Pennsylvanians'  rifles.  In  that  conflict  he  held 
his  own  with  the  best  among  the  volunteers,  until  in 
the  excitement  of  the  fight  he  drove  a  ball  into  the 
barrel  of  his  rifle  without  any  powder  behind  it,  and 
by  this  means  disarmed  himself  by  rendering  his 
piece  useless. 

From  this  time  he  employed  himself  in  bringing 
water  to  his  comrades  in  the  grove  from  a  stagnant 
pool  which  he  discovered  beneath  the  roots  of  an  up- 

';  turned  tree.  This  employment  lacked  the  pleasur- 
able excitement  which  was  with  the  marksmen  on  the 
battle-line,  but  it  was  quite  as  dangerous,  for  the  balls 
whistled  past  him  continually  as  he  pa.ssed  to  and 
fro ;   and  it  was  also  a  service  which  could  not  be 

1  dispensed  with,  for  the  battle-ground  was  entirely 
without  water  (the  river  being  more  than  a  mile 
awav\  and  the  terrible  heat  of  the  afternoon  brought 


110 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


extreme  thirst  to  the  brave  men  who  held  the  flaming 
line  on  the  edge  of  the  timber.  Sherrard  performed 
this  service  well,  and  was  uninjured  by  the  bullets 
which  flew  so  thickly  about  him. 

Again,  on  the  5th  (his  rifle  being  still  unserviceable 
for  the  reason  before  noticed),  he  was  employed  as  a 
water-carrier  to  the  skirmishers.  Years  afterwards 
he  spoke  of  his  experience  on  that  day  as  follows : 
"  After  searching  the  grove  around  I  was  fortunate 
enough  to  find  another  supply,  and  again  busied  my- 
self relieving  the  men  of  my  company.  At  length, 
overcome  with  heat  and  fatigue,  I  sat  down  at  the 
foot  of  a  large  oak-tree,  and  in  a  short  time  fell  asleep. 
How  long  I  slept  I  cannot  say.  I  was  aroused  by 
some  bark  falling  upon  my  head  from  above,  which 
had  been  knocked  off  the  tree  by  the  enemy.  I  then 
resumed  my  task  of  carrying  water." 

In  the  disorder  of  the  retreat  on  the  night  of  the 
"ith,  Sherrard,  like  many  others,  became  separated 
irom  his  command,  and  being  left  in  the  extreme 
rear,  followed  as  well  as  he  was  able  the  trail  of  the 
three  divisions  which  took  the  route  to  the  southwest 
of  the  prescribed  line  of  march.  With  him  was 
Daniel  Harbaugh,  also  irom  Fayette  County,  and  to- 
gether these  two  moved  on  in  the  darkness,  expecting 
every  moment  to_  be  coiiiVontcd  by  Indians,  but  in 
some  unaccountable  way  they  escaped  discovery  by 
the  savages  during  the  night.  Early  in  the  following 
morning,  as  they  were  riding  through  the  woods,  an 
Indian  was  seen  skulking  in  the  undergrowth  to  their 
left.  Sherrard,  who  was  first  to  see  the  savage,  in- 
stantly dismounted  and  took  cover  behind  a  tree,  at 
the  same  time  warning  Harbaugh  to  take  a  like  pre- 
caution. The  latter  not  seeing  the  Indian  and  mis- 
apprehending the  direction  of  tlio  danger  took  the 
wrong  side  of  his  tr( c,  nml  luiirj  thus  fully  exposed 
was  immediately  shut,  i.i  i\  inj  ilio  fatal  bullet  in  his 
right  breast.  He  sunk  to  die  eartli,  moaning,  "  Lord 
liave  mercy  on  me!  I  am  a  dead  man,"  and  died  in  a 
few  moments.  Sherrard,  with  his  gun  at  his  shoulder, 
watched  closely  for  the  Indian,  intending  to  send  a 
l)ullet  through  him,  but  the  smoke  of  the  savage's 
rifle  hid  him  for  a  few  seconds,  and  when  this  cleared 
away  Sherrard  saw  him  running  for  his  life  and 
beyond  the  range  of  his  piece. 

Slierrard  examined  the  body  of  his  fallen  compan- 
ion and  found  that  life  was  extinct.  The  ghastly  fea- 
tures of  the  dead  man  and  the  suddenness  of  the  event 
horrified  and  almost  unmanned  him,  but,  collecting 
liis  thoUL'hts,  in  a  mdiiioiit  he  took  the  saddle  and  bri- 


ook   fi- 


die  from 
Then  he  I 
comfortaljle  saddle  i 
substituting  for  it  tl 
from  Harhaugh's  h 
He  had  not  gone  far,  1 


rse  and  turned  him  loose, 
vu  horse  the  rude  and  un- 
rli  111'  had  been  riding,  and 
111  niic  which  he  had  taken 
lie  mciunted  and  rode  on. 
ivever,  before  he  recollected 


lat  in  his  excitement  he  had  left  behind  his  blanket 
and  provisions  strapped  to  the  abandoned  saddle. 
In  his  present  situation  he  could  not  think  of  losing 


these,  so  he  returned  to  secure  them.  On  reaching 
the  spot  he  found  that  the  savage  had  returned, 
stripped  the  scalp  from  Harhaugh's  head,  and  cap- 
tured the  dead  man's  horse,  bridle,  and  gun.  But  he 
had  not  discovered  the  abandoned  saddle,  and  Sher- 
rard found  it  with  the  blanket  and  provisions  undis- 
turbed. These  he  at  once  secured,  and  having  done 
so  left  the  spot  and  rode  swiftly  away.  No  more  In- 
dians were  encountered  by  him,  and  two  or  three 
hours  later  he  had  the  good  fortune  to  come  up  witli 
the  retreating  force  under  Maj.  ^Villiamson.  Soon 
after  he  rejoined  his  company,  the  battle  of  the  6th 
of  June  (at  Olentangy  Creek)  occurred,  as  has  been 
related. 

From  this  place  Sherrard  marched  with  the  column 
on  its  retreat  to  Mingo  Bottom,  and  arrived  in  safety 
at  his  home,  which  at  that  time  was  at  the  house  of 
Mrs.  Paull,  the  mother  of  James.     To  her  he  brought  ii 
the  sad  intelligence  that  her  son  was  missing,  and  had  ' 
not  been  seen  nor  heard  of  since  the  night  of  the  5th, 
wdien  the  troops  left  Battle  Island.     This  ominous  re- 
port nearly  crushed  the  widowed  mother,  but  she  wa 
afterwards  made  happy  by  the  return  of  her  son  i 
safety,  as  we  have  seen. 

Some  of  the  stragglers  from  the  retreating  column 
under  Williamson  had  reached  the  Ohio  considerably 
in  advance  of  the  main  body.  These  stragglers  ir 
mediately  returned  to  their  homes,  and  spread  through 
the  frontier  settlements  the  most  alarming  and  exag- 
gerated reports'  of ■  the  disaster  which  had  befallen 
the  expedition.  These  reports  not  only  caused  great 
grief  and  extreme  anxiety  for  the  fate  of  relatives 
and  friends  wlio  were  with  the  forces  of  Col.  Craw- 
ford, but  the  wildest  consternation  also,  for  it  was 
feared  and  believed  that  the  victorious  savages — red 
and  white — ivould  soon  be  across  the  Ohio,  and  would 
carry  devastation  and  butchery  to  the  valleys  of  the 
Monongahela  and  Y'ougliiogheny.  When  the  grief 
and  anxiety  of  the  people  was  to  a  great  extent  al- 
layed by  the  return  of  the  volunteers,  and  the  conse- 
quent discovery  that  the  disaster  was  by  no  means  i 
overwhelming  as  had  at  first  been  reported,  the  dreads 
of  Indian  invasion  still  remained,  and  the  bold  fron-. 
tiersmen,  discarding  the  idea  of  waiting  for  the  coming  i 
of  the  foe  and  then  merely  standing  on  the  defensive, 
began  at  once  to  urge  the  forming  of  a  new  expedi- 
tion to  carry  the  war  into  the  heart  of  the  Indian  i 
country,  and  to  prosecute  it  to  the  point  of  extermi- 
nation, or  at  least  to  the  destruction  of  the  Wyandot, 
Delaware,  and  Shawanese  towns,  for  they  believed  thati 
in  no  other  way  could  security  be  had  for  the  settle- 
ments along  the  border.     It  was  the  wish  of  the  lead- 


1  The  earliest  reports  which  obtained  currency  were  to  the  effect  t 
the  army  of  Crawford  was  almost  annihilated,  and  that  the  Indians  w 
pursuing  them  to  the  Oliio,  and  would  douLtlcss  cross  the  river  and  carij 
rapine  and  desolation  through  the  border  settlements.  Tlie  fact  waBi 
that,  including  all  those  killed  in  battle,  those  who  afterwards  died<i« 
wounds,  those  wlio  suffered  death  at  the  hiinds  of  their  savage  captors 
and  those  who  were  missing  and  never  heard  from,  the  total  loss  sua- 


THE  EEVOLUTION. 


Ill 


;iiiits — sucli  men  as  Maj.  Gaildis,  Williamson, 
M:ir>li;il,  and  Edward  Cook — tliat  tlie  proposed  expe- 
litiiiii  should  be  made  as  strong,  numerically,  as  pos- 

bk',  that  it  should  include,  besides  volunteers  from 
the  militia  of  Westmoreland  and  Wasliington  Conn- 
ies and  the  Pan  Handle  of  Virginia,  as  many  regu- 
lar Continental  troops  as  could  be  spared  from  Fort 
Pitt,  and  that  it  should  be  commanded  by  Gen.  Irvine 
n  i)erson. 

Capts.  Robert  Beall  and  Thomas  Moore,  of  the 
Westmoreland  County  militia,  wrote  from  near  Stew- 
ut's  Crossings,  under  date  of  June  23d,  to  Gen.  Irvine, 
uforming  of  the  sentiment  of  the  people  in  favor  of 

new  expedition.  "The  unfortunate  miscarriage  of 
he  late  expedition,"  they  said,  "  the  common  interest 
i)f  our  country,  and  the  loss  of  our  friends  induce 
13  to  be  thus  forward  in  proposing  another.  .  .  .  We 
lo  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  giving  our  own  pri- 
vate sentiments,  but  of  those  of  the  people  generally 
n  our  quarter;  for  which  purpose  we  are  authorized 

0  address  you,  and  from  accounts  well  authenticated 
sure  you  it  is  the  wish  of  the  people  on  this  side 

he  Monongahela  River  without  a  dissenting  voice." 
From  the  west  side  of  theMonongahela,  John  Evans, 
ieutenant  of  Monongalia  County,  Va.,  wrote  Irvine 

1  weclv  later  (June  30th),  informing  him  that  Indians 
lad  made  their  appearance  in  that  quarter,  and  that 
;reat  alarm  was  felt  in  consequence,  adding,  "With- 
>ut  your  assistance  I  much  fear  our  settlements  will 
)reak.  The  defeat  of  Col.  Crawford  occasions  much 
Iread." 

In  his  reply  to  Beall  and  Moore  (dated  June  26th) 
Jen.  Irvine  said,  "Inclination  as  well  as  duty  is  a 
lontinual  spur  to  me,  not  only  to  acquiesce  in,  but  to 
ncourage  every  measure  adopted  for  the  public  good. 
four  proposals  on  this  occasion  are  so  truly  patriotic 
■nd  spirited  that  I  should  look  on  myself  unpardon- 
ble  were  I  to  pass  them  unnoticed."  In  a  letter 
if  the  same  date,  addressed  to  Col.  Edward  Cook, 
ieutenant  of  Westmoreland  County,'  Irvine  said, 
'Your  people  seem  so  much  in  earnest  that  I  am  led 
o  think,  if  other  parts  of  the  country  are  so  spirited 
tnd  patriotic,  something  may  probably  be  done,  but 
l.s  it  will  take  some  time  to  come  to  a  proper  knowl- 
ilgv  of  this  matter,  and  that  must  be  accurately  done, 
liuiv  can  be  no  harm  in  making  the  experiment.  .  .  . 
,  have  no  intimation  of  any  plan  being  on  foot  in 
fV'ashington  County  for  this  purpose,  though  it  is  said 
he  people  wish  another  expedition." 

The  project  of  raising  another  force  for  the  invasion 
f  the  Indian  country  seems  to  have  originated  with 
he  people  of  that  part  of  Westmoreland  which  is  now 
"ayette  County.  The  manner  in  which  it  was  pro- 
)0sed  to  form  it  and  carry  it  through  to  a  successful 
ssue  is  indicated  in  a  letter  written  by  Gen.  Irvine 
o  the  Secretary  of  War,  Gen.  Lincoln,  on  the  1st  of 


the  Monongaliela,  at  the  pla' 


July,  from  which  the  following  extracts  are  made: 
"  The  disaster  has  not  abated  the  ardor  or  desire  for 
revenge  (as  they  term  it)  of  these  people.  A  number 
of  the  most  respectable  are  urging  me  strenuously  to 
take  command  of  them,  and  add  as  many  Continental 
officers  and  soldiers  as  can  be  spared,  particularly  ofli- 
cers,  as  they  attribute  the  defeat  to  the  want  of  expe- 
rience in  their  officers.  They  cannot  nor  will  not  rest 
under  any  plan  on  the  defensive,  however  well  exe- 
cuted, and  think  their  only  safety  depends  on  the  total 
destruction  of  all  the  Indian  settlements  witliin  two 
hundred  miles;  this,  it  is  true,  they  are  taught  by 
dear-bought  experience. 

"  They  propose  to  raise  by  subscription  six  or  seven 
hundred  men,  provisions  for  them  for  forty  days,  and 
horses  to  carry  it,  clear  of  expense  to  the  public,  un- 
less government  at  its  own  time  shall  think  proper  to 
reimburse  them.  The  1st  of  August  they  talk  of  as- 
sembling, if  I  think  proper  to  encourage  them.  I  am 
by  no  means  fond  of  such  commands,  nor  am  I  san- 
guine in  my  expectations,  but  rather  doubtful  of  the 
consequences  ;  and  yet  absolutely  to  refuse  having 
anything  to  do  with  them,  when  their  proposals  are 
so  generous  and  seemingly  spirited,  I  conceive  ^Vould 
not  do  well  either,  especially  as  people  too  generally, 
particularly  in  this  quarter,  are  subject  to  be  clamorous 
and  to  charge  Continental  officers  with  want  of  zeal, 
activity,  and  inclination  of  doing  the  needful  for  their 
protection.  I  have  declined  giving  them  an  immedi- 
ate, direct  answer,  and  have  informed  them  that  my 
going  depends  on  circumstances,  and  in  the  mean  time 
I  have  called  for  returns  of  the  men  who  may  be  de- 
pended on  to  go,  and  the  subscriptions  of  provisions 
and  horses.  The  distance  to  lieadquarters  is  so  great 
that  it  is  uncertain  whether  an  express  could  return 
in  time  with  the  commander-in-chief's  instructions. 

"As  you  must  know  whether  any  movements  will 
take  place  in  this  quarter,  or  if  you  are  of  the  opinion 
it  would  on  any  account  be  improper  for  me  to  leave 
the  post,  I  request  you  would  please  to  write  me  by 
express.  But  if  no  answer  arrives  before  or  about 
the  1st  of  August,  I  shall  take  for  granted  you  have 
no  objections,  and  that  I  may  act  discretionally. 
Should  it  be  judged  expedient  for  me  to  go  the 
greatest  number  of  troops  fit  to  march  will  not  exceed 
one  hundred.  The  militia  are  pressing  that  I  shall 
take  all  the  Continentals  along,  and  leave  the  defense 
of  the  fort  to  them ;  but  this  I  shall  by  no  means  do. 
If  circumstances  should  s.-em  in  rL-quire  it,  I  shall 
throw  in  a  few  militia  with  those  regulars  left,  but 
under  Continental  officers." 

There  were  good  grounds  for  the  alarm  felt  by  the 
people  between  the  Ohio  and  the  mountains,  for  a 
few  days  after  the  return  of  Williamson's  forces  the 
Indians  appeared  in  large  numbers  along  the  west 
bank  of  the  Ohio,  their  main  force  being  concentrated 
at  Mingo  Bottom,  with  smaller  parties  at  various 
points  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  these  were 
closely  and  constantly  watched  by  several  detachments 


n; 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  the  militia  of  Washington  County.  The  settlers 
west  of  the  Monongahela  were  almost  in  a  state  of 
panic.  Col.  Marshal,  of  Washington  Count}-,  wrote 
Gen.  Irvine  on  the  4th  of  July,  informing  him  that 
the  people  of  that  section  were  determined  to  abandon 
their  settlements  if  a  force  was  not  sent  to  protect  i 
them.  A  great  number  of  the  inhabitants  moved 
from  their  homes  to  the  shelter  of  the  forts  and  block- 
houses. Nearly  as  much  consternation  prevailed  in  J 
the  settlements  east  of  the  Monongahela,  and  the 
general  alarm  was  greatly  increased  by  the  sudden 
j'.ppearance  of  the  enemy  in  Westmoreland  County, 
where,  on  the  11th  of  July,  they  killed  and  scalped 
three  sons  of  Mr.  Chambers,  and  two  days  later,  at- 
tacked and  burned  the  old  county  seat  of  Westmore- 
land, Hannastown.  This  event  was  narrated  in  a 
letter'  written  by  Ephraim  Douglass  to  Gen.  James 
Irvine,  dated  July  2G,  1782,  as  follows : 

"  My  last  contained  some  account  of  the  destruction 
of  Hanna's  Town,  but  it  was  an  imperfect  one ;  tlie 
damage  was  greater  than  we  then  knew,  and  attended 
with  circumstances  different  from  my  representation 
of  them.  There  were  nine  killed  and  twelve  carried 
off  prisoners,  and  instead  of  some  of  the  houses  u-ithoiit 
the  fort  being  defended  by  our  people,  they  all  retired 
within  the  miserable  stockade,  and  the  enemy  pos- 
sessed themselves  of  the  forsaken  houses,  from  whence 
they  kept  up  a  continual  fire  upon  the  fort  from  about 
twelve  o'clock  till  night  without  doing  any  other 
damage  than  wounding  one  little  girl  within  the 
walls.  They  carried  away  a  great  number  of  horses 
and  evervthiue  of  value  in  the  deserted  houses,  de- 


stroyed all  the  cattle,  h< 
reach,  and  burned  all  t 
cept  two;  these  they  al~ 
it  did  not  extend  itsuli' 
several  houses  round  tli 
the  same  manner,  and  :i 
either  uuinlcicl  or  raw 
since  suflercd  a  similar  W 
a  day  but  they  have  beei 
of  tl 


and  ponltry  within  their 
liniises  in  the  village  ex- 
ct  lire  to,  but  fortunately  I 
lai-  as  to  consume  them; 
■'luiitry  were  destroyed  in  I 
iilicr  of  unhappy  ftimilies  ' 
otr  captives  ;  some  have  i 
in  difi'erent  parts ;  hardly  I 
iscovered  in  some  rpiarter 
country,  and  the  poor  inhabitants  struck  witli 
terror   through   the   whole   extent   of    our   frontier. 
Where  this  party  set  out  from  is  not  certainly  known; 
several    circumstances    induce    the   belief   of   their  | 
coming  from  the  head  of  the  Allegheny,  or  towards 
Niagara,  rather  than  from  Sandusky  or  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Lake   Erie.     The  great  number  of  whites, 
known  liy  their  language  to  have  been  in  the  party, 
the   direction    <>(  tlirir    retreat   when    they    left   the  j 
country,  whirh  was  towards  the  Kittanning,  and  no 
appearance  of  their  narks  cither  coming  or  going 
having  been  discovered  liy  the  ollicer  and  party  which 
the  L'eneral-  ordered  on  that  service  bevond  the  river. 


sincerely  to  be  wished,  on  account  of  the  unfortunate 
captives  who  have  fallen  into  their  hands,  that  it  may 
be  true,  for  the  enraged  Dehuvares  renounce  the  idea 
of  taking  any  prisoners  but  for  cruel  purposes  of 
torture." 

Intelligence  of  the  attack  on  and  destruction  of 
Hannastown  did  not  reach  Gen.  Irvine,  at  Fort  Pitt, 
until  three  days  after  the  occurrence,  and  of  course 
it  was  then  too  late  for  the  commandant  to  send  a 
force  in  pursuit  of  the  savages  with  any  hope  of  suc- 
cess. The  Indians  who  made  the  foray  were  from  the  ■ 
north,  mostly  Mingoes.  The  surviving  prisoners  cap- 
tured at  Hannastown  and  Miller's  were  taken  to 
Niagara  and  delivered  to  the  British  military  authori- 
ties there.  At  the  close  of  the  war  they  were  delivered 
up  and  returned  to  their  homes. 

Before  the  events  above  narrated.  Gen.  Irvine  wrote 
(July  11th)  to  Gen.  Washington,  saying  that  the 
people  were  constantly  growing  more  determined  in  i 
their  efforts  to  raise  a  new  force  to  operate  against  the 
Sandusky  towns,  that  solicitations  to  him  to  assist  in  . 
it  and  to  assume  the  command  were  increasing  daily, 
and  that  the  militia  officers  had  actually  commenced 
preparations  for  the  expedition.  The  news  of  the  i 
descent  of  the  savages  on  Hannastown  caused  these 
preparations  to  be  urged  with  greater  energy  by  the 
bolder  and  more  determined  men,  while  it  increased 
the  general  alarm  and  apprehension  in  a  great  degree. 
Gen.  Irvine,  in  a  letter  witten  to  President  Moore,  of 
the  Executive  Council,  on  the  lOth  of  July,  said,  in 
reference  to  the  probable  results  of  this  aflliir,  "  I  fear 
this  stroke  will  intimidate  the  inhabitants  so  much 
that  it  will  not  be  possible  to  rally  them  or  persuade 
them  to  make  a  stand.  Nothing  in  my  power  shall 
be  left  undone  to  countenance  and  encourage  them." 

Notwithstanding  Gen.  Irvine's  fears  to  the  contrary, 
the  raising  of  the  new  expedition  was  strenuously 
urged,  and  pushed  forward  with  all  possible  vigor  by 
the  principal  officers  of  the  militia  in  this  region. 
The  commanding  officers  of  companies  at  that  time 
in  what  is  now  Fayette  County  were: 
Capt.  John  Beeson.  Capt.  Moses  Sutton. 

"     Theophilus  Phillips.  "     Michael  Catts. 

"     Ichabod  Ashcraft. 


John  Hardin. 
John  Powers. 
Daniel  Canon. 
Robert  Beall. 

JIcFarlin. 

Evan. 


all. 


ispir 


to  SUl 


■jjort 


is  be 


and  I  think  it  is 


possesion  of  tlic 


Historical  Society. 


"     James  Dougherty. 

"     Armstrong  Porter. 

"     Cornelius  Lynch. 

"     William  Hayney.  " 

"     Nichols.  " 

Capt.  Thos.  Moore. 

Every  person  liable  to  do  military  duty  was  required 
to  report  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the  company 
in  which  he  was  enrolled.  Other  than  clearly  estab- 
lished physical  disability,  or  having  served  in  the 
then  recent  campaign  under  Col.  Crawford,  very  few 
pleas  for  exemption  from  service  were  deemed  valid. 
Men  were  required  to  perform  regular  tours  of  duty- 
at  the  several  "stations"  in  anticipation  of  Indian  at- 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


113 


lut  were  excused  from  this  duty  if  disposed  to 
ear  for  tlje  new  expedition.' 


11  iiy  of  tliese facts  nre  obtained  from  tlio  old  manuscript  liook  wliicli 
[ill  111  fxistcnco  in  the  court-house  at  Uniontown,  and  contains  the 
iiiii  s  of  tlie  several  military  "Courts  of  Appeal"  held  in  the  spring 
-11 ler  of  178J,  as  bi-foro  mentioned.    Some  extracts  from  tliese 

1/  ^    r„uHo_f  Aiipctil  held  ut  Bcfsoirs  Town  (he  blli  day  of  A,„jusl,VK'l. 

"  Present 
l-MuiiU-r  M'Clean  \  Members  jI-'ent-Kobert  Kichey.Esq' 

111.  Lieut,  for  Wesf  County  i   *  I.  Ensign  William  McCoy. 

"  Ciiptain  Ichahod  AshcrafCs  lieturn. 
.1  In  Griffith.— Excused  on  Oath  of  inaMlity  of  Body. 
Al  ■Minder  Buchanan.— .*dam  McDiflerfy  appears  a  Substitute  for 

M. n,  but  chooses  i-athcr  to  go  on  the  Expedition,    lie  is  therefore 

u-iLil  lor  that  purpose. 

Joshua  Robinson.— Substitute,  Daniel  Barton,  for  the  Station. 
Thomas  Bowel.— Excused  on  the  Credit  of  his  brother,  Buzil  Bowel, 
»ho  is  Enrolled  under  Cupt.  Ashcraft  for  the  Expedition. 
"  dipt,  Daniel  Cannon's  lieturn— lUi  Clasfi. 
'  Matthey  Willey.— Clerk  to  the  Company,  to  turn  out  on  duty  with 
i  Capt. 

'James  Kobeson.— His  son  aT.dunteer  for  the  Espedil ion— Enrolled. 
'Buiditt  Clifton.— Kendezvousod  agreeable  to  Cji'dcr  the  3llthJulyat 
Sob'  Itogers. 

nu<  r.ui  ns.— A  Volunteer  for  the  Expedition. 
:.,  .  I  ,    1   ,,  1,,    I   :      i:m  iisi'd  on  acct  of  a  Tour  on  the  r.elief  of 


"  :\l  i>  l,:i.  1  h.il.  \       1  \>  i;-.  fl  nil  Oath  of  present  inability  of  Body. 
I    "IMiilip  Ivocurd.s.— Kxcurifd  on  ace'  of  Services  perform'^  on  Mackin- 
losh's  Campaign  by  Alexander  M'Clean. 

"  Captain  SaUon'a  Beluru—bth  date. 

"James  Donaldson.— Excused  on  ac.ount  of  Services  perfoimed  on 

RCkintosh's  Ciimpaigu,  not  before  credited  for. 

"Obadiah  Stillwell  — Levi  Bridgewater  excuses  him  by  a  tour  on  the 

mdusky. 

"  John  Hawthorn.— David  Brooks,  a  Substitute,  appeal^  for  the  Station. 

"Webb  Ilaydeu.— Appears  for  Station;  excused  I'y  William  Jolliff,  on 

spedltion. 

"John  Scott.— Bit  by  a  Snake,  &  not  able  to  perform  the  next  Tour. 

"  Capl.  neeeon's  Return— Gth  Class. 
"Thomas  Brownfield.— To  be  determined  by  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas. 

Samuel  Eich.— John  Beeson  answers  a  Tour  of  Duty  by  the  Relief 
>f  Tuscarawas 

ristian  Countryman. — Excused  on  Condition  He  pcrfoim  the  next 
Four  of  Duty  yet  to  be  Ordered. 

Ben.  Curler. — loliu  Orr,  of  Capt.  Sutton's  Company,  answers  a  Tour 
on  Sandusky  E.\n. 

John  Stilt.— Produced  a  Certificate  of  his  having  produced  a  Substi- 
tute during  the  War. 

Samuel  Boyd.— Excused  on  account  of  Two  Tours  of  duty  allowed 
liy  Capt.  .\ndersou  for  bringing  in  prisoners  from  Carolina  taken  by 
Coll"  Morgan. 

Jolm  M'Clean,  Jun'.— Performed  on  the  Line  [meaning  a  tour  of 
luty  as  one  of  tlie  guards  to  the  surveyors  runniug  the  line  between 
Pennsylvania  and  Virginia]. 


At  a  Court  of  Appeal  held  at  Union  1 
"Alexander  M'Clean,  Sub.  Lt.  Esq' 


■  mh  < 


asun,  1782. 


Daniel 


alp. 


"  J?e(iira  of  Capt.  Eeall. 

'James  Stephenson.— At  the  Station. 

'John  Love. — .Vn  apprentice  to  BIr.  Craftcort,  A  was 
when  Hannahs  Town  wMs  destroyed,  and  continued  ther 
rather. 

'Moses  White.— At  the  Station. 

"Thomas  Stasey.— Enrolled  for  the  Expedition. 


Tlie  destruction  of  Hannastown  was  quickly  fol- 
lowed by  other  Indian  forays  at  various  points  along 
the  border,  and  as  the  continual  alarms  caused  by 
these  attacks  rendered  it  nece.ssary  to  keep  large  num- 
bers of  the  militiamen  constantly  on  duty  at  the  sta- 
tions, it  soon  became  apparent  that  the  requisite  num- 
ber of  volunteers  could  not  be  raised  and  equipped 
for  the  new  expedition  by  the  time  originally  desig- 
nated, which  was  the  1st  of  August.'^  "The  incur- 
sions of  the  Indians  on  the  frontier  of  this  country," 
said  Gen.  Irvine,  in  a  letter  written  on  the  25th  of 
July  to  the  Secretary  of  War, "  will  unavoidably  pre- 
vent the  militia  from  assembling  as  soon  as  the  1st  of 
August.  Indeed,  I  begin  to  entertain  doubts  of  their 
being  able  to  r.iise  and  equip  the  proposed  number 
this  season."  Under  these  circumstances  the  general 
thought  it  proper  to  extend  the  time  of  preparation 
for  the  expedition,  and  accordingly  he  directed  that 
the  forces  should  assemble  on  September  20th  (in- 
stead of  August  1st),  at  Fort  Mcintosh,  as  a  general 
rendezvous,  and  march  thence  to  the  invasion  of  the 
Indian  country.' 

In  the  mean  time  the  Indians  continued  to  grow 
bolder  and  more  aggressive  in  their  attacks  along  the 
border.  On  the  night  of  the  11th  of  September  an 
Indian  force  of  two  hundred  and  sixty  warriors,  under 
the  renegade  George  Girty  (brother  of  the  infiimous 
Simon),  accompanied  by  a  detachment  of  about  forty 
British  Rangers  from  Detroit,  under  Capt.  Pratt,  of  the 
royal  service,  attacked  the  fort  at  Wheeling,' but  were 
repulsed.  Other  attempts  were  made  by  them  during 
the  day  and  night  of  the  12th,  but  with  no  better  suc- 
cess. In  the  morning  of  the  13th  the  besiegers  with- 
drew from  Wheeling,  but  proceeded  to  attack  Rice's 
fort,  some  fourteen  miles  distant.  There  also  they 
were  repulsed,  their  loss  being  four  warriors  killed. 
These  and  other  attacks  at  various  points  on  the 
frontier  materially  dampened  the  ardor  of  the  people 

The  book  contains  a  great  number  of  entries  simil.ir  to  those  given 
above.  It  closes  with  minutes  of  business  done  "  At  a  Court  of  Appeal 
held  at  Riffles  Fort,  the  thirtl  day  of  September,  1782. 

"  Present.— Alexander  M'Clean,  Sub  Lieut.  Presii 
Andrew  Ki.bb,EsqMji^„,^„,„ 
John  P.  Duvall.       i 

-  The  volunteers  for  the  expedition  in  that  part  of  Westmoreland 
County  which  is  now  Fayette  were  ordered  to  rendezvous  at  Beesons- 
town  (Uniontown)  on  the  00th  of  July,  to  proceed  thence  to  the  general 
rendezvous  at  tlio   month  of  Beav.-r. 

a  Both  ihi-si  iii-  ml  ■;  n.  1  ii  -:  ■ ' ni  ii ,  I  i]  i.Tovod  theplauof  the 


'  11,  who  made  his  es- 

iiii.i;:   ■i.ni...:l I   I  .  ilu- ^t,^kefor  tortnre,as 

an  extended  series  of  operations  against  the  frontier  settlements,  and 
that  among  these  projected  operations  was  an  attack  in  force  on  the 
post  at  Wlieeling.  This  information  he  said  he  ff.iined  by  bein^  present 
at  their  councils  for  several  days  while  in  <;i|itiv  it  v,  mol  hilly  under- 

stiinding  every  word  tliat  was  uttered  by  tlo>  .  hi  I-    "i  Hi  ■cr.sijns, 

as  he  was  entirely  familiar  with  the  Delawm  .-,  w  ,  m  i^i,  .n  1  >lKiwanese 
languages.  The  tale  which  he  brought  of  Ibese  imI..-ii.Ii-.I  (.-.xpiilitions  by 
the  Indians  against  the  white  settlements  was  not  believed  by  Cook. 
Marshal,  Gaddls,  and  Gen.  Irvine,  but  the  result  proved  that  Slover  had 
neither  misunderstood  nor  falsified  the  intentions  of  the  savages  as 
expressed  by  their  chiefs  in  council, 


lU 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUxN'TY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


with  regard  to  the  expedition,  though  the  govern- 
ment had  ordered  that  a  considerable  body  of  regular 
Continental  trooiDs  should  accompany  it,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  requests  of  Col.  Cook,  Col.  Marshal,  and 
several  of  the  more  prominent  among  the  officers  of 
the  militia  between  the  Monongahela  and  Youghio- 
gheny  Rivers.  The  minutes  of  the  "  Courts  of  Ap- 
peal," before  referred  to,  indicate  that  in  what  is  now 
Fayette  County  the  men  liable  to  railitarj  duty  were, 
after  the  1st  of  August,  1782,  much  less  disposed  than 
before  to  volunteer  for  the  expedition  in  preference 
to  doing  duty  on  the  stations  in  the  vicinity  of  their 
homes. 

On  the  ISth  of  September,  two  daj-s  before  the 
time  which  he  had  appointed  for  the  rendezvous  at 
Fort  Mcintosh,  Gen.  Irvine  addressed  communica- 
tions to  Col.  Edward  Cook  (of  Cookstown,  now  Fay- 
ette City)  and  Col.  Marshal,  respectively  county  lieu- 
tenants of  Westmorehind  and  Washington,  saying, 
"I  have  this  moment  received  dispatches  from  the 
Secretary  of  War  informing  me  that  some  regular 
troojis  are  ordered  from  below  to  assist  us  in  our 
intended  expedition.  I  am  therefore  to  beg  you 
will  immediately  countermand  the  march  of  the  vol- 
unteers and  others  of  your  counties  until  further 
orders.  As  soon  as  I  am  positively  assured  of  the 
time  the  troops  will  be  here  I  shall  give  you  the 
earliest  notice."  But  the  notification  was  never 
given,  for  the  war  between  England  and  the  United 
States  was  virtually  closed,  and  with  the  approach  of 
peace  the  Secretary  of  War  countermanded  the  order 
for  the  regulars  to  join  in  the  expedition. 

A  letter  from  (tcu.  Lincoln  to  Gen.  Irvine,  dated 
September  27th,  notified  the  latter  that  information 
had  l)een  received  from  Gen.  Washington  to  the  effect 
th.it  "  the  Indians  are  all  called  in"  (by  the  British 
government).  It  is  evident  that  on  the  receipt  of  this 
communication,  a  few  days  later,  Irvine  abandoned  all 
idea  of  prosecuting  the  expedition,  and  on  the  18th 
of  October,  in  a  letter  to  Col.  Cook,  he  said,  "I  re- 
ceived your  letter  by  Sergt.  Porter,  and  one  last  night 
from  Col.  JIarshal,  which  is  full  of  despondency. 
Indeeil,  by  all  accounts  I  can  collect,  it  would  be 
vain  to  insist  on  bringing  the  few  willing  people  to 
the  general  rendezvous,  as  there  is  not  the  mo.st  dis- 
tant ]iros|H'ct  that  half  sufficient  would  assemble. 
Under  tlii'  circumstance^  I  think  it  will  bo  most  ad- 
visiiMc  t'.  Mivc  up  tlic  mutter  at  cnice,  and  direct  the 
provisions  and  otlicr  articles  be  restored  to  the 
owners." 

About  two  weeks  after  Gen.  Irvine  wrote  this  letter 
lie  received  official  notification  from  tiie  Secretary  of 
War  (dated  October  30th  I  that  the  Indian  expedition 
had  been  abandoned,  and  thereui)on  the  fact  was  of- 
ficially communicated  to  the  lieutenants  of  West- 
moreland and  Washington  Counties.  This  ended  all 
thoughts  of  raising  a  force  to  invade  the  Indian 
country,  and  it  also  closed  the  military  history  of 
this  section  of  coiintrv  for  the  period  of  the  war  of 


the  Revolution.  After  the  official  proclamation  of 
peace,  however,  and  as  late  as  the  end  of  the  spring 
of  1783,  Indian  depredations  were  continued  to  some 
extent  along  the  Western  Peunsylvania  and  Virginia 
border,  though  none  of  these  are  found  reported  as 
having  been  committed  within  the  territory  which 
now  forms  the  countv  of  Favette. 


CHAPTER     XII. 

TENNSTLVANIA  AXD  VIRGIXIA  TERRITORIAL  COX- 
TROVERSY  — ESTABLI.SHMEXT  OF  BOUNDARIES - 
SLAVERY  AXD  SERVITUDE. 

Throfgh  a  period  of  about  thirty  years  from  the 
time  when  the  first  white  settlements  were  m.ade  be- 
tween the  Monongahela  and  Youghiogheny  Rivers 
there  existed  a  controversy  (which  more  than  once 
threatened  to  break  out  into  open  hostility)  between 
Pennsylvania  and  Virginia  as  to  the  ownership  of 
the  country  lying  to  the  westward  of  the  Laurel  Hill, 
both  governments  at  the  same  time  vigorously  assert- 
ing their  respective  rights  to  jurisdiction  over  the  ter- 
ritory in  question.  This  dispute  was  partly  in  regard 
to  the  location  of  the  east-and-west  line  forming  the 
boundary  between  the  two  provinces  (afterwards 
States),  but  chiefly  in  reference  to  the  establishment 
of  the  western  boundary  of  Pennsylvania,  which  would 
also  be  the  eastern  boundary  of  Virginia  in  that  lati- 
tude. 

The  royal  grant  of  Pennsylvania  to  the  first  propria 
etary  authorized  the  extension  of  its  western  limi 
a  distance  of  five  degrees  of  longitude  west  froi 
the  Delaware  River,  and  the  question  of  where  th 
end  of  those  five  degrees  would  fall  was  the  princips 
one  at  issue  in  the  long  and  bitter  controversy  whicl 
followed.  By  the  government  and  partisans  of  Vii 
ginia  it  was  confidently  believed  that  under  that  gran 
Pennsylvania's  western  boundary  must  be  as  far  c 
as  the  Laurel  Hill,  which  would  give  to  their  provi 
(or  State)  all  the  territory  between  that  mouatai: 
range  and  the  Ohio  River;  while,  on  the  contrarj 
Pennsylvania  insisted  that  the  measurement  of  tb 
five  degrees  would  extend  her  limits  to  a  point  sev 
eral  miles  west  of  the  confluence  of  the  AUeghen 
and  Monongahela  Rivers.  And  it  was  the  realizatii 
of  the  prospective  importance  of  that  point,  the  sil 
of  the  present  city  of  Pittsburgh,  which  first  open' 
the  contest  between  the  rival  claimants  of  the  cove 
territory,  which  embraced  this  "  key  to  the  Ohi 
Valley,"  and  to  the  inviting  regions  of  the  West. 

In  the  formation,  plans,  and  brief  operations  of 
Ohio  Company,  which  have  already  been  noticed, 
is  evident  that  the  persons  composing  that  company 
(most  of  whom  were  Virginians)  believed  that  the 
country  about  the  "forks  of  the  Ohio,"  and,  in  fact, 
all  to  the  westward  of  the  Laurel  Hill,  was  withiu  the.. 


PENNSYLVANIA  AND   VIRGINIA   TEKRITORIAL   CONTROVERSY. 


llj 


jurisdiction  of  Virginia,  or  at  least  beyond  that  of 
Pennsylvania.  The  first  attempt  to  build  a  fort  where 
Pittsburgh  now  stands  was  made  by  a  company  of 
Virginians,  under  the  Virginian  captain,  Trent.  It 
was  the  Virginia  Governor,  Dinwiddio,  who  sent 
Washington  on  his  mission  in  1753  to  the  French 
posts  on  the  Allegheny,  and  who  sent  him  again  in 
1754  to  endeavor  to  take  and  keep  possession  of 
this  region  by  military  force;  and  Virginians,  more 
largely  than  troops  of  any  of  the  other  provinces, 
marched  with  Braddock  in  1755  in  the  unsuccessful 
attempt  to  wrest  this  territory  from  the  power  of  the 
French.  Thus  the  Virginians,  believing  that  the 
trans-xVlleglieny  country  belonged  to  their  province, 
had  been  forward  iu  all  the  measures  taken  for  its  oc- 
cupation and  defense,  while  Pennsylvania  had,  up  to 
that  time,  done  little  or  nothing  in  that  direction. 

But  as  early  as  the  beginning  of  the  year  1754, 
Pennsylvania,  though  making  no  active  effort  to  hold 
and  defend  the  bordering  country  Allegheny  and  Mo- 
nongahela  Rivers,  began  to  see  the  value  and  import- 
ance of  the  point  at  the  head  of  the  Ohio,  where  Capt. 
Trent  had  commenced  the  erection  of  a  fort  for  the 
Ohio  Company  (afterwuds  Fort  Du  Quesne,  and  later 
Fort  Pitt).  The  first  entry  which  has  been  found  in 
the  official  records  of  Pennsylvania  concerning  the 
matter  is  as  follows:  "March  12,  1754,  evidence  sent 
to  the  House  that  Venango  and  Logstown,  where  the 
French  forts  are  built,  are  in  the  province  of  Penn- 
sylvania." And  a  little  later  came  Virginia's  rejoin- 
der, in  a  letter  written  by  Governor  Dinwiddle  to 
Governor  Hamilton,  of  Pennsylvania,  dated  March 
21,  1754,  in  which  the  former  said,  "  I  am  much  mis- 
led by  our  surveyors  if  the  forks  of  the  Monougahe'.a 
be  within  the  bounds  of  the  province  of  Pennsyl- 
vania." This  may  be  regarded  as  the  beginning  of 
the  controversy,  but  the  defeat  of  Washington  and 
Braddock,  which  followed  soon  after,  caused  the 
matter  to  be  held  in  abeyance  for  a  number  of  j'ears; 
for  neither  Pennsylvania  nor  Virginia  thought  it 
worth  while  to  quarrel  over  their  respective  claims  to 
a  country  which  was  in  the  full  and  absolute  posses- 
sion of  the  French. 

After  the  expulsion  of  the  French  power  by  the 
military  forces  under  Forbes  in  1758,  and  the  conse- 
quent occupation  of  the  country  by  the  English,  the 
rival  claims  of  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia  were  again 
revived  ;  but  no  collisions  occurred  nor  was  any  very 
general  dissatisfaction  apparent  until  after  the  forma- 
tion of  the  Pennsylvania  county  of  Bedford,  to  extend 
across  the  mountains  to  the  western  limit  of  the  pro- 
vince, covering  the  disputed  territory  west  of  Laurel 
Hill,  claimed  by  Virginia  to  be  within  her  county  of 
Augusta,  which  had  been  laid  out  thirty-three  years 
earlier.  Upon  the  erection  of  Bedford  (March  9, 
1771),  the  officers  of  that  county  were  directed  to 
collect  taxes  from  the  inhabitants  west  of  the  moun- 
tains for  the  establishment  of  courts  and  the  erection 
of  county  buildings  at  Bedford;  and  this  created  a 


wide-spread  feeling  of  dissatisfaction,  and  a  deter- 
mination to  resist  thecollection,  which  state  of  affairs 
is  noticed  in  a  letter  written  by  Robert  Lettis  Hooper, 
Jr.,  to  his  Excellency  Governor  William  Franklin , 
of  New  Jersey.  The  following  is  an  extract  from  the 
letter,  in  question,  viz. : 

"FonT  Pitt,  Sept.  1.0,177:;. 

"  Sir, — A  few  Days  ago  I  was  at  Redstone,  when  I 
had  an  opportunity  of  knowing  the  sentiments  of  the 
People  of  that  Part  of  the  Country  with  Respect  to 
the  Western  Boundaiy  of  Pennsylvania,  and  find  a 
great  Number  of  them  are  determined  to  pay  no 
respect  to  the  Institution  of  the  Court  at  Bedford. 
They  believe  the  Western  Boundary  of  Pennsylvania 
will  not  extend  so  far  a;  Redstone  Settlement,  and  say 
it  is  an  imposition  to  oblige  them  to  pay  taxes  for 
Building  Court  Houses,  &c.,  in  Bedford  County  when 
there  is  the  greatest  probability  of  their  being  out  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  that  they  shall  be  obliged  to  con- 
tribute to  publick  Uses  in  the  New  Colony.  These 
sentiments  do  not  proceed  from  Licentiousness  in  the 
People,  nor  from  a  desire  to  screen  themselves  from 
Law  as  some  would  represent,  but  from  believing 
themselves  out  of  Pennsylvania  and  being  burthened 
with  exorbitant  Taxes  and  Mileage,  which  they  are 
unwilling  to  pay  till  it  is  absolutely  determined 
whether  they  are  in  Pennsylvania  or  not. 

"  The  Sheriff  of  Bedford  County  told  me  he  had 
Governor  Penn's  orders  to  execute  his  office  as  far  as 
the  Settlements  did  extend  on  the  Ohio,  and  even  to 
the  Kenhaways,  which  the  Governor  must  know  is 
fiir  below  the  Western  Boundary  of  Pennsylvania ; 
and  though  he  dare  not  attempt  it,  yet  I  think  it  my 
Duty  to  inform  your  Excellency  that  the  settling  of 
this  Country  is  much  hindered  by  these  Disputes,  and 
that  many  respectable  and  substantial  settlers  are 
prevented  from  coming  into  it  by  these  Disputes,  and 
to  the  great  injury  of  the  Gentlemen  who  have  ob- 
tained a  Grant  on  the  Ohio.  .  .  ." 

After  the  erection  of  Westmoreland  County  from 
the  western  part  of  Bedford  in  1773,  the  popular  dis- 
satisfaction was  less,  but  by  no  means  wholly  allayed ; 
and  a  considerable  portion  of  the  people  still  re- 
mained favorable  to  the  claims  of  Virginia. 

About  the  beginning  of  the  year  1774,  Lord  Dun- 
more,  Governor  of  Virginia,  developed  his  determina- 
tion to  use  strong  measures  for  the  assertion  of  the 
claims  of  his  province  to  jurisdiction  over  the  dis- 
puted territory.  To  this,  it  was  said,  he  was  incited 
by  Col.  George  Croghau  and  his  neijhew,  Dr.  John 
Connolly,  an  intriguing  and  ambitious  p.arlisau  resid- 
ing at  Fort  Pitt.  Connolly  had  visited  the  Governor 
at  Williamsburg,  and  now  returned  with  a  captain's 
commission,  and  power  and  directions  from  the  Gov- 
ernor to  take  possession  of  the  Monongahela  country 
and  the  region  around  Fort  Pitt,  in  the  name  of  the 
king.  Upon  this  he  issued  his  proclamation  to  the 
people  in  the  vicinity  of  Redstone  and  Fort  Pitt  to 


iii; 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


meet  on  the  25th  of  January  in  the  year  named,  to  be 
embodied  as  Virginia  militia.  Miny  assembled  in 
uccordance  with  the  proclamation  ;  but  in  the  mean 
time  Connolly  was  arrested  by  Capt.  Arthur  St.  Clair, 
as  an  officer  of  Westmoreland  County,  and  the  militia 
were  lor  the  time  dispersed;^ but  after  Connollj^'s  re- 
lease he,  with  the  aid  of  the  militia,  took  possession 
of  Fort  Pitt,  which  he  pretended  to  name,  in  honor  of 
liis  patron,  Fort  Dunmore.  Some  of  the  means  which 
he  took  to  enforce  the  authority  are  set  forth  in  the 
letter  ad<lressed  to  Governor  Penn  by  William  Craw- 
Cord,  who  was  then  presiding  justice  of  the  courts  of 
Westmoreland,  and  a  resident  in  that  part  of  the 
county  which  afterwards  became  Fayette.  It  is 
luuper  to  state  here  that  he  soon  afterwards  turned 
against  the  Pennsylvania  interest,  and  became  one  of 
the  most  active  partisans  of  Virginia,  and  a  civil 
officer  under  that  government.  The  letter  in  question 
was  as  follows : 

'•  WEiTMnREI.AXD   CoVXTV,  April  IS,  ITTi. 

''Sir, — As  some  very  extraordinary  occurrences 
have  lately  happened  in  this  county,  it  is  necessary 
to  write  an  account  of  them  to  you.  That  which  I 
now  give  is  at  the  request  and  with  the  approbation 
of  the  magistrates  that  are  at  present  attending  the 
court.  A  few  weeks  ago  Mr.  Connolly  went  to 
Staunton  [Va.t,  and  wa,~  sworn  in  as  a  Justice  of  the 
peace  for  Augu-ia  t.'i.uiity,  in  which  it  is  ])retended 
that  the  country  around  Pittsburgh  is  included.  He 
had  before  this  brought  from  Williamsburg  com- 
missions of  the  peace  for  several  gentlemen  in  this 
part  of  the  province,  but  none  of  them,  I  believe, 
have  been  accepted  of.  A  number  of  new  militia 
officers  have  been  lately  appointed  by  Lord  Dunmore. 
Several  musters  of  the  militia  have  been  held,  and 
much  confusion  Ii:is  1h  fii  orcasioned  by  them.  I  am 
inlbrmed  that  the  militia  i^  composed  of  men  without 
character  and  without  fortune,  and  who  would  be 
equally  averse  to  the  regular  administration  of  justice 
under  the  colony  of  Virginia  as  they  are  to  that 
under  the  province  of  Pennsylv.ania.  The  disturb- 
ances which  they  liavr  |.i-oilui'i..l  at  Pittsburgh  have 
been  particularly  alaniiiiig  to  tlie  iiihaliitants.  Mr. 
Connolly  is  constantly  surrounded  with  a  body  of 
armed  men.  He  boasts  of  the  countenance  of  the 
Governor  of  Virginia,  and  forcibly  obstructs  the  exe- 
cution of  legal  process,  whether  from  the  court  or 
single  magistrates.  A  deputy  sheriff  has  come  from 
Augusta  County,  and  I  am  told  he  has  writs  in  his 
hands  against  Capt.  St.  Clair'  and  the  sheriff  for 
tlic  arrest  and  confinement  of  Mr.  Connolly.  The 
sheriff  was  last  week  arrested  at  Pittsburgh  for  serving 
a  writ  on  one  of  the  inhabitants  there,  but  was,  after 
some  time,  discharged.  Oii  Monday  last  one  of  Con- 
nolly's people  grossly  insulted  Jlr.  Mackay,  aud  was 
confined  by  him,  in  order  to  be  sent  to  jail.  The 
rest  of  the  party  hearing  it,  immediately  came  to 


Mr.  Mackay's  house  and  proceeded  to  the  most  vio- 
lent outrages.  Sirs.  Mackay  was  wounded  in  the  arm 
with  a  cutlass.  The  magistrates  and  those  who  came 
to  their  assistance  were  treated  with  much  abuse,  and 
the  prisoner  was  rescued. 

"Some  days  before  the  meeting  of  the  court  a  re- 
port was  spread  that  the  militia  officers,  at  the  head 
of  their  several  companies,  would  come  to  Mr.  Han- 
na's,  use  the  court  ill,  and  interrupt  the  administra- 
tion of  justice.  On  Wednesday,  while  the  court  was 
adjourned,  they  came  to  the  court-house  [at  Hannas- 
town,  Westmoreland  County]  and  paraded  before  it. 
Sentinels  were  placed  at  the  door,  and  Mr.  Connolly 
went  into  the  house.  One  of  the  magistrates  was 
hindered  by  the  militia  from  going  into  it  till  permis- 
sion was  first  obtained  from  their  commander.  Mr. 
Connolly  sent  a  message  to  the  magistrates  informing 
them  that  he  wanted  to  communicate  something  to 
them,  and  would  wait  on  them  for  that  purpose. 
They  received  him  in  a  private  room.  He  read  to 
them  the  inclosed  paper,ltogether  with  a  copy  of  a 
letter  to  you,  which  Lord  Dunmore  had  transmitted 
to  him,  inclosed  in  a  letter  to  himself,  which  was 
written  in  the  same  angry  and  undignified  style. 
The  magistrates  gave  the  inclosed  answer  to  what  he 
read,  and  he  soon  afterwards  departed  with  his  men. 
Their  number  w.as  about  one  hundred  and  eighty 
or  two  hundred.  On  their  return  to  Pittsburgh  some 
of  them  seized  Mr.  Elliott,  of  the  Bullock  Pens,  and 
threatened  to  put  him  in  the  stocks  for  something 
which  tliey  deemed  an  affront  offered  to  their  com- 
mander. Since  their  return  a  certain  Edward  Thomp- 
son and  a  young  man  who  keeps  store  for  Mr.  Spear 
have  been  arrested  by  them,  and  Mr.  Connolly,  who 
in  person  seized  the  young  man,  would  not  allow  him 
time  even  to  lock  up  the  store.  In  other  parts  of  the 
country,  particularly  those  adjoining  the  river  Monon- 
gahela,  the  magistrates  have  been  frequently  in- 
sulted in  the  most  indecent  and  violent  manner,  and 
are  apprehensive  that  unless  they  are  speedily  and 
vigorously  supported  by  government  it  will  become 
both  fruitless  and  dangerous  for  them  to  proceed  to 
the  execution  of  their  ofl5ces.  They  presume  not  to 
point  out  the  measures  proper  for  settling  the  present 
disturbances,  but  beg  leave  to  recommend  the  fixing 
of  a  temporary  line  with  the  utmost  expedition  as 
one  step  which  in  all  probability  will  contribute  very 
much  towards  producing  that  effect.  For  further 
particulars  concerning  the  situation  of  the  country 
I  refer  you  to  Colonel  Wilson,  who  is  kind  enough  to- 
go  on  the  present  occasion  to  Philadelphia.  I  am, 
sir,  vour  verv  humble  servant, 

"W.  Crawford. 
"To  THE  Honorable  Johx  Pexn,  Esquire." 
While  at  Fort  Dunmore  (Pitt),  in  the   following 
September,   the   Governor  of   Virginia  issued    and 
caused  to  be  published  the  following  : 

=  An  adilrcss  bj-  Dr.  Cunuolly  to  the  niiigistratc'S  of  Westmoreland 


•  St.  Clu 


Revo 


PENNSYLVANIA  AND  VIRGINIA   TERRITORIAL   CONTROVERSY. 


By  his  Excellency  John,  Earl  of  Dunmore,  Lieutenant  and 
Governor-General  in  and  over  his  Majesty's  Colony  and  Do- 
ul'  Virginia,  and  Vice-Admiral  of  the  same. 

"a    pnOCLAMATIOX-. 

'icrrite,  the  rapid  settlement  made  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Allc-hcny  Mountnins  by  his  Majesty's  subjeo's  within  the  course 
of  these  few  years  has  become  an  object  of  real  concern  to  bis 
Majesty's  interest  in  this  quarter;  And  whereas  the  Province 
Df  l\iinsylvania  have  unduly  laid  claim  to  a  very  valuable  and 
■xtriiive  quantity  of  his  Majesty's  territory,  and  the  execu- 
ivr  jiiit  nl'that  government,  in  consequence  thereof,  has  most 
iil.i.K.ii  ily  and  unwarrantably  proceeded  to  abuse  the  laudable 
|idvnnL-c[iicnts  in  this  part  of  his  Majesty's  daminions  by  many 

;iveand  illegal  methods  in  the  discharge  of  this  imaginary 
uthoiiiy  ;  And  whereas  the  ancient  claim  laid  to  this  country 
colony  of  Virginia,  founded  in  reason,  upon  pre-occu- 
lancy  and  the  general  nequiescence  of  all  persons,  together  with 
ho  instructions  I  have  lately  received' from  his  Majesty's  scr- 

ordering  mo  to  lake  this  country  under  my  administra- 

nd  as  the  evident  injustice  manifestly  offered  to  his 
kinjesty  by  the  immediate  strides  takeu  by  the  proprietors  of 
'cnnsylvania  in  prosecution  of  their  wild  claim  to  this  eoun- 
ry  demand  an  immediate  remedy,  I  do  hereby  in  his  Ma- 
esty's  name  requiro  and  command  all  his  Majesty's  subjects 

■  the  Laurel  Hill  to  pay  a  due  respect  to  this  my  proela- 

.  stiicHy  prohibiting  the  execution  of  any  act  of  au- 
horiiy    on   behalf  of  the  province  of  Pennsylvania  at    their 

1  this  country ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  that  a  due  regard  and 
ntire  obedience  to  the  laws  of  his  Majesty's  colony  of  Virginia 
inder  my  administration  beobserveil,  to  the  end  that  regularity 

isue,  and  a  just  regard  to  the  interest  of  his  Majesty  in 
his  quarter,  as  well  as  to  the  subjects  in  general,  may  be  the 
onscquencc.  Given  under  my  h;ind  and  seal  at  Fort  Dunmore, 
ept.  17,  1774. 

"  Dl-NMOKE. 

"By  his  Excellency's  command, 
"God  save  the  King." 

The  publication  of  tliis  proclamation  by  Dunmore 
rought  out  the  following  i'rom  the  Governor  of  Ponn- 
ylvania,  viz. : 

the  Honorable  John  Penn,  Esquire,  Governor  and  Com- 
r  in  Chief  of  the  province  of  Pennsylvania  and  counties 
f  New  Castle,  Kent,  and  Susscv,  on  Delaware. 

"a    rnOCLAMATIOS. 

"Whereas,  I  have  received  information  that  his  Excellency, 
ic  Earl  of  Dunmore,  governor  general  in  and  over  his 
lajcsty's  colony  of  Virginia,  hath  lately  issued  a  very  e.\traor- 
inary  proclamation,  setting  forth  [here  is  recited  the  substance 
f  Governor  Dunmore's  proclamation  of  thcl7th  of  September]  ; 
.nd  whereas,  although  the  westein  limits  of  the  province  of 
'cnnsylvania  have  not  been  settled  by  any  authority  from  the 
rown,  yit  it  has  been  sufficiently  demonstrated  by  lines  accu- 
itely  run  by  the  most  skillful  artists  that  not  only  a  great 
if  country  west  of  the  Laurel  Hill,  but  Fort  Pitt  also  are 
omprchended  within  the  charter  bounds  of  this  province,  a 
real  part  of  which  country  has  been  actually  settled,  and  is 
ow  held  under  grants  from  the  proprietaries  of  Pennsylvania, 
nd  the  jurisdiction  of  this  government  has  been  peace:ibly  ex- 
rcisod  in  that  quarter  of  the  country  till  the  late  strange  claim 
;t  np  by  the  Earl  of  Dunmore  in  behalf  of  his  Majesty's  colony 
f  Virginia,  founded,  as  his  Lordship  is  above  pleased  to  say. 


own  undoubted  property  from  the  encroachment  of  others.  I 
have  thought  fit,  with  the  advice  of  the  council,  to  issue  this, 
my  proclamation,  hereby  requiring  all  persons  west  of  Laurel 
Hill  to  retain  their  settlements  as  aforesaid  made  under  this 
jirovince,  and  to  pay  due  obedience  to  the  laws  of  this  govern- 
ment; and  all  magistrates  and  other  officers  who  hold  commis- 
sions or  ofiiecs  under  this  government  to  proceed  as  nsual  in 
the  administration  of  justice,  without  paying  the  least  regard 
to  the  said  recited  proclamation,  until  his  Majesty's  pleasure 
shall  bo  known  in  the  premises,  at  the  same  time  strictly 
charging  and  enjoining  the  said  inhabitants  and  magistrates  to 
use  their  utmost  endeavors  to  preserve  peace  and  good  order. 
Given  under  my  hand  and  the  great  seal  of  the  said  province, 
at  Philadeliihia,  the  twelfth  day  of  October,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-four,  and  in 
the  fourteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  our  sovereign  Lord  George 
the  Third,  by  the  grace  of  God,  of  Great  Britain,  France,  and 
Ireland,  king,  defender  of  the  faith,  and  so  forth. 
"  By  his  Honor's  command. 


"  Jon 


SiiifPicN,  Ja 
:  the  King." 


When  Lord  Dunmore  had  finished  his  campaign 
against  the  Indians  in  1774,  he  returned  to  Virginia  by 
way  of  Redstone,  and  made  a  short  stay  at  Fort  Burd 
(Brownsville).  While  he  was  there  (November  24th) 
Connolly  sent  an  officer  with  a  summons  to  Thomas 
Scott  (who  then  lived  on  Dunlap's  Creek)  to  appear 
before  the  Governor  to  answer  for  several  offenses  al- 
leged to  have  been  committed  while  acting  under  au- 
tJiority  from  Penn.«ylvania.  Mr.  Scott  refused  to  pay 
any  attention  to  the  summons,  and  on  the  same  day 
\  a  number  of  armed  men  appeared  at  his  house  and 
I  forcibly  carried  him  to  Fort  Burd,  where  he  was  re- 
quired either  to  give  bail  with  two  sureties  to  appear 
at  the  next  court  to  be  held  for  the  county  of  Augusta, 
at  Pittsburgh,  December  20th  next  following,  or  at 
any  future  day  when  the  court  should  be  held  there, 
or  to  be  committed  to  prison.  He  chose  the  former 
j  and  entered  into  a  recognizance  for  his  appearance. 
The  records  of  the  Augusta  court,'  under  date  of  May 
18,  1775,  show  that  Mr.  Scott,  "  being  bound  over  to 
this  court  for  his  acting  and  doing  business  as  a  jus- 
tice under  Pennsylvania,  in  Contempt  of  the  Earl  of 
Dunmore's  late  Proclamation,"  was  on  hearing  ad- 
judged guilty,  and  committed  to  prison  in  default  of 
£500  bail.  There  is  nothing  found  showing  how  long 
he  remained  incarcerated,  but  Judge  Veech  says  "he 
was  not  released  until  accumulated  resentment  and 
the  beginning  of  the  war  for  liberty  had  burst  his 
prison  bonds  and  set   many  of  Connolly's  captives 


I  the  I 


liiderdateofSi-pt.S0,177. 


pre-occupancy. 


and  tb( 


quiescence  of  all 


cfore,  to  the  propr 


this  onti-y:  '*  George  AVilsun,  gout.,  1. 
being  confederate  witli.  a  ,11  _,.rh.-  i 
persons,  who  on  the  in  :  - 
aad  carried  away  Bliij  .'  '  > 
otliel-s  to  not  aid  ffTiLi  1-  ,  t  ii,>:  1  ^ 
aforesaid  disturbers  of  the  jH'.iee,  liei 
ordered  that  he  be  prosecuted  on  his 
to  Cul.  George  W"iIson,  who  lived  iieai 
died  in  New  Jersey,  while  iu  the  Co; 


fovince  of  Pennsyl 


lis 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


free."      lu   December   following   Connolly  issued   a 
proclamation,  with  the  object  of  preventing  the  col-  | 
lection  of  taxes  by  Westmoreland  County  officers,  as  , 
follows:  I 

"  Whereas  I  am  informed  that  certain  persons,  by.  \ 
written    instructions    directed     to    different    people  ^ 
through   this   country,  under   the   denomination   of  ' 
collectors,  are  apparently  authorized  to  break  open 
doors,  cupboards,  etc.,  and  to  commit  summary  acts 
of  violence  in  order  to  extort  money  from  the  inhab- 
itants under  the  appellation  of  taxes,  these  are  there-  i 
fore  to  acquaint  all  his  Majesty's  subjects  that  as  there  i 
can  be  no  authority  legally  vested  in  any  persons  for  j 
any  such  acts  at  this  juncture,  that  such  attempts  to  ! 
abuse  public  liberty  are  unwarrantable,  and  that  all  j 
]ier.sons  have  an  undoubted  natural  as  well  as  lawful  | 
right  to  repel  such  violence  ;  and  all  his  Majesty's 
subjects  are  hereby  required  to  apprehend  any  person  ' 
whatever  who  may  attempt  a  seizure  of  their  effects  j 
in  consequence  of  such  imaginary  authority,  to  be 
dealt  with  as  the  law  directs.     Given  under  my  hand 
at  Fort  Duumore,  this  30th  day  of  December,  1774. 
"John  Coxxolly.'' 

A  copy  of  this  "  proclamation"  was  laid  before  the 
Sujjreme  Executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania  by  Capt. 
Arthur  St.  Clair  on  the  2-5th  of  January,  177-3,  and  i 
in  the  minutes  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Council  on  ^ 
the  same  day  appears   the  following:  "Captain  St.  i 
Clair  appearing  at  the  Board,  and  representing  that 
William  Crawford,  Esquire,  President  of  the  Court 
in  Westmoreland  County,  hath  lately  joined  with  the 
government  of  Virginia  in  opposing  the  jurisdiction 
of  Pennsylvania  in  that  county,  the  board  advised  the 
Governor  to  supersede  him  in  his  office  as  Justice  of 
the  Peace  and  Common  Pleas.     A  supersedeas  was  ' 
accordingly   issued."     And    Edward   Cook    was   ap- 
pointed his  successor. 

That  Crawford  bscame  a  pronounced  and  aggres- 
sive partisan  of  Virginia  immediately  after  his  super- 
sedure  as  presiding  justice  is  shown  by  the  record  of  i 
the  Council  on  February  2.5th  next  following.   At  the 
meeting  of  the  Council  on  that  day  the  Governor  laid  | 
before  them  several  letters  he  had  received  by  express  ■ 
from  the  magistrates  of  Westmoreland  County,  com-  j 
plaining  of  violi'iicr  cuiiiniitted  therein  the  "break-  j 
ing  0]>ca  of  t!ic  j  lil  nl'  that  county  and  discharging  , 
the    iirisoin'i--,   and    uthcr  outrages  lately  committed 
by  the  militia  :ia;l  people  of  Virginia,"  and  inclosing 
sundry  de[ni;:ti  rn  supporting  these  complaints.    The  I 
outrages,  as  it  appeared,  had  been  committed  by  a  [ 
party  under  the  leadership  of  Benjamin  Harrison  (a 
re.-^ident  of  that  part  of  AVestmoreland  which  became  | 
Fayette),  who  acted,  as  he  said,  under  authority  of 
Capt.    William    Crawford,   president  of   the    court. 
Among  the  depositions  mentioned  w.as  that  of  Charles 
Foreman,  which  details  the  circumstances  of  the  out- 
rage, and  is  as  follows  : 


"  Westmoreland  County,  ss.  : 

"  Personally  appeared  before  us  the  subscribers, 
three  of  his  Majesty's  Justices  of  the  Peace  for  the! 
county  afore.said,  Charles  Foreman,  who  being  duly 
sworn  upon  the  Holy  Evangelists  of  Almighty  God, 
doth  depose  and  say  that  this  morning,  between 
twilight,  being  the  7th  day  of  February,  he  heard  a 
noise  at  the  jail,  and  getting  out  of  his  bed  he  saw 
a  number  of  armed  men  breaking  the  door,  and 
charging  the  prisoners  then  in  jail  to  go  about  theii 
business;  and  he  heard  John  Carnaghan,  Esquire, 
high  sheriff  of  the  county  aforesaid,  ask  one  Benjamin 
Harrison,  who  appeared  to  be  their  head  man,  whether 
they  had  any  orders  for  their  so  doing,  upon  which  he 
read  a  paper,  and  said  it  was  Capt.  William  Craw- 
ford's orders  so  to  do  ;  and  the  said  Charles  Foremar 
further  saith  that  he  saw  one  Samuel  Wilson  make  s 
push  at  one  Kobert  Hanna,  Esquire,  with  a  gun,  anc 
told  him  not  to  be  so  saucy,  and  a  great  deal  of  il 
tongue  ;  and  further  this  deponent  saith  not. 

"Chakles  Foke.max. 

"Sworn  and  subscrib?d  before  us  this  7th  day  o 
February,  177-'). 

"  EOBERT   HaKXA, 

"  William  Lociiky, 
"  ^^'^LLIAM  Brackex.' 

The  opening  of  the  Picvolutiou  soon  after  the  event 
last  mentioned  drove  Dunmore  from  power  in  Vii 
ginia,  and  this  of  course  overthrew  his  friend  Connollj 
who  fled  from  the  scene  of  his  exploits  and  took  refug 
with  the  British.  Virginia,  however,  did  not  reli: 
quish  her  claims  in  the  disputed  territory,  but,  on  tb 
contrary,  erected  new  counties  upon  it,  establishe 
courts,  built  court-houses,  appointed  civil  and  railitS 
officers,  and  kept  up  a  show  of  jurisdiction  for  man 
years. 

The  Virginia  county  of  Augusta  was  erected  i 
November,  173S,  to  embrace  all  the  western  and  nortl 
western  parts  of  that  colony,  including  (as  was  the 
supposed  by  her  legislators)  an  immense  territory  th: 
is  now  in  Pennsylvania  west  of  the  meridian  of  tl 
western  boundary  of  Maryland.  According  to 
Virginia  claim,  then,  the  jurisdiction  of  Aug 
County  for  about  thirty-eight  years  after  its  form, 
tion  extended  over  all  the  present  county  of  Fayetl 
except  a  strip  on  its  eastern  side,  and  over  all  thete 
ritory  between  the  Monongahela  and  Ohio  Riv 

In  October,  1770,  the  General  Assembly  of  Virgin 
enacted  i  that  a  certain  part  of  the  territory  of  A 
gusta  County,  viz. :  "  Beginning  on  the  Alleghei 
Mountain,  between  the  heads  of  Potowmack,  Che 
and  Greenbrier  Rivers ;  thence  along  the  ridge 
mountains  which  divides  the  waters  of  Cheat  Rh 
from  those  of  Greenbrier,  and  that  branch  of  the  M 


PENNSYLVANIA  AND  VIRGINIA  TERRITORIAL   CONTROVERSY. 


119 


nongahela  River  called  the  Tyger's  [Tygart's]  Valley  , 
River  to  Monongahela  River;  theuce  up  the  said  , 
river  and  the  West  Fork  thereof  to  Bingcrman's 
Creek,  on  the  northwest  side  of  said  fork  ;  thence  up 
the  said  creek  to  the  head  thereof;  thence  in  a  direct 
line  to  the  head  of  Middle  Island  Creek;  a  branch  of 
the  Ohio,  and  thence  to  the  Ohio,  including  all  the 
waters  of  said  creek  in  the  aforesaid  district  of  West 
Augusta,  all  that  territory  lying  to  the  northward  of 
said  boundary,  and  to  the  westward  of  the  States  of 
Pennsylvania  and  Maryland,  shall  be  deemed,  and  is 
hereby  declared  to  be,  within  the  district  of  West 
Augusta." 

The  district  so  defined  was  divided  into  three 
counties  by  the  same  act,  which  declared  "  That  all 
that  part  of  said  district  lying  within  the  following 
lines,  to  wit :  beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Cross  Creek, 
thence  up  the  same  to  the  head  thereof,  thence 
eastwardly  to  the  nearest  part  of  the  ridge  which 
divides  the  waters  of  the  Ohio  from  those  of  the 
Monongahela,  theuce  along  the  said  ridge  to  the  line 
jwhich  divides  the  county  of  Augusta  from  the  said 
district,  thence  with  the  said  boundary  to  the  Ohio, 
thence  up  the  same  to  the  beginning,  shall  be  one 
district  county,  and  be  called  and  known  by  the 
name  of  Ohio ;  and  all  that  part  of  the  said  district 
lying  to  the  northward  of  the  following  lines,  viz. : 
beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Cross  Creek,  and  running 
iup  its  several  courses  to  the  head  thereof,  thence 
southeastwardly  to  the  nearest  part  of  the  aforesaid 
dividing  ridge  between  the  waters  of  the  Mononga- 
hela and  the  Ohio,  thence  along  the  said  ridge  to  the 
head  of  Ten-Mile  Creek,  thence  east  to  the  road 
leading  from  Catfish  Camp  to  Redstone  Old  Fort, 
thence  along  the  said  road  to  the  Monongahela  River, 
thence,  crcssing  the  said  river,  to  the  said  fort,  thence 
along  Dunlap's  old  road  to  Braddock's  road,  and  with 
the  same  to  the  meridian '  of  the  head  fountain  of  the 
Potowmack,  shall  be  one  other  distinct  county,  and 
be  called  and  known  by  the  name  of  Yohogania 
County ;  and  all  that  part  of  the  said  district  lying 
to  the  northward  of  the  county  of  Augusta,  to  the 
westward  of  the  meridian  of  the  head  fountain  of  the 
Potowmack,  to  the  southward  of  the  county  of  Yoho- 
gania, and  to  the  eastward  of  the  county  of  Ohio, 
shall  be  one  other  distinct  county,  and  shall  be  called 
and  known  by  the  name  of  the  county  of  Monon- 
galia." 
From  the  description  of  the  boundaries  of  the  new 
ijcounties,  as  recited  in  the  act,  it  will  be  seen  that 
JMonongalia  County  embraced  the  southern  and 
isoiitliwestern  portion  of  the  present  county  of  Fay- 
ette :  that  the  northern  and  northeastern  part  was 
euvrii-d  by  Yohogania  County,  and  that  the  division 
linr  between  these  two  was  marked  by  Braddock's 
r  i;i'l  iVom  the  eastern  limit  as  far  northwest  as  the 
I  i-  ll'ick  on  the  .summit  of  Laurel  Hill,  and  thence 

•  '  Meaning  llie  western  liovina.-iry  of  the  State  of  MarjIanJ. 


by  "  Dunlap's  path,"  or  road,  passing  a  little  south 
of  Uniontown,  to  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek. 
From  there  the  boundary  between  Yohogania  and 
Monongalia  continued  westward,  nearly  along  the 
line  of  the  later  National  road,  about  two-thirds  the 
distance  across  the  present  county  of  Washington,  to 
the  east  boundary  of  Ohio  County.  This  county  ex- 
tended from  the  said  eastern  limits  westward  to  the 
Ohio  River. 

Prior  to  the  erection  of  the  new  counties,  courts 
had  been  held  at  Fort  Dunmore  for  the  old  county  of 
Augusta,  and  the  records  of  those  courts  are  still  in 
existence.  The  first  record  is  of  a  court  held  at  the 
place  named  on  the  21st  of  February,  1775,  and  the 
last  Nov.  20,  1776.  In  the  mean  time  a  primitive 
court-house  had  been  built  for  Augusta  County  at 
"  Augusta  Town,"  a  prospective  village  about  two 
miles  west  of  the  site  of  the  present  town  of  Wash- 
ington, Pa. 

Upon  the  formation  of  the  three  new  counties 
courts  were  immediately  established  for  them.  Of 
the  three  Virginia  counties,  only  one — Monongalia — 
held  its  courts  within  the  present  limits  of  Fayette. 
Its  court-house  was  located  on  land  of  Theophilus 
Phillips,  near  New  Geneva.  How  long  the  courts 
were  held  there  is  not  known,  as  no  records  of  them 
can  now  be  found.  The  court-house  of  Ohio  County 
was  at  Black's  Cabin,  near  West  Liberty.  The  rec- 
ords of  Yohog.ania  County  have  been  preserved,  and 
are  now  in  possession  of  a  gentleman  of  Washington, 
Pa.  They  show  that  the  first  court  of  that  county 
was  held  at  Fort  Dunmore  (Pitt)  Dec.  2.3,  1776,"-  and 
that  the  courts  continued  to  be  held  there  until  Aug. 
25,  1777.  They  were  then  held  at  the  house  of  An- 
drew Heath  for  about  two  months,  and  after  that 
(until  1781)  at  the  new  court-house  "on  the  planta- 
tion of  Andrew  Heath."  This  was  on  the  west  side 
of  the  Monongahela,  a  short  distance  above,  and  in 


'The  following-named  "gentlemen  jnsticcs"  \ 


Ritcliie,  James  Rogers,  Thomas  Sm.allman,  Andrew  Swearingen,  Jolin 
Stevenson,  George  Vallandigliam,  Edward  Ward,  .Joshua  Wiight,  and 
Richard  Yeates.  The  following  named  held  comniissicns  hiit  were  not 
sworn  in:  Thomas  Brown,  James  Blackiston,  John  Carmichael,  Benja- 
min Harrison,  .Iiicob  Uaymaker,  Isaac  Leet,  Sr.,  James  McLeiin,  Isaac 
Moason,  John  Neville,  Pliilip  Ross,  and  Joseph  Vance. 

And  the  following-named  pcisons  were  also  sworn  in  as  civil  and 
military  officers  of  tlie  connty  : 

Cleik,  Dorsey  Tentecost;  deputy,  Rilph  Bowkcr. 


Sherifls,  Willii 

nil 

rrisui 

Isaac  Leet),  Georg 

0  McC 

ormick 

(deputies.  Ili.Ll 

_,  .1 

.i.!VnjaminV,anmc 

ter,  a 

d  John 

Lemon),  M.I 

,  .' 

Sutherland). 

Conntv  I.I 

1'     - 

]■  •  ■ 

Colonel-,  .I'll 

1.  I-  1 

.   (■..■■..  .1 

.],„  Stephenson. 

Lieutenant-Co 

onel 

,  Isaac 

Cux,  Jm> 

?lih  Beelor,  George 'N 

allan 

igh,am. 

Majors,  Galirie 

Co.x 

,  Hen 

y  Taylor 

William  Harrison. 

Attorneys,  George 

Brent 

William 

Harrison,  Samuel 

Irvin 

Philip 

Pendleton. 

Legislators,  Jo 

m  Campbe 

1,  Willia 

ai  Harrison,  Matthex 

Kite 

lie. 

120 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


sight  of,  the  present  town  of  Elizabeth.  Tlie  state- 
ment has  frequent!}'  been  made  that  the  Yohogania 
court  was  at  one  time  held  at  Redstone  Old  Fort,  but 
this  is  a  mistake,  doubtless  growing  out  of  the  fact 
that  a  board  of  Virginia  commissioners  sat  at  that 
place  in  the  winter  of  1779-80  for  the  purpose  of  de- 
ciding on  land  claims  and  issuing  certificates  to  set- 
tlers. 

Finally,  when  the  long  controversy  between  the 
two  States  was  settled  by  the  assignment  of  the  dis- 
puted territory  to  Pennsylvania,  the  counties  of  Mo- 
nongalia and  Ohio,  though  greatly  reduced  in  area, 
still  retained  their  names  as  counties  of  Virginia  (as 
tliey  are  of  West  Virginia  at  the  present  time) ;  but 
Yohogania,  whose  limits  were  wliolly  within  the 
territory  yielded  to  Pennsylvania,  ceased  to  exist, 
and  was  thenceforward  mentioned  as  Virginia's  "  lost 
county." 

ESTABLTSIIMEXT    OF    EOUXDARIES. 

In  the  royal  grant  to  William  Penn,  in  1681,  the 
territory  embraced  in  it  was  described  as  "  all  that 
tract  or  part  of  land  in  America,  with  all  the  islands 
therein  contained,  as  the  same  is  bounded  on  the 
east  by  Delaware  River,  from  twelve  miles  northward 
of  New  Castletown  unto  the  three  and  fortieth  de- 
gree of  northern  latitude,  if  the  said  river  doth  ex- 
tend so  far  northwards;  but  if  the  said  river  shall  not 
extend  so  far  northwards,  then  by  the  said  river  so 
far  as  it  does  extend  ;  and  from  the  head  of  said  river 
the  eastern  bounds  are  to  be  determined  by  a  me- 
ridian line  to  be  drawn  from  the  head  of  said  river 
unto  the  said  three  and  fortieth  degree;  the  said  lands 
to  extend  westward  five  degres  ia  longitude,  to  be 
computed  from  the  said  eastern  bounds;  and  the  said 
land  to  be  bounded  north  by  the  beginning  of  the 
three  and  fortieth  degree  of  northern  latitude,  and 
then  by  a  straight  line  westward  to  the  limits  of  lon- 
gitude above  mentioned."  On  the  south  the  boun- 
dary was  to  be  by  the  circular  line  from  the  river, 
twelve  miles  distant  from  New  Castle,  "  unto  the  be- 
ginning of  the  fortieth  degree  of  north  latitude,"  and 
then  by  a  due  west  line  to  the  extent  of  five  degrees 
of  longitude  from  the  i-iver  Delaware. 

It  was  fouiid  to  be  a  very  difficult  task  to  establish 
the  southern  line  of  Penn's  grant  against  Maryland, 
which  latter  iiruviiiic  had  been  granted  to  Cecelius 
Calvert,  L(. Ill  I'.i li i  mmi,..  in  1632.  A  series  of  bitter 
disjiutes  and  rulli,i,,ii ,  iii-ued,  which  during  a  period 
of  fifty  years  brought  about  no  progress  towards  the 
desired  settlement.  In  1732  the  successors  of  Penn 
and  Calvert  entered  into  articles  of  agreement  for 
fixing  the  boundary,  and  under  this  agreement  a 
temporary  line  was  run  in  1739  as  far  west  as  "  the 
most  western  of  the  Kittochtinny  Hills"  (on  the 
south  line  of  the  present  county  of  Franklin,  Pa.), 
anil  there  the  matter  rested  until  1760,  when  a  new 
agreement  was  made,  and  seven  commissioners  ap- 
pointed  for  each  proprietary   to   establish   the   line. 


These  commissioners  chose  four  surveyors  to  execute 
the  work,  viz.:  John  Lukens  and  Archibald  >IeClean 
for  Pennsylvania,  and  John  F.  A.  Priggs  and  John  / 
Hall  for  Maryland.  They  immediately  commenced  . 
operations,  but  by  reason  of  the  great  natural  diffi- 
culties to  beJ overcome  and  the  imperfection  of  their 
instruments  and  appliances,  their  progress  was  so 
slow  that  in  1763  the  proprietaries  residing  in  Loudon 
became  impatient,  and  in  August  of  that  year  em- 
ployed Charles  Mason  and  Jeremiah  Dixon,  "Lon- 
don astronomers  and  surveyors,"  to  complete  the 
work. 

These  surveyors  came  to  America  at  once  and 
commenced  operations,  but  it  was  nearly  two  years 
before  they  had  finished  the  preliminary  work  at  the 
eastern  end  and  fairly  started  on  the  due  east-and- 
west  line  which  has  been  since  known  by  their 
names,  Mason  and  Dixon's  line.  By  the  end  of  that 
year  they  had  advanced  as  far  west  as  the  end  of  the 
temporary  line  of  1739.  In  the  spring  of  1766  they 
again  commenced  work,  and  on  the  4th  of  June  had 
reached  the  top  of  Little  Allegheny  Mountain,  but 
dared  not  proceed  farther  for  fear  of  the  Indians. 

After  that  no  progress  was  made  until  June,  1767, 
when  the  surveying-party  again  took  up  the  work, 
being  then  escorted  by  a  party  of  warriors  of  the  Six 
Nations  to  hold  the  threatening  Shawanese  and  Del- 
awares  in  check.  The  point  where  Braddock's  road 
crosses  from  Maryland  into  Somerset  County,  Pa., 
was  reached  on  the  24th  of  August,  and  there  the  Iro- 
quois escort  left  them;  but  they  pushed  on,  crossing  the 
Youghiogheny  and  Monongahela  Rivers,  and  in  Oc- 
tober came  to  the  Indian  trail  known  as  the  Warrior 
Branch,  near  the  second  crossing  of  Dunkard  Creek. 
The  Delawares  and  Shawanese  had  been  growing 
more  and  more  threatening  since  the  departure  of 
the  Six  Nations  warriors,  and  they  now  positively 
forbade  any  advance  by  the  surveyors  west  of  the 
crossing  of  the  trail.  The  party  could  not  proceed  in 
defiance  of  this  prohibition,  and  consequently  thej 
line  stopped  at  this  point,  beyond  which  it  was  not 
extended  until  about  fifteen  years  later. 

The  running  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line  was  the; 
final  establishment  of  the  boundary  between  Penn- 
sylvania and  Maryland,  but  it  established  noth- 
ing with  regard  to  the  line  between  the  formW' 
State  and  Virginia.  The  latitude  of  Mason  andi 
Dixon's  line  is  39'  43'  26"  north,  and  neither  con' 
testant  was  willing  to  accept  it  as  the  correct  boun-> 
dary.  The  proprietaries  of  Pennsylvania  claimed' 
under  the  royal  grant  a  territory  three  degrees  of  \s.tii-> 
tude  in  width, — that  is,  from  "the  beginning  of  the 
fortieth  degree  of  north  latitude"  to  "  the  beginnin 
of  the  three  and  fortieth  degree  of  north  latitudBi''. 
They  cont,ended  that  the  beginning  of  the  first  degree, 
of  north  latitude  is  the  equator,  and  the  beginning  of, 
the  second  degree  is  at  the  end  of  the  first  degree,  or 
latitude  1°  north,  therefore  that  the  "  beginning  of  the! 
fortieth  degree  is  at  the  ending  of  the  thirty-ninth 


ESTABLISHMENT   OF   BOUNDAEIES. 


121 


.1. -ive,  or  latitude  39"  north.  They  therefore  claimed 
:i^  ilii  ii-  boundary  against  Virginia  the  parallel  of  39' 
iiniih.  which  would  have  given  to  Pennsylvania  a 
>tii[i  4.5'  26"  in  width  south  of  Mason  and  Dixon's 
liiir,  in  that  part  west  of  the  western  boundary  of 
Mai  viand.  But,  on  the  contrary,  "Virginia  claimed 
a^i\ill  hereafter  be  more  fully  mentioned)  that  the 

I M'lary  between  the  two  States  should  be  the  par- 

alK'l  lit"  40"  north  latitude.  This  would  have  given 
to  N'irginia  a  strip  16'  34"  wide  north  of  the  present 
Siaii  lioundary,  along  the  southern  borders  of  Greene 
aii'l  I-'ayette  Counties,  as  far  east  as  the  west  line  of 
Marvland. 

iiiit  it  was  the  establishment  of  the  west  line  of 
Pciia^ylvania  that  was  regarded  by  eacli  p.irty  as  of 
till-  liicatest  importance,  for  each  was  anxious  to  se- 
cure Pittsburgh  and  the  Monongahela  country.  On 
thr  I'Nt  of  April,  1774,  the  Pennsylvania  Council 
i]i|i'inited  James  Tilghman  and  Andrew  Allen  com- 
nii^-iniiers  to  confer  with  the  Governor  of  Virginia 
Willi  a  view  to  promote  a  settlement  of  the  boun- 
lai\.  Tlie  Governor  asked  them  to  submit  a  propo- 
;-iliiiii  in  writing,  which  they  did,  viz.,  that  sur- 
Ivoyiii's  be  appointed  by  the  two  States,  and  that 
|they  proceed  to  survey  the  courses  of  the  Delaware 
ifroMi  the  intersection  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line 
northward  "  to  tliat  part  of  the  river  that  lies  in  the 
latitude  of  Fort  Pitt,  and  as  much  farther  as  may  be 
[leedful  for  the  present  purpose;"  then  that  Mason 
iml  liixon's  line  be  extended  to  five  degrees  of  longi- 
uilr  iVoin  the  Delaware,  and  that  from  the  termiiia- 
inii  ..1'  the  said  five  degrees  a  line  or  lines  corre- 
■l>  iiiliiig  to  the  courses  of  the  Delaware  be  run  to  the 
Hiin,  'as  nearly  as  may  be  at  the  distance  of  five  de- 
,;ri.'i'^  from  said  river  in  every  part,"  and  that  the  lines 
0  run  be  the  boundary  and  line  of  jurisdiction  until 
he  boundary  could  be  run  by  royal  authority.  Dun- 
nore  objected  to  so  inconvenient  a  line  for  the  west 
east)  boundary,  and  he  recommended  a  meridian  line 
0  be  run  from  Mason  and  Dixon's  at  the  distance  of 
ivc  dco;rees  of  longitude,  but  he  said  that  unless  the 
>iiiiiiissioners  would  agree  to  a  plan  as  favorable  to 
i'iivi Ilia  as  to  Pennsylvania  there  could  be  nothing 
igreed  on  prior  to  the  king's  decision.  The  commis- 
iioners  replied  that  for  the  purpose  of  producing  har- 
nony  and  peace  "  we  shall  be  willing  to  recede  from 
)ur  charter  bounds  so  far  as  to  make  the  river  Monon- 
ahela  from  the  line  of  Mason  and  Dixon  the  western 
)oundary  of  jurisdiction,  which  would  at  once  settle 
3ur  present  dispute  without  the  great  trouble  and  ex- 
pense of  running  lines,  or  the  inconvenience  of  keep- 
ng  the  jurisdiction  in  suspense."  But  Dunmore  made 
inal  reply  that  under  no  circumstances  would  he  con- 
ent  to  yield  Fort  Pitt ;  and  this  the  commissioners 
egarded  as  a  close  of  the  negotiations. 

The  plan  submitted  by  the  commissioners  at  the 
ibove-mentioned  conference  was  based  on  a  proposi- 
ion  contained  in  a  letter  previously  written  by  Gov- 
■rnor  Penn  to  Dunmore,  viz. :  that  from  the  north- 


western extremity  of  Maryland  the  boundary  of 
Pennsylvania  should  run  due  south  to  the  39th  par- 
allel (this  being  "  the  beginning  of  the  40th  degree  of 

j  northern   latitude"),  and   from   there   run   due  west 

I  along  that  parallel  to  the  end  of  five  degrees  of  lon- 
gitude from  the  Delaware,  and  that  from  that  point 

!  the  western  boundary  should  be  run  north  in  a  ser- 
pentine course,  corresponding  with  the  meanders  of 
the  Delaware,  and  so  as  to  be  five  degrees  of  longi- 
tude distant  from  tliat  river  at  every  point. 

Dunmore,  in  reply,  ridiculed  the  idea  of  the  ser- 
pentine line,  but  proposed  that  the  west  lino  of 
Pennsylvania  should  be  run  due  south  from  the 
t}oi-th  boundary  of  Penn's  grant,  at  a  point  five 
degrees  of  longitude  west  from  the  Delaware  on  that 
parallel,  and  he  gave  a  rather  plausible  reason  for 
the  proposition,  viz. :  "  Because  the  grant  directs  that 
the  survey  shall  begin  at  a  point  on  the  south  part  of 
the  boundary  and  proceed  northward;  .  .  .  it  being 
usual  always  in  like  cases  to  proceed  and  extend  the 
five  degrees  of  longitude,  and  not  to  return  to  the 
south  point,  and  draw  it  from  thence."  He  thought 
this  would  be  much  more  favorable  for  Virginia,  for 
he  said,  "If  my  construction  be  the  true  one,  then 
Fort  Pitt  (by  reason  of  the  Delaware  River  running 
very  much  eastwardly  towards  your  northern  bounds) 
will  probably  be  at  least  fifty  miles  without  your 
limits."  His  idea  (which  was  not  very  clearly  ex- 
pressed) was  that  the  Delaware  River  is  many  miles 
farther  east  at  the  forty-third  than  at  the  fortieth  de- 
gree of  latitude,  and  that  a  corresponding  gain  to 
Virginia  would  be  made  by  extending  the  five  de- 
grees of  longitude  from  the  former  latitude  instead 
of  from  the  latter. 

The  propositions  above  mentioned  were  about  the 
last  of  the  negotiations  between  Penn  and  Dunmore, 
for  both  were  soon  after  driven  from  power  by  the 
Revolution.  The  next  proposition  for  a  settlement 
of  the  boundary  is  Ibund  in  certain  resolutions  passed 
by  the  Virginia  Legislature  on  the  18th  of  December, 
1776,  one  of  which  authorized  the  Virginia  delegates 
in  the  Continental  Congress  to  propose  the  following 

I  plan  : 

j       "That  the  meridian  line  drawn  from  the  head  of 

I  the  Potomac  to  the  northwest  angle  of  Maryland  be 
extended  due  north  until  it  intersects  the  latitude  of 

I  forty  degrees,  and  from  thence  the  southern  boundary 
shall  be  extended  on  the  said  fortieth  degree  of  lati- 
tude until  the  di.stance  of  five  degrees  of  longitude 
from  the  Delaware  shall  be  accomplished  thereon, 
and  from  the  said  point  five  degrees,  either  in  every 
point,  according  to  the  meanderings  of  the  Delaware, 
or  (which  is  perhaps  easier  and  better  for  both)  from 
proper  points  or  angles  on  the  Delaware,  with  inter- 
mediate straight  lines."  This  was  identical  with  the 
plan  before  mentioned,  by  which  Pennsylvania  would 
lose  a  strip  of  considerable  width  north  of  Mason  and 
Dixon's  line,  along  the  southern  borders  of  the  pres- 
ent counties  of  Greene  and  Fayette,  and  it  embraced 


122 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


also  nearly  the  same  proposition  as  that  which  had 
been  made  by  Governor  Penu  for  a  serpentine  line, 
corresponding  to  the  courses  of  the  Delaware,  as  a 
Avestern  boundary. 

The  first  practical  official  action  towards  a  definite 
and  final  settlement  was  taken  in  1779  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  George  Bryan,  John  Ewing,  and  David  Rit- 
tenhouse,  on  the  part  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Dr,  James 
Madison  and  Robert  Andrews,  on  the  part  of  Virginia, 
.IS  commissioners  to  meet  in  conference  and  determine 
the  boundary.  These  commissioners  met  Aug.  31, 
1779,  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  where  they  made  and  sub- 
scribed to  the  following  agreement : 

"  We,  [naming  the  commissioners]  do  hereby  mu- 
tually, in  behalf  of  our  respective  States,  ratify  and 
confirm  the  following  agreement,  viz. :  To  extend 
Mason  and  Dixon's  line  due  west  five  degrees  of 
longitude,  to  be  computed  from  the  river  Delaware, 
for  the  southern  boundary  of  Pennsylvania,  and  that 
a  meridian  drawn  from  the  western  extremity  thereof 
to  the  northern  limit  of  said  State  be  the  western 
boundary  of  said  State  forever." 

This  agreement  of  the  commissioners  was  confirmed 
(upon  certain  conditions  as  to  land  titles)  by  the  Vir- 
ginia Legislature  June  28,  1780,  and  by  the  General 
Assembly  of  Pennsylvania  on  the  23d  of  September 
in  the  same  year.  This  ended  the  long  controversy 
so  far  as  agreement  on  the  location  of  the  boundary 
was  concerned,  but  the  work  of  running  the  line 
still  remained,  and  this  was  found  to  be  a.  task  much 
more  difficult  and  troublesome  than  had  been  ex- 
pected. 

In  running  their  line  Jlason  and  Dixon  had  com- 
puted a  degree  of  longitude  on  that  parallel  to  be  53 
miles  167yV  perche-s,  and  consequently  that  the  line, 
from  where  it  was  left  at  the  Warrior  Branch  trail, 
would  have  to  be  extended  about  twenty-three  miles 
westward  to  complete  the  five  degrees  of  longitude 
from  the  Delaware.  But  as  some  doubts  had  arisen 
as  to  the  accuracy  of  this  computation,  it  was  deter- 
mined to  establish  the  western  limit  by  astronomical 
observations,  and,  as  considerable  preparation  was 
necessary  for  the  execution  of  the  work  by  this 
method,  it  was  thought  necessary  in  the  mean  time  to 
run  a  temporary  line,  and  in  the  spring  of  1781  the 
PresidentandCouncilnf  Pennsylvania,  under  author- 
itv  from  the  Assciiilily,  api"iintcd  Alexander  Mc- 
Clean  (the  renowned  >\irveyor,  wlio  lived  in  Fayette 
County  for  many  years)  to  meet  one  to  be  appointed 
by  Virginia  and  execute  the  work.  Reference  to  this 
matter  is  found  in  a  letter  dated  July  23,  1781,  ad- 
dressed by  President  Reed  to  Col.  James  Marshal, 
lieutenant  of  Washington  County,  from  which  the 
following  is  an  extract : 

"...  It  was  much  our  Wish  and  equally  our  In- 
tention to  run  the  Line  this  Spring,  but  the  State  of 


Virginia  being  invaded  and  the  Affairs  of  the  Govern- 
ment in  great  Confusion  there  has  not  been  the  time 
or  Opp'y  for  that  Purpose  which  was  necessary.  Be- 
sides that,  upon  Inquiry  we  found  the  Season  was  too  far 
advanced  for  those  astronomical  Observations  which 
were  necessary  to  run  the  Line  with  Exactness.  We 
have  therefore  postponed  the  grand  Operation 
next  Spring.  But,  as  we  know  it  was  highly  necessary 
to  have  a  Partition  of  Territory  and  Jurisdiction,  we 
proposed  to  Virginia  to  run  a  temporary  Line,  begin- 
ning at  the  End  of  Masons  &  Dixons,  and  measuring 
23  miles,  what  is  by  Computation  the  five  Degrees  of  i 
Longitude  called  for  in  the  Charter  of  King  Charles 
the  2d.  This  has  been  agreed  to,  &  the  State  of  Vir- 
ginia has  sent  Orders  to  the  Surveyor  of  Yeoghegany 
County  to  join  with  one  to  be  appointed  by  us  to 
that  Service.  We  have  appointed  Alexander  Mc- 
Clean,  Esq.,  &  this  Express  carries  up  his  Commis- 
sion and  Instructions  for  this  Purpose.  Should  he 
have  Occasion  for  a  Guard,  or  any  other  Assistance 
from  you,  we  make  no  Doubt  he  will  receive  it.  As 
soon  as  they  have  run  the  Line  &  reported  their  Pro- 
ceedings we  shall  send  up  Proclamations  calling  upon 
all  those  who  shall  fall  into  this  State  to  conform  to 
its  Laws  and  Government,  and  hope  you  will  soon 
be  relieved  from-  the  Anarchy  and  Confusion  which 
has  reigned  so  long  in  your  Country  from  this  un- 
happy Dispute." 

On  the  27th  of  August  President  Reed  addressed 
Thomas  Scott  on  the  same  subject,  as  follows : 

!  "...  AVe  regret  as  much  as  any  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  County  can  do  the  Delay  of  running  the  Line, 
but  the  season  was  too  far  advanced  before  we  got  the 
Answer  from  Virginia  to  admit  of  the  astronomical 

j  Observations  which  are  necessary  for  an  exact  &  ac- 
curate Performance  of  this  important  Post.  The 
Month  of  May  is  agreed  by  our  Men  of  Science  to  be 
the  only  proper  Period,  and  there  are  divers  Instru- 
ments necessary  which  it  will  take  some  Time  to  pre-, 
pare.     However,  being  sensible  of  the  Importance  & 

I  Necessity  of  some  Boundary,  as  soon  as  we  found  it 

I  impracticable  to  execute  the  Business  this  Spring  ' 
proposed  to  the  State  of  Virginia  a  temporary  Line,. 
extending  Mason  &  Dixon's  to  the  Ohio,  or  23  miles. 
They  accepted  the  latter,  &  about  a  Month  ago  we 
sent  off  a  Commission  to  Alex'  McClean,  Esq',  ap- 

'  pointing  him  our  Agent  for  this  Purpose.     We  hope 

:  that  by  this  Time  he  has  engaged  in  the  Service,  as  we 
learn  from  Col.  Marshal  that  the  Gov.  of  Virginia. 

!  had  appointed  their  Agent.     I  have  been  thus  par-' 
ticular    as  well   to   obviate    any   Mistakes   on   thia 
Subject  as  to  show  j'ou  how  anxious  we  have  been 
run  the  Line,  and  that  the  Delays  have  been  unavoid- 
able." 

In  a  letter  dated  Sept.  13,  1781,  addressed  to  Presir, 
dent  Reed  by  Alexander  McClean,  he  mentions  that 
Mr.  Madison  (the  commissioner  appointed  by  Vir- 
ginia to  act  with  him  in  running  the  temporary  Hue) 


ESTABLISHMENT   OF    BOUNDARIES. 


123 


ad  only  arrived  on  the  last  of  August  from  the  Ka- 
awha,  and  proceeds  : 

"I  have  since  conferred  with  him,  and  he  appears 
utwardly  willingly  to  Co-operate  with  me  iu  the 
lerformanceof  the  trust;  yet  appears  warmly  attached 

0  the  other  State.  Inasmuch  as  I  am  yet  doubtful 
hetherthe  matter  will  be  ended  this  Season.  How- 
ver  it  may  be,  I  am  determined  this  day  to  wrisk  it, 

is  being  the  day  appointed  for  Reudezvouz.  We 
lave  been  much  distressed  in  our  preparations  by 
leason  of  sudden  Excursions  of  the  Enemy  ;  Wash- 

gton  County  being  more  immediately  invested  with 
le  external  as  well  as  Internal  Enemies  of  this  State. 

our  Excellency's  Instructions  Requiring  the  Lieuts. 
f  that  County  to  furnish  the  Guard  prevented  me 
■oni  making  application  elsewhere,  which  has  oc- 
asioned  at  least  a  disappointment  of  ten. days,  as  I 
ave  attended  the  appointments  already  twice,  &  the 
ruard  or  Madison  not  in  Readiness." 

So  many  delays  occurred  (intentional  as  was  be- 
eved  on  the  part  of  Virginia)  that  nothing  was  ac- 
DHiplishcd  in  1781  towards  running  the  temporary 
ne.  On  the  2d  of  March,  1782,  Council  received 
nd  adopted  the  following  report  from  a  committee 
ppointed  to  consider  the  question  of  running  the 
ne,  viz.  : 

"  That  Council  and  your  Committee  are  unanimous 

1  Opinion,  from  the  great  expences  necessarily  at- 
snding  the  compleating  the  Line  between  this  State 
nd  Virginia,  it  would  be  most  prudent  to  defer  it  for 
ae  present,  and  that  a  temporary  Line  during  the 
ontinuance  of  the  present  War,  or  till  times  are 
lore  settled  on  the  Erontiers,  may  be  made  and  agreed 

I  at  a  small  expence,  which  will  answer  every  pur- 
se expected,  and  to  effect  which  Council  will  take 
e  necessary  measures." 

The  work  was  ordered  to  proceed,  and  the  first  part 
f  June  set  for  the  commencement.  At  the  time  named 
ol.  McClean  repaired  to  the  rendezvous,  but  neither 
ommissioner  Madison  nor  the  Virginia  surveyor, 
oseph  Neville,  appeared,  and  an  armed  party  of 
'irginians  who  had  collected  there  prevented  him 
|om  proceeding  with  the  work.  The  circumstances 
nttending  this  occurrence,  with  some  other  matters 
I  ertaining  to  the  boundary,  are  set  forth  in  the  follow- 
ig  letter '  from  McClean  to  President  Moore,  of  the 
I'ouncil,  viz.  : 
I      -CoLL"  Cook's,  on  mv  way  rnoji  PiTiscrnoir,  2Tlli  June,  1782. 

!  "Sir, — To  my  great  Mortification,  I  am  lead  to  in- 
'ini  vdu  that  after  every  effort  which  prudence 
liiilii  ilictate,  I  am  again  prevented  from  iJunning 
ir  Line.  The  Circumstances  I  presume  you  will  be 
'ixiuiis  to  know, — they  are  as  follows.  Viz.:  Shortly 
lUi  my  Return  from  Philadelphia,  an  expedition 
a^  lormed  against  Sandusky  by  the  Volunteers  of 
nth  ( 'iiunties,  which  drew  off  a  great  Number  of  the 
lilitia   and  Arms.     The   Situation  of  Washington 


County  was  very  distressing  to  appearance.  I  thought 
it  not  prudent  to  call  any  part  of  the  Guard  irona 
thence  altho'  Impowered  so  to  do.  The  Lieut,  of  the 
County  of  Westmoreland  furnished  me  with  a  guard 
of  one  hundred  and  upward,  but  had  not  Arms  sufl!i- 
cient  to  supply  them;  about  Sevent}'  were  armed. 
We  proceeded  to  the  Mouth  of  Dunkard  Creek,  where 
our  Stores  were  laid  in,  on  the  tenth  day  of  June,  and 
were  prejiaring  to  Cross  the  River  that  Night,  when  a 
party  of  about  thirty  horsemen,  Armed,  appeared  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  River,  Damning  us  to  come 
over,  and  threatening  us  to  a  great  Degree;  and  sev- 
eral more  were  seen  by  our  Bullock  Guard,  which  we 
had  sent  over  the  river,  one  of  which  asked  them  if 
they  would  Surrender  to  be  taken  as  prisoners,  with 
other  Language  of  menacing;  and  hearing  of  a  great 
Number  more  who  were  on  their  way  to  their  assist- 
ance. We  held  a  Council,  the  Result  of  which  was  to 
appoint  a  Committee  to  confer  with  them  on  the 
Causes  of  their  opposition  ;  the  result  of  said  Confer- 
ence you  will  see  enclosed.  This  Mob  or  Banditti  of 
Villains  are  greatly  increased  since  the  supply  Bill 
has  been  published  amongst  them.  ...  In  short  the 
Cry  against  Taxes  in  Specie  is  general,  and  in  any 
IMode,  by  a  Number  of  those  who  formerly  adhered  to 
Virginia,  and  they  think  the  Running  of  the  Line 
will  be  a  prelude  to  and  increase  the  power  of  Col- 
lecting them  ;  Together  with  the  Idea  of  a  New  State, 
which  is  artfully  and  industriously  conveyed  (under 
Coverture)  by  some  of  the  Friends  of  that  State,  as 
the  only  expedient  to  preveiit  the  Running  of  the 
Line.  I  have  also  to  inform  you  that  I  have  the  most 
finished  assurance  that  they  have  not  the  least  Desire 
to  Settle  the  Line  in  any  equitable  manner,  for  the 
Instructions  of  their  Commissioners  (if  they  have  ap- 
pointed any)  will  doubtless  direct  them  to  begin  at 
the  end  of  Maryland,  which  is  not  yet  ascertained, 
neither  can  it  be  without  the  concurrence  of  that 
State,  which  I  am  fully  persuaded  was  thrown  in  as  a 
barrier  to  keep  the  Evil  day  the  further  off,  as  I  fell 
into  Company  with  a  person  of  great  Consequence  in 
that  State  on  my  Way  from  Philadelphia,  who  was 
big  with  the  propriety  of  it,  and  Quoted  a  Gentleman 
of  this  Country  as  the  Author  of  it.  Yet  it  would  be 
out  of  Character  to  say  that  the  Executive  of  Vir- 
ginia, who  are  so  tender  of  Duplicity  on  any  occa- 
sion, should  Wrap  their  Councils  in  Darkened  Lan- 
guage. I  think  it  would  be  much  to  tluir  honour 
and  the  Interest  of  this  State,  as  well  as  those  I'nited, 
if  their  Actions  could  be  brought  to  Correspond  with 
their  Declarations. 

"Coil"  Hayes,  who  was  present  on  Committee,  was 
Zealous  to  proceed  against  all  opposition,  but  all  to 
no  purpose,  other  than  to  enrage  the  Mob  Still  more ; 
they  proceeded  to  dare  us  to  trial  of  their  Resolution 
and  intention.  I  have  just  now  been  with  General 
Irwin,  who  is  well  disposed  to  render  every  Service  in 
his  power,  but  as  a  Continental  Officer  he  cannot  in- 
terfere  without   instructions   for   that    purpose.     In 


124 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


short,  every  measure  has  been  taken  that  might  be 
thought  prudent,  but  to  no  purpose ;  their  obstinacy 
is  such  that  they  never  will  Submit  until  destruction 
overtakes  them.  ; 

"  I  have  therefore  to  request  you  will  devise  some 
mode  that  it  may  be  accomplished  speedily,  as  the 
Enemies  of  this  State  are  daily  encreasing,  and  I  find 
it  is  out  of  my  power,  unless  a  Commissioner  from 
Virginia  should  appear,  to  proceed  without  open  War, 
which,  if  you  are  determined  upon,  3'ou'll  please  to 
give  me  instructions  agreeably,  together  with  the  Ne- 
cessary Powers.  I  am  just  now  informed  that  a  meet- 
ing of  some  of  the  former  Subjects  of  Virginia  has 
been  lately  Requested  to  choose  Officers  to  Resume  1 
the  Government  in  this  place,  the  Result  of  which  I 
ain  not  able  to  inform  you." 

With  the  above  letter  was  transmitted  to  President 
Moore  the  following  minutes '  of  a  conference  between 
the  boundary  commissioners  of  Pennsylvania  and  a  j 
committee  appointed  for  the  purpose  by  the  partisans 
of  Virginia,  viz. : 


'  At  !V  meeting  of  the  Con 


iaEi.'h(v-Two 


the  Part  of  Pen 


Esq^i 


"P.e5cnt  Alexander  JIoCIc; 
&  Samuel  McClean  As.-i>'  Surveyor     J    for  Running  the  Line. 

"With  the  Several  Drafts  of  the  iMilitia  of  the  S*  &  4*  Bat- 
talions of  Westmoreland  County,  under  the  Command  of  Cul. 
Benjamin  Davis,  &c. 

"  When  a  number  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Wa-hington  County, 
holding  themselves  yet  under  the  Jurisdiction  of  the  State  of 
A^irginia,  appeared  in  Opposition  to  us,  under  Arms.  And  as 
the  meeting  of  Parties  in  sueh  cases  Inraged  with  Passion  are 
frequently  attended  [with  ?]  Evil  Consequences,  it  was  thought 
Proper  to  ap[ioint  a  Committee  to  Confer  on  the  Causes  or 
Reasons  of  saiil  Opposition;  on  which  Henry  Vanmeter,  Jesse 
Pigman,  and  George  Xcwland,  of  tlie  Opposite  Partie,  were  ap- 
pointed a  Committee  to  Confer  with  us  ;  and  Christopher  Hayes, 
lUnry  Benson,  and  Alexander  JlcClcan  a  Committee  on  behalf 
of  Pennsyhiinia  :  After  Producing  the  Several  Papers  and  In- 
structions, Together  with  Corresponding  Letters  of  the  Council 
of  A'irginia,  The  said  Couimittce  on  the  Part  of  Virginia  Re- 
fuse t.)  Coiirui  with  the  Committee  of  Pennsylvania  in  the 
Jleasuie.  untill  linaily  Determined  or  Proclaimed  to  he  agree- 
able to  the  State  of  Virginia,  other  than  through  furceable  or 
Dangerous  Measures,  Which  might  be  attended  with  Conse- 
quences truly  Evil. 

"  In  Witness  that  it  is 
represent.  We,  as  a  Com) 
the  Day  and  year  aforcsa 


full  Intention  of  the 
e,  do  Sign  our  Names 


'He 


'  Geoue  Xewla 


:  Cop, 


E.  Cook.'' 


In  the  mean  time,  however,  the  Legislature  of  Vir- 
ginia had  given  its  formal  assent  to  the  runtiing  of 
the  line,  and  thereupon  President  Moore  sent  to  Col. 
McClean  his  instructions  to  proceed,  viz. : 


"In  Council,  Philadelphia,  July  20, 1782. 
"  Enclosed  you  have  a  copy  of  a  resolution  of  the  Legisla- 
ture of  Virginia  respecting  the  line  between  that  State  and 
ours,  dated  June  1,  and  copy  of  Governor  Harrison's  letter  ac- 
companying it,  d.ated  June  29,  and  also  the  order  of  f  .in-il 
of  the  lOih  inst.,  directing  you  to  attend  at  the  west  .  ud  uf 
Mason  and  Dixon's  line  on  Monday,  the  4th  of  Xovcmlier  m-xt. 
You  arc  then,  in  eonjunoiion  with  the  Surveyor  to  be  appointed 
on  the  part  of  Virginia,  to  proceed  in  running  the  line  agreea- 
ble to  your  former  direction.  It  will  be  advisable  to  call  out 
the  militia  for  guards  from  among  those  who  live  at  some  dis- 
tance from  the  line,  and  we  hope  Virginia  will  take  the  same 
precautions,  to  prevent  heats  and  needless  controversy.  .  .  . 
Colonel  Hayes  will  continue  his  assistance  under  the  former 
instructions." 

Under  this  arrangement  and  these  instructions, 
Col.  McClean,  with  Joseph  Neville  on  the  part  of 
Virginia,  ran  the  temporary  line  in  the  fall  of  17S2. 
The  boundary  thus  run  was  an  extension  of  Mason 
and  Dixon's  line  from  the  point  where  it  was  left  in 
1767  twenty-three  miles,  and  from  that  point  (which 
was  afterwards  proved  to  be  about  one  and  a  half 
miles  too  far  west)  due  north  to  the  Ohio  River.  Oa 
the  23d  of  February,  1783,  McClean  reported  the 
completion  of  the  work  to  the  Council  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

The  permanent  boundary  line  was  run  and  estab- 
lished from  the  Maryland  line  westward  to  the  south- 
west corner  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  in  1784, 
under  the  direction  of  James  Madison,  Robert  An- 
drews, John  Page,  Andrew  EUicott,  John  Ewing; 
David  Rittenhouse,  Thomas  Hutchins,  and  John 
Lukens  ;  the  first  four  of  whom  were  appointed  by 
Virginia,  and  the  others  by  Pennsylvania,  commis- 
sioners "to  determine  by  astronomical  observations 
the  extent  of  five  degrees  of  longitude  west  from  the 
river  Delaware,  in  the  latitude  of  Mason  and  Dixon's 
line,  and  to  run  and  mark  the  boundaries  which  are 
common  to  both  States,  according  to  an  agreement 
entered  into  by  commissioners  from  the  said  two 
States  at  Baltimore  in  1779,  and  afterwards  ratified 
by  their  respeeti  ve  Assemblies."  About  the  beginning 
of  June  Commissioners  Ewing  and  Hutchins  set-out 
for  the  southwest  corner  of  the  State,  as  marked  by 
the  temporary  line  of  1782,  where  they  met  Madisoa 
and  EUicott.  Rittenhouse  and  Lukens  proceeded  to 
Wilmington,  Del.,  where  they  were  afterwards  joined 
by  Page  and  Andrews.  At  each  of  these  points  aa 
observatory  was  erected,  where  the  respective  parties, 
by  many  weeks  of  careful  astronomical  observations, 
carefully  adjusted  their  chronometers  to  the  true  time. 

"  Th(?  astronomical  observations  being  completed, 
on  the  20th  of  September  the  Eastern  Astronomers 
set  out  to  meet  the  other  commissioners  in  the  west 
in  order  to  compare  them  together.  Messrs.  Ritten. 
house  and  Andrews  carried_,with  them  the  observa- 
tions made  at  Wilmington,  while  Messrs.  Lukens  and 
Page  returned  home,  not  being  able  to  endure  the 
fatigues  of  so  long  a  journey,  nor  the  subsequent 
labor  of  running  and  marking  the  Boundary  line. 


SLAVERY   AND   SERVITUDE. 


125 


Mr.  Madison  continued  with  the  Western  Astrono-  j 
mors  till  the  arrival  of  Messrs.  Rittenhouse  and  An- 
drews, when  the  affairs  of  his  family  and  publick 
station  obliged  him  to  relinquish  the  business  at  this 
stage  and  return  home,  after  concurring  with  the  ' 
other  commissioners  a^  to  the  principles  on  which  the 
matter  was  finally  determined."  ' 

The  difference  in  time  between  points  five  degrees 
of  longitude  distant  from  each  other  is  twenty  min- 
utes, but  on  comparing  chronometers  it  was  found 
that  the  two  observatories  were  twenty  minutes  one 
and  one-eighth  seconds  apart.  The  observatory  at 
Wilmington  was  also  114  chains  13  links  west  of  the 
intersection  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line  with  the  Del- 
aware River.  This  showed  that  the  western  observa- 
tory was  13-1  chains  9  links  west  of  the  end  of  the  five 
degrees  of  longitude.  That  distance  was  thereupon 
measured  back  eastward  on  the  line,  the  line  cor- 
rected, and  the  permanent  southwest  corner  of  the 
State  mai'ked  by  a  substantial  post.  In  the  joint 
report  of  the  commissioners,  dated  Nov.  18,  1784, 
they  say,  "  The  underwritten  commissioners  have 
continued  Mason  and  Dixon's  line  to  the  termination 
of  the  said  five  degrees  of  longitude,  by  which  work 
the  southern  boundary  of  Pennsylvania  is  completed. 
The  continuation  we  have  marked  by  opening  vistas 
over  the  most  remarkable  heights  which  lie  in  its 
course,  and  by  planting  on  many  of  these  heights,  in 
the  parallel  of  latitude,  the  true  boundary,  posts 
marked  with  the  letters  P  and  V,  each  letter  facing 
the  State  of  which  it  is  the  initial.  At  the  extremity 
of  this  line,  which  is  the  southwest  corner  of  Penn- 
sylvania, we  have  planted  a  squared,  unlettered  white- 
oak  post,  around  whose  base  we  have  raised  a  pile  of 
stones.  The  corner  is  in  the  last  vista  we  cut,  on  the 
cast  side  of  an  hill,  one  hundred  and  thirty-four 
chains  and  nine  links  east  of  the  meridian  of  tlie 
Western  Observatory,  and  two  chains  and  fifty-four 
links  west  of  a  deep  narrow  valley  through  which  the 
said  last  vista  is  cut.  .  .  .  The  advanced  season  of 
the  year  and  the  inclemency  of  the  weather  have 
obliged  us  to  suspend  our  operations,  but  we  have 
agreed  to  meet  again  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Penn- 
sylvania on  the  16tli  day  of  next  May  to  complete 
the  object  of  our  commission."  In  accordance  with 
this  agreement  they  met  in  the  following  year,  ran 
and  established  the  west  line  of  Pennsylvania  due 
north  from  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Ohio  River, 
and  made  a  report  of  the  same  on  the  2.3d  of  August. 
In  178G,  Col.  Alexander  McClean  and  Col.  Porter  ran 
and  completed  the  State  lino  northward  from  the 
Ohio  River  to  the  lake. 

•        SLAVERY    AND    SERVITUDE. 
Of  the   people  who   emigrated   from   the   east   to 
settle  west  of  the  Laurel  Hill  prior  to  1780,  a  large 
proportion  were  from  Virginia  and  Maryland,  and 

1  Report  of  tlio  Pcnnsjiva:iiii  Coniuiissioners. 


many  of  them  who  had  held  slaves  east  of  the  moun- 
tains brought  those  slaves  with  them  to  their  new 
homes  in  the  West,  for  at  that  time  the  laws  of  Penn- 
sylvania recognized  and  tolerated  the  "  peculiar  insti- 
tution" as  fully  as  did  those  of  Virginia.  Among 
these  were  the  Crawfords,  Stevensons,  Harrisons,  Mc- 
Cormicks,  Vance,  Wilson,  and  others.  A  most  dis- 
tinguished (though  non-resident)  holder  of  bondmen 
in  Fayette  County  was  George  Washington,  whose 
improvements  on  his  large  tract  of  land  in  the  present 
township  of  Perry  were  made  principally  by  their 
labor.  Frequent  allusions  to  these  "  servants"  are 
found  in  letters  addressed  to  Col.  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  afiairs  of  improvement  in 
this  region.  A  few  extracts  from  those  letters  are 
given  below,  viz. : 

"Jacob's  Creek,  3Iay  7, 1774. 

"...  Your  servants  are  all  in  very  good  health, 
and  if  you  should  incline  selling  them,  I  believe  I 
could  sell  them  for  cash  out  here  to  different  people. 
My  brother,  William  Crawford,  wants  two  of  them, 
and  I  would  take  two  myself  .  .  ." 

"Gist's,  Jliij  13, 1774. 

"  I  write  to  let  you  know  that  all  your  servants  are 
well,  and  that  none  have  run  away.-   .  .  ." 

"Jacob's  Ckeek,  June  S,  1774. 

"...  I  will  go  to  Simpson's  [Washington's  estate 
in  the  present  township  of  Perry]  to-morrow  morning 
and  consult  him  farther  on  the  affair,  and  do  every- 
thing in  my  power  for  your  interest.  The  thoughts 
of  selling  your  servants  alarmed  them  very  much,  for 
they  do  not  want  to  be  sold.  The  whole  of  them 
have  had  some  short  spells  of  sickness,  and  some  of 
them  cut  themselves  with  an  axe,  causing  them  to  lay 
by  for  some  time.  One  of  the  best  of  Stephens' 
[Washington's  millwright]  men  cut  himself  with 
an  adze  the  worst  I  ever  saw  anybody  cut  in  my 
life.  He  has  not  been  able  to  do  one  stroke  for 
near  a  month.  This  happened  in  digging  out  the 
canoes.  ..." 

"Jacob's  CiiEEK,  July  2",  1774, 

"  Dear  Colonel, — On  Sunday  evening  or  Monday 
morning,  William  Orr,  one  of  the  most  orderly  men 
I  thought  I  had,  ran  away,  and  has  taken  a  horse  and 
other  things.     I  have  sent  vou  an  advertisement'  of 


of  the  proposition  to  sell  them. 
3  Following  is  a  copy  of  the  advertisenien 


"  Run  awiiy  f 
I  art's  Crossing,  ii 
I   tho24thin5tanl 


g  on  Jacob's  Creek,  near  Stcw- 
P'-nnsylvanra,on  Sunday  night, 
named  William  Oit,  the  prop- 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


liim.  I  am  convinced  he  will  make  for  some  ship  in 
Potomac  River.  I  have  sent  two  men  after  him,  and 
furnished  them  with  horses  and  money.  I  have  also 
written  to  my  brother,  Richard  Stevenson  [a  half- 
brother  of  Crawford's],  in  Berkeley,  and  James  Mc- 
Corraick  to  escort  the  men  I  sent,  and  to  forward  this 
letter  and  advertisement  to  you.  ...  I  have  sold  all 
the  men  but  two,  and  I  believe  I  should  have  sold 
them  but  the  man  who  is  run  away  had  a  very  sore 
foot,  which  was  cut  with  an  axe  and  was  not 
long  well,  and  John  Smith  was  not  well  of  the  old 
disorder  he  had  when  he  left  your  house.  I  sold 
Peter  Miller  and  John  Wood  to  one  Mr.  Edward 
Cook  for  £45,  the  money  to  be  applied  to  the  use 
of  building  your  mill.  I  sold  Thomas  McPherson 
and  his  wife  and  James  Lowe  to  Maj.  John  McCul- 
loch  and  Jones  Ennis  for  £65,  payable  in  six  months 
from  the  date  of  sale.  To  my  brother  I  sold  William 
Luke,  Thomas  White,  and  the  boy,  John  Knight.  He 
is  either  to  pay  you  for  them  or  he  loses  them  in  case 
you  can  prosecute  your  designs  down  the  river  [the 
opening  of  a  plantation  on  the  Virginia  side  of  the 
Ohio,  between  Wheeling  and  the  Little  Kanawha]. 
I  took  John  Smith  nml  William  Orr  on  the  .same 
terms;  so  that,  in  jii^tii  r.  1  am  accountable  to  you 
for  the  man  if  111-  is  iirvir  L''jt.  I  should  have  sold 
the  whole  of  llii'  sii\  ants,  agreeable  to  your  letter, 
if  I  could  have  iro!  casli  nr  L-'ood  pay,  but  the  confu- 
sion of  the  times  put  it  out  nf  my  power.  ...  I  only 
went  down  to  Fort  Pitt  a  day  or  two,  and  two  of  my 
own  servants  and  two  militiamen  ran  away.  I  fol- 
lowed them  and  caught  them  all  down  at  Bedford, 
and  brought  them  back.  While  I  was  gone  two  of 
your  men,  John  Wood  and  Peter  Miller,  stole  a  quan- 
tity of  bacon  and  bread,  and  were  to  have  started 
that  very  iiinlit  I  gut  liome,  but  a  man  of  mine  dis- 
covered tlieir  ilesigii.  I  xild  them  immediately,  and 
Avould  have  suld  tlio  whole  if  I  could,  or  delivered 
them  to  Mr.  Simpson,  but  he  would  not  be  concerned 
with  them  at  any  rate." 


plexi. 
liim  .1 


yfai-s  of  age.  He  was  born  in 
■  mncli.  He  is  of  a  red  cuni- 
iilKly-colored  liair,  and  very  re- 

■  •  1      7I"  Im  1  .  h  .,h>l  took  Willi 


ids  higtl,  liranded 
liefurc.  He  liad 
he  will  make  to 


11. 1  s.M  Viuit  .ind  oLCufio  liim,  so  tliat  he  and  horse  may  I 
I  receive  the  above  reward,  or  three  pounds  for  the  man 
able  charges  if  brought  home  paid  by  me. 


lna.sti-r3  of  vessels 


r  CoL.  C.F.onoE  ' 


j       "I  am  very  sorry  to  inform  you  I  received  a  letter 
from  Mr.  Cleveland   of  the  7th   June,  wherein  he 
seems  to  be  in  a  good  deal  of  distress.     Five  of  the 
[  servants  have   run   away  and   plagued   him   much. 
'  They  got  to  the  Indian  towns,  but  by  the  exertions  of 
I  one  Mr.  Duncan,  a  trader,  he  has  got  them  again. 
j  He  has  sent  three  of  them  up  by  a  man  he  had  hired 
i  with  a  letter  to  my  brother  William  or  myself  to  sell 
them  for  you,  but  the  man  sold  them  himself  some- 
I  where  about  Wheeling   on   his  way  up,  and  never 
:  brought  them  to  us.     He  got  £20  Pennsylvania  cur- 
rency for  them,  and  gave  one  year's  credit.    This  was 
very  low,  and  he  did  not  receive  one  .shilling.     Tiiis 
was  contrary  to  Cleveland's  orders,  as  the  latter  wanted 
to  raise  some  cash  by  the  sale  to  purchase  provisii.ns.'' 
It  is  noticeable  that  Crawford,  in  the  corresponileiiee 
above  quoted,  never  uses  the  word  "  slave,"  but  always 
"  servant."     Among  the  people  employed  on  Wash- 
I  ington's  improvements  in  Fayette  County  there  were 
I  a  few  African  slaves  (some  of  whom  lived  until  within 
t  the  memory  of  people  now  living),  but  they  \m  re 
1  principally  white  bondmen,  such  as,  until  the  niiin- 
j  iug   of   the    Revolution,    were    continually    sent    t  i 
America  from  Gre.at  Britain  for  crime  or  other  eau-es 
and  sold  into  servitude  on  their  arrival  by  the  mas- 
ters of  the  vessels  which  brought  them  over.      Tlie 
following  advertisement  of  such  a  sale  is  from  the 
Virginia  Gazette  of  March  3,  17G8: 

"Just  arrived.  The  Xeptune,  Capt.  Arbuckle,  with  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  hcaltliy  servants,  men,  women,  and  boys:  ain.mj 
whom  are  many  valuable  tradesmen,  viz.:  tailors,  weavers, 
barbei-s,  blacksmiths,  carpenters  and  joiners,  shoenialMi-,  a 
stay-maker,  cooper,  cabinet-maker,  bakc:s,  silversmith.^,  ;i  ,;..M 
and  silver  refiner,  and  many  otliers.  The  sale  will  en:iinnn.;o 
at  Leedstown,  on  the  Eappahnnnoe.  on  Wednesday,  the  '.'th  of 
this  (March).  A  reasonable  credit  will  be  allowed  on  giving 
approved  security  to 

"Thomas  Hunin:." 

On  the  1st  of  March,  17.S0,  the  General  Assembly 
of  Pennsylvania  passed  "  An  Act  for  the  gradual 
Abolition  of  Slavery,"  which  provided  and  declared 
"  That  all  persons,  as  well  Negroes  and  Muhittoes  as 
others,  who  shall  be  born  within  this  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  conse- 
quence 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  utterly  tiiken  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  such  person,  or  his  or  her  assigns,  who 
would  in  such  ease  have  been  entitled  to  the  service 


LW- 


SLAVERY   AND  SERVITUDE. 


12T 


of  .such  child,  until  such  child  shall  attain  unto  the 
age  Qf  twenty-eight  years,  in  the  manner  and  on  the 
conditions  whereon  servants  bound  by  indenture  for 
four  years  are  or  may  be  retained  and  holden.  .  .  ." 

The  law  required  that,  in  order  to  distinguish  slaves 
from  all  other  persons,  each  and  every  owner  of  slaves 
at  the  passage  of  the  act  should,  on  or  before  the  1st 
of  November,  1780,  register  in  the  office  of  the  court 
of  the  county  his  or  her  name  and  surname  and  oc- 
cupation or  profession,  with  the  name,  age,  and  sex 
of  his  or  her  slaves  or  "  servants  for  life  or  till  the  age 
of  thirty-one  years;"  and  it  further  enacted,  "That 
no  man  or  woman  of  any  nation  or  colour,  except  the 
Negroes  or  Mulattoes  who  shall  be  registered  as  afore- 
said, shall  at  any  time  hereafter  be  deemed  adjudged 
or  holden  within  the  territories  of  this  commonwealth 
as  slaves  or  servants  for  life,  but  as  free  men  and  free 
women,"  except  in  the  cases  of  slaves  attending  on 
delegates  in  Congress  from  other  States,  foreign  min- 
isters and  consuls,  or  nonresident  travelers  in  or 
through  this  State,  and  also  in  the  cases  of  slaves  em- 
ployed as  seamen  on  vessels  owned  by  persons  not 
residents  in  this  State.  In  October,  1781,  was  passed 
"  An  Act  to  give  relief  to  certain  persons  talcing  refuge 
in  this  State  with  respect  to  their  slaves,"  which  pro- 
vided that  such  refugees  might  hold  their  slaves  not- 
withstanding the  act  of  March  1,  1780,  but  the  opera- 
tion of  the  law  of  1781  was  to  cease  at  the  end  of  six 
months  after  the  termination  of  the  war  of  the  Revo- 
lution. 

On  the  13th  of  April,  1782,  the  General  Assembly 
passed  "  An  Act  to  redress  certain  Grievances  within 
the  counties  of  Westmoreland  and  Washington." 
This  act  was  designed  for  the  relief  of  certain  per- 
sons living  within  the  so-called  counties  of  Yoho- 
gania,  Monongalia,  and  Ohio,  who  had  taken  the 
oath  of  allegiance  to  Virginia,  and  had,  at  the  time 
of  the  passage  of  the  act  for  the  gradual  abolition  of 
slavery  in  this  State,  and  for  a  considerable  time 
thereafter,  supposed  that  their  places  of  residence 
were  outside  the  limits  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  had  on  that  account  neglected  or  been  prevented 
from  registering  their  slaves  within  the  time  required 
by  the  provisions  of  the  act.  All  such  persons,  in- 
habitants of  the  counties  of  Westmoreland  and  Wash- 
ington, who  could  produce  proof  of  their  having 
taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  Virginia  before  the 
establishment  of  the  boundary  line  between  the  two 
States  was  agreed  to,  and  whose  names  should  be 
found  in  the  records  of  the  above-mentioned  Virginia 
counties,  were,  by  the  act  of  1782,  "  declared  to  be  to 
all  intents  and  purposes  free  citizens  of  this  State;" 
and  it  was  further  enacted, — 

"  That  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  all  such  in- 
habitants of  the  said  counties  who  were  on  the  23d  day 
of  September,  1780,  possessed  of  negro  or  mulatto 
slaves  or  servants  until  the  age  of  thirty-one  years  to 
register  such  slaves  or  servants,  agreeable  to  the  di- 
rections of  the  act  aforesaid  for  the  gradual  abolition 


of  slavery,  on  or  before  the  1st  day  of  January  next, 
and  the  said  master  or  masters,  owner  or  owners  of 
such  slaves  or  servants  shall  be  entitled  to  liis  or  their 
service  as  by  the  said  act  is  directed,  and  the  said 
slaves  and  servants  shall  be  entitled  to  all  benefits 
and  immunities  in  the  said  act  contained  and  ex- 
pressed." And  the  clerks  of  the  Orphans'  Courts, 
registers  of  the  probate  of  wills,  and  recorders  of 
deeds  for  Westmoreland  and  Washington  Counties 
were  empowered  to  call  on  the  late  clerks  of  the  Vir- 
ginia counties  of  Yohogania,  Monongalia,  and  Oh  in 
for  the  papers  and  records  in  their  custody  relating  to 
the  taking  of  oaths  of  allegiance,  probates  of  wills, 
granting  of  letters  of  administration,  and  recording 
of  deeds ;  and  the  said'  ex-clerks  of  the  Virginia 
counties  were  required  to  deliver  up  such  records  and 
documents  entire  and  tmdefaced,  under  penalty  of  a 
fine  of  five  hundred  pounds  for  refusal  or  neglect  to 
do  so,  and  such  records  and  documents  were  then  tn 
become  a  part  of  the  records  of  Westmoreland  and 
Washington  Counties. 

The  passage  of  the  law  for  the  gradual   abolition 
of  slavery  in  Pennsylvania  was  very  oftensive  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  much  of  truth 
is  not  known)  that  Gen.  Washington  was  greatly  dis- 
pleased by  the  enactment,  and  the  story  even  goes  so 
far  as  to  assert  that  he  regarded  it  as  a  personal  af- 
front, and  that  this  was  the  cause  of  his  disposing  of 
his  real  and  personal  property  in  Fayette  County. 
I  However  this  may  have  been,  it  is  certain  that  a 
j  large  proportion  of  the  Virginians  and  Marylanders 
who  had  settled  wdth  their  slaves  west  of  the  Laurel 
Hill  became  so  incensed  at  the  adoption  of  this  meas- 
:  ure,  and  the  establishment  at  about  the  same  time  of 
j  the  boundary  line,  by  which,  to  their  surprise,  they 
found  themselves  in  Pennsylvania  and  not  within  the 
I  bounds  of  Virginia,  as  they  had  supposed,  that  they 
!  sold  out  their  possessions  in  the  Monongahela  country 
i  and  removed  with  their  slaves  to  the  Southwest.    This 
was  one  of  the  principal  causes  for  the  commencement 
j  of  the  very  extensive  emigration  from  this  section  of 
country  to  Kentucky,'  which  set  in  about  1780,  and 


..  1  Judge  Veet'll  -:l^  -,  ■    -i-'Mi^i.^    I  i,,-   hhH.-.  ,  ■■    !'l,,.  |,,--  ,  j,    ,,f   i!   ,-    Inv 

and  its  becomin-  .1                                                          Mi  .-       ^m, 

to  be]  Peuus>lv:ii.i,i    !■  ^         '    ]  .    •    ;    1      '  .  ,1.    ••    ;i \      '     ..I    .  ,1  I  ]i 

to  that  gbti'ious  Stiito  many  of  lier  best  pioneer  mmiIi -,  ;iiii  n^  \\lion 

were  her  Popes,  her  Uowana,  her  Bletcalfes,  her  lltrin,-, (  .hri^ 

The  flight  to  Kentuclij- stcTrted/rora  We  moiitt  0/  /.•  /  -  ,  :  ,  I,  t  vi  1,1 
boats,  wliich  landed  at  Limestone  (Majsvilk),      I  :  .  |. 

upduring  the  decade  of  17SO-0O,  and  to  some  r-i    1  ;      'i    ,  -,  l.i; 

now  it  began  to  blend  with  another  current  wlitrii  i.m  n,i  .  tl,-  1  in  1] 
and  tempting  plains  of  Ohio.  .  .  .  These  early  reni<ival3  toKeiiltuli; 
brought  to  our  county  overpuwcritig  numbers  of  settlers  from  Easteri 
Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey,  who  availed  themselves  of  the  opportii 
uity  to  buy  out  the  improvements  of  the  setilers  upon  easy  terms,  o 
this  class  of  new  settlers  were  the  Friends,  who  setlKJ  about  Urowns 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


continued  during  a  succeeding  period  of  ten  or  fifteen 
years. 

Among  tlie  number  of  residents  of  Fayette  County 
wlio  registered  slaves  under  the  requirement  of  tlie 
law  of  1780  are  found  the  following-named  persons : 

Edward  Cook,  registered  Oct.  12, 1780,  seven  slaves, 
viz. :  .Tames,  aged  45 ;  Sail,  3-5 ;  Davy,  24 ;  Joshua, 
22  :  Esther,  17  ;  Nelly,  16 ;  and  Sue,  1  year. 

Zachariah  Connell,  Oct.  28,  1780,  two  slaves,  viz. : 
Tom,  aged  32,  and  Luce,  40. 

Thomas  Brown,  Dec.  27,  1782,  six-slaves. 

"William  McCormicI-,  Dec.  30,  1782,  five  slaves. 

James  Finley,  1781  and  1782,  eight  slaves. 

Van  Swearingen,  1780,  nine  slaves,  and  in  1781 
four  more.  ' 

William  Goe,  1782,  ten  slaves. 

Robert  Beall,  18  slaves ;  Walter  Brisco,  9  ;  Mar- 
garet Hutton,  9 ;  Isaac  Meason,  8  ;  James  Cross,  8 ; 
Andrew  Linn,  7  ;  Sarah  Hardin,  7;  Nancy  Brashears, 
12;  Richard  Noble,  7 ;  Benjamin  Stevens,  C  ;  James 
Dearth,  (3;  John  Stevenson,  5;  Samuel  Kincaid,  5  ; 
Peter  Laughlin,  .5;  John  JIcKibben,  .5;  Edmund 
Freeman,  4;  James  Blackiston,  4;  Isaac  Pierce,  4 ; 
Augustine  Moore,  4;  Hugh  Laughlin,  4;  Benjamin 
Davis,  4;  Jamc^  Hauimund,  4.  Each  of  the  f.illow- 
ing-named  rei;i-teru'l  tlirc'  slaves,  viz.:  Providence 
Mounts,  Jnhn  :\Iiiit.i-,  Margaret  Vance,  William  Har- 
rison, Diiiiiis  S|iiiiiL:ur,  Thomas  Moore,  JosephGrable, 
Eobcrt  Ilarrisiiii,  I-uuc  Newman,  John  Wells.  Among 
those  registering  two  slaves  each  were  Eichard  Steven- 
son, John  Hardin,  Mark  Hardin,  Robert  Ross,  Philip 
Shute,  John  Mason,  John  Laughlin,  Otho  Brashears, 
Jonathan  Arnold,  and  Reziu  Virgin. 

An  act  supplementary  and  amendatory  to  the  act 
for  the  gradual  abolition  of  slavery  in  Pennsylvania 
was  passed  on  the  29th  of  March,  1788.  Among  the 
several  provisions  of  this  act  was  one  declaring  that 
all  persons  owners  of  chil.lren  born  after  March  1, 
1780,  who  wnuld,  uniU'r  the  act  of  that  date,  be  liable 
to  serve  till  twciity-eiirlit  years  of  age,  must,  in  order 
to  hold  >uch  rliildrcn  to  servitude,  cause  them  to  be 
registered  on   or  before   April   1,  1789,  or  within  six 

In  aililition  to  the  owners  of  slaves  already  men- 
tioned, tin  r.>  lire  I'ouiul  the  following  names  of  per- 
sons roui-l' iin-  ^l:ives  in  Fayette  County  in  and  prior 
to  the  year  Isii:;,  viz.: 

Mrnulln,  Toinuhip. 
John  Moore,  wheelwright.     Sarah  Brown,  single  wo- 
Ann  Brown,  widow.  man. 

Bazil  Brown,  farmer.  Nancy  Workman,  widow. 


Bullskin  Township. 
Betsey  Beall,  widow.  William  Boyd,  Esq. 

Elizabeth  Stephenson,  sin-    Presley  Carr  Lane,  Esq. 
gle  woman. 

Sprino  Hill  Township. 
Mary  Moore,  widow.  Thomas  Tobin,  farmer. 

John  Wilson,  farmer.  Thomas  Clare,        " 

Catharine  Swearingen.          Joshua  Brown,       " 
John    McFarland,   major 
militia. 

Georges  Township. 
George  Tobin,  farmer.  Hugh   Cunningham,  far- 

mer. 

Brownsrillc. 
John     McCluer     Hazlip,     William   Crawford,   mer- 

farmer.  chant. 

Joseph     Thornton,    mer- 
chant. 

German  Township. 

John  Huston,  hatter  and  Andrew  Rabb,  miller. 

merchant.  Thomas     Graham,     mer- 

Ephraim  Walter,  farmer.  chant,  Geneva. 
Robert  McLean,         " 

Dunbar  Township. 
John  Canon,  fiirmer.  John  Rogers,  farmer  and 

James  PauU,      "  inn-keeper. 

Joseph  Torrance,  farmer.     Jacob  Murjihy,  farmer. 

Washinf//nn  Township. 

Hezekiah  McGruder,  fiir-    John  Patterson,  Esq. 
James  Lynch,  farmer. 
Heirs  of  Samuel  Culbert- 
son. 


mer. 
Daniel  Canon,  farmer. 
Samuel  Burns,  farmer. 
John  Goe,  farmer. 


tbe  Scotch-! 


Presl'j'ttTians  genenilly." — Mouo}if)ah£la  of 


Old. 

Col.  Isrnel  Slireve,  tlie  puiclmsorof  Gon.  Wastiinpcton's  liinds  in  Perry 
lo\viisliii>,  Fayi.-tlL-  Co.,  in  ;i  leltfr  (luted  Doc,  2G,  1TS9,  nnd  addressed  to 

hisbn.tl N'  V   •!■  I-  .V,  -aid,— 

"I.ini  li  ill  this  idacc.owing  to  ttie  great  emigration 

(lowiill.      I  I:-  .- ir  people  werecrazy  to  gotatioat  on  tlieOhio. 

many  Ir;i\L    ,    1  \  - I  l:^  iii^s,  set  out  for  they  know  not  where,  but  too 


Fran/:/ in  Township. 

Benjamin   Stephens,   far-  James  Paull,  Esq. 

mer.  John  Patterson,  farmer. 

Hannah  Crawford,  widow.  Samuel  Work,  farmer. 

John  McClelland,  farmer.  Agnes  Canon,  widow. 

Benoni  Dawson,  farmer.  John  Byers,  farmer. 

Union  Township. 
Ephraim  Douglass,  Esq.        John  Wood,  saddler  and 
Alexander  McClean,  sur-         merchant. 

veyor.  Joseph  Huston,  iron-mas- 

John  Jackson,  miller.  tcr. 

Ann  JIurphy,  widow. 

Luzerne  Township. 

Nathaniel  Breading,  Esq.     James  Hammond,  farmer. 
Andrew  Frazer,  farmer.        John  Hyatt,  farmer. 

Ti/rone  Township. 
Alexander  Lonir,  farmer. 


ERECTION    OF  T'AYETTE    COUNTY. 


129 


Under  the  law  of  March  29,  1788,  registries  of  chil- 
dren liable  to  servitude  continued  in  Fayette  for  more 
than  half  a  century,  and  three  hundred  and  fifty-four 
such  registries  were  made  in  the  county  during  the 
period  from  Feb.  5, 1780,  to  Jan.  12,  1839,  after  which 
latter  date  none  have  been  found  in  the  records. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

ERECTION  OF    FAYETTE  COUNTY— ESTABLISHMENT 
OF    COURTS— COUNTY   BUILDINGS. 

The  original  counties  of  Pennsylvania  were  Phil- 
adelphia, Chester,  and  Buclcs,  of  whicli  tlie  western 
boundaries  were  indefinite.  On  the  10th  of  May, 
1729,  an  act  was  passed  erecting  the  county  of  Lan- 
caster, to  embrace  "  all  and  singular  the  lands  within 
the  province  of  Pennsylvania  lying  to  the  northward 
of  Octoraro  Creek,  and  to  the  westward  of  a  line  of 
marlced  trees  running  from  the  north  branch  of  the 
said  Octoraro  Creek  nortlieasterly  to  the  river  Schuyl- 
kill ;  .  .  .  and  the  said  Octoraro  Creek,  the  line  of 
marked  trees,  and  the  river  Schuylkill  aforesaid  shall 
be  the  boundary  line  or  division  between  said  county 
and  the  counties  of  Chester  and  Philadelphia."  Thus 
ihe  nominal  jurisdiction  of  Lancaster  County  ex- 
tended westward  to  the  western  limits  of  the  pro- 
vince, including  the  territory  which  now  forms  the 
county  of  Fayette. 

In  1749  the  inhabitants  of  the  western  parts  of  Lan- 
caster County  represented  to  the  Governor  and  As- 
sembly of  the  province  that  they  were  suffering  great 
hardships  by  reason  of  remoteness  from  the  county- 
seal,  the  courts  of  justice,  and  the  public  offices,  and 
prayed  for  the  formation  of  a  new  county  from  that 
part  of  Lancaster  ;  whereupon,  on  the  27th  of  Jan- 
uary, 1750,  it  was  by  the  General  Assembly  enacted 
"That  all  and  singular  the  lands  lying  within  the 
province  of  Pennsylvania  aforesaid  to  the  westward 
of  Susquehanna,  and  northward  and  westward  of  the 
county  of  York,'  be  and  are  hereby  erected  into  a 
county  named  and  hereafter  to  be  called  Cumber- 
land, bounded  northward  and  westward  with  the  line 
of  the  province,  eastward  partly  with  the  river  Sus- 
quehanna and  partly  with  the  said  county  of  York, 
and  southward  in  part  by  the  said  county  of  York 
and  part  by  the  line  dividing  the  .said  province  from 
that  of  Maryland." 

For  more  than  twenty  years,  a  period  covering  the 
campaigns  of   Washington   and    Braddock   and   the 


1  York  County  had  been  erected  a  short  time  previously  (Aug.  19, 
1749),  to  embrace  "  all  and  singular  the  lands  lying  witliin  the  province 
of  Pennsylvania  to  the  westward  of  the  river  Susquehanna  and  south- 
ward and  eastward  of  the  South  Mountain,  .  .  .  bounded  northward 
and  westward  by  a  line  to  be  run  from  the  said  river  Susquehanna  along 
the  ridge  of  the  said  South  Mountain  until  it  shall  intersect  the  Miiry- 
land  line,  southward  by  the  said  Maryland  line,  and  eastward  by  the 
said  river  Susquehanna." 


planting  of  the  earlier  settlements  in  the  valleys  of 
the  Youghiogheny  and  Monongahela,  Cumberland 
continued  to  include  the  region  west  of  the  Laurel 
Hill  range.  On  the  9th  of  March,  1771,  that  region 
(embracing  the  present  counties  of  Fayette,  West- 
moreland, Washington,  Allegheny,  and  contiguous 
country)  passed  to  the  jurisdiction  of  Bedford  County, 
which  was  erected  by  an  act  of  that  date,  to  include 
"  all  and  singular  the  lands  lying  and  being  within 
the  boundaries  following,  that  is  to  say,  beginning 
I  where  the  province  line  crosses  the  Tuscarora  moun- 
tain, and  running  along  the  summit  of  that  mountain 
1  to  the  Gap  near  the  head  of  the  Path  Valley ;  thence 
with  a  north  line  to  the  Juniata;  thence  with  the 
Juniata  to  the  mouth  of  Shaver's  Creek ;  thence  north- 
east to  the  line  of  Berks  County  ;  thence  along  the 
Berks  County  line  northwestward  to  the  western 
bounds  of  the  province;  thence  southward,  according 
to  the  several  courses  of  the  western  boundary  of  the 
province,  to  the  southwest  corner  of  the  province, 
and  from  thence  eastward  with  the  southern  line  of 
the  province  to  the  place  of  beginning." 

The  territory  of  Bedford  County  west  of  the  Laurel 
Hill  became  Westmoreland  by  the  passage  (Feb.  26, 
1773)  of  an  act  erecting  the  last-named  county,  to  em- 
brace "All  and  singular  the  lands  lying  within  the 
I  province  of  Pennsylvania,  and  being  within  the  boun- 
I  daries   following,   that   is   to   say,  beginning   in  the 
I  province  line,  where  the  most  westerly  branch,  com- 
monly called  the   South,  or  Great  Branch  of  You- 
ghiogheny River  crosses  the  same  ;   then  down  the 
easterly  side  of  the   said   branch   and   river   to  the 
Laurel  Hill ;  thence  along  the  ridge  of  the  said  hill, 
I  northeastward,  so  far  as  it  can  be  traced,  or  till  it  runs 
i  into  the  Allegheny  Hill  ;  thence  along  the  ridge  di- 
viding the  waters  of  the  Susquehanna  and  the  Alle- 
gheny Rivers  to  the  purchase  line  at   the  head  of 
Susquehanna ;   thence  due  west  to  the  limits  of  the 
province,  and  by  the  same  to  the  place  of  beginning." 
Westmoreland  County  was  divided  into  townships 
by  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions,  held   at   Robert 
Hanna's    house,   April   6,    1773.      "Before   William 
j  Crawford,  Esq.,  and  his  associates,  justices  of  the  same 
court,  the  court  proceeded  to  divide  the  said  county 
I  into  the  following  townships,  by  the  limits  and  de- 
!  scriptions  hereafter  following,  viz."     Then  follows  a 
description  of  the  boundary  lines  of  the  several  town- 
ships, viz. :  Fairfield,   Donegal,  Huntington,  Mount 
Pleasant,  Hempfield,  Pitt,  Tyrone,  Springhill,  Men- 
alien,  Rostraver,  and  Armstrong,  the  descriptions  of 
the  five  townships  embracing  the  present  county  of 
Fayette  being  as  follows : 

Tyrone.  "  Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Jacob's  Creek, 
and  running  up  that  creek  to  the  line  of  Fairfield; 
thence  with  that  line  to  the  Youghiogheny;  thence 
along  to  the  foot  of  Laurel  Hill,  to  Gist's;  thence  by 
Burd's  road  to  where  it  crosses  Redstone  Creek; 
thence  down  that  creek  to  the  mouth ;  thence  with  a 
straight  line  to  the  beginning." 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Springhill.  "Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Red- 
stone Creek,  and  running  thence  a  due  west  course 
to  the  western  boundary  of  the  province ;  thence  with  | 
the  province  line  to  the  southern  boundary  of  the 
province ;  then  east  with  that  line  to  where  it  crosses  ' 
the  Youghiogheny ;  then  with  the  Youghiogheny  to 
Laurel  Hill;  then  with  the  line  of  Tyrone  to  Gist's, 
and  thence  with  that  line  to  the  beginning." 

Menullen.  "  Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Brown's 
Run,  thence  due  east  to  the  top  of  Laurel  Hill,  and 
.  .  .  westward  to  the  limits  of  the  province." 

Rostraver.     "Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Jacob's  | 
Creek,  and  running  down  the  Youghiogheny  to  where 
it  joins  the  Monongahela,  then  up  the  Monongahela 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Redstone  Creek,  and  thence  with 
a  straight  line  to  the  beginning." 

Donegal.  "To  begin  where  the  line  of  Fairfield 
township  intersects  the  county  line,  and  to  run  along 
that  line  to  where  the  Youghiogheny  crosses  the  same ; 
thence  down  the  north  side  of  the  Youghiogheny  to 
the  top  of  Chestnut  Ridge ;  thence  along  the  top  of  i 
Chestnut  Ridge  to  the  line  of  Armstrong  ;  thence  up 
the  Loyal  Hanna  to  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Roaring 
Run,  and  thence  up  said  run  to  the  beginning." 

The  project  to  form  the  county  of  Fayette  from  the 
southern  part  of  Westmoreland  was  agitated  as  early 
as  1781.  The  old  county  had  in  that  year  been  shorn  I 
of  its  territory  west  of  the  Monongahela  by  the  erec- 
tion of  Washington  County,  and  now  the  project  to 
reduce  its  limits  still  farther  by  the  formation  of 
Fayette  met  with  strong  opposition  in  the  other  parts. 
Among  the  many  remonstrances  against  it  was  the  I 
following,  a  letter  from  Christopher  Hays  to  Presi- 
dent Moore,'  dated  Sept.  20,  1782 : 

"...  I  Have  been  Informed  By  Bill  Printed  for 
Public  Consideration  that  the  County  of  Westmore- 
land will  or  is  to  be  Divided  into  Two  Counties  ' 
Unless  Opposed  by  the  Public.  If  the  New  County 
should  take  Place  Westmoreland  County  will  be  To- 
tally Ruined,  and  in  a  short  Time  will  Become  an 
Easy  Pray  to  the  Enemy,-  as  the  Major  Part  of  what 
will  be  Left  to  this  County  are  at  Present  in  Forts 
and  Blockhouses,  scarcely  able  of  supporting  them- 
selves, and  of  Consequence  will  Readyly  be  Ruined 
if  we  rely  on  the  Protection  of  the  Lieutenants  of  the 
other  County,  I  Therefore  would  Beg  the  Favour  of 
you,  to  use  your  Influence  &  Interest  with  the  Prin- 
ciple Memlicrs  of  the  Assembly  of  this  State  to  Lave 
said  Bill  made  Yoid  &  of  None  Effect,  and  to  Move 
the  seat  of  justice  of  this  County  Into  some  Interior 
Part  of  the  County,  &  in  so  Doing  you  will  Much 
oblige  the  Distressed  of  Westmoreland  and  your 
"  Most  Obedient  Humble  servant 

"Christo.  Hays." 


'  Pa.  Archives,  ix.  637. 

2  The  IndiaiiB,  incited  liy  tlis 
threatening  the  northern  settlei 
weeks  before  iiail  burned  iiiid  des 


!  at  that  time  constantly 


But  the  remonstrances  failed  to  effect  the  purpose 
for  which  they  were  intended,  and  on  the  26th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1783,  the  General  Assembly  passed  an  act, 
which,  after  reciting  in  its  preamble  that  "  a  great 
number  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  part  of  Westmore- 
land County  circumscribed  by  the  rivers  Monongahela 
and  Youghiogeny  and  Mason  and  Dixon's  line  have  by 
their  petition  humbly  represented  to  the  Assembly  of 
this  State  the  great  inconvenience  they  labor  under 
by  reason  of  their  distauce  from  the  seat  of  judica- 
ture in  said  county,"  proceeded  to  enact  and  declare 
"  That  all  and  singular  the  lands  lying  within  that 
part  of  Westmoreland  County  bounded  as  herein- 
after described:  beginning  at  Monongahela  River 
where  Mason  and  Dixon's  line  intersects  the  same ; 
thence  down  said  river  to  the  mouth  of  Speir's  Run  ; 
thence  by  a  straight  line  to  the  mouth  of  Jacob's 
Creek ;  thence  by  the  Youghiogeny  River  to  the 
forks  of  the  same ;  thence  up  the  southwest  branch  of 
the  said  river,  by  a  part  of  Bedford  County,  to  Mason 
and  Dixon's  line ;  thence  by  said  line  to  the  Monon- 
gahela River  aforesaid,  be  and  hereby  are  erected  into 
a  county  named  and  hereafter  to  be  called  Fayette* 
County." 

The  county  of  Fayette,  as  formed  and  erected  by 
the  act  of  1783,  embraced  all  that  is  within  the  pres- 
ent limits  of  the  county  west  of  the  Youghiogheny, 
but  nothing  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  On  the 
17th  of  February,  1784,  an  act  was  passed  annexing 
to  Fayette  the  territory  which  it  now  embraces  east 
and  northeast  of  the  Youghiogheny,  viz. :  "  All  that 
part  of  Westmoreland  County  beginning  at  the  mouth' 
of  Jacob's  Creek,  thence  up  the  main  branch  of  the 
said  creek  to  Cherry's  mill,  thence  along  the  road 
leading  to  Jones's  mill  until  the  same  shall  intersect 
the  line  of  Bedford  County,*  thence  southwesterly  by 
the  line  of  Bedford  County  aforesaid  until  the  same 
intersects  the  Youghiogeny  River,  thence  down  the 
said  river  to  the  place  of  beginning." 

The  act  erecting  the  county  provided,  in  one  of  its 
sections,  "  That  all  taxes  already  laid  within  the 
bounds  of  the  county  of  Fayette  by  virtue  of  any  act 
of  the  General  Assembly  of  this  State  which  are  not 
already  paid  shall  be  collected  by  the  respective  col- 
lectors within  the  bounds  aforesaid  and  paid  into  the 
hands  of  the  treasurer  of  Westmoreland  County.  .  ." 
But  it  appears  that  this  matter  of  the  collection  of 
taxes  at  that  time  in  Fayette  County  was  a  very  em- 
barrassing one,  that  the  attempt  to  make  such  col- 

^So    nan 
Wasliiugto 

■•  Tlie  part  of  the  line  from  Cherry's  Mill  east  to  the  line  of  Somerset 
County  being  found  to  be  obscure  and  not  well  defined,  was  run  out  and 
established  by  commissioners  appointed  by  the  Governor  for  the  purpose, 
under  authority  of  an  act  passed  March  1, 1SU6. 

The  line  along  the  crest  of  Laurel  Hill,  between  Fayette  and  Somer- 
set Counties,  being  indefinite,  was  established  under  authority  of  an  act 
of  Assembly  passed  April  17,  1844,  by  John  Hanna,  of  Somerset,  and 
John  R.  Lqve,  of  Fayette,  commissioners,  under 
work  was  done  by  H.  S.  Holi'rook.  Es(].,  surveyor. 


ERECTION  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY. 


131 


lection  met  ^Yith  resistance,  and  that  in  various  parts 
of  tlie  county,  as  well  as  in  Washington  and  West- 
moreland/ outrages  and  violence  were  not  uncoin-  , 
mon.     That  the  new  county  (particularly  Menallen  j 
township  and  the  country  on  Georges  Creek)    was 
then  in  a  state  of  almost  anarchy  is  shown  by  the 
tenor  of  various  letters  and  documents  found  in  the 
archives  of  the  State,  though  the  occurrences  and 
circumstances   to   which   they   refer    cannot   at  the 
present  time  be  fully  understood.     Copies  of  some  of 
the  papers  mentioned  are  here  given,  viz. : 
Later  of  Secretarij  Armsfroiip  to  Michael  Huffna^jle,  of 
Westmoreland  County. 

"  PlIItADF.I.PHIA,  Nov.  15,  1783. 

"  De.\r  Sir,— Your  letter  of  the  16th  Ult.  has  been 
received.  The  licentious  disposition  discovered  in 
Menallen  township  is  not  a  little  alarming,  &  in  th<3 
Opinion  of  Council  requires  an  early  and  vigorous 
correction. 

"  Upon  the  receipt  of  this  you  will  therefore  as- 
semble the  Magistracy  of  that  part  of  the  County,  & 
with  them  adopt  the  most  efficient  measures  to  in- 
vestigate the  business  and  enforce  the  laws. 

"J.  Armstrong,  Jr., 

"  Secry." 

Ephrahn  Douglass  to  President  Dickinson. 

"Uniontow.v,  2(1  Felii-uary,  1784. 

"  The  instructions  of  Council  respecting  the  oppo- 
sition to  assessment  in  Menallen  township  I  laid  be- 
fore the  Justices  as  directed,  but  they  have  not  yet 
come  to  any  resolution  thereon  ;  some  of  them  I  And' 
are  of  opinion  that  the  reviving  it  at  this  distant  time 
might  be  attended  with  more  vexatious  consequences 
than  the  suffering  it  to  be  forgotten  will  probably 
produce.  For  this  reason,  and  iu  consideration  of 
their  since  peaceable  demeanor,  I  should  incline  to 
agree  with  them  that  for  the  present,  until  the  author- 
ity of  the  Court  becomes  by  degrees  and  habitude  of 
obedience  more  firmly  established  in  the  general  ac- 
quiescence of  all  descriptions  of  people  within  the 
County,  and  a  Goal  and  other  objects  of  popular  ter- 
ror be  erected  to  impress  on  their  minds  an  idea  of 
the  punishment  annexed  to  a  breach  of  the  laws, 


1  The  foUowing  letter  from  Christoiilier  ILiys  to  President  Moore, 
(liltcil  "  Westmoreland  County,  Si-pt.  20, 1782,"  shows  tliiit  the  iissess- 
ment  and  collection  of  tuxes  was  forcibly  resisted  before  the  erection  of 
Fayette,  viz.: 

"...  As  our  Assessors  was  tiilviug  their  Returns  According  to  Law, 
the  Opposers  Assembled  under  arms,  Drove  tlicni  off  from  tlieir  Deanty, 
Fired  Guns  at  them,  and  say  tliey  will  not  Piiy  any  Taxes,  nor  be  Obe- 
dient to  our  Laws,  being  they  never  took  the  outh  of  Fidelity  to  this 
State,  But  moans  to  support  a  New  State.  I  should  think  it  wonld  not 
he  amiss  if  the  Houourablo  Council  would  send  a  number  of  Proclama- 
tions a<;ainst  all  those  that  is  or  will  be  in  Opposition  of  all  Laws  and 
Lawfull  Proceeding  in  this  State,  as  there  is  .t  Number  such  in  our 
Territories,  &  will  of  Consequence  encourage  n  Number  More  Unless 
something  Done  to  Oppose  them;  the  Citizens  of  these  Two  Counties 
[Westmoreland  and  Washington]  Think  it  Extremely  Heard  to  pay  Taxes 
&  be  nearle  all  summer  under  arms  &  Receive  Neither  Pay  nor  Pro- 
visions, as  Each  Man  has  to  Find  mostly  their  own  Provisions  while  on 


lenient  measures  might  pi'oduce^as  good  effects  as 
the  most  rigorous  ones  that  justice  could  adopt,  were 
not  the  wisdom  and  directions  of  Council  opposed  to 
this  opinion.  To  these  reasons  for  declining  the 
prosecution  of  offenders  if  their  identity  could  be 
made  to  appear  (which  I  think  very  doubtful)  might 
be  added  otiiers  that  I  am  distressed  to  be  obliged  to 
take  notice  of.  The  Tax  not  having  been  assessed  till 
after  the  division  of  the  County,  the  authority  of  the 
Commissioners  of  Westmoreland  then  became  justly 
questionable,  and  the  total  want  of  Commissioners  in 
this  County  to  levy  a  Tax  of  any  kind,  either  for  the 
State  or  to  answer  the  exigencies  of  the  County,  and 
the  conseqent  inability  of  the  Trustees  to  perform  the 
duties  assigned  them  by  the  Legislature,  may  all  be 
subjects  of  consideration  in  this  case.  For,  from  an 
unhappy  misconception  of  the  law  for  dividing  West- 
moreland, this  county  has  not  an  officer  of  any  kind, 
except  such  as  were  created  or  continued  by  the  Act 
or  appointed  by  Council.  Denied  a  separate  election  of 
a  member  in  Council  and  representative  in  Assembly 
till  the  general  election  of  the  present  year,'-  they  un- 
fortunately concluded  that  this  inability  extended  to 
all  the  other  elective  officers  of  the  County,  and  in 
consequence  of  this  belief  voted  for  them  in  con- 
junction with  Westmoreland.  .  .  .  The  Trustees  have 
appointed  next  Monday  to  meet  on  and  begin  the 
partition  line  between  tliis  county  and  Westmoreland 
on  this  condition,  which  Col.  MacLean,  who  is  to  be 
executive  person,  has  generously  agreed  to — to  pay 
all  the  expence  at  some  future  time,  when  it  shall  be 
iu  their  power  to  call  upon  the  County  Commissioners 
for  the  money.  And  necessity  has  suggested  to  us  the 
expedient  of  building  a  temporary  Goal  by  subscrip- 
tion, which  is  now  on  foot." 

Ephruim  Douglass  to  Secretary  Armstrong^' 

"  UmoxTOW.v,  May  20,  1784. 

"  The  County  Commissioners  are  so  much  counter- 
acted by  the  rabble  of  this  country  that  it  appears 
hardly  probable  the  Taxes  will  ever  be  collected  on 
the  present  mode.  In  the  township  of  Menallen  in 
particular,  which  includes  this  place,  agreeable  to  its 
limits  in  the  Duplicate,  the  terror  of  undertaking  the 
duty  of  Collector  has  determined  several  to  refuse  it 
under  the  high  penalty  annexed.  Two  only  have  ac- 
cepted it,  and  these  have  both  been  robbed  by  some 
ruffians  unknown,  and  in  the  night,  of  their  Dupli- 
cates.    The  inhabitants  of  the  other  townships  have 

2  The  act  erecting  the  county  provided,  Seel  i.n  ltj,  "Tlmt  ihis  net  shall 
not  take  effect  until  the  first  day  of  Septeinln  i ,  \v  lii<  h  will  >"■  in  Ihcyear 
of  our  Lord  1784,  so  fur  as  the  same  repiv,  t^  th-  .1.  .  n"ii  •■(  Censors, 
a  Counsellor  [Coundll..il,^iMll:.'l>r.---.ii:i!iv-i..i  ii;r  (..  i,,:,,!  Assembly; 
but  the  inhabitants  .:  I  1  '       -I    -i    I'    ittlieen- 

sning  election,  eleet  '  i-      ,  i  '  .     ■   i   K   ,        ■;' :v's  in  As- 

sembly in  conjunctiuti  \\<Mi  III.  lull  J  II. Ill- <. I  \\ .. -nil. 1.(1. ndi'ounty, 
agreeable  to  the  diieetiuiis  uf  the  cuiisliiiitiun  anU  tlie  laws  now  in 
force."  And  from  Mr.  Douglass'  letter  it  appears  that  the  people  of  Fa- 
yette had  supposed  that  the  same  provision  applied  to  the  election  of 
all  county  officers. 


132 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


not  sono  such  lengtlis,  but  complain  so  much  of  the 
hardships  and  want  of  money  that  I  fear  very  little 
is  to  be  hoped  from  them.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
banditti  frnin  Bucks  County,  or  some  others  equally 
liid,  or,  liiorc  iirolmlily.  b'>tli,  have  established  them- 
^clves  in  siiinc  part  uf  tliis  country  not  certainly 
knciwn,  but  tlioii^lit  to  be  in  the  deserted  part  of 
WasliinL'tim  Cuunty,  whence  tliey  make  frequent  in- 
ciii-si<ins  intii  the  settlements  under  cover  of  the 
niiiht,  Irnily  the  inhabitants,  sometimes  beat  them 
iiiinifrrifiilly,  and  always  rob  them  of  such  of  their 
iniipt'iiy  :w  thry  think  proper,  and  then  retire  to  their 
hnkiny-placi's.  .  .  .  Tliis  county,  however,  and  even 
this  town,  lias  suirerecl  l)y  them,  though  tliey  came  in 
tlie  cliaractcr  of  tliieves  and  not  of  robbers  here  [that 
is,  to  Uniontown].  And  yet  nothing  has  been  at- 
tempted hitherto  to  punish  or  bring  them  to  justice, 
partly,  perhaps,  because  there  are  not  yet  a  sufficient 
number  provoked  by  their  losses,  but  principally  from 
the  improbability  of  succeeding  in  the  attempt." 


-Deposition  of  James  Bell} 


F.LyotIc  County, 


Jiimes  Bell,  of  George  T.nvnship  nn 
1  on  oath  before  nic,  tlio  suliscriljur, 
tlie  fors'i  County  the  5th  day  of  .Jun 

tlio  night  between  the  2<i  iinil  Z^  ihii 
I  the  Dnelliiig  House  of  PhiUn  Jcnkni 


toles  Cirkr.l  ii,  thrir  hiu.Js,  ,vho  did  violently  assault  <t  Be.it 
liiin  the  :.'i  .leiihios  Mi.a  Henianded  his  Dublicate  and  money 
with  their  ( 'nrlird  |.i-|nls  at  liis  Krcast,  and  he  got  up  &  went  to 
the  Iloou,  nhr,-,,  |„s  imldirate  was,  while  one  stayed  and  kept 
sai.l  Iiepnunil  n„  lii.  seat,  hut  ho  understood  They  Itohbed  s'i 
Jenliin^  nl  hi-  llnhlirale  warrant  and  money  i  threatening  if 
Ever  he  had  any  Ciurerii  will,  tli-  r.u-a,-^  II,.  v  would  burn 
hiu,  <tail   heha.l,  or  irao.v.ilhr,    |.,-  .),-   >,.,  ,:,,,;    r,,„eernwith 

it  they  would  ,1.,...  |.,il„,„;  ,.,.r  ■  ■  I  ..  , '  ■  ,  i ,  > ,  i  ■  a  la  11  man  With 
a  riuoling  .hirt  ,„,, .Iher  »a.  ol  a  loidJl.  ...e,  had  on  a  Hunt- 
ing shirt  and  trowsers,  the  other  was  a  less  sized  man  with  a 
Hunting  shirt  &  Trowsers  on,  and  all  their  faces  were  streaked 
with  Black. 

"Jamrs  Bell. 
"Taken  made  A  signed  the  Day  A  ycare above  written,  before 

"  I^OBEKT    ElClIliV." 

Chn.topher  Iliys  to  PreAkut  Dtchiii^on:- 

"  WEaT.MunEl.AND  COUNTV,  14th  Juiio,  178-1. 

"Deai!  Sir: 

"My  best  compliments  wait  on  your  Excellency 
and  Family.  I  take  this  opportunity  to  infonii  your 
Excellency  that  a  cnsid-niblr  number  cf  Inlialiit- 
ants  (formerly  Virginians,  and  in  i>p;iiisitiiin  tn  tlio 
Laws  and  Governini'iit  olthis  State  i  liavc  now  tiirneil 
lint  open  Robbers,  and  -o  ii.dorinus  that  scare-.'  two 
days  pass  that  some  luitraiic  i^  not  ciiiiiiiittt-d  in 
one  part  or  other  of  tliis  Country,  tho'  Fayette  and 
AVashington  Counties  seem,  at  present,  to  bo  the  prin- 


cipal seat  of  Depredation.  Last  Wednesday  the  Col- 
lector was  robbed  near  Besin's  Town,  in  Fayette 
County,  of  about  twenty-two  pounds  in  Cash,  his 
Warrant  and  Duplicate  taken  from  him,  and  his  per- 
son grossly  abused.  Sundry  other  robberies  liave 
been  committed  lately  in  Washington  and  Fayette 
Counties,  mostly  on  the  Property  of  the  most  noted 
defenders  of  the  Country  during  the  late  conflict.  .  .  . 
I  would  beg  the  favor  of  your  Excellency  to  send  me 
the  late  acts  of  Assembly  by  my  son-in-law,  Capt". 
Henderson,  and  the  favor  shall  be  gratefully  acknowl- 
edged by 

"  Sir,  with  the  highest  respect, 

"  Your  Excellency's  most  obedient 
"Humble  Servant, 

"Chelstopher  Hays. 
"His  Excellency  John  Dickinson,  Esq." 


ulfrom  Faijelte  Count;!,  17S4.-'' 


'To  his  Excellency  .John  Dii 
Supreme  K.xceutive  Council, 


Esqu 


President 


"IlonrdSr. — The  Inhabitant.'!  of  Stewart's  Crossings  beg  leave 
to  represent  your  Excellency;  That  we  wore  much  sur]>ris'd  on 
being  presented  with  yc  Copy  of  a  Letter  by  one  of  your  worthy 
niombcrs,  which  was  sent  to  your  Exeelleney,  informing  you 
that  a  considerable  number  of  ye  Inhabitants  {formerly  Vir- 
ginians), in  apposition  to  the  Laws  and  Government  of  this 
State,  have  now  turned  out  ojien  Robbers.  "Wc  are  happy  that 
we  have  it  in  our  power  to  present  this  to  your  E.\cellency  by 
tho  hands  of  a  Gentleman,  whom  we  hope  will  do  us  the  Ilonr 
to  state  us  impartially  in  our  fair  character  without  respect  of 
parties,  as  this  Gentleman  is  well  acquainted  with  yo  circum- 
stance of  ye  whole  matter  in  doing  us  the  llonour  of  accompa- 
nying us  in  going  in  search  of  those  Kobbers  and  suppressing 
such  Burglars.  We  acknowledge  we  were  brought  up  under  yo 
Government  of  Virginia,  and  were  ruled  by  that  Government 
while  the  Territorial  Disputes  subsisted  between  the  two  Stales, 
But  when  they  thought  propcrto  adjust  ye  Boundaries,  we  were 
willing  to  submit  to  ye  Laws  of  Pennsylvania,  and  hope  your 
E.xeellcncy  will  find  us  as  true  Citizens  as  any  belonging  to  yo 
State,  as  we  have  made  it  evident  on  every  occasion.  Wo  have 
always  been  willing  to  risque  our  all  in  the  glorious  cause  we 
have  been  so  long  contending  for,  which  wo  can  make  nianife.-t 
by  Sundry  Gentlemen  who  are  as  fully  acquainted  wilh  us  as 
the  author  of  that  Letter  which  was  sent  to  your  Excellency. 
And  amongst  others,  Col.  JloCieno  who  has  suffered  on  fatigue, 
with  those  who  seem  at  present  to  bo  the  objects  of  such 
malevolent  ridicule  without  the  least  reason.  Wu  were  happy 
in  believing  that  all  party  matters  were  buried  in  oblivion, 
but  are  greatly  ooncorncd  to  find  the  contrary.  Col.  Hays 
has  related  in  another  Letter  to  your  Excellency,  that  those 
who  bore  the  Burden  of  yc  War  must  now  be  ruled  over  liy 
I  those  who  are  Enemies  in  tlicir  Hearts  to  yc  State.  AVc 
I  would  appeal  to  ye  knowledge  and  Candour  of  the  several 
officers  who  have  commanded  in  this  Department,  whether  tho 
people  thus  stigmatized  have  been  more  backward  in  defense 
1  of  our  common  rights  than  any  of  our  neighbours.  We  must 
beg  your  Excellency's  pardon,  for  making  so  free,  from  ye  most 
intolerable  character  your  Excellency  had  of  us,  but  we  shall 
refer  you  to  that  worthy  Gentleman  Major  Douglass,  who  is 


ESTABLISHMENT   OF   COURTS. 


133 


rnthcr  bcUor  acquaintea  with  us  than  Col.  Hay?.  So  makes 
bold  to  subscribe  ourselves  your  Excellency's  most  obedient  and 
bumble  servants. 

"  RoBKiiT  Beall,  Marci-s  Stf.ve.nso.n-, 

"  Zaoh's.  Cox.N'ell,  Moses  Smith, 

"  Wm.  MoCoRMicK,  Jas.  Davis, 

"John  Stevexsos,  William  Conxell." 

EST.ABLISIIMEXT    OF    COURT,?. 

The  act  by  which  Fayette  County  was  erected  pro- 
vided and  declared  "That  the  Justices  of  the  Peace 
commissioned  at  the  time  of  passjng  this  act,  and  re- 
siding within  the  county  of  Fayette,  or  any  three  of 
them,  shall  and  may  hold  courts  of  General  Quarter 
Sessions  of  the  peace,  and  General  Gaol  Delivery,  and 
county  courts  for  holding  of  Pleas  ;  and  shall  have  all 
and  singular  the  powers,  rights,  jurisdictions,  and 
authorities,  to  all  intents  and  purpo.^es,  as  other  the 
Justices  of  Courts  of  General  Quarter  Sessions,  and 
Justices  of  the  county  courts  for  holding  of  Pleas  in 
the  other  counties,  may,  can,  or  ought  to  have  in  their 
.respective  counties;  which  said  courts  shall  sit  and  be 
held  for  the  county  of  Fayette  on  the  Tuesday  pre- 
ceding the  courts  of  Quarter  Sessions  and  Common 
Pleas  in  Washington  County  in  every  year,  at  the 
school-house  or  some  fit  place  in  the  town  of  Union, 
in  the  said  county,  until  a  court-house  be  built ;  and 
when  the  same  is  built  and  erected  in  the  county 
aforesaid,  the  said  several  courts  shall  then  be  holden 
and  kept  at  the  said  court-house  on  the  days  before 
mentioned." 

Under  this  provision  and  authority,  the  first  term 
of  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  and  Common  Pleas 
for  Fayette  County  was  held  in  the  school-house  at 
Uniontown  on  the  fourth  Tuesday  in  December, 
1783,  before  Philip  Rogers,  Esq.,  and  his  associates, 
Alexander  McClean,  Robert  Adams,  John  Allen, 
Robert  Ritchie,  and  Andrew  Rabb,  all  justices  in  and 
for  the  county  of  Westmoreland.  The  Grand  Inquest 
was  composed  as  follows:  John  Powers,  Ebenezer 
Finley,  Henry  Swindler,  John  Beeson,  James  Ritter, 
Nathan  Springier,  Thomas  Kendall,  David  Hogg, 
William  McFarlane,  Samuel  Lyon,  John  Patrick, 
Thomas  Gaddis,  Jacob  Rich,  Edward  Hatfield,  Den- 
nis Springer,  Charles  Hickman,  Nathaniel  Breading, 
Reuben  Camp,  and  Hugh  McCreary. 

The  first  business  of  the  court  was  the  admission  of 
attorneys,  viz. :  Thomas  Scott,  Hugh  M.  Brackenridgc, 
David  Bradford,  Michael  Huffnagle,  George  Thomp- 
son, Robert  Galbraith,  Samuel  Irwin,  and  David  Red- 
ick.  There  were  brought  before  the  court  five  cases 
of  assault  and  battery,  one  of  assault,  and  two  of  bas- 
tardy. The  court  proceeded  to  fix  "  tavern  rates,"  to 
license  tavern-keepers,  and  to  subdivide  the  county 
into  nine  townships,'  viz. :  Washington,  Franklin,  Lu- 

i  Additional  townships  of  Fayetto  County  have  been  erected  iis  follows: 
T.vronc,  March,  1784;  Biillskin,  March,  1784,  Bedstone,  December,  1797; 
Salt  Lick,  December,  1797;  Duubar,  Decombei-,  17US;  Bridgeport,  No- 
vember, ISl.i ;  Brownsville,  November,  1 817 ;  Connellsville,  Oct.  31, 1822 ; 


zerne,  Menallen,  Union,  German,  Georges,  Spring 
Hill,  and  Wharton.  The  holding  of  this  first  court 
for  Fayette  was  mentioned  by  Ephraim  Douglass,  in 
a  letter  to  President  Dickinson,  dated  "  Uniontown, 
2d  February,.  1784,"  viz.:  "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  turbulence  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  re- 
spectable, equal  at  least  to  many  I  have  seen  in  courts 
of  long  standing.  Little  business  was  done,  other 
than  dividing  the  County  into  Townships." - 

At  the  June  session  of  1784,  Richard  Merryfield 
was  brought  before  the  court  "  for  prophane  swearing 
and  for  contemptuous  behaviour  to  John  Allen,  Es- 
quire, one  of  the  Justices  of  this  Court,  now  attending 
Court.  And  it  being  proved  to  the  Court  that  the 
Deft,  swore  one  prophane  oath  in  these  words,  '  By 
G — d,'  the  Court  fine  hiin  10.'.  therefor,  and  order 
that  he  find  surety  for  his  good  behaviour  till  next 
Court  in  the  sum  of  £50,  and  that  he  be  committed 
till  this  Judgement  be  complied  with." 

The  first  judge  "  learned  in  the  law"  who  presided 
in  the  Fayette  County  courts  was  the  Hon.  Alexan- 
der Addison,  who  held  his  first  term  at  Uniontown 
on  the  third  Monday-  in  September,  1791,  Fayette 
County  then  forming  part  of  the  Fifth  Judicial  Dis- 
trict. Judge  Addison's  successor  was  Samuel  Rob- 
erts, who  first  presided  in  March,  1803,  and  was  com- 
missioned April  30th  in  the  same  year. 

The  Fourteenth  Judicial  District,  including  Fay- 
ette County,  was  established  by  act  of  Assembly  in 
1818,  and  in  July  of  thesameyearThomasH.  Baird  was 
commissioned  president  judge  of  said  district.  His 
successor  was  the  Hon.  Nathaniel  Ewing,  appointed 
Feb.  15,  1838,  to  fill  a  vacancy,  and  continued  in  the 
office  for  ten  years. 

Samuel  A.  Gilmore  was  appointed  and  commis- 
sioned president  judge  of  the  Fourteenth  District 
Feb.  25,  1848.  In  October,  1851,  he  was  elected, 
under  the  constitutional  amendment  making  the 
oflSce  elective.  He  was  commissioned  Nov.  6,  1851, 
and  served  more  than  ten  years.  James  Lindsey  was 
elected  in  October,  1861,  and  held  his  first  term  as 
president  judge  in  December  of  that  year.  He  died 
Sept.  1,  18G4.  His  successor  was  John  K.  Ewing, 
appointed  and  commissioned  president  judge  in  No- 
vember, 1864.     He  presided  at  the  terms  of  Decem- 


Ilenry  Clay,  June  9,  1824;  Perry, 
Nichidson,  Dec.  19,  lS4.i;  Yooglii 
Marcli  10,1849;  North  Union  ao.l  S 
March,  1855,  at  which  time  tli.-  I. 
exist,  a  part  of  its  territory  beinL'  n 
annexed  to  Sprinsfield.    In  Srjt. 


iPcn 


.\rch.. 


134 


IITSTOIIY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ber,  1864,  and  March,  June,  and  September,  1865. 
Samuel  A.  Gilmore  was  elected  in  the  fall  of  1865, 
and  served  on  the  bench  till  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  May,  1873. 

Judge  Edward  Campbell  was  appointed  to  fill  the 
vacancy  occasioned  by  the  death  of  Gilmore,  and  , 
presided  at  the  terms  of  June  and  September,  1873. 
The  Hon.  Alpheus  E.  Willson  was  elected  in  Octo- 
ber, 1873,  held  his  first  term  at  Uniontown  in  De- 
cember of  that  year,  and  is  still  president  judge  of 
the  Fourteenth  Judicial  District,  comprising  the 
counties  of  Fayette  and  Greene. 

Orphans'  Courts  were  established  in  Pennsylvania 
by  an  act  passed  in  1713,  which  provided  and  de- 
clared "that  the  justices  of  the  Court  of  General 
Quarter  Sessions  of  the  Peace  in  each  county  of  this 
province,  or  so  many  of  thera  as  are  or  shall  be  from 
time  to  time  enabled  to  hold  these  courts,  shall  have 
full  power  and  are  hereby  empowered,  in  the  same 
week  that  they  are  or  shall  be  by  law  directed  to 
hold  the  same  courts,  or  at  such  other  times  as  they 
shall  see  occasion,  to  hold  and  keep  a  court  of  record 
in  each  of  the  said  counties,  which  shall  be  styled 
'  The  Orphans'  Court.'  " 

By  act  of  the  13th  of  April,  1791,  for  establishing 
courts  of  justice  in  conformity  to  the  constitution, 
provision  was  made  for  the  holding  of  Orphans' 
Courts  "at  such  stated  times  as  the  judges  of  said 
courts  in  their  respective  counties  shall  for  each  year 
ordain  and  establish." 

The  first  record  of  the  Orphans'  Court  of  Fayette 
County  is  dated  Dec.  24,  1783,  at  which  time  a  terra 
of  the  court  was  held  by  Justices  Alexander  Mo- 
Clean,  Philip  Rogers,  Eobert  Adams,  John  Allen, 
Eobert  Ritchie,  and  Andrew  Rabb.  The  business 
done  was  the  appointment  of  guardians  over  the 
three  minor  children  of  John  Moore,  deceased,  viz. : 
George  Cott  for  Pliilip  Moore,  Thomas  Kendall  for 
Henry  Moore,  and  Michael  Moore,  Jr.,  for  George 
Moore. 

The  old  constitution  of  Pennsylvania  provided  that 
Orphans'  Courts  should  be  held  quarterly  in  each 
city  and  county  of  the  State.  The  i)resent  constitu- 
tion declares  th;it  "judges  of  the  Courts  of  Common 
Pleas,  learned  in  the  law,  shall  be  judges  of  the 
Courts  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  Quarter  Sessions  of 
the  Peace  and  General  Jail  Delivery,  and  of  the 
Orphans'  Court." 

COUXTY  CriLDIXGS. 
The  courts  of  Fayette  County  were  first  held  in  the 
school-hnii^r  ill  1 ' iii'iiitiiwu,  as  provided  and  directed 
in  the  a.t  invli.i-  tliu  county.  In  February,  1784, 
Ephraiiii  l>nii-l:i^s,  the  first  prothonotary  of  Fa.yette, 
who  had  then  recently  removed  to  Uniontown  to  as- 
sune  the  duties  of  his  oflice,  wrote  a  letter  to  Gen. 
Irvine,  in  which  he  described  the  appearance  of  the 
new  countv-seat,  and  said,  "  We  have  a  court-house 


and  school-house  in  one."  How  long  the  school- 
house  continued  to  serve  the  double  purpose  is  not 
known,  for  nothing  is  found  in  the  records  having 
reference  to  the  erection  of  the  first  court-house. 

The  act  erecting  the  county  declared,  "  That  it 
shall  and  may  be  lawful  to  and  for  Edward  Cook, 
Robert  Adams,  Theophilus  Phillips,  James  Dough- 
erty, and  Thomas  Rodgcrs,  all  of  the  aforesaid  county, 
or  any  three  of  them,  to  purchase  and  take  assurance 
to  them  and  their  heirs  of  a  piece  of  land  situated  in 
Uniontown  in  trust,  and  for  the  use  of  the  inhabitants 
of  said  county,  and  thereon  to  erect  and  build  a  court- 
house and  prison  sufficient  to  accommodate  the  public 
service  of  said  county."  The  cost  of  the  land  and 
buildings  was  restricted  by  the  act  to  one  thousand 
pounds  current  money  of  the  State ;  and  the  commis- 
sioners and  assessors  of  the  county  were  authorized 
and  required  to  assess  and  levy  taxes  to  that  amount 
(or  such  less  amount  as  the  trustees  might  deem  suf- 
ficient), "for  purchasing  the  .said  land  and  finishing 
the  said  court-house  and  prison." 

Under  the  authority  so  conferred  on  them,  the  trus-  ^ 
tees  purchased  a  site  for  the  public  buildings  from 
Henry  Beeson,  proprietor  of  Uniontown,  who  on  the 
16th  day  of  March,  1784,  "  for  and  in  consideration 
of  the  love  which  he  bears  to  the  inhabitants  of  the 
county  of  Fayette,  and  for  the  further  consideration 
of  sixpence  to  him  in  hand  well  and  truly  paid,"  con- 
veyed by  deed  to  the  said  trustees  for  the  county  the 
following  described  lot  of  ground,  situate  in  the  town 
of  Union,  and  at  that  part  thereof  known  in  the  gen- 
eral plan  of  the  town  by  the  name  of  the  Centre  Pub- 
lic Ground,  containing  in  breadth  eastward  and  west- 
ward on  the  street  called  Elbow  Street  ninety-nine 
feet,  bounded  westward  by  lott  No.  36,  one  hundred 
and  fifty  feet,  thence  in  the  same  direction  forty  feet 
acro.ss  Peters  Street ;  thence  by  the  school-house  lott 
north  sixty-four  degrees  and  three-quarters,  east  two 
hundred  feet  to  Redstone  Creek;  thence  by  the  said 
creek  seventy-seven  feet,  then  by  lott  No.  20,  two 
hundred  and  forty-two  feet,  to  the  place  of  beginning, 
containing  one  hundred  and  forty-six  perches." 

The  ground  then  conveyed  to  the  trustees  was  the 
lot  on  which  stand  the  present  public  buildings  (court- 
house, jail,  and  sheriff's  residence)  of  the  county. 
On  this  lot  was  built  the  first  court-house  of  the 
county,  but  (as  before  stated)  nothing  is  known  of 
the  date  of  its  erection,  its  size  or  style  of  construc- 
tion. The  only  reference  to  this  old  building  is  found 
in  an  entry  in  the  commissioners'  records,  dated  Jan. 
7,  1796,  which  shows  that  on  that  day  the  board  re- 
solved to  sell  the  old  court-house  ;  and  it  was  accord- 
ingly advertised  to  be  sold  at  public  auction  on  Tues- 
day, the  26th  of  that  month.  The  sale  took  place  ac- 
cordingly, and  the  building  was  purchased  by  Dennis 
Springer  for  £15  12s.  6il.,  to  be  removed  from  the  pub- 
lic grounds. 

On  the  same  day  on  which  the  commissioners  re- 
solved to  sell  the  old  building   (Jan.  7,  1796)  they 


T!;;|||[i".:iiiii!l:i'!iit 


COUNTY  BUILDINGS. 


135 


contracted  with  Dennis  Springer  "  to  procure  two 
stoves  for  the  use  of  the  New  Court  House,  and  to 
set  them  up  in  complete  order."  This  shows  that  a 
new  court-house  was  then  in  process  of  construction 
and  well  advanced  towards  completion.  On  the  30th 
of  March,  1796,  a  bill  often  dollars  was  allowed  "for 
Sconces  for  the  use  of  Court' House." 

June  28,  1796,  John  Smilie  and  Ephraim  Douglass, 
Esq.,  were  appointed  by  the  board  of  commissioners 
to  proceed,  with  Dennis  Springer,  contractor  for  the 
new  court-house  building,  "  to  judge  the  extra  work 
of  said  building  and  determine  the  value  thereof,  and 
the  sum  said  Springer  shall  receive  over  the  sum  con- 
tracted for."  On  the  14th  of  December  following, 
Messrs.  Smilie  and  Douglass  reported  "  that  the  work 
done  by  Den.  Sjjringer  more  than  his  agreement  is 
worth  £121  17s.  del,  equal  to  $325.03,"  for  which  sum 
he  then  obtained  an  order  on  the  treasurer.  He  had 
previously  received  an  order  on  the  treasurer  for 
$1037.-50  ;  total,  $1362.-53. 

Ephraim  Douglass,  Alexander  McClean,  and  Jo- 
seph Huston  having  been  selected  by  the  trustees 
and  Springer,  the  contractor  for  the  new  court-house 
"to  view  the  said  building  and  Judge  of  its  Suffi- 
ciency," reported,  Jan.  16, 1797,  to  the  commissioners 
"that  the  work  is  sufficiently  done  according  to  Con- 
tract, as  per  report  filed."  On  the  25th  of  April, 
1801,  Col.  Alexander  McClean  was  instructed  and 
empowered  by  the  commissioners  "  to  level  the  Court 
House  yard,  and  wall  the  same  at  the  south  Ex- 
tremity of  the  Offices,  and  erect  stone  steps  to  ascend 
from  the  street,  or  rather  the  public  ground  upon  the 
walk  or  yard,  and  to  gravel  the  said  Court  House 
yard  to  the  door  of  the  Court  House  and  each  of  the 
office  doors,  erect  stone  steps,  prepare  and  set  up  the 
necessary  gates  on  the  Avenues,  &c.,  and  to  be  al- 
lowed a  reasonable  compensation  therefor."  On  the 
17th  of  September,  1802,  John  Miller  rendered  a  bill 
"for  a  Bell  for  the  use  of  the  Court  House,  with  the 
necessary  Smith  and  carpenter  work,  $219.03."  Feb. 
1,  1812,  the  commissioners  contracted  with  John 
Miller,  of  Uniontown,  "for  roofing  the  Court  House 
and  public  building,  at  $7  per  square." 

JIarch  27,  1838,  "  Commissioners,  with  Carpenter, 
engaged  in  adopting  a  plan  for  improvement  of  Court 
House."  Whether  the  contemplated  improvement 
was  carried  out  or  not  does  not  appear  from  the 
records. 

On  the  4th  of  February,  1845,  the  court-house  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  which  broke  out  while  the  court 
was  in  session.  The  circumstances  of  the  occurrence 
are  narrated  in  the  commissioners'  records  as  follows : 


[CE,  Fcl.y.  4,  1S4.3. 

"  Board  met. 
present 


j  Thomas  Duncan, 
■1   Robert  Bleakley, 
'[  P.  F.  Gibbons." 
"The  Commissioners  are  in  session  on  account  of 
the  Special  Court.     The  court  having  met  this  day  at 


nine  o'clock,  was  not  in  session  more  than  an  hour 
when  the  court  house  was  discovered  to  be  on  fire, 
supposed  to  have  caught  from  one  of  the  stove  pipes 
or  chimneys,  and  notwithstanding  the  exertions  of  a 
great  number  of  people,  together  with  the  aid  of  the 
two  fire  companies  of  the  borough  of  Uniontown  with 
their  engines,  the  progress  of  the  flames  was  not  ar- 
rested until  the  roof  and  second  story  were  entirely 
destroyed.  The  offices  at  the  east  and  west  ends  of 
the  Court  House  were  saved  from  the  fire,  though  the 
roof  over  the  Commissioners',  Sheriff's  and  Treas- 
urer's Offices  was  considerably  injured  by  the  falling 
of  the  gable  end  of  the  Court  House.  The  fire  hav- 
ing been  arrested  and  the  fire  companies  dispersed, 
the  Commissioners  employed  John  Mustard  to  pro- 
cure hands  and  clear  off  the  ashes  and  rubbish  which 
had  fallen  on  the  2nd  floor,  when  it  was  discovered 
necessary  to  take  up  considerable  part  of  the  floor, 
on  account  of  fire  between  the  floor  and  ceiling.  Mr. 
Patrick  McDonald  was  employed  to  keep  watch  from 
11  o'clock  at  night  until  daylight. 
"  Adjourned." 

Feb.  -5,  1845. — "The  special  court  is  sitting  in 
the  upper  room  of  John  Dawson's  Brick  Building." 
On  the  2oth  of  February  "the  Commissioners  agreed 
with  the  trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Union- 
town  for  the  use  of  said  church  to  hold  the  courts  of 
the  County  in,  at  the  rate  of  840  per  quarter." 

Sept.  22,  1845. — "Commissioners  in  session  to  an- 
swer to  a  writ  of  Mandamus  issued  by  the  court  against 
them  on  the  13th  inst.,  commanding  them  to  erect  a 
new  court-house  where  the  old  one  stands,  on  as  eco- 
nomical a  plan  as  possible,  or  shew  cause,  etc.  The 
commissioners,  with  their  counsel,  T.  R.  Davidson 
and  R.  P.  Flenikin,  appeared  before  the  court  at  the 
commencement  of  the  afternoon  session,  and  the  case 
being  brought  up  by  Mr.  Flenikin,  the  Court  stated 
that  they  were  mistaken  in  the  law, — a  mandamus 
would  not  lie  against  the  county  commissioners,  and 
ordered  the  mandamus  and  rule  discharged,  which 
was  done  accordingly." 

June  25,  1846. — "Commissioners  engaged  in  pre- 
paring the  warrants  and  duplicates  for  militia  fines  ; 
also  examining  the  specifications  for  the  new  Court- 
House  preparatory  to  having  them  printed  for  gen- 
eral circulation." 

Aug.  4,  1846. — "  Commissioners  in  session  for  the 
purpose  of  receiving  plans  and  proposals  for  the 
construction  and  erection  of  a  new  Court-House  and 
county  offices  on  the  site  where  the  old  ones  now 
stand,  public  notice  having  been  given  four  times  or 
more  in  the  Genius  of  Liberty,  Brownsville  Free  Press, 
and  Washington  Examiner."  On  the  12th  of  August 
the  commissioners  agreed  to  contract  with  Samuel 
Bryan,  Jr.,  of  Harrisburg,  for  the  erection  of  a  new 
court-house,  to  be  eighty-five  by  fifty-eight  feet  in  di- 
mensions, two  stories  high,  with  county  offices  in  the 
first  story,  and  court-  and  jury-rooms  on  the  second 


136 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLYANIA. 


floor,  agreeably  to  plans  and  specifications.  Contract 
price,  §16,000.  The  articles  of  agreement  and  speci- 
fications were  signed  and  filed  on  the  2d  of  September 
following,  and  the  site  fixed  for  the  new  court-house, 
which,  by  the  terms  of  the  contract,  was  to  be  com- 
pleted on  or  before  the  1st  of  December,  1847.  The 
old  court-house  and  offices  were  purchased  by  the 
contractor,  Bryan,  at  S-100. 

The  court-house  (the  same  which  is  still  occupied 
by  the  courts  of  Fayette  County)  was  not  completed 
at  the  time  specified  in  the  contract,  but  was  finished 
during  the  succeeding  winter,  and  the  court  occupied 
the  new  building  at  the  March  term  of  1847.  The 
bell  and  fixtures  were  purchased  on  the  12th  of  July 
following,  for  the  sum  of  $373.60.  On  the  14th  of 
October  in  the  same  year  the  commissioners  con- 
tracted with  Samuel  Bryan,  Jr.,  for  casing  four  fire- 
proof vaults  in  the  uew  court-house,  for  building  a 
wall  on  the  south  and  west  sides  of  the  grounds,  grad- 
ing, paving,  and  erecting  outbuildings,  at  $2700  for 
the  entire  work. 

COUNTY    PRISOXS. 

The  erection  of  the  first  prison  f,,r  tlic  usu  of  Fay- 
ette County  was  referred  to  in  a  Ictti  r  <>l'  Eiibraini 
Douglass  to  President  Dickin<-.ii,  date.l  Feb.  2,  1784. 
"  Necessity,"  be  says,  "  lias  suiiiicsted  to  us  the  expe- 
dient of  building  a  teiiii>iirary  (iaol  by  subscription, 
which  is  now  on  foot."  The  temporary  prison  (a  log 
biiildiu;.')  was  erected  soon  afterwards,  on  the  lot  now 
occupied  by  ihe  residence  of  the  Hon.  Daniel  Kaine, 
at  Uniontown.  This  continued  in  use  until  1787,  when 
a  stone  jail  was  built  on  the  court-house  ground.  The 
following  reference  to  it  is  found  in  the  minutes  of 
the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions: 

"June  2(1,  1787. — The  Grand  Inquest  for  the  body 
of  the  County  of  Fayette  upon  their  oaths  respec- 
tively present  that  the  new  Stone  Gaol  by  them  this 
day  examined  at  tin-  iiM|Uest  of  the  Court  is  sufficient. 

"  June  21),  17"^7. — <  )n  representation  of  the  prison- 
ers in  the  new  (_!aiil  eijn/i>laining  that  their  health  is 
injured  by  the  ilamimess  of  it,  t'.ie  Court,  upon  con- 
sideration tlienvil',  order  that  they  be  removed  back 

On  the  2i;ili  of  .lune,  17!i".i,  the  county  commission- 
ers rc'iu.'stril  thr  o;iini<jii  of  the  court  "with  respects 
to  the  buil.liii-  an  addition  to  tlie  Gaol."  Upon 
which  the   r.,ur(   rfconiiiiended   ].osti.oiionient  of  the 

The  i)roposal  to  build  an  addition  to  the  jail  was 
again  brouj;ht  u\i  in  the  fall  of  f^ol,  and  early  in  the 
following  January  the  plan  was  prepared  and  the  ne- 
cessar}'  estimates  made.  On  the  6tli  of  February  the 
contract  for  building  the  addition  was  awarded  to 
John  Fally,  of  Union  township,  at  81149. 

Ill  April,  1X12,  the  eoiiiinis^ioiiia-s  decided  to  collect 
and  pre|iaie  material-  ihiiiiiu  tii.'  succeeding  summer 
for  the  erection  of  a  new  jail.  ( )n  the  2d  of  Jlay  the 
board  "  re^-eived    proposals  for  furnishing   stone  for 


building  a  new  jail  on  the  public  ground  near  the  old 
I  jail,"  but  nothing  was  done  until  June  18th,  when  the 
I  board  contracted  with  James  Campbell  for  stone, 
j  at  S4.50  per  perch,  "delivered  on  the  public  ground 
!  near  the  old  jail."  A  contract  for  lime  was  made  with 
I  William  Jeffries,  of  Union  town.ship,  and  on  the  26th 
of  October,  1813,  the  board  "contracted  with  Morris 
[  Morris,  late  commissioner,  to  superintend  the  building 
of  the  new  Jail  this  fall." 

Jan.  7,  1814,  "a  bill  of  work  done  at  the  new  jail 
to  the  amount  of  §2400. 75i  being  settled  for  with 
Thomas  Hadden,  late  treasurer,  but  not  entered  in 
minutes,  no  order  has  been  issued  until  the  settle- 
ment." It  appears  evident  that  up  to  this  time  the 
work  bad  been  done  by  the  day,  but  on  the  22d  of 
March  following  the  board  received  proposals  "  for 
completing  the  new  jail,  etc." 

On  the  30tli  of  July,  1814,  the  commissioners  held 
a  meeting,  "occasioned  by  the  burning  of  the  jail, 
I  and  to  provide  for  materials  to  repair  the  same-,"  and 
an  order  was  issued  to  Robert  McLean  for  $2.2.5 
"  for  whiskey  furnished  the  men  while  extinguishing 
the  fire  in  the  jail." 

In  1820  (September  21)  "  the  Commissioners  agreed 
with  Edward  Jones  to  raise  the  jail  wall  for  $3  per 
perch,  as  follows,  to  wit :  On  the  South  side  to  be 
raised  up  even  with  the  caves  of  the  roof  of  the  Jail, 
to  be  dressed  inside  and  outside  in  the  same  manner 
that  the  front  of  the  Jail  is,  and  to  extend  about  six 
feet  beyond  the  southwest  corner;  the  East  Side  to 
be  raised  as  above,  in  the  same  manner  that  the  un- 
derpart  of  the  same  has  been  built." 
I  At  the  March  term  in  1827  the  grand  jury  recom- 
mended "that  the  Western  and  Northern  walls  of  the 

■  Jail  be  raised  on  a  level  with  the  southern  and  East- 
]  ern  walls,  and  that  they  be  covered  with  shingles, 

the  roof  to  project  about  three  feet  over  the  yard, 
supported  by  braces,  and  that  the  whole  inner  sur- 
face be  plastered."  The  work  was  accordingly  done 
as  recommended. 

March  10,  1845,  Absalom  White  and  William 
Dorau,  of  Union  township,  contracted  with  the  com- 
missioners "to  repair  the  upper  floor  and  put  on  a 
uew  roof  on  the  County  Jail,  which  was  damaged  by 
fire  on  the  4th  inst.,  for  the  sum  of  $135."  The  fire 
referred  to  as  having  damaged  the  jail  was  the  same 
that  broke  out  in  the  court-house,  and  so  nearly  de- 
stroyed it  that  the  present  court-house  was  built  iu 
j  its  place.  Loss  than  a  mouth  after  that  fire  (viz., 
'  April  1st)  "  the  stable  on  the  public  ground,  occupied 
by  the  Sheriff",  was  destroyed  by  fire  about  one  o'clock 
A.M.,  supposed  to  be  the  work  of  an  incendiary, 
with  the  intention  of  destroying  the  county  buildings 
by  fire." 

The  building  and  construction  of  the  present  jail 

j  was  awarded  by  contract  on  the  10th  of  April,  1854, 

to  John  P.  Huskius  for  $15,973,  "  for  building  county 

jail  as  per  plans  and  specifications."     The  building, 

■  comprising  jail  and  sherifl''s  residence,  was  completed 


COUNTY   BUILDINGS. 


137 


in  1855.  On  the  13tli  of  July,  1870,  the  construction 
of  the  iron  cells  in  the  jail  was  let  by  contract  to 
K.  C.  Chapman  for  $6900.26,  and  other  work  to  be 
done  on  the  building  was  awarded  by  contract  to  D. 
S.  Walker. 

COUNTY    OFFICE."^. 

In  March,  1796,  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  of 
Fayette  County  approved  a  plan  .submitted  by  the 
commissioners  for  the  building  of  offices  for  the  use 
of  county  officers  and  the  safe-keeping  of  the  county 
records.  The  work  was  advertised  to  be  let  by  con- 
tract to  the  lowest  bidder  at  Uniontown'on  the  16tli 
of  May  following,  but  at  that  time  the  best  bid  re- 
ceived was  from  Dennis  Springer,  at  4^2475,  which 
the  commissioners  regarded  as  too  high,  and  the 
"sale"  was  postponed  to  the  following  day,  when  no 
bids  were  offered,  and  another  postponement  was 
made  to  the  24th.  Again  there  was  an  absence  of 
bids  and  an  adjournment  to  the  25th,  when  the  com- 
missioners were  compelled  to  accept  the  first  bid  of 
Dennis  Springer,  to  whom  the  contract  was  accord- 
ingly awarded.  In  the  following  March  the  com- 
missioners "  enlarged  the  plan  of  offices,  the  former 
one  not  allowed  large  enough  ;"  and  on  the  21st  of 
June,  1797,  the  commissioners  "met  at  the  Court- 
house to  agree  on  the  place  for  building  the  offices 
and  lay  oft"  the  ground  for  the  foundation,  which  was 
done  agreeably  to  the  enlarged  plan." 

The  records  do  not  show  when  the  offices  were 
completed,  but  it  appears  that  on  the  16th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1798,  the  commissioners  "  proceeded  to  business, 
removed  the  chest  of  papers  from  Jonathan  Miller's 
io  the  new  public  offices,  and  filed  the  papers  that 
lay  promiscuously  in  it  in  the  respective  boxes,  agree- 
able to  their  dates."  And  Dec.  26,  1798,  the  board 
"issued  an  order  in  favor  of  Dennis  Springer  for 
S362.50,  being  the  last  payment  in  full  for  building 
the  public  offices."  On  the  27th,  by  recommendation 
of  the  court,  the  board  issued  another  order  in  favor 
of  Springer  for  $267.67,  in  addition  to  the  original 
contract. 

In  1834  the  offices  were  repaired  and  enlarged. 
They  were  located  at  the  east  and  west  ends  of  the 
court-house,  and  were  badly  damaged,  though  not 
destroyed,  in  the  lire  of  Feb.  4, 184o.  In  the  erection 
of  the  new  court-house  after  that  event,  the  offices 
(which  had  been  kept  at  various  places'  after  the 
fire)  were  provided  for  in  the  lower  story  of  the  main 
building.  They  were  removed  to  the  court-house  in 
February,  1848,  and  have  since  remained  there  to  the 
present  time. 

In  connection  with  the  history  of  the  public  build- 
ings at  Uniontown,  it  would  be  hardly  proper  to  omit 
a  mention  of  William  Stamford,  fiimiliarly  known  as 
"Crazy  Billy,"  who  is  now  between  eighty -five  and 

1  The  registers  and  recorder's  oRices  were  temporarily  removed  to 
John  KefTer's  building,  and  afterwards  to  **  Dr.  Hngh  Campbell's  shop." 
The  Blieriff's  and  prothonotary's  offices  were  kept  in  the  Lndington 
house,  and  the  cominissionera'  office  in  John  Dawson's  bnilding. 


ninety  years  of  age,  and  has  passed  full  half  a  century 
of  his  life  in  and  about  the  jail  and  court-house  of 
Fayette  County.  He  is  a  native  of  Warwickshire, 
England,  and  in  1826  or  1827  sailed  from  London  for 
America  in  the  ship  "  Superior,"  Capt.  Nesbit,  land- 
ing in  New  York.  He  says  he  drove  coach  in  that 
city,  in  Philadelphia,  and  in  Baltimore.  "  Afterwards 
lie  went  to  Cumberland,  Md.,  and  worked  on  the 
Chesapeake  and  Ohio  Canal.  From  there  he  made' 
his  way  to  Wheeling,  Va.,  and,  as  he  says,  "took  to 
the  hills."  The  next  known  of  him  is  that  in  1831 
he  broke  into  the  house  of  Alexander  Crow,  in  Spring 
Hill  township,  Fayette  County,  while  the  family  were 
at  church.  On  their  return  he  held  the  house  against 
their  entrance,  but  aid  was  obtained,  and  he  was  cap- 
tured and  lodged  in  the  jail  at  Uniontown.  He  was 
taken  before  Judge  Baird,  who  adjudged  him  insane 
and  remanded  him  to  jail.  While  he  was  there  John 
Updegraff  was  brought  to  the  prison  in  a  state  of  in- 
toxication. Stamford  was  chained  to  the  floor,  but 
his  irons  allowed  him  considerable  liberty  to  move, 
and  in  a  fit  of  unaccountable  and  uncontrollable 
frenzy  seized  a  billet  of  wood,  rushed  upon  Updegrafl", 
and  gave  him  repeated  blows  over  the  head  which 
caused  his  death.  After  that  time  for  eighteen  years 
he  was  kept  in  confinement,  but  during  Sheriff  Sny- 
der's term  he  was  allowed  his  liberty  and  put  to  work 
in  the  stable  and  about  the  court-house  and  jail. 
Since  that  time  he  has  suffi^red  no  confinement,  and 
is  allowed  to  move  about  Uniontown  at  will,  but 
passes  nearly  all  his  time  in  and  about  the  court-house 
grounds, having  become  greatly  attached  to  the  public 
buildings  which  have  sheltered  him  for  so  many  years. 
He  says  he  was  thirty-two  years  of  age  when  he  came 
to  this  country,  and  now  in  his  lucid  moments  he  re- 
lates many  things  which  show  a  clear  recollection  of 
the  land  of  his  birth,  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  and  the  olden  time  poetry  which 
was  popular  in  the  days  of  his  youth. 


roOR-IIOUSE 


AXD    FARM. 


-liniise  found 
liv  the  com- 
th,.  r..llowinn: 


The  earliest  ref(  riiico  tn  a 
in  the  records  of  I'ayitlr  i< 
missioners,  dated  ( let.  14,  is; 
is  a  copy,  viz. : 

"To  Daniel  Lynch,  Esq^,  High  Sheriff  of  the 
County  of  Fayette  :  Sir, — Agreeably  to  the  provisions 
of  an  Act  of  Asscnilily  U>  yruxUlv  Uir  tlie  erection  of 
a  house  for  the  eiiiplnyiiK'Ht  and  sii|i|iort  of  the  Poor 
in  the  County  of  Fayette,  we  hereby  notify  you  that 
the  returns  of  the  Judges  of  the  Election  held  in  the 
several  districts  of  the  County  of  Fayette,  on  the  S'" 
inst.  [it  being  the  second  Tuesday  in  October,  A.n. 
1822]  have  certified  to  us  that  at  ilio  said  eK'rtiMii 
there  was  given  lor  a  roor-IIouse  one  thousand  and 
twenty-five  votes,  whereby  it  appears  that  there  is  a 
majority  in  favour  of  the  establishment  of  a  poor- 
house  of  four  hundred  and  eleven  votes.  You  will 
therefore  take  such  order  therein  as  is  provided  by 


1/ 


138 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  law  aforesaid."  Nothing  is  found  showing  the 
action  talcen  Ijy  the  sheriff  in  pursuance  of  the  noti- 
fication. 

On  the  12th  of  December,  1823,  "The  Poor-House 
Directors  met  to  estimate  the  expense  of  erecting  the 
Poor-House,  and  of  lieeping  the  Poor  for  one  year,"  1 
and  on  the  7th  of  January  next  following,  the  directors 
purchased  from  Peter  McCann  a  tract  of  land  for  a 
poor-farm.  The  tract  contained  one  hundred  and 
thirteen  acres  and  ninety-nine  perches,  situated  on  , 
the  National  road,  northwest  of  Uniontowu,  in  Union 
township,  near  its  western  boundary.  On  the  2Cth  of 
April  following,  an  order  for  one  thousand  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  house  upon  the 
poor-farm.  August  14th  in  the  same  year  another 
order  of  the  same  amount  was  issued  by  the  commis- 
sioners to  the  directors  of  the  poor,  "  to  be  appropriated 
in  paying  for  the  poor-house  tract  and  building  the 
poor-house  thereon."  A  further  sum  of  six  hundred 
dollars  was  appropriated  for  the  same  purpose  in 
1825,  and  tliree  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  was 
appropriated  in  1S2G  "'  for  repairs  and  additions." 

On  the  2d  of  June,  1834,  the  poor-farm  was  en- 
larged by  tlie  ].>urchase  from  Alexander  Turner  for  | 
eight  hundred  and  eighteen  dollars  of  sixteen  acres  ; 
and  sixty  perches  of  land  adjoining  the  original  tract.  : 

The  following  exhibit  of  the  expenses  of  the  poor-  i 
bouse  and  farm  for  the  first  two  years  is  from  the 
auditor's  book  of  minutes,  viz. : 


"Dr. 

To  cash  1 


accounts  of  the  p^ 
jntil  Dec.  31,  1825, 


ity  treasury  in  the  ye 


S27G1.21 
To  c-.ish  i-eoeivcd  out  of  county  treasury  in  the  year 

1S25 4inP,.45J 

t;6SG7.G6i 
"  Cr. 
By  cash  paid  Jno.  C.  Marsh  for  building  poor-house.  $1(142.90 


IDl.oli 
oS().2Si 
1)34. oa 


llrr.  1,1.  ls_',, 357.71)* 

'•  "    provisions 165.19 

"  stock  on  farm °....! '.'.'.'.'.'.".'.'.'.'  162!l2i 

'•  furniluie liy..S4t 

"  h,li..i(in  n.i  111.  c.al. bank,  etc 77.0(14 

"  tnasuicis  salary  in  1S24 56.25 

"  "  •■  "         "   1S25 40.1)0 

'•  "  taxes 21.43 

"     dh'ecto.""acr'viMS  in  l's25.'.'.".".'.'.' !.'.'.';.'.'.'.'  3s!o4i 

S6867.66i 
"  E.  Dorr.LAS,  Jr., 
'•  Samuel  Cleavixger,  Auditors." 

The  total  expenditure  for  the  poor  of  the  county 
for  the  year  1872  was  !?7597.14;  for  1873,  $1.5,739.25  ; 
for  1874,  $1'J,2GU.10;  for  1876,  $21,338.11;  for  1877, 


$19,487.69;  for  1878,  $29,854.35;  for  1879,  $25,164.74; 
and  for  1880,  $16,484 ;  viz. :  for  almshouse,  $13,722.90, 
and  for  poor  outside  the  almshouse,  $2761.10.  The 
productions  of  the  poor-farm  and  garden  for  the  same  , 
year  were  624  bushels  wheat,  85  bushels  onions,  ' 
2500  bushels  corn  (ears),  4500  heads  of  cabbage,  1400 
bushels  potatoes,  25  busliels  beets,  100  bushels  turnips, 
20  bushels  beans  and  peas,  300  bushels  apples,  8  bar- 
rels sauer-kraut,  10  barrels  apple  butter,  21  barrels 
cider,  10,000  pounds  pork,  5000  pounds  beef,  16  tons 
hay. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

THE    BAR    OF    FAYETTE    COrNTY— FAYETTE    CIVIL  I 
LIST— COUNTY  SOCIETIES. 

The  first  business  done  by  the  Court  of  Quarter 
Sessions  of  Fayette  County  at  its  first  term  (Decem- 
ber, 1783)  was  the  admission  of  attorneys,  of  which 
the  following  is  the  record:  "Thomas  Scott,  Hugh! 
M.  Brackenridge,  David  Bradford,  Michael  Huffnagle, 
George  Thompson,  Robert  Galbrailh,  Samuel  Irwin, 
and  David  Redick,  Esquires,  were  admitted  attor- 
neys in  the  Courts  of  Quarter  Sessions  and  Common 
Pleas  in  this  County,  and  took  the  oath  according! 
The  attorney's  roll  shows  the  subsequent  admissions 
to  have  been  as  follows,  viz. : 


1784. 
Thomas  Smith,  March. 
John  Woods,  March. 
David  Semple,  March. 
James  Ross,  December. 

1786. 
James  Carson,  June. 

1787. 
Alex.  Addison,  March  20. 

1789. 
David  St.  Clair,  Sept. 
John  Young,  December. 

1790. 
H.  Purviance,  Sept.  22. 

1792. 
Hugh  Ross,  December. 

1793. 
Jos.  Pentecost,  Dec.  IS. 

1794. 
Arthur  St.  Clair,  June. 
George  Armstrong,  June. 


Parker  Campbell,  March. 
Geo.  Henry  Keppel,  Sept- 
James  ilorrisou,  Sept. 
Thomas  Hadden,  Sept. 
Paul  ilorrow,  Sept. 

1796. 
Abram  Morrison,  March. 
John  Simonson,  March. 
James  Allison,  June. 
Samuel  Selley,  Sept. 

1797. 
David  McKeeban,  March. 
Thomas  Collins,  March. 
Thomas  Bailey,  June  20. 
J.  Montgomery,  June  20. 
John  Lyon,  June  20. 
Thomas  Nesbitt,  Sept. 
Samuel  Meghan,  Sept. 

1798. 
Joseph  Wrigley,  June. 
John  Kennedy,  Sept. 
Thomas  Meason,  Sept. 
.James  Ashbrook,  Sept. 
William  Ayres,  Sept. 


THE  BAR  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY. 


]3!) 


1799. 
George  Hoyl,  June. 

1800. 
Robert  Callender,  June. 

1801. 
S.im'l  S.  Harrison,  June. 
Kizen  Davidge,  Sept. 
Daniel  Duncan,  Dec. 

1802. 
James  Mountain,  Sept. 

180.3. 
Isaac  Meason,  Jr.,  Sept. 
:  1804. 

M.  Sexton,  June. 
Win.  A.  Thompson,  Sept. 

1805. 
Elias  E.  Ell  maker,  June. 
William  Ward,  Dec. 

180(3. 
Geo.  P.  Torrence,  April. 

1808. 
John  B.  Alexander,  Aug. 
John  B.  Torr,  November. 

1809. 
John  Marshall,  Sept. 
1810. 

John  M.  Austin,  Aug.  10. 
Thos.  H.  Baird,  Aug.  21. 
John  H.  Chapin,  Aug.  21. 
Richard  Coulter. 
Thomas  McGibben,  Nov. 

1811. 
Frederick  Beers,  Aug. 
Thomas  Irwin,  April. 


Joseph  Becket,  April. 
John  Dawson,  Aug.  17. 

1814. 

T.  M.  T.  McKennan,  Nov. 

1815. 

Andrew  Stewart,  Jan.  9. 
Charles  Wilkins,  April. 


1816. 
Richard  Becson,  Nov. 
James  B.  Bowman. 
Nath'l  Ewing,  Nov.  19. 

1817. 

W.  M.  Denny,  April  17. 

1818. 

John  Bouvier,  Dec.  11. 
John  H.  Ewing,  Aug.  21. 
James  Hall,  April  1.3. 
Wm.  S.  Harvey,  April  13. 
Jacob  Fisher,  Aug.  17.^ 

1819. 
Wm.  Kennedy,  March  5. 
James  Piper. 


J.ames  Herron,  March. 
Hiram  Heaton,  March  7. 


Samuel  Evans,  Sept. 
John  H.  Hopkins,  Oct.  1(3. 
W.  G.  Hawkins,  March  6. 
Jacob  B.  Miller,  Nov.  5. 
Thomas  G.  Morgan,  Sept. 
Joshua  Seney,  June  5. 

1822. 
J.  D.  Creigh,  June  6. 

1828. 
Thos.  L.  Rogers,  Jan.  11. 
James  Todd,  Cct.  30. 


A.  Brackenridge,  June  1/ 
Rich.  W.  Lane,  April  1. 
J.  C.  Simonson,  Oct.  28. 


Richard  Bard,  Nov.  1. 
Sam'l  Cleavinger,  Jan.  4. 


Alex.  Wilson,  June  13. 

1828. 
E.  P.  Oliphant,  March. 

1829. 
JoshuaB.  Howell,  Jan.  5. 
Moses  Hampton,  March  3. 


Rice  G.  Hopwood. 
Daniel  C.  Morris,  Oct.  29. 
John  H.  Wells,  Oct.  29. 


1831. 
Alex.  W.  Acheson,  Oct. 
Robert  P.  Flenniken,  Oct. 

C.  Forward. 

Alfred  Patterson,  Oct. 
William  P.  Wells. 
James  Veecli,  October. 

1835. 
John  H.  Deford,  Sept.  9. 
John  L.  Dawson,  Sept.  9. 

D.  S.  Todd,  June. 
James  Wilson. 

1838. 
Wm.  E.  Austin,  Jan.  4. 
Samuel  B.  Austin,  June  7. 
Thos.  R.  Davidson,  Jan.  4. 

1839. 

Hiram  Blackledge,  June. 
James  A.  Morris,  Sept.  5. 
James  J.  Moore. 

1840. 
Robert  D.  Clark,  March  4. 
R.  T.  Galloway,  March  4. 

N.  B.  Hogg,  Sept.  18. 

1841. 
M.  W.  Irwin,  Dec.  15. 


3  ordered  by  the 


to  bo  struck  from  tbc  roll  of  attorneys 


Geo.  W.  Bowie,  March  18. 
Daniel  Kaine,  March  18. 
Ainzi  McClean,  June  10. 

1843. 
Edward  Byerly,  Sept.  5. 
Ellis  B.  Dawson,  June  (3. 
J.  C.  Flenniken,  Sept.  5. 
Michael  B.  King,  Sept.  5. 

1845. 
Wm.  Bayley,  March  4. 
R.  D.  Burd,"March5. 
John  Bierer,  Sept.  2. 
Daniel  Downer,  Sept.  2. 
A.  S.  Hayden,  Sept.  2. 
S.  Addison  Irwin,  June. 
Job  .Tohnston,  Sept.  7. 
A.  M.  Lynn,  March  4. 
J.  A.  Stevenson,  March  4.    H.  W.  Patterson,  Mar.  2. 


1846. 
Frederick  Bierer,  March. 
Charles  H.  Beeson,  Dec. 
William  Beeson,  Dec. 
Edgar  Cowan,  Sept. 
John  K.  Ewing,  March. 
Amzi  Fuller,  March. 
John  Sturgeon,  March  6. 

1847. 
A.  W.  Barclay,  Sept.  7. 
G.  T.  Greenland,  Mar.  9. 
Samuel  Gaither,  June  8. 
Alfred  Howell,  March  9. 
A.  D.  McDougall,  Mar.  9. 
Wm.  Parshall,  Sept.  7. 
S.  D.  Oliphant,  Sept.  7. 

1848. 

Everard  Bricrer,  March  8. 
Jolin  Fuller,  March  8. 
John  B.  K:repp.s,Dec.  12. 
A.  0.  Patterson,  March  8. 

1849. 

Thos.  W.  Porter,  Mar.  5. 

1850. 

John  McNeal,  June. 
J.  N.  H.  Patrick,  Dec.  2. 
Thos.  B.  Searight,  June. 
Alpheus  E.  Willson. 
AVilliam  McDonald. 

1852. 
Wm.  L.  Bowman,  Dec.  7. 
A.  H.  Coflroth,  Sept.  6. 
W.  W.  Patrick,  June  7. 
John  D.  Roddy,  Sept.  0. 

1853. 
Seth  T.  Hurd,  Oct.  24. 

185.5. 
J.  Walker  Flennikin,  Mar. 
Eugene  Ferrero,  March. 
Jetsan  Jett,  June  6. 

1856. 
Rich'd  H.  Austin,  Jan.  8. 
Cyrus  Myers,  Jan.  15. 

1857. 
A.  J.  Colbourn,  Sept.  7. 
Henry  C.  Dawson,  June  2. 
Peter  A.  Johns,  Dec.  7. 
G.  W.  K.  Minor,  Dec.  18. 


HISTORY  OP  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Wm.  H.  Playford,  Sept. 
J.  H.  Sewell,  March  4. 

185S. 
John  Collins,  June  7. 
1859. 


1869. 
Albert  D.  Boyd,  March  1. 
James  K.  Kerr,  March  2. 

1870. 
G.  R.  Cochran,  June  30. 
John  Lyon,  June  30. 
Wm.  B.  Pusey,  Dec.  10. 


Edward  Campbell,  Sept. 

Geo.  F.  Dawson,  Sept.  ') 

John  Gallagher,  Dec.  5, 

Jos.  C.  Thornton,  Dec.  17.    N-  Ewing,  Jr.,  Sept.  4. 

David  H.  Veech,  Mar.  7.     Wm.  Snyder,  June  6. 


1871. 


1800. 

John  W.  Delbrd,  Sept.  8. 
Jas.  G.  Johnston,  Mar.  5. 
Geo.  S.  Ramsey,  Mar.  5. 

1861. 

Isaac  Bailey,  Dec.  3. 
Charles  E.  Boyd,  Dec.  2. 
J.  Mundey  Clark,  Dec.  3. 
Sam'l  A.  Gilmore,  Dec.  2. 
Peter  T.  Hunt,  June  5. 
Julius  Shipley,  Dec.  9. 
T.  B.  Selinatterly,  Dec.  9. 

1863. 
Herman  S.  Baer,  Sept.  18. 
H.  Clay  Dean,  Sept.  11. 
James  Darby. 
T.  B.  Graham,  Sept.  11. 
Jos.  M.  Ogilvee,  Dee.  7. 
Henry  T.Schell,  Sept.  17. 

180.3. 
'W.  H.  Hope,  Dec.  5. 

1860. 
Harry  Black,  Sept.  4. 
Jas.  b.  Ranisev,  March  6. 


William  Baer,  June  6. 
A.  M.  Gibson,  Dee.  2. 
A.  C.  Nutt,  Dec.  2. 

1808. 
C.  P.  Dunnoway,  Mar. 
W.  G.  Guiler,  SeiH.  7. 
Geo.  W.  Miller,  :\Iar.  1 
W.A.M.Dourll.Mar. 
E.  C.  r.rhin,  lirr.  in. 
M.  Ham  p.  Todd,  Sept. 


1872. 
J.  J.  Hazlitt,  June  5. 
S.  L.  Mestrezat,  Dec.  7. 

1873. 
Eli  Hewitt,  Dec.  1. 


1874. 

Wm. 

H.  Coldrei 
187o. 

,  Sept.  9 

Lucius  H.  Rubj 
J.  Rogers  Pauli, 
N.  Lyman  Duke 
And.  B.  Gonder 

July  2. 

Sept.  9. 
s,  Seiit.  9 
Sept.  0. 

1876. 

W.  A 
I.  Lo 

S.  E 

.  Davidson 
e  Johnson, 
aus  Ewing 

Sept.  4. 
June  7. 
Sept.  4. 

Alonzo  C.  Hagan,  Mar.  5. 
M.  M.  Cochran,  June  5. 
AV.  E.  Dunaway,  Mar.  12. 
H.  F.  Detwiler,  Mar.  8. 
James  P.  Grove,  Mar.  24. 

1878. 
Paoli  S.  Jlorrow,  Sept.  2. 
David  M.  Hertzog,  hiept.  2. 
G.  B.  Hutchinson,  Sept.  4. 

1879. 
F.  M.  Fuller,  June  2. 
R.  P.  Kennedy,  Aug.  26. 

1880. 
L.  IT.  Tl, rasher,  March  1. 

A.  II.  Wy, ;  Aug.  31. 

A>h.  T.  D.iwiis,  Aug.  31. 
(leo.  B.  Kaine,  Dec.  6. 
William    McGeorge,   Jr., 
Feb.  19.  ' 


Among  the  earliest  lawyers  practicing  at  the  Fay- 
ette bar  and  resident  within  the  county  were  Thomas 
Meason  and  John  Lyon,   whose  names  have  come 


down  to  the  present  generation  in  traditions  of  kindest 
recollection.  Both  of  them  seemed  to  have  military 
tastes,  and  the  ardor  of  Gen.  Meason  to  serve  his 
country  in  the  field  led  to  his  death  at  the  compara- 
tively early  age  of  forty  years.  In  the  winter  of 
1812-13  he  left  his  extensive  practice  to  offer  his  ser- 
vices to  the  government  in  the  war  against  Great 
Britain,  and  traveling  from  Uniontown  to  Washing- 
ton City  on  horseback,  the  exposure  of  the  journey 
brought  on  an  attack  of  fever  which  resulted  fatally 
soon  after  he  reached  the  capital. 

Thomas  Meason  was  born  on  the  extensive  estate 
of  his  father,  Col.  Isaac  Meason,  at  Mount  Braddock. 
He  read  law  in  the  office  of  James  Ross,  Esq.,  at 
Pittsburgh ;  was  admitted  to  thebarof  Fayette  County, 
Sept.  25,  1798,  and  very  soon  acquired  a  practice 
equal  to  that  of  any  lawyer  in  the  county.  In  1802 
he  was  married  to  Nancy  Kennedy,  a  sister  of  the 
Hon.  John  Kennedy.  Personally  he  was  a  man  of 
fine  presence,  and  his  popularity  was  such  that  it  very 
nearly  secured  him  an  election  as  member  of  Con- 
gress, though  he  ran  on  the  Federalist  ticket  against 
Isaac  Griffin,  in  adistrict  (embracing  Fayette  County) 
which  was  strongly  Democratic. 

John  Lyon  was  born  in  Carlisle,  Cumberland  Co., 
Pa.,  Oct.  13,  1771,  and  graduated  at  Dickinson  Col- 
lege. He  came  to  Fayette  County  for  the  first  time, 
with  a  mu.sket  on  his  shoulder,  as  a  private  soldier  in 
the  army  that  was  sent  to  suppress  the  "Whiskey 
Insurrection"  in  1794,  and  returned  east  with  the 
troops  when  the  "  war"  was  over.  But  he  was 
strongly  .attracted  by  the  beauty  and  prospects  of  the 
country  which  he  had  seen  west  of  the  mountains, 
and  it  was  not  long  before  he  came  back  to  Fayette 
County  and  located  in  Uniontown,  where  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar,  June  26,  1797.  He  married  Pris- 
cilla  Coulter,  of  Greensburg  (sister  of  the  Hon.  Rich- 
ard Coulter),  and  resided  in  Uniontown  in  the  practice 
of  his  profession  during  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
His  residence  was  a  house  on  Main  Street  (adjoining 
the  office  of  Gen.  Meason),  which  is  still  standing. 
His  extensive  learning  and  ami.able  manners  secured 
for  him  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  all  who  knew 
him.  No  lawyer  stood  higher  in  his  profession,  and 
his  tombstone,  erected  by  the  bar  of  the  county,  bears 
testimony  to  the  high  character  he  ever  sustained 
among  his  professional  brethren.  He  died  Aug.  27, 
1837. 

Another  of  the  prominent  early  lawyers  of  Fayette 
County  was  John  Kennedy,  afterwards  a  judge  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  born  in 
Cumberland  County,  near  Shippensburg,  and  was  a 
son  of  Thomas  Kennedy,  a  prominent  public  man  in 
that  section  of  the  St.ate.  Graduating  at  Dickinson 
College,  in  the  same  class  with  Roger  B.  Taney  (after- 
wards chief  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States),  he  studied  law  under  Judge  Hamil- 
ton, and  after  completing  his  course  married  a  daugh- 
ter of  Judge  Creigh,  of   Carlisle,   and  removed  to 


THE  BAR  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY. 


141 


Uniontown,  where  he  was  admitted  to  the  Fayette 
County  bar  in  1798,  and  soon  became  oneof  tlie  most 
prominent  lawyers  of  this  section  of  country.  On 
the  23d  of  November,  1830,  he  was  appointed  asso- 
ciate justice  of  tlie  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania, 
which  high  otfice  he  held  until  his  death  in  1846. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Philadelphia  bar  on  the  28th  of 
August  in  that  year,  the  following  resolutions  were 
adopted  on  motion  of  John  M.  Rsad,  attorney-gen- 
eral of  the  State : 

"Resolved,  That  the  members  of  the  bar  of  Phila- 
delphia have  heard  with  feelings  of  deep  sorrow  of 
the  decease  of  the  Hon.  John  Kennedy,  one  of  the 
associate  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

"Resolved,  That  by  indefatigable  industry,  unre- 
mitting devotion  to  the  study  of  law,  united  with  a 
sound  judgment,  a  calm  temper  and  uniform  cour- 
tesy of  manner,  this  able  judge  has  left  behind  him 
a  reputation  which  will  long  live  in  the  recollections 
of  the  bench,  the  bar,  and  the  community." 

Upon  the  passage  of  these  resolutions  on  the  death 
of  Judge  Kennedy,  Chief  Justice  Gibson  said, — 

"As  the  presiding  officer  of  the  court,  it  is  my 
business  as  it  is  my  pleasure  to  express  its  satisfac- 
tion at  the  tribute  of  respect  paid  by  the  bar  to  the 
memory  of  our  lamented  brother.  It  was  my  good 
fortune  to  know  him  from  boyhood,  and  we  all  knew 
him  long  enough  at  the  bar  or  on  the  bench  to  ap- 
preciate his  value  as  a  lawyer  and  as  a  man.  My 
brother  Rogers  and  myself  sat  with  him  in  this  court 
between  fifteen  and  sixteen  years,  and  we  had  ample 
reason  to  admire  his  industry,  learning,  and  judgment. 
Indeed,  his  judicial  labors  were  his  recreations.  He 
clung  to  the  common  law  as  a  child  to  its  nurse,  and 
how  much  he  drew  from  it  may  be  seen  in  his  opin- 
ions, which  by  their  elaborate  minuteness  reminds 
us  of  the  over-fullness  of  Lord  Coke.  Patient  in  in- 
vestigation and  slow  in  judgment,  he  seldom  changed 
his  opinion.  A  cooler  head  and  a  warmer  heart  never 
met  together  in  the  same  person,  and  it  is  barely  just 
to  say  that  he  has  not  left  behind  him  a  more  learned 
lawyer  or  a  more  upright  man." 

John  M.  Austin  was  a  native  of  Hartford,  Conn., 
born  in  1784.  He  studied  law  with  Judge  Baldwin, 
of  Pittsburgh,  and  practiced  his  profession  in  that  city 
for  some  time.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Fayette 
County  bar  in  August,  1810,  from  which  time  for 
many  years  he  was  ranked  with  the  prominent  law- 
yers of  the  county.  He  was  the  leading  one  among 
the  attorneys  whose  names  were  stricken  from  the  roll 
by  Judge  Baird  in  1834,  as  hereafter  noticed.  His 
death  occurred  in  April,  1864. 

Thomas  Irwin  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Feb.  22, 
1784.  He  studied  law  in  that  city,  and  removed  to 
Fayette  County  in  1811,  and  settled  in  Uniontown, 
where  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  April  of  that 
year.  In  1812  he  was  appointed  district  attorney. 
Soon  afterwards  he  was  elected  to  the  liCgislature 
10 


from  Fayette  County,  and  served  in  that  body  with 
fidelity  to  his  constituents  and  honor  to  himself.  He 
represented  this  district  in  the  Twenty-first  Congress 
of  the  United  States,  and  in  1831  was  appointed  by 
President  Jackson  judge  of  the  United  States  Dis- 
trict Court  for  the  Western  District  of  Pennsylvania, 
a  position  which  he  held  for  nearly  thirty  years,  re- 
signing it  during  the  administration  of  President  Bu- 
chanan, and  being  succeeded  by  Judge  McCandless. 
Judge  Irwin  was  a  man  of  noble  impulses  and  un- 
swerving honesty,  and  was  always  greatly  admired 
and  beloved  by  his  friends  and  acquaintances  in  Fay- 
ette County.  He  was  a  steadfast  Democrat,  but  took 
little  part  in  politics  in  his  later  years.  He  was  a 
zealous  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  "and  through 
his  long  life  his  Christian  virtues  shone  conspicuously 
in  all  his  various  callings."  He  was  an  able  and  fear- 
less lawyer,  always  true  to  his  client  and  as  just  to  his 
opponent.  He  was  an  honest  legislator  and  a  faithful 
and  impartial  judge.  He  died  in  Pittsburgh  on  the 
14th  of  May,  1870,  at  the  age  of  eighty -six  years. 

John  Dawson  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  law- 
yers of  Uniontown,  where  and  in  its  vicinity  he  passed 
almost  seventy  years  of  his  long  and  useful  life.  He 
was  born  in  one  of  the  northwestern  counties  of  Vir- 
ginia, July  13,  1788,  and  when  about  twenty  years  of 
age  removed  to  Uniontown,  Pa.,  where  in  1810  he 
commenced  the  study  of  law  with  Gen.  Thomas  Mea- 
son.  After  the  death  of  Gen.  Measou  he  finished  his 
studies  with  Judge  John  Kennedy,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  as  a  practicing  attorney  of  the  courts  of 
I  Fayette  County  in  August,  1813.  He  practiced  his 
1  profession  successfully  for  more  than  thirty  years,  and 
was  considered  a  sound  lawyer  and  safe  counselor, 
standing  in  the  front  rank  among  the  members  of  the 
Fayette  County  bar.  He  was  an  agreeable  companion, 
and  possessed  a  fund  of  pleasing  anecdotes,  with  which 
he  frequently  entertained  his  friends.  He  was  re- 
markably kind  in  disposition  and  liberal  in  his  bene- 
factions, ever  ready  to  assist  others. 

In  1820  he  was  married  to  Miss  Ann  Baily  (only 
daughter  of  Mr.  Ellis  Baily,  of  Uniontown),  by  whom 
he  had  thirteen  childj-en. 

In  1851  he  was  appointed  associate  judge  of  Fay- 
ette County  by  Governor  William  F.  Johnston,  and 
served  in  that  capacity  with  honor  and  distinction, 
and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  members  of  the 
bar  and  the  people  of  the  county.  His  term  of  oflice 
continued  until  the  constitution  of  Pennsylvania  was 
changed,  making  the  office  of  associate  judge  elective. 
After  he  retired  from  the  bench  his  principal  busi- 
ness was  farming,  which  he  superintended  until  about 
1865,  after  which  time  he  resided  with  his  children  in 
Uniontown.  His  sight  for  several  years  was  so  defect- 
ive that  at  times  it  amounted  to  total  blindness.  He 
died  in  Uniontown  on  the  16th  of  January,  187o,  in 
the  eighty-seventh  year  of  his  age. 

On  the  19th,  at  a  meeting  of  members  of  the  Fay- 
ette County  bar,  convened  in  the  court-house,  it  was 


142 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


"  Eewhcd,  That  in  the  death  of  the  Hon.  Jolin 
Dawson  the  bar  has  lost  a  member  whose  ability, 
learning,  and  integrity  adorned  the  profession  ;  the 
community  an  upright  and  intelligent  citizen,  who 
ever  executed  with  fidelity  and  zeal  the  many  honor- 
able trusts  confided  to  him  ;  the  church  a  friend,  who 
propagated  faith  by  example,  and  proved  it  by  works; 
and  his  family  a  fond  and  devoted  father,  whose  prac- 
tice of  the  domestic  virtues  illustrated  a  character  as 
noble  as  it  is  rare.  No  tribute  to  his  memory  can 
speak  too  warmly  of  the  manner  in  which  he  dis- 
charged the  duties  of  every  relation  in  life." 

Andrew  Stewart,  a  prominent  member  of  the  Fay- 
ette County  bar,  and  the  most  distinguished  man  in 
political  public  life  that  the  county  ever  produced, 
was  born  in  German  township  in  1791,  and  passed  the 
early  years  of  his  life  on  the  farm  of  his  father  (Abra- 
ham Stewart)  and  as  a  school-teacher  and  clerk  in  an 
iron  furnace.  He  received  his  education  at  Washing- 
ton College,  and  immediately  after  his  graduation  at 
that  institution,  studied  law,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  at  Uniontown  in  January,  1815,  soon  after  which 
he  was  elected  to  the  General  Assembly  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  served  in  tliat  body  for  three  years.  He 
was  appointed  I'liitid  States  District  Attorney  by 
President  ]Monnie,  but  resigned  tlie  position  in  1820, 
on  his  election  to  Congress  from  this  district.  Dur- 
ing the  period  extending  from  that  time  to  1850  he 
served  in  Congress  for  eighteen  years,  and  by  his 
constant  and  stanch  advocacy  of  the  system  of  pro- 
tection to  American  industry  received,  in  political 
circles  throughout  the  Vnited  States,  the  sobriquet  of 
'•Tariff  Andy"  .-^tewait.  At  the  age  of  thirty-four 
years  he  UK.ni.'l  a  >laM/htcr  of  David  Shriver,  of 
Cumberhind,  M'l,  aud  tliev  became  the  parents  of  six 
children.  He  died  in  Tniontown  on  the  16th  of  July, 
1872,  in  Ills  ciLility-second  year.  More  extended  men- 
tion nf  the  events  in  the  life  of  the  Hon.  Andrew 
Stewart  will  be  found  in  the  history  of  Uniontown. 

Nathaniel  Ewing,  son  of  William  Ewing,  one  of 
the  early  settlers  in  Luzerne  township,  Fayette  Co., 
was  born  in  that  township,  near  Merrittstown,  in 
179(5,  he  being  the  second  in  age  of  a  family  of  ten 
children,  all  of  wliom  were  born  in  this  county.  His 
early  >rar.  wnv  ]>:issed  on  the  farm  of  his  father 
until  lie  eiileiiMl  .letfcrson  College,  at  which  institu- 
tion he  iiiadiialeil  with  tlie  highest  honors  of  his 
class.  Alter  Kavin-  e(. liege  he  spent  a  year  teaching 
school  in  Newark,  Di-l.  He  studied  law  in  Washing- 
ton, Pa.,  with  Tliiiiuas  MeGiltin,  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  at  I'niontown  in  November,  ISIG. 

The  next  year  he  began  practice  permanently  in 
UniontDWii,  where  his  eommanding  talents  and  supe- 
rinr  legal  attainments  soon  secured  him  an  extensive 
and  lucrative  practice,  and  before  many  years  he  be- 
came the  acknowledged  leader  of  the  bar  in  tliis 
]ilace.  In  several  instances  he  succeeded  in  obtain- 
ing from  the  Supreme  Court  of  this  State  a  reversal 
of  their  previous  decisions. 


In  February,  1822,  he  was  married  to  Jane,  daugh- 
ter of  Judge  John  Kennedy.  She  died  in  1825, 
and  in  1830  he  married  Anne,  daughter  of  David 
Denny,  of  Chambersburg.  On  the  15th  of  February, 
1838,  he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Joseph  Ritner 
president  .judge  of  the  Fourteenth  Judicial  District, 
to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of  Judge 
Thomas  Baird.  He  served  the  constitutional  term  of 
ten  years,  and  left  the  bench  with  the  increased  con-  ■ 
fidence  of  the  people  in  his  integrity  and  legal  quali- 
fications, and  without  a  stain  on  his  judicial  ermine. 
He  never  again  returned  to  the  practice  of  law,  ex- 
cept in  occasional  cases  in  the  interest  of  old  friends, 
but  such  was  the  confidence  of  his  legal  brethren  in 
his  ability  and  sound  judgment  that  his  advice  was 
often  sought  in  important  cases.  As  a  citizen.  Judge 
Ewing  was  ever  ready  and  anxious  to  promote  the 
interests  of  the  community  in  which  he  lived.  An 
evidence  of  this  is  found  in  the  early  history  of  the 
Fayette  County  Railroad.  At  a  time  when  none  could 
be  induced  to  join  him  in  the  enterprise,  he  gave  his 
time,  his  talents,  and  pecuniary  and  person.al  aid  to 
carry  it  through,  and  it  is  quite  certain  that  it  could 
not  have  been  built  at  that  time  but  for  his  energy 
and  influence.  He  died  on  the  Sth  of  February, 
1874. 

John  Bouvier  was  a  resident  of  Fayette  County  for 
about  nine  years,  during  a  part  of  which  time  he 
practiced  as  an  attorney  in  Uniontown.  He  was  a 
native  of  the  department  of  Du  Gard,  in  the  south  of 
France,  and  born  in  the  year  1787.  At  the  age  of 
fifteen  he  emigrated  with  his  parents  to  Pliiladelphia, 
where  in  1812  he  became  a  naturalized  citizen  of  the 
United  States,  and  about  that  time  erected  a  building 
in  West  Philadelphia,  which  he  used  as  a  printing- 
office,  and  w  hich  is  still  standing.  Two  years  later  he 
removed  to  Fayette  County,  and  located  in  Browns- 
ville, where  he  established  the  American  Telegraph,  a 
weekly  newspaper.  While  publishing  this  paper  he 
was  al.~o  engaged  in  the  study  of  law,  and  in  Decem- 
ber, 1818,  he  was  admitted  to  the  Fayette  County  bar 
at  Uniontown,  to  whioh  borough  he  had  removed  in 
the  same  year,  and  united  his  Telegraph  newspaper 
with  the  Oeiiiua  of  Libert//,  being  associated  in  the 
editorship  with  John  M.  Austin.  Bouvier,  after  his 
admission  to  the  bar,  gave  his  attention  principally 
to  the  law,  and  iu  July,  1820,  sold  his  interest  in  the 
paper.  At  the  September  term  of  1822  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  in  the  following  year  removed  to  Phil- 
adelphia. He  was  appointed  recorder  of  that  city  in 
1836,  and  in  1838  was  commissioned  associate  justice 
of  the  Criminal  Court.  He  continued  to  reside  in 
Philadelphia  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1851. 

During  the  period  of  his  residence  in  Uniontown, 
Mr.  Bouvier  conceived  the  idea  of  compiling  a  law 
dictionary  for  the  use  of  his  brethren  of  the  Ameri- 
can bar.  He  labored  assiduously  and  constantly  to 
accomplish  the  work,  and  in  1839  published  two  oc- 


THE  BAR  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY. 


1J3 


tavo  volumes,  which  he  presented  "  to  his  brethren  j 
and  the  world  at  large"  for  approval,  and  which  re- 
ceived commendation  in  the  highest  terms  from  Chief  ] 
Justice  Story  and  Chaucellor  Kent.  From  1842  to  j 
3846  he  produced  a  revised  edition  of  the  work,  com- 
prising ten  royal  octavo  volumes.  In  1848  he  pub- 
lished the  third  edition,  in  which  many  of  the  articles 
were  carefully  revised  and  remodeled,  and  more  than 
twelve  hundred  others  added.  After  his  death  it  was 
found  that  he  had  partially  prepared  a  large  amount 
of  additional  and  valuable  material,  and  this  was  put 
in  the  proper  form  by  competent  persons,  and  incor- 
porated in  the  fourth  edition,  which  was  published  in 
1852.  At  the  same  time  that  he  was  engaged  on  the 
"  Dictionary,"  Mr.  Bouvier  commenced  tlie  prepara- 
tion of  another  work,  entitled  "  Institutes  of  Ameri- 
can Law,"  which  was  completed  in  1851.  Both  these 
works  have  received  the  highest  encomiums  from  the 
bench  and  bar  for  the  extensive  research  and  legal 
knowledge  exhibited  in  their  pages,  and  it  is  ac- 
knowledged that  they  rank  among  the  best  contribu- 
tions to  the  legal  literature  of  the  country. 

Jacob  B.  Miller  was  the  son  of  John  Miller,  a  tan- 
ner, and  an  early  settler  in  Uniontown,  where  Jacob 
was  born  on  the  21st  of  February,  1799.     He  studied 
law  with  Parker  Campbell,  in  Washington,  Pa.,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  Fayette  County  bar  in  Novem- 
ber, 1821.     He  was  the  founder  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Democrat   (now  the   Standard),  at  Uniontown.     He 
served   in   the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  in  the 
years  1832  and  1833.     A  just  estimate  of  the  charac-  i 
ter  and  standing  which  he  sustained  as  a  lawyer  and 
a  man  during  the  many  years  of  his  life  is  summed 
up  in  a  resolution  adopted  by  the  Fayette  County  bar 
at  his  death,  viz. :  "  That  we  regarded  Mr.  Miller  as  I 
a  man  of  ripe  scholarship  and  character,  of  earnest 
convictions,  and  of  rare  independence.    What  he  be-  i 
lieved  to  be  the  right  he  upheld,  and  what  he  be- 
lieved to  be  wrong  he  opposed,  regardless  of  conse-  I 
quences.     Although  a  lifelong  and  active  party  man,  ' 
when  his  party's  action  did  not  coincide  with  his  own  : 
views  it  found  in  him  a  determined  and  able  foe."  j 
Mr.  Miller  died  Dec.  6,  1878,  in  the  eightieth  year  of 
his  age. 

James  Todd,  who  was  for  almost  half  a  century  a 
resident  of  Fayette  County,  and  an  able  member  of 
its  bar  for  many  years  during  that  period,  was  of 
Scotch  descent,  and  born  in  York  County,  Pa.,  Dec. 
25,  1786.     In  the  early  part  of  1787  his  parents  re-  ' 
moved  to  Fayette  County,  where  his  mother  died 
during  the  same  summer.     His  father  survived  her  I 
only  a  few  months,  but  previous   to   his  death  in-  , 
trusted  his  infant  child  to  the  care  of  Duncan  Mc-  < 
Lean,  a  Scotchman  and  an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  j 
Church.     In  this  family  he  was  reared,  and  became 
an  indentured  apprentice.    Until  after  the  expiration  ^ 
of  his  apprenticeship  his  education  had  been  of  the  I 
moat  limited  character,  such  only  as  could  be  afforded 
by  a  year  and  a  half  of  attendance  at  the  common 


schools  in  a  neighborhood  recently  settled.  Being 
very  desirous,  however,  of  improving  his  education, 
he  availed  himself  of  every  opportunity  that  pre- 
sented itself,  reading  such  books  as  were  to  be  found 
in  a  new  settlement,  and  studying  late  at  night  after 
the  completion  of  his  day's  labor.  He  joined  a  de- 
bating society,  and  was  so  successful  in  their  contests 
and  developed  such  ready  powers  in  debate  that  hi.s 
attention  was  directed  to  local  politics  and  (eventu- 
ally) to  the  study  of  law.  In  the  fall  of  1815  he  was 
appointed  one  of  the  county  commissioners  (to  fill  a 
vacancy  by  death)  of  Fayette  County,  and  was  in 
1816  elected  for  three  years.  While  commissioner  he 
began  the  study  of  law  with  Judge  John  Bouvier. 
Upon  the  expiration  of  his  term  as  commissioner  (in 
1819)  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Legislature,  and 
was  afterwards  re-elected  for  four  additional  succes- 
sive terms,  taking  an  active  and  leading  part  in  its 
proceedings.  Having  continued  his  studies  with 
Judge  Bouvier  four  years,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  Fayette  County,  Oct.  30,  1823.  He  met  with  im- 
mediate success,  which  continued  through  his  whole 
professional  career.  In  September,  1825,  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  Governor  Shultze  prothonotary  and  clerk 
of  Fayette  County,  but  having  been  an  active  Adams 
man  in  1828,  and  a  zealous  advocate  of  the  election 
of  Governor  Kitner  in  1829,  he  was  in  February,  1830, 
removed  by  Governor  Wolf. 

During  his  tenure  of  these  offices  his  practice  as  a 
lawyer  was  necessarily  restricted  to  the  adjoining  coun- 
ties of  Somerset,  Greene,  and  Washington.  In  De- 
cember, 1835,  he  was  appointed  attorney-general  of 
the  State  by  the  late  Governor  Iiidur,  and  thereupon 
removed  to  Philadelphia.  This  ]iii>iii(iii  lie  IkM  until 
early  in  1S38.  The  same  Governor  a|ip(>iiited  him 
president  judge  of  the  Court  of  Criminal  Sessions  of 
the  city  and  county  of  Philadelphia,  in  which  position 
he  remained  until  1840,  when  the  court  was  abolished 
by  the  Legislature.  He  then  resumed  the  practice  of 
the  law  in  Philadelphia,  and  at  once  took  a  front 
rank  among  the  leaders  of  the  bar. 

He  continued  there  until  1852,  when  failing  health 
and  the  death  of  a  son  (David)  induced  him  to  re- 
move to  Westmoreland  County,  where  he  continued 
to  reside,  in  the  quiet  and  easy  pursuit  of  his  profes- 
sion and  of  agriculture,  until  liis  death,  which  oc- 
curred on  the  3d  of  September,  1863,  in  the  seventy- 
seventh  year  of  his  age.  No  better  summary  of  the 
life  and  character  of  Judge  Todd  can  be  given  than 
that  embodied  in  the  resolution  offered  by  the  Hon. 
Edgar  Cowan,  and  adopted  at  a  meeting  of  the 
Greensburg  bar,  on  the  occasion  of  his  death,  viz.: 

"Resolved,  That  while  we  lament  the  death  and- do 
honor  to  the  memory  of  Judge  Todd,  the  example  of 
his  life,  so  eminent  for  ability,  integrity,  and  patriot- 
ism, ought  not  to  be  lost  to  the  young,  but  be  held 
up  for  encouragement  and  imitation.  He  was  the 
architect  of  his  own  fortunes,  and,  subsisting  by  his 
labor,  without  the  aid  of  schools  or  masters,  he  won 


144 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


his  way  to  the  Legislature,  to  the  bar,  to  the  cabinet,  j 
and  to  the  bench,  acquitting  himself  in  all  with  dis-  \ 
tinction.  He  was  also  an  ardent  lover  of  his  country,  I 
a  temperate  and  just  man,  and  a  sincere  Christian. 
His  years  were  as  full  as  his  honors,  and  extended  [ 
almost  to  fourscore  years."  I 

Joshua  B.  Howell  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and 
pursued  the  study  of  the  law  in  Philadelphia,  where 
he  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  In  the  latter  part  of 
1827  he  removed  to  Fayette  County,  and  made  his 
residence  in  Uniontown,  where  he  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  Jan.  5, 1828.  In  1831  he  was  appointed  district 
attorney  by  Attorney-General  Samuel  Douglass,  and 
served  to  and  including  the  year  1833.  He  formed  a 
law  partnership  with  Judge  Thomas  Irwin,  and  later 
with  Judge  Nathaniel  Ewing.  Mr.  Howell  was  a 
careful  and  able  lawyer,  a  man  of  fine  address,  a  good 
speaker,  and  very  successful  in  his  pleadings  before 
juries.  In  18G1  he  raised  a  regiment  (mustered  as  the 
Eighty-fifth  Pennsylvania),  and  entered  the  service 
as  its  colonel  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  He  served 
in  command  of  the  regiment  until  the  14th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1864,  when  he  was  killed  by  a  fall  from  his 
horse,  on  the  lines  in  front  of  Petersburg,  Va. 

Moses  Hampton  was  an  eminent  lawyer,  but  only 
a  few  years  a  resident  of  Fayette  County.  He  was  a 
native  of  Beaver  County,  Pa.,  born  Oct.  28,  1803.  He 
graduated  at  Washington  College,  and  soon  after  re- 
moved to  I'niontown  to  accept  a  professorship  in 
Madison  Cnllrjc  at  that  place.  He  continued  in  that 
positiMii  foi-  aliniit  two  yrars,  during  which  time  he 
commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  John  M. 
Austin.  In  1827  he  married  a  daughter  of  John  sill- 
ier, and  sister  of  Jacob  B.  Miller,  of  Uniontown.  He 
was  admitted  to  the  Fayette  County  bar  in  March, 
1828,  and  in  1829  removed  to  Somerset  County,  where 
he  became  associated  in  business  with  tlie  Hon.  Jere- 
miah S.  Black  and  Charles  Ogle.  In  1838  he  removed 
to  Pittsburgh,  which  was  his  place  of  residence  during 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Congress  of  the  United  States  in  1847-49.  In  18.53  he 
was  elected  president  judge  of  the  court  of  Common 
Pleas  of  Allegheny  County.  He  died  June  24,  1878. 
James  Veech  was  one  of  the  most  widely-known 
and  able  lawyers  of  Fayette  County  or  of  Western 
Pennsylvania.  He  was  a  native  of  this  county, 
bom  near  New  Salem.  Sept.  18,  1808.  After  gradu- 
ating with  tlir  hiLrlio>t  lii>nors  at  Jefferson  College  he 
came  to  riiioiitowii.  and  liccame  a  law-student  in  the 
office  of  Judge  Todd.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
October,  1831,  and  commenced  practice  in  the  Fay- 
ette County  courts,  where  by  unswerving  integrity 
and  close  application  to  the  business  of  his  profession 
he  soon  took  rank  among  the  leading  practitioners  of 
that  day.  A  just  tribute  to  the  admirable  qualities  of 
Judge  Veech,  together  with  a  brief  sketch  of  some  of 
the  leading  events  of  his  life,  is  found  in  the  record 
of  the  proceedings  of  a  meeting  of  members  of  the 
Pitt-burgli  bar,  convened  upon   the  occasion  of  his 


1879. 


From   that 


death,  which  occurred   Dec.   10, 
record  is  taken  the  following,  viz. : 

"  The  departing  year  takes  with  it  James  Veech, 
whose  threescore  years  and  ten  are  now  closed,  years 
of  labor,  honor,  and  professional  excellence.  Before 
he  is  committed  to  that  narrow  house  appointed  for 
all  living  men  let  us  pause  and  estimate  his  worth 
and  character,  and  make  an  enduring  record  of  the 
virtues  that  adorned  his  long  life  and  gave  him  that 
high  place  in  the  profession  and  the  State  to  which 
his  ripe  learning  and  unvarying  integrity  entitled 
him. 

"  In  stature,  mental  and  physical,  nature  had  marked 
him  as  one  born  to  brave  the  battle  of  life  with  un- 
flagging courage  and  tireless  industry,  and  to  secure 
a  triumph  not  more  honorable  to  himself  than  useful 
in  good  deeds  to  his  fellow-men.  He  graduated  at 
Jefferson  College,  being  the  youngest  member  of  his 
class,  and  acquired  an  education  which  in  subsequent 
years  he  greatly  improved,  keeping  up  his  study  of 
the  classics  during  his  professional  labors  and  be- 
coming familiar  with  the  standard  Greek  and  Latin 
authors.  There  were  with  him  at  college  many  who 
have  risen  to  places  of  honor  and  usefulness,  and,  like 
him,  added  to  its  long  roll  of  distinguished  men. 

"  After  leaving  college  he  went  to  Uniontown,  Pa., 
and  in  1829  began  reading  law  under  the  direction  of 
the  late  Judge  Todd,  who  was  then  one  of  the  promi- 
nent lawyers  of  the  western  part  of  the  State.  In 
October,  1831,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  began 
a  career  which  has  shed  lustre  on  his  name  and  his 
profession.  There  were  then  in  full  practice  Andrew 
Stewart,  John  M.  Austin,  John  Dawson,  of  Fayette 
County,  now  all  gone.  Thomas  M.  T.  McKennan  and 
Thomas  McGuffie  appeared  among  its  members  at 
times, — men  whose  reputations  are  yet  fresh  in  the 
recollection  of  many  persons  now  living.  Surrounded 
by  such  men,  and  inspired  by  their  influence,  Mr.  Veech 
became  an  ardent  student  in  the  true  meaning  of  the 
term,  and  read  and  loved  the  common  law,  because  it 
laid  open  to  his  view  the  foundations  of  those  great 
principles  upon  which  the  most  sacred  rights  of  per- 
sons and  property  rest. 

"After  some  years  of  constant  and  continued  ap- 
plication to  his  professional  duties,  he  was  appointed 
deputy   district   attorney   of    Allegheny   County  by 
James    Todd,    the    attorney-general,    and    removed 
1  to   Pittsburgh.     In   tiiis   new  sphere    he   faithfully 
and  creditably  discharged  all  its  duties,  and  by  his 
1  learning   and   honorable  deportment  advanced  still 
higher  liis  professional  reputation.      He  resided  in 
1  Pittsburgh  for  several  years,  but  was  compelled  by 
failing  health  to  remove  to  Uniontown.    There  he  re- 
mained until  1862,  becoming  the  leader  of  the  bar, 
enjoying  the  fruits  of  a  lucrative  practice,  and  rising 
i  to  a  degree  of  excellence  in  his  profession  which  the 
ambition  of  any  man  might  prompt  him  to  attain. 
He  prepared  his  cases  with  great  care,  and  tried  them 
with  a  degree  of  power  which  few  men  possess. 


THE  BAK  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY. 


14!: 


"His  manner  before  a  jury  was  not  engaging,  nor 
his  voice  pleasant,  but  the  strength  and  directness  of 
his  logic  and  the  cogent  earnestness  with  which  he 
made  his  pleas  covered  all  such  defects.  His  strong 
common  sense  and  good  judgment  carried  his  case,  if 
it  could  be  won,  and  Fayette  County  juries  attested 
his  abilities  by  not  often  going  against  him.  His 
arguments  in  the  Supreme  Court  were  clear,  well  di- 
gested, and  forcibly  presented. 

"  He  trusted  to  decided  cases,  and  was  not  inclined 
to  leave  the  well-worn  ways  of  the  law,  or  distrust 
the  security  of  those  principles  upon  which  are  based 
its  most  sacred  rights.  He  looked  upon  a  reformer  as 
a  trifier  with  long  settled  questions,  battering  down, 
without  the  ability  to  erect,  a  portion  of  the  temple 
of  justice  itself. 

'•■  In  1862  he  returned  to  Pittsburgh,  and  again  com- 
menced to  practice,  and  continued  an  arduous  and 
able  following  of  his  profession  until  1872.  His  suc- 
cess at  the  bar  was  rapid,  and  his  business  of  a  cliarac- 
ter  that  required  great  care  and  constant  labor.  He 
took  rank  as  an  able,  reliable,  and  formidable  lawyer, 
and  found  his  reward  in  the  confidence  bestowed  by  a 
large  circle  of  leading  business  men  in  the  manage- 
ment of  their  important  cases.  As  a  counselor,  he 
was  cautious  and  safe,  and  he  so  thoroughly  studied 
the  facts  upon  which  an  opinion  was  to  be  given  that 
he  reached  his  conclusions  slowly,  but  with  a  degree  of 
mature  thought  that  made  them  valuable.  Although 
pressed  with  business,  he  found  leisure,  however,  to  in- 
dulge a  taste  he  acquired  early  in  life  for  studying  the 
history  of  the  first  settlement  of  this  country  around 
us.  No  man  in  Western  Pennsylvania  has  more  pa- 
tiently and  accurately  collected  the  names  of  the 
hardy  pioneers  who  came  to  the  western  slope  of  the 
Alieghenies,  and  with  rifle  and  axe  penetrated  the 
dense  forests  that  then  lay  along  the  Monongahela 
and  its  tributaries.  Every  spot  memorable  in  the 
French  and  Indian  war  was  known  to  him.  He  col- 
lected many  valuable  manuscripts  of  men  like  Albert 
Gallatin  on  subjects  of  State  and  national  importance, 
gathered  information  from  all  quarters  of  historical 
value,  and  intended  to  publish  them,  but  the  work  was 
never  done. 

"  His  contributions  in  pamphlet  form  on  many  sub- 
jects of  local  interest  were  read  with  great  interest, 
and  will  be  useful  to  the  historian  who  may  seek  to 
place  in  durable  shape  what  occurred  at  an  early  day 
in  the  settlement  of  Western  Pennsylvania. 

"  In  1872  he  retired  from  practice  after  a  life  spent 
in  exacting  labor,  to  find  relief  from  the  cares  of  pro- 
fessional duties  in  the  happiness  of  a  home  to  which 
he  was  deeply  attached.  In  it  he  enjoyed  the  com- 
panionship of  his  friends,  to  whom  he  was  warmly 
attached,  and  dispensed  his  hospitality  with  a  genial 
nature,  which  made  intercourse  with  him  both  pleas- 
ant and  instructive.  Up  to  the  very  hour  of  his  death 
his  mental  faculties  were  unimpaired,  and  his  spirits 
full  of  almost  the  fervor  of  his  youth.     He  died  at 


his  home  on  the  Ohio  below  Pittsburgh,  surrounded 
by  all  that  was  dear  to  him  on  earth." 

Robert  P.  Flennikin  was  a  law-student  in  the  ottice 
of  Andrew  Stewart,  at  Uniontown,  and  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  October,  1831.  He  practiced  his  profession  for 
a  number  of  years  in  Fayette  County,  of  which  bar 
he  became  a  leading  member.  He  was  also  an  influen- 
tial citizen  and  a  prominent  politician.  He  served 
three  terms  in  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature,  com- 
mencing in  1841.  In  1845  he  was  appointed  minister 
to  Denmark  by  President  Polk,  and  he  was  made 
Governor  of  the  Territory  of  Utah  by  President  Bu- 
chanan. In  1872  he  retired  from  active  pursuits,  and 
removed  to  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  where  his  son  Robert 
was  a  successful  merchant.  Another  son  of  his  is 
J.  W.  Flennikin,  and  Mrs.  Thomas  B.  Searight,  of 
Uniontown,  was  his  only  daugliter.  He  was  an  uncle 
by  marriage  to  the  late  Col.  Samuel  W.  Black,  and 
brother-in-law  of  Judge  Thomas  Irwin.  Mr.  Flenni- 
kin was  born  in  Greene  County,  Pa.,  and  died  in 
San  Francisco  in  October,  1879,  aged  seventy-five 
years. 

Alfred  Patterson,  at  one  time  a  school-teacher  in 
Uniontown,  was  admitted  a  member  of  the  Fayette 
County  bar  in  October,  1831,  and  soon  secured  a  large 
and  lucrative  practice.  Close,  knotty  points  in  law 
and  intricate  matters  pertaining  to  land  titles  were  his 
specialties.  He  was  an  easy,  plausible  speaker  and 
a  good  and  successful  lawyer.  About  1870  he  re- 
moved from  Uniontown  to  Pittsburgh,  where  he  de- 
voted his  time  to  tTie  care  of  his  property,  and  to  the 
duties  of  his  position  as  president  of  the  Bank  of  Com- 
merce. He  died  in  December,  1878,  while  on  a  visit 
to  his  daughter  in  Louisiana. 

John  L.  Dawson  was  born  Feb.  7,  1813,  in  Union- 
town,  but  removed  very  early  in  life  to  Brownsville, 
which  was  his  place  of  residence  during  the  greater 
part  of  his  subsequent  life.  He  received  his  educa- 
tion at  Washington  College,  and  soon  after  his  grad- 
uation at  that  institution  entered  the  office  of  his 
uncle,  John  Dawson,  at  Uniontown,  as  a  law-student. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Fayette  in  September, 
1835,  and  at  once  commenced  practice.  He  was  a 
good  attorney,  but  soon  entered  political  life,  and  be- 
came much  more  prominent  in  that  field  than  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  In  1838  he  was  appointed 
deputy  attorney-general  of  Fayette  County,  and  in 
1845  United  States  District  Attorney  for  Western 
Pennsylvania,  under  President  Polk.  He  was  elected 
to  Congress  in  1850,  re-elected  in  1852,  again  elected 
in  1862,  and  re-elected  in  1864.  At  the  close  of  the 
latter  term  (1867)  he  left  public  life  and  retired  to 
the  estate  known  as  Friendship  Hill  (the  former  resi- 
dence of  Albert  Gallatin),  where  he  passed  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life,  and  died  Sept.  18,  1870.  A  more 
extended  biographical  notice  of  Mr.  Dawson  will  be 
given  in  the  history  of  Brownsville. 

Thomas  B.  Davidson  was  a  son  of  William  David- 
son, of  Connellsville.     He  was  educated  at  Kciiycn 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


College,  Ohio,  and  soon  after  graduation  became  a 
hnv-student  in  the  office  of  Robert  P.  Flennikin,  of 
L'niontown.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  January, 
]S38.  He  located  in  Cnnnellsville,  and  continued  in 
the  practice  of  his  profession  until  his  death,  though 
he  was  also  engaged  extensively  in  other  business. 
He  was  one  of  the  prominent  members  of 'the  Fayette 
bar,  and  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  counselors 
in  Western  Pennsylvania.  He  was  also  an  active 
and  energetic  politician,  but  would  never  accept  a 
public  appointment,  nor  consent  to  become  a  candi- 
date for  office.  The  date  of  his  death  has  not  been 
ascertained. 

Samuel  A.  Gilmore  was  born  in  180G  in  Butler 
County,  Pa.,  where  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and 
continued  as  a  practirinii-  lawyer  until  his  appoint- 
ment as  presiilciit  ju'Iltc  of  the  Fourteenth  Judicial 
District,  in  February,  1848,  when  he  removed  to 
Uniontown.  Under  the  change  of  constitution  he 
was  elected  to  the  same  office  in  1851,  and  served  on 
the  bench  until  the  December  term  of  18C1.  He  was 
again  elected  in  October,  ISii'i.and  continued  in  office 
until  his  death,  May  15,  1873.  On  that  occasion  a 
meeting  of  members  of  the  Fayette  County  bar  was 
lield,  at  which  the  following  resolutions  were  unani- 
nKKwly  adopted,  viz. : 

"  1st.  That  after  more  than  twenty  years'  service  on 
the  bi.iitli,  .liidiie  Gilmore  lays  down  his  important 
trust  uu^usjHM'teil  that  it  has  on  any  occasion  been 
vi(dated,  and  leaving  an  excellent  reputation  for  legal 
and  general  learning,  for  sterling  integrity  as  man  | 
and  judge,  for  strict  impartiality  in  the  discharge  of 
liis  official  duties,  for  patriotism  as  a  citizen,  as  a 
hater  of  wrong  and  sympathizer  with  the  weak,  and 
as  a  firm  believer  in  and  an  earnest  promoter  of  the 
Christian  religion. 

"2d.  That  as   a  judge  it   was   always   his   prime 
object  to  ascertain   the  right  of  any  matter  tried  be- 
fore him,  and  having  learned  this,  it  was  an  intlexilile 
rule  of  law  indeed  which   could  ]jrevi_-nt   him   I'mm  ' 
seeing  that  justice  and  equity  was  done." 

An  event  which  occurred  in  the  year  1835,  the 
striking  of  the  names  of  a  number  of  prominent  • 
members  of  the  Imr  ol' Fayette  County  from  the  roll 
of  attorneys,  should  not  l.r  (unittcd  in  tliis  connection. 
There  had  been  for  a  long  time  fn'.|iicnt  and  ever- 
recurring  disagreements  and  misundrr>t:indiii--.  Ke- 
tween  the  attorneys  in  question  and  ihr  Ib.n.  I  li..i,ias 
H.  Baird,  then  president  jud-X'  <iC  the  di^lii.t.  This 
state  of  affairs  finally  ciihiiiiiati'd  in  an  open  niplui'e, 
the  first  act  in  which  w;is  .liidL'-  I'.aiid  s  addns^ng  to 
the  recusant  lawyers  the  following  communication: 

"I'>klay,  Sept.  1'2,  ls.14. 

"  Gextlemex,— You  liave,  no  doubt,  long  been 
aware  that  the  occurrence  of  a  variety  of  disagree- 
able circumstances  in  the  conduct  of  our  business  in 
court  has  rendered  my  situation  often  exceedingly 
painful  and  perplexing.     It  is  possible  I  have  had  my 


full  share  in  the  causes  which  have  led  to  this  state  of 
things.  I  think,  however,  upon  reflection,  you  will 
be  satisfied  that  in  a  great  degree  it  has  been  owing 
to  the  irregular  manner  of  the  bar  in  the  trial  of 
causes.  It  is  unnecessary  to  go  into  particulars.  It 
has  been  the  subject  of  complaint  and  of  conflict,  dis- 
tressing to  me  and  unpleasant  to  you.  Finding  a 
remedy  hopeless  without  your  aid,  I  have  frequently 
brought  my  mind  to  the  conclusion  that  perhaps  I 
ought  to  withdraw  and  give  you  the  opportunity  of 
getting  in  my  room  some  other  gentleman  who  would 
have  your  confidence  and  co-operation.  This  deter- 
mination has  heretofore  been  yielded  to  the  advice  of 
friends,  upon  whose  judgment  I  have  relied. 

"Early  in  the  present  week  I  requested  an  inter- 
view with  you,  that  we  might  talk  these  matters  over, 
and  perhaps  agree  to  a  united  effort  for  reform.  You 
were  prevented  from  meeting  as  proposed.  In  the 
mean  time  the  occurrence  of  a  brutal  attack  upon  me 
by  a  ruffian,  growing  out  of  a  trial  in  court,  has  more 
and  more  convinced  me  of  the  necessity  of  coming  to 
some  conclusion  that  may  prevent  the  repetition  of 
such  outrages.  On  this  subject  I  wish  not  to  be  mis- 
understood. The  act  of  a  brute  or  bully  can  never 
drive  me  from  the  post  of  duty  or  of  honor.  I  thank 
God  that  in  the  performance  of  my  official  functions 
I  have  been  preserved  from  the  operation  of  fear,  as 
I  hope  I  have  been  from  the  influence  of  favor  or 
afl!'ection.  I  never,  I  repeat,  have  been  deterred  by 
any  apprehension  of  personal  danger,  although  I 
have  often  been  aware  of  peril.  I  have  known  that 
there  was  cause  for  it.  The  inadvertent,  but  as  I 
think  indiscreet,  indulgence  of  side-bar  remarks,  in- 
dicative of  dissatisfaction  with  the  decisions  of  the 
court,  and  perhaps  sometimes  of  contempt,  has  been 
calculated  to  make  a  lodgment  in  the  public  mind  inju- 
rious to  the  authority  and  respectability  of  the  court, 
and  particularly  of  myself  as  its  organ,  and  has  had  a 
direct  tendency  to  rouse  the  malignant  passions  of  a 
disappointed  or  defeated  party.  I  have  often  ob- 
served or  been  informed  of  these  things,  and  have 
thought  they  might  lead  to  disastrous  consequences. 
A  correct,  judicious  man,  if  he  thinks  his  case  has 
not  been  correctly  decided,  will  seek  redress  in  the 
legitimate  mode  only,  or,  if  that  is  not  accessible 
(which  seldom  happens),  will  submit  to  it,  as  we  all 
do  to  unavoidable  misfortunes.  A  ruffian,  however, 
if  told  by  his  counsel  that  injustice  has  been  done 
him  in  the  administration  of  the  law,  may  feel  dis- 
posed to  seek  vengeance  on  the  judge.  In  the  case  re- 
ferred to  I  think  the  cause  and  effect  can  be  distinctly 
traced.  The  earnestness  and  positivene.?s  of  the  coun- 
sel on  the  trial,  and  e.xpressions  thoughtlessly  dropped 
afterwards,  perhaps  inflamed  an.  unprincipled  fellow 
to  make  an  attack. 

"  It  may  be,  however,  that  it  would  not  have  occa- 
sioned it  had  he  not  been  encouraged  by  other  per- 
sons. I  have  only  my  suspicions,  and  make  no 
charge  against  any  one.     I  exculpate  the  counsel  in 


THE   BAR  OF  FAYETTP3   COUNTY. 


that  case,  and  I  exculpate  the  whole  bar  from  the 
most  distant  idea  of  producing  such  a  catastrophe. 
All  that  I  mean  to  say  is  that  the  practice  I  have 
mentioned  has  a  direct  tendency  to  incite  to  such  out- 
rages, and  that  in  the  particular  case  (in  connection 
with  other  causes)  it  did  lead  to  the  violence. 

"  The  same  cause  may  produce  the  same  effect.  I 
must  be  always  e.xposed  to  such  consequences  if  mat- 
ter of  excitement  continues  to  be  furnished  to  wrong- 
headed  brutal  suitors.  If  I  could  have  the  confi- 
dence and  support  of  the  bar,  and  the  assurance  of  a 
change  in  their  manner  towards  each  other  and  to- 
wards the  court  in  the  public  conduct  of  business, 
the  office  I  hold  would  be  rendered  dignified,  honor- 
able, and  pleasant,  but  otherwise  it  must  become  alto- 
gether intolerable.  On  my  part  there  is  no  want  of 
good  feeling,  and  I  take  this  occiision  to  declare  that 
there  is  not  one  of  you  for  whom  I  entertain  unkind 
sentiments.  On  the  contrary,  there  is  no  one  whose 
interests  I  would  not  advance,  or  whose  honour  I 
would  not  maintain  so  far  as  in  my  power.  As  to 
myself,  I  have  no  right  to  claim  your  friendship, 
though  I  should  be  glad  to  have  it ;  but  I  think,  in 
the  discharge  of  my  official  duties,  I  ought  to  have 
your  courtesy  and  respect,  and  when  I  err,  forbear- 
ance in  manner  and  recourse  discreetly  to  the  proper 
remedy  (which  I  am  always  disposed  to  facilitate), 
and  not  to  inflammatory  expressions  of  disapproba- 
tion or  contempt  addressed  to  the  public  or  the  party. 

"  I  have  thus  disclosed  to  you  frankly  my  feelings 
and  views.  In  reply  I  wish  your  sentiments  and  deter- 
mination as  to  the  future  in  relation  to  the  grievances 
I  have  presented,  and  propose,  therefore,  that  you 
should  take  a  few  minutes  to  confer  together,  and  in- 
form me  of  the  conclusion  to  which  you  may  arrive. 
"I  am  truly  yours, 

"  Thos.  H.  Baird. 
"  Messes.  Ewixg,  Todd,  Dawsox,  and  the  other 

GENTLEMEN  OF  THE  BAR  OF  FaYETTE  CoUNTY 
PRESENT." 

To  this  communication  the  gentlemen  addressed 
made  the  following  reply  : 

"  U.MO.NTOwx,  Pa.,  Oct.  3,  1S34. 

"  Dear  Sir, — We  have  delayed  replying  to  your 
letter  under  date  of  the  12th  of  September,  1834,  ad- 
dressed to  the  members  of  the  bar  of  Fayette  County, 
until  the  present  time,  to  afford  an  opportunity  for  con- 
sulting together,  and  also  for  mature  reflection  upon 
the  matters  to  which  you  refer.  We  regret,  in  com- 
mon with  your  Honour,  that  we  have  not  been  able,  in 
harmony  and  with  satisf^iction  to  ourselves  and  the 
people  of  the  county,  to  transact  the  business  of  our 
courts.  The  public  confidence  seems  to  be  withdrawn 
alike  from  the  bar  and  the  court.  Perhaps  your 
Honour's  retiring  from  the  bench,  as  you  have  inti- 
mated a  willingness  so  to  do,  and  giving  the  people 
the  power  to  select  another  would  be  the  means  of 


producing  a  better  state  of  things  and  a  more  cordial 
co-operation  from  all  sides  in  the  dispatch  of  the 
business  of  the  county.  This  expression  of  our  views 
is  made  in  candour  and  sincerity,  without  a  wish  to 
inspire  one  unpleasant  thought  or  unkind  feeling,  but 
under  a  sense  of  duty  to  the  county  in  wtich  we  live, 
to  your  Honour  and  to  ourselves. 

"  Very  respectfully  yours,  etc., 
"JoHx  M.Austin,  A.Patterson, 

"  John  Dawson,  E.  P.  Flenniken, 

"  Joshua  B.  Howell,  R.  G.  Hopwood, 

"J.  H.  Deford,  Wm.  McDonald, 

"  J.  Williams,  W.  P.  Wells. 

"To    Thomas    H.   Baird,    Esq.,    Williamspoet, 
Washington  Co." 

At  the  next  succeeding  term  of  the  Court  of  Com- 
mon Pleas,  held  Jan.  6,  1835,  before  Judge  Baird  and 
his  associates,  Charles  Porter  and  Samuel  Nixon,  the 
following  action  was  taken,  as  is  shown  by  the  record, 
viz.  : 

"The  Court  grant ,i rule  upon  John  M.  Austin,  John  Dawson, 
Joshua  B.  Uowcll,  John  II.  Defovd,  Joseph  Willinnis,  Alfred  Pat- 
terson, Robert  P.  Flenniken,  Rice  G.  Hopwood,  William  Mc- 
Donald, and  William  P.  Wells,  Esquires,  to  show  cause  why  they 
should  not  be  stricken  from  the  list  of  Attorneys  of  this  court." 

To  this  rule  the  respondents  made  answer  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  Tlie  undersigned,  who  are  required  by  a  rule  of 
court,  entered  this  day,  to  show  cause  why  they  should 
not  be  stricken  from  the  list  of  attorneys,  present  this 
their  answer  to  that  rule.  AVe  earnestly  but  respect- 
fully protest  against  the  legal  iinwer  and  authority  of 
the  court  to  enter  aii'l  riil'Mnc  such  a  rule  for  the  cause 
alleged.  The  rule  apjuars  to  lie  iounded  and  predi- 
cated on  the  letter  of  the  undersigned,  addressed  to 
Judge  Baird,  dated  Oct.  3,  1834.  To  enable  a  full 
understanding  of  the  whole  matter  a  letter  of  Judge 
Baird,  dated  Sept.  12, 1834,  is  herewith  presented.  It 
is  evident  that  the  letter  of  the  undersigned  which 
contains  the  offensive  nuitter  is  a  reply  and  response 
to  the  letter  of  Judge  Baird  to  them  addressed.  It  is 
certainly  respectful  in  its  terms,  and,  as  is  sincerely 
believed  and  positively  asserted,  contains  neither  in 
words,  meaning,  nor  intention  the  slightest  contempt 
or  the  least  disrespect  to  the  court  or  any  of  its  mem- 
bers. 

"  The  respondents  would  be  entirely  at  a  loss  to 
comprehend  how  it  could  be  possible  to  give  their  let- 
ter, from  its  terms,  an  offensive  interpretation  were 
they  not  informed  from  another  source  that  the  fol- 
lowing paragraph  is  considered  objectionable:  'The 
public  ciinlidiin-rseenis  to  Vjc  withdrawn  alike  from  the 
bar  an'l  tlie  Cmnt.'  We  by  this  paragraph  expressed 
our  honest  eon  vietioH,  and  intended  no  contempt  to  the 
Court.  It  is  a  response  in  some  measure  to  that  part 
of  Judge  Baird's  letter  in  which  he  himself  says  that 
the  circumstances  to  which  he  refers  were  calculated 
to  make  a  lodgment  in  the  public  mind  injurious  to 


Ui 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  authority  and  respectability  of  the  Court,  and  par- 
ticularly of  himself,  its  organ. 

"  It  will  also  be  perceived  from  the  two  letters  re- 
ferred to  that  the  correspondence  did  not  take  place 
between  the  bar  and  the  court;  it  was  between  the 
respondents  and  Judge  Baird,  at  his  instance  and  re- 
quest. The  occurrence  asserted  as  constituting  some 
undefined  offense  did  not  take  place  in  presence  of 
the  Court ;  it  took  place  out  of  Court  and  in  pais. 

"  Far,  very  f:ir,  therefore,  are  we  from  being  guilty 
of  any  offense  against  the  Court.  As  to  Judge  Baird 
personally,  the  letter  distinctly  and  unequivocally 
states  tliat  (lur  views  were  '  made  in  candour  and  sin- 
cerity, withdiit  a  wish  to  inspire  one  unpleasant  thought 
or  unkind  feeling.' 
"  John  M.  Austin,  J.  H.  Defoed, 

"John-  Daw.sox,  Wm.  McDonald, 

"  Joshua  B.  Howell,  J.  William.?, 

"  Wm.  B.  Wells,  R.  P.  Flexxikix, 

'•  Alfred  Patteesox,  Rice  G.  Hopwood." 

The  above  answer  was  supplemented  by  the  follow- 
ing, dated  Jan.  7,  1835,  and  signed  by  the  same  at- 
torneys, except  McDonald  and  Hopwood,  viz. : 

"  The  undersigned,  after  reiterating  the  protest  con- 
tained in  a  former  answer,  make  this  further  reply  to 
the  rule  entered  yesterday  against  them.  When  the 
former  answer  was  prepared  it  was  not  known  that 
the  publication  of  the  correspondence  between  the 
bar  and  Judge  Baird  in  the  newspapers  constituted  a 
portion  of  the  supposed  offense  against  the  court,  the 
record  not  presenting  that  aspect  of  the  case. 

"  They  now  reply  to  this  matter,  and  to  cause  a 
more  perfect  understanding  thereof  they  present  here- 
with a  letter  from  Judge  Baird  to  the  undersigned, 
dated  Dec.  15,  1834.'  We  now  ask  that  the  three  let- 
tors  on  record  may  be  carefully  examined  in  connec- 
tion with  our  former  answer  to  the  rule  to  show  cause. 
We  ca'-iRiit  liut  think  that  the  court  will  then  be  satis- 
fied that  the  last  letter  of  Judge  Baird  contains  im- 
putations and  strictures  not  warranted  by  anything 
said  in  our  communication  to  him  when  properly 
understood. 

"  In  some  way  the  existence  of  the  controversy 

1  Tlie  letter  of  Jii(lj:e  Bftii-rl,  here  referred  to,  concluded  as  follows  : 


from  the  honest 


good  fidelity 


•  Til.  11.  I'.UUD." 


reached  the  public  ear.  It  immediately  assumed  a 
false  shape  in  connection  with  an  assault  committed 
upon  the  judge  by  a  suitor  in  court.  Misapprehen- 
sion about  the  nature  of  the  correspondence  was  pro- 
duced. For  want  of  correct  information  false  asser- 
tions were  made  and  false  inferences  drawn.  It 
became  a  public  matter,  involving  seriously  public 
interests.  The  correspondence  related  to  public 
affairs.  The  letters  by  no  means  being  private  and 
confidential,  we  considered  it  our  imperative  duty,  in 
ju-stice  to  ourselves  and  in  justice  to  the  public,  to 
lay  the  whole  correspondence  as  it  really  was  before 
the  whole  community.  It  was  accordingly  done,  and 
for  the  purposes  intimated.  The  court  will  clearly 
perceive  that  in  this  act  there  was  no  offense  com- 
mitted against  the  court,  but  it  was  a  proceeding  ren- 
dered every  way  necessary,  as  it  gave  the  true  state 
of  the  controversy  and  supplied  the  place  of  false 
rumors  in  relation  both  to  Judge  Baird  and  our- 
selves." 

William  McDonald  made  a  separate  answer  to  the 
court  January  7th.  On  the  next  day  Judge  Baird 
delivered  the  opinion  of  the  court  (Judge  Samuel 
Nixon  dissenting),  the  material  part  of  which  is  here 
given  : 

'■Jan.  S,  ISiio. 

'•  The  oouit  lins  given  to  the  pnpers  presented  by  tlic  respon- 
dents in  this  case  the  most  ciireful  eonsider.ition  and  the  most 
favorable  construclion  their  import  would  at  nil  admit.  It  ia 
with  the  deepest  regret,  wo  arc  constrained  to  say,  that  they 
are  by  no  means  satisfactory.  ATc  cannot  regard  them  as  re- 
moving the  offensive  and  injurious  operation  of  the  matter 
which  has  been  published  to  the  world  in  relation  to  this  court, 
and  which  forms  the  gravamen  of  the  rule.  All  that  wo  have 
required  is  that  the  gentlemen  would  distinctly  place  in  their 
answer  a  disavowal  of  any  intention  to  impute  to  the  court,  or 
its  members,  anything  which  would  lower  them  (in  their  oflieial 
character)  in  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  the  people.  This 
has  been  and  is  still  refused.  No  alternative  therefore  remains. 
We  must  abandon  our  judicial  honor,  respectability,  and  au- 
thority, or  endeavor  to  sustain  them  in  what  we  conceive  to  bo 
the  legitimate  mode.  ...  It  is  ordered  that  the  names  of  John 
M.  Austin,  John  Dawson,  Joshua  B.  Howell,  Wm.  P.  Wells, 
Alfred  Patterson,  John  II.  Deford,  J.  Williams,  and  R.  P. 
Flennikcn  be  struck  from  the  list  of  attorneys  of  this  court. 
■  "  In  the  case  of  William  McDonald  the  rule  is  discharged. 
In  the  case  of  Rice  6.  Hopwood  the  rule  is  continued.'' 

The  next  day  (January  9th)  Rice  G.  Hopwood 
made  a  separate  answer,  and  the  court  discharged  the 
rule  in  this  case. 

Eight  members  of  the  bar  of  Fayette  County  then 
stood  suspended  from  court.  These  gentlemen  pre- 
sented their  case  to  the  Legislature  of  the  State,  and 
on  the  14th  of  March,  1835,  an  act  was  passed,  by  the 
provisions  of  which  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsyl- 
vania was  "  authorized  and  required  to  take  jurisdic- 
tion of  a  certain  record  and  proceedings  in  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas  of  the  county  of  Fayette,  of  the 
term  of  January,  1835,  whereby  the  names  of  eight 
attorneys  were,  on  the  8th  day  of  January,  1835,  or- 


FAYETTE   CIVIL   LIST. 


14a 


dcred  to  be  struck  from  the  list  of  attorneys  of  the 
8;iid  court;  and  during  their  session  commencing  at 
the  city  of  Philadelphia  on  Monday,  the  16th  of 
March,  1835,  proceed  to  hear  and  determine  the 
questions  arising  upon  the  said  record  and  proceed- 
ings in  any  shape  which  may  be  approved  or  pre- 
scribed by  the  court ;  and  shall  cause  the  decision  of 
the  said  Supreme  Court  to  be  duly  certified  to  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas  in  the  county  of  Fayette, 
and  make  all  orders  and  direct  all  measures  which 
may  be  necessary  and  proper  and  which  shall  be 
effectual  in  the  premises."' 

The  rule  of  the  court,  answers  of  respondents,  and 
letters  of  Judge  Baird  were  presented  to  the  Supreme 
Court,  in  session  at  Philadelphia^  March  31,  1835. 
The  eight  gentlemen  whose  names  had  been  stricken 
from  the  roll  appeared  by  their  attorneys,  who  pre- 
sented the  following  bill  of  exceptions  : 

'•FIrsi.  The  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  Fayette  County  erred 
in  consiilcring  the  saiil  attorneys  as  the  authors  of  a  letter  to  tl}C 
Hon.  T.  H.  Baird,  under  date  of  3d  October,  1S34,  liable  to  the 
penalty  of  being  struck  from  the  roll  for  an  alleged  libel  upon 
the  court. 

"Second.  The  court  below  erred  in  considering  that  by  the 
writing  or  publishing  of  the  said  letter  the  said  attorneys  did 
'misbehave  themselves  in  their  offices  of  attorneys'  respec- 
tively. 

"  Third.  The  court  below  erred  in  considering  that  by  the 
■writing  or  publishing  of  said  Utter  the  attorneys  had  dep.-irted 
from  their  obligation  to  behave  themselves  in  the  office  of  at- 
torney within  the  court  according  to  the  best  of  tlicir  learning 
or  ability,  and  with  all  good  fidelity  as  well  to  the  court  as  to 

"  Fnu'ih.  The  order  of  the  court  below  that  the  names  of 
the  .Slid  attorneys  be  struck  from  Ihc  list  is  unconstitutional, 
illegal,  and  oppressive,  and  the  same  should  be  forthv\ith  re- 
versed and  annulled." 

Messrs.  Dallas  and  Ingersoll  were  the  attorneys  for 
the  gentlemen  of  the  bar,  and  J.  Sergeant  for  the 
proceedings  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  Fay- 
ette County.  Lengthy  arguments  were  made.  After 
due  deliberation  the  opinion  of  the  court  was  de- 
livered by  Cliief  Justice  C.  J.  Gibson,  who  thus  an- 
nounced its  decision  : 

"  In  conclusion  it  appears  that  a  case  to  justify  the  removal 
of  the  respondents  has  not  been  made  out,  .and  it  is  therefore 
considered  that  the  order  which  made  the  rule  absolute  bo 
vacated  and  the  rule  discharged,  that  the  respondents  be  re- 
stored to  the  bar,  and  that  this  decree  bj  certified  to  the  Com- 
mon Pleas  of  Fayette  County." 

"  Decreed  accordingly." 

FAYETTE    CIVIL    LIST. 

In  this  list  the  names  are  given  of  persons  who 
have  held  county  offices,  and  also  of  those,  resident 
in  Fayette  County,  who  have  held  important  offices 
in  or  under  the  State  or  national  government. 


Robert  Orr,'  appointed  17S4. 

.lames  Hammond,  appointed  Nov.  21,  17S6. 

Joseph  Torrencc,  .appointed  Oct.  25,  1787;  : 

30,  1-S9. 
Josrph  Huston,  nppointO'l  Nov.  It,  17'J0. 
James  Paull,  appointed  ITa.'S. 
Thon.as  Collins,  appointed  Nov.  1,  179G. 
Abraham  Stewart,  appointed  Oct.  26,  1799. 
James  Allen,  appointed  Oct.  2S,  1302. 
Piorson  Sayres,  appointed  1 803. 
Jacob  Ilarbaugh,  appointed  ISOS. 
Andrew  Byers,  appointed  Nov.  7,  ISll. 
Morris  Morris,  appointed  Nos-.  17,  ISU. 
John  AVithrow,  appointed  Oct.  29,  1817. 
Daniel  P.  Lynch,  appointed  1820. 
George  Croft,  appointed  1823. 
William  Sailors,  appointed  Oct.  30,  182G. 
John  A.  Sangston,  appointed  Oct.  22,  1829. 
Gideon  Johns,  appointed  Oct.  22,  1832. 
Matthew  Allen,  appointed  Nov.  11,  1835. 
George  Meason,  appointed  Oct.  20.  1838. 
William  Morris,  elected  Oct.  II,  1841. 
Wesley  Frost,  elected  Oct.  8,  1S44. 
William  Snyder,  elected  Oct.  12,  1847. 
Matthew  Allen,  elicted  Oct.  8,  1850. 
James  McBride,  elected  Oct.  11,  1853. 
Samuel  W.  Boyd,  elected  Oct.  14,  185C. 
Eli  Cope,  elected  Oct.  11,  1S59. 
Thomas  Brownficld,  elected  Oct.  14,  1862. 
Samuel  W.  Boyd,  elected  Oct.  10,  1805. 
David  L.  Walker,  elected  Oct.  13,  1S6S. 
Isaac  Messmore,  elected  Oct.  10,  1871. 
Calvin  Springer,  elected  Nov.  3,  1874. 
Edward  Dean,  elected  Nov.  fi,  1S77. 
James  II.  Hoover,  elected  Nov.  2,  18S0. 


^  For  more  than  three  years  afier  Fayette  Itecanie  a  separate  connt^' 
it  reniaineil  unJer  the  jiMisdiction  ..f  the  sherilTof  Westinoreland.  lief- 
crence  to  this,  .is  well  ,is  to  tin-  fact  Unit  tlie  ..ilior  n.unty  offices  wore  at 
first  hclil  in  coinmon  with  Wi.-t,ii  n -I,,-!,  H  I  .luid  in  the  fullowir.g 
iften  \'\-  l>i.:  ,  M,    I..H..!^^,s  to  PresiJi-nt  John 


"  U.vioxTOw.N,  February  2, 1784 
nception  of  tlie  law  for  diviilinj;  We 
atficer  uf  any  kiiirl  except  such  as  wi 


,  Westmoreland.' 


ulflic  ill  this  as  liefore  the  dii 
crformance  of  it  in  this  coun 


belief  voted  for  tliein 


;  Tonx,  lltli  July,  1784. 


.  p.lge  101.    Case  of  Au 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Ej.hi 


aim  Dougla",!  n|i[iuiiitcd  Oct.  G,  17S3:  resigned  Deecn 

ici,  I'SOS. 

\rd  'Wiliiara  Lane,  ai.pointcd  Jan.  1,  1 ''09. 

St.  Clair,  a|ppomted  Apnl  6,  ISIS;  Feb.  12,  1S2I. 

B.  Treioi,  ammintcd  January,  1822. 
las  jMcKibben,  a]i|niinted  May  12,  lb24. 
s  T.«M,  ..i.|...iutc.l  .S(.|.t   ..(I,  lh25,  Dec.  2,  lb2G. 
>  M.  lice-..,,,  ..i.iH.iiitcd  Tcb    i.  is  111,  .Tan.  2J,  1S33. 


14,  1845 
lot.  14,  1 


iiid  llu-kins,  eleitcd  iict.  1 

crt  T.  (J  ill.ivvay,  elected  Oct.  10,  lso4. 

mas  1!.  Se  .right,  elected  Oct.  1.3,  1857;  Oct.  9,  ISOO. 

ige  W.  Litm.in,  elected  Oct.  I  ■    IM'.  ■    n,  t    'i    I^i.c,. 

1  K.  McDiinald,  elected  Oct    1      l-i   i    ii  i    s    is7j. 

idi  M.  Ogle\ce,  elected  \..i. -'    Is"       \    i     .,  l^rs. 

aias  B.  Seaiight,  elected  Xi.Mii.li,  i,  Issl 

CouNTv  Commissioners. 
.— Zacharinh  Connell.  Joseph  CaMvvell.  Thomas  Caddis 
'.— Jauics  riiilvy,  Jan..-  IIa..jii,.,nd.  Thomas  Gaddis. 


t.  Xathaniel 
,  Thomas  Co: 
t?,  Caleb  JIu 


1798. 

-John 

Fi.ltou 

James  Allen 

C.ile 

1  Mo, 

.t. 

1799. 

-John 

Fulton 

Jesse  Beesoi 

.  Jail 

es  Wi 

1800. 

-Jesse 

IJeeson 

John  Fullo. 

.  Am 

■ew  0 

ipha.it. 

ISOI. 

-Jesse 

EecMi. 

,  An.he.v  Oli 

ihaut 

Mo.', 

s  Mor, 

j. 

1S02. 

-Morr 

s  M.ir. 

s,  Willia.n   li 

jwnai 

1,  Gc 

.-ge  De 

,rlh. 

180.3. 

—  Willi 

...  lli.> 

na.-.i.  .Mi.r.i. 

-Morr 

s.  Da 

id  How 

arJ. 

1804. 

—Willi 

,n  Ilo. 

nai.1,  David 

Io»a 

a.  J.i 

.n  Mill 

,.. 

1.S0.5. 

—  Diivh 

Howa 

■d,  John  iMill 

r.  Ja 

ucs  C 

,„pbell 

180G. 

-John 

Miller, 

James  C....ip 

lell.  J 

jhn  S 

1807. 
1808. 

-Jame 
—John 

C;....p 
-Jh.eve 

M'll,  Ji.l.n  SI. 
Ja^pei-  Wh.. 

■w.  . 

Ji.;,.. 

Whetst 
r,  iberr 

,ne. 

1809. 

-Jaspc 

■  Wlii-I 

tiim-.  Jnhn  I 

ilir.t 

,  Alio 

Ca..ipl 

1810. 

-John 

liobcit 

s,  Abel  Cainpl 

ell,  M 

.Ilia.. 

Cuii..ii 

gham. 

1811. 

-Abel  Campbell,  Willia.n  C 

unnin 

gha.„ 

J.ilin  C 

la.-k. 

iTl 

e  follow 

ig  men 

orial  of  Krhra 

m  Do 

glass. 

.piilicatiul 

for  III 

aMi  .0.1 

fii.....lin  Peiiji. 

ylvaiii 

I  Aid, 

ves,  X.  1 

IS: 

"T. 

III.  H.ii 

iral  h- 

Ii.'  S.ipi-eme  E.vecutiv 

e  Coun 

cil  of  the  Cumraon- 

"  PniLlDEl.PIin,  2a  October,  1783. 
51.'.  Duiiglass  reeeivca  the  apiioi 


"Enin-viM  Douglass. 
.against  W,lliam  McCleer 


—William  Cunningham,  John  Clark,  Thomas  Boyd. 

—John  Clark,  Thomas  Boyd,  Morris  Morris. 

-Thomas  Boyd,  George  Craft,  Harris  AV.  Colton. 

—Harris  W.  Colton,  John  Sparks,  Amos  Coojier. 

-17. — Amos  Cooper,  William  Hart,  James  Todd. 

—William  Hart,  James  T.3dd,  Griffith  Roberts. 

—James  Todd,  Griffith  Roberts,  Moses  Vance. 

— Griffith  Roberts,  Moses  Vance,  Isaac  Core. 

— Moses  Vance,  Isaac  Core,  Andrew  Moore. 

— Isaac  Core,  Andtew  Moore,  Abner  Greenland. 

—Andrew  Moore,  Abner  Greenland,  Robert  Boyd. 

— Abner  Greenland,  Robert  Boyd,  Nathaniel  Mitchell. 

—Robert  Boyd,  Nathaniel  Mitchell,  Jesse  T.aylor. 

— Nathaniel  Mitchell,  Jesse  Tayloi-,  Abner  Greenland. 

—Jesse  Taylor,  Abner  Greenland,  Hugh  Espey,  Jr. 

—Abner  Greenland,  Hugh  Espey,  Jr.,  Robert  Patterson. 

-30.— Hugh  Espey,  Jr.,  Robert  Patterson,  James  Adair. 

— Hugh  Espej',  Jr.,  James  Adair,  Andi-cw  Hertzog. 

— Andrew  Hei-tzog.  Hugh  I'^spey,  Jr.,  James  H.  Patterson. 

— James  II.  Patterson,  Andrew  Hertzog,  James  Adair. 

—James  Aihiii-,  James  H.  Patterson,  Peter  Stentz. 

— Peter  Stentz,  James  Adair.  Joseph  Gadd. 

— Joseph  Gadd,  Isa.ac  L.  Hunt,  Robert  Long. 

—Isaac  L.  Hunt,  Robert  Long,  E.  P.  Oliphant. 

-Robert  Long,  E.  P.  Oliphant,  John  W.  Pliillips. 

—John  AV.  Phillips,  Squire  Ayres,  Jesse  Ant,im. 

—Squire  Ayres,  Jesse  Antrim,  James  Allison. 

—Jesse  Antrim,  James  Allison,  Thomas  McMillan. 

—James  Allison.  Thomas  McMillan,  Hugh  Espey. 

-Thomas  McMillan,  Hugh  Espey,  Thomas  Duncan. 

—  lli.-l.  K-p.y.  Thomas  Duncan,  Robert  Bleakley. 

—  I'liiiina-  liuiiian,  Robert  Bleakley,  P.  F.  Gibbons. 

—  Uniii  II  lil.akli'y,  P.  F.  Gibbons,  Leo  Tiitc. 

—  P.  F.  Gibbons,  Leo  Tate,  H.  D.  Overholt. 
—Lee  Tate,  H.  D.  Overholt,  William  Crawfoid. 

— H.  D.  Overholt,  William  Crawford,  John  Bcatty. 
—William  Crawford,  John  Realty,  Jacob  llaldcman. 
—John  Bcatty,  Jacob  llaldcman,  Jacob  Wolf. 
— Jacob  Ilaldeman,  Jacob  Wolf,  Joseph  Cunningham. 
—Jacob  Wolf,  Joseph  Cunningham,  Mark  R.  Moore. 
—Joseph  Cunningham,  Mark  R.  Moore,  David  Deyarmon. 
— Mark   R.  Mooie,   David  Deyarmon,  Jacob   F.  Long.i- 


18jG.— David    Deyarmon,    Jacob    F.    Longanackcr,    Tho.nas 

Brownfield. 
1857.- Jacob    F.  Longanacker,   Thomas   Brownfield,  John  V. 

Reese. 
1S5S.— Thomas  Brownfield,  John  V.  Reese,  W.  K.  Gallabe,-. 
1869.— John  V.  Reese,  W.  K.  Gallaher,  Robert  McDowell. 
18G0.— W.  K.  Gallaher,  Robert  McDowell,  John  Schnattcrly. 
I8GI.— Robert  McDowell,  John  Schnattcrly,  George  A.  Nolan. 
1SG2.— Jolin  Schnatterly,  George  A.  Nolan,  Samuel  Shipley. 
1SG3.— George  A.  Nolan,  Samuel  Shipley,  William  Jones. 
18G4.— Samuel  Shipley,  William  Jones,  II.  Humphreys. 
ISGj.— William  Jones,  H.  Humphreys,  Wm.  L.  Smith. 
ISGG.— H.  Humphreys,  Wm.  L.  Smith,  G.  Roberts. 
1SG7.— AVm.  L.  Smith,  G.  Roberts,  John  Brooks. 
18GS.— G.  Roberts,  John  Bi-ooks,  David  H.  Wakefield. 
1SG9.— John  Brooks,  David  H.  AFakefield,  James  Snyder. 
1870.— David  H.  Wakefield,  J.ames  Snyder,  C.  S.  Sherrick. 
1S71.— James  Snyder,  C.  S.  Sherrick,  David  Newcomer. 
1S72.— C.  S.  Sherrick.  David  Newcomer,  Robert  Hagen. 
1873.— David  Newcomer,  Robert  Hagen,  Isaac  Hurst. 
1874. — Robert  Hagen,  Isaac  Hurst,  Jesse  Reed. 
1875.— Isaac  llui'st,  Jesse  Reed,  James  Cunningham. 
1878.— Geo.-ge  W.  .Shaw,  Thomas  Hazen,  Hugh  L.  Rankin. 


FAYETTE   CIVIL  LIST. 


Clerks  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners. 


Joseph  Trevor,  Jan.  G,   1S21. 
Henry   W.    Beeson,    Jan.    19, 

1821. 
Richard  Bceson,  Jan.  20, 1823. 
J.  B.  Miller,  Oct.  23,  1826. 
William  Gregg,  Nov.  4,  1S27. 
James  Piper,  March  4,  1828. 
Joseph  Giidd,  Oct.  23,  1S3S. 
Rich.  Ilusliins,  Nov.  16,  1842. 
Alex.  MoClean,  Dec.  1,  1S4S. 
Joseph  Gadd,  Jan.  1,  1S5B. 
Geo.  Morrison,  Aug.  27,  1858. 
F.  Reynolds,  Nov.  16,  1863. 
L.  P.  Norton,  April  3,  1866. 
Geo.  Morrison,  Jan.  1,  1874. 


John  Ward,  April  21,  1797. 
Morris  Morris,  J.in.  12.  1798. 
Samuel  Milhous,  Jr.,  Jan.  23, 

1799. 
Charles    Porter,  Jr.,  Jan.   20, 

ISOO. 
Thos.  Mcason,  Nov.  25,  1801. 
A.  Oliphanf,  March  15,  1802. 
Thos.  Meason,  April  30,  1802. 
Jesse  Beeson,   Nov.  23,  1802. 
Morris  Morris,  April  25,  1808. 
John  Roberts,  Oct.  23,  1811. 
Joshua  Hart,  Oct.  18,  1816. 
Isaac  Core,  Dec.  23,  ISIG. 
Bcnj.  Barton,  Oct.  18,  1819. 


County  Treasurkrs." 
Ephrnim  Douglas,  appointed  Oct.  13,  1784. 
James  Allen,  appoinled  1800:  Jan.  22,  1801  ;  1802. 
Christian  T.arr,  appointed  Feb.  3,  1803;  1804. 
Dennis  Springer,  apjiointed  Nov.  26,  1804. 
William  Broivnrield,  appointed  Jan.  9;  1SU8. 
Morris  Morris,  appointed  Jan.  6,  1814. 
Jesse  Beeson,  appointed  Dec.  -9,  1814. 
Thomas  Ilnddon,  appointed  Jan.  2,  1818. 
Dennis  Springer,  appointed  Jan.  1,  1821. 
Joshua  Hart,  appointed  Dec.  22,  1822. 
James  Boyle,  appointed  Jan.  2,  1826. 
Alfred  Meason,  appointed  January  1,  1829. 
George  Meason,  appointed  Aug.  24,  1831. 
AVilliam  Crawford,  appointed  Jan.  2,  1835. 
James  F.  Cannon,  appointed  Jan.  1,  1838. 
John  F.  Foster,  appointed  Jan.  1,  1839. 
William  B.  Roberts,  elected  Oct.  8,  1839. 
Hiram  Seaton,  elected  Oct.  10,  1843;  rc-eleeted  Oc-t.  1 
Nathaniel  Mitchell,   elected  Oct.   12,   1847;  re-elected 

1849. 
Hugh  Espcy,  appointed  Nov.  5,  1850;  elected  Oct.  14, 
Dennis  Sutton, 


4,  1845. 
Oct,  9, 


ippo 


nted  Feb.  28,  1852. 


Joseph  L.  Wylie,  elected  Oct.  11,  1853. 

William  Bradraan,  elected  Oct.  9,  1855. 

Jacob  Crow,  elected  Oct.  13,  1857. 

Isaac  Hurst,  elected  Oct.  11,  1859. 

John  Tiernan,  elected  Oct.  S,  1861 ;  re-elected  Oct.  1.3,  186; 

AVilliam  Darlington,  elected  Oct.  10,  1865. 

William  S.  Strickler,  elected  Oct.  8,  1867. 

Richard  Campbell,  elected  Oct.  12,  1869. 

John  S.  Roberts,  elected  Oct.  10,  1871. 

James  McDonald,  elected  Oct.  14,  1873. 

Justus  Dean,  appointed  to  fill  vacancy. 

Christian  Aries,  elected  Nov.  4,  1875. 

Michael  W.  Franks,  elected  Nov.  5,  1878. 

Registers  of  Deeds,  Recorders  of  Wills,  and  Clerki 

THE  Orphans'  Colrt.2 
Alexander  McCIean,  appointed  Dec.  6,  1783;    Jan.  30,  li 

April  6,  1818;    Feb.  12,  1821;    May  12,  1824;   Dec. 

1826;  Feb.  4,  1830;  Jan.  23,  1833. 
John  KefTcr,  appointed  Jan.  30,  1S34. 
Robert  Barton,  appointed  Jan.  13,  1836. 
James  Piper,  appointed  Feb.  6,  1S39;  elected  Oct.  8,  1839. 


Joseph  Gadd,  elected  Oct.  11,  1842;  Oct.  14,  1845;  Oct.   10, 

1848. 
Peter  A.  Johns,  elected  Oct.  14,  1851. 
John  Collins,  elected  Oct.  10,  1854. 
James  Darby,  elected  Oct.  1.3,  1857;  Oct.  9,  1860. 
George  Morrison,  elected  Oct.  13,  1S63;  Get.  9,  1866. 
Joseph  Beatty,  elected  Oct.  12,  1869;  Oct.  8,  1872. 
John  W.  Darby,  elected  Nov.  2',  1875;  Nov.  5,  1878. 
Charles  D.  Conner,  elected  November,  1881. 

Coroners. 
Henry  Beeson,  appointed  Nov.  21,  1786;  Oct.  25,  1787;    Nov. 

5,  1788;  Oct.  30,  1789. 
Jesse  Beeson,  appointed  Jan.  24,  1812;   April  15,  1815;    Oct. 

29,  1817. 
Robert  D.  Moore,  appointed  Dec.  14,  1820:  March  12,  1824; 

Jan.  22,  1827. 
James  C.  Cummings,  appointed  Nov.  5,  1829  ;  JIarch  12, 1833. 
John  Townsend,  appointed  Nov.  3,  1835. 
H.  C.  Matthews,  appointed  March  12,  1836. 
James  C.  Cummings,  elected  Oct.  12,  1841. 
Robert  M.  Walker,  elected  Oct.  8,  1844. 
Upton  L.  Clemmer,  elected  Oet.  12,  1847;  Oct.  10,  1848. 
James  Brownfield,  elected  Oct.  14,  1851. 
Andrew  Patrick,  elected  Oct.  12,  1852. 
James  Fuller,  elected  Oct.  12,  1858;  Oct.  8,  1861. 
William  H.  Sturgeon,  elected  Oct.  11,  1S6J. 
William  R.  Seman,  elected  Oct.  8,  1S67. 
John  Finley,  elected  Oct.  12,  1869. 
James  C.  Henry,  elected  Oct.  11,  1870. 
James  L.  Trader,  elected  Oct.  10,  1871. 
B.  F.  Brownfield,  elected  Nov.  5,  1874. 
Joseph  T.  Shepler,  elected  Nov.  8,  1877. 
J.  D.  Sturgeon,  elected  Nov.  2,  1880.  ■ 

SURVEVORS.3 

1769-72.— Arcliibald  McClean,   A.   Lane,  Ale.iander  McClean, 

Moses  McClean. 
1772-1828.— Alexander  McClean. 
1828  to  August,  1836.— Freeman  Lewis. 
August,  1836,  to  March,  1837.— William  Griffith. 
June,  1837,  to  November,  1839.— William  Calvin. 
1839  to  March,  1843.— John  I.  Dorsey. 
March,  1843,  to  1850.— James  Snyder. 
James  Snyder,  elected  Oct.  2,  185(1;  Oet.  11,  1853. 
Martin  Dickinson,  elected  Oct.  14,  1850  ;  Oct.  11,  1S59;  Oct.  14, 

1862;  Oct.  10,  1865. 
Andrew  J.  Gilmore,  elected  Oct.  1.3,  1868;  Oct.  10,  1871;  Nov. 

3.  1874. 
Julius  Shipley,  elected  Nov.  8,  1877. 
John  D.  Boyd,  elected  Nov.  2,  1880. 

Auditors. 

The  earliest  official  record  having  reference  to  the 
auditors  of  Fayette  County  is  an  entry  found  in  an 
old  book  in  the  eommissioncrs'  office,  which  a])pears 
to  be  the  first  book  of  their  minutes,  viz. : 

"  Whereas  at  a  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  held  at 
Union  Town  for  the  County  of  Fayette,  the  fourth 


'  Appointed  by  Hie  commissioners  until  1834,  when  the  offlce  I 
elective. 
-  This  office  was  hcia  Ly  appointment  till  1S30,  when  it  tjccamc  ol 


132 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Monday  in  June,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  and  ninety-one,  Before  Edward 
Cook,  Esquire,  President  of  said  Court  and  Associate 
Justices  of  the  same. 

"  Pursuant  to  the  Act  of  Assembly  entitled  An  Act 
to  provide  a  more  eflfectual  method  of  settling  the 
public  accounts  of  the  Commissioners  and  Treasurers 
of  the  respective  counties,  the  court  appointed  Alex- 
ander McClean  and  Nathaniel  Breading,  Esquire,  and 
Presley  Carr  Lane,  Gentleman,  Auditors  for  the  fol- 
lowing year." 

The  following  list  embraces  the  names  of  auditors 
of  Fayette  County  and  the  years  in  which  they  served 
as  fully  as  can  be  ascertained  : 

1792  (nppointcJ  in  .June). — .\lesandcr  McClcan,  Presley  Carr 

Lane.  John  Wilson. 
1793-9.1  (appointed  June  IS).— Samuel  King.  Ale.xandcr  JIc- 

Cioan,  Presley  Carr  Lane. 
1"9S.— Jobn  Lyon,  Alexander  McCIcan.  Jacob  Bowman. 
1799-lSOl.— Jacob  Bowman,  A.  McClean,  Matthew  Gilchrist. 
1S09-10  (elected  October).— Joseph  Torrcnce,  William  Lynn, 

Thomas  Collins. 
1815.- .Matiluu  Cilcliiist.  John  P.oberts.  Thomas  Haddcn. 
1S16.— William  Xutt,  John  Roberts,  Matthew  Gilchri^t. 
1S17.— William  Xutt,  John  Bouvier,  Matthew  Gilchrist. 
ISl 8-19.— Henry  W.  Beeson.  John  Bouvier.  Willium  Ewin,?. 
1S30.— Henry  W.  Beeson,  Andrew  Oliphant,  UMIiani  Ewing. 
1S2I.— Ilonry  W.  n.■.■=...^   V-l  r, „.pi:,.!l,  Willinm  Ewing. 
1S22.— W,1Im:„   !■■,      ,     r  ,•.,.,  ,        ■,  -Mnuel  Cleavinger. 
1S2:!.— AI..1  iH,  I     .        -    .  .    ,  .  Kllis  Bailey. 

1824-2a.-S;m,i,..i  ,',  ,M,,;,  :.  i:  [:,  i;,,|,y,  John  Fuller. 
1S26.— Ellis  Bayky,  .lolm  Fuller,  E.  Douglas,  Jr. 
1827.— E.  Dou-Ias,  Jr.,  Alexander  Clear,  Joshua  Wood. 
1S2S.— Alexanler  Clear.  Joshu  i  Wood,  James  Adair. 
IS29.— Joshua  Wood,  Sqiiir.;  Ayrcs.  Amos  Cooper. 
1S.30.— .Squire  Ayrcs,  Amo-  Cooper.  Jolni  Atliinson. 
IS31.— John  Alkinson,  Il.iiry  Eb.rt,  Itirhard  Taylor. 
1832.- Ri.'liardTaylor,   An.lrew  M-nrr.  W.llinu  -nyder. 
1S33.— Alhlr./w  Mnore.  WiU.inii  Sn  v^lrr.  CI,,!,,,,,!   \\....,1. 


1834.- 


1835.— Clement  Wood.  William  Dryson.  X.  McCormick. 
1836.— William  Bryson,  N.  McCormick,  John  Bufhngton. 
1837.— X.  McCormick,  John  Buffington,  John  Morrison. 
1838.— John  Buffington,  John  Morrison,  William  Bryson. 
1839.— John  Morrison,  William  Bryson,  Benjamin  ILiyden. 
1840.— John  .Morrison.  Bcnjaniin  llayden,  P.  W.  Morgan. 
1841.— Benjamin  llayden.  P.  W.  Morgan,  W.  D.  JIullin. 
1S43.— P.  W.  Mor-;in,  \\  .  I).  Mullin.  John  Gadd. 
1S43.— W.  II.  .Mullin,  .John  Gadd,  Joseph  Krepps. 
]S44.-.lnhn  (lad. I,  .lo-cph  Kn.pps,  S.  P.  Challant. 
lS4,i.— Ilavid  n.yanonn,  S.  P.  Chalfant,  Edward  Hyde. 
1846.-."^.  P.  Ihall.uil,   Ivlward  Ilydc,  P.  A.  Johns. 
1847.— Edward  llyd-,  P.  A.  Johns,  Jacob  Wolf. 
1848.— P.  A.  .lolin-,  .lac  ib  Wolf,  William  Elliot. 
1849.— Jar.d,  Woir,  WUlian,  Elliot,  A.  II.  Pattcrson. 
1850.- Williao,  i;ilh,f,  A.  11.  Pattcrson,  David  Deyarmon. 

1851.- A.  n.  Patf.r- Haiid  Ucyarmon,  John  G.  Ilertig. 

1852.- David  Deyariunii,  J,,l,„  c.  Hertig,  John  W.  Skiles. 
1863.— John  G.  H.rti,.-,  .].,\,n  W .  Skiles,  George  W.  Litman. 
1854.- John  W.  SUilcs.  Gcirgc  \V.  Litman.  Jacob  Newmycr.  Jr 
1855.- George  W.    Litman,    Jacob    Xewmyer,   Jr.,   David    P 


1858.— John  Brooks,  Moses  Hazen,  Charles  G.  Turner. 

1859. — William  Hazen,  Charles  G.  Turner,  Andrew  Fairchild. 

IS60.— Charles  G.  Turner,  Andrew  Fairchild,  Peter  Cunnin- 
I  ham. 

1S61.— William  Hazen,  William  J.  Stewart.  PeterCunningham. 

1802.- John  11.  Bunker,  Peter  Cunningham,  William  J.  Stew- 
art. 

1863.- John  R.  Bunker,  Peter  Cunningham,  Andrew  Stewart, 
i  Jr. 

'    1864.— John  R.  Bunker,  Andrew  Stewart,  Jr..  Job  Strawn. 

1865.- Andrew  Stewart,  Jr.,  Job  Strawn,  H.  L.  Hatfield. 
I   1860.- Job  Strawn,  William  B.  Barris,  D.  W.  C.  Dumbauld. 
i   ]8f,7.— M'illiam   B.   Barris,  D.  W.   C.   Dumbauld,  Thomas  J. 
i  Burton. 

.    1868.— D.  W.  C.  Dumbauld,  Thomas  J.  Burton,  Finley  Cha'.- 
i  fant. 

1868.— Thomas  J.  Burton,  Finley  Chalfant,  Josiah  H.  Miller. 

1870.— Finley  Chalfant,  Josiah  H.  Miller,  George  B.  Clcmmer. 

1871.— Josiah  U.  Miller,  George  B.  Clcmmer,  Matthew  M.  Pat- 


Lut; 


cob  Xewmyer,  Jr.,  David  P.  Luiz,  John  Brooks 
ivil  P.  Lutz,  John  Urooks,  Moses  Hazen. 


1872.- George   B.  Clcmmer,   Matthew  M.   Patte 

Hawkins. 
1873.— Matthew  M.  Patterson,  Stephen   Hawkins,  James   W. 

Porter. 
1874.— Stephen  Hawkins.  Abel  Colley,  Xicholas  McCuIlough. 
j   1875.— Samuel  B.   Rothermcl,   AVilliam   G.  Yard,   George  W. 
I  H  ss. 

1878.— George  W.  MeCray,  George  M\  Kern,  Joseph  .M.  Camp- 
bell. 

JrSTICES   OF    THE    Pe.ICE. 

The  first  two  justices  of  the  peace  in  the  territory 
now  embraced  in  what  is  now  Fayette  County  were 
Capt.  William  Crawford  and  Thomas  Gist,  appointed 
May  23,  1770,  for  Cumberland  County.  Crawford 
Avas  reappointed  for  Bedford  by  Governor  Penn  in 
1771,  and  again  upon  the  erection  of  Westmoreland 
in  1773,  when  he  was  made  presiding  justice,  but  his 
j  commission  was  revoked  in  1775,  on  account  of  his 
having  sided  with  the  partisans  of  Virginia  in  the 
controversy  between  the  States.  Upon  the  erection 
of  Yohogania  County  { Va.),  in  1776,  he  was  appointed 
presiding  justice  in  the  courts  of  that  county. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  justices  of  the  peace 
of  Fayette  County  from  its  erection  till  1790,  with  the 
dates  of  their  commissions : 

John  G.addis,  March  19,  1784.     W.  McClelland,  Aug.  27,  1785. 
Alex.  McClean,       "  "       ,  Edward  Cook,  Nov.  21,  1780. 

James  Finley,         "  "       :  Eph.  Wallers, 

John  Meason,  June  1,  1784.  James  Coyle,  March  31,  I7S7. 

Robt.  Richey,  Scjit.  14,  1784.     '  Jjieob  Stewart, 
Andrew  Uabb,  Jan.  24,  1785.     '  W.  G.  Wilson,  Aug.  25,  1789. 
James  Xcal,  Feb.  5,  1785.  '  Thomas  Gregg,  July  22,  1790. 

H.  McLaughlin,  Feb.  18, 1785.     Abr'm  Stewart,  Aug.  IS,  1790. 
Xath.  Breading,     •' 

Upon  the  division  of  the  county  into  justices' 
districts  in  1803,  the  following  named  were  elected 
justices : 

District  No.  ].— Jonathan  Rowland. 

2.— Robert  Riehey,  Zadok  Springer. 
"         3. — James  Robinson. 
"         4. — Jeremiah  Kendall. 
"         5.— Thomas  Gregg,  Isaac  Rogers,  Wm.  Ewing. 


FAYETTE   CIVIL  LIST. 


District  No.  6.— Hugh  Loughlnn. 
7.— John  Patterson. 
'*         8. — Joseph  Morrison. 
9.— Matthew  Gilchrist. 

10.— William   Boyd,  John   Mcason,  George  J 
thias,  M.athew  Gaut. 
■■       11.— Andrew  Trapi). 
"       12.— John  Potter. 

The  following-named  persons  were  justices  of  the  I 
peace  in  Fayette  County  in  the  year  1808 : 
AVilliam  Boyd,  John  Patterson,  Hugh  Laughlin,  Thomas  Gregg, 
Robert  Hichic,  Jonathan  Rowland,  Matthew  Gilchrist,  An- 
drew Trapp,  Jacob  Bowman,  Josei>h  Morrison,  Isaac  Rog- 
ers, Willi'im  Ewing,  Jeremiah  Kendall,  George  Mathiot, 
Matthew  Gaut,  Zadock  Springer,  James  Robinson,  Robert 
Smith,  Andrew  Oliphant,  John  Wood,  Isaac  Hastings, 
Abraham  Trembley,  AVilliain  Roberts,  Joseph  Lyon,  James 
Wilson,  Hugh  Shotwcll,  James  Cathcart,  James  Francis, 
Elias  Eaylis,  Thomas  Williams,  James  Allen,  David  How- 
ard, Jesse  Evar.s. 

The  names  of  justices  holding  office  after  this  time 
are  given  in  the  histories  of  the  several  townships. 

Justices  of  the  Peace  and  of  the  Court  of  Commox  Pleas. 
At  the  organization  of  the  county  the  justices  of 
the  peace  and  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  resident 
in  the  county  and  appointed  under  the  jurisdiction  of 
Westmoreland  County  were  Philip  Rogers,  Eobert 
Adams,  John  Allen,  Eobert  Ritchie,  and  Andrew 
Rabb.  Appointments  made  from  Oct.  9,  1783,  to 
1791  (at  which  latter  date  "judges  learned  in  the 
law"  were  made  presidents  of  the  court)  were  as 
follows : 


Eph.  Douglass,  Oct.  9,  17S.3. 
Alex.  McClean,  Oct.  31,1783. 
John  Meason,  June  1,  1784. 
Kobt.  Ritchie,  Sept.  14,  1 784. 
Andrew  Rabb,  Jan.  24,  1785. 
Jas.  Neal,  Feb.  5,  1785. 
Hugh  Laughlin,  Nov.  6,  1785. 
Nath'l  Breading,     "  " 

Phesidi-NG  Justices  of  the 


Wm.  McClelland,  Nov.  fi,  '85. 
Edward  Cook,  Nov.  21,  1786. 
Eph.  Walter,         "  " 

Jacob  Stewart,  March  .31,  '87. 
W.  G.  Wilson,  Aug.  25,  1789. 
Thomas  Gregg,  July  22,  1790. 
Abrm  Stewart,  Aug.  IS,  1790. 


QuAiiTEK  Sessions.' 
Philip  Rogers,  December  term,  178:!. 
Philip  Rogers,  March  term,  1784. 
Alexander  McClcan,  June  term,  1784,  to  June,  1785. 
John  Allen,  June  term,  1785. 

Robert  Ritchie,  September,  17S5,  to  December,  17Sfi. 
Alexander  McClean,  December,  178C,  to  June,  17S7. 
Edward  Cook,  June,  1787,  to  June,  1791. 
Associate  Justices. 
nyn.— Nathaniel  Bre.ading  (died  1821). 
1791.— Isaac  Meason  (died  ISIS),  James  Finley  (dice 
1792.— Edward  Cook  (died  ISOS). 
1S21.— Charles    Porter  (held  till   1841,  when    const 
1S.3S2  went  into  effect). 


1  The  senior  justi^ 
as  president  of  the  courts 
tion  Wits  filled  by  "judges 
amier  Addison  was  the  first 

-'  UndiT  the  constitutioi 


of  the  Co. 


riciis  ;i 


1828.- Samuel  Nixon  (held  till  1S41,  when  constitution  of  183S 

went  into  effect). 
1841.- Robert  Boyd,  Eli  Abrams. 
1845.— James  Fuller,  John  Huston. 
1850. — George  Mcason,  John  Dawson. 
1851.- Thomas  Duncan,  John  Brownfield. 
1861.— William  Hatfield,  Alexander  Crow. 
1866.— Provance  MoCormick,  Alexander  Crow. 
1S71.— D.  W.  0.  Dumbauld,  S.amuel  Shipley. 
1876.— D.  AV.  C.  Dumbauld,  Griffith  Roberts.^ 

President  Judges. 

The  office  of  president  judge  of  the  courts  of  this 
judicial  district  has  been  held  by  the  following  resi- 
dents of  Fayette  County,  viz. : 

Nathaniel  Ewing,  1838  to  1848. 

Samuel  A.  Gilmoro,  Feb.  25,  1848,  to  October,  1S61,  and  No- 
vember, 1865,  to  May,  1873. 

John  K.  Ewing,  November,  1864,  to  September,  1865. 

Edward  Campbell,  1S73. 

Alpheus  E.  Willson,  October,  1873  (still  in  office). 

District  Attorneys.* 

1792.— R.  Galbraith,  deputy  attorney-general  under  William 
Bradford. 

1794. — J.  Young,  deputy  attorney-general  under  Jared  In- 
gersoU. 

1795.- R.  Galbraith,  deputy  attorney  general  under  Jared 
Ingcrsoll. 

1801-4.— Thomas  Iladdcn,  deputy  .ittorney-gcner.al  under 
Joseph  McKcan. 

1809-1 1  .—J.  S.  Tarr  (appointed  Feb.  16, 1 809),  deputy  attorney- 
general  under  Walter  Franklin. 

1812-19.— Thomas  Irwin,  deputy  attorney- general  under  Jared 


designated  as  the  . 


Fayette  County  w 
Greene  County  beii 
elhanthp  forty  tho 


1'^  cuuiity  was  entitled 
the  attorney-general 


nie  of  the  organizatio 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1S20-2I.— John    M.    Austin,    deputy    attorney-general    under 

James  Finloy,  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  res- 

Thomas EUier. 

ignation  of  John  Smilie. 

1822.— John  Dawson,  deputy  attorney-general  under  Thomas 

Presley  Carr  Lane  (Speaker),  1807-15. 

Elder. 

William  Davidson,  date  of  election  not  ascertained. 

1824.— James  Piper,  deputy  attorney-general  under  Frederiek 

Daniel  Sturgeon,  elected  in  1825,  and  re-elected  for  next  suc- 

Smith. 

ceeding  three  terms.     Speaker  in  1828. 

1826-29.- Richard    Beeson,    deputy    attorney-general    under 

Solomon  G.  Krepps,  1831-33. 

Frederick  Smith. 

John  A.  Sangston,  1834-37. 

1830.-Ethe:bert  P.  Oliphant,  deputy  attorney-general  under 

William  F.  Coplan,  1S3S-42. 

Samuel  Douglas. 

W.  E.  Frazer,  1855-57. 

lS.31-:'.2.— Joshua    B.  Howell,  deputy    attorney-general    under 

Smith  Fuller,  1861-03. 

Samuel  Douglas. 

ThomasB.Searight,  1867-69. 

JS3.3.— Robert    P.  Flennikin,  deputy    attorney-general    under 

AVilliam  H.  Playford,  1873-75. 

Ellis  Lewis. 

T.  B.  Schnattcrly,  1879-82. 

1S3C.— Rice  G.  IIo))Wood,  deputy  attorney-general  under  James 

Todd. 

Members  of  the  House  of  RErnESENT.iTivES. 

1838-10.— John    L.    Dawson,  deputy   attorney-general    under 

AVilliam  B.  Reed. 

1776,  1782-83.— Alexander  McClean,  for  Westmoreland  County. 

James  A.  Morris. 

17S4-S5,  1786-87.— John  Smilie. 

A.  JI.  Linn. 

1789-90.- Theophilus  Phillips,  John  Gilchrist. 

A.  W.  Barclay. 

Elected. 

1790-91. —James  Finley,  Albert  Gallatin. 

1791-93.— Joseph  Torrencc.  Albert  Gallatin. 

Everard  Bierer.  Oct.  S.  18.50.        Jos.  JI.  Oglevee,  Oct.  13,  18f.8. 

1793.— Joseph  Torrence,  John  Cunningham. 

J.  X.  11.  Patriek,  Uet.  11,  IS.:.:;.     Albert  D.  Boyd,  Oct.  10,  1871. 

1794.— Albert  Gallatin,  John  Cunningham. 

J.  W.Flcnniken.i.i-t.  14.  ls:iC,.      R.  H.  Lindsey,  Nov.  3.  1874. 

1795-97.— John  Smilie,  John  Cunningham. 

W.H.  I'lavfMrd.iiei.  11.  is.v.i.       S.   Leslie    Jlcstrczat,    Nov.  G, 

1797-98.— Joseph  Huston,  John  Cunningham. 

Cha*    i:    Bii\li',  r»(t.  14.  1S(>2.            1877. 

1799.— Presley  Carr  Lane,  John  Cunningham. 

T.  B.  Schnatierly,  Oct.  10,  'bi.     Isaac  h.  Johnson,  Nov.  2, 1880. 

lSOO-2.— Charles  Porter,  John  Cunningham. 

1803.— Charles  Porter,  John  Cunningham,  Samuel  Trevor. 

S,:r,n-:TAKV  of  tiif.  TnEAsmv  (Cnited  Slites). 

1804.— Charles  Porter,  John  Cunningham,  Christian  Tarr. 

Albert  Ualhiliu,  18112-14. 

1805.— Charles  Porter,  William  Boyd  (Speaker),  Christian  Tarr. 

United  States  Senators. 

1806.- Joscjili  Iluslon,  John  Cunningham,' Christian  Tarr. 

Albert  Gallatin.  ]7'.i3-'.)4. 

1807.-Charle3  Porter,  Cliri,tian  Tarr,  Isaac  GrifBn. 

Daniel  Sturgeon.  lS4ll-il. 

ISOS-10.— Samuel  Trevor,  Clnistian  Tarr,  Isaac  Griffin. 

1814.- John  St.  Clair  (Speaker). 

DiuErrnR  OF  United  States  Mint. 

1818.- William  Davidson  (Speaker). 

Daniel  Sturgeon,  lS03-a8. 

IS39.-^-Robert  P.  Flenniken,  William  Andrews. 

United  St.Ues  Minister  to  Denmark. 

1840.— Robert  P.  Flenniken,  John  Fuller. 

Robert  P.  Flennikin,  appointed  bv  President  Polk,  1845. 

1 84 1.— Aaron  Bucher,  John  11.  Deford. 

1842.— John  Morgan,  John  H.  Deford. 

Governor  of  Utah  Territokv. 

1S43-44.— John  Morgan,  James  C.  Cummings. 

Robert  P.  Flennikin.  appointed  by  President  Buchanan,  1857. 

1845.- Robert  T.  Galloway,  Alexander  M.  Hill. 

Members  of  Congress. 

lS46.-John  W.  Philips,  William  Colvin. 

IS47-48.— William  Redick,  William  T.  Roberts. 

JohnSmilie.  17!i3-95.  1790-1812. 
Albert  Gallatin.  170:)-07,  1790-1801. 

1849-50.— James  P.  Downer,  Joseph  E.  Griffin. 
1851.— Peter  U.  Hook,  AlcNandcr  M.  Hill. 

Chri-t.an  ■|:h,.   IM:-L'1. 

Andrcn  Siru.irt.  |sJI-2:;.  1827-29,  1831-35,  1830-49. 

Thoma.-  Irw.n,  ls-j:u:;|. 

1853.- AVilliam  Y.  Roberts,  Abraham  Gallantine. 

1855.— S.  B.  P.age. 
1856.— Peter  A.  Johns. 

1857.— John  Bierer. 

Henry  W .  Boon,  1S41-43. 

John  L.  Dawson,  ls.-,l-55,  180.3-67. 

1858.- Henry  Galley. 
1859-60.— John  Collins. 

Attounev-Geseral  of  Pe.nxsvlvania. 

1861-62.- DanielKaine. 

James  Todd,  Dee.  18,  1835,  to  March,  1833. 

1863-64.- Thomas  B.  Searight. 

1865-66.- Charles  E.  Boyle. 

State  Treasurers. 

1867-68.- William  H.  Playford. 

JohnB.  Trevor,  1820-21. 

1869-70.— Thomas  B.  Schnatterly. 

Daniel  Sturgeon,  1S36-40. 

1871-72.— Samuel  H.  Smith. 

ArDITOR-GENERAL    OF    PeNNSVLTANIA. 

1873.— Jasper  M.  Thompson. 

Daniel  Sturgeon,  .appointed  M.ay  3,  1830;  held  till  May,  1836. 

1874.— Robert  T.  Deyarmon,  James  Darby. 

1876.- Robert  M.  Hill. 

State  Senators.^ 

1878.— Jacob  Proving,  Charles  S.  Seaton. 

John  Smilie,  elected  1790.     In  1792  he  resigned  on  account  of 

ISSO.-Jacob  Provins,  Smith  Buttermore. 

his  election  to  Congress  in  that  year. 

1  No  cunn.lete  li»t  can  be  given  for  the  years  prior  to  1S20,  because  no 

■  For  about  thirty  y«ars  prior  to  this  date  no  election  records  arc  in 

election  records  covering  that  period  are  in  esialciice. 

existence,  therefore  the  list  cannot  be  given  for  IhoBc  jcars. 

COUNTY   SOCIETIES. 


]55 


Mf.mdkiis  Of  TUE  8 

UPREME    EXI- 

Isaac  Meiison,  1783. 

John  Woods,  Nov.  C, 

1784 

John  Smilie,  Nov.  2, 

17SC. 

Nathaniel  Breading, 

Nov. 

9,  17S9. 

Members  of  Constitutiosal 

1776.-Edward  Cook 

Johi 

Cavmichael 

17S9-90.— John  Smilie,  Albert  Gallalin. 

183S.— John  Fuller,  David  Gilmore,  William  L.  Miller. 

Member  op  the  Cou.vcil  ok  Cexsohs.' 
John  Smilie,  elected  1783. 

Member  of  the  Board  of  Propertv. 
Nathaniel  Breading,  appointed  Nov.  1,  1790. 

Commissioner  of  Exchange. 
Edward  Cook,  aiipointed  April  5,  1779. 

Cor.NTV    LlEUTE.VAXTS.' 

I  Edward  Cook,  Jan.  5,  1782. 
!  Eobert  Beall,  Feb.  19,  1784. 
I  Joseph  Torrcnce,  Sept.  3,  1789. 

I  SlTB-LlEUTENAXTS. 

Edward  Cook,  March  21,  1777,  Westmoreland. 

Edward  Cook,  June  2,  1780,  AVcstmorcltind. 

Alexander  MoClean,  Jan.  5,  1782,  Westmoreland. 
'  Agent  for  Forfeited  Estates. 

I  Ephraim  Douglass,  March  14,  1789. 

Collectors  of  Excise. 

Joseph  Douglass,'  Dec.  12,  17Sfi. 

Benjamin  Wells,  1792-04. 

COUNTY  MEDICAL  SOCIETIES. 
In  the  Genius  of  Libcrtij  oi  Oct.  18,  1809,  occurs 
the  earliest  mention  of  a  medical  society  in  Fayette 
County.  It  is  an  article  addressed  to  physicians,  and 
closes  as  follows :  "And  for  that  purpose  the  members 
of  the  Union  Medical  Society  and  other  practition- 
ers who  as  yet  have  not  had  an  opportunity  of  be- 
coming members  are  requested  to  attend  at  the  house 
of  Mr.  James  Gregg,  in  Uniontown,  on  Tuesday,  the 
Ttli  day  of  November,  at  11  o'clock  a.m.  ;"  dated  Oct. 
5,  1809.  No  account  is  found  of  the  meeting,  nor 
any  I'urther  knowledge  of  the  society  obtained,  except 
that  in  the  following  year  there  was  published  in  the 
«ame  newspaper  "A  schedule  of  compensations  ad- 
judged by  the  committee,  members  of  the  Union 
Medical  Society,  which  may  be  due  for  medical  ser- 
vice, etc.,  followed  by  the  prices  as  established  by 


1  The  duty  of  the  Council  of  Censors  was  to  inquire  and  usrertain 
wliellior  the  constitution  had  "been  preserved  inviolate  in  every  part;'' 
vliether  it  was  perfect  in  all  its  parts,  or  reiiuiriug  amendment;  also  to 
review  the  decisions  of  the  judges  of  the  courts. 

2  The  oBice  uf  county  lieuleimnt  existed  in  Pennsylvania  from  1770 
to  1790.  It  carried  with  it  the  title  of  colonel,  and  gave  to  the  persun 
lioldiug  it  the  command  of  the  militia  and  the  management  of  the  mili- 
tary fiscal  affiiirs  of  the  county. 

3  On  the  7th  of  April,  1785,  'William  Gralinm  was  nppoin:cJ  collector 
of  e.xcise  lor  Westmorelaud,  Washingtuu,  an  ,   \.,y\\- ik-s.    His 

was  one  of  the  first  causes  out  of  which  (.T"  !       "  I    -ur-ction. 

John  Cruig  succeeded  him,  and  his  coni:iii-M  n  ^^,l-  m    .  Ltd  Dec.  12, 
nsij. 


the  fee  bill,  and  signed  by  Robert  D.  Moore,  Lewis 
Sweitzer,  and  Lewis  Marchand,  committee,  with  date 
of  Sept.  1,  1810. 

The  Fayette  County  Medical  Association  was 
formed  at  a  meeting  of  physicians  of  the  county, 
held  for  that  purpose  at  the  Town  Hall  in  Union- 
town,  June  25,  1844.  The  physicians  present  were 
Drs.  Campbell,  Stanley,  Johnston,  Thompson,  Rob- 
erts, Worrak,  Miller,  Fleming,  Jones,  Lindley,  Rob- 
inson, Post,  Fuller,  Neff,  Penny,  Marchand,  Lafferty, 
Fitter,  Mathiot,  and  Shugart.  Dr.  Abraham  Stanley 
was  made  chairman,  assisted  by  Drs.  Lindley  and 
Campbell,  which  last-named  gentleman  delivered 
the  address.  Dr.  Smith  Fuller  and  Dr.  H.  F.  Rob- 
erts reported  a  constitution  and  by-laws,  which  were 
adopted  by  the  meeting  and  subscribed  by  the  fol- 
lowing-named physicians,  viz. :  Hugh  Campbell,  A. 
H.  Campbell,  Smith  Fuller,  H.  F.  Roberts,  and  D.  H. 
Johnston,  of  Uniontown  ;  Lutellus  Lindley,  Connells- 
ville ;  Abraham  Stanley,  Bridgeport ;  James  Thomp- 
son, New  Geneva;  W.  L.  Laflerty,  Brownsville; 
Lewis  Marchand,  near  Brownsville;  T.  A.  Shugart 
and  James  Robinson,  Perryopolis;  C.  B.  Fitter  and 
PI.  B.  Mathiot,  Smithfield;  Jacob  Post,  New  Salem; 
F.  H.  Fleming,  Cookstown  ;  G.  W.  Nelf,  Masontown  ; 
J.  Penny,  McClellandtown ;  and  J.  R.  Worrak  and 
J.  H.  Miller,  of  Washington  County. 

The  association  was  organized  with  the  following- 
named  officers : 

President,  Dr.  Hugh  Campbell. 

Treasurer,  Dr.  Smith  Fuller. 

Corresponding  Secretary,  Dr.  A.  H.  Campbell. 

Recording  Secretary,  Dr.  H.  F.  Roberts. 

Meetings  were  held  in  August  and  November  of 
that  year,  but  the  association  appears  to  have  been 
short-lived,  for  the  last  record  of  it  is  dated  Dec.  19, 
1844. 

The  present  medical  society  of  the  county  was 
formed  at  a  meeting  of  physicians  held  for  the  pur- 
pose at  Brownsville,  May  18,  1869.  There  were  pres- 
ent Drs.  J.  S.  Van  Vuorhecs,  W.  H.  Sturgeon,  H.  F. 
Roberts,  W.  P.  Duncan,  S.  A.  Conklin,  J.  B.  Ewing, 
Knox,  and  Hazlctt.  A  committee,  composed  of  Drs. 
Duncan,  Ewing,  Conklin,  and  Sturgeon,  reported  a 
constitution  (based  on  that  of  the  Alleglicny  County 
Medical  Society),  and  -ium  d  by  the  |iliy,-i(i;iiis  above 
named,  with  the  a.lditi..n  ..f  V.  (J.  l!..l.iii-..,ii  and  B. 
F.  Conklin.  The  first  officers  of  the  society  were  W. 
P.  Duncan,  jircsident;  J.  S.  Van  Voorhees,  vice- 
president  ;  J.  B.  Ewing,  recording  secretary  ;  H.  F. 
Roberts,  corresponding  secretary;  and  W.  H.  Stur- 
geon, treasurer. 

At  the  meeting  held  in  July  following  the  consti- 
tution was  signed  by  Drs.  Lindley,  Fuller,  Groonet, 
Phillips,  Rogers,  Patten,  Mathiot,  Carey,  Fiiiley,  and 
Eastman.  Additions  to  the  roll  of  the  society  were 
made  at  subsequent  times  as  follows: 


15G 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


October,  1870.— Drs.  George  V/.  Neff,  James  Sloan, 
S.  B.  Chalfant,  John  Davidson. 

Jan.  .3,  1871.— Dr.s.  Sangston  and  Porter. 

April  4,  1871.— Dr.  Smith  Buttermore. 

Jan.  2,  1872.— Dr.  J.  J.  Singer,  Connellsville. 

April  2,  1872.— Dr.  W.  C.  Byers,  Belle  Vernon. 

Oct.  1,  1872.— Drs.  Isaac  Jackson  and  B.  Shoe- 
maker, of  Brownsville. 

April  1,  1873.— Dr.  Strickler. 

Oct.  8,  1873.— Dr.  L.  Lindley,  Connellsville. 

Jan.  2,  1877. — Dr.  John  Hankins,  Uniontown. 

July  3,  1877. — Drs.  Richard  Shipler  and  Johnston. 

Oct.  2,  1877.— Dr.  J.  R.  Nelin,  Brownsville. 

Jan.  8,  1878. — Dr.  Nelson  Green,  New  Geneva,  and 
Dr.  L.  S.  Gaddis,  Uniontown. 

April  1,  1879.— Drs.  J.  M.  Gordon,  J.  M.  Gordon, 
Jr.,  and  Smith  Fuller,  Jr. 

June  4,  1881.- Dr.  J.  V.  Porter. 

The  officers  of  the  society  for  1881  are  : 

President,  Dr.  J.  B.  Ewing  ;  Vice-President,  Dr. 
John  D.  Sturgeon,  Jr. ;  Recording  Secretary,  Dr. 
John  Hankins ;  Assistant  Secretary,  Dr.  W.  S.  Dun- 
can ;  Treasurer,  Dr.  L.  S.  Gaddis ;  Censor,  Dr.  F.  C. 
Robinson;  Delegates  to  State  Medical  Convention, 
Drs.  Robinson,  Green,  Duncan,  Clark,  and  Sturgeon, 
Jr. ;  Delegates  to  National  Medical  Association,  Drs. 
Van  Voorhees,  Robinson,  and  Duncan. 

COUXTY    AGRICrLTUR.\L    SOCIETIES. 

The  existence  of  a  society  for  the  promotion  of 
agriculture  in  Fayette  County  sixty  years  ago  is 
proved  by  an  entry  in  the  records  of  the  commis- 
sioners of  date  Sept.  2,  1822,  at  which  time  the  board 
"issued  $150  to  Hugh  Thompson,  treasurer  of  the 
Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Agriculture  and  Domestic 
Manufactures  in  Fayette  County,  which  sum  the  said 
society  are  entitled  to  receive  out  of  the  county  treas- 
ury agreeably  to  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly 
passed  March  0,  1820." 

The  Brownsville  Wesferii  Reghtrr  of  March  10, 
1823,  contains  an  advertisement  by  the  secretary  of 
the  a.i;ricultural  s.jcicly.  Col.  Samuel  Evans,  announ- 
cing the  preiiiiunis  to  \n-  awarded  at  the  exhibition  of 
t'.iat  year.  It  was  reijuircl  that  "articles  must  have 
been  manufactuicd  in  Fayette  County,  otherwise 
they  are  not  entitled  to  preniiaiiis."  This  is  the  latest 
notice  of  or  reference  to  this  old  society  which  has 
been  found. 

In  1852  an  HLirirultuial  association  was  formed  in 
Jefferson  towii-liip,  and  a  fair  was  held  on  the  farm  of 
Robert  Elliott.  Altcrwards  Mr.  'Williani  Colvin,  of 
Redstone,  and  citizens  of  Brownsville  and  Luzerne 
township  became  interested,  and  formed  the  project 
to  organize  a  county  association,  which  was  accom- 
plished, and  its  first  exhibition  was  held  on  the  form 
of  Eli  Cope,  Esq.,  near  Brownsville.  Associations 
were  soon  after  formed  at  Fayette  City  and  Connells- 
ville.    The  people  of  Uniontown  became  awakened, 


and  the  project  was  conceived  to  form  a  society,  with 
headquarters  and  grounds  at  the  county-seat.  The 
proposition  was  made  to  the  Brownsville  society,  and 
was  concurred  in  by  a  number  of  its  officers  and  mem- 
bers. In  1857  or  '.58  a  lot  of  about  twenty  acres  of 
land  was  secured  in  a  favorable  location,  suitable 
buildings  and  a  large  number  of  stalls  for  stock  were 
erected,  and  a  half-mile  track  graded.  Here  several 
exhibitions  were  held,  but  the  breaking  out  of  the 
war  of  the  Rebellion  overshadowed  everything  not 
pertaining  to  its  prosecution,  and  led  to  the  abandon- 
ment of  this  enterprise. 

About  1869  a  society  known  as  the  Fayette  County 
Agricultural  and  Mechanical  Association  was  formed,  , 
which  located  its  grounds  above  Brownsville,  on  the  ' 
farm  of  William  Britton,  where  the  necessary  build- 
ings were  erected,  fences  built,  and  a  track  graded,  , 
involving  an  expenditure  of  some  thousands  of  dol- 
lars.    The  first  exhibition  of  the  association  was  held  \ 
here  in  1869,  and  several  were  held  afterwards,  but 
no  permanent  success  resulted,  and   the   enterprise 
languished  and  finally  failed. 

The  Fayette  County  Agricultural  Association  was 
chartered  July  21,  1879,  with  E..  B.  Dawson,  Robert 
Hogsett,  William  Beeson,  Joseph  M.  Hadden,  and 
John  Snider,  charter  members.  In  the  spring  of  the 
same  year  an  arrangement  was.  made  with  Monroe 
Beeson,  administrator  of  the  estate  of  Rachel  Skiles, 
deceased,  for  a  tract  of  about  twenty-nine  and  a  half 
acres  of  land,  which  was  deeded  to  the  association  in 
November  of  the  same  year.  An  additional  lot  of 
land  adjoining  the  first  named,  and  containing  two 
and  three-fourths  acres,  was  purchased  of  William 
H.  Sembower,  and  conveyed  to  the  association  by 
deed  dated  Oct.  5,  1879. 

The  fair-grounds,  embracing  these  two  tracts,  are 
located  on  the  west  side  of  the  track  of  the  Southwest 
Pennsylvania  Railroad,  about  five-eighths  of  a  mile 
north  of  Uniontown.  On  these  grounds  suitable 
buildings  and  stalls  were  erected,  a  tract  graded  in  the 
best  manner,  and  the  whole  well  inclosed  by  a  sub-  ■ 
stantial  fence,  the  total  cost  being  about  $10,000. 
Within  this  inclosure  the  first  fair  of  the  association 
was  held  iu  the  fall  of  1879,  with  favorable  financial 
result.  At  the  fair  of  1880  there  were  five  hundred 
and  sixty  entries  in  the  agricultural  department  alone, 
and  the  aggregate  receipts  of  the  exhibition  were 
about  $2600.  If  the  interest  which  has  already  been 
awakened  among  the  people  continues  to  increase  In 
the  same  ratio  as  hitherto,  the  prospects  of  the  asso- 
ciation are  excellent  for  the  future.  Further  improve- 
ments iu  the  grounds  are  in  contemplation,  and  when 
these  are  completed  as  proposed,  they  will  hardly  be 
inferior  to  the  grounds  of  any  similar  association  in 
the  State  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  present  (1881)  officers  of  the  association  are 
Jas])er  M.  Thompson,  president ;  A.  C.  Nutt,  trea.s- 
urcr ;  and  John  K.  Ewing,  secretary. 


THE    AVIIISKEY  INSURRECTION. 


157 


CHAPTEE   XV. 

THE   WHISKEY    IXSURRECTIOX. 

"  The  Whiskey  Insurrection"  is  a  term  which  has 
been  usually  applied  to  a  series  of  unlawful  and  vio- 
lent acts  committed  (principally  in  1794,  but  to 
some  extent  in  previous  years)  by  inhabitants  of  the 
counties  of  Washington,  Allegheny,  Westmoreland, 
and  Fayette.  These  illegal  and  insurrectionary  acts 
embraced  an  armed  resistance  on  several  occasions  to 
the  execution  of  certain  State  and  national  laws  im- 
posin;;  an  excise  tax  on  distilled  spirits  and  stills 
used  for  the  manufacture  of  such  spirits,  a  measure 
which  was  generally  and  peculiarly  obnoxious  to  the 
people  of  these  counties,  particularly  because  they 
regarded  it  as  calculated  to  bear  with  especial  and 
discriminating  severity  on  the  industries  of  this  sec- 
tion as  compared  with  other  parts  of  the  country. 

The  first  excise  tax  imposed  in  the  province  of 
Pennsylvania  was  that  authorized  in  an  act  of  As- 
sembly passed  March  IC,  1684,  entitled  "  Bill  of  Aid 
and  Assistance  of  the  Government." '  As  it  was  found 
to  be  objentionable  to  the  sense  of  the  people,  that 
part  of  the  bill  relating  to  the  collection  of  excise 
duties  was  repealed  soon  afterwards,  and  no  similar 
legislation  was  had  for  more  than  half  a  century.  In 
1738  the  provincial  Assembly  passed  "An  act  for 
laying  an  excise  on  wine,  rum,  brandy,  and  other 
spirits,"-  but  this,  like  its  predecessor  of  1684,  was 
received  with  such  unmistakable  disfavor  that  it  re- 
mained in  force  only  a  few  months  from  the  com- 
mencement of  its  operation.  Again,  in  May,  1744, 
the  Assembly  renewed  the  measure,  "  for  the  pur- 
pose of  providing  money  without  a  general  tax,  not 
only  to  purchase  arms  and  ammunition  for  defense, 
but  to  answer  such  demands  as  might  be  made  upon 
the  inhabitants  of  the  province  by  his  Majesty  for 
distressing  the  public  enemy  in  America."^  This 
enactment  remained  in  operation  but  a  short  time. 
Another  excise  law  was  passed  in  1756,  but  failed  of 
execution ;  then  for  nearly  sixteen  years  the  people 
of  Pennsylvania  were  undisturbed  by  governmental 
attem)pts  to  collect  impost  duties  on  spirits. 

In  1772  the  subject  came  again  before  the  Assam-  I 
bly,  and   as   a  measure  of  revenue  a  new  act  was 
piisiied*  levying  a  duty  on  domestic  and  foreign  dis- 
tilled spirits.     At  first  this  law  was  not  executed  in  I 
reference  to  domestic  liquors,  nor  was  there  any  en-  | 
ergetic  attempt  made  for  that  purpose,  particularly  in  [ 
the  old  counties  of  the  province ;  but  after  Pennsyl- 
vania became  a  State,  and  her  necessities  were  greatly 
increased  by  the  Revolutionary  war,  then  in  progress, 
the  law  was  put  in  execution,  and  a  very  consider- 
able revenue  obtained  in  that  way,  the  measure  being 
at  that  time  the  less  obnoxious  because  patriotic  men 
were  opposed  to  the  consumption  of  grain  in  distilla- 

1  Votes  of  AESombly,  i.  20.  2  DiiUas,  i.  203. 


tion  at  a  time  when  every  bushel  was  needed  for  the 
subsistence  of  the  troops  in  the  field,  fighting  for  lib- 
erty. A  large  part  of  the  proceeds  collected  at  that 
time  was  appropriated  to  the  "depreciation  fund," 
created  in  this  State  (as  in  others,  in  pursuance  of  a 
resolution  passed  by  Congress  in  1780;  for  the  pur- 
pose of  giving  to  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary army  an  additional  compensation,  a  measure 
which  was  manifestly  just  and  necessary,  because  the 
value  of  their  pay  had  been  greatly  lessened  by  the 
depreciation  of  the  Continental  currency. 

After  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  laws  imposing 
excise  duties  on  distilled  spirits  remained  on  the 
Pennsylvania  statute-books  until  1791,  but  they  were 
not  generally  enforced,  and  were  exceedingly  unpop- 
ular, especially  in  the  western  and  southwestern  por- 
tions of  the  State.  During  the  period  mentioned 
(some  seven  or  eight  years  prior  to  their  repeal  in 
1791),  though  the  excise  laws  of  the  State  were  by 
no  means  generally  enforced,  the  collection  of  the 
revenue  tax  on  spirits  was  several  times  attempted, 
but  never  successfully  executed  in  the  southwestern 
counties.  Such  an  attempt  was  made  in  Fayette, 
Westmoreland,  and  Washington  Counties  in  the  year 
1786,  and  the  consequences  resulting  to  an  excise 
officer  in  the  last-named  county  are  shown  in  a  letter 
written  by  Dorsey  Pentecost'"'  to  the  Executive  Coun- 
cil of  Pennsylvania,  as  follows: 

"  WASjiiNGrgN  Cuu.vrv,  ICtli  Apr.l,  17SC. 

"  Gextlejiex  : 

"  About  ten  days  ago  a  Mr.  Graham,  Excise  officer 
for  the  three  western  Counties,  wa^,  in  the  exercise  of 
hisoflice  in  this  County,  seized  liy  a  iiuiuliriof  People 
and  Treated  in  the  following  maniRi-,  vi/. :  His  Pis- 
tols, which  he  carried  before  him,  taken  and  broke  to 
pieces  in  his  presence,  his  Commission  and  all  his 
papers  relating  to  his  Ofiice  tore  and  thrown  in  the 
mud,  and  lie  rnrciMl  ..r  maile  to  >tainp  (in  them,  and 
Imprecak-  .airsrs  ..n  himsrlf,  tlir  ( 'MmmisMr.n,  and  the 
Authority  that  -avr  it  to  liim:  tiny  tluMi  cut  oil'  one- 
half  his  hair,  rurd  tliuotlici'  half  oii  on,-  si.le  of  liis 
Head,<-utu:l'thr  (;.H-lo.f  hi.  Hat,  ami  mad,-  hiiu  wi-ar 
it  in  a  lonn  to  rrwlw  lii>  ( ■„,.  tlir  uuM  Conspiru.uis  ; 
this  with  luaiiy  otlua-  marks  of  Ignominy  they  Im- 
jios'do]!  liim.ami  to  which  lie  was  obliged  to  submit; 
and  in  the  aliove  plii:lit  they  marched  him  amidst  a 
Crowd  from  the  frontiers  ,,r  this  County  to  Westmore- 
land County,  calling  at  all  the  ^lill  llou-e-in  their 
way.  where  they  were  Treated  (iratis,  and  expos'd 
him  to  rvory  Insult  and  mockery  that  their  Invention 
loiihl  coiitnve.  They  set  him  at  Liberty  at  the  en- 
trance ot'  Westmoreland,  but  with  Threats  of  utter 
Desolutioii  >honl.l  he  dare  to  return  to  our  County. 

"This  llamlittie  1  am  told  denounces  distruction, 
vengeance  aguiii.,t  all  manner  of  People  who  dare  to 
oppose  or  even  ganesay  this  their  unparrelled  beha- 


158 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


vior,  and  that  they  will  support  every  person  con- 
cerned against  every  opposition.  I  suppose  they  de- 
pend on  their  numbers,  for  I  am  told  the  Combination 
is  large. 

"  1  have  thought  it  my  duty  as  a  good  citizen  to 
give  your  Honorable  Board  information  of  this  match- 
less and  daring  Insult  offered  to  Government,  and  the 
necessity  there  is  for  a  speedy  and  Exemplary  pun- 
ishing being  inflicted  on  those  atrocious  offenders,  for 
if  this  piece  iifcimduct  is  lightly  looked  over,  no  Civil 
officer  will  111-  siile  in  the  Exerciseof  his  duty,  though 
some  Gontkiiiei)  with  whom  I  have  conversed  think 
it  would  be  best,  and  wish  a  mild  prosecution;  for  my 
part  I  am  of  a  different  opinion,  for  it  certainly  is  the 
most  audacious  and  accomplished  piece  of  outragious 
and  unprovoked   Insult   that  was  ever  offered  to  a  i 
Government  and  the  Liberties  of  a  free  People,  and  : 
what  in  my  ojnnion  greatly  agrivates  their  Guilt  is 
that  it  was  not  done  in  a  Gust  of  Passion,  but  cooly, 
deliberately,  and    Prosecuted  from  day  to  day,  and  I 
tiicre  appears  such  a  desolute  and  refractory  spirit  to  j 
pervade  a  Certain  class  of  Peojile  here,  particularly  ] 
those  concerned  in  the  above  Job,  that  demands  the  ^ 
attention  of  Government,  and  the  most  severe  pun-  j 
ishment. 

"  I  am  not  able  to  give  the  names  of  all  concerned, 
nor  have  I  had  an  ri]ipoitunity  of  making  perticular 
enquiry,  but  have  received  the  aforegoing  informa- 
tion from  different  pe<>|.lcnn  whom  I  can  rely,  neither 
do  I  think  they  have  as  many  Irieiids  as  they  >npii<}se, 
or  would  wish  to  make  the  i.uKlic  believe.  I  have  it 
not  in  my  Power  at  this  time  to  lie  as  full  and  ex- 
plicit as  I  could  wish  on  this  subject,  as  I  have  but 
Just  time  to  hurry  up  this  scrawl  while  the  carrier  is 
waiting. 

"  I  am,  Gentlemen, 

with  the  highest  Esteem  and  Respect, 
your  most  obdt,  very  Humble  Servt. 
"  DoRSEY  Pentecost.'' 
"  His  Excellency  The  President 
and  ^Members  of  the  Supreme 
Executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania. 

"  P.S. — I  have  just  snatched  as  much  time  as  to 
write  a  short  note  to  the  Chief  Justice  on  the  above 
subject." 

The  Mr.  Graham  referred  to  in  the  above  letter  was 
the  exci-e  nlliccr  for  the  district  comprising  Wash- 
ington, WotiiH  ivlaiid,  aii.l  r:iy,'tte.  Nothing  ap- 
pears to  -how  that  111'  \va-  >iniihirly  iiialtreated  in  the 
two  latter  counties,  but  the  iml.lic  feeling  in  tliem,  if 
less  aggrc- ive,  was  ,.,ually  .Icterniined  against  the 
excise,  and  no  collections  were  made  by  tlie  officers 
in  this  district  under  the  State  law  during  its  con- 


Upon  the  adoption  of  the  Federal  Constitution,  it 
became  necessary  to  provide  ways  and  means  to  sup- 
port the  government,  to  pay  just  and  pressing  Revo- 
lutionary claims,  and  sustain  the  army,  which  was 
still  necessary  for  the  protection  of  the  frontier  against 
Indian  attack.  "  The  duties  on  goods  imported  were 
very  far  from  adequate  to  the  wants  of  the  new  gov- 
ernment. Taxes  were  laid  on  articles  supposed  to  be 
the  least  necessary,  and,  among  other  things,  on  dis- 
tilled liquors,  or  on  the  stills  with  which  they  were 
manufactured."  At  the  suggestion  of  Alexander 
Hamilton,  then  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  a  bill  was 
framed,  among  the  provisions  of  which  was  the  impo- 
sition of  an  excise  duty  of  four  pence  per  gallon  on 
all  distilled  spirits.  This  bill  was  passed  by  Congress, 
March  3,  1791,  against  the  strong  opposition  of  many 
members,  among  the  most  determined  and  energetic 
of  whom  was  the  representative  of  this  district,  Wil- 
liam Findley,  of  Westmoreland.  Albert  Gallatin  and 
John  Sniilie,  both  men  of  the  highest  prominence  and 
residents  of  Fayette  County,  were  among  the  strongest 
opponents  of  the  measure,  though  not  advocates  of 
forcible  resistance  to  its  execution. 

It  was  argued  that  the  "law  of  1791  bore  more 
heavily  and  unjustly  on  the  interests  of  the  region 
west  of  the  AUeghenies  than  on  those  of  any  other 
part  of  the  Union.  Here  a  principal  product  of  the 
farmers  was  rye.  For  this  there  was  little  home  de- 
mand, and  it  could  not  be  transported  across  the 
mountains  at  a  profit,  except  in  the  form  of  whiskey. 
"  A  horse  could  carry  but  four  bushels,  but  he  could 
take  the  product  of  twenty-four  bushels  in  the  shape 
of  alcohol.  Whiskey,  therefore,  was  the  most  import- 
ant item  of  remittance  to  pay  for  their  salt,  sugar, 
and  iron."-     As  a  result  of  these  peculiar  circum- 

"Section2.  Provided iihvajs, .  .  .  Thnt  nolliingliorein  cnntriiiiedsliiill 
be  deemed  or  cuiistnied  to  prevent  the  recovery  of  all  such  duties  utioii 
ttie  ?aid  .irliLles  as  are  now  due  to  the  Coliinionvvealth,  nor  to  release  or 
tai,.'  a\\;ty  :iM\  f.Mteitnre  or  penalty  wliii-h  any  pei-son  or  persons  may 

r,  uti  HI',  uiiijiiiitced.  or  which  may  be  commenced  in  consequence  Ihero- 
i.f,  may  I..'  iiiMs,.-i:uted  to  as  full  effect  as  if  such  acts  or  parts  thereof 


growing  rich  by  III.  I    -     :     i      .....:  I  1      1  ■  .town  the 

in  possr-ssion  of  tlie  Spaiiioli.  Tlic  IViiglit  on  a  barrel  of  Hour  to  I'hila- 
delpliia  was  us  much  as  it  would  bring  in  that  market.  •  Wheal,*  says 
the  Rev,  Dr.  Carnalian, '  was  so  plentiful  and  of  so  little  value  that  it 
w.is  a  conimon  practice  to  grind  that  of  the  best  quality  and  feed  it  to 
tlie  cattle;  while  rye,  corn,  and  barley  would  bring  no  price  as  fond  for 
man  or  beast,*    The  only  way  left  for  the  inlnibitants  to  obtain  a  little 


i.tliir 


titles 


4 


THE  WHISKEY   INSUKRECTION. 


153 


stimces,  tlicrc  w;is  in  this  soclion  a  greater  number  of 
stills  and  a  larger  amount  of  whiskey  manufactured 
than  in  any  other  region  of  the  same  population  in 
any  part  of  the  country.     "  There  were  very  few  or  j 
111)  large  manufactories  where  grain  was  bought  and  \ 
v:\>U  i)aid.     There  was  not  capital  in  the  country  for  1 
that  purpose.     In  some  neighborhoods  every  filth  or 
sixth  farmer  was  a  distiller,  who  during  the  winter 
season  manufactured  his  own  grain   and  that  of  Jiis 
neighbors  into  a  portable  and  saleable  article."     And  1 
thus  the   people  thought   "  they  foresaw  that  what  | 
little   money  was  brought  into   the  country  by  the  j 
sale  of  whiskey  would  be  carried  away  in  the  form  of 
excise  duties."'  1 

In  these  western  counties  a  large  proportion  of  the 
inhabitants  were  Scotch-Irish,  or  of  that  descent,  a  i 
people  whose  earlier  home,  or  that  of  their  fathers, 
liad  been  beyond  the  sea,  in  a  land  where  whiskey 
was  the  national  beverage,  and  where  excise  laws  and  j 
excise  officers  were  regarded  as  the  most  odious  of  all  1 
the  measures  and  minions  of  tyranny.     "They  also  ! 
remembered  that  resistance  to  the  Stamp  Act   and 
duty  on  tea  at  the  commencement  of  the  Revolution 
began  by  the  destruction  of  the  tea  and  a  refusal  to 
use  the  royal  stamps ;  that  the  design  was  not  to  break 
allegiance  to  the  British  throne,  but  to  force  a  repeal  i 
of  these  odious  laws.     They  were,  almost  to  a  man, 
enemies  to  the  British  government,  and  had  contri-  i 
buted  their  full  proportion  in  service  in  establishing 
the  independence  of  America.     To  them  no  other  tax  | 
of  equal  amount  would  have  been  half  so  odious."  j 
It  can  scarcely  be  wondered  at  then  that  among  a 
people  holding  such  opinions  the  measure  was  re- 
garded as  a  most  unjust  and  oppressive  one,  nor  that 
the  more  hot-headed  and  turbulent  ones  freely  and 
fiercely  announced  their  determination  to  oppose  its 
execution  even  to  the  extremity  of  armed  resistance 
to  the  government. 

This  rebellious  sentiment  was  so  wide-spread,  so  : 
unmistakable  in  its  character,  and  indicated  by  such 
open  threats  of  violence  to  any  officers  who  might  be 
hardy  enough  to  attempt  the  collection  of  the  excise 
duty,  that  it  became  difficult  to  find  any  proper  person 
■  willing  to  take  the  risk  of  accepting  the  office  of  chief 
inspector  of  the  Western  District.  The  position  was  : 
finally  accepted  by  Gen.  John  Neville,-  of  Allegheny 


1  Address  of  Rov.  Dr.  CaniahHti. 

"  "  In  order  to  alliiy  opposition  as  far  as  possible,''  saj's  Judge  Wilke- 
son,  "Gen.  Jidiii  Neville,  a  man  of  tlio  most  deserved  popularity,  was 
appointed  to  the  iiispectorsliip  for  Western  Pennsylvania,  lie  accepted 
tlie  appointment  from  a  sense  of  duty  to  liis  country.  He  was  one  of  tlie 
few  men  of  great  weullii  who  liad  put  his  al]  atliazardfor  independence. 
At  liis  own  expense  lie  raised  and  equipped  a  company  of  soldiers,  marched 
them  to  Boston,  and  placed  them,  with  his  son,  under  the  command  of 
Gen.  Washington.  He  was  brolher-in-Iaw  to  the  distinguished  Gen. 
Slorgan,  aud  father-iu-Iaw  to  Blaja.  Craig  and  Klrkpatrick,  •officers 
higlily  respected  in  the  western  country.  Besides  Gen.  Neville's  claims 
as  a  soldier  and  a  patriot,  he  had  contributed  greatly  to  relieve  the  suf- 
ferings of  the  settlers  in  his  vicinity.  He  divided  his  last  loaf  with  the 
needy;  and  in  a  seiison  of  more  than  ordinary  scarcity,  as  soon  ^s  his 
wheat  was  snIBcienlly  matured  to  be  converted  into  food,  he  op'^ned  his 


County,  a  man  who  iibove  nearly  all  others  was,  on 
account  of  his  great  personal  popularity  and  unques- 
tioned honesty  and  patriotism,  the  proper  man  for  the 
place.  But  the  confidence  and  respect  of  his  fellow- 
citizens  proved  insufficient  to  screen  him  from  their 
insults  and  violence  when  against  these  was  weighed 
the  fact  that  he  had  accepted  an  office  the  duties  of 
which  obliged  him  to  attemjit  llio  execution  of  a  law 
which  they  detested. 

The  popular  excitement  increased  rapidly,  the  spirit 
of  resistance  became  more  determined,  and  soon  found 
expression  in  a  public  act  which  may  be  said  to  have 
marked  the  commencement  of  the  famous  "  Whiskey 
Insurrection."  This  w.is  a  preliminary  meeting  held 
in  Fayette  County,  at  Eedstone  Old  Fort  (Browns- 
ville), on  the  27th  of  July,  1791,  composed  of  people 
opposed  to  the  execution  of  the  law.  At  this  meeting 
it  was  concerted  that  county  committees  should  be 
formed  in  each  of  the  four  counties  of  Fayette,  West- 
moreland, Washington,  and  Allegheny,  to  meet  at  the 
respective  county-seats  and  take  measures  looking  to 
a  common  end, — successful  resistance  to  the  operation 
of  the  law.  These  committees  were  formed  accord- 
ingly, and  the  temper  aiid  ideas  of  the  men  composing 
them  may  be  judged  from  the  proceedings  had  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Washington  County  Committee,  held 
at  the  county-seat  on  the  23d  of  August,  on  which 
occasion  resolutions  were  passed  to  the  effect  that  any 
person  who  had  accepted  or  might  accept  an  office 
under  Congress  in  order  to  carry  the  excise  law  into 
effect  should  be  considered  inimical  to  the  interests 
of  the  country,  and  recommending  to  the  people  of 
their  county  to  treat  every  person  who  had  accepted, 
or  might  thereafter  accept,  any  such  office  with  con- 
tempt, and  absolutely  to  refuse  all  kind  of  communi- 
cation or  intercourse  with  him,  and  to  withhold  from 
him  all  aid,  support,  or  comfort.  These  resolutions 
were  printed  in  the  Pitfsbimjh  Oaze/le,  the  proprietor 
of  which  paper  would  doubtless  have  feared  the  con- 
sequences of  a  refusal  to  publish  them  if  he  had  been 
so  disposed. 

Each  of  the  four  county  committees  deputed  three 
of  its  members  to  meet  at  Pittsburgh  on  the  first  Tues- 
day of  September  following,  for  the  purpose  of  ex- 
pressing the  sense  of  the  people  of  the  four  counties  in 
an  address  to  Congress  "  upon  the  subject  of  the  excise 
law,  and  other  yrkvancrs."  The  meeting  of  delegates 
was  held  at  Pittsburgh,  as  appointed,  on  the  7th  of 
September,  1791,  on  which  occasion  (according  to  the 
minutes  of  the  meeting)  "the  following  gentlemen 
appeared  from  the  counties  of  Westmoreland,  Wash- 
ington, Fayette,  and  Allegheny,  to  take  into  consid- 
eration an  act  of  Congress  laying  duties  upon  spirits 


fields  to  those  who  i 


citizens.    The  first  : 


.  He  entered  upon 
(<nt  among  the  most 
n  force  the  law  were 


IGO 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


distilled  within  the  United  States,  passed  the  3d  of 
March,  1791. 

"For  Westmoreland  County:  Xeheniiah  Stokely 
and  John  Young,  Esqs. 

"  For  Washington  County :  Col.  James  Marshal, 
Rev.  David  Phillips,  and  David  Bradford,  Esq. 

"For  Fayette  County:  Edward  Cook,  Nathaniel 
Bradley  [Breading],  and  John  Oliphant,  Esqs. 

"For  Allegheny  County:  Col.  Thomas  Morton, 
John  Wond.s,"E>.|',  and  William  Flumer,  Esq. 

"Edward  C'»ik,  K-,|..  was  voted  in  the  chair,  and 
John  Young  ai.i".iiitfd  seiTitary." 

The  meeting  then  proceeded  to  [lass  a  series  of 
resolutions,  censuring  the  legislation  of  the  late  Con- 
gress, especially  the  obnoxious  excise  law,  which  they 
characterized  as  "a  base  ofl'spring  of  the  funding 
system,  .  .  .  being  attended  with  infringements  on 
liberty,  partial  in  its  operations,  attenilcd  with  gieat 
expense  in  the  collection,  and  liable  tn  niucli  mIuhi." 
and  declaring  that  "  it  is  insulting  to  thr  r,rUii-~  ni  the 
people  to  have  their  vessels  marked,  lioii~(.s  |iMinlcd 
and  ransacked,  to  be  subject  to  infornu'r-.  jaiiiiiij-  Ky 
the  occasional  delinquency  of  others.  It  i- a  l^nl  pii_- 
cedent,  tending  to  introduce  the  excise  laws  ol  (ireat 
Britain,  and  of  cnuntries  where  the  liberty,  property, 
and  even  the  morals  of  the  peoitle  are  s]iorted  with,  to 
gratify  particular  men  in  their  ambitions  and  inter- 
ested measures."  The  meeting  also  adopted  a  renidu- 
strance  to  "be  presented  to  the  Legislature  nf  IV-nn- 
sylvania,"  and  further  "  7?' -■/'■,, /,  That  the  f>rei:..ing 

presented  to  the  Legislature  of  the  United  States." 
An  address  was  al-o  ad  i}. ted,  which,  together  with 
the  proceedings  ot'  thr  day,  was  ordered  to  be  printed 
in  \\\c  I'itti'buriilt  (Jn:,<t:\  and  the  meeting  then  ad- 
journed. 

In  reference  to  this  meeting  at  Pittsburgh,  and 
others  of  similar  character,  ^slw  Hamilton,  Secretary 
of  the  Trca-urv.  said  that,  bein-  "  .•oniposed  of  very 
influential  individuaK,  and  conducted  without  mod- 
eration or  prudence,"  they  were  ju<tly  chargi-alile 
with  the  excesses  which  were  afterwards  committed, 
serving  to  give  consistency  to  an  (qipo^ition  which  at 
length  matured  to  a  degree  that  threatened  the  foun- 
dations of  the  government. 

On  the  (;th  of  September,  the  day  before  the  meet- 
ing of  the  conunittees'  delegates  at  PittslinrL'h,  the 
opposition  to  the  law  broke  out  in  an  a' t  of  .,|.,ii  vio- 
lence, said  to  have  been  the  tirst  of  the   Vu\i\  < i- 

mitted  in  the  western  counties.  At  a  i>lair  luar 
Pigeon  Creek,  iu  Washington  C-iUnty,  a  party  of  imai, 
armed  and  disguised,  waylaid  Kobert  Johnson  (col- 
lector of  revenue  for  Allegheny  and  Washington  ),  cut 
olf  his  hair,  stripped  him  of  lii^  clothin-,  tarred  and 
feathered  him,  and  took  away  hishor-e,  "  obliginghim 
to  travel  on  fo,)t  a  eon-iderable  distance  in  that  morti- 
fying and  painl'ul -itn.iiioii."  The  case  was  brought 
before  tlic  Li.^tiiet  ( 'ourt,  out  of  which  processes  issued 
a-ainst  John  Kobertson,  John  Hamilton,  and  Thomas 


I  JlcComb,  three  of  the  persons  concerned  in  the  out- 
rage. The  serving  of  these  processes  was  confided  by 
the  then  marshal,  Clement  Biddle,  to  his  deputy,  Jo- 
seph Fox,  who  in  the  month  of  October  went  into  Al- 
legheny County  for  the  purpose  of  serving  them  ;  but 
he  was  terri  fied  by  the  "  appearances  and  circumstances 
which  lie  observed  in  the  course  of  liis  joyruey,"  and 
therefore,  instead  of  serving  them  himself,  sent  them 
forward  under  cover  by  a  private  messenger.  The 
marshal  (Mr.  Biddle),  in  his  report  of  this  transaction 
to  the  district  attorney,  said,  "  I  am  sorry  to  add  that 

I  he  [the  deputy,  Fox]  found  the  people  in  general  in 
the  western  part  of  the  State,  particularly  beyond  the 
Allegheny  Mountains,  in  such  a  ferment  on  account 

'  of  the  act  of  Congress  for  laying  a  duty  on  distilled 
spirits,  and  so  much  opposed  to  the  execution  of  said 
act,  and  from  a  variety  of  threats  to  himself  personally 
(although  he  took  the  utmost  precautious  to  conceal 
his  errand),  that  he  was  not  only  convinced  of  the  im- 
possibility of  serving  the  process,  but  that  any  attempt 
to  effect  it  would  have  occasioned  the  most  violent 
op]iosition  from  the  greater  part  of  the  inhabitants, 
and  he  declares  that  if  he  had  attempted  it  he  be- 
lici-es  he  iroiild  nni  have  reiurited  alive.     I  spared  no 

'  expense  or  pains  to  have  the  process  of  the  court  ex- 

1  ceuted,  and  have  not  the  least  doubt  that  my  deputy 
would  have  accomplished  it  if  it  could  have  been 
done." 

In  Fayette  County  the  collector  of  revenue,  Benja- 
min Wells,  was  subjected  to  ill  treatment  on  account 
of  his  official  position.  That  Mr.  Wells  was  pecu- 
liarly unpopular  among  the  people  of  his  district  ap- 
pears from  the  letters  of  Judge  Alexander  Addison,' 
and  from  other  sources,  and  he  was  afterwards  several 
times  maltreated,  and  his  house  sacked  and  burned. 
These  acts  were  done  in  1793  and  1794,  but  the  first 
instance  of  abuse  to  him  appears  to  h.ave  occurred  in 

I  the  fall  of  1791,  as  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in 
his  report  to  the  President,  after  narrating  the  cir- 
curnstances  of  the  attack  on  Robert  Johnson,  in 
AVashington  County,  on  the  Gth  of  September,  con- 
tinues :  '■  Mr.  Johnson  was  not  the  only  olficer  who, 
.ihnnt  flir  s,ime  period,  experienced  outrage.  Mr. 
Well  \  collector  of  the  revenue  for  Westmoreland  and 
Fayette,  was  also  ill  treated  at  Greensburg  and  Union- 
town.  Nor  were  the  outrages  perpetrated  confined  to 
the  officers,  they  extended   to   private   citizens  who 


1  Jiulgo  AddiE 


Iilrossed  to  Governor  Slifflin  (Pa.  Ar- 
i<l.  "  lienj.iiiiili  "Wells,  so  fiir  as  I  have 
iil.Tiiplilili'  iind  unworthy  man,  wlioni, 
i\  \MiiiM  never  wish  to  see  in  any  office 
i  .M;,iHc"    Bnt  it  should  I'e  reniarlied 


i  Wells. 


THE  WHISKEY   INSURRECTION. 


101 


only  dared  to  show  their  respect  for  the  hiws  of  their 
country." '  j 

Another  outrage  was  committed  in  AVasliington 
County,  in  the  month  of  October  of  the  same  year, 
on  the  person  of  Robert  Wilson,  who  was  not  an  ex- 
cise officer,  but  a  young  schoolmaster  who  was  look- 
ing for  employment,  and  carried  with  him  very 
reputable  testimonials  of  his  character."  -  It  was 
supposed  that  lie  was  a  little  disordered  in  his  intel- 
lect, and  having,  unfortunately  for  himself,  made 
some  inquiries  concerning  stills  and  distillers,  and 
acted  in  a  mysterious  manner  otherwise,  he  was  sus- 
pected of  being  in  the  service  of  the  government. 
On  this  account  he  "  was  pursued  by  a  party  of  men 
in  disguise,  taken  out  of  his  bed,  carried  about  five 
miles  back  to  a  smith's  shop,  stripped  of  his  clothes, 
which  were  afterwards  burnt,  and  having  been  inhu- 
manly burnt  in  several  places  with  a  heated  iron,  was 
tarred  and  feathered,  and  about  daylight  dismissed, 
naked,  wounded,  and  in  a  very  pitiable  and  suffering 
condition.  These  particulars  were  communicated  in 
a  letter  from  the  inspector  of  the  revenue  of  the  17th 
of  November,  who  declared  that  he  had  then  himself 
seen  the  unfortunate  maniac,  the  abuse  of  whom,  as 
he  e.xpressed  it,  exceeded  description,  and  was  suffi- 
cent  to  make  human  nature  shudder.  .  .  .  The 
symptoms  of  insanity  were  during  the  whole  time  of 
intlicting  the  punishment  apparent,  the  unhappy 
sufferer  displaying  the  heroic  fortitude  of  a  man  who 
conceived  himself  to  be  a  martyr  to  the  discharge  of 
some  important  duty."^  For  participation  in  this 
outrage  Col.  Samuel  Wilson,  Samuel  Johnson,  James  1 
Wright,  William  Tucker,  and  John  Moffit  were  in- 
dicted at  the  December  Sessions,  1791 ;  but  before  the 
offenders  were  taken  upon  the  process  of  the  court,* 
the  victim,  Wilson  (probably  through  fear  of  further 
outrage),  left  that  part  of  the  country,^  and  at  the 
June  Sessions,  1792,  the  indicted  persons  were  dis- 
charged. 

The  demonstrations  above  mentioned  comprise  all 
of  the  more  notable  acts  of  violence  which  were  done 
in  these  counties  by  the  opponents  of  the  law  during 
the  first  year  of  its  existence.  On  the  8th  of  May, 
1702,  Congress  passed  an  act  making  material  changes 
in  the  excise  law,  among  these  being  a  reduction  of 
about  one-fourth  in  the  duty  on  whiskey,  and  giving 
tlie  distiller  the  alternative  of  paying  a  monthly  in- 
stead of  a  yearly  rate,  according  to  the  capacity  of 
his  still,  with  liberty  to  take  a  license  for  the  precise 


1  Pii.  Archives,  2d  Series,  vol.  iv.  p.  S8. 

!  Letter  of  James  Brison,  of  Allegliony,  to  Governor  Mifflin,  J:\ted 

IV.  9,  1792.— Pa.  Archk-ei,  2cl  Series,  vol.  iv.  pp.  44,  4.3. 

1  Report  of  the  Secret.lly  of  tlie  Treasury  ;  Pa.  Archives,  2d  Sei  i(  s,  vol. 

*  Pa.  Archives,  Brison's  letter,  before  quoted. 

^  '*  Tlie  audacity  of  the  perpetrators  of  these  excesses  was  so  great  that 
armed  banditti  ventured  to  seize  and  curry  off  two  pei-sons  who  were 
tnepses  against  the  riotei-s  in  ihe  case  of 'Wilsou,  in  order  to  prevent 
eir  giving  testimony  of  the  riot  to  a  court  then  sitting  or  about  to 
."—Almnukr  llnmiUoii  to  Prcsklent  WiiMiiglm  ;  Pii.  Jrch  ,  iv.,  p.  SO. 


term  which  he  should  intend  to  work  it,  and  to  renew 
that  license  for  a  further  term  or  terms.  This  pro- 
vision was  regarded  as  peculiarly  favorable  to  the 
western  section  of  the  State,  where  very  few  of  the 
distillers  wished  to  prosecute  their  business  during 
the  summer.  "The  effect  has  in  a  gre.it  measure," 
said  Hamilton,  in  1794,  "  corresponded  with  the  views 
of  the  Legislature.  Opposition  has  subsided  in  sev- 
eral districts  where  it  before  prevailed,"  and  it  was 
natural  to  entertain,  and  not  easy  to  abandon,  a  hope 
that  the  same  thing  would,  by  degrees,  have  taken 
place  in  the  four  western  counties  of  the  State." 

But  this  hope  was  not  realized.  The  modifications 
made  in  the  law,  favorable  as  they  had  been  thought 
to  be  to  the  western  counties,  did  not  produce  acqui- 
escence and  submission  among  the  people  of  this  sec- 
tion. On  the  21st  and  22d  days  of  August  next  fol- 
lowing the  passage  of  the  modified  law  there  was 
held  at  Pittsburgh  "  a  Meeting  of  sundry  Inhabitants 
of  the  Western  Counties  of  Pennsylvania,"  the  pro- 
ceedings of  which  plainly  indicated  that  the  ieeling 
of  opposition  had  not  been  lessened,  but  rather  inten- 
sified. At  that  meeting  there  were  present  the  fol- 
lowing-named delegates  from  the  western  counties, 
viz.:  Edward  Cook,  Albert  Gallatin,  John  Smilic, 
Bazil  Bowel,  Thomas  Gaddis,  John  McClellan,  John 
Canon,  William  Wallace,  Shesbazer  Bentley,  Benja- 
min Parkinson,  John  Husy,  John  Badollet,  Joh;i 
Hamilton,  Neal  Gillespie,  David  Bradford,  Rev. 
David  Phillips,  Matthew  Jamison,  James  Marshall, 
James  Robinson,  James  Stewart,  Robert  MeClurc, 
Peter  Lyie,  Alexander  Long,  and  Samuel  Wilson. 
The  persons  composiiiLr  ihi--  iiiiMtiiii;  were,  in  general, 
men  of  ability  and  iiilluinrc,  ami  in  this  particular 
the  Fayette  delegation  iciniiiiri-inu-  the  first  six  named 
in  the  above  list)  surpassed  those  from  the  other 
counties. 

The  meeting  was  organized  by  the  choice  of  Col. 
John  Canon  as  chairman,  and  Albert  Gallatin,  of 
Fayette  County,  as  clerk.  The  subject  of  the  excise 
law  was  then  "  taken  under  consideration  and  freely 
debated  ;  a  committee  of  five  members  was  appointed 
to  prepare  a  draft  of  Resolutions  expressing  the  sense 
of  the  Meeting  on  the  subject  of  said  Law;"  and  on 
the  second  day  the  resolutions  were  reported,  de- 
bated, and  adopted  unanimously.  After  a  preamble 
denouncing  the  excise  law  as  unjust  in  itself,  opprcs» 
sive  upon  the  poor,  and  tending  to  Iiriug  imnic'diate 
distress  and  ruin  on  the  western  country,  and  dcchir- 
iug  it  to  be  their  duty"  to  persist  in  remonstrances  to 
Congress,  and  every  other  legal  measure  to  obstruct 
the  operation  of  the  law,  the  resolutions  proceeded, 
first,  to  appoint  a  committee  to  prepare  and  cause  to 
be  presented  to  Congress  an  .address,  stating  objec- 
tions to  the  law,  and  praying  for  its  repeal ;  secondly, 

'Opposition  to  the  law  of  1791  was  violent,  not  only  in  the  "four 
western  counties"  of  Fayette,  Westmoreland,  Washington,  and  Alle- 
gheny, b\it  also  in  several  other  counties  of  the  State,  notably  Chest(  r, 
Bedford,  Bucks,  and  Northumberland. 


162 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


to  appoint  committees  of  correspondence  for  Wash- 
ington, Fayette,  and  Alleglieny,  charged  with  the 
duty  of  corresponding  together,  and  with  such  com- 
mittee as  should  be  appointed  for  the  same  purpose 
in  Westmoreland,  or  with  any  committees  of  a  simi- 
lar nature  from  other  parts  of  the  Union.  The  com- 
mittees appointed  for  this  purpose  for  the  three  coun- 
ties named  were  composed  of  the  following-named 
persons,  viz. :  Thomas  Gaddis,  Andrew  Rabb,  John 
Oliphant,  Robert  McClure,  James  Stewart,  William 
Wallace,  John  Hamilton,  Sliesbazer  Bentley,  Isaac 
Weaver,  Benjamin  Parkinson,  David  Redick,  Thomas 
Str)kcly,  Stephen  Ga|:ien,  Joseph  Vanmeter,  Alexan- 
der Long,  William  Whiteside,  James  Long,  Benjamin 
Patterson,  Samuel  Johnston,  William  Plummer,  and 
Matthew  Jameson. 

The  final  declaration  of  the  meeting  was  to  tlie 
effect  that,  "  Whereas,  some  men  may  be  found 
amongst  us  so  far  lost  to  every  sense  of  virtue  and 
feeling  for  the  distresses  of  this  country  as  to  accept 
ofiices  for  the  collection  of  the  duty,  Resolved,  there- 
fore, that  in  future  we  will  coii-Mii-  siirli  [icrsons  as 

dealings  willi  tliein ;  u'UIidrau:  from  thciii  e eery  assist- 
ance, and  withhold  all  the  comforts  of  life  tohich  depend 
upon  those  duties  that  a^  men  and  fellow-citizens  we  owe 
to  each  other;  and  upon  all  ofri<in„s  t,-::,if  f hem  with 
that  contempt  they  deserve ;  and //i  ii  it  In-  n-nl  it  in  hereby 
most  earnestly  recommended  to  tin  pr^.p^  ,ii  l^irije  tofol- 
loir  the  same  line  of  conduct  Ininiiul.^  fin m." 

It  is  difficult  to  undiTstaml  Imw  men  of  character 
and  good  standing,  such  as  were  a  niajnrity  of  those 
composing  the  Pittsburgh  meeting,  could  have  given 
their  assent 'to  the  passage  of  these  extreme  resolu- 
tions. They  were  aimed  in  a  general  way  (as  appears 
on  their  face)  at  all  wlm  might  be  even  remotely  con- 
cerned on  the  siile  nf  tlju  gnvernment  in  the  collection 
of  the  revenue,  but  in  particular,  and  more  than  all, 
at  Gen.  J..I111  Xcvillr.  a-ainst  wli.ini  no  rliarge  could 
be  broiiul.t.  .x.-.-pt  that  he  liad  <larud  to  aexept  in- 
spectorship (if  thr  'Western  Revenue  District. 

A  lew  <lays  L.-lDie  the  holding  of  the  Pittsburgh 
mectini;.  an  iiu'.raL;e  had  been  committed  upon  Capt. 
William  faulkiiei-.  ,>f  the  United  States  army,  who 
had  permitted  his  Inane  in  Washington  (.'.unity  U>  be 
used  as  an  in-peeti..n-(,lliee.  lieing  out  in  pursuit  of 
deserters  in  the  same  nei-hliorhood  where  Johnson 
was  maltreated  in  the  |)ieviiius  autumn,  he  was  en- 
countered by  a  iiunilier  c,|'  disguised  men,  who  re- 
jjroached  hihi  with  liaviiiL'  let  liis  house  to  the  govern- 
ment officers,  drew  a  knife  on  him,  threatened  toscalp 
him,  tar  and  feather  him,  and  burn  his  house  if  he 
did  not  solemidy  jiromise  to  prevent  all  further  use 
of  it  as  an  inspection-office.  He  was  induced  by 
their  threats  to  make  the  promise  demanded,  and  on 
the  21stof  August  gave  public  notice  in  the  Pitt-^hiiryh 
Gazette  that  the  office  of  the  inspector  should  no 
longer  be  kept  at  his  house. 

On  receiving  intelligence  of  this  occurrence,  as  also 


of  the  proceedings  of  the  Pittsburgh  meeting,  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Treasury  reported  the  facts  to  President 
j  Washington,  wdio  thereupon,  on  the  15th  of  Septem- 
j  her,  1792,  issued  a  proclamation  admonishing  all  per- 
I  sons  to  refrain  and  desist  from  all  unlawful  combina- 
tions and  proceedings  whatsoever  having   for  their 
;  object,  or  tending,  to  obstruct  the  operation  of  the 
laws,    declaring  it  to  be  the  determination  of    the 
government  to  bring  to  justice  all  infractors  of  the 
law,  to  prosecute  delinquents,  to  seize  all  unexcised 
spirits  on  their  way  to  market,  and  to  make  no  pur- 
j  chases  of  spirits  for  the  army  except  of  such  as  had 

paid  the  duty. 
I  A  supervisor  of  the  revenue  was  sent  into  the 
western  counties  immediately  afterwards  to  gain  ac- 
curate information  of  and  report  on  the  true  state  of 
affiiirs;  but  his  mission  "had  no  other  fruit  than  that 
of  obtaining  evidence  of  the  persons  who  composed 
the  meeting  at  Pittsburgh,  and  two  of  those  who  were 
understood  to  be  concerned  in  the  riot  [against  Capt. 
Faulkner],  and  a  confirmation  of  the  enmity  which 
certain  active  and  designing  leaders  had  industriously 
infused  into  a  large  proportion  of  the  inhabitants, 
not  against  the  particular  laws  in  question  only,  but  of  a 
more  ancient  date  against  the  government  of  the  United 
States  itself"  '■ 

In  the  following  April  (1793)  a  party  of  men,  armed 
and  disguised,  made  an  attack  upon  the  house  of  Ben- 
jamin Wells,  who  was  then  collector  of  revenue  for 
Fayette  and  Westmoreland  Counties.  His  house, 
which  stood  on  the  west  side  of  the  Youghiogheny 
River,  opposite  the  present  borough  of  Connellsville, 
was  visited  in  the  night  by  these  rioters,  who,  having 
forced  an  entrance,  finding  that  Wells  was  absent, 
contented  themselves  with  threatening,  terrifying, 
and  abusing  his  family,  without  proceeding  to  any 
further  outrage.  Warrants  for  the  apprehension  of 
several  of  these  rioters^  were  issued  by  Justices  Isaac 
Meason  and  James  Finley,  and  placed  in  the  hands 
of  the  sheriff  of  Fayette,  Joseph  Huston,  who,  how- 
ever, refused  or  neglected  to  serve  them,  and  was 
therefore  indicted  in  the  Circuit  Court. 

A  second  attack  was  made  on  the  house  of  Wells, 
the  collector,  in  the  night  of  the  22d  of  November  by 
a  body  of  men  all  armed  and  in  disguise.^  They  broke 
and  entered  the  house,  and  demanded  a  surrender  of 
the  officer's  commission  and  official  books,  and  upon 


upon  tlie  house  of  a  collector  of  tlio  revenue  in  F.iyetto 

County;  pr. 

cesse.s  issued  against  tliein  also  to  brins  tlii-m  to  liial,  a 

.1  if  guilty,  t 

pniiislmient."— Ho.n.Vfoi.  lo  Presid  ii(  WuMiialou,  Aufj.5, 

1794;  Pa.  A 

f.,j).  100. 


THE    WHISKEY    IxXSUllIlECTION. 


1G3 


his  refusal  to  deliver  them  up  they  threatened  him, 
with  i)istols  presented  at  his  head,  and  swore  that  ifhe 
(lid  not  comply  they  would  instantly  put  him  to 
death.  By  this  means  they  forced  him  to  surrender 
his  books  and  commission,  and  not  content  with  this, 
the  rioters,  before  they  left  the  premises,  compelled 
Wells  to  promise  that  he  would,  within  two  weeks, 
publish  his  resignation.  It  does  not  appear,  however, 
that  Wells  did  resign  his  office  at  that  time,  for  he 
certainly  held  it  in  the  following  year,  and  was  then 
an  object  of  peculiar  hatred  to  the  opponents  of  the 
law.' 

"At  last  March  [1794]  Court,  in  Fayette  County," 
said  Judge  Addison,  "  in  a  publick  company  at  din- 
ner in  the  tavern  where  I  lodged,  some  of  the  most 
respectablegentlemenof  that  county,  and  most  strenu- 
ously opposed  to  the  Excise  law,  proposed  that  a 
meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  county  should  be 
called,  in  which  it  should  be  agreed  that  they  would 
all  enter  their  stills,  provided  Benjamin  Wells  was 
removed  from  office,  and  some  honest  and  reputable 
man  appointed  in  his  stead.  I  will  not  say  that  these 
are  the  words,  but  I  know  it  is  the  amount  of  the 
conversation."  This  was  written  by  the  judge  in  a 
letter  addressed  to  Governor  Mifflin,  dated  Washing- 
ton, May  12, 1794.^  In  a  reply  to  that  letter,  written  by 
Secretary  Dallas,^  on  behalf  of  the  Governor,  he  says, 
"  The  truth  is  that  such  general  dissatisfaction  has 
been  expressed  with  respect  to  Wells  that,  for  the  sake 
of  the  western  counties,  as  well  as  for  the  sake  of  the 
General  Government,  it  was  thought  advisable  to 
transmit  all  the  information  that  could  be  collected 
on  the  subject  to  the  President,  and  the  extract  from 
your  letter  .  .  .  made  a  part  of  the  documents." 

Finally,  about  the  1st  of  July,  1794,  the  rioters  de- 
stroyed Wells'  house  and  forced  him  to  vacate  his 
office,  the  circumstances  being  as  follows  :  The  ex- 
cise-otfice  for  Westmoreland  County  had  been  opened 
in  the  house  of  Philip  Eeagan,  whereupon  an  attack 
was  soon  after  made  upon  it  by  the  insurgents.  This 
attack  had  been  expected  by  the  owner  of  the  house 
(Reagan),  who  had  accordingly  prepared  for  it  with 
a  guard  of  two  or  three  armed  men.  When  the  as- 
sailing-party  approached  they  were  fired  on  by  Rea- 
gan's party,  among  whom  was  John  Wells,'  son  of 

1  "Andrew  Robb  [liiiM.].  a  .lnsli:-(.  nf  tho  pc:u<%  stau.ls  ilinigcil  li.v  in- 

with  having  ofFeri'fl   I  i        :    I        ;       i  I       ,~     c   .ri, 

tliG  infornmtion  I'f  t)i,' -ii.l  ( '  ii..imi         /-     i •  .-.,,.,,/    ,,^,, 

2S8;  Lellerof  Aleimi.hr  lluinlloit  l„  7V.m.!™(  W„>hi,„jl.in. 

2  Pil.  Alcll.,  iv,,  p.  03. 

3  Ibiil,  p.  04. 

*  In  tlic  nccounts  which  havu  bpou  ns^l.^lly  given  cf  thi<  .iffnir,  .T..hM 
"Wells  has  been  nientiuned  as  tlie  collector  for  W'fstiiiinrl.unl,  .unl  iljc 

time  of  the  final  abandonment  of  ]te;)gan'&  Iiouso  u-  :iii  .  \.- Hi.  r  ;,.; 

being  in  the  month  of  .Tune;  bnt  both  those  stalpnirnr,  .,   .    ,ii.|,t ,,,  ,,1 

by  the  report  oC  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  Ti.  -i  I    ,'  w  i-:,m.    i    i, 

ilatril   Aug.5,1794  (Pa.  Archives,  2.1  series,  iv.,  «n.   i        ',     '.    >, 

"  .Tune  being  the  month  for  receiving  annual  entri.-' >:    ■ 

were  used  lo  open  offices  in  Westmoreland  and  W.l-Im  i,_-r  .',,  ^^^     .    n 

had  bilherto  been  fviund  impracticable.    With  mucli  |iali]s  ami  .1  Iflcully 


Benjamin  Wells,  of  Fayette,  and  deputy  collector 
under  him.  The  fire  was  returned,  but  without 
effect  on  either  side.  Then  the  party  set  fire  to 
Reagan's  barn,  and  having  burned  it  to  the  ground, 
moved  off  without  making  further  depredation.  In 
a  day  or  two  a  much  larger  party  of  assailants 
(numbering  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  men)  ap- 
peared at  Reagan's,  and  he,  knowing  the  folly  of 
attempting  to  resist  so  large  a  force,  and  wishing 
to  avoid  the  shedding  of  blood,  consented  to  capit- 
ulate, provided  they  would  give  him  assurances 
that  they  would  not  destroy  his  property  nor  abuse 
him  or  his  family.  This  was  agreed  to,  with  the  con- 
dition that  his  house  should  no  more  be  used  as  an 
excise-office,  and  that  John  Wells  should  agree  and 
promise  never  again  to  act  as  an  officer  for  the  collec- 
tion of  the  excise  duty.  The  stipulations  were  reduced 
to  writing  and  signed  by  the  jjarties.  The  house  was 
then  thrown  open,  and  Eeagan  produced  a  keg  of 
whiskey,  from  which  he  "treated"  the  assailants. 
But  after  they  had  drank  the  whiskey  they  began  to 
grow  more  belligerent,  and  some  of  them  said  that 
Reagan  had  been  let  off  altogether  too  easily,  and 
that  he  ought  to  bo  set  up  as  a  target  to  be  shot  at. 
Some  of  them  proposed  that  he  be  tarred  and  feath- 
ered, but  others  strongly  ojiposed  this,  and  took  Rea- 
gan's part,  saying  that  he  had  acted  in  a  fair  and 
manly  way,  and  that  they  were  bound  in  honor  to 
treat  him  well  after  having  agreed  to  do  so  as  a  con- 
dition to  the  surrender.  Then  they  drank  more 
whiske>and  fell  to  quarreling  among  themselves,  and 
the  proposition  was  made  to  "  court-martial"  Reagan, 
and  to  inarch  him  to  the  house  of  Benjaniin  Welh, 
in  Fayette  County,  and  try  them  liotli  to^rllier.  This 
suggestion  was  immediately  acted  on,  and  the  paily 
iiioveil  towards  Struart's  Cn.-in--,  taking  Keagan 
with  iheiii.  Aniviii-at  W.l Uli. .ii-c  they  found  that 
111-  was  aliseiit,  and  in  llnir  di-a|.|iniiitiiient  and  anger 


on  his  return,— a  design  which  they  effected  in  the 
following  morning.  On  making  him  prisoner  they 
demanded  of  him  that  he  resign  his  commission  as 
collector,  and  pioiiiise  to  accept  no  office  under  the 
excise  law  in  tlic  fauire.  These  demands  were  made 
as  the  eundilidns  du  which  his  life  and  safety  de- 
pinded.  He  accepted  them  and  submitted  to  all 
their  requirements,  upon  wdiich  they  desisted  from 
all  further  ill  treatment  and  liberated  him.  This 
was  the  end  of  his  career  as  an  excise-officer.  He 
afterwards  removed  to  the  other  side  of  the  river  (at 
Connellsville)  and  made  his  residence  there. 


164 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Soon  after  the  destruction  of  Wells'  house  by  the  | 
insurgents,  a  United  States  officer  came  into  Fayette 
County  to  serve  proecises  against  a  number  of  non- 
foniplyinn-  distillers,  and  also  against  Robert  Smilie 
and  Jcilin  M.eCullocii,  two  persons  charged  with  par- 
tiei|iatioii  in  the  riotous  attack  on  the  house  of  Col-  i 
lector  Wrlls  ill  thr  previous  November.  "The  mar-  ! 
shal  of  the  ili-tii.t."  said  Secretary  Hunilton,'  "went 
in  person  tn  snvc  these  processes.  He  executed  liis 
trust  witliout  interruption,  though  under  many  dis- 
couraging rircuinstauces,  in  Fayette  County;-  but 
while  he  was  in  the  execution  of  it  in  Allegheny 
County,  h.ini:-  then  accompanied  by  tin-  ins|ieitor  of 
the  rcvcnnr  liUjn.  Xeville),  to  wit,  on  tlir  l-',tli  ..fJuly 
last  1 17V4  I,  he  was  beset  on  the  mad  by  a  party  of  from 
thirty  to  forty  armed  men,  wlm  al'tur  nun  li  irregularity 
of  conduct  hnally  tired  on  him,  Imt,  as  it  liappened, 
without  injury  citlier  to  him  (jr  to  tlie  inspector." 

Tlie  attack  on  tiie  marshal  and  Gen.  Neville,  how- 
ever, ;uMved  t..  lie  but  the  prelude  to  one  cf  the  most 
daring  outrages  tliat  were  ci>mmitted  during  the  con- 
tinuance of  tlie  insurrection.     The  disalfectiMl  p.-ople 

panying  the  niar>lial  to  as-ist  in  serving  llir  |m-occss,.s, 
].iloting  Ilia,  to  tlir  lionios  of  his  vi.-tini-,  as  tliry 
s.iid.  ( >a  this  arcouiit  tlic  fa-ling  agaiii>t  liiiii  became 
very  intense  and  bitter. 

On  the  day  next  following  tlie  attack  on  the  mar- 
shal and  inspector  (July  Kith  i,  at  daylircak,  "  in  eon- 
some  time  entertained,  and  wbicli  was  prob:J.]y  only 
accelerated  by  the  coming  of  tlic  mai-.hal  into  the 
survey,  an  attack  liy  aliout  one  liundr.d  piT^ons  armed 

of  the  inspector  (Nevillei,  in  tie-  vicinity  of  Pitts- 
burgh. The  inspector,  though  alono,  vigoiou-ly  dr- 
fended  himself  .against  the  a<-ailants,  and  ol.'ligrd 
them  to  retreat  without  acruinplisliing  their  ].urpose."' 
They  had  only  ],ost|,oned,  and  not  aLandoned,  the 
execution  of  liieir  [dan^.  l  >n  the  following  .lav  lliev 
rcassenil.led  in  augmented  nnml.ers,  anionntii,^-,  a's 
it  wa.  -aid.  to  folly  tlve  hundred,  and  on  the  17tl,  of 
July  renew, -d  their  attack  on  (ien.  .Xeviile'-  leai-e, 
whicli  was  tluai  del'endcd   by  a  detachnnait    of  eleven 

thatatterall'jhtofaboutan  hour's  .Inration.  in  wlii,di 
,,ne  of  the  iii-ui-,Ht-  »a-  killed  and  several  wounded, 

wliih-   three  of  ih.'   ].er s   in   the  liouse  were  als,, 

w„unded.  the  del-ending  pally  snrreii.lcrcd,  and  the  in- 
surgents then  burned  the  Imuim' to  the  ground,  t.i^ether 
witli  all  the  onihnihlinu-.  oeeasioning  a  lo..  ,,f  more 
than  twelve  thousanil  dollars.   ( ien.  Neville  had  left  the 


house  before  the  commencement  of  the  firing,  and  had 
sought  a  place  of  concealment  at  a  distance,  wisely 
concluding  that  this  nas  the  only  way  to  save  his  life. 
On  the  night  of  the  19th  of  July  he  with  the  marshal 
who  had  come  to  .serve  the  processes  (having  been  re- 
peatedly threatened  with  death  at  the  hands  of  the 
insurgents,  and  finding  that  no  protection  wa-s  to  be 
expected  from  the  magistrates  or  inhabitants  of  Pitts- 
burgh) made  their  escape  from  tlie  place,  fled  down 
the  Ohio,  and  proceeded  to  the  East  by  a  circuitous 
way,  the  usual  routes  over  the  mountains  being  known 
to  be  beset  by  their  enemies. 

On  the  25th  of  July  the  United  States  mail,  near 
Greensburg,  on  the  road  from  Pittsburgh  to  Philadel- 
phia, was  stopped  by  two  armed  men,  wdio  cut  open 
the  pouch  and  abstracted  all  the  letters  except  those 
contained  in  one  package.  In  connection  with  this 
circumstance,  it  is  proper  to  notice  a  circular  addressed 
by  ( 'ol.  John  Canon,  David  Bradford,  Beiijamin  Park- 
iiisim,  and  others  to  the  militia  officers  of  the  counties, 
dated  July  28,  1794,  as  follows: 

"Sir, — Having  had  suspicions  that  the  Pittsburgh 
post  would  carry  with  him  the  sentiments  of  some  of 
tlie  ])Cople  in  the  country  respecting  our  present  situ- 
ation, ami  the  letters  by  the  post  being  now  in  our  pos- 
x'-asiiin.  by  which  certain  secrets  are  discovered  hostile 
to  our  interest,  it  is  therefore  now  come  to  that  crisis 
that  every  citizen  ninst  express  his  sentiments,  not  by 
his  words,  hut  by  his  actions.  You  are  then  called 
upon  as  a  citizen  of  the  western  country  to  render 
your  personal  service,  with  as  many  volunteers  as  you 
can  raise,  to  rendezvous  at  your  usual  place  of  meet- 
ing ou  Wednesday  next,  and  thence  you  will  march 
to  the  usual  placeof  rendezvous  at  Braddock's  Field,' 
on  the  Monongahela,  on  Friday,  the  first  day  of  Au- 
gust next,  to  be  there  at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
with  arms  and  aeeoutrenients  in  good  order.  If  any 
voluuteci's  shall  want  arms  and  ammunition,  bring 
them  forward,  and  they  shall  be  supplied  as  well  as 
possible.  Here,  sir,  is  an  expedition  proposed  in 
wdiich  you  will  have  an  opportunity  of  displaying 
your  military  talents,  and  of  rendering  service  to  your 
country.  Four  days'  provisions  will  be  wanted ;  let 
the  men  be  thus  supplied." 

?dany  id'  the  militia  officers  o'beyed  the  directions 
contained  in  the  circular,  and  marched  their  men  to  the 
appointi'd  rendezvous.  Witli  reference  to  the  readi- 
ness ills;. hived  by  officers  and  soldiers  to  obey  these 
orders,  emanating  as  they  did  from  no  responsible  au- 
thority. Judge  Addison  said  that  in  consequence  of 
the  danger  of  Indian  incursions  having  often  ren- 
dered it  necessary  in  this  region  to  assemble  the  mili- 
tary force  without  waiting  for  orders  from  the  govern 
ment,  "  it  had  become  habitual  with  the  militia  of 
these  counties  to  assemble  at  the  call  of  their  officers, 
without  inquiring  into  the  authority  or  object  of  the 


Brad.lncli's  Field  \ 


tlio  plu 


THE   WHISKEY  INSURRECTION. 


IGJ 


call."  This  habit,  well  known  to  the  contrivers  of 
the  rendezvous  at  Braddock's  Field,  rendered  the  exe- 
cution of  their  plan  an  easy  matter.  They  issued 
their  orders  to  the  officers  of  the  militia,  wjio  as- 
sembled their  men,  accustomed  to  obey  orders  of  this 
kind  given  on  the  sudden  and  without  authority. 
The  militia  came  together  without  knowing  from 
whom  tlie  orders  originated,  or  for  what  purpose  they 
met.  And  when  met  it  was  easy  to  communicate 
from  breast  to  breast  more  or  less  of  the  popular 
frenzy,  till  all  felt  it  or  found  it  prudent  to  dissemble 
and  feign  that  they  felt  it." 

At  Braddock's  Field,  on  the  appointed  day,  there 
gathered  a.  vast  and  wildly  e.xcited  assemblage,  of 
which  a  good  proportion  was  composed  of  militiamen 
and  volunteers  under  arms.  Fayette  County  was 
sulli^'iently  represented  on  the  field,'  though  the  num- 
ber from  this  was  less  than  from  either  Washington, 
Allegheny,  or  Westmoreland.  Among  the  great 
throng  of  persons  assembled  there,  very  few  were  fa- 
TOrable  to  the  government  and  to  the  execution  of  the 
law.  Such  as  were  there  of  this  class  had  come  to 
the  rendezvous  lest  their  absence  might  be  made  a 
cause  for  proscription.^  But  they  were  compelled, 
out  of  regard  for  their  personal  safety,  to  conceal  their 
real  sentiments ;  and  some  of  them  had  even  assumed 
the  rule  of  leaders,  for  the  purpose  (as  they  said  after- 
wards when  the  insurrection  had  been  crushed)  of 
gaining  the  confidence  of  the  disaffected  multitude, 
and  then  by  organization  and  judicious  management 
to  restrain  them  from  proceeding  to  outrage  and  re- 
bellion. The  Hon.  Hugh  H.  Brackenridge  was  one 
of  these,  and  there  were  some  among  the  Fayette 
County  leaders,  whose  course  with  regard  to  the  in- 
surrection has  been  similarly  explained.  Tiierc  were 
also  present  at  Braddock's  Field  on  the  occasion  re- 
ferred to  some  who  went  there  merely  as  spectators, 
without  any  strong  feeling  on  cither  side  ;  but  by  far 
the  greater  part  were  in  full  syniiiathy  wiih  tlio  in- 
surgent cause,  though  probably  tcv  of  tlnin  Iim^I  any 
very  definite  idea  of  the  object  of  the  meeting  othrv 
than  to  denounce  excise-officers  and  the  government, 
and  to  shout  in  wild  acclaim,  huzzahs  for  To:u  the 
Tinker.' 


As  the  rendezvous  was  but  a  few  miles  from  Pitts- 
burgh, the  people  of  that  place  were  greatly  alarmed 
lest  the  company  assembled  at  Braddock's  Field 
should,  at  the  instigation  of  their  leaders,  march  on 
the  town  and  destroy  it,  in  a  spirit  of  revenge  against 
a  number  of  officers  and  friends  of  the  gcvernmcnt 
who  lived  there.  A  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town  had  been  held  on  the  evening  before  the  day  of 
the  rendezvous,  at  which  "a  great  majority — almost 
the  wh(;>Ie  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town — assembled." 
It  was  announced  to  this  meeting  that  a  committee 
from  Washington  was  present,  bearing  a  message  to 
the  meeting.  A  committee  of  three  was  appointed  to 
confer  with  the  committee  from  Washington,  and 
after  their  conference  they  reported  "  that  in  conse- 
quence of  certain  letters  sent  by  the  last  mail,  certain 
persons  were  discovered  as  advocates  of  the  excise 
law  and  enemies  to  the  interest  of  the  country,  and 
that  Edward  Day,  James  Brison,  and  Abraham  Kirk- 
patrick  are  particularly  obnoxious,  and  that  it  is  ex- 
pected by  the  country  that  they  should  be  dismissed 
without  delay;  AVhereupon  it  was  resolved  it  should 
be  so  done,  and  a  committee  of  twenty-one  was  ap- 
pointed to  see  this  resolution  carried  into  effect.  Also 
that,  whereas  it  is  a  part  of  the  message  from  the  gen- 
tlemen from  Washington  that  a  great  body  of  the 
people  of  the  county  will  meet  to-morrow  at  Brad- 
dock's Field,  in  ciidir  (o  cnny  into  eli'cct  measures 
that  may  seem  Ui  them  :i'h  i-alile  uitli  respect  to  the 
excise  law  and  (lie  advocates  of  it,  Resolved,  Tiiat 
the  above  cuinniittcr  shall  at  an  early  hour  wait  upon 
the  people  un  the  ground,  and  assure  the  people  that 
the  above  resolution,  with  respect  to  the  proscribed 


puuty  at  Bi'iuMock's  yielil  on  tlmt  diiy, 
|)rubal>le  wliou  it  is  reiiKjiiibured  tlittt 
uf  tho  pniuiiiieiit  JeadLM-s  of  iiisun-ec- 


"  This  Tom  tlie  Tiiilipr,"  say9.Indg:e  T.ubenjxier, "  wns  a  new  jxod  :idded  to 
pniylli<.lri-y;,tlliistiinv,!Uidw.iSMililioacdt..|>rp>idL-over«liiskey-5lills 

I  -t  HI --.      \VI v,.,-..l V  liuii;,lip.l  111-  T til..  T.nK.T  W,i».if 


Toijisi 


t  llio  I 


I>hyai 


ciuo  unless  liis  principles  v 
have  gut  no  practice  witliout 
law,  nor  ctnild  a  morcliant  i 
trajy,  to  talk  against  the  law 
go  to  the  Legislatnre  or  to  I 
It  Wiis  the  Sliili!,ol,-IJi  of  safet 


ally  for  | 


'poses  of  I 


ir.6 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


persons,  has  been  carried  into  effect.  Resolved  also, 
That  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  shall  march  out  and 
join  the  people  on  Braddock's  Field,  as  brethren,  to 
carry  into  effect  witli  them  any  measures  that  ma}' 
socm  advisable  for  the  common  cause." 

The  Pittsburgh  committee  appointed  at  the  meeting 
above  mentioned  reported  to  the  leaders  at  Brad- 
dock's  Field  the  resolutions  which  had  been  adopted, 
and  that  in  pursuance  of  those  resolutions  some  of 
the  men  most  objectionable  to  the  insurgents,  viz. : 
Edward  Day,  James  Brison,  Abraham  Kirkpatrick, 
and  Col.  Presley  Neville,  had  been  driven  from  the 
town  and  had  fled  down  the  Ohio.  This  liad  been 
done  in  deference  to  the  demands  of  "Tom  the 
Tinker,"  and  the  committee's  announcement  w.as 
made  to  the  assenililaL'C  in  the  hope  of  dissuading  the 
leaders  from  u.ovinir  thr  lorees  into  the  town;  but  it 
failed  to  have  tlie  desired  effect,  though  it  probably 
eurlied  their  excesses  to  a  great  extent. 

One  of  the  most  prominent  of  the  leaders  of  the 
insurgents  was  Col.  David  Bradford,  of  Washington, 
who  at  the  meeting  (or  more  properly  muster)  at 
Braddock's  Field  made  the  proiiosition  to  march  to 
Pittshnri;h  and  attack  tlic  garris.m  stationed  there. 
This  |ini|iosition  was  warmly  entcitained  by  the  more 
hot-]iead,.l,  but  was  finMly  abandoned.  "Bradford, 
hou-ev.T.  iii-i-t.Ml  tliai  the  militia  and  vohmteers 
should   Ih>   iiiMivlird   to   t'.ie  town,  and   iti   tliis  hr  was 

in  opposition  to  tlie  proji'ct,  fniinivril  the  idea  of 
guiding  and  controlling-  the  lawlr-;  movcnent  by  ap- 
parent ar(|uiescence.  "  "^'c^.'  >aid  he,  "hy  all  means 
let  us  i;'(i,  it'  fir  no  other  rea-on   than  to  L:ive  a  proof 

tlie  strictest  order,  an.!  of  reli'aiiiiiiL'  Irom  all  excesses. 
Let  us  march  thrni;:li  the  town,  nui-tei-  on  the  banks 

people,  and  then   move  the  troops  across  the  river." 
The   jilan   wa<  adopteil.     Officers  were  appointed, — 
David  r.radlord  and  Edward  Cook,  generals,  and  Col. 
Gabriel  lihikency,  officer  of  the  day, — and  under  their 
command  the  entire  lio.Iy  niuved  over  tin-  Mononga- 
hela  road  to  Pittsburgh.     (  In  their  arrival  tlicre,  tliey 
were  reeeived  a^  the  gu.--l~  „(  the  town,  or  rather  as  | 
the  gue.t^  ..f  the  prineipal  eiti/en^-,  who  by  a  little  ' 
/;i«sv',  alter  treating    them  Ireelv  tn  li,,u  ir,  succeeded   ' 
in  indnein-  tli.'  main  l.odv  t,.  en....  the  Mn,i,,n-ahela 
without    d  .in_'   a  IV  •hmv.vi-.      U;i    reaehin-  the  -..till, 

Maj.Kirkpalrielcn:,  the  I. liifr.,pi.o.ite  Pitt-burgh,. and 
succeeded  ill  d  ■^•r  ivin-  his  barn  at  that  place,  though   | 
the  dwellin-  was  savetl.     Meanwhile  a  part  of  the 
men  not  included  in  the  1>  .ilv  whii-li  had  been  enticed 
across  the  M  m  oniraliida  lia.l  heeime  somewhat  riotous 
in  Pitt-linr_di,  and  set   tire  to  the  town  residence  of  ' 
Maj.  Kiilq.atriek.      It  had  been  their  intention  to  de- 
stroy hi-   h.,n-e,  ,a-  well   as   those   nf  Neville,  Gibson,   I 
and  others,  but  the  consummation  (if  this  design  had 
been  prevented   largely  by  the  interference  of  Col.  - 


Edward  Cook,  of  Fayette  County,'  and  Bradford,  of 
Washington,  two  of  the  principal  leaders.  If  they 
had  succeeded  in  doing  this,  there  is  little  duubt  that 
the  principal  part  of  the  town  would  have  been  burned. 
An  account  of  the  turbulent  proceedings  at  Brad- 
dock's Field  and  Pittsburgh  was  forwarded  without 
delay  to  the  State  and  natiooal  authorities,  and  on  the 
7th  of  August  the  Presideut  of  the  United  States  issued 
a  proclamation,  reciting  in  its  preamble  that  "  combi- 
nations to  defeat  the  execution  of  the  laws  layim: 
duties  upon  spirits  distilled  within  the  United  State-, 
and  upon  stills,  have  from  the  time  of  the  commence- 
ment of  those  laws  existed  in  some  of  the  western 
parts  of  Pennsylvania,  .  .  .  that  many  persons  in  the 
said  western  parts  of  Pennsylvania  have  at  length 
been  hardy  enough  to  perpetrate  acts  wdiich  I  am  ad- 
vised amount  to  tre.ason,  being  overt  acts  of  levyiiiL' 
war  against  the  United  States  ;"  and  commanding  "  all 
persons  being  insurgents,  as  aforesaid,  and  all  other,- 
wdiom  it  may  concern,"  to  disperse  and  retire  peace- 
ably to  their  re.spective  abodes  on  or  before  the  1st  ot 
September  following  ;  moreover,  warning  all  persons 
"  against  aiding,  abetting,  or  comforting  the  perpe- 
trators of  the  aforesaid  treasonable  acts,  and  requiring 
all  officers  and  other  citizens,  according  to  their 
respective  duties  and  the  laws  of  the  land,  to  exert 
their  utmost  endeavors  to  prevent  and  suppress  such 
dangerous  proceedings."  At  the  same  time  the  Presi- 
dent called  for  troops  to  be  raised  and  equipped  in 
the  States  of  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Virginia,  and 
New  Jersey,  and  to  be  held  in  readiness  to  march  at 
shortest  notice,  for  tlie  purpose  of  suppressing  thf 
insurrection  and  enforcing  the  law.  The  quotas  ov 
the  States  were  assigned  as  follows  :  j 


rcnnsvh-anii 
New  .jcrfcy. 
Marvliind.... 


On  the  same  day  Governor  Mifflin,  of  Pennsylvania 
issued  his  proclamation  directing  that  the  State's  quot: 
of  men  be  armed  and  equipped  as  speedily  as  pos 
sible,  "  and  to  be  held  in  readiness  to  march  at  a  mo 
ment'.s   warning,"   and   a  second   proclamation   wa 

1  e 1  mil-  tii[-  .i[;,iii ,  i;  .■  I. ill  i\\  ing  card  was  piiljlislie'l  in  iln-  Vitt- 

'-     I.',  ■\^.      i      I,'        -,, 1,  oil  belialforoursi-lM-    e.,1  111 

^!.  ,1  I     I  '  ,      :  ;,   .!    hill  from  Braddock':?  fi    I        n  11 


lie  no  authority  for  carrying  tliein  into  effect.  Wo  consider  it  as 
blemish  on  tlie  good  order  of  the  marcli  uf  the  colnnin  tlirongli  tliotnw 
of  Pittdbnrgli  aiu!  their  cantonment  in  the  neighborhood  of  it.  It  h: 
been  endeavored  to  be  removed  as  much  as  posditdo  b.v  repaying. tii 
tenant  of  Kirkpatrick's  his  damages."  The  signatnres  to  this  card  t 
e.xpl.inntion  und  disclaimer  were  headed  by  that  of  Ed\v,",rd  Cook,  < 
Fayette  County,  wlilch  was  followed  by  lho.se  of  fourteen  otliers,  a 
prominent  leaders  in  tlic  insurrectionary  movement. 


THE   WHISKEY  INSURRECTION. 


167 


issued,  calling  together  the  Assembly  of  the  State  in 
special  session.  Previously  (on  the  6th  of  August) 
the  Governor  had  appointed  Chief  Justice  McKean 
and  Gen.  William  Irvine  to  proceed  immediately  to 
the  disaffected  counties,  to  ascertain  the  facts  in  refer- 
ence to  the  recent  acts  of  violence  and  lawless  gather- 
ings, and,  if  practicable,  to  induce  tlie  people  to  sub- 
mit to  the  law. 

The  President,  on  the  day  next  following  the 
issuance  of  his  proclamation,  appointed  James  Ross, 
Tiiilcil  States  senator,  Jasper  Yeates,  associate 
jiiiliir  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania,  and  William 
lliaaiord,  Attorney-General  of  the  United  States, 
r.iiiiiiiissioners  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  with 
full  instructions  and  ample  powers,  to  repair  forth- 
with to  the  western  counties,  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
ferring, at  their  discretion,  with  individuals  or  bodies 
of  men,  "in  order  to  quiet  and  extinguish  the  insur- 
rection." 

Before  the  great  demonstration  at  Braddock's  Field, 
the  anti-excise  leaders  issued  a  call  (in  the  latter  part 
of  July')  for  a  meeting  of  delegates  from  the  western 
counties,  to  meet  at  Parkinson's  Ferry,  on  the  Monon- 
gahela  (now  Monongahela  City),  "to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  situation  of  the  western  country."  And 
from  the  muster-place  at  Braddock's  Field,  Col. 
(Maj.-Gen.)  David  Bradford  issued  the  following  cir- 
cular : 

To  the  Inhabitants  of  Monnnfjahda,  Virginia  : 
"  Gextlemex,— I  presume  you  have  heard  of  the 
spirited  opposition  given  to  the  excise  law  in  this 
State.  Matters  have  been  so  brought  to  pass  here 
that  all  are  under  the  necessity  of  bringing  their 
minds  to  a  final  conclusion.  This  has  been  the  ques- 
tion amongst  us  some  days,  'Shall  wf>  disapprove 
of  the  conduct  of  those  engaged  aiiniiist  Nc-.illc,  the 
excise-officer,  or  approve?'  Or,  in  ullici-  wiuds,  'Shall 
we  suffer  them  to  fall  asacrifice  to  Ft'ileial  prisccutiun, 
or  shall  we  support  them?'  On  the  result  of  this 
business  we  have  fully  deliberated,  and  have  deter- 
mined, with  head,  heart,  hand,  and  voice,  that  we 
will  support  the  opposition  to  the  excise  law.  The 
crisis  is  now  come,  submission  or  opposition:  we  are 
determined  in  the  opposition.  We  are  determined 
I  in  future  to  act  agreeably  to  sj'stem  ;  to  form  ar- 
!rangements  guided  by  reason,  prudence,  fortitude, 
land  spirited  conduct.  We  have  piii|i(psr(i  a  ircnural 
meeting  of  the  four  counties  df  rcnn-ylvania,  and 
have  invited  our  brethren  in  the  lu/iuhlMiiinii  rouiitios 
in  Virginia  to  come  forward  and  join  us  in  council 
and  deliberation  in  this  important  crisis,  and  conclude 
upon  measures  interesting  to  the  western  counties  of 
Pennsylvania  and  Virginia.     A  notification  of  this 

>At  tlio  meeting  of  tlie  inliabitaiils  of  rittsl.uigli,  lu'l.l  .Inly  :ilst,  it 
WAS  rofjolveil  that  wlieiea^a  geiuT.iI  111  ■III. _  :  .1  _  .1  -  li  in  i  In' tuwii- 
Bllipsof  the  country  west  uf  tin  III  III  I  -  '  '  ;  ■  I'l  1  Kiiisoti's 
Fftry  on   llie  14tU  of  August   111  X       .  M.eap- 

puinteil  t.i  thiit  uieelhig,  and  tliat  ili-   'Hi.  I   Aii^u-t   1..    nij.   ihlnl  for  a 


kind  may  be  seen  in  the  Pittsburgh  paper.  Parkin- 
son's Ferry  is  the  place  proposed  as  the  most  central, 
and  the  14th  of  August  the  time.  We  solicit  you  by 
all  the  tics  that  an  union  of  interests  can  suggest  to 
come  forward  and  join  us  in  our  deliberations.  The 
cause  is  common  to  us  all.  We  invite  you  to  come, 
even  should  you  differ  with  us  in  opinion.  We  wish 
you  to  hear  our  reasons  influencing  our  conduct." 


The  events  of  the  first  two  days  of  August  at  Brad- 
dock's Field  and  Pittsburgh  and  of  the  two  or  three  suc- 
ceeding weeks,  seemed  to  mark  the  culmination  of  the 
popular  frenzy  on  the  subject  of  the  excise  law,  and 
from  the  loth  of  July  to  the  last  of  August  was  the 
period  of  the  greatest  excitement  that  exhibited  itself 
during  the  insurrection.  During  the  interval  of  time 
between  the  great  muster  at  Braddock's  and  the  day 
appointed  for  the  meeting  at  Parkinson's  Ferry,  great 
numbers  of  "  liberty-poles"  were  erected  by  the  in- 
surgents in  various  parts  of  the  four  counties,  and 
upon  these  were  hoisted  flags,  bcarinu'  such  inscrip- 
tions as  "Death  to  Teaitoks."  "  i.ii;i:i;TY  and 
NO  Excise."  Few  persons  were  foiinil  lianly  enough 
to  refuse  assisiancc  in  the  erection  of  these  i)olcs,  for 
to  do  so  was  til  lie  liraiiilcd  as  an  enemy  to  the  cause, 

j  and  a  fit  suljc<-t  l..r  the  veii-canceof  Tom  the  Tinker. 

i       A  number  of  these  "  lil.erty-|..,les-  weie  raised  in 

i  Fayette  County.  One  was  at  New  Salem,  one  at 
Xew  Geneva,  one  at  :\Iasiintown,  on  which  a  very 
beautiful  silk  flag  was  raised.  One  was  at  the  old 
I'ninn   Furnace,  in  Dunbar  township,  and  one  at  the 

I  market-hiinse,  in  Uniontown.  At  the  raising  of  this 
pole,  about  one  hundred  men  under  command  of  Capt. 
Kobert  Ross  came  in  from  German  (now  Nicholson) 
tiiwnsliip  to  assist.  Another  pole  was  raised  on  the 
MdiL'antiiw  11  road  south  of  Uniontown,  on  the  farm 
of  Thonias  ( iaddis,  who  was  of  the  principal  leaders 
of  the  whijkey  boys  in  this  county.  The  pole  at  this 
place  and  the  one  in  Uniontown  were  cut  down  by 
Gen.  Ephraim  Douglass  in  defiance  of  all  threats  and 
intimidation.  That  which  had  been  erected  at  New 
Geneva  met  the  same  fixte  at  the  hands  of  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Everhart  (wife  of  Adolph  Everhart)  and  two  or 
three  other  women  of  equal  determination.  The 
others  named  stood  bearing  their   threatening  flags 

!  and  inscriptions  until  the  tide  of  insurrection  began 
to  turn  before  the  menace  of  military  force,  and  then 
thnsc  who  had  raised  them  were  glad  cnougli  to  see 
them  fall,  and  to  deny  all  agency  in  their  erection. 


On  the  14th  of  August,  according  to  appointment, 
the  meeting  of  the  delegates  was  opened  at  Parkin- 
son's Ferry.  The  proclamations  of  the  President  and 
of  Governor  Mifflin  had  not  been  received.  Neither 
the  commissioners  for  the  State  nor  those  for  the 
United  States  had  made  their  appearance,  but  intel- 
ligence came  during  the  progress  of  the  meeting,  that 
the  two  delegations  were  on  their  way  from  Philadel- 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


]iliia,  anil  that  two  of  the  United  States  commissioners 
had  just  arrived  at  Greeusburg. ' 

The  first  ccromony  performed  at  Parkinson's  was 
the  erecting  of  a  tall  "liberty-pole,"  and  the  hoisting 
of  a  flag  bearing  tlie  inseriptimi,  "  Eipial  Taxation  and 
no  Excise.— Xo  Asylum,  li.r  Traitors  and  Cowards." 
Twohuiidrrd  an.l  twculy-six  delr-:ilrs  wriv  |.iv,-eiit 
fniiii  t..wii-!.i|i-  ill  Fayrli,.,  \Vr~;.i„,ivl:i)nl,  All.-l-c:iy, 
WaslLiugtMii.  aii.l  that  part  ,  f  Ik.lfMpi  lying  we^t  nf  the 
Allcglieny  Mnimtaiiis,  uiih  a  few  from  Ohio  County, 
Va.  Till-  iiKM'tiiig  was  iirganized  by  the  appointment 
of  Cnl.  Ivlwanl  (/unk  aiKl  the  Hon.  Albert  Gallatin, 
both  of  Favctt.'  (  ■..untv.  rrspectivrlv  as  rhainnan  and 


see 


bei 


with  a  numberof  the  leaders,  begun  tn  -it  a-ain-t  the 
adoption  of  violent  measures.  It  wa-  ilainai  tbr 
some  of  those  who  at  tliLs  meeting  (1,'\  I'lMi.t-il  a  .-trung 
oppositinii  to  tlie  jilans  of  Bradfunl  :mil  .itlur  ex- 
tremists, that  their  course  was  prompt. ■.!  l,y  thi'  same 
desire  which  had  at  first  induced  tlnii;  to  range  them- 
selves r.m  ing  the  disaffejted,— that  of  a;  praring  to  as- 
sume leadership  for  the  inirposo  ol  rurMai:  the  hiw- 
less  element  and  diverting  its  energi.'s  from"  the  track 
leading  to  opm  v.olrnco  and  rebeilion.  Ikit  there  is 
little  lii.uM  tliat  their  action  at  thi^  time  was  in  no 
small  (h.-r.r  ,lu -  to  i],,ir  late  r.,ali/,ation  of  the  lact 
that  llu-  I'nio.l  S:a:i-  govomima.l  had  revalvial  t., 
l>ut  doiv:,  I  ,ul, '-.-;..-  at  whatever  e  ,-t,  that  it  would 
exert  all  it-  pow.r-,  if  necessary,  to  enforce  obedience, 
and  that  a~  again-t  that  pow-crthe  cause  of  the  insur- 

A  series  of  strong  re- -In^ons  was  ititrolm-ed  by 
Cul,  Jame-  Marshal,  of  Waslij.,-;.;!.  an  1  -u;.;.  .rted 
in  an  inte.np.n-ate  >iK-re]i  liy  Ih-adtord,  who  w.is  re- 
plied to  in  opposition  by  All.erl  Calla.in,  .luluv 
Brackenridiic,    Jml-v     Edirar,    of    Wa-l.in-lo;,,    and 


ith  variou- 


ities 


•^-.  I'' 


tlie  excise  law.  Tliey  were  also  "  to  have  power  to 
call  together  a  meeting,  either  of  a  new  representa- 
tion of  the  i^eople  or  of  the  deputies  here  convened, 
for  the  purjiose  of  taking  such  further  measures  as 
the  future  situation  of  affairs  may  repiir.-:  :uid  in 
case  of  any  sudden  emergency,  to  take  such  tem|io- 


rary  measures  as  they  may  think  necessary."  The 
closing  resolution  was  to  this  effect,  "  That  a  com- 
mittee, to  consist  of  three  members  from  each  county, 
be  appointed  to  meet  any  commissioners  that 
been  or  may  be  appointed  by  the  government,  and 
report  the  result  of  this  conference  to  the  standing 
committee."  The  standing  committee  (consisting  of 
sixty  persons)  met,  and  appointed  the  committee  to 
meet  the  commissioners  of  the  United  States  and' 
those  of  Pennsylvania,  as  provided  by  the  final  reso- 
lution. This  committee  of  conference  was  comp 
as  follows: 

For  Fayette  County :  Albert  Gallatin,  Edward  Cook,- 
and  James  Lang. 

For  Westmoreland  County:  John  Kirkiiatrick,' 
George  Smith,  and  John  Powers. 

For  Allegheny  County:   Hugh   H.   Brackeuridg 
Thomas  :\Ioreton,  and  jJhn  B.  C.  Lucas. 

For  Washingt.m  County:  David  Bradford,  James. 
^Fir.hal,  and  .lames  Edgar. 

Fiu-  Bedford  County:  Herman  Husbands. 

For  Ohio  County,  Va.,  William  Sutherland. 

The  Committee  of  Sixty,  after  having  appointed 
and  instructed  the  committee  of  conference,  adj'iurned 
to  meet  at  Redstone  Old  Fort  (Brownsville)  on  the; 

Tlie  commissioners  for  the  State  arrived  at  Pitts- 
burgh on  the  17tli  of  August,  and  those  appointed  by 
the  I're-ideiit  came  immediately  afterwards.  On  the 
iMth  the  two  bodies  met  the  committee  of  conference 
whirh  was  appointed  at  Parkinson's  Ferry.  At  this 
meeting  preliminary  proceedings  were  taken,  wdiich 
resulted  in  pr.)positious  by  both  bodies  of  commis- 
>ion;'rs,  who  declared  explicitly  that  the  exercise  01 
the  iiowers  vested  in  them  to  suspend  prosecutions. 
and  to  promise  a  general  amnesty  and  pardon  for  past 
o:leii-es,  ■■must  he  preceded  by  full  and  satislactotji 
;k--.suranees  of  a  sincere  determination  in  the  peopU 
to  obey  the  laws  of  the  United  States."  The  memben 
of  the  committee  \vho  took  the  most  prominent  pan 
in  the  proceedings  were  Gallatin  and  Cook,  of  Fay- 
o-!,  ;  r.radlord  and  Marshal,  of  Washington;  and 
nraekeiiridge,  of  Allegheny  County.  All  these,  witl 
the  excei)tion  of  Bradford,  were  in  favor  of  accedit 
to  the  propositions  of  the  commissioners,  and  tliil 
was  found  to  be  the  sense  of  the  committee  ;  but  thej 
had  no  [lower  to  act,  further  than  to  report  the  resul" 
of  theeonlerence  to  the  standing  Committee  ofSixtyi 
That  committee  had  adjourned  to  meet  at  Redstone 0I«™ 
Fort  on  the  2d  of  September,  as  before  mentioned,  bu' 
upon  the  conclusion  of  the  conference  with  thecommfe 
sioners  at  Pittsburgh  the  time  of  their  meeting  ' 
changed  and  made  five  days  earl  ier,''' though  this  char 


THE   WHISKEY   LNSURRECTION. 


leo 


of  time  gave  great  offense  to  Bradford  and  other  ex- 
tremists. The  change  of  time  was  made  in  deference 
to  one  of  the  conditions  imposed  by  the  commissioners, 
viz. :  "  It  is  expected  and  required  by  the  said  com- 
missioners that  the  citizens  compo.sing  the  said  stand- 
ing committee  do,  on  or  be/ore  (he  first  daij  of  September 
next,  explicitly  declare  their  determination  to  submit 
to  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  and  that  they  will 
not,  directly  or  indirectly,  oppose  the  execution  of  the 
acts  for  raising  a  revenue  on  distilled  spirits  and 
stills." 

Accordingly,  on  the  2Sth  of  August,  the  standing 
committee  (the  committee  of  sixty)  met  at  Browns- 
ville, to  receive  and  act  upon  tiie  report  of  the  com- 
littee  of  conference.  Of  the  sixty  members  of  the 
committee,  fifty-seven  were  in  attendance,  of  whom 
twenty-three  were  from  \Va.shington  County.  Judge 
Alexander  Addison  said'  "that  the  minds  of  all  men 
appeared  to  be  strongly  impressed  with  a  sense  of  the 
critical  situation  of  the  country,  and  the  minds  of  al- 
most all  with  a  fear  of  opposing  the  current  of  the 
popular  opinion,"  and  that  "these  impressions  were 
greatly  increased  by  the  appearance  of  a  body  of 
armed  men  a.'^sembled  there  Irom  Muddy  Creek,  in 


C.MSlitlltiol 

ill  power  of  til 

11  MSUIU. 

es-ithcui.    In- 

inl.iiuce.  . 

.  Wehav.-.n 

.Nipjwc.re. 

to  give  .V...,  n 

!l,..  people  oil  the  gn^.l 

i;ike  tlli^^  rep  Jit  to  tho  coinniitteo  to  whom  wo  are  to  report, 
lo  them  the  reasons  of  our  opinion,  th.it  so  fur  as  they  linve 
'■y  uny  he  regurdeil  by  them.  It  will  lie  out-  endeavor  to  con- 
[  (.lily  them,  hut  the  public  niiuil  in  general  to  our  views  on 
t.    AVe  hope  to  bo  assisted  by  you  in  giving  all  that  e.\tent 


Washington  County,  to  punish  Samuel  Jackson-  as  an 
enemy  to  what  they  called  their  cause." 

The  business  of  the  meeting  was  opened  by  the 
submission  of  the  conference  committee's  report  and 
a  speech  upon  it  by  Mr.  Gallatin,  who  urged  the 
adoption  of  a  resolution  in  -acceptance  of  the  terms 
offered  by  the  commissioners,  and  set  forth  the  dan- 
ger of  using  force  in  resistance  to  the  law,  the  im- 
possibility of  these  western  counties  contending  suc- 
cessfully against  the  force  of  the  United  States,  and 
the  evident  necessity  of  submission.  "Mr.  Gallatin, 
although  a  foreigner  who  could  with  difliculty  make 
himself  understood  in  English,  yet  presented  with 
great  force  the  folly  of  past  resistance,  and  the  ruin- 
ous consequences  to  the  country  of  the  continuance 
of  the  insurrection.  He  urged  that  the  government 
was  bound  to  vindicate  the  laws,  and  that  it  would 
surely  send  an  overwhelming  force  against  them.  He 
placed  the  subject  in  a  new  light,  and  .showed  the 
insurrection  to  be  a  much  more  serious  affair  than  it 
had  before  appeared."^  Mr.  Brackenridge  followed 
Gallatin  in  an  argument  to  the  same  end,  though 
urged  in  a  different  manner.  Then  Col.  Bradford 
delivered  a  speech  in  opposition  to  the  various  argu- 
ments of  Gallatin  and  Brackenridge,  alluding  to  the 
revolutions  in  America  and  in  France  as  models  for 
imitation,  and  as  inducements  to  hope  for  the  success 
of  these  counties  against  the  government,  which  he 
said  was  rendered  reasonably  certain  on  account  of 
their  peculiar  situation,  as  separated  from  the  eastern 
country  by  almost  insurmountable  natural  barriers. 
His  whole  speech  was  manifestly  intended  to  keep  up 
the  opposition  to  goveninicnt,  and  to  prevent  the 
adoption  of  the  re-^dlatinn^  propdsed  by  Mr.  Gallatin. 

The  leaders,  with  the  excenlion  of  'liiM.irnrd  and  a 


jion,  and  were  : 


■e,  luul  liilly  UKKleup  tlieir 
k  <.f  the  ill>urirrti(,n,  but 
•at  that  time  little  thought 
riolent  and  determined  an 


!  reply  of  the  Ohio  County 


n.lge,  a 
iielidof 
■  nritter 


170 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


opposition  as  ever,  and  so  strong  an  influence  did  this 
exert,  even  on  the  leaders  who  knew  that  the  cause 
was  hopeless,  that  they  dared  not  openly  and  fully 
avow  their  sentiments  and  place  themselves  on  record. 
"Such  was  tlie  fear  of  the  popular  frenzy  that  it  was 
with  difficulty  that  a  vote  could  be  had  at  this  meet- 
ing.     No  one  would   vote  by  standing  up.      None  * 
would  write  a  yea  or  nay,  lest  his  handwriting  should 
be  recogni/.ud.     At  last  it  was  determined  that  ijca 
and  lunj  should  be  written  by  the  secretary  on  the  I 
same  pieces  of  paper,  and  be  distributed,  leaving  each 
member  to  clieu-  u|>  or  destroy  one  of  the  words  while  j 
he  put  the  ..tlirr  ill  the  liox,"  thus  giving  each  mem-  [ 
ber  an  opportunity  cf  conrraliug  liis  opinion,  and  of 
sheltering  liini^elf  from  tlie  re-entnii'nt  (jf  those  from  \ 


ipprehended,  or  whom  he 

In  this  way  a  balloting 

in  of  the  resolutions  by  a 

itv-five.     Wlirn   tlii-<  vote 


whom  violence  was  i 

wished  to  avoid  otl'e 

was  had,  and  in  the  ; 

vote  of  tliirty-four  t 

wasdeel;ir,.,l\o  stn.n-lv  in  op|,o.ition   to  1,1-  vi^^ws, 

Col.  Bra.ltor.l   uithdrew   IVoni   the   merting   in   angir 

and  disgust. 

It  was  by  the  meeting  "  Resolved,  That  in  the 
opinion  of  this  Committee  it  is  the  interest  of  the 
people  of  this  Country  to  a.re.le  to  tlie  proposals 
made  by  the  Coniiiii,>ion,  i-  on  the  part  ot  (l,e  United 


States.  Resolved,  that  a  Copy  uf  tlu 
lutiou  be  transmitted  to  the  said  Com 
But  instead  of  giving  the  assuran 
the  commissiiuiers,  the  Committee  of 
disposition  to  temporize,  and  in  tl,..'  li 
better  terms  they  further  "  Re-olvri 
mittee  be  aiiiiointed'  to  loni 


egjnng  reso- 
sioners." 
required  by 
ty  showed  a 


the  (■ 


ers 


in  th. 


of  Pennsylvania,  with  i 

mittee  to  try  to  obtain 

such  further  modifleati^ 

think  will  render  them  more  agr^raM 

at  large,  and  also  to  rejiriseiit  the  nii;i 

ing  further  time  to  tlio  people  belore  tli 

mination  is  rec|uireil  .  .  .  That  the  >: 

shall  publish  and  cominuniiate  tliroii 

eral  counties  the  day  at  wliicli  tiio  son-i 

is  expected  to  be  taken.     That  on  the 

lished  the  following  question  be  submit 

zens  duly  qualified  to  vote,  according  to  the  election 

law  of  the  State,  of  the  Counties  of  Westmorelaml, 

Washington,  Fayette,.  .\11.  L'h,  nv,  and    that    j.arl    of 

Bedford  which  lies  wot  ol  tl.,.  All,  -limy  mountains, 

in   Pennsylvania,  and  of  Ohio  County,  Virginia,— 

Will  the  people  submit  to  the  laws  of  the  United  States 


■  1  gr 


the  jjcople 
thus  pub- 


'Tim  following  letter  from  tli 

ch.i 

.■man  of  tlie  meeting  was  addressed 

to  the  Un 

ited  States  committee: 

" 

Brownsvit, 

LE,  29lli  .A.i.gust,  1704. 

"  Gest 

EMEX,— Difflculties  l.a 

ving 

arisen  will 

us,  we  have  thought  it 

necessarj 

to  appoint  .a  committee 

to  c 

onferwitli 

•oil  in  Older  to  procure. 

if  possibl 

0.(1 

r  that  tlio 

loople  may  liave  leisure 

to  reflect 

upon  tlieir  tine  siun.li 
"I.™,  Gcnil 

men 

,.vour  mo= 

ob'.  Ilnmtile  SerV, 
"  Edwaed  Cook." 

vpon  the   terms  proposed  by  the   Commissioners  of  the 
United  States  f 

The  persons  appointed  to  form  the  committee  under 
these  resolutions  were  John  Probst,  Robert  Dickey, 
John  Nesbitt,  Herman  Husband,  John  Corbly,  John 
Marshal,  David  Phillips,  John  Hoaton,  John  McClel- 
land, William  Ewing,  George  Wallace,  Samuel  Wil- 
son, and  Richard  Brown. 

The  meeting  continued  in  session  at  Brownsville 
for  two  days,  and  adjourned  on  the  29th  of  August. 
It  was  the  last  meeting  of  the  kind  held  during  the 
insurrection,  and  virtually  marked  its  clo.se,  as  the 
meeting  held  at  the  same  place  three  years  before 
(July  27,  1791)  had  marked  its  opening,  that  being 
j  the  first  public  meeting  held  in  opposition  to  the  ex- 
j  cise  law.  Thus  it  may  be  said  that  the  famous  insur- 
rection was  born  and  died  at  Redstone  Old  Fort,  in 
Fayette  County. 

The  committee  appointed  at  the  Brownsville  meet- 
ing met  the  commissioners  of  the  United  States  and 
those  of  Pennsylvania  in  conference  at  Pittsburgh 
on  the  1st  of  September,  at  which  meeting  "it  was 
agreed  that  the  assurances  required  from  the  citizens 
of  the  Fourth  Survey  of  Pennsylvania  [the  four  west- 
ern counties]  .should  be  given  in  writing,  and  their 
sense  ascertained  in  the  following  manner: 

"That  the  citizens  of  the  said  survey  (Allegheny 
County  excepted-)  of  the  age  of  eighteen  years  and 
upwards,  be  required  to  assemble  on  Thursday,  the 
11th  in-tant,  in  tlieir  respective  townships,  at  the 
usual  place  for  holding  township  meetings,  and  that 
between  the  hours  of  twelve  and  seven,  in  the  after- 
noon of  the  same  -day,  any  two  or  more  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  meeting  who  assembled  at  Parkinson's 
Ferry  on  the  14th  ultimo,  resident  in  the  township, 
or  a  justice  of  the  peace  of  said  township,  do  openly 
jiropose  to  the  people  assembled  the  following  ques- 
tions: Do  you  now  engage  to  submit  to  the  laws  of 
the  United  States,  and  that  you  will  not  hereafter, 
directly  or  indirectly,  oppose  the  execution  of  the 
acts  for  raising  the  revenue  upon  distilled  spirits  and 
stills?  And  do  you  also  tindertake  to  support,  as  far 
as  the  laws  require,  the  civil  authority  in  affording 
the  protection  due  to  all  officers  and  other  citizens? 
Yea  or  nay?  .' .  .  That  a  minute  of  the  number  of 
ye.as  and  nays  be  made  immediately  after  ascertaining 
the  same.  That  a  written  or  printed  declaration  of 
such  eugagement  be  signed  by  all  those  who  vote  iu 
the  affirmative,  of  the  following  tenor,  to  wit:  'I  do 
solemnly  promise  henceforth  to  submit  to  the  laws  of 
the  United  States;  that  I  will  not,  directly  or  indi- 
rectly, oppose  the  execution  of  the  acts  for  raising  a 
revenue  on  distilled  spirits  and  stills;  and  that  I  will 
support,  so  far  as  the  law  requires,  the  civil  authority 
in  affi)rding  the  protection  due  to  all  officers  and  other 

~  Tlie  citizens  of  Allegheny  County  were  required  to  "  mei  t  in  their 
respective  elccli  .n  districts  on  tlie  said  dav,  in  the  same  manner  as  if 


THE   WHISKEY  INSURRECTION. 


171 


citizens.'  This  shall  be  signed  in  the  presence  of  the 
said  members  or  justices  of  the  peace,  attested  by  him 
or  them,  and  lodged  in  his  or  their  hands. 

"That  the  said  persons  so  proposing  the  questions 
stated  as  aforesaid  do  assemble  at  the  respective 
county  court-houses  on  the  13th  inst.,  and  do  ascer- 
tain and  make  report  of  the  numbers  of  those  who 
voted  in  the  affirmative  in  the  respective  townships 
or  districts,  and  of  the  number  of  those  who  voted  in 
the  negative,  together  with  their  opinion  whether 
there  be  such  a  general  submission  of  the  people  in 
their  respective  counties  that  an  office  of  inspection 
may  be  immediately  and  safely  established  therein  ; 
that  the  said  report,  opinion,  and  written  or  printed 
declarations  be  transmitted  to  the  commissioners  or 
any  one  of  them  at  Uniontown  on  or  before  the  16th 
instant." 

On  the  part  of  the  United  States,  the  commissioners 
agreed  that  if  the  assurances  should  be  given  in  good 
faith,  as  prescribed,  no  prosecution  (or  treason  or  any 
other  indictable  offense  against  the  United  States  com- 
mitted in  this  survey  before  the  22d  of  August,  1794, 
should  be  commenced  before  the  10th  of  July,  1795, 
against  any  person  who  should,  within  the  time  lim- 
ited, subscribe  such  assurance  and  engagement,  and 
perform  the  same,  and  that  on  the  10th  of  July,  1795, 
there  should  be  granted  "a  general  pardon  and  ob- 
livion of  all  the  said  offenses;"  but  excluding  there- 
from every  person  refusing  or  neglecting  to  subscribe 
the  assurances  and  engagement,  or  who  having  so  sub- 
scribed, should  violate  the  same,  or  wilfully  obstruct 
the  execution  of  the  excise  laws.  On  behalf  of  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania,  the  commissioners,  McKean 
and  Irvine,  promised  that  if  the  proposed  assurances 
should  be  given  and  performed  until  July  10,  1795, 
there  should  then  be  granted  (so  far  as  the  State  was 
concerned)  "an  act  of  free  and  general  pardon  and 
oblivion  of  all  treasons,  insurrections,  areons,  riots,  and 
other  offenses  inferior  to  riots  committed,  counseled, 
or  suffered  by  any  person  or  pei-sons  within  the  four 
•western  counties  of  Pennsylvania"  subsequent  to  the 
14th  of  July,  1794,  but  excluding  from  its  operation 
every  person  refusing  or  neglecting  to  subscribe  to 
such  agreement,  or  violating  it  after  subscribing. 

The  Pennsylvania  commissioners  left  Pittsburgh  on 
the  3d  of  September,  and  Messrs.  Yeates  and  Brad- 
ford, United  States  commissioners,  proceeded  east 
soon  afterwards.  Both  bodies  were  requested  by  the 
Governor  and  the  President  respectively  to  remain 
until  after  the  announcement  of  the  result  of  the 
popular  vote;'  but  for  some  reason  they  did  not 
comply,  and  only  James  Ross  remained  to  carry  the 
signatures  to  Philadelphia. 

On  the  day  appointed,  September  11th,  elections 
■were  held  in  (nearly)  alt  the  townships  or  election 
districts  of  the  four  counties.  The  result  in  Fayette 
was  announced  as  follows : 

1  See  Pa.  Archives,  2il  Soiies,  vul.  iv.  rp  200,  201. 


"  L'xii)\T0wx,  Sopti-nilicr  IG,  i;',l4. 

"We,  the  subscribers,  having,  according  to  resolu- 
tions of  the  committee  of  townships  for  the  county  of 
Fayette,  acted  as  .judges  on  the  llth'instant  at  the 
meetings  of  the  people  of  said  county,  respectively 
convened  at  the  places  in  the  first,  second,  and  third 
election  districts  where  the  general  elections  are 
usually  held  (no  judge  or  member  of  the  committee 
attending  from  the  fourth  and  last  district,  which 
consists  of  the  townships  of  Tyrone  and  BuUskin), 
do  hereby  certify  that  five  hundred  and  sixty  of  the 
people  thus  convened  on  the  day  aforesaid  did  then 
and  there  declare  their  determination  to  submit  to  the 
laws  of  the  United  States  in  the  manner  expressed  by 
the  commissioners  on  the  part  of  the  Union  in  their 
letter  dated  the  22d  day  of  August  last ;  the  total 
number  of  those  who  attended  on  that  occasion  being 
only  seven  hundred  and  twenty-one, — that  is  to  say, 
something  less  than  one-third  of  the  number  of  citi- 
zens of  the  said  three  districts.  And  we  do  further 
certify  that  from  our  previous  knowledge  of  the 
disposition  of  the  general  body  "of  the  people,  and 
from  the  anxiety  since  discovered  by  many  (who 
either  from  not  having  had  notice,  or  from  not  hiv- 
ing understood  the  importance  of  the  question,  did 
not  attend)  to  give  similar  assurances  of  submis- 
sion, we  are  of  opinion   that  the  great   majority  of 


ttend 


those  citizens  who  did  not 

have  peaceably  and  with  > 

"Albert  G.vllatin 

"  William  Robeiits 

"James  White. 

"George  Dieuth  [Dearth?]." 
But  notwithstanding  the  ftivorable  report  of  the 
judges  of  election,  it  appears  that  the  United  States 
comniissiimrrs  !CL';ir(UMl   the  lirucccdings  in  Favette 


^posed  to  be- 
r  >ubiiii>sion  to  the  laws. 
John  Jacicjox. 
Andrew  Rabb. 
Thomas  Pattersox. 


lu'i 


iliarlv  u!i<;iti-liictory.  In  their 
report  t<.  tlir  I'n-idmt-  thc.v  said,  "The  county  of 
Fayi-tir  njcted  tin-  mode  of  ascertaining  the  sense 
"f  Uiv  ]H'..|.lr  wliirh  had  been  settled  between  the 
undrr>i_nni-(l  niid  llir  hi-t  committee  of  conference  at 
Pittsburgh  (Seiilciul.cr  l>ti.  'I'hr  ^ianding  committee 
of  that  county  dinctid  th..-.  y//  ,/,,/,,/  /,,/  f/ie  laics  of 
thr  Stnte\foi-  voting  „i  vl.rf,,,,,.  to  assemble  in  their 
election  districts*  and  vote  by  ballot  whether  they 
would  accede  to  the  proposals  made  by  the  commis- 
sioners of  the  United  States  on  the  22d  of  August 
or  not.  The  superintendents  of  these  election  districts 
report  that  five  hundred  and  sixty  of  the  people  thus 
convened  had  voted  for  submission,  and  that  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty-one  had  voted  against  it ;  that  no  judge 


=  Tiipers  Reciting  to  tlie  Wliiskey  Insurrection  ;  Pa.  Archives,  Scrit 
2,  vol.  iv.  rp.  237,  25S. 

3  Tlie  agrftnicnt  i.f  tlio  committee  with  the  commissioners  was,  nc 
tliat  qmihjifl  mfn-s  hij  tU'  hnr  (.f  P>?}iiis!ilcfinia  alone  should  vote  on  th 

proposili.m.  In'  tl,  .t  ll,.    p;.  -i..^.  _-l M  l,e  snUmitted  to  "  (lie  ciCaem  o 

t.'ie  ndut  "III '  ■  I  ''■'■',       I  ^  'ittil  ttpicards" 

<  It  w:\-  ill  ',  I.  jh.  MX  I   .  1^  1    ,1   iM   (liiit  llio  agreement  with  the  com 


172 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


or  member  of  their  committee  liad  attended  from  the 
Fourth  District  of  the  couuty  to  report  the  state  of  the 
votes  there,  and  that  they  are  of  opinion  that  a  great 
majority  of  the  citizens  who  did  not  attend  are  dis- 
posed to  live  peac(iably  and  witli  due  submission  to 
the  laws.  But  it  is  proper  to  mention  that  credible 
and  certain  information  has  been  received  that  in  the 
Fourth  District  of  that  county  (composed  of  the  town- 
ships of  Tyrone  and  BuUskin),  of  which  the  standing 
commitlrc  have  i;iven  no  account,  si.x-sevenths  of 
those  whn  vntiMJ  ucie  for  re.-^istancc.  .  .  .  The  written 
assnraner-  nC  >uliiiii<siua  Avliich  have  been  received 
by  the  cnniiiiis^ininis  urc  not  liiinicious,  nor  were  they 
given  liyull  thn-cwli..  rx|in-^-.(l  a  willingness  to  obey 
the  laws.  In  Favittc  (.'uuiity,  a  ilitfereut  plan  being 
pursued,  no  wrilfcn  ansuntnce-i  were  ijiccn  in  the  manner 
rcipiired." 

In  regard  to  the  non-compliance  with  the  methods 
prescrilicd  by  tlic  ci.niiiiissioner*,  the  failure  in  Fay- 
ette County  t(i  -igiiiiy  the  suliniis<ii)n  of  the  people 
by  individual  sub<ci-ipti..n  to  the  terms,  and  the  very 
light  vote  cast  here,'  Mr.  Oallutiii.  in  a  letter  t..  (;..v- 
ernor  Mifflin,' dated  Uni..iitowii,Se;ileiiil.eil  7th,  >ai>l, 
"It  was   an   cftWrt   tno   -reat,  [.erliap-.  t.i    he   ixpe'ted 


a  test  ot  al)soUite  Mil. 111! 
giving  active  support  I.,  t 
be  operatetl  only  by  ileg' 
vineed  the  unilei-tamlini;^ 
was  not  so  easy  a  ta-k  to 
dices  were  more  ilieply  lo..  e'l  and  n 
tion  less  extensive.  The  great  Ihh 
which  consists  of  moderate  men,  we 
from  a  want  of  knowledge  of  their  ow 
to  discover  tlieir  sentiments,  and  wi: 
awe  by  a  tew  violent  men.  Tiiis  wa 
cipal  reasons  which  prevented  sii  ii 
ing  the  general  meeting  on  the  day  ■ 
of  the  jjeople  was  taken,  to  whieh 

crate  nieii",  who.  havin-  r,,llow,.l    ,„. 


sulli^ 


i,  Tlie  change  would 
nd  alter  having  con- 
nioi-e  enlightened,  it 
le  tln.^e  whose  pivju- 


|S  ,,l 


1 1 


t  kept  in 
the  prin- 
n  attend- 


igh 


all  the  wannest  per-nns  attended,  we  had  a  very 
large  and  decided  majority  anioiig-t  tlie  voter>,  and  a 
great  many  of  those  w  ho  had  eonje  with  an  intention 
of  testilVing  their  intention  to  resist,  were  convinced 
by  the  aigunients  niaile  use  of,  though  their  pride 
W(juhl  not  suller  them  to  make  a  public  retraction  on 
tlie  moment,  and  they  went  off  without  giving  any 
vote. 

•'  A  very  favorable  and  decisive  change  h.as  taken 
place  since,  and  has  indeed  been  the  re.sult  of  the 
event  of  that  day.    The  general  disposition  now  seems 


to  be  to  submit,  and  a  great  many  are  now  signing  the 
proposals  of  the  commissioners,  not  only  in  the 
neighboring  counties,  but  even  in  this,  where  we  had 
not  thought  it  necessary.  We  have  therefore  thought 
the  moment  was  come  for  the  people  to  act  with  more 
vigor,  and  to  show  something  more  than  mere  passive 
obedience  to  the  laws,  and  we  have  in  consequence 
(by  the  resolutions  of  this  day  herein  inclosed,  and 
which,  we  hope,  will  be  attended  with  salutary  eft'ects) 
recommended  associations  for  the  purpose  of  preserv- 
ing order,  and  of  supporting  the  civil  authority,  as 
whatever  heat  existed  in  this  county  was  chiefly 
owing  to  what  had  passed  in  the  neighboring  coun- 
ties." 

•The  resolutions  referred  to  in  the  letter  were  those 
passed  at  a  meeting  of  the  township  committees  of 
Fayette  County,  held  on  the  17th  of  Septendier,  at 
Uniontown,  and  of  which  Edward  Cook  was  cliair- 
man.  As  stated  by  Mr.  Gallatin,  they  recommended 
township  associations  in  this  and  adjoining  counties 
to  promote  submission  to  the  law,  and  in  their  pre- 
anihle  recited  that  "It  is  necessary  to  shew  our  fel- 
low-eitizens  throughout  the  United  States  that  the 
eliaraeter  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  western  country 
is  not  sueh  as  may  have  been  represented  to  them, 
hut  that  on  the  contrary  they  are  disposed  to  live  in 
a  peaceable  manner,  and  can  preserve  good  order 
among  themselves  without  the  a.ssistance  of  a  military 
force."  Evidently  the  opponents  of  the  law  had  at 
last  begun  to  realize  that  successful  resistance  to  the 
government  was  hopeless,  and  that  voluntary  submis- 
sion was  better  than  that  enforced  by  infantry,  cav- 
alry, and  artillery.  But  the  knowledge  came  too  late 
to  prevent  the  exercise,  or  at  least  the  menace,  of  the 
military  power.  Upon  a  full  knowledge  of  the  result 
of  the  meetings  held  on  the  11th  of  September  in  the 
townships  and  election  districts  of  the  disaffected 
counties,  the  United  States  commissioners  reported  to 
the  President,  narrating  the  events  connected  with 
their  mission,  and  concluded  by  saying  that  although 
they  firmly  believed  that  a  considerable  majority  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  four  counties  were  disposed  to 
-uhiuittothc  execution  of  the  laws,  "at  the  same  time 
they  [the  commissioners]  conceive  it  their  duty  ex- 
plicitly to  declare  their  opinion  that  such  is  the  state 
ol'  things  in  that  survey  that  there  is  no  probability' 
that  the  act  for  raising  a  revenue  on  distilled  spirits 
and  >;ills  eau  at  present  be  enforced  by  the  usual 
eour-e  ot  eivil  authority,  and  that  some  more  compe- 
tent tbrce  is  necessary  to  cause  the  laws  to  be  duly 
executed,  and  to  insure  to  the  officers  and  well-dis- 
posed citizens  that  protection  which  it  is  the  duty  of 
government  to  afford.  This  opinion  is  founded  on  the 
tiicts  already  stated  [the  accounts  of  the  unsatisfactory 
result  of  the  township  and  district  nieetingsj,  and  it 
is  confirmed  by  that  which  is  entertained  by  many 
intelligent  and  influential  persons,  officers  of  justice 
and  others,  resident  in  the  western  counties,  who  have 
latclv  informed  one  of  the  commissioners  that  what- 


THE   WHISKEY  INSURRECTION. 


173 


ever  assurances  might  be  given,  it  was  in  tlieir  judg- 
ment absolutely  necessary  that   the  civil  authority  i 
should  be  aided  by  a  military  force  in  order  to  secure  ; 
a  duo  execution  of  the  laws."  I 

The  commissioners'  report  caused  the  President  } 
to  decide,  unhesitatingly,  to  use  the  military  power^  ] 
and  to  extinguish  the  last  vestige  of  insurrection  at 
whatever  cost.  In  taking  this  course  he  had  (as  he 
afterwards  said  to  a  committee  from  these  counties) 
two  great  objects  in  view  :  first,  to  show,  not  only  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  western  country,  but  to  the  entire 
Union  and  to  foreign  nations,  that. a  republican  gov- 
ernment could  and  would  exert  its  physical  power  to 
enforce  the  execution  of  the  laws  where  opposed,  and 
also  that  American  citizens  were  ready  to  make  every 
sacrifice  and  encounter  every  difficulty  and  danger  for 
the  sake  of  supporting  that  fundamental  principle  of 
government;  and,  second,  to  effect  a  full  and  com- 
plete restoration  of  order  and  submission  to  the  laws 
in  the  insurrectionary  district.  In  pursuance  of  this 
determination  the  forces  were  promptly  put  in  motion, 
and  on  the  25th  of  September  the  President  issued  a 
proclamation,  which,  after  a  preamble,  setting  forth 
that  the  measures  taken  by  government  to  suppress 
the  lawless  combinations  in  the  western  counties  had 
foiled  to  have  full  effect;  that  "the  moment  is  now 
come  where  the  overtures  of  forgiveness,  with  no 
other  condition  than  a  submission  to  law,  have  been 
only  partially  accepted ;  when  every  form  of  concilia- 
tion not  inconsistent  with  the  well-being  of  govern- 
ment has  been  adopted  without  effect,"  proceeds, — 

"  Now,  therefore,  I,  George  Washington,  President 
of  the  United  States,  in  obedience  to  that  high  and 
irresistible  duty  consigned  to  me  by  the  Constitution, 
'  to  take  care  that  the  laws  be  faithfully  executed,'  de- 
ploring that  the  American  name  should  be  sullied  by 
the  outrages  of  citizens  on  their  own  government, 
commiserating  such  as  remain  obstinate  from  delu- 
sion, but  resolved,  in  perfect  reliance  on  that  gracious 
Providence  which  so  signally  displays  its  goodness 
towards  this  country,  to  reduce  the  refractory  to  a 
due  subordination  to  the  law  :  Do  hereby  declare  and 
make  known  that,  with  a  satisfaction  which  can  be 
equaled  only  by  the  merits  of  the  militia  summoned 
into  service  from  the  States  of  New  Jersey,  Pennsyl- 
vania, Maryland,  and  Virginia,  I  have  received  in- 
telligence of  their  patriotic  alacrity  in  obeying  the 
call  of  the  present  though  painful  yet  commanding 
necessity;  that  a  force  which,  according  to  every  rea- 
sonable expectation,  is  adequate  to  the  exigency  is 
already  in  motion  to  the  scene  of  disaffection  ;  that 
those  who  have  confided  or  shall  confide  in  the  pro- 
tection of  government  shall  meet  full  succor  under 
the  standard  and  from  the  arms  of  the  United  States; 
that  those  who,  having  oft'ended  against  the  laws, 
have  since  entitled  themselves  to  indemnity,  will  be 
treated  with  the  most  liberal  good  fiiith,  if  they  shall 
not  have  forfeited  their  claim  by  any  subsequent  con- 
duct, and  that  instructions  are  given  accordingly.  .  .  ." 


The  forces  called  out  for  the  exigency  amounted  to 
about  fifteen  thousand  men,  in  four  divisions,  one 
division  from  each  of  the  States  of  Virginia,  Maryland, 
Penu.sylvania,  and  New  Jersey,  as  before  mentioned. 
The  .Virginia  and  Maryland  troops  (commanded 
respectively  by  Gen.  Daniel  Morgan,  of  the  former 
State,  and  Brig.-Gen.  Samuel  Smith,  of  Baltimore) 
formed  the  left  wing,  which  rendezvoused  at  Cumber- 
land, Md.  The  right  wing  (which  was  rendezvoused 
at  Carlisle,  Pa.)  was  composed  of  the  Pennsylvania 
troops,  commanded  by  Governor  Mifflin,  and  those  of 
New  Jersey,  under  Governor  Richard  Howell,  of  that 
State.  The  commander-in-chief  of  the  whole  army 
was  Gen.  Henry  Lee,  Governor  of  Virginia,  the 
"  Light-Horse  Harry"  of  Revolutionary  fame,  and 
father  of  Gen.  Robert  E.  Lee,  the  Confederate  com- 
mander in  the  war  of  1861-65. 

In  his  instructions  from  the  President,  the  com- 
mander-in-chief was  directed  to  "  proceed  as  speedily 
as  may  be  with  the  army  under  your  command  into 
the  insurgent  counties,  to  attack  and  as -far  as  shall  be 
in  your  power  to  subdue  all  persons  whom  you  may 
find  in  arms  in  opposition  to  the  laws.  You  will 
march  your  army  in  two  columns  from  the  places 
where  they  are  now  assembled,  by  the  most  convenient 
routes,  having  regard  to  the  nature  of  the  roads,  the 
convenience  of  supply,  and  the  facility  of  co-opera- 
tion and  union,  and  bearing  in  mind  that  you  ought 
to  act,  until  the  contrary  shall  be  fully  developed,  on 
the  general  principle  of  having  to  contend  with  the 
whole  forceof  the  countius  (if  Fayt'ttu,  Westmoreland, 
Washington,  and  All.-hrny,  :ni<l  , if  that  part  of  Bed- 
ford which  lies  westward  of  tlie  town  of  Bedford,  and 
that  you  are  to  put  as  little  as  possible  to  hazard. 
j  The  approximation,  therefore,  of  your  columns  is  to 
j  be  sought,  and  the  subdivisiim  of  them  <o  as  to  place 
the  parts  out  of  mutual  siippurtin^'  distance  to  be 
avoided  as  far  as  local  circumstaiucs  will  permit. 
Parkinson's  Ferry  appears  to  be  a  proper  point 
towards  which  to  direct  the  march  of  the  columns  for 
the  purpose  of  ulterior  measures. 

"  When  arrived  within  the  insurgent  country,  if  an 
armed  oppdsitinn  a|)pear,  it  may  be  proper  to  publish 
a  prochunatiiin  inviting  all  good  citizens,  friends  to 
the  constitution  and  laws,  to  join  the  standard  of  the 
United  States.  If  no  armed  opposition  exist  it  may 
still  be  proper  to  publish  a  proclamation  exhorting  to 
a  peaceful  and  dutiful  demeanor,  and  giving  assu- 
rances of  performing  with  good  faith  and  liberality 
whatsoever  may  have  been  promised  by  the  commis- 
sioners to  those  who  have  complied  with  the  condi- 
tions prescribed  by  them,  and  who  have  not  forfeited 
their  title  by  subsequent  misdemeanor.  Of  those 
persons  in  arms,  if  any,  whom  you  may  make  prisoners, 
leaders,  including  all  persons  in  command,  are  to  be 
delivered  to  the  civil  magistrates,  the  rest  to  be  dis- 
armed, admonished,  and  sent  home  (except  such  as 
may  have  been  particularly  violent  and  also  influen- 
tial), causing  their  own  recognizances  for  their  good 


174 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


behaviour  to  be  taken  in  the  cases  which  it  may  be 
deemed  expedient.  .  .  .  When  the  insurrection  is 
subdued,  and  the  requisite  means  have  been  put  in 
execution  to  secure  obedience  to  the  laws,  so  as  to 
render  it  proper  for  the  army  to  retire  (an  event  which 
you  will  accelerate  as  much  as  shall  be  consistent  with 
the  object),  you  will  endeavor  to  make  an  arrangement 
for  attaching  such  a  force  as  you  may  deem  adequate, 
to  be  stationed  within  the  disafl'ected  counties  in  such 
a  manner  as  best  to  afford  protection  to  well-disposed 
riii/cns  and  tlie  officers  of  the  revenue,  and  to  sup- 
press, by  their  presence,  the  spirit  of  riot  and  opposi- 
tion to  the  laws.  But  before  you  withdraw  the  army 
you  shall  promise,  on  behalf  of  the  President,  a  gen- 
eral pardon  to  all  such  as  shall  not  have  been  arrested, 
with  such  exceptions  as  you  shall  deem  proper.  .  .  . 
You  are  to  exert  yourself  by  all  possible  means  to 
preserve  discipline  among  the  troops,  particularly  a 
scrupulous  regard  to  the  riglits  of  persons  and  prop- 
erty, and  a  respect  for  the  authority  of  the  civil  mag- 
istrates, taking  especial  care  to  inculcate  and  cause 
to  be  observed  this  principle,— that  the  duties  of  the 
armyare  confined  to  attacl;in,u  and  suliduing  of  armed 
opponents  of  the  laws,  and  to  the  supporting  and  aid- 
ing of  the  civil  officers  in  tlie  execution  of  their  func- 
tions. 

"  It  has  been  settled  that  the  Governor  of  Pennsyl- 
vania will  be  second,  and  the  Governor  of  New  Jersey 
third  in  command,  and  that  the  troops  of  the  several 
States  in  line  on  the  man-h  and  upon  ilctachmeut  are 
to  be  posted  according  tn  the  rule  whieh  inevailed  in 
the  army  during  the  late  war.  namely,  in  moving 
towards  the  seaboard  the  nujst  southern  troops  will 
take  the  right,  in  moving  towards  the  north  the  most 
northern  troojis  will  take  the  right.  .  .  ." 

In  addition  to  his  military  duties  as  commanding 
officer  of  the  expeditionary  forces,  Gen.  Lee  was  also 
charged  to  give  countenance  and  support  to  the  civil 
officers  in  the  execution  of  the  law,  in  bringing 
offenders  to  justice,  and  enforcing  penalties  on  de- 
linquent distillers,  and  "the  better  to  effect  these 
purposes"  the  judge  of  the  United  States  District 
Court,  Kichard  Peters,  Ks(i.,  and  the  attorney  of  the 
district,  William  Eawle,  Kscj.,  accompanying  the 
army. 

President  Washington,  with  Gen. .Henry  Knox,  Sec- 
retary of  War,  and  Gen.  Alexander  Hamilton,  Secre- 
tary of  the  Treasury,  left  Pliiladelpliia  on  the  1st  of 
October,  and  proceeded  l.y  way  of  Harrishurg  to  the 
headquarters  of  the  right  wing  of  the  army  at  Car- 
lisle. From  that  ].laee,  on  the  lltli  he  went  to  Cham- 
bersburg,  and  thenee  by  way  of  Williamsport  to  Fort 
Cumberland,  where  hearrive.l  on  the  Utli,  and  where 
he  reviewed  the  Maryland  and  Virginia  troops,  com- 
posing the  lelt  wing;  alter  whieh  he  jiroeeeded  to 
Bedford,  Pa.  (which  was  then  Gen.  Lee's  headquar- 
ters), reaching  it  on  the  10th,  and  remaining  there 
two  or  three  days,  then  returning  east,  and  arriving 
at  Philadelphia  on  the  28th. 


In  the  mean  time,  after  the  departure  of  the  Hon. 
James  Ross,  United  States  commissioner,  from  Pitts- 
burgh and  Uniontown,  carrying  with  him  to  Phila- 
delphia the  reports  of  the  elections  of  the  11th  of 
September,  the  people  of  the  four  counties  began  to 
realize  that  the  results  of  those  elections  might  very 
probably  be  regarded  as  unsatisfactory  by  the  govern- 
ment, and  that  very  unpleasant  consequences  might 
ensue  by  the  ordering  of  the  military  forces  into  this 
region.  Upon  this  a  general  feeling  of  alarm  became 
apparent,  and  spread  rapidly.  A  meeting  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  Sixty  (otherwise  termed  the  Committee  of 
Safety)  was  called  and  held  at  Parkinson's  Ferry  on  the 
2d  of  October,  Judge  Alexander  Addison  being  their 
secretary.  At  this  meeting  William  Findley,  of  West- 
moreland, and  David  Redick,  of  Washington  County, 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  wait  on  the  President  of 
the  United  States  and  to  assure  him  that  submission 
and  order  could  be  restored  wdthout  the  aid  of  military 
force.  They  found  the  President  on  the  10th  of  Oc- 
tober at  Carlisle,  where  he  had  come  to  review  the 
troops  of  the  right  wing  of  the  army,  as  before  men- 
tioned. Tliey  there  had  several  interviews  with  him, 
in  which  they  informed  him  of  the  great  change  that 
had  taken  place;  "  that  the  great  body  of  the  people 
who  had  no  concern  in  the  di-sorders  but  remained 
quietly  at  home  and  attended  to  their  business  had 
become  convinced  that  the  violence  used  would  ruin 
the  country ;  that  they  had  formed  themselves  into 
associations  to  suppress  disorder,  and  to  promote  sub- 
mission to  the  laws."  In  reply  to  this,  the  President 
said  that  as  the  army  was  already  on  its  way  to  the 
western  counties,  the  orders  could  not  be  counter- 
manded, yet:  he  assured  the  delegates  that  no  vio- 
lence would  be  used,  and  that  all  that  was  desired 
was  to  have  the  inhabitants  of  the  disaffected  region 
come  back  to  their  allegiance. 

This  reply  was  final  and  ended  the  mission  of  the 
committee.  They  returned  and  made  their  report  at 
another  meeting  of  the  Committee  of  Safety,  which 
was  held  at  Parkinson's  on  the  24th  of  October,  and 
of  which  Judge  James  Edgar  was  chairman.  At  this 
"  meeting  of  the  committees  of  townships  of  the  four 
western  counties  of  Pennsylvania  and  of  sundry  other 
citizens"  it  was  resolved,  "  First, — Tliat  in  our  opinion 
the  civil  authority  is  now  fully  competent  to  enforce 
the  laws  and  punish  both  past  and  future  offenses,  in- 
asmuch as  the  people  at  large  are  determined  to  sup- 
port every  description  of  civil  officers  in  the  legal  dis- 
charge of  their  duty. 

"Second, — That  in  our  opinion  all  persons  who 
may  be  charged  or  suspected  of  having  committed  any 
offense  against  the  United  States  or  the  State  during 
the  late  disturbances,  and  who  have  not  entitled 
themselves  to  the  benefits  of  the  act  of  oblivion,  ought 
immediately  to  surrender  themselves  to  the  civil  au- 
thority, in  order  to  stand  their  trial ;  that  if  there 
be  any  such  persons  among  us  they  are  ready  to 
surrender  themselves  to  the  civil  authoritv  accord- 


THE   WHISKEY    INSURRECTION. 


175 


ingly,  and  that  we  will  unite  in  giving  our  assistance  i 
to  bring  to  justice  such  offenders  as  shall  not  sur- 
render. 

"Third, — That  in  our  opinion  offices  of  inspection 
may  he  immediately  opened  in  the  respective  coun-  i 
ties  of  this  survey,  without  any  danger  of  violence  | 
being  offered  to  any  of  the  officers,  and  that  the  dis-  j 
tillers  are  willing  and  ready  to  enter  their  stills. 

"  Fourth,— That  William  Findley,  David  Rediclc, 
Ephraim  Douglass,  and  Thomas  Morton  do  wait  on  i 
the  President  with  the  foregoing  resolutions." 

The  four  committee-men  appointed  by  the  meeting  | 
to  carry  the  renewed  assurances  to  the  President  met 
at  Greensburg  pieparatory  to  setting  out  on  tlieir 
mission,  but  at  that  place  they  received  intelligence 
that  the  President  had  already  left  Bedford  for  Phila- 
delphia, and  that  the  army  was  moving  towards  the 
Monongahela,  and  thereupon  they  decided  to  await 
the  arrival  of  the  forces,  and  to  report  the  action  of 
the  meeting  to  the  commander-in  chief,  as  the  Presi- 
dent's representative. 

There  was  no  delay  in  the  movement  of  the  army. 
The  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  troops,  composing 
the  right  wing,  marched  from  Carlisle  on  the  22d  of 
October,  and  proceeded  by  way  of  Bedford,  across  that 
county  and  Somerset,  and  along  the  road  skirting  the 
northeastern  part  of  Fayette,  to  what  is  now  Mount 
Pleasant,  in  Westmoreland,  at  which  place  the  ad- 
vance brigade  arrived  and  encamped  on  the  29th.  The 
centre  corps  (of  this  wing)  encamped  on  the  farm  of 
Col.  Bonnett,  in  Westmoreland,  near  the  line  of 
Fayette  County,  and  the  rear  went  into  camp  at  Lo- 
bengier's  Mills  on  the  30th.  At  these  places  they  re- 
ined encamped  about  one  week.  Following  is  an 
extract  from  a  letter'  written  from  the  rear  brigade, 
dated  Jones'  Mill  (in  Westmoreland,  near  the  north- 
east line  of  Fayette  County),  Oct.  29,  1784:  "  I  am 
distressed  at  the  ridiculous  accounts  sometimes  pub- 
lished in  our  papers.  I  assure  you  that  there  has  not 
been  a  single  shot  fired  at  our  troops  to  my  knowl- 
edge. The  whole  country  trembles.  The  most  tur- 
bulent characters,  as  we  advance,  turn  out  to  assist  us, 
supply  forage,  cattle,  etc.  From  Washington  we  hear 
of  little  but  fear  and  flight;  a  contrary  account  as  to 
one  neighborhood  (Pidgeon  Creek)  has  been  sent 
down,  but  no  appearance  of  an  armed  opposition,  and 
this  the  only  part  of  the  country  where  the  friends  of 
government  are  not  triumphant.  Our  army  is  healthy 
and  happy ;  the  men  exhibit  unexpected  fortitude  in 
supporting  the  continued  fatigues  of  bad  roads  and 
bad  weather." 

The  left  wing  of  the  army  moved  from  Fort  Cum- 
berland on  the  22d  of  October,  and  took  the  route 
marched  over  by  Gen.  Braddock  thirty-nine  years  be- 
fore, to  the  Great  Meadows,  and  from  there  to  Union- 


iPapcrsEel;ilingtotIieWbi3lii?ylDsmTectioniPciin9jiVi\DiaArcbi\ 
2d  Series,  vol.  iv.  p.  433. 


town,  at  which  place  Gen.  Lee  arrived  on  the  last 
day  of  October,  and  the  main  body  of  the  left  wing 
came  up  and  encamped  there  the  same  evening. 

The  committee-men,  Findley,  Rcdick,  Douglass, 
and  Morton,  who,  as  before  mentioned,  had  been  met 
at  Greensburg  with  the  intelligence  of  the  departure 
of  the  President  from  Bedford,  which  decided  them 
to  wait  the  arrival  of  the  army,  went  to  the  head- 
quarters of  the  right  wing  at  Bonnett's  farm  on  the 
30th  of  October,  and  presented  the  resolutions  of  as- 
surance to  Secretary  Hamilton,  who  accompanied  the 
division  of  Governor  Miffiin.  The  secretary  examined 
them  and  returned  them  to  the  committee,  with  the  re- 
mark that,  "  for  the  sake  of  decorum,  it  would  be  best  to 
present  them  to  the  commander-in-chief."  This  was 
what  the  committee  had  intended  to  do,  and  learning 
that  Gen.  Lee  was  then  at  or  near  Uniontown  they 
immediately  left  for  that  place,  and  arriving  there  on 
the  31st  of  October,  laid  the  business  of  their  mission 
before  him,  he  having  full  power  to  act  in  the  name 
of  the  President.  Secretary  Hamilton  also  came  over 
from  the  right  wing,  and  arrived  at  Uniontown  on 
the  same  evening. 

Gen.  Lee  received  the  committee  with  great  polite- 
ness,^ and  requested  them  to  call  on  him  on  the  follow- 
ing morning.  At  the  appointed  time  he  gave  them 
his  reply,  which  they  embodied  in  their  report,  dated 
Uniontown,  Nov.  1,  1794.^     It  was  as  follows  : 

"  Gentlemen,— The  resolutions  entered  into  at 
the  late  meeting  of  the  people  at  Parkinson's  Ferry, 
with  the  various  papers  declaratory  of  the  determina- 
tion of  the  numerous  subscribers  to  maintain  the 
civil  authority,  manifest  strongly  a  change  of  senti- 
ment in  the  inhabitants  of  this  district.  To  what 
cause  may  truly  be  ascribed  this  favorable  turn  in 
the  public  mind  it  is  of  my  province  to  determine. 
Yourselves,  in  the  conversation  last  evening,  imputed 
it  to  the  universal  panic  which  the  approach  of  the 
army  of  the  United  States  had  excited  in  the  lower 
orders  of  the  people.  If  this  be  the  ground  of  the 
late  change, — and  my  respect  for  your  opinions  will 
not  permit  me  to  doubt  it, — the  moment  the  cause  is 
removed  the  reign  of  violence  and  anarchy  will  return. 

"  Whatever,  therefore,  may  be  the  sentiments  of 
the  people  respecting  the  present  competency  of  the 
civil  authority  to  enforce  the  laws,  I  feel  myself  ob- 
ligated by  the  trust  reposed  in  me  by  the  President 
of  the  United  States  to  hold  the  army  in  this  country 
until  daily  practice  shall  convince  all  that  the  sover- 
eignty of  the  Constitution  and  laws  is  unalterably  es- 
tablished.   In  executing  this  resolution  I  do  not  only 


2  Tlic  committee,  however,  were  not  very  well  plr.,,- >l  iviil,  \t..  .i  ,-•■- 

"History  of  the  lusurreclioii,"  p.  I'.IO),  "IiiJepil.th.  ^' 1 

liolitcly  in  other  respects  and  employed  to  assist  in  iIm  li\ii..;  ■  l  n  .  cs- 
saries  for  the  army,  and  consulted  about  the  ground  on  wliicl]  it  should 

w  ith  tliat  candour  and  frankness  witli  wliicli  we  had  been  treated  by  the 
President  at  Carlisle." 
■1  Pa.  Arcliivcs,  2d  Series,  vol.  iv.p.  437. 


17G 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


consult  the  dignity  and  interest  of  the  United  States, 
which  will  always  command  my  decided  respect  and 
preferential  attention,  but  I  also  promote  the  good 
of  this  particular  district. 

"  I  shall,  therefore,  as  soon  as  the  troops  are  re- 
freshed, proceed  to  some  central  and  convenient 
station,  where  I  shall  patiently  wait  until  the  com- 
petency of  the  civil  authority  is  experimentally  and 
unequivocally  proved.  No  individual  can  be  more 
solicitous  than  I  am  for  this  happy  event,  and  you 
may  assure  the  good  people  whom  you  represent  that 
every  aid  'will  be  cheerfully  contributed  by  me  to 
hasten  the  delightful  epoch. 

"On  the  part  of  all  good  citizens  I  confidently 
expect  the  most  active  and  faithful  co-operation, 
which  in  my  judgment  cannot  be  more  effectually 
given  than  by  circulating  in  the  most  public  manner 
the  truth  among  the  people,  and  by  inducing  the 
various  clubs  which  have  so  successfully  poisoned  the 
minds  of  the  inhabitants  to  continue  their  usual  meet- 
ings for  the  pious  purpose  of  contradicting,  with  their 
customary  formalities,  their  past  pernicious  doctrines. 
A  conduct  so  candid  should  partially  atone  for  the 
injuries  which  in  a  geat  degree  may  be  attributed  to 
their  instrumentality,  and  must  have  a  propitious 
influence  in  administering  a  radical  cure  to  the  exist- 
ing disorders. 

'■  On  my  part,  and  on  the  part  of  the  patriotic  army 
I  have  the  honor  to  command,  assure  your  fellow-cit- 
izens that  we  come  to  protect  and  not  to  destroy,  and 
that  our  respect  for  our  common  government,  and 
respect  to  our  own  honor,  are  ample  pledges  for  the  pro- 
priety of  our  demeanor.  Quiet,  therefore,  the  appre- 
hensions of  all  on  this  score,  and  recommend  univer- 
sally to  the  people  to  prepare  for  the  use  of  the  array 
whatever  they  can  spare  from  their  fiirnis  necessary 
to  its  subsistence,  for  which  they  shall  be  paid  in  cash 
at  the  present  market  price;  discourage  exaction  of 
every  sort,  not  only  because  it  would  testify  a  dispo- 
sition very  unfriendly,  but  because  it  would  probably 
produce  very  disagreeable  scenes.  It  is  my  duty  to 
take  care  that  the  troops  are  comfortably  subsisted, 
and  I  cannot  but  obey  it  with  the  highest  pleasure, 
because  I  intimately  know  their  worth  and  excellence. 
"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  gentlemen, 

"  Your  most  obedient  servant, 

"  With  due  consideration, 
"Henry  Lee." 

This  reply,  or  address  to  the  people,  was  printed 
and  circulated  extensively  in  every  part  of  the  four 
counties. 

After  a  stay  of  a  few  days  at  Uniontown  and  Mount 
Pleasant  respectively,  the  two  columns  of  the  army 
moved  on  in  obedience  to  the  general  orders  of  the 
commander-in-chief,  as  follows : 

"  Heahquarters, 
"UxiON  (Beesox's)  Towx,  Nov.  2,  1704. 
"  The  nrmy  will  resume  its  march  on  the  morning  of  the  4th, 
;,t  the  hour  of  eight,  when  a  signal-gun  will  be  Ored.     They 


will  advance  in  two  columns,  composed  of  the  respective  wings. 
The  right  column  will  take  the  route  by  Lodge's  to  Budd's 
Ferry,  under  the  command  of  his  E.xcellency  Governor  Jlifflin, 
who  will  please  to  take  the  most  convenient  situation  in  the 
vicinity  of  that  place  for  the  accommodation  of  the  troops  and 
wait  further  orders.  The  left  co:umn  will  proceed  on  the  route 
to  Peterson's,  on  the  east  side  of  Parkinson's  Ferry,  under  the 
orders  of  Major-General  Morgan  ;  they  will  marcli  by  the  left 
in  the  following  manner:  Light  corps,  cavalry,  artillery,  Vir- 
ginia brigade,  Maryland  brigade,  the  baggage  to  follow  each 
corps,  and  the  public  stores  of  every  kind  in  the  rear  of  the 
Virginia  brigade.  On  the  first  day  the  light  corps  and  artillery 
will  march  to  Washington  Bottom,  fourteen  miles  ;  the  Vir- 
ginia brigade  to  Peterson's  farm,  twelve  miles;  the  cavalry 
under  Major  Lewis  will  move  with  the  comm!inder-in-chief ; 
the  bullocks  to  precede  the  army  at  daylight.  On  the  second 
day  the  column  will  proceed  to  the  camp  directed  to  be  marked 
out  between  Parkinson's  .and  Budd's  Ferries. 

"Should  Brigadier-General  Smith  find  the  second  day's 
march  rather  too  much,  he  will  be  pleased  to  divide  the  same 
into  two  days.  The  quartermaster-general  will  immediately 
take  measures  for  the  full  supply  of  forage  and  straw  at  the 
different  stages.  The  commissary  will  pKace  the  necessary 
supply  of  provisions  at  particular  intermediate  stages  where 
issues  will  be  necessary  j  guards  over  the  straw  as  soon  as  the 
van  reaches  the  ground,  and  to  sec  the  same  fairly  divided 
amongst  the  troops.  [Here  follows  the  assignment  of  straw  to 
each  brigade,  to  the  cavalry  and  artillery,  and  directions  for 
making  out  the  pay-rolls  for  one  month's  pay  from  the  com- 
mencement of  service.]  The  inspector  and  muster-master-gen- 
ei'als  of  the  respective  line  will  also  make  pay-rolls  for  the 
general  staff,  to  be  countersigned  by  the  commander-in-chief 
previous  to  payment.  Henuv  Lee." 

"  By  the  Commander-in-Chief. 
-G.  H.  TAVLon,  Aidc-iU-Canq}." 

Under  these  orders  the  left  wing  marched  from 
Uniontown,  and  the  right  wing  from  its  camps  at 
Mount  Pleasant,  Bonnett's,  and  Lobengier's,  at  the 
appointed  time,  and  moving  to  the  vicinity  of  the 
Monongahela  and  Youghiogh  eny  Rivers,  in  Westmore- 
land County,  went  into  camp  at  the  place  designated, 
between  Parkinson's  and  Budd's  ferries.  From  his 
headquarters,  "  near  Parkinson's  Ferry,"  on  the  8th  of 
November,  the  commander-in-chief  issued  an  address 
or  proclamation  to  the  inhabitants  of  certain  counties 
lying  west  of  the  Laurel  Hill,  in  the  State  of  Penn- 
sylvania," the  tone  of  which  was  a  little  after  the 
manner  of  a  conquering  chieftain  addressing  the  peo- 
ple of  a  subjugated  province.  "  You  see,"  he  said, 
"  encamped  in  the  bosom  of  your  district  a  numerous 
and  well-appointed  army,  formed  of  citizens  of  every 
description  from  this  and  the  neighboring  States  of 
New  Jersey,  Maryland,  and  Virginia,  whom  the  vio- 
lated laws  of  our  common  country  have  called  from 
their  homes  to  vindicate  and  restore  their  authority. 
.  .  .  The  scene  before  your  eyes  ought  to  be  an  in- 
structive one ;  it  ought  to  teach  many  useful  truths, 
which  should,  for  your  own  happiness,  make  a  deep 
and  lasting  impression  on  your  minds.  .  .  .  Those 
who  have  been  perverted  from  their  duty  may  now 
perceive  the  dangerous  tendency  of  the  doctrines  by 
which  they  have  been  misled,  and  how  unworthy  of 


THE  WHISKEY  INSURRECTION. 


177 


their  confidence  are  the  men  by  whom,  for  personal 
and  sinister  purposes,  they  have  been  brought  step  by 
step  to  the  precipice  from  which  they  have  no  escape 
but  in  the  moderation  and  benignity  of  that  very  gov- 
ernment which  they  have  vilified,  insulted,  and  op- 
posed. The  friends  of  order  may  also  perceive  in  the 
perils  and  evils  that  have  for  some  time  surrounded 
them  how  unwise  and  even  culpable  is  that  careless- 
ness and  apathy  with  which  they  have  permitted  the 
gradual  approaches  of  disorder  and  anarchy." 

The  general  then  proceeded  to  recommend  to  the 
people  to  manifest  their  good  intentions  by  taking  and 
subscribing  an  oath  (the  form  of  which  he  prescribed) 
to  support  the  constitution  and  obey  the  laws,  and 
by  entering  into  associations  to  protect  and  aid 
all  government  officers  in  the  execution  of  their 
duties.  He  further  recommended  to  all  men  able 
and  willing  to  do  military  duty,  and  truly  attached 
to  their  government  and  country,  "to  array  them- 
selves into  regiments,  one  for  each  county,  and  to 
place  themselves  under  such  ofiicers  as  may.  be 
selected  by  the  Governor  of  the  State,  known  to  be 
firm  friends  to  order  and  right,  upon  the  express  con- 
ditions of  holding  themselves  in  constant  readiness  to 
act  in  defense  of  the  civil  authority  whenever  called 
upon,  receiving  for  their  services  the  same  pay  and 
subsistence  as  is  allowed  to  the  militia  of  the  United 
States  when  in  actual  service."  He  then  concluded 
his  proclamation  as  follows:  "In  pursuance  of  the 
authority  vested  in  me  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  and  in  obedience  to  his  instructions,  I  do 
moreover  assure  all  who  may  have  entitled  themselves 
to  the  benefit  of  the  amnesty  proffered  by  the  com- 
missioners heretofore  sent  by  him  to  this  district,  and 
who  may  not  have  forfeited  their  title  by  subsequent 
misconduct,  that  the  promise  will  be  faithfully  and 
liberally  observed,  and  that  all  possible  endeavors 
will  be  used  to  prevent  injury  to  the  persons  or  prop- 
erty of  peaceable  citizens  by  the  troops,  whose  sole 
province  it  is  to  subdue  those,  if  any  there  should  be, 
hardy  enough  to  attempt  an  armed  resistance,  and  to 
support  and  aid  the  civil  authority  as  far  as  may  be 
required.  To  the  promulgation  of  these,  my  orders,  I 
with  pleasure  add  my  assurances  that  every  exertion 
will  be  made  by  me— and,  from  my  knowledge  of  the 
officers  and  soldiers  of  the  army,  I  am  persuaded  with 
full  success — to  carry  these  wise  and  benevolent  views 
of  the  President  into  complete  eftect." 

The  entire  army  remained  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Parkinson's  Ferry  for  several  days,  after  which  the 
main  part  of  the  troops  moved  down  the  Mononga- 
hela  River,  and  on  the  loth  of  November  a  detach- 
ment was  marched  from  the  vicinity  of  Parkinson's 
to  the  town  of  Washington,  accompanied  by  Secretary 
Hamilton  and  Judge  Peters,  and  taking  with  them  a 
large  number  of  prisoners'  which  had  been  taken  in 


the  eastern  part  of  Washington  County.  All  the 
prisoners  taken  by  the  army  excepting  three  were 
taken  in  that  county  and  Allegheny,  under  Gen. 
Lee's  special  orders,-  issued  for  that  purpose  to  Gen. 
Irvine  and  other  officers  in  command  of  cavalry. 

The  time  indicated  in  this  order  (Thursday  morn- 
ing, November  13th)  was  the  time  when  most  of  the 
arrests  were  made  by  the  military. 

The  commander-in-chief,  at  Uniontown,  on  the  1st  of 
November,  had  announced  his  intention  "  to  hold  the 
army  in  this  country  until  daily  practice  shall  convince 
all  that  the  sovereignty  of  the  Constitution.and  laws  is 
unalterably  established."  In  a  few  days  after  his  forces 
marched  northward  from  Uniontown  he  became  so 
convinced,  and  at  once  began  to  make  arrangements 
for  the  return  of  the  army.  The  notification  of  the 
reopening  of  the  inspection-offices  was  made  on  the 
10th,''  and  they  were  accordingly  reopened  ten  days 


put  tlie  diimntd  rascals  in  tlie  ceHar,  to 

ie  them  back  to  buck,  to  makn 

n  fire  fur  the  guaril,  but  to  put  the  piiso 

lers  back  to  the  farther 

end  of 

the  celhir,  and  to  give  tliem  ueillicr  vie 

nils  nor  drink.    The  cellar  was 

wet  and  muil.ly,  and  the  night  coM ; 

he  cellar  extended  the 

whole 

length  under  a  hirge  new  log  hon<e,  vvl 

ich  was  neither  floored 

lor  the 

openings  between  the  logs  daubed.    Tl 

ey  were  kept  there  unti 

Satnr- 

day  morning,  and  then  marched  to  the 

town  of  Washington. 

On  the 

march  one  of  the  prisoners,  who  Wius  su 

■ject  to  convulsions,  fell  into  a 

fit,  but  when  some  of  the  trooj.s  tub!  U 

n.  White  of  bis  situatio 

.  he  or- 

dcred  them  to  tie  the  damned  r.isi  al  to  : 

borsi'slailanddraghi 

1  along 

with  them,  for  ho  had  only  fci!;t>i  I  li;iv 

1- 111.  tils.    Someofhisfellow- 

prisoners,  however,  wlio  lia.l  n  I. 

1  md  let  the  p. 

or  man 

ride.    He  had  another  fit  bn,  ,.  i     ,. 

1  N^.-l.ington.    Thi 

nnirch 

was  about  twelve  miles.    Tli     ; 

I      1      i.mI  the  fits  had  been  in 

the  American  service  during  ,.    i:  - 

.,    i   .     ,     ,,1     III,.   «,,,    Nvit 

,  Gieat 

Biituiu."  Findley  relates  i 
inflicted  on  prisoners  l-y  tli- 
liis  statements  may  iiave  In 
seen  through  all  lii-^  ii:r  i  < 
the  worst  possil'lo  \<-:  i  > 
ticnlarlynll  whicli.  i  .- 

authorized,  encoiuiiiiLd,  <  i 
ecuted  by  Bng.-Geu.  White 
-  The  following  uro  extn 
Irviuo : 


-From  the  delays  ami 


ouslj 

agaii 
er  in 

St  ofl^enders, 
the  most  dis 
itted  treason. 

ble  . 

purp 
the  1 

i.tn. 

,p|.r,.l,.-ml,.i|. 

'""' 

likh  attend  the  pres- 
lish  preliminary  pro- 


paper  comiireheuds 


"On  Thursday. 


f  November,"  says  Findley,  in  his  "  History 
tion,"  "there  were  about  forty  persons  brought  to  Park- 
y  order  of  Gen.  White  [of  New  Jersey].     He  directed  to 


3  "The  announcement  by  Inspector  Neville  was  as  follows: 
*'  Notice  is  hereby  given  that  on  Thui-sday,  the  20th  instant,  an  otfice 
of  inspection  will  be  opened  at  Pittsburgh  for  the  county  of  Allegheny,  at 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


later  without  opposition  at  tlie  principal  towns  of  the 
four  counties.  The  withdrawal  of  the  army  was  an- 
nounced, and  the  order  of  its  return  march  directed, 
in  orders  by  Gen.  Lee,  dated  "Headquarters,  Pitts- 
burgh, Xov.  17,  1794,"  viz.:. 

"The  complete  fulfillment  of  every  object  JcpenJent  on  the 
olToits  of  the  army  makes  it  the  duty  of  the  comuiander-in- 
chicf  to  take  measures  for  the  immediate  return  of  his  faithful 
fellow-soldiers  to  their  rcspeclive  homes,  in  execution  of  which 
no  delay  will  be  permitted  but  that  which  results  from  the  con- 
sultation of  their  comfort. 

•'  On  Tuesday  morning,  at  the  hour  of  eight,  the  Pennsyl-  • 
vania  Cavalry  will  be  ready  to  accompany  his  Excellency  Gov- 
ernor Mifflin,  whose  official  duties  renders  his  presence  neces- 
sary at  the  seat  of  government. 

"On  the  nest  day  the  first  division  of  the  right  column, 
consisting  of  the  Artillery  and  Proctor's  Brigade,  under  the 
orders  of  JInj.-Gen.  Irvine,  will  commence  their  march  to  Bed- 
ford, on  the  route  commonly  called  the  Old  Pennsylvania  road. 

''  The  following  day  at  the  same  hour  the  Xew  Jersey  Line 
will  move  under  the  command  of  his  Excellency  Governor 
Howell,  who  will  be  pleased  to  pursue  from  Bedford  such  routes 
as  ho  may  find  convenient. 

"  On  the  subsequent  day  at  the  same  hour  the  residue  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Line  now  on  this  ground  will  march  under  the 
commanil  of  Brig.-Geu.  Chambers,  taking  the  route  heretofore 
mentioned,  and  making  the  same  stages  as  shall  have  been 
made  by  the  leading  division.  Maj.-Gen.  Frclinghuysen,  with 
the  Elite  Corps  of  the  right  column,  will  follow  the  next  day 
and  pursue  the  same  route. 

"Brig.-Gen.  Smith,  with  the  M.aryland  Line,  will  move  to 
Uniontown,  agreeably  to  orders  heretofore  communicated  to 
liim,  and  from  thence  to  proceed  on  Braddock's  road  to  Fort 
Cumberland,  where  he  will  adopt  the  most  convenient  measures 
iii  his  power  for  the  return  of  his  troops  to  their  respective 

"Brig.-Gen.  Matthews  will  move  on  Wednesday  next  to 
Morgan  Town,  from  thenco  to  Winchester  by  way  of  Frank- 
fort. From  Winchester  the  troops  will  be  marched  to  their  re- 
spective  brigades  under   the  commanding  officers  from  each 

'•  .\s  soon  as  the  public  service  will  permit  afterwards,  the 
Elite  Corps  of  the  left  culunm,  under  Gen.  Darke,  will  follow 
on  the  route  prescribed  for  I!:ig.  Matthews,  and  be  disbanded 
as  they  reach  their  respective  brigades. 

"...  The  corps  destined  for  the  winter  defense  will  move 
without  delay  to  BenlU-y's  Farm,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Monon- 
gahela,  near  Perry's  Ferry,  where  they  will  receive  orders  from 
Maj.-Gen.  Morgan. 


"  The  Virginia  Cavalry  will  take  the  route  by  Morgan  Town, 
from  thence  to  Winchester  by  Roraney's ;  the  commandant  will 
receive  particular  instructions  as  to  their  time  and  manner  of 


ill  due)  at  Bed- 
ad  the  Virginia 


for  til 
Fayct 
office 
what 

vnof  Wasl.iri 

if  llrT t) 

'ton  for 

more 
eut.y 

partici.i.ir  int. 
is  made. 

riuatiLin 

■•N 

//i.<pec(or  of  th 
jv.  10,  1704." 

c  lieienu 

On  the  '.;7lh  of  November 
rectcd  tonotiryall  persons  i 
Bcdfuril  aj;ainst  whom  suits 
United  States  for  ueslectiiis 

inspector  announced  that  he  was*'di- 
16  counties  of  AUeghenj',  Fayette,  and 


"The  right  column  will  receive  their 
fjrd,  the  Maryland  Line  at  Fort  Cumber 
Line  at  Winchester.  .  ,  ," 

The  army  moved  on  its  return  in  accordance  with 
these  orders.  The  right  column  marched  from  Pitts- 
burgh, by  way  of  Greensburg,  Ligonier,  and  Stony 
Creek,  to  Bedford,  and  thence  by  way  of  Fort  Lyt- 
tleton,  Strasburg,  and  Shippensburg  to  Carlisle.  The 
troops  of  the  left  column  returned  by  difterent  routes, 
the  Virginians  marching  up  the  Monongahela  Valley 
into  their  own  State,  and  passing  on  by  way  of  Mor- 
gantown  to  Winchester;  and  the  Maryland  brigade 
starting  from  its  camp  at  Pierce's  Ferry,  thence  mov- 
ing southeastwardly  through  Fayette  County  and  its 
county  town,  to  the  Great  Crossings  of  the  Youghio- 
gheny,  and  from  there  to  Fort  Cumberland  by  the 
same  route  over  which  it  had  advanced. 

The  corps  left,  under  command  of  Gen.  Morgan,  to 
remain  in  this  region  through  the  winter  for  the  pres- 
ervation of  order,  and  to  assist,  if  nece.ssary,  in  the 
execution  of  the  laws,  was  placed  in  camp  at  Bentley's, 
on  the  southwest  side  of  the  Monongahela.  This  force 
was  composed  in  part  of  troops  who  had  come  from 
the  East  under  Gen.  Lee,  and  partly  of'men  enlisted 
in  the  western  counties,  as  advised  in  the  proclamation 
of  the  commander-in-chief  of  November  8th,  and 
authorized  to  the  number  of  two  thousand  five  hun- 
dred men  by  an  act  of  Assembly  of  the  29th  of  the 
same  month.  Of  those  who  were  thus  enlisted,  Find- 
ley,  in  his  "  History  of  the  Insurrection,"  '  says  that 
many  of  them  were  reported  to' have  been  among  the 
most  troublesome  of  the  insurgents ;  that  the  people 
in  the  neighborhood  complained  "  that  many  of  them, 
for  some  time  at  first,  demanded  free  quarters  and 
such  things  as  they  stood  in  need  of  without  pay,  and 
that  some  of  the  oflicers  committed  indictable  oflenses ; 
but  when  the  persons  against  whom  the  offenses  were 
committed  commenced  prosecutions  they  settled  the 
disputes  amicably  and  behaved  well  for  the  future. 
And  when  the  people  took  courage  to  refuse  to  sub- 
mit to  impositions,  the  soldiers  ceased  to  demand  free 
quarters,  or  to  be  otherwise  troublesome."  But  the 
tenor  of  the  orders  issued  by  Gen.  Morgan''  to  the 


"  General  Orderi. 
"  Camp,  Bf.xtlev's  F.mim, 
'The  General  anticipates  the  happiest  issue  that  the  n 


forward  immediately  to  1 


and  friends  of  good  order  and 
verument  in  the  four  western  counties  of  Pennsylvania.  The  will- 
pness  with  which  the  citizens  have  enrolled  iheniselves  to  co-operate 
th  the  army  in  the  restoration  of  obedience  to  the  laws  are  pleasing 
ideuces  that  the  unhappy  delusion  which  lately  pervaded  this  country, 
I   under  the  auspices  of  the  friends  to  anarchy,  are  at  an  end. 

"The  General  hopes  that  the  army  now  hutting  for  winter-quarters 

will  consider  theni..*elves  as  in  the  liosom  of  their  friends,  &  that  they 

'   will  vie  with  each  other  in  promoting  the  love  and  esteem  of  their  fel- 


THE   WHISKEY  INSURRECTION. 


170 


troops  under  his  command,  and  the  well-known  char- 
acter of  that  general  in  the  matter  of  the  enforcement 
of  discipline,  render  it  probable  that  the  above  state- 
ments of  Mr.  Findley,  like  many  others  made  by  him 
in  disparagement  of  the  army  and  its  officers,  ought 
to  be  received  with  some  degree  of  incredulity. 

Gen.  Morgan's  forces  continued  in  their  canton- 
ments at  Bentley's  Farm  (with  small  detachments  at 
Pittsburgh  and  Washington)  until  the  followingspring, 
when,  order  being  fully  restored  and  established,  the 
last  of  the  troops  marched  eastward  across  the  Alle- 
ghenies,  and  the  western  counties  were  left  in  full  pos- 
session and  exercise  of  their  former  rights  and  powers. 

Gen.  Lee  remained  in  the  West  for  a  considerable 
time  after  the  departure  of  the  main  body  of  the  army, 
and  on  the  29th  of  November,  in  pursuance  of  author- 
ity delegated  to  him  by  the  President,  he  issued  a 
"proclamation  of  pardon"  as  follows  : 

"By  Hexry  Lee,  Governor  of  the  Commonwealth 
of  Virginia,  Major-General  therein,  and  Commander- 
in-Chief  of  the  Militia  Army  in  the  Service  of  the 
United  States. 

"a  pkoclamatiox. 
''  By  virtue  of  the  powers  and  authority  in  me  vested 
by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  in  obedi- 
ence to  his  benign  intentions,  therewith  communi- 
cated, I  do  by  this,  my  proclamation,  declare  and 
make  known  to  all  concerned  that  a  full,  free,  and 
entire  pardon  (e.xcepting  and  providing  as  hereafter 
mentioned)  is  hereby  granted  to  all  persons  residing 
within  the  counties  of  Washington,  Allegheny,  West- 
moreland, and  Fayette,  in  the  Slate  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  in  the  county  of  Ohio,  in  the  State  of  Virginia, 
guilty  of  treason  or  misprision  of  treason  against  the 
United  States,  or  otherwise  directly  or  indirectly  en- 
gaged in  the  wicked  and  unhappy  tumults  and  dis- 
turbances lately  existing  in  those  counties,  excepting 
nevertheless  from  the  benefit  and  effect  of  this  pardon 
all  persons  charged  with  the  commission  of  offenses 
against  the  United  States,  and  now  actually  in  cus- 
tody or  held  by  recognizance  to  appear  and  answer 
for  all  such  offenses  at  any  judicial  court  or  courts, 
excepting  also  all  persons  avoiding  fair  trial  by  aban- 
donment of  their  homes,  and  excepting,  moreover,  the 
following  persons,  the  atrocity  of  whose  conduct  ren- 
ders it  proper  to  mark  them  by  name,  for  the  purpose 
of  subjecting  them  with  all  possible  certainty  to  the 
regular  course  of  judicial  proceedings,  and  whom  all 
,  civil  and  military,  are  required  to  endeavor  to 


low-citizens,  nnd  pointedly  avoid  every  species  of  spoliation  on  the 
property  of  the  inhabitants. 

"The  officers  commanding  fatigue  parties  are  partirularly  directed 
not  to  sutfer  tlie  sngar  or  otlier  trees  producing  fruit  or  conitbrt  to  tlie 
farmer  to  be  cut  down  for  building,  or  any  other  purpose  wliatever. 
Tlie  burning  of  fencing,  where  there  is  sucli  an  abundance  of  fuel  so 
e.asily  procured,  is  strictly  forbid,  and  a  violence  offered  to  tlie  person  or 
depredation  on  the  property  of  any  individual  by  tlie  soldiery  will  be 
punished  in  the  most  exemplary  and  summ.Try  manner. 

"Daxiel  Mobga.v." 


apprehend  and  bring  tojustice,  to  wit :    [Here  follows 
the  list  of  excepted  persons,  given  below.] 

"  Provided, — That  no  person  who  shall  hereafter 
wilfully  obstruct  the  execution  of  any  of  the  laws  of 
the  United  States,  or  be  in  anywise  aiding  or  abetting 
therein,  shall  be  entitled  to  any  benefit  or  advantage 
of  the  pardon  hereinbefore  granted ;  and  provided, 
also,  that  nothing  herein  contained  shall  extend  or 
be  construed  to  extend  to  the  remission  or  mitigation 
of  any  forfeiture  of  any  penalty  incurred  by  reason 
of  infractions  of,  or  obstructions  to,  the  laws  of  the 
United  States  for  collecting  a  revenue  upon  distilled 
spirits  and  stills. 

"  Given  under  my  hand,  at  Head  Quarters  in  Eliz- 
abeth Town,  this  twenty-ninth  day  of  November, 
1794.  Hexey  Lee. 

"By  order  of  the  commander-in-chief. 
"G.  K.  Taylor,  Ald-de-Camp." 
The  names  of  the  persons  excepted  by  the  terms  of 
this  proclamation  were 

Benjamin  Parkinson,  George  Parker, 

Arthur  Gardner,  William  Hanna, 

John  Holcroft,  Edward  Magner,  Jr., 

Daniel  Hamilton,  Thomas  Hughes, 

Thomas  Lapsley,  David  Lock, 

AVilliam  Miller,  Ebenezer  Gallagher, 

Edward  Cook,  Peter  Lyle, 

Edward  Wright,  J<ihn  Shields, 

Richard  Holcroft,  William  Hay, 

David  Bradford,  William  Mcllhenny, 

John  Mitchell,  Thomas  Patton, 

Alexander  Fulton,  Stephenson  Jack, 

Thomas  Spiers,  Patrick  Jack,  and 

William  Bradford,  Andrew  Highlands, 

of  the  State  of  Pennsylania. 
William  Sutherland,  John  Moore,  and 

Robert  Stephenson,  John  McCormick, 

William  McKinley, 

of  Ohio  County,  Va. 
With  reference  to  the  cases  of  those  who  were  made 
prisoners  by  the  cavalry,  as  well  as  of  many  pro- 
scribed but  not  captured,  formal  investigations  were 
made  under  the  direction  of  Judge  Peters,  in  the 
course  of  which  it  was  made  appai'ent  that  informa- 
tion had  been  made  against  many  who  had  really 
been  guilty  of  no  offense  against  the  government. 
Many  of  those  arrested  were  taken  to  Pittsburgh.  Some 
were  released  through  the  interposition  of  influential 
friends,  while  others  less  fortunate  were  sent  to  Phil- 
adelphia, where  they  were  imprisoned  for  some 
months. 

Of  those  who  were  arrested  while  the  army  was  in 
this  region,  one,  and  only  one,  w^as  of  Fayette  County. 
This  was  Caleb  Mounts.  He  was  taken  East  with  the 
forces  of  the  right  wing,  but  it  was  afterwards  found 
that  he  was  innocent,  having  been  in  Kentucky  at  the 
time  when  the  riotous  proceedings  occurred.  In  re- 
gard to  the  taking  of  this  person,  Findley  says, 
"Isaac  Meason,  a  judge  of  Fayette  County,  followed 


180 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Judge  Peters  near  forty  miles  into  Bedford  County, 
and  ofiered  liiniself  and  Judge  Wells,  of  Bedford, 
both  of  them  acknowledged  friends  of  the  government, 
as  liail  lor  the  ]iris(iiier,  hut  was  absolutely  refused. 
As  Mr.  M..as,,n  knew  that  tlie  j.risoner  was  guilty  of 
no  crime,  which  cvidcritly  apiicarcd  (o  be  the  case  by 
no  bill  being  found  against  him  on  his  trial,  he  and 
Mr.  Wells  complain  of  the  judge  for  not  admitting 
him  to  bail  on  their  application.  Judge  Peters  being 
well  known  to  be  a  man  of  feeling  and  humanity,  his 
conduct  in  this  and  several  other  instances  can  only 
be  accounted  for  from  his  apprehension  that  it  was 
necessary  that  a  considerable  number  of  prisoners 
should  be  brought  down  in  order  to  prevent  the  in- 
flammatory part  of  the  army  from  committing  out- 
rages at  leaving  the  country."  This  last  remark  of 
Findley  seems  too  clearly  absurd  to  require  contra- 
diction. <.)iily  two  prisoners  were  taken  by  the  army 
in  Westmoreland  County.  One  of  these  was  after- 
war.ls  discharged  for  the  reason  that  no  bill  was  ibund 
against  hiju.  The  other,  a  very  ignorant  man  of  most 
violent  tem])er,  and  said  to  be  subject  to  fits  of  tempo- 
rary insanity,  was  found  guilty  of  setting  fire  to  the 
house  of  the  Fayette  County  collector,  Benjamin 
Wells,  and  was  sentenced  to  death,  but  was  rejirieved, 
and  linally  pardoned  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States.  The  principal  witness  against  this  man  on 
Ills  trial  was  said  to  have  been  a  chief  leader  of  the 
rioters  who  attacked  Wells'  house,  but  one  of  those 
included  in  the  ])ardon  of  the  commander-in-chief 

In  August,  llO't,  general  pardons  to  those  who  had 
been  implicated  in  tlie  insurrection  and  who  had  not 
subsequently  been  indicted  or  convicted  were  pro- 
claimed by  President  Washington  and  Governor 
Mifflin,  in  pursuance  of  the  agreement  made  in  the 
previous  year  at  Pittsburgh  by  the  United  States  and 
Pennsylvania  commissioners. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

F.WETTE    COUXTY     IN'    THE    AVAR    OF    JSI2-15     AND 
MEXICAN   WAR. 

Immediatei.y  after  the  declaration  of  war  by  the 
United  States  against  England,  in  1812,  recruiting 
was  commenced  in  Fayette  County  for  the  formation 
of  companies  to  take  the  field  in  the  government  ser- 
vice. The  first  company  completed  was  that  of 
Thomas  Collins,  of  Uniontown,  which  marched  from 
the  county-seat  in  August  of  that  year.  The  service 
of  this  company  was  performed  at  Oswego,  Sackett's 
Harbor,  and  other  points  along  the  lake  frontier  iu 
Northern  New  York,  under  Maj.  John  Herkimer. 

A  company  raised  and  commanded  by  Capt.  John 
Phillips  was  completed,  and  left  the  county  at  about 
the  same  time  as  Ca]it.  Collins',  and  served  in  the 
same  command  under  Mnj,  Herkimer. 


Capt.  James  Whaley,  of  Connellsville,  raised  and 
commanded  a  company  which  left  the  county  in  Sep- 
tember of  the  same  year.  On  the  day  of  their  de- 
parture from  Connellsville  they  were  entertained  at 
the  public-house  of  David  Barnes  (afterwards  the 
Page  House),  where  they  were  addres.sed  in  a  patriotic 
strain  by  Fatlier  Connelly,  and  after  the  conclusion 
of  these  ceremonies  moved  across  the  river  to  a  camp 
in  the  limits  of  the  present  borough  of  New  Haven. 
Thence  they  marched  to  Pittsburgh,  where  they  were 
mustered  into  the  service  Oct.  2,  1812.  The  company 
being  assigned  to  duty  under  Col.  Robert  Patterson, 
moved  from  Pittsburgh  to  Fort  Meigs,  and  was  incor- 
porated with  the  forces  that  fought  in  the  campaign 
under  Gen.  William  H.  Harrison,  afterwards  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States. 

Capt.  Andrew  Moore,  of  Wharton  township,  raised 
and  commanded  a  company,  which  was  mustered  on 
the  2d  of  October,  1812,  and  served  under  command 
of  Brig.-Gen.  Richard  Crooks. 

Capt.  Joseph  Wadsworth's  company  was  raised  in 
Fayette  County,  and  mustered  into  service  at  the 
same  time  as  Moore's  and  Whaley's  companies,  and 
served  with  the  latter  under  Col.  Robert  Patterson. 

Capt.  Peter  Hertzog,  of  Spring  Hill  township,  com- 
manded a  company  recruited  by  him  in  Fayette 
County.  It  was  mustered  into  service  Oct.  2,  1812, 
and  was  assigned  to  duty  with  the  forces  of  Gen. 
Richard  Crooks. 

A  company  of  light  dragoons  was  raised  by  Capt. 
James  McClelland,  and  mustered  into  service  for  one 
year  on  the  5th  of  October,  1812.  This  company 
formed  part  of  a  squadron  under  command  of  Lieut. - 
Col.  James  V.  Ball. 

Capt.  John  McClean  commanded  a  company  of  in- 
fantry raised  in  Fayette  County  and  vicinity  in  1812. 
Its  principal  service  was  at  Erie,  Pa. 

The  companies  of  Capt.  William  Craig  and  Isaac 
Linn  went  from  Fayette  County  in  the  early  part  of 
1813.  These  companies,  with  that  of  Capt.  McClean, 
were  in  the  force  of  one  thousand  militia  commanded 
by  Col.  Kre-i  Hill,  and  stationed  at  Erie,  Pa.  Volun- 
teers frimi  this  command  were  engaged  on  Commodore 
Perry's  scjuadron  at  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Lake 
Erie  and  capture  of  the  British  fleet,  in  consideration 
of  which  service  the  Legislature  passed  a  resolution 
directing  the  Governor  to  present  a  silver  medal,  en- 
graved with  such  emblematic  devices  as  he  might 
think  proper,  to  each  man  (if  a  citizen  of  Pennsyl- 
vania) who  so  volunteered. 

Capt.  James  Piper,  of  Uniontown,  raised  and  com- 
manded a  company  of  Fayette  County  volunteers, 
who  served  with  the  Filth  Detachment  Pennsylvania 
Militia,  under  Col.  James  Fenton,  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
in  1814. 

Capt.  Valentine  Giesey,  of  Brownsville  (who  had 
been  first  a  sergeant,  and  afterwards  a  second  lieu- 
tenant in  Capt.  Joseph  Wadsworth's  company),  raised 
a  company  numbering   one   hundred   and   eighteen 


FAYETTE   COUNTY   IN  THE   WAR   OF    1812-15   AND   MEXICAN  WAR. 


ISl 


men  and  officers,  who  left  this  county  in  November, 
1814.  Jiist  before  their  departure  the  Rev.  William 
Johnson,  pastorof  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Browns- 
ville, preached  a  patriotic  sermon  from  the  text, 
"Cursed  be  he  that  doeth  the  work  of  the  Lord  de- 
ceitfully; and  cursed  be  he  that  keepeth  back  his 
sword  from  blood."'  The  company  m.irched  hence 
to  Baltimore,  Md.,  but  while  on  their  way  there  they 
were  met  by  a  messenger  bearing  orders  for  their  re- 
turn. The  eagerness  of  officers  and  men  for  active 
service  was  so  great,  however,  that  while  the  com- 
pany halted  and  remained  at  Hagerstown,  Capt. 
Giesey  pushed  on  to  Washington  City,  where  by 
his  importunity  he  prevailed  on  the  Secretary  of 
War  to  accept  the  services  of  the  company,  and  order 
them  forward  to  report  to  Gen.  Scott,  at  Baltimore. 
On  arriving  there,  Capt.  Giesey,  accompanied  by  his 
second  lieutenant,  Shuman,  repaired  to  the  headquar- 
ters, where  he  reported  to  Scott  in  person.  The 
general  examined  the  captain's  order,  and  remarked, 
in  some  surprise,  "  What !  from  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania?" "Yes,  sir,  from  Western  Pennsylvania," 
answered  Giesey.  "  Well,  Capt.  Giesey,"  said  the 
general,  "  you  must  have  a  very  patriotic  company  of 
men."  "  I  hope  I  have,  sir,"  replied  the  captain. 
Gen.  Scott  continued  the  conversation  for  a  short 
time,  expressing  the  hope  that  the  men  of  the  com- 
])any  might  have  an  opportunity  to  show  their  sol- 
dierly qualities,  and  finished  by  ordering  them  to 
duty  with  the  Second  Regiment  of  Maryland  Militia. 
Three  days  later  the  company  left  Baltimore  for 
Annapolis,  where  they  remained  until  after  the 
declaration  of  peace,  when  they  were  mustered  out 
of  service  and  returned  to  their  homes. 

The  rolls  of  the  above-mentioned  companies  (ex- 
cept Capt.  Giesey's)  are  here  given  as  copied  from  tlic 
"Muster-Roils  of  the  War  of  1812-14,"  published 
under  authority  of  the  Slate. 

Capt.  Thomas  Colliks'  Co.mpaxy. 

Pay-roll  of  Capt.  Thomas  Collins'  company  of  United 
States  volunteers,  lately  under  the  command  of 
Maj.  John  Herkimer,  in  the  service  of  the  United 
States,  discharged  at  Oswego.  Commencement 
of  service,  27th  August,  1812;  expiration  of 
service,  August  26th,  1813. 

Captain. 


Marshall,  J.  H. 


Fell,  Mahlon,  dead. 


Eiisiipi. 


1  This  incident,  as  also  the  ftccount  of  tlio  compfiny  which  fullows  it 
is  fimiifl  in  tlie  ZfroicnTOi«c  rimw  iif  Ans.  30,  18G1,  lis  rehlted  hy  Cu])t 
Gooj-ge  Shiiniiin,  wlio   wjis  second  licntennlit  uf  the   cunipany,  Juhi 


ti'i-rr/eants. 
Price,  Benjamin;  promoted   to 

April  1,  1813. 
McFarland,  William. 
Beeson,  Henry,  Jr. 
Craig,  James. 


Corporals. 


Colhoun,  James. 
Trusedale,  Allen. 
Tibbs,  John. 
Gard,  Moses. 

Updegrali;  Willi:! 
Cuntzman,  John. 


ited  second  sero-eant 


Wood,  Seth,  apijoi 

Woods,  Clement. 

Hibben,  Thomas,  appointed  quartermaster-sergeant. 

Springer,  Job. 

Taylor,  John. 

Price,  Simon,  eni])loyccl  by  Quartermaster   Thomas, 

Buffalo;  extra  duty. 
Lynch,  Daniel. 
Turner,  Hanson. 
Pi-yor,  Joseph. 
Giln)an,  Samuel. 
Knapp,  Jacob. 
Farr,  William. 
Reyner,  John. 
Stewart,  James. 
Blceks,  William. 
Beeson,  Henry  W. 
Henthorn,  Noah. 
McGuirc,  Michael. 
Butler,  Orrick. 

Salter,  Samuel,  discharged  for  inability. 
Springer,  David. 

Y'ates,  Samuel,  Curloughed  and  unable  to  return. 
Bayles,  Henry. 
Ebbcrt,  William. 

Butler,  C'omldrl^  fiirlonghed  and  never  returned. 
Hoover,  Phillip. 
Goslin,  Ilichanl,  employed  by  Quartermaster  Thomas, 

Bufl'alo,  extra  duty. 
Gaddis,  Rice. 
Shiles,  Isaac. 
Stoops,  George. 
Askeriis,  TlK.mas. 
Dixon,  William. 
Hart,  William. 
Hunsaker,  Henry. 
Barnes,  Daniel,  employed  by  Quartermaster  Thomas, 

Buffalo,  extra  duty. 
Meason,  George,  died  at  Sackctt's  Harbor. 
Gaddis,  Al.nor. 
:\Iatt,  .laiiirs. 
.AlcCoy, William,  employed  by  Quartermaster  Thomas, 

Bulfalo,  extra  duty. 


182 


IIISTOllY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


JlcClcan,  Moses,  discharged  for  inability. 

Flick,  Gersliani. 

Miller,  Richard. 

Jloore,  Samuel. 

Firestone,  Daniel,  died  at  Bufl'alo. 

IJarnes,  Otho. 

llyshoe,  Adam. 

3[..rris,  William. 

Orange,  Thomas. 

Stilwell,  James. 

Stihvell,  Joseph. 

White,  James. 

Capt.  John  Phillips'  Company. 

Pay-roll  of  Capt.  John  Phillips'  company  of  United 
States  volunteers,  lately  under  the  command  of 
Maj.  John  Herkimer,  in  the  service  of  the  United 
States;  discharged  at  Oswego,  Aug.  26,  1813; 
commencement  of  service,  Aug.  28,  1812. 

Oiptain. 
Pliillips,  John. 

Liciifenanf. 
Wood,  Joseph. 

Sergeants. 
Kalor,  Frederick. 
Kramer,  Balthaser. 
Kclley,  Matthew. 

Corporacs. 
Daugherty,  Zadoc. 
Shaw,  James. 
Phillips,  Peter. 

rrivairx. 
Nailor,  John. 
Daugherty,  William. 
Tipton,  Thomas. 
Dorff,  Richard. 
Cassady,  Edward. 
Caseman,  John. 
Black,  James. 
R  image,  James. 
Hannahs,  John. 
UilT,  Stephen. 
Saiith,  Thomas. 
Bear,  David. 
Morgan,  David. 
Havel,  Pliilip. 
More,  Sanniel  L. 

Hardin,  Onto,  ,lis,-I,arged  Dccemlier  Oth. 
Parke,  .lolm,  fuilougli  to  April  1st.  not  returned. 
Donney,  MilUr,  fmlougli  to  March  Ut.  not  returned. 
Darling,  James  discharged  Decendjcr  'Jth. 
O'Nail,  ChaWo^. 

Clovous,  Matthias,  disch.irged  December  9th. 
Bothwcll,  John. 
Ogle,  Leu- is. 
Parke.  .Andrew. 

I  certify  that  the  within  e.xliibits  a  true  statement 
of  Capt.  John  Phillips-  company. 

JcisKPH  Wood, 
Lieutcunnt  United  Sfaies   Volanicci:f. 


Capt.  James  Whaley's  Co.mpaxy. 

List  of  members  of  Capt.  James  Whaley's  company,' 
which  marched  from  Connellsville,  Fayette  Co., 
Pa.,  to  Pittsburgh,  where  it  was  mustered  into  the 
United  States  service  under  Col.  Robert  Patter- 
son Oct.  2, 1812  ;  afterwards  moved  to  Fort  Meigs, 
and  served  with  the  forces  under  Gen.  Williani 
H.  Harrison. 

Captain. 

James  Whalev. 


George  Huey. 


First  Lieutenant. 

iSscond  Lieutenant. 

First  Sergeant. 

Second  Sergeant. 


Tliird  Sergeant. 


Crawford  S;)ringer. 


Fourth  Sergeant. 


Abram  Kilpatrick. 


Aaron  Agen. 
Henry  Hasclton. 
John  Marple. 
John  Robbins. 
George  Biddle. 
Charles  Long. 


First  Corporal. 


Second  Corporal. 


Third  Corporal. 


Fourth  Corporal. 


Drum-Major. 


Fife-Major. 


Frieates. 

Nicholas  Wallace.  Simon  Ruffcorn. 

.Tiiscph  Walker.  Abram  Freed. 

.\ndreu-  Walker.  William  Fisher. 

Robert  Steivart.  John  Ashbill. 

Levi  Ebert.  Thomas  McCullough. 

Jacob  Stimrel.  John  Artist. 

Robert  Smilie.  William  Highger. 

James  Quigley.  Robert  McGlaughlin. 

John  Martin.  Welden  Ragan. 

Josiah  Martin.  John  Hessen. 

Lewis  Ruffcorn.  John  Hodge. 


Tlii 


roll,  1 


FAYETTE   COUNTY  IN  THE   WAR  OF   1812-15   AND   MEXICAN   WAR. 


Michael  Spencer.                   Amos  Coiighanour. 

Fuller,  James. 

George  Ulery.                        Martin  Beatill. 

Shanks,  Mathew. 

Conrad  Bowers.                      Benjamin  Atkins. 

Neighbours,  William. 

Peter  Keffer.                           Adam  Kirkwood. 

Miller,  John. 

Daniel  Midder.                      Daniel  O'Bryan. 

Russell,  James. 

AVilliam  Baysinger.               Thomas  Matthews. 

Low,  Daniel,  died  since  the  time  expired. 

Silas  Moody.                          John  Miller. 

Evins,  John. 

Eeuben  Kinner.                     Thomas  Durbin. 

Tissue,  Edward,  volunteered  for  fifteen  days. 

Christian  Mnrphy.                George  Oldshue. 

Vanhauten,  Cornelius,  volunteered  for  fifteen  days. 

Jacob  Hophouse.                   Henry  Wcnlling. 

Emberson,  John,  volunteered  for  fifteen  days. 

Jacob  Somers.                        John  Blake. 

Campbell,  Jonathan,  volunteered  for  fifteen  days. 

David  Buck.                           Davkl  Thompson. 

Wood,  Lewis. 

Aaron  Thorp.                         James  Ragars. 

Wood,  William. 

Lewis,  John. 

Capt.  Andrew  Mooee's  Company. 

Freeman,  Edward. 

Pay-roll  of  a  company  of  infantry  commanded  by 

Kemp,  Solomon. 

Capt.  Andrew  Moore,  in  the  service  of  the  United 

Kemp,  William. 

States    from  Oct.  2,  1812,  until  April  2,  1813, 

Heaney,  Isaac. 

Second  Regiment,  Second   Brigade,  Pennsylva- 

Reynolds, William. 

nia  Militia,  commanded  by  Brig.-Gen.  Richard 

Swick,  Martin. 

Crooks. 

Thompson,  Aaron. 

Captain. 

Mackelfresh,  Eli. 

Mooro,  Andrew. 

Harris,  Joseph. 

Lieutenant. 

Robbins,  John. 

Flanigin,  Andrew. 

Whetzell,  Andrew. 

Fisher,  Michael. 

EmUjn. 

McKee,  John. 

Allen,  Elisha. 

McCauce,  James. 

Serrjeants. 

Daughortv,  Patrick. 

Bailey,  Andrew. 

Yaiigcr,  Henry. 

Gallagher,  John. 

Mill.T,  Prc^sley,  dischr.rged  December  14th. 

Marrow,  John,  left  sick  at  Canton,  October  30th,  and 

Tiiarp,  J.ili,  left  sick  at  Mansfield,  December  23d. 

returned  home. 

Wilson,  William,  discharged  December  14th. 

Swain,  Hiram. 

Inks,  John,  discharged  December  14th. 

Corporals. 

Tharp,  David,  discharged  October  19th. 

Hughs,  Reef. 

Weer,  James,  discharged  October  19th. 

Brewin,  Elias. 

Coflier,  James,  discharged  October  19th. 

McClelland,  William. 

JIcKearns,  Charles,  left  sick  at  Canton,  October  30th. 

Diinn,  John,  disciuirgcd  December  20th. 

Flick,  Jacdb,  left  sick  at  Canton,  October  30th. 

Privates. 

Marble,  Daniel. 

Allen,  David,  discharged  October  20th. 

Canon,  Daniel. 

Brown,  Solomon. 

IVEcClean,  Alexander. 

Brown,  Christopher. 

Jackson,  Robert. 

Burt,  Daniel,  left  sick  at  Canton,  October  30th. 

Elliot,  Benjamin,  discharged  October  19th. 

Bright,  David,  died  since  the  time  expired. 

Leynard,  Stephen. 

Bardlow,  Daniel,  discharged  December  19th. 

McDole,  Alexander. 

Capt.  Joseph  Wadswoeth'.s  Company. 

Uptecraft,  Jacob. 

Pay-roll  of  a  company  of  infiintry,  commanded  by 

Jewell,  William. 

"  Capt.  Joseph  Wadsworth,  of  the  Second  Regi- 

Conquers, Samuel. 

ment,  Second  Detachment,  Pennsylvania  Militia, 

Mitchel,  John. 

Cdninianded  by   Lieut. -Col.  Robert  Patterson,  in 

Mitchel,  Lewis. 

the  service  of  the  United  States.   Commencement 

Tissue,  Sebastian. 

of  service,  Oct.  2,   1812;    expiration  of  service, 

Sills,  John. 

April  2,  1813. 

Steel,  Isaac. 

Lappin,  Robert. 

Captain. 

Gilliland,  William. 

Wadsworth,  Joseph,  died  at  Fort  Meigs  after  the  ex- 

Gilliland, Adam. 

piration  of  the  tour. 

18-t 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Lkutennnt. 
Conrad,  Jacob,  died  on  his  return 
piration  of  the  tour. 


Craft,  George,  : 


ined  on  tlie  22d  of  J: 


1813. 


Sergeants. 
Giesey,  Valentine. 
Wherley,  Daniel,  appointed  clerk  to  the  district  pay 

master. 
Gallahcr,  Thomas,  promoted  to  first  sergeant. 
Stickle,  Henry,  promoted  to  second  sergeant. 


Corporah. 
Shaw,  John,  iiromoted  to  third  sergeant  and  elected 

ensign  ;  volunteered  fifteen  days. 
Jloore,  Alexander,  promoted  to  fourth  sergeant. 
Jackson,  John. 
Coulter,  Samuel. 

Privafc.o. 
Allison,  William,  discharged  on  the  22d  of  December ; 

allowed  fourteen  days  to  go  home. 
Barton,  Eoljcrt^,  pnmint.d  fourth  sergeant. 
Crosier,  K.-nad,i,  promntud  lir.t  corporal. 
Hill,  Joseph,  pri.iiinu.i  si,cn:i,l  corporal. 
Armstrong,  John  C,  promoted  third  corporal. 
Sayres,  Reuben,  promoted  fourth  corporal. 
Tobs,  Samuel. 
Marthers,  Robert. 
McLnin,  J 


Kimber.Predy,  volunteered  at  Fort  Meigs,  fifteen  days, 
after  the  e.x-     Miller,  Robert. 
Stewart,  Charles. 

Walker,  Francis,  discharged  Nov.  23,  1812. 
Rails,  William. 
Winder,  John,  died  at  Fort  Meigs,  after  expiration  of 

tour. 
Misscr,  Job. 
Parker,  .John  L. 
Misser,  Joshua,  discharged  December  22d  ;  allowed 

fourteen  days  home. 
Moss,  John. 
Laughlin,  Hugh,  volunteered  at  Fort  Meigs,  fifteen 

days. 
Nose,  Robertson,  volunteered  at  Fort  Meigs,  fifteen 

days. 
Higinbothoin,  George. 
Burnet,  Edward. 
Donilson,  James. 

Bivins,  Robert,  volunteered  at  Fort  Meigs,  fifteen  days. 
Anderson,  Richard. 
Coon,  John. 
Rodgers,  John. 
Lewis,  D.ivid,  discharged  December  loth;   allowed 

fourteen  davs  home. 
Doyle,  .John. 
Whipple,  Joseph. 
Reese,  Philip. 
Peters,  David. 
Moore,  Anthony. 
Walters,  I'eter. 


Frazier,  Even,  discharged  Det'ember  IGth  ;    allowed      Rodgers,  Jesse 
sixteen  .lays  to  go  home.  1   I"'""''.  J"''"- 

Blana    Thomas.  Vickers,  Able, 

McCrurey,  William. 

Monteeth.  .Tames,  discharged  December  1.5th  ;  allow 
sixteen  davs  to  go  home. 

ICelley,  James. 

Phillips,  John. 

Nahlon,  Jonathan. 

Homan,  Ucal,  discharged  Oct.  2G,  1812. 

Miller,  Ephraim. 


Amnions,  George. 

Chandler,  Isaac  H.        • 

Ammons,  Jacob. 

Miller,  Eli. 

Harford,  Charles,  discharged  Oct.  17,  1812. 

Shion,  Jones. 

Doney,  Isaac. 

Langiey,  Jonathan,  discharged  Oct.  19,  181: 

TjUce,  Henry. 

Hutchinson,  James. 

Hutchinson,  Henry. 

Hartman,  Daniel,  volunteered  at  Fort  Meii 

days. 
Pierson,  Thomas. 
Knap,  D.miel. 
Jovce,  William. 
West,  William. 


Clerk,  James. 
Crlder,  John. 
Fogle,  Peter. 
Carson,  Thomas,  d 
Cook,  John. 
Murdock,  Thomas, 
Rees,  .James. 


:irged  previous  to  first  muster, 
barged  previous  to  first  muster 


C.vi'T.  Peter  Hektzog's  Cosipany. 
Pay-roll  ofCajit.  Peter  Hertzog's  company  of  drafted 
militia,  attached  to  the  Second  Regiment,  coni- 
niandc.l  !.y  Cid.  Patterson,  in  the  service  of  the 
Fnited  Stall's,  from  Pennsylvania,  Brig.-Gen. 
Richard  Crooks  c.unmanding.  Commencing  of 
service,  Oct.  2,  1S12;  end  of  service,  April  2, 
1815  (3?). 

Captitin. 


Hertzos,  Peter. 

ifteen      Bowers,  Joseph. 

Overturf,  J. 

j  Coombs,  Edward. 
Sangston,  William. 


Lictitennnt. 

EiiKl.jn. 
Serrjcauts. 


FAYETTE   COTJNTV   IN   THE   WAR   OP    1812-15   AND   MEXICAN   WAR. 


185 


Hamilton,  James. 

Crowsore,  Christian. 

Yander,  Daniel. 

Hall,  Ephraim. 

Corporals. 

Lawriner,  Philip. 

Houpt,  Jacob. 

Vance,  Hugh. 

Freeman,  Alexander  R. 

Patterson,  Jesey. 

Hanna,  Robert. 

Rogers,  Stacy. 

Capt.  James  A.  McClelland's  Company. 

Privates. 

Pay-roll  of  a  company  of  twelve  month  volunteers, 

Black,  Henry. 

light  dragoons,  commanded  by  Capt.  James  A. 

Harohberger,  D.miel,  volunteered  fifteen  days. 

McClelland,  in  asquadron  commanded  by  Lieut.- 

Gnno,  Jobn. 

Col.   James  V.  Ball,  late   in   the   service   of  the 

Brin,  William. 

United  States. 

Debolt,  Rezon,  volunteered  fifteen  days. 

Captain. 

Debolt,  Tegarden  S.,  volunteered  fifteen  days. 

McClelland,  James  A. 

Danold,  Jonah  M.,  volunteered  fifteen  days. 
Blaney,  William. 

First  Lieutenant. 

Rifle,  Jacob. 

Gilmorc,   Hugh,   Oct.  5,  1S12;  discharged   April   2 

Cronton,  Abram. 

1S13. 

Haf  hill,  Abram. 

Second  Lieutenant. 

Antle,  James. 

Ramsay,  Thomas,  died  March  25,  1813. 

Reed,  Jacob. 

Sergeants. 

Robertson,  Robert. 

Care,  Jobn. 
Koupt,  Tobias. 

Porter,  Thomas  W.,  Oct.  5,  1812  ;  discharged  Oct.  21 

1813 ;  made  first  sergeant  after  death  of  F'.  Hert- 

Smith,  Samuel,  died  March  22,  )S13. 

zog. 

White,  John,   volunteered  fifteen  days;    died  April 

Hertzog,  Frederick,  Oct.  5,  1812;  died  July  11,  1813 

7th. 

Messmore,  George. 

Rees,  James,  volunteered  fifteen  days ;  died  April  9th. 

Balsinger,  Christopher. 

Wilson,  Thomas. 

Corporals. 

Numbers,  James. 

Pollock,  Stephen. 

Getzendaner,  John,  volunteered  fifteen  days. 

Lawrence,  Gc(n-go. 

Criss,  Miceal. 

Keckler,  Jacob. 

Stuart,  James. 

Drummer. 

Getty,  Solomon,  volunteered  fifteen  days. 

Axton,  Jeremiali. 

Getty,  Joseph,  volunteered  fifteen  days. 

Blaehsmith. 

Holmes,  John. 

Morgan,  Morris. 

Defenbough,  Daniel. 

Frimtes. 

Proctor,  William. 

Messmore,  Solomon. 

AVilley,  Richard. 

Parshall,  Nathaniel. 

Rumble,  Henry. 

Hare,  James,  killed  June  .30,  1813. 

AVynn,  Jonathan. 

Ackle,  Jarob,  killed  May  1,  1813. 

Hartmann,  Melchi. 

Turk.r,  Jacob. 

Parson,  John. 

Thompson,  John. 

Wilson,  Hu;;h,  volunteered. 

Price,  William. 

Bowel,  Bazael. 

Coombs,  John. 

Balsinger,  J.,hn. 

Logan,  James. 

Hannah,  Ei)liraim. 

McDougal,  Levi. 

Province,  Benjamin. 

Thompson,  Thomas. 

Gilmore,  David. 

Willark,  David. 

Christoplicr,  Gideon. 

Watson,  Joseph. 

Wheaton,  Benjamin,  die.l  May  30,  1813. 

JMcCarty,  Joel. 

Breading,  James. 

McCarty,  Hiram. 

Graham,  John. 

Tipit,  William. 

Smith,  John,  died  Oct.  1.5,  1813. 

McCann,  Hugh. 

Williams,  William. 

Hardman,  Philip. 

aicClean,  Thomas. 

Rickets,  Philoman. 

Bowde,  Thomas. 

Owl,  Jacob. 

Vanshan,  Thomas. 

Feirst,  George. 

Martin,  Scott. 

186 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Brown,  Caleb. 

Harrison,  Isaac,  died  Aug.  13,  1S13. 

Harrison,  Jacob. 

Dougherty,  Samuel,   discharged    from   service,  time 

not  known. 
Herrod,  George. 

Gritfin,  James  M.,  killed  Dec.  18,  1812. 
Smith,  Jeremiah,  August,  1813. 
Brown,  Samuel  R.,  August,  1813;  promoted  April  2, 

1814. 

I  do  certify,  on  honor,  that  the  within  exhibits  a 
true  roll  of  the  men's  names  belonging  to  my  trooji  of 
twelve  month  volunteer  light  dragoons,  late  in  the 
service  of  the  United  States. 

J.\.MES    A.  MrCi.ELLASD, 

Otpf.un  Vnlt.d  States  Y.  L.  D. 
Capt.  John  McCi.eax's  Company. 
Pay-roll  of  Capt.  John  McClean's  company,  belong- 
ing to  a  regiment  of  Pennsylvania  militia  in  the 
service  of  the  United  States,  commanded  by  Col. 
Eees  Hill,  from  the  date  of  entering  into  service 
to  Nov.  5,  1813,  inclusive. 

Oipfain. 
McCIean,  John. 

Licidennntti. 
Taylor,  Beriah,  resigned  Aug.  17,  1813. 
Gance,  Jacob. 
Tillard,  Eobert. 

Emign. 
Smith,  Samuel,  appointed  adjutant  Aug.  10,  1813. 

Boyd,  William. 

Taylor,  Joseph. 

Barton,  Joseph. 

Death,  John. 

Routzenger,  Adam,  appointed  sergeant  July  14, 1813. 

Corporah. 
Foly,  David,  discharged  July  27,  1813. 
McFall,  William,  d.>chaigc.i  July  14,  1813. 
Cox,  Levi,  appuiutrd  c.rpnral  July  1,  1813. 
Lewis,  Thomas,  aiipointed  corporal  July  1,  1813. 
Gue,  Josejih,  appointed  corporal  July  15,  1813. 
Byers,  Andrew,  appointed  corporal  July  1,  1813. 

Fifa: 
Roberts,  William. 

rricatcs. 
Donald,  William. 
Sample,  Samuel. 
Shaw,  William. 

Murphey,  Barrich,  discharged  Aug.  14,  1813.  '■ 

Edwards,  John.  I 

McLaughlin,  William,  discharged  Aug.  15,  1813. 
Rankin,  Robert. 

Downer,  Jacob,  appointed  surgeon's  mate  May   12, 
1813.  '• 


Sharp,  Levi. 

Show,  Eli. 

Patrick,  James. 

Mattliias,  Joseph. 

Hamilton,  Hance. 

Campbell,  Hugh. 

Fuller,  Thonuis,  enlisted  July  13,  1813. 

Hopkins,  Josiah. 

Phillips,  Evan. 

Jlulvine,  Edward. 

Williams,  William. 

Golden,  James. 
I  Martin,  William. 

Allison,  Major. 
I  Lewis,  Robert. 

Law,  John. 

Simpkins,  Amos. 

Honian,  Michael. 

Hunt,  D.miel. 

Shepperd,  Fermand. 

King,  Joseph. 

Cummins,  James. 
j  Summions,  or  Timmons,  Peter. 
'  Fulton,  Thomas. 

Smith,  Nicholas. 

Fvi.ldle,  ilichael. 

Stewart,  Daniel. 

KLnipson,  John,  discharged  Aug.  3,  1813. 

Thonias,  Benjamin,  discharged  Aug.  14,  1813. 

Dann,  John. 

Campble,  Stephen,  discharged  Aug.  19,  1813. 
j  McLaughlin,  James. 

Coffman,  Jacob. 
I  McConnol,  William,  discharged  July  7,  1813. 
;  Helmick,  John. 

Bice,  Thomas. 

Booker,  Henry. 

Woodruff',  Cornelius. 

McCormack,  Moses. 

Morgan,  James. 

Black,  John. 
'  Shields,  Roger. 

Wilkins,  Thomas. 

Gibney,  David. 

Roach,  Thomas. 
I  Badger,  Jeremiah. 

Johnston,  Elijah,  discharged  June  22,  1813. 

Farquer,  Chads. 

Wood,  Joseph. 

Singleton,  Jacob. 

White,  David,  discharged  July  18,  1813. 

Swink,  Jacob,  discharged  July  18,  1813. 

Goodwin,  Joseph. 

Davis,  James. 

Seals,  Isaac. 

Morce,  Alven. 

Bunton,  Edmund. 

Robinson,  James. 


FAYETTE   COUNTr   IN   THE    WAR   OF    1812-15    AiSID   MEXICAN    WAR. 


187 


Thompson,  William. 

McClean,  William,  appointed  forage-master  May  12, 

1S13. 
Gray,  John. 
Price,  Jacob. 

Capt.  William  CRAici's  Company. 

Pay-roll  of  a  company  of  infimtry,  commanded  by 
Cai)t.  William  Craig,  in  the  regiment  of  Penn- 
sylvania militia  commanded  by  Col.  Rees  Hill,  in 
the  service  of  the  United  States,  commencing  on 
the  23d  day  of  April,  until  Nov.  8,  1813,  both 
days  inclusive. 

Harvey,  Isaac,  May  5,  1813;  died  Aug.  C,  1S13. 

White,  James. 

Trimble,  Alexander. 

Robinson,  Hugh,  promoted  to  sergeant  July  8,  1813. 

Haggerman,  Samuel,  discharged  July  8, 1813,  invalid. 

Robinson,  James. 

Cassaday,  William. 

Fcnil,  Thomas. 

Keister,  Michael. 

Mitchel,  Jesse. 

Gray,  Israel. 

McLaughlin,  Michael. 

Irwin,  Thomas. 

Johnston,  Uriah. 

McVey,  Patrick. 

Grove,  Jacob. 

Carney,  George. 

Weaver,  Daniel. 

Brown,  Peter. 

McClean,  Thomas. 

Brown,  George,  sick,  and  discharged  by  doctor.  Aug. 
13,  1813. 

Sherbondy,  George. 

Mahan,  Robert. 

Berry,  John. 

Irwin,  William,  discharged  June  13,  1813,  casualty; 

Carson,  James. 

Kirkpatrick,  Henry. 

Wade,  George. 

McGuire,  Daniel. 

Russell,  John,  discharged  Aug.  17,  1813,  sickness. 

Kanaan,  Jonathan,  discharged  Sept.  20,  1813,  to  take 
care  of  a  sick  man. 

Walker,  John. 

McCormick,  James. 

Aron,  Conrad.  * 

Clark,  James. 

Black,  James. 

Serenna,  Joseph. 

Murphy,  James,  discharged  Aug.  17,  1813,  on  account 
of  sickness. 

McHenry,  William. 

McCormick,  John. 

Speese,  George,  discharged  Aug.  18,  1813,  over  age. 

Dougal,  Henry. 

McClean,  Robert. 


Shaffer,  George,  discharged  Aug.  10,  1813,  on  account 

of  sickness. 
Young,  John,  discharged  Aug.  17,  1813  ;  cut  in  the 

toot. 
Geiger,  Benjamin. 
McClean,  John. 

McKcever,  Matthew,  discharged  Aug.  19,  1813. 
Cochran,  William. 
Mnri)hy,  Jeremiah. 

Wadle,  James,  discharged  Aug.  10,  1813. 
McKee,  John. 
Williard,  Frederick. 
Gray,  John. 
Amilong,  Daniel. 
Berlin,  John. 
Wilty,  Philip. 
Fox,  Jacob. 
Gibson,  Gedion. 
Dixon,  Samuel. 
G.aut,  William. 
DiUinger,  George. 
Campbell,  Thomas. 
Holder,  James. 
Taylor,  John. 
Cimniel,  John. 
Hunter,  Thomas. 
McQuade,  James. 
Ca.ssidy,  William,  Jr. 
Morrow,  James. 
Cole,  David. 
Leightly,  George. 
Boyd,  John,  discharged  Aug.  23,  1813. 

Capt.  Isaac  Lisn'.s  Company. 

Pay-roll  of  Capt.  Isaac  Linn's  company,  belonging 
to  a  regiment  of  Pennsylvania  militia  com- 
manded by  Cul.  Rees  Hill,  cornmeucing  18th 
Mav,  1813,' and  endin-  the  oil.  November. 


Capt 


Oldshuc,  John. 
Meriman,  John. 
Kendall,  Jeremiah. 


Lowns,  John. 


Enshja. 


Scrijeants. 
Shryock,  Daniel,  appointed  wagon-master  Aug.   19, 

"l813. 
Andrews,  Thomas,  discharged  October  24th. 
Allen,  Jnni.tlian,  discliarired  Octobrr  24th. 
Lewis,  Jolni,  clischar-ed  t)ri,,],rr  24tli. 
Reed,'  John,  discliargcd  Nuveiiil-er  .Ith. 


Countj-,  In  1881,  ngcj  i 


ISS 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Cnrporah. 
Davis,  Joseph,  discharged  October  26th. 
Greenlee,  Jacob,  discharged  October  24th. 


Shoultz,  George,  discharged  October  24th. 

Privates. 
Anderson,  William,  discharged  November  5th. 
Crooks,  William,  discharged  October  24th. 
Fagan,  John,  discharged  Xovember  5th. 
Martin,  George,  discharged  October  24th. 
Helmick.  Jo^vnh,  discb.'irged  October  24th. 
Lavlaiitlrr.  Jan,.'-,  ,i:>rl,:,i-.'d  Octobrr  24th. 
Caiifiuaii,  Abralunii,  disrliai-cd  Xovcmber  5th. 
Greenland,  John,  discharged  October  24th. 
Hilands,  John,  discharged  July  9th. 
Latta,  Ephraim,  discharged  November  5th. 
Eobbison,  Robert,  discharged  October  26th. 
Currant,  Joel,  discharged  October  24th. 
Updegralf,  Jacob,  discharged  August  21st. 
Davis,  William,  di^diar-rd  Aii-u-t  22d. 
Law,  Thomas.  .K-rliaiLird  ilrtul.ri-  24th. 
Laugliliii,  Andivw,  di,-.|  Ortol,,.,'  isth. 
Mendiii-all,  .lolin,  ,li-.rl,ai-rd  ( irt,,b,T  24th. 
Bell,  SaiNih-1,  .li>rhai-r.|  Ortobn-  24tb. 
Price,  .lames  .li-rl,arged  Octoli.T  24th. 
Hartman,  Frederick,  discharged  July  26th. 
Briant,  James,  discharged  November  5th. 
Lvnch,  William,  died  July  lltli. 
Beeler,  J..I111,  di-^rliai-rd  N'nveiiilM.r  5th. 
Cumberland,  Tli..mas.  ibs.-liar-rd  October  24th. 
Allouays,  Josrpli,  enli-trd  June  2yd. 
Eljbcrt,  Levi,  dis.hai-v.l  Xovendjer  5tli. 
Stewart,  Bnbirt,  inli-t.d  .lune  27th. 
Tiiomiison,  Thomas,  ,lis,  l.ar-ed  October  24th. 
Tegret,  Hugh,  diseliaivrd  1  iriol,,.,-  L'l'.ib. 
Gase,  John  I!.,  dischai-ed  Xov,  inber  5tb. 
Brown,  Samuel,  discluu-ed  Xovembrr  5tli. 
Brooks,  Jauu'S,  discharged  N,.vmi,b,.i'  5ili. 
Kuvemlale,  Isaac,  .lischarged  November  5|h. 
B.-ebly,  Marliu,  diM-bai-vd  October  2iith. 
Chain,  .Fames,  (bs  liargr.i  Xovember  5th. 
River,  .lobn,  dird  0,to!,   r  l.-<lb. 
Reed,  Charlrs,  di-rliai-rd  Xovend.er  5th. 
Reed,  Thnina-.  di-rharj.M  ,lulv  1-t. 
Malaby,  .lam.-,  .liMhar  ■.■.!  (),-i,,l„.r  24lh. 
jMcGw'iggen.  A  l.'xaii.l.r,  .b-.-liarj.^.l  o.-tober  24th. 
J.ihnstoli,  Xirb..la~,  .li-.liai-..l  I  II. lb, a-  24th. 
Drinen,  Davi.l,  .li^.-har-.-l   \..veii)brr  5tli. 
Bad-er,  (!ib-,  .liM-l,aruv.i  N..v,aNb,-r  5th. 
lianer,  lianiel.  eiibsl,..!  .lime  27tli. 
Fon'.li.a.,  William,  ,.|ili>te.I  June  13th. 
Vicars,  Ab,.l,  ,;ili>to.l  June  IMtli. 
Rupely,  J.ibn.  .m  b.,ar.l  fleet,  August  IHh. 
Craig,  William.  .li>cliarL'e.l  N..vcmber  5th. 
JIcGinnis,  Dani.l,  .lis.liai-.d  November  5th. 
Chrk,  Johu,diM-bar.-..l  N..v..inb..r5;h. 
Drenen,  .John,  di-cbarg.d  November  5lh. 


Davis,  John,  discharged  October  24th. 
Miller,  Benjamin,  enlisted  June  18th. 
Loey,  Stephen,  discharged  November  5th. 
Croxton,  Abra™,  discharged  October  24th. 
King,  Robert,  enlisted  June  29th. 
Litman,  John,  discharged  October  24th. 
Cole,  Daniel,  discharged  August  28th. 
McFarland,  Joseph,  discharged  October  24th. 
Dunnoni,  William,  discharged  October  24th. 
Dickerson,  James,  discharged  October  24th. 
Reel,  Amos. 

Beeson,  John,  discharged  November  5th. 
Badger,  Weyman,  discharged  November  5th. 
Evy,  Benjamin,  discharged  August  22d. 
McClelland,  William,  enlisted  June  1st. 
Taylor,  Jesse,  discharged  November  5th. 

I  certify,  on  honor,  the  above  pay-roll  to  be  a  true 
statement  of  the  company  under  my  command  up  to 
the  time  of  discharge. 

Isaac  Linn,  Captain. 

Rees  Hill,   Colonel  Commandlnrj. 

Capt.  Jajies  Piper's  Company. 
Muster-roll  of  Capt.  Piper's  company  of  volunteers, 
belonging  to   Fifth    Detachment,   Pennsylvania 
Militia,  now  in  the  service  of  the  United  States, 
at  Buft'alo,  State  of  New  York. 


Piper,  James. 
W^oodburn,  James. 
Huston,  Andrew. 


Captain. 

Licutcnnnt. 

Ensign. 

Sergeants. 


Weakley,  William  L. 
Weakley,  James. 
Smith,  James, 
James,  Henry. 

Corporals. 
Kable,  Daniel. 
McCulloeh,  William,  Sr. 
McCulloch,  William,  Jr. 

Priratcs. 

Morrison,  Ezra.  AVilliamson,  D.rvid. 

Orr,  Samuel.  McWilliams,  John. 

Stitt,  James.  Kelly,  John. 

.Mclutirc,  James.  Patterson,  Hugh. 

Cdliijs,  Valeirtinc.  Walker,  John. 

Turner.  Joseph.  Marlin,  Thomas. 

Ctrsiicr,  Jacob.  Thompson,  William. 

Spaiigler,  Peter.  Sowers,  Samuel. 

McGaw,  Thomas.  Ingram,  Samuel. 

McGlaughlin,  Samuel.  Wacob,  William. 

Jones,  William,  deceased  McGlaughlin,  Robert. 

Aug.  5,  1814.  Donley,  Michael. 

Bull,  John.  Harper,  Samuel. 

Thomas,  Enoch.  Carothcr.s,  Andrew. 


FAYETTE    COUiNTY   IN   THE  WAR   OF    1812-15    AND    MEXICAN   WAR. 


Brown,  Alexander. 
Buclianan,  Robert. 
Trago,  Joseph. 
McKinney,  John. 
Brown,  William. 
Graham,  James. 
Watts,  James. 
Ramsay,  James. 
Kinkaid,  William. 
Jones,  Joshua. 
Huston,  John. 
Miller,  Robert. 


Woodburn,  Robert. 
Davidson,  Andrew. 
Gamble,  Benjamin. 
Lindsay,  William. 
01ivor,"j<)hn. 
B,.ner,  John. 
TMillcr,  Jacob. 
Brown,  William,  Jr. 
Burk,  William. 
Felker,  William. 
-Garrad,  John. 


I  do  certify  that  the  above  is  a  correct  muster-roll 
of  my  company.  Given  under  my  hand  this  23d  day 
of  August,  A.D.  1814. 

J.ViMES  Piper,  Captain. 

James  Fenton,  Colonel. 

THE    MEXICAN    WAR. 

The  county  of  Fayette  furnished  to  the  United 
States  service  in  the  Mexican  war  one  full  company 
of  volunteers,  raised  and  commanded  by  Capt.  (after- 
wards colonel)  William  B.  Roberts,  and  a  large  num- 
ber of  men  who  enlisted  in  the  company  of  Capt.  P. 
N.  Guthrie,  both  of  which  commands  performed  good 
service  on  several  of  the  battle-fiekls  of  that  war. 

The  company  first  mentioned  was  formed  and  or- 
ganized in  the  fall  of  1840,  and  named  the  "  Fayette 
County  Volunteers."     It  left  the  county  on  the  2d  of 
January,  1847,  for  Pittsburgh,  where  it  was  mustered 
into  service  on  the  4th  of  the  same  month,  and  des- 
ignated as  Company  "  H"  of  the  Second  Regiment  of 
Pennsylvania   Volunteers.     The  first  commander  of 
the  company  was,  as  has  been  stated,  Capt.  Roberts, 
with   William  Quail   as  first   lieutenant;  but  Capt. 
Roberts  was  soon  after  promoted  to  the  colonelcy  of 
the  regiment,  and  Lieut.   Quail  became   captain  of 
"  H"  Company.     The  roll  of  the  company'  as  mus- 
tered is  given  below,  viz. : 
Captain,  William  B.  Roberts. 
First  Lieutenant,  William  Quail. 
Second  Lieutenant,  John  Sturgeon. 
Second  Lieutenant,  Stewart  Speer. 
First  Sergeant,  David  Forrey. 
Second  Sergeant,  Absalom  Guiler. 
Third  Sergeant,  Edmund  Rine. 
Fourth  Sergeant,  Richard  Irwin. 
First  Corporal,  Henry  N.  Stillwagen. 
Second  Corporal,  Peter  A.  Johns. 
Third  Corporal,  John  Crawford. 
Fourth  Corporal,  James  P.  Downer. 
Drummer,  Daniel  Jarrett. 
Fifer,  Caleb  Crossland. 


'  Copied  from  tlio  oiiginal  roll  of  tlie  company,  no 
illiam  Gniler,  son  of  Absalom  Gniler,  who  was  a  n 
;e  Cunnty  VoUuitecrs,  anJ  scrvt-J  with  tlie  conipaii 


Matthew  Allen. 
Ephraim  Abercrombie. 
Zephaniah  E.  Barnes. 
John  Bishop. 
Noah  Bird. 
Alexander  Baine. 
William  C.  Bayes. 
Edmund  Beeson. 
David  Bedker. 
Henry  Bradford. 
Henry  Bryan. 
Cyrus  L.  Conner. 
Harvey  Chipps. 
Samuel  Coinworthy. 
Hiram  Downer. 
George  Ducket. 
John  Davis  (1). 
John  Davis. 
Henry  Fowg. 
Benjamin  F.  Frey. 
William  Freeman. 
John  W.  B.  Fetter. 
Andrew  Ferguson. 
Wilson  Fee. 
Beeson  Gardner. 
John  H.  Gibson. 
James  Gordon. 
Eli  M.  Gregg. 
John  Gillis. 
Elijah  Gadd. 
Daniel  Hardesty. 
James  Hutchinson. 
Henderson  Harvey. 
John  Hutchinson  (1). 
Samuel  Hyde. 
Daniel  Hazard. 
Alexander  Hood. 
Hezekiah  Inks. 
Oliver  E.  Jones. 
Jackson  Kilpatrick. 


John  P.  Kilpatrick. 
John  King. 
Samuel  Morgan. 
William  Moore. 
John  Mitz. 
Thomas  McBride. 
John  Mustard. 
Cornelius  McMicliael. 
William  Mendenhall. 
Thomas  Motes. 
William  F.  Nicholson. 
Albert  G.  Nicholson. 
Jacob  Orwin. 
Samuel  Page. 
John  Pollock. 
Andrew  Pritchard. 
Joseph  Roody. 
Henry  Rist. 
William  Shaw. 
Jesse  Smith. 
Vincent  Seals. 
Evans  Shriver. 
Martin  S.  Stanly. 
Benjamin  Stevens. 
John  Sutton. 
Solomon  Shaw. 
David  Silvey. 
John  W.  Skiles. 
John  Stillwell. 
David  R.  Shaw. 
James  Shaw. 
James  Turner  (1). 
William  Turner. 
Isaac  Woolverton. 
James  F.  Ward. 
Josiah  W.  Winders. 
Joseph  Widdoes. 
Hugh  Walker. 
Charles  Yeanian. 
William  West. 


The  Second  Regiment,  of  which  the  Fayette  Volun- 
teers formed  a  part,  proceeded  by  way  of  New  Orleans 
to  Mexico,  and  landed  at  Lobos  Island,  near  Vera 
Cruz,  which  was  invested  by  the  American  forces  and 
fleet.  The  regiment  entered  the  city  after  its  sur- 
render, and  moved  thence  to  the  interior  by  way  of 
Puebla  and  Perote,  being  assigned  to  Quitman's 
division.  During  its  term  of  service  it  took  part  in 
the  engagements  at  Tobasco,  Cerro  Gordo,  Contreras, 
Cherubusco,  San  Pascual,  and  at  the  storming  of  the 
Belen  Gate,^  and  it  was  the  first  regiment  to  enter 


1  W.  Winders, 
w  attt-Mded  in 
il,;,tliisliody 
inc.mise.    The 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


within  the  walls  of  the  capital.  Afterwards  it  was 
moved  to  San  Angel. 

Col.  Koberts  died  of  disease  in  the  city  of  Mexico, 
on  the  3d  of  October,  1S47,  and  the  command  of 
the  regiment  was  assumed  by  Lieut.-Col.  John  W. 
Geary,  afterwards  Governor  of  Pennsylvania.  The 
body  of  the  dead  colonel  was  embalmed,  and  with 
that  of  Lieut.  John  Sturgeon,  of  the  Fayette  County 
company,  was  sent  back  to  Uniontown,  where  tlie 
remains  were  received  with  every  demonstration  of 
sorrow  and  respect.  The  funeral  procession  was  es- 
corted by  the  "  Union  Volunteers"  and  the  "  Fayette 
Cavalry,"  ('apt.  . lames  Gilniore.  The  committee  of 
arraiii;iiiiiiils  rh.iM'ii  at  a  jiublic  meeting  held  for 
that  purp...,;.  at  Uiiidntinvn  on  the  Sth  of  December) 
was  composed  of  Gen.  H.  W.  Beeson  (chairman), 
John  Irons,  John  M.  Austin,  Dr.  J.  Fatrick,  Arm- 
strong Hadden,  E.  P.  Oli-phant,  Dr.  Smith  Fuller, 
Daniel  Kaine,  and  William  Wells.  The  gentlemen 
forming  the  committee  of  escort  were  Everhart  Bierer 
(chairinanl.  Col.  Robert  Patterson,  Amzi  Fuller, 
Robert  S.  Ibiidrrsuii,  M.  W.  Irwin,  William  T.  Rob- 
erts, Jnlm  llii-tnii,  llu-!i  (iraliam,  John  L.  Dawson, 
AVilliaiii  C.  Stevens,  W.  R.  Turner,  S.  D.  Oliphant, 
John  D.  Scott,  Dr.  R.  M.  Walker,  Henry  Barkman, 
William  P.ailey,  D.  IT.  Phillips,  E.  B.  Dawson,  AVil- 
liam  Redick,  and  John  Bierer.  The  remains  of  Col. 
Roberts  were  interrc(l  in  tlie  Methodist  graveyard  in 
the  borough  <if  Tniontuwii,  and  a  neat  marble  mon- 
ument has  since  lieen  erected  over  his  grave. 

The  "Fayette  County  Volunteers"  having  served 
with  the  Second  Reuinient  in  Mexico  until  the  close 
of  the  war,  letuni.d  witli  that  cuHimaud,  and  on  the 
13th  of  .Inly,  !'>!<,  arrived  at  riii'^ntown.  nd- ere  they 
received  an  enthusiastic  welconu-  from  the  people  of 
the  town  and  surrounding  cfiuntrv. 


The  company  of  Cap 
were  many  men  from  F; 
into  the  servic.'  at  Pitt>b 
assigned  to  duly  in  the  V 

in    most    of    the   riii;-a;j:ei 

letter  wrillrii  l.y  ('a|.t.(; 
mentioning  Ihr  iiallanti-y 
of  Molino  del  Key  ami 
given  : 

"My  men  all  behaved 
the  actions  of  the  18tli 
the  Sth  of  September,  al- 
the  Lancers  on  the  loth, 
September,  and  I  am  very 
on  the  Sth  of  September 
hardest  and  most  severi 
been  fought  in  tliis  rou 
distinguished  himsrlf  v.a 
ism  ;  he  had  five  as  brave 
— Corporals  William  M. 


t.   P. 


N.  Guthrie,  in  which 
■  County,  was  mustered 
in -May,  ]>;4;,  and  was 
ith  Regiment  of  Penn- 
ughfunder  Gen.  Scott 

that  occurred  on  the 
e  Jlexi.'an  eajntal.  A 
.  at  theritv  o|-:\I,.Ni,.o, 


in  very  gallant  style  through 
and  20(h  of  August  and  on 
..  in  ^everal  >kir,nishes  with 
nth,  l:^th,  i::tii,and  14th  of 
proud  of  them.  The  action 
at  Molino  del  Rey  was  the 
•ly  contested  battle  that  has 
ntry.  Sergeant  Lenox  Rea 
y  much  by  his  acts  of  hero- 
Smith,  John   M.  Crammer, 


Thomas  Neil,  and  Privates  Asbury  Harvey  [of  Union- 
town]  and  A.  Cook.  He  penetrated  the  fort,  and  fol- 
lowed the  enemy  right  up  to  one  of  their  batteries, 
situated  immediately  under  the  guns  of  Chapultepec, 
and  in  the  very  midst  of  the  Mexican  army  took  pris- 
oners three  officers  and  fifty-three  men,  bringing  them 
back  along  the  very  front  of  the  Mexican  line,  de- 
ceiving them  by  his  boldness  into  the  belief  that  the 
situation  of  affairs  was  fice  i-ersa.  He  reported  him- 
self and  prisoners  safely  to  a  lieutenant  of  the  Fifth 
Infantry,  and  in  a  few  minutes  afterwards  had  his  leg 
completely  torn  to  atoms  by  a  shell.  He  is  now  doing 
well,  and  will  in  all  probability  be  sent  home  by  the 
first  train.  The  other  men  who  were  wounded  are  all 
doing  well." 

No  roll  of  the  members  of  this  company  has  been 
found,  nor  any  further  particulars  ascertained  in 
reference  to  their  engagements,  the  duration  of  their 
term  of  service,  or  their  return  to  Pennsvlvania. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

W.\R   OF  THE   KEDELLIOX— FAYETTE'S    FIRST  COM- 
I'.ANIES— EIGHTH  AXD    ELEVENTH    RESERVES. 

Ix  the  great  conflict  of  1861-65,  known  as  the  war 
of  the  Rebellion,  the  people  of  Fayette  County  ex- 
hibited the  greatest  patriotism  and  promptness  in  fur- 
nishing and  forwarding  men  for  service  in  the  Union 
armies.  On  receipt  of  the  proclamation  of  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  announcing  the  opening  of 
war  by  the  a.ssault  and  capture  of  Fort  Sumter,  and 
calling  for  seventy-five  thousand  men  to  suppress  the 
Rebellion,  preparations  were  at  once  commenced  to 
form  companies  to  enter  the  service,  and  so  ready  and 
enthusi.astic  was  the  response  that  on  the  21st  of  April, 
1861,  only  six  days  from  the  date  of  the  President's 
call,  the  first  company,'  then  known  as  the  "  Fayette 
Guards,"  ninety-eight  strong,  including  oflScers,  left 
Uniontown  for  Pittsburgh,  where  they  were  soon  after 
mustered  into  the  service  for  three  months, — a  term 
which    at  that   time  was  considered   ample   for   the 

The  commissioned  and  non-commissioned  officers 
of  the  "Fayette  Guards"  were  Capt.  S.  Duncan  Oli- 
phant, 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 

'It  is  stntcd.  Ill'  11  i,:'  ;i-  ^' '  i  li  soeDiB  entirely  rcliiiLIe,  that  llio 
first  man  wlio  lift   1  ■      ,        i     n.ter  the  scTvice  of  the  govern- 

ment as  a  soldier  in  i  .1   .-       '  '  was  Thom,i3  Porter,  now  of  Con- 


nellsviUe. 
ingtheissu 

On 

men,  he  we 

.ttu 

mencing  to 

be 

became  Compa 

mauil.a  lij- 

Cul. 

WAR   OF  THE   EEBELLION. 


191 


Heck  ;  Corporals  :  First,  B.  L.  Hunt ;  Second,  O.  P, 
Wells;  Tliinl,  J.  0.  Stewart;  Fourth,  Joseph  White, 
The  company  was  afterwards  reorganized,  and  mus- 
tered in  for  three  years  as  "G"  company  of  the  j 
Eighth  Reserve  Regiment,  as  will  be  noticed  in 
another  part  of  this  chapter. 

When  the  President's  call  was  made  there  were  in 
existence  in  Fayette  County  several  militia  organiza- 
tions, armed  and  equipped,  viz.:  the  Union  Volun-  1 
teers,  Dunlap's  Creek  Cavalry,  Georges  Creek  Cav- 
alry, Springfield  Blues,  Youghiogheny  Blues,  and 
Falls  City  Guards.  A  meeting  of  the  officers  of  these 
companies  was  held  at  the  court-house  in  Uniontown, 
Avhere  it  was  voted  unanimously  to  tender  their  ser-  j 
vices  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  quota  was  filled,  the  company 
could  not  secure  acceptance  in  this  State,  and  was  [ 
therefore  joined  to  the  First  Cavalry  Regiment  of  , 
West  Virginia,  Col.  Sansel,  afterwards  commanded 
by  Col.  Richmond.  The  officers  of  this  company 
were  Capt.  West,  First  Lieut.  H.  N.  Mackey,  Second 
Lieut.  Isaac  Brownfield,  Ord.  Sergt.  Dennis  Delaney. 

In  May  and  June  a  company  of  infimtry  was  re- 
cruited 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  organization  of  the  regiment  at  Clarksburg, 
W.  Va.,  July  4,  1861,  Capt.  Swearingen  was  elected 
major,  and  Lieut.  Hagan  promoted  to  the  captaincy, 

Gibson,  of  West  Virginia,  being  elected   first 

lieutenant.     This  company  served  creditably  during 
the  war,  but  no  roll  of  its  members  has  been  obtained. 

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  nu- 
merous 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.  Of  the  movements 
and  services  of  these  regiments  separate  historical 
sketches  will  be  given,  with  lists  of  their  Fayette 
County  members. 

Besides  the  soldiers  serving  in  the  organizations 
above  mentioned,  there  was  also  raised  principally 
in  Fayette  County  a  company  of  men  who  joined 
the  Sixth  Artillery  (Two  Hundred  and  Twelfth  Penn- 
sylvania Regiment).     Of  this  company  the  captain 


was  Joseph  Keeper,  and  the  first  lieutenant  Thomas 
M.  Fee,  of  Connellsville,  at  which  place  thirty-four 
men  of  the  company  were  enlisted. 

The  fact  that  Pennsylvania,  by  reason  of  her  extended 
southern  frontier  borderingon  Mason  and  Dixon's  line, 
was  peculiarly  exposed  to  the  danger  of  invasion  by 
tlie  forces  of  the  Confederacy  was  at  once  recognized 
by  Governor  Curtin,  who  on  the  20tli  of  April,  just 
one  week  after  the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter,  called  an 
extra  session  of  the  Legislature,  which  convened  on 
the  30th.  In  his  message  to  that  body  he  said,  "  To 
furnish  ready  support  to  those  who  have  gone  out 
and  to  protect  our  borders  we  should  have  a  well- 
regulated  military  force.  I  therefore  recommend  the 
immediate  organization,  disciplining,  and  arming  of 
at  least  filtcen  regiments  of  cavalry  and  infantry,  ex- 
elusive  of  those  called  into  the  service  of  the  United 
States.  As  we  have  already  ample  warning  of  the  ne- 
cessity of  being  prepared  for  any  sudden  exigency  that 
may  arise,  I  cannot  too  much  impress  this  upon  you.'' 

In  pursuance  of  this  recommendation  of  the  Gov- 
ernor a  bill  was  introduced  on  the  2d  of  May,  and 
became  a  law  on  the  15th,  having  among  its  pro- 
visions one  authorizing  and  directing  the  conimander- 
in-cliief  to  raise  and  organize  a  military  force,  to  be 
called  the  "  Reserve  Volunteer  Corps  of  the  Com- 
monwealth," to  be  composed  of  thirteen  regiments 
of  infantry,  one  of  cavalry,  and  one  of  light  artillery, 
to  be  enlisted  in  the  service  of  the  State  for  the  term 
of  three  years,  or  during  the  continuance  of  the  war 
unless  sooner  discharged,  and  to  be  liable  to  be  called 
into  service  at  the  discretion  of  the  commander-in- 
chief  for  the  purpose  of  suppressing  insurrection  or 
repelling  invasion,  and,  further,  to  be  liable  to  be 
mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  under 
requisition  made  by  the  President  on  the  State  of  Penn- 
sylvania. The  regiments  and  companies  composing 
the  cor|js  si]  aiithniizeil  were  entitled  to  elect,  and  the 
(iovriiiiir  \v:i>  iliie.hMl  to  commission,  officers  similar 
in  rank  ami  equal  in  number  to  those  allowed  to 
troops  in  the  United  States  army. 

The  corps  formed  under  the  provisions  of  this  act 
was  quickly  and  easily  recruited,  for  the  enthusiasm 
and  desire  to  enlist  in  its  ranks  was  general  in  every 
part  of  the  State>  The  camps  of  instruction  were  four 
in  number,— one  at  Easton,  one  at  West  Chester,  one 
at  Pittsburgh,  and  one  at  Harrisburg.  The  exigency 
foreseen  by  Governor  Curtin  having  arisen,  orders 
were  received  (July  19th)  from  the  Secretary  of  War 
directing  all  the  regiments,  excepting  the  Fifth  and 
Thirteenth,'  of  the  Reserves  to  be  assembled  at  Har- 
risburg, and  there,  immediately  after  the  disastrous 
battle  of  Bull  Run,  they  were  mustered  into  the 
United  States  service.  From  Harrisburg,  "moving 
rapidly  to  the  points  designated  by  the  commander  of 

1  Three  two  regiments  were  already  in  the  field  in  tbe  vicinity  of 


102 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  national  army,  the  several  regiments  remained  on 
duty  until  all  danger  from  a  sudden  incursion  of  the 
enemy  was  passed,"  when  all  of  them  were  rendez- 
voused at  Tenallytown,  Md.,  in  the  immediate  vi- 
cinity of  the  District  of  Columbia.  There  they  were 
formed  into  three  brigades,  composing  one  division, 
under  command  of  Maj.-Gen.  George  A.  McCall.  This 
was  the  far-famed  division  of  the  Pennsylvania  Re- 
serves, which,  after  tlie  requisite  tour  of  drill  and 
discipline  at  Teiiullytnwn,  lucived  into  Virginia  with 
the  foriu^  nf  (  Mil.  .Mr(  'lillaii,  and  afterwards  won  im- 
perishalilr  rciiuwn  (Ui  nearly  all  the  principal  battle- 
fields of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

EICniTlI    ItESERVE    REGIMENT. 

The  Eighth  Reserve,  or  Thirty-seventh  Regiment 
of  Pennsylvania  (enlisted  for  three  years'  service), 
was  raised  in  the  counties  of  Fayette,  Washington, 
Allegheny,  Greene,  Armstrong,  Butler,  and  Clarion, 
all  or  nearly  all  of  which  had  been  raised  for  the 
three  months'  service,  but  had  failed  to  secure  accept- 
ance by  the  government  for  that  term.  Two  of  its 
companies  ("  D,"  Capt.  C.  L.  Conner,  and  "  G,"  Capt. 
S.  D.  Oliphant)  were  recruited  in  Fayette  County, 
the  former  at  Brownsville  and  the  latter  at  Union- 
town,  being  previously  known  as  the  Fayette  (juards. 

The  rendezvous  of  the  Eighth  was  at  "Camp  Wil- 
kins,"  Pittsburgh,  to  which  camp  the  companies  were 
ordered  early  in  June,  1S61,  and  on  the  28th  of  the 
same  month  the  regiment  w.as  formally  organized, 
under  the  following-named  field-officers,  viz. :  Colonel, 
George  S.  Hays,  51. D.,  of  Allegheny  County;  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel, S.  Duncan  Oliphant  (original  captain 
of  "  G"  company),  of  Fayette  ;  Major,  John  W.  Dun- 
can;  Adjutant,  Henry  W.  Patterson,  promoted  from 
second  lieutenant  of  "  G"  company. 

On  the  20th  of  July  the  regiment  left  for  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  by  way  of  Harrisburg  and  Baltimore.  Re- 
ceiving ei|iiipmeiits  at  llii'  turnier  place,  and  tents  at 
the  latter,  it  aniveil  at  Washington  on  the  2-'5(l.  and 
encamped  at  Meridian  Hill.  On  the  2d  of  August  it 
moved  thence  to  Tenallytown,  Md.,  where  it  en- 
camped with  other  regiments  of  the  Reserve  Division 
under  Maj.-Gen.  George  A.  McCall.  The  Eighth,  to- 
gether with  the  First  Reserve,  Col.  R.  Biddle  Roberts ; 
the  Second,  Col.  William  B.  Mann  ;  and  the  Fifth, 
Col.  Seneca  G.  Simmons,  formed  the  First  Brigade, 
under  command  of  r.iig.  <  Jen,  John  F.  Reynolds. 

The  regiment  remained  at  Tenallytown  about  two 
months,  a  period  which  was  passed  in  camp  routine, 
picket  duty,  and  frequent  alarms  along  the  line  of  the 
Potomac,  and  on  the  9th  of  October  moved  with  its 
brigade  and  division  across  that  historic  stream,  and 
took  position  in  the  line  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
at  Langley,  Va,,  at  which  place  the  Reserve  Corps 
made  its  winter-ciuarters.  In  the  battle  of  Dranes- 
viUe,  which  was  fnught  on  the  20th  of  December  by 
the  Third  Brigade  (Gen.  Ord's)  of  the  Reserves, 
neither  the  Eighth   Regiment  nor  any  part  of  Rey- 


'  nolds'  brigade  took  part,  being  absent  on  a  reconnois- 
sance  to  Difficult  Creek.  On  the  7th  of  December, 
while  the  division  lay  at  Langley,  Capt.  Jesse  B. 

'  Gardner,  of  "  G"  company,  was  promoted  to  major  of 
the  regiment,  in  place  of  Duncan,  resigned. 

On  the  10th  of  March,  1862,  the  Eighth,  with  the 
entire  division,  moved  from  the  winter-quarters  at 
Camp  Pierpont  (Langley)  to  Hunter's  Mills,  Va.,  with 
the  expectation  of  joining  in  a  general  advance  of 
the  army  on  the  Confederate  position  at  Manassas. 
But  it  was  found  that  the  enemy  had  evacuated  his 
line  of  defenses  and  retired  towards  Gordonsville, 
and  thereupon  the  plan  of  the  campaign  was  changed 
by  the  commanding  general,  McClellan,  and  the  Re- 

j  serve  regiments  were  ordered  back  to  the  Potomac. 
On  the  12th,  the  retrograde  march  was  commenced, 
and  continued  through  mud,  darkness,  and  a  deluge 
of  rain  to  Alexandria,  where  it  was  expected  that 
the  division  would  embark  with  the  rest  of  the  Army 

'  of  the  Potomac  for  the  Peninsula ;  but  this  was  not  the 

I  case.  The  division  of  McCall  was  assigned  to  duty 
with  the  First  Corps,  under  Gen.  McDowell,  which, 
with  the  exception  of  Franklin's  division,  was  held 
between  the  Potomac  and  Rappahannock  Rivers  for 
the  protection  of  the  city  of  Washington. 

From  Alexandria  the  Eighth  with  its  brigade 
marched  back  to  Manassas,  thence  to  AVarrenton 
Junction,  to  Falmouth,  and  (May  24th)  across  the  Rap- 
pahannock to  Fredericksburg,  of  which  place  Gen. 
Reynolds  was  appointed  military  governor.  An  ad- 
vance from  Fredericksburg  along  the  line  of  the  rail- 
road towards  Richmond  was  intended,  but  this  was 
found  to  be  inexpedient,  and  as  Gen.  McClellan  was 
calling  urgently  for  reinforcements  in  the  Peninsula, 
Reynolds'  brigade  was  recalled  from  its  advanced  po- 
sition on  the  railroad ;  the  entire  division  was  marched 
to  Gray's  Landing,  and  there  embarked  for  White 
House,  on  the  Pamnnkey  River,  where  it  arrived  on 
the  11th  of  June.  There  had  been  a  vast  quantity  of 
stores  collected  at  White  House  for  the  use  of  the 
army  on  the  Chickahominy,  and  the  timely  arrival  of 
the  Reserves  prevented  the  destruction  of  these  stores 

I  by  a  strong  detachment  of  Confederate  cavalry  under 

I  Fitzhugh  Lee,  who  was  then  oti  his  way  towards  the 
Pamunkey  for  that  purpose. 

From  White  House,  the  Eighth  marched  with  the 
division  by  way  of  Baltimore  Cross-Roads  to  join  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  in  the  vicinity  of  Gaines'  Mill. 

j  Thence  the  division  was  moved  to  the  e.xtreme  right, 
where  it  took  position  at  Mechanicsville  and  along 
the  line  of  Beaver  Dam  Creek. 

On  Thursday,  the  2Gth  of  June,  was  fought  the  bat- 
tle of  Mechanicsville,  the  first  of  that  series  of  bloody 
engagements  known  collectively  as  the  Seven  Days' 
Fight,  and  also  (with  the  exception  of  the  severe 
skirmish  at  Dranesville  in  the  previous  December) 
the  tirst  engagement  in  which  the  Penn.sylvania  Re- 
serves took  part.  In  this  battle  the  Eighth  (having 
in  the  morning  of  that  dav  relieved  the  Second)  occu- 


WAR  or  THE   REBELLION. 


193 


pied  the  left  of  its  brigade  Hue,  and  about  the  centre 
of  the  line  holding  the  bank  of  Beaver  Dam  Creek. 
The  First  Reserve  Regiment  was  on  its  right.  On  a 
crest  of  ground  nortlieast  of  the  creek  was  posted 
Easton's  Battery.  At  the  margin  of  the  swamp  which 
skirts  the  creek  the  Eighth  was  deployed,  Companies 
A,  D,  F,  and  I  being  thrown  forward  as  skirmishers 
under  command  of  Lieut. -Col.  Oliphant.  The  battle 
commenced  at  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
the  Georgia  and  Louisiana  troops  of  the  enemy  wad- 
ing the  stream  and  rushing  forward  to  the  attack. 
"  A  brief  artillery  contest,  in  which  the  shells  burst 
in  rapid  succession  in  the  very  midst  of  the  infantry, 
was  followed  by  the  advance  of  the  rebel  columns,  and 
the  battle  became  general.  A  charge  of  the  enemy 
below  the  swamp,  with  the  design  of  capturing 
Easton's  Battery,  caused  the  skirmishers  to  be  re- 
called, and  the  regiment  moved  to  itg  support.  But 
the  enemy  being  repulsed  by  other  troops  it  returned 
to  its  former  position.  Three  times  the  close  columns 
of  the  enemy  charged  down  the  opposite  slope  witii 
determined  valor,  but  were  as  often  repulsed  and 
driven  back.  At  night  tlic  men  rested  upon  the 
ground  where  they  had  fought.  The  dead  were  col- 
lected, wrapped  in  their  blankets,  and  consigned  to 
the  earth,  and  the  wounded  were  sent  to  the  rear. 
The  loss  of  the  regiment  in  killed,  wounded,  and  mis- 
sing was  nearly  one  hundred.  Company  F  being 
upon  the  skirmish  line,  and-  not  comprehending  the 
order  to  withdraw,  remained  at  its  post,  and  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy." 

At  daylight  in  the  morning  of  the  27th  of  June  the 
Eighth,  with  its  companion  regiments  of  the  Reserve 
Corp.s,  was  withdrawn  from  the  battle-ground  of  the  pre- 
vious day,  and  moved  down,  parallel  with  the  Chicka- 
hominy,  some  two  or  three  miles,  to  Gaines'  Mill, 
where  Gen.  Fitz-John  Porter's  corps  (of  which  the 
Reserves  formed  a  part)  was  placed  in  line  of  battle  for 
the  renewed  conflict  which  was  inevitable.  Butter- 
field's  brigade  occupied  the  extreme  left,  Sykes'  di- 
vision of  regulars  the  right,  and  McCall's  Pennsyl- 
vanians  were  placed  in  the  second  line.  Approaching 
them  were  the  Confederate  commands  of  Gens.  A.  P. 
Hill,  Longstreet,  D.  H.  Hill,  and  the  redoubtable 
"  Stonewall"  Jackson,  in  all  more  than  fifty  thonsand 
men,  against  half  that  number  on  the  Union  side. 
The  battle  opened  by  a  furious  attack  on  the  regulars 
composing  Porter's  right.  These,  after  having  re- 
pulsed the  enemy  in  his  first  attack,  finally  gave  way 
before  a  renewed  assault.  The  Eighth  Reserve,  in  the 
second  line,  was  posted  where  a  road  was  cut  through 
rising  ground,  and  the  excavation  afforded  some  shel- 
ter, but  the  regiment  suffered  quite  severely  from  the 
shells  of  the  enemy,  which  were  directed  at  a  battery 
which  it  was  posted  to  support.  The  battle  raged  furi- 
ously during  all  the  afternoon.  At  about  five  o'clock  the 
enemy  advanced  in  heavy  masses  from  the  woods,  and 
the  Eighth  Reserve,  with  the  Second  Regulars,  were  ad- 
vanced to  meet  the  assault  in  their  front.    The  hostile 


line  recoiled  before  them,  and  was  swept  back  to  the 
woods,  but  they  rallied  in  superior  numbers,  and  the 
two  regiments  were  in  turn  driven  back,  with  a  loss 
to  the  Eighth  of  twenty-four  in  killed  and  wounded. 
During  the  battle  the  heroic  Reynolds,  the  brigade 
commander,  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  ena-ny. 

The  day  of  Gaines'  Mill  closed  iu  blood  and  defeat 
to  the  Union  forces,  and  during  the  night  the  shat- 
tered Pennsylvania  Reserves,  with  the  other  troops, 
succeeded  in  crossing  the  Chickahominy  and  destroy- 
ing the  bridges  behitid  them,  though  two  bridges 
farther  down  the  stream  (Bottom's  and  Long  Bridges) 
still  remained,  and  it  was  not  long  after  sunrise  on 
Saturday  morning  when  the  Confederate  force  under 
the  indomitable  Jackson  was  massed  at  the  upper 
one  of  these  and  making  preparations  to  cross  to  the 
south  side.  Other  hostile  forces  were  also  advancing 
directly  on  McClellan's  left  wing,  and  in  view  of  this 
rather  alarming  situation  of  affairs,  the  general  had, 
as  early  as  Friday  evening,  decided  on  a  retreat  by 
the  whole  army  to  James  River,  where  a  base  of  sup- 
plies could  be  held,  and  communication  on  the  river 
kept  open  by  the  co-operation  of  the  Union  gunboats. 
The  troops  were  informed  of  the  proposed  change  by 
an  apparently  triumphant  announcement  (intended 
merely  to  encourage  tlie  soldiers  and  lighten  in  some 
degree  the  gloom  of  the  great  disaster)  that  a  new  and 
mysterious  flank  movement  was  about  to  be  executed 
which  would  surely  and  swiftly  result  in  the  capture 
of  Richmond.  No  such  assurance,  however,  could 
conceal  from  the  intelligent  men  who  formed  tl;e 
Army  of  the  Potomac  that  their  backs  and  not  their 
faces  were  now  turned  towards  the  rebel  capital,  and 
that  the  much- vaunted  "  change  of  base"  was  made 
from  necessity  rather  than  choice. 

Duriii;;-  all  the  day  succeeding  the  battle  (^^atunlay, 
June  I'Stlii  thr  l^i-htli  lay  at  Sav.age  i^tatiiui,  on  the 
York  Kiver  Kailmad.  On  Sunday  it  moved  with  the 
other  regiments  to  and  across  Wliite  Oak  Swamp, 
and  at  about  sunset  came  to  the  vicinity  of  Charles 
City  Cross-Roads,  where  on  the  following  day  a  fierce 
battle  was  fought,  in  which  the  Eighth  took  gallant 
part.  The  first  assault  of  the  enemy  was  received  at 
about  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  "In  the  forma- 
tion of  the  line  the  First  Brigade  was  held  in  re- 
serve, but  as  the  struggle  became  desperate  the 
Eighth  was  ordered  in.  Its  position  fell  opposite  the 
Sixth  Georgia,  which  was  upon  the  point  of  charging, 
when  Gen.  McCall  gave  the  order  for  the  Eighth  to 
charge  upon  it,  and  Col.  Hays  leading  the  way  with 
a  shout  that  rang  out  above  the  deafening  roar  of  the 
conflict,  it  dashed  forward,  scattering  the  Georgians 
and  driving  them  beyond  the  marsh  in  front.  A  few 
prisoners  were  taken.  Later  the  enemy  pressed 
heavily  upon  that  part  of  the  field,  and  the  line  was 
forced  back,  the  Eighth  gradually  retiring  until  it 
reached  a  new  line  which  had  been  established,  where 
it  remained  till  darkness  put  an  end  to  the  conflict." 
The  loss  to  the  regiment  at  Charles  City  Cross-Roads 


19i 


HISTORY  OP  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


was  sixteen  killed  and  fourteen  severely  and  many  ! 
others  slightly  wounded. 

In  the  terrific  battle  of  Malvern  Hill,  which  was 
fought   in   the   afternoon  of  the   following  day,  the  j 
Eighth,  being  held  witli  the  division  in  reserve,  did  ! 
not   become   engaged.     The   battle   was    opened    at 
about  four  o'clock   p..m.,   and   from   that  time  until 
darkness  closed  in,  the  roar  of  musketry,  the  crash  of 
artillery,  and  the  howling  of  canister  was  unintermit-  , 
ting.     Finally  the    carnage  ceased,   and  the  men  of  j 
the  North  lay  down  on  the  field  (as  they  supposed) 
of  victory.     Bat  at  about  midnight  orders  were  re-  i 
ceived   to   fall  in  for  a  march,  and  the  Pennsylvania 
Reserves,  with  other  commands  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  moved  silently  down  the  hill  and  away  on 
the  road  to  Berkeley  (or  Harrison's  Landing),  where 
they  arrived  and   encamped  on  July  2d.     The  loss  of 
the   Eighth  Reserve  Regiment  in    killed,  wounded, 
and  missing  during  the  Seven  Days'  battles  was  two 
hundred  and  thirty. 

After  a  dreary  stay  of  more  than  a  month  at  Har- 
rison's Landing,  the  Eighth  was  embarked  on  the 
11th  of  August,  and  with  the  other  Reserve  regiments 
proceeled  to  Acquia  Creek,  on  the  Potomac,  under 
orders  to  reinforce  Gen.  Pope.  The  division  (except 
the  Second  Regiment)  was  moved  to  the  vicinity  of 
Kelly's  Ford,  and  there  joined  to  the  Third  Corps, 
under  Gen.  McDowell.  In  the  engagements  of  the 
29th  and  .30th  of  August  the  regiment  took  gallant 
part,  liisliig  five  killed,  seventeen  wounded,  and  about 
thirty  missing,  out  of  a  total  strength  of  about  one 
hundrc  I  etlcclive  men  with  which  it  entered  the 
campaign.  At  this  time  the  command  of  the  regi- 
ment was  hold  by  Capt.  C.  L.  Conner,  of  "  D"  com- 
pany, from  Fayette  County. 

Immediately  after  the  close  of  Pope's  disastrous 
campaign  the  Reserve  division  moved  with  the  army 
into  Maryland  and  fought  at  South  Mountain  and 
Antietani.  In  the  former  battle  the  Eighth  lost 
seventeen  killed  and  thirty-seven  wounded,  and  in 
the  latter  twelve  killed  and  forty-three  wounded.  In 
this  battle  (Antietani)  the  Reserve-,  l)cini;-  in  the  corps 
of  Hooker,  moved  across  the  creek  with  (hat  fighting 
general  in  the  afternoon  of  Septeiiibcr  KJtli  and 
opened  the  fight,  the  pu^ition  i>l'  that  corps  being  on 
the  right  of  the  army.  On  the  fullowing  morning 
the  battle  opened  early,  and  the  First  Brigade  moved 
forward,  passed  through  a  small  wood,  and  formed 
line  in  a  large  cornfield  beyond.  The  Eighth  was 
ordereil  into  a  grove  tn  t!ie  left  to  dislodge  a  body  of 
the  enemy  whii  had  shrltrrcd  themselves  there  and 
were  engaged  in  pickinii  nil'  the  I'nion  artillerymen. 
This  duty  was  well  ami  gallantly  performed.  "The 
grove  was  soon  cleared,  and  li-nni  it  a  steady  and 
effective  fire  at  close  range  was  delivered  upon  the 
rebel  line  concealed  in  tlie  eninlield.  Vnr  four  hours 
the  battle  raged  with  un:il)ate.l  fm-y  and  with  varying 
success  when  the  IJeserves  were  relieved  by  fresh 
troops."    On  the  following  day  the  enemy  commenced 


his  retreat  to  the  Potomac,  covering  his  design  by  the 
feint  of  bringing  in  fresh  troops  from  the  direction  of 
Harper's  Ferry. 

At  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  on  the  13th 
of  December,  1862,  the  Eighth  again  fought  with  the 
greatest  gallantry,  and  experienced  a  heavier  loss 
than  on  any  previous  field.  In  the  crossing  of  the 
Rappahannock  the  Reserves  covered  the  laying  of 
the  pontoons  for  the  passage  of  Gen.  Franklin's 
grand  division,  and  after  the  crossing  they  were 
selected  to  make  the  first  attack  on  that  part  of  the 
field.  "  In  the  heroic  advance  of  this  small  division 
in  the  face  of  the  concentrated  fire  of  the  enemy's 
intrenched  line,  in  scaling  the  heights,  and  in  break- 
ing and  scattering  his  well-posted  force  the  Eighth 
bore  a  conspicuous  and  most  gallant  part.  Never 
before  had  it  been  subjected  to  so  terrible  an  ordeal, 
and  when  after  being  repulsed  and  driven  back  by 
overwhelming  numbers  it  again  stood  in  rank  beyond 
the  reach  of  the  enemy's  guns  scarcely  half  its  num- 
bers were  there.  Twenty-eight  lay  dead  upon  that 
devoted  field,  eighty-six  were  wounded,  and  twenty- 
two  were  captured." 

Early  in  February,  186.3,  the  Reserve  regiments 
were  ordered  to  the  defense*  of  Washington  to  rest 
and  to  receive  recruits,  which  were  being  sent 
forward  from  Pennsylvania  to  fill  their  decimated 
ranks.  There  the  Eighth  remained  until  the  open- 
ing of  the  spring  campaign  of  1864,  when  it  was 
again  ordered  to  the  front,  and  rejoining  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  moved  forward  with  Gen.  Grant  into  the 
Wilderness.  It  left  Alexandria  on  the  19th  of  April, 
proceeded  to  Bristow  Station,  and  thence  on  the  29th 
marched  to  Culpeper  Court-House.  On  the  4th  of 
May  it  crossed  the  Rapidan,  and  on  the  oth  was  once 
more  engaged  with  the  enemy,  losing  six  killed  and 
twenty-seven  wounded.  On  the  8th  it  moved  to 
Spottsylvania,  and  in  the  series  of  conflicts  which 
continued  until  the  1.5th  it  was  almost  constantly 
under  fire,  and  behaved  with  its  accustomed  steadi- 
ness, though  its  loss  during  that  time  was  but  three 
killed  and  sixteen  wounded.  Its  three  years'  term  of 
service  having  now  expired,  an  order  of  the  War 
Department  was  received  on  the  17th  of  May  reliev- 
ing it  from  duty  at  the  front,  directing  the  transfer  of 
its  recruits  and  re-enlisted  veterans  to  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Ninety-first  Regiment,  and  the  mustering 
out  of  its  other  men  and  ofliccrs.  Under  this  order 
those  wdiose  terms  had  expired  proceeded  to  Wash- 
ington, and  thence  to  Pittsburgh,  wdiere  the  remnant 
of  the  regiment  was  mustered  out  of  service. 

Gen.  S.  Duncan  Oliphant,'  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  is  the  second  son  of  a  family  of  eleven  chil- 
dren— six  sons  and  five  daughters — of  F.  H.  and  .lane 
C.  Oliphrnt;  was  born  at  Franklin  Forge,  at  the 
"  Little  Falls"  of  the  Youghiogheny  River,  Franklin 
township,  Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  Aug.  1,  1826. 


(f^ 


"^^ 


/iZ-t^t^.  a^,lXlD£o/-}Aa^^.'f 


WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION. 


19.- 


His  experience  of  school  commenced  when  quite  a 
child,  while  his  father  lived  in  Pittsburgh, — the  in- 
struction of  a  private  tutor  in  the  family  at  Franklin 
Forge,  and  subsequently  at  different  schools  from  time 
to  time  in  Uniontown,  mostly  in  the  old  Madison 
College  building;  and  his  preparation  for  college  at 
Bethel  Academy,  near  Pittsburgh,  and  the  Grove 
Academy,  at  Steubenville,  Ohio. 

In  the  fall  of  1840  he  entered  the  freshman  class 
of  Jefferson  College,  Cannonsburg,  Washington  Co., 
Pa.,  where  his  older  brother  John,  Gen.  J.  B.  Sweit- 
zcr.  Rev.  Johnson  Elliot,  John  Sturgeon,  Daniel 
Downer,  William  Parshal,  and  Tliomas  Lyons,  of 
Fayette  County,  were  among  his  college-mates.  He 
was  one  of  the  four  orators  representing  the  Philo 
Literary  Society,  along  with  Gen.  Joshua  T.  Owen, 
of  Philadelphia,  Gen.  James  S.  Jackson,  of  Kentucky, 
and  Col.  Rodney  Mason,  of  Ohio,  on  the  annual  ex- 
hibition in  the  spring  of  1844,  graduating  in  Septem- 
ber following.  In  October  of  the  same  year  he  en- 
tered Harvard  Law  School;  graduated  from  it  in 
June  of  184fi;  entered  the  law-office  of  Gen.  J.  B. 
Howell  and  Hon.  E.  P.  Oliphant,  his  uncle,  and  was 
admitted  to  practice  in  the  several  courts  of  Fayette 
County  in  September,  1847. 

Having  some  passion  and  taste  for  the  military 
life  he  joined  the  old  Union  Volunteers  in  the  fall  of 
1847,  and  in  January,  1848,  he  was  elected  and  com- 
missioned captain  ;  appointed  aide-de-camp  on  the 
staff  of  Maj.-Gen.  Cyrus  P.  Markle.  In  1849  he  was 
elected  and  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel,  com- 
manding the  battalion  of  uniformed  militia  of  Fay- 
ette County.  Taking  an  active  part  in  anything 
useful  to  the  town  and  county,  he  commanded  the 
Union  Fire-Engine  Company  for  many  years,  and 
was  for  three  terms  president  of  the  Fayette  County 
Agricultural  Society,  holding  its  annual  fairs  at 
Brownsville.  He  was  fond  of  horses,  the  chase,  the 
rifle,  and  the  shot-gun,  and  was  something  of  an 
expert  in  all  manly  exercises. 

Acquiring  some  experience  at  the  bar  of  Fayette 
County,  he  moved  to  Pittsburgh  in  the  fall  of  1850, 
and  entered  into  partnership  with  Hon.  Thomas  Wil- 
liams; but  the  atmosphereof  the  "Smoky  City"  prov- 
ing uncongenial  to  his  wife's  taste  and  health,  he  re- 
turned to  Uniontown  in  the  fall  of  1852,  and  resumed 
the  practice  of  law  there. 

About  this  time  the  building  of  a  branch  railroad 
from  Uniontown  to  Connellsville  began  to  be  seriously 
agitated.  Col.  Oliphant  took  an  active  interest  in  the 
enterprise,  calling  meetings  and  soliciting  subscrip- 
tions for  stock,  working  on  when  others  had  aban- 
doned hope.  The  Fayette  County  Railroad  was  due 
ehiefly  to  his — in  conjunction  with  the  Hon.  Na- 
thaniel Ewing's — constant  and  persevering  energy. 
He  was  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  company  from 
the  commencement  of  the  enterprise  until  after  the 
road  was  finished. 

On  the  12th  of  April,  1861,  Fort  Sumter  was  fired 


upon.  Col.  Oliphant  at  once  commenced  to  raise  a 
company  of  volunteers  for  the  defense  of  the  Union. 
In  this  he  h.ad  the  active  co-operation  of  Capt.  J.  C 
Ramsey,  Maj.  J.  B.  Gardner,  Henry  W.  Pattcreon, 
Henry  C.  Danson,  William  H.  McQuilkin,  Martin 
Hazen,  and  others.  On  the  15tli  the  company  was 
full  and  oft'  to  the  rendezvous  in  Pittsburgh,  where 
the  company  was  organized,  electing  S.  D.  Oliphant 
captain  ;  J.  B.  Gardner,  first;  J.  B.  Ramsey,  second; 
and  Henry  \V.  Patterson,  third  lieutenant.  The  com- 
pany then  went  into  Camp  Wilkins  with  the  name  of 
"  Fayette  Guard,"  and  was  cast  in  the  organization  of 
the  Eighth  Regiment,  Company  G,  Pennsylvania  Re- 
serve CoriDS,  at  Camp  Wright,  on  the  Allegheny  Val- 
ley Railroad,  of  which  Capt.  Oliphant  was  elected 
lieutenant-colonel.  On  the  16th  of  June,  1861,  he 
was  presented  with  a  beautiful  sword  by  his  friends 
in  Pittsburgh,  of  which  the  Daily  Post  of  the  17th 
says, — 


"SWOUD  rRESENTATION- 

-AN 

INTERKSTINO  CEREMONIAL. 

"  Lust  evening 

one  of  Ih 

h.r 

,-..■    |i:ul. 

the 

Monongahcia 

House  was  filled 

by  apurtj 

nl'    1 

,  :i.'sai 

1  -(/ 

.tieu 

en  to  witness 

a   pleasing   and 

touching 

■.■l,.l 

■illV,      1 

il    a 

1    nr 

common    ono 

amid  the  incidents  of  these 

lliu. 

s  uf   vva 

,   hi 

t  in 

this  instance 

a  peculiarly  gi-ac 

=rul  nnd  a 

.pro 

iriato   « 

A  Ik 

aiitiful  sword 

was  presented  to 

Lieulcnn 

Atmvl    t- 

.    D 

01  i 

d.ant   by  his 

fi-iends  as  a  tok 

en  of  tluii 

love 

for  tlio 

mai 

am 

1  heir  esteem 

for  the  virtues  i 

cculiar  to 

the 

soldier 

whic 

h  he 

so  eminently 

possesses. 

"  In  a  speech  c 

onceived  i 

mo 

t  cxccll 

cntt 

isle, 

and  delivered 

with  true  manly 

ccling,  th 

'.    SIV 

ir,l   was 

pre 

LUlC 

1  to  Col.   01  i. 

phant  by  Algorn 

n  S.  Bell, 

Ks,,. 

of  thi. 

fity 

K 

was  rccvivod 

by  Col.  Oliphant 

with  deep 

feeli 

IS,  and 

his 

ol'l.^ 

was  a  model 

of  calm  eloqucnc 

c,  such  as 

only 

comes  when 

the 

heart  speaks 

"The  gentlemen  were  col 

ege- 

mates  tc 

getl 

er,n 

■e  both  mem- 

bers  of  the  legal  profession,  and  the  friendship  of  their  early 
days  has  been   refreshed  and  strengthened  by  the  growing  es- 

called  firth  feeling  allusions  to  bygone  days  and  classic  re- 
membrances. The  generous  impulses  of  both  hearts  poured  out 
in  simple,  touching  words.  There  was  no  effort  at  display,  no 
high-flown  effort  at  big.  round  words,  but  the  men  spoke  to 
each  o'her  as  brother  might  speak  to  brother. 

"  We  never  recollect  to  have  witnessed  a  similar  ceremony 
more  happily  consummated.  The  audience  symiiatlii?.cd  heartily 
with  the  sejitiments  expressed  by  the  speaker,  and  at  the  close 
of  the  ceremony  gave  their  hearty  congratulations  to  the  officer 
whom  they  had  assembled  to  honor." 

On  the  20th  of  July,  1861,  the  regiment  received 
marching  orders  for  Harrisburg;  took  cars  at  Pitts- 
burgh on  Sunday  morning,  the  21st,  arriving  at  Har- 
risburg on  Monday  morning.  "  Bull  Bun"  had  been 
heard  from,  and  the  regiment  was  hurried  on  through 
Baltimore  to  the  defense  of  Washington  ;  went  into 
camp  at  Meridian  Hill,  moved  thence  to  Tenally- 
town,  where  the  Pennsylvania  Reserves  were  assem- 
bled and  organized  into  brigades  under  Gen.  George 
A.  McCall.  The  Eighth  Regiment  was  brigaded  with 
the  First,  Second,  and  Fifth  Regiments,  under  com- 
mand of  Brig.-Gen.  John  F.  Reynolds. 


196 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY.  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Late  in  October,  1861,  the  Pennsylvania  Reserves 
were  ordered  to  the  south  side  of  the  Potomac,  to  the 
extreme  right  of  McClelhm's  line,  Camp  Pierpont, 
witli  division  lieadqiiarters  at  Langley,  on  the  Dranes- 
ville  turnpike. 

Tlie  monotony  of  tlie  winter  of  1861-62  was  only 
broken  by  tlie  little  bratJe  of  Dranesville,  eight  or  ten 
miles  south  of  Camp  Pit-rpoiit,  the  first  success  of  the 
Union  arms  on  the  soil  of  Virginia,  fought  princi- 
pally by  the  Third  Brigade  of  the  Reserves,  uuder 
Gen.  Ord  ;  the  First  Brigade,  in  which  was  the  Eighth 
Regiment,  under  Gen.  Reynolds,  being  in  reserve, 
and  coming  up  near  the  close  of  the  battle.  About 
the  1st  of  April  the  Reserves  took  up  the  line  of  march 
ibr  Frcdericksliurg,  en  the  Rappahannock  River, 
halting  snuie  diy-  at  Al.xandria,  Manassas  Junction, 
and  Catletfs  Statu.n,  .iriiving  at  Falmouth,  and  sliell- 
ing  a  detachment  uf  n  brls  out  of  the  town,  but  not 
in   time  to  ]>rcvent  thein   fnim  firing  and  liur;iing  a 


span  of  th( 
river.  The 
tlie  town,  1 
McDowell, 


Fred 


Ro<u 


ksburg  side  of  the 
camp  on  the  hill  above 
itli  the  army  of  Gen. 
lutv  at  Falmouth  and 


Fredericksburg  until  the  8th  of  June,  1861,  when  the 
division  was  order 
signed  to  the  right 
ahoniiny,  near  IMe. 
On  the  liiUh  of 
grand  guard  a.id 
the  village  ol'  Mr, 
noon  of  that  day 
Leo's  armv.     i;   i: 


Dam, wh 
with  the 
along  till 
in  turn  ^\ 
came  tu  1 
deep  feel 
ctte  Gua 


tu  the  Peninsula,  and  again  as- 
McCiellansline,ontlieChick- 
nicsville. 

lie,  ]>;i;2,  Col.  Oliphant  was  on 
■k,  t  duty  with  his  regiment  at 
iiir-villc,  and  dnrins  the  aftcr- 
-  .Iriv.n  in  by  the  advance  of 
.-  ^luwly  ho  fell  bark  to  llraver 
.ml  «a~  foniird  i„  line  ol' l,:;t:le 
i;r-..i^r-.  ■■Col.  Oliphaat  lode 
■  line,  addressing  each  company 
in-piring  eloquence.  When  he 
■ompany,  under  the  influence  of 
ig  emotion,  he  exclaimed,  '  Fay- 
king  down 


ig  and  str 

1,  remember  Pine  Knob  is 


upon  you,  and  Lafayette  is  watching  you  from  the 
dome  of  the  courl-liou-e  !  Y(ju  will  not  go  back  on  me 
to-day?"  The  fii^t  of  the  Seven  Day^'  battles  was 
fought,  and  the  "Old  (iuard'  did  not  go  back  upon 
him." 

Next  morning  the  Reserves  fell  back  to  Gaines*  Mill, 
wdiere  thesecond  of  the  Seven  Days'  battles  was  fought. 
Cul.  Hayes  having  lost  hi<  v;,ie"e,  not  strong  at  best, 
and  although  he  participate'!  in  the  liattle.  he  turned 
the  command  over  to  Licit. -Col,  (  Miiihant.  The  regi- 
ment was  sent  forward  some  distance  in  alvame  of 
the  line  to  develop  the  position  ami  fner  of  the 
enemy;  it  suffered  severely.  Every  commissioned 
officer  in  the  left  wing'excepting  Cajit.  Danson  was 
killed  or  wounded;  among  the  wounded  were  Capt. 
Baily  and  Lieut.  McQuilkin,  of  Fayette  County.  Hav- 
ing spent  all  its  ammunition,  the  regiment  retired  by 
the  rear  rank  in  good  order,  mangled  and  bloody,  but 


taml.arJ,  July,  1S02, 


not  broken.  On  the  crest  of  the  hill,  where  the  line 
of  battle  was  formed,  Col.  Simmons,  of  the  Fifth 
Reserve,  opened  his  ranks  to  let  the  Eighth  pass 
through. 

The  whole  line  cheered  the  Eighth,  and  Col.  Sim- 
mons, grasping  Col.  Oliphant's  hand,  said,  "I  never 
expected  to  .see  you  alive  again,  or  to  bring  a  corpo- 
ral's guard  up  out  of  that  rebel  hell." 

At  the  White  Oak  Swamp  Col.  Oliphant  received 
a  severe  contusion  from  a  spent  round-shot,  which  in- 
volved the  right  knee-joint.  Stunned  by  theblow  he  fell 
unconscious  to  the  ground,  when  Surgeon  AUeman 
bandaged  his  knee  whilst  under  fire,  and  having 
administered  some  restoratives,  in  a  few  minutes  he 
remounted,  and  by  leave  of  Gen.  Seymour  continued 
on  duty  on  horseback.  [Officers  below  the  rank  of 
brigadier-general  are  required  to  go  into  battle  on 
foot,]  He  continued  on  duty  throughout  the  day  and 
night,  and  the  next  d;iy  at  the  battle  of  Malvern 
Hill, 

On  the  6th  of  July,  at  Harrison's  Landing,  he  was 
stricken  down  with  partial  paralysis  of  the  right  side, 
and  with  entire  lossof  hearing,  and  was  sent  to  Wash- 
ington and  thence  home  for  treatment.  He  suffered 
great  pain  in  his  leg  and  ears,  and  on  the  29th  of 
December,  1862,  on  surgeon's  recommendation,  he 
was  honorably  discharged  on  account  of  physical 
disability  incurred  in  service. 

Col.  Oliphant's  hearing  improving,  along  with  im- 
provement of  his  general  health,  when,  in  February 
of  1863,  a  shock  from  the  discharge  of  an  overloaded 
musket  kicked  him  over,  causing  a  severe  contusion 
of  the  shoulder-blade  and  joint,  which  hastened  the 
restoration  of  his  hearing  to  a  normal  condition  ;  but 
it  is  yet  dull,  and  at  times  inconveniently  so,  and  the 
injury  to  the  knee-joint  is  without  much  relief. 

Having  thus  in  a  measure  recovered  from  his  disa- 
bility, in  June  of  1863,  Col.  Oliphant  was  appointed 
and  commissioned  in  the  United  States  Veteran  Re- 
serve Corps  with  the  rank  of  major,  ordered  on  duty 
at  Pittsburgh,  then  at  Harrisburg,  and  in  July  was  as- 
signed to  the  command  of  a  detachment  at  Pottsville, 
in  Schuylkill  County.  Promoted  in  August  to  the 
rank  of  lieutenant-colonel,  and  in  October  to  tlio 
rank  of  colonel,  and  assigned  to  the  command  of  the 
second  sub-district  of  the  Lehigh,  with  headquarters 
at  Pottsville,  his  duty  there  was  to  enforce  the 
draft,  and  give  protection  to  the  coal  operators  who 
had  large  contracts  with  the  government. 

This  was  to  him  the  most  delicate  and  anxious 
period  of  his  military  service,  to  obey  and  follow  out 
his  orders  and  instructions  fully  and  firmly  without 
coming  in  conflict  with  the  civil  authorities. 

Says  nc  Miners  Journal'  of  April  2,  1864,  "  Col. 
Oliphant,  of  the  14th  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  recently 
detached  from  this  post  with  his  command,  carries 
with  him  the  good  wishes  and  kind  regards  of  all  wlio 
had  the  pleasure  of  enjoying  his  acquaintance;  as  an 
officer  he  was  firm  and   faithful   in   the   discharge  of 


WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION. 


107 


his  duty,  and  the  good  order  that  prevailed  here  may 
ill  a  great  measure  be  attributed  to  his  excellent  judg- 
ment.    We  part  with  him  with  sincere  regret." 

Arriving  at  Washington  City,  he  was  detached 
from  the  active  command  of  his  regiment  and  ordered 
on  duty  as  the  presiding  officer  of  a  board  for  the  ex- 
amination of  officers  recommended  for  promotion, 
and  when  this  board  was  discontinued  he  was  de- 
tailed as  the  senior  officer  of  a  general  court-martial 
in  Washington. 

In  July  of  1864,  Gen.  Jubal  Early  invaded  Mary- 
land and  threatened  Washington.  Col.  Oliphant  was 
sent  to  Philadelphia  to  bring  down  all  the  convales- 
cents from  the  hospitals  fit  for  service  in  the  defenses 
of  the  city.  While  mustering  and  equipping  the  men 
land  communication  between  Philadelphia  and  Wash- 
ington was  cut  off  by  the  rebels,  but  he  took  1200  men 
by  sea  and  the  Potomac  River  into  the  defenses 
around  Washington. 

After  Gen.  Early's  repulse  he  resumed  court-martial 
duty,  and  so  continued  until  early  fall,  when  he  was 
sent  as  senior  officer  of  a  board  of  inspection  of  men 
in  hospitals.  This  duty  brought  him  to  Nashville  in 
December,  and  he  volunteered  on  the  staff  of  Gen. 
Thomas  for  the  battles  of  the  15th  and  16th  instant, 
in  which  the  rebel  army  under  Gen.  Hood  was  de- 
stroyed. 

Returning  to  Washington  after  these  battles,  he  was 
again  appointed  presiding  officer  of  a  board  of  exami- 
nation, and  continued  on  this,  court-martial  and  special 
inspection  duty  until  June  23, 1865,  when  he  was  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general  by  brevet,  and 
assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Second  Brigade  of 
the  garrison  of  Washington,  with  headquarters  at 
East  Capital  Barracks. 

While  exercising  this  command  the  State  trials  for 
the  murder  of  President  Lincoln  were  conducted  at 
the  arsenal  in  Washington  ;  the  guards  were  furnished 
from  his  brigade,  and  by  special  order  from  Gen. 
Augur  to  that  effect,  he  largely  increased  the  force 
and  took  command  of  the  guard  himself  on  the  day  ] 
of  execution. 

From  this  time  he  was  actively  though  uneongeni- 
ally  employed  on  provost  duty,  while  Grant's  and 
Sherman's  armies  were  being  passed  through  Wasli- 
ington  and  disbanded,  until  late  in  November,  1865, 
when  he  was  relieved  and  ordered  home  to  await  the 
further  order  of  the  War  Department. 

Gen.  Oliphant  spent  the  winter  of  1865-66  in  Har- 
risburg,  in  the  service  of  the  Pittsburgh  and  Con- 
nellsville  Railroad  Company,  and  on  the  1st  of  July, 
1866,  was  honorably  discharged  and  mustered  out  of 
the  military  service  of  the  United  States. 

In  the  spring  of  1867  he  moved  to  Princeton,  N.  J., 
for  its  educational  advantages,  having  a  large  family 
of  small  boys;  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  that  State, 
and  resumed  the  practice  of  law. 

His  imperfect  hearing  and  some  impediment  of 
speech,  resulting  from   the   paralysis,   embarrassing 


him  in  trials  at  the  bar,  and  his  old  friend,  Hon.  Wil- 
liam McKennan,  having  been  appointed  judge  of  the 
United  States  Circuit  Court  for  the  Third  Circuit, 
including  the  district  of  New  Jersey,  he  saw  in  this 
the  probability  of  an  appointment  to  office  in  the  line 
of  his  profession  more  congenial  to  his  tastes  and 
physical  condition  ;  applied  for  and  was  appointed 
clerk  of  the  court  for  the  district  of  New  Jersey  in 
September,  1870.  He  is  so  employed  at  this  writing. 
In  the  spring  of  1S74  he  moved  from  Princeton  to 
Trenton,  where  he  now  resides. 

In  March,  1847,  Gen.  Oliphant  married  Mary  C, 
only  child  of  John  Campbell,  of  Uniontown,  and  has 
by  her  ten  sons,  all  living.  His  wife  Mary  dying  in 
October,  1875,  some  time  thereafter  he  married  a  New 
Jersey  lady.  Miss  Beulah  A.  Oliphant.  Although  of 
the  same  name,  there  is  no  consanguinity  of  blood 
between  them. 

Gen.  Oliphant  is  a  genial  man,  polite  and  even 
courtly  in  manners,  and  fond  of  society.  His  inti- 
mates are  few,  but  they  are  stanch  and  true  friends. 
He  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  though  not  at  all 
bitter  in  his  advocacy  of  political  doctrines,  he  is  an 
effective  public  speaker. 


Aug. 


1802, 


S.  B,  Bennington,  c:lpt!lin,nlu^it.  in  Jnno2T,  18G1 ;  pro.  from  scrpe 
s<»cond  lieiiti'uant  \\ig.  1,  1802;  to  Ciiptniii  May  1,  ISCIi;  wuun 
rredeiiclisbuig,  Va.;  must,  out  Willi  conipiiny  Miiy  20,  ISOO. 

Adaui  Jacobs,  Jr.,  first  lieutunant,  must,  in  June  21, 1801;  res.  J 
1SC2. 

George  W.  Mni.T,  firet  lii-utfii.int.niust.  in  June  21,1801;  pro,  fro 
geant  t,-  Ir-l   --  _ ,  [,,  ip-i  li   n  mi    i  •  h    1,  I'liJ,  '  i'l'l" 


J.  M. 


vYalt,Rccontl  lieutenant. 


May  1,  1803 
J.  L.  Sliaw,  first  sergeant,  ] 

1, 1802;  to  firet  sergeant  July  1, 1S02; 

2(i,  1SC4. 
William  n.  WUli 


1 ,  1801 ;  pro.  from  s 


,1801;  pro.  to  second 


at  Kobinson's  Farm,  May  10,  18C4 


21,  1801  ;  pro.  to  sergeant  May 


in  June  21, 1801;  pro. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1 

■      -.        ,  -:..^:..      -' 

,,,.,,.:„,V.,. 

1 .1  M    \V,"i,„.    i„    .:    i,  ,T,.  „    _.1,1S01. 

:,,.,.,:,.,„.;;:,,.,:!:; 

v>,          ,     M     ,,,,,,-■,.,  .  ,.    Jl.lSOl. 

I-.,-  M  ••;    ,,.  ,,.  -,  ,  , :i,  is,;i. 

11   G 

corporal,  must,  in  .Tnno  21, 1861 :  pro.  to 

corporal  July  1, 

Willi. 11.1  •■    Mil   K.n,  „i,i-t,  in  June21,18Cl. 

1    lil           0 

iindeil  at  Cliarles  City  Cross-R>^ads ; 

disch.  on  surgeon-^ 

Willi.,,,,  M  Wiili.i.i-   i„,i-l,iiiJimo21,  iSCl. 

Bjan.  20,1803. 

Gl-oi-i   ..lit,  I,, ,1-1    III  ,liily  S,  1801. 

1               1 

son,  C(.r|iuial,  must,  in  Oct.  li, 

ISOl; 

traus.  to  101st  Regt. 

N.  II,  I'alli.Tauii,  mu,t.  in  Feb.  ID,  1804. 

1    \ 

■  15,  ISOl. 

Cliarles  W.  Pnse,  must,  iu  July  8, 1861. 

1 

ui,.Ti  ,n.>p.,r!il,must.in.Inlj-S 

1801; 

pro 

to  corporal  Nov. 

James  S,  Rolirer,  must,  in  June  21, 1861. 

p. .'...■)•  v:il,  ,-,,„,|,,„y  Jl.iyil 

,1804 

James  Ryan,  must,  iu  June  21,  ISOl. 

I 

.1    .-.    .  .  .liih  ■   Ul, 

SOI; 

ro. 

0  corporal  Nov. 

George  Rauni,  must,  in  June  21,  1801. 

.1  -1  .  ■'■■  :>.it,i.i  Cinit 

II...US 

May  11,1804;  must. 

Ru.lolpli  Rhyn,  must,  in  July  8, 1861. 

i.r.    ',',     M  11      '      1  -1    1, 

lleiiiy  Uhyii,  must,  in  July  20,1801. 

J 

■    '■■■•■'    '  ■  ■'■•"■■   -!■   '■• 

1  ;  pn 

,t,, 

curpoial  .l.uieS, 

,ii,ii.,-  i;-  i,,..i,  11.-1-1.  Ill  ,i,r,,  -.  1-..1, 

W ,      1-      !,■          ,,                              ,..,       -   Jl.lSCl. 

I 

!   ,    IT 

,  t,. 

,„ri.„i:.l  .\i.,s.  1, 

Xul,  .1      .      l:    ■                        !.,    .    Jl,  1801. 

••"'■"'   ■"    '■''' -    ''"'"•    ' 

1  ,  -Ml 

v», 

lS04;..l,s.iita; 

Davi.lSeese,  lil.isl,  ill  June  21,  1801. 

r,  corporal,  must,  in  June  21, 

SCI; 

jro. 

0  corporal  Aug. 

James  Smitli,  must,  in  July  8,  ISOl. 

lust.  out  with  company  May  2 

,  1S04 

George  W.  Scott,  must,  iu  June  21,  1801. 

II 

in,  musician,  must,  in  June  21 

1801; 

pro 

to  first  licnten- 

John  Simmons,  must,  in  June  21 ,  1801. 

'^ 

A.  June  20,  1802. 

Primtes. 

Thomas  Simpson,  must,  in  June  21, 1861. 
Nicholas  C.  Swearer,  must,  iu  June  21,  1S61. 
John  Swearer,  must,  in  June  21, 1801. 

I           \ 

must,  in  June  21,  1801. 
kl.nuist.ii,  .Julys.  18i;l. 

Em.s  K.  StrauM,  must,  in  July  8,  18C1. 
William  Spii.wles,  must,  in  June  21,  1801. 

mist,  iii  .Juiir  21,  ISr.l. 

Willli.iii  Si.iitli,  must,  in  June  21, 1801. 

,  num.  in  .July  S,  ISiU. 

J..I1.1  L,Ti,yl„iMi..ist.iu  June  21,  1801. 

h.miist   ii,  ,T,H„-_M,  INCl. 

I 

,ii."-t.  i.i.l Jl.lx;!. 

Willi- 1                            .  -i          Jl,  ISCl. 

1              1    1 

ckl.-.i,  iiui-l    ,„. -|,1.SC1. 

W.  11    1    -                                 .    '          .1,  1801. 

Ue..,^--  -.1   ...-■  .-  ■,  ,,,11-1    I'l  .Inn.-  Jl.lSOl. 

'"  '    '""-'    '•'  ■'■■■'"    ->.  ISC''- 

0.  .-X.  ".,-. ,,  „,,i-l-  in  , I, me  21,1861. 

' 

■■  ■'   "■  '  ■   '    ■'   '■■  "•  isui- 

J,ili,i  W    W,,lki„.,  ,iii,-t,  i.iJniie21,1801. 

'•''■'      '■  l^ljl- 

Sinuoii  11,  Wi-l,,n,,i-t,  ill  June  21,  1861. 

,    i    r;     ;      r..    ~,  [■!       '.    l.M.l. 

Ge.,11:.-  \V.  \\,i.,l,i-,  iiiu.l.iu  March  24,  1804. 

;,  11. i;.'.  Ill  ,l,il.i    ■,   \si-.l. 

John  W,.,,.1,>„,.1.  -t,  ill  June  21,  ISCt. 

''::"'::i"'''"';::r'' 

Davi, If.  Will, l,-i,  iiiii-t.  ill  June  21,1801. 
Eul«  «  Yuui.g,  iM.i-t,  ii.  June  21,  1801. 

1  "t"    ■      '-i'..  .l'''     I'si   1 

] 

COMP.VNV   G. 
S.  Duncan  Oliphaiit,  .-aptaiu,  must,  iu  April  24,  ISCl;  pro.  to  lleutenant- 

1 

vi,r,  iiiu^t  ill  .s-pt.  J,  isr.i. 

1 

..11,  ii.ii-1  111  .1.111,- -i,i.si;i. 

J.-S-.    r.   ,.                    ; ,  must,  in  April  24,18(11;  pro.  from  first  lieu- 

^ 

.11-1.  II.  ,iiii.(.  21,  ls.:i. 

1   .                            1 ,1 II,--  28,  ISOI ;  to  major  Dec.  7, 1801. 

111.1,1,  11.  .iiiiii-jl,  ISOl. 

Wil -                    -    1,1,11,  must,  ill  April  24, 18G1;  pro.  from  sergeant 

1 

I.'lt,in,.,t,  ill  .III,,,.  21,  ISGl. 

Jl,,       ,-1-1     -  --    11  ,,  Jl,  1-1, J, 

, 

''':!Zll"^"u~:l^,^: 

11.111.   1     |i    ,      .   -  1,      :        ,1    ,1.  April  24,1801;  pio.from  sergeant 
.1.                       1                    :     (..second  lientenaut  Nov.  15,  ISOl; 

<■!.  ,...,-1   .:.  ,1,,,,.   ji,  is,;i. 

!..    ,111.1  .  Ml,   JJ,  l-.J,  1.111-1    ..lit  with  company  Ma.v  24,  1804. 

,. 1".        ■!,  l.siil. 

Jesse  11,  Kiiiiis,  y,  lir.t  li,-iUenaiit,  must,  in  April  24,  1801;  pro.  from 
second  lieutenaut  June  28,  ISUl ;  must,  out  with  company  May  24, 

-       ..,.    ■      ■      '■■          '1,  1,801. 

1««4. 

,   ,.,   ,-'      ■   1   ,1,   ■;.     -      l-   1  , 

Henry  W.  Patterson,  second  lieutenant,  must,  in  April  24,  1801;  pro. 

-k.,l,„„i-i,ii.  IVI.    l;,,  ISM. 
. nil. 1,11,  iii„-t   „.,i.,\y  s.  isr.l. 

fium  lil  St  sergeant  to  second  licuteuant  June  28, 18GI ;  to  adjutant 
July,  ISlil. 
IT.  H.  Magnilkell,  second  lieutenant,  must,  in  April  24,  ISGl;  pro.  from 

l.-nii,,iii,  liiii-t    ill  .liily  8,  ISOI. 

corporal  to  sergeant  Jan.  28, 1801;  to  first  sergeant  Jan.  1, 1802  ;  t,> 

A 

M,..k,  llMlsl,  ,1,  .liiiii-  21,  1801. 

second  lieutenaut  June  10,1802;  must,  out  with  compauy  May  24, 

' 

III.-,!,  Ill, lull,- 21,  ISI.I, 

isa. 

JohnO,  Stewart,  liisl  sei-g-ant,  must,  in  April  21,1801;  pro.  from  ser- 

1 

h,  ,liM„ii,l    ii.l'.l,    1,1,  1,8M. 

g-  mil  1.,  1  i-i  .,  1^.  ,,,!  ,  l,,ll.  1  111  Bull  Run,  Aug.  30,  1802. 

1 

11. .1,1    111  ,l.iiir21,  18i;i, 

M;.ini,  ^     nil-      .    ',,   1 ,  must,  in  April  24,  1801;  pro.  from 

1 

'1; ,',";'  1, 'J  ■'!""' 'l;!'^'''' 

-    ,      .1                ,1  J  ,          ,•,..!;  to  first  sergeant;  trans,  to  Co.  G, 

1,,--,  ,1,  ,  ..,,1-1  'i,i  l-.h,  2''.,1SM. 

Will.,       1                                                 \i  1.1  Jl.lSOl;  pro.  from  privalo 

...,i-.  M„i-1    11,  July  s,  ISfil. 

All.ii  1:  ,i:i;:-i,      :_. ,,,,,,  1:1,       u,   M    -  _  ,  1 -,i  1 ;  pro.  to  corporal  Jau. 

J 

i...  1 1   11.  r.-'i,   '■■;.  I8i;i. 

1,  1^,..,  tu.^i„i.,ui,  .1..,.;.,  Jl.i.sl.  ..,,  l.suJ,  for  wounds  received  in 

It,.',  -1    in  ,li,„,    21,1801. 

l„ii,  111.1-1,11.  .Mm,  1,2-1,1804. 

.action. 
Thomas  W.  Springer,  sergeant,  must,  in  April  24, 1801 ;  pro.  to  corporal ; 
to  sergeant;  trans,  to  Co,  G,  191st  Regt.  P.  V.,  May  13, 1804;  vet. 

,s,  niusl.  ili.s,.pt,2l,  ISOl, 

Isaac  A,  Moore,  s.-rgeaut,  uiuBl.  iu  April  24,1801;  pro.  to  corporal;  to 

.,  must,  ill  Feb,  2'.l,  1804. 

sergeant;  trans,  to  Go.  G,  191st  Regt.  P.  V,,  May  Ifl,  1S04  ;  vet. 

WAK   OF   THE   REBELLION. 


?s  W.  Eliorliart,  sergeant,  must,  in  July  12, 18GI ;  pro.  to  sergeant; 
irnns.  to  Co.  G,  lOlst  Regt.  P.  V.,  May  15, 1864 ;  vet. 
Joseph  W.  Stnrgls,  sergeant,  mnst.  in  April  24, 1861 ;  pro.  to  corporal ; 

o  soigeant;  trans,  to  Co.  G,  101st  Regt.  P.  V.,  May  15, 1804 ;  vet. 
George  B.  Riittei-,  corporal,  mnst.  in  .\pril  24, 18G1 ;  pro.  to  corporal  Jan. 
I,  ISCJ  ;  must,  ont  wltli  company  May  24,  1SC4. 
iani  D.Nesmitli,  corporal,  must,  in  April  24,1861;  died  Oct.  15, 1862; 
juried  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  grave  1787. 

iiiis  H.  White,  corporal,  must,  in  May  24,  IS61 ;  died  at  Camp  Pior- 
lont,  Va.,  Dec.  9,  1801. 
William  Mitchell,  corporal,  must,  in  May  23, 1861 ;  killed  at  Fredericks- 
burg, Doc.  13,  1862. 
Henry  Larko,  corporal,  must,  in  April  24, 1801 ;  discli.  May  30, 1863,  for 
wounds  received  at  Fredericksburg,  Dec.  13, 1862. 
vley  H.Jollifr,  corporal,  must,  in  April  24,1861;  trans,  to  Co.  G,  101st 
Regt.  P.  v..  May  15, 1804 ;  vet. 

les  C.  Darnell,  corporal,  mnst.  in  April  24,  1861 ;  trans,  to  Co.  G,  191st 
Kegt.  P.  v..  May  15, 1804 ;  vet. 
John  L.  Francis,  corporal,  must,  in  July  20, 1801 ;  trans,  to  Co.  G,  191st 
Regt.  P.  v.,  May  15, 1864';  vet. 

ary  C.  Bunting,  musician,  mnst.  in  April  22, 1801;  trans,  to  Co.  G, 
101st  Regt.  P.  v.,  May  15,  1864 ;  vet. 

in  Collins,  musician,  must,  in  .\pril  24,  1801;  trans,  to  Co.  G,  191st 
Kegt.  P.  v..  May  lo,  1864;  vet. 


George  II.  A-1 
.lames  P.  Aslu 


,  mnst.  in  Jnly  20, 1861. 
must,  in  July  18, 1801. 


s  .\xton,  intist.  in  July  20, 1801. 
Bierer,  must,  in  April  24, 1801. 
Morgan  Barclay,  must,  in  May  24,  1801. 
am  Bnrnliani,  must,  in  July  12,  18C 


John  Ball 


Feb.: 


Jared  Beach, ,n 

1st.  ii 

May  24, 1801. 

Jacob  Bowers,  n 

mst. 

11  May  30 

1801. 

Thomiis  Brown 

must 

in  May  1 

5,  1801. 

Kphraim  D.  B;, 

r,  nil 

St.  in  Ma, 

24,1801. 

.Tohn  T.  Booth, 

niist. 

in  May  2 

,  1801. 

F.O'Biicn. 

JuMies  C.  Clark 

mast 

in  May  ' 

4,  ISOl. 

H.  Cunniughan 

,  mus 

t.  in  Apri 

24, 1861. 

James  D.  C.pe, 

iiust. 

in  July  20, 1801. 

Daniel  F.  Darr, 

mnst 

in  May  2 

,1861. 

George  W.  Darl 

V,  mi 

St.  in  Ap. 

124,1861. 

Henry  C.  De  W 

Ife,  n 

nsl.in  J> 

ne  15,  1801. 

Henry  11.  Douil 

must 

in  June 

t,  1801. 

Samuel  Drnni, 

Mist. 

n  May  21- 

I8(;i. 

Cyrus  Ei-li,.,m 

St    il 

May  27, 1801. 

1801. 


Charles  Herse,  must,  in  April  2, 1804. 
Isaac  Jaquetle,  must,  in  Ainil  24,  ISOl 
Jeremiah  B.  Jones,  must.  In  May  13,  II 
Williiim  Z.  Kendall,  must,  in  May  31, 
Job  King,  mnst.  in  June  19, 1801. 
Kicholas  Kissinger,  ninsl.  in  May  23, 1801 
Alfred  Ken,  must,  in  A|iiil  J4,  1801. 


lay  24,  1,«01. 
ic  23,  is«:j. 
H-  19,  1861. 
J4,  1801. 


sMai-'   .  :,     . 
John  Mill  il  J4, 1801. 

Maloiie,  must,  in  Feb.  21,  1804. 

9  C.  Malone,  must,  in  Feb.  21,1864. 

II.  Nesinilh,  must,  in  May  24,  1801. 
Jonlan  M.  Nesiiiith,  must,  in  May  23, 1801. 
Andrew  F.  NefT,  must,  in  May  24, 1861. 
William  V.  Nesmilh. 
Levi  Ogle,  mnst.  in  May  14, 1801. 
William  Peteis,  must,  in  May  30,  1801. 
George  Proud,  must,  in  June  10, 1801. 


Thomas  J.  Parker,  must,  in  July  9. 1801. 
William  Philip,  must,  in  June  10, 1801. 
Reuben  Reed,  must,  in  May  24, 1801. 
Adoniram  J.  Kcid,  must,  in  April  24, 1801. 
David  Richie,  must,  in  May  24,  ISOl. 
James  D.  Ramsey,  must,  in  April  24, 1801. 
William  Rohland,  must,  in  July  20,  1861. 
Thomas  Rhodebach,  must,  in  Feb.  21, 1804. 
John  R.  Butter,  must,  in  April  24, 1801. 
Isaac  Sampul,  must,  in  April  24, 1601. 
.Tiiliii  Risler,  mnsl.  in  April  24,  1801. 

S 1  -.ijii,  1,111,1.  in  May  23,1801. 

.1  - I    in  July  18, 1801. 

I  .  I  ~t.  in  April  24,  1801. 

.1  .  .  I  II  I     111 1   11,  must,  in  April  24, 1801. 

IJcwcUyn  Vanghan,  must,  in  May  24,  1861. 
Joseph  Widilup,  must,  in  May  24, 1801. 
Henry  G.  Whaley,  must,  in  Nov.  20, 1863. 
Joseph  L.  Warrick,  must,  in  Juno  12, 1801. 
George  Walker,  must,  in  May  30, 1801. 
James  M.  Wells,  must,  in  April  24,  1801. 
Bartholomew  Warman,  must,  in  June  19,  ISOl. 


Wilson  S.  Work,  must. 
Samuel  Wilcox,  must. 


9,  1S61. 


ELEVENTH    REfEUVE    RE(iIMEXT. 

The  Eleventh  Reserve,  or  Fortieth  Pennsylvania 
Eegiment  (three  years'  service),  was  made  up  of  one 
company  from  Fayette  County,  two  from  Westmore- 
land, two  from  Indiana,  two  from  Butler,  and  one  from 
each  of  the  counties  of  Cambria,  Armstrong,  and  Jef- 
ferson. Most  of  these  companies  had  lieen  raised  for 
the  three  months'  service,  but  had  failed  of  acceptance 
for  the  short  term.  The  Fayette  County  company 
("F,"  recruited  at  Uniontown)  had  for  its  original 
officers  Capt.  Everard  Bierer,  First  Lieut.  Peter  A. 
Johns,  Second  Lieut.  John  W.  De  Ford. 

The  companies  were  rcmli'zvnusiil  ;it  ( "niiij)  Wright, 
on  theAlleghenyRiver,twolvriiiil,-<ab..v.' Pittsburgh, 
and  there  mustered  into  the  State  service.  Early  in 
July,  1861,  the  Eleventh  Reserve  Regiment  was  or- 
ganized under  tlie  following-named  officers:  Colonel, 
Thomas  F.  Gallagher ;  Lieutenant-Colonel,  James 
R.  Porter ;  Major,  Samuel  >L  Jarkson  ;  Adjutant, 
Peter  A.  Johns,  of  Uniontown,  a  soldier  of  the  Mex- 
ican war.  On  the  24th  of  the  same  month  the  regi- 
ment moved  by  way  of  Harrisburg  and  Baltimore  to 
Washington,  D.  C,  where  it  arrived  on  the  26th, 
and  where,  on  the  29th  and  30th,  it  was  mustered 
into  the  United  States  service,  about  nine  hundred 
strong.  Soon  afterwards  the  regiment  marched  to 
Tenallytown,  Md.,  where  it  encaiii|icil  with  the  other 
regiments  of  the  Reserve  divir-ioii,  iindrr  .Maj.-Gen. 

MoCall.     The  Eleventh  was  assij; 1  to  duty  in  the 

Second  Brigade,  under  command  of  Brig. -Gen.  George 
G.  Meade.  The  other  regiments  composing  that 
brigade  were  the  Third  Reserve  (Col.  H.  G.  Sickel), 
the  Fourth  (Col.  Robert  G.  March),  the  Seventh 
(Col.  E.  B.  Harvey),  and  the  -Thirteenth  ("  Buck- 
tails"),  under  Col.  Charles  J.  Biddle. 

After  a  stay  of  about  two  months  at  Tenallytown 
and  vicinity  the  regiment  moved  with  the  division 
(October  9th)  across  the  Potomac,  and  took  position 
in  the  line  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  between 


200 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Langley  and  Lewinsville,  Va.,  a  location  on  which 
was  made  its  winter-quarters.  On  the  10th  of  March, 
1S02,  it  moved  from  its  winter  camp,  and  with  the 
division  made  the  marches  (heforc  Tiienti(piic<l  in  con- 
nection witli  the  Eifrhth  Reserve  Itc-innnl  •  to  Hun- 
ter's Mills,  on  the  advance  towards  Manassas,  and 
thence  back  towards  the  Totomac  on  the  Alexandria 
road,  through  almost  bottomless  mud  and  drencliing 
rain.  Arriving  at  Fairfax  Seminary,  south  of  Alex- 
andria, it  went  into  camp,  and  remained  on  duty  in 
that  vicinity  for  more  than  three  weeks.  During 
that  time  the  division  was  assigned  to  the  First  Army 
id  <.n  the  0th  of 


Cori. 
April 


under  Gen.  Irwin  McPijwell,  am 
it  moved  from  Fairfax  to  Catletl's  Station, 
where  it  encamped  for  a  short  time,  and  then  marclied 
to  Falm<aith,  on  the  Kap]iahannock.  While  there 
(May  17tli)  Adjt.  Peter  A.  .Johns,  ,,r  Fayette  County, 
was  promoted  to  major,  rii-r  Litzinircr,  resigned. 

On  the  9th  of  .June  the  rt-ini.iit  with  its  brigade 
was  embarked  for  transjiortalion  tu  the  reniusula  to 
join  the  Army  of  tlie  Fotomac.  It  arrived  at  White 
House,  on  the  Pamunkey  River,  Va.,  on  the  1 1th,  and 
was  immediately  moved  to  the  front  on  the  Chicka- 
honnny,  taking  position  on  the  right  of  the  army  line 
at  IMeJlianicsvlUe.  In  the  severe  battle  at  tliat  place 
on  the  2<;th  of  Juno  the  Eleventh  did  vu,l  t:ike  active 
part,  though  it  lay  for  a  long  time  under  a  heavy  tire.  , 

On  the  following  day  ( Juiie  27thj  in  the  terrific  bat-  ' 
tie  of  Gaines'  Mill  the  Eleventh  f.iUght  with  the  most  ! 
determined  bravery  and  sulfercd  a  great  disaster.  [ 
From  its  position  in  the  second  line  it  was  ordered 
forward  late  in  the  afternoon  to  relieve  the  Fourth 
Xew  .Iei>ey,  which  iiad  been  cln>e!y  cugage.l  in  the 
front  line  until  it>  aniniunition  was  alinest  exliau,>ted. 
The  Eleventh  teek  its  place  Unfalteringly,  and  deliv- 
ere<l  a  lire  that  sent  the  enemy  staggia'ing  hack  Innn 
its  front.  Uut  while  in  tlii-  advam-ed  p,.Mtieii  the 
troop-  on  its  lioht  and  left  were  driven  ba,-k  by  over- 
]iowi'i'ing  nnnibers,  anil  the  enemy,  advancing,  poured 
in  a  de-trueiive  file  on  liotli  flanks  ol'  the  exposed 
regiment.  :\Iaj.  .lohns  rod.'  .piickly  to  the  left  to  stop 
the  tiring  (supposing  it  to  come  IVo.n  some  of  llie 
Union  tr()o|.s  under  a  mistake.,  and  in  a  few  nnmicnts 
was  a  ]irisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  Nearly 
the  entire  regiment  soon  afterwards  met  the  same 
fate,  as  is  recounted  iu  the  following  extract  Irom 
Gen.  McCall's  official  repm-t  of  the  operatimis  of  the 
day,  viz.:  "The  only  occurrence  of  this  day's  battle 
that  I  have  cau=e  to  recrct  (excei.t  the  loss  of  nianv 


Meade'-  l.n 
.  ivlicVMl  tir 


Elex 

en 

th  i; 

■j; 

ni, 

nt    of    the    lie-, 

g'adr 
Fou 
jorl 

h 
■tl 

id,  in 
New 

ted  St 

tl 
.it 

mr-,-  of  the  all 

proi 

n- 

ng  t, 

^ 

'I'l 

Reg 

m 

mt  be 

CO 

mi 

ig  enveloped  in 

lie  smoke  of  battle. 


continued  the  fight  after  the  rest  of  the  line  had  re- 
tired, having  been  closely  engaged  with  a  rebel  regi- 
ment in  front,  and  before  the  colonel  was  aware  that 
he  had  been  left  alone  on  the  field,  he  found  himself 
under  the  fire  of  two  regiments,  one  on  either  flank, 
besides  the  one  in  front.  Notwithstanding  the  peril 
of  his  position,  he  gallantly  kept  up  a  galling  fire  on 
the  advancing  foe  as  he  himself  retired  in  good  order 
on  the  Fourth  New  Jersey.  Here,  to  crown  liis  ill 
fortune,  he  found  that  he,  as  well  as  Colonel  Simpson, 
was  completely  surrounded,  a  strong  force  having  al- 
ready taken  position  in  his  immediate  rear.  The  sit- 
uation of  these  two  brave  regiments,  which  liad  so 
nobly  maintained  their  ground  after  all  had  retired, 
was  now  hojieless;  their  retreat  was  entirely  cut  off 
by  the  increasing  force  of  the  enemy,  who  were  still 
advancing,  and  they  were  compelled  to  surrender. 
No  censure  can  possibly  attach  to  either  Colonel  Gal- 
lagher or  Colonel  Simpson  or  the  brave  men  of  their 
respective  regiments  on  account  of  this  ill  turn  of  for- 
tune; but,  on  the  Contrary,  they  are  entitled  to  the 
credit  of  having  held  their  ground  until  it  was  tenable 
no  longer."  The  loss  of  the  Eleventh  in  the  bloody 
encounter  of  the  afternoon  was  forty-six  killed  and 

The  regiment  surrendered  just  as  the  shadows  of 
night  had  begun  to  close  over  the  crimsoned  slopes 
that  stretched  away  northward  from  the  swampy 
banks  of  the  Chickahominy.  The  officers  and  men 
were  worn  out  and  cxhausled  by  the  picketing  and 
marching  and  fighting  of  the  previous  forty-eight 
hours,  but  their  captors  hurried  them  to  the  rear,  \ 
and  \\itlioiit  allowing  any  delay  for  rest  or  refresh- j 
ine:it,  marclied  tliein  b}'  a  circuitous  route  (around  i 
the  right  of  Mct'lellan's  army)  to  Richmond,  where  I 
they  arrived  at  about  sunrise  in  the  morning  of  the 
■2S'.l\,  and  after  having  been  paraded  through  the  city 
as  a  spectacle  to  the  exulting  inhabitants,  were  placed 
in  Libby  Prison  and  the  adjacent  tobacco-warehou.ses. 
A  i'cK  days  later  the  enlisted  men  of  the  regiment 
were  transferred  to  the  bare  and  cheerless  prison-camp^ 
on  r.elle  Isle,  in  the  James  River.  There  they  re- 
mained until  the  ."ith  of  August,  when  they  were  ex- 
changed, marched  to  Aiken's  Landing  on  the  James, 
and  there  i)laced  on  board  United  States  transports, 
■f  lie  officers  of  the  regiment,  who  had  remained  at 
Lililiy.  were  exchanged  about  a  week  later  and  sent 

Alter  the  return  of  the  officers  and  men  from  cap- 
ti\  ity.  the  regiment,  in  a  very  reduced  condition,  was 
iraii-lcrred  to  the  Rappahannock,  to  rejoin  McDow- 
I'U's  eor|is  and  take  part  in  the  operations  of  Gen. 
Pope's  Army  of  Virginia.  It  was  engaged  in  the 
actions  of  the  29th  and  30th  of  August  (second  Btill 
Piiin),  losing  fourteen  killed  and  forty-four  wounded. 

In  the  Maryland  campaign,  which  followed  imme- 
diately after  the  defeats  in  Virginia,  the  Eleventh 
fought  well  at  South  Mountain,  losing  fifteen  killed 
and  twenty -eight  wounded,  and  at  Autietam  (Sep- 


WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION. 


tember  16th  and  17th),  where  it  lost  seven  killed  and 
seventeen  wounded. 

At  Fredericksburg,  where  Burnside  hurled  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  against  the  impregnable  works  of  the 
enemy,  the  Eleventh  was,  with  other  regiments  of  the 
Reserves,  assigned  to  the  duty  of  clearing  and  holding 
the  banks  of  the  Kappahaunock  during  the  laying  of 
the  pontoons  on  which  the  army  was  to  cross.  It  was 
a  perilous  duty,  but  bravely  performed.  In  the  con- 
flict which  followed  this  regiment  moved  forward  over 
level  and  unsheltered  ground  to  assault  the  enemy's 
works,  a  partof  which  it  carried,  but  was  finally  forced 
back  with  heavy  loss,  the  killed,  wounded,  and  cap- 
tured amounting  to  one  hundred  and  twelve  out  of 
the  total  of  three  hundred  and  ninety-four  officers 
and  men  who  went  into  the  fight. 

After  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  the  regiment  was 
moved  to  the  defenses  of  Washington,  and  remained 
there  in  quiet  uutil  the  opening  of  the  campaign  of 
Gettysburg,  when  it  marched  to  the  field  of  the  great 
battle,  arriving  there  on  the  2d  of  July  (1863).  In 
that  engagement  the  Eleventh  charged,  leading  the 
brigade,  and  sustaining  a  loss  of  three  killed  and 
thirty-eight  wounded.  During  the  remainder  of  the 
year  the  regiment  saw  but  little  fighting,  being  en- 
gaged only  at  Bristow  Station,  Va.,  October  14th,  and 
in  a  light  action  at  New  Hope  Church,  on  the  move- 
ment to  Mine  Run,  in  December.     Its  losses  in  these 

;re  but  slight. 

The  Wilderness  campaign  of  1864  was  the  last  in 
the  experience  of  the  Eleventh  Reserve.  Leaving  its 
winter  encampment  at  Bristow  Station  on  the  29th  of 
April,  it  marched  with  the  other  regiments  of  the 
command  to  the  vicinity  of  Culpeper  Court-House, 
and  thence  with  Warren's  (Fifth)  corps,  of  which  it 
formed  a  part,  to  the  Germania  Ford  of  the  Rapidan, 
and  crossing  at  about  one  o'clock  in  the  morning  of 
the  4th  of  May,  and  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same 
day  became  engaged  with  the  enemy.  Through  the 
next  two  days  in  the  Wilderness,  and  during  twenty- 
three  succeeding  days,  it  was  almost  constantly  under 
fire,  in  the  eng.agements  at  Spottsylvania  Court-House, 
at  the  North  Anna  River,  and  at  Bethesda  Church. 
On  the  morning  after  the  last-named  battle  (May 
30th)  orders  were  received  from  the  War  Depart- 
ment transferring  the  veterans  and  recruits  of  the 
Eleventh  to  the  One  Hundred  and  Ninetieth  Regi- 
ment, and  withdrawing  the  Eleventh  from  the  front  as 
its  term  of  service  had  expired.  Under  these  orders 
ivhat  remained  of  the  regiment  was  moved  by  way  ol 
White  House  to  Washington;  hence  it  was  trans- 
lorted  to  Harrisburg,  and  from  there  to  Pittslnirgli, 
where  it  was  mustered  out  of  service  June  13,  1864. 


Company  F. 
Ivci-nrrt  Bicrer,  captain,  must,  in  Jiiuo  20,  ISOl ;  res.  Nov.  17,  1802, 

pro.  to  colonel  171st  Kegt.  P.  V. 
cihii  W.  Du  Ford,  captain,  mvist.  in  June  20, 1801 ;  pro.  from  second  I 

tenant;  res.  Nov.  10, 1802,  to  enter  Signal  Corps. 


.Tames  .\.  IT:i\  !  n  <  i!.!.u!i    imisl.  in.Iuno20, 1801;  pro.  to  serReant  Oct. 

1,  ISO]     I  1"  1803;  to  brevet  major  Miircli  13, 18C3  ; 

prison.)   M    .        I      I      ,      1],  March  12, 1865. 
Peter  A.  J"liii  .  In  I   h.  u-.  i,  -ut,  must,  in  May  23,1861;  pro.  to  adjutant 

July  2,  IMU  ;  tn  maj.r  Jlay  17,  1802 :  res.  March  .30,  1803. 
Thomas  A.  Hopwood,  fiist  lieutenant,  must,  in  June  20, 1801 ;  pro.  from 

first  sergearit  Sept.  22,  1801  ;  res.  Dec.  25,  1862. 
William  R.  K.  Hooli,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Juno  20,  1861;  pro.  to 

corporal ;  to  sergeant  Dec.  10, 1802;  to  firat  lieutenant  April  10, 1863 ; 

William  F.  Springer,  seeonil  lieutenant,  must,  in  June  20,  1861;  pro.  to 
corporal ;  to  serge.int  Dec.  10,  1862 ;  to  second  lieutenant  Sept.  22, 
1803;  must,  out  witli  company  Juno  1.3, 1804. 

George  W.  Kremer,  first  sergeant,  nmst.  in  June  20, 1801 ;  pro.  to  first 

I-.  int,  must,  in  June  20, 18bl ;  died  at  Camp 

I  :    -I   in  June  20, 1801;  discli.  to  accept  pro- 
ni.  ii.iMt  Co.  !■;,  17Slh  Regt.  P.  V.,  Dec.  0,  1802. 
uil,  must,  in  Juno  20,  1801 ;  pro.  from  corporal ; 
jmotion  as  first  lieutenant  Co.  V,  177th  Regt. 


Ephraini  W  r:  M,,n 

Piei-|i"ii:    \  :  ,  I 
George  D.^  :, 

Daniel  T.  Sna.ii,>i,',  sei 
distil,  to  accept 
P.  v.,  Dec   0,  1802. 

Samuel  I>.  Sturgis,  si-rgeant,  must,  in  June  20, 1801 ;  pro.  fi-oni  corporal ; 
disch.  to  accept  promotion  as  adjnt.int  17l8t  Regt.  P.  V.Dec. 5, 1802. 

Philip  Sutton,  sergeant,  must,  in  June  20, 1801 ;  pro.  to  corporal ;  to  ser- 
geant ;  disch.  to  accept  promotion  as  second  lieutenant  Co.  II,  179th 
Regt.  P.  v.,  date  unknown. 

John  McCloy,  sergeant,  niii-t.  in  July  22, 1801 ;  pro.  to  sergeant;  trans, 
to  T,)Oth  Regt.  P.  V.  .lune  1,  l.sill  ;   uterau. 


i-t.  Ill  .Inly  22,  18G1 ;  pro.  to  sergeant; 
II  May  2  i,  1861  ;  absent  in  Insane  Asy- 
st.  in  June  20,1861;  must,  out  with 
in  Juno  211,  1861 ;  disch.  on  surgeon's 
1  June  20, 1S61 ;  trans,  to  Signal  Corps, 
in  June  20,  1861  ;  died  July  1,  1802  ; 
in  June  20,1801;  died  JnneU,  1S02; 
in  .tiiiie  20,  l.SOI  ;  died  at  Richmond, 
in  June  20,  ISOl  ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res. 
in  June  20, 1801 ;  tr.ln.s.  to  lOOlh  Regt. 
n  June  20, 1861;  must,  out  with  com- 
Jnne  20,  1,801  ;  died  at  Camp  Pierpont, 
t.  in  June  20,  ISOl ;  disi  h.  on  surgeon's 


•  211,1801. 
I.v  16,  1861. 
Iiiil5.  1802. 


HISTORY    OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Asa  Firestone,  must,  in  June  '20,  ISGl. 
John  Gruliam.  must,  in  July  lij,  isi;i. 
Kobeit  M.  Harvey,  must,  in  June  20,  1801. 
Williiini  nile-,  must,  in  Jhim  io,  i-c.l. 
Eul..-rl  II  1!M.,>,  I.,  ,-i    r.  .Ii,:  .  J',  l<in. 


enjan.iii  ¥.  Wiiuei,  must,  in  June  2I1,1SC1. 
illiam  Yates,  must,  in  Sept.  30,  ISOl. 
.  Franklin  Youler,  must,  in  June  21>,1SC1. 


CHAPTER    XVIir. 

WAR    OF    THE    REBELLION— (Conf.-«««?). 


Eighly-firtli  lie; 


t  anJ  Second  Artillery'. 


The  Eiglity-fiftli,  a  three  years'  infantry  regiment, 
Avas  raised  iu  tlie  summer  and  fall  of  1861,  under  an 
order  from  the  War  Department,  dated  August  1st, 
and  directed  to  Joshua  B.  Howell,  of  Uniontown, 
Fayette  Co.  The  regimental  rendezvous  was  estab- 
lished at  "  Camp  La  Fayette,"  at  Uniontown.     Re- 


cruiting was  commenced  immediately,  and  completed 
in  less  than  three  months.  The  companies  composing 
the  regiment  were  recruited  as  follows :  Three  com- 
panies ("C,"  "I,"  and  "K")  in  Fayette  County; 
three  companies  in  "Washington  County;  one  com- 
pany in  Greene  County  ;  one  company  in  Somerset ; 
one  company  ("  E")  in  Fayette  and  Washington,  and 
one  company  ("  G")  in  Fayette  and  Greene. 

The  regiment  was  organized  at  Camp  La  Fayette 
OB  the  12tli  of  November,  under  the  following-named 
field-officers,  viz.:  Joshua  B.  Howell,  colonel;  Nor- 
ton McGiffin,  lieutenant-colonel ;  Absalom  Guilor 
(of  Uniontown,  and  a  Mexican  war  veteran),  major. 
The  adjutant  was  Andrew  Stewart,  of  Fayette  County, 
son  of  the  distinguished  "  Tariff  Andy"  Stewart,  long 
a  member  of  Congress  from  this  district. 

AVhile  in  camp  at  the  rendezvous,  the  Eighty-fifth 
received  the  gift  of  a  national  color,  presented  with 
the  usual  ceremonies  by  the  ladies  of  Uniontown. 
About  the  25tli  of  November  the  regiment  broke 
camp,  and  proceeded  under  orders  to  Washington  by 
way  of  Harrisburg,  where  it  received  the  State  colors, 
presented  by  Governor  Curtiu.  Soon  after  its  arrival 
at  the  national  capital  it  was  moved  across  the  Ana- 
costia  Bridge,  and  encamped  at  "  Camp  Good  Hope," 
where  it  remained  during  the  succeeding  winter,  en- 
gaged in  the  construction  of  earthworks  for  the  de- 
fense of  Wix-shiugton. 

In  March,  1862,  the  Eighty-fifth  was  brigaded  with 
the  One  Hundred  and  First  and  One  Hundred  and 
Third  Pennsylvania  and  the  Ninety-si.xth  New  York 
Regiments,  forming  the  Second  Brigade  (Gen.  Keim's) 
of  Casey's  (Third )  division  of  the  Fourth  Array  Corps, 
under  coiunianJ  of  Maj.-Gen.  Erasmus  D.  Keyes. 
With  tliat  corps  the  regiment  embarked  at  Alexan- 
dria on  the  29th  of  March,  and  proceeded  down  the 
Potomac  and  Chesapeake  Bay  to  Fortress  Monroe, 
arriving  there  on  the  1st  of  April,  and  joining  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  which  then  lay  encamped  on 
a  line  extending  from  the  Fortress  to  Newport  News, 
preparatory  to  the  march  up  the  Peninsula.  The. 
movement  com  monced  on  the  morning  of  the  4th,  and 
in  the  evening  of  the  following  day  Keyes' corps  o 
fronted  the  enemy's  lines  at  and  in  the  vicinity  of 
Warwick  Court-House.  There  it  remained  until  the 
morning  of  Sunday,  the  4th  of  May,  when  it  was 
found  that  the  enemy  had  during  the  previous  night 
evacuated  his  works  at  Yorktown,  and  along  the  line 
of  Warwick  River,  and  the  Union  army  at  once  moved 
on  in  pursuit. 

On  the  morning  of  Monday,  May  5th,  the  Con- 
federate forces  were  found  strongly  intrenched  at 
Williamsburg.  They  were  attacked  soon  after  day- 
light, and  the  battle  raged  through  the  entire  day, 
resulting  in  victory  to  the  Union  arms,  the  enemy 
retreating  during  tlie  night,  leaving  his  wounded  on 
the  field.  In  this,  its  first  battle,  the  Eighty-fifth  was 
but  slightly  engaged,  and  suflered  a  loss  of  only  two 
wounded. 


WAR   OF   THE    REBELLION. 


203 


Moving  up  from  Williamsburg  towards  Riclimond 
in  pursuit  of  the  retreating  enemy,  the  regiment 
■with  its  brigade  crossed  the  Chickahominy  at  Bot- 
tom's Bridge  on  the  20th  of  May,  and  marched 
thence  to  a  position  in  the  army  line  at  Fair  Oaks, 
within  about  five  miles  of  Richmond.  There  at  a 
little  past  noon  on  Saturday,  the  31st  of  May,  Casey's 
division  was  suddenly  attacked  by  an  overwhelming 
force  of  the  enemy,  and  though  fighting  most  stub- 
bornly was  forced  back  with  great  loss  and  in  some 
disorder.  The  battle  continued  through  the  after- 
noon of  the  31st,  and  the  attack  was  renewed  by  the 
enemy  on  Sunday  morning,  but  resulted  in  less  suc- 
cess to  him  than  that  of  the  previous  day.  In  the 
battle  of  Saturday  the  Eighty-fifth  occupied  rifle-pits 
and  held  them  bravely,  but  was  driven  from  them  by 
assaults  from  superior  numbers.  "  To  be  brief,"  said 
Gen.  Casey,  in  his  report,  "  the  rifle-pits  were  retained 
1  they  were  almost  enveloped  by  the  enemy,  the 
troops  with  some  e.xceptions  fighting  with  spirit  and 
gallantry." 

In  the  series  of  engagements  known  as  the  Seven 
Days'  battles,  commencing  at  Mechanicsville,  on 
the  Cliickahominy,  on  Thursday,  the  26th  of  June, 
and  ending  at  Harrison's  Landing,  on  the  James,  on 
Wednesday,  the  2d  of  July,  the  Eighty-fifth  was  not 
actively  engaged  and  suffered  but  little.  Its  total 
loss  during  the  Peninsula  campaign  was  eighty-seven 
killed  and  wounded,  the  principal  part  of  this  loss 
being  sustained  in  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks. 

When  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  evacuated  the 
Peninsula  in  August,  18G2,  the  corps  of  Gen.  Keyes 
was  left  stationed  at  Fortress  Monroe.  From  that 
place  the  Eighty-fifth  w'ith  other  troops  was  moved  to 
Suffolk,  Ya.,  and  remained  thereuntil  the  commence- 
ment of  winter.  At  this  time  its  brigade  (to  which 
the  Eighty-fifth  and  Ninety-second  Regiments  had 
been  added)  was  under  "command  of  Gen.  Wessells. 
On  the  -Sth  of  December  this  brigade  left  Suffolk 
under  orders  to  move  to  Newbern,  N.  C,  to  reinforce 
Gen.  Foster's  Eighteenth  Corps.  It  was  embarked 
on  transports  on  the  Chowan  River,  and  reached  its 
destination  on  the  9th.  It  remained  in  North  Caro- 
lina about  seven  weeks,  during  which  time  it  was 
several  times  engaged, — at  West  Creek,  Kinston, 
White  Hall,  and  Goldsboro',— the  Eighty-fifth  sus- 
taining slight  loss. 

In  the  last  part  of  January,  1863,  the  regiment  with 
its  brigade  and  others  of  Foster's  command  was 
transported  from  Newbern  to  Hilton  Head,  S.  C, 
where  it  arrived  on  the  1st  of  February.  The  brigade 
was  then  under  command  of  Col.  Howell.  Early  in 
;  April  it  was  moved  to  Cole's  Island,  and  thence  across 
'Folly  Kiver  to  Folly  Island.  There  the  men  witnessed 
till-  linnibardmentof  Fort  Sumter  by  Admiral  Dnpont, 
and  alter  its  unsuccessful  close  the  brigade  of  Col. 
Hi)well  was  left  to  garrison  the  works  on  the  island,  ; 
the  other  troops  as  well  as  the  fleet,  being  withdrawn.  ! 
It   rriiiained  on   duty  on   Folly  and   Morris  Islands 


through  the  remainder  of  the  spring  and  the  entire 
summer  and  fall.  Daring  this  time  the  Eighty-fifth 
Regiment  suffered  very  severely,  both  from  the  mis- 
siles of  the  enemy  and  the  excessive  heat  of  the 
weather.  From  the  20th  of  August,  when  it  was 
placed  in  the  advanced  trenches  in  front  of  the  rebel 
Fort  Wagner  (which  Gen.  Gillmore  was  attempting  to 
take  by  regular  approaches),  until  the  2d  of  Sep- 
tember its  losses  were  fifty-six  killed  and  wounded 
by  the  enemy's  shells,  and  the  losses  by  sickness  were 
still  greater.  It  went  on  the  outer  works  (August  20th ) 
with  an  aggregate  strength  of  four  hundred  and  fifty- 
one,  and  when  relieved  (September  2d)  it  could  mus- 
ter but  two  hundred  and  seventy  fit  for  duty.  Imme- 
diately after  this.  Fort  Wagner  was  subjected  to  a 
bombardment  of  forty  hours'  duration,  which  com- 
pelled its  evacuation  by  the  enemy  and  the  abandon- 
ment of  the  entire  island,  which  was  then  at  once  oc- 
cupied by  the  Union  troops.  There  the  Eighty-fifth 
remained  until  about  the  5th  of  December,  when  it 
was  transported  to  Hilton  Head,  and  went  into  camp 
near  Port  Royal,  S.  C.  During  its  stay  of  more  than 
four  months  at  that  place  and  its  vicinity  the  health 
of  the  men  was  greatly  improved,  and  the  effective 
strength  of  the  regiment  largely  increased.  It  was 
not  called  on  to  take  part  in  any  engagement,  but  sus- 
tained a  loss  of  two  wounded  and  one  made  prisoner 
in  a  skirmish  at  White  Marsh,  near  Savannah,  in 
February,  1864. 

In  April  following,  three  divisions  of  Gen.  Gillmore's 
troops  were  ordered  to  the  James  River,  Va.,  to  re- 
inforce the  army  under  Gen.  Butler.  The  divisions 
designated  were  Ames',  Turner's,  and  Terry's,  in  which 
last  named  was  Howell's  lirigade,  containing  the 
Eighty-fifth  Pennsylvania.  On  its  arrival  in  Vir- 
ginia its  strength  was  increased  by  the  return  of  the 
veterans  of  the  regiment,  who  had  been  home  on  fur- 
lough, also  by  the  accession  of  a  considerable  number 
of  conscripts.  It  was  removed  to  Bermuda  Hundred, 
and  there  went  into  position  in  the  army  line.  Its 
first  engagement  with  the  Army  of  the  James  was  on 
the  20tli  of  May,  when  in  an  assault  on  the  enemy's 
rifle-|(its  in  its  front,  it  sustained  a  loss  of  twenty-three 
killed  and  wounded. 

On  the  14th  of  June  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
under  Gen.  Grant,  began  crossing  the  James  from  the 
Peninsula.  Two  days  later  the  Confederate  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia,  under  Lee,  crossed  the  same  river 
above  Drury's  Bluff",  and  the  ojiposing  forces  at  once 
commenced  the  long  and  deadly  struggle  in  front  of 
Petersburg.  On  the  17th  the  enemy  assaulted  a  part 
of  the  works  held  by  the  Eighty-fifth,  and  the  regi- 
ment was  compelled  to  retire  with  a  loss  of  seventeen 
killed  and  wounded.  On  the  9th  of  July  it  lost  one 
killed  and  three  wounded  by  the  accidental  explosion 
of  a  shell.  Again,  on  the  14th  and  15th  of  August, 
at  Deep  Bottom  and  Strawberry  Plains,  the  regiment 
was  engaged,  charging  with  Terry's  division,  capturing 
the  enemy's  works,  and  sustaining  a  loss  of  twenty- 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


one  killed  and  wounded.  On  the  following  day 
(August  16th )  it  lost  nine  killed  and  fifty-four  wounded 
in  a  charge  upon  another  part  of  the  hostile  works, 
the  regiment  capturing  three  stands  of  colors  and  a 
numljcr  of  prisoners.  The  troops  recrossed  to  the 
right  bank  of  the  James  on  the  20th,  and  four  days 
later  the  Eighty-fifth,  with  its  corps  (the  Tenth),  was 
moved  to  the  south  side  of  the  Appomattox,  where  it 
occupied  a  line  of  works.  On  the  loth  of  September 
it  was  ordered  to  occupy  Fort  Morton,  a  work  mount- 
ing fourteen  heavy  guns. 

A  short  time  previous  to  this  last-named  movement 
Col.  Howell  li:i'l  been  ;is^i;^iie(l  to  the  command  of  a 
division  of  c..|,,i-,  ,1  tr.inps.  On  the  12th  of  Septem- 
ber, while  returning  at  night  from  the  corps  head- 
quarters, he  was  thrown  from  his  horse  and  so  severely 
injured  that  lie  died  soon  after.  He  was  a  brave  and 
faithful  ntheer,  aii<l  his  loss  was  keenly  felt,  not  only 
by  his  own  re-iiueiit,  but  by  (be  ..tllriTs  and  men  of 
the  entire  briga.b'  wliieb  be  m,  long  eoninianded. 

On  the  27th  of  September  the  regiment  was  relieved 
from  duty  at  Fort  Morton  and  returned  to  its  division, 
Avith  which  it  took  part  in  the  movement  of  the  Tenth 
and  Eighteenth  Corps  across  the  .Tames  which  re- 
sulted in  the  capture  of  Fort  Harri.-on  and  a  long 
line  of  other  works  of  the  enemy.  In  this  series  of 
operations  it  was  engaged  with  the  enemy  on  the  1st, 
7th,  and  12th  of  October,  and  twice  advanced  to 
within  three  miles  of  Kichmond,  but  sustained  no 

Tlie  term  of  service  of  the  Eighty-fifth  was  now 
drawing  to  its  close.  On  the  14th  of  October  it  was 
relieM'l  Irnni  dutv  in  tiont  of  retersbiirii'.  its  veterans 
an.l  ivriuit-  une  transferred  to  the  (Mie  Hundred 
and  KigbtyM-igblb  reniisyl vania,  and  the  remainder, 
whose  time  was  soon  to  expire,  were  n.oved  to  Ports- 
mouth, Va.,  and  there  encamped,  .\bont  the  middle 
of  Xovember  the  remnant  of  the  regiment  was  ordered 
home,  and  on  the  22d  of  that  month  it  was  mustered 
out  of  service  at  Pittsburgh. 


John  W.  .\clieson,  first  lieutenant,  Dinst.  in  Nov.  14,  ISOl ;  pro.  from  sec- 
ond lieutenant  Co.  C  Aug.  2, 18C2;  to  captain  and  A.  A.  G.  Feb.  29, 
18C4. 

William  H.  Davis,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Oct.  31, 1S61 ;  pro.  from  first 
serjTcant  to  second  lieutenant  March  G,  1S63;  tofitst  lieutenant  May 
21, 1SU4 ;  must,  out  with  companj-  Nov.  22, 1864. 

(Joo.  J.  Van  Gilder,  second  lieutenant,  must,  in  Oct.  31, 18C1 ;  res.  July 
31,  18G2. 

Pavid  II.  Lancaster,  second  lieutenant,  must,  in  Oct.  31, 1861 ;  pro.  to 
second  lieutenant  Jnly  ID,  1802;  res.  March  6, 1863. 

James  .\.  Suearei-,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct. 31, 1861 ;  must,  out  with 
coMi|.an.v  Nov.  22,  1864. 

Mith.iel  Diumm,  first  sergeant,  mnst.  in  Oct.  31,  1861 ;  killed  in  .iclioa 
Anj;.  10,  1SG4. 

Wm.  A.  Fortnev,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  31,  1601  ;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany Nov.  22,  1SC4. 

James  B.  Collins,  sergeaut,  must,  in  Oct.  31, 1801 ;  wounded  .\ug.  10, 
1SG4;  must,  out  with  company  Nov.  22, 1864. 

George  W.  Smith,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  31,  1801 ;  disch.  on  surgeon's 
certificate  March  20,  1SC3. 

Franklin  D.  Condon,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  31, 1801 ;  wounded  Aug.  10, 
18C1 ;  transferred  to  Co.  T>,  ISSth  IJegt.  P.  V.,  June  28, 1803 ;  veteran. 
■   Walter  C.  Cravin,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  31,  1801;  tr.ans.  to  Co.  D,  188th 
j  Eegt.  P.  v.,  June  28, 1805;  veloran. 

John  T.  Norris,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  31,1801;  trans,  to  Co.  D,  ISSth 
Regt.  P.  v.,  June  28,  ISOJ ;  veteran. 
<   John  G.  Woodward,  sergeaut,  must,  in  Oct.  31.  ISCl ;  died  June  22d.  of 
wounds  received  near  Petersburg,  Va.,  June  17,  1804;  buried  in 
National  Cemetery  at  City  Point,  Va.,  Sec.  A,  Div.  4,  Grave  179. 

Rob.rt  F.  Holmes,  sergeaut,  must,  in  Oct.  31,  1801 ;  killed  at  Deep  Bot- 
l,ii,i,  V;,  .  ..\ug.  10,  1804. 

'^ -'■  S  iJi.ift,  corporal,  must,  in  Oct.  31, 1801;  must,  out  with  company 


rporal,  I 


1  Oct.  31, 1801 ;  must. 


npany 


Benj.  F.  Durbin,  corporal,  mnst.  in  Oct.  31,  1801  ;  disch.  on  surgeon's 

certificate  Sept.  13, 1862. 
John  li.  Grofl,  .  .m  ]i,.nil,  must,  in  Oct.  31, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surgeon's  cer- 


i.l,  mnst.  in  Oct.  31,  18C1 ;  disch.  on  surgeon's 

ihM-..   e,  Ort.31,  1801;  trans,  to  Co.  D,  ISSlU 

e  ,.  31,  1801;  trans,  to  Co.  D,  18StU 

,  lu  i.)cl.31,  1801;  died  at  Hampton,  Va.,  May 

ed  May  20, 1804. 

.  in  Oct.  31, 1801 ;  killed  at  Deep  Bottom,  Va., 

iHist.  in  Oct.  31, 1801 ;  killed  at  Deep  Bottom, 


I  Nov.  4, 1801 ;  disch.  on  surgeon's  cer 
-  in  Xnv.  4,  isoi  ;  pro.  from  captain  Co 


ind  A, 


.  1,  1802. 


CoMI'ANV  C. 
1  C.  Williamson,  captain,  must,  in  Oct.  31,  1801 ;  res.  Jnly  5, 1802. 
■rt  P.  llugbes,  captain,  must,  in  Nov.  12, 1801 ;  pro.  n-om  first  lieu- 
tenant Co.  B  Aug.  21, 1802;  to  lieutenant-colonel  199tli  Itegt.  P.  V. 

:  R,  Beazell,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Oct.  31,1801;  res.  June  24, 


James  W.  AMon. 

James  Day. 

Joliu  P.  Alteis.  nmst.  in 

Sept.  IS, 

James  A.  Dowler. 
Charles  II.  Elliott. 
Franklin  Fear. 

W  ilii.irii  W    r,:,ljley. 

George  Fear. 

.bilir,   r,e,ill,«;,ilo." 

Walton  J.  Field. 

William  r.eatly. 

Andrew  J.  Frakis. 

Thomas  Dale. 

William  Gould. 

Ilugli  Baldwin. 

WilliiimA.Getty. 

ll.Miiy  11.111. T. 
|..:hI  W,  llia>li.>ar. 
1',  V.  llCulll-le. 

James  Gaines. 
Ashbald  F.  Gabler. 
Is.iacGilinore. 
William  Harvey. 

0.  Il.Ciawfor.l. 

Thomas  J.  Holmes.' 

Tliouuis  H.  Cliue. 

John  F.  Hewet 

J;iliios  Cearuey. 

Lewis  Hager. 

\Villi;,m  Campbell. 

T.  II.  Lancaster. 

Thomas  W.  Cox. 

Lewis  L.  Leyton. 

Robert  Campbell,  mrtst. 

n  March 

JohnLopp. 

2S,  1862. 

Wniiam  Leighty. 

1  Mustered  in  Oct.  .'U 

1801,  e.vc 

ept  where  other  dates  a 

■e  given. 

WAR   OF   Tin:   REBELLION. 


205 


Mnliloii  Lynch. 
Leivi.  I'.  L,  tl.T.-. 
Win.  H.  Mi.liciiiey. 
Alex.  J.  MiiNnc-ll. 
John  T.  Mjiuhir. 
Uillmni  Mann. 
Ilngh  McGiaty,  nm 

1801, 
CyrnsMcMillen. 
Ge.ilgp  W.  JkUlide. 
Wilsun  S.  Nnlt. 
CeorKeOrl.in. 
Juhn  M.  Itichiu'cU. 
Goorgu  ISniliiUich. 
Tliunnis  Ryan. 


Kobcn  D.  Shu 

Liihiyetto  Shol 

Johnn.Tho.n 

John  S.  Wagoi 

•28,  1801. 

Willhini  Whel 

Davis  Ilinimognr.corponil,  mnst.  in  Nov. 

2,  ISOl  ;  died 

lit   Bill 

M.l.,lHiiy20,  ISO-i. 

Ilenvy  M.  Tiiylur,  coi-|)oral,  mnst.  in  Nov. 

2,1801;  died  ii 

Ililtoi 

S.  C,  Fubnn.ry  Olh. 

Villiiim  R.mn.ell,  mnsitinn,  mnst.  iu  N 

v.  12,  1801 ;    t 

ans.   to 

Ki-gt.  P.  V.  Oct.  14,  1801 ;  vet. 

Pi-k-(iln. 

Mallhew  0.  Axton,  mnst.  in  Nov.  12, 1801. 

Joseph  Andrews,  mnst.  in  Nov.  12,  1801. 

James  Byeis,  mnst.  in  Nov.  12, 1801. 
Thomas  Bycre,  must,  in  Xov.  12,"  1801. 
John  Clark,  mnst.  in  Nov.  12, 1801. 
Chivli  Chew,  mnst.  in  Nov.  12, 1801. 
Elhridgo  Collins,  mnst.  in  Nov.  12,  ISO 


,  12,  ISOl. 


Harry  A.  rinviaTire,  caplain,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  ISOl  ;  pro.  to  licutcnant- 

Edwanl  Cain|il.ell,  caiitain,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  1801;   j.ro.  from  second 

lienteuaMt  Jlay  \r>,  1802;  to  major  Sept  0,  1802. 
Lewis  \Vatkil1^  rji|jliiiri,  mnst.  iji  Oct.  ir,,  1801 ;  i>ro.  from  first  lienten- 

ant  Sr|,i   F  ,  1  -i,_:  ill,  1  Sopl.  28th,  of  wounds  received  at  Deep  Bottom, 

Jai-oh  Ii,i>  Ml.  must,  in  Oct.  l.l,  1801;  pro.  from  first  ser- 

gcaiii  I  I t  May  1, 1803;  to  first  lieutenant  May  o, 

lsi;l  ;         I       ;  I   >  .  -  ;  (.  28,  1804;  not  mustered;  must,  out  with 

T.  S.  I'm.;  I  II    il.Miant,  must,  ill  Nov.  12,  1801  ;  pro.  from 

serge. u.l  .M...>  1..,  1.51,..  UilledatFairOaks,  Va,,  May3I,lS02. 

Eobert  G.  Taylor,  second  lieutenant,  mnst.  in  Nov.  12, 1801 ;  res.  Nov. 
22,  1802. 

Samuel  -Marshall,  firet  sergeant,  must,  iu  Nov.  15, 1801;  disch.  Oct.  31, 
1S04. 

Oliver  P.  Henderson,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  12, 1804;  died  at  Bal- 
timore, Mil.,  May  25,1803. 

■\Viliiuni  J.  Graham,  fir.it  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov. 12.  1801  ;  died  at  Beau- 
f  jrt,  August  3Jlh,  of  wounds  received  at  Morris  Island,  S.  C,  Aug. 
21,  180.1. 

■\Villiani  31.  Linn,  sergeant,  mnst.  in  Nov.  12,  1801 ;  pro.  from  private 
Aug  18,  1802;  mn»t.  out  with  company  Nov.  22,  1S04. 

John  D.  Il.ckard,  sergeant,  must,  iu  Nov.  12,  1801;  discli.  on  surgeon's 
cerlifiiate  Aug.  18,  1802. 

Mises  JlcU.a-  s-rgeant.  must,  in  Nov.  12, 1801 ;  disch.  for  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31,  1802. 

JacoLi  D.  Moore,  sergeant,  nmst.  in  Nov.  12,  1801;  discharged  on  sur- 
geon's cerlilicato  Aug.  18,  1802. 

Charles  E.  Eckles,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  1801 ;  wounded  Oct.  13, 
1804;  Mans.  tolUUtli  Uegt.  P.  V.  Oct.  14,  1864;  veteran. 

Heniy  M.  Hand,  sergeant,  must,  iu  Xov.  12, 1801 ;  absent  (wounded)  at 

■\Villiam  G.  Miller,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  1801;  trans,  to  Co.  E, 
I8S1I1  Uegt.  P.V.,  June  28, 1805;  vet. 

James  U.  I'elei  s,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov,  12,  1801 ;  killed  at  Deep  Bot- 
tom, Va.,  Ang.  10, 1804;  vet. 

George  Fisher,  coi-|)or.il,  must,  in  Nov.  12, 1801  ;  wounded  Ang.  27, 1803 ; 
pro.  to  corporal  Sept.  1,  1804;  must,  out  with  company  Nov.  22, 
1804. 

Jacob  Hand,  corp.iral,  must,  iu  Nov.  12,  1801 ;  disch.  on  surgeon's  cer- 
tificate April  18.  1802. 

Hugh  B.  McNeil,  corporal, mnst.  in  Nov.  12, 1801;  pro.  to  corporal  Juno, 
1802;  disch.  on  surgeon's  certificate  July  4,  1803. 

James  Watkins,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  1801  ;  disch.  on  surgeon's 
certificate  Dec.  10,  1802. 

Adolphus  J.  Inks,  corporal,  mnst.  in  Nov.  12,  1801;  trans,  to  lOOth 
Kc'gt.  P.  V.  Oct.  14,  1804;  vet. 

Jeremiah  Dorson,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  12, 1801 ;  absent  (sick)  at  mus- 


ter ( 


vet. 


George  W.  Downer,  corporal,  must   in  Nov.  12,  1801 ;  trans,  to  109th 

Kegt.  P.  V.  Oct.  14,  1804;  vet. 
Eobert  M.  Mitchell,  corporal,  mnst.  in  Nov.  12,  1801;  trans,  to  lOOlli 

Eegt.  P.  V.  Oct.  14,  1801;  vet. 
H.  J.  McCalli«ter,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  180!  ;  trans,  to  lOOtli  Eegt. 

P.  V.Oct.  14,  1804;  yet. 
Martin  Pope,  corporal,  unist.  iu  Nov.  12,  1801  ;  trans,  to  lOOtb  Eegt.  P. 

v.,  Oct.  14,  1804  ;  vet. 


Newton  W.  Chase,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  1801. 
Sherman  Chase,  mnst.  in  Oct.  17, 1802. 
Millon  B.  Cha^e,  must,  in  Oct.  17,  1802. 
Grcensbnry  Cro^sland,  uiust.  in  Oct.  17,  1802. 
William  J.  Crow,  mnst.  in  Oct.  17,1802. 
Simoon  D.  Chase,  must,  in  Oct.  17, 1862. 
John  Dean,  mnst.  in  Oct.  17,  1802. 
James  C.  Davis,  must,  in  Oct.  17, 1802. 
Andrew  Devore,  mu-t.  in  Nov.  12,  1801. 
Jacob  Deselnis,  nuist.  in  Nov.  12,  ISOl. 
John  Dongan,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  1801. 
James  M.  Edingfield,  mnst.  in  Nov.  12, 1801. 
John  Flinder,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  1801. 
John  Finnegau,  must,  iu  Nov.  12,  1801. 
Isaac  F.sliM-,  mnst.  in  Nov.  12, 1801. 
John  F.irdyce,  mustiu  Nov.  11, 1801. 
Benjamin  Gill. 

Jacob  Grovor,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  ISCl. 
Ell  F.  Huston,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  1801. 
Thomas  Hennessy,  must,  in  Nov.  12, 1801. 
Edward  M.  Hall,  mnst.  in  Nov.  12,  Isci. 
William  Hand,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  Isiil. 
William  Hays,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  ISOl. 
Jeremiah  Hartzell,  must,  in  Nov.  1.',  18CI. 
James  H.  Huff,  must. in  Nov.  12,  ISOl. 
William  Hartmaii,  must    in  Nov.  11,  18i;l 
William  Hill.  M.D,,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  1801. 
Andrew  J.  HoB',  must,  in  Nov.  12.  Isr.l. 
Lindsey  Uartinan,  lini-t,  in  N..v,  IJ,  1M,|. 
Milton  D.  Hall,  must,  in  Xnv.  u.  1,-:,!. 


L  R.  Means,  must. 


David  r.  Mi;... 
William  -M    . 

Benjamin  M   '  ,.,1 
S.  W.  McDowi.ll, 
Robert  Ncely,  mil 
Joseph  Neely,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  ISCl. 
David  It.  Parker,  must,  in  Nov.  12,  1801. 
George  C.  Eockey,  must,  iu  Nov.  12,  1801 
Henry  J.  Eigdon,  must,  in  Dec.  31,  1801. 
Wesley  Eolston,  must,  in  Aug.  9, 1S04. 


I  July  i 


Jacob  Rockwell,  iniu 
Elijah  Rockwell,  mu 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Cyrus  Sproul,  must,  iu  Nov.  12,  ISGl. 

William  A.  Gr.iham,  must  in  Nov.  0, 1801. 

Henry  Smith,  must,  iu  Nov.  11,  ISOl. 

Daniel  S.  Goodwin,  must,  in  Oct.  15,  1861. 

EudoliJh  Smith,  must,  in  Nov.  12, 1861. 

James  Gray,  must,  in  Oct.  15,  1861. 

Charles  Vorudal,  must,  in  Nov.  12, 1801. 

Philarus  E.  Gabler,  must,  in  Oct.  15, 1861. 

John  WooduMrd,  must,  in  Nov.  12, 1861. 

John  Graham,  must,  in  Nov.  0,  1801. 

Christy  Welsli,  must,  iu  Nov.  12,1861. 

Charles  A.  Griffin,  must,  iu  Oct.  15,  ISCl. 

John  J.  White,  must,  iu  Nov.  12,  ISGl. 

David  Cooden,  must,  in  Feb.  12, 1804. 

Benjamin  Gehoe,  must,  in  Nov  0, 1801. 

C03IP.4ST  G. 

John  Gregg,  must,  in  Nov.  0,1861. 

Isaac  JI.  Abr.iliam,  captain,  must,  iu  Nov.  0,  ISOl ;  pro.  to  major  April 

David  L.  Grove,  must,  iu  Oct.  25.  ISOl. 

Caleb  F.  Hayden,  must,  in  Nov.  1, 1861. 

John  A.  Gordon,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in, Nov.  C,  1861 ;  com.  c.aptiiin 

Nicholas  Honsaker,  must,  iii  Oct.  15,  ISOl. 

Sept.  S,  1SC3;  must,  out  «ith  company  Nov.  22,  1864. 

John  P.  Harden,  must,  iu  Nov.  0,  1801. 

Jolm  K.  Cia« fold,  second  lieuteuauf,  must,  iu  Nov.  C,  1801 ;  res'd  March 

Isaac  Huuter,  must,  in  Oct.  15, 1861. 

111,1804. 

Henry  M.  Hayden,  must,  in  Oct.  15,  ISOl. 

Benoiie  S.  Gilmore,  fiist  sergeant,  mnst.in  Oct.15,1801 :  pro.  to  sergeant 

William  M.  Haney,  must,  in  March  0, 1802. 

March  1,  1863  ;  to  first  scrgeaut;  must,  out  with  company  Nov.  22, 

Frederick  Hask,  must,  in  Oct.  15,  ISOl. 

186-1. 

James  Hask,  must,  in  Oct.  15, 1861. 

David  R.  Graham,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  0, 1861 :  discli.  on  sur- 

George Hoffman,  must,  in  Nov.  0, 1801. 

geon's  certificate  Nov.  22, 1802. 

Josephus  Jacobs,  must,  iu  Nov.  9,  1801. 

M.-irqiii3  L.  Gordon,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  0,  1801;  pro.  to  corporal 

Andrew  J.  Jenkins,  must,  in  Oct.  22,  1801. 

March  1,  lS6:i;  lo  sergeant  Nov.  1,1864;  must,  out  with  company 

John  K.  Kent,  must,  iu  Nov.  0, 1801. 

Nov.  22,  1864. 

George  W.  Knisely,  must,  in  Nov.  7, 1861. 

Hir.ini  Gordon,  SLMLranl,  mu-(.  in  N.v.  t-.\<r,i  ■  pro.  to  sergeant  Nov.  1, 

Yan  B.  Kennedy,  must,  in  Oct.  15,  1861. 

ISr.l ;  absent  ..„  ,1,1..  1  -  i  >  |.  r  ^^  l,.„  i„„-lered  out. 

George  Lloyd,  must,  in  Oct.  15,  1801. 

Jesse  E.  Jones,  seiL-.-.n,!,  inn-t    a    Jn,  l  v,l  ;  «„unded  Aug.  14,1804; 

James  F.  Lynn,  must,  in  Oct.  15, 1801. 

pro.  to  seigeant.  IbU;  mu.-r,  ool  «itl.  ...n.pany  Nov.  22,  1804. 

Eolaudns  Little,  must,  iu  Oct.  15,  1861. 

Eobert  11.  Eoss,  sergeant,  mnsl.  in  Oct.  20, 1461 ;  wouuded  Aug. 30, 1803; 

David  W.  Martin,  must,  iu  Nov.  0,  ISCl. 

disch.  on  .surgeon's  ce.lilicato  May  11,  18M. 

Kurix  Meredith,  must,  iu  Oct.  15,  1801. 

James  K.  Core,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  15,  1861 ;  disch.  on  surgeon's  cer- 

Allen W.  Mitchell,  umst.  in  Oct.  24,  1801. 

tificate  Keb.  6,  1803. 

John  P.  Moser,  must,  iu  Nov.  0, 1801. 

Benjamin  F.  Can.pbell,  Sergeant,  must,  in  March  17,  1802;  pro.  to  cor- 

J. U.  L.  Mnrdock,  must,  iu  Nov.  0, 1801. 

poral  Nov.  1,  1863;  to  sergcaut  Sept.  1,  1864;  absent  on  detached 

John  Moore,  must,  in  Nov.  6,  1861. 

service  itt  nuisler  (.iit. 

Silas  L.  M.iser,  must,  in  Nov.  6,  ISiU. 

Francis  M    l;„-I,,  ..,  _.  .mi.  i„u.i   n,  N    V  c,  1-1,1;, lied  at  Hampton,  Va., 

.lohu  Mcl.,iM  ,l.  -1    in  o  1    )-,  i-nl. 

Myers  1'    1,1                                         '       ,      '■    i     ^lied  at  Hamptou,  Ya., 

.lames  M    >:  .-      ■     ,   ,■■    ,     :    ■.    ■     ■-i.l. 

Oct,,!.,    1       1   -',1,    ,    1      >,>       M     ,    i-    ■.       .    :■.■•   1     ll>      c    ■!    ,|l- 

J.W.Nn',     ■-    n.,n,..     ,:,.lnh    LM-n.. 

■\Villiaui  I'llcock.c.iii 1,  niu-t.  in  Nov.  6, 1.^61  ;  disch.  on  surgeon's  cer- 

Henry  0.  Nciil,  most,  in  (let.  I.-,,  Is61. 

tificaleXov. -J^l.soj. 

Joseph  S.  Pratt,  must,  in  Oct.  15,  IsOl. 

George  A.  lioicbinal, .  orporal,  must,  in  Oct.  15,1861;  died  at  Yorktown, 

Henry  B.  Pattou,  must,  iu  Oct.  15, 1861. 

Ya..  .Imn-  1".  l-c.j. 

AV.  n.  Patlei-son,  must,  iu  Oct.  15, 1861. 

James  sir.c,-.  ,  .,i  i„,,  ,!,  nr;-t    in  oM-,,  i-ci;  ,iied  at  Beverly,  N.  J., 

.\shj,el  F.  Pr.itt,  must,  iu  Oct.  15. 1801. 

Owen  Pitcock,  must,  iu  Nov.  1,  ISGl. 

Hariis.o.   11    ll,,u-,..,,„,,.„,il.  iHu-t.  11.   N,-v.  (,,  1-01;  died  Aug.  2,1802; 

Caleb  A.  Patton,  nmst.  in  Oct.  15,  1861. 

bui  id  at  Cypress  Hill  Cemetery,  L.  I.,  grave  4U7 ;  burial  record  Sept 

Abberry  Phillips,  must,  in  Nov.  0,  1801. 

John  W.  Eush,  must,  in  Nov.  6, 1861. 

Thomas  S.'Knisely,  corporal,  must,  iu  Nov.  0, 1801 ;  died  at  Suffolk,  Ya., 

Minor  A.  Eamou,  must,  in  Oct.  15,  1861. 

Nov.  4,  l.sr..: 

John  D.  Rush,  must,  in  Nov.  6,  ISCl. 

George  w    K. ,;„,,.   .i|,     ,,i   iiiii-i    ii;  N,,i    1,    1-1,1 ;  pro.  to  corporal  Nov. 

.loel    Ke,  !,  n,n-I     ,n   ,  ..  ,     1    .,  ISCl. 

1,  l-i                    ,     i,      ,       ,   n                >     ,  iI.,y20,lS04;  buried  ill 
.\-.,.i     .,    .  ,1,,         ,     ,    ,,    r   ,    •    -        ■„    I'  ,    l;vet. 

Wlllcn,     \      -    ,11     :       ,,     ,     1        ,iOet,  2;.   1S61. 

.  in  No 


,  1R61. 


.in  Oct.  15, 1861. 
.  6,  1861. 


Wilbani 
George ( 


,  Eberhar 


i  W.  Stu 


vid  R.  Sturgis, 
iijamin  Titus,  : 
ihua  E.  Tliom! 


is,  must,  in  Oct.  1.5,  ISOI. 

must  in  Oct.  15,  1801. 

uust.  in  Oct.  15, 1801. 

s,  must,  iu  Nov.  7, 1861. 

it.  iu  July  30, 1801. 
Joseph  Tannebill,  must,  iu  Oct.  15,  1S61. 
William  U.  Utt,  must,  in  Oct.  15, 1801. 
Moses  Wilco.t,  must,  in  Oct.  15, 1861. 

John  B.  Weltner,  captain,  res'd  July  2n,  1862. 
Richard  W.  Dawson,  captain,  must,  in  Nov.  12, 1861 

tenant  Co.  B  Aug.  12, 1862;  died  Feb.  1,  1865, 

at  Fort  Fisher,  N.  C. 
.\iHlrew  Stewart,  first  lieutenant,  pro.  to  adjutant. 
E.  H.  Olipliaut,  first  lieulemiut,  died  at  Yorktown, 
John  W.  Brown,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Nov.  21, 

lieutenant  June  fl,  1862  ;  to  first  lieuteuaut  Jul 

with  company  Nov.  22, 1804. 


S"ov.  11,  1861,  except  !\ 


"a..  May 
1861  ;  pro 
16,  1802 


WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION. 


Huston  Devon,  second  lieutenant,  died  ut  Vasliington,  D.  C,  Juno  2, 

■\V.  II.  Hackney,  second  lieutenant,  pro.  to  corporal  Nov.  18, 18C1 ;  to 

second  lieutenant  June  10, 18C2;  resM  lliircli  :i,  1S03. 
Josci>li  M.  Jolinson,  second  lieutenant,  pro.  from  fiist  sergeant  March  G, 

1SC3;  wounded  at  Morris  Island,  S.  C,  Aug.  UU,  1803;  must,  out  with 

company  Nov.  22, 1804. 
Jolin  G.  Stevens,  first  sergeant,  wounded  Aug.  10,  1804;  absent  on  de- 
tached service  at  muster  out. 
Ellis  B.  Johnson,  first  sergeant,  disch.  on  surgeon's  certificate  May  23, 

1802. 
George  W.  Eamage,  sergeant,  wounded  Sept.  10,1804;  must,  out  with 

company  Nov.  22,  1804. 
Thomas  M.  Harford,  sergeant,  must,  out  with  company  Nov.  22, 1804. 

Edward  D.  Clear,  sergeiut,  must,  out  with  c imti.v  Xuv.  22,  1804. 

LuciusBuntiug,  sergeant,  distil,    n  -m.  mm  .    ,  ,  im,  ,,i.^.  i  i   1.".,  1802. 
Henry  J.  MolUster,  sergeant, 'li-  'I      .-.(  !     i.mi.8,18G4. 

Tlioluus  J.  Black,  sergeant,  pt'i   t     •    i_      i  :  ■ ■    i-'  -- 

William  E.  Browii,  seitieant,  "■   i'       i   -  pi    --'    !-'■   .  i-^.  to  Co.  I, 

ISSthliegt.r.  V  ,  .lull'   --    I-        >   I 

Crawford  H.  Scott,  i-i  I    ■        >  I. il  at  muster  out. 

William  K.  Finuel.v,  .      i       ■      >       ■         i  .l.taclieil  service  at  muster  out. 

William  J.  Crawfonl,  ..  ii^   i  il,   ;-  li  ,  il.t.'  iiuknoivn. 

William  E.  Chick,  coipural,  tiaus.  to  Co.  I,  ISSth  Itegt.  P.  V.,  Juno  28, 

1S03;  vet. 
James  Hackney,  corporal,  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  Slay  31, 1802. 
Moses  H.  Hayes,  corporal,  died  at  New  York,  June  19,  1802;  buiial 

lecord  July  23,  1802. 
George  W.  Grovcr,  corporal,  killed  at  Morris  Island,  S.  C,  Aug.  30, 18G:i. 
George  W.  Bevaii,  curi.oral.  killed  in  action  May  20,  1804;  buried  iu 

NHti.iii..!  '  .  Ill      il,  I  ii.\  I'uiut,  Va.,  Sec.  A,  Div.  1,  Grave  10. 

JohnBiihii  ii-l,  out  with  company  Nov.  22, 1804. 

John  Stii,  k,  iiiiiM  III,,  111  ii.i.ut  w.th  conipan.v  Nov.  22, 1804. 


Albert  W.  Bolen. 

C.rneliiis  llene-y 

Henry  J.  B.-1I. 

Patrick  llenesy. 

William  A.  Brownflol.l, 

must,  in 

UiiI.ert  IluUton. 

Oct.  22,  1801. 

William  X.  llarri 

Thomas  Beiitty. 

SamnL-lli:.Joh]]su 

Levering  Bittle. 

Willi.im  h;  Jones 

Milton  e.  Bradley,  mns 

.  in  Feb. 

CliailrsE    Kereni 

20, 1804. 

Wi.neil  S.  Kilgor 

Andrew  J.  Bell. 

Tha.ldeus  Langhu 

George  W.  Chick. 

ThoniisP.  Lily. 

George  Cunningham. 

Joliii  W.  Ljun. 

Isaac  Campbell. 

Johii  Louis. 

Henry  C.  Crago. 

Andrew  C.Lynn. 

Jacob  Defl-enbiingh. 

John  Letter,  mus 

Joselih  Dull,  must,  in  Feb.  10.1804. 

James  G.  Lenhar 

John  Darby. 

29, 1804. 

Moses  Freeman. 

Milton  F.  Lenha 

Johnson  Maj horn. 

24,  1804. 

George  W.Miller. 

William  Minerd. 

Isaac  MinerJ,  must,  in 

Oct.  18, 

James  Minerd. 

1802. 

Nallian  Morgan. 

William  McClellan. 

E.uauuel  Martin. 

John  McKuight. 

Joseph  Sechrist, 

Michael  0-Conuer. 

1801. 

Elias  Ogle. 

S,,muel  Smiley. 

Andrew  Ogle. 

Jonathan  Sheets, 

Levi  Ogle,  must,  in  Feb. 

11,1802. 

1801. 

William  A.  Pi-iilt,  must. 
1,1  02. 

.1  March 

Stephen  Sanders. 
John  A.Sangston 

William  B,  Perry,  must. 

n  March 

Jordan  Strosnide 
14,1801. 

Samuel  U.  Kamage. 

Wilson  Scott. 

lienjamin  P.ager. 

Jolm  Thompson. 

Thomas  Bager. 

Benjan.iu  Taylor 

George  Wymcr. 
Abner  Woods. 
William  Wolf, 


H.  Q.  Liidington,  captniii,  must,  in  Nov.  0,1801;  diacli.  on  surgeon  s  cer- 

tiliciite  Feb.  8,  li<C3. 
Reason  Snnirr,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Oct.  12,  1861;  di=ch.  on  sur- 
geon's certificate  Feb.  4,  1S02. 
Andrew  J.  Gilmore,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Nov.  0, 1801 ;  pro.  to  first 

lieutenant  Feb.  10,  1802;  discli.  on  surgeon's  certificate  July  21, 

1602. 
Samuel  L.  McHenry,  firet  lientemint,  must,  in  Oct.  10,  1801 ;  pro.  from 

sergeant-major  July  21, 1802;  to  adjutant  Sept.  1, 1802. 
John  T.  Campbell,  fir^t  lieutenant,  must,  in  Nov.  6,1801 ;  pro.  to  second 

lieutenant  July  21, 1802;  to  first  lieutenant  Sept.  1,  1802;  disch.  on 

sui-geou's  certificate  Feb.  23,  1803. 
William  F.  Campbell,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Oct.  12,1801;  pro.  from 

sergeant  to  fiist  lieutenant  June  5,  1804;  killed  near  Deep  Bottom, 


Stepl 


must,  in  Nov.  0, 1801 ;  disch.  on 

it.  in  Nov.  C,  1 801 ;  pro.  from  first 

■ith  company  Nov.  22,  1.S04. 

.  in  Nov.  0,  ISOl;  disch.  on  sur- 


7,  1802. 


gcon  s  certihi 
verSproul.  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  6,1801;  wounded  Aug. 

1804;  absent  on  detached  service  at  muster  out. 
:vanns  Heasson,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  12,  1801 ;  pro.  from  corpi 

July  111,  1804;  must,  out  with  company  Nov.  22,  1804. 
lliam  H.  Showman,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  2.5,  1801 ;  pro.  from  i 


i'lo.  from  corporal 
im;4. 
;  pro.  from  corporal 

disch.  on  surgeon's 

.  on  surgeon's ceitifi- 


ificale  Jn 

Gr ser 

Jan.  S,  1 


II.  Murplij 


1  Nov.  0, 1801  ;c 

ust.  in  Nov.  G,  ISGl ;  disch.  on  surgeon's 

1  Nov.  0.1801;  died  at  Philadelphia  June 


iu  No 


ISOl  ; 


rued. 


Louis  P.  Gilisoii,  corporal,  must,  i 
19,1804;  must,  out  with  com 

James  II.  Miller,  corporal,  mu?t. 
pro.  to  corporal  July  19,  1SG4 


James  C.  1 :  i 

died  Mil  11  iii-i  i:  ■  N 
Sykes  Banu-,  luiiHual,  mi 

tiflcate  Xi.i,  11,  isi;-. 
John  C.  Biouii,  cMiiJur.il,  11 

Henry  C.  Dean,  corporal,  i 


Francis  U.  Morrison,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  6,  1801; 

aud  never  returned  to  company. 
Isaac  Cossell,  corporal,  must,  iu  Nov.  G,  ISGl  ;  reee 

never  returned  to  company. 


12.  ISGl;  pro.  to  corporal  July 

Xiiv.  2::,  lsi;4. 
li.lsi.l  ;  «..nnJedSeiit.,5,  ISO:!; 

1-,   1-1  ,  I'lu  to.  Corp.  May  25, 
i-    ;        i|.tiiredreb.22,  1804; 

il  I,  1802;  absent  on  detiichedser- 
.  0,  1801 ;  died  at  Beaufort,  S.  C, 


David  S.  Bailey,  ; 


D.  Ross,  must. 
1. 
D.  Rolland. 


IIISTOUY    OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVAxNIA. 


I'nnmfiiied  Men. 
Jan.  20,  18M. 
in  Fi.-l..2n,  1SG4. 
I  Jiin.  20, 1804. 


SECOND    KEOIMEXT    HEAVY    ARTILLEKV. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Twelfth  Eegiment  of  the 
Ponusylvania  Line,  designated  as  the  Second  Artil- 
lery, was  raised  under  authority  granted  in  October, 
18G1,  by  the  War  Department  to  Charles  Angeroth,  of 
Philadelphia,  to  recruit  a  battalion  (afterwards  ex- 
tended to  a  regiment)  of  heavy  artillery.  Recruiting 
was  commenced  at  once,  and  proceeded  rapidly.  One 
of  the  batteries  ("K")  was  made  up  originally  of 
men  from  Fayette,  and  its  ranks  were  afterwards  very 
largely  recruited  from  this  county. 

The  regiment  was  organized  in  the  early  part  of 
January,  1862,  with  Col.  Charles  Angeroth,  Lieut.- 
Col.  John  H.  Obcrteufler,  and  Maj.  William  Caiulidus 
as  its  field-officers. 

On  the  25tli  of  February  the  regiment  (excepting 
Companies  D,  G,  and  H,  which  had  previously  been 
placed  on  duty  at  Fort  Delaware,  below  Philadelphia) 
was  ordered  to  Washington,  and  upon  its  arrival  was 
reported  to  Gen.  Abner  Doubleday,  by  whom  it  was 
assigned  to  duty  in  the  fortifications  north  of  the  city. 
The  three  companies  from  Fort  Delaware  rejoined  the 
others  on  the  19th  of  March,  and  for  more  than  two 
years  from  that  time  the  regiment  remained  in  the 
Washington  defenses  north  of  the  Potomac.  On  the 
26th  of  March,  1864,  it  was  transferred  to  the  Vir- 
ginia side,  and  placed  to  garrison  Forts  Marcy  and 
Ethan  Allen,  near  the  Chain  Bridge.' 

On  the  opening  of  the  spring  campaign  of  1864 
the  regiment  was  ordered  to  the  front,  and  accordingly 
embarked  at  Washington  on  the  27th  of  May,  and 
proceeded  to  Port  Royal,  on  the  Rappahannock  River, 
where  it  arrived  on  the  28th.  From  that  place  it 
marched  across  the  country,  and  joined  the  Eighteenth 
Army  Corps,  under  Gen.  W.  F.Smith,  at  Cold  Harbor 
on  the  4th  of  June.  There  it  was  formed  into  three 
battalions  in  order  to  secure  greater  facility  in  ma- 
noeuvring. These  battalions  with  the  Eighty-ninth 
New  York  Regiment  formed  the  Second  Brigade  in 
the  Second  Division  of  the  corps. 

Moving  with  the  army  across  the  James  River,  the 
regiment  took  its  position  in  the  lines  investing  the 
city  of  Petersburg,  and  during  the  mouths  of  June, 
July,  and  August  performed  constant  and  severe  duty 


WAR  OF  THE   REBELLION. 


in  the  trenches  from  tlie  Appomattox  River  to  the  Je- 
rusalem plank-road,  being  in  that  time  reduced  from 
an  effective  strength  of  eighteen  hundred  and  thirty- 
six  to  less  than  nine  hundred.  This  number  was  in- 
creased early  in  September  by  an  accession  to  its  ranks 
of  about  four  hundred  men,  the  remnant  of  the  Sec- 
ond Provisional  Artillery  Regiment,  which  liad  orig- 
inally been  formed  from  its  surplus  strength. 

On  the  20th  of  September  the  regiment  moved  with 
the  Army  of  the  James  across  the  river,  and  took  part 
in  the  operations  which  resulted  in  the  capture  of 
Fort  Harrison,  and  in  which  the  First  and  Second 
Battalions  sustained  a  loss  of  over  two  hundred  in 
killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners.  Among  these  was 
Lieut.  John  B.  Krepps,  of  Company  K,  wounded, 
and  Lieut.  Presley  Cannon,  of  the  same  company, 
killed,  September  29th. 

The  regiment  remained  in  its  position  near  Fort 
Harrison  until  the  2d  of  December,  when  it  was 
ordered  to  Bermuda  Hundred,  its  term  of  service 
being  then  within  about  a  month  of  its  close.  At 
that  place  a  large  number  of  the  men  re-enlisted  as 
veterans ;  these,  with  the  recruits  who  joined,  amount- 
ing to  over  two  thousand  men.  The  regiment,  how- 
ever, was  not  called  on  to  do  much  more  fighting. 
After  the  evacuation  of  Petersburg  by  the  enemy  it 
was  ordered  to  duty  in  that  city,  and  after  the  surren- 
der of  Lee's  army  the  several  companies  of  the  Second 
were  distributed  through  the  lower  counties  of  Vir- 
ginia to  maintain  order,  and  remained  on  this  duty 
till  the  beginning  of  1866.  On  the  29th  of  January 
in  that  year  it  was  mustered  out  of  service  at  City 
Point,  Va.,  and  was  soon  after  transported  to  Phila- 
delphia, where  its  men  were  discharged  on  the  16th 
of  February.  | 


Clu-iiles  W.  Uu-I 


ill  Jan.  30, 1802;  [iro.  to  coi 
,  1SC4  ;  to  first  eel'gcnut  Ma 


Jiiliics  11.  l':n  I  :i,  -  N  I  i,  tit  I  II  ml  iiiii~I,  in  .Ian.  riO,  1SG2;  pro.  to  cnr- 
l»ii'al  May  •-"_',  1m;l:  ;  to  siigraiit  Apiil  10, 18U4:  to  first  SLM-gciint.Iuiio 
l,18n.-,;  (..spcoii.l  liuiitpuaut  July  1,1803;  must,  out  witli  Lattery 
.Tan.  ■-".*,  ItGfi  ;  vettM-an. 

Rcziii  L,  Do  Colt,  first  scrgmnt,  must,  in  Jan.  0,  180-2;  com.  first  lieu- 
tenant Batt  C.  ISOtli  nejrt.  P.  v.,  April  30,  1604;  not  mnstere.I;  pro. 
from  private  .\u;.  1,  1805;  must,  out  with  Lattery  .Ian.  SO,  ISGG; 

UesLaeli  Hyatt,  sergeant,  must,  in  Jan.  C,  18G2;  pro.  to  corporal  Jan. 

20,1802;  to  sergeant  Jan.  1,1803;  must,  out  with  battery  Jan.  29, 

18';3;  veteran. 
Jacob  G.  Draher,  sergeant,  mnpt.  in  Feb.  20, 1804;  pro,  from  private  Oct. 

1, 1803  ;  mnst.  out  with  battery  Jan.  29,  ISOG. 
George  N.  Trovence,  sergeant,  must,  in  Jan.  G,  1SG2;  pro.  to  corporal 

.\pr;i  10, 1804;  to  sergeant  Feb.  1, 1803;  mnst.  out  wilh  battoi-y  Jan. 

211,1600;  veteran. 
WilliiUu  IC.  Lluoper,  sergeant,  niu-l.  in  M.^i'  li  '.',  l^i;4  ;  pro.  from  private 

Feb.  1,  18G3;  to  sergeant  ua.  1,  [:'.,:■  ,  iim.,L  uut  wilb  battery  Jan. 

29,1800. 
Samuel  Witson,  sergeant,  must,  in  Feb.  9, 1804-;  pro.  to  corporal  May  I, 

1803 ;  to  sergeant  Oct.  1, 1S05  ;  must,  out  witli  battery  Jan.  29,  ISOii. 
William  Harmony,  sergeant,  must,  in  Jan.  29,  1SG2;  disch.  ou  surgeon's 

cerlifi.ale  Dec.  30, 1802. 
Miles  Ilaml,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  19, 1801  ;,disi;h.  on  surgeon's  cer- 
tificate May  2,  18G2. 
II.  T.  Davenport,  sergeant,  must,  in  Jan.  29,  1802;  Oiseh.  on  surgeon's 

cerliflcate  Jan.  30,  1SG4. 
Thomas  Williams,  sergeant,  must,  in  Feb.  8, 1SG2;  disch.  Feb.  7,  1803,  at 

expiration  of  term. 
John  W.  Cine,  sergeant,  must,  in  Jan.  29,  1802;  disch.  Jan.  28, 1803,  at 

expiration  of  term. 
Eezin  McBiide,  sergeant,  must,  in  Aug.  27, 18G2;  pro.  to  corporal  June 

19,  1804;  to  sergeant  May  1, 1805;  ea|it«rcd  at  ChapiTi's  Farm,  Ya., 

Sept.  29,  18G4;  disch.  by  G.  0.  July  0,  ISM. 
William  II.  Martin,  sergeant,  must,  in  Aug.  27,1802;  pro.  to  sergeant 

Dec.  1, 1804  :  disdi.  by  G    O.  June  28,  ixn:.. 
John  ll.Siiiitli,.  !_-,  i,i(,  i„ii-f  U.  \mv   11,1-.:-  |,ro.  to  sergeant  Oct. 

l,is';-,   ■,■  ■    \    .    :   ,  I     "    .■  III., 


Amzi  S.  Fuller, caplain.  must,  in  Feb.  11,  1802;  com.  lieutenant-colonel 

ISOth  Itegt.  P.  V.  April  30,  1804;  not  mustered;  disch.  Feb.  21,  1805, 

at  exit!  ration  of  term. 
John  B.  Krepps.  captain,  must,  in  Feb.  11, 1802  ;  wounded  at  Chiipin's 

Farm, -Va.,  Sept.-29, 1804;  pro.  from  first  lieutenant  May  3,  18G3  ; 

must,  out  with  battery  Jan.  29,  1800. 
Presley  Cannon,  first  lieutenant,  mnst.  in  Jan.  29,  1802;  com.  major 

189th  Uegt.  P.  V.  April  30,  1804;  not  mustered  ;  killed  at  Uhapin's 

Farm,  Va.,  Sept.  29, 1804. 
James  II.  Springer,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Jan.  29,  18G2 ;  disch.  Jan. 

28, 1803,  at  expiration  of  term. 
Louis  Fisher,  fii-st  lieutenant,  pro.  from  first  sergeant  to  second  lieuten- 
ant Jan.  24,  1805;  to  first  lieiltcuant  May  3,  1803;  died  at  Peteis- 

burg,  Va.,  Sept.  0,  1805. 
Peter  Heck,  first  lieutenant,  mnst.  in  Jan.  29,  1802;  pro.  from  first  ser- 
geant to  second  lielitonant  July  11,  1804;  to  first  lieutenant  May  3, 

1803;  disch.  July  24,  1803. 
John  II.  Cuisinger,  second  lieutenant,  must,  in  Feb.  11, 1802;  pro  to 

first  lieutenant  Batt.  B  Oct.  6, 1802. 
Joseph  L.  Iredell,  second  lieutenant,  mnst.  in  Dec..^.0, 18G2;  com.  captain 

Batt.  II,  189th  Regt.  P.  V.,  April  30,  1804;  not  mustered;  pro.  to 
'  firat  lieutenant  Batt.  L  Oct.  0,  18G4. 
George  W.  Webb,  second  lieutenant,  must,  in  Dec.  18,  1801 ;  pro.  from 

private  Batt.  F  tu  second  lieutenant  Dec.  9,  1803:  com.  captain  Bait. 

K,  189tb  Itegt.  l:  v.,  April  30,  1804  ;  pro.  to  captain  Bait.  F  May  0, 

1803. 


I  -Ian.  -.".l,  1802;  died  at  Fortress  Monroe, 
Niitiiiiial  Cemetery,  Hampton. 
Feb.  10,1801;  pro.  to  corporal  Dec.  1, 

y  Jan. -29,  18G0. 
Feb.  20,  1804:  pro.  tn  corporal  Feb. I, 

V  ,Tiiii,  2!',  isiin:  v,.tei'jin. 

~-|il    'I,  1^1.::  :  pi",  to  c.rporal   Feb.  1, 

III  K.I.    J.,  ;-  I  .   in.i.lo  corporal  31ay 
.  .1  I'l    -I  ,   I  •'  I  .  I-10.  to  Corp.  Oct.  1, 


Bobert  A-r\    .  .i|..i,il,  mi:  i   Ml  ~-|.l    'I,  1^.:: 

180,5;  1.111. '      1,1  ■■  ■■!    '   !':•  i>-  ,I,M.    j;.,  1^.,. 

John  T.  S^a.r.-.i    I        n     '  ,.      m    -t    ...    ,l,.li    I-, 

JohnT.Johi.-.i,..ii|."i.il,  .....-■    Ill  K.li    ■: 

18GJ;  nil. .!,"..!  «nl.  t„.i..  .^  ,l,ri    ,  .    i-m 
William  Ha...  >,  I  ..|.'ii.!.  -.    I     !■       ,1 

ISGj;  1.....I,    -.1  ".II.  I.,. 11.  1.1  ,i,,..    ,  ■    ;. 
James  K.  All-...,  ....[i-mI,  ...n.i,  i  ,  ,i,i'.    .'  . 

1803;  m.i,^t.  out  mil.  I.,ihi>  ,1  n.    .  .,  l-.i      ..i..,,,n. 
J.  B.  Everiiigliam,  C...1 .i,  ..,.i-l    m  LI'   .'■,  I  ■.  1.   |.r...  to  corporal  0.t. 

1,  1803;  must,  out  Mill.  iMll.iy  ,1  .n    J.,  I  -.,.. 
Chailes  A  Palmer,  cori,,.i.il,  lu.i.l.  u.  .J,u,..:.i,  I5..I,  pro.  to  Corp.  Oct.  1, 

1805;  must,  out  with  Lattery  Jan.2t),  Isi.O. 
Eugene  D.  Sperry,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb.  23,  1803  ;  pro.  to  corporal  Oct. 

Nicholas  Miller,  corporal,  must,  in  Jan.  29,  1802;  disch.  on  surgeon's  cer- 
tificate May  22,  180-2. 

W.  H.  Poundstone,  corporal,  must,  in  Jan.  29, 1602;  discb.  Jan.  28,1803, 
at  expiration  of  term. 

Morris  Morris,  corporal,  must,  in  .Ian.  29,  1802;  disch.  Jan.  28,  1803,  at 


HISTORY   OF   F.\YETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Oliver  Tiite,  corpora 

l-.,lionof  I.-nii. 

An.lrcw  J.  Huikc-t.^ 


lSi;4;  I 
"Williiun  l'< 


J. 4,  1SC2;  discli.  Jiin   28, 18«,  at  Mpi- 

:.  ill  Veb.  l:',  1802 ;  Jisch.  Jnll.  28, 1SG5, 

,11.  23s  1862;  dfecli.  Jiin.  2S,  1SG3,  at  ox- 

Sppl.  20,1862;  pro.  to  Corp.  Dec.  1, 
l-.ci.-,. 
Oct.  2,  lSf.2  ;  disc-li.  Oct.  2,  180i,  at  cx- 

1    Feb.  11,  1SG2;  missed  ill  ac;i.jn  at 


Va.,  Sept.  2»,  1801. 


Jail 
John  51. 


SL  ill  Feb.  20, 1S04 ;  must, 
t.  in  Dec.  18,1861:  nuist. 
ill  Jaji.  ",  1SC2;  miist.  ou 
ill  Jan.  15,  ISGi;  must,  ou 
Maicli  10,1804;  captulei 


out  witbliat- 

wttli  battery 
Willi  battery 
;  died  at  .\n- 
■oitrcsa  Moll- 


John  Bird,  must,  in  JIarcli  7, 1804. 
James  P.  Brock,  must,  in  Feb.  12,  ISM 
Sebastian  Cragn.musl.  in  Juno  20,  1804 
Joseph  L. Caldwell,  niiisl.  in  .Inn-  ;;ii,  1 
Helll-yC.  Conner,  111.;--    iii  II.    JT,  !>•. 
Charles  W.  Coaler,  II,  .       i     I     i      ■    l-.l 
.John  Core,  must   in    i    i     i  '    I      I 
llitrick  Conway,  nm-i    n  I    I     -J    1-1 
Robert  N-Chew,  must,  in  l-'i  b.  8,  isol. 
Peter  Cruse,  must,  in  Jan.  20,  1802. 
Andrew  W.  Cniwfoixl.  must,  in  Jan.  20. 
W.  H.  Cnnningliam,  must,  iii  Jan.  2(1, 1 


I  Cbei 


.1,1811; 


Beii.ia 


.  Coiile 


ill  IVI 


Clark  Cfcew,  must,  in  Feb.  12,I8ftl. 
Isaac  N.  Cioft,  Miust.  in  Dec.  S,  lS(i:l. 
Owen  ».  Crnsi.,  must,  in  Jan.  20,  1802. 
Goerge  W.  Clabaiigli,  must,  in  Feb.  22,  ISM. 
Abraliani  Cros.«,miist.  in  Mardi  -iO,  ISKJ. 


John  Cam 
Josiah  Cai 


St.  iiiXov.C,  l,>il« 
.  in  JiMi.  2!>,  1802. 


II.Cuuniiigl,.-.m. 

.lohn  W.  CliKson,  must,  in  M»rch  2»,1SS4. 
Christ"i>lier  Coxe,  must,  in  Jan.:',0, 1S04. 
Benjalnhi  F;  Ciusaii,  must,  in  Aug.  12, 1S04. 
Hamier  Denny,  must,  in  Feb.  2. 1S0± 
Henry  Drake,  must,  in  Feb.  24, 1S01. 
William  Drake,  must,  iu  Feb.  20,  ll-GI. 
Itaviil  D.  Drake,  liiu=t.  in  Feb.  2S,  1804. 
John  Dean,  must,  in  Jan.  211, 180>. 
Alexander'!'.  Dougherty,  must,  in  .»an.  2.1,1802. 


,  180-J 


Jaii.e.>iB.Duiin,mu 

t.  in  Fet..  8, 1804. 

Simon  Dunmire,  must  ill  Feb.  28,  1864. 

Jac;.b  Daniels,  must 

in  March  2i'>,  1804. 

Jacob  M.  Dean,  iiiu- 

.in  Nov.  n,  1802. 

.\iidreK  Donalilson, 

nust.  in  !Marcli:!l,lS04. 

David  T.  Filbert,  mi 

St.  iu  Feb.  12,  1804. 

FraDcis  J.  EiiRle,  nm-t.  in  FeJ..  27,  1804. 

■William  11.  Everett, 

niusl.  in  Feb.  10,  r  04. 

Thomas  Everell,  mi 

s|.  in  Feb.  10,  1SI)4. 

.John  H.  Easlou,  mii 

t.  ill  Feb.  Ill,  1804. 

John  Evans,  must,  i 

1  Feb.  2S,  ISW. 

Thomas  Ell.^worlh,  i 

mst,  inJan.  I'>.  lRr,4. 

William  D.  Eckert, 

iiist.  ill  Fc4i.lO,  1801. 

Israel  P.  FalUvood,  must,  in  Feb.  0,  l.s04. 

Francis  Forepaugli, 

uusl.  iu  April  14,  1804. 

George  F.  Funk,  mn 

St.  ill  Feb.  1.  1.-04. 

Frederick  Fiicnil,  m 

i-t.  iiiF.-1..4.  1804. 

Andrew  J.  Farrier,! 

ilKt.  inNov.  0,  1SC2. 

William  Gray,  must 

in  March  a,  IPO:'. 

G«uge  W.Giles,  mi 

St.  in  Feb.  10,  181V1. 

William  II.  Go.mlej 

,ransl.inMi.cb2,  1804 

John  Galvin,  must. 

1  MaivhUl,  lsC4. 

liriceGasncl,mnst. 

-u.Iau.211,l.Mi2. 

Alfred  M.  Gooley,  n 

1st.  in  .Ian.  2.1.  1802. 

Isaac  Giiffin.  must. 

uJan.  20,  18112. 

Thomas  Gist,  must 

1,  Feb.  lit,  1804. 

James  Gray,  must,  i 

1  Aug.  28.1802. 

Alaiison  Gregory,  m 

•St.  in  Feb.  21,  ISr.t. 

Benjamin  Groff,  uin 

l.illFeli.  2J,  1804. 

Norman  Green,  mus 

.iuFeb.2'J,  lSi;4. 

liobeit  Gardner,  must,  in  Feb.  17,  1804. 

Isaac  Groff,  must.ii 

Feb.  2i,  1801. 

Gelson  Ilauey,  must 

iu  Dec.  V,.  ISCl. 

Ebenezer  Huff,  mus 

in  Feb.  2!).  1804. 

John  Ilunter,  must 

in  Jan.  1,1802. 

Elijah  Hawk,  must. 

iuJau.3I,18G2. 

Henry  lliles,  must. 

n  Jan.  2o,18G2. 

Samuel  llickle,  mils 

in  Jan. 13  1862. 

WAR   OF  THE   REBELLION. 


Jncob  nana,  must  in  Msrcll  12, 18C4. 
Thomas  Handsfurth,  must,  in  Marcli  10, 18C4. 
D.  J.  Henisicker,  must,  in  Feb.  24, 18C4. 
Henry  Harrison,  must,  in  Feb.  13, 1804. 
Gcoige  Humbertson,  must  in  Feb.  3, 180*. 
George  R.  Held,  must,  in  Sept.  8, 1S03. 
George  \V.  Hall,  must,  in  Nov.  10,  1802. 


Andrew  llupkins,  mu-1.  in  .l,,h    J;i,  I    nj. 
William  W.  Hoover,  nuisl.  in  Keb,  B,  1,^04. 
Joliu  W.  H.dland.must.  in  Nov.  11,  1SU2. 
Junies  J.  Hook,  must,  in  Feb.  8,  18lii. 
I'lirdou  C.  Ilewilt. 

■ttMlliiini  Hiithcock,  must,  in  Ft-b.  20, 1804. 
Josluni  A.  Hurt.  must,  in  Feb.  10,  1804. 
John  Hiles,  must,  in  Jim.  5,  1801. 
George  D.  Hazen,  must,  in  Feb.  13, 1S04. 
James  II.  House,  most,  in  Feb.  10,  1S04. 
■William  Hoekenbrock,  must,  in  Feb.  27,  ISC 
Arehibuld  Hj-ult,  must,  in  Jan.  2'J,  1S02. 
J.  H.  Iloikenlirock,  nmst.  in  Feb.  27, 1801. 

li.uH 'I  II:. nil.  M,  iiLiist.  in  Jan.  11.1804. 
.s.,i,i,,,  1  IMll.v,  iinist.  in  Jan.  2.5,  1802. 
.I.uiii,  ll,,n.>,  must,  in  Feb.  4, 1802. 

vVilhan.  ll,,r>e,i,  ninsl.  in  >.in.  12,  1802. 
John  G.  lloniniell,  must,  in  Feb.  1,  1802. 
S.J.  Ilelm^. 


1S04. 


2,  1804. 


Jonathan  >l  ■ 
JohnMei-kn,^    :i 
ElishaC.  Milrh. 
David  Miller,  must,  in  Jan.  2;t,  1802. 
Christopher  Merner,  must,  in  Sept.  23, 18C4. 
John  H.  Maraliall,  must,  in  Jan.  20, 1802. 
Stophon  Meredith,  nmst.  in  Jan.  20, 1802. 
William  Melson,  must,  in  Jan.  29,  1802. 
Benjamin  F.  Mackey,  must,  in  Feb.  4, 1S02. 
David  Mnjr,  must,  in  Jan.  30, 1804. 
Teltzer  Moose,  must,  in  Feb.  22,  1804. 
George  Miller,  must,  in  Feb.  20, 1804. 
Henry  Menden,  must,  iu  Jan.  20, 1802. 
David  O.  Morris,  must,  in  Ann'.  27, 1802. 
Alex.  Millener,  must,  in  Sept.  0, 180:1. 
George  N.  Meekin 
Newton  Mortland, 
CMiarles  McCairoll 

John  M   Mr\i. 

Daniel  M.  I'.         . 


I  JIarch  20,  1804. 


Thomas  K,  M   ' 

i            .    1 

Wesley  V    1).  1. 

h 

>,  i 

,  1  -1.  "  ;, 

William  Meliir, 

nu 

^t.  11 

Sept.  27,  1 

A.  McGlanshlin 

ist. 

uN 

V.  11,1802. 

John  MeCann,  n 

ns 

.in 

Dec. 

0,  1802. 

James  T.M.ri:, 

\nK.  20,18C 

lUchard  JI.Mi' 

-  pt.7,  180 

I  Islv: 


William  11.  JulmsoM,  inn.t.  in  Jan.  20,  1802 

.l.ullesJordan,  must,  ill  Sept,  1,1803. 
J..>epli  Joliiisoli,  must,  in  Feb.  13,  1804. 
Benjamin  Jones,  n.ust.  in  Slaroli  2S,  1804. 
Abraliam  Jacoby,  must,  in  Slarch  26, 1S04. 


Jana 


i20, 


Chester  Jaeoby,  must,  ill  March  :i7,  1804. 
John  Jackson,  must,  in  March  17,  1804. 
Joseph  L.  Jackson,  must,  in  Feb.  18,  1801. 
Benjamin  F.  James,  must,  in  Aug.  II,  1802 


Wesley 
Kiclmrd 
FreJeii. 
Jtfhn  W 


Kill 


ill  Fcl 


1  Feb, 


,  1804. 


Samuel  Kirk,  must,  in  Feb.  It),  1804. 
Samuel  M.  Kealor,  must,  in  Feb.  10,  1864. 
Monroe  Kiintz,  must,  in  March  28,  1804. 
John  Keener,  must,  in  Nov.  11, 1802. 
John  Kauf,  must,  in  March  27, 1804. 
George  Kline,  iiiiist.  in  Marcli  :;9,  1804. 


lb  Noiisong,  must,  in  F.b.  10,  1804. 
Timothy  Nichols,  must,  in  Jan.  20, 1802. 
David  Nunian,  must,  in  Feb.  0, 18K4. 
George  NeEf,  must,  in  Feb.  11.  1804. 
Adam  C.  Nutt,  must,  in  Nov.  II,  1802. 
George  W.  Nelson,  nmst.  in  Jan.  27, 1802. 
John  Neal,  must,  in  Aug.  27,  1SC2. 
John  M.  Ostcrly,  must,  in  Feb.  13, 1804. 
Joshua  Oyster,  must,  in  Feb.  20, 1804. 
John  G.  Oiikcs,  must,  in  Jan.  30,  1S04. 
James  Oliphant,  must,  in  Nov.  20,  1802. 
Caleb  O'Brien,  must,  in  .March  311,  1804. 
James  Powell,  must,  in  JIarcli  28,  1804. 
Augustus  A.  rainier,  must,  in  Feb.  3, 180 
George  W.  Piffer,  must,  in  Fcli.  li'..  ]'"'•*■ 
MerrillG.  Pingree,  luii-t.  m  1.  i     r.    l-'i 
Jacob  H.  Peterson,  inn -I   .,-]'     '     in 
James  H.  Porter,  ninvi   m  -    ,i    l -    I   ,  j, 
PeterM.  Polins,  i""-i    .n  Ml'  -' 
William  Pe:,l.,.,  ,„H.t    ih  .l,,n     1  J,   Inl, 


.hin.  Ih,  lsi.4. 


Josiah  H.  1 
H,  W.Patl. 
J.  W.  Pike 


Chi 


10,  1804. 


L.  Z.  L.  Linten,  must,  in  Feb.  4,  1S02. 
Charles  Liuck,  must,  in  Aug.  27,  1802. 
John  Lobacb,  niu.t.  iu  Feb.  20, 1804. 
William  S.  Leonard,  must,  iu  March  25, 1804. 
Josiali  Luekey,  must,  iu  Jan.  29, 1802. 
Henry  Leader,  must,  in  Feb.  20, 1804. 
Eobeit  Leonard,  must,  in  Nov.  11,  1802. 
George  Laybrancb,  must,  in  Feb.  20, 1804. 
James  D.  Lawrence,  must.  i,i  Feb.  10,  1804. 
George  Muir,  must,  in  Jan.  12,  1802. 
Ale.x,  B.  Mahan,  must,  in  Feb  0,  1S04. 
Joseph  Jlaloue,niust.  in  Feb.  U,  1S04. 


David  D.  Porter,  must,  in  .Ian.  19, 1804. 
William  D.  liicbanNun,  niu>t.  in  Feb.  0,  1804. 
Henry  K".l-i'  i,  mn-i    n,  I  ,  !■  'j:!,  1804. 
Aaron  11 H,,  i      ,  ,  M  ,     \,  J,"..  1804. 


And.  J.  l: 
John  EisI 
William  . 


F,  I..  24,  1864. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTP:   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


V    11 

ni  KeoJ,  mnst. 

n  Nov 

11,1802. 

I 

all  B.  Rodgers 

must. 

n  Feb.  29 

ISU 

4 

s  Richley. 

CHAPTER    XIX. 

\V.\R    OF    THE    KEDELI.IOX— ('■„„(,■„„,,/). 
Hundred  and  Sixteenth  and  One  Hundred  and  Forly-second  Regi- 


The  One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Regiment  was 
formed  in  the  summer  of  1862,  its  rendezvous  being 
at  Jones'  Woods,  near  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  One 
distinctively  Fayette  County  company  ("K")  was 
embraced  in  its  organization.  The  original  field- 
officers  of  the  regiment  were  Col.  Dennis  Heenan, 
Lieut.-Col.  St.  Clair  A.  Mulholland,  and  Maj.  George 
H.  Bardwell. 

Before  the  ranks  of  the  regiment  had  been  filled 
("A,"  "  F,"  and  "  I"  companies  being  still  but  par- 
tially recruited),  on  the  31st  of  August,  it  was  ordered 
to  move  forward  at  once  to  the  front.  Under  this 
order  it  moved  (about  seven  hundred  strong)  to  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  where  it  received  arms  and  camp  equip- 
age, and  marched  thence  to  Rockville,  Md.,  where 
it  was  reported  to  Maj.-Gen.  D.  N.  Couch.  It  had 
been  hastened  to  the  field  on  account  of  the  forced 
retreat  of  Gen.  N.  -P.  Banks  down  the  Shenandoah 
Valley,  and  the  consequent  advance  of  the  enemy  in 
that  direction,  but  before  it  arrived  at  Rockville  the 
immediate  danger  had  passed,  and  Gen.  Couch  there- 
upon ordered  it  back  to  Washington,  whence,  on  the 
21st  of  September,  it  moved  across  the  Potomac  and 
to  Fairfax  Court-House,  where  it  came  under  com- 
mand of  Gen.  Sigel. 

Ou  the  6th  of  October  it  marched  from  Fairfax  and 
proceeded  to  Harper's  Ferry,  where  it  was  incorpo- 
rated with  Gen.  T.  F.  Meagher's  "  Irish  Brigade,"  of 
which  the  other  regiments  were  the  Twenty-ninth, 
Sixty-third,  Sixty-ninth,  and  Eighty-eighth  New 
York  Volunteers.  This  brigade  was  the  Second 
of  Gen.  W.  S.  Hancock's  (First)  division  of  the 
Second  Corps,  commanded  by  Gen.  Couch. 

The  regiment,  after  having  had  a  little  experience 
under  a  rather  sharp  artillery  fire  for  about  an  hour, 
entered  Charlestown,  Va.,  and  camped  there.  About 
the  end  of  October  it  moved  across  the  Shenandoah, 
crossed  the  ridge,  and  entered  the  Loudon  Valley. 
Thence  it  marched  by  way  of  Warrenton,  Va.,  to  a 
position  near  Falmouth,  on  the  Rappahannock. 

The  regiment,  with  its  brigade,  took  a  prominent 
part  in  the  terrible  battle  of  Fredericksburg  on  the 
13th  of  December,  charging  bravely  up  to  the  enemy's 
impregnable  position  behind  the  stone  wall  which 
stretched  along  the  front  of  the  bristling  heights, 
and  losing  in  the  assault  eighty-eight  in  killed  and 
wounded,  this  being  over  two-fifths  of  its  entire 
strength.  After  this  battle  the  regiment,  being  so 
greatly  reduced  in  numbers,  was  consolidated  into  a 
battalion  of  four  companies,  under  command  of 
Lieut.-Col.  Mulholland.  The  battalion  was  engaged, 
and  fought  well,  at  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  on 
the  2d  of  May,  1863,  saving  the  guns  of  the   Fifth 


nil 


WAK   OF   THE  REBELLION. 


213 


aine  Battery  from  capture  after  its  horses  were 
nearly  all  killed  or  wounded,  its  caissons  blown  up, 
its  gunners  fallen,  and  the  enemy  within  a  few  hun- 
dred yards,  rushing  forward  to  take  it.  After  the 
light  the  battalion  recrossed  the  Rappahannock,  and 
again  encamped  near  Falmouth,  where  it  remained 
about  six  weeks,  and  then  marched  northward  to  the 
field  of  Gettysburg,  where  it  was  again  engaged,  but 
without  very  heavy  loss.  In  the  later  operations  of 
the  year  the  battalion  participated,  and  after  the  close 
of  the  Mine  Run  campaign  it  retired  across  the  Rap- 
idan,  on  the  2d  of  December,  and  went  into  winter- 
quarters  at  Steveusburg.  Early  in  the  spring  of  1864 
the  regimental  organization  of  the  One  Hundred  and 
Sixteenth  was  resumed,  it  having  been  raised  by  re- 
cruitment to  a  strength  of  eight  hundred  men. 

In  the  Wilderness  campaign  the  regiment  fought  in 
most  of  the  battles  which  took  place,  from  the  Kapi- 
dan  to  Cold  Harbor,  losing  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
nine  killed  and  wounded  and  forty  missing. 

Moving  with  the  army  from  Cold  Harbor,  it  crossed 
the  James  River  on  the  14th  of  June,  and  arrived  in 
front  of  Petersburg  on  the  15th.  On  the  following  day 
it  became  engaged,  losing  thirty  killed  and  wounded 
and  sixteen  missing.  During  the  remainder  of  the 
year  it  took  part  in  many  of  the  engagements  fought 
by  the  army  investing  Petersburg,  among  which  were 
those  of  Williams'  Farm,  Strawberry  Plains,  Deep 
Bottom  (where  it  lost  very  heavily).  Ream's  Station 
(two  engagements),  Boydton  plank-road,  and  Hat- 
cher's Run.  In  the  final  campaign  of  the  spring  of 
1865  it  fought  at  Dabney's  Mills,  and  at  Five  Forks 
on  the  31st  of  March.  After  the  surrender  of  the 
Confederate  army  under  Lee,  the  regiment  moved  to 
Alexandria,  Va.,  where  four  of  its  companies  (A,  B, 
C,  and  D)  were  mustered  out  on  the  3d  of  June.  Tlie 
other  companies  were  mustered  out  of  the  service  at 
Washington  on  the  14th  of  July. 


COMPA 


1  !»t  Fiedciicks- 
Keserve  Cuips, 


Joliu  0  O'Neill,  cnptiiin,  ni 

l.iir!,-,  Vii.,  Dec.  13,  1862 

April  It,  1803. 
John  n.  ■WiUner,  c.ipliiin, 

oMer  June -':i,  1805. 
riitrick  Ciisey,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Sept.  1, 1SG2;  died  j 

pliiii,  Ph.,  NuvenibiT  Oili,  of  wounds  received  Oct.  7,  loC2. 
Janu'S  D.  Cope,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  March  17, 1SG4 ;  captured  at 

Williams'  Karai,  Va,  Juno  22,  1S04;  com.  captain  June  22,1805; 

must,  otit  Willi  company  July  14,  1805. 
Bernard  Longhery,  second  lieutenant,  must,  in  Sept.  3, 1802 ;  disch.  May 


in  Aiuil  7,1804;   discli.  by  general 
t  riiiladel- 


12tli, 


!  Jan,  27, 


Zadoc 


iger,  second  lieutenant,  must,  in  April  7, 1804  ;  captured 

at  Ream's  Stalioci,  Va.,  Aug.  25, 1864;  com.  quartermaster  June  3, 

1805  ;  must,  out  with  company  July  14, 1805.        ^ 
niesE.  Julifr,  fli>t  sergeant,  must,  in  March  31,  1804;  wounded  at 

rive  Folks,  Va.,  March  31, 1865;  absent  in  hospital  at  muster  out. 
K.  Crathamel,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  July  31,  1802;  wounded  at 

Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec,  13, 1802;  not  on  muster-oiit  roll, 
■miiel  A.Clear,  sergeant,  must,  in  Feb.  2!),  1804;  pro.  from  corporal 

Jlay  29,  1804 ;  must,  out  with  company  July  14, 1805. 
in.  H.  Sembonor,  sergeant,  must,  iu  Feb.  20,  1804:   pro.  to"  sergeant 

April  10,  1804  ;  must,  out  with  company  July  14,  1805. 


James  Collins,  sergeant,  must,  in  Feb.  29, 1804;  pro.  from  corporal  Dec. 

2G,  1804  ;   must,  out  with  company  July  14, 1805. 
Alex.  Cliisholm,  sergeant,  must,  in  Feb.  29,  1804;    pro.  from  corporal 

June  1,  1804;  must,  out  with  company  July  14, 1805. 
Edwai-d  Pence,  sergeant,  must,  in  Feb.  ;9, 1804;  died  at  Annapolis,  Md., 

June  24lh,  of  wounds  received  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  Juno  10, 1804. 
Thomas  P.  Crown,   sergeant,  must,  in  Aug.  4,  18G2;  trans,  to  Co.  A 

Jan.  2G,  1803. 
Joseph  Slinker,  sergeant,  must,  in  Aug.  1, 1802 ;  trans,  to  Co.  A  Jan.  20, 

1803. 
Daniel  Root,  sergeant,  must,  in  Aug.  12, 18C2 ;  killed  at  Fredericksburg, 

Va.,  Dec.  13,  1802. 
William  U.Tynoll,  sergeant,  must,  in  Aug.  12, 1802;  wounded  at  Fred- 
ericksburg, Va.,  Dec.  13, 1802  ;  pro.  to  second  lienlenant  Co.  C  May 

1,  1863. 

Stephen  B.  Becket,  corporal,  must,  in  March  7,1804;  pro.  to  corporal 

April  10, 1804;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  June  IG,  1864;  must. 

out  with  company  July  14,  1805. 
Lloyd  Patterson,  corporal,  must,  in  jrnrcli  Tm.  1804;  pro.  to  corporal 

June  4, 1804;  must   ..M  »  li  I,  ■ .  iii|.  u  i ,  J  n  :i  1  1.  ivo:., 
Andrew  J.  Scesc,  c.ii|  i      '     i      Mi     i  .1;   pro.  to  corporal 

March  10,  1805;  in  '         II,  1805. 

George  W.  Ganoe,corii.ii.  I, -i    m  Ajir  i,  1-M    |.ic.  to  corporal  June 

2.  1805;  must,  out  Willi  cm;  any  July  14,  1SC5. 

Wm.  11.  Nyciim,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb.  20,  1804;   captured;  pro.  to 

coriioral  June  2, 1805 ;  must,  out  with  company  July  14, 1805. 
Epbraiin  Keim,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb.  24, 1804;  pro.  to  corporal  June  2, 

1805  ;  must,  outwith  company  July  14, 186.'). 
George  J.  Cruise,  cor|>oral.  must,  ill  March  30, 1804  ;  wounded  at  Tolo- 

potomoy,  Va.,  May  31 ,1804;  and  at  Five  Forks,  March  31,18G5 ;  trans, 

to  Co.  G,  Istli  Regt.,  Veteran  Reserve  Corps ;  disch.  by  general  order 

Aug.  14,  1605. 
Timolby  M.  Iiierney,  cor|ioral,  must,  in  March  1.3,1804;  wounded  at 

Five  Folks,  Va.,  March  :'.l,  1805  :  absent  in  hospital  at  muster  out. 
Robert  J.  BrownsfieM,  (    i;..:  i',  itm.i   n.  leb.  20, 1804;  died  June  12lli, 

of  wounds  recpiv.'.l  ii     i    in  >  mi  ,  r„urt  House,  Va.,  May  12,1804  ; 

laiib'd  ill  National  (  ■        ;  \      :._i.  ii. 

Thomas  Wallace,  curiHu.,1,  nm-i    m  An-   7,  18C2  ;  trans,  to  Co.  D  J.au. 


Eugene  Brady,  corporal,  must,  in  Aug.  15,  1802;  trans,  to 

Co.  D  Jan.  20, 

1803. 

Michael  J.  McKenna,  corporal,  must,  in  Aug.  11,  1802; 

rans.  to  Co.  D 

Jan.  20, 1803, 

George  P.  Snyder,  corporal,  must,  in  Aug.  0, 1862  ;  trans 

to  Co.  D  .Ian. 

20,  1803. 

Charles  McLaughlin,  corp,.ral,  must,  iu  July  29, 1802  ;  t 

rans.  to  Co.  D 

Jan.  20, 1803. 

George  Mahoffey,  corporal,  must,  in  Aug.  5,1802;  disci 

.  on  surgeon's 

20,  180:5. 
,rge  Allen, 
1803. 


Parkes  A.  B. 
C.  Burkhol.l 
Henry  J.  B. 


Aug.  0, 1802  ;  not  on  muster  roll. 
Aug.  8,  1802;  killed  at  Fredericks- 


Co.  D  Jan. 
).  D  Jan.  20, 


51, .1 

i,  llil.L.s  liiu 

Oliv 

r  Brooks,  m 

Alfr 

d  Blair,  Jr, 

Join 
Dan 

Campbell,  n 
el  Chisbulm 

HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


)  1 

11  W.  Chiiinm 

must 

•« 

ich  22 

mm. 

V 

liiim  A.  Coun, 

must. 

t  I 

.  20,  isa. 

M 

hael  Clemnic 

must 

M 

rcli  :ji 

ISM. 

J           C                1 

must 

H 

veil  ai 

UC4. 

li 

n.ird  Ci.m-v,  II 

isl.  ill 

\   ^ 

(1,  18(V. 

II 

iHkinh  Puiiii,  1 

list,  ii 

\ 

2,  1SU2 

W 

1.  II.  riilmoi,., 

must. 

i    1 

20,  IS 

I. 

.lusopli  J  Smitli, 
Juliil  W.  Smitli, 
D;iniel  Sickles,  l 
JoliiiSw,..-ii,..v,  I 

Mieli:..'l  <...  iM 
JoliM  ^  ,       .       1 


I 

,-lie.t  T.n 

list' 

1.1,  mi 

-t.  ill  Aug.  r.-,  1 

i 

wind  Tn 

cv, 

must. 

nSq.t.  1,1802. 

1 

Ivvunl  W 

Toi 

belt,  n 

ust.  in  S.-pt.  2, 

N 

e«t..u  L'l 

Mo 

must. 

in  April  1,1804 

Ik'iijiiiuin  WaM.li-l,  must,  in  Fit..  10,  1S04. 

ONE  HUNDRED  AXD  FOUTY-SECOXD  KEGIMEXT. 
Tlii.s  regiment  was  made  up  of  three  companies  from 
Somerset  County,  and  one  from  each  of  the  counties 
of  Westmoreland,  Mercer,  Union,  Monroe,  Venango, 
Luzerne,  and  Fayette,  tlie  last  named  being  "  H" 
company,  commanded  by  Capt.  Jo.'hua  M.  Dushane, 
of  Connellsville. 

The  regimental  rendezvous  was  at  Camp  Curtin, 
Harrisburg,  where  the  companies  were  mustered 
into  the  service  as  they  arrived  during  the  month  of 
August,  1862.  On  the  1st  of  September  the  organi- 
zation of  the  regiment  was  effected,  under  the  follow- 
ing-named field-officers:  Colonel,  Robert  P.  Cum- 
mins, of  Somerset  County ;  Lieutenant-Colonel,  Alfred 
B.  McCalmont,  of  Venango  ;  Major,  John  Bradley,  of 
Luzerne  County.  Within  two  days  from  the  time  its 
organization  was  com|ileted   the  regiment  moved  to 


WAR   OP  THE   REBELLION. 


Washington,  D.  C,  where  it  was  first  employed  in 
the  construction  of  fortifications  for  the  defense 
of  tlic  city.  In  the  latter  part  of  September  it  was 
moved  to  Frederick,  Md.,  wliere  it  remained  a  few 
■weeks,  and  early  in  October  marched  to  Warrenton, 
Va.,  it  having  been  assigned  to  duty  in  the  Second 
Brigade,  Third  Division  (the  Pennsylvania  Reserves) 
of  tlie  First  Corps.  From  Warrenton  it  moved  to 
Brooks'  Station,  on  the  Richmond,  Fredericksburg 
and  Potomac  Railroad. 

The  men  of  the  regiment  first  smelt  the  smoke  of 
battle  at  Fredericksburg,  on  the  1.3th  of  December. 
The  Reserve  ilivision  formed  a  part  of  Gen.  Franklin's 
grand  division,  and  at  noon  on  the  12th  crossed  the 
Raiii>aliannoek,  and  took  up  a  position  for  the  night 
along  tlie  river-bank.  Early  on  the  following  morn- 
ing the  division  crossed  the  ravine  wliich  cuts  the 
plain  nearly  parallel  witli  the  river  and  formed  in 
line  of  battle.  Tlie  One  Hundred  and  Forty-second 
Regiment  was  deployed  on  the  left  of  the  division, 
Bup|)orting  a  battery.  Finally  the  order  was  given 
to  charge,  and  the  regiment  went  forward  with  a 
cheer,  but  was  met  by  a  fusilade  so  deadly  that  its 
advance  was  checked.  "Exposed  to  a  destructive 
fire,  from  which  the  rest  of  tlie  brigade  was  shielded, 
it  could  only  await  destruction,  without  the  privilege 
of  returning  it,  and  with  no  prospect  of  gaining  an  ad- 
vantage ;  but  with  a  nerve  which  veterans  might  envy 
it  heroically  maintained  its  position  till  ordered  to 
retire.  Out  of  five  hundred  and  fifty  men  who  stood 
in  well-ordered  ranks  in  the  morning,  two  hundred 
and  fifty  in  one  brief  hour  were  stricken  down.  After 
this  disastrous  charge  the  division  fell  back  to  the 
position  west  of  the  ravine  which  it  had  occupied  on 
the  previous  day,  where  it  remained  until  with  the 
army  it  recrossed  the  river  on  the  niglit  of  the  loth, 
and  two  days  after  went  into  winter-quarters  near 
Belle  Plain  Landing.'" 

In  February,  18(5.3,  the  regiment,  with  the  Reserves, 
was  sent  to  the  defenses  of  Washington,  and  remained 
there  there  till  hite  in  April,  when  it  again  moved  to 
the  Rappahannock.  During  the  progress  of  the  great 
battle  of  Chancellorsville,  which  occurred  a  few  days 
later,  it  was  held  iu  readiness  for  service,  and  remained 
for  many  hours  under  a  heavy  artillery  fire,  but  did 
not  become  actually  engaged.  After  the  battle  it  re- 
crossed  the  river  with  the  army,  and  reoecupied  its  old 
camp  near  the  Rappahannock  until  the  advance  of 
the  army  to  Gettysburg.  In  that  great*  conflict  the 
regiment  fought  with  conspicuous  bravery  on  the  1st 
and  3d  of  July,  not  being  called  into  action  but  held 
in  reserve  during  the  struggle  of  the  2d.  Its  losses 
in  the  entire  battle  were  one  hundred  and  forty-one 
killed  and  wounded  and  eighty-four  missing  (most  of 
whom  were  made  prisoners),  a  total  of  two  hundred 
and  twenty-five.  Among  the  wounded  were  Col. 
Cummins  (mortally)  and  Capt.  Dushane,  of  the  Fay- 
ette County  company. 


During  the  remainder  of  the  year  18G3  the  regi- 
ment took  part  in  the  general  movements  of  the  army 
(including  the  advance  against  the  enemy's  strong 
position  at  Mine  Run),  but  was  not  actively  engaged 
in  biTttle.  Its  winter-quarters  were  made  near  Cul- 
peper,  Va. 

On  the  4th  of  May,  18(U,  it  left  its  winter-quarters 
and  moved  across  the  Rapidan  on  the  campaign  of 
the  wilderness.  At  noon  on  the  5th  it  became  hotly 
engaged,  and  fought  with  determination,  holding  its 
ground  stubbornly  until  near  night,  when  it  was 
forced  to  retire.  Its  losses  were  heavy.  Among  the 
killed  was  Lieut.  George  H.  Collins,  of  "  K"  company. 
On  the  Ctli  it  again  saw  heavy  fighting  along  the  line 
of  the  Gordonsville  road.  On  the  7th  it  moved  to 
Laurel  Hill,  and  held  jiosition  there  until  the  13th, 
when  it  moved  to  Spottsylvania  Court-House.  There 
it  remained  a  week  throwing  up  defenses,  and  a  great 
part  of  the  time  linder  heavy  artillery  fire.  On  the 
21st  it  again  moved  on,  and  in  its  advance  southward 
fought  at  North  Anna,  Bethesda  Church,  and  Tolo- 
potomoy,  arriving  at  Cold  Harbor  on  the  Gth  of  June. 
Moving  thence  across  the  Chickahominy  to  the  James, 
it  crossed  that  river  on  the  16th,  and  took  position  in 
front  of  Petersburg.  Its  firet  fight  there  was  on  the 
18th,  on  which  occasion  it  succeeded  in  dislodging  the 
enemy  in  its.  front,  and  held  the  ground  thus  gained. 
It  took  part  in  two  actions  on  the  line  of  the  Weldon 
Railroad,  also  in  that  at  Peebles'  Farm  (September 
30th),  and  others  during  the  operations  of  the  sum- 
mer and  fall.  On  the  Gth  of  February,  18G5,  it  fought 
and  suffered  considerable  loss  in  the  action  at  D.ib- 
ney's  Mills. 

Breaking  its  winter  camp  on  the  30th  of  JIarch,  it 
participated  in  the  assault  on  the  enemy's  works  ou 
the  Boydton  plank-roail,  and  again  fcju^ht  at  Five 
Forks  on  the  Istof  A|)ril,  sulfering  scvcir  lo,s.  Eigiit 
days  after  Gen.  Lee  surrendered  at  Appomattox,  and 
the  brigade  of  wliich  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty- 
second  formed  a  jiarl  iiiovi'd  to  liurkesville  Station  as 
a  guard  to  stores  and  other  ])roperty  caplurod  from 
the  eneiny.  After  n  stay  of  tw(.  weeks  at  liiukesville 
the  regiment  was  mdered  to  re'.eisliurg,  and  moving 
thence  by  way  of  Uiehmond  to  Wushingto;i,  D.  C, 
was  there  mustered  out  of  service  ou  the  20tli  of  May, 
1865.- 


Jusliin  M.  Dnslmnc,  captain,  nnist.  in  Aug.  18,  ISC2;  disoli.  by  O.  O. 
May  15,  ISIlj. 

D.iliii-1  W.  Dull,  fiist  lieutenant,  must,  in  Aug.  30,  1S02  ;  disch.  on  sur- 
geon's cc-i  lifuMtc  May  -i',  isr, ;, 

George  II. Cm -.Ir.-i  1  .lU.i.int,  -t   in    \ii,    I'l.lMVi;  pro.fnnnfir.t 

Isaac  Flam  I-.. Ii  ,lri  li.ii  i.  :,  mi,  n,  i-i    i  i    \ii,:    1 '  i.  1  sr,2  ;  pu).  fnini  fir^t 

■Jii,  isi.l  ;  rli.  rl  i,t  City  I'uint,  Va.,  Feb.  15,  1S05,  of  wounds  receiveil 

llngli  Caaien.ii,  sefon.l  lieutenant,  must,  iu  Aug.lS,lSB2;  disch.  ou  sur- 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,. PENNSYLVANIA. 


Ju 

r,I,   I-    I-..,     .  ,  1:,-:   .,...,,.: 

h,ii-t    iii    \.,,   10, 1802;  pro.  to  corporal 

Lloyd  Johnson,  must,  in  Slarch  30, 1864. 

'][\    ,        '/\ 

1!          '    i     1     t.i  fii.8t  sergeiiut  April  1, 

Jos.-ph  N.  Jolinstou,  must,  in  Aug.  W,  1864. 
J.din  n.  Kern,  must,  in  Auf;.  19, 1862. 

^v 

l!i,;,,    1       ■,        ■        ■■•■■_ 

:  .1    1  ,  Ai :„..  19,1802;  killed  at  FrcJ- 

Singleton  Kimmel,  must,  in  Aug.  20,  1802. 
AU-.taudcr  Koorer,  must,  in  Sept.  20, 1802. 

S.i 

,:.       W      -■-■.,'    :,.'.-■ 

Aiiij.19, 1802;  wounded  at  Petersburg, 

Isiiac  Kerr,  must,  in  Aug.  19,  1862. 

\    ,        >,  ,           :      1  -  ■      ,    . .    . 

1.   11.  Junes,  1605. 

Henry  Loughrey,  must,  in  Aug.  10,  1862. 

Ju 

'iT^s,;.-, '     '    ""^"'"''" 

1  ii.  Aug.  10,  1802;  disch.  by  G.  0.  May 

John  Loughrey.  must,  in  Aug.  20, 1802. 
Leonar.l  May,  must,  in  Aug.  26,  1802. 

J.l 

icsX.  Walter,  sergeant,  niu 

t.  in  Aug.l0.1S02;  pro.  to  corporal  Sept. 

John  Milts,  must,  in  Sept.  2,  lsr,2. 

1,1804;  to  sergeant  Feb.  0 

1S05;  must,  out  with  comliany  May  20, 

William  Miller,  must,  in  Sepl.  10, 1802. 

ISlJi 

Freder  ck  Martin,  must,  in  Aug.  10,  1802. 

D,, 

i  1  li.  Hood,  sergeant,  must. 

n  Aug.  10,1802;  disch.  on  surgeon's  cer- 

Kiithan  W.  Morris,  must,  in  Aug.  19, 1802. 

liticate  March  10,  186a. 

Eobert  McLaughlin,  must,  in  Aug.  19,  ISO-i. 

Sa 

.i.elll.  Dull. seigeaut,  must 

in  Aug.  10, 1SC2 ;  pro.  to  sergeant-major. 

Henry  Xich.dsoi..  must,  in  Aug.  19, 18G2. 

d.ite  uukuowu. 

JarobOber.  must,  in  Aug  2li,  1802. 

Eu 

.iiisun  Balsl'.}-,  sergeant,  mi 

St.  in  Aug.  10,  1S02;  trans,  to  Vet.  Res. 

William  II.  Pol  tcr,  must,  in  Aug.  20, 1802. 

Cuips  .May  1,  1JG4. 

John  Rowen,  must,  ill  Aug.  20,  1802. 

J.., 

..[■a  It,  Uruuri.  si..;;..aill,  n... 

t.  ill  An-.  10,  ls,;j;  trans,  to  2d  Battery, 

William  Rite •,  nii„l.  in  An,.  20,  180-2. 

C.illla.l   1      l;:.i,  liiu.I    11,    Ml,     11,  i>,;j. 
Jeniin        l:                       .1      ,    .1  -    -1,.  1802. 
Matt!,,       l:            -          .          ^   !      ..IS.;,. 

Ju 

\    .    1      •      .      :        1-    ,iiiber21tli,or 

\\ 

-1    1  ,    All.    i',  1--;    .|i..4Jiily2Tth,  of 

Galm.I  l,'.!-_,    1,1,-1    Ml  .\,,.    :■■,  l-,:j. 

v..    ,   ,  ,.  :       .  ,>      .     t  luilvs! 

org,  l>a.,  July  f.lSoa. 

LeviStuoei,  lonstin  Aug.  10,  1802. 

Ri 

:,..       -   I-          .    '  .          1,  liillat. 

a  Aug.  19, 1802;  captured;  diedatUich- 

William  II.  Sheppard,  must,  in  Aug.  19,  1862. 

in         .    .   ,  ,  11    .    •.'.  1,  18G.J. 

William  Shirley,  must,  iu  Aug.  19,  1862. 

F. 

.1,11    l.s:.,.., :.:,,, .;|,ural,ni 

ist.in  Aug.  19, 1.<!C2;  wounded  at  Peters- 

Jacob  Sayb.r,  must,  in  Sept.  211,  1862. 

biiig,  Va.,  Apiill,  ISOo;  di 

ch.  byG.O.Jnnea,180.5. 

John  n.  Stonffer,  must,  in  Aug.  19,  1862. 

Jii 

les  U.  Oouuell,  roi'lioral,  nu 

St.  in  Aug.  19,  1S02  ;  wounded  at  I'etere- 

L.  W.  Sh.illeiiborger,  must.  In  Au','.  19,  1SC2. 

l.urg.Va.,  March -B.lSi;:;; 

disch.  by  G.  0.  June  3,  180.5. 

Clayton  Vance,  niusf.  in  Aug.  19,  180.'. 

Jii 

les  .Mills,  iu,|   .,:,!,  ,,.„-:    i 

All,    1  '   l-i-:;  i.ro.  to  corporal  March 

William  Will!, ,111-,    ,,    -•    i„  .=   ,t   ;r,.lS0.2. 

14,  l.*l;   inn.i      ■  '    •      , 

,    ,:    •.     'i   1       .".  1805. 

Charles  II.  Wl, ,11,  ,     n  ,-       ,   \    .    1  1,1802. 

L..- 

i  Hre-I„l,r,  , 
\-.,,  A|a,l  1,  1. 

\                    - ,  wounded  at  Petersburg, 

Jacob  0.  Walk,,                 ,       -,,,.           l,sGi. 
William  11.  Wliii,],,.,    „,„.i    ,;.  -|,t  -J,,,  1802. 

Sli 

M,.:        ,    1.    !■       .,     ,,,      -'     ■    '.' 

■            ■,         11  .'J  .   inu.  to  corporal 

l:i. 

i:,i 

lo,  1SC5. 

in    \.i,    1  .,  1     ,J.     h.    1,    .March  lU,  I80:i. 
t.  ill  Aug.  10,  1S02 ;  disch.  by  G.  U.  May 

CHAPTER    XX. 

\Vi 

li.inill.  Sha«-,coriioi-al,mi 

St.  in  Aug.  10,  1862;  trans,  to  Co.  E,  9th 

K'.gt.,  Vet.  Ites.  Corps,  Utt. 

30,  1803;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  29,  ISOo. 

WAR    OF   Till-    KECELLrOX-(r„„(,-„„o(0. 

AU 

al.amEiclier,eori.oral,  mus 

.  in  Aug.  19,  1S02;  trans,  to  Co.  D,  Utl. 

I!egt.,  Vet.  Ites.  Cul'lis,  Oct 

:!U,  1503  ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  July  7,  l'>0o. 

The  Fouiteenth  Cavalry. 

lie 

ir.v  Kur;z,  corporal,  must,  iu  Aug.  IS,  ISliJ  ;  trans,  to  Vet.  Eos.  Corps 

The   Foui-teenth  Cavalry,  or   One   Hundred   and 

Wi 

itiel.l  ;;.  Hood,  Corp  iral,  mil 

St.  iu  Aug.  19, 1802;  trans,  to  2d  Bait., 

Fifty-ninth  Regiment  of  the  Pennsylvania  Line,  was 

Vet.  Re...  Corps,  I^eb.  2, 15b 

;  disch.  by  G.O.July  20, 1S05. 

raised  in  the  summer  and  fall  of  1862,  under  autiiority 

Jo, 

ah   E   U.ilsley,  coriloral,  ui 
icUabuig,  Va.,  Dec.  lli,lSbi; 
id  li.  Gallatin,  corporal,  mu 

1st.  iu  Aug.  19,1802;  killed  at  Frcder- 

given  by  the  War  Department  to  James  M.  Schoon- 

Dii 

,t  iu  Aug.  19,  ISC2. 

niaker,  of  Pittsburgh,  who  was  atthat  time  a  line- 

r.  idles. 

officer  in  the  First  Maryland  Cavalry..    The  regiment 

J... 

was   principally  made  up  of  meu.  recruited  in  the 

11., 
11,1 

i'lV, :",'"'  ';:';' 

i'.'i'i''. 

counties  of  Fayette,  Washington,  Allegheny,  Arm- 
strong, Lawrence,  Warren,  Erie,  and  Philadelphia. 
Fayette   County  contributed   three  companies,  viz.: 

ll.i 

in-'o'.ull'.i''li"|'|''t.  ioA.',:!'.  1 

"  15"  company, Capt.  Zadock  Walker;  "E"  company, 

Ale 

x,r,.llu,.,,,„n-t.n,  .-.,.,,,.  J. 

sr.j. 

Capt.  Ashbel  F.  Duncan  ;  and  "  F"  company,  Capt. 

Jus„..,l,  r,.„,.l ,..„.,     in     Vm 

-'vi   ISO' 

Calvin  Springer. 

Th 

d,k.usClllluil.;;;..u„,  loil^t.  i 

Aug.  10,  1SC2. 

The  regimental  rendezvous  was  first  at  Camp  Home, 

Jill 

lesCuuley,  ,„u,r.  .11  .\M-.  l;i 

and  afterwards  at  Camp  Montgomery,  near  the  city 

W; 

le.-  Ihill,  lM...t.  ill  .\.i-.  -c. 

S1J2. 

of  Pittsburgh.     There,  on  the  24th  of  November,  the 

Ste 
Jol 

n'u-'r'!'l,'n""7i'n,'\'w 

I'i  'ww 

Fourteenth    completed    its   organization   under    the 

nr    viZ'"^ur!l!"\"^' 

following-named    field-officers:    Colonel,   James    M. 

II;. 
Le 

'Zu'',»Z2l7[S 

.   n,  1802. 

Schoonmaker;    Lieutenant-Colonel,  William  Blake- 
ley:  Mijors,  Thomas  Gibson,  Shadrajch  Foley,  and 
John  M.  Daily.     On  the  same  day  the  regiment  left 
its  camp  and  proceeded  to  Hagerstown,  Md.,  where 
the  men  were  mounted,  armed,  accoutred,  and  drilled. 

li 

h.mll.ll,,,,,,,.,,,,,-,    ,,,  A 

1.  1J.1S02. 

On  the  28th  of  December  it  moved  to  Harper's  Ferry, 

J,.,su  I.igralMin,;  must!  in  Aug! 

.o;i;o2: 

and  encamped  on  the  road  leading  thence  to  Charles- 

WAR  OF  THE   REBELLION. 


!17 


town.  In  that  vicinity  it  passed  the  winter,  engaged 
in  picketing,  scouting,  and  occasionally  skirmishing 
with  the  enemy's  guerrilla  bands  which  infested  the 
Shenandoah  Valley  and  the  passes  of  the  Blue  Ridge. 
In  May,  18G3,  the  Fourteenth  moved  to  Grafton, 
W.  Va.,  where  it  was  attached  to  Gen.  Averill's 
cavalry  division,  and  for  two  months  succeeding  was 
engaged  in  constant  marches  and  skirmishings  with 
the  forces  of  the  enemy  under  "Mudwall"  Jackson, 
Jenkins,  and  other  Confederate  leaders,  but  without 
incurring  much  loss.  On  the  evening  of  the  4th  of 
July  information  of  the  great  battle  of  Gettysburg 
was  received,  and  the  regiment  thereupon  was  moved 
at  once  to  Webster,  W.  Va.,  thence  to  Cumberland, 
Md.,  and  from  there,  after  two  or  three  days'  delay,  to 
Williamsport,  Md.,  where  it  joined  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac.  Advancing  on  the  track  of  Gen.  Lee's 
retreating  columns,  on  the  15th  of  July  it  skirmished 
with  the  rear-guard  of  the  enemy  near  Martinsburg, 
and  a  few  days  later  marched  to  Winchester.  On  the 
4th  of  August  it  moved  with  Averill  on  his  raid  to 
Eocky  Gap.  It  was  slightly  engaged  at  Moorfield, 
W.  Va.,  again  more  heavily  at  Warm  Springs,  and 
on  the  26th  and  27th  of  August  took  gallant  jxart  in 
an  action  with  the  cavalry  and  infantry  forces  under 
the  Confederate  Gen.  Jones,  near  Greenbrier,  White 
Sulphur  Springs,  holding  its  ground  most  obstinately, 
but  at  last  compelled  to  retreat  with  a  loss  of  eighty 
in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing.  On  the  31st  the 
command  reached  Beverly,  having  been  on  the  march 
or  engaged  with  the  enemy  constantly  for  twenty- 
11  days,  traveling  during  that  time  more  than  six 
hundred  miles. 

After  some  weeks  of  comparative  rest,  the  regi- 
ment again  moved  (November  Istj  with  Gen.  Averill 
iOn  another  long  raid  to  the  southward.  Passing 
[through  Huutersville,  Pocahontas  Co.,  on  the  4th, 
lit  proceeded  to  Droop  Mountain,  where  the  enemy 
was  found  intrenched  and  prepared  to  fight,  but  was 
driven  from  his  position  with  considerable  loss  and 
pursued  to  Lewisburg,  but  not  overtaken.  The  regi- 
ment, with  the  rest  of  Averill's  command,  returned 
to  Now  Creek,  on  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad. 
Again,  on  the  8th  of  December,  the  Fourteenth  was 
faced  southward,  bound  for  Salem,  on  the  Virginia  j 
and  Tennessee  Railroad,  which  point  was  reached  on 
the  16th.  There  the  troops  destroyed  railroad  track, 
bridges,  and  an  immense  quantity  of  army  stores 
gathered  there  for  the  use  of  the  Confederate  army, 
in  all  more  thau  three  million  dollars  in  value. 
Having  thus  accomplished  the  object  of  the  expedi- 
tion, and  knowing  that  the  enemy  would  concentrate 
in  force  for  his  destruction,  Averill  at  once  commenced  ' 
his  retreat  northward,  but  this  was  only  accomplished  j 
with  the  greatest  ditficulty.  "  On  the  20th,  at  Jack-  I 
son's  River,  the  Fourteenth,  while  in  the  rear  strug- 
gling with  the  trains,  which  could  with  difficulty  be 
moved,  the  horses  being  worn  out  with  incessant 
marching,  was  cut  off  from  the  culu:iin  bv  the  de- 


struction of  the  bridge,  and  was  supposed  at  head- 
quarters to  have  been  captured.  Gen.  Early  [Con- 
federate] had  demanded  its  surrender  under  a  flag  of 
truce,  but  setting  lire  to  the  train,  which  was  com- 
pletely destroyed,  it  forded  the  stream  and  made  good 
its  escape,  rejoining  the  main  column  between  Calla- 
han's and  White  Sulphur  Springs.  That  night  the 
command  swam  the  Greenbrier,  now  swollen  to  a 
perfect  torrent,  and  crossing  the  Allegheny  Mountains 
by  an  old  bridle-path,  and  moving  the  artillery  by 
hand,  it  finally  reached  Hillsboro',  at  the  foot  of 
Droop  Mountain,  at  midnight  and  encamped."'  The 
regiment  reached  Beverly  on  the  2oth.  The  regiment 
lost  in  the  expedition  about  fifty  men  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing.  From  Beverly  it  moved  to  Webster, 
and  thence  by  railroad  to  Martinsburg,  where  it  went 
into  winter-quarters.  During  the  winter,  however, 
its  duties  were  nearly  as  arduous  as  ever,  being  em- 
ployed on  picket,  guiird,  and  in  scouting  almost  inces- 
santly. It  was  now  a  part  of  the  First  (Col.  Schoon- 
maker's)  Brigade  of  Averill's  division. 

Moving  from  winter-quarters  on  the  12th  of  April, 
1864,  the  command  was  transported  to  Parkersburg, 
on  the  Ohio,  and  thence  set  out  on  a  raid  southward 
through  West  Virginia  to  the  Virginia  and  Tennessee 
Railroad,  and  having  also  in  view  the  destruction  of 
the  Confederate  salt-works  at  Saltville.  The  latter 
was  not  accomplished,  but  a  great  amount  of  damage 
was  done  to  the  railroad  in  the  vicinity  of  Blacksville. 
At  Cove  Gap,  on  the  10th  of  May,  the  column  was 
attacked  by  the  enemy,  and  a  battle  of  four  hours' 
duration  ensued,  in  which  the  Fourteenth  lost  twelve 
killed  and  thirty-seven  wounded.  Joining  Gen. 
Crook  the  combined  forces  of  the  command  moved  to 
Lewisburg.  On  the  3d  of  June  they  were  ordrred  to 
move  thence  to  Staunton,  Va.,  to  join  Gen.  Hunter 
in  his  campaign  against  Lynchburg. 

At  Staunton  the  regiment  was  rejoined  by  a  detach- 
ment which  (being  then  dismounted)  was  left  behind 
at  Martinsburg  when  the  command  moved  from  its 
winter-quarters  in  April.  This  detachment  was  under 
command  of  Capt.  Ashbel  F.  Duncan,  of  "  E"  com- 
pany. The  men  were  soon  afterwards  armed  and 
mounted,  and  assigned,  by  order  of  Gen.  Sigel,  to 
Stahl's  brigade.  At  New  ^Mnrkrt,  .May  l.">tli,  this  de- 
tachment was  engaged,  and -iistniiuMl  roiisideraiilcloss. 
Soon  afterwards  it  moved  witli  (Jen.  Hunter  on  his  cam- 
paign. At  Piedmont,  o:i  the  5th  of  June,  Ca|.t.  Dun- 
can's detachment,  being  in  tlie  advance,  suddenly  en- 
countered the  enemy.  In  the  battle  which  followed 
it  advanced,  dismounted,  and  carried  an  earthwork, 
taking  a  number  of  prisoners,  and  afterwards  receiv- 
ing higli  couimendation  from  the  superior  officers  for 
its  gallantry  in  action. 

Marching  from  Staunton  on  the  9th  of  June,  the 
forces  reached  Lexington  on  the  11th,  and  Buchanan 
on  the  13th.     On  the  10th  the  column  moved  to  New 


21S 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


London,  on  tlie  Virginia  and  Tennessee  Kailroad, 
and  thence  towards  tlie  objective-point  of  the  expe- 
dition, Lynchburg.  But  the  enemy  was  encountered 
near  the  city,  and  during  the  succeeding  night  an  en- 
tire Confederate  corps  arrived  from  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia,  wliich  made  it  impracticable  to 
capture  the  place.  Gen.  Hunter  then  ordered  a  re- 
treat, in  wliich  Schoonmaker's brigade,  being  then  the 
rear-guard,  was  attacked  by  the  enemy  at  Liberty, 
and  sustained  the  assault  alone  for  four  hours,  the 
Fourteenth  Regiment  losing  twenty-four  killed  and 
wounded.  It  w.as  again  engaged  north  of  Salem 
with  Roaser's  cavalry,  losingeight  killed  and  wounded. 
Finally,  after  an  excessively  toilsome  march,  and 
being  at  one  time  five  days  without  food,  it  reached 
Parkersburg,  and  from  there  moved  by  rail  to  Mar- 
tinsburg. 

The  enemy's  forces  under  Early  were  now  marching 
down  the  valley  to  the  invasion  of  Maryland.  Aver- 
ill's  troops  were  again  put  in  motion,  and  a  battle  took 
place  between  tiiem  and  the  rebel  force  at  Winchester 
(m  tlie  2(»tli  of  July,  the  Fourteenth"  being  engaged 
with  some  loss.  On  the  24th,  Early's  combined  forces 
attacked  Averiil  and  Crook,  and  drove  them  to  the 
Potomac,  which  they  crossed  and  retired  to  Hagers- 
town.  When  the  enemy,  under  Gen.  McCausland, 
was  retiring  from  the  destruction  of  Chambersburg, 
Pa.,  he  was  overtaken  by  Avcrill's  forces  at  Moorfleld, 
W.  Va.,  and  a  severe  battle  ensued,  resulting  in  the 
defeat  of  the  enemy  and  the  capture  of  several  can- 
non and  a  large  number  of  prisoners.  In  this  action 
the  Fourteenth,  which  had  the  right  of  the  first  line, 
lost  thirty-five  killed  and  wounded.  After  this  fight 
the  command  returned  to  JLirtinsburg,  and  thence  to 
and  across  the  Potomac,  guanling  tlic  fords. 

Dnriiig  Sheridan's  brilliant  campaign  in  the  Shen- 
andoah Valley  in  the  fall  (if  18ii-i  the  Fourteenth 
was  active  and  freijueiitly  engaged.  In  the  action  of 
September  14lh  it  fought  well,  capturing  an  earthwork 
and  losing  heavily.  At  Fisher's  Hill  it  was  again  en- 
gaged, but  with  light  loss.  On  the  27th  of  September 
it  fought  with  a  spirit  and  bravery  which  caused  an 
order  to  be  issueil  tliat  the  name  of  the  battle  (Weyer's 
C.ive)  be  iiiserilied  on  its  flag.  It  was  again  engaged 
at  Cedar  Creek,  Oet'ibei-  linli,  and  did  excellent  ser- 
vice on  that  ileld.  *.>ii  the  L'4ili,  in  the  Luray  Valley, 
it  fought  in  a  brisk  eneimiitei',  taking  some  prisoners, 
and  was  again  engaged  with  the  fbrces  of  McCaus- 
land at  Front  lioyal  on  tlie  12tli  of  November,  losing 
fifteen  killed  and  wnuii<Ie.l.  S,,;.n  after  this  it  went 
into  wiiiter-i|iiarters,  hut  was  employed  in  constant 
and  arduous  .Inty  thnmgli  the  winter.  The  spring 
cami>aign  was  opened  on  the  4tli  c,t  Ai.rll.  1SG5,  when' 
the  regiment  with  its  l)rigade  iiK.ved  up  the  valley, 
but  met  no  eheniy  and  returned  to  I'.erryville  on  the 
(itli.  Oeii.  Lee's  suireuder  immediately  after,  virtu- 
ally eiid.d  III.'  war,  and  ..n  the  20th  of  April  the  regi- 
ment «:is  (.rdered  tn  A\'ashington,  and  remained  there 
for  about  six  weeks,  taking  part  in  the  grand  reviews 


of  the  armies  of  Grant,  Sherman,  and  Sheridan 
May.  On  the  lltli  of  June  it  was  ordered  West,  and 
proceeded  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  where  it  was 
consolidated  into  six  companies,  the  surplus  officers 
being  mustered  out.  The  men  were  mustered  out 
of  the  service  at  Fort  Leavenworth  on  the  24th  of 
August,  1865,  and  returned  in  a  body  to  Pittsburgh, 
where  they  were  discharged. 


Ziidu. 


23,  lfC2;  discliargod  Jn 
3,1602;  must,  out  wilh  coni- 
3, 1602  ;  discb.  Feb 


James  L.  Kelly,  cai.l;iiri, 

\mny  .\iig.  24,  l60."i. 
Tliomus  n.  Ton  euco,  fli=t 

10,  1S05. 
Julin  U.  ISj-er.-,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1802 ;  pro.  from  sec 

liouteiiant  Feb  U,  18U5;  diecliarged  Jnne  5,  lSO.i. 
J.  D.  Mcl.aiislilin,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Xov.  23,  1SC2;  must. 

Aug.  24,  1605. 
Thomas  1'.  Walker,  second  lieutenant,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 18C2 ;  pro.  from 

quartermaster-sergeant  Feb.  14,  1605;  must,  out  with  conipanj-  .-Vug. 

24, 1SU5. 
William  M.  McSutt.  first  sergea 

Willi  company  .\ug.  24,  I80.j 
William  I'arkbill,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1802;  discli.  by  0.  0- 

Jlay  26,  1603. 
Josejib  .\.  llipple,  fiist  sergeant,  must.  In  Nov.  23, 1862;  pro.  to  conmral 

April  1,  1804;  to  firet  sergeant  May  28,  ISCo ;  com.  flret  lieuten 

June  0,  1SO.0;  discb.  by  G.  0.  July  31, 1865. 
Benjamin   K.  To\vns:'Uil,  quartermaster-sergeant,  must,  in  Mareli 

1804;  com.  second  lieuleuant  Jnue  0, 1805;  must,  out  with  conipi 

An-  21,  160,5. 
Henri    r   .-      in  ,i :. m  i-ier-sergeaut,  must,  in  Nov.  2:!,  1802 ;  disch 

Joliii    I'    I      II  II       I -ant,  must,  in  Feb.  23,  1804;  must,  out  V 

D.  B.  tiill.  li.i-t,  cm  ■sergeaut,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802;  discli.  by  CO. 
Jlay  26,  1603. 

)V. 22, 1802;  must,  out  with  compan 
iu  March  15,'1S04;  must,  out  with 

Josepli    i;  I      ,   M.ust.  iu  Nov.  25,  1802;  must,  out  > 

Jose|i:.    M,  .     ..  i ,  must,  in  Nov.  22,  1802;  must,  ont  i 

Benj.iiM.       I      II      ^      -  I -.ant,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802;  disch.  on  sur. 

Chaili.   1 I,  -,  I.    .nil,  must  in  Nov.  23,  1802;  disch.  by  G.O.  May 

26,  IM,.'.. 
H.  R.  Brenneman,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1602:  pro.  to  ailjutani 

Jan.  27,  1603. 
Jomitban  C.  Kniglit,  sergeant,  must,  iu  Nov.  23,  1602;  disch.  by  G-.  0. 

Jlay  2<,  ISOo. 
William  II.  Stricklcy,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802;  disch.  by  G.  0. 

Jlay  26, 1805. 

u  Nov.  23,  1602;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Jlay 

1  Nov.  23,  1802;  disch.  by  G.  0.  JIaj 
28,  1S03. 
James  N.  Tjitem,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802;  disch.  by  G.  0.  U 

John  n.  Fisher,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1S02  ;  not  on  muster-roll. 


pauy  Aug.  -^i, 
John  JlcNary.ser 

Aug.  24,  1805. 
James  .1.  llankin, 


James  A.  VJ^ilsou,  sergeai 

26,  1603."- 
Joseph  lleiwiek,  sergear 


Jesse  II.  JIcElhore,  corporal,  must,  in 
company  Aug.  24, 1803;  veteran. 

.\le.v  P.  Wilson,  corporal,  nuist.  iu  JIarcl 
pauy  Aug.  24,  1805. 

Kubeit  J,.hu!ton,  coiiKiial,  must,  iu  Feb 


LVitll 


WAR  OF   THE   REBELLION. 


Jiinu-s  W.  Sli,iff..r,  o.vporiil,  must  in  Fob.  20,  1S04; 

must. 

out  with 

coin- 

Joseph  H.  Cox,  must,  in  Nov.  211, 1802. 

liiinv  Auk.  24,  isr,.', ;  vi-liTiiu. 

Andrew  Giise,  must,  in  March  8,  1804. 

Hcnrj  F.  Ku.snll,  .■oiii.jril,  must,  iu  March  3,1804 

must 

out  «ilh 

com- 

Jasper  B.  Comstock,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802. 

luiny  Aiii;.  24,  LSC,.'.. 

James  Co.ir.iy,  must,  iu  Nov.  23,  1802. 

>muL-l  M.  Iv.'um-il.v,  corpoml,  must,  in  Fub.  27, 

1804; 

must,  out 

with 

JohnCoMii,  i.iu-t.  ill  N..v,2:i.  1S02. 

coml.un.v  All-  24,  1805. 

EliCra»f..i.l.n..i-l    in  N..v. 'Jll.  1802. 

Benj  imiu  F.  JUCivi-bt,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb.  4, 

1804; 

must,  out 

with 

T.  S.  Cun.l../.l,.,..l.  n..i-l    111  N.,v.23,lSC2. 

couipuii.v  Aui,-.  24,  1805. 

Jamesr.,..k.  ...,,-,    in  !■.■.    jt,  1,«I13. 

Josepb  S.  Fr.v,  oMporiil,  must,  in  Feb,  23,  1804  ;  must,  out 

with  compaoy 

.lames  Caihil.  n    ...n-i    m    \,..    J'.,  l-.i-'. 

Aug.  24,  I.m;:,;  vctcriin. 

J.ili..  CiilS     ....         \               I-.   ., 

Marcus  JI.  Purr,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1801 

(liscb 

by  G.  0 

May 

W.n.  F.  n..-. 1  .         11.1 

■.;(■,,  1,-G.-,. 

Ebeliey..TT -,  .......    ...  \  ..     '  l,  1-.12. 

WilliiiM  Smith,  corponil,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1804 

ji;,  ISO.-,. 

disci 

.  by  G.  0 

May 

James  iMi.:,. 11,11111-1,  m  N,.>.-1,  11,02. 
Jeleniiah  Hill.  11.  11111,1,  in  (it.  10,1802. 

J..lih  1'.  Dcwoody,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  23,1804 

Ji..  isii.-,. 

disci 

.  by  G.  0 

May 

Christian  Fiiilii.l,  iiiu-l.  in  March  2«,  1804. 
Jaiiirs  A,  K.liii.„..l- .i-t,  ill  N.iv,  23,  1S02. 

.T,  n,.  1.(1  ilmore,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1804 

disci 

.  by  G.  0 

May 

Williiuii  Fii-.ll,  ll.ll-t    in  X,.v,  .Jll,  isil.j. 

Gr..,_.    Ihiiscll,  coirorol,  must,  iu  Nov.  23, 1804 

disci 

by  G.O 

May 

•""■■I "     I'l.u...-,  in.i-l,  in  A.ig.  0,1804. 

J,-iali'c    .-ii  1  ilk  Irr,  corporal,  mu.st.  in  Nov.  21,1804;  iVw 

d  at  Gallipolis, 

!■.  Ml  111, .1.,. in.  -1    ...  ,M,.i.l,  2X,  1804. 

iiliin,  .hilv   .,  IsiU;  burieil  iu  Nitioniil  Ccm-tery,  gn 

ve  133. 

1,.,,  _     W    .,   ,.   1,  .......    II.  M,...-l,  7,  1S04. 

Joliini:.-,  o.ipniiil,  must,  iu  Nov.  23, 1804 ;  Ciipti 

red  and  died  at 

EicI,. 

Willi....  .1  .1  1.  .......1-1,  ill   N,,v.23,1802. 

„u,„.\.  V;i.  M.iicliS,  1804. 

1  1     III'    ■ii.i  |.    i„,i,-t,  in  Aug.,  20,  1804. 

WiJIiiiiill   \Vlnt.Mnrpoml.must.iuNov.23,lS04; 

billed 

It  Asliby' 

Gap, 

II   ,            1           .    -1.  ill  Feb.  2.3,1804. 
,1,1.               must.  inNov.2.3,lS02. 

Joliii  F.  Ciiil.,.,,  I.ugler.must.  in  Feb.  24,1804;  must,  out 

with  con 

pany 

^^|11|■,' 11.1  iii.l,iiinst.  inNov.  23,  1802. 

Am.  24,  1S0.">. 

Sara.iL  Gibson,  must,  iu  Aug.  20,  1804. 

IIu-li  K.  Morrison,  l.liicli.5mi;h,  nu.st.iuFcb.il, 

804; 

must.  ,int 

with 

Ednaid  Gunion,  m..st.in  May  5, 1804. 

.  " iny  Aug.  24, 1805. 

.\nthony  Ilaney,  must,  in  Nov.23,  1802. 

Jnliii  Wiillccr,  bliicksmith,  must,  iu  Jlurdi  28,  lSi;4;   i 

nist.  out 

with 

Fatrick  Ilogan,  must,  i.i  Dec.  27,  1803. 

."Uipiiny  .\ug.  24, 180-,. 

Milton  Ilcpler,  must,  in  Feb.  23, 1304. 

l;nl„.it  M.  Smitli,  furrier,  mual.  iu  Nov.  23,  1802 
•-■s,  I-G.j. 

,  disci 

.  by  G.  0 

May 

W.G.  IlefTelliiiger,  must,  iu  Feb.  23,  1R04. 
T.aniniit  I).  B,  Ili'l,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802. 

Aulivw  n.  Davi.s,  saJiller,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802 

disci 

.  by  G.  0 

May 

:\|i,  I,,..l  IT.i.II,  n.nst,  in  Nov.  23,  1802. 

-.s,  1,S0.-.. 

.I,.|in  11., -..I... .1,-1,  ill  .Nov.  2i,  1802. 

rrir.i(.s. 

-.  .....  Ili'l    ii..i-;,iiiFeb.27,1804. 

li:i.in'l  ,r.  Allen,  mn<t.  in  Feb,  20,  1804. 

|.,i.i.l  11  ...',,  .111-1    in  Aug.  17,  1804. 

,: \ll.|„,ii„-,  must,  ill  N.iv.  J  :.  Isi;:!. 

11,  I,,  1  11,11.  III.  -1    in  F.l.,  -Jl,  l.S(;4. 

\"          H,,    Ml- i-r,  iiin-t    11.  Miurl,  J-,  1S04. 

M.. 1.    \    1 M,  -1    1  .  ,11iircli  30,1804. 

ii,.;i.,i  i;.  .Mini,  iiiu-t.  ill  D'c.  21,  isi;:;. 

liniMl'li,,!/,  lnu-l"'il,"v.v"jl.'lS02!''     ^ 

J.iliaAul,  niii-t.  ill  F,l,.  J'.i,  l,Si;4. 

.Ii.hnlrviii,  must,  ill  3Ialcli20,  1804. 

Ji.li.i.S.  .\iiltm,,ii,  nr.-l,  in  F,-b.  24,  1S04. 

Samuel  H.  I.i.el,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  IS02. 

Geuigell"llicll,lnu-t    in  F,/l..  23,  1804. 

San.uel  Johnston,  must,  in  Feb. 20, 1.S04. 

D.iviilC.  li  illi.ll,  uii-t    ill  l-.l..  23,  1S04. 

Simeo.l  Johnston,  must,  iu  Nov.  23,  1802. 

Alc.'i.  IVill.-,,lii|.,  i,ri-i    ill  I'rl,,  21,  iMil. 

William  .rohnston,  must,  in  Feb.  20,  1804. 

0  liin.li,  1!.  11  mil.  U.  11,1-1,  i  1  F.-b.  20,  1804. 

John  Ken-,  must....  Nov.  23,  1802. 

J„l,i,  11,, 1-,  .1,11-1    ,1,  11.   Ji,  isi;4. 

l.,li,.^   11, .■    .,  ,,..     1    r,  1    ■'.    J  1.1304. 

,T,.Iin  Keener,  .ni.-t.  in  Feb.  23,1804. 

II        ...  II.  ,,,,,.  ,   11  ,  ,■',  28,  1804. 

M     !      .    K.          ...1-.,  in  N.IV.  2.3,  1802. 

II                               s  „    23,1802. 

,1.         K..    ■     1     1-1    iiiN,iv.23,  1802. 

A.,.  1,  11  1  ..  ,  ■„    -1    1  .  M  .1    :,  2,^,1804. 

ill   ',,,.  1    \    Im.j,  must,  in  Nov.  21,  1.S02. 

A,i,.ii  P,i.,i,.l,  iiiii-t  in  M.iivh  20,  1304. 

EliasS    Liivall,  mii-t,  in  l.-,-l,, -1,  1  siU. 

Uiu.  B  ,l-iii,L,.L-r,  niu»t.  i  i  Feb.  24,  1804. 

Georg,'  F.  Luther,  nin-i    in  Mm,  1,  'J.:i.  I,,i;4. 

FranUliu  Iti^hu.u,  must,  iu  Feb.  22,  1804. 

Lewis  I.ovvry,  must,  in  .Mm.  1.  1  1,  Isiil, 

Davi.l  A.  li.VLTs,  must,  in  Nov.  2i,  1802. 

Gaun  Linton,  must    i'l  F.l.   J  I,  Isill 

Abraliaiii  11.  Uiit,-.  must,  in  Nov.  2),  1802. 

Thon.as  Lowe,  must,  in  Mm,  1,  1  ,.  I,s..4, 

J,jlin  F.  B  .wier,  mii-t.  in  Feb.  20,  1804. 

lieuhe.iLane,  inii-t.  in  \  ,i   -  l,  im,j. 

Anilrew  BiTiy,  iiiir^t.  in  Nov.  23,  1802. 

Willia.n  M.  Lewis,  nin-l,  in  N,.v,  2  l,  ls02. 

Christiini  llliin,  l„,l-t    in  M,ii..li211,  ISOl. 

Philip  l.al.dis,.nnst,  ill  \.,v, '2  1,18112. 

Andrew  l'., ,1,  i,i,-l    in  \,.v    .li    l-il2. 

JacobI.aiit/.mnst.  ill  .-.■,,.  :i,  11-02. 

•losepb  III, 11.1,  ,11,  l„i,.l    11.   S  ,v     il,  l-,ij. 

Daniel  Langhery,  mu-t.  i„  N,.v.  23,  1802. 

George.'    in  l...|l.  m  i-i ,  m   Mny  4.  |.,1  l. 

John  A.l ,  iiii.-t,  iiiO..|...':l,  1S02. 

G,'..rg,.  W    11   .,-    ...  ,  ,    ,■    \,.v.21,  1802. 

Ti,,.  -1  1,  .1.  11. -1    ,..,,-1    ,..  M  ..    1,  J-.,  l-.ll. 

.Inlin  Hi.v   .,    .    1   .     1    -     .    J-.,  1802. 

'1  ....-,■:..,:,  ,.,        .  .  1'        -,  i-ii'.. 

Daviil  11  ,v .     ...    J3,  1802. 

1 1 . '      1  i  ■  1 .    ■  1  1  ■ .  1 , 

F.linr,,..!,-,  ...ii-i    1  .  -   11    lt,lSG2. 

,1,.,.,  '     jv     M,      ■       ■     II, .,-1     |.,    11  ..    1.  .,    l-,lt. 

Williiuu  li.in.liut,  must,  in  M,irch23,  1S02. 

D.i„i,-1  M, 111, 11,  nin-l,  n.  N..'  ,  J  1,  I-.IJ 

Tre.le.iclc  liyers,  must,  iu  Feb.  23, 1802. 

Fredei-i,..k  ('    M..ll,i,i,... ,1,1.1  \,,v   2  1.1802. 

.  ,Iolin  Bauer,  must,  in  Nov.  2!,  1SC2. 

WillianiMi.  111,.]-,  i.in-t,  in  N..V    'Jl,  l-ilj. 

James  linyce,  uul-t.  iu  Aug.  2.\  1804. 

,Tohn  I,.  Menills,  ln.i,l.i.i  X,  .v.  .Jll.  1 -.!_'. 

Peter  Cr.nise,  must,  in  Feb.  24,  1804. 

Samuel  Maxwell,  m.,st.  in  Miucli  31,  IS114. 

James  Cain,  must,  in  Feb.  2!,  1SG4. 

•lames  Mille.-,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  isi;2. 

,Iobn  A.  Cal.hvell,  must,  in  March  29,  1804. 

Emanuel  Ma.tin,  must,  i.i  Oct.  22,  1802. 

Ge...vge  W.  Crit/.er,  must,  in  Feb.  17,1804. 

J,.hn  Moore,  must,  in  Sept  23,  1802. 

Peter  S.  Carotlieis,  must,  iu  Jan.  15,  1804. 

lUcIiard  Jtorrison,  must,  in  Nov.  1,  1802. 

HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Lranilcr  Miller,  li 
Lewis  A.  Mutts,  n 
James  McCausleu 
Wm.  H.  Mcliitjif 
.Toseiil.  McGi-pgor, 
Jumos  >K-Curklf, 
Joseph  Mc-Diiiiifls 
Kiiliert  L.  JkCii.i 
Daniel  N.  i'    ni  i-i 


Jituies  Riluhip,  in 
Jacob  lligf;lp,  niu 
Samuel  Higgle,  iii 
Augustus  Itaiil,  it 
■William  II.  It.-l.ili 
■William  TloLirisDi 
Jo-'eiili  Rubiiisou, 
Juhn  Rul>iii»>ii,  u 


•  11  Nov.  ai,  1802, 


il.iii  Fib.  25,1SC4. 
.  ill  Marcli  U,  1804. 
Bt.  iliMaiclilS.lSli 


ii;l'.v, 


Jolili 


G-.  .    1 

1 

.  isw. 

V  II         1 

1 

■,  ISM. 

All       ^1 

1, 1)1 

1 

M       1 

21,  18C4. 

All   1    1    bl 

iff.l- 

1              t 

1     IVc 

25,  ISO.-!. 

G     r^eV    <; 

mill- 

11 

Dec   14   IS   J 

>       kl        1 

fIVr 

1              t 

I> 

n  1 

D       1^1 

ran 

1 

1 

11 

.  "11 

t 

M    1  1 

1      t 

^\lll    n    I 

KlIII 

1 

1      1 

Villiaiii  11,  SlMll-i.i 

ii;.sl,i„  iHi-.  Ill,  !«;:•.. 

^bralla.n  P.  S':  .'lii. 

■Mi-t,  in  Feb.  27,1804 

Iugllll.S;„il.v.l.u 

-1    11,  .A.llg.  17,  ISO-l. 

Warn  Swagger,, .ms 

i„  v„l,,  l,lM-4, 

SicbaiJ  Swagger,  i„ 

-1    )ll  Ki  1-   1,  IM.l. 

amue!  Shook,  m>iM 

Ill  Ml,;,  1,  :;l,  1,-1.,!, 

iicha.-.l  Sl:,,.ku.„,  u 

1,-1    lll^,..^      'MS,;- 

IVtel-  Wliil. 
Stephen  W  I 


DaviJ  ' 
Samuel 


I  George  II.  Noi-tli,  captain,  must,  in  Kov.  3, 1802  ;  pro.  from  quaitermas- 
ti  r  March  3, 1805 ;  di«ch.  by  0.  O.  July  31, 1805. 

Samuel  D.  Haxlett,  captain,  must,  in  Nov.  14,  ltC2 ;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany Aug.  24, 1805. 

James  Hamilton,  liret  lieut,  must.  In  Nov.  21, 18C2 ;  res.  Feb.  22, 1S04. 

James  M.  Huslead,  first  lienlenanf,  must,  in  Nov.  21,  18C2j  pro.  from 
second  lieutenant  July  C,  1804;  ros.  March  31, 1805. 

Albeit  G,  Hague,  fiist  li' uleiiaiit,  must,  in  Nov.  21,1802;  pro.  from  first 
seic.iM  I.  -.      I,  I  l;   I, lei, imt  July  7,  1804;  to  first  lieutenant  M.iy  20, 


ill  Nov,  21, 18C2;  Jie.I  Sejilcmbcr  2 
ester,  V.I.,  Sept,  10,  1SC4, 


Ueniy  Ii 
John  \\ 
Evan   K 


8,  1S02 ;  mus 
ept,  ,10,  1SC2; 


vith 


George  J.  Jlillei,  lir»t  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  2:i,  1802;  disch.  by  G.  0. 

May  30,  1803. 
George  J.  Keener,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1802  ;  pro.  to  corporal 

Aug.  20,  1S04;  to  lii-st  sergeant  iUy  iU,  1805;  discli.  by  G.  0.  July 

31,  ISOS. 
John  W.  Sliryock,  quartermaster-sergeant,  iiiuxt.  in  Fob.  29, 1804;  pro, 

from  Corporal  Aug.  15, 1805 ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  24, 1805 ; 

Benjamin  K  Robinson,  quartemiaster-sergeaut,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1S02; 

disch.  by  G.  0.  May  30, 1805. 
Eli  H.  Titns,  quartermaster-sergeant,  must,  in  March  3",  1804;  disch.  by 

G.  O.J  line  13, 1805. 
Alpheus  \V.  Swauey,  quartorma-ster-sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802; 

disch.  by  G.  O.  July  31,  1805. 
Robert  L.  G.tlbreitli,  quaiterinister-sergeant,  must,  in  Feb.  Ifi,  1804; 

disch.  by  G.  0.  Aug.  8,  1S05. 
Ale.vauder  English,  coinmissary-sergeant,  niii-t,  in  Xov.  14,  18C2,  mu=t. 

James  M.  Nubei-s,  cuniniissaiy -sergeant,  must,  in  Nov,  2.'>,  18G2;  disch. 

by  G,  0.  Jliiy  30,  ISOo. 
William  T.  Edward,  sergeant,  must,  in  Jan.  25,  1804 ;  must,  out  with 


ill  Feb, 


8,1804; 


Waitmaii  Davis, sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1802;  com.  second  lieiitena 

May  20,  1805;  not  mustered;  di-cli.  by  C.  O.  Blay  30,J,>05. 
Olho  \V.  Core,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802;  discli.  by  G.  0.  May  T 

1805. 
Anderson  L.  Osborii,  serge 

May  30,  1805. 
Andrew  Core,  sergeant,  mu 

1805. 
■William  Robinson,  sergeant,  must. 


lUst,  in  Nov.  23,  1802;  disch.  by  G.  0. 

Nov.  23, 1802;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Slay  30, 

Nov.  23, 1802;  disch,  by  G,  0.  May 
3fl,  1805. 

Jabe?.  W.  McCloy,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802;  trans,  to  Co.  D 
July  11,  1805. 

Frederick  Elseiilager,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  2  i,  1802;  trans,  to  Co.  D 
July  11,  1SC5. 

■William  Abraham,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1802;  died  at  Baltimore, 
Md.,  -\ug,  0,  16G4. 

Johnston  Matthews,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb.  25,  1804;  must,  out  with 
company  Aug.  24, 1805;  veteran. 

Levi  Campbell,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb.  27, 1804;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany Aug.  24,  1805 ;  veteran. 

William  V.  Beanian,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb,  2,1804;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany Aug.  24,  1805. 

Amos  Pfabc,  coriionil,  must,  in  Feb.  2, 1SG4;  must,  out  with  company 
Aug.  24, 1805. 

William  B,  .Mallliews,  corporal,  nui-t.  in  Feb.  25,  1804;  must,  out  with 


1802  ;  pro.  to  corporal  Aug.  15, 
25,  1804  ;  pro,  to  corporal  .\ng. 


WAR  OF  THE  REBELLION. 


David  L.  Wilson,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb.  27, 1864; 

iro.  to 

corporal  Aug. 

John  J.  Conn,  must,  in  Feb.  29,  1804. 

15,  ISCo ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  24, 1865. 

George  W.  Cover, 

must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 

Robert  E,  Pastorius,  corporal,  must,  iu  Nov 

23, 

1862;  disch. 

by  G.  0. 

George  W.  Crooks 

must,  in  Sept.  13,  1864. 

May  30, 18G5. 

Samuel  A.  Conn,  must,  in  Sept.  14,  1864. 

William  J.  Stewart,  corporal,  must,  in  Noi 

•  23, 

1802;  disch. 

by  G.  0. 

Jacob  Conn,  must 

in  Sept.  19,  1864. 

May  30,  1865. 

Ellas  Carey,  must 

i!i  Sept.  13, 1864. 

James  M.  Neil,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  186 

2;  d 

sch.  b} 

G.O 

Ml 

y  30, 

Conrad  Cramer,  m 

usf.  in  Sept.  2, 1864. 

1866. 

John  Cain,  must,  in  Nov.  2:i,  1862. 

Henry  M.  H.iyden,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  23 

1802 

;  disch 

byG 

.0. 

May 

Charles  H.  Comer 

must,  in  Nov.  23,1862. 

30,  1805. 

John  W.  Crotts,  must. in  Sept.  8, 1864. 

John  C.  Pastorius,  corpoial,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 

1865 

disch 

byG 

0. 

May 

Elijah  Coleman,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 

30,  1805. 

Daniel  Casey,  must,  in  April  7, 1864. 

Benjau.in  Lanntz,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 

1862 

disch 

byG 

0 

May 

Archibald  Clarke, 

must,  in  Jan.  14,  1864. 

30,  1865. 

Robert  R.  Creeks, 

must,  in  Feb.  5,  1864. 

Barton  S.  Robinson,  coi-poral,  must,  in  Feb.  25, 1864 

disch 

by  G.O.  Aug. 

John  Deets,  must 

in  March  28,  1864. 

8,  18G5. 

Henry  Dean,  mus 

.  in  March  24,  1804. 

Samuel  H.  Brown,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  23 

1862 

trans 

to  Co 

.D 

July 

Jonathan  Dunlap 

must,  in  March  24, 1864. 

H,  1.S05. 

OlhoDarr,  must. 

n  Nov.  23,  1862. 

Ueorije  W.  Arrison,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.23 

1862 

;  trans 

to  Co.  D  July 

Joseph  E.  Delline 

,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862, 

11,  1865. 

John  F.  Darren,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 

Jam.  a  J.  Gruver,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 

1862 

trans 

toCr 

.DJuly 

James  W.  Dougherty,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 

11,  1865. 

W.  C.  Degmond,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 

Joseph  C.  Curry,  corporal,  must,  in  March  29 

1864 

Samuel  E.  Davis, 

Bust,  in  Sept.  12, 1862. 

Isaac  H.  Hall,  bugler,  must,  in  March  29,  18G4  ; 

lUSt. 

ut  w 

th 

corn- 

Lewis  Davis,  mus 

in  Sept.  13,  1864. 

pany  Aug.  24,  1864. 

Samuel  C.  Dunba 

,  must,  in  Sept.  13, 1864. 

Frank  M.  Smith,  corporal,  must.  ii.  Feb.  27, 1864  ; 

must. 

ut  w 

th 

corn- 

Robert  Dinsmore, 

must,  in  Sept.  3, 1864. 

pany  Aug.  24,  1865. 

John  A.  Dehaven, 

must,  in  March  25, 1864. 

Robert  Porter,  blacksmith,  must,  in  Nov.  14, 

1862; 

must. 

out  w 

ith 

com- 

F. H.  Duncan,  mu 

3t.  in  March  31, 1864. 

pany  Aug.  24, 1865. 

David  Dore,  must 

in  Jan.  18.  1864. 

John  M.  Brown,  farrier,  must,  in  Nov.  14, 186 

;  mu 

St.  out  with 

on 

pany 

Alouzo  A.  Everly 

must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 

Auk.  24,  1865. 

Michael  Emerie,  i 

nnst.  in  Sept.  19,  1864. 

X:,lha„  L.  Walters,  farrier,  must,  in  Nov.  14, 

1802; 

must. 

out  w 

ith 

com- 

William  Epley,  must,  in  April  6, 1864. 

liaoy  Aug.  24,  1865. 

William  Erle,v,m 

ist.  in  Nov.  23, 1802. 

■K.iii.s  A.  Pratt,  farrier,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862;  disch.  by  G.  0 

May  30, 

Benjamin  Fogg,  must,  in  March  25,  1864. 

isi;,-.. 

Henry  C.  Fowler, 

must,  in  Sept.  19, 1864. 

Jonatlian  Grinder,  siiddler,  must,  iu  June  23, 

1864 

must. 

out  w 

ith 

com- 

Jasper  C.  Fox,  mu 

St.  iu  March  25, 1864. 

pany  Aug.  24,  1865. 

Amos  M.  Frock,  must,  in  March  16, 1804. 

Alljert  .Sheets,  saddler,  must,  in  June  23,  1864;  disch.  by  G.  0 

Ju 

neg, 

Jacob  Farr,  must. 

in  Nov.  23,  1S64. 

1805. 

John  W.  Gillen,  must,  in  Feb.  a5,  1864. 

Privates. 

JohnC.  Green,  mi 

St.  iuFeb.  29,1864. 

Ashbel  F.  Green,  must,  in  March  9, 1864. 

Samuel  Aitist,  must,  in  Feb.  26,  1864. 

Lewis  Gaskell,  must,  iu  Nov.  23,  1862. 

Geoi  ge  W.  Artist,  must,  in  Feb.  26,  1864. 

David  Garrison,  m 

ust.  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 

James  H.  Acklin,  n.ust.  in  Feb.  27, 1864. 

George  Garrison,  must  in  April  27, 1864. 

Charles  Allen,  must,  iu  Aug.  31, 1804. 

Charles  Galbraith 

must,  in  March  24, 1864. 

Joseph  Aston,  must,  in  Sept.  22,  1864. 

Matthew  N.  Gree 

,  must,  in  Feb.  20, 1864. 

Elijah  Artist,  must,  iu  Sept.  16,  1864. 

Joseph  W.  Green, 

must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 

Oliver  Abel,  must,  in  April  13, 1804. 

Moreland  Gribble 

must,  in  Feb.  29,  1864. 

John  11.  Allison,  must,  in  Jan.  30,  1864. 

Michael  Howton, 

must,  in  Feb.  27,  1864. 

Robert  Atchison,  must,  in  Nov.  13, 1802. 

James  M.  Harrison,  must,  in  March  16, 1804. 

Harvey  0.  Boyd,  must,  in  Feb.  29,  1804. 

David  Heisner,  ra 

.St.  in  Jan.  15,  1864. 

Eli  Black,  must,  in  Feb.  20,  1864. 

George  Hays,  mu 

t.  iu  Nov.  23,  1862. 

Corby  Barrackman,  must,  iu  March  24, 1804. 

William  Hankfoi 

must,  in  Nov,  23,  1802. 

George  W.  Brooks,  must,  in  March  9,  1864. 

Ethelbertn    IT!  ). 

,  II'. .-1    ii,  \..x    .•■■.,  ISC2. 

John  W.  Beatty,  must,  in  April  7, 1864. 

Aaron  B    II       ' 

John  C,  Brown,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802. 

Thomas  11    Ml, 

II        -  1      1     ;  -.  1, 

John  Butler,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 

William  11m|,,,,,. 

i.i-i    11,  \,..,    ■.,;    l-.i" 

Caldwell  G.  Byers,  must,  iu  Nov.  23,1862. 

Richard  Hill,  iini 

t,  in  Sej.t.  l:;,  isct. 

Milton  Barmore,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1802. 

Jacob  Hull,  must. 

in  March  9,  1864. 

Samuel  Blis.s,  must  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 

James  C.  Huhm, 

lUst.  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 

John  Bell,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 

John  Harvey,  mu 

t.  in  April  13,  1864. 

A.  D.  Brownfleld,  must,  in  Nov.2.i,  1862. 

Levi  Hays,  must. 

n  Nov.  2:!,  1302. 

James  W.Buuner,mU8t.  in  Sept  12,  1864. 

Philip  G.Hughes 

must  in  March  12,  1804. 

John  A.  Brown,  must,  in  March  10,  1864. 

William  Hilea,  m 

St.  inSept.  l,l,sr,4. 

Isaac  Bouch,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802. 

.lolin  M    llarlnia 

n,.,-t    i.,  ^..,.t    ._■,  isr,4. 

Luther  Bromfleld,  must,  in  Sept.  14,  1864. 

John  C.  Brown,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 

K.ilirll     11       II    ,.    , 

■  .1    ■    .    \  .       ,  ;  -..1. 

George  W.  Bowers,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1S02. 

Willialn    li  »  ih,  (. 

-      •,   iL.      .    .     1  ■.;! 

Thomas  H.  Bower,  must,  in  March  30, 1864. 

imi-      ■    1  .  '    ;   ,  I-.  t. 

Henry  C.  Blauey,  must,  in  March  9,  1864. 

James  S.  Jack,  n, 

-t     1..    i                    ■  -■    i 

Joseph  Biglow,  must,  in  Nov.  2.J,  1862. 

Thomas  Johnstoi 

Sanmel  Baker,  must,  iu  Got.  6,  1804. 

William  J.  Janes 

1IIII-1    II,  \..i    'J  ;,  is.vj. 

William  C.  Blaney,  must,  in  March  <J,  1864. 

James  W.I , 

."-'    |.   ..  1   j:l,  1H04. 

William  F.  Baulton,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 

William  .1  .         , 

1     '.   -s,  1864. 

George  Bowman,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 

Adrian  .1   i,      • 

1     N..V   23,1862. 

Daniel  Crise,  must,  iu  Dec.  14, 1863. 

Daniel  Ii    K.  ii-l. 

1.1  ,t    III  K.-l,,  211,  1804. 

Edward  Camp,  must,  in  Feb.  1,  1S04. 

Josiah  Kbka.len, 

miisl.  in  Feb.  211,  1864. 

HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Joseph  KenniBon,  must,  in  Feb.  20,  18C4. 
Robert  L.  Keener,  must,  in  Nov.  2.!,  18C2. 
Henry  C.  Keys,  ninst.  in  March  28, 1804. 
William  Lago,  must,  in  Jan.  4,  1864. 
James  Lockwood,  must,  in  March  29,  1864. 
John  H.  Lynch,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802. 
Charles  Lnciwig,  must,  in  Sept.  8,  1804. 
Noah  Lape,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
James  W.  D.  Lowe,  must,  in  Feb.  26,  1864. 
Andrew  P.  Loughry,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
Audrew  J.  Malarky,  must,  in  Feb.  3,  1804. 
James  W.  Malone,  must,  in  Feb.  8,  1804. 
Abraham  B.  Maurt,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802. 


1  Nov, 


1862 


Alpheus  Map! 
Street  F.  Marsteller,  must,  in  Aug.  27,  1864. 
Willi;im  Mallaby,  must,  in  Sept.  14,  1864. 
Hnrv.-y  Monteitli,  must,  in  Sept.  14,  1864. 
Elijali  Myers,  must,  in  March  10,  1864. 
Tliomas  Martin,  must,  in  Dec.  9,  1803. 
Lewis  K.  Mecliling,  must,  in  Feb.  2,  1864. 
Eeason  Moore,  must,  in  Feb.  29,  1864. 
William  Mauler,  must,  in  Nov.  18,  1864. 


1  Mitchell 


dR  M 
ph  M  11 


Marcli  10, 1804. 
t        Ap    1  8  1S64 


H 

hON    1 

w  Ik     y.  0 

H 

yM  Ob 

CI 

1     ON 

Job 

nW  ON 

Isa 

B  0  b 

Al 

IphP 

01 

Pa  k 

Ge 

geW   R  g 

Pe 

yRbn 

Th 

ma       R    t 

Al 

a  d     E    1 

John  C  E  U 

Jol 

R   dg           B 

Alb 

tH  E 

Jol 

R  mbl     n 

Fra 

11      R    1 

Wl 

u    F  E  t  1 

Joh 

RoL 

Otl 

M   Rl    d 

Eln 

S  yd      n 

1804 

r  1S04 

1     5  1864 


Jeremiah  Stewart,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Samuel  M.  Simonton,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Clai-k  R.  Stoner,  must,  iu  Sept.  14, 1864. 
Gottlieb  Sterner,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1804. 
John  H.  Simpson,  must,  in  Sept.  14,  1864. 
Matthew  Sheridan,  must,  in  Sept.  19,  1804. 
.Joliu  Sutton,  must.  In  Sept.  5,  1864. 
Estep  Smith,  must,  in  Sept.  22, 1804. 
Joseph  M.  Sangston,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1S04. 
James  S.  Saundere,  must,  iu  Feb.  27,  l.'i64. 


I  Feb. 


,  1804. 


William  Snow,  must,  in  March  24,  1864. 
George  W.  Stewart,  must,  in  Nov.  18, 1864. 
Alpheus  Swearingen,  must,  in  Oct.  28, 1804. 
Edward  Seiberte,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1864. 
William  M.  Stone,  must,  in  Feb.  28,  1804. 
Woodbury  Smith,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Arthur  Stevens,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
Martiu  Stoner,  must,  in  Sept.  14, 1864. 
Philip  Troutman,  must,  in  Feb.  24, 1864. 
John  Thompsm,  must,  in  Sept.  14, 1864. 
Benjamin  F.  Tobin,  must,  in  Nov.  ai,  1802. 
And.  J.  Thompson,  must,  in  Sept.  14, 1864. 
Robert  Thompson,  must,  in  Feb.  20, 1804. 
Tliomas  M.  Williamson,  must,  in  March  31,  1804. 
Alphens  Woody,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Henry  K.  Ward,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Thoma.s  Williams,  must,  iu  Nov.  23, 1862. 
John  Williams,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Morgan  B.  Wilcox,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Daniel  Walters,  must,  in  July  27,  1864. 
John  M.  Weltner,  must,  iu  July  26, 1864. 
Samuel  Wlieteler,  must,  iu  Nov.  23,  1802. 
John  Weaver,  must,  in  March  29, 1804. 
Thomas  B.  Walker,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
Benjamin  Woody,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1802. 
William  H.  Younkers,  must,  in  Aug.  2, 1864. 
William  F.  Young,  must,  in  Sept.  1, 1864. 
James  W.  Yager,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
Uriah  T.  Young,  must,  in  Sept.  1, 1864. 

Company  F. 
Calvin  Springer,  captain,  must,  in  Nov.  29, 1862  ;  disch.  Jan.  18, 1864. 
.lames  J.  Jackson,  captain,  must,  in  Nov.  29,  1862;  wounded  at  White 

Sulphur  Springs,  Va.,  Aug.  26, 1803;  pro.  from  first  lieutenant  Jan. 

14,1864;  disch.  Dec.  6,  1864. 
J.  S.  Schoonmakcr,  captain,  must,  in  Nov.  29,  1862 ;  pro.  from  second  to 

first  lieutenant  Jan.  14,  1864;  to  captain  Jan.  28,  1865;  disch.  by 

general  order  July  31, 1865. 
Charles  W.  E.  Welty,  captain,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802;  must,  out  with 

company  Aug.  24, 1865. 
John  H.  Nesmith,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Oct.  21, 1862 ;  pro.  from  first 

sergeant  to  secoud  lieutenant  May  15, 1864;  to  first  lieutenant  Jan. 

28,  1865 ;  wounded  at  Ashby's  Gap,  Va.,  Feb.  19,  1866  ;  disch.  by  gen- 
eral order  July  31,  1S05. 
Wm.  H.  Colling,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Sept.  11,  1862;  must,  out  with 

company  AuL^  24,  l.sii.', 
N.E.  Ilun:-'!-. 


Milto: 


Jordan  M.  Nesli 

with  company  Aug.  24, 1865. 

James  H.  Nesmith,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1802 ;  must,  out  with 
company  Aug.  24, 1805. 

Jesse  F.  Core,  quartermaster-sergeant,  must,  in  Jan.  7, 1804;  must,  out 
with  company  Aug.  24, 1865. 

John  J.  Hertzog,  quartermaster-sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1802;  pro. 
from  sergeant  Jan.  14, 1804;  disch.  by  general  order  May  30, 1805. 

Clark  McLaughlin,  commissary-sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1802;  must, 
out  with  company  Aug.  24,  1865. 

Daniel  W.  Dull,  sergeant,  must,  in  Feb.  23,  1804;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany Aug.  24,  1865. 

Benjamin  F.  Siple,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1802 ;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany Aug.  24, 1805. 

Samuel  M.  Kerr,  sergeant,  must,  in  Feb.  14,  1864;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany Aug.  24,  1805. 


i -utenaut,  mu 

St.  in  Nov.  23,  1862;  pro.  from 

1    J7,  1805;  tn 

ns.  to  Co.  D  July  31, 1865. 

1  lieutenan 

,  must,  in  Nov.  23,1862;  must. 

K.  24, 1805. 

sergeant,  mus 

.  in  Nov.  23,  1862;  must,  out 

WAR  OF  THE   REBELLION. 


31,  1865;  must,  out  Willi  couiliuiiy  Aug.  24,  ISOj. 
William  Liston,  sergeant,  must,  ia  Nov.  2J,  J862j  pro.  from  private  May 

1, 1865 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  May  30, 1865. 
John  M.  Holmes,  sergeant,  must,  in  Nov.  2:i,  1862;  absent  in  hospital  at 

Jonathan  Boyd,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862;  must,  out  with  company 
Aug.  24,  1865. 

William  Dull,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862  ;  must,  out  with  compauy 
Aug.  24,  1865. 

John  A.  Mikeaell,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb.  4, 1864;  must,  out  with  com- 
pauy Aug.  24,  1865. 

William  Stnll,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb.  28,  1864  ;  must,  out  with  company 
Aug.  24, 1865. 

Joseph  E.  Richey,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb.  8,  1864;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany Aug.  24,  1865. 

John  Fleming,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb.  1, 1864;  must,  out  with  company 
Aug.  24,  1865. 

Samuel  A.  Brysou,  must,  in  Feb.  6,  1864;  must,  out  with  company  Aug. 
24,  I860. 

Robert  Hazlett,  corporal,  must,  in  Jan.  5, 1864;  must,  out  with  company 
Aug.  24,  1865. 

Hamilton  C.Inglis,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862;  pro.  to  corporal 
March  1,  1864 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  May  30, 1865. 

Harry  Prophet,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862  ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  May  30, 
1865. 

Sampson  B.  Hart,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1865;  disch.  by  G.  O.  May 
30,  1865. 

Herman  Detriok,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1864;  disch.  by  G.  O.  May 
30, 1865. 

Theodore  Mondolle,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1864;  disch.  by  G.  0.  May 
30,  1865. 

David  McKinney,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 

Jacob  Aurell,  bugler,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862  ;  disch,  by  G.  O.  May  30, 1865. 

John  G.  Hart,  bugler,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862 ;  pro.  to  chief  bugler  June 
1, 1865. 

Abner  S.  Roberts,  blacksmith,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862;  disch.  by  G.  0. 
May  30,  1865. 

Michael  Frick,  farrier,  must,  in  March  31, 1864 ;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany Aug.  24,  1865. 

Anderson  Minerd,  farrier,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 

Hugh  C.  Brown,  saddler,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862;  disch.  by  G.  0.  May  30, 


Privates. 

Francis  S.  Altman,  must,  in  Feb.  29, 1864. 
Frank  Abel,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
David  Brooks,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
Daniel  Brooks,  must,  in  Feb.  28,  1864. 
Lewis  D.  Buzzard,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
Samuel  E.  Banks,  must,  in  Feb.  22, 1864. 
George  W.  Bowie,  must,  in  Deo.  2,  1863. 
Henry  Burns,  must,  in  Dec.  2, 1863. 
John  Baker,  must,  in  Oct  7,  1864. 
John  Ball,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
Edward  M.  Brynon,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
Isaac  Balsinger,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Allen  Bryuer,  must,  in  Feb.  23, 1864. 
Andrew  Brobst,  must,  in  Aug.  24, 1864. 
John  Bierworth,  must,  in  Aug.  24,  1864. 
Wm.  Brownfield,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
George  W.  Burner,  must,  in  Sept.  16,  1864. 
Joseph  C.  Brady,  must,  in  Sept.  7,  1864. 
T.  J.  Buner,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
Judson  Bodkins,  must,  in  Aug.  1,  1862. 
W.  M.  Buichinal,  must,  in  April  14,  1864. 
John  C.  Biimer,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
Wm.  T.  Bniiier,  must,  iu  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Samuel  Bumsworth,  must,  in  Feb.  28,  1862. 
James  K.  Burgess,  must,  in  March  9,  1862. 
James  Braddie,  must,  in  Sept.  7, 1862. 
T.  M.  Clelland,  must,  in  Feb.  16,  1862. 
G.  W.  Campbell,  must,  in  Feb.  25,  1862. 
John  Cain,  must,  in  Dec.  2, 1863. 
Ewing  Christopher,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
John  C.  Core,  must,  in  Dec.  25, 1863. 
John  C.  Cartin,  must,  in  Sept.  5, 1864. 


Francis  Carney,  must,  in  March  31, 1864. 
Andrew  Cooper,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Patrick  B.  Cooley,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
John  Collins,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Andrew  E.  Collins,  must,  in  Feb.  28, 1864. 
Andrew  Dodson,  must,  in  Feb.  26, 1864. 
Stewart  Durban,  must,  in  Aug.  1,  1863. 
Thomas  Dougherty,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
Abraham  Evans,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
John  A.  Early,  must,  in  July  12, 1864. 
A.  H.  Eshenbaugh,  must,  in  March  24, 1864. 
Thomas  W.  Elliott,  must,  in  March  20,  1864. 
David  Emerson,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
David  T.  Fry,  must,  in  Feb.  25, 1864. 
Wm.  A.  Fleming,  must,  in  Fob.  4,  1864. 
James  Frazier,  must,  in  Jan.  20,  1864. 
Wm.  II.  Fry,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
Nicholas  Frishcom,  must,  in  Aug.  24,  1864. 
F.  M.  Fleming,  must,  in  Jan.  4,  1864. 
James  Dougherty,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
William' A.  Evans,  must,  in  Feb.  24, 1864. 
Philip  Frederick,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Allison  Freeman,  must,  iu  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Edmund  Federer,  must,  in  Aug.  26, 1862. 
James  A.  George,  must,  in  March  27, 1864. 
Richard  German,  must,  in  Jan.  20, 1864. 
Henry  D.  Gilmore,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 


Leopold  Gross,  r 
George  P.  Green 
Levi  Goodwin,  n 
Wm.  B.  Gow],  m 
John  Gardner,  n 


t.  in  Aug.  12,  1864. 
ust.  in  Sept.  3,1864. 
I.  in  Nov.  23,  1862.  . 
.  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
;.  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 


Eckhart  Houk,  must,  iu  Feb.  22, 1864. 
Jacob  Houk,  must,  in  Feb.  25, 1864. 
Willis  B.  Harbaugli,  must,  in  Feb.  28, 1864. 
Isaac  B.  Houk,  must,  in  Feb.  22,  1864. 
Henry  Hair,  must,  in  Feb.  4,  1864. 
John  Hand,  must,  in  Jan.  20,  1864. 
Miles  Hand,  must,  iu  Aug.  1,  1863. 
Edward  S.  Hayden,  must,  iu  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Reuben  Honk,  must,  in  Jan.  4,  1864. 
.\laiison  Hudson,  must,  in  Nov.  2:J,  1862. 
David  L.  Halh  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Abraham  Hill,  must,  in  Feb.  25, 1864. 


Nov.; 


Ale.\ander  Hager,  n 
Fred.  M.  Hicks,  mui 
John  M.  Hackett,  n 
Mitchell  Hnniil,  ii.u 

Robert  llam 

Jesse  Hall,  -i    in 

Thomas  Hngli.s,  iiii 
Peter  Ingles,  must,  i 
Samuel  Ingles,  musi 
Peter  K.  Johnson,  n 
John  Johnson,  must 
William  James,  mm 
Joseph  Johnson,  mii 
Wm.  Kirkwood,  mii 
Butler  Kissinger,  in 
James  W.  Kenan,  m 
John  Keiser,  must. 
W.  H.  Kent,  must,  i 
Jacob  Leonard,  mus 
Valorins  Lilly,  musI 
Abraham  Liston,  nu 
David  LafTerty,  mus 
Matthias  Lilly,  mus 
James  W.  Luellan,  1 
Wm.  F.  Leech,  musI 
Wm.  C.  Leasty,  mus 
Andrew  Lancaster, 
David  Leech,  must. 
John  Lowrie,  must, 
Jacob  Lowrie,  must. 


in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
I  Nov.  23,  1862. 

in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
.  Feb.  29,  1864.     , 


in  March  29,1862. 
Jov.  23,  1862. 
I  Nov,  23,  1862. 
;.  in  Feb.  25,  1862. 


I  Nov.  23,  1862. 


I  Feb. 


,  1864. 


St.  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
1st.  in  Sept.  15,  1864. 
1  Aug.  24,  1864. 

Nov.  23,  1862. 

in  Feb.  27,  1864. 

in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
It.  iu  Nov.  23,  1862. 

in  Nov.  2,3,  1862. 


I  Nov, 


1S62. 


must,  in  Sept.  8,  1862. 
t.  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
it.  in  Feb.  12,  1864. 
must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Noiih  Lape,  must,  in 

Nov.  23;  18G2. 

Lucius  S.  MarteD,  must.  In  Feb.  23, 1864. 

Wm.  B.  Mitchell,  mi 

St.  iu  March  12, 1864. 

Peter  Mitcliell.iiiu^t 

in  Nov.  2:i,  1862. 

James  H.  >1  n,-.,. 

,i..i    II,  Nov.  23,  1S62. 

Frederi.K  1:    'I  . 

:  M-:    in  Nov.  23,  1862. 

Micluiolc    >i 

.,1    1,1  Nov.  23,  1862. 

ConnulMiLi^,  i.iii.t 

in,>.i't..5,  1864. 

John  Molrow,  must. 

iu  Aug.  29.  1864. 

George  Miller,  must 

in  Nov.  23,  1862. 

Zacliariah  Moon,  must,  in  March  15,  1864. 

Josejih  Miller,  must 

in  Nov.  23,  1862. 

Harry  L.  Maple,  mu 

t.  iu  Nov.  23, 1862. 

Everett  Meyers,  mils 

.  in  Feb.  2,  1864. 

Curlis  McQuillian,  n 

ust.  in  Nov.  23,  1863. 

Wm.  A.  McDowell,  II 

U3t.  in  Sept.  1.5,  1864. 

Matthew  S.  McGarve 

y,  must,  in  Feb.  25,  1864 

Francis  McHeiiry,  m 

ust.  in  Feb.  25,  1SG4. 

John  B.  McMullen, 

nnst.  in  Nov.  23,1862. 

Kohert  P.  McCleUan 

must,  in  Sept.  17,  1864. 

Wm.  McCloskey,  mu 

St.  in  Aug.  26,  1862. 

John  Neeman,  must 

in  Nov.  2:!,  1S62. 

Joseph  M.  dinger,  must,  in  Feb.  22,  1864. 

James  W.  Orr,  must. 

in  Feb.  1,  1864. 

Andrew  Oclines,  mu 

t.  in  Jan.  4, 1864. 

George  D.  Peterman 

must,  in  Feb.  29, 1864. 

Martin  Peterman,  n 

ust.  in  Fob.  13,  1864. 

J.  W.  Poundstone,  u 

ust.  in  Nov.  23,1862. 

Wm.  H.  Parker,  must,  in  Feb.  23,  1864. 

Bliss  Palmer,  must. 

John  H.  Preston,  n.i 

■r     in    N..I     J  :     1 -n'J. 

Jimp  S.  Patterson,  i, 

.'      '   1'          i    l-i.:;. 

Joseph  Rowen,  nlu^ 

1,1           .    1  -' 

David  Rowen,  miisl. 

in    \..>    J  ;,   l-n/ 

John  Kutlege,  musl. 

in  Nov.  2:!,  IS«2. 

John  Kicliards,  mus 

iuDec.  28,1863. 

George  Keshel,  must 

in  Aug.  3(1,  1864. 

JohuKhorMMilst    in 

AUL'    -'4,  lsl-,4. 

Absalom  l;i,,l.     hH 

t    ,n  <.|.i    rn  l-r4. 

Daniel 


Joseph  A.  Wott,  must,  in  Feb.  23,  1864. 
Wallace  Watterson,  must,  in  July  12, 1864. 
Charles  Warner,  must,  in  Nov.  22, 1862. 
William  Warrick,  must,  in  Jan.  7,  1864. 
Matthew  Wilson,  must,  in  Dec.  14, 1863. 
Alpheus  Wilson,  must.iu  Nov.  23, 1862. 
John  Waunan,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
David  C.  Winders,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
George  Wygold,  must  in  Aug.  24, 1864. 
Martin  Wygold,  must,  in  Ang.  24,  1864. 
Frank  Woodsides,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
Isaiah  Wilson,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
S.  P.  Waltonbaugh,  must,  in  Feb.  23, 1864. 
James  Williams,  must,  in  Nov.  23. 1862. 
William  Willy,  must,  in  Nov.  23, 1862. 
William  Woods,  must,  in  Nov.  23,  1862. 
Joel  T.  Woods,  must,  in  Aug.  18, 1864. 
George  W.  Zinn,  must,  in  Sept.  7, 1864. 


.  23,  1S62. 
I,  1S62. 
t.  17,  1862. 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

WAR  OF  THE  REBELLION— (0,h(i«u«/). 
The  Sixleeuth  Cavalry. 

The  Sixteenth  Cav.ilry,  numbered  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Sixty-first  of  the  Pennsylvania  Line,  and 
one  of  the  most  renowned  cavalry  regiments  in  the 
service  of  the  United  States  in  the  war  of  the  Rebel- 
lion, was  raised  in  the  fall  of  1862,  and  composed  of 
men  from  twenty  counties  of  the  State  of  Pennsylva- 
nia. The  rendezvous  was  first  established  at  Camp 
Simmons,  near  Harrisburg,  but  was  afterwards  re- 
moved to  Camp  McClellan,  where  the  regimental 
organization  was  completed  about  the  middle  of 
November.  The  field-otficers  of  the  Sixteenth  at  its 
organization  were :  Colonel,  John  Irvin  Gregg,  a  vet- 
eran of  the  Mexican  war  and  a  line-oflicer  in  the  reg- 
ular army;  Lieutenant-Colonel,  Lorenzo  D.  Rodgers, 
of  Venango  County;  Majors,  William  A.  West,  of  Fay- 
ette County,  William  H.  Fry,  of  Philadelphia,  and 
John  Stroup,  of  Mifflin.  Two  companies  of  the  regi- 
j  ment  were  composed  of  men  recruited  in  Fayette 
County,  viz. :  Company  B,  Capt.  John  T.  Hurst,  and 
Company  (i,  Capt.  John  K.  Fisher. 

On  the  30th  of  November  the  regiment  proceeded 

to  Washington,  D.  C,  and  was  moved  thence  to  a 

camp  near  Bladensburg,  Md.     On  the  3d  of  January, 

1863,  it  moved  to  the  Rappahannock,  and  went  into 

1  winter-quarters  near  the  railroad  bridge  over  Potomac 

Creek,  being  assigned  to  duty  with  Averill's  brigade, 

which  was  then  attached  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

Its  winter  duty  was  severe,  it  being  almost  continually 

I  on  picket  duty  on  a  line  nearly  eight  miles  from  the 

1  regimental  camp.     On  the  17th  of  March,  1863,  the 

1  Sixteenth  fought  its  first  battle  at  Kelly's  Ford,  on 

1  which  occasion  it  occupied  the  right  of  the  line  and 

did  its  duty  well,  tliough  with  slight  loss. 

In  the  spring  campaign  of  1863,  which  culminated 
in  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  the  Sixteenth  was 
constantly  active,  the  men  being  almost  continually 
in  the  saddle  from  the  13th  of  April,  when  they  left 


WAR   OF   THE   REBELLION. 


225 


their  winter-quarters,  until  the  5th  of  May,  when  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  recrossed  the  Rappahannock 
after  the  disaster  of  Chancellorsville.  During  this 
time  the  regiment  skirmished  with  the  enemy's  cav- 
alry at  Brandy  Station  (April  29th)  and  at  Ely's  Ford 
(May  2d),  but  in  these  affairs  lost  only  one  man  killed. 
On  the  25th  of  May  the  cavalry  of  the  two  armies 
were  hotly  engaged  at  Brandy  Station,  but  the  Six- 
teenth, being  without  saddles,  did  not  take  an  active 
part  in  the  light.  On  the  11th  of  June  it  was  brigaded 
with  the  Fourth  Pennsylvania,  Tenth  New  York,  and 
Fii-st  Maine  Regiments  of  cavalry,  forming  the  Sec- 
ond Brigade  (under  Col.  J.  I.  Gregg)  of  the  Second 
Division  of  the  cavalry  corps  under  Gen.  Pleasonton. 

The  Confederate  army  under  Gen.  Lee  was  moving 
to  the  invasion  of  Pennsylvania,  and  on  the  13th  of 
June  the  cavalry  corps  commenced  the  northward 
march  which  led  to  the  battle-field  of  Gettysburg. 
On  the  IStli  the  Sixteenth  took  the  advance,  and  was 
compelled  to  fight  its  way  through  nearly  the  entire 
day.  On  the  following  day  it  was  the  same,  the  Six- 
teenth fighting  dismounted  and  taking  the  enemy's 
positions  one  after  another,  but  only  losing  eleven 
killed  and  wounded.  On  the  21st  the  enemy  again 
disputed  the  way,  and  were  driven  in  some  disorder 
through  Ashby's  Gap. 

In  the  conflict  at  Gettysburg  the  regiment  with  its 
brigade  was  partially  engaged  on  the  2d  of  July,  hut 
suffered  very  slight  loss.  On  the  3d  it  was  in  line 
and  under  artillery  fire,  but  not  actively  engaged. 
In  the  pursuit  of  Lee's  retreating  army,  after  the 
battle,  it  took  active  part,  and  on  the  16th  of  July, 
beyond  Shepherd.stown,  Va.,  it  stood  in  line  for  eight 
hours,  during  a  part  of  which  time  it  bore  the  weight 
of  a  fierce  attack  of  the  Confederate  cavalry,  losing 
twenty-one  killed  and  wounded.  Among  the  latter 
was  Capt.  John  K.  Fisher,  of  "  G"  company,  who 
received  wounds  by  which  he  was  disabled  for  ser- 
vice. 

After  the  escape  of  Gen.  Lee  and  the  crossing  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  into  Virginia,  the  Sixteenth 
took  part  in  nearly  all  the  marches,  countermarches, 
skirmishes,  and  fights  of  the  cavalry  corps  during  the 
remainder  of  the  year  down  to  the  movement  against 
the  enemy's  strong  works  at  Mine  Run,  its  aggregate 
losses  in  these  operations  being  quite  large.  After 
the  abandonment  of  the  Mine  Run  campaign  it  re- 
crossed  the  Rapidan  and  encamped  near  Bealton 
Station.  From  the  21st  to  the  31st  of  December  it 
was  employed  with  the  brigade  in  an  expedition  to 
Luray,  where  some  factories  and  a  large  amount  of 
Confederate  stores  were  destroyed.  Immediately 
after  this  it  took  part  in  a  raid  to  Front  Royal,  from 
which  it  returned  by  way  of  Manassas  Gap,  and 
about  the  middle  of  January,  1864,  went  into  winter- 
quarters  at  Turkey  Run,  near  Warrenton. 

In  the  spring  campaign  of  1864  the  brigade  of 
which  the  Sixteenth  was  a  part,  crossed  the  Rapidan 
and  entered  the  Wilderness  with  the  Second  Corps 


of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  It  became  engaged  on 
',  the  6th  of  May,  and  again  on  the  7th,  when  the  Six- 
teenth fought  dismounted,  and  bravely  held  its  po- 
sition against  determined  attacks  of  the  enemy.  On 
the  8th  eight  companies  of  the  regiment,  mounted, 
charged  with  the  sabre,  'suflfering  considerable  loss. 
On  the  9th  the  cavalry,  under  Gen.  P.  H.  Sheridan, 
moved  around  the  right  flank  of  Lee's  army,  destined 
for  a  raid  against  Richmond.  A  large  number  of 
Union  prisoners  on  their  way  from  the  Wilderness 
battle-grounds  to  the  Southern  prisons  were  released, 
and  the  cavalry  column  destroyed  immense  quantities 
of  stores  at  the  Beaver  Dam  Station  of  the  Richmond 
and  Potomac  Railroad.  On  the  morning  of  the  11th, 
at  Hanover  Church,  the  enemy  attacked  furiously, 
but  was  repulsed.  In  the  fighting  of  that  day  the 
Confederate  cavalry  general  J.  E.  B.  Stuart  was  killed. 
On  the  12th,  at  daybreak,  the  Union  cavalry  entered 
the  outer  works  of  Richmond,  but  the  position  could 
not  be  held.  The  enemy  closed  in  overwhelming 
numbers  on  three  sides  of  the  Union  force,  whose 
situation  became  hourly  more  critical,  but  Sheridan 
released  himself  by  desperate  fighting,  and  crossing 
the  Chickahominy,  rejoined  the  main  army  on  the 
25th  of  May. 

A  movement  by  Gregg  and  Merritt  down  the  Pa- 
munkey,  on  the  26th,  resulted  in  the  heavy  engage- 
ment at  Hawes'  Shop  in  the  afternoon  of  the  28th, 
in  which  action  the  Sixteenth  lost  twenty-four  killed 
and  wounded.  A  few  days  later  the  regiment  with 
its  brigade  accompanied  Sheridan  in  his  expedition 
towards  Lynchburg,  and  in  a  sharp  fight  which  re- 
sulted at  Trevillian  Station  the  Sixteenth  lost  sixteen 
killed  and  wounded.  Unable  to  reach  Lynchburg, 
Sheridan  turned  back  and  made  his  way  to  White 
House,  on  the  Pamunkey,  from  which  place  with  his 
own  train  and  eight  hundred  additional  wagons  be- 
longing to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  he  marched  on 
the  25th  of  June  for  the  James  River.  The  enemy 
was  determined  to  capture  the  trains  if  possible,  and 
for  that  purpose  made  a  most  desperate  assault  in 
greatly  superior  numbers  at  St.  Mary's  Church,  but 
were  repelled  and  finally  driven  back  by  Gregg's 
command,  which  covered  the  right  on  the  roads  lead- 
ing from  Richmond.  In  this  engagement  the  Six- 
teenth took  prominent  part,  and  fought  with  its  cus- 
tomary stubbornness  and  gallantry,  repelling  repeated 
charges  of  the  enemy.  Crossing  the  James,  the  com- 
mand was  sent  on  the  1st  of  July  to  the  relief  of  Gen. 
Wilson,  who  was  in  a  critical  situation  on  the  Weldon 
Railroad,  but  he  escaped  from  his  perilous  position 
without  assistance. 

Late  in  July  the  regiment  with  its  division  and  a 
column  of  infantry  recrossed  the  James  on  a  recon- 
noissance  in  force,  in  which  the  Sixteenth  became 
engaged  near  Malvern  Hill,  charging,  mounted,  and 
lost  nine  killed  and  wounded.  The  expedition  re- 
turned on  the  30th.  About  the  middle  of  August  the 
division  again  crossed  to  the  north  side  of  the  James, 


226 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


and  fought  at  Deep  Run  and  White's  Tavern.  lu 
the  latter  fight  the  Sixteenth  lost  thirty-one  killed 
and  wounded  out  of  a  total  of  less  than  two  hundred 
men  which  it  took  in.  Again,  on  an  expedition  to 
the  Weldon  Railroad,  it  was  engaged  on  the  23d,  24th, 
and  25th  of  August,  losing  in  the  three  days'  skirmish 
twelve  killed  and  wounded.  On  the  15th  and  16th 
of  September  it  was  again  skirmishing  with  the 
enemy's  cavalry  near  Poplar  Spring  Church.  About 
this  time  the  regiment  was  armed  with  the  Spencer 
repeater  in  place  of  the  Sharp's  carbine  previously 
used.  On  the  27th  of  October  it  was  heavily  engaged 
at  Boydton  plank-road,  losing  thirty-one  killed  and 
wounded.  From  the  1st  to  the  7th  of  December  it 
was  engaged  in  raiding  along  the  Weldon  Railroad, 
but  suffered  no  loss.  On  the  12th  it  returned  to  camp, 
and  soon  after  went  into  winter-quarters  at  Hancock's 
Station.  During  the  winter  (February  6th)  it  fought 
in  the  battle  of  Hatcher's  Run,  dismounted,  and  sus- 
tained a  loss  of  fifteen  killed  and  wounded,  among 
the  latter  being  Lieut.  George  W.  Brooks,  of  "  B " 
company. 

In  the  closing  campaign  of  1865,  the  Sixteenth,  like 
the  rest  of  the  cavalry,  was  in  constant  activity.  On 
the  31st  of  March,  in  an  engagement  at  Dinwiddie 
Court-House,  it  lost  eighteen  killed  and  wounded, 
Capt.  Frederick  W.  Heslop,  of  "  G  "  company,  being 
among  the  latter.  In  the  fight  at  Five  Forks,  April 
2d,  it  lost  seven  killed  and  wounded.  On  the  5th,  at 
Amelia  Springs,  and  on  the  6th,  at  Sailor's  Creek,  its 
loss  was  eighteen  killed  and  wounded,  the  list  of  the 
latter  including  Capt.  H.  H.  Oliphant,  of  "  G,"  and 
Lieut.  William  M.  Everhart,  of  "B"  company. 
Lieut.  Norman  J.  Ball,  of  "  G  "  company,  was  among 
the  wounded  in  the  engagement  at  Farmville,  on 
the  7th. 

After  the  surrender  of  Lee  (April  9th)  the  regiment 
was  moved  to  Petersburg,  and  thence  to  North  Caro- 
lina, to  support  the  advancing  columns  of  Sherman, 
but  soon  returned,  and  was  sent  to  Lynchburg  to 
guard  the  captured  stores  and  preserve  order.  It  re- 
mained there  till  the  beginning  of  August,  when  it 
was  moved  to  Richmond,  and  there  mustered  out  of 
service  on  the  7th  of  that  month. 

FAYETTE  COUNTY  MEMBERS  OF  THE  SIXTEENTH  CAVALRY. 


John  T.  Hurst,  capUin,  must,  in  Nov.  7,  1862;  discli.  on  surgeon's  cer- 
tificate Marcli  30, 1863. 

Robert  W.  McDowell,  captain,  must,  in  Sept.  26,  1862;  pro.  from  first 
lieutenant  Marcli  30,1863;  brevet  major  March  13,1865;  com.  major 
May  18,  186j;  not  must. ;  trans,  to  Co.  A  July  24,  1865. 

Henry  H.  Olipliant,  captain,  trans,  from  Co.  G  July  24,  1865  ;  must,  out 


George  W.  IJrooks,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Nov.  8,  1862;  pro.  from 
second  lieutenant  March  30,  1863  ;  brevet  captain  March  13, 186.') ; 
com.  captain  May  18,  1865;  wounded  at  Hatcher's  Kun,  Va.,  Feb.  0, 
1866  ;  disch.  by  G.  O.  July  24,  1865. 

Michael  Cannon,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Sept.  5, 1862;  must,  out  with 
company  Aug.  11,  1865. 

Samuel  Thompson,  second  lieutenant,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862  ;  pro.  from 
first  sergeant  March  30,  1863;  wounded  at  Ely's  Ford,  Va.,  May  2, 
1863  ;  disch.  on  surgeon's  certificate  Nov.  24,  1803. 


William  M.  Everhart,  second  lieutenant,  must,  in  Aug.  28,  1864;  pro. 
from  sergeant  Co.  L  July  24,  1864;  brevet  captain  March  3,  1865; 
com.  first  lieutenant  May  18,  1865;  wounded  at  Sailor's  Creek,  Va., 
April  6,  1866  ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  July  24,  1865. 

Henry  Schively,  second  lieutenant,  must,  in  Oct.  13,  1862;  must,  out 
with  company  Aug.  11, 1805. 

James  Kawl,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Feb.  16, 1865;  pro.  from  private 
June  15,  1865;  must,  out  with  company  .\ug.  11, 1865. 

William  A.  McDowell,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862 ;  pro.  to 
commissary  subsistence  Nov.  16,  1862. 

William  H.  Hagans,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862;  disch.  on 
surgeon's  certificate  March  6, 1863. 

Isaac  P.  Eberhart,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862;  disch.  by  G.  0. 
May  13, 1865. 

William  F.  Walter,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862 ;  pro.  from  ser- 
geant to  quartermaster-sergeant  Nov.  16, 1863  ;  first  sergeant  Sept. 
1, 1864;  com.  second  lieutenant  May  18,  1865;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June 
16,  1865. 

James  E.  Easton,  quartermaster-sergeant,  must,  in  Feb.  14,  1865 ;  pro. 
from  private  Co.  M  June  15,  1865;  must,  out  with  company  Aug. 
11,  1865. 

William  Wood,  quartermaster-sergeant,  nmst.  in  Oct.  1, 1862  ;  trans,  to 
Vet.  Res.  tkjrps  March  16,  1864;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  28, 1865. 

Abraham  F.  Foutch,  quartermaster-sergeant,  must  in  Sept.  24,  1862; 
pro.  from  corporal  to  sergeant  Nov.  16, 1863 ;  quartermaster-sergeant 
Sept.  1, 1864;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  16, 1865. 

John  Dugan,  commissary-sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  29,  1862;  pro.  from 
private  June  15, 1865 ;  must,  out  with  company  .\ug.  11, 1865. 

Jonathan  Cable,  commissary-sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862;  wounded 
at  Malvern  Hill,  Va.,  July  28, 1864;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  16, 1865. 

Henry  F.  Blair,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  29,1862;  pro.  from  bugler  to 
corporal  May  1, 1865;  sergeant  June  15,  1865;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany Aug.  11,  1365. 

Ezekiel  Thomas,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  25, 1862:  must,  out  with  com- 
pany Aug.  11, 1865. 

Andrew  Brink,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  28, 1862 ;  must,  out  with  company 
Aug,  11,  1865. 

Henry  A.  Fisher,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  22, 1862;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany .\ug.  11, 1865. 

Alonzo  Crippin, sergeant, must. in  Oct. 26, 1862;  must.outwith  company 
Aug.  11,  1865. 

Jeremiah  B.  Foulke,  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862 ;  disch.  on  sur- 
geon's certificate  .\pril  9, 1863. 

Benjamin  F.  Harris,  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862;  disch.  by  G.  0. 
June  24,  1865. 

Thomas  Etling,  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862;  disch.  by  G.  O.  June 
16, 1865. 

Nathan  Smith,  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June 
16,  1865. 

William  Colvin,  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862  ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June 
16,  1865. 

Samuel  L.  Brown,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct  7, 1862;  trans,  to  Co.  A. 

.loseph  E.  Brooks,  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862;  trans,  to  Co.  A. 

Jonas  Edinfield,  corporal,  must,  in  Oct.  24, 1862;  pro.  to  corporal  June 
16, 1865;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11, 1865. 

Jacob  W^ynn,  corporal,  must,  in  Oct.  16, 1862;  pro.  to  corporal  June  15, 
1865;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11,  1865. 

George  Lupfet,  corporal,  must,  in  March  3, 1865;  pro.  to  corporal  June 
15. 1865;  must,  out  with  company  .\ug.  11, 1865. 

Lewis  O'Connell,  corporal,  must,  in  Oct.  9, 1862;  pro.  to  corporal  June 
16, 1865;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11,  1865. 

John  M.  Q.  Smith,  corporal,  must,  in  Jan.  1, 1865;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany .\ug.  11, 1865. 

James  A.  McCormick,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb.  29, 1864;  must,  out  with 
company  Aug.  11, 1865. 

Charles  A.  Bailey,  corporal,  must,  in  .Vug.  29,1864;  must,  out  with  com- 
pany Aug.  11,  1865. 

Edgar  A.  Dunham,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb.  8, 1865  .  must  out  w  ith  com- 
pany Aug.  II,  1865. 

Joseph  R.  Norris,  corporal,  mu 
certificate  March  16,  1863. 

Joseph  N.  Lewis,  corporal,  mu^ 
certificate  March  16,  1863. 

George  W.  Palmer,  corporal,  m 
certificate  Feb.  19,  1865. 

Albert  G.  Dougherty,  corporal 
'  June9,  1K65. 


Sept.  6, 1862  ,  disch   on  surgeon's 


1  Sept.  19, 1862  ,  disch   on  surgeon's 
t.  in  Sept.  6, 1862;  disch.  by  G.  0. 


WAR   OF  THE  REBELLION. 


Tobias  J.  Coil,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  0,  1862;  Jied  ut  Washington, 

D.  C,  Dec.  15,  1862. 
Allen  Barriclow,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  6,1862;  died  at  Waaliiuglon, 

D.  C,  Aug.  7,  1863. 
Nathan  I'erden,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862;  died  at  Stony  Creek, 

Dec.  1,  1864. 
Alexander  Brown,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  30, 1864 ;  died  at  Dinwiddle 

Court-House,  Va.,  March  31, 1865. 
Andrew  J.  Piirdy,  corporal,  must,  in  Oct.  19, 1862. 
George  W.  Gilmore,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  18,  1862 ;  disch.  by  G.  0. 


n,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June 


John  B.  Maybe 

15,  1865. 

James  D.  Dixon,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 18G2 ;  pro.  to  corporal  Nov. 

16,  1863;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  16,  1865. 

Jacob  F.  Mauk,  corporal,  must,  in  Nov.  5,  1862;  trans,  to  Co.  A. 
John  W.  Lewis,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862;  trans,  to  Co.  A. 
Nicholas  Dick,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862  ;  trnns.  to  Co.  A. 
John  Colvin,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862;  trans,  to  Co.  A. 
Robert  Foster,  corporal,  must,  iu  Oct.  7, 1862;  trans,  to  Co.  A. 
Jonathan  D.  Moyer,  bugler,  must,  in  March  7,  1865;  must,  out  with 

company  Aug.  11,  1865. 
William  Stapletun,  bugler,  must,  in  March  1, 1865;  pro.  to  bugler  July 

24, 1865;  must,  out  Aug.  11, 1865. 
Robert  H.  Haines,  blacksmith,  must,  in  Oct.  2,  1862;  must,  out  with 

company  Aug.  11, 1865. 
Harrison  Cox,  blacksmith,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1864;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Juue 

16,  1865. 
John  Kell,  blacksmith,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1864;  disch.  by  G.  0.  Juue  IB, 

1865. 
John  M.  Glotfelty,  farrier,  must,  in  March  1, 1865 ;  pro.  to  farrier  July 

24, 1865  ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11, 1865. 
Samuel  Betts,  farrier,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862;  disch.  by  G.  0.  April  9, 

186:i. 
Oeorge  W.  Hagan,  saddler,  must,  iu  Oct.  2, 1862;  pro.  from  bugler  July 

1, 1865;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11, 1865. 
Daniel  E.  Whetsel,  saddler,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June 

16, 1865. 

Privalen. 
Alfred  T.  Augustine,  must,  in  March  1,  1865. 
Reuben  G.  Altman,  must,  in  March  3,  1865. 
James  Anderson,  must,  iu  March  3,  1865. 
Amos  Abby,  must,  in  Oct.  28, 1862. 
Thomas  J.  Archer,  must,  in  Oct.  28,  1862. 
Lewis  Andrews,  must,  in  Nov.  5, 1862. 
George  Butler,  must,  in  Oct.  19,  1862. 
Archibald  Bird,  must,  in  March  1,  1865. 
Edward  Barr,  must,  in  Feb.  16,  1865. 
Ambrose  J.  Binacle,  must,  in  Sept.  19, 1864. 
Henry  Baylor,  mu^t.  in  Feb.  16, 1865. 
James  Barneard,  must,  in  Jan.  1,  1865. 
John  Balky,  must,  in  Jan.  14,  1864. 
John  Beans,  must,  in  Jan.  22, 1865. 
Zephaniah  B.  Bane,  must,  in  Dec.  19,  1863. 
Henry  W.  Beeson,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 
George  Browneller,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 
Albert  W.  Bohlen,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 
George  Barricklow,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 
George  Brooks,  must,  in  Sept.  19, 1862. 
Henry  H.  Beeson,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 
William  Brooks,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862. 
Leander  Buttermore,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862. 
John  Bundorf,  must,  in  Oct.  7, 1862. 
Russell  Bush,  must,  in  Oct.  27,  1862. 
Thomas  Bowel,  must,  in  Oct.  28,  1862. 
James  Brown,  must,  in  Oct.  30, 1862. 
George  W.  Campbell,  must,  in  March  1, 1865. 
James  Casey,  must,  iu  March  1,  1863. 
Thomas  Canflold,  must,  in  March  6, 1865. 
Wni.  J.  Confer,  must  in  tiarch  22,  1864. 
Simon  T.  Culver,  must,  in  Jan.  26, 1865. 
Stewart  Christopher,  must,  iu  Sept.  6, 1862. 
George  B.  Craft,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862. 
James  L.  Cook,  must,  in  Oct.  26,  1862. 
Charles  G.  Campbell,  must,  iu  Oct.  27,  1862. 
George  B.  Caufi.-ld,  must,  in  F,-l..  II,  18C4. 


David  Carver,  must,  in  Feb.  26,  1864. 
John  Deter,  must,  in  Feb.  4,  1865. 
George  Deter,  must,  in  Feb.  4.  1865. 
Gabriel  Derr,  must,  in  March  6,  1865. 
George  S.  Dart,  must,  in  Feb.  8, 1865. 
Peter  Drew,  must,  in  March  6,  1865. 
Abraham  Dunham,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 
\  Edward  Delauey^jnust.  in  Feb^l^wei./ 
Henry  Dick,  must.  kTSept.lT.  1862 
Benjamin  Dick,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862. 
Jeremiah  Duff,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862. 
William  H.  Deibert,  must,  in  Feb.  27,  1865. 
George  Eckuard,  must,  in  Jan.  1, 1865. 
Elijah  EUenberger,  must,  in  Oct.  15, 1862. 
John  S.  Etling,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862. 
James  Flannary,  must,  in  March  3,  1865. 
John  Fields,  must,  in  March  3,  18t>5. 
Edwaid  Fox,  must,  in  Feb.  3,  1866. 
George  Featnei-s,  must,  in  Jan.  1,  1865. 
David  Fetz,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 
Levi  Francis,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 
Lazarus  K.  Foulke,  must,  in  Oct.  22, 1862. 
James  Fleming,  must,  in  Oct.  17, 1862. 
John  Fulton,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862. 
Isaac  P.  Foster,  must,  in  Oct.  27. 1862. 
Samuel  G.  Fulmer,  must,  in  Oct.  7, 1862. 
Peter  J.  Gallagher,  must,  in  March  3, 1865. 
Henry  Garrett,  must,  in  March  7, 1865. 
Andrew  J.  Gordon,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 
Jonathan  Gans,  must,  in  Sept.  19,  1862. 
James  Gaddis,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1S62. 
Cuoksou  D.  Green,  must,  iu  Aug.  12, 1862. 
Joseph  Gln8sburn,mu8t.  in  Sept.  24, 1862. 
Peter  C.  Grimm,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862. 
Joseph  Grimm,  must,  iu  Sept.  10, 1864. 
Henry  Grimm,  must,  in  Oct.  17,  1862. 
Valentine  Hecknor,  must,  in  March  8,  1865. 
John  Hall,  must,  in  Feb.  16,  1865. 
Diivid  M.  Hand,  must,  in  March  6, 1865. 
Henry  P.  Horn,  must,  in  Jan.  25, 1865. 
Irvin  S.  Harkness,  must,  in  Feb.  14, 1865. 
William  Hall,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 
Jacob  Helsel,  must,  in  Oct.  1,  1862. 
Hatfield  Hayden,  mast,  in  Oct.  20, 1862. 
John  Herberger,  must,  in  Sept.  19, 1862. 
S.  Higginbotham,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862. 
Daniel  Ives,  must,  in  Oct.  25, 1862. 
William  G.  Jenkins,  must,  in  March  1, 1865. 
William  H.  Jordan,  must,  in  Sept.  19, 1862. 
Frederick  Johnston,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862. 
Benj.  F:  Johnston,  must,  in  Oct.  27,  1862. 
Alfred  M.  Kincell,  must,  in  Feb.  16,  1866. 
Hiram  Kimiuell,  must,  in  Feb.  16, 18G5. 
David  J.  Karchner,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 
Jacob  Kessler,  must,  in  Feb.  15,  1865. 
Charles  Katz,  must,  in  Aug.  15, 1862. 
Henry  King,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862. 
George  W.  Kelly,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862. 
David  P.  Kelly,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862. 
Victor  L.  Keltz,  must,  in  Oct.  28,  1862. 
John  Lent,  must,  in  Feb.  25,  1864. 
Geo.  L.  Levengood,  must,  in  March  7, 1865. 
Samuel  Lindsay,  must,  in  March  4,  1864. 
Isaac  Levett,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 
Cyrus  Laughrey,  must,  in  Oct.  19, 1862. 
Edward  Laughrey, must,  in  Oct.  21,  1862. 
David  Levy,  must,  in  Feb.  13,  1865. 
J.  D.  Lancaster,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862. 
Robert  Ly tie,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862. 
Joseph  Laughrey,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862. 
Joseph  P.  Love,  must,  in  Nov.  4,  1862. 
Samuel  Lindermuth,  must,  in  Feb.  20,  1865. 
George  W.  Morris,  must,  in  March  1,  1864. 
Daniel  Moul,  must,  iu  Feb.  16,  1865. 
Reuben  Mabus,  must,  in  lilarcb  7,  1S65. 
William  Moser,  must,  in  March  6,  1865. 
Nathan  Moyer,  must  iu  March  T,  ISir.. 


HISTOKY    OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Isaac  Moyer,  must,  in  Feb.  16,  I860. 
Andrew  Miller,  must,  in  Jan.  1,  1865. 
Alexander  C.  Mains,  must,  in  March  1,  1865. 
Calvin  Miller,  must,  in  Sept.  19, 1862. 
Calvin  B.  Milk-r,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 
Joseph  Mean.s,  must,  iu  Sept.  19,  1862. 
James  Mitchell,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 
Emergence  Marguese,  must,  in  Feb.  16,1865. 
Peter  H.  Miller,  must,  in  Aug.  31,  1864. 
Philip  L.  Miller,  must,  in  Aug.  29,  1864. 
Frederick  Martin,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862. 
John  3Iartin,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862. 
James  May,  must,  in  Oct.  17,  l.'(62. 
Wm.  H.  Merkle,  must,  in  Oct.  18,  1862. 
Henry  Munsioe,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862. 
James  McClintock,  must,  in  March  1,  1S65. 
John  V.  McLane,  must,  iu  Sept.  6,  1862. 
Joseph  A.  McCoy,  must,  iu  Sept.  G,  1862. 
Daniel  McKin/.ie,  must,  in  Feli.  16,  1865. 
Joseph  McMauuis.  must,  in  Oct.  17,  1862. 
John  S.  Nelson,  must,  in  Feb.  26,  1864. 
Samuel  E.  Noble,  must,  in  JIarch  3,  1865. 
Simon  Narrass,  must,  in  .<ept.  19.  1862. 
John  Nickler,  must,  in  s,.|,t   Jl,  isilj. 
Benjamin  Nickles.iM,  mi, >t    111  S.],!    -|,l,SCi2. 
Daniel  Oswald,  must.  111  .M;.ivh  7.  bsr,:.. 
Perry  Ogden,  must,  in  Feb.  16,  L^tjo. 
John  Pringle,  must,  i 
John  Propper,  must.  . 
John  F.  Phillips,  mus 
Samuel  S.  Porter,  mu 
Alfred  N.  Patterson,  1 
Jacob  B.  Plumley,  mi 
Eli  Randall,  mi 
Aaron  Riley,  m 
Michael  Roach, 
William  Rine,  1 


!L.,  19,  1,SI15. 

■pt.  19,  1862. 
Sept.  24, 1862. 

1  Sept.  -4,  1862. 

.  in  Sept.  24,  1862. 
ust.  iu  Oct.  18,  1862. 
1  March  24,  1864. 
n  March  4,  1865. 
t.  iu  March  7,  1865. 
in  Sept.  6,  1862. 


Jacob  Kichter,  must,  in  Feb.  25,  1864. 
Jacob  \V.  Reese,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862. 
Henry  Eicbter,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862. 
Martin  Rutter,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1S62. 
Robert  C.  Riggin,  must,  in  .Sept.  24, 1862. 


Allen  Sli.ii:  h, 
JohnSa-i,,  .•,.  !  I 
Frederick  m.  .  I.l-.v  ,  n 
Adam  Sliewy,  imi^l,  ii 
John  D.  Sutliff.  mu>t  1 
Daniel  E.  Sickles,  mu,, 
W.  H.  Sisler,  must,  in 
Amos  Sullivan,  must,  i 
John  Sigler,  must,  in  ( 

John  Smitl.    -1    in 

Paul  Slici. 

Robert  1'   -■    .1        1       1 

•William  l:    ~ 

George  Mil  I     1      .  . 
Abrahau]  -    -   , 

Ashbel  Sum,,    1 

Christian  Swartz.  mu. 
John  Shoup,  must,  iu  : 
Samuel  Shoup,  mu-^t,  i 
Smith  StaufTer,  niiisl 
Daniel  Stauffer,  mu-t 
John  W.  Staufler,  luu- 
Nelson  Shufelt,  must 
Thomas  Sullivan,  mu.s 
Samuel  ^V.  Schwartz, 


Ephraim  B.  Schrope,  must,  in  Feb.  10, 1864. 
William  V.  Thompson,  must,  in  March  3,  1864. 
William  H.  Thompson,  must,  in  Feb.  4, 1865. 
John  Thomas,  must,  in  Jan.  25, 1865. 
George  W.  Turner,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 
John  Trader,  must,  in  Sept.  24.  1862. 
Henry  W.  Templin,  must,  in  Oct.  27, 1862. 
Joseph  B.  Taylor,  must,  in  Feb.  Vi,  1865. 
William  Vought,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862. 
Samuel  Wood,  must,  in  Oct.  23, 1862. 
Daniel  West,  must,  in  Feb.  6,  1865. 
Julius  Werdeman,  must,  in  Jan.  24, 1865. 
Joseph  Will,  must,  in  Aug.  23, 1864. 
James  Walters,  must,  in  Oct.  '28, 1862. 
James  Wilson,  must,  in  Sept.  29,  1862. 
John  K.  Weiondt,  must,  in  March  6,  1865. 
James  Wilson,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 
John  Wood,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 
William  Whetstone,  must,  in  Sept.  19,  1862. 
John  Way,  must,  in  Sept.  18,  1862. 
James  M.  Wilson,  must,  in  Sept.  24,  1862. 
David  S.  White,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862. 
Isaac  Wimer,  must,  in  Sept.  24, 1862. 
William  H.  Weir,  must,  in  Sept.  24,1862. 
William  M.  Wood,  must,  in  Oct.  28, 1862. 
Joseph  Wallace,  must,  in  Sept.  18, 1862. 
Jacob  J.  Targer,  must,  in  March  6. 1862. 
Henry  Yehert,  must,  in  March  7, 1862. 
Frederick  Zech,  must,  iu  Feb.  16,  1862. 


.\.  We 


1862. 


Johu  K.  Fisher,  captain,  must,  in  Sept.  10, 1862;  pro.  from  first  lieuten- 
ant Nov.  19, 1.S62 ;  disch.  December  Ist,  for  wounds  received  at  Shep- 
ardstown,  W.  Va.,  July  16,  1863. 

Henry  H.  Oliphant,  captain,  must,  in  Sept.  10,  1862;  pro.  from  regi- 
mental commissary-sergeant  tu  second  lieutenant  April  1, 1863;  to 
captain  March  28, 1864;  brevet  major  March  13,  1865;  wounded  at 
Sailor's  Creek,  Va.,  April  6,  1865;  trans,  to  Co.  B  July  24,  I860. 

Frederick  W.  Heslop,  capUiin,  must,  in  March  1,  1862;  wounded  at  Din- 
widdle Court-House  March  31, 1865  ;  disch.  April  9, 1866  ;  veteran. 

George  W.  Brown,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Oct.  29,  1862;  pro.  from 
second  lieutenant  Nov.  20, 1862;  disch.  March  25, 1863. 

John  R.  West,  fii-st  lieutenant,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862 ;  pro.  from  quar- 
termaster-sergeant to  second  lieutenant  Nov.  17,  1862;  to  first  lieu- 
tenant April  1,  1863;  disch.  by  G.  0.  July  '24, 1865. 

Norman  J.  Ball,  first  lieutenant,  must,  in  Oct.  29, 1862;  must,  out  with 
company  Aug.  11, 1865. 

Henry  Schively,  second  lieutenant,  must,  in  Oct.  13,  1862;  pro.  from 
sergeant-major  May  3,  1866;  disch.  by  G.  0.  July  24, 1865. 

Thomas  J.  .\lexander,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  19,  1862;  pro.  from 
sergeant  .\ug.  1,  1865;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11, 1865. 

David  Sample,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  -23, 1862 ;  disch.  on  surgeon's 
certificate  Nov.  13, 1862. 

Michael  M.  Logan,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  23, 1862. 

Joseph  Neil,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862;  pro.  to  commissary, 
sergeant  March  7,1863;  to  first  sergeant  May  13,  1865;  disch.  by 
G.O.June  15, 1865. 

William  A.  McDowell,  first  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862 ;  pro.  to  com- 
missary of  subsistence  Nov.  16, 1862. 

William  A.  Kann,  quartermaster-sergeant,  must,  in  Feb.  27,1864;  pro. 
from  private  June  27,  1865  ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11, 1865. 

Thomas  J.  Reed,  commissary-sergeant;  must,  in  Oct.  7,  1862;  pro.  to 
corporal  Nov.  1, 1864  ;  to  commissary-sergeant  June  17,  1865  ;  must, 
out  with  company  Aug.  11, 1865. 

William  Wood,  commissary-sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  1,  1862;  trans,  to 
Co.  B. 

Monroe  Beeson,  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862;  must,  out  under  G.  0. 
at  Satterlee  Hospital,  West  Philadelphia,  May  22,  1865. 

Martin  L.  Hutchins,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  29, 1862  ;  pro.  to  corporal 
April  1,  1863;  to  sergeant  Jan.  5,  1865;  must,  out  with  company 
Aug.  11,  1865. 

William  H.  Taylor,  sergeant,  must,  in  Oct.  7,  1862:  pro.  to  corp.  Jan.  1, 
1865;  to  sergeant  June  17,  1865;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11, 
1865. 


WAR  OF  THE  REBELLION. 


Albert  H. 


Lewis  Dunbaugli,  sergeant,  n 

27,  1865;  muse,  out  with 
Charles  Stetler,  sergeant,  must, 

27,  1805  ;  must,  out  with  Cl 
Jesse  Steely,  sergeant,  must,  i 

Va.,  Feb.  22,  1803. 
.Jesse  Tweed,  sergeant,  mus 

Store,  Va.,  Nov.  29, 186.1 
John  K.  Dunham,  sergeant,  m 

24,  1803. 
William  Hagan,  sergeant,  nui 

29,  1862;  to  sergeant  Dec 
Herrmau  H.  Kregor,  sergeant 

Oct.  29,1862;  to  sergeaut 


must,  in  Oct.  23,  1802;  pro.  from  private 
witii  company  Aug.  11,  1865. 
i8t.  in  Feb.l,  1864  ;  pro.  from  private  June 
lompany  Aug.  11, 1865. 

in  March  6, 1865  :  ])ro.  from  private  June 

mpany  Aug.  11,  1S65. 

1  Oct.  19,  1862;  died  at  Potomac  Creek, 


in  Sept.  2:!,  1862;   captured   at   Parker's 
died  at  Richmond,  Teb.  12,  1864. 
lust.  in  Sept.  6, 1862;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June 

ist.  in  Sept.  6, 1862;  pro.  to  corporal  Oct. 

1, 186:i;  disch.  by  G.O.  June  15, 1805. 
r,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862 ;  pro.  to  corporal 

March  1,  1865;  disch.  by  G.  O.  June  15, 


Aaron  H.  Gadd,  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862;  pro.  to  corporal  Jan.  1, 

186.1;  to  sergeant  March  1,  1865;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  15,  1865. 
■William  H.  Hagans,  sergeant,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862;  trans,  to  Co.  B. 
Joseph  W.  Lehr,  corporal,  must,  in  Oct.  19,  1862;  pro.  to  corporal  June 

27,  1865  ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11,  1865. 
W.  H.  Greenland,  corporal,  must,  in  Oct.  19, 1862  ;  pro.  to  corporal  June 

27,  1865;  must,  o'ut  with  company  Aug.  11,  1865. 
James  L.  Trutton,  corporal,  must,  in  Dec.  31, 1863 ;  pro.  to  corporal  June 

17, 1865;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11, 1865;  veteran. 
B.  D.  Hotchkiss,  corporal,  must,  in  March  1, 1864 ;  pro.  to  corporal  June 

17,  1865;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11,  1865. 
William  H.  Peck,  corporal,  must,  in  March  6, 1865  ;  pro.  to  corporal  June 

27, 1805  ;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11,  1865. 
Hezekiah  King,  corporal,  must,  in  Feb.  16, 1865  ;  pro.  to  corporal  June 

27,  1865;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11,  1865. 
William  P.  Kirk,  corporal,  must,  in  March  8,1865;  pro.  to  corporal  June 

27,  1865;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11,  1865. 
Edward  Stewart,  corporal,  must,  in  March  7, 1865  ;  pro.  to  corporal  June 

27. 1865;  must,  out  with  company  Aug.  11, 1865. 
Henry  C.  Neil,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862;  disch.  by  G.  0.  May  29, 

1865. 
Stewart  Status,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862;  pro. 

1864  ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  15,  1865. 
Eobert  H.  Strong,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862 

March  1, 1865;  disch.  by  G.  O.  June  15,1865. 
Joseph  N.  Piersel,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  19, 1862  ;  pro.  to  corpoi 

1, 1865  ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  15, 1865. 
Sebastian  Rush,  corjioral,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1802 ;  pro.  to  corporal  June 

1, 1865;  discb.  by  G.  0.  June  15, 1865. 
William  Dutton,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862  ;  pro.  to  corporal  June 

1, 1S65 ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  15,  1865 
George  Kise,  corporal,  must,  in  Oct.  1,  1862 ;  pro.  to  corporal  June  1, 

1863  ;  disch.  by  G.  0.  June  15,  1865. 
Jeremiah  B.  Foulke,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862;  trans,  to  Co.  B. 
Benjamin  F.  Harris,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  6. 1862  ;  trans,  to  Co.  B. 
Tobias  J.  Coil,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  6. 1802;  trans,  to  Co.  B. 
Joseph  N.  Lewis,  corpoial,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1802;  trans,  to  Co.  B. 
Joseph  11.  Norris,  corporal,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862  ;  trans,  to  Co.  B. 
James  Harrison,  bugler,  must,  in  Feb.  27, 1S65 ;  must,  out  with  company 

Aug.  11, 1865. 
John  S.  Hunt,  bugler,  must,  in  Oct.  19,  1862 ;  must,  out  with  company 

Aug.  11,  1865. 
Joidan  Wintersteen,  bugler,  must,  in  Oct.  25, 1862  ;  disch.  May  8,  1863. 
Isaac  C.  Clare,  artificer,  must,  in  Oct.  4,  1864  ;  must,  out  with  company 

Aug.  11,  1865. 
John  Lynn,  blacksmith,  must  in  Sept.  0, 1802;  disch.  by  general  order 


orporal  Dec.  1 


corporal 


May 


I  John  Adare,  must,  in  Sept.  26,  1862. 
I   Isnnc  .\rnold,  must,  in  Oct.  10,  1862. 

Gabriel  Bethgate.  must,  in  Feb.  24,  1864. 
I   Charles  Bower,  must,  in  Oct.  7, 1862. 
j    Stephen  P.  Bancroft,  must,  in  Feb.  23, 1865. 
'  John  Bowner,  must,  in  Feb.  25, 1805.     , 

Francis  Boyd,  must,  in  Feb.  27, 1865. 
I  Joseph  Bayer,  must,  in  Feb.  28, 1865. 

Riley  Bressler,  must,  in  March  1, 1865. 

Jacob  Briner,  must,  in  Sept.  23, 1862. 
,   Joseph  Bennett,  must,  in  Oct.  19, 1862. 
I    Heiny  F.  Bastruff,  must,  in  March  0, 1865. 

Henry  R.  Black,  must,  in  Sept.  25, 1S62. 

Curry  Brantly,  must,  in  Feb.  24,  1862. 
'   John  Batton,  must,  in  Oct.  3,  1862. 
i   Jacob  A.  Bowman,  must,  in  March  1, 1865. 
I    G.  W.  Brown,  must,  in  Sept.  30, 1804. 
I   Samuel  Belts,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1802. 

Henry  \V.  Beesou,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 

Henry  H.  Beeson,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 
j   Allen  Biirricklow,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 

George  Barricklow,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 

Albert  W.  Boblen,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 
'   George  Brooks,  must,  in  Sept.  19, 1862. 

George  Browneller,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 

John  Bice,  must,  in  Sept.  20, 1862. 

Robert  T.  Blair,  must,  in  Sept.  28,  1862. 

Tiiomas  H.  Cupples,  must,  in  Oct.  19, 1802. 

Oliver  Cummings,  must,  in  Feb.  28,  1805. 

John  H.  Casner,  must.  lu  Oct.  9,  1862. 

Cloyd  R.  Collier,  must,  in  Feb.  25,  1864. 

William  Clinger,  must,  in  July  25,  1864. 

Christopher  C.  Clute,  must,  iu  April  4,  1864. 

Martin  Cupples,  must,  iu  Oct.  19,  1864. 

Thomas  A.  Collins,  must,  in  Feb.  27, 1865. 

James  E.  Conoway,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1802. 

Stewart  Christopher,  must,  in  Sept.  0, 1862. 

Cornelius  Dempster,  must,  in  Dec.  24,  1863. 

William  U   H.  Dreese,  must,  in  Oct.  19, 1862, 

John  Davenport,  must,  in  Oct.  19,  1802. 

Michael  Dunn,  must,  in  March  7,  1865. 

George  L.  Dill,  must,  in  Feb.  28, 1865. 

Joseph  W.  Dill,  must,  in  Feb.  24,  1864. 

John  Dockman,  must,  in  March  6,  1865. 

Samuel  Dugan,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1802. 

A.  G.  Dougherty,  must.  in'Sept.  6,  1862. 

John  Dugan,  must,  in  Oct,  20,  1862. 

Abraham  Dunham,  must,  in  Sept.  10,  1862. 

Charles  E.  Dorcy,  must,  in  Feb.  17, 1865. 

John  A.  Evans,  must,  in  Sept.  23,  1862. 

Henry  W.  Earley,  must,  in  Oct.  25,  1802. 

Levi  Ebersole,  must,  in  Sept.  28,  1802. 

Isaac  P.  Eberhart,  must,  in  Jan.  4,  1804. 

Adolph  A.  Eberhart,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 

Abraham  Francis,  must,  in  Oct.  3,  1362. 

Michael  H.  Foore,  must,  in  Oct.  19, 1802. 

Daniel  Fry,  must,  in  Oct.  29,  1802. 

John  Ferry,  must,  in  Feb.  14,  1865. 

William  A.  Fuller,  mu.it.  in  Sept.  23,  1862. 

Levi  Fniii.  i  ,  i     ,       ,  ,  -   ,      ',.  l,si;2. 
David  K.t.     ,  ::    -  ,  1^02. 

EbenezerT   i;,|,~,  mn.i    ,n  Mi.rch  8, 1864. 


David  F.  Olinger,  farrier,  must,  in  Oct.  19, 1802 ; 
.lug.  II,  1865. 

William  Gay,  farrier,  must,  in  Oct.  7,  1862;  must,  out  with  company 
Aug.  11,  1865. 

Joseph  Marr,  farrier,  must,  in  Oct.  30,  1802;  disch.  on  surgeon's  cer- 
tificate April  5,  1805. 

John  H.  Lomas,  saddler,  must,  in  Sept.  0,  1862;  disch.  by  general  order 
June  15, 1865. 

Jacob  A.  Anderson,  must,  in  Feb.  28,  1864. 
George  E.  .Alexander,  must,  in  Feb.  24,  1805. 
Daniel  Aley,  must,  in  Sept.  23,  1802. 


with  company   ,   Michael  Ga 


,  1804. 


Henry  Y.  Gable,  must,  in  Oct.  7, 1862. 
John  Gray,  must,  in  Feb.  17,  1865. 
James  Georges,  must,  in  Sept.  23,  1862. 
James  Gaddis,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1802. 
Andrew  J.  Gordon,  must,  in  Sept.  6.  1862. 
Jonathan  Gans,  must,  in  Sept.  19,  1862. 
Philip  Hauk,  must,  in  March  1,  1865. 
Henry  Hofler,  must,  in  Feb.  27, 1865. 
S.  Harshbarger,  must,  in  March  3, 1865. 
Thomas  H.  Hunting,  must,  in  Oct.  18, 1864. 
John  B.  Hopple,  must,  in  Sept.  18,  1862. 
John  Harrison,  must,  in  Feb.  21,  1S05. 


HISTORY    OP   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Samuel  Harter,  must,  in  Oct.  25, 1862. 

David  Rose,  must,  iu  Sept.  :!8,  1802. 

John  Hickson,  must,  in  Oct.  29, 1862. 

William  Rice,  must,  in  Oct.  29,  1862. 

John  Horn,  must,  in  Feb.  27,  1865. 

Allen  Rearich,  mnst.  in  Sept.  23, 1862. 

George  A.  Harrington,  must,  in  Feb.  20, 186.'). 

Simr.n  Rondall,  must,  in  Sept.  23, 1862. 

Abraham  P.  Haines,  must,  iu  Sept.  23, 1862. 

James  Rossell,  must,  in  Sept.  19, 1862. 

Daniel  Hollabaugh,  must,  in  Sept.  23, 1862. 

Silaa  Rossell,  must.iu  Sept.  30, 1864. 

Isaac  Hockeubeny,  must,  in  Oct.  19, 1862. 

James  F.  Reed,  must,  in  Sept.  30, 1864. 

Benjamin  Hockenberry,  must,  in  Oct.  19, 1862. 

Daniel  Reynolds,  must,  in  Sept.  19, 1862. 

James  Hassou,  must,  in  Sept.  15,  1864. 

Edgar  F.  Reynolds,  must,  iu  Sept.  19, 1862. 

William  Hall,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 

William  Rine,  must,  in  Sept.  0,  1862. 

John  H.  Hone,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 

Jacob  Switzer,  must,  in  Feb.  8,  1865. 

George  W.  Hagan,  must,  in  Oct.  22,  1862. 

Henry  Simpson,  must,  in  Feb.  14, 1865. 

HatfieUl  Hoden,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 

Charles  Shoffer,  mnst.  in  Feb.  25, 1865. 

Jacob  Helsel,  must,  in  Oct.  1,  1862. 

William  Shoff,  must,  in  Oct.  3, 1862. 

John  Herberger,  must,  in  Sept.  19,  1862. 

David  A.  Snyder,  must,  in  Oct.  3, 1862. 

James  D.  Irwin,  must,  ia  Dec.  1, 1863. 

Lawrence  Shepherd,  must,  in  Feb.  23, 1864. 

William  J.  Johnson,  must,  in  Oct.  7, 1862. 

Alexander  Sutherland,  must,  in  Feb.  23, 1865. 

Thomas  Jobes,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 

John  H.  Sickles,  must,  in  Feb.  23, 1865. 

William  H.  Jordon,  must,  in  Sept.  19, 1862. 

Robert  Sankey,  must,  in  Sept.  23, 1862. 

Jeremiah  D.  Kepner,  must,  in  Feb.  24, 1864. 

Peter  Saylor,  must,  in  Oct.  25, 1862. 

Jacob  T.  Ketring,  must,  iu  Feb.  18,  1865. 

Robert  A.  Sayers,  must,  in  Sept.  23, 1862. 

David  Killey.  must,  in  Feb.  24, 1865. 

John  Smith,  must,  in  Sept.  28,  1862. 

John  W.  Knight,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 

Robert  Salyards,  must,  in  Sept.  23, 1862. 

Jacob  L.  W.  Kolp,  must,  in  Sept.  19, 1862. 

Oliver  P.  Snook,  must,  in  Oct.  19, 1862. 

David  J.  Karchner,  must,  in  Oct.  20,  1862. 

James  Shean,  must,  in  June  8, 1864. 

William  H.  Leas,  must,  in  Jan.  21,  1864. 

Charles  Sterling,  must,  in  March  2.3,  1864. 

William  Lebo,  nmst.  iu  Oct.  30, 1862. 

Henry  Shak,  must,  in  Feb.  16, 1865. 

G.  H.  Longnecker,  must,  in  Feb.  17, 1865. 

Nathan  Shenefelt,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 

J.  S.  Longnecker,  must,  in  Feb.  17, 1865. 

Beeson  Shaffer,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 

John  W.  Lancaster,  must,  in  Feb.  23,  1865. 

Perry  Swartztrover,  must,  in  Sept.  2, 1864. 

Patrick  Lenahan,  must,  in  Feb.  27,  1865. 

Daniel  E.  Sickles,  must,  in  Sept,  6, 1862. 

William  H.  Lansing,  must,  in  Sept.  23,  1862. 

Lemuel  Sutton,  must,  in  Sept.  19,  1862. 

James  Leonard,  must,  in  Oct.  19,  1862. 

Amos  Sullivan,  must,  in  Sept.  19, 1862. 

George  W.  Lewis,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 

John  Sighen,  must,  iu  Oct.  18, 1862. 

John  T.  Lilly,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 

Horace  Sias,  must,  in  Oct.  21, 1862. 

John  Lockwood,  mnst.  in  Sept.  19, 1862. 

Hezekiah  B.  Thomas,  must,  in  Feb.  20, 1804. 

James  Lewis,  must,  in  Sept.  30,  1864. 

George  W.  Turner,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 

William  H.  Lynn,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 

Jacob  Vanasdale,  must,  in  Sept.  23,  1862. 

Isaac  Lerett,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 

Jacob  Walker,  must,  in  Oct.  19, 1862. 

Cyrus  Laughrey,  must,  in  Sept.  19, 1862. 

Daniel  P.  Weeters,  must,  in  Feb.  17,  1865. 

Edward  Laughrey,  must,  in  Oct.  21, 1862. 

John  Williams,  must,  in  Feb.  28,  1865. 

Thomas  Martin,  must,  in  March  14,  1864. 

Edmund  Wimer,  must,  in  Feb.  25, 1865. 

Joseph  Morrison,  must,  in  Feb.  21,  1865. 

Edmund  W.  Westcott, must,  in  Feb.  18, 1865. 

James  M.  Martin,  nmst.  in  Aug.  19,  1862. 

Robert  F.  Walt,  must,  in  March  30,  1864. 

Peter  Mesliey,  must,  in  March  7,  1865. 

Joseph  Wilson,  must,  in  Sept.  23, 1862. 

Alonzo  R.  Martz,  must,  in  Sept.  23,  1862. 

Charles  Wilson,  must,  in  Feb.  21,  1865. 

Henry  Miner,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 

Jacob  Walters,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 

William  Mitchell,  must,  in  Sept,  0,  1862. 

David  Whitsett,  must,  in  Sept.  15,  1864. 

John  May,  Jr.,  must,  in  Sept.  30,  1864. 

John  Wood,  must,  iu  Sept.  6,1862. 

Calvin  B.  Martin,  must,  in  Sept.  6.  1862. 

William  Whetstone,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 

James  Mitchell,  must,  in  Sept.  6, 1862. 

James  Wilson,  must,  in  Sept  19, 1862. 

Joseph  Means,  must,  in  Sept.  19,  1862. 

Jacob  Wynn,  must,  in  Oct.  16, 1862. 

Calvin  Miiler,  must,  iu  Sept.  19,  1862. 

Robert  Jl.Cn.rk,.,,,  ii,n~t.  in  n,  t   7,  18G2. 

B.  C.  McWilli;,,,,^,  ]ni,-t.ni.Iul,vJ7,  1SC,3. 

JamesM.li..i,;,lil,  iin..l.  Hi  Irl.,  h:.  iMli. 

William  S.  MelUary,  must,  in  Fi-b.  Z.t,  1,S65. 

CHAPTER    XXII. 

Joseph  A.  McArtliur,  must,  in  Oct.  1,  18C2. 

John  V.  McLane,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 

ECONOMIC    GEOLOGY— IRON,  COAL,  AND  COKE. 

Joseph  A.  MdXv,  musl.  in  Sept.  G,  1862. 

Simon  N<mm-.  imi.i    in  --i  i   Ti,  l-.-j 

THE   MINERAL    RESOURCES   OF   F.VYETTE   COUNTY. 

Joseph  N.   :        .  .  .  i     '    ■  ■      1  ■    :     .■ 
Samuel  N  1      .       :.,  .         ,  -         I  ■    i  -.J. 

Fayette  County'  embraces  a  portion  of  the  great 

LeWisOT,, ';,  nn:^i     ,. .,    \  <.l. 

Appalachian  coal-field.     It  is  rich  in  coal,  iron,  lime- 

James J.  I'elt,-. st   inort.  I'J.lsOi. 

stone,  and  fire-clay. 

James  H.  Porter,  nmst.  iu  March  8,  1865. 
Andrew  J.  Purdv,  must,  in  Oct.  18, 1862. 

Coal  occurs  abundantly.     The  great  Pittsburgh  bed 

Nathan  Perdew,  must,  in  Sept.  6,  1862. 

in  the  Connellsville  basin  yields  a  coal  which  makes 

John  Propper.  must,  in  Sept.  19,  1862. 

the  typical  coke;  while  the  same  bed  in   the  basin 

George  W.  Palmer,  must,  in  Sept.  19,  1862. 
John  J.  Quay,  must  in  Feb.  19,  1864. 
■lohn  Rosenberger,  must,  in  Feb.  24,  1864. 

followed  by  the  Monongahela   River  yields  a  coal 
hard  enough  to  bear  shipment,  and  admirably  adapted 

Daniel  Rogers,  must,  in  March  3,  1865. 

to  the  manufacture  of  illuminating  gas.     Numerous 

John  Redmond,  must,  in  Feb.  16.  18e5. 

other  beds  are   present,  most  of  which  afford  good 

Frederick  Bentz,  must,  in  March  8,  1865. 
Charles  Rhoads,  must,  in  March  4,  1805. 

coal  for  fuel,  and  are  mined  to  a  greater  or  less  extent 

John  S.  Robinson,  mnst,  iu  S.-pI,  21,  18I-.2, 

to  supjily  local  needs. 

ECONOiMIC   GKOLOGY. 


231 


In  the  broad  valley  occupying  the  eastern  part  of 
the  county,  and  lying  between  Laurel  and  Chestnut 
Ridges,  the  beds  of  the  lower  coal  groups  are  exposed. 
The  upper  Freeport  coal-bed,  the  highest  of  the  lower 
productive  coal  group,  is  accessible  along  Indian 
Creek  from  the  county  line  southward  to  near  the 
Youghiogheny  River,  while  the  same  bed  is  found  in 
patches  on  the  hills  along  that  river.  South  from 
the  Youghiogheny  it  is  accessible  at  many  places 
along  the  larger  streams.  This  bed  varies  in  thick- 
ness from  two  to  nearly  ten  feet,  and  the  coal  shows 
equal  variations  in  quality.  It  is  opened  at  many 
places  within  this  valley,  and  the  coal  is  good  for  fuel ; 
but  the  volatile  matter  is  too  low  for  the  manufacture 
of  gas,  and  the  ash  is  too  high  to  permit  excellence  in 
'  the  coke. 

Other  and  lower  beds  of  coal  are  exposed  in  the 
deep  trough  excavated  by  the  Youghiogheny  River  in 
crossing  this  valley,  as  well  as  on  several  of  the  lar- 
ger streams  emptying  into  the  river;  but  the  coal 
I  from  these,  though  useful  for  fuel,  contains  so  much 
1  ash  and  sulphur  as  to  be  useless  for  either  gas  or 
coke.  These  beds  are  shown  on  both  sides  of  Chest- 
I  nut  Ridge,  and  the  upper  Freeport  is  mined  to  a 
slight  extent  on  the  eastern  slope  to  supply  fuel.  But 
i  the  proximity  of  the  large  Pittsburgh  bed  in  the 
Connellsville  basin  has  i)revented  any  full  develop- 
1  ment  of  the  bed  or  a  thorough  determination  of  its 
1  value.  The  lower  beds  are  not  reached  westward 
from  Chestnut  Ridge  in  such  quantity  as  to  be 
j  economically  available. 

Beds  lying  above  the  Pittsburgh  coal-bed  in  the 
Connellsville  basin  are  rarely  mined.  They  are  irregu- 
lar both  in  thickness  and  quality.  The  coal  from  the 
Pittsburgh  as  found  here  is  soft  and  ill  fitted  to  bear 
handling.  The  volatile  matter  is  much  lower  than 
in  the  next  basin  towards  the  west,  and  the  sulphur 
rarely  exceeds  one  per  cent.  Comparatively  little  of 
this  coal  is  shipped,  and  with  the  exception  of  the  small 
quantity  needed  to  supply  villages,  the  whole  amount 
mined  is  converted  into  coke.  This  coke,  known  in 
the  markets  as  Connellsville  coke,  is  hard,  silvery, 
and  retains  its  lustre  for  an  indefinite  period  when 
i  exposed  to  the  air.  It  is  prepared  by  burning  the 
coal  in  beehive  ovens  for  from  forty-eight  to  seventy- 
two  hours. 

The  greater  part  of  the  coking  area  has  been  pur-  | 
chased  by  corporations,  and  the  eastern  outcrop  of  \ 
j  the  bed  is  now  lined  with  coke-works.     The  western 
outcrop  is  not  yet  open  to  market,  but  the  coal  on  I 
that  side  of  the   basin  is  inferior  to  that  obtained 
from  the  other  side  only  in  this,  that  it  contains  a 
slightly  greater  proportion   of  volatile  matter.     The 
coke  appears  to  be  equally  good. 
I      Near  the  State  line  the  coal  from  the  Pittsburgh  ■ 
I  bed  along  the  Monongahela  is  comparatively  low  in  | 
!  volatile  matter  and  yields  a  very  fair  coke ;  but  the  \ 
j  presence  of  some  slates  detracts  from  the  appearance  j 
j  of  the  product.  ' 


Lack  of  railroad  fiicilities  has  prevented  a  full 
development  of  the  Pittsburgh  coal-bed  along  the 
Monongahela  River,  but  slack- water  navigation  has 
rendered  possible  some  extensive  workings  at  and 
below  Brownsville.  The  coal  obtained  in  this  basin 
shows  from  thirty-four  to  somewhat  more  than  thirty- 
six  per  cent,  of  volatile  matter,  is  comparatively  free 
from  sulphur,  and  bears  handling  well.  It  is  shipped 
down  the  Monongahela  River  tp  the  Ohio,  and  is  sold 
in  the  markets  of  Cincinnati  and  other  cities  farther 
south. 

The  thickness  of  the  Pittsburgh  bed  is  usually 
somewhat  less  along  the  river  than  it  is  in  the  Con- 
nellsville basin,  frequently  being  almost  ten  feet  in 
the  latter  basin,  but  rarely  exceeding  eight  feet  along 
the  river. 

The  iron  ores  of  Fayette  County  attracted  attention 
at  a  very  early  day,  and  the  first  iron  produced  west 
of  the  Allegheny  Mountains  was  made  in  Fayette 
County  from  Fayette  County  ore. 

The  Blue  Lump  ore,  which  immediately  underlies 
the  Pittsburgh  coal-bed  in  theConnellsvillebasin,  was 
the  first  ore-bed  discovered,  but  other  beds  were  found 
not  long  after,  and  furnaces  were  erected  to  utilize 
them.  All  of  the  early  furnaces  were  small  and  used 
charcoal  as  the  fuel,  though  Col.  Isaac  Meason  used 
coke  in  a  small  way  at  his  Plumsock  Furnace  in  1817, 
and  in  1836  Mr.  F.  H.  Oliphant  ran  Fairchance  Fur- 
nace with  coke  for  several  weeks,  making  an  iron  of 
excellent  quality. 

The  important  horizons  of  iron  ore  are  two,  the 
upper  being  almost  directly  under  the  Pittsburgh  coal- 
bed,  and  the  lower  in  the  shales  underlying  the  great 
conglomerate  which  marks  the  base  of  the  coal-bear- 
ing series  within  this  region. 

The  ore  immediately  below  the  Pittsburgh  bed, 
known  usually  as  the  coal  ore,  is  confined  for  the 
most  part  to  the  Connellsville  basin,  but  it  crosses  to 
the  river  basin  in  Spring  Hill  township,  and  is  present 
along  the  river  certainly  as  far  north  as  Catt's  Run; 
beyond  that,  northward,  it  seems  to  be  wanting. 

This  ore  shows  serious  variation  in  the  Connells- 
ville basin,  there  being  a  marked  difference  between 
the  ores  found  from  the  Youghiogheny  River  to  a 
little  way  north  from  the  National  road,  and  those 
found  still  farther  south.  In  the  southern  part  of 
this  basin  the  group  consists  of  four  beds,  known  as 
the  Blue  Lump,  the  Big  Bottom,  the  Red  Flag,  and  the 
Yellow  Flag,  the  order  being  descending.  The  whole 
thickness  of  ore  is  not  less  than  two  feet,  and  is  in- 
cluded within  a  vertical  distance  of  not  more  than 
twelve  feet.  The  Blue  Lump  contains  from  thirty-nine 
to  forty-two  per  cent,  of  metallic  iron,  with  .07  to  .08  per 
cent,  of  phosphorus  and  .01  to  .04  per  cent,  of  sulphur. 
In  the  Big  Bottom  the  iron  is  thirty-five  per  cent,  and 
the  phosphorus  only  .04  per  cent.  The  ores  from  the 
other  beds  have  about  the  same  percentage  of  iron 
as  that  from  the  Big  Bottom,  but  the  percentage  of 


232 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


phosphorus  is  somewhat  greater.  The  change  north- 
ward seems  to  be  abrupt,  and  it  certainly  occurs  within 
a  distance  of  not  more  than  one  mile.  At  Lemont  and 
Dunbar  only  a  single  or  sometimes  a  double  layer  is 
mined,  which  varies  from  ten  to  twenty-two  inches 
in  thickness.  The  ore  shows  material  variations  in 
quality,  but  for  the  most  part  it  is  good.  It  has  from 
thirty  to  thirty-three  per  cent,  of  iron,  and  the  phos- 
phorus varies  from  .1.3  to  .20. 

This  ore  is  persistent,  unlike  most  of  the  carbonate 
ores  of  the  carboniferous  groups.  The  area  underlaid 
by  it  and  actually  proved  up  is  estimated  to  contain 
not  less  than  two  hundred  millions  of  tons,  and  tliis 
does  not  include  any  part  of  the  western  side  of  the 
basin. 

The  beds  of  the  lower  group  are  known  as  the 
mountain  ores.  They  are  four  in  number, — the  Little 
Honeycomb,  the  Big  Honeycomb,  the  Kidney,  and 
the  Big  Bottom.  The  Little  Honeycomb  is  within 
twenty  feet  of  the  great  conglomerate,  and  is  seldom 
more  than  four  inches  thick.  It  is  not  available  ex- 
cept where  it  can  be  mined  by  stripping.  The  ore  is 
very  good.  The  Big  Honeycomb  is  usually  a  com- 
pact flag  ten  to  twelve  inches  thick,  but  occasionally 
swelling  to  more  than  two  feet.  It  is  persistent  to 
very  near  the  northern  limit  of  the  county.  The  ore 
is  fine-grained,  smooth,  and  it  is  regarded  as  excel- 
lent. The  metallic  iron  varies  from  thirty-five  to 
forty-one  per  cent.,  the  phosphorus  from  .03  to  .22, 
and  the  sulphur  from  it  varies  little  from  .1-5.  The 
Kidney  ore  is  persistent,  and  is  usually  a  plate  from 
four  to  eight  inches  thick.  According  to  analysis, 
the  percentage  of  iron  varies  from  thirty-one  to 
forty-one  per  cent.,  the  phosphrus  from  .10  to  .19, 
and  the  sulphur  from  .08  to  .40.  The  Big  Bottom  is 
present  at  all  localities  examined  along  Chestnut 
Ridge.  It  consists  of  one,  two,  or  three  flags,  with  a 
total  thickness  of  from  ten  inches  to  three  feet.  The 
percentage  of  iron  varies  from  thirty-two  to  thirty- 
seven,  of  phosphorus  from  a  mere  trace  to  .25. 

Unlike  the  ores  underlying  the  Pittsburgh  coal- 
bed,  these  lower  ores  are  not  wholly  to  be  depended 
on  ;  the  Kidney  and  Big  Bottom  show  serious  "  wants" 
at  several  localities,  and  the  Big  Honeycomb  occa- 
sionally fails  for  considerable  distances.  These  irreg- 
ularities render  extraction  of  the  ore  expensive  and  the 
supply  somewhat  uncertain.  The  amount  of  ore, 
however,  is  enormous,  and  the  beds,  notwithstanding 
the  numerous  gaps,  are  practically  persistent.  Drifts 
nearly  one-half  mile  long  have  been  run  on  the  Big 
Bottom  at  the  Dunbar  mines,  while  drifts  two-thirds 
as  long  have  been  run  in  on  the  Honeycomb  and 
Kidney  at  Lemont.  But  in  the  present  condition  of 
knowledge  the  available  amount  of  ore  in  these 
mountain  beds  can  hardly  be  determined,  for  erosion 
has  torn  away  much  of  the  mountain-side. 

Four  furnaces  are  now  in  operation  along  the  west 
foot  of  Chestnut  Ridge,  all  of  which  depend  chiefly  on 
the  coal  ores,  but  they  use  more  or  less  of  the  moun- 


tain ores.  No  furnace  is  in  blast  on  the  east  side  of 
Chestnut  Ridge.  The  mountain  ores  are  good  on  that 
side,  and  are  present  in  large  quantity,  but  no  way  of 
reaching  market  exists,  and  iron  cannot  be  made  ex- 
cept at  a  loss. 

The  Fayette  County  iron  early  attained  celebrity, 
owing  to  the  numerous  improvements  introduced  into 
the  raanufttcture  by  Mr.  F.  H.  Oliphant.  The  Oli- 
phant  iron  was  made  at  Fairchance  Furnace,  from  a 
mixture  of  Blue  Lump  and  mountain  ore,  the  former 
predominating.  This  iron  was  neutral  and  had  ex- 
traordinary strength.  Cable  tried  at  the  Washington 
navy-yard,  it  proved  to  be  more  than  twice  as  strong 
as  the  standard,  and  the  links  stretched  eighteen 
inches  before  breaking.  Excellent  pig-metal  was 
produced  by  the  furnaces  working  on  the  mountain 
ores  e.xclusively,and  it  always  found  a  ready  market. 
The  iron  ore  made  by  Dunbar,  Lemont,  Oliphant, 
and  Fairchance  Furnaces  is  a  good  neutral  iron,  car- 
rying from  one-half  of  one  per  cent,  to  one  per  cent, 
of  phosphorus.  Its  quality  would  be  improved  by  the 
omission  of  mill-cinder  from  the  charge.     The  large 

[  amount  of  uncombined  carbon  in  these  irons  renders 
them  excellent  for  foundry  purposes. 

The  proximity  of  coal,  ore,  and  limestone  gives  the 
Connellsville  basin  of  Fayette  County  great  advan- 
tages over  many  other  iron-producing  localities.  Iron 
can  be  made  here  profitably  when  selling  at  a  price 
which  would  bring  bankruptcy  to  the  great  majority 
of  furnaces  el.sewhere.  During  1877  good  iron  was 
made  by  Lemont  Furnace  at  a  cost  of  about  eleven 
dollars  per  ton. 

Limestone  is  abundant,  though  there  are  narrow 

'  strips  running  longitudinally  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.  This 
great  limestone  is  exposed  also  in  the  hollows  along 
the  western  side  of  Chestnut  Ridge,  and  it  has  been 

I  quarried  at  many  localities,  especially  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  county.     Some  of  its  beds  yield  lime  as 

I  white  as  the  celebrated  Louisville  brand. 

Good  lime  is  found  nearly  everywhere  within  the 
Connellsville  basin,  in  the  hills  covering  the  Pitts- 
burgh coal-bed.  This  rock  is  in  great  part  clean  enough 

j  to  be  used  as  a  flux  in  the  iron  furnaces,  but  contains 
more  or  less  oxide  of  iron,  and  therefore  the  lime  is 
not  of  pure  white.  The  limestones  exposed  along 
the  river  and  lying  above  the  Pittsburgh  coal-bed  are 
thick,  and  some  of  them  are  very  pure.     They  are 

I  quarried  at  more  than  one  locality  for  shipment  to 
Pittsburgh,  where  they  are  used  in  manufacture  of 
glass  and  iron. 

Fire-clays  are  abundant  in  diff'erent  parts  of  the 
county.  An  excellent  plastic  clay  occurs  at  Greens- 
boro'and  New  Geneva,  on  the  Monongahela  River.   It 


IRON   AND   TRON-WOllKS. 


233 


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  ex- 
cellent non-plastic  clay  exists  along  the  east  slope  of 
Chestnut  Ridge,  and  lies  not  far  above  the  great  con- 
glomerate. It  is  manufactured  into  brick  at  Lemont, 
Mount  Braddock,  Dunbar,  and  on  the  Youghiogheny 
River  above  Connellsville.  The  bricks  are  decidedly 
good,  and  but  little,  if  at  all,  inferior  to  the'  bricks 
made  at  Mount  Savage.  Another  non- plastic  clay 
occurs  in  Henry  Clay  and  Stewart  townships,  and  is 
the  same  with  the  celebrated  Bolivar  fire-clay  of  West- 
moreland County.  No  attempts  have  been  made  to 
utilize  this  clay  here,  but  in  chemical  composition  it 
approaches  closely  to  the  Mount  Savage  clay.' 

IRON    AND    IRON-AVORKS. 

There  is  a  tradition  that  the  first  discovery  of  iron 
ore  west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains  was  made  by 
John  Hayden  in  the  winter  of  1789-90.  This  state- 
ment has  been  so  often  made  in  the  writings  of 
Judge  Veech  and  others  without  contradiction  that 
it  has  come  to  be  almost  universally  regarded  as 
entirely  authentic.  That  such  is  not  the  case,  how- 
ever, and  that  iron  ore  was  known  to  exist  in  the 
valley  of  the  Youghiogheny  at  least  nine  years  before 
the  alleged  first  discovery  by  Hayden,  is  proved  by 
an  entry  found  in  the  First  Survey  Book  of  Yoho- 
gania  County,  Va.,-  and  made  a  century  ago  by  Col. 
William  Crawford,  then  surveyor  of  the  said  county. 
The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  entry : 

"July  11,  1780. 

"  No.  32 — State  Warrant. — Benjamin  Johnston  pro- 
duced a  State  Warrant  from  the  Land  Office  for  five 
hundred  acres  of  land,  dated  the  12th  day  of  May, 
1780— No.  4926.  Sixty  acres  thereof  he  locates  on  a 
big  spring  in  the  Allegany  and  Laurel  Hills,  on  the 
waters  of  the  Monongalia — and  one  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  of  s*  Warrant  he  locates  on  lands  of  s''  Hills, 
where  an  old  deadening  and  Sugar  Camp  was  made 
by  Mr.  Chr.  Harrison,  situate  on  the  waters  of  Yoho- 
gania,  to  include  a  Bank  of  Iron  Ore." 

The  precise  location  of  the  tract  referred  to  as  in- 
cluding the  ore-bank  is  not  known,  nor  is  it  material. 
The  quotation  is  giveu  above  merely  to  disprove  the 
long-accepted  statement  that  the  existence  of  iron  ore 
west  of  the  AUeghenies  was  unknown  prior  to  1789. 

FIRST   IRON   rUKNACK   IN    FAYETTE  COUNTY. 

The  earliest  reference  to  the  existence  of  an  iron 
furnace  in  Fayette  County  which  has  been  found  in 
any  deed,  record,  or  other  docuineot  is  in  the  min- 

1  The  above  article  on  the  miuenil  resources  of  Fajette  Couuty  is  fur- 
nished by  Prof.  J.  J.  Stevenson. 

2  Yohogania  County,  as  established  by  the  Virginia  Legislature  in 
1776,  included  all  the  northern  and  northeastern  part  of  the  present 
county  of  Fayette,  as  has  been  before  explaineil.  The  Survey  Book  re- 
ferred to  is  still  in  existence  i  i  a  giiod  state  of  preservation,  and  in  pos- 
session of  Boyd  Crumrine,  Esq.,  of  Washingtou,  Pa. 


utes  of  the  June  Term,  1789,  of  the  Court  of  Quarter 
Sessions  of  the  county,  as  follows :  "  A  view  of  a 
Road,  from  the  furnace  on  Jacob's  Creek,  to  Thomas 
Kyle's  mill."  And  the  minutes  of  the  March  Ses- 
sion of  1791  mention  "  The  petition  for  a  road  from 
Jacob's  Creek  Iron  Works,  to  intersect  the  road  lead- 
ing to  Mr.  Thomas  Kyle's  mill— granted." 

The  furnace  referred  to  in  these  minutes  was  the 
"Alliance  Iron-Works"  of  Turnbull,  Marmie  &  Co. 
The  tract  on  which  the  furnace  was  erected  was  one 
of  three  hundred  and  one  acres,  named  "  Rocksbury." 
It  is  described  as  "  situate  on  Jacob's  Creek,  in  the 
county  of  Fayette,"  and  was  patented  to  William 
Turnbull,  of  IPittsburgh,  July  13,  1789.^  Two  other 
tracts,  adjoining  this,  but  situated  on  both  sides  of 
Jacob's  Creek,  in  Fayette  and  Westmoreland  Coun- 
ties, were  patented  to  Turnbull  at  the  same  time. 
These  tracts  were  named  "Frankford"  and  "Springs- 
bury,"  and  contained  respectively  three  hundred  and 
one  and  two  hundred  and  nineteen  acres.  A  tract  of 
two  hundred  and  twenty-three  acres  called  "  Luton," 
situated  in  Tyrone  township,  which  had  been  patented 
to  Jacob  Laurie,  Jan.  9,  1789,  was  sold  by  the  said 
Laurie  to  William  Turnbull  and  Peter  Marmie,  Oct. 
9,  1791. 

Turnbull  had  been  a  purchasing  agent  and  com- 
missary for  the  Pennsylvania  troops  during  the  Rev- 
olution. After  the  war  he  became  associated  in 
partnership  with  Col.  John  Holker  and  Peter  Mar- 
mie. They  claimed  to  have  purchased  the  site  of 
Fort  Pitt,  and  started  a  mercantile  establishment  on 
the  "  Point"  at  Pittsburgh.  Marmie  managed  the  busi- 
ness in  the  West,  and  Turnbull  remained  most  of  the 
time  in  Philadelphia.  The  extract  from  the  court 
records,  as  given  above,  shows  that  the  furnace  on 
Jacob's  Creek  was  built  or  in  process  of  erection  be- 
fore Turnbull  received  the  patent  for  the  land  on 
which  it  stood. 

The  Alliance  Furnace  was  blown  in  in  November, 
1789,  but  nothing  is  known  of  the  business  done  at 
that  time.  On  the  6th  of  January,  1792,  Gen.  Knox, 
Secretary  of  War,  wrote  to  Maj.  Isaac  Craig,  com- 
mandant of  the  post  at  Pittsburgh,  making  this  in- 
quiry:  "Is  it  not  possible  that  you  could  obtain  shot 
for  the  six-pounders  from  Turnbull  &  Marmie's  fur- 
nace?" In  another  letter,  addressed  to  the  same 
officer  fifteen  days  later,  he  says,  "  Although  I  have 
forwarded  the  shot  for  the  six-pounders  (from  Car- 
lisle), I  am  not  sorry  that  you  ordered  those  from 
Turnbull  &  Marmie.  Let  them  send  their  propo- 
sals at  what  rates  they  will  cast  shot,  shell,  cannon, 
and  howitzers,  etc."  And  it  is  stated  on  good  au- 
thority that  shot  and  shell  for  Gen.  Anthony  Wayne's 
expedition  against  the  Indians  were  furnished  by 
Turnbull,  Marmie  &  Co.  from  their  works  on  Jacob's 
Creek. 

In  December,  1797,  certain  viewers  appointed  by 


Roll's  Office  Patent  Book  No, 


234 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTK   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  court  reported  on  a  road  "  from  Turnbull's  Iron- 
Works  by  the  Little  Falls."  In  March,  1799,  a  re- 
port was  made  to  the  court  by  viewers  as  follows : 
"  Pursuant  to  an  order  of  the  Quarter  Sessions  for 
September,  1797,  for  Fayette  County,  we,  the  sub- 
scribers therein  named,  met  and  viewed  the  ground 


It  will  be  noticed  that  the  establishment  was  vari- 
ously designated  as  "Jacob's  Creek  Furnace,"  "Alli- 
ance Furnace,"  "Alliance  Iron- Works,"  "Turnbull's 
Iron-Works,"  and  "  Col.  Holker's  Iron- Works."  The 
last  name  was  used  when  the  works  were  carried  on 
by  Holker  (as  principal  partner)  with  Marmie,  after 


between  Jacob's  Creek  furnace  and  the  road  leading     the  retirement  of  Turnbull. 


RUINS    OF    OLD    ALLIANCE    FURNACE. 


to  Feterstown ;  and  we  do  agree  to  return  a  public  I  The  title  to  the  real  estate  was  in  Turnbull,  who 
road  two  perches  wide,  beginning  at  the  county  line,  |  on  the  10th  of  February,  1797,  conveyed  to  John 
on  the  bridge  across  Jacob'.s  Creek  at  Alliance  Fur-  j  Holker,  in  consideration  of  £2000,  "  all  that  mes- 
nace,"  etc.     In  September,  1799,  there  was  presented     suage,  forge,  furnace,  and  tract  of  land  called  Rox- 


to  the  court  "a  petition  for  vacating  a  road  from  Col.     bury,"    and    also    the    other    tracts    designated    as 
Holker's  Iron- Works  to  near  Laurel  Hill  meeting-  j  "  Frankford"  and  "Sprini:sbury." 


Sprini:sbury."     The  works  were 
carried  on  by  Holker  &  Marmie  until   1802,  when 


IRON   AND   IRON-WORKS. 


their  operations  ceased,  and  the  fires  of  the  old  fur- 
nace were  finally  extinguished.' 

The  Alliance  Iron-Works  with  contiguous  lands 
were  offered  for  sale  by  Samuel  Hughes  in  an  adver- 
■tisement  dated  March  27,  1807,  but  it  does  not  ap- 
pear that  any  purchaser  was  found,  and  the  property 
was  afterwards  assigned  by  Col.  Holker  in  trust  to 
Paca  Smith,  who  conveyed  it  to  Henry  Sweitzer,  in 
pursuance  of  an  agreement  made  Jan.  20,  1817. 

The  cut  correctly  represents  the  appearance  of 
the  ruins  of  the  old  Jacob's  Creek  furnace-stack 
at  the  present  time.  Parts  of  the  ancient  walls  of  the 
furnace  are  still  standing,  though  greatly  dilapidated, 
and  the  walls  of  the  charcoal-house  in  the  rear  of  the 
furnace  remain  nearly  entire,  but  gray  and  moss- 
covered.  The  site  of  the  old  iron-works  is  on  low 
ground,  on  the  south  side  of  Jacob's  Creek,  in  the 
present  township  of  Perry.  The  land  is  now  owned 
by  the  Jacob's  Creek  Oil  Company. 

UNION   FURNACE. 

The  old  Union  Furnace  in  Dunbar  township  was 

built  by  Isaac  Meason  at  about  the  same  time  that 

Turnbull  &  Marmie  erected  their  furnace  on  Jacob's 

I  Creek,  but  it  is  conceded  by  all  who  have  any  knowl- 

I  edge  of  the  facts  that  the  last  named  was  first  blown 

!  in.      Mr.    Edmund  C.   Pechin,    who    has    carefully 

gathered  all  obtainable  information   in  reference  to 

I  the  old  Union   Furnace,  says  it  was  first  blown  in 

in  March,  1791,  which  gives  a  precedence  of  about 

sixteen  months  to  the  furnace  of  Turnbull  &  Marmie. 

The  first  mention  which  has  been  found  of  the  Union 

Furnace  is  in  the  records  of  the  court  of  Fayette 

County  for  the  June  term  of  1791,  when  there  was 

presented  "  a  petition  for  a  road  from  Union  Furnace 

to  Dickinson's  Mill." 

The  original  furnace  was  a  small  establishment,  but 
in  1793  Mr.  Meason  associated  with  him  John  Gibson 
and  Moses  Dillon,  and  this  firm  (styled  Meason,  Dil- 
lon &  Co.)  erected  a  much  larger  furnace  and  foundry 
on  the  site  of  the  first  one.  On  the  formation  of  the 
partnership,  July  16,  1793,  Meason  transferred  to 
Dillon  and  Gibson  one-sixth  of  six  hundred  acres  of 
land  on  both  sides  of  Dunbar  Creek,  "  which  includes 
the  furnace  which  is  now  erecting,"  with  the  houses 
and  appurtenances,  and  also  one-half  of  two  thousand 
seven  hundred  acres  adjoining,  and  between  it  and 
the  Youghiogheny  River. 

The  establishment  of  Meason,  Dillon  &  Co.  pro- 
duced large  quantities  of  castings,  stoves,  pots,  dog- 
irons,  sugar-kettles,  salt-kettles,  and  other  articles. 
The  following  advertisement  of  their  business  appears 
in  the  Pittsburgh  Gazette  of  1794  : 

"  MEASON,    DILLON   &    CO. 

"  Have  for  Sale  at  their  furnace  on  Dunbar's  Run, 
Fayette  county,  three  miles  from  Stewart's  Crossings, 

1  An  interesting  account  of  some  of  the  operations  at  the  old  furnace 
on  .Jacob's  Creek  will  he  found  embodied  in  a  letter  written  by  Peter 
Marmie,  which  is  given  in  the  history  of  Perry  township. 


on  Youghiogheny 


supply  of  well  assorted 


castings,  which  they  will  sell  for  cash  at  the  reduced 
price  of  £35  per  ton  {$93.33). 
{      "  Union  Furnace,  April  10,  1794." 

In  1804  an  extensive  order  was  filled  at  the  Union 
!  Furnace  for  large  sugar-kettles,  to  be   used  on  the 
plantations  of  Louisiana.     After  that  time  the  works 
were   continued  by  different  parties  for  more   than 
!  fifty  years,  and  finally  suspended  operations.     About 
the  year  1868  the  property  passed  into  possession  of 
I  the  Youghiogheny  Iron  and  Coal  Company,  of  which 
Edmund  C.  Pechin  was  .president.     Under  his  man- 
agement extensive  improvements  were  made,  and  the 
subsequent  success  of  the  works  has  been  largely  due 
to  his  energy.     In  1871  the  company  was  reorganized 
as  the  Dunbar  Iron  Company,  and  later  as  the  Dun- 
bar Furnace  Company,  which  now  owns  and  operates 
the  works. 

Sl'KING    HILL    FUltNACE. 

This  old  furnace,  situated  in  Spring  Hill  township, 
j  was  built  by  Robert  and  Benjamin  Jones,  who  were 
Welshmen  by  birth,  and  had  been  interested  in  the 
development  of  mineral  lands  in  their  native  country. 
Emigrating  to  America,  they  became  owners  of  the 
lands  on  which  they  built  this  furnace,  as  stated. 
The  precise  date  of  its  erection  is  not  known,  but  its 
commencement  is  placed  in  1794  with  a  good  deal  of 
certainty,  for  the  reason  that  the  assessment-roll  of 
Spring  Hill  township  for  1793  shows   that   Robert 
Jones  was  then  assessed  on  four  hundred  acres  of 
"unseated  lands,"  and  that  the  roll  of  the  same  town- 
ship for  1795  shows,  under  the  head  of  "  Fulling  Mills 
and  Furnaces,"  the  name  of  Robert  Jones  asse.ssed 
on  "  One  Furnace,  valued  at  $300."     That  the  works 
'  were  in  operation  at  least  as  early  as  the  autumn  of 
the  latter  year  is  proved  by  the  following  advertise- 
j  ment,  found  in  the  Western  T'e^pyrryjAc  (then  published 
I  at  Washington,  Pa.),  bearing  date  Oct.  13,  1795,  viz. : 
I       "  Springhill  Furnace,  Ruble's  Run,  Fayette  County, 
Pennsylvania,  within  three  miles  of  the  river  Cheat, 
I  near  its  confluence  with  the  Monongahela. 

"  For  Sale,  at  said  Furnace,  a  good  assortment  of 
beautiful  Castings,  allowed  by  real  judges  to  be  some 
j  of  the  very  best  ever  cast  in  America,  amongst  which 
;  are  Stoves  and  Salt  kettles  of  the  finest  quality. 

"  By  R.  &  B.  Jones,  Wells  &  Co." 
James  Tucker,  of  Washington  County,  had  a  one- 
eighth  interest  in  the  firm,  and  assumed  the  manage- 
ment of  the  works,  being  a  practical  iron-worker. 
On  the  8th  of  November,  1799,  the  firm  leased  the 
property  to  Jesse  Evans  (a  son-in-law  of  Robert 
Jones)  for  three  years,  for  the  consideration  of 
twenty  tons  of  assorted  iron  castings. 

In  1803  (March  29th),  Robert  and  Benjamin  Jones, 
"of  Whitely  Creek,  Greene  Co.,"  entered  into  an 
agreement  with  Jesse  Evans  to  convey  to  him,  for 
the  consideration  of  £4000,  "the  seven-eighths  part 
of  Springhill  furnace  and  everything  thereunto  be- 


HISTOEY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


longing,  flasks,  teams,  patterns,  and  land,  containing 
eight  hundred  acres ;  also  a  piece  of  land  joining, 
formerly  part  of  Isaac  Deal's  plantation,  containing 
seven  acres,  with  the  remainder  of  the  pigs  and  stock 
now  on  the  premises ;  also  three  hundred  acres  for- 
merly belonging  to  William  Wells."  On  the  9th  of  | 
August  of  the  following  year  Evans  purchased  the  ' 
one-eighth  interest  owned  by  James  Tucker,  of  Wash- 
ington County,  for  six  tons  of  assorted  castings  and 
two  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  bar  iron,  at  sis  cents 
per  pound. 

Jesse  Evans  operated  the  iron-works  until  April, 
1831,  when  he  removed  to  Spring  Grove  farm,  where 
his  son,  Col.  Samuel  Evans,  now  resides.  He  died 
in  Uniontown,  Aug.  15,  1842. 

When  Mr.  Evans  retired  from  the  business  of  the 
furnace,  in  1831,  it  was  sold  to  J.  Kennedy  Duncan,  j 
and  two  years  later,  after  several  changes,  it  was  pur- 
chased by  F.  H.  Oliphant,  who  kept  it  in  successful 
operation  till  1870,  when  it  was  sold  to  the  Fairchance 
Company,  the  present  owners. 

During  Mr.  Oliphant's  occupancy  he  carried  into 
effect  the  idea  (which  had  been  conceived  by  him  in 
1825)  of  utilizing  the  furnace  gases.  He  had  impar- 
ted his  discovery  to  an  Alabama  company,  who  used 
the  hint  received  from  him  to  some  advantage  in  the 
construction  of  their  furnace.  Wlien  he  reconstructed 
the  Spring  Hill  Furnace,  he  made  practical  his  idea  by 
placing  the  boiler-house  upon  the  top  of  the  stack ;  this 
in  a  crude  manner  carried  out  his  idea  with  consider- 
able advantage. 

HATDEN'S   FORGE  AND  FAIRFIELD   FURNACE. 

On  the  6th  of  March,  1792,  Robert  Peoples,  of 
Georges  township,  a  miller  by  trade,  conveyed  to  John 
Hayden,  iron-master,  in  partnership  with  John  Nich- 
olson, of  Philadelphia,  a  tract  of  land  in  the  said 
township  of  Georges,  containing  fifty-one  acres  and  \ 
twenty-four  perches,  with  all  buildings,  iron-works, 
houses,  cabins,  etc.,  the  consideration  being  .£119. 
The  tract  was  the  .same  which  Peoples  had  purchased 
a  few  days  before  from  Jonathan  Reese,  who  had  pur- 
chased it  Feb.  5,  1790,  from  Philip  Jenkins,  who  pat- 
ented it  from  the  State  May  31,  1787. 

As  to  tlie  "  iron-works"  which  were  mentioned  as 
being  then  located  on  the  land  conveyed  by  Reese  to 
Haydeu,  it  cannot  be  stated  with  any  certainty  by  I 
•whom  they  were  built.  It  is  not  probable  they  were 
built  by  Reese,  for  he  had  owned  the  jimperty  only  a 
few  days.  The  previous  owner  of  the  land,  Philip 
Jenkins,  might  have  erected  them,  but  the  probability 
is  that  they  were  commenced  by  John  Hayden  before 
the  property  came  into  possession  of  himself  and 
Nicholson,  and  that  Reese  had  been  employed  to  pur- 
chase the  land  from  Jenkins,  and  then  convey  it  to 
them,  as  he  did.  1 

In  the  assessment-rolls  of  Georges  township  for 
that  year  (1792)  John  Hayden  was  assessed  on  fifty- 
one  acres  of  land  (evidently  the  same  purchased  from 


Reese)  and  a  "  bloomery"  or  forge.  No  assessment 
on  any  such  establishment  is  found  in  the  rolls  of 
that  township  in  any  preceding  year. 

On  the  3lst  of  March,  1792,  John  Nicholson,  of 
Philadelphia  (State  comptroller),  and  John  Hayden, 
of  Fayette  County,  entered  into  articles  of  agreement, 
from  which  the  following  is  an  extract :  "  Whereas 
the  said  Hayden  represents  that  there  is  on  the  head- 
waters of  Georges  Creek,  within  said  county,  a  valu- 
able iron-mine  of  sufficient  quantity,  that  there  are 
also  streams  and  seats  suitable  for  u  forge  and  fur- 
nace, and  whereas  it  is  agreed  to  have  erected  for 
their  joint  benefit,  a  forge  and  furnace  on  a  tract  of 
land  which  contains  four  hundred  and  thirty-six 
acres,  having  from  seventy  to  eighty  acres  cleared, 
and  about  four  hundred  fruit-trees,"  etc.  It  appears 
that  this  tract  had  already  been  bargained  for  with 
its  owner,  Joseph  Huston  (then  sheriff  of  Fayette' 
County),  at  three  hundred  pounds,  and  by  the  terms 
of  the  agreement  between  Hayden  and  Nicholson 
the  latter  was  to  send  that  amount  of  money  by  hand 
of  Albert  Gallatin  to  Huston  to  pay  for  the  land. 

On  the  same  day  Hayden  and  Nicholson  entered 
into  a  further  agreement,  by  the  terms  of  which  Hay- 
den was  to  finish  the  forge  or  bloomery  (which,  as  it 
thus  appears,  was  not  then  completed)  on  the  Reese 
land,  and  to  build  a  furnace  at  such  place  as  might 
be  thought  best  for  the  purpose  on  the  larger  (Huston) 
tract,  and  to  complete  the  same  on  or  before  Sept.  1, 
1794.  And  Nicholson,  on  his  part,  agreed  to  lease 
and  did  lease  to  Hayden  his  interest  in  the  forge  and 
furnace  at  eight  hundred  pounds  per  year  for  the 
term  of  seven  years,  commencing  April  1,  1792,  the 
payments  to  be  made  semi-annually,  and  not  to  begin 
until  Sept.  1,  1794,  and  if  the  furnace  and  forge  were 
completed  sooner  than  that  time,  then  John  Hayden 
was  to  have  the  use  thereof  until  Sept.  1,  1794,  gra- 
tuitously, as  well  as  all  the  timber  and  ore  he  could 
use  up  to  that  date.  On  the  16th  day  of  JIarch, 
1793,  they  entered  into  another  agreement,  in  which 
it  is  stated  that  owing  to  a  want  of  funds  the  work 
was  lagging,  and  in  order  that  the  work  might  be 
prosecuted  "with  newness  of  vigor,"  and  that  a  forge 
might  be  built,  Nicholson  agreed  to  advance  to  Hay- 
den twelve  hundred  pounds,  Pennsylvania  money,  in 
addition  to  what  had  already  been  advanced  and  ex- 
pended, and  Nicholson's  agent,  Jesse  Evans,  was  to 
take  this  sum  of  money  to  Hayden.  But  their  finan- 
cial difficulties  still  continued,  the  work  was  not 
prosecuted,  Nicholson  became  a  defaulter,  and  the 
partnership  between  him  and  Hayden  failed.  On 
the  30th  of  May,  1796,  John  Hayden,  "iron-master," 
conveyed  to  Jonathan  Hayden,  of  Georges  township, 
the  fifty-one-acre  tract  purchased  from  Robert  Peo- 
ples in  the  spring  of  1793,  including  the  bloomery, 
cabins,  and  other  buildings. 

The  agreement  between  Nicholson  and  Hayden, 
made  March  31,  1792,  was  not  carried  out  as  to  the 
building  of  the  furnace  at  the  time  specified,  and  in- 


IRON  AND   IRON-WORKS. 


237 


deed  none  was  built  at  any  time  under  this  partner-  ance  April  5,  1797.  Soon  after  the  purchase  Pears 
.ship.  In  1795,  Hayden  was  still  assessed  on  the  '  erected  upon  it  the  furnace  known  as  Old  Redstone, 
blooniery.  On  the  18th  of  March,  1797,  William  I  which  was  operated  by  him  for  a  year  or  two  after  its 
Nixon  and  wife  conveyed  to  John  Hayden  for  the  '  starting,  and  then  rented  by  Mayberry  &  Stevens. 
consideration  of  £118  8s.  9d.  thirty-eight  and  one-  '  On  the  26th  of  December,  1803,  Pears  sold  the  land 
fourth  acres  of  land  in  Georges  township,  "  for  the  pur-  and  furnace  for  $3000  to  Joseph  Huston,  who  operated 
pose  and  convenience  of  erecting  a  furnace  thereon,"  !  it  for  some  years,  but  he  was  finally  overtaken  by  finan- 
this  land  being  a  part  of  a  -tract  named  "  Fairfield,"  cial  difficulties,  and  then  the  furnace  passed  to  the 
which  was  patented  to  Nixon  Sept.  7,  1790.  <  possession  of  his  nephew  and  clerk,  John  Huston,  who 

On  the  land  which  he  purchased  of  Nixon,  Hayden  !  continued  to  operate  it  for  many  years.  AfterlSSGitwas 
built  the  Fairfield  Furnace.  The  date  of  its  erection  I  carried  on  by  John  Snyder  and  John  Worthington  for 
is  placed  at  1797,  because  in  that  year  he  was  assessed  a  period  of  about  fifteen  years,  since  which  time  it  has 
for  "  Ready  place  Forge,"  "Old  Place,"  "  mountain  '  been  out  of  blast.  The  stack  remains  standing,  but 
land,"  and  "  furnace  land,"  but  no  furnace ;  but  in  I  ranch  dilapidated, 
the  following  year  "  Fairfield  Furnace"  was  included  I  fairciiance. 

in  his  assessment  at  $4000.    At  the  same  time  the  old         In  1803,  Thomas  Wynn  disposed  of  his  property, 
ibrge  was  assessed  to  him  at  $250.  '  near  where  Fairchance  Furnace  now  stands,  to  John 

Hayden  conveyed  an  undivided  one-fourth  part  of  j  Hayden  for  £3000,  payable  in  three  years,  £1000  an- 
the  Furnace  tract,  "  with  an  equal  part  of  the  furnace  i  nually.  This  tract  consisted  of  two  hundred  and 
and  all  other  buildings  thereon  erected,"  to  Stephen  !  eighty  acres  of  mineral  lands,  and  on  this  tract  there 
Hayden,  Jr.,  by  deed  dated  Dec.  25, 1797,  and  on  the  '  was  then  a  flax-seed  oil-mill.  The  payments  as  they 
16th  of  January  following  he  conveyed  another  un-  '  became  due  were  payable  in  castings  at  $100  per  ton, 
divided  one-fourth  part  of  the  same  property  to  John  [  delivered  either  at  Fairfield  Furnace  or  at  Richard 
Oliphant,  Andrew  Oliphant,  and  Nathaniel  Breading  |  Lewis',  "Mary  Ann  Furnace,"  near  Haydentown. 
for  £2000.  These  three  gentlemen,  on  the  8th  of  I  On  the  property  sold  by  Wynn  to  Hayden  was  erected 
March,  1805,  purchased  another  one-fourth  interest  |  the  "  Fairchance"  Furnace. 
in  the  property  from  Neil  Gillespie,  and  at  the  same  I       On  the  1st  of  January,   1805,  John  Hayden,  Sr., 


time  purchased  still  another  one-fourth  from  John  Gil- 
lespie, who  had  bought  it  at  sherift's  sale  in  1803,  at 
which  time  it  was  sold  by  Sheriff  Allen  on  a  judg- 
ment against  John  Hayden.  Finally,  John  and  An- 
drew Oliphant  came  into  possession  of  the  entire 
property,  and  the  furnace  was  operated  by  them  until 


sold  to  James  Gillespie  one-half  of  his  real  and  per- 
sonal estate,  consisting  in  furnaces,  forges,  bloomery, 
mills,  lands,  and  tenements,  tii^'riln'i-  with  nil  their 


appurtenances,  for  the  sum  of 
metal  then  made  and  at  Fai 
taken  at  $25   i:>er  ton.     Not 


of  all 
to  be 
Fair- 


January,  1817,  when  their  partnership  was  dissolved  |  chance  was   purchased   by   John   and   Andrew  Oli- 
by  mutual  consent,  John  Oliphant  purchasing  the  in-  \  phant,  who  carried  on  the  furnace  in  connection  with 


terest  of  Andrew  in  the  Fairfield  and  Fairchance  Fur- 
naces and  Sylvan  Forge  at  $4000.  The  Fairfield 
Furnace  was  rented  by  him  to  John  St.  Clair  and 
Isaiah  Marshall,  who  were  succeeded  by  William 
Paull,  Sr.,  and  he  in  turn  by  John  Martin,  whose  oc- 
cupancy continued  until  the  furnace  was  finally  blown 
out  and  abandoned. 

It  is  said  by  old  people  that  during  the  Oliphants' 


the  Sylvan  Forge,  under 


l-'i-'iiii  Hint  liiiu'  it  was 
>liri  <  Miphuiit,  anil  passed 
■>'i\tri\  for  ;i  iew  years  to 
:  w:i>  ..|,orated  by  F.  H. 
ty  viai>.  Soon  after  his 
•e,  F.  H.  Olipliant  began 
Bottom"  ores  in  place  of 
operation  of  Fairfield  Furnace  they  furnished  from  it  ;  tlie  "  Blue  Lump,"  wliicli  had  been  previously  used. 
a  quantity  of  solid  shot,  which  were  shipped  on  small  |  In  1836  he  used  coke  as  fuel  in  the  Fairchance  Fur- 
craft  down  the  Monongahela,  Ohio,  and  Mississippi  I  nace.  and  a  sample  of  the  iron  so  produced  is  on 
Rivers,  and  were  used  by  Gen.  Jackson's  artillery  in     exhibition   at  the  Franklin   Institute,  Philadelphia. 


Oliphant,  until  about  Is  1 7 
operated  for  some  time  liv  . 
to  F.  H.  Oliphant.  It  w';i~ 
J.  K.  Duncan,  and  after  Is 
Oliphant  for  more  than  I'l 
commencement  at  Fairchai 
using  the  "  Flag"  and  "  Bii 


the  battle  of  New  Orlean; 
Fairfield  are  still  visible. 


Some  of  the  ruins  of  old 


BEDSTONE   FUKNACE. 

The  builder  and  first  proprietor  of  this  old  iron- 
works was  Jeremiah  Pears,  who  purchased  the  parcel 
of  land  including  its  site  from  Moses  Hopwood.  It 
was  a  tract  containing  twenty  acres  and  thirteen 
perches,  situated  on  the  waters  of  Redstone  Creek, 
in  Union  (now  South  Union)  township,  and  a  part  of 
the  original  survey  named  "Suttonia."  The  consider- 
ation paid  was  £276  lOs.,  and  the  date  of  the  convey- 
in 


During  the  same  year  he  introduced  the  warm  blast, 
which  had  previously  been  used  in  Europe,  but  Mr. 
Oliphant  knew  nothing  of  its  having  been  used  any- 
where previous  to  his  introducing  it.  It  requires 
from  700°  to  900°  of  heat  for  the  blast,  and  his  fur- 
nace was  not  arranged  so  as  to  generate  such  a  great 
heat,  consequently  his  efforts  were  not  entirely  sat- 
isfactory. The  hot  air  for  his  blast  was  driven 
through  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  of  pipe, 
leading  from  the  rolling-mill  to  the  stack.  In  1826, 
F.  H.  Oliphant  bought  Fairchance  Furn.ace  from 
his  father,  who  was  comiielled  to  sell  it  on  account 


238 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  his  indebtedness.  About  1834,  F.  H.  Oliphant 
liad  erected  a  rolling-mill  at  Fairchance.  This 
mill  had  three  puddling-furnaces  and  complete  ma- 
chinery for  making  bar  and  boiler  iron.  It  remained 
in  operation  until  about  1870,  at  which  time  Mr.  Oli- 
phant sold  out  to  a  Kew  York  company,  under  the 
style  and  title  of  Fairchance  Iron  Company,  who  own 
it  at  the  present  time.  The  capacity  of  the  furnace 
had  been  increased  to  ten  tons  per  day  by  Oliphant, 
and  that  capacity  has  been  doubled  by  the  Fairchance 
Company. 

COOL   SPRING   FUKNACE. 

The  land  emlir.acing  the  site  of  this  furnace,  located 
on  Shute's  Run,  in  North  Union  township,  was  pat- 
ented to  Thompson  McKean,  John  Smart,  and  Wil- 
liam Paull,  Jan.  13,  1816.  The  furnace  was  built  soon 
afterwards  by  Mr.  McKean,  and  by  him  kept  in  opera- 
tion for  many  years.  About  1842  it  passed  into  posses- 
sion of  Joseph  Wiley.  Some  three  years  later,  Eleazer 
Robin.son  became  a  partner  in  the  business.  In  1854, 
Mr.  Wiley  removed  to  the  West,  and  the  business  of 
the  iron-works  was  continued  by  Robinson  for  a  year 
or  two  and  then  closed.  The  property  afterwards 
passed  to  the  possession  of  Levi  Springer,  and  is  now 
owned  by  his  heirs.  The  furnace  was  a  small  one, 
with  a  blast  driven  by  water-power.  The  ores  used 
were  of  the  Umbral  group,  and  obtained  by  benching. 
Excavations  from  which  the  ore  was  obtained  are 
found,  extending  along  the  outcrop  for  miles  from  the 
furnace.  The  procuring  of  ore  in  this  manner  was 
necessarily  e.xpensive,  and  the  cost  of  its  reduction 
must  have  been  correspondingly  light  to  justifj-  it. 

OLD  LAUKEL   FUKNACE. 

The  location  of  this  old  furnace  was  on  Laurel  Run, 
in  Dunbar  township,  nearly  opposite  the  eastern  base 
of  the  Chestnut  Ridge.-  It  was  built  by  Joshua  Gib- 
son and  Samuel  Paxson,  about  1797,  and  two  or  three 
years  later  (before  1800)  it  passed  to  the  possession 
of  Reuben  Mochabee  and  Samuel  Wurtz.  In  1800, 
John  Ferrel,  the  manager  of  the  furnace  under  these 
proprietors,  advertised  for  sale  "assorted  castings, 
neat,  light,  and  tough,"  at  $100  per  ton,  also  bar  iron. 
The  "  Hampton  Forge"  was  built  by  Mochabee  & 
Wurtz,  for  the  purpose  of  working  the  product  of  the 
furnace. 

NEW   LAUREL   FURNACE. 

Col.  James  Paull  and  his  sons  erected  the  New 
Laurel  Furnace,  a  short  distance  below  the  site  of  the 
Old  Laurel,  on  the  same  run.  It  was  kept  in  blast  by 
them  until  1834,  when  it  passed  to  Kaine,  Vance  & 
Miller,  under  whom  it  was  operated  till  1838,  when  it 
was  finally  blown  out. 

FINLEY,  OR   BREAK-NECK   FURNACE. 

The  site  of  this  furnace  was  on  Break-Neck  Run, 
in  Lullskin  township.  It  wusliuilt  in  IMS,  by  Messrs. 
]Miller,  Janirs  KDLins,  ami  .Tames  raull,  and  was 
managed  by  MilKr.  David  ISarnes  alterwards  be- 
came a  jiartnei-.     About   1.S24   it  passed   to  Boyd  & 


Davidson,  who  operated  it  until  1831,  after  which 
Miller  ran  it  for  a  year  or  two.  It  was  then  carried 
on  by  David  B.  Long  &  Co.  until  1838,  when  its 
operation  was  abandoned. 

WHARTON    FURNACE. 

In  the  records  of  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  for 
June  term,  1837,  mention  is  made  of  a  petition  for  a 
road  in  Wharton  township,  to  pass  "  where  A.  Stewart 
is  building  a  furnace."  The  person  referred  to  was 
the  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart,  who  built  this  furnace  in 
the  year  named.  Its  site  was  a  short  distance  from 
the  National  ,road.  The  furnace  was  managed  by 
Alfred  Stewart  for  a  number  of  years  from  its  com- 
pletion. Afterwards  it  was  successively  operated  by 
Edward  Hughes  and  J.  Kennedy  Duncan.  In  18.52, 
D.  S.  Stewart  assumed  the  management,  and  ran  it 
about  four  years.  It  was  blown  out  in  1856,  and  re- 
mained in  disuse  until  1858,  when  it  was  leased  by 
Worthington  &  Snyder,  who  were  succeeded  by  D. 
W.  Woods  &  Lukens,  of  McKeesport.  After  a  few 
years  it  was  blown  out,  and  remained  idle  till  1870, 
when  it  was  leased  by  E.  C.  Pechin,  C.  E.  Swear- 
ingen,  Maurice  Healey,  and  others.  After  being  in 
blast  for  about  one  year  under  this  proprietorship  it 
was  leased  to  George  W.  Paull.  Two  years  later  it 
was  blown  out  and  dismantled. 

MARY   ANN   FURNACE. 

This  furnace,  located  near  Haydentown,  was  built 
about  the  year  1800,  by  Martin  &  Lewis.  In  1810  the 
property  was  owned  by  Capt.  James  Robinson.  In 
1818  it  was  purchased  by  Joseph  Victor,  who  rebuilt 
it  and  changed  its  name  to  Fairview.  It  was  blown 
out  and  abandoned  about  1840. 

MOUNT   VERNON    FURNACE. 

The  Mount  Vernon  Furnace,  situated  on  the  head- 
waters of  Mounts'  Creek,  in  Bullskin  township,  on 
the  road  to  Lobengier's  Mills,  was  built  by  Isaac 
Meason.  The  date  of  its  erection  is  not  ascertained, 
but  an  advertisement  in  one  of  the  papers  of  that 
time  shows  that  it  was  in  operation  in  July,  1800.  An 
inscription  on  a  stone  in  the  furnace-stack  shows  that 
it  was  rebuilt  in  1801.  It  was  sold  by  Meason  to 
David  Barnes  and  D.  B.  Long,  by  whom  it  was  oper- 
ated for  about  two  years.  Its  final  blowing  out  was 
in  1824.  The  property  now  belongs  to  George  E. 
Hogg. 

LITTLE   FALLS   FURNACE. 

On  Arnold's  Run  (later  called  Furnace  Run),  near 
its  mouth,  in  Franklin  township,  was  the  site  of  this 
old  iron-works.  A  forge  was  built  at  this  place  as 
early  as  1800,  by  Nathaniel  Gibson,  who  not  long 
afterwards  built  the  furnace.  It  was  a  small  affair, 
and  did  not  prove  financially  successful.  The  prop- 
erty passed  to  F.  H.  Oliphant,  who  repaired  and 
somewhat  enlarged  it,  and  named  it  the  Franklin 
Iron- Works,  which  were  operated  by  him  for  a  few 
vears  and  then  abandoned. 


IRON   AND   IRON-WOKKS. 


239 


ST.  JOHN    FUUNACE. 

This  furnace  was  located  on  Salt  Lick  Creek  (now 
Indian  Creek),  in  the  present  township  of  Spring- 
field. It  was  built  in  1807  by  Jackson  &  Gibson,  the 
masonry-work  being  done  by  James  Taylor.  In  1810 
it  was  owned  and  operated  by  Trevor  &  Slater.  After- 
wards it  became  the  property  of  Col.  James  Paull, 
and  still  later  was  in  the  possession  of  Steele  and 
Doughty,  who  were  the  last  to  operate  it.  It  was 
blown  out  and  discontinued  in  1828. 

ETNA   FURNACE. 

Thomas  and  Joseph  Gibson  erected  the  Etna  Fur- 
nace in  1815,  on  Trump's  Run,  about  one  mile  above 
the  borough  of  Connellsville,  and  one-third  of  a  mile 
from  the  Youghiogheny  River.  It  remained  in  blast 
for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  was  finally  blown  out 
in  1840. 

^  FAYETTE   FURNACE. 

Near  the  western  base  of  the  Laurel  Ridge,  in  the 
present  township  of  Springfield,  on  the  north  fork  of 
Indian  Creek,  was  the  site  on  which  James  Rogers, 
Linton,  and  Miller  built  the  Fayette  Furnace  in  1827. 
Joseph  and  George  Rogers  were  its  later  owners,  and 
it  was  kept  in  blast  till  1840  or  1841,  when  it  was 
abandoned. 

1^  THE  OLIPHANT  FURNACE. 

The  last  furnace  that  Fidelio  H.  Oliphant  was  ever  \ 
connected  with  was  the  one  that  is  known  as  the  [ 
'  Oliphant  Furnace,  situated  about  four  miles  south  of 
;  Uniontown,  on  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railroad. 
This  was  built  by  him  after  he  had  disposed  of  his 
Fairchance  and  Spring  Hill  Furnaces  to  Eastern  pur-  I 
chasers.     He  operated  the  new  furnace  for  a  number  ; 
of  years,  but  the  enterprise  proved  disastrous,  and  his 
son,  Duncan  Oliphant,  together  with  his  sons,  took 
the  furnace  and  managed  it  until  recently,  when  it 
was  sold  to  James  Husted,  A.  B.  De  Saulles,  Robert 
Hogsett,  William  Beeson,  A.  W.  Bliss,  and  George 
C.  Marshall,  who  are  at  present  carrying  on  the  busi- 
ness. 

PINE   GROVE   FOKGE. 

The  old  forge  to  which  this  name  was  given,  was 
built  prior  to  1798  by  Thomas  Lewis,  on  land  pur- 
chased or  contracted  from  Philip  Jenkins,  located  in  i 
a  mountain  gorge  on  Pine  Grove  Run,  about  four 
miles  from  Sraithfield  and  two  miles  from  Wood- 
bridge  town,  in  Georges  township.  On  the  7th  of 
April,  1798,  Lewis  mortgaged  to  Meshack  Davis  that 
part  of  his  property  on  which  a  forge  had  been  erected.  : 

The  various  business  operations  of  Thomas  Lewis 
led  him  into  serious  financial  embarrassments,  which 
resulted  in  his  failure  in  1799,  and  on  the  29th  of 
November,  1800,  the  forge  property,  with  six  hundred 
acres  of  land,  was  sold  by  the  sheriff  to  Isaac  Sutton. 
The  forge  was  at  that  time  regarded  as  of  very  little 
value,  and  its  fires  were  not  rekindled. 

Mr.  Joseph  Hickle,  of  Georges  township,  was  told 
by  old  Mr.  Jacob  Searing  many  years  ago  that  he 


(Searing)  had  been  employed  in  digging  ore  for 
Lewis'  forge  during  the  time  of  its  operation,  and 
that  the  ore  was  carried  in  sacks  on  the  backs  of 
horses  from  the  places  where  it  was  dug  to  the  forge. 
It  was,  he  said,  of  the  kind  known  as  "  Red  Short," 
and  especially  well  adapted  to  the  making  of  bar  iron. 
A  white  sandstone  was  used  for  lining  the  furnace. 
He  also  related  that  when  Lewis  failed,  there  was  on 
hand  at  the  forge  about  twenty  tons  of  bar  (?)  iron, 
worth  at  that  time  fully  $100  per  ton,  and  that  during 
the  night  before  the  day  on  which  the  sheriff  came  to 
levy  on  the  property  this  iron  was  carried  away  from 
the  forge  and  secretly  buried  in  the  sand  at  the  head 
of  a  little  hollow  not  far  distant  to  save  it  from 
seizure.  The  story,  whether  true  or  not,  began  to 
be  circulated  a  few  years  later,  and  was  so  much 
credited  by  many  that  search  has  frequently  been 
made  to  find  the  hidden  iron,  but  without  success. 
At  the  site  of  the  old  forge  there  are  still  standing 
the  ruins  of  three  stacks,  but  it  is  not  probable  that 
all  of  them  were  ever  in  use.  Mr.  Lewis  at  the  time 
of  his  failure  had  commenced  the  erection  of  a  fur- 
nace near  the  forge,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  one 
or  more  of  the  three  stacks  belonged  to  the  projected 
furnace. 

LEMONT   FURNACE. 

This  furnace,  which  commenced  operations  in  1875, 
is  located  in  North  Union,  and  is  more  fully  men- 
tioned in  the  history  of  that  township. 

YOUGH   FORGE. 

John  Gibson,  of  Fayette  County,  and  Thomas 
Astley,  of  Philadelphia,  were  the  original  proprietors 
of  this  forge.  The  year  in  which  they  erected  it 
cannot  be  given  with  certainty,  but  there  appears 
in  the  Pittsburgh  Oazette  of  1817  an  advertisement, 
dated  June  17th  in  that  year,  of  "  the  Yough  Forge, 
situate  near  Connellsville,  Fayette  Co."  It  v.'as  run 
for  many  years  by  the  original  owners,  and  afterwards 
by  Thomas,  Joseph,  Joshua,  and  James  Gibson  (sons 
of  John),  who  operated  it  until  1825,  when  they  ceased 
work,  and  the  forge  was  dismantled.  Its  site  is  occu- 
pied by  a  mill  built  by  Boyd  &  Davidson  in  1831. 

EARLY    ROLLING-MILLS. 

There  is  little  if  any  doubt  that  the  first  rolling- 
mill  in  Fayette  County  was  the  one  erected  and  put 
in  operation  by  Jeremiah  Pears  at  Plumsock,  in 
Menallen  township.  Its  location  was  on  a  tract  of 
laud  surveyed  to  him  by  Levi  Stephens  (an  assistant 
of  the  surveyor,  Alexander  McClean),  May  29,  1786. 
The  name  given  to  the  tract  by  Pears  was  "  Maiden's 
Fishery,"  but  this  was  changed  at  the  Land  Office 
to  the  name  "  Prophetic,"  and  the  patent  was  issued 
under  that  name  to  Pears  on  the  28th  of  November, 
1789.  On  this  tract  Mr.  Pears  had  erected  a  forge 
prior  to  1794,  as  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  the  court 
record  of  June  in  tliat  year  mentions  the  presentation 
of  a  petition  for  the  hiving  out  of  a  road  "  by  way  of 
Pears'  Forge  to  Redstone  Ford." 


HISTOKY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Besides  the  forge,  Mr.  Pears  had  erected  on  his  tract 
a  saw-mill  and  grist-mill,  and  afterwards  built  a  slit- 
ting-mill  and  the  rolling-mill  above  referred  to.  The 
latter  was  erected  in  or  immediately  after  the  year 
1800.  By  his  operations  here  and  at  the  Redstone 
Furnace  (of  which  latter  he  was  the  builder  and 
first  owner,  as  has  been  mentioned)  Pears  became 
involved  in  pecuniary  difficulties,  and  in  September, 
1804,  a  judgment  was  obtained  against  him,  to  satisfy 
which  James  Allen,  sli.iitr  ..f  Fnvtt.'  C.mnty,  sold, 
on  the  9th  of  DecemlKi-,  l>ii:,,  prars'  "  I'rnphitir" 
tract  to  George  Dorsey,  <>(  Mniioiiualiu  County,  Va., 
for  the  sum  of  $3015,  the  tract  being  described  in 
the  sherifl"s  deed  as  being  in  the  townships  of  Men- 
alien  and  Franklin,  in  Fayette  County,  and  contain- 
ing one  hundred  and  twelve  acres,  "  whereon  are 
erected  a   forge,  slitting-  and  rolling-mill,  grist-mill. 


saw-mill,  ai 
On  tlir  !M 
chaser  o|  i 
sheritVV  >al 
min  Stc-vci 
the  deed  du 


ry  Imililings. 

.lil.  iso;,  George  Dorsey  (the  pur- 
s  lanil  and  "  Rawlling  Mill"  at 
•vc-d  the  same  property  tn  Beiija- 
irtitioncr  of  Physirk,-'  tor  s.-o'lo, 
Mlie  land,  forge,  sliitiii-- and  roll- 
ing-mills as  before.  Two  years  later  i  Feb.  1,  bsiUM 
the  same  property  was  conveyed,  with  <]ther  lands 
adjoining,  to  Thomas  Meason  and  Daniel  Keller,  for 
the  consideration  of  S5800,  "  embracing  the  Forge, 
Slitting-  and  Eolling-Mill,  and  Grist-  and  Saw-Mills 
erected  on  '  Prophetic'  " 

At  the  April  term  of  .ouit  in  isl.'..  Isaa^'  :\Ieason  & 
Co.  obtained  a  judgment  lor  s:',4:".|j''.j  a-ainst  Dan- 
iel Keller,  and  Morris  Morris,  then  -h.  rilt  ..f  Fay- 
ette County,  being  directed  to  recover  on  tlir  Judg- 
ment, made  this  return:  "  I  seized  ami  took  in  exe- 
cution a  certain  tract  or  parcel  of  land,  situate, 
Ivin-,  an.l  bring  in  Meuall.n  and  Franklin  lownsliij.s, 
in  the  County  of  FayL-tte  atoresaid,  containing  one 
hundred  and  twelve  acres  and  allowanee  for  roads, 
etc.,  for  which  a  patent  was  granted  to  Jerennah 
Pearse,  dated  28th  November,  1789,  and  therein  called 
'Prophetic,'  on  which  is  erected  a  Forge,  Rolling- 
and  Slilling-.Mills,  ( ;rist-:\nil^,  ^^aw-Mills,  and  other 
valual.lr  l.uildings.  .  .  ."  The  property  so  .eized  was 
sold  by  the  sherilf  for  syiOO  to  Col.  Isaac  .^leason, 
Nov.  25,  1815. 

It  is  stated'  that  at  this  establishment,  under  the 
proprietorslii|.ot'Col.  Mrason,  was  clone  the  fir.st  pud- 
dling and  rolling  of  l.ar  iron  we-t  of  il,,- Alleghenies  ; 
and 'the  rirrunistancrs  which  l.rou-lit  al.out  that  re- 
sult are  related  liy  Samuel  C.  Lewis.-  of  Kdche.ster, 
Pa,,  as  follows:  Thomas  C.  Lewis  (father  of  the  nar- 
rator), a  Welshman,  who  had  worked  in  rolling-mills 
in  Wales  and  was  familiar  with  the  proo.  ss,.>  of  ].ud- 
dling  and  rolling  bars,  left  his  nati\e  roimiry  in  .Inly, 
1815,  and  came  to  Amerira,  lamling  in  Now  York 
He  visited  several  iron-manufacturers  in  the  East,  and 


made  strong  efforts  to  induce  them  to  erect  mills  for 
rolling  bar  iron.  This  he  urged  with  many  leading 
irou  men  in  New  Jersey  and  Eastern  Pennsylvania, 
but  his  propositions  were  everywhere  opposed,  and 
rejected  as  visionary  and  impracticable,  if  not  impos- 
sible.    The  narration  proceeds : 

"  He  then  traveled  westward  until  he  got  to  Con- 
nellsville,  Fayette  Co. ;  there  he  met  Mr.  Isaac  Mea- 
son, Sr.,  of  Dunbar  Furnace,  to  whom  he  made 
known  his  object  and  business.  Mr.  Meason  imme- 
diately saw  the  feasibility  of  the  enterprise,  and  en- 
tered into  an  agreement  with  him  at  a  certain  salary 
for  three  years,  and  if  the  mill  was  a  succe.ss,  he  was 
then  to  be  taken  into  partnership  and  have  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  Browns- 
ville and  Connellsville,  as  Mr.  Meason  already  had 
some  forges  there.  The  erecting  of  that  mill  was  at- 
tended with  a  great  deal  of  difficulty,  as  pattern- 
makers and  moulders  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  con- 
sideration, 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  iron-masters  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  convince  him  that  it  was  im- 
possible 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.  ileason,  as  it  might  ruin  the  old  gentleman.  Mr. 
Lewis  replied  to  Mr.  Hughes,  'You  know  you  can 
eat  ■?'  '  Why,  yes,'  he  knew  tha,t.  '  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  befirc!'  '  Very  well,' said  Mr.  Hughes,  '  go 
ahead,  and  when  you  are  ready  to  start  let  us  know, 
and  we  will  come  and  see  the  failure.'  According  to 
promise  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  office. 
They  were  all  brothers.  .  .  .  James  Pratt  worked  the 
refinery,  and  David  Adams  worked  the  puddling- 
furnace." 

It  is  not  ascertained  how  long  this  first  puddling- 


1  Swank's 


■  Upper  Middletowu  ■ 


-  In  unarliilecun 


lid  out  by  Jeremiali  Peai-s,  and  there  waa 
I  property  owned  I'y  him,  and  which  came 


coal-mining  and  coke  manufacture. 


241 


and  rolling-mill  continued  in  operation,  nor  when  its 
fires  were  finally  extinguished.  No  vestiges  of  it  are 
now  remaining. 

A  rolling-mill  (but  not  including  a  puddling-fur- 
nace,  as  in  the  case  of  Col.  Meason's  establishment) 
was  built  and  put  in  operation  by  John  Gibson  about 
the  year  180.5,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Youghiogheny 
below  Connellsville.  Provance  McCormick,  Esq.,  of 
Connellsville,  recollects  this  old  mill  as  early  as  180C. 
Upon  the  death  of  John  Gibson  it  passed  to  his  heirs, 
and  was  operated  by  Thomas  Gibson  for  several  years, 
after  which  it  went  into  disuse.  The  tract  of  land  on 
which  this  mill  stood  was  sold  by  Daniel  Eogers  as  ' 
administrator,  and  is  now  owned  by  the  Pittsburgh 
and  Connellsville  Kailroad  Company,  the  Building 
and  Loan  Association  of  Connellsville,  and  the  John-- 
ston  heirs. 

COAL-MIXING  AND  COKE  MANUFACTURE. 
The  earliest  recorded  mention  of  the  use  of  coal  in 
the  region  west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains  is  found 
in  the  journal  kept  by  Col.  James  Burd,  when,  in  the 
fall  of  17.59,  he  was  in  command  of  a  detachment  of 
two  hundred  of  the  king's  troops,  engaged  in  opening 
a  road  from  Braddock's  old  road  at  Gist's  plantation 
(now  Mount  Braddock)  to  the  Monongahela  River  at 
the  mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek,  where  it  was  proposed 
to  erect  a  fort,  and  where  he  did  erect  such  a  work 
immediately  afterwards.  Having  proceeded  from 
Gist's  towards  the  Monongahela  to  a  point  about  four  1 
and  a  half  miles  from  the  river,  he  encamped  there 
on  the  evening  of  the  21st  of  September,  and  on  the 
following  day  moved  on  westward,  and  made  in  his  j 
journal  this  entry,  viz. :  ' 

"  Satueiiay,  Sept.  22,  1759. 

"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  a  rock  of  the 
finest  coal  I  ever  saw.  I  burned  about  a  bushel  of  it 
on  my  fire." 

The  language  of  the  journal  shows  clearly  that  he 
was  not  unacquainted  with  the  use  of  coal,  and  it  is 
an  accepted  fact  that  coal  was  mined  east  of  the  Alle- 
ghenies,  in  Virginia,  as  early  as  the  year  1760.  But 
there  was  no  mining  of  coal  west  of  the  mountains 
until  1784,  when  the  Penns,  who  had  been  permitted  ' 
under  the  Divesting  Act  of  1779'  to  retain  their  pro- 
prietary interest  in  certain  large  tracts  of  land  in  the 
State,  sold  rights  to  mine  coal  in  the  vicinity  of  Pitts- 
burgh. This  was  the  first  coal-mining  done  on  the 
waters  of  the  Ohio.     Since  that  time  the  business  has 

1  On  the  27th  of  November,  1779,  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  ' 
passed  "An  Act  for  vesting  the  estates  of  the  late  pi-uprietaries  in  this 
commonwealth."    By  the  terms  of  tliis  act  the  St:ttp  i  .u  I  tip    r.  1,1;^ 
fUO.OOO  in  annual  payments  of  flom  £15,000  to  £:i",  ' 
est,  heginning  at  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  \v;i  ,         1     ;      : 
proprietarie-i  their  private  and  manor  property,  win.  h  ^^:l-  m  ii--  II  ,1 
princely  fortune. 


increased  steadily  and  rapidly,  and  untold  millions 
of  tons  of  coal,  mined  along  the  Monongahela  and 
Youghiogheny,  have  been  boated  down  the  great  rivers 
of  the  Southwest  to  supply  the  country  from  Ohio  to 
Louisiana ;  but  by  far  the  greater  part  of  this  vast 
amount  has  been  mined  at  points  north  of  the  northern 
limits  of  Fayette  Countj-,  operations  being  of  course 
commenced  along  the  lower  and  more  accessible  por- 
tions of  the  rivers,  and  working  slowly  up  the  streams 
as  the  navigation  is  improved  or  the  lower  supplies 
become  exhausted,  which  latter  condition  is  very  far 
from  being  brought  about  yet,  and  will  remain  so  for 
years  to  come. 

The  coal  operations  on  the  Blonongahela  will  be 
found  mentioned  in  the  account  of  the  slack-water 
improvements  on  that  river  and  elsewhere  in  this 
work.  On  the  Youghiogheny  a  vast  amount  of  coal- 
mining has  been  done,  and  Youghiogheny  coal  has 
been  well  known  and  highly  prized  in  the  towns  and 
cities  on  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Rivers  for  many 
years ;  but  an  exceedingly  small  proportion  of  the 
coal  sent  from  this  river  to  the  Southern  and  Western 
markets  has  been  mined  in  Fayette  County.  The 
Youghiogheny  Valley  is  barren  of  coal  from  a  point 
in  Rostraver  township,  in  Westmoreland  County,  up 
the  river  to  about  the  mouth  of  Hickman  Run,  in 
Fayette,  where  commences  the  "Connellsville  basin," 
one  of  the  richest  coal-fields  in  the  world.  But  there 
has  never  been  much  inducement  to  mine  coal  here 
for  shipment  down  the  river,  because,  in  the  first 
place,  the  Youghiogheny  in  all  that  part  which  passes 
through  Fayette  County,  and  in  the  greater  portion 
of  its  course  through  Westmoreland,  is  not  and  never 
has  been  a  navigable  or  beatable  stream,  except  for  a 
very  small  portion  of  the  year,  the  season  of  freshets 
and  high  water,  and  even  then  its  navigation  is  diffi- 
cult, not  to  say  dangerous,  for  the  passage  of  coal- 
boats.  This  fact  alone  gives  to  the  coal  operators  on 
the  lower  Youghiogheny,  advantages  for  shipment 
which  cannot  be  had  in  the  Connellsville  region,  and 
the  absence  of  which  has  caused  the  mining  of  coal 
for  that  purpose  to  be  neglected  here.  Another  cause 
which  has  helped  to  produce  the  same  result  is  that 
the  Connellsville  coal  is  too  soft  for  advantageous 
transpcirtatif.n.  while  that  of  the  lower  river  is  harder, 
and  in  that  rusiurt  better  adapted  for  shipment. 

But  all  the  disadvantages  of  the  Connellsville  re- 
gion, as  above  enumerated,  are  counterbalanced  ten- 
fold in  another  direction ;  for  the  coal  which  cannot 
be  profitably  shipped  to  the  lower  river  markets  is 
found  to  be  greatly  superior  to  any  other  which  has 
yet  been  discovered  in  its  adaptability  to  the  manu- 
facture of  coke,  and  to  this  manufacture  it  has  been 
and  is  now  being  devoted  on  a  scale  and  to  an  extent 
that  is  amazing  to  the  uninitiated,  and  with  pecuniary 
results  that  are  surprising.  It  was  said  by  Judge 
Veech  that  "  Coal,  if  not  king,  was  becoming  one  of 
the  princes  of  the  land,  and  its  seat  of  empire  was 
the  Monongahela  Valley."     But   if  coal   is  mighty 


242 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


like  Philip  of  Macedon,  its  offspring,  coke,  is  like  the 
mightier  Alexander,  and  the  seat  of  its  empire  is  the 
Connellsville  eoal  basin. 

In  all  the  numerous  accounts  that  have  been  written 
and  published  in  recent  years  having  general  refer- 
ence to  the  manufacture  of  coke  in  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania, very  little  notice  has  been  taken  of  its  origin 
and  early  history.  What  little  has  been  said  concern- 
ing these  particulars,  though  to  a  great  extent  un- 
authentic and  inaccurate,  is  generally  received  as 
correct,  and  little  ur  no  effort  is  made  to  investigate 
and  search  out  the  facts.  It  is  but  natural  that  a 
business  so  exceedingly  remunerative  as  is  the  manu- 
facture of  coke  at  the  present  time  should  engross  all 
the  thoughts  and  energies  of  those  who  are  engaged 
in  it;  that  their  chief  attention  should  be  given  to 
secure  the  largest  possible  yield  of  coke,  making  and 
transporting  it  at  the  lowest  possible  cost,  and  selling 
it  at  the  highest  obtainable  price,  without  pausing  to 
inquire  where  and  by  whom  was  first  produced  the 
article  which  brings  them  their  wealth.  Yet  it  can- 
not fail  to  be  a  matter  of  interest  to  note  the  humble 
beginnings  of  the  business  which  has  since  grown  to 
such  gigantic  proportions.  In  the  preparation  of  the 
following  account,  which  is  based  mainly  on  facts 
sought  out  and  ascertained  by  one  who  is  himself  in- 
terested in  coke  manufecture,'  the  object  in  view  has 
been  less  to  enter  into  details  of  the  immense  opera- 
tions of  the  present  time  than  to  notice  the  earliest 
known  coke-making,  the  persons  who  were  jiioneers 
in  it,  and  the  subsequent  attempts  at  its  successful 
application  and  use  up  to  the  time  of  the  firm  estab- 
lishment of  the  business,  which  is  now  by  far  the 
most  important  and  valuable  industrial  interest  of 
Fayette  County  and  a  large  contiguous  region.  It 
has  been  stated  (but  not  clearly  proved)  that  coke 
was  made  and  used  in  the  manufacture  or  refining  of 
iron  in  America  before  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 
If  such  was  the  case,  the  credit  of  its  first  manufacture 
was  certainly  due  to  Virginia,  as  that  colony  (having 
commenced  mining  in  or  about  1750,  as  has  been 
noticed)  was  the  only  one  which  produced  any  coal 
at  that  time.  Therefore,  if  coke  was  actually  made 
in  America  before  the  Revolution,  it  must  have  been 
manufactured  in  Virginia,  or,  at  least,  from  Virginia 
coal. 

The  earliest  authenticated  account  of  the  manufac- 
ture and  use  of  coke  places  it  at  Allegheny  Furnace, 
in  Blair  County,  in  the  year  1811.  The  reasons  for 
the  failure  of  that  attempt  will  be  referred  to  here- 
after. It  is  a  fact  nndenied  that  the  first  use  of  coke 
in  Fayette  County  was  made  in  the  refining  of  iron  at 


1  Most  of  tlie  facta  given  in  tliis  narrative  in  reference  to  the  earliest 
production  of  colte,  and  the  attempts  made  throngli  many  succeeding 
years  to  use  it  successfully  and  profitaljly  in  iron  manufacture,  were  fur- 
nislied  by  Mr.  George  C.  Marshall,  of  Uniontown,  who  lias  made  tlie 
matter  the  subject  of  patient  and  persistent  research,  in  whicti  be  lias 
brought  to  light  a  great  number  of  facta  before  unknown,  but  unques- 
tionably authentic  and  reliable. 


thePlumsock  (Upper  Middletown)  Iron- Works  by  Col. 
Isaac  Meason  in  1817.  It  has  been  stated  by  an  old 
resident  of  the  county  that  he  has  an  indistinct  recol- 
lection of  the  making  of  the  coke  at  the  place  and 
time  named,  and  that  it  was  made  in  ovens  similar  to 
the  "bee-hive"  oven  now  in  general  use.  But  there 
must  be  grave  doubts  as  to  the  accuracy  of  this  state- 
ment, though  it  is,  beyond  all  question,  honestly 
made.  He  has  most  probably  in  mind  the  old  Dutch 
baking-oven,  but  has,  after  the  lapse  of  more  than 
sixty  years,  come  to  the  belief  that  it  was  done  in 
ovens  similar  to  the  modern  bee-hive.  Coke-making 
in  ovens  was  certainlj'  unknown  (or  at  least  unprac- 
ticed)  at  that  time  and  for  years  afterwards. 

In  Armstrong  County  there  was  a  furnace  built  for 
coke  in  1819,  called  the  "  Bear  Creek  Furnace,"  be- 
lieved to  be  then  the  largest  furnace  in  the  United 
States.  It  was  blown  in  on  coke,  but  after  a  few  casts 
the  operators  found  that  the  (cold)  blast  of  five 
pounds  to  the  inch  was  insufficient  for  the  successful 
use  of  coke,  and  thereupon  the  original  purpose  was 
abandoned  and  the  furnace  changed  for  the  use  of 
charcoal. 

The  Howard  Furnace,  put  in  operation  in  the  year 
1830,  in  Blair  County,  and  the  Elizabeth  Furnace, 
built  in  the  same  county  in  1832,  were  both  con- 
structed with  a  view  to  the  use  of  coke,  and  furnaces 
in  Clearfield,  Clinton,  Lycoming,  and  Armstrong 
Counties,  Pa.,  erected  between  183.5  and  1838,  made 
repeated  attempts  at  the  manufacture  of  coke  iron, 
all  of  which  resulted  in  failure,  from  the  fact  that 
the  cold  blast  was  used  and  at  a  very  low  pressure. 
The  iron-masters  of  the  present  time,  with  all  their 
modern  appliances,  immense  heating  surfaces,  and 
powerful  blowers,  and  yet  still  continually  striving 
for  "  more  heat  and  more  blast,"  can  well  appreciate 
the  difiiculties  encountered  in  the  making  of  iron  in 
former  days  and  by  the  old-time  methods. 

At  the   "  Mary   Ann    Furnace,"    in    Huntingdon 

County,  Pa.,  in  1835,  William  Firmstone  made  good 

gray  forge  iron  on  coke  made  from  Broad  Top  coal, 

but  continued  it  for  only  about   one  month.     The 

I  Georges  Creek  Iron  Company,  of  Allegheny  County, 

!  Md.,  built  the  "Lonaconing  Furnace"  in  1837,  and 

made  good   foundry  iron   to   the   amount  of  about 

seventy  tons  per  week  on  coke.     The  Mount  Savage 

Company  also  built  two  blast-furnaces  in  1840,  and 

made  successful  runs  on  coke,  but  up  to  that  time 

j  most  of  the  attempts  to  use  coke  in  iron-making  had 

resulted  in  failure  and  heavy  pecuniary  loss. 

In  1836,  F.  H.  Oliphant,  of  Fayette  County,  used 
coke  at  the  Fairchance  Furnace  in  the  manufacture 
of  iron  from  Blue  Lump  ore,  and  samples  of  the  pro- 
duct were  sent  to  the  Franklin  Institute  of  Philadel- 
phia; but  the  claim  which  has  frequently  been  made 
that  this  was  the  first  coke  iron  made  as  a  regular 
product  in  the  United  States  is  inadmissible,  as  will 
be  seen  by  reference  to  the  facts  and  dates  given 
above,  coke  iron  of  good  quality  having  been  made. 


COAL-MTNING    AND   COKE    MANUFACTURE. 


243 


as  shown,  several  years  before  Mr.  Oliphant  ever 
claimed  its  first  production,  and  even  then  his  claim 
was  merely  to  have  made  a  few  tons. 

The  Great  Western  Iron  Company  built  four  coke- 
furnaces  between  the  years  1840  and  1844  at  Brady's 
Bend,  Pa.,  and  to  that  company  belongs  the  credit  of  * 
making  coke  iron  as  a  regular  product.  Their  fur- 
naces were  built  especially  for  the  use  of  coke,  and 
they  never  used  any  other  fuel. 

The  credit  of  having  been  the  first  to  make  sue-  ' 
cessful  use  of  coke  in  the  manufacture  of  iron  has  , 
been  given  in  some  accounts  to  Graff,  Bennett  &  Co.,  ' 
of  Pittsburgh,  but  it  will  be  shown  hereafter  that  they  j 
did  not  enter  the  field  until  several  years  after  it  had  ' 
been  used  with  success  at  Brady's  Bend.  j 

The  Cambria  Iron   Company  built  four  coke-fur-  i 
naces  in  1853.     These   furnaces   were  blown   iu   on  , 
coke,  and  have  continued  to  use  it  until  the  present 
time. 

The  coke  used  in  the  furnaces  of  Western  Penn- 
sylvania up  to  and  after  the  commencement  of  oper- 
ations  by   the    Great    Western    Iron    Company    at 
Brady's  Bend  was  made  by  a  process  called  "  ground  ' 
ricking,"  the  coal   being  placed  on  the   ground   in 
long   or  conical  ricks,  and  then  covered  (except  the 
spaces  necessary  for  ventilation)  with  earth,  to  smother  i 
and  prevent  it  from  burning  up.     This  process,  though 
it  answered  the  purpose  very  well,  was  slovenly,  and  I 
much  less  rapid  and   economical   than   the   present 
method,  and  the  coke  produced  was  less  uniform  in 
quality. 

The  earliest  date  which  has  been  given  and  per- 
fectly authenticated  of  the  use  of  ovens  for  the 
making  of  coke,  is  the  year  1841,  the  facts  and  ac- 
count of  which  will  be  given  hereafter.  But  in  this 
connection  it  is  proper  to  give  (and  it  would  be  un- 
fair and  improper  to  omit)  statements  which  are  made 
by  men  of  unquestioned  and  unquestionable  veracity 
which  indicate  an  earlier  date.  Mr.  David  Trimble, 
living  at  Little  Falls,  on  the  Youghiogheny,  says 
that  at  a  date  which  cannot  be  fixed  nearer  than  that 
it  was  not  earlier  than  18.30,  and  not  later  than  1836, 
he  helped  build  one  or  more  coke-ovens  at  or  near 
the  mouth  of  Furnace  Run,  and  the  assumption  is 
that  the  coke  produced  was  used  at  the  Franklin  Iron- 
Works,  which  were  located  there  and  run  by  F.  H. 
Oliphant.  Mr.  Trimble  says  the  idea  of  building 
ovens  at  that  place  was  suggested  by  an  Englishman 
named  John  Coates,  who  had  seen  them  in  operation 
in  England.  He  also  says  that  the  coal  for  these 
ovens  was  brought  from  mines  above  East  Liberty, 
that  the  coke  made  from  it  was  used  for  the  "  let-out" 
fire  at  the  iron-works,  and  that  the  supposition  then 
was  that  these  were  the  first  coke-ovens  built  in  Penn- 
sylvania, if  not  in  the  United  States.  Corroborative 
(to  some  extent  at  least)  of  this  statement  is  that  of 
James  Cochran  ("Little  Jim"),  who  has  an  indis- 
tinct recollection  of  seeing,  before  the  year  1840, 
several  coke-ovens  standing  on  the  south  bank  of  the 


Youghiogheny  River,  just  below  the  mouth  of  Fur- 
nace Run,  and  that  coal  was  boated  down  the  river  to 
them  from  Col.  Hill's  lands.  This  concurrent  testi- 
mony establishes  beyond  a  doubt  the  fact  that  a  few 
ovens  were  built  and  put  in  use  on  the  south  bank  of 
the  Youghiogheny,  near  the  mouth  of  Furnace  Run, 
and  that  they  were  among  the  earliest,  if  not  the  first, 
ever  built  for  that  purpose,  not  only  in  Fayette  County, 
but  in  Pennsylvania.  It  is  true  that  both  gentlemen 
named  may  be  mistaken  in  their  recollection  of  the 
date,  but  as  their  statements  agree  (and  for  other 
reasons)  this  is  hardly  probable.  Accepting  then 
the  fact  that  there  were  ovens  at  that  point  at  about 
the  time  indicated,  and  that  (as  both  statements 
agree)  the  coal  was  brought  to  them  from  the  Con- 
nellsville  region,  some  miles  above,  on  the  river,  it 
is  diflicult  to  explain  why  the  ovens  were  ever  built 
at  that  place,  unless  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  the 
furnace  near  which  they  were  located.  If  the  object 
of  their  construction  had  been  to  produce  coke  for  a 
down-river  market,  or  for  any  other  purpose  than  to 
be  used  in  their  immediate  vicinity,  they  would  never 
have  been  built  at  the  mouth  of  Furnace  Run,  but  in 
the  coal-producing  region,  several  miles  above,  on  the 
river.  And  yet  it  can  hardly  be  regarded  as  probable 
that  Mr.  Oliphant  was  the  builder  of  those  ovens,  or 
that  the  coke  made  in  them  was  used  by  him  while  he 
was  proprietor  of  the  Franklin  Iron- Works.  Those 
who  had  conversations  with  him  on  the  subject  of  the 
use  of  coke  in  the  manufacture  and  refining  of  iron 
all  agree  that  he  never  made  claim  to  having  used  it 
at  the  Franklin  Works,  but  only  to  having  made 
coke  iron  for  a  brief  period  at  the  Fairchance.  If  he 
had  built  those  pioneer  ovens  at  Furnace  Run,  and 
used  their  product  at  the  Franklin  Iron-Works,  he 
would  certainly  have  asserted  the  fact  and  claimed 
the  priority.  It  is,  then,  and  for  these  reasons,  most 
probable  that  the  product  of  those  old  ovens  was  used 
by  Nathaniel  Gibson  in  his  Furnace  Run  Works  be- 
fore they  passed  to  the  jiroprietorship  of  Mr.  Oli- 
phant. Whatever  may  be  the  fact  (which  will  proba- 
bly never  be  known  with  absolute  certainty),  the 
above  statements  are  given  here,  not  only  because  the 
sources  from  which  they  come  are  (the  treachery  of 
man's  memory  as  to  remote  events  and  circumstances 
only  excepted)  perfectly  and  entirely  reliable,  but 
because  each  seems  to  support  and  confirm  the  other. 
They  are  therefore  submitted  without  any  attempt  to 
explain  the  slight  discrepancies  contained  in  them, 
with  regard  to  other  matters  accepted  as  facts. 

In  the  year  1841,  Provance  McCormick  and  James 
Campbell  started  the  project  of  manufacturing  coke 
on  the  Youghiogheny,  and  succeeded  in  making  some 
two  thousand  bushels,  which  they  boated  down  the 
river.  It  is  stated  that  the  idea  was  suggested  to  them 
by  an  Englishman  who  was  then  stopping  for  a  time 
in  Connellsville,  and  who  told  them  that  in  his  native 
country,  coal  was  made  into  coke  for  the  use  of  foun- 
dries and  furnaces.     Such  rich   deposits  of  superior 


24i 


HISTOKY   OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA 


coal  as  were  t'ound  in  abundance  in  the  vicinity  of 
Connellsville  would  soon  be  utilized  in  that  way,  he 
said,  if  there  were  Englishmen  there  to  do  it.  Camp- 
bell and  McCormick  became  interested  in  the  story 
he  told,  and  having  gained  from  him  what  informa- 
tion he  possessed  as  to  the  method  of  making  coke, 
they  resolved  to  try  the  experiment,  and  if  successful 
in  producing  the  article,  to  boat  the  product  to  Cin- 
cinnati, in  the  expectation  of  selling  it  for  the  use  of 
the  foundries  in  that  city. 

Associating  with  them  John  Taylor,  who  was  a 
stone-mason,  and  the  owner  of  a  farm  on  the  Youghio- 
gheny,  including  a  coal-mine,  which  he  operated  in 
a  small  way,  they  commenced  operations.  Taylor 
constructed  two  ovens  on  his  farm  (near  what  has 
been  known  in  later  years  as  Sedgwick  Station)  and 
superintended  the  coking,  the  coal  being  taken  from 
his  mine.  Campbell  and  McCormick,  both  carpenters 
by  trade,  built  the  two  boats  on  which  the  coke  was 
to  be  floated  down  the  river.  Their  operations  were 
continued  durioi:  the  f-iil  of  1841  and  the  succeeding 
winter,  and  in  the  s]iriii,-  of  1S42,  a  suflficient  quan- 
tity of  coke  bavin-  been  produced  to  load  the  two 
boats,  they  were  -iiirted  down  the  river  on  a  high  stage 
of  water.  :in^l  iin^l.  r  pilotage  of  William  Turner  made 
their  way  in  -aleiy  tij  Cincinnati.  On  reaching  the 
city  they  lound  that  the  demand  was  not  as  brisk  as  j 
they  had  hoped  to  find  it.  The  new  fuel  was  unknown 
there,  and  foundrymen  regarded  it  with  suspicion, 
calling  it  cinders.  After  a  time,  however,  the  owners 
of  the  coke  succeeded  in  disposing  of  about  one-half 
their  stock,  taking  in  payment  coffee  and  some  other 
goods,'  and  then,  to  close  out,  bartered  the  remainder  ' 
for  a  patent  iron  grist-mill  which  was  highly  recom- 
mended. Tlie  mill  was  brought  to  Connellsville,  and 
soon  after  plaeed  in  ihe  steam-flouring  establishment 
of  StrickK-r  i>v:  Xickel,  in  New  Haven,  where  it  was 
put  in  operation,  and  found  to  be.  if  not  wholly,  at 
least  so  nearly  worthless  that  it  was  sold  for  thirty 
dollars,  and  so  ended  the  coke  oiM-rations  of  JlcCor- 
mick  and  Campbell,  though  it  need  not  have  been  so. 
The  part  of  their  cargoes  which  had  been  traded  in 
Cincinnati  for  the  patent  mill  was  afterwards  boated 
up  on  the  e:inal  to  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  there  sold  to 
.Ind-e  0,.].|,aii,  wlio  bad  previon-ly  been  a  resident 
o|  lavi-tic'  fMonly,  bnl  ibeii  bad  a  Ibundry  in  opera- 
tion in  Dayton.  There  lie  used  the  coke  in  his  estab-  { 
lishment,  and  found  it  so  well  adapted  for  his  purpose 
that  he  soon  after  came  to  Connellsville  and  pro-  , 
posed  to  McCormick  and  Campbell  to  make  more,  and  i 
furnish  him  with  all  he  needed,  and  at  a  good  price; 
but  the  result  of  their  previous  venture  in  the  coke  ' 
trade  disinclined  them  to  repeat  the  experiment.'    In 


1843  the  ovens  built  by  Taylor  on  the  Youghiogheny 
were  rented  to  Mordecai,  James  ("Little  Jim")  and 
Sample  Cochran,  who  put  them  to  use  in  making 
twenty-four-hour  coke.  When  they  had  coked  about 
thirteen  thousand  bushels,  it  was  boated  to  Cincin- 
nati and  sold  for  seven  cents  per  bushel  cash  to  Miles 
Greenwood,-'  who  in  the  mean  time  had  become  fully 
informed  of  the  value  of  coke  as  a  fuel.  This  is  said 
to  have  been  the  first  coke  ever  taken  from  Fayette 
County  and  sold  for  money,  and  in  this  view  of  the 
matter  the  Cochrans  and  Greenwood  must  be  consid- 
ered as  the  pioneers  of  the  coke  business  in  the  Con- 
nellsville region. 

After  this  time,  and  before  the  year  1850,  three  or 
four  ovens  were  built  and  put  in  operation  by  Stewart 
Strickler,  the  product  being  sold  by  him  to  the  Coch- 
rans, by  whom  it  was  boated  down  the  river  and  sold 
in  Cincinnati.  About  1860  thirty  ovens  were  built 
and  put  in  operation  at  Sedgwick,  called  the  Fayette 
Works.  Shoenberger  &  Co.  purchased  a  one-third 
interest  in  them  in  1865.  Forty  ovens  were  built  on 
Hickman  Run  in  1864  by  Cochran  &  Keister,  who 
transported  their  coke  on  a  tramway  to  the  Pittsburgh 
and  Connellsville  Railroad  until  1871.  Some  time 
after  the  building  of  these  works  by  Cochran  &  Kies- 
ter,  the  Laughlin  ovens  were  built,  also  the  ovens  at 
the  Jackson  Works,  above  Sedgwick. 

The  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville  Gas-Coal  and 
Coke  Company  organized  about  1860,  and  built  forty 
oveus  near  Connellsville.  The  number  was  increased 
by  John  F.  Dravo,  who  took  charge  in  1868.     The 


Cormick's  c  ■ 
was  ped'ilL-ii 


down  the  river)  and  Kichard  Bookens  bought  coal  of  Ihomas  Gregg,  on 
the  Youghiogheny,  near  the  site  of  the  present  Fort  Hill  Works,  and 
manufactured  coke  from  it,  first  by  ricking,  and  afterwards  in  two  or 
tliree  ovens  wliich  they  built  near  that  place.  They  boated  their  coke 
down  tlie  river  to  Cincinnati,  where  tliey  found  the  same  trouble  that 
McCormick  and  Campbell  had  experienced:  no  one  knew  the  value  of 
coke,  and  no  one  wanted  it.  .\t  last  a  foundryman  agreed  to  try  a  load 
of  it  if  they  would  haul  it  to  his  foundry.  He  tried  it,  liked  it,  and 
purchased  the  entire  lot.  The  narrative  proceeds  that  Col.  Hill  soon 
afterwards  built  four  ovens  near  the  place  where  Turner  and  Bookens 
had  made  their  coke,  and  later  increased  the  number  to  twelve.  The 
statement  is  given  for  what  it  is  worth. 

■i  Miles  Greenwood  was  born  March  19, 1S07,  in  New  .lerscy,  to  which 
State  his  father  (Miles  Greenwood)  had  removed  from  Salem,  Mass.  He 
was  of  English  extr.ictiou  on  his  father's  side,  and  of  Huguenot  French 
and  German  on  his  mother's.  The  family  removed  to  New  York  in 
1808,  and  to  Cincinnati  in  1817.  Miles  in  1S25  worked  in  the  New  Har- 
mony Community,  and  two  yeai-s  later  went  to  Pittsburgh  and  learned 
iron-working.  In  1828  he  opened  an  iron-foundry,  and  later  returned 
to  Cincinnati,  working  for  T.  i  J.  Bevin.  After  three  years  he  com- 
mence,! on  his  own  account,  employing  ten  hands.  By  1850  he  had 
tliree  hundred  hands  under  him.  In  1.S61  his  entire  establishment  was 
turned  into  a  United  States  arsenal  for  the  manufacture  of  arms  and 
implements  of  war,  seven  hundred  men  being  employed.  He  turned 
forty  thousand  Springfield  muskets,  over  two  hundred  bronze  cannon, 
hundreds  of  caissons  and  gun-carriages,  and  also  a  sea-going  monitor. 
He  constructed  the  Ohio  Mechanics'  Institute  building,  and  to  him  the 
Cincinnati  Fire  Department  is  indebted  for  its  efficient  organization. 
For  twenty  years  he  was  president  of  the  Cincinnati  Fuel  Company.  In 
l.so9  he  was  chosen  president  of  the  Cincinnati  and  Covington  Bridge 
Company,  and  was  also  a  director  of  the  House  of  Refuge.  In  18C9  lie 
was  appointed  a  director  of  the  Cincinnati  Southern  Eailway.  In  1832 
lie  married  a  Miss  Hills.  Two  children  of  this  marriage  died  in  infancy, 
and  their  molher  also  died  soon  after.  In  1S36  he  married  Miss  Plicebe 
J.  Hopson,  by  whom  he  had  ten  children,  seven  of  whom  are  living. 


COAL-MINING    AND    COKE   MANUFACTURE. 


245 


Connellsville  Gas-Coal  Company  built  their  ovens  in  , 
1866.  Watt,  Taylor  &  Co.  built  forty  ovens  just  be-  ; 
low  Watt's  Station  in  1869.  In  the  coke-works  above  ' 
named  were  nearly  all  the  ovens  in  the  Connellsville 
ciikr  region  up  to  1871,  the  last  two  named  being  all  i 
that  were  on  the  Fayette  Branch  until  1872,  when  ' 
I'auU,  Brown  &  Co.  built  one  hundred  ovens  on 
James  Paull's  place. 

There  are  some  facts  connected  with  the  history  of 
coal  and  coke  production  in  Pennsylvania  that  are 
curious  as  well  as  startling.     Virginia  produced  coal 
years  before  it  was  mined  in  Pennsylvania,  and  the  ' 
latter  State  received  coal  from  Virginia  for  manufac- 


these  figures,  startling  as  they  are,  and  it  is  only  by 
another  process  of  thought  that  it  is  possible  to  realize 
the  vast  amount  of  coke  produced  in  the  Connellsville 
region.  Let  us  suppose  that  the  entire  product  of  the 
region  for  1882  could  be  gathered  together  and  loaded 
on  railroad  cars,  all  joined  together  in  one  immense 
train,  so  that  there  should  be  no  break  in  its  contin- 
uity ;  that  this  train  should  be  put  in  motion  on  the 
morning  of  a  given  day,  and  should  move  at  the  rate 
of  fourteen  miles  per  hour  (which  is  above  the  average 
speed  of  freight  trains),  day  and  night,  without  a  mo- 
ment's stop  or  the  least  slacking  of  speed.  A  person 
living  upon  the  line  of  the  road  would  see,  hour  after 


turing  gas,  and  even  for  domestic 


late  as  the  :  hour  and  day  by  day,  the  interminable  line  of  coke- 


year  1850.  Yet  now,  in  regard  to  coal  production, 
Virginia,  as  compared  with  Pennsylvania,  sinks  into 
utter  insignificance,  and  Virginia,  though  older  in 
coal-mining  by  many  years  than  Pennsylvania,  pro- 
duced no  coke  until  within  recent  years,  while  the 
making  of  coke  in  Pennsylvania  dates  back  almost 
three-fourths  of  a  century. 

It  will  be  a  matter  of  surprise  to  many,  to  learn  the 
fact  that  Allegheny  County  never  had  a  furnace  within 
its  limits  from  the  time  when  the  old  Shady  Side  Fur- 


laden  cars  rattling  past  his  door  in  endless  procession  ; 
night  after  night,  through  all  the  hours  of  darkness, 
he  would  hear  the  ceaseless  clank  and  thunder  of  the 
rushing  train,  and  each  morning,  on  awakening  from 
his  disturbed  slumbers,  he  would  look  out  as  before 
upon  the  steel-gray  car-loads  pursuing  each  other  with 
undiminished  speed  along  the  railway  track  ;  and  not 
until  after  nightfall  of  the  ninth  day  would  he  see  the 
signal-light  marking  the  rear  of  the  train,  whose  head 
would  then  be  more  than  two  thousand  eight  hundred 


nace  was  abandoned,  in  1794,  until  the  year  1859,  when  j  miles  away!     Through  all  those  days,  each  hour  of 

Graft',  Bennett  &  Co.  built  the  Clinton  Furnace,  which     ■'••'■ 

was  blown  in  on  coke  on  the  last  Monday  in  October 

of  that  year.     The  next  two  were  the  Etna,  built  by 

Laughlin   &   Co.   in    1861,   and    the  Superior   (two 

stacks),  erected  a  year  or  two  later.     The  Soho,  the 

Isabella  (two  stacks),  and  the  Lucy  Furnaces  were 

built  in  1872.     All  these  furnaces  were  constructed 

for  coke,  its  superiority  as  a  fuel  having  already  been 

fully  demonstrated  when   the   Clinton  Furnace  was 

built  in  1859. 

The  business  of  coke  manufacture  has  been  chiefly 
built  up  in  the  last  eight'years.     In  1876  the  number  > 
of  ovens  in  operation  in  the  Connellsville  region  was  | 
a  little  more  than  three  thousand,  producing  nine 
hundred  thousand  tons  of  coke.     In  1879  the  number 
of  ovens  had  increased  to  more  than  four  thousand.  { 
For   the   present   time   (April   1,   1882)    the   accom- 
panying map  of  the  Connellsville  coke  region  shows 
within  that  territory  the  location  of  about  eight  thou- 
sand four  hundred  ovens  now  in  operation,  and  there 
are  several  hundred  more  scattered  along  the  out- 
skirts of  the  region  proper,  but  not  strictly  within  it 
and  not  indicated  by  the  map  and  references,  bring-  , 
ing   the    whole  number    in    operation   considerably  ) 
above  nine  thousand,  having  an  aggregate  capacity 
of  more  than  three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  tons 
per  month.     This  capacity  will  be  fully  worked  up  to, 
and,  in  fact,  exceeded  in  the  present  year,  by  reason 
of  a  large  number  of  additional  ovens  now  in  con- 
templation and  to  be  immediately  constructed,  making 
the  coke  product  for  1882  more  than  four  million  two 
hundred  thousand  tons.  ! 

The  immense  proportions  of  the  coke  business  can 
hardly  be  comprehended  from  a  mere  examination  of 


the  twenty-four  would  have  seen  the  passage  by  a 
given  point  of  more  than  twenty  thousand  tons  of 
coke,  all  produced  in  the  Connellsville  region,  and 
the  greater  part  of  it  in  Fayette  County. 

Though  the  manufacture  of  coke  has  already  be- 
come an  industry  so  gigantic  in  its  proportions,  and 
has  grown  with  such  remarkable  rapidity  from  1872 
(and  more  especially  from  1879)  until  the  present 
time,  there  seems  to  be  little  reason  to  doubt  that  the 
same  or  perhaps  an  even  greater  ratio  of  increase  will 
be  sustained  in  the  future  for  some  years,  and  this  is 
the  view  entertained  by  a  majority  of  operators  and 
others  whose  opinions  on  the  subject  are  entitled  to 
much  weight.  A  principal  object  of  manufacturing 
coke  from  coal  is  to  furnish  a  fuel  free  from  sulphur 
for  use  in  the  reduction  of  ores  and  the  refining  of 
iron.  The  demand  from  this  source  must  of  course 
increase  with  the  increase  of  iron-furnaces  and  the 
growth  of  iron-making.    In  the  eastern  p.trt  of  Penn- 

rokc  is  used  in  blast-lurnacrs  in  rdiiiR'ctiuu  witii  an- 
thracite, and  the  proportion  of  coke  to  tiiat  of  anthra-  . 
cite  used  in  this  way  is  being  constantly  augmented 
in  favor  of  the  former  fuel,  which  has  also  almost  en- 
tirely superseded  charcoal  for  use  in  the  manufacture 
of  pig  iron.  Large  quantities  of  coke  are  sent  to  the 
far  West  to  be  used  in  smelting  the  ores  of  the  precious 
metals,  n';;ular  shijiments  for  this  purpose  being  made 
to  San  I'ranci-rii  and  other  points  in  the  gold  and 
silver  .States,  Another  and  still  weightier  reason  for 
expecting  a  very  large  increase  in  the  demand  for 
coke  is  that  within  the  past  two  years  H.  C.  Frick  & 
Co.  have  introduced  machinery  for  crushing,  screen- 
ing, and  sizing  coke  for  domestic  purposes  in  compe- 


246 


IIISTOUY   OF    FAYETTE    COUiN'TY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


tition  with  anthracite  coal,  and  that  this  process, 
which  was  at  first  but  an  experiment,  having  already 
become  a  successful  enterprise,  can  hardly  fail  to 
cause  coke  in  this  form  to  be  extensively  used  as  fuel 
in  tens  of  thousands  of  households  which  now  know 
no  other  than  anthracite. 

For  coking  purposes  no  coal  has  as  yet  been  dis- 
covered which  is  equal  in  all  respects  (and  indeed  it 
may  be  reasonably  claimed  in  any  respect)  to  that  of 
the  Connellsville  basin.  PxiiiL'  a  -:oft  and  porous  coal, 
which  crumbles  in  handliiiii.  it  i>  therefore  not  so  well  ] 
adapted  for  economical  tr:iiis|Hjrtution  as  the  harder 
gas-coal  which  is  found  west  of  the  "barren  meas- 
ures," and  for  this  reason  the  Connellsville  coal  was,  | 
until  the  development  of  coke  production,  regarded 
as  of  little  value  compared  with  the  other,  though  its 
location,  which  is  more  remote  from  navigable  waters, 
had  its  effect  as  a  partial  cause  of  this  disparaging 
estimate. 

But  when  it  became  the  object  of  operators  to  man- 
ufacture their  coal  into  coke,  then  the  conditions  were 
reversed,  and  the  hitherto  neglected  soft  coal  became 
the  more  highly  valued  of  the  two,  because  of  its 
superior  ailaiitabilily  for  coke-making.  Its  advan- 
tages iivii  oilici-  r,,:iN  in  tliis  manufacture  are  many. 
While  the  c.i-t  nt  mining  the  gas-coal  of  the  Pitts- 
burgh bed  is  seventy-five  to  ninety  cents  per  ton,  the 
softer  Connellsville  coal  is  rained  at  about  one-third 
that  expense  per  ton.  When  the  Connellsville  coking- 
coal  is  taken  from  the  mine  it  is  fit  for  immediate  use 
in  the  ovens,  and  is  placed  in  them  without  any  in- 
termediate process  of  preparation,  while  with  the  gas- 
coal  from  the  Pittsburgli  vein  an  extra  expense  of 
about  fifty  cents  per  t<m  is  necessarv  to  crush  it  by 
mechanical  means,  and  to  free  it  from  sulphur  as  far 
as  practicable  by  washing:  l))!'..!!-  I'liaiiriiii;  tlie  ovens 
with  it.  And  finally,  when  thr  rnkin-  i-  liiiished,  the 
"  desulphurized  coke"  l  as  it  is  termed)  prmhieed  from 
the  gas-coal  is  rated  in  the  market  as  inferior  to  coke 
made  from  the  soft  coal  of  the  Connellsville  ha^in. 
Therefore,  while  the  latter  offers  such  great  advan- 
tages in  mining  and  coking,  as  well  as  in  the  superior 
quality  of  its  product,  it  is  not  probable  that  attempts 
will  be  made  to  any  great  extent  to  utilize  iias-enal 
for  coking  purposes;  and  so  long  as  the  cdal  'le|i.isits 
of  this  basin  remain  unexhausted  (whieli  iiiu-t  he  the 
case  for  many  years  to  come)  and  no  new  di^i-.ix  "lies 
are  nuuh'  ■.!  pure  euking-Cfial  in  other  localities,  it 
seems  a  reasonable  ]irediction  that  the  Connellsville 
region  must  continue  to  hold  a  ]>r.ietiral  monopoly 
of  the  manufacture  of  coke.  Reiioils  aie  lre(iuently 
circulated  from  time  to  time  of  new  ■'  lind>"  of  coking- 
coal,  represented  to  be  e(|iial,  if  not  superior,  to  that 
of  the  ConnelKvillr  lied;  hut  no  in-iamc  ha>  yet  been 
reported  (ami  antlnaitieated  i  of  any  iron  manufac- 
turer or  other  .■oiiMinier  who  ,li.|  not  in  his  pnivha-e- 
give  pref.'rene.'  to  eoke  made  from  the  Connellsville 
vein  over  that  prodiued  in  any  other  district  ;  and  it 
is  a  fact  that  tlie  coke  maile  in  Favette  County  and  a 


comparatively  small  contiguous  region  is  recognized 
and  acknowledged,  wherever  used  in  any  part  of  the 
United  States,  as  superior  to  any  other  for  smelting, 
and  for  all  the  processes  of  iron-making  in  which 
coke  is  used  as  a  fuel. 

In  view  of  the  great  and  ever-increasing  magnitude 
of  the  coke  traffic  of  Fayette  County,  several  of  the 
principal  railway  lines  are  making  vigorous  efforts  to 
secure  as  large  a  share  of  it  as  possible.  The  Balti- 
more and  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania  Companies  are  as 
yet  in  possession  of  a  monopoly  of  this  traffic,  the 
Southwest  Pennsylvania  division  of  the  latter  road 
being,  on  account  of  its  immense  coke  freights, 
more  profitable  in  proportion  to  its  length  than  any 
other  part  of  the  company's  lines.  A  new  road  in  the 
interest  of  William  H.  Vanderbilt's  lines  is  now  being 
very  rapidly  constructed  along  the  south  bank  of  the 
Youghiogheny,  and  thence  (leaving  that  river  below 
Xew  Haven)  through  the  central  and  southwestern 
parts  of  this  county,  a  principal  object  being  to  tap 
the  rich  basin  of  coking-coal  over  which  its  route 
passes.  This,  as  also  the  extension  of  the  Pittsburgh, 
Virginia  and  Charleston  road  from  the  mouth  of 
Redstone  Creek  to  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  road 
a  little  north  of  Uniontown,  and  the  Brownsville  and 
New  Haven  Railroad,  soon  to  be  built  between  those 
boroughs,  will  open  a  new  and  extensive  territory  in 
the  richest  part  of  the  coking -coal  region.  The  open- 
ing of  the  first  two  named  roads  (which  will  be  earlier 
completed  than  the  other)  will  be  immediately  fol- 
lowed by  establishment  of  additional  coke-works 
along  their  lines,  and  the  erection  of  a  very  large 
number  of  ovens,  the  construction  of  which  has  al- 
ready been  provided  for  and  planned. 

Following  is  a  list  of  the  several  coke-works  in  the 
Connellsville  region  of  Fayette  and  Westmoreland 
Counties  (the  greater  part,  however,  being  in  Fayette), 
on  the  lines  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio,  Southwest 
1 'en  nsy  I  vania,  and  Pittsburgh  and  Lake  Erie  Railroads, 
with  the  number  of  ovens  now  in  operation  at  each  of 
tlie  works.  The  numbers  set  against  each,  indicate 
their  respective  locations  by  reference  to  correspond- 
ing numbers  on  the  accompanying  map  of  the  coke 
iiiiion.  The  lines  of  railway  shown  upon  the  map 
ill  reil  are  those  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio,  those  in 
Mack  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania,  and  in  green  the 
Pittsburgh  and  Lake  Erie  Railroad: 


COKE- WORKS    LOCATED    ON     B.\LTIMORE   AND    OHIO 
AND   BRAXCHES. 

ROAD 

No.             Name  of  Works,            '                    Ownere. 

No.  of 
Ove"B 

■1...  Mount  Ii,-»d,lock... 

:t  ,.  Uenrv  Olav H.  C.  rrii:k  Coke  Company.... 

4  ..  W:ishii,Klnii .Sannilp  Cclirau  Sons  &  Co.... 

124 
130 

ysAin  vTi, 


^^p^GAS    COAL 


■6 


INTERNAL   IMPllOVEiAlENTS. 


247 


No. 

Name  of  Works. 

Owners.                    1 

No.  of 

12... 

Flick 



H.  C.  Frick  CokB  Company.... 

B.  F.  Keister  &  Co '.". 

H.  C.  Frick  Coke  Company.... 

106 

148 

15  .. 

Foundry 

74 

16 

i^mmu::;.::;; 



19  .. 

Tip  Top 

21... 

a... 

Valley 

Charlotte  Fui 
W.  .^.Keifer. 

Fountain 

Tl-Mr,-^ 

Stewart' Iron' 

nace  Company.. 

H.  C.  Frick  Coko  Company 

162 
60 
40 

■n... 

.1.  1).  liM.vle 

I      |.|,  T  ^1  niffer  &  Co 

60 

'1.',. ',  ■; ',  khTAc;;:;:::;:::: 

\     \    llni.  liiH„..n&Bro 

360 

p    y 

ON- 

tlUTHWEST  PENNSYLVAf 

lA  RAILROAD  AND  BRANCHES. 

x„. 

Name  of  Works. 

No.  of 

Bli.ss  and  Ma 
Kairchance  Ir 
Fayette    Cok 

■shall 

00 

30 

and    Furnace 

4 

R.!:S^'?,:u 

ill 

.r.  W.  Moore  &  Co 

170 

IJuliiiar  Furnace 'company 

Mahoning     Coke     Company 

(Limited) 

Colvin  &  Co 

240 

in,.. 

Mahoning  .... 

100 
80 

!, 

l'   'rDrothere^           

1 1 

''::::';':; ; 

.'l  'roke"com 

'■ 

296 

j- 

ii 

1  Coke-Works... 



' 

20... 
i\K. 
22... 
2:!... 
24... 

20 
60 

Dellinger,  RaiTerty  4  Co 

Suuthwest     C 

O.iiipany.. 

Delli,,(;er,Ta 

BovIl.'s 

Star 

Buckeye 

Alice 

Bessemer 

Kisin^Son... 

oal     and     Coke 

138 

2li... 

Boy'le&  iiafferty 

20 

28... 
29... 

30... 
31... 

(Limited) 

470 
200 

1  J.  W,  Overholt  (agent) 

West  Overton 
Trotter 

Connellsville 

Coke  and  Iron 

36... 

Connellsville  Gas-Coal  Com- 

36... 

ON  PITTSBURGH  AND 

LAKE   ERIE   RAILROAD. 

1  No. 

Name  of  Work. 

1                    Owner. 

No.  of 
Ovens. 

^ 

Fort  Hill 

W  J  Raine    4  Co 

88 

Fay 

n  Westmoreland  County;  all 
ette. 

Numbers  21  to  34,  inclusive,  a 
his  line  are  in  Fayette. 

others  on  this  road  as  indicated 
0  ill  Westmoreland  County,  al 

are  in 
otliers 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 

INTERNAL    IMPROVEMENTS— POPULATION. 


In  all  new  and  undeveloped  sections  of  country 
the  first  step  in  the  direction  of  public  internal  im- 
provements is  the  opening  of  roads.  The  first  attempt 
by  white  men  to  open  or  mark  the  route  of  a  road 
within  the  territory  now  embraced  in  the  county  of 
Fayette  was  made  by  Col.  Thomas  Cresap,  of  Oldtown, 
Md.,  in  the  year  1750.  He  was  employed  by  the  Ohio 
Company  to  select  and  mark  a  route  for  their  proposed 
traffic  between  their  base  of  operations  at  'Wills'  Creek 
(Cumberland),  Md.,  and  their  objective  point  at  the 
site  of  the  present  city  of  Pittsburgh;  and  so,  in  exe- 
cution of  this  mission,  he  set  out  from  Wills'  Creek 
in  the  year  mentioned,  with  the  old  chief  Nemacolin 
as  a  principal  guide,  and  assisted  by  several  other  In- 
dians, and  proceeded  northwestwardly  over  a  route 
not  materially  different  from  that  afterwards  traversed 
by  Washington  and  Braddock  in  their  respective  cam- 
paigns until  he  reached  the  west  base  of  the  Laurel 
Hill,  in  what  is  now  Fayette  County  (at  or  near  the 
place  now  known  as  Mount  Braddock),  from  which 
point,  instead  of  turning  northeast  towards  the  pres- 
ent site  of  Connellsville,  as  the  later  military  road 
did,  he  proceeded  on,  to  and  down  the  valley  of  Red- 
stone Creek  to  its  mouth,  where  his  work  ended,  for 
it  was  proposed  at  that  point  to  abandon  land  carriage 
and  take  transportation  down  the  Monongahela  to  its 
confluence  with  the  Allegheny. 

Col.  Cresap,  however,  neither  builc  nor  opened  any 
part  of  the  proposed  road,  but  merely  selected  its 
route,  and  indicated  the  same  by  blazing  and  mark- 
ing trees,  and  occasionally  rearing  piles  of  stones  as 
landmarks  at  prominent  points.  But  in  1763  the  Ohio 
Company  sent  out  a  party 'of  pioneers,  who  "  opened 
the  road,"^  though  they  made  it  little  more  than  a 
bridle-path  for  the  passage  of  pack-horses.  A  few 
months  later  (in  January,  1754)  Capt.  William  Trent, 
with  a  small  company  of  men  in  the  employ  of  the 
Ohio  Company,  marched  over  the  road,  and  further 
improved  it  as  they  passed.  At  its  western  terminus, 
the  mouth  of  Redstone  Creek,  they  built  the  "Han- 
gard"  store-house  for  the  company  (as  before  noticed), 
and  then  passed  on  down  the  river  to  commence  build- 
ing a  fort  for  the  company  at  the  Forks  of  the  Ohio. 

In  1754,  Washington  with  his  little  army,  on  the 
campaign  which  ended  in  the  surrender  of  Fort  Ne- 
cessity on  the  4th  of  July  in  that  year,  passed  over 
the  same  road,  and  improved  it  so  that  it  was  passable 
for  wagons  and  light  pieces  of  artillery  to  the  west 

»  Washington,  in  advocating  this  route  in  preferenr-e  to  the  more  north- 
erly one  through  Bedford  for  the  passage  of  Forbes'  troops  in  17.58,  said, 
"The  Ohio  Company  in  17o:i,  ni  a,  considerMe  erpenw,  oiiened  the  road," 


i/^~lf^' 


248 


HISTORY    OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


side  of  Laurel  Hill.  "  In  1754,"  he  says,  "  the  troops 
whom  I  had  the  honor  to  command  greatly  repaired 
it  as  far  as  Gist's  plantation,  and  in  1755  it  was 
widened  and  completed  by  Gen.  Braddock  to  within 
six  miles  of  Fort  Du  Quesne."  The  road,  as  "  com- 
pleted" by  Braddock,  extended  from  Gist's  (Mount 
Braddock)  northeastwardly  to  and  across  the  Youghio- 
gheny  at  Stewart's  Crossings,  a  little  below  the  pres- 
ent borough  of  New  Haven  ;  thence  in  the  same  gen- 
eral (lirertioi)  to  Jmi-<i1>'s  (;'rfek,  the  northern  bnuiiclary 
of  this  county,  and  on  thnmgh  Westnioreluud  to  tli'e 
Monongahehi.  Gen.  llraddnrk  made  it  in  its  entire 
length,  practicable  itlmn-li 
of  his  heavy  wagons  :ind 
more  than  four  years  afterw 
could  be  called  such  within 
County. 

In  tiiefallof  17oOCol.Jn 
which  bore  his  name,  wln-re   the 
ville   now  is,  and   opened  a  good 


passage     fi 


ard,-,  tlie  only  road  which 
the  territorv  now  Favette 


Bur. 


and  thrnrv  ini 

ning   on   the   old   route  ,>]n 

Ohio(■nlN,.:,n^ 

and  partly  improved  by  \ 

a   few  miles  w 

^^t  nf  Gi-t's  in  17.'.4.  loni--l 

distanrc  [.,  tin 

mouth  ot  i;..lstnii,..  allrr  H 

the  old  route; 

nd  lioR'  ^lore^vrst^va^dly  t( 

of  Dunlap's  C 

•cek.     This  road  was   lor  a 

years  the  mat 

n    thoroughfare   to    the    M 

River,   though 

some   travel    came    over 

road,"  which  was  much  inferior  to  the  m 

built  by  Burd, 

and,  in  fact,  hardlv  more  tl 

horse  path      It  left  Braddock's  road  at  th 

La       1  IT  11 

1     B     Rock   a    1  e   te 

M             1    1 

1          utl   ot  D     lap     C 

\.         1      1 

1                           le    11 

earl     j  ea 

11                     11 

roa  1     or    s 

1              1                               1 

to  T      o 

11             1               1 

tel  b 

C  1  J           I      11 

Ik          r  1 

tleM              11         1 

"■^1   II 

u      tl         1   r                1 

1 

11        1         1     T     k       I 

L     11     k 

1           1                   F 

tie,      1 

1                1              1 

Foot 
1  urg 


dl 
f  o 


done  upon  it  until  after  1760,  when  its  construction 
was  resumed  and  the  road  completed  to  Turkey  Foot, 
and  was  afterwards  extended  by  a  route  passing  a 
little  south  of  Sugar-Loaf  Mountain  and  by  Dunbar's 
camp  to  Uniontown.  From  there  it  was  opened  to 
Jackson's  or  Grace  Church,  from  which  place  it  was 
identical  with  the  old  Brownsville  road. 

One  of  the  earliest  roads  in  this  region  (other  than 
those  already  mentioned)  wa^one  prayed  for  in  a  pe- 
tition presented  to  the  court  of  Westmoreland  County 
at  the  April  term  of  1778,  viz. :  "  A  publick  road  to 
begin  at  or  near  the  mouth  of  Fish-Pot  run,  about 
les  below  the  mouth  of  Ten-Mile  Creek,  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Monongahela  River  (it  being  a  con- 
venient place  for  a  ferry,  as  also  a  good  direction  for 
a  road  leading  to  the  most  western  jiart  of  the  settle- 
ment), thence  the  nearest  and  best  way  to  the  forks 
of  Dunlajvs  path  and  Gen.  Braddock's  road  on 
the  t,-p  of  Laurel  Hill." 

The  viewers  appointed  on  this  road  were  John 
Moore,  Thomas  Scott,  Henry  Beeson,  Thomas  Brown- 
field,  James  McClean,  and  Philip  Shute.  This  was 
the  first  petition  for  a  road  presented  to  the  court  of 
Westmoreland  after  the  erection  of  that  county.  At 
tiie  same  time  a  petition  was  presented  for  a  road  from 
Washington's  Spring  to  Sewickley. 

"  A  Road  from  near  Redstone  Old  Fort  to  Henry 
Beeson's  Mill,  and  thence  to  intersect  Braddock's 
Road  near  the  forks  of  Dunlap's  road  and  said  road 
on  the  top  of  Laurel  Hill,"  was  petitioned  for  by  in- 
habitants of  Tyrone  and  Menallen  townships  at  the 
April  sessions  of  1774.  Richard  Waller,  Andrew  Linn, 
Jr  "\^  11  Cal  n,  Thomas  Crooks,  Henry  Hart, 
nl  Jo  ei  1  Gra  lie  were  appointed  viewers.  One 
rea  on  g  en  b)  tl  e  petitioners  for  desiring  this  road 
v  tl  t  son  e  of  them  were  frequently  obliged  to 
arry  tl  e  r  cor  t  enty  miles  to  the  mill  of  Henry 
Bee  o  at  L  ion  Town,  "and  in  all  probability,  at 
o  e  easons  of  the  year,  will  ever  have  to  do  so." 
A     oad  f  0  n  Thomas  Gist's  to  Paul  Froman's 

11      e  r  the  Monongahela,  and  thence  to  his  other 

11  o     CI  art  e       Creek,"  was  petitioned  for  at  the 


J  J     es      ns  of  1774  of  Westmoreland  County 

C   urt  and     a    ordered  laid  out.     This  road  led  from 
Mo     t  Braddo  k     orthwest,  by  way  of  where  Perry- 


Fa  ette  City  now  stand,  to  Froman's  Mill, 
ek   ^\  ashington  County.     It  was  called 


o)  ol 
M 

1  ) 

V         I  Beeson's  Town  I  UniontownJ,  in  the 

F  rk  i\  J  gheny,  to  the  Salt-Works  [on  Jacob's 
Creek]  1  tl  en  eastward  to  Bedford  Town,"  and  a 
ad  f  n  Bee  on  s  Town  to  Col.  Cook's  [Fayette 
C  t  ]  ere  I  et  t  oned  for  in  the  sessions  of  January, 
1  83  a  d  1  84  re  pectively. 

At  tl      fir  t    e     on  of  Lord  Dunmore's  (Augusta 

Co     t     ^      )  CO   rt  held  at  Pittsburgh,  Feb.  22,  1775, 

a  1  e    ot  -s  were  appointed,  among  whom 

e      (    [  t   \V   11      1  Crawford  and  Van  Swearingen, 

1  1  he    present    territorv    of    Favette 


INTERNAL   IMPROVEMENTS. 


249 


County,  to  view  a  road  petitioned  for,  "  to  run  from 
Providence  Mounce's  [Mounts']  Mill,  by  Ausberger's 
Ferry,  to  Catfish  Camp."  Mounts'  Mill  was  in  what 
is  now  Connellsville  township,  and  Catfish  Camp  was 
the  same  as  the  present  town  of  Washington,  Pa. 

A  road  from  the  foot  of  Laurel  Hill,  by  William 
Teagarden's  ferry  (on  the  Monongahela),  to  the  mouth 
of  Wheeling  Creek  (Virginia),  was  ordered  by  the 
same  Virginia  court,  on  the  17th  of  May,  1775.  The 
starting-point  of  this  road,  at  the  foot  of  Laurel  Hill, 
is  not  designated,  but  it  was  of  course  in  what  is  now 
Fayette  County,  as  the  place  where  it  was  to  cross  the 
Monongahela  was  not  far  above  Brownsville.  The 
first  road  viewed  and  laid  out  by  order  of  the  court 
of  Fayette  County,  in  December,  17S3,  was  that  from 
Uiii(jntown  to  the  mouth  of  Grassy  Run,  on  Cheat 
Kivir,  this  being  part  of  a  road  which  had  been 
|it_-titioned  for  to  the  Westmoreland  County  Court 
I  liclnre  the  erection  of  Fayette),  to  run  from  Stewart's 
<  'rossings  (Connellsville),  through  Uniontown,  to  the 
( 'licat.  It  was  ordered  to  be  opened,  cut,  cleared,  and 
liri'lj;ed,  thirty-three  feet  wide. 

A  |ietition  was  presented  to  the  same  court  for  "a 
road  from  Union  Town  to  the  Broadford  on  the  River 
Youghiogeni,"  and  another  "  for  a  Road  from  the 
mouth  of  Whitely's  Creek,  on  the  River  Mononga- 
hela, to  David  Johns'  Mill,  and  thence  to  Daniel 
McPeck's."  The  court  at  the  June  sessions  of  1784 
ordered  this  road  to  be  opened,  cut,  cleared,  and 
bridged,  thirty-three  feet  wide.  This  was  known  as 
the  Sandy  Creek  Road. 

At  the  September  sessions  of  1784  there  was  pre- 
sented to  the  court : 

"The  Petition  of  Sundry  of  tiie  Inhabitants  of  Fayette 
County  and  others,  showing  to  the  Court  that  as  the  intercourse 
frnni  Redstone  Old  Fort  along  the  River  side  is  now  very  con- 
si. Icraljle  upon  account  of  the  number  of  Boats  for  Passengers 
wliich  are  almost  continually  building  in  different  parts  along 
the  river  side,  and  as  there  is  now  a  very  good  grist-  and  saw- 
mill at  the  mouth  of  big  Redstone,  and  no  Waggon  road  as  yet 
laid  off  from  Redstone  Old  Fort  to  the  Mill,  nor  from  thence 
to  the  mouth  of  little  Redstone  and  to  Colonel  Edward  Cook's. 
As  the  Petitioners  conceive  that  a  good  road  in  that  direction 
would  be  of  general  public  utility  to  inhabitants,  and  likewise 
of  great  convenience  to  Strivngers,  the  Petitioners  therefore 
pray  the  Court  to  appoint  six  men  to  view  the  said  Road,  and 
if  necessary  to  lay  out  the  same  from  Redstone  Old  Fort  to  the 
mouth  of  big  Redstone,  from  thence  to  the  mouth  or  near  the 
mouth  of  little  Bedstone,  and  from  thence  to  Colonel  Edw.ard 
Cook's.  Whereupon  it  is  considered  by  the  Court,  and  ordered, 
that  Bazil  Brown,  Senior,  Samuel  Jackson,  William  Forsythe, 
William  Goe,  John  Stephens,  and  Andrew  Linn,  Junior,  do  view 
the  ground  over  which,  by  the  prayer  of  the  Petitioners,  the 
said  Road  is  desired  to  pass,  and  if  they  or  any  of  them  see  it 
necessary,  that  they  lay  out  a  road  according  to  the  prayer  of 
the  said  Petition,  the  nearest  and  best  way  the  ground  will 
admit  of,  and  with  the  least  injury  to  the  settlements  there- 
abouts, and  make  report  of  their  proceedings  therein  by  courses 
and  Distances  to  the  next  Court." 


At  the  next  following  December 


made  their  report  on  this  road,  and  it  was  ordered  laid 
out.  Among  the  numerous  other  roads  petitioned  for 
in  the  early  years  (many  of  which,  however,  were 
never  opened)  the  court  records  show  the  following: 
1784. — Road  from  Miller's  Ferry,  on  the  Monon- 
gahela River,  to  the  Widow  Moore's,  on  Sandy  Creek, 
to  join  the  Maryland  road. 

"  Road  from  Josiah  Crawford's  Ferry,  on  the  Mo- 
nongahela River,  to  Uniontown."  This  road  ran  to 
Samuel  Douglass'  mill  and  to  Dunlap's  Creek  at  Amos 
Hough's  mill,  intersecting  the  road  from  James  Craw- 
ford's Ferry  to  Uniontown. 

1787. — "  Road  from  Moorecraft's  Ferry,  on  the  river 
Youghioganie,  to  Cornelius  Woodruff's  on  Chestnut 
Ridge — granted," 

"Road  from  the  Monongahela  River,  opposite  to 
the  mouth  of  Pike's  Run,  to  join  the  road  from 
Swearingen's  Ferry  to  Uniontown." 

"  Road  from  Redstone  Old  Fort  to  the  southern 
line  of  the  State." 

1788. — "Road  from  Friends'  Meeting-House  to 
Redstone." 

"  Road  from  Zachariah  Council's  (Connellsville)  to 
Isaac  Meason's,  on  Jacob's  Creek." 

1789. — "  Road  from   Isaac  Jackson's  to  Stewart's 
Crossing  and  Connell's  Ferry." 
j       "Road  from  Union   Town   to   Robert   McClean's 
Ferry  on  Monongahela  River." 

"Road  from  the  ferry  of  Thomas  McGibbins,  jiist 
below  the  old  Redstone  Fort  on  the  Monongahela 
River,  to  Septimus  Cadwallader's  Grist-  and  Saw- 
Mill,  and  from  there  to  intersect  the  road  from  the 
Friends'  Meeting-House  to  the  ferry  aforesaid,  near 
the  mouth  of  Joseph  Graybill's  Lane." 
]       "  Road   from    Brownsville,    by   Samuel   Jackson's 
JMill,  in    a   direction   to  Gebhart's  Mill  on   Jacob's 
I  Creek." 

j       1790. — "  Petition  for  a  private  road  from  Griffin's 
Mill  to  the  great  road  from  Jonathan  Rees'  Mill  to 
I  Hyde's  Ferry,  at  or  near  the  house  of  Enoch  Abra- 
I  hams." 

1791. — "  Road  from  Jacob's  Creek  Iron-Works  to 
John  Van  Meter's  Ferry." 

1793. — "  Road  from  the  ferry  on  the  Monongahela 
River,  at  Frederick  Town,  to  the  road  from  James 
Crawford's  Ferry  to  L'niontown." 

1794. — "Road  from  Kinsey  Virgin's  Ferry  towards 
Brownsville." 
j  "  Road  from  Davidson's  Ferry,  on  the  Mononga- 
hela River,  to  the  Union  Town  Road." 
j  "  Road  from  the  Couuty  line  to  Alliance  Furnace." 
'  "  Road  from  Meason's  Iron-Works  to  the  mouth  of 
I  Big  Redstone." 

"  Road  from  Krepps'  Ferry  to  the  bridge  at  the 
mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek." 

"Road  from  Joseph  Neal's  Ferry,  on  the  Monon- 
gahela River,  to  the  Sandy  Creek  road — granted." 

"  Road  from  Jasper  Elting's,  at  the  foot  of  Chest- 
nut Ridge,  to  Mr.  Smilie's  fording." 


250 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1796.—"  Road  from  Redstone  Old  Fort,  by  McFar- 
land's  Ford,  on  Cheat  River,  to  Morgantown." 

It  would  of  course  be  impracticable,  if  not  well- 
nigh  impossible,  to  give  an  account  of  the  multitude 
of  roads  which  have  been  opened  from  time  to  time 
in  later  years,  but  mention  of  some  of  the  most  im- 
portant one.s  will  be  found  in  the  histories  of  the  sev- 
eral townships. 

BRIDGES. 

In  the  records  of  the  county  commissioners,  entries 
are  found  at  various  times  having  reference  to  the 
building  of  bridges  over  the  difierent  streams  in  the 
county  as  follows : 

Jan.  7,  1796.— Samuel  Jackson  received  £50,  being 
the  last  payment  on  a  bridge  constructed  by  him  over 
Redstone  Creek. 

March  12,  1801. — The  commissioners  addressed  a 
letter  to  the  commissioners  of  Westmoreland  County 
on  the  subject  of  a  proposed  iron  bridge  across  Jacob's 
Creek. 

April  9,  1801. — Letter  received  from  the  commis- 
sioners of  Westmoreland,  requesting  a  meeting  of  the 
two  boards,  with  Col.  Isaac  Meason,  on  the  bank  of 
Jacob's  Creek,  on  the  next  following  Tuesday,  "  to 
consult  and  complete  contract  relative  to  James  Fin- 
ley,  Esq.,  undertaking  to  erect  an  Iron  Bridge  over 
Jacob's  Creek,  and  it  is  agreed  that  John  Fulton  and 
Andrew  Oliphant  proceed  to  business." 

April  14,  1801.— The  commissioners  of  Fayette  and 
Westmoreland  Counties  met  and  completed  contract 
with  James  Finley  to  build  a  bridge  supported  with 
iron  at  or  near  Isaac  Meason's,  over  Jacob's  Creek, 
for  the  sum  of  six  hundred  dollars,  one-half  to  be 
paid  out  of  the  treasury  of  Fayette,  and  one-half  out 
of  the  treasury  of  Westmoreland.  The  bridge  to  be 
"  a  patent  Iron  chain  suspension"  structure  of  seventy 
feet  span,  and  to  be  completed  ready  for  use  on  or  be- 
fore Dec.  15,  1801.  This  bridge  over  Jacob's  Creek, 
on  the  turnpike  road  between  Connellsville  and 
Mount  Pleasant,  was  the  first  iron  suspension  bridge 
erected  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  The  plan  on 
which  it  was  built  was  invented  and  patented  by 
Judge  James  Finley,  of  Fayette  County.  Another 
bridge  of  this  kind  was  built  a  few  years  later  over 
Dunlap's  Creek,  at  Bridgeport.  The  plan,  however, 
proved  defective  and  the  bridges  unsafe,  the  one  last 
named  falling  under  the  weight  of  a  team  and  ordi- 
nary wagon-load,  after  having  been  in  use  less  than 
ten  years. 

Oct.  9,  1801. — The  commissioners  made  a  contract 
with  David  Barnes,  of  Connellsville,  "to  build  a 
frame  bridge  over  Indian  Creek,  to  be  completed 
against  the  first  of  July  next,  he  to  receive  $324.99,  in 
three  equal  payments."  This  bridge  was  completed 
and  accepted  by  the  commissioners  July  5,  1802. 

Oct.  27,  1801. — Commissioners  met  at  Bridgeport 
to  view  the  bridge  over  Dunlap's  Creek  at  that  place, 
and  having  done  so,  authorized  Isaac  Rogers,  Sep- 


timus Cadwallader,  and  Andrew  Porter  to  repair  the 
bridge  at  a  cost  not  exceeding  8300.  An  account  of 
the  several  bridges  over  Dunlap's  Cr^ek  between 
Brownsville  and  Bridgeport  will  be  given  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  former  borough. 

July  3, 1802. — Commissioners  contracted  with  Tim- 
othy Smith  to  build  a  bridge  over  Dunlap's  Creek, 
near  the  house  of  Nathaniel  Breading,  for  S123.50. 

Feb.  3,  1803.— "  Agreeable  to  an  Order  from  the 
Court  of  Quarter  Sessions,  the  commissioners  pro- 
ceeded to  Sandy  Creek  to  sell  and  contract  for  the 
building  of  a  bridge  over  the  said  creek,  agreeable  to 
notice  given  in  the  Newspaper  of  the  County."  The 
sale  was  made  to  Enos  West,  the  lowest  bidder,  at 
S249.  The  bridge  was  accepted  by  the  commissioners 
Jan.  5,  1804. 

Nov.  11,  1808. — Completed  bridge  over  Georges 
Creek,  near  New  Geneva,  accepted  by  commissioners. 

Dec.  8, 1808.— Commissioners  contracted  with  Jesse 
Forsythe  for  building  a  bridge  over  Redstone  Creek  at 
S1200.     Completed  in  August,  1809. 

Aug.  6,  1833. — Commissioners  agreed  with  George 
Marietta  to  build  a  new  wooden  bridge  over  Jacob's 
Creek,  in  place  of  the  old  Finley  chain  suspension 
bridge,  for  $267.  The  iron  of  the  old  bridge  sold  to 
Nathaniel  Mitchell  for  890. 

April  3,  1834. — Commissioners  contracted  with 
George  Marietta  for  building  a  bridge  over  Redstone 
Creek,  at  the  crossing  of  the  State  road  leading  to 
Pittsburgh.     Contract  price,  $375. 

1838.'— Bridge  over  Mounts'  Creek,  on  road  leading 
from  Connellsville  to  Pittsburgh. 

1839. — Bridge  over  Dunbar  Creek,  on  road  from 
Connellsville  to  Laurel  Furnace. 

1839. — Bridge  over  Big  Redstone  Creek,  on  road 
from  Brownsville  to  Cookstown. 

1839.— Bridge  over  Big  Redstone,  at  Sharpless' 
Paper-Mill. 

1840. — Over  Downer's  Creek,  at  or  near  Cookstown. 

1840.— Over  Dunlap's  Creek,  at  Merrittstown  (re- 
building). 

1841. — Over  Dunlap's  Creek,  on  road  leading  from 
Brownsville  to  Morgantown  road. 

1842. — Over  branch  of  Redstone  Creek,  "  where 
the  great  road  leading  from  Uniontown  to  Pittsburgh 
crosses,  at  Mitchell's  Tilt-Hammer." 

1846. — Over  Jacob's  Creek,  road  from  Uniontown 
to  Greensburg. 

1848. — Over  Jacob's  Creek,  on  road  from  Detwiler's 
Mill  to  Mount  Pleasant. 

1850.— Over  Jennings'  Run,  on  Pittsburgh  State 
road  (Union  and  Menallen  townships). 

1850. — Over  Redstone  Creek,  near  James  M.  Lynn's 
mill  (Redstone  and  Jefferson  townships). 

1850.— Over  Jacob's  Creek,  at  Tyrone  Mills. 


1  The  list  of  bridges  built  in  Fayette  County  in  the  different  years 
from  1S38  to  1S81  has  been  gathered  from  the  commiseiouers*  recorde 
byThomas  Hazen,  Esq.,  a  menilier  of  the  present  (1881)  board. 


INTERNAL   IMPROVEMENTS. 


251 


1850. — Over  Mounts'  Creek,  on  Counellsville  and 
Pittsburgh  road. 

1851.— Over  Georges  Creek,  at  Crow's  Mill. 

1851. — Over  Jacob's  Creek,  near  Stouft'er's  Mill  (in 
conjunction  with  Westmoreland  County). 

1851.— Over  Brown's  Run,  at  Cookstown. 

1851. — Over  York's  Run,  on  road  from  Geneva  to 
Uniontown  (Nicholson  township). 

1851.— Over  Redstone  Creek,  at  Cook's  Mill,  lower 
ford  (Redstone  and  Franklin  townships). 

1851. — Over  Indian  Creek,  road  from  Counellsville 
to  Somerset  (in  Springfield  township). 

1852. — Over  Dickerson's  Creek  (Dunbar  and  Frank- 
lin townships),  road  leading  to  Counellsville. 

1852.— Over  Georges  Creek,  at  Long's  Fulling- 
Mill,  on  Morgantown  road. 

1852. — Over  Dunlap's  Creek,  near  Finley's  Mill 
(Luzerne  and  Menallen  townships),  road  from  David- 
son's Ferry  to  National  road. 

1852. — Over  Georges  Creek  (Nicliolson  and  Spring 
Hill  townships),  road  from  Virginia  line  to  Browns- 
ville. 

1852. — Over  Redstone  Creek,  near  Clement's  Mill 
(North  Union). 

1852. — Over  Dunbar  Creek,  near  Spear's  Mill  (Dun- 
bar township). 

1852.— Over  Redstone  Creek,  lower  ford,  Jona- 
than Sharpless'  mill. 

1852. — Over  Brown's  Run,  at  James  Williams' 
(German  township). 

1852. — Over  Robinson's  Run  (Dunbar),  one-half 
mile  west  of  New  Haven. 

1852. — Over  Indian  Creek  (Springfield  township), 
where  Clay  pike  crosses. 

1852. — Over  Georges  Creek  (Georges  township), 
road  leading  from  Sniithfield  to  Morgantown. 

1853.— Over  Sandy  Creek,  at  Elliott's  Mills. 

1853.— Over  Dunlap's  Creek,  "at  Young's  Saw- 
Mill  or  one  mile  up"  (Redstone  and  Ijuzerne). 

1853.— Over  Little  Redstone  (Fayette  City),  "  near 
saw-mill  dam  of  William  E.  Frazier." 

1854. — Over  Youghiogheny  River,  at  Ohio  Pile 
(Stewart  township). 

1855. — Over  Meadow  Run,  "  where  Turkeyfoot 
road  crosses  said  road,  in  township  of  Wharton." 

1855. — Over  Little  Redstone  Creek,  on  State  road, 
near  line  between  Jefi'erson  and  Washington  town- 
ships. 

1856. — Over  Rowe's  Run,  near  Redstone  Creek 
(Redstone  township). 

1857. — Over  Georges  Creek  (Georges  township), 
on  road  from  Smithfield  by  way  of  Spring  Hill  to 
Morgantown. 

1858. — Over  Dunlap's  Creek,  near  Elijah  Van 
Kirk's  (Redstone  and  Luzerne). 

1859.— Over  Crabapple  Run,  at  Redstone  Creek 
(Franklin  and  Jefferson  townships). 

1859. — Over  Trump's  Run,  on  road  from  Counells- 
ville to  Indian  Creek  (Counellsville  township). 


1861.— Over  Rush's  Run  (Luzerne  township),  on 
road  from  Brownsville  to  Fredericktown. 

1861. — Over  Jacob's  Creek,  near  John  M.  Stouffer's, 
on  road  from  Broad  Ford  into  Westmoreland  County. 

1862.— Over  Youghiogheny  River,  at  Ohio  Pile 
(bridge  of  1854  rebuilt). 

1863.— Over  Indian  Creek,  on  road  from  Springfield 
to  Somerset. 

1863. — Over  Jacob's  Creek,  on  public  highway  lead- 
ing to  Mount  Pleasant. 

1864.— Over  Redstone  Creek,  at  Work's  Mill' 
(Menallen  and  Franklin). 

1868.— Over  Redstone  Creek,  at  Cook's  Mill,^  up- 
per ford  (Franklin  and  Redstone  townships). 

1869.— Over  Little  Sandy  Creek  (Wharton  town- 
ship), road  from  Haydentown  to  Somerfield,  on  farm 
of  R.  P.  McClellan.' 

1869. — Over  Perkins'  Run  (Springfield  township), 
on  road  from  Springfield  to  Petersburg. 

1871.— Over  Redstone  Creek,  Fayette  Street,  in 
borough  of  Uniontown. 

1871. — Over  Big  Meadow  Run,  on  road  from  Ohio 
Pile  to  Farmington  (Stewart  and  Wharton  town- 
ships). 

1871.— Over  Cisely's  Run,  Fayette  City  Borough, 
south  of  town. 

1871. — Over  Dunlap's  Creek,  one-half  mile  below 
Merrittstown  (Redstone  and  Luzerne). 

1871. — Over  Meadow  Run,  near  S.  Rush's  (Whar- 
ton township). 

1874. — Over  Jacob's  Creek,  between  Ray's  Ford 
and  Cunningham's  Ford  (by  Tyrone  township  and 
Westmoreland  County  jointly). 

1874. — Over  Jacob's  Creek  (Bullskin  township), 
where  the  road  to  Mount  Pleasant  crosses,  at  Walk- 
er's Ford  (one-half  expense  agreed  to  be  paid  by  cit- 
izens of  Westmoreland  County). 

1875. — Over  Redstone  Creek,  at  Cook's  Mill  (lower 
ford).  A  rebuilding  of  the  bridge  of  1851,  which 
had  been  carried  away  by  flood. 

1875. — Over  Redstone  Creek,  upper  ford.  Re- 
building of  the  bridge  built  in  1868,  and  carried  away 
by  flood. 

1875. — Over  Cook's  Run  (Washington  township), 
between  mill-dam  and  stable  of  N.  Brightwell. 

1875.— Over  Galley's  Run,  at  Broadford  (Counells- 
ville and  Tyrone). 

1875. — Over  Little  Sandy  Creek,  east  of  Shinbone 
(Wharton  township). 

1875. — Over  Cox's  Run  (Luzerne  township). 

1875.— Over  Little  Redstone  Creek,  at  Armell's 
Mill,  one  mile  south  of  Fayette  City. 

1876.— Over  Redstone  Creek,  at  Linn's  Mill  (Red- 
stone and  Jefferson). 

1877.— Over  Redstone  Creek,  at  Parkhill's  Mill 
(bridge  rebuilt). 


HISTORY   OP   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1877. — Over  Jacob's  Creek,  above  Everson  to  Scott- 
dale. 

1877. — Over  Redstone  Creek,  in  Uniontown  Bor- 
ough, on  "  read  leading  to  Hogsett's." 

1877. — Over  Redstone  Creek,  at  Vance's  Mill  (re- 
building). 

1879. — Over  Mounts'  Creek,  at  steel-works,  Con- 
nellsville  Borough,  bridge  rebuilt. 

1880. — Over  Redstone  Creek,  near  residence  of 
Isaac  Lynn. 

1880.— Over  Mounts'  Creek,  at  brick-works  (Bull- 
skin  township). 

lS81.^0ver  Brown's  Run,  on  line  of  Georges  and 
German  townships. 

THE    NATIONAL,  OR    CUMBERLAND    ROAD. 
The  first  and  the  most  earnest,  as  he  was  also  the 

nio.st  illustrious  of  all  the  a.Iv(H:-ates,.f  a, -reat  national 
highway  U,  cn.,s  the  AHc-liciiies  ami  .■..nnect  the  re- 
mote st'tlk-mt-uts  of  the  Dili..  ValK-y  with  tlic  country 
east  of  the  mountains,  was  (Jen.  George  Washington. 
One  of  the  first  objects  to  which  he  gave  his  attention 
after  his  retirement  from  the  command  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary armies  was  a  careful  examination  of  the  country 
between  the  Potomac  and  the  Monongahela,  to  note  the 
advantages  offered  and  the  obstacles  to  be  surmounted 
in  the  great  public  enterprise  which  he  had  in  view. 
Even  at  that  early  time  he  had  in  contemplation  the 
possibility  of  a  canal,  to  form  a  water-carriage  be- 
tween the  Potomac  and  Youghiogheny  Rivers,  but  as 
such  an  enterprise  would  involve  a  heavy  expense 
(the  extent  of  which  he  ]>robably  but  faintly  realized) 
a  good  .uli~titnl.'  u-o„I,l  1,,.  a  Miii-tantially  built  road, 
tlie  oprnin-  of  wliirl,  1,,.  l,rli,.M-,l  lo  lir  nc-i-sary  to 
bind  together  the  eastern  and  western  sections  of  the 
States  which  his  sword  had  made  free  and  independ- 
ent.' 

It  was  in  the  year  178-t  that  Washinirton  made  his 
exploriug-trii.  from  the  I'otomac  to  tlie  (  )liio.  From 
Cumlierland  to  the  Laurel  llili,  he  pasM  d  through  a 
region  with  which  he  had  been  made  familiar  thirty 
years  before,  by  marching  through  it  in  his  own  cam- 
paign of  1754,  and  with  Gen.  Braddock  in  1755.  Ar- 
riving at  the  Yonghioglieny,  lie  embarked  in  a  canoe 
with  an  Indian  pilot,  and  pas-.d  down  that  river  to  Ohio 
Pile  Falls,  where  he  landed,  and  thence  rode  across 
the  country  to  the  Monongahela,  and  up  the  valley  of 


MMly  ad- 
ns  to  tlie 


that  stream  into  Virginia.  It  is  related  of  him  that 
in  September  of  the  year  named  he  was  on  one  occa- 
sion seated  in  a  hunter's  cabin  near  the  Virginia  line, 
examining  maps  and  asking  questions  of  a  number  of 
frontiersmen  who  stood  around  him,  relative  to  the 
passes  of  the  mountains  and  the  adaptability  of  the 
country  for  the  construction  of  the  road  which  he  had 
in  mind,  when  a  young  man  of  foreign  appearance, 
wdio  was  among  the  bystanders,  volunteered  an 
opinion  indicating  a  certain  route  which  he  believed 
to  be  the  best  for  the  purpose.  At  this  interruption 
Washington  regarded  the  speaker  with  surprise,  and 
with  something  of  the  imperious  look  of  the  com- 
mander-in-chief, but  made  no  reply,  and  continued 
I  his  examination.  Upon  its  completion  the  general 
I  saw  that  the  opinion  expressed  by  the  unknown 
speaker  was  undoubtedly  well  founded,  and  turning  to 
him  said,  in  a  polite  but  decided  way,  "  You  are 
right,  young  man  ;  the  route  you  have  indicated  is  the 
correct  one."  The  young  stranger  proved  to  be  Al- 
bert Gallatin,  afterwards  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  of 
the  United  States,  and  one  of  the  principal  promoters 
of  the  construction  of  the  great  National  road  to  the 
Ohio.  It  was  here  that  Washington  first  formed  his 
acquaintance,  and  the  friendship  thus  begun  con- 
tinued uninterrupted  during  the  lifetime  of  the  chief 
From  the  upper  Monongahela,  Washington  passed 
through  the  county  of  Washington  to  the  Ohio  River. 
Four  years  later  he  was  elected  President  of  the 
United  States,  and  during  the  eight  years  of  his  ad- 
ministration he  continued  a  steadfast  and  earnest 
advocate  of  the  project  of  a  great  highway,  to  be  con- 
st iiirted  by  the  government,  across  the  Alleghenies, 
tor  the  purpose  of  binding  more  firmly  together  the 
eastern  and  western  sections  of  the  United  States. 

During  the  administration  of  President  Adams  (in 
1797)  the  proposition  for  a  road  across  the  Alleghe- 
nies, to  be  built  by  the  government,  was  brought  up 
in  Congress,  but  no  action  was  taken.  Again,  in  1801, 
the  subject  was  brouglit  to  the  attention  of  Congress 
in  President  Jeft'erson's  first  message  to  that  body. 
Some  discussion  ensued,  but  without  result  at  that 
time.  On  the'  30th  of  April,  1802,  an  act  of  Con- 
gress was  passed  admitting  Ohio  into  the  Union  as 
a  sovereign  State,  and  by  the  jjrovisions  of  that  act 
a  one-twentieth  part  of  the  net  proceeds  of  sales  of 
public  lands  in  the  new  State,  was  set  apart  to  be  ap- 
plied to  the  con.struction  of  roads  from  the  Atlantic 
sea-board  over  the  Alleghenies  to  and  across  the  Ohio. 
This  was  the  beginning  of  the  legislation  which  re- 
sulted in  the  construction  of  the  National  road  west 
from  Cumberland.- 

-  Oil  tlie  oth  of  Maich,  1804,  tlie  General  Assembly  of  PennsylTania 
passed  an  act  providing  for  the  incorporation  of  tlie  '•  Union  and  Cum- 
berland Turnpilie  Road  Comimnv  "  M|.|...iiiiHiL'  Fphraim  Douglass,  Al- 
exander McCIeau,  Natliani.-l  1'  '  !-  i  ^Ir■;lson,  Jacob  fieeson, 
Jacob  Bowman,  Samuel  Jack-  :  i  'A  n  ;i  .1- m,  Josepli  Torrence, 
Charles  Porter,  John  Cunuiiiuli  m  -  in,;.  i  1  ^..r,  and  John  Gibson,  of 
Fayette  County,  Jolin  Heaton,  ,l..hii  Jlnmr,  Uiisli  Barclay,  and  John 
Badolet,  of  Greene  County;    Neal  Gillespie,  Zephaniah   Bell,  Thomaa 


INTERNAL   IMPROVEMENTS. 


253 


On  the  30tli  of  DoX-einbL-r,  ISU,'),  tlic  Senate  of  the 
United  States  passed  a  bill  entitled  "  An  Act  to  regu- 
late the  laying  out  and  making  a  Road  from  Cumber- 
land, in  the  State  of  Maryland,  to  the  State  of  Ohio." 
It  was  then  debated  and  passed  in  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, and  became  a  law  March  29, 1806.  The  com- 
missioners appointed  by  the  President  under  this  act  to 
lay  outthe  proposed  road  from  Cumberland  to  the  Ohio 
River  were  Col.  Eli  Williams  and  Thomas  Moore,  of 
Maryland,  and  Joseph  Kerr,  of  Ohio,  who  proceeded 
to  examine  the  country  through  which  it  was  to  pass, 
and  without  having  fixed  upon  that  part  of  the  route 
west  of  the  Monongahela,  made  their  first  report, 
which  was  presented  to  Congress,  with  the  me.^sage  of 
President  Jefferson,  Jan.  31,  1807.  In  a  special  mes- 
sage to  Congress,  Feb.  19, 1808,  referring  to  the  report 
of  the  commissioners,  he  said,  "  I  have  approved  of 
the  route  therein  proposed  for  the  said  road  as  far  as 
Brownsville,  with  a  single  deviation,  since  located, 
which  carries  it  through  Uniontown.  From  thence, 
the  course  to  the  Ohio  and  the  point  within  the  legal 
limits  at  which  it  shall  strike  that  river  is  still  to  be 
decided." 

In  1811,  Congress  passed  "An  Act  in  addition  to 
the  act  to  regulate  the  laying  out  and  making  a 
road  from  Cumberland,  in  the  State  of  Maryland, 
to  the  State  of  Ohio,"  by  which  it  was  provided, 
"  That  the  sum  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  be,  and  is 
hereby,  appropriated  in  making  said  road  between 
Cumberland,  in  the  State  of  Maryland,  and  Browns- 
ville, in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  commencing  at 
Cumberland,  which  sum  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  shall 


Aclieson,  J.'imes  KeiT,  and  Joseph  Pentecost,  of  Wasliington  County, 
and  Thomas  Spencer,  Aljniham  Morrison,  Jamea  Mitchell,  and  John 
McClean,  of  Somerset  County,  comniissionei-s  to  receive  subscriptions 
to  the  capital  stock  of  the  said  company,  which  was  to  be  incorporated 
under  the  act  for  the  purpose  of  "  making  an  artificial  road  from  tbe 
western  side  of  Laurel  Hill,  near  Union-town,  to  the  State  line,  in  a 
direction  towards  Cumberland,  in  the  State  of  Maryland." 

It  was  provided  and  declared  by  the  act,  "That  the  President,  Mana- 
gers, and  Company  shall  have  a  right  to  cause  a  road  to  be  laid  out  [on 
the  route  indicated]  sixty  feet  wide,  and  at  least  twenty  feet  thereof  to 
be  made  an  artificial  road  bedded  with  wood,  stone,  gravel,  or  any.other 
hard  substance  well  compacted  together,  and  of  sufficient  depth  to  secure 
a  solid  foundation  to  the  same,  in  such  manner  as  to  secure,  as  near  as 
the  materials  will  admit  of,  a  firm  and  even  surface,  rising  towards  tlio 
middle  by  a  gradual  arch,  and  so  nearly  level  in  its  progress  that  ii 
shall  in  no  place  rise  or  fall  more  tlian  will  form  an  angle  of  five  and  a 
half  degrees  with  a  horizontal  line,and  shall  forever  hereafter  maintain 
and  keep  the  same  in  good  and  perfect  order  and  repair  from  the  town 
of  Union  to  the  State  line  aforesaid." 

The  company  was  empowered  to  erect  toll-giites  and  collect  toll  on  the 
road,  the  work  to  be  commenced  within  six  years,  and  completed  within 
ten  years  from  the  date  of  the  act,  under  penalty  of  forfeiture  of  its 
francliises,  and  the  Slate  to  have  tlie  right  of  taking  the  road  at  any 
■time  after  1830  by  reimbui-sing  to  the  company  the  cost  of  its  construc- 
tion. 

It  is  apparent  that  the  projected  turnpike  was  to  be  an  eastern  thor- 
oughfare, not  only  for  the  people  of  Fayette  and  Somereet  Counties, 
through  which  it  was  to  pass,  but  also  for  the  inhabitants  of  Wasliing- 
ton and  Greene  Counties,  and  was  eventually  to  be  extended  west  of 
the  Monongahela.  But  the  act  of  Congress  passed  soon  afterwards 
providing  for  the  construction  of  the  National  road  caused  the  abandon- 
ment of  the  project  for  constructing  the  Union  and  Cumberland  turn- 
pike. 

17 


be  replaced  out  of  the  fund  reserved  for  laying  out 
and  making  roads  to  the  State  of  Ohio,  by  virtue  of 
the  seventh  section  of  an  act  passed  on  the  30th  of 
April,  1802." 

The  first  contracts,  in  sections,  for  the  first  ten  miles 
from  Cumberland  bear  date  April  16th  and  May  8, 
1811.  These  were  finished  in  the  fall  of  1812.  The 
next  letting  was  of  eleven  miles  more,  to  Tomlinson's, 
in  August,  1812,  which  were  nearly  completed  in 
1814.  From  Tomlinson's  to  Smithfield,  eighteen 
miles  were  let  in  August,  1813,  but  not  finished  until 
1817,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  laborers  during  the 
war,  war  prices,  and  the  fear  of  failure  of  some  of  the 
contractors.  The  next  letting  was  of  about  six  and 
a  half  miles  west  of  Smithfield,  in  September,  1815, 
in  sections,  to  John  Hagan,  Doherty,  McGlaughlin 
and  Bradley,  William  AuU,  and  Evans  and  Ramsay. 
In  February,  1817,  about  five  miles  more  were  let 
[carrying  the  road  to  Braddock's  Grave]  to  Ramsay 
and  McGravey,  John  Boyle,  D.  McGlaughlin  and 
Bradley,  and  Charles  McKinney.  And  in  May,  1817, 
it  was  let  about  nine  miles  farther,  to  Uniontown,  to 
Hagan  and  McCann,  Mordecai  and  James  Cochran 
(large  and  popular  contractors),  Thompson  McKean, 
and  Thomas  and  Matthew  Blakeley. 

It  has  already  been  noticed  in  President  Jefferson's 
special  me.ssage  to  Congress  on  the  19th  of  Febru- 
ary, 1808,  that  he  had  approved  and  adopted  the 
route  recommended  by  the  commissioners  from  Cum- 
berland to  Brownsville,  on  the  Monongahela,  with  the 
exception  of  a  part  of  it  in  Fayette  County,  which  the 
commissioners  had  laid  out  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
leave  Uniontown  in  an  isolated  position  away  from 
the  line  of  the  road.  This  action  of  the  commission- 
ers caused  no  little  consternation  at  the  county-seat, 
for  it  was  believed  that  the  town  would  be  ruined  if 
the  great  Cumberland  road  should  be  laid  out  to  pass 
at  a  distance  from  it.  But  the  matter  was  taken  in 
hand  by  Gen.  Ephraim  Douglass  and  others  of  the 
most  influential  citizens  of  the  place,  who  represented 
the  case  to  President  Jefferson  so  effectively  that  he 
changed  the  route  to  pass  through  Uniontown,  as 
indicated  in  his  message.  Thus  the  route  was  estab- 
lished as  far  west  as  Brownsville,  but  westward  from 
that  point  to  the  Ohio  it  was  left  undetermined. 
There  was  great  rivalry  and  jealousy  existing  be- 
tween the  several  eligible  points  on  the  Ohio,  for  it 
was  believed  that  wherever  the  road  should  strike 
the  eastern  shore  of  that  river  there  would  spring  up 
a  flourishing  city.  The  people  of  the  inland  towns 
lying  between  Brownsville  and  the  Ohio  (especially 
those  of  the  town  of  Washington')  were  exceedingly 

1  When  it  became  known  by  tlic  publication  of  President  Jefferson's 
message  (above  referred  to)  that  tlie  route  of  tlie  National  road  had  been 
fixed  between  Cumberland  an'!  Pr.^wnsviH-,  ttit  irnt  west  of  the  latter 
point,  the  people  of  Washingtnh  •     !,  ,,,,  ,  h  those  of  Uniontown 

had  previously  done)  to  scn.i     i  ,.    '  ,     ;    iiiu  route  of  tlie  road 

through  their  town.  Davhl  A.  I,  .  i,,  I-  ,  ,  «i,  ,  hi.l  been  elected  to  the 
State  Legislature  in  1705  on  llie  Kiinihliain  Hi  ket  with  Albert  Gallatin 
to  Congress,  and  who  in  that  capacity  represented  Wiiabington  County 


254 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


anxious  lest  the  road  should  be  finally  located  at  a 
distance  from  them.  The  question  of  the  location 
of  the  road  between  the  Monongahela  and  the  Ohio 
was  a  very  delicate  and  difficult  one  for  the  commis- 
sioners to  decide,  and  in  their  report  to  President 
Jeffi?rson  they  left  it  open,  with  the  remark  that  "  in 
this  is  to  be  consulted  the  wi-lics  nf  thai  populous 
section  of  Ohio  and  the  coniicrii,. II-  wiili  i(iads  lead- 
iiisr  to  St.  Louis  under  the  act  nl  Imh;.'  Afterwards 
(in  the  same  year)  they  made,  by  direction  of  the 
President,  an  examination  of  the  route  from  Browns- 
ville by  way  of  the  town  of  Washington  to  Wheeling; 
but  111)  fiiiiil  location  of  that  ])artof  the  route  was  made 
then,  nor  until  mm  lal  years  later.  When  James 
Madison  became  President  of  the  United  States  he 
confirmed  the  action  of  his  predecessor,  Jefferson,  in 
reference  to  the  location  of  the  road  from  Cumberland 
to  I5ro\vnsville,  and  in  1815,  soon  after  the  declaration  I 
of  peace  with  Great  Britain,  he  directed  the  commis-  I 
sioners,  Williams,  Moore,  and  Kerr,  to  proceed  with 
the  examination  and  survey  of  the  route  between  the 
Monongahela  and  Ijliio  Rivers.  This  was  done  under 
their  direction  in  tlie  fall  of  that  year  and  in  the 
winter  of  181')-16,  by  their  engineer,  Caspar  Wever,  i 
of  Weverton,  Md.  Two  principal  routes  were  sur- 
veyed,   one   through   the   borough    of    Washington, 


at  different  times  tluriug  tlie  ailministratioiis  of  WusliingtoD  and  Jeffer- 
6on,  wrute  to  Gallatin  (wlio  was  tlien  Secrclary  of  tlie  Treasury,  and 
aUvavs  on  leans  of  intimate  frienJbliili  -Willi  Mr.  Aclicson),  solicilinK 
his  iiiflui-m.iiii.i  .  n-(.|nrati.in  in  favor  of  the  location  of  the  road  throut'li 
the  town  .,1  \V;i^liin^t>iii  t-  WlieeliiiB.    To  this  letter  and  reqnest  of  Mr. 

"New  York,  Septer.  1st,  1808 


,  Esq., 


'W.iSHIi 


Pa. 


"  Your  ohedt.  servt., 
t  appears  that  the  action  of  the 


and  the  other  through  the  soutli  part  of  Wa.shington 
County,  leaving  the  town  of  Washington  several  miles 
to  the  northward.  The  topography  of  the  country 
rendered  the  last-named  route  the  more  favorable  of 
the  two,  and  it  was  so  regarded  by  the  engineer  and 
the  commissioners;  but  the  influence  of  Washington 
Borough  again  prevailed  (as  it  had  done  seven  years 
before  in  causing  President  Jefferson  to  order  an 
examination  of  the  route  by  way  of  the  town),  and 
President  Madison,  after  carefully  considering  the 
commissioners'  report  on  the  survey,  decided  in  favor 
of  the  northern  route  by  way  of  Washington.  His 
decision  was  communicated  to  the  commissioners  in  a 
letter  written  by  Mr.  Dallas,  under  direction  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  as  follows  : 

"  Tre.\sury  Dep.(rtjiest,  June  2, 1816. 

"  Gentlemen, — The  President  has  confirmed  the 
road  surveyed  and  returned  by  you, — 1st,  so  far  as 
it  runs  from  Cumberland  through  Uniontown  to 
Brownsville,  in  Pennsylvania,  with  certain  devia- 
tions which  have  been  made  by  Mr.  Sh river,  the 
superintendent,  and  approved  by  the  President;  and 
2d,  so  far  as  it  runs  from  the  113th  mile  on  your 
survey  to  Wheeling,  on  the  river  Ohio.  He  has  also 
determined  that  the  route  of  the  road  shall  run  from 
Brownsville  through  Washington  and  Alexandria  to 
intersect  the  course  of  your  survey  at  the  113th  mile, 
continuing  thence  to  Wheeling.  I  am  therefore  in- 
structed by  the  President  to  request  that  you  will 
proceeil,  as  soon  as  you  conveniently  can,  with  the 
:i-.--i>tanec  authorized  by  law,  to  explore,  lay  out,  and 
repint  for  his  consideration,  upon  the  principles  of 
the  act  of  the  2'.>tli  of  March,  1806,  the  course  for  the 
road  from  Bro\vn>\ille  to  the  113th  mile,  as  above 
stated,  and  also  the  course  of  the  deviations  from  the 
original  route  proposed  by  the  commissioners  which 
lia\'e  been  made  or  are  contemplated  to  be  made  be- 
tween Cumberland  and  Uniontown.  It  is  the  Presi- 
dent's object  to  obtain  a  return  of  the  entire  course 
of  the  road  to  constitute  a  record,  and  to  perpetuate 
the  claim  of  the  United  States  to  the  ground  over 
which  it  runs.  To  avoid  delay  the  attendance  of  any 
two  or  more  of  you  is  deemed  sufficient  for  the  pres- 
ent object.  You  will  be  so  good  as  to  give  notice  to 
:\ri-.  Sliriver,  the  -nperinteiidcnt,  of  the  time  of  your 
entering  upon  the  survey,  and  he  will  be  instructed 
to  give  you  all  the  iiilonnation  and  assistance  in  his 
power.  As  Mr.  Parker  ('ainpbell  and  Mr.  [Thomas 
H.]  Baird,  of  Washiniilon,  have  made  proposals  to 
construct  the  road  Irom  Brownsville  to  Washington, 
I  wish  you  also  to  notify  them  of  your  commence- 
ment and  progress  in  the  survey. 

"  I  am,  very  respectfully, 
"  Gentlemen, 
"  Your  obedient  servant, 

"  A.  J.  D.iLLAS. 

"  To  Messrs.  Eli  Williams,     ■) 

Thomas  Moore,  !'  Commhsianers." 
Joseph  Kerr,      ) 


INTERNAL  IMPROVEMENTS. 


255 


The  one  hundred  and  thirteenth  mile  of  the  com- 
missioners' survey  (meaning  the  route  laid  through 
the  southern  part  of  Washington  County,  and  not 
that  passing  by  Washington  Borough)  was  near  the 
Virginia  line,  west  of  the  village  of  West  Alexan- 
der' (mentioned  in  the  above  letter  as  "Alexandria"). 
Thus,  by  the  decision  of  President  Madison,  as  com- 
municated by  Mr.  Dallas  to  the  commissioners,  the 
entire  route  of  the  road  from  Cumberland  to  the  Ohio 
was  fixed  as  to  prominent  points,  and  only  lacked  the 
final  survey  of  that  part  lying  between  Brownsville 
and  the  point  indicated  west  of  West  Alexander. 
This  final  survey  was  made  under  direction  of  the 
commissioners,  immediately  after  receipt  of  their  in- 
structions to  that  eftect,  and  being  returned  to  the 
President,  was  by  him  approved  and  adopted. 

The  route  of  the  road  was  divided  for  construction 
into  an  eastern  and  a  western  division,  the  former 
(which  was  to  be  first  completed)  extending  from 
Cumberland  through  Uniontown  to  a  point  about 
one  mile  east  of  Brownsville,  and  the  western  division 
extending  from  that  point  through  the  town  of 
Washington  to  the  Ohio  at  Wheeling.  The  super- 
intendent appointed  for  the  eastern  division  was 
David  Shriver,  of  Cumberland,  Md.  The  western 
division  was  in  June,  1816,  placed  in  charge  of  Col. 
Eli  Williams,  one  of  the  commissioners,  who  acted  as 
"agent  of  the  United  States"  for  that  division  until 
the  appointment  of  Josias  Thompson  (previously  en- 
gineer of  the  division)  as  superintendent,  in  May,  1817. 

The  contract  for  building  the  road  from  Cumber- 
land to  Uniontown  was  awarded,  as  has  been  men- 
tioned, to  a  number  of  contractors,  by  whom  the  work 
was  prosecuted  with  extraordinary  energy.  With  re- 
gard to  the  rapid  building  of  the  road  by  these  con- 
tractors, A.  L.  Littell,  Esq.,  a  former  resident  of  Fay- 
ette County,  but  now  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  writes  :  "  I 
was  there  to  see  it  located,  and  the  stakes  stuck  down 
the  mountain,  across  the  old  commons  south  of  Wood- 
stock [afterwards  Monroe],  and  so  on  west,  before 
there  was  a  shovelful  of  earth  displaced,  and  also  to 
see  that  great  contractor,  Mordecai  Cochran,  its 
builder,  with  his  immortal  Irish  brigade,  a  thousand 
strong,  with  their  carts,  wheel-barrows,  picks,  shovels, 
and  blasting-tools,  grading  those  commons  and  climb- 
ing the  long  mountain-side  up  to  Point  Lookout,  like 
a  well-trained  army,  and  leaving  behind  them  as 
they  went  aroadway  good  enough  for  an  emperor  to 
travel  over."  The  firm  of  Kincaid  &  Co.  (composed 
of  James  Kincaid,  James  Beck,  Gabriel  Evans,  John 
Kennedy,  and  John  Miller,  the  last  two  named  being 
residents  of  Uniontown)  afterwards  contracted  with 
Superintendent  Shriver  for  the  construction  of  the 
road  from  Uniontown  to  the  western  end  of  the  east- 
ern division,  and  also  for  masonry  at  the  Mononga- 

1  The  one  hundred  and  thirteenth  mile  of  the  route,  which  was  after- 
wards surveyed,  and  over  wliich  the  National  road  was  actually  huilt, 
is  about  two  miles  east  of  West  Alexander,  the  route  through  Washing- 
ton Borough  being  considerably  longer  tliaii  the  other. 


j  hela  (which  was  sub-let  to  George  Dawson),  and  be- 
tween that  river  and  the  town  of  Washington. 
[  Through  Washington  County,  from  a  point  two 
I  miles  west  of  the  Monongahela  and  extending  thence 
to  the  Virginia  line,  the  construction  of  the  roadway 
was  contracted  to  Messrs.  Thomas  McGiffin,  Thomas 
H.  Baird,  and  Parker  Campbell,  of  the  borough  of 
Washington  ;  the  contract  for  that  part  extending 
from  a  point  two  miles  east  of  Washington  westward 
to  the  State  line  being  awarded  to  them  in  March, 

1817,  by  Col.  Williams,  as  agent  for  the  United  States, 
and  the  part  extending  eastward  from  the  eastern  end 
of  their  first  contract  to  within  two  miles  of  the  Mo- 
nongahela being  let  to  them  in  1819,  by  David  Shriver, 
who  had  superseded  Josias  Thompson  as  superintend- 
entof  the  western  division.  A  part  of  McGiffin,  Baird, 
and  Campbell's  contract,  viz.,  all  that  part  east  of  the 
town  of  Hillsborough,  in  Washington  County,  was 
turned  over  by  them  to  William  and  John  H.  Ewing, 
who  were  thereupon  considered  as  distinct,  original 
contractors  with  the  government. 

The  eastern  portion  of  the  road,  on  which  work 
was  first  commenced,  was  pushed  so  vigorously  that  it 
was  open  for  travel,  with  scarcely  a  break,  westward  to 
the  Youghiogheny  River  in  the  summer  of  1817. 
On  the  1st  of  August  in  1818  the  first  stage-coach 
from  Cumberland,  carrying  the  United  States  mail  for 
the  West,  left  that  place  by  the  National  road,  and 
passing  over  the  completed  part  of  the  eastern  di- 
vision to  Fayette  County,  Pa.,  and  also  over  other 
j  completed  parts  of  the  western  division,  between  the 
town  of  Washington  and  the  Virginia  line,  arrived 
in  due  time  at  Wheeling,  on  the  Ohio.  lu  the  Union- 
town  newspaper,  the  Omius  of  Liberty,  of  August  8, 

1818,  it  was  announced  that  "  the  stages  have  com- 
menced running  liom  Frederick  Town,  JId.,  to  Wheel- 
ing, in  Virginia,  following  the  course  of  the  National 
road  westward  of  Cuiiiberlaud.  This  ureat  road, 
truly  an  honor  to  the  United  States,  will  l.r  finished 
from  Cumberland  to  this  place  in  a  lew  hk.iuIis,  and 
from  Brownsville  to  Wheeling,  it  is  expuLled,  in  the 
course  of  next  summer,  leaving  only  a  distance  of 
twelve  miles  between  Uniontown  and  Brownsville." 

In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  the  road  was  announced 
as  completed  to  Uniontown,  lli..ii-h  some  of  the 
heavy  masonry  east  of  the  town  was  ikh  at  that  time 
finished.  For  some  reason  which  is  not  wholly  appar- 
ent, the  work  had  not  been  contracted  for  from  Union- 
town  to  the  west  end  of  the  eastei-n  division  (a  point 
one  mile  and  ninety-six  rods  east  from  the  Mononga- 
hela at  Brownsville),  though  the  section  extending  from 
this  latter  poiut  Lo  another  point  about  two  miles  westof 
the  Monongahela  (including  a  large  amount  of  heavy 
work  on  the  approaches  to  the  river,-  particularly  on 


L  for  the  passage  of 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  east  side  of  it)  hail  been  let  by  Col.  Eli  Williams, 
as  agent  for  the  I'nited  States,  in  March,  1817,  the  j 
same  time  when  he  contracted  with  McGiffin,  Baird, 
and  Campbell  for  the  work  west  from  Washington,  i 
On  the  1.5th   of  May,  1819,  David  Shriver,  superin- 
tendent, advertised  for  proposals  to  build  the  road 
west  from  Uniontown  to  the  vicinity  of  Washington, 
excepting  the  short  section  on  both  sides  of  the  Mo- 
nongahela.     The  work  from  Uniontown  to  the  west 
end  of  the  eastern  division  was  let  by  him  to  Kincaid 
&  Co.,  while  McGiffin,  Baird,  and  Campbell,  as  before 
mentioned,  took  the  work  in  Washington  County,  ex-  | 
tending  from  the  river  section  westward  to  their  pre- 
vious contract. 

These  contracts  were  the  last  to  be  let  on  the  road 
between  Cumberland  and  the  Ohio.     The  work  was  I 
commenced   without    delay,    and    vigorously    prose-  [ 
cuted  during  the  remainder  of  1819  and  the  spring 
and  summer  of  1820,  the  road  being  finished  and  made 
ready  for  use  in  its  entire  length  in  the  fall  of  the 
latter  year.      An   announcement  of  the   fact,  dated 
Dec.  19,  1820,  is  found  in  the  Uniontown   Genius  of 
Liberty  of  that  time,  as  follows:  "The  commissioner 
appointed  by  the  government  of  the  United  States, 
Thomas.  McGiffin,  Esq.,  has  been  engaged  for  a  week 
or  two  past  in  examining  the  United  States  turnpike, 
made  under  contract  with  government  by  James  Kin- 
caid &  Co.,  between  this  place  and  AVashington,  who 
has  approved  of  it,  and  ordered  the  same  to  be  given  j 
up  by  the  contractors  for  public  use.     The  National 
turnpike  is  now  completed  and  in  the  use  of  the  public 
from  Cumberland,  in  the  State  of  Maryland,  to  Wheel- 
ing, in  the  State  of  Virginia,  a  distance  of  about  one  ' 
hundred  and  thirty  miles." 

The  National  road  to  the  Ohio,  when  completed,  j 
had  cost  tlie  I'nited  States  government  nearly  one 
million  seven  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  it  was 
one  of  the  best  and  most  substantial  turnpike  roads 
ever  built  in  this  country.  Its  width,  grades,  and  the 
manner  of  its  construction  are  shown  by  the  specifi-*' 
cations  of  the  wmk  rcipiiri'd  from  the  contractors, 
among  which  wiic  iiirliidcd  tlie  following,  viz.:  "The 
natural  surface  <<l'  tlic  iiroiind  to  be  cleared  of  trees 

and  otlirr  \v Icn  'jrowtli,  and  .also  of  logs  and  brush, 

the  wlii'li-  wiiltli  ol'  sixty-six  feet,  the  bed  of  the  road 
to  be  niadr  cv.ii  1  liiii y-twn  feet  in  width,  the  trees  and 
stumps  to  be  griililx  d  oul,  the  jiraduntimi  not  to  ex- 
ceed five  degrees  in  ele\iitinii  and  depre-si.m,  and  In 
be  straight  from  point  to  pnint,  as  hiid  off  and  direete.i 
by  the  superintendent  of  the  work.  Twenty  feet  in 
width  of  the  graduated  part  to  be  covered  with  stone, 
eighteen  inches  in  depth  at  the  centre,  tapering  to 
twelve  inches  at  the  edges,  which  are  to  be  supported 
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  three  inches  in  diameter,  and  the 
lower  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    ndled  with  an   iron- 


faced  roller  four  feet  in  length  and  made  to  bear 
three  tons'  weight.  The  acclivity  and  declivity  of 
the  banks  at  the  side  of  the  road  not  to  exceed 
thirty  degrees." 

It  was  to  be  expected  that  the  opening  of  such  an 
excellent  road — a  main  thoroughfare  between  the  East 
and  the  West,  easy,  direct,  and  free  to  the  use  of  any 
and  all,  without  cost  or  charge— would  attract  to  it  an 
immense  amount  of  travel;  but  all  the  expectations 
which  could  have  been  previously  entertained  of  the 
vast  volume  of  travel  and  traffic  wdiich  would  pass 
over  the  National  road  between  the  Ohio  and  the  Po- 
tomac were  trebly  verified  by  the  result.  There  were 
the  stage-coaches,  carrying  the  mail  and  passengers, 
loaded  to  their  utmost  capacity  from  the  first,  and  con- 
stantly increasing  in  number  from  that  time  until  the 
opening  of  the  railroads  banished  them  forever.  By 
these  conveyances,  all  the  prominent  public  men  of 
the  West,  and  many  of  those  from  the  South, — Presi- 
dents-elect from  Tennessee,  Ohio,  and  Louisiana,  on 
their  way  to  inauguration  ;  Presidents  in  office,  pass- 
ing to  and  fro  between  the  city  of  Washington  and 
their  Southwestern  homes ;  ex-Presidents,  on  their 
way  to  the  shades  of  private  life ;  Senators,  members 
of  Congress,  and  numberless  officials  of  lesser  grade, 
all  making  the  National  road  their  highway  to  and 
from  the  national  capital.  Then  there  were  the 
long,  almost  interminable  lines  of  Conestoga  wagons, 
laden  on  their  eastward  trips  with  flour,  whisky, 
bacon,  and  other  produce,  and  returning  west  with 
loads  of  iron,  salt,  and  every  kind  of  merchandise, 
their  numbers  being  swelled  on  the  return  to  the  West 
by  the  addition  of  equally  numerous  trains  of  the  same 
kind  of  wagons,  freighted  with  the  families  and  house- 

j  hold  effects  of  emigrants  from  the  East,  bound  to  new 
homes  beyond  the  Ohio.  Besides  these,  the  road  was 
crowded  with  various  other  descriptions  and  kinds  of 
wagons,  laden  and  unladen,  with  horsemen  and  pri- 
vate carriages  innumerable.     "  But  the  passengers  on 

•'  foot  outnumbered  and  out-ate  them  all.  The  long 
lines  of  hogs,  cattle,  sheep,  and  horses  working  their 
way  on  the  hoof  by  the  month  to  an  Eastern  market 
was  almost  endless  and  countless.     They  were  gath- 

j  ered  in  from  the  Wabash,  the  Scioto,  the  Muskingum, 

!  and  the  Ohio  Valleys,  and  the  men,  all  tired  and  dry 
and  hungry,  had  to  be  cared  for  at  a  great  cost,  for  it 
was  like  leeding  an  army  every  day  and  night." 

Tn  fiirrii-h  food  and  other  accommodations  for  all 
this  vast  throng  of  travelers,  brute  and  human,  a 
great  number  of  public-houses  were  needed,  and  these 
sprang  up  immediately  along  the  road.  The  stage- 
houses,  for  the  entertainment  of  passengers  by  the 
coaches,  were  located  in  Washington,  Uniontown, 
Brownsville,  and  other  towns  on  the  route,  and  at 
stated  points  between  the  villages  where  these  were 
distant  from  each  other.  Then  there  were  houses 
which  did  scarcely  any  business  other  than  tlie  sell- 
ing of  whisky  to  thirsty  wayfarers.  And  there  were 
along   the   route  numerous  taverns  wdiich    made  no 


INTERNAL   IMPROVEMENTS. 


257 


specialty,  other  than  to  give  fair  and  decent  enter- 
tainment for  man  and  beast.  Tliese  had  no  patronage 
either  from  the  stage  passengers  or  wagoners  upon  the 
road.  The  hitter  with  the  drovers  always  clustered 
together  at  houses  having  capacious  wagon-yards, 
and  kept  especially  for  that  class  of  customers.  The 
number  of  public-houses  of  all  kinds  which  the 
National  road  brought  into  existence  was  fully  equal 
to  one  for  each  two  miles  of  its  entire  length  from 
Cumberland  to  the  Ohio.  It  was  said  that  in  the 
mountain  portion  of  the  route  the  average  was  one  to 
every  mile,  but  in  the  part  west  of  the  Laurel  Hill 
they  were  less  frequent.  The  keepers  of  these  houses, 
like  the  wagoners  and  the  drivers  of  stages,  and,  in 
fact,  like  the  greater  part  of  the  people  living  along 
the  route,  looked  upon  the  Cumberland  Road  as  being 
among  the  chiefest  of  earthly  blessings,  and  would 
have  regarded  with  affright  the  idea  that  it  would 
ever  be  abandoned  or  superseded  by  other  avenues 
and  modes  of  travel. 

It  was  a  general  belief  that  the  substantially  built 
National  road,  with  its  firm  foundation  of  packed 
stone,  would  remain  smooth  and  serviceable  for  at 
least  a  quarter  of  a  century,  while  some  thought  it 
would  last  for  double  that  length  of  time,  but  the  re- 
sult proved  the  fallacy  of  this  belief.  In  five  years 
from  the  time  of  its  opening  the  ceaseless  beating  of 
hoofs  and  the  never-ending  roll  and  crunch  of  heavy 
wheels  had  worn  out  its  solid  bed,  so  that  in  many 
places  it  was  almost  impassable.  This  was  particu- 
larly the  case  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Monongahela 
River,  and  also  in  the  mountain  region  of  the  route, 
where  much  of  the  roadbed  had  been  formed  of  soft 
sandstone.  An  appropriation  was  made  by  Congress, 
and  extensive  repairs  were  made  on  the  road,  putting 
the  worst  parts  of  it  in  good  condition.  But  it  was 
of  short  duration.'  From  that  time  frequent  appro- 
priations were  called  for,  and  continually  repairs  on 
the  road  were  necessary. 

It  became  evident  that  the  road  would  be  a  per- 
petual and  ever-increasing  expense  to  the  United 
States,  without  producing  any  income  to  pay  for  re- 
pairs. It  had  been  built  for  the  purpose  of  satisfying 
Ohio  and  the  West  generally,  and  thus  preventing 
that  section  from  fostering  projects  of  secession  from 
the  Union.  But  that  danger  was  now  past,  and  the 
National  road  had  become  a  heavy  burden  upon  the 
government.    In  1829,  Gen.  Jackson  was  inaugurated 


i"In  February  of  1826  it  was  cstiiuated  Ihiit  tlie  sum  of  8278,988 
would  be  sufficient  to  repair  tlie  whole  road  on  llie  McAdani  plan,  and 
in  May,  1827,  a  period  of  sixteen  months,  the  superstratum  or  cover  of 
reduced  stone  had  been  worn  and  washed  away  to  an  extent  almost  in- 
credible, and  proved  that  too  great  a  reliance  was  placed  upon  the  biyer 
of  large  stone,  as  there  were  not  many  of  them  of  as  good  a  quality  as 
was  first  supposed.  To  have  effected  the  repair  in  1827,  as  was  contem- 
plated in  1826,  would  have  required  an  additional  sum  of  $50,000,  making 
$;J28,988  necessary  to  repsiir  the  road  upon  the  best  information  to  be 
•obtained  at  that  period.  Tlie  utter  destruction  of  the  road  was  foreseen 
at  that  time  unless  measures  were  taken  to  repair  it  thoroughly,  it 
being  then  in  a  most  wretched  condition."— flejjort  of  Richard  Ik-l:firUt, 
capldn  V.  S.  Eiinhf  ers,  liid  l„f,n  Omitresl:  in  Decauher,  lS:i:',. 


President  of  the  United  States,  and  the  principles  of 
the  Democratic  party  became  the  rule  of  public  policy. 
The  States  Rights  doctrine  of  that  party  demanded 
the  transfer  of  the  National  road  from  the  general  gov- 
I  ernment  to  the  States  through  which  its  route  was  laid. 
!  It  was  proposed  that  the  road  from  Cumberland  to 
\  Wheelingbesurrenderedto  the  States  of  Pennsylvania, 
I  Maryland,  and  Virginia.     The  people  of  the  sections 
contiguous  to  the  road  were  in  dread  that  the  United 
i  States  would   abandon   the  making   of  repairs   and 
I  suffer  the  road  to  fall  into  disuse,  but  if  turned  over 
i  to  the  States  its  continuance  and  preservation  would 
be  assured,  because,  while  the  United  States  could  not 
erect  toll-gates  and  collect  tolls  upon  the  road,  the 
I  States  loould  have  the  power  to  do  so,  and  thus  secure 
a  revenue  from  the  road,  to  keep  it  in  preservation 
and  repair.     Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and  Virginia, 
would  accept  the  road  from  the  United  States  on  cer- 
tain conditions,  among  which  was  this,  that  Congress 
should  first  make  an  appropriation  sufficient  in  amount 
to  put  it  in  good  condition  by  macadamizing  the  road- 
I  way  in  nearly  its  entire  length,  irom  Cumberland  to 

the  Ohio. 
I  In  18.31  the  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania  passed  "an 
I  act  for  the  preservation  and  repair  of  the  Cumberland 
I  road,"  approved  April  4th  in  that  year,  reciting  in  its 
1  preamble  that  "  Whereas,  that  part  of  the  Cumber- 
land road  lying  within  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  is 
in  many  parts  in  bad  condition  for  want  of  repairs, 
and  as  doubts  have  been  entertained  whether  the 
United  States  have  authority  to  erect  toll-gates  on 
said  road  and  collect  toll,  and  as  a  large  proportion 
of  the  people  of  this  commonwealth  are  interested  in 
said  road  and  its  constant  continuance  and  preserva- 
tion ;  Therefore"  [it  proceeded  to  declare  and  enact] 
"  that  as  soon  as  the  consent  of  the  government  of 
the  United  States  shall  have  been  obtained,  as  here- 
inafter provided,  William  F.  Coplan,  David  Downer, 
of  Fayette  County,  Stephen  Hill,  Benjamin  Ander- 
son, of  Washington  County,  and  Thomas  Endsley, 
of  Smithfield,  Somerset  Cn.,  shall  be  and  they  are 
hereby  appointtMJ  miiiiiii^^ioiiers  ...  to  build  toll- 
houses and  fri.'ri  1(>1I-l;:iIc  -  at  suitable  distances  on  so 
much  of  the  Cuuibcrlaud  luad  as  lies  within  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania.  .  .  .  That  this  act  shall  not  have 
any  force  or  effect  until  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  shall  assent  to  the  same,  and  until  so  much  of 
the  said  road  as  passes  through  the  State  of  Pennsyl- 
vania be  first  put  in  a  good  state  of  repair,  and  ap- 
propriation made  by  Congress  for  erecting  toll-houses 
and  toll-gates  thereon,  to  be  expended  under  the  au- 
thority of  the  commissioners  appointed  by  this  act." 
Acts  similar  to  this  in  effect,  with  regard  to  the  accept- 
ance of  the  National  road,  were  passed  by  the  Legis- 
latures of  Maryland  and  Virginia,  respectively  on  the 
23d  of  January  and  7th  of  February,  1832. 

These  acts  of  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and  Vir- 
ginia caused  a  decision  by  the  government  in  July, 
1832,  to  repair  the  road  etfectnally  from  end  to  end, 


258 


HISTORY    OF    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


and  then  to. cede  it  to  the  three  States,  after  which  the 
repairs  were  to  be  met  by  the  tolls  collected  upon  it. 
"The  system  adopted,"  said  Capt.  Richard  Delafield, 
the  engineer  who  had  charge  of  the  work  of  repair, 
"was  that  extensively  used  in  England,  and  known 
by  the  name  of  its  inventor,  McAdam.  The  condi- 
tion of  the  road  at  this  period  made  very  exten- 
sive repairs  necessary,  commencing  from  the  grade, 
there  being  neither  side  drains,  ditches,  nor  culverts 
for  draining  the  water,  presenting  no  better  condition 
for  the  basis  of  repairs  on  the  McAdam  system  than 
what  is  called  a  '  rough  grade,'  with  the  large  bridges. 
Rather  than  make  a  partial  repair  by  distributing  the 
sum  appropriated  over  the  whole  line  of  one  hundred 
and  thirty-two  miles,  the  parts  through  the  mountains, 
being  in  the  worst  condition,  and  from  the  face  of 
the  country  most  difficult  to  travel,  were  first  com- 
menced. The  supposition  of  finding  good  stone  in  the 
bed  of  the  road  wherewith  to  make  macadamized 
metal  proved  fallacious:  not  a  perch  was  found 
through  the  whole  mountain  district,  the  bed  being 
composed  of  soft  san(Ntnno.  Tlii<  when  lirnkcn  to 
four-ounce  pieces  and  vned  fir  a  covering  is  in  the 
course  of  three  months  reduced  to  sand  and  washed 
away  by  the  heavy  rains  from  the  road  into  the 
ditches  and  drains,  making  it  worse  than  useless  to 
depend  upon  any  of  the  varieties  of  sandstone.  Un- 
der these  circumstances  but  one  course  was  left,  and 
that  was  to  procure  the  only  suitable  material  the 
country  [iroduced, — limestone.  The  natural  position 
of  this  stiine  is  under  the  sandstone,  and  found 
only  in  the  lowest  valleys,  often  in  the  beds  of  creeks 
covered  with  several  feet  of  earth,  and  distant  from 
the  line  of  the  mad.  Through  the  mountain  it  is 
found  in  few  positions.  The  expense  of  repairing  the 
road  with  a  good  material,  and  the  only  one  of  this 
character  found  in  the  country,  is  for  greater  than  an- 
ticipated before  these  facts  were  known.  Another 
heavy  item  in  the  expense  of  repair  is  the  condi- 
tion of  the  masonry  ;  this  having  been  exposed  for 
a  long  time  to  the  weather  without  coping  to  throw 
off  the  rain  and  snow,  is  in  a  dilapidated  condi- 
tion, requiring  a  considerable  portion  to  be  renewed. 
Under  these  eirrumslanees  the  cost  of  putting  the 
road  in  such  a  enndiliuii  as  will  justify  toll  being 
exacted  is  so  f:ir  l.cyonil  tliat  at  first  anticipated  as 
to  make  it  proper  to  draw  the  partienlur  attention  of 
Congress  to  the  estimate  for  the  year,  li.iscd  npon 
the  facts  herein  stated.  It  will  lie  perreived  that  the 
sum  asked  for  the  serviee  of  tin-  year  is  to  finish  all 
that  part  lying  between  ( 'unilierland  and  the  Monon- 
gahela  River  and  the  Virginia  line,  and  to  finish  the 
sixteen  miles  in  Virginia,  making  the  sum  required 
to  repair  the  whole  road  on  the  McAdam  plan  not 
less  than  §64-=i,0(io,  of  which  the  resources  of  that  re- 
gion of  country  will  mlvantageously  admit  of  $300,000 
being  expended  durin;.;  the  year." 

The   above  is   fmni   <_'a|>t.   Delaficld's   report,  sub- 
mitted in   December,   1S.33,  liavin-   reference  to  the 


general  repairs  of  the  Cumberland  road,  commenced 
in  18.32,  and  continued,  under  his  supervision  (assisted 
by  Capt. — afterwards  General — George  W.  Cass),  to 
the  30th  of  September,  1833.  The  further  appropria- 
tion which  he  recommends  "  for  the  service  of  the 
year"  has  reference  to  1834.  Congress  took  favor- 
able action  on  the  recommendation  of  the  engineer, 
and  made  the  required  appropriation  by  an  act  passed 
in  June  of  that  year.  The  parts  of  that  act  relative 
to  the  appropriation  for  repairs  on  the  National  road 
in  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and  Virginia,  and  to  the 
cession  of  the  road  to  those  States  when  the  proposed 
repairs  should  be  completed,  are  here  given,  viz. : 

•'Section  3.  That  for  the  entire  completion  of  repairs  of  the 
Cumberland  road  east  of  the  Ohio  River,  and  other  neclful  im- 
provements on  said  road,  to  carry  into  etTect  the  provisions  of 
an  act  of  the  General  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania,  eniitled  'An 
act  for  the  preservation  of  the  Cumberland  road,'  passed  the 
fourth  day  of  April,  1831,  and  of  an  act  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly of  the  Slate  of  Maryland,  entitled  '  An  act  for  the  preserva- 
tion and  repair  of  that  part  of  the  United  States  road  within 
the  limitsof  the  State  of  Maryland,' passed  the  23d  day  of  Jan- 
uary, 1S32,  also  an  act  of  the  General  .\ssenibly  of  Virginia, 
entitled  '  An  act  concerning  the  Cumberland  road,'  passed  Feb- 
ruary the  7ih,  1S32,  the  sum  of  three  hundred  thousand  dollars 
be  and  the  same  is  hereby  appropriated,  to  be  paid  out  of  any 
money  in  the  treasury  not  otherwise  appropriated,  to  be  ex- 
pended under  the  direction  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  the  money 
to  be  drawn  out  of  the  treasury  in  such  sums  and  at  such  times 
a«  m,ay  be  required  for  the  performance  of  the  work. 

"Sectiu.v  4.  That  as  soon  as  the  sum  by  this  act  appropri- 
ated, or  so  much  thereof  as  is  necessary,  shall  be  expended  in 
the  repair  of  said  road,  agreeably  to  the  provisions  of  this  act, 
the  s.ame  sh.all  be  surrendered  to  the  Slates  respectively  through 
which  said  road  passes,  and  the  United  States  shall  not  there- 
after be  subject  to  any  expense  for  repairing  said  road." 

Capt.  Delafield,  in  his  report, — or,  as  it  is  termed, 
"  Memoir  on  the  Progress  of  the  Repairs  of  the  Cum- 
berland Road  East  of  the  Ohio  to  the  30th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1834," — says  that  the  "  nature  and  progress  of 
the  operations"'  of  1833  were  continued  to  December 
of  that  year,  "  when,  the  available  means  being  ab- 
sorbed, a  cessation  was  put  to  the  work,  and  all  the 
stock  and  tools  collected  at  points  on  the  road  favor- 
able for  renewing  the  work  in  the  spring"  of  1834. 
He  continues  that  the  spring  proved  very  unfavorable, 
that  the  road  was  found  to  have  been  badly  washed 
and  damaged  during  the  winter,  that  it  had  been 
hoped  means  would  have  been  available  to  recom- 
mence work  with  the  opening  of  the  season,  but  that, 
"  being  disappointed  in  this  particular,  it  became  in- 
dispensable to  dispose  of  all  the  stock  and  every  arti- 
cle of  property  that  would  command  cash  or  materials, 
and  apply  the  limited  means  thus  raised  to  the  drain- 
age of  the  road ;"  that  "  it  was  not  until  July  of  1834 
that  funds  were  made  available  for  continuing  the  re- 
pairs," but  that  "  by  about  the  middle  of  August  most 
of  the  contractors  had  commenced  their  operations," 
and  that  at  the  date  of  the  report  "  the  repair  on  the 
whole  line  of  the  road  was  in  active  progress,"  that 


INTERNAL   IMPROVEMENTS. 


259 


quarries  of  good  limestone,  before  unlcnown,  had  been  j 
discovered,  that  "  the  crops  of  the  farmer  were  above 
mediocrity,  laborers  were  more  numeroua  than  usual, 
owing  to  completion  of  parts  of  the  Chesapeake  and 
Ohio  Canal  and  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,"  and, 
finally,  that  "  with  the  means  now  available  the  work 
on  the  road  will  in  all  probability  be  brought  to  a 
close  (the  bridges  on  the  new  location  excepted)  by 
the  date  fixed  in  the  contracts,  the  31st  of  December."  j 

The  work,  however,  was  not  completed  at  the  speci- 
fied time.     The  division  extending  from  a  point  five  | 
miles  east  of  the  borough  of  Washington  westward  [ 
!    to  the   Virginia   line   still   lacked  its  macadamized  | 
j    covering,  and  was  not  finished  until  late  in  the  fol-  j 
I    lowing  year;  but  as  all  the  work  east  of  this  division  j 
had  been   done,   and  as  this  western  part  was  then  1 
under  contract  for  completion  without  delay,  it  was  I 
considered  that  the  United   States   government,  by  j 
the  passage  of  the  act  of  Congress  of  Jhne,  1834,  and 
I    by  providing  for  the  thorough  repair  of  the  Cumber- 
land road  in  its  entire  length  east  of  the  Ohio  River, 
nearly  all  of  which  had  already  been  actually  accom- 
plished, had  complied  with  all  the  conditions  imposed 
by  the  States  of  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and  Vir- 
ginia in  their  acts  of  1831  and  1832.     All  that  re- 
mained then  to  be  done  to  complete  the  transfer  of  1 
the  road  by  the  general  government  was  its  formal  ; 
acceptance  by  the  States,  and  this  was  done  on  the 
part  of  Pennsylvania  by  the  passage  by  the  General  ; 
Assembly  of  "  An  Act  for  the  preservation  and  re-  [ 
pair  of  the  Cumberland  Road,"  approved  April  1,  j 
1835,  the  third  section  of  which  act  provided  and  de-  I 
clared  that  "  The  surrender  by  the  United  States  of 
so  much  of  the  Cumberland  Road  as  lies  within  the  i 
State  of  Pennsylvania   is   hereby   accepted   by  this 
State,  and  the  commissioners  to  be  appointed  under 
this  act  are  authorized  to  erect  toll-gates  on  the  whole 
or  any  part  of  said  road,  at  such  time  as  they  may 
deem  it  expedient  and  proper  to  do  so." 

The  two  commissioners  appointed  by  the  Governor 
under  this  act  proceeded,  in  1835,  to  erect  toll-gates,' 
as  provided,  and  the  collection  of  toll  on  the  great 
road  was  commenced  immediately.  This  had  the  ef- 
fect to  clear  the  road  almost  entirely  (except  in  the  ! 
mountain  districts  of  the  route)  of  the  immense  droves  , 
of  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  and  hogs  which  had  passed 
over  it  while  it  was  a  free  tiiorough fare.  But  through 
the  mountains  there  was  no  other  route,  and  so  the 
drovers  were  compelled  to  use  that  part  of  the  road  , 
and  pay  the  tolls.  The  new  system  also  brought  into 
use  upon  this  road  very  heavily  built  wagons,  with 
wheels  nine  inches  broad,  drawn  by  six,  and  some- 
times by  eight,  horses.  Wagons  having  wheels  of 
this  breadth  of  rim,  and  carrying  loads  not  exceeding 
five  tons'  weight  each,  were  allowed  to  pass  on  a  much 


'  Tron  g.ites  were  first  erecteil,  but  most  of  tliese  were  displaced  many 
ars  ago  by  wooden  ones.  The  mile-posts  along  the  line  of  the  road 
're  also  of  iron,  and  many  of  tliese  are  still  standing. 


less  (proportionate)  rate  of  toll  than  was  charged  for 
narrow-wheeled  wagons,  which  were  far  more  de- 
structive to  the  road-bed.  It  was  this  discrimination 
which  brought  the  broad  wheels  into  extensive  use  on 
the  Cumberland  road.  "  I  have  frequently  seen," 
says  a  former  resident^  on  the  line  of  the  Cumberland 
road,  "  from  forty  to  fifty  great  Conestoga  six-horse 
teams,  carrying  from  five  to  six  tons  each,  picketed 
around  over-night  [at  one  of  the  roadside  taverns]  in 
the  yards  and  on  the  commons,  and  all  the  other  tav- 
erns about  equally  full  at  the  same  time.  There  were 
often  two  men  with  a  team,  who  carried  their  own 
bedding,  but  all  these  men  and  horses  had  to  be  fed 
and  cared  for."  Scarcely  a  day  passed  that  did  not 
see  the  main  streets  of  the  principal  towns  on  the 
route  crowded  from  end  to  end  with  these  immense 
wagons,  each  of  which  had  about  one-half  the  carry- 
ing capacity  of  a  modern  railway-car.  On  the  road 
between  the  towns  they  passed  in  almost  continuous 
procession.^ 

There  was,  as  early  as  1835,  an  "Adams  Express" 
running  over  the  line  of  the  Cumberland  road,  being 
started  in  the  fall  of  that  year  by  Alvin  Adams 
(founder  of  the  now  omnipresent  "  Adams  Express 

Company"), Green,  of  Baltimore,  and  Maltby  & 

Holt,  oyster  dealers  of  the  same  city.  It  was  first 
known  along  the  road  as  the  "  Oyster  Line,"  being 
started  with  a  main  purpose  of  supplying  the  West 
with  fresh  oysters  from  Baltimore  during  the  fall  and 
winter  of  1835-36.  Soon  afterwards  it  became  a  reg- 
ular express,  not  only  continuing  the  oyster  traflic, 
but  carrying  packages,  and  prosecuting  a  business 
similar  to  that  of  the  express  lines  of  the  present  day. 
They  ran  express-wagons,  each  drawn  by  four  horses, 
and  having  relays  of  teams  at  stations  ten  or  twelve 
miles  apart,  and  the  business  was  continued  in  this 
way  on  the  road  until  the  opening  of  the  Pennsylva- 
nia Railroad. 

"  In  1837  a  war  with  France  was  imminent,  and  the 
government  at  Washington,  remembering  the  sympa- 
thy of  Louisiana  and  New  Orleans  with  France  as 
the  mother-country,  with  a  lingering  dread  of  a  West- 
ern and  alien  combination,  resolved  to  quicken  the 
mail  service  in  that  direction.  Proposals  were  adver- 
tised for  to  carry  a  light  express  mail-pouch,  carrying 
short  printed  slips  like  telegrams,  drafts,  and  paper 
money,  on  horschaik  thmu^'h  daily  each  way  on  the 
National  road  Ircni  Wasliiiiirton  to  St.  Louis,  and 
also  from  Dayton,  <  >hiii,  to  New  Orleans,  at  the  net 
speed  of  ten  miles  an  Lour,  and  stopping  only  at  prin- 
cipal oflSces.  It  was  laid  off  in  sections,  and  all  the 
sections  were  taken  for  a  term  of  three  years.  The 
section  over  the  mountain  from  Cumberland  to  LTnion- 
town.  Pa.,  was  awarded  to  me'  at  five  thousand  dol- 


2  A.  L.  Liltell,  E-i 

3  "Robert  S.Mrl. 
tig  along  the  Natii 

■I  A.  L.  Littell,  foi 


I  1848,  and  took  r 


260 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


lars  a  year.     I  associated  with  me  my  father-in-law, 
William  Morris,  of  Monroe,  and  we  performed  the 
work  very  successfully  in  1837  and  1838,  when  the  i 
war  emergency  was  passed,  and  the  service  was  dis- 
continued, the  government  paying  us  eight  hundred 
:iiid  thirty-three  dollars  extra  for  leave  to  quit.   It  re-  ', 
<|.iired  a  relay  of  nine  horses  on  the  road  at  once,  and 
three  boy  riders.     One  boy  left  Cumberland  at  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  winter  and  summer,  who  rode  | 
three  successive  horses  seven  miles  each,  and  so  with 
the  other  two  boys,  performing  the  sixty-three  miles 
in  six  hours  and  eighteen  minutes.     Going  east  they  l 
left  Uniontown  daily  at  one  o'clock  p.m.,  and  rode  the 
same  horses  back,  and  there  was  no  office  on   this  | 
route  where  the  mail  was  opened.     At  that  time  this 
express  was  the  fastest  overland  mail  in  America,  and 
it  excited  as  much  public  interest  as  the  arrival  of  a 
railroad  train  does  now  in  a  new  town." 

After  the  withdrawal  of  this  express  mail  line  of 
mounted  messengers  there  were  put  upon  the  road  a 
number  of  light  mail-carriages  to  carry  a  through 
mail  on  fast  time,  making  as  few  stops  as  possible. 
Tliese  formed  what  was  known  along  the  road  as  the 
"  Monkey  Box  Line."  Each  carriage  was  furnished 
with  a  secure  box  for  the  mail,  sometimes  in  the 
front  and  sometimes  in  the  rear  end,  which  was  bal- 
anced by  the  weight  of  three  passengers  (none  beyond 


that  number  being  allowed  to  be  taken),  who  paid  an 
extra  rate  of  fare  in  consideration  of  the  faster  time 
made,  and  the  more  comfortable  accommodations 
aflbrded  by  the  "  Monkey  Box"  than  by  the  regular 
mail-coach  lines. 

The  passenger  traffic  over  the  route  was  ininiense 
and  constantly  on  the  increase  until  the  businos  (if 
the  road  received  the  death-blow  by  the  opening  of 
railroads  across  the  AUeghenies.  The  stage-lines 
running  when  the  road  was  surrendered  to  the  States 
were  those  of  Stockton  &  Co.  (Lucius  W.  Stockton, 
of  Uniontown,  Daniel  Moore,  of  Washington.  I'n., 
and  others)  and  J.  E.  Eeeside,'  of  Lancaster.  The 
mails  were  carried  by  Stockton  &  Co.,  who  in  18;;t; 
secured  the  coutiact  fir  four  years  to  carry  the  great 
AVestern  mail  over  this  road  to  Wheeling,  at  the  speed 
of  four  miles  per  hour,  receiving  for  the  service 
$63,000  per  year.  There  was  for  a  time  intense  rivalry 
between  Reeside's  "  June  Bug  Line"  and  the  "  Peo- 
ple's Line"  of  Stockton  &  Co.  The  competition  be- 
came so  spirited  that  passengers  were  carried  by  both 
lines  at  rates  that  were  merely  nominal.     This  was 


continued  for  a  considerable  time,  and  until  both 
parties  became  nearly  exhausted,  when  there  came  a 
cessation  of  hostilities,  a  return  to  the  old  prices,  and 
a  reorganization  of  the  stage-lines,  the  Reeside  line 
becoming  the  "  Good  Intent"  (in  the  proprietorship 
of  William  Wurt,  William  Still,  Alpheus  Shriver, 
and  others),  and  the  other  the  ''  National  Road"  Line, 
by  Daniel  Moore,  L.  W.  Stockton,  J.  C.  Acheson,  and 
Howard  Kennedy.  The  former  prices  were  re-estab- 
lished and  amity  restored,  as  far  as  the  proprietors  of 
the  two  lines  were  concerned,  both  occupying  the 
same  offices  at  the  two  ends  of  the  route.  But  at  the 
towns  and  stations  along  the  road  the  passengers  by 
the  two  lines  still  dined  and  supped  at  different  and 
rival  hotels,  and  the  old  feeling  of  animosity  was  kept 
alive  between  the  drivers  and  other  subordinate  ad- 
herents of  the  "  Good  Intent"  and  "  National  Road" 
companies. 

Upon  the  completion  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
Railroad  as  far  west  as  Cumberland  in  1844,  the  busi- 
ness of  the  National  road,  great  as  it  had  previously 
been,  was  very  largely  increased  on  account  of  the 
easy  eastern  connection  thus  formed.  During  the 
succeeding  period  of  eight  years  it  was  frequently  the 
case  that  twenty-five  stages,  each  containing  its  full 
complement  of  nine  inside  and  a  number  of  outside 
passengers,  "  pulled  out"  at  the  same  time  from 
Wheeling,  and  the  same  was  true  of  the  eastern  ter- 
minus at  Cumberland.  As  many  as  sixteen  coaches, 
fully  laden  with  passengers,  were  sometimes  seen  in 
close  and  continuous  procession  crossing  the  Monon- 
gahela  bridge  between  West  Brownsville  and  Bridge- 
port. The  lines  ran  daily  each  way,  and  it  was 
sometimes  the  case  that  thirty  stages,  all  fully  loaded 
witli  passengers,  stopped  at  one  hotel  in  a  single  day. 
The  Monongahela  Navigation  Company  completed 
its  slack-water  improvements  to  Brownsville  in  1844, 
and  from  that  time,  during  the  season  of  navigation  in 
i;irh  year,  a  large  proportion  of  the  passengers  coming 
liy  >tage  westward  from  Cumberland  left  the  road  at 
tlie  Monongahela  and  took  passage  by  steamboat 
down  the  river  from  Brownsville.  In  the  year  1850 
the  stage-lines  on   the  National   road   carried   over 

(  eighteen  thousand  passengers  to  and  from  the  Monon- 
gahela River  steamboats,  and  the  number  so  carried 
had  been  considerably  larger  than  this  in  each  of  the 

I  three  preceding  years.  But  the  glory  of  the  great 
thoroughfare  was  then  nearing  its  final  eclipse.  An- 
other year  of  prosperity  succeeded,  but  from  the 
opening  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  to  Pittsburgh 

!  in  1852,  and  the  completion  of  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio  line  to  Wheeling  in  December  of  the  same  year, 
the  business  of  the  Cumberland  road  suddenly  and 
rapidly  declined ;  travelers  to  and  from  the  West  were 
diverted  to  tlie  new  routes  and  easier  mode  of  con- 
veyance, and  extra  passenger-coaches  were  no  longer 
needed;  finally,  the  Western  mails  were  sent  by  the 
other  routes,  and  the  stages  were  withdrawn  from  this, 
the  rumble  of  the  broad-wheeled   freight-wagons  was 


INTEKNAL   IMPROVEMENTS 


261 


gradually  silenced  along  the  rock-laid  road-bed,  and 
by  rapid  degrees  the  famous  National  highway  lost 
its  importance  and  became,  as  it  is  to-day,  merely  an 
avenue  of  local  travel. 

NAVIGATION. 
The  only  navigable  waters  of  Fayette  County  are 
the  Monongahela  and  Youghiogheny  Rivers,  and, 
in  iiict,  the  latter  stream  can  hardly  be  regarded  as 
navigable,  or  capable  of  being  made  so  to  any  useful 
extent.  Both  these  streams  were  made  highways  on 
the  15th  of  April,  1782,  at  which  date  the  Assembly 
of  Pennsylvania  enacted  "That  the  said  rivers,  so 
far  up  as  they  or  either  of  them  have  been  or  can  be 
made  navigable  for  rafts,  boats,  and  canoes,  and 
within  the  bounds  and  limits  of  this  State,  shall  be, 
and  they  are  hereby  declared  to  be,  public  highways." 
At  the  time  when  this  was  done  there  was  in  progress 
an  immense  emigration  to  Kentucky  and  other  South- 
western regions  bordering  the  Ohio,  and  as  a  conse- 
quence the  channel  of  the  Monongahela  might  almost 
have  been  said  to  be  crowded  with  Kentucky  boats, 
keel-boats,  flat-boats,  and  a  multitude  of  every  species 
of  river-craft,  laden  with  the  families,  household 
efi'ects,  and  merchandise  of  the  emigrants  (who  em- 
barked principally  at  Brownsville),  and  with  produce 
from  various  points,  all  bound  for  the  lower  river. 
This  kind  of  travel  and  transportation  was  kept  up 
and  increased  for  many  years,  until  the  days  of  steam- 
boating  commenced,  but  it  was  constantly  liable  to 
interruption  and  total  suspension  for  months  at  a 
time  in  the  summer  and  autumn  seasons  when  the 
river  was  low  and  without  the  artificial  means  of 
raising  the  water  to  a  navigable  stage  by  locks  and 
dams. 

In  1814  the  Assembly  passed  an  act  (approved 
March  28th)  which  provided  "That  the  Governor 
be  and  he  is  hereby  authorized  to  appoint  three  com- 
petent and  disinterested  persons,  citizens  of  this 
commonwealth,  one  of  whom  shall  be  a  practical  sur- 
veyor, to  view  and  examine  the  river  Monongahela 
from  the  junction  of  said  river  with  the  Allegheny 
River  to  the  point  where  the  southern  boundary  of 
this  State  crosses  said  river  ;  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to 
repair  to  the  borough  of  Pittsburgh,  and  to  view  and 
examine  the  aforesaid  river  from  the  point  herein- 
before designated  at  the  borough  of  Pittsburgh  to  the 
point  in  the  southern  boundary  aforesaid,  and  take  the 
courses  and  distances  of  the  several  meanders  of  the 
said  river  between  the  points  aforesaid,  and  also  an  ac- 
curate observation  and  admeasurement  of  the  distances 
between  the  different  ripples,  and  the  elevation  in  feet 
and  parts  of  a  foot  of  the  said  ripples  progressively 
above  the  horizon  of  Pittsburgh,"  and  "  That  the 
commissioners  shall,  as  soon  as  may  be,  after  they 
shall  have  made  the  view  and  examination  as  afore- 
said, present  to  the  Governor  at  the  next  sitting  of 
the  Legislature  an  accurate  plan  of  the  same,  with 
its  several  courses  and  distances,  accompanied  with 


a  written  report  of  their  proceedings,  describing  the 
distances  between  and  elevations  of  the  difterent  rip- 
ples; also  the  number  of  dams'  already  made,  and 
the  most  suitable  places  for  constructing  other  dams, 
locks,  works,  or  devices  necessary  to  be  made  to  render 
said  river  navigable  through  the  whole  distance ;'  and 
shall  make,  according  to  the  best  of  their  knowledge 
and  judgment,  an  estimate  of  the  probable  expense 
necessary  for  the  purposes  aforesaid." 

The  survey  and  examination  of  the  river  was  not 
made  as  contemplated  by  this  act,  and  on  the  11th  of 
March,  1815,  another  act  was  passed  reviving  that  of 
1814,  and  continuing  it,  with  all  its  provisions,  in 
force  for  the  term  of  three  years  from  the  passage  of 
the  last  act.  Under  this  authority  commissioners 
were  appointed,  who  made  an  examination  of  the 
Monongahela,  but  nothing  resulted  from  it  in  the 
way  of  improvement  of  the  navigation  of  the  river 
by  the  State. 

In  1817  the  Assembly  passed  an  act  (approved 
March  24th  of  that  year)  "  to  authorize  the  Governor 
to  incorporate  a  company  to  make  a  lock  navigation 
on  the  river  Monongahela,"  to  bear  the  name  and 
style  of  "  The  President,  Managers,  and  Company  of 
the  Monongahela  Navigation  Company."  The  act 
appointed  Andrew  Linn,  Esq.,  and  Hugh  Ford,  of 
Freeport;  James  Tomlinson,  Elisha  Hunt,  George 
Dawson,  William  Hogg,  Jacob  Bowman,  Basil  Bra- 
shear,  Joseph  Thornton,  and  Israel  Miller,  of  Browns- 
ville; James  W.  Nicholson  and  Thomas  Williams, 
Esq.,  of  New  Geneva  (all  the  above  of  Fayette 
County) ;  Charles  Bollman,  Joel  Butler,  and  James 
P.  Stewart,  of  Williamsport  ( now  Monongahela  City) ; 
Henry  P.  Pearson  and  Joseph  Alexander,  of  Fred- 
ericktown,  in  the  county  of  Washington,  with  seven 
gentlemen  of  Allegheny  County  and  two  of  Greene 
County,  to  be  commissioners  to  open  books  for  sub- 
scriptions to  t  lie  stock  of  the  company  at  Pittsburgh  and 
other  jxiiiils  .Huiii;  the  river.  The  capital  stock  of  the 
company  \v:is  i,.  lie  seventy-eight  thousand  dollars,  in 
two  thousand  six  hundred  shares  of  thirty  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  a  com- 
pany shall  have  been  incorporated  by  the  Governor 
to  make  a  lock  navigation  on  the  Monongahela  River, 
he  is  hereby  authorized  and  required  to  subscribe  in 


iMea 

ning  dams  erected  by 

ndividnalsfoi 

mi 

2  In" 

A  History  of  the  Mon 

jngahelaNiiM 

j.iti 

V,    prepared 

by  Hon 

James  Veecli  in  1873 

he  says,  ■■'It 

UL'-estion 

of  an  in 

provenientof  tbena^ 

igationof  111. 

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■,  ill     ISJ^;-       II   Mrllis 

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an  orig 

■  |u.  —  iil   yi..< 

li_ 

iliela  Na 

iRation  Com- 

pany) s 

„,,M    liair    1 11  iin;n 

1    1 

ill  an  act 

of  Assembly, 

passed  i 

nisn.anthorized  U<o 

iiinirpiiraliMi 

of 

a  company  of  precisely 

the  same  name  and  style  of  the  present  on 

,  a 

d  having 

the  same  ob- 

ject,— t 

e  improvement  of  tli 

river  Iiy  loci! 

an 

Idams;  1 

id  also  of  the 

fact  tha 

as  early  as  18U  an 

ct  was  passed 

^aii 

1  anothei 

in  181.=.)  pro- 

viding 

or  a  survey  of  the  Mo 

ongahela  will 

lew  to  its 

impnivcment 

2(12 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


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  by  the  Gov- 
ernor on  the  State  Treasurer  in  favor  of  the  President  1 
and  Managers  of  said  company."  j 

By  the  terms  of  the  act  of  incorporation,  the  com-  1 
[lany  was  rei|uircd,  in  making  their  improvements  on  j 
the  river,  "  t(j  erect  at  Bogg's  ripple  a  dam  of  the 
height  111'  three  feet  six  inches;  at  Braddock's  lower 
ri]jple,  a  dam  of  the  height  of  three  I'erl  six  inches  ; 
at  Braddock's  upper  ripple,  a  dam  of  the  height  of 
three  feet  six  inches;  at  Peter's  Creek  ripple,  a  dam 
of  the  lieight  of  tour  feet  two  inches;  at  Baldwin's 
ripi'le,  a  dam  "f  the  height  of  four  feet  three  inches  ; 
at  Frye's  ripple,  a  dam  of  the  heiglit  of  three  feet  ten 
inches;  at  Forsyth's  ripple  a  dam  of  ih.'  lieight  of 
three  feet  eight  inches;  at  lirownsville  ripple,  a  dam 
of  the  height  of  four  feet  six  inches  ;  at  Smith's  rip- 
ple, a  dam  of  the  lieight  of  four  I'eet  eight  and  a  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 
rii)ple,  a  dam  of  the  height  of  three  feet  ten  inches; 
at  Little  Whitely  ripple,  a  dam  of  the  height  of  four 
feet  four  inches;  at  Geneva  ripple,  a  dam  of  the 
height  of  three  feet  four  inches;  at  Dunkard  ripple, 
a  dam  of  the  Ii.'ight  of  three  feet  six  inches;  and  at 
Cheat  Kiver  ripple,  a  dam  ol'  the  li,-ight  ol'  three  feet 
three  inches,"  with  the  privilege  of  raising  any  or 
all  the  dams  not  to  exceed  six  inches  above  the  speci- 
fied height,  if  it  should  be  found  necessary  to  do  so. 
The  company  were  empowered  "  to  form,  make,  erect, 
and  set  up  any  dams,  locks,  or  any  other  device  what- 
soever which  they  shall  think  most  fit  and  convenient 
to  make  a  complete  slack-water  navigation  bi'twecn 
the  points  aforesaid  (Pittsburgh  and  the  State  linei, 
so  as  to  admit  a  safe  and  easy  i)assagi-  for  loailed 
barges,  boats,  and  other  crafts  up,  as  well  as  down, 
said  river;"  and  to  use  the  water-])owcr  created  by 
their  dams  for  the  propulsion  of  machinery,  or  to  sell 
or  lease  such  water-power,  but  not  so  as  to  injure,  im- 
jicde,  or  interrujit  navigation  on  the  river.  It  was 
prtjvided  by  the  act  "that  as  soon  as  the  eight  first- 
named  dams  and  locks  shall  be  erec'teil  and  com- 
pleted," and  the  Governor  should  have  proper  eviilence 
that  they  had  been  so  completed  in  a  workmanlike 
manner,  he  should  thereupon  issue  his  license  or  per- 
mit 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  rivci-  for  mill 
purposes  prior  to  the  passage  of  the  act  were  reijiiircd 
to  raise  such  dams  to  the  .specified  lieight  (if  they 
were  not  already  up  to  it),  and  to  keep  them  in  re- 
pair ;  and  for  so  doing  they  were  empowered  to  col- 
lect tolls  from  boats  and  other  craft  passing  them. 

The  company  was  required,  under  penalty  of  a  for- 
feiture of  their  charter,  to  "proceed  to  carry  on  the 
said  work"  within  five  years  from  the  date  of  the  act, 
and  to  complete   the  slack-water  navigation  of  the 


first  section — from  Pittsburgh  to  the  mouth  of  Dun- 
lap's  Creek — in  seven  years  thereafter,  and  to  com- 
plete the  second  section — from  Dunlap's  Creek  to  the 
mouth  of  Cheat  River — in  twenty-five  years  from  the 
passage  of  the  act.  These  conditions  were  not  com- 
plied with,  and  forfeiture  resulted  in  1822.  Beyond 
this  fact,  nothing  has  been  found  to  show  what  was 
the  extent  of  the  operations  of  the  old  Monongahela 
Navigation  Company  during  its  existence,  except  that 
the  books  were  opened  in  August,  1817  ;  that  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Pennsylvania  subscribed  on  behalf  of  the 

;  Commonwealth  for  one  thousand  shares  of  the  stock 
as  required,  subscriptions  having  previously  been  re- 
ceived from  individuals  sufficient  in  amount  to  author- 
ize the  chartering  and  organization  of  the  company 
under  the  act.  It  is  evident  that  the  amount  of  its 
cajiital  stock,  if  fully  subscribed  and  paid  in,  was  in- 
sufticient  I'or  the  purposes  intended,  and  that  even  if 
the  iirojectcil  improvements  had  been  completed,  as 
specified  in  the  act,  they  would  have  been  wholly  in- 
adequate to  the  requirements  of  navigation  on  the 

I  Monongahela. 

In  the  spring  of  1822,  a  few  days  after  the  expira- 
tion of  five  years  from  the  passage  of  the  act  author- 
izing the  Monongahela  Navigation  Company,  an  act 
was  passed  by  the  Assembly  (approved  April  2d  of  the 
year  nainedi  taking  the  improvement  of  the  Monon- 
galic'la  into  tlie  lianils  of  the  State,  and  providing 
"  That  S(domon  Krepps  and  Joseph  Enochs,  of  Fay- 
ette County,  and  William  Leckey,  of  Pittsburgh,  be 
and  they  are  hereby  appointed  commissioners,  who 
shall  have  power,  and  it  shall  be  their  duty,  to  cause 
to  he  removcil  all  obstructions  which  impede  or  injure 
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  ini]iroveiiMiit  to  commence  at  the  mouth  of  Dun- 
lap's  Cre.k,  in  layette  County,  and  for  that  purpose 
to  ciiiplos  -iiiiahle  persons  to  perform  said  work ;" 
and"'lliat  ten  thousand  dollars  of  the  stock  subscribed 
by  the  Governor  on  behalf  of  this  Commonwealth  in 
the  stock  of  the  Monongahela  Navigation  Company 
be  and  is  hereby  appropriated  to  defray  the  expenses 
of  removing  the  said  obstructions.  .  .  ." 

By  another  section  of  the  act  it  was  provided  and 
declared  "  That  this  act  shall  not  go  into  operation 
until  the  Monongahela  Navigation  Company  shall 
have  first  settled  all  accounts  of  said  company,  and 
have  paid  into  the  treasury  of  Fayette  County  all  the 
unexpended  balance  of  money  in  their  liands,  if  any 
be  due,  for  the  purpose  of  being  applied  agreeably 
to  the  provisions  of  this  act,  .  .  ,  and  until  the  Mo- 
nongahela Navigation  Company  shall  also  have  re- 
linquished their  shares  in  the  stock  of  said  company, 
as  well  those  held  by  individuals  as  those  held  by 
conqianics,  which  relinquishment  shall  have  been  cer- 
tified and  transmitted  under  the  hand  and  seal  of 
the  iiresident  and  managers  of  said  company,  or  a 
majority  of  them,  to  the  Governor,  stating  that  they 


INTP^RNAL   IMPROVEMENTS. 


relinquish  nil  the  rights,  powers,  and  privileges  in 
and  to  the  navigation  of  the  river  Monongahela  vested 
in  them  by  an  act  passed  the  24th  of  March,  1817, 
entitled,  '  An  act  to  authorize  the  Governor  to  incor- 
porate a  company  to  make  a  lock  navigation  on  the 
river  Monongahela,'  and  from  thenceforth  said  com- 
pany shall  cease  and  determine  as  if  the  said  act  had 
not  been  passed." 

The  persons  appointed  as  viewers  and  commis- 
sioners to  examine  the  work  done  on  the  river  by 
the  first-named  commissioners,  and  to  report  to  the 
Governor  whether  or  not,  in  their  opinion,  the 
money  granted  by  the  State  had  been  judiciously 
expended,  were  Henry  Heaton,  of  Fayette,  John 
Brownlee,  of  Washington,  and  John  Walker,  of  Al- 
legheny County.  Nothing  has  been  found  show- 
ing the  nature  and  extent  of  the  improvements 
made  by  the  commissioners  under  this  act,  or  how 
much  the  navigation  of  the  Monongahela  was  bene- 
fited by  them,  but  it  is  evident  that  the  expenditure 
'of  tlie  small  sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars  on  more 
than  ninety  miles  of  river  channel  could  not  have 
produced  any  very  great  results. 

A  supplement  to  the  act  of  April  2,  1822,  for  the 
improvement  of  the  Monongahela  by  the  State,  was 
passed  and  approved  March  29,  1823.  One  of  the 
sections  of  this  supplementary  act  provided  that  all 
persons  owning  dams  and  locks  on  the  Monongahela, 
which  were  built  or  begun  to  be  built,  or  raised  to  the 
required  height,  in  pursuance  of  the  provisions  (before 
mentioned)  of  the  act  of  1817,  authorizing  the  incor- 
poration of  the  Navigation  Company,  might  petition 
the  Governor,  setting  forth  the  facts,  whereupon  the 
Governor  was  required  to  appoint  three  commissioners 
to  view  such  locks  and  dams,  and  upon  their  report 
to  the  Governor  that  the  improvements  had  been 
constructed  agreeably  to  the  terms  of  the  act,  he  was 
(required  to  grant  to  the  owners  of  such  improvements 
authority  to  collect  tolls  from  all  boats  passing  such 
[locks  and  dams. 

In  1828  a  report  was  made  to  the  Assembly  of  Penn- 
'sylvania,  giving  the  result  of  a  survey  of  the  river  by 
'E.  F.  Gay,  and  favoring  its  improvement  by  the  State, 
but  nothing  was  done.  In  1832  the  late  Hon.  An- 
idrew  Stewart,  of  Fayette  County,  made  an  effort  in 
the  Congress  of  the  United  States  to  have  the  work 
done  by  the  National  government,  as  an  extension, 
I  under  the  act  of  1824,  of  the  improvement  of  the  nav- 
[igation  of  the  Ohio  to  the  National  road  at  Browns- 
ville. Congress  provided  for  a  survey  of  the  river  to 
Brownsville,  which  was  made  in  1833  by  Dr.  William 
Howard,  United  States  civil  engineer.  His  plan  was 
to  build  locks  and  low  dams,  eight  in  number,  of  four 
and  a  half  feet  lift,  except  that  No.  1  would  be  six 
feet,  the  object  being  to  use  them  only  when  the  river 
[was  low.  Congress  having  declined  to  authorize  the 
I  work,  a  public  meeting  held  at  Waynesburg,  Greene 
'Co.,  Nov.  18,  1835,  recommended  and  urged  the  im- 
provement by  the  State.    The  movement  was  at  once 


seconded  by  the  citizens  of  Pittsburgh,  Brownsville, 
and  intermediate  places,  and  legislation  was  sought 
and  obtained. 

The  actual  improvement  of  the  Monongahela  by 
the  formation  of  a  practicable  slack-water  navigation 
was  finally  accomplished  by  the  Monongahela  Navi- 
gation Company  (second  of  that  name  and  style), 
which  was  incorporated  under  an  act  of  Assembly 
approved  March  31,  1836,  with  an  authorized  capital 
of  $300,000,  in  six  thousand  shares  of  $50  each,  with 
power  "to  increase  the  number  of  shares  to  such  ex- 
tent as  shall  be  deemed  sufficient  to  accomplish  the 
work." 

The  persons  appointed  as  commissioners  to  receive 
subscriptions  to  the  stock  were  Thomas  H.  Baird, 
Aaron  Kerr,  Ephraim  L.  Blaine,  William  Briant, 
Sheshbazzer  Bentley,  Andrew  Gregg,  John  Bowers, 
William  Vankirk,  Samuel  Beatty,  William  Hopkins, 
and  James  Gordon,  of  Washington  County  ;  George 
Dawson,  Benedict  Kimber,  George  Hogg,  James  L. 
Bowman,  Israel  Miller,  David  Gilmore,  E.  P.  Oli- 
phant,  Jeremiah  Davison,  Thomas  Wilson,  Tazewell 
P.  Martin,  George  Cramer,  Yates  S.  Conwell,  Thomas 
Beatty,  Aaron  Bucher,  John  Harshe,  Andrew  Stew- 
art, Samuel  Evans,  Isaac  Crow,  George  Vance,  James 
C.  Etington,  Robert  Brown,  James  C.  Ramsey,  David 
B.  Rhoads,  William  Everhart,  Westley  Frost,  and 
Samuel  J.  Krepps,  of  Fayette  County  ;  and  a  number 
of  gentlemen  of  Greene  and  Allegheny  Counties. 
When  two  thousand  shares  were  subscribed  the  com- 
pany 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  what- 
soever which  they  shall  think  most  fit  and  conveni- 
ent to  make  a  complete  slack-water  navigation  be- 
tween the  ]i()ints  hcrciii  menliuiieil.  to  wit:  the  city 
of  Pittsbiiiuh  an.l  thr  Vir-iiiia  State  line;  and  that 
the  dams  Nvhieli  tliey  shall  s(,  cmiMnict  for  the  pur- 
pose of  slack-water  navigation  shall  not  exceed  in 
height  four  feet  six  inches  ;  and  tiiat  (he  locks  for  the 
purposes  of  passing  steamboats,  barges,  and  other 
craft  up  and  down  said  river  shall  be  of  sufficient 
width  and  length  to  admit  a  safe  and  easy  passage  for 
steamboats,  barges,  and  other  craft,  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 
walir-powci-  from  the  dams,  and  conferred  on  the  in- 
dividual owiurs  of  dams  previously  built  (if  by  tlicni 
raised  to  the  required  height)  the  right  to  collect  toll 
from  boats  passing  down  or  up  the  river.  By  the 
terms  of  the  act  the  company  was  required  to  com- 
mence work  within  five  years,  and  to  complete  the 
improvement  to  the  Virginia  line  within  twelve  years 
from  its  passage,  under  penalty  of  forfeiture  of 
charter. 

During  the  year  183(i  sufficient  stock  was  subscribed 


264 


HISTORY    OF    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


to  authorize  the  issue  of  a  charter  early  in  1837,  and 
on  the  10th  of  February'  in  that  year  the  company  I 
was  organized  by  the  election  of  officers,  as  follows  : 

President,  James  Clarke. 

Treasurer,  John  D.  Davis. 

Secretary,  Jesse  H.  Duncan. 

3Ianagers. 

Thomas  Bakewell.  George  Hogg. 

James  L.  Bowman.  John  Lyon. 

John  H.  Ewing.  John  Tassey. 

John  Freeman.  William  Wade. 

Cephas  Gregg.  Samuel  Walker. 

By  the  sixth  section  ofthe  State  act  of  Feb.  18,  1836, 
chartering  the  United  States  Bank,  it  was  required, 
among  other  burdens  imposed,  to  subscribe  to  the 
stock  of  this  company,  then  in  prospect,  $50,000  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  April  14,  1838,  subscribed 
$2-5,000  in  stock,  and  by  act  of  June  11,  1840,  $100,- 
000  more. 

The  company  started  in  1837,  upon  the  following 
subscriptions  of  stock : 


[jf  Allegheny  County 
F.iyetle  ' 

Washington     " 


44S 

$47,400  ; 

50!) 

25,400  1 

20 

1,000 

Sfi 

100 

5,000 

1000 

50,000 

2662 

$13.3,100  j 

oOO 

25,000 

2000 

100,000  ! 

5162 

$258,100  [ 

To  which  the  St!> 


This,  until  after  the  completion  of  the  improvi 
ment  to  Brownsville,  was  the  company's  entire  capi- 
tal basis,  and  much  of  this  was  never  realized. 

In  the  summer  of  1838  a  careful  survey  of  the  river 
was  made  by  an  engineer  corps,  at  the  head  of  which 
was  W.  Milnor  Roberts  (afterwards  engineer  of  the 
Northern  Pacifle  Railroad,  and  now  or  recently  en- 
gaged in  the  service  of  the  Brazilian  government), 
with  Nathan  McDowell  and  Robert  W.  Clarke,  assist- 
ants. 

From  Pittsburgh  to  Brownsville  was  found  to  be 
about  .V,',  iHile<,  ana  the  asrcnt  a  little  ov,t  :!:V,  feet; 
from  r,i-uwiisvillr  tn  th.'  Vir-inia  line,  a  littl.'  ..v.t  3.5 
miles,  accent  41  Irct:  totaU,  !li)^  miles,  and  711  tect. 
This  would  have  renuiivd  -^evente- ii  dams  nf  tour  and 


one 


,11s  wl 


iM    li. 


approved  June  24,  1839,  authorized  the  company  to 
construct  the  dams  eight  feet  in  height  from  pool  to 

])00l.' 

At  first  it  was  thought  that  ten  dams  of  eight  feet 
in  height  would  be  required  to  carry  the  work  to  the 
State  line  (five  below  and  five  above  the  mouth  of  j 
Dunlap's  Creek),  but  by  an  authorized  increase  of 
dam  No.  4  to  ten  feet,  and  those  above  Brownsville 
(three  in  number)  to  whatever  height  the  banks  would 
allow,  it  was  found  that  seven  would  be  sufficient. 

Dam  and  lock  No.  1,  a  mile  above  Smithfield  Street , 
bridge,  Pittsburgh,  was  let  by  contract,  Dec.  17,  IJ 
to  J.  K.  and  J.  B.  Moorhead.  No.  2,  at  Braddock's 
Upper  ripple,  was  contracted  (re-let),  May  17, 1839,  to 
Coreys  and  Adams.  Both  these  dams  were  put  in 
use  Oct.  18,  1841,  though  neither  was  entirely  com- 
pleted at  the  time. 

On  the  loth  of  July,  1840,  lock  and  dam  No.  3,  at 
Watson's  Run,  two  miles  above  Elizabeth,  was  let  io 
Bills  &  Foreman  ;  and  No.  4,  at  Frey's  Shoals,  fifteen 
and  a  half  miles  below  Brownsville,  to  Fenlon  & 
Patton  (changed  in  construction  to  Fenlon  &  Loner- 
gan).  The  work  was  under  the  general  direction  of 
Chief  Engineer  Roberts.  The  construction  of  Nos.  3 
and  4,  from  the  commencement  of  work  until  May, 
1841,  was  under  the  personal  supervision  of  George 
W.  Cass.  In  the  contract  for  No.  4,  the  company,  to 
provide  against  a  (not  improbable)  lack  of  funds, 
served  the  right  to  stop  the  work  at  any  time,  paying 
lur  what  had  been  done.  In  May,  1841,  for  the  cause 
which  h.ad  been  foreseen,  they  were  obliged  to  avail 
themselves  of  this  right,  and  for  the  same  rea.son  work 
on  No.  3  was  suspended  at  the  same  time. 

The  year  1842  brought  great  discouragement  to  the 
company.  The  Ignited  States  Bank  broke,  and  failed 
to  subscribe  and  pay  its  second  $50,000.  Of  the  sec- 
ond ($100,000)  subscription  of  the  State,  the  company 
was  comiielled  to  receive  a  large  portion  in  State 
l)ijii(ls,  and  having  received  them  were  compelled  to 
sell  them  at  a  loss  of  fifty  per  cent.  Many  of  the 
dividual  subscribers  for  stock  resisted  |>ayi]irnt,  while 
some  were  unable  to  pay.  Thecomiian\  .mr.l  sio.iiuO, 
and  had  no  money  to  pay  with.  Eveiytliinu"  >ri/able 
was  taken  and  sold  on  execution.  In  1841  an  effort 
was  made  to  secure  further  aid  from  the  State,  but 
this  was  unsuccessful,  for  the  condition  of  the  State 


miles, — thereby  causinir  d(la\ 
liave  been  unendurably  \  .xat 
in  construction  and  altrml: 
made  the  work  wholly  unremunerative.  Besido,  <in 
some  of  the  ripples  the  fall  was  three  and  tonr  left, 
and  one,  at  the  mouth  of  Cheat  River,  six  liut.  ll 
was  soon  seen  that  this  ])lan  must  be  abandoned. 
Accordingly  the  Legislature,  by  a  supplemental  act, 


'he  fourth  section  of  the  act  is  as  follows:  The  said  cnnipany 
■niiitti-il  t<.  erect  bocIi  dams  as  may  bo  necessary  for  the  construe- 
,,1  111,-  -aiil  i„ivi-„li„Ti  below  Bro\vn?ville,toaheglitnot  exce, 

I  Ur\  ti.iiN  1 1  I,,  |„„,1.    In  selecting  persons  to  assew  tlaniag, 

.ii,-,i  l,y  n,,-  ,,>,i>i,ii,  liioi  of  said  navifration,  no  person  shall  he  chosen 
is  a  resident  of  any  county  through  which  the  said  improvemenl 
pass.  Provided,  That  all  the  locks  below  Uie  town  of  Elizabeth, in 
gheny  County,  on  said  river  be  made  one  hundred  and  ninety  feet 
and  fifty  feet  wi.ie.and  that  all  tliel,„-ksl,ch,\v  the  t,i\vn  of  Browns 
^liall  !„■  ,,t  l,l,,'    liiii   iiM-'i.  ■■     Ml,'  -,ii|l.  Ill'  ,:i.,l    it  also  repealec 


INTERNAL  IMPROVEMENTS. 


treasury  would  not  permit  the  investment.  In  1842 
a  very  strong  effort  was  made  to  interest  certain  Bal- 
timore capitalists  and  persuade  them  to  replenisli  the 
company's  treasury,  so  as  to  complete  the  slack-water 
improvement  to  Brownsville,  and  thereby  make  it  a 
feeder  to  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  which 
about  that  time  was  nearing  Cumberland,  where  it 
was  thought  it  would  be  obliged  to  make  a  long  halt. 
But  the  Marylanders  were  too  intent  on  pushing  their 
great  work  to  the  Ohio  to  engage  in  any  side  enter- 
prise, especially  one  which  they  could  not  control. 
To  all  these  reverses  was  added,  in  July,  1843,  a 
breach  of  one  hundred  feet  in  dam  No.  1,  which  be- 
fore it  could  be  stopped,  in  1844,  washed  a  hole  forty 
feet  deep.  On  May  4, 1841,  the  Legislature  had  given 
the  company  power  to  borrow  and  mortgage  its  works 
and  tolls,  and  more  extended  power  to  the  same  effect 
was  given  by  act  of  April  5,  1842.  But  the  com- 
pany's credit  was  gone,  and  these  powers  were  of  no 
avail.  For  two  years  the  work  made  no  progress,  ex- 
cept to  decay.  The  whole  project  became  a  "  mortifi- 
cation to  its  friends  and  projectors,  and  a  nuisauce  to 
the  navigation."  Its  friends  were  almost  ready  to 
abandon  it  to  the  mercies  of  the  floods  and  of  an  in- 
dignant public,  when  aid  came  from  an  unexpected 
source.  The  State's  financial  condition  had  become 
so  depressed  that  the  Legislature,  by  act  of  July  27, 
1842,  and  again  by  act  of  April  8,  1843,  directed  sales 
of  all  its  corporation  stocks,  among  them  its  $125,000 
in  this  company.  This  induced  a  number  of  men  of 
capital,  enterprise,  and  of  unfaltering  faith  in  the 
ultimate  success  of  the  improvement  to  buy  this 
stock, — of  course  at  a  low  figure, — and  thereupon  to 
engage  to  repair  and  complete  the  work  to  Browns- 
ville, upon  ten-year  coupon  bonds,  secured  by  a  mort- 
gage of  the  improvement  and  its  revenues,  to  be 
applied  first  to  old  debts,  second  to  interest,  and  then 
to  reimburse  to  themselves  the  principal  of  their  act- 
ual expenditure.  These  men  were  James  K.  Moor- 
head,  Morgan  Robertson,  George  Schnable,  Charles 
Avery,  Thomas  M.  Howe,  John  Graham,  Thomas 
Bakewell,  J.  B.  Moorhead,  and  John  Freeman.  They 
did  the  work,  chiefly  through  sub-contractors,'  under 
the  name  of  Moorhead,  Robertson  &  Co.  Their  con- 
tract with  the  company  was  made  Nov.  9,  1843.  It 
was  July,  1844,  before  they  could  get  effectively  at 
work,  but  they  went  at  it  with  such  energy  and  skill, 
with  Sylvanus  Lothrop  for  engineer,  and  J.  B.  Moor- 
head for  superintendent,  that  on  the  13th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1844, — dams  Nos.  3  and  4  being  completed,  and 
the  breach  in  No.  1  thoroughly  repaired, — the  lower 
division  of  the  Monongahela  improvement  was  for- 
mally opened  from  Pittsburgh  to  Brownsville  and 
Bridgeport. 

At  the  time  of  the  opening  there  had  been  expended 
on  the  improvement  (exclusive  of  engineering  and 


salaries  of  oflScers)  the  sum  of  $418,000,  viz. :  con- 
struction of  dams  and  locks  Nos.  1  and  2,  $160,500 ; 
repairing  of  damages  on  same,  $35,000;  construction 
of  Nos.  3  and  4,  $222,500.  Of  the  sum  thus  far  ex- 
pended, less  than  one-half  had  been  paid  out  of  the 
stock. 

Before  the  work  was  opened  to  Brownsville  in  1844, 
the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  had  been  completed 
to  Cumberland.  The  route  of  travel  and  trafiic  from 
that  place  to  Brownsville  was  over  seventy-five  miles 
of  the  hard,  smooth  National  road,  which  then  more 
than  ever  before  was  crowded  with  stage-coaches  laden 
to  the  full  with  passengers  to  and  from  the  railroad  ter- 
minus at  Cumberland,  and  the  greater  part  of  these  pas- 
sengers were  now  delivered  to  or  received  from  the  Mo- 
nongahela River  steamboats  at  Brownsville,  and  this 
continued  during  the  navigation  season  in  each  year 
until  the  opening  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  to 
Pittsburgh  in  1852.  Here  were  eight  years  of  a  rich 
harvest  for  the  slack-water  and  the  eastern  division  of 
the  National  road.  During  that  time  the  Navigation 
carried  between  Brownsville  and  Pittsburgh  more  than 
two  hundred  and  eighty  thousand  through  passengers,* 
a  large  proportion  of  whom  passed  by  stage  over  the 
great  road.  In  the  same  time  more  than  four  hundred 
and  sixty-two  thousand  way  passengers  were  carried 
between  the  same  points ;  and  the  total  passenger  tolls 
for  that  period  amounted  to  $126,100.23. 

From  1845  to  1847  the  revenues  had  almost  doubled, 
thereby  enabling  the  company  in  1^847  to  nearly  ex- 
tinguish its  old  floating  debt,  keep  down  the  interest, 
and  pay  $13,500  of  the*principal  of  the  $231,-500  of 
bonds  which  had  been  issued  to  Moorhead,  Robert- 
son &  Co.  In  the  report  of  Sylvanus  Lothrop,  the 
company's  engineer,  made  to  the  president  and  man- 
agers in  January  of  that  year,  he  said,  in  reference  to 
the  slack-water  improvement,  "  Although  but  two 
years  old,  and  just  beginning  to  struggle  into  notoriety 
as  an  avenue  for  the  trade  and  travel  between  the 
East  and  the  West,  it  has  already  yielded  a  revenue 
which,  after  paying  expenses,  ordinary  repairs,  and 
interest  upon  its  large  debt,  exhibits  a  surplus  equiv- 
alent to  about  eight  per  cent,  upon  its  whole  capital 
stock.  This,  I  am  inclined  to  think,  is  without  an 
example  in  the  history  of  our  public  works,  and  may, 
perhaps,  be  mentioned  without  offense  as  a  most  strik- 
ing commentary  upon  the  supineness  and  indifference 
and  apparent  want  of  sagacity  which,  a  few  years  ago, 
while  running  after  chimeras,  would,  but  for  the  en- 


2  Tlie  number  of  through  passengers  carried  in  those  years  between 
the  termini  of  the  Navigatiou,  Brownsville  and  Pittsburgh,  was  for 
each  .year  as  follows : 

1845 2a.727 

1840 M,U84 

1847 4r,,HJfi 

1848 47,019 

1849 3=..158 

1850 :l8ilS8 

1851 32.115 

1852 25.013 

Total 283,030 


i(J6 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


terprise  of  a  few  public-spirited  individuals,  have 
suffered  tliis  great  work,  the  most  important  to  this 
city  which  has  ever  been  constructed  [Pittsburgh  had 
no  railroad  then],  to  perish  for  the  want  of  a  few  thou- 
sand dollars.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  with  so 
many  unanswerable  arguments  to  recommend  it  to 
and  enforce  it  upon  the  pulilic  atfcnlion,  no  work  in 
the  country  has  ever  encountered  ,-rcatcr  <jlislacles 
than  this.  Instead  of  IkIiil',  a-^  it  oimlit  to  have  been, 
fostered  by  ovir  citizens  and  hailed  by  the  inlialiitants 
of  the  Monon-aliela  Valley  as  a  blessing  to  them- 
selves, it  met  with  nothing  but  the  most  chilling  re- 
gards from  the  one,  and  with  either  the  most  violent 
prejudices  or  the  most  determined  hostility  from  the 
other.  And  yet  it  has  already  lived  to  subdue  and 
tritimph  over  both.  ...  It  is  now,  I  am  happy  to 
say,  among  the  most  popular  of  all  our  public  im- 
]>rovements.  Its  present  advantages  are  already  uni- 
versally felt,  while  its  future  is  rapidly  unfolding  in 
prospects  as  flattering  to  the  lamlholder  of  the  Mo- 
ncuigahela  as  to  the  owners  of  the  improvement 
tliemselves." 

The  toll  on  coal  over  the  entire  length  of  the  slack- 
water  navigation  was  sii.'.H  per  thousand  bushels, 
which  is  said  to  have  hccn  less  than  oin-tburth  part 
of  the  rates  cliargeil  loi-  the  same  di.slanee  over  the 
Schuylkill  Navigation,  which  had  been  made  the 
.standard  for  this  company  by  the  act  of  1836.  Yet 
the  rate  produced  njucli  ili~sali>fac-tion  among  coal 
sliippers  on  the  upper  jiools  iNo.-.  .'.  and  4i.  who  con- 
tended that  the  river  ought  (o  lie  /',--,  .•  that  the  St.ate 
had  no  power  to  autliori/.e  -dams  and  locks  and  the 
collection  of  tolls;  or  if  that  was  to  be  done,  there 
should  at  least  be  a  sufEcient  number  of  dams  to  allow 
them  to  be  made  low  enough  to  be  "juniped"  at  high 
water.  These  arguiuents  were  ur^cd  in  arti.'les  urittcn 
for  the  newspai.ers.  and  at  town-nieelini;>  heltllortlie 


pur|K 


the 


dams  be  cut  down  to  four 
by  the  act  of  183G,  and 
company  and  the  Legi.-l 
the  supplemental  act  an 

danisare'siillerea  to  rem; 


The  Legislature  of  1840  was  appealed  to  in  printed 
jiamphlets  tor  redress.  The  result  was  that  the  Navi- 
gation Company  consented,  in  consideration  that  no 
further  reduction  of  tolls  should  be  asked  for  until 
its  existing  debts  were  paid,  nor  so  as  to  disable  divi- 
dends of  eiglit  per  cent.  ]ier  annum  from  being  made 
to  the  stockholders,  to  reiliice  the  tolls  niH.n  the  pools 
Nos.  3  and  4  on  coal  in  Hat-lioats  iuiended  to  go  down 
the  Ohio,  so  that  such  lading  could  pass  from  Browns- 
ville to  Pittsburgh  for  i?:i.4(;}  per  thousand  bushels. 


j  instead  of  S2.91  as  before,  and  the  Assembly  so  en- 
acted by  act  of  March  21,  1849. 

The  agitation  failed  to  accomplish  the  lowering  of 
the  dams,  but  a  calm  succeeded  the  lowering  of  the 
tolls  on  pools  3  and  4,  and  the  people  were  satisfied. 
The  relations  between  the  company  and  the  coal- 
owners  became  hijrmonious,  and  have  ever  since  re- 
mained so.  The  latter  found  that  their  predictions  of 
the  utter  worthlessness  of  coal  lauds  in  case  the  high 
dams  were  allowed  to  remain  were  baseless,  but  that, 
ou  the  contrary,  those  lands  were  rising  rapidly  in 
value  from  year  to  year.  This  appreciation  has  been 
continual  and  rapid,  especially  in  the  later  years, 
until  the  ])resent  time,  when  coal  lands  along  every 
part  of  the  slack-water  navigation  are  eagerly  sought 
for,  as  a  certain  source  of  wealth. 

Notwithstanding  that  the  tolls  from  freights  and 
passengers  continued  about  the  same  for  many  years, 
such  was  the  rapid  increase  of  the  coal  trade  that  at 
the  end  of  1853  the  entire  indebtedness  to  Moorhead, 
EobertsDH  &  Cn.  was  paid  :  and,  but  for  new  debts  in- 
curred in  l.s.lo  |,,r  .some  additional  rights  (S2000), 
and  a  second  lock  al  dam  -\o.  1  i  s./d^SOO),  and  in  18.53 
-54  another  lo,k  at  .lam  No.  2,  costing  about  $50,000,' 
rendered  nece--ary  to  accommodate  the  increased 
coal  trade,  and  the  extension  above  Brownsville,  the 
company  would  have  been  free  of  debt.  The  contrac- 
.tors  ibr  the  lock  at  No.  1  took  bonds  for  their  work, 
and  by  a  new  issue  of  mortgage  bonds  in  1853  ($125,- 
oiKii  the  company  was  enabled  to  pay  for  the  lock  at 
No.  1^,  carry  on  ilie  extension,  and  thus  to  pay  out  of 
the  earnings  its  lirst  cash  dividend  of  four  per  cent, 
in  .July,  1853. 

The  extension  of  the  work  above  Brownsville  hadj 
been  ]Histponeil  from  time  to  time  on  account  of  the 
low  eoiiilili(ui  ol'  the  company's  finances.  In  1848  ii 
«a-  lliou-ht  that  the  interests  of  Greene  County  and 
the  upper  i>.irt  of  bayelte  demanded  the  extension, 
I'cl'ruary  in  that  year  the  Legisla 
ulhorizing  a  new  opening  of  books 
<  bordering  on  the  river  for  sub' 
scriplions  to  the  stock  to  the  amount  of  $200,000,  to  be 
expended  ,,n  the  erection  of  locks  and  dams  abo 
llrown.-viile.  The  books  were  accordingly  opened 
but  no  subscriptions  secured.  By  the  same  act  the 
opening  of  books  in  Pittsburgh  was  authorized  foi 
suliseriptions  to  the  stock  to  pay  the  debt  incurred  on 
the  work  below  Brownsville,  in  excess  of  what  pre- 
existing stock  had  paid;  and  in  the  event  of  failure 
to  secure  such  suliseriptions,  the  company  was  author- 
ized to  .loulile  the  (  xisting  stock  and  credit  to  each 
shai'e  its  jiroiiortion  of  earnings  used  and  to  be  used  in 
paying  that  indebtedness.  Accordingly,  the  books 
haviiiu  been  opened  in  Pittsburgh  without  results. 
the  stock  was  doubled  in  1848,  bringing  the  whole 
amount  up  to  $521,000.    This,  however,  gave  no  actual 


and  on  the 
j  ture  passed 
'  in  the  five 


I  Alstons  &  H.innay  - 
small  &  Hardy  forth 


INTERNAL   I.MPKOVE.M ENTS.. 


267 


increase  to  tlie  company's  available  means.  In  the 
fall  of  1853  a  renewed  effort  to  obtain  stock  in  Fay- 
ette and  Greene  to  extend  the  work  was  determined 
upon,  and  some  additional  stock  was  subscribed  in 
Pittsburgh.  The  effort  was  earnestly  pressed,  but 
with  no  better  success  than  before. 

Notwithstanding  these  failures,  the  Legislature,  by 
act  of  Jan.  25,  1854,  made  it  imperative  upon  the 
company  to  put  locks  and  dams  Nos.  5  and  6  under 
contract,  and  have  them  completed.  No.  5  before 
June  1,  1855,  and  No.  G  before  Dec.  1,  1855.  The 
improvement  to  the  State  line  was  required  to  be 
completed  before  Dec.  1,  1857,  but  this  requirement 
was  relaxed  by  act  of  Ajjril  8,  1857,  so  as  not  to  re- 
quire No.  7  to  be  begun  until  locks  and  dams  to  carry 
the  work  from  the  State  line  to  Morgantown  should 
.be  put  under  contract,  and  with  the  completion  of 
which  No.  7  was  to  be  contemporaneous. 

In  compliance  with  the  act  of  Jan.  25,  1854,  the 
company  promptly  put  Nos.  5  and  6  under  contract. 
No.  5,  just  above  Watkins'  Bar,  two  miles  above 
Brownsville,  to  Burns  &  Ross ;  and  No.  6,  at  Rice's 
Landing,  ten  miles  farther  up,  to  Messrs.  Dull.  They 
were  constructed  at  a  cost  (including  the  raising  of 
dam  No.  4  and  some  dredging)  of  about  §200,000, 
and  were  completed  and  ready  for  use  in  November, 
1856,  thus  opening  the  slack-water  navigation  to 
Geneva. 

The  dams  are  constructed  of  logs,  squaring  at  least 
a  foot,  built  up  perpendicularly  from  the  bed  of  the 
river  to  near  the  water-level,  when  they  begin  to  slope 
on  both  sides  to  the  comb,  after  the  manner  of  an  old- 
time  log  cabin.  They  are  tied  together  by  cross-tim- 
bers parallel  with  the  line  of  the  river,  bolted  to  the 
longitudinal  timbers  so  as  to  form  a  net-work,  with 
interstices  of  seven  by  nine  feet  filled  with  stone. 
Their  breadth  at  the  base  is  about  sixty-live  I'-'ut  : 
their  depth  below  the  slopes  as  originuliy  built  is 
from  three  to  six  feet,  though  by  reason  of  breaches 
they  are  now  much  deeper  in  places.'  Dams  1  and  2 
run  straight  across  the  river.  No.  3  is  in  threestraight 
lines  of  unequal  length  (the  middle  one  two  hundred 
and  eighty  feet,  the  other  two  aggregating  about  four 
hundred  and  twenty  feet),  the  middle  one  being  at 
right  angles  with  the  channel,  the  other  slo|iing  from 
it  downwards  to  theshores,  about  twenty-two  leet  from 
the  line  of  the  middle  part.  Dam  No.  4  is  a  segment 
of  a  circle,  about  six  hundred  and  five  feet  in  length, 
curves  up  stream,  having  a  versed  sine  of  fifteen  feet. 
Dams  5  and  6  are  also  segments  of  a  circle,  with  tlie 
convex  sides  upwards,  and  are  each  about  six  liini- 
dred  feet  long.     These,  by  reason  of  their  increased 


1  It  required  more  stone  (I4,-i97  cubic  yards)  and  timber  to  repair  llio 
great  breacll  of  Ma.v,  1868,  in  dam  No.  2,  tljan  were  used  in  its  original 

is  generally  an  incompact  conglomerate  <if  ~.tu  I  ^in'!  i  .iimln.!  -civ.I 
The  breach  of  1S«  in  No.  1  required  to  Hll  it,  in  th,  l,i...i,r..  ,1  Mi 
Lothrop,  (be  engineer,  "  iin  immense  mass  ..I   tn.il.i  ;,n.l  sImi-  11, at  no 


height, — thirteen  and  a  half  and  fourteen  feet, — have 
the  longest  slopes  on  the  lower  sides.  The  others  slope 
about  equally  above  and  below,  from  three  to  four 
feet  of  slope  to  one  foot  of  rise.  They  are  sheathed 
above  with  double  courses  of  oak  plank  closely  laid, 
five  inches  thick,  spiked  to  the  timbers  and  covered 
with  gravel.  The  sheathing  below  is  of  heavy  oak 
timbers  or  spars  flattened  to  eight  inches  and  spiked 
to  the  crib  timbers.  The  dams  are  further  secured  at 
their  ends  by  high  strong  cribs  filled  with  stone,  and 
above  by  double  courses  of  heavy  sheet  piles,  driven 
vertically  into  the  bed  of  the  river  to  such  depth  as  to 
be  secure  anchorage  to  the  entire  structure.  In  some 
cases,  since  their  original  construction,  piles  have  been 
driven  in  below  vertically  and  above  slopingly.  Dam 
No.  7  will  be  on  rock,  and  will  be  otherwise  fastened. 

All  the  original  locks  are  one  hundred  and  ninety 
by  fifty  feet  in  tlie  chambers  between  the  points  or 
mitres  of  the  gates  and  the  side-walls.  The  entire 
length  of  the  walls  is  two  hundred  and  fifty-two  feet, 
and  their  height  tilj.iut  twenty-five  feet.  They  are 
ten  and  twelve  led  tliiik,  Imilt  of  heavy  blocks  of 
dressed  stone,  hiid  in  livilrtiulic  cement  and  securely 
clamped.  Except  tliose  at  Nos.  1  and  6,  which 
have  rock  bases,  they  are  built  upon  heavy  oak  tim- 
ber deeply  laid  and  covered  with  heavy  oak  plank. 
Each  of  the  old  locks  contains  over  five  thousand 
three  hundred  perches  of  stone.  The  new  ones  (put 
in  in  addition  to  the  original  ones  in  locks  Nos.  1  and 
2)  are  larger  and  eoiit:iiii  |ii'o|iortionately  more.  These 
are  twohundreil  tiii'l  IiIIn  hy  lilty-six  feet  in  the  cham- 
bers, but  built  in  oth.  r  respects  as  were  the  old  ones. 
To  show  the  facility  with  which  boats  are  passed 
through  these  locks,  the  following  quotation  is  given 
from  the  report  of  the  board  of  managers  to  the  stock- 
holders, presented  January  12th  of  the  present  year 
ilSSL'i,  viz.:  "In  twenty  hours  between  midnight  of 
tlie  17th  December  last  and  the  same  hour  of  the  en- 
suing night  there  were  passed  through  lock  No.  1 
forty-two  coal-boats,  forty-six  barges,  ten  flats,  and 
two  fuel-boats,  containing  together  an  aggregate  of 
1,661,000  bushels,  or  about  63,118  tons  of  coal.  A 
correspondingly  increased  amount  could  have  been 
passed  during  the  twenty-four  hours  had  not  the  pas- 
sage of  boats  been  suspended  during  four  hours  of 
that  day  by  the  refusal  of  the  pilots  of  some  tow-boats 
to  pass  down  below  out  of  the  way  of  the  boats  seek- 
ing to  leave  the  lock." 

"The  coal  business  on  the  Monongahela,"  says  the 
tibove-qiioted  report,  "has  increased  so  largely  in  re- 
cent yetus  that  the  pressure  for  the  passage  of  coal- 
boats  in  time  of  a  rise  of  the  river  has  become  very 
great  at  dain  No.  3,  where  there  is  only  a  single  lock. 
As  the  necessity  arose,  a  similar  difficulty  at  locks 
Nos.  1  and  2  was  relieved  by  the  construction  of  a 
second  and  enlarged  lock  at  each  of  those  points. 
The  company  has,  therefore,  in  order  to  meet  promptly 
the  demands  of  the  coal  trade  and  afford  every  facil- 
ity for  rapid  navigation,  ordered  a  new  lock,  of  larger 


268 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTP]    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


dimensions  than  any  heretofore  constructed  on  their  "The  receipts  of  the  company  from  tolls  during  the 

improvement,   to   be  built  alongside  of  the  present  past  year  [1881]  is  as  follows : 

lock  No.  3.     This  work  will  be  put  under  contract  From  coal  and  slack  .         .         .  8148,952.82 

and  completed  as  speedily  as  possible;  and  they  have  "      pQ^g 5  212.57 

it  also  in  contemplation  to  duplicate  the  lock  at  No.  "      steamboats,  freight,  etc.    .      00,366.26 

4,  also  on  an  enlarged  scale.     These  improvements  "      passengers         .                 .         2,406.45 

will  fully  accommodate,  for  many  years  to  come,  the  

still  rapidly  increasing  coal  trade  out  of  pools  Nos.  3  $216,938.10" 

and  4,  especially  when  the  formation  of  a  pool  below  Following  is  a  statement  of  the  number  of  bushels 

dam  No.  1  shall  have  been  effected.  of  coal  and  .slack  shipped  from  the  several  pools  of 

'■  The  United  States  government,  having  completed  the  Monongahela  slack-water  during  each  month  of 

lock  and  dam  No.  9,  at  Hoard's  Rock,  in  West  Vir-  ^jig  yg_.jr  1881,  viz.: 

ginia,  are   now  proceeding  with  the  construction  of  ,     ,         ^    , 

"                                                       r.i^.T,.,.  1^°"'           P°°'            1^°°'            ^°"^ 

lock  and  dam  No.  8,  near  Dunkard  s  Creek.     It  this  Months.           No.  i.        No.  2.        No.  3.        No.  4.      Toui. 

work  were  completed  it  would  only  require  tlie  crcr-  ■['■''""JJ";. ''ll'"!"!  " V'|"'"'''     ■,'''','^"!'      -!"''"!     '''■'''!'|''-ill* 

tion  of  lock  and  dam  No.  7  by  this  company  ti>liii^  mu.!,   '  '                                      ,    ,  ■  .no 

nish  a  slack-water  navigation  between  Pittsburgh  ami  .m,,j ..   ';,  .  .  .  1      ,        '  t  ;    .     ,    i^             1    ,i»io 

Morgantown,  in  West  Virginia,  a  total   distance  ol  !hliy., .!!!!;!!;!.;;. ..    ^^l.v'.i.n  i    ;          '  '■:  -       1    ,    '-     .     ]''hiu 

one  hundred  and  two  miles.  Se'^emiitr ""' '       .                                         'lino 

"  This  company  has  accordingly  entered  into  a  con-  ii.tobcr y.y _  ■;           .,    ..          _  ,1            i:,:.ocp 

tract  with  Messrs.  Harrold  &  McDonald  for  the  ini-  i)eceniber..!!!!!!!!!   ijHicoo  o!44;^cioo   2i5'.iu;:;(io   ■■iaiV.scKj   i3ijssl4oo 

mediateerectioDof  lock  and  dam  No.  7,  which,  unless  j^,„, 8,713,200  47,944,500  i4,U8,soo  i5.i48,ioo   S6,2o4,6co 

the  season  should  prove  so  unfavorable  as  to  prevent  ^,          ,        ,.  ,     ,       ,        ,     ,        ,       .     ,„„, 

...  ,               1  i  J    1     •       »u                t                n-  The   coke   shipments   by  the  slack-water   in  1881 

It,  will  be  completed  during  the  present  vear.     \\  c  ,         ,              .  ,,'  •' 

,  ,     ^,        ,;         .                 -.  1  J.              t"    1  1    1  1  liave  been  as  follows : 
are  able,  therefore,  to  congratulate  our  stockholdeis 

,      ,  ,  ,.  ,1  ,       !■   ,,  ,  Bushels— from  Pool  No.  1 134.500 

and  the  public  on  the  near  prospect  ot  the  coinple-  ■'         "       ■■     ■•   .2 3,:i3oiooo 

tion  of  this  important  work,  which  will  prove  of  great  "         "      "     '.[  ^. 2*9000 

value  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  Monongahela  Valley,  t     i  •  ~ 

and  will,  we  doubt  not,  open  a  market  for  the  iron 

ores,  coal,  and  lumber  of  that  region  of  country,  and  This  gives  a  total  of  ninety  million  thirty-five 
aflbrd  an  avenue  of  trade  and  commerce  of  incalcu-  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty  bushels  of  coal, 
hible  importance.  It  will,  moreover,  remove  the  ob-  coke,  and  slack  shipped  from  the  several  pools  of  the 
struction  to  the  navigation  of  the  upper  Monongahela  Monongahela  Navigation  Company  in  the  year  1881, 
which  has  existed  ever  since  the  erection  of  lock  and  which  is  a  total  increase  of  a  little  more  than  six  hun- 
daiu  No.  9  by  the  government.  dred  and  fifty  thousand  bushels  over  the  business  of 

".The  erection  of  lock  and  dam  No.  7,  which,  as  '  1880.  The  passenger  business  of  1881  was  but  little 
before  stated,  is  expected  to  be  completed  during  the  more  than  one-third  that  of  the  preceding  year,  this 
present  year,  by  connecting:  with  the  government  work  being  due  to  the  opening  of  the  railroad  from  We.st 
now  iiartly  in  pr.H-es<  nf  ,nn-tiiKti<iii  an. I  purtly  rcni-      Brownsville  to  Pittsburgh  in  the  spring  of  1881.     The 

decrea,se  will  of  course  continue,  and  grow  more  marked 
as  the  railroads  now  in  process  of  construction  pen- 
etrate southward  to  West  Virginia.  But  the  passen- 
ger trade  is  an  item  of  small  and  ever-lessening  com- 
parative importance  to  the  navigation  of  the  river. 
The  natural  resources  of  the  country  furnish  its  main 
busine.ss,  and  this  will  be  the  case  in  the  future  even 
more  than  it  is  at  present. 

The  works  of  the  Navigation  Company,  when  com- 
pleted to  the  State  line,  will  extend  upon  less  than 
half  of  the  improvable  length  of  the  Monongahela 
River.  It  rises  in  the  western  slopes  of  that  high 
cluster  of  mountains  which  now  form  the  border 
lands  of  Virginia  and  West  Virginia,  and  in  which 
the  James,  the  Kanawha,  the  Shenandoah,  and  the 
Cheat  have  their  sources.  Its  longest  branch  is  the 
Tygart's  Valley   River,    which    rises    in    Randolph 

County,  on  which  are  Beverly,  Philippi,  and  Graf- 

115,450.20     ton,  and  an  important  affluent  of.which  is  the  Buck- 
hannon  River,  whicli  rises  in  Upshur  Countv,  and  on 


its  charter,  and  furnish  a  complete  slack  water  navi- 
gation not  only  iiii  to  but  beyond  the  limit  of  the 
Virginia  State  line.  This  work,  when  eompleteil,  will 
furnish  on  the  Monongahela  River  the  longest  reach 
of  slack-water  steamboat  navigation  in  the  United 
States,  if  not  in  the  world.  ..." 

work,  loek  and  dan,  No.  7,  to-etlier  with  the  new  locks 
at  dams  Nos.  W  and  4.  will  require  an  expenditure  of 
over  four  hundred  thousand  dollars,  which  must  be 
provided  for,  either  by  an  increase  of  the  bonded  debt 
or  of  the  capital  stock  of  the  company.  .  .  . 

"  The  amount  heretofore  charged  on  the  books  of 
the  company  to  the  account  of  con- 
struction is $1,120,100.20 

While  tlie  total  caiiital  stock  is  onlv  .    1,004,650.00 


Leaving  the  sum  of     . 
Inch  is  not  represented  by  stock. 


INTERNAL   IMPROVEMENTS. 


which  is  the  thriving  town  ot  Unckliimonu,  which  as- 
pired to  be  the  capital  of  the  new  State.     Its  other 
chief  branch,  and  that  which  is  considered  the  Mo- 
nongahela  proper,  is  the  West  Fork,  which  rises  also 
in   Upshur   County,  and   on  which    are  Weston,  in 
Lewis  County,  and  Clarksburg,  in  Harrison  County. 
These  two  great  branches  unite  near  Fairmount,  in 
Marion  Count)',  some  thirty  miles  above  Morgantowu. 
At  present  the  effort  in  West  Virginia  is  to  carry  the 
1    improvements  to  that  place,  where  it  will   intersect 
the  Wheeling  branch  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Rail- 
I    road.     Ultimately  it  may  be  extended  to  Clarksburg, 
i    some  ninety  miles  from  the  State  line,  and  even  to 
I    Weston,   some  forty   or   fifty  miles   farther.     All  of 
I    these  branches  drain  a  fertile  but  hilly  country,  and 
I    are  without  any  great  falls  to  break  the  continuity 
,    of  their  navigation.     Their  borders  are  rich  in  ores 
1    and  minerals,  and  in  forests  of  some  of  the  finest  tim- 
'.    ber  in  the  nation. 

j        The  mineral  treasures  lying  hidden  beneath  the 
I    everlasting   hills   of   the   Monongahela,  and   as   yet 
j    hardly  beginning  to  be  developed,  will  sustain  and 
I    swell  the  navigation  of  the  river,  and  bring  surpass- 
[    ing  prosperity  to  its  valley.     The  Monongahela  im- 
provement, which,  as  its  opponents  forty  years  ago 
prophesied,  was  to  render  the  coal  lands  of  the  upper 
river  worthless,  has,  instead,  been  largely,  if  not  prin- 
cipally, instrumental  in  making  them  accessible,  en- 
hancing their  value  far  beyond  the  wildest  dreams  of 
that  day,  and  making  their  owners  wealthy.     While 
accomplishing  this,  after  years  of  disaster  and  dis- 
couragement,   the    Navigation    Company    has    also 
achieved  success  for  itself,  and  its  present  prosperity 
is  certainly  well  merited. 

This  gratifying  result  is  due  in  a  very  great  degree 
to  the  energy,  vigilance,  and  wise  management  of  the 
president  of  the  company,  the  Hon.  James  K.  Moor- 
liead.  "  It  is  no  detraction,"  says  Judge  Veech,  "  from 
the  fortitude  and  faith  of  his  departed  predecessors, 
who  led  it  through  the  perils  of  its  early  history,  to 
say  that  he  had  much  to  do  in  the  inauguration  of  the 
plan  which  extricated  it  from  those  perils.  Inti- 
mately and  practically  acquainted  with  the  construc- 
tion, preservation,  and  management  of  its  works  from 
the  beginning,  it  is  not  enough  to  say  of  him  that  his 
large  interests  in  it  have  been  the  motive  of  his  care, 
for  he  has  ever  shown  a  generous  regard  for  the  inter- 
ests of  all  who  have  rights  in  its  uses  and  revenues. 
Is  a  defect  in  its  laws  to  be  remedied,  or  a  wrong  to  be 
redressed  requiring  legislation '?  He  procures  it  to  be 
done.  Is  a  repair  needed?  He  goes  right  to  it,  lead- 
ing his  efficient  corps  of  subordinates,  into  whom  he 
transfuses  his  spirit.  Are  tolls  to  be  modified  and  in- 
creased facilities  for  the  safe  and  steady  use  of  the 
navigation  to  be  made  ?  He  invokes  the  counsel  and 
co-operation  of  the  managers,  and  they  are  made  ac- 
cordingly. Indeed,  so  completely  has  he  become 
identified  with  the  'slack-water'  that  it  has  given  to 
him  his  must  famfliur  sobriquet."     His  predecessors 


in  the  presidency  of  the  company  were  James  Clarke, 
elected  at  the  organization,  in  February,  1837,  and 
held  till  October,  1840 ;  Thomas  Bakewell,  pro  tem- 
pore, from  October,  1840,  to  January,  1841,  then  elec- 
ted and  held  till  the  following  October;  William  Eich- 

1  baum,  pro  tempore,  from  October,  1841,  to  January, 

[  1842,  then  elected  and  held  till  January,  1844;  Sam- 
uel R.  Johnston,  January,  1844,  to  January,  1845; 
John  B.  Butler,  January,  1845,  to  July,  1846,  when 
he  entered  the  army  as  paymaster  in  the  Mexican 
war.  Mr.  Moorhead  succeeded  him  as  president  pro 
tempore,  holding  till  January,  1847,  when  he  was  elec- 
ted, and  has  held  the  office  of  president  of  the  com- 
pany from  that  time  continuously  for  more  than 
thirty-five  years.  The  present  officers  of  the  Monon- 
gahela Navigation  Company  are : 
President,  J.  K.  Moorhead. 
Secretary  and  Treasurer,  Wm.  Bakewell. 

[      Managers,  John  Harper,  Felix  R.  Brunot,  M.  K. 

I  Moorhead,  N.  B.  Hogg,  Wm.  Morrison,  J.  B.  Mur- 
doch, Alexander  Bradley,  J.  B.  Sweitzer,  Joseph  Al- 
bree,  A.  C.  Bakewell. 

Steamboat  navigation  on  the  Monongahela  was 
j  commenced  in  the  year  1814,  when  the  "Enterprise," 
I  which  had  been  built  at  Bridgeport  by  Daniel  French 
and  others,  left  that  place  under  command  of  Henry 
M.  Shreve,  and  passed  down  the  Monongahela,  Ohio, 
and  Mississippi  Rivers  to  New  Orleans,  being  the  first 
boat  that  ever  made  the  trip  from  Pittsburgh  to  that 
j  city  and  return.  The  "  Dispatch"  was  also  built  at 
Bridgeport  by  the  same  parties,  and  went  down  the 
Monongahela  and  Ohio  not  long  after  the  "  Enter- 
I  prise."  During  the  thirty  years  that  succeeded  the 
building  of  these  two  boats,  before  the  opening  of  the 
slack-water  from  Pittsburgh  to  Brownsville,  the  Mo- 
nongahela was  navigated  in  the  times  of  high  water 
by  a  multitude  of  steamboats,  of  which  it  is  imprac- 
ticable to  give  the  names,  or  any  connected  account. 
The  first  regular  line  boat  that  ran  upon  the  Mo- 
nongahela slack-water  alter  its  completion  between 
Brownsville  and  Pittsburgh,  was  the  side-wheeler 
"  Louis  McLane,"  so  named  for  the  first  president  of 
the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad.  With  her,  on  al- 
ternate days,  ran  the  "  Consul,"  also  a  side-wheeler. 
Both  these  boats  were  regardeil  as  fast,  the  "  McLane" 
being  the  more  so  of  the  two.  After  about  four  years' 
service  she  was  dismantled  at  Brownsville,  and  parts 
of  her  used  in  the  building  of  the  Pittsburgh  and 
Wheeling  packet  "  Diurnal." 

The  two  line  boats  above  mentioned  were  succeeded 
by  the  "Atlantic"  aud  "Baltic,"  which  were  both 
very  fast  boats.  They  came  out  in  1849.  After  three 
i  or  four  years'  service  the  "  Baltic"  was  dismantled  at 
Bridgeport,  and  the  other  was  put  in  use  as  a  tow- 
boat.  After  a  time  she  too  was  demolished,  and  her  ma- 
terial used  in  building  the  stern-wheeler  "  Hercules." 
The  "  Baltic"  and  "  Atlantic"  were  succeeded  in  the 
line  bv  the  "  Luzerne"  and  "Jefferson."     While  the 


270 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


former  was  buiidiiij;.  in  ]S')2,  the  flood  carried  the 
hull  off  the  ways  and  over  the  dams.  It  was  caught 
at  McKeesport,  and  towed  into  the  Youghiogheny, 
where  it  was  comiileted.  The  "  .Teflerson"  was  built 
at  McKeesport,  and  after  her  tour  of  duty  on  the 
slack-water  was  dismantled  at  lirowusville.  The 
"Luzerne"  was  taken  to  the  Mi,--is-i|.]M,  where  she 
ran  between  Eock  Island  and  Oaliiia,  111.,  and  was 
finally  snagged  near  the  Iowa  slioie,  above  Lyons. 
About  1854  the  "Redstone"  was  built  by  John  S. 
Pringle,  now  of  West  Brownsville.  She  was  put  on 
the  line,  but  ran  only  a  few  months,  when  she  was 
sold  to  go  in  the  lower  Ohio  River  trade ;  but  her 
career  was  ended  soon  afterwards,  by  the  explosion  of 
her  boilers  near  Carrollton,  Ky. 

The  "Telegraph,"  built  at  California  by  McFall, 
ran  on  the  line  for  about  twelve  years,  and  was  ac- 
counted a  "  lucky"  boat.  After  her  long  career  on 
the  slack-water  she  was  dismantled  at  Brownsville. 
Some  of  her  machinery  was  put  in  the  "Scotia,"  re- 
cently built  for  the  Ohio.  The  "Geneva,"  stirn- 
wheeler,  ran  on  the  line  for  a  short  time  .ibout  b^oo. 
The  "Dunbar"  w.as  built  by  John  S.  I'ringlr  aliout 
1S.-,'.I  for  the  Monongahela  trade,  but  being  a  little 
too  huQC  to  jiass  the  locks  conveniently,  was  sold  to 
run  on  the  lower  <  )hio  and  Tennessee  Rivers.  At 
the  commencement  of  the  war  of  1801-65  she  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  Confederates.  After  the  fall 
of  Fort  Henry  she  with  several  other  boats  was 
chased  up  the  Tennessee  by  the  United  Static  gun- 
boats "Lexington,"  '■  Conestoga,"  and  "  Tyb  r."  .-^hr 
passed  Pittsburg  Landing  and  Eastport,  and  a  short 
distance  above  the  lattiT.  rs,-;iped  h.-r  pursuers  l>y  run- 
ning up  a  rrerk  which  was  too  shoal  (or  the  Federal 
gunboats  to  folb.w.  I'.ul  sh.'  left  her  bones  there,  for 
the  water  fallin-sbr  was  unable  to  uvt  ba.'k  to  the 
river,  an.l   was  dismantled   bv   tb,-  Conlrd,. rales,  who 


took   her   maehinery   overla 

id   to  the  Clialtaliooehie 

River,  where  it  was  used  in 

in..ther  boat. 

Among  the  later  boats  ru 

ningon  the  line  between 

Pittsburgh   and   New   Gene 

va   there  have  been  the 

"Franklin,"    the    "  Gallati 

1,"    the    "Fayette,"    the 

"  Elisha  Bennett,"  "  Chieftain,"  "  Elector,"  and  the 
present  boats  of  the  Geneva  line, — the  "  John  Snow- 
don,"  "Geneva,"  and  "Germania."  The  "Franklin" 
and  "  Gallatin"  ran  together  on  the  line  for  a  few 
vrars,  after  which  s.'rviee  the  "  Gallatin"  was  sold  to 
run  as  a  ferry-boat  brtwi m  .Ar<'niphis,  Tenn.,  and  the 
.\rkausas  shore  of  tlir  Mi-MsMppi.  and  the  "Frank- 
being  phi'-.d  in  Iho  '•(;,. iirva,"  whirh  is  >lill  on  Ihr 
line.  The  'M-ayrlte,'-  whi.-h  was  built  al  I'.rowns- 
ville,  was  one  of  the  finest  boats  ever  running  on  the 
Monongahela,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  smecssful. 
She  was  sold  to  go  in  the  lower  Ohio  Itiver  trade, 
between  Cairo,  111.,  and  Evansville,  Ind.  The  career 
of  the  "Elisha  Bennett"  was  disastrous,  ending  in 
her  total  loss  in  1878.  She  was  carried  away  from 
her  wharf  at  Brownsville,  in  the  night,  by  flood  and 


I  ice,  and  crushed  at  dam  No.  4.  The  "  Chieftain" 
met  the  same  fate  at  the  same  time.  This  last-named 
boat  and  the  "  Elector"  were  not  put  on  the  river  to 
run  in  the  regular  Geneva  line,  but  in  the  "  People's 
Line,"  an  opposition  which  was  put  on  about  1867. 
This  line  was  discontinued  by  their  boats  being  pur- 
chased by  the  other  company  and  run  as  boats  of  the 
regular  line. 

I      The  "  Pittsburgh,  Brownsville  and  Geneva  Packet 

j  Company"  was  incorporated  under  an  act  of  Assem- 
bly passed  Feb.  21,  1868,  with  a  capital  of  $150,000, 
and  authority  to  increase  to  8300,000.  The  corpora- 
tors named  in  the  act  were  "  Benjamin  Coursin,  John 
J.  House,  Mark  Boreland,  William  Britten,  Clark 
Breading,  Samuel  H.  Smith,  Joseph  G.  Ritchie,  and 
their  associates,"  the  object  for  which  the  company 
was  incorporated  being  to  run  steamers  for  the  carry- 
ing of  passengers  and  freight  on  the  Monongahela 

!  River,  which,  however,  they  had  been  doing  for  years 
before  the  incorporation,  tliis  being  the  legalization, 
l.iut  not  the  commencement,  of  the  enterprise.  The 
first  president  of  the  Company  was  J.  K.  Moorhead, 
who  was  succeeded  by  George  W.  Cass,  and  he  by 
Adam  .Taeobs.  Nearly  all  the  steamers  already  men- 
tioned as  having  run  on  the  .Monongahela  were  of  this 
line.  Thcpresenl  lioats  of  the  company  making  daily 
trips  each  way  between  Pittsburgh  and  New  Geneva 
are   the   "Jidin   Snowdon,"    "Geneva,"    and   "Ger- 

!  mania."  The  "Snowdon,"  an  old  boat,  is  soon  to  be 
■  lisplaird  by  file  new  and  si)lendid  steamer  "James 
(1.  J'.hiiiH."  rrcently  built  by  Capt.  Adam  Jacobs, 
who.~r  lioat-vard  and  residence  is  on  his  estate  of  "  East 
Riverside,"  in  Luzerne  township,  Fayette  County. 

The  present  (1881)  officers  of  the  packet  company 
are:    Jlanagers,  Adam    Jacobs,  president;    Isaac  C. 

W Iward.  Charles  E.  S].e:ir,   Benjamin  F.  Coursin, 

H.  i;.  Co.k,  William  I'arkhill,  George  E.  Hogg;  Sec- 
retary and  Treasurer,  IL  W.  Robinson. 

For  the  Youghiogheny  River  during  the  p.ast  half- 

l  century,  various  projects  of  improvement  have  been 

[  conceived,  and  some  attempts  made  to  put  them  in 

I  execution,  with  partial  though  temporary  success  as 

to  the  lower  end  of  the  river,  but  with  no  results  of 

actual  improvement  within   the  county  of  Fayette. 

The  schemes  of   Youghiogheny  improvement   were 

started  in  the  times  when  ]ieople  knew  little  or  noth- 

iiiL!-  of  the  advantages  of  railroad  communication,  and 

bilii  \,.(1.  or  nied  to  believe,  that  every  mill-stream  in 

the  cunntry  rould   be  made  a  navigable  water-way  to 

l.rin-   \M:illh    to  the  iidiabitants,  and  importance  to 

That  the  idea  of  making  tlie  Youghiogheny  a  navi- 
gable stream  was  entertained  at  least  as  early  as  1816 
is  shown  by  the  fact  that  in  thatyearan  act  of  Assembly 
was  passed  incorporating  "  The  Youghiogheny  Navi- 
gation Company."  It  afterwards  appeared  that  the 
promoters  of  thiscompany  had  no  intention  of  making 
improvements  on  the  river,  but 


used  the  name 


INTERNAL   IMPROVEMENTS. 


271 


to  secure  a  charter  (which  could  not  otherwise  have 
been  obtained)  in  which  was  skillfully  incorporated  a 
section  giving  them  power  and  authority  to  carry  on  a 
banking  business  in  Connellsville.  The  fact  that  the 
name  of  "  Navigation  Company"  was  used  for  the  pur- 
pose shows  the  idea  of  river  improvement  was  popu- 
lar among  the  people  at  that  time.  In  1821  "  an  act 
for  the  improvement  of  the  State"»was  passed  (ap- 
proved March  2Gth),  by  a  section  of  which  the  sum 
of  i^oOOO  was  appropriated,  to  be  expended,  under 
the  direction  of  William  L.  Miller,  Samuel  Rankin, 
and  Alexander  Plummer,  for  the  improvement  of  the 
Youghiogheny.  This  sum  was  expended  by  the 
commissioners  for  the  purposes  indicated,  and  work 
was  done  as  far  up  the  river  as  Connellsville,  but  with 
little  benefit  to  the  navigation  of  the  stream. 

In  1841  the  Connellsville  and  West  Newton  Navi- 
gation Company  was  incorporated  under  an  act  ap- 
proved April  30th  of  that  year,  which  provided  and 
declared. that  "  the  said  company  shall  have  power  to 
make  and  complete  a  lock  navigation  from  the  town 
of  West  Newton,  in  the  county  of  Westmoreland,  to 
the  west  end  of  Main  or  Spring  Street,  in  the  borough 
of  Connellsville,  in  the  county  of  Fayette,  and  on  the 
Youghiogheny  River."  The  capital  stock  was  placed 
at  six  hundred  shares  of  fifty  dollars  each,  with  power 
to  increase  to  four  thousand  shares.  The  commis- 
sioners appointed  to  receive  subscriptions  to  the  stock 
were  Thomas  R.  Davidson,  George  J.  Ashman,  John 
McBurney,  William  R.  Turner,  John  Smilie,  Robert 
Bleakley,  Daniel  Kaine,  Noble  C.  McCormick,  and 
James  Francis,  of  Fayette  County ;  John  C.  Plum- 
mer, J.  B.  Oliver,  Joseph*  Budd,  Bela  Smith,  Elias 
Porter,  Daniel  Hoge,  John  Boyd,  John   Frick,  and 

Shellenberger,  of  Westmoreland,  and  William 

L.  Miller,  of  Allegheny  County.  The  company  was 
required  to  commence  the  work  within  two  years  and 
complete  it  within  five  years  from  the  passage  of  the 
act. 

The  Youghiogheny  Navigation  Company  was  in- 
corporated in  1843,  under  an  act  passed  for  that  pur- 
pose, approved  April  18th  in  that  year.  The  com- 
missioners appointed  by  the  act  to  receive  subscrip- 
tions to  the  stock  of  the  company  were  James  Bell, 
Alexander  Plummer,  Adam  Coon,  Moses  Robins, 
Joseph  Markle,  John  Klingeiismitb,  Jr.,  Joseph  Lip- 
pincott,  Joseph  Gurty,  Henry  Null,  John  D.  Davis, 
and  James  May.  The  capital  stock  of  the  company 
was  thirty  thousand  dollars  in  six  hundred  shares  of 
fifty  dollars  each ;  the  power  and  authority  granted 
being  the  construction  of  a  lock  navigation  from  the 
mouth  of  the  river  to  the  borough  of  West  Newton. 

Nothing  of  importance  or  permanent  value  to  the 
navigation  of  the  Youghiogheny  was  done  by  either 
of  the  above-mentioned  companies,  though  the  last- 
named  company  did  complete  their  improvement  from 
the  mouth  to  West  Newton,  eighteen  miles.  Two 
dams  were  built,  under  supervision  of  their  engineer, 
James  E.   Dav,  and  the  slack-water  iiavi'Mtitin   was 


formally  opened  to  West  Newton  by  a  celebration  on 
the  7th  of  November,  1850.  The  result,  however, 
showed  that  the  engineer  had  miscalculated  the 
mighty  power  of  the  floods  and  ice  in  that  river,  or 
that  the  dams  were  too  high  or  defectively  con.structed. 
They  lasted  only  a  little  over  fourteen  years,  with 
long  intervals  of  uselessness  for  lack  of  repair,  and 
the  great  ice  flood  of  January,  1865,  put  an  end  to 
them.  They  are  now  in  ruin,  and  the  charter  of  the 
company  extinct. 

In  recent  years  (1874  and  1875)  surveys  of  the  river 
were  made  by  parties  under  charge  of  Maj.  W.  E. 
Merrill,  who,  in  his  report,  January,  1881,  said,  "The 
whole  of  this  distance  has  already  been  covered  by 
surveys  made  under  my  direction  in  past  years.  The 
survey  from  McKeesport  to  West  Newton,  nineteen 
miles,  was  made  by  Lieut.  F.  A.  Maham's  corps  of 
engineers  in  1874.  The  survey  from  West  Newton  to 
Connellsville,  a  distance  of  twenty-five  and  a  half 
miles,  was  made  in  1875  by  my  assistant,  Capt.  T.  S. 
Sedgwick,  as  a  part  of  the  survey  for  the  extension  of 
the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  Canal  from  Cumberland  to 
Pittsburgh."  The  report  gives  the  total  fall  of  the 
river  from  Connellsville  to  McKeesport  (ibrty-four 
and  one-third  miles)  as  one  hundred  and  forty-eight 
feet,  requiring  fifteen  dams  of  ten  feet  lift  each. 

The  proposition  to  extend  the  Chesapeake  and 
Ohio  Canal  from  Cumberland  to  Pittsburgh,  as  no- 
ticed in  the  extract  given  above  from  Maj.  Merrill's 
report,  has  been  under  consideration  from  the  time 
when  the  first  surveys  were  made  for  that  work.  In- 
deed, it  appears  that  the  idea  was  first  entertained  by 
Gen.  Washington,  who,  immediately  after  the  close 
of  the  Revolutionary  war,  made  extended  journeys 
on  horseback,  examining  the  routes  which  were  after- 
wards taken  by  the  Erie  Canal  of  New  York,  by  the 
Pennsylvania  canals  along  the  Conemaugh  and  Ju- 
niata, and  by  the  James  River  Canal  in  Virginia,  also 
examining  the  country  from  the  Potomac  near  Cum- 
berland, across  the  summit,  by  way  of  Castleman's 
River,  to  the  Youghiogheny  at  Turkey  Foot,  and 
pronouncing  the  last-named  route  to  be  the  best  of  all. 
Forty-five  years  later  (about  1830)  the  same  route  was 
surveyed  for  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  Canal  by  Gen. 
Bernard,  assisted  by  Lieut.-Col.  Totten,  of  the  United 
States  Topographical  Engineers,  and  John  L.  Sulli- 
van, a  distinguished  civil  engineer  of  Massachusetts. 
Gen.  Bernard  had  been  an  aide-de-camp  to  the  Em- 
jM'ior  Xapdloon,  and  afterwards  Minister  of  War  to 
Loui,  l'l,,l,,.,,o,  King  of  the  French.  He  had  sur- 
veyed the  nmtc  of  the  canal  from  Georgetown,  D.  C, 
to  Cumberland,  and  estimated  the  cost  at  $8,177,081. 
The  actual  cost  was  .§11,071,176.  His  survey  of  the 
proposed  extension  from  Cumberland  to  the  Ohio  at 
Pittsburgh  showed  in  the  seventy  miles  from  Cum- 
berland over  the  summit,  and  by  Castleman's  River 
to  the  Youghiogheny,  an  ascent  and  descent  of  1961 
feet,  to  be  overcome  by  two  hundred  and   fortv-six 


HISTOKY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


locks,  the  eutire  cost  of  this  section  of  the  work  being 
estimated  at  $10,028,122.  From  the  mouth  of  Castle- 
man's  River,  by  way  of  the  Youghiogheny  and  Mo- 
nongahela  Rivers,  to  Pittsburgh,  the  fall  was  found  to 
be  six  hundred  and  nineteen  feet,  necessitating  the 
construction  of  seventy-eight  locks.  The  estimated 
cost  of  this  division  of  the  work  was  $4,170,223. 
Total  estimated  cost  of  canal  and  slack-water  be- 
tween Cumberland  and  Pittsburgh,  $14,198,345.  To- 
tal length  of  way,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty-five 
miles,  and  whole  number  of  locks,  three  hundred 
and  twenty-four.  Gen.  Bernard  estimated  that  the 
opening  of  this  canal  lietween  Cumberland  and 
Pittsburgh  would,  within  six  years  from  the  time  of 
its  completion,  enhance  the  value  of  lands  along  its 
route  to  the  amount  of  eighty-two  millions  of  dollars. 
But  the  estimated  cost  of  the  work  was  too  appalling, 
and  the  enterprise  w^as  abandoned,  thouL'h  some  other 
surveys  were  made  after  that  time,  iiuludiiiLr  tli'i>e 
made  under  direction  of  Maj.  Merrill,  as  uhvady  no- 
ticed. The  old  canal  and  slack-water  project  lias  even 
yet  some  adherents;  but  this  is  an  age  of  railways, 
and  the  opening  of  the  well-equipped  and  substantial 
line  between  Pittsburgh  and  Cumberland  in  1871  ex- 
tinguished forever  all  hope  for  the  construction  of  a 
canal  to  connect  the  waters  of  tlie  Potomac  and 
Youghioghenv. 


!AILli 


).AIiS. 


The  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  Company  was  the 
first  corporation  which  made  any  actual  movcnu-nt 
towards  the  construction  of  a  railway  line  tliroiigh 
the  valleys  of  the  Youghioglu^ny  and  .Monongalicla 
Rivers.  That  company  having  been  incorporated  by 
the  Legislature  of  Maryland  at  their  December  ses- 
sion in  the  year  182(5,  applied  to  the  General  Assem- 
bly of  Pennsylvania  for  authority  to  construct  their 
road  through  this  State  to  or  towards  a  terminus  on 
the  Ohio.  To  this  petition  the  Assembly  resjionded 
by  the  passage  of  "An  Act  to  authori/A' the  Baltimore 
and  Oliio  Railroad  Company  to  const  nict  a  railroad 
through  Pennsylvania,  in  a  diri'Ction  Iroin  Baltimore 
to-  the  Ohio  River."  The  act  recited  in  its  pre- 
amble, that  "it  is  in  accordance  with  that  liberal 
course  of  policy  which  has  ever  been  pursued  by  tliis 
Commonwealth  to  promote  the  facility  of  trade  and 
intercourse  between  the  citizens  of  Pennsylvania  and 
the  citizens  of  her  sister  .States,  and  no  doubt  is  en- 
tertained but  the  same  motives  ol  policy  will  iiovcin 
the  State  of  Maryland,  should  an  application  at  any 
time  hereafter  be  made  by  the  government  of  this 
State  for  leave  to  intersect  the  said  railroad  in  the 
State  of  Maryland  by  the  construction  of  a  railroad 
by  the  State  of  I'cnnsylvania,  or  any  company  which 
may  by  law  be  incrporated  lor  such  pur|iosc."  The 
company  was  re^iuired  to  complete  its  road  in  Penn- 
sylvania within  fifteen  years  from  the  passage  of  the 
act,  otherwise  the  act  to  be  void  and  of  no  effect. 

The  time  when  the  company  commenced  making 
surveys  in  Pennsvlvania  under  authoritv  of  this  act 


is  not  known,  but  the  fact  that  the  engineers  of  the 
Baltimore  and  Ohio  Company  were  engaged  in  pre- 
liminary surveys  in  this  region  as  early  as  1835,  for 
the  purpose  of  securing  a  line  of  communication 
'  through  to  Pittsburgh  or  other  point  on  the  Ohio,  is 
noticed  in  the  report  (found  in  the  newspapers  of  that 
time)  of  a  "  Great  Railroad  Meeting,"  held  at  Browns- 
ville on  the  3d  o^  November  in  the  year  named,  "  to 
promote  the  immediate  construction  of  a  railroad  be- 
tween Cumberland  and  Brownsville,  and  thence  to 
Wheeling  and  Pittsburgh,"  at  which  it  was  announced 
that  the  chief  engineer  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
Company  had  made  an  examination  of  this  section 
of  country,  and  had  made  his  report  to  the  effect  that 
a  railroad  could  be  constructed  between  the  places 
mentioned  "  without  the  use  of  any  inclined  plane." 

The  chairman  of  the  meeting  referred  to,  was  George 
Hogg ;  Vice-Presidents,  David  Binns  and  Michael 
Lewis ;  Se<.Tetaries,  G.  H.  Bowman  and  John  L.  Daw- 
son ;  Committee  to  Draft  Resolutions,  James  L,  Bow- 
man, George  Dawson,  Robert  Clarke,  Jonathan  Binns, 
Jr.,  and  John  Snowdon,  Jr.  The  meeting  resolved 
that  it  was  expedient  to  hold  a  railroad  convention  at 
Brownsville  on  Thursday,  the  25th  of  the  same  month, 
to  be  composed  of  delegates  from  the  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, and  from  towns,  cities,  and  counties  feeling 
an  interest  in  the  enterprise.  No  report  of  such  a 
convention  has  been  found,  nor  does  it  appear  that 
any  further  public  action  was  taken  in  the  premises 
It  is  evident  that  the  Brownsville  meeting  of  Novem- 
ber 3d  did  not  convene  for  the  purpose  of  adopting  or 
considering  any  definite  plan  of  action,  but  merely  to 
express  in  general  terms  approval  of  the  project  of  a 
railroad  line  from  the  Potomac  to  the  Ohio  by  way  of 
Brownsville. 

The  examination  of  this  section  of  country  by  the 
chief  engineer  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad 
Company  (Jonathan  Knight,  Esq.,  of  Washington 
County,  Pa.)  was  quickly  followed  by  preliminary 
surveys,  made  with  a  view  to  find  and  determine  on 
a  practicable  route  for  a  railroad  from  Cumberland  to 
the  Ohio,  These  surveys  were  made  in  1836  to  1838, 
and  in  tliat  jiarlof  the  projected  route  passing  through 
Fayette  County  were  located  on  the  southwest  side 
of  the  Youghiogheny  River,  the  route  along  the  op- 
posite side,  where  the  present  railroad  runs,  appa- 
rently being  at  that  time  regarded  as  impracticable. 
Crossing  Fayette  County  and  the  Monongahela  River 
at  Brownsville,  the  route  was  surveyed  thence  into  the 
valley  of  Ten-Mile  Creek,  and  up  that  valley  to  its 
head  ;  from  that  point,  crossing  the  dividing  ridge  to- 
Templeton  Run,  it  passed  down  the  valleys  of  that 
stream  and  Wheeling  Creek  to  the  Ohio  at  Wheeling.* 
Leaving  the  proposed  main  line  near  the  crossing  of 
the  Monongahela,  a  branch  road  wassurveyedto  Pitts- 
burgh,  in   accordance  with  the   requirement  of  the 

coMsi.lered  the  most  liractirable,  iiii.l  which  was  adopti-il  l.y  Cliief  Engi- 
neer Kniglit. 


INTERNAL   IMPROVEMENTS. 


273 


ninth  section  of  the  act  of  Feb.  27, 1828,  viz. :  "  That, 
as  a  condition  on  which  this  act  is  granted,  it  shall  be 
the  duty  of  the  said  company,  in  case  the  railroad 
aforesaid,  made  in  this  commonwealth  in  pursuance 
of  this  act,  shall  not  terminate  at  the  Ohio  Kiver  in 
the  vicinity  of  Pittsburgh,  to  construct  a  lateral  rail- 
road simultaneously,  on  the  same  principles  and  plans 
of  the  main  railroad,  and  which  shall  connect  the  city 
of  Pittsburgh  with  the  main  railroad." 

The  preparations  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Com- 
pany for  the  construction  of  a  railroad  through  Som- 
erset, Fayette,  and  Washington  Counties  embraced 
not  only  the  making  of  elaborate  surveys,  but  also 
the  purchase  of  the  right  of  way  from  a  great  number 
of  land-owners,  no  less  than  one  hundred  and  nine- 
teen such  deeds  being  recorded  by  them  in  Fayette 
County  in  the  year  1838.  But  at  that  time  the  atten- 
tion of  the  company  was  engrossed  and  their  funds 
absorbed  in  the  construction  of  their  road  between 
Baltimore  and  Cumberland,  and  as  it  had  become  ap- 
parent that  they  could  not  complete  the  Pennsylvania 
part  of  the  road  within  the  required  time  of  fifteen 
years  from  the  passage  of  the  act  of  1828,  they  asked 
an  extension,  which  was  granted  by  the  General  As- 
sembly of  Pennsylvania  in  a  supplemental  act,  ap- 
proved June  20,  1839,  by  the  provisions  of  which 
the  time  in  which  the  company  were  required  to 
finish  their  road  or  roads  in  Pennsylvania  was  ex- 
tended four  years,  or  to  the  27th  of  February,  1847. 

When  the  company  had  completed  their  road  west- 
ward from  Baltimore  to  Cumberland  (in  18-44)  there 
remained  less  than  three  years  in  which  to  con- 
struct the  part  lying  in  Pennsylvania,  under  the  re- 
quirement of  the  supplemental  act  of  1839.  A  fur- 
ther extension  of  time  was  necessary,  and  was  applied 
for  to  the  Pennsylvania  Assembly  ;  but  in  the  mean 
time  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  was  being  pushed 
westward  to  cross  the  Alleghenies  and  make  Pitts- 
burgh its  western  terminus,  and  now  the  business  men, 
manufacturers,  and  people  of  influence  in  that  city, 
who  in  1828  and  1839  were  ready  to  do  all  in  their 
power  to  secure  a  railroad,  even  if  it  were  but  a  branch 
from  a  main  line,  from  the  seaboard  to  Wheeling, 
were  now,  in  view  of  the  prospective  direct  connection 
with  Philadelphia  by  the  main  line  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad  (in  which  many  of  them  were  also 
stockholders),  entirely  favorable  to  that  road,  and  as 
wholly  opposed  to  the  support  of  a  competing  line 
commencing  at  the  Maryland  metropolis,  and  to  have 
its  western  terminus  not  at  Pittsburgh  but  at  the 
rival  city  of  Wheeling. 

Besides  the  opposition  of  the  people  of  Pittsburgh, 
the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Company  had  to  encounter 
the  determined  opposition  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
country  through  which  their  railroad  was  to  pass. 
This  strong  opposition  arose  principally  from  the 
belief  that  the  proposed  railway  would  supersede  and 
ruin  the  National  road,  and  consequently  ruin  them- 
selves and  the  countrv.     Among  those  who  took  this 


superficial  view  of  the  matter  was  Gen.  Henry  W. 
Beeson,  of  Uniontown.     He  stoutly  opposed  the  ex- 
tension of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  west  of 
Cumberland  through   Pennsylvania,  and   was   thor- 
oughly sustained  by  nearly  all  his   neighbors.      On 
one  occasion  he  made  a  public  speech,  in  which  he 
furnished   a   careful   calculation   of  the   number  of 
horseshoes  made  by  the  blacksmiths,  the  number  of 
nails    required   to    fasten    them  to   the  feet  of  the 
horses  used  on  the  road,  besides  a  great  amount  of 
other  statistical  information,  intended  to   show  that 
the   National    road  was  better   adapted  to  promote! 
the  public  welfare  than  railroads.     Such  arguments 
and  others  equally  short-sighted  and  ridiculous,  had 
the  effect  to  create  and  keep  alive  a  determined  and 
almost  universal  opposition  to  the  railroad  among  the 
I  inhabitants  of  the  section  through  which  it  was  pro- 
!  posed   to  be  built.     This  opposition,   added   to  the 
combined  influence  of  the  city  of  Pittsburgh  and  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  proved  too  powerful  for 
j  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  Company  to  over- 
j  come  in  the  Assembly  of  this  State  ;  and  so  that  com- 
i  pany,  after  repeated  ineffectual  attempts  to  obtain  a 
further  extension   of  time   for   building   their   road 
through  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  found  themselves 
compelled  to  abandon  the  enterprise   and  complete 
their  road  from  Cumberland  to  Wheeling   through 
the  State  of  Virginia.      Years  afterwards,  however, 
I  they  accomplished  one  of  the  ]irincipal  objects  they 

then  had  in  view  (the  cxtmsic f  their  line  to  the 

city  of  Pittsburgh)  h\  Icusiiii;   roads  already  built  by 
companies  holding  charters  fnini  I'i'iinsylvania. 

j       The  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville  Railroad  Company 
was  the  first  to  open  a  line  of  railway  within  any 
j  part  of  the  county  of  Fayette.     This  company  was 
1  iucorpnrated  by  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  ap- 
I  proved  April  3,  1837,  which  conferred  on  the  com- 
pany authority  "to  construct  a  railroad  of  single  or 
double   tracks   from   the   city   of  Pittsburgh,  by  the 
I  course  of  the  Monongahela  and  Youghiogheny  Rivers, 
to  some  suitable  point  at  or  near  Connellsville."     By 
!  the  provisions  of  the  act,  a  large  number  of  commis- 
j  sioners  werr  ai'imiiited  to  receive  subscriptions  to  the 
I  stock  of  the  ioiii|iaiiy,  those  belonging  to   Fayette 
I  County  lieiiiL'  tlic  roUowing-named  gentlemen,  viz.: 
I  .Tohn  Fuller,  James  C.  Cummings,  Samuel  Marshall, 
Joseph  Torrance,  William  L.  Miller,  Thomas  G.  Ew- 
ing,  John  Doogan,  Thomas  Foster,  Daniel  Rogers, 
1  Joseph  Rogers,  Alexander  Johnston,  Samuel  Evans, 
j  William  Davidson,  Henry  Blackston,   Henry   Geb- 
:  hart,   William    Espy,    William    Andrews,  David  B. 
Long,  Joli,]  M.  lUiniry,  Hubert  Smilic,  Robert  Bleak- 
I  ley,  Robert  L.hil',  .Fnlm  W.  Pliilli|.-.  John  P.  Gibson, 
j  Jacob  Weaver,  .lamc/s  I'aull,  Jr.,  David  A.  C.  Sher- 
I  rard.  Col.  John    Bute,  John  M.  Austin,  Nathaniel 
I  Ewing,  Henry  W.  Beeson,  William  B.  Roberts,  John 
Dawson,  Joseph  Paull,  James  Piper,  Uriah  Springer, 
Isaac    Wood,   William    Crawford,    Andrew   Stewart, 


274 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


James  Fuller,  Pierson  Cope,  Daniel  Gallantine, 
Philip  Lucas,  Joseph  H.  Cunningham,  Joseph  Pen- 
nock,  William  Murphy,  George  McCray,  Henry 
Smith,  William  Bryson,  aiicl  Tliomns  Rankin. 

The  charter  of  the  company  pi-nviiled  and  declared 
that  "If  the  said  company  shall  not  commence  the 
constriictiiin  of  tin-  said  railroad  within  the  term  of 
five  yL'ar>  linm  the  passing  of  this  act,  or  if  after  the 
compleliiDi  III'  the  said  railroad  the  said  corporation 
shiill  siiMi'i-  ihe  same  to  go  to  decay  and  be  impassa- 
lilc  lor  the  irnn  of  two  years,  then  this  charter  shall 
beciinie  null  and  void,  except  so  far  as  compels  said 
company  to  make  reparation  for  damages." 

The  company  was  duly  organized,  but  did  not  com- 
ply with  tlio  above-named  requirement  by  commenc- 
ing the  ciiii-ti  nitioii  iif  the  road  at  the  specified  time, 
and  their  lVaiirlii>cs  were  therefore  forfeited;  but  on 
the  18th  of  .Alarch,  1843,  an  act  was  passed  renewing,  I 
extending,  and  continuing  in  force  the  charter  of  | 
1837  upon  the  same  terms,  conditions,  and  limitations  I 
as  were  einlnacc-d  in  the  original  act,  and  also  making 
the  additiiinal  pruvi>iiin  "  that  the  said  company  shall 
have  power  .irnl  discretion  to  select  any  route  from 
Pittsburgh  to  Turtle  Creek  which  may  be  deemed 
most  eligible  and  advantageous,  and  may  extend  said 
road  beyond  Connellsville  to  Smithfield,  or  any  other 
point  on  the  waters  of  the  Youghiogheny  and  within 
the  limits  of  this  Commonwealth."  Tlie  ilanse  au- 
thorizing the  extension  of  the  road  from  Connellsville 
to  the  Maryland  line  was  repealed  the  next  day  after 
its  jjassage,  but  was  re-enacted  on  the  3d  of  April, 
184(5. 

By  an  act  of  the  Legislature  of  Maryland,  passed 
April  21,  1853,  that  State  granted  to  the  Pittsburgh 
ami  Connellsville  Company  authority  to  extend  their 
roid  from  tli.'  S:atc  line  to  Cunmerland.  In  1854 
(April  Cth)  an  art  wa>  pa-sril  authorizing  the  Union- 
town  and  Waynesburg  Railroad  Company  (chartered 
April  18,  1853)  to  transfer  all  its  rights  and  franchises 
to  this  company,  and  they  were  accordingly  so  trans- 
ferred. 

On  the  22d  of  February,  1854,  the  chief  engineer 
of  the  road,  Oliver  W.  Barnes,  submitted  to  the  presi- 


dent and  direi 


ites, 


pying  the   nor ank  oi  tlic 

from  a  iioint  at  or  near  the  bor. 

borough  of  Ciinni'llsville,  in  1" 
final  location  for  the  construct 
the  road."     Southward  from  C 


the  several  proposed 
adopted  the  line  occu- 
Youghiogheny  River, 
lusli  of  West  Newton, 

point  at  or  near  the 
ayette  County,  as  the 
ion  of  that  portion  of 
onnellsville  the  route 


adopted 
to  Turke 
(embraci 
line. 

The  line  of  road  was  divided 
struction  into  five  divisions,  viz. : 
No.  1.— Pittsburgh  to  West  Newton  . 
"     2.— West  Newton  to  Connellsville 


the  same  side  of  the  Youghiogheny 
and  tlicnee  through  Somerset  County 
unil  at  Sand  Patch)  to  the  Maryland 


urposes  of  con- 
.     32  miles. 


No.  3.— Connellsville  to  Turkey  Foot         .     30  miles. 
"    4.— Turkey  Foot  to  Summit        .         .     29      " 
"    5. — Summit  to  Cumberland          .         .     31      " 

From  the  report  of  the  board  of  directors  to  the 
stockholders  for  1854,  the  following  information  is 
gained  in  reference  to  the  construction  of  the  road. 
Contracts  for  construction  were  first  let  on  division 
No.  2,  West  Newton  to  Connellsville,  and  on  that 
division  the  work  was  begun. 

This  portion  of  the  line  was  selected  for  the  com- 
mencement "  as  presenting  the  advantage  of  a  lo- 
cality which  could  most  economically  be  brought  into 
earliest  profitable  use,  and  when  finished  greatly 
promote  the  convenience  of  the  company  in  the  fur- 
ther prosecution  of  the  work  both  eastwardly  and 
westwardly.  As  a  starting-point,  it  was  easy  of  ac- 
cess by  river  in  furnishing  men  and  material,  provis- 
ions, etc.,  from  this  city  [Pittsburgh],  and  when  com- 
pleted it  was  believed  would  materially  accelerate 
the  extension  of  the  work  to  its  western  terminus, 
thus  promising  earlier  communication  between  the 
markets  of  Pittsburgh  and  the  rich  mineral  and  agri- 
cultural valleys  of  the  Youghiogheny  and  Mononga- 
hela  than  could  have  been  accomplished  by  a  com- 
mencement at  this  city.  The  heavy  character  of  the 
work  on  the  sections  embracing  the  Sand  Patch  tun- 
nel demanded  that  it  should  be  put  under  contract 
siniultanninsly  with  the  first  work,  as  it  was  the 
iipiniiin  of  the  chief  engineer  that  its  vigorous  prosecu- 
tion wiimIiI  be  required  contemporaneously  with  the 
remainder  to  secure  its  completion  within  the  period 
of  his  estimate  for  the  entire  line." 

With  reference  to  the  progress  which  had  been 
made  on  the  road  up  to  the  1st  of  December,  1854, 
the  date  of  the  directors'  report,  that  docujnent  sa)'s, 
"  On  the  division  between  West  Newton  and  Con- 
nellsville the  graduation,  masonry,  and  ballasting  of 
about  twenty  sections  [of  one  mile  each]  are  fully 
completed,  and  the  remainder  will  be  ready  to  re- 
ceive the  superstructure  in  the  course  of  the  present 
winter.  The  trails-layini;-  has  been  commenced,  and 
will  be  vigorousl\  |iii--i  d  I'mward.  The  first  locomo- 
tive, the  'Geort;r  \Vasliini;loii,'  will  be  immediately 
placed  n])on  the  road,  and  will  greatly  promote  the 
priii:re<s  of  the  work  on  the  superstructure  in  the 
trans]iortation  of  the  heavy  material  required." 

Contracts  had  previously  been  made  for  2600  tons 
of  rails,  to  be  paid  ibr  in  Allegheny  County  bonds, 
and  to  be  delivered  by  boats  at  West  Newton.  Some 
of  the  iron  had  arrived  at  that  point,  and  large 
quantities  of  ties  were  already  delivered  along  the 
line.  A  contract  had  been  made,  several  months 
before,  with  Messrs.  Baldwin,  of  Philadelphia,  for 
two  first  class  coal-burning  locomotives,  one  of  which 
had  already  been  received  (the  "George  Washing- 
ton" above  mentioned),  and  the  other  would  be  ready 
for  shipment  during  the  month  (December,  1854). 
•Arrangements  had  been  made  for  a  moderate  equip- 
ment  of  passenger,    freight,   and    construction    cars. 


INTERNAL   IMPROVEMENTS. 


275 


Depot  grounds  had  been  secured  at  West  Newton 
and  Connellsville,  and  thirteen  acres, of  coal  lands 
hud  been  purchased  contiguous  to  the  line  at  the 
latter  borough.  Amicable  settlements  for  the  right 
of  way  had  been  made  in  all  cases  but  two  within 
the  limits  of  Fayette  County,  and  land  for  stations 
(usually  two  acres  at  each  place)  had  been  tendered 
to  the  company  at  Port  Eoyal,  Smith's  Mill,  Jacob's 
Creek,  Layton  (foot  of  Big  Falls),  Old  Franklin  Iron- 
Works,  Sniilie's  Run  (Dawson),  and  at  Rist's  Run, 
below  Connellsville.  The  total  expenditure  on  divis- 
ion No.  2  (Connellsville  to  West  Newton)  up  to 
Dec.  1,  1854,  had  been  $318,663.18. 

The  road  was  opened  to  Connellsville  in  1855. 
Beyond  that  place  the  amount  of  work  done  was  small, 
only  $9674.22  having  been  expended  on  the  division 
extending  from  Connellsville  to  Turkey  Foot  prior 
to  Dec.  1,  1854,  and  for  a  number  of  years  after  the 
opening  of  the  road  to  Connellsville  very  little  was 
done  on  the  line  southward  and  eastward  from  that 
point.  A  very  strong  opposition  to  the  road  was 
developed  among  the  people  living  along  that  part  of 
the  route,  their  principal  argument  against  it  being 
that  the  opening  of  a  railroad  through  that  section 
Would  ruin  the  traffic  on  the  old  National  road, 
wiiiuh  latter  appeared  to  be  regarded  by  them  as 
paramount  in  importance  to  the  securing  of  railroad 
facilities. 

Finally,  on  the  29th  of  April,  1864,  the  General 
Assembly  of  Pennsylvania  passed  an  act,  which  pro- 
vided and  declared    "  That   all    the   rights,  powers,  I 
privileges,  and  franchises  of  every  nature  and  kind  | 
whatsoever  authorized  or  created  by  the  act  of  As-  , 
sembly  approved  April  3,  1837,  authorizing  the  in- 
corporation of  the  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville  Rail- 
road Company,  and  all  supplements  thereto,  so  far  as 
the  same  or  any  of  them  authorize  the  construction 
of  any  line  or  lines  of  railway  southwardly  or  east- 
wardly  from  Connellsville,  be  and  they  are  hereby  ] 
reviikedand  resumed  by  the  Commonwealth  of  Penn- 
sylvania; and  all  the  rights,  powers,  franchises,  and 
privileges  by  the  said  act  and  its  supplements  con-  ] 
ferred  upon  the  said  corporation,  for  and  in  respect 
to  all  that  portion  of  the  lines  southwardly  and  east- 
wardly  from  Connellsville,  be  and  the  same  are,  by 
all  and  every  authority  in  the  Legislature  for  that 
purpose  vested,  resumed,  revoked,  repealed,  and  put 
an  end  to ; "  but  it  was  also  provided  that  all  the  out- 
lay and  expenditure  already  made  by  the  company 
on  the  line  south  and  east  of  Connellsville  should 
be  reimbursed  by  any  other  company  wliirli   iiiiL;ht 
be  empowered  to  complete  the  construction  ol'  that 
portion  of  the  line. 

Among  the  reasons  for  this  repeal  of  the  charter, 
as  set  forth  in  the  preamble  of  the  act  by  which  it 
was  accomplished,  were  that  "The  coin|)!iiiy,  by  suiil 
act  [of  1837]  and  supplements  created,  have  lailcd  to 
complete  the  road  therein  provided  (or,  and  have  so 
long  delayed  the  construction  of  said  road  that  now. 


after  the  lapse  of  years  from  the  granting  of  full  au- 
thority by  the  State,  less  than  one-half  of  said  line  of 
railroad  has  been  constructed,  and  the  line  or  lines 
east  of  Connellsville  authorized  by  the  supplements 
to  said  act  not  having  been  completed  or  prepared 
for  public  use,"  and  that "  In  the  opinion  of  the  Legis- 
lature said  corporation,  by  the  delay  referred  to  and 
by  the  embarrassments,  financial  and  otherwise,  in 
which  said  corporation  has  come  to  be  involved, 
have  misused  and  abused  the  powers  by  said  act  con- 
ferred," and  that  "  In  the  opinion  of  the  legislature 
it  is  injurious  to  the  citizens  of  this  Commonwealth 
that  the  said  company  should  any  longer  have  or  en- 
joy any  right,  franchise,  or  privilege  to  build  or  con- 
struct any  railroad,  branch,  or  extension  of  their 
existing  railroad  southwardly  or  eastwardly  from 
Connellsville." 

On  the  same  day  on  which  this  repeal  was  passed,  the 
General  Assembly  also  passed  an  act  incorporating  the 
"  Connellsville  and  Southern  Pennsylvania  Railway 
Company,"  with  power  and  authority  "  to  construct  a 
railroad  from  Connellsville  to  the  Maryland  State 
line,  at  such  point  and  by  such  route  as  to  the  direc- 
tors may  seem  advisable,  and  to  connect  the  same  with 
any  road  or  roads  authorized  by  the  State  of  Mary- 
land, and  to  connect  the  same  with  the  Pittsburgh 
and  Connellsville  Railroad,  or  any  other  road  at  or 
near  Connellsville  now  constructed  or  that  may  here- 
after be  constructed ;"  also  to  construct  a  road  or  roads 
from  any  point  on  the  line  named  to  the  Susquehanna 
Valley.  In  the  list  of  corporators  there  were  named 
a  large  number  of  gentlemen  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
William  B.  Ogden,  J.  D.  T.  Lanier,  L.  H.  Meyer, 
and  Samuel  J.  Tilden  of  New  York.  The  capital 
stock  authorized  was  ten  millions  of  dollars,  and  the 
company  was  required  to  perfect  its  organization 
within  three  months  from  the  passage  of  the  act,  and 
to  "  proceed  immediately  to  locate  and  construct  said 
road,  and  to  complete  tlicir  main  line  within  three 
years." 

But  the  company  thus  incorporated  did  not  comply 
with  the  requirements  of  the  act  as  to  the  commence- 
ment and  completion  of  the  line.  Meanwhile,  legal 
measures  were  taken  on  behalf  of  the  Pittsburgh  and 
Connellsville  Railroad  Company  to  secure  a  restora- 
tion of  their  charter  for  the  line  south  and  east  of 
Connellsville,  and  this  was  finally  accomplished  by 
the  passage  (.Tan.  31,  1868)  of  an  act  repealing  the 
act  of  April  29,  1864,  and  thus  reinstating  the  coni- 
]Kiny  in  the  possession  of  their  original  powers  and 
tVaiirhiscs  as  to  the  line  between  Connellsville  and 
the  ^Maryland  boundary,  but  requiring  them  to  com- 
mence the  construction  of  the  road  within  six  months, 
and  to  complete  it  within  three  years  from  the  pas- 
sage of  the  act.  Another  act  was  passed  April  1st  in 
the  same  year,  autliorizing  the  Pittsburgh  and  Con- 
nellsville Railroad  Company  to  construct  branch  roads, 
for  the  development  of  contiguous  regions  of  country, 
from  any  point  or  points  on  their  main  line. 


276 


HISTORY  OP    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Operations  were  now  resumed,  and  the  construction 
of  tlie  road  was  pushed  vigorously  to  completion.  In 
February,  1871,  the  road  from  Connellsville  to  Falls 
City  was  finished,  and  trains  ran  regularly  between 
those  points  on  and  after  the  20th  of  that  month.  As 
early  as  the  23d  of  the  same  month  trains  were  an- 
inunced  to  be  running  on  schedule  time  from  Sand  ' 
Patch  to  Cumberland.  At  about  three  o'clock  in  the 
a'ternoon  of  Monday,  the  10th  of  April,  1871,  the  1 
tiack  was  finished  between  Pittsburgh  and  Cumber- 
land, by  the  laying  of  the  last  rail,  at  a  point  where 
the  track-layers  from  both  directions  met,  near  Forge 
Bridge,  three  miles  west  of  Mineral  Point.  "Imme- 
diately upon  completion  of  the  track  a  passenger 
train  from  Pittsburgh  (the  first  one  passing  over  the 
road  east  of  Confluence)  took  aboard  all  present, 
— Messrs.  Latrobe  and  Blanchard,  of  the  Baltimore 
and  Ohio  Railroad,  and  Messrs.  Hughart,  Page,  Pen- 
dleton, Stout,  and  Turner,  of  the  Pittsburgh  and  Con- 
nellsville road,  and  others, — and  started  directly  to 
Cumberland,  which  was  reached  about  dusk."'  When 
this  first  train  left  Connellsville  to  proceed  to  the 
point  where  the  track-laying  parties  were  approaching 
each  other  to  complete  the  connection,  nine  car-loads 
of  rails  were  taken  with  it,  drawn  by  locomotive  No. 
7,  in  charge  of  Mr.  Sampsel.  At  Confluence  these 
iron-laden  cars  were  detached,  and  taken  thence  to  a 
point  near  Brooke  tunnel  by  locomotive  No.  719,  of 
the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  while  Mr.  Sampsel, 
the  engineer  of  No.  7,  who  had  previously  declared 
he  would  run  the  first  engine  over  the  completed 
road,  made  good  his  promise  on  this  occasion  by  taking 
the  excursion  train  through  to  Cumberland,  pa.ssing 
by  a  zig-zag  track  around  the  Brooke  tunnel,  which 
was  not  then  entirely  completed.  Among  the  speeches 
made  in  the  i>|irniii^'  ciii-iiiunii-s  liy  iikii  ]irotniMriit 
in  the  aff'airs  of  tiie  ritt^lmi-li  and  Cdnnell.-vilJe  and 
Baltimore  and  Ohio  roads  was  that  of  B.  H.  Latmlie, 
Esq.,  who  said  that  the  road  which  he  (Latrobe)  had 
commenced  in  18.37  was  now  completed  by  the  presi- 
dent, that  the  road  had  now  allied  itself  with  the  llal- 
iimorc  and  Ohi.i,  and  that  he  predicted  a  l)rilliaiit 
luture  I'or  tlie  line  and  the  connection, — a  ]ire(lietiiiii 
which  has  been  completely  verified  during  the  ten 
years  which  have  succeeded  it.  The  road  is  now 
operated  as  a  part  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Rail- 
road, having  been  leased  bv  that  companv  in  Decem- 
ber, 1875. 

The  Fayette  County  Railroad  Company  was  incor-  I 
porated  by  act  of  General  Assembly,  passed  May  1,  I 
1857,  "with  power  and  authority  to  construct  a  single  ' 
or  double  railroad  track  from  a]iy  ]ioint  at  ur  near  the 
borough  of  Uniontowi*  to  any  point  at  ur  near  the  1 
borough  of  Connellsville,  in  Fayette  County,  and 
across  the   Youghiogheny  River,  with  the  right  to  ', 


Geiiim  of  I.il.erl^,  April  l:), 


connect  with  the  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville  Rail- 
road at  or  near  the  borough  of  Connellsville."  The 
persons  invested  by  the  act  with  autliority  to  open 
books  for  subscriptions  to  the  stock  of  the  company 
were  Samuel  A.  Gilmore,  Nathaniel  Ewing,  John 
Huston,  Andrew  Stewart,  Joshua  B.  Howell,  Alfred 
Patterson,  Daniel  Kaine,  Henry  Yeagley,  John  Daw- 
son, H.  W.  Beeson,  Isaac  Beeson,  Smith  Fuller,  Ew- 
ing Brownsfield,  James  Veech,  William  Thorndell, 
Eleazer  Robinson,  Alpheus  E.  Willson,  William  Bee- 
son, Jacob  Murphy,  William  Bryson,  John  K.  Ewing, 
Samuel  W.  Boyd,  William  C.  McKean,  John  Chaney, 
John  Freeman,  George  Paull,  Samuel  Ni,xon,  Thoma.s 
B.  Searight,  Samuel  D.  Oliphant,  Edmund  Beeson, 
John  Bierer,  Ellis  B.  Dawson,  Armstrong  Hadden, 
George  McClean,  Isaac  Winn,  Robert  Patterson, 
Thomas  Sturgis,  Jesse  B.  Gardner,  and  Alfred  Mc- 
Clelland. 

The  authorized  capital  of  the  company  was  $750,000 
in  shares  of  SlOO  each.  The  first  president  of  the 
company  was  Hon.  Nathaniel  Ewing,  to  whom  more 
than  to  any  other  person  was  due  the  credit  of  com- 
pleting the  road  and  putting  it  in  operation.  It  was 
finished  in  its  entire  length  in  the  last  part  of  the 
year  1859,  and  was  formally  opened  for  travel  and 
traffic  between  Uniontown  and  Connellsville  on  the 
1st  of  January,  1860. 

After  the  completion  and  opening  of  the  line,  the 
company  met  with  financial  embarrassments,  which 
resulted  in  the  sale  of  the  road  and  equipment  by  the 
sherift'  on  the  2d  of  September,  1862,  it  being  then 
purchased  by  the  stockholders,  and  the  company  re- 
organized. On  the  1st  of  November,  1864,  the  road 
was  leased  by  the  company  to  the  Pittsburgh  and 
Connellsville  Company  for  ninety-nine  years.  In 
December,  1875,  it  was  leased  by  the  latter  company 
(together  with  the  main  line  from  Pittsburgh  to  Cum- 
lierland)  to  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Company,  by 
which  corporation  it  is  at  present  operated. 

The  Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railway  Company 
was  incorporated  March  16,  1871.  The  corporators 
named  were  Israel  Painter,  Alpheus  E.  Willson, 
James  E.  Logan,  Samuel  Dellinger,  and  Christopher 
Sherrick.  The  company  were  authorized  to  construct 
a  railroad,  with  one  or  more  tracks,  from  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad  at  or  near  Greensburg,  Westmoreland 
Co.,  Pa.,  by  way  of  Connellsville,  to  Uniontown,  Fay- 
ette Co.,  and  thence  to  the  boundary  line  of  West 
Virginia.  The  capital  stock  was  S500,000.  An  or- 
ganization of  the  company  was  effected  at  Greens- 
burg, and  Thomas  A.  Scott  elected  president.  The 
route  was  located,  and  work  on  the  line  commenced 
without  unnecessary  delay.  In  1875  the  completed 
road  extended  from  Connellsville  as  far  .south  as 
Mount  Braddock,  and  in  the  fall  of  1S76  was  opened 
to  Uniontown. 

In  August,  1877,  the  company  ])Urchased  the  rights 
and  franchises  of  the  Uniontown  and  West  Virginia 


INTERNAL   IMPROVEMENTS. 


277 


Railroad  Company,  and  the  road  was  continued  about 
seven  miles  southward  from  Uniontown  to  Fairchance. 
The  line  is  now  operated  by  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road Company. 

The  Pittsburgh,  Virginia  and  Charleston  Railway 
was  first  projected  by  a  company  which  was  incorpo- 
rated by  an  act  of  Assembly  approved  April  8,  1867, 
as  the  Monongahela  Valley  Railroad  Company.  By 
a  supplemental  act,  approved  March  .31,  1868,  the 
company  was  "  authorized  to  construct  its  railroad 
with  single  or  double  tracks  from  a  point  at  or  near 
the  city  of  Pittsburgh,  by  such  route  as  the  board  of 
directors  may  determine,  to  a  point  at  or  near  Monon- 
gahela City,  in  Washington  County,  and  thence  up 
either  bank  of  the  Monongahela  River  to  a  point  at 
or  near  Rice's  Landing,  with  power  to  construct  such 
branches  as  the  directors  may  deem  necessary."  Feb- 
ruary 4, 1870,  an  act  was  passed  changing  the  corpor- 
ate name  of  the  company  to  that  of  Pittsburgh,  Vir- 
ginia and  Charleston  Railway  Company. 

The  delays  which  are  usual  in  the  building  of  rail- 
ways, except  such  as  are  undertaken  by  old  and  pow- 
erful companies,  were  encountered  in  the  construction 
of  this,  and  it  was  not  until  the  spring  of  1881  that 
the  line  was  completed  and  opened  from  Pittsburgh 
to  West  Brownsville,  thus  giving  to  the  boroughs  of 
Bridgeport  and  Brownsville  the  first  railroad  com- 
munication they  ever  enjoyed,  though  no  part  of  the 
road  in  operation  is  within  the  county  of  Fayette. 

A  railroad  to  run  from  Brownsville  to  Uniontown 
was  projected  by  the  ''  Brownsville  Railway  Com- 
pany." Work  on  the  line  was  commenced  by  this 
company,  and  some  grading  was  done  between  the 
two  termini ;  but  financial  difliculties  intervened,  and 
the  road  was  sold  at  sheriff's  sale,  Feb.  .5,  1878,  to 
Charles  E.  Spear,  and  was  afterwards  merged  with  the 
Pittsburgh,  Virginia  and  Charleston  Railroad.  The 
last-named  road  and  its  franchises  passed  in  May, 
1879,  to  the  control  and  management  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad  Company,  by  which  it  is  now  oper- 
ated as  the  "Monongahela  Division"  of  its  lines. 

The  Redstone  extension  or  branch  of  the  Pitts- 
burgh, Virginia  and  Charleston  Railroad  is  now  in 
process  of  construction,  having  been  commenced  by 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  in  January, 
1881.  Starting  from  the  completed  road  west  of  the 
Monongahela,  it  crosses  that  river  by  a  bridge  at  the 
mouth  of  Redstone  Creek,  below  Brownsville,  and 
runs  from  that  point  to  Hogsett's  Cut,  about  one  mile 
north  of  Uniontown,  where  it  joins  the  Southwest 
Pennsylvania  Railroad.  It  is  now  being  pushed 
rapidly  to  completion,  and  is  expected  to  be  opened 
about  the  1st  of  June,  1882,  thus  giving  a  third  line 
of  railway  communication  between  Uniontown  and 
Pittsburgh,  and  from  both  these  places  to  Browns- 
ville by  a  short  branch  extending  to  that  borough 
from  the  main  line  near  Redstone  Creek.  As  this 
Redstone  branch    road  has   an    ea?v  and    unbroken 


descending  grade  in  its  entire  length,  it  is  expected 
that  it  will  take  all  the  immense  amount  of  coke  and 
other  freight'  which  now  finds  an  outlet  over  the 
Southwest  Pennsylvania  road  from  stations  south  and 
west  of  Mount  Braddock.  It  will  also  open  in  the 
Redstone  Valley  an  immense  area  of  coal  lands  which 
are  now  inaccessible. 

The  Mount  Pleasant  and  Broad  Ford  Railroad 
Company  was  incorporated  April  6,  1870,  with  a 
capital  stock  of  $200,000,  the  corporators  named 
being  Daniel  Shupe,  C.  S.  Overholt,  J.  B.  Jordan, 
William  J.  Hitchman,  Joseph  R.  Stoufl'er,  A.  O. 
Tinstman,  Israel  Painter,  C.  P.  Markle,  and  James 
Neel.  The  road  was  commenced  immediately  after 
the  organization  of  the  company,  and  was  pushed 
with  so  much  energy  that  the  line  was  completed 
and  opened  on  Saturday,  Feb.  18,  1871.  On  the  2d 
of  January  next  preceding  the  opening  of  the  road 
it  was  leased  to  the  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville 
Railroad  Company,  and  afterwards  by  that  lessee  to 
the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  Company,  by  which 
latter  corporation  it  is  now  operated  in  conjunction 
with  the  main  line  of  road  from  Pittsburgh  to  Cum- 
berland. 

The  Uniontown  and  West  Virginia  Railroad  Com- 
pany was  incorporated  April  2,  1868,  with  an  author- 
ized capital  of  .1250,000,  and  with  power  to  construct 
a  railroad  from  Uniontown  to  West  Virginia  State 
line.  The  persons  designated  to  open  books,  re- 
ceive subscriptions  to  the  capital  stock,  and  organize 
the  company  were  John  K.  Ewing,  Armstrong  Had- 
den,  Andrew  Stewart,  A.  E.  Willson,  Smith  Fuller, 
E.  B.  Dawson,  Robert  Hogsett,  Daniel  Kaine,  Samuel 
A.  Gilmore,  Charles  E.  Boyle,  F.  H.  Oliphant,  Wil- 
liam James,  Ayres  Nixon,  James  Hughes,  John 
Brownfield,  Robert  Britt,  Jacob  Kyle,  William  A. 
Custer,  James  Robinson,  Thomas  Seman,  Samuel 
Shipley,  Tobias  Sutton,  Samuel  Hatfield,  William 
H.  Bailey,  William  S.  Morgan,  A.  B.  Hall,  Jacob 
Crow,  Dr.  James  Thompson,  J.  G.  Williams,  John  L. 
Dawson,  John  Schnatterly,  Martin  Dickson,  Michael 
W.  Franks,  .John  Morgan,  Lewis  Plunter,  John  Oli- 
phant, and  William  Sweeny. 

Surveys  for  the  location  of  the  route  of  the  road  were 
made  by  N.  Bailie,  engineer.  A  c'lmsiilcraMe  amount 
of  work  was  done  in  the  construct  inn  ot  rul\  cits,  build- 
ing of  bridges,  and  completion  of  most  of  the  grad- 
ing between  Uniontown  and  Fairchance.  But  the 
financial  difficulties  and  embarrassments  usually  en- 
countered in  the  construction  of  new  lines  of  railway 
were  experienced  by  this  company,  and  finally,  in 
March,  1874,  the  road  was  sold  by  the  sheriff  on  three 
judgments,  which  had  been  obtained  against  the  com- 
pany by  John  Snider,  the  contractor.  Snider  became 
the  purchaser,  and  on  the  28th  of  August,  1877,  he 
sold  the  property  to  the  Southwest  Penu\vlvania  Rail- 
road Company,  who  comjdeted  the  road  from  Union- 


278 


HISTORY    OF    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


town  to  Fiiirchance.  This  part  of  the  line,  as  well 
as  the  Southwest  Company's  road  from  Uniontown  to 
Greensburg,  is  now  operated  bv  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  Comnanv. 


Th 
Com  I 
capil; 
John 
riglit 
Will- 
Brow 
JaL'<il 
Frail 
Cej.h 
Coun 


Dunkard 
(I    Mairl 


,'reok    Railroad 


in;:-,  Cluules  S.  Scatoii,  Thoiiius  li.  Sea- 
:iiii  .lames,  Daniel  Kaine,  Alpheus  E. 
:irl('s  E.  Boyle,  Isaac  P.  Kendall,  John 
William  jri-Clenry.  Ewing  Browtificld, 
■,  William  rar.-liall,  and  Mi.-lia,l  W. 
Fayrit,-  C.Minty.and  .lohii  V.  Williams, 
•lie,  and  Freeman  Lucas,  of  Greene 
ic  road  has  not  been  built,  and  the  early 
if  the  line  between  the  termini  is  not  yet 


ired. 


The  Brownsville  and  New  Haven  Railroad  Com- 
pany was  chartered  Feb.  23,  1876.  under  tliu  i^cneral 
law.  This  company  had  authority  to  cniistnnt  a 
road  from  a  point  at  or  near  New  Haven  to  a  point 
at  or  near  Vance's  Mill,  on  Redstone  Creek;  also  to 
connect  with  any  other  railroad.  The  company  or- 
ganized and  prosecuted  the  work  of  construction 
until  the  grading  was  nearly  completed  over  the  en- 
tire length.  The  usual  loiiU  fdlowed,— financial 
ditficulties  and  the  sale  ol'  the  road  by  the  sheriff 
(Aug.  30,  1877).  Aliial.aiii  ( ).  Tinstnian  and  A.  L. 
McFarland  became  the  puriliasers,  and  it  was  after- 
wards sold  by  them  to  the  I'ittsbLirgh  and  Connells- 
ville  Railroad  Company.  Tlie  road  will  undoubtedly 
be  completed  in  the  near  future. 


Several  other  railrc 
through  this  county 
"  Vanderbilt  Road," 
remarkable  rajiidity. 
gheny,  along  the  leit 


ds  are  in  con 

emplation  to  n 

one  of  whic 

1,    kiKiwn    as    tl 

s  now  being 

constructed  wi 

Its  route  is 

up  the  Yi.iiulii 

ankoftherix 

er,  to  the  vi.-iiii 

Vew  Haven,  i 

nd  thence  sout 

C(.al-llel,is.,i 

the  central  pa 

of  Counellsville  and  X 
ward  through  the 
of  F'ayetteCounty  tolln 
its  mute  soiilh  of  the  Si 
SOUtliern  lerminus  h^ive 
western  cuiincctinii  is  I 
Lake  Erie  Railroad. 


POPULATION. 
In  the  year  1768  the  Rev.  John  Steele,  who  had 
been  sent  out  with  two  other  commissioners  to  visit 
the  settlements  along  the  Monongahela  and  Youghi.i- 
gheny  Rivers,  said,  in  his  repori  t<i  the  (iuveniur, 
"I  am  of  opinion,  from  the  appeanuiee  the  people 
nuide.  and  the  best  intelligence  we  could  obtain, 
that  there   are  about  one  hundred  and  liftv  families 


in  the  dilferent  settlements  of  Redstone,  Youghio- 
gheny,  and  Cheat."  A  few  of  those  included  in 
this  estimate  were  located  at  Turkey  Foot,  in  what  is 
now  Somerset  County,  a  few  on  the  Cheat  south  of 
the  State  line,  and  two  or  three  families  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Monongahela.  The  wdiole  one  hundred 
and  fifty  families  must  have  aggregated  more  thajj 
seven  hundred  persons,  of  whom  less  than  fift)'  were 
living  at  Turkey  Foot,  and  if  there  were  an  equal 
number  of  Steele's  estimate  settled  in  what  is  now 
Washington  County  and  West  Virginia  (which  is  not 
jn-oViable),  then  there  must  have  been  at  that  time 
within  till'  territory  that  is  now  Fayette  County  a 
population  of  I'ully  si.x  hundred,  though  statements 
have  been  made  giving  it  a  much  less  population  than 
that  in  1770,  two  years  later.  In  1790  Fayette  County 
had  1.3,325  inhabitants,  and  in  1800,  20,159.  The 
poimlation  of  the  county  at  the  end  of  each  decade 
from  1810  to  ISsii,  inclusive,  is  given  below,  by  town- 
ships and  boroughs,  as  shown  by  the  reports  of  the 
several  United  States  censuses  taken  within  the  period 
indicated : 


1810  1  1820      1S30 

1840  1  1850  1   1860  ,  1870      ISsti 

llli-l^rl„,,i  ■ 

"I'.Ui's     'iViVi;  "I'^IKl 
24,714127,285' 29,248 

7-^      1  .''J      1,  T.,      1,1 ,t:;4 

1,.,  .     ij   ■     ;    '       1  •    ;     j.7.;2 

LI  :..      1..     .         ■-        1      ■■        ...IS 
1-1       1    :  ■ .  .       1    1()6 

I--'o'!.tl''rilyi    ■ 

I.lU.-Ilie, 

m'.'im'i'i,'.'"".  '/ 

N.-«  ir,v„i,i  „ 

j'  7  1   _,  r     ,  ,    ;  II    -'i-i 

142 

i',:!;.!!  ■i',^7'-     Mil     Ml'     1J76 
l,rv,i     l,js7     1,1    ■.     1  i-j     I.He,6 

"Vn^V.        1,,V.          ],.,_    ,        Ijis 

-  .      1  .  •        :  '  -■'      1-11      1..7,7S 
-.1  .....      1,-1..)8 

I'.'r                                       ■■.■■r.5 

i,'."6 

.1  ■      1,.,.,      1    ...       i     .   .      l,'_.,-,7 

33,574  39,112  39,909  43,284  58,852 

i  f.jr  Connellsville  Borough 


V,.st  Wiir.l,  l:i:i4;  total,  2503. 
.Vest  Ward,  1683;  total,  32G5. 


HISTORY  OF  BOROUGHS  AND  TOWiNSHIPS. 


UNIONTOWN    BOROUGH, 


The  history  of  Unioiitown  projierly  begins  with 
the  year  1767,  when  Thomas  Douthet  and  Henry 
Beeson  (the  latter  a  Quaker)  came  from  Virginia  to 
this  section  of  country  and  selected  lands  within  the 
limits  of  the  present  borough.  It  is  evident  that 
Douthet  settled  or  "squatted"  on  his  land  immedi- 
ately after  selecting  it,'  for  his  name  is  mentioned  in 
the  report  of  the  Eev.  John  Steele,  among  those  of 
the  settlers  whom  he  and  the  other  Pennsylvania  com- 
missioners found  living  on  Redstone  Creek  and  in  its 
vicinity  in  March,  1768.  This  makes  it  reasonably 
certain  that  he  had  located  here  in  the  previous 
autumn,  as  it  is  very  improbable  that  he  would  have 
moved  to  his  new  home  so  early  in  the  spring.  He 
did  not  become  a  permanent  settler  here.  His  land 
was  purchased  by  Henry  Beeson  prior  to  1774  (as  will 
be  seen  hereafter),  but  the  precise  date  of  the  sale 
has  not  been  ascertained.  The  log  cabin  in  which  he 
lived  was  located  on  what  is  now  the  rear  of  E.  Bai- 
ley Dawson's  land,  south  of  the  court-house.  It  was 
occupied  by  him  when  William  Campbell  first  visited 
the  vicinity  in  1770,  but  no  later  account  of  his  resi- 
dence in  the  place  or  his  removal  from  it  has  been 
found. 

Henry  Beeson,  although  he  selected  his  land  at 
about  the  same  time  as  Douthet,  did  not  settle  or 
make  improvement  on  it  until  1768.  The  fact  that 
his  name  does  not  appear  in  Commissioner  Steele's  list 
of  settlers  here  in  March  of  that  year  is  not  positive 
proof  that  he  did  not  locate  in  1767,  as  has  been  stated 


1  Proljiibly  he  had  at  first  but  a  "  tomiihawk  riglit."  Tlie  order  issued 
to  Thomas  Douthet  for  a  warrant  of  survey  was  dated  June  14, 1769,  and 
the  land  was  surveyed  to  him  by  Alexatidor  McCleati  on  tlie  27th  of 
SeiUendier  in  the  same  year.  A  plat  of  tliis  tract,  called  "Mill  Seat," 
containing  tliree  hundred  and  fourteen  and  one-quarter  of  acres,  situated 
on  Ufdstoiie  Creek,  is  found  on  page  71,  "Book  of  Surveys  of  Fayette 
Comity."  This  tract  embraced  the  part  of  Unionlown  lying  east  of 
what  is  now  Morgantown  Street.  The  patent  for  the  "  Mill  Seat"  tract 
was  i-siied  Aug.  11,  1786,  to  Henry  Beeson,  who  had  purchased  it  more 
than  twelve  years  previously,  from  Douthet.  In  a  later  deed  from  Mr. 
Beeson  to  Jacob  Johnston,  of  a  lot  in  the  Douthet  tract,  is  found  the 
following  preanilde:  "Whereas  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania, 
by  patent  dated  the  11th  day  of  August,  in  the  year  1766,  did  grant  unto 
Henry  Beeson  a  certain  tract  of  land  situate  on  Bedstone  Creek  in  the 
county  of  Fayette,  on  which  the  town  of  Union  had  been  previously 


I  by  some;  but  evidence  which  appears  conclusive  is 

'  found  in  a  deed  dated  Feb.  13,  1788,  from  Henry  Bee- 
son to  Jacob  Beeson,  of  certain  land,  "including  my 

j  improvement  made  in  1768,  near  Thomas  Douthet. 
..."  The  improvement  here  mentioned  included  the 

j  log  house  which  he  first  occupied  here,  situated  west 
of  Campbell's  Run,  and  near  the  site  of  the  present 

,  residence  of  Clark  Breading,  in  the  western  part  of 
the  borough.  The  tract  on  which  it  was  located  was 
named  by  Beeson  "Stone  Coal  Run,"  which  was  sur- 

I  veyed  to  him  by  Alexander  McClean  on  the  27th  of 
September,  1769,  on  warrant  No.  3455.  It  contained 
three  hundred  and  fifty-five  acres,  lying  west  of  the 
present  Morgantown  Street,  the  line  of  which  formed 
its  eastern  boundary. 

It  is  evident  that  Henry  Beeson  was  a  man  of  very 
considerable  enterprise,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that 
from  the  time  of  his  selection  of  these  lands  he  en- 
tertained the  idea  of  laying  out  a  village  upon  them. 
It  is  said  that  Alexander  McClean  (who  came  into 
this  region  as  deputy  surveyor  in  1769)  advised  him 
to  do  so,  in  view  of  the  natural  advantages  of  his  lo- 
cation and  of  the  probability  that  his  settlement  might 
very  likely  in  the  not-distant  future  become  the  seat 
of  justice  of  a  new  county.  It  is  difiicult  to  under- 
stand why  McClean,  far-seeing  as  he  was,  should  at 
that  early  time  see  a  reason  for  his  prediction,  but  it 
is  certain  that  the  suggestion  of  laying  out  a  village 
was  favorably  received  and  acted  on  by  Beeson. 
Within  the  three  years  next  succeeding  1770,  he  had 
purchased  Douthet's  "Mill  Seat"  tract  and  erected  a 
mill,'  which  was  generally  in  rural  districts,  and  be- 


the  1 


iiity, 


year,  will  ever  have  to  do  so ;  and  we  therefore  pray  for  a  road 
near  Hedntnne  Old  Fort  to  Henry  Beeenn's  Mill,  and  thence  to  in- 
t  Hr;i'MM,)(V  road,  ne;ir  th--  forks  '>f  Iniiilap's  road  and  said  road, 

■  t..,,..f  l.anivl  11,11-  Tlii.  i.  .l,,-„-  ,„-,,. ,1  that  in  the  beginning 
yr.L,  1 77  I  I'.,,, ■-Ill',  null,  nii  i;,',i-i. ur  (  i  i,<l.,  Iiad  been  long  enough 

;>liiii  to  ho  known  afi'l  il.prn,!,-!  on  l,y  the  l»eople  beyond  the 
igali.'ia  twenty  miles  away.     There  is  little  rcison  to  doubt  that 

■  Beeson  had  Iiis  mill  in  operation  at  least  as  early  us  1772. 


280 


HISTOKY    Oi'-    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


fore  the  days  of  steam-travel  and  transportation,  con- 
sidered the  first  step  towards  the  successful  laying  out 
of  a  village. 

The  site  of  Beeson's  mill  was  between  Douthet's 
log  house  and  the  creek,  a  short  distance  northwest 
of  the  former  and  near  the  foot  of  the  hill.  The  race- 
way which  supplied  the  mill  was  long,  and  a  work  of 
no  small  magnitude  for  that  early  day  and  for  the 
means  which  Mr.  Beeson  had  at  his  command  for 
constructing  it.'  It  was  an  artificial  canal  about 
three-fifths  (if  a  mile  in  length,  which  took  the  water 
from  Redstone  Creek  at  a  place  known  ns  the  Bonver 
Dam,  (in  land  now  belonging  to  heirs  ol  l-a;ii-  ]'.(■(  -nn, 
near  the  southern  boundary  of  the  iirc-cnl  iKiiniigl]. 
The  first  dam  which  turned  the  water  from  the  creek 
into  the  canal  soon  afterwards  gave  place  to  a  more 
substantial  one  thrown  across  the  creek  at  a  point  a 
little  distance  east  of  the  present  track  of  the  South- 
west Railroad.  From  the  dam  the  raceway  led  north- 
wardly across  what  are  now  Fayette  and  Church 
Streets,  through  the  present  school-house  grounds 
and  the  lots  of  Mr.  Dicus,  on  Main,  and  Samuel 
Stearns,  on  Peter  Street,  to  the  mill,  from  which  the 
tail-race  led  into  the  creek  above  the  Gallatin  Avenue 
bridge,  at  a  point  about  one  mile,  by  the  course  of 
the  stream,  below  the  dam,  where  the  water  was 
taken  into  the  raceway. 

The  mill  remained  in  operation  at  this  place  be- 
tween twelve  and  fifteen  years,  and  after  that  time 
was  abandoned,  when  of  course  the  old  raceway  was 
discontinued.  During  the  century  which  has  passed 
since  then  it  has  become  entirely  filled  up,  and  all 
traces  (if  it  (ibliti-ratcil  except  a  slight  depression 
whicli  is  .till  visihle  .m  tlic  east  side  of  CJallatin 
Avenue.  But  while  tlie  old  mill  remained,  and  par- 
ticularly during  the  earlier  years  of  its  existence,  it 
was  a  place  of  no  small  iiote  and  im|i(irtance  to  the 
settlers  between  the  Youghiogheny  and  the  Moiion- 
gahela.  The  locality  was  known  far  and  wide  as 
"Beeson's  :\Iill,"  and  here  in  1774  was  built  a  strung 
block-hdusc  (if  Id-..  a>  a  ].la<-e  of  relugc  ior  the  few 
inhaliitMnts.il'ihe.inrdun.liii-cHintry. luring  the  uni- 
versal panic  which,  ill  tlie  spring  and  .uiiimer  of  that 
year,  attended  the  opening  of  the  hostilities  known 
as  DuniiKire's  war.  When  this  primitive  defensive 
work  was  built,  there  were  few,  if  any,  inhahitants 
other  than  Henry  Beeson's  family  within  the  limits 
of  the  present  borough  to  avail  themselves  df  its 
protection  ;  but  there  were  many  other  settler-  Ideated 
within  a  few  miles  of  it,  and  its  site  was  prcliably 
chosen  because  of  its  proximity  to  the  mill,  which 
was   the   most  imblic  place   in  all    the    region,— the 

cursions  Wduld  naturally  cdUie,  and  where,  iiKiredver, 
there  was  usually  to  be  Ibund  a  considerable  supply 
of  grain  and  meal  for  the  subsistence  of  families  who 


were  suddenly  driven  from  their  homes  and  obliged 
to  seek  its  shelter  against  tlie  savages.  The  site  of 
this  old  block-house  was  on  thebrow  of  the  bluft',  and 
very  nearly  identical  with  the  spot  where  the  sheriff's 
residence  now  stands. 

Henry  Beeson's  original  plat  of  the  village  was  sur- 
veyed and  laid  out  in  the  year  1776,  on  the  land  which 
he  had  purchased  of  Thomas  Douthet.     It  had  one 

;  iirincipal  street,  running  in  an  eastward  and  west- 

;  ward  direction,  named  by  him  Elbow  Street  (on  ac- 
count of  an  angle  in  it  which  was  rendered  necessary 
by  the  natural  conformation  of  the  ground),  being  the 
same  which  is  now  the  Main  Street  of  Uniontown. 

I  The  map  here  given  of  the  village  of  Beeson's  Mill, 

i  as  laid  out  in  1776  by  Henry  Beeson,  with  numbers 
of  lots  and  the  names  of  persons  to  whom  they  were 
sold  or  allotted,  is  copied  from  one  purporting  to  be 
a  correct  copy  of  the  original  plat.  The  copy  in 
question  was  made  by  Jacob  Miller  in  1846.  The 
whole  number  of  lots  laid  out  was  fifty-four,  em- 
bracing one  tier  on  each  side  of  Elbow  Street,  and 
one  tier  (of  seven  lots)  on  the  north  side  of  a  short 

.  thoroughfare  which  was  laid  out  north  of  and  paral- 
lel to  Elbow,  and  which  he  named  Peter  Street.  The 
south  side  of  this  street,  of  course,  bordered  the  rear 
of  the  Elbow  Street  lots,  which  lay  opposite  to  it. 
The  nundiering  of  the  lots  commenced  at  the  east  end 
of  Elbow  Street,  on  its  south  side,  and  continued  up 
to  Meadow  Alley  (the  lane  between  the  Fulton  House 
and  the  residence  of  the  late  Judge  Ewing),  there 
reaching  No.  10.  The  next  number  (11)  was  on  the 
north  side  of  Elbow  Street,  at  its  east  end,  opposite 
No.  1.  Thence  they  numbered  again  westward  to 
No.  20  (where  the  Clinton  House  now  stands),  which 
was  joined  on  the  west  by  the  "Central  Public 
(Ir.iund,"  or  "  Public  Alley."  Lot  No.  21  was  that 
(Ml  which  the  old  Ewing  mansion  now  stands,  and 
the  lots  numbered  thence  west  on  the  south  side  of 
i;iliow  (Main)  Street  to  No.  34,  which  was  on  the 
line  of  the  present  Morgantown  Street,  then  the 
western  limit  of  the  village  plat.  Then  the  numbers 
recommenced  on  the  north  side  of  Elbow  Street,  at 

'  the  angle,  No.  35  being  a  part  of  what  is  now  the 
court-house  ground.  Thence  the  lots  continued  to 
number  westward  on  the  north  side  of  Elbow  Street 
to  No.  47,  at  the  western  bound  of  the  plat.  Recom- 
mencing, No.  48  was  on  the  north  side  of  Peter  Street, 
jtist  west  of  the  old  mill  (where  now  is  Gallatin  Ave- 

j  nue),  and  extending  westward  from  this,  on  the  same 
side  of  the  street,  were  six  other  lots,  ending  in  No. 


U,  the  last  one.  and  marking  the  north 


■of 


1  bliwlismitli  li.v  t 


Tradition  says  that  the  fifty-four  lot.s  laid  out  in 
the  i>lat  of  the  village  of  Beeson's  Mill  (for  it  had 
not  then  received  the  name  of  Beeson's  Town,  which 
antedated  that  of  Uniontown  by  several  years)  were 
disposed  of  by  lottery,  the  drawing  of  which  is  said 
to  have  taken  place  in  the  old  mill  on  the  day  when 


I  g  S'  i'  §  I  I  ^  |S  g  -  I  I  ?  B 
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S        ■  E 

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BiliilpfftS'lig'i'qi^ 
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UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


281 


the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  signed,  July  4, 
1776.  This  is  not  improbable  as  to  the  drawing,  and 
it  may  be  true  as  to  the  date.  The  names  set  against 
the  members  of  the  several  lots  on  the  map  are  those 
of  persons  who  were  settlers  in  the  surrounding  coun- 
try (but  not  in  the  village  of  Beeson's  Mill)  in  that 
year,  and  there  is  no  especial  reason  to  doubt  that 
they  had  taken  chances  in  such  a  lottery  scheme  as 
that  mentioned.  No  deeds  were  given  by  Henry  Bee- 
son  to  those  names  appearing  on  the  plat  as  the  owners 
of  the  lots,  and  none  were  given  (at  least  no  record  of 
any  is  found)  to  any  person  for  lots  prior  to  March  7, 
1780.  And  it  is  probable  that  many  of  the  lots  were 
never  taken,  as  it  is  found  that  a  number  of  them 
were  afterwards  sold  by  Henry  Beeson  to  other  par- 
ties. Alexander  McClean  and  several  other  allottees 
did  eventually  receive  deeds  for  the  lots  set  against 
their  names  on  the  plat,  and  Col.  McClean  afterwards 
became  owner  of  other  lots,  among  them  being  No.  20, 
on  which  he  built  his  residence. 

The  terms  and  conditions  on  which  the  lots  were 
purchased  are  recited  in  many  of  the  old  deeds  given 
by  Henry  Beeson,  as  follows  :  "  Whereas  at  the  laying 
out  of  the  Original  Town  of  Union  the  purchasers  of 
Lots  were  obliged  to  build  on  the  lots  so  purchased  a 
good  substantial  dwelling  House  of  the  dimension  of  j 
at  least  Twenty  feet  square,  with  a  good  chimney  of 
Brick  or  Stone  well  laid  in  with  Slime  and  Sand,  and 
always  keep  the  Same  in  good  repair  from  time  to  1 
time,  and  moreover  pay  or  cause  to  be  paid  to  the  said  j 
Henry  Beeson,  his  Heirs  Executors  Administrators 
or  Assigns  the  Sum  of  one  half  of  a  Spanish  Milled 
Dollar  or  the  value  thereof  in  Current  money  of  the 
Commonwealth  aforesaid  for  each  and  every  Lot  of 
ground  sold  or  purchased  as  aforesaid  at  the  Town 
of  Union  aforesaid  in  each  and  every  year  forever." 
The  purchasers  also  were  required,  and  they  agreed, 
to  observe  "  such  Rules  and  Regulations  as  may  at 
any  time  hereafter  be  directed  by  Law  or  introduced  ' 
by  Lawful  or  Approved  Custom  for  the  Cleansing  Re-  ' 
pairing  and  Improving  the  Streets  Alleys  and  Walks 
in  said  Town  for  the  health  and  convenience  of  the 
inhabitants  of  said  Town.  And  if  at  any  time  it  shall 
so  happen  that  any  part  of  the  rents  aforesaid  shall  be 
behind  and  unpaid  for  the  space  of  ninety  days  next 
after  any  of  the  Days  aforesaid  appointed  for  payment 
thereof,  or  any  failure  shall  happen  on  the  part  of  the  ; 
purchaser  in  any  of  the  Covenants  aforesaid  :  It  shall  j 
and  may  be  lawful  for  the  said  Henry  Beeson  and  his 
wife,  their  Heirs  Executors  Administrators  or  Assigns 
of  the  Rents  aforesaid  into  and  upon  the  said  Lot  of 
Ground  and  Premises  or  any  part  thereof  in  the  name 
of  the  whole  to  enter  and  distrain  for  the  Rent  or 
Arrearages  if  any  then  due  thereon  and  for  want  of 
sufficient  distress  to  satisfy  for  the  said  rent  or  arrear- 
ages and  the  cost  of  distress  the  same  to  hold  and 
enjoy  as  fully  and  effectually  as  if  these  presents  had 
not  been  executed  or  any  matter  or  thing  relative 
thereto  had  been  done  until  said  Rent  and  Arrearages 


and  Costs  accrued  by  Reason  of  the  distress  be  paid." 
With  regard  to  most  of  the  lots  the  ground-rents  were 
afterwards  commuted  '  by  the  payment  of  a  certain 
fixed  sum,  eight  dollars  per  lot ;  but  in  some  cases 
the  commutation  was  not  paid,  and  ground-rents  were 
continued  on  a  few  lots  as  late  as  1850. 

The  new  "  town"  was  very  sparsely  settled,  and 
remained  in  a  very  languishing  condition  for  several 
years,  until  about  the  close  of  the  Revolution.  Its 
original  name,  "  Beeson's  Mill,"  was  soon  supplanted 
by  that  of  "  Beeson's  Town,"  by  which  it  continued 
to  be  known  to  some  extent  till  about  1800.  The 
name  Union  Town,  however,  began  to  be  used  as 
early  as  1780,  as  is  proved  by  its  occurrence  in  de- 
scriptions of  land  in  deeds  of  that  year. 

The  earliest  deeds  found  recorded  of  lots  in  the 
town  of  Union  were  made  March  7,  1780,  to  John 
Collins  and  Empson  Brownfield.  Collins'  purchase 
at  that  time  embraced  lots  Nos.  23  and  40,  at  forty 
shillings  each.  The  former  was  on  the  south  side  of 
Elbow  Street,  where  J.  K.  Ewing's  residence  now 
stands.  He  sold  it,  September  2d  oj  the  same  year,  to 
Michael  Whitlock,  blacksmith.  Lot  40  was  described 
in  Collins'  deed  as  "  being  the  same  lott  of  ground 
now  occupied  by  the  said  John  Collins."  The  adjoin- 
ing lot  (No.  41)  was  conveyed  to  him  by  deed  dated 
the  following  day,  March  8th.  On  the  last-named 
day  he  also  purchased  of  Beeson,  for  £50,  a  tract  of 
five  acres,  wijh  the  privilege  of  access  to  the  mill- 
race  "  for  watering  Cattle  or  other  Creatures."  Mr. 
Jesse  Beeson  says  he  recollects  when  John  Collins 
lived  in  a  log  house  south  of  the  race,  at  the  place 
where  Church  and  Morgantown  Streets  now  join. 
An  old  orchard  stood  in  the  rear  of  his  house,  not 
far  from  the  Presbyterian  Church.  This  was,  of 
course,  after  Collins  had  retired  from  tavern-keeping, 
and  the  place  on  which  he  then  lived,  as  recollected 
by  Mr.  Beeson,  was  without  doubt  the  five-acre  tract 
above  mentioned  as  purchased  in  March,  1780. 

Empson  Brownfield's  purchase,  made  on  the  same 
day  with  Collins',  as  mentioned  above,  was  of  lot  No. 
39,  adjoining  Collins'  lot  on  the  east,  and  the  same 
now  occupied  by  Mrs.  Dr.  David  Porter.     Brownfield 


'  In  the  Western  Tdegraph  [then  puWished  at  Washington,  Pa.]  of 
May  17, 1796,  is  fonnd  the  following  iidvevtisement  of  Mr.  Beeson,  an- 
nouncing liis  proposed  abolition  of  the  ground-rents,  and  the  terms  on 
which  it  would  be  done,  viz.: 

"The  Subscriber,  considering  tlie  inconsistency  under  our  equal  and 
republican  goveromentof  disposing  of  lands  on  which  an  annual  ground 


purt  he  will  deposit 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


opened  a  tavern  and  store  upon  it,  and  continued 
bntli  as  late  as  1790.  Afterwards  a  (log)  school- 
house  was  built  on  tlie  lot,  and  was  occupied  as  such 
for  many  years. 

Deeds  bearing  even  date  with  those  to  Collins  and 
Brownfield  (March?,  17S0)  were  made  by  Henry  Bee- 
son  to  John  Kidd  and  Alexander  McClean  (jointly), 
and  to  John  Downer,  of  lands  outside  of  but  contigu- 
ous to  the  village  plat.     Kidd  and  MeCIean's  pur- 
chase was  of  a  small  tract  "adjoining  the  Town  of 
T'nion."     The  consideration  was  forty  shillings,  but  1 
tlie  land  was  "subject  to  an  annual  rent  of  one  shil- 
ling per  acre  forever,  nitli  the  iirivilciie  of  sucli   a 
quantity  of  water  as  they  may  s;anil  in  nucd  "f  for 
carrying  on  their  distillery  and  malting  business,  with 
access  to  and  from  the  channel  which  is  now  made,  j 
.  .  ."     The  distillery  erected  on  this  land  stood  east  | 
of  the  old  raceway,  in  what  is  now  the  roadway  of 
Penn  Street. 

Jolin  Downer's  purchase,  referred  to  above,  was  of 
"a  tract  of  land  adjoining  the  Town  nf  T'nion,"  lie- 
ginning  in  the  middle  of  the  north  eml  ui  l.i  N.i.  '.u, 
"and  having  for  its  south  line  the  ear-t  liallof  the 
north  line  of  lot  No.  5il,  and  all  of  the  line  of  lots  48 
and  4'J,  extending  nortliward,  embracing  one  and  one- 
quarter  acres  and  fifteen  perches."  The  consideration 
was  £.-..  On  this  lan.l  Mr.  Downer  had  pivviouslv 
built  a  tannery.  Tlnvand  a  lialt  vai-  latw  M.t. 
■2.  17S:j)  hesold  toCapt.  .rame<  XeaKlnMl,..  e..n-i.l- 
eration  of  i^oOO,  "one  lot  and  a  half,  with  all  the 
buildings,  houses,  outhouses,  stables,  and  fences, 
where  the  said  John  Downer  now  resides  in  Union 
Town;  also  one  acre  andaquarter  and  liltrrn  penhf< 
of  land,  with  a  Tan  Yard,  which  tlir  -aid  [)..wiier 
liath  <]eeu|iied  a  number  of  years."  Tin-  la-t  was 
the  lot  ..!■  land  whirl,  In/  had'bon-l.t  ..I'  ilcnrv  Bee- 
son  in  March,  17.so,  and  the  tannery  u|...n  it  was 
evidently  the  lirst  cnie  erected  in  Unioutown.  Near 
to  its  site,  on  the  south  and  east,  have  been  tanneries 
from  that  time  to  the  present.  John  Downer  was  a 
survevor  who  came  to  Uniontown  from  Wharton, 
where  his  father  had  settled.  After  his  sale  to  Capt. 
James  Neal  he  removed  to  Kentucky. 

John  Kidd  purchased  lot  No.  35  on  the  Sth  of 
March,  1780.  This  lot  now  forms  the  west  part  of 
the  court-house  grounds  and  the  alley  on  the  west  of 
them,  it  heing  sold  for  that  purpose  by  Henry  Beeson 
in  17s:!,  when  the  public  grounds  were  purchased. 
From  this  it  appears  that  Kidd  had,  after  his  pur- 
chase, reconveyed  or  in  some  way  relinquislied  it  to 
Mr.  Beeson. 

In  the  same  year  of  the  purchases  above  mentioned, 
John  Collins  bought  of  Beeson,  a  tract  of  about  eight 
acres  of  land  "on  Redstone  Creek,  nearly  adjacent  to 
the  town  o{  Union,  beginning  on  the  east  of  the  mill- 
race.  .  .  ."  The  price  paid  was  £15,  and  the  land  was 
also  subject  to  an  annual  payment  of  one  shilling  for 
every  acre  thereof,  ground-rent,  to  commence  the  first 
dav  of  November,  in   the   year  of  our   Lord   177(3; 


which  last  clause  is  an  indication  that  Collins  had 
really  purchased  the  land  in  the  year  of  the  laying 
out  of  the  village,  but  had  not  secured  his  deed  until 
four  years  later.  The  tract  was  situated  south  of  the 
village  plat  and  east  of  the  old  race,  as  mentioned  in 
the  deed. 

James  McCullough,  a  blacksmith,  purchased  from 
Henry  Bee.son,  Sept.  2,  1780,  lot  No.  28,  situated  on 
the  south  side  of  Elbow  Street,  and  in  November  of 
the  next  year  he  purchased  No.  27,  joining  his  former 
purchase  on  the  east.  For  many  years  he  had  his 
blacksmith-shop  in  operation  on  these  lots.  After- 
wards the  old  Union  Bank  purchased  the  property, 
and  erected  upon  it  the  building  wdiich  is  now  the 
depot  of  the  Southwest  Railroad. 

Jonathan  Rowland,  a  saddler  by  trade,  was  located 
in  Uniontown  before  1783,  and  in  that  year  com- 
menced business  as  an  inn-keeper.  His  later  residence 
was  in  the  brick  house  erected  by  Joseph  Huston, 
the  first  brick  dwelling  built  in  Uniontown.  It  is 
still  standing,  a  little  east  of  Dr.  J.  B.  Ewing's  resi- 
lience, on  the  north  side  of  Main  Street.  Rowland 
wa-  a  iu>tiee  of  the  peace  in  1803,  and  held  the  office 
till-  niaiiy  years. 

In  or  about  1783,  Jonathan  Downer  built  a  large 
dnnlile  big  house  on  the  north  side  of  Peter  Street, 
in  ilii-<liou,-c  (ieii.  EphraimDouglassbecame  a  boarder 
with  Mr.  Iinwnir  in  1784.  At  a  later  date  a  school 
wa-  lauulit  in  this  house. 

A  deed  to  "  Matthew  Campbell,  Inn-keeper,"  dated 
Jan.  7,  1784,  conveyed  to  him  lot  No.  10,  on  which 
he  had  previously  erected  a  log  house  for  a  tavern. 
Tlii-i  lot  is  the  one  on  which  the  Fulton  House  now 

.\aron  Sackett,  "  taylor,"  located  himself  on  lot 
No.  7,  and  received  a  deed  for  it  on  the  17th  of  March, 
17.S4,  His  lot  was  on  the  south  side  of  Elbow  Street, 
nearly  opposite  the  present  residence  of  the  Hon. 
Daniel  Kaine.  In  the  spring  of  the  same  year  John 
Stitt,  "breeches  maker  of  Uniontown,"  sold  nine 
acres  of  land  outside  the  village  plat  to  James  Bu-  . 
chanan,  of  Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  for  sixteen  pounds 
fifteen  shillings.  It  is  certain  that  Stitt  was  pursuing 
liis  vocation  in  Uniontown  in  1783,  as  in  that  year 
a  complaint  was  made  against  him  to  the  court  by 
Alexander  Morrison,  his  apprentice,  for  violation  of 
the  terms  of  his  indenture. 

(_)n  the  23d  of  July,  1784,  Arthur  McDonald  sold 
to  Samuel  Pounds  and  Jonathan  Downer  "  my  Tan 
Yard,  adjoining  the  mill  of  Henry  Beeson,  with  all 
the  appurtenances  thereunto  belonging;  also  all  the 
Tan  Bark  now  procured  by  nie  for  the  use  of  the 
yard."  On  the  5th  of  September  in  the  next  year 
Jonathan  Downer  purcliased  of  Henry  Beeson  a  lot 
of  land  "situate  near  and' adjacent  to  the  town  of 
Union,  beginning  at  the  northwest  cin-ner  of  the 
Mill  House,  northward  and  eastward  to  the  verge  of 
the  tale  race  ;  then  up  the  west  side  of  the  tale  race  to 
the  place  of  beginning."    On  this  land  a  tannerv  was 


UNIOXTOWN   BOROUGH. 


283 


erected  and  vats  were  sunk,  the  beds  of  which  can 
still  be  located  by  depressions  in  the  ground  at  that 
place.  The  tannery  was  afterwards  removed  to  the 
opposite  side  of  the  street,  where  it  is  yet  owned  and 
operated  by  the  sons  of  Levi,  a  son  of  Jonathan 
Downer.* 

Peter  Hook,  some  of  whose  descendants  are  still  i 
living  in  Uniontovvn,  was  a  hatter,  and  located  here  [ 
in  that  business  at  least  as  early  as  1781,  as  in  that 
year  there  is  found  a  record   of  Thomas  McKinley 
being  bound  "  an  apprentice  to  Peter  Hooke  to  learn  i 
the  trade  and  mystery  of  hatting."     On  the  31st  of 
August,  1783,  he  (Hook)  purchased,  for  the  consider-  | 
ation  of  twelve  pounds,  Pennsylvania  money,  lot  No.  i 
22  of  the  original  plat  (a  part  of  the  property  on  ; 
which  was  built  the  residence  of  Judge  Nathaniel 
Ewing).     He  owned  the  property  as  late  as  the  year 
1813,  and  there  is  found  in  the  Genius  of  Liberty  of 
January  28th  in  that  year  his  advertisement, — "To 
let,  the  house  and  lot  now  occupied  as  a  tavern  by 
Jacob  Harbaugh,  situate  in  the  borough  of  Union, 
nearly  opposite  the  Court  House."     Pie  also  at  the  j 
same   time   advertised  for  sale   "a   Set   of  Hatter's  I 
Tools." 

Colin  Campbell,  mentioned  as  a  "  teacher,"  pur- 
chased lot  No.  43  on  the  15th  of  JIarch,  1784.  He 
occupied  and  kept  tavern  on  that  lot  five  years  later. 
He  sold  it  to  Samuel  Salter. 

In  or  about  the  year  1784,  Henry  Beeson's  old  mill 
was  abandoned,  and  its  machinery  removed  to  a  new  ! 
building  which  had  been  erected  for  it,  and  which  is 
still  standing,  on  the  north  side  of  Main  Street,  a 
short  distance  east  of  where  that  street  crosses  Camp- 
bell's (or  Beeson's)  Run.  A  principal  reason  for  this 
removal  is  said  to  have  been  that  the  loose  and  porous 
nature  of  the  soil  through  which  the  old  canal  was 
cut,  near  the  brow  of  the  slope  south  of  the  mill, 
caused  a  great  leakage  of  water,  which  it  was  found 
impossible  to  remedy.  It  is  probable,  however,  that 
there  were  also  other  reasons  for  the  change  which  are 
not  understood  at  the  present  day.  The  removal  of 
the  mill  of  course  caused  the  abandonment  of  the  old 
raceway,  and  a  new  one  was  constructed,  starting  from 
Bedstone  Creek  at  the  mouth  of  Spring  Run  (which 
flows  from  the  old  mansion  house  of  Henry  Beeson, 
now  occupied  by  Andrew  Diitton),  and  running 
northwestwardly  to  an  alley  in  the  rear  of  the  present 
residence  of  Dr.  Smith  Fuller;  thence  a  little  more 
northwardly  across  the  line  of  Fayette  Street,  and  by 
the  lot  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  to  and  across 
Church  Street,  then  more  westwardly  along  the  north 


1  The  tannery  propei-ty  sold  (as  before  mentioned)  by  John  Downei 
to  Capt.  James  Neal  in  October,  1783,  was  evidently  pnrchased  aftei-' 
wards  by  Henry  Bi-eson,  for  he,  on  the  :)Otli  of  3t:iy,  ns7,  conveyed  tlis 
same  property  (one  and  one-fourth  acres  .mi  ii  i  •  i,  i  ;>  !i.^,  the  sani€ 
amount  sold  by  John  Downer  to  Neal)  to  .1'   I  i  I'  nutheStl] 

of  June,  1793,  a  new  deed  was  made  by  In-i-  i    i     I  i-.  titigar 

error  in  the  deed  of  1783,  and  conveying  t-  Ii  .« ,,  ;  m ,1  piocf 

of  land  on  the  west  side  of  the  former  port  Iijisl'. 


side  of  that  street  to  and  across  Morgan  town  Street 
at  the  intersection  of  South  Street,  and  from  that 
point,  in  nearly  the  same  course,  across  Arch  and  Main 
Streets  to  the  mill,  the  tail-race  discharging  the 
water  into  Campbell's  Run,  which  joins  the  main 
stream  of  the  Redstone  a  short  distance  below.  This 
raceway,  now  arched  for  a  considerable  distance  be- 
tween Main  and  Morgantown  Streets,  is  still  in  use, 
after  nearly  a  century  of  service. 

A  description  of  Uniontown  as  it  was  in  the  begin- 
ning of  1784  (a  short  time  after  the  organization  of 
the  county  of  Fayette)  is  found  in  the  following 
letter,  written  by  Ephraim  Douglass  to  Gen.  James 
Irvine,  viz. : 
"  My  dear  General  : 

"  If  my  promise  were  not  engaged  to  write  to  you, 
my  inclinations  are  sufliciently  so  to  embrace  with 
alacrity  any  opportunity  of  expressing  the  gratitude 
so  justly  due  to  your  valuable  friendship,  of  declaring 
the  sincerity  of  mine. 

"This  Uniontown  is  the  most  obscure  spot  on  the 
face  of  the  globe.  I  have  been  here  seven  or  eight 
weeks  without  one  opportunity  of  writing  to  the  land 
of  the  living,  and,  though  considerably  south  of  you, 
so  cold  that  a  person  not  knowing  the  latitude  would 
conclude  we  were  placed  near  one  of  the  poles. 
Pray,  have  you  had  a  severe  winter  below  ?  We  have 
been  frozen  up  here  for  more  than  a  month  past,  but 
a  great  many  of  us  having  been  bred  in  another  State, 
the  eating  of  Homany  is  as  natural  to  us  as  the  drink- 
ing of  whisky  in  the  morning. 

"  The  town  and  its  appurtenances  consist  of  our 
president  and  a  lovely  little  family,  a  court-house  and 
school-house  in  one,  a  mill,  and  consequently  a  miller, 
four  tavern-,  tlinc  -iiiitli -^liops.  live  retail  shops,  two 
tan-yanls,-  <.iir  ni  ilii^iu  ,,iil\'  i.ccui.icd,  one  saddler's 
shop,  two  luitlers'  >li(i]i.s,  .uiu  iiiaxui,  one  cake-woman 
(we  had  two,  but  one  of  them  having  committed  a  petit 
larceny  is  upon  banishment),  two  widows,  and  some 
reputed  maids,  to  which  ur.iy  lie  added  a  distillery. 
The  upper  part  of  this  ,,,lir„-,.  i,  il„.  hal.italio.i  at  will 
of  your  liuiiiblo  servant,  who,  1,(  -idc  tin-  smoke  of  his 
own  chimney,  which  is  intolerable  enough,  is  fumi- 
gated by  that  of  two  stills  below,  exclusive  of  the  other 
effluvia  that  arises  from  the  dirty  vessels  in  which 
they  prepare  the  materials  for  the  stills.  The  upper 
floor  of  my  parlour,  which  is  also  my  chamber  and 
office,  is  laid  with  loose  clapboards  or  puncheons,  and 
both  the  gable  ends  entirely  open  ;  and  yet  this  is 
the  best  place  in  my  power  to  procure  till  the  weather 
will  permit  me  to  build,  and  even  this  I  am  subject  to 
be  turned  out  of  the  moment  the  owner,  who  is  at 
Kentuck,  and  hourly  expected,  returns. 


t.)  were  those  of  Capt  James  Neal  (piir- 
ner  in  1783)  and  of  Arthur  McPonald, 
Pounds  and  .louatban  Downer  in  1784. 
louglass  was   that  of  John    Kidd,  with 


284 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


"  I  can  say  little  of  the  country  in  general  but  that 
it  is  very  poor  in  everything  but  its  soil,  which  is  ex- 
cellent, and  that  part  contiguous  to  the  town  is  really 
beautiful,  being  level  and  prettily  situate,  accommo- 
dated with  good  water  and  excellent  meadow-ground. 
But  money  we  have  not,  nor  any  practicable  way  of 
making  it ;  how  taxes  will  be  collected,  debts  paid,  or 
fees  discharged  I  know  not ;  and  yet  the  good  people 
appear  willing  enough  to  run  in  debt  and  go  to  law. 
I  shnll  be  able  to  give  you  a  better  account  of  this 
hereafter. 

"Col.  Maclean  received  me  with  a  degree  of  gen- 
erous friendship  that  does  honor  to  the  goodness  of 
his  heart,  and  continues  to  show  every  mark  of  satis- 
faction at  my  appointment.'  He  is  determined  to  act 
under  the  commission  sent  him  by  Council,-  and 
though  the  fees  would,  had  he  declined  it,  have  been 
a  considerable  addition  to  my  profits,  I  cannot  say 
that  I  regret  his  keeping  them.  He  has  a  numerous 
small  family,  and  though  of  an  ample  fortune  in 
lands,  has  not  cash  at  command.  .  .  . 

"  The  general  curse  of  the  country,  disunion,  rages 
in  this  little  mud-hole  with  as  if  they  had  each 
pursuits  of  the  utmost  importance,  and  the  most  op- 
posed to  each  other,  when  in  truth  they  have  no  pur- 
suits at  all  that  deserve  the  name,  except  that  of  ob- 
taining food  and  whisky,  for  raiment  they  scarcely 
use  any.  .  .  .  The  commissioners — trustees,  I  should 
say — having  fixed  on  a  spot  in  one  end  of  the  town 
for  the  public  buildings,  which  was  by  far  the  most 
proper  in  every  point  of  view,  exclusive  of  the  saving 
expense,  the  other  end  took  the  alarm  and  charged 
them  with  partiality,  and  have  been  ever  since  utter- 
ing their  complaints.  And  at  the  late  election  for 
justices,  two  having  been  carried  in  this  end  of  the 
town  and  none  in  the  other,  has  made  them  quite 
outrageous.  This  trash  is  not  worth  troubling  you 
with,  therefore  I  beg  your  pardon,  and  am,  with  un- 
feigned esteem,  dear  general, 

''  Your  very  humble  servant, 

"  El'HRAIM    DOUULASS." 

This  letter  was  written  between  the  6th  and  the  11th 
of  Fel)ruary,  ITS!,  a  few  months  after  the  erection  of 
tlie  county  and  lu-f.jre  it  was  fully  organized.  Gen. 
Douglass  nieiitiniis  tlir  ti'iii|iorary  court-house  (which 
liad  then  l)een  used  hut  once  for  that  purpose,  viz. : 
at  the  session  of  the  i)revious  December),  but  he  says 
nothing  about  a  jail.  Soon  after  that  time,  however, 
and  during  the  spring  or  summer  of  the  same  year,  a 
log  building  that  stood  on  the  rear  of  the  lot  now  oc- 
cupied by  the  residence  of  the  Hon.  Daniel  Kaine 
was  made  into  a  temporary  prison,  and  was  occupied 
as  such  for  three  years,  and  until  the  erection  of  a 
stone  jail  on  the  site  of  the  present  one. 

>  The  appointment  of  prothonutaiy  of  Fayette  County,  which  he  re- 
ceiveii  in  October,  1783. 

2  Col.  Alexander  McClean  was  appointed  recorder  of  deeds  Dec.  G,  i;s.1. 
He  received  the  appointment  of  justice  of  the  p«ace  for  Fayette  County, 
March  HI,  17S4. 


Alexander  McClean,  the  veteran  surveyor,  and  the 
man  who  was  probably  the  most  widely  known  of  any 
in  Fayette  County  for  a  period  of  more  than  fifty 
years,  moved  into  Uniontown  in  1783,  and  soon  after- 
wards became  possessor  of  lot  No.  20  on  the  original 
|)lat,  the  same  on  which  the  Clinton  House  now 
stands.  On  this  lot  he  built  a  two-story  log  house, 
which  was  by  far  the  most  pretentious  dwelling  in 
the  village.  It  had  a  covered  balcony  at  the  upper 
windows  on  the  west  end,  and  the  interior  was 
finished  with  paneled  work,  carved  cornices,  and 
some  other  ornamentation  unusual  in  houses  of  that 
day  west  of  the  Alleghenies.  In  this  house  he  lived 
until  his  death  in  1834,  about  half  a  century  after 
its  erection.  The  property  was  then  purchased  by 
the  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart,  who  built  on  it  the  brick 
residence  in  which  he  lived  for  many  years,  and 
which  is  now  the  Clinton  House. 

On  the  east  of  Mr.  McClean's  residence,  and  on  the 
same  side  of  Elbow  Street,  he  purchased  (Dec.  31, 1798) 
lots  Nos.  17,  18,  and  19.  On  the  last  named,  adjoin- 
ing his  homestead  lot,  he  built  the  log  house  which  is 
still  standing  on  its  original  site.  This  house  and  lot 
he  gave  to  his  daughter  Elizabeth  at  the  time  of  her 
marriage  to  Thomas  Hadden,  who  made  this  his  resi- 
dence during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  (Had- 
den) built,  next  east  of  his  log  house,  the  brick  build- 
ing which  he  used  as  an  oflice,  and  which  is  now  the 
residence  of  his  two  daughters,  Sally  and  Elizabeth. 

In  1809  (November  IGth),  Mr.  McClean  sold  parts 
of  lots  18  and  19^  to  John  Withrow,  a  wagon-maker, 
who  had  his  shop  on  the  front  of  the  lots  and  his 
dwelling  farther  in  the  rear.  He  was  elected  sheriff 
of  the  county  in  1817.  In  1813  he  sold  his  lots  to 
Ann  Stevens.  She,  on  the  25th  of  December,  1820, 
sold  them  to  John  M.  Austin,  who  erected  the  brick 
house  which  is  now  the  residence  of  the  Hon.  Daniel 
Kaine.  East  of  Withrow's  wagon-shop,  on  the  same 
side  of  the  street,  was  Lewis  Williams'  wagon-shop, 
standing  on  the  lot  where  Mrs.  E.  D.  Roddy  now 
lives.  Still  farther  east  was  another  blacksmitli-shop, 
owned  and  carried  on  by  John  P.  Sturgis. 

(Jn  the  south  side  of  Elbow  Street,  eastward  from 
Piper's  "  Jolly  Irishman"  tavern  (which  was  nearly 
i  opposite  where  Mr.  Kaine  now  lives).  Gen.  Ephraim 
Douglass  owned  the  lots  as  far  as  Redstone  Creek. 
On  the  site  where  Mr.  Cochran's  residence  now  stands 
he  built  a  brick  house,  in  which  he  dispensed  a  gen- 
erous hospitality  that  made  it  a  favorite  visiting-place 
for  young  and  old.  This  house,  in  which  he  lived 
during  nearly  all  the  remainder  of  his  life,  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  about  fifteen  years  ago.     After  tlie 


^  III  the  sale  of  the  lots  east  of  his  residence,  Mr.  McClean  provided 
for  an  alley  twelve  feet  wide,  mnniui;  from  Elbow  Street,  on  the  east 
side  of  lot  No.  17,  north' one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  from  the  Main 
Street,  and  thence  extending  westward,  parallel  with  Elbow  Street,  in 
the  rear  of  his  four  lota.  This  is  the  alley  which  is  still  kept  open  as  a 
thoroughfare  in  the  rear  of  Mr.  Kaine's  residence  and  the  Clinton 
House,  ami  between  the  couil-lioiiae  aud  jail. 


UiNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


death  of  Gen.  Douglass,  Mary  Lyon,  whose  history 
is  well  known  to  many  of  the  older  citizens  of  Union- 
town,  lived  in  a  log  house  east  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Church.  It  is  supposed  that  one  (and 
perhaps  the  principal  one)  of  the  "five  retail  shops" 
mentioned  in  Gen.  Douglass'  letter  was  that  of  Jacob 
Beeson,  who,  as  tradition  says,  established  himself  as 
ii  merchant  in  Uniontown  in  1783.  His  ledger  marked 
"J"  (which  leads  to  the  supposition  that  it  was  the 
ninth  or  tenth  book  used  by  him  in  his  business)  is 
still  in  existence,  and  commences  in  the  year  1808, 
containing  accounts  of  two  years'  transactions.  He 
was  succeeded  in  business  by  his  son  William,  whose 
brother  Isaac  became  first  his  clerk  and  afterwards 
his  successor.  His  (Isaac's)  sons,  William  and  J.  K. 
Beeson,  still  continue  the  business.  The  store  which 
they  occupy  was  built  by  their  father,  but  the  precise 
date  of  its  erection  is  not  known. 

Very  few  settlements  (if  any  besides  that  of  Henry 
Beeson,  where  he  built  his  first  house  in  1768)  had 
been  made  within  the  limits  of  the  present  borough, 
west  of  Morgantown  Street,  prior  to  1784.  On  the 
12th  of  March  in  that  year,  Henry  Beeson  sold  to 
Jacob  Beeson,  for  the  consideration  of  £100,  Penn- 
sylvania money,  all  his  title  and  interest  to  and  in 
the  "  Stone  Coal  Run"  tract,  which  had  been  sur- 
veyed to  him  on  warrant  No.  3455,  on  the  27th  of 
September,  1769,  as  before  noticed.  But  it  is  evident 
that  this  sale  by  Henry  to  Jacob  Beeson  was  soon 
afterwards  modified  (though  no  record  to  that  effect 
is  found  until  four  years  later),  so  that  instead  of  the 
whole  of  the  Stone  Coal  tract,  Jacob  Beeson  purchased 
only  a  part  of  it  (about  two  hundred  and  thirty-six 
acres),  and  the  remainder  (about  one  hundred  acres) 
was  sold  by  Henry  Beeson  to  William  Campbell. 
For  some  cause  which  does  not  appear,  Henry  Bee- 
son had  never  received  a  patent  for  the  "  Stone  Coal 
Run"  tract,  surveyed  to  him  fifteen  years  before,  and 
now  that  the  tract  was  sold  in  parcels  to  Campbell 
and  Jacob  Beeson,  these  purchasers  naturally  pre-  J 
ferred  that  the  patents  should  issue  directly  to  them,'  ' 
which  was  done  in  March  of  the  following  year. 

^  In  the  ceturn  of  a  survey  of  a  tract  of  217  acres,  made  to  William   i 
Campbell  in  1780,  tlie  survey,  r  (Alexander  McClean)  makes  the  follow-  j 
ing  description  and  remarks:  "  Situate  on  a  branch  of  Redstone  Creek,   i 
about  one  mile  from  Union  Town,  in  Union  township,  Fayette  Contity, 
and  contains  a  part  of  a  survey  made  for  Henry  Beeson  by  order  of  sur- 
vey No.  3455,  which  survey  was  formerly  returned  into  the  surveyor- 
general's  office;  but  the  said  Henry  Beeson  having  sold  the  part  de- 
scribed to  William  Campbell,  and  the  residue  to  Jacob  Beesou,  and  tliey 
desiring  to  have  separate  patents,  I  resurveyed  the  same  agreeable  to 
their  purchase." 

The  patents  were  issued  to  Campbell  and  Jacob  Beeson  in  March, 
1785,  as  above  mentioned,  and  about  three  years  later  (Feb.  13,  178.S) 
they  received  deeds  from  Henry  Beeson  of  all  his  right,  under  warrant 
Ko.  3455,  to  and  in  the  tracts  in  question,  viz. ;  that  sold'  to  Jacob  Beeson, 
containing  236^^  acres,  with  an  allowance  of  six  per  cent,  for  roads,  and 
"including  my  improvement  made  in  1768,  near  Tliomas  Douthet  and 
John  llenthorne."  and  that  sold  to  William  Campbell,  containing  ''  one 
hundred  and  four  acres,  sliict  measure."  The  consideration  paid  by 
Campbell  was  £40,  and  by  Jacob  Beeson,  fur  the  "  Mount  Veruon"  tract, 
£85. 


The  part  which  was  purchased  by  Jacob  Beeson 
was  named  by  him  "  Mount  Vernon,"  and  on  a  part 
of  this  tract  he  platted  and  laid  out  two  additions  to 
Uniontown,  which  are  referred  to  in  the  following  re- 
citation found  in  a  deed  in  the  register's  ofiice,  .viz. : 
"  Whereas  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  by 
l)atent  dated  March  28,  1785,  did  grant  unto  Jacob 
Beeson  a  tract  of  land  called  Mount  Vernon,  and 
whereas  Jacob  Beeson  did  lay  out  a  tract  of  land  ad- 
joining the  town  of  Union,  and  called  the  same  'Ja- 
cob's Addition,'  and  did  afterwards  lay  out  another 
tract  called  '  Jacob's  Second  Addition,'  "  etc.  By  this 
the  fact  is  shown  that  two  additions  were  laid  out  by 
Jacob  Beeson  on  the  Mount  Vernon  tract  west  of 
Morgantown  Street,  though  no'  plats  of  them  are 
known  to  be  in  existence,  nor  has  the  date  of  their 
laying  out  been  ascertained. 

Another  addition  to  the  town  was  laid  out  at  about 
the  same  time  by  Henry  Beeson,  on  the  southwest 
part  of  the  Mill  Seat  tract,  and  called  "Henry's  Ad- 
dition." Reference  to  this  addition  is  found  in  a  deed 
from  Henry  Beeson  to  Jacob  Johnson,  dated  Feb.  27, 
1802,  as  follows:  "Whereas  the  Commonwealth  of 
Pennsylvania,  by  patent  dated  llth  day  of  August  in 
the  year  1786,  did  grant  unto  Henry  Beeson  a  certain 
tract  of  land  called  Mill  Seat,  situate  on  Redstone 
Creek,  in  the  county  of  Fayette,  on  which  the  town 
of  Union  had  been  previously  erected,  and  whereas 
the  increase  of  inhabitants  made  it  necessary  to  en- 
large the  original  town  for  accommodating  of  appli- 
cants, the  said  Henry  Beeson  for  that  purpose  laid 
out  sundry  lots  of  ground  on  both  sides  of  the  road 
leading  from  Uniontown  to  Cheat  River,  within  the 
limits  of  Mill  Seat  aforesaid,  and  called  Henry's  Ad- 
dition." No  map  or  plat  of  this  addition  has  been 
found,  and  it  is  believed  that  none  is  now  in  exist- 
ence. 

All  lots  in  Henry's,  as  also  in  Jacob's  First  and 
Second  Additions,  were  sold  subject  to  the  same  con- 
ditions as  those  in  the  original  plat  of  the  town,  and 
in  the  cases  of  all  lots  through  which  Beeson's  race- 
way ran,  the  privilege  was  reserved  to  maintain  and 
repair  it  when  necessary,  and  to  enter  upon  the  lots 
for  that  purpose. 

The  first  conveyance  which  has  been  found  of  lots 
in  Jacob's  Addition  is  that  of  lots  Nos.  9  and  10,  to 
Mary  Beeson,  April  12,  17S5.  At  later  dates  are 
found  deeds  of  various  lots,  among  which  were  No.  6 
to  George  Mitchell,  Nos.  3,  13,  and  14  to  Jesse  Graves, 
No.  3  to  Joseph  Huston,  and  No.  5  to  Dr.  Henry 
Chapese.  Lot  No.  19  was  sold  in  1794  to  Joseph 
Hedges.  Afterwards  it  passed  to  Jacob  Medtart,  and 
in  1811  was  purchased  by  Thomas  Brownfield,  who 
also,  Oct.  5,  1807,  bought  lot  No.  20,  lying  between 
where  his  son  Nathaniel  now  lives  and  Campbell's 
Run,  described  as  "situate  on  the  north  side  of  Fell's 
Alley,  along  the  west  side  of  Mill  Street  seventy-two 
and  a  half  feet  to  the  southeast  corner  of  lot  19,  thence 


HISTOKY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


westward  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  to  Jacob  Beeson's 
mill-yard."  The  property,  including  the  "  White 
Swan"  tavern,  was  bought  by  him  iu  1805.  In  the 
conveyances  of  these  lots,  "  Fell's  Alley,"  as  men- 
tioned in  these  deeds,  was  afterwards  widened,  and 
formed  the  part  of  Fayette  Street  which  is  west  of 
Morgantown  Street. 

One  of  the  settlers  on  the  original  plat  prior  to 
1786  was  Samuel  Salter,  who  in  that  year  purchased 
of  Colin  Campbell  lot  No.  43,  west  of  John  Collins' 
tavern.  On  this  lot  Salter  opened  a  public-house. 
Later  he  kept  where  J.  K.  Ewing's  residence  now  is. 
His  sons  William  and  Samuel  afterwards  carried  on 
the  foundry  business  on  the  site  of  the  present  school - 
house.  William  became  sheriff  of  Fayette  County. 
He  removed  to  Hanging  Rock,  Ohio,  where  he  died. 
Samuel  Salter,  Sr.,  died  in  Connellsville. 

Samuel  M.  King,  a  merchant  from  Adams  Co.,  Pa., 
came  to  LTniontown  as  early  as  1789,  and  on  the  14th 
of  November  in  that  year  purchased  of  Aaron  Booth 
three  lots,  viz. :  "  Lot  No.  25,  lying  on  Elbow  Street,  on 
the  west  side  of  the  old  mill-race  in  said  town,  and 
the  other  two  lots  lying  opposite  to  and  south  of  lots 
27  and  28."  The  first  mentioned  was  adjoining  the 
lot  of  Ellis  and  Reuben  Bailey.  Mr.  King  kept  a 
store  at  this  place  till  his  death  in  1803.  His  daugh- 
ter Anna  was  married  in  1817  to  Dr.  Robert  McCall, 
and  after  his  death  became  the  wife  of  Judge  John 
Huston.  She  is  still  living  in  the  old  stone  house  at 
Redstone  Furnace. 

Benjamin  Campbell  was  a  silversmith  who  removed 
from  Lancaster,  Pa.,  to  Hagerstown,  Md.,  in  1774, 
and  from  the  latter  place  came  about  1790  to  Union- 
town  at  the  solicitation  of  Samuel  Salter,  Samuel 
King,  Clement  Brooks,  Dr.  Henry  Chapese,  and 
Henry  Purviance,  each  of  whom  advanced  a  small 
sum  as  an  inducement  for  him  to  come  to  and  locate 
in  Uniontown  to  carry  on  his  trade.  He  moved  into 
Alexander  McClean's  log  house  (the  same  which  he 
afterw^ards  gave  to  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Hadden),  in 
which  he,  Mr.  Campbell,  lived  until  the  year  1800, 
and  in  which  his  son.  Dr.  Hugh  Campbell,  was  born 
in  May,  1795.  On  leaving  this  house  Benjamin  Camp- 
bell removed  to  a  dwelling  where  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank  building  now  stands.  He  died  Sept.  24, 
1843.  His  son  John  learned  the  saddler's  trade  with 
John  Woods,  and  was  postmaster  of  Uniontown  and 
a  justice  of  the  peace  for  many  years.  Hugh,  another 
son,  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Daniel  Marchand,  be- 
came a  prominent  physician  in  Uniontown,  and  died 
Feb.  21,  1876.  His  sons.  Judge  Edward  Campbell, 
and  Benjamin  Campbell,  are  now  living  in  Union- 
town. 

Christian  Tarr  was  a  potter  who  carried  on  that 
business  on  lot  No.  29  of  the  original  plat,  a  place 
that  may  be  designated  as  just  west  of  Bank  Alley 
on  the  south  side  of  Main  Street.  "  Joseph  Huston, 
Iron  Master,"  purchased  lot  No.  3  of  Jacob's  Addition 
for  £5  on  the  2;)tli  of  Deceaibcr,  1791,    and  sold  it  to 


Christian  Tarr  for  £75,  April  27,  1795.  From  this  lot 
Mr.  Tarr  procured  the  clay  for  use  in  his  pottery. 
Its  location  was  on  the  south  side  of  Elbow  Street, 
adjoining  Jacob's  Alley  (now  Arch  Street),  and  is  the 
site  of  the  present  Eagle  Hotel.  Christian  Tarr  after- 
wards removed  to  Jefferson  township.  He  was  elected 
a  member  of  Congress,  serving  from  the  year  1817  to 
1821. 

Another  pottery  in  Uniontown  was  that  of  Abner 
Greenland,  who  prosecuted  his  trade  in  a  small  log 
building  standing  on  the  north  bank  of  the  raceway 
just  east  of  Morgantown  Street.  Cornelius  Lynch, 
father  of  Daniel  P.  Lynch  (ex-sheriff),  was  a  brewer, 
who  before  the  year  1800  was  carrying  on  that  busi- 
ness on  the  west  side  of  Morgantown  Street  between 
South  and  Main  Streets. 

As  early  as  1793  a  distillery  had  been  erected,  and 
was  operated  by  John  Porter  on  a  little  run  on  the 
east  side  of  Redstone  Creek  southeast  of  the  old  gra\*e- 
yard. 

The  assessment  lists  of  Uniontown  for  1796  show 
the  names  of  William  Little,  John  Kinglin,  and  Wil- 
liam G.  Turner,  "  schoolmasters ;"  those  of  1798  men- 
tion John  Lyon  and  James  Morrison  as  attorneys; 
and   in  1799,  Isaac  Wood  appears  as  a  schoolmaster, 

Mowry  and  William  S.  Fry  as  printers,  A.  Si- 

monson  and  Solomon  Drown  as  physicians,  and  John 
Canady  (Kennedy),  Thomas  Hadden,  and  Thomas 
Meason  as  lawyers. 

Ellis  Bailey  and  Reuben  Bailey,  brothers,  located 
in  Uniontown   as   merchants   about   the  year  1800. 
The  earliest  mention  that  has  been  found  of  them  is 
I  in   a  deed  dated  Aug.   14,   1801,  by  which   George 
Ebbert  conveyed  to  "  Ellis  and  Reuben  Bailey,  mer- 
chants," lot  No.  26,  in  Henry  Beeson's  original  plat. 
i  The  lot  in  question  had  been  sold,  April  13,  1790,  by 
Mr.  Beeson  to  William  and  John  Lee,  together  with 
an  out-lot  lying  south  of  the  town  plat.     They  sold 
j  the  property  to  George  Ebbert,  in  May,  1801,  and  he 
to  E.  and  R.  Bailey,  as  mentioned.     Upon  this  lot — 
which  is  the  same  now  occupied  by  Dr.  Sturgeon — 
Ellis  and  Reuben  Bailey  carried  on  their  l)usiness  as 
merchants  for  many  years. 
I       In  the  early  years  of  Uniontown's  liistory,  Peter 
■  Street  was  fully  equal,  if  not  superior  in  importance 
to.  Elbow,  or  Main  Street,  and  the  former  was  much 
1  the  most  traveled  highway,  both  because  it  was  a 
*  better  road,  and  because  it  led  to  the  mill,  the  distil- 
lery, the  tannery,  and  other  places  of  traffic.     What 
is  now  the  rear  of  the  Main  Street  lots  was  then  occu- 
pied by  business  places  and  residences  fronting  on 
Peter  Street. 

The  dwelling  of  Jacob  Beeson  stood  on  the  site  of 

Mr.  S.  A.  Gilmore's  present  residence,  of  which  the 

old  house  forms  a  part.   This  place  was  long  the  home 

1  of  Lucius  W.  Stockton,  who  was  mail  contractor  on 

'  the  National  road  for  many  years.     A  grist-mill  was 

built  by  Jacob  Beeson  on  the  east  side  of  Campbell's 

I  (or  Beeson's)  Run,  south  of  Elbow  Street.     Later  it 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


287 


was  converted  into  a,  siiw-mili  by  D;ivid  Veecli.  Mr. 
Beeson  also  built  a  tannery,  and  carried  on  that 
business  near  the  foot  of  the  hill,  below  the  present 
residence  of  Clark  Breading. 

John  Miller,  a  tanner  by  trade,  came  to  Uniontown 
from  Washington,  Pa.  He  worked  in  the  tannery  of 
Jacob  Beeson,  and  became  the  husband  of  his  daugh- 
ter Rebecca.  He  afterwards  built  for  himself  a  tan- 
nery at  the  place  where  the  old  woolen  factory  stood, 
and  there  carried  on  the  business  for  many  years. 
He  built  the  brick  residence,  which  is  still  standing, 
known  as  the  Miller  house.  About  1835  he  removed 
to  Illinois,  and  became  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  at 
Rockford,  in  that  State.  His  oldest  son,  Jacob,  was 
born  on  Veech's  Lane,  Uniontown,  and  became  prom- 
inent here  as  a  lawyer  and  editor.  Other  children  of 
John  Miller  are  Mrs.  Dr.  David  Porter  and  William 
H.  Miller,  of  Uniontown,  and  Alexander  Miller,  of 
Pittsburgh. 

EARLY  TAVERNS,  AND  LATER  PUBLIC-HOUSES. 
The  first  public-house  in  Beeson's  Town  was  that  of 
John  Collins,  who,  in  the  year  1780,  purchased  the 
village  lots  Nos.  40'  and  41  (where  Commercial  Row 
was  afterwards  erected),  and  built  thereon  a  log  tav- 
ern, which  he  kept  until  1799.  The  earliest  mention 
of  this  tavern  that  is  found  in  any  record  or  other 
document  appears  in  the  minutes  of  a  "  Court  of 
Appeal,"  ^  held  by  Alexander  McClean,  sub-lieutenant 
of  the  county  of  Westmoreland,  "  at  the  inn  of  John 
Collins,  in  Union  Town,  on  the  8th  day  of  May, 
1782."  Similar  mention  of  Collins'  tavern  at  later 
dates  is  found  in  other  parts  of  the  same  minute- 
book. 

At  the  first  session  of  the  court  of  Fayette  County, 
in  December,  1783,  John  Collins,  Jonathan  Rowland, 
Daniel  Culp,  Matthew  Campbell,  and  John  Huston, 
all  of  Union,  and  Thomas  Brown,  of  Redstone  Old 
Fort,  were  recommended  as  suitable  persons  to  keep 
taverns.''     The  place  where  Jonathan  Rowland  kept 


1  The  deed  of  lot  40  was  made  Mnrch  7, 1780,  to  "John  Collins,  Inn- 
keeper," and  the  lot  was  mentioned  as  "  being  the  same  lott  of  ground 
now  occupied  hy  the  said  John  Collins,"  which  makes  it  probable  that 
he  had  opened  liie  tavern  upon  it  in  the  previous  year,  1779. 

~  A  sort  of  military  court,  which  was  convened  from  time  to  time  to 
hear  the  reports  of  the  several  militia  captains,  and  to  decide  the  cases 
of  men  who  had  refused,  or  failed  from  whatever  cause,  to  perform  tlie 
tours  of  military  duty  to  which  they  had  been  assigned. 

3  At  the  same  session  the  court  fixed  tavern-rates  as  follows ; 

£    ..  d. 

"  A  bowl  of  Spirit  Toddy 0  16 

A  bowl  of  Rnm  Toddy 1  3 

A  bowl  of  Whiskev  Toddv 1 

A  bowl  of  Peach  brandy  toddy 1  4 

A  bowl  of  .\pple  brandy  toddy 1  2 

Peach  brandy  by  the  half-pint 0  8 

Apple  brandy  by  ditto    0  7 

Whiskey  "  "        0  6 

Diet  per  meal 1  3 

Hay  per  night 1  3 

Pasture  for  24  hours 0  6 

Oats  by  the  Quart 0  1! 

Beer  p.  ditto 0  6 

Cyder  p.  ditto 1      " 

The  following  extract  from  the  Ameriiaii  Pioneer  (vol.  ii.  p.  378)  is 
given  as  showing  the  extravagant  prices  of  taverl 


his  tavern  is  not  known.  There  is  no  record  of  a  later 
application  by  him  for  license. 

Daniel  Culp  had  purchased  lot  No.  25  (near  where 
Dr.  Roberts  now  lives),  on  which  he  had  erected  a 
log  tavern,  which  he  sold  in  July,  1784.  The  pur- 
chaser was  John  Huston,  who  had  been  licensed  in 
December,  1783,  but  where  the  house  was,  which  he 
occupied  prior  to  this  purchase  from  Culp,  does  not 
appear.  The  court  records  show  that  he  was  licensed 
as  an  inn-keeper  for  two  or  three  years  after  the  pur- 
chase. 

Matthew  Campbell  bought,  in  1784,  lot  No.  10,  at 
the  west  end  of  the  present  Fulton  House,  and  erected 
a  log  tavern  upon  it;  but  in  1785  and  for  several  years 
after  that  he  was  licensed  in  Menallen  township. 

In  September,  1784,  the  names  of  William  Patton 
and  William  Brinton  appear  as  inn-keepers.  Two 
indictments  were  brought  against  the  latter  for  keep- 
ing a  tippling-house.  The  last  indictment  (in  1787) 
seems  to  have  driven  him  out,  for  his  name  does  not 
appear  among  the  licensed  tavern-keepers  after  that 
time. 

Empson  Brownfield  opened  a  tavern  in  1785.  He 
had  purchased,  March  7,  1780,  lot  39,  lying  between 
John  Collins'  house  and  the  old  mill-race,  but  had 
not  occupied'  it,  and  it  does  not  appear  that  he  was  a 
resident  in  the  village,  for  his  name  is  found  as  a  su- 
pervisor of  highways  in  Georges  township  in  1784. 
But  in  1785,  having  asked  and  received  license  to 
keep  a  public-house,  he  opened  tavern  on  his  lot  ad- 
joining Collins'  and  continued  to  keep  it  until  1790. 

Colin  Campbell  (whose  name  first  appears  in  1784, 
in  a  deed  conveying  to  him  lot  No.  43,  on  Elbow  Street, 
near  where  the  Standard  office  is)  was  licensed  as  an 
inn-keeper  in  December,  1785.  In  1786  he  sold  his 
property  to  Samuel  Salter,  for  £140,  but  continued  as 
landlord  of  the  house  until  1789,  when  it  was  taken 
by  Salter,  who  kept  it  till  1810,  when  he  removed  to 
Dunbar  township,  and  opened  a  public-house  there. 
Before  coming  to  Uniontown  in  1789  he  had  been 
for  at  least  two  years  a  tavern-keeper  in  Wharton 
township. 

Margaret  Allen  was  licensed  as  a  tavern-keeper  at 
the  June  session  in  1788.  Her  stand  was  on  the  east 
side  of  the  creek,  where  is  now  the  residence  of  Wil- 
liam Shipley.  The  locality  was  for  many  years  known 
as  "Granny  Allen's  Hill."  She  died  in  1810,  at  the 
age  of  ninety-one  years. 

Patrick  Logan  and  Jacob  Kuapp  were  licensed  in 

years  earlier,  owing  to  the  great  depreciation  of  Continental  money  at 
that  time: 

"The  order  book  of  Ohio  County  [Va]  Cnurt  contains  the  following 
entry  under  date  of  June  fl,  1780:  'Ordered,  that  the  ordinary  keepers  iu 
this  County  sen  at  the  following  rates:  For  half-pint  of  whiskey,  J6 ; 
breakfast  or  supper,  $4;  dinner,SR;  lodging,  with  clean  sheets,  S3;  one 
horse  to  lay  over  night,  S3;  one  gallon  of  corn,  S6;  one  gallon  of  oats, 
S4 ;  half-pint  of  whiskey,  with  sugar,  88 ;  a  quart  of  beer,  J4.' 

"Oct.  '2, 1780,  the  court  increased  the  price  of  strong  beer  to  86  per 
quart.  March  6,  1781,  dinners  rated  at  820,  and  breakfast  and  supper  at 
815,  June  4,  1781,  whiskey  was  ordered  to  be  sold  at  8S..50  per  pint. 
All  this  was,  of  courae,  in  Continental  money." 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1788.  Logan's  name  does  not  appear  afterwards,  but 
Knapp  was  licensed  in  succeeding  years  to  1792. 

Dr.  Robert  McClure  opened  a  tavern  in  December, 
1792,  on  the  west  part  of  the  ground  now  occupied  by 
the  residence  of  Alexander  Ewing.  He  kept  the 
house  until  1813,  and  was  owner  of  it  as  late  as  1819. 
In  April  of  that  year  he  advertised  it  for  sale,  men- 
tioning it  as  "  the  house  nearly  opposite  the  court- 
house, which  has  been  occupied  as  a  tavern,  and  is 
one  of  the  best  stands  in  town." 

Thomas  Collins  (son  of  John  Collins,  the  pioneer 
inn-keeper  of  Uniontown)  received  a  tavern  license 
in  1794,  and  opened  a  house  where  the  Tremont 
building  now  stands,  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Main 
and  Morgantown  Streets.  This  became  one  of  the 
leading  public-houses  of  the  town.'  An  open  grass- 
plat  adjoining  the  house  on  the  east  was  a  favorite 
resort  for  lawyers  and  clients  during  the  terms  of 
court.  South  of  and  adjoining  the  tavern  lot  was  the 
market  lot,  on  which  stood  the  old  w-ooden  market- 
house,  though  the  date  of  its  erection  is  not  known. 
Thomas  Collins  kept  this  tavern  until  1811.  In  the 
war  of  1812  he  was  in  command  of  a  company  locally 
known  as  the  "  Madison  Rowdies."  When  the  major  of 
the  regiment  to  which  it  was  attached  was  wounded, 
Capt.  Collins,  as  senior  line-otRcer,  became  major. 

The  one  act  of  liis  life  which  (though  not  entirely 
unjustifiable  J  ho  regretted  more  than  any  other,  was 
the  giving  of  an  unlucky  blow  to  Patrick  McDonald, 
a  hatter,  who  kept  a  shop  west  of  Gregg's  hotel,  and 
was  a  son-in-law  of  Christian  Tarr.  This  man,  when 
under  the  influence  of  liquor,  having  applied  oppro- 
brious epithets  to  his  wife,  Capt.  Collins  promptly 
knocked  him  down,  and  he  died  almost  instantly 
from  the  effects  of  the  blow.  Collins  was  arrested, 
tried,  and  honorably  acquitted,  but  the  affair  was  al- 
ways afterwards  a  source  of  great  distress  to  him,  for 


I  Capt  John  F  Gi-aj  tl 


he  had  no  brutal  instinct  in  his  nature,  but  was  one 
of  the  most  amiable  and  kind-hearted  of  men. 

Cornelius  Lynch  was  licensed  as  an  inn-keeper  in 
March,  1795.  He  owned  and  carried  on  a  brewery  on 
the  west  side  of  Morgantown  Street  near  Main,  and 
his  tavern-house  was  doubtless  at  the  same  place. 
After  his  death  his  widow  kept  a  baker-shop  there  for 
many  years. 

Richard  Weaver,  who  first  received  license  in  June, 
1795,  kept  a  log  tavern  on  Elbow  (Main)  Street,  at  or 
near  the  present  site  of  the  McClelland  House.  Later 
the  property  passed  to  William  McClelland,  who  was 
licensed  as  an  inn-keeper  in  December,  1802.  Alfred 
McClelland,  the  son  of  William,  built  the  McClelland 
House,  which  is  still  owned  by  the  McClelland  family 
and  carried  on  as  a  hotel. 

At  the  September  session  of  1796  there  were  before 
the  court  forty-eight  applications  for  tavern  licenses 
in  the  county,  of  which  twelve  were  by  parties  in 
Uniontown,  among  whom — besides  such  as  have  al- 
ready been  mentioned — were  Joseph  Baker,  Anthony 
Swaine,  Ellis  Bailey,^  John  Slack,  John  Tarr,  David 
Morris,  and  James  Langsley.  John  Slack's  tavern 
was  on  the  corner  of  Meadow  Alley  and  Main  Street, 
on  the  Judge  Nathaniel  Ewing  property.  In  the 
Fityette  Gazette  and  Union  Advertiser  of  Aug.  23, 
1799,^  he  made  the  following  announcement: 

"  To  THE  PcBLic. — The  subscriber  respectfully  in- 
forms the  Public  that  he  continues  to  keep  a  House 
of  Entertainment  at  the  sign  of  the  Spread  Eagle, 
near  the  centre  of  Uniontown.  He  flatters  himself 
he  will  be  able  to  entertain  gentlemen  to  their  satis- 
faction that  may  be  pleased  to  favor  him  with  their 
custom.  John  Slack. 

"  July  24,  1799." 

Slack  closed  his  business  at  the  Spread  Eagle  in 
1800,  and  in  the  same  year  received  license  to  keep  a 
tavern  in  Wharton  township.  He  remained  there  till 
1810,  when  he  was  again  licensed  for  Uniontown.  He 
was  foreman  of  the  jury  in  the  trial  of  Philip  Rogers 
for  the  murder  of  Polly  Williams.  Three  years  later 
he  was  again  established  in  Wharton,  and  remained 
there  till  his  death. 

At  the  September  term  of  court  in  1797  the  follow- 


1 la«  of  I 
:ently  iu  Uniontown. 

rhouiiis  Hadden,  Jiimes  Morrison,  and  William  Lyon,  the  managers 
ntioned  in  the  card,  were  members  of  the  Fayette  County  bar.  and 
■  former  was  tlic  grandfather  of  the  Blessrs.  Hadden,  of  Uniontowu. 


-  It  appears  probable,  however,  that  Ellis  Bailey  was  keeping  a  public- 
house  in  Uniontown  before  that  time,  from  a  mention  of  '*  Bayley's  Tav- 
ern," fuuiul  in  a  notice  of  a  celebration  held  here  on  "Independence 
Day"  of  that  year.  The  notice  referred  to  was  printed  in  the  Western 
Telegraphe.  of  Washington,  Pa.,  of  date  July  lOtli,  in  the  year  indicated, 
and  is  as  follows ; 

"Union,  July  4, 1706. 

"This  being  an  anuiversjiry  of  the  Era  so  important  to  Americans,  the 
independent  Companies  of  Cavalry  and  Infantry  of  this  Town  and 
County  assembled  on  this  occasion,  and  after  a  display  of  military  pa- 
rade in  honor  of  the  Day,  marched  to  the  Court-House,  where  they  were 
joined  by  a  number  of  Citizens  from  the  Town  and  its  vicinity,  when  the 
following  Oration  was  delivered  by  Doctor  Solumou  Drown.  [Here  fol- 
lows a  report  of  the  oration.]  The  Cavalry  then  repaired  to  Mr.  Bay- 
ley's  Tavern  and  partook  of  an  elegant  Repast  .  .  ." 

a  In  the  same  paper  William  Tingle  informed  the  pultlic  that  he  wne 
keeping  a  house  of  entertainment  at  the  sign  of  "  Comnleice  of  Free- 
dom," in  Morgantown,  Va. 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


289 


ing  names  appeared  for  the  first  time  as  receiving 
tavern  licenses :  Jacob  Hagen,  John  McCormiclf,  Sim- 
eon Hendrickson,  Rue  England,  Matthew  Knapp,  and 
Uriah  Martin. 

James  Gregg  received  his  first  license  in  Uniontovvn  I 
in  June,  1798.  His  stand  was  on  lot  37  of  the  origi- 
nal plat  (wliich  was  purchased  by  him  Feb.  2,  1792), 
being  the  site  of  the  present  residence  of  Dr.  J.  B. 
Ewing.  The  tavern  was  kept  by  him  until  his  death, 
about  1809.  In  1810  his  widow,  Nancy  Gregg,  was 
licensed,  and  continued  for  some  years  to  keep  the  i 
house,  which,  under  her  management,  is  still  recol- 
lected by  some  of  the  older  citizens.  ' 

Ebenezer  Bebout,  Jesse  Barnes,  James  Allen,  John  i 
Rackstraw,  and  James  Medtart  were  licensed  tavern-  : 
keepers  in  Unioutown  in  1798.  Medtart's  stand  was 
a  log  house  that  stood  where  Mrs.  William  Wood  now  j 
lives,  on  Main  Street.  He,  as  well  as  Allen  and  Be-  j 
bout,  closed  about  1803.  ' 

Pierson  Sayres  kept  a  public-house  in  1799,  on  El-  j 
bow  Street,  where  E.  B.  Dawson  now  lives.     Daniel 
Miracle  and  Lydia  Hoffman  also  had  tavern  licenses  j 
in   the  same   year.     Mrs.    Hoffman's    place   was   in 
Henry's  Addition,  on  Morgantown  Street,  south  of  i 
Fayette  Street. 

In  1801,  William  Downard  opened  business  in  a 
log  tavern,  opposite  Gregg's,  on  Main  Street,  where  j 
now  are  the  law  offices  of  Judge  Ewing  and  Judge 
Campbell.    He  continued  there  until  about  1808.   He  i 
afterwards  kept  at  the  "  watering  trough"  on  the  side 
of  Laurel  Hill,  five  miles  east  of  Unioutown.  ' 

James  Piper  received  a  license  in  1801,  and  com- 
menced keeping  tavern  on  the  south  side  of  Main 
Street,  opposite  the  present  residence  of  the  Hon. 
Daniel  Kaine.  There  he  swung  the  sign  of  "  The 
Jolly  Irishman."  He  was  a  large,  burly  man,  while 
his  wife,  Isabel,  was  small  of  stature.  It  was  her 
custom  to  sit  in  the  bar-room  and  spin,  while  she 
chatted  pleasantly  with  the  patrons  of  the  house. 
At  night  she  would  frequently  ask  her  husband, 
"  Weel,  Jimmy,  how  much  money  have  ye  made  the 
day '!"  His  usual  answer  was,  "  None  o'  yer  bizness. 
Bell."  But  as  he  was  generally  pretty  well  intoxi- 
cated at  that  time  in  the  evening,  she  often  managed 
to  secure  a  share  of  the  proceeds,  and  lay  it  by  "  for  , 
a  rainy  day."  James  Piper,  the  son  of  this  couple,  j 
was  their  pride.  They  gave  him  fair  educational 
advantages,  by  which  he  was  enabled  to  fill  with 
credit  several  county  ofiices.  Mrs.  Piper  continued 
the  tavern  after  her  husband's  death,  in  1819. 

William  Merryman  was  the  keeper  of  a  tavern 
near  Margaret  Allen's,  east  of  the  creek.  His  first 
license  for  a  house  at  that  place  was  received  by  him 
in  1802. 

Jacob  Harbaugh,  ex-sheriff  of  the  county,  opened 
a  tavern  in  1811  in  a  log  house  owned  by  Peter  Hook, 
which  stood  on  the  west  part  of  the  site  of  the  late 
Judge  Nathaniel  Ewing's  residence.  The  stand  was 
kept  by  Harbaugh  until  1813. 


George  Manypenny,  first  licensed  in  August,  1814, 
was  for  a  time  the  keeper  of  a  public-house  on  the 
south  side  of  Main  Street,  near  where  is  now  Judge 
Campbell's  office.  The  time  of  his  continuance  there 
is  not  known. 

It  would  be  hardly  practicable  to  make  mention  of 
all  the  ephemeral  taverns  which  have  existed  in 
Unioutown  during  the  century  which  has  passed 
since  John  Collins  opened  the  pioneer  hostelry  in  the 
incipient  village.  It  was  only  intended  to  notice  a 
few  of  the  most  ancient  ones,  but  enough  have  already 
been  mentioned  to  show  that  more  than  fifty  years 
ago  the  Main  Street  of  the  town  had  been  thickly 
studded  with  public-houses  on  both  sides,  and  from 
end  to  end. 

At  the  extreme  western  end  of  the  town,  on  "Ja- 
cob's Second  Addition,"  is  located  the  oldest  public- 
house  now  in  existence  in  the  borough, — the  "  White 
Swan,"  kept  by  Nathaniel  Brownfield.  The  original 
building  is  a  long  two-story  log  structure,  the  front  of 
which  has  in  later  years  been  covered  with  weather- 
boarding.  It  was  erected  before  the  year  1800.  In 
1805  the  .property  was  purchased  by  Thomas  Brown- 
field,  a  native  of  Frederick  County,  ,Va.,  who  emi- 
grated thence  to  Uniontown  in  that  year.  A  tavern 
license  granted  to  him  in  1806  for  this  house  is  now 
in  possession  of  his  son  Nathaniel. 

A  few  years  after  he  purchased  the  original  log 
building,  Thomas  Brownfield  built  upon  the  rear  of 
it  a  brick  addition,  which  was  used  as  a  dining-room, 
and  in  1818  a  larger  addition  (also  of  brick)  was 
built.  Mr.  Brownfield  kept  the  house  until  his  death, 
when  his  widow  and  son,  Nathaniel,  assumed  charge. 
Later, — about  1834, — Nathaniel  came  into  possession, 
and  has  since  been  its  landlord.  The  rooms  in  the 
old  house  are  not  all  on  a  common  level,  and  access 
from  one  to  another  is  had  by  short  flights  of  stairs. 
The  walls  are  formed  by  the  hewed  logs  of  the  build- 
ing, the  interstices  filled  with  clay  or  mortar,  and  the 
whole  covered  with  many  coatings  of  whitewash. 
The  floors  are  of  oak,  but  have  several  times  been  re- 
newed. A  commodious  yard  in  the  rear  of  the  house 
made  it,  in  the  palmy  days  of  the  old  National  road,  a 
convenient  and  popular  stopping-place  for  wagoners. 
In  front  there  is  an  ancient  sign-board,  on  the  weather- 
beaten  surface  of  which  is  still  visible  the  figure  of  a 
swan,  indicating  the  old-time  name  of  the  venerable 
tavern,  which  has  been  the  home  of  its  proprietor, 
Nathaniel  Brownfield,  from  earliest  infancy  to  the 
age  of  threescore  and  ten  jears. 

The  Eagle  Hotel,  on  Main  Street,  west  of  Morgan- 
town  Street,  was  built  about  1818,  by  Ewing  McCleary, 
on  the  lot  which  had  previously  been  owned  by  Chris- 
tian Tarr.  McCleary  was  first  licensed  in  1819,  and 
kept  it  as  a  hotel  until  his  death.  It  is  still  kept  as  a 
public-house,  and  bears  the  original  name  of  the 
Eagle,  but  is  also  well  known  as  the  Wyatt  House. 

The  National  Hotel,  at  the  corner  of  Morgantown 


290 


HISTORY    OF    BERGEN   AND   PASSAIC   COUNTIES,  NEW   JERSEY. 


eral  Assei 
of  May,  i 


and  Fayette  Streets,  was  built  in  1817  by  Judge 
Thomas  Irwin  as  a  pivate  residence,  but  was  after- 
wards adapted  and  opened  as  a  hotel.  It  became  fa- 
mous as  a  stage-house  in  the  days  when  the  well- 
equipped  lines  ran  over  the  National  road.  It  was 
purchased  by  the  notorious  Dr.  Braddee,  and  was  the  ^ 
l)'.ace  where  he  planned  and  executed  the  mail  rob- 
bery which  is  mentioned  more  fully  elsewhere  in  this 
iiistory.  In  February,  1845,  when  James  K.  Polk, 
then  President-elect  of  the  United  States,  was  trav- 
eling by  stage  over  the  National  road  to  Washington, 
D.  C,  accompanied  by  his  wife,  they  stopped  a  night 
at  the  National,  where  they  held  a  reception  in  the 
evening  for  the  people  of  Uniontown.  The  landlord 
of  the  house  at  that  time  was  Joshua  Marsh. 

The  hotel  now  known  as  the  "  Spottsylvania"  was 
first  opened  as  a  tavern  in  1816  by  Zadoc  Walker, 
who  had  been  a  resident  of  Uniontown  for  twenty 
years,  having  settled  here  in  1796.  It  was  in  this 
house  that  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette  was  entertained 
on  the  occasion  of  his  memorable  visit  here  in  1825. 
Under  different  names  the  house  has  been  constantly 
kept  as  a  hotel  from  its  first  opening  to  the  present 
time. 

The  Jennings  House,  on  the  northwest  corner  of 
Main  and  Arch  Streets,  was  first  opened  as  a  hotel, 
though  not  under  its  present  name,  by  James  C.  Sea- 
ton,  who  purchased  the  property  nearly  sixty  years         ^  ic,^^„,p„,,,,,„„  „,  .„>=   „„.„„s„  ,.„.,  __..„  ... 
ago.     Prior  to  the  purchase  Thomas  Kibben  had  his  ]  ^ggg  ^^  ,^^  ^^^^^  passed  on  the  2d  of  March  in  that 


ily  of  this  Commonwealth,  shall  on  the  first  Monday 
the  year  one  thous.ind  seven  hundred  and  ninety- 
seven,  and  upon  the  same  day  yearly  thereafter,  meet  together 
at  some  convenient  place  within  the  said  borough,  to  be  appointed 
as  hereinafter  directed,  and  shall  then  and  there  choose  by  bal- 
lot two  reputable  inhabitants  of  the  said  borough  to  be  Bur- 
gesses; one  to  be  High  Constable;  one  to  be  Town  Clerk;  and 
two  to  advise,  aid,  and  assist  the  said  Burgesses  in  e.vecuting 
the  duties  and  authorities  enjoined  on  and  vested  in  them  by 
this  act,  all  of  which  persons  shall  be  duly  qualified  to  elect  aa 
aforesaid;  that  the  Burgess  who  shall  have  the  greatest  number 
of  votes  shall  be  called  the  Chief  Burgess  ;  and  that  until  the 
said  first  Monday  of  May  in  the  year  one  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  ninety-seven,  Ephraim  Douglass  and  Alexander  Mc- 
McClean  be  the  Burgesses  of  the  said  borough,  of  whom  Eph- 
raim Douglass  shall  be  caKed  Chief  Burgess :  that  Jacob  Knap 
shall  be  High  Constable;  Samuel  King,  Town  Clerk;  and  Jo- 
seph Huston  and  Thomas  Collins,  Assistants  to  the  said  Bur- 
gesses." 

It  is  rendered  impossible  to  make  the  early  history  of 
the  borough  complete,  by  the  unfortunate  destruction 
by  fire,  in  1851,'  of  the  Council  rooms,  with  the  records 
of  that  body  from  1796  to  1842.  The  action  of  Coun- 
cil in  reference  to  the  laying  out  of  streets  ;  the  erec- 
tion and  regulation  of  the  old  market-house;  the 
first  movement  and  subsequent  action  towards  the  or- 
ganization of  a  fire  department ;  the  list  of  borough 
officers  for  nearly  fifty  years,  and  many  other  matters 
of  interest  were  thus  lost  beyond  recovery. 

A  reincorporation  of  the  borough  was  eflFected 


residence  on  the  lot.  Since  its  opening  by  Seaton  the 
house  has  been  kept  as  a  hotel  constantly  till  the 
the  present  time. 

The  Clinton  House,  on  Main  Street  next  east  of 
the  court-house  grounds,  was  built  as  a  private  resi- 
dence by  the  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart  in  1835,  as  has 
been  mentioned.  After  Mr.  Stewart  removed  from  it 
it  was  opened  as  a  hotel  by  Andrew  Byers,  after  whom 
came   successively   as   proprietors,   Stephen  Snyder, 

Craycroft,  Isaac  Kerr,  Jesse  B.  Gardner,  Springer 

&  Renshaw,  Calvin  Springer,  Bernard  Winslow,  Wil- 
liam Springer,  and  Joseph  Wright. 

The  Fulton  House,  on  Main  Street  opposite  the 
Clinton,  was  built  by  Seth  Howe,  who  owned  and 
kept  it.  He  was  succeeded  by  William  Thorndell, 
Calvin  Springer,  David  Mahaney,  Michael  Carter, 
and  James  Moran. 


year,  which  after  reciting  that  "Whereas  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  borough  of  Uniontown,  in  the  county  of 
Fayette,  have  petitioned  for  an  alteration  in  the  law 
incorporating  said  borough,  stating  that  the  existing 
law  has  been  found  upon  experiment  not  so  conducive 
to  the  good  order,  conveniency,  and  public  utility  of  the 
borough  as  was  expected,"  proceeded  to  enact  "  That 
Uniontown  aforesaid  shall  still  continue  and  forever 
remain  a  borough  under  the  name  and  title  of  '  The 
Borough  of  Union  Town' ;  the  extent  and  bounds  of 
which  shall  continue  as  heretofore,"  and  provided  that 
in  the  future  the  qualified  voters  should  elect  as  offi- 
cers of  the  borough  "  One  reputable  citizen  residing 
therein,  who  shall  be  styled  the  burgess  of  the  said  bor- 
ough ;  and  nine  reputable  citizens,  to  be  a  town  Coun- 


INCORPORATIOX  OF  THE  BOROUGH. 

Uniontown  was  iiicor|]orated  as  a  borough  by  an 
;iit  nf  the  Tji.'Liisl:itiirc  nf  Pennsylvania,  approved 
April  t.  17:ii;,  wlii.-li  jTiivided  and  declared  "  That 
Uniuutown,  in  the  county  of  Fayette,  shall  be,  and 
the  same  is  hereby,  erected  into  a  borough  which 
shall  be  called  the  borough  of  Uniontown,  .  .  ."  pro- 
ceeding to  define  the  boundaries.  By  the  second  sec- 
tion of  the  same  act  it  was  provided, — 

"  That  the  freemen  of  the  said  borough,  who  shall  have  re- 


shall 


ithin  the 
other  resi 


the  space  of  one 
itledto  votefor  Me 


ibersofthe 


1  On  the  2d  of  July,  1851,  between  one  and  two  o'clock  p.m.,  a  Are  broke 
out  in  some  of  the  rear  buildings  of  the  Eagle  Hotel,  which  consumed 
a  warehouse,  the  upper  etory  of  the  market-house,  and  several  buildings 
on  Morgantown  Street.  The  following  is  from  the  minutes  of  the  Coun- 
cil in  reference  to  the  action  of  that  body,  at  a  meeting  held  on  the  day 
following  that  of  the  fire  : 

"Special  Meeting, . ,  July  3,  1851. 

"  A  special  meeting  of  the  Council  was  called  at  nine  o'clock,  July  3d, 
by  the  President,  to  take  into  cousideration  the  state  of  affairs  in  refer- 
ence to  the  lire  yesterday  afternoon,  which  consumed  the  Town  Hall, 
Council  Chamber,  and  all  Eecords  of  the  Borough  on  file,"  etc.  The 
clerk  reported  "that  minutes  of  the  Council  from  May  16th,  1842,  to  the 
present  have  been  saved  from  the  fire."  A  committee  was  appointed  to 
examine  and  report  wbat  was  necessary  to  be  done  to  repair  the  damage 
(lone  to  the  building  by  the  fire.  Their  report  was  adopted,  and  the  re- 
paii-E  recommended  were  ordered.  A  contract  for  the  same  was  awarded 
oil  the  Stb  of  July  following  to  Matthew  Clark  at  $356. 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


291 


cil ;  and  shall  also  elect,  as  aforesaid,  one  reputable 
citi/en  as  high  constable."  Further,  the  act  granted 
a  general  extension  of  the  powers  and  privileges  of 
the  borough,  and  repealed  the  original  act  of  incor- 
poration. The  powers  and  limits  of  the  borough  have 
since  been  extended  at  different  times  by  act  of  As- 
sembly, the  last  of  which  having  reference  to  Union- 
town  was  passed  in  February,  1873. 

UNIONTOWN    FROM    1806   TO    1825. 

Some  matters  relative  to  the  business  and  other 
history  of  Unioutown  from  1806  to  1819  are  given 
below,  as  found  in  the  columns  of  the  Genius  of  Lib- 
erfij,  which  was  established  in  the  borough  in  1805. 
Its  issue  of  Dec.  3,  180(5,  contains  the  following  no- 
tice: 

"The  Debating  Society  meets  next  Saturday  even- 
ing at  Mr.  John  Stidger's.  The  question  then  to  be 
discussed  is,  '  Would  it  be  good  policy  for  the  United 
States  at  the  present  time  to  enter  into  an  alliance, 
offensive  and  defensive,  with  Great  Britain.' 

[Signed]        "One  of  the  Members." 

In  the  Oenius  of  Oct.  7, 1809,  appears  the  advertise- 
ment of  James  Hutchinson,  announcing  that  he  kept 
for  sale  "  a  general  assortment  of  boots  and  shoes  two 
doors  east  of  Dr.  Robert  McClure's  Inn,  opposite  the 
court-house." 

In  April,  1812,  Presley  Miller  advertised  his  busi- 
ness as  a  tailor,  "  at  the  corner  house  on  Elbow  Street, 
near  the  court-house,  belonging  to  Gen.  Meason."  In 
the  same  year  John  Haynes  advertised  as  a  "  cabinet 
and  chair  maker,"  and  Moses  Allen  as  a  "  Windsor 
chair"  maker. 

In  January,  1813,  Roberts  &  Co.  advertised  as 
tailors.  Philip  Creekbaum  was  a  stone-cutter.  Ben- 
jamin Hellen  was  carrying  on  the  hatting  busine.ss, 
"  opposite  the  [old]  market-house."  In  September 
of  the  next  year  he  advertised  that  he  kept  a  stock  of 
dry-goods  and  groceries ;  and  at  the  same  time  Ow- 
iugs  &  Ebert  announced  that  they  had  commenced 
the  hatting  business  "  in  the  shop  lately  occupied  by 
Benjamin  Hellen,  opposite  the  market-house  in  Union- 
town,  Pa."  The  dwelling  of  Benjamin  Hellen  was 
opposite  the  old  Baptist  Church.  Peter  Hook  lived 
on  the  Morgantovvn  road,  farther  south.  He  had  pre- 
viously lived  opposite  the  court-house.  He  gave  a 
dinner  at  his  residence  to  Capt.  Thomas  Collins' 
company  on  the  eve  of  their  departure  for  the  war 
in  1812.  A  drummer  in  that  company  was  Feltie 
Sunders,  who  lived  in  the  log  house  where  Mr.  Clif- 
ford now  lives.  Abner  Greenland,  the  potter,  lived 
near  the  mill-race.  Previously  he  had  lived  on  the 
hill.  Gilbert  Stites,  a  shoemaker,  lived  on  the  corner, 
south  of  the  present  residence  of  E.  Robinson.  Next 
north  was  the  dwelling  of  Lewis  Lewis,  a  Revolution- 
ary soldier,  whose  wife  kept  a  small  bakery.  His 
daughter,  Mrs.  Mary  Clemraer,  still  lives  on  the 
property.     John  Hibben,  Jr.,  a  liatter.  lived  ndrth  of 


the  last-named  place,  at  or  near  the  intersection  of 
Church  and  Morgantown  Streets. 

On  the  31st  of  August,  1814,  an  advertisement  in 
the  local  newspaper  announced  that  "  Mr.  Manisca, 
late  of  Philadelphia,  respectfully  informs  the  ladies 
and  gentlemen  of  Uniontown  and  its  vicinity  that  he 
proposes  teaching  dancing  and  the  French  language 
on  the  following  terms :  Dancing,  $10  per  quarter,  S5 
entrance ;  French  language,  $15  per  quarter.  School 
commences  as  soon  as  a  sufficient  number  of  Scholars 
can  be  obtained." 

The  following  items  have  been  gathered  from  the 
recollections  of  Mr.  Ewing  Brownfield  concerning 
the  business  and  appearance  of  Uniontown  from  1815 
to  1818: 

East  of  Brownfield's  "  White  Swan"  tavern  was  the 
blacksmith-shop  and  scythe-manufactory  of  Nathaniel 
Mitchell.  Later  he  moved  to  where  Beeson's  flour- 
ing-mill  now  stands,  at  the  confluence  of  Redstone 
Creek  and  Campbell's  Run,  and  there  he  erected  a 
tilt-hammer,  and  continued  in  business  for  many 
years. 

Next  east  of  the  blacksmith-shop  above  mentioned 
was  a  shoe-shop  belonging  to  Christian  Keflfer  (father 
of  John  Keffer,  now  living  in  Uniontown).  Next 
was  the  residence  of  Nathaniel  Mitchell,  afterwards 
the  residence  of  Dr.  Lewis  Marchand,  and  now  owned 
by  Mrs.  E.  B.  Wood. 

Maj.  George  Bentley  carried  on  the  saddlery  busi- 
ness at  the  place  where  Mrs.  William  Wood  now  lives. 
John  Stidgers  carried  on  the  hatting  business  in  a 
house  which  is  still  standing,  and  occupied  by  Mrs. 
George  Rutter.  Stidgers  was  succeeded  by  John 
Hendricks.  East  of  Stidgers  was  David  Moreland's 
blacksmith-shop.  Thomas  McKibben  lived  next  east. 
His  property  was  soon  after  purchased  by  James  C. 
Seaton,  who  opened  the  house  as  a  tavern.  It  is  now 
the  Jennings  House.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the 
alley  from  the  tavern,  and  cast  of  it,  was  a  large  yard 
used  by  wagoners.  On  the  present  site  of  the  People's 
Bank,  Daniel  B.  McCarty  had  a  shoe-shop,  with  his 
dwelling  in  the  rear.  For  many  years  he  was  the 
leading  shoemaker  of  the  town.  John  Cupp,  a  bar- 
ber, was  located  where  Mr.  Ewing  Brownfield  now 
lives.  The  lot  where  the  Eagle  Hotel  now  stands  was 
then  owned  by  Christian  Tarr,  who  dug  clay  upon  it 
for  use  in  his  pottery  business.  He  soon  after  sold  to 
Ewing  McClary,  who  built  the  "  Eagle"  upon  it.  A 
log  house  standing  on  the  lot  next  east  was  occupied 
by  a  Mr.  Harrison  as  a  bake-house  and  cake-shop. 
I  Passing  on  still  eastward,  the  next  establishment  was 
1  Benjamin  Hellen's  dry-goods  store.  Next  was  Ben- 
I  jamin  Campbell's  silversmith-shop,  and  on  the  corner 
(where  now  is  Moser's  drug-store)  was  John  Camp- 
bell's place  of  business. 
j  On  the  north  side  of  the  street,  where  now  is  John 
Wood's  saddlery-shop,  was  a  private  residence.  Next 
was  the  dwelling  of  Milly  Fossett.  On  the  south- 
west corner  of  Jlain  iind  Morgantown  Streets  lived 


292 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Mrs.  Lynch,  widow  of  Cornelius  Lynch,  and  mother 
of  Daniel  P.  Lynch.  She  kept  a  cake  and  beer-shop 
on  the  same  spot  where,  prior  to  1800,  her  husband 
had  a  brewery. 

Mr.  Thomas  Xesmith  gives  the  following  among  his 
recollections  of  Uuiontowu  at  about  the  period  before 
referred  to : 

The  Genius  of  Llherfij  office  at  that  time  was  in  a 
frame  building  on  the  south  side  of  Main  Street,  east 
of  the  Collins  tavern  stand.  Gen.  Henry  Beeson  was 
keeping  a  store  where  Isaac  Beeson  afterwards  kept 
for  many  years.  East  of  it  lived  Benjamin  Miller, 
who  afterwards  kept  a  tavern  in  the  east  end  of  the 
town.  Eobert  Skiles  lived  where  now  is  Calvin 
Springer's  store.  Skiles'  store  was  at  the  place  now 
occupied  by  Hunt's  jewelry-store. 

At   the   time   referred   to   (1815)    Zadoc   Walker's 
tavern  (now  the  Spottsylvania  House)  was  in  process 
of  erection.     His   son-in-law,  Matthew  Irwin,  lived 
west  of  the  tavern  stand,  where  he  kept  a  store.     He  , 
was  afterwards  postmaster  of  LTuiontown.    Where  the  j 
Jacob  Miller  property  now  is,  there  was  then  a  brick 
bouse  owned  by  the  Springers.    In  that  house  a  store 
was   kept    by   Richard    Berry.     The   old   Jonathan 
Downer  house  stood  on  the  corner,  where  in  more 
recent  years  Thomas  Skiles  erected  the  Concert  Hall 
Block.     On  the  south  side  of  the  street,  nearly  mid- 
way between  Morgantown  Street  and  Broadway,  was 
the  saddlery-shop  of  John  Lewis.     Dr.  Hugh  Camp- 
bell kept  a  drug-store  in  the  house  built  by  himself,  j 
and  afterwards  occupied  by  Robert  Modisett.  ' 

In  1815  there  were  two  watch-houses  in  the  borough, 
— one  in  the  vicinity  nf  tlir  court-house,  and  one  near 
the  Thomas  Collins  tavern  stand,  at  Main  and  Mor- 
gantown Streets. 

A  store  was  kept  by  Crane  &  Withrow  on  Main 
Street,  very  near  what  is  now  the  northeast  corner  of 
that  street  and  Broadway, — property  later  owned  by 
Samuel  Harah.  John  Barr,  confectioner,  and  John 
Strayer,  saddler,  carried  on  their  business  at  the  old 
John  Collins  tavern  stand  (now  the  site  of  Commer- 
cial Block).  Andrew  Byers  kept  a  public-house  and 
James  Lindsey  a  store  in  part  of  this  same  building. 
Lindsey's  store  was  afterwards  kept  by  his  son-in-law, 
Samuel  Clevinger. 

Near  where  Mrs.  Dr.  Porter  now  lives,  there  was 
then  a  silversmith-shop,  carried  on  by  Hardesty 
Walker,  a  son-in-law  of  Silas  Bailey.  Jonathan 
Rowland,  justice  of  the  peace,  occupied  the  brick 
house  east  of  Dr.  Ewing's  present  residence.  Facing 
the  court-house  was  a  small  shop  kept  by  Nancy  and 
Mary  McCaccan,  and  well  patronized  by  the  children 
of  the  borough  at  that  time. 

On  the  south  side  of  the  main  street  above  the 
bank  building  (now  the  Southwest  Railroad  depot) 
were  the  stores  of  George  Ebbert,  Hugh  Thompson, 
Jacob  Beeson,  and  Reuben  and  Ellis  Bailey,  tlie 
law-office  of    John    Lvon,    a   succession    of    public- 


houses,  kept  respectively  by  Mrs.  Crawford,  George 
Manypenny,  and  Samuel  Salter,  and  a  store  kept  by 
one  "  Doctor"  Lickey.  On  the  present  Ewing  prop- 
erty stood  a  number  of  dilapidated  buildings  occupied 
for  various  uses. 

A  number  of  items  having  reference  to  the  business 
of  the  borough  during  the  five  or  six  years  succeeding 
the  close  of  the  war  of  1812-15  are  given  below,  as 
gleaned  from  newspapers  of  that  period  : 
j  In  September,  1816,  Thomas  Young  announced  to 
the  public  that  he  "  continues  to  carry  on  the  fulling 
and  dyeing  and  dressing  of  cloth  at  his  former  stand 
in  Uniontown,  and  having  employed  an  assistant  in 
the  business,  who  for  the  space  of  fifteen  years  past 
has  been  employed  in  the  different  factories  in  Wales," 
believed  that  he  could  give  good  satisfaction  to  cus- 
tomers. 

In  1819  is  found  the  announcement  that  "  Charles 
Thirwell  (recently  from  England)  begs  leave  respect- 
,  fully  to  inform  the  inhabitants  of  Uniontown  that 
j  he  has  commenced  the  business  of  joiner,  house-car- 
penter, house-painter,  and  cabinet-maker." 

May  15,  1819,  David  Shriver  gives  notice  that  he 
will  attend  at  his  office  in  Brownsville  to  receive  pro- 
posals in  writing  for  constructing  the  whole  or  any 
part  of  the  road  from  Uniontown  to  Washington,  Pa. 
In  the  same  year  (June  1,  1819)  Samuel  Wolverton 
advertised  that  he  had  erected  a  carding-machine  in 
the  Uniontown  mill,  and  would  card  all  kinds  of  wool 
j  in  the  best  manner  and  at  short  notice.  On  the  same 
I  date  Morgan  A.  Miller  announced  that  he  was  carry- 
iiii:  <in  tlic  tailoring  business  "  two  doors  west  of  Mr. 
Mi(  Irllaiids  tavern,"  and  George  Manypenny  adver- 
ti>fil  tor  "  a  steady  boy  to  ride  post  two  days  of  every 
week." 

The  following  list  of  tradesmen  and  those  following 
other  occupations  in  Uniontown  in  1819  is  taken 
from  the  county  commissioqers'  records  for  that  year: 

Merchants,  J.  and  S.  Y.  Campbell. 

Tanner,  Jacob  Miller. 

Blacksmith,  N.  Mitchell. 

Wagon-maker,  H.  Kerns. 

Hatter,  Samuel  Brown. 

Cabinet-maker,  J.  Philips. 

Shoemaker,  D.  B.  McCarty. 

Saddler,  George  Bently. 

Carpenter,  Enos  West. 

Chair-maker,  J.  Vankirk. 

Inn-keeper,  C.  Wiggins. 

Attorney,  Andrew  Stewart. 

Printers,  Bouvier  &  Co. 

Justice  of  the  Peace,  T.  Hadden. 

Prothonotary,  J.  St.  Clair. 

Register,  Alexander  McClean. 

Sheriff,  J.  Withrow. 
'       Constable,  James  Winders. 

Silversmiths,  Walker  &  Wilson. 

Nailer,  Campbell  Johnson. 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


293 


Physicians,  Campbell  &  Maroliaud. 

Schoolmaster,  John  A.  Doune. 

Minister,  William  Wylie. 

Stone-masons,  Bugle  &  Ferner. 

Iron-master,  John  Oliphant. 

Manager,  A.  Derapsey. 

Tailors,  Manship  &  Black. 

Tinner,  Joseph  Kibbler  (Kibbler's  place  of  busi- 
ness was  advertised  as  "opposite  William  McClel- 
land's  tavern."     Another  in  the  same  business  soon  ■ 
afterwards  was  James  A.  Yerk,  whose  shop  was  "  one  I 
door  cast  of  Brownfield's  tavern." 

An  advertisement,  dated  Oct.  2,  1821,  is  found  in 
the  Genius  of  Liberty  of  that  year,  as  follows  : 

"  I  Public  notice  hereby  give, 

In  Union  town  where  I  do  live, 

I  Grindstones  keep,  nnd  them  do  sell; 

The  grit  is  good,  I  make  them  well. 

With  Whet  Stones,  also,  I'll  supply 

All  those  that  wish  for  to  buy  ; 

Good  money  I  will  take  in  pay. 

But  paper  trash,  keep  that  away. 

Good  bargains  I  will  let  you  have 

If  you  good  money  to  me  give  ; 

I'll  make  them  honest,  good,  and  just. 

But  do  not  like  too  long  to  trust. 

Old  debts  are  often  in  dispute. 

And  likely  to  bring  on  lawsuits. 

Therefore  'tis  best  take  care  in  time, 

The  Grind  Stone  yours,  the  money  mine. 

The  weather  now  gets  very  cold. 

Bad  tires  make  the  women  scold; 

Therefore  buy  grindstones,  and  keep  peace, 

The  women  then  will  give  you  ease. 

The  time  is  now  drawn  very  near 

When  you  must  kill  your  Hogs  and  Steers; 

Therefore,  buy  whetstones  right  away. 

Then  you  can  butcher  any  day. 

Take  my  advice,  come  on  right  quick, 

And  of  my  stones  have  the  first  pick, 

For  I  the  money  want  right  bad. 

So  fa'-c  you  well,  my  honest  lads. 
"Oct.  2,  1S21.  Philip  Creekbaim,  Jr. 

"  N.B. — All  persons  indebted  to  me  are  requested  to  make  pay- 
ment before  the  ne.\t  FROST,  and  save  costs.  P.  C." 

Creekbaum's  grindstone-quarry  was  seven  miles 
from  Uniontown,  on  John  Graham's  plantation,  two 
miles  from  Laurel  Hill  meeting-house.  Office  in 
Uniontown. 

In  an  old  list  of  taxables  of  Union  Borough  town- 
ship for  the  year  1824,  now  in  possession  of  George 
W.  Rutter,  are  found  these  names  of  residents  of 
Uniontown  at  that  time,  with  amount  of  tax,  valua- 
tion, and  remarks  : 

John  M.  Austin,  attorney;  valuation,  $3770:  tax,  §56.50. 

Henry  H.  Beeson,  gentleman  ;  valuation,  $2500  :  1  dog. 

Richard  Barry,  merchant;  valuation,  $500;  tax,  $5.10;  1 
dog. 

Milton  Baily,  tax.  $1.50. 

James  Boyle,  bricklayer ;  valuation,  $500  ;  do.  out-lot,  2  acres ; 


Barney  Boyle,  single  ;  valuation,  SI 20;  tax,  $1.20. 

Jesse  Beeson,  farmer;  valuation,  $800;  tax,  $9.20. 

Ellis  Eaily,  gentleman  ;  $4450,  and  dog,  horse,  and  cow  ;'  tax, 
$51.50. 

Bank  of  Union,  valuation  $2500. 

Thomas  Brownfiild,  inn-keeper ;  valuation,  $3000  ;  9  cattle, 
1  dog;  U  acres  outlot.  at  $150;  tax,  $.39.20. 

Everhart  Bierer,  valuation,  $700  ;  1  cow  and  two  dogs;  tax, 
$11.90. 

James  Brinton,  hatter;  $00. 

Henry  Beeson,  uuller,  grain-  and  fulling-mill;  valuation, 
$7800. 

Isaac  Beeson,  merchant;  valuation,  $5780  ;  tax,  $55.70. 

Richard  Bierer,  clerk,  $300  ;  tax,  $3. 

Hugh  Campbell,  doctor;  SI740. 

Thomas  Collins,  $2500,  and  2  out-lots. 

Samuel  Y.  Campbell,  merchant;  $2500. 

Elijah  Crossland,  butcher. 

William  Crawford,  laddler. 

Philip  S.  Crickbaum,  hatter. 

Samuel  Carroll,  nig.;  laborer;  $60. 

Ephraim  Douglass,  N.  R. ;  valuation,  $4150. 

John  Dawson,  attorney;  tax,  $35.10. 

Jonathan  Downer,  N.  R. ;  tax,  $20. 

Ephraim  Douglass,  student;  $120;  tax,  $3. 

Nathaniel  Ewing,  attorney;  valuation,  $200. 

George  Ebbert,  merchant. 

William  Ebbert,  halter. 

Thornton  Flemming,  minister ;  $500. 

Frederick,  nig. 

Robert  Kinkead. 

David  Moorland,  blacksmith. 

John  Miller,  tanner;  valuation,  $750(1. 

David  Lewis,  barber. 

Thomas  Lewis,  tailor. 

William  McClelland,  inn-keeper. 

Lewis  Marchand,  doctor. 

Benjamin  Miller,  inn-keeper. 

Ewing  McCleary,  inn-keeper. 

Jacob  B.  Miller,  attorney. 

Nathaniel  Mitchell,  commissioner. 

Jacob  Ott,  hatter. 

Thomas  Prentice,  laborer. 

James  Piper,  attorney. 

Widow  Price. 

John  Rutter,  gentleman. 

James  C.  Seaton,  inn-keeper. 

Zadoc  Springer,  N.  R. 

Andrew  Stewart,  attorney. 

Robert  Skiles,  merchant. 

Dennis  Springer's  heirs. 

James  Shriver,  gentleman. 

Daniel  Sturgeon,  doctor. 

Hugh  Thompson,  merchant. 

Cornelius  Vanderhoof,  laborer. 


Tho 


Zadoc  Walker, 

inn-keeper. 

Jame 

s  Winders 

constable. 

John 

Wood,  ho 

rse-doctor. 

Enos 

West,  carpenter. 

Willi 

am  Wood, 

saddler. 

Jacob  Wood,  n 

g- 

Jame 

s  A.  Yerk 

tinner. 

The  following  notes  appear  on  the  la.st  page  of  the 
transcript: 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


in,  SI  20. 
in,  S120. 
of  age,  .'51211. 


Stephen  Becket,  come  in,  valuation,  $120. 

William  Carroll,  b.  maker,  valuation,  S160;  come  i 

Jonathan  Binns,  s.  master,  valuation,  SIO. 

Thomas  Ewin^',  gentleman,  come  of  age,  S120. 

Henry  Haws,  miller,  come  in.  $120. 

Ewina  Brownlield,  clerk,  come  of  age,  $120. 

Samuel  Winder,  inn-keeper,  come  in,  S210. 

Thomas  McKibbin,  prothonotary,  come  in,  §20.15. 

Moses  Shaw,  laborer,  come  in,  U(i. 

M.atty  Hall,  woman  from  J.  Beeson,  SI  00. 

David  Mathas,  laborer,  single  man,  come  in,  S120. 

William  Brown,  laborer,  single,  come  in,  S120. 

Robert  Hemphill,  saddler,  single,  come  in,  SI20. 

Jusejih  McGee,  blacksmith,  single,  come  in,  $60. 

James  Shay,  tailor,  come  in,  $120. 

John  Lewis,  one  lot,  valuation,  $500. 

Wilson  Patrick,  single,  come  of  age.  $120. 

Edward  Gavin,  baker,  come  in,  $200. 

Thomas  Haymaker,  blacksmith,  $210. 

James  Cannon,  hatter,  come  in,  $200. 

John  Wesley  Philips,  single,  come  of  age,  $120. 

Mike,  a  colored  man,  come  in,  laborer,  $60. 

Isaac  Skiles,  1  dog,  SIO. 

James  Morrow,  tailor,  single, 

John  Sankston,  clerk,  single, 

Thomas  McDonald,  c.  maker, 

John  McCleary,  s.  smith,  come  in,  150. 

Josh  McClelland,  farmer,  $120,  S.  M.,  come  of  age. 

Samuel  Starns,  farmer,  $120,  come  of  age. 

United  States  [?],  the  bank  house,  $2500;  do.  Mrs.  Lyons' 
house,  $1200,  and  orchard  of  D.,  $250. 

Bank  of  United  States  [?],  1  house  and  lot,  $1200  ;  1  out-lot, 
$200. 

THE  VLSIT  OF  LA  FAYETTE  IN  1825. 
A  notable  event  in  the  history  of  Unioutown,  and 
one  whicli  is  still  fresh  in  the  memory  of  some  of 
the  older  eitizens  of  the  borough,  was  the  visit,  in 
May,  lS2r),  of  the  Marquis  de  La  Fayette,  who  had 
landed  in  America  in  the  previous  year,  and  having 
extended  his  tour  from  the  seaboard  to  the  Ohio,  pro- 
ceeded thence  eastward,  across  Washington  County, 
to  the  MiiiKiiioahehi,  and  to  the  county-seat  of  Fay- 
ette. In  aTitici]iation  of  his  coming  to  Uniontown,  a 
committee  of  correspondence  and  reception  was  ap- 
pointed, composed  of  Col.  Samuel  Evans,  Thomas 
Irwin,  Andrew  Stewart,  John  Dawson,  and  Robert 
Skiles.  This  committee  addressed  a  letter  of  invita- 
tion to  the  nation's  distinguished  guest,  in  which 
they  said: 
"Gen'kual  La  Fayette: 

"  The  citizens  of  Fayette  County,  participating  in 
the  universal  joy  ilifl'iised  by  your  visit  to  the  United 
States,  have  a|i]ioiiitcil  the  undersigned  to  congratu- 
late you  upon  ymir  safe  arrival,  to  e-xpress  the  grate- 
ful sense  they  cnliTtain  fir  tlie  brilliant  services  you 
have  rendcri'il  to  this  luuiitry,  and  respectfully  to  say 
that,  if  ciinviiiicnci'  and  inclination  would  permit 
the  extensiiiii  (,r  y,,ur  tniir  t»  this  part  of  the  Union, 
they  woulil  ildi-lil  to  manifest  that  respect  and  ven- 
eration for  ymii-  |Mi>..in  which  they  have  always  enter- 
tained for  your  character. 

"  When  the  tie  which  bound  us  to  Great  Britain 


was  dissolved,  this  western  country  presented  to  the 
eye  of  the  observer  a  vast  wilderness  inhabited  by 
savages.  It  would  not  but  be  gratifying  to  your  feel- 
ings now  to  observe  the  astonishing  change,  the  won- 
derful contrast ;  and  be  assured,  sir,  it  would  be 
highly  gratifying  to  our  feelings  to  do  honor  to  him 
who  so  essentially  contributed  to  produce  our  present 
happy  condition,  to  display  our  attachment  to  the 
principles  of  the  Revolution  by  evincing  gratitude  to 
the  one  who,  surrounded  by  the  splendors  of  nobility 
and  comforts  of  wealth  at  home,  risked  his  life  and 
his  fortune  in  defense  of  a  destitute  and  an  oppressed 
people  abroad,  and  to  express  ouV-  regard  for  the 
rights  of  mankind  by  greeting  with  a  hearty  welcome 
the  man  who  has  been  the  uniform  friend  of  liberty 
and  the  determined  enemy  of  tyranny  both  in  Europe 
and  America." 

La  Fayette  having  signified  his  acceptance  of  the 
invitation,  was  met  on  his  arrival  at  Washington, 
Pa.,  by  Col.  Evans  and  other  members  of  the  Union- 
town  committee,  who  then  at  once  sent  back  a  com- 
munication to  their  borough  authorities  as  follows: 

"  Washington,  Pa.,  Wednesday, 
May  25, 1826,  6  o'crk  P.M. 

"  General  La  Fayette  arrived  at  5  p.m.  He  will 
leave  this  place  to-morrow  morning  early,  will  break- 
fast at  Hillsborough,  dine  at  Brownsville,  and  sup 
and  lodge  at  Uniontown.  This  arrangement  is  fixed  ; 
you  may  act  with  certainty." 

In  accordance  with  the  arrangements  above  indi- 
cated, the  Marquis,  with  his  son,  George  Washington 
La  Fayette,  and  his  private  secretary,  Monsieur  Le 
Vasseur,  left  Washington  on  the  morning  of  the  26th, 
escorted  by  the  Fayette  County  committee,  and  pro- 
ceeded by  way  of  Brownsville  to  Uniontown,  where 
the  greatest  enthusiasm  prevailed  in  view  of  the  ex- 
pected arrival  of  the  honored  guest,  and  where  very 
I  extensive  preparations  bad  been  made  to  receive  him. 
The  borough,  particularly  its  main  street  and  the  ap- 
proaches to  the  court-house,  had  been  gayly  deco- 
rated for  the  occasion  with  arches  and  evergreens ; 
military  companies,  both  infantry  and  artillery,  were 
rendezvoused  there  to  march  in  column  as  a  guard  of 
!  honor,  and  all  the  people  of  the  town,  with  great  crowds 
from  the  surrounding  country,  were  waiting  in  anx- 
iety and  excitement  to  join  in  the  acclamation  which 
was  to  greet  the  hero  of  the  day. 

The  following  account  of  the  arrival  of  La  Fayette 
I  at  Uniontown  and  the  succeeding  ceremonies  is  from 
an  issue  of  the  Genius  of  Liberty,  published  a  few 
days  after  the  great  event : 

"  On  Thursday,  about  eleven  o'clock  a.m.,  the  Hon- 
orable Albert  Gallatin  arrived,  escorted  by  a  detach- 
ment of  the  Fayette  Guards,  commanded  by  Capt. 
Wood.  He  was  met  iu  the  vicinity  of  the  town  by 
Capt.  Beeson,  at  the  head  of  the  Union  Volunteers, 
and  by  them  conducted  to  Mr.  Walker's  Hotel.  ■  The 
Voughiogheny   Blues,   commanded  by  Capt.   Smith, 


UNIOiNTOWN    BOROUGH. 


295 


and  the  Pennsylvania  Blues,  commanded  by  Capt. 
McClelland,  arrived  also  early  in  the  day,  and  the 
citizens  in  great  numbers  began  to  throng  the  streets. 
The  artillery,  under  the  command  of  Capt.  Gorley, 
was  posted  on  an  eminence  at  the  west  end  of  the 
town,  with  orders  to  give  notice  of  the  approach  of 
General  La  Fayette. 

"  The  day  was  uncommonly  fine  and  pleasant. 
About  half-past  five  o'clock  p.m.  the  General's  prox- 
imity to  town  was  announced  by  a  discharge  of  thir- 
teen guns.  The  Volunteer  Companies,  under  the 
command  of  Major  Lynch,  were  stationed  on  the 
hill  near  the  residence  of  the  late  J.  Beeson.  At  six 
the  General  arrived  at  that  point,  and  the  procession 
was  formed  agreeably  to  the  order  previously  arranged 
by  the  marshals  of  the  day.  General  La  Fayette  was 
drawn  by  four  elegant  bays  in  a  neat  barouche;  on 
each  horse  was  a  postillion  dressed  in  white  with  a 
blue  sash.  George  Washington  La  Fayette  was  driven 
tandem  by  Mr.  Stockton  in  his  elegant  barouche, 
and  Mr.  Le  Vasseur  rode  with  John  M.  Austin,  Esq., 
in  a  gig.  The  procession  passed  along  the  main  street, 
under  the  two  triumphal  arches,  to  the  court-house; 
here  the  General  left  his  carriage  and  entered  the  pa- 
vilion prepared  for  his  reception,  where  he  was  met 
by  the  Hon.  Albert  Gallatin  and  Gen.  E.  Douglass." 

[Here  follows  a  report  of  the  address  of  welcome 
delivered  by  the  Hon.  Albert  Gallatin,  the  reply  of 
La  Fayette,  and  the  adjournment  of  the  company  to 
Walker's  Hotel  (now  the  "Spottsylvania  House")  for 
the  evening's  entertainment.]  La  Fayette  and  Mr. 
Gallatin  had  been  warm  personal  friends  many  years 
previously,  and  now,  after  a  long  separation,  they  met 
and  embraced  each  other  with  an  emotion  and  fervor 
which  was  extremely  affecting  to  those  who  witnessed 
it. 

"  At  an  early  hour  an  elegant  supper  was  served,  of 
which  the  General  and  suite  and  a  large  company  of 
gentlemen  partook.  On  the  right  of  Gen.  La  Fayette 
was  placed  Gen.  Douglass,  on  his  left  the  Hon.  Albert 
Gallatin,  and  to  the  right  of  Gen.  Douglass,  Governor 
Morrow  (of  Ohio)  and  his  aides,  and  to  the  left  of  Mr. 
Gallatin  .Judge  Baird  and  the  Revolutionary  soldiers. 
After  supper  toasts  were  drank  and  the  company  re- 
tired. .  .  . 

"In  the  evening  the  whole  town  was  illuminated. 
On  the  following  morning,  at  six  o'clock  a.m.,  the 
General  set  out,  in  company  with  Mr.  Gallatin,  for  the 
residence  of  the  latter,  escorted  by  a  number  of  the 
Union  Volunteers,  mounted,  the  marshals,  the  com- 
mittee of  escort,  and  many  citizens.  They  stopped  a 
few  minutes  at  Brownfieldtown ;  at  Geneva  the  escort 
was  joined  by  the  Fayette  Guards,  and  after  passing 
through  the  town  amidst  a  numerous  assemblage  of 
citizens,  they  proceeded  to  the  farm  of  Mr.  Gallatin ; 
here  a  multitude  had  assembled  to  greet  the  distin- 
guished benefactor  of  the  human  race.  Mr.  Gallatin's 
house  was  thrown  open,  and  the  great  concourse  which 
thronged  about  it  received  from  him  the  most  atfec- 


I  tionate  welcome.  His  best  liquors  were  spread  in 
profusion  on  the  tables,  and  great  pains  were  taken 
to  give  the  crowd  of  anxious  visitors  an  introduction 

I  to  the  General.    The  next  day,  as  the  General  returned 

I  from  Mr.  Gallatin's,  he  was  received  in  Geneva  with 
great  enthusiasm,  especially  by  the  ladies,  with  the 
lady  of  Capt.  Wood  at  their  head.  They  were  ranged 
on  the  sidewalk  with  garlands  of  flowers  in  their 
hands,  which  they  gracefully  waved  and  strewed  be- 
fore him.  On  his  arrival  in  LTnion  he  was  again  met 
by  a  crowd  of  citizens.  The  ladies  of  Uniontown  had 
assembled  en  masse,  dressed  in  white,  and  most  beau- 
tifully bedecked  with  wreaths  of  roses  and  bunches  of 
flowers  in  their  hands,  which  they  waved  as  he  passed, 

j  in  token  of  the  grateful  feeling  with  which  they  were 
affected.  After  the  General  alighted  from  his  carriage 
he  was  introduced   to  them  in   the   piazza   of  Mrs. 

I  Walker's  house,  to  which  they  had  repaired  for  that 
purpose,  and  he  was  pleased  to  express  much  satisfac- 
tion at  this  flattering  testimony  of  respect.  The  arches 
were  again  most  splendidly  illuminated  throughout 
the  evening.  ..." 

j      The  following  account,  written  by  William  Thomp- 

j  son,  at  that  time  a  teacher  in  Madison  College,  was 

i  published  in  the  National  Journal  of  June  7,  1825 : 

I  "  General  La  Fayette  has  paid  us  his  promised  visit ; 
and  truly  the  reception  which  he  has  had  from  the 
people  of  Uniontown  and  his  exalted  countryman, 
Mr.  Gallatin,  has  been  worthy  of  the  great  occasion 

]  which  called  forth  such  extraordinary  honors. 

"  For  several  days  previous  to  the  General's  arrival 

t  at  this  place,  our  citizens  were  actively  engaged  in 
making  suitable  preparations.  Two  beautiful  and 
well-constructed  arches  were  thrown  across  the  main 
street.     A  platform,  elegantly  decorated,  was  put  up 

!  near  the  court-house,  on  which  it  was  determined  to 
receive  and  address  the  General.  The  ladies  of  the 
place  seemed  to  vie  with  each  other  in  decorating  the 
arches  and  the  platform.     When  completed,  the  arch 

I  displayed  a  good  share  of  taste  and  beauty.  We  no- 
ticed on  the  one  at  the  east  end  of  the  town  the  fol- 

!  lowing  inscription  :  '  Lessons  to  Tyrants  !'  '  York 
and  Brandywine  !'  On  the  opposite  side :  'Friends of 
Freedom!'  'Washington  and  La  Fayette.'    This  arch 

I  was  surmounted  with  an  eagle  bearing  the  American 

I  flag.  We  also  noticed  on  the  arch  at  the  west  end  of 
the  town  the  following  sentiment: 

"  '  La  Fajetec,  TAmi  de  I'Homme !  ' 

,  This  was  so  placed  as  to  take  the  General's  eye  at  his 
!  entrance  into  the  town.     On  the  reverse  we  observed 
I  the  following  lines  under  the  memorable  date  1776  : 
"  '  Our  choicest  welcome  hereby  is  exprrst 
In  heartfelt  homage  to  the  Nation's  Guest.' 

"It  was  understood   the  General  would   arrive  at 

Uniontown  on  the  evening  of  Thursday,  the  26th  inst. 

The  Hon.  Albert  Gallatin,  who  had  been  invited  to 

I  address   the  General   on   his   arrival,   reached   town 

about  twelve  o'clock.    He  was  met  bv  the  l^nion  Vol- 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


unteers,  under  the  command  of  Capt.  Beeson,  and  en- 
tered the  town  under  a  discharge  of  artillery.  Soon 
after  this  two  other  companies  of  volunteers  arrived 
from  Connellsville  and  the  vicinity.  Much  company 
continued  to  arrive  until  five  o'clock.  About  this  time 
General  La  Fayette,  in  an  open  carriage  drawn  by 
four  horses,  with  four  drivers  suitably  attired,  entered 
the  town.  He  was  followed  by  his  son.  Col.  George 
Washington  La  Fayette,  and  Mr.  Le  Vasseur,  private 
secretary  to  the  General,  in  another  carriage.  After- 
wards followed  a  great  number  of  our  most  respectable 
citizens,  in  gigs  and  on  horseback,  the  marshals,  com- 
mittee of  arrangements,  etc.,  etc.  We  noticed  Gen. 
Markle,  Gen.  Beeson,  and  several  other  Field  OflBcers 
in  full  uniform.  As  the  cavalcade  approached  the 
town  thirteen  rounds  were  fired  from  the  Artillery. 
The  three  companies  of  Volunteers  also  kept  up  a 
feu  dejoie. 

"  In  passing  through  the  main  street  the  General 
bowed  repeatedly  to  the  ladies,  who  were  ranged  at 
the  different  windows.  The  townspeople  and  other 
spectators  on  each  side  of  the  street  remained  uncov- 
ered as  the  General  passed  on  to  the  platform,  near 
the  Court-House.  There  he  alighted,  and  after  re- 
maining a  short  time,  rose  to  receive  the  address  of 
:\Ir.  Gallatin  .  .  .  After  the  delivery  of  the  address 
and  the  reply  the  spectators  joined  in  three  hearty 
cheers  to  the  General  and  the  orator,  who  then  retired 
to  Mr.  Walker's  Hotel.  The  evening  was  spent  in 
gaiety  and  hilarity.  Every  one  who  requested  it  had 
the  honor  of  an  introduction,  and  the  conduct  of  the 
General  was  universally  pleasing.  After  daylight  the 
town  was  illuminated  in  honor  of  its  distinguished 


On  the  morning  of  the  29th  of  May,  1825,  Gen.  La 
Fayette,  accompanied  by  Col.  Samuel  Evans  and  sev- 
eral other  members  of  the  reception  committee,  with 
a  large  cavalcade  of  citizens,  left  Uniontown  and  pro- 
ceeded on  his  way  to  Pittsburgh.  The  committee  ac- 
companied him  as  far  as  Elizabeth  town,  Allegheny 
Co.,  where  the  final  parting  took  place,  and  he  was 
received  by  a  similar  committee  from  Pittsburgh,  es- 
corted by  Maj.-Gen.  Markle  and  Maj.  Alexander,  with 
two  companies  of  artillery. 

UNION  VOLUNTEERS. 
The  uniformed  company  of  "Union  Volunteers" 
which  took  so  prominent  a  part  in  the  ceremonies  at- 
tendant on  the  reception  to  Gen.  La  Fayette  in  1825 
was  formed  in  1823.  The  first  meeting  for  organiza- 
tion was  held  on  the  23d  of  August  in  that  year,  on 
which  occasion  articles  of  association  were  adopted 
and  signed  by  the  following-named  persons : 


John  Milson. 
Williuui  Crawford. 
George  Rine. 
Daniel  P.  Lynch. 
Joseph  Akens. 
J.imes  Piper. 
James  Ebert. 
Joseph  Faueett. 
Henry  Ebert. 


ith. 


A.  Madison. 
Morgan  A.  Miller. 
David  Victor. 
Thomas  J.  Miller. 
Joseph  P.  McClelland. 
Edward  Hooper. 
Andrew  Stewart. 
Edward  Hyde. 
Alexander  Turner. 
William  Walker. 
Samuel  M.  Clement. 
William  Bryson. 
John  M.  Hadden. 
Thomas  Greenland. 
Ewing  Brownfield. 
Samuel  Yeakle. 
John  Dawson. 


John  W.  Be.'k. 
William  Ebert. 
Henry  H.  Griffith. 
Jesse  Covert. 
Caleb  Chevorent. 
James  Hibben,  Jr. 
Jacob  Poundstone. 
Thomas  Simons. 
Andrew  McMaster. 
Abraham  Beagle. 
B.  R.  Mcrchand. 
Isaac  Beeson. 
Hugh  Campbell. 
Seth  Wood. 
Thomas  Irwin. 

Andrew  Craig. 

Hiirdesty  Walker. 

William  Hamilton. 

John  Kutter. 

John  Winder. 

Jacob  B.  Miller. 

R.  C.  Wood. 

Benjamin  Clark. 

Matthew  Clark. 

Eli  M.  Gregg. 

Thomas  J.  Miller. 


John  B.  Trevor. 

William  Gregg 

Samuel  Evans. 

James  Shriver. 

Robert  Skiles. 

Wilson  Swain. 

James  A.  Yerk. 

Daniel  Black. 

Thomas  Patton. 

John  Lewis. 

Richard  Beeson. 

Is.a.ac  Wood. 

The  by-laws  designated  the  association  as  the 
"  Union  Volunteers,"  and  it  was  provided  by  Section 
3  that  "  the  members  of  the  company  shall  meet  for 
parade  at  the  court-house  in  Union  town  at  10  o'clock 
A.M.,  on  the  fourth  Saturday  of  August,  September, 
and  October,  the  22d  of  February,  and  1st  of  May." 
In  October,  1823,  the  oflScers  of  the  "  Volunteers" 
(as  shown  by  the  company  roll,  which  is  still  in  exist- 
!  ence)  were  :  Captain,  John  B.  Trevor ;  First  Lieu- 
tenant, Seth  Wood  ;  Second  Lieutenant,  John  Lewis ; 
First  Sergeant,  James  Hibben ;  Second  Sergeant, 
Alexander  Turner;  Third  Sergeant,  Joseph  Akens; 
Fourth  Sergeant,  Daniel  Black. 

And  the  following  named  were  designated  as  the 

musicians  of  the  company:  J.  B.  Miller,  John  Beck, 

j  William  Morris,  Alfred  Meason,  clarionet;  Wm.  Lee, 

George  Meason,  John  Rini,  Benjamin  Miller,  flute; 

!  Edward  Hoff,  fifer ;  William  M.  Mutton,  side  drum ; 

I  Thomas  Bryant,  bass  drum. 

!  At  a  meeting  of  the  coiupany  held  May  3,  1824, 
j  "  A  motion  was  made  by  Capt.  John  B.  Trevor  to 
form  a  battalion  by  joining  with  the  Fayette  Blues  ot 
1  Brownsville  and  the  Youghiogheny  Blues  of  Con- 
''  nellsville,  if  the  two  said  companies  should  agree  to 
the  same.  The  voice  of  the  company  being  called 
j  for,  it  was  agreed  to  by  a  large  majority  of  the  com- 
i  pany." 

On  the  2d  of  May,  1825,  at  a  meeting  of  the  ^ 
pany,  it  was 

'•Remh-ccI,  That  a  committee,  to   consist  of  five  persons,  be 
I   appointed  to  co-operate  with  any  committee  that 
pointed  by  the  Town  Council  to  ascertain  the  precise 
Gen.  La  Fayette  will  visit  this  place  and  to  make  suitable 
rangements  for  his  reception,  and  that  they  appoint  some  per- 
son   to   deliver  an   address  to  him   accordingly.     Maj. 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGri. 


Hugh  Campbeil,   Julin  Dawson,   Juiiies  Piper,  nncl  Jacob  B. 
Miller  were  tile  members  fixed  on  to  compose  this  committee. 

"Resolved,  That  so  soon  as  the  time  of  his  arrival  shall  have 
been  ascertained  the  committee  shall  make  it  known  by  publi- 
cation in  the  aciiiiis  of  liberty  and  American  Ohaerver,  and 
shall  invite  the  several  volunteer  corps  of  this  county  and  the 
adjoining  counties  to  join  us  in  welcoming  the  Nation's  Guest." 


The  prominent  part  taken  by  the  Volunteers  (then 
under  command  of  Capt.  Beeson)  in  the  reception  of 
La  Fayette  at  Uniontown  has  already  been  noticed  in 
the  account  of  that  event. 

The  company  participated  in  an  unusually  grand 
military  display  at  a  Fourth  of  July  celebration  held  j 
in  the  year  1826  at  Uniontown,  on  which  occasion 
Col.  Samuel  Evans  was  president  of  the  day  ;  Daniel 
P.  Lynch,  vice-president ;  and  the  Hon.  Thomas  Ir-  j 
win,  orator  of  the  day.    It  was  one  of  the  largest  and  j 
most  enthusiastic  celebrations  ever  held  in  Fayette  1 
County. 

A  general  muster  of  the  military  of  this  section  | 
was  held  near  Uniontown  on  the  8th  and  9th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1831.     The  event  was  mentioned  as  follows  in  j 
the  minute-book  of  the  Union  Volunteers :  | 

"The  companies  present  were  the  Fayette  Cavalry,  Capt. 
William  Walker;  Lafayette  Artillerists,  Capt.  Thomas  Patton;  , 
Youghiogheny  Blues  (infantry  from  Connellsville),  Capt.  Jo- 
seph Rogers;  Addison  Blues  (infantry  from  Smithfleld.  Somer- 
set Co.),  Capt.  Endsley ;  Pennsylvania  Blues  (infantiy),  Capt. 
Allen  ;  Youghiogheny  Greens  (rifies  from  New  Haven),  Capt. 
H.  Blackstone:  Youghiogheny  Sharpshooters  (rifles  from 
Smithfleld,  Somerset  Co.),  Capt.  Ewing;  Union  Volunteers 
(infantry),  Capt.  Beeson. 

■•  The  field-officers  were  Col.  Samuel  Evans,  colonel  command- 
ant of  the  First  Regiment  Fayette  Volunteers;  Maj.  Ewing 
Brownfield  and  Moj.  Jacob  Murphy,  of  the  regiment ;  Joshua  1 
B.Howell,  adjutant;  Maj.  Piper,  from  Smithfield;  Maj. -Gen.  j 
Henry  W.  Beeson,  with  his  aides,  Joseph  Torrence  and  R.  P. 
Flennikin;  Brig.-Gen.  Solomon  G.  Krepps  and  aides,  William 
Mur])hy  and  James  H.  Patterson. 

••  The  field  of  parade  was  that  owned  by  Lucius  W.  Stockton, 
Esq.,  west  of  his  residence,  a^^jacentto  the  National  road,  which 
he  generously  threw  open  for  the  purpose.  Comfortable  quar- 
ters were  furnished  for  the  visiting  troops  by  the  committee. 

"  The  troops  exhibited  a  fine  appearance  and  correct  move- 
ments.    Harmony  and  good  order  prevailed  during  the  parade. 
The  visiting  troops  were  escorted  into  and  out  of  town  by  thB  I 
'  Union  Volunteers'  and  '  Lafayette  Artillerists,'  and  on  their 
departure  expressed   their  high  gratification  with  their  visit,   j 

On  the  17th  of  August,  1835,  Joshua  B.  Howell  was 
elected  captain,  William  B.  Roberts,  first  lieutenant, 
and  William  McDonald,  second  lieutenant  of  the 
Union  Volunteers.  A  grand  field-parade  was  held  at 
Uniontown  on  the  29th  and  30th  of  September  and 
1st  of  October  in  that  year,  of  which  the  following 
account  is  taken  from  the  company  record  : 

"The  companies  assembled  at  the  grand  parade  were  the 
Union  Volunteers,  Capt.  Howell;  Bellsville  Artillerists,  Capt.  ] 
Gregg;  Brownsville  Artillerists,  Capt.  More:  Mount  Pleasant 
Blues,  under  the  command  of  its  first  lieutenant :  Youghiogheny 


Blues,  Capt.  White;  Fayette  Cavalry,  Capt.  Oliphant:  Monon- 
gahela  Cavalry,  Capt.  Simonson. 

'*  The  companies  assembled  in  parade  order  on  Tuesday,  at 
10  A.M.,  when  Col.  W.  Rediok  assumed  the  command,  assisted 
by  Lieut.-Col.  Phillips,  Majs.  Morly  and  Francis,  and  by  Adjt. 
Brownfield.  The  troops  were  marched  out  of  town  to  the 
meadow  near  the  bridge,  at  the  west  end  of  the  borough,  the 
property  of  James  Todd,  politely  offered  to  the  military  by  the 
proprietor,  where  the  usual  military  evolutions  were  performed, 
when  the  corps  was  received  by  Maj. -Gen.  Johns,  with  his  aides, 
Majs.  Flennikin,  Jackson,  and  Gardner.  On  the  last  day  of 
the  parade  (Thursday)  the  visiting  troops  were  escorted  out  of 
town  by  the  Union  Volunteers;  great  good  will  and  harmony 
characterized  the  'three  great  days.'" 

The  officers  of  the  company  elected  Aug.  1.5,  1842, 
were:  Captain,  William  McCleary  ;  First  Lieutenant, 
Francis  L.  Wilkinson;  Second  Lieutenant,  John 
Knight. 

The  following  transcript  from  the  company  record 
shows  the  action  taken  by  the  Volunteers  at  a  meeting 
held  at  Uniontown,  Tuesday,  Nov.  24,  1846,  viz. : 

"  Whereas  a  call  has  been  made  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States  for  one  infantry  regiment  of  volunteers  to  serve  in  the 
Mexican  war,  and  the  Union  Volunteers  being  called  out  to  know 
if  they  will  ofi'er  their  services, 

"  We,  the  subscribers,  members  of  the  Union  Volunteers  and 
others,  hereby  agree  and  do  offer  our  services  to  the  President 
of  the  United  States  to  serve  as  members  of  the  Union  Volun- 
teer Company,  if  it  shall  raise  the  requisite  number,  and  under 
its  present  officers,  to  serve  to  the  end  of  the  Mexican  war 
unless  sooner  discharged. 

'•  Witness  our  hands  this  24th  day  of  November,  1846  :  Capt. 
Samuel  S.  Austin,  M.  S.  Stanley,  Edmund  Beeson,  John  B. 
Gorley,  Robert  W.  Jones,  R.  Skiles  Austin,  Richard  Irwin, 
Auizi  S.  Fuller,  Thomas  R.  Davidson,  George  D.  Swearingen, 
Eli  M.  Gregg,  Absalom  Guiler,  Edmund  Rine,  W.  B.  West,  John 
McCuen,  Alfred  Howell,  John  Sturgeon,  J.  R.  Cr.awford,  Joshua 
B.  Howell,  John  Sutton,  C.  H.  Beeson,  R.  M.  Walker,  W.  P. 
Wells.  W.  W.  Smith,  R.  T.  Galloway,  Benjamin  Desilems,  Evan 
Shriver,  Elijah  Sader,  A.  M.  Gorley,  William  Freeman,  Abraham 
Johnson." 

The  Union  Volunteers  did  not,  as  a  company,  enter 
the  United  States  service,  but  many  of  its  members 
went  to  Mexico  in  Capt.  Quail's  company  of  Col. 
William  B.  Roberts'  regiment,  as  noticed  in  the  gen- 
eral military  history  of  the  county. 

In  185.5  the  company  took  the  name  of  "Cameron 
L^nion  Volunteers,"  in  compliment  to  the  Hon.  Simon 
Cameron,  from  whom,  in  consequence,  it  received  the 
gift  of  a  beautiful  silk  flag,  with  a  fine  sword  to  each 
of  the  commissioned  officers.  The  presentation  speech 
was  made  by  Alfred  Patterson,  in  behalf  of  Mr.  Cam- 
eron, and  was  responded  to  by  Capt.  C.  E.  Swearingen 
for  the  company. 

In  December,  1857,  the  Volunteers  passed  a  resolu- 
tion tendering  their  services  to  the  President  of  the 
United  States  to  serve  in  Utah  against  the  Mormons. 
The  tender  was  signed  by  Capt.  C.  E.  Swearingen  and 
twenty-three  other  members  of  the  company;  but 
their  services  were  not  required. 

On  the  11th  of  December,  1858,  Andrew  Stewart, 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Jr.,  was  elected'  captain  of  the  company,  and  Peter 
Heck  first  lieutenant. 

The  last  record  of  any  business  connected  with  the 
company,  is  a  return  roll  dated  June  6,  1859.  This 
roll  contains  the  names  of  fifty-six  members,  in- 
cluding Capt.  Andrew  Stewart,  Jr.,  Peter  Heck,  first 
lieutenant,  Thomas  Brownfield,  second  lieutenant, 
Thomas  M.  Fee,  orderly  sergeant. 

On  the  back  of  the  last  entry  (June  H,  1859)  in  the 
record-book  of  the  Union  Volunteers  is  written, 
without  date  or  signature,  the  following  remark : 

"  Thus  ends  the  career  of  one  of  the  oldest  and  best 
companies  ever  organized  under  the  militia  ordinance. 
Many  of  the  members  have  awakened  the  patriotism 
of  senators  and  representatives  of  their  country,  and 
left  names  which  gild  the  history  of  their  country, 
and  some  have  left  their  bones  to  bleach  on  the  bat- 
tle-grounds of  Mexico." 

FACTS  FROM  THE  BOROUGH  RECORDS. 

The  oldest  volume  of  borough  records  now  in  ex- 
istence commences  with  the  date  Monday,  May  16, 
1842,  It  appears  that  before  this  time  (1842)  the 
borough  authorities  had  decided  to  build  a  new  mar- 
ket-house on  a  site  other  than  that  occupied  by  the 
old  one,  which  had  been  in  use  for  many  years.  It 
stood  on  a  lot  south  of  and  adjoining  Thomas  Collins' 
hotel  property.  It  was  a  frame  building,  about  twenty- 
five  by  fifty  feet  in  dimensions,  not  divided  into  stalls, 
but  rented  by  the  borough  to  four  occupants.  Ever- 
ard  Bierer,  Elijah  Grossman,  Lewis  Mabley,  and 
others  rented  it  in  this  way.  When  the  Council  re-  j 
solved  to  build  a  new  market-house  in  place  of  this 
old  one  the  heirs  of  Thomas  Collins  regarded  this  ac- 
tion as  a  vacation  of  the  old  premises,  and  accord-  ' 
ingly  claimed  the  property.  In  relation  to  this  ijues- 
tion  the  Council  resolved,  on  the  6th  of  June,  1842, 
"  That  the  burgess  and  Joseph  Riley  be  appointed  to 
wait  on  A.  Stewart,  Esq.,  to  see  what  are  his  views 
with  respect  to  the  ground  on  which  the  market- 
house  now  stands,  and  report  at  the  next  meeting." 
No  report  of  this  committee  is  found,  and  on  the  2d  ! 
of  January,  184.3,  Messrs.  Crawford  and  Bierer  were 
appointed  a  committee  "  to  wait  on  A.  Stewart  &  Co. 
relative  to  the  market-house,  to  ascertain  what  he 
will  give  to  [have  the  borough?]  abandon  the  present 
location  of  the  market-house." 

The  controversy  as  to  the  old  market-house  site 
appears  to  have  continued  for  some  years,  for  in 
I 

I  The  l^ist  entry  in  the  company  book  shows  that  \ndrew  Stewart  Jr  ,  I 
was  elected  laptim  of  the  Camcrtn  I  nion  Vduntcei-s  Dec  11    Iv  s    ' 

record  iiii  il  f  i  t  tli  it  (  i[t  fh  ii  u  'M  le  I  1  i  it  im  i  si  u  ^u  d 
by  Govern  1  \\il  MM  1  Pi  1  ti  ,i  1  1 ,1  1  In,  I  1-  i  re  itiii^  that 
"  Thomas  M   I   e,  hem,,   iuh  clectel    ii  1       t  1         I        li  iLmmis 

aioned  Captain  of  the  Cameron   Uui        \  I  niformed 

31ilitla  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Penn  1  Bii^ade 

of  the  l"th  DiMsion,  composed  of  the  01    I  I         aunties 

of  Westmoreland,  Fa\ette    'Washingt   n     mi    (  r  \t    the  sime 

time  C  E  Swearingen  was  comnubSloned  brigadier  genelil  ' 


April,  1844,  F.  Bierer  was  appointed  by  the  Council 
"  to  investigate  the  facts  in  reference  to  the  suit  ex- 
pected with  A.  Stewart  for  the  old  market-house 
property."  And  again,  in  the  records  of  the  Council, 
Jan.  28,  1851,  is  found  that,  in  reference  to  "Andrew 
Stewart  vx.  the  Burgess  and  Town  Council  of  Union 
Borough  in  case  of  the  Old  Market-House,"  it  was 
ordered  that  James  Veech  be  paid  .§15  for  services  as 
attorney  for  the  borough.  Finally  the  land  in  ques- 
tion became  the  property  of  Mr.  Stewart. 

The  matter  of  the  erection  of  a  new  market-house 
came  up  at  a  meeting  of  the  Council  on  the  14th  of 
March,  1843,  when,  on  motion  of  William  B.  Roberts, 
the  following  preamble  and  resolution  were  adopted, 
viz. :  "  Whereas,  owing  to  the  rapid  increase  of  our 
Borough,  it  is  believed  to  be  necessary,  for  the  con- 
venience of  our  Citizens,  that  there  should  be  Two 
Market-houses,  and  resolved,  therefore,  that  we  erect 
an  additional  Market-House  on  the  Public  Ground 
deeded  to  the  Citizens  of  Jacob's  First  and  Second 
Additions  by  Jacob  Beeson  (deceased).  Passes  unani- 
mously." It  was  also  "  Resolved,  that  a  committee  of 
three  be  appointed  to  draft  plans  for  the  New  Market- 
House."  At  a  meeting  of  the  Council  on  the  23d  of 
March  it  was  resolved  "That  the  Draft  handed  in  by 
W.  B.  Roberts  for  a  Market-House,  to  be  Sixty  feet 
long  and  twenty-four  feet  wide,  be  adopted."  W.  B. 
Roberts,  John  Bradbury,  and  James  Veech  were  ap- 
pointed a  committee  "  to  perfect  the  plan,  and  with 
power  to  contract  for  building  a  market-house." 

On  the  24th  of  April,  the  same  year,  the  Council 
resolved  "  That  the  petition  of  sundry  citizens  tor  a 
delay  of  confirming  and  accepting  the  proposals  for 
building  the  market-house  be  laid  on  the  table."  At 
the  same  meeting  it  was  resolved  "  that  the  building 
committee  enter  into  an  agreement  with  Barry  at 
once  to  build  the  market-house."  On  the  2d  of  May 
following,  the  Council  "adjourned  to  view  the  public 
ground  where  the  market-house  is  to  be  built,  and  re- 
solved that  the  house  be  built  so  as  to  run  from  east 
to  west."  On  a  review  of  the  ground  "  Took  a  re- 
consideration of  the  resolution,  and  resolved  That  it 
be  built  so  as  that  the  northeast  corner  be  six  ieet 
from  Arch  Street  and  eighteen  feet  from  Market  or 
South  Street." 

A  contract  was  made  by  this  committee  with  Rob- 
ert L.  Barry  to  build  the  new  house  at  $1350,  and  on 
the  7th  of  August,  1843,  it  was  ordered  by  the  Council 
"  That  Robert  L.  Barry  be  paid  $350,  first  payment 
on  the  New  Market-House,"  the  building  being  then 
under  roof,  according  to  contract.  Later  payments 
were  made  to  him  as  follows,  viz.  :  Oct.  2, 1843,  second 
payment,  §350 ;  Nov.  10,  1843,  $650,  in  full  of  the 
contract.  On  the  1st  of  January,  1844,  a  bill  of 
$138.60  was  allowed  to  him  for  extra  work.  August 
7,  1843,  it  was  ordered  that  A.  G.  Crusen  be  paid  $40 
for  materials  and  work  done  in  repairing  the  old 
market-house. 


^m-'^frW 


L^ 


^sri'-* 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


299 


On  the  16th  of  November  (1843)  the  Council  in- 
vited proposals  "  for  plastering  the  whole  of  the  up- 
stairs of  the  Market-House."  It  was  ordered  that 
two  chimneys  be  built  and  two  stoves  procured. 
When  finished,  the  upper  part  of  the  new  house  was 
used  for  a  Council  room.  In  December  of  the  same 
year  William  Ebbert  was  appointed  "  to  take  charge 
of  the  Town  Hall  and  Market-House."  In  1844  he 
was  appointed  market-master  at  a  salary  of  $65  per 
annum. 

The  market  stalls  were  in  the  south  end  of  the 
present  building.  They  were  eight  in  number,  open- 
ing from  the  main  passages  by  arches  about  six  feet 
wide,  and  were  rented  by  the  year  at  115  per  year. 
Jacob  Ott  was  market-master  from  1845  to  1847,  in- 
clusive ;  John  Rutter,  weigh-master  and  market-mas- 
ter in  1848 ;  and  G.  D.  McClellan  in  1849-51.  Rutter 
received  for  his  services  as  market-master  $25,  and  as 
weigh-master,  two-fifths  of  the  fees  of  the  hay-scales 
and  coal  sufficient  for  his  own  use." 

The  old  hay-scales  were  erected  in  1835,  as  appears 
from  the  following  action  taken  by  the  Council  March 
13,  1844,  viz. :  "  The  Committee  on  Hay  Scales  re- 
ported that  he  could  not  find  that  there  had  been  any 
order  issued  to  L.  W.  Stockton  on  account  of  pay- 
ments made  by  him  for  erecting  the  same  ;  Therefore 
Resolved,  that  whereas  the  Council  having  agreed  to 
appropriate  the  sum  of  twenty-five  dollars  in  the  year 
1835  towards  erecting  the  Hay  Scales,  and  no  evi- 
dence appearing  that  it  had  been  paid  over  to  said 
Stockton,  it  was  therefore  Ordered,  that  L.  W.  Stock- 
ton shall  be  entitled  to  a  credit  of  twenty-five  dol- 
lars, with  nine  years'  interest  on  same  up  to  this  date, 
amounting  in  all  to  $38.50." 

On  the  27th  of  May,  1842,  the  Council  awarded  to 
David  Veech  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  and  to  C. 
B.  Snyder  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  for  damages 
sustained  by  the  opening  of  Fayette  Street.  In  1843 
an. election  was  held  to  ascertain  the  minds  of  the 
voters  on  the  proposed  opening  of  certain  thorough- 
fares, viz. :  Union  Street,  Brant's  Alley,  and  Turner's 
Alley.  A  majority  was  found  to  be  against  such 
opening. 

Tlie  placing  of  the  town  clock  in  the  court-house 
tower  resulted  from  the  following  action  of  the  Coun- 
cil, July  26,  1847  : 

"  The  petition  of  two  hundretl  and  upwards  of  tlie  Citizens  of 
the  Borough  of  Uniontown,  praying  that  Council  purchase  a 
Town  Clocli  for  the  Borough,  to  he  placed  in  the  cupola  of  the 
■  Court-House,  with  other  papers  relating  to  the  same,  was  pre- 
sented. On  motion.  Resolved,  That  the  sum  of  five  hundred 
dollars  be  and  same  is  hereby  appropriated  to  purchase  a  Town 
Clock  with  three  faces  and  hands,  to  be  placed  in  the  new  Court- 
House  for  the  use  of  the  Borough,  which  resolution  was  carried 
unanimously. 

"On  motion,  a  committee  of  three,  consisting  of  Bailey,  Bee- 
son,  and  Barton,  were  appointed  to  carry  into  effect  the  above 
resolution  by  making  all  necessary  inquiries,  purchasing  clock, 


afterwards  placed  in  its  present  position  in  the  court- 
house tower. 

In  1859  the  Council  ordered  the  widening  of  a  nar- 
row lane  known  as  Middle  Alley  to  a  breadth  of  forty 
feet  from  Main  to  Penn  Street,  to  form  the  thorough- 
fare now  known  as  Broadway.  The  opening,  however, 
was  not  then  accomplished,  and  the  matter  rested 
until  January,  1867,  when  it  was  revived.  The  new 
plan  was  to  open  the  street  to  the  width  of  the  Harah 
lot.  In  the  summer  of  that  year  an  agreement  was 
made  with  Mrs.  Harah  for  the  purchase  of  the  lot  at 
$1800,  and  with  Jonathan  G.  Allen  for  his  lot  at 
$200.  On  the  10th  of  September,  1867,  the  commit- 
tee on  streets  were  authorized  "  to  notify  Mrs.  Harah 
to  vacate  the  premises  now  occupied  by  her,  and  to 
remove  the  materials  on  the  same  by  the  20th  of  Oc- 
tober, 1867,  and  that  said  committee  take  out  an  order 
from  court  for  opening  the  new  street  over  the  same ;" 
but  this  order  was  not  carried  into  effect.  In  the 
spring  of  1868,  Dr.  Smith  Fuller  purchased  the  lot, 
the  old  buildings  of  Mrs.  Harah  were  demolished, 
and  Broadway  was  laid  out  as  it  exists  at  the  present 
time. 

LIST    OF    BOROUGH    OFFICERS. 

The  first  officers  of  the  borough  of  Uniontown  at  its 
incorporation  (1796)  were  Ephraim  Douglass,  bur- 
gess; Joseph  Huston,  Thomas  Collins,  assistants; 
Jacob  Knapp,  high  constable.  For  a  period  of  forty- 
five  years  succeeding  that  time  no  list  can  be  given, 
for  the  reason  that  all  the  borough  records  prior  to 
the  year  1842  were  destroyed  by  fire.  The  following 
list  of  borough  officers  includes  those  who  have  been 
elected  and  served  from  that  year  until  the  present 
time,  viz. : 


The  clock  was  accordingly   purch; 


and   soon 


1842.  P.  N.  Hook. 

1843.  Samuel  McDonald. 

1844.  John  H.  Deford. 

1845.  William  Bailey. 

1846.  Jonathan  D.  Springer 

1847.  Daniel  Smith. 

1848.  William  Stumph. 
1849-50.  M.  W.  Irwin. 

1851.  William  P.  Wells. 

1852.  S.  Duncan  Oliphant. 
1S53.  Daniel  Smith. 

1854.  B.  F.  Hellen. 

1855.  Ethelbert  P.  Oliphant 

1856.  Benjamin  F.  Ilellen. 

1857.  C.  E.  Swearingen. 
1858-59.  Jesse  B.  Ramsey. 


W.  B.  Roberts. 
Joseph  Wiley. 
Frederick  Bierer. 
William  Crawford. 
D.  H.  Phillips. 
John  Bradbury. 
Isaac  Wood. 
Daniel  Huston. 
C.  <;.  Page. 


1860.  Jesse 

1861.  Jame 

1862.  Arms 


B.  Ramsey, 
s  G.  Johnson, 
trong  Hadden. 


A.  Haldeman. 

W.  K.  Minor. 

W.  K.  Minor, 
mes  D.  Ramsey. 
1867-69.  Marshall  N.  Lewis. 
1870-72.  Marshall  N.  Lewis. 

1873.  John  Holmes. 

1874.  Marshall  N.  Lewis. 


1865. 
1866. 


-76. 


He« 


1877.  George  W.  Foulkes. 

1878.  George  W.  Foulkes. 

1879.  George  W.  Foulkes. 
18S0-81.  Ale.\-ander  MoCle 


184.-!.  James  Piper. 

Alfred  MoClelLand. 

John  Mustard. 
1844.  Armstrong  Hadden. 

William  Reddick. 

Smith  Fuller. 
1345.  Isaac  Beeson. 

Samuel  T.  Lewis. 

William  Wilson. 


HISTORY    OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Jesse  King. 
W.  D.  Barclay. 
George  Meason. 
Ellis  Bailey. 
Zalmon  Luddington. 
William  Ebbert. 
William  Maquilkin. 
Levi  Downer. 
William  Stone. 
J.  L.  Wylie. 
E.  B.  Dawson. 
John  Keffer. 
Eleazer  Robinson. 
E.  D.  Oliphant. 
Robert  Boyle. 
Alfred  McClelland. 
John  W.  Phillips. 
John  Cannon. 
Daniel  Downer. 
W.  W.  Stumph. 
Charles  King. 
Clement  Wood. 

E.  Baily  Dawson. 

F.  C.  Robinson. 
Ellis  B.  Dawson. 
John  W.  Barr. 
J.  K.  Ewing. 
Ewing  Brownfield. 
D.  M.  Springer. 
Benjamin  F.  Hellen. 
William  Doran. 

J.  A.  Downer. 
,  Charles  H.  Beeson. 

F.  C.  Robinson. 

R.  G.  Hopwood. 

William  Maquilkin. 
,  Daniel  Smith. 

R.  Miller. 

R.  Bunting. 

J.  C.  Rcdburn. 

J.  Skiles,  Jr. 
,  J.  Skiles,  Jr. 

F.  C.  Robinson. 

John  Collins. 

C.  E.  Swearingen. 
.  Frederick  Bierer. 

J.  L.  Redburn. 

John  S.  Harah. 

J.  H.  Springer. 
.  Daniel  Smith. 

Ellis  Bailey. 

N.  Browuliekl. 
.  L.  D.  Beall. 

M.  N.  Lewis. 

J.  K.  Ewing. 
.  William  Beeson. 

Andrew  B.  Brysoo. 

D.  Downer. 

.  E.  B.  Wood. 

Ellis  Bailey. 

William  Doran. 
.  Charles  S.  Seaton. 

E.  G.  Roddy. 


164.  William  A.  Donaldson. 
;65.  William  D.  Barclay. 

James  T.  Gorley'. 

Eleazer  Robinson. 
!66.  Thomas  U.  Lewis. 

Hugh  L.  Rankin. 

Thomas  King. 
!67.  Ellis  B.  Dawson. 

G.  W.  K.  Minor. 

Charles  H.  Beeson. 

568.  William  A.  Donaldson. 
Thomas  King. 
Charles  H.  Rush. 

569.  William  Doran. 
Daniel  Downer. 
Ellis  Bailey. 

G.  W.  K.  Minor. 

Thomas  (t.  King. 

J.  I.  Gorley. 
370.  John  H.  McClelland. 

John  Jones. 
372.  G.  W.  K.  Minor. 

Smith  Fuller. 

Flavius  D.  Titlo. 

Thomas  Prentice. 
573.  Smith  Fuller. 

A.  E.  Willson. 

C.  H.  Livingston. 

S.  M.  Baily. 

J.  M.  Hadden. 

William  Thorndell. 
374.  Smith  Fuller. 

William  Beeson. 

R.  Knight. 

William  Thorndell. 

J.  M.  Oglevee. 

J.  V.  A.  Donaldson. 

Daniel  Kane.' 
S75.  Smith  Fuller. 

Isaac  Mcssmore. 

Ellis  Biuley. 

W.  n.  WiUielm. 

James  T.  Gorley. 

Daniel  Kaine. 

876.  Henry  Delany. 
William  Hunt. 
J.ihn  X.  Dawson. 
John  K.  Beeson. 
Ellis  Bailey. 

P.  McClure. 

877.  Alpheus  Beall. 
William  Hunt. 
William  A.  Donaldson, 
Thomas  Hadden. 

W.  H.  Rutter. 
Thomas  Jaquett. 

878.  William  Hunt. 
Thomas  Hadden. 

B.  M.  Bailey. 
Joseph  White. 
Frank  Stevens. 
Addison  R.  Palmer. 

879.  Joseph  White. 

ancy  caused  by  death  of  Willia 


B.  McCormick.      1880.  Edward  Cronin. 


George  L.  West. 
Addison  R.  Palmer. 
Edward  Cronin. 
Smith  Fuller. 
William  B.  McCormick. 
Ellis  Bailey. 


Tho 


Hadde 


Ellis  B.  Snyder. 
William  B.  McCormick. 
Albert  G.  Beeson. 
Henry  Nabors. 
Alonzo  P.  Bowie. 
J.  W.  Miller. 
John  Manaway. 


CLERKS  OF   COUNCIL. 

1796.  Samuel  King.  1848-49.  A.  0.  Pattersoi 

1842-45.  George  W.  Rutter.  ,  1S50-52.  G.  T.  Greenlan 

1845.  C.  B.  Snyder.  1  1853-77.  George  W.  Rul 

1846-47.  James  Piper.  '  1877-81. -Thomas  Fenn. 


1840.  .lames  Lindsey. 

Clement  Wood. 
1845.  Daniel  Smith. 

William  W.  Stumph 
1850.  James  A.  Morris. 

Daniel  Smith. 
1855.  John  L.  Means. 


JUSTICES   OF   THE   PE.\CFJ. 

1860.  Daniel  Smith. 

1861.  Jonathan  D.  Springer.' 

1862.  T.  A.  Haldeman. 
1865.  Marshall  N.  Lewis.' 
1S67.  T.  A.  Haldeman. 
1S69.  John  Holmes.3 


FIRE    DEPARTMENT. 
I      The  borough  of  Uniontowii  has  had  fire  apparatus 
I  and  companies  for  the  extinguishment  of  fires*  for 
nearly  eighty  years.    The  earliest  record  showing  this 
fact  is  found  in  the  minutes  of  the  commissioners  of 
I  Fayette  County,  under  date  of  Jan.  28,  1802,  viz. : 
"  A  committee,  Jonathan  Rowland,  James  Allen,  and 
j  John  Stigers,  appointed  by  the  Burge.sses  of  Union 
Town  ti)  asrertain  what  sum  the  commissioners  of  the 
county  will    iniitribute  for  the  purchase  of  a  fire- 
engine  fur  the  use  of  the  town,  this  day  made  appli- 
cation to  the  commissioners." 

The  commissioners  agreed  to  report  their  views  to 
the  committee  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  board,  and 
cm  the  oth  of  February  they  "agreed  to  contribute 
lor  the  purchase  of  a  fire-engine  for  the  use  of  the 
borough  of  Union  Town  one  hundred  dollars,  if  a 
suin  sufficient  (with  the  said  sum  of  one  hundred  dol- 
lars) is  raised  from  the  borough  to  purchase  an  engine. 
The  contribution  is  made  expressly  upon  the  condi- 
tion that  if  an  ciiLnne  is  not  purchased  and  procured 
for  the  use  of  the  borough  that  the  burgesses  and 
inhabitants  of  the  borough  will  be  responsible  to  the 
county  commissioners  for  that  sum." 

On  the  17th  of  September,  1802,  the  record  shows: 
"  Order  issued  in  favor  of  burgesses  of  the  borough  of 
Union  Town  for  one  hundred  dollars  for  engine,"  by 
which  it  appears  that  the  engine  was  purchased.  No 
,  other  official  record  dating  between  that  time  and  the 
I  year  1842,  touching  fire  department  matters,  is  known 
to  exist,  but  in  the  Genius  of  Liberty  of  Aug.  15, 
1828,  is  found  this  notice:  "The Union  Fire  Company 
will  meet  at  the  court-house,  in  the  borough  of  Union 


1  Holmes  and  Lew 


ill  in  office  to  date  (18S1). 

ompany  existed  in  Uniontown  .is  early  as  1798, 


UNIONTOWN  BOROUGH. 


301 


Town,  on  the  last  Saturday  of  August,  at  two  o'clock 
P.M.,"  the  object  of  the  meeting  not  being  stated.  It 
is  recollected  by  old  citizens  that  at  about  the  time 
referred  to,  William  Salter  was  captain  of  the  Union 
Fire  Company. 

The  "Madison"  engine  was  purchased  about  1841, 
and  a  company  organized  for  it,  mainly  by  the  efforts 
of  Dr.  Hamilton  Campbell,  Alfred  McClellan,  Ewing 
Brownfield,  and  Amos  Frisbee.  A  house  was  erected 
for  it  soon  afterwards.  The  borough  records  show 
that  on  June  11,  1842,  the  Council  "  Resolved,  that 
the  Madison  Engine  and  Hose,  with  apparatus,  be 
placed  under  the  control  and  entire  direction  of  the 
company;"  and' "  Resolved,  that  D.  H.  Phillips  be 
added  to  the  committee  already  appointed  for  the 
purpose  of  ascertaining  a  location  for  building  an 
engine-house  for  Madison  Engine  and  Hose  Com- 
pany ;"  and  also  "  Resolved,  that  this  committee  wait 
on  the  school  directors  and  ascertain  whether  an 
engine-house  of  frame  can  be  built  on  the  public 
ground  belonging  to  the  school  directors;  and  if  it 
can,  go  on  and  receive  proposals  for  building  the 
same ;  and  if  it  cannot,  then  ascertain  where  a  proper 
location  can  be  obtained,  and  report  at  next  meeting 
of  Council."  On  the  4th  of  July  the  committee  re- 
ported that  a  meeting  of  the  school  directors  had  been 
held,  at  which  they  approved  the  erection  of  the 
engine-house  on  their  grounds.  On  the  8th  of  October 
in  the  same  year  the  Council  resolved  "  that  a  com- 
mittee be  appointed  to  select  a  site  for  the  erection  of 
an  engine-house,"  and  that  F.  Bierer,  P.  N.  Hook, 
A.  McClellan,  and  W.  Ebbert  be  added  to  the  build- 
ing committee.  And  on  the  5th  of  December  it  was 
"  Ordered,  that  the  committee  appointed  to  build  the 
engine-house  for  the  Madison  Engine  have  an  order 
for  ninety-one  dollars  and  twenty-eight  cents,  being 
the  amount  in  full  for  building  the  same." 

An  old  engine-house  whicli  had  been  used  by  the 
Union  Company  stood  on  a  lot  now  belonging  to  the 
Downer  heirs.  This  building  was  sold  and  removed 
in  1844  by  order  of  the  borough  Council. 

In  1845,  March  20th,  it  was  resolved  by  the  Council 
"  That  the  sum  of  $500  be  and  is  hereby  appropriated 
for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  a  suction-engine  and 
seven  hundr.ed  feet  of  hose,  and  if  the  said  sum  is  not 
sufficient,  that  such  further  sum  as  may  be  necessary 
be  and  is  hereby  appropriated."  Alfred  McClellan, 
James  Piper,  and  William  B.  Roberts  were  appointed 
a  committee  "  to  procure  a  loan  and  purchase  suction- 
engine,  hose,  etc."  They  reported,  April  28th,  to  the 
Council,  exhibiting  a  listof  prices  of  engines  in  Phil- 
adelphia, which  prices  being  much  higher  than  was 
anticipated,  the  committee  was  discharged  from  fur- 
ther duty  in  the  matter. 

In  this  year  (March  31st)  a  night-watchman  was 
appointed  for  the  borough.  Numerous  fires  occurred 
about  this  time,  and  rewards  were  offered  by  the 
Council  for  the  apprehension  of  incendiaries. 

The  available  supply  of  water  being  insufficient  in 


case  of  fire,  it  was  proposed  to  construct  a  reservoir 
of  sufficient  capacity  for  thatpurpose,  and  on  the  17th 
of  May   (1845)  a  committee  of  the  Council  was  ap- 
pointed "  to  ascertain  the  cost  of  a  cistern  of  brick  to 
'  hold  seven  thousand  gallons,  and  the  feasibility  of 
filling  it  from  Beeson's  race."     In  October  this  com 
mittee  was  discharged  and  another  appointed  to  ascer- 
tain the  cost  of  constructing  a  cistern  of  fifteen  thou- 
'  sand  gallons'  capacity,  to  be  built  of  brick  laid  in  hy- 
draulic cement.     Since  that  time  cisterns  have  been 
constructed  at  the  court-house,  and  at  Morgantown 
!  and  Foundry  Streets.     These  and  the  old  mill-race 
!  which  runs  through  the  town  furnish  the  principal 
I  water  supply  for  the  engines  in  case  of  fire. 

In  1851  tlie  Council  appointed  a  committee  to  con- 
j  fer  with  the  school  directors,  and   to  build  another 
engine-house.     On  the  5th  of  April  that  committee 
made  a  partial  report  to  the  effect  that  they  had  se- 
lected a  site  for  the  building  "on  the  public  ground 
on  which  the  market-house  is  situated."     The  report 
j  was  accepted,  and  the  committee  directed  to  proceed 
to  build  it.    On  the  25th  of  the  same  month  a  petition 
j  of  citizens  of  Uniontown  was  presented,  asking  the 
!  Council  "  to  change  the  phiii  for  building  the  engine- 
j  house  from  one  story  to  twn  stmits,  so  as  to  enlarge 
]  tlie  town  hall."     This  i)ctiti(>n  was  hiid  on  the  table, 
I  and  the  committee  "directed  to  go  on  under  the  orig- 
inal plan." 
i       In  June,  1850,  a  "crab-carriage"  was  ordered  pur- 
chased   for  the    Madison    Kiiuin...     On  the  27th  of 
June,  1857,  the  "old  riab  lor(('-|.uiii|)"  was  ordered 
to  be  sent  to  Mr.  lleil.irtson  lor  rc|.airs.    On  the  31st 
of  May,  1859,  the  fire  companies  petitioned  the  Coun- 
cil "  to  purchase  another  crab  for  the  use  of  the  com- 
panies."  Nothing  appears  of  record  to  show  whether 
the  purchase  was  made  or  not. 

On  the  7th  of  June,  1859,  the  following-named  citi- 
zens were  appointed  by  the  Council  to  form  "bucket 
lines"  at  fires  :  Everard  Bierer,  Jr.,  Eleazer  Robin- 
son, A.  Hadden,  J.  K.  Ewing,  J.  B.  Howell,  and 
,  Alfred  Howell.  May  4,  1867,  the  Council  ordered 
i  that  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  of  hose,  with  fifty 
blue  and  fifty  red  buckets,  be  purchased  for  the  engine 
companies. 

In  1875  the  borough  authorities  ordered  the  pur- 
chase of  a  steam  fire-engine.  It  was  purchased  at 
$4400  from  C.  Ahrens  &  Co.,  and  is  the  "  Keystone" 
steamer  which  is  still  in  use.  The  company  to  work 
and  have  charge  of  this  steamer  was  organized  in 
1877,  with  the  following-named  charter  members : 
C.  H.  Rush,  S.  M.  Bailey,  Joseph  M.  Hadden,  W. 
H.  Wilhelm,  Samuel  Cooper,  Jr.,  George  B.  Rutter, 
C.  H.  Seaton,  J.  W.  Jones,  J.  M.  Messmore,  Joseph 
Ketter,  J.  K.  Beeson,  W.  M.  Brownfield,  A.  G.  Beeson, 
John  G.  Stevens,  W.  M.  Hunt,  Ed.  Cronin,  John  H. 
Delaney,  John  Batton,  K.  B.  Moore.  The  present 
officers  of  the  company  are: 
S.  M.  Bailey,  captain. 
Alpheus  Beall,  president. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


A.  G.  Beeson,  chief  engineer. 
I.  J.  Manning,  assistant  engineer. 

POST-OFFICE. 

Tlie  exact  date  of  the  first  establishment  of  a  post- 
office  at  Uuioutown  is  not  known.  Tradition  places  ; 
it  at  1795,'  with  Benjamin  Campbell  as  the  first  post- 
master. Gen.  Ephraim  Douglass,  in  a  letter  written 
from  Uniontown  in  February,  1784,  said,  "  I  have  j 
been  here  seven  or  eight  weeks  without  one  opportu- 
nity of  writing  to  the  land  of  the  living." 

Judge    Veech,   in    his    "  IMonongaliela    of    Old," 
says  there  was  no  post-oflice  in  Fayette  County  till 
after  the  close  of  the  Whiskey  Insurrection  (1794). 
In  180.5  there  were   but  four  offices  in  the  county, 
viz.  :  at  Uniontown,  Brownsville,  Connellsville,  and  , 
New  Geneva.     This  is  learned  from  Postmaster-Gen-  i 
eral  Granger's  instructions  to  postmasters  in  that  year. 
At  that  time  Thomas  Collins  was  postmaster  in  Union- 
town,  having  the  office  at  his  hotel,  corner  of  Main  j 
and  Morgantown  Streets,  where  it  wa.s  kept  till  1807. 
Whether  he  remained  postmaster  after  the  removal  ! 
of  the  oflBce  from  that  place  is  not  known.     He  was  | 
succeeded  by  John  Campbell,^  who  held  the  office  ! 
till  about  1836.    Of  his  successors  the  following  names 
have   been   obtained    from   newspapers   of  different  j 
dates,  viz. :  Matthew  Irwin  (1836^0),  William  Mc-  j 
Donald  (1841-45),  Daniel  Smith  (184.5-16),  Armstrong 
Hadden  (1846-49),  J.  W.  Beazel,  H.  L.  Eankin,  J.  j 
H.   Springer,   P.  Heck,  Peter  A.  Johns   (1870-76), 
Marietta  Johns,  1876  to  the  present  time. 

THE    MAIL    ROBBERY    BY  DR.  BRADDEE. 

One  of  the  most   remarkable   mail   robberies — or 

rather  series  of  mail  robberies — ever   committed  in 

1  It  is  made  cei-tain  that  there  was  a  post-offlce  at  Uniontown  in  that 
year  by  the  following  notice,  found  in  the  Western  Telefjraphe,  of  Wasli- 
ingtoD,  Pa.,  of  date  Nov.  3,  1795,  viz.: 


in  the  Post-Office,  Union  Town  : 

iiTi^^um,  Jacob  Bennet,  Alexander  Colwell, 
urol,  Alexander  Duncan,  Jacob  Eckmau, 
liianet,  J.ames    Gibson,   Ungh   Hamilton, 


Ross,  Rev.  Robert  Warwick."    Ko  iiusluiaster's  name  is  attached  to 

s  A  letter  fonnd  in  the  letter-book  of  the  old  Union  Bank  of  Penn 
vania  is  copied  and  given  below  as  showing  the  infrequency  of  the  r 
service  in  this  section  of  country  even  as  late  as  the  date  indicated: 


viz.,  on  Friday  moniiiiL' ;  li 

close  you  a  ten-dollar  note  c 
date  1  March,  1815. 


■  the  Farmers'  Bank 


'  !■  >■  II  '■^•iild  get  an 
than  this.  I  now  in- 
of  Reading,  No.  2392, 


the  United  States  was  perpetrated  in  the  year  1840 
in  the  borough  of  Uniontown  by  a  notorious  quack 
physician  of  the  place,  Dr.  John  F.  Brad  dee. 

This  Braddee  was  said  to  have  been  a  native  of  the 
central  part  of  Kentuckj',  and  to  have  been  in  his 
youth  employed  as  a  stable-boy  in  Paris,  in  that  State. 
Later  (about  1830)  he  accompanied  this  employer,  or 
some  other  horse-dealer  as  assistant  in  a  trip  from 
Kentucky  with  a  large  number  of  horses  for  sale  in 
an  Eastern  market.  The  horses  were  driven  along 
what  was  known  as  the  Northwestern  turnpike  in 
Virginia,  and  at  some  point  on  this  road  between  the 
Ohio  River  and  Morgantown,  Braddee  being  suddenly 
taken  sick  was  necessarily  left  behind.  Upon  his  re- 
covery, finding  himself  nearly  or  quite  penniless,  he 
continued  his  journey  on  foot  to  Morgantown,  whence 
after  a  short  stay  he  proceeded  to  Uniontown,  Pa., 
where  he  made  a  permanent  location,  and  where  not 
long  afterwards,  through  the  operation  of  circum- 
stances which  are  now  unknown,  he  announced  him- 
self a  physician  and  commenced  a  practice  in  which, 
though  uneducated  and  wholly  without  training  or 
knowledge  in  the  line  of  his  pretended  profession,  he 
achieved  very  remarkable  success  pecuniarily,  if  not 
otherwise. 

He  vpas  a  man  of  commanding  personal  appearance 
and  fine  address ;  and  these  qualities,  joined  with  al- 
most unparalleled  effrontery  and  consummate  tact, 
enabled  him  in  a  very  short  time  to  establish  himself 
in  the  confidence  of  the  people,  and  to  gain  a  wider 
popularity  as  a  physician  than  has  ever  been  enjoyed 
by  any  medical  practitioner  in  the  county  of  Fayette. 
Patients  flocked  to  him  in  great  numbers;  the  fees 
which  he  received  amounted  in  the  aggregate  to  a 
large  revenue,  and  placed  him  apparently  on  a  short 
and  easy  road  to  wealth. 

After  a  few  years  of  his  exceedingly  profitable 
practice  he  purchased  from  the  Hon.  Thomas  Irwin 
the  valuable  "  National  Hotel"  property,  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Fayette  and  Morgantown  Streets.  Upon  the 
property  at  the  time  of  the  purchase,  stood  a  good- 
sized  brick  building,  on  the  southern  side.  To  this 
he  added  a  wing  extending  northwardly,  and  in  this 
wing  established  his  professional  headquarters.  Here 
his  success  continued  unabated.  It  is  related  that 
patients  came  to  him  from  a  distance  of  nearly  one 
hundred  miles,  and  that  their  horses  to  the  number 
of  more  than  fifty  were  seen  hitched  at  one  time  in 
the  vicinity  of  his  office.  He  was  himself  the  owner 
of  several  blooded  race-horses,  which  he  kept  in  con- 
stant training  for  the  course,  and  on  which  he  won 
and  lost  large  sums  of  money,  after  the  manner  of 
many  Kentuckians  as  well  as  Pennsylvanians  at  the 
present  day.  Whether  in  the  purcha.se  of  the  Na- 
tional Hotel  property  and  the  erection  of  the  north 
wing  to  the  building  he  had  in  view  from  the  first 
the  project  of  mail  robbery  or  not  is  not  known,  but 
it  is  certain  that  the  place  was  admirably  adapted  to 
the  purpose  which  he  soon  set  about  systematically 


UNIONTOWN    BOROUGH. 


to  accomplish.  The  old  Natioiml  road  was  then  in 
full  tide  of  business,  as  many  as  thirty  stage-coaches 
passing  over  it  each  way  through  Uniontowu  daily, 
and  some  of  them  carrying  the  United  States  mail. 
Lucius  W.  Stockton  was  the  mail  contractor,  and  he 
had  a  stage-yard  and  coach-factory  in  the  rear  of  and 
adjoining  Dr.  Braddee's  rooms  in  the  north  wing  of 
the  National  Hotel.  Into  this  yard,  stages  carrying 
the  mails  were  driven  every  day. 

One  of  the  drivers  of  the  mail-coaches  was  William 
Gorman,  and  this  man  was  selected  by  Braddee  as  j 
the  principal  tool  to  be  used  in  the  nefarious  business  ] 
he  had  in  view.  He  first  cultivated  Gorman's  ac- 
quaintance and  secured  his  confidence,  then  finally 
boldly  announced  his  object.  He  told  his  dupe  that 
the  robbery  of  the  mails  could  be  easily  and  safely 
accomplished,  and  that  it  would  yield  very  large 
profits,  which  they  would  divide  between  them,  with- 
out the  least  fear  of  detection.  Gorman,  allured  by 
Braddee's  wily  representations  and  the  prospect  of 
rich  plunder,  finally  assented  to  the  proposition.  The 
plan  of  robbery  which  they  adopted  and  afterwards 
carried  into  efl'ect  was  for  Gorman  to  pass  one  of  the 
most  promising-looking  mail-pouches  from  the  yard 
into  Braddee's  rooms,  or  when  changing  the  pouches 
from  one  coach  to  another  in  Stockton's  yard  to  leave 
one  pouch  behind  in  the  coach,  to  be  taken  out  and 
rifled  by  Braddee,  then  to  be  buried  or  destroyed. 
The  way  in  which  they  carried  out  the  plan  is  more 
fully  shown  in  Gorman's  affidavit,  taken  after  his 
arrest,  as  given  below.  Braddee  had,  besides  Gor- 
man, two  other  accomplices,  though  whether  he  took 
them  into  his  confidence  from  the  first  or  not  till 
some  time  afterwards,  does  not  appear.  They  were 
Peter  M.  Strayer,  a  saddler  of  Uniontown,  and 
"Dr."  William  Purnell,  a  native  of  Gulpeper,  Va., 
and  a  sort  of  body-servant  to  Braddee. 

The  depredations  on  the  mail  commenced  about 
Jan.  25,  1840,  and  continued  at  intervals  through  the 
year.  The  losses  of  the  mails  were  soon  discovered, 
and  George  Plitt  and  Dr.  Howard  Kennedy,  special 
agents  of  the  Post-Oflice  Department,  were  detailed  to 
detect  the  robbers  and  bring  them  to  justice.  Finally 
the  robberies  from  the  14th  of  November  to  the  19th 
of  December,  1840,  were  traced  to  Gorman,  who  was 
then  arrested  on  Plitt's  information,  as  follows: 


Upon  his  arrest,  Gorman  at  once  divulged  the 
names  of  his  confederates,  and  Braddee,  Strayer,  and 
Purnell  were  immediately  arrested.  Gorman's  affi- 
davit in  the  matter  was  as  follows  : 


"The  United  States  of  America  /■«.  .Julin  F.  Braddee,  William 
Purnell. 
"  William  Gorman,  being  duly  sworn,  snys  that  more  than  one 
year  ago  John  F.  Braddee  repeatedly  urged  him  to  let  him,  the 
said  Braddee,  have  some  of  the  mail  bags  from  the  mail  coach, 
and  that  he  would  divide  the  money  taken  from  them  with  said 
Corman.  Said  Braddee  said  he  had  frequently  known  such 
things  done,  and  that  lots  of  money  had  thus  been  made,  and  it 
had  never  been  detected.  While  said  Corman  was  driving  the 
mail  coach  between  Smithfleld  and  Uniontown  last  winter  the 
said  Braddee  sent  Peter  Mills  Strayer  frequently  in  a  sleigh 
after  him  to  get  a  mail-hag  containing  a  mail ;  that  at  length 
he  said  Strayer  took  one  from  the  coach,  which  was  then  on 
runners,  while  he  the  said  Corman  was  watering  at  Snyder's, 
east  of  the  Laurel  Hill.  That  Braddee  afterwards  told  him 
that  there  wtis  nothing  in  it.  That  he  knows  of  no  other  mail 
being  taken  until  within  about  two  months  past,  when  he  the 
said  Corman  was  driving  between  Uniontown  and  Washington, 
and  when,  at  the  instance  and  after  repeated  and  urgent  requests 
of  said  Braddee,  he  commenced  leaving  a  mail  pouch  or  bag  in 
the  st.Tge  coach  when  the  coaches  were  changed  at  Uniontown, 
and  continued  to  do  so  at  intervals  of  (say)  a  week,  ten  days,  or 
two  weeks  until  within  a  week  or  ten  days  before  Christmas. 
That  the  said  mail  bags  were  taken  from  the  coach  by  said  Brad- 
dee or  by  some  one  under  his  direction.  Thiit  Braddee  after  the 
taking  of  said  mails  would  sometimes  say  there  was  nothing  in 
them,  and  again  that  others  had  but  little  money  in  them  ;  one 
he  said  had  but  fifteen  dollars.  The  last  but  one  gotten,  as  be- 
fore stated,  he  said  had  a  large  amount  of  money  in  it,  but  he 
was  going  to  keep  it  secretly,  bury  it  until  the  fuss  was  over. 
That  said  Braddee  said  he  had  a  secret  place  out  of  doors  where 
he  could  hide  the  mail  bags  so  that  they  could  not  be  found. 
That  said  Braddee  from  time  to  time  gave  him  three  dollars  or 
five  dollars  as  he  asked  for  it,  and  once  ten  dollars,  and  loaned 
him  forty  dollars  when  his  (Corman's)  wife  was  going  away. 
That  William  Purnell  several  times  after  a  mail  bag  had  been 
taken  would  take  him  said  Corman  aside  and  whisper  to  him 
that  the  bag  had  nothing  in  it.  That  on  the  day  before  yester- 
day he  was  several  times  at  said  Braddee's  house,  and  Braddee 
wished  him  to  leave  a  mail  bag  in  the  coach  for  him  when  he 
said  Corm,an  should  return  from  Washington  last  night.  That 
said  Braddee  very  often  wished  him  to  leave  a  mail  bag  when 
he  did  not.  That  he,  Braddee,  requested  him  to  leave  the  large 
mail  bag  in  the  couch  for  him,  but  he  never  did  do  it. 

"  William  Corma.n. 


8th  day  of  January,  A.: 


"George  Plitt,   agent  of  the  P.  0.  Department,  being  duly 
sworn,  says  that  the  United  States  mail  from  Wheeling,  Va.,  to   : 
New  York,  traveling  on  the  National  Road,  has  been  stolen,  to  j 
■wit:   The  mails  made  up  at  Wheeling  on  the  13th,  19th,  23d 
and  29th  of  November,  1S40,  and  on  the  5th,  12th,  and  18th  of 
December,  1 840,  and  that  he  has  reason  to  suspect,  an  d  does  sus-  | 
pect  and  believe,  that  William  Corman,  who  on  those  days  drove  I 
the  Mail  stage  containing  said  Mail  from  Washington  to  Union- 
town,  Pa.,  is  guilty  with  others  of  stealing  said  mails. 

"  Oico.  Plitt,  Ayt.  P.  0.  Depi. 

"Sworn  and  subscribed  this  6th  day  of  January,  A.D.  1841,   ' 
before  me.  N.   Ewing, 

"  /Vf»(.  Jitihi,:  \UI,  .Jndldctl  D!«t.,  Pr,:' 


"  Pre.t.  .Tadfje  of  the  \M,  Jud.  Di.t.,  Pa." 

Braddee,  Strayer,  and  Purnell  were  immediately 
arrested  by  George  Meason,  sheriff  of  Fayette  Gounty, 
and  their  examination  was  had  before  Judge  Na- 
thaniel Ewing  on  the  8th  day  of  January,  1841. 
The  following  extract  from  the  record  appears  to 
show  that  Braddee,  notwithstanding  his  high  pre- 
tensions and  remarkable  professional  success,  was  so 
completely  deficient  in  education  as  to  be  unable  to 
write  his  own  name,  viz. : 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  Uni^ 
Presid 
sylvan 


Jolin  F.  Braiklee,  of  the  borough 
\%  I'a..  taken  before  me,  N.  Ewing, 


Whereupon  the  Hon.  Thomas  Irwin,  United  States 
District  Judge  of  the  Western  District  of  Pennsylva- 
nia, ordered  the  prisoners  into  custod}'  of  the  jailer  of 
Allegheny  County  as  follows  : 


'  United  States  of  America,  We 


Pes 


at  Wlu- 
1S40,  a 


'  Take 


ade  u,, 


ark. 


id  subscribed  before  me. 

•■X.  EwiN(;, 
■'  Prea.  Jiidr/e  lilli  JmlUlat  Uislrict  „/  I'eiiim. 
".Jam>aky8,  1841." 

The  disposition  made  of  the  prisoners  on  their  pre- 
liminary examination  by  Judge  Ewing  is  shown  by 
the  extracts  given  below  from  the  minutes  of  the 
court,  viz. : 

"The  United  States  of  America,  Fayette   County,  Penn- 


hc  United  S;t; 


;  of  America  i-.s-.  John  F.  Eraddee,  .January 

s.   I-H.     O.derrd  Ih.t  .T,d,„  F.  nrMddceenle.intnsecurityhim- 

>,  I!     II,    lllly    lli"n.:ii|.l    d"lliir.-,    and    livn    M;irhi,.nt    sureties  in 
.-J,,.ini     ,.:,i,.:        I'll.niM,-     ,,.|m:iimI,mI     nntll     M-liday.     the     11th 

"The.-iini.'.  .!■■..  M  ^  .  ,  i  ,  -  ^-■.  i  ;  li  .  I  i  1.  Ordered 
that  Pet.T  Mill-  -!■      .  -  ^    ■     .  :     111  sl5,000, 

and  two   sutlicRiil   -i.iliil.-  iii  cT,""'  L.iLii.      I'ii-jii._r  remanded 
until  Monday,  the   lUh  instant,  at  1(1  o'clock,  to  aflord  time  to 

"The  same  i«.  William  Purnell,  January  S,  1841.  Ordered 
that  William  Purnell  enter  into  security  himself  in  $10,000, 
and  two  sufficient  sureties  in  85(100  each.  Prisoner  remanded 
as  above,  etc. 

"January  11,  1841,  Monday,  10  o'clock  a.m.  Prisoner  or- 
dered belnre  the  Judge.  Prisoners  say  they  are  not  provided 
with  bail,  and  ask  further  time,  until  say  three  o'clock  p.m. 
Three  o'clock  P.M.,  no  bail  being  offered,  the  defendants  are 
committed  to  the  custody  of  the  Marshal  of  the  AVestern  Dis- 
trict of  Pennsylvania. 

"  X.  EwiNc;, 
"  Pres.  Judin:  14th  J.  D.  Pa." 


.\gent  Howard  Kennedy  we 
[iroper  amount  of  bail  to  be  i 
late  amount  of  Braddee's  la 
./mber,  IS40) : 


"Tlie    l.-liui.nv  .1 

0.    II. .V.   .    .,     K 

President  .Iu.lt.- of  tlir 

da.vof  Jaiiiiaiy,  l.-n, 
of  John  F.  r.iii.M-.  1' 

Dr.   H.iu.ii.l    K.nii-lv 

"-'■■•■'■               ■ 

l.,.,n,     II, .1    1  V   1 

deposelh  aii.l  ..oili    'I 
bags  stole,,,  XV  lo,l,«oi 

'■■'■!  '"■  ''"'" 

ldave.aKel«,-li 

The  whole  wonl.l,  I  an 

satisfied,  amon, 

lars.     I  saw  the  nionej 

alleged  to  have 

y.  Bradd™.     The  amc 

mt  thus  found 

1  1 

and  ninety-eight  dolla 

sand  sixty  cents 

,f  c 

probably  about  fifty  tli 

ousand  dollars. 

llu 

ED 

1 

'•  Taken  and  subscri 

ed  before  me, 

"N 

Kv 

iNr 

Trest.  JihI 

IcUlhJ, 

(.V 

'■  The  United  .States  of  America  to  the  Marshal  of  the  West- 
ern District  of  Pennsylvania  and  his  Deputies,  to  any  constable 
of  the  County  of  Allegheny,  and  to  the  Jailer  of  said  County 
of  Allegheny,  Greeting. 

"  WnEREAS,  John  F.  Braddee,  William  Purnell,  and  Peter 
Mills  Strayer  are  now  brought  before  me,  the  Hon.  Thomas  Ir- 
win, Esquire,  Judge  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States 
for  the  Western  District  of  Pennsylvania,  charged,  on  the  oath 
of  CJcorge  Plitt,  William  Corman,  and  others,  with  stealing  the 
Inilid  .States  mail  made  up  at  Wheeling  on  the  13th,  19th,  23d, 
and  20ih  days  of  November,  A.D.  1840,  and  on  the  6th,  12th, 
and  I  Ml,  days  .d"  December,  1840.  These  are  therefore  to  com- 
mand you  the  said  Marshal,  Constable,  or  Jailer,  or  either  of 
you,  to  convey  the  said  John  F.  Braddee,  William  Purnell,  and 
Peter  Mills  Strayer  to  the  said  jailer  of  Allegheny  county,  and 
yi.u  ilii'  said  jailer  are  hereby  commanded  to  receive  and  keep 
-ilily  II,,.  -ai,|  John  F.  Braddee,  William  Purnell,  and  Peter 
Mill-  -na\,i  in  your  jail  until  they  thence  be  discharged  by 
,liii.  .  ,111  -I   ,,1   law  ;  for  so  doing  this  shall  be  your  ivarrant. 

'■  In  testimony  whereof  the  said  Hon.  Thomas  Irwin,  Esq.,  has 
hereunto  set  his  hand  and  seal  this  13th  day  of  January,  a.d. 


(Signed) 


[SEAL.] 

'  j,o/yt,  r.  s: 


Braddee  was  indicted  by  "  the  Grand  Inquest  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  inquiring  for  the  Western 
District  of  Pennsylvania,"  and  his  trial  proceeded  at 
the  May  sessions  (l.'^41)  of  the  United  States  Circuit 
Court  at  Pittsburtrh,  Corman  and  Strayer  becoming 
witnesses  for  thr  iiiivtrnimnt  ;  and  on  the  4th  day  of 
June  followino-  the  jtiry  ninlered  a  verdict  of  guilty 
on  the  first,  scrouil,  and  fourth  counts  of  the  indict- 
ment, and  iiol  -uiliy  on  the  third  count.  Exceptions 
were  tak,  n  ami  a  motion  made  for  a  new  trial  by  the 
prisoners  niiin.^cl.  .bilin  31.  Austin,  Esq.,  but  these, 
as  also  a  motion  lin-  poslpoiicment  of  sentence,  were 
overruled,  and  on  the  7tli  of  June  the  court  pro- 
nounced on  Braddee  the  sentence 


1  of  .lany.,  1841. 
.    I'   ;  .iilinent,  in 
I. ..Iu-,- Ewing 


f  letters  mailed  at  dates  which 
in  the  bags  stolen,  containing 
id  '-lo'clvs,  amounting  to  one 
^^aI.N;  tliat  every  mail  brings 


lat  ha 


Wbeeling  to  New  York. 


„„„„„„   „,,.,.,„„, 

"Sj,ecMA,ici,l  r.  O.Dept. 

the 

otli  January,  li<41. 

■•  T.  Inwix,  Ilithi.t  Jiirfje." 

UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


305 


"That  you  be  imprisoned  in  the  Western  Penitentiary  of 
Pennsylvania,  at  liard  labor,  for  and  during  the  term  of  ten 
years,  and  in  all  respects  be  subject  to  the  same  discipline  and 
treatment  as  convicts  sentenced  by  the  Courts  of  the  State,  and 
that  you  pay  the  costs  of  this  prosecution  and  stand  committed 
until  this  sentence  be  complied  with.  And  while  so  confined 
therein  you  shall  be  exclusively  under  the  constraint  of  the  offi- 
cers having  charge  of  said  Penitentiary." 

In  accordance  with  this  sentence,  Braddee  was  im- 
prisoned in  the  penitentiary,  and  died  there  after  hav- 
ing served  out  nearly  the  full  term  for  which  he  was 
incarcerated.  Gorman  and  Purnell  were  pardoned 
by  the  President.  Purnell  lived  many  years  after- 
wards, and  is  still  well  remembered  by  citizens  of 
Fayette  and  adjoining  counties  as  a  dilapidated  trav- 
eling peddler  of  Dr.  Braddee's  medicines. 

I 
THE    PRESS    OF    UNIONTOWN.  [ 

The  Fayette  Gazette  and  Union  Advertiser,  an  ultra-  I 
Federalist  journal,  printed  in  Uniontown,  was  the 
first  paper  ever  published  in  Fayette  County.     The 
editors   and    proprietors   were    Jacob    Stewart    and  1 
Mowry ;  the  office  was  in  a  building  near  where  the  ] 
court-house  in  Uniontown  now  stands,  and  the  paper  . 
was  a   four-column   folio,  lOJ,  by  I62   in   size.     But 
a  very  few  copies  of  this  literary  curiosity  are  now 
in   existence.     The  earliest,  No.  33,  Vol.  II.  (whole  1 
number  85),  is  dated  Friday,  Aug.  23,  1799,  which 
shows  the   first  paper  to  have  been  issued   Dec.  5,  ' 
1797.     A  copy  of  Sept.  4,  1799,   contains  an  order  1 
granted  by  the  commissioners  of  the  county  to  Messrs. 
Stewart  &  Mowry,  publishers,  for  one  hundred  and  j 
fifty  dollars  for  publishing  the  list  of  unseated  lands 
in  Fayette  County.     Another  copy  of  Sept.  14,  1803, 
contains  a  commissioners'  order  for  one  hundred  and 
four  dollars  and  twenty  cents,  issued  to  them  for  pub- 
lishing the  unseated  lands  for  the  years  1800,  1801, 
and  1802.     The  OnzMe  and  Advertiser  oi  Sa,n.2'i,\m'i, 
contained  an  account  of  the  receipts  and  expenses  of 
the  county  for  1803.     This  account  was  published  four  I 
times  in  the  month  of  February  following,  and  the  ' 
bill,  which  was  thirty-nine  dollars,  was  paid  March  | 
8,  1804.     Soon  after  this  Stewart  &  Mowry  sold  the 
office  and  business  to  other  parties,  and  the  paper  was 
merged  with  The  Oenius  of  Liberty.  \ 

The  Genius  of  Liberty,  which  absorbed  the  Gazette  j 
and  Advertiser,  has  experienced  more  changes  in  edi- 
torial and  business  management  than  any  other  paper  ^ 
ever  published  in  Fayette  County.  It  was  the  second 
paper  established  in  the  county,  was  published  in 
Uniontown,  and  was  first  issued  as  The  Genius  of  Lib- 
erty and  Fayette  Adrertiser,  Feb.  22,  1805,  bearing  for 
its  motto  those  words  of  Governor  McKean,  "  The 
charms  of  novelty  should  not  be  permitted  so  to  fas- 
cinate as  to  give  to  mere  innovation  the  semblance  of 
reform."  The  founders  of  The  Genius  of  Liberty  were 
Allen  &  Springer,  who  issued  it  in  a  four-column  folio, 
eleven  by  seventeen  inches  in  size.  It  must  have  been 
cut  down  later,  as  a  copy  of  the  paper  dated  Dec.  3, 


1806,  was  only  a  three-column  folio,  eight  by  twelve 
inches,  but  the  next  year,  1807,  it  was  again  published 
iu  the  original  size.  The  office  of  the  paper  was  in  a 
building  that  stood  upon  the  lot  now  occupied  by  the 
residence  of  John  Harah.  From  the  hands  of  Allen 
&  Springer  the  paper  passed  to  the  proprietorship  of 
Jesse  Beeson,  on  May  5,  1812.  It  was  issued  by  him 
every  Tuesday,  having  as  its  motto, — 

"  Here  shall  the  press  the  people's  rights  proclaim. 
With  truth  its  guide,  the  public  good  its  aim." 

The  paper  continued  under  this  management  for 
some  years,  and  the  next  record  of  a  change  was  in 
1818,  when  it  was  published  by  John  Bouvier  and 
John  M.  Austin,  in  an  office  next  door  above  the 
court-house.  At  this  time  we  find  it  issued  under  a 
partially  new  name,  and  in  a  new  series.  It  was  then 
called  The  Genius  of  Liberty  and  American  Telegraph, 
and  the  earliest  copy  in  preservation  bears  date  Aug. 
29,  1818,  No.  21,  Vol.  I.  This  shows  the  first  issue 
under  the  new  departure  to  have  been  on  April  13, 
1818.  The  name  American  Telegraph  was  dropped 
the  following  year,  and  the  paper  was  again  known 
as  The  Genius  of  Liberty.  The  political  opinions  of 
the  two  publishers  being  at  variance,  Bouvier  used  one 
side  of  the  paper  to  sustain  his  views  as  a  Federalist, 
while  Austin  proclaimed  his  Democratic  principles 
upon  the  other  side.  In  this  manner  they  continued  the 
publication  of  the  paper  until  July,  1821,  when  they 
sold  the  entire  business  to  Thomas  Pattoii,  who  pub- 
lished the  paper  in  a  five-column  folio,  twenty  by 
forty-two  inches  in  size,  until  1824. 

In  the  ensuing  five  or  six  years  frequent  changes 
occurred  in  the  management  of  this  journal.  In  the 
year  1825  the  old  files  show  Jackman  &  Brown  to  have 
been  proprietors,  and  the  American  Observer  was  a 
part  of  the  name.  Again,  Vol.  I.,  No.  40,  of  a  new 
series  (Vol.  IX.,  old  series),  bearing  date  Feb.  4, 1829, 
Whitton  &  Eedick  were  editors  and  publishers.  And 
on  Feb.  10,  1830,  the  size  of  the  paper  was  changed 
to  that  of  a  five-column  folio,  fifteen  by  twenty-one 
inches,  and  the  name  Fayette  and  Greene  Advertiser  was 
added  to  the  previous  one.  In  August,  1831,  William 
H.  Whitton  was  sole  proprietor  and  publisher.  In 
the  fall  of  that  same  year  Alonzo  L.  Littell  became  a 
half-owner  of  the  paper,  Thomas  Patton  purchasing 
the  other  half.  This  partnership  lasted  but  a  few 
months,  however,  Littell  buying  Patton's  share,  which 
he  held  until  1838,  when  Justin  B.  Morris,  a  brother- 
in-law,  became  his  partner.  In  1831,  at  the  time  of 
Littell's  purchase,  the  material  and  conveniences  for 
publishing  a  paper  were  of  the  most  primitive  and 
crude  kind.  The  office  was  in  the  corner  of  a  carpen- 
ter-shop on  the  back  street  up  Bank  Alley,  the  place 
affording  only  the  most  meagre  accommodations.  The 
type  was  worn  out,  and  the  printing  was  done  on 
an  old  Eamage  press.  The  ink  was  stamped  upon 
the  forms  with  two  black  balls,  made  of  tanned  sheep- 
skin, and  with  these  appliances  a  good  pressman 
could    throw    olf   three   sheets,    twenty-eight   inches 


306 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


square,  in  two  minutes.  Tliis  slow  metliod  did  not 
suit  Mr.  Littell,  and  lie  at  once  began  to  make  im- 
provements. He  moved  all  the  office  fixtures  to  the 
new  brick  block  built  by  Ephraim  Douglass  on  the 
public  square,  and  afterwards  to  that  built  by  John 
D.iwson.  He  purchased  new  presses,  type,  and  other 
necessary  printing  mati'i-ial  in  ('incinnati,  ( )liio,  and 
soon  had  the  business  in  a  prosin  rou^  and  nourishing 
condition.  He  continued  in  connection  with  the  paper 
until  the  year  1840,  having,  some  time  between  March, 
1836,  and  March,  1837,  absorbed  a  paper  called  TJie 
Democratic  Shield.  The  latter  name  was  dropped  in 
October,  1839.  In  April,  l.s4n,  .T.,lin  W.  Irons  pur- 
chased the  paper  aud  licld  it  until  IMii,  wln'ii  he  sold 
it  to  John  W.  Shugart.  The  last-named  proprietor 
only  kept  it  a  year  or  two,  when  John  W.  Irons  re- 
purchased and  retained  it  until  his  <leath,  which  oc- 
curred in  18-50  from  cholera.  John  W.  Skiles,  a  son- 
in-law  of  Mr.  Irons,  then  conducted  it  for  a  short 
time,  when  it  was  sold  to  R.  T.  Galloway,  now  of  Con- 
nellsville.  About  two  months  after  this  change  an- 
other took  place,  Armstrong  Hadden  and  Col.  T.  B. 
Searight  being  the  purchasers.  Hadden  &  Searight 
controlled  and  published  the  paper  until  April  15, 1852, 
when  Hadden  retired  and  George  W.  K.  Minor  be- 
came associated  with  Searight.  On  Jan.  6,  1853, 
Minor  assumed  entire  control,  which  he  continued 
until  Dee.  28, 1854,  when  he  sold  to  John  Bierer.  This 
disposal  of  the  property  was  followed  by  another,  in 
February.  Is'iU,  ulien  Col.  Searight  became  a  second 
time  tin-  pri>|a-iit(ir,  and  soon  associated  with  him  C. 
E.  Boyle.  Tliis  partnership  was  severed  in  the  fall 
of  1860,  Col.  Searight  retiring.  In  February,  1861, 
Boyle  sold  to  Col.  E.  G.  Roddy.  He  in  turn,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1863,  made  arrangements  to  sell  to  R.  B. 
Brown,  of  Brownsville,  who  was  to  bei;in  ;i  new  >erie- 
with  his  publication  of  the  paper.     Mr.  r.n.wn  isMied 


one  number, 
then  fheliiis 
by  whom  it  ' 
1867.  Mr.  1 
then  assume 
was  soon  pui 
Campbe 


Feb.  19,  1S6,S,  V, 


■  Mr.  I 
th,  Ji: 


'.ovle,  administrator  of  the  Roddy  estate, 
■il  ilie  management  of  the  paper;  but  it 
relni-ed  by  Frederick  Rock  and  James  F. 
The  last-named  gentleman  was  soon  suc- 
ceeded by  A.  M.  Gibson,  who  also  bought  Rock's 
share,  and  who  remained  in  possession  until  April, 
1871,  when  W.  A.  McDowell  and  George  W.  Litman 
purchased  the  property,  and  in  1875  sold  to  Albert 
Marshall  a  third  interest. 

The  Genius  of  Liberty  has  been  nearly  all  of  the 
time,  from  first  to  last,  an  exponent  of  Democratic 
principles,  and  is  still  published  by  McDowell,  Lit- 
man it  Marshall,  at  their  office  on  Broadway,  Union- 
town. 

Tlie  FaijiHe  ami  Greene  Spectator,  established  by 
William  Campbell,  was  published  in  Uniontown,  and 
the  first  issue  of  the  paper  appeared  Jan.  1,  1811. 
The  only  copy  known  to  be  in  existence  belongs  to 
Mr.  Frank  Stephens,  and  is  No.  2,  Vol.  Ul.,  dated 


Thursday,  Jan.  7,  1813.  It  is  a  four-column  folio, 
twelve  by  eighteen  inches  in  size.  The  first  page 
contains  news  from  London,  England,  New  York, 
and  Philadelphia,  and  the  leading  editorial  is  upon 
the  invasion  of  Canada,  the  article  occupying  two 
and  one-half  columns  space.  In  local  matters  are 
two  wedding  notices,  one  announcing  the  marriage  of 
Mr.  George  Adams,  of  Virginia,  to  Anna  Maria, 
eldest  daughter  of  Presley  Carr  Lane,  Esq.,  and  the 
second,  the  marriage  of  Mr.  William  Campbell,  the 
former  editor  of  the  Spectator,  to  Miss  Priscilla  Por- 
ter, daughter  of  John  Porter,  of  Washington  town- 
ship, Fayette  Co.  There  is  also  a  notice  of  the  death 
of  Dr.  Benjamin  Stephens,  which  occurred  January 
3d,  four  days  previous  to  the  issue  of  that  paper,  at  his 
residence  near  Uniontown.  At  the  date  of  the  paper 
just  mentioned,  Jan.  7,  1813,  it  was  published  by 
James  Lodge,  at  two  dollars  per  annum.  It  is  not 
known  who  edited  it  at  that  time,  nor  how  much 
longer  it  was  continued. 

The  Aiiierieiiii  Telegraph  was  first  published  in 
Brownsville,  in  1814,  by  John  Bouvier,  who  then  first 
settled  in  that  place.  In  April,  1818,  he  removed 
this  paper  to  Uniontown,  and  united  it  with  The 
Genius  of  Libert//,  publishing  the  paper  for  a  while 
under  the  combined  names,  but  eventually  dropping 
that  of  Amrrlr,,,,  Trlcf/raph. 

The  Tn,v/,r„  I!.y;,/rr  was  first  published  by  Robert 
Fee,  in  Washington,  Pa.,  in  1816.  A  year  or  two 
later  he  removed  to  Fayette  County,  and  commenced 
the  publication  of  the  paper  in  Uniontown.  One 
number  is  yet  in  preservation,  and  is  dated  March  10, 
1823,  No.  49,  Vol.  VI.  This  copy  is  a  four-column 
folio,  and  has  for  its  motto  "  Virtuous  Liberty." 

Tlie  Peiiiisi/lvania  Democrat,  now  the  Republican 
St'iinhinl.  was  established  in  Uniontown  in  the  month 
ol'  Aii-nst,  1827,  by  Jacob  B.  Miller.  The  first  num- 
lier  was  i>sued  from  a  building  on  Main  Street,  the 
>itt'  of  whieii  is  now  occupied  by  the  residence  and 
lianlware->tore  of  Zadoc  B.  Springer.  The  Demo- 
eral  was  founded  as  the  advocate  of  the  re-election  of 
John  Quincy  Adams,  of  whose  administration  it  was 
an  ardent  supporter.  It  was  also  outspoken  against 
Masonry.  The  foreman  of  the  paper  was  David  S. 
Knox,  a  gentleman  of  education  and  culture,  who 
subsequently  became  cashier  of  the  Monongahela 
Bank  of  Brownsville,  a  trust  which  he  worthily  dis- 
charged lor  many  years  and  until  his  death.  In 
1829,  Mr.  .^liller  desired  to  go  West,  and  he  prevailed 
upon  J.  C.  S.  Gotf  and  Samuel  L.  Yarrell,  printers  in 
his  employ,  to  assume  charge  of  the  paper  and  conduct 
it  on  their  own  responsibility  during  his  absence,  the 
profits  resulting  therefrom  to  inure  to  their  own  bene- 
fit. They  did  so,  but  they  never  owned  the  Democrat, 
only  managed  and  edited  it  during  the  absence  of  Mr. 
Miller.  Mr.  Goff  writes  that  the  venture  did  not  prove 
lucrative,astherewasatthatperiod  very  little  job-work 
(U-  advertising.  Of  all  the  business  houses  in  Union- 
town  not  one  out  of  five  was  rejiresented  in  the  col- 


UNIONTOWN  BOROUGH. 


307 


umns  of  the  Democrat,  while  most  of  the  advertising 
patronage  consisted  of  legal  notices,  the  publication 
of  which  was  required  by  law.  The  subscription 
list  numbered  about  five  hundred,  many  of  whom  re- 
garded lightly  their  financial  obligations  to  the  printer. 
At  the  time  of  its  establishment,  and  for  a  number  of 
years  thereafter,  the  Democrat  was  a  six-column  folio, 
price  $2.50  per  year.  In  the  spring  of  1830,  Yarrell 
&  Goff  were  succeeded  by  Jacob  B.  Miller  and  John 
F.  Beazell. 

Job  S.  Golf  was  born  in  Harrison  County,  Va., 
Ai)ril  12,  1807.  He  came  of  the  family  of  Gofis  who 
emigrated  to  that  State  from  Massachusetts  in  1790. 
Both  his  grandfathers  served  in  the  Revolutionary 
war.  His  father  was  an  officer  of  note  in  the  war  of 
1812,  and  subsequently  served  several  terms  in  both 
branches  of  the  Virginia  Legislature,  being  a  member 
of  the  Senate  at  the  time  of  his  death.  Job  S.  Goff 
served  his  apprenticeship  as  a  printer  in  the  office  of 
the  Clarksburg,  Va.,  Intelligencer.  After  his  retire- 
ment from  the  Democrat  he  dealt  in  live-stock  for  a 
year  or  two,  when  he  went  to  Waynesburg,  Greene  Co., 
Pa.,  and  established  the  Greene  County  Republican, 
which  flourished  during  the  anti-Masonic  excitement. 
He  supported  Ritner  for  Governor,  and  Solomon  G. 
Krepps,  of  Brownsville,  for  member  of  the  State 
Senate.  After  the  election  the  paper  failed  through 
want  of  patronage.  During  the  period  in  which  he 
was  editor  and  publisher,  Mr.  Goff  succeeded,  after 
I  considerable  expense  and  trouble,  in  getting  up  a 
river  improvement  convention,  the  object  being  to 
adopt  measures  looking  toward  the  improvement,  by 
locks  and  dams,  of  the  navigation  of  the  Mononga- 
hela  River  from  Pittsburgh  to  Morgantown.  Mr. 
Goff 's  large  acquaintance  with  many  prominent  citi- 
zens of  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania  enabled  him  to 
obtain  a  generous  response  in  delegates.  The  con- 
vention was  held  at  Greensboro',  Greene  Co.,  and  was 
an  emphatic  success.  At  this  writing  Mr.  Goff  is 
living  at  Bellefontaine,  Ohio.  In  1861  he  and  two 
sons  enlisted  from  Ohio  in  the  Union  army.  After 
two  years'  service  Mr.  Goff  was  wounded  and  sent 
home,  since  when  he  has  been  a  partial  cripple  and 
unable  to  work. 

Samuel  L.  Yarrell  was  born  in  Menallen  township, 
Fayette  Co.,  Jan.  14,  1809.  He  learned  printing  in 
the  office  of  the  Democrat.  In  1820  he  removed  to 
Highland  County,  Ohio,  and  died  Sept.  0,  1855,  near 
Morris,  Grundy  Co.,  111. 

The  Democrat  remained  in  the  posse-ssion  of  Miller 
&  Beazell  until  about  1834,  when  it  was  sold  to 
Samuel  and  William  McDonald,  brothers,  who  either 
jointly  or  singly  retained  ownership  until  1844.  Stray 
copies  of  the  paper,  of  different  dates  within  this 
period,  show  that  during  a  part  of  the  time  it  was 
published  by  S.  &  W.  McDonald,  and  during  the  re- 
mainder of  the  time,'  apparently  from  1838  down,  by 
S.  McDonald  alone.  While  the  latter  was  editor  and 
publisher,  and  towards  the  close  of  Iiis  administra- 


tion, he  changed  the  name  of  the  paper  to  the  Union- 
town  Weekly  Democrat  and  Fayette  County  Advertiser. 
When  this  change  was  made  and  how  long  the  name 
was  retained  it  is  impossible  to  accurately  determine, 
because  of  the  absence  of  files  of  the  paper  and  ina- 
bility to  obtain  reliable  data  bearing  on  this  point. 
That  the  name  existed,  however,  is  shown  by  a  copy 
of  the  paper  now  before  the  writer,  dated  April  23, 
1844,  Vol.  XVII.,  No.  36.  The  general  impression  is 
that  the  name  was  not  long  retained. 

In  the  summer  of  1844,  Thomas  Foster  came  from 
Harrisburg  and  bought  the  Democrat  from  Samuel 
McDonald,  and  it  may  have  been  that  he  restored  the 
original  name.  When  John  F.  Beazell  retired  from 
the  paper  in  1834  he  went  to  Cookstown.  In  the  great 
conflagration  of  1845  in  Pittsburgh  he  lost  most  of 
his  property,  which  consisted  principally  of  a  stock 
of  glass.  Returning  to  Uniontown  in  the  spring  of 
1846,  he  bought  from  Thomas  Foster  a  half-interest 
in  the  Democrat.  It  was  not  a  great  while  afterward 
that  Mr.  Foster  disposed  of  the  remaining  half  to  a 
company,  and  eventually  Mr.  Beazell  became  sole 
owner  of  the  entire  paper,  at  the  head  of  which  he 
remained  until  March  1,  1866.  Tlie  Demnrrat  under 
Mr.  Beazell  became  the  advocate  of  tlir  I'linciples  of 
the  American  or  Know-Nothing  I'Mitx,  and  as  evi- 
dence of  its  sympathy  with  and  advocacy  of  them 
the  name  of  the  paper  was  changed  on  Nov.  18,  1854, 
to  the  American  Standard.  When  a  couple  of  years 
later  the  Republican  party  was  born  the  Standard 
became  a  supporter  of  its  principles,  to  which  it  has 
ever  since  remained  true,  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
months  in  1878,  when  Jacob  B.  Miller  carried  it  tem- 
porarily into  the  Greenback  camp.  Throughout  the 
Rebellion  it  never  swerved  in  its  fealty  to  the  Union 
or  its  support  of  the  men  and  measures  of  the  Repub- 
liean  party.  On  Mareh  1.  ISllC,  Mr.  iMa/rll  sold  the 
,St,i„d,u-d  to  A.  W.  lioyd  and  .lames  (  1.  .lohnstou. 

John  F.  Beazell  was  born  in  Alleglieny  ('ounty.  Pa., 
Jan.  1,  1805.  He  graduated  at  Madison  College, 
Uniontown,  with  honor  and  distinction.  He  died  in 
Uiiiontown,  Aug.  31,  1876.  During  a  considerable 
part  of  his  ownership  of  the  Standard  he  was  ably 
assisted  in  both  the  mechanical  and  editorial  depart- 
ments by  his  son,  Col.  John  W.  Beazell. 

Boyd  &  Johnson  controlled  the  paper  jointly  until 
Dec.  12,  1866,  when  Mr.  Johnson  bontrht  the  interest 
of  his  partner.  About  May  1,  Isc,;.  Mi-.  .Inlmson  sold 
a  half-interest  to  Jacob  P..  Miller,  who  pass,,!  its  con- 
trol and  profits  over  to  his  hall-brother,  William  H. 
Miller.  In  the  spring  of  1868,  Jacob  B.  Miller  bought 
the  remaining  half,  and  William  H.  Miller  became 
the  nominal  proprietor  and  joint  editor  with  the 
former.  The  Standard  remained  under  their  control 
until  March  21,  1879,  when,  Jacob  B.  Miller  having 
died,  and  William  H.  Miller  having  become  sole 
editor  and  proprietor,  it  was  consolidated  with  the 
Fayette  County  Republican,  under  the'  name  of  the 
Rcpiiblicaii  Standard. 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  Frnjrffr  Cmntii  RrpiihUcrin  was  founded  June  6, 
]S78,  l.y  .Tnln,  S.  Kiu-noiir  and  William  J.  Rush,  in 
the  intci-i'^tsof  tliciii^chcs  and  the  Re|uihliean  party, 
the  ShiH.hi,:!  Lrin-  at  that  tiiii.-  pulili^hcil  in  the  in- 
terest (,f  (JiviailKn-ki-ni.  Alter  the-  death  of  Jacob 
•B.  Miller,  uhirh  nrrmivd  in  T'Mionlou,,,  I),t.  0, 
1878,  the  Sfitinhir,!  returned  to  llepnldiean  prinei- 
ples.  The  consnli.lalion  spnlcen  of  lolh.we,!,  and  the 
new  iirni  was  known  as  Miller,  Itnsh  .^  Kilennur.  the 
latterheeniuin-writin-editor,whieh  pusitinn  he  Idled 

G.  C.  MeKni-ht  hon.irht  the  half-interest  of  William 
H.  Miller,  whose  place  in  the  firm-name  he  also  took. 
June  11,  1881,  Rush  &  Ritenour  disposed  of  their 
half  to  John  K.  Ewing;,  Jr.,  and  Orrin  J.  Sturgis,  and 
a  few  days  later  Mr.  McKnight  sold  to  them  his  in- 
terest. 

From  the  incejition  of  the  Pennsijlvania  Daiuirrat 
until  his  death  Jtieob  P>.  Miller  was,  during  almost 
all  the  admiinstrations,  a  contributor  to  the  eilitorial 
columns  of  the  |)aper.  He  was  an  indeiiendent  thinker, 
and  a  strong,  forcible,  and  fearless  writer.  The  free- 
dom with  wdiieh  he  expressed  his  opinions  got  him 
into  trouble  more  than  once.  He  was  ndteil  lor  his 
rare  power  of  invective,  a  faculty  which  he  handled 
when  occasion  seemcl  to  demand  it  nnhe-ilal  inglv 
and  with  great  ed'ect.  ^Iv.  Miller  was  horn  in  rninn'- 
town,  Feb.  I'l,  17;i!l.  (iradn.ating  at  the  Wa^liin-tuii, 
Pa.,  College,  he  adopted  law  as  his  pn.lessinn,  l,nt 
confirmed  dyspepsia  compelled  him  to  forego  the  sed- 
entary life  of  a  lawyer,  and  prevented  him  from  reach- 
ing any  degree  of  eminence  in  the  pursuit  for  which 
he  was  by  inelinati.in  .m.l  educ:iti.in  |>eeuliarly  adap- 
ted and  upon  which  W  entered  with  brilliant  pros- 
pects. In  the  sessi.ni  of  IS.;:,!-:;:!  he  represented  Fay- 
ette County  in  the  Legislature.  This  tnnch  space  is 
devoted  to  and  is  due  Mr.  Miller  for  the  reason  that 
without  it  a  history  of  tlie  leading  men  of  Fayette 
County  and  the  Standard's  most  brilliant  and  most 
merciless  editor  would  be  incomplete.  James  G. 
Johnson  probably  imparted  more  of  literary  grace, 
culture,  and  refinement  to  the  editorial  columns  of 
the  paper  than  any  other  writer. 

Thr  Amrrioan  Batinrr  and  Lifrranj  and  Trmprranrr 
./»»,-»»/ was  olablished  in  the  month  of  A]iril,  ls:;2, 
in  Unioiitou-n,  the  first  niind.er  appearing  April  ICtli. 
It  was  a  five-column  folio,  edited  by  Alfred  Patter- 
son, and  printed  by  William  H.  Whitton,  at  a  sub- 
scription price  of  two  dollars  per  year.  There  is 
nothing  on   record   to  show  the   length  of  time  the 

n<  Dcnnrrat;,-  .Shlrhi  made  its  first  aj.pearance  in 
May,  18:^,4.  It  was  edited  and  published  l.y  .lanies 
Piper.  T.  Patton  and  J.  G.  Morris  were  (he  printers, 
and  the  office  was  a  few  doors  east  .il'  the  conrt-honse 
in  Uniontown.  A  copy  of  the  pafier,  dated  Wednes- 
day, Nov.  4,  1835,  is  a  five-clunm  foli.,,  fifteen  by 
twenty-two  inches  in  size,  with  the  motto  :  "  \  sup- 
port to  the  exiiressed  will  of  the  jieople  is  the  great 


test  of  Democracy.  Education  is  the  shield  and  bul- 
wark of  a  free  constitution."  In  1836,  J.  G.  Morris, 
one  of  the  printers,  had  become  the  editor,  and  before 
the  year  1837  had  closed,  the  paper  had  been  bought 
by  and  become  a  jiart  of  The  Genius  of  Liberty. 

The  Harriannian  and  Weekly  Conservative  was  estab- 
lished in  Uniontown  early  in  the  year  1840.     It  was 
edited  by  ( George  W.  SulliVan  and  B.  F.  Lincoln,  and 
l>ublished  at  the  Clinton  House  by  N.  Byers.     Only 
one  nundjer  of  the  paper  can  now  be  found,  which  is 
dated  Sept.  15,  1840,   No.  26,  Vol.  I.,  and  gives  the 
price  as  one  dollar  for  a  volume  of  twenty-six  num- 
I  bers.     As  the  name  indicates,  this  journal  was  merely 
I  a  campaign  paper,  and  its  publication  ceased  in  No- 
i  vember,  1840. 

T/ie  Cvwherhmd  Presbyterian  was  established  in 
Uniontown,  in  1847,  by  Robert  W.  Jones,  of  Athens, 
Ohio.  He  continued  its  publication  here  but  a  short 
time  when  he  removed  the  paper  and  office  material 
to  Brownsville,  after  that  to  Wayne-sburg,  Greene  Co., 
and  finally  to  Pittsburgh,  at  which  place  it  was  pub- 
lished in  the  interest  of  the  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian Church  at  large.  In  1865,  Mr.  Jones  di.scon- 
tiiuie.l  the  |.ublication  of  T/ie  Presbyterian,  and  in  1873 
assumed  the  ownership  and  management  of  The 
■Liiininl,  published  at  Athens,  Ohio,  whither  he  had 
removed.  He  continued  in  this  place  and  business 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  Jan.  29,  1881,  at  the 
age  of  fifty-five  years.  Mr.  Jones  acqi  irjd  his  knowl- 
edge of  i>rinting  in  the  office  of  The  O'enius  of  Liberty  ■ 
during  the  editnr-hip  c.f  John  W.  Irons. 

The  Fayi-ffr  117//,./  was  started  in  1849  by  John  Ros- 
ier, of  Pittsburgh,  the  first  number  appearing  June 
2d  of  that  year.  It  did  not  survive  long,  owing  to 
some  trouble  between  Bosler  and  John  F.  Beazell, 
editor  of  the  Penuxiili-ania  Dfwocm/,  also  published  in 
rnioiitowiial  that  time.  There  are  no  copies  of  TVff 
Whi'j  from  which  to  gain  information  of  its  labors 
and  success,  even  for  the  short  time  the  paper  ex- 
isted. 

Tl>e  Democratic  Sentinel  was  first  published  in  1850, 
by  J.  Nelson  H.  Patrick,  then  district  attorney  of 
Fayette  County.  In  1855  he  had  taken  a  partner, 
and  the  firm-name  reads  Patrick  &  Reilly.  In  June 
of  the  same  year  the  |noprietors  removed  The  Sentinel 
from  Uniontown  l(]  Coiinellsville,  and  not  long  after 
Patrick  sold  his  share  of  the  office  to  a  man  named 
Wallington.  The  firm  of  Wallington  &  Reilly  did 
not  long  continue,  and  in  a  few  months  the  paper 
and  printing  material,  except  the  hand-press,  was 
purchased  by  the  publishers  of  The  Genius  of  Liberty. 
Capt.  James  Downer,  of  Uniontown,  bought  the 
hand-iire-s  and  shipped  it  to  Kansas.  The  Sentinel 
was  a  -ix-eohiMin  lolio.  i~-,ucd  weekly  for  one  dollar 
peryear.  Patrick  is  now  li\ing  at  Omaha,  Neb.,  prac- 
ticing law.  In  the  fall  and  winter  following  the  elec- 
tion of  li,  II,  Hayes  to  the  Presidency  he  was  con- 
n.'cted  with  Cronin,  of  ( )reg(in,  in  the  trouble  with 
the  electoral  v(jtc  of  that  State. 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


309 


Till-  American  Citizen,  a  seven-column  folio,  pub- 
li^lir.l  in  the  interest  of  the  Know-Nothing  party  in 
riiiuiitown  and  vicinity,  was  started  in  1855  by  Wil- 
liniii  II.  Murphy  and  Jesse  B.  Ramsay.  Its  publica- 
11(111  lasted  but  little  more  than  two  years,  and  but 
slii;lit  information  can  be  gained  of  it  e.xcept  of  its 
founders  personally.  Mr.  Ramsay  now  lives  in  Pitts- 
burgh. Mr.  Murphy  died  in  Galveston,  Texas,  in 
18G(>,  of  fever.  He  served  in  the  Union  army  during 
the  whole  of  the  Rebellion.  He  was  a  first-class  prac- 
tical printer,  and  excelled  as  an  editor  and  publisher. 
He  never  wrote  out  editorials  or  locals  for  his  paper, 
but  went  to  the  case  and  set  the  type  as  he  shaped 
the  article  in  his  mind. 

The  Baptist  Journal,  establishe'd  Dec.  20,  1855,  had 
for  its  founder,  editor,  and  proprietor  James  C. 
Whaley.  The  Journal  was  a  four-column  folio,  16 
by  21  inches  in  size,  was  issued  monthly  at  fifty  cents 
per  year,  and  devoted  to  the  dissemination  of  re- 
ligious knowledge  and  news,  and  the  promotion  of 
Christian  interests  generally.  It  was  conducted  but 
one  year,  when  its  existence  ceased,  and  Mr.  Whaley 
removed  from  Uniontown  to  Kentucky,  to  publish 
the  Kentucky  Intelligencer.  At  the  breaking  out  of 
the  late  civil  war  he  abandoned  his  paper  and  entered 
the  Union  army,  where  he  served  through  all  the 
grades  up  to  major  by  brevet.  He  was  wounded 
eight  dift'erent  times  during  his  years  of  service,  had 
his  clothes  riddled  by  rifle-balls  from  sharpshooters, 
and  his  command  had  the  honor  of  capturing  the 
Washington  Light  Artillery  of  New  Orleans  at  the 
battle  of  Mission  Ridge,  taking  men,  horses,  and 
guns  complete.  Mr.  Whaley  is  now  working  on  The 
Geniiis  of  Libertij,  in  Uniontown,  and  is  at  present 
the  only  living  representative  printer  of  the  days 
from  1850  to  1858  now  working  in  Fayette  County. 

Our  Paper  was  a  monthly  journal,  which  was  pub- 
lished for  about  a  year  in  Uniontown,  beginning  in 
October,  1872.  It  was  a  paper  having  eight  pages  of 
j  four  columns  each,  issued  at  a  subscription  price  of 
fifty  cents  per  year,  and  was  edited  by  a  committee 
\   from  the  Young  Men's  ('lirislimi  Association. 

The  Uniontown  £ntirjiri.ii-  was  a  tree  advertising 
'  sheet,  which  was  first  pul)lislied  in  1876  by  J.  Austin 
I  Modisette.  It  was  a  four-column  folio,  16  by  20 
inches  in  size,  and  only  existed  for  one  year. 

The  Temperance  Radical  was  established  in  1878, 
and  was  another  of  the  several  papers  that  have  had 
a  brief  existence  in  Uniontown.  Its  first  number  ap- 
peared May  23,  1878,  and  the  last  one  ten  months 
later.  It  was  a  four-column  folio,  edited  by  W.  J. 
McDowell. 

The  Uniontown  Democrat  is  an  advocate  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Democratic  party,  the  first  number  of 
which  appeared  on  Aug.  13,  1878,  edited  and  pub- 
lished by  Joseph  Beatty  and  Charles  B.  Conner.  It 
was  first  issued  as  a  six-column  folio,  twenty-two  by 
thirty  inches  in  size.  On  April  1, 1879,  it  was  changed 
from  that  to  a  seven-column  folio,  twenty-six  by  thirty- 


six  inches,  and  again  on  May  20, 1879,  it  was  enlarged 
to  eight  columns,  twenty-six  by  forty  inches  in  size. 
This  enlargement  of  The  Democrat  has  been  necessi- 
tated by  the  constantly  increasing  patronage,  the  cir- 
culation having  now  reached  fifteen  hundred.  The 
office  is  in  the  Tremont  building,  corner  of  Main  and 
Morgantown  Strcds,  Uniontown. 

The  y.ilniii'il.  r.litnl  and  published  by  W.  L.  Perry 
in  the  iiucrestsol  llic  (Jreenbackparty,  was  first  issued 
July  31,  1879,  at  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  per  annum. 
It  was  a  seven-colum  folio.  For  lack  of  support  it 
died  Nov.  1,  1879,  having  existed  but  four  months. 

The  Amateur  was  another  free  advertising  sheet, 
started  in  Uniontown  in  1879  by  George  Irwin.  It 
was  a  monthly  paper,  four  pages  of  ten  by  twelve 
inches,  but  did  not  last  any  length  of  time. 

PHYSICIANS  OF  UNIONTOWN. 
Dr.  Samuel  Sackett,  who  had  been  a  surgeon  in 
the  Revolutionary  war,  removed  from  Connecticut 
in  September,  1781,  to  Uniontown,  where  he  resided 
till  Nov.  10,  1788,  when  he  removed  to  his  farm  on 
Georges  Creek,  one  mile  south  of  Smithfield,  where 
William  Sackett  now  lives.  He  practiced  his  pro- 
fession in  Uniontown  and  on  Georges  Creek  for 
about  forty  years,  and  died  at  his  farm  in  1833.  He 
had  ten  children, — four  sons  and  six  daughters.  His 
son  Samuel,  who  is  well  remembered  by  many  of  the 
older  citizens,  was  the  father  of  William  Sackett,  who 
still  lives  on  the  homestead.  One  of  the  daughters 
(Sally)  became  the  wife  of  Dr.  Lewis  Marchand. 

Dr.  Henry  Chapese  was  a  physician  and  druggist 
of  Uniontown  between  1790  and  1800,  but  neither  the 
date  of  his  coming  nor  the  length  of  time  that  he  re- 
mained is  known.  The  county  records  show  that  on 
the  13th  of  August,  1791,  he  purchased  of  Jacob  Bee- 
son  lots  4  and  5,  on  the  north  side  of  Elbow  Street, 
intown  Street.  In  an  old  account-book 
:"aiiipbell,  under  date  of  May,  1792,  Dr. 
(litfil  with  a  small  amount  for  medicines 
ds,  and  other  entries  are  found  in  the 
same  book  until  November  19th  of  that  year.  The 
lots  which  he  purchased  of  Jacob  Beeson  in  1791  he 
sold  to  John  Savary,  March  25,  1793  ;  but  this  sale 
did  not  mark  the  date  of  his  removal  from  Union- 
town,  as  is  shown  by  the  following  advertisement, 
found  in  the  Pittsburgh  Gazette  of  July,  1793,  viz. : 

"  The  subscriber  informs  the  public  in  general  that  he  has 
just  received  a  new  recruit  of  Palent  and  other  medicines, 
which  he  will  sell  at  the  most  reduced  prices  for  cash.  Any 
person  taking  a  quantity,  as  a  practitioner,  may  rely  on  getting 
them  nearly  as  low  as  they  can  be  purchased  in  Philadelphia. 
Hehnsals.Min  infallible  remedy  against  snake  bites  in  small 
vials.  By  wotting  with  said  substance  and  drinking  about  15 
drops  of  it,  diluted  in  a  gill  of  water,  an  immediate  cure  is 
obtained.     Price  3'  ^^  each. 

*'  He  has  also  for  sale  a  general  assortment  of  paint,  6ax-seed 
oil,  and  an  assortment  of  English  vials  and  pencils. 

"  Hexrv  Chapese. 

"  Uniontown,  July  6,  17ft3." 


west  of  Jforg 
of  Benjamin 
Chapese  is  cr 
of  various  ki 


310 


HISTOKY    OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Dr.  Eobert  ]McClure  came  from  York  County,  Pa., 
and  was  in  riiiontown  as  rarly  as  17'J2,  as  appears 
from  an  entry  in  tlie  acconnt-book  of  Benjamin 
Campbell,  dated  NovenilMT  I'l^.l  in  that  year,  credit- 
ing Dr.  McClure  "ByMindry  iii,-dii-iiMs  t..  thi<  dale." 
This  is  the  only  fact  whirl,  has  h.  en  tomi<l  tendin-  to 
show  that  he  practiced  his  profession  here.  In  1705 
he  purchased  a  village  lot  on  Elbow  Street.  In  1798 
he  opened  a  public-house  nearly  opposite  the  court- 
house. He  kept  it  as  a  tavern  till  about  1812,  wdien 
he  removed  to  the  West. 

There  was  a  Dr.  Young  located  in  Uniontown  as 
physician  and  druggist  in  the  year  1796.  No  informa- 
tion has  been  gained  concerning  him,  except  what 
appears  in  the  following  advertisement,  which  is  found 
in  the  Western  Tekgraphe  of  Washington,  Pa.,  of  May 
17th  in  the  year  named,  viz. : 

"DR.  YOUNG 
Respeetfully  informs  the  Public  that  he  has  lately  received 
from  New  York  and  Philadelphia  a  neat  and  general  assort- 
ment of  Drugs  and  Medicines,  Patent  Medicines,  ic,  which  he 
is  now  selling  at  his  shop  near  the  New  Market  House  in  Union 
Town,  on  as  moderate  terms  as  can  be  afforded.  He  likewise 
continues  to  practice  in  ihe  diftercnt  branches  of  his  profession  ; 
and  hiipes  to  merit  the  approbation  of  those  who  may  please  to 


Dr.  Solomon  Drown,  a  native  of  Rhode  Island,  came 
to  I'niontown  in,  or  prior  to,  1796,'  and  on  tin-  lib  id' 
January  in  that  year  purchased  from  llmiy  llnsdn 
thirteen  acres,  and  two  lots  (similar  to  vilhi-r  h.tsi  of 
land  on  the  east  side  of  Redstone  Creek,  and  includ- 
ing the  site  of  the  Madison  College  liuildings.  That 
he  jn-acticed  medicine  here  is  shown  by  a  minute  in 
tin-  ,-ommis.i,,nrrs-  records  nf  the  alhnvanr,,  ,.f  his 
a.-,-nuiit  forattrndii,-prisn,„.rs  in  th,-jail  in  tbr  y,.,r 
1X01.  He  isal-o  nMHrinlMTrd  by  Cul.  Saniil.-l  Va-mi-. 
thon.L'h  not  vriy  distin.tly.  Ib.w  hui-  be  rcniainrd 
aresi.lunt  in  fniontown  is  not  known.  TIk'  pr..i..'rly 
which  he  i>nn-lKised  of  Henry  Beeson  was  sohl  April 
29,  ISMIi,  by  William  Drown,  his  attorney,  to  Charles 
Elliott. 

Dr.  Adam  Simon^on  came  from  the  East,  and  set- 
tled in  Uniontnuii  prior  to  1795.  In  that  year  be 
became  purchaser  of  a  village  lot  in  "  Jacol>'s  Addi- 
tion." He  married  a  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Obadiab 
Jennings,  of  Dunlap's  Creek  Church,  and  remained 
a  |iracticing  physician  in  Uniontown  till  his  death  in 
1808. 

Dr.  Daniel  Marcband  an<l  bis  brother,  Dr.  Lewis 
Marchand  (sons  of  Dr.  David  Marehand,  a  physieian 

of  longstan.lin-  and    ■■ 1    ivpute    in  Westmoreland 

County  I,  eann'  to  faNelle,  ai,d  llrM  e-lal.lisl,ed  in 
]>raetice  in  Washini^ton  township,  wln-m-e  I  >r.  Daidel 
Marchand  removed  to  Tniontown  as  early  as  1803, 


and  remained  until  about  1820,  when  he  was  sue-     i 
ceeded  by  his  brother  Lewis,  who  increased  the  prac-     j 
tice  largely.     He  married  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Samuel     i 
Sackett,  and   continued   in   practice   in    Uniontown 
about  twenty  years,  highly  respected  as  a  man  and  a 
physician.     He  removed  from  this  place  to  Washing- 
ton township,  where  he  died  in  1864. 

Dr.  Benjamin  Stevens  (born  Feb.  20,  1737)  was  a 
relative  of  Jeremiah  Pears,  who  came  to  Fayette 
County  in  1789  and  settled  at  Plumsock.  Dr.  Ste- 
vens settled  on  a  farm  in  North  Union  township,  and 
practiced  medicine  in  that  vicinity.  About  1811  he 
removed  to  Uniontown.  His  office  and  residence  was 
in  a  building  that  stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  Con- 
cert Hall.  He  died  on  the  3d  of  January,  1813,  and 
was  buried  with  ^Masonic  honors  by  lodge  No.  92  of 
Uniontown.  During  the  long  period  of  his  practice 
in  the  old  township  of  Union  and  the  borough  of 
Uniontown  he  stood  high  in  public  estimation  as  a 
good  physician  and  citizen.  Some  of  his  descendants 
are  now  living  in  I'niontown. 

Dr.  Benjamin  Dorsey,  Dr.  Daniel  Sturgeon,  Dr. 
Wilson,  of  German  township,  and  Dr.  Wright  were 
students  with  Dr.  Stevens  while  he  lived  on  his  farm 
(where  Robert  Gaddis  now  lives  in  North  Union). 
Dr.  Wright  married  a  daughter  of  Andrew  Byers,  and 
lived  on  Red.stone  Creek,  near  where  the  Chicago 
Coke-Works  now  are.     He  practiced  but  little. 

Dr.  Daniel  Sturgeon  was  a  native  of  Adams  County, 
Pa.,  born  Oct.  27,  1789.  He  attended  Jefferson  Col- 
lege at  Canonsburg,  Pa.,  after  which  (about  1810) 
he  came  to  Fayette  County  and  commenced  the 
study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  Benjamin  Stevens,  who 
was  then  on  his  t'arin  in  Union  township,  wdiere  Robert 
(iaildis  n'jw  lives.  He  continued  his  studies  with  Dr. 
Stevens  1.  M-  more  than  a  year  after  the  removal  of  the 
latter  to  I'niontown.  He  then  went  to  Greensboro', 
(ireene  Co.,  and  eommenced  practice,  but  had  been 
there  h— -  than  a  year  when  he  was  invited  by  his 
Iriend,  1  »r.  Stevens  (who  was  then  suffering  from  the 
illness  which  soon  after  proved  fatal),  to  return  and  . 
assist  him  in  his  prartiei'  in  Uniontown.  Dr.  Stur- 
geon are. pled  the  invitation,  but  before  he  had  com- 
pleted his  arrangements  Dr.  Stevens  died.  His  li- 
brary was  then  purchased,  and  his  practice  assumed 
l)y  Dr.  Sturgeon,  who  from  that  time  became  a  resi- 
dent (d  Uniontown.  He  married  Nancy,  daughter  of 
Mrs.  Nancy  Gregg. 

Dr.  Stnrireon  earlv  entered  piditical  life,  and  filled 
nianv  olliees,  both  Slate  and  national,  among  which 
was  that  of  Tnited  Stales  senat.n-  from  I'ennsylvania, 
wbieh  he  held  irom   1X40  to  1S51. 

.\s  a  pbvsieian  he  was  trusted,  respected,  and  de- 
servedly i.opular.  He.  died  July  2,  1878,  in  the 
einbty-nirilh  year  of  his  age.  His  son  James  was  a 
printer,  hut  later  received  the  appointment  of  pay- 
mastei-  in  tie-  army.  He  died  about  1847.  Another 
son,  John,  studied  law  at  Uniontown.  He  went  into 
the  Mexican  war  in  (.'apt.  (.Quail's  company  of  Roberts' 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


311 


regiment,  but  died  before  reaching  the  city  of  Mexico. 
Dr.  William  H.  Sturgeon,  another  son  of  Dr.  Daniel 
Sturgeon,  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Alexander  H. 
Campbell,  in  Uniontown,  in  1847-48.  He  attended 
Jefferson  Medical  College  in  1848-49,  after  which  he 
returned  to  Uniontown  and  commenced  practice, 
which  he  has  continued  till  the  present  time,  with  the 
exception  of  a  few  years  spent  in  Pittsburgh  and  Phil- 
adelphia. 

Dr.  Robert  McCall  was  a  native  of  Shippensburg, 
Cumberland  Co.,  Pa.,  where  he  studied  medicine  with 
Dr.  Simpson.  He  was  an  army  surgeon  in  the  war  of 
1812-15,  and  soon  after  its  close  moved  to  Union- 
town,  and  opened  his  office  in  a  building  that  stood 
where  the  law-office  of  Daniel  Downer  now  is.  In 
1819  he  married  Anna,  daughter  of  Samuel  King,  and 
practiced  in  Uniontown  till  his  death  in  1823. 

Dr.  Hugh  Campbell  was  born  in  Uniontown,  May 
1,  1795.  In  1812  he  entered  Jefferson  College,  at  Can- 
onsburg,  Washington  Co.,  but  after  a  year  of  study 
came  back  to  Uniontown,  and  entered  the  office  of 
Dr.  Daniel  Marchand  as  a  student  of  medicine.  After  I 
two  years'  study  with  Dr.  Marchand,  he  attended  a 
course  of  lectures  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  graduated  in  1818.  He  returned  to  Uniontown, 
and  .soon  afterwards  became  associated  in  business 
with  Dr.  Lewis  Marchand.  From  that  time  he  was 
in  practice  during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  except 
from  1864  to  1869,  when  he  was  warden  of  the  peni- 
tentiary at  Allegheny  City.  He  died  Feb.  27,  1876, 
aged  eighty-one  years. 

Dr.  C.  N.  J.  Magill  was  in  practice  in  Uniontown 
in  1835.  On  the  23d  of  September  in  that  year  he 
advertised  that  he  had  "  opened  an  office  for  surgery 
and  the  practice  of  medicine  next  door  to  E.  Bailej^'s 
watchmaker  shop,  on  Main  Street.  Dwelling,  No.  3 
Stewart's  Row,  Morgantown  Street."  He  afterwards 
removed  to  Salt  Lick  township,  and  died  there. 

Dr.  H.  C.  Martherns  was  au  early  practitioner  in  | 
Smithfield,  and  removed  thence  to  Uniontown.  In  j 
April,  1836,  he  announced  that  he  "has  removed  his  j 
office  to  the  brick  dwelling  formerly  occupied  by  Mrs.  \ 
Gregg,  four  doors  east  of  the  court-house,  where  he 
will  attend  to  all  calls."  How  long  he  continued  in 
practice  in  Uniontown  li:is  nut  liicn  ascertained. 

Dr.  Alexander  Hamilton  ('ain]ilMll  was  a  son  of 
Samuel  Y.  Campbell,  and  u  native  of  Uniontown. 
He  studied  medicine  with  his  uncle.  Dr.  Hugh 
Campbell,  about  1840,  then  attended  lectures  at  Jef- 
ferson Medical  College,  in  Philadelphia,  and  after 
graduating  returned  to  Uniontown,  where  he  prac- 
ticed till  his  death  in  1859. 

Dr.  David  Porter  was  a  native  of  Virginia.  His 
father,  William  Porter,  was  a  teacher  in  Washington 
County,  Pa.,  where  he  lived  until  March,  1794.  He 
then  moved  to  Wheeling,  Va.,  where  his  son  David 
was  born.  After  the  death  of  his  father,  about  1798, 
he  was  adopted  by  William  Woolsey,  a  retired  sea- 
captain,  then  living  on  a  farm  in  Rostravor  township. 


Westmoreland  Co.,  near  the  Fayette  County  line.  It 
was  on  this  farm  (which  he  afterwards  owned)  that 
he  was  reared.  He  received  a  liberal  education 
under  the  tutorship  of  Gad  Tower,  a  noted  classical 
teacher  of  that  time.  At  the  age  of  about  twenty 
years  he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr. 
Lewis  Marchand,  who  was  then  living  on  his  farm 
below  Brownsville ;  Dr.  Leatherman,  of  Canonsburg, 
Washington  Co.,  being  a  fellow-student  with  him 
under  Dr.  Marchand.  He  attended  a  course  of  lec- 
tures at  Philadelphia  by  the  celebrated  Dr.  Benjamin 
Rush,  and  practiced  about  two  years,  then  attended 
lectures  at  Baltimore. 

After  graduating  he  returned  to  Rostravor  town- 
ship, and  practiced  there  for  several  years.  From 
there  he  removed  to  Cookstown  (now  Fayette  City), 
and  remained  two  years,  then  located  in  Brownsville, 
whence  after  a  few  years  he  removed  to  Pittsburgh. 
There  he  obtained  an  extensive  practice,  bnt  after 
about  two  years  returned  to  his  farm  in  Rostravor, 
where  he  remained  for  thirty  years,  but  was  only  a 
part  of  this  time  in  activr  i.nirticc  th.rc  In  Janu- 
ary, 1869,  he  removed  to  I'lrKinl'iwn,  wlnrr  he  lived 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  Sept.  22,  ISl'i,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-three  years. 

Dr.  Porter  was  recognized  as  standing  in  the  high- 
est rank  of  his  profession,  and  consultations  with  him 
were  constantly  sought  by  the  best  practitioners  in 
his  section  of  country,  including  the  city  of  Pitts- 
burgh. He  said  of  himself,  "  My  mind  was  always 
slow."  But  if  slow,  there  were  none  more  sure.  "He 
was  fifty  years  in  advance  of  his  age,"  was  the  opin- 
ion expressed  hy  Dr.  John  Dixon,  an  eminent  physi- 
cian of  Pittsburgh,  on  Dr.  David  Porter. 

Dr.  John  F.  Braddee  (who  has  already  been  no- 
tii'ed  ill  tlie  account  of  the  great  I'liiontdWii  mail 
riililicry  i  was  a  man  concerning  wlmm  flicn'  is  a  doubt 
whether  his  name  ought  to  be  mentioned  with  those 
of  respectable  members  of  the  medical  fraternity  of 
Uniontown,  but  the  question  has  been  decided  in 
the  affirmative  by  some  of  the  present  leading  phy- 
sicians of  the  borough.  He  was  a  charlatan,  a  man 
of  little  or  no  education,  but  fertile  in  resources.  He 
was  .said  to  have  come  into  this  section  of  country 
about  the  year  1830  as  an  assistant  to  a  party  of 
horse-dealers  from  Kentucky,  and  having  for  some 
cause  severed  his  connection  with  them,  and  finding 
himself  in  a  very  low  financial  condition,  he  came 
to  Uniontown  and  boldly  announced  himself  as  a 
physician.  Being  a  man  of  fine  personal  appear- 
ance, of  pleasing  address,  great  tact  and  unbounded 
assurance,  he  became  at  once  successful,  and  se- 
cured a  more  extensive  practice  than  was  ever 
enjoyed  by  any  regular  physician  of  the  town  or 
county.  It  is  said  that  in  a  single  day  nearly  one 
hundred  patients  from  the  surrounding  country  came 
into  Uniontown  for  treatment  by  Dr.  Braddee,  and 
waited  for  long  weary  hours  to  see  him  in  their  turn. 
He  was  soon  enabled  to  purchase  the  National  Hotel 


312 


HISTORY    OF    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


property,  at  the  corner  of  Morgantowii  and  Fayette 
Streets,  and  in  that  house  he  made  his  professional 
headquarters.  His  remarlcable  success,  however,  did 
not  deter  but  rather  seemed  to  incite  him  to  illegiti- 
mate projeets  for  money-making,  and  in  18-tO  ho, 
witli  the  aid  of  confederates,  executed  a  cunniuirly 
devised  plan  for  robbinir  the  T'nited  States  mail  while 
in  transit  through  Uniimtown.  For  this  cilfeiiso  he 
was  arrested,  tried,  and  convicted,  and  in  l.'>41  his 
professional  career  in  Uniontown  was  closed  by  a  sen- 
tence of  ten  years  at  hard  labor  in  the  penitentiary. 

Dr.  H.  T.  Roberts  is  a  native  of  Allegheny  County, 
and  a  son  of  Judge  Roberts,  late  of  Pittsburgh. 
Having  studied  medicine  in  that  city,  he  located  in 
Uniontown  in  1841  and  practiced  a  few  years,  after 
wliich  he  removed.  Some  two  or  three  years  since 
he  returned  to  Uniontown,  but  is  not  in  practice. 

Dr.  Frederick  C.  Robinson,  a  native  of  Saratoga 
County,  N.  Y.,  removed  thence  to  Erie,  Pa.,  wdien 
quite  young.  In  1841  he  came  to  Uniontown,  and 
commenced  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  H.  F. 
Roberts.  In  1844  he 
completed  his  studies. 
IS-iO,  when  he  entered  I 
Heg-raduatcl  in  llie  winler  ..I'  is.-,u-:,l,  :,nd  r.:liiri..-d 
to  Uniontown,  when,  he  has  lollowe.l  In-  prole-iMn 
until  the  present  time.     He  wa^^  exaniinin-   snrL'.nn 

examining  physician  for  the  I'niteil  Slates  Pen-^inn 
Office  for  thirteen  years. 

Dr.  Robert  M.  Walker  is  a  native  of  Franklin 
County,  Pa.  He  was  educated  in  Ohio  at  Franklin 
College.  He  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Jo.seph  I\Ic- 
Closkey,  of  Perryopolis,  and  Dr.  John  Hassan,  of 
West  Newton.  In  the  spring  of  1843  he  commenced 
practice  in  Uniontown.  In  the  winter  of  1844-4.'3  he 
attended  lectures  at  Jefferson  Medical  College,  and  at 
the  close  of  his  course  in  Philadelphia  returned  to 
Uniontown.  where  he  is  still  in  practice. 

Dr.  Smith  Fuller,  born  in  Connellsvillc,  Pa., 
studied  medicine  with  Dr.  John  Hassan  from  the 
spring  of  ixi'.x  till  1840,  when  he  went  to  Philadel- 
]ihia  and  attended  lectures  at  Jefferson  College.  He 
then  practiced  medicine  in  Uniontown  until  1846, 
when  he  resumed  his  course  at  .Teflfer.son  College.  In 
1847  he  returned  to  Uniontown,  where  he  has  since 
been  constantlv  in  active  practice,  except  when  serving 


ived   to  Ohio,  where  he 
remained  in  practice  till 

•ller-nn  Medical  C'Mlle-e. 


M., 


Wi 


rst  two  now  (June,  Issl  |,i: 
nd  the  last  named  atteiiilinj  \r 
The  present  physician-  nl  \ 
)r.  Smith  Fuller.  D 

"    R.  M.  Walker. 
"    H.  F.  Roberts. 
"    F.  C.  Robin.son. 
"    William  H.  Sturgeon. 
"    John  M.  Fuller. 
"    John  Bovd. 


\s(y.>. 


Miv-in  I'liiladelpl 

,  J.  B.  Ewing. 
John  Hankins. 
Smith  Fuller,  Jr 
John  Sturgeon. 
A.  P.  Bowie. 
S.  W.  Hickman. 
L.  S.  Gaddis. 


IIOJKEOPATIIY. 

Years  ago  several  attempts  were  made  to  introduce 
homojopathy  in  Fayette  County.  Dr.  C.  Bael  and 
Dr.  Ridley  ])racticed  in  Brownsville,  but  the  exact 
date  of  their  commencing  practice  is  unknown.     B. 

F.  Connell,  M.D.,  a  convert  from  the  old  school, 
practiced  a  few  years  in  Uniontown,  but  subsequently 
moved  to  Ohio,  and  from  thence  to  Connellsville, 
where  he  practiced  several  years. 

Dr.  J.  G.  Heaton  practiced  for  a  short  time  at  Fair- 
chance  Furnace.  None  of  the  above  practitioners 
remained  long  enough  to  establish  the  practice,  and 
for  a  long  time  after  the  above  practitioners  left  for 
other  fields  homoeopathy  was  without  a  representa- 
tive. 

According  to  the  "  History  of  Homoeopathy,"  pub- 
lished by  the  World's  Homa'opathic  Convention, 
which  met  in  Philadelphia  in  1876,  "  To  A.  P.  Bowie, 
M.D.,  belongs  the  credit  of  the  successful  estab- 
lishment of  homo?opathy  in  Fayette  County."  Dr. 
Bowie  commenced  in  Uniontown  in  1869,  and  is  still 
in  active  practice  in  the  borough.  The  other  practi- 
tioners in  this  county  are  S.  W.  Hickman,  M.D., 
Uniontown:  W.  J.  Hamilton,  M.D..  Dunbar;  and  S. 
C.  Bosley,  M.D.,  Connellsville. 

L.\WYERS. 
The  early  attorneys  of  Uniontown  have  been  men- 
tioned in  preceding  pages,  in  connection  with  the  bar 
of  Fayette  County.  The  list  of  lawyers  now  11881) 
residing  in  and  practicing  in  the  borough  is  as  fol- 
lows : 

Daniel  Kaine.  S.  L.  Mestrezat. 

Alfred  Howell.  J.  L.  Johnson. 

John  K.  Ewing.  J.  M.  Ogelvee. 

A.  E.  Willson.Pres. Judge.     A.  H.  Wyckoflf. 
John  Collins.  L.  H.  Frasher. 

G.  W.  K,  Minor.  Daniel  M.  Hertzog. 
Thomas  B.  Scaright.  P.  S.  Morrow. 
William  H.  Playford.  H.  Detwiler. 
William  Parshall.  George  Hutcliinson. 
Charles  E.  Boyle.                   William  Guiler. 
Daniel  Downer.  M.  M.  Cochran. 

T.  B.  Schnattcrly.  George  B.  Kaine. 

A.  D.  Boyd.  Robert  Hopwood. 

Edward  Campbell.  Alonzo  Hagan. 

Nathaniel  Ewing.  F.  M.  Fuller. 

Samuel  E.  Ewing.  Robert  Kennedy. 

SCHOOLS. 
The  earliest  reference  found  in  any  record  or  other 
document  to  schools  or  to  places  where  they  were  taught 
in  Uniontown  is  in  the  act  erecting  the  county  of 
Fayette,  passed  Sept.  26,  1783,  which  directs  that  the 
court  shall  be  held  "at  the  school-house,  or  some  fit 
place  in  the  Inwn  of  Union,  in  the  said  county,"  and 
in  the  li  tier  liefore  quoted)  written  a  few  months 
later  by  Ephraini  D.iuglass  to  Gen.  Irvine,  describing 
the  new  countv-seat,  he   savs  it  contains   "a  court- 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


313 


house  and  school-house  in  one,"  etc.  Several  deeds  of  j 
about  that  date  mention  in  their  description  of  boun- 
daries, a  school-house  lot  evidently  near  the  present 
court-house  grounds.  In  a  deed  of  lot  No.  43,  exe- 
cuted in  1783,  Colin  Campbell  is  given  the  title 
"teacher,"  which  probably,  but  not  as  a  matter  of 
cuurse,  had  reference  to  his  occupation  in  Union- 
town. 

A  school  was  organized  in  Uniontown  before  the 
year  1800  under  the  auspices  of  the  Methodist  Church. 
That  school  will  be  found  more  fully  mentioned  in 
the  history  of  that  church. 

Miss  Sally  Hadden,  who  was  born  in  Uniontown 
in  the  year  1800,  and  has  always  lived  on  the  spot  of 
her  nativity,  says  the  first  school  she  remembers,  was 
taught  by  an  Irishman  named  Burns  in  a  log  house 
which  stood  on  the  north  end  of  lot  No.  39,  now  the 
property  of  Mrs.  David  Porter.  Afterwards  she  at- 
tended the  Methodist  school  on  Peter  Street,  taught 
by  a  Mr.  Cole. 

.Jesse  Beeson,  grandson  of  the  original  proprietor 
of  the  town,  was  born  in  1806.  He  first  attended 
school  in  a  log  house  where  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
house  of  worship  now  stands.  The  school  was  taught 
by  a  Mrs.  Dougherty.  He  afterwards  attended  at  the 
school-house  on  Peter  Street  mentioned  by-  Miss 
Hadden.  A  teacher  in  the  Peter  Street  school  about 
that  time  was  Silas  Bailey,  father  of  William  and 
Ellis  Bailey. 

The  following  notice,  which  appeared  in  the  Genius 
of  Liberty  in  April,  1817,  is  given  here  as  indicating 
the  progress  which  had  then  begun  to  be  made  towards 
the  free  school  system,'  which  was  adopted  in  the 
State  some  years  later: 


1  At  tbnt  lime,  and  fur  more  tlian  twenty  years  aftrt  wmh]^,  rni.'iitnwn 
(like  most  otlier  villages  of  ita  size  and  inipnitarif.-,  i>:ti  Ih  nl:ii  l\  i  ..uiity- 
Beats)  was  piulific  of  private  scliools,  "select  s(li. •..]>,"  :iiiil  ;>wralli-il 
*' academies,"  Eume  of  tliem  liaving  meiit,  but  tlie  ^leater  part  being 
poor  and  of  sbort  duration.  Generally  tliey  were  quite  pretentious  in 
their  announcements,  and  nearly  every  scholar  whose  parents  were  able 
to  incnr  the  expense  i^wbich  was  not  heavy)  attended  some  one  of  them, 
for  a  "term"  of  three  months  if  no  more. 

In  the  Genius  of  Librrlij  <if  June  G,  18-^0,  are  found  the  advertisements 
of  two  of  these  schools.  One  is  to  the  effect  that  "  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baker 
present  their  respectful  compliments  to  the  people  of  Union  Town, 
soliciting  their  support  of  a  School  for  the  instruction  of  Young  Ladies 
in  all  the  usual  branches  of  an  English  erincatitm.  Also  plain  sewing, 
marking  cotton-work  of  all  kinds,  Embroidery,  Tambour,  Filagree, 
Fringe,  Netting,  Drawing,  Painting,  and  Music,  vucal  and  instru- 
mental." 

The  other,  in  the  same  column,  is  that  of  John  A.  Donne,  who  an- 
nounces that  "  Persons  desirous  of  placing  pupils  under  the  care  of  the 
Bubsciiber  may  be  accommodated  by  making  early  application  at  his 
residence,  two  doors  east  of  Mrs.  Gregg's.  His  room  is  spacious  and  con- 
venient, and  his  prices  accommodated  to  the  titues,  and  proportioned  to 
the  different  branches  taught.  An  enumeration  of  the  brandies  is 
thought  unnecessary. 

"Without  arrogating  to  himself  any  superior  pretentions,  the  sub 
Bcriber  respectfully  suggests  that  he  has  had  some  years'  experience  in 
teaching,  has  made  it  a  profession,  and  not  embraced  it  merely  as  a 
temporai-y  expedient.  Grateful  for  past  patronage,  he  respectfully  solicits 
a  continuance  of  it,  and  without  promise  to  perform  miracles,  pledges 
himself  that  his  exertions  to  merit  it  shall  be  unremitted. 

"John  A.  Donnk. 

"Union,  March  1,  1820." 


"  March  25,  1817. 

"  To  the  Assessors  of  the  County  of  Fayette  : 

"  You  are  hereby  authorized  and  required  to  notify 
the  parents  of  the  children  hereinafter  named  that 
they  are  at  liberty  to  send  their  children  to  the  most 
convenient  school  free  of  expense,  and  also  transmit 
a  list  of  the  names  of  the  children  as  aforesaid  to  the 
teachers  of  schools  within  your  township,  agreeably 
ti)  the  eleventh  section  of  an  act  of  General  As- 
sembly passed  April  4,  1809." 

The  act  of  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature  "  to  es- 
tablish a  general  system  of  Education  by  Common 
Schools,"  approved  April  1,  1834,  declares  that, — 

"  Wheeeas,  It  is  enjoined  by  the  constitution  as 
a  solemn  duty  which  cannot  be  neglected  without  a 
disregard  of  the  moral  and  political  safety  of  the 
people ;  And  whereas  the  fund  for  common-school 
purposes,  under  the  act  of  the  Second  of  April,  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-one,  will  on  the 
fourth  of  April  next  amount  to  the  sum  of  five  hun- 
dred and  forty-six  thousmul  five  liiiiidred  and  sixty- 
three  dollars  and  seveiil\ -t\Mi  ccnls,  and  will  soon 
reach  the  sum  of  two  liiillion  dullars,  when  it  will 
produce  at  five  per  cent,  an  interest  of  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  which  by  said  act  is  to  be  paid  for 
the  support  of  common  schools ;  And  whereas  pro- 
visions should  be  made  by  law  tor  the  distribution  of 
the  benefits  of  this  fund  to  the  people  of  the  respec- 
tive counties  of  the  commonwealth ;  Therefore  [it 
was  enacted]  That  the  city  and  county  of  Philadel- 
phia, and  every  other  county  in  this  Commonwealth, 
shall  each  form  a  scli,n,l  division,  and  that  every 
ward,  to\Mi~hi|i,  and  lM,inn,i;li  wilhin  t  lie  s(.'\'cral  school 
divisions  shall  racli  fonn  a  s,  lio,,l  .listrirt  ;  I'fovided, 
That  any  borough  whirli  is  or  may  !»■  ionMrrt(_Ml  with 
a  township  in  the  assessment  and  i  oil,  i  lion  ot' county 
rates  and  levies  shall  with  the  said  townsliip,  so  long 
as  it  remains  so  I'onnected,  form  a  district,  and  each 
of  said  ilistricts  shall  contain  a  competent  number  of 
common  siliools  lor  the  education  of  every  child 
within  the  limits  thereof  who  shall  apply,  either  in 
person  or  by  his  or  her  parents,  guardian,  or  next 
friend,  for  admission  and  instruction.  .  .  .  All  moneys 
that  may  come  into  the  possession  of  the  county 
treasurers  for  the  use  of  any  school  district  or  districts 
within  their  respective  divisions  shall  be  paid  over 
by  the  said  treasurers  to  the  treasurer  of  the  said  dis- 
trict respectively  at  such  times  as  the  commissioners 
of  the  respective  counties  shall  order  and  direct." 

"  .^f  Since  handing  the  above  for  publication  it  has  been  suggested 
tliat  I  slinuM  decline  lakin-  jouMg  ladi.-s  in  favor  of  a  certnin  Jlr.  Buker 


may  offer." 

At  about  the  same  time  Patrick  Talbot  modestly  advertised  that  he 
was  about  to  open  a  school  in  Uniontown  for  teaching  the  English 
branches. 


314 


HISTORY    OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Under  this  law  the  county  commissioners  of  Fayette 
at  their  December  session  in  that  year  ordered  the 
levying  of  a  tax  of  double  the  amount  of  school 
money  received  from  the  State.  The  court  of  Fayette 
County  at  the  January  term,  1835,  appointed  school 
directors  for  the  townships  and  boroughs  of  tlie 
county,  those  appointed  for  Uniontown  being  Richard 
Beeson  and  James  Piper.  On  the  1st  of  Decemlicr, 
1835,  the  borough  complied  with  the  terms  of  the  law, 
and  the  directors  reported  to  the  county  treasurer. 
The  amount  of  State  money  apportioned  to  tlie 
borough  in  that  year  was  $73.66 ;  from  the  county, 
$147.32;  total,  $220.98. 

Free  common  schools  were  first  opened  in  Union- 
town  in  1836,'  the  following  being  the  first  official 
action  of  the  board  of  directors  in  the  matter,  viz. : 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  school  directors  for  Union  Borough  on 
the  I9th  day  of  March,  lS:iC,  it  was  resolved  to  open  four  free 
schools  in  said  borough,  to  commence  about  the  15th  day  of 
April  ne.Kt  and  continue  for  si.i  months,  which  period  will  he 
divided  into  two  ses,-ions  of  three  months  each.  There  wil 
be  a  vacation  or  recess  between  the  sessions  of  one  monti  , 
which  will  happen  in  August.  It  was  .also  resolved  that  the 
directors  will  receive  proposals  until  the  8th  day  of  April  next 
from  persons  wishing  to  become  teachers  in  any  one  of  said 
schools.  The  proposals  will  set  forth  the  price  per  month  for 
the  whole  term  of  six  months  (excluding  the  vacation),  or  the 
sum  for  which  the  teacher  will  take  charge  of  a  school  for  tlie 
whole  time  it  is  proposed  to  keep  the  schools  open  the  present 
year.  One  of  the  schools  at  least  will  be  put  under  the  cliai\ire 
of  a  female  instructor.  Proposals  from  females  wishing  to  en- 
gage in  the  business  are  respecrfully  invited. 

"John  D.vwso.v,  A.  L.  Littell, 

'•William  liEnnicK,  Jamks  Boyles, 
"Hugh  Espy,  William  Wilson, 

"  Directors. 
"March  19,  1836." 

The  east  part  of  the  lot  of  land  on  which  the  pres- 
ent school-house  stands  was  purchased  of  William 
Salter  in  1838,  the  deed  bearing  date  September  6tli 
of  that  year.  On  the  lot  stood  a  foundry,  which  had 
been  occupied  by  Salter  for  several  years.  It  was  re- 
modeled and  fitted  up  with  four  rooms  for  school 
purposes.  This  alone  was  used  until  about  1850, 
when  another  building,  also  containing  four  looms. 


hrnte    f  Mr   Bn 


'  was  erected  oh  the  same  lot,  at  the  corner  of  the  alley 

and  Church  Street.     These  two  buildings  were  found 

sufficient  until  the  present  school-house  was  erected. 

In  1857  an  addition  was  made  to  the  school  lot  on 

j  the  west  by  a  purchase  from  Moses  Sheahau,  on  the 

IDth   of   August   in  that   year;   and  on  the  6th  of 

June,  1860,  the  lot.known  as  the  Molly  Lyon  lot  was 

purchased   at   sherift''s   sale.      The   three   purchases 

above  named  form  the  school-house  lot  as  it  is  at 

present. 

I      The  law  creating  the  office  of  county  superintendent 

of  schools  was  passed  in  1854.     Joshua  Gibbons,  of 

Brownsville,  held  the  office  for  twelve  years.     The 

first  report  which  has  been  found  (that  of  the  year 

1857)  shows  that  there  were  then  in  the  borough  of 

:  Uniontown  four  hundred  and  one  scholars,  with  seven 

i  teachers  employed  in  the  schools.   The  sum  of  $1.56.80 

\  was  received  from  the  State,  and  $344.41  from  the 

collector. 

The  schools  of  Uniontown  were  graded  in  1855, 
under  James  H.  Springer,  who  was  then  the  principal. 
The  present  brick  school-house  was  erected  in  1868, 
the  commencement  being  made  by  breaking  ground 
ou  the  15th  of  April  in  that  year,  and  the  building 
being  completed  and  ready  for  occupancy  in  the  suc- 
I  ceeding  fall.  It  was  planned  by  J.  W.  Kerr,  an  archi- 
I  tect  of  Pittsburgh  ;  the  contractors  were  R.  and  H. 
Fulton,  of  Sewickley,  Westmoreland  Co.  The  stone- 
work was  done  by  John  Wilhelm,  of  Connellsville ; 
brick-work  by  Alfred  Dearth,  of  New  Salem,  Fayette 
Co.  The  contract  price  was  $30,644;  cost  of  furni- 
ture, $2800.  The  building  stands  on  the  corner  of 
Barclay's  Alley  and  Church  Street.  It  is  ninety  feet 
in  length  by  sixty-five  feet  in  width,  and  three  stories 
high.  The  first  floor  contains  four  school-rooms,  each 
forty-two  feet  eleven  inches  by  twenty-four  feet  eleven 
inches  in  dimensions.  The  second  floor  is  also  divided 
into  four  rooms,  similar  to  those  below.  The  third 
floor  has  two  rooms  and  an  exhibition  hall,  eighty- 
seven  by  thirty-six  feet. 

In  1870  a  school-house  for  colored  children  was 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $1500.  The  lot  on  which  it  stands 
was  purchased  of  William  Baldwin,  who  donated  one- 
half  tht  puce  It  is  situated  in  the  settlement  known 
a~.  "  H  i\  t]   '  on  the  east  side  of  Redstone  Creek. 

The  follow  ing  statistics  have  reference  to  the  schools 
ot  Uniontown  Borough  for  the  year  1880: 


Number  of  pu 
Number  of  ten 
Total  e\pen  lit 
Valuation  ot  = 
Indebtedness 


r  the  year !?6,771.69 

roperty .$50,000.(10 

$15,065.61 


.  iS  principal  c 


Chir(,(?  1 


was  succeeded  Ity  bmith  F  tii 
lJ..i9-40. 

Ill  18:J9— November  19th — a  select  school  was  opened  "in  Mr.  ] 
West's  school-room''  by  George  W.  Brown,  of  Monoiignlia  County,  A'n 
but  no  later  notice  of  it  is  found. 


The  school  board  of  the  borough  for  1881  is  com- 
posed ot  Daniel  Kaine,  G.  W.  K.  Minor,  J.  N.  Daw- 
son, Joseph  White,  Alfred  Howell,  and  Joseph  Beatty. 
President,  Daniel  Kaine ;  Secretary,  Joseph  Beatty  ; 
Treasurer,  A.  C.  Nutt. 

The  following  is  an  imperfect  list  of  the  school 
directors  of  I'niontown  from  1835  to  the  present  time : 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


315 


1835. — Ricliard  Beeson,  James  Piper,  appointed  by  the  court, 

January,  1835. 
1836.— John  Dawson,  A.  L.  Littell,  William   Roddick,  James 

Baylis,  Hugh  Espey,  William  Wilson. 
1837-42.— No  return. 
18-13.— James  F.  Cannon,  Wilson  Swain. 
1844.-E.  Brownfield,  K.  G.  Ilopwood. 
1845.— William  Gaddis,  H.  F.  Roberts. 
II  1846-4S.—NO  return. 

1849.— R.  T.  Galloway,  A.  Hadden. 

1850.— William  Gaddis,  Daniel  Kaine. 

1851.— James  F.  Cnnnon,  William  Thorndell. 

1S.J3.— AVilliam  Gaddis,  Daniel  Kaine. 

1854.— Joshua  B.  Iloucell,  Ellis  Bailey. 

1855.— Eleazer  Robinson,  William  A.  Donaldson. 

1856.— William  Gaddis,  E.  W.  Power. 

1857. — Ellis  Bailey,  James  McKean. 

1858.— Eleazer  Robinson,  Everard  Bierer. 

1859.— Smith  Fuller,  E.  W.  Power. 

1861.— Everard  Bierer,  Amos  JoUiff. 

1862.- Edward  G.  Roddy,  Benjamin  Courtney. 

1863.— Henry  White,  C.  S.  Seaton. 

1864.— James  Darby,  Anderson  Jolliff. 

1865.— William  Doran,  Alexander  Chisholm. 

1867. — James  H.  Springer,  Frederick  C.  Robinson. 

1872.— Adam  C.  Nutt,  Alfred  Howell. 

1875.— Adam  C.  Nutt,  Henry  M.  Clay. 

1876.— Joseph  Beatty,  William  H.  B.ailey. 

1877.— Smith  Fuller,  Daniel  Kaine. 

1878.— William  H.  Bowman,  Jacob  D.  Moore. 

1880.— Daniel  Kaine,  George  W.  K.  Minor. 

1881.— Alfred  Howell,  Joseph  White. 

UNION   ACADEMY   AND   MADISON   COLLEGE. 

The  Union  Academy  was  incorporated  by  an  act 
of  the  Legislature  passed  Feb.  4,  1808,'  which  pro- 
vided "  That  there  shall  be,  and  hereby  is,  established 
in  the  borough  of  Uniontown,  in  the  county  of  Fay- 
ette, an  academy  or  public  school  for  the  education  of 
youth  in  the  useful  arts,  sciences,  and  literature,  by 
the  name  and  style  of  '  The  Union  Academy.' "  The 
trustees  appointed  by  the  act  of  incorporation  were 
James  Guthrie,  Thomas  Hadden,  Presley  Carr  Lane, 
James  W.  Nicholson,  Christian  Tarr,  Charles  Porter, 
Thomas  Mason,  John  Kennedy,  Zadoc  Walker,  James 
Allen,  Maurice  Freeman,  Jesse  Pennell,  and  James 
Findley. 

The  sum  of  two  thousand  dollars  was  granted  by 
the  act,  out  of  any  unappropriated  money  in  the 
State  treasury,  in  aid  of  the  academy,  to  be  applied 
under  the  direction  of  the  trustees ;  and  it  was  fur- 
ther provided  by  the  act  that  "  there  shall  be  ad- 
mitted into  the  academy  any  number  of  poor  children 
who  may  at  any  time  be  offered,  in  order  to  be  taught 
gratis ;  provided  the  number  so  admitted  shall  at  no 
time  be  greater  than  four,  and  that  none  of  said  poor 


1  The  academy,  however,  was  in  operation  some  time  before  its  incor- 
poration. In  an  advertisement  diited  in  March,  1807,  the  name  of  John 
St.  Clair,  "teacher  of  the  Languages  and  Mathematics  in  the  Union 
Academy"  at  Uniontown,  is  given  in  recommendation  of  the  superior 
quality  of  the  surveying  instruments  manufactured  by  Alexander  Simp- 
son, of  Brownsville;  and  in  the  act  of  incorporation  it  is  directed  that 
the  trustees  appointed  by  it  should  hold  their  first  meeting  in  the  acad- 
emy, showing  that  it  existed  prior  to  the  passage  of  the  act. 


children  shall  continue  to  be  taught  gratis  in  said 
academy  longer  than  two  years." 

The  academy  was  continued  with  varying  succe.ss 
for  many  years.  Finally  it  was  taken  under  charge 
of  the  Pittsburgh  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  and  under  these  auspices  was  incorpo- 
rated March  2, 1827,  as  Madison  College.  By  the  act 
of  incorporation  thirty-eight  trustees  were  appointed, 
of  whom  the  following  named  were  residents  of 
Uniontown,  viz.:  Thomas  Irwin,  John  Kennedy, 
Thornton  Fleming,  John  M.  Austin,  H.  B.  Bascom, 
Samuel  Evans,  Henry  Ebbert,  Nathaniel  Ewing, 
Robert  Skiles,  and  Isaac  Beeson. 

H.  B.  Bascom  was  appointed  president  and  Pro- 
fessor of  Moral  Science;  Charles  Elliot,  Professor  of 
Languages ;  and  J.  H.  Fielding,  Professor  of  Mathe- 
matics. One  of  the  professors  had  pastoral  charge  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Uniontown.  In 
1829,  Dr.  Bascom  resigned  the  presidency  to  become 
agent  for  the  American  Colonization  Society.  In 
1831,  J.  H.  Fielding  was  appointed  president,  and 
Homer  J.  Clark  professor.  In  1832  the  institution 
suspended,  as  propositions  had  been  made  to  the  Con- 
ference to  accept  Allegheny  College,  at  Meadville,  in 
its  stead,  the  buildings,  library,  and  apparatus  of 
which  were  greatly  preferable.  During  the  few  years 
of  its  existence,  however,  a  number  of  promising 
young  men  were  educated,  and  a  great  impulse  was 
given  to  ministerial  study  throughout  Western  Penn- 
sylvania. 

After  the  college  passed  from  the  charge  of  the 
Methodist  Conference  it  was  continued  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  in  charge  of  Dr.  J.  P.  Wethee.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded about  1841  by  Dr.  Andrew  Ferrier,  who  was 
in  turn  succeeded  by  Dr.  Cox.  In  May,  1852,  the 
college  was  mentioned  in  the  Genius  of  Liberty  as 
being  then  "  in  a  very  flourishing  condition."  About 
1854  it  passed  under  the  charge  of  the  Methodist  Prot- 
estant Church,  and  was  at  different  times  under  the 
principalship  of  Drs.  Cox,  Ball,  and  Brown.  About 
1858  the  property  was  sold  at  sheriff's  sale,  after 
which  the  building  was  used  for  a  private  school,  of 
which  the  first  principal  was  William  McDowell.  He 
remained  two  or  three  years,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Levi  S.  Lewis,  who  became  principal  in  September, 
1861,  and  continued  in  charge  till  February,  1864, 
when  the  school  was  taken  by  two  young  men  named 
Reed,  who  taught  one  season,  and  then  the  school 
passed  to  the  charge  of  S.  B.  Mercer,  who  continued 
it  till  1866,  when  the  buildings  were  taken  for  the  use 
of  the  Soldiers'  Orphans'  School,  which  continued  to 
be  taught  there  until  1875,  when  it  was  removed  to 
the  new  buildings  erected  for  its  use  at  "Dunbar's 
Camp." 

The  old  Madison  College  buildings,  now  in  disuse 
are  located  on  the  north  side  of  Main  Street  (or  the 
National  road),  on  the  high  land  just  east  of  the  east- 
ern bridge  over  Redstone  Creek. 


HISTORY   OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


CHUKCHES. 
GREAT    BETHEL   KEGULAU   BAPTIST   CnURCH.l 

This  organization  was  formed  in  the  year  1770,  and 
is  evidently  one  of  the  first  religious  societies  estab- 
lished within  the  boundaries  of  Fayette  County,  and 
as  it  can  be  traced  by  its  own  records  as  a  distinct  or- 
ganization down  to  the  present  time,  it  becomes  one 
(if  the  important  parts  of  our  present  history. 

In  the  oldest  book  of  records  now  in  the  possession 
of  the  church  the  following  entry  is  made  on  the  first 
],age:  "The  Regular  Baptist  Church  of  .Tesus  Christ 
at  Uniontown,  I'a..  unwilling  that  tlieir  origin  should 
be  lost  in  obscurity,  and  apprchciidiiig,  IVoni  the  de- 
cayed state  of  tlie  aiuials  respecting  ihc  institution 
and  progress  thereof,  that  they  will  shortly  become 
unintelligible,  have  by  an  unanimous  resolution 
passed  oii  this  12th  day  of  November,  1822,  ordered 
that  the  first  book  of  said  church  should  be  transcribed 
in  line  in  the  same  words  and  the  same  manner  in 
which  it  was  written,  and  that  our  brother,  Samuel 
King,  be  appointed  for  this  service."  From  the 
transcript  made  by  Mr.  King,  in  pursuance  of  tluit 
resolution,  the  following  letter  is  copied  verbatim. 


of  Jesus  Christ  at  Great  Bethel,  Con- 
iposed  in  Province  of  Pennsylvania, 


•^  The  Church 
stituted  as  is  sii 
holding  Believers,  Baptism,  .^c,  .'\:c.,  sindcth  greeting. 

"To^iU  Christian  People  to  whom  thoe  may  Con- 
cern, Know-  ye  that  Isaac  Sutton  is  in  full  (_'ommunion 
with  us,  and  is  of  a  Regular  and  of  a  Christian  Con- 
versation, and  for  aught  we  know  is  approved  of  by 
us  in  L'cneral  as  a  Liilted  Brotiic  r.  and  we  do  unitedly 
agree  that  hr-hoiiM  liii|ii-ovc  hi-  i.iifts  as  a  Candidate 
for  the  niiiiist.  rv  win  re  I'.ver  god  in  his  Providence 
shall  Call  him.  sign'.l  by  lis  tlii-  Eigth  day  of  No- 
vember, in  the  vear^of  our  lord  Christ^l770. 

"  Witness  our  hands, 
"  x.B.  Jacob  Vasmetee. 

"  That  this  Church  was    Richard  Hall. 
Constituted  by  me,  Nov"    Zepheniah  Blackford. 
7"',    1770,    and    that   the        Because  we  are  few  in 


Bearer    was    licensed    to 
Preach  before   me,  or  in 
my  Presence,   as   witness 
mv  hand   th 
Nov',  1770. 


number    our    Si.sters   are 
allowed  to  sign. 
Rachel  Suttox. 
day  of    Lettice  Vaxmetee. 
Sarah  Hall." 


"  Henry  Crosbye." 

From  the  latter  part  of  this  letter  it  ajipears  that 
the  church  was  constituted  by  Henry  Crosby,  but 
nothing  further  is  said  of  him  in  the  minutes  which 
follow,  and  we  have  been  unable  to  ascertain  anytliing 
further  with  regard  to  hi.s  personal  history  or  his  sub- 
sequent connection  with  the  church.  lu  Benedict's 
"  History  of  the  Baptists,"  page  614,  it  is  stated  that 
this  church  "was  gathered  in  1770,  under  the  ministry 
of  elder  John  Sutton,"  but  as  we  do  not  find  the  name 


of  John  Sutton  mentioned  anywhere  in  connection 
with  the  church  records,  while  that  of  Isaac  is  fre- 
quently referred  to,  we  are  disposed  to  think  that  he 
w-as  the  successor  of  Henry  Crosby,  and  although  not 
the  founder  of  the  church,  the  first  pastor  after  its 
organization.  The  oldest  book  of  record  has  the  fol- 
lowing title-page: 

"  Isaac  Sutton, 
Great  Bethel 
Church  Book, 
for  the  use  of  Inserting  Minutes  of  Business  trans- 
acted by  the  Church." 
This  certainly  is  evidence  that  Sutton  was  pastor 
when  that  book  was  procured,  and  it  contains  minutes 
beginning  with  177^.  This  church  has  frequently 
been  calhil  •'Tlie  Uniontown  Church,"  "Uniontown 
Baptist  (  hunli.'  etc.,  owing  to  its  location.  But 
there  was  a  church,  known  as  the  Uniontown  Church, 
organized  some  time  previous  to  the  year  1790,  the 
exact  date  of  which  we  are  unable  to  ascertain.  On 
the  (5th  of  November  of  that  year  is  the  following  en- 
try in  Great  Bethel  rliurch-book  :  "The  Church  of 
Christ  called  Great  Bethel  met  the  Church  of  Christ 
of  Union  Town  according  to  appointment.  After 
prayer  proceeded  to  business.  1st,  Appointed  Dea- 
con Gaddis  to  receive  them.  2d,  The  Church  of 
T'nion  dissolved  their  constitution  and  were  received 
into  tiUowship  with  us."  Then  follows  a  series  of 
rnles  adopted  for  the  government  of  the  church. 
This  was  the  only  Uniontown  Baptist  Church  prop- 
erly called  by  that  tiauie  until  the  division  in  1867, 
when  one  portion  of  the  church  took  upon  itself  the 
name  and  was  chartered  as  the  Uniontown  Regu- 
lar Baptist  Church.  The  other  branch  still  retained 
the  name  and  kept  up  the  organization  as  Great  Bethel, 
more  reference  to  which  will  hereafter  be  made. 

BuiLDlXGS. — There  is  as  much  uncertainty  with 
regard  to  the  site  of  the  first  house  of  worship  as  to 
the  name  of  the  first  pastor.  The  earliest  reference 
to  this  subject  in  the  records  of  the  church  is  found 
in  the  minutes  of  the  monthly  meeting  held  March 

18,  17Sn,  as  loUow-:  "  Resolved,  that  a  meeting-house 
be  built  lor  pulilic  worship  by  the  church.  Resolved, 
that  brethren  Jas.  McCoy,  Owen  Davis,  Moses  Carr 
view  the  ground  and  pitch  upon  the  place  for  build- 
ing, the  dimensions  of  the  house  to  be  thirty  feet  and 
twenty-five."  In  July  following  we  find  this  entry: 
'■  Residved,  tliat  two  meeting-houses  be  built,  that 
Owen  Davis,  Phili|i  Pierce,  Joseph  Thomas,  Jos. 
I'xiutridioust-,  and  Pliilip  Jenkins,  to  meet  on  Tues- 
day, ci-hlli  day  ol  Augu-t,  to  council  what  is  needful 
to  carrv  on  thr  building  and  what  place."     On  May 

19,  1781,  "  In  order  to  carry  on  the  building  of  the 
meeting-house,  Bros.  Owen  Davis  and  Philip  Jenkins 
are  appointed  overseers  of  the  work  ;  Bro.  Bolten- 
house,  collector  of  the  subscription."  June  19,  1784, 
"  Resolved,  that  the  members  shall  work  at  the  meet- 
ing-house every  day  that  is  appointed  by  Richard 

I  Reed,    Thomas    Bowel,   and    Philip   Jenkins,   under 


UNIONTOWN  BOROUGH. 


317 


penalty  of  five  shillings  for  neglect."  On  Sept.  15, 
1787,  a  resolution  was  passed  "  that  a  meeting-house 
be  built  on  the  Great  Road,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
from  Uniontown,  and  Thomas  Gaddis  and  Moses 
Carr  and  James  Little  trustees  to  carry  it  on."  We 
have  been  unable  to  reconcile  these  different  resolu- 
tions so  as  to  either  fix  the  time  when  the  first  house 
was  erected  or  ascertain  the  place  where  it  was 
located.  The  first  reference  to  a  house  as  having 
been  built  is  in  September,  1789,  as  follows :  "  The 
whole  of  the  land  where  the  meeting-house  stands  , 
belongs  to  the  church  for  four  pounds.  Thomas  Gad-  j 
dis  appointed  to  receive  tlie  Deed  in  the  name  of  the 
church  of  Great  Bethel  against  our  meeting  of  busi-  ! 
ness,  etc."  And  again,  June  18,  1790  :  "  The  church  ' 
acknowledges  that  when  Thos.  Gaddis  makes  them  a 
Deed  for  the  acre  of  land  that  the  meeting-house 
stands  on,  that  they  stand  indebted  to  him  nineteen 
pounds  one  shilling  and  ten  pence,  all  errors  ex-  [ 
cepted."  This  would  indicate  that  the  land  was  pur- 
chased from  Thomas  Gaddis,  but  immediately  follow- 
ing it  was  resolved  "  that  the  trustees,  Thomas  Gaddis 
and  Moses  Carr,  get  the  deed  in  their  names  in  behalf 
of  the  church  of  Great  Bethel."  It  was  just  at  this 
time  that  the  contention  arose  among  the  members 
elsewhere  referred  to,  and  as  Thomas  Gaddis  appears 
to  have  been  a  leading  member  of  the  Loofborrow 
party,  it  was  decided  by  the  other  party  that  he  was 
not  a  proper  person  to  receive  the  deed,  and  from 
this  time  there  is  nothing  further  said  about  a  deed 
until  the  year  1804,  when  one  acre  of  land  was  con-  I 
veyed  to  the  Great  Bethel  Church  by  Henry  Beeson 
and  wife.  This  lot  of  ground  was  located  on  the  j 
"  Great  Road"  leading  from  Uniontown  to  Cheat 
River,  and  though  it  is  now  within  the  borough 
limits,  it  doubtless  would  at  that  early  day  have  been 
very  properly  described  as  "  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  ' 
from  Uniontown."  In  the  old  burying-ground  on  a 
part  of  this  lot  are  found  tombstones  dating  back  to 
1796,  and  some  whose  dates  are  no  longer  legible. 
Many  of  our  citizens  still  living  distinctly  remember 
when  an  old  house  stood  on  this  lot,  previous  to  the 
building  of  the  brick  structure  which  still  occupies 
it.  And  as  no  further  reference  is  made  to  building 
until  the  year  1831,  when  this  house  was  begun,  we  i 
may  conclude  almost,  if  not  to  an  entire  certainty, 
that  the  house  directed  to  be  built  in  1787  was  located 
upon  the  same  site  where  the  old  brick  church  now 
stands,  and  that  it  was  occupied  by  the  congregation 
up  to  the  completion  of  that  church,  about  the  year 
1833.  This  is  a  large  building,  with  ample  room  be- 
low and  gallery  above.  It  was  occupied  by  the  Great 
Bethel  Church  until  the  division  in  1867,  when  pro- 
ceedings were  begun  for  the  erection  of  a  new  build-  ! 
ing,  which  was  located  on  Fayette  Street,  in  the 
borough  of  Uniontown.  It  was  begun  in  the  year 
1868,  but  owing  to  the  financial  difliculties  in  which 
they  were  then  placed  was  not  finally  completed 
until  1879,  it  being  dedicated  in  August  of  that  year,  i 


This  is  a  fine  two-story  brick  building,  forty-two  by 
sixty-five  feet  in  dimensions,  with  spire  about  one 
hundred  and  ten  feet  high.  It  is  provided  with  lec- 
ture-room below,  in  which  is  a  baptistery  and  well- 
furnished  room,  with  frescoed  walls  for  the  main 
chapel  above.  The  whole  building  was  completed, 
owing  to  the  high  prices  of  all  material  when  it  was 
begun,  at  a  total  cost  of  about  $11,000. 

BiiANCHES.— From  Great  Bethel  Regular  Baptist 
Church  there  were  established  from  time  to  time 
numerous  branches,  all  of  which  were  afterwards 
formed  into  distinct  organizations,  and  most  of  them 
still  exist  as  flourishing  churches-.  As  those  of  them 
which  are  situated  within  the  boundaries  of  this 
county  will  each  be  more  particularly  described  in 
their  proper  places,  it  is  only  necessary  here  to  briefly 
mention  the  time  at  which  they  were  separated  from 
the  mother-church.  On  March  19,  1773,  the  mem- 
bers convenient  to  Muddy  Creek  were  dismissed  by 
letter  to  that  church,  which  is-  situated  in  Greene 
County,  Pa.,  and  is  still  in  a  flourishing  condition. 
On  Sept.  21,  177.5,  the  brethren  in  the  Forks  of  Cheat 
were  granted  a  constitution.  This  church  now  has 
its  place  of  worship  near  Stewarttown,  W.  Va.,  and 
has  quite  a  large  membership.  A  branch  church  was 
organized  in  "  the  Glades"  on  the  15th  of  November, 
1778.  It  is  still  kept  up  as  an  independent  organi- 
zation, known  as  Big  Crossings.  At  the  same  meet- 
ing a  constitution  was  granted  to  the  branch  on  Red- 
stone, situated  in  Fayette  County,  and  Isaac  Sutton 
appointed  "  to  constitute  them."  Also  James  Sutton, 
James  McCoy,  Charles  McDonald,  and  Philip  Jen- 
kins were  appointed  a  committee  to  meet  them  on  the 
third  Saturday  of  December  following,  "  in  order  to 
see  that  they  be  an  unanimous  body  fit  for  a  consti- 
tution, and  to  settle  matters  of  difficulty  if  there  is 
any." 

The  members  belonging  to  Great  Bethel  Church 
living  near  and  beyond  the  Youghiogheny  were  per- 
mitted to  organize  as  a  branch  of  the  church  on  the 
20th  of  September,  1783,  but  the  history  of  this  or- 
ganization cannot  be  traced  further. 

Oct.  16,  1784,  the  church  at  Georges  Creek  was 
dismissed  by  request,  and  Isaac  and  James  Sutton 
appointed  to  constitute  them  on  the  30th  of  the  same 
month.  This  church  has  since  become  one  of  the 
leading  members  of  the  Monongahela  Association, 
and  its  history  will  appear  as  that  of  Mount  Moriah 
Regular  Baptist  Church. 

In  the  year  1830  a  branch  was  organized  at  or  near 
McClellantown,  Fayette  Co.,  but  has  since  become 
extinct. 

Thus  it  is  seen  that  either  directly  or  indirectly 
many  of  the  churches  of  this  county  and  adjoining 
counties  have  sprung  from  the  Great  Bethel  Church, 
and  truly  she  may  be  termed  the  mother  of  Baptist 
churches  in  this  section  of  Pennsylvania. 

Membership. — Beginning  as  this  church  did,  when 
the  inhabitants  of  the  county  were  settled  here  and 


318 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


there  in  little  gn>ii|is,  its  membership  must  have  been 
small.  From  the  i>l(li -t  list  uf  members  on  record  we 
find  from  Septeinhir.  17711,  to  November  of  the  same 
year,  when  the  chureh  was  formally  organized,  there 
were  received  by  baptism  eight  members ;  these,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  six  whose  signatures  are  affixed  to  the 
letter  already  quoted,  quite  probably  constituted  the 
full  membershi]!  at  the  time  of  its  organization.  The 
names  of  the  members  received  by  baptism  during 
the  time  mentioned  were  John  Carr,  Elizabeth  Carr, 

Sarah    Baccus,  David   Morgan,  Wm.  Murphy,  

Van  Meter,  James  McOloy,  and  Mary  Anderson.  The 
list  of  membershiji  wliich  follows  is  so  incomplete 
with  regard  t"  dates  that  it  is  impossible  to  follow  the 
progress  of  the  chureh  in  tliis  respect  as  closely  as  we 
should  like  to  do.  It  appears  that  up  to  July,  1773, 
there  had  been  received  by  baptism  thirty-two  mem- 
bers, and  up  to  1780  twenty-two  l)y  letter.  Consider- 
ing, therefore,  the  sparsely-settled  condition  of  the 
country,  their  increase  of  membershi]i  was  very  fair. 
During  this  time,  however,  there  had  been  a  number 
dismissed  by  letter,  and  also  a  few  excommunicated, 
but  as  the  dates  of  their  dismission  are  not  recorded 
we  are  unable  to  ascertain  the  exact  membership  of 
the  church  at  either  of  the  dates  mentioned.  Se]>t. 
24,  1791,  the  report  of  membership  to  the  Association 
shows  a  total  of  40;  in  1795,  42;  INOO,  liH;  ls]-2,  4:. 
(during  this  year  nineteen  were  reciiv.d  l,y  Lapti-iii 
and  eleven  by  letter).  In  1817  the  iii.inli.'i-lii|.  Ii;pI 
again  decreased  to  80.  Although  other  lists  ol'  lueui- 
bers  are  given  at  difierent  times  they  are  without 
dates,  and  we  have  therefore  been  unable  to  ascertain 
the  exact  number  of  enrolled  names  until  what  was 
known  as  the  great  revival  in  1855.  On  Nov.  24, 
1855,  a  series  of  meetings  was  begun  by  Rev.  William 
Wood,  assisted  by  Rev.  Israel  D.  King,  which  re- 
sulted in  upwards  of  ninety  additions  liy  bajitisiu. 
The  following  postscript,  added  to  the  minutes  of  Jan. 
26,  1856,  by  R.  H.  Austin,  church  clerk  ;jro  fern.,  ex- 
plaius  the  condition  at  that  time:  "The  church  is 
certainly  in  a  better  state  of  health  than  it  has  been 
since  its  infiincy,  our  membership  larger,  our  purses 
heavier,  and  our  hearts  lighter.  God  be  praised  for 
His  much  mercy  in  dispelling  the  winter  of  our 
church  and  spreading  before  us  prospects  so  flatter- 
ing." A  few  pages  farther  on,  under  date  of  May  24, 
185G,  he  makes  the  followini;  entry:  "  Our  ehurcli  is 
fast  increasing  in  menilicrs,  Cjiristian  zeal,  and,  we 
trust,  holiness,  our  meniliership  now  lieing  229.  ilay 
God  continue  to  build  us  up  until  called  to  join  the 
church  triumphant  is  our  prayer."  From  this  time 
until  1867  the  church  continued  in  a  more  or  le.ss 
prosperous  condition,  holding,  as  nearly  as  we  can 
ascertain,  about  the  same  total  membership  from  year 
to  year.  At  the  beginning  of  that  year,  however, 
opened  the  darkest  hour  of  her  history.  Difficulties 
witli  the  pa.stor  had  occurred,  which  will  be  more 
fully  stated  elsewhere,  until  they  resulted  in  an  open 
disruption  of  the  church,  and  compelled  a  large  por- 


tion of  the  members  to  leave  the  building  in  which 
they  worshiped  and  erect  a  new  house  in  a  different 
locality.  The  portion  of  members  thus  going  ofl"  were 
recognized,  upon  a  full  explanation  of  the  difficulty 
to  the  Association  at  their  next  meeting,  as  the  Regular 
Baptist  Church,  and  began  at  once  to  carry  on  the 
work  of  its  original  organization.  The  membership, 
however,  by  this  disruption  had  been  greatly  reduced, 
and  the  bitter  feelings  engendered  were  slow  to  wear 
away.  But  gradually  many  of  those  who  at  first  ad- 
hered to  their  former  pastor,  and  even  formed  a  dis- 
tinct organization  under  his  control,  began  one  by 
one  to  return  to  the  church ;  baptisms  also  became 
more  numerous,  until  from  a  report  of  eighty-two 
members  at  the  Association  in  the  autumn  of  1867 
there  are  now  enrolled  on  the  church  record  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety-three  members,  there  having  been  an 
increase  by  letter  and  baptism  of  twenty-four  during 
the  present  year.  The  greatest  harmony  now  pre- 
vails, both  among  the  members  themselves  and  be- 
tween them  and  their  pastor.  The  great  burden  of 
debt  which  since  the  erection  of  their  new  building 
had  been  weighing  them  down  has  within  the  past 
two  years  been  almost  removed,  and  once  more  may 
her  members  truly  exclaim,  "Our  membership  is 
larger,  our  purses  heavier,  and  our  hearts  lighter. 
Gin\  lie  [iraisrd  for  His  niiieh  mercy!" 

:^i  \-iiim:  AMI  Shaimiws, — It  is  the  duty  of  the 
historian  to  irpreseiit  truly  the  subject  which  he  at- 
tempts to  describe.  We  shall  not  therefore  presume 
to  present  the  bright  side  of  this  church  and  leave  con- 
cealed from  view  the  dark,  for  Great  Bethel,  like  almost 
all  other  churches,  has  had  her  shadows  as  well  as 
sunshine,  and  while  it  may  not  be  so  pleasant  a  duty 
to  write  that  which  now  lies  before  us,  yet  in  doing 
so  we  hope  that  by  thus  showing  the  comparatively 
insignificant  causes,  for  such  most  of  them  were  which 
led  to  these  difliculties,  the  present  membership  may 
be  warned  by  the  past  to  avoid  similar  disasters  in 
the  future. 

The  first  of  these  difficulties   occurred  about  the 
beginning  of  the  year  1790.     Some  time  previous  the 
church  had  called  Rev.  Isaac  Sutton  as  regular  minis- 
ter and  Rev.  David  Loof  borrow  as  an  assistant.    Soon 
afterwards  we  find  frequent  accusations  brought  first 
against  one  member  and  then  another  until  a  com- 
plete separation  occurred,  one  part  of  the  church 
meetinL;-  at  the  house  of  Rev.  Sutton  and  transacting 
business    there  as  Great   Bethel   Church,   the  other 
[  holding  their  sessions  on  the  same  day  at  the  church 
]  building.     This  unhappy  state  of  aflairs  continued 
{  until  Oct.  4,  1791,  when  a  special  meeting  was  called, 
"in   order  to    tiinii  a  plan  by  which  our  aggrieved 
I  brethren  mi-lit  Ina^ain  united  with  us  in  the  bonds  of 
love  and  Clirisiian  lellowshi|)."    This  result  appeared 
to  have  been  accomplished  by  passing  a  resolution  to 
permit  both  preachers  to  officiate  in  their  ministerial 
capacity  in  the  church,  for  we  find  no  further  diffi- 
I  cultv  recorded  in  connection  with  this  matter.    From 


UNIONTOWN  BOEOUGH. 


that  time  forward  harmony  appears  to  have  prevailed 
until  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  William  Brown- 
field.  About  the  year  18&2  there  arose  a  difficulty  be- 
tween Rev.  Brownfield  and  other  ministers  of  the  Bap- 
tist denomination.  Rev.  Brownfield  adhered  strictly 
to  the  "  Old  School"  or  Anti-Mission  Baptists,  while 
Rev.  .John  Thomas,  Rev.  Dr.  James  Estep,  Rev. 
William  Penny,  and  others  who  were  occasionally 
invited  to  preach  for  the  Great  Bethel  Church,  were 
more  liberal  in  their  views  and  favored  missionary 
and  other  benevolent  societies.  This  soon  caused  a 
contention  among  the  preachers  themselves,  and  the 
members  naturally  fell  in  with  one  side  or  the  other, 
until  again  a  separation  was  brought  about. 

This  contention  continued  and  grew  more  serious 
until  April,  1836,  when  the  party  favoring  the  New 
School  ministers  purchased  a  new  book  for  keeping 
their  records,  and  though  they  still  permitted  Rev. 
Brownfield  to  preach  in  the  church  one-half  the  time, 
and  also  allowed  his  adherents  to  hold  business  meet- 
ings there,  nevertheless  kept  the  minutes  of  their 
meetings  entirely  distinct.  Contentions  then  began 
to  arise  as  to  whom  the  church  property  belonged.  A 
petition  by  the  Brownfield  party  and  remonstrance 
against  it  by  the  others  were  sent  to  the  Legislature  of 
the  State ;  the  matter  was  also  referred  to  the  Red- 
stone Association.  But  nothing  satisfactory  could  be 
done,  the  breach  was  only  widened,  until  in  1837  an  at- 
tempt was  made  by  the  Brownfield  party  to  prevent  the 
others  from  using  the  house  by  fastening  the  doors 
and  windows  with  iron  bars,  and  posting  a  notice  on 
the  door  to  the  eftect  that  should  any  one  remove 
these  fastenings  and  enter  he  would  be  liable  to  a  suit 
at  law  for  trespass.  Nothing  daunted,  the  new  party 
at  once  removed  the  bars  and  entered.  This  entry, 
in  accordance  with  the  notice  given,  resulted  in  a  suit, 
which  was  tried  before  Judge  Grier  in  a  special  court 
held  in  the  year  1843,  and  was  terminated  by  a  ver- 
dict in  favor  of  the  defendants  or  New  School  party. 
From  that  time  there  seems  to  have  been  but  little 
contention  between  them,  though  the  Old  School 
party  still  continued  to  keep  a  separate  record  and 
retained  Rev.  Brownfield  to  preach  for  them  until 
Oct.  31, 1846,  when  no  further  record  is  found  of  their 
deliberations,  and  they  appear  to  have  gradually  fallen 
in  with  the  other  branch  until  they  became  entirely 
absorbed  by  it,  and  from  that  time  on  the  New 
School  party  continued  as  the  only  organization  and 
the  Great  Bethel  Church.  This  split,  while  it  hin- 
dered greatly  the  spiritual  progress  of  the  church 
during  its  continuance,  resulted  in  an  entire  change 
of  the  working  of  the  body,  and  evidently  opened 
for  them  many  new  fields  of  usefulness.  From  this 
time  there  are  frequent  collections  for  mission-work 
of  various  kinds,  the  church-doors  were  thrown  open 
for  the  privileges  of  Sabbath-school,  and  a  new  era  of 
progress  dawned  upon  the  whole  society.  Happier 
would  it  have  been  had  this  result  been  brought  about 
without  the  contention  and  bitter  feelings  connected 


with  it.  At  last  the  storm  was  over,  and  though  it  had 
dashed  the  waves  of  contention  fiercely  about  her, 
serenely  from  amidst  the  roar  and  tumult  the  old 
ship  of  the  church  sailed  out  upon  the  placid  waters; 
and  but  a  few  years  later  it  is  with  2:)leasure  we  quote 
from  the  record  at  the  time  of  the  famous  meeting 
elsewhere  referred  to.  During  its  progress  reference 
is  made  to  the  preaching  of  Revs.  Wood  and  King, 
and  as  a  result  "  fifty-six  eternity-bound  souls  fol- 
lowed the  example  of  their  master  and  elder  brother, 
buried  with  him  in  Christian  baptism,  and  raised,  we 
trust,  to  newness  of  life.  Fifty-four  were  received 
into  full  fellowship  with  the  church,  and  the  work  still 
going  on,"  Alas,  that  we  must  turn  from  this  bright 
part  of  the  record  to  note  another  time  of  gloom. 
Dr.  John  Boyd  was  called  as  pastor  of  the  church 
March  21,  1864.  For  some  time  afterward  the  usual 
harmony  continued,  but  about  the  close  of  the  year 
1866  disputes  arose  from  various  causes  between  the 
pastor  and  part  of  the  members.  Though  the  writer 
was  not  in  any  way  connected  with  the  church  at  that 
time,  having  since  become  a  member,  it  may  be  pos- 
sible we  are  not  sufficiently  free  from  prejudice  to  im- 
partially state  these  causes ;  and  as  the  parties  con- 
nected with  the  church  at  that  time  are  almost  all  still 
living,  lest  we  should  do  injustice  to  some  of  them  we 
will  leave  that  part  of  the  church  history  for  some  one 
who  can  look  back  with  an  impartial  eye,  and  from 
written  records  recount  the  true  cause  of  this  trouble 
when  those  who  participated  in  it  shall  all  have  passed 
away.  This  dispute  continued  and  grew  so  warm  that 
it  became  impossilile  for  both  factions  to  remain  to- 
gether, and  those  who  adhered  to  the  pastor  still  con- 
tinuing in  the  church  building,  the  other  party  were 
obliged  to  seek  a  place  of  worship  elsewhere.  For  a 
short  time  they  obtained  leave  from  the  county  offi- 
cers to  use  the  court-house,  afterward  they  resorted 
to  what  was  formerly  known  as  the  town  hall,  in  the 
borough  of  Uniontown,  and  there  remained  until 
their  new  house  of  worship,  erected  on  Fayette  Street, 
was  sufficiently  completed  to  afford  them  a  place  for 
assembling.  This  part  of  the  members  made  appli- 
cation to  the  Monongahela  Association  in  the  fall  of 
1867,  the  same  year  of  the  separation,  and  were  recog- 
nized as  the  regular  church,  as  appears  by  the  min- 
utes of  the  Association  for  that  year.  They  at  once 
upon  leaving  the  old  house  discharged  Dr.  Boyd  as 
their  pastor,  and  soon  afterward  called  another.  They 
have  since  regularly  continued  the  organization  as 
the  ( ireat  Bethel  Regular  Baptist  Church,  and  on  the 
17th  day  of  March,  1881,  procured  by  application  to 
the  court  a  charter  under  that  name.  Almost  all  the 
members  who  at  first  remained  with  the  Boyd  party 
have  since  left  them  and  returned  to  this  church,  so 
that  the  only  visible  part  of  the  trouble  that  for  a 
time  threatened  to  destroy  the  prosperity  of  the 
church  is  a  disagreeraeut  between  the  church  at 
present  and  Dr.  Boyd  as  to  the  right  of  property  in 
the  old  church  building.     In  order  to  test  this  matter 


320 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


a  suit  was  brought  a  short  time  since  by  the  trustees 
of  this  church  against  Dr.  Boyd,  and  when  this  suit 
shall  have  been  determined  the  last  great  disturbance 
will  be  ended.  May  it  be  the  last,  with  reference  to 
the  future  as  well  as  the  past.  In  standing  off  thus 
at  a  distance  and  recounting  the  causes  that  have  led 
to  all  the  dark  days  of  this  old  pioneer  church,  how 
simple  they  seem  and  how  seemingly  easy  might  they 
have  been  averted.  A  learned  judge  once  said  in  de- 
livering the  op'inion  of  the  court  in  a  church  case 
where  the  dispute  arose  about  two  ministers,  "  In 
this  case  some  appear  to  be  for  Paul  and  some  for 
Apollos,  but  none  for  Christ."  With  all  due  respect 
to  those  members  who  through  all  these  difficulties 
still  clung  to  the  good  work,  and  labored  and  nobly 
succeeded  for  the  cause  of  the  Master,  a  review  of 
this  history  shows  that  it  was  only  when  the  church 
began  to  approach  that  condition  referred  to  by  the 
learned  judge,  and  in  their  zeal  for  their  own  choice 
of  men  forg(it  the  great  object  of  the  church,  that  all 

Pa>T'  m;-.-  I'Im-  fust  reference  in  any  way  to  apastor 
of  tlie  church  othir  than  the  letter  previously  referred 
to  is  iu  the  minutes  of  March  14,  1778,  as  follows: 
"Had  under  consideration  whether  I'.r.  .Tas.  Suttun 
shall  take  the  care  of  this  church  in  place  of  Isaac 
Sutton,  to  remain  under  consideration  till  another  op- 
portunity.'' Although  this  is  nearly  eight  years  after 
the  organization  of  the  church,  the  records  seem  to 
indicate  that  Isaac  Sutton  was  the  successor  of  Henry 
Crosby,  but  at  what  time  the  pastorate  of  the  latter 
closed  and  that  of  the  former  began  we  are  unable  to 
ascertain.  May  16,  1778,  a  reference  is  made  to  Jas. 
Sutton  again  as  follows:  "That  Bro.  Jas.  Sutton  take 
the  oversight  of  this  church — a  full  conclusion  re- 
ferred till  our  next  meeting."  Nothing  more  is  said 
of  a  pastor  in  any  way  until  Sept.  18,  1784,  when  it 
was  "  Resolved  that  Bro.  Jas  Sutton  shall  act  in  every 
respect  as  an  assistant  to  Bro.  Isaac  Sutton."  Dec. 
18,  1784,  James  Sutton  and  wife  were  dismissed  by 
letter  from  the  church,  and  the  next  reference  to  the 
pastor  is  in  the  minutes  of  June  20,  1789,  when  a 
resolution  was  passed  that  "Isaac  Sutton,  Sen., 
should  stand  minister  in  this  church  as  usual,"  and 
also  called  Wm.  Loveberry  as  an  assistant,  to  preach 
once  a  month  for  one  year.  It  appears  also  that 
David  Loof  borrow  had  been  called  as  an  assistant 
near  the  same  time.  Some  months  after  this  occurred 
the  difficulty  previously  mentioned,  when  Isaac  Sutton 
resigned,  March  21,  1790,  but  was  recalled  by  one 
branch  of  the  church  on  the  18th  of  September  fol- 
lowing, and  continued  with  this  part  of  the  church, 
while  Rev.  Loofborrow  remained  with  the  other 
branch,  until  Oct.  5,  1793,  when  the  two  branches 
were  united,  and  both  called  to  officiate  as  ministers. 
Sutton,  however,  was  granted  a  letter  of  dismission 
on  the  21st  of  the  same  month,  and  left  the  sole  con- 
trol to  Loofborrow,  who  continued  as  pastor  until 
Oct.  .5,  1793,  when  he  too  was  granted  a  letter  of  dis- 


mission. From  this  time  until  May  26,  1794,  the 
church  was  without  a  pastor,  when  Rev.  Benjamin 
Stone  was  called,  first  as  a- supply  and  afterwards  as 
pastor,  and  continued  as  such  up  to  Sept.  7,  1805,  • 
when  he  was  granted  a  letter  of  dismission,  but  was 
recalled  on  June  11,  1806,  to  preach  once  a  month, 
and  continued  as  pastor  until  1812.  In  the  mean 
time  that  remarkable  man,  William  Brownfield,  had 
been  licensed  to  preach,  and  Feb.  6,  1802,  received  a 
call  to  preach  the  second  and  fourth  Sundays  in  each 
month.  He  thus  continued  until  June  9,  1804,  when 
he  was  dismissed  by  letter,  and  we  hear  no  more  of 
him  until  Feb.  12,  1812,  when  he  received  a  call  as 
pastor  of  the  church.  This  position  he  held  uninter- 
ruptedly and  alone  until  April  6,  1833,  when  Rev. 
Milton  Sutton  was  invited  to  preach  once  a  month. 
On  June  1st  of  the  same  year  Wm.  Wood  was  also 
invited  to  preach  once  a  month  for  six  months.  May 
3,  1834,  Isaac  Wynn  was  procured  to  preach  once  a 
month,  and  May  2,  1835,  Milton  Sutton  was  re- 
quested to  continue  his  services.  During  all  this 
time,  however.  Rev.  Brownfield  was  still  retained  as 
the  pastor  of  the  church.  Soon  afterwards  occurred 
i  the  second  division,  before  referred  to,  and  although 
Rev.  Brownfield  was  then,  on  April  30,  1836,  dis- 
missed by  "a  majority  of  the  members  present"  from 
the  pastorate  of  the  church,  he  was  still  allowed  to 
preath  on  his  usual  days,  the  first  and  third  Sabbaths 
of  each  month.  This  he  continued  to  do  until  1846, 
except  such  times  as  his  place  was  supplied  by  other 
ministers,  whom  he  frequently  invited  to  assist  him. 
Among  these  were  Revs.  Frey,  Avery,  McClelland, 
Whitlock,  and  others.  On  the  24th  of  December, 
1836,  the  other  branch  of  the  church  called  Elder 
James  Seymour  to  preach  once  a  month,  and  from 
this  time  until  the  end  of  Rev.  Brownfield's  labors,  if 
the  church  did  not  succeed  it  certainly  was  not  from 
lack  of  preachers.  June  24,  1837,  Elder  Milton  Sut- 
ton called  once  a  month  for  one  year,  in  connection 
with  Rev.  Seymour.  Feb.  24,  1836,  Rev.  John 
Thomas  called  to  preach  once  a  month.  June,  1838, 
Elder  Wra.  Wood  called  once  a  month,  and  con- 
tinued as  pastor  until  April,  1841.  Dec.  22,  1838, 
Rev.  Isaac  Wynn  was  called  to  supply  the  place  of 
Rev.  Thomas,  who  had  been  employed  by  the  Penn- 
sylvania Missionary  Society.  Rev.  Wynn  continued 
in  connection  with  Rev.  ^\'ood  until  1841,  when  Elder 
E.  M.  Miles  was  called  a>  pastor,  to  preach  twice  a 
month,  and  who  continued  his  labors  with  the  church 
until  SejJtember,  1842.  October  29th  of  the  same  year 
Rev.  Isaac  Wynn  was  again  called  as  a  supply,  but 
afterwards  retained  as  pastor,  preaching  one-half  his 
time  until  April  1,  1854,  with  the  following  excep- 
tions :  Dr.  James  Estep,  pastor  for  six  months  from 
April,  1844:  Dr.  AVilliam  Penny,  from  Dec.  26,  1846, 
to  April  1,  1848;  S.  H.  Ruple,  one  year  from  April 
26,  1851 ;  and  Rev.  Milton  Sutton,  for  one  year  from 
April  24,  18.T2.  From  the  time  of  his  resignation  as 
pastor,  Rev.  Wynn  was  kcjit  as  a  supply  until  June 


UNIONTOWN  BOROUGH. 


321 


24,  1855,  when  Rev.  Wm.  Wood  was  called  as  a  sup- 
ply, to  preach  once  a  month.  On  Jan.  24,  1855,  Rev. 
Israel  D.  King  was  called  as  pastor  of  the  church,  and 
continued  as  such  until  March  1,  1860.  On  the  8th 
of  December  following,  Rev.  B.  P.  Ferguson  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church,  which  place  he 
retained  until  Sept.  12,  186.3.  Dr.  John  Boyd  was 
called  as  pastor  March  21,  1864,  and  continued  until 
March  2,  1867.  Rev.  C.  E.  Barto  was  next  called, 
Jan.  19,  1868,  and  continued  until  April  1,  1872. 
Rev.  W.  W'.  Hickman  entered  as  pastor  in  May,  1872, 
and  remained  until  April  1,  1878.  From  that  time 
until  June  6,  1879,  the  church  was  without  a  pastor, 
when  Rev.  F.  B.  La  Barrer  assumed  the  duties  as 
such,  and  still  continues  in  that  position,  July  1, 1881. 

Preachers  Licensed. — The  following  list  shows 
the  licenses  granted  to  young  men  by  this  church, 
permitting  them  to  enter  the  ministry  : 

Isaac  Sutton,  Nov.  8,  1770. 

.Joseph  Barnet,  March  19,  1773 ;  ordained  June, 
1775. 

Isaac  Morris,  May  21,  1775. 

John  Wade  Lovebery,  Sept.  20,  1783. 

John  Hopwood,  Aug.  20,  1791. 

Sreve,  Nov.  19,  1792. 

William  Brownfield,  April  6,  1799 ;  ordained  Dec. 
19,  1800.  > 

Milton  Sutton,  July  6, 1833;  ordained  May  4, -1834.  | 

Isaac  Wynn,  July  6,  1833. 

Richard  H.  Austin,  June  28,  1856;  ordained  Sept. 
27,  1857. 

Joseph  Collins,  Feb.  26,  1859. 

John  Batt,  Jan.  19,  1868. 

List  of  Clerks. — Isaac  Morris,  appointed  July  i 
15,  1775.  "    I 

Philip  Jenkins,  appointed  Nov.  19,  1776. 

Moses  Sutton,  appointed  Oct.  16,  1784. 

Isaac  Sutton,  Jr.,  appointed  Sept.  15,  1787. 

John  Hopwood,  appointed  Feb.  19,  1791. 

Anthony  Swain,  appointed  Oct.  18,  1794. 

John  Ayers,  appointed  Sept.  8,  1804. 

Simon  Gard,  appointed  Aug.  12,  1809. 

Charles  King,  appointed  March  28,  1812. 

Samuel  Little,  appointed  Aug.  1,  1818. 

William  Bryson,  appointed  May,  1830. 

Hamilton  Abraham  (O.  S.),  appointed  Jan.  2, 1836. 

William  Bryson  (N.  S.),  appointed  April  30,  1836. 

George  A.  Shallenberger,  appointed  May  21,  1853. 

F.  L.  Hatfield,  appointed  March  22,  1856. 

Isaac  W.  Bryson,  appointed  Aug.  22,  18.56. 

Samuel  Hatfield,  Jr.,  appointed  Sept.  26,  1857. 

C.  G.  Turner,  appointed  Jan.  22,  1859. 
R.  Porter  Craig,  appointed  Dec.  8,  1860. 
Joseph  Hayden,  appointed  Dec.  24,  1865. 
Amos  Bowlby,  appointed  Jan.  25,  1873. 
S.  W.  Carter,  appointed  May  24,  1873. 

D.  M.  Hertzog,  appointed  Sept.  27,  1879. 

List  of  Deacons.— Elijah  Barclay,  June  8, 1776, 
on  trial ;  ordained  Mav  19,  1781. 


Philip  Pierce,  May  17,  1779,  on  trial ;  ordained 
May  19,  1781. 

William  Wells,  Jan.  20,  1782. 

Thomas  Gaddis,  Feb.  14,  1784. 

Moses  Carr,  Jan.  19,  1790. 

Robert  Jackway,  Jan.  15,  1791. 

Ker,  Oct.  18,  1794. 

David  Conger,  April  5,  1800. 

John  Gaddis,  March  9,  1805. 

Simon  Gard,  March  9,  1805. 

Isaac  Minor,  May  1,  1812. 

William  Vance,  Nov.  4,  1815. 

Moses  Nixon,  May  4,  1822. 

John  Troutman,  May  4,  1822. 

William  Bryson,  July  6,  1833. 

Isaac  Hutchinson,  April  1,  1837. 

Squire  Ayers,  Dec.  24,  1842. 

A.  B.  Bryson,  March,  1851. 

Elijah  Jennings,  March,  1851. 

George  A.  Shallenberger,  Jan.  27,  1855. 

George  W.  Foulk,  Jan.  19,  1868. 

William  Swearingen,  Jan.  19,  1868. 

Crawford  Vance,  Aug.  22,  1868. 

Porter  Craig. 

John  Collins. 

James  Nabor,  April  24,  1875. 

H.  C.  Diffenderfler,  Feb.  22,  1879. 

Robert  Bryner. 

Associations. — The  Redstone  Association,  accord- 
ing to  Benedict's  "  History  of  the  Baptists,"  was  or- 
ganized in  1776.  In  1777  Great  Bethel  Church  sent 
the  following  messengers  to  that  body,  viz. :  Isaac 
Sutton,  James  Sutton,  and  Philip  Jenkins.  Owing 
"  to  the  difficulty  of  the  times,"  it  did  not  suit  to  hold 
the  Association  that  year  at  Muddy  Creek,  and  it  was 
agreed  that  it  should  be  held  at  the  house  of  Isaac 
Sutton.  It  is  obvious  from  this  that  Great  Bethel  was 
one  of  the  original  members  of  the  Redstone  Associ- 
ation, with  which  it  continued  until  1836,  and  the 
branch  which  still  clung  to  Rev.  Wm.  Brownfield 
continued  to  send  delegates  until  1846,  when  Wm. 
Brownfield,  I.  Hutchinson,  and  S.  Davis  were  sent  to 
Indian  Creek  Church,  where  it  met  that  year.  The 
other  branch  of  the  church  soon  after  their  separation 
sent  messengers  to  the  Pittsburgh  Association,  and 
were  admitted  to  that  body,  of  which  the  church  re- 
mained a  member  until  1856.  On  the  26th  of  April, 
1856,  a  letter  was  sent  to  the  Pittsburgh  Association 
requesting  dismission  from  them,  with  a  view  of  unit- 
ing with  the  Monongahela  Association.  Their  request 
was  granted,  and  the  same  year,  on  applying  to  the 
Monongahela  Association  for  admission,  they  were 
received  into  that  body,  with  which  they  still  con- 
tinue. 

Sabbath-School. — The  first  Sunday-school  in  con- 
nection with  this  church  was  organized  in  July,  1845, 
on  motion  of  Rev.  Isaac  Wynn.  It  has  been  main- 
tained as  an  organization  ever  since.  At  first,  for  a 
few  years,  it  was  conducted  only  during  the  winter 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


season,  but  since  then  it  has  been  maintained  regu- 
larly throughout  the  year.  At  present  it  is  under  the 
superintendency  of  D.  M.  Hertzog,  and  numbers  in 
full  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  members,  with  nine 
teachers. 

Cosc'LUsiox. — We  have  now  attempted  to  record 
briefly  the  principal  events  in  the  history  of  this  re- 
markable church.  Much  that  is  interesting  has  no 
d  lubt  been  omitted,  but  enough  is  given  to  mark  the 
course  along  which  she  has  passed.  Dating  her  exist- 
ence back  to  a  time  when  the  great  Commonwealth  of 
Pennsylvania  was  a  feeble  province  of  the  mother- 
country,  she  has  witnessed  the  birth,  growth,  and  un- 
precedented prosperity  of  a  mighty  nation.  Some- 
times disturbed  by  national  or  State  convuKions  IVmiii 
without,  and  occasional  contentions  within,  h.  r  r.,ui<i.- 
lias  not  always  been  smooth  as  that  of  chiiiili  lunthrr- 
hood  should  be,  yet  upon  the  whole  her  members 
have  reason  to  rejoice  that  they  belong  to  a  body 
which,  by  the  grace  of  God,  has  been  permitted  to  do 
so  much  for  the  cause  of  the  Master,  and  especially 
to  see  the  harmony  that  now  prevails  in  all  her  parts, 
and  the  glorious  opportunity  at  present  offered  for  the 
successful  advancement  of  that  great  work.  May 
peace  continue  within  her  walls  and  prosperity  within 
her  palaces ! 

METHODIST   EPISCOPAL    CHURCH    IN    DNIONTOWN.l 

At  the  session  of  Conference  held  in  Baltimore  May 
2S,  1784,  Bedstone  Circuit  was  formed,  which  included 
all  of  Pennsylvania  west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains. 
John  Cooper  and  Samuel  Breeze  were  appointed  to 
this  circuit.  They  came  to  Uniontown,  probably  in 
June,  as  Bishop  Asbury  preached  in  Uniontown  July 
7,  1784,  to  a  congregation  of  seven  hundred  persons, 
and  it  is  probable  that  Cooper  and  Breeze  came  with 
him.  But  the  peculiar  polity  of  Methodism  in  working 
the  laymen  as  local  preachers  and  exhorters  had  fore- 
stalled the  appearance  of  the  regular  circuit  preach- 
ers, who  found  in  the  vicinity  of  Uniontown  Eobert 
Wooster,  a  local  preacher  from  England.  Wooster, 
according  to  the  best  authority  attainable,  came  to 
America  about  the  year  1771,  and  commenced  preach- 
ing in  the  neighborhood  of  Uniontown  about  1780. 
Many  traditions  have  been  handed  down  in  Jleth- 
odist  families  concerning  Wooster  and  his  work,  from 
which  it  is  thought  to  be  more  than  prohalile  that 
he  organized  classes  at  several  points  in  uml  aiDiiml 
Uniontown.  The  early  records  of  the  society  at  Uiiiim- 
town  were  not  preserved,  so  that  a  correct  list  of  the 
persons  forming  the  first  class  or  society  cannot  be 
furnished,  although  many  of  them  are  known.  The 
oldest  record  now  in  the  possession  of  the  church  is  a 
treasurer's  book  opened  in  1807. 

Cooper  and  Breeze  remained  on  Bedstone  Circuit 
but  one  year,  under  the  ciistoiii  of  annual  clianiies 
which  was  then  the  riilr.  fhry  wrr  ln|l,,wrd  in  17>;.-. 
by  Peter  Moriarity,  John  Fittlfr,  and  \Vils<,n  1,,'e.     It 


Dr.  J.  E.  Muffitt,  of  Uniontown. 


is  probable  that  Bishop  Asbury  came  to  Uniontown 
with  the  new  preachers,  as  he  writes  that  he  exhorted 
in  Beesontown  July  19, 1785.  He  also  preached,  July 
1  and  2,  1786,  in  the  new  meeting-house  in  Beeson- 
town. He  says,  "We  had  a  feeling,  gracious  season; 
the  Sacrament  was,  I  trust,  attended  with  a  blessing." 
On  July  20th,  same  year,  he  writes  that  he  preached 
to  a  congregation  of  six  hundred  persons  in  Beeson- 
town during  court.  July  30th  he  writes  that  he  was 
at  the  Widow  Murphy's.  It  is  not  known  exactly 
when  the  first  meeting-house  was  erected,  but  as  As- 
bury preached  in  it  July  1,  1786,  it  is  probable  that  it 
was  built  in  1785.  The  deed  for  the  lots  on  which  it 
was  built  on  Peter  Street  was  not  made,  however, 
until  Aug.  6, 1791,  and  was  made  in  the  names  of  David 
Jennings,  Jacob  Murphy,  Samuel  Stephens,  Jonathan 
Rowland,  and  Peter  Hook,  trustees  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  Uniontown. 

The  first  church  or  meeting-house  was  built  of  logs, 
thirty-five  by  seventy  feet,  including  the  school-room 
at  the  west  end.  It  stood  on  what  is  now  the  grave- 
yard, near  the  line  of  the  Second  Church  lot,  fronting 
on  Peter  Street  and  flush  with  the  street.  There  was 
a  hall  separating  the  school-room  and  the  meeting- 
house, and  a  stairway  in  the  hall  leading  to  a  room 
over  the  school-room.  There  were  doors  in  the  hall 
leading  to  the  school-room  on  the  left  and  into  the 
meetfug-house  on  the  right. 

Bishop  Asbury  commenced  the  annual  session  of 
Conference  at  Uniontown,  in  the  meeting-house,  Aug. 
22,  1788.  There  were  in  attendance  seven  regular 
preachers  and  five  others  "  on  trial."  Owing  to  some 
inconvenience  and  at  the  invitation  of  Mrs.  Ann 
Murphy,  Bishop  Asbury  changed  the  place  of  meet- 
ing to  her  house,  which  stood  opposite  the  present 
residence  of  Henry  Gaddis.  Mrs.  Murphy  not  only 
furnished  a  place  for  the  meetings  of  Conference  but 
entertained  the  whole  body,  including  the  bishop. 
During  the  session  of  this  Conference  Michael  Leard 
was  ordained.  He  was  the  first  Methodist  preacher 
ordained  west  of  the  mountains.  Mrs.  Ann  Murphy 
was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the  church  in 
Uniontown,  and  often  entertained  Asbury  and  his 
traveling  companions,  who  always  made  it  a  point  to 
stop  with  "Mother  Murphy"  when  their  journeys 
west  and  south  brought  them  into  the  neighborhood. 
Site  came  from  Maryland  during  the  Revolutionary 
war  (the  exact  date  is  not  known),  and  bought  what 
is  now  the  county  farm  and  the  Gaddis  place,  where 
sh^  lived  at  the  time  of  Conference  in  1788.  In  Mary- 
land she  owned  a  tobacco  plantation  between  Balti- 
more and  Harper's  Ferry,  and  having  several  chil- 
dren, she  (at  their  solicitation)  sold  out  and  moved 
west  til  I'niontown.  The  year  before  her  son,  Eli 
^lurpliy,  made  a  preliminary  visit  to  the  neighborhood 
of  I'niontown.  He  was  murdered,  it  was  supposed,  for 
Ills  money.  His  traveling  companion  charged  his 
death  to  the  Indians,  while  the  settlers,  although  not 
entertaining  a   verv  high    opinion  of  tlie  red   men, 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


sifuiod  inclined  to  exonerate  them  from  the  charge. 
."Mrs.  Murphy  was  accompanied  by  all  her  children, 
ixrrpt  a  married  daughter,  who  remained  in  Mary- 
land. She  brought  a  considerable  sum  of  money  with 
liui.  and  after  buying  the  home-farm  and  the  farm  at 
ildunt  Braddock  for  Jacob,  she  had  for  those  days  a 
large  surplus,  but  as 
it  was  in  Continent  il 
notes  it  became  w  orth 
less  at  the  close  ot  the 
war.  Jacob  M  urph\ 
married  a  dauglmi  ot 
Col.  Meason,  and  in 
1791  his  name  appe  ir-. 
as  one  of  the  original 
trustees.  Ann  Murph\ 
(the  daughter)  married 
Samuel  Stephen^  who 
was  also  one  ot  the 
original  tru.stees.  Tlu\ 
were  the  parents  ot 
Mrs.  Priscilla  Austin 
and  lived  on  their  firm 
near  Upper  Miaaie- 
town.     Sallie  Murphy 

married  a  Mr.  Banning,  and  moved  to  Ohio.  Eachel 
Murphy  married  Rev.  Roberts,  a  minister  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  also  moved  to 'Ohio. 
Nacca  Murphy,  the  youngest,  married  James  Gregg. 
They  were  the  grandparents  of  Dr.  William  and  Miss 
M.  E.  Sturgeon.  Mrs.  Murphy  brought  a  number  of 
her  slaves  with  her,  and  among  them  a  Guinea  negro 
named  Nero,  of  whom  many  laughable  anecdotes  are 
related.  Nero  conceived  a  great  dislike  to  the  raw 
edges  of  pioneer  life  in  the  West,  and  mourned  over 
the  flesh-pots  of  Maryland,  refusing  in  the  bitterness 
of  his  anguish  to  attend  family  worship.  Bishop  As- 
bury  on  one  occasion  persuaded  Nero  to  attend  family 
worship.  He  reluctantly  consented,  but  during  the 
singing,  reading,  and  praying  he  became  so  demon- 
strative in  his  happiness  as  to  break  down  his  chair  and 
fall  to  the  floor  shouting, — a  little  too  happy  for  the 
occasion, — so  that  the  good  bishop  never  again  asked 
Nero  to  attend  family  worship.  Bishop  Asbury  and 
Richard  Whatcoat  preached  a  sermon  each  during  the 
session  of  the  Conference  of  1788,  and  Conference  ad- 
journed on  the  25th  of  August.  Asbury  was  again  in 
Uniontown  July  2.5, 1789.  Conference  held  its  annual 
session  in  Uniontown  in  1790,  commencing  July  28th, 
Wednesday,  and  continued  over  Sunday.  Three  elders 
and  four  deacons  were  ordained  by  Asbury  at  this  Con- 
ference. In  1792,  June  2d,  Conference  again  met  in 
Uniontown,  and  Asbury  writes  in  his  journal,  date  June 
10th:  "We  have  founded  a  seminary  of  learning, 
called  Union  School.  Brother  C.  Conway  is  manager, 
who  also  has  charge  of  the  District.  The  Establishment 
is  designed  for  instruction  in  Grammar,  Sciences,  and 
the  languages."  This  school  was  located  in  the  .school- 
room in  the  west  end  of  the  church  on  Peter  Street." 


The  lot  on  which  the  school-house  stood  (joining 
the  graveyard  lots  on  the  west)  was  transferred  to  the 
trustees  of  the  church  in  1794;  from  this  fact,  and 
also  that  the  school  was  established  in  1792,  it  is  con- 
cluded that  the  school-room  was  added  to  the  church 
building  several  years  after  the  latter  was  built,  prob- 


'  ^'K-- 


FIRST    METHOIIIST    EPISCOP.\L 


ably  in  1791.'  Rev.  C.  Conway  remained  on  the  dis- 
trict until  1796,  and  probably  continued  as  manager 
of  the  school  to  that  date,  but  in  1795  Conference 
appointed  John  K.  Reynolds,  a  traveling  preacher, 
classical  teacher.  Rev.  Wm.  Wilson  taught  the  Eng- 
lish branches.  The  sessions  of  Conference  of  1794 
and  1796  were  held  in  Uniontown.  In  1808  the 
meeting-house  was  weatherboarded  and  otherwise 
improved.  In  1809,  Thomas  Daughaday  was  preacher 
in  charge  of  the  circuit.  He  died  at  his  residence  on 
Morgantown  Street,  where  the  third  church  now 
stands,  on  the  12th  of  October,  1810.  He  was  but 
thirty-three  years  of  age.  His  wife  was  a  daughter 
of  Peter  Hook,  one  of  the  original  trustees.  She 
died  in  Westmoreland  County. 

Mrs.  Ann  Murphy  died  Sept.  10,  1814,  in  the  log 
house  on  South  Street  where  Mr.  N.  Greenland  now 
lives.  Her  descendants  in  Fayette  County  are  quite 
numerous,  but  few  of  them  remain  in  the  Methodist 
Church.  Peter  Hook,  one  of  the  original  trustees, 
died  March  12,  1818,  aged  sixty-five  years.  He  was 
the  grandfather  of  Mr.  P.  H.  Hellen.  In  1820  the 
society  at  Uniontown  was  separated  from  the  circuit, 
and  with  Brownsville  formed  a  station  under  the  pas- 
torate of  Dennis  H.  Battle.  The  school  established 
I  by  Conference  in  1792  must  have  closed  its  history 
somewhere  about  1800.  It  was  followed  by  select 
schools  down  to  1819,  Patrick  Talbot  being  the  last 

1  On  the  6th  of  August,  1791,  Jacob  Bee-son  sold  to  David  Jennings, 
Jacob  Murphy,  Saniu.l  Stp|.bdi.s.  Jonathan  Rowland,  and  Peter  Hook, 
trustees  of  the  M.-tln-li-t  I'pi-.  "iml  cliurch,  lots  Nos.  27  and  28,  in  con- 
sideration of  fiv  ^lll -  Til  -  l"ts  were  located  in  Jacob's  Addi- 
tion, on  the  noitli   ~mI.    J   IM.i    Mr.it.    The  Methodist  Church  was 


HISTORY    OP   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


teacher.  In  1820  the  partitions  between  the  meeting- 
house and  tlie  school-room  were  taken  out  and  the 
whole  thrown  into  one  room,  and  the  gallery  extended 
around  the  west  end.  After  this  the  old  hall  entrance 
was  used  exclusively  by  the  females,  who  were  still 
further  separated  from  the  male  portion  of  the  con- 
gregation by  a  lialiHtrade  something  higher  than  the 
backs  of  the  seats,  running  from  the  south  side  for- 
ward to  the  .-lisle  in  front  of  the  altar.  The  pulpit 
was  in  the  centre  of  the  north  side,  and  had  over  it 
a  sounding-board  about  five  feet  in  diameter.  The 
choir,  usually  verj'  large,  occupied  the  south  gallery, 
the  colored  people  the  east,  and  the  whites  the  west 
gallery.  Uniontown  continued  with  Brownsville  as  a 
half-station  until  1824,  when  the  appointment  was 
made  a  station,  and  James  G.  Sansom  ajipointed  the 
first  station  preacher.  From  1784  to  1824,  when 
Uniontown  was  made  a  station,  fifty-eight  preachers 
were  appointed  to  this  charge.  Never  less  than  two, 
and  sometimes  three  preachers  were  on  the  circuit 
at  one  time.  James  G.  Sansom  remained  but  one 
year,  and  was  followed  in  1825  by  David  Sharp,  who 
in  turn  was  followed  by  Henry  B.  Bascora  in  1826. 
Bascom  was  a  preacherof  national  reputation.  Many 
of  the  older  citizens  remember  his  eloquent  and  stir- 
ring sermons.  He  was  a  man  of  fine  personal  appear- 
ance, with  a  brilliant  mind  of  poetical  rather  than  logi- 
cal cast.  Bascom  remained  but  one  year,  and  in  1827 
was  appointed  president  of  Madison  College.  The  his- 
tory of  Madison  College  while  under  the  patronage  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  rather  obscure.  Af- 
ter the  formation  of  the  Pittsburgh  Conference,  and  at 
its  first  session,  a  resolution  was  presented  by  AsaShinn 
and  seconded  by  Thornton  Fleming  and  adopted, 
viz. :  "  That  the  Conference  establish  a  seminary  of 
learning  within  its  bounds,  and  a  missionary  be  ap- 
pointed to  ascertain  the  probable  amount  of  money 
needed."  Henry  B.  Bascom  reported  at  the  session 
of  1826,  and  the  Conference  accepted  the  report,  and 
"Resolved,  1st,  That  the  institution  be  located  at 
Uniontown,  Pa. ;  2d,  That  a  superintending  commit- 
tee of  nine  be  appointed,  five  of  whom  shall  be  travel- 
ing preachers,  to  determine  where  to  erect  buildings 
and  to  employ  teachers  if  practicable."  The  com- 
mittee was  appointed  as  follows :  Revs.  H.  B.  Bascom, 
John  Waterman,  Asa  Shinn,  Charles  Cooke,  and 
Thornton  Fleming,  and  Messrs.  Charles  Avery,  of 
Pittsburgh,  John  M.  Austin,  Thomas  Erwin,  and 
Henry  Ebbert,  of  Uniontown.  There  had  been  an 
academy  in  Uniontown.  I'-iablislnMl  in  l>;o,s,  the  trus- 
tees of  which  gave  the  lHiildiiii;<  Ini  rcilliLir  purposes, 
and  the  college  was  op.iicil  under  I  he  pirsidcncy  of 
H.  B.  Bascom  in  1827.  J.  H.  Fielding  was  Prolessur 
of  Mathematics,  and  Charles  Elliott  Professor  of 
Languages.  Bascom  resigned  in  1829,  and  J.  H.  Field- 
ing was  appointed  president,  and  H.  J.  Clark  pro- 
fessor. In  18.32  Madison  College  closed  on  account  of 
the  Conference  accepting  Allegheny  College,  at  Jlead- 
ville.  Pa.    Bascom  in  after-years  became  president  of 


Kentucky  State  College,  and  died  in  1850  a  bishop 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South.  In  1827, 
Dr.  Charles  Elliott  followed  Bascom  as  preacher  in 
charge,  and  also  taught  the  languages  in  Madison 
College.  He  remained  two  years,  and  was  followed 
in  1829  by  Thornton  Fleming,  who  remained  one 
year. 

In  1830  Conference  held  its  session  in  Uniontown, 
and  Charles  Cooke  was  appointed  to  the  station. 
Jonathan  Rowland,  one  of  the  original  trustees,  died 
Sept.  22,  1880,  in  the  seventy -seventh  year  of  his  age. 

In  1832,  under  the  pastorate  of  Charles  Cooke,  the 
Second  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  commenced, 
and  finished  in  1833,  under  the  pastorate  of  George 
S.  Holmes.  It  was  built  of  brick  on  a  triangular  lot 
adjoining  the  graveyard  on  the  west.  Daniel  B.  Mc- 
Carty,  George  W.  Rutter,  and  Benjamin  Hellen  com- 
posed the  building  committee.  Under  the  direction 
of  this  committee  Edward  Hyde,  bricklayer,  Edward 
Jones,  stone-mason,  and  Gabriel  Getzindiner,  carpen- 
ter, built  the  church.  The  church  was  dedicated  by 
Charles  Cooke  (former  pastor),  and  cost  about  $3500. 

In  1887,  March  28th,  Daniel  Limerick,  preacher  in 
charge,  died,  aud  was  buried  in  the  graveyard.  From 
February,  1837,  until  Conference  met  in  July  the 
pulpit  was  filled  by  John  White,  preacher  in  charge 
of  Redstone  Circuit,  under  the  direction  of  the  pre- 
siding elder.  From  this  date  to  the  present  time  the 
records  of  the  church  are  well  preserved,  and  as  full 
and  complete  as  could  be  expected  under  the  circum- 
stances. 

The  usual  fluctuations  incident  to  the  history  of  all 
congregations  have  had  their  place  in  the  Methodist 
Church  in  Uniontown,  but  nothing  transpired  de- 
serving special  mention  in  a  sketch  like  this  except- 
ing the  revival  of  1847-48,  under  the  pastorate  of  S.  E. 
Babcock,  wdien  one  hundred  and  eighty-seven  persons 
joined  the  church,  and  the  building  of  the  Third 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  on  Morgantown  Street. 
The  contract  for  building  the  Third  Church  was 
signed  by  Messrs.  Fuller,  Laughead,  Bailey  &  Co., 
J\ily  24,  1877,  and  the  church  was  dedicated  by  Bishop 
Simpson  June  2,  1878.  The  lots  on  which  the  church 
stands  cost  $2500.  The  building  and  furnishing  com- 
plete cost  $12,800.  The  last  payment  on  the  debt  was 
paid  Feb.  7,  1880. 

Ninety-two  preachers  have  served  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  Uniontown  since  1784,  the  date 
of  the  organization  of  the  church,  down  to  the  present 
year  (1881).  Thirty-four  of  these  were  stationed 
preachers  since  1S24,  when  the  a|ipointment  fir.st  be- 
came a  station.  The  names  of  the  stationed  preach- 
ers and  dates  of  service  are  as  follows: 
.lames  (J.  Sansom,  1824.        H.  J.  Clark,  1831. 


David  Sharp,  1825. 
H.  B.  Bascom,  1826. 
Charles  Elliott,  1827-28. 
Thornton  Fleming,  1829. 
Charles  Cooke,  1830-32. 


Geo.  S.  Holmes,  1833-34. 
T.  M.  Hudson,  1835. 
Daniel  Limerick,  1836. 
I.  N.  McAbee,  1837. 
W.  Smith,  1838-39. 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


325 


B.  F.  Sawhill,  1840. 

C.  D.  Battell,  1841-42. 
A.  Young,  1843. 
William  Cox,  1844-45. 
E.  Birkett,  1846. 

S.  E.  Babcock,  1847-48. 
Frank  Moore,  1849-50. 
Jos.  Montgomery,  1851. 
I.  C.  Pershing,  1852-53. 
A.  G.  Williams,  1854. 
John  Grant,  1855-56. 
John  Williams,  1857-58. 


E.  B.  Griffin,  1859-60. 
A.  L.  Petty,  1861. 
H.  Sinsebaugh,  1862. 
H.  L.  Chapman,  1863-65. 
J.  Mancell,  1866. 
C.  W.  Smith,  1867-69. 
A.  B.  Castle,  1870-72. 
John  J.  Moffitt,  1873-75. 
S.   W.   Davis,    1876    (two 

Conference  years  in  this 

year)  to  1877. 
R.  T.  Miller,  1878-80. 


A  long  list  of  excellent  men  have  served  the  church 
as  local  preachers,  trustees,  stewards,  leaders,  and  Sun- 
day-school superintendents.  Among  them  may  be 
mentioned  (as  space  precludes  mention  of  all)  John 
Phillips,  John  Hibbeu,  William  McClelland,  Morris 
Covert,  John  M.  Austin,  George  Griffith,  Henry  Eb- 
bert,  Robert  Kincaid,  Noble  McCormick,  Rice  G. 
Hopwood,  James  Ebbert,  Gabriel  Getzendiner,  A.  L. 
Little,  R.  L.  Barry,  Robert  Boyle,  Richard  Miller,  P. 
H.  Hellen,  Z.  Ludington,  Daniel  Sturgeon,  D.  Hess, 
John  F.  Beazel,  E.  G.  Roddy,  James  T.  Redburn, 
John  W.  Barr,  W.  A.  Donaldson,  Henry  Wilson,  G. 
W.  Rutter,  etc.  The  present  official  board  is  composed 
of  the  following:  Alfred  Newlon,  local  elder  and 
trustee;  T.  F.  Farmer,  local  deacon ;  William  Wilson, 
G.  Crossland,  John  Sembower,  William  Craig,  and 
Henry  McClay,  trustees  and  stewards ;  Thomas  Ja- 
quett,  Lewis  Dawson,  and  William  B.  McCormick, 
trustees;  A.  S.Craig,  William  Sembower,  and  J.  E. 
Moffitt,  stewards,  the  last  named  being  recording 
steward.  As  far  back  as  the  records  of  the  church 
are  preserved  there  are  accounts  of  the  Sunday-school, 
but  nothing  is  known  of  the  date  of  original  organiza- 
tion. The  whole  number  enrolled  in  the  Sunday- 
school  is  about  two  hundred,  the  average  attend- 
ance one  hundred  and  forty -seven.  There  are  twenty 
teachers,  including  those  of  the  boys'  and  the  girls'  in- 
fant classes.  J.  E.  Moffitt  is  superintendent ;  H.  Mc- 
Clay, assistant  superintendent ;  H.  F.  Detwiler,  secre- 
tary ;  and  Juliet  Wilson,  treasurer.  There  is  another 
organization  connected  with  the  church  that  deserves 
special  mention:  the  Ladies'  and  Pastor's  Christian 
Union,  organized  by  the  pastor.  Rev.  S.  W.  Davis,  in 
1877.  The  society  is  designed  to  aid  the  pastor  in  his 
work,  and  to  assist  the  trustees  in  providing  for  the 
ordinary  and  extra  expenses  of  the  church  and  its 
furniture.  The  society  paid  over  fifteen  hundred 
dollars  on  the  cost  of  building  and  furnishing  the  new 
church,  and  is  still  actively  engaged  in  providing  for 
the  incidental  expenses.  The  pastor  is  president; 
Miss  Juliet  Wilson,  vice-president;  Mrs.  Neil  Clag- 
gett,  treasurer;  and  Miss  Lou  Reynolds,  secretary. 
Regular  weekly  meetings  are  held  on  Tuesday 
evenings. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Uniontovvn  has 
furnished  quite  a  number  of  ministers  for  the  active 
work  of  the  church.    Among  others  may  be  mentioned 


David  Hess  (deceased),  L.  R.  Beacom,  and  G.  T.  Rey- 
nolds, of  the  Pittsburgh  Conference,  Henry  Wilson, 
of  the  Illinois  Conference,  and  C.  M.  Coburn,  of  the 
Erie  Conference.  The  number  of  members  now  con- 
nected with  the  church  is  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
six,  which  is  about  the  average  number  for  the  past 
fifty  years. 

Perhaps  there  is  no  other  point  west  of  the  moun- 
tains where  the  associations  and  memories  of  Meth- 
odism concentrateas  at  Uniontown.  The  early  plant- 
ing of  Methodism,  its  well-sustained  efforts  in  behalf 
of  liberal  education,  the  prominent  position  held  by 
the  denomination  in  its  earlier  days,  and  the  great  and 
good  men  who  have  been  connected  with  the  appoint- 
ment have  conspired  to  make  Uniontown  an  histori- 
cal centre  in  AVestern  Methodism.  Viewed  from  the 
era  of  the  sturdy  and  heroic  itinerant,  who,  clad  in 
homespun  and  equipped  with  saddle-bags,  battled  for 
the  gospel  of  peace,  or  contemplated  in  the  mellow 
light  radiating  from  the  memories  of  the  mothers  in 
Methodism,  the  promise  of  the  present  and  the  future 
of  Methodism  in  Uniontown  is  not  so  bright  as  that 
of  the  past. 

PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF  UNIONTOWN.! 

It  is  quite  certain  that  Uniontown  was  occupied  by 
Presbyterian  ministers  as  a  place  for  preaching  the 
gospel  a  century  ago.  This  is  inferred  because  there 
were  Presbyterian  churches  in  this  county  with  the 
regular  ministrations  of  the  Word  as  early  as  1774. 
We  have  authority  for  the  statement  that  in  1776 
Uniontown  was  included  in  the  bounds  of  the  Dunlap's 
Creek  Church.  When  ministers  were  so  near  they 
would  not  neglect  this  point.  But  we  have  no  re- 
corded nor  verbal  information  in  regard  to  the  for- 
mative period  of  our  history  until  near  the  beginning 
of  the  present  century.  The  first  statement  to  be 
found  anywhere  is  in  the  minutes  of  the  Redstone 
Presbytery.  The  following  extract  gives  the  first 
reference  in  these  minutes  to  this  church  : 

"  At  the  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  at  Georges 
Creek,  Oct.  11,  1799,  application  for  supplies  was 
made  by  the  vacant  congregation  of  LTniontown. 
Rev.  James  Powers  was  appointed  for  one  Sabbath, 
and  Rev.  Samuel  Porter  for  another,"  both  eminent 
ministers. 

During  the  following  twelve  years,  application  was 
made  at  irregular  intervals  for  supplies,  which  were 
appointed.  About  1812,  Dr.  James  Dunlap,  a  man  of 
considerable  ability,  ex  president  of  Jefl'erson  College, 
came  here  and  remained  about  two  years.  He  lived  in 
a  small  log  house  on  the  lot  immediately  to  the  east 
of  the  court-house.  He  was  principal  of  an  academy 
which  was  conducted  in  the  Madison  College  build- 
ing. The  only  person  now  (1876)  living  who  was  a 
pupil  of  Dr.  Dunlap  at  that  time  is  Mr.  Jacob  B. 
Miller,  a  citizen  of  this  town.     During  his  residence 


>Kev. 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


here  Dr.  Dunlap  preached  occasionally  in  the  old 
court-house.     In  1816  he  went  to  reside  with  his  son,  1 
Rev.  William  Dunlap,  in   Abingdon,  near  Philadel- 
phia, where  he  remained  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred Nov.  22,  1818.  in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his  I 
age.     Up  to  1817  the  preaching  was  very  irregular. 

The  Rev.  William  T.  Wylie,  a  native  of  Washing-  | 
ton  County,  came  here  in  1817,  from  the  churches  of 
Rehoboth  and  Round  Hill,  and  began  preaching  to 
this  church,  to  its  great  satisfaction.  He  is  properly 
regarded  as  the  first  pastor.  He  came  upon  the 
special  invitation  of  John  Lyon,  an  eminent  lawyer, 
John  Kennedy,  afterwards  judge,  and  John  Miller,  a 
citizen  of  influence.  Mr.  Wylie  labored  here  as  stated 
supply  two  years,  and  was  then  formally  called  by  the 
congregation. 

From  the  records  of  the  meeting  of  the  Presbytery 
held  at  Long  Run,  April  21,  1819,  this  extract  is 
made :  "  A  call  was  presented  from  the  congregation  of 
Uniontown  for  the  ministerial  labors  of  the  Rev.  Wil- 
liam W\  111',  ill  which  they  promise  him  the  sura  of 
$1000  ill  K'uiilni-  . I iiarterly  payments  during  the  con- 
tinuance (if  ills  pastoral  relation  with  them.  This  call 
was  put  into  his  hands  and  he  declared  his  accept- 
ance, and  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Francis  Herron,  Robert 
Johnson,  James  Guthrie,  and  William  Johnson  were 
appointed  to  meet  in  Uniontown  on  the  first  Tuesday 
of  May,  1819,  at  two  o'clock  p.m.,  to  install  the  Rev. 
William  Wylie  in  the  said  congregation."  The  un- 
usually large  salary  is  worthy  of  note.  It  is  believed 
tij  have  been  one  of  the  largest  paid  to  a  minister  of 
the  gospel  anywhere  in  the  United  States  at  that  time, 
and  it  is  explained  by  the  fnct  that  then  many  men 
of  wealth  resided  here,  who  identified  themselves 
with  this  congregation.  The  explicit  instructiim  of 
the  Presbytery  was  carried  out,  for  at  the  iiicctiiii;-  at 
:\I(iuiit  Pleasant  "The  committee  apiiointed  to  install 
Rev.  William  Wylie  in  the  congregation  of  Union- 
town  reported  they  had  done  their  duty." 

Mr.  Wylie  continued  his  ministerial  labors  in  this 
church  iiiilil  Oclolier,  1823,  with  varied  exjjerience. 
At  I^diii:  Klin,  wliiie  the  call  had  been  presented,  in 
1822,  '■  Mr.  \\'\  lir  presenteil  a  request  from  the  trus- 
tees of  the  Uiii(Hiti.wii  (■(iiiiirci;;itiiiii,  statiiiir  ihnt  in 
consequence  n\'  llic   |.ci-iili:ir  ('iiilinrr.-is-ninils  dC  \\\r 

times,  and  the  rciiHi\:il  ami  I'nnlrniphitr.i  re \:i\  nl'  a 

number  of  their  iimsl  clliiiiait  siili-i  rilxrs,  ilie  congre- 
gation were  iiiialilc  tn  en-:!!:!'  to  Mi-.  Wvlic  more  than 
$U)0  ayearforoiie-halfi.f  liis  ministerial  >rivires,  and 
that  they  were  reluctantly  coiistraiiud  tn  desire  tlu^ 
Presbytery  to  release  them  from  their  furiiier  ciiiiai^e- 
nients  to  Mr.  Wylie,  and  the  Rev.  William  Wylie 
agreeing  with  the  request,  it  was  granted."  From 
this  time  until  his  resignation  he  also  preached  occa- 
sionally at  Wheeling.  Mr.  Wylie  resigned  his  charge 
here  in  <)eliil>er,  1>;2;!.  and  was  dismissed  to  the  Pres- 

Jlr.  Wylie's  pastoral  services  here  seem  to  have  been 
quite  eHicient.    The  j^rowth  of  the  church  was  steady 


until  near  the  close  of  his  pastorate.  His  physical 
appearance  was  imposing.  He  was  a  tall  and  slender 
man,  over  six  feet  high.  He  was  pleasant  in  conver- 
sation. He  entered  the  pulpit  with  great  solemnity, 
and  was  regarded  in  his  day  as  a  very  popular  and 
powerful  preacher.  He  was  searching  and  faithful  in 
his  style,  bold  and  pointed  in  the  denunciation  of  sin. 
He  spoke  without  notes.  He  preached  in  the  old 
court-house. 

In  1827  a  call  was  again  made  out  for  his  pastoral 
services,  a  very  unusual  thing  in  the  history  of  any 
congregation,  and  the  only  case  of  the  kind  in  the 
history  of  this,  but  Mr.  Wylie  declined. 

In  1820-21  he  erected  the  house  now  occupied  by 
Dr.  Daniel  Sturgeon,  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Main 
Street  and  Mill  Alley.  The  following  information  in 
regard  to  the  subsequent  history  of  Mr.  Wylie  is  fur- 
nished by  James  Veech,  Esq. 

From  Uniontown  Mr.  Wylie  went  to  Wheeling, 
thence  in  1832  to  Newark,  Ohio,  in  1854  to  Port  Gib- 
son, Miss.,  where  he  married  his  second  wife.  He 
returned  to  Wheeling  in  1855,  and  died  there  May 
9,  1858,  nearly  eighty-two  years  of  age.  His  first  wife 
was  a  daughter  of  Rev.  David  Smith,  his  predecessor 
at  Rehoboth  and  Round  Hill.  She  was  a  sister  of 
Rev.  Joseph  Smith,  author  of  "  Old  Redstone,"  and 
was  the  child  born  under  the  circumstances  related 
on  ])age  57  of  that  book.  She  was  a  good  woman, 
and  deserves  to  be  remembered  as  the  mother  of  the 
Sabbath-school  of  this  church.  The  only  person  now 
living  who  united  with  the  church  under  Mr.  Wylie 
is  Mrs.  Sarah  Dawson,  of  Brownsville,  then  Mrs. 
Sarah  Bryson,  nee  Miss  Sarah  Huston. 

For  a  period  of  five  years  after  the  departure  of 
Mr.  Wylie  this  church  was  supplied  by  the  Presby- 
tery. It  was  during  this  interval  that  Dr.  A.  G.  Fair- 
child  seems  to  have  preached  here  very  frequently. 

In  1827  the  Rev.  John  Holmes  Agnew  was  called 
to  take  charge  of  this  church,  and  was  installed  Jan. 
2(5,  1828,  by  the  Presbytery,  which  met  here  for  that 
purpose.  His  salary  was  $400  per  annum.  Mr.  Ag- 
new was  the  son  of  a  prominent  phj'sician  in  Harris- 
liiiri;,  a  ui'adiiate  of  Dickins(m  College,  and  a  licen- 
liale  ol'  ilie  I'le-^livtcry  of  Carlisle.  He  was  a  small 
man  willi  a  \veal<  voice,  a  fine  scholar  and  writer, 
and  read  his  discourses.  He  was  a  good  pastor,  ac- 
cording to  the  testimony  of  those  now  living  who 
remember  him,  and  as  the  sessional  records  indicate. 
Towards  tile  close  of  liis  labors  here  he  hardly  came 
n|>  to  the  staiidanl  of  orthodoxy  of  that  day,  espe- 
cially because  he  was  thought  to  make  salvation 
depend  too  largely  on  the  hiiiiian  will.  At  the  time 
of  the  disruption,  in  1No>;,  :\lr.  Agnew  united  with 
the  New  School  branch  of  the  church. 

Mr.  .\i;iiew  ie>ii;iieil  here  in  1831,  chiefly  on  account 
of  ill  health,  and  at  once  accepted  the  chair  of  Lan- 
gua.iies  ill  Washington  College,  and  was  dismissed  to 


UNIONTOWN    BOllOUGH. 


327 


a  professor  for  a  short  time  in  Micliigan  University ; 
conducted  a  Ladies'  Seminary  at  Pittsfield,  Mass. ; 
became  editor  of  the  Eclectic  Ifigaziiie  in  New  York ; 
also  taught  in  a  female  seminary  near  Cincinnati, 
and  died  several  years  since  at  his  home  on  the  Hud- 
son River.  During  his  residence  in  Uniontovvn  he 
married  Miss  Taylor,  of  Brooklyn.  She  was  an 
estimable  lady,  earnestly  desiring  to  aid  her  husband 
in  his  work. 

In  1831  l)egan  the  longest  pastorate  of  this  history, 
that  of  Kev.  Joel  Stoneroad.  Another  peculiarity  of 
his  pastorate  is  that  it  followed  immediately  upon 
that  of  Mr.  Agnew,  without  the  intermission  of  a 
single  Sabbath.  Mr.  Stoneroad  was  ordained  and 
installed  here  Dec.  14,  1831,  by  the  Presbytery,  on  a 
salar}'  of  $500,  in  regard  to  which  sum  he  says,  "  Al- 
though it  now  appears  small,  it  is  to  be  remembered 
all  other  things  were  in  proportion." 

Mr.  Stoneroad  was  born  Jan.  2,  1806,  in  Mifflin 
County;  graduated  at  Jefferson  College  in  1827,  and 
at  Princeton  Seminary  in  1830.  He  labored  as  a 
domestic  missionary  for  some  months  at  Morgan- 
town,  and  without  his  own  solicitation  or  expectation 
was  invited  to  preach  as  a  candidate  here.  Unwilling 
to  violate  his  engagements  with  the  board,  the  propo- 
sition was  made  and  accepted  to  preach  here  every 
alternate  Sabbath.  After  being  substantially  on  trial 
for  six  months,  a  unanimous  call  was  made  out  for 
his  entire  time  here. 

Mr.  Stoneroad's  labors  within  these  bounds  were 
singularly  blessed,  and  his  pastorate  of  ten  and  a  half 
years  was  marked  by  an  average  admission,  on  exam- 
ination, of  twelve  persons  a  year.  He  resigned  this 
charge  April  14,  1842,  because  of  the  impression  that 
he  could  be  more  useful  elsewhere.  He  went  from 
here  to  the  Cross-Roads  Church  in  Washington 
County,  and  after  a  sojourn  of  eight  years  there  was 
called  to  the  churches  of  Laurel  Hill  and  Tyrone.  In 
1861  this  charge  was  divided,  and  Mr.  Stoneroad  took 
the  church  of  Laurel  Hill  alone,  where  he  still  labors 
with  a  zeal  and  energy  beyond  his  strength.  While 
in  Uniontown  he  was  regarded  as  an  orthodox 
preacher,  and  was  a  diligent  pastor,  and  he  deserves, 
as  we  believe  he  has,  the  esteem  of  this  church  "  for 
his  work's  sake."  Revs.  Wylie,  Agnew,  and  Stone- 
road all  went  from  here  to  Washington  Presbytery. 

The  Rev.  Andrew  Ferrier,  D.D.,  the  only  doctor  of 
divinity  who  has  ever  labored  in  this  church,  came 
here  as  supply  by  the  appointment  of  Presbytery  in 
1842.  He  was  a  minister  of  the  United  Secession 
Church,  Scotland,  a  member  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Glasgow,  but  came  here  more  directly  from  the  Pres- 
bytery of  New  York.  On  the  29th  of  November, 
1842,  Dr.  Ferrier  was  installed  as  pastor  here  on  a 
salary  of  $500. 

He  was  a  man  of  decided  ability,  and  preached  fine 
old  orthodox  sermons  ;  but  his  Scotch  brogue  made  it 


difficult  for  many  of  the  people  to  understand  him. 
He  read  his  sermons  from  phonograjihic  notes.  Dr. 
Ferrier  resigned  his  charge  here  Aug.  6,  1844,  and 
crossed  to  the  Scotch  Church  in  Canada,  and  of  his 
subsequent  history  we  have  no  information. 

In  1845,  on  the  26th  of  June,  the  Rev.  Griffith 
Owen  was  installed  here  on  a  salary  of  $500.  He 
was  a  zealous,  whole-souled,  off-hand  Welshman,  a 
good  pastor,  and  a  very  good  preacher  whenever  he 
applied  himself.  He  was  noted  for  his  itinerancy, 
both  in  preaching  and  visiting  from  house  to  house. 

He  resigned  here  Nov.  11, 1847,  being  called  to  the 
Third  Presbyterian  Church  of  Baltimore,  thence  re- 
moving to  Philadelphia,  where,  after  laboring  a  few 
years,  he  died. 

The  Rev.  Moses  Allen  Williams  was  installed  pas- 
tor of  this  church  Nov.  20,  1849,  on  a  salary  of  $500. 
He  labored  here  as  stated  supply  from  February  until 
this  date. 

He  was  the  son  of  a  ruling  elder  in  the  Mingo  con- 
gregation, and  was  born  Sept.  20,  1811.  He  was  partly 
educated  for  the  ministry  by  the  donation  of  a  sum  of 
money  for  this  purjjose  by  the  great-grandmother  of 
one  of  the  present  members  of  this  church.  He  is 
the  brother  of  Dr.  Aaron  Williams,  a  well-known 
minister,  now  living  near  the  city  of  Pittsburgh.  He 
resigned  his  charge  here  in  1852. 

Mr.  Williams  was  a  godly  man  and  an  excellent 
pastor,  but  only  a  moderate  preacher.  He  wrote  all 
his  sermons  out  at  length  and  read  closely,  claiming 
it  was  impossible  for  him  to  speak  without  notes,  or 
even  commit  his  discourses.  The  following  informa- 
tion is  condensed  from  a  letter  received  in  October, 
1876,  from  Mr.  Williams,  who  was  then  preaching  at 
Jacksonville,  Oregon  : 

"After  leaving  T'niontown  I  went  to  South  Amer- 
ica, and  livc(l  ilnci'  years  in  Valparaiso,  Chili.  I  left 
Valparuisii  in  thr  lull  of  1856,  arriving  in  San  Fran- 
cisco after  a  delightful  voyage  of  forty-two  days.  In 
December  I  crossed  Washington  Territory  by  a  trail 
through  dense  forests  until  I  arrived  at  Cowlitz 
Landing,  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Cowlitz 
River.  In  the  spring  of  1857  I  was  engaged  by  the 
secretaries  of  the  board  to  explore  for  the  cause  of 
home  missions.  I  preached  in  Sacramento  awhile, 
organized  a  Presbyterian  Church  in  Napa  City,  and 
made  my  way  north  through  California  to  Red  Bluff's 
and  Shasta,  thence  by  mule-back  over  high  ranges 
of  mountains,  almost  buried  sometimes  in  the  deep, 
melting  snows,  and  brought  up  at  Yreka,  in  Shasta 
Valley,  and  explored  and  preached  all  over  Scott's 
and  Shasta  Valleys. 

"  I  organized  a  Presbyterian  Church  in  Jackson- 
ville, returned  in  the  fall  over  the  mountain  ranges, 
through  deep  snows,  to  San  Francisco,  revisited  Sac- 
ramento and  Napa  City,  and  near  the  latter  place 
married  one  of  the  best  and  handsomest  women  the 


328 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Lord  ever  made.  In  the  fall  of  1858  I  returned  to 
Roger's  River  "Valley,  where  I  have  been  laboring 
ever  since.  I  scarcely  ever  see  the  face  of  a  Presby- 
terian niiiiistei-.  TJiis  valley  is  surrounded  with  liiLih, 
grand  inountairis,  an<l  possesses  the  tinr^i  rlimaii.  in 
the  wijilil.  1  am  sixty-five  years  of  aire,  and  can  lidi- 
all  day  alnmst  as  well  as  ever.  Uuiontown  was  tecli- 
nically  my  first  and  last  pastoral  charge." 


In 


;a;!,  A,.: 
d   as   ,K 


27th,  the  Rev.  James  H.  Callen  was 
)r,  on  a  salary  of  $500.  He  was  an 
Trislinnin,  witli  a  pleasant  manner  in  conversation. 
]lis  disciiursrs  were  brief,  finished  in  a  bright  style, 
and  were  always  read  with  a  fair  delivery.  As  a  pas- 
tor he  was  ordinary.  He  was  a  man  of  medium 
height,  with  a  L^mid  appearance  in  the  pulpit.  He 
gave  fair  satislaetiun  during  his  pastorate,  and  re- 
signed April  lu,  l.sr)5,  because  he  received  a  call  to  a 
church  in  the  East,  which  region  seemed  to  be  more 
congenial  to  himself  and  family.  A  note  received 
from  Mr.  Callen,  now  (1876)  an  evangelist  in  Brook- 
lyn, having  received  the  title  of  D.D.  since  leaving 
here,  says,  "  I  cannot  recall  any  facts  now  which 
would  be  worthy  of  note." 

The  Rev.  William  Furguson  Hamilton  was  installed 
pastor  May  13, 1856,  having  served  the  church,  under 
call,  from  October,  1855,  to  that  time.  His  pastorate 
was  the  second  iu  length  of  any  in  the  history  of  this 
church. 

Mr.  Hamilton  was  born  in  Washington  County, 
graduated  at  Washington  College  in  1844,  at  the  age 
of  twenty,  studied  theology  at  the  Western  Theologi- 
cal Seminary,  was  licensed  by  the  Presbytery  of  Ohio 
in  1849,  and  ordained  and  installed,  in  1850,  pastor  of 
Centre  Cluirch,  near  Canonsburg,  wdiere  he  labored  a 
little  over  two  years. 

Mr.  Hamilton  was  a  man  of  far  more  than  average 
talents  and  ability.  He  was  a  fine  writer,  with  a 
keen,  pointed  style.  He  usually  wrote  and  read  his 
discourses.  He  had  a  hesitancy  in  his  delivery  some- 
what unpleasant  to  the  ear,  and  which  slightly  dimin- 
ished the  effect  of  his  sermons.  He  was  regarded  as 
a  better  preacher  than  pastor.  Mr.  Hamilton  re- 
signed his  work  here  May  31,  1866,  after  a  pastorate 
often  years.  In  1868  he  took  charge  of  the  churches 
of  Salem  and  Livermore.  in  the  Blairsville  Presby- 
tery, and  labored  there  with  acceptance  for  seven 
years.  He  then  resigned,  resided  in  Blairsville  a 
short  time,  and  thence  removed  to  Washington,  act- 
ing as  stated  supply  to  the  Mount  Pleasant  Church, 
and  also  as  Professor  of  Intellectual  Philosophy  and 
Ethics  in  the  college. 

From  the  time  of  Mr.  Agnew  until  that  of  Mr. 
Hamilton  the  minister's  salary  was  $500  per  annum. 
Mr.  Hamilton  was  called  upon  a  salary  of  $600,  which 
was  subsequently  raised  to  $800,  owing  to  the  in- 
creased price  of  living  during  the  war. 

The  Rev.  Walter  W.  Ralston  was  installed  pastor 


of  this  church  April  28,  1867,  on  a  salary  of  $1200, 
iu  quarterly  payments  in  advance.  The  congrega- 
tion also  paid  his  house-rent  during  his  residence 
here.  He  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  a  graduate  of  Jeffer- 
son College  and  Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  and 
was  called  here  from  his  first  charge  at  Churcliville, 
Md.  He  was  a  good  preacher,  with  an  excellent, 
melodious  voice,  and  fine  appearance  and  manner  in 
the  pulpit.  He  usually  read  his  discourses.  He  was 
a  fair  pastor.     He  resigned  his  charge  here  Oct.  1, 

1873,  on  account  of  a  call  to  the  church  of  Xenia, 
Ohio,  which  gave  him  a  larger  support  than  he  was 
receiving  here,  and  which  he  believed  would  furnish 
him  a  little  relief  in  ministerial  labor.  He  left  Xenia 
in  1875,  for  a  short  time  acted  as  financial  agent  for 
Washington  and  Jefferson  College,  and  in  1876  ac- 
cepted a  call  to  the  church  of  Bridgewater. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  S.  Gilson  was  born  Oct.  28,  1843, 
in  Westmoreland  County,  graduated  at  Washington 
and  Jefferson  College  in  1866,  at  the  Allegheny  Theo- 
1  logical  Seminary  in  1869,  and  took  a  fourth  year's 
I  course  at  Union  Theological  Seminary,  New  York. 
He  preached  two  summers  at  Garrison's,  on  the  Hud- 
son. He  was  called  to  Bowling  Green,  Ky.,  April  1, 
1871,  and  after  laboring  there  precisely  three  years, 
was  called  to  Uuiontown  and  installed  pastor  May  1, 

1874.  Rev.  J.  P.  Fulton  presided  and  preached  the 
sermon.  Rev.  J.  M.  Barnett  delivered  the  charge  to 
the  pastor,  and,  by  special  invitation.  Dr.  George 
Hill,  of  Blairsville,  the  charge  to  the  people.  Mr. 
Gilson  resigned  his  work  here  in  June,  1879.  The 
Rev.  A.  S.  Milholland,  the  next  and  present  pastor, 
was  installed  June  15,  1880. 

There  have  been  few  elders  in  this  church,  but,  with 
[  two  or  three  exceptions,  they  were  able  and  excellent 
men,  devoted  to  the  solemn  duties  of  their  office. 
That  they  were  efficient  and  useful,  especially  in  giv- 
!  ing  advice  and  administering  discipline,  is  the  testi- 
mony of  former   pastors  and  of  the  records  of  the 
I  church.     In   discipline   their    patience   and  wisdom 
I  were  wonderful. 

I  At  the  first  meeting  of  the  session  of  which  there  is 
;  any  record  the  only  business  attended  to  was  a  case 
I  of  discipline,  the  charge  being  improper  conduct  and 
the  use  of  profane  lauLruaiie  towards  a  citizen  of  this 
town.  There  is  im  rrruid  ..l' any  other  meeting  of  the 
session  during  the  year  Isiii'i.  In  1829  a  serious  case 
of  discipline  came  up,  when  a  member  of  the  church 
was  tried  for  inhumanity  to  a  negro.  This  case  was 
promptly  and  prayerfully  prosecuted,  and  the  long 
and  full  record  assures  us  of  the  wisdom  and  piety  of 
the  first  session  of  this  church. 

From  this  time  on,  for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  a  case 
or  more  of  discipline  was  under  consideration  at  al- 
most every  meeting  of  the  session.  Some  of  these 
were  exceedingly  difficult  to  manage,  and  two  or 
three  are  as  complicated  and  mysterious  as  ever  come 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH 


329 


before  the  civil  courts.  The  charges  are  for  all  kinds 
of  offenses:  for  profanity,  drunkenness,  improper 
conduct,  unbecoming  language,  slander,  imposing  a 
wrong  ticket  on  a  voter,  neglecting  the  ordinances  of 
religion,  and  for  other  sins.  In  those  early  days  the 
elders  frequently  brought  about  reconciliations  and 
adjusted  differences  which  in  modern  times  are  more 
apt  to  find  their  way  into  the  civil  courts.  A  remark- 
able thing  is  that  in  almost  every  instance  the  accused  j 
was  found  either  wholly  or  partially  guilty.  Very 
many  members  of  this  church  became  subject  at  some 
time  or  other  to  discipline. 

It  is  quite  certain  that  at  least  some  of  the  offenses 
committed  in  the  earlier  history  of  this  church  by  the 
professed  followers  of  Christ  are  not  committed  now. 
Still,  in  those  days  there  were  many  godly  men  and 
women  who  walked  spiritually  minded,  in  an  orderly 
way,  and  brought  no  reproach  upon  the  cause  of 
Christ. 

The  session  of  this  church  has  always  been  prompt, 
when  occasion  required,  to  express  its  judgment  on 
doctrinal  and  moral  subjects.  In  1834  the  following 
resolution,  appropriate  to  an  agitation  then  in  pro- 
gress, was  adopted  : 

"Unanimously  Eeso/fed,  That  this  session  believes 
that  genuine  revivals  of  religion  are  not  the  results 
of  human  devices,  but  of  the  plain,  practical,  and 
zealous  preaching  of  gospel  truth,  of  which  truth  we 
believe  our  standards  contain  an  admirable  summary,  j 

"  Resolved,  That  common  honesty,  to  say  nothing  of  i 
Christian  sincerity,  requires  that  those  who  do  not  l)e- 
lieve  the  Confession  of  Faith  in  the  plain,  obvious, 
and  common-sense  construction  of  its  doctrines  ' 
should  at  once  candidly  declare  their  opinions  and 
withdraw  from  the  communion  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church." 

The  session,  by  its  declarations  and  discipline,  has 
uniformly  lifted  up  its  voice  against  intemperance  and 
its   causes.     In   1833    this    resolution   was   adopted, 
"That  this  session  is  fully  persuaded  that  the  use  of  [ 
ardent  spirits  as  a  drink  is  a  great  evil  and  crying  { 
sin,  and  we  are  convinced  that  every  pursuit  which  j 
tends  directly  to  perpetuate  the  evil  or  throw  obstacles  , 
in  the  way  of  its  suppression  is  immoral,  and  we  be-  • 
lieve  it  to  be  the  duty  of  the  Chunli  at  larye  to  avoid 
all  participation  in  the   guilt   of    its   continuance."  ! 
Forty-three  years  afterwards,  in  1876,  the  session  ex- 
pressed the  meaning  of  this  resolution  in  more  ex- 
plicit terms,  and  "  Affirm  their  conviction  of  the  cen- 
surable complicity  in  the  guilt  of  the  traffic  in  intox- 
icating liquors  on  the  part  of  those  who  knowingly 
rent  their  property  for  such  purpose  or  indorse  licenses 
that  legalize  it,  and  we  affectionately  admonish  the 
members  of  this  church  to  commit  no  offense  of  this 
kind."     In  1868  the  session  unanimously  adopted  a 
long  and  able  paper  on  the  subject  of  worldly  amuse- 
ments, admonishing  the  people  against  dancing,  card- 
playing,  and  theatre-going. 


Up  to  1830  only  those  were  admitted  to  the  com- 
munion-table who  had  tokens,  but  in  that  year  the 
custom  was  unanimously  abolished.  In  the  same  year 
it  was  resolved,  "  That  those  persons  who  move  within 
our  bounds  from  other  churches  and  fail  to  obtain 
their  letters  of  dismission  within  six  months  should 
be  refused  the  privileges  of  the  church."  The  pastor 
was  frequently  requested  by  the  session  to  preach 
upon  particular  subjects,  especially  Sabbath  obser- 
vance and  family  worship.  During  the  pastorate 
of  Mr.  Agnew  the  congregation  was  districted  for 
quarterly  visits,  "The  whole  care  of  the  country 
members  to  be  left  to  the  pastor."  It  is  not  stated 
whether  he  chose  this  portion  of  the  field  because  it 
was  most  pleasant,  or  because  it  needed  especial  over- 
sight. Until  1837  the  session  is  said  to  meet  in  the 
"meeting-house,"  about  which  time  there  is  a  gradual 
transition  to  the  use  of  the  word  "church."  The 
meetings  of  the  session,  however,  have  been  usually 
held  in  private  houses,  and  almost  always  at  the  home 
of  Mr.  Espy  during  his  residence  in  town. 

In  the  old  session-book  of  this  church  the  first  rec- 
ord, made  in  1S25,  is  signed  by  Joseph  Kibler,  Thomas 
Lewis,  and  S.  Y.  Campbell.  These  men  were  the  first 
elders  of  this  church.  Before  this  date,  when  the 
communion  was  administered  here,  assistance  was 
rendered  by  elders  from  adjoining  churches, — for  in- 
stance, Benjamin  Laughead,  of  the  Tent,  and  Judge 
Finley,  of  Laurel  Hill. 

Joseph  Kibler  is  spoken  of  as  a  godly  and  active 
man.  He  was  diligent  in  tract  distribution  and  Sab- 
bath-school work,  and  was  the  first  agent  of  the  first 
Bible  Society  of  this  county.  He  was  exceedingly 
regular  in  his  duties  as  an  elder,  and  according  to  the 
record  was  only  absent  from  two  or  three  meetings  of 
the  session  until  his  departure  to  Ohio,  Oct.  8,  1832, 
where,  in  the  church  at  Hillsboro',  he  was  a  ruling 
elder  until  the  time  of  his  death. 

Thomas  Lewis  was  regular  in  his  attendance  upon 
the  services  of  religion  in  public  and  private,  and  also 
upon  the  meetings  of  the  session,  and  was  the  stated 
clerk  from  the  beginning  of  the  records  until  March 
27,  1832.  In  1839  he  removed  within  the  bounds  ot 
the  Tent  Church,  still  retaining  his  membership  here 
until  18-11,  until  he  was  dismissed  to  the  Tent  congre- 
gation, within  whose  bounds  he  died,  Dec.  21,  1849, 
aged  sixty-one  years.  S.  Y.  Campbell  appears  to  have 
acted  as  elder  about  two  years,  until  1827. 

In  1829,  September  28th,  John  Kennedy  Duncan 
and  Dr.  Hugh  Campbell  were  ordained  to  the  sacred 
office.  Mr.  Duncan  was  born  and  raised  in  Carlisle, 
admitted  to  this  church  upon  certificate,  and  at  once 
elected  elder,  and  served  faithfully  for  one  year,  and 
was  dismissed  in  1830  to  the  Tent  Church.  Thence 
he  removed  to  Springhill,  thence  to  Iowa  City,  thence 
to  Dubuque,  where  he  died  in  1869. 

October  the  9th,  1825,  is  a  date  long  to  be  remem- 
bered by  this  congregation.     It  was  then  that  the  two 


330 


HISTORr   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


young  men,  Dr.  Hugh  Campbell  and  Nathaniel  Ewing, 
Esq.,  came  for  the  first  time  to  the  Lord's  table.  To- 
gether they  followed  Christ  with  reverence  and  godly 
fear  for  almost  half  a  century.  These  men  were  prop- 
erly regarded  as  the  pillars  of  the  church  in  their  day, 
and  it  is  hardly  possible  now  to  unduly  exalt  their  in- 
fluence as  Christian  citizens.  They  were  also  exceed- 
ingly useful  in  the  higher  courts  of  the  church,  to 
which  they  were  so  frequently  delegates.  Indeed,  it 
came  to  be  said  in  the  Presbytery,  in  regard  to  the 
commissioners  to  the  General  Assembly,  "  It  was  Dr. 
Campbell  one  year  and  Judge  Ewing  the  next." 

Dr.  Campbell  was  stated  clerk  of  the  session  from 
1851  to  1864.  He  was  a  member  of  a  large  family  of 
Scotch  descent,  and  all  Presbyterians.  His  father  was 
a  member  of  this  church,  and  died  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety-five.  Dr.  Campbell  was  born  in  Union- 
town,  May  1,  1795.  In  September,  182.3,  he  married 
Miss  Susan  Baird,  of  Washington,  who  died  in  1824. 
He  married  the  second  time  in  1828,  Miss  Rachel 
Lyon,  of  Carlisle. 

Dr.  Campbell  was  ordained  an  elder  in  this  church 
Sept.  28,  1829.  In  1865  he  was  appointed  warden  of 
the  Western  Penitentiary.  The  following  tribute  was 
prepared  by  his  lifelong  friend,  Nathaniel  Ewing, 
and  otfered  and  adopted  in  the  session :  "  For  more 
than  thirty-five  years  Dr.  Campbell  has  exercised  con- 
tinuously the  office  of  ruling  elder  in  this  church 
with  uniform  acceptance  and  eminent  ability  and 
faithfulness.  During  this  long  period  his  exemplary 
walk,  the  abundance  of  his  benefactions,  exertions, 
and  prayers,  and  his  diligent  and  scrupulous  discharge 
of  official  duty  contributed  largely  to  the  maintenance, 
growth,  and  establishment  of  the  church.  By  the 
eminence  of  his  gifts,  also,  he  was  enabled  to  perform 
effective  service  for  the  general  interests  of  the  Mas- 
ter's cause  by  sitting  on  frequent  occasions  as  a  mem- 
ber in  each  of  the  superior  judicatories." 

Dr.  Campbell  was  a  commissioner  to  several  General 
Assemblies.  He  was  cliosen  principal  delegate  from 
the  Bedstone  Presbytery  in  the  years  1833,  1834,  1835, 
1836,  and  again  in  1847,  1854,  1858,  and  was  an  alter- 
nate nine  times,  and  probably  attended  occasionally 
under  this  appointment.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
famous  General  Asseuiljy  which  met  in  Pittsburgh 
in  1838,  at  the  tiiuc  ni  the  disruption.  A  man  of  far 
more  than  ordinary  ability,  he  made  his  influence  felt 
in  that  body.  During  a  ilisiussion  ],,■  ain-r  and  made 
a  remark  or  two  which  attiactcd  atiriiii(,ii.  Some 
Doctor  of  Divinity  combed  him  a  lilth'.  and  wanted 
to  know  who  is  "This  youuir  David.'"  The  doc- 
tor arose  and  said,  "I  am  a  very  hiuulile  IClder  from 
a  very  humble  church  and  a  very  humble  Presbytery, 
but  I  thank  God  I  have  the  same  rights  on  this  floor 
as  the  most  learned  Doctor  of  Divinity  or  the  greatest 
lawyer  here."  He  then  jiroceeded  to  scnie  Iiis  unfor- 
tunate antagonist  in  a  speech  of  wondei  lul  l;ri  uims.-,, 
which  electrified  the  Assembly.  By  tlic  apixdiitiiinit 
of  the  General  Assembly,  he  represented  the  I'resiiy- 


terian  Church  of  this  country  in  the  Scotch  Assembly 
at  Edinburgh  in  1869,  passing  that  year  traveling  in 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland. 

He  was  an  excellent  and  impressive  speaker,  de- 
bater, and  orator.  In  the  judgment  of  one  well  quali- 
fied to  give  testimony  on  this  point,  "  He  was  one  of 
the  smoothest  and  most  pleasant  speakers,  in  his  best 
days,  I  have  ever  heard.  The  words  fell  from  his  lips 
like  oil."  His  addresses  on  the  subject  of  temperance 
were  very  eloquent.  Dr.  Campbell  was  a  man  of  great 
will  power,  and  it  was  not  safe  to  come  in  his  way 
where  right  and  morality  were  involved. 

In  1868  he  again  took  up  his  residence  in  Union- 
town,  although  he  never  again  resumed  his  duties  as 
elder  here.  He  died  in  this  place  Feb.  27,  1876,  con- 
tinuing to  the  close  of  his  life  to  take  a  deep  interest 
in  the  prosperity  of  the  church  and  in  the  public  wor- 
ship of  God.  He  was  rarely  absent  from  the  sanctu- 
ary or  the  prayer-meeting,  and  was  a  man  of  remark- 
able felicity  in  prayer.  He  was  a  close  student  of  the 
Bible  all  his  life,  and  a  few  days  before  his  death  he 
incidentally  told  his  pastor  that  he  had  recently  com- 
jdeted  reading  the  Bible  through  for  the  sixth  time. 
His  faith  was  strong  to  the  end,  and  he  died  triumph- 
ant in  Christ.  Among  his  last  words  were,  "  I  feel  it 
is  by  the  Grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am."  Almost 
the  last  words  he  wrote  are  worthy  of  record,  not  only 
because  of  their  intrinsic  excellence,  but  because  they 
j  manifest  the  character  of  the  man.  "  I  have  always 
disapproved  of  the  display  and  extravagance  of  mod- 
'  ern  funerals  as  being  useless  for  the  dead,  and  in  many 
1  instances  excessively  burdensome  to  the  living,  and 
tempting  such  as  cannot  afford  it  to  follow  the  example 
of  those  who  can.  It  looks  to  me  like  aping  those 
who  occupy  high  places  in  the  world.  As  a  matter 
of  wordly  policy,  it  may  be  well  for  kings  and  others, 
but  it  is  very  unbecoming  for  the  humble  Christian. 
Possibly  my  example  may  have  a  good  influence  on 
others.     Let  it  be  tried." 

On  Christmas-day,  1831,  Mr.  Hugh  Espey  was 
elected  elder  in  this  church,  and  received  by  the  ses- 
sion as  one  of  its  members.  He  was  stated  clerk  from 
March,  1832,  until  1851.  Mr.  Espey  was  born  Sep- 
tember, 1792,  within  the  bounds  of  Tyrone  Church, 
where  lie  madr  a  jirofession  of  religion  at  an  early 
age.  About  1812  he  removed  to  Eising  Sun,  Ind., 
and  at  the  organization  of  the  church  there  in  1816 
was  ordained  a  ruling  elder.  On  account  of  poor 
health  he  returned  to  Pennsylvania  in  1822,  and  died 
at  his  home  here  on  Christmas-day,  1852.  He  was  a 
most  excellent  man,  and  is  remembered  with  great 
affection  by  many  persons  still  living.  For  twenty 
years  he  served  the  Master  here  faithfully  as  a  Chris- 
tian and  an  oflice-bearer  in  the  church  of  God,  and 
as  stated  clerk  of  the  session. 

In  1833,  February  3d,  Nathaniel  Ewing,  Esq.,  was 
ordained  to  the  oflice  of  elder  in  this  church  bv  the 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


331 


l>asl(ir,  Rev.  Joel  Stoneroad.  Feb.  8,  1833,  he  first 
actnl  as  a  member  of  the  session,  and  continued  to 
CXI  rcise  the  functions  of  the  sacred  office  until  re- 
in..vud  by  death,  Feb.  8,  1874,  in  the  eightieth  year 
hI  Ills  age,  and  precisely  the  forty-first  of  his  service 
:i~  I  liler.  Judge  Ewing,  in  1822,  married  Jane  Ken- 
111  'l\ ,  the  second  daughter  of  the  late  Judge  Keu- 
lu  .ly,  a  most  estimable  lady,  who  died  in  1825.  She 
ua-.  the  mother  of  Jolin  Kennedy  Ewing,  one  of  the 
piTseut  elders  of  this  church.  In  1830  he  married 
Ann  Lyon,  daughter  of  the  late  Rev.  David  Denny, 
ol  ( 'liambersburg. 

When  a  young  man  Mr.  Ewing  cordially  em- 
lii:;c  (d  the  doctrines  and  order  of  the  Presbyterian 
<  liiiicli.  He  was  baptized  in  June,  and  communed 
ill  I  irtober,  1825.  In  a  few  years  he  was  elected  and 
.'ilaiiicd  elder,  and  the  period  of  his  service  in  this 
'illirr  was  longer  than  that  of  any  other  man  who 
ha-  licen  an  elder  here.  He  received  an  unusual  com- 
IiliiiK/nt  in  the  meetings  of  the  session  at  his  house 
win  n,  by  reason  of  sickness,  he  was  confined  to  his 
liniiH',  and  the  remainder  of  the  session  felt  the  great 
iiiiportance  of  his  counsel. 

lie  was  frequently  a  member  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly, being  elected  principal  delegate  from  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Redstone  in  1836,  1837, 1839,  and  1850,  and 
alternate  six  times.  In  the  higher  courts  of  the 
church,  his  legal  attainments  enabled  him  to  expound 
ecclesiastical  law  satisfactorily,  and  he  acquired  great 
influence  over  the  Assembly.  Perhaps  the  most  im- 
portant service  of  this  kind  ever  rendered  was  a  re- 
port which  he  made  on  the  decision  of  Judge  Rodgers, 
of  the  Nisi  Prius  Court  at  Philadelphia,  against  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  This  report  is  recorded  in  full 
in  the  large  minute-book  of  the  Presbytery,  covering 
six  pages. 

Judge  Ewing  acquired  large  wealth,  and  gave  lib- 
erally to  the  Lord,  without  letting  his  right  hand 
know  what  the  left  did.  As  an  illustration  of  his 
quiet  way  of  contributing  to  the  Lord's  cause,  in 
1866  he  gave  $1000  to  the  Board  of  Education,  and 
his  contribution  was  not  known  even  by  the  members 
of  his  own  family  until  some  years  afterwards.  He 
gave  his  benefactions  while  he  lived,  and  was  per- 
sonally attentive  to  the  wants  of  the  poor  of  this  com- 
munity who  were  brought  to  his  notice.  To  the  very 
close  of  his  life  there  was  no  apparent  weakening  of  his 
powerful  intellect.  Up  to  within  ten  day- <.f  lii- ili'aih 
his  opinion  on  a  principle  of  civil  or  ocrlr-ia-i  iial  law 
might  have  been  relied  upon.  In  the  last  hmir  •>(  his 
life  he  seemed  to  realize  that  God  was  the  strength  of 
his  heart  and  his  eternal  portion.  On  a  Sabbath 
morning  he  quietly  breathed  his  last  on  earth  and 
began  his  eternal  Sabbath  in  heaven. 

William  Redick  and  Charles  Brown  were  ordained 
elders  Feb.  3,  1833,  by  the  Rev.  Joel  Stoneroad.  Mr. 
Redick  served  as  elder  until  1856,  when  he  removed 
to  the  State  of  Illinois.  He  was  born  in  Venango 
County  in   1799.     He  was  a  good  man,  and  served 


here  with  acceptance  to  the  people.  Mr.  Brown 
ceased  to  act  as  elder  by  his  own  desire  and  the  will 
of  the  congregation  and  session.  He  left  here  in 
1848. 

In  1845,  on  the  13th  of  January,  David  Veech  was 
elected  elder  here.     He  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent, 
,  born  in  this  county  June  6,  1781.     He  removed  to 
j  Greene  County  in  1812,  and  was  ordained  elder  in 
j  the  New  Providence  Church.      In   1832   he   settled 
'  within  the  bounds  of  the  Dunlap's  Creek  Church,  and 
served  as  elder  there.     In  1839  he  came  to  Union- 
town.    He  served  faithfully  and  acceptably  here  from 
1845  until  1861,  when,  because  of  old  age,  he  was  no 
longer  able  to  attend  the  meetings  of  the  session.    He 
I  held  the  office,  however,  until  his  death  on  the  14th 
of  February,  1866.     Part  of  a  long  resolution  adopted 
by  the  session  at  that  time  states,  "  We  hereby  testify 
our  sense  of  his  Christian  character  and  fidelity  as  a 
ruling  elder  in  the  Church  of  God."     Mr.  Veech  was 
a  good  man,  and  the  memory  of  his  influence  and 
works  is  still  fragrant.     He  was  the  father  of  James 
j  Veech,  Esq.,  who  was  long  a  resident  of  this  com- 
j  munity. 

I  On  the  15th  of  April,  1866,  Simon  B.  Mercer  was 
'  installed,  and  Benjamin  Campbell  installed  and  or- 
1  dained,  elders  in  this  church.  Mr.  Mercer  was  for- 
merly an  elder  in  the  church  of  Bridgewater.  He 
served  here  about  one  year,  and  then  removed  to 
Saltsburg.  Mr.  Campbell  acted  as  stated  clerk  from 
June,  1866,  until  June,  1873.  Mr.  Campbell  was  the 
son  of  Dr.  Hugh  Campbell,  and  still  resides  in  Union- 
town. 

That  this  church  has  informally  existed  for  a  cen- 
tury is  highly  probable  for  reasons  already  assigned. 
The  following  is  the  first  notice  made  of  this  church 
in  the  records  of  the  Presbytery :  "  At  the  meeting 
at  Georges  Creek,  Oct.  11, 1799,  application  was  made 
for  supplies  by  the  vacant  congregation  of  LTnion- 
town,  and  the  Rev.  James  Powers  was  appointed  for 
one  Sabbath  and  Rev.  Samuel  Porter  for  another." 

In  the  old  session  book   of  this  church  the  first 
record  is  made  in  1825,  and  states,  over  the  signatures 
of  the  first  three  elders  :  "  In  making  out  the  report 
of  the  L^niontown  congregation,  we  have  given  it 
according  to  the  most  correct  information  we  could 
collect,  as  the  congregation  was  never  organized  until 
the  24th  of  February  last."     One  item  of  the  report 
referred  to  is,  "  Total  in  communion  before  the  or- 
ganization of  the  congregation,  unknown."  Dr.  Fair- 
child  preached  here  frequently  about  1825,  and  held 
the  first  election  of  elders  and  organized  the  church. 
The  growth  of  the  church  from  the  earliest  time 
of  which  we  have  any  statistics  has  varied,  and  yet 
in  the  main  been  steadily  onward.   In  1825  the  mem- 
bership was  fifty-three  persons,  of  whom  only  one  is 
,  now  (1876)  living, — Mrs.  Sarah  Dawson,  of  Browns- 
I  ville.     Of  these  members,  forty-two   were   women. 
'  There  were  about  one-fourth  as  many  men  as  women: 
Beginning  with  the  year  1826,  the  roll  of  members 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


runs  iis  fnllnw>:  (iO,  f,l.  fiO,  77,  81,  86.  Beginning 
with  1832.  till'  lir-t  vimi'  oi' Mr.  Stoneroad's  pastorate, 
during  tlie  ten  yiar>  nf  his  hibors  here,  the  member- 
^^llip  i^^  as  follows:  1U8,  !:«,  170,  18G,  215,  217,  240, 
201,  206,209,157. 

In  regard  to  this  period  it  should  be  observed  that 
the  large  increase  was  reached  by  the  reception  of 
many  who  lived  at  Mount  Washington  and  Peters- 
burgh  and  Sandy  Creek,  and  indeed  but  few  were  re- 
ceived from  the  congregation  here.  The  largest  addi- 
tion the  church  has  ever  received  in  one  year  was  at 
the  beginning  of  Mr.  Stoneroad's  labors,  when  there 
were  forty-eight  added.  The  annual  additions  during 
the  history  of  the  church  vary  from  this  number  down 
to  one,  which  was  the  report  for  the  year  immediately 
preceding  Mr.  Agnew's  ministry.  The  rapid  decrease 
in  the  membership  of  this  church  towards  the  close 
of  Mr.  Stoneroad's  pastorate  was  owing  chiefly  to  the 
organization,  of  the  churches  at  Mount  Washington 
and  Petersburg,  and  also  somewhat  to  the  severS  dis- 
cipline of  the  session.  About  this  period  some  cases 
of  discipline  were  up  at  almost  every  meeting,  the 
ofl'enders  being  chiefly  in  the  mountain  regions.  Dis- 
cipline seems  to  have  been  eventually  the  death-blow 
of  the  Petersburg  Church,   for  it  soon   became  ex- 


Beginning  with  the  year  184.3,  the  roll  of  the  cliurch 
runs  as  follows:  107,  1.00,  141,  149,  154,  1.05,  151,  1.35, 
120,  121,  131,  127,  127,  which  brings  the  report  to  the 
close  of  Mr.  Callen's  pastorate.  In  185C,,  Mr.  Ham- 
ilton took  charge  of  the  eliureli,  and,  beginning-  with 
this  year,  the  report  runs  as  follows  during  the  ten 
years  of  his  labors  here  :  121,  107,  108,  124,  114,  109, 
112,  113,  118,  117,  130.  The  largest  addition  to  the 
church  during  this  [lastorate  w^as  in  tlie  last  year, 
when  tliere  were  tweiity-Tiine  received. 

Beginnin-  witli  1>m;7,  tlie  report  is:  134,  137,  138, 
149,  107,  Mii,  l.'il,  14.^.  It  will  be  noticed  that  during 
two  ])eriods  of  four  years  each  in  the  history  of  the 
church  the  decrease  was  regular.  The  mendiership 
reported  in  1874  was  148,  in  1875  it  was  181,  and  in 
1876,  195.  The  present  membership  of  the  church  is 
203. 

The  five  oldest  members  of  this  church  whose 
names  are  now  upon  the  roll  are  the  following,  given 
in  the  order  in  which  they  united  with  the  church : 

Jlrs.  Elizabeth  Lewis,  received  by  baptism  and 
confession,  June  26,  1825. 

Mrs.  Ann  L.  Ewing,  widow  of  Hon.  Nathaniel 
Ewing,  united  by  certificate,  Nov.  13,  1830. 

Jlrs.  Eliza  AVilson,  united  by  certificate,  Oct.  6, 
1833. 

Mrs.  Catharine  Dicus,  united  by  examination,  Oct. 
6,  18.33. 

Miss  Agnes  Dutton,  united  by  examination,  Aug. 
12,  1836. 

of  the  benevolent  work  of  the  church  in  the  earliest 
times  we  have  no  statistics.    The  first  record  of  a  con- 


tribution is  that  in  1829, — three  dollars  were  given 
for  the  commissioners'  fund.  In  1838,  S325  were  con- 
tributed to  the  general  work  of  the  church  ;  in  1842, 
$160 ;  in  1843,  S66  ;  and  in  1845,  S440,  and  in  1849, 
S102.  These  are  the  only  statistics  recorded  in  the 
session-book  up  to  1850.  For  the  last  quarter  of  a 
century  the  statistics  are  quite  full,  being  given  an- 
nually. The  figures  just  cited  furnish  a  very  good 
idea  how  the  benevolence  of  the  church  varies  with 
the  most  astonishing  and  unaccountable  irregularity 
until  near  the  present  time. 

The  five  years  in  our  history  that  are  marked  by 
the  highest  contributions  to  the  general  work  of  the 
church  are  the  following:  1866,  S1132,  of  which  was 
the  special  contribution  of  $1000  by  Judge  Ewing; 
1867,  .?1291.  These  two  years  were  during  the  pastor- 
ate of  Mr.  Hamilton.  In  the  year  1872,  of  Mr.  Rals- 
ton's  pastorate,  S1066  were  contributed;  in  1875, 
§1203,  and  in  1876  S1129  were  given  to  the  boards 
of  the  church.  From  1876  to  the  1st  of  May,  1881, 
$13,464  has  been  contributed. 

During  the  period  covered  by  the  statistics  that  are 
quite  full  this  church  has  contributed  as  follows  to 
the  various  causes  which  have  been  presented  :  Home 
missions,  $324o ;  foreign  missions,  .S2942 ;  church 
erection.  $1380  ;  relief  fund,  siiGO;  publication,  $549; 
freedmen,  $247  ;  sustentation,  ?jlS7  ;  miscellaneous, 
$3901  ;  congregation,  $41,00(1,  or  more  than  two-thirds 
of  the  whole.  In  all,  over  $50,000  have  been  given 
according  to  the  statistics,  and  much  has  been  con- 
tributed of  which  there  is  no  record. 

In  February,  1875,  a  missionary  society  on  a  some- 
what extended  scale,  including  the  foreign  work,  was 
organized,  and  in  the  course  of  the  year  attained  a 
membership  of  one  hundred,  and  gave  a  contribution 
of  $100  to  the  foreign  missionary  cause. 

The  following  were  the  ofticers  for  the  first  year; 

President,  Jlrs.  Eleazer  Robinson. 

Vice-Presidents,  Mrs.  8.  S.  Gilson,  Mrs.  Dr.  Fuller, 
Mrs.  Ewing  Brownfield,  Mrs.  M.  M.  Browning,  Mrs. 
^\'illiam  Carothers,  Mrs.  C.  M.  Livingston. 

Secretaries,  Miss  JIary  B.  Campbell,  Mrs.  Susan 
Allison. 

Managers,  Mrs.  Daniel  Kaine,  Mrs.  J.  K.  Beeson, 
Misses  Lizzie  Reynolds,  Sadie  Cope,  Lizzie  Moreland, 
Annie  Williams,  Maggie  Francis,  Lida  Harah,  Laura 
Beeson,  Lou  Hatfield,  Sallie  Gaddis,  and  Sarah  Mc- 
Dowell. 

Treasurer,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Baily. 

The  germ  of  the  Sabbath-school  of  this  church,  the 
first  Sabbath-school  of  Uniontown,  was  a  class  taught 
by  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  AV'illiam  Wylie  in  her  own 
home.  A  school  was  formally  organized  about  1820. 
Dr.  Hugh  Campbell,  who  was  then  present,  is  the 
chief  authority  in  regard  to  the  earliest  history  of  the 
Sabliath--eli.H,l.  Tlje  following  statements  are  from 
a  written  dorument  jirepared  by  himself: 

One  of  the  teachers  at  the  time  of  the  organiza- 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


tion  was  Miss  Elizabeth  Hadden,  "  Betsy"  Hadden, 
as  she  was  called,  who  gave  her  time  incessantly 
to  the  interest  of  the  school,  sometimes  conducting 
it  for  long  periods  entirely  alone,  never  giving  up 
the  school  in  its  darkest  days.  Two  others  of  the 
early  teachers  deserve  especial  notice, — Mr.  John 
Lyon  and  Mr.  John  St.  Clair.  Mr.  Lyon  was  a 
lawyer  of  unusual  ability,  an  orthodox  Presbyterian, 
and  no  ordinary  theologian.  He  was  fond  of  children, 
and  apt  to  teach.  He  died  a  member  of  the  State 
Senate  of  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  St.  Clair  was  the  pro- 
tbonotary  of  the  county.  Few  men  excelled  him  in 
the  imparting  of  knowledge. 

Rev.  William  Wylie  superintended  the  school  until 
his  removal  to  Wheeling.  Col.  Ewing  Brownfield 
still  has  in  his  possession  a  reward-of-merit  card, 
signed  in  their  own  handwriting  by  William  Wylie, 
superintendent,  and  Andrew  Stewart,  secretary. 

After  Miss  Hadden's  death  the  school  was  super- 
intended successively  by  Nathaniel  Ewing,  Joseph 
Kibler,  Ethelbert  P.  Oliphant,  Dr.  Hugh  Campbell, 
W.  H.  Baily,  and  A.  W.  Boyd.  Mr.  Oliphant  was 
elected  superintendent  in  January,  1847,  and  J.  K. 
Ewing,  Esq.,  assistant. 

In  1848,  Dr.  Campbell  was  elected  superintendent, 
and  held  the  office  until  1865,  the  longest  period  of 
service  ever  given  by  one  man.  Up  to  1848  the  aver- 
age annual  attendance  of  scholars  was  about  eighty. 
During  the  period  of  Dr.  Campbell's  superintendency 
the  contributions  to  the  cause  of  missions  were  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty-one  dollars.  The  school  has 
always  been  supported  by  the  church,  and  the  con- 
tributions of  the  children  have  gime  to  the  general 
work. 

The  present  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school 
is  Nathaniel  Ewing ;  average  attendance  of  scholars, 
one  hundred  and  twenty ;  number  of  volumes,  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five. 

William  and  Samuel  Campbell,  sons  of  Dr.  Hugh 
Campbell,  are  the  only  ones  who  have  entered  the 
gospel  ministry  from  this  church. 

Houses  of  Worship. — Before  the  erection  of  a 
church  building  the  congregation  worshiped  in  the 
old  court-house,  which  stood  on  the  site  of  the  pres- 
ent one.  About  the  year  1824  a  church  edifice  was 
begun,  which  after  various  difiiculties  was  finally  com- 
pleted and  dedicated  in  January,  1827.  It  stood  on 
the  public  ground,  near  the  southwest  corner  of  Mor- 
gantown  and  South  Streets,  a  little  south  of  the  site 
of  the  present  town  hall.  It  was  a  plain,  neat  one- 
story  brick,  about  thirty  by  fifty  feet  in  size,  without 
steeple  or  ornament,  with  the  gable  end  fronting 
Morgautown  Street,  and  standing  a  little  back  from 
'  the  street.  There  was  but  one  room,  which  was  sub- 
!  stantially  pewed  in  the  ordinary  manner,  each  slip 
j  having  the  high,  old-fashioned  back  and  rectangular 
lend.  The  building  cost  about  three  thousand  dol- 
I  lars. 
I      On  account  of  objections  which  were  subsequently 


riiised  to  this  occupancy  of  public  ground,  the  lot 
upon  which  the  present  church  stands,  on  the  south 
side  of  Church  Street,  just  at  the  point  of  the  angle 
made  by  its  deflection  northward,  was  purchased  in 
the  year  1836,  and  a  second  building,  considerably 
larger    and    more   pretentious   than    the    first,   was 
erected    thereon.     This    building,   of   which    Elder 
William  Redick  was  the  architect,  contractor,  and 
builder,  stood  a  few  feet  back  from  the  street,  though 
j  not  as  far  as  the  present  building.    It  was  a  two-story 
brick,  with  high  windows'  answering  for  both  stories, 
with  vestibule,  steeple,  and  bell ;  open  on  the  front, 
with  large  wooden  columns  extending  as  high  as  the 
square  and  supporting  the  gable.     The  lecture-room 
on  the  first  floor  was  occupied  in  the  fall  of  1837,  and 
the  audience-room   above   in   the  following  spring. 
'  This  building  cost  about  five  thousand  five  hundred 
',  dollars.    This  structure,  though  sufficiently  large  and 
intended  to  be  imposing,  failed  to  satisfy  the  taste  of 
the  congregation,  and  after  an   occupancy  of  only 
I  some  nineteen  years,  in  April,  1857,  a  fire,  originating 
from  a  stove-pipe,  somewhat  damaged  the  interior. 
This  was  generally  hailed  as  a  pretext  for  erecting  a 
new  church,  and  the  enterprise  was  at  once  set  on 
foot  and  generously  and  heartily  carried  out.     Thus 
the  present  church  edifice  came  to  be  constructed. 
It  was  dedicated  to  God  April  10,  1860.     It  occupies 
nearly  the  identical  spot   covered   by  the  previous 
building.     It  is  forty-seven  by  seventy-five  feet  in 
j  size,  of  brick,  two  stories,  semi-gothic  in  style,  with 
{  a  belfry  surmounted  with  a  spire.     The  walls  and 
'  ceiling  of  the  lecture-room  are  neatly  painted.     The 
I  audience-room  is  handsomely  frescoed.    The  windows 
j  are  of  stained  glass.    The  whole  house  is  lighted  with 
gas.     The  entire  cost,  exclusive  of  the  value  of  the 
I  lot,  was  about  ten  thousand  dollars,  a  sum  much  less 
than  it  would  have  cost  at  any  time  since,  and  the 
economy  of  its  construction  is  largely  because  of  the 
excellent  financial  management  and  close  attention 
of  the  building  committee,  especially  of  J.  K.  Ewing, 
chairman.    The  handsome  and  substantial  iron  fence 
along  the  front  of  the  lot  was  erected  about  1865. 
i  The  material  of  each  of  the  old  buildings,  as  far  as 
I  suitable,  was  used  in  the  construction  of  the  subse- 
quent one,  so  that  at  least  some  of  the  bricks  of  the 
first  edifice  form  a  part  of  the  present  church  building. 
The  memorial  fund  raised  by  the  congregation  was 
set  apart  for  the  construction  of  a  parsonage.     This 
work  was  undertaken  in  September,  1875,  and  com- 
pleted in  September,  1876,  and  stands  as  a  monument 
of  the  centennial  year.     The  erection  of  the  parson- 
age at  a  very  reasonable  cost  is  due  chiefly  to  the 
building  committee,  which  consisted  of  Messrs.  Jasper 
M.  Thompson,  Wm.  H.  Baily,  and  Daniel  F.  Cooper. 
It  is  a  handsome,  commodious,  and  convenient  two- 
story  brick  house,  located  north  of  the  town,  a  few 
feet  outside  the  borough  line.    It  is  situated  on  about 
'  half  an  acre  of  ground,  on  the  west  side  of  Gallatin 
Avenue,  with  a  fine  view  of  landscape  and  mountain 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


scenerv,  and  also  a  good  view  of  the  town.     The  cost     John  Miller. 

Samuel  Hudson. 

of  the  house  alone  was  four  thousand  two  hundred     Marv  McClean. 

Christian  Leehrone. 

dollars.                                                                                     James  Gaddis. 

Catharine  Leehrone. 

Ann  M.  Wood. 

Daniel  Brubaker. 

CUMBERLAND    PRESBYTERI.\N   CHURCH   OF   UNIONTOWN. 

"A  brief  narrative'  of  the  rise  and  organization 
of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  at  Union 
Town,  Peuna.  : 

"  In  that  vast  series  of  events  arising  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  Divine  Providence,  such  events  oc- 
curred as  directed  the  labors  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  missionaries  to  this  place.  In  the  month 
of  I)eccml>er,  1S31,  a  protracted  meeting  was  held  by 
tlie  Rev.  A.  M.  Brien  and  Milton  Bird,  which  con- 
tinuid  tivc  days.  Although  it  commenced  under 
very  iiiau-|.i(ii>us  circumstances,  yet  it  closed  with 
(|uiti'  lav(.ralilc  auspices.  Owing  to  the  numerous 
and  imperious  calls  elsewhere,  another  was  not  held 
until  the  latter  part  of  January,  1832.  A  third  was 
lield  during  the  month  of  February,  both  by  the 
above-named  niiiiisters.  Those  two  last  occasions 
were  iiicna-in-lv  -i-iialized  with  displays  of  Divine 
influence  in  iln-  ■  ,,ii\i(  lion  and  conversion  of  sinners, 
and  in  exiitiiii;  the  attention  of  many  who  had  hith- 
erto been  ilmu-litli  --  tn  serious  reflection  and  decision 
on  the  subjct  ot  Christianity. 

"  A  desire  having  been  and  still  being  expressed 
by  sundry  individuals  for  tlie  formation  of  a  Cumber- 
land Presbyterian  congregation,  and  God  in  his 
in-ovidence  having  opened  an  efl'ectual  door  in  tliis 
borough  and  adjacent  neighborhood,  the  above  de- 
sire was  complied  with  in  the  formation  of  a  Cum- 
berland Presbyterian  congregation  in  1S32.  It  having 
been  manifest  that  such  an  event  would  meet  the 
Divine  approbation,  additions  were  made  from  time 
to  time,  and  on  the day  of ,  1832,  this  con- 
gregation was  regularly  organized,  and  its  narrative 
])roceeds  from  this  date  in  the  records  of  the  session." 

The  names  of  the  original  members  are  not  given 
in  the  record.  The  first  names  that  appear  with  dates 
are  Sabina  Campbell,  Lewis  Marchand,  Sarah  Mar- 
chand,  and  Ann  Maria  McCall,  who  appear  to  have 
been  admitted  as  members  on  the  23d  of  December, 
1832.  The  first  pastor  of  the  church  was  the  Rev. 
Milton  Bird.  The  following  names  are  those  of  per- 
.sons  admitted  to  membership  in  the  church  during 
the  vear  1833 : 


J.an.  20,  1833 : 
Eliza  Minor. 
William  Wood. 
George  Meason. 
Mary  Meason. 
James  Piper. 
Mary  Lewis. 
Margaret  Boyle. 


Nancy  Cannon. 
Matilda  Aldridge. 
David  Campbell. 
William  S.  Cannon. 
Isaac  Beeson. 
Louisa  C.  Beeson. 
Van  Rensselaer  Taylor. 
Ann  Morris. 


Priscilla  Springer. 
Xaucy  Taylor. 
Ann  Dawson. 
.Tane  Todd. 
Samuel  Yarnell. 
Ausley  Gaddis. 
John  McDowell. 
John  Minor. 
Louis  F.  Wells. 
Caleb  AV'oodward. 
Phebe  Woodward. 
Hannah  Johns. 
Perry  Tautlinger. 
Henry  H.  Beeson. 
.\daline  Shelcart. 

April  21,  1833  : 
Xancy  Abrams. 
David  Hess. 
Catharine  A.  Balsinger. 
Hannah  Downard. 
Isaac  Vance. 
Mary  Vance. 
Ruth  Downard. 
Rachel  Downard. 
Charlotte  McClelland. 
Mary  Hess. 
Priscilla  Shotwell. 
Mirah  Whitmire. 
Malinda  Hall. 
William  Scott. 
Juliet  Sealon. 
Elizabeth  Beeson. 
Sabina  Malaby. 
John  Whitmore. 
Conrad  Ritchard. 
Ann  Scott. 
Mary  Scott. 
Elizabeth  Young. 
Mary  Derolfl'. 
:Mary  Sullivan. 

Aug.  4,  1833 : 
Henry  Dougherty. 
I']leanor  Kaine. 

Sept.  l.i,  1833 : 
Mary  Scott. 
Elizabeth  McCormick. 
John  Beatty. 
Ann  Mariah  Beatty. 
Hannah  Wolten. 
Elihu  Gregg. 
Sarah  Law. 
Joseph  Price. 
George  Wiggins. 
John  Jackson. 
Joseph  Rockwell. 


Ephraim  D.  Kellan. 
Lucinda  Payne. 
Jane  Osborn. 
Mary  Dougherty. 
Mary  Snelling. 
John  King. 
James  Collins. 
Jesse  Payne. 
Thomas  Stewart. 
Rebecca  Rager. 
Catharine  Cornell. 
Catharine  Payne. 
Priscilla  Wiggins. 
Elizabeth  Yarnell. 
Nancy  Kean. 
Mordecai  Yarnell. 
Margaret  Bowers. 
Eliza  Dougherty. 
Susan  Roderick. 
Nancy  Carrol. 
Elizabeth  Desmond. 
Sarah  McCubbins. 
John  L.  Dicus. 
John  Lazure. 
Nancy  Holley. 

Sept.  16,  1833: 
Samuel  Swearingen. 
Sarah  Williams. 

Sept.  17,  1833: 
Hannah  Stewart. 
Mary  Fulton. 
John  Blackford. 
Mary  Walker. 
Edward  Richards. 
Susan  Sharrar. 
Mary  McCormick. 
Nancy  Deselms. 

Dec.  21,  1833  :     ' 
Elizabeth  Boyle. 
Elizabeth  Richart. 
Mary  Springer. 
Susan  Bright. 

Dec.  29,1833: 
JIargery  Vanhook. 
Rebecca  Dixon. 
Mary  Collins. 
Jane  McCleary. 
Hannah  Turner. 
Elizabeth  Clark. 
Ann  Carson. 
Elizabeth  Kurtz. 
Thomas  D.  Miller. 
Barbara  Bevier. 

Feb.  23,  1834: 
Jacob  Beeson. 


UNIOiNTOWN   BOROUGH. 


335 


The  first  report  to  tlie  Prosbytory,  in  April,  1833, 
gave  the  membership  as  two  hundred  and  sixteen. 
From  Dec.  28,  1832,  to  April  1,  1833,  thirty-eight 
were  admitted,  leaving  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
eight  who  had  been  admitted  prior  to  the  former  date. 
A  list  of  ruling  elders  is  given  in  the  record  of  the 
church  without  date.  The  names  of  William  Nixon, 
James  Boyle,  and  Joseph  Pennock  appear  before  the 
names  of  Isaac  Beeson  and  William  McQuilken,  who 
were  chosen  June  8,  1833.  At  the  same  time  James 
Piper  was  chosen  clerk.  As  trustees  the  names  of 
Robert  C.  Wood,  Daniel  Kellar,  Isaac  P.  Minor,  and  , 
Dr.  Lewis  Marchand  appear  before  those  of  H.  H. 
Beeson  and  George  Meason,  who  were  elected  Sept. 
30,  1833. 

On  the  11th  of  July,  1833,  at  a  meeting  of  the  male  ; 
members  of  the  congregation,  "  it  was  agreed  that  the 
congregation  hold  a  protracted  camp-meeting  on  the  ' 
farm  of  Brother  William  Nixon,  in  George  township, 
to  commence  on  the  second  Tuesday  of  September  i 
next." 

On  Monday  evening,  Aug.  5,  1833,  the  record  says, 
"  The  congregation  this  evening  held  their  first  meet- 
ing of  monthly  concert  of  prayer." 

"  Tuesday,  Aug.  6,  1833.— The  corner-stone  of  our  . 
church  edifice  in   Uniontown  was  this  day  laid,  in 
which  was  deposited  a  copy  of  the  Old  and   New 
Testaments,  a  copy  of  the  Confession  of  Faith,   an  I 
enrollment  of  the  members'  names  in  communion  with  i 
the  church,  together  with  a  brief  narrative  of  the 
rise  and  organization  of  the  church  in  this  place. 
The  ceremonies  were  closed  with  a  few  pertinent  re- 
marks suited  to  the  occasion  and  prayer  by  the  Rev. 
Brother  Bird."     And  under  date  of  Sept.  13,  1834,  is 
recorded,  "  The  new  church  was  this  day  dedicated  to 
the   use  of  Almighty   God,  an   appropriate   address 
being  delivered  by  the  Rev.  John  Morgan."  I 

The  camp-meeting  proposed  at  the  meeting  on  the 
11th  of  July,  as  before  noticed,  was  held  at  the  place 
designated,  beginning  on  Sunday,  the  l-'ith  of  Sep- 
tember. The  ministers  present  were  the  Revs.  Milton 
Bird,  John  Morgan,  Aston,  Sparks,  and  Wood,  and  a 
icentiate  named  Robinson.  On  the  first  day  of  the 
meeting  twenty-five  persons  were  added  to  the  church, 
of  whom  fourteen  were  baptized.  On  the  second  day  ; 
seventeen  were  examined  and  admitted,  and  on  the 
third  day  eight  more  were  added.  The  meeting  , 
closed  on  the  17th,  having  resulted  in  the  conversion 
of  fifty  persons. 

On  the  18th  of  September,  1833,  a  report  of  the 
condition  of  the  church  was  made  to  the  Presbytery 
at  Washington,  Pa.,  showing  that  the  number  of  per- 
sons added  to  the  church  since  the  1st  of  April  of  the  j 
same  year  was  seventy-eight. 

'  Nov.  4,  1833. — The  congregation,  in  pursuance  of  ' 
the  request  of  the  Pennsylvania  Presbytery  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  this  evening  formed 
a  society  auxiliary  to  the  Presbyterian  Society,  for 
the   more   effectually   extending   the   bounds  of  the 


church  by  building  up  and  supplying  new  and  vacant 
congregations  and  sending  out  missionaries,  to  be 
known  by  the  name  of  the  Union  Town  Congregation: 
Auxiliary  Missionary  Society.  Officers,  George  Mea- 
son, president;  James  Piper,  secretary;  Richard  Bee- 
son, treasurer."  On  the  7th  of  the  same  month: 
"  This  day  the  church  formed  a  Sabbath-school,  the 
following  officers  being  duly  elected :  Isaac  Beeson, 
Dr.  Lewis  Marchand,  and  Robert  C.  Wood,  superin- 
tendents; Archibald  Coulter,  secretary;  William 
McQuilken,  treasurer." 

The  Rev.  Milton  Bird  served  this  church  as  mis- 
sionary till  September,  1834,  when  the  Rev.  John 
Morgan  became  its  pastor.  On  the  15th  of  that 
month,  "  In  pursuance  of  a  public  notice,  the  congre- 
gation met  in  the  church.  Brother  R.  Beeson  ap- 
pointed moderator.  Rev.  Brother  Morgan  stated  the 
object  of  the  meeting,  the  destitute  condition  of  a 
number  of  the  brethren  in  the  region  and  neighbor- 
hood of  Connellsville,  they  having  no  ruling  elder 
among  them.  Lutellus  Lindley  was  nominated  and 
elected.  It  was  resolved  that  this  congregation  give 
their  consent  that  the  Rev.  Brother  Morgan  labor 
one-fourth  of  his  time  in  Connellsville  and  vicinity, 
and  that  one-fourth  of  his  salary  be  secured  to  him  by 
that  people." 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Morgan  continued  as  pastor  until 
1841,  when  he  was  compelled  by  disease  (of  which  he 
died  in  Uniontown  on  the  15th  of  October  in  that 
year)  to  send  in  his  resignation.  On  the  22d  of  June 
in  that  year,  "  By  reason  of  the  ill  health  of  the  pastor, 
the  Rev.  John  Morgan,  the  session  was  directed  to 
wait  upon  the  Rev.  James  Smith,  and  inform  him 
that  it  is  the  desire  of  the  church  that  he  should  as- 
sume the  pastoral  charge,  and  promise  him  a  salary 
of  five  hundred  dollars."  Mr.  Smith's  answer  was 
favorable,  and  on  the  27th  of  July  following  a  formal 
call  was  extended  to  him,  but  for  some  reason  which 
does  not  appear  the  matter  fell  through,  and  on  the 
21st  of  November  a  letter  was  addressed  to  the  Rev. 
Isaac  Shook,  inviting  him  to  the  pastorate.  He  ac- 
cepted the  call,  and  assumed  the  charge  Jan.  1,  1843, 
but  resigned  soon  after.  In  March,  1843,  a  call  was 
extended  to  the  Rev.  J.  T.  A.  Henderson,  who  ac- 
cepted, and  became  pastor  of  this  church  May  15, 
1843. 

The  increase  of  membership  from  1834  to  1842  is 
shown  by  the  reports  made  to  Presbytery  from  time 
to  time,  giving  the  number  of  members  at  different 
dates  as  follows:  April,  1834,  318;  September,  1834, 
342 ;  March,  1835,  391 ;  October,  1835,  425 ;  April, 
1836,  432;  August,  1837,  442;  August,  1838,  494; 
March,  1840,  .504;  April,  1842,  520. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Henderson  remained  pastor  of  the 
church  until  1847,  then  the  Rev.  Milton  Bird  served 
for  a  time  as  a  supply.  The  Rev.  L.  H.  Lowry  suc- 
ceeded as  pastor  on  the  second  Sabbath  of  April, 
1847,  and  held  the  pastorate  at  a  salary  of  four  hun- 
dred dollars  a  year  until  the  spring  of  1849.     About 


HISTOKY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


this  time  the  Rev.  A.  D.  Bryce  frequently  occupied 
the  pulpit  as  a  supply.  On  the  1st  of  July,  1849,  the 
Rev.  Hiram  A.  Hunter  became  pastor,  and  remained 
till  Nov.  1,  1852,  then  came  Rev.  S.  E.  Hudson, 
whose  term  of  service  dates  from  April  1,  1853,  to 
A]iril  1,  1854.  He  was  succeeded  without  an  inter- 
mission by  Rev.  John  Gary,  who  preached  until  Jan. 

Aug.  30,  1858,  a  call  was  extended  to  the  Rev.  Isaac 
N.  Biddle,  who  became  the  pastor  in  November  of 
that  year  at  a  salary  of  $400  per  year  (afterwards  in- 
creased to  $600),  and  remained  till  Aug.  1,  1866, 
when  he  resigned.  He  was  immediately  followed  by 
Rev.  A.  D.  Hail,  who  served  until  May  26,  1869.  A 
year  later,  in  the  spring  of  1870,  Rev.  George  A. 
Flower  accepted  the  pastorate,  whose  functions  he 
discharged  until  his  resignation  in  May,  1872.  Rev. 
J.  H.  Coulter  acted  as  supply  until  February,  1873, 
when  Rev.  Henry  Melville  was  permanently  installed. 
Mr.  Melville  resigned  April  1,  1879,  since  when  the 
church  has  been  without  a  regular  pastor.  Rev. 
Walter  Baugh  is  now  acting  as  supply.  The  mem- 
bership of  the  church  is  now  one  hundred  and  seventy. 

(_)n  the  26th  of  February,  1873,  to  consider  the  pro- 
priety of  erecting  a  parsonage  a  building  committee 
was  ajipointed  to  select  a  location  and  superintend 
the  work  of  building.  A  site  was  selected  on  Red- 
stone Street,  and  a  parsonage  erected  on  it  at  a  cost 
of  $2500. 

The  Sabbath-school  in  connection  with  this  church 
numbers  one  hundred  and  thirty  scholars  and  fifteen 
teachers,  with  James  Hadden  as  superintendent. 

Recently  the  ((.nuiei-'iitinn  have  decided  to  build  a 
new  house  ni'  wmshiii.  The  following  article,  from 
the  Erp,ihr,c<iu  .^fniahird  (if  May  26, 1881,  is  of  interest 
in  its  reference  to  the  demolition  of  the  old  edifice 
and  its  history: 

"The  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  now  un- 
dergoing demolition  on  Church  Street,  was  built  in 
1833  and  dedicated  Sept.  13,  1834.  At  that  time  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  denomination  was  one  of 
the  most  flourishing  in  this  section  of  country.  Last 
week  there  was  found  under  the  pulpit  a  box  contain- 
ing bids,  contracts,  nieipts,  memoranda,  reports, 
etc.,  written  at  the  tinn'  the  ciiurch  was  building. 
They  give  the  price  "I  hilnir  and  material  then,  and 
show  exactly  what  the  church  cost,  which  was,  in- 
cluiling  the  lot,  $3190.79.  These  papers  were  wrapped 
up  in  a  copy  of  the  Cniiiis  of  1835.  The  com- 
mittee a]i|Hiiritr(l  by  the  congregation  to  supervise 
the  Imildiiig  of  tlie  edifice  consisted  of  Isaac  Bee- 
son,  fiicrgr  Mcason,  Dr.  Louis  ;\[archand,  James 
Boyl.-.  ami  .lolm  l)aws..n.  .\iiinii-  tli,.  I. ids  was  the 
followiui;  IVoui  (ienige  I).  S|.>\  .ii-..!!  :  '1  j.ropose  to 
find  all  materials  and  plaster  ycmr  liouse  in  a  good 
and  workmanlike  manner  (with  a  vestibule)  for 
$208,511;  without  vestibule  or  lobby,  for  $187.50.' 
John  Harvey  offered  to  build  tlie  foundation  wall, 
40  bv  60  feet,  tlie  committee  to  find  tlie  materials,  for 


53  cents  a  perch ;  or  find  the  materials  himself  and 
do  the  work  for  $1,561   a  perch.     David  Jones'  bid 
for  the  stone-work  was  $1.87i  per  perch  and  find  the 
materials  himself.     Thomas  Prentice  offered  to  fur- 
nish '  good  stone  for  the  foundation  at  75  cents  a 
perch,  or  stone  raised   at  the  quarry  at  48  cents  a 
j  perch,  the  committee  to  haul  the  same.' 
I       "  Hague  &  Meredith  offered  to  lay  85,950  bricks  for 
$287,781.     Reuben  Hague's  bid  for  the  same  work 
was  to  find  the  lime,  sand,  scaflblding,  tenders  and 
boarding,  and  lay  the  bricks  for  $2.80  a  thousand. 
Joseph   Brashear,   of   Franklin   township,  proposed 
under  the  conditions  laid  down  by  Hague  to  do  the 
j  work  for  $2.75  a  thousand.     Edward  Hyde  wanted 
1  $3.75  a  thousand.     John  P.   Sturgis  and  Benjamin 
;  Riddle  proposed  to  furnish  and  deliver  100,000  bricks 
I  at  $5.50  a  thousand.     James  McCoy  underbid  them 
■  50  cents  a  thousand  and  got  the  contract.     William 
1  Maquilken   offered   to   do   the    painting  for  $37.94. 
Ephraim  McLean  proposed  to  furnish  42  locust  posts, 
4  by  5,  good  butts,  81  feet  long,  at  311  cents  each, 
delivered.     Absalom   White  offered  to  find  all  the 
materials  and  do  all  the  carpenter-work  for  $1240 ;  or 
j  find  no  materials  and  do  the  work  for  $650.     On  his 
consenting  also  to  furnish  the  glass  and  do  the  neces- 
sary priming  his  bid  was  accepted.     Following  is  a 
copy  of  the  report  of  the  committee  appointed  to 
audit  and  close  the  accounts  of  the  building  commit- 
tee: 

"  The  committee  appointed  by  the  congregational 

meeting  held  in  November  last,  for  the  purpose  of 

closing  the  accounts  of  the  building  committee,  met 

at  the  house  of  Isaac  Beeson  on  the  25th  of  Nove 

I  ber,  1835,  and  proceeded  to  an  examination  of  the 

I  accounts  of  said  committee,  as  per  documents  here- 

j  with  inclosed : 

Wefind  that  Isaac  Beeson  has  ]iaid  out $3061. n9 

And  has  received  and  assumed 2702. 7S 

Leaving  a  balance  due  to  Isaac  Beeson,  for  which  we 

gave  him  a  certificate  for 358.31 

Also  a  certificate  to  Hague  &  Meredith  for 25.00 

"             "           William  MoQuilken  for 18.94 

"             "           James  Boyle  for S5.76 

Making  the  cost  of  said  building,  including  lot 3190.79 

Leaving  a  balance  due  from  congregation  to  individ- 
uals   488.01 

"There  remains  uncollected  subscriptions  to  the 
amount  of  $127,291,  which  in  all  probability  cannot 
be  collected. 

"Henry  H.  Beeson, 
"John  Canon, 
"Charles  Peach, 

"  Committee. 

"  Dec.  28,  1835. 

"A  gentleman  who  has  a  retentive  memory  re- 
cently reinarked  to  the  writer  that  to  the  older  resi- 
dents of  the  town  a  considerable  degree  of  interest 
attaches  to  the  old  church.  John  Quincy  Adams 
spoke  there  once.  He  was  on  his  way  back  from 
Cincinnati,  where  he  had  attended  the  laying  of  the 
corner-stone  of  an   observatory,   and   the    jieople  of 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


Uniontown  of  course  gave  the  distinguished  traveler 
a  reception.  The  address  of  welcome  was  delivered 
by  Dr.  Hugh  Campbell,  and  according  to  our  infor- 
mant, brevity  was  not  one  of  its  merits.  Famous  dis- 
cussions on  temperance  and  baptism  also  took  place 
in  the  church.  On  the  former  question  there  was  a 
division  of  opinion  between  the  advocates  of  total 
abstinence  and  teetotal  abstinence,  and  the  wordy 
warfore  was  waged  night  after  night  with  great  vigor 
and  intensity.  One  of  the  speakers  is  remembered 
as  having  declared,  in  the  warmth  of  debate  and  as  a 
presumptuous  advertisement  of  his  own  acquirements 
and  habits,  that  he  knew  more  law  than  Blackstone, 
more  medicine  than  Dr.  Blank,  and  was  more  temper- 
ate than  Christ  himself.  One  of  the  principal  par- 
ticipants in  the  discussion  of  baptism  was  the  well- 
known  Rev.  Dr.  Fairchild.  The  debates  on  this 
subject  were  not  confined  to  the  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian Church,  but  were  held  alternately  in  all  the 
churches  in  town.  When  the  body  of  Col.  Roberts 
was  brought  home  from  Mexico,  where  he  was  killed 
in  battle,  the  funeral  services  were  held  in  the  Cum- 
berland Church." 

METHODIST  PROTESTANT  CHUBCII. 

In  the  fall  of  1830  several  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  of  Uniontown  withdrew  from 
it,  and  at  a  meeting  held  by  them  at  the  court-house 
were  organized  into  a  class  of  the  Methodist  Protestant 
denomination  by  the  Rev.  Zachariah  Hagan.  The 
class  was  composed  of  the  following-named  members,  [ 
viz. :  John  Phillips  and  Polly,  his  wife ;  Joseph  Phil- 
lips, Rebecca  Phillips,  his  wife,  and  Mary  Ann  Phillips, 
their  daughter;  Mary  Lewis  (now  Mrs.  Mary  Clem- 
),  William  Ebbert,  Walter  Ebbert,  Howell  Phil- 
lips, and  his  wife,  Eliza  Phillips. 

In  March,  1840,  a  lot  was  purchased  of  John  Phil- 
ips, located  on  the  corner  of  Bank  Alley  and  Church 
Street,  and  on  this  the  present  brick  edifice  of  the  so- 
ciety was  erected  soon  afterwards.  The  first  preacher 
was  Moses  Scott.  He  was  succeeded  by  James  Rob- 
inson, William  Marshall,  Joseph  Burns,  and  others, 
while  the  society  was  yet  served  by  circuit  preachers. 
The  Rev.  John  Scott  was  appointed  to  the  charge 
when  it  was  first  made  a  station.  Among  others  who 
became  pastors  were  George  McElroy,  George  Brown, 

Ball,  George  Conaway,  William  Wallace, 

Brinnell.  The  church  is  at  present  without  a  pastor. 
Its  membership  is  one  hundred  and  ten. 

ST.  PETER'S  PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

St.  Peter's  Church  edifice  at  Uniontown  was  built 
in  1842,  and  being  furnished  with  temporary  seats 
and  benches  (the  legs  of  which  were  made  of  spokes 
from  old  stage- wheels),  was  opened  and  consecrated  in 
October  of  the  same  year  by  Bishop  Onderdonk.  Be- 
fore that  time  services  were  held  periodically,  first  in 
the  (old)  court-house,  and  next  in  the  Reformed 
Methodist  Church,  the  walls  of  which  the  Episcopa- 


lians plastered,  and  furnished  in  part  with  the  afore- 
said temporary  seats,  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Arnett  officia- 
ting for  the  Episcopalians,  and  continuing  rector  of 
the  parish  till  December,  1844,  when  he  resigned. 
Capt.  John  Sowers  and  Hon.  R.»  P.  Flenniken  were 
at  a  vestry-meeting  held  March  21,  1842,  appointed 
wardens  of  said  St.  Peter's  Church,  then  building, 
and  L.  W.  Stockton,  Daniel  Smith,  Daniel  Huston, 
Dr.  A.  H.  Campbell,  and  William  P.  Wells  were  the 
other  vestrymen.  On  Mr.  Arnett's  resignation  Rev. 
S.  W.  Crampton  accepted  a  call,  but  resigned  in  May, 
1845,  after  which  Mr.  James  Mcllvaine  (then  a  vestry- 
man) held  services  as  lay  reader  once  every  Lord's  Day 
till  March,  1846,  when  Rev.  Norris  M.  Jones  took 
charge  of  the  parish,  and  resigned  in  October,  1848, 
and  in  November  of  the  same  year  Rev.  Mr.  Lawson 
was  appointed  to  the  parish  by  the  bishop  (Potter). 
Rev.  Mr.  Lawson  resigned  in  1849,  and  Rev.  Dr. 
Rawson  had  charge  of  the  parish  till  1851,  when  Rev. 
Theodore  S.  Rumney  succeeded  him,  and  resigned  the 
charge  in  the  fall  of  1855,  when  Rev.  Hanson  T.  Wil- 
coxson  took  charge  of  the  parish,  but  was  compelled  to 
resign  on  account  of  impaired  health  in  November, 
1856,  and  in  July,  1857,  Rev.  Faber  Byllesby  (then  a 
deacon)  took  charge  of  the  parish,  which  he  resigned 
in  October,  1859,  after  which  occasional  services  were 
held  by  Revs.  John  Seithead,  Jubal  Hodges,  and 
others  till  April,  1862,  when  Rev.  R.  S.  Smith  took 
charge  of  the  parish,  of  which  he  is  still  (March, 
1881)  the  rector. 

The  present  vestry  are  Messrs.  Alfred  Howell, 
Judge  Wilson,  James  A.  Searight,  Dr.  A.  P.  Bowie, 
John  N.  Dawson,  George  Morrison,  William  H.  Play- 
ford,  Charles  E.  Boyle,  John  Thorndell,  and  Thomas 
H.  Fenn,  of  which  number  Mr.  Alfred  Howell  and 
Thomas  H.  Fenn  are  the  wardens. 

There  are  eighty-seven  communicants,  eleven  Sun- 
day-school teachers,  and  eighty  Sunday-school  schol- 


For  a  period  of  nearly  thirty-five  years  from  the 
erection  of  the  edifice  of  St.  Peter's  Church,  in  Union- 
town,  there  hung  in  its  tower  an  ancient  bell,  bearing 
the  device  of  a  crown  and  the  date  1711,  it  having 
been  cast  in  England  in  that  year,  during  the  reign 
of  Queeu  Anne,  and  by  her  presented  to  Christ 
Church  of  Philadelphia.  It  was  used  by  that  church 
for  almost  fifty  years,  and  in  1760  was  transferred  to 
St.  Peter's  Church  of  that  city,  where  it  remained 
more  than  eighty  years,  being  displaced  in  1842  by  a 
chime  of  bells  which  had  been  presented  to  that 
church.  At  that  time  St.  Peter's  Church  building  in 
Uniontown  was  about  being  completed,  and  as  the 
congregation  had  no  bell,  it  was  proposed  by  the  sec- 
retary of  this  church,  Daniel  Smith  (who  had  lived  in 
Philadelphia,  and  was  acquainted  with  the  fact  that 
St.  Peter's  of  that  city  had  a  bell  not  in  use)  that  this 
church  should  make  application  for  the  loan  of  it,  to 
be  returned  when  wanted.     The  suggestion  was  acted 


HISTORY    OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ou,  the  application  made,  and  favorably  considered  by 
the  Philadelphia  church,  and  the  bell  given  in  charge 
of  the  Uniontown  church,  under  the  following  agree- 
ment, viz. : 

"  November  28,  VSi'l. — We,  the  undersigned,  com- 
]io.sing  the  Wardens  and  Vestry  of  St.  Peter's  Church, 
Fayette  County,  Pa.,  hereby  covenant,  agree,  and  bind 
ourselves  and  members  of  said  vestrj'  hereafter  to  re- 
turn to  the  vestry  of  St.  Peter's  Church,  Philadelphia, 
at  any  time  they  may  demand  it  a  bell  which  we  have 
asked  of  them  the  favor  of  borrowing  until  such  time 
as  they  ask  the  return  of  it.  [Signed]  John  Sowers, 
H.  V.  Roberts,  M.D.,  Wardens;  W.  P.  Wells,  John 
Dawson,  L.  W.  Stockton,  Daniel  Huston.  Daniel 
Smith,  Sec'y." 

The  bell  was  accordingly  taken  to  Uniontown  and 
used  by  St.  Peter's  Church  for  almost  thirty-five  years 
as  above  stated.  In  1877  the  owners  re(iuested  its  re- 
turn, and  on  Monday,  May  21st  of  that  year,  it  was 
taken  dowu  and  shipped  to  Philadelphia. 

ST.   JOHN'S   CHURCH  (ROMAN   CATHOLIC). 

About  the  year  18.50  a  Eonian  Catholic  house 
of  worship  was  erected  on  Morgantown  Street,  in 
Uniontown.'  The  first  mention  which  is  found  of  its 
congregation  is  in  the  communication  of  the  Rev. 
Malachi  Garvey  in  1856,  when  he  reported  sixteen 
families  and  forty-two  communicants  at  the  Easter 
Communion  in  that  year.  On  the  5th  of  September 
in  the  same  year  Bishop  O'Connor,  of  this  diocese, 
administered  confirmation  to  fifteen  persons. 

In  June,  1881,  the  Uniontown  Mission  and  adja- 
cent districts  were  set  off  as  the  Uniontown  District, 
with  the  Rev.  C.  T.  McDermott  as  pastor.  At  the 
present  time  about  sixty  families  are  in  connection 
with  the  church. 

AFRICAN  METHODIST   EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 

In  the  year  1822  a  class  of  colored  Methodists  was 
formed  at  Uniontown,  under  charge  of  the  Rev. 
George  Dollar,  a  regular  minister,  sent  out  by  the 
Annual  Conference  of  the  African  M.  E.  Church.  The 
luembers  of  that  class  were  Mrs.  Hannah  Burge-ss, 
John  Woods,  Henrietta  McGill,  John  Webster,  Sarah 
Woods,  Sarah  Griffin,  David  Lewis,  Betsey  Pritch- 
ard,  Hannah  Webster,  and  Barney  Griffin.  Meetings 
were  held  in  the  house  of  Mary  Harman  for  two 
years,  when  they  moved  to  Joseph  Allen's  house,  on 
the  same  street. 

A  lot  was  bought  for  $75,  June  10,  1835,  of  Zadoc 
Springer,  and  on  this  lot  a  log  building  was  erected 
as  a  place  of  worship.  In  1855  the  old  building  was 
demolished,  and  their  present  brick  edifice  was  erected 
on  the  same  site. 

Their  preachers  have  been  the  following:  Rev._ 

Boggs,  1825;  Noah  Cameron,  1826;  Charles  Gray, 
1827;  Paul  Gwin,  1829;  Samuel  Clingman,  1832; 
Thomas  Lawrence,  1835 ;  A.  R.  Green,  1838  ;  Charles 

Peters,  1841  ;  S.  H.  Thompson,  1843  ; Coleman  ; 

Hargraves  ;  Fayette  Davis;  J.  Bowman;  Wil- 


liam Muman,  1855 ;  S.  H.  Thompson,  1857  ;  N.  H. 
Turpin,  1859 ;  William  Ralph,  1861 ;  Severn  Grace, 
1864;  R.  A.  Johnson,  1866;  C.  R.  Green,  1867; 
Daniel  Cooper,  1868;  J.  W.  Asbury,  1869;  W.  C. 
West,  1871;  W.  J.  Phillips,  1872;  S.  T.  Jones,  1874; 
W.  S.  Lowry,  1880,  to  the  present  time. 
The  church  has  now  133  members. 

ZION   CHAPEL   OF   THE   AFRICAN   M.  E.  CHURCH. 

A  colored  class  of  this  denomination,  composed  of 
five  persons,  was  organized  by  the  Rev.  Isaac  Cole- 
man in  the  fall  of  1848.  The  class  was  under  a  mis- 
sion charge,  and  for  several  years  was  supplied  by  the 
Rev.  Isaac  Coleman,  J.  B.  Trusty,  and  T.  S.  Jones. 
It  became  a  .separate  charge  under  Rev.  Charles 
Clingman.  His  successors  have  been  J.  P.  Harner, 
William  Burley,  Charles  Wright,  William  Johnson, 
N.  H.  AVilliams,  D.  B.  Matthews,  William  J.  Mc- 
Dade,  H.  H.  Blackstone,  W.  A.  McClure,  and  J.  W. 
Tirey,  the  present  pastor.  The  church  has  at  present 
fifty-five  members. 

In  February,  1857,  a  lot  was  purchased  of  Joseph 
Benson,  on  the  National  Road,  east  of  Redstone 
Creek,  and  an  old  building  standing  on  it  was  fitted  ■ 
up  as  a  house  of  worship  during  the  following  sum- 
mer. This  was  done  while  the  church  was  under 
charge  of  the  Rev.  Charles  Wright.  On  the  27th  of 
April,  1869,  additional  land  was  purchased  and  added 
to  the  lot,  and  the  present  brick  church  edifice  of  the 
society  was  erected  on  it  soon  afterwards. 

A  branch  of  this  church  was  organized  at  Georges 
Creek,  and  a  church  building  was  erected  for  its  use 
on  the  Baxter  farm.  It  is  still  under  charge  of  the 
Zion  Chapel. 

BURIAL-GROUNDS. 
In  the  old  Methodist  churchyard  on  Peter  Street 
(the  most  ancient  burial-place  in  Uniontown)  the 
oldest  slab. which  bears  a  legible  inscription  is  that 
which  stands  "  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Suky  Young, 
who  departed  this  life  the  20th  of  Sept.,  a.d.  1790, 
aged  2  yrs.,  1  mo.,  17  days."  It  has  been  stated,  how- 
ever, that  a  son  of  Jacob  Murphy  was  buried  here 
some  years  earlier.  In  this  ground  was  buried  John 
Wood,  who  was  for  many  years  a  justice  of  the  peace, 
and  who  died  Nov.  12,  1813.  Among  other  inscrip- 
tions are  found  those  of  the  following-named  persons: 

I       Rev.  Thornton  Fleming,  an  itinerant  preacher  in 

j  the  M.  E.  Church  for  sixty-one  years,  died  Nov.  20, 

'  1846,  aged  82  years. 

t       Hannah,  wife  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Blackford,  died  Oct. 
16,  1845. 
Daniel  Limerick,  for  eighteen  years  in  the  ministry 

I  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  died  April  28, 

■  1837. 

!  Rev.  Alfred  Sturgis,  died  Nov.  4,  1845.  He  had 
been  for  fourteen  years  an  itinerant  preacher  of  the 
Methodist  Church. 

!  The  "  Oak  Hill  Cemetery"  is  a  burial-ground  lying 
on  the  northeast  side  of  Redstone  Creek,  and  formed 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


339 


of  a  graveyard  fully  ninety  years  old,  with  a  later  ad- 
dition. The  original  ground  was  set  apart  for  the 
purpose  of  burials  by  Henry  Beeson  some  time  before 
1793.  An  addition  was  afterwards  made  to  it  by  Mr. 
Gallagher.  Many  of  the  old  citizens  of  Unioatown 
were  interred  here,  among  whom  were  Henry  Beeson, 
the  donor  of  the  ground  and  proprietor  of  the  town  ; 
Jacob  Beeson,  his  brother,  who  died  Dec.  16,  1818,  in 
his  seventy-seventh  year ;  Jesse  Beeson,  son  of  Henry, 
who  died  June  8,  1842,  aged  73  years  and  11  months; 
John  Collins,  died  Nov.  3, 1813,  aged  72  years  ;  Capt. 
Thomas  Collins,  his  son,  died  Nov.  1,  1827,  aged  51 
years ;  Joseph  Huston,  died  March  6,  1824,  aged  61 
years ;  Dr.  Adam  Simonson,  died  Feb.  4,  1808,  aged 
49  years;  Alexander  McClean,  the  veteran  surveyor, 
who  took  the  leading  part  in  the  extension  of  Mason 
and  Dixon's  line  and  in  the  establishment  of  the  dis- 
puted boundary  between  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia, 
who  was  born  Nov.  20,  1746,  and  died  Dec.  7,  1834.^ 
On  his  headstone  is  inscribed,  "  He  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Revolution,  a  Representative  from  Westmore- 
land county  in  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  at  the 
time  Fayette  county  was  established,  and  was  Regis- 
ter and  Recorder  of  this  county  from  its  organization 
until  his  death.  In  his  departure  he  exemplified  the 
virtues  of  his  life,  for  he  lived  a  patriot  and  died  a 
I    Christian." 

I  OLD    BAPTIST   CHURCHYARD. 

The  ground  on  which  the  old  Baptist  Church  and 
graveyard  are  located  was  purchased  in  the  year 
1804,  but  it  had  been  used  as  a  burial-place  several 
years  before  that  time,  as  is  shown  by  some  of  its 
headstones.  The  earliest  of  these  which  has  been 
found  is  that  of  Priscilla  Gaddis,  who  died  Feb.  17, 
1796,  aged  78  years.  One,  marking  the  grave  of 
Anna  Gaddis,  tells  that  she  died,  aged  17  years,  on 
the  29th  of  March,  1796.  Another,  of  Sarah  Gaddis, 
gives  the  date  of  death  Jan.  7,  1802,  age  50  years,  and 
that  of  James  Allen  records  his  death  on  the  8th  of 
April,  1808,  at  the  age  of  37  years.  Among  those 
interred  here  in  the  earlier  years  of  the  borough  were 
Levi  Springer,  died  March  26,  1823,  aged  80  years; 
Dennis  Springer,  died  April  6,  1823,  aged  75  years ; 
Morris  Morris,  died  Feb.  1,  1825,  aged  51  years ;  John 
Gaddis,  died  April  12,  1827,  aged  27  years;  and 
Jonathan  Downer,  died  June  8,  1833,  aged  79  years. 

The  location  of  this  old  burial-ground  is  on  Mor- 
gantown  Street,  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  borough. 

UNION   CEMETERY. 

In  the  year  1866  a  number  of  gentlemen,  whose 
names  are  given  below,  associated  themselves  in  the 
purchase  of  a  tract  of  nearly  seven  acres  of  land 
lying  south  of  the  National  road,  and  just  touching 
at  one  point  the  northwest  corner  of  the  borough 
boundary,  for  the  purpose  of  laying  out  a  cemetery 

•  1  The  stone  gives  Jmt.  7,  1834,  as  the  date- of  liis  death,  but  this  is  ii 
mist-ike.  The  correct  date  of  his  death  is  December  7th  of  that  .Year,  as 
above  stated. 


upon  it.  The  land  was  purchased  of  Daniel  Sharp- 
nack,  the  deed  bearing  date  November  5th  in  the  year 
named.  A  stock  company  was  organized  and  incor- 
porated Feb.  12,  1867,  as  the  Union  Cemetery  Com- 
pany of  Fayette  County,  with  the  following-named 
corporators :  Smith  Fuller,  John  K.  Ewing,  Eleazer 
Robinson,  F.  C.  Robinson,  William  H.  Bailey,  Hugh 
L.  Rankin,  Alfred  Howell,  E.  B.  Wood,'  Daniel 
Sharpnack,  R.  M.  Modisett,  Eli  Cope,  John  H.  Mc- 
Clelland, Andrew  Stewart,  L.  D.  Beall,  Daniel  Kaine. 
The  company  caused  its  grounds  to  be  laid  out  in 
burial  lots,  with  walks  and  carriage-wiiys  on  the 
modern  plan,  and  handsomely  embellished  with  trees 
and  shrubbery. 

This  cemetery  is  now  the  principal  burial-ground 
of  Uniontown.  Many  tasteful  and  elegant  memorial 
stones  are  found  within  its  inclosure,  and  near  its 
northw^estern  corner  there  has  been  erected  an  im- 
posing and  appropriate  Soldiers'  Monument. 

FINANCIAL    INSTITUTIONS. 

The  first  banking  institution  established  in  Union- 
to\vn  was  named  "  The  Union  Bank  of  Pennsylvania," 
which  commenced  operations  (though  then  unchar- 
tered) in  the  autumn  of  1812.  The  promoters  of  the 
])roject  were  a  number  of  gentlemen,  whose  names  are 
embraced  in  the  following  list,  it  being  that  of  the 
first  directors  of  the  bank,  viz.:  John  Kennedy, 
Nathaniel  Breading,  J.  W.  Nicholson,  Jesse  Evans, 
Joseph  Huston,  Samuel  Trevor,  Thomas  Meason, 
Hugh  Thompson,  T^llis  Bailey,  Jacob  Reason,  Jr., 
John  Campbell,  Reuben  Bailey,  John  Miller,  David 
Ewing,  George  Ebbert. 

The  articles  of  association  were  signed  May  1,  1812, 
and  the  bank  (or  rather  the  unchartered  association 
which  so  designated  itself)  commenced  business  in 
October  of  that  year,  in  an  old  frame  building  which 
stood  on  the  site  of  Mr.  Z.  B.  Springer's  present  store. 
By  the  tenor  of  the  following  letter  (copied  from  the 
old  letter-book  of  the  bank),  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
amount  paid  in  was  less  than  one-eighth  of  the  nom- 
inal capital : 

"Union  B\vt  "f  I>in-v=vi  vivn,  7th  Dec,  1813. 

"Sir,— The  Directors  .,1    i  :      ,!      ,    have  unanimously 

agreed  to  accept  the  Com]  I'.- 1 1  i  n  i>  i  I  in  the  Act  of  Con- 
gress '  laying  duties  on  n.ji.  ■  .i  Mml,  ,  liiukers,  and  certain 
Companies,  on  Notes,  Bonds,  and  Obligations  discounted  by 
banks,  bankers,  and  certain  companies,  and  on  bills  of  exchange 
of  certain  descriptions,  passed  Aug.  2nd,  1813,  and  I  have  been 
directed  to  write  you  on  the  Subject.  As  we  have  re-'d  no  let- 
ter from  you  we  are  at  a  loss  to  know  precisely  the  information" 
that  may  be  required. 

"This  Bank  went  into  operation  in  October,  1812,  on  a  Capi- 
tal of  only  S60,000,  and  declared  a  dividend  on  the  first  day  of 
May  last  of  five  per  cent.  An  additional  sale  of  Stock  was  then 
made  of  jniHi  shares  of  SlU  each,  and  on  the  first  of  November 

l:i,-l  a  S iiii]  Tiividend  was  declared  of  five  per  cent.     At  pres- 

ciit  i.ur  i'a|iiral  i.<  $100,000  actually  paid  in.  According  to  the 
Ailidr-  nf  as-oriation  the  directors  may  sell   stock    until  the 


340 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


this  time  to  make  any  addition  to  Ihe  present  amount.  Should 
they  do  so,  you  shall  be  regularly  advised.  Any  further  infor- 
mation you  may  wish,  I  will  with  pleasure  communicate,  and 
am, 

"With  much  respect, 

"  Your  Obt  Servant, 


••  Artlnp  Scc'll  of  the  Treamirii,   V.  S." 

The  institution  became  a  chartered  bank  in  1814, 
under  a  legislative  act  of  incorporation  approved 
March  21st  in  that  year.  On  the  28th  of  May,  1814, 
Cashier  Sims  wrote  to  a  correspondent:  "...  We 
expect  in  a  few  days  to  move  into  a  new  banking- 
house  now  finishing  for  our  occupation."  This  is 
found  in  the  old  letter-book  of  the  bank.  The  new 
liuildiiig  referred  to  in  the  letter  is  the  depot  of  the 
Siiuthwest  Railroad  Company.  It  was  afterwards 
purchased  by  the  Bank  of  Fayette  County. 

It  has  been  often  stated,  and  seems  to  be  the  gen- 
eral belief,  that  the  Union  Bank  of  Pennsylvania 
failed  and  went  out  of  business  in  1817.  That  this 
supposition  is  erroneous  is  shown  by  the  matter,  of 
the  following  extracts  from  the  Oenim  of  Liberty  of 
Uniontown  : 

"  Notice : 

"  A  meeting  of  the  stockholders  of  the  Union  Bank 
of  Pennsylvania  is  requested  at  the  borough  of  Union- 
town  on  the  5th  day  of  October  next,  at  10  o'clock 
A.M.,  in  order  that  they  may  be  made  acquainted  with 
the  real  state  and  responsibility  of  the  institution. 
"  By  order  of  the  Board  of  Directors, 

"  John  Sims,  Cashier. 
"  Aug.  27,  1818." 

"  Ten  Shares  of  Stock  of  the  Union  Bank  of  Penn- 
sylvania for  sale.     Apply  to  the  Printer. 
"  "Aug.  29,  1818." 

"  Umox  Bank  of  Pennsylvania, 
"May  3, 1819. 

"The  Directors  have  this  day  declared  a  Dividend 
of  three  per  cent,  on  the  capital  stock  for  the  last  six 
months,  payable  to  the  Stockholders  or  their  legal 
representatives  at  any  time  after  the  1.3th  inst. 

"John  Sims,  Oin/iier." 


"Oct.  4,  1821. 

"  Notice  is  hereby  given  to  the  Stockholders  of  the 
Union  Bank  of  Penn.sylvania  to  meet  on  the  first 
Monday  of  November  next,  at  tlie  IjankiML'-hmise  in 
the  borough  of  Uniontown,  at  which  tiiin'  ami  place 
a  statement  of  the  affiiirs  of  said  bank  will  be  laid  Ijc- 
fore  them,  in  conformity  to  the  10th  article  in  the  act 
of  incorporation,  passed  21st  March,  1814. 

"  Benjamin  Barton,  Cashier." 

The  exact  date  of  the  final  closing  of  the  bank  has 
not  been  ascertained,  but  it  is  certain  that  it  was  not 
long  after  the  date  of  the  above  notice. 


j  NATIONAL   BANK   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY. 

By  an  act  of  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania,  ap- 

!  proved  Deo.  5, 1857,  the  Bank  of  Fayette  County  was 

[  incorporated.     The  corporators   were   Isaac   Beeson, 

j  John  Huston,  Henry  W.  Beeson,  Armstrong  Hadden, 

I  Joshua  B.  Howell,  Ewing  Brownfield,  Joseph  Jolin- 

I  ston,  John    K.    Ewing,   Alfred   Patterson,    William 

Bryson,  Asbury  Struble,  Everard  Bierer,  Sr.,  Josiah 

I  S.  Allebaugh,  Henry  Yeagley,  Isaac  Franks,  Jacob 

j  Overholt,  Thomas  B.  Searight,  Jacob  Murphy,  Joseph 

Hare,  Joseph  Heaton,  John  Morgan,  and  Farrington 

Oglevee.     The  charter  was  dated  July  9,  1858. 

The  first  board  of  directors  was  composed  of  John 
Huston,  Daniel  Sturgeon,  Isaac  Beeson,  Everard 
j  Bierer,  John  Murphy,  James  Robinson,  Robert  Fin- 
I  ley,  Isaac  Skiles,  Jr.,  Henry  W.  Gaddis,  J.  Allen 
Downer,  Joshua  B.  Howell,  Alfred  Patterson,  Daniel 
R.  Davidson.  President,  Alfred  Patterson  ;  Cashier, 
W.  Wilson. 
'  The  first  meeting  of  the  directors  was  held  Aug. 
16,  1858,  and  the  bank  commenced  business  on  the 
first  day  of  September  following.  For  about  a  year 
after  opening,  the  business  of  the  bank  was  done  in 
the  building  now  occupied  by  Z.  B.  Springer  as  a 
hardware-store.  On  the  19th  of  October,  1869,  the 
directors  authorized  a  committee  to  purchase  the  old 
Union  Bank  building  on  Main  Street,  at  $1500.  It 
was  purchased  of  William  Crawford  for  $1410.  While 
this  building  was  in  process  of  repair  the  business  of 
the  bank  was  done  in  an  office  where  Manaway's 
saloon  now  is.  In  the  spring  of  1860  the  bank  occu- 
pied the  Union  Bank  building,  and  its  business  con- 
tinued to  be  done  there  for  eighteen  years.  On  the 
29th  of  December,  1877,  the  directors  were  authorized 
to  sell  the  building,  and  it  was  accordingly  sold,  and 
became  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railroad  station 
as  at  present.  After  the  sale,  and  while  the  bank's 
new  building  was  being  erected  and  made  ready  for 
occupancy,  the  business  of  the  institution  was  done 
in  a  building  on  Broadway  now  owned  by  Dr.  Smith 
Fuller.  About  the  1st  of  April,  1878,  the  bank  re- 
moved to  its  present  rooms  in  the  fine  brick  building 
on  the  south  side  of  Main  Street  ea-st  of  Broadway. 

In  January,  1865,  the  bank  was  reorganized  under 
the  National  Banking  law,  and  became  the  National 
Bank  of  Fayette  County,  the  first  election  of  directors 
under  the  change  being  held  on  the  30th  of  that 
month.     Authorized  capital,  Sl.50,000. 

Mr.  Patterson,  the  first  president  of  the  institution, 
resigned  Jan.  4,  1865,  and  was  succeeded  by  John  K. 
Ewing.  Mr.  Wilson,  the  cashier,  resigned  Aug.  20, 
1868,  and  A.  C.  Nutt  became  his  successor.  The 
present  (1881)  officers  of  the  bank  are  the  following  : 
Directors,  John  K.  Ewing,  E.  B.  Dawson,  John  M. 
Hadden,  James  T.  Gorley,  John  H.  McClelland, 
James  B.  Wiggins,  Henry  W.  Gaddis,  Smith  Fuller, 
Daniel  Downer,  Alfred  Howell ;  John  K.  Ewing, 
president;  A.  C.  Nutt,  cashier. 


UNIONTOWN  BOROUGH. 


341 


FIRST   NATIONAL   BANK    OF   UNIONTOWN. 

In  April,  1854,  a  private  banking-office  was  opened 
in  Uniontown  by  Mr.  John  T.  Hogg.  Prior  to  that 
time,  and  after  the  closing  of  the  old  Union  Bank  of 
Pennsylvania,  the  financial  business  of  the  borough 
had  been  done  principally  with  the  Bank  of  Browns- 
ville. Mr.  Hogg's  bank  at  Uniontown  (he  had  also 
banks  at  Brownsville,  Connellsviile,  Mount  Pleasant, 
Bedford,  Somerset,  and  other  places)  was  opened  at 
the  place  where  Mrs.  Smith's  millinery-store  now  is, 
in  the  Tremont  building.  W.  Wilson  was  its  first 
cashier.  In  August,  1858,  he  resigned  to  accept  the 
cashiership  of  the  Bank  of  Fayette  County,  and 
James  T.  Redburn  succeeded  him  in  Mr.  Hogg's 
bank.  Soon  afterwards  the  bank  passed  into  posses- 
sion of  Isaac  Skiles,  Jr.,  by  whom  it  was  continued 
as  a  private  institution  until  1864,  when,  in  confor- 
mity with  the  provisions  of  the  National  Banking 
law,  it  became  the  First  National  Bank  of  Union- 
town,  with  a  paid  up  capital  of  160,000,  increased 
Jan.  1,  1872,  to  1100,000. 

The  corporators  of  the  National  Bank  were  Robert 
Finley,  C.  S.  Seaton,  Jasper  M.  Thompson,  Eleazer 
Robinson,  William  Hurford,  Isaac  Skiles,  Jr.,  James 
T.  Redburn,  Hiram  H.  Hackney,  and  John  Wilson; 
articles  of  association  dated  Jan.  2,  1864.  The  bank 
commenced  business  May  3,  1864,  in  the  banking 
rooms  which  it  still  occupies  on  Main  Street,  west  of 
Morgantown  Street.  The  first  board  of  directors  was 
composed  of  Messrs.  Skiles,  Robinson,  Seaton,  Thomp- 
son, Redburn,  and  Finley.  President,  Isaac  Skiles, 
Jr. ;  Cashier,  James  T.  Redburn.  In  January,  1870, 
Jasper  M.  Thompson  was  elected  president,  and  in 
the  following  May  Josiah  V.  Thompson  was  elected 
cashier  on  the  death  of  Mr.  Redburn. 

The  present  officers  of  the  bank  are : 

Directors,  Jasper  M.Thompson,  president;  George 
W.  Litman,  Hiram  H.  Hackney,  William  Hopwood, 
Charles  E.  Boyle,  Joseph  M.  Campbell,  Charles  S. 
Seaton,  William  H.  Playford,  John  Wilson;  cashier, 
J.  V.  Thompson. 

A  new  and  commodious  banking-house  is  to  be 
erected  during  the  present  summer  (1882)  for  the  use 
of  this  bank,  the  property  known  as  the  "  Round 
Corner,"  on  Main  Street,  having  been  purchased  for 
that  purpose. 

THE   PEOPLE'S  BANK   OF   FAYETTE  COUNTY. 

This  bank  was  chartered  March  21,  1873,  the  fol- 
lowing-named gentlemen  being  the  corporators:  S. 
A.  Gilmore,  Alfred  Howell,  C.  E.  Boyle,  William 
McCleary,  Eli  Cope,  J.  D.  Roddy,  Ewing  Brownfield, 
E.  M.  Ferguson,  J.  H.  McClelland,  J.  A.  Searight. 
The  board  of  directors  was  composed  as  follows : 
Ewing  Brownfield  (president),  Alfred  Howell,  James 
Robinson,  James  A.  Searight  (cashier),  John  D. 
Roddy,  James  Beatty. 

The  bank  commenced  business  July  14,  1873.  On 
the  12th  of  August  in  that  year  the  cashier,  Mr.  Sea- 


right, resigned,  and  was  succeeded  by  M.  H.  Bowman. 
The  banking-rooms  of  the  institution  are  on  the 
corner  of  Arch  and  Main  Streets.  The  present  offi- 
cers of  the  bank  are  : 

Directors,  Ewing  Brownfield,  president ;  Thomas  H. 
Fenn,  William  McCleary,  James  Robinson,  Daniel 
Huston,  James  A.  Searight. 

Cashier,  M.  H.  Bowman. 

DOLLAR   SAVINGS-BANK  OF   UNIONTOWN. 

This  bank  commenced  business  Jan.  1,  1870,  with 
the  Hon.  A.  E.  Willson  as  president,  and  Armstrong 
Hadden  as  cashier.  Upon  the  election  of  Mr.  Will- 
son  as  judge  of  this  district  in  1873  he  retired  from 
the  presidency  of  the  bank,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Robert  Hogsett,  Esq.  In  October,  1872,  C.  S.  Seaton 
was  appointed  to  the  cashiership  made  vacant  by  the 
death  of  Mr.  Hadden.  Mr.  Seaton  remained  cashier 
until  April,  1878,  when  he  retired,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Henry  McClay,  who  had  previously  been  teller. 
The  business  of  the  bank  closed  July  19,  1878. 

FAYETTE     COUNTY    MUTUAL    FIRE    INSURANCE 
COMPANY. 

This  company  was  organized  Sept.  2,  1844,  the 
corporators  being  Isaac  Beeson,  John  Dawson,  Al- 
fred McClelland,  Andrew  Byers,  William  B.  Roberts, 
James  T.  Cannon,  Ewing  Brownfield,  John  Huston, 
Robert  T.  Flenuiken,  Daniel  Kaine,  James  Piper, 
Samuel  Y.  Campbell,  and  Everard  Bierer.  Isaac 
Beeson  was  chosen  president,  and  Daniel  Kaine  secre- 
tary. 

During  the  first  year  of  the  company's  business 
fifty-three  policies  were  written,  aggregating  a  risk  of 
$107,000.  The  total  amount  of  risks  from  the  organ- 
ization of  the  company  in  1844  to  Jan.  1,  1881,  was 
$5,259,505.  Total  number  of  premium  notes  taken, 
3317,  aggregating  $444,260.21. 

The  present  board  of  managers  is  composed  of  E. 
B.  Dawson,  Thomas  Hadden,  William  Hunt,  Wil- 
liam Beeson,  John  K.  Beeson,  Ewing  Brownfield, 
John  T.  Harah,  Adam  C.  Nutt,  Edward  Campbell, 
James  S.  Watson. 

UNIONTOWN    BUILDING     AND    LOAN    ASSOCIATION. 

On  the  2d  of  April,  1870,  a  number  of  citizens  con- 
vened at  Skiles'  Hall,  in  Uniontown,  for  the  purpose 
of  organizing  the  above-named  association.  Officers 
were  elected  as  follows:  President,  Jasper  M.  Thomp- 
son ;  Secretary,  A.  t).  Nutt ;  Treasurer,  John  H. 
McClelland ;  Directors,  John  H.  Miller,  A.  M.  Gib- 
son, J.  A.  Laughead,  John  K.  Ewing,  W.  H.  Bailey, 
D.  M.  Springer,  and  Hugh  L.  Rankin. 

On  the  18th  of  April  a  constitution  and  by-laws 
were  adopted.  Section  2  of  the  former  declares  that 
"  The  object  of  this  association  shall  be  the  accumula- 
tion of  money  to  be  loaned  among  its  members  for 
the  purchase  of  houses  or  lands,  or  for  building  or 
repairing  the  same  and  acquiring  homesteads." 

There  has  been  no  change  in  president  or  treasurer 


342 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


since  the  organization.  A.  C.  Nutt,  secretary,  resigned 
April  27,  1872,  and  was  succeeded  by  William  H. 
Hope,  who  resigned  March  31,  1877,  when  Benjamin 
Campbell,  tlic  iiresent  secretary,  was  elected. 

The  association  did  not  purchase  any  lands,  but 
loaned  money  exclusively  to  members  and  for  build- 
ing purposes  until  December,  1876,  when  provision 
was  made  to  make  loans  for  other  purposes,  and  to 
parties  not  members  of  the  association. 

Below  is  given  the  amount  of  loans  made  by  the 
association  in  each  of  the  seven  years  next  follow- 
ing its  formation,  viz. : 

From  April,  1870,  to  April,  1871,  817,882.11. 

"      1871,  "       "       1872,    16,37.3.0,3. 

"      1872,  "       "       1873,    20,252.00. 

"      1873,  "       "       1874,    35,051.29. 

"      1874,  "       "       1875,    20,401.02. 

"      1875,  •'       "       1876,    37,144.31. 

"      1876,  '•       "       1877,    48,018.88. 
Two-thirds  of  the  last  amount  was  cash  paid  to  stock- 
holders in  cancellation  of  shares,  which  from  1877  to  the 
present  time  have  been  gradually  drawing  to  a  close. 

.SOCIETIES  -AND  ORDERS. 
A  Masonic  lodge  was  chartered  in  Uniontown 
April  2,  1802,  with  the  following-named  officers: 
Abraham  Stewart,  ^y.  M. ;  George  Manypenny,  S. 
W. ;  Christian  Tarr,  .1.  W. ;  Johu  Van  Houten,  Tyler. 
Tliis  lodge  continued  until  1817. 

L.\tIREL   LODGE,  No.  215,  F.  iyo   A.  M.' 

This  lodge  was  instituted  June  30,  1828,  under 
charter  granted  by  tlie  R.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Penn- 
sylvania, June  2, 1828.  Its  first  officers  were  Thomas 
Irwin,  W.  M. ;  L.  W.  .><tockton,  S.  W.  ;  Gabriel  Evans, 
J.  W.;  William  Salter,  Trcas. ;  M.  Hampton,  Sec. 
The  lodge  existed  for  a  short  period  only,  closiim  its 
work  Feb.  11,  1831. 

;fayettk  lodge,  no.  -i-is,  r.  am.  a.  m.i 

Upon  the  i)etition  of  John  Irons,  Zalmon  Luding- 

tou,  James    Piper,  John   Keffer,  P.  U.  Hook,  John 

McCnen,  William   Doran,  Moses  Sliehan,  Rev.  S.  E. 

Babcock,and  Samuel  Bryan,  the  R.  W.  Grand  Lodge 

of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  of  the  ('niu ii\vr:ilili 

of  Pennsylvania  granted  a  warrant  or  charier  toi,|nii 
a  lodge  in  the  borough  of  Uniontown,  to  be  known  as 
Fayette  Lodge,  No.  228.  John  Irons  to  be  first  W. 
M. ;  Zalmon  Ludington  to  be  first  S.  W. ;  James  Piper 
to  be  first  J.  W. 

<Jn  the  second  Monday  of  April,  1848,  the  first  reg- 
ular meeting  was  held  ;  nine  petitions  for  degrees  and 


withdrew  hi.  ap|.li.;,ii,,n.  Fn.iii  Ajiril  Kith  until  St. 
John's  day,  Dec  27.  1^4^.  thirty-nine  meetings  were 
held,  and  duriiiir  th;il  lime  llie  K.  A.  degree  was  con- 
ferred u]inn  thirty-eiLdit  aii|.lii"ints ;  the  F.  C.  degree 


was  conferred  upon  twenty-nine  applicants;  the  M. 
M.  degree  was  conferred  upon  twenty  applicants ;  and 
in  addition  to  that  four  M.  M.'s  were  admitted  to 
I  membership,  so  that  at  the  end  of  the  Masonic  year 
i  the  lodge  numbered  fifty-two  members.  The  first  one 
entered  was  William  Thorndell;  the  last  one  entered 
that  year  was  Dr.  Smith  Fuller.  An  accession  of 
forty-two  members  during  the  first  eight  months  was 
surely  encouraging  to  the  brethren  who  labored  earn- 
estly for  the  success  of  the  lodge. 
I  On  the  29th  of  July,  1850,  John  Irons,  the  W.  M., 
died  of  cholera.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  30th  the 
brethren  assembled  to  pay  the  last  "  tribute  of  re- 
spect" to  their  much-beloved  blaster,  and  with  the 
honors  of  Freemasonry  they  consigned  his  body  to 
the  earth. 

The  labors  of  the  lodge  were  continued  under  the 
control  of  the  following  brethren,  who  served  as  Mas- 
ters :  Robert  Boyle,  for  the  year  1851-52 ;  James  L. 
Bugh,  1853;  Moses  Shehan,  18.54;  Zalmon  Ludington, 
1855;  George  W.  K.  Minor,  18.56;  Thomas  Semans, 
1857-58;  James  H.  Springer,  18.59;  Daniel  Smith, 
1860-62;     Thomas     Semans    (re-elected),    1863-67'; 

G -jre    W.   Litman,  1868;    Thomas   Semans,  1869; 

t'liarles  E.  Boyle,  1870;  William  Hunt,  1871  ;  Wil- 
liam C.  Snyder,  1872;  P.  M.  Hochheimer,  1873-74; 
S.  M.  Baily,  1875-76;  D.  J.  Hopwood,  1877. 

Since  the  organization  of  this  lodge  there  have  been 
elected  six  members  who  served  as  treasurer  of  the 
lodge  :  S.  Bryan,  for  the  years  1848-49  ;  R.  M.  Modi- 
sett,  1850-51 ;  William  Thorndell,  for  ten  successive 
,  years,  from  1852  to  1861,  inclusive;  John  S.  Harah, 
for  the  years  1862-66  ;  Thomas  Hadden,  1867  ;  John 
S.  Harah,  1868-75  ;  C.  H.  Rush,  1876 ;  John  S.  Harah, 
1877,  and  re-elected  for  1878.  Fourteen  members 
served  this  lodge  as  secretary  during  the  period  of 
tiiirty  years  from  the  organization  of  the  lodge: 
Juhn  Ketfer,  for  the  year  1848;  Robert  Boyle,  1849; 
Richard  Huskins,  1850-51;  R.  M.  Modisett,  1852; 
William  Seldon,  1853;  James  H.  Springer,  1854-57; 
William  B.  McCormick,  1858;  Jesse  B.  Ramsey,  1859 
-61;  (ieorge  W.  Litman,  1862-63;  Thomas  A.  Hal- 
deman,  1864-65;  William  E.  Beall,  1866;  William 
R.  Semans,  1867;  William  E.  Beall,  1868-72;  Wil- 
liam H.  Hope,  1873-75;  P.  M.  Hochheimer,  1876- 
77.  The  fee  for  initiation  and  membership  was  $16 
iiiitil  -Vpril,  1852,  when  by  instruction  of  the  Grand 
Luil^e  it  was  advanced  to  $19.25,  which  remained  un- 
changed until  the  year  1865,  when  S30  was  made  the 
I  constitutional  fee  until  the  year  1870,  when  another 
I  advance  of  $10  was  made,  making  §40  the  constitu- 
tional fee.  The  fee  for  the  admission  of  a  M.  M.  to 
membership  was  $2  until  the  adoption  of  the  by-laws 
of  1868,  when  it  was  changed  to  $5.  The  yearly  dues 
have  been  S3  until  Jan.  8,  1877,  when  by  the  adop- 
tion of  an  amendment  to  the  by-laws  they  were 
changed  to  $4. 

During  a  period  of  thirty  years  from  the  first  organ- 
ization there  was  paid  into  the  treasury  of  this  lodge 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


343 


From  initiation  fees $5919.25 

"      admission  fees 107.00 

"      dues 619.1.82 

Total $12,222.07 

Of  this  sum  was  paid  out 

For  Cliarter  and  Grand  Lodge  dues .$2898.42 

"     Cbarity,  etc 1094.07 

"    Sundry  expenses 6964.74 

Total $10,957.2:5 

anil  in  addition  to  this  sum  there  was  expended  the 
sum  of  .'^.800,  of  which  no  account  can  be  given, 
making  the  total  expenditure  $11,7.57.23,  or  $391.91 
per  year. 

Past  Master  Zalmon  Ludington  was  the  only  one 
of  the  charter  members  whose  name  remained  upon 
the  roll  of  members  at  the  end  of  thirty  years  from 
the  establishment  of  the  lodge.  Redding  Bunting, 
Thomas  Semans,  Charles  S.  Seaton,  George  H.  Thorn- 
dell,  and  Robert  Britt  became  members  of  the  lodge 
in  1848. 

During  the  Masonic  year  of  1858,  Brother  Thomas 
Semans,  W.  M.,  the  lodge  seems  to  have  been  aroused 
from  its  dormant  state,  and  at  the  stated  meeting 
March  8th  twenty-six  members  were  suspended  or 
expelled  for  non-payment  of  dues.  Since  the  organ- 
ization of  the  lodge  two  members  after  due  trial  have 
been  suspended  for  unmasonic  conduct. 

Fayette  Lodge  has  furnished  members  for  the  organ- 
ization of  King  Solomon  Lodge  at  Connellsville,  and 
Valley  Lodge,  Masontown.  Kind  and  fraternal  feel- 
ings have  ever  existed  among  the  members  of  this 
lodge  toward  the  members  of  the  several  lodges  in 
this  county. 

From  information  gathered  from  the  records  of  the 
lodge  and  the  correspondence  of  the  different  D.  D. 
G.  M.  of  this  Masonic  district,  we  find  a  continuous 
effort  has  been  made  on  the  part  of  these  oflicers  to 
impart  the  work  and  ritual  as  taught  in  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Pennsylvania,  and  their  labors  have  not 
been  in  vain  ;  the  work,  ritual,  and  landmarks  of  Free- 
masonry as  practiced  in  this  lodge  are  strictly  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  teachings  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
this  great  jurisdiction. 

The  officers  of  the  lodge  at  present  (1881)  are  :  W. 
M.,  John  W.  Wood;  S.  W.,  Calvin  Springer;  J.  W., 
Armor  S.  Craig;  Treas.,  William  B.  McCormick; 
Sec,  P.  M.  Hochheimer.  The  number  of  members 
is  seventy-seven. 

UNION    R.   A.  CHAPTER,  No.  16.'.. 

A  petition  was  forwarded  to  the  Grand  Holy  Royal 
Arch  Chapter  of  Pennsylvania,  signed  P.  U.  Hook, 
John  Irons,  S.  E.  Babcock,  William  Searight,  Daniel 
Sturgeon,  and  John  McCune,  praying  that  a  charter  j 
be  granted  them  to  open  and  hold  a  chapter  of  Royal  ) 
Arch  Masons  at  Uniontown.  i 

The  Grand  Chapter,  having  taken  favorable  action 
upon  said  petition,  directed  S.  McKinley,  Esq.',  D.  D.  ' 


G.  H.  P.  for  the  Western  District  of  Pennsylvania,  to 
convene  the  petitioners  and  constitute  them  into  a 
chapter  of  R.  A.  Masons,  which  he  did  on  the  15th 
day  of  May,  1849,  when  Union  R.  A.  Chapter,  No. 
165,  was  duly  constituted  and  its  officers  elected,  viz. : 
P.  U.  Hook,  H.  P.;  William  Searight,  K. ;  John 
Irons,  S. ;  William  Thorndell,  Treas. ;  Richard  Hus- 
kins.  Sec. 

The  work  of  this  chapter  was  carried  on  until  St. 
John's  day,  Dec.  27,  1855,  after  which  date  the  chap- 
ter remained  in  a  dormant  .state  until  the  15th  day  of 
April,  1872,  when  a  sufficient  number  of  members 
convened,  and  by  authority  from  the  Grand  H.  R.  A. 
Chapter  of  Pennsylvania  resuscitated  Chapter  No. 
165,  and  elected  officers  who  have  successfully  carried 
on  the  work.  The  officers  for  the  year  1881  are 
Thomas  Brownfield,  H.  P. ;  Andrew  J.  Gilmore,  K. ; 
Max  Baum,  S. ;  William  B.  McCorraiok,  Treas. ;  P. 
M.  Hochheimer,  Sec. 

ST.  OMEirS   COMMANDERY,  No.  3,  KNIGHTS   TEMPLAR. 

Organized  at  Uniontown,  Dec.  14, 1853,  under  char- 
ter granted  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Pennsylvania. 
The  first  officers  were:  Eminent  Commander,  John 
Bierer;  Generalissimo,  Andrew  Patrick;  Captain- 
General,  William  Thorndell,  Jr. ;  Prelate,  James 
Piper;  Treasurer,  William  Thorndell,  Jr. ;  Recording 
Scribe,  Richard  Huskings.  The  commandery  was 
discontinued  Oct.  17,  1854,  but  was  afterwards  revived 
and  removed  to  Brownsville. 

UNIONTOWN  COMMANDERY,  No.  49,  KNIGHT.S   TEMPLAB. 

This  commandery  was  chartered  May  13, 1874.  Its 
first  officers  were  Nathaniel  A.  Baillie,  Eminent  Com- 
mander; Charles  H.  Rush,  Generalissimo;  William 
Hunt,  Cai)tain-General ;  William  C.  Snyder,  Prelate  ; 
Clark  Breading,  Treasurer  ;  William  H.  Hope,  Re- 
corder ;  Silas  M.  Bailey,  Senior  Warden  ;  William  T. 
Moore,  Junior  Warden  ;  John  F.  Gray,  Standard- 
Bearer;  J.Austin  Modisett,  Sword-Bearer;  Thomas 
Brownfield,  Warden.  The  present  officers  are  Philip 
M.  Hochheimer,  Eminent  Commander ;  Thomas 
Brownfield,  Generalissimo  ;  Andrew  J.  Gilmore,  Cap- 
tain-General ;  William  B.  McCormick,  Treasurer; 
William  Hunt,  Recorder.  The  present  number  of 
members  is  twenty-three. 

FORT   NECESSITY. LODGE,  No.  254,  I.  0.  0.  F, 

Instituted  Aug.  6,  1847.  The  first  officers  of  the 
lodge  were  Samuel  Bryan,  N.  G. ;  M.  Keely,  V.  G. ; 
H.  W.  S.  Rigdon,  Sec. ;  M.  Runion,  Ass't  Sec. ;  D. 
Clark,  Treas.  The  lodge  first  met  in  Madison  Col- 
lege building,  afterwards  in  Bryant's  building,  and 
now  holds  its  meetings  at  its  rooms  in  Concert  Hall 
Block.  The  present  membership  is  eighty.  The  offi- 
cers of  the  lodge  for  1881  are  C.  D.  Conner,  N.  G. ; 
Martin  L.  Reis,  V.  G. ;  Joseph  Beatty,  Sec.  ;  John  S. 
Harah,  Treas. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


FAYETTE   ENCAMPMENT,  No.  8'l,  I.  0.  O.  F. 

Chartered  July  31,  1848.  The  first  officers  of  the 
encampment  were  Daniel  Bryan,  C.  P. ;  James  Piper, 
H.  P.  ;  H.  W.  S.  Rigdon,"  S.  W. ;  D.  Marchand 
Springer,  J.  W.  ;  James  A.  Morris,  Sec. ;  James  Mc- 
Dermott,  Treas.  ;  David  Clark,  S.  The  present  offi- 
cers are  TIkuiuis  Tliorndell,  C.  P.;  Alonzo  Nabors, 
S.W. ;  IVterLaiicJ.W.;  P.  M.  Hochheimer,  Scribe  ; 
W.  H.  Wilhelm,  Treas.  The  membership  now  num- 
bers thirty-five. 

TONNALEUKA    LODGE,  No.  365,  I.  0.  0.  F. 

This  lodge  was  chartered  June  18, 1849,  and  organ- 
ized on  the  11th  of  July  following,  with  the  following- 
named  officers:  James  Piper,  N.  G. ;  Daniel  Smith, 
V.  G.;  John  K.  Fisher,  Sec;  William  Barton,  Jr., 
Ass't  Sec. ;  Robert  T.  Galloway,  Treas.  The  lodge 
has  now  (1881)  a  membership  of  seventy-six,  and  its 
officers  are  Levi  S.  Gaddis,  N.  G. ;  John  M.  Cannan, 
V.  G. ;  Alfred  Howell,  Treas. ;  W.  H.  Wilhelm,  Sec. 

ROYAL   ARCANUM   CODNCIL,  No.  388. 

Organized  in  September,  1879  ;  chartered  May  8, 
1880.  The  officers  for  1881  are  P.  M.  Hochheimer, 
Regent ;  Stephen  E.  Wadsworth,  V.  R. ;  D.  H. 
Backus,  Sec. ;  M.  H.  Bowman,  Treas.  The  number 
of  its  members  is  thirty-four. 

MAIHSON    LODGE,  No.  419,  K.  of  P. 

The  charter  of  this  lodge  dates  Dec.  10, 1873.  The 
charter  members  were  G.  W.  K.  Minor,  H.  Delaney, 
J.  :\I.  Hadden,  J.  W.  Wood,  J.  S.  Roberts,  J.  S.  Bread- 
ing, G.  B.  Rutter,  L.  Francis,  J.  D.  Moore,  and  George 
H.  Thorndell,  Sr.  The  present  membership  of  the 
lodge  is  forty-six.  The  officers  for  1881  are  Florence 
Barnett,  Chancellor  Commander;  William  Jeflries, 
V.  Chancellor ;  R.  S.  Reis,  Prelate ;  Joseph  M.  Had- 
den, M.  of  Exchequer;  Albert  G.  Beeson,  Master  of 
Finance  ;  George  B.  Rutter,  Keeper  of  Records  and 
Seals  ;  Levi  Francis,  Past  Chancellor. 

WILL  F.   STEWART   POST,  No.  ISO,  G.  A.  R. 

This  post  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  was 
organized  May  20,  1880,  with  twenty  charter  mem- 
bers. The  membership  at  present  numbers  forty- 
three.  The  officers  are  Henry  White,  Past  Com- 
mander; Albert  G.  Beeson,  Post  Commander;  James 
Collins,  James  C.  Whalley,  Vice  Commanders  ;  John  | 
H.  Marshall,  Chaplain  ;  A.  M.  Litman,  Quartermas- 
ter; George  B.  Rutter,  Adjutant;  John  Nicholson, 
Quartermaster-Sergeant.  The  post  meets  in  the  hall 
in  Miller's  building. 

RISING  STAR   LODGE,  No.  633,  I.  0.  G.  T. 

This  lodge  was  organized  June  21,  1880,  by  George 
AVhitsett,  and  the  following-named  officers  were  then 
elected  and  installed  :  W.  C.  T.,  P.  C.  Baxter ;  W.  V.  T., 
Miss  M.  V.  Jackson ;  W.  Secretary,  Joseph  B.  Jack- 
son ;  W.  F.  Secretary,  Susan  Moxley ;  AV.  Treasurer, 
William  Albert  Henry;  W.  Chaplain,  C.  A.  Jenkins; 


W.  Marshal,  Eli  Truly ;  Inner  Guard,  Samuel  Miller ; 
Sentinel,  James  Carter. 

The  present  (August,  1881)  officers  are:  W.  C.  T., 
William  A.  Henry  ;  W.  V.  T.,  Mary  E.  Truman  ;  W. 
Secretary,  Joseph  B.  Jackson  ;  W.  F.  Secretary,  Mary 
V.  Baxter;  W.  Treasurer,  James  Carter;  W.  Chap- 
lain, Eli  M.  Cury  ;  W.  Marshal,  Thomas  J.  Brooks  ; 
Inner  Guard,  D.  F.  Baxter;  Sentinel,  Dennis  Carter. 

MILLS    AND    MANUFACTORIES. 

One  of  the  oldest  landmarks,  as  it  is  also  the  most 
ancient  of  all  the  manufacturing  establishments  of 
Uniontown,  is  the  old  mill  building,  still  standing,  in 
the  western  part  of  the  borough,  near  the  Main  Street 
bridge  over  Beeson's  Run.  This  building,  known  in 
later  years  as  the  Phcenix  Cement  Mill,  was  built  in 
or  about  the  year  1784,  and  fitted  up  as  a  grist-mill 
with  the  machinery  and  fixtures  of  the  older  mill  of 
Henry  Beeson,  which  stood  near  the  present  Gallatin 
Avenue  bridge,  and  which  was  then  discontinued. 

The  mill  (built,  as  above  mentioned,  about  1784) 
was  continued  as  a  grist-  and  flouring-mill  for  more 
than  eighty  years,  but  finally,  in  18G8,  was  discon- 
tinued as  such,  and  converted  into  a  mill  for  the 
manufacture  of  hydraulic  cement.  The  old  building 
is  in  a  much  better  .state  of  preservation  than  could 
be  expected  from  its  great  age. 

The  flouring-mill  of  W.  &  J.  K.  Beeson,  located 
near  the  confluence  of  Campbell's  or  Beeson's  Run 
and  Redstone  Creek,  is  on  the  site  of  Nathaniel  Mit- 
chell's old  tilt-hammer  .shop  and  sc3'the-factory,  which 
have  been  mentioned  in  preceding  pages.  The  prop- 
erty came  into  possession  of  Isaac  Beeson,  who  put 
in  machinery  for  the  manufacture  of  cement  from 
material  quarried  on  the  north  side  of  Campbell's 
Run.  It  was  operated  for  this  purpose  by  him  and 
his  son  Charles  until  the  death  of  the  latter.  In 
1867  it  was  sold  to  Henry  R.  Beeson,  who  changed 
it  to  a  flouring-mill.  Afterwards  it  passed  to  William 
Beeson,  the  present  owner. 

A  woolen-fiictory  was  erected  on  Campbell's  Run, 
on  the  site  of  the  John  Miller  tannery,  in  the  south- 
west part  of  the  borough,  and  was  in  operation  for 
some  years  under  the  proprietorship  of  C.  C.  Hope 
and  others,  but  was  never  very  successful  financially, 
and  was  finally  destroyed  by  fire. 

The  T'niontown  Flouring-Mill,  now  owned  and 
operated  by  L.  W.  Reynolds,  is  the  successor  of  a  mill 
built  about  1838  by  Mr.  Huston,  from  Maryland.  It 
was  afterwards  used  for  several  years  as  a  distillery, 
and  was  finally  destroyed  by  fire,  being  at  that  time 
the  property  of  Col.  Israel  Painter.  The  present 
flouring-mill  was  erected  by  Jacob  Murphy  and  Wil- 
liam S.  Barnes.  In  1,863  it  was  purchased  by  L.  O. 
Revnolcls.     After  his  death  in  187ii  it  came  into  pos- 


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UNIOXTOWN   BOROUGH. 


345 


session  of  his  son,  Lyman  \V.  Reynolds,  its  present 
,  owner. 

The  Union  Foundry,  located  at  the  corner  of  Mor- 
gantown  and  Foundry  Streets,  was  started  in  1840  by 
E.  Robinson.  In  1861  it  passed  to  the  proprietorship 
of  Jaquett  &  Keffer,  by  whom  it  was  operated  till 
October,  1877,  when  the  present  proprietor,  Mr. 
Thomas  Jaquett,  assumed  entire  charge  and  manage- 
ment. The  business  of  the  establishment  is  the  man- 
ufacture of  stoves,  plows,  grates,  and  castings  of 
nearly  every  description.  The  store-room  and  office 
of  the  foundry  are  located  on  Morgantown  Street. 

The  Redstone  Foundry  and  Machine-Shop,  located 
on  Pittsburgh  Street,  was  established  by  Richard  Mil- 
ler in  the  year  1846.  Some  time  afterwards  Mr.  Mil- 
ler admitted  his  son  as  a  partner,  and  the  firm  of 
Miller  &  Son  carried  on  the  business  till  1875,  when 
it  was  succeeded  by  Henry  Delaney.  In  1879  the 
•  establishment  passed  to  the  management  of  Frank- 
enberry  &  Moore,  the  present  proprietors.  They 
manufacture  coke-oven  fronts,  car-wheels,  stoves, 
grates,  hollow-ware,  and  all  kinds  of  castings  and 
light  machinery.  Their  foundery  has  a  capacity  of 
melting  and  casting  about  twelve  thousand  pounds  of 
metal  weekly.  The  building  occupied  is  two  stories 
in  height,  having  a  depth  of  one  hundred  and  ten 
feet,  and  width  of  thirty-six  feet.  A  twenty  horse- 
power engine  is  used,  and  a  number  of  skilled  work- 
nii-ii  are  employed. 

The  planing-mill  and  wood-working  factory  of 
Laiighead,  Hadden  &  Co.  is  the  largest  and  most  im- 
portantof  the  manufacturing  establishments  of  Union- 
town.  It  was  built  and  put  in  operation  in  October, 
1867,  by  Fuller,  Laughead  &  Baily.  On  the  28th  of 
June,  1870,  the  firm  of  Fuller,  Laughead,  Baily  &  Co. 
succeeded  to  the  business.  In  May,  1875,  the  firm- 
name  of  Fuller,  Laughead  &  Co.  was  adopted.  The 
present  firm,  composed  of  James  A.  Laughead, 
Thomas  Hadden,  John  W.  Sembower,  and  Dr.  Smith 
Fuller,  all  members  of  the  old  firm  with  the  exception 
of  Hadden,  succeeded  to  the  business,  adopting  the 
style  and  title  of  Laughead,  Hadden  &  Co. 

The  mill  building,  fitted  up  throughout  with  new 
and  improved  machinery,  is  two  stories  in  height, 
and  covers  an  area  of  ground  forty  by  sixty  feet.  At- 
tached to  this  is  a  wing  twenty-two  by  forty  feet.  The 
boiler-house  and  engine-house  are  each  twenty-two  by 
twenty  feet.  A  forty  horse-power  engine  is  used,  and 
from  forty  to  eighty  workmen  are  employed  in  the 
manufacture  of  doors,  sash,  blinds,  etc.,  and  in  the 
erection  of  buildings,  etc.  During  the  past  summer 
this  company  erected  sixty-one  buildings.  As  both 
the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  and  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio  Railroads  pass  over  the  five  acres  of  ground 
owned  by  the  company,  they  enjoy  excellent  shipping 
facilities,  and  are  constantly  shipping  lumber,  etc.,  to 
all  sections  of  the  country.     In  connection  with  their 


mill,  Messrs.  Laughead,  Hadden  &  Co.  conduct  a 
general  store  in  a  two-story  building  twenty  by 
seventy  feet. 

UNIONTOWN   GAS-WORKS. 
The  Uniontowu  Gas  and  Water  Company  was  in- 
corporated by  an  act  passed  March  26,  1859.     This 
j  act  was  supplemented  by  one  approved  April  2,  1868 
I  and  in  June  of  the  latter  year  the  company  was  organ 
ized,  with  Dr.  Smith  Fuller  as  its  president,  and  T.  B 
Searight,  secretary  and  treasurer.     Dr.  Fuller,  Col.  T, 
B.  Searight,  and   E.  B.  Downer  were  constituted  a 
committee  to  open  books  and  receive  subscriptions 
The  amount  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars  was  subscribed 
and  at  a  meeting  of  stockholders  held  on  the  10th  of 
July,  T.  B.  Searight,  Alfred  Howell,  J.  H.  McClellan, 
E.   B.   Woods,  and   Ewing  Brownfield  were  chosen 
managers,  and  a  constitution  and  by-laws  adopted. 

After  organization,  the  subscriptions  to  the  stock 
not  being  i)aid  in,  John  H.  Miller,  Jr.,  of  Grafton, 
W.  Va.,  proposed  to  build  gas-works  at  his  own  ex- 
pense, provided  the  company  would  transfer  its  powers 
and  franchises  to  him.  This  offer  was  accepted,  and 
legislation  was  procured  (March  26, 1869)  authorizing 
the  transfer  to  Mr.  Miller,  with  the  proviso  that  he 
should  not  charge  for  gas  a  price  exceeding  two  dollars 
and  fifty  cents  per  thousand  feet,  unless  he  was  com- 
pelled to  purchase  coal  at  a  price  above  twelve  dollars 
per  one  hundred  bushels.  He  soon  after  built  the 
works  (located  on  the  creek  near  the  Broadway  bridge) 
as  proposed,  and  operated  them  for  the  manufacture 
of  gas  until  May  8,  1872,  when  Eleazer  Robinson,  of 
Uniontowu,  purchased  the  works.  He  carried  on  the 
business  till  1875,  when  his  son,  William  L.  Robinson, 
assumed  charge  and  still  continues  to  supply  gas  to 
the  people  of  Uniontown. 

POPULATION. 
The   population    of    Uniontown    borough   by   the 
United  States  census  of  1880  was  : 


Total 3265 

Since  the  taking  of  that  census,  however,  the  re- 
markable business  activity  and  prosperity  of  the  town 
and  surrounding  country  has  brought  a  corresponding 
increase  in  the  population  of  the  borough,  which  at 
the  present  time  (January,  1882)  is  estimated  to  be 
fully  four  thousand. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

HON.  DAXIKL    STURGEON. 

Hon.  Daniel  Sturgeon,  "the  Silent  Senator,"  who 

was  born  in  Adams  County,  Pa.,  Oct.  27,  1779,  and 

died  at  Uniontown,  Fayette  Co.,  July  2,  1878,  in  the 

eighty-ninth   year  of  his   age,    was   of  Scotch-Irish 


346 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Presbyterian  stock,  his  grandfatlier  having  come 
from  the  north  of  Ireland  and  settled  in  Adams 
County  some  time  early  in  the  eighteenth  century. 
He  graduated  at  Jefferson  College,  Washington 
County,  and  moved  to  Uniontown  in  1810  to  study 
medicine  with  Dr.  Benjamin  Stevens,  a  man  of  note  in 
his  day.  After  finishing  his  studies  in  medicine  he 
commenced  practicing  his  profession  in  Greensbon/, 
Greene  Co.,  and  remained  there  a  year,  after  which. 
Dr.  Stevens  meanwhile  dying,  Dr.  Sturgeon  returned 
to  Uniontown  to  take  his  place,  and  went  into  prac- 
tice there.  He  was  chosen  by  hi*  fellow-citizens  to 
represent  them  in  the  Legislature  of  the  State  in  its 
session  of  1819,  and  was  continued  in  his  capacity  of 
representative  for  three  terms.  In  1825  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Stale  Senate,  and  -served  in 
the  important  position  of  Speaker  durini;-  the  years 
1827-29.  His  manly  bearing  and  strict  integrity  of 
character  secured  him  the  post  of  auditor-general  of 
the  State  under  Governor  Wolf  in  1830,  at  which  he 
served  for  six  years.  He  was  State  treasurer  in  the 
years  1838-39,  and  was  in  1840  elected  United  States 
senator  for  the  term  commencing  March  4,  1839  (the 
Legislature  having  failed  the  session  before  to  elect  ; 
in  consequence  of  "  the  Buckshot  war").  He  was  re- 
elected in  1845,  and  served  till  1851.  In  1853  he  was  j 
appointed  by  President  Pierce  treasurer  of  the  United 
States  Mint  in  Philadelphia,  and  held  that  respon- 
sible trust  until  1858,  when  he  retired  -from  public 
life.  Among  Dr.  Sturgeon's  contemporaries  in  the 
United  States  Senate  were  Webster,  Clay,  Calhoun, 
Benton,  Wright,  Buchanan,  AVilliam  Allen,  and 
Simon  Cameron. 

Dr.  Sturgeon  was  a  man  of  commanding  stature,  of 
majestic  presence,— 

"  The  combination  and  the  form  indeed 
Where  every  god  did  seem  tq  set  his  seal  | 

To  give  the  world  assurance  of  a  man." 

He  was  a  sturdy  actor  rather  than  talker,  and 
though  a  fiuent  and  graceful  coUoquist,  made  no  pre- 
tense even,  as  a  public  speaker.  In  the  Senate,  where 
he  did  good  work  on  the  committees,  and  commanded 
high  regard  for  sterling  good  sense  and  integrity,  he 
made  no  speeches,  and  received  the  sobriquet  "the 
Silent  Senator."  He  was  a  man  of  great  decision  of  I 
character,  and  in  1838,  while  State  treasurer,  broke  | 
up  "the  Buckshot  war"  by  stubbornly  refusing  to 
honor  Governor  Eitner's  order  on  the  treasury  for 
820,000  to  pay  the  troops,  setting  guards  about  the 
Treasury  and  personally  overseeing  them. 

In  1814,  Dr.  Sturgeon  married  Miss  Nancy  Gregg,  a  ' 
daughter  of  James  Gregg,  of  Uniontown,  a  merchant, 
and  Nancy  Gregg,  who  survived  her  husband  about 
fifty  years,  reaching  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years. 
Mrs.  Dr.  Sturgeon  died  in  1836,  at  the  age  of  forty- 
two,  the  senator  never  remarrying,  leaving  five  chil- 
dren, four  sons  and  a  daughter,  of  whom  three  sons 
are  dead.     Of  these,  one  took    part  in  the  Mexican 


war  under  Gen.  Scott,  being  Lieut.  John  Sturgeon,  of 
Company  H,  Second  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volun- 
teers, who  died  in  Pueblo,  Mexico,  in  the  campaign, 
on  the  18th  dav  of  Julv,  1848. 


COL.   EWIXG    BROWNFIELD. 
Among  the  venerable  men  of  Fayette  County,  iden- 
tified particularly  with  L'niontown  for 


L'niontown  for  a  period  ex- 
tending from  1S05,  when,  as  a  child  of  two  years  of 
age.  he  was  Ijrought  by  his  parents  to  Fayette  County, 
to  the  year  of  this  writing  (1882),  a  period  no  less 
than  seven  years  more  than  what  is  commonly  counted 
"  the  allotted  age  of  man,"  stands  Col.  Ewing  Brown- 
field,  in  the  vigor  of  well-preserved  old  age,  and,  if 
his  old-time  neighbors  are  to  be  credited,  without  a 
stain  upon  his  character  for  general  probity  and 
uprightness  in  his  business  dealings  through  life.  He 
was  born  near  Winchester,  Va.,  Sept.  7,  1803,  of 
Quaker  parentage.  Thomas  Brownfleld,  his  father, 
brought  his  family  to  Uniontown  in  the  year  1805, 
and  at  first  rented  and  afterwards  bought  the  White 
Swan  Tavern,  which  he  conducted  till  he  died  in 
1829.  Ewing  grew  up  in  the  old  tavern,  enjoyed  the 
advantages  of  the  common  schools  of  that  day,  and 
when  become  of  fitting  years  assisted  his  father  as 
clerk  and  overseer  of  the  hotel  until  the  father's 
death,  when,  in  1830,  he  and  his  brother  John,  now 
a  prominent  citizen  of  South  Bend,  Ind.,  formed  a 
partnership  in  the  dry-goods  business,  of  which  more 
further  on. 

In  early  manhood  Col.  Brownfleld  conceived  a  great 
love  for  military  discipline  and  display, — "  the  pomp 
and  glory  of  the  very  name  of  war," — -and  in  a  time  of 
profound  peace,  when  he  was  about  twenty  years  of 
age,  was  one  of  the  first  to  join  a  Union  volunteer 
company  at  that  time  organized.  It  is  one  of  Col. 
Brownfield's  proud  memories  that  upon  the  occasion 
of  Gen.  Lafayette's  visit  to  Albert  Gallatin,  at  New 
Geneva,  in  1825,  he,  with  several  of  his  companions 
in  arms,  went  on  horseback,  as  military  escort,  to  the 
residence  of  Mr.  Gallatin,  and  were  delightedly  re- 
ceived by  the  latter  gentleman  and  his  renowned 
guest.  About  that  time  there  came  into  Uniontown 
a  certain  Capt.  Bolles,  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  who 
formed  a  military  drill  squad,  of  which  Brownfleld 
was  a  member.  Under  the  tutelage  of  Capt.  Bolles, 
Brownfield  became  proficient  in  company  drill,  also  in 
battalion  and  field  drill,  etc.  After  the  formation  of 
the  First  Regiment  of  Fayette  County  volunteers, 
about  1828,  Col.  Brownfield,  then  a  private,  became 
an  independent  candidate  for  major  of  the  regiment, 
and  was  elected  over  three  strongly  supported  candi- 
dates. Holding  the  jjosition  for  two  years,  he  was 
thereafter,  on  the  resignation  of  Col.  Evans,  elected 
colonel  himself  without  opposition,  and  continued  in 
the  colonelcy  for  five  years,  receiving  from  Maj.- 
Gen.  Henry  W.  Beeson,  at  that  time  a  military 
authority  of  high   repute,  the  distinguished  compli- 


4^'/^2^'Z7Z 


/.i^ 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


347 


iiiciit  implied  in  the  following  voluntary  plaudit  be-  I 
stowed  upon  his  regiment,  namely,  "The  First; 
I ';i\  .tte  County  Regiment  of  volunteers  is  among  the  , 
very  best  field-drilled  regiments  in  the  State."  [ 

In  1832  he  and  his  brother  dissolved  the  partner- 
shiji  before  referred  to,  Ewing  continuing  the  busi- 
ness till  1836,  when  he  "  went  West,"  and  settled  in 
j\lisli:uvaka,  Ind.,  again  entering  into  the  dry-goods  | 
business.     But  owing  to  the  malarial  character  of  the 
locality  in  that  day,  he  decided  to  leave  the  place  I 
after   a   few   months,   and   returned   to   Uniontown, 
where,  in  1837,  he  resumed  the  dry-goods  business.  [ 
In  the  same  year  he  bought  a  house  and   lot  on  the 
corner  of  Main  and  Arch  Streets,  tore  away  the  old  j 
building,  erected  a  new  one,  and  there  conducted  his  j 
favorite  business,  continuing  in  the  same  from  that 
date  to  1862.     In  the  latter  year  he  disposed  of  his 
dry-goods  interests,  and  from  that  time  to  1872  was 
engaged,  for  the  most  part,  in  the  wool  business.     In 
187.'i  he  was  elected   president  of  the  People's  Bank, 
which  position  he  now  holds.  I 

Col.  Brownfield  was  married  in  1842  to  Miss  Julia  j 
A.  Long,  daughter  of  Capt.  Robert  Long,  of  Spring- 
field township,  Fayette  Co.     They  have  had  three 
children, — Robert    L.,   Anna   E.,   and  Virginia    E.  { 
Robert,  a  graduate  of  the  Sheflield  Scientific  School  ' 
of  Yale  College,  New  Haven,  Conn.,  is  now  a  pros-  : 
perous  merchant  of  Philadelphia ;    Anna  E.  grad- 
uated at  the  Packer  Institute,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and 
is  the  wife  of  William  Huston,  a  wholesale  merchant 
of  Pittsburgh  ;   Virginia  died  on  the   14th   of  May, 
1872. 


SMITH    FULLER,  M.D.  I 

Dr.  Fuller,  a  gentleman  of  high  repute  in  his  pro- 
fession, on  all  hands  conceded  to  be  the  leading  phy-  | 
sician  and  surgeon  of  Uniontown  and  a  wide  district 
thereabouts,  as  well  as  a  manly  man  among  the  man- 
liest in  the  various  walks  of  life,  is  the  son  of  the  late  I 
John  Fuller,  of  Connellsville,  a  tanner  by  trade,  and  | 
a  leading  politician  of  his  locality.     He  was  three  i 
times  a  member  of  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania,  i 
and  was  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  I 
of  the  State  in  1838,  and  died  in  1865,  at  the  age  of  j 
seventy-nine.  j 

Dr.  Fuller's  mother  was  Harriet  R.  Smith,  a  daugh-  | 
ter  of  the  distinguished  physician.  Dr.  Bela  B.  Smith,  j 
a  native  of  Hartford,  Coan.,  and  who  practiced  medi-  i 
cine  at  West  Newton,  Westmoreland  Co.,  for  fifty 
years,  and  died  about  1835,  having  accumulated  a  j 
large  estate,  principally  landed  property,  through  the  [ 
practice  of  his  profession.  '  j 

Dr.  Fuller  was  born  in  Connellsville  in  1818,  and  | 
in  early  childhood  attended  the  common  schools  of 
Connellsville  (then  a  town  of  about  1000  inhabitants),  i 
till  about  the  age  of  fifteen,  when  he  was  sent  to  Wash-  I 
ington  College,  an  institution  then  embracing  about  1 
one  hundred  students,  and  the  chief  seat  of  learning  ! 


in  Western  Pennsylvania.  He  remained  at  college 
three  years,  and  leaving  it  went  to  West  Newton  to 
study  medicine  with  Dr.  John  Hasson,  a  leading 
physician  of  Westmoreland  County.  He  read  medi- 
cine with  Dr.  Hasson  for  two  years,  and  then  took  a 
course  of  lectures  at  Jefferson  Medical  College,  Phila- 
delphia, concluding  which  he  located  in  Uniontown 
in  the  spring  of  1840,  and  entered  upon  the  practice 
of  medicine,  which  he  pursued,  developing  great  skill 
and  laying  the  foundatiqn  of  his  exceptionally  envi- 
able reputation  as  a  physician  until  1846,  when  he 
returned  to  Jefferson  Medical  College,  took  further 
courses  of  lectures,  and  graduated  in  1847.  The  emi- 
nent Robley  Dunglison  and  Prof.  Pancoast  were 
prominent  professors  of  the  college  at  that  time. 

Dr.  Fuller  returned  to  his  Uniontown  home,  where 
he  has  ever  since  been  located,  enjoying  an  extensive 
practice.  In  his  early  practice  physicians  were  few 
in  Fayette  and  adjoining  counties,  and  he  was  often 
called  on  to  visit  patients  twenty-five  miles  distant 
from  Uniontown. 

In  early  life  a  Democrat,  Dr.  Fuller  co-operated 
actively  with  the  National  American  party  in  1856, 
and  on  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party 
united  with  it.  In  1860  he  was  a  member  of  the  Na- 
tional Convention  at  Chicago  which  nominated  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  for  President.  In  the  same  year  he  was 
elected  to  the  State  Senate  from  Fayette  and  West- 
moreland Counties ;  and  after  the  expiration  of  his 
term  as  senator  was  nominated  by  the  Republicans 
as  representative  in  Congress ;  ran  against  Hon.  John 
L.  Dawson,  then  running  for  a  second  term,  Dawson 
being  declared  elected  by  a  majority  of  sixteen  (in  a 
strongly  Democratic  district).  Dr.  Fuller  contested 
the  seat,  but  unsuccessfully. 

Aside  from  his  profession,  he  has  been  largely  en- 
gaged in  business,  notably  in  tanning  for  the  whole- 
sale trade  in  Georges  township,  Fayette  Co.  He  has  . 
never  united  with  any  sectarian  religious  organization, 
though  looking  with  favor  upon  all  practical  means 
of  promoting  good  morals. 

Dr.  Fuller  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was 
Miss  Elvina  Markle,  of  West  Newton,  whom  he  mar- 
ried in  1839,  and  who  died  in  the  early  part  of  1848. 

He  next  married,  in  1849,  Miss  Jane  Beggs,  of  Union- 
town,  with  whom  he  is  now  living.  By  his  former 
wife  he  had  three  children,— a  son  and  two  daughters, 
— all  of  whom  are  now  living.  By  his  second  wife 
he  has  had  five  sons,  three  of  whom  are  now  living. 
Three  of  his  sons  are  practitioners  of  medicine  and 
one  of  law. 

ROBERT  IIOGSETT. 
Robert  Hngsett  is  the  most  remarkable  man  in 
Fayette  County  in  this,  that  he  has  wrought  out  by 
his  own  unaided  efforts  a  larger  fortune  than  any 
other  citizen  of  the  county.  Others  may  possess 
more  wealth,  but  cannot  say  as  Hogsett  can,  "  I  made 
it  all  myself." 


3i8 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Robert  Hogsett  was  born  in  Menallen  township, 
March  2,  1820.  His  father,  James  Hogsett,  was  a 
north  of  Ireland  man,  and  emigrated  to  America  some 
time  during  the  early  part  of  the  present  century. 
There  was  nothing  about  him  to  distinguish  him  from 
his  fellow-men,  and  he  died  in  North  Union  township, 
near  Uniontowu,  about  the  year  1850,  going  out  of 
the  world  as  he  had  lived  in  it,  a  poor  but  honest 
man.  He  did  not  live  to  see  his  son  take  as  much  as 
the  initial  step  towards  that  distinguished  rank  in 
business  and  financial  affairs  which  he  now  admittedly 
holds,  but  he  left  the  world  peacefully  for  all  that, 
confidently  believing  that  all  his  children  would  be 
able  to  hold  their  own  in  life's  great  battle.  Eobert 
Hogsett's  mother  was  a  daughter  of  Robert  Jackson, 
of  the  old  Jackson  family  of  Menallen  township, 
who  organized  Grace  Church,  near  Searight's,  the 
oldest  Episcopal  Church  in  the  county.  At  the  early 
age  of  twelve  years  Eobert  was  hired  out  to  work  for 
such  persons  as  would  employ  him,  and  for  such 
wages  as  could  be  obtained  for  him.  His  first  en- 
gagement was  with  Job  Wheatley,  a  farmer,  living 
about  one  and  a  half  miles  northwardly  from  Sea- 
right's.  He  remained  with  Wheatley  but  a  short 
time,  doing  such  work  as  is  within  the  scope  and 
power  of  a  twelve  years  old  boy.  Upon  quitting 
Wheatley's  service  he  went  to  breaking  stones  on  the 
old  National  road,  a  common  thing  with  boys,  and 
men  as  well,  at  that  day.  There  are  many  old  men 
in  Fayette  County  who  when  boys  and  young  men 
broke  stones  on  the  old  pike.  Young  Hogsett  re- 
mained on  the  road  wielding  the  well-remembered 
little  round  napping-hammer  every  day  for  five  years, 
and  until  he  reached  the  age  of  seventeen,  breaking 
from  two  to  five  perches  of  stones  a  day,  at  twelve 
and  a  half  cents  (called  a  "levy")  per  perch.  Be- 
coming tired  of  the  monotony  of  the  napping-hammer, 
he  entered  into  an  engagement  with  Joseph  Strickler, 
who  was  running  "the  old  Evans  mill"  on  the  farm, 
or  rather  large  plantation  of  Col.  Samuel  Evans,  in 
North  Union  township.  Besides  running  the  mill 
Strickler  farmed  a  portion  of  the  Evans  land.  Strick- 
ler was  quite  a  prominent  and  active  business  man  in 
his  day,  and  was  among  the  first  men  of  Fayette 
County  who  gave  attention  to  the  feeding  of  cattle 
for  the  Eastern  markets.  The  Evans  mill  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  while  Robert  Hogsett  was  serving  for 
Strickler,  but  at  the  time  of  the  burning  Hogsett  was 
not  working  in  the  mill,  but  on  the  Evans  farm  at 
farm-work.  While  in  the  mill,  Hogsett  for  the  most 
part  had  charge  of  the  engine,  but  his  duties  were 
multifarious,  and  he  did  many  things  in  and  about 
the  mill,  such  as  carrying  bags  of  grain  from  wagons, 
placing  grists  on  the  backs  of  horses  and  tossing  boys 
upon  them,  and  starting  them  home  to  gladden  their 
parents'  hearts  with  fresh  No.  1  flour  and  the  usual 
allowance  of  bran  and  sliorts  to  make  slop  for  tho 
cows.  After  the  Evans  mill  burnt  down  Strickler 
bought  Vance's  mill,  on  Redstone  Creek,  three  miles 


below  Uniontown,  which  he  refitted  and  operated. 
This  mill  is  still  standing  and  doing  work.  Robert 
Hogsett  went  with  Strickler  to  Vance's  mill.  He 
drove  the  team  that  hauled  the  machinery  from  the 
burnt  mill  to  Vance's,  a  work  that  occupied  him  many 
days.  Joseph  Strickler  had  the  misfortune  to  lose 
his  eyesight.  After  he  became  blind  he  removed  to 
the  State  of  Missouri  and  died  there.  Mr.  Hogsett 
always  speaks  in  kind  terms  of  Joseph  Strickler,  and 
says  he  was  a  good  man. 

While  engaged  in  the  milling  business,  Mr.  Hog- 
j  sett,  by  reason  of  exposure  to  all  kinds  of  weather, 
]  contracted  quinsy,  a  complaint  that  pains  him  with 
I  periodically  recurring  attacks  to   this  day.     He  re- 
mained  with   Strickler    eight    years,    and   until   he 
j  reached  the  age  of  twenty-five.     During  this  period 
his  wages  never  exceeded  one  hundred  and  twenty 
dollars   per  year,   a   rate,   however,   which    at    that 
day  was   considered  high  for  labor.     After  quitting 
the   service  of  Strickler  he  went   to  work  for  Mrs. 
j  Sampey,   the   widow   of  James   Sampey,   of  Mount 
Washington.      His    duties    under    this   engagement 
were  to  manage  the  large  mountain  farm  upon  which 
old  Fort  Necessity  is  located ;  to  make  all  he  could 
out  of  it  for  his  employer,  and  likewise  to  superin- 
tend the  hotel  at  that  place,  over  which  Mrs.  Sampey 
presided  as  landlady  and  hostess.     This  hotel  was  a 
stage-stand  at  which  the  "  Good  Intent"  lineof  stage- 
'  coaches,  running  on  the  National  road,  kept  relays 
;  of  teams,  and  passengers  frequently  stopped  there  for 
meals.     There  were  nine  stage-teams  standing  at  the 
Mount  Washington  stables  all  the  time.    Mr.  Hogsett 
!  engaged  but  for  a  single  year  with  Jlrs.  Sampey,  and 
I  in  the  year  cleared  for  her  and  paid  over  to  her  the 
!  handsome  sum  of  four  thousand  dollars.     Now  Hog- 
sett had  reached  an  age  at  which  he  was  ambitious  to 
own  something  himself.     His  first  thought  after  re- 
solving to  make  a  home  for  himself  that  he  could 
call  his  own  was  to  obtain  a  good  wife.     And  here 
the  genius  of  good  luck  first  perched  upon  his  banner, 
and  led  him  to  woo   and  wed  a  daughter  of  John 
F.  Foster,  of  North   Union   township.     Mr.  Foster 
owned  a  small  but  productive  farm  near  Uniontown, 
j  and  Robert  Hogsett,  soon  after  his  marriage,  rented 
this  farm  and  set  up  for  himself  and  his  wife.     He 
operated  this  farm  as  tenant  of  his  father-in-law  for 
about  two  years,  and  then  bought  it.     It  contained 
one  hundred  acres,  and  was  the  first  real  estate  that 
Robert  Hogsett  ever  owned,  and  he  owns  it  to  this 
da)',  and  lives  within  a  few  steps  of  its  boundaries. 
This  purchase  was  made  about  the  year  1848. 

It  will  be  seen  that  at  this  date,  while  Jlr.  Hogsett 
had  displayed  indomitable  energy  and  industry,  as 
wrll  as  close  economy,  his  earnings  were  inadequate 
t(i  the  purchase  of  a  farm  even  of  small  proportions 
and  at  a  small  price,  the  best  average  farm  in  Fayette 
Ciiunty  at  that  time  rating  only  at  about  fifty  dollars 
per  acre  ;  and  that  was  the  price  he  paid  for  the  farm 
of  his   father-in-law.     But  owing  to  the  relationship 


^.^cZ7  T^^/'e^^ 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


349 


between  the  grantor  and  grantee,  the  latter,  of  course, 
obtained  favorable  terms.  His  industrious  and  eco- 
nomical habits,  liowever,  soon  enabled  him  to  acquire 
a  sufficient  sum  of  money  to  pay  for  this  farm  in  full, 
when  he  got  his  deed,  and  stood  forth  for  the  first 
time  a  freeholder.  When  he  commenced  farming  for 
himself  as  lessee  on  his  father-in-law's  land,  his  whole 
outfit  consisted  of  two  poor  horses  and  one  old  sled. 
As  he  pushed  along  he  added  to  his  stock,  and  soon 
became  the  owner  of  an  ordinary  farm  team.  It  was 
his  practice  at  this  period  to  haul  the  grain  he  raised 
into  the  mountains  and  sell  it  to  the  tavern-keepers 
on  the  old  National  road,  which  was  then  a  crowded 
thoroughfare;  and  such  indeed  was  the  practice  of 
nearly  all  the  farmers  in  the  neighborhood  of  Union- 
town  and  many  portions  of  Fayette  County. 

The  National  road  furnished  a  ready  market  for  all 
kinds  of  farm  produce,  and  the  mountains  being  remote 
from  the  rich  agricultural  lands  better  prices  were  ob- 
tained there  than  "  in  the  settlement,"  as  the  region 
west  of  Laurel  Hill  was  called.  After. disposing  of  a 
load  of  grain  the  farmer  proceeded  with  his  team  to 
Cumberland,  and  returned  with  a  load  of  merchandise 
to  Brownsville  or  Wheeling,  for  the  transportation  of 
which  he  obtained  remunerative  prices,  and  thus  was 
enabled  to  make  profitable  trips.  It  was  always  con- 
sidered an  indispensable  matter  to  secure  what  was 
called  a  "back  load."  Farmers  thus  employed  were 
called  "sharpshooters,"  a  term  used  to  distinguish 
them  from  the  "  regulars,"  as  those  were  called  who 
hiade  transportation  a  regular  business.  Robert  Hog- 
sett  was  therefore  called  a  "  sharpshooter,"  but  he 
little  heeded  "  nicknames"  so  long  as  he  pursued  an 
honest  calling  and  obtained  an  honest  living.  He 
was  utterly  oblivious  to  everything  but  the  accomplish- 
ment of  his  aims  and  purposes,  always  pursuing  them, 
however,  with  the  strictest  regard  for  honesty  and 
propriety. 

It  may  be  said  that  the  turning-point  of  Mr.  Hog- 
sett's  wonderfully  successful  career  was  his  marriage 
I  with  Miss  Foster  and  the  purchase  of  her  father's 
farm.  After  that  he  moved  forward  slowly  and 
'  cautiously  at  first,  but  always  making  his  points  with 
'  certainty.  Honesty,  industry,  and  frugality  were  his 
I  dominant  characteristics,  and  these  when  combined, 
I  rarely  fail  to  bring  success  to  any  man  who  has  the 
;  good  fortune  to  possess  them. 

For  many  years  after  he  became  settled  on  his  own 
homestead  Robert  Hogsett  devoted  himself  exclusively 
to  legitimate  fiirming  and  stock-raising  pursuits,  which 
brought  him  large  profits,  owing  mainly  to  his  judi- 
cious management.   In  1858-59,  when  the  first  railroad 
was  built  to  Uniontown,  called  the  Fayette  County 
i  road,  he  took  a  contract  for  construction,  and  com- 
i  pleted  it  with  characteristic  energy  and  promptitude; 
I  and  upon  the  completion  ofthe  road,  at  the  urgentsolici- 
I  tation  ofthe  directors,  he  consented  to  serve  assuper- 
I  intendent,  a  position  he  held  but  a  short  time,  not 
I  fancying  the  railroad  business,  and  possessing  too  much 
I  1!3 


business  talent  to  be  wasted  on  a  twelve-mile  branch. 
He  is  now,  however,  a-  director  in  the  Southwest  Rail- 
road Company,  a  position  he  has  held  from  the  first 
organization  of  that  company.  Soon  after  the  con- 
struction of  the  Fayette  County  road,  above  mentionid, 
he  purchased  the  Isaac  Wood  tract  of  land,  near 
Mount  Braddock,  a  large  farm  underlaid  with  the  nine- 
foot  vein  of  coking  coal.  He  moved  on  tf)  this  farm 
and  lived  on  it  a  number  of  years,  leaving  the  old 
Foster  farm  in  charge  of  one  of  his  now  grown-up  sons. 
He  subsequently  purchased  the  Jacob  Murphy  farm, 
adjoining  the  Wood  farm,  and  also  underlaid  with 
the  big  vein  of  coking  coal.  Here  he  erected  coke 
ovens,  and  operated  them  a  number  of  years  with  his 
customary  success.  He  recently  sold  these  works 
and  the  coal  adjacent  for  a  large  sum  of  money,  suf- 
ficient of  itself  to  constitute  an  ordinary  fortune. 
He  next  bought  the  Judge  Nathaniel  Ewing  farm, 
one  mile  north  of  Uniontown,  on  which  he  at  present 
resides.  Altogether,  he  is  at  this  time  the  owner  of 
four  thousand  eight  hundred  acres  of  land,  twelve 
hundred  of  which  lie  in  the  county  of  Logan,  Ohio,  of 
excellent  quality  for  farming  and  grazing.  He  has 
three  thousand  six  hundred  acres  in  Fayette  County, 
all  of  the  best  quality  of  farming  land,  and  underlaid 
with  the  celebrated  Connellsville  vein  of  coking  coal, 
except  eight  or  nine  hundred  acres  of  mountain  range. 
He  is  also  the  owner  of  a  one-half  interest  in  the 
Lemont  Furnace,  which  has  a  daily  capacity  of  forty 
tons,  and  he  personally  manages  the  affairs  of  this  fur- 
nace, in  a,ddition  to  bestowing  careful  attention  upon 
his  extensive  farming  and  stock-raising  interests. 
And  this  colossal  fortune  was  made  in  a  few  years  by 
a  man  who  started  out  in  the  world  with  nothing  to 
assist  him  but  willing  hands,  a  clear  head,  and  an 
honest  heart.  Robert  Hog;sett  is  small  in  stature,  and 
wears  a  full  beard.  While  he  is  not  a  member  of  any 
church,  he  is  temperate  and  exemplary  in  his  habits. 
He  never  indulges  in  profanity,  nor  does  he  use 
tobacco  in  any  form.  All  his  life  he  has  followed 
the  precept  of  the  maxim,  "  E.arly  to  bed  and  early  to 
rise ;"  and  if  the  practice  of  this  precept  has  not  made 
him  healthy,  it  has  at  least  made  him  wealthy  and 
wise.  Without  opportunity  of  going  to  school  in 
early  life,  as  has  been  seen,  his  education  is  limited 
to  the  rudiments  of  book  learning,  and  he  has  prob- 
ably never  seen  the  following  lines,  although  his 
career,  is  a  perfect  illustration  of  the  truthfulness  of 
the  sentiment  they  contain,  viz. : 

"The  heights  by  great  mon  reached  and  kept 

Were  not  attained  by  sudden  flight, 
But  they,  while  their  companions  slept, 

Were  towering  upward*  in  the  night." 

Robert  Hogsett  is  utterly  indirterent  to  the  gilded 
signs  of  fashion  and  fancy.  A  brass  band  on  the 
street  makes  no  more  impression  upon  him  than  the 
murmurings  of  the  rivulet  that  threads  its  course 
through  one  of  his  rich  meadows.  He  pays  no  atten- 
tion to  "side-shows,"  but    never   misses  the  "main 


350 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


chance."  It  must  not  be  inferred  from  this,  however, 
that  he  is  lacking  in  hospitality  or  generosity.  On 
the  contrary,  he  lives  well,  and  no  man  greets  or  en- 
tertains his  friends  with  warmer  cordiality.  When 
at  home,  released  from  the  anxious  cares  of  business 
engagements  almost  constantly  pressing  upon  him, 
he  delights  in  receiving  the  calls  of  his  neighbors  and 
friends,  and  derives  pleasure  in  talking  with  them  on 
the  common  topics  of  the  hour.  With  all  his  good 
fortune  he  has  suffered  one  sad  misfortune,  the  death 
a  few  years  ago  of  his  wife,  Jane  Foster.  But  Provi- 
dence, as  if  unwilling  that  the  even  current  of  his 
successful  life  should  seem  to  be  broken  or  per- 
turbed, sent  him  another  wife  in  the  person  of  Susan 
Allen,  one  of  the  most  excellent  ladies  of  Fayette 
Countv. 


JASPER  MAKKLE  THOMPSON. 
The  character  and  remarkable  career  of  Jasper 
Markle  Thompson,  now  and  since  1870  jjresiclent  of 
the  First  National  Bank  of  Uniontown,  iiniy,  per- 
haps, be  best  illustrated  by  a  brief  recital  of  the  his- 
tory of  his  immediate  progenitors,  from  whom  he 
evidently  inherited  the  elements  of  the  vigorous  but 
modest  character  which  he  has  manifested  through- 
out his  career  in  life.  He  comes  of  an  ancestry  on 
both  the  paternal  and  maternal  sides — the  one  Scotch- 
Irish, the  other  Pennsylvania  Dutch — who  were  driven 
from  the  lands  of  their  birth  because  of  their  relig- 
ious convictions,  and  found  a  refuge  in  the  colonies 
of  America,  in  the  province  of  Penn,  early  in  the 
eighteenth  century.  His  paternal  grandfather,  like 
many  other  of  the  Scotch-Irish  Presbyterians  of  the 
Cumberland  Valley,  desiring  to  stand  upon  the  fron- 
tiers of  civilizalidn,  drifted  westward  to  Westmore- 
land County  prior  to  the  Revolutionary  war,  and 
took  up  a  tract  of  land  in  the  vicinity  of  Mount 
Pleasant.  His  wife  was  Mary  Jack,  a  daughter  of 
John  .lack,  a  gentleman  who  was  prominent,  with 
others  of  his  family,  in  drafting  and  uttering  the 
Hannastown  Declaration  of  Independence  in  1775. 
A  new  tield  of  operations  was  about  that  time  opened 
to  men  of  strong  arms  aud  unflinching  courage,  and 
lie  determined  to  meet  the  red  man  on  his  own  battle- 
field. Inclination,  if  not  duty,  pointed  to  the  choice 
soil  of  Kentucky,  and  Mr.  Tliompson's  grandfather, 
together  with  his  wife,  and  about  a  half-dozen,  fam- 
ilies, nearly  all  immediate  relatives,  pushed  their  way 
through  the  wilderness,  and  joined  Boone  in  his  ag- 
gressive conflict,  and  continued  companions  in  the 
struggle  till  possession  was  established.  There  the 
grandfiither  of  Mr.  Thompson  passed  the  remainder 
of  his  life,  dying  in  Mason  County,  wliere  his  young- 
est son,  Andrew  Finly  Thompson,  father  of  Jasper 
Markle,  was  born  in  1791.  Andrew  and  his  three 
older  brothers  served  through  the  war  of  1812,  An- 
drew being  taken  prisoner  on  the  occasion  of  Hull's 
surrender.     Being  released,  near  the  present  site  of 


Detroit,  Mich.,  he  traveled  on  foot  to  his  relatives  in 
Westmoreland  County,  Pa.  Here  he  married  Leah 
Markle,  the  youngest  of  the  twenty-two  children  of 
Gasper  Markle,  who  settled  in  Westmoreland  prior  to 
1760,  coming  from  Berks  County,  Pa.,  where  his  father 
had  settled  in  1703,  having  upon  the  revocation  of 
the  Edict  of  Nantes  fled  from  Alsace  in  1686  to  Am- 
sterdam, where  he  engaged  in  business  until  he  took 
ship  for  America. 

After  his  marriage  A.  F.  Thompson  returned  with 
his  wife  to  his  Kentucky  home,  where  his  youngest 
son,  Jasper  Markle  Thompson,  was  born,  near  W^ash- 
ington.  Mason  Co.,  Aug.  30,  1822.     Mr.  Thompson's 
father  and  mother  both  dying  before  he  was  three 
years  old,  he  was  taken  to  Mill  Grove,  Westmoreland 
Co.,  Pa.,  and   lived   several   years  with   his  grand- 
mother, Mary  Markle  (whose  maiden  name  was  Roth- 
criiiol,  of  which  family  is  V.  F.  Rothermel,  who  has 
arliii-vcil  a  national   n-iiiitation  as  an  artist  through 
hi.- great  paiiiting,  the  ■'  I'.attle  of  Gettysburg").    After 
her  death,  in  1832,  he  lived  with  his   cousin,  Gen. 
Cyrus  P.  Markle,  for  eighteen   years.     W^hile   with 
Gen.  Markle  he  worked  on  the  farm,  at  the  paper- 
mill,  in  the  store,  sold  goods,  kept   books,  etc.,  till 
April,  1850,  when  he  moved  to  Redstone  township, 
Fayette  Co.,  and   purchased   part  of  "the  Walters 
farm,"  two  miles  from  New  Salem,  and  lived  there 
until  September  of  the  same  year.    He  then  removed 
to  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives,  two  miles  and  a 
half   from  I'niontown,  in  Menallen   township,  and 
farmed  and  dealt  in  live-stock  until  1862,  when  he- 
was  appointed  collector  of  internal  revenue  for  the 
Twenty-first  District  of  Pennsylvania,  the  largest  dis- 
trict in  the  State  except  those  of  Pittsburgh  and  Phil- 
adelphia.    He  was  afterwards  appointed  receiver  of 
commutation  money  for  the  same  district,  and  in  this 
capacity  collected  and  paid  over  to  the  government 
[  over  §450,000,  in  addition  to  some  §2,000,000  collected 
as  internal  revenue,  having  collected  over  §100,000 
tax  on  whisky  in  one  day.    He  held  two  commissions 
as  collector  from  President  Lincoln,  and  resigned  his 
post  under  the  latter  one  after  holding   it  for  over 
four  years. 
He  was  one  of  the  original  stockholders  (1863)  of 
1  the  First  National  Bank  of  Uniontown,  of  which  lie 
'  is  now  president,  and  has  been  a  dir€ctor  since  the 
organization  of  that  institution.     He  was  nominated 
as  the  Republican  candidate  for  representative  to  the 
j  Legislature  in  1873,but  hesitated  to  accept  the  nomina- 
tion, as  it  was  generally  thought  there  was  no  chance 
'  of  electing  a  Republican  candidate  in  a  county  which 
usually  gives  one  thousand  Democratic  majority,  but 
finally  consenting,  was  elected  by  one  thousand  and 
thirty-one  majority,  his  opponent  on  the  Democratic 
ticket  being  Col.  Alexander  J.  Hill.     He  was  one  of 
I  the  first  directors  of  the  L^niontown  and  W'est  Vir- 
1  ginia  Railroad  Company,  and  after  the  resignation  of 
j  G.  A.  Thomson  was  elected  president.     He  has  also 
'  been  president  of  the  Uniontown  Building  and  Loan 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


351 


Association  from  its  organization  to  the  present  time, 
it  having  a  capital  of  two  hundred  thousand  dolhirs; 
also  was  one  of  the  originators  of  the  Fayette  County 
Agricultural   Association,   and    has    been   president 
thereof  from  its  organization.     He  has  been  a  mem- 
I    ber  of  the   Presbyterian   Church  of  Uniontown  for 
1    over  thirty   years,  a  ruling   elder   for  about  twenty 
j   years ;  was  commissioner  from  Redstone  Presbytery 
!    to  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
;   which  met  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  in  1868,  and  again  at 
I   Madison,  Wis.,  in  1880,  and  is  a  director  in  the  West- 
ern Theological  Seminary  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
1  at  Allegheny  City,  Pa. 

I      Mr.  Thompson  was  married  in  1846  to  Eliza  Ca- 
ruthers,  youngest  daughter  of  Samuel  Caruthers,  of  j 
Sewickly  township,  W^estmoreland  Co.,  Pa.,  a  ruling 
elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Sewickly,  and 
whose  mother,  Catharine  Potter,  was  the  daughter  of 
Lieut.  John  Potter,  and  sister  of  Gen.  James  Potter,  ^ 
the  intimate  and  trusted  friend  of  Gen.  Washington 
in  Pennsylvania  during  the  Revolutionary  war.     Mr. 
Thompson  has  two  daughters,  who  received  their  edu- 
cation at  the  Female  Seminary  in  Washington,  Pa. 
The  oldest,  Ruth  A.,  was  married  in  1875  to  Dr.  J.  T. 
Shepler,  now  of  Dunbar.     The  second,  Lenora  M.,  i 
was  married  to   John  A.   Niccolls,  a  merchant,  in 
1873,  and  resides  at  Irwin  Station,  Westmoreland  Co. 
He  has  also  two  sons, — William  M.  and  Josiah  V., — 
who  graduated  together  from  Washington  and  Jeffer- 
son College,  at  Washington,  Pa.,  in  1871.     William 
lives  with  his  father,  and  manages  his  farm  of  over 
six  hundred  and  fifty  acres.    The  younger,  Josiah  V.,  ] 
was   chosen   teller   in   the   First   National  Bank   of  j 
Uniontown    in   April,  1872,  and   elected   cashier  in 
1877,  when  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  now  holds 
this  position,  this  bank  doing  the  largest  banking 
business  done  in  the  county,  and  being  one  of  the 
most  successful. 

Mr.  Thompson  was  one  of  the  successful  presidential 
electors  (on  the  Republican  ticket)  in  the  campaign 
of  1872,  resulting  in  Gen.  Grant's  second  election. 

Mr.  Thompson  in  his  youth  attended  only  the 
common  schools,  but  with  a  sagacity  and  foresight 
commendable,  as  his  success  in  life  has  demonstrated 
to  the  consideration  of  the  youth  of  the  present  day, 
improved  his  spare  hours  of  daylight,  and  occupied 
most  of  his  nights  not  devoted  to  sleep  to  acquiring 
what  knowledge  he  could  through  books. 


ALFRED   PATTERSON. 

Among  the  now  departed  sons  of  Fayette  County 
the  lives  of  whom  shed  upon  her  a  special  lustre,  was 
the  eminent  lawyer  and  cultivated  gentleman,  Alfred 
Patterson,  who  died  in  Natchitoches,  La.,  when  on  a 
visit  to  his  daughter  there,  Dec.  16,  1878,  he  having 
reached  her  residence  only  three  or  four  days  before 
his  death. 

Mr.  Patterson  was  born  in  Menallen  township,  Dec. 


24,  1807,  and  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  His  re- 
mote immigrant  ancestor  settled  in  Lancaster  County, 
Pa.  His  grandfather  was  John  Patterson,  who  came 
into  Fayette  County  from  Dauphin  County  at  an 
early  day  and  took  up  his  abode  in  Menallen  town- 
ship. He  had  a  large  number  of  children,  most  of 
whom  eventually  became  scattered  in  the  then  far-off, 
growing  VV'est.  But  John,  the  father  of  Alfred,  re- 
mained upon  the  old  homestead  until  Alfred  was  sev- 
eral years  old,  when  he  sold  the  farm  and  purchased 
a  plantation  near  Wellsburg,  West  Virginia,  whereon 
he  lived  until  his  death. 

John  Patterson,  who  married  Rebecca  Oliphant, 
had  four  sons  and  four  daughters.  Of  the  sons,  An- 
drew O.  Patterson  became  the  once-noted  Rev.  Dr. 
Patterson  of  the  Presbyterian  order;  and  Thomas  M. 
a  physician,  who  settled  in  Louisiana  and  acquired 
great  wealth;  John  E.  died  young;  and  of  Alfred 
we  are  to  speak  more  specially  farther  on.  The 
daughters  all  married  and  died  in  middle  life. 

All'red  was  brought  up  in  boyhood  on  the  farm  in 
Menallen  and  on  the  plantation  near  Wellsburg,  and 
was  carefully  instructed  and  finally  sent  to  Jefferson 
College,  Washington  County,  and  graduated  from 
that  institution  about  182S.  He  then  studied  law, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Westmoreland  County, 
and  soon  after  moved  to  Uniontown,  where  he  entered 
upon  the  practice  of  his  profession,  which  he  pursued 
with  such  zeal  and  marked  ability  that  he  rapidly  rose 
to  the  leadership  of  the  bar  of  the  county,  which  he  con- 
tinued to  hold  during  his  residence  in  Fayette  County. 
Having  while  residing  in  Uniontown  acquired  large 
business  interests  in  Pittsburgh,  he  removed  to  that 
city  about  1805  and  organized  the  Pittsburgh  National 
Bank  of  Commerce,  and  was  elected  its  first  president, 
and  was  chosen  president  at  all  its  successive  elec- 
tions of  officers  while  he  lived. 

Mr.  Patterson  was  as  distinguished  as  a  business 
man  as  he  had  been  as  a  lawyer.  No  eulogy  here  could 
add  to  the  brightness  of  the  fame  he  enjoyed  when 
living,  or  monody  fitly  sound  the  regret  with  which 
all  who  knew  him  received  the  announcement  of  his 
sudden  death. 

In  1834,  Mr.  Patterson  married  Miss  Caroline  White- 
ley,  daughter  of  Col.  Henry  Whiteley,  of  Delaware, 
and  who  died  May  7,  1869.  They  were  the  parents 
of  seven  children, — Henry  W.,  who  in  18C6  married 
Miss  Louisa  C.  Dawson,  daughter  of  Hon.  John  L. 
Dawson,  of  Fayette  County,  and  who  died  in  1875, 
leaving  a  son,  Henry  W.,  and  in  January,  1880,  mar- 
ried Miss  Anna  T.,  daughter  of  George  P.  Hamilton, 
Esq.,  of  Pittsburgh  ;  Mary  C,  wife  of  George  Dawson, 
a  native  of  Fayette  County,  now  residing  in  Louisiana ; 
Catharine  W.,  who  died  in  infancy  ;  John  Russell, 
who  was  drowned  in  the  Monongahela  River  while 
skating  about  1858,  aged  twenty-two  years;  Virginia, 
wife  of  William  H.  Baily,  residing  in  Minneapolis, 
Minn. ;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Samuel  H.  Jacobus,  of 
Allegheny  City  ;  and  Ella  R.,  of  the  same  city. 


351 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ALFRED    HOWELL,  Esq.  I 

Prominent  among  the  lawyers  of  Faj-ette  County  { 
stands  Alfred  Howell,  for  a  period  of  thirty-five  years 
identified  with  llie  interests  and  progress  of  Union- 
town,  where  he  resides.  Mr.  Howell  is  a  native  of 
Philadelphia,  and  was  born  in  the  year  182.5,  of  Qua-  ' 
ker  stock,  both  his  paternal  and  maternal  ancestry 
tracing  their  lines  through  the  time  of  William  Penn 
back  for  an  indefinite  period  among  the  Quakers  of 
Wales.  Benjamin  B.  Howell,  his  father,  then  a  mer- 
chant, removed  with  his  family  to  New  York  City  in 
the  year  1830-81,  where  young  Howell  wa*  sent  to  pre- 
paratory school,  and  eventually,  at  the  age  of  fourteen, 
entered  Columbia  College,  and  there  continued  until 
well  advanced  in  the  sophomore  class.  Jleanwhile 
his  father  had  quitted  merchandise  and  entered  upon 
the  development  of  iron  and  coal  industries  near  Cum- 
berland, Md.,  having  enlisted  with  himself  several 
English  capitalists.  Having  occasion  to  visit  Eng- 
land on  business,  he  took  passage,  in  March,  1S41, 
on  board  the  ill-fated  ocean  steamer  ''  President," 
which  foundered  at  sea,  no  tidings  of  her  or  any  of 
her  human  cargo  having  ever  been  had.  The  sudden 
and  great  eiibniiity  of  the  loss  of  his  father  necessi- 
tated yimiig  IIow.'H's  withilrawal   from  college,  after 

which  hr  s 1  entered  as  a  student  at  law  in  the  office 

of  Graham  &  Sandfords,  counselors-at-law  and  so- 
licitors in  chancery,  a  distinguished  firm,  the  Sand- 
fords  afterwards  having  been  both  elevated  to  the 
bench.  With  these  gentlemen,  and  their  successors 
in  partnership  with  Mr.  Graham,  Messrs.  Murray 
Hoffman  and  Joseph  S.  Bosworth  (both  subsequently 
becoming  judges),  Mr.  Howell  remained  till  1845, 
enjoying  the  good  fortun 
this  remarkable  conibinai 
migrated  to  Uniontowu, : 
in  the  office  of  his  unci 
leading  lawyer,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Imr  in  1847. 
In  1851  he  entered  int..  partnership  with  Mr.  Howell, 
and  continued  with  him  until  the  fall  of  18G1,  wlien 
Mr.  Howell,  having  raised  the  Eighty-fifth  Regiment  ; 
Pennsylvania  Ynhiiiteers,  and  being  commissioned 
its  colonel,  entered  into  the  war  of  the  Rebellion, 
wherein  he  became  exce]itionally  distinguished,  and  ' 
was  killed  near  Petersburg,  in  September,  1864,  by  i 
being  thrown  from  his  Iiorse  in  the  night-time. 

After  Col.  Howell's  entry  into  the  army,  Mr.  How- 
ell succeeded  to  the  business  of  the  partnership,  and 
lias  ever  since  continued  the  practice  of  the  law, 
conducting  a  large  and  laborious  business  with  con- 
scientious fidelity  to  his  clients,  earning  honorable 
distinction  and  a  goodly  fortune. 

He  has  been  more  or  less  engaged  in  important 
business  enterprises,  among  which  may  be  men- 
tioned the  projection,  in  18G6,  about  what  was  then 
known  as  Dawson's  Station,  on  the  line  of  the  Pitts- 
burgh and  Connellsvijle  Railroad,  of  a  village,  now 
incorporated  as  tlie  borough  of  Dawson,  on  a  tract  of 
land  there  lying,  and  of  which  he  about  that  time 


f  the  eminent  tutelage  of 
1  of  legal  talent,  when  he 
finished  his  legal  studies 
ro^lnia  P..  Howell,  then  a 


came  into  possession.  He  caused  the  tract  to  be  duly 
surveyed  and  laid  out  into  building  lots,  and  so  con- 
ducted his  enterprise  as  in  the  course  of  a  few  years 
to  erect  a  prosperous  and  desirable  village,  with 
churches,  public  schools,  etc.,  upon  what  was  before, 
and  but  for  his  business  foresight  and  energy  woujd 
have  remained,  merely  an  uninhabitable  portion  of 
an  old  farm.  He  has  occasionally  engaged  in  the 
purchase  and  sale  of  real  estate,  particularly  dealing 
in  coal  lands,  with  profitable  results,  and  taken  active 
part  with  others  in  supplying  the  county  with  local 
railways,  which  have  been  the  means  of  developing 
the  treasures  of  rich  coal-mines  and  of  otherwise  en- 
hancing the  wealth  of  the  county. 

Mr.  Howell  became  a  communicant,  in  his  early 
manhood,  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and 
has  ever  since  continued  active  connection  there- 
with, and  occupies  the  position  of  senior  warden. 

Mr.  Howell  was,  in  the  year  1853,  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Elizabeth  Jennings  Dawson,  daughter 
of  Mr.  George  Dawson,  of  Brownsville,  Fayette  Co. 
Mrs.  Howell  died  in  18(39,  leaving  six  children,  one 
of  whom,  a  daughter,  died  in  1878.  Of  the  five  now 
living,  the  elder  son,  George  D.,  is  at  this  time  (1882) 
a  member  of  the  senior  class  of  Trinity  College, 
Hartford,  Conn.,  intending,  after  his  graduation 
there,  to  studv  law  with  his  father. 


HOX.  CHARLES  E.   BOYLE. 

Charles  E.  Boyle,  one  of  the  most  prominent  mem- 
bersofthe  FayetteConnty  bar,  wasborn  in  Uniontown, 
Feb.  4.  iNod,  and  i<  tlie  <'mi  of  Bernard  Boyle,  whose 
father,  al^i  rv-rnard  I'.nyle.  emigrated  from  Ireland. 
Mr.  Boyle,  the  father  of  Charles  E.,  died  near  New 
Market,  in  Virginia,  when  Charles  was  only  three 
years  old,  leaving  a  family  of  four  children,  of  whom 
Charles  E.  was  (he  youngest.  In  liis  boyhood  he  at- 
tended the  rnmuion  -ilinnls,  and  also  fora  time  Madi- 
son College,  and  thereatier  tonk  a  course  of  Studies  in 
Waynesburg  College,  Greene  County. 

While  attending  schoid  Jlr.  lioyle  spent  somewhat 
of  his  time  in  and  about  the  printing-office  of  the 
Cumberland  Prcsbi/feriaii,  and  picked  up  the  art  of 
setting  type  at  nine  years  of  age,  and  thereafter  fol- 
lowed the  business  of  printing  at  times  previous  to 
attending  Waynesburg  College,  on  his  return  from 
which  he  engaged  in  the  same  business  in  the  office 
of  the  Genhu  of  Liherlij.  At  twenty  years  of  age  he 
became  owner  of  a  half-interest  in  that  paper,  and 
three  years  later  the  sole  owner,  and  alone  conducted  | 
it  for  a  year,  and  sold  it  to  E.  G.  Roddy  in  February,  ' 
1861.  While  proprietor  of  the  paper  Mr.  Boyle  was 
entered  as  a  student  at  law  in  the  office  of  Hon.  Daniel 
Kaine,  and  was  finally  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Decem- 
ber, 1861,  and  immediately  entered  into  partnership 
with  Mr.  Kaine,  continuing  with  him  till  the  spring 
of  1865.  The  firm  enjoyed  a  practice  second  in  im- 
portance to  none  in  the  county. 


o  .  <^  ,  /  J^^^-<^ 


^^(KU-^^si^ 


//.      e  f  ^^Y^c^^< 


''^- 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


3^3 


In  1862,  Mr.  Boyle  was  elected  district  attorney  for 
Fayette  County  for  the  term  of  three  years,  before  the 
expiration  of  which  he  was  elected  by  the  Democratic 
party  a  representative  to  the  General  Assembly  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  re-elected  the  following  year,  serv- 
ing in  the  sessions  of  1866-67.  In  the  latter  session 
he  was  placed  upon  the  Committees  of  Ways  and 
Means,  the  General  Judiciary,  and  Federal  Relations, 
the  leading  committees,  the  House  being  then  two- 
thirds  Republican.  The  session  was  a  stormy  one. 
Legislation  in  Pennsylvania  at  that  time,  just  after 
the  war,  ran  wild.  Laws  were  enacted  en  masse.  Mr. 
Boyle  strenuously  opposed  that  kind  of  legislation, 
and  at  the  close  of  the  session  his  Democratic  fellow- 
members  presented  him  with  a  complimentary  service 
of  silver,  a  testimonial  of  his  acknowledged  political 
leadership.  For  several  years  after  the  close  of  his 
legislative  services  in  1867,  Mr.  Boyle  suffered  constant 
ill  health,  but  nevertheless  paid  diligent  attention  to 
the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  was  active  in  poli- 
tics. He  had  been  a  member  of  several  State  Conven- 
tions of  his  party  prior  to  that  of  1867,  of  which  latter 
he  was  made  president.  This  convention  nominated 
Judge  Sharswood,  now  chief  justice,  for  judge  of  the 
Supreme  Court.  In  1868,  Mr.  Boyle  was  nominated 
by  his  party  as  its  candidate  for  auditor-general  of 
the  State,  the  Republican  party  at  that  time  having 
put  in  nomination  Gen.  Hartranft.  Hartranft  was 
declared  elected  by  a  majority  of  about  nine  thousand 
in  a  vote  of  six  hundred  and  fifty  thousand.  Mr. 
Boyle  was  temporary  chairman  of  the  Democratic 
State  Convention  in  1871.  In  1872  he  was  a  candi- 
date for  nomination  to  Congress  from  the  Twenty-first 
District,  composed  of  the  counties  of  Westmoreland, 
Fayette,  and  Indiana ;  and  also  in  the  years  1874-76, 
and  1878-80,  for  the  same  numerical  district,  then 
composed  of  Fayette,  Westmoreland,  and  Greene 
Counties,  and  on  each  occasion  carried  against  ear- 
nest opposition  his  own  county,  F:iyrtto,  by  iinijuii- 
ties  successively  increasinir,  but  lailnl  1<j  sfi-uic  tlic 
nomination  of  the  district,  it  going  to  one  or  other  of 
the  other  counties.  Mr.  Boyle  was  a  member  of  the 
Democratic  National  Conventions  at  St.  Louis  in 
1876,  and  at  Cincinnati  in  1880,  in  both  of  which  he 
supported  the  nomination  of  Gen.  Hancock. 

In  avocations  of  life  other  than  professional,  Mr. 
Boyle  has  also  had  his  full  share  of  duties  to  perform 
and  received  his  meed  of  honor.  He  is  one  of  the  State 
managei-s  of  the  West  Pennsylvania  State  Hospital, 
appointed  by  a  Republican  Governor  ;  has  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  been  a  vestryman  of  St.  Peter's  Protest- 
ant Episcopal  Church,  and  a  director  of  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank. 

In  1871,  Judge  A.  E.  Willson,  Hon.  W.  H.  Play- 
ford,  and  Mr.  Boyle  became  the  owners  of  a  body  of 
valuable  coal  land  in  Tyrone  township,  where  they 
erected  works  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
coke  until  the  spring  of  1880,  when  they  sold  a  part 
of  the  property  to  H.  C.  Frick  &  Co.,  realizing  by  the 


sale,  as  is  generally  understood,  a  considerable  for- 
tune each.  Mr.  Boyle  is  a  solicitor  of  the  Baltimore 
and  Ohio  Railroad  Company,  and  retained  counsel  of 
nearly  all  the  great  coke  and  furnace  companies  of 
Fayette  County,  which  companies  operate  capital  of 
millions  of  dollars. 

Mr.  Boyle  was  married  in  1858  to  Miss  Mary  Hen- 
drickson,  of  Uniontown,  by  whom  he  has  had  seven 
children,  six  of  whom  are  living, — four  sons  and  two 
daughters. 


WILLIAM    n.  PLAYFORD. 

William  H.  Playford,  who  in  addition  to  the  rej  u- 
tation  of  being  an  excellent  counselor  and  advocate, 
enjoys  popular  distinction  as  the  ablest  criminal  law- 
yer at  the  Fayette  County  bar,  is  the  son  of  Dr.  Rob- 
ert W.  Playford,  who  practiced  medicine  at  Browns- 
ville, Fayette  Co.,  for  a  period  of  over  forty  years,  being 
very  successful,  particularly  as  a  surgeon,  his  prac- 
tice extending  into  adjoining  counties.  Dr.  Playford 
was  a  native  of  London,  and  a  graduate  of  Eton 
College,  England.  He  died  in  1867,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-eight.  About  ten  years  after  his  arrival  in  this 
country  he  married  Margaret  A.  Shaw,  of  Fayette 
County. 

William  H.  Playford,  who  is  one  of  three  children, 
— one  of  whom.  Dr.  R.  W.  Playford,  is  now  practic- 
ing medicine  in  Venango  County, — was  born  in 
Brownsville,  Aug.  31,  1834,  attended  the  common 
school  of  his  town,  and  at  about  fifteen  years  of  age 
was  sent  to  Dunlap's  Creek  Academy  for  two  years, 
where  he  made  studies  preparatory  to  entering  the 
sophomore  class  of  Jefferson  College,  Canonsburg,  in 
1851,  and  graduated  from  that  institution  with  hon- 
ors in  1854.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he  went 
South,  and  took  charge  of  Waterproof  Academy, 
Tensas  Parish,  La.,  for  one  year,  on  conclusion  of 
which  he  returned  home,  and  entered  the  office  of 
Judge  Nathaniel  Ewing,  of  Uniontown,  under  whose 
direction  he  studied  law  until  September,  1857,  when 
he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  began  the  practice  of 
the  law.  In  1859  he  was  elected  by  the  Democratic 
party  district  attorney  of  Fayette  County  for  the 
terra  of  three  years,  wherein  he  distinguished  him- 
self. Including  the  war  years  1861-62,  as  it  did,  the 
term  was  an  unusually  laborious  one. 

Since  1862  he- has  been  connected  with  nearly  every 
important  criminal  case  in  the  county.  His  first  im- 
portant case  after  1862  was  the  widely  noted  one  of 
Henry  B.  Mallaby,  charged  with  murdering  Joseph 
Epply  at  a  political  meeting  in  Smithfield,  Fayette 
Co.,  in  18(33,  important  on  account  of  the  political 
partisanship  evinced  in  the  trial.  Mr.  Playford  aided 
the  Commonwealth. 

A  remarkable  case  in  which  Mr.  Playford  was  en- 
gaged for  the  defense  was  that  of  Mary  Houseman, 
charged  with  the  murder  of  her  husband  in  1866,  Mr. 
Playford  securing  her  acquittal  after  a  confession  in 


354 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


open  court  by  one  of  her  accomplices,  Richard  Thair-  ' 
•well,  who  was  convicted  and  hung. 

Mr.  Phiytbrd  has  taken  an  active  part  in  politics, 
and  was  elected  in  1807  a  representative  to  tlie  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  Pennsylvania  for  Fayette  County, 
and  re-elected  in  1S(1S.  In  1872  he  was  elected  to 
the  State  Senate  for  the  district  composed  of  Fayette 
and  Greene  Counties,  and  served  the  period  of  tbree 
years,  being  [)laced  on  the  General  Judiciary  Com- 
mittee and  tlie  Committee  on  Finance.  In  1874  he 
was  commissioned  by  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  i 
in  connection  with  Chief  Justice  Agnew,  Hon.  W.  A. 
AVallace,  now  ex-United  States  senator,  lienjamin 
Harris  Brewster,  now  Attorney-General  of  the  United 
States,  and  others,  to  consider  and  propose  amend- 
ments to  the  present,  then  new,  constitution  of  the  I 
State.  The  commission  reported  to  the  Legislature  a  ' 
number  of  amendments  which  ought,  it  is  generally 
admitted,  to  have  been,  but  have  not  yet  been,  sub- 
mitted to  the  people,  it  being  then  considered  that 
the  constitution  as  it  stands  should  be  further  tested. 
He  was  a  delegate  in  the  National  Democratic  Con- 
vention at  Baltimore  in  1872,  at  which  Horace  Gree- 
ley was  nominated  for  President,  and  opposed  his 
nomination  throughout  the  session  as  bad  policy  for 
ihe  party.  He  has  frequently  been  elected  delegate 
to  State  Conventions,  and  was  chairman  of  the  Demo- 
cratic State  Convention  which  met  at  Lancaster  in 
1876,  and  was  a  candidate  for  Presidential  elector-at- 
large  for  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  on  the  Demo- 
cratic ticket  in  1880. 

He  was  married  in  October,  18()1,  to  Ellen  C. 
Krepps,  daughter  of  Hon.  Solomon  G.  Krepps,  of 
Brownsville,  a  leading  citizen  of  that  place. 


HON.  TIIO.M.AS  BEXTOX  SCIIXATTERLY. 
One  of  the  most  active  public  men  of  Fayette 
County,  and  at  present  and  for  some  years  past  a 
successful  leading  politician,  and  now  having  per- 
haps more  promise  than  any  other  man  of  his  party 
in  his  district,  State,  senatorial,  or  congressional,  of 
a  sure  and  ilistinguished  career  in  the  future  is  Sen- 
ator Thomas  B.  Schnatterly.  Mr.  Schnatterly  as  a 
jmlitician  has  the  good  sense  to  follow  through  oppo- 
sition and  over  obloquy  the  dictates  of  his  better  man- 
hood, and  boldly  and  bravely  place  himself  upon  the 
platform  of  the  old-time  genuine  Democratic  prin- 
ciples, and  wage  war  for  the  laboring  classes,  and 
consequently  for  the  best  interests  of  all  classes  at 
last,  against  the  great  corporations,  with  their  unlim- 
ited exchequers  at  ready  command  for  any  scheme  of 
remunerative  corruption,  and  with  their  autocratic 
aspirations,  instead  of  following  the  course  of  too 
many  leading  Democrats,  as  well  as  Republicans, 
who  either  covertly,  or  openly  and  shaniekssly,  sell 
their  talents  and  consciences  to  cajiital  in  its  c.aiisc 
rcrxus  righteousness  among  men.  His  jMililiral  fucs 
denounce  his  course  as  demagogism.     That  was    to 


be  expected,  but  the  more  of  that  kind  of  "dema- 
gogism" Fayette  County  and  Pennsylvania  enjoy  the 
better;  the  sooner,  therefore,  will  the  hideous  wages- 
slavery,  as  base  in  many  respects  as  was  ever  the 
chattel  slavery  of  the  neighboring  State  of  Virginia, 
and  which  has  made  the  system  practiced  bj'  many  of 
the  great  Pennsylvania  corporations  objectionable  to 
all  right-minded  thinkers,  be  abolished,  and  true  re- 
publican customs  be  substituted  therefor. 

Thomas  B.  Schnatterly  comes  of  Dutch  lineage  on 
his  paternal  side.  His  great-grandfather  with  a  num- 
ber of  brothers  came  from  Holland  prior  to  the  Revo- 
lutionary war.  A  part  of  them  settled  in  Eastern 
Pennsylvania,  in  Lebanon  County.  Two  pushed 
westward,  with  the  purpose  of  making  homes  near 
the  head-waters  of  the  Ohio,  but  were  lost  sight  of 
and  were  perhaps  slain  by  the  Indians.  Another, 
the  great-grandfather  of  Senator  Schnatterly,  eventu- 
ally settled  in  Fayette  County,  in  what  is  now  Nich- 
olson township,  and  there  married  and  became  the 
father  of  a  son  named  John,  who  was  the  grandfather 
of  Thomas  B.  Schnatterly.  John  had  by  his  first 
wife  some  eight  children ;  by  a  second  wife  one 
child,  a  son.  Of  the  first  family  of  children  was 
John  Schnattiily,  tin-  fatlirr  (,f  Th.imas  B.  He  was 
born  near  New  (icncva  iu  the  xi-av  ]8(I5,  and  at  about 
the  age  of  twcnty-twn  married  .Mi-s  Malinda  Kendall, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Kendall,  then  living  near  Union- 
town.  Jlr.  and  Mrs,  John  Schnatterly,  both  enjoying 
the  peace  of  ripe  old  age,  are  the  parents  of  nine  chil- 
dren, seven  of  whom — four  sons  and  three  daughters 
— are  living,  and  of  whom  Senator  Schnatterly  is  the 
sixth  in  number,  and  was  born  July  13,  1841.  He 
was  brought  up  on  the  homestead  farm,  and  was 
educated  at  the  common  schools  and  Georges  Creek 
Academy  (teaching  school  himself  somewhat  during 
this  period  of  his  life),  and  at  Madison  Institute  and 
Waynesburg  College. 

After  leaving  college,  at  about  the  age  of  twenty- 
two,  he  entered  the  oflice  of  Col.  T.  B.  Searight,  at 
Uniontown,  as  a  student  at  law,  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  December,  1864.  In  October,  1865,  he  was 
elected  district  attorney  for  Fayette  County  for  the 
term  of  three  years,  and  entered  upon  official  duty  iu 
December  of  the  same  year,  and  went  out  of  office  in 
December,  1868.  The  term  was  an  arduous  one,  oc- 
curring just  after  the  war,  and  comprising  a  reign  of 
crime.  Special  sessions  of  criminal  courts  were  in 
those  days  held  to  try  offenses  of  high  degree.  After 
the  term  was  over  he  continued  the  practice  of  law 
in  Uniontown,  and  at  the  October  election  of  1869 
was  elected  by  the  Democratic  party  a  member  of 
the  General  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania  for  Fayette 
County,  and  served  in  the  session  of  1870,  and  was 
elected  in  that  year  to  the  General  Assembly  of  1871, 
and  served  therein ;  and  thereafter,  while  conducting 
the  practice  of  law,  engaged  (in  October,  1871)  as  a 
contractor  in  the  construction  of  the  Greensburg  and 
Connellsville  Division  of  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania 


^^z//J^:/^'^^_  .^^^^ 


./  hiri^^a^ 


v^ 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


35E 


Railroad,  which  division  was  completed  in  1872,  the 
charter  for  which  he  had  caused  to  be  granted  in  the 
session  of  1871.  In  1872  he  was  defeated  as  a  candi- 
date for  the  Senate  at  the  Democratic  primary  elec- 
tions by  Hon.  Win.  H.  Play  ford. 

He  continued  the  practice  of  the  law,  and  in  1876 
was  again  elected  to  the  General  Assembly  for  the 
session  of  1877-78,  and  at  the  November  election  of 
1878  was  elected  State  senator  for  the  Fortieth  Dis- 
trict, composed  of  the  counties  of  Fayette  and  Greene, 
for  the  period  of  four  years. 

In  the  House  he  served  on  general  and  local  judi- 
ciary committees ;  in  the  Senate,  on  local,  judiciary, 
railroad,  and  corporation  committees.  In  both  House 
and  Senate,  in  all  legislative  controversies  between 
capital  and  labor,  he  was  always  on  the  side  of  the 
oppressed,  constantly  looking  out  for  the  interests  of 
the  laboring  classes,  and  was  not  tenderly  loved  by 
the  grasping  monopolists  of  Pennsylvania. 

He  originated  the  bill  abolishing,  under  severe 
penalties,  the  odious  female-waiter  system  then  in 
vogue,  with  all  its  iniquities,  in  the  cities  of  the  State. 
He  was  also  the  projector  of  the  Senate  bill  entitled 
"An  act  to  secure  to  operatives  and  laborers  engaged 
in  and  about  coal-mines,  manufactories  of  iron  and 
steel,  and  all  other  manufactories  the  payment  of 
their  wages  at  regular  intervals,  and  in  lawful  money 
of  the  United  States."  In  the  session  of  1880  this 
bill  was  passed,  but  was  vetoed  by  Governor  Hoyt; 
but  it  was  introduced  by  Senator  Schnatterly  in  the 
succeeding  session  of  1881,  and  again  passed,  and 
then  received  the  Governor's  approval,  and  became 
the  law. 

The  struggle  over  this  bill  was  a  test  fight  between 
capital  and  the  interests  of  labor  in  the  State.  The 
senator  did  brave  work  in  pushing  the  bill  on  to 
recognition  in  law,  and  by  a  powerful  array  of  facts 
convinced  a  Senate  at  first  in  active  opposition  to 
the  bill  of  the  justice  of  his  propositions  and  the 
necessity  for  the  act. 

Another  important  fact  in  Senator  Schnatterly's 
career  as  a  legislator  should  not  fail  of  record  here, 
and  it  is  this,  that  he  has  uniformly  voted  for  the 
largest  appropriations  for  the  public  schools  and  the 
public  charities  (a  species  of  "  demagogism"  almost 
as  discreditable  as  his  legislative  warfare  in  favor  of 
the  rights  and  interests  of  the  laboring  classes).  He 
can  well  afford  to  be  criticised  for  voting  decent  ap- 
propriations for  the  blind  and  the  maimed.  The  foes 
who  censure  him  for  so  doing  are  the  men  who  also 
look  upon  the  working  classes  of  the  State  as  un- 
worthy a  better  fate  than  that  they  suffer  under. 

The  act  above  referred  to,  looking  to  the  emancipa- 
tion of  labor,  is  now  generally  evaded  by  those  whose 
injustices  it  was  intended  to  decrease  and  prevent, 
but  in  time  will  compel  itself  to  be  respected,  when 
the  senator,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  will  be  sustained  by 
popular  approval  in  all  parts  of  the  State  in  his 
efforts  in  the  cause  of  humanity. 


Senator  Schnatterly  has  of  late  returned  to  rail- 
roading as  a  contractor  in  the  construction  of  the 
Pittsburgh,  Virginia  and  Charleston  road,  and  in  that 
of  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  and  has  just 
completed  (March,  1882)  several  sections  of  the  Red- 
stone Division  of  the  Pittsburgh,  Virginia  and 
Charleston  Road. 

In  1867  he  married  iVIiss  Mary  Morrison,  daughter 
of  George  and  Anna  West  Morrison,  of  Uniontown. 


GEN.  SILAS  MILTON  DAILY. 
The  late  war  of  the  Rebellion  opened  a  field  for  the 
active  exercise  of  talents  and  virtues  that  might  other- 
wise have  ever  remained  hidden  in  great  part  from  the 
knowledge  of  the  public  under  the  innate  modesty 
of  men  of  the  true  heroic  type.  Of  this  type  is  Silas 
Milton  Baily,  now  (1882)  treasurer  of  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  who  was  born  in  Brownsville, 
Fayette  Co.,  in  1836,  and  is  the  son  of  William  Baily, 
Esq.,  who  migrated  in  childhood  with  his  parents 
to  Fayette  County  from  Maryland.  The  father  of 
Gen.  Baily,  growing  up,  at  first  entered  upon  and  for 
some  years  pursued  the  trade  of  jeweler,  but  turned 
his  attention  to  the  study  of  the  law,  and  was  admit- 
ted to  practice  in  1845,  and  follows  his  profession  in 
Uniontown.  Gen.  Baily's  mother's  maiden  name  was 
Dorcas  Nixon.  She  was  a  farmer's  daughter  of  Georges 
township. 

Gen.  Baily  was  mainly  reared  in  Uniontown  ;  at- 
tended the  common  schools  till  about  seventeen  years 
of  age,  and  entered  Madison  College  (now  extinct), 
and  pursued  his  studies  there  for  a  while.  Leaving 
the  college  he  entered  as  apprentice  ujwn  the  jewel- 
er's trade,  which  he  practiced  for  about  three  years  in 
Uniontown,  and  finally  opened  business  for  himself 
in  Waynesburg,  Greene  Co.,  in  1858,  and  conducted 
the  same  with  success  for  some  three  years  or  more, 
when,  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion, 
he  "  took  fire,"  and,  though  without  military  experi- 
ence, raised  a  company  which  was  the  first  one  organ- 
ized in  the  county ;  but  it  failed  to  be  mustered  in  under 
the  first  call  for  three  months'  troops.  But  its  organ- 
ization was  preserved,  and  it  became  the  fir.st  com- 
pany which  was  duly  mustered  into  the  three  years' 
service  from  the  county  of  Greene.  Of  this  company, 
called  "  the  Greene  County  Rangers,"  Baily  was  made 
captain.  This  was  Company  I  of  the  Eighth  Regi- 
ment Pennsylvania  Reserve  Corps,  and  participated 
in  all  the  battles  of  the  war,  from  Dranesville  to 
Spottsylvania  Court-House,  inclusive,  the  period  of 
three  years. 

In  May,  1862,  Baily  was  elected  to  the  post  of 
major  of  the  Eighth  Regiment,  though  not  commis- 
sioned till  June  4th.  He  took  part  in  the  fight  at 
Mechanicsville,  the  first  of  the  Seven  Days'  battles, 
and  was  on  the  second  day,  in  the  battle  of  Gaines' 
Mill,  seriously  wounded  in  the  head, — his  wound  at 


356 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


first  being  thought  mortal, — and  carried  off  the  field. 
Eventually  he  rcturiiril  hmiie  to  recruit,  and  recover- 
ing after  lour  iiiuiilli~'  iiiir--iiig,  resought  his  regiment, 
which  he  met  in  .Mnn  laiul  on  the  1.3th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1862,  and  took  loiiinianil,  the  colonel  having 
resigned,  and  the  liiiitriiaiit-enlonel  having  lost  his 
hearing  during  a  battle.  The  next  day  was  fought 
the  celebrated  battle  of  South  Mountain,  into  which 
the  major  led  his  regiment  with  a  gallantry  and  in- 
spiring courage  which  the  vrtc  raiis  love  to  "tell  o'er" 
in  their  days  of  peaei.  The  I'.i-lilh  held  the  extreme 
left  of  the  division.  I  hi  W.  .Iiu  sday.  the  17th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1S()2,  occurred  the  Ijattleof  Antietam,  in  which 
Maj.  Daily's  horse  was  killed  under  him  in  the  famous 
'•  corn-field  fight."  The  battle  of  Fredericksburg  fol- 
lowed on  the  13th  of  December.  In  this  battle  Maj. 
Baily  displayed  his  usual  gallantry,  fighting  at  the 
head  of  his  regiment,  the  division  being  almost  torn  to 
pieces.  He  was  carried  wounded  Inuu  the  field.  Im- 
mediately after  Fredcricksliurg,  Maj.  r.aily  was  pro- 
moted to  the  colonelcy,  his  coiiiinissioii  dating  back  to 
South  Mountain,  the  IGth  of  September,  18(32.  The 
shattered  division  was  relieved  from  active  duty  at 
the  front  and  sent  to  Alexandria,  Va.,  to  recruit  and 
perform  provost  duty.  There  it  remained  for  nearly 
a  year.  Col.  Baily  being  almost  continually  employed 
in  court-martial. 

With  his  division,  Col.  Baily  was  next  called  to 
active  duty  with  (ien.  Grant  in  the  Wilderness,  and 
had  direct  eoniniaiid  of  his  regiment  throughout,  ex- 
cept for  a  day  or  two  when  called  to  command  the 
brigade.  The  term  of  service  expiring  at  Spottsyl- 
vania  Court-ilouse,  C^ol.  Baily  was  ordered  to  take  his 
regiment  home  to  be  mustered  out  at  Pittsburgh  on 
the  24th  of  May,  18(34.  On  the  13th  of  ilay,  ISGo, 
Col.  Baily  was  breveted  by  President  Johnson  to  be 
a  brigadier-general  of  volunteers  for  gallant  and  meri- 
torious conduct  during  the  war. 

After  the  war   Gen.  Baily  settled  in  Uniontown, 
opened  a  store  for  the  sale  of  jewelry,  and  resumed 
his  business  as  silversmith, — a  military  hero  taking 
on  his  duties  as  private  citizen  as  quietly  as  if  he  had 
never  heard  the  (larimi  ol  battle  or  even  the  name  of 
war,   winning  universal    esteem  for  the  exceptional 
modesty  (■!'  his  eveiy-day  deiiieniior.     Gen.  Baily  has 
never  siilieiieil    i»ilitieal   prelennent.     He  arrived  at 
his  majority  about  tli<'  time  the  liepubliean  jiarty  was 
crystallizing  into  eil'eetive  ovganizatioii  and  entered  it 
upon  principle,  haviiii:  always  2i\'  n  it  hi-  ujnvaver- 
iug  allegiance.     In  1n7n,  without  soliritatini,  l,y  him- 
self, of  eniiise,  or  even  l,y  his  speeial  IViends,  tlie  Re- 
publican (  'onveiitiun  of  tlieTwenty-rivst  ( 'oiigre-siunal 
District,  l',-ini-ylvania,  unaiiiiiii.u-.ly  selected    him  to  . 
lead  them  against  the  ever-prevailing  l\<v.  the  Diino-  j 
cratic  jiaily  of  the  'f weiity-llrst.     Knowing  that  the  j 
contest  was  hojieless,  he  bent  to  his  duty,  made  a 
vigorous   campaign,   and   led  the  Republican   State  I 
ticket  by  a  considerable  vote.     In  1880,  Gen.  Baily  j 
was  elected  to  represent  Fayette  County  in  the  Har-  ' 


risburg  Convention  which  chose  delegates  to  repre- 
sent Pennsylvania  at  Chicago.  At  Harrisburg  he  was 
elected  one  of  the  delegates  to  Chicago,  representing 
the  Grant  wing  of  the  party.  But  Garfield,  instead 
of  Grant,  was  nominated  at  Chicago ;  and  in  the  can- 
vass which  followed  Gen.  Baily  gave  the  best  of  his 
time,  talents,  and  means  to  the  support  of  the  nominee. 
Sept.  8,  1881,  he  was  nominated  by  the  Republican 
Convention  at  Harrisburg  for  State  treasurer  for  the 
term  of  two  years,  and  after  a  spirited  campaign,  in 
which  Charles  S.  Wolfe,  an  "  Independent"  Repub- 
lican candidate,  was  run  by  the  Blaine  wing  of  the 
party,  diverting  a  portion  of  the  Republican  votes, 
Gen.  Baily  was  elected  treasurer  in  November  of  that 
year  by  a  "  plurality"  vote,  but  a  majority  vote  over 
his  chief  competitor,  the  Democratic  candidate,  of  six 
thousand  nine  hundred  and  six. 


GEN.  .JOSHUA  BLACKWiMiIi  HOWELL. 
Gen.  Joshua  B.  Howell,  who  was  from  the  year 
1828  to  the  time  of  his  death  on  the  field,  during  the 
war  of  the  Rebellion,  identified  as  a  lawyer  and  a 
citizen,  adorning  the  bar  and  distinguishedly  exem- 
plifying the  amenities  of  social  life,  with  the  history 
of  Fayette  County,  and  whose  final  consecration  as 
an  adopted  citizen  of  hers  to  service  in  the  cause  of 
his  country,  sacrificing  his  life  therefor,  reflects  honor 
upon  the  county,  was  born  at  "  Fancy  Hill,"  the  site 
of  the  family  mansion  of  the  Howells,  near  Wood- 
bury, N.  J.,  Sept.  11,  180(5.  He  was  educated  in  the 
academy  of  that  place  and  in  Philadelphia,  where  he 
studied  law  under  the  direction  of  Richard  C.  Wood, 
Esq.,  an  able  lawyer  of  that  day,  and  after  admission 
to  the  bar,  removed  in  the  fall  of  1828  to  Uniontown, 
where  he  commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession, 
and  where  he  easily  won  eminence.  But  due  ref- 
erence having  been  made  to  his  career  as  a  lawyer  in 
the  clia|iler  of  this  work  devoted  to  the  history  of 
the  bar,  tlii-  brief  liiographical  sketch  will  be  mainly 
confined  to  (ien.  11  owcll's  career  as  a  soldier.  Trained 
in  the  Northern  school,  and  having  studied  the  na- 
tional constitution  with  a  lawyer's  understanding, 
patriotic  in  instinct  and  education,  and  having  some 
years  prior  occupied  the  rank  of  brigadier-general  in 
the  State  militia,  and  withal  having  a  more  than 
ordinary  love  of  martial  exercises  and  skill  therein, 
and  knowledge  of  military  tactics,  as  well  as  the  his- 
tory and  ]ilans  of  many  of  the  great  battles  of  the 
world,  ( Ien.  Howell,  though  nearly  fifty-five  years  of 
age  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  Rebellion,  and 
therefore  unlikely  to  be  called  upon  by  his  fellow- 
citizens  to  lead  them,  as  a  duty  devolving  upon  him, 
to  the  field  of  battle  in  the  cause  of  the  country,  nev- 
ertheless promptly  offered  his  services  to  the  national 
government,  and  was  authorized  to  raise  a  regiment, 
and  soon  presented  himself  at  Washington  at  the 
head  of  the  Eighty-fifth  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Vol- 
unteers, of  which  he  was  commissioned  colonel. 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


357 


From  November,  1861,  until  the  spring  of  1862  he 
was  stationed  at  Wasliington,  and  meanwhile  dili- 
gently trained  his  men  for  the  field.  As  a  part  of 
Gen.  Casey's  division,  his  command  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Peninsula  of  Virginia,  and  participated 
in  the  marches,  hardships,  and  battles  of  the  first 
campaign  against  Richmond.  His  first  battle  was 
fought  at  Williamsburg,  during  the  early  part  of 
which,  in  consequence  of  Gen.  Keim's  illness.  Col. 
Howell  commanded  the  brigade.  On  this  occasion 
his  services  merited  and  received  the  distinction  of 
special  notice  in  the  report  of  Gen.  Peck,  who  com- 
manded the  division.  At  Fair  Oaks  the  gallant 
Eighty-fifth,  under  his  command,  sustained  the  con- 
flict with  an  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy.  In 
the  subsequent  retreat  from  {he  White  Oak  Swamp  to 
Harrison's  Landing  its  post  was  for  a  considerable 
part  of  the  time  in  the  rear  of  the  retiring  army 
and  facing  tlie  exultant  and  advancing  foe. 

Upon  the  close  of  the  Peninsular  campaign,  Col. 
Howell's  health  being  seriously  impaired,  he  was 
urged  by  his  medical  advisers  to  obtain  leave  of  ab- 
sence, which  was  granted  for  twenty  days,  whicli  time 
he  spent  among  the  friends  of  his  youth  in  New  Jer- 
sey. Improved,  but  still  unfit  for  duty,  he  hastened 
back  to  his  command,  then  in  the  vicinity  of  Fortress 
Monroe,  forming  part  of  Gen.  Peck's  division.  His 
regiment  occupied  Suffolk,  occasionally  engaging  the 
enemy  in  that  region,  until  the  beginning  of  1863, 
when,  under  command  of  Gen.  Foster,  he  was  placed, 
January  5th  of  that  year,  at  the  head  of  a  brigade,  a 
position  which  he  retained  until  the  end  of  his  ca- 
reer. He  was  attached  to  the  expedition  organized 
under  Gen.  Hunter  against  Charleston,  S.  C.  Here 
Howell  with  his  brigade  was  the  first  to  seize  upon 
Folly  Island,  a  foothold  by  means  of  which  Gen.  Gill- 
more,  when  placed  in  command,  was  enabled  to  cap- 
ture Morris  Island,  the  gateway  to  the  harbor  of 
Charl&ston.  Shortly  before  the  fall  of  Fort  Wagner 
he  suffered  a  concussion  of  the  brain  from  the  explo- 
sion of  a  ten-inch  shell  in  a  signal-station  whence  he 
■was  watching  the  effect  of  the  firing  therefrom,  and 
whicli  created  an  impediment  in  his  speech  with 
other  .symptoms  of  illness,  constraining  him  to  seek 
rest  and  recovery,  which  he  did  under  a  short  fur- 
lough in  New  Jersey  and  at  Unionto"wn. 

He  returned  to  his  post  greatly  improved  in  health, 
although  there  is  cause  for  suspecting  that  the  con- 
cussion referred  to  bore  a  potential  relation  to  the 
final  catastrophe  of  his  life.  He  was  ordered  with 
his  brigade  to  Hilton  Head  to  relieve  Gen.  Seymour, 
in  command  of  that  district,  including  Fort  Pulaski 
and  Tybee  and  St.  Helena  Islands,  the  approaches  to 
Savannah.  This  command  constituted  in  fact  that  of 
a  major-general.  Gen.  Seymour  had  been  ordered  to 
Florida  in  command  of  that  unfortunate  expedition 
which  resulted  in  the  disaster  of  Olustee,  upon  the 
occasion  of  which  he  publicly  remarked,  "This 
would  not  have  occurred  if  I  had  had  Howell  and  his 


gallant  boys  with  me."  Gen.  Howell  remained  iu 
command  at  Hilton  Head  until  ordered  to  Fortress 
Monroe  to  join  the  forces  of  Gen.  Butler  in  the  cam- 
paign against  Richmond.  There  his  name  soon  be- 
came a  synonym  for  gallantry  in  our  own  army  ;  and 
his  noble  form  and  whitening  head  were  familiarly 
known  and  distinguished  above  all  others  by  the  foe, 
by  whom  he  was  alike  admired  and  feared.  Some 
time  in  August,  1864,  he  spent  a  short  furlough  in 
New  Jersey,  during  which  he  caused  to  be  repaired 
and  adorned  the  graves  of  his  kindred  there.  An- 
ticipating that  the  war  would  soon  end  he  returned 
to  the  field,  and  found  a  part  of  the  Tenth  Corps, 
including  his  brigade,  with  Hancock  on  the  north 
side  of  the  James  River,  accomplishing  that  diver- 
sion which  enabled  Grant  to  seize  the  Weldon 
Road.  The  very  day  after  Gen.  Howell's  return  the 
rebels  assailed  his  position  with  terrific  fury,  but 
were  driven  back  upon  their  own  works  in  utter  dis- 
order. Upon  the  return  of  the  expedition  to  the 
south  side  of  the  James,  Gen.  Wm.  Birney,  the 
division  commander,  having  obtained  a  temporary 
leave  of  absence.  Gen.  Howell  was  assigned  to  the 
command  of  the  division,— the  Third  Division  of  the 
Tenth  Corps,  a  major-general's  command, — which  he 
held  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

Having  occasion  to  visit  the  headquarters  of  the 
corps  during  the  night  of  Monday,  the  12th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1864,  he  mounted  his  horse  between  the  hours 
of  twelve  at  midnight  and  one  in  the  morning  to 
return  to  his  own  quarters.  At  starting  the  horse 
turned  into  a  divergent  path,  and  being  suddenly 
checked  reared  and  fell  back  upon  his  rider.  The 
general  was  immediately  borne  to  the  tent  of  the 
medical  director,  by  whom  he  was  carefully  examined 
in  search  of  external  injuries,  but  none  appeared. 
At  that  time  he  was  perfectly  sensible,  answering  the 
questions  of  the  surgeon,  declaring  that  he  felt  no 
sense  of  pain,  and  freely  moving  his  limbs  as  requested. 
But  in  about  fifteen  minutes  after  his  accident  vomit- 
ing supervened,  the  blood  thrown  from  his  stomach 
bearing  testimony  to  interna!  injury.  A  state  of 
stupor  immediately  ensued,  from  which  the  general 
was  never  amused,  and  at  .seven  o'clock  in  the  even- 
ing of  llie  14tli  of  September  he  breathed  his  last. 

In  closing  this  brief  recital  of  Gen.  Howell's  mili- 
tary life,  it  is  but  fitting  to  append  the  following  lit- 
eral extract  from  a  late  letter  of  Maj.-Gen.  Alfred  H. 
Terry,  in  reply  to  one  which  had  been  written  him 
inquiring  his  estimate  of  the  late  Gen.  Howell  as  a 
military  man.  Gen.  Terry's  letter  is  dated  at  Fort 
Snelling,  Minn.,  March  .3,  1882: 

"  At  this  distance  of  time  I  cannot  speak  of  par- 
ticular incidents  of  Gen.  Howell's  military  career; 
but  my  recollections  of  him  as  a  man  and  an  oflScer 
are  as  clear  and  distinct  as  they  were  eighteen  years 
ago.  I  have  never  known  a  more  courteous  gentle- 
man ;  I  never  saw  a  more  gallant  and  devoted  officer. 
The  record  of  his  service  was  without  sijot  or  blemish. 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


"  In  the  army  corps  in  which  he  served  he  was 
widely  known  and  universally  respected  and  admired. 

"  His  untimely  death  was  lamented  by  all  his  com- 
rades as  a  loss  wellnigh  irrep.arable,  not  only  to  them- 
selves, but  to  the  country  also." 

Of  Gen.  Howell's  personal  attractions,  his  com- 
manding carriage  and  graceful  manners,  and  of  the 
excellencies  of  his  character  as  a  private  citizen,  they 
of  Uniontown  and  Fayette  County  who  knew  him 
will  preserve  lively  memory  while  they  live,  for  he 
was  greatly  admired  and  beloved  by  his  friends,  and 
it  is  believed  that  he  had  no  foes. 


Jame 
Co.,  Pu. 
Tullv  ai 


JA.MES  TJIOJLi.S  REDBUK\. 
T.  Eedburn  was  born  in  Masontown,  Fayette 
5Iay  !!•,  1822,  and  was  the  son  of  James 
(1  Krlii'cca  Harrison  Redburn.  He  in  early 
life  disnlayeil  an  unusual  aptitude  for  business,  and 
during  several  years  of  his  minority  was  connected 
with  Zalmon  Ludington  in  the  leather  trade  at 
Addison,  Pa.  In  1848  he  married  Harriet  Ann, 
youngest  daughter  of  Jlr.  Ludington,  and  shortly 
after  removed  to  Washington,  Pa.,  where  he  em- 
barked in  the  boot  and  shoe  trade.  In  1850  he  came 
to  Uniontown  and  reassociated  himself  with  Zalmon 
Ludington  in  the  boot,  shoe,  and  tanning  business, 
which  he  carried  on  successfully  for  a  number  of 
years.  In  18.58  he  was  chosen  cashier  and  manager 
of  the  Uniontown  banking-house  of  John  T.  Hogg. 
This  soon  after  became  the  l)ankii]i;-l,nuse  of  Isaac 
Skiles,  Jr.,  Mr.  Redburn  continuin--  it-  i  a>hier.  In 
1863  he  Ijecame  one  of  the  ini-niiuirators  i.f  the  First 
National  Bank  of  Uniontown,  Pa.  (which  succeeded 
I.  Skiles,  Jr.),  which  opened  for  business  May  2, 
1864.  He  was  elected  a  director  and  cashier,  to  the 
positions  of  which  he  was  unanimously  re-elected 
year  after  year  until  his  death ,  whicli  uciurred  at  his 
residence  in  Uniontown,  Wednesday  evening.  May 
23,  1877.  He  was  also  one  of  the  originators  of  the 
L^niontown  and  West  Virginia  Railroad  Company, 
and  was  its  treasurer.  He  was  also  instrumental  in 
starting  the  Uniontown  Woolen  :\Iaii\ifaeturing 
Company,  one  of  the  few  manufiicturin;:-  estalili>li- 
nients  Uniontown  could  boast  of  and  now  unluckily 
destroyed  by  fire,  and  was  treasurer  of  the  company. 
It  was,  however,  as  a  bank  officer  that  James  T. 
Redburn  was  most  widely  known.  To  the  position 
of  cashier  and  director  he  brought  tact  and  wisdom 
second  to  none  in  the  county.  He  possessed  in  an 
eminent  degree  those  sterling  qualities  of  truth  ard 
justice,  honor  and  temperance  which  drew  to  him  liy 
the  most  endearing  ties  of  affection  a  large  circle  of 
friends  wherever  he  went  and  wherever  he  was  known 
tliroughout  his  entire  life.  Reserved,  quiet,  unosten- 
tatious, he  was  dearly  loved  and  thoroughly  relied 
upon  by   the  numerous   friends  and  customers  that 


sought  his  advice.     A  statement  from  his  lips  needed 
no  investigation  to  test  its  accuracy.     Statements  or 
rumors  that  found  credence  through  current  gossip 
he   met  with  thorough  but  not  efi'usive  detestation, 
,  and  those  most  intimately  associated  with  him  bear 
,  testimony  to  the  silence  with  which  he  treated  sub- 
jects  regarding  which  he  had  only  the  information  of 
rumor.     He  preferred  to  leave  the  impression  that  he 
had    no   knowledge  of  a   subject   rather   than   give 
credence  to  a  statement  he  did  not  kno\y  to  be  abso- 
lutely true.     In  this  as  well  as  in  many  other  par- 
ticulars Mr.  Redburn  exerted  an  influence  that  was 
j  manly,  noble,  generous,  and  self-sacrificing,  and  that 
1  bore  most  bountiful   fruit   through   his  many  warm 
I  friendships  throughout  Fayette  and  adjoining  coun- 
ties.    In  his  private  and  home  life  he  was  ever  kind 
and  watchful  of  the  wants  of   others.      He  let  not 
the  cares  or  the  worrinient  of  the   day  follow  him 
home  to  disturb  the  peace  and  quiet  of  his  family. 
Never  of  a  very  rugged  constitution,  he   was   from 
boyhood   subject  to   occasional    periods  of  physical 
depression   from   that   dread    disease,  consumption, 
which   had    carried    away  his   four  sisters  and   two 
brothers;  yet  he  had   that  tenacity  and  will   power 
which  often  held  him  td  liis  desk  when  his  strength 
would  scarcely  keep  liini  on  his    feet.     He  was   an 
earnest  and  cnn-i>tent  member    and   trustee   of  the 
Methodi-t    Iv|.i>r,,|,.il  Church  in  Uniontown,  and  in 
life  fVill.iur.l    tlie  Master  with  reverence   and  godly 
fear.     Po.-.se»sed  of  a  naturally  kind  and  sympathetic 
heart,  he  was  ever  ready  to  assist  the  poor  and  desti- 
tute or  impart  consolation  to  a  sorrowing  soul.     His 
funeral   took   place  Friday   evening,  May   25,  1877, 
,  Rev.  Dr.  J.  J.  Moffltt  and  Rev.  S.  W.  Davis,  of  the 
I  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  conducting  the  services. 
i  The  pall-bearers  were  Eleazer  Robin.son,  Sebastian 
Rush,    Uriah   Higinbotham,   Jasper  M.  Thomp.son, 
Charles  S.  Seaton,  William  McCleary,  John  Wilson, 
and  Allied   Howell.      Mr.  Redburn  having  lost  his 
wife  in   1  >eeeiiil.ei-,  l>;i;ii,  did  not  marry  again.      Of 
his  two  children  but  one,  Minnie  L.  Redburn,  sur- 
I  vives  him. 


CAPT.  ADAM    CLARKE    NUTT. 

Adam  C.  Nutt,  present  cashier  of  the  National  Bank 
of  Fayette  County,  is  the  son  of  Joseph  Nutt,  a  far- 
mer,and  Anna  Piaiidolpli,  hi-  wife,  and  was  born  on  the 
8th  of  .lariuary,  \s:\'.i.  Although  the  8th  was  "  New 
Orleans  day"  and  the  elder  Nutt  a  strong  Democrat, 
he  was  also  an  ardent  Methodist,  and  his  Methodism 
then  getting  the  better  of  him,  the  boy  was  named 
for  the  great  commentator  instead  of  Andrew  Jack- 
son. I'.oth  the  laiuilies  Nutt  and  Randolph  migrated 
into  Western  I'enii-ylvaaia  trom  New  Jersey,  and 
were  of  Quaker  stock.  Joseph  Nutt,  the  father,  died 
in  California  in  1851,  when  Adam  C.  was  twelve  years 
old.  The  boy  was  sent  to  the  common  schools,  and 
for  one  term  attended  the  graded  school  taught  by  L. 


UXIONTOWN   BOllOUGH. 


359 


F.  Piirker,  in  Bridgeport,  in  the  fall  of  1855,  walking 
to  and  from  school  daily,  a  distance  of  three  miles 
each  way.  There  he  studied  geometry  and  Latin. 
After  private  studies  conducted  at  home,  he  entered 
the  preparatory  department  of  Allegheny  College,  in 
Meadville,  in  1856,  and,  supporting  himself  by  teach- 
ing during  the  winter  months,  graduated  from  the 
college  in  1861  with  the  highest  honors  of  his  class 
as  valedictorian.  While  connected  with  the  college 
lie  paid  much  attention' to  general  literature,  and  re- 
ceived the  Woodruff  prize  for  the  best  essay  in  the 
Philo-Franklin  Literary  Society  on  the  subject  pro- 
pounded for  competition,  "  The  Western  Continent 
as  a  field  of  laudable  ambition." 

In  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  he  was  connected  with 
a  three  months'  company  in  1861.  From  October, 
1862,  to  July  29,  1863,  he  served  as  a  private  soldier 
in  the  One  Hundred  and  Twelfth  Pennsylvania  Vol- 
unteers, and  from  the  last-mentioned  date  to  Oct.  31, 
1865,  he  was  captain  of  the  Third  United  States  Col- 
ored Troops  under  Col.  B.  C.  Tilghman.  He  partici- 
pated in  the  siege  of  Fort  Wagner  and  in  operations 
on  Morris  Island  until  Feb.  8,  1864.  He  went  into 
Florida  under  Gen.  Truman  Seymour  in  the  Ohistee 
campaign,  being  for  a  time  in  the  brigade  commanded 
by  Gen.  Joseph  E.  Hawlcy.  After  the  disaster  at 
Olustee  he  was  engaged  in  the  fortifications  around 
Jacksonville,  Fla.,  until  April,  1865,  and  subsequently 
commanded  the  post  at  Lake  City,  Fla.,  until  October 
of  that  year.  And  here  may  be  mentioned  a  matter 
of  national  history  with  which  he  was  connected 
while  at  Lake  City,  and  which  may  otherwise  escape 
record  in  connection  with  the  history  of  Payne,  who 
attempted  to  kill  Secretary  Seward  at  the  time  of 
the  assassination  of  Present  Lincoln.  The  govern- 
ment wishing  to  fix  the  identity  of  Payne,  Gen. 
Foster  sent  Capt.  Nutt  on  the  delicate  mission  of 
visiting  the  alleged  family  of  Payne  and  securing 
the  evidence  ;  the  result  of  his  mission  being  the 
determining  of  the  fact  that  Payne's  correct  name 
was  Lewis  Thornton  Powell,  and  that  he  was  the  son 
of  a  Baptist  minister  living  about  twelve  mile^  from 
Lake  City.  Capt.  Nutt  returned  home  in  Dccumlier, 
1865,  and  in  April,  1866,  removed  to  Uniontown, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  He  read  law  with  Hon. 
Daniel  Kaine,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Decem- 
ber, 1868,  practiced  a  while,  and  became  connected 
in  1871,  as  teller,  with  the  National  Bank  of  Fayette 
County,  where  he  has  meanwhile  served,  having  been 
cashier  since  Aug.  20,  1878.  He  was  Republican  can- 
didate for  prothouotary  of  Fayette  County  in  1881, 
and  was  beaten  by  only  one  hundred  and  eighty-seven 
votes  by  Col.  Thomas  B.  Searight,  the  Democratic  can- 
didate, in  a  proverbially  Democratic  County,  many 
leading  Democrats  openly  voting  for  Capt.  Nutt  in 
honor  of  his  talents  and  moral  worth. 

Capt.  Nutt  holds  a  high  place  among  his  neighbors 
iis  a  man  of  integrity  ;  but,  above  all,  he  is  esteemed 
as  a  gentleman  of  large  information  and  accurate 


scholarship.  He  has  contributed  considerably  to  the 
best  literature  of  the  day,  and  while  enjoying  enviable 
repute  as  an  incisive  and  effective  off-hand  and  po- 
litical stump-speaker,  has  occasionally  delivered  upon 
history,  education,  and  kindred  subjects,  public  lec- 
tures of  a  character,  both  as  to  their  embodied 
thoughts  and  rhetorical  methods,  which  places  him 
in  the  front  rank  of  thinkers  and  writers. 

P.S. — Since  the  above  went  to  pre.ss  Capt.  Nutt 
has  resigned  his  post  as  cashier  of  the  Fayette  County 
Bank,  and  has  been  appointed  cashier  of  the  State 
treasury  under  Gen.  Baily,  the  State  treasurer.  Har- 
risburg  will  open  to  him  a  wider  and  more  important 
field  than  Uniontown,  a  field  wliicli  he  cannot  but 
ably  fill.  

.TITDGE    JOHN    IIUSTOX. 

John  Huston  was  the  son  of  John  Huston,  Sr.,  for- 
merly of  Fayette  County,  luit  who  removed  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  ccnlury  to  Kentucky, 
where  the  younger  John  was  born,  Jan.  2,  1793.  At 
the  age  of  nineteen  he  came  from  his  native  State  to 
Fayette  County  on  a  visit  to  his  uncle,  Joseph  Hu- 
ston, residing  in  the  neighborhood  of  Uniontown,  and 
concluded  to  settle  down  there,  his  uncle  taking  him 
into  business  with  himself  as  manager  of  a  forge  and 
furnace,  the  uncle  conducting  at  that  time  a  compar- 
atively large  business.  Mr.  Huston  remained  with 
his  uncle  a  few  years,  until  the  death  of  the  latter, 
when  he  established  himself  in  the  like  (iron)  busi- 
ness, which  he  carried  on  till  the  year  1840,  when  he 
turned  his  attention  principally  to  farming,  then  own- 
ing several  tracts  of  land.  His  farming  was  conducted 
with  a  careful  eye  to  all  the  essential  requirements, 
he  being  an  excellent  manager,  yet  so  leisurely  that 
he  was  wont  to  call  himself  jocularly  "  a  lazy  farmer." 
He  continued  this  style  of  farming  with  profitable  re- 
sults, however,  until  his  death  on  May  19,  1872. 

He  was  a  Democrat  in  politics,  and  was  elected  by 
his  party  as  representative  to  the  General  Assembly 
of  Pennsylvania  for  the  large  district,  as  then  consti- 
tut.-(l,  in  which  he  resided  in  1835,  and  about  1844 
was  appointed  by  Governor  Shunk  an  associate  judge 
of  Fayette  County  for  a  term  of  five  years,  the  duties 
of  which  office  he  fulfilled.  He  took  great  interest  in 
the  public  schools  and  all  general  matters  of  public 
improvement,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Uniontown,  which  he  joined  about  1831. 
He  was  director  in  a  bank  at  Connellsville  for  a  great 
number  of  years,  and  in  the  National  Bank  of  Fay- 
ette County  from  its  organization  to  the  day  of  his 
death.  He  was  a  large-hearted,  generous  man,  and 
liberally  aided  all  who  sought  him  and  whom  he 
regarded  worthy  of  assistance  to  the  extent  of  his 
ability,  particularly  energetic  and  honorable  young 
men  starting  out  in  life.  Judge  Huston  died  pos- 
sessed of  a  large  estate,  which  might  have  been  much 
larger  but  for  his  generous  disposition  of  his  money 
from  time  to  time  in  aid  of  others. 


300 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


He  married  in  1826  Miss  Susan  Millhouse,  who  died 
leaving  one  child,  Mary  Ann,  who  became,  iu  June, 
1849,  the  wife  of  Rev.  Dr.  Elliot  Swift,  of  Allegheny, 
Pa.,  and  died  on  the  25th  of  July,  1850.  As  his  sec- 
ond wife,  who  survives  him,  he  married  Mrs.  Anna 
IM.  McCall,  whose  maiden  name  was  King,  a  daughter 
of  Samuel  King,  a  merchant  of  Uniontown,  by  whom 
he  had  three  daughters,  all  of  whom  died  before  him. 


GREEXCUllY    CHO.'^SLAN 
Greenbury    Crosslaud,    of   Uniont 


ranked  markeilly  :iiiinii 

known     as    "srlf-lnaJr, 

their  charact  ristics,  ai 
ments  of  fortune  and  re 
son  of  Elijah  and   C'ai 


ontown,  must  be 
hy  men  generally 
i<l  individuate  in 
their  own  monu- 
Mr.  Crcissland,  the 
th   Crossland,  was 


born  at  Connellsville,  Juno  10,  ISlIi,  and  moved  with 
liis  parents  to  Uniontown  in  1822,  where  he  has  ever 
since  resided,  having  occupied  his  present  domicile 
thirty-ibur  years.  At  twelve  years  of  age  he  went  to 
work  at  twelve  and  a  half  cents  per  day  with  George 
W.  Miller  on  a  farm,  where  he  remained  a  while. 
His  literary  education  was  obtained  from  three  or 
four  short  terms  of  schooling  under  the  tuition  of 
William  Thompson  and  others  long  before  the  com- 
mon schoiils  of  Pennsylvania  were  instituted;  but 
his  father  lieing  a  bntrlier  and  lior-e-deuler,  young 
Crosslanil  got  his  iirinei|ial  IraiiiiiiLi  in  the  meat-shop 
and  by  <lii'ving  lioise,  to  the  Eastern  cities. 

On  the  1st  <lay  of  January,  183.3,  he  married  Sarah 
Stearns,  with  whom  he  has  lived  ha|)pily  for  near 
half  a  century.  In  April,  ]<'.:',,  he  eoannJnced  busi- 
ness as  a  butcher  on  a  eaiiital  nl'  iwiaitv-lliree  dollai's, 


ten   of  which 

were,  fun  J 1 

never  receive 

d   a  dollar 

save  throUiih 

his  labor  o 

the  time  of 

lis  early  oj 

ist,  or  in  any 
<  transactions, 
as  a  butcher  it 


At 


his  custom  to  take  a  wheelbarrow  at  one  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  and  wheel — his  wife  helping  him  by 
pulling  with  a  rope  tied  to  the  barrow — a  side  of  beef 
from  the  slaughter-house  to  the  market-house,  where 
all  meat  was  sold  in  those  days.  The  first  year  he 
made  three  hundred  dollars,  and  bought  a  log  house 
and  the  lot  on  which  it  stood,  the  latter  being  the  one 
on  which  now  stands  the  house  occupied  by  T.  J. 
King. 

He  c(jntinued  butchering,  gradually  increasing  in 
jtrosjierity,  until  about  1S41,  wdien  he  commenced 
buying  cattle  to  sell  in  the  Eastern  market,  a  business 
he  has  followed  mainly  ever  since.  For  about  four- 
teen years  he  was  a  partner  in  business  with  Charles 
INIcLaughlin,  late  of  Dunbar,  but  did  not  make  the 
business  remunerative  until  he  engaged  in  it  alone, 
about  1858,  since  which  time  his  march  has  been 
steadily  onward  in  the  line  of  fortune. 

In  1S47  he  bought  of  Charles  Brown  a  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  four  acres,  whereon  he  has  since  lived, 
the  first  purchase  of  the  real  estate  which  now  con- 


stitutes him  an  extensive  land  proprietor,  his  do- 
mains covering  over  seven  hundred  acres  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Uniontown,  all  valuable  alike  for  agriculture 
and  containing  vast  stores  of  mineral  wealth. 

Mr.  Crossland's  excellent  judgment  of  weights  and 
measures  is  a  matter  of  popular  notoriety,  and  it  is 
said  that  he  can  guess  at  any  time  within  five  pounds 
of  the  weight  of  a  fat  steer,  which  probably  accounts 
for  much  of  his  success  in  the  cattle  business.  His 
strength  of  jnirpose  and  moral  firmness  are  remark- 
able, and  he  has  never  been  led  into  the  visionary 
and  impracticable.  His  knowledge  of  human  nature 
is  good,  he  seldom  erring  in  his  judgments  of  men, 
and,  it  is  said,  never  making  mistakes  in  his  invest- 
ments in  property. 

Mr.  Crossland  is  in  religion  an  ardent  Methodist, 
and  it  is  due  to  him  to  add  that  his  neighbors  accord 
to  him  the  virtue  of  believing  the  faith  he  professes. 
He  and  his  wife  joined  the  Methodist  Church  in 
Uniontown  Jan.  1,  1845,  and  have  both  continued  to 
this  time  active  members  thereof  He  has  been  for 
twenty-five  years  pa.st  a  liberal  contributor  to  the 
su|iport  of  the  ministry  and  the  benevolent  enter- 
Ijrises  of  the  church.  Not  only  by  his  great  liberality, 
but  through  his  high  character  as  a  man  of  probity, 
is  he  a  very  pillar  in  the  church.  Desiring  reliable 
information  in  regard  to  the  chief  characteristics  of 
Mr.  Crossland,  the  writer,  a  stranger  to  Mr.  Cross- 
land,  sought  one  of  Mr.  Crossland's  long-time  ac- 
quaintances, a  man  of  high  repute,  and  asked  him 
for  an  analysis  of  Mr.  Crossland's  character,  as  un- 
derstood by  liini  and  the  public,  and  received,  after 
some  delay,  iiidieati've  of  deliberation,  the  following 
written  analysis:  '".Moral  characteristics, — faithful- 
ness, honor,  honesty,  benev(dence,  and  regard  for  the 
rights  of  others.  Business  characteristics, — good 
judgment,  caution,  energy,  perseverance,  watchful- 
ness, combined  with  great  shrewdness  and  knowledge 
of  market  values,  lieliuious  ehaiaeteristics,— enthu- 
siasm, sineerily,  siinplieity  in  iii:iiincrs  and  dress, 
charity,  and  siiinle-niindedness."  This  being  ac- 
cepted, particularly  since  it  is  the  statement  of  a  gen- 
tleman aliove  sus[>ieioii  on  account  of  religious  preju- 
dice for,  or  fraternity  with,  Mr.  Crossland,  it  is  here 
recorded  as  an  evidence  of  the  high  honor  which 
simple  straightforwardness,  good  sense,  and  energy 
may  win  for  a  man,  even  though  not  a  "  prophet" 
among  his  neighbors,  in  these  days  of  irreverence  and 
carping  criticism. 


WILLIAM  HUNT. 
William  Hunt  is  the  son  of  Isaac  Lansing  Hunt 
and  Hannah  Lincoln,  both  of  a  direct  English  line  of 
ancestry,  and  both  natives  of  Fayette  County.  Isaac 
L.  was  the  son  of  Jacob  Hunt,  wdio  came  from  Eliza- 
bethtown,  N.  J.,  and  settled  in  East  Liberty,  Dunbar 
township,  wdiere  the  former  was  born,  June  25,  1791, 
and  died  in  October,  1S3G.     Isaac  is  represented  to 


L 


> 


fKJSf'  ^^^ 


%- 


^  .r-c^^c^^^^t^.^^     S/9~a^  ^^ ^<^^--ol 


;;^/A^^^,, 


L  ^/-^^^ 


UNIONTOWN   BOROUGH. 


3fil 


have  been  a  man  of  marked  characteristics,  strong 
common  sense,  and,  though  not  tall  or  large  in  stature, 
a  man  of  great  physical  strength  and  courage,  and, 
though  of  quiet  temperament,  admiringly  known 
among  his  compeers  as  "  plucky  Ike  Hunt."  How  he 
WHS  esteemed  by  his  contemporaries  may  be  under- 
stood by  the  fact  that  he  was  twice  selected  by  large 
majorities,  county  commissioner  at  the  time  when  the 
caucus  system  was  not  so  much  in  vogue  and  so  dom- 
inant as  now  and  every  one  stood  upon  his  merits. 

William  was  born  in  Dunbar  township,  AVhite 
School  District,  Feb.  2, 1836,  some  eight  months  before 
liis  father's  death,  and  is  the  youngest  of  eight  chil- 
dren. His  mother,  with  the  children,  moved  to 
Uniontown,  April,  1845,  where  she  still  (1882)  resides 
at  the  age  of  eighty-seven.  William  attended  the 
common  school,  and  for  a  while  Madison  College, 
leaving  which  he  entered  upon  learning  the  .jewelers' 
and  watch-repairer's  trade  in  1850  as  an  apprentice  of 
Henry  W.S.Rigden,  of  Uniontown,  noted  for  his  great 
mechanical  abilities,  and  under  whom  he  continued 
for  four  and  a  half  years.  From  1854  to  1858  he 
sought  and  procured  engagement  in  one  of  the  best 
jewelry  establishments  in  the  country,  severally  dis- 
tinguished for  excellence  in  the  specialties  of  his 
trade,  completing  a  course  of  experimental  education, 
which  has  served,  together  with  his  fine  natural 
ability,  to  give  him  a  more  extensive  and  profitable 
repute  as  a  skilled  mechanic  in  his  art,  and,  in  fact,  in 
general,  than  usually  enjoyed  by  his  fellow-trades- 
men. Mr.  Hunt  has  an  inventive  east  of  mind,  and 
readily  masters  whatever  mechanical  subtleties  are 
presented  him  for  solution  or  difficulties  to  over- 
come. 

Mr.  Hunt  returned  to  Uniontown  in  1858,  and 
opened  a  shop  for  general  repair-work  pertaining  to 
his  trade.  His  business  has  from  the  start  "  pushed" 
him.  In  1860  he  commenced  putting  in  stock,  and 
has  gradually  increased  the  amount  of  his  purchases 
and  sales,  year  after  year,  until  he  now  does  the  chief 
work  of  the  locality,  and  enjoys  the  largest  trade  in 
his  line  in  Fayette  County. 

Mr.  Hunt  early  joined  the  order  of  Freemasons, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd- 
Fellows,  and  has  filled  nearly  all  the  honorary  official 
positions  in  the  lodges  of  both  orders  with  which  he 
has  been  connected.  Mr.  Hunt  has  always  been 
identified  with  the  Democratic  party,  but  he  exercises 
independence  on  occasion,  voting  for  a  good  man  of 
any  party,  as  his  judgment  may  dictate.  He  has 
served  several  terms  in  the  Town  Council,  and  been 
efficient  in  carrying  out  policies  at  the  time  of  their  j 
projection  much  objected  to,  but  which  after  expe-  '. 
rience  the  people  approved.  He  is  decidedly  a  man 
of  progress. 

As  recorded  above,  the  maiden  name  of  Mr.  Hunt's  j 
mother  was  Lincoln,  and  it  should  be  noted  here  that  ! 
it  was  a  Lincoln  of  the  same  stock  who  received  Lord  I 
Cornwallis'  sword  at  Yorktown  and   delivered  it  to 


Washington.      Daniel   Boone,  the   great    Kentucky 
hunter,  was  also  of  the  same  stock. 

Though  he  has  led  a  busy  life,  Mr.  Hunt  has  found 
time  to  secure,  through  the  medium  of  books,  a  large 
amount  of  practical,  general  information,  and  is  fre- 
quently consulted  by  his  fellow-citizens  upon  impor- 
tant matters  outside  of  his  profession.  His  charac- 
ter for  veracity  and  business  integrity  is  probably  not 
surpassed  by  that  of  any  other  citizen  of  his  town. 


ELEAZER   ROBINSON. 

Among  the  immigrants  of  Fayette  County,  bring- 
ing and  infusing  into  its  social  and  business  life  a 
then  somewhat  novel  element,  that  of  the  "  Yankee" 
or  New  England  spirit,  came  about  1837  Eleazer  Rob- 
inson, an  iron-founder.  Mr.  Robinson  was  born  March 
4,  1804,  in  Bethel,  Windsor  Co.,  Vt.  His  parents, 
Eleazer  Robinson  and  Experience  Downer,  were  of 
the  old  New  England  Puritan  stock.  In  1810  they  re- 
moved to  Saratoga  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  enjoyed  the 
advantages  of  the  common  schools  of  the  times  and 
made  considerable  progress  in  general  studies.  But 
in  1824,  his  parents  then  removing  to  Broome  County, 
N.  Y.,  young  Robinson  there  availed  himself  of  the 
opportunities  ofl^ered  by  the  academy  in  his  neighbor- 
hood. There  he  devoted  himself  mainly  to  mathe- 
matics, in  which  he  achieved  marked  success,  leaving 
the  academy  well  equipped  as  a  civil  engineer;  and 
though  he  did  not  eiilcr  upon  the  profession  of  engi- 
neering, his  studies  thcr.'  nia.le  have  served  him  on 
many  an  import.-iiit  <Ki"i>i..u  in  the  avocations  of  life, 
esi)ecially  in  mechaniciil  |iiir-iiit<.  (>ii  quitting  the 
academy  he  took  up  tlie  Mndy  ..I  tlic  law,  under  the 
direction  of  a  leading  lnwyn-  ,.{'  r.in-liaiiiton,  a  Mr. 
Robinson, — not  a  relative,  liouever,— aiid  continued 
his  legal  studies  until  iiitemipled  by  tlie  death  of  his 
flither  (who  left  seven  ehildren,  (if  wlioni  Mr.  Robin- 
son was  the  eldest),  which  threw  upon  him  the  re- 
sponsible care  of  the  family,  obliging  him  to  quit  the 
law-office  for  the  practical  duties  of  the  farmer,  he 
varying  these  during  a  course  of  years  by  more  or  less 
school-teaching. 

Eventually  he  became  largely  interested  in  the 
lumber  business  at  Owego,  N.  Y.  But  there  over- 
borne by  disaster,  caused  by  a  great  freshet  in  the 
Upper  Branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  which  in  a  few 
hours  swept  away  a  fortune  in  lumber,  he  with  the 
buoyant  energy  which  has  distinguished  his  whole 
life  moved  at  once  to  Erie,  Pa.,  and  there  engaged  in 
the  drug  business.  At  this  business  he  continued 
three  years,  within  which  time  he  made  an  acquaint- 
anceship whieb  irave  directicin  to  the  course  of  his  life 
since  then  with  a  Mr.  Jonathan  Hathaway,  the  pat- 
entee of  a  superior  cooking-stove,  well  remembered 
by  the  older  inhabitants  of  Fayette  County,  and  se- 
cured control  of  the  manufacture  of  the  "Hathaway 
stoves,"  whereupon  he  moved  to  Pittsburgh  and  pro- 
cured their  casting  there.    After  a  while,  meeting  with 


IIISTOllY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PExNXSYLVANIA. 


much  loss  through  the  destruction  by  fire  of  the  foun- 
dry wherein  the  stoves  were  cast,  he  went  to  Union- 
town  in  1837,  and  tliere  established  a  foundry,  and 
eventually  erected  a  branch  foundry  in  Washington, 
Pa.,  and  opened  agencies  at  Carlisle  and  elsewhere, 
all  of  which  were  conducted  very  successfully  for 
some  years.  Finally  Mr.  Kobinson  concentrated  his 
business  at  Uniontown,  there  prosecuting  it  actively 
till  1867,  when,  having  amassed  a  goodly  fortune,  he 
retired  from  business  as  a  manufacturer,  selling  the 
foundry  to  one  of  his  earliest  apprentices  and  faithful 
co-workers,  Mr.  Thomas  Jaquett. 

Since  then  Mr.  Robinson  has  been  engaged  in 
various  business  pursuits.  In  1872  he  came  into  pos- 
session as  sole  owner  under  a  private  charter  of  the 
gas-works  by  which  Uniontown  is  lighted.  He  also 
controls  as  principal  owner  the  gas-works  of  Middle- 
town,  Dauphin  County. 

Mr.  Eobinson  was  one  of  the  original  board  of  di- 
rectors of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Uniontown, 
and  remained  a  director  till  within  a  i\'w  years  past. 
He  has  ever  generously  contributed  to  the  upbuilding 
or  support  of  such  institutions  in  the  places  of  his 
residence  as  commanded  his  respect,  taking  no  ex- 
treme partisan  cause,  however,  either  in  politics  or 
religion,  enjoying  the  esteem  of  his  neighbors  and  the 
business  public  as  a  man  of  sterling  integrity  as  well 
as  clear  judgment,  genial  sociability,  and  humane 
sentiments. 

July  12,  IS?.",  Mr.  Robinson  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Cornelia  Wells,  of  York,  N.  Y.,  who  died 
in  1S4'),  having  liornc  him  four  children,  one  only 
of  whom,  Mrs.  Enuna  R.  King,  now  (1S82)  survives. 
On  Nov.  6,  ISIG,  Mr.  Robinson  married  again,  being 
then  united  to  Miss  Mary  Ann  McClelland,  of  Union- 
town,  who  died  in  September,  1850,  leaving  no  chil- 
dren. Mr.  Robinson  married  as  his  third  wife,  Nov. 
24,  1852,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  J.  Porter,  daughter  of  James 
Wilson,  Esq.,  of  German  township,  with  whom  he 
lived  twenty-nine  years,  she  dying  in  May,  1881,  at 
the  age  of  sixty-eight  years,  leaving  two  children, — 
Mr.  W.  L.  Robinson,  who  has  mainly  succeeded  to 
his  lather's  business,  managing  the  gas-works,  etc., 
and  Miss  Mary  E.  Robinson. 


COL.  ALEXANDER  McCLEAN. 
Alexander  McClean,  the  most  famous  land  surveyor 
of  Southwestern  Pennsylvania,  who  passed  more  than 
tiftyfive  years  of  his  life  as  a  resident  of  Uniontown, 
and  who  held  the  offices  of  register  and  recorder  of 
Fayette  County  for  more  than  half  a  century,  was 
born  in  York  County,  Pa.,  Nov.  20,  1746,  being  the 
youngest  of  seven  brothers,  the  six  others  of  whom 
were  Moses,  Archibald,  William,  Samuel,  John,  and 
James.  All  of  them  became  surveyors,  and  Archi- 
bald (the  eldest),  Moses,  Samuel,  and  Alexander  were 
employed  with  the  celebrated  "  London  arti.sts,"  Ma- 
son and  Dixon,  in  running  the  historic  line  between 


Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and  Virginia,  in  1766-67, 
Alexander  being  then  less  than  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  and  acting  as  an  assistant  to  his  elder  brothers,  of 
whom  Archibald  was  the  chief  in  the  business. 

The  opening  of  the  Land  Office,  April  3,  1769,  for 
the  locating  of  lands  in  the  then  "New  Purchase,' 
gave  employment  to  a  great  number  of  surveyors, 
and  among  them  was  Alexander  McClean.  It  > 
for  the  prosecution  of  this  business  that  he  first  moved 
across  the  mountains,  making  his  location  at  the 
Stony  Creek  Glades,  in  the  present  county  of  Somer- 
set; but  being  then  unmarried  he  changed  his  tem- 
porary residence  from  time  to  time  as  required  by 
the  location  of  the  work  on  which  he  was  engaged. 
At  first  he  was  but  an  assistant  to  his  brothers,  who 
were  deputy  surveyors,  but  after  a  time  he  was  hi 
self  appointed  to  that  office,  the  first  survey  found 
recorded  as  executed  by  him  in  the  cajiacity  of 
deputy  surveyor  within  the  present  boundaries  of 
Fayette  County  being  dated  in  the  year  1772.  In 
1775  he  was  married  at  the  Stony  Creek  Glades,  near 
Stoystown,  to  Sarah  Holmes,  and  in  the  following 
spring  he  moved  with  his  wife  to  what  was  then  West- 
moreland County  (afterwards  Fayette),  and  located  at 
or  near  where  his  brothers  James  and  Samuel  had 
previously  settled,  in  what  is  now  North  Union  town- 
ship, some  three  miles  from  where  Henry  Beeson  was 
then  preparing  to  lay  out  the  town  which  was  tl 
nucleus  of  the  present  borough  of  Uniontown.  It 
was  doubtless  the  knowledge  which  he  obtained  of 
this  region  while  engaged  in  surveying  that  induced 
him  to  settle  west  of  the  Laurel  Hill  soon  after 
marriage.  He  remained  at  his  first  location  in  the 
present  North  LTnion  township  for  about  three  years, 
and  in  1779  removed  to  Uniontown,  which  from  that 
time  was  his  place  of  residence  till  his  death. 

In  the  first  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania, 
in  1776,  Alexander  McClean  was  one  of  the  members 
from  Westmoreland  County.  In  September  of  the 
same  year  he  was  one  of  the  justices  of  the  peace  I 
Westmoreland,  appointed  by  the  Revolutionary  State 
Convention.  He  was  also  a  member  of  Assembly  for 
1782-83,  being  elected  for  the  purpose  of  procuring 
the  passage  of  the  act  erecting  Fayette  County,  which 
was  accomplished  in  the  latter  year.  He  had  early 
foreseen  the  probability  of  the  erection  of  a  new 
county  from  this  part  of  Westmoreland,  and  had  (it 
is  said)  urged  Henry  Beeson  to  lay  out  his  town  (now 
Uniontown),  in  the  belief  that  it  would  be  made  the 
seat  of  justice  of  the  new  county,  the  erection  of 
which  he  predicted. 

In  1782  he  w;ls  appointed  sub-lieutenant  of  West- 
moreland County,  in  place  of  Edward  Cook,  who  had 
been  promoted  to  lieutenant  to  succeed  Col.  Arcl 
bald  Lochry,  who  was  murdered  by  the  Indians  on; 
the  Ohio  in  the  previous  year.  By  his  appointmcnti 
as  sub-lieutenant  of  the  county  Mr.  McClean  obtainedj 
the  title  of  colonel,  by  which  he  was  ever  after- 
wards known. 


cyji  {/-(oi^  a/i^ 


UNIONTOWN    BOROUGH. 


During  the  Revolution,  from  1776  to  1784,  there 
were  no  entries  of  land  made  at  the  Land  Office,  and 
consequently  there  ivas  no  work  for  deputy  surveyors. 
But  in  1781  Col.  McClean  was  appointed  by  the 
Supreme  Executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania  chief 
surveyor  for  this  State  (to  act  in  conjunction  with 
a  similar  officer  on  behalf  of  Virginia)  to  run  the 
temporary  line  between  the  two  States,  as  agreed 
on  in  1779.  After  many  delays  and  vexatious  dis- 
appointments in  the  execution  of  this  Avork  it  was 
finally  completed  by  Col.  McClean  and  Joseph  Nev- 
ille, of  Virginia,  in  the  winter  of  1782-83.  The  pay 
established  by  the  Council  at  the  commencement  of 
the  work  was  twenty  shillings  (S2.66)  per  day  and 
expenses,  but  afterwards  that  body  resolved  that, 
"taking  into  consideration  the  trouble  Mr.  McClean 
has  had  in  running  said  line,  and  the  accuracy  with 
which  the  same  hath  been  done,  he  be  allowed  thirty- 
five  shillings  ($4.67)  per  day."  This  resolution  of 
Council  established  the  price  which  Col.  McClean 
always  afterwards  charged  for  his  services  as  sur- 
veyor. 

Upon  the  erection  of  Fayette  County  in  1783,  Col. 
McClean  made  application  for  the  appointment  of 
protlionotary  and  clerk  of  the  courts  of  the  county, 
but  the  office  was  secured  by  Ephraim  Douglass. 
Col.  McClean  was,  however,  appointed  (Oct.  31,1783) 
by  the  Council  to  be  presiding  justice  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas  and  Orphans'  Court.  He  filled  that 
office  until  April,  178!),  when  he  was  succeeded  by 
Col.  Edward  Cook.  On  the  6th  of  December,  1783, 
he  was  appointed  to  the  offices  of  register  and  re- 
corder of  Fayette  County,  and  held  those  offices  con- 
|tinuously  through  all  the  political  changes  and  vicis- 
situdes of  a  period  of  more  than  half  a  century  until 
I  his  death  in  1834. 

[  Col.  McClean  was  a  quiet,  unobtrusive  man,  de- 
voted to  the  duties  of  his  office,  and  caring  for  little 
else  than  to  discharge  them  with  diligence,  accuracy, 
[and  fidelity.  He  held  office  longer — from  1772  to 
[1834 — than  any  other  man  wlio  has  ever  resided  in 
[Western  Pennsylvania.  He  waa  an  expert  and  ele- 
gant penman,  as  will  readily  be  admitted  by  any  per- 
|son  who  examines  the  multitudinous  pages  of  his 
I  work,  which  may  be  seen  in  the  court-house  at 
I  Uniontown,  beautiful  as  copper-plate,  and  as  clear 
[and  distinct  as  when  they  were  written,  ninety  years 
'ago.  As  register,  recorder,  and  surveyor  for  more 
than  half  a  century  he  had  been  conversant  with 
jail  the  estates,  titles,  and  lands  of  the  county,  with 
j  all  their  vacancies,  defects,  and  modes  of  settlement; 
I  yet  with  all  these  opportunities  of  acquiring  wealth 
I  he  died  in  comparative  poverty,  a  sad  monument  to 
j  his  integrity.  He  wrote  more  deeds  and  wills  at 
1  seven  and  sixpence  each  (one  dollar)  and  dispensed 
j  more  gratuitous  counsel  in  ordinary  legal  affairs  than 
j  at  reasonable  fees  would  enrich  a  modern  scrivener 
j  or  counselor.  He  died  in  Uniontown,  Jan.  7,  1834. 
I  The  date  has  usuallv  been  given  as  December  7th  of 


that  year,  but  that  this  is  a  mistake  is  shown  by  an 
entry  on  the  court  record  as  follows  : 

"  Jan'y  S,  IS.S4. — At  the  meeting  of  the  court  lliis  morning 
Mr.  Austin  roeo  and  informed  tiie  couit  of  the  death  of  Col. 
Ale.\nnder  McCioan,  which  took  place  last  night.  After  a  few 
remarlis,  in  which  Mr.  Austin  alluded  in  terms  of  deserved 
eulogy  to  the  high  character  which  the  deceased  sustained  as 
an  officer  and  a  man,  and  in  general  in  all  the  social  relations, 
he  moved  the  following  resolution,  viz. :  That  when  the  court 
adjourns,  it  adjourns  to  meet  at  four  o'clock  p.m.,  in  order  to 
give  the  court  and  bar,  grand  and  traverse  jurors,  and  others 
attending  on  the  court  an  opportunity  of  attending  the  funeral, 
which  was  adopted  and  ordered  accordingly." 

Col.  McClean  had  ten  children,  viz.:  Ann,  born 
Sept.  7,  1776;  Joieph,  Nov.  17,  1777;  Elizabeth, 
March  27,  1779;  William,  March  14,  1780;  Alex- 
ander, Sept.  17,  1782;  Ephraim,  July  23,  1784;  Ste- 
phen, vSept.  23,  1786;  John,  Feb.  23,  1788;  Richard, 
May  17,  1790;  Moses,  July  25,  1793.  All  the  sons 
settled  on  lands  owned  by  their  father.  The  eldest 
daughter,  Ann,  married  John  Ward,  and  settled  in 
Steubenville,  Ohio.  Elizabeth  married  Thomas  Had- 
den,  a  well-remembered  lawyer  of  Uniontown. 


IIOX.  ANDREW  .STEWART. 

Andrew  Stewart,  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
public  men  of  Fayette  County  (which  was  always  his 
home  from  birth  to  death),  was  the  son  of  Abraham 
Stewart  and  Mary  Oliphant,  who  were  both  natives 
of  the  eastern  part  of  Pennsylvania  (he  of  York, 
and  she  of  Chester  County),  and  who  both  emigrated 
while  young  to  Fayette  County,  where  they  were 
married  in  1789.  They  raised  a  family  of  children, 
of  whom  the  eldest  was  Andrew,  who  was  born  June 
11,  1791,  in  German  township.  At  an  early  age  he 
became  self-dependent;  till  eighteen  he  worked  on  a 
farm  and  taught  a  country  school,  afterwards,  to 
pay  his  way  while  going  to  school  and  reading  law, 
he  adted  as  a  scrivener  and  as  clerk  at  a  furnace.  In 
his  twenty-fourth  year  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
(January,  1815),  and  in  the  same  year  w.as  elected  to 
the  Legislature ;  was  re-elected  for  three  years,  and 
when  a  candidate  for  the  Senate,  without  opposition. 
President  Monroe  tendered  hiiu  the  appointment  of 
district  attorney  for  the  United  States,  which,  pre- 
ferring to  a  seat  in  the  Senate,  he  accepted,  but  re- 
signed it  after  his  election  to  Congress  in  1820,  where 
he  served  eighteen  years  out  of  a  period  of  thirty.  He 
served  in  the  17th,  20th,  22d,  23d,  26th,  27th,  28th, 
29th,  and  30th  Congresses,  going  in  and  going  out 
with  the  Hon.  Thomas  H.  Benton. 

In  1848,  when  Mr.  Stewart  was  a  candidate  for  the 
Vice-Presidency,  he  declined  a  nomination  for  Con- 
gress, and  in  the  convention  in  Philadelphia,  after  the 
nomination  of  President  Taylor,  it  was  left  to  the 
Pennsylvania  delegation  to  nominate  a  candidate  for 
Vice-President,  who,  after  having  retired  to  agree 
upon  a  nominee,  upon   the  first  ballot  Mr.  Stewart 


364 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


had  fourteen  out  of  twenty-six,  the  remaining  twelve 
voting  for  Mr.  McKennan  and  several  others,  when, 
without  taking  a  second  ballot  to  make  it  unanimous, 
the  chairman  of  the  delegation  hurried  back  into  the 
convention  and  reported  that  they  had  foiled  to  agree, 
wliereupon  Mr.  Fillmore  was  nominated  and  con- 
firmed, as  was  stated  and  published  at  the  time  with- 
out contraldiction. 

On  the  accession  of  Gen.  Taylor  to  the  Presi- 
dency, the  Pennsylvania  delegation  in  Congress  rec- 
ommended Mr.  Stewart  for  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury ;  but  being  at  the  time  confined  to  a  sick-bed, 
he  declined  the  appointment;  and  it  maybe  stated 
as  a  remarkable  fact,  true  of  no  other  man  living  or 
dead,  that  Mr.  Stewart  served  in  Congress  with  every 
President  before  Gen.  Grant,  except  the  first  five, 
and  Taylor,  who  was  never  in  Congress. 

AVhile  in  Congress  Mr.  Stewart  served  on  several 
of  the  most  important  committees,  among  them  as 
chairman  of  the  Committee  on  the  Tariff  and  the 
Committee  of  Internal  Improvements,  constituting 
together,  what  was  well  called  by  Mr.  Clay,  "  The 
American  System,"  in  the  advocacy  of  which  Mr. 
Stewart  commenced  and  ended  his  political  life. 
This  system,  he  always  contended,  lay  at  the  founda- 
tion of  the  national  prosperity,  the  one  protecting  the 
national  industry,  and  the  other  developing  the  na- 
tional resources.  He  called  it  the  "  ].iolitical  ther- 
mometer,'" which  always  had  and  always  would  indi- 
cate the  rise  and  fall  of  the  national  prosperity. 

Mr.  Stewart  belonged  to  the  D.nnocratic  party  up 
to  1828,  when  the  party,  at  the  dictation  of  the  South, 
under  the  lead  of  Van  Buren,  Buchanan,  and  others, 
gave  up  the  tariff  and  internal  improvements  for  office; 
here  Mr.  Stewart  took  an  independent  stand.  He 
said  he  would  stand  by  his  measures,  going  with  those 
w!io  went  for  and  against  those  who  went  against 
them.  He  came  home  in  the  midst  of  the  excited 
contest  between  Jackson  and  Adams  for  the  Presi- 
dency in  1828,  when  his  constituents  were  know'n  to 
be  more  than  two  to  one  for  Jackson,  and  iu  a  public 
speech  declared  his  intention  "  to  vote  for  Adams, 
whose  friends  supported  his  measures,  while  the  Dem- 
ocratic iiarty,  as  such,  opposed  them.  If  for  this  they 
chose  to  turn  him  out,  so  be  it,  he  would  never  sur- 
render his  principles  for  office.  If  he  did  he  would 
be  a  political  hypocrite,  unworthy  the  support  of  any 
honest  man  ;  he  would  rather  go  out  endeavoring  to 
sujiport  what,  in  his  conscience,  he  lielieved  to  be  the 
true  iuterests  of  his  constituents  and  his  country  than 
to  go  in  bv  meanlv  betraying  them." 


The  Democrats  took  up  Mr.  Hawkins,  of  Greene  . 
County,  then  Speaker  of  the  Senate,  and  used  every  i 
means  to  exasperate  the  Jackson  men  against  Mr.  J 
Stewart ;  yet,  with  all  their  efforts,  although  Jackson 
had  a  majority  of  two  thousand  eight  hundred— more  j] 
than  two  votes  to  one — in  his  district,  Mr.  Stewart  was 
elected  over  the  Jackson  candidate  by  a  majority  of  i 
two  hundred  and  thirty-five, — a  result  unprecedented,  i 
showing  a  degree  of  personal  popularity  on  the  one  ,j 
side,  and   of  magnanimity  and   forbearance  on  the 
other,  without  a  parallel  in  the  history  of  elections,  j 
Mr.  Stewart  was  afterwards  re-elected  for  four  terms,  J 
when  he  peremptorily  declined  a  renomination. 

At  the  age  of  thirty-four  Mr.  Stewart  married  thei 
daughter  .of  David  Shriver,  of  Cumberland,  Md.,  and' 
raised  a  family  of  six  children,  who  are  all  living  e.x- 
cept  I>ieutenant-Commander  William  F.  Stewart, 
U.S.N.,  who  was  lost  on  the  U.  S.  S.  "  Oneida,"  on  the 
24th  of  January,  1870,  being  at  the  time  executi 
officer  of  the  ship,  and  one  of  the  most  promising 
officers  of  his  age  in  the  service,  so  pronounced 
letters  of  condolence  after  his  death  by  all  of  the 
officers  under  whom  he  had  served.  His  last  heroic 
words  on  being  urged  to  take  the  boat  as  the  ship  was 
going  down  were,  "  No  !  let  others  take  the  boat,  my 
duty  is  on  board  my  ship,"  and  he  went  down  with 
her. 

Mr.  Stewart  carried  into  private  life  the  same  devo- 
tion to  these  measures  that  distinguished  him  while 
in  the  public  service,  and  until  the  time  of  his  death 
he  was  found  among  the  foremost  in  advocating  rail- 
road improvements  which  will  in  the  near  future 
make  his  native  county  one  of  the  richest  and  most 
prosperous  in  the  State.  To  show  his  constant  zeal 
and  restless  activity  in  the  cause  of  domestic  industry 
and  home  manufactures,  it  may  be  stated  that  he 
erected  a  blast-furnace,  rebuilt  a  glass-works,  built 
eleven  saw-mills,  four  flouring-mills,  planing-mills, 
etc.,  besides  more  than  two  hundred  tenant  and  other 
houses  ;  he  bought  and  sold  over  eighty  thousand 
acres  of  land,  and  hajl'lsetween  thirty  thousand  and 
forty  thousand  acral^Jlill  left  at  his 'death,  much  of  it 
in  the  West;  and  xh  twenty-one  years  of  the  prime 
of  his  life  were  "devoted  to  the  services  of  his  country 
in  her  State  and  national  Legislatures. 

Mr.  Stewart  died  in  Uniontown,  July  1(5,  1872, 
in  his  eighty-second  year.  His  sons,  Col.  Andrew 
Stewart  and  D.  Shriver  Stewart,  reside  in  Stewart 
township,  which  was  so  named  in  honor  of  their  il 
trious  father,  and  where  they  have  large  landed  in- 
terests whicli  belonged  to  his  estate. 


CONNELLSVILLE    BOROUGH    AND    TOWNSHIP. 


The  borough  of  Coiinellsville,  the  largest  town  in 
population  in  the  county  of  Fayette,  is  situated  op- 
posite the  borough  of  New  Haven,  on  the  right  or 
eastern  bank  of  the  Youghiogheny ;  its  territory, 
however,  extending  across  the  river  to  low-water  mark 
on  the  western  side,  which  low-water  mark  forms  its 
western  boundary.  On  the  north,  east,  and  south  it 
is  bounded  by  Connellsville  township.  Connellsville 
borough  is  not  only  the  centre  of  the  vast  coke  and 
coal  interests  of  this  region,  but  is  also  the  most  im- 
portant railway  point  in  Fayette  County,  having 
connection  with  Pittsburgh  and  Uniontown  by  two 
lines,  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  and  the  Baltimore 
and  Oliio,  and  eastward  by  the  same  lines,  over  the 
Baltimore  and  Ohio  to  Cumberland  and  Baltimore, 
and  over  the  Southwest  and  Pennsylvania  roads  to 
Greensburg,  Altoona,  Harrisburg,  and  Philadelphia. 
Both  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  and  the  Union- 
town  Branch  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  road  cross 
the  Youghiogheny  at  this  point.  The  population  of 
the  borough  by  the  census  of  1880  was:  in  the  East 
Ward,  1926;  in  the  West  Ward,  1689;  total,  3615. 

The  first  settler  within  the  limits  of  the  present 
borough  of  Connellsville  was  William  McCormick, 
who  came  here  from  near  Winchester,  Va.,  about  the 
year  1770.  He  had  a  number  of  pack-horses,  and 
with  them  was  engaged  in  the  transportation  of  salt, 
iron,  and  other  goods  from  Cumberland,  Md.,  to  the 
Youghiogheny  and  Monongahela  Eivers.  His  wife 
was  Effie  Crawford,  a  daughter  of  Col.  William  Craw- 
ford, who  had  settled  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Youghio- 
gheny near  the  northern  boundary  of  the  present 
borough  of  New  Haven.  McCormick  settled  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river,'  directly  opposite  the  house  of 
his  father-in-law.  His  first  residence  there  was  a  log 
house,  which  he  built  on  the  river-bank.  It  is  still 
standing  on  land  owned  by  the  Pittsburgh  and  Con- 
nellsville Railroad  Company.  In  this  he  lived  many 
years,  and  then  removed  to  a  double  cabin  which  he 
built  on  the  site  below  the  stone  house  on  the  David- 
son  farm.     Afterwards  he  built  a  large  log  house 

1  Two  tracis  of  land,  one  caned  ■' Stafford,"  and  the  other  "Eicli  PlaiD," 
located  where  McCormick  settled,  were  warranted  to  William  Crawford, 
but  soon  afterwards  liecame  the  property  of  William  McCormick,  and 
■were  patented  to  him  May  28, 1795.  A  saw-mill  was  erected  hy  him  on 
these  premises.  An  agreement  was  made  by  McCormick  (April  10, 17U4) 
to  sell  a  part  of  these  tl-.icts  to  John  Glhson  for  fJo2,  and  on  the  7lh  of 
December,  1796,  the  property  was  deeded  by  BlcCormick  to  Gibson. 


where  is  now  the  .stone  house  built  by  John  Boyd, 
who  purchased  the  McCormick  property  in  1831. 

William  McCormick  died  in  1816,  aged  about  sev- 
enty-four years.  He  had  eleven  children,  four  of 
whom  removed  to  Adams  County,  Ohio,  and  two  to 
Indiana.  Pro  van  ce  McCormick,  a  grandson  of  Wil- 
liam, now  the  oldest  living  native  of  Connellsville, 
was  born  in  the  above-mentioned  double  cabin  of  his 
grandfather,  July  29,  1799.  He  learned  two  trades, 
shoemaker  and  carpenter.  He  married  about  1818, 
and  for  two  years  lived  on  his  grandfather's  place. 
In  1825  he  bought  an  acre  of  land,  and  built  on  it  the 
house  now  owned  by  William  White.  In  this  he  lived 
till  1853.  He  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace,  and 
later  associate  judge  of  Fayette  County  for  one  term. 
For  the  past  ten  years  he  has  held  the  oflice  of  justice 
of  the  peace  in  Connellsville.  Two  sons,  George  and 
Joseph  T.,  and  two  daughters  are  residents  of  Con- 
nellsville. 

Zachariah  Connell,  the  founder  of  the  town  of  Con- 
nellsville, came  here  a  few  years  later  than  the  settle- 
ment of  William  McCormick,  whose  brother-in-law 
he  was,  having  married  Mrs.  McCormick's  sister,  Ann 
Crawford.  He  came  to  this  section  of  country  soon 
after  1770,  and  stopped  at  the  house  of  his  future 
father-in-law,  Capt.  (afterwards  Colonel)  William 
Crawford.  After  his  marriage,  which  was  probably 
in  1773,'''  he  lived  for  some  tinu'  mi  the  wist  side  of 
the  river,  but  afterwards,  at  a  tiiui'  whirii  cannot  be 
exactly  fixed  (between  1773  and  177SJ,  moved  to  the 
east  side  of  the  stream  and  located  on  a  tract  of  land 
which  was  designated  in  his  warrant  of  survey'  as 
"  Mud  Island,"  which  included  the  present  site  of  the 
borough  of  Connellsville.  He  built  his  log  cabin 
facing  the  river,  on  or  very  near  the  spot  where  the 
Trans-Allegheny  House  now  stands,  on  Water  Street. 
There  he  lived  for  many  years,  until  he  removed  to  the 
stone  house  which  he  had  built  at  the  corner  of  Grave 
Street  and  Hill  Alley.  After  the  death  of  his  wife, 
Ann  Crawford,  he  married  a  Miss  Wallace,  a  sister 
of  "Aunt  Jenny"  Wallace,  who  was  long  and  well 


nent  list  for  the  year  177-2  of  Ty 


iwnship,  Bedford 
is  now  Fayette  County, 
present  townships  of  Ty- 
ctent  of  contiguous  terri- 
in  tlie  list  of  "  Inmates," 


:-i66 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


known  in  li\ter  years  as  the  keeper  of  tlie  toll-bridge 
across  the  Yoiighiogheny  River.  The  later  years  of 
Mr.  Connell'.s  life  were  devoted  to  the  care  of  his  real 
estate.'  He  became  an  ardent  Methodist,  and  donated 
the  lot  on  wliich  the  churcli  oi'  that  denomination  was 
built.  He  died  in  his  stone  house  on  Grave  Street, 
Aug.  i(J,  ISl.'l,  :iged  seventy-two  years,  and  was  buried 
near  the  rc^idi mc  dl  .Iiilm  Fr(Hnian,  where  his  re- 
mains still  rr>l  ih;ii-  th f  liis  two  wives,  and  wliere 

a  broken  slab  ur.uk>  the  last  r.-^tii.u-i.lar,.  ,,|'  the 
founder  of  Connellsville.  By  lijs  IliM  wile  Mr.  Con- 
nell  was  the  father  of  four  elnMi-n.  •.!  whom  two 
were  sons,— Hiram  and  .lohn.  Tla-  U.ruwr  lived  and 
died  in  Connellsville.  the  hnt.r  removed  tn  the  West. 
Of  the  two  daiii;lilers,  one  married  William  Page, 
who  became  a  Mrtliodi-t  piearlier,  and  removed  with 
his  wile  tn  .\.laiii>  (.'niinty,  Ohio,  alH.nt  IMO.  The 
other  married  (lieen-liiny  Jones,  an  exlmrter,  and 
emigrated  with  him  to  the  West.  The  s.  rnnd  wife  ,,r 
Mr.  Connell  became  the  mother  of  twn  .limulan.-, 
who  respectively  became  the  wives  of  .Icxjih  :nel 
Wesley  Phillips,  sons  of  John  Phillips,  of  Union- 
town. 

Nothing  has  been  found  tending  to  show  that  any 
other  settlers  ,  ame  to  h.eate  near  Zaehariali  Cmnell 

tory  of  the  bor.mgli  «i  C lellsville,  .luring  the  Rev- 
olutionary war  or  the  five  nf  six  years  that  sue.  eeded 
the  return  of  peace.  The  -ii|.|>o~iiii,ii  that  there  were 
no  such  settlements  made  during  the  time  ril'erreil  to 
is  strengthened  by  thi'  laet  that  the  tracts  of  Connell 
and  MeCnrmi.  I<,  wlii.  h  included  all  that  is  now  Con- 


spi 


:\ir 


to  J( 


and  the  whole  of  Connell's  tract  (with  the  exception 
of  the  Rogers  mill  site)  being  still  in  his  possession 
when  he  laid  out  the  town  in  1793,  as  will  hereafter 
be  noticed. 

The  "Rogers  Jlill"  referred  to  (which  a  few  years 
later  became  the  property  of  Thomas  Page)  was  built 


From  till 


The 


(lance  and  rensuniLble  credit  will  be  given  liy  me. 

"Zachariah  Coxxell. 

CVNELLSVlllE,  .\pril  6,  1812. 

.B. — AH  persons  cl.-iiniiniJ:  lots  in  said  town  are  desired  to  cotne  and 
I  their  claims  t>>'  the  1st  day  of  May,  and  pay  the  pnrchase-money 
:round-rents  if  any  dne. 

"  Z.  C." 


before  179.3,  on  the  river-bank,  where  the  present  mill 
stands,  opposite  Grave  Street.  Its  owner  was  Daniel 
Rogers,  who  came  here  from  Dunbar  township,  and 
became  one  of  the  most  prominent  citizens  of  Con- 
nellsville, and,  with  his  brother  Joseph  and  Zadoc 
Walker,  of  Uniontown,  was  interested  in  the  erection 
of  the  paper-mill  on  the  Youghiogheny  above  Con- 
nellsville in  1810.  The  old  grist-mill  which  he  built, 
as  above  mentioned,  became  an  establishment  of  no 
little  importance  to  Connellsville  as  the  settlement 
increased,  and  was  largely  patronized  by  people  of 
both  Bullskin  and  Dunbar  townships. 

Dr.  James  Francis  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers 
in  Connellsville.  Evidence  is  found  that  he  was  prac- 
ticing in  the  vicinity  before  1790,  but  it  is  not  certain 
that  he  was  at  that  time  a  resident  in  what  is  now 
Connellsville,  though  it  is  known  that  he  was  located 
there  not  long  afterwards.  Dr.  Francis  will  be  found 
mentioned  more  i'ully  in  the  account  of  the  early 
physieiansof  Connellsville. 

Anthony  I'.anning,  an  itinerant  Jlethodist  preacher, 
came  to  Connellsville  as  early  as  1789,  but  did  not  lo- 
cate here  until  about  two  years  later.  He  is  mentioned 
in  the  narrative  of  the  Methodist  Church,  written  in 
1848  by  the  Rev.  P.  McGowan,  as  follows :  "  There  is 
reason  to  believe  that  there  was  a  society  at  Connells- 
ville at  this  time  |1789].  Anthony  Banning,  who 
resided  at  Connellsville,  was  received  on  trial  in  the 
traveling  eonneetion  this  year,  but  located  in  1791, 
and  afterwards  resided  in  the  same  place."  Here  the 
Rev.  Mr.  McGowan  merely  infers  that  there  must 
have  been  a  society  at  Connellsville  at  the  time  men- 
tioned. But  it  is  not  at  all  strange  that  he  should  be 
mistaken  in  his  inlerenee,  writing  as  he  did  at  atime 
fifty  years  later.  It  is  ill  no  way  probable  that  there 
was  a  Metlmdi-t  ."-Society  at  Connellsville  at  the  time 
named,  ibr  there  were  im  inhabitants  there  at  that 
time  except  the  families  of  Connell,  MeCormick,  and 
Gibson  (if  the  latter  had  a  family  then),  and  Anthony 
Banning  (the  last  named  being  only  temporarily  lo- 
cated there)  ;  but  it  is  not  unlikely  that  people  from 
Bullskin  township  and  from,  the  west  side  of  the 
Ynugliiiigheny  often  met  at  Connell's,  or  in  its  vicinity 
as  a  central  jjoint,  to  listen  to  Banning's  exhortations. 
■  Besides  preaching,  Banning  appears  to  have  had 
other  occupations,  and  to  have  been  rather  an  enter- 
prising man.  Some  years  after  his  settlement  he 
started  a  tannery  on  the  run,  to  the  southward  of  Mr. 
Connell's  stone  house,  and  later  built  the  stone  house 
on  the  hill,  afterwards  known  as  the  Page  House,  and 
opened  it  as  a  tavern.  He  remained  till  1810,  when 
he  sold  the  tavern  stand  to  David  Barnes  and  re- 
moved to  Mount  Vernon,  Ohio. 

In  179.3  the  town  of  Connellsville  was  laid  out  and 
chartered  by  Mr.  Connell,  who  perceived  that  though 
there  were  but  very  few  inhabitants  in  the  place,  it 
was  destined  to  become  a  point  of  importance,  because 
it  was  here  that  emigrants  and  travelers  to  the  West 


CONNELLSVILLE    BOROUGH    AND   TOWiNSUlP. 


(of  whom  tliLTf  woiv  iili-ciuly  priMt  muuhers  in  transit, 
coming  over  the  road  Iroiii  Bedford  byway  of  Turkey 
Foot)  reached  a  boatable  point  on  the  Youghiogheny 
River.  Here,  for  several  years,  boats  had  been  built 
by  emigrants  and  others  to  take  their  merchandise 
and  other  movables  down  by  water  carriage,  and  here 
he  thought  was  a  place  where  a  thriving  village  would  j 
naturally  spring  up.  Succeeding  years  bore  witness 
to  the  soundness  of  his  calculations,  though  for  more 
than  a  decade  after  the  laying  out  of  the  town  its  I 
growth  was  but  slow. 

The  charter,  executed  by  Mr.  Connell,  March  21, 
1793,  find  recorded  with  the  town  plot'  in  Book  C, 
page  329,  of  the  Fayette  County  records,  is  as  fol-' 
lows  : 

"  Zach.ariah  Connell,  proprietor  of  the  tract  of  land  situate  on 
the  East  side  of  Youghiogheni  Kiver,  where  the  State  Road  from 
the  north  fork  of  Turkey  foot,  intersects  said  river,  To  all  to 
whom  these  presents  shall  come  sendeth  (ireeting,  Whereas  it 
is  necessary  that  some  provision  be  made  at  the  place  aforesaid 
for  the  reception  and  entertainment  of  Travelers,  and  as  well 
to  accommodate  such  Tradesmen  and  others  inclining  to  settle 
at  or  near  said  place,  for  their  encouragement  and  better  regu- 
lation. Has  laid  out  a  small  Town  at  the  aforesaid  place  by  the 
name  of  Connellsville,  agreeably  to  the  plan  hereunto  annexed. 
And  the  said  Zachariah  Connell,  for  himself,  his  heirs,  and  as-  i 
signs,  doth  grant  that  the  streets  and  alleys  of  the  said  town 
shall  forever  continue  as  they  are  now  laid  out  and  regulated  by 
the  plan  aforesaid,  viz. :  Spring  Street  or  State  Road,  sixty  feet  j 
wide,  and  all  the  other  streets  forty  feet  wide,  and  Alleys  twenty  j 
feet  wide,  and  that  the  space  left  opposite  the  ferry  and  front- 
ing on  said  River,  as  reprcsenled  in  the  plan,  and  distinguished 
by  Public  Ground,  and  Water  Street,  shall  be  and  continue  free 
for  the  use  of  the  Inhabitants  of  said  Town,  and  for  Travelers  I 
who  may  erect  thereon  temporary  boat-yards,  or  may  from  time 
to  time  occupy  the  same  or  any  part  thereof  for  making  any 
vessels  or  other  Conveniences  for  the  purpose  of  conveying 
their  property  to  or  from  said  Town.  And  the  said  Zachariah 
Connell  doth  further  promise  and  Covenant  with  the  Inhabit- 
ants of  s.^id  Town  and  others  who  choose  to  frequent  the  same, 
that  all  landings,  harbours,  or  other  conveniences  and  advan- 
tages of  siiid  River  opposite  said  town  or  adjoining  Water  Street 
aforesaid  shall  be  free  to  them  at  all  times  for  the  purpose  of 
landing  Timber,  Stone,  or  other  materials  for  building,  or  fur 
the  use  of  lading  Vessels  for  removal  of  their  persons  or  prop- 
erty to  any  place  whatever.  But  the  said  Zachariah  Connell 
reserves  to  himself,  his  heirs,  and  Assigns  all  that  piece  of  Land 
situate  between  Water  Street  and  the  River,  and  extending 
from  Roger's  Mill  down  to  Spring  Street  or  State  Road,  Pro- 
vided always  that  none  of  said  Town  or  others  shall  at  any  time 
erect  a  ferryboat  for  public  use,  or  keep  and  maintain  a  Canoe 
or  other  Vessel  for  the  purpose  of  conveying  any  person  or 
persons,  thing  or  things,  across  said  River  other  than  their  own 
families  or  their  own  property.     And  providing  also   as  the 

1  Coughenour's  addition  to  the  town  of  Connellsville  was  made  about 
1836,  by  Valentine  Cougbenour,  embracing  about  six  acres,  bounded 
Bouth  by  North  Alley,  east  by  lots  of  John  Fuller  and  Alexander  John- 
ston, north  by  property  of  Alexander  Johnston,  and  west  by  Church 
Street. 

In  February,  1871,  a  plot  of  fifty-one  acres  was  added  by  the  Connells- 
ville Building  and  Loan  Association.  In  October,  lS73,*James  Johnston 
platti-d  an  addition  of  twenty-seven  acres,  lying  west  of  Church  Street, 
and  in  1875  he  platted  forty-five  acres  lying  east  of  Church  Street  as 


privilege  13  joint,  that  no  person  or  persons.  Company  or  Com- 
panies, shall  at  any  time  or  times  hereafter  occupy  more  of  the- 
margin  of  said  River  for  the  purpose  aforesaid  than  is  abso- 
lutely necessary,  according  to  the  various  changes  and  circum- 
stances of  the  case,  to  the  end  that  all  foreigners  as  well  as 
Citizens  may  be  equally  or  proportionately  advantaged  thercliy 
,as  their  necessity  require.  And,  whereas,  there  is  near  said 
Town,  on  the  verge  of  said  river,  ah  excellent  Stone  Coal  Bank 
from  which  Coal  may  be  conveniently  conveyed  by  water  along 
all  the  front  of  said  Town,  and  also  a  Stone-Quarry,  where 
stone  may  be  got  for  building,  and  the  said  Zachariah  Connell 
being  desirous  of  giving  all  the  encourngcment  and  advantages  1 
that  the  nature  of  the  case  will  admit  of,  consistent  with  his 
own  interest  and  safety,  doth  hereby  grant  unto  the  inhabitants 
of  said  Town,  their  heirs,  and  assigns  for  ever,  the  free  and  lull 
jirivilcge  of  digging  and  removing  from  said  Stone  Coal  Bank 
and  Stone-Quarry  to  their  habitation  or  place  of  abode  within 
said  town  only  any  quantity  of  Coal  and  Stone  necessary  for 
their  own  particular  use.  And  the  said  Zachariah  Connell  doth 
hereby  grant  to  be  surveyed  and  laid  out  for  the  use  of  the  In- 
habitants of  said  Town  the  timber  and  stone  on  one  hundred 
acres  of  land  adjacent  thereto  for  building,  &a.  .  .  .  And 
whereas  there  are  sundry  springs  within  the  limits  aforesaid, 
and  the  said  Zttehariah  Connell  being  desirous  that  as  many  of 
the  Inhabitants  of  said  Town  as  possible  may  receive  mutual 
advantage  therefrom,  doth  give  and  grant  unto  the  inhabitants 
of  said  town,  and  others  traveling  through  said  town,  the  com- 
mon use  and  benefit  of  said  springs,  to  be  by  them  conveved 
or  conducted  through  all  and  every  part  of  said  town  at  their 
pleasure  for  their  mutual  convenience  and  advantage,  reserving, 
nevertheless,  to  the  owner  of  Lots  out  of  which  the  fountain 
issues  the  full  privilege  of  erecting  any  house  or  other  conven- 
imce  at  the  head  of  said  spring,  so  as  not  to  prevent  the  other 
inhabitants  from  free  access  thereto  at  all  times.  And  provided 
the  said  bouse  or  other  convenience  willand  shall  not  have  a 
tendency  to  disturb  or  afl'ect  the  water  flowing  from  said  spring 
so  as  to  render  it  disagreeable  to  the  other  inbahitiints.  And 
)irovided  also  that  by  said  building  or  other  convenience  the 


Inhabitants  shall  not  be 


ed  from  having  access  to  the 


fountain  for  sinking  Pipes  or  conduits  for  the  conveying  of  the 
water  aforesaid  and  screening  or  securing  the  same  from  filth 
or  other  injury,  and  Whereas  it  is  the  desire  of  the  said  Zach- 
ariah  Connell  that    tin-   nili:iliil:i  nis  (if  ,-;,id  li.un  .-liuukl  be  ac- 

or  houses  fur  public;  \\<M.-lil]i  .tml  M  liMi.j  <,i  .-.(hnji.-,  !]!■  I'm-  that 
]iurpose  alone  appropriates  tlie  Lots  .\os.  ^t(  and '.16  on  said 
)ilan  for  said  purpose,  free  and  clear  of  purchase  money  or 
ground-rent,   for  ever  to  the  inhabitants  of  said  town,  their 


heirs,   and  successo 
aforesaid,  or  joititly 
sutBcient  qnantily  ' 
not  included  in  said 
not  exceeding  an  ac 

as  the  inhabitants  ma 
r  suitable  ground  con^ 
r^.wn  or  in  the  one  bun 
e.  fo,  the  purpose  of  a 

ion  fo 

•    Cboo 

Ired  a 

the  purpose 

thereto,  and 
lis  aforesaid, 
-Yard.     And 

to  prevent  a  misund 
and  stone  on   the  1 
Connell  hereby  decl 
be  removed  or  prepa 

•rstandiii;.'  ,A  tin 
undre.l  aci.s  :,U 

ires    that    ll,r    sa 
red  for  rr ,:,l 

grant 

made 

the  s. 

of  the  timber 
id  Zachariah 
i  St. iue  shall 
'  '1   the  land 

whereon  it  may  be.  Providid  aluav-  ilial  ihc  -airl  Zachariah 
Connell  hereby  reserves  to  hiiuself.  his  heirs,  or  assigns,  the 
purchase  money  for  each  and  every  Lot  so  laid  off  for  rale,  .nnd 
an  annual  ground-rent  of  half  a  dollar  for  each  Lot,  The  ground- 
rent  to  be  paid  to  the  said  Zachariah  Connell,  his  heirs,  and  as- 
signs, at  the  town  aforesaid,  on  the  first  day  of  May  in  each  and 
every  year  forever,  and  the  said  Zachariah  d"th  hereby  cove- 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


space  of  four  years  from  the  date  hereof  to  be  applied  to  rais- 
ing a  meeting-house  or  meeting-houses,  and  School  or  School- 
Houses  on  the  aforesaid  lots  appropriated  to  that  use.  And 
whereas  in  length  of  time  it  may  be  convenient  for  some  of  the 
inhabitants  of  said  town  to  have  outlots  for  pasture,  and  the 
said  Zachariah  Connell  doth  hereby  grant  to  be  surveyed  and 
laid  out  for  the  use  of  the  inhabitants  of  said  town  the  one 
hundred  acres  of  Land  above  mentioned  ndjacent  to  said  town, 
in  Lots  of  not  less  than  one  acre  nor  exceeding  lour  acres  each, 
subject  to  such  purchase  money  as  the  parties  may  agree  upon. 
•■  In  witness  whereof  the  said  Zachariah  Connell  has  hereunto 
set  his  hand  and  affixed  his  Seal,  the  twenty  first  day  of  March, 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
ninety-three.  "Zachauiah  Conxell.     [seal.] 


jled  and  de 


AX  Rowland, 
MDER  McClean 


The   6ti>  da\ 

of  Januar 

subs-ril.er,  0 

ne  of  the  J 

nty.  personal 

y  came  Zac 

Anno   Domino  ISOO,  Before  me  ' 
ices  of  the  Peace  iu  and  for  said   , 
iriah  Connell  and  acknowledged 
the  foregoing  Instrument  of  writing  to  be  his  Act  &  deed. 

"  Jonathan  Rowland.       i 
"  Recorded  and  Compared  in  Register  Office,  Jany.  6*  1800." 

Among  the  earliest  settlers  in  Connellsville  after 
the  town  was  laid  out  and  chartered   bj-  Mr.  Connell 
were  Samuel  and  Caleb  Trevor,  lirothers,  who  came 
from  the  East  to  this  place  in  17'J4  or  ''J'l.     In  17!M_;  , 
they  were  chiefly  instrumental  in  forinins  the  Baptist 
Church  ofConnellsvilie.    Whether  th.y  pun-hased  lots 
immediately  alter  their  arrival  ^r  iid  is  nut  knnwn, 
but  no  record  of  deeds  to  them  ha.>  Keen  lound  of  ear- 
lier date  than  ISOl','  when  there  is  shown  a  purchase 
by  theui  of  nine  lots  from  Mr.  Connell  for  a  consid- 
eration of  £84.     The  Ints  in  rmcstion  contained  oue- 
fourth  of  an  acre  each,  and  were  nuiiili,  IS  C... -.',1,100, 108,  I 
109,  116,  117,  126,  and  i:.7.     On  the  north  j.art  of  lot  j 
No.  100  the  Baptist  Church  was  built,  the  Trevors  j 
donating  the  land  for  that  purpose.     On  lot  No.  1.57 
(corner  of  Hill  Alley  and  Spring  Street)  they  Iniilt  a 
ioghou-r,   that    stnnd   on    the  site  of  the  house   now 
owned  l^v  Ifi.ry  W.lkie.      Al.nut  ISHS  they  Imilt  the 
brick  Imiu-.-  on  the  corner,  now  owned  by  .lames  Wil- 
kie.     In  this  building  they  kept  a  store-  during  the 

•■  The  eaili^st  sale  of  lots  by  Connell  in  his  new  town  of  which  any 
record  is  found  dates  May  8,  ISOl,  of  two  lots  to  Joshua  Lobdell.  There 
must  have  been  a  considerable  number  of  lots  sold  before  that  time,  but 
what  was  the  cause  of  the  delay  in  the  • 


2  That  the  Trevor  1 
nellsville  at  least  as  e 
was  found  among  the 


I  engaged  in  ni. 


"3d  July.    SJj  Iti  of  nails 


remainder  of  their  lives,  which  terminated  within 
eight  months  of  each  other.  Samuel  died  July  26, 
1820,  aged  seventy-three  years,  and  Caleb  (who  was  a 
bachelor)  died  March  22,  1821,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
two  years.  Sarah,  wife  of  Samuel  Trevor,  died  in 
1824." 

The  children  of  Samuel  Trevor  were  seven  in  num- 
ber, four  of  whom  were  sons, — John  B.,  Joseph,  Ca- 
leb, and  Samuel.  The  daughters  were  Sarah,  Mary, 
and  Susan.  John  B.  Trevor  was,  in  1816,  elected 
cashier  of  the  Connellsville  Navigation  Company. 
He  remained  in  that  position  till  November,  1818, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother  Caleb.  He  was 
postmaster  of  Connellsville  from  1808  to  1820,  when 
he  was  elected  State  treasurer.  In  1822  he  was  elected 
prothonotary  of  Fayette  County,  and  served  one  term, 
at  the  expiration  of  which  he  removed  to  Philadel- 
phia, where  he  became  president  of  a  bank.  His  son, 
John  B.,  is  of  the  firm  of  Trevor  &  Colgate,  of  New 
York.  Joseph,  the  second  son  of  Samuel  Trevor, 
studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Robert  D.  Moore,  of  Con- 
nellsville. He  is  now  living  at  Lockport,  N.  Y.,  well 
advanced  in  years.  Caleb  and  Samuel  Trevor  were 
both  merchants  in  Connellsville  for  many  years,  after 
which  they  remnved  in  ( 'inrinnati,  Ohio.  For  nearly 
a  century  the  Trevor  family  have  been  earnest  Bap- 
tists, and'  have  contributed  liberally  to  the  support 
and  objects  of  that  denomination.  Large  donations 
have  been  made  by  the  Trevors  of  New  York  to  the 
Rochester  (N.  Y.)  University. 

Benjamin  Wells  came  to  Connellsville  in  1794,  and 
opened  the  first  store  in  the  town.  He  had  held  the 
office  of  c(dlector  of  excise  for  Fayette  and  Westmore- 
land Counties  during  the  Whiskey  Insurrection,  and 
at  that  time  lived  at  Stewart's  Crossings,  in  what  is 
now  the  borough  of  New  Haven ;  but  his  house  at 
that  place  having  been  burned  by  a  mob  of  the  insur- 
gents in  the  year  named,  he  abandoned  his  original 
location  and  mcived  across  the  river  to  Connellsville, 
where  he  Imill  a  l<i^  licii-e  (in  Water  Street,  near  the 
eastern  end  of  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
bridge.  Some  fourteen  or  fifteen  years  later  he  built 
the  stone  building  on  Water  Street,  to  the  southward 
of  his  log  house.  In  this  he  and  liis  son  Charles 
carried  on  merchandising  for  some  years.  Besides 
Charles,  Mr.  Wells  had  also  a  son,  John,  who  iield 
the  office  of  sub-collector  under  his  father  in  1793 
anil  1794.  Both  these  sons  emigrated  to  the  western 
eonntry.  The  last  appearance  of  Charles  Wells  in 
Connellsville  was  when  he  left  the  town  with  a  large 
number  of  teakettles,  which  he  took  from  the  Francis 
foundry,  to  be  sold  in  the  West.  It  appears  that 
Benjamin  Wells  was  an  unpopular  man  (at  least 
during  a  few  years  following  1794),  not  only  here 
but  throughout  the  county,— a  fact  which  was  proba- 
bly, in  a  great  degree,  the  result  of  his  having  held, 
and  attempted  to  execute  the  duties  of.  the  govern- 
ment office  above  named.  The  date  of  his  death  is 
not  known,  but  that  it  was  Inter  than  1S27  is  shown 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


by  an  entry  in  the  borough  records  to  the  effect  that 
in  tliat  year  "  Benjamin  Wells  presented  to  the 
conncil  a  fine  piece  of  parchment,  and  it  was  ordered 
that  the  clerk  have  a  Plan  of  the  Borough  made  upon 
it,  with  the  present  owners'  names." 

In  the  year  1800,  Zachariah  Connell  and  Isaac 
Meason  were  authorized  by  an  act  passed  by  the 
Legislature  to  build  a  toll-bridge  across  the  Youghio- 
gheny.  This  was  the  first  bridge  across  the  river  at 
Connellsville,  and  it  is  more  fully  mentioned  in  suc- 
ceeding pages  of  this  history. 

David  Barnes  came  fronj  Strawbridge,  in  the  spring 
of  1803,  to  Bullskin  township  (which  then  comprised 
all  that  is  now  Connellsville  townsliip),  and  located  in 
what  was  known  at  th'at  time  as  ''  Irishtown,"  near 
Breakneck  Furnace.  In  1802  he  purchased  land  from 
Zachariah  Connell  in  the  town  of  Connellsville,  and 
in  1803  moved  there  and  opened  a  tavern.  After- 
wards he  became  prominent  as  a  contractor  in  build- 
ing mills,  furnaces,  forges,  bridges,  and  buildings. 
He  built  for  Mr.  Connell  the  first  "go-back"  saw-mill 
in  all  this  region,  and  received  in  payment  for  the 
work  several  acres  of  land  in  the  borough  of  Con- 
nellsville, upon  which  he  carried  on  brick-making  for 
a  number  of  years.  He  was  also  engaged  in  the  iron 
business,  and  was  in  many  ways  an  active  man  in 
promoting  the  interests  of  the  town.  He  had  six 
sons.  David,  the  eldest,  still  living  in  Connellsville, 
has  been,  like  his  father,  prominent  in  the  advance- 
ment of  the  place.  He  spent  a  number  of  years  at 
Harrisburg  in  the  various  governmental  depart- 
ments, has  been  engaged  in  the  employ  of  several 
railroads,  and  is  now  the  agent  of  the  Southwest 
Pennsylvania  line  at  Connellsville.  William,  the 
second  son,  became  a  preacher  of  the  Baptist  denom- 
ination. He  visited  Jerusalem,  and  after  several 
years'  residence  in  Palestine  returned  to  his  native 
country.  Hamilton  Barnes  became  prominent  in  pol- 
itics, and  represented  Somerset,  Bedford,  and  Fulton 
Counties  in  the  Senate  of  Pennsylvania  in  1852-54. 
Afterwards  he  became  a  teacher  in  the  Disciples'  or 
Campbellite  Church.  Joseph  Barnes  removed  to  the 
West,  and  was  employed  in  a  responsible  position  on 
the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  during  the  time  of  its 
construction.  Z.  E.  Barnes,  another  son  of  David 
B;irnes,  Sr.,  served  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  as  quar- 
termaster in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  He  now  re- 
sides at  the  homestead  in  Connellsville. 

George  Mathiot,  William  Page,  and  Timothy  Han- 
kins  were  purchasers  of  lots  from  Mr.  Connell  in 
1802,  and  settled  in  the  town  about  that  time,  prob- 
ably in  that  year.  Mr.  Mathiot  bought  lot  No.  150, 
adjoining  the  Yough  House  property.  Pie  was  a 
scrivener,  and  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  many  years. 
He  was  a  prominent  man  in  the  Methodist  Church. 
His  family  was  large.  His  son' Jacob  became  a  prom- 
inent business  man  in  Westmoreland  County  and  a 
member  of  the  Legislature.  His  son  Joshua  emi- 
grated to  one  of  the  Western  States,  and  was   there 


elected  a  member  of  Congress.  Of  his  other  sons, 
John  was  largely  engaged  in  the  iron  interests  of  this 
section  ;  George  was  a  druggist  in  Connellsville ;  and 
Henry  is  now  a  physician  in  Smithfield,  Georges 
township,  Fayette  County. 

Abraham  Baldwin  was  a  native  of  New  England, 
and  came  to  Connellsville  about  1806.  He  was  prom- 
inent in  politics,  church  matters,  and  business.  He 
manufactured  the  first  carding-machines  ever  made 
in  this  section  of  country.  His  shop  was  on  Bald- 
win's Run,  immediately  south  of  the  old  burial- 
ground.  The  pond  raised  by  his  dam  was  the  fishing 
and  skating  place  of  the  boys  of  Connellsville  in 
those  days.  On  the  same  stream,  farther  up,  he,  with 
his  son-in-law,  Daniel  S.  Norton,  built  a  four-story 
stone  building,  which  they  used  as  a  cotton-factory. 
It  was  put  in  operation  about  1812,'  and  discontinued 
about  four  years  later,  when  Norton  removed  to  Ohio. 
John  Stewart,  Isaac  Mears,  and  William  Balsley  were 
employes  of  Baldwin  &  Norton.  The  cotton-factory 
building  passed  into  other  hands,  fell  into  disuse,  and 
is  now  a  ruin. 

Connellsville  was  made  aborough  in  the  yearl806. 
The  following  account  (in  the  original  manuscript) 
of  a  preliminary  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
proposed  borough,  in  reference  to  the  establishment 
of  its  boundaries,  was  found  among  a  number  of  old 
papers  and  documents  that  were  brought  to  light  in 
the  demolition  of  the  old  house,  the  property  of  Jo- 
seph Herbert,  that  stood  where  Henry  Goldsmith's 
brick  block  has  been  erected  the  past  (1881)  season. 
This  paper,  the  original  of  which  is  in  possession  of 
George  W.  Herbert,  is  as  follows  : 

•'  At  a  meeting  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Connellsville  pursuant 
to  notice,  held  at  the  House  of  John  Barnhart  on  the  1st  day 
of  January,  1806,  It  was  agreed  that  the  Lines  to  include  the 
contemplated  corporation  shall  begin  at  the  mouth  of  the  Run, 
where  it  empties  into  Joseph  Page's  Sen"  Mill  Race  and  the 
further  Bounds  of  the  Corporation,  to  be  run  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Seven  following  Persons :  Anthony  Banning,  Samuel 
Trevor,  John  Barnhart,  (Jeorge  ilalhiut,  David  Barnes,  James 
Bhickstone.  &  Daniel  Rogers. 

"  It  is  further  agreed  that  the  five  following  Persons  shall  be 
a  Committee  to  draft  a  petition  to  the  Assembly,  and  the  Bill 
for  the  Incorporation  of  the  Borough  to  be  submitted  to  the 
Inhabitants  at  a  meeting  to  be  held  at  this  House  on  Tuesday 
evening  next,  viz.,  Samuel  Trevor,  Daniel  Rogers.  Doct.  James 
Francis,  Isaac  Meason,  Jun',  Esqr.,  and  Isaac  Meares. 
"AVitness  our  Hands. 
"Jesse  Tayi.or,  Joseph  Page,  Sen'r, 

"Michael  Bryax,  David  Barnes, 

"Charles  Williams,  Charles  Wells, 

"Benjamin  Wells,  William  Tipton." 

By  the  act  of  incorporation  (passed  March  1, 1806) 
it  was  provided  and  declared  "  that  the  town  of  Con- 
nellsville and  its  vicinity,  in  the  county  of  Fayette, 
shall  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby,  erected  into  a  bor- 

1  April  14,  1812,  Abraham  Baldwin  and  Daniel  S.  Norton  made  au 
agreement  with  John  Feikll,  of  Allesheny  County,  Md.,  "to  build  a 


370 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ough,  which  shall  be  called  '  The  borough  of  Con- 
nelisville,'  bounded  and  limited  as  follows,  that  is  to 
say  :  Beginning  at  a  place  known  by  the  appellation 
of  '  Gregg's  Butment,'  on  the  west  side  of  the  You- 
gliiogheny  River;  thence  in  a  direct  line  across  said 
river  to  a  sycamore  near  the  mouth  of  Connell's  saw- 
mill run;  thence,  by  a  number  of  described  courses 
and  distances,  to  the  river;  thence,  following  the  last 
said  course,  across  the  river  to  low-water  mark ;  thence 
up  said  river,  following  its  dift'erent  meanders,  to  the 
place  of  beginning." 

The  second  section  of  the  act  provided  for  the  elec- 
tion of  borougli  officers,  as  follows :  "  One  reputable 
citizen  residing  therein,  who  shall  be  styled  the  bur- 
gess of  the  said  borough,  and  seven  reputable  citizens 
residing  therein,  who  shall  be  a  town  Council,  and 
shall  also  elect  as  aforesaid  one  reputable  citizen  as 
high  constable.  .  .  ." 

There  exists  no  record  of  the  fir.st  election  held  in 
the  borough  of  Connellsvile,  but  a  document  which 
was  evidently  the  ])oll-list  of  the  borough  for  ISOii 
was  found  among  other  papers  in  the  old  Herbert 
House.  It  was  originally  a  sheet  of  foolscap,  and 
having  been  folded  lengthwise,  it  had  been  torn  apart 
in  the  Ibid,  and  only  one-half  of  it  was  found.  On 
this  half  remains  the  original  heading,  as  follows : 


of  - 


Xnme,  „f  ,he  i-oters 

of 

he  I 

ui-owjh  of  Cuunelkville,  7lh 

pril,  ISOfi." 

wed  by  tliirty-twu 

nam 

es,  viz. : 

-AVilliam  Tipton. 

17.— George  Mathiut. 

-D;iniel  Matliias. 

18.— Jonas  Colstocli. 

-David  Barnes. 

19.— Jolin  Barnhart. 

-.Josei,li  P.-.,ge. 

20.— Andrew  Ellison. 

-.lames  Lofrarly. 

21. — Cornelius  AVoodruff. 

Thyniuthy  Hanltin 

s. 

22.— Daniel  Rogers. 

-.^ntl,.,ny  Banning 

23.— William  Morroiv. 

-Cliarlcs  Williams. 

24.— Joseph  Mahaffy. 

Samuel  Trevor. 

2.5.— John  Keepers. 

-I.^aac  Mears. 

2fi.— Jonathan  Moody. 

-lames  Francis. 

27.— Cornelius  Woodruff.  J 

-Ilinnn  Connell. 

28.— David  Stuard. 

-AVilliaiii  Davis. 

29.— James  Blaekistone. 

-Abraliam  Snider. 

30.— Benjamin  Evans. 

-Josluni  Hunt. 

31.— John  Page. 

-AVilliaiu  Millord. 

32.-CaIeb  Trevor. 

lutilated  paper  the  following 


On  the  back  of  th 
words  are  legible: 

"  Wee,  Isaac  Meare,  do  swear  a  .  .  . 
tliat  wee  will  true  and  g  .  .  . 
Names  of  each  voter  that  .  .  . 
.  .  .  by  the  Inspector." 

This  sliiiws  the  names  of  the  voters  of  the  borough 
at  that  time,  and  renders  it  probable  that  the  first 
election  was  held  on  the  7th  of  April,  1806. 

Provance  McCormick,  Esq.,  now  one  of  the  oldest 
citizens  of  Connellsvilie,  who  was  born  within  its 
present  limits,  and  has  a  personal  knowledge  of  its 
history  farther  hack  than  any  other  person  now  living, 
gives  the   Iblldwing  among  his  recollections  of  the 


I  place  at  about  the  time  of  its  incorporation  as  a  bor- 
ough. 

On  Water  Street,  fronting  the  river,  was  the  dwell- 
ing of  Zachariah  Connell.  It  was  a  log  house  that 
stood  on  the  lot  (171)  adjoining  the  Public  Ground 
on  the  north.  In  this  house  Mr.  Connell  lived  many 
years,  until  he  built  the  stone  house  at  Hill  Alley 
and  Grave  Street,  where  he  resided  during  the  re- 
mainder of  his  tile.     The  property  is  now  owned  by 

'  James  Gray. 

I  North  of  Mr.  Connell's  dwelling,  on  lot  No.  170, 
was  a  log  house  (which  appeared  to  be  an  old  build- 
ing even  at  that  early  time)  owned  by  John  Gibson, 
who  was  the  first  of  that  name  in  this  vicinity.  The 
Gibsons  were  Quakers,  and  Friends'  meetings  were 
frequently  held  in  this  old  log  house.  Next  below 
Gibson's  was  a  log  house  that  stood  on  the  corner  of 
Water  and  A]iple  Streets.  The  name  of  its  occupant 
at  that  time  is  fur-Dttin,  but  it  was  afterwards  owned 
by  Joseph  Rdduiis.  Xixt  to  the  northward  of  the 
liouse  last  nannd  was  ihr  log  dwelling  of  Benjamin 

j  Wells,  the  ex-collector  of  excise,  and  the  first  store- 
keeper of  Connellsvilie.  The  stone  house  (south  of 
his  log  dwelling)  in  which  he  and  his  son  Charles 
opened  a  store  was  built  some  time  later.     It  is  now 

I  the  property  of  Mrs.  Kelly,  and  kept  as  a  hotel. 

North  of  Wells',  on  lot  No.  166,  was  the  one  and 
a  half  story  log  residence  of  Jonathan  Moody,  who 
was  engaged  in  boat-building  on  the  open  space 
between  his  house  and  the  river.  On  the  next  lot 
(165)  lived  David  Stewart,  on  the  site  now  occupied 
by  the  Central  Hotel.  Next  north  was  a  swamp  lot, 
the  same  on  which  the  Baltimore  House  now  stands. 
To  the  northward  of  this  was  the  log  house  of  Peter 
Stillwagon,  on  the  lot  now  to  be  described  as  the 
corner  of  Water  and  Peach  Streets. 

On  Water  Street  next  south  of  the  Public  Ground, 
at  the  time  referred  to,  were  two  vacant  lots,  172  and 
173  (the  Dean  house  not  being  built  until  about 
tliree  years  later).  Next  south,  on  lot  174,  was  the 
house  of  Thomas  Page,  a  miller,  whose  mill  (the  old 
Rogers   mill,  built  some   fifteen   years   earlier,  and 

I  mentioned  by  Mr.  Connell  in  his  charter  of  the  town) 

i  was  on  the  river-bank  where  the  present  grist-mill 

I  .stands.  Page's  residence  was  the  last  one  (going 
southward)  on  Water  Street  at  that  time.  It  was 
purchased  in  1812  by  Dr.  Robert  D.  Moore,  who 
occupied  it  during  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

On  Meadow  Alley,  at  or  near  McCoy's  Run  (out- 
side the  then  borough   limits),  was  the  tannery  of 

,  Anthony  Banning.  Farther  up  South  Alley,  on  a 
part  of  the  present  public-school  grounds,  stood  the 
old  log  school-house,  built  by  subscription.  On 
Meadow  Alley  (lot  135)  was  a  small  stone  house, 
occupied  by  Jonathan  Page,  a  shoemaker.  He  after- 
vv'ards  had  a  shop  near  where  Joshua  Gibson  now 
lives. 

There  were  then  no  other  inhabitants  on  the  blocks 
between  Grave   Street  -.tnd   Church   Alley,  except  a 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOROUGH    AND   TOWNSHIP. 


371 


family  living  in  a  log  house  on  lot  95  (Church  Street, 
south  of  market-house),  later  occupied  hy  Hiram 
Herbert.  Between  Church  Alley  and  Spring  (Main) 
Street,  on  lot  150  (adjoining  the  Yough  House  prop- 
erty), was  the  log  house  and  justice's  office  of  Squire 
George  Mathiot,  and  adjoining  it,  on  No.  142,  lived 
William  Davis,  who  carried  on  the  tailoring  business. 
Above,  on  the  same  block  I  lot  134),  was  a  stone 
house,  occupied  by  Otho  L.  Williams,  a  hatter. 

On  the  present  site  of  Goldsmith's  brick  block  (lot 
12(1)  was  an  old  log  house,  occupied  by  Elijah  Cross- 
land,  a  butcher,  and  maker  of  wooden  plows.  It  was 
afterwards  owned  by  Joseph  Herbert.  Farther  up, 
where  Huston's  drugstore  stands,  was  a  small  frame 
house.  On  the  same  lot,  at  a  later  time,  Samuel 
McCormick  had  a  potter's  kiln.  In  another  small 
frame  house,  that  stood  just  above  the  site  of  the  old 
market-house,  lived  Adam  Snider,  who  worked  at 
boat-building.  The  house  here  mentioned  was  his 
residence  until  his  death. 

At  the  corner  of  Spring  Street  and  Mountain  Alley, 
where  Odd-Fellows'  Hall  now  stands,  was  the  log 
dwelling  and  shop  of  Charles  Williams,  who  was  a 
blacksmith  and  bell-maker.  On  lot  46  lived  James 
Nixon,  who  kept  a  small  store.  It  is  now  owned  by 
Joshua  Vance.  On  the  lot  east  of  where  Dr.  Lindley 
now  lives,  was  a  log  house  and  blacksmith-shop, 
occupied  by  John  Hinebaugh. 

The  Cornelius  Woodruft"'  tavern  stood  on  the  lot 
(No.  6)  now  known  as  the  Asher  Smith  lot,  it  having 
been  sold,  Sept.  17,  1817,  by  the  Trevors  (whose  tenant 
Woodruff  was),  to  Smith.  This  lot  was  on  the  eastern 
boundary  of  the  original  plat,  but  still  farther  east 
there  were  three  dwellings,  one  of  which  (a  log 
building)  was  occupied  by  an  old  lady,  Mrs.  Dens- 
more,  and  another  (a  frame  house  that  stood  where 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Morgan  now  lives)  by  Jonas  Coalstock. 
The  name  of  the  occupant  of  the  third  house  is  not 
known. 

On  the  north  side  of  Spring  Street,  commencing  at 


»  WOODRUFF'S  PKOPHECY. 

On  the  fly-leaf  of  one  of  Cornelius  WooiirufT's  books  is  found  tlie  fol- 
lowing in  hid  own  handwriting: 

*' For  those  who'will  come  after  us  we  find  vast  iind  undeveloped 
mines  of  material  for  men  to  work  upon.  tre:isuies  of  untold  wealth 
tliat  are  now  hid  from  us.  All  must  have  observvd  that  the  progress  of 
tlie  arts  and  sciences  and  the  gospel, like  the  sun,  is  from  the  east  to  rhe 
west.  As  the  celestial  light  of  the  gospel  was  directed  here  I'.v  the  finger 
of  God,  it  will  doubtless  drive  the  heathenish  darkness  fmm  our  land, 
and  marching  thiough  the  vast  deserts  now  ue^tManl  will  tlevelop  the 
hidden  gems  and  stores  of  goliland  Bdv^i.     II  ii-.>  in.  unciin-  ami  iniiirs 

of  these  ores  will  be  discovered.    It  will  -iv |  ...\  ir..  ni  ' Mi   i,^, 

not  only  for  wai*, lint  peaceful  occupation-  m  I  tii-   \<  .n.i    ■  I  ll       Mm-'- 

vast  quarries  will  give  work  for  the  mi-i  liani.  ii.  hull. I  himih i,r~  ti.r 

the  renowned  of  America. — those  heroes  who  gave  tlic-ir  warm  bliM.d  to 
flave  this  land  for  the  coming  millions.  Some  great  invention  will  be 
made  to  carry  on  con.merce  and  communication  in  this  to  be  great 
c.inntry." 

Thus,  in  that  little  tavern  in  i;onnellsviIle,  three-fourths  of  a  century 
ago,  Cornelius  Woodruff  loretold,  with  an  accuracy  that  sef-nis  almost 
marvelous,  the  development  of  the  rich  gold-mines  of  the  Pacific  Slat*  s, 
the  richer  coal-mines  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  and  the  railroads  that 


the  Public  Ground  and  going  east,  the  first  lot  (where 
the  Trevors  soon  afterwards  built  their  brick  build- 
I  ing)  was  vacant.     On  the  ne.xt  lot  (No.  149)  was  a 
I  log  house,  which  at  that  time  was  occupied  by  Samuel 
I  and  Caleb  Trevor.     Above  the  Trevors,  on  lot  141, 
J  was  John  Barnhart's  tavern,  the  stable  of  which  ob- 
tained a  wide  notoriety  as  being  haunted  by  ghosts. 
On  the  corner  of  Meadow  Alley  and  Spring  Street, 
1  now  occupied  by  J.  D.  Frisbie,  David  Barnes  had  a 
j  log  tavern,  which  he  kept  for  a  number  of  years. 
The  entire  space  from  Meadow  Alley  to  Church 
Street  (on  the  north  side  of  Spring)  was  at  that  time 
vacant,  as  were  also  several  of  the  lots  east  of  Church 
Street.     On  the  lot  at  the  corner  of  Mountain  Alley 
I  and  Spring  Street  was  a  log  house,  occupied  by  Jesse 
Taylor.     He  was  a  stone-mason,  and  did  the  stone- 
work for  the  Banning  house.    On  lot  No.  53  (between 
Mountain  Alley  and  Pros]iect  Street)  was  the  resi- 
dence of  Dr.  James  Francis  (where  John  Newcomer 
now  lives),  and  also  a  log  house  occupied  by  "Honey" 
Clayton,  a  trader.     On  the  next  lot  (No.  45)  was  the 
residence  of  Cornelius  W<»i(lniir,  .Ir.,  who  was  a  shoe- 
maker,  and   had   his  sli<i|.   and   dwelling  under  the 
same  roof.     On  lot  13,  Ijetwccii   Prospect  Street  and 
East  Alley,  was  a  wcather-lHiarded  log  house,  the  oc- 
cupant of  which  at  that  time,  is  not  remembered.     It 
was  later  occupied  by  Philo  Hall,  and  after  that  by 
Moses  McCormick,  who  died  there.     On  lot  No.  5, 
on   the  eastern  boundary  of  the  original   plat,  and 
directly  opposite  Cornelius  Woodruff's,  was  a  tavern 
kept  by  Thomas  Keepers;  and  at  the  turn  in  the 
road  above,  and  outside  the  plat,  was  another  tavern 
kept  by  Nancy  White. 

In  the  foregoing  mention  are  included  nearly  all 
the  dwellings  and  business-places  of  Connellsville  at 
about  the  time  of  its  incorporation.  In  the  northeast 
quarter  of  the  town,  which  was  then  almost  entirely 
vacant,  there  were,  however,  the  residences  of  Wil- 
liam Meftbrd,  John  K.  Helm,  and  a  few  others  (all 
log  houses),  scattered  through  that  jiart  of  the  town 
at  various  points.  It  is  not  improbable  that  Mr.  Mc- 
Cormick, in  the  preceding  recollections  of  what  he 
saw  in  Connellsville  three-fourths  of  a  century  ago, 
wdien  he  was  a  boy  of  but  seven  years  of  age,  has 
omitted  some  of  the  inhabitants,  dwellings,  and  other 
features  of  the  town  at  that  time;  indeed,  it  would  be 
strange  if  such  were  not  the  case  ;  but  it  is  believed 
that  such  omissions  are  very  few,  and  that  the  ac- 
count which  he  gives  is  accurate  and  very  nearly 
complete. 

Jonas  Coalstock,  who  is  mentioned  above  as  living 
outside  and  east  of  the  town  limits  at  that  time,  was 
a  blacksmith  and  gunsmith.  He  had  his  shop  on  the 
corner  of  Church  Street  and  Church  Alley,— the  lot 
now  owned  by  Christian  Balsley.  When  Abraham 
Baldwin  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  carding- 
machines  the  iron-work  for  them  was  furnished  by 
Coalstock.  His  son-in-law,  William  T.  McCormick, 
was  a  potter,  and  had  his  kiln  on  what  is  known  as 


372 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  "  Pinnacle."  His  brother  Samuel  afterwards  had 
a  pottery,  which  he  carried  on  for  several  years,  di- 
rectly opposite  where  the  Smith  House  now  stands. 

William  Davidson,  a  native  of  Carlisle,  Pa.,  .ind  a 
clerk  in  the  prothonotary's  office  at  that  place,  left 
there  about  1807,  in  company  with  John  B.  Gibson 
(afterwards  of  Beaver),  to  seek  his  fortune  in  what 
was  then  known  as  the  West.  While  on  his  way,  at 
Bedford,  he  fell  in  with  Jlr.  Wurtz,  of  the  firm  of 
Mochabee  &  Wurtz,  proprietors  of  the  Laurel  Fur- 
nace. Davidson,  being  then  a  young  man  about 
twenty-five  years  of  age,  and  of  prepossessing  ap- 
peanincr,  liuidc  u  favorable  impression  on  Mr.  Wurtz, 
who  till  r(_'H|H.ii  at  oiirc  |iriiiioscil  tn  him  to  take  charge 
of  the  atlairs  of  liis  furnace,  which  proposition  Mr. 
Davidson  accepted.  He,  however,  did  not  remain  very 
long  in  that  business,  and  in  1808  removed  to  Con- 
nellsville,  where  (having  married  not  long  after  his 
arrival)  he  made  his  home  during  the  remainder  of 
his  long  life,  following  the  vocations  of  merchant, 
filmier,  and  iron-master.  He  was  connected  with 
the  army  in  some  capacitv  in  the  war  of  1812,  and 
was  made  prisoner  in  Hull's  surrender  of  Detroit. 
He  served  several  years  in  the  Legislature  of  Penn- 
sylvania, both  in  the  House  of  Eepresentatives  (of 
which  he  was  chosen  S])eaker  in  181S)  and  in  the 
Senate.  He  died  in  18G7,  in  the  eighty-fifth  year  of 
his  age.  Mr.  Davidson  had  three  sons, — Thninas  1!., 
Daniel  R.,  and  John,— the  last  named  ilyiiiLi  in  early 
youth.  Thomas  R.  Davidson  became  one  of  the 
leading  lawyers  of  Fayette  County,  and  is  more  fully 
mentioned  elsewhere,  in  connection  with  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Fayette  bar.  Daniel  R.  Davidson  be- 
came a  farmer,  but  also  took  very  great  interest  in 
the  promotion  of  railroad  enterprises  in  this  section. 
He  used  his  influence  and  gave  a  great  portion  of  his 
time  to  the  building  of  the  Pittsburgh  and  Connells- 
ville  Railroad;  and  it  is  doubted  by  many  whether 
that  road  would  have  lieen  completed  to  Connells- 
ville  (crrtainly  not  at  the  time  when  it  was  com- 
pleted) but  lor  tlie  eiK-rgy  which  he  displayed  and  the 
influence  wliich  lie  l.roi|.jl,t  to  bear  in  its  aid.  Altor- 
war.ls  he  was  vrry  iiilluciitial  in  si-ruriii,-  tin-  nnhi  of 
way  for  the  Soutliwrst  rriinsylvaiiia  Kaihoad.  thus 
aiding  to  complete  another  liiu-  of  railway  loiiiuunii- 
cation  for  Connellsville.  He  now  n-idi-  at  I'leaver, 
Pa.  (where  he  removed  in  ISG'^;,  and  i>  largely  in- 
terested in  the  manufacture  of  coke,  and  in  other 
industries,  and  is  president  of  the  Bank  of  Com- 
merce in  Pittsburgh. 

John  Fuller,  the  fiither  of  Dr.  Smith  Fuller,  of 
Uniontown,  came  to  Connellsville,  and  built  a  house 
on  lot  Xo.  153  of  Connell's  plat,  where  he  also  started 
a  small  tannery.  Later  he  purchased  lots  75  and  S3, 
on  Apple  Street  (now  owned  by  the  Youghiogheny 
Bank),  where  he  started  another  tannery.  This  was 
on  a  spot  opposite  the  present  freight  depot  of  the 
Soutliwest  Railroad.  From  him  this  tannery  passed 
successively  to  tlie  ownership  of  William  Goe,  Strawn, 


Cooper,  and  others,  and  was  discontinued  about 
1870. 

Alexander  Johnston,  a  native  of  IreUind,  came  to 
America  when  about  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  not 
long  after  his  arrival  emigrated  to  We.stern  Pennsyl- 
vania. He  located  for  a  time  on  Chartiers  Creek,  in 
Washington  County,  and  engaged  in  the  business  of 
peddling  goods  through  the  farming  districts.  In 
this  he  continued  till  1808,  when  he  came  to  Connells- 
ville, purchased  the  property  on  Spring  Street  still 
known  as  the  Johnston  homestead  (now  occupied  by 
J.  D.  Frisbie  and  Capt.  J.  M.  Morrow),  and  com- 
menced the  business  of  merchandising.  In  1812  he 
married  Margaret  Clark,  of  Dunbar  township.  He 
remained  in  the  mercantile  business  there  till  1846, 
when  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Joseph,  who  was 
there  until  1849,  when  he  built  the  house  now  occu- 
pied by  J.  D.  Frisbie,  and  lived  there  and  kept  a  store 
until  1858,  when  he  weut  out  of  business.  The  other 
children  of  Alexander  Johnston  were  William  C. 
Johnston,  John  R.  Johnston  (deceased),  and  three 
daughters,  who  became  respectively  Mrs.  Dr.  Joseph 
Rogers,  Mrs.  James  Blackstone,  and  Mrs.  Col.  Daniel 
R.  Davidson,  of  Beaver,  Pa. 

James  and  ('aniplull  .lohnston,  brothers  of  Alex- 
ander Johnston,  laun-  to  Western  Penn.sylvania  at  his 
solicitation,  about  the  year  1816,  and  for  a  time  car- 
ried on  the  JIaria  Forge.  Then  they  came  to  Con- 
nellsville and  started  two  nail-shops,  one  at  Meadow- 
Alley  and  Spring  Street,  and  the  other  on  a  private 
alley  below  the  former.  They  continued  business 
here  till  1825,  and  then  removed  to  Cincinnati, 
Ohio. 

Herman  Gebhart  and  Asa  Smith  had  a  nail-factory 
where  the  ticket  office  of  the  Pittsburgh  and  Connells- 
ville Railroad  now  stands.  It  was  discontinued  when 
John  and  Jacob  Anderson  purchased  the  property 
(about  1830)  and  converted  it  into  a  foundry.  Id 
1823,  Herman  Gebhart  erected  on  Spring  Street  a 
brick  residence,  which  has  since  been  transformed 
into  a  hotel,  and  is  now  known  as  the  Smith  House. 

Lester  L.  Norton,  who  was  of  New  England  origin, 
came  to  Connellsville  with  his  mother  and  brother, 
Daniel  S.  Norton.  At  some  time  prior  to  the  year 
1823  he  had  built  and  put  in  operation  a  small  full- 
ing-mill on  the  south  side  of  Baldwin's  Run.  He 
w-as  also  a  farmer.  He  became  prominent  in  church 
and  school  matters  and  in  the  affiiirs  of  the  borough. 
Near  Norton's  fulling-mill,  in  1823,  was  the  tan-yard 
of  Isaac  Taylor.  Five  years  later  he  was  operating  a 
tannery  on  the  north  side  of  the  town,  about  one 
square  from  the  present  site  of  the  Pittsburgh  and 
Connellsville  depot.  This  old  tannery  was  discon- 
tinued many  years  ago. 

John  Adams  came  to  Connellsville  from  New  Jersey, 
and  took  up  his  residence  where  John  Shaw  now  lives. 
Later  he  lived  in  the  house  of  John  Hinebaugh,  who 
carried  on  the  business  of  wheelwrighting.  Adams 
became  constable  and  deputy  sheriff  while  residing 


CONNELLSVILLE    BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


373 


here.  Afterwnrd.s  he  returned  to  New  Jersey,  and 
died  there. 

John  Herbert  was  another  Jerseyman  wlio  came  to 
Fayette  County,  but  the  date  of  his  coming  is  not 
known.  Tlie  name  of  Alice  Herbert  is  found  on  the 
records  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  1801,  but  whetlier 
she  was  of  the  family  of  John  Herbert  is  not  known. 
He,  on  the  24th  of  July,  1818,  bought  eleven  acres  of 
land  of  John  Strickler,  in  Duubar  township.  He  had 
two  sous,  Joseph  and  Hiram.  Joseph  was  a  shoe- 
maker. On  the  5th  of  April,  1825,  he  bought  of  Mary 
Long,  of  Tyrone,  lot  No.  126,  in  Connellsville, — the 
same  on  which  Goldsmith's  new  block  has  been  erected 
the  present  summer.  This  was  one  of  the  lots  pur- 
chased Nov.  6,  1802,  of  Mr.  Connell  by  the  Trevors, 
who  sold  it  in  1814  to  Joseph  Barnett,  who  in  turn 
sold  it  (July  19,  1817)  to  Mary  Long,  by  whom  it  was 
sold,  as  above  .stated,  to  Joseph  Herbert,  who  lived  on 
it  until  his  death,  in  November,  1880.  He  was  post- 
master of  Connellsville  under  President  Jackson,  and 
held  until  the  administration  of  Gen.  Taylor.  His 
brother,  Hiram  Herbert,  lived  in  the  house  still  stand- 
ing south  of  the  market-house.  His  son,  George  W. 
Herbert,  is  now  a  resident  of  Connellsville. 

George  Marietta  was  (in  the  years  succeeding  the 
close  of  the  last  war  with  England)  the  leading  car- 
penter of  the  town,  and  an  excellent  mechanic  he 
was.  "He  could,"  says  Mr.  David  Barnes,  ''go  to 
the  woods  and  take  from  the  stump  every  timber 
needed  for  a  house,  hew  it  out,  mortise  and  tenon 
every  piece,  and  when  hauled  to  the  ground  where  it 
was  to  be  erected  put  it  up  without  a  failure  in  one 
piece.  He  erected  most  of  the  buildings  here  in  his 
time." 

Thomas  Kilpatrick  was  one  of  the  prominent  men  of 
his  day  in  Connellsville.  He  was  a  shoemaker,  and 
also  a  justice  of  the  peace.  He  was  highly  and  de- 
servedly respected  as  a  magistrate,  causing  a  majority 
of  the  cases  brought  before  him  to  be  settled  ami- 
cably and  without  the  unnecessary  and  foolish  ex- 
pense of  continued  litigation. 

John  Francis,  a  native  of  Ireland,  was  manager  of 
the  Jacob's  Creek  Furnace  about  the  years  1792-93. 
Thence  he  went  to  Meason's  Furnace  in  the  same  ca- 
pacity, and  remained  there  until  1800,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Virginia,  and  died  there  in  1805.  His  sons 
were  John,  James,  Robert  W.,  Isaac,  and  Thomas. 
He  had  one  daughter,  Margaret.  In  1829,  Robert 
W.  Francis,  in  partnership  with  J.  J.  Anderson, 
started  a  foundry  in  Connellsville,  at  the  place  where 
the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  depot  stands.  An- 
derson's interest  was  purchased  in  1834  by  James  and 
Isaac  Francis,  brothers  of  Robert  W.,  and  the  busi- 
ness was  continued  until  the  sale  of  the  property  to 
the  railroad  company,  about  18G9.  Robert  W.  Fran- 
cis died  June  8,  1878.  Walter  E.  Francis,  of  Con- 
nellsville, is  his  son. 

Through  a  period  of  more  than  half  a  century,  be- 


ginning many  years  before  1800,  the  building  of  boats 
to  be  floated  down  the  precarious  water-way  of  the 
Youghiogheny  was  a  very  noticeable  industry  of  the 
little  town  of  Connellsville.  It  was  commenced  by 
westward  bound  emigrants  and  traders,  who  coming 
across  the  Alleghenies  and  over  the  State  road, 
striking  the  river  at  this  point,  took  this  means  to 
avail  themselves  of  the  cheaper  and  easier  means 
which  it  otfered  for  the  transportation  of  their  house- 
hold goods  or  merchandise,  and  in  thesucceeding  years 
it  was  prosecuted  as  a  regular  business  by  enterjiris- 
ing  residents  of  the  town.  Of  those  who  prosecuted 
this  industry,  and  of  the  way  in  which  they  did  it, 
Mr.  David  Barnes  says,  "  Here  were  the  Millers,  the 
Richeys,  and  the  Whites  building  flat-bottom  boats 
to  carry  the  pig  iron  that  is  stacked  on  the  banks  wait- 
ing a  rise  in  the  Yough.  What  bustle  and  hurry  there 
is  from  the  time  the  axe-nien  go  to  the  woods  to  cut 
the  large  poplar-tree,  split  it,  hew  it,  and  with  six 
oxen,  or  Billy  Russell's  six-horse  team,  haul  one  of 
them  to  the  boat-yard.  The  other  was  brought,  placed 
upon  the  block,  the  saw,  axe,  chisel,  and  auger  were 
put  to  work,  and  a  dozen  men  with  shaving-horses 
and  drawing-knives  went  to  shaving  pins  that  another 
half-dozen  men  were  riving  out  from  blocks  sawed 
the  proper  length.  Soon  the  frame  was  made,  the 
bottom  put  on  and  caulked,  and  then  came  the  tug 
to  turn  it,  which  was  done  with  long  levers,  and 
three  sampsons  were  generally  enough.  The  samp- 
sons  were  made  of  heavy  pieces  about  twenty  feet 
long,  bored  full  of  holes  about  four  inches  apart 
alternately  from  side  to  side,  and  placed  along  the 
boat  at  each  end  and  in  the  middle.  At  each  samp- 
son  a  man  was  placed,  and  as  the  levers  raised  the 
boat  each  would  stick  in  a  pin  to  sustain  the  weight 
until  the  men  would  take  another  hold  with  the 
levers.  Thus,  inch  by  inch,  it  went  up,  till  coming 
nearly  perpendicular  all  would  stop,  and  several  men 
would  take  pike-poles,  distribute  them  equally  along 
the  boat  (for  now  came  the  critical  time  in  turning), 
and  at  a  signal  given  by  one  man,  all  listening, — '  He, 
ho,  he !' — away  she  would  go,  and  as  she  struck,  a  cloud 
of  dust  would  rush  out  in  front;  then  she  was  boarded 
by  all  hands  to  see  if  there  were  any  cracks  or  breaks. 
None  being  discovered,  augers  and  chisels  were  soon 
at  work  again,  the  studding  and  siding  put  on,  and 
she  was  launched  and  ready  with  long  oars,  one  at 
each  end,  to  start  on  her  voyage  '  away  down  to 
Pittsburgh.'  " 

EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  E.\RLY  BOROUGH  IlECORDS.i 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  Council  of  the  Borough  of 

Connellsville,  convened  by  mutual  agreement  on  the 


,.„,),   „.ith  minutPS 

of  the  Com 

Gil 

\'  as  found  among  the  effects  of 

i:m  lieen  lost  fur 

iiany  years. 

It 

l.v  piirctiase.-it  apn 

ilic  sale,  and 

it 

e  .MFly  history   of  t 

le  hurough, 

have  been  oWaineJ. 

374 


Ibth  li 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


\.\  1  ISOG  J)lmB  Tre\ 01  was  chosen 
t  nn  1  1  II  C  uncil  then  proceeded  to  bu  iiie  •? 
ml]  le     Itti     rlniiKL^one    t  « hich  iinp  )  1 1 

X  h         t  1   11   1       1    irn    le      n    \1         ill   ] 

hoi  e   \  tl  II  tU   1     1  t      1  tl      I         I   1  11  1 

in>,t   II        t         1   t   1     tl       o   1  n  1  r       i  1  i    M 

"  IS  1  '-11  uel  J  1  11  t  1  I  bl  1  b  \  \  1  M 
fi  le  1  b  it  tl  L  hue  w  i  re  i  ttc  J  Kej  eile  '  0  t  1  » 
Ihn 

Ihe  tollowin^  appointments  «eie  made  at  tl 
meeting  John  Page  issSbsor  Caleb  Tre\or  i  1 
Be  ij  imin  Eianb  asbistint  isscss  ra  Geoije  Mathi  t 
ind  Junes  Blickstone  street  tommissioners  Joseph 
Kogers  treasurer  and  Divid  Barnes  iispeetjr  of 
lumber 

The  next  mt  ting  of  the  Council  was  held  on  tl 

1  if  June  when  a  time  {June  I'th)  was  appoint  1 
f  r  1  C  lurt  of  \|  I  eal  le  pe  ting  the  \  ilu  tion  of  1 1\ 
il  le  1  1   ieit\ 

\t  I  II  eetin^  ot  the  aiiie  1  o  1>  on  tl  4tli  t  Tu  e 
1S0( 


^ 

u  1  i  C    rre  01 

SP  oO 

Vil 

1  Kirk 

sn» 

\ 

nv  I    n     ng 

Sbn 

Ik 

n  t  B  rre 

t 

h 

el  I  1       Rubers 

50 

I  1 

rite 

c 

M 

= 

Caleb  £ 
Jo«h  n 
J       I 


d 

bre    It           s, 

4     ft        len^tl   on  CI 
ng  s    eet    yb  cl      a*  tl 

oh  St   1    1  fou  te 
ikfully    ccepted 

1  les  km 

gist    ISH     1 

tht  1  le        i 
ot  a       rk  t 

on  I  a    ed  the  C  uncil 
1  tru  til  p  the  tleik  t 
r  ui  d    itcn  k  1  1     i 

1      U              1  I    h               1 

tl           tl       f 
1                1 

1        M 

per  Etl  1 


he     "e  M  t  he    >. 

6 

L7el   elClaMon 

(, 

H  gl   C    other 

6 

J  In  H  ne 

6 

C    nel  U's  Cla   ton 

f 

Jul  n  Robb  n 

b 

ge  1  1    X  1  L    11     1 

fjie     I         On  the  Jth  ot  s 
the  C  uncil    luthon/c  1  th. 


In  tl 


I  ext  following  the  Coun 
Jcience  to  schools  This 
sub  e  juent  ]  age  of  this 


«    11    1        t    U      1    II    t 

h    t  I 

\        1  hn  1         J     Vpil    1       1S)(       [1   %    1    1 

Tnt  a  o      1  f     t  I    tl       I      1    1  link 

stone   n  t  1       than         I     t       1  tl  I 

feet    1  ill  1  e  built        ^1  ^t  I  [ 

ea  t  c  incr  ot  the  "\Ii  1    el  1  i  It         1  1 

f  ot  p  ith  on  \\  Iter  btieet 

^pilll   180/    the  Council  in  tiu  te  1    V   Binning 

to    \r\\\  apian  foi  amirket  house    in  1  pescnt  it  it 

tl  e  n  \t  meeting  f  r  consideiation      The  |  Im  so  pre 

I    r  d  w  is  1  re  ented  b)  Banning  on  the  '0th  of  April 

1  1    iftti  debite  reiecte  1 

\t  i  meeting  held  Feb  '  ISQs  the  Council  exam 
me  1  u  d  aj  pi  3\  ed  the  f  11  w  lo  L  t  of  Tixe  f  r 
tht  1  I  u  I  f  C  nntll  \  lit  f  1  tl  \eirei  1  „  tl  e 
fii  t  M      1  \  m  \ii  1    is  s      M7 


Til    wi    th        tonl  ti\  k\>  mik  U  the  1  or  ugh 

an  1  tl      It         t    11    tl  e  nvmes  of  man\  \\1  o  e  dp 

n  1  I      t  11  c  ti/tns  of  ConnellsMlle 

Vt  I  th    Birou  h  Council  held  \pril  4 

IS  1     d  by  thit  body      th  it  Andrew 

I  I)        1  1    ^ers  and  Jimes  Blackstone  be  x 

t      li  lit    I  I  Ian  for  a  miiket  house  and 

1       It   1    i  re  the  ne\t  meeting        On   the  24th  of  I 

\       1     1    i1    the  Council  pissed      an  ordinance  re    | 

ite  for  1  nmket  house       but  no  further 

tl  it  mitter  is  found  recorded  until  October 

I  ne  \eir  when      \  piper  was  prt  ented 

t    t       (  I  11        iiumbei  of  the  inhibitant 

tl  I       t         them  to  la>  a  tax  for  the 

I  t   t     I    I  IX  the  expenses  of  the 

boi  u,h    ui  1     I  lo^h  cmnot  be  i  used  by 

the  c  mm  ii  i  It  i  to  build  a  miiket  house, 

then  the\   tl  It      1    1  1  r    authorize  the  Council 

t    ri       1    iiiutli  b)   1 1  cvti  1  late  as  will  t impleat  it 

\f  medebat    as  to  the  t\x  tj  be  laid  on  the 

lilt     1    f  tixable  1  lopeitv  within  the  boi   ugh   it 

X      til  I  ltd  that  It  should  be  three  fourths  of  a  cent 

tht    loll  11      Divid  Baine     who  was  present  was 

I  |ue  te  1  to  di  iw  a  ilm  f  r  a  nmket  house  to  be 

II  t    I  t     tl  t  (_   u  1    I     t  tl      I  n   \t  me  tin  \t 


CONNELLSVILhE    BOliOUGH    AND   TOWNSHIP. 


375 


the  next  meeting,  on  the  5th  of  October,  1809,' 
"  David  Barnes  presented  his  plan  for  a  market-house, 
which  was  duly  considered  and  agreed  to,  and  or- 
dered that  the  town  clerk  give  public  notice  by  ad- 
vertisements that  he  will  receive  proposals  for  build- 
ing the  market-house  until  Wednesday  morning,  the 
11th  of  October  inst.,  when  the  Council  will  again 
convene  for  the  purpose  of  considering  any  proposals 
that  may  be  laid  in." 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Council  Oct.  11,  1809,  "David 
r>;irii(s  laid  in  a  proposal  for  erecting  the  market- 
hou^e,  agreeably  to  the  plan  and  conditions  laid  down, 
for  ninety  dollars,  which  proposal  was  considered  and 
accepted,  and  a  bond  taken  from  him  for  the  faithful 
performance."  Greensbury  Jones  appeared  before 
the  Council  on  the  12th  day  of  February,  1810,  and 
"  agreed  to  sell  to  the  Council  for  the  use  of  the  bor- 
ough an  additional  part  of  lot  No.  94  for  the  purpose 
of  erecting  the  market-house,  and  it  was  agreed  that 
he  should  receive  eight  dollars  and  fifty-one  and  a 
half  cents  for  the  same.  An  order  was  then  drawn 
on  the  treasurer  for  the  amount,  and  a  deed  drawn  by 
the  town  clerk  for  the  premises." 

On  the  5th  of  March,  1810,  two  orders  (one  for 
eighty  dollars,  one  for  twenty  dollars)  were  drawn  on 
the  treasurer  in  favor  of  David  Barnes  for  part  pay- 
ment of  erecting  the  market-house.  "  David  Barnes 
then  agreed  to  make  two  sufficient  double  gates  for 
the  market-house  and  hang  the  same,  inclose  the 
house  with  lath  in  such  a  manner  as  to  prevent  sheep 
from  entering  the  same,'  and  erect  sufficient  steps  on 
the  front  end  of  the  same,  for  which  he  is  to  receive 
the  sum  of  eight  dollars  when  the  same  is  completed. 
He  is  also  to  put  a  curb  of  timber  along  the  whole 
front  of  the  ground  appropriated,  which  is  twenty- 
four  feet,  and  also  put  in  three  sufficient  posts  along 
saicl  curb,  for  which  he  is  to  receive  a  further  sura  of 
one  dollar."  An  ordinance  was  passed  March  12, 
1810,  providing  and  fixing  rules  for  the  market. 

On  the  2d  of  April,  1810,  an  order  was  drawn  on 
the  treasurer  in  favor  of  David  Barnes  for  two  dollars 
and  twenty-five  cents,  part  pay  for  erecting  the  mar- 
ket-house, "after  which  the  Council  took  into  con- 
sideration the  manner  in  which  the  work  of  the 
market-house  was  executed,  and  were  of  the  opinion 
that  the  floor  of  the  same  was  not  executed  in  the 
manner  prescribed,  and  resolved  that  the  undertaker 
should  amend  the  same  so  as  to  make  it  compleat,  or 
that  he  should  be  docked  five  dollars  out  of  the  spec- 
fied  price  of  erecting  the  house." 

May  10,  1810,  an  order  was  given  David  Barnes  for 
the  balance  due  him  on  the  market-house.  Otho  G. 
Williams  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  house,  but  re- 
signed the  26th  of  May,  and  Elijah  Crossland  was 
appointed  clerk  of  the  house.  They  also  rented  to 
him  a  stall  in  the  northwest  corner  for  the  sum  of 
four  dollars  and  thirty-three  cents  per  year,  and  pro- 


vided that  no  stall  should  be  rented  for  less  time 
than  a  year.  At  this  meeting  an  ordinance  was  passed 
that  "  Any  person  or  persons  selling  beef,  porke,  veal, 
or  mutton  in  the  market-house  by  less  pieces  than  the 
quarter  shall  pay  a  fine  of  two  dollars  for  each  and 
every  offense  in  less  they  rent  a  stall." 

Stated  market-days  were  established  by  resolution 
of  the  Council,  viz. :  Wednesdays  and  Saturdays.  The 
hours  established  were  "  from  dawn  of  day  until  nine 
o'clock"  for  the  season  beginning  on  the  1st  of  April 
and  ending  on  the  31st  of  August,  and  for  the  season 
I'rom  September  1st  to  March  31st,  inclusive,  the  hours 
were  extended  from  nine  until  eleven  o'clock.  By 
the  same  ordinance  it  was  provided  that  any  person 
exposing  any  commodity  for  sale  out  of  the  market 
during  the  market  hours  should  be  liable  to  a  fine 
equal  to  the  value  of  the  commodity  and  cost  of  suit. 
The  list  of  commodities  to  be  sold  in  the  market  em- 
braced "  Fresh  meat  of  all  kinds,  bacon,  dried  beef, 
hog's  lard,  sausages,  poultry,  butter,  eggs,  cheese, 
candles,  tallow,  beeswax,  country  sugar,  vegetables  of 
every  sort,  fresh  fish,  fruit,  grain,  flour  and  meal  of 
every  sort  and  kind."  Any  person  buying  a  com- 
modity and  selling  it  again  on  the  same  day  at  an 
advanced  price  was  made  liable  to  a  fine  of  one  dol- 
lar. But  this  ordinance  was  not  to  affect  '-store- 
keepers." 

In  March,  1817,  the  price  fixed  for  front  stalls  in 
the  market-house  was  ten  dollars;  for  middle  and 
back  stalls,  seven  dollars  per  year.  On  the  5th  of 
May,  1818,  the  Council  "  Resolved,  That  the  market- 
house  be  locked  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  out  sheep, 
etc. ;  that  the  renters  of  the  market-stalls  provide 
locks  for  that  purpose  immediately,  and  charge  the 
expense  of  the  locks  to  the  borough,  and  at  the  expi- 
ration of  their  lease  deliver  said  locks  in  good  order 
to  the  treasurer."  After  this  time,  except  the  ap- 
pointment of  clerks  and  the  renting  of  stalls,  very 
little  in  reference  to  the  old  market-house  is  found  in 
the  minutes  of  the  Council. 

At  the  same  meeting  (May  5th)  the  Council  took 
the  following  action,  viz. : 

"WllKREAS,  There  lias  of  Intr-  bocn  si-v.-r:.!  riots  fidil  san- 
guinary alTrays  cotnmitte.I  wilhin  tlji-  li.iruou'li,  lo  the  great  an- 

morality,  it  is  therefore  beenni'-  ab^olurrly  iiooossiiry  for  the 
preservation  of  good  order  that  a  society  be  formed  for  the 
better  guanling  against  disorderly  behaviour  and  preventing 
such  riots  within  the  borough  in  the  future.  Therefore  re- 
solved that  such  society  be  called  '  The  Moralizinu  SoerETY.' 
"The  citizens  of  the  borough  and  its  vicinity  are  invited  to 
assemble  themselves  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  such  society 
by  such  rules  as  shall  be  determined  on  at  the  next  meeting  of 
the  Town  Council,  to  be  held  at  the  dwelling-house  of  James 
Francis,  Esq.,  on  Tuesday,  the  12th  day  of  this  instant,  May,  at 
2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon." 

The  Council  met  on  the  day  appointed,  and  Isaac 
Meares  and  John  B.  Trevor  were  chosen  "  to  draft  an 
address  to  the  citizens  of  Connellsville  and  the  vicin- 


376 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ity  at  large  resjiecting  the  necessity  of  forming  a 
society  for  the  more  prompt  and  vigorous  guarding 
the  public  peace."  Nothing  further  has  been  found 
in  reference  to  the  formation  of  the  "  Moralizing  So- 
ciety" of  Connellsville  in  1818. 

June  27,  1817,  .John  B.  Trevor  petitioned  the  Coun- 
cil for  ]icniii>~ii)ii  to  erect  a  warehouse  on  the  Public 
Ground.  Imt  withdrew  it  on  the  30th.  On  the  22d 
of  Sc|>(i-iiil)i_T  in  tlie  same  year,  "The  Council  agree 
that  it  sliall  be  incumbent  on  the  street  commissioner, 
under  the  direction  of  the  burgess,  to  notify  John  B. 
Trevor  immediately  to  desist  in  the  jirosecution  of 

building  a  warehmis i  th<'  |iuMic  iii'ound,  and  all 

others  u-ho  may  Iniild  >;■  attrni|.t  to  cie.-t  any  buil.l- 
ing  ,.n  said  public  gronnds  other  tliun  the  Council 
siiall  allow." 

On  the  -'loth  of  June,  1817,  permission  was  granted 
by  tlie  C'ouncil  to  ,Iose[di  Keepers  and  George  Sloan 
"to  build  a  small  liuildiiiLi-  lor  a  ferry-house  on  the 
public  ground  at  or  n.ar  llic  t.ri-y." 

In  April,  1818,  Elislui  Clayton,  borough  treasurer, 
presented  his  account  for  the  preceding  year  to  the 
Council  as  follows  : 
"  Amount  of  cn«li  an>I  iioti's  r,r\l  from  tl.e  9tli  day  of 

,  u|.  tM  th-  :M  ^1  ,y  ..f  Ai.ril.  ISIS 821l4.94i 


Ca.«li  1 


Bal, 


Treasury  :;d  of  Apnl,  ISI 

Nov.   11,   1818,  the   Council 


$i6:j.5y" 

'  Resolved  that  the 
Water  Course  on  the  south  side  of  Main  St.  be  con- 
veyed by  the  dwelling-house  of  Mr.  David  Eogers,  in 
a  Strait  Line,  across  Water  St.  into  the  River  by  a 
Sewer  to  be  dug  for  that  purpose,  and  lined  through- 
out with  Flag  Stone,  and  of  a  sufficient  depth  across 
Water  St.  to  allow  of  its  being  cleaued  out  from  time 
to  time." 

The  foUowin-  from  the  minut.'s  is  found  under 
date  ..fthe  'IM  ..f  M.iy,  Isi'l  :  •■  .Mr.  IlenJ.  Wells  laid 
before  the  Couueil  a  suli>eri|ilion-|.aper  ,-igned  by  a 
number  of  the  inhabitants  who  resided  here  in  the^ 
year  179(1,  obligating  themselves  to  pay  Mr.  C.  Trevor 
and  the  said  B.  Wells  for  taking  measures  to  get  the 
charter  of  the  town  recorded.  'Mr.  Wells  wished  the 
Council  to  take  measures  to  enforce  the  fultilhnent  of 
tlie  saiil  obligation  by  the  subscribers,  he  having  t'ul- 
tlUcd  the  trust  reposed  in  him.  The  Council  con- 
cluded to  take  time  for  holding  said  request." 

"June  1,  1821,  Council  considered  application  of 
Mr.  Wells  and  concluded  they  had  nothing  to  do  with 
it." 

Oct.  7,  1822.— The  Council  resolved  "that  tlie  bur- 
gess be  authorized  to  give  license  to  Mr.  Todd  to 
exhibit  his  traveling  museum,  etc.,  as  publislied  in 
his  advertisenuiit,  until  Thursday  next,  inclusive,  in 
this  borough  on  paying  live  d.. liars  for  the  use  of  the 
borough  and  the  usual  lee." 

April  1,  l.'^2;3.-Couneil  "  agreed  to  lake  a  Bark-Mill 
atlJ44.*,  and  transfer  of  Judgment  vs.  George  Mari-  ' 
etta  for  $14."".  and  an  order  on  William  L.  Miller  for 
two  hundred   pounds   castings,   in   lieu   of  judgment 


Council  held  against  E.  Crossland."  Nearly  two 
years  later  the  bark-mill  was  sold  to  H.  Gebhart  for 
§12.25. 

April  14,  1824. — The  Council  granted  a  license  for 
the  sum  of  five  dollars  "  for  the  exhibition  of  a  Lion, 
Leopard,  Cougar,  and  five  other  Animals"  in  the 
borough. 

Feb.  18, 1826.— Council  received  a  petition  to  build 
a  public  hall  as  a  second  story  to  the  market-house. 
This,  however,  was  never  accomplished. 

April,  1827. — "  Benjamin  Wells  presented  to  the 
Council  a  fine  piece  of  parchment,  and  it  was  ordered 
that  the  Clerk  have  a  plan  of  the  Borough  made  upon 
it  with  the  present  owners'  names  upon  the  margin." 
This  old  plat  has  not  been  found,  nor  has  any  knowl- 
edge of  it  been  obtained. 

Dec.  27,  1832.— The  Council  resolved  that  Valen- 
tine Coughenour  be  appointed  to  superintend  the 
business  of  the  Stone  Coal  Bank,  and  "  that  the  price 
of  coal  at  the  Bank  should  be  H  cents  per  bushel 
until  the  expense  of  opening  shall  be  defrayed." 
The  eoal-baiik  referred  to  was  the  one  granted  by  the 
original  charter  of  the  town  to  the  citizens.  From  it 
every  original  property-owner  was  entitled  to  dig  his 
own  fuel  at  his  own  expense.  The  privilege,  how- 
ever, never  proved  to  be  of  much  real  value,  for  coal 
could  be  purchased  at  all  times  at  but  a  trifle  more 
than  the  cost  of  mining  it.  The  location  of  the  public 
coal-bank  was  on  Jlounts'  Creek,  on  the  upper  end 
of  the  Buttermore  farm.  The  Pittsburgh  and  Con- 
nellsville Gas-Coal  and  Coke  Company  having  pur- 
chased the  coal-lands  around  it,  it  was  absorbed  by 
that  company,  no  one  interested  making  any  ob- 
jection. 

BOROUGH  CURRENCY. 

On  the  11th  of  June,  1816,  "a  motion  was  presented 
[to  the  Council]  in  order  to  have  bills  of  Currency 
struck  for  the  Borough  of  Connellsville.  The  Coun- 
cil appointed  Isaac  Meares  to  inquire  into  the  plan 
and  easiest  mode  of  having  them  struck,  and  report." 
On  June  21st  he  reported  "  that  the  easiest  way  of 
having  Bills  of  Currency  struck  will  be  to  have  then 
printed."  The  "  matter  was  brought  to  a  vote,  which 
resulted  in  five  yeas  and  two  nays,"  and  the  following 
is  entered  on  the  record  immediately  after:  "So  it  ap- 
pears that  became  an  Ordinance  by  the  majority  of 
three  votes." 

The  fact  that  the  proposed  borough  currency  was 
struck  off  and  put  in  circulation  is  made  apparent  by 
the  following  from  the  record: 

"  Knolml  [April  4,  1S17],  by  tlie  Town  Council  of  the  Ii..r- 
ough  of  Connillsvillc.  that  it  is  thought  proper,  and  they  do  lie- 
solve,  to  sell  unto  John  Lamb  all  their  interests  into  and  of  all 
(he  Borough  Tickets  issued  and  to  be  issued  of  such  as  are  n^w 
printed  to  his  own  proper  use;  and  the  said  John  Lainb  leitl 
■agreed  with  said  Council  to  give  to  the  Borough  aforesaid  eu, 
hundred  dollars  free  and  clear  of  all  Expenses,  Drawback,  oi 
Damages  that  may  hereafter  accrue  in  consequences  of  the  i^f  u 
ing.  distributing,  or  redeeming  the  same,  and  also  to  keep  tiu 
borough  aforesaid  indeiunifiefl  for  or  in  consequence  thereof." 


CONNKLLSVILLE    BOROUGH    AND   TOWNSHIP. 


377 


On  the  29th  of  May,  1817,  the  Council,  "  after  hav- 
ing taken  into  consideration  the  propriety  of  taking 
a  bond  of  indemnity  and  a  bond  for  the  payment  of 
a  sum  of  money  of  John  Lamb,  to  complete  a  con- 
tract respecting  the  issuing  and  payment  of  the  bor- 
ough tickets,  agreeable  to  a  resolution  passed  the  4th 
day  of  April  last,  Resolved,  that  Isaac  Meres,  George 
Mathiot,  Esqr.,  and  Caleb  Trevor  be  and  are  ap- 
pointed a  Committee  for  the  purpose  above  men- 
tioned." In  July  of  that  year  A.  Baldwin  was 
added  to  the  committee.  This  is  the  last  reference 
to  the  matter  found  in  the  records. 

VOCATIONS  FOLLOWED  IN  CONNELLSVILLE  IN  1S2.'!. 
The  following  list,  from  the  assessment  roll  of  Con- 
nellsville  for  the  year  1823,  shows  the  vocations  then 
pursued  by  the  persons  named.  The  list  includes  not 
only  the  borough  but  the  entire  township,  but  the 
names  given  are  principally  those  of  residents  of  the 
borough  at  that  time,  viz. : 

Juhn  Fuller,  tan-yard. 
Gebhiird  &  Smith,  nail-faotorj. 
David  liarnes,  brick-yard. 

Abraham  Baldwin,  carding-macliine  manufacturer  and  cotton- 
factory. 
William  Clement-,  schoolmaster. 
John  Eicher,  tanner. 
T.  A  J.  Gibson  (heirs),  furnace. 

John  Gibson,  ironmaster,  forge,  slitting-mill,  grist-mill. 
Samuel  Gibson,  miller. 
William  Lytle,  postmaster. 
William  McCormick,  potter. 
Charles  McClane,  doctor. 
Robert  D.  Moore,  doctor. 
Samuel  Mitchell,  miller. 
John  Simon,  founder. 
George  iMathiot,  doctor. 
Kobert  McGuire,  silversmith. 

Lester  L.  Norton,  fulling-mill  and  carding-macbine. 
John  Reist,  oil-mill. 
D.  &  J.  Rogers  &  Walker,  paper-mill. 
John  &  Martin  Stouffer,  grist-mill. 
John  Slomaker,  pottery. 
James  Shaw,  lawyer. 
William  J.  Turner,  schoolmaster. 
Isano  Taylor,  tan-yard. 
John  Trump,  saw-mill. 
Jacob  &  John  Willard,  distillery. 
Steward  H.  Whitehill,  schoolmaster. 
Samuel  G.  AVurts,  ironmaster. 

'■INDEPENDENCE    DAY,"  1824. 

The  Fourth  of  July,  1824,  was  celebrated  with  great 
enthusiasm  by  the  people  of  Connellsville,  and  the 
Mount  Pleasant  Volunteers  and  Youghiogheny  Blues 
(the  latter  under  cominand  of  Capt.  Samuel  Trevor) 
were  present  to  add  brilliancy  to  the  occasion. 

The  day  was  ushered  in  by  the  usual  artillery  sa- 
lute, and  the  forenoon  was  passed  in  dis|ilayiii!i'  the 
evolutions  of  the  military.  "  About  our  (I'cl.Mk  I'.M. 
the  Blues,  the  Volunteers,  and  the  citizens  npain  d 
to  the  bower  which  Iiad  been  provided  and  partook 


I  of  a  dinner,  at  which  William  Davidson  presided,  as- 
sisted by  Capt.  J.  B.  Trevor,  Capt.  David  Cummings, 
and  Mr.  Daniel  Rogers,  acting  vice-presidents.  The 
Declaration  of  Independence  was  read  by  Capt.  Sam- 
uel Trevor.  Volunteer  toasts  were  given  by  Capt.  J. 
B.  Trevor,  Col.  William  L.  Miller,  Maj.  Joseph  Tor- 
rence,  Stewart  H.  Whitehill,  Capt.  Samuel  Trevor, 
Lieut.  Hubbs,  of  the  Mount  Pleasant  Volunteers, 
Capt.  David  Cummings,  Eli  M.  Gregg,  Abraham 
Baldwin,  Samuel  Marshall,  Daniel  P.  Lynch,  and 
Sergt.  Smith."  The  day  was  in  every  respect  a  b'ril- 
liant  one  for  Connellsville,  and  there  are  many  of  her 
citizens  who  still  remember  its  festivities. 

BRIDGES  ACROSS  THE  YOUGIIIOGHENY.i 
The  first  bridge  across  the  Youghiogheny  River 
from  Connellsville  to  the  western  side  of  the  stream, 
in  what  is  now  the  borough  of  New  Haven,  was  built 
under  authority  conferred  by  an  act  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, passed  March  15,  1800,  by  which  it  was  provided 
and  declared — 


ic  Meason  and 
•ect,  build,  sup- 
over  and  across 
vhere  the  great 


"That  it  shall   . 

nd  may 

Zachi 

riah  Conncll, 

their  he 

port, 

nd  maintain 

I  good  a 

the  Y 

oughiughcDy 

river  at 

road  leading  from  Philadel 

and  t 

at  the  prope 

ty  of  sa 

the  s^ 

iiie  is  hereby 

vested 

Zuch; 

,i;,h  Conuell, 

their  he 

said 

saac  Meason 

and   Za 

[here  follows 
always  and  i 
shall  extend  t 
Connell,  their 
in  this  act  b 
consent  of  th 
such  manner 
tion  of  said  r 


i.i^r,  ul„i,  built,  shall  be  and 
e  aforesnid  Isaac  Meason  and 
id  assigns  forever,  and  that  the 
ah  Conncll,  their  heirs  and  as- 
nd  receive  toll  from  travelers  and  others 
fication  of  the  rates  of  toll] ;  Provided 
less  that  nothing  in  this  act  contained 
ize  the  said  Isaac  Meason  and  Zachariah 
ul  assigns,  to  erect  a  bridge  in  the  manner 
ntioncd  on   any  private  property  without 


the 


iiaviga- 


r  as  in  any  way  to  interrupi  or  ii 
river  or  the  passage  over  tlir  Im  d  a.-io-s  the  same 
the  said  bridge  may  be  erected."  And  it  was  fur- 
id  liy  the  act  ''That  all  poor  persons,  or  those  who 
in))ted  from  payment  of  county  rates  and  levies, 
bcrty  to  pass  and  repass  over  and  across  said  bridge 


The  precise  time  of  (he  opening  of  the  bridge  is 
not  known,  but  it  was  commenced  soon  after  the  pas- 
sage of  the  act  authorizing  its  erection,  and  completed 
within  the  required  time,  three  years.  Its  location 
was  nearly  one  hundred  feet  up  stream  from  the 
present  bridge.  It  was  a  wooden-bent  structure,  rest- 
ing at  the  two  ends  on  abutinents,  each  formed  of 
a  strong  crib-work  of  logs  filled  in  with  stones.  The 
bridge  remained  for  nearly  or  quite  fifteen  years,  and 
was  carried  away  by  flood  some  time  in  the  year  1816 
or  early  in  1817,  as  a  memorandum  is  found  showing 
that  in  the  spring  of  that  year  a  ferry  was  in  opera- 
tion, run  by  Joseph  Keepers  and  George  Sloan.  The 
abutment  at  the  Connellsville  end  remained  standing 


I  largely  obtained  fro 


378 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


for  a  number  of  years  after  the  bridge  was  gone.  The 
old  toll-house  which  stood  in  front  of  the  property  of 
Edward  Dean,  on  Water  Street,  is  still  well  remem- 
bered, having  been  demolished  at  a  comparatively 
recent  time  by  the  railroad  company. 

The  second  bridge  across  the  river  was  built  in  the 
year  I.'^IS.  It  was,  like  its  predecessor,  a  woodeu- 
lieiit  structure,  supported  above  by  four  heavy  arches 
lornu'cl  111'  two-inch  oak  planks  bolted  together,  and 
it  rested  between  the  abutments  on  tlini-  ^tiuni:  lieiit~ 
of  heavy  timber,  having  breakers  extern  liuLi  IVom  iluir 
liases  up  stream  between  thirtv  and   Inrty   Icrt.  and 


the  1".M  of  tin-  r'nry  In  lli.'  rhoi.K  olllu-  \nu\-r.  Tlio 
model. .r  this  l,iid;iv  wa-  luniislu-d  l,y  Ad:,iii  Wijsnn,' 
an  ingenious  Scotchman. 

This  bridge  stood  intact  until  1827,  when  the  west- 
ernmost span  (next  to  the  New  Haven  shore)  fell, 
while  a  heavily  laden  wagon,  drawn  liy  a  team  of  six 
liorses,  was  upon  it;  but,  stranLicly  iiioui^li,  though  it 
went  down  with  a  crash,  yet  it  Ml  s.i  s.|uarely  that 
neither  the  horses,  driver,  wagon,  nor  load  sustained 
any  serious  damage  1"he  fallen  sjian  was  relmilt  the 
satne  year,  and  the  wooden  arches  of  the  bridge  re- 
])laced  by  a  kind  of  truss-work.  Daring  the  time  of 
the  repairs  a  ferry  was  run  across  the  river  by  Samuel 
Downey.  In  February,  1831,  by  the  breaking  up  of 
the  ice  in  the  river,  all  of  the  bridge  was  carried  away 
except  the  new  span  on  the  New  Haven  side. 

The  third  bridge  was  built  in  1832,  by  the  Meason 
and  Connell  heirs.  This  was  a  great  improvement  on 
the  structures  wdiich  had  preceded  it.  It  was  built 
with  two  spans,  resting  on  stone  abiitnients  and  a 
stone  pier  in  the  river.  The  sjians  were  su|i|iorted  l>y 
solid  wooden  arches,  and  the  superstnulurc  was  cov- 
ered to  protect  it  from  tlir  weatln-r.  'flii-  l.ridgi  diil 
duty  for  about  twenty-,  inlit  years,  until  A|.iil,  l^iio, 
when  a  great  an. I  su.M.ii  rise  in  the  river  larrie.l  it 
away,  the  jjier  in  the  river  lieing  undermined.  The 
water  rc^ise  at  that  time  t.i  witiiin  less  than  three  feet 
of  the  bridge,  anil  within  eiglieen  inches  of  the  road- 
way of  Front  Street,  New  Haven.  1  luring  the  suni- 
Mie'r  and  fall  succeeding  the  destrneti..n  ..f  tliis  bridge 
.Tam.'s  H.  White  made  tw.i  or  three  uuMiecessful  at- 
tempts to  build  a  Lent  bri.l-e  ol'sh.irt  spans  son),,  f.rty 
.,r  hfty  leel  up  the  stream  lr..m  where  the  present  bri.ige 
stands,  but  each  altemjit  was  frustrated  by  a  rise  in 
the  river,  which  carried  away  his  bents,  and  finally 
the  plan  was  abandoned. 

Inseparable  from  the  history  of  the  old  bridges  is 
tlie  memory  of  "Aunt  Jenny"  Wallace  (sister  of 
Zachariah  Connell's  second  wife),  who  held  the  posi-  [ 


'  Tltis  .\d,.\m  Wilson  was  a  bachelor  .^lud  a  general  mechanical  genius, 
lie  Ijuilt  the  Mount  Braiiiloii;  niausinn  f.ir  Sir.  Meason,  doing  both  the 

carpenter-work  and  the  it e:  ._    e,  i  ihit  at  a  lime  when  every 

part  of  the  work  had  to  hr  i  iil  the  aid  of  mechanical 

contrivances.    Healsobuili   .        ^i    .  inr.- in  New  Haven,  now 

owned  by  Mrs.  Giles.   Th,-  iii".l.  I     t  lli.   .     in.  ll-ville  bridge  was  sold  in 
lR2.i  by  Wilson's  executor. 


tion  of  toll-taker  at  the  bridge  for  many  years.  Mr. 
David  Barnes  speaks  of  his  recollection  of  her  "  with 
that  uninviting  ftice  and  old  black  dress;  we  can  see 
her  grab  her  dress  on  the  right  side  with  her  left  hand, 
whilst  the  right  woidd  enter  the  pocket  to  make  change 
from  the  old  '  tip.'  We  remember  a  little  joke  that 
was  played  upon  her.  A  stranger  approached  the 
gate  of  the  bridge  and  asked  the  charge  for  crossing. 
He  was  told  one  cent.  '  Does  it  make  any  diflerence 
vhat  you  carry  ?'  '  No,  it  does  not.'  Giving  her  the 
.  I  lit,  he  skipped  back  and  shouldered  his  comrade 
an.l  started  for  the  bridge.  She  tried  to  stop  him, 
but  he  went  on,  and  the  old  lady  stood  with  both 
liands  hanging  straight  down  her  sides,  body  bent 
tiirward,  face  raised,  and  eyes  strained,  to  see  if  he 
w  I  in  Id  drop  his  load  ;  but  she  saw  him  pass  over  with 
it.  then,  straightening  up,  with  a  long  sigh,  exclaimed, 
•  He  will  never  do  that  again.'  " 

After  the  destruction  of  the  third  bridge,  other 
|iarties  made  an  arrangement  with  the  owners  of  the 
M.asim-Connell  franchise,'  under  which  a  new  bridge 
e.nupauy  was  formed,  and  was  created  a  corporate 
b.iily  under  the  name  of  "The  Yougliiogheny  Bridge 
Company"  by  an  act — supplemental  to  that  of  March 
1,),  1800— passed  April  17,  1861.  The  capital  stock 
was  placed  at  |i20,000,  in  eight  hundred  shares  at  i?25 
each. 

A  meeting  of  the  stockholders  was  held  at  the  office 
of  George  J.  Ashman,  July  20,  1861,  when  George 
Nickel  was  elected  president,  George  J.  Ashman,  sec- 
retary and  treasurer,  and  James  Wilkie,  Samuel. Ens- 
sell,  Provance  McCormick,  James  H.  White,  and  Jidin 
K.  Brown,  managers.  The  managers  appointed  James 
H.  White,  George  Nickel,  and  Jonathan  Hewitt  a 
building  committee,  and  a  contract  was  made  with 
Christian  Snider,  Aug.  24,  1861. 

The  present  suspension  bridge  was  commenced  in 
that  year  (l.^ijl),  and  completed  in  the  summer  of 
1862,  at  a  cost  of  §19,600.  From  an  entry  in  the 
books  of  the  company,  dated  July  30th  in  that  year, 
is  extracted  as  follows:  .  .  .  "Wherefore  the  presi- 
ilent  and  managers  of  the  Youghiogheny  Bridge  Com- 
pany congratulate  themselves  and  the  stockjiolders 
up.m  the  completion  of  their  bridge,  which  for  some 
time  pa-1  has  be.n  open  for  public  use."  The  first 
toll-ki'.ii.i-  uu.l.  I-  the  company  was  Adam  Byerly,  who 
continued  in  the  position  until  June  30,  1871,  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  the  present  toll-keeper,  Adam 
Eckles.  The  present  officers  of  the  company  are 
Daniel  Kaine,  president ;  A.  C.  Knox,  secretary  and 
treasurer  ;  J.  T.  McCormick,  James  McKearns,  J.  K. 
Brown,  H.  L.  Shepard,  Ewing  Brownfield,  directors. 

I'O.'JT-OFFICE    AND    POSTMASTERS. 

Concerning  the  date  of  the  establishment  of  the 

Connellsville  post-office,  the  most  that  can  he  said  is 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


379 


that  it  was  in  existence  in  1805,  wlien  John  B.Trevor 
was  postmaster.  He  continued  in  the  office  for  sev- 
eral years,  and  his  successors,  so  far  as  ascertained, 
have  been  as  follows:  William  Lytle  (in  office  under 
President  J.  Q.  Adams),  Joseph  Herbert  (from  Presi- 
dent Jack.son  to  President  Taylor),  David  Whalley, 
John  Collins,  Provance  McCormick  (appointed  1852),. 
J.  D.  StillwagoD,  Provance  McCormick,  Benjamin  F. 
Frankenberger,  Joseph  Keepers,  A.  S.  Barnes,  Mrs. 
Moses  Collins,  Hampton  Collins,  Henry  Porter, 
present  postmaster. 

EXTINGUISHMENT    OP    FIHES. 

The  earliest  mention  found  in  the  borough  records 
of  any  proposition  to  procure  apparatus  to  aid  in  the 
extinguishment  of  fires  in  Connellsville  is  the  follow- 
ing: 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  Council,  Feb.  16,  TSll,  A  Resolution 
was  past  that  there  should  be  procured  for  the  use  of  the  Bor- 
ough two  ladders  of  28  feet  long,  20  inches  wide  in  the  clear, 
with  good,  sufficient,  Iron  Sockets  at  the  bottom  9  inches  long, 
and  two  other  Ladders  IS  feet  long,  12  inches  wide  in  the  clear, 
with  good  sufficient  hooks  at  the  end  of  each  to  hold  on  the  cor- 
nice of  any  house,  the  rounds  as  above-mentioned,  the  whole  to 
be  made  of  good  locust  and  the  sides  of  good  poplar,  all  of 
which  must  be  painted  with  two  good  coats  oi'  brown.  And 
that  .lohn  Lamb  be  appointed  to  procure  the  same  on  as  reason- 
able terms  as  he  can." 

The  next  reference  to  the  subject  is  as  follows  :  May 
29,  1817,  "Resolved,  that  it  is  necessary  to  appoint 
some  fit  person  to  take  charge  of  the  ladders  belong- 
ing to  the  borough,  and  it  is  enjoined  on  him  to  keep 
them  locked  and  not  let  any  person  have  thein  or  any 
of  them  except  in  case  of  fire  or  some  other  extraor- 
dinary emergency.  Elijah  Crossland  is  appointed  to 
take  charge  as  aforesaid  for  the  presentyear."  .  In  the 
next  year  (May  5th)  James  Francis,  Esq.,  was'  ap- 
pointed to  take  care  of  the  town  ladders,  and  charge  six 
and  a  quarter  cents  for  each  time  they  were  unlocked 
and  locked.  He  was  "authorized  to  loan  all  or  any 
of  them  to  the  citizens  within  the  borough,  who  shall 
make  a  return  of  such  loan  every  evening  and  pay 
six  and  a  quarter  cents  for  each  ladder  so  borrowed, 
and  in  case  of  neglect  to  return  them  as  aforesaid 
shall  pay  twenty-five  cents  for  each  ladder  for  every 
evening  they  shall  neglect  to  return  them,  and  when 
so  returned  shall  be  placed  in  the  same  position  in 
which  they  were  so  taken  away  or  loaned,  and  pay 
damages  if  any  done  to  such  ladders." 

April  2G,  1820,  Adam  Snider  was  appointed  to  take 
charge  of  ladders.  May  5, 1820,  the  Council  resolved 
"that  a  fire-engine  be  procured,"  and  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  hold  consultation  with  Adam  Wil- 
son on  the  matter  and  report,  but  it  appears  that 
nothing  was  done  at  that  time,  for  the  subject  was 
again  brought  before  the  Council  May  2,  1822,  wlu-ii 
certain  inhabitants  petitioned  that  body  to  hold  con- 
sultation and  take  action  as  to  the  pro|iriuty  ol  oli- 
taining  a  fire-engine."     Thereupon  the  Council  ap- 


pointed a  committee  "to  confer  with  A.  Wilson  on 
the  price  and  power  of  said  engine." 

Neither  from  the  records  of  the  Council  (which  are 
extremely  obscure  and  imperfect)  nor  from  the  recol- 
lections of  old  citizens  can  it  be  now  ascertained 
whether  a  fire-engine  was  purchased  for  the  borough 
at  that  time  or  not.  A  few  years  ago  there  was  a  re- ' 
newed  agitation  on  the  question  of  increasing  the 
facilities  for  preventing  and  extinguishing  fires  in  the 
borough,  and  the  appropriation  of  certain  money  for 
that  purpose.  The  money  was  duly  appropriated, 
but  "after  due  consideration"  it  was  applied,  not  to 
the  procuring  of  fire  apparatus,  but  to  the  purchas- 
ing and  erection  of  hay-scales  for  the  borough.  At 
a  celebration  of  some  kind  held  soon  after,  there 
appeared  in  the  procession  a  set  of  platform  scales, 
mounted  on  a  wagon  and  bearing  the  inscription 
"  Fire  Department  of  Connellsville." 

The  borough  fire  apparatus  of  fifty  years  ago  is  still 
in  existence,  but  it  is  a  lamentable  fact  that  to-day 
Connellsville  can  hardly  be  said  to  be  better  defended 
against  conflagration  than  it  was  then. 


FINANCIAL    INSTITUTIONS 


The  first  banking  business  in  Connellsville  was 
done  by  the  "Connellsville  Navigation  Company," 
which  was  formed  under  articles  of  association  dated 
Oct.  8,  1816,  as  follows: 


••Vi'e,  the  subscribers,  believing  tba 

an 

ssocialion  for  the 

purpose  of  raising  a  fund   to  iii'l    in   t 

proveuient  of  the 

navigation    of   the  Yougln.i-li,  i,y     Ui 

Hi    in    erecting    a 

Bridge  across  snid  river,  is  a  uh;,.,,,,-  .. 

|>nh 

le  utility,  and  will 

ef|ieciall,v  advance  the  intcre-t-  "f  tlii- 

■irli, 

n  nf  the  eommon- 

wealth,  have  formed  a  comf v  ..,   I.ioi 

c-l   1 

ot...,.h,p,  anddo 

hereby  associate  and  agree  with  .  ;mI,  m 

1.  r  t 

■  ■"iplu-t  husiness 

in  tlie  manner  liercinalter  specilied  and 

d.sr 

ihed  In  and  under 

the  name  and  title  of  the  President  an 

1  I)i 

ertor..  ..f  the  Con- 

ncllsville   Navigation    Company,   ami   ; 

■e    d. 

ller.liy   mutually 

covenant,  dcolarc.aod  agree  that  llu'  [,< 

-ar,.  and  shall  be 

ith  the 


any 


be  bound 


I  Article  1  declares  that  "The  capital  stock  of  said  company 
shall  consist  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  money  of  the 
United  States,  but  may  be  increased  hereafter  .at  the  di.<cretion 
of  the  directors  to  any  amount  nut  e.xceeding  three  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  and  shall  be  divided  into  shares  of  one  hun- 
dred dollars  each.  .   .  ." 

Article  2  constituted  tlie  follnwitig-named  persons 
aboard  of  directors,  to  hold  as  such  uutil  the  first 
Monday  in  April,  1817,  viz.:  Isaac  Meason,  Jr.,  Sam- 
j  uel  Trevor,  Daniel  Rogers,  Joseph  Torrence,  James 
Blackiston,  John  Strickler,  Abraham  Baldwin,  Dan- 
iel S.  Norton,  Jacob  Stewart,  Andrew  Dempsey,  John 
Lamb,  Jacob  Weaver,  Stewart  H.  Whitehill,  James 
RoL'crs,  and  James  Paull,  Jr.  Article  14  declares 
that  "  the  association  shall  continue  until  the  first  day 
of  April,  1825."  The  names  of  subscribers  and  num- 
ber of  shares  set  to  each  was  as  follows: 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


■Ill 

Thniiias  .\tkinson 

.■i 

Saiiiuii   \'eel 

11 

James  U>.,',M- 

•-'11 

I'iiilu  Hall 

5 

U.mc  .M.-,„nn,.)r 

...    al) 

Tl.,.mas.t  Joseph  Gibson 

10 

I).  A-  I.  i;.i-L-is 

...   ill 

William  More-land 

.lohn  Miner 

Andrew  Deinp.-.y 

Robert  Bo^d 

J,iOMbM\.av._-i- 

21)  . 

J..seph  Culbcrtsuii 

Stewart  II.  Wliiteliill. 

....  I'll 

"■>"     K.-pn.  , 

Jacob  Stewart 

...   I'll 

William   hvtle 

...      5 

IKliiv    ll;nl/ol 

21 

Jaoles   l!l:i,kisloii 

...   ill 

l-a:ir    llilui.T 

James    Fr;i.i,i-s 

...      -1 

I'-I.i-  Xrwiiiver 

U 

Juhn  l■,■■^.^ 

0 

JoSei.h     Tmrrnrv 

....    1" 

.laims   Sliean 

James  M.K.nn, 

l-.iar    .Mrars 

JulinStaiiffer 

Miit.o   Stephenson 

Samuel  G.  Wirts 

...  20 

John   Shaup  

George  Kemp 

Samuel  G.  Wurts 

:i' 

Daniel   Barnes 

...   211 

Ja.-ub   Co^^Hllan 

I 

Elijah  Crossland 

....      5 

Christian  Stauffer 

u 

Samuel  S.  Neale 

....     2 

Juiin  Tlli-tii;an 

u 

Michael  Gilmor 

....     4 

MallbewGaut 

Phineas  Rogers 

Dr.  L.  Ilendrickson 

Jiicob  Davis 

....      5 

Robert  Philsun 

II 

James  Paul,  Jr 

....    01) 

J"hn  Rogers 

21 

J^nnthan   Page 

....       0 

Thomas   Perkins 

21 

Jacob  Warsin" 

....     5 

Chrislian  Staiiffe,- 

E.  Sallyards 

....    10 

.Mahl.in  linLTor- 

....      .5 

JIark    Stai-klh.u-i- 

Aliriham  Stauffer 

10 

Nathaniel  Gibson 

Lutlier  Supbens 

S.  Stauffer 

....     5 

21 

Andrew  Bvers 

....      5 

Moses  Mercer 

James  McMillan 

....      6 

Ben.  Kindrick 

41 

William  Davis 

John  M.  Burdett 

....      5 

Win    I;     1  .  .-.  ■   

1 

Caspar  King 

....     4 

•|";''  '/  ■■■   -'   

7 

Robt.  Huev 

....      I 

l;.  1  ■    11  ,        •  .   I,    

f 

Geo.  Mathiot 

M •■-- 

Cvrus  I.  Gibson 

....      .•) 

John    Hini-baugh 

.1 -  Ik  11   ,  i;    

2 

Uobt.  Smith 

J.din  Striekk-r 

....    10 

William  Paull 

L> 

Moses  Vance 

....    10 

John  Miner 

1 

It  does  not  appear  to  Imve  hnii  any  ]«art  of  the 
object  of  tlie  conipany  to  uii|iin\r  tlic  iiaviL'atioii  of 
the  Yoiighiogheiiy  liiv,  r.  a-  Imlii  atnl  by  its  title  and 
hinted  at  in  tlu-  arti.l.- nl  a--nri;ilii.ii  ;  Imt  its  pLin 
seems  to  have  Ijeeii  .oiiifd  troiii  the  .m  la-ine  of  the 
Manhattan  Coiiipaiiy  of  New    York,  nn-in.ated  some 


pos 


il   hi 


could  not  otherui.se  be  .secured  at  that  time)  under 
which  it  could  transact  a  banking  business,  an  object 
which  was  successfully  accomi.lisdied.  The  Connells- 
ville  Navigation  Com]iany  tittempted  nothing,  except 
ill  the  way  of  banking,  and  to  that  business  it  pro- 
ceeded at  once  after  organization. 

On  the  l!d  ol'  Nnvciniicr,  1816,  a  meeting  of  the 
board  of  director^  wa-  held  at  the  house  of  Andrew 
Bvers.  Some  business  was  transacted,  and  the  board 
adjourned  to  the  otli  of  December.  The  meeting  was 
held  according  to  adjournment  at  Andrew  Byers',  on 
Thursday,  December  5th.  Col.  Joseph  Torrance  was 
ill  the  chair,  and  Stewart  H.  AVhitehill,  secretary  of 
the  meeting.  The  board  then  proceeded  to  elect  Isaac 
Measoii,  .Jr.,  president,  and  John  B.  Trevor,  cashier 


of  the  company.  Tlie  store-room  of  Samuel  Trevor 
(on  Spring  Street,  opposite  the  present  Yough  House) 
was  rented  for  an  office,  at  one  hundred  and  fifty  dol- 
lars per  annum.  Afterwards  it  was  removed  farther 
up  the  street  to  the  building  now  occupied  by  Dr. 
George  Johnson. 

Business  was  commenced  in  the  office  or  banking- 
room  above  mentioned,  and  on  the  21st  of  January, 
1817,  the  company  issued  its  notes  to  the  amount  of 
§24,400,  in  bills  of  $10,  $5,  .S3,  and  SI  denomination. 
Other  issues  were  made  soon  after,  as  follows:  Feb- 
ruary 7th,  S800;  February  10th,  $800;  March  5th, 
.S8100;  April  1st,  §12,500;  making  a  total  issue  of 
$46,600. 

Of  this  issue,  it  appears  from  the  books  of  the 
company'  that  $36,197  was  retired  on  the  21st  of  No- 
vember, 1818,  at  which  time  the  board  of  directors 
voted  "  that  Caleb  Trevor,  Jr.,  act  as  cashier  until 
April  1st  next,  at  the  rate  of  §400  per  year,  and  he  to 
furnish  room  for  books  and  desk  after  January  1st." 
And  under  date  of  April  19,  1819,  is  found  the  fol- 
lowing entry  : 

"  Received  of  Caleb  Trevor,  Jr.,  late  cashier  of  the  Connells. 
ville  Navigation  Company,  tlie  books  and  papers  of  the  com- 
p.iny,  and  ?G40.50  in  bank-notes,  as  per  margin,  being  the 
balance  of  the  cash  account. 

Perryopolis J1I".50 

Saline  (Va.) 121.00 

Stewart's 111.00 

New  Salem 2S6.00 

New  Ohio 5.00 

Total S640.O0 

"John-  Bovd,  Cashier." 

On  the  18th  of  August,  1820,  a  new  board  of  fifteen 
directors  was  elected,  of  whom  Isaac  Meason  was 
made  president.  John  Boyd  continued  to  be  cashier 
of  the  company  until  it  went  out  of  existence  in  1831. 
Of  the  balance  of  S10,403  of  the  company's  notes 
which  remained  in  circulation  after  the  retirement  of 
836,197  in  November,  1818,  before  mentioned,  SS891 
was  redeemed  and  cancelled  at  various  times  down  to 

1  By  the  followiog  entry: 

"Office  of  the  Con.nellsville  N.^vicition  Comp.inv, 

"Nov.  21,  181S, 
•'  We,  the  undersigned,  appointed  a  committee  to  exaniiue  the  affairs 
of  the  Conuellsville  Navigation  Company,  to  count  the  money,  aud  ascer- 
tain the  balance  in  the  hands  of  tlie  cashier,  do  find  that  the  balance  of 
the  cash  account  is  thirty-seven  thousand  three  hundred  and  four  dollars 
and  tifly  cents,  wliicli  amount  J.  B.  Trevor  has  this  day  paid  over  to  the 
conmiittd',  r.>iisi>iiii^'  ^il  thirty-six  thousand  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
seven  dullais  ill  .-HI  own  ui:>tes,  and  eleven  hundred  and  seven  dollars 
and  fifly  ceuts  in  f  i.  mn  iimIi.*,  §37,304.50. 

"  We  ha\e  coiiiit'-'l  .nii  "\v  n  ii>'ti.>  and  sealed  them  up. 

Tens 58,700.00 

Fives 11,970  90 

Threes 12,.=i:i4.(iO 

Ones 2,90:i.0O 

3.16.1 07.00 
Foreign 1,107.60 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


381 


il-M2 


pscntoil   fo 


Feb.   1.5,  1S31,  1. 
demption. 

The  business  of  the  company  practic<ally  ceased 
Oct.  5,  1830,  but  unimportant  entries  are  found  in  the 
boolcs  until  Aug.  27,  1831,  the  last  date  recorded. 

The  private  banking-office  of  George  A.  Torrance 
was  opened  in  Connellsville  in  1868,  the  place  of 
business  being  in  the  Johnston  house.  In  January, 
1871,  Joseph  Johnston  became  a  partner.  The  busi- 
ness of  the  bank  closed  on  the  11th  of  October,  1876. 

THE   YOUGHIOGHENT   BANK. 

This  bank  was  chartered  May  9,  1871,  with  a  capi- 
tal stock  of  !t!25,000  (increased  in  July,  1872,  to 
$50,000).  The  first  officers  (elected  July  29,  1871) 
were  M.  O.  Tinstman  (president),  Daniel  Kaine,  Jo- 
siah  Kurtz,  James  Allen,  J.  M.  Dushane,  J.  W.  Rut- 
ter,  directors ;  A.  C.  Knox,  cashier. 

The  first  discount  day  was  Sept.  4,  1871.  The 
banking-office  was  at  first  located  in  the  Snyder  build- 
ing (now  Central  Hotel)  on  Water  Street.  From 
there  it  was  removed  to  the  present  banking-rooms, 
on  the  south  side  of  Spring  Street,  in  the  latter  part 
of  November,  1874.  Upon  the  death  of  M.  O.  Tinst- 
man, Feb.  15,  1873,  J.  M.  Dushane  succeeded  as  pres- 
ident, and  he  continued  in  that  office  until  Jan.  13, 
1880,  when  he  declined  re-election  and  was  succeeded 
by  John  Newcomer,  the  present  president  of  the 
bank. 

FIRST  NATIONAL  BANK  OF  CONNELLSVILLE. 

This  institution  was  organized  under  the  National 
Banking  law,  in  March,  1876,  with  a  capital  stock  of 
$50,000,  in  five  hundred  shares  of  one  hundred  dollars 
each.  The  directors  were  John  D.  Frisbie,  president ; 
P.  S.  Newmyer,  vice-president;  William  A.  David- 
,  John  K.  Brown,  James  R.  Stoufter,  J.  J.  Singer, 
John  M.  Cochran,  J.  T.  McCormick,  J.  R.  Laughrey, 
Nathaniel  Ewing,  Edward  Dean  ;  Cashier,  J.  S.  Mc- 
Caleb  ;  Teller,  Joseph  M.  Kurtz. 

The  bank  commenced  business  April  17th,  in  the 
year  named,  in  Mr.  Frisbie's  building.  On  the  10th 
of  May  following  it  was  removed  to  the  present  bank- 
ing-rooms on  the  south  side  of  Spring  Street. 


At  the  December  term,  in  1869,  the  following- 
named  persons,  viz.,  P.  McCormick,  John  D.  Frisbee, 
Christian  Snyder,  H.  E.  Sadler,  Thomas  M.  Fee,  E. 
Dean,  D.  Welsh,  J.  M.  Lytle,  B.  F.  Baer,  M.  Gold- 
smith, J.  Weibel,  A.  E.  Claney,  D.  Blackburn,  W.  E. 
Francis,  and  Joseph  E.  Forrey,  petitioned  the  court 
of  Fayette  County  to  grant  to  them  and  their  asso- 
ciates the  powers  and  immunities  of  a  body  corporate 
and  politic  in  law,  under  the  above  title,  and  with  an 
authorized  capital  of  SIOO.OOO,  iu  one  thousand  shares 
of  $100  each,  to  have  for  its  object  "the  granting  of 
loans  to  its  members,  to  assist  them  in  their  business 


and  in  the  acquiring  of  homesteads."  The  incorpora- 
tion was  effected  by  order  of  the  court,  March  11, 1870. 
On  the  18th  of  October  in  that  year  a  resolution  was 
passed  that  the  association  purchase  from  Dr.  J.  C. 
Cummings  a  tract  of  fifty-one  acres  of  land  north  of 
Connellsville,  and  to  donate  a  part  of  this  tract 
(bounded  by  the  railway  track,  the  Youghiogheny 
River,  and  Mounts'  Creek)  to  the  railroad  company, 
on  the  condition  that  the  said  company  would  agree 
to  build  their  shops  upon  it.  This  was  agreed  to  and 
done ;  the  land  was  purchased  by  members  of  the 
board  of  directors,  and  transferred  to  the  association 
Nov.  9, 1871.  The  land  had  previously  been  laid  out 
in  building  lots.  It  was  decided  to  reserve  the  three 
blocks  fronting  the  railroad,  and  offer  for  sale  alter- 
nate lots  of  the  remainder.  Sales  were  made  from 
time  to  time,  and  now  (June,  1881)  all  the  lots  of  the 
association  have  been  sold,  and  the  affairs  of  the  as- 
sociation are  drawing  to  a  close.  From  the  com- 
mencement of  its  business,  loans  have  been  made  for 
building  and  other  purposes.  The  present  officers 
are  J.  M.  Dushane,  president ;  P.  S.  Newmyer,  vice- 
president;  John  Kurtz,  treasurer;  H.  P.  Snyder, 
secretary.  Board  of  Managers,  William  Weike,  T. 
M.  Fee,  J.  T.  McCormick,  B.  Welcher,  William  P. 
Clark,  Stephen  Rutherford,  John  Rutherford.  Num- 
ber of  stockholders,  55. 

SOCIETIES    AND    OKDEKS. 
TOUGHIGANIA    LODGE,  No.  UO,  F.  AND   A,  M. 

Of  this  old  lodge  no  information  has  been  obtained 
beyond  the  fact  that  it  existed  in  Connellsville  under 
a  charter  granted  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, dated  June  6,  1808,  and  surrendered  Nov.  1, 
1819. 

KING   SOLOMON    LODGE,   No.  340,   F.  AND    A.  M. 

This  lodge  was  chartered  June  6,  1864,  and  has  now 
one  hundred  members.  The  officers  of  the  lodge  are 
R.  W.  Barnes,  W.  M. ;  R.  J.  Fullerton,  S.  W. ;  J.  J. 
Thomas,  J.  W. ;  R.  B.  Cox,  Sec. ;  Adam  Armstrong, 
Treas.     Meetings  are  held  in  Odd-Fellows'  Hall. 

GENERAL   WORTH    LODGE,  No.  386,  I.  0.  0.  F. 

The  charter  of  this  lodge  dates  Jan.  22,  1850.  It 
had  previously  worked  for  a  short  time  under  a  dis- 
pensation to  Christopher  Walter,  N.  G. ;  David  T. 
Walker,  V.  G. ;  John  Collins,  Sec. ;  Joseph  P.  Blakney , 
A.  S. ;  John  N.  Brown,  Treas.  The  lodge  now  con- 
tains 159  members,  and  the  following  named  are  its 
officers :  Jacob  Stentz,  N.  G. ;  G.  B.  Brown,  V.  G. ; 
R.  W.  Barnes,  Sec;  A.  S.  Cameron,  Fin.  Sec;  B. 
Welker,  Treas. 

The  early  meetings  of  the  lodge  were  held  in  pri- 
vate houses  until  the  opening  of  the  old  Odd-Fellows' 
Hall,  on  Mountain  Alley,  after  which  meetings  were 
held  in  it  until  the  erection  of  the  new  Odd-Fellows' 
Hall,  corner  of  Mountain  Alley  and  Spring  Street,  in 
1872. 


382 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


GENEEAL   WORTH   GRAND   ENCAMPMENT.   No.  188,   I.  0.  0.  F. 

Chartered  Oct.  23,  1869.  First  officers:  Joseph 
Kurtz,  C.  P.;  G.  D.  Stillwagon,  H.  P.;  H.  W.  Dull, 
S.  W. ;  AV.  L.  Robbins,  J.  W. ;  Lloyd  Johnston,  Sec. ; 
John  AVilhehn,  Treas.  Present  officers:  S.  S.  Lane, 
H.  P.;  Clark  Collins,  C.  P.;  J.  W.  Beatty,  8.  W. ; 
C.  Van  Arsdale,  J.  W. ;  Jacob  Stentz,  S. ;  B.  Walker, 
Treas.     The  lodge  has  thirty  members. 

LODGE   No.   101,  EDNA   EEBEKAII   DEGREE,  I.  0.  0.  F. 

Chartered  March  30,  1875.  Instituted  by  D.  D.  G. 
M.  Samuel  McKean,  assisted  by  P.  G.  John  Weaver, 
of  Belle  Vernon,  the  follnwinfr  named  being  the  first 
officers:  Stephen  F.  McBridc,  X.  1 1.  ;  Marie  Louise 
Page,  V.  G.;  Emma  J.  Coulter,  l^ie.  ;  Alary  E.  Still- 
wagon,  Asst.  Sec;  Eliza  Newcomer,  Treas.  Present 
officers:  Mrs.  Fanny  B.  Vance,  N.  G. ;  Mrs.  Belle 
Barnes,  V.  G.  ;  R.  M.  Vance,  Sec. ;  W.  Hunter,  Fin. 
Sec;  Eliza  Newcomer,  Treas.  Membership,  30. 
Meetings  held  in  Odd-Fellows'  Hall. 

ROYAL    AECANUJI,  FAYETTE   COnNOlL,  No.  346. 

Chartered  May  3,  1880,  with  the  following-named 
members:  Jesse  M.  Townsend,  James  R.  Millard,  C. 
N.  Stark,  Goldsboro'  M.  Serpell,  Byron  Porter,  Lewis 
AV.  AVolfe,  G.  AV.  Newcomer,  Jesse  H.  Purdy,  Resin 
AV.  Barnes,  Josiah  A.  Strickler,  James  AI.  Snyder, 
John  B.  Aliller,  Henry  R.  Dill,  AViUiam  M.  Hawkins, 
John  Henry,  William  B.  Cox,  Robert  C.  Greenland, 
Edgar  C.  Oliver,  Lawrence  Douegan,  E.  Y.  AVhite, 
L  B.  AVhite,  Edward  K.  Hyndman,  Charles  H. 
Owens.  The  present  officers  are  Jesse  H.  Purdy, 
Regent;  John  Henry,  Vice-Regent;  J.  M.  Townsend, 
Orator;  A.  C.  Knox,  Treas.;  Lawrence  Donegau, 
Sec.     Aleetings  are  held  in  Odd-Fellows'  Hall. 

I.  0.  OF  G.  T. 

A  lodge  of  this  order  was  chartered  in  Connells- 
ville,  May  14,  1866,  with  thirty-four  members.  The 
membershij)  has  now  increased  to  seventy-four.  The 
present  officers  are:  W.  C.  T.,  W.  A.  Eckel  :  W.  V. 
T.,  Alamie  Bender  ;  W.  C,  Eva  Hertzog ;  W.  S.,  John 
H.  Holt:  W.  F.  S.,  Emma  J.  Holt  ;  W.  T.,  Alartha 
Eckel;  W.  AI.,  Frank  T.  Shaw;  W.  ().,  Lizzie  Clin- 
gem;  Sentinel,  Flora  Francis;  R.  S.,  Nannie  Lohr; 
L.  S.,  Eaura  Rogers  ;  Dep.  AL,  Lizzie  Chain  ;  Part. 
C.  T.,  J.  L.  AVilkey  ;  Lodge  Deputy,  John  H.  Holt. 

FAYETTE    LODGE,  No.  2:»,  K.  P. 

Chartered  Alai-ch  2,  1S70,  with  the  toUowing  char- 
ter members  :  J.  W.  Stautl'er,  L.  West.  William  L. 
Robbins,  R.  AI.  A'ance,  AVorth  Kilpatrick,  Lloyd 
Johnston,  E.  A.  Schadler,  E.  B.  Waller,  John  Alorri- 
son,  J.  E.  Stillwagon,  A.  S.  Barnes,  A.  C.  Keepers, 
Thomas  Balsley,  John  N.  Johnston.  The  present 
officers  are:  Past  Ch.  Com.,  li.  Wrish  ;  Ch.  Com.,  R. 
C.  Greenland;  V.  C,  J.  D.  Snmlleii  :  Prelate,  S.  A. 
Bearl;  .AI.  at  A.,  A.  Buchanan;  AI.  of  Ex.,  AV.  T. 
Morton  ;  M.  of  F.,  H.  Page ;  K.  of  R.  and  S.,  R.  M. 
Vance.  The  present  membership  is  one  hundred  and 
eleven.     The  lodge  meets  in  Odd-Fellows'  Hall. 


CONNELLSVILLE  POST,  No.  104,  G.  A.  K. 

Chartered  May  23,  1879,  with  the  following-named 
charter  members  :  E.  Durin,  R.  B.  Cox,  E.  V.  Good- 
child,  John  A.  Danks,  J.  M.  Morrow,  Thomas  M. 
Fee,  Henry  Kurtz,  Edward  Y.  AVhite,  J.  S.  Sanders, 
W.  R.  Tintsman,  AI.  Donnelly,  George  W.  New- 
comer, H.  McCormick,  R.  P.  Douglas,  R.  D.  Duncan, 
Lloyd  Johnston,  Irwin  AlcCutcheon,  J.  M.  Dushane, 
Thomas  Porter,  James  Cunningham.  The  present 
officers  are :  Commander,  Lloyd  Johnston  ;  Senior 
Vice-Commander,  Thomas  AI.  Fee ;  Junior  A^ice-Com- 
mander,  John  Neeb;  Chaplain,  Levi  Stoner;  Quar- 
termaster, Harry  Kurtz ;  Adjutant,  M.  Donnelly  ; 
Surgeon,  Dr.  G.  AV.  Newcomer ;  Officer  of  the  Day, 
E.  Y.  AVhite  ;  Officer  of  the  Guard,  Edmund  Dunn. 
The  post  has  now  eighty-one  members,  and  holds  its 
meetings  in  Odd-Fellows'  Hall. 

WICHACOMA  TRIBE,  No.  242,  IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN. 

Instituted  Jan.  17,  1881,  with  more  than  one  hun- 
dred charter  members.  The  following  chiefs  were 
elected  :  Prophet,  D.  W.  AValker  ;  Sachem,  George 
Kelly ;  Senior  Sagamore,  Isaac  AV.  Newton  ;  Junior 
Sagamore,  Nathan  McPherson  ;  Chief  of  Records,  D. 
Barnes ;  Assistant  Chief  of  Records,  William  Rhodes ; 
Keeper  of  Wampum,  Samuel  Dinsmore.  Meetings 
held  in  Odd-Fellows'  Hall. 

BROTHERHOOD   OF   THE    UNION. 

Date  of  charter  not  ascertained.  The  present  num- 
ber of  members  is  one  hundred  and  twenty-five,  and 
the  following  are  officers  of  the  Brotherhood  :  Chief 
Washington,  John  Chambers;  Chief  Jefferson,  An- 
drew Buttermore  ;  Chief  Prophet,  Daniel  Mitz. 


Charter  granted  to  Harvey  B.  Hunt,  Feb.  27,  188). 
Meetings  are  held  in  Odd-Fellows'  Hall. 

NEWMYERS   OPERA-HOUSE. 

This  is  a  fine  brick  structure,  standing  at  the  corner 
of  Pittsburgh  and  Peach  Streets.  It  is  two  stories 
high,  and  forty  by  one  hundred  and  forty  feet  in  di- 
mensions on  the  ground.  The  lower  part  is  used  for 
business  purposes,  and  the  entire  second  story  is  occu- 
pied by  the  audience-hall  and  stage.  The  building 
has  been  erected  during  the  present  season  (1881)  by 
P.  S.  Newmyer,  Esq.  (a  leading  attorney  of  Con- 
nellsville),  at  a  cost  of  about  $25,000,  and  is  the  best 
and  most  imposing  structure  in  the  borough. 

PHY.^ICIAN.?. 
Dr.  James  Francis  was  the  first  physician,  not  only 
of  Connellsville,  but  in  all  the  northern  section  of 
Fayette  County.  The  earliest  mention  found  of  him 
is  in  the  county  commissioners'  records  of  1787,  when 
he  presented  a  bill  for  professional  attendance  on 
prisoners  in  the  jail  at  Uniontown.  In  April,  18(t0, 
his  name  is  found  in  the  list  of  voters  in  the  borough 


Q@jllli!lSlLti'W[[LLE,    Pii, 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOKOUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


383 


of  Connellsville,  and  on  the  4tli  of  July,  in  the  same 
year,  he  was  commisaioned  justice  of  the  peace  for 
District  No.  10  of  Fayette  County.  In  181.3  his  resi- 
dence was  where  John  Newcomer  now  lives  in  Con- 
nellsville. Later  he  moved  to  a  house  that  stood  on 
the  site  of  Mrs.  William  Baldwin's  present  residence. 
In  that  house  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life,  and 
died  there  in  1840.  He  was  uniformly  successful  as 
a  physician,  widely  and  favorably  known,  and  de- 
servedly popular. 

Dr.  Eobert  D.  Moore,  a  native  of  the  State  of  New 
Jersey,  studied  medicine  in  Philadelphia,  and  came 
to  settle  in  Connellsville  as  early  as  1808.  His  resi- 
dence was  on  Water  Street,  where  Miss  Susan  Byerly 
now  lives.  He  was  one  of  the  physicians  who  formed 
the  old  Union  Medical  Society  in  1810.  He  lived  to 
a  very  advanced  age,  and  always  took  high  rank  as  a 
physician,  as  he  was  also  universally  respected  as  a 
citizen. 

Drs.  Joseph  Trevor,  James  Cummings,  Joseph  Rog- 
ers, and  Aaron  Torrance  were  pupils  of  Dr.  Robert 
D.  Moore,  and  all  became  practicing  physicians  in 
Connellsville,  though  Trevor,  Rogers,  and  Torrance 
removed  from  the  place  after  a  time.  The  last  named 
settled  in  Mount  Pleasant,  and  practiced  there  until 
his  death.  Dr.  Rogers  located  in  what  is  now  the 
township  of  Springfield,  and  became  interested  in  the 
business  of  Fayette  Furnace,  but  continued  his  prac- 
tice there  until  his  death,  in  February,  1876. 

Dr.  Cummings  remained  in  Connellsville,  and  be- 
came widely  known  as  a  leading  and  very  skillful 
physician,  and  as  an  honest  and  in  every  way  most 
estimable  man.  During  the  years  of  his  greatest  ac- 
tivity the  practice  in  the  town  was  divided  between 
him  and  Dr.  Lindley,  and  the  most  cordial  and 
friendly  relations  always  existed  between  these  two 
physicians.  Dr.  Cummings  amassed  a  large  fortune. 
It  was  he  who  built  the  hotel  known  as  the  Yough 
House,  which  he  owned,  as  also  the  property  adjoin- 
ing it  on  the  east,  on  which  latter  was  his  residence. 

Dr  Charles  McClane  was  located  as  a  physician  in  | 
Connellsville  at  least  as  early  as  1816,  as  his  adver- 
tisement is  found  in  the  Geiiim  of  Liberty  of  August 
4th  of  that  year,  notifying  the  public  that  William 
McClane  was  then  his  partner  in  business  in  Connells- 
ville. He  lived  in  the  old  Dr.  Francis  house,  and  re- 
mained in  practice  in  the  town  for  about  fifteen  years. 
He  was  the  inventor  and  proprietor  of  his  "  Liver 
Pills"  and  "  Worm  Specific,"  patent  medicines  that 
are  still  in  use.  In  1833  (after  the  removal  of  Dr.  ! 
McClane),  D.  S.  Knox,  then  a  druggist  in  Connells- 
ville, entered  into  a  contract  with  the  doctor,  by  which 
'  he  secured  the  right  to  manufacture  and  sell  these 
medicines.  Dr.  McClane  left  Connellsville  about 
1830,  and  went  to  Morgantown,  Va.,  where  he  died 
recently  at  an  advanced  age. 

Dr.  Samuel  S.  Neal,  from  Philadelphia,  opened  an 
ofiice  in  Connellsville  in  1816,  as  is  shown  by  his 
advertisement  in  the  Genius  of  Liberfij  in  that  year. 


No  further  information  has  been  gained  concerning 
him. 

Dr.  Lutellus  Lindley,  a  native  of  the  State  of  Ohio, 
studied  medicine  for  three  years  with  Dr.  H.  W. 
Blatchley,  in  Washington  County,  Pa.,  and  in  1834 
located  in  Connellsville,  where  he  has  remained  in 
practice  until  the  present  time.  He  is  the  leading 
physician  in  Connellsville,  and  the  senior  medical 
practitioner  in  the  county  of  Fayette.' 

Dr.  Gibson  Rogers  studied  medicine  with  his 
brother-in-law,  Dr.  Aaron  Torrance,  at  Mount  Pleas- 
ant. He  came  to  Connellsville  in  1839,  and  prac- 
ticed for  about  ten  years,  then  removed  to  California. 
After  several  years'  absence  he  returned  to  Connells- 
ville and  resumed  practice ;  afterwards  he  removed  to 
Dunbar,  and  finally  to  Florida,  where  he  died. 

Dr.  James  Rogers,  son  of  Dr.  Joseph  Rogers,  stu- 
died medicine  with  his  father,  and  commenced  prac- 
tice in  this  borough  in  1855.  He  was  askillful  surgeon, 
and  served  in  the  army  in  that  capacity  in  the  war  of 
the  Rebellion.     He  died  March  26,  1870. 

Dr.  James  Johnston,  son  of  Alexander  Johnston, 
studied  medicine  with  Dr.  James  Cummings,  and 
graduated  in  Jefierson  Medical  College.  He  then 
went  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he  practiced  a  year 
or  two,  and  in  1858  came  to  Connellsville  (his  native 
place),  where  he  practiced  till  his  death,  June  14, 
1871. 

Dr.  John  R.  Nickel,  a  native  of  Connellsville  town- 
ship, was  an  eclectic  pliysirian,  :iii(l  highly  thought 
of  by  the  adherents  of  thai  scIk.hI  oI'  medicine. 
The  present  physicians  of  Connellsville  are: 
Dr.  Lutellus  Lindley.  Dr.  J.  C.  McClenathan. 

"    Smith  Buttermore.  "    A.  C,  Connelly. 

"    J.  J.  Singer.  "    Rogers  Torrance. 

"    G.  W.  Newcomer.  "    T.  R.  Graham. 

"    S.  Bosley.  "    P.  J.  Staufler. 

NEWSPAPERS. 

The  pioneer  newspaper  of  Connellsville  was  the 
Connellsville  Herald,  published  in  the  borough  between 
1815  and  1820.  Neither  the  date  of  its  first  publica- 
tion, the  period  of  its  continuance,  nor  the  name  of  its 
publisher  liiis  been  ascertained,  nor  has  any  informa- 
tiiiM  of  any  kind  been  found  concerning  this  old  pa- 
per, cxceptiiiL'-  what  is  contained  in  the  columns  of 
The  Iir/,i,r/rr,  ,,f  Washington,  Pa.,  in  its  issue  of  Feb. 
9,  1818,  viz.,  an  extract  from  the  Connellsville  Herald, 
noticing  ''  the  death  of  Isaac  Meason,  Esq.,  of  Mount 
Braddock,"  on  the  23d  of  January,  in  that  year. 

The  Connellsville  Enterprise  was  first  issued  about 
August  1st,  in  the  year  1855,  by  Lafayette  Markle, 
from  whom  it  afterwards  passed  into  the  hands  of  S. 
S.  White.  In  its  issue  of  May  6,  1859,  is  an  adver- 
tisement, offering  the  paper,  press,  and  material  for 
sale.     On  Friday,  June  17th,  in  the  same  year,  the 


384 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Fayciie  Patriot  was  first  issued  by  E.  Lyle  White.  The 
time  of  its  suspension  has  not  been  ascertained. 

The  Fmjette  Monitor  and  Youghioghcnian  was  first 
issued  April  12,  1870,  with  D.  P.  Stentz  as  editor  and 
liroprietor.  It  was  a  seven-column  paper,  nineteen 
liy  twenty-five  inches,  Democratic  in  politics.  In  1873 
it  was  enlarged  to  eight  columns.  During  the  first 
year  of  the  paper's  existence  the  office  was  in  the  lower 
story  of  the  building  in  which  it  is  at  present.  It  was 
then  removed  to  Odd-Fellows'  Hall,  and  remained 
there  about  one  year.  From  there  it  was  removed  to 
the  present  office  on  Spring  Street.  The  circulation 
of  the  paper  is  now  eight  hundred.  Mr.  Stentz  has 
been  sole  editor  from  tlie  time  of  .starting  until  the 
present,  except  that  C.  L.  Miller  was  associated  with 
him  for  a  short  time  in  the  fall  of  1874. 

Tlie  Biipti.if  Messenger,  a  three-column  quarto,  ten  by 
fourteen  inclies.  issued  its  first  number  at  Connellsville 
in  Ai.ril,  1879.  The  editors  were  Kev.  W.  H.  Cooper 
and  Rev.  E.  C.  Morgan.  Mr.  Cooper  retired  alter 
al)out  a  year.  The  paper  is  now  edited  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Morgan,  and  published  at  the  office  of  the  Monitor. 

The  ConneUxrille  Tribune  was  commenced  in  the 
early  part  of  December,  1874,  by  R.  M.  Sibbett,  under 
whose  editorship  the  paper  was  Republican.  Its 
changes  have  been  numerous.  In  1878,  S.  J.  Hayes 
was  editor,  ami  the  paper  became  "Greenback"  in 
politics.  It  was  soon  attei-  snld  t.i  Tilghman  Hawes, 
who  had  edited  a  paper  at  .Meyersdale,  called  the 
Meyersdale  Independent, v;lnch  he  sold,  and  thin  ]iub- 
lished  a  paper  there, called  the  Connelhrilh  riimn'irie. 
which  he  moved  to  Connellsville  ami  merged  with 
the  Trilitine,  retaining  the  latter  name.  About  the  1st 
of  May.  1879,  the  office  was  closed,  and  the  press  and 
part  of  the  material  was  purchased  by  the  Keystone 
Publishing  Company.  The  paper  was  made  i;.]>ub- 
lican  again  under  :\Ir.  llawo.     When  lii-t  jmblwlied 

building  now  thr  ■•  r.altini.ire  H.iu>l-."  Lat. a  it  was 
removed  to  ( inrnland',-  bnilding  on  Ai.j.le  .^treet. 

The  h'e,/.sf„„,   r,>,iri.r  was  lirst  is.sued  July  19,  1879, 
by  the  Key-tone  I'nhli.-liing  Company,  H.  P.  Snyder, 
editor;    E.  V.  (Jooilehild,  manager.     Democratic  in 
polities.    The  ottice  was  at  first  in  tlir  Ecasinger  build-  I 
ing,  on  Main  Street.    On  the  l^t  of  April,  fs.SO,  it  was  | 
moved  to  its  present  location  on  Wall  r  Street.     The  ( 
circulation  of  the  paper  is  fifteen  hundred. 

scHnoi„s. 

In  the  eharti-rof  thr  town  of  Conm^ll-villr.  granted 
byMr.Connell  in  179:!,  it  wa- piovidod  tliat  "  Wjirre- 
as  it  is  the  desire  of  the  .-^ai.l  /aeliariab  Connell  lluit 
the  inhabitants  of  said  town  should  be  accommodated 
with  a  commodious  seat  whereon  to  erect  a  house  or 
houses  for  public  worship,  and  school  or  schools,  lie  | 
for  that  purpose  alone  appropriates  the  lots  Nos.  88  j 
and  96  on  said  plan  for  that  purpose,  free  and  clear 
of  purchase  money  or  ground-rent  forever  to  the  in-  I 
habitants  of  said  town,  their  heirs  and  succe.ssors  to 


be  held  in  common  for  the  purpose  aforesaid,  or 
jointly,  as  the  inhabitants  may  choose."  On  the 
ground  so  set  apart  for  that  purpose  the  first  school- 
house  of  Connellsville  was  erected  by  subscriptions 
of  the  citizens.  It  was  a  log  building,  and  stood  on 
the  site  of  the  present  Union  school-house.  The 
date  of  its  erection  is  not  known,  but  is  probably 
1806.  That  it  was  built  prior  to  October  of  that  year 
is  evident  from  the  tenorof  the  following  extract  from 
the  minutes  of  the  Town  Council,  viz. : 

"At  a  meetiag  of  the  Council  of  the  Borough  of  Connells- 
ville, convened  on  the  [illegible]  day  of  Ociober,  1806,  agreea- 
bly to  notice  given  by  the  Town  Clerk,  a  paper  was  presented 
to  the  Council,  signed  by  a  majority  of  the  freeholders  in  the 
Borough,  requesting  them  to  vest  the  School-house  in  the  Bur- 
gess and  Town  Council  and  their  successors  in  office  forever. 
The  Council  agreed  accordingly.  On  motion,  it  was  then  re- 
solved that  the  school-house  should  be  rented  to  a  Teacher  for 
the  sum  of  eighteen  dollars  per  year,  and  that  the  mone}'  so 
obtained  should  be  applied  to  the  discharge  of  the  debt  which 
is  owing  to  Messrs.  S.  &  C.  Trevor,  and  to  repairs  when  they 
must  necessarily  be  made. 

"  On  motion.  Resolved  that  James  Francis  and  Charles  Wil- 
liams be  appointed  as  a  Committee  to  repair  the  house  and  to 
make  an  offer  of  the  same  to  George  Roules,  provided  he  will 
engage  to  pay  the  annual  rent,  but  in  case  of  his  refusal  they 
are  to  make  the  same  proposal  to  William  Powell,  and  then 
make  report  to  the  Council. 

"On  motion.  Resolved  that  George  Mathiot,  Caleb  Trevor, 
and  James  Blackstone  be  a  Committee  to  collect  the  subscrip- 
tions made  to  the  School-House  which  have  not  been  already 
paid,  and  that  the  Clerk  notify  them  accordingly." 

On  the  2d  of  April,  1807,  the  Council  passed  an 
ordinance  "  vesting  the  right,  jurisdiction,  etc.,  of  the 
school-house  and  lots  thereto  belonging  in  the  burgess 
and  Town  Council,  and  tilso  for  regulating  the  school." 
This  ordinance  purported  to  empower  the  Council  to 
employ  such  teachers  as  they  thought  fit,  and  they 
were  required  to  attend  at  the  school  on  the  first  Wed- 
nesday of  the  last  month  in  each  quarter,  to  examine 
the  school  and  note  the  improvement  made  by  the 
scholars.  At  the  same  meeting  the  Council  passed 
the  following : 

"  llexolved,  That  the  hours  of  tuition  to  be  observed  by  the 
present  teacher,  Mr.  Dunogh,  shall  be  Irom  eight  o'clock  till 
twelve,  and  from  one  o'clock  till  half  after  five  in  summer,  and 
in  winter  from  nine  o'clock  till  twelve,  and  fi-om  one  o'clock 
till  four. 

"  lie'iolred.  That  e,ich  scholar  shall  pay  twelve  cents  and  a. 
half  per  quarter,  or  fifty  cents  per  year,  for  the  rent  of  the  school- 
house,  and  that  Mr.  Andrew  Donogh,  the  present  teacher,  .shall 
collect  the  same  when  he  receives  his  payment  for  his  tuition."' 

In  April,  1809,  "The  Council  ordered  the  clerk  to 
notify  Andrew  Donogh  that  unless  he  proceeds  : 
mediately  to  collect  the  arrearages  of  rent  due  for 
the  school-house  and  pay  the  same  over  to  the  Council, 
to  be  applied  to  repairs,  they  will  hold  him  responsi- 
ble for  the  same  and  act  accordingly." 

April  17,  1809,  it  was  by  the  Council  resolved 
"that  every  Preceptor  who  shall  be  employed  by  the 
Council  shall  be  enjoined  and  required,  as  soon  as  he 


CONNELLSVILLE  BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


shall  have  his  subscription  compleated,  to  lodge  an 
accurate  copy  of  the  same  with  the  Town  Clerk." 
After  which  Benjamin  Evans  offered  himself  as  a 
preceptor,  and  after  some  debate  was  accepted  of  on 
condition  that  he  should  commence  a  school  on  or 
before  the  first  day  of  the  next  June,  and  continue 
the  same  for  three  months  without  an  intermission, 
"  at  the  end  of  which  term  he  is  to  be  allowed  twenty 
days,  after  which  he  is  to  continue  six  months  longer 
if  agreeable  to  the  Council." 

At  the  next  meeting  of  the  Council  (April  24, 1809) 
Caleb  Trevor  was  appointed  "  to  superintend  and 
cause  to  be  done  what  repairs  are  necessary  to  the 
school-house  for  the  recption  of  the  teacher  and  his 
scholars,  and  that  he  be  paid  for  the  same  out  of  the 
borough  treasury."  On  the  1.5th  day  of  May,  1809, 
it  was  resolved  "that  it  shall  be  theduty of  theTown 
Clerk  to  inform  Benjamin  Evans  that  he  must  give 
his  Bond  for  the  payment  of  twelve  and  one-half  cents 
per  quarter  for  every  scholar  which  may  be  sent  to 
school,  and  that  unless  he  agrees  to  comply  therewith 
and  make  out  a  new  article  binding  the  subscriber  to 
make  such  payment  they  will  discontinue  him  at  the 
end  of  the  First  Quarter."  Two  days  later  (May  17th ) 
a  long  discussion  was  held  upon  this  subject,  and  "  it 
was  concluded  that  B.  Evans  should  go  on  to  teach 
school  as  was  first  contemplated,  without  endeavoring 
to  obtain  a  new  subscription." 

In  September,  1809,  the  school-house  again  needed 
repairs,  and  Caleb  Trevor  and  Joshua  Gibson  were 
appointed  to  see  that  necessary  repairs  were  made. 

The  following  extracts  from  the  borough  records 
have  reference  to  teachers  and  other  school  matters. 

"  Oliver  Sproul,  schoolmaster,  ended  his  first  quar- 
ter July  1,  1811  ;  had  37J  scholars." 

"April  8,  1812,  Settled  with  Oliver  Sproul  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Council  this  day,  and  took  his  note  to 
Treasurer  for  §22  in  full  of  Arrearages  until  this  day." 
Settlement  was  again  made  August  10th. 

On  the  17th  of  April,  1812,  Council  "  resolved  to 
accept  the  two  lots  on  the  east  of  the  former  school 
lots,  it  being  the  present  from  Alexander  Addison  for 
the  use  of  an  English  school  or  schools."  The  deed 
for  these  lots  was  executed  by  Zachariah  Connell  (a 
present  from  Alexander  Addison),  May  30,  1812. 

March  12,  1814,  a  meeting  was  held  by  the  Council 
"  for  the  purpose  of  considering  whether  they  will 
continue  to  employ  the  present  teacher  of  the  school; 
they  agree  to  employ  him  for  another  half-year  at 
the  same  rates  as  heretofore." 

July  13,  1814,  "  Council  directed  the  clerk  to  call 
on  William  Beaty,  schoolmaster,  for  a  copy  of  his 
School  Articles,  and  to  give  a  Bond  for  Rent  of  12] 
cents  each  scholar  per  quarter."  Clerk  reported  at 
next  meeting  that  Mr.  Beaty  refused  to  give  copy  or 
bond,  and  on  the  next  meeting,  July  30th  of  the  same 
year,  the  Council  "  took  the  matter  into  consideration, 
and  agreed  to  continue  Mr.  Beaty  in  the  School  for 
three  Months  longer,  without  conditions." 


In  November,  1814,  "  the  Council  considered  whether 
they  will  employ  Seth  Elias  as  schoolmaster.  After 
consideration,  they  agree  to  confer  with  him  on  Wed- 
nesday, the  9th  inst."  No  further  action  in  reference 
to  this  man  is  found  recorded. 

Oct.  7,  1815,  the  Council  ordered  two  writing-tables 
made  in  the  school-house,  fifteen  feet  long  and  seven- 
teen  inches  wide  on  each  side ;   "  also  to  have  the 

I  chinking  made  tight  with  sufficient  mortar,  and  the 

'  windows  glazed  and  puttied." 

Aug.  15, 1816,  Council  resolved  that  Oliver  Sproul  be 
"continued  as  School-Master  at  the  Borough  School- 
House  another  quarter."  There  is  nothing  found  to 
show  whether  or  not  Sproul  had  been  teaching  in  the 
borough  school  continuously  from  the  date  of  the 
previous  reference  to  him. 

Sept.   22,   1817,    "Mr.    A.    Baldwin,  Chairman   of 

j  the  Council,  suggested  that  the  Sunday-school  was 

I  an  infringement  on  the  ordinance  and  supplements 
thereto  for  the  regulation  of  the  Borough  School.  A 
motion  was  made  by  Esq.  George  Mathiot,  and  sec- 
onded, to  take  the  sense  of  the  Council  on  the  above 
subject,  which  was  done,  and  determined  in  the  nega- 
tive. Mr.  Abraham  Baldwin  only  in  the  afiirmative." 
In  1818  the  name  of  Oliver  Sproul  again  appears  as 
teacher  of  the  borough  school. 

March  6,  1819,  George  Bell,  schoolmaster,  made 
application  to  the  Council  "for  the  privilege  of  the 
Borough  School-House,  to  teach  a  school  therein, 
which  was  granted."     Oliver  Sproul's  account  was 

;  approved,  which  was  apparently  the  closing  up  of  his 
service  as  teacher  in  the  Connellsville  school.  March 
16th,  repairs  on  the  school-house  were  ordered,  with 
new  benches,  etc. 

July  12, 1819,  it  was  by  the  Council  resolved  "  that 
Mr.  G.  Bell  be,  and  he  is  hereby,  requested  to  continue 
his  school  three  months  longer,  under  and  subject  to 
tlie  same  rules  which  he  has  heretofore  established." 
And  at  the  same  time  an  ordinance  was  unanimously 
passed  "  That  the  3d  sect,  of  the  23d  ordinance,  in- 
flicting a  fine  of  .$20  on  the  Burgess  or  any  member 
of  the  Council  who  may  directly  or  indirectly  en- 
courage any  other  teacher  except  the  one  who  is  em- 
ployed by  a  majority  of  the  Council,  be,  and  it  is 
hereby,  repealed." 

On  the  1st  of  October,  1819,  "The  Council  being 
informed  that  Mr.  Bell,  the  present  teacher  in  the 
borough  school-house,  declines  teaching  after  the  ex- 
piration of  the  present  quarter,  and  having  an  oppor- 
tunity of  supplying  his  place  immediately  by  Mr. 
James  Killin,  a  young  man  of  seventeen  years  of  age, 
have  agreed  to  receive  him  on  trial,  they  to  be  at 
liberty  to  discharge  him  at  the  end  of  one  month  if 
they  do  not  approve  of  him  as  a  teacher."  It  appears, 
however,  that  James  Killin  did  not  then  enter  upon 
duty  as  teacher,  neither  did  Bell  retire,  for  on  the 
19th  of  April,  1820,  "George  Bell's  time  as  teacher 
being  expired,  proposals  were  laid  before  the  Council 
by  William  Jessup.    The  question  whether  lie  be  em- 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ployed  being  put,  was  decided  in  the  uegative."  On 
the  29th  of  April  in  the  same  year  Dennis  O'Keefe  pro- 
posed to  the  Council  to  engage  as  teacher  of  the  bor- 
ough school,  and  the  Council  accepted  his  proposition. 

Among  the  papers  brought  to  light  in  the  de- 
molition of  the  old  Herbert  house  was  an  article  of 
agreement  between  the  borough  of  Connellsviile  and 
Dennis  O'Keefe,  teacher,  dated  Nov.  11,  1820,  which 
sets  forth  that  the  said  O'Keefe  "  doth  agree  to  teach 
an  Englisih  School  in  the  Borough  School-House; 
that  he  .-hall  teach  Reailinir,  Writing,  Arithmetic,  and 
English  (.Trammar;  that  when  his  School  shall  con- 
sist of  over  forty  scholars  he  shall  employ  one  of  his 
best  scholars  as  an  Assistant  Teacher." 

The  school  return  of  the  teacher  O'Keefe  for  the 
quarter  ending  in  February,  1821,  embodies  the  sub- 
scription paper,  by  which  certain  subscribers  agreed 
to  pay  him  "The  sum  of  82.50  each,  together  with 
12i  cents  each,  which  is  for  the  rent  of  the  school- 
house,  and  an  equal  portion  of  coal  towards  each 
scholar  we  respectively  subscribe  or  send  for  each 
quarter."  To  this  was  appended  the  following  names 
and  certification,  viz. : 

Scholars.l   '  Scliolars. 


2i 

1 

James  Ino-lis                       1 

H.  Gebbiirt 

S    G    Wurtz                         ' 

Adam  Snider 

Samuel  Sharpies 1 

Sarah  Keepers 

Naney  White  .  .. 

Clement  Sniiih 

John  Talluit 

James  Johnston 

Kn-:il  ei.op.i, I 

.Alexander  Johnston 

\\ 

\\' ,  1 1    , . , ,    1  , .  1  ■                       \ 

George  iMariefta 

n 

K-tl,..   •    .     ,        1 

John  Salyaid.s 

J:un.'.    \1.   |:    1  h         1 

Daniel   Uaishman 

Mini    Mm  ..M,:i.-k 1 

Hirnm  Hei-beit 

•1 

' 

Scholars,  30. 

"Lester  L.  Nortos, 

"  Treasi 

rcr  of  the  Bo,-ou,jh  of  ConnelhviUe. 

•■The  above  is  a  correct  Return  of  the  Borough  School  for 

the  third  quarter,  ending  in  February,  1S21. 

"Yours  with  respect. 

"D.  O'Keefe." 

In  the  minutes  ot 

Sept.  18,  1822,  "Schoolmaster 

Clemens"  is  nientio 

led.     Under  date  of  March  28, 

1823,  appear,  as  loll 

jws;   "William  Clemens  Dr.  "to 

theBon.uuli  lurSclH 

ol-House  rents  for  the  first  quar- 

ter.^l.-,.!.,.-     hap 

irars  thul  Mr.  Clemens  neglected 

thebusii,,-,-  of  his  s, 

ho.)l  so  nnieh  that  the  Council 

ordered  hiiu  to  arro, 

Tit  to  that  liodv  at  its  next  meet- 

ing.     This  order  br. 

ii-hi  Iron,   .Mr.  Clemens  a  state- 

nient,  and  action  of  tlio  i  '• 

iiii.il  u|ion  it  as  follows: 

7  scholars  and  45  days,  at  12*  pe 

r  schola 

r  per  quarter. 

Released  one  "f  of  J.  Cushman. 

374 

"Amount  due  for  rent  up  to  2Sth  inst.,  S:4.32,  due  for  school- 
house  rent.  Mr.  Clemens  presented  his  account  against  the 
borough,  which  was  examined  and  adjusle  '        " 


t  of  S2.57J.     Bal. 


nd  api 
)  the  Borough,  S11.74J. 


Ending   the    2Sth    May 


]  ntlend  school  half  the 


Clemens  was  succeeded. by  a  Mr.  Fleming,  who 
taught  the  borough  school  in  1826.  A  school  was 
opened  by  D.  S.  Knox,  on  Peach  Street, — the  lot  now 
owned  by  Isaac  Taylor,  where  Mrs.  Russell  lives. 
After  a  time  an  arrangement  was  made  to  combine 
the  two  schools,  and  some  of  the  citizens  of  Connells- 
viile still  recollect  the  day  when  the  pupils  of  the 
Knox  school  were  marched  in  a  body  from  Peach 
Street  to  the  borough  school-house. 

July  16,  1827.— It  was  by  the  Council  "  Resolved 
that  Mr.  Lewis  be  permitted  to  teach  in  the  Borough 
School-House  for  one  year  from  date,  without  rent, 
he  to  make  all  repairs,  and  the  Borough  to  have  the 
use  of  the  house  for  elections  and  other  meetings." 

July  31,  1828.— Mr.  McGlaughlin  was  "permitted 
to  teach  in  the  Borough  School- House  for  one  quar- 
ter, free  of  rent,  except  repairs." 

On  the  27th  of  October,  1829,  the  Council  resolved 
"That  the  wreck  of  the  school-house  be  exposed  to 
public  Sale  on  Thursday,  the  8th  instant."  On  the 
Sth  of  February  following  the  Council 

"  Resolved,  That  Whereas  a  subscription  has  been  got  up  by 
the  Citizens  of  the  Borough  for  building  a  School-house  on  one 
of  the  Lots  owned  by  the  Borough  for  such  use.  Reaolx-ed, 
That  the  building  committee  who  may  be  appointed  by  the 
citizens  be  and  they  are  hereby  authorized  to  cause  said  school- 
bouse  to  be  erected  on  such  part  of  said  lot  or  lots  as  they  may 
think  proper  or  the  Citizens  direct.  Resolved,  That  the  pro- 
ceeds of  the  sale  of  the  wreck  of  the  old  school-house  be  and 
are  hereby  appropriated  towards  erecting  said  school-house, 
and  that  the  Burgess  draw  his  order  in  favor  of  the  Building 
Committee  for  the  amount  of  said  proceeds.  Resolved,  That 
the  said  Building  Committee,  or  any  person  they  may  contract 
with,  have  liljcrty  In  make  brick  for  said  school-house  on  said 
lot  or  lots,  nr  I  be  stieet  ieljuining  the  same,  and  to  use  the  clay 
thereon  fur  llie  ]nirposi'.  [.rovided  they  fill  up  any  holes  they 
may  dig  in  the  street  in  a  reasonable  time." 

June  30,  1830,  a  special  meeting  of  the  Council  was 
held  to  receive  a  memorial  of  the  citizens  of  the 
borough  and  acting  on  it.  It  was  presented,  and  after 
deliberation  the  Council  "  Resolved  that  if  a  Majority 
of  the  Taxable  inhabitants  sign  a  paper  and  present 
the  same  to  the  Council  in  the  following  words,  to 
wit:  'We,  the  undersigned.  Taxable  inhabitants  of 
the  Borough  of  Connellsviile,  do  object  to  the  build- 
ing of  a  borough  School-House,  or  any  other  im- 
provements within  the  Borough,  by  the  collection  of 
a  tax  or  otherwise  the  present  year,'  then  the  pres- 

=  The  settlements  of  teachers  with  the  borough  authorities  during  the 
continuance  of  that  system  almost  invariably  showed  the  teacher  to  be 
in  tlel't  to  the  borough  at  the  close  of  liis  term. 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOKOUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


387 


ent  Council  do  hereby  Resolve  to  repeal  the  ord 
regulating  the  Borough  tax,  passed  June  3d  instant." 

With  occasional  resolutions  by  the  Council  to  build 
a  new  school-house,  and  remonstrances  against  the 
same  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  borough,  nothing  w.as 
accomplished,  and  Connellsville  remained  without  a 
borough  school-house  from  the  sale  of  the  "  wreck"  of 
the  old  building  until  several  years  after  the  passage 
of  the  free  public  school  law  in  1834.  By  the  pro- 
visions of  that  law,  authority  over  the  schools  was 
transferred  from  the  borough  to  the  board  of  school 
directors.  Such  a  board  was  constituted  for  Connells- 
ville by  the  appointment  of  William  Davidson  and 
Henry  W.  Lewis  by  the  court  at  its  January  term 
in  1835.  They  were  succeeded  by  Valentine  Cough- 
enour  and  James  G.  Turner,  who  were  elected  in 
March  of  the  same  year. 

In  1838,  John  Fuller  and  Dr.  L.  Lindley  were 
elected  school  directors.  At  that  time  Connellsville 
was  still  without  a  school-house,  all  schools  having 
been  taught  in  rented  rooms  after  the  abandonment 
of  the  old  school-house  in  1829.  Prominent  among 
the  schools  so  taught  during  the  period  referred  to' 
was  the  school  taught  by  Robert  Torrance,  at  his 
house  on  Church  (Pittsburgh)  Street,  where  he  had 
an  attendance  of  about  eighty  scholars.  But  when 
Messrs.  Fuller  and  Lindley  became  the  school  direc- 
tors they  determined  to  erect  school-houses,  even  if 
on  that  account  it  should  become  necessary  to  close 
the  schools  for  the  year  for  lack  of  money.  It  may 
be  questionable  whether  they  kept  entirely  within  the 
requirements  of  the  law  in  this  regard ;  but  however 
this  may  have  been,  they  succeeded  in  erecting  three 
buihiings.  One  of  these,  located  on  Mount  Puff 
(present  school-house  grounds),  was  the  brick  build- 
ing which  is  still  standing  there  ;  another  was  the 
Quaker  graveyard  school-house,  built  on  a  lot  pur- 
chased of  Henry  Blackstone,  and  the  third  was  the 
school-house  on  the  "Pinnacle."  The  first  teacher 
(or  certainly  one  of  the  earliest)  in  the  brick  house 
on  Mount  Pufl'  was  James  Mcllvaine,  who  had  charge 
of  that  school  in  the  year  1840. 

The  school-houses  erected  by  the  efforts  of  Messrs. 
Fuller  and  Lindley  were  continued  in  use  for  the 
schools  until  the  completion  of  the  present  fine  and 
commodious  school-building.  The  "  Pinnacle"  lot 
and  school-house  was  then  sold  to  .fdhn  K.  Brown. 
The  "Mount  Puff"  sch.iol-li..iwi'  i-<  imu  the  janitor's 
house  on  the  public  schn.il  uiniimi.  'I'ln-  (Quaker 
graveyard  school  lot,  whicli  was  purchustd  of  Henry 
Blackstone,  is  still  owned  by  the  borough  school  dis- 
trict. 

The  borough  of  Connellsville  was  erected  into  a 
separate  and  independent  school  district  by  the  Court 
of  Quarter  Sessions  of  Fayette  County  at  the  March 
term  in  1852.  Six  directors  were  to  be  elected,  and 
on  the  5th  of  April  of  the  same  year  the  following- 
named  persons  were  so  elected  to  form  the  first  school 
board  of  the  district  under  the  new  organization,  viz. : 


Stephen  Robbins,  for  one  year. 
Josiah  Kurtz,  for  one  year. 
Abram  Shellenberger,  for  two  years. 
John  Taylor,  for  two  years. 
I      John  Collins,  for  three  years. 
George  White,  for  three  years. 
On  the  14th  of  October  following,  the  borough  was 
divided  into  five  sub-districts. 

The  project  to  build  a  new  and  commodious  .school- 
house  of  sufficient  capacity  to  accommodate  the 
schools  of  the  borough  began  to  be  agitated  in  1865, 
and  on  the  11th  of  March,  1866,  it  was  resolved  "to 
build  a  three-story  School-House,  sixty  by  sixty-six 
feet,"  and  to  borrow  money  on  borough  school  bonds 
for  that  purpose.  No  further  action  of  importance 
was  taken  in  the  premises  during  that  year. 

On  the  6th  of  May,  1867,  a  plan  for  a  school-house 
was  submitted  by  Barr  &  Mosier,  architects,  of  Pitts- 
burgh. The  plan  was  adopted,  and  on  the  14th  of 
the  same  month  a  contract  for  the  building  was 
awarded  to  Christian  Snider  at  $14,000. 

May  21,  1867,  a  petition  was  presented  signed  by 
thirty-eight  citizens  of  the  borough  protesting  against 
the  erection  of  the  school-house,  also  a  petition  from 
others  praying  that  the  contract  be  carried  out. 

On  the  5th  of  August  following  the  I)oard  of  school 
directors  received  a  communicatidu  from  tlic  Town 
Council  of  Connellsville  as  follows:  "To  tlie  Board 
of  School  Directors  of  Connellsville  Borough  :  Gen- 
tlemen,— At  a  meeting  of  the  Town  Council  of  said 
borough,  held  on  Saturday,  Aug.  3,  1867,  the  follow- 
ing proceedings  were  had  :  '  Resolved  that  the  School 
Directors  of  Connellsville  Borough  be  notified  to  stop 
proceedings  in  regard  to  building  a  school-house  until 
said  Directors  shall  have  conference  with  said  Council 
in  reference  to  the  construction  of  said  house.' " 

In  reply  to  this  communication  the  school  board 
"  Resolved  that  as  the  Charter  of  the  Borough  of 
Connellsville,  as  well  as  the  Deed  from  Connell,  do- 
nates or  conveys  the  public  ground  for  .school-houses 
and  churches,  and  as  since  the  organization  of  the 
public  system  the  said  ground  has  already  been 
granted  by  the  Borough  to  the  School  Board,  and  one 
School-House  already  erected  thereon,  therefore  the 
said  Board  have  a  right  to  continue  to  occupy  said 
ground  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  additional  school- 
houses  thereon  without  further  permission  from  the 
Town  Council.  We  therefore  respectfully  ask  said 
Council  to  show  cause,  if  any  there  be,  why  said 
ground  shall  not  now  be  used  for  the  purpose  of 
erecting  a  school-house  thereon."  No  further  col- 
lision occurred  between  the  board  and  the  Council  in 
reference  to  the  matter. 

In  February,  1868,  Christian  Snider's  contract  for 
building  the  school-house  was  cancelled,  the  board 
paying  him  for  expenses  already  incurred.  The  plans 
of  the  building  were  then  slightly  changed,  and  on 
the  4th  of  Mav  foUowinff  a  new  contract  was  made 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


with  John  Kilpatrick  for  a  brick  building,  fifty-five 
by  seventy  feet  in  dimensions  and  three  stories  higli, 
for  eleven  thousand  two  hundred  dollars. 

Work  upon  the  new  school-house  was  commenced 
and  continued  through  the  summer  and  fall  of  1868 
and  spring  of  18(ji),  and  on  the  11th  of  June  in  the 
latter  year  the  board  accepted  the  building  from  the 
contractor,  who  was  paid  in  the  settlement  as  follows  : 

Contract $11,200.00 

Extra  work 2,229.59 

Total Sl.';,42g.o9 

On  Monday,  June  14,  1869,  the  new  house  was  first 
occupied  by  the  schools  of  Connellsville  under  S.  P. 
Espy  as  principal.  He  was  succeeded  by  M.  L.  Baer, 
the  present  principal. 

There  are  now  (June,  1881)  seven  hundred  and 
sixty-two  scholars,  under  twelve  teachers,  in  all  the 
departments.  The  total  receipts  from  all  sources  for 
the  year  ending  June  1,  1881,  were  $8.504.72 ;  ex- 
penditures, .S7097.28.  The  directors  for  1881  are 
Stephen  McBride,  President ;  H.  P.  Snyder,  Treas- 
urer ;  L.  P.  Norton,  Secretary ;  Dr.  Smith  Buttermore, 
Dr.  P.  J.  Stauffer,  William  B.  Miner. 

CHURCHES. 
CONNELLSVILLE   BAPTIST   CHUECH.l 

The  Baptist  Church  in  Connellsville  was  constituted 
June  20,  171)6,  with  the  following-named  constituent 
members  :  David  Lobdell,  Samuel  Trevor,  Caleb  Tre- 
vor, Joshua  Lobdell,  Michael  Bryant,  Sarah  Muirs, 
Sarah  Trevor,  Nancy  Bryant,  and  Mary  Lobdell, — 
all  being  members  of  regular  Baptist  Churches  in 
Europe  and  America. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  church  the  deacons  were 
Samuel  Trevor  and  David  Lobdell.  Its  records  even 
at  this  early  period  show  that  the  church  was  purely 
apostolic  in  doctrine,  practice,  and  discipline.  During 
the  first  thirty  years  of  its  existence  its  members 
were  ministered  to  by  evangelists  and  chosen  ones  of 
their  own  number  having  ability  to  teach.  The  first 
regularly  installed  pastor  was  Elder  James  Frey,  who 
served  from  1804  to  1809,  inclusive.  In  1810  the  Eev. 
George  Watkin  became  pastor,  and  served  in  that 
office  till  1815.  From  that  time  to  1830  the  church 
was  served  by  James  Estep,  afterwards  D.D.,  who 
labored  with  this  congregation  in  word  and  doctrine. 
He  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Lester  Norton,  who 
served  in  the  pastorate  for  two  years. 

In  1832  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  church  was  as- 
sumed by  the  I\ev.  Bendui  Allen,  a  ]iopular  );irfaclier, 
mighty  in  the  Scri|)tures,  and  a  giant  in  debute. 
During  this  period  the  minutes  of  the  church  show 
that  there  was  rarely  a  meeting  held  in  which  there 
were  no  converts  seeking  admission  into  the  cliurch. 
It  numbered  at  that  time  one  hundred  and  fifty  mem- 
bers. In  1835  the  Rev.  J.  P.  Rockafeller  became 
pastor  and  continued  until  1837,  when  the  Rev.  Mil- 


By 


i  ton  Sutton  was  placed  in  charge,  and  served  the 
church  in  a  very  acceptable  manner  for  four  years. 

Between  the  years  1835  and  1840  the  teachings  of 
the  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell  (founder  of  the  sect 
known  as  Disciples)  greatly  afiiicted  this  church, 
almost  rending  it  asunder  by  disunion  and  strife, 
leaving  it  a  shattered  wreck  and  but  a  shadow  of 
what  it  had  formerly  been.     From  1840  for  ten  years 

I  the  pastors  of  the  church  were  the  Revs.  J.  W.  Tis- 

I  dale,  E.  D.  Brown,  and  John  Parker.  In  18.5,1  the 
Rev.  W.  W.  Hickman  was  installed  pastor,  and  con- 

'  tinned  in  that  capacity  for  two  years.  From  1854  to 
1864  the  church  was  served  by  supplies,  except  a  part 
of  the  time,  when  the  Rev.  John  Scott  was  pastor. 
From  1864  to  1875  the  pastors  were  the  Revs.  W.  W. 
Hickman,  N.  B.  Crutchfield,  David  Williams,  and  W. 
H.  Cooper.     In  1875  the  church  was  in  a  low  and  de- 

'  pressed  condition,  from  various  causes  which  contrib- 

I  uted  to  this  sad  result.  It  had  been  retrograding 
for  many  years,  and  some  had  almost  abandoned  the 
hope  of  seeing  better  days ;  others  continued  firm  in 
the  faith  that  the  God  of  their  fathers  would  yet  visit 
them  in  mercy.  But  the  year  1876  was  to  their 
sore  hearts  the  dawn  of  a  better  time.  God  heard 
their  cries,  and  guided  them  to  call  to  the  pastorate 
a  young  man  then  in  charge  of  the  Baptist  Church  in 

I  Irwin,  Westmoreland  Co.,  the  Rev.  R.  C.  Morgan. 
He  took  charge  of  the  church  in  April,  1876,  and  has 
continued  with  it  to  the  present  time,  and  the  six 
years  of  his  pastorate  have  been  wonderfully  blessed. 
The  present  number  of  members  of  this  church  is 
four  hundred  and  eighty. 

In  1877  the  old  church  building  of  this  congrega- 
tion was  demolished,  and  a  larger,  more  commodious, 
and  elegant  structure  reared  in  its  place.  The  church's 
property  is  free  from  debt,  and  its  finances  in  a  flour- 
ishing condition.  There  is  a  fine  Sunday-school  con- 
trolled by  the  church,  with  several  mission  schools  in 
fair  condition  located  in  the  outlying  suburbs  of  the 
town. 

The  board  of  deacons  is  composed  of  P.  McCor- 

mick,  W.  F.  Holsing,  Henry  Shafler,  W.  B.  Jlinor, 

J.  L.  Stentz,  R.  L.  Boyd,  J.  W.  Minor,  D.  Workman. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  Deacon  McCormick  has 

;  served  as  an  efficient  officer  of  the  church  since  the 

I  year  1831.  a  period  of  more  than  half  a  century. 

I  Among  the  devoted  and  honorable  women  who 
have  sustained  an  important  part  in  the  history  of 

'  the  church,  and  whose  names  should  be  handed  down 

I  to  future  generations,  are  Sisters  Snyder,  Wetherill, 
Higgins,  Dushane,  Buttermore,  Muuson,  McCormick, 
Robinson,  Minor,  McBeth,  Morgan,  Risinger,  Shaffer, 
White,  Barnes,  Percy,  and  Shaw. 

The  Newmeycrs  became  connected  with  the  church 
at  a  very  early  date,  and  are  still  represented  in  it  by 
their  descendants.  There  are  three  clergymen  who 
hold  their  membership  in  the  church  besides  the  pas- 

;  tor,  namely,  Rev.  W.  A.  Barnes,  Rev.  W.  H.  Cooper, 
and  Rev.  A.  Hutton. 


CONNKLLSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


METHODIST    EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 

Much  that  pertains  in  general  to  the  early  history 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Churches  of  this  section 
of  country,  including  that  at  Connellsville,  will  be 
found  in  the  history  of  the  church  of  this  denomi- 
nation at  Uniontown,  to  which  reference  may  be 
had.  When  Robert  Ay  res  and  John  Smith  were 
appointed  to  this  circuit  by  the  Conference  in 
1786,  there  is  little  doubt  that  Connellsville  was 
one  of  their  preaching-places.  In  1789  Ayres  be- 
came a  minister  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
of  Brownsville,  where  he  resided  many  years.  In 
1848  the  Rev.  P.  McGowan  collected  and  recorded  all 
the  information  that  could  be  found  in  reference  to 
the  history  of  this  church.     He  says  of  1789, — 

"  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  there  was  a  society 
at  Connellsville  at  this  time.  Anthony  Banning,  who 
resided  at  Connellsville,  was  received  on  trial  in  the 
traveling  connection  this  year,  but  located  in  1791, 
and  afterwards  resided  in  the  same  place."  Of  1792 
he  says,  "  It  is  believed  that  about  this  time  Connells- 
ville was  attached  to  the  Pittsburgh  Circuit."  In 
1802  Connellsville  was  in  the  Baltimore  Conference, 
Pittsburgh  District.  McGowan  says  of  1811,'  This 
year  the  circuit  is  named  Connellsville,  and  the  un- 
certainty under  which  we  have  labored,  ceases  as 
it  respects  the  circuit  with  which  this  appointment 
has  been  connected.  The  writer  is  not  at  present  able 
to  state  with  precision  the  date  of  the  erection  of  the 
stone  meeting-house  on  the  hill.  It  was  previous, 
however,  to  this  year." 

The  preachers  on  the  circuit  in  that  and  succeeding 
years  were : 

1811. — John  Meek,  Jacob  Gorwell. 
1812. — Simon  Lanch,  Louis  R.  Fechtige. 
1813.— Thornton  Fleming. 
1816.— John  Macklefresh. 
1817.— John  West. 

1818. — .lames  Reily,  Henry  Baker,  Peregrine  Buck- 
ingham. 
1819.— Samuel  P.  V.  Gillespie,  Bennet  Douler. 
1820.— John  West,  John  Connelly. 
1821.— John  West,  Norval  Wilson. 
1822. — Henry  Baker,  William  Barnes. 
1823. — Henry  Baker,  William  Morgan. 
1824. — James  Paynter,  John  Strickler. 
1825. — Robert  Boyd,  Thomas  Jamison. 
1826.— George  Waddle,  John  Connelly. 
1827.— David  Sharp,  John  Connelly. 
1828.— Charles  Thorn,  Jacob  K.  Miller. 
1829.— Charles  Thorn,  John  West. 
1830.— James  G.  Sansom,  John  Philips. 
1831. — James  G.  Sansom,  Moses  Tichinell,  William 
A.   Barton.    ("  Radical   Secession   at    Connells- 
ville" this  year.) 
1832.— John  White,  Wesley  Kenney. 
1833. — John  White,  Wesley  Kenney,  George  L.  Sis- 
son. 
1834.— David  Sharp,  Elias  W.  Worthington. 


1835. — David  Sharp,  Jeremiah  Knox. 
1836. — John  Spencer,  John  Murray. 
1837. — Samuel  Wakefield,  George  L.  Bisson. 
1838.— Samuel  Wakefield,  D.  L.  Dempsey. 
1839.— William  Tipton,  Hamilton  Cree. 


UiiioiUovm  District. 

1840.— William  Tipton,  Hamilton  Cree. 

1841.— Warner  Long,  Heaton  Hill. 

1842.— Warner  Long,  M.  A.  Ruter. 
\  1843. — John  L.  Irwin,  Jeremiah  Knox. 

1844.— John  L.  Irwin,  M.  P.  Jemison. 
I  1845.— John  B.  West,  M.  P.  Jemison. 
I  1846.— John  Coil,  Joseph  Ray. 

1847.— P.  M.  McGowan,  Joseph  Ray. 

1848.— P.  M.  McGowan,  George  B.  Hudson. 

1849. — James  G.  Sansom,  John  M.  Rankin. 

1850. — James  G.  Sansom,  J.  L.  Deans,  D.  B.  Camp- 
bell. 

1851. — Circuit  divided,  J.  J.  Covert  appointed  to 
Connellsville. 

1852. — Connellsville  made  a  station  and  thrown  into 
Uniontown  District,  J.  J.  Covert  appointed 
preacher;  number  of  members,  about  one  hundred 
and  forty. 

1853. — Connellsville  and  Jacob's  Creek  thrown  into 
one  charge.     P.  F.  Jones,  preacher. 

1854. — In  this  year  Jacob's  Creek  and  Dunbar  were 
taken  from  the  charge.  • 

1855.— Wm.  Stuart,  John  Wakefield.  Connellsville 
was  connected  with  the  Redstone  Circuit. 

1856.— J.  P.  Saddler,  J.  R.  Cooper. 

1857.— E.  B.  Griffin,  J.  Mclntire. 

1858.— Same. 

1859.— James  HoUingshead,  M.  McK.  Garrett. 

I860.— Samuel  Wakefield,  M.  !\lrK'.  (larrett. 

1861.— Samuel  Wakefirld,  \V.   K.  :MarshaIl. 

1862.— Connellsville  was  stri.-l;vii  ull  from  the  circuit, 
and  with  Springfield  made  a  separate  charge.  J. 
W.  Kessler  appointed  pastor. 

1863.— Connellsville  made  a  station.  J.  W.  Weaver, 
pastor. 

1864.— C.  W.  Smith,  pastor. 

1865-67.— J.  J.  Jones. 

1868-70.— C.  W.  Scott. 

1871.— S.  W.  Horner. 

1872-74.— T.  H.  Wilkinson. 

1875-77.— J.  T.  Jones. 

1878-80.— J.  A.  Danks. 

1881.— J.  HoUingshead.    On  Mr.  Hollingshead's  re- 
moval to  Providence,  R.  I.,  in  April,  1881,  the 
Rev.  M.  L.  Weekly  was  placed  in  charge,  and  is 
the  present  pastor  of  this  church. 
The  date  of  the  erection  of  the  old  st^ne  house  of 

worship  on  the  hill  has  not  been  ascertained,  beyond 

the  fact  that  it  was  [trior  to  the  year  1811.   It  has  been 

said  that  Zachariah  Connell,  the  founder  of  the  town, 

and   a   member  of  the    Methodist  Church,  donated 

the   lot  and   building   to    the  societv.      This   state- 


390 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ment  may  be  true,  but  it  is  not  fully  authenticated. 
The  old  edifice  was  used  for  many  years,  but  finally 
abandoned  as  a  place  of  worship,  and  was  sold  to 
John  Taylor,  who  sold  it  to  Gebhart,  Freeman  &  Co. 
It  was  afterwards  used  as  a  foundry  for  about  ten 
years.  In  1871  it  was  sold  to  the  Roman  Catholics, 
and  by  them  demolished  to  make  room  for  their  new 
limine  of  worship. 

In  1836  the  society  purchased  by  contract  for  one 
hundred  dollars  a  part  of  lot  Xu.  1:!2.  situated  on  Ap- 
ple Street  and  Meadow  Alley,  wliirh  property  was 
deeded  on  the  1st  of  Manli,  ls:;7,  l,y  William  David- 
son, to  till.'  trustees,  .lohn  Wilson,  Philip  Snyder, 
Jacob  Coiirail.  Levi  15.  Page,  and  Samuel  Marshall. 
Prior  to  the  cxcrution  of  the  deed,  however,  the  so- 
ciety had  erected  on  the  land  a  church  buiklini;, 
which  was  the  house  of  worship  until  Frliru;ir\-,  l.Ss2, 
when  it  was  demolished  to  make  room  for  the  erection 
of  a  new  edifice  commensurate  with  the  growing  re- 
quirements of  the  congregation. 

The  present  membership  of  the  church  is  about 
three  hundred.  There  is  in  connection  with  the 
church  a  Sabbath-school  of  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  scholars,  under  charge  of  twenty-fuur  teachers 
and  the  superintendence  of  Charles  Whitely. 

PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF  CONNELLSVILLE.i 

"The  first  notice  of  Counellsville  in  the  minutes 
of  Presbytery  is  the  record  of  the  presentation  of 
a  memorial  from  the  inhabitants  ot  Connellsville, 
praying  for  leave  tVom  Presbytery  to  obtain  occasional 
supplies.  This  was  hiid  on  the  table."  (Min.  Fres., 
vol.  iv.  p.  52.     .^altshiinj,  Ind.  Co.,  Oct.  5,  1830.) 

"  At  this  time  there  were  but  few  members  in 
Counellsville,  among  them  Alexander  Johnston  and 
family,  Wm.  Little  and  family,  and  Isaac  Taylor  and 
family.  These  were  members  at  Tyrone,  and  Mr. 
Johnston  was  an  elder.  The  next  mention  occurs  in 
the  minutes  of  the  meeting  of  Presbytery  at  Re- 
hoboth,  Oct.  4,  1831.  A  memorial  from  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Connellsville  was  then  presented  to  Pres- 
bytery, praying  to  be  organized  into  a  congregation, 
also  to  obtain  supplies,  which  was  granted.  The 
records  of  this  church,  which  are  preserved  from  the 
beginning,  state  that  application  was  made  by  the 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  residing  in 
Connellsville  and  vicinity  to  the  Presbytery  of  Red- 
stone, and  the  application  was  granted,  and  all  those 
persons  members  of  the  churches  at  Tyrone  and 
Laurel  Hill  residing  in  Connellsville  were  set  off 
and  authorized  to  organize  a  church  at  the  latter 
place.  This  seems  to  have  been  an  organization,  as 
no  further  reference  to  it  is  made,  and  the  church  of 
Connellsville  appears  in  the  spring  of  1832  in  a  sta- 
tistical report  of  Presbytery." 

The  names  of  the  original  members  of  this  church 
were  as  follows:  Alexander  Johnston  (elder),  Mar- 


Kcv.  J.  M.  Barnett. 


garet  Johnston,  Miss  N.  C.  Johnston,  William  Little 
and  Mary  Little,  Isaac  Taylor  and  Rachel  Taylor, 
Sarah  Turner,  Joseph  Rogers  and  Elizabeth  Rogers, 
Elizabeth  Carson,  Nancy  Norton,  Louisa  Norton, 
Margaret  Francis,  Harriet  Fuller,  Margaret  Little, 
Caroline  Trevor,  Mary  Barnet,  Samuel  Finley  and 
Mary  Finley,  Samuel  McCormiek  and  Elizabeth 
McCormick. 

Besides  these  there  were  four  communicants  set  off 
at  the  same  time  who  resided  at  Indian  Creek,  who 
continued  in  connection  till  1842  or  1843,  wlien  the 
church  at  Indian  Creek  was  crrganized. 

The  services  of  this  church  were  first  held  in  the 
Baptist  house  of  worship,  and  communions  in  the  old 
Methodist  Church  on  the  hill, — the  site  of  the  present 
Catholic  Church.  In  the  church  record  bearing  date 
Jan.  6,  1839,  occurs  this  passage:  "On  this  day  the 
church  erected  for  the  use  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Connellsville  was  opened  for  the  occupancy  of  the 
congregation.  The  occasion  was  marked  with  appro- 
priate religious  services." 

This  building  continued  in  use  till  March  29, 1863, 
when  it  was  destroyed  by  fire.  The  church  record  of 
that  date  says,  "  Our  church  was  destroyed  this  morn- 
ing by  tire."  The  walls  of  the  building  remained  stand- 
ing, and  the  cliureh  \v:ls  soon  rebuilt  as  at  present. 
In  the  summer  of  1S71  two  lots  were  donated  on 
Peach  Street  (one  by  John  Taylor,  the  other  by  J.  R. 
Johnston  and  T.  W.  Watt).  A  parsonage  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  ^:3116. 

The  first  riieiting  tor  the  election  of  elders  was  held 
in  the  llaptist  Church  Aug.  2,  1832,  at  which  time  and 
place  William  Lytic,  Isaac  Taylor,  Joseph  Paull,  Jo- 
seph Rogers,  and  Samuel  Russell  were  elected  to  that 
office.  On  the  7th  of  March,  1844,  Robert  Trevor, 
Noble  C.  Met'onniek,  and  Joseph  H.  Cunningham 
were  eleete^i  :  in  .Marel,.  is'.o,  Mr.  McCrea  and  John 
Taylor;  Sept.  1'7,  Is.M,  Samuel  A.  Russell  was  elected 
an  elder,  he  having  then  recently  been  received  from 
the  Laurel  Hill  Church.  On  the  26th  of  March,  1866, 
Robert  Beatty  was  elected  elder ;  James  Allen  was 
elected  Feb.  24,  1868  ;  John  R.  Johnston  and  James 
L.  Paull  were  elected  Jan.  19,  1873;  Henry  C.  Mc- 
Cormick and  A.  B.  Hosack,  in  February,  1874;  Wil- 
liam Barnett  and  Adam  Armstrong  elected  June  6, 
1875,  and  ordained  November  2Sth  same  year.  Charles 
N.  Boyd  and  Jacob  May  were  elected  Feb.  1,  1878; 
ordained  April  28th  same  year.  Mr.  Boyd  was  dis- 
missed to  Somerset  (where  he  is  now  ruling  elder)  May 
18,  1879.  James  Calhoun  and  Hugh  M.  Kerr  were 
elected  May  18, 1879,  and  ordained  December  7th  same 
year.  The  present  bench  of  elders  consists  of  James 
Allen,  H.  C.  McCormick,  William  Barnett,  A.  Arm- 
strong, Jacob  May,  James  Calhoun,  and  H.  M.  Kerr. 

On  the  28th  of  April,  1874,  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Dunbar  was  set  oflf  from  this  church  by 
the  Presbytery,  and  Joseph  Paull,  John  Taylor, 
James  L.  Paull,  and  Thomas  W.  Watt  were  trans- 
ferred as  ruling  elders. 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


Tlie  first  religious  services  regularly  held  by  Pres- 
byterians in  Connellsville  were  conducted  by  the  Rev. 
T.  M.  Chestnut,'  who  was  sent  here  by  the  Board  of 
Missions.     This  was  before  the  organization  of  the 
church  had  been  effected.     When  the  application  for 
organization  was  granted  by  the  Presbytery,  as  be- 
fiirc  mentioned,  the  Rev.  Robert  Johnston  and  the 
\lrv.  A.  O.  Patterson  were  appointed  as  supplies  to  j 
CoHiiellsville.     The  church  minutes  (Dec.  15,  1831)  [ 
state  that  the  Rev.  J.  L.  Hawkins,  of  the  Presbytery  , 
of  Washington,  having  been  invited  by  the  members  ] 
of  the  church,  entered  upon  this  field  of  labor  as  a  1 
missionary,  under  direction  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly's Board  of  Missions,  laboring  alternately  at  Con- 
nrllsville  and  Indian  Creek.     He  remained  in  this 
fioM  till  1837.     The  church  of  Connellsville  obtained 
Ituvc  to  present  a  call  for  him  before  the  Presbytery 
of  Washington.     On  the  20th  of  June,  1837,  he  was 
received  into  the  Presbytery  of  Red.stone  on  certifi-  I 
cate.     A  call  from  this  church  was  presented  to  him 
and  accepted.    He  was  installed  as  pastor.    The  Rev.  j 
X.  H.  Gillett  preached  the  sermon,  and  Rev.  Mr. 
Johnston  delivered  the  charge.     This  pastorate  con- 
tinued until  April,  1843,  when  it  was  closed  at  Mr.  | 
Hawkins'  request.     The  church  was   supplied  until 
April,  1845,  by  the  Revs.  James  Davis,  N.  H.  Gillett, 

■\V.  W.  McLane,  J.  B.  McKee,  A.  G.  Fairchild, [ 

Fimllcy, Eaton, Wilson, -Guthrie.    In 

LSI."!,  Mr.  R.  Stevenson  became  a  stated  supply  here. 
He  was  a  licentiate  under  the  care  of  an  Ohio  Pres- 
bytery, and  in  April,  1845,  he  was  called  by  the  con- 
gregation of  this  church  to  take  its  pastoral  charge. 
On  the  13th  of  June,  1845,  Presbytery  met  at  Con-  I 
nellsville,  on  which  occasion  Mr.  Stevenson  was  or- 
dained to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  was  installed 
as  pastor  of  this  church.  This  relation  continued 
until  October,  1852,  when,  after  a  period  of  seven 
years,  he  requested  and  was  granted  a  dismissal. 

In  the  spring  of  1853  the  Rev.  James  Black  ac- 
cepted a  call,  and  was  installed  as  pastor  in  April  of 
that  year.  He  remained  until  April,  1860,  when  he 
was  called  to  a  professorship  in  Washington  College, 
and  resigned  his  charge  in  Connellsville.  The  church 
was  then  variously  supplied  until  ^[arch  29,  1863, 
when  a  call  was  extendcil  to  yiv.  X.  II.  ( i.  Fife,  which 
he  accepted,  and  on  tlu'  '2'.nl\  oi  April,  INij:!.  was  or- 
dained and  installed.  He  requested  a  dismissal  Nov. 
29,  1867,  which  was  granted  him,  after  a  service  of 
four  and  a  half  years.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Fields  preached 
as  an  acceptable  supply  during  the  winter  of  1867-68, 
and  was  called  to  the  pastorate  Jan.  22,  1868,  and 
was  installed  on  the  second  Tuesday  of  February, 
the  Rev.  J.  M.  Barnett  presiding.  This  relation  was 
dissolved  June  1,  1869.  In  August  or  September  of 
that  year  a  call  was  extended  to  the  Rev.  J.  M.  Bar- 
nett, which  he  accepted  in  April,  1870,  and  was  in- 


had  perhaps  preached  a  few  times 


stalled  on  the  third  Monday  in  May  of  that  year,  the 
Rev.  N.  H.  G.  Fife  preaching  the  sermon,  the  Rev. 
W.  W.  Ralston  delivering  the  charge  to  the  pastor, 
and  the  Rev.  D.  W.  Townsend  the  charge  to  the 
people.  Mr.  Barnett  still  remains  as  pastor  of  the 
church. 

The  original  membership  of  this  church  (1831)  was 
twenty-two.  A  report  of  membership  in  1843  showed 
one  hundred  and  eleven  in  communion  (including 
members  at  Indian  Creek);  in  1853  the  membership 
was  one  hundred  and  nine,  in  1863  one  hundred  and 
thirty-one,  in  1873  two  hundred  and  thirty-seven, 
and  at  present  it  is  two  hundred  and  sixty-seven. 
Connected  with  this  church  is  a  Sabbath-school  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  scholars,  of  which  James  Cal- 
houn is  superintendent. 

METHODIST   PROTESTANT   CHURCH. 

According  to  the  best  information  that  can  be  ob- 
tained, this  church  was  organized  in  the  Baptist  house 
of  worship  in  Connellsville  in  November  or  Decem- 
ber, 1830,  by  the  Rev.  George  Brown;  John  Wesley 
Phillips  being  class-leader. 

Moses  Scott,  who  was  a  weaver  in  the  New  Haven 
factories,  and  a  local  preacher,  labored  long  at  this 
place  and  through  the  neighboring  section  of  country, 
and  succeeded  in  organizing  several  societies.  His 
labors  resulted  in  the  formation  of  the  Union  Circuit, 
which  was  connected  with  the  Ohio  Conference.  By 
that  Conference  Moses  Scott  was  ordained  deacon  in 
1831,  and  appointed  to  this  circuit,  which  at  that  time 
was  extensive,  containing  twelve  appointments.  In 
1832  he  was  appointed  elder  and  sent  to  Georgetown 
Circuit.  William  Marshall  became  an  assistant  to 
Scott,  and  left  this  circuit  in  1832. 

The  Methodist  Protestant  church  edifice  on  Apple 
Street  in  Connellsville  was  erected  in  1832,  largely 
through  the  earnest  and  indefatigable  labors  of  J.  W. 
Phillips.  The  preachers  here  at  that  time  were  Wil- 
liam College  and  James  Porter.  The  first  sermon 
preached  in  the  church  building  was  by  John  B. 
Lucas,  from  the  text,  "How  shall  we  escape  if  we 
neglect  so  great  salvation?" 

In  1833  the  trustees  of  the  church  were  Asher 
Smith,  John  W.  Phillips,  Isaac  W.  Francis,  Thomas 
Kirkpatrick,  Samuel  Freeman,  John  Stillwagon,  and 

j  John  Semple. 

The  following-named  preachers  have  labored  on 
this  circuit  during  the  past  fifty  years : 
1831.— Moses  Scott,  William  H.  Marshall. 

I  1832. — William  College,  James  Porter. 
1833._William  College,  Thomas  Stynchcomb. 

[  1834.— Daniel  Gibbons,  F.  McWilliams. 

I  1835. — John  Huntsman, Miller. 

I  1836.— John  Huntsman,  Moses  N.  Warren. 
1837.— Cornelius  Woodruff,  Fielding  A.  Davis. 
1838.— James  M.  Piper,  Gabriel  Lanham. 

j  1839. — James  Robinson,  John  B.  Shearer. 
1840.— James  Robinson,  F.  A.  Davis. 


392 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1841. — James  Robinson,  Joseph  Burns. 

1842. — James  Hopwood,  Joseph  Burns. 

1843. — James  Hopwood,  John  Scott. 

1844.— Peter  T.  Laishley. 

1845. — James  Robinson.   Connellsville  Circuit  set  off. 

1846.— Henry  Palmer,  Thomas  G.  I.  Sherwood. 

1847.— Henry  Palmer. 

1848. — George  Brown.     Connellsville  made  a  station. 

1849.— George  Brown.     Made  again  a  part  of  Union 

Circuit. 
1850. — James  Hopwood. 
1851.— William  M.  Betts. 
1852.— William  M.  Betts. 
1853-54.— Unsupplied. 
1855.— D.  D.  Hughes. 
18.56.— J.  E.  Tygard. 
1857.— J.  M.  Mason. 
1858.— Henry  Lucas,  I.  W.  Francis. 
1859.— Henry  Lucas. 
I860.— William  Wragg.  A.  Hutton. 
1861.— James  B.  Lucas,  A.  Hutton. 
1862.— James  B.  Lucas. 
1863-64.— Henry  Palmer. 
1865-66.— Henry  Lucas. 
1867. — Zachariah  Ragan. 
1868.- PeterT.  Conway. 
1869.— C.  P.  Jordan.   Connellsville  again  made  a  sta- 


1870.— William  Reeves. 
1871-73.— William  Collier. 
1874-76. — John  Gregory. 
1877-81.— A.  D.  Brown" 

The  church  has  at  present 
hundred  and  eighty 


ibership  of  one 


DISCIPLES'  CHUKCn, 


This  church  was  organized  in  Connellsville  about 
the  year  1830,  under  the  leadership  of  Lester  L. 
Xortoii,  Abraiji  Slirll,,nl.ei-er,  Joseph  Herbert,  and 
others,  its  niiilni-  li.iiii;  liirmed  by  a  few  persons 
]irevi(jusly  Baptists,  l>ul  who  had  become  dissenters 
from  the  doctrines  of  that  church  and  adopted  the 
views  and  teachings  of  Alexander  Campbell,  who 
often  preached  in  Connellsville.  Services  were  first 
lield  in  private  houses,  with  preaching  by  James  Dor- 

sey,  J.  B.  Pratt, Young,  and  others.     A  stone 

church  building  was  erected  about  1840,  on  a  lot  on 
South  Alley  donated  by  Joseph  Herbert.  It  was  sold 
to  the  Lutherans  in  1874,  and  the  present  church  edi- 
fice of  the  Disciples  was  built  on  Pittsburgh  (or 
Church)  Street,  at  a  cost  of  S10,000.  The  dedication 
sermon  was  preached  by  Prof.  Charles  L.  Luce,  of 
P)ethany  College.  The  church  was  for  several  years 
under  the  care  of  Elders  Norton,  Shellenberger,  and 
Davidson. 

Among  the  preachers  who  have  ministered  for 
the  church  have  been  Alexander  Campbell,  G.  D. 
Benedict,  and  others.  The  present  minister  is  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Hvatt.     The  ehureli  now  has  fiftv  members. 


and  connected  with  it  is  a  Sabbath-school  of  sixty-five 
scholars,  under  the  superintendency  of  JI.  L.  Baer. 

LUTHERAN   CHURCIJ. 

The  organization  of  this  church  was  effected  in 
1874,  by  John  Hertzel,  John  Wilhelm,  Jacob  Siller, 
Jacob  Wenzler,  and  Christian  Snyder.  For  a  time 
their  services  were  held  in  Odd-Fellows'  Hall,  after 
which  the  society  purchased  the  building  of  the 
Church  of  the  Disciples,  on  South  Alley,  which  has 
since  been  its  place  of  worship.  This  church,  being 
under  the  same  charge  as  the  church  in  West  New- 
ton, was  first  served  by  the  Rev.  H.  J.  H.  Lempeke, 
who  remained  its  minister  until  the  summer  of  1876, 
and  was  then  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  P.  Doerr,  the 
present  pastor.  The  church  is  composed  of  Germans 
unci  English.  Preaching  in  the  German  language  is 
had  in  the  morning  services  of  alternate  Sabbaths. 
Tlie  membership  is  now  one  hundred  and  fifty.  A 
Sabbath-school  of  fifty  scholars  is  under  charge  of 
Jacob  Wenzler,  superintendent. 

UNITED    PRESBVTERI.\N   CHURCH. 

On  the  30th  of  October,  1876,  the  Rev.  T.  P.  Pat- 
terson, of  Laurel  Hill,  Rev.  A.  E.  Linn,  of  Freeport, 
and  Elders  \Vyiiur,  ,<(  AVest  Newton,  and  Walter  T. 
Brown,  of  Scottdale,  organized  the  L^nited  Presbyte- 
rian Church  in  Connellsville,  with  eight  constituent 
members.  Services  were  first  held  in  Armory  Hall, 
( )dd-Fellows'  Building.  In  the  fall  of  1876  two  lots 
of  ground  on  Pittsburgh  Street  were  purchased  of 
Mrs.  Dr.  Joseph  Rogers  and  Mrs.  Henry  Blackstone 
for  one  thousand  dollars,  and  on  these  a  church 
edifice  of  brick  has  been  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  five 
thousand  dollars. 

In  the  spring  of  1877  the  Rev.  A.  R.  Rankin  be- 
came ]iastipr,  and  remained  until  April,  1878,  since 
wliieh  time  the  church  has  been  without  a  pastor.  It 
i,.  now  ministereil  to  by  the  Rev.  J.  A.  Brandon  as 
stated  supply.  The  present  number  of  members  is 
thirty-five.'   " 

IMMACULATE   COKCEPTION   CHURCH  (KOJIA.N    CATHOLIC). 

The  Catholic  Church  in  Connellsville  numbered  in 
1871  one  hundred  coiumunicants,  under  the  Rev. 
Robert  Waters,  who  is  still  the  pastor.  In  that  year 
the  Catholics  purchased  the  old  Methodist  meeting- 
house I  which  had  been  for  some  years  used  as  a 
foundry  I,  demolished  it,  and  built  on  its  foundation 
a  new  ihtireh.  which  was  consecrated  by  Bishop 
Dominick  in  July,  1873.  The  church  has  now  about 
eight  hundred  communicants. 

BURIAL-GROUNDS. 
The  first  written  mention  of  a  cemetery  ground  in 
Connellsville  (except  that  embodied  in  the  charter 
when  Zachariah  Connell  donated  one  acre  of  land  for 
a  public  graveyard)  is  found  in  the  minutes  of  the 
Town  Council,  where  it  is  recorded  that  on  the  17th 
(.f  April,  1812,  it  was  by  that  body  "Resolved,  That 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOKOUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


393 


the  Grave-Yard  be  run  out,  and  sufficiently  niark'd 
out ;"  and  on  the  10th  of  July  following,  the  Council 
I  made  settlement  with  James  Shaw,  and  issued  an 
order  on  the  treasurer  in  his  favor  for  $72  "  for 
fencing  the  Grave- Yard,"  which  shows  that  the  work 
had  been  done  before  that  time.  Interments  had 
been  made  there,  however,  several  years  before ;  and 
it  is  recollected  by  Provance  McCormick,  Esq.,  that 
as  early  as  1806  the  old  ground  contained  quite 
:i  number  of  graves,  some  having  headstones,  and 
others  unmarked  save  by  the  mounds. 

May  29,  1817,  the  Council  "  Resolved  to  appoint  a 
sexton  (there  having  been  none  previously  appointed) 
for  this  borough,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  take  charge 
of  the  graveyard,  keep  it  in  good  order,  and  keep  the 
gate  locked,  and  in  case  of  deceases  to  dig  graves  and 
inter  all  dead  bodies,  except  those  who  have  been 
hanged  or  have  committed  suicide;  such  are  not  to 
be  buried  in  the  graveyard."  .  .  .  And  Peter  Still- 
wagon,  Sr.,  was  appointed  sexton. 

The  location  of  the  old  graveyard  is  between 
Church  Street  and  Mountain  Alley,  and  adjoining  the 
south  side  of  the  public  school  grounds.  Within  it 
are  interred  the  remains  of  members  of  most  of  the 
old  Connellsville  families,  but  it  is  now  neglected  and 
overgrown  with  brushwood,  and  seldom  used  for 
burials. 

The  Old  Quaker  graveyard,  embracing  about  one- 
fourth  of  an  acre  of  ground,  substantially  inclosed  by 
a  stone  wall,  is  located  on  the  high  bank  of  the  river, 
in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  borough.  It  was  do- 
nated by  the  Gibson  family,  Quakers,  for  the  use  of 
that  sect.  Burials  were  commenced  in  it  before  the 
year  1800,  and  nearly  as  early  as  those  in  the  ground 
donated  by  Mr.  Connell.  Members  of  the  Gibson, 
i;"i;ers,  and  other  early  Quaker  families  have  been 
interred  within  its  inclosure.  The  last  burial  in  this 
ground  was  Joseph  Paull,  son  of  Col.  James  Paull. 

The  Connellsville  Hill  Grove  Cemetery  was  char- 
tered Deo.  8,  1868,  the  charter  members  being  John 
K.  Brown,  John  Johnston,  William  Cooley,  William 
C.  Johnston,  Stephen  Robbins,  John  Taylor,  Thomas 
R.  Davidson,  James  C.  Cummings,  Joseph  Johnston, 
and  Thomas  W.  Watt.  The  following  were  elected 
<ifficers  of  the  association  :  John  K.  Brown,  president ; 
John  Taylor,  treasurer ;  John  Johnston,  secretary. 
The  cemetery  grounds,  comprising  seventeen  acres, 
were  purchased  of  John  Taylor,  at  $150  per  acre. 
The  location  is  outside  the  borough  limits,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Springfield  road  leading  from  Con- 
nellsville. The  ground  was  inclosed  and  laid  out  in 
the  summer  of  1869.  It  has  since  been  beautified  and 
embellished,  and  many  handsome  monuments  have 
been  erected  in  it. 

The  present  (1881)  managers  of  the  cemetery  are 
Stephen  Robbins,  president ;  John  K.  Brown,  treas- 
urer; Joseph  Johnston,  secretary  ;  William  C.  John- 
ston, P.  S.  Newmyer,  Thomas  W.  Watt. 


The  Chestnut  Hill  Cemetery  Association  was  formed 
in  1868.  On  the  9th  of  October  in  that  year  a  number 
of  persons,  subscribers  to  the  project,  met  at  Odd-Fel- 
lows' Hall,  when  the  sum  of  $1225  was  reported  as 
having  been  subscribed,  and  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  examine  lands  for  the  cemetery.  Two 
weeks  later  this  committee  reported,  recommending  a 
lot  of  fourteen  acres  lying  beyond  Rogers'  Run,  be- 
longing to  Mr.  S.  Freeman,  which  could  be  had  at 
$100  per  acre.  This  they  were  directed  to  purchase. 
Organization  was  effected  Oct.  30, 1868,  by  the  elec- 
tion of  Alfred  Witter,  president;  J.  T.  McCormick, 
secretary ;  Aaron  Bishop,  treasurer ;  and  a  board  of 
directora  con.sisting  of  A.  Witter,  L.  Lindley,  J.  Wil- 
helm,  H.  L.  Shepherd,  Thomas  M.  Fee,  J.  D.  Still- 
wagon,  and  Peter  Demult.  At  the  same  time  the 
name  of  "  The  Connellsville  Cemetery  Company"  was 
adopted,  but  a  few  weeks  later  it  was  changed  to  "  The 
Chestnut  Hill  Cemetery."  The  association  was  char- 
tered by  the  court  March  1, 1869.  From  the  land  pur- 
chased by  the  association  a  lot  of  two  and  a  half  acres 
has  since  been  sold  to  the  Catholics  for  a  cemetery,  and 
,  alargerlottoMr.  John  T.Hogg.  The  grounds  devoted 
to  the  purposes  of  the  cemetery  have  been  handsomely 
laid  out  and  beautified  in  the  modern  style,  and  con- 
tain many  beautiful  and  costly  memorial  stones.  The 
present  officers  (1881)  of  the  Chestnut  Hill  Cemetery 
are  J.  D.  Stillwagon,  president;  Aaron  Bishop,  treas- 
j  urer;  J.T.Greenland,  secretary;  J.  D.  Stillwagon, 
I  J.  T.  McCormick,  Aaron  Bishop,  J.  T.  Greenland, 
Henry  Shaw,  J.  R.  Balsley,  A.  B.  Moiton,  directors. 

R.^ILROADS. 

The   Pittsburgh   and   Connellsville    Railroad   was 

chartered  in  1837,  but  so  many  delays  and  obstacles 

were  encountered  by  the  company  in  its  construction 

I  that  it  was  not  until  the  year  1855  that  the  line  was 
opened  for  travel  from  West  Newton  to  Connellsville. 

I  The  Fayette  County  Railroad,  connecting  with  the 

'  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville,  and  extending  from 
this  borough  to  Uniontown,  was  opened  for  travel  be- 
tween these  two  points  Jan.  1,  1860.  The  latter  road 
was  afterwards  leased  to  the  Pittsburgh  and  Connells- 
ville Company,  and  by  them  to  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio,  as  is  more  fully  mentioned  in  the  general  his- 
tory of  the  county. 

The  borough  of  Connellsville  voted  the  sum  of 
$100,000  in  aid  of  the  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville 
Road,  and  bonds  to  that  amount  were  accordingly 
issued  and  delivered.  Afterwards  tlie  railroail  com- 
pany made  a  proposition  that  the  lioron-h  should 
pay  $15,000  in  lieu  of  the  bonds  (whhdi  had  been  hy- 
pothecated for  that  amount),  and  receive  back  the  eu- 

I  tire  issue  for  cancellation.  Upon  this  proposition  a 
number  of  the  wealthy  citizens  of  Connellsville  fur- 
nished the  money,  which  was  paid  to  the  corporation, 
and  the  bonds  were  thereupon  returned  and  cancelled, 
the  citizens  who  had  furnished  the  money  being  in 
due  time  reimbursed  by  the  borough. 


394 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENxNSYLVANIA. 


On  the  14th  of  July,  1857,  permission  was  granted 
b_v  the  borough  to  the  railroad  company  to  occupy 
twelve  and  one-half  feet  in  width  of  Water  Street 
next  the  river,  and  "  to  occupy  so  much  of  the  Pub- 
lic Ground  between  said  Water  Street  and  the  river 
as  may  be  necessary  for  the  laying  of  additional 
tracks,  and  for  their  convenience  in  the  general  con- 
duct of  their  business  as  a  railroad  company."  The 
railroad  southeast  of  Connellsville  was  opened  through 
to  Cumberland  in  1871.  The  Pittsburgh  and  Con- 
nellsville and  Fayette  County  Eailroads  were  leased 
in  December,  187o,  to  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Com- 
pany, by  whom  they  are  now  run  and  operated.  The 
Connellsville  dejiot  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  line  is 
on  the  river  front,  nearly  opposite  the  toot  of  North 
AUev. 


Connellsville  is  the  headquarters  of  repairs  for  the 
Pittsburgh  Division  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Rail- 
road, and  all  supplies  for  that  division  are  kept  at  this 
point.  The  repair-  and  car-shops  (located  just  north 
of  the  passenger  depot)  were  built  and  put  in  opera- 
tion by  the  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville  Company 
before  the  lease  of  that  road  to  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio,  and  these  have  been  continued  by  the  latter 
company  since  the  leasing.  Passenger-  and  freight- 
cars  are  built  here,  and  locomotives  are  repaired  and 
rebuilt.  Engine  No.  1  of  the  Pittsburgh  and  Con- 
nellsville Road  is  still  in  service  on  the  Pittsburgh 
Division,  being  now  numbered  702  of  the  Baltimore 
aud  Ohio.  The  passenger-car  shop  is  75  by  120  feet 
in  dimensions,  admitting  the  building  of  two  cars  at 
the  same  time.  The  round-house  has  a  capacity  for 
twenty-four  bjcomotives. 

About  onc-fiiurth  of  a  mile  lower  down  the  river 
and  track  is  the  treight-car  shop,  located  on  ground 
donated  for  the  purpose  by  the  Connellsville  Mutual 
Building  and  Loan  Association.  The  main  sliop  is 
about  50  by  250  feet  in  size,  with  a  wing  50  by  125  feet. 
In  this  establishment  there  is  in  operatii.n  a  machine 
for  boring  joint-blocks,  wliicli  was  invented  here,  and 
is  the  only  one  of  the  kind  in  use  in  any  i.f  the  rail- 
road shops  of  the  country.  In  the  yard  at  this  |.lace 
the  company  has  appliances  for  nianufaeturing  all  the 
coke  required  in  its  operations  on  the  Pittsburgh  Di- 
vision of  the  road.  The  number  of  men  employed 
here  is  something  more  than  three  hundred. 

The  general  office  of  the  division  superintendent 
is  at  McC(jy's  Run,  on  Water  Street.  The  offices  of 
the  nnichinery  department  and  shops  are  located 
west  of  the  depot.  The  officers  in  charge  are  Thomas 
M.  King,  general  superintendent  of  the  division  ;  J. 
E.  Sampsel,  master  of  machinery;  G.  M.  Serpell, 
master  of  roads. 

The  general  freight  agent  at  Connellsville  is  T. 
D.  Turner.  The  amount  of  freight  on  shipments  of 
all  kinds  over  this  road,  and  billed  at  Connellsville  in 


each  business  day  in  the  month  of  May,  1881,  is  as 
follows:  S3815.83,  $4676.23,  $4572.71,  $4811.02, 
$2715.51,  $4330.51,  $4897.87,  $2648.46,  $3329.95, 
$4462.43,  $2609.94,  $2869.03,  $2842.09,  $2329.03, 
$3372.10,  $2402.85,  $1935.48,  $4529.42,  $3699.56, 
$3773.70,  .$4774.54,  $2673.12,  $4430.79,  $4824.00, 
$4162.7:^,  S27GG.S2;  total  for  the  month,  $94,566.72. 

This  amount  includes  freight  on  coke  shipped  on 
the  Fayette  County  branch  between  Uniontown  and 
Connellsville,  and  shipments  of  coal  from  the  gas-coal 
region.  The  freights  in  the  month  of  June,  1881,  were 
less  than  one-half  those  of  the  preceding  month,  ag- 
gregating $42,963.09.  The  express  business  of  that 
month  at  the  Counellsville  office  amounted  to  $1000. 

The  passenger  agent  at  Connellsville  is  John  A. 
Armstrong.  The  monthly  receipts  from  passenger 
traffic  at  this  station,  from  August,  1880,  to  June, 
1881,  inclusive,  were  as  follows  : 

Aug.,  18S0  .  .  .  $2505.17  j  Feb.,  1881  .  .  .  $1771.65 
Sept.,  "  ...  3237.24  March,  "  ...  2648.33 
Oct.,  "...  2854.33  April,  "  ...  2426.93 
Nov.,  "...  2187.61  May,  "  ...  2901.35 
Dec,  "...  2880.92  June,  "  ...  2727.21 
Jan.,   1881    .  .  .     1953.15 

SOUTHWEST   PENNSTLV.iNI.\    RAILROAD. 

This  road  was  opened  for  travel  through  Connells- 
ville and  as  far  south  as  Mount  Braddock  in  1875,  and 
wascompleted  to  Uniontown  late  in  the  fall  of  the  next 
year.  It  is  operated  by  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
Company,  and  is  more  profitable  than  any  other 
division  of  equal  length  of  that  company's  lines. 
The  following  amounts  were  received  at  Connells- 
ville from  passenger  traffic  on  this  road  during  the 
first  half  of  the  year  1881,  viz. : 

January $10.53.15  |  April $1393.52 

February  ....     1125.81    May 1317.45 

March 1251.66    June 1849.17 

Total  for  six  months,  $7990.76. 

In  the  same  month  the  freights  at  this  station  were 
in  amount  as  follows  : 

.January i?9.30.07  I  April .$2417.81 

February 1108.30     May 1791.68 

March 2166.18    June 2831.89 

Total  for  six  months,  $11,245.99. 

Below  is  given  the  number  of  pounds  of  coke 
shipped  on  this  road  and  manifested  at  Connellsville 
(being  the  coke  from  Pennsville  and  Davidson's,  the 
last  including  Moyer's)  during  the  two  months  ending 
July  2,  1881: 
From  May  2d  to  7th  : 

Davids.in 6,1.")3,200  lbs. 

Pennsville .534,200    " 


Total  . 

May  9th  to  IGtli 

Davidson  . 

Pennsville 


6,687,400  lbs 


6,577,100  lbs. 
869,200    " 


Total 


CONNELLSVILLE    BOROUGH    AND   TOWNSFIIF. 


395 


May  16th  to  21st : 

Davidson 5,568,000  lbs. 

Pennsville 1,130,400    " 

Total 6,69.S;4()0  lbs. 

May  21st  to  28th  : 

Davidson 5,991,500  lbs. 

Pennsville 924,900    " 

Total 6,926,400  lbs. 

May  28th  to  June  4th  : 

Davidson 6,045,300  lbs. 

Pennsville 854,500    " 

Total 6,899,800  lbs. 

June  4th  to  June  11th: 

Davidson 4,761,800  lbs. 

Pennsville 299,000    " 

Total 5,060,800  lbs. 

June  11th  to  LSth  : 

Davidson 5,183,400  lbs. 

Pennsville 245,500    " 

Total 5,428,900  lbs. 

June  18th  to  25th  : 

Davidson 5,799,100  lbs. 

PennsviUe 26,600    " 

Total 6,825,700  lbs. 

June  25th  to  July  2d: 

Davidson 6,130,600  llis. 

Pennsville 212,400    " 

Total 6,343,000  lbs. 

Showing  an  aggregate  of  fifty-seven  million  three 
hundred  and  sixteen  thousand  seven  hundred  pounds 
of  coke  manifested  at  Connellsville  in  two  months 
for  shipment  over  one  of  its  two  railroads,  and  rep- 
resenting the  shipments  of  that  product  from  only 
two  out  of  the  thirty -six  stations  from  which  coke  is 
shipped  on  the  Southwest  line  between  Fairchance 
and  Greensburg.  From  these  figures  and  facts  some 
idea  may  be  had  of  the  magnitude  of  the  coke  pro- 
duction and  trafiic  in  the  region  of  which  Connells- 
ville is  the  most  important  centre. 

MANUFACTORIES. 
THE   CONNELLSVILLE   M.^CIIINE-  AND   CAR-WORKS. 

On  the  9th  of  September,  1865,  James  MoGrath, 
then  foreman  of  the  smith-shops  of  the  Pittsburgh 
and  Connellsville  Eailroad  at  Connellsville,  leased 
from  Robert  W.  Francis  for  the  term  of  ten  years  a 
piece  of  ground  fifty-five  by  ninety  feet,  located  on 
North  Alley,  near  Water  Street,  for  the  purpose  of 
erecting  thereon  a  machine-  and  smith-shop.  On 
the  16th  of  the  same  month  he  entered  into  partner- 
ship with  Bernard  Winslow,  and  they  erected  a  wooden 
building  thirty  by  fifty  feet,  and  with  three  smith- 
fires  and  one  old  lathe,  commenced  business  under 
the  name  of  McGrath  &  Winslow.     Their  manufac- 


tures consisted  mainly  of  railroad  frogs  and  switches 
and  oil  tools.  On  the  27th  of  February,  1866,  Wins- 
low sold  out  to  George  B.  and  J.  T.  McCormick,  and 
the  firm-name  changed  to  McGrath,  McCormick  & 
Co.  On  September  1st  same  year  William  B.  Stout 
and  James  B.  Caven  were  taken  into  the  partnership, 
the  firm-name  remaining  unchanged. 

The  company  now  added  some  new  machinery, 
and  began  to  extend  their  business.  Machine-shops 
of  this  kind  were  until  then  unknown  in  this  region, 
and  people  were  slow  to  believe  that  machine-work 
and  heavy  and  diflicult  forgings  could  be  done  at 
Connellsville,  but  the  senior  partner,  Mr.  McGrath, 
having  served  his  apprenticeship  at  the  extensive 
works  of  Charles  C.  Delaney,  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  and 
worked  in  some  of  the  principal  work-shops  of  the 
country,  soon  gave  evidence  that  intricate  as  well  as 
heavy  work  could  be  done  here  as  well  as  in  the  cities, 
and  soon  the  company  had  more  orders  than  their 
little  shop  could  accommodate.  About  this  time  the 
coke  trade  began  to  assume  large  proportions,  and  on 
account  of  the  scarcity  of  railroad  cars  several  opera- 
tors began  to  provide  their  own.  As  these  cars,  owing 
to  the  bad  condition  of  the  new  road,  were  being  con- 
tinually wrecked  and  broken,  it  became  necessary  for 
somebody  to  repair  them,  and  the  firm  of  McGrath, 
I  McCormick  &  Co.  undertook  the  business.  Having 
no  suitable  place  to  erect  shops,  they  obtained  privi- 
lege from  the  railroad  company  to  lay  a  track  along 
the  bank  of  the  river,  immediately  south  of  the  present 
depot,  and  there,  in  the  open  air,  for  two  years  they 
did  all  the  car  repairing  for  the  local  coal  companies, 
their  carpenter-shop  consisting  of  one  end  of  the 
body  of  an  old  passenger-car,  the  other  end  being  oc- 
cupied by  tlie  railroad  company  as  a  car  inspector's 
office  and  pattern-shop. 

On  the  13tli  of  March,  1S69,  the  company  succeeded 
in  leasing  from  P.  McCormick  the  lot  adjoining  their 
smith-shop,  and  immediately  erected  thereon  a  small 
!  car-shop  twenty-five  by  eighty  feet,  and  began  the 
erection  of  coke-cars,  mine-wagons,  and  all  the  vari- 
ous tools  used  in  the  making  of  coke. 

On  the  1st  of  May  following  the  remaining  part- 
ners purchased  the  interest  of  George  B.  McCormick, 
and  changed  the  name  of  the  company  to  "The  Con- 
nellsville Machine  and  Car  Company."  Business  now 
]  increased  rapidly,  and  it  soon  became  necessary  to 
]  seek  a  better  location  and  to  erect  works  of  much 
j  larger  capacity.  Accordingly,  on  the  26th  of  March, 
1872,  the  company  purchased  from  the  "Connellsville 
Mutual  Building  and  Loan  Association"  a  tract  of 
land  lying  on  the  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville  Kail- 
road  at  the  mouth  of  Mounts'  Creek,  about  one-quarter 
of  a  mile  north  of  their  former  location.  Here,  in 
the  year  1872,  they  erected  a  car-shop  thirty  by  one 
hundred  and  twenty  feet,  and  on  May  21,  1873,  they 
purchased  additional  ground  adjoining,  and  erected  a 
machine-  and  forging-shop  and  foundry  of  the  same 
dimensions  as  the  car-shop.      Later  other  bind  was 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


purchased,  and  the  works  extended  and  enlarged  to 
their  present  dimensions. 

On  the  1st  of  October,  187:?,  the  old  shops  were 
abandoned,  and  the  machinery  removed  to  the  new. 
At  the  expiration  of  the  ground  lease  in  1875  the  old 
car-shop  was  removed  to  the  adjoining  lot,  which  had 
then  come  into  the  possession  of  the  company,  and 
remodeled  into  a  hardware-store  and  office. 

The  larger  shops  required  many  new  tools,  and 
lathes,  planes,  boring-mills,  punches,  drill-presses, 
steam-hammers,  etc.,  were  gradually  added,  until  the 
works  are  now  as  well  equipped  as  any  in  the  country, 
and  give  employment  to  from  forty  to  fifty  hands, 
the  products  consisting  of  cars  and  railroad  supplies, 
and  all  the  various  wants  of  coal,  coke,  and  fire-brick 
works,  mills,  furnace-,  etc.  The  [lartuers  are  all,  in 
some  capacity,  directly  interested  in  the  running  of 
the  works,  and  by  careful  attention  to  business  have 
secured  the  confidence  and  patronage  of  the  coal  and 
iron  operators  of  the  entire  Connellsville  coke  region. 

FODNDRT,   MACHINE,  .\XD  FOKGE-WORKS  "OF   BOYTS, 
PORTEK    A-    CO. 

This,  the  first  foundry  establishment  in  Connells- 
ville, was  commenced  in  1829  by  Robert  W.  Francis 
and  J.  J.  Anderson,  the  former  of  whom  continued 
in  the  business  for  almost  half  a  century.  Francis  & 
Anderson  continued  as  a  firm  until  1834,  when  James 
and  Isaac  Francis  bought  Anderson's  interest,  and 
the  business  was  carried  on  without  material  change 
until  1860,  when  a  three- fnuit lis  interest  was  sold  to 
Staufter  &  Co.  In  ImIs,  I'mt,  r  I'.io-.  [imvlKi^r.l  a,, 
interest,  and  the  firm  luiiiiiie  StaultV'r.  I'ortiT  .V  Co., 
and  so  continued  till  1876,  when  Mr.  Stautier  died, 
and  his  interest  was  purchased  by  B.  F.  Boyts,  and 
the  business  was  conducted  under  the  firm-name  of 
Tennant,  Porter,  I'.oyts  ,V  t'o.  until  .Iiiii.'  s,  isys,  when 
E.  W.  Fi-anris.  thr  original  owner,  .lied,  and  l.i>  in- 
terest was  purclui.sed  by  ,J.  il.  Du-sliane,  and  Tennant 
also  sold  his  interest  to  J.  M.  Reid,  and  the  firm 
became,  as  at  present,  Boyts,  Porter  &  Co. 

On  the  28th  of  January,  1877,  the  works  were 
destroyed  by  fire.  A  temporary  ImildinLi  was  at  oiue 
erected,  and  by  the  l:2tli  of  February  following  the 
firm  was  prepared  to  fill  all  orders  for  castings  and 
machine  and  forge-work.  New  permanent  buildings 
were  commenced  in  May  of  the  same  year. 

It  is  believed  that  Boyts,  Porter  &  Co.  make  a 
greater  variety  of  castings  than  any  other  firm  in  the 
State,  and  the  machine-shop  and  forge  department 
are  completely  equipped  to  do  machine,  forge,  and 
sheet-inm  work  of  every  de.scription.  In  the  present 
year  (1881 )  the  manufacture  of  steam-pumps  has  been 
added,  and  the  firm  has  also  given  special  attention 
to  the  manufacture  of  ore-crushers  for  silver-mines 
in  Montana,  for  which  large  orders  have  been  filled. 

.\MERIC.\N'   STEEL-\V0HK.S. 

These  works  were  put  in  operation  about  lS(i6  Ijy 
J.  M.  Bailey,  Meskimmens,  and  others,  of  Pittsburgh. 


The  company  purchased  land  of  D.  R.  Davidson,  ad- 
joining the  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville  Gas-Coal  and 
Coke  Company,  and  erected  thereon  a  frame  building 
about  two  hundred  by  seventy-five  feet  on  the  ground, 
and  one  story  (about  thirty  feet)  high.  The  opera- 
tions of  the  company  were  not  successftil,  and  the 
business  had  continued  less  than  a  year  when  it  was 
abandoned.  The  place  and  the  ruins  of  the  building 
are  still  known  as  the  "  steel-works,"  but  these  and 
the  name  are  all  that  remain  of  an  enterprise  which 
was  commenced  with  high  hopes  of  success  and  the 
promise  of  permanent  advantage  to  the  growth  and 
prosperity  of  the  borough  of  Connellsville. 

CONNELLSVILLE   GAS-WORKS. 

The  Connellsville  and  New  Haven  Gas  and  Water 
Company  was  incorporated  March  7,  1871.  The  cor- 
jnirators  were  Joseph  Johnston,  Christopher  S.  Sher- 
rick,  Edward  Dean,  David  Welsh,  and  Dr.  Ellis 
Phillips.  On  the  23d  of  September,  1871,  the  stock- 
holders met  and  elected  the  following-named  direc- 
tors :  Joseph  Johnston,  Edward  Dean,  Ellis  Phillips, 
David  Welsh,  John  D.  Frisbee,  J.  T.  McCorniick. 
The  board  elected  Joseph  Johnston,  president;  John 
D.  Frisbee,  treasurer;  J.  T.  McCormick,  secretary. 
On  the  31st  of  July,  1872,  a  committee  appointed  for 
that  purpose  reported  that  they  had  secured  a  lot  of 
land  from  the  Connellsville  Mutual  Building  and  Loan 
Association  on  which  to  erect  gas-works.  The  loca- 
tion chosen  for  the  works  is  near  Mounts'  Creek  and 
the  Youghiogheny  River.  A  contract  was  made  with 
Connolly  &  Taylor  to  build  the  works  complete  and 
lay  all  gas-mains  ready  for  use  on  or  before  the  1st  of 
November  following  for  $22,000,  which  was  done,  and 
J.  T.  McCormick  was  appointed  superintendent  of 
the  works.  At  present  (June,  1881)  J.  D.  Frisbee  is 
president,  and  J.  M.  Kurtz,  secretary,  treasurer,  and 
superintendent.  One  of  the  objects  in  view  in  the 
formation  of  the  company  was  to  supply  the  borough 
with  water,  which  is  authorized  in  the  incorporation, 
and  which  will  doubtless  be  accomplished  in  the 
near  future. 

CIVIL  LIST  OF  THE  BOROUGH  OF  CONNELLSVILLE. 
No  official  account  is  found  of  the  officers  elected 
on  the  7th  of  April,  1806,  the  first  election  after  the 
incorporation  of  the  borough.  From  careful  exami- 
nation of  the  minutes  it  appears  that  the  following- 
named  persons  composed  the  first  Council,  viz. :  Geo. 
Mathiot,  Caleb  Trevor,  James  Blackstone,  James 
Francis,  Charles  ^Villiams,  David  Barnes,  Joseph 
Rogers;  Town  Clerk,  John  B.  Trevor;  Treasurer, 
Joseph  Rogers.  The  following  extracts  and  lists  are 
from  the  borough  records : 


'  elected 
net  Trevoi 


the  6th  of  Af 
\nthony  Banni 


Piige;   High 


mcs  Black- 
stable,  An-, 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


397 


drew  Ellison  ;  Samuel  Trevor  having  nn  equal  number  of  voles 

for  burgess  nnd  Council,  dei-lined  serving  in  the  former  enjmcity  ; 

of  course  no  ohnioo  was  mude  for  burgess  on  that  day  ;  i  J.  B. 

Trevor,  town  clerk;  Joseph  Rogers,  treasurer. 
"CoxciLiCM  Teiitium." 

ISOS.— Burgoss,  Jnmes  Blackstone;  Town  Council,  Samuel 
Trevor,  Charlrs  Williiims,  Anthony  Banning,  .lames  Fran- 
cis, .lohn  Page,  Jonas  Coalstock,  and  Daniel  Rogers;  Town 
Clerk,  John  B.  Trevor ;  Treasurer,  Joseph  Rogers. 

1809.— Burgoss,  Abraham  Baldwin;  Town  Council,  Joshua 
Gibson,  George  Malhiot,  Caleb  Trevor,  .lohn  Lamb,  Isaac 
Meares,  Charles  Wells,  James  LafTerty  ;  Town  Clerk,  J.  1). 
Mathiot;  Treasurer,  John  B.  Trevor. 

1810. — Burgess,  Abraham  Baldwin;  Town  Council,  Dr.  James 
Estcp,  Dr.  Robert  D.  Moore,  John  Fuller,  David  Barnes, 
Daniel  Coughenuur,  Jcsae  Taylor,  Joseph  Rogers ;  Town 
Clerk,  John  Lamb;  Treasurer,  John  Page. 

1811. — Burgess,  John  Lamb;  Town  Council,  Daniel  Rogers, 
Caleb  Trevor,  Elisha  Clayton,  Charles  Williams,  David 
Stewart,  James  Francis,  Richard  Hardin;  Town  Clerk, 
Joshua  Gibson;  Treasurer,  John  Pago. 

1812. — Burgess,  John  Lamb;  Town  Council,  Abraham  Bald- 
win, Caleb  Trevor,  Charles  Williams,  Otho  L.  Williams, 
Daniel  Couglienour,  James  Lafferty,  Robert  Long;  Town 
Clerk,  Joshua  Gibson  ;  Treasurer,  John  Page. 

1813.— Burgess,  John  Lamb;  Town  Council,  Caleb  Trevor, 
Charles  Williams,  .John  M.  Burdctte,  Jacob  Kuhn,  Willi.im 
Kirk,  Michael  Gilmore,  Daniel  S.  Norton  ;  Town  Clerk, 
Otho  L.  Williams;  Treasurer,  Abraham  Baldwin. 

1S14.— Burgess,  Daniel  S.  Norton;  Town  Council,  Joseph  Bar- 
net,  William  Kirk,  James  Francis,  Isaac  Meares,  Charles 
Williams,  Robert  Long,  John  Fuller ;  Town  Clerk,  Otho  L. 
Williams;  Treasurer,  Abraham  Baldwin. 

1815.— Burgess,  Isaac  Meares;  Town  Council,  Elisha  Clayton, 
Janics  Shaw,  John  M.  Burdette,  Elijah  Crossland,  Daniel 
G.  Norton,  Hiram  Herbert,  Robert D.  Moore;  Town  Clerk, 
David  Stewart ;  Treasurer,  Abraham  Baldwin. 

1816.— Burgess,  Isaac  Meares;  Town  Council.  William  D.-ivid- 
son,  George  Mathiot,  John  Lamb,  Robert  Long,  Charles 
Williams,  James  Francis,  John  Ileinbaugh;  Town  Clerk, 
Jonathan  Kurtz;  Treasurer,  Abraham  Baldwin. 

1817. — Burgess,  Isaac  Meares  ;  Town  Council,  Abraham  Bald- 
win, George  Mathiot,  Caleb  Trevor,  Charles  Williams, 
Robert  Long,  Elijah  Crossland,  John  Adams;  Town  Clerk, 
John  Boyd;  Treasurer,  Elisha  Clayton. 

1818. — Burgess,,  John  Boyd ;  Town  Council,  Isaac  Meares, 
Abraham  Baldwin,  Caleb  Trevor,  Robert  Long,  James 
Francis,  Esq  ,  Alexander  Johnston,  Henry  Welty  ;  Town 
Clerk,  William  G.  Turner;  Treasurer,  Elisha  Clayton. 

1819.— Burgess,  John  Boyd;  Town  Council,  George  Mathiot, 
Henry  Welty,  Robert  Long,  John  Lamb,  Frederick  Bierer, 
Caleb  Trevor,  William  Lytle;  Town  Clerk,  Dr.  Charles 
MeLane  ;  Treasurer,  Elisha  Clayton  ;  Sexton  and  Inspector 
of  Cordwood,  Peter  Stillwagon  ;  Dog-killer,  Adam  Snider. 

1820.— Burgess,  John  Lamb;  Town  Counci),  John  Fuller, 
Michael  Trump,  Richard  Crossland,  Daniel  Coughcnour, 
Timothy  Buell,  Frederick  Bierer,  Jesse  Taylor;  Town 
Clerk,  Charles  MeLane;  Treasurer,  Robert  D.  Moore. 

1S21. — Burgess,  Isaac  Meares;  Town  Council,  John  Lamb, 
Michael  Gilmore,  Robert  Long,  Samuel  Page,  Hiram  Her- 
bert, Asher  Smith,  Michael  Trump  ;  Town  Clerk,  Charles 
MeLane;  Treasurer,  Lester  L.  Norton. 


I  An  election  was  called  on  the  25th  July,  and  James  Blackstone,  Jr., 
IB  elected  burgess,  and  James  Leonard  high  coustuble  in  place  of  El< 


1822.— Burgess,  George  Mathiot;  Town  Council,  Abraham  Bald- 
win, Michael  Trump,  Elisha  Clayton,  Hiram  Herbert,  Her- 
man Gebhart,  Caleb  Trevor,  Asher  Smith;  Town  Clork, 
Caleb  Trevor;  Treasurer,  Alexander  Johnston. 

1823.— Burgess,  Carlos  Alonzo  Norton  ;  Town  Council,  Isaac 
Meai-es,  Joseph  Keepers,  Moses  McCormick,  Theophilus 
Shepherd,  William  Mifford,  Josiah  D.  Stillwagon,  Samuel 
Page;  Town  Clerk,  Isaac  Meares;  Treasurer,  Alexander 
Johnston. 

]824.—Burgcss,  Abraham  Baldwin;  Town  Council,  Robert  D. 
Moore,  Daniel  Rogers,  George  Mathiot,  William  Davidson, 
Henry  AVolty,  Michael  Trump,  Hiram  Herbert;  Town 
Clerk,  Isaac  Meares;  Treasurer,  Alexander  Johnston. 

1825.— Burgess,  Abraham  Baldwin;  Town  Council,  William 
Davidson,  Asher  Smith,  William  Balsley,  Joseph  Keepers, 
George  Marietta,  Richard  Crossland,  William  Clemens; 
Town  Clerk,  William  Clemens;  Treasurer,  Lester L.  Norton. 

1826.- Burgess,  Caleb  Trevor;  Town  Council,  Robert  Long, 
Jose]>h  Herbert,  Samuel  Trevor,  Thomas  Keepers,  James 
Collins,  John  B.  Stewart,  Isaac  Taylor;  Town  Clerk,  Wil- 
liam Davidson;  Treasurer,  Josiah  Kurtz;  Teachers  in  the 
Borough  School-House,  John  Fleming  and  David  S.  Knox. 

1827.— Burgess,  Herman  Gebhart ;  Town  Council,  Andrew  Still- 
wagon, Robert  Long,  Joseph  Trevor,  Henry  Welty,  Michael 
Trump,  G'-orge  Marietta,  William  R.Turner;  Town  Clerk, 
Josepli  Trevor;  Treasurer,  Josiah  Kurtz. 

182S.— Burgess,  Lester  L.  Norton;  Town  Council,  Hiram  Her- 
bert, Samuel  Pago,  Jonas  Coalstock,  Wm.  Davidson,  Her- 
man Gebhart,  Thomas  Keepers,  Richard  Crossland;  Town 
Clerk,  Joseph  Barnett ;  Treasurer,  Josiah  Kurtz. 

1829.— Burgess,  Robert  Long;  Town  Council,  Abraham  Bald- 
win, Samuel  Page,  John  W.  Philips,  James  Collins,  Caleb 
Trevor,  William  Ballsley,  William  Davidson  ;  Town  Cleik, 
Caleb  Trevor;  Treasurer,  Josiah  Kurtz. 

18.30.- Burgess,  John  Fuller;  Town  Council,  Joseph  Trevor, 
Joseph  Rogers,  Valentine  Couglienour,  Alexander  T.  Keep- 
ers, Henry  W.  Lewis,  George  Marietta,  Herman  Gebhait; 
Town  Clerk,  Henry  W.  Lewis;  Treasurer,  Henry  Black- 
stone. 

lS31.—Burgc.ss,  Josiah  Kurtz;  Town  Council,  Samuel  Marsh.ill, 
Isaac  Taylor,  John  Wilson,  Samuel  Page,  Michael  Truuip, 
John  B.  B.)swell,  Andrew  J.  Stillwagon;  Town  Clerk, 
Michael  B.  Loore;  Treasurer,  Robert  Long. 

1832.— Burgess, ;  Town  Council,  John  W.  Philips, 

David  Shellenberger,  Samuel  Marshall,  James  Collins, 
Jacob  Conrad,  Richard  Crossland,  Samuel  McCormick ; 
Town  Clerk,  Henry  W.  Lewis;  Treasurer,  Caleb  Trevor. 

1833.— Burgess,  AVilliam  Davidson;  Town  Council,  Caleb 
Trevor,  Hiram  Herbert,  Lester  L.  Norton,  James  G.  Tur- 
ner, Josiah  Kurtz,  AVilliam  Neal,  Valentine  Coughcnour; 
Town  Clerk,  Henry  W.  Lewis;  Treasurer,  Joseph  Herbert. 

1857.2- Burgess,  Joseph  Johnston ;  Town  Council,  Samuel 
Crossland,  John  Fuller,  Jonathan  Enos,  Joseph  Trump,  N. 
C.  McCormick,  Bateman  Goe;  Town  Clerk,  R.  M.  Murphy. 

1858. — Burgess,  Joseph  Johnston ;  Town  Council,  Joseph  Trump, 
Jonathan  Enos,  H.  B.  Goe,  N.  C.  McCormick,  John  Fuller, 
Stephen  Robins;  Town  Clerk,  R.  M.  Murphy. 

1859.— Burgess,  R.  M.  Murphy;  Town  Council,  H.  B.  Goe,  N. 
C.  McCormick,  John  Fuller,  Stephen  Robins,  T.  R.  David- 
son, Lutellus  Lindley;  Town  Clerk,  Joseph  Johnston. 

I860.— Burgess,  John  K.  Brown  ;  Town  Council,  John  Fuller, 
Stephen  Robins,  Lutellus  Lindley,  Joseph  Herbert,  Jona- 
than Enos,  Stephen  McBride;  Town  Clerk,  Joseph  John- 
ston; Treasurer,  H.  B.  Goe. 

-  No  records  can  be  found  coveiing  the  period  from  1833  to  1837. 


308 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1S61. — Burgess,  Abrnham  Gallantine;  Councilmen,  Lutcllus  I 
Lindley,  Joseph  Herbert,  Jonathan  Enos,  Stephen  McBride,  | 
John  Fuller,  Samuel  Freeman  ;  Clerk,  Joseph  Johnston. 

18G2.— Burgess,  Benjamin  Pritchard;  Councilmen,  Jonathan 
Enos,  Stephen  McBride,  John  Fuller,  Samuel  Freeman, 
Joseph  Herbert,  I.utellus  Lindley  ;  Clerk,  Joseph  Johnston. 

ISC?..— Burgess.  Benjamin  Pritchard;  Councilmen,  John  Fuller, 
Samuel  Freeman.  Joseph  Herbert,  Lutellus  Lindley,  John 
D.  Frisbee,  John  Kili)iiiriok  :  Clerk,  Joseph  Johnston. 

] 864. —Burgess,  James  X.  Walker;  Councilmen.  Joseph  Her- 
bert, L.  Lin. lley.  John  D.  F.isbee,  John  Kilpatrick,  Joseph 
Trump,  Samuel  Page;  Clerk,  Joseph  Johnston. 

:S65.— Burgess,  James  N.  Walker;  Council,  John  D.  Frisbee, 
John  Kilpatrick,  Joseph  Trump,  Samuel  Page,  Joseph 
Herbert,  John  Crossland  ;  Clerk.  Joseph  Johnstrm.  j 

1S66.— Burgees.  Thomas  M.  Fee;  Council,  Samuel  Page,  John   j 
Cooley,  Joseph   Herbert,  John   Greenland,  David  Connell, 
Joseph  Keepers;  Clerk.  Josq.h  T.  McCormick. 

ISOr.—Burgess,  R.  T.  (iailoway  :  Council.  James  Herbert,  John 
Greenland,  David  Connell.  Joseph  Keciiers,  Josiah  Kurtz, 
J.  W.  Coulter;  Clerk,  J.  T.  McCormick.  ! 

l.ses.i— Burgess,  Samuel  J.  Co.t.  I 

1,S69.— Burgcs--,  Samuel  J.  Cox  ;  Council,  Robert  B.  Cox,  David 
Welsh,  Jonathan   Enos,  Henry  N.  Stillwag.m.  John  Kil- 
patrick, James  McGrath,  Samuel  Freeman:   ClerK,  J.  T.   ' 
McCormick. 

1S70. — Burgess,  Samuel  J.  Cox;  Council,  John  Kilpatrick, 
Jonathan  Enos,  William  Hannum,  John  Bcatty,  John  R. 
Murphy.  John  D.  Frisbie,  John  McGrath;  Clerk,  Joseph 
T.  McO.rmick  :  Trca.-urer.  John  D.  Frisbee. 

1871.— Burgess,  Benjamin  Pritchard;  Council,  James  John- 
ston.   J"hu    D.    Fri.-bce.    Edward    Dean,    Joshua    Vance, 

Samuel  P.il;-.  V- M.nin,  Joseph  Marietta  ;  Town  Clerk, 

Jose|ih  T.  M    ■  ■        V  ■  i-nrer,  John  D.  Fiisbee. 

1872. — Burgi--.    I'  I     nikinbergur;    Cciuncil,    Joshua 

M.  Dueli;niir,  I  i:;  -  id  -i  l.r,  John  D.  Frisbee,  Benjamin 
F.  Bacr,  J. .ho  Kilp..tnck.  lieorge  W.  Foust ;  Town  Clerk, 
Joseph  T.  McCormick  ;  Treasurer.  Provance  McCormick. 

1S73.— Burgess,  Bei.jaioin  Fraokinberg.r ;  Council,  Dr.  John 
R.  Nickel,  Jonathan  En..s,  David  Mahoney,  Henry  Shaw, 
James  Cunningham,  S.  P.  S.  Franks  ;  Clerk,  David  Barnes ; 
Treasurer,  Josiah  Kuttz. 

1874.— Uurgess.  Benj.imin  Frankinberger ;  Town  Council.  Dr. 
John  R.  Ni.-kel.  James  Cunningham.  S.  P.  L.  Franks, 
Gorge  W.  Stilhvagon.  Joseph  Marietta,  Jacob  M.  Llewel- 
lyn ;  Town  Clerk.  Davil  Barnes  ;  Treasurer,  Josiah  Kurtz. 

lS7.i.— Burgess.  James  E.  Stillwagon  ;  T.iwn  Council,  James  C. 
Calhoun,  David  L.  Walker,  .M.  B.  St.iuffer,  W.  Kilpatrick, 
Ihouias  Adams,  Samuel  Heffley;  Town  Clerk,  Lee  H. 
Walker. 

1876.— Burgess,  Joseph  F.Torry;  Town  Council,  David  Black- 
burn. Joseph  T.  McCormick,  James  Cunningham,  Henry 
Porter,  John  T.  Hedrick.  Joseph  Johnston:  Town  Clerk, 
l':r.u_-  .M.  Newcomer:  Treasurer,  Josiah  Kurtz. 

1877. Bur!;ess,  J.  Eminett  Stillwagon;  Town  Council,  Joseph 

Johnston.  Joseph  T.  M.-C.ruii.k.  Thomas  V.  Edmonds, 
Provance  Buttermore,  Jano-  Moiirath.  John  T.  Redrick  ; 
Town  Clerk,  Henry  P;.g...;  Treasurer.  Lester  P.  Norton. 
1878. — Burgess,  Benjamin  Pritchard;  Town  Council,  Joseph 
T.  iMcCormick,  Provance  Buttermore,  Thomas  V.  Edmonds, 
Hugh  Stillwag.in,  George  Enos,  Peter  J.  Stouffer;  Town 


I'ld  this  year  under  different  authority;  both 
.i.l.  The  court  .uderod  u  new  election  for  bur- 
Larcli,  ISOtl,  by  direction  of  court,  election  wiib 


Clerk.  Henry  Page;  Treasurer,  L.   P.  Norton;  Attorney, 
P.  S.  Newmeyer  ;  Borough  Engineer,  Samuel  M.  Foust. 
1879. — Burgess,  Joseph  Johnston  ;  Town  Council,  Hugh  Still- 
wagon,    Rockwell      Marietta,    Chris.     Balsley,     William 
Hannam,    Joseph    M.    Kurtz,    Lloyd   Johnston;     Clerk, 
Henry  Page;  Treasurer,  Lester  P.  Norton. 
1880.— Burgess,  Joseph  Johnton  ;  Council,  J.  T.  McCormick, 
James  McGrath,  H.  B.  Balsley,  J.  R.  Balsley,  J.  W.  Rulter, 
William    Hannam;  Clerk,  Samuel    M.   Foust;  Treasurer, 
Lester  P.  Norton. 
1881. — Burgess,  John  Kurtz;  Council,  Lloyd  Johnston,  Henry 
Wickham,   B.   F.  Boyts,    E.   Dunn,  J.  H.  Purdy,   W.   S. 
Hood;  Clerk  of  Council,  J.  S.  McCaleb;  Treasurer,  Lester 
P.  Norton. 

THE  TOWNSHIP. 
Connellsville  township  lies  on  the  east  and  north- 
e.ist  side  of  the  Youghiogheny  River,  extending  from 
the  stream  baclc  into  the  mountains.  The  river  forms 
its  southern  as  also  all  of  its  western  boundary,  ex- 
cept where  for  a  short  distance  at  its  northern  end  it 
joins  the  township  of  Tyrone,  and  excepting  also  that 
part  where  the  borough  lies  between  it  and  the  river. 
On  the  north  and  north-northeast  it  joins  Bullskin 
township,  and  on  the  east  and  southeast  it  is  bounded 
by  Springfield.  Next  to  the  Youghiogheny,  its  largest 
and  most  important  stream  is  Mounts'  Creek,  which 
enters  the  river  just  below  the  borough.  The  popu- 
lation of  the  township  by  the  census  of  1880  was 
thirteen  hundred  and  sixty-six. 

The  earliest  inhabitant  of  any  part  of  the  territory 
now  comprised  in  Connellsville  township  was  Provi- 
dence Mounts,  who  came  before  1772,'-'  and  settled  on 
a  tract  of  four  hundred  acres  of  land  lying  on  the 
Youghiogheny  River,  and  extending  from  Broad  Ford 
to,  and  a  considerable  distance  up.  Mounts'  Creek, 
which  stream  received  its  name  from  him.  On  this 
tract  he  built  his  log  hou.>e  and  erected  a  mill,  at 
which  he  also  carried'  on  wool-carding.  At  the  time 
of  his  death,  in  or  about  1782,  he  had  received  no 
warrant  for  the  tract  on  which  he  settled  more  than 
ten  years  before.  It  was  afterwards  warranted  and 
surveyed  to  his  son  Abner,  Sept.  7, 1786.  Providence 
Mounts  left  a  will,  devising  property  to  his  sons,  Ca- 
leb, Joshua,  Jesse,  Asa,  and  Abner.  These  emigrated 
to  Kentucky,  and  the  property  passed  into  possession 
of  Stewart  H.  Whiteliill,  and  in  1826  was  purchased 
by  Alexander  Johnston. 

Next  south  of  Mounts'  tract,  on  the  Youghiogheny, 
was  that  of  William  McCormick,  whose  very  early 
settlement  has  been  mentioned  in  the  history  of  the 
borough  of  Connellsville. 

Above  the  borough  and  in  the  southeast  part  of  the 
township,  at  a  place  which  afterwards  became  known 
as  "Trump's  Hollow,"  settled  John  Trump,  son  of 
Henry  Trump,  who  located  farther  to  the  southeast, 


-  His  name  is  found  in  the  asgossment  rolls  foi 
Coimty  (wliicli  then  embraced  all  that  is  now  Fa,v 


fit  year  of  Bedf..rd 
),  in  the  towusliip 
!  present  towusliip 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOROUGH    AND   TOWNSHIP. 


399 


near  the  mouth  of  Indian  Creek,  in  what  is  now  the 
township  of  Springfield.  John  Trump,  at  his  settle- 
ment in  what  is  now  Connellsville  township,  erected 
a  small  saw-mill,  but  never  gave  much  attention  to 
running  it.  He  spent  most  of  his  time  in  hunting 
deer,  bears,  and  bees,  having  usually  a  large  number 
of  swarms  of  bees,  and  selling  a  good  deal  of  honey. 
He  lived  a  very  secluded  life,  the  greater  part  of 
which  was  spent  in  hunting.  Mr.  Joshua  Gibson 
says  he  was  personally  acquainted  with  John  Trump 
for  more  than  fifty  years,  and  in  all  that  time  never 
saw  him  but  twice  in  the  borough  of  Connellsville. 
He  died  since  the  year  1875,  at  his  home  in  Trump's 
Hollow,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  Michael 
Trump,  a  brother  of  John,  settled  in  Connellsville 
borough,  where  he  lived  for  many  years,  and  died 
there.  He  was  a  good  millwright  and  carpenter,  and 
a  highly  respected  citizen. 

John  Gibson  came  from  Chester  County,  Pa.,  in 
1793,  and  was  concerned  with  Isaac  Meason  and  Moses 
Dillon  in  the  erection  of  the  old  Union  Furnace,  in 
Dunbar  township.  In  1795  he  removed  with  his  wife, 
his  sons,  Thomas,  Joseph,  Joshua,  and  James,  and 
his  daughter  Elizabeth,'  to  the  McCormick  tract,  a 
portion  of  which  (about  ninety-two  acres)  he  had 
purchased,  where  now  are  the  ruins  of  the  stone  mill 
on  the  river.  Here  he  built  a  stone  house  on  the  bank 
of  the  river,  also  a  grist-mill,  saw-mill,  rolling-  and 
slitting-mill,  and  nail-shop,  having  a  tilt-hammer  in 
operation.  All  these  buildings  are  now  in  ruins,  ex- 
cept the  stone  house,  which  is  owned  hf  the  railroad 
company. 

Of  the  sons  of  John  Gibson,  James  died  while  a 
young  man,  at  the  old  stone  house  ;  Thomas  lived  in 
the  south  part  of  the  township,  where  Joshua  Gibson 
(Joseph's  son)  now  lives.  He  was  interested  in  the 
Mount  Etna  Furnace,  and  had  a  saw-mill  and  large 
landed  property  both  in  Connellsville  and  in  the  State 
of  Ohio.  Joshua  (son  of  John  Gibson)  was  drowned 
at  the  Yough  Forge  in  1808.  Joseph  was  concerned 
with  his  brothers  in  their  various  enterprises,  and  was 
the  owner  of  the  land  where  is  now  Gibsonville. 

Joseph  Page,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  emigrated  to 
Fayette  County  in  1801,  and  on  the  26th  of  October 
in  that  year  purchased  of  Zachariah  Connell  the 
tract  of  three  hundred  and  two  acres  called  "Confi- 
dence," which  had  been  warranted  to  John  Mugger 
Dec.  20,  1773,  and  which  passed  from  Mugger 
through  the  hands  of  John  yanderen  to  Connell. 
On  that  tract,  where  Joshua  Gibson  now  lives,  stands 
an  old  mill,  built  by  the  Pages.  In  the  erection  of 
this  old  mill,  Noah  Miller  was  the  millwright,  and  his 
two  sons  were  his  assistants.  The  race,  one-fourth  of 
a  mile  in  length,  was  dug  by  James  Rogers. 

The  sons  of  Joseph  Page  were  Jonathan,  John, 


1  riis  brother,  Nathaniel  Gibson,  also  came  to  Fayette  County  and 
settled  at  Little  Falls,  where  he  built  a  furnace  and  forge.  He  after- 
wards moved  into  Connellsville  borongh,  where  he  curried  on  a  mill  sev- 
eral years,  and  then  removed  to  Ohio,  where  he  died. 


Samuel,  Joseph,  and  William.  Jonathan  was  a  shoe- 
maker, and  lived  in  the  house  still  standing  near 
Joshua  Gibson's.  He  removed  to  the  borough  of 
Connellsville,  where  he  followed  his  occupation  (shoe- 
maker), and  where  he  died.  His  daughter  Rebecca 
married  D.  S.  Knox,  well  known  to  the  citizens  of 
Connellsville  and  Brownsville.  She  is  still  living, 
and  resides  at  Brownsville,  as  does  also  her  sister, 
Miss  Mary  Page. 

Samuel  Page  (son  of  Joseph)  purchased  his  father's 
property  July  5,  1814,  and  in  1815  purchased  the 
tavern  stand  known  as  the  Banning  House,  in  Con- 
nellsville, and  lived  there  many  years.  His  son, 
Henry  Page,  still  lives  in  Connellsville.  A  daughter 
of  Samuel  married  William  Templeton,  of  Brady's 
Bend,  Pa.  Another  daughter  married  John  C.  Bee- 
son,  of  Uniontown.  Joseph  Page  (son  of  Joseph) 
lived  and  died  in  New  Jersey.  William  married  a 
daughter  of  Zachariah  Connell,  and  removed  to  the 
West. 

Jacob  Buttermore,  with  his  brothers,  Peter  and 
George,  were  early  settlers  in  Connellsville.  The 
two  former  lived  on  Mounts'  Creek.  George's  loca- 
tion was  on  the  Mount  Pleasant  road.  They  were 
farmers  aud  teamsters,  in  the  latter  capacity  working 
at  the  hauling  of  goods  between  Connellsville  and 
Pittsburgh. 

William  Glenn  came  from  Ireland,  and  settled  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  old  Etna  Furnace.  He  was  killed 
at  or  near  that  place  in  1830,  by  a  fall  from  the  frame 
of  a  house.  He  had  two  sons,  Nathaniel  and  Wil- 
liam, the  latter  of  whom  emigrated  to  Kentucky. 
Nathaniel  lived  at  the  furnace,  and  worked  there 
and  at  the  other  works  in  the  vicinity  nearly  all  his 
life.  He  is  still  living,  about  two  miles  east  of  Con- 
nellsville, near  McCoy's  Spring,  at  about  the  age  of 
eighty-one  years. 

Azariah  Davis  lived  in  the  mountains,  about  five 
miles  southeast  of  Connellsville  borough.  He  was 
employed  at  the  salt-works  that  were  built  by  Isaac 
Meason  in  1810-11.  He  lived  to  an  advanced  age, 
but  moved  away  from  the  place  in  his  later  years. 
He  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  was  celebrated  in 
all  this  section  of  country  as  a  rapid  and  untiring 
p.edestrian. 

John  Lemon,  from  Cecil  County,  Md.,  settled  here 
at  an  early  day.  He  worked  as  a  foundryman  nearly 
all  his  life,  and  died  on  the  furnace  lands.  He  was 
noted  as  a  man  of  extraordinary  memory. 

James  Carr,  an  Irishman,  was  an  early  settler.  He 
was  an  ore-digger.  In  his  later  years  he  moved  to  a 
new  location  on  the  Allegheny  River,  where  he  lived 
till  his  death,  at  the  extraordinary  age  of  one  hun- 
dred and  five  years. 

An  early  settler  named  Langebaugh  lived  in  the 
mountains,  about  two  miles  southeast  of  Connells- 
ville borough,  in  a  "Hollow"  which  still  carries  his 
name.  He  was  a  mighty  hunter.  Little  or  nothing  is 
known  of  the  time  of  his  settlement  or  when  he  died. 


400 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


"  Actora  Tom,'"  a  man  part  negro  and  part  Indian, 
was  well  known  in  Connellsville  township  in  the 
years  that  succeeded  tlie  close  of  tlie  last  war  with 
Britain.  He  was  a  worker  in  the  forges,  and  had  the 
rei)Utation  of  being  the  strongest  man  west  of  the 
AUeglienies.  It  was  said  of  him  that  he  could  carry 
two  forge-hammers  at  once,  one  under  each  arm, 
each  weighing  fully  six  hundred  pounds;  run  an  arm 
through  the  eye  of  each  hammer ;  and  that  he  could, 
and  did,  throw  a  fifty-six-pound  weight  over  the 
drum-beam  of  the  forge  (about  fourteen  feet  high)  by 
the  power  of  his  little  finger  alone. 

Amos  Pritchard  was  a  forge-man  in  Connellsville 
township.  Afterwards  he  removed  across  the  Youghio- 
gheny,  and  died  in  Dunbar,  at  the  old  forge  on  Dun- 
bar Creek.  JIaj.  Benjamin  Pritchard,  of  Connells- 
ville, was  his  son. 

John  Rcist'  was  an  early  settler  in  the  township. 
He  was  a  fanner,  fisherman,  and  ferryman.     He  was 

living  at  Broad  Ford  at  about  the  beginning  of  the  ,      ,  „ 

'^  ,  ,     ,  .  Jacob  Buttennor 

present  century,  and  remained  there  lor  many  years.  !  p^,^^  ButtermoK 

He  had  a  small   plat  of  land  cleared,  and    his  log  I  George  Buttermo 

dwelling  stood  on  the  bank  where  is  now  the  pnmp-  Francis  Barclny. 

house  of  the  railroad  company.     This  was  afterwards  ,  Dnniel  Bulsley. 

replaced  by  a  stone  house.     Below  it  lay  the  large  J"'"'  Bamhart. 

canoe,  or  "dug-out,"  on  which  he  ferried  passengers  I  ^^  >"'n"i  Balsley 
to  and  fro  across  the  Youghiogheny.    He  also  had  an 
oil-mill,  which  was  in  operation  as  late  as  1823. 


Samuel  Ailing,  early  settler,  shoemaker. 

James  Robbins,  stone-mason,  a  great  hunter. 

Aaron  Ilobl)ins,  bricklayer  and  fisherman. 

Tillard,  tavern-keeper  on  the  mountain,  three 

j  miles  east  of  Connellsville  borough. 

John  and  Martin  Stouffer  carried  on  a  little  grist- 
mill on  the  Youghiogheny,  a  mile  below  the  borough, 
which  in  dry  times  did  grinding  for  a  large  section  of 
!  country.  It  was  in  operation  in  1823,  but  how  long 
it  continued  in  use  is  not  known.  It  fell  into  decay, 
and  was  never  rebuilt. 

Following  is  a  list  of  taxable*  in  Connellsville 
township  (including  the  borough)  in  1823,  the  year 
in  which  the  township  was  set  off  from  Bullskin  : 


John  Adams. 
AVilliain  Andrews. 
Eli  Abrahams. 


Williai 


Asley. 


jPe„ 


ell  Beale. 
Mr.  Joshua  Gibson  recollects  the  following-named  [  tj„,o,i,_  b„^| 

Frederick  Biercr. 


persons  as  having  been  among  the  early  inhabitants 
of  the  township,  viz. : 

Robert  Dunsmore,  worked  at  the  Yough  Forge. 

John  Kirk,  worked  in  the  oil-mill, 

Alexander  McDowell,  forge-man. 

James  St.  John,  forge-man. 

James  Richie,  forge-carpenter. 

Tlionias  and  William  Baylis,  forge-men. 

George  Speelman  and  Daniel  Jones,  forge-men. 

John  Shoup  and  John  Shoup,  Jr.,  millers  at  forge- 
mill. 

Jacob  Summers,  here  about  1795,  worked  in  Gib- 
son's rolling-  and  slitting-mill. 

John  English  and  Aaron  Merryman,  worked  in 
rolling-mill. 

Barney  Call,  rolling-mill  man  and  blacksmith, 
died  in  the  anny. 

Levi  McConnick,  rough-carpenter. 

Aaron  Thorp,  a  very  tall  man,  worked  in  rolling- 
mill. 

Moses  Thorp,  worked  in  rolling-mill. 

William  Waugh,  here  as  early  as  1800,  worked  at 
making  wrought  nails  many  years. 

Samuel  Gibson,  miller  at  John  Gibson's  mill,  below 
Connellsville  borough. 

John  Barnhart,  an  old  resident,  lived  near  steiel- 
works. 


■Tliia 


Stephen  Bishop. 

Esther  Balsley. 

George  Balsley. 

James  Bartholt. 

Mahlon  Broomhall. 

Robert  Bail. 

Abraham  BaldwtD. 

John  Boyd. 

William  Brown. 

John  Cofiuan. 

William  Clemens. 

Elisha  ChvUon. 

Abraham  Clayton. 

Elijah  Crossland. 

Richard  Crossland. 

Valentine  Coughcnnur. 
i   Thomas  Cumberland. 

Henry  Collins. 
I   Zephaniah  Carter. 
i   William  Clements. 

Jonas  Coalstock. 

Hugh  Cameron. 
'   Elijah  Corrcll. 
I   Daniel  Coughcnour. 

Rachel  Clayton. 

Margaret  Connell. 

Charles  McClane. 

Adms.  of  Zachariah  Co 

William  Davidson. 

Jonathan  Dewct. 

Dempscy  i,  Work. 

Robert  Dougherty. 


John  Davis. 
Ezra  Davis. 
John  Eicher. 
Joseph  Freestone. 
Ezckiel  Foot. 
John  Fairchild. 
John  Fuller. 
James  Francis. 
Azel  Freeman. 
Gebhart  A  Smith. 
Herman  Gebhart. 
Penncl  Garret. 
Michael  Gilmorc. 
Thos.  and  Jos.  Gibs. 
John  Gibson. 
Samuel  Gibson. 
John  Hinebaugh. 


AVilliam  Hawk. 
Stoddart  Huntley. 
Daniel  Harshman. 


William  Jervis. 
Stewart  Johnston. 
Alexaniier  Johnston. 
John  Jones. 
Thomas  Jarrett. 
Daniel  Jones. 
Baker  Johnston's exr's. 
Thomas  Johnston. 
Roger  Johnston. 
Joseph  Keejjers. 
Alexander  Keepers. 

William  Kirk. 

Wm.  Kiskader. 

Gustavus  Kells. 
Thomas  Kilpatrick. 
Cunningham  Kithcart. 
Michael  Lore. 
John  Lamb. 


Joshua  Lamb. 

Mary  Long. 
William  Lytle. 
Adam  Laws. 


CON  NELLS  VILLE  BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


401 


Willi.im  Liirrimer. 

Jaeob  Smith. 

Robert  Long. 

Henry  Smith. 

J(.hn  Lemon. 

Henry  Smith,  Jr. 

Provance  MoCormick. 

Chri^tian  Shallenberger. 

George  Martin. 

Isaac  Shallenberger. 

Andrew  McCloy. 

John  and  Martin  Stauffer. 

Samuel  McMicbael. 

Peter  StilUvagon,  Jr. 

Kobcrt  D.  Moore. 

John  Shallenberger. 

(jcorge  Mathiot. 

Peter  Stilhvagon. 

Henry  Marshall. 

Josinh  D.  Stillwagon. 

Wm.  T.  McCormick. 

John  Stilhvagnn. 

Charles  McClane. 

Andrew  Stillwagon. 

Isaac  Mears. 

Asa  Smith. 

George  Marietta. 

George  Sloan. 

Wosea  McCormick. 

Jacob   Stewart,  administrator 

Robert  McGuire. 

of  Wm.  McCormick. 

Jan.cs  MuBride. 

Jacob  Stewart. 

Alexander  McDonald. 

John  Stewart. 

IMu.nd  McCormick. 

John  Slonaker. 

William  Mifford. 

Conrad  Seheges. 

Jamts  Moody. 

John  SalyarJs. 

David  .Mitso. 

Stephen  Smith. 

Jacob  Mitso. 

Stephen  Smith,  ex.  of  C.Wood. 

Archibald  McIIenry. 

ruff. 

Mel  McHenry. 

Jaeob  Sipe. 

Isaac  Meason. 

Thomas  Shields. 

AV.Iliam  Noland. 

Henry  Strickler. 

.Tames  Noble. 

James  Shaw. 

Uriah  Newcomer. 

Clement  Sawyer. 

Lester  L.  Norton. 

•  John  M.  Sims. 

Ann  Norton. 

James  Shaw,  Jr. 

Peter  Newmyer. 

Samuel  Snowden. 

C.  A.  Norton. 

William  Stillwagon. 

Daniel  T.  Norton. 

William  Salyards. 

John  Orbin. 

Christojjher  Sleesman. 

■\VilIiam  O'Neil. 

Jacob  Sumers. 

Samuel  Parker. 

Michael  Trump. 

Clayton  Passmore. 

William  R.  Turner. 

Samuel  Page. 

William  G.  Turner. 

John  Page. 

Samuel  <t  Sarah  Trevor. 

George  Piper. 

Samuel  Trevor. 

Jonathan  Page. 

Joseph  Trevor. 

Henry  Peters. 

Trevor  &.  Clayton. 

Amos  Pritchard. 

Isaac  Taylor. 

John  Reist. 

Joseph  Torrenee. 

Conrad  Reist. 

Thomas  Taylor. 

Jacob  Reist. 

Jesse  Taylor. 

John  Reist,  Jr. 

Caleb  Trevor. 

John  Reist. 

Sarah  Tillard. 

Susan  Rotruck. 

Blanche  Tillard. 

Daniel  Rogers. 

Roberts  Tillard. 

Daniel  &  Joseph  Rogers. 

John  Trump. 

D.  &  J.  Rogers  A  Walker. 

Jacob  and  John  Wiland. 

David  Reedy. 

Peter  White. 

Joseph  Rogers. 

Henry  White. 

John  Robins. 

Stewart  H.  Whitehill. 

James  Robins. 

Henry  Welty. 

Aaron  Robins. 

David  Weymer. 

James  Richie. 

John  Williams. 

Asher  Smith. 

Benjamin  Wells. 

David  Smith. 

Otho  L.  Williams. 

Thcophilus  Shepherd. 

AVilliam  William. 

James  Stafford. 

Samuel  (i.  Wurts. 

Willi.am  Stafford. 

Adam  Wilson. 

Adam  Snider. 

ERECTION    OF   CONXELLSVILLE    TOWNSHIP. 

At  the  March  term  of  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions 
of  Fayette  County  in  1822,  Isaac  Meason,  Moses  Vance, 
and  Thomas  Boyd  were  appointed  commissioners  "  to 
enquire  into  the  expediency  of  dividing  Bullsliin 
township,  and  forming  a  new  township  out  of  part 
thereof,  to  be  called  Connellsville  township."  At  the 
October  sessions  in  the  same  year  this  committee  re- 
ported to  the  court  "  that  in  pursuance  of  said  order 
(made  by  the  court  at  the  March  sessions),  and  ap- 
proving of  the  propriety  of  dividing  said  township, 
they  have  divided  the  same  agreeably  to  the  annexed 
diagram  of  the  courses  and  distances  and  natural 
boundaries,  viz. :  Beginning  on  the  bank  of  the  Yough 
River,  below  the  Broad  Ford,  at  the  mouth  of  Heist's 
Run ;  thence  up  Reist's  Run  to  the  mouth  of  New- 
comer's Run  ;  thence  up  Newcomer's  Run  to  a  per- 
pendicular fall  iu  said  run  at  the  mouth  of  Abraham 
Newcomer's  lane,  which  said  runs  are  the  present  di- 
vision line  between  BuUskin  and  Tyrone  townships; 
thence  south  44',  east  366  perches  to  the  middle  of 
Mounts'  Creek  in  Whitehill's  meadow;  thence  up 
Mounts  Creek  to  the  mouth  of  White's  mill-run,  alias 
Laurel  Lick  Run ;  thence  up  the  last-named  run  tQ 
the  mouth  of  Yellow  Spring  Run  at  the  Connellsville 
and  Berlin  new  State  road ;  thence  along  the  middle 
of  said  road  to  Salt  Lick  township  line;  thence  south- 
wardly along  the  Salt  Lick  township  line  to  the 
Yough  River;  thence  down  said  river  to  the  place  of 
beginning ;  which  said  courses  and  distances  and  nat- 
ural bouudaries  as  abave  set  forth  will  comprise 
Connellsville  township."  This  report  of  the  commis- 
sioners was  approved  and  confirmed  by  the  court, 
which  thereupon  ordered  the  erection  of  Connellsville 
I  township,  to  comprise  the  territory  embraced  within 
the  boundaries  established  by  the  commissioners  and 
described  as  above  in  their  report. 

LIST    OF    TOWNSHIP   OFFICER.?. 

The  following  is  an  incomplete  list  (but  the  best 
that  can  be  obtained)  of  the  justices  of  the  peace,  as- 
sessors, and  auditors  of  Connellsville  township  from 
its  erection  to  the  present  time. 

JUSTICES  OF  THE   PEACK 

•  Until. 1840  this  township  with  Bullskin  and  Tyrone 
formed  a  district  for  tlie  election  of  justices,  and  the 
names  here  given  down  to  and  including  1837  are 
those  of  residents  of  Connellsville  township  who  were 
elected  to  that  office  in  the  district  above  mentioned, 


Ma 


Hugh   Tur- 


1829,  April  20.    Herman  Gcb- 

hart. 
1831,    Aug.    16.      Henry    W. 


shing. 
1835,  Feb.  23. 


1835,  Dec.  9.  Thomas  S.  Kil- 

patrick. 
1837,  May  4.  Matthew  Wray. 
1S40.  Henry  Dctwilcr. 

Thomas  S.  Kilpatrick. 
1845.  Hiram  Herbert. 

Isaac  W.  Francis. 
1850.  Joshua  Gibson. 

David  Shcrboudy. 
1855.  George  Swank. 


402 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1S55.  Robert  Wilson. 
ISofi.  Isano  W.  Fninois. 
ISi'J.  John  iMills. 

Geijrse  Sivftnk. 


1S60. 


Shuii.il 


18B:i-R4.  George  Swank. 
1867.  Noble  C.  McCormick. 
1872.  S.  C.  LeigUlircr. 
1S7:<.  John  Freeman. 
1876.  J.icobS.  lleltcibran. 
1879.  HLTUian  P.  Gray. 
ISSn.  Richard  Campbtll. 
1881.  John  Freeman. 


1869-60.  Philo  No 


J.  Conrad. 

1S6I.  Jesse  .■^mith. 

J.  AndersoD. 

1862-63.  Hiram  Herbert. 

William  Neiil. 

1864.  Jesse  Smith. 

Josiah  Kurlz. 

1865.   Iliram  Herbert. 

James  G.  Turner. 

1866.  George  Nicholson. 

AVilliam  S.  Cannon. 

1867.  John  Kurtz. 

John  Boyd. 

1868-69.  (ieorge  R.  Shaffer. 

John  L.  iMcan.=. 

1870.  Je:s..  Smith. 

43.  William  B,.feley. 

James  Stiuimel. 

in.  Samuel  Parker. 

1874.  S.  C.  Leichlitcr. 

Isaac  Francis. 

1S75.  Strickler  Stacy. 

50.  John  Greenland. 

1S:6.    >in.-Iai,   St;,--y. 

52.  Henry  Gibson. 

1^::^   Tl, ;,.  M. .,  viand. 

Isaae  W.  Francis. 

IS7-    J„..,i.  P,.M,.,. 

Philo  Norton. 

ISril.  Jacob  Fierce. 

Thomas  Ruttermore. 

ISSO.  George  Wash.ibnugh. 

Philo  Norton. 

1881.  George  W.  Nicholson. 

AUDI 

TORS. 

George  Ruttermore. 

1854.  John  Royd. 

SI.  A.  Ross. 

1S56.   Michael  Rramon. 

J.  Ci.nrad. 

1857.  Clayton  Herbert. 

J.  Anderson. 

1858.   Hiram  Herbert. 

WUIiara  Ne.aL 

1859-6(1.    George    S.    Butte 

Josiah  Kurtz. 

more. 

James  (i.  Turner. 

1861.  Hiram  Herl>ert. 

AVilliam  S.  Cannon. 

1862-63.  Jes.9e  Smith. 

Samuel  Marshall. 

1864.  Samuel  Long. 

Joseph  Trump. 

1865.  John  R.  Murphy. 

(Jeorge  White. 

1866.  Hiram  Herbert. 

John  Johnston. 

1867.  George  S.  Buttermore. 

Noble  C.  McConnick. 

1868.  Jesse  Smith. 

Robert  Torrence. 

1869.  Stephen  Robbins. 

Isaac  MunscD. 

1870.  Samuel  Leighliler. 

John  Greenland. 

1873.  Jesse  Smith, 

.\oblo  C.  .McCormick. 

1874.  William  Boyd. 

Thomas  S.KiIi«trick. 

1875.  Thomas  Buttermore. 

Noble  C.  .McCormick. 

1876.  James  Campbell. 

William  .McCrary. 

1877.  John  Freeman. 

Josiah  Stillwagon. 

Samuel  N.  Long. 

Daniel  R.  D.vidson. 

1879.  Thomas  Gregg. 

Hiram  Herbert. 

1880.  Michael  D.  Kerr. 

William  L.  Collins. 

1881.  Strickler  Staey. 

sen 

OOLS. 

Until  the  year  1852  the  township  and  borough  of 
Connellsville  were  districted  in  eoniiiioii,  and  prior  to 
1834  the  schools  at  which  the  children  of  the  town-  i 
ship  received  the  rudiments  of  education  were  j 
chiefly  taught  in  the  borough.  In  that  year  the  law 
was  pas.sed  establishing  the  system  of  free  common 
schools,  and  by  the  o|)eration  of  that  law,  granting 
public  money  for  purposes  of  education,  adrlitional 


schools  were  opened  in  Connellsville  as  elsewhere  in 
other-townships.  In  conformity  to  the  requirements 
of  the  law  the  Fayette  County  Court,  at  the  January 
term  of  1835,  appointed  William  Davidson  and 
Henry  W.  Lewis  school  directors  of  the  township. 
In  March  of  the  same  year  a  township  election  was 
held,  resulting  in  the  choice  of  Valentine  Coughenour 
and  James  G.  Turner  as  school  directors.  On  the 
14th  of  September  following  these  directors  reported 
to  the  treasurer  of  the  county  that  they  had  complied 
with  the  requirements  of  the  law.  The  amount  of 
money  then  apportioned  to  the  township  from  the 
State  funds  was  188. 17J,  and  the  amount  from  the 
county  for  school  purposes,  S176.35;  total,  $264.52.]. 

From  the  records  of  the  school  directors  of  the 
township  of  Connellsville,  commencing  in  1848  (none 
earlier  having  been  found),  are  given  the  following 
e.xtracts  having  reference  to  the  schools  of  that  time: 

Oct.  2,  1848,  the  directors  "  Resohed  to  rent  an 
extra  house  for  the  use  of  the  schools."  March  30, 
1849,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  make  an  estimate 
of  the  cost  of  a  brick  school-house  sixty  feet  long, 
twenty-two  feet  wide,  and  eight  feet  high,  for  the  use 
of  two  schools.  The  question  of  building  the  house 
was  submitted  to  the  voters  at  a  meeting  held  on  the 
12th  of  May  following,  and  was  decided  in  the  nega- 
tive, thirty-seven  to  thirteen. 

Notwithstanding  this  negative  vote  the  directors, 
on  the  30th  of  May,  directed  the  secretary  to  give  no- 
tice that  a  contract  would  be  let  June  30th  for  build- 
ing a  school-house.  The  contract  was  so  let  to  John 
Shellenberger  for  S55G.  On  the  7th  of  July,  1849,  a 
protest  by  a  large  number  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
township  against  building  the  school-house  on  the 
public  grounds  adjoining  the  graveyard  (in  the 
borough) ;  "  and,"  proceeds  the  record,  "  as  the  situa- 
tion had  been  recommended  by  persons  living  in  the 
vacant  districts,  and  as  the  people  were  for  several 
months  fully  aware  of  the  designs  of  the  board 
to  build  upon  the  said  ground,  and  no  opposition 
having  been  shown  until  after  the  sale  for  building 
the  said  house,  and  as  no  suitable  situation  for  build- 
ing can  be  had  in  the  vacant  districts,  Therefore  be 
it  Bego/ved,  That  the  present  board  have  nothing  to 
do  with  the  matter.     John  Taylor,  Secretary." 

On  the  30th  of  October,  1849,  David  Barnes,  J.  D. 
Stillwagon,  and  James  Mitchell  were  e.xainined  and 
passed  as  teachers.  At  that  time,  besides  the  three 
schools  in  the  borough,  two  other  schools  were  taught 
in  the  township,  viz.,  at  the  school-house  near  Brad- 
ford's and  at  the  Narrows.  Eight  teachers  were  then 
employed  in  the  five  schools  of  the  township  (includ- 
ing those  of  the  borough). 

In  September,  1850,  David  Barnes  w.is  in  charge  of 
School  No.  2,  and  Joseph  Shoemaker  of  the  Bradford 
School.  On  the  5th  of  October  following  J.  D.  Still- 
wagon was  appointed  to  School  No.  1,  Joseph  T.  3Ic- 
Cormick  to  the  North  Bend  School,  and  Mrs.  Margaret 
Collins  to  the  Clayton  School.     The  wages  then  paid 


CONNELLSVILLE  BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


to  male  teachers  were  twenty  dollars  per  month,  and 
to  females  twelve  dollars  and  fifty  cents. 

In  October,  1851,  Jane  Cramer  was  appointed  teacher 
in  the  Narrows  school-house,  and  Margaret  Collins  was 
given  charge  of  the  small  school  in  the  RatclifF  house. 
In  this  year  School  No.  2  and  the  North  Bend  School 
were  graded.  From  the  5th  of  April  following,  the 
schools  of  the  township  and  those  of  the  borough  were 
under  separate  directions,  the  borough  being  formed 
into  a  separate  and  independent  district. 

After  the  separation  of  the  borough  from  the  town- 
ship in  school  matters,  the  township  contained  four 
school-houses  and  supported  the  same  number  of 
schools.  In  1854,  David  Barnes  taught  in  the  North 
Bend  school-house,  Joseph  Hale  in  the  Snyder  house, 

George  Gregg  in  the  Gibson  house,  and Halpin 

in  the  school-house  at  the  Narrows.  In  November, 
1855,  James  Wbaley  was  placed  in  charge  of  the 
Gibson  School,  J.  D.  Stillwagon  of  the  North  Bend 
School,  and  Joseph  Cramer  of  the  school  at  the  Nar- 
rows. No  school  was  taught  in  the  Bradford  school- 
house  during  the  succeeding  winter  season. 

The  Gibson  school-house  lot  was  sold  in  July,  1857. 
In  that  year  only  two  schools  were  taught  in  the  town- 
ship, viz.,  at  the  Narrows  and  at  North  Bend,  Jesse 
Smith  teaching  at  the  former  place  andW.  McDowell 
at  the  latter. 

The  township  now  comprises  three  school  districts, 
viz.:  White  Rock,  the  Narrows,  and  Rock  Ridge. 
Number  of  school-houses,  schools,  and  teachers  of 
each,  three  ;  number  of  pupils,  three  hundred  ;  value 
of  school  property  in  township,  three  thousand  dollars. 

Following  is  a  list,  as  nearly  ,as  can  be  ascertained, 
of  school  directors  elected  in  Connellsville  township 
since  1853,  no  names  of  school  directors  being  found 
in  election  returns  of  the  township  prior  to  that  date : 


1853. 

Henry  Gibson. 

1865. 

Stephen  Robbins. 

Daniel  R.  Daviason. 

Jesse  Smith. 

1854. 

Hiram  Snyder. 

Samuel  Long. 

William  Dennison. 

George  B.  MeCormick. 

John  Bultermore. 

1S66. 

Jesse  Smith. 

1855. 

A.  Huntly. 

Robert  Beatty. 

Juhn  Buttermore. 

1867. 

John  Taylor. 

1856. 

Thomas  Bultermore. 

Samuel  Long. 

John  Grass. 

1868 

Stephen  Rol.bin?. 

George  B.  MeCormick. 

George  B.  MeCormick 

1857 

Peter  Stillwagon. 

Peter  De  Muth. 

Si.muel  Lon-. 

1869 

Jesse  Smith. 

George  Swank,  Jr. 

John  Covert. 

1858 

John  Taylor. 

1870 

Stephen  Robbins. 

George  B.  McCormiok. 

John  Buttermore. 

1859 

Asa  Huntley. 

Boston  Bowers. 

William  Eccles. 

1873 

David  BLackburn. 

I860 

Philo  Norton. 

Joseph  Sisson. 

Peter  Stillwagon. 

1874 

Isaac  French. 

1862 

Stephen  Robbins. 

George  B.  MeCormick 

Isaac  Gilmore. 

Jesse  Smith. 

1863 

Philo  Norton. 

James  S.  Dravoo. 

George  W.  Stillwagon. 

1875 

Jacb  S.  Hilterbran. 

1864 

John  Taylor. 

Jacob  May. 

George  B.  MeCormick. 

James  Means. 

1876.  Samuel  C.  Leighter. 
George  W.  Nicholson. 

1877.  Stricklor  Stac.v. 
George  B.  Shaffer. 

1878.  Jacob  May. 
George  Swank. 


1879.  Albert  Nicholson. 
Stewart  Durbin. 
Jacob  Wildey. 

1880.  Jeremiah  Loomis. 
Thomas  Louden. 
Nathan  McPhcrson 

1881.  Henry  Blackstone. 


MANUFACTURING  ESTABLISHMENTS. 
The  old  "  Rogers  Papcr-Mill,"  the  earliest  manu- 
facturing establishment  within  the  territory  now  com- 
prised in  the  township  of  Connellsville,  was  erected 
in  1810  by  Daniel  and  Joseph  Rogers,  of  Connells- 
ville, and  Zadoc  Walker,  of  Uniontown.  Its  location 
was  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Youghiogheny  River,  a 
short  distance  above  the  present  village  and  railroad 
station  of  Gibsonville.  The  "  Pittsburgh  Almanac" 
for  1812  says,  "  D.  and  J.  Rogers  erected  lately  a  Paper- 
Mill  on  the  Youghiogheny  River  above  Connellsville." 
The  Messrs.  Rogers  and  Walker  were  succeeded  in  the 
proprietorship  of  the  mill  by  D.  S.  Knox,  M.  Lore, 
and  John  Scott,  who,  as  a  firm,  continued  the  manu- 
facture of  paper  until  March  21, 1836,  when  the  busi- 
ness was  closed  and  the  firm  dissolved,  its  affairs 
being  wound  up  by  D.  S.  Knox. 

The  paper  manufactured  at  this  mill  was  of  very 
superior  quality,  caused,  as  it  was  said,  by  the  clear- 
ness and  purity  of  the  water  which  was  used,  that 
of  the  Youghiogheny  River.  The  product  of  the 
mill  was  shipped  by  the  boat-load  to  New  Orleans 
and  other  points  on  the  lower  river.  The  business 
done  here,  both  by  the  original  proprietors  and  by 
Mr.  Knox  and  his  partners  (but  particularly  by  the 
latter  firm),  was  very  large,  and  quite  a  little  village 
grew  up  in  the  vicinity  of  the  mill.  Only  an  old 
stone  house  and  a  mass  of  ruins  now  remain  to  show 
the  location  of  the  once  prosperous  manufactory  and 
the  neighboring  dwellings. 

The  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville  Gas-Coal  and 
Coke  Company's  Works  are  located  on  the  railroad 
at  Davidson's  Station,  north  of  the  borough  limits,  on 
a  tract  of  about  four  hundred  acres  of  land  purchased 
of  Daniel  R.  Davidson  and  Faber  &  Miskimmens,  of 
Pittsburgh. 

About  1856,  Norton,  Faber  &  Miskimmens  com- 
menced operations  at  this  place,  and  had  sunk  a  shaft 
about  eighty  feet  in  depth  when  circumstances  com- 
pelled a  suspension  of  the  work.  Norton  sold  out  his 
share  to  the  two  other  partners,  whose  interest  was 
afterwards  purchased  by  the  company  as  above  men- 
tioned. 

The  company  was  organized  about  1800,  with  a 
capital  of  $300,000.  Having  purchased  the  David- 
son lands  and  the  Faber  &  Miskimmens  interest,  they 
commenced  work  at  once,  sunk  a  shaft,  and  built  and 
put  in  operation  forty  coke-ovens,  which  number  was 
increased  by  John  H.  Dravo,  who  took  charge  in  18G8. 
The  business  has  been  successful  from  the  beginning. 
I  The  shaft  is  150  feet  in  depth,  with  drifts  (one  a  mile 


404 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


in  length)  tending  towards  tlie  surface.  Tenant-houses 
and  a  store  are  connected  with  the  works.  The  com- 
pany has  now  295  ovens,  and  the  extent  of  its  opera- 
tions may  be  judged  from  tlie  amount  of  coke  shipped, 
as  shown  in  the  railroad  statistics  embraced  in  the  his- 
tory of  Connellsville  borough.  The  works  are  under 
charge  of  Charles  Davidson,  manager.  The  directors 
of  the  company  are  James  M.  Bailey,  president ;  John 
F.  Dravo,  secretary  and  treasurer ;  Alexander  Brad- 
ley, William  Van  Kirk,  Richard  Grey,  and  Daniel  R. 
Davidson,  of  Beaver,  Pa. 

The  Overholt  Distillery,  located  on  the  bank  of 
the  Youghiogheny  at  Broad  Ford,  and  widely  known 
and  tUnied  for  the  high  grade  of  its  product,  was 
erected  and  put  in  operation  by  Abraham  Overholt  in 
the  year  1853.  At  that  time  it  had  a  capacity  to  distil 
one  hundred  bushels  of  grain  per  day.  Soon  after  the 
starting  of  the  establishment  Mr.  Overholt  took  in  as 
partners  his  two  sons,  Henry  and  Jacob.  The  latter 
died  while  a  member  of  the  firm,  and  in  18G5,  Henry 
Overholt  sold  out  his  interest,  and  A.  O.  Tinstman  be- 
came a  partner  with  Abraham  Overholt.  In  1867  the 
present  distillery  building  was  erected.  It  is  four  fu  1 
stories  high,  with  attics,  and  sixty-six  by  one  hundred 
and  twelve  feet  on  the  ground,  with  two  wings  twenty- 
five  by  twenty-five  feet  each,  and  three  stories  high. 
Business  was  commenced  in  this  building  in  1868. 

After  the  death  of  Abraham  Overholt,  in  1869,  the 
business  was  continued  by  the  executor  of  his  estate 
and  A.  O.  Tinstman  till  1872,  when  Tinstman  pur- 
chased the  Overholt  interest,  and  carried  on  the  busi- 
ness alone  till  the  latter  part  of  1874,  when  C.  S.  O. 
Tinstman  became  associated  with  him.  In  1876,  C. 
S.  O.  Tinstman  and  C.  Fritchman  became  proprie- 
tors of  the  distillery.  In  1878,  James  G.  Pontefract 
was  added  to  the  firm,  and  soon  after  'linstman  & 
Fritchman  sold  their  interest  to  Henry  C.  Frick. 
The  establishment  is  now  under  the  management  of 
J.  G.  Pontefract.  The  buildings  contain  an  aggregate 
of  about  one  and  a  half  acres  of  flooring,  and  the 
works  have  a  capacity  for  distilling  four  hundred 
bushels  of  grain  every  twelve  hours. 

GIISSONVILLE. 

The  land  on  which  Gibsonville  is  located  was  taken 
up  by  John  Mugger,  Dec.  20, 1773,  in  the  tract  of  802 
acres  called  "  Confidence."  On  the  12th  of  January, 
1774,  it  was  conveyed  to  John  Vanderen,  and  in  the 
same  year  it  came  into  possession  of  Zachariah  Con- 
nell.  He,  on  the  26th  of  October,  1801,  sold  it  to 
Joseph  Page,  who  conveyed  it  to  Samuel  Page,  July 
5,  1814.  May  1,  1817,  it  was  purchased  by  Thomas 
and  Joseph  Gibson. 

In  jriiicli,  ^^:'.r>.  thr  pr.iporty  of  Thomas  and  Jo- 
seph Cil.-Mii  was  ilivi.Ird  iiiider  an  order  of  the  court, 
and  tlir  -it.'  nf  (iiliMiiiviil,.  tVIl  to  the  heirs  of  Joseph 
Gibson.     On  the  1st  of  Aiu-il,  1844,  Joshua  Gibson 


(son  of  Joseph)  purchased  the  interest  of  the  other 
heirs  in  the  land. 

In  the  spring  of  1860  the  only  inhabitants  of  the 
place  which  is  now  Gibsonville  were  Isaac  Carr,  Isaac 
Hale,  and  Sarah  and  Elizabeth  Hale.  In  the  fall  and 
winter  of  1863  the  brick-works  were  constructed  there 
by  Jackson  Spriggs,  of  Washington  County.  In  the 
winter  of  1867-68  the  Lumber  and  Stave  Company 
erected  here  a  steam  saw-mill,  dwelling-house,  office, 
and  stables,  under  the  management  of  Hugh  Holmes. 

In  the  spring  of  1870  the  first  store  in  the  place  was 
opened  by  Edward  Collins.  A  second  one  was  opened 
soon  after  by  A.  B.  Hosick,  and  two  years  later  a 
third  was  started  by  Joshua  Gibson.  In  November, 
1870,  John  Hilkey  opened  a  shoe-shop  in  a  building 
near  the  railroad  bridge. 

Gibsonville  was  platted  and  laid  out  by  Joshua 
Gibson,  on  the  5th  of  December,  1870.  The  jwpula- 
tion  of  the  place  on  the  13th  of  January,  1871,  was 
ninety-six  persons.  In  March  of  the  same  year  the 
auger-works  were  built  by  Thomas  St.  John. 

In  May,  1879,  Joshua  Gibson  donated  a  lot  (No.  15) 
in  the  town  plat  to  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Con- 
nellsville, on  condition  that  they  should  erect  a  chapel 
on  it  within  two  years.  On  the  1st  of  the  same  month 
the  name  of  the  railroad  station  at  this  place  was 
changed  back  from  "  White  Rock"  to  "  Gibson's." 
On  the  20th  of  January,  1880,  Gibsonville  contained 
a  population  of  205.  It  now  contains  about  three 
hundred  inhabitants. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


JOSHtJA  GIBBS  GIBSOX. 
Mr.  Joshua  G.  Gibson  is  one  of  the  most  esteemed 
citizens  of  Fayette  County.  He  resides  within  the 
limits  of  "Gibson's  Station,"  on  the  line  of  the  Bal- 
timore and  Ohio  Railroad,  near  Connellsville,  where 
he  was  born,  March  15,  1811,  in  what  has  been  since 
the  downfall  of  the  celebrated  Crawford's  cabin  the 
oldest  house  ever  built  in  the  region  by  a  white 
man.  The  house  is  made  of  logs,  and  was  erected 
about  1776  by  William  McCormick,  and  was  weather- 
boarded  for  the  first  time  about  1840,  and  now  has 
the  appearance  of  a  modern  wooden  structure.  In 
this  house  Mr.  Gibson  spent  the  years  of  his  early 
boyhood. 

He  is  of  English  Quaker  stock  on  the  paternal 
side;  on  the  maternal  of  New  England  extraction. 
His  great-grandfather,  Thomas  Gibson  (whose  father 
I  was  a  Quaker  preacher),  came  from  England  in  1728 
and  settled  on  Brandywine  Creek,  Chester  Co.,  Pa., 
where  Mr.  Gibson's  grandfather,  John  Gibson,  was 
born,  and  where  he  owned  grist-  and  saw-mills  on  the 
banks  of  the  creek  a  mile  below  the  celebrated 
Brandywine   battle-field.      He    was   wont    to    relate 


~^L/'  z  ^CJ^^-L^, 


/^ 


CONiNELLSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


seeing  the  blood-stained  water  course  by  liis  mills  on 
the  day  of  the  battle,  which  he  with  his  neighbors 
climbed  the  hills  and  witnessed. 

In  October,  1795,  John  Gibson  removed  with  his 
family  from  Chester  County  to  Fayette  County,  and 
settled  near  what  is  now  the  "  Union  Furnace,"  and 
there  assisted  Isaac  Meason  and  Moses  Dillon  to  erect 
the  second  blast-furnace  put  up  west  of  the  Allegheny 
Mountains.  He  had  five  sons  and  one  daughter,  of 
whom  Joseph  Gibson,  the  father  of  Joshua  G.  Gib- 
son, was  the  second  child,  and  was  born  in  Chester 
County.  He  was  reared  mainly  in  Fayette  County, 
and  became  an  iron-master,  though  considerably  en- 
gaged in  agriculture,  owning  with  his  brother  a  large 
tract  of  land.  In  1815  he  erected  the  old  ^Etna  Fur- 
nace in  Connellsville,  which  was  in  active  operation 
for  aliout  thirty  years.  About  it  he  put  up  many  log 
and  frame  houses,  which  years  ago  tumbled  down  in 
decay.  Joseph  Gibson  died  in  1819,  when  only 
thirty-nine  years  of  age,  but  worn  out  by  hard  work 
and  exposure  to  the  inclemencies  of  the  climate. 

About  1810  he  married  Anna  Gibbs,  a  native  of 
Connecticut,  who  had  come  from  that  State  into 
Fayette  County  some  years  before  with  a  relative. 
She  died  about  three  years  after  the  death  of  her  hus- 
band, leaving  four  children,  of  whom  Joshua  was  the 
oldest. 

Mr.  Gibson  received  his  education  from  an  old 
Englishman,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  who  fought  on 
the  side  of  the  rebels,  and  after  the  war  pursued 
teaching  and  clerking  at  the  iron-works  in  Connells- 
ville. At  about  sixteen  years  of  age  Mr.  Gibson 
went  into  both  the  timber  business  and  fiirming, 
which  he  conducted  as  his  chief  business  for  about 
lifty  years.  In  January,  1824,  he  moved  upon  the 
farm  and  into  the  stone  house  which  he  still  occupies 
on  the  bank  of  the  Youghiogheny  Eiver.  In  1870 
he  laid  out  a  portion  of  this  farm  into  village  lots, 
and  has  erected  thereon  about  eighteen  houses  him- 
self, and  sold  several  lots  upon  which  others  have 
builded. 

Mr.  Gibson  has  always  been  an  industrious  man, 
domestic  in  his  tastes,  temperate,  and  social  in  dis- 
position, but  never  mingles  intimately  with  his  im- 
mediate social  surroundings  outside  of  his  family, 
thougli  noted  for  his  jocularity  and  salient  wit.  But 
withal  he  is,  in  some  respects,  a  peculiar  man,  indulg- 
ing idiosyncratic  tastes  at  times,  as  is  illustrated  by 
the  fact  that  it  has  been  his  habit  for  a  period  of  over 
forty  years  to  take  annual  excursions  alone  to  the 
Atlantic  seaboard,  or  among  the  Indians  of  the  lakes 
or  of  Canada,  among  whom  he  usually  spends  two  or 
three  months,  by  them  being  called  "the  Pennsyl- 
vania Quaker,"  or  "  Wacco,"  which  is  understood  to 
be  the  Indian  translation  of  the  former  designation. 
Visiting  with  these  people  Mr.  Gibson  finds  great 
diversion,  and  thinks  he  thereby  conserves  his  health. 
He  returns  home  invariably  buoyant  in  spirits,  find- 
ing the  old  home  with  its  comfortable  surroundings  a 


I  new  Eden,  wherein  he  settles  down  again  in  quiet 
and  peace.     Thus  he  renews  his  age  and  his  home, 
and  escapes  for  a  while  each  year  the  perplexities  of 
business  and  the  corroding  temptations  of  avarice, 
'  and  so  will,  doubtless,  lengthen  out  his  green  old  age 
I  far  beyond  the  Scriptural  allotment  of  life  to  man. 
Mr.  Gibson  was  an  Old-Line  Whig  in  politics,  and 
is  now  a  Republican,  but  "  never  bothered  with  parti- 
san politics."    In  1852  he  married  Mrs.  Ellen  Simon- 
son,  of  Connellsville,  by  whom  he  has  two  daughters 
and  a  son. 


THOMAS  R.  DAVIDSON. 
Among  the  distinguished  men  of  Fayette  County 
who  have  passed  away,  stood  eminent  in  professional 
and  social  life,  Thomas  R.  Davidson,  who  was  born 
in  Connellsville,  Oct.  6,  1814,  the  son  of  William 
and  Sarah  Rogers  Davidson,  both  of  Scotch-Irish  de- 
scent. William  Davidson,  the  father,  was  an  old  iron- 
master, State  senator,  and  a  man  of  great  mental  vigor. 
Thomas  R.  Davidson  received  his  education  at  home 
and  at  Kenyon  College,  Ohio,  and  after  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar,  practiced  law  for  some  years  in 
Uniontown,  where  he  married  Isabella  Austin,  daugh- 
ter of  John  M.  Austin,  then  one  of  the  leaders  of  the 
bar  in  his  section  of  the  State.  Of  this  union  were 
two  children,— Mary  D.,  now  wife  of  P.  S.  Newmyer, 
of  Connellsville,  and  William  A.,  at  present  practic- 
ing law  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  Shortly  after  his  mar- 
riage he  located  in  Connellsville,  his  old  home,  where 
he  continued  during  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  the 
duties  of  his  profession,  and  engaged  in  various  en- 
terprises for  the  advancement  of  the  community  in 
which  he  was  interested.  He  was  very  c;iutious  and 
reticent  in  business  pursuits,  but  was  quite  successful 
and  accumulated  a  handsome  estate.  He  had  no  de- 
sire for  political  advancement,  preferring  the  more 
congenial  walks  of  private  life,  though  he  once  ac- 
cepted the  honorary  office  of  presidential  elector. 
Mr.  Davidson  died  Nov.  3,  1875. 

His  appearance  was  very  commanding,  he  being 
in  stature  six  and  one-half  feet,  finely  proportioned, 
and  weighing  two  hundred  and  forty-two  pounds. 
Perhaps  a  more  correct  estimate  of  his  character  and 
standing  could  not  be  given  than  that  expressed  in 
the  following  extract  from  a  tribute  by  James  Darsie, 
who  knew  him  long  and  well : 

"  His  departure  from  our  midst  has  left  an  aching 
void  which  cannot  be  filled.  No  other  man  can  lake 
his  place,  do  the  work,  and  command  the  confidence 
that  was  reposed  in  him  by  the  entire  community. 
He  was  indeed  the  rich  man's  counselor  and  the 
poor  man's  friend,  and  was  universally  esteemed,  hon- 
ored, and  beloved  as  a  man  of  lofty  principle,  gener- 

I  ous  and  magnanimous  impulses,  and  of  spotless  in- 
tegrity. I  have  rarely  met  one  who  had  so  great  an 
abhorrence  of  a  mean,  dishonorable,  or  dishonest  act 

'  as  he ;  indeed,  the  love  of  truth  and  justice  was  in  him 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


innate.  While  in  principle  stern  and  unbending, 
even  to  severity,  in  heart  and  sympathy  he  was  ten- 
der as  a  child.  He  never  disappointed  tlie  hopes  and 
expectations  of  his  friends,  or  betrayed  a  trust  com-  i 
mitted  to  his  hands.  He  practiced  his  profession  not  , 
so  much  for  profit  as  to  heal  the  animosities,  adjust 
tlie  difficulties,  and  restore  the  peace  and  confidence 
of  neighbors.  I  presume  I  may  safely  say  he  settled 
more  disputes  by  his  sagacity,  wisdom,  and  modera- 
tion than  he  ever  did  by  the  hard  process  of  law, 
and  oftentimes  prevailed  upon  his  clients  to  amicably 
settle  their  disputes  rather  than  risk  the  vexation  and 
uncertainty  of  an  appeal  to  a  legal  tribunal.  He  was, 
indeed,  a  peacemaker  in  the  highest  sense  of  that  term, 
and  had  a  far  more  honest  satisfaction  in  amicably 
settling  a  difficulty  than  in  gaining  a  suit  before  a 
judge  and  jury.  In  one  word,  he  filled  the  full  out- 
line of  that  sentiment  happily  expressed  by  one  of 
England's  noblest  bards, — 


The  following  testimonial  to  his  great  worth  is 
quoted  from  resolutions  by  the  bar  of  Fayette  County  : 

"  It  is  with  heartfelt  sorrow  and  unfeigned  regret 
that  we  are  compelled  to  submit  to  the  loss  of  one  so 
endeared  to  us  all  by  long  and  pleasant  associations. 
His  genial,  warm,  and  affectionate  disposition,  his 
tender  regard  for  the  feelings  of  others,  his  uniform 
courtesy  and  affability,  and,  above  all,  his  high  sense 
of  honor  and  sirict  integrity  secured  to  him  the  love 
and  respect  alike  of  bench  and  bar.  This  bar  has 
lost  a  sound  lawyer,  an  able  counselor  and  upright 
man,  whose  honor  and  integrity  were  only  equaled 
by  his  unassuming  modesty  and  affability." 


DR.  LCTELLUS    LINDLEY. 

The  Lindleys  of  America  trace  their  English  lin- 
eage through  Francis  Lindley,  who  came  to  this 
country  with  his  Puritan  brethren  from  Holland  in 
the  "  Mayflower."  Demas  Lindley,  the  grandfather 
of  the  late  Dr.  Lutellus  Lindley,  migrated  from  New 
Jersey,  and  settled  on  Ten-Mile  Creek,  Washington 
Co.,  Pa.,  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century. 
There  the  Rev.  Jacob  Lindley,  Dr.  Lindley's  fatheV, 
was  born  in  a  block-house,  the  resort  for  protection 
against  the  Indians  of  the  white  settlers  of  the  re- 
gion. The  Rev.  Jaob  was  educated  at  Princeton 
College,  and  early  in  his  ministerial  life  removed  to 
Athens,  Ohio,  and  took  active  jiart  in  the  building 
and  establishment  of  the  Ohio  University  at  that 
place,  of  which  he  held  the  presidency  for  over 
twenty-five  years.  His  oldest  child  was  the  Rev. 
Daniel  Lindley,  the  famous  missionary,  under  the 
American  Board,  to  South  Africa,  where  he  remained 
for  some  twenty-seven  years.  He  died  in  New  York 
at  the  venerable  age  of  eighty  years. 

Dr.  Lindley,  born  Feb.  1,  1808,  was  educated  at  the 
Ohio  University,  under  his  fatlier's  charge,  and  was 


prepared  for  graduation  at  the  early  age  of  sixteen, 
but  on  account  of  ill  health  deferred  it  for  two  years, 
till  1826,  when  he  went  to  Virginia,  and  there  taught 
a  private  school  composed  of  the  children  of  several 
neighboring  planters.  In  1831  he  betook  himself  to 
Ten-Mile  Creek,  read  medicine  with  Dr.  Henry  Blatch- 
ley,  a  daughter  of  whom,  Maria,  he  married  in  1833  ; 
and  in  March,  1834,  he  removed  to  Connellsvilie, 
where  he  practiced  medicine  with  great  success  for 
about  forty-seven  years,  and  died  Oct.  25,  1881. 

Dr.  Lindley  was  singularly  devoted  to  his  profes- 
sion, but  enjoyed  a  great  reputation,  not  only  for 
professional  skill,  but  for  urbanity,  a  generous  hospi- 
tality, and  scrupulous  integrity,  commanding  the 
affection  as  well  as  confidence  of  his  neighbors  and  a 
wide  circle  of  acquaintances. 

His  first  wife,  Maria  Blatchley,  died  in  June,  1841, 
leaving  a  son,  Henry  Spencer  Lindley,  now  a  physi- 
cian practicing  in  Perryville,  Allegheny  Co.,  Pa.  In 
July,  1842,  Dr.  Lindley  married  Mary  A.  Wade, 
daughter  of  James  Wade,  of  Fayette  County,  by 
whom  he  had  four  sons  and  one  daughter,  all  of 
whom  are  now  living  save  the  first-born  sou,  Clark, 
who  was  accidentally  killed  while  a  member  of  the 
junior  class  of  Allegheny  College,  Meadville,  in  the 
twenty-first  year  of  his  age.  The  daughter,  Carrie 
Lou,  was  graduated  at  Beaver  Female  College  in 
1863,  and  in  1864  became  the  wife  of  Rev.  C.  W. 
Smith,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  at- 
tached to  Pittsburgh  Conference.  Lutellus  W.,  Lutel- 
lus' second  living  son,  graduated  at  Jefterson  Medical 
College,  and  practices  in  partnership  with  his  half- 
brother,  Dr.  Henry  Spencer  Lindley,  before  named. 
Frank  M.,  the  third  son,  studied  medicine  at  the  same 
college,  and  practices  his  profession  in  Connellsvilie. 
Charles  D.,  the  youngest  son,  resides  in  Butler  City, 
Montana,  engaged  in  mining. 


DAXIEL    KOGERS    D.WIDSOX. 

Somewhere  in  Beaver  County,  Pa.,  near  Brighton, 
we  believe,  now  resides,  and  of  Pittsburgh  makes  his 
business  centre.  Col.  Daniel  R.  D.ividson,  who  belongs 
rather  to  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  than  to  Fayette 
County,  in  which  he  was  born,  and  where  he  passed 
perhaps  fifty  years  of  residence,  and  in  which  county 
he  still  holds  large  business  and  proprietary  interests 
and  spends  considerable  time,  a  sketch  of  whom  it  is 
our  lot  to  prepare  for  tlie  history  of  Fayette  County. 

Mr.  Davidson  took  great  interest  in  the  history  of 
his  native  county  during  its  preparation  for  the  press, 
aud  rendered  willing  aid  to  those  who  were  engaged  in 
it  whenever  he  could,  contributing  to  whatever  depart- 
ment of  the  work  he  was  requested  to  assist  in  until 
a  biography  of  himself  was  demanded,  when  the 
proposing  interviewer  was  met  with  the  polite  but 
jjositive  refusal  of  Mr.  Davidson  to  furnish  any  item 
whatever  regarding  himself,  he  easily  baffling  the 
inquirer  with  the  naive  remark  that  he  never  knew 


O^o^^.<^^ 


3 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOROUGH    AND  TOWNSHIP. 


■J07 


anything  about  himself,  never  understood  himself  as  | 
boy  or  man,  and  could  not,  therefore,  say  anything  of  I 
himself;  in  ftxct,  he  would  prefer  that  nothing  be  said, 
and  he  left  no  uncertainty  about  his  quiet  but  firm  I 
declaration  that  whatever  might  be  written  of  him  | 
for  the  history  must  be  obtained  from  others.     How- 
ever, persistent  inquiry  evoked  from  him  the  state- 
ment that  he  believed  himself  to  have  been  born  at  i 
Connellsville,  Jan.  12,  1820;  but  subsequent  inquiry 
of  others  casts  doubt  upon  this  date,  and  leaves  the 
writer  unable  to  say  whether  Mr.  Davidson  was  born 
a  year  or  two  before  or  a  year  or  two  after  that  time. 

Mr.  Davidson  is  so  markedly  sui  generis  in  char- 
acter, as  everybody  who  has  his  acquaintance  knows, 
or  should  know,  that  it  is  quite  unessential  to  men- 
tion herein,  as  in  biographical  sketches  in  general,  the 
mortal  stock  of  which  he  is  a  derivative;  and  yet  it  I 
would  seem  that  somewhat  of  his  physical  and  spir- 
itual nature  is  inherited ;  as  his  father,  the  late  Hon. 
William  Davidson,  of  Connellsville,  is  represented 
by  old  citizens  who  kuew  him  well  as  a  man  of  large  ' 
mould  and  extraordinary  mental  powers,  as  well  as  of 
a  very  sensitive  and  potent  moral  nature  {mixed  with 
a  degree  of  religious  sentiment  which  in  the  last 
years  of  his  life  made  him  an  extreme  though  con- 
sistent zealot) ;  while  his  mother,  Sarah  Rogers,  some 
years  since  deceased,  is  pictured  as  a  lady  of  remark- 
able gifts,  a  woman  of  great  energy  and  extreme  per- 
spicacity. 

William  Davidson  was  born  in  Carlisle,  Cumber- 
land Co.,  Pa.,  Feb.  14,  1783,  and  came  into  Fayette 
County  about  1808.  He  was  at  first  manager  of  the 
Laurel  Furnace,  and  afterwards  an  iron-master  at 
Break  Neck.  He  was  several  times  a  member  of  the 
State  Legislature,  at  one  time  president  of  the  House, 
and  was  also  a  member  of  the  Senate.  He  was  highly 
esteemed  as  an  active,  intelligent,  and  honest  legisla- 
tor. It  appears  that  the  first  or  immigrant  David- 
son ancestor  of  William,  came  from  the  north  of  Ire- 
land and  lived  in  Londonderry  during  the  famous 
siege. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Davidson  were  the  parents 
of  three  sons  and  two  daughters.  Daniel  R.  was 
their  fourth  child.  It  is  learned  that  he  went  to  a 
common  school  in  his  extreme  young  years  ;  but  he 
was  never  known  by  his  schoolmates  to  study  any- 
thing. The  every-day  mj'stery  to  them  was  how,  with- 
out study,  "  Dan"  got  to  know  more  about  every- 
thing than  did  they  who  studied  hard.  Of  course  j 
the  boys  he  played  with  had  no  capacities  lo  com- 
prehend him.  They  knew  nothing  of  him  any  more 
than  they  did  about  the  mysteries  of  the  attraction 
of  gravitation  when  they  fell  off  the  dunce-block,  or 
why  the  water  ran  down  the  Youghiogheny,  gliding 
past  their  school-house.         ' 

Frank  always,  but  not  bold  in  utterance,  Daniel 
Davidson  grew  up  to  sixteen  years  of  age,  as  little 
understood  by  his  father,  it  is  evident  (and  perhaps 
by  his  mother  too),  as  he  understood  himself;  and  the 


fear  being  that  this  uncomprehended  boy  would  never 
amount  to  anything  of  himself,  and  would  ever  be  "  a 
ne'er-do-well,"  he  was  at  that  age  taken  from  the 
school  which  he  cannot  be  said  to  have  "attended" 
and  banished  "  from  Rome," — that  is,  sent  into  quar- 
ters over  which  the  central  power  or  home  govern- 
ment held  empire,  but  of  which  the  boy  was  given 
experimental  charge, — asortof  procuratorship.  It  was 
an  act  of  despair  on  the  part  of  his  fiither  when  he 
made,  as  he  thought,  a  fixture  of  Dan  on  the  David- 
son farm,  north  of  the  borough  of  Connellsville, 
which  farm  it  was  supposed  Dan  would  need  all  his 
life  to  glean  necessary  food  from.  So  little  did  the 
paternal  mind  understand  the  boy.  But,  lo!  Dan, 
who  now  had  a  world  of  his  own  to  move  in,  at  once 
began  to  exhibit  extraordinary  executive  ability.  He 
greatly  improved  the  farm,  and  reaped  a  revenue  from 
it  which  surprised  everybody;  and  then  it  was  that 
his  career  commenced.  The  peculiar,  great-souled 
boy  had  with  one  stride  stepped  from  youth  to  mature 
manhood,  and  was  already  putting  to  himself  large 
problems  of  a  practical  character,  and  projecting  in 
his  clear  head  how  they  should  be  solved, — problems 
concerning  the  public  weal  and  involving  the  ele- 
ments of  his  own  private  fortune. 

It  was  at  this  time  of  his  life,  when  near  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  that  he  became  interested  in  the  project 
of  a  railroad  from  Pittsburgh  to  Connellsville  (the 
present  Pittsburgh  Division  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
Railroad).  He  threw  his  great  energy  into  that  mat- 
ter, against  the  advice  and  solicitation  of  his  hopeless 
friends  and  even  the  demands  of  his  father,  the 
people  regarding  him  as  little  less  than  wild.  But  he 
kept  straight  on  courageously  and  with  immense 
industry  in  his  course.  He  foresaw  what  none  others 
perceived,  the  vast  advantages  to  the  county  and  to 
himself  of  the  project;  and  tirelessly  he  pursued  his 
path,  securing  rights  of  way  from-  this  and  that  one 
through  his  earnest  eloquence  in  picturing  the  bright 
future,  and  from  others  by  sagacious  conditional 
bargains ;  and  got  charters,  too,  by  piecemeal,  fight- 
ing and  out-plotting  all  the  old  heads  in  opposition. 
He,  let  it  be  remembered,  was  the  only  man  (and 
then  an  untried  boy)  who  had  the  energy  to  do  this 
tremendous  work.  At  this  matter  of  the  railroad  he 
spent  some  five  years,  not,  however,  neglecting  his 
form  improvement  and  culture,  and  attending  mean- 
while to  other  important  things  which  had  come  to 
his  hands  to  do.  At  last  the  road  was  built  and 
equipped.  Crowds  gathered  at  Connellsville  on  the 
day  on  which  the  first  train  ran  into  the  borough, 
bearing  an  illustrious  Pennsylvania  protectionist  on 
the  running-board  of  the  engine,  and  by  his  side 
Daniel  Davidson,  who,  as  the  train  stopped  in  the 
midst  of  the  people,  shouted,  "  Here's  the  end  of  the 
Pittsburgh  Road,  with  'Tariff  Andy'  on  its  back!" 
and  the  doubters,  who  of  course  jeered  and  con- 
demned him  years  before,  now  also  of  course  ap- 
plauded him  to  the  echo,  and  literally  bared  their 


408 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


heads  before  him.  Cannon  were  fired,  and  the  great 
uproar  of  praise  shook  the  sky.  AVilliam  Davidson, 
the  father  of  Dan,  the  banished,  "  luckless  wight," 
looked  on  in  silence  that  day,  and  then  turned  away, 
walking  speechless  into  his  house  near  by.  Perhaps 
he  grieved  over  his  wild  boy's  victory,  perhaps  he 
was  proud.  Since  that  day  sensible  people  have  not 
questioned  Daniel  Davidson's  judgment,  his  prog- 
nostic powers,  his  great  capacity  and  energy. 

From  this  point  on,  we  might  proceed  recounting 
the  struggles  and  conquests  of  this  man,  but  our  space 
is  too  limited  to  permit  much  detail.  Many  have  not 
forgotten  the  time,  not  long  after  the  railroad  was 
finished,  when  a  mob  of  Connellsville  people  of  "high 
respectability"  threatened  dire  things  against  Mr. 
Davidson  on  account  of  sundry  bonds  connected 
witli  the  building  of  the  road,  and  to  pay  money 
loaned  on  whicli,  to  the  matter  of  twenty  thousand  dol- 
lars or  so,  it  was  feared  they  were  to  be  heavily  taxed. 
How  they  raged  and  fumed  is  a  matter  of  history,  as 
well  as  how  Dan  laid  a  plan  by  which  they  were  lightly 
taxed,  and  the  bonds  gotten  back  by  him  into  their 
hands  in  indemnity,  they  severally  receiving  bonds 
in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  their  taxes;  and  how 
some  tore  theirs  up  or  burned  them  in  rage  and  con- 
tempt and  punished  themselves,  while  others  kept 
theirs  and  eventually  profited  by  them  some  six 
luindred  per  cent. 

And  while  we  are  talking  of  railways,  it  must  not 
be  forgotten  that  in  later  years  it  was  this  same  Dan 
who  was  a  principal  promoter  of  the  Fayette  County 
Railroad,  which  took  the  county-seat  and  its  adjuncts 
out  of  the  night  of  decay  that  was  settling  down  upon 
tliem  and  gave  them  new  life,  while  many  gave  him 
the  encouragement  of  gibes  and  scoflTs,  sneeringly  de- 
claring that  a  four-horse  coach  could  carry  all  the  pas- 
sengers the  railroad  would  ever  convey  !  The  county 
also  owes  to  Mr.  Davidson  more  than  to  any  other 
man  the  advantages  which  she  has  for  years  enjoyed 
through  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  He 
was  the  originator  of  the  project  of  its  building,  ren- 
dered indispensable  services  in  obtaining  its  charter 
or  charters,  and  gave  his  time  and  talents  whenever 
needed  to  the  work. 

Mr.  Davidson  resided  for  years  on  his  farm  near  Con- 
nellsville, and  became  universally  sought  for  counsel  in 
business,  politics,  and  confidential  affairs.  It  is  prob- 
able that  he  srttird  in,,n-  iirighborliood  and  .Imnotie 
difficulties  than  .lid  all  oilier  men  during  his  time  in 
Connellsville.  In  politics  he  became  a  great  diploma- 
tist. In  extensive  and  subtle  combinations  in  political 
fields,  in  making  men  see  things  as  he  saw  them,  and 
in  [lointing  out  the  way  to  easy,  safe,  and  self-sustain- 
ing victories,  he  became  recognized  among  leaders  as 
a  power  long  before  the  gray  hairs  began  to  creep 
into  his  locks.  He  liked  politics  intensely  for  the 
field  it  opened  for  the  play  of  his  forces,  but  he  cared 
not  for  oflSce.  Indeed,  he  has  been  pressed  to  take 
important  offices,  but  has  always  refused. 


Before  Mr.  Davidson  left  his  farm  as  a  place  of 
family  residence,  indeed  early  in  life,  he  foresaw  what 
a  mighty  work  would  yet  be  done  in  the  coking  coal 
fields  of  Fayette  County.  We  cannot  go  into  detail 
here,  but  it  is  meet  that  we  make  note  that  he  started 
in  the  business  (first  helping  others  to  enter  upon  it 
before  seeking  to  secure  especial  advantages  to  him- 
self, however)  when  everybody  said  he  was  crazy  for 
so  doing.  (He  has  always  been  "  insane !")  He  was 
one  of  the  great  prime  movers  in  the  vast  enterprise 
of  developing  on  a  huge  scale  the  mineral  resources 
of  the  county;  indeed,  he  was  the  one  intellectual 
power  which  moved  it.  Others  furnished  brawn  and 
ignorant  euergy.  In  his  time  he  has  owned  more  ex- 
tensive coking  coal  lands  than  any  one  else  who  can 
be  named.  In  the  measure  of  upbuilding  the  busi- 
ness of  Fayette  County  through  her  coal-beds,  he  ran 
against  the  popular  "judgment,"  as  he  had  done  in 
many  other  matters,  but,  as  in  this  case,  he  always  car- 
ried his  measures  to  final  popular  approval  and  in- 
dorsement. 

But  we  are  giving  this  article  the  full  length  of  a 
preface  to  the  book  which  might  be  written  of  the 
man  and  the  great  part  which  Daniel  Davidson  has 
played  in  the  world,  and  when  we  took  up  our  pen  we 
had  no  purpose  to  do  more  than  make  a  synopsis  of  a 
preface ;  but  the  subject  is  an  inspiring  one,  and  the 
material  concerning  it  voluminous.  The  labor  is  not 
in  expanding  but  in  coming  to  a  halt;  for  every  year 
of  Davidson's  lil'e  for  the  last  four  decades  would  build 
a  volume  of  record.  It  is  not  easy  to  biographize  the 
living,  since  regarding  them  one  may  not  be  so  direct 
and  personal  as  if  talking  of  the  dead.  Too  much 
truth  about  either,  a  stupid  public  (general  readers) 
will  not  usually  bear,  but  whoever  shall  live  to  write 
of  Davidson  when  he  shall  have  gone  will  have  a 
subject  full  worthy  of  the  greatest  pen,  and  may  write 
the  full  truth  about  whatever  may  be  his  faults  and 
failings  ;  but  to  the  writer  of  this  Mr.  Davidson's  faults 
seeni  quite  unworthy  of  notice,  as  really  no  part  of 
him, — incidents  of  his  life,  not  outgrowths  of  his 
character,  not  of  the  man  any  more  than  his  worn- 
out  and  torn  boots  or  old  coat.  There  are  some  men 
whom  faults  do  not  blemish  more  than  do  spots  of 
thin  rust  a  tried  Toledo  blade.  They  are  the  current 
records  or  telling  symbols,  not  vital  parts  of  a  great 
life  of  sturdy  warfare.  Indeed,  there  have  been  and 
aie  men  whom  crimes  do  not  sully.  Bacon  was  one 
ol'  tliein.  But  meannesses  too  low  for  the  law  to  clas- 
sify into  misdemeanors  even,  these  are  the  things  which 
stain  the  soul,  or  the  rather,  they  are  the  exponents 
of  essential  natures,  proofs  that  the  soul  guilty  of 
enacting  them  is  not  great,  whatever  the  man's 
frontispiece  before  the  world.  Of  such  the  world 
accuses  not  Davidson ;  and  while  the  history  of  Fay- 
ette County  will  be  searched  in  vain  in  the  chapters 
of  her  illustrious  dead  for  one  native  born  the  su- 
perior of  Davidson  in  all  that  goes  to  make  great 
manhood,  so  among  the   living  of  Fayette   County 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND  TOWXSHTP. 


409 


and  of  Western  Pennsylvania  a  similar  search  would 
surely  also  be  vain.  He  has  once  been  aspersed  and 
thrust  into  the  civil  courts,  and  he  came  out  thor- 
oughly a  victor,  and  justly  and  nobly  triumphant 
over  the  attempted  wrong  and  persecution. 

Mr.  Davidson  has  a  wide  acquaintanceship  among 
the  leading  men  of  the  country,  especially  those  of 
the  South  and  West,  and  commands  their  esteem,  as 
he  does  that  of  the  people  of  his  own  State.  Where, 
when,  or  how  in  his  strong-willed,  successful  career  he 
has  gathered  to  himself  the  funds  of  information 
Avhich  he  possesses  upon  many  topics  is  unknown  to 
the  writer,  for  he  cannot  learn  that  Mr.  Davidson  has 
been  a  close  student  of  books.  But  Carlyle,  it  is 
said,  could  exhaust  five  octavo  volumes  a  day.  He 
turned  over  the  leaves  of  a  book,  read  here  and  there 
a  page,  caught  the  key-note,  and  saw  the  manner  of 
treatment  of  a  subject,  and  could  talk  more  wisely 
then  of  the  book  than  another  man  who  had  spent 
three  weeks  in  reading  it.  Mr.  Davidson  evidently 
possesses  some  such  power  or  art,  and  we  are  told 
that  his  memory  is  prodigious.  But  over  all  his 
powerful,  logical  brain  reigns;  and  we  are  inclined  to 
think  that  out  of  the  depths  of  his  own  being,  by  the 
accretions  of  his  own  mind,  more  than  from  acquire- 
ments of  any  sort,  is  it  that  the  successes  of  Daniel 
Davidson  have  been  builded.  But  however  made,  or 
created,  or  modified,  sure  it  is  that  no  son  of  Fay- 
ette County  was  ever  his  superior  in  intellectual  and 
moral  forces,  in  mental  equipoise,  in  quiet  but  tre- 
mendous energy  given  to  great  works  of  a  practical 
character  for  the  well-being  of  the  county;  in  that 
mental  forecast  which  amounts  to  prophecy  in  the 
power  to  move  and  persuade  men  by  gentle  means, 
opening  their  eyes  that  they  may  see,  and,  seeing,  be- 
[  lieve  the  things  in  practical  life  hidden  to  them,  but 
clear  to  his  keen  vision.  In  these  and  many  other 
1  things  Davidson  stands  unsurpassed,  felt  as  to  his 
[  power  in  every  part  of  the  county,  but  yet  "  un- 
known," save  only  to  the  wise  few,  but  by  them  un- 
:  derstood  but  partially,  and  careless,  we  think,  as  to 
1  whether  or  not  he  shall  ever  be  understood  by  the 
masses. 


EDWARD    K.  IIYXDMAN. 

Edward  K.  Hyndman,  though  a  native  of  Carbon 
Co.,  Pa.,  and  present  resident  of  Pittsburgh,  resided 
in  Fayette  County  for  a  period  of  about  eight  years, 
and  holds  large  business  interests  therein. 

Mr.  Hyndman  is  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  being  the 
son  of  Hugh  Hyndman,  who  was  born  in  the  north 
of  Ireland  in  1800,  and  Catharine  Huff,  a  native  of 
Danville,  Pa.,  born  in  1805,  both  still  living  in  vigor- 
ous old  age.  He  was  born  in  Mauch  Chunk,  Pa.,  the 
great  anthracite  coal  region,  in  1844,  and  growing  up 
there  became  a  civil  engineer  at  about  eighteen  years 
of  age,  and  was  engaged  more  or  less  in  the  construc- 
tion and  operation  of  railroads   in  their  various  de- 


partments until  at  twenty-five  years  of  age  he 
became  the  superintendent  of  the  Lehigh  and  Sus- 
quehanna Railroad,  from  Easton  to  Scranton  (now  a 
part  of  the  New  Jersey  Central  Railroad  system), 
in  the  superintendency  of  which  he  continued  till 
1872,  when  he  resigned  his  post  to  take  the  superin- 
tendency of  the  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville  Rail- 
road (now  the  Pittsburgh  Division  of  the  Baltimore 
and  Ohio  Railroad),  in  charge  of  which  he  remained, 
residing  at  Connellsville,  for  the  period  of  eight 
years. 

In  his  official  position,  while  living  there  in  charge 
of  the  railroad,  Mr.  Hyndman  enjoyed  peculiar 
opportunities  for  studying  the  Connellsville  coke 
business  and  the  extent  and  position  of  the  coking 
coal  field,  and  was  so  impressed  with  the  vast  pres- 
ent and  future  importance  of  the  business  that  he 
took  measures  to  secure  some  eight  thousand  acres  of 
the  best  of  coal  lands  in  one  body,  and  organized  a 
company  under  the  name  of  the  Connellsville  Coke 
and  Iron  Company,  with  Hon.  John  Leisenring  as 
president,  and  other  of  his  old  Eastern  anthracite  coal 
friends  as  members,  with  a  capital  stock  of  one  million 
two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  developing  the  coal  property.  He  then  re- 
signed the  superintendency  of  the  railroad,  and  ac- 
cepted the  position  of  general  manager  of  the  above- 
named  company.  Mr.  Hyndman  remained  in  that 
position  until  the  company  was  thoroughly  estab- 
lished and  in  working  order,  he  finding  meanwhile 
that  his  early  experience  in  the  antliracite  district 
availed  him  much  in  the  new  field.  He  then  re- 
signed the  management  of  the  company,  though  still 
its  consulting  engineer,  and  removing  to  Pittsburgh, 
accepted  (in  June,  1881)  the  office  of  general  man- 
ager of  the  Pittsburgh  and  Western  Railroad,  which 
office  he  now  holds,  together  with  that  of  president 
of  the  Pittsburgh  Junction  Railroad. 

Mr.  Hyndman  is  also  largely  interested  in  various 
enterprises  in  and  out  of  the  State.  Among  these 
may  be  mentioned  that  of  the  "Virginia  Coal  and  Iron 
Company  and  the  Holston  Steel  and  Iron  Company, 
having  their  centre  of  operations  in  Southwestern 
Virginia,  and  in  which  Mr.  Leisenring  and  others  of 
the  Connellsville  Coke  and  Iron  Company  are  also 
interested.  The  above-named  Virginia  Coal  and 
Iron  Company  possesses  over  70,000  acres  of  coal  and 
iron  lands,  upon  the  development  of  which  they  have 
already  entered,  having  commenced  the  construction 
of  a  railroad  seventy  miles  in  length  in  order  to  reach 
their  new  fields  from  Bristol,  Tenn.  The  coke  to  be 
manufactured  in  this  field  will  readily  supply  mar- 
kets not  accessible  from  the  Connellsville  coke  region. 

Feb.  25,  1873,  Mr.  Hyndman  married  at  Phila- 
delphia, Miss  Gulielma  A.  Brown,  daughter  of  the 
late  William  Brown,  Esq.,  of  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  and 
Mrs.  Susan  I.  Brown,  his  widow,  who  now  resides 
in  Philadelphia.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hyndman  have  two 
sons 


410 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


JOHN    LEISENRIXG. 

Among  the  many  eminent  business  men  and  capi- 
talists wliom  the  treasures  of  the  Connellsville  coal 
basin  have  attracted  from  other  regions,  to  make  large  ] 
investments  in  mineral  lands,  mining,  and  the  manu-  j 
facture  of  coke  in  Faj'ette  County,  one  of  the  most 
widely  known  and  prominent  is  the  president  of 
the  Connellsville  Coke  and  Iron  Company,  Hon.  i 
John  Leiseu'ring,  whose  home  is  at  Muuch  Chunk, 
Pa.,  but  who  is  a  native  of  Philadelphia.  He  was  born 
ill  1819,  his  paternal  ancestors  being  of  Saxon  descent, 
and  his  maternal  ancestors  Scotch.  His  great-grand- 
father came  to  America  and  settled  in  Whitehall 
township,  Lehigh  County,  on  the  Lehigh  River,  in 
A.D.  17G5,  on  a  farm  bought  from  the  original  proprie- 
tors, while  Indians  still  occupied  that  portion  of  the 
State.  This  form  still  remains  in  the  possession  of  his 
descendants.  At  the  time  of  John  Leisenring's  birth 
his  father  was  a  morocco-dresser  in  Philadelphia, 
which  business  he  left  to  engage  in  the  war  of  1812. 
lu  1828  he  removed  to  Mauch  Chunk,  where  the 
family  have  since  resided.  John's  education  was  di- 
rected with  especial  reference  to  the  profession  of 
civil  engineer,  which  he  entered  at  an  early  age,  under 
the  direction  of  E.  A.  Douglas,  principal  engineer  of 
the  L.  C.  &  N.  Co.,  then  controlled  by  Josiah  White 
and  Erskine  Hazard,  who  were  engaged  in  construct- 
ing a  slack-water  navigation  of  the  Lehigh  River  from 
ilauch  Chunk  to  White  Haven,  and  also  building  a 
railroad  from  White  Haven  to  Wilkesbarre. 

Jlr.  Lcisenring,  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  had 
full  charge  of  a  division  of  the  canal  and  railroad, 
while  George  Law  and  Asa  Packer  were  contractors 
on  the  same  division,  and  remained  in  charge  until 
its  completion.  After  completing  this  work,  the  Mor- 
ris Canal  Company,  who  were  then  enlarging  their 
canal  from  Easton  to  Jersey  City,  through  their  chief 
engineer,  IMr.  E.  A.  Douglas,  secured  his  services  as 
ass'istant,  and  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  division 
between  Dover,  N.  J.,  and  Jersey  City.  He  was  also 
red  in  locating  and  surveying  the  railroad  now 


enga 


known  as  tl 
work  he  wa 
II.  M.  N.-?l 


Bel 


About 


idcre  Delaware  Railro; 
ated  with  E.  A.  Dougl 
-)  now  lives  in  Calilor, 
this  time  111'  ciiL'aged  in  the  coal  business,  then  in  its 
iiif'aiirv,  whiili  he  saw  was  to  be  the  controlling  busi- 
ness of  the  region.  He  also  built  the  Sharp  Mountain 
planes,  on  the  property  of  the  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navi- 
■ration  Company,  for  conveying  the  coal  which  he  and 
others  mined.  From  Ashton,  Carbon  Co.,  where  he 
had  lived  nine  years,  he  removed  in  1854  to  Eckley, 
Luzerne  Co.,  where  he  opened  the  Council  Ridge 
niiiK's,  whiidi  are  now  operated  by  him,  as  well  as 
many  otlur^  in  the  same  locality,  he  being  esjiecially 
ideiitilii'd  with  the  coal  from  Buck  Mountain  vein, 
producing  together  in  1881  about  one  million  tons. 
He  organized  and  is  still  president  of  the  Upper  Le- 
hii'h  Coal  Company,  known  as  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful anthracite   mining  companies  in  the  country. 


On  the  death  of  E.  A.  Douglas  he  was  chosen  as  his 
successor  in  charge  of  the  works  of  the  Lehigh  Coal 
and  Navigation  Company,  during  which  the  naviga- 
tion from  White  Haven  down  was  almost  totally  de- 
stroyed by  the  great  freshet  of  June,  1862.  The 
works  from  Mauch  Chunk  to  Easton  were  repaired 
with  wonderful  rapidity,  and  Mr.  Leisenring's  energy 
and  eiBciency  in  their  reconstruction  were  on  all 
hands  commended.  The  navigation  from  Mauch 
Chunk  to  White  Haven  was  not  restored,  because  in 
the  judgment  of  the  subject  of  this  article  the  de- 
struction to  life  and  property  had  been  so  great  as  to 
be  sufiicient  ground  for  declining  to  incur  the  risk  of 
a  repetition,  and  in  order  to  retain  the  business  he 
suggested  and  recommended  the  building  of  a  rail- 
road between  the  same  points. 

After  completing  this  work,  which  gave  the  com- 
pany a  line  of  railroad  from  Wilkesbarre  to  Mauch 
Chunk,  Mr.  Leiseuring  saw  that  to  .secure  the  full 
benefit  of  this  road  it  would  be  necessary  to  have  a 
railroad  from  Mauch  Chunk  to  Easton,  to  connect 
with  roads  in  New  Jersey,  so  that  the  operations  of 
the  company  need  not  be  suspended  during  the  winter 
months,  but  that  business  could  go  on  continuously. 
In  carrying  out  this  plan,  which  was  promptly  adopted, 
the  road  was  laid  out  and  completed  with  steel  rails, 
which  were  the  first  importation  of  any  consequence, 
and  the  whole  fifty  miles  are  still  in  use  and  doing 
good  service,  showing  the  forecast  and  sound  judgment 
of  its  promoter.  The  iron  bridges  crossing  the  two 
rivers,  Lehigh  and  Delaware,  at  Easton  have  been 
considered  a  masterly  piece  of  engineering,  both  in 
their  location  and  construction.  In  view  of  the  large 
business  which  he  expected  from  the  Wyoming  region, 
he  designed  and  built  the  three  inclined  planes  which 
were  used  to  raise  the  coal  from  the  Wyoming  Valley, 
a  height  of  about  1000  feet,  divided  in  planes  of  about 
a  mile  in  length  each.  These  planes  are  constructed 
with  a  capacity  to  raise  2000  cars,  or  10,000  to  12,000 
tons,  daily,  at  a  cost  of  but  little  more  than  the  mini- 
mum cost  per  mile  of  transportation  on  a  railroad  of 
ordinary  grade,  thus  saving  to  the  company  over  four- 
filths  of  the  cost  of  hauling  the  same  coal  in  cars  by 
locomotives,  as  it  would  have  required  over  thirteen 
miles  of  railroad  to  overcome  the  same  elevation. 
These  are  thought  to  be  the  most  effective  planes  in 
the  world. 

Having  brought  to  a  successful  issue  all  these  plans 
for  the  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company's  canals 
and  roads,  the  increasing  cares  of  his  various  enter- 
!  prises  made  it  necessary  for  him  to  resign  the  active 
charge  of  the  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company's 
extended  business ;  and  the  company  being  loath  to 
lose  his  services,  urged  upon  his  acceptance  the  posi- 
I  tion  of  consulting  engineer  and  member  of  the  board 
of   managers,   which   latter   position  he   still  holds. 
About  this  time  there  came  a  struggle  among  trans- 
porting companies  to  secure  control  of  coal  lands,  in 
1  which,  owing  to  his  well-known  familiarity  with  the 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOKOUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


geological  formations  in  the  coal  regions,  Mr.  Leisen- 
ring  was  invited  to  join  the  Central  Railroad  Company 
of  New  Jersey,  of  which  he  was  elected  a  director, 
and  whose  large  terminal  facilities  were  such  as  to 
enable  them  to  compete  successfully  for  a  large  busi- 
ness. A  lease  was  secured  by  the  Central  Railroad 
Company  of  New  Jersey  of  the  canal  and  roads  of 
the  Leliigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company,  securing 
thereby  the  tonnage  of  the  mines  owned  by  that  com- 
pany and  others,  including  those  of  the  Wilkesbarre 
Coal  and  Iron  Company.  The  mines  of  the  latter 
coni^any,  together  with  other  purchases,  were  merged 
into  the  property  of  the  company  now  known  as  the 
Lehigh  and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  and  Iron  Company. 
In  gathering  these  properties  the  advice  and  counsel 
of  Mr.  Leisenring  was  sought,  and  he,  together  with 
Charles  Parrish,  .selected  the  lands,  which  are  now 
conceded  to  be  as  valuable  as  any,  and  to  be  the  finest 
body  of  connected  coal  land  owned  by  any  of  the 
corporations  in  the  same  neighborhood,  and  having 
all  of  the  best  veins  of  coal  in  perfection. 

Tiie  near  approach  of  the  time  when  the  anthra 
cite  coal-fields  would  be  unable  to  supply  the  increas- 
ing demands  upon  them,  and  the  necessity  of  pro- 
viding new  avenues  for  business  operations,  led  him 
to  the  consideration  of  coke  as  a  fuel  for  iron  and 
other  manufactures.  With  this  end  in  view  an  ex- 
amination was  made  of  several  tracts,  from  which  he 
and  his  associates  selected, the  property  which  now 
belongs  to  the  Connellsville  Coke  and  Iron  Company. 

The  following  extracts,  taken  from  the  first  annual 
report  of  the  directors  to  the  stockholders,  dated  Feb. 
10,  18SI,  will  show  the  operations  of  the  company  to 
that  date.  Their  property  covers  about  8500  acres  of 
land,  every  foot  of  which  contains  the  celebrated 
Connellsville  seam  of  coking  coal : 

•'The  coiiipnny  was  duly  orgiinized  on  the  .3Ist  of  Jiimi.ary, 
]8Sl).  At  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  stockholders,  held  March 
IS,  ISSO,  the  charter  granted  by  the  authorities  of  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  dated  March  5,  ISSII,  was  adopted  and  accepted 
by  the  stockholders,  together  with  a  code  of  by-laws  fur  the 
management  and  government  of  the  company. 

"  Operations  for  the  development  of  the  property,  by  sicking 
a  shaft,  building  ovens,  and  erecting  tenement-houses,  were 
CNinmenccd  March  27,  ISSO,  and  have  been  continued  with  but 
slight  interruption  to  the  present  time. 

"The  shaft  has  been  sunk  to  the  celebrated  Connellsville 
seam  of  coking  coal,  a  distance  of  375  feet  from  the  surface. 

"The  vein  was  struck  about  the  centre  of  the  basin  .and 
found  to  be  9i  feet  thick  and  of  an  e.vcellent  quality,  surpnss- 
ing  in  point  of  comparative  frecncss  from  sulphur,  in  density, 
in  richness  in  carbon  and  smaller  quantity  of  ash  the  [iroduets 
of  the  surrounding  propeities  located  upon  the  outcrops  of  the 
basin. 

"  The  fact  of  the  shaft  having  been  driven  to  the  eoal  in  the 
centre  of  the  basin  and  to  the  greatest  depth  yet  attained  in 
that  coal-field,  with  the  results  aforesaid,  has  very  much  en- 
hanced the  value  of  the  company's  and  surrounding  property, 
by  the  demonstrated  fact  that  the  deeper  the  coal  is  buried  with 
superincumbent  strata  the  purer  and  better  it  is  found. 

•'A  pair  of  hoisting-engines   working  direct  (without  inler- 


mediate  gearing),  and  capable  of  hoisting  1  jOO  to  20OU  tons  of 
coal  per  day,  have  been  e:ected,  put  in  operation,  and  work 
admirably.  They  were  furnished  by  the  Dickson  Manufacturing 
Company,  of  Sernnton,  Pa.,  a  corporation  well  known  for  the 
excellence  of  its  work. 

"The  second  opening,  for  ventilating  purposes  and  for  the 
escape  of  the  miners  in  case  of  accident  to  the  main  shaft,  has 
been  corameneed.  This  opening  is  required  by  law,  as  well  as 
for  the  safe  and  economical  working  of  the  mines,  and  will  be 
prosecuted  to  an  early  completion. 

"Additional  houses  for  the  accommodation  of  the  workmen, 
also  coke-ovens,  tracks,  etc.,  necessary  for  the  prosecution  of 
the  business  will  be  commenced  early  the  coming  spring. 

"The  present  selling  prices  of  coke  at  the  ovens  afford  a 
handsome  profit  to  the  producer,  and  the  marketing  of  which 
is  limited  only  by  the  means  of  transportation,  which  it  is  re- 
ported are  entirely  inadequate  to  do  the  business  that  oB'ers. 
We  arc  informed,  however,  that  the  carrying  companies  are 
arranging  to  greatly  augment  their  rolling-stock. 

"  Within  the  last  three  or  four  months  an  entirely  new  mar- 
ket has  been  found  for  coke  by  the  introduction  of  machinery 
for  breaking,  screening,  and  sizing  it,  to  be  used  for  domestic 
purposes  in  competition  with  anthracite  coal.  It  is  believed  it 
will  hereafter  become  a  very  important  factor  in  the  net  profit 
account  of  coke  producers;  doubtless  the  company  will  find  it 
to  be  to  its  interest,  in- the  near  future,  to  combine  with  its 
regular  coke  business  this  new  industry. 

"The  branch  railroad  being  constructed  by  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  Company  to  conucjt  our  works  with  their  main  line 
is  progressing  rapidly  towards  completion,  and  we  are  assured 
that  it  will  be  connected  with  our  tr.acks  at  the  ovens  by  iho 
1st  of  May,  and  by  the  1st  of  June  the  company  will  probably 
be  able  to  ship  coke  from  their  mines  in  a  muderale  way. 

"The  board  desire  to  congratulate  the  stoekholders  on  the 
possession  of  so  fine  a  projierty  in  Fayelte  t'ounty  ;  doubtless 


;thel 


probably  in  the  world.     Its  vali 
nearly  or  quite  double  its  origii 
the  prices  at  which  coke  lands  1 
vicinity,  and  when  the  limitei 
is  considered,  and  the  rapid 
coke  is  taken  into  .account,  y( 
one  of  the  best  future  payiii;; 
"The  Connellsville  cokio- 
long  by  an  average  of  two  an 


iited 


amount  olth.s  kind  of  r 


).any  = 
of  thi, 

the°ai 


ugically 


sheet  of 
rolls  over  the  anticlinals  into  the 
side,  losing  at  the  same  lime  its 
into  a  gas  and  steam  coal,  costing 
to  mine  from  seventy-five  to  eighty-five  cents  per  ton,  whilst 
the  Connellsville  eoal  is  readily  produced  at  a  co^tfor  mining  of 
only  twenty-five  to  thirty  cents  per  ton.  Furthermore,  the  coal 
produced  outside  of  the  Cnnnellsvillo  basin  requires  (owing  to 
the  large  percentage  of  sulpliu-  with  which  it  is  charged)  to  be 


ing  qu 


crushed  i 


ibjccting  it  to  the  coking  proces 


aed  in 


ulphu 


taken  di  cctly  I'roni  the  mine  and  dumped  into  the  ovens,  wiih- 
out  any  desulphurizing  process  whatever.  The  cost  of  producing 
Connellsville  coke  is  therefore  at  least  fifry  cents  per  ton  less 
than  that  of  the  neighboring  regions  located  as  before  stated. 
These  facts,  together  with  the  advantages  before  mentioned, 
demonstrate  the  great  value  of  the  company's  estate." 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Shaft  No.  1,  located  at  "  Leisenring,"  near  the  east- 
ern end  of  tbe  property,  is  now  in  operation,  furnish- 
ing coal  'for  about  200  ovens.  The  construction  of  200 
additional  ovens  is  now  under  way,  and  will  be  com- 
pleted by  June  next,  and  300  more  will  be  added  by 
the  close  of  this  year. 

Shaft  No.  2,  near  the  western  line  of  the  property, 
has  been  sunk  to  the  coal  a  distance  of  about  150  feet, 
and  houses  and  ovens  are  being  built  with  the  view  of 
a  business  of  1000  tons  of  coke  daily.  Locations  have 
been  made  for  three  additional  plants,  with  a  capacity 
each  of  1000  tons  per  day,  making  in  all  five  plants, 
with  a  total  capacity  of  producing  5000  tons  of  coke 
daily,  1700  acres  of  laud  having  been  assigned  to  each 
plant. 

The  following  officers  and  board  of  directors  are  as 
follows:  John  Leisenring,  F.  A.  Potts,  Samuel  Dick- 
son, John  S.  Wentz,  E.  B.  Leisenring,  M.  S.  Kem- 
merer,  Henry  McCormick,  Daniel  Bertsch,  John 
Fritz. 

Officers  elected  by  the  board  of  directors  :  Presi- 
dent, Hon.  John  Leisenring ;  Vice-President,  E.  B. 
Leisenring;  Superintendent  and  Engineer,  J.  K.  Tag- 
gart;  Consulting  Engineer,  E.  K.  Hyndnian  ;  Sec- 
retary and  Treasurer,  W.  B.  Whitney ;  Chief  Clerk, 
John  A.  Esser. 


COL.  JAMES    M.  SCHOONMAKER. 

Col.  James  M.  Schoonmaker,  though  a  native  .ind 
resident  of  Pittsburgh,  has  large  business  interests  in 
Fayette  County,  in  the  development  of  coal-mines 
and  the  manufacture  of  coke,  and  is  therefore  more 
practically  identified  with  the  welfare  of  the  county 
than  are  many  of  her  own  children. 

Col.  Schoonmaker  is  of  New  York  "  Knickerbocker" 
stock,  his  paternal  ancestors  subsequent  to  1660  having 
been  born  in  Ulster  and  Orange  Counties,  N.  Y. 
Hendrick  Jochem,  one  of  his  paternal  ancestors,  came 
to  America  from  Holland  in  1660  and  settled  in  Ulster 
County. 

James  Schoonmaker,  the  father  of  Col.  Schoon- 
maker, removed  from  Ulster  County  to  Pittsburgh  in 
1836,  at  the  age  of  twenty-three  years,  and  embarked 
in  the  drug  business.  In  1841  he  married  Mary  Stock- 
ton, a  daughter  of  Rev.  Joseph  Stockton,  of  Pittsburgh, 
by  whom  he  has  had  nine  children, — five  sons  and  four 
daughters, — of  whom  James  M.  is  the  oldest.  Both 
parents,  as  well  as  all  the  children,  are  living. 

James  JL  was  born  June  30, 1842,  and  was  educated 
in  private  .schools  and  in  the  public  schools  of  Pitts- 
burgh, and  attended  the  Western  University  of  that 
city,  which  institution  he  left  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
years,  and  entered  the  volunteer  army  in  the  war  of 
the  Rebellion,  being  attached  as  a  private  at  first  to 
the  Union  Cavalry  of  Pittsburgli,  which  joined  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.     With  this  force  he  served  a 


year,  being  meanwhile  made  a  lieutenant  of  Company 
A  of  the  First  Maryland  Cavalry  Regiment,  to  which 
the  Union  Cavalry  was  attached.  In  August,  1862, 
he  was  ordered  from  the  front  to  return  home  and 
take  command  of  the  Fourteenth  Pennsylvania  Cav- 
alry, which  was  then  recruiting  in  Pittsburgh,  being 
partly  made  up  of  three  companies  from  Fayette 
County, — Company  B,  under  Capt.  Zadoc  Walker; 
Company  E,  under  Capt.  Ashbel  F.  Duncan  ;  and 
Company  F,  led  by  Capt.  Calvin  Springer  (late 
sheriff  of  Fayette  County).  M.any  of  the  surviving 
members  of  these  companies  are  now  living  in  Fay- 
ette County. 

In  November,  1862,  Col.  Schoonmaker  received  his 
commission  as  colonel,  and  took  his  regiment  into 
the  field.  At  that  time  Col.  Schoonmaker,  being  a 
little  less  than  twenty  years  atid  five  months  of  age, 
was,  it  is  believed,  the  youngest  officer  of  his  rank  in 
the  Federal  army.  He  commanded  the  regiment  till 
Jan.  1,  1864,  when  he  was  assigned  to  the  command 
of  the  First  Brigade,  First  Cavalry  Division  of  the 
Army  of  the  Shenandoah,  and  remained  in  that  com- 
mand till  the  end  of  the  war,  after  which,  with  his 
brigade,  still  in  service,  he  was  sent  by  the  War  De- 
partment to  guard  the  overland  stage-route  from  the 
Missouri  River  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  serving  in 
that  campaign  till  August,  1865,  when  the  brigade 
was  mustered  out  of  service  at  Fort  Leavenworth, 
Kansas. 

During  his  military  career  Col.  Schoonmaker  was 
constantly  in  the  field,  and  participated  in  all  the 
battles  of  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah,  under  Gen. 
Sheridan,  the  campaigns  of  which  were  especially 
severe.  At  one  time  his  brigade  was  for  forty-two 
consecutive  days  and  nights  in  the  saddle,  engaging 
the  enemy  daily,  and  took  part  in  the  three  decisive 
battles  of  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  which  practically 
ended  the  war  by  destroying  the  enemy's  forces. 

After  the  mustering  out  of  his  brigade  at  Fort 
Leavenworth,  Col.  Schoonmaker  returned  home  and 
entered  into  business  with  his  father,  remaining  with 
him  until  some  time  in  1872,  when  he  went  into  busi- 
ness with  his  father-in-law,  William  H.  Brown,  in  the 
mining  of  coal  and  manufacture  of  coke. 

In  1879,  Mr.  Brown  having  meanwhile  died,  and 
his  business  being  divided  or  assigned  among  the 
members  of  his  family.  Col.  Schoonmaker  came  into 
possession  of  the  Connellsville  coke  branch  as  his 
interest  in  the  partnership  business,  and  has  ever 
since  been  exclusively  engaged  in  prosecuting  that. 
A  good  portion  of  his  works  are  located  in  Fayette 
County,  463  coke-ovens  being  situated  at  Dawson's 
Station,  he  being  also  chairman  of  the  Redstone  Coke 
Company  (Limited),  which  has  300  ovens  near  Union- 
town,  Col.  Schoonmaker  owning  one-third  of  this 
property.  He  also  owns  the  Alice  Mines,  in  West- 
moreland County,  comprising  200  ovens,  and  is  chair- 
man of  the  Morewood  Coke  Company  (Limited),  of  the 
same  county,  and  running  470  ovens,  of  whicli  prop- 


-^-^1^  \7^, 


^ 


^%^^x^^^ 


i 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


413 


rty   lie   is   one-fourth   owner.     Col.  Schoonmaker's 
principal  office  is  at  120  Water  Street,  Pittsburgh. 

Feb.  22,  1872,  Col.  Schoonmaker  married  Miss 
Alice  W.  Brown,  daughter  of  William  H.  and  Mary 
Smith  Brown,  of  Pittsburgh,  and  who  died  Oct.  7, 
1881,  leaving  a  son. 


ABR.\HAM    OVERHOLT   TINSTMAN. 

Abraliam  O.  Tiustman,  now  a  resident  of  Turtle 

Creek,  Allegheny  Co.,  Pa.,  resided  in  Fayette  County 

from  1859  to  1876,  and  there  conducted  enterprises 

and  aided  in  laying  the  foundations  of  important 

I    works  which  are  in  active  operation,  developing  the 

I    wealth  and  forming  an  important  part  of  the  business 

,    of  the  county  to-day. 

I  Mr.  Tinstman  is  of  German  descent  in  both  lines. 
i  His  paternal  great-grandfather  was  born  in  one  of  the 
1  German  States,  and  came  to  the  United  States,  lo- 
,  eating  in  Bucks  County,  Pa.,  and  from  thence  re- 
\  moved  to  Westmoreland  County,  Pa.,  residing  near 
I    Mount  Pleasant,  where  he  had  his  home  until  his 

death  ;  he  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  A.  0.  Tinst-  i 
1  man's  paternal  grandfather  was  Jacob  Tinstman,  who 
I  was  born  in  Bucks  County,  Pa.,  Jan.  13, 1773,  and  on 
I  Dec.  11,  1798,  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Fox,  of 
!  Westmoreland  County,  Pa.,  her  birthplace  having 
I  been  Chester  County,  Pa.,  Aug.  8,  1779. 
}  Jacob  Tinstman  and  Anna  Tinstman  had  ten  chil- 
I  dren,  whose  names  were  Mary,  Henry,  Adam,  John, 
'  Jacob,  Anna,  Christian,  David,  Sarah,  and  Catharine. 
I  Jacob  Tinstman  was  a  farmer  and  a  man  of  fine  edu- 
j    cation. 

i  John,  the  father  of  A.  O.  Tinstman,  was  the  fourth 
child  and  third  son,  and  was  born  Jan.  29,  1807,  in 
East  Huntingdon  township,  Westmoreland  Co.,  Pa. 
He  was  brought  up  on  the  ftirm,  and  attended  sub- 
scription schools.  He  held  important  township  of- 
fices, was  an  excellent  citizen,  an  energetic  and  pru- 
dent man,  and  made  a  competence  for  himself  and 
family.     He  died  at  the  age  of  seventy  years. 

A.  0.  Tinstman's  maternal  grandfather  was  Abra- 
ham Overholt,  also  of  German  descent,  and  who  was 
born  in  Bucks  County,  Pa.,  in  1774,  and  came  to 
I  East  Huntingdon  township,  Westmoreland  Co.,  Pa., 
j  about  the  year  1800,  and  settled  on  a  farm  on  which 
I  the  village  of  West  Overton  now  stands.  He  married 
I  Miss  Maria  StaufFer,  of  Fayette  County,  Pa.,  and  both 
I  being  of  frugal,  industrious,  and  economical  disposi- 
I  tions,  accumulated  property  rapidly,  lived  together 
!  harmoniously,  and  left  as  monuments  of  skill  and 
;  judgment  in  building  and  improvements  some  of 
.  the  most  substantial  buildings  of  East  Huntingdon 
I  township,  having  built  the  entire  village  of  West 
I  Overton,  including  mill,  distillery,  etc. 
I  A.  0.  Tinstman's  mother's  maiden  name  w.is  Anna 
I  Overholt,  who  was  a  daughter  of  the  aforesaid  Abra- 


ham and  Maria  Overholt.  She  was  a  lady  highly  es- 
teemed for  her  kindness  and  gentleness,  traits  of  char- 
acter for  which  her  mother,  Mrs.  Abraham  Over- 
holt, was  particularly  distinguished.  She  was  born 
July  4,  1812,  and  was  married  to  John  Tiustman 
about  1830,  and  died  in  the  year  1860.  The  fruits  of 
their  marriage  were  ten  children,  viz.:  Maria,  who 
died  at  fifteen  years  of  age ;  Jacob  O. ;  Abraham  0. ; 
Henry  0. ;  Anna,  widow  of  Rev.  L.  B.  Leasure  ;  John 
O.,  who  died  when  a  soldier  in  the  army  during  the 
Rebellion  ;  Elizabeth,  who  died  at  three  years  of  age ; 
Abigail,  who  died  at  nineteen  years  of  age ;  Emma, 
wife  of  Dr.  W.  J.  K.  Kline,  of  Greensburg,  Pa.;  and 
Christian  S.  0.  Tinstman,  who  is  now  conducting 
business  in  partnership  with  A.  O.  Tinstman,  under 
the  firm-name  of  A.  O.  Tinstman  &  Co.  Abraham  O. 
Tinstman  was  born  Sept.  13,  1834,  in  East  Hunting- 
don township,  Westmoreland  Co.,  Pa.,  on  the  farm 
upon  which  are  now  located  the  Emma  Mine  Coke- 
Works.  He  received  his  education  in  the  common 
schools,  attending  them  during  the  winter  season 
until  about  twenty  years  of  age.  and  continued  labor- 
ing on  the  farm  with  his  father  until  he  became 
twenty-five  years  old,  when  he  went  to  Broad  Ford, 
Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  to  take  charge  of  his  grandfather 
Overholt's  property  at  that  place,  the  business  con- 
sisting of  the  manufacture  of  the  celebrated  Overholt 
whisky,  the  cutting  of  timber  by  steam  saw-mill  into 
car  and  other  lumber,  and  the  farming  of  the  lands 
connected  with  the  Broad  Ford  property.  He  thus 
continued  to  manage  and  do  business  for  his  grand- 
father until  1804,  when  the  two  formed  a  partnership, 
named  A.  Overholt  &  Co.  He,  however,  continued  to 
conduct  the  business  until  the  death  of  his  grandfather, 
A.  Overholt,  who  died  in  1870,  in  the  eighty-sixth 
year  of  his  age. 

During  Mr.  Tinstman's  residence  in  the  county  and 
his  partnership  with  his  grandfather  he  caused  the 
erection  of  the  most  important  buildings  in  Broad 
Ford,  some  of  which  are  the  large  mill  and  distillery 
now  there,  as  well  as  many  houses  for  the  use  of  em- 
ployes. 

In  1865  he  and  Joseph  Rist  bought  about  six  hun- 
dred acres  of  coking  coal  land  adjoining  the  village 
of  Broad  Ford.  Mr.  Tinstman  thereafter  (in  1868) 
sold  one-half  of  his  interest  in  the  same  to  Col.  A.  S. 
M.  Morgan,  of  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  with  him  estab- 
lished the  firm  of  Morgan  &  Co.,  who  put  up  one 
hundred  and  eleven  coke-ovens  at  the  point  now 
known  as  Morgan  Mines,  on  the  line  of  the  Mount 
Pleasant  and  Broad  Ford  Railroad,  and  built  one  mile 
of  railway  from  Broad  Ford  to  said  mines,  at  which 
place  the  first  coke  was  manufactured  along  what  is 
now  the  Mount  Pleasant  and  Broad  Ford  Railroad. 
Morgan  &  Co.  at  this  time  held  almost  entire  control 
of  the  coke  business  of  the  Connellsville  region. 

In  1870,  A.  0.  Tinstman  with  others  organized  a 
company,  of  which  he  was  elected  president,  and  built 
the  Mount  Pleasant  and  Broad   Ford  Railroad,  he 


4U 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


holding  the  office  of  president  until  the  sale  of  said 
road  to  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  Company  in 
1876. 

About  1871,  Mr.  Tinstman  purchased  a  portion  of 
Mr.  Rist's  interest  in  the  six  hundred  acres  of  coal 
land  previously  mentioned.  Mr.  Tintsman  was  at 
this  time  very  desirous  of  starting  in  business.  Mr. 
H.  C.  Frick  was  at  this  time  keeping  books  for  A. 
Overholt  &  Co.,  and  aspired  for  something  more 
than  book-keeping,  he  having  shown  through  his 
indomitable  energy,  skill,  and  judgment  that  he  was 
not  only  capable  of  keeping  "an  accurate  and  beauti- 
ful set  of  books,  but  that  he  was  able  to  conduct 
business,  manage  employes,  etc.  So  Mr.  Tinstman 
and  Rist  associated  Mr.  Frick  with  them,  under  the 
firm-name  of  Frick  &  Co.,  and  Mr.  Frick  was  made 
manager  of  the  association,  both  financially  and 
otherwise,  and  for  his  services  was  allowed  a  salary 
by  the  company  out  of  the  profits  arising  fitjm  the 
manufacture  and  sale  of  coke  in  addition  to  his  pro- 
portion of  the  dividends  as  partner  in  the  company. 

This  comp.any  built  at  Broad  Ford  two  hundred 
coke-ovens.  The  first  one  hundred  were  built  along 
or  facing  the  Mount  Pleasant  and  Broad  Ford  Rail- 
road, and  were  known  as  the  Frick  AVorks,  or  "  Nov- 
elty Works."  The  other  hundred  were  built  in  blocks 
along  the  Pittsburgh  Division  of  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio  Railroad,  and  facing  the  road  and  Youghiogheny 
River,  and  were  known  as  the  Henry  Clay  Works. 

In  1872,  Col.  Morgan  and  Mr.  Tinstman  (as  Mor- 
gan &Co.)  bought  about  four  hundred  acres  of  coking 
coal  at  Latrobe,  Westmoreland  Co.,  Pa.,  and  there 
built  fifty  ovens.  About  this  period  and  on  continu- 
ously to  1876  (during  the  panic  period)  Mr.  Tinstman 
bouglit  large  tracts  of  coal  lands  on  the  line  of  the 
Mount  Pleasant  and  Broad  Ford  Railroad,  comprising 
nearly  all  the  best  coal  lands  in  that  region  ;  but  the 
pressure  of  the  panic  proved  excessive  for  him,  the  coke 
business,  like  everything  else,  becoming  depressed, 
and  he  failed,  losing  everything.  But  having  great 
confidence  that  the  coke  business  would  revive,  and 
foreseeing  that  it  would  be  one  of  the  earliest  as  well 
as  surest  of  manufiicturing  interests  to  recuperate,  he 
bought  in  1878  and  1880  on  option  a  large  extent  of 
coal  land  in  the  Connellsville  region,  and  then  sold 
in  1880  about  3500  acres  to  E.  K.  Hyndman,  who 
about  that  period  organized  the  Connellsville  Coal 
and  Iron  Company,  at  a  good  advance  over  cost  price. 

This  sale  enabled  him  again  to  take  a  new  start  in 
the  world  as  a  business  man.  He  then,  in  1880, 
established  the  firm  of  A.  O.  Tinstman  &  Co.,  and 
opened  an  office  on  the  corner  of  Seventh  Avenue 
and  Smithfield  Street,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  soon  after 
bought  a  half-interest  in  the  Rising  Sun  Coke- Works, 
on  the  June  Bug  Branch  of  the  Southwest  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad.  In  1881  he  bought  the  Mount  Brad- 
dock  Coke-Works,  located  on  the  Fayette  County 
Branch  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  and 
Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railroad;  and  in  the  same 


year  he  bought  the  Pennsville  Coke- Works,  on  the 
Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  embracing  in  all 
about  three  hundred  ovens,  all  of  which  lie  still  owns 
and  operates. 

Thus  we  see  again  verified  in  Mr.  Tinstman's  life 
that  great  truth,  that  those  who  "  try  again"  earnestly 
and  energetically  will  succeed.  He  is  to  be  congratu- 
lated in  his  again  being  established  in  business,  and 
being  so  pleasantly  situated  and  surrounded  by  home 
and  family  relations,  as  it  is  well  known  that  while 
in  the  county  he  labored  diligently  for  its  welfare ; 
and  though  he  has  not  received  the  deserved  abun- 
dant recompense  in  a  pecuniary  manner,  yet  the 
people  of  the  county  appreciate  his  labors,  especially 
those  who  have  been  benefited  directly  by  the  devel- 
opment of  the  coal  interests  of  the  county,  and  of 
whom  there  are  not  a  few. 

On  July  1,  1875,  Mr.  Tinstman  married  Miss  Har- 
riet Cornelia  Markle,  younge-st  daughter  of  Gen. 
Cyrus  P.  Markle  and  Sarah  Ann  Markle  (whose 
maiden  name  was  Sarah  Ann  Lippincott),  of  Mill 
Grove,  Westmoreland  Co.,  Pa.  He  has  one  son,  named 
Cyrus  Painter  Markle  Tinstman. 


HENRY  CLAY  FR[CK. 


Mr.  Frick,  of  the  celebrated  firm  of  H.  C.  Frick  & 
Co.,  manufacturers  and  dealers  in  coke,  and  a  third 
owner  of  the  business  of  said  company,  which  is  con- 
stituted of  himself  and  Messrs.  Edmund  and  Walton 
Ferguson,  of  Pittsburgh,  was  born  in  West  Overton, 
Westmoreland  Co.,  Pa.,  Dec.  19,  1849. 

Mr.  Frick  first  engaged  in  active  business  life  on 
any  considerable  scale  in  1871,  when  he  entered  upon 
the  coke  business  at  Broad  Ford,  in  Fayette  Co.,  Pa., 
and  has  continued  to  prosecute  the  same  there  and  iu 
that  neighborhood  to  this  time. 

The  business  at  Broad  Ford  was  started  with  fifty 
ovens,  and  has  gradually  increased  till  it  comprises  in 
tliat  district  over  one  thousand  ovens. 

The  firm  also  owns  coke  interests  in  other  parts  of 
Fayette  County  and  in  Westmoreland  County. 


EDMUND  MOREWOOD  FERGUSON. 

Edmund  M.  Ferguson,  a  gentleman  who,  though 
now  a  resident  of  Shady  Side,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  is 
identified  with  the  leading  business  interest  of  Fay- 
ette County,  was  born  in  New  York  City  in  1838, 
and  located  in  Fayette  County  in  1871,  wherein,  at 
F'ergusoii  Station,  on  the  Fayette  County  Railroad, 
near  Dunbar,  lie  was  engaged  for  three  years  in  the 
manufacture  of  coke.  In  the  fall  of  1874  he  left  the 
county  as  a  place  of  residence,  but  continued  his 
business  therein,  and  settled  in  Pittsburgh. 

In  March,  1878,  Mr.  Ferguson  entered  into  partner- 


di^^.    d'-r^'J^ 


/^^^^.^^^^^-r^  ,:^^^ 


/^^;^3> 


ay2^-^^ 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


415 


ship  with  Henry  Clay  Frick,  under  the  style  of  H.  C. 
Frick  &  Co.,  for  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  Con- 
nellsville  coke,  their  works  being  almost  wholly  situ- 
ated in  Fayette  County.  In  this  firm  he  continues  in 
active  business. 

In  1872  he  married  Miss  Josephine  E.,  daughter  of 
W.  S.  Mackintosh,  of  Pittsburgh,  by  whom  he  has 
three  children,— John  M.,  William  S.,  and  Martha  E. 


[  WALTON   FERGUSOX,  Esq. 

■Walton  Ferguson,  of  Shady  Side,  Pittsburgh,  now 
and  for  several  years  past  largely  interested  in  con- 
nection with  his  brother,  Edmund  M.,  and  Mr.  H.  C. 
Frick  in  the  coke  business  of  Fayette  County,  was 
born  at  Stamford,  Conn.,  in  1842,  and  there  resided 
till  the  fall  of  1879,  when  he  moved  to  Pittsburgh  and 
entered  as  a  partner  the  firm  of  H.  C.  Frick  &  Co. 

In  the  year  1865  he  became  a  member  of  the  firm 
of  J.  &  S.  Ferguson,  of  New  York,  in  which  he  is 
still  interested. 


CAPT.  JOHN  F.  DRAVO. 

Capt.  John  F.  Dravo,  the  present  custom-house 
surveyor  of  the  port  of  Pittsburgh,  is  largely  identi- 
fied with  the  business  of  Fayette  County,  particularly 
in  the  coal  and  coke  interests  thereof,  and  began  his 
operations  in  the  coke  trade  at  Connellsville  in  1868. 

Mr.  Dravo  is  of  French  extraction.  His  grand- 
fiiither,  Anthony  Dravo,  a  native  of  France,  settled  in 
Pittsburgh  at  an  early  day  in  the  history  of  that  city, 
and  resided  there  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Mr. 
Dravo  was  born  in  West  Newton,  Westmoreland  Co., 
Pa.,  Oct.  29,  1819,  but  .spent  most  of  his  youthful 
days  about  six  miles  from  Elizabeth,  Allegheny  Co. 
He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools,  and  at 
Allegheny  College,  Meadville,  where  he  remained 
three  years,  and  withdrew  from  the  college  on  account 
of  ill  health.  From  1840  to  1880  he  was  engaged 
continuously  in  the  coal  business,  though  meanwhile 
connected  with  the  coke  trade,  to  which  he  now  de- 
votes his  time  almost  exclusively.  Mr.  Dravo  took 
up  his  residence  in  Pittsburgh  about  1836,  and  in 
1840  removed  to  McKeesport,  Allegheny  Co.,  and 
there  entered  into  the  coal  business,  and  subsequently 
built  up  Dravosburg,  opposite  that  place.  In  1868 
he  sold  out  his  coal  business,  and,  as  noted  above, 
went  into  the  coke  trade  in  Connellsville.  Mr.  Dravo 
has  held  many  positions  of  trust  in  business  and 
official  circles,  having  been  director  of  the  Allegheny 
House  eight  years ;  director  and  vice-president  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Reform  School  four  years ;  first  vice- 
president  for  several  years  of  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce, of  which  he  was  one  of  the  first  members ; 
director  of  the  Tradesmen's  National  Bank  and  Peo- 
ple's Insurance  Company ;  vice-president  of  the 
Beaver  Female  College ;  and  general  manager  of  the 
Pittsburgh  and    Connellsville    Gas-Coal  and    Coke 


Company.  He  was  appointed  to  his  present  position 
as  surveyor  of  the  port  of  Pittsburgh  May  23,  1881. 
His  long  identification  with  coal  interests  in  and 
about  Pittsburgh  has  made  him  a  general  favorite 
among  the  river-men,  while  in  the  business  commu- 
nity no  one  stands  higher  than  he  in  reputation  for 
integrity  or  for  urbanity  of  manner. 

Mr.  Dravo  is  in  politics  an  ardent  Republican,  of 
anti-slavery  or  "  abolition"  antecedents,  and  has  taken 
active  part  in  the  campaigns  of  his  party,  having 
been  much  upon  the  ''stump."  He  is  a  voluble  and 
forcible  public  speaker,  and  one  of  the  most  eff'ective 
political  debaters  in  the  State.  He  was  a  delegate  to 
the  Chicago  Convention  which  nominated  Abraham 
Lincoln  for  President.  Among  party  factions  he  is  a 
"peacemaker,"  a  character  which  in  Pennsylvania 
politics  is  occasionally  in  very  urgent  demand. 


DAVID  BARNES. 
Every  town  or  borough  has  its  distinctive  "  charac- 
ters," among  whom  are  men  who  seem  to  have  been 
born  to  be  publicly  useful,  and  who  could  not  well 
have  gone  into  strictly  private  life  if  they  had  tried. 
Aside  I'rom  their  regular  business  they  fill  numerous 
oflices,  are  known  by  everybody,  consulted  more  or  les-s 
by  everybody  about  everything,  are  alert,  smart,  found 
apt  at  any  business  upon  which  they  may  be  called 
to  enter,  wide  awake, — in  short,  univer.sally  useful,  ever 
willing  and  competent.  Of  this  class  of  men  is  David 
Barnes,  of  Connellsville.  His  family  has  been  iden- 
tified with  Fayette  County  for  over  eighty  years.  Mr. 
Barnes  is  the  grandson  of  Zephaniah  Ellis  Barnes, 
who  came  to  America  from  England  and  settled  in 
Woodstown,  N.  J.,  several  generations  ago.  There, 
in  1765,  was  born  David  Barnes  (Sr.),  father  of  our 
David,  and  who  came  to  Connellsville  in  1801  and 
built  there  (the  first  of  its  kind  ever  seen  west  of  the 
mountains),  what  was  then  known  as  a  "go-back  saw- 
mill." He  took  great  interest  in  the  organization  of 
the  borough,  and  was  a  member  of  its  first  Council. 
He  built  the  market-house  which  now  stands  on  the 
corner  of  Spring  and  Church  Streets,  and,  under  Gov- 
ernor Simon  Snyder,  was  appointed  flour  inspector  for 
the  county  of  Fayette.  During  the  war  of  1812  he, 
in  company  with  Joseph  McClurg,  of  Pittsburgh,  ran 
Mount  Pleasant  Furnace,  where  were  made  cannon, 
cannon-balls,  and  grape-shot  for  the  government. 
After  the  war  he  was  engaged  in  the  iron  business  in 
company  with  Isaac  Meason  and  James  Paull.  He 
was  a  man  of  excellent  ability  to  plan  and  execute. 
He  died  in  1832,  and  was  buried  in  the  Quaker  grave- 
yard in  Connellsville.  His  wife  was  Sarah  Proctor, 
a  native  of  Old  Town,  Md.,  and  born  in  1785.  She 
was  a  relative  of  the  Ogles,  Camerons,  and  Clintons 
of  that  State,  and  came  with  her  parents  to  Perry- 
opolis,  Fayette  Co.,  in  1812.  In  1818  she  and  David 
Barnes  were  married.     At  his  death  she  was  left  with 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


six  children,  one  having  previously  died.  Her  whole 
time  and  energy  were  devoted  to  rearing  and  edu- 
cating her  children,  particularly  in  morals  and  re- 
ligion. She  never,  when  in  health,  let  an  evening 
pass  without  assembling  her  young  family  and  read- 
ing to  them  a  chapter  from  the  Scriptures.  Of  course 
she  was  particular  to  avoid  such  chapters  as  are  not  ! 
considered  delicate  and  proper  to  be  read  by  youthful  I 
and  unformed  minds.  Her  selections  were  always  ju- 
dicious. After  the  reading  she  always  uttered  a  prayer 
for  the  protection  of  her  children,  mingled  with  earn- 
est hopes  for  their  future  usefulness.  Her  family  con- 
sisted of  David,  William,  Hamilton,  Joseph,  Z.  Ellis, 
Emily,  and  Mary  Bell.  William  was  educated  at  Lew- 
isburg  University,  and  was  ordained  as  a  Baptist  min- 
ister at  the  First  IJapti^t  Church  of  Pittsburgh.  He 
visited  the  Holy  Lnnd  with  the  view  of  thereby  the  bet- 
ter enabling  hiiii-cll'  to  t'lillill  the  responsible  duties  of 
his  calling.  He  wished  to  see  the  places  where  Christ 
preached,  feeling  that  he  might  gather  inspiration 
therefrom.  .Vt  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  war  he 
was  commissioned  as  chaplain  of  the  Fifth  New  York 
Volunteer  Artillery,  and  served  until  the  close  of  the 
war.  Hamilton  has  served  a  terra  in  the  State  Senate 
from  Somerset  County.  He  is  a  fluent  and  impressive 
speaker,  and  a  leader  in  the  Republican  party.  Joseph 
became  a  carpenter,  and,  as  a  foreman  of  his  depart- 
ment, helped  build  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad.  Ellis 
being  a  great  lover  of  horses,  has  dealt  extensively  ir 
them,  and  during  the  late  war  was  quartermaster  un- 
der Gen.  Samuel  B.  Hohibird.  He  resides  at  Connells- 
ville,  and  carries  on  the  livery  and  sale  business 
Emily  died  quite  young.  Mary  Bell  married  Thomas 
Evans,  and  is  the  mother  of  a  large  family,  all  indus- 
trious and  good  citizens. 

David  Barnes  was  born  in  Perryopolis,  Feb.  5, 
1810,  and  attended  the  common  schools,  but  regards 
his  mother  as  his  only  real  teacher  and  only  friend  in 
youth.  At  sixteen  years  of  age  he  commenced  teach- 
ing school,  and  followed  the  business  until  (he  hav- 
ing meanwhile  incurred  the  responsibilities  of  mar- 
riage) his  wages  would  not  support  him,  when  he 
turned  his  attention  to  politics.  In  1853  he  was  ap- 
pointed a  clerk  in  the  State  Department  at  Harris- 
burg,  where  he  remained  some  sixteen  years.  About 
1869  he  resigned  his  office  at  the  capital  and  accepted 
the  position  of  paymaster  of  the  Pittsburgh  and  Con- 
nellsville  Railroad,  and  thereafter  resigned  that  to 
accept  position  as  book-keeper  of  the  National  Loco- 
motive-Works at  New  Haven  ;  and  on  the  completion  j 
of  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  from  Greens-  i 
burg  to  Connellsville,  was  appointed  station  agent  at 
the  latter  place,  which  position  he  still  holds. 

Mr.  Barnes  is  a  stanch   Republican,  and   exerted 
considerable  influence  during  the  late  war.     He  was  I 
the  true  friend  of  the  soldiers,  helping  and  aiding 
them  wherever  he  could,  visiting  them  in  hospitals 
and  administering  to  their  wants.     Great  numbers  of  | 
tlicm  made  him  their  banker,  and  he  judiciously  in- 


vested their  funds  for  them,  often  profitably,  refusing 
all  fees  for  his  services ;  and  he  still  helps  them  in 
their  celebrations,  especially  to  "fight  their  battles 
o'er,"  he  being  a  fluent  and  stirring  speaker.  Mr. 
Barnes  is  charitable  to  a  fault,  but  of  great  determi- 
nation of  character,  and  not  lacking  in  fiery  spirit 
makes  enemies ;  but  feeling  that  he  is  right  he  cares 
not  for  foes,  declaring  that  he  would  "rather  have 
one  influential  friend  than  the  whole  rabble  of  the 
town"  at  his  back. 

Mr.  Barnes  was  a  popular  officer  at  the  State  capi- 
tal, was  respected  by  all  with  whom  he  did  business, 
and  in  war  times  was  the  confidential  and  tru.sted 
friend  of  Governor  Curtin,  rendering  him  special  ser- 
vices, at  one  time  carrying  messages  from  him  to  all 
the  Governors  of  the  New  England  States.  Mr.  Barnes 
has  been  somewhat  of  a  traveler,  having  climbed  to 
the  top  of  Mount  Washington,  in  the  White  Moun- 
tains, and  visited  the  battle-fields  around  Richmond, 
Va.,  and  seen  "considerable  of  the  country  besides." 

In  1848,  Mr.  Barnes  married  Mary  Jane  Sherman, 
a  daughter  of  Samuel  Sherman,  of  Connellsville,  a 
native  of  Connecticut,  and  related  to  the  family  of 
Roger  Sherman.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barnes  have  had  nine 
children, — four  sons  and  five  daughters.  Two  of  the 
daughters  are  dead.  His  eldest  son,  Andrew  Stewart 
Barnes,  served  during  the  late  war  as  a  soldier  in  the 
Fifth  Pennsylvania  Heavy  Artillery.  After  the  war 
he  learned  the  machinist  trade  in  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio  Railroad  shops.  Thereafter  he  was  appointed 
postmaster  at  Connellsville,  and  afterwards  route  agent 
between  Washington  City  and  Pittsburgh,  which  po- 
sition he  still  holds.  Mr.  Barnes  thinks  that  boys 
should  learn  trades,  and  his  son  Samuel  is  a  machinist, 
and  William  a  carpenter.  Irwin,  another  son,  quite 
young,  is  devoted  to  music.  Mary  Elizabeth  is  mar- 
ried, and  lives  in  Cuba,  N.  Y.  Jennie  and  Hally, 
his  other  children,  are  very  intelligent,  and  likely  to 
grow  up  to  be  excellent  citizens. 

Mr.  Barnes  lost  the  use  of  one  of  his  legs  when  he 
was  but  ten  years  old,  and  says  that  his  misfortune  was 
"a  godsend,"  as  with  his  vitality  and  energy  and 
two  good  legs  he  "might  have  become  a  brigand !" 
What  is  worse,  he  might  have,  and  likely  would  have, 
gone  into  the  late  war,  and  would  probably  have  been 
killed  on  the  field.  With  the  aid  of  his  crutch  he 
moves  about  as  lively  as  most  men  on  two  good  legs, 
and  at  the  age  of  sixty-three  is  as  active  as  ever,  and 
looks  younger  than  most  men  at  fifty.  His  "  nerve" 
will  probably  carry  him  on  into  extreme  old  age,  and 
keep  him  useful  all  the  while. 


JOHN  D.  FRIPBEE. 
John  D.  Frisbee,  Esq.,  president  of  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank  of  Connellsville,  and  the  leading  mer- 
chant of  that  borough,  is  of  New  England  stock  on 
his  paternal  side;  in  his  maternal  line  Scotch-Irish. 
His  father,  Samuel  Frisbee,  was  born  in  Connecticut,     J 


^-c^ 


I 


CONNELLSVILLE   BOROUGH  AND   TOWNSHIP. 


417 


and  became  a  ship-builder,  and  in  1813  moved  to 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  on  the  solicitation  of  Robert  Fulton, 
of  steamboat  fame,  and  was  for  a  time  in  his  employ. 
He  afterwards  built  a  large  number  of  boats,  mostly 
steam-packets,  which  ran  on  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi 
Rivers.  About  1816  he  married  Miss  Jane  Davis, 
then  of  Allegheny  County,  but  a  native  of  the  north 
of  Ireland,  and  who  came  to  America  when  about 
thirteen  years  of  age.  They  had  nine  children,  of 
whom  Mr.  Frisbee  was  the  seventh,  born  Oct.  14, 
1829. 

Samuel  Frisbee  moved  from  Pittsburgh  about  1838 
to  that  part  of  the  then  Beaver  County  which  is  now 
included  in  Lawrence  County,  near  the  town  of  New 
Castle,  and  settled  upon  a  farm,  and  remained  there, 
leading  the  life  of  a  farmer,  though  diverting  himself 
meanwhile  with  more  or  less  boat-building,  until  1852, 
when  he  removed  to  Davisville  (a  village  named  in 
honor  of  the  maternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  J.  D.  Fris- 
bee) in  Allegheny  County,  and  then  in  his  old  age 
rested  from  his  labors,  and  died  in  1854,  at  about 
eighty-four  years  of  age,  his  wife  surviving  him.  She 
remained  at  Davisville  till  about  1866,  and  moved  to 
Mahoningtown,  Lawrence  Co.,  where  she  resided  until 
her  death  in  December,  1881,  reaching  upwards  of 
ninety  years  of  age. 

Mr.  John  D.  Frisbee  attended  in  youth  the  common 
schools  of  Beaver  and  Lawrence  Counties,  and  lived 
at  home  assisting  his  fiither  on  the  farm  till  about 
1853,  when,  having  caught  the  "California  fever," 
he  left  home  for  the  new  Ophir,  and  sailing  from 
New  York  by  the  Nicarauga  route  duly  arrived  in  San 
Francisco,  at  a  time  when  it  was  only  a  small  though 
intensely  bustling  city.  Mr.  Frisbee  soon  took  up  his 
residence  in  Placer  County,  where  he  embarked  in 
merchandising,  and  uninterruptedly  continued  the 
business  with  satisfactory  results  until  1856,  and  then, 
leaving  his  business  in  the  hands  of  others,  returned  lo 
Davisville,  Pa.,  his  old  home ;  remained  there  till  the 
spring  of  1857,  and  went  back  to  California,  and  there 
prosecuted  his  business  till  1860.  He  then  gave  up  his 
residence  in  California  and  came  back  to  Pennsylva- 
nia, and  in  1861  took  up  his  abode  in  Connellsville, 
where  he  has  since  resided,  and  where  he  at  once  en- 
tered into  partnership  with  \Vm.  Cooper  &  Co.,  then 
late  of  Pittsburgh,  upon  general  merchandising,  under 
the  firm-name  of  John  D.  Frisbee  &  Co.,  in  the  store 
which  he  still  occupies.  This  partnership  continued 
under  the  same  firm-name  till  1865,  when  Joseph  John- 
ston became  a  member  of  the  firm,  and  the  name  was 
changed  to  Frisbee,  Johnston  &  Co.,  and  so  continued 
till  1870,  Mr.  Johnston  then  retiring,  and  the  firm- 
name  becoming  Frisbee,  Cooper  &  Co.  This  firm  car- 
ried on  the  business  until  1880,  when  Messrs.  Cooper 
and  the  other  members  withdrew,  leaving  Mr.  Frisbee 
in  exclusive  ownership.  The  business  of  the  house 
under  the  several  firm-names  above  noted  has  been 
for  several  years  larger  than  that  of  any  other  store 
in  Fayette  County.     Mr.  Frisbee's  business  is  con- 


stantly increasing  in  importance.  He  aims  to  keep 
in  stock  everything  in  the  mercantile  line  that  i« 
demanded  by  the  county. 

Mr.  Frisbee  took  active  part  in  the  organization  of 
the  First  National  Bank  of  Connellsville,  which  was 
opened  for  business  April  17,  1876,  and  was  elected 
its  first  president,  and  has  since  been  re-elected  as 
such  at  each  of  the  successive  annual  meetings  of 
the  bank's  directors.  The  capital  stock  of  the  bank  is 
$50,000. 

Aside  from  his  special  business,  Mr.  Frisbee  has 
interested  himself  more  or  less  in  forming,  and  par- 
ticularly in  the  breeding  of  imported  Jersey  cattle, 
which  he  raises  upon  his  Cedar  Grove  farm,  a  mile 
east  of  Connellsville,  which  form  was  in  part  formerly 
the  property  of  the  late  Mr.  Hiram  Herbert,  the 
grandfather  of  Mrs.  Frisbee,  and  upon  which  he 
erected  a  house,  in  which  he  resided  for  a  long  period. 
In  politics  Mr.  Frisbee  is  an  old-time  Democrat. 
He  enjoys  a  high  reputation  for  business  integrity, 
and  contributes  liberally  to  the  support  of  all  such 
public  measures  and  such  works  of  charity,  etc.,  as 
he  regards  with  favor. 

Dec.  22,  1863,  Mr.  Frisbee  married  Miss  Catherine 
L.  Herbert,  daughter  of  George  W.  Herbert,  of  Con- 
nellsville, by  whom  he  has  five  children,— Emma  H., 
Jennie  D.,  Herbert,  Katie,  and  an  infant  son,  at  this 
writing  unnamed. 


GEORGE  W.  NEWCOMER,  M.D. 
The  medical  profession,  like  every  other  profession 
or  vocation  in  life,  comprises  men  of  various  mental 
calibres,  various  degrees  of  natural  adaptability  and 
acquired  equipment  for  its  pursuit.  While  every 
practicing  physician  may  justly,  perhaps,  be  accorded 
some  special  merit,  however  slight,  some  valuable 
peculiarity  which  determined  him  in  the  choice  of 
his  profession,  the  history  of  medical  practitioners 
as  a  craft  goes  to  show  that  only  now  and  then  one 
is  possessed  of  that  enthusiastic  love  of  medical  sci- 
ence and  that  certain  intellectual  capacity  to  wisely 
apply  in  practice  what  he  has  learned  by  study 
which  win  for  him  the  popular  confidence,  and  not 
only  achieve  for  him  an  extended  practice,  but  enable 
him  to  keep  it  and  to  add  to  it  year  by  year.  Two 
things  especially  seem  to  conspire  to  such  success,  to 
be  necessary  to  it  in  fact,  namely,  keen  insight  into 
the  nature  or  cause  of  disease,  or  what  medical  men 
term  scientific  "diagnosis,"  and  the  profound  fore- 
casting of  the  course  and  event  of  a  disease  by  par- 
ticular symptoms  (enabling  the  true  physician  to 
effectively  apply  and  vary  remedies  from  time  to 
time  as  the  need  of  them  is  indicated),  and  which 
they  call  "  prognosis."  The  skillful  diagnostician  and 
the  like  excellent  prognoser,  or  "  prognostician," 
must  unite  in  the  one  physician  if  he  be  really  able, 
and  his  success  for  a  given  period  of  years  is  the  best 
possible  assurance  that  the  two  do  unite  in  his  pro- 


41 S 


ITTSTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


fessional  character  and  determine  his  career,  who- 
ever he  may  be.  Such  a  physician  is  Dr.  George  W. 
Newcomer,  of  Connellsville,  who,  though  compara- 
tively a  young  man,  enjoys  a  very  extensive  practice, 
and  stands  correspondingly  high  in  the  confidence  of 
the  community,  as  is  made  evident  by  the  fact  that 
his  "oliicr  liours"  are  crowded  with  patients,  and  his 
town  visitations  anil  country  ride  out  of  office  hours 
constant  and  lalioridus.  Success  like  his  is  practical 
testimony  of  worth  which  cannot  be  gainsaid, — the 
visible  crown  of  merit. 

Dr.  George  W.  Newcomer  is  on  his  paternal  side 
of  German  descent;  on  his  maternal  of  Scotch-Irish 
stock.  His  great-grandfatlier,  John  Newcomer,  was 
born  in  Germany,  and  emigrating  to  America,  settled 
in  Maryland,  where  the  doctor's  grandfather,  John 
Newcomer  (Jr.),  was  born.  The  latter  came  to  Fay- 
ette County  about  1790,  and  settled  in  Tyrone  town- 
ship, on  a  farm  on  which  the  doctor's  father,  Jacob 
Newcomer,  was  born  in  1809,  and  which  he  finally 
purchased,  living  upon  it  all  his  life,  and  on  which 
the  doctor  himself  was  born. 

Jacob  Newcomei-,  who  died  March  8,  1871,  was  the 
second  of  a  family  of  eight  children,  and  the  oldest 
son.  On  the  21st  of  September,  1830,  he  married 
Elizabeth  Hershey,  of  Allegheny  County,  who  was 
born  April  22,  1812.  Of  this  marriage  were  ten  chil- 
dren, of  whom  George  W.  is  the  seventh,  and  was 
born  May  27,  1845.  He  was  brought  up  on  the  farm 
till  about  thirteen  years  of  age,  working  in  summers 
after  he  I"  rnmr  old  enough  to  work,  and  attending 
school  in  the  winter  seasons,  and  devouring  at  home 
what  books  he  could  get  to  read.  When  arrived  at  the 
age  above  mentioned  he  was  placed  as  a  clerk  in  the 
store  of  his  uncles,  John  and  Joseph  Newcomer,  in 
Connellsville,  wdiere  he  remained  till  seventeen  years 
of  age,  attending  school  winters.  He  then  entered 
Pleasant  Valley  Academy,  Washington  County, 
where  he  [lassed  two  years,  taking  a  partial  course  of 

At  nineteen  years  of  age  he  commenced  the  study 
of  medicine  with  Dr.  John  R.  Nickel,  of  Connells- 
ville, one  of  the  most  eminent  physicians  of  the  re- 
gion, and  at  one  time  Professor  of  Anatomy  and  Sur- 
gery in  the  Physio-Medical  College  (now  Institute) 
of  Cincinnati.  He  continued  with  Dr.  Nickel  during 
tlie  usual  period  of  medical  office  study,  ami  in  duo 
time  took  the  regular  course  of  medical  lectuns  at 
the  Physio-Medical  Institute  of  Ciminnati,  from 
wdiich  institution  he  received  his  diploma,  graduating 
Feb.  7,  18(57.  He  then  returned  to  Connellsville  and 
opened  an  office  for  the  pr.actice  of  mcdicim',  whii'h 
he  there  pursued  lor  about  live  years,  aii.l  then,  upon 
the  call  of  Itien-ls,  he  reuiov.Ml  lo  Mount  Vern.Mi, 
Ohio,  lo  take  the  piaetiee  of  1  >r.  James  l.oar,  wlio 
was  about  to  remove  farther  West.  Dr.  Newcomer 
remairieil  in  praeliee  at  Mount  Vernon  till  the  spring 
of  1S74,  wlien,  at  the  urgent  request  of  his  old  pre- 
ceptor.  Dr.  Nickel  (who  in  a  few  weeks  thereafter 


died),  he  returned  to  Connellsville,  where  he  has  ever 
since  remained. 

Aside  from  the  practice  of  medicine,  the  doctor  has 
engaged  more  or  less  in  real  estate  speculations  with 
excellent  results. 

Dr.  Newcomer  is  in  politics  an  ardent  Republican, 
.and  though  he  does  not  claim  to  have  done  his  coun- 
try great  service  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  it 
may  be  mentioned  here  that  he  studied  Republican- 
ism in  the  field  for  about  three  months  in  war  times, 
being  then  a  member  of  Company  B  of  the  Fifty- 
fourth  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Infantry,  a 
three  months'  regiment,  organized  about  the  time  of 
the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  but  in  which  battle  it  did 
not  participate,  the  company  at  that  time  being  mus- 
tered in  at  Pittsburgh  and  awaiting  equipments. 
But  shortly  afterwards  it  was  sent  with  other  compa- 
nies to  attempt  the  capture  of  the  "  Morgan  raiders" 
in  Ohio,  and  succeeded  in  cutting  off  Morgan  at  Sa- 
linesville,  in  that  State, — a  good  lesson  in  politics,  the 
doctor  thinks. 


SMITH    BUTTERMORE,  M.D. 

Dr.  Smith  Buttermore,  of  Connellsville,  an  excel- 
lent gentleman,  courteous,  intelligent,  and  compan- 
ionable, and  a  leading  physician  in  his  part  of  the 
county,  is  on  his  father's  side  of  German  stock.  His 
grandfather,  Jacob  Buttermore,  came  to  America 
when  a  boy,  and  settled  in  the  eastern  part  of  Penn- 
sylvania. In  the  war  of  the  Revolution  he  served  as 
a  soldier  in  Gen.  Wayne's  division,  and  after  the  war 
resided  in  Westmoreland  County,  near  Ligouier,  and 
eventually  moved  to  Connellsville,  wdiere  George 
Buttermore,  the  father  of  Dr.  Buttermore,  was  born 
in  1798  and  died  in  18G8.  George  B.  married,  about 
1822,  Barbara  Smith,  daughter  of  Henry  Smith,  of 
Connellsville. 

Dr.  Buttermore  was  born  in  February,  1830,  and 
received  his  education  other  than  professional  in  the 
common  schools  and  at  Jefferson  Academy.  When 
eighteen  years  of  age  he  entered  the  office  of  Dr. 
Lutellus  Lindley,  of  Connellsville,  and  read  med- 
icine during  the  required  period,  and  attended  regu- 
lar courses  of  lectures  at  Cleveland  (Ohio)  Medical 
College,  from  which  institution  he  graduated  in  1854. 
Immediately  after  graduation  he  went  to  the  State  of 
California,  wherein  he  practiced  medicine  for  five 
years,  and  then  returned  home  to  Connellsville. 
Spending  a  summer  there,  he  removed  to  Harrison 
County,  Va.,  and  entered  into  the  practice  of  his 
profession  there.  When  the  war  broke  out  all  busi- 
ness, on  the  border  es|ieeially,  was  thrown  into  con- 
fusion, anil  he,  being  unable  therefore  to  prosecute 
his  profession  in  the  old  way,  accepted  a  commission 
in  the  Confederate  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  under 
Gens.  Lee  and  Jackson,  where  he  became  noted  as 
a  surgeon,  and  held  his  commission  through  the  war. 

After   the  war  he  resumed   practice  in   Harrison 


DAVID    CUMMUNGS. 


&^cry0/< 


CONXELLSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


419 


County,  and  continued  it  till  the  death  of  his  father, 
in  1868,  when  he  returned  to  Connellsville  to  settle 
the  estate.  He  has  since  resided  in  that  borough, 
and  enjoys  a  fine  practice,  having  in  fact  all  the 
practice  which  he  is  able  to  attend  to. 

In  politics  Dr.  Buttermore  is  a  Democrat,  and  rep- 
resented Fayette  County  in  the  State  Legislature  in 
the  session  of  1881. 

In  1857  he  married  Miss  Mary  Lamb,  a  native  of 
Washington  County,  Pa.,  by  whom  he  has  two  chil- 
dren,— Nevada,  born  in  Virginia,  and  Virginia,  born 
in  Connellsville. 


MA.J.    DAVID    CUMMINUS. 

Maj.  David  Cummings,  who  became  a  citizen  of 
Connellsville  about  1820,  and  lived  there  for  several 
years,  where  four  of  his  children  now  reside,  was  born 
in  Cecil  County,  Md.,  April  23, 1777,  and  was  the  son 
of  James  Cummings,  by  birth  a  Scotchman  of  dis- 
tinguished family,  who  coming  to  America  became 
an  officer  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  David  Cum- 
mings was  a  gentleman  of  classical  education,  and  in 
early  life  taught  select  schools.  He  was  an  officer  in 
the  army  during  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  wounded 
and  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  Beaver  Dam,  in 
Canada,  and  with  other  captive  American  officers 
carried  to  England,  where  he  was  held  for  six  months, 
until  exchanged,  sufliering  great  hardships.  After  the 
war  he  became  a  mail  contractor  under  the  govern- 
ment, and  as  such  first  found  his  way  into  Western 
Pennsylvania,  and  eventually  settled  at  Connellsville, 
where  he  soon  became  a  man  of  note.  He  represented' 
Fayette  County  iu  the  Legislature  at  the  sessions  of 
1823  and  1824,  and  was  the  first  man  in  the  legislative 
body  who  made  an  effort  to  establish  a  general  system 
of  education  by  common  schools.  That  system  being 
a  matter  of  contest,  he  was  at  the  next  election  de- 
feated. 

Some  years  thereafter,  leaving  Connellsville,  he  re- 
moved to  Mifflin  County,  where  he  was  at  first  en- 
gaged in  the  building  of  the  Pennsylvania  Canal, 
from  Huntingdon  to  Lewistuwn,  he  afterwards  be- 
coming superintendent  of  the  canal,  as  also  collector 
of  the  port  of  Harrisburg.  He  died  at  Lewistown, 
Feb.  5,  1848,  and  his  remains  were  brought  to  Con- 
nellsville and  interred  in  the  family  burying-ground 
beside  those  of  his  wife,  who  had  died  some  years  be- 
fore him, 

Maj.  Cummings  wa-s  married  June  30,  1801,  to 
Elizabeth  Cathers,  of  Cecil  County,  Md.,  by  whom 
he  had  six  sons  and  six  daughters,  of  whom  five 
daughters  and  two  sons  are  living, — Hannah  M.,  who 
'married  the  late  Thomas  R.  McKee ;  Margaret  Eliza, 
widow  of  Thomas  McLaughlin;  Sophia,  widow  of 
Josiah  Simmons,  who  died  about  18G3 ;  Mary  Ann, 
who  first  married  Dr.  Bresee,  of  New  York,  now  dead, 
and  as  her  second  husband,  Andrew  Patterson,  of  Ju- 
niata County ;  Ellen,  wife  of  Robert  T.  Galloway,  of 


Fayette  County  ;  and  Jonathan  W.,  once  a  govern- 
ment surveyor,  now  of  Uvalde  County,  Te.xas ;  and 
John  A.,  who  resides  in  Connellsville  with  his  oldest 
sister,  Mrs.  McKee.  Of  the  sons  deceased  was  the 
late  Dr.  James  C.  Cummings,  who  died  in  Connells- 
ville, July  28,  1872.  He  was  born  in  Maryland  in 
1802,  and  moved  with  his  parents  to  Fayette  County 
about  1820,  and  was  educated  at  Jefferson  College, 
and  studied  medicine  under  Dr.  Robert  D.  Moore, 
then  a  distinguished  physician  of  Connellsville,  where 
he  himself  afterwards  became  equally  distinguished 
in  his  profession.  He  was  coroner  of  Fayette  County 
for  several  terms,  and  a  member  of  the  Legislature 
during  the  sessions  of  1843  and  1844.  He  was  never 
married. 


JAMI 


K.  ROGERS,  M.D. 


Dr.  James  K.  Rogers  was  the  son  of  Dr.  Joseph 
Rogers,  deceased,  and  Elizabeth  Johnstone  Rogers, 
still  living,  and  of  Connellsville.  He  was  born  Feb. 
5,  1832,  and  was  educated  at  the  common  schools  and 
at  the  academy  of  Dr.  McCluskey,  at  West  Alexander, 
Washington  Co.,  Pa.  At  about  seventeen  years  of 
age  he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr. 
James  Cummings,  of  Connellsville,  eventually  matric- 
ulating in  Jefferson  Medical  College,  Philadelphia, 
from  which  institution  he  graduated  in  March,  1852, 
a  month  after  arriving  at  the  age  of  twenty  years. 
Immediately  after  graduation  he  commenced  practice 


in  Connellsville,  and  tl 


I'ed  1 


irofcssion  with 


signal  success  until  tlie  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion,  soon  after  which  he  took  his  departure  from 
home  without  ap]irising  his  friends  of  his  intention 
and  oll'ered  his  services  to  tlie  government.  Being 
accepted  he  received  appointment  as  surgeon  and  at 
once  entered  upon  duty,  and  not  long  after  wrote  an 
affectionate  letter  to  his  parents,  informing  them  of 
his  new  field  of  duty.  During  the  war  he  held  regu- 
lar correspondence  with  his  mother.  His  official  po- 
sitions in  the  service  were  those  of  assistant  surgeon 
and  surgeon  under  appointment  by  President  Lincoln 
and  confirmation  by  the  Senate  ;  and  lieutenant-colo- 
nel by  brevet  under  commission  of  Andrew  Johnson, 
countersigned  by  Edwin  M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War, 
ranking  him  as  such  from  the  1st  day  of  November, 
1865.  During  a  portion  of  his  career  he  was  corps 
surgeon  under  Gen.  Heintzelman.  He  at  one  time  had 
charge  of  the  hospitals  at  Chambersburg  and  Hagers- 
town,  and  was  the  chief  commissioned  officer  present 
upon  the  capture  and  burning  of  the  former  town  by 
McCausland's    cavalry,   July,    1864.     He    also   held 

j  the  post  of  .assistant  medical  director  of  the  Depart- 

j  ment  of  Missouri.  Dr.  Rogers  visited  various  parts 
of  the  theatre  of  war,  inspecting  hospitals,  etc.     Dur- 

I  ing  his  life  in  the  army  and  elsewhere  he  performed 
over  a  thousand  amputations  of  limbs,  besides  a  large 

i  number  of  other  surgical  operations.  He  prepared 
some  time  before  his  death  a  manuscript  work  on 


420 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


surgery  intended  for  publication,  but  which  was  un- 
fortunately lost. 

After  the  surrender  and  the  war  was  practically 
over  Dr.  Rogers  was  stationed  in  the  government  hos- 
pital at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  for  about  a  year;  but  suffering 
under  malarial  fever  contracted  while  ou  duty  in 
South  Carolina  and  Florida,  he  returned  to  Cminells- 
ville,  and  entered  upon  practice  there,  at  imce  securing 
his  old  clientage.  But  he  was  ever  a  great  sufferer,  and 
on  March  18,  1870,  died  from  the  effects  of  the  fever 
which  he  had  so  long  undergone.  Dr.  Rogers  was 
not  only  a  man  of  excellent  intellect,  but  of  great 
generosity  and  kindness  of  heart.  He  habitually 
gave  away  with  free  hand  the  money  he  earned  in  liis 
practice.  There  was  no  avarice  in  his  composition. 
His  devotion  to  his  profession  as  a  whole  was  remark- 
able, but  his  chief  love  was  surgery,  in  which  his 
natural  ability,  disciplined  by  his  experience  in  the 
army,  made  him  eminently  accomplished. 


P.    ,S.  KEWMYEI 


One  of  the  most  enterprising  gentlemen  of  Con- 
nellsville,  or  whom  she  has  numbered  among  her  in- 
habitants for  many  years  past,  the  common  declaration 
of  her  citizens  names  Porter  S.  Newmyer,  Esq.,  lawyer 
and  business  man,  and  still  young.  His  ancestors 
were  German,  he  being  the  great-grandson  of  Peter 
Newmyer,  who  came  to  America  from  Germany  about 
the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century,  and  eventu- 
ally settled  near  Pennsville,  Fayette  Co.  His  grand- 
father's name  was  Jacob.  Mr.  Newmyer  is  the  son 
of  Joseph  (born  about  1820)  and  Elizabeth  Strickler 
Newmyer,  now  residing  at  Dawson,  and  was  born  in 
Tyrone  township,  Oct.  8,  1847. 

He  was  educated  at  home  and  at  the  Southwest 
Normal  College,  in  Calilbrnia,  Washington  Co.,  Pa., 
and  at  Alliance  College,  Stark  County,  (  Miio,  which 
latter  college  he  left  in  the  spring  of  l^r.s.  and  en- 
tered upon  the  study  of  the  law  under  the  ilirection 
of  Hon.  W.  H.  Playford,  of  Uniontown,  with  whom 
he  remained  until  admitted  to  the  bar  at  the  March 
term  of  ciurt,  Fayette  County,  1871.  May  5th  of 
the  same  year  he  located  in  Connellsville  and  com- 
menced the  praetiie  of  his  profession,  at  which  place 
he  has  continued  to  this  time,  enjoying  an  extensive 
and  lucrative  business.  In  politics  Mr.  Newmyer  is 
a  Democrat,  and  has  several  times  been  elected  repre- 
sentative delegate  for  Fayette  County,  and  once  sen- 
atorial delegate  from  Fayette  and  Greene  Counties  to 
State  Conventions. 

While  prosecuting  his  professional  business  he  has 
also  been  largely  and  profitably  engaged  in  the  real 
estate  business  and  other  important  affairs.  He  or- 
ganized the  gas  company  of  his  borough,  and  origi- 
nated the  First  National  Bank  of  Connell>ville ;  was 
its  vice-president  from  187G  to  January,  1NS2,  and 
one  of  its  heaviest  stockholders  until  the  last-men- 


tioned date,  when  he  sold  out  his  stock.  Mr.  New- 
myer was  one  of  the  projectors  of  the  Key-itone  Courier, 
one  of  the  best  county  papers  of  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Dawsou 
Bridge  Company  across  the  Youghiogheny  River.  He 
recently  erected  the  extensive  and  theretofore  much- 
needed  structure  known  as  "Newmyer's  Opera-House 
Block,"  on  Pittsburgh  Street,  and  is  connected  with 
Hood  Brothers  &  Co.  in  the  dry-goods  business,  and 
lends  his  assistance  to  various  measures  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  interests  of  Connellsville.  He  is 
one  of  the  trustees  of  Bethany  College,  West  Vir- 
ginia, elected  in  May,  1880. 

On  the  10th  of  April,  1873,  Mr.  Newmyer  married 
Miss  Mary  A.  Davidson,  daughter  of  Thomas  R.  and 
Isabella  Davidson,  of  Connellsville,  by  whom  he  has 
a  .son,  Thomas  D.,  and  a  daughter,  Isabella  D. 


JOSEPH  sorssoN. 

Of  those  of  our  fellow-citizens  of  foreign  birth 
whose  energy  and  ambition  demand  a  less  cramped 
field  of  action  than  Europe  generally  affords  her  most 
enterprising  children,  is  Mr.  Joseph  Soissou,  of  Con- 
nellsville. Mr.  Soisson  was  born  in  1827  in  Alsace, 
then  a  province  of  France,  but  since  1872  under  the 
dominion  of  Germany,  where  he  was  educated  in  both 
the  German  and  French  tongue,  and  when  about 
eighteen  years  of  age  came  to  America,  at  that  time 
unable  to  speak  English.  Finding  employment  in 
New  York  he  in  a  few  months  acquired  a  competent 
knowledge  of  our  language  and  moved  to  Philadel- 
phia, where  he  remained  about  eighteen  months,  and 
thence  went  to  Hollidaysburg,  Blair  Co.,  Pa.,  in  the 
employ  of  Charles  Hughes,  a  brick-maker,  continuing 
with  him  about  a  year  and  a  half,  whereafter  he  visited 
New  Orleans,  La.,  tarrying  there  a  few  months,  and 
returning  to  Mr.  Hughes,  who  finally  went  into  busi- 
ness with  Dr.  Rodrick,  of  which  firm  Mr.  Soisson  soon 
took  contracts  for  making  brick.  This  business  he 
prosecuted  for  about  two  years,  and  then  went  into 
partnership  with  Hughes,  Rodrick  retiring,  on  the 
Allegheny  Mountain,  Plane  No.  8,  the  firm-name 
being  Hughes  &  Soisson.  The  business  continued  at 
No.  8  till  about  1800,  when  Hughes  &  Soisson  insti- 
tuted another  brick-making  partnership  at  Milten- 
berger,  Fayette  Co.,  which  lasted  about  nine  ye.ars, 
the  firm  dissolving  about  1869.  Mr.  Soisson  then 
carried  on  the  business  alone  for  about  six  years,  and 
next  entered  into  partnership  with  Spriggs  &  Wil- 
helm,  brick-makers  at  White  Rock,  Connellsville, 
under  the  style  of  Soisson,  Spriggs  &  Co.,  which  after 
sundry  changes  in  copartners  became  Soisson  &  Co., 
Mr.  Soisson  buying  out  some  of  his  partners,  and 
his  young  son,  John  F.,  purchasing  the  interests  of 
others  in  1876  (with  capital  which  he  had  the  business 
energy  and  courage  to  borrow),  the  firm  continuing 
under  the  name  of  Soisson  &  Co.  till  December,  1879, 


ofc^^tA^   aJcj^^^^ 


BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


421 


when  Soisson  &  Son  came  into  full  possession  of  the 
business,  which  they  have  since  conducted  with  great 
success.  The  company  manufactures  all  kinds  of 
brick  on  order,  but  coke-oven  brick  are  their  spec- 
ialty, of  which  their  works  produce  about  ],. 300,000 
per  year.  They  also  make  a  fine  article  of  pavement 
tile. 

In  1872,  Mr.  Soisson,  John  Kilpatrick,  and  John 
Willielm,  as  Kilpatrick,  Soisson  &  Co.,  established  a 
fire-brick  works  at  Moyer's,  near  Connellsville,  which 
is  now  owned  by  Soisson  &  Kilpatrick  (son  of  John 
Kilpatrick),  Wilhelm  having  withdrawn,  and  at  which 


about  eight  thousand  coke-oven  and  other  bricks  are 
made  per  day. 

Mr.  Soisson  has  ever  maintained  an  excellent  repu- 
tation for  moral  character  as  well  as  business  enter- 
prise. 

In  March,  1853,  he  married,  at  Hollidaysburg, 
Miss  Caroline  Filcer,  daughter  of  Michael  Filcer,  of 
Centre  County,  who  was  born  and  married  in  Ger- 
many, some  of  his  children  being  born  there,  Caro- 
line, however,  being  a  native  of  Centre  County.  Of 
this  union  are  four  daughters  and  seven  sons.  Three 
of  the  daughters  are  married. 


BROWNSVILLE  BOIIOUGII  AND  TOWNSHIP. 


The  borough  of  Brownsville  is  situated  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Monongahela  Kiver,  at  and  extending 
below  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek.  Within  its 
boundaries  was  the  residence  of  the  old  Indian  chief, 
Nemacolin,  and  the  site  of  the  pre-historic  earthwork, 
known  for  a  century  and  a  quarter  as  "  Redstone  Old 
Fort,"  as  also  the  site  of  "Fort  Burd,"  which  was  the  i 
earliest  defensive  work  reared  by  English-speaking 
people  in  the  Ohio  River  valley,  except  that  which 
was  partially  constructed  by  Englishmen  (but  com- 
pleted by  the  French)  where  Pittsburgh  now  stands. 
The  building  of  Fort  Burd  and  the  opening  of  a  road 
to  it  from  the  East  by  Col.  Burd,  in  1759,  gave  to  this 
place  a  great  comparative  importance,  which  it  sus- 
tained in  succeeding  years,  through  the  periods  of 
Western  emigration,  of  flat-boat  and  keel-boat  build- 
ing, of  successful  steamboat  navigation  of  the  Monon- 
gahela and  Ohio  Rivers,  and  of  travel  and  traffic  over 
the  old  National  road,  embracing  a  total  of  more  than 
three-fourths  of  a  century,  until,  by  the  completion  of 
the  Pennsylvania  and  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroads, 
in  1852,  and  the  consequent  diversion  of  trade  and 
travel,  the  old  town  was  shorn  of  much  of  its  former 
importance,  and  from  that  time,  for  almost  thirty 
years,  it  has  remained  in  a  comparatively  obscure  and 
isolated  situation  until  the  spring  of  1881,  when,  by 
the  opening  of  the  Pittsburgh,  Virginia  and  Charles- 
ton Railroad  Line,  from  Pittsburgh  to  West  Browns- 
ville, the  boroughs  on  the  Monongahela  at  the  mouth 
of  Dunlap's  Creek  were  for  the  first  time  placed  in 
possession  of  railroad  connection  with  Pittsburgh 
and  the  marts  and  markets  of  the  Atlantic  and  the 
lakes. 

■  The  borough  is  almost  encircled  by  the  township  of 
Brownsville,  which  extends  around  it  from  the  Mo- 
nongahela River  and  Redstone  Creek,  on  the  north 
and  northeast,  to  Dunlap's  Creek  on  the  south,  its 


longest  boundary  line,  on  the  southeast,  being  against 
tlie  township  of  Redstone,  of  v/hich  it  originally 
formed  a  part.  The  township,  by  the  census  of  1880, 
contained  a  population  of  24() ;  that  of  the  borough 
of  Brownsville  being  returned  in  the  same  census  at 
1489. 

-^  With  the  possible  exception  of  a  few  transient 
squatters'  who  clustered  around  Fort  Burd  for  a  few 
years  just  after  its  erection,  there  is  little  doubt  that 
Michael  Cresap  was  the  earliest  white  settler  witiiin 
the  territory  now  embraced  in  tlie  limits  of  the  bor- 
ough of  Brownsville.  He  has  been  mentioned  as 
such  in  all  published  accounts  of  the  settlement,  and 
it  admits  of  no  doubt  that  he  was  the  first  who  came 
here  with  the  intention  of  making  the  place  his  per- 
manent home,  though  permanent  settlers  preceded 
him  on  the  opposite  side  of  Dunlap's  Creek,  and 
also  at  several  points  not  far  to  the  eastward  and 
southeastward  of  the  present  borough.  One  of  these 
was  Thomas  Brown  (afterwards  founder  of  the  town), 
whose  settlement  in  this  section  antedated  that  of 
Cresap  a  few  years. 

Michael  Cresap  was  the  son  of  Col.  Thomas  Cresap, 
of  Oldtown,  Md.,  who  had  been  connected  with  the 
operations  of  the  Ohio  Company  as  its  agent,  and 
who  had  been  one  of  the  earliest  travelers  to  the  Mo- 
nongahela country  over  the  old  Nemacolin  path,  as 
also  one  of  those  who  accompanied  Col.  Burd  to  Fort 
Redstone  in  1759.  Whether  the  knowledge  which  he 
thus  gained  of  this  place  had  any  influence  in  caus- 


1  Snch  were  probjibly  John  and  Samnel  McCnlloch,  t'-ndere,  who  mnde 
chum  to  a  large  tract  of  land,  inrlmiiiiK  all  that  is  now  the  borough  of 
Brownsville.  It  i>  n  t  iiiih  1,  uwii  whether  th.-y  ever  livi>d  here 
or  not,  but  it  is  pr^'l :-'        'i   \        :     i      a.  fl  here  for  a  time  tempomrily 

in  their  trailing  lip.i I  ;    iin.-d  under  an  alleged  military 

permit,  granted  liy  (  I  I    ].  u  ju   i      \'>   .Hi. -r  valid  or  not,  their  claim  was 
afterwards  purchased  by  T hjuiai  Uiuwu  tu  make  his  tiile  complete. 


422 


IIISTORr   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


kiK.ule. 


Cresap's  rei 
sorted  with 


ing  his  son  to  settle  here  is  not  ]j;nown.  He  (Mi- 
chael) first  came  as  a  trader  about  the  year  1769 
(though  the  exact  date  of  his  first  visit  is  not  known) 
to  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek.  "This  post,'  i 
known  in  border  historj'  as  Redstone  Old  Fort,  be-  ] 
came  the  rallying-point  of  the  pioneers,  and  was  fa- 
miliar to  many  an  early  settler  as  his  place  of  em- 
barkation for  the  'dark  and  bloody  ground.'  In  the 
legends  of  the  West,  Michael  Cresap  i=,  connected  with 

is  spoken  of  as  remarkable  for  his  l.ravc.  adv.  nuin.us 

whites  liy  a  timely  notice  of  the  savages'  approach,  a  i 
of  which  he  (jbtained  by  unceasing  vigi- 
lieir  movements.  This  fort  was  frequently 
iidezvous  as  a  trader,  and  thither  he  re- 
his  people,  either  to  interchange  views 
and  adopt  plans  for  future  action,  or  for  repose  in  I 
quieter  times  when  the  red  men  were  lulled  into  in- 
action and  the  tomahawk  was  temporarily  buried. 
These  were  periods  of  great  conviviality.  The  days 
were  spent  in  athletic  exercises,  and  in  the  evening 
tlie  sturdy  f.jresters  bivouacked  around  a  fire  of  huge 
logs,  recounted  their  hairbreadth  adventures,  or  if, 
perchance,  a  violin  or  jews-harp  was  possessed  by  the 
foresters,  it  wascertainly  introduced,  and  the  monotony 
of  the  camp  was  broken  by  a  boisterous  'stag  danru.'-' 
":\Iirliacl  Crcsap  discovered  at  that  early  .lav  tliat 
this  l.).'atiiiii  w.mlil  become  exceedingly  valu  iMc  m> 
emigrant-.  Il..\\."l  in  und  the  cuntry  was  gra.lually 
opencl.     A..''.i-.liiiL;ly  he  t.i.ik  measures  t.i  s.'cnre  a 

fortification,  by  what  at  that  time  was  calle.l  a  '  t. .ma- 
hawk  improvement.'  Not  content,  b.iwi-ver,  with 
girdling  a  few  trees  and  blazing  .itb.'rs,  be  .l.-t.-rinincl 

believed  to  have  been  the  first  edifice  of  this  kind  in 
that  part  of  our  great  domain  west  of  the  mountains. 
We  are  not  possessed  of  data  to  fix  the  precise  year 
of  this  erection,  but  it  is  supposed  to  have  occurred 
about  1770." 

For  about  five  years  after  that  time  Capt.  Cresap 
made  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek  the  base  of  his 
trading  operations,  but  still  having  his  family  and 
home  in  Maryland.  "  Early  in  the  year  1774  he  en- 
gaged six  or  seven  active  young  men,  at  the  rate  of 
£2  10.«.  per  month,  and  repairing  to  the  wilderness  of 
the  Ohio,  commenced  the  business  of  building  houses 
and  clearing  lands,  and  being  among  the  first  adven- 
turers into  this  exposed  and  dangerous  region,  he  was 
enabled  to  select  some  of  the  best  and  richest  of  the 
(Jhio  levels."'        It  appears  that  he  had  considerable 


means  at  his  command,  for  in  addition  to  the  busi- 
ness of  his  store  which  be  kept  in  operation  at  Red- 
stone Old  Fort,  he  purchased  various  tracts  of  land 
in  the  surrounding  country,*  as  well  as  at  several 
points  on  the  Ohio  River,  and  he  w.as  also,  appar- 
ently, a  loaner  of  money  to  some  extent  on  landed 
security. 

After  the  close  of  "  Dtinmore's  war,"  in  the  com- 
mencement of  which  Capt.  Cresap  took  part  as  a  sub- 
ordinate officer  (for  which  his  name  and  character 
were  afterwards  severely  but  unjustly  assailed),  he 
"  returned  to  Maryland,  and  spent  the  latter  part  of 
the  autumn  of  1774  and  the  succeeding  winter  in  the 
repose  of  a  domestic  circle  from  which  he  had  been 
so  long  estranged,  but  in  the  early  spring  of  1775  he 
hired  another  band  of  young  men  and  repaired  again 
to  the  (_)liio  to  finish  the  work  he  commenced  the  year 
before.  He  did  not  stop  at  his  old  haunts,  but  de- 
scended to  Kentucky,  where  he  made  some  improve- 
ments. Being  ill,  however,  he  soon  left  his  workmen 
and  departed  for  his  home  over  the  mountains,  in 
order  to  rest  and  recover  his  health.     On  his  way 

*  The  fuUnwiiip:  facts  in  reference  to  some  of  Ci'esapV  land  trrin.«iiction8 
in  tlie  vicinity  ..f  Diuilaii's  Cr.-ek  ure  giitliered  from  tlie  olJ  Angiista 
County,  Va.,  couit  records,  wbicli  are  st  11  iu  existence  iu  Wasliiiigtou, 


urg,  S'-ptPUilif-r  the  21^',  177.:>,  tl.is  dt-ed  .f  B;irgjiin 
d  l.y  two  of  the  subsci  ibing  witnes.ses,  and  ordered 

enil.pr.l77.'i.".Ii.l.n  Cir-v.  ..f  DiiT.b.i.'s  Creek  Settle- 


I  Ik-c.  10,  1772.  The  nioMrgiigewaa 
,  :ti.il  "  by  his  o.ith  proved  at  a  com  t, 
.luity,  Va.,  at  Pittsburg,  Sept.  21, 1776, 

.Tames  Brinton,  of  AuRUsIa  Cotinty, 


.|.iMt.Mi;uifes  thei-euiito  Belonging  or  in  any  ways 
iii[ij,^  by  Estimation  about  two  hundred  and  tilry 
lure  or  less," — the  grantor  guaranteeing  the  s;»nie 
liinsan.l  demands  of  "all  nuinner  .if  Person  or  i'er- 
Si.ile  e.xcepted  only."  The  ileed  was  witnesse.l  by 
iiiaik]  and  John  Jeremiah  Jacob,  and  ".^t  a  C<iu.  t 
:  I  A..i;.ista  Cunty  at  Pittsburg,  September  21", 
_  I  [  Jiid  Sale  was  proved  by  the  oath  of  . fob tt 
ii    witnesses  thereto,  and  ordered  to  be  Recorded. 


JIave 


iL'.  wards,  that  worli 


Jacob,  October  Sth,  1775." 


vered,  John  Jer 


*  There  was  a  younger  Michael  Cre^•ap,  the  son  of  Daniel  Cresap, 
brother  of  Michael  Cresap,  Sr. 


BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND -TOWxNSHIP. 


423 


across  the  Allegheny  Mountains  he  was  met  by  a 
faithful  friend  with  a  message  stating  that  he  had 
been  appointed  by  the  Committee  of  Safety  at  Fred- 
erick a  captain  to  command  one  of  the  rifle  com- 
panies required  from  Maryland  by  a  resolution  of 
Congress.  Experienced  officers  and  the  very  best 
men  that  could  be  procured  were  demanded."' 

This  occurred  in  June,  1775,  and  on  the  18th  of 
the  following  month  Capt.  Cresap,  at  the  head  of  his 
company  (of  whom  twenty-two  men  were  volunteers 
from  west  of  the  mountains,  doubtless  mostly  from 
the  Monongahela  settlements),  set  out  from  Frederick, 
Md.,  and  after  a  march  of  twenty-two  days  joined 
Washington's  army  investing  Boston.  But  his  mili- 
tary career  in  the  Revolutionary  army  was  short. 
"Admonished  by  continued  illness,  and  feeling,  per- 
haps, some  foreboding  of  his  fate,  he  endeavored  once 
more,  after  about  three  months'  service,  to  reach  his 
home  among  the  mountains,  but  finding  himself  too 
sick  to  proceed  he  stopped  in  New  York,  where  he 
died  of  fever  on  the  18th  of  October,  1775,  at  the 
early  age  of  thirty-three.  On  the  following  day  his 
remains,  attended  by  a  vast  concourse  of  people,  were 
buried  with  military  honors  in  Trinity  churchyard.'" 
In  that  burial-ground  they  still  rest,  and  the  head- 
stone of  his  grave  may  be  found  much  dilapidated, 
but  with  the  yet  legible  inscription, 

"IN    MEMORY    OF 

MrCIIAEL    CRESAP,    FIRST    CAPt. 

OF    THE    RIFLE    BATTAI-IONS, 

AND  SON  TO  COL.  THOMAS 

CRESAP,    WHO    DEPARTED    THIS 

LIFE  OCTOBER  THE  18,  1775." 

Michael  Cresap  left  a  widow  and  four  children. 
His  widow,  in  1781,  married  her  first  husband's  friend 
and  employe,  John  Jeremiah  Jacob,  who,  at  the  age 
of  aliout  fifteen  years,  had  commenced  as  a  clerk  for 
Cresap  in  his  store  at  Redstone  Old  Fort,  and  who, 

is  employer's  departure  for  the  army  in  1775,  was 
left  ill  charge  of  the  business,  and  so  remained  for 
several  months  after  Cresap's  death,  closing  up  the 
affairs.  In  July,  1776,  he  entered  the  army  as  ensign, 
and  served  nearly  five  years,  rising  to  the  grade  of 
captain.  Later  in  life  he  became  a  clergyman  of  the 
^thodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  died  highly  es- 
teemed in  Hampshire  County,  Va.  He  was  the  au- 
thor of  the  "  Life  of  Capt.  Michael  Cresap,"  and  by 
the  facts  which  he  gathered  and  gave  to  the  public 
in  that  work  successfully  vindicated  the  character 
and  cleared  the  memory  of  his  dead  friend  from  the 
terrible  charges  which  were  made,  and  for  years  gen- 

y  believed,  against  him  in  reference  to  the  mur- 
der of  the  relatives  of  the  Indian  chief  Logan  in  the 
war  of  1774. 

Thomas  Brown,  who  laid  out  the  town  which  then 
took,  and  still  bears,  his  name,  was  one  of  the  earliest 


settlers  who  came  to  the  vicinity  of  Redstone  and 
Dunlap's  Creeks,  his  name  being  found  in  the  list  of 
"The  names  of  the  Inhabitants  near  Redstone"  re- 
ported by  the  Rev.  John  Steele  as  living  in  this  re- 
gion in  the  spring  of  1768.  He  was  not  then  a  resi- 
dent in  what  is  now  the  borough  of  Brownsville,  but 
came  here  a  few  years  later,  and  having  purchased 
the  right  which  Michael  Cresap  had  acquired  to  the 
land  afterwards  the  site  of  the  town,  and  having  also 
bought  out  whatever  interest  the  McCulloughs  had 
in  the  same,  he  settled  here  and  commenced  im- 
provement in  1776.  The  correctness  of  this  date  is 
made  certain  by  the  certificate  which  was  given  him 
for  the  tract  by  the  Virginia  commissioners  at  Red- 
stone Old  Fort,  Dec.  16,  1779.  In  that  certificate 
there  is  added  to  the  description  of  the  tract  granted 
to  Thomas  Brown  the  words,  "  to  include  his  settle- 
ment made  in  the  year  1776."  The  tract  was  sur- 
veyed to  him  March  21,  1785.  It  is  described  in  the 
survey  as  being  "situate  on  the  dividing  ridge  be- 
tween Redstone  and  Dunlap's  Creeks;"  the  name 
by  which  the  tract  was  designated  was  "  Whisky 
Path." 

Basil  Brown,  Sr.,  brother  of  Thomas  Brown,  did 
not  become  a  resident  of  Brownsville,  but  lived  on  a 
tract  "  near  Redstone  Old  Fort,"  in  the  present  town- 
ship of  Luzerne.  On  this  tract  he  settled  in  1770, 
and  remained  there  during  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
His  son,  Basil  Brown,  Jr.,  however,  removed  to 
Brownsville,  where  he  lived  at  or  near  the  corner  of 
jMorgan  and  Market  Streets.  His  sister,  Sally  Brown, 
who  was  a  cripple,  lived  with  him,  both  remaining 
unmarried.  He  died  in  Brownsville  many  years  ago, 
at  seventy-five  years  of  age.  Sally,  who  survived  him 
a  number  of  years,  is  still  remembered  by  many  of 
the  older  citizens  of  the  town. 

Fr-om  the  time  of  the  opening  of  Burd's  road,  in 
1759,  the  point  of  its  western  terminus  on  the  Monon- 
gahela became  a  place  of  considerable  importance, 
and  this  was  more  especially  the  case  after  the  time 
when  westward  bound  emigrants  began  to  pass 
through  this  region,  iiiakinir  this  the  end  of  their  land 
travel  and  the  pnint  <•(  tihir  embarkation  in  flat- 
boats  for  their  passage  dnwii  ihe  river.  A  very  heavy 
and  constantly  increasing  emigration  was  setting  to- 
wards the  Southwest,  particularly  Kentucky,  and  to 
all  emigrants  traveling  to  that  region  the  smoothly- 
flowing  currents  of  the  Monongahela  and  Ohio  Rivers 
offered  the  easiest,  cheapest,  and  in  every  sense  the 
most  eligible  highway,  a  route  by  which,  with  very 
little  labor  to  themselves,  the  rude  craft  on  which 
they  embarked  at  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek 
would  land  them  without  change  almost  on  the  spot 
of  their  destination. 

These  were  the  considerations  which  induced  mul- 
titudes of  western  bound  travelers  to  lay  their  route 
over  the  road  which  brought  them  to  the  Mononga- 
hela at  Redstone  Old  Fort.  Such  as  could  con- 
veniently make  the  arrangement  usually  chose  the 


424 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


latter  part  of  the  winter  for  their  exodus,  because  at 
that  season  the  friendly  snow  still  lingered  upon  the 
roads,  and  mitigated  in  some  degree  the  horrors  of 
the  passage  from  the  mountains  to  the  river.  If  they 
had  rightly  timed  their  journey,  and  the  melting  time 
came  soon  after  their  arrival  at  the  place  of  embar- 
kation, then  all  was  well  with  them,  but  if  the  spring 
thaws  delayed  their  coming,  and  the  shivering,  home- 
sick wayfarers  were  compelled  to  remain  for  weeks 
(as  was  sometimes  the  case)  in  their  comfortless  shel- 
ters, awaiting  an  opportunity  to  proceed  on  their 
way,  then  their  condition  was  pitiable  indeed.  "  John 
Moore,  a  very  early  settler,  used  to  relate"  (says  Judge 
Veeeh)  "that  in  the  long,  cold  winter  of  1780,  a  proto- 
type of  those  of  18'iG-5J.  the  snow  being  three  or  four 
feet  deep  and  crusted,  he  said  the  road  from  Sandy 
Hollow  (Brubaker's)  to  the  verge  of  Brownsville, 
where  William  Hogg  lived,  was  lined  on  both  sides 
with  wagons  and  families,  camped  out,  waiting  for 
the  loosing  of  the  icy  bonds  from  the  waters  and  the 
preparation  of  boats  to  embark  for  the  West,  the 
men  dragging  in  old  logs  and  stumps  for  fuel  to  save 
their  wives  and  children  from  freezing." 

The  great  amount  of  emigration  and  otlier  western 
travel  centring  at  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek  as 
a  point  of  embarkation  rendered  necessary  the  build- 
ing of  a  large  number  of  flat-boats  and  other  primi- 
tive river-craft;'  and  the  construction  of  these,  as 
well  as  the  furnishing  of  supplies  to  the  voyagers  for 
their  long  trips  down  the  river  (for  by  the  time  of 
their  arrival  here  many  of  them  had  exhausted  the 
supplies  with  which  they  had  set  out  on  the  journey), 
produced  business  activity,  and  gave  to  the  place  the 
promise  of  future  prosperity  and  importance. 

These  facts  and  considerations  caused  Thomas 
Brown  to  conceive  the  )u-oject  of  estalilishing  a  town 
upon  that  part  of  his  "Whisky  Patli"  tract  lying 
adjacent  to  the  :\ronongahela  and  Dunlap's  Creek. 
Accnnlin-ly,  in  17sr,  h,.  platted  and  laid  out  the  town 
of  lirnwn^villc  with  streets  and  alleys  nearly  the  same 
as  they  now  exist  in  that  piirt  of  the  present  borough 
which  wa-i  lanlnarcil  in  the  original  plat.    A  "public 

the  southwest  side  of  Front  Street,  and  adjoining  it 
was  the  early  burial-place  of  the  town,  in  which  the 
Browns,  the  Washingtons,  and  many  others  were  in- 
terred as  elsewhere  mentioned.  It  has  been  said  that 
this  spot  was  donated  and  set  apart  by  Thomas  Brown 


as  a  public  burial-ground,  but  of  this  there  is  no 
proof.  An  addition  to  the  town  was  afterwards  made 
by  Chads  Chalfant,  and  another  by  S-imuel  Jackson, 
who  purchased  from  Thomas  Brown  certain  lands  ad- 
joining the  original  plat  and  laid  them  out  with  streets 
and  alleys ;  Church  and  Spring  Streets  were  included 
in  this  addition  to  the  town. 

The  proprietor  of  Brownsville  offered  his  lots  for 
sale,  subject  to  conditions  nearly  identical  with  those 
imposed  by  Henry  Beeson  in  sales  of  his  lots  at  Union- 
town.  All  dwellings  erected  on  them  were  required 
to  be  equal  to  twenty  by  twenty-five  feet  in  dimen- 
sions, substantially  built,  and  in  all  cases  to  have  a 
chimney  or  chimneys  of  brick  or  stone.  Quit-rents 
were  required  in  nearly  all  cases,  but  these  were  some- 
times waived,  for  reasons  which  are  not  made  appa- 
rent. 

Thomas  Brown  occupied  (so  says  that  dubious  au- 
thority, tradition)  the  shingle-roofed  house  built  by 
Michael  Cresap  from  the  time  of  his  purchase  from  I 
the  latter  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1797,  at 
the  age  of  fifty-nine  years.  He  left  two  sons — Thomas 
Brown,  Jr.,  and  Levi  Brown — and  three  daughters,- 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Cox,  Mrs.  William  Crawford,  and 
Mrs.  Ewing.  There  are  no  descendants  of  his  now 
living  in  Brownsville  or  vicinity. 

The  following-named  persons  were  purchasers  of 
town  lots  in  1'.io\mi-\  iUr  Irom  the  original  proprietor. 
Many  others  ]mrclia-e(l  from  his  estate  after  his  death. 
The  years  indicated  are  those  of  the  record,  not  the 
execution  of  the  respective  deeds : 


BlOM 


793 


WillitimCix 

.Tohn  lilaukford. 
EdwiirJ  Hiile.... 
William  Hogg... 
Oeorge  Kinne^ir, 
.T..i,n  Eliin  


Armstrong "* 

SL-liooley irSS 

Newport " 

jrge  F.  Hawkins " 


Amos  Townsend. 

John  Wildman 

Artliur  Dempsev 

Ridoon  Walker." 

John  Restine 

Charles  Sumption.... 
Thomns  McKibben. 

-M.iltliew  Van  Lear.. 
U:OMh  RalcliJf , 

.jH.<iahT!Uinehili 

Eiijih  Fredway 


John 


Scott 1793 


.1797 


John  .Inqtics 

Thomas  tiregg.. 
Andrew  Brown. 
Amos  Wilson... 
John  Bowman.. 

Andrew  Sinn 

AyersSinn 

Isaac  Sinn 

John  McClure 1S02 


Basil  Brown,  who  was  the  purchaser  of  a  large 
number  of  lots  from  his  brother,  Thomas  Brown, 
made  sales  of  them  from  time  to  time  to  the  following-, 
named  persons,  viz. : 


BROWNSVILLE  BOROUGH  AND  TOWNSHIP. 


Thomns  Brown,  Jr.... 
Otho  Brashear 

178S 

1791 

William  Ilojrg 

Adam  .Jacobs 

John  Lau^'hlin 

1709 

18110 

Thomas  Blown 

17112 

...  1799 

Basil  Brashear 

John  Ila^iin 

ISOI) 

William  (ioe 

1704 

Chads  Chalfant 

Samuel  Bfll 

....17% 

Jonathan  Miller 

Barrack  Brashear 

1803 

1805 

John  Wildman                        " 

Jacob  Bowman 

1S09 

AV.Iliam  Price 

....I7a7 

Robert  Elliott,  the  earlie.st  purchaser  whose  name 
appears  in  the  above  list,  came  from  Washington 
County,  Md.,  to  Brownsville,  and  purchased  (April 
28,  1786)  a  town  lot  for  the  consideration  of  £10. 
The  lot  was  No.  17,  adjoining  lot  of  Robert  Taylor. 
'  Col.  Elliott  was  engaged  here  in  the  purchase  of  sup- 
',  plies  for  the  United  States  government,  in  which 
business  he  was  associated  with  Col.  Eli  Williams 
and  Jacob  Bowman. 

Jacob  Bowman,  whose  father  emigrated  from  Ger- 
many to  America  about  the  time  of  the  "  Old  French 
war,"  was  born  at  Hagerstown,  Md.,  June  17,  1763, 
and  when  twenty-four  years  of  age  came  to  Browns- 
ville, and  commenced  the  business  of  merchandising, 
he  and  William  Hogg  being  the  first  two  permanently- 
located  merchants  in  the  town.  He  was  also  engaged 
in  partnership  with  Col.  Elliott  and  Eli  Williams,  as 
before  mentioned,  in  purchasing  supplies  for  the 
Western  army  under  Gen.  Anthony  Wayne,  and  he 
was  made  commissary  to  the  government  troops  which 

ere  sent  across  the  mountains  to  suppress  the  Whiskey 
Insurrection  in  1794. 

;Vt  the  time  when  Mr.  Bowman  started  business  in 
Brownsville  all  goods  were  brought  over  the  moun- 
tain roads  from  Cumberland  to  the  Monongabela  on 
pack-horses,  of  which  large  numbers,  loaded  with  his 
goods,  were  frequently  seen  standing  together  in  the 
public  square  opposite  his  residence,  waiting  their 
turn  to  be  relieved  of  their  burdens.  The  first  load 
of  merchandise  brought  over  the  mountains  by  wagon 
came  here  in  1789  to  Jacob  Bowman.     The  wagoner 

10  drove  the  team  was  John  Hayden,  afterwards  a 
well-known  iron-master  in  Fayette  County.  The  load, 
which  was  about  two  thousand  pounds  in  weight,  was 
drawn  by  four  hor.ses,  and  the  freight  charged  on  it 
was  three  dollars  per  one  hundred  pounds.  Hayden 
was  about  a  month  in  making  the  trip  from  Hagers- 
town, Md.,  to  Brownsville  and  back. 

In  consideration  of  his  services  to  the  government, 
Jacob  Bowman  was  appointed  under  the  administra- 
tion of  President  Washington  (in  1795)  postmaster  of 
Brownsville,  and  held  the  office  until  the  incoming  of 
Gen.  Jackson's  administration,  a  period  of  thirty- 
four  years.  He  was  prominent  in  the  organization  of 
the  old  Monongahela  Bank,  and  was  its  president  from 
its  organization  under  the  charter  in  1814  till  Sept. 

,  1843,  when  he  retired,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son,  James  L.  Bowman. 

The  residence  of  Jacob  Bowman  was  where  his 
son,  N.  B.  Bowman,  now  lives,  on  the  property  called 
'  Nemacolin,"  for  the  old  Indian  chief  whose  wigwam 
or  cabin   (tradition   says)   was   once   located   on   it. 


This  property  he  purchased  of  Thomas  Brown  soon 
after  his  settlement  in  Brownsville.  Until  the  time 
of  his  emigration  from  Hagerstown  to  Brownsville 
Mr.  Bowman  was  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church, 
but  not  long  afterwards  he  united  with  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church,  and  remained  one  of  its  most  in- 
j  fluential,  liberal,  and  respected  members  until  his 
I  death,  which  occurred  March  2,  1847,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-four  years.  His  wife  died  two  years  earlier, 
March  11,  1845. 

The  children  of  Jacob  Bowman  were  the  following 
named:  Mary,  born  in  1788;  married  Henry  Sterling, 
a  planter  of  St.  Francisville,  La.,  and  died  in  1852. 
Annie  E.  Bowman,  born  May  8,  1790,  and  married 
March  12,  1818,  to  Henry  Sweitzer,  of  Hagerstown, 
Md.  Harriet  E.  Bowman,  born  June  16,  1792;  n)ar- 
ried  John  Thompson  McKennan  ;  died  March  8,1832. 
James  L.  Bowman,  born  June  23, 1794  ;  graduated  at 
Washington  College  in  1813;  studied  law  with  John 
Kennedy;  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1817;  president  of 
the  Monongahela  Bank  from  1843  until  his  death  in 
1857.  Matilda  L.  Bowman,  born  Aug.  13, 1796  ;  mar- 
ried Thomas  M.  T.  McKennan  (member  of  Congress 
and  Secretary  of  the  Interior  under  President  Fill- 
more) ;  she  died  March  3,  1858.  Louisa  Bowman, 
born  in  1798;  married  Samuel  Bell,  of  Reading,  Pa., 
in  1830;  she  died  in  January,  1880.  William  Robert 
Bowman,  born  1801  ;  graduated  at  Washington  Col- 
lege, Pa.,  in  1822 ;  graduated  at  theological  seminary, 
Princeton,  N.  J.,  1825;  made  deacon  in  Episcopal 
Church  May  11,  1826;  removed  in  1827  to  St.  Fran- 
cisville, West  Feliciana  Parish,  La.,  where  he  organ- 
ized Grace  Church,  Feb.  7,  1829;  remained  at  St. 
Francisville  till  his  death  in  1835.  Goodloe  Harper 
Bowman,  born  April  3,  1S03;  entered  trade  with  his 
father  under  the  firm-name  of  Jacob  Bowman  &  Sons ; 
was  subsequently  in  partnership  with  his  brother,  N.  B. 
Bowman ;  was  cashier  of  the  Monongahela  Bank  from 
1830  to  1841;  elected  president  of  tliat  institution  in 
1857,  and  held  the  position  till  his  deatli  in  February, 
1874.  Nelson  Blair  Bowman,  born  July  8,  1807;  en- 
tered mercantile  pursuits  with  his  lather  and  brother; 
retired  from  active  trade  in  lS."i8,  but  is  still  a  ilirector 
in  the  Monongahela  National  Bank  and  in  the  Mo- 
nongahela Bridge  Company.  He  is  living  in  retire- 
ment and  elegance  at  "  Nemacolin,"  an  eminence 
which  commands  a  fine  view  of  the  Mohongahela 
River  and  surrounding  country, — the  same  jiroperty 
which  his  father,  Jacob  Bowman,  bought  of  Thomas 
Brown  in  1788.' 

William  Hogg  was  contemporary  with  Jacob  Bow- 
man as  an  early  merchant  in  Brownsville.  He  was 
an  Englishman  who  had  been  impressed  as  a  sailor  on 


1  The  earliest  date  under  which  Jacob  Bowr 
Fayette  Comity  rccurdsis  June  2:!,17SS,  at  whi 
and  a  half  acres  and  fourand  a  half  pfielies  of 
Thomas  Brown  for  the  considcnitimi  of  £-21, 


426 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


board  one  of  His  Majesty's  ships,  and  deserted  at 
Charleston,  S.  C,  whence  he  traveled  to  Philadel- 
phia. There  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  an  English 
gentleman  named  Stokes,  who  furnished  him  with  a 
small  stock  of  light  hardware,  with  which  he  started 
out  as  a  traveling  peddler.  He  continued  in  this  busi- 
ness for  two  or  three  trips,  and  finally,  about  1787, 
came  to  Brownsville,  where  he  opened  a  store  in  the 
upper  story  of  a  building  on  Water  Street,  where  the 
rolling-mill  now  stands.  He  bought  his  goods  in 
Baltimore,  making  his  earliest  trips  to  and  from  that 
city  on  foot,  generally  starting  from  Brownsville  on 
Sunday  morning,  and  closing  his  store  during  his 
absence.  Tlie  first  mention  found  of  him  in  the  re- 
cords is  his  purchase  of  three  lots  in  Brownsville, 
Jan.  28,  17'JtJ,  after  he  had  been  here  in  business  for 
nearly  ten  years.  The  lots  which  he  purchased  at 
that  time  were  Xos.  .3,  4,  and  5  of  the  original  plat, 
for  the  consideration  of  £1.5.  Mr.  Hogg  was  a  bache- 
lor, and  by  his  industry  and  perseverance  during  a 
long  period  of  merchandising  in  Brownsville  accumu- 
lated a  large  fortune. 

George  Hogg,  a  nephew  of  William,  was  an  iron- 
worker in  Nortiiumberland,  England.  About  the 
year  isiiii  liis  uncle  brought  him  to  Brownsville  and 
formed  a  liu-*iiiess  ])artnership  with  him,  which  con- 
tinued till  Ills  deatli.  George  Hogg  married  a  daugh- 
ter of  Natlianiel  Breading,  and  they  became  the  ]ia- 
rents  of  four  sons  and  two  daughters,  viz. :  George  E. 
Hogg,  now  living  in  Brownsville  ;  Nathaniel  B.  Hogg, 
now  a  resident  of  Allegheny  City,  Pa. ;  John  T.  Hogg, 
living  in  Connellsville ;  James  Hogg,  lost  at  sea  on 
board  the  steamer  "Arctic;"  a  daughter,  now  Mrs. 
Felix  R.  Brunot,  living  in  Pittsburgh;  the  other 
daughter,  who  became  the  wife  of  William  Bissell, 
died  many  years  ago. 

In  a  deed  executed  in  1787  by  Thomas  Brown,  con- 
veying a  lowii  lot  lo  Mutlhew  Campbell,  the  property 
is  de<(iilHNl  lis  ■■>itiiate  in  Brownsville,  n/w.s  Wnxh- 
ingtiiii,"  by  wliieh  it  is  made  apparent  that  an  attempt 
was  made  about  that  time  to  have  the  latter  name 
adopted  for  the  town  in  place  of  Brownsville.  No 
allusion  to  the  name  (as  applied  to  this  town)  has 
been  found  in  any  other  place.  The  lot  above  referred 
to  as  having  been  sold  to  Campbell  was  No.  1,  on 
Front  Street,  bounded  on  the  northwest  by  Trader's 
Lane.  The  price  paid  was  £5.  The  purchaser  of 
this  lot  was  doubtless  the  same  Matthew  Campbell 
who,  in  December,  1783,  was  licensed  by  the  court  of 
Fayette  County  to  keep  a  tavern  in  Uniontown,  and 
who  in  1784  purchased  a  lot  (where  the  Fulton  House 
now  stands)  in  that  town,  from  Henry  Beeson.  In 
178.")  he  was  licensed  to  keep  a  public-house  in  Men- 
alien  township.  Little  beyond  this  is  known  of 
him. 

Andrew  Boggs  was  the  purchaser  from  Thomas 
Brown  (in  June,  1788)  of  a  lot  on  Second  Street,  ex- 
tending through  to   Market   Street,  adjoining  a  lot 


owned  by  Nathan  Chalfant.  The  consideration  named 
in  the  deed  to  Boggs  is  £7  10s. 

Nathan  Chalfant  purchased  the  lot  (referred  to  in 
the  deed  to  Boggs)  on  the  23d  of  June,  1788.  It  was 
sixty  by  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet  in  size,  extend- 
ing from  Second  to  Market  Street.  He  sold  it  on  the 
19th  of  March,  1798,  to  Andrew  Lynn,  who,  in  June, 
181.5,  conveyed  it  to  the  trustees  of  the  Presbyterian 
congregation,  and  it  is  the  same  on  which  the  church 
edifice  of  that  congregation  now  stands. 

At  the  same  time  that  Chalfant  purchased  the  lot 
above  named  he  also  bought  lot  No.  4,  on  Water 
Street,  adjoining  Thomas  McKibben  and  Holborn 
Hill.  On  this  lot>  he  lived  for  many  years,  and  car- 
ried on  an  extensive  business  in  boat-building. 

Chads  Chalfant  lived  on  a  farm  about  one  mile  out 
of  town,  but  was  the  owner  of  several  town  lots.  In 
1804  he  donated  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
the  lot  on  which  the  present  house  of  worship  stands. 
He  also  sold  the  lot  which  is  now  occupied  by  the 
Masonic  Hall. 

Robert  Clarke  came  here  from  Greene  County  as 
early  as  1788,  at  which  time  he  was  the  purchaser  of 
a  lot  in  this  town.  He  built  the  house  which  is  now 
owned  by  the  heirs  of  George  Shuman  and  occupied 
as  a  telegraph-ofiice.  Its  original  site  was  where  the 
Snowdon  House  now  is,  but  it  was  removed  about 
1823  to  its  present  location  by  Clarke,  who  then  built 
the  Snowdon  House  on  the  spot  thus  vacated,  and 
lived  in  it  until  his  death,  about  1840.  He  was  con- 
cerned with  Neal  Gillespie  in  the  grist-mill  and  saw- 
mill on  the  river,  as  hereafter  mentioned.  A  daughter 
of  Robert  Clarke  married  John  L.  Dawson,  and 
another  daughter  became  the  wife  of  Gen.  Henry  W. 
Beeson,  of  Uniontown. 

Neal  Gillespie  was  not  a  settler  in  Brownsville,  yet 
it  seems  proper  to  mention  him  in  this  connection,  as 
he  was  closely  identified  with  the  business  interests 
of  the  (dace.  He  was  an  Irishman  who  came  to  the 
west  bank  of  the  Monongahela,  and  settled  upon  the 
"  Indian  Hill"  tract,  which  had  previously  been  the 
property  of  "Indian  Peter,"  opposite  Brownsville. 
He  became  the  owner  of  the  ferry  across  the  river  at 
this  point,  and  operated  it  for  many  years.  He  pur- 
chased land  in  Brownsville,  on  the  "  Neck,"  where 
his  landing-place  was  located,  as  also  the  grist-mill 
and  saw-mill  (elsewhere  mentioned)  which  he  built 
in  partnership  with  Robert  Clarke.  A  part  of  liis 
land  on  the  "  Neck"  was  sold  March  19,  1829,  to 
Samuel  J.  Krepps. 

Gillespie's  daughter,  Nellie,  married  a  man  named 
Boyle.  They  lived  in  Brownsville  in  a  log  house  that 
stood  on  Second  Street  in  the  rear  of  the  Central 
Hotel.  In  that  house  was  born  their  daughter,  Maria, 
who  became  the  wife  of  the  Hon.  Thomas  Ewing,  of 
Ohio,  and  mother  of  the  wife  of  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman, 
of  the  United  States  army. 

George  Kinnear,  a  Scotchman,  came  to  Brownsville 
before  1788,  and  purchased  several  lots  located  on  the 


BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


427 


east,  south,  and  west  of  the  Public  Ground.  This 
jiroperty  passed  to  Polly  Kinnear,  and  later  to  Wil- 
liam Coek,  who  sold  to  J.  W.  Jeffries.  Kinnear  was 
associated  in  business  with  James  Lang  (the  auction- 
eer), who  came  here  in  1790. 

Thomas  McKibben  was  in  Brownsville  as  early  as 
1788,  in  which  year  there  was  recorded  a  deed  to  him 
from  Thomas  Brown,  conveying  certain  property  in 
the  town.  He  was  a  merchant  on  Market  Street,  and 
a  justice  of  the  peace,  also  prothonotary  of  Fayette 
County  in  1821.  No  descendants  of  his  are  now  in 
Brownsville. 

Samuel  Workman  came  here  as  early  as  1790,  and 
started  a  tannery  where  now  stands  the  residence  of 
Samuel  Steele.  James  Workman,  a  son,  afterwards 
built  the  jiresent  Steele  tannery.  He  also  kept  the 
tavern,  now  the  Girard  House,  at  the  head  of  Market 
Street. 

The  Brownsville  post-office  was  established  Jan.  1, 
1795,  with  Jacob  Bowman  as  postmaster.  Basil 
Brashear  was  here  in  the  same  year,  and  soon  after 
built  the  stone  house  now  occupied  by  Mrs.  Wesley 
Frost,  opening  it  as  a  tavern.  This  was  for  years  the 
leading  public-house  of  Brownsville. 

Adam  Jacobs  came  in  about  1795.  He  was  a  mer- 
chant, and  kept  a  store  on  Water  Street,  next  below 
where  the  rolling-mill  stands.  A  daughter  of  his 
married  her  father's  clerk,  a  Mr.  Beggs,  with  whom 
she  removed  to  New  Lisbon,  Ohio.  Adam  Jacobs, 
Jr.,  became  a  merchant  in  the  town,  and  father  of  the 
third  Adam,  now  known  as  Capt.  Adam  Jacobs,  who 
was  born  in  Brownsville,  Jan.  7,  1817.  He  learned 
the  trade  of  coppersmith  and  tinner,  but  commenced 
steamboating  early  in  life,  taking  command  of  the 
steamer  "  Exchange"  in  1840,  when  he  was  only 
twenty-three  years  of  age.  Afterwards  he  com- 
manded several  boats,  the  last  of  which  was  the  "  Niag- 
ara," in  1847.  Since  that  time  he  has  been  engaged 
in  the  building  of  steamboats,  of  which  about  one 
hundred  and  twenty  have  been  built  for  him.  He 
has  always  been  an  active  business  man,  and  by  his 
industry  and  remarkable  business  tact  has  accumu- 
lated a  handsome. fortune.  There  are  few,  if  any, 
who  have  done  more  than  he  to  advance  the  business 
interests  of  Brownsville,  and  to-day  he  is  accounted 
one  of  the  most  enterprising  as  well  as  substantial 
men  of  the  Monongahela  Valley.  He  has  a  resi- 
dence in  Brownsville,  and  another  upon  his  fine  es- 
tate of  "  East  Riverside,"  on  the  Monongahela,  in 
the  township  of  Luzerne. 

In  1796,  Elijah  Clark  was  engaged  in  boat-build- 
ing in  Brownsville.  His  yard  was  on  Water  Street, 
north  of  the  site  of  the  United  States  Hotel.  At  the 
same  time  Capt.  T.  Shane  advertised  boat-sheds  and 
boat-yards  for  sale  or  to  let. 

A  coppersmith  and  tin-working  shop  was  carried 
on  here  in  1797  by  Anthony  &  Bowman. 

William  Crawford  was  a  merchant  in  Brownsville 
in  (and  probably  before)  the  year  1800.     His  store 


was  on  Market  Street,  where  Jacob  Sawyer  now  lives. 
His  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Brown. 

Valentine  Giesey,  the  son  of  a  Lutheran  clergyman 
who  emigrated  to  America  in  1776,  and  settled  at 
Berlin,  Somerset  Co.,  Pa.,  where  this  son  was  born, 
came  to  Brownsville  about  the  year  1800,  and  went 
into  trade  here.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of 
1812  he  entered  the  service  as  a  sergeant  in  Capt. 
Joseph  Wadsworth's  company,  of  which  he  afterwards 
became  captain.  After  his  return  from  the  war  he  re- 
opened the  mercantile  business,  and  also  became  very 
popular  as  a  military  man  and  a  politician.  He  died 
in  1835,  and  was  buried  in  the  Episcopal  churchyard. 
He  had  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  but  none  are 
now  living. 

James  Blaine  was  a  man  who  traveled  quite  exten- 
sively in  Europe  and  South  America,  and  afterwards, 
in  1804,  settled  in  Brownsville,  where  he  opened  a 
store,  and  where  he  was  also  for  many  years  a  justice 
of  the  peace.  He  was  a  man  of  dignified  bearing, 
and  held  in  high  esteem  by  his  fellow-townsmen.  In 
1818  he  removed  to  Washington  County,  where  he 
lived  during  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

George  Graff,  a  carpenter  and  cabinet-maker,  came 
from  Allentown,  Pa.,  to  Brownsville  in  1806.  He 
lived  on  Front  Street,  where  his  son  Joseph  now 
lives. 

George  Johnston,  a  native  of  Monaghan  County, 
Ireland,  landed  in  Philadelphia  with  his  wife  in 
August,  1805,  and  thence  moved  to  Hickory,  Wash- 
ington Co.,  Pa.,  where  his  uncle  resided.  There  he 
remained  until  the  following  spring,  his  son  John 
having  been  born  in  the  mean  time.  Mr.  Johnston 
then  removed  to  Brownsville,  where  he  commenced 
business  as  a  weaver  in  a  house  that  stood  where  Dr. 
J.  R.  Patton  now  lives.  He  had  a  family  of  eight 
children,  of  whom  John  was  the  eldest.  He  (John) 
learned  the  trade  of  carpenter  with  George  Graff.  He 
has  since  been  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  Brownsville, 
and  has  often  been  elected  to  offices  in  the  borough. 
He  is  still  living  here,  on  the  corner  of  Morgan  and 
Front  Streets.  Two  other  sons  (William  and  James) 
and  a  daughter  of  George  Johnston  are  also  living  in 
Brownsville. 

In  1807,  Alexander  Simpson  was  established  in 
Brownsville  as  a  manufacturer  of  surveyors' instru- 
ments and  other  fine  work  of  similar  character. 

Abraham  Underwood,  a  Quaker,  left  Baltimore  in 
1808,  with  his  wife  and  three  children,  bound  for  Cin- 
cinnati, over  the  then  usual  route  by  way  of  Browns- 
ville. Arriving  at  this  i)oint,  and  finding  something  of 
a  Quaker  settlement  here  and  in  the  vicinity,  they 
abandoned  their  original  intention  and  remained  in 
Brownsville.  Mr.  Underwood  was  by  trade  a  tailor, 
and  he  soon  opened  a  shop  on  Front  Street,  west  of 
Jacob's  Alley.  The  family  remained  in  Brownsville 
from  1808  until  1834,  when  he  removed  to  Mononga- 
hela City,  Pa. 

Philip  Worley  came  from  Virginia  to  Brownsville 


42S 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


about  1808,  and  took  up  the  business  of  boat-building. 
His  motlier  kei>t  a  cake-shop  in  the  "  Neck,"  where 
the  vacant  lot  is,  just  below  the  hardware  store  of 
James  Slocum.  Worley  died  a  few  j-ears  later,  and 
his  widow  married  Thomas  Brown,  son  of  Basil 
Brown,  Sr.  Daniel  Worle}',  a  son  of  Philip,  was  a 
clerk  in  Robert  Clarke's  store.  He  married  a  daughter 
of  James  Tonilinson,  and  in  1815  was  employed  as 
master  of  one  of  the  river-boats  owned  by  his  father- 
in-law.  In  1823  he  and  Tomlinson,  with  their  fami- 
lies, moved  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where  they  settled, 
and  where  their  descendants  are  still  living. 

Eli  Abrams  settled  here  about  1812.  His  grand- 
father, Henry  Abrams,  was  a  settler  at  Turkey  Foot 
as  early  as  1768,  being  mentioned  as  such  in  the  re- 
port of  the  Kev.  John  Steele,  made  in  that  year.  Eli, 
on  his  arrival  at  Brownsville,  was  employed  in  the 
nail-factory  of  Jacob  Bowman,  on  Front  Street. 
Afterwards  he  married  a  daughter  of  Martin  Tiernan, 
and  kept  a  store  on  the  "  Neck."  He  became  a  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  and  filled  that  office  with  honor  for 
many  years.  Two  of  his  sons  (Dr.  James  Abrams, 
dentist,  and  Decatur  Abrams)  are  now  living  in 
Brownsville.  Another  son,  Lewis  Abrams,  lives 
about  a  mile  outside  the  borough. 

George  Dawson  was  a  son  of  Nicholas,  and  grand- 
son of  George  and  Lienor  Dawson,  who  were  settlers 
in  the  township  of  Union  (now  North  Union).  Their 
son  Nicholas  removed  to  Kentucky,  where  his  son 
George  was  reared  to  manhood.  About  ISlo  he 
(George)  returned  to  Fayette  County,  Pa.,  and  settled 
in  Brownsville  with  his  wife  and  tw(.i  children  ( Joliii 
L.  Dawson,  who  afterwards  became  a  prominent  pub- 
lic man,  and  a  daughter,  who  married  George  Ash- 
man), occupying  a  house  on  Front  Street,  now  owned 
by  Mrs.  Sweitzer.  He  was  the  Brownsville  agent  fcir 
a  salt  company,  and  became  interested  in  tlie  con- 
struction of  the  National  road,  being  the  contractor 
for  the  building  of  the  heavy  stone-work  on  the  river- 
side of  that  road  in  its  approaches  to  the  Mononga- 
hela.  He  was  also  the  owner  of  large  tracts  of  land 
in  Ohio.  His  children,  besides  the  two  before  men- 
tioned, were  as  follows:  Louisa,  who  married  Gen. 
George  W.  Cass;  Ellen,  who  after  her  sister's  death 
became  the  second  wife  of  Gen.  Cass;  Samuel  Ken- 
nedy Dawson,  who  became  an  otlicer  in  the  United 
States  army,  and  is  now  on  the  retired  list,  living  at 
Eastport,  Me. ;  Mary,  who  died  at  the  age  of  about 
twenty  years;  Elizabeth,  married  Alfred  Howell,  of 
Uniontown  ;  Catharine,  married  Alpheus  E.  Willson, 
of  Uniontown,  president  judge  of  Fayette  County 
court;  and  George,  the  youngest,  who  married  a 
daughter  of  Alfred  Patterson,  of  Pittsburgh,  and  is 
now  residing  in  Louisiana.  George  Dawson,  the 
father  of  this  numerous  family,  died  in  Brownsville  a 
few  years  ago.  None  of  his  descendants  are  now 
living  in  the  borough. 

John  Suowdon,  a  young  Englishman,  came  to 
Brownsville  about   1820,  witli  a  wife   and  two  chil- 


dren. He  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  commenced 
work  here  with  John  Weaver,  who,  however,  was  a 
man  of  very  little  account,  and  the  work  of  the  shop 
was  chiefly  done  by  Snowdon.  His  industry  soon  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  George  Hogg  (himself  also 
an  Englishman),  who  asked  young  Snowdon  if  he 
could  make  an  English  oven.  His  reply  was  that  he 
could  if  he  had  the  necessary  iron,  which  was  there- 
upon procured  for  him  by  Mr.  Hogg,  and  the  oven 
was  produced  as  desired.  At  that  time  stoves  were 
nearly  or  wholly  unknown  in  this  section,  and  Mr. 
Snowdon  was  called  on  to  make  several  of  them, 
which  he  did.  After  a  time  Mr.  Hogg  asked  him 
why  he  did  not  start  a  shop  of  his  own,  and  received 
the  very  natural  reply  that  it  was  because  he  had  not 
the  capital.  Mr.  Hogg  then  furnished  him  with  an 
anvil,  bellows,  and  all  other  needed  articles  which  he 
could  not  make,  and  he  opened  a  blacksmith-shop 
where  John  R.  Dutton's  store  and  residence  now  is. 
The  new  shop  received  an  unexpectedly  large  patron- 
age, and  many  articles  in  the  machinery  line  were  re- 
quired, whereupon,  after  a  short  time,  a  machine-shop 
was  added.  At  first  the  necessary  castings  were  pro- 
cured from  William  Cock,  at  Bridgeport,  but  it  was  not 
long  before  Snowdon  added  a  foundry  and  pattern-shop 
to  his  other  works.  In  1827  he  built  at  these  works  the 
engines  for  the  steamer  "  Monongahela."  In  1831  he 
built  larger  simps  where  the  rolling-mill  now  stands. 
These  shops  were  l)urned  and  rebuilt  below  the  site  of 
the  rolling  iiiills.  In  them  the  engines  of  the  iron- 
clad '•  Manayunk"  were  built.  The  building  of  the 
rolling-mill  and  its  subsequent  history  will  be  found 
I  in  another  place  in  the  history  of  the  borough. 

Mr.  Snowdon,  who  was  for  a  period  of  more  than 
fifty  years  a  resident  of  Brownsville,  and  in  the  ac- 
tive jiart  of  his  life  one  of  the  most  enterprising  men 
of  the  borough,  was  born  at  Martin,  near  Scarborough, 
in  Yorkshire,  England,  March  2,  1796,  and  died  in 
,  Brownsville  on  the  2oth  of  January,  1875.  His  sou, 
J.  N.  Snowdon,  is  the  present  po.stmaster  of  Browns- 
ville. 

Henry  J.  Rigden,  a  "  watchmaker,"  came  from 
Georgetown,  D.  C,  in  September,  1817,  and  opened 
a  shop  on  Front  Street,  Brownsville.  He  was  after- 
wards elected  justice  of  the  peace,  and  filled  the  of- 
fice for  fifteen  years.  For  several  years  he  was  in  the 
State  service  as  clerk  for  the  superintendent  of  canals 
at  Erie,  Pa.,  but  had  his  home  at  Brownsville  during 
that  term.  He  also  held  the  office  of  postmaster  at 
Brownsville  during  the  administration  of  President 
Polk.  He  still  resides  in  Brownsville,  wliich  has  been 
his  home  for  sixty-four  years. 

Henry  Sweitzer,  long  a  prominent  citizen  of  Browns- 
ville, was  a  native  of  Doylestown,  Pa.,  and  at  the  age 
of  sixteen  years  removed  to  Washington  County,  Md., 
where  he  remained  for  many  years,  during  which  time 
he  was  elected  sheriff  of  that  county  and  member  of 
the  Legislature.  In  1818  he  married  Ann  E.  Bowman, 
daughter  of  Jacob  Bowman,  and  removed  to  Browns- 


BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


429 


ville,  entering  at  once  into  mercautile  business  and 
ic;il  estate  transactions.  He  built  the  stone  house  on 
Water  Street  (now  the  United  States  Hotel),  which 
was  his  residence  for  many  years,  and  in  which  all 
his  children  were  born.  One  of  his  sons,  Gen.  J.  B. 
Sweitzer,  of  Pittsburgh,  is  now  prothonotary  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania,  Western  District.  In 
the  war  of  the  Rebellion  he  entered  the  service  in  July, 
1861,  and  became  colonel  of  the  Sixty-second  Pennsyl- 
vania Regiment,  succeeding  Col.  Samuel  W.  Black. 
As  senior  colonel  he  commanded  the  Second  Brigade, 
First  Division,  Fifth  Army  Corps,  Army  of  Potomac, 
and  served  through  the  campaigns  of  McClellan, 
Durnside,  Hooker,  Meade,  and  Grant  to  the  close  of 
the  conflict.  Nelson  B.  Sweitzer,  also  a  son  of  Henry, 
graduated  at  West  Point  in  1853,  and  entered  the  reg- 
ular army.  He  served  in  McClellan's  campaigns  as 
personal  aide  on  the  staff  of  that  general,  and  was 
afterwards  placed  in  command  of  cavalry  by  Gen.  P. 
H.  Sheridan.  He  is  now  (June,  1881)  in  command 
of  Fort  Clarke,  on  the  Rio  Grande,  in  Texas.  Wil- 
liam, another  son  of  Henry  Sweitzer,  and  a  native  of 
Brownsville,  is  living  in  Washington,  Pa. 

INCORPORATION  OF  THE  BOROUGH,  AND  ERECTION 
OF   THE  TOWNSHIP,  OF  liROWNSVILLE. 

Brownsville  was  erected  a  borough  by  an  act  of 
Assembly  passed  Dec.  14,  1814,  and  approved  Jan.  9, 
1815,  by  which  act  it  was  provided  and  declared — 

"That  the  town  of  Brownsville,  in  the  county  of 
Fayette,  shall  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby,  erected  into 
a  borough,  which  shall  be  called  'the  Borough  of 
Brownsville,'  bounded  and  limited  as  follows  :  Begin- 
ning at  the  east  abutment  of  Jonah  Cadwallader's  mill- 
dam,"  .  .  .  and  running  thence  by  various  courses 
and  distances  to  low-water  mark  on  the  Monongahela 
River  at  the  lower  end  of  the  town  ;  thence  up  the 
river  to  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek,  and  up  the 
Creek  to  Cadwallader's  mill-dam,  the  place  of  begin- 

The  act  provided  that  the  electors  of  the  borough 
should  meet  at  the  house  of  Jacob  Copland,  and  there 
elect  one  chief  burgess,  one  assistant  burgess,  seven  re- 
putable citizens  to  form  a  Town  Council,  and  one  high 
constable.  Accordingly,  "at  an  election  held  at  the 
house  of  Jacob  Coplan,  in  the  Borough  of  Brownsville, 
on  the  first  Tuesday  of  April,  a.d.  1815,  agreeably  to 
an  act  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Commonwealth 
ot  Pennsylvania,  passed  the  14th  day  of  December, 
1814,  for  incorporating  said  Borough,"  the  following- 
named  persons  were  elected  :  Chief  Burgess,  Thomas 
McKibben  ;  Assistant  Burgess,  PhilipShaffner;  Coun- 
cilmen,  William  Hogg,  Basil  Brashear,  John  S.  Du- 
gan,  John  McCadden,  George  Hogg,  Jr.,  Israel  Mil- 
ler, George  Dawson ;  High  Constable,  John  Jacques. 
These  were  the  first  officers  of  the  borough  of  Browns- 
ville. 

"April  8,  1815. — The  Burgess  and  Town  Council 
met  at  the  office  of  Michael  Sowers,  Esq.,  and  took 
28 


the  oaths  of  office,  and  proceeded  to  the  Council  Room 
in  Basil  Brashear's  tavern,  where  William  Hogg  was 
elected  president  of  the  Council,  and  John  McC. 
Hazlip,  clerk." 

At  the  April  tervii  of  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions 
of  Fayette  County  in  1817  a  petition  of  a  number  of 
inhabitants  was  presented,  praying  for  the  erection  of 
a  township  to  be  called  Brownsville  from  a  part  of 
Redstone  township,  to  include  the  borough  of  Browns- 
ville and  a  small  territory  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
borough  and  east  of  it,  and  to  extend  from  Dunlap's 
Creek  to  Redstone  Creek.  Upon  this  petition  the 
court  appointed  Jacob  Bowman,  Esq.,  John  Fulton, 
and  Griffith  Roberts  viewers  to  examine  into  the 
matter  and  report.  In  August  of  the  same  year  this 
committee  reported  to  the  court  that  they  had  per- 
formed the  duty  assigned  them,  and  agreed  on  the 
boundaries  of  the  proposed  township  of  Brownsville, 
to  be  erected  from  the  territory  of  Redstone,  viz. : 
"  Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek  ;  thence 
up  the  same  with  the  meanders  thereof  to  the  west 
end  of  Miller's  mill-dam  ;"  thence  by  a  great  number 
of  recited  courses  and  distances  from  Dunlap's  Creek 
to  Redstone  Creek;  "thence  down  said  Creek  to  the 
Monongahela  River,  and  up  the  said  River  with  the 
meanders  thereof  to  the  place  of  beginning."  This 
report  was  accepted  and  confirmed,  and  at  the  Novem- 
ber sessions  of  the  same  year  the  court  ordered  the 
erection  of  the  new  township,  with  bounds  as  reported, 
"  to  be  called  Brownsville  Township." 

PUBLIC    GROUND,    MARKET-HOU-SE,    AND    OTHER 
MATTERS    FROM    THE    BOROUGH   RECORDS. 

The  plat  known  as  the  Public  Ground  in  Browns- 
ville borough  appears  to  have  been  a  matter  of  dis- 
pute in  early  years.  In  the  year  1807,  Jonathan 
Miller,  John  Sheldon,  and  Henry  Wise  gave  notice 
that  they  had  been  "  authorized  to  erect  a  Market- 
House  on  a  certain  piece  of  ground  in  the  town  of 
Brownsville  known  as  the  Public  Ground,"  where- 
upon they  were  notified  and  warned  not  to  erect  any 
building  on  that  ground  until  an  investigation  should 
be  had,  and  a  decision  rendered  by  the  proper  tribu- 
nal. The  protest  came  from  Basil  and  Wilkes  Brown, 
executors  of  Thomas  Brown,  deceased.  A  public 
notice  by  these  executors  to  the  effect  that"  they  hold 
an  entrust  on  that  piece  of  ground"  is  found  in  the 
Genius  ,,/  IJbniij  of  May  4th  in  that  year. 

Nothing  is  found  in  reference  to  any  official  action 
being  taken  in  consequence  of  the  protest  of  Thomas 
Brown's  executors,  but  it  is  certain  that  a  market- 
house  was  built  on  the  ground  in  question,  and  that 
it  was  used  as  the  public  market-house  of  the  town 
until  1815,  when  a  new  one  was  erected,  but  the  old 
one  was  soon  after  repaired,  and  continued  in  use  for 
about  twelve  years  longer. 

The  first  action  taken  concerning  the  erection  of 
the  second  market-house  in  1815  has  not  been  found. 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


but  that  the  erection  had  been  decided  on,  and  a  site 
fixed  for  it,  is  shown  by  a  resolution  of  the  Council 
on  the  15th  of  April  in  that  j-eat,  "That  the  centre  | 
of  the  Market-House   be  in   the   centre  of  Market  j 
Street,  opposite  the  division  line  between  Jacob  Bow- 
njan's  two  lots,  which  lie  on  the  southwest  side  of  [ 
said  street ;"  and  also  by  the  tenor  of  a  petition  to 
the  Council  signed  by  thirty-eight  freeholders,  dated 
May  5,  1815,  praying  for  a  change  of  the  site  of  the 
proposed   market-house  "as   formerly  fixed   by  the 
Council."     A  vote  of  the  Council  on  the  question  of 
removal  of  site  resulted  in  the  decision  that  it  should 
remain  as  previously  fixed  upon. 

On  the  2(1  of  June  following,  "It  was  agreed  that  a 
Market-House  be  built  on  the  Scite  last  agreed  on,  of 
the  following  dini.n>ion-,  viz.:  fifty  feet  long  and 
eighteen  feet  wiili-  from  out  to  out  of  the  pillars. 
The  roof  to  be  supported  by  ten  pillars,  five  at  each 
side.  The  Roof  to  project  four  feet  on  each  side  out- 
side of  the  iiillars  :  the  bottoms  or  bases  of  the  pillars 
to  be  built  with  stone  and  lime-mortar,  sunk  two  feet 
in  the  gnmnd,  ami  to  rise  one  foot  above  the  surface, 
tweiitv-two  inches  s;|uare,  and  to  be  raised  six  feet  six 
inches  above  the  stone,  with  brick  and  liuie-mortar, 
twenty-two  inches  square."  It  was  also  "  Agreed 
that  an  advertisement  be  put  in  the  American  Tele- 
graph for  mechanieks  to  hand  in  proposals  for  doing 
the  work  to  the  Council  at  Basil  Brashear's  [tavern], 
on  the  10th  inst.,  betwixt  the  hours  of  2  and  4  o'cl'k 
P.M."  On  the  4th  of  August,  181-'),  "  A  Contract  was 
made  with  John  M.  Hazlip  for  Compleating  the 
Market-House,  for  which  he  is  to  receive  Three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollai-s,  the  work  to  be  done,  in  a  sub- 
stantial, workmanlike  manner,  against  the  first  of 
October  next." 

Dec.  2(5,  ISlo,  "The  Market-House  being  Com- 
pleated,  the  Council  appointed  George  Graff",  John 
Laybourn,  Oritlith  Roberts,  and  Ephraim  Butcher 
Referees  to  view  tlie  work  and  report  to  the  Coun- 
cil." Part  t)f  tliis  committee  reported,  Jan.  5,  1816, 
"  that  the  work  throughout  the  whole  is  done  in  a 
substantial  and  workmanlike  manner."  This  report 
was  signed  by  John  L:iyboiirn,  George  Graff,  and 
Grifiith  Rolierts.  But  the  other  member  of  the  view- 
ing committee,  Ephraim  Butcher,  certified  only  that 
"  I,  as  one  of  the  referees  chosen. to  examine  the  work 
of  the  new  :\Iarket-IIoiise,  have  done  so,  and  do  cer- 
tify that  in  my  opinion  the  mason-work  is  sufiiciently 
substantial,"  thereby  inviting  the  inference  that,  in 
his  opinion,  the  other  parts  of  the  work  were  not 
done  according  to  the  requirements  of  the  contract. 
It  was  accepted,  however,  and  on  that  day  (January 
5th)  a  committee  was  appointed  "to  level  the  mar- 
ket-house floor,  fix  chains  across  the  ends,"  and  attend 
to  certain  other  small  matters. 

Feb.  23,  1816,  the  Council  passed  an  ordinance 
"  That  from  and  after  the  loth  of  March  Market  shall 
be  held  in  the  Market  House  on  Market  Street  of 
said  borough  on  Wednesday  and  Saturday  of  each 


week  ;  the  Market  hours  shall  be  from  daylight  until 
nine  o'clock  a.m.  on  each  of  said  days  in  the  months 
of  March,  October,  November,  December,  January, 
and  February,  and  from  daylight  until  eight  o'clock 
A.M.  on  each  of  the  aforesaid  days  in  the  months  of 
April,  May,  June,  July,  August,  and  September." ' 
The  commodities  to  be  deemed  articles  of  marketing 
were  meats,  salted  or  fresh,  eggs,  butter,  poultry, 
cheese,  lard,  tallow,  candles,  fruit,  and  all  kinds  of 
vegetables,  but  not  grain.  A  fine  of  one  dollar  was 
imposed  on  each  and  every  person  buying  or  sell- 
ing marketable  articles  at  any  other  place  than  the 
market-house  during  market  hours.  The  stalls  on 
the  southwest  side  of  the  building  were  to  be  occupied 
by  the  butchers  and  fishmongers  at  a  reasonable  rate, 
fixed  at  S5  each  per  annum. 

James  Workman  and  Nathan  Smith  were  empow- 
ered "  to  enclose  the  Market  House  with  a  pale  fence 
and  a  gate  at  each  end,  and  to  have  the  sides  so  se- 
cured as  to  prevent  sheep,  hogs,  and  geese  from  en- 
tering the  same." 

In  August,  1817,  the  superintendent  of  the  work  on 
the  National  road  (then  in  process  of  construction) 
requested  the  removal  of  the  market-house  in  Market 
Street,  it  being  in  the  location  of  the  road,  and  so  situ- 
ated as  to  impede  the  progress  of  the  workmen.  On 
the  9th  of  that  month  the  Council  "Resolved  that  the 
materials  of  the  Market  House  be  o2"ered  at  public 
sale  on  Wednesday  next,'-'  the  Council  reserving  the 
Stone,  Brick,  and  Gates  for  the  use  of  the  Market 
House  in  Front  Street,"  meaning  the  old  building 
erected  for  that  purpose  on  the  Public  Ground  in  1807. 
This  old  market-house  was  then  repaired,  and  used 
by  the  people  of  the  borough  until  the  erection  of  the 
present  market-house.  Quit-rents  were  paid  on  it  to 
Sally  Brown  as  late  as  the  year  1844,  when  a  bill  of 
six  years'  rent  was  i)resented  to  the  Council  and  ordered 
paid.  The  preseut  brick  market-house  was  built  in 
1829.  An  addition  to  it  was  projected  in  1853,  and 
the  Council  passed  a  resolution  to  that  effect,  but  it 
was  not  done,  and  the  building  as  it  stands  to-day  (at 
the  corner  of  Market  Street  and  Bank  Alley)  is  the 
same  as  when  erected  fifty-two  years  ago. 

The  grading  of  the  National  road,  in  1817-18,  ren- 
dered Front  Street  almost  impassable,  by  reason  of 
the  filling  at  the  upper  end  and  the  excavation  at 
the  lower.  The  borough  board  ordered  that  street 
graded  to  the  National  road,  to  make  it  passable.  At 
a  Council  meeting  held  June  17, 1818,  it  was  resolved, 
on  motion  of  George  Dawson  and  Valentine  Geisey, 
that  the  sum  of  $4000  be  obtained  as  a  loan  from 
bank,  and  that  the  same  be  equally  expended  on 
Front,  Market,  and  Water  Streets,— Front  Street  to 
be  graded  forty-five  feet  wide.  On  the  21st  of  Sep- 
tember in  the  same  year  the  Council  considered  an 
offer  from  John  Bogle  to  contract  "To  pave  Front 
Street  for  Si25  per  perch,  running  measure." 

1  Rcpraled  May  II.  IS20. 

=  Tlio  timber  and  roof  ivorc  sold  to  Elijali  Clarke  for  $46. 


BROWNSVILLE  BOEOUGII   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


Sept.  23, 1819,  James  L. 

Bowman  and  D.  B.  Bayliss 

Adam  Jacobs. 

John  Richards. 

were  authorized  to  employ  Freeman  Lewis  "  to  make 

John  Jaquis. 

John  Rape. 

a  survey  and  draft  of  the  borough."     The  work  was 

John  Johnston. 

James  Reyntdds. 

accordingly  done  by  Mr. 
October   the   Council  "0 

Lewis,  and  on  the  20th  of 

James  Johnston. 

John  Robinson. 

rdered  that  survey  monu- 

Samuel  Jackson. 
John  Johnson. 

Samuel  Rose. 

ments  be  erected  in  the  centre  of  Market  Street  and 

James  Jones. 

Robert  Ritchie. 

elsewhere,  under  the  direction  of  Freeman  Lewis," 

Job  Jones. 

Henry  Rigden. 

which  was  also  done. 

John  Juil. 

Michael  Rusler. 

List  of  Taxables  in 

BltOWNSVILLE    IN    1S18. 

Jaccib  Kennear. 

Levi  Springer. 

Kobevt  Ayres. 

John  Chenney. 

Mary  Kennear. 

William  Stephenson. 

Jubn  Allcnder. 

Church  Cashing. 

George  Kennear. 

Patrick  Sullivan. 

Daviil  Auld. 

James  Carter. 

Basil  King's  heirs. 

Michael  Sowers. 

David  Aviel. 

Charles  Campbell. 

Michael  Kelly. 

Henry  Stoy. 

JaQies  Allison. 

Jacob  Crawl. 

Mary  Kennedy. 

Lewis  Swiizer. 

Thomas  Aubcrrj. 

Landon  Crocker. 

John  McCartney,  Jr. 

Charles  Sheets. 

David  Allen. 

William  Crawford. 

Edward  Maloine. 

Philip  Shafner. 

David  Anderson. 

Emmanuel  Crossin. 

William  Miniken. 

George  Shunian. 

J.  Auld. 

Thomas  Carter. 

John  McMordac. 

Nathan  ."^mith. 

Ephraim  Butcher. 

Thomas  Downey. 

George  McMicbael. 

Isaac  SafTel. 

D.  Bayliss  &  Co. 

John  Di.Non. 

John  Marsh. 

James  Spencer. 

John  liiddle. 

Henry  G.  Dales. 

Ready  McSherry. 

Thomas  Stephenson. 

Peter  Beaker. 

George  Dawson. 

William  Moffit. 

Henry  Shreve. 

John  liuwman. 

John  Duvale. 

Israel  Miller. 

John  Suiith. 

Basil  Brown. 

William  Drake. 

John  McCartney,  Sr. 

Philip  Smith. 

Basil  lirashear. 

John  Davis. 

William  McFall. 

Robert  Scott. 

John  Bcokley,  Admin. 

Neal  DufiTeo. 

Charles  Michael. 

Andrew  Stark. 

Edward  Burns. 

Bartholomew  Depsey. 

John  McCadden. 

William  Scale. 

Henry  IJarkeman. 

Peter  Elston. 

Thomas  .McKibben. 

Jacob  Sheffner. 

James  Boner. 

John  Everhart. 

John  McKcnnon. 

Sanuiel  Shuman. 

James  Blaine. 

Charles  Ford. 

John  McCadden,  Sr. 

Thomas  Sloane. 

George  Boyd. 

John  Fletcher. 

Robert  JlcClane. 

Henry  Sweitzer  A  Co. 

Bank  of  Brownsville. 

John  F"^ter. 

John  McCormick. 

Joseph  Thornton. 

Nathan  Briggs. 

Kobert  Fordis. 

William  McMullen. 

Ma.t.nTiernan. 

James  Breading. 

Jacob  Fouch. 

Allen  McCurdy. 

George  Trucks'  heirs. 

James  S.  Bowlin. 

John  Frew. 

George  Murre. 

Aaron  Townsend. 

Ezckiel  Baldwin. 

Henry  B.  Goe. 

Henry  Morrison. 

James  Thomspon. 

Jacob  Bowman  &  Son. 

Robert  Graham. 

Hugh  McDonald. 

Ebenczer  Taylor. 

Thomas  Berry. 

George  Graff. 

John  Murry. 

Eli  Tascour. 

Charles  Brown. 

Patrick  Gormley. 

Yardner  McGuire. 

Matthew  Thona. 

Simeon  Bowman. 

Valentine  Giesey. 

David  McGraw. 

Abram  Underwood. 

Joseph  Baldwin. 

Neal  Gillespie. 

James  Morrison. 

David  Victor. 

Sarah  Brown. 

John  Gribble. 

William  Morgan. 

Thomas  Wells. 

Handle  Black. 

Henry  Graham. 

Joseph  Noble. 

Henry  Wise. 

Benjamin  Berry. 

John  Gordan. 

Solomon  Norris. 

John  Wise. 

James  Butterfield. 

John  Givin. 

Joseph  Novis. 

James  Workman. 

James  Boyle. 

Robert  Hamilton. 

Daniel  Osten. 

Mary  Workley. 

Nancy  Beekley. 

Peter  Humerickhouse. 

W.IIiam  Ogle. 

David  Wilson. 

Bonnell,  Gregg  &  Carruthers. 

John  Hazlip. 

Patrick  O'Hair. 

H.  H.  Wadsworth. 

Chads  Chalfant. 

George  Hanes. 

Charles  O'Donnold. 

Frederick  Weigle. 

John  Connelly. 

Matthew  Hutchinson. 

John  Pattinger. 

William  Willis. 

James  Chalfant. 

William  Hogg. 

Robert  Philson. 

Henry  Wilson. 

Joseph  Craig. 

E.  A  C.  Hunt. 

John  Peters. 

Simon  Watson. 

John  Christmas. 

Caleb  Hunt. 

Thomas  Pierson. 

John  Weaver. 

Robert  Clark. 

George  Hogg  A  Co. 

Ruel  Perry. 

Robert  Whole. 

Jonah  Cadwallader. 

William  Howard. 

William  H.  Parks. 

William  Walker. 

William  Craig. 

William  Hanes. 

Jacob  Keucheneker. 

Benjamin  Whitehouse. 

Jacob  Conrad. 

Robert  Henderson. 

Thomas  Rhoads. 

Jonathan  WorrelL 

Joseph  Copley. 

Henry  Hull. 

William  Rhoads. 

James  Walters. 

Matthew  Coffin. 

Thomas  Headon. 

Samuel  Rogers. 

Travers  Worcester. 

Elijah  Clarke. 

James  Hutchinson. 

John  Rogers. 

John  Wright. 

John  Collins. 

John  Harris. 

BUSINESS  OF 

BROWNSVILLE  IN  1S18. 

George  Craft. 
Jacob  Coplan. 
Charles  Chadwick. 

Michael  Harris. 

Henry  Holman. 

The  following  list  of  persons,  following  the  several 

James  Harkness. 

occupations  indicated 

in  1818,  is  from  the  assessment 

Nathan  Chalfant. 

Henry  Irwin. 

roll  of  that  year : 

432 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Merchants. 
Jncob  Bowman  (P.M 

D.  B.  Bayliss  &  Co. 
James  E.  Breading. 
Robert  Clarke. 
Wilson  Drake. 
John  Everhart. 
Valentine  Geisey. 
Matthew  Hutchinson 

E.  &C.  Hunt. 
Caleb  Hunt. 
George  Hogg  &  Co. 
Robert  Henderson. 
Adam  Jacobs. 
John  Johnston. 
William  Motfit. 
Israel  Miller. 
Thomas  JIcKibben. 
Samuel  Rogers. 
John  Rogers. 
AVilliam  Stephenson. 
Philip  ShafFner. 

H.  H.  Wadsworth. 
"  Dealers." 

Edward  Burns. 

George  Boyd. 
"  Doctors." 

Lewis  Sweitzer. 

Samuel  Shuman. 

Henry  W.  Stoy. 
"  Schoolmasters." 

Robert  Ayres. 

Davi.l  Taylor. 
Inn-keepers. 

Basil  Brashear. 

Nancy  Becklcy. 

John  Connelly. 

AVilliam  M.,Orullen. 

.To«.ph  T.  X(,lile. 

James  Reynolds. 
Copjiersmith      and      ti 
worker. 

Geiu'ge  Shuman. 


Th 


Tailors. 

Abraham  Underwood. 

John  Robinson. 

Allen  McCurdy. 

Ready  McSherry. 

John  Johnston. 

David  Allen. 
Hatters. 

John  Bowman. 

Charles  Campbell. 

Robert  Ritchie. 
Tanners. 

John  McCaddu,  Sr. 

John  McCaddu,  Jr. 

Robert  McClane. 

William  Ogle. 
Shoemakers. 

Andrew  Stark. 

James  Thompson. 

Ebe.  Taylor. 

William"  Walker. 

John  Wright. 
Blacksmiths. 

John  Beadle. 

Nathan  Briggs. 
•     Isaac  Saffell. 

John  Weaver. 
Saddler. 

Ephraim  Baldwin. 
Cabinet-maker. 

John  Allenden. 
Chair-maker. 

Thomas  Rhoads. 
AVatch-makers. 

Henry  J.  Rigden. 

James  Spencer. 
Justice. 

James  Blaine. 
Gunsmith. 

Landon  Crocker. 
Nailers. 

Henry  Irwin. 

George  Michael. 

Charles  Michael. 


ig  additional  names  appear  on  the  roll 


of  LSI 9,  viz.: 
Printer. 

Robert  Fee. 
Tanner. 

James  Workman. 
Boat-builders. 

Nathan  Chalfant. 

James  Carter. 

Thomas  Carter. 

John  McCartney. 

James  McCartney. 
Brick-maker. 

Joseph  Thornton. 


Bakers. 

Henry  Dales,  Jr. 

John  Williams. 
Schoolmasters. 

Edward  Byrne. 

James  Johnston. 
Inn-keepers. 

James  Auld  (and  shoe- 
maker). 

Evan  Cadwallader. 

John  McCartney. 


Merchants.  Henry  Sweitzer. 
James  L.  Bowman.  "  Quit-rents." 
Jacob  Bowman  &  Son.  Sally  Brown  (daughter 
Simeon  Bowman.  of  the  original   pro- 
Peter  Humrickhouse.  prietor). 
Nathan  Smith. 

Many  of  the  locations  occupied  by  the  business 
men  mentioned  in  the  above  lists  have  passed  from 
the  memory  of  those  who  were  living  in  Brownsville 
at  that  time,  but  some  of  them  have  been  ascertained 
and  are  given  below. 

The  store  of  Jacob  Bowman  &  Son  was  on  the  lot 
where  J.  N.  Snowdon  and  Jolin  Anderson  now  reside. 

Hogg  &  Bowman  (George  Hogg  and  Simeon  Bow- 
man) did  business  on  Water  Street,  two  lots  south  of 
the  site  of  the  United  States  Hotel.  Where  the  hotel 
stands  was  the  store  of  Henry  Sweitzer. 

James  L.  Bowman  kept  a  store  in  the  "  Neck," 
where  now  is  Armstrong's  drug-store,  but  whether  he 
was  located  there  at  the  time  referred  to  (1818-lK)  has 
not  been  definitely  ascertained. 

The  store  of  D.  B.  Bayliss  &  Co.  was  on  Front 
Street,  where  S.  P.  Knox  now  lives.  James  E.  Bread- 
ing's  store  was  in  the  Central  Hotel  building  on  Mar- 
ket Street.  Thomas  McKibben's  store  was  on  Front 
Street,  adjoining  or  near  that  of  Bayliss  &  Co. 

Peter  Humrickhouse  kept  his  store  on  Front  Street, 
now  the  residence  of  George  E.  Hogg.  Humrick- 
house came  from  Hagerstown,  Md.,  to  Brownsville 
about  1S14,  and  removed  to  Coshocton,  Ohio,  about 
1830. 

John  and  Samuel  Rogers  (twin  brothers)  were  lo- 
cated in  trade  on  Front  Street.  They  had  been  in 
business  there  at  least  four  years  before  1818. 

Elisha  Hunt  and  Caleb  Hunt  kept  a  store  in  the 
Neck,  where  now  is  Reiser's  jewelry-store.  The  Hunts 
were  members  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 

Matthew  Hutchinson  (an  Irishman)  did  a  small 
mercantile  business  on  Front  Street,  on  a  lot  adjoin- 
ing the  Black  Horse  tavern. 

The  store  of  Adam  Jacobs,  Jr.  (father  of  the  present 
Capt.  Adam  Jacobs),  was  in  Market  Street,  where 
Charles  Johnson's  grocery-store  now  is.  His  father, 
Adam  Jacobs,  Sr.,  had  commenced  business  as  early 
as  1800  in  a  store  located  on  Water  Street,  next  below 
the  site  of  the  rolling-mill. 

Israel  Miller's  store  was  on  Front  Street,  opposite 
the  old  Monongahela  Bank  building  (now  Dr.  Rich- 
ard's residence).  Miller  afterwards  moved  his  busi- 
ness to  a  store  where  Joseph  Sanforth's  cabinet-shop 
now  is  on  Market  Street.  Later  still  he  removed  to 
where  Samuel  Graham  resides. 

The  store  of  Valentine  Giesey  was  opposite  the 
Black  Horse  tavern  on  Front  Street. 

Philip  Shaffner's  location  was  on  Water  Street. 
Besides  the  business  of  his  store  he  also  carried  on  a 
coppersmith  and  tin-working  shop. 

Robert  Clarke's  store  was  in  a  building  that  stood 


BROWNSVILLE   BOEOUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


on  the  site  of  theSnowdon  House,  and  upon  the  erec- 
tion of  the  latter  the  store  was  kept  in  it. 

Henry  J.  Rigden's  watchmaker-shop  was  on  Front 
Street,  though  he  afterwards  had  other  locations  in 
different  parts  of  the  town.  An  earlier  watch-maker 
than  he  in  Brownsville  was  Isaac  Goodlander.  Mr. 
Eigden  first  started  business  here  in  1817. 

Dr.  Lewis  Sweitzer's  office  was  in  the  three-story 
stone  house  now  owned  by  Ayres  Lynch,  on  Front 
Street. 

The  boat-yards  of  Nathan  Chalfant  and  James  and 
Thomas  Carter  were  on  the  river-bank,  below  and  near 
the  site  of  the  United  States  Hotel.  Chalfant  was 
one  of  the  earliest  boat-builders  in  Brownsville. 

Jacob  Bowman's  nail-factory  (built  before  1800,  but 
not  in  operation  at  the  time  to  which  the  preceding 
business  list  has  reference)  was  located  on  the  sloping 
ground  on  Front  Street,  below  the  present  residence 
of  N.  B.  Bowman.  Eli  Abrams,  George  Michael,  and 
Henry  Irwin  were  workmen  in  this  establishment, 
which  (as  tradition  has  it)  produced  the  first  nails 
made  west  of  the  mountains.    ■ 

The  old  grist-mill  and  saw-mill  owned  by  Robert 
Clarke  and  Neal  Gillespie  is  not  mentioned  in  the 
business  list  referred  to,  but  was  built  at  about  that 
time.  In  the  Navigator,^  published  at  Pittsburgh  in 
1821,  is  found  the  following  mention  of  this  old  mill : 
"  There  has  been  built  lately  on  the  town  side  a  valu- 
able grist-  and  saw-mill,  turned  by  the  water  of  the 
river,  in  which  are  wool  and  cotton  carding  machines. 
The  mills  are  owned  by  Messrs.  Gillespie  &  Clark,  who 
got  an  act  of  Assembly  passed  to  throw  a  dam  across  the 
river  by  engaging  to  make  a  safe  way  for  the  passing 
and  repassing  of  boats  up  and  down  the  river.  This 
was  at  first  done  by  a  chute  in  the  dam,  and  since  by 
a  lock  canal."  The  old  mill  building,  a  long,  low, 
gambrel-roofed  structure,  is  still  standing  on  the 
bank  of  the  river  north  of  Britton's  distillery.  It  is 
used  as  a  store  and  warehouse  by  S.  S.  Graham. 

In  the  publication  above  referred  to  (the  Navigator) 
the  following  account  is  given  of  the  condition  of  [ 
Brownsville  in  1821 : 

"  Brownsville  (or  Redstone)  lies  immedirvtely  below  Dunlap's 
Creek,  on  the  cast  side  of  the  river,  finely  situated  on  a  first 
and  high  second  banli.  It  conti.ins  (1S10=)  about  one  hundred 
and  twenty  houses,  principally  of  wood,  some  hiindsomely  built 
with  stone  .and  brick,  a  market-house,  an  Episcpal  Church, 
eighteen  mercantile  stoi  es,  two  tan-yards,  a  ropp-walk,  two  boat, 
yards,  two  tin  and  copper  manufactories,  two  factories  of  nails, 
one  printing-office,  which  issues  a  weekly  paper,  a  post-office, 
a  warehouse,  one  scythe-  and  sickle-maker,  blacksmiths,  silver- 
smiths (one  of  whom  makes  surveyors'  compasses),  tailors, 
shoemakers,  saddlers,  etc.  Within  a  few  miles  of  the  town  are 
four  Friends'  meeting-houses,  twenty  six  grist-,  saw-,  oil-,  and 
fulling-mills,  and  within  four  miles,  up  Redstone  Creek,  a  val- 
uable paper-mill. 

1  A  book  "Containing  directions  for  Navigating  the  Monoiigahcla, 
Allegheny,  Oliio,  and  Ilississipiii  ISivers,  with  descriptions  of  Towns, 
VillagfB,  Harbours,  ic." 

2  Meaning  by  the  CL-nsns  of  ISIO.  I 


"  Burd's  fort  formerly  stood  here.  In  addition  to  the  above, 
a  manufactory  of  steel,  established  by  Morris  Truman  A  Co., 
was  in  full  operation  in  ISll.  Mr.  John  Gregg,  near  Browns- 
ville, has  contrived  a  machine  for  planking  hats,  citlier  by 
horse  or  water.  It  is  calculated  to  save  much  labor  in  the 
halting  business.  Cotton  and  wool  cards  are  also  made.  A 
large  cotton  manufactory  is  erecting,  in  which  the  sleam-iiower 
will  be  used  ,*  and  a  foundry  on  an  extensive  scale  has  been 
erected,  as  also  a  manufactory  for  making  mill-saws.  A  slcaui- 
boat  was  commenced  in  1813,  and  has  now  made  several  trips; 
the  engines  constructed  by  Mr.  French.  The  Monongahela 
B.ank  was  established  here  in  18i:i,  with  a  capital  of  $300,000. 
[Here  follows  the  mention  of  Gillespie  &  Clark's  old  mill,  as 
before  quoted.] 

"  The  inhabitants  of  Brownsville  arc  remarkably  industrious, 
and  the  settlement  around  the  town  is  the  oldest  and  richest  in 
the  western  counlry,  and  is  principally  settled  by  Quaki'V.>>. 
This  being  a  place  of  considerable  embarkation,  individuals 
make  it  their  business  to  supply  travelers  with  boats  and  all 
for  descending  the  river." 


LA    FAYETTE'S    VISIT   TO    BROWNSVILLE. 

The  visit  of  the  Marquis  de  La  Fayette  to  Browns- 
ville in  May,  1825,  was  a  memorable  event  in  the  an- 
nals of  the  borough.  Having  started  in  1824  from 
the  Eastern  cities  on  an  extended  tour  of  the  United 
States,  he  was  at  the  time  mentioned  moving  eastward 
from  the  Ohio  on  his  return.  On  the  evening  of  the 
25th  of  May  he  arrived  at  Washington,  Pa.,  where  ho 
was  to  pass  the  night,  and  in  the  morning  proceed  to 
Brownsville  and  Uniontown.  The  reception  commit- 
tee 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  Wash- 
ington. The  message  sent  forward  from  that  place  in 
the  evening  of  the  25th  was,  "  He  will  leave  here  to- 
morrow morning  early,  will  breakfast  at  Hillsborough, 
dine  at  Brownsville,  and  su]iaii(l  l.nlui'at  riii(.mtown." 

In  accordance  with  this  anaii^rimiu,  ( im.  La  Fay- 
ette, accompanied  by  his  son,  (iioiLn.'  W'a^liiiigton  La 
Fayette,  and  his  private. secretary,  set  out  from  Wash- 
ington 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 
party  at  Brownsville  were  described  in  an  account 
written  a  few  years  later  by  one  who  witnessed  them, 
as  follows : 

"  The  citizens  of  Brownsville  had  also  made  prep- 
arations to  give  the  general  a  very  warm  reception. 
At  that  time  there  was  no  bridge  over  the  Mononga- 
hela at  that  place,  and  communication  was  kept  up 
between  the  two  counties  of  Fayette  and  Washington 
by  means  of  a  flat-boat  ferry.  This  ferry-boat  was 
magnificently  fitted  up  by  the  citizens  of  Brownsville 
for  this  grand  occasion,  being  nicely  carpeted  and 
decorated  with  beautiful  arches.  A  company  of  vol- 
unteers, 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  La  Fayette  I'     About  the 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


time  of  La  Fayette'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  ferry-boat,  and 
were  soon  landed  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river, 
where  the  first  general  reception  given  to  La  Fayette 
by  the  citizens  of  Fayette  County  took  place,  on  the 
ferry-boat  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mouongahela 
River. 

"After  a  general  welcome  was  extended  to  General 
La  F.ij'ette  by  the  large  concourse  of  people  assem- 
bled on  the  shore,  the  ferry-boat  returned  to  the 
Brownsville  side  of  the  river,  and  the  distinguished 
patriot  was  escorted,  amidst  the  most  unbounded  en- 
thusiasm, to  what  was  then  called  the  Brashear's 
Hotel,  kept  by  Colonel  Brashear,  where  a  most  sump- 
tuous dinner  had  been  prepared  for  the  occasion.  La 
Fayette's  reception  at  Brownsville,  in  the  language  of 
one  of  the  survivors  of  that  memorable  occasion,  was 
affectionate  and  touching.  So  urgent  were  the  citi-  , 
zens  of  that  place  for  the  General  to  remain  that  the  I 
committee  from  tl'niontown,  of  whom  George  Crafts, 
then  sheriff'  of  Fayette  County,  was  one,  were  com- 
pelled to  remind  him  that  a  very  large  concourse  of 
the  citizens  of  the  county  was  awaiting  his  arrival  at 
Uniontown.  Upon  being  thus  reminded,  the  General 
very  pleasantly  remarked  to  the  citizens  by  whom  he 
was  surrounded  '  That  he  was  now  in  the  custody  of 
the  sheriff,  and  they  must  excuse  him.'  " 

The  reception  at  Brownsville  was  much  briefer  and  j 
less  elaborate  than  that  which  was  given  to  the  hero 
at  Uniontown,  but  it  was  an  occasion  wliich  will  never 
fade  from  the  memories  of  those  who  witnessed  it. 

FERRIES. 

The  first  ferry  across  the  Monongahela  River  at  1 
Brownsville  was  established  by  Capt.  Michael  Cresap 
in  1775,  under  authority  granted  by  "a  Court  held 
for  Augusta  County  [Va.]  at  Fort  Dunmore"  on  the 
23d  of  February  in  that  year,  which  action  is  recorded' 
as  follows  ;  '■  <  )ii  the  motion  of  Michael  Cresap,  license 
is  granted  him  tn  keep  a  ferry  on  Monongahela  River 
at  Red.~t..iie  Fort  to  the  land  of  Indian  Peter,  and 
that  hi'  pnAiilr  a  r.oat." 

Capt.  (rr-ai.  (liiil  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year,  and 
it  is  not  known  by  whom  the  ferry  was  continued, 
but  in  about  1784  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Neal 
Gillespie,  who  had  purchased  the  land  of  Indian 
Peter  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  In  the  minutes 
of  the  December  session  of  Fayette  County  court  for 


1788  is  found  the  report  of  certain  persons  appointed 
to  view  "  the  road  from  Friends'  Meeting-House  to 
the  ferry  at  the  Fort,"  meaning  Gillespie's  ferry  at 
Redstone  Old  Fort,  or  Brownsville. 

The  landing-place  of  Gillespie's  ferry  in  Browns- 
ville was  opposite  the  old  residence  of  Henry  Sweitzer, 
now  the  United  States  Hotel.  Gillespie  continued 
the  ferry,  making  his  landing  at  this  point,  until  1820, 
when  the  National  road  was  opened  to  the  Monon- 
gahela, and  the  ferry  landing  was  moved  up  to  the 
point  where  the  great  highway  struck  the  river  in 
Bridgeport. 

BRIDGES    OVER    DUNLAP'S    CREEK. 

Concerning  the  first  Ijridge  across  Dunlap's  Creek, 
between  Brownsville  and  Bridgeport,  very  little  is  now 
known.  No  record  is  found  showing  the  names  of 
its  projectors,  of  the  artisans  who  executed  the  work,  or 
of  the  time  of  its  erection,  beyond  the  fact  that  it  was  in 
existence  prior  to  June,  1794,  at  which  time  a  petition 
was  presented  to  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  of 
Fayette  County  for  tin-  laying  out  of  "a  road  from 
Krepps'  Ferry  t(j  the  bridge  at  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's 
Creek."  That  it  had  been  long  enough  in  use  before 
the  commencement  of  the  present  century  to  be  at 
that  time  considerably  dilapidated  and  out  of  repair 
is  made  evident  by  an  entry  in  the  records  of  the 
county  commissioners,  to  the  effect  that  a  meeting  of 
that  board,  held  on  the  22d  of  October,  1801,  was 
adjourned  "  to  meet  at  Bridgeport,  Monday,  October 
27th,  to  view  the  bridge  over  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's 
Creek,  and  contract  with  or  appoint  some  persons  to 
repair  the  same."  At  the  meeting  held  according  to 
adjournment  at  Bridgeport,  the  commissioners  de- 
cided upon  the  necessary  work  to  be  done  on  the 
bridge,  and  "  appointed  and  by  writing  authorized 
John  Rogers,  Septimus  Cadwallader,  and  Andrew 
Porter  to  repair  said  bridge,  at  an  expense  not  ex- 
ceeding three  hundred  dollars."  No  further  infor- 
mation has  been  obtained  concerning  this  old  bridge, 
except  what  is  contained  in  the  following  extract 
from  the  old  diary  of  Mr.  Robert  Rogers,  one  of  the 
early  residents  of  Brownsville  and  Bridgeport,  viz.: 

"  Early  in  the  spring  of  1808  there  was  a  heavy 
freshet  in  the  Monongahela  and  Dunlap's  Creek, 
which  floated  off  the  wooden  bridge  that  connected 
Brownsville  to  Bridgeport,  and  they  were  without 
until  the  chain-bridge  was  built  in  1809  by  James 
Finley." 

After  the  destruction  of  the  bridge,  as  told  by  Mr. 
Rogers,  nearly  a  year  elapsed  before  any  action  was 
taken  towards  the  erection  of  another  in  its  place. 
On  the  13th  and  14th  of  February,  1809,  the  com- 
missioners were  in  session  at  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's 
Creek  for  the  purpose  of  viewing  the  bridge  location 
and  deciding  what  was  to  be  done.  Plans,  specifica- 
tions, and  estimated  expense  were  ordered  made  out, 
and  a  copy  sent  to  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
with  the  request  for  an  appropriation  in  aid  of  build- 


BROWNSVILLE   BOKOUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


435 


ing  the  bridge.  On  the  20th  of  April  following  pro- 
posals were  advertised  for,  and  on  the  26tli  of  May, 
in  the  same  year,  a  contract  was  made  with  Isaac 
Rogers  for  building  the  abutments,  "and  also  one 
thousand  perches  of  stone  wall  along  the  creek  by 
the  bridge."  On  the  28th  of  June  the  commis- 
sioners met  at  the  bridge  site  "  on  account  of  an 
unusual  flood  of  water  washing  away  tlie  banks  of 
Dunlap's  Creek  in  such  a  manner  that  it  was  thought 
necessary  to  alter  the  plan  for  building  the  bridge." 

No  further  definite  information  can  be  gleaned 
from  the  commissioners'  minutes  with  regard  to  the 
building  of  this  bridge,  except  that  it  was  completed 
(apparently  after  considerable  delay),  and  the  last 
payment  for  its  construction  was  made  Nov.  9,  1811. 
It  was  a  bridge  suspended  from  chains,  as  patented 
by  Judge  James  Finley,  and  similar  in  construction 
to  the  one  built  across  Jacob's  Creek,  on  the  north 
line  of  the  county. 

The  floor  of  this  bridge  was  about  thirty  feet  above 
low  water,  and  it  was  very  long,  not  only  spanning 
the  creek,  but  a  considerable  width  of  the  banks  on 
either  side.  In  March,  1820,  it  gave  way  and  fell  with 
a  crash  under  the  combined  weight  of  a  deep  snow 
which  lay  upon  it  and  thatof  ateam  and  heavy-loaded 
wagon  which  was  crossing  at  the  time.  The  occur- 
rence is  found  mentioned  in  the  Brownsi-iUe  Register 
of  March  13,  1820,  as  follows  : 

"Accident. — On  Thui-sdny  last  the  chain  bridge  over  Dunlap's 
Creek,  between  Brownsville  and  Bridgejiort,  broke  down  with  a 
wnggon  and  si.i  horses  upon  it.  The  ivaggon  fell  on  the  bank, 
this  side  of  the  stream,  the  horses  in  the  water.  The  driver, 
who  was  on  the  saddle-horse,  was  pitched  between  the  two  middle 
horses,  where  ho  was  held  entangled  in  the  gears  until  relieved 
by  the  citizens.  He  received  no  material  injury,  but  two  of  the 
horses  were  killed.  The  team,  we  understand,  was  the  property 
of  a  person  named  Hackney,  near  Winchester  ( Va.).  The  dis- 
tance from  the  floor  of  the  bridge  to  the  surface  of  the  water 
must  have  been  at  least  thirty  feet." 

In  June  next  following  Joseph  Torrence,  Isaac 
Meason,  Jesse  Evans,  James  W.  Nicholson,  John 
Oliphant,  and  William  Sweariogen  were  appointed  to 
view  the  site  of  the  bridge  and  report  what  was  expe- 
dient to  be  done.  They  reported  "  that  a  bridge  at 
the  proposed  place  is  wanting,  and  they  recommend 
that  one  be  there  erected,  and  that  the  county  defray 
$900  of  the  expenses,  the  iron  and  other  materials 
of  the  old  chain-bridge  belonging  to  the  county  to  be 
taken  by  the  contractor  at  .f400  in  part  of  said  $900." 
Brownsville  was  to  pay  S380,  and  Bridgeport  the  same 
amount,'  to  make  up  the  cost  of  the  bridge  (sixteen  I 
hundred  and  sixty  dollars). 

On  the  28th  of  December,  1820,  the  Council  of 
Bridgeport  appointed  Solomon  G.  Krepps  to  present  a 
plan  for  a  bridge  to  the  commissioners  of  Uniontown, 

J  This  amount  was  increased  (on  account  of  the  cost  of  the  bridge  ex- 
cei-iliiig  the  eetiniutr)  to  four  hunthed  and  ten  dollars  as  the  borough 
qiuta,  and  this  was  paid  iu  couformity  to  an  order  of  the  couimissioucrs 


and  to  urge  its  adoption.  On  the  4th  of  January,  1821, 
he  reported  that  the  commissioners  had  adopted  the 
plan,  and  subscriptions  were  then  commenced  among 
the  citizens  to  aid  in  building  the  bridge. 

Jan.  20, 1821,  the  commissioners,  in  session  at  the 
house  of  James  Reynolds,  in  Bridgeport,  "received 
proposals  for  building  a  bridge  over  the  mouth  of 
Dunlap's  Creek,  and  after  having  considered  the  va- 
rious proposals  laid  before  thein,  entered  into  an 
agreement  with  Samuel  Story,  of  Bridgeport,  in  the 
county  of  Fayette.  It  was  ordered  that  Isaac  Core 
proceed  early  next  week  to  said  place  to  take  bond 
and  security  of  said  Story."  The  contractor  to  take 
the  pier  then  standing,  and  to  build  "  two  other  piers 
with  large  stones  well  laid  in  lime-mortar,  which  said 
piers  shall  be  founded  on  a  rock,"  the  timbers  of  the 
bridge  to  be  solid  oak,  and  the  hand-railing  to  be 
painted  with  three  coats  of  white  lead. 

March  21,  1821,  Isaac  Core  reported  that  the  bridge 
contractor  had  made  considerable  progress  in  the 
work.  On  the  9th  of  May,  the  commissioners  "  hav- 
ing been  informed  that  Samuel  Story  was  to  lay  the 
foundation  of  one  of  the  piers  of  the  bridge  over  the 
mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek  on  that  day,  met  at  that 
place,  and  saw  the  pier  founded  on  a  rock  agreeably 
to  contract."  And  Isaac  Core  was  appointed  by  the 
commissioners  to  .see  the  foundation  of  the  second 
pier  laid  in  the  same  manner. 

Aug.  18, 1821,  "  Samuel  Story  having  notified  Lsaac 
Core  that  the  bridge  he  contracted  to  build  was  fin- 
ished and  ready  for  examination,  said  Core,  with  a 
view  to  that  object,  forwarded  the  letter  to  Messrs. 
Vance  and  Andrew  Moore,  to  meet  at  their  office." 
The  viewers,  Messrs.  Adam  Wilson,  William  Ewing, 
James  Beck,  and  Joseph  Thornton,  met  Aug.  27, 
1821,  examined  the  bridge,  and  reported  that,  having 
viewed  the  bridge  agreeably  to  the  order,  "  we  are 
of  opinion  that  it  ought  to  be  received  oft"  the  con- 
tractor's hands."  The  bridge  was  thereupon  accepted 
from  the  contractor,  who  received  his  final  payment 
upon  it  Sept.  5,  1821.  The  total  amount  paid  him 
was  $2050,  a  supplemental  article  having  been  added 
to  the  original  contract  giving  him  an  additional 
sum  for  extra  work  done  on  it. 

In  1835,  when  the  present  iron  bridge  over  Dun- 
lap's Creek  was  projected  as  a  permanent  crossing 
for  the  National  road,  Capt.  Richard  Delafield,  then 
government  engineer  on  the  work,  decided,  and  so 
reported  to  the  Treasury  Department,  that  the  best 
crossing-place  for  the  bridge  was  at  a  point  below 
where  the  road  struck  the  creek.  In  consequence  of 
this  report  the  Borough  Council  forwarded  a  memo- 
rial to  the  department,  protesting  against  the  change 
of  location,  setting  forth  that  in  case  the  proposed 
site  was  adopted  the  bridge  must  be  longer  and  would 
cost  twenty-five  per  cent,  more  than  if  erected  on  the 
old  site;  also  that  the  change  would  work  great  in- 
jury to  property  on  the  line  of  the  then  existing  road, 


436 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


which  would  necessarily  be  discontinued  and  rendered 
useless  for  a  considerable  distance  where  it  approached 
the  bridge.  The  result  was  that  the  views  of  Capt. 
Delafield  were  modified,  and  he  then  proposed  to 
build  on  the  upper  (present)  site,  provided  the 
Council  would  throw  open  a  triangle  on  the  line  of 
the  road  opposite  the  borough  market.  This  was  ac- 
ceded to,  the  bridge  site  was  adopted  in  conformity 
to  the  wishes  of  the  Council  and  people  of  the  bor- 
ough, and  a  slight  temporary  bridge  was  thrown 
across  the  creek  to  accommodate  travel  during  the 
construction  of  the  permanent  structure. 

It  was  decided  that  the  material  of  the  bridge 
should  be  cast  iron.  The  contract  for  casting  the 
pieces  was  awarded  John  Snowdon,  the  metal  being 
furnished  by  the  government.  Mr.  Snowdon  rented 
the  old  Cock  foundry  for  the  purpose,  and  duly  fur- 
nished the  castings  according  to  contract.  The  con- 
struction of  the  bridge  proceeded  successfully,  and 
was  in  due  time  completed  under  the  superintendency 
of  George  W.  Cass,  who  had  come  to  this  section 
years  before  as  one  of  the  engineers  of  the  National 
road. 

This  bridge  acrns-;  Dunlap's  Creek  was  the  first  cast- 
iron  structure  Imilt  arrows  any  stream  westof  the  Alie- 
ghenies.  It  still  ^tamls,  solid,  and  in  excellent  con- 
dition, the  only  highway  between  the  boroughs  of 
Brownsville  and  Bridgeport. 

EARLY    TAVEl:\S    AND  LATER    HOTELS. 

The  name  of  the  first  public-house  in  Brmvnsville 
is  not  known,  but  it  ajipears  likely  that  it  was  kept 
by  Tliomas  Bniwn,  as  there  is  found  in  tlie  records  of 
the  West  Augusta  i  Va.  l  court,  hrld  at  Fort  Dunmore 
in  April,  177(;.  an  entry,  dated  tlic  KUh  of  that  month, 
as  follows  :  "  License  to  keep  an  Ordinary  is  granted 
to  Thomas  Brown,  at  his  house  at  Redstone  Fort. 
Bazel  Brown,  on  his  behalf,  entered  into  bond  ac- 
cording to  law."  Nothing  further  is  found  of  the 
"  ordinary"  of  Thomas  Brown. 

The  earliest  inn  of  Brownsville  of  whieli  anything 
definite  is  known  as  to  its  location  and  landlords  was 
the  "Black  llorsc  Ta\crii."  a  stone  building,  a  part 
of  which  is  still  stajiding  in  the  more-recently  erected 
stone  building  located  between  the  residences  of  N. 
B.  Bowman  and  James  Slocum.  The  date  of  the 
opening  of  tlie  old  tavern  cannot  be  accurately  fixed, 
but  it  is  known  that  the  public  meeting  at  Kedstone 
Old  Fort  July  27,  K'.'l.  usually  referred  to  as  the 
first  public  act  in  the  Whiskey  Insurrection,  was  held 
at  the  Black  Horse  tavern.  The  last  meeting  of  the 
insurgents  was  also  held  at  the  same  place,  Aug.  28 
anil  29,  1794.  In  the  Western  Ttlegrnphe  (published 
at  Washington,  Pa.)  of  March  29,  1796,  is  found  the 
following  advertisement,  viz. : 

"An,.w  Wilson  t.cgs  leave  to  infcrrn  his  frienjs  and  the 
public  lli:if  li«'  li:i-  ].iin'li;isiTl  the  liiusc  formerly  Occupied  b.v 
Mr.  Pi,t.i.k  Ti-in.,,,  ihr  si-n  "f  llic  Rlack  Horse,  on  Front 
.Street.  r.iouii-Mllr,  ;>eli  knoHri  by  the  name  of  lleJstoue  Old 
Fort,  wl.ere  hiis  opened  a  Tavern,"  etc. 


The  tavern  property,  together  with  four  other  lots 
in  Brownsville,  "  belonging  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  keep- 
ing it  in  1799,  from  an  account  of  the  celebration  of 
St.  John's  day  (June  24th)  in  that  year  by  Browns- 
ville Lodge,  No.  60,  of  Free  Masons,  viz. :  "  In  the 
evening  repaired  to  Brother  Wilson's,  at  the  Black 
Horse  Tavern,  and  spent  the  evening  in  festivity." 
Later  it  was  kept  successively  by  John  Sheldon, 
Josiah  Tannebill,  Joseph  Noble,  Mrs.  Dr.  Lewis 
Sweitzer,  and  others.  It  was  discontinued  as  a 
public-house  many  years  ago. 

Basil  Brashear  was  in  Brownsville  as  early  as  1795, 
and  soon  afterwards  built  the  stone  house  now  occu- 
pied by  Mrs.  Wesley  Frost  and  Mrs.  Couldren.  At 
that  place  he  kept  tavern  for  many  years.  The  first 
meeting  of  the  Borough  Council  was  held  at  "the 
Council  room  in  Basil  Bra.shear's  tavern."  This  was 
one  of  the  most  famed  of  the  early  public-houses  of 
Brownsville.  It  was  kept  by  Brashear,  and  w.as  the 
principal  hotel  of  the  town  when  Lafayette  made  his 
visit  here  in  182.5. 

John  McClure  Hezlop  was  in  Brownsville  in  1797, 
and  three  years  later  he  built  the  stone  house  at  the 
head  of  JIarket  Street.  It  was  afterwards  kept  as  a 
tavern  by  John  Beckley.  The  house  was  continued 
by  his  widow,  Nancy  Beckley,  for  some  time  after  his 
death.  In  1843,  Jacob  Workman  was  its  landlord. 
It  is  now  the  Girard  House. 

James  Auld,  "  Inn-keeper  and  Shoemaker,"  kept  a 
tavern  at  the  head  of  Front  Street  in  1819.  After- 
wards James  C.  Beckley  kept  at  the  same  place.  In 
1S2(J  jHiblic-houses  were  kept  in  Brownsville  by  John 
ConoUy,  William  McMuUen,  and  James  Eeynolds. 
The  building  on  Market  Street,  in  which  the  Central 
Hotel  was  afterwards  kejit,  was  built  in  1816. 

The  Snowdon  House  building  was  erected  about 
1823  by  Eobert  Clarke,  who  lived  in  it  until  his 
death,  about  1840.  It  was  first  kept  as  a  hotel  by 
Andrew  Byers,  who  was  also  a  landlord  at  Union- 
town,  Connellsville,  and  several  other  places.  The 
house  is  still  a  hotel. 

The  Monongahela  House,  located  in  the  "  Neck," 
was  built  as  a  private  residence  by  Samuel  J.  Krepps 
in  1832.     About  twelve  years  later  it  was  purchased 

by McCurdy,  who  opened  it  as  a  hotel,  and  kept 

it  for  a  time,  but  failed  to  make  the  payments  on  the 
property,  and  was  obliged  to  give  it  up.  It  was  then 
leased  to  Ganz, Vance,  and  others  succes- 
sively, and  was  finally  (in  1870)  taken  by  John  B. 
Krepps  (son  of  Samuel),  who  kept  it  until  hisdeath, 
in  January,  1881,  and  it  is  still  kept  as  a  public-house 
by  his  widow.  The  other  hotels  of  Brownsville  at  the 
present  time  are  the  United  States,  on  Water  Street, 
by  George  W.  Poundstone ;  the  Snowdon  House,  on 


BROWNSYILLE   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


437 


Market  Street,  by  Harvey  Sawyer;  and  the  Girard 
House,  at  the  head  of  Market  Street,  by  Jacob  Marks. 

NEWSPAPERS. 

The  earliest  Brownsville  newspaper  of  which  any 
information  has  been  found  is  The  Brownsville  Ga- 
zette. The  only  copy  of  it  known  to  be  now  in  exist- 
ence bears  date  Jan.  14, 1809,  from  which  it  is  learned 
that  the  paper  was  "  published  everyTuesday  by  John 
Berry,  Printer,  on  Market  Street,  opposite  Col.  Bra- 
shear's  Inn."  When  it  was  first  issued  or  how  long 
it  continued  is  not  known. 

The  Western  Repository  was  published  at  Browns- 
ville in  1810.  Onc-lialf  of  a  copy  of  this  paper,  bear- 
ing date  Wednesday,  June  13th  of  that  year,  is  now  in 
possession  of  Mrs.  Samuel  B.  Page,  of  Brownsville. 
It  contains  the  advertisements  of  Dr.  Edward  Scull 
and  Dr.  James  Roberts  (then  physicians  of  Browns- 
ville), and  also  an  obituary  notice  of  Isaac  Rogers, 
who  died  Saturday,  June  9, 1810,  aged  forty-two  years. 
The  Repository  was  a  four-column  paper,  published 
at  S2  per  annum.  No  otlier  facts  can  be  given  con- 
cerning it. 

The  Western  Palladium  of  Brownsville  was  in  ex- 
istence in  1812,  but  probably  not  later,  as  is  indicated 
by  an  advertisement  found  in  The  Reporter  of  Wash- 
ington, Pa.,  dated  Jlay  4th  in  that  year,  being  as  fol- 
lows : 

"PniSTiNG  Office  FOR  Sale. 
"The  Establishment  of  the  Wesfern  Pallatlium,  at  Browns- 
ville, Pa.,  is  offcrea  for  Sale  with  the  Press." 

The  American  Telegraph  was  established  at  Browns- 
ville in  1814,  by  John  Bouvier,  who  continued  its 
publication  here  for  about  four  years,  and  then  re- 
moved it  to  Uniontowu,  where  it  was  united  with  the 
Genius  of  Liberty. 

The  Western  Register  was  commenced  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1817,  by  Robert  Fee,  who  continued  to  pub- 
lish it  in  Brownsville  until  1823,  but  nothing  of  a 
later  date  has  been  found  in  reference  to  it.  A  copy 
tlie  paper  (Vol.  VI.  No.  49),  dated  March  29th  in  that 
year,  is  in  possession  of  J.  A.  Scott,  of  Bridgeport.  It 
is  a  folio,  four  columns,  about  one-fourth  the  size  of 
the  Clipper,  and  bears  the  motto  "Virtuous  Liberty." 

The  American  Observer  was  started  in  Brownsville, 
in  September,  1825,  by  Jackman  &  Coplan,  the  office 
of  i)ublication  being  on  Market  Street.  A  copy  of 
the  paper  (Vol.  II.  No.  17),  dated  Jan.  13,  1826.  is  in 
possession  of  Mrs.  Samuel  B.  Page,  of  Brownsville. 
It  contains  lln  address  delivered  by  Thomas  Rodgers 
on  the  anniversary  of  the  battle  of  New  Orleans. 
Tiie  Observer  was  afterward  removed  to  Uniontown 
and  merged  with  the  Genius  of  Liberty. 

The  Western  Spy  of  Brownsville  is  found  men- 
tioned in  a  Pittsburgh  paper  of  Jan.  5,  1824.  The 
fact  that  such  a  paper  existed  at  that  time  is  all  that 
is  known  of  it. 

The  Brownsville  Galaxy,  edited  and  published  liy 
William  J.  Copeland,  was  in  existence  in  1829,  but  the 


dates  of  its  birth  and  death  have  not  been  ascertained. 
In  an  old  number  of  the  Casket,  published  by  At- 
kinson in  Philadelphia,  is  found  the  following  notice, 
copied  in  that  paper  as  a  curiosity  from  the  Browns- 
ville Galaxy  of  Aug.  7,  1829,  viz. : 

"  Whereas,  Fanny  Morton,  alias  Kerr,  bus  without 
cause  left  my  habitation,  and  is  floating  on  the  ocean 
of  tyrannical  extravagance,  prone  to  prodigality, 
taking  a  wild  goose  chase  and  kindling  her  pipe  with 
the  coal  of  curiosity,  to  abscond  and  abolish  such  in- 
sidious, clandestine,  noxious,  pernicious,  diabolical, 
and  notorious  deportment,  I  therefore  caution  all 
persons  from  harboring  or  trusting  heron  my  account, 
as  I  will  pay  no  debts  of  her  contracting  from  this 
date  unless  compelled  by  law. 

"James  Kerr." 

Tlie  Brownsville  Intelligencer  was  a  paper  of  which 
no  information  has  been  obtained,  except  the  fact  of 
its  existence  in  July,  1830,  which  is  shown  by  a  refer- 
ence to  it  in  a  Pitt.sburgh  journal  of  that  time. 

The  Brovmsville  Free'Press  was  established  in  Sep- 
tember, 1843,  by  A.  H.  Shaw.  It  was  a  five-column 
folio,  and  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  old  Whig 
party. 

The  Brownsville  Times  was  first  issued  in  the  fall  of 
1857.  It  was  a  seven-column  paper,  eighteen  by 
thirty-six  inches,  Democratic  in  politics.  Its  publi- 
cation office  was  on  the  Neck,  near  the  east  end  of  the 
bridge.  In  February,  1861,  it  was  edited  and  pub- 
lished by  R.  B.  Brown.  The  date  of  its  suspension 
has  not  been  found. 

The  Browmville  Clipper  was  established  by  the  late 
Hon.  Seth  T.  Hurd,  at  Brownsville,  on  the  1st  day  of 
June,  1853,  Wednesday  being  the  publication  day. 
The  Clipper  was  started  in  the  interests  of  the  old 
Whig  party,  and  continued  to  advocate  its  cause  until 
the  organization  of  the  Republican  party,  when  it 
espoused  those  principles,  and  has  so  continued  to 
the  present  day.  On  the  20th  of  September,  1875, 
the  Hon.  Seth  T.  Hurd,  after  about  twenty-two  years 
of  continuous  editorial  management,  sold  the  Clipper 
and  the  jirinting  establishment  to  Mr.  A.  R.  Has- 
tings. On  the  22il  of  November,  1878,  Mr.  Hastings 
sold  the  paper  to  Mr.  W.  F.  Applegate,  the  present 
proprietor,  who  was  then  connected  with  The  Mon- 
mouth (N.  J.)  Inquirer.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  the 
Clipper  has  had  but  three  proprietors  in  its  existence 
of  twenty-seven  years.  The  Clipper  was  in  reality 
the  outcome  of  the  Free  Press  and  other  old  newspapers 
previously  published  in  Brownsville  during  the  past 
seventy  years,  consequently  it  is  the  oldest  paper  now 
published  in  Brownsville.  When  it  was  started  in 
1853  by  Mr.  Hurd  it  was  the  same  size  as  now,  thirty- 
two  columns,  twenty-six  by  forty.  The  paper  is  all 
printed  at  home,  and  devotes  most  of  its  space  to  the 
local  news  of  the  community. 
The  Labor  Advocate,^  as  its  name  imports,  is  the 


1  Skttdi  fuini»hi-a  1 


Dr.  U.  L.  Cliluu 


438 


niSTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


professed  champion  of  the  labor  and  producing  classes 
of  the  county.  It  is  the  offspring  of  the  Greenback 
Banner,  which  was  first  issued  on  the  23d  of  August, 
1877,  with  Dr.  U.  L.  Clemraer  as  publisher  and  busi- 
ness manager,  and  Dr.  N.  W.  Truxal  as  editor.  The 
Banner  was  the  second  Greenbaclc  newspaper  pub- 
lished in  Pennsylvania,  and  it  acquired  quite  a  celeb- 
rity as  a  wide-awake  political  journal,  but  at  the 
expiration  of  six  months  Dr.  Truxal  withdrew  from 
the  editorial  management,  and  Dr.  Clemmer  sold  the 
ottice  to  two  gentlemen,  who  continued  the  publica- 
tion of  the  paper  until  shortly  before  the  election  in 
the  fall  of  1S7S,  wliuu  they  abandoned  it  and  surren- 
dered the  nuitcrial  tu  the  doctor.  Then,  in  the  early 
spring  of  1N7'J,  a  stranger,  whose  name  is  not  mate- 
rial, tried  an  experiment  in  the  shape  of  a  newspaper 
called  T/ic  Better  Timex,  which  existed  three  weeks 
and  then  expired.  After  that  occurrence  the  prospect 
of  establishing  a  newspaper  in  the  interest  of  the 
Greenback-Labor  party  seemed  to  be  gloomy  enough, 
but  Dr.  Clemmer  was  determined  to  try  it  once  more, 
and,  without  a  single  subscriber,  he  commenced  the 
issue  of  the  Labor  Advneate  about  the  middle  of  Feb- 
ruary, in  the  year  1880.  The  paper  has  now  been 
permanently  established,  and  on  the  18th  of  April, 
1881,  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Prof.  Phillips  and 
Ur.  J.  T.  Wells,  both  of  whom  are  scholarly  gentle- 
men, and  both  excellent  writers. 

THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION  IN  BROWXSVILLE.l 
The  earliest  data  to  which  the  writer  has  been  able 

to  obtain   access    show  that   Dr.   Mitchell  and  Dr. 

Chesteter  were  buth  practicing  medicine  in  Browns- 


;oij. 


In  the  Wei^lt  rii  Bejiositonj  newspaper  (of  Browns- 
ville), dated  June  13,  1810,  are  found  the  advertise- 
ments of  Dr.  Edward  Scull  and  Dr.  James  Roberts  as 
physicians  in  the  town  at  that  time.  The  last  named 
is  still  remembered  by  Mr.  Nelson  B.  Bowman.  Dr. 
Edward  Scull  was  the  son  of  John  Scull,  the  founder 
of  the  Pittxhiiriih  Gmettc.  Xothing  has  been  learned 
of  these  two  early  physicians  except  the  fact  above 
shown  that  they  were  practicing  in  Brownsville  at  the 
time  mentioned. 

Dr.  Thomas  Blodgett  was  in  practice  in  Brownsville 
from  1812  to  1815,  when  he  removed  to  Dayton,  Ohio. 
Dr.  Piter  practiced  here  about  1831  to  1833.  . 

Dr.  John  J.  Steele  was  born  in  Lancaster,  Pa., 
about  17115,  removed  from  there  to  Canonsburg, 
AVashington  Co.,  Pa.,  and  was  married  to  Mrs.  Mary 
Clemmens.  He  afterwards  lived  in  Masoutown,  in 
this  county,  and  came  to  Brownsville  about  1836. 
He  died  in  indigent  circnmstances  near  Unioutown 
about  ls3i).  The  doctor  left  five  children,  one  of 
whom,  Clemmens  Steele,  was  engaged  in  business 
))nrsnits  in  South  America  for  several  years,  but  re- 
turning to  the  United  States  shortly  before  the  at- 


,  S.  Dun 


tempt  to  establish  the  Confederate  government,  served 
with  credit  as  colonel  of  the  Sixty-sixth  Ohio  Volun- 
teers during  the  civil  war. 

Dr.  Lewis  Sweitzer  was  born  in  Doylestown,  Bucks 
Co.,  Pa.,  in  1774.  He  attended  a  medical  college  in 
Philadelphia,  and  afterwards  pursued  his  medical 
studies  in  Paris,  France.  He  practiced  medicine  a 
short  time  at  Springtown,  Bucks  Co.,  was  married 
to  Eliza  F.  Bell,  Dec.  10,  1807,  and  moved  to  Browns- 
ville in  1808,  entering  immediately  upon  the  practice 
of  bis  profession,  in  which  he  maintained  an  honor- 
able position  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  in  1837. 
Dr.  Sweitzer  was  interested  in  the  organization  of  the 
Union  Medical  Society  of  Fayette  County  in  1810. 
He  was  a  brother  of  Henry  Sweitzer,  who  came  to 
Brownsville  a  few  years  later. 

Drs.  Samuel  Shuman  and  Henry  W.  Stoy  were  in 
Brownsville  in  1818,  as  shown  by  the  assessment  roll 
of  that  year. 

Dr.  Eobert  W.  Playford  was  born  in  London,  Eng- 
land, on  the  12th  day  of  March,  1799,  aud  educated 
at  Eton  College,  the  celebrated  English  public  school, 
founded  by  King  Henry  VI.  in  1440.  In  this  school 
he  was  what  is  known  as  a  "  king's  scholar."  His 
position  in  his  classes  on  leaving  the  college  entitled 
him  to  a  scholarship  at  Oxford,  but  he  preferred  to 
enter  at  once  upon  the  study  of  medicine  in  the  oflice 
of  his  father,  a  reputable  London  physician.  With 
his  father  became  to  this  country,  locating  in  Browns- 
ville in  1820.  Dr.  Playford,  Sr.,  remained  here  about 
two  years,  in  that  short  time  establishing,  in  connec- 
tion with  his  son,  a  large  and  lucrative  business.  He 
returned  to  London,  where  he  died  in  1826.  Dr.  R. 
W.  Playford  remained  in  Brownsville,  continuing  in 
active  practice  until  1861,  when  he  was  stricken  with 
hemiplegia,  whiclr  unfitted  him  for  further  active 
practice.  He  enjoyed  the  reputation  of  having  the 
largest  business  of  any  physician  in  the  county.  In 
all  his  practice  he  was  singularly  successful,  his  acute 
perception,  clear  judgment,  and  rapid  decision  fitting 
him  peculiarly  for  emergencies,  and  seemed  to  render 
his  knowledge  of  his  duties  almost  intuitive.  During 
the  whole  period  of  his  business  life  he  was  once 
away  fronr  town  five  days  at  one  time,  being  the  only 
instance  of  absence  from  his  professional  cares  for 
more  than  one  day  during  the  forty-one  years  of  his 
life  that  were  devoted  to  active  professional  pursuits. 
He  frequently  wrote  for  the  local  press  on  sanitary 
affairs  and  matters  of  home  interest.  He  died  at  his 
home  in  Brownsville,  March  24, 1867.  His  surviving 
children  are  Mrs.  Sophia  Parkinson,  of  Monongahela 
City,  Pa.;  Miss  Harriet  Playford,  of  Brownsville; 
Dr.  Robert  Playford,  of  Petroleum  Centre,  Pa.;  Hon. 
Wm.  H.  Playford,  of  Uniontown;  and  Mrs.  Amanda 
Kennedy,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

William  L. Lafterty,M.D.,wasbornin  KentCounty, 
Del.,  on  the  18th  day  of  May,  1807,  and  removed  to 
Allegheny  County,  Pa.,  when  five  years  of  age.  He 
received  his  literary  education  in  Washington  College, 


BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH    AND   TOWNSHIP. 


at  Washington,  Pa.,  and  served  some  time  as  a  civil 
engineer  on  the  Pennsylvania  Canal,  afterwards  study- 
ing medicine  in  the  office  of  F.  .T.  Le  Moyne,  M.D., 
of  Washington,  Pa.,  completing  his  medical  studies 
in  the  Medical  Department  of  tlie  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania, from, which  institution  he  received  the  de- 
gree of  M.D.  in  March,  1836.  He  began  the  practice 
of  his  profession  in  Brownsville  one  month  after  grad- 
uating, and  remained  continuously  in  business  for 
thirty  years,  returning  to  his  native  county  in  Dela- 
ware in  1866.  The  doctor  soon  acquired  an  extensive 
practice,  and  retained  it  during  the  whole  time  of  his 
residence  in  Brownsville,  in  addition  to  being  the 
owner  of  the  largest  drug-store  in  the  place  nearly 
the  whole  of  that  time.  He  was  industrious  and  en- 
terprising in  business,  took  an  active  part  in  educa- 
tional affiiirs,  being  an  early  and  sturdy  supporter  of 
the  public  school  system;  was  one  of  the  originators 
and  principal  stockholders  of  the  Brownsville  Gas 
Company,  and  interested  in  all  that  pertained  to  the 
sanitary  and  general  welfare  of  the  community.  In 
politics  he  was  an  Old-Line  Whig,  afterwards  a  Re- 
publican, and  at  one  time  a  candidate  for  Congress  in 
the  latter  party.  He  was  a  prominent  Freemason, 
and  a  zealous  member  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church.  He  still  resides  in  Delaware,  where  he  has 
been  engaged  in  fruit-growing  since  1866,  though  still 
from  force  of  long  habit  giving  part  of  his  time  to 
the  practice  of  the  profession  to  which  the  best  part 
of  his  life  has  beeu  devoted.  In  a  recent  letter  he 
says,  "I  am  now  an  old  man,  but  still  visitthe  sick 
when  requested,  so  to  do,  having  never  learned  to  re- 
fuse assistance  to  a  suffering  fellow-being.'' 

Isaac  Jackson,  M.D.,  was  born  in  Menallen  town- 
ship, Fayette  Co.,  on  the  13th  day  of  March,  1821. 
He  was  educated  at  Madison  College,  Uniontown ; 
studied  medicine  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Smith 
Fuller,  of  Uniontown,  attended  lectures  in  Jefterson 
Medical  College,  at  Philadelphia,  receiving  the  degree, 
of  M.D.  from  that  institution  in  March,  1847,  and 
located  in  Brownsville  the  same  year,  continuing  in 
active  practice  up  to  the  present  time.  He  has  also 
been  engaged  for  several  years  in  the  drug  business, 
having  been  at  different  times  a  member  of  the  drug 
firms  of  W.  F.  Simpson  &  Co.,  Jackson  &  Armstrong, 
and  J.  Jackson.  He  held  for  several  years  the  office 
of  examining  surgeon  for  pensions  under  the  United 
States  government.  In  politics  he  has  always  been  a 
Democrat,  taking  an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of  that 
party,  and  was  once  a  candidate  for  the  State  Legis- 
lature. He  is  a  member  of  the  order  of  Freemasons, 
also  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  of  the 
Fayette  County  Medical  Society.  He  has  been  twice 
married.  One  of  his  sons,  Duncan  C.  Jackson,  Esq., 
is  a  member  of  the  Allegheny  County  bar;  another 
son,  Dr.  John  Jackson,  is  practicing  medicine  in  West 
Virginia. 

Benjamin  Shoemaker,  M.D.,  was  born  Aug.  9, 1827, 
in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  educated  at  Shade  ' 


Gap  Academy,  Huntingdon  Co.,  Pa.  Having  quali- 
fied himself  to  practice  dentistry,  he  came. to  Browns- 
ville and  opened  an  office  for  that  business  in  1856 ; 
afterwards  studying  medicine,  he  received  the  degree 
of  M.D.  from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  1869, 
since  which  he  has  been  engaged  jointly  in  the  two 
professions.  He  has  been  a  United  States  examining 
surgeon  for  pensions  for  twelve  years  last  past,  has 
been  aschool  director  and  member  of  the  Town  Council 
for  the  last  six  years,  is  a  Freemason,  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  a  Republican  in  poli- 
tics ;  he  is  a  member  of  the  Fayette  County  Medical 
Society,  and  of  the  American  Medical  Association. 

Samuel  B.  P.  Knox,  A.M.,  M.D.,  son  of  the  late 
David  S.  Knox,  Esq.,  for  many  years  cashier  of  the 
Monongahela  Bank  of  Brownsville,  was  born  in 
Brownsville,  Feb.  11,1839,  and  educated  in  Allegheny 
College,  at  Meadville,  Pa.,  from  which  institution  he 
graduated  in  June,  1860.  He  attended  first  course  of 
medical  lectures  in  the  Medical  Department  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania  during  the  winter  of 
1861-62,  and  while  attending  second  course,  in  1862- 
63,  was,  in  January  of  the  latter  year,  commissioned 
and  mustered  into  the  United  States  service  as  assist- 
ant surgeon  of  Forty-ninth  Regiment  Pennsylvania 
Volunteers.  In  January,  1865,  he  was  promoted  to  be 
surgeon  of  the  same  regiment,  in  which  capacity  he 
served  until  the  end  of  the  war,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  receiving 
the  degree  of  M.D.  in  March,  1866.  He  began  the 
practice  of  his  profession  in  Brownsville  a  few  months 
after  graduating,  remaining  in  business  here  until 
1875,  when  he  removed  to  Santa  Barbara,  Cal., 
where  he  now  resides.  In  1869  he  took  an  effective 
part  in  the  reorganization  of  the  Fayette  County 
Medical  Society,  and  was  an  active  member  of  the 
society  during  the  remainder  of  the  time  he  resided 
here.  Before  leaving  Ibis  State  he  became  a  member 
of  the  State  Medical  Society  and  of  the  American 
Medical  Association.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Church. 

Dr.  N.  W.  Truxall  was  born  in  Greensburg,  West- 
moreland Co.,  Pa.,  in  1822.  He  received  an  academic 
education  at  the  Westmoreland  Academy,  learned  the 
printing  business  in  the  office  of  the  Westmoreland 
RcpiihUcan,  and  during  his  apprenticeship  studied  the 
classics  under  the  tuition  of  the  professors  in  the 
academy.  He  commenced  the  study  of  law,  but 
abandoned  it  and  began  the  study  of  medicine  in 
1845.  He  commenced  practice  in  Pittsburgh  in  1848, 
and  since  that  time  has  practiced  his  profession  in 
Masonlown,  Millsboro',  and  California,  Pa.,  and  since 
1870  in  Brownsville.  He  went  into  the  army  in  1861, 
and  served  three  years  as  an  officer  of  the  line.  He 
has  acquired  some  reputation  as  a  literary  writer,  and 
is  now  preparing  an  extensive  work,  entitled  "  An 
Epic  on  the  Battles  of  America." 

C.  C.  Reichard,  M.D.,  was  born  Nov.  6,  1S44,  in 
Marvland.     He  studied  medicine  and  received   the 


440 


HISTORY  OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


degree  of  M.D.  from  Chicago  Medical  College  in  the 
spring  of  1870.  He  practiced  medicine  in  Mitchell- 
ville,  Iowa,  and  Monongahela  City,  Pa.,  and  came  to 
Brownsville  in  1875,  where  he  has  since  been  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  is  a  Freemason 
and  a  Republican. 

Dr.  Oliver  P.  Brashear  was  born  in  Redstone 
township,  Fayette  Co.,  educated  at  Dunlaji's  Creek 
Academy,  attended  medical  lectures  in  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania,  and  began  practice  at  East  Liberty, 
Pa.,  in  1864.  He  served  one  year,  part  of  1874-7.5, 
as  physician  to  Pittsburgh  City  Almshouse,  and  came 
to  Brownsville  in  1876,  where  he  has  since  been  en- 
gaged in  practice. 

U.  L.  Clemmer,  5LD.,  was  born  in  Allegheny 
County,  Md.,  Nov.  16,  1816.  He  commenced  the 
study  of  medici.'ie  witli  Dr.  John  J.  Steele,  at  New 
Geneva,  Fayette  Co.,  in  183:2,  and  graduated  at 
the  Reformed  Medical  College,  at  New  York,  in  1846, 
having  jiracticed  medicine  in  Monongalia  County, 
W.  Va.,  for  four  years  previously.  He  removed  to 
Smithfield,  Fayette  Co.,  where  he  remained  eigh- 
teen years,  and  then  removed  to  Brownsville  in 
1859,  where  he  has  since  remained.  During  the  late 
war  lie  was  ein|iloyeiI  ns  assistant  surgeon  in  the  hos- 
pital at  I'arkersburg,  W.  Va. 

The  establishment  of  a  medical  school  at  Browns- 
ville in  1831  was  announced  in  the  Washingfon  Ex- 
aminer and  other  newspapers  in  August  of  that  year 
by  the  following  advertisement: 

"i;eformed  medic.\l  college. 

"Eftablislic.l  in  Brownsvillt-.  Fnytttc  Co..  Pn..  an  J  will  go 
into  full  ,i|..-n,tinn  on  the  1,-t  „f  X..vr.i„l,or  n.xt.  This  .Me.I- 
ical  .Socitty  is  lu  be  un.ler  the  c:iio  i.f  tin-  IklV.nncMl  P,„-irty  of 
the   UnitiMl  ,<t:ites,  :md  to  be  cnn.liicted  liy  i  In    \-|,,    I'  ,-  M,i,t 

iinil  Secretary  uf  that  body.     The  plan  otM .,,:,n 

will  be  tlie  siiiie  as  adojited  in  the  Botai,      .:  .      \.  a 

York  and  Woithington,  embracing  all  the  l.i..h.  I,..  (,iu-l,l  m 
the  .Medical  Schools,  ns  well  as  the  Reformed  or  Botanical 
System.     Nine  students  have  already  entered  and  commenced 

sary,  InHrmary,  Botanical  Oarden,  Library,  and  Medical  iMu- 

Terms,  SI60,  in  advance,  ami  SKI  as  a  graduation  fee. 
"  .1.  J.  .Stkki.e, 
"  Presidnu  «/  \\:,r,h!„^lon  ColUy.:,  Ohio." 

Nothing  beyond  this  concerning  the  operations  of 
the  "  Reformed  Jledical  College  of  Brownsville"  has 
been  ascertained. 

BROWNSVILLE    SCHOOLS. 

On  the  spot  which  is  now  occupied  by  the  rectory 
of  Christ  Church  there  stood,  three-fourths  of  a  cen- 
tury ago,  asmall  frame  biiildiiiL',  erected  by  siibserip- 
tion  as  early  as  ISO''  'and  perliap-s  a  year  or  two 
earlier),  which  was  the  lirst  hi>u-e  Imill  espeeially  for 
school  purposes  in  Brownsville,  thoii-h  xlinnjs  of  a 
few  pupils  had  previously  been  taiiiilit  in  private 
dwellings.  The  earliest  teacher  now  recollected  by 
he  oldest  citizens  of  Brownsville  was  Mr.  De  Wolf, 


whose  successor  was  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wheeler,  a  Baptist 
minister.     A  Mr.  Scott  was  also  an  early  teacher. 

In  1808-9,  Robert  Ayres  taught  a  private  school  in 
a  house  that  stood  where  Joseph  Sanforth  now  lives, 
at  the  upper  end  of  Church  Street.  As  late  as  1819 
Ayres'  name  appears  on  the  assessment  roll  as  a 
teacher. 

A  flourishing  school  was  taught  by  James  Johnston 
for  some  years  prior  to  1819.  Pupils  from  a  distance 
came  to  attend  his  school,  and  boarded  in  his  family. 
His  school-room  was  in  a  house  where  Hayden  W. 
Robinson's  drug-store  now  is.  He  was  succeeded  in 
1819  by  a  Mr.  McConnell,  who  continued  the  school 
but  a  short  time. 

From  about  1817  to  1820,  Edward  Byrne,  an  Irish- 
man, taught  a  subscription  school  of  a  few  scholars  at 
!  the  upper  end  of  Market  Street,  in  the  house  now  oc- 
cupied by  Henry  J.  Rigden.  Many  small  private 
schools  and  subscription  schools  were  taught  in  the 
borough  from  that  time  until  the  passage  of  the 
public  school  act  of  1834.  Under  the  operation  of 
that  law  the  court,  at  the  January  term  of  1835,  ap- 
pointed James  L.  Bowman  and  Israel  Miller  school 
directors  of  Brownsville.  They  made  report  to  the 
county  treasurer  August  13th  in  the  same  year.  The 
apportionment  of  State  money  to  the  borough  for  that 
year  was  S83.07  ;  amount  from  county  tax,  $166.14,' 
total,  S249.21  for  1835. 

The  first  school-house  erected  for  the  use  of  the 
public  schools  established  under  the  law  of  1834  was 
built  in  1836.  Its  location  was  on  Church  Street, 
near  the  present  Union  school  building.  Another 
was  built  in  1838,  on  the  Public  Ground  on  Front 
Street,  opposite  the  residence  of  N.  B.  Bowman. 
These  were  the  only  public  school-houses  of  the 
iHiiniiLili  ■  though  other  rooms  were  rented  from  time 
I.,  time  lo  accommodate  the  overflow  of  scholars)  until 
the  erection  of  the  present  Union  school  building. 
Among  the  teachers  who  had  charge  of  the  schools 
in  these  old  houses  were  Dr.  Samuel  Chalfant,  Joshua 
Gibbons,  William  Y.  Roberts,  and  many  others  who 
are  yet  well  remembered. 

On  the  20th  of  May,  1842  (as  appears  in  the  bor- 
ough records),  the  school  directors  made  application 
to  the  Council  for  the  use  of  the  Town  Hall  for  a 
school-room,  which  was  granted  at  two  dollars  per 
month.  Dec.  28,  1843,  Miss  Crawford  applied  for  the 
use  of  the  hall  for  the  same  purpose,  and  it  was  granted 
on  the  same  terms  for  the  time  of  the  vacation  of  the 
public  school. 

April  26,  1850,  the  Council  rented  the  Town  Hall 
to  the  school  directors  for  the  use  of  the  High  School 
at  four  dollars  per  month.  In  the  records  covering 
the  succeeding  ten  years  various  entries  are  found, 
showing  that  the  hall  was  rented  from  time  to  time 
for  the  use  of  the  schools  until  the  building  of  the 
present  school-house  rendered  it  unnecessary. 

The  question  of  the  erection  of  a  new  school-house 
of  sufficient  capacity  to  accommodate  all  the  schools 


BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH  AND  TOWxXSHIP. 


441 


having  been  for  some  time  informally  discussed,  the 
following  flfBoial  action  in  the  matter  was  taken  by 
the  school  directors  at  a  meeting  held  on  the  7th  of 
May,  1859,  viz. : 

"  Whereas,  We  believe  the  time  has  now  come  in  the  history 
of  the  common  schools  of  nrownsville  that  an  effort  should  bo 
made  by  the  directors  to  build  a  Union  school-house,  therefore 

"  7ff«o/red,  That  we,  the  said  directors,  proceed  as  soon  as 
time  for  proper  deliberation  and  consultation  will  admit  of  to 
adojit  a  proper  plan  of  said  house,  and  make  a  contract  for 
making  the  brick,  and  make  such  other  arrangement  for  the 
erection  of  said  school-house  as  may  be  necessary,  so  as  at  least 
to  have  the  stone-work  completed,  ready  to  commence  layin;; 
the  brick,  early  in  the  spring  of  ISfiO,  so  as  to  have  the  same 
completed  in  time  to  hold  the  session  of  1S60-61  in  the  said 
house.  On  motion,  it  was  resolved  that  Mr.  Joseph  C.  Graff  be 
requested  to  make  an  estimate  of  the  cost  of  erecting  said  house, 
say  sixty  by  seventy  feet,  three  stories,  four  rooms  on  a  floor, 
a  ten-feet  entry  to  run  through  the  centre,  so  as  to  make  the 
school-room  square." 

Lots  Nos.  115  and  180,  on  Redstone  and  Church 
Streets,  were  purchased  of  J.  B.  McKennan  &  Brother. 
This  purchase  embraced  the  present  school  grounds  of 
the  borough,  on  which  the  Union  school-house  stands. 
On  the  6th  of  July,  1859,  a  contract  was  made  with 
Roger  Chew  for  the  manufacture  of  350,000  bricks 
for  the  new  building,  at  $4.25  per  thousand.  Feb. 
4,  1860,  James  Grist  contracted  to  lay  the  brick  in 
the  building  at  $3.00  per  thousand.  The  carpenter- 
work  was  let  to  John  Lilly  (May  9,  1860),  for  $3285, 
not  to  include  the  portico. 

Joseph  C.  Graff  was  appointed  by  the  directors  (in 
1859,  and  reappointed  Jan.  14,  1860)  to  superintend 
the  stone-,  brick-,  and  carpenter-work  in  the  erection 
of  the  new  building.  The  brick-work  was  completed 
Oct.  11,  1860.  On  the  8th  of  December  following  the 
plaster-work  was  let  by  contract  to  Alvah  Allen. 

On  the  23d  of  April,  1862,  the  school  directors  re- 
solved that  the  new  school-house  should  be  occupied 
by  the  schools  on  the  first  Monday  in  June  following, 
The  work  on  the  building  had  been  delayed  by  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  so  that  it  was 
not  completed  ready  for  occupancy  until  the  spring  of 
tliat  year.  On  the  20th  of  May  the  .secretary  was  di- 
rected to  advertise  for  sale  the  Church  Street  lot  and 
old  school-houses. 

The  cost  of  the  new  building  (the  ])resent  L'nion 
school-house)  was  about  $10,000,  and  it  was  occupied 
by  the  schools  under  G.  L.  Osborne,  principal,  at  the 
time  designated  in  the  above-mentioned  resolution  of 
the  directors. 

The  teachers  appointed  by  the  board  in  M.iy,  1859 
(while  the  schools  were  still  taught  in  the  old  houses), 
were  William  B.  McCormick,  principal ;  Julia  Bra- 
shear,  for  school  No.  1;  Kate  Allison,  No.  2;  Belle 
Graham,  No.  3;  Sally  Druit,  No.  4;  Mary  Campbell, 
No.  5  ;  Mrs.  Ellen  E.  Wishart,  No.  6  ;  the  principal  to 
be  in  immediate  charge  of  No.  7.  On  the  27th  of  April, 
1861,  Hamilton  C.  Homer  was  appointed  principal. 
He  Was  succeeded  by  G.  L.  Osborne,  appointed  May 


17,  1862 ;  A.  C.  Nutt,  Aug.  25,  1862  ;  J.  V.  Gibbons, 
May  23,  1863;  O.  R.  Griffith,  May  31,  1864;  G.  L. 
Osborne,  June  17,  1865;  R.  H.  Fulton,  Sept.  28, 
1868 ;  J.  S.  Hughes,  Sept.  30,  1869  ;  J.  V.  Gibbons, 
March  3,  1870;  H.  S.  Phillips,  Aug.  25,  1870;  Van 
B.  Baker,  June  13,  1871;  H.  S.  Phillips,  June  26, 
1872;  Thomas  S.  Axtell,  Aug.  5,  1873;  T.  B.  John- 
ston, July  1,  1876;  George  W.  May,  June,  1879;  E. 
W.  Dolby,  June  28,  1881. 

In  July,  1871,  the  board  of  directors  took  action  to 
the  etfect  that  "  Whereas  the  colored  school  has  for 
some  years  past  been  held  in  the  Town  Hall,  but  that 
the  board  has  been  notified  that  it  would  not  again  be 
granted  for  that  purpose,  and  whereas  the  Town 
Council  have  voted  to  lease  the  School  Board  a  site 
on  what  is  called  the  '  Old  Common'  for  a  School- 
House  for  the  colored  school,  it  was  therefore  unani- 
mously Resolved,  that  the  School  Board  proceed 
forthwith  to  erect  a  suitable  school-house  for  the 
colored  school  on  said  ground,  and  that  the  Board 
meet  to-morrow  morning  at  eight  o'clock  to  lay  off 
the  building."  The  site  selected  was  that  on  which 
the  old  school-house  stood  on  the  Public  Ground,  and 
on  that  site  a  brick  house  was  erected  which  is  yet 
standing,  and  has  been  used  for  the  colored  school 
until  1880. 

The  number  of  pupils  reported  enrolled  in  Browns- 
ville in  July,  1860,  was  three  hundred  and  ninety- 
one.  In  July,  1870,  the  number  reported  enrolled 
was  four  hundred  and  forty-seven.  By  the  report  for 
the  school  year  of  1880-81  the  schools  of  Brownsville 
were  under  charge  of  eight  teachers,  and  attended  by 
two  hundred  and  eighty-two  scholars.  Total  receipts, 
$3564.56 ;  total  expenditures,  $2632.57 ;  valuation 
of  school  buildings,  $15,000.  The  present  (1881) 
board  of  school  directors  is  composed  of  Dr.  Benjamin 
Shoemaker  (president),  James  Hutchinson,  Jason 
Baker,  Samuel  Steele,  William  B.  McCormick,  and  J. 
K.  Shupe. 

Following  is  a  list  (approximately  correct  and  com- 
plete) of  the  school  directors  elected  iu  the  borough 
since  the  reorganization  in  1850,  viz.  : 


185U.  William  T.  CopLin. 

Wesley  Frost. 
18il.  William  Cuplan. 


1852.  Ja 


Mart 


Henry  Barkman. 
1853.  John  AVallace. 

William  L.  Wilkinson 

1855.  John  Johnston. 
Eli  Abrams. 
Tliomas  C.  Furman. 

1856.  D.  Knox. 

William  L   Wilkinson 

1857.  William  M.  Ledwith. 
John  B.  K  repps. 

1858.  Joseph  C.  Price. 

1859.  Wesley  Frost. 
William  L.  Lafferty. 


1860.  William  L.  Wilkinson, 
J.  W.  Jellries. 

1861.  J.  N.  Snondon. 
William  Parkbill. 

1862.  Wesley  Frost. 
W.  L.  Lafferty. 

186.3.  Isaac  Jackson. 

William  M.  Ledwith. 
1864.  William  Parkhill. 

John  R.  Button. 

John  Johnston. 
1866.  AVilliam  M.  Ledwith. 

Samuel  H.  Smith. 

Isaac  Jackson. 
1870.  James  11.  Smith. 

James  A.  Swearer. 
1873.  Samuel  Stulz. 

J.  B.  McKinnon. 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1S75.  A.F.  Gabler. 

James  A.  Swearer. 
William  II.  Johnston. 
A.  J.  Smith. 

1876.  E.  D.  Abrams. 

H.  B.  Mc:Covmiok. 

1877.  James  H.  Blair. 

1878.  Jacob  Sawyer. 


79.  Dr.  Benjamin  Shoe- 
Jason  Baker. 
James  Hutchinson. 

50.  James  Hutchinson. 
Samuel  Steele. 

51.  William  B.  McCorm 
J.  K.  Sbupe. 


A  young  ladies'  seminary  or  boarding-school  was 
commenced  in  1866  by  Mrs.  Charlotte  Smyth.  It 
was  taught  in  the  old  stone  house  formerly  occupied 
by  George  Boyd.  The  period  of  its  continuance  was 
about  five  years. 

Within  the  limits  of  the  township  of  Brownsville, 
outside  the  borough,  there  is  one  school  and  school- 
house,  located  on  the  National  road.  The  list  which 
is  given  below  is  of  persons  who  have  been  elected  to 
the  office  of  school  director  for  the  borough  and  town- 
ship of  Brownsville  from  1840  to  1849,  inclusive,  and 
for  the  township  of  Brownsville  since  the  last-named 
year.  It  is  not  claimed  for  it,  however,  that  it  is 
either  complete  or  entirely  correct,  but  it  is  as  nearly 
so  as  it  is  possible  to  make  it  from  the  obscure  and 
badly-kept  records  which  are  the  only  data  of  infor- 
mation.    The  list  is  as  follows : 


1874.  Solomon  Burd. 

1875.  Jacob  Graser. 
Thomas  Cline. 

1876.  Ewing  Todd. 
Charles  Boucher. 

1877.  S.  Steele. 

0.  K.  Taylor. 
George  Campbell. 

1878.  William  Stitzel. 


1878.  William  Gaskell. 

1879.  Ewing  Todd. 
Charles  Boucher. 
Solomon  Burd. 

1880.  Jacob  Graser. 
Solomon  Burd. 

1881.  B.  P.  Durbin. 

S.  W.  Clavbaugh. 


1840 

Israel  Jliller. 

1855 

H.  J.  Rittenhour. 

G.  W.  Bowman. 

1856 

Martin  Claybaugh. 

Jesse  H.  Duncan. 

Christopher  Stitzel. 

John  Johnson. 

1S57 

Samuel  Smouse. 

1841 

Isaac  .Miller. 

Solomon  Burd. 

1842 

Jonathan  Binns. 

1858 

Daniel  Brubaker. 

J.  L.  Bowman  (tie  vote). 

John  Daniels. 

1843 

Samuel  J.  Krepps. 

1859 

Martin  Claybaugh. 

Edward  Hughes. 

W.  S.  J.  Hatfield. 

1 844 

Joseph  C.  Gr.aff. 

Ewing  Todd. 

1845 

Ja.ncs  L.  Bowman. 

Solomon  Burd. 

Edward  L.  Lines. 

N.  A.  Williams. 

Edward  Jloorhouse. 

1860 

Ewing  Todd. 

William  Sloan. 

W.  A.  Williams. 

1846 

C.  P.  Gummert. 

1862 

Solomon  Burd. 

James  S.  Miller. 

Martin  Claybaugh. 

1S47 

Joseph  C.  Price. 

1863 

W.  S.  J.  Hatfield. 

James  X.  Coulter. 

Ewing  Todd. 

1848 

William  L.  Lafferty. 

1864. 

Martin  Massey. 

Jesse  11.  Daucan. 

Frederick  Stitzel. 

1849 

William  11.  Johnston. 

1865. 

Charles  Boucher. 

William  Sloan. 

Solomon  Burd. 

1850 

William  F.  Coplan. 

Martin  Claybaugh. 

H.  J.  Rigden. 

1866 

Charles  Boucher. 

R.  T.  Christy. 

Jacob  Graser. 

1851- 

52.  William  B.  Coats. 

1867. 

Martin  Massey. 

1853 

William  Sloan. 

Ewing  Tudd. 

Martin  Claybaugh. 

1868. 

Martin  Claybaugh. 

1854. 

Madison  Daniels. 

Solomon  Burd. 

Martin  Clayb.augh. 

1869. 

Jacob  Graser. 

Solomon  Bird. 

Charles  Boucher. 

Edward  Todd. 

1870. 

Martin  Claybaugh. 

Christopher  Stitzel. 

Solomon  Burd. 

Jacob  Kedler. 

1873. 

Ewing  Todd. 

1855. 

Isaac  Lynn. 

-Martin  Massey. 

James  Dunn. 

1874. 

Martin  Cl.ij  baugh. 

RELIGIOUS    HISTORY. 
METHODIST   EPISCOPAL   CHURCH   OF   BROWNSVILLE. 

No  person  at  the  present  day  knows  the  date  of 
the  formation  of  the  first  Methodist  class  at  Browns- 
ville.    A  small  society  was  in  existence  there  (being 
within  the  Redstone  Circuit)  at  about  the  commence- 
ment of  the  present  century,  and   a  meeting-house 
for  its  use  was  built  in  1804,  on  land  of  Chads  Chal 
I  fant,  a   local   exhorter  and   citizen  of  Brownsville. 
!  Afterwards   (March  24,  1806)  he  conveyed  the  land 
j  (one-half  acre,  comprising  lots  Nos.  7  and  8,  on  the 
I  north  side  of  Church  Street)  to  Alexander  McCracken, 
Abraham  Miley,  Stephen  Randolph,  Richard  Ran- 
dolph, and  Pratt  Collins,  "  in  trust  for  the  use  of  the 
Methodist    Episcopal    Church,"    the    consideration 
I  named  being  one  hundred  dollars. 

The  church  erected  on  this  land  in   1804  was  a 
stone  edifice,  thirty-six  by  thirty  feet  in  dimensions. 
I  In   1821   the   building   was   enlarged  to   double  its 
I  original  size,  making  it  thirty -six  by  sixty  feet.    This 
remained  as  the  society's  house  of  worship  for  nearly 
forty  years,  but  finally,  having  become  much  dilap- 
idated, and  wholly  inadequate  to  the  wants  of  the 
congregation,  the  erection  of  a  new  church  building 
I  was  decided  on,  and  the  demolition  of  the  old  one 
was  commenced  on  Thursday,  April  26,  1859.     The 
I  present  brick  church,  which  was  then  erected  at  a 
I  cost  of  about  seven  thousand  dollars,  is  forty-five.by 
I  eighty  feet  in  size,  has  an  audience-room  twenty-two 
feet  high,  with  a  basement   containing  a  Sabbath- 
school  room  and  two  class-rooms.     It  was  dedicated 
June  16,  1861. 

Among  the  preachers  who  have  served  this  church 
since  1826  have  been  the  following:  James  G.  San- 
som,  Thomas  Jamison,  Robert  Boyd,  John  Water- 
man, Edward  B.  Bascom,  Andrew  B.  Coleman,'  Sam- 
uel Babcock,  John  J.  Swazey,  J.  N.  Mochabee,  Ham- 
ilton Creigh,  Thomas  Baker,  Christopher  Hodgson, 
Josiah  Adams,  A.  J.  Ensley,  Moses  P.  Jamison,  Jo- 
seph Homer,  Sheridan  Baker,  Hiram  Miller,  Ezra  B. 
Hingsley,  J.  Minor,  L.  R.  Beacon,  James  Deems,  S. 
Lauk,  William  Stewart,  Josiah  Mansell,  R.  B.  Man- 
sell,  and  S.  T.  Mitchell,  the  present  pastor. 

The  present  membership  of  the  church  is  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty.  In  connection  with  it  is  a  Sabbath- 
school  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  scholars,  under  James 
R.  Swearer,  superintendent. 

1  Wliile  Mr.  Colcmau  was  iu  charge  (in  183^.)  Browusvjlle  t.etaine  a 


BROWNSVILLE   BOKOUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


443 


rRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   OF   BROWNSVILLE. 

In  the  minutes  of  the  Redstone  Presbytery,  under 
date  Oct.  15,  1811,  is  tlje  earliest  mention  which  has 
been  found  of  Presbyterian  worship  at  Brownsville. 
At  tliat  time  the  Rev.  Boyd  Mercer,  of  the  Presbytery 
of  Ohio,  applied  for  permission  to  preach  to  the  peo- 
ple at  Uniontown  and  Brownsville.  On  the  next  day, 
October  16th,  the  Presbytery  declined  to  sanction  the 
existing  engagements  between  the  Rev.  Boyd  Mercer 
and  the  people  of  Uniontown  and  Brownsville,  be- 
cause not  made  agreeably  to  the  regulations  of  the 
Presbytery. 

On  the  20th  of  April,  181.3,  the  Rev.  William  John- 
ston, a  licentiate  under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Ohio,  applied  to  the  Redstone  Presbytery  for  admis- 
sion. He  was  admitted  on  the  21st,  and  on  the  same 
day  received  a  call  from  the  congregation  of  Browns- 
ville and  Dunlap's  Creek.  On  the  20th  of  October 
in  the  same  year  he  was  installed  as  pastor  over  the 
united  congregations.  In  reference  to  his  assumption 
of  the  charge,  the  Rev.  Samuel  Wilson  says,'" The 
next  pastor  was  the  Rev.  William  Johnston,  whose 
charge  embraced  also  (besides  Dunlap's  Creek  Church) 
the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Brownsville.  He  was  of 
portly  presence,  an  able  preacher  and  defender  of  the 
faith  ;  as  a  friend  and  companion,  highly  esteemed  for 
intelligence  and  urbanity.  His  pastorate  continued 
(at  Dunlap's  Creek)  till  Dec.  3,  1839,- and  at  Browns- 
ville and  Little  Redstone  till  his  death,  Dec.  31, 1841." 
His  successor  was  the  Rev.  Thomas  Mather,  whose 
pastorate  continued  till  1848.  He  was  succeeded  by 
the  Rev.  Robert  M.  Wallace,  who  remained  until 
18G0,  and  was  followed  in  1864  by  the  Rev.  Joseph 
H.  Stevenson  as  pastor  of  the  churches  at  Browns- 
ville and  Little  Redstone.  On  the  24th  of  April, 
1866,  Mr.  Stevenson  presented  to  the  Presbytery  a  re- 
quest from  those  two  churches  to  be  recognized  as 
separate  and  distinct  organizations.  The  Presbytery 
acceded  to  the  request,  and  constituted  the  elders  re- 
siding in  the  bounds  of  Brownsville,  together  with 
the  pastor,  as  the  session  of  the  Brownsville  Church. 
The  Rev.  J.  H.  Stevenson  resigned  in  April,  1868, 
after  a  four  years'  pastorate.  The  Brownsville  Church 
was  then  served  for  two  or  three  years  by  the  Rev.  E. 
P.  Lewis  as  a  stated  supply.  In  April,  1874,  the  Rev. 
W.  W.  McLane  was  called  to  this  charge,  and  was 
installed  on  the  13th  of  May  following.  He  continued 
as  pastor  until  June,  1878,  when  he  resigned.  He  was 
succeeded  by  the  Rev.  A.  S.  Milholland,  who  came  to 
the  pastorate  Sept.  18,  1878.  He  remained  till  the 
spring  of  1880,  since  which  time  the  church  has  been 
without  a  regular  pastor.  The  Rev.  A.  B.  Fields  is 
now  (1881)  acting  as  stated  supply  for  one  year,  com- 
mencing March  9,  1881. 


Until  after  1815  the  Presbyterians  of  Brownsville 
had  no  regular  house  of  worship.  On  the  14th  of 
June  in  that  year  Joseph  Thornton,  John  Steel,  and 
John  Johnston,  trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  congrega- 
tion of  Brownsville,  purchased  for  two  hundred  dollars, 
and  five  shillings'  annual  ground-rent,  lot  No.  3,  on 
Second  Street,  being  sixty  feet  front  on  that  street, 
and  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet  deep  to  Market 
Street.  It  was  conveyed  to  them  "in  trust  for  the 
use  of  the  Presbyterian  congregation  of  Brownsville, 
for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  meeting-house  thereon, 
I  for  the  benefit  of  the  congregation  aforesaid."  Soon 
afterwards  there  was  built  on  the  Second  Street  front 
a  brick  edifice,  which  was  used  as  a-  house  of  worship 
until  the  present  church  was  completed  on  the  same 
lot  but  fronting  on  Market  Street. 

On  the  4th  of  May,  1822,  William  Steele,  William 
Forsyth,  and  Jesse  H.  Duncan,  trustees  of  the  Pres- 
byterian congregation,  purchased  a  lot  northeast  of 
I  and  adjoining  the  Episcopal  Church  lot  for  burial 
purposes. 

Of  the  elders,  William  Parkhill  was  the  only  one 
living  within  the  bounds  of  Brownsville  Church  at 
the  time  of  its  separation  from  Little  Redstone 
Church,  in  April,  1866.  A.  J.  Isler  and  Josiah  Reed 
were  the  next  elders  elected,  Aug.  27,  1873.  On  the 
13th  of  September,  1876,  J.  R.  Patterson  was  elected 
elder. 

The  church  now  (July,  1881)  numbers  one  hundred 
and  twenty-one  members.  A  Sabbath-school  con- 
nected with  the  church  has  an  attendance  of  about 
one  hundred,  including  teachers,  and  is  under  the 
superintendeucy  of  William  Parkhill. 

CHRIST   CHURCH 3   (PROTESTANT   EPISCOPAL). 

The  district  and  country  about  Brownsville  was 
settled  originally  by  emigrants  principally  from 
Maryland  and  Virginia,  many  of  whom  had  been 
reared  in  the  principles  and  forms  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  and  hence  brought  with  them  their  predilec- 
tions for  the  same.  This  is  evident  from  the  fact  that 
several  log  churches  were  built  by  the  early  settlers  in 
this  section  for  the  purpose  of  retaining  the  services 
of  the  church  among  them,  and  transmitting  the  same 
to  their  descendants.  As  these  buildings,  however, 
were  never  occupied  except  by  itinerating  clergymen, 
and  rarely  at  that,  the  intere.sts  of  the  people  gradu- 
ally declined,  the  buildings  decayed,  and  the  families 
whose  preference  had  once  been  given  to  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Church  sought  elsewhere  for  the 
word  of  life. 

One  of  these  early  churches  was  situated  .about 
five  miles  east  of  Brownsville,  on  the  land  formerly  of 
a  man  by  the  name  of  Clark.  The  grounds  around  this 
building  contained  about  an  acre,  and  they  still  belong 
to  the  church.     The  building  is,  however,  in  a  dilapi- 


In  .1  centennml  addre.ss,  delivered  Sept.  17,  1874. 
Bruwnsville  and  L:tlle  Redstoue  teing  at  that  tiir 
■  Duiilaps  Creek  ChuuL. 


'  separated  from       Rev. 


>wn  to  1852  is  from  a  sketcli  1) 
part  is  furuished  by  tlie  Rev. 


444 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


dated  condition,  and  tlie  families  wlio  once  worshiped 
tliere  eitlier  removed  or  are  scattered,  so  that  scarcely 
a  vestige  of  the  congregation  remains.  A  second  log 
church  was  erected  twelve  miles  west  of  Brownsville, 
on  the  main  road  leading  to  Washington.  The  lot, 
containing  about  an  acre,  was  given  originally  by  a 
Col.  Crooks,  and  belonged  to  the  church  as  late  as 
1848.  The  building,  like  the  former,  has  nearly  gone 
to  decay,  and  the  families  who  once  worshiped  in  it 
have  either  removed  or  lost  their  attachment  to  the  i 
church. 

Another  church  was  built  at  Carmichaeltown, 
twelve  miles  south  of  Brownsville.  The  grounds, 
however,  have  been  taken  possession  of  and  held  for 
many  years  by  the  county  (probably  with  the  consent 
of  the  owners)  and  an  academy  built  thereon.  The 
building  was  erected  mainly  by  Col.  Kicard  and 
Charles  Swan.  Tlicse  individuals  have  long  since 
died,  and  their  families  have  become  diverted  to  other 
forms  of  worship.  A  fuurth  church  building  of  the 
same  material  as  the  others  was  erected  about  half- 
way between  Uniontowu  and  Brownsville,  on  the 
farm  of  Eobert  Jackson.  The  old  building  was  re- 
moved, however,  a  few  years  since,  and  a  small 
though  comfortable  brick  church  erected  in  its  place. 
This  church,  known  by  the  name  of  Grace  Church, 
in  Menallen  township,  has  Inn;:  been  recoi;nizeil  by 
the  convention  as  a  iiii~si.>nai  v  >tutiiiii,  ami  services 
have  been  held  in  it  with  c..n-i.lenible  regularity  by 
clergvmen  officiating  at  Brownsville  and  Uniontowu. 

About  eight  miles  north  of  Brownsville,  on  the 
road  to  Pittsburgh,  there  was  erected  still  another  log 
building,  known  by  the  name  of  "  St,  I'eterV  ( 'Imieh, 
Pike  Kun."  At  the  first  settlement  of  this  neiulil.or- 
hood  there  were  here  many  Episcoiialiuns  friiiii  Ire- 
land, and  among  them  several  families  by  the  name 
of  West,  Gregg,  and  Hopkins.  Their  descendants 
have  manifested,  however,  in  later  years  but  feeble 
interest  in  the  church  of  their  fathers.  Considerable 
exertions  were  made  by  the  Rev.L.  N.  Freeman, 
formerly  rector  of  Christ  Church,  Brownsville,  in  be- 
half of  the  station.  The  building  was  repaired  and 
religious  services  frequently  held,  but  without  much 
permanent  utility,  as  there  seemed  to  be  a  lack  of  co- 
operation on  the  i)art  of  the  people.  The  Rt.  Rev. 
Bishop  Onderdonk  made  the  first  visit  to  this  station 
in  18;>>i,  enntiniiiiig  the  following  persons:  Mrs. 
Miirdv,  Mrs.  Nix. Ill,  aii<l  Miss  Mary  West.  The 
failure  in  the  estalilisliinent  of  the  church  at  these 
several  stations  is  mainly  to  be  attributed  to  the  want 

of  missionary  services    a ng    tliem.     Years   would 

pass  during  which  no  Kpiseupal  services  were  held 
and  no  minister  appeared  to  call  the  people  together. 
Could  the  ground  have  been  occupied  by  some  regu- 
lar itinerating  missionary  no  doubt  influential  par- 
islics  might  have  been  formed. 

With  regard  to  tlie  church  in  Brownsville  the  case 
appears  to  have  been  rather  more  favorable.  Services 
were  held  from  time  to  time  with  more  frequency,  and 


the  temporal  interests  of  the  church  especially  sus- 
tained with  more  ability  and  zeal,  though  many  un- 
toward circumstances  have  in  time  past  retarded  ma- 
terially the  progress  of  the  church.  Among  these  the 
resemblances  of  her  forms  and  ceremonies  to  those 
of  the  Church  of  England  excited  great  prejudice 
against  her  in  Revolutionary  times,  a  prejudice  which 
the  lapse  of  years  could  not  wholly  eradicate. 

The  first  episcopally  ordained  clergyman  we  have 
any  notice  of  as  officiating  in  what  is  now  Browns- 
ville was  a  certain  Mr.  Allison,  who,  in  1759,  came  as 
chaplain  to  the  soldiers  under  the  command  of  Capt. 
James  Burd,  wdio  came  to  erect  the  fort  of  that  name. 
Brownsville  was  at  that  period  but  a  frontier  post, 
and  known  by  the  name  of  "Redstone  Old  Fort." 
Of  the  itinerating  ministers  who  officiated  in  Browns- 
ville and  parts  adjacent  prior  to  any  important  move- 
ment in  the  parish  were  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mitchell,  the 
Rev.  Robert  Davis,  the  Rev.  Robert  Ayres,  and 
the  Rev.  Jackson  Kemper,  afterwards  Bishop  of  In- 
diana. The  first  of  these  officiated  in  Brownsville  in 
the  year  1785.  Little  else  is  known  re.speeting  him. 
The  second  officiated  in  this  place  immediately  pre- 
ceding and  after  the  commencement  of  the  present 
century,  viz.,  from  1795  to  1805.  He  was  an  Irishman 
by  birth,  and  originally  a  Methodist  minister  by  pro- 
fession. His  ministry,  however,  was  far  from  being 
useful  or  profitable  to  the  people.  So  inconsistent 
was  his  life  and  conduct  with  the  words  which  fell 
from  his  lips  that  religion  was  thrown  into  reproach 
and  the  princiiiles  of  the  church  into  abandonment. 

The  next  was  as  unworthy  of  the  sacred  ministry 
as  his  predecessor.  Whimsical  in  character  and  va- 
cillating in  principle,  he  proved  himself  untrue  to 
the  cliurch,  as  the  subsequent  and  final  preference 
which  he  gave  for  the  delusions  of  Swedenborg  will 
abundantly  testify.  This  gentleman  was  ordained  by 
Bishop  White  for  Brownsville,  and  officiated  about 
the  same  time  with  Mr.  Davis;  but  so  feeble  was  his 
character,  and  so  blameworthy  were  his  principles, 
that  the  people  would  not  attend  on  his  ministry. 
Jackson  Kemper  officiated  in  the  parish  of  Browns- 
ville in  the  fall  of  1811.  He  was  the  first  missionary 
of  the  Advancement  Society  to  this  part  of  the  coun- 
try, having  voluntarily  assumed  the  responsibility  of 
the  office.  His  stay  in  Brownsville  was  short,  as 
there  were  several  other  places  to  be  visited  in  his 
itineracy;  but  although  short,  it  was  no  doubt  fruit- 
ful of  good.  He  made  a  subsequent  visit  in  the 
year  1814,  baptizing  sundry  individuals,  as  follows: 
William  Hogg,  Ann  Bowman,  Harriet  E.  Bowman, 
Louisa  Bowman,  Matilda  Bowman,  William  Bowman, 
Goodloe  H.  Bowman,  and  Nelson  B.  Bowman. 

The  above-named  gentlemen,  acting  as  itinerant 
missionaries,  preceded  any  attempt  towards  the  or- 
ganization of  the  parish  or  the  erection  of  a  church 
edifice  A  successful  effort,  however,  had  been  made 
as  early  as  1796  towards  the  securing  of  a  church  lot 
in    Brownsville.     Many   of   the   original   settlers   of 


BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


445 


Brownsville,  as  we  have  intimated,  were  Episcopa- 
lians. But  in  the  laying  out  of  the  town  they  ne- 
glected to  set  apart  a  suitable  spot  for  a  church  edi- 
fice and  grounds.  This  negligence  was,  however, 
abundantly  compensated  by  the  judgment  and  fore- 
sight of  three  gentlemen,  who  volunteered  to  purchase 
a  lot  of  ground  at  their  own  expense  for  the  benefit 
of  the  church.  The  lot,  being  the  eligible  and  beau- 
tiful site  upon  which  the  present  edifice  now  stands, 
was  bought  from  Samuel  Jackson  for  the  sum  of 
twenty  pounds.  A  copy  of  the  receipt  for  the  pur- 
chase-money is  herewith  given  : 

"Brownsville,  the  27th  August,  1790. 

"  Then  received  of  Charles  Wheeler  the  sum  of 
twenty  pounds,  seven  shillings,  and  sixpence,  being 
in  full  of  the  consideration  money  for  a  certain  lot  of 
ground  sold  for  the  use  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  by  me. 

"  Samuel  Jackson." 

This  receipt  for  the  purchase-money  was  considered 
by  the  purchasers  as  a  sufficient  bill  of  sale.  The 
three  purchasers  of  the  ground  were  Dr.  Charles 
Wheeler,  William  Hogg,  and  Jacob  Bowman.  Dr. 
Wheeler  was  an  Englishman  and  a  surgeon  by  pro- 
fession, who,  after  serving  in  Dunmore's  war,  settled 
on  a  farm  about  four  miles  west  of  Brownsville.  He 
was  warmly  attached  to  the  church,  and  when  dis- 
posing of  his  worldly  effects  bequeathed  to  the  same 
one  hundred  pounds,  to  be  paid  at  the  death  of  his 
wife.  Mrs.  Wheeler  lived  many  years  after  her  hus- 
band's death,  having  reached  the  advanced  age  of 
ninety-four  years,  a  fact  which  seems  to  have  been 
much  to  the  advantage  of  the  church,  inasmuch  as 
his  landed  estate  had  greatly  increased  in  value  during 
her  life,  so  that  the  church  at  the  time  of  her  death 
received  as  a  residuary  legatee  about  six  hundred 
dollars. 

William  Hogg  was  also  an  Englishman  by  birth, 
and  warmly  attached  to  the  church  of  his  fathers. 
During  his  residence  in  Brownsville  he  acquired  a 
large  property,  but  as  he  contributed  largely  to  the 
church  during  his  lifetime,  and  especially  towards  the 
erection  of  the  edifice  and  the  subsequent  improve- 
ment of  it,  and  also  towards  the  preached  gospel,  he 
left  no  final  bequest  to  the  parish.  His  nephew, 
however,  George  Hogg,  formerly  a  communicant  of 
Christ  Church,  subsequently  gave  out  of  his  uncle's 
estate  five  hundred  dollars  towards  the  erection  of  the 
parsonage,  additional  to  five  hundred  dollars  of  his 
own.  William  Hogg  died  in  1840,  and  was  buried  in 
the  churchyard. 

Jacob  Bowman  was  born  in  the  State  of  Maryland, 
and  was  raised  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 
Upon  his  settlement  in  Brownsville,  however,  he  gave 
his  preferences  to  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  con- 
nected himself  therewith.  For  thirty  years  he  was 
the  senior  warden,  and  in  this,  his  ofiicial  capacity, 
his  conduct  was  ever  marked  by  an  undeviating  at- 
29 


tachment  to  the  church,  and  also  uniform  and  con- 
sistent piety.  He  accumulated  a  large  estate  during 
his  life,  out  of  which  he  was  very  liberal  in  the  be- 
stowal of  his  charities.  Both  the  church  edifice  and 
the  parsonage  received  a  very  liberal  subscription  at 
his  hands.  Moreover,  at  his  death  he  bequeathed  two 
thousand  dollars  to  the  parish,  appropriating  the  same 
towards  the  support  of  public  worship.  Long  will 
the  church  have  occasion  to  remember  with  gratitude 
this  its  munificent  patron.  He  died  in  1847,  and  lies 
buried  in  the  churchyard. 

Such  and  so  praiseworthy  were  these  three  gentle- 
men, who  originally  purchased  the  church  property, 
and  who,  from  their  individual  ability  no  less  than 
from  their  attachment  to  the  church,  were  mainly 
instrumental,  under  the  wise  providence  of  God,  in 
its  preservation  in  early  years,  mainly  instrumental 
in  the  transmission  of  the  same,  a  precious  heritage 
to  posterity. 

In  the  year  1814  the  Rev.  Mr.  Clay  succeeded  Mr. 
Kemper  as  missionary  of  the  Advancement  Society  in 
Western  Pennsylvania.  He  arrived  in  Brownsville 
the  20th  of  July,  and  shortly  after  urged  the  people 
to  build  a  church  upon  the  lot  of  ground  which  al- 
ready they  had  in  possession.  They  received  the  sug- 
gestion most  favorably,  and  on  the  27th  met  to  arrange 
measures  to  accomplish  the  object.  At  this  meeting 
seven  trustees  were  appointed,  viz.:  Jacob  Bowman, 
Charles  Wheeler,  William  Hogg,  Michael  Sowers, 
Robert  Clarke,  John  Nin,  and  George  Hogg.  The 
sum  of  S500  was  subscribed  upon  the  spot,  and  a  com- 
mittee of  two  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  procuring 
the  names  of  others.  Before  Mr.  Clay  left  Browns- 
ville the  sum  of  twelve  hundred  dollars  had  been  sub- 
scribed, and  the  promise  given  on  the  part  of  some  to 
add  fifty  per  cent,  to  their  subscriptions  should  it  be 


Among  the  most  active  were  the  three  trustees  first 
named,  still  it  is  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Clay,  of  Gloria 
Dei  Ciiurch,  Philadelphia,  that  we  are  to  accord  the 
principal  merit.  It  was  through  his  missionary  zeal 
and  pious  exertions  that  dormant  energies  were 
aroused  into  action  among  the  people,  and  a  right 
spirit  awakened  in  behalf  of  the  church.  Of  course 
there  was  material  in  the  parish  on  which  to  act,  but 
years  had  already  passed  and  no  progress  had  been 
made,  and  time  was  fast  obliterating  the  sympathies 
of  former  years.  It  was  through  his  missionary  ex- 
ertions, therefore,  that  the  right  spirit  was  awakened 
among  the  people,  as  the  subsequent  movements  of 
the  parish  abundantly  testify. 

On  the  2Gth  of  August,  1814,  the  first  vestry  was 
duly  organized,  the  following  gentlemen  consenting 
to  act  as  its  constituent  members :  Jacob  Bowman, 
William  Hogg,  Robert  Clarke,  Charles  Wheeler,  John 
Nin,  Basil  Brashear,  Basil  Brown,  Charles  Ford, 
Geoge  Hogg,  Henry  Stump,  Thomas  Brown,  and 
Henry  B.  Goe.  At  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  vestry, 
held  upon  the  15th  of  April,  181-5,  William  Hogg  and 


446 


IIISTOEY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Robert  Clarke  were  appointed  a  committee  to  make 
an  estimate  as  to  the  expense  of  a  church  building,  | 
and  to  give  out  proposals  for  the  erection  of  the  same. 
They  did  so,  both  publishing  their  advertisement  in 
the  Fayetfe  and  Greene  Spectator,  then  published  at 
Uniontown,  and  also  posting  it  up  in  the  public 
places  of  the  neighborhood.  Proposals  being  handed 
in,  there  was  a  meeting  of  the  vestry  upon  the  6th  of 
June  following,  whereon  a  contract  was  duly  made 
with  Isaac  Linn  for  the  erection  of  the  church.  This 
contract  was  in  substance  as  follows  :  The  church  was 
to  be  built  of  stone,  fifty-five  feet  long  by  thirty- 
eight  feet  wide.  It  was  to  have  a  substantial  roof,  but 
no  joiner-work  in  the  interior.  The  cost  of  the  same 
to  be  81700. 

The  work  on  the  part  of  the  bull  'er  was  duly  per- 
formed, and  paid  for  by  the  vestry.  But  after  the 
walls  were  raised  the  condition  of  things  appears  to 
have  been  at  a  stand  for  many  years.  No  further 
efforts  appear  to  have  been  made  towards  the  comple- 
tion of  the  building,  and  no  important  movement  was 
undertaken  by  the  church  and  people.  Undoubtedly 
this  ])eriod  of  lethargy  originated  in  tlie  fact  that  the 
parish  was  destitute  of  the  ministrations  of  a  settled 
clergyman.  Few  epi.scopally  ordained  clergymen 
came  at  that  time  west  of  the  mountains,  unless  it 
was  to  some  important  parishes,  or  for  the  purpose  of 
itinerating  for  a  while  on  missionary  ground.  And 
with  respect  to  those  who  might  be  termed  "sons  of 
the  soil,"  they  were  so  fe\y  in  number  and  so  far  be- 
tween as  to  be  altogether  inadequate  to  meet  the  mis- 
sionary demand.  It  is  a  matter  of  notice,  indeed,  that 
between  the  erection  of  the  church  and  the  settle- 
ment of  the  first  minister  occasional  visits  were  made 
by  certain  clergymen,  as  is  evident  from  the  entries 
of  ba]itisms  made  upon  the  records  of  private  families 
and  transferred  to  tlie  chnrch  records.  P.iit  beyond 
these  occasional  visits  on  thepartof  the  above  clergy- 
men, no  opportunities  were  afforded  the  parish  either 
of  enjoying  the  services  of  the  church  or  being  in- 
structed in  her  principles. 

During  this  period  it  afipearsthat  Samuel  Jackson,  I 
the  original  grantor  of  the  land,  died,  and  hence  it 
became  necessary  for  the  vestry  to  petition  the  court 
at  Uniontown,  held  on  the  first  IMonday  in  ilarch, 
1819,  to  authorize  the  executors  of  Samuel  Jackson  to 
make  a  deed  in  conformity  with  the  contract  made  in 
his  liletime.  The  evidence  of  the  existing  contract 
being  considered  sufficient  by  the  court,  the  executors 
were  accordingly  authorized  to  comply  with  the  peti- 
tion of  the  vestry,  and  on  tlie  2'2d  day  of  May,  1820,  ! 
a  deed  in  proper  form  was  executed  and  delivered  to 
the  vestry.  On  the  20th  of  March,  1821,  an  arrange- 
ment was  made  between  the  vestry  and  Henry  Bark- 
man  for  the  completion  of  the  church  edifice.  Ac- 
cordingly the  building  was  finished,  and  was  used 
for  public  services  immediately  upon  its  completion. 

Upon  the  24th  of  September,  1822,  the  vestry  in- 
vited the  Rev.  Mr.  Phifl'er,  of  Baltimore,  to  become 


their  minister.  The  terms  of  the  invitation  were, 
however,  somewhat  conditional,  the  parish  proposing 
to  occupy  his  services  for  one-half  of  the  time,  in  the 
expectation  that  the  neighboring  stations  at  Connells- 
ville  and  Union  would  employ  the  remainder.  But 
it  appears  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phiflfer  declined  the  invita- 
tion, recommending,  however,  the  Rev.  John  Baus- 
man,  his  brother-in-law,  to  supply  his  place.  The 
vestry  accordingly  invited  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bausman 
upon  the  same  terms  as  the  other.  He  accepted  the 
invitation,  and  commenced  his  labors  in  the  parisli 
upon  the  22d  of  March,  1823.  As  the  church  edifice 
was  not  completed  at  this  time,  divine  services  were 
held  at  the  Presbyterian  meeting-house  of  the  place. 
By  the  30th  of  November  of  the  same  year  the  build- 
ing was  completed  and  ready  to  be  opened.  It  was 
occupied  from  that  day  forth  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Baus- 
man for  the  public  worship  of  the  congregation.  But 
although  it  was  thus  used  for  the  first  time,  it  was  not 
duly  consecrated  until  the  22d  of  June,  1825.  It  was 
then  that  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  White,  the  first 
bishop  of  the  diocese,  made  his  first  visit  to  the  West, 
and  several  persons  were  confirmed  according  to  the 
rites  and  institutions  of  the  church,  and  the  church 
building  consecrated  to  the  worship  and  service  of 
Almighty  God. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bausman  continued  his  labors  in  the 
parish  for  the  space  of  about  four  years,  then  handing 
in  his  resignation,  which  was  accepted  upon  the  8th 
of  March,  1827.  The  church  was  greatly  strength- 
ened by  his  faithful  and  efficient  ministry.  Upon  the 
8th  of  March,  1827,  the  same  day  of  Mr.  Bausman's 
resignation,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Phiffer  was  elected  in  his 
stead.  His  resignation  was  accepted  by  the  vestry 
on  the  1st  of  August,  1829.  The  parish  continued 
without  a  rector  until  the  following  spring,  when, 
upon  the  4th  of  April,  1830,  the  Rev.  L.  N.  Freeman 
was  duly  elected  rector.  He  commenced  his  labors 
iu  July  of  the  same  year,  and  labored  with  diligence 
in  his  vocation  and  ministry.  During  the  rectorship 
of  Mr.  Freeman  (April  19,  1841)  it  was  resolved  by 
the  vestry  to  take  measures  for  the  erection  of  a  suit- 
able parsonage.  Contract  was  made  with  John  John- 
ston and  Thomas  Butcher  for  the  sum  of  $2200.  At 
the  same  time  a  part  of  the  land  belonging  to  the 
church  was  exchanged  for  a  certain  piece  of  land  be- 
longing to  George  Hogg,  in  order  that  the  lot  might 
have  a  rectangular  shape.  Upon  it  the  parsonage 
now  stands. 

On  the  20th  of  September,  1841,  the  Rev.  L.  N. 
Freeman  tendered  his  resignation  to  the  vestry,  which 
was  accepted.  LTpon  the  11th  of  Decemberof  the  same 
year  the  Rev.  Enos  Woodward  was  invited  to  become 
therectorof  the  church.  The  invitation  was  accepted, 
and  he  shortly  after  entered  upon  his  duties.  During 
his  rectorship,  as  appears  from  the  minutes  of  the 
vestry,  the  church  was,  for  the  first  time,  regularly 
incorporated  by  the  name  and  style  of  "  The  Rector, 
Church  Wardens,  and  Vestrymen  of  Christ  Church, 


BROWNSVILLE  BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


447 


of  Brownsville."  The  Rev.  Mr.  Woodward  remained 
in  the  parish  for  about  three  years.  He  tendered  his 
resignation  March  24,  1845,  whicli  was  accepted  by 
the  vestry.  Upon  the  6th  of  June  following,  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Cowell  took  charge  of  the  parish. 

The  church  was  thoroughly  repaired  during  the 
months  of  June  and  July,  J  845,  through  the  exer- 
tions chiefly  of  the  ladies  of  the  parish.  About  the 
same  time  a  vestry-room  was  also  erected  on  the  rear  of 
the  cliurch.  At  this  time  the  congregation  numbered 
forty-eight  families.  Adults,  125  ;  children,  58  ;  total, 
183. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Cowell,  who  was  called  to  the 
rectorship  of  the  parish  in  June,  1845,  and  took 
charge  in  the  following  July,  resigned  on  the  6tli  of 
October,  1852,  his  resiguation  taking  eftect  the  1st 
of  November  of  the  same  year.  During  the  years 
1851  and  1852  an  effort  was  made  to  build  a  house 
for  the  sexton,  which  effort  was  successful,  the 
Messrs.  J.  L.  Bowman  and  William  Dean  being  the 
committee  to  raise  funds,  and  the  Messrs.  G.  H.  and 
N.  B.  Bowman  being  the  building  committee.  The 
house  cost  about  twelve  hundred  dollars,  which 
amount  was  in  part  raised  by  the  ladies  of  the  parish, 
and  the  balance  by  subscription. 

In  November,  1853,  the  Rev.  J.  A.  Jerome  was 
called  to  the  rectorship  of  the  parish,  which  call, 
after  some  delay,  was  declined.  In  February,  1853, 
the  Rev.  James  Lee  Maxwell  was  called,  which  call 
was  also  declined. 

In  April,  1853,  the  Rev.  Richard  Temple  was  in- 
vited to  be  rector  of  the  parish.  The  call  was  ac- 
cepted, Mr.  Temple  taking  charge  April  29,  1853. 
On  July  12,  1854,  Mr.  Temple  offered  his  resignation 
on  account  of  ill  health.  The  resignation  was  ac- 
cepted by  the  vestry,  and  the  parish  was  again  de- 
clared vacant.  On  the  9th  of  December  of  the  same 
year  a  unanimous  call  was  extended  to  the  Rev. 
James  J.  Page  of  Virginia.  After  some  deliberation 
Mr.  Page  accepted  the  call,  and  took  charge  the  19th 
of  January,  1S55. 

The  winter  of  1855  and  1856  was  a  very  cold  one, 
and  the  church  building  then  occupied  being  very 
open,  many  of  the  people  suffered  severely  from  the 
cold.  It  seemed  impossible  to  get  the  church  warm 
enough  for  comfort.  Much  complaint  was  made,  and 
the  parish  was  greatly  disturbed  by  the  matter.  One 
evening  during  the  winter  two  ladies  of  the  congre- 
gation, Mrs.  Adam  Jacobs  and  Mrs.  Mary  M.  Gum- 
mert,  were  visiting  the  family  of  Mr.  James  L.  Bow- 
man. The  subject  of  a  new  church  was  introduced. 
Mrs.  Jacobs  asked  Mr.  Bowman  how  much  he  would 
give  towards  it?  He  replied  immediately  three 
thousand  dollars  for  myself  and  one  thousand  dollars 
for  Mrs.  Bowman.  The  two  ladies  above  mentioned 
procured  a  subscription  paper  at  once  and  secured 
five  thousand  dollars  in  a  few  hours,  and  in  a  few 
days  had  upon  their  paper  about  eight  thousand 
dollars. 


At  a  meeting  of  the  vestry  held  on  April  11,  1856, 
the  Messrs.  N.  B.  Bowman,  G.  H.  Bowman,  and  John 
Johnston  were  appointed  a  building  committee  to  act 
as  an  executive  body  for  the  vestry  in  the  matter  of 
the  new  church,  and  Mr.  J.  L.  Bowman  was  appointed 
treasurer.  The  contract  for  the  new  building  was 
awarded  to  Messrs.  William  H.  Johnston  and  Jona- 
than Wilson.  The  church  as  it  now  stands  cost 
about  twenty  thousand  dollars.  It  was  consecrated 
by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Alonzo  Potter,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Page  resigned  the  charge  of  the 
parish  in  the  winter  of  1861  and  1862,  after  a  rector- 
ship of  six  years. 

On  May  19, 1862,  a  unanimous  call  was  by  the  vestry 
extended  to  the  Rev.  J.  F.  Ohl,  of  New  Castle,  Pa., 
who  accepted  the  call  and  took  charge  of  the  parish 
'Jan.  1,  1863.  On  Feb.  5,  1866,  Mr.  Ohl  tendered 
his  resignation,  to  take  effect  the  second  Sunday  in 
April  of  same  year.  The  resignation  was  accepted, 
and  at  the  specified  time  the  parish  was  again  vacant 
after  a  rectorshij)  of  over  three  years. 

On  the  3d  day  of  May,  1866,  a  call  was  extended 
by  the  vestry  to  the  Rev.  S.  E.  Arnold,  who  declined 
the  invitation.  Then  the  Rev.  O.  Permchief  was 
called,  and  also  declined. 

In  June  of  the  same  year  the  Rev.  H.  H.  Loring, 
of  Olean,  N.  Y.,  was  called  to  the  rectorship  of  the 
parish,  which  call  was  accepted,  the  rector  taking 
charge  shortly  after. 

On  the  29th  day  of  January,  1872,  Mr.  Loring  ten- 
dered his  resignation  to  the  vestry,  to  take  effect 
at  Easter  of  same  year,  viz.,  March  31st.  The  vestry 
accepted  the  resignation,  to  .take_ effect  at  the  time 
specified,  and  on  the  1st  day  of  April  of  the  same 
year  the  parish  was  again  declared  vacant  after  a 
rectorship  of  nearly  six  years. 

On  the  14th  of  May  of  the  same  year  the  vestry 
tendered  to  the  Rev.  J.  F.  Ohl  an  invitation  to  again 
become  their  rector.  The  call  was  declined.  In  June 
of  the  same  year  a  call  was  extended  to  the  Rev.  S. 
D.  Day,  of  Rockford,  111.  The  call  was  declined  at 
this  tinie.  It  was  renewed  in  September  of  the  same 
year,  and  then  accepted,  the  rector  taking  charge 
Jan.  16,  1873,  and  is  now  in  charge.  At  the  present 
time  there  is  a  chapel  in  the  course  of  erection.  It  is 
to  be  built  of  stone  with  open  timbered  roof.  The 
walls  are  completed,  and  the  contract  for  the  wood- 
work has  been  awarded  to  Messrs.  Gibbons,  Wood  & 
Cromlow.  The  cost  of  building  when  completed  will 
be  about  three  thousand  dollars. 

The  statistics  of  the  parish,  according  to  the  rec- 
tor's report,  are  as  follows  for  the  year  ending  June 
1,  1881:  Families,  50;  present  number  of  confirmed 
members,  105 ;  contributions  for  parish  purpose.", 
$2783.06;  for  diocesan  work,  $261.50;  for  missions 
and  other  charitable  work  outside  the  diocese,  $400  ; 
total,  $3444.56.  The  present  members  of  the  vestry 
are  Messrs.  Nelson  Blair  Bowman,  John  Wallace, 
John  Johnson,  James  Witherington    Jeffries,  John 


418 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Nelson  Snowdon,  James  Lowry  Bowman,  William 
Chatland,  Charles  Leifla  Snowden,  Samuel  Page 
Knox;  Church  Wardens,  Messrs.  N.  B.  Bowman, 
John  Wallace.  The  building  committee  on  the  chapel 
are  Messrs.  N.  B.  Bowman,  J.  W.  Jeffries,  J.  L. 
Bowman,  and  the  rector,  Mr.  C.  L.  Snowdon,  being 
treasurer  of  the  chapel  fund. 

The  parish  has  suffered  much  during  the  past  eight 
years  by  removals,  and  especially  by  death.  Two  of 
the  most  valuable  and  liberal  supporters  of  the  church 
have  gone  to  rest,— Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  H.  Bowman,  j 
These  were  untiring  in  their  good  work  for  the  church, 
and  their  places  cannot  be  tilled. 


The  history  of  Catholicity  in  this  mission  prior  to 
the  year  1800  is  involved  in  obscurity.  After  this 
date  we  find  that  the  Rev.  F.  X.  O'Brien  had  this 
town  as  the  centre  of  his  mission,  which  comprised 
the  southwestern  counties  of  the  State,  viz.:  Greene, 
Washington,  Fayette,  Allegheny,  Westmoreland, 
Beaver,  Butler,  Lawrence,  Mercer,  Armstrong,  and 
part  of  Somerset.  In  1S07  he  fixed  his  residence  at 
Pittsburgh,  visiting  Brownsville  occasionally  until 
his  retirement  in  1810.  His  successor,  the  Rev. 
Charles  B.  Maguire,  either  by  himself  or  his  assist- 
ants, attended  to  the  necessities  of  the  few  Catholics 
here  until  his  demise  in  1834.  One  of  his  assistants, 
the  Rev.  P.  Rafferty,  the  present  pastor  of  St.  Francis 
XavierV,  Philadelphia,  built  old  St.  Peter's,  a  neat 
brick  edifire,  said  at  that  time  to  be  ojie  of  the  best 
churches  in  An)erica.  From  1S.33  until  1S37  they 
were  visited  only  four  times  a  year  from  Blairsville 
by  the  Rev.  J.  A.  Stillinger,  the  present  pastor  of  that 
place.  In  the  baptismal  registry  (the  first  kept  here) 
we  find  that  in  July,  1837,  the  Rev.  Michael  Gal- 
lagher had  charge  of  the  district  then  comprising 
the  counties  of  Fayette,  Greene,  and  Washington, 
and  part  of  Somerset  and  Allegheny  Counties. 

01(1  St.  Peter's  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  the  2.5th  of 
March,  1842.  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gallagher  com- 
menced Ijuikling  the  present  church,  which  was  dedi- 
cated to  the  service  of  Almighty  God  on  the  6th  of 
April,  1845. 

In  1848,  Mr.  Gallagher  retired  from  the  mission, 
and  associated  himself  with  the  hermits  of  St.  Au- 
gustine, at  Philadelphia.  From  1848  until  May, 
18.51,  there  seems  to  have  been  no  permanent  pastor. 
The  names  of  Rev.  Messrs.  Reynolds,  Kearney, 
Kenny,  and  McGowen  appear  on  the  registry. 

In  1851,  Rev.  Wm.  Lambert  was  again  appointed 
to  the  charge  of  the  eastern  portion  of  the  district, 
viz. :  Fayette  County,  eastern  part  of  Greene  and 
Washington  ;  tlic  remainder  of  Greene  and  Washing- 
ton l)cing  formed  into  a  sejiarate  mission.  Rev.  John 
Larkin  succeeded  ]Mr.  Lambert  until  Aug.  14,  A.D. 
1855,  when  Rev.  Peter  Mal.acliy  Garvey  entered  upon 
the  duties  of  this  charge. 


In  January,  1856,  Father  Garvey  drew  up  the  fol- 
lowing, which  shows  the  state  of  the  Catholics  scat- 
tered over  the  mission  : 

"  There  are  at  present  in  the  Brownsville  districi 
190  souls  which  can  be  called  a  permanent  popula- 
tion, and  about  80  of  a  floating  population.  In  thj 
Uniontown  or  mountain  district  the  permanent  popu- 
lation is  eighty,  with  a  floating  or  unsettled  popula- 
tion of  twenty-five. 

"Number  of  families  in  the  Brownsville  district 
38  ;  Uniontown  district,  16  ;  total,  54. 

"  Number  of  Easter  communions  in  Brownsville, 
108;  in  Uniontown,  42;  total,  150." 

The  Right  Rev.  Dr.  O'Connor,  bishop  of  the  dio- 
cese, made  his  visitation  of  this  mission  as  follows  al 
Brownsville,  Sept.  4,  A.D.  1856,  when  twenty-seven 
received  the  sacrament  of  confirmation,  as  will  aj)- 
pear  by  the  registry,  and  at  Uniontown  on  the  5th, 
when  fifteen  were  confirmed.  Total  communions  in 
1856:  permanent,  345;  floating,  60;  total,  405. 

The  following  is  found  in  the  church  records:  "] 
find  at  present  date,  1859,  in  the  county  of  Fayette 
and  that  part  of  Washington  and  Greene  attached  tc 
the  Brownsville  mission,  viz. :  from  Monongahela  City 
to  Rice's  Landing,  a  population  of  480,  of  which  280, 
I  believe,  are  permanent  or  will  remain  at  least  a  few 
years,  and  150  who  are  not  likely  to  remain  over  a 
few  months.  The  latter  may  be  found  scattered  along 
to  Youghiogheny  from  West  Newton  to  Connellsville, 
and  at  Belle  Vernon  and  other  places  along  the  Mo- 
nongahela." 

The  following  pastors  have  been  in  charge  from 
1859  to  the  present  time :  Revs.  F.  Morgan,  1859  ; 
Henry  Haney,  1869;  Henry  McCue,  1870;  P.  Her- 
man, 1874;  Martin  Ryan,  1877;  Arthur  Devlin,  in 
the  same  year  ;  H.  Connery,  1879 ;  C.  A.  McDermott, 
May,  1880 ;  H.  Connery,  June,  1881. 

Uniontown  and  its  adjacent  stations  were  formed 
into  a  separate  and  independent  district  the  1st  of 
June,  1881.  The  present  number  of  communicants 
in  the  Brownsville  mission  is  sixty. 

B.tPTIST   CHURCH   OF   BROWNSVILLE. 

A  small  Baptist  society  existed  in  Brownsville  for 
many  years  prior  to  1842,  but  the  precise  date  of  its 
formation  cannot  be  given.  At  that  time  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Wood  was  their  pastor,  and  their  meetings  for 
worship  were  held  in  the  basement  of  the  Masonic 
Hall  building.  On  the  15th  of  April,  in  the  year 
named,  George  Hogg  sold  to  Evan  Evans,  Morgan 
Mason,  and  Tilson  Fuller,  trustees  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  a  lot  of  land  on  Church  Street  below  the 
Methodist  Church  lot,  and  on  this  land  they  shortly 
afterwards  built  a  brick  building,  40  by  60  feet  in  size, 
which  became  the  society's  house  of  worship. 

The  successors  of  the  Rev.  Jlr.  Wood  in  the  pas- 
toral oflice  have  been  the  Revs.  William  Barnes,  Rich- 
ard Austin, Hughes,  and  William  Barnes  (sec- 
ond pastorate),  who  ceased  his  connection  with  this 


BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


church  in  1880.  The  congregation  is  now  without  a 
pastor  and  feeble  in  numbers.  The  present  member- 
ship is  chiefly  outside  the  borough  of  Brownsville. 

BURIAL-GKOUNDS. 
On  the  hill  adjoining  the  "  public  square"  on  Front 
Street  is  Brownsville's  oldest  burial-place,  but  now, 
and  for  some  years  past,  inclosed  with  the  grounds  of 
J.  W.  Jeffries.  Within  the  inclosure  may  be  seen  the 
bead-stone  which  once  marked  the  grave  of  Thomas 
Brown,  the  founder  of  the  town.  Upon  it  is  the  fol- 
lowing inscription,  still  legible:  "Here  lies  the  body 
of  Thomas  Brown,  who  once  was  owner  of  this  town. 
Departed  this  life  March,  1797,  aged  59  years."  There 
is  also  a  stone  sacred  to  the  memory  of  Basil  King, 
who  died  in  1805,  and  three  others,  which  were  re- 
spectively erected  over  the  graves  of  John  H.  and 
Archibald  Wiishington  and  Edward  B.  Machen,  all 
of  whom  died  in  1818.  These  three  men  (of  whom 
the  latter  was  a  native  of  South  Carolina,  and  the 
other  two  of  Southampton,  Va.)  were  members  of  a 
party  who  came  through  from  Baltimore,  Md.,  having 
with  them  a  gang  of  negro  slaves,  manacled  and 
chained  together,  and  bound  for  Kentucky,  which 
they  expected  to  reach  by  flat-boat  from  Brownsville, 
down  the  Monongahela  and  Ohio.  Arriving  at 
Brownsville  they  were  compelled  to  wait  there  for 
some  time  for  the  means  of  transportation  down  the 
river,  and  during  the  period  of  this  delay  the  "jail 
fever"  broke  out  among  the  negroes,  several  of  whom 
died  and  were  buried  in  the  south  part  of  the  public 
ground.  The  disease  was  communicated  to  the  white 
men ;  the  two  Washingtons  took  it,  and  both  died  on 
the  10th  of  April  in  the  year  named.  Machen  was 
also  a  victim,  and  died  three  davs  later,  April  13th. 
All  thrfee  were  interred  in  the  old  burial-ground,  and 
stones  erected  over  their  graves,  as  before  mentioned. 
These  stones,  as  well  as  all  others  in  this  old  ground, 
have  been  removed  from  their  places  at  the  graves 
which  they  once  marked,  and  none  are  now  left  stand- 
ing, though  these  and  a  number  of  others  still  remain 
within  the  inclosure.  Many  years  have  passed  since 
any  interments  were  made  here,  and,  save  the  k)ose 
stones  which  still  remain,  there  is  nothing  seen  upon 
the  spot  to  indicate  that  it  was  ever  used  as  a  burial- 
place. 

Connected  with  the  churchyards  of  the  Episcopal 
and  Methodist  Churches  are  grounds  set  apart  many 
years  ago  for  burial  purposes,  and  containing  a  great 
number  of  graves.  These  were  in  general  use  as 
places  of  interment  until  the  opening  of  the  ceme- 
tery outside  the  borough  limits,  about  twenty  years 
ago.  The  Catholics  have  a  cemetery  connected  with 
the  grounds  of  their  church. 

The  "  Redstone  Cemetery,"  situated  on  the  high 
land  on  the  south  side  of  the  National  road,  about 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  southeastwardly  from  Browns- 


ville, was  laid  out  and  established  as  a  burial-ground 
by  an  association  formed  in  1860,  and  composed  of 
William  L.  Lafferty,  Rev.  B.  Wallace,  William  H. 
Clarke,  James  Slocum,  William  M.  Ledwith,  William 
Parkhill,  Thomas  C.  Tiernan,  John  R.  Button,  David 
Kno.K,  and  Capt.  Adam  Jacobs.  They  purchased  the 
cemetery  tract  (about  nine  acres)  of  Daniel  Bruba- 
ker  for  $1600.  The  soil  is  underlaid,  at  a  depth  of 
about  two  feet,  with  a  bed  of  soft  sandstone,  and  this, 
in  the  case  of  each  interment,  is  cut  through  to  the 
required  size  of  the  grave,  thus  forming  a  sort  of 
vault,  which  in  making  the  burial  is  covered  by  a 
flag-stone,  of  which  a  large  supply  is  constantly  kept 
on  hand  by  the  association. 

The  cemetery  is  located  on  a  spot  which  was  made 
attractive  by  nature,  and  its  beauty  has  been  greatly 
enhanced  by  the  laying  out,  which  was  done  in  the 
modern  style  of  cemeteries,  with  winding  paths  and 
graded  carriage-ways,  and  all  embellished  by  the 
planting  of  ornamental  trees,  with  an  abundance  of 
evergreens.  There  have  been  many  handsome  and 
expensive  monuments  and  memorial  stones  erected 
in  this  ground,  and  in  regard  to  these  and  other  par- 
ticulars, few  cemeteries  can  be  found  more  beautiful 
than  this. 

The  cemetery  association,  formed  in  1860,  was  not 
chartered  until  Feb.  24,  1877.  The  first  president 
was  Dr.  AVilliam  L.  Lafferty  ;  secretary  and  treas- 
urer, William  M.  Ledwith.  In  1865,  Dr.  Lafferty 
was  succeeded  by  John  R.  Dutton,  the  present  presi- 
dent. 

POST-OFFICE. 


The  Brownsville  post-office  was  established  Jan.  1, 
1795.  Following  is  the  list  of  postmasters  from  its 
establishment  to  the  present  time : 

Jacob  Bowman,  Jan.  1,  1795. 

Martin  Tiernan,  April  29,  1S29. 

Margaret  Tiernan,  Dec.  6,  18.34. 

William  G.  Roberts,  Dec.  12,  1838. 

William  Sloan,  July  10,  1841. 

Henry  J.  Rigden,  June  4,  1845. 

William  Sloan,  May  11,  1849. 

Isaac  Bailey,  May  18,  1853. 

Samuel  S.  Snowdon,  March  13,  1861. 

Oliver  P.  Baldwin,  March  7,  1865. 

Henry  Bulger,  April  9,  1869. 

John  S.  Wilgus,  April  9,  1873. 

J.  Nelson  Snowdon,  Jan.  23,  1878. 

EXTINGUISHMENT  OF  FIRES. 
Brownsville  has  never  had  a  fire  department,  nor 
has  there  ever  been  in  the  borough  any  efficient  or- 
ganization furnished  with  adequate  apparatus  and 
appliances  for  the  extinguishment  of  fires,  though  at 
least  three  of  the  old  style  h.and  fire  engines  have 
been  purchased.  The  date  of  the  purchase  of  the 
first  of  these  has  not  been  ascertained,  for  the  reason 
that  no  borough  records  cdn  be  found  covering  the 


450 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


period  fronj  March,  1821,  to  August,  1840,'  as  before 
mentioned.  That  the  borough  was  in  possession  of 
an  engine-house,  and  therefore,  presumably,  an  en- 
gine, prior  to  the  latter  date,  is  shown  by  the  fact 
that  at  that  time  a  bill  was  presented  and  allowed  by 
the  board  "  for  painting  the  Engine-House." 

On  the  12th  of  October,  1842,  the  petition  of  about 
fifty  citizens  was  presented  "  praying  the  Council  to 
jirovide  suitably  to  guard  against  the  accident  of  fire, 
and  to  take  a  loan  for  the  purpose  of  defraying  the 
necessary  expenses  thereof"  At  the  same  time  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  examine  the  three 
springs'  at  the  head  of  the  town  with  a  view  to  the 
construction  and  supply  of  a  reservoir,  and  to  report 
on  the  same.  On  the  17th  of  the  same  month  the 
committee  reported  that  to  "  construct  a  reservoir  at 
the  spring  above  Workman's,  thirty  feet  square  and 
twelve  feet  deep,  and  to  cover  the  same,  and  to  bring 
the  water  through  iron  pipes  to  Brashear's  Alley,  will 
cost  about  one  thousand  dollars ;  and  for  each  addi- 
tional foot  of  pipe,  and  laying  the  same,  one  dollar 
thirty-seven  and  a  half  cents."  Also  that  fire-plugs 
should  be  put  in  at  each  square,  costing,  by  estima- 
tion, forty  dollars.  George  Dawson  was  instructed 
by  the  Council  to  confer  with  the  heirs  of  Neal  Gil- 
lespie to  ascertain  what  they  would  charge  for  land 
for  the  reservoir.  On  the  24th  of  October,  Mr.  Daw- 
son reported  that  permission  to  build  the  reservoir 
could  not  be  obtained. 

Oct.  17,  1842,  the  Council  resolved  "  that  Robert 
Rogers  and  Edward  Hughes  be  and  they  are  hereby 
appointed  a  committee  to  contract  for  a  Fire  Engine." 


1  In  the  records  of 

some  years 

foil 

wing  this  period  are  found  several 

discoi,„e 

leil  iniitlera 

of  some  lut 

eres 

.which  are  here  given,  viz.: 

Oft.  20 

1S4( 

an  ore 

inancewas 

pass 

to  ring  t 

le  to 

vu  bell  for  the  space 

of  five  minutes  every  night  at  ten 

oVloik. 

Malfli 

,1,  l.S 

11,  the 

l.ell  on  the 

tow 

n  hall  was  purchased  of  the  vestry 

of  !!■«  i: 

JMrll 

il  ihi 

„llfM,S>3 

B-i'^ 

estal.li^li 

E'' 

':':,:;" 

'■"' 

s  passed  regulating  wharfage  and 
for   emh   sti-aniboat   ni.aking    the 

ilvf-iM    li.Hii,,  l,iin;;at    the  dock  or 

Jmi  si 

".',"ll 

l'.  .',''::'''    ' 

,  ,1,,     1.,   |...,.      r.iiiihart,  Jauei 

Wulkin 

!■ 

:    .      1           iimI  refused  to 

serve 

.            :     lint:  accepted 

the  Mill, 
c.ilk-cl.  1 

s..n 

'',','.., 

..!.;-:;;,:! 

nil! 

of  slu  imposed  upon  each  of  those 

Jiilv  :■■ 

:>,'.'« 

.iKniur.  1 

itfi 

tcriiig  trough"  was  ordered  to  he 
to  be  supplied  from  a  never-failing 

III  1-: 

',",''',!' 

■''',",.  bnilt 

of  I 

rick  near  the  market-house,  and  is 

Iii  1'.  1 

'  'i'-' ,' 

',''  TZ'n 

I'l 

1 .>,'-•",  i,|,i,,i,.,-t  was  agitated 

f.ircli.iii 
F.irt.      \ 

■     " 

i,      :    l:      VI, -M   ,     ,,,  Keiistone  Old 
■i:    .  ,    1  1     i.'i     -  \.,.,  li,  Esq.,  and 

ilite.i.l.'. 

I..1 

11. .1,   1..  Ill 

1  ,  _ 

litire.  u;i-  Mil  .,1  ilir  latter  time 

before  tl 

„,  ii,  1 

111  iliil  not 

nil 

nnch  favor  with  that  body,  and  the 

project 

—a  ri 

snlt  which 

was 

doubtless  pleasing  to  most  of  the 

people  of  Br. 

vnsvil 

0. 

:iii  A 

,  i.tis. 

l.y  a  resolu 

ion 

of  the  Council,  all  springs  and  wells 

iuthest 

Tets 

of  liro 

vnsviUo  we 

■eJ 

Glared  to  be  public  properly. 

October  20th,  Robert  Rogers  was  appointed  to  con- 
tract for  four  ladders — two  of  twenty  feet  and  two  of 
si-xteen  feet  in  length — and  for  si.x  fire-hooks. 

Jan.  12,  1843,  "  the  President,  Mr.  Robert  Rogers, 

was  appointed  to  contract  with  some  one  to  build  an 

Engine-House  at  the  west  end  of  the  Market- House." 

On  the  17th  of  the  same  month,  "  Robert  Rogers, 

I  President,  reported  that  he  had  articled  wTth  FauU  & 

j  Herbertson  for  a  Fire-Engine  for  three  hundred  and 

I  fifty  dollars,"  and  two  days  later  he  reported  that  he 

i  "  had  contracted  with  John  Johnston  to  build  the 

j  Engine-House." 

The  Mechanics'  Fire  Company,  of  Brownsville,  pe- 
titioned the  Council,  Nov.  7,  1843,  to  furnish  them 
with  one  hundred  feet  of  rope  and  two  axes,  which 
was  done. 

June  27,  1851,  "the  large  fire-engine"  was  placed 
under  control  and  in  charge  of  a  company  who  had 
recently  organized  and  petitioned  the  Council  for  that 
purpose. 

Subsequently,  at  different  times,  when,  by  the  occur- 
rence of  fires,  the  attention  of  the  citizens  had  been 
called  to  the  necessity  of  taking  measures  to  prevent 
wide-spread  disaster  from  that  cause,  new  fire  com- 
panies have  often  been  formed  and  organized,  but  as 
often  have  become  disorganized  and  disbanded  alter 
a  brief  period  of  activity  and  enthusiasm.  The  old 
fire-engines  are  still  in  existence  and  in  possession  of 
the  borough  ;  but  at  the  present  time  the  people  of 
Brownsville  have  no  adequate  means  of  preventing 
an  accidental  fire  from  becoming  a  general  conflagra- 
tion if  it  should  occur  at  a  time  when  all  the  con- 
ditions are  favorable  to  cause  such  a  catastrophe. 

FINANCIAL    INSTITUTIONS. 
THE   MONOKGAHELA   NATIONAL    B.\NK  OF  BROWNSVILLE. 

This  institution  was  identical  with  the  old  Monon- 
gahela  Bank  of  Brownsville,  which  went  into  opera- 
tion (though  then  unchartered)  in  1812  under  the 
following 


n/thc  Moiwn^ahdn 


„k  of  Br 


iUe. 


"  To  all  per?ons  to  whom  these  presents  tnay  come  or  in  any 
way  concern  :  Be  it  known  that  we,  the  subscribers,  believing 
that  the  establishment  of  nn  assoeiaiion  in  the  town  of  Browns- 
ville for  the  purpose  of  raising  a  funj  in  order  to  assist  the 
Farmer,  Manufacturer,  Mechanic,  Trader,  and  E.vporler  in  the 
purchase  of  such  articles  as  they  respectively  raise,  nianufac- 
turo,  deal  in,  or  e.\port  will  more  effectually  tend  to  bring  into 
active  operation  the  resources  of  the  western  country,  will  lua- 
teiially  assist  the  spirit  of  enterprise  and  improveuunts  in 
coniLuerco,  manufactures,  and  the  mechanic  arts  by  affording 
to  all  facility  in  the  prosecution  of  their  business,  have  asso- 
ciated and  do  hereby  associate  and  form  ourselves  into  a  com- 
pany to  be  called  the  Monongahela  Bank  of  Brownsville. 
s  »»*«««»«  * 

"The  following  persons  are  hereby  constituted  and  appointed 
Directors  of  the  said  Bank,  and  shall  continue  to  hold  their  re- 
spective offices  until  the  first  Monday  of  April,  1313  : 


BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


DiRECTOnS. 

"  William  Hogg.  Joseph  Thornton. 

Clnirk'S  ShatTncr.  Jonuthiin  Miller. 

Kolierl  Clarke.  Tluimns  McKibben. 

Israel  Gregg.  William  Ewing. 

Jcmuh  CadwalaJer.  Samuel  Jaelison. 

Elisha  Hunt.  Jaeob  Bowman. 
Zephaniah  Beall,  Esq.,  of  Washington  County." 

The.se  articles  were  adopted  May  12,  1812,  and 
signed  by  one  hundred  and  fifty-six  stockholders, 
including  the  directors  above  named.  The  capital 
stock  was  $500,000,  in  10,000  shares  of  $50  each,  "of 
wliich  4000  shares  were  immediately  oflferetl,  and  the 
remaining  6000  shares  were  reserved  for  future  dis- 
position, whereof  2500  shares  were  apportioned  for 
the  use  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania." 

Under  these  articles  a  limited  business  was  done 
until  1814,  when  a  charter  was  obtained.  The  follow- 
ing notice  appeared  in  the  Genius  of  Liberty  of  Sep- 
tember 14th  of  that  year : 

"  MONO.VGAHELA    BaNK    OF    BnOWNSVII.LK. 

"  The  subscribers,  heing  authorized  by  Letters  Patent  from 
the  (Jovernuient  of  this  Commonwealth  incorporating  said 
Bank,  do  hereby  give  notice  to  all  persons  who  have  sub>cribcd 
for  stock  therein  to  attend  at  the  Baaking-House  in  Browns- 
ville on  Thursday,  the  si.\th  day  of  October  nc.-ct,  at  ten  o'clock 
A.M.,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  thirteen  directors  and  fi.xing 
upon  the  Scilo  of  said  Bank. 

"  Nathaniel  Breading,    William  Lynn, 

"  Michael  Sowers,  IsnAHL  Miller, 

•'  William  Troth,  George  Dawson, 

"  Lewis  Sweitzer." 

The  first  election  under  the  charter  was  held  on  the 
6th  of  October,  1814.  Jacob  Bowman  was  elected 
president,  William  Troth  cashier,  and  William  Blair 
clerk.  On  the  8th  of  December,  in  the  same  year, 
the  directors  of  the  old  association  voted  to  discon- 
tinue operations  and  transfer  its  effects  and  business 
to  the  chartered  institution. 

On  the  next  day  (December  9th)  the  bank  com- 
menced business  under  the  charter.'  The  ofiice  was 
on  Front  Street,  in  the  building  now  occupied  by  Dr. 
C.  C.  Richard.  In  that  building  the  business  of  the 
bank  was  transacted  for  nearly  sixty  years,  until  the 
removal  to  the  present  banking-house  in  1873. 

Jacob  Bowman  continued  as  president  of  the  bank 
from  its  incorporation  until  Sept.  26,  1843,  when,  on 
account  of  his  advanced  age  and  infirmities,  he  re- 
signed, and  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  James  L.  Bow- 
man, who  held  the  position  until  his  death,  March  21, 
1857.  Goodloe  H.  Bowman  was  then  elected  presi- 
dent, and  remained  in  that  office  until  February, 
1874,  when  he  died.  He  was  succeeded  (February 
24th)  by  George  E.  Hogg,  who  is  the  present  presi- 
dent. 

William  Troth,  the  first  cashier,  died  in  July,  1816, 


and  on  the  23d  of  that  month  John  T.  McKennan 
was  elected.  He  held  the  position  until  his  death, 
Sept.  18,  1830,  and  ou  the  28th  of  the  same  month 
Goodloe  H.  Bowman  was  elected  cashier.  He  re- 
signed March  29,  1842,  and  David  S.  Knox  (who  had 
for  some  years  acted  as  teller)  was  elected  cashier. 
Upon  his  death,  in  November,  1872,  William  Parkhill 
was  elected  cashier,  and  filled  the  position  till  Febru- 
ary, 1880,  when  he  resigned,  and  on  the  2d  of  March 
following  William  M.  Ledwith  (who  had  been  teller 
since  1854)  was  elected  cashier,  and  still  holds  the 
position. 

In  January,  1864,  the  institution,  having  conformed 
to  the  requirements  of  the  National  Banking  law,  was 
reorganized  as  the  Monongahela  National  Bank  of 
Brownsville,  with  an  authorized  capital  of  $500,000, 
and  a  paid  in  capital  of  $200,000.  The  bank,  from 
the  time  of  its  chartering  in  1814  until  the  present 
(with  the  exception  of  about  three  months  in  the 
year  1837)  has  redeemed  its  notes  in  coin. 

The  present  bank  building,  located  on  the  corner  of 
Market  Street  and  Bowman's  Alley,  was  built  and 
occupied  in  the  fall  of  1873.  It  is  an  exceedingly 
fine  brick  structure,  about  forty-four  by  sixty  feet  in 
size,  and  two  stories  high.  Tlie  banking-room  is 
twenty  feet  in  height,  finely  decorated  and  furnished. 
The  cost  of  the  building  was  $30,000,  including  the 
lot. 

The  present  officers  of  the  bank  are  the  following: 
George  E.  Hogg,  president;  William  M.  Ledwith, 
cashier;  Samuel  P.  Knox,  teller ;  Directors,  George 
E.  Hogg,  John  R.  Dutton,  Jacob  Sawyer,  John  John- 
ston, N.  B.  Bowman,  W.  P.  Searight,  W.  K.  Gallaher, 
Isaac  C.  Woodward,  Eli  J.  Bailey,  James  L.  Bowman, 
H.  B.  Cook,  W.  S.  Craft,  William  M.  Ledwith. 

THE  FIRST  KATION'AL  BANK  OF  BROWNSVILLE. 

This  bank  was  organized  Aug.  18,  1803,  under  the 
National  Banking  law,  which  was  passed  for  the  pur- 
pose of  establishing  a  uniform  currency  throughout 
the  whole  country,  and  to  aid  the  government  in  its 
great  struggle  against  the  Rebellion.  It  was  among 
the  earliest  of  the  banks  which  went  into  operation 
under  that  law,  as  is  shown  by  its  charter-number, 
135.  The  gentleman  to  whom  the  bank  owes  its  ex- 
istence more  than  to  any  other  is  its  present  presi- 
dent, Mr.  J.  T.  Rogers. 

The  Monongahela  Bank,  from  a  very  early  period 
in  the  history  of  banking  in  Western  Pennsylvania 
down  to  the  present  time,  enjoyed  the  patronage  of 
all  this  end  of  Fayette  County  and  that  part  of  Wash- 
ington County  adjoining  Brownsville  on  the  west  and 
north,  so  that  when  Mr.  Rogers  projected  his  plan  of 
forming  a  new  bank  under  the  national  law  it  en- 
countered obstacles  and  opposition.  But  Mr.  Rogers, 
who  is  a  gentleman  of  resolute  purpose,  was  unde- 
terred by  obstacles,  and  the  First  National  Bank  be- 
came a  fixed  fact.  After  getting  enlisted  in  his  pro- 
ject all  the  men  of  means  he  could,  all  the  stock  he 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


could  raise  after  a  thorough  canvass  of  the  moneyed 
men  of  the  place  was  about  forty  thousand  dollars, 
ten  thousand  less  than  was  necessary  to  organize 
under  the  law.  But  Mr.  Rogers  was  not  to  be  foiled 
in  his  undertaking,  and  he,  with  two  others,  Robert  ' 
Rogers  and  William  H.  Clarke,  promptly  subscribed  I 
what  was  lacking,  and  the  bank  was  organized  as 
above  stated.  j 

The  first  board  of  directors  was  composed  of  Robert  i 
Rogers,  better  known  as  Squire  Rogers,  J.  T.  Rogers,  j 
William  H.  Clarke,  Capt.  I.  C.   Woodward,  Samuel  j 
Thompson,  Elijah  Craft,  Capt.  Adam  Jacobs,  Albert  1 
G.  Mason,  and  William  Elliott.     The  board  was  or- 
ganized by  electing  Robert  Rogers  president,  and  J. 
T.   Rogers    vice-president.      William    Parkhill   was  ! 
elected  cashier,  and  discharged  the  duties  of  that  office 
down  to  1872,  when  he  resigned  to  accept  the  position 
of  cashier  in  the  Monongahela  National  Bank.     At 
the  election  for  directors  in  January,  1864:,  the  old 
board  was  re-elected  with  the  exception  of  Elijah 
Craft,  who  was  not  elected,  probably  because  living  so 
far  in  the  country  it  was  not  convenient  for  him  to  at- 
tend regularly  the  meetings  of  the  board.     Thomas 
Duncan,  the  present  vice-president,  was  chosen  in  his 
place.  The  board  was  organized  the  same  as  before.  At 
this  time,  to  facilitate  the  business  of  the  bank  and  to 
accommodate  the  public,  an  exchange  committee  was 
appointed.     The  duty  of  this  committee  was  to  pass 
on  paper  when  the  board  was  not  in  session  (it  only 
meeting  weekly),  and  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  board 
the  business  done  by  this  committee  is  passed  upon. 
This  important  business  was  intrusted  to  J.  T.  Rogers, 
W.  H.  Clarke,  and  Thomas  Duncan. 

During  the  year  1865,  Robert  Rogers,  president, 
died,  and  J.  T.  Rogers  was  chosen  president,  a  posi- 
tion in  which  he  has  done  honor  both  to  himself  and 
the  bank.  Thomas  Duncan  was  elected  vice-presi- 
dent, to  fill  the  place  made  vacant  by  the  promotion 
of  Mr.  Rogers  to  the  presidency.  On  the  resignation 
of  William  Parkhill  as  cashier,  Mr.  Eli  Crumrine  was 
chosen  to  fill  his  place. 

The  present  officers  of  the  bank  are  J.  T.  Rogers, 
president;  Thomas  Duncan,  vice-president;  E. 
Crumrine,  cashier.  The  directors  are  J.  T.  Rogers, 
Thomas  Duncan,  J.  W.  JefTeries,  James  Slocum,  John 
Springer,  L.  H.  Abrams,  and  S.  S.  Graham. 

The  bank  first  ccirnmenccd  doing  business  in  a  small 
room  at  the  lower  md  of  Front  Street,  but  the  busi- 
ness increased  -o  r;i|iiilly  lliat  more  commodious  quar- 
ters became  necessary.  Accordingly  a  lot  was  pur- 
chased and  a  new  building  was  put  up  for  its  especial 
accommodation.  The  bank  building  is  on  Market 
Street  near  the  Neck.  It  is  a  two-story  brick  building, 
containing  a  banking-room,  directors'  room,  and  a 
dwelling  for  the  cashier.  The  erection  of  the  build- 
ing was  superintended  by  Mr.  J.  T.  Rogers. 

The  success  of  the  bank  has  been  remarkable.  It 
has  averaged  a  semi-annual  dividend  to  the  stock- 
holders of  five  per  cent.,  besides  laying  by  a  surplus 


fund  of  S48,000.  When  it  is  taken  into  consideration 
that  at  first  its  capital  was  only  850,000,  and  after- 
wards §75,000,  this  result  shows  the  great  popularity 
of  the  bank  and  the  sound  principles  on  which  its 
aflTairs  have  been  conducted. 

MANUFACTURING    ESTABLISHMENTS. 
THE   BROWNSVILLE  GLASS-FACTORY. 

This  was  built  by  George  Hogg  &  Co.,  in  the  year 
1828,  was  run  one  year  successfully,  then  changed  to 
John  Taylor  &  Co.,  and  became  a  decided  success. 
The  firm  of  Taylor  &  Co.  consisted  of  John  Taylor  and 
Edward  Campbell.  After  two  years,  Taylor  selling  his 
interest  to  William  R.  Campbell,  the  style  of  the 
firm  became  and  remained  for  several  years  E.  Camp- 
bell &  Co.  Their  reputation  was  very  high  as  glass- 
makers.  E.  Campbell  selling  his  interest  to  Robert 
Forsyth,  the  firm  again  changed  to  Campbell  &  For- 
syth, who  continued  some  two  years,  then  sold  to  Ed- 
ward Campbell,  who  ran  part  of  the  year  and  sold  to 
Gue  &  Gabler,  who  ran  several  years  without  success. 
The  property  was  sold  by  the  sheriff,  and  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  original  owners,  George  Hogg  &  Co.  It 
was  then  started  again  by  a  co-operative  firm  styled 
Burk,  Sedgwick  &  Co.,  and  run  for  several  years,  but 
finally  failed.  Carter,  Hogg  &  Co.  started  it  again, 
but  were  not  successful,  and  the  works  lay  idle  for 
some  time.  Benedict  Kimber  then  started  it  and 
made  some  money  the  first  year.  He  purchased  a 
steamboat  and  took  command  of  her,  leaving  the 
glass  business  in  the  hands  of  other  parties  to  man- 
age for  him.  He  took  the  cholera  and  died  on  the 
Illinois  River.  This  brought  the  factory  to  a  stand- 
still. The  property  was  then  purchased  by  a  co- 
operative company,  under  the  style  of  Haught, 
Swearer  &  Co.,  who  erected  a  new  factory  with  eight 
pots  and  failed  the  second  or  third  year,  and  the  prop- 
erty fell  into  the  hands  of  Robert  Rogers.  He  leased 
it  to  P.  &  I.  Swearer,  who  ran  it  successfully  for  a  few 
years  and  finally  failed.  They  made  a  second  start 
and  were  successful,  doing  a  good  business,  when 
George  W.  Wells  purchased  the  property  in  the  year 
1864,  took  possession  and  started  with  an  eight-pot 
furnace  and  did  a  successful  business,  increasing  his 
furnace  to  ten  pots,  still  doing  well.  The  expensive 
improvements  with  perhaps  the  panic  of  1873  caused 
him  to  lose  money.  The  property  was  then  purchased 
by  Schmertz  &  Quinby,  who  are  now  running  it  with 
success. 

BROWXSVILLE  ROLLING-BITLL, 

The  rolling-mill  now  operated  in  Brownsville  by 
Magee  &  Anderson,  was  built  by  John  Snowdon 
about  1853,  and  operated  by  him  for  several  years. 
Later  his  sons  became  interested  in  the  business,  and 
I  it  was  then  carried  on  under  the  firm-name  of  John 
i  Snowdon  &  Sons.  In  March,  1872,  Capt.  Adam 
Jacobs  purchased  the  property  and  ran  the  mill  for 
two  or  three  years,  during  which  time  it  was  improved 
and  brought  to  its  present  capacity. 


BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


453 


In  Jjiiiuary,  1881,  the  works  were  leased  from  Capt. 
Jacobs  by  Magee&  Anderson,  who  repaired  the  mill, 
placed  it  again  at  work,  and  are  now  operating  it 
successfully. 

STKELE   A   SON-S   T.\NNEKY. 

Samuel  Steele  commenced  learning  the  trade  of 
tanner  with  his  brother-in-law,  Jesse  Cunningham, 
at  the  old  tannery  on  Hogg's  Alley,  in  1833.  He 
worked  with  Mr.  Cunningham  till  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1843,  when  he  bought  a  half-interest, 
Mrs.  Cunningham  retaining  the  other  half.  This 
firm  was  known  as  Samuel  Steele  &  Co.  till  1860, 
when  they  dissolved,  and  Samuel  Steele  then  built 
the  tannery  at  the  present  site.  He  carried  it  on  in 
the  old  style  way  of  tanning,  grinding  bark  by  horse- 
power and  pumping  by  hand  till  1867,  when  he  pur- 
chased a  boiler  and  engine  of  forty  horse-power  to 
grind  bark,  pump,  syphon,  etc.,  enabling  him  to  tan 
in  less  time  and  thus  increasing  his  facilities.  In 
April,  1879,  he  admitted  his  son,  William  C.  Steele, 
under  the  present  firm-name  of  Samuel  Steele  &  Son. 
They  are  now  tanning  about  one  thousand  hides  per 
year,  employing  five  experienced  workmen,  and  using 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  to  one  hundred  and  fifty 
cords  of  rock  oak  bark,  making  two  thousand  sides  of 
harness  leather,  which  is  sold  to  saddlers  and  dealers 
in  Indiana,  Illinois,  Iowa,  Wisconsin,  Minnesota, 
Nebraska,  and  Colorado.  The  hides  are  furnished 
by  butchers  in  neighboring  towns  and  the  surround- 
ing country,  the  supply  from  this  source  being  more 
than  can  be  used  in  the  tannery,  three  hundred  having 
been  sold  in  the  past  year  to  other  parties. 

COAL-MINES    AND    COKE--\VORKS. 

The  Ethel  Coke-Works,  located  in  Brownsville 
township,  outside  the  borough,  are  furnished  with 
coal  from  a  mine  opened  in  1872  by  George  E.  Hogg, 
who  then  built  four  ovens,  and  in  1875  constructed 
sixteen  more.  These  coke-works  are  now  (1881) 
operated  by  Suowdon  &  McCormick,  by  whom  the  j 
slack  of  the  mine  only  is  used  for  coke.  The  capacity  , 
of  the  works  is  one  thousand  bushels  per  day.  I 

The  Umpire  Mine,  also  outside  the  borough  limits  , 
in  Brownsville  township,  was  opened  by  George  E. 
Hogg  in  1872.  The  main  entry  extends  about  two 
thousand  yards  through  the  hill,  and  four  side  entries 
extend  from  the  main  one  from  two  hundred  to  five 
hundred  yards.  The  mine  is  now  operated  by  J.  S. 
Cunningham  &  Co.,  who  ship  the  coal  to  Southern 
and  Western  markets.  The  slack  is  manufactured 
into  coke  by  Snowdon  &  McCormick. 

BROWNSVILLE    GAS    COMPANY. 
By  the  provisions  of  an  act  of  the  Legislature  of  } 
Pennsylvania,  approved   March   31,  1857,'  William 


1  Tn  the  siime  year  the  Borough  Council  of  Brownsville  granted  to 
"Williiim  Stevenson  anrl  assnuiatfS  (who  were  projecting  the  erection  of 
gHS-worlis)  tlie  rijiht  for  ten  years  to  use  the  streets  and  alleys  of  Iho 
horough  for  the  laj  iiig  down  of  their  ma-ns,  on  the  condition  that  they 


Lafferty,  John  L.  Dawson,  Westley  Frost,  James  L. 
Bowman,  D.  S.  Knox,  Adam  Jacobs,  G.  H.  Bowman, 
J.  C.  Woodward,  W.  H.  Clark,  John  R.  Button,  and 
J.  W.  Jeffries,  of  the  borough  of  Brownsville,  and 
Samuel  B.  Page,  Elisha  Bennett,  and  J.  T.  Rogers,  of 
the  borough  of  Bridgeport,  were  appointed  commis- 
sioners to  effect  the  organization  of  a  gas  company, 
with  a  capital  of  thirty  thousand  dollars,  to  be  located 
in  Brownsville,  and  to  supply  gas  to  the  boroughs  of 
Brownsville  and  Bridgeport.  The  organization  was 
effected  with  Dr.  William  L.  Lafferty  as  president, 
and  in  1860  the  company  purchased  a  lot  of  ground 
on  Water  Street,  below  Market  Street,  of  John  N. 
Snowdon,  and  contracted  with  John  Snowdon  to  erect 
on  it  for  sixteen  thousand  dollars  the  necessary  build- 
ings and  works  for  the  manufacture  of  gas.  The 
works  were  accordingly  erected  and  put  in  operation, 
and  have  so  continued  successfully  to  the  present 
time. 

The  present  officers  of  the  company  are  John  R. 
Dutton,  president;  William  Parkhill,  secretary  and 
treasurer  ;  Capt.  Adam  Jacobs,  George  E.  Hogg,  J. 
G.  Rogers,  J.  W.  Jeffries,  J.  L.  Bowman,  and  John 
R.  Dutton,  directors. 

SOCIETIES    AND    ORDERS. 
BKOWNSVILLE    LODGE,  No.  CO,  F.  AND   A.  M. 

The  record  of  this  lodge  begins  with  an  entry  dated 
Jan.  22,  1794,  at  which  time  John  Bowles,  John  Mc- 
Dowell, Joseph  Asheton  (of  Pittsburgh  Lodge,  No. 
45),  James  Chambers,  Jr.,  William  Arbutton,  John 
Farcker,  James  Chambers,  Sr.,  and  Jonathan  Morris, 
of  Washington  Lodge,  No.  54,  James  Long,  of  No.  3, 
Philadelphia,  and  Ready  McSherry,  of  No.  660,  Ire- 
land, opened  the  new  lodge.  No.  60,  in  due  form, 
John  Bowles  being  appointed  secretary.  Applications 
were  received  from  James  Elliott,  Jonathan  Hick- 
man, and  Charles  Ford  for  initiation.  John  Christ- 
mas, Michael  Sowers,  Ready  McSherry  were  appointed 
a  committee  to  inquire  and  to  report  to  the  lodge  the 
next  evening. 

Jan.  23,  1794,  the  lodge  commenced  work  under  a 
dispensation  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Pennsylvania, 
dated  Dec.  9,  1793,  Chads  Chalfant,  W.  M. ;  John 
Chambers,  S.  W. ;  Michael  Sowers,  J.  W. 

Twenty -seven  members  were  added  to  the  lodge  in 
1794.  St.  John's  day  in  that  year  was  celebrated  by 
a  procession  to  the  church,  where  a  sermon  was 
preached  by  the  Rev.  John  H.  Reynolds.  Similar 
exercises  were  observed  on  St.  John's  day,  1797, 
when  the  sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Davis.  On  St.  John's  day  (June  24),  1799,  after  the 
ceremonies  of  the  day,  the  members  of  the  lodge  and 
visitors  "  in  the  evening  repaired  to  Bro.  Wilson's,  at 
the  Black  Horse  Tavern,  and  spent  the  evening  in 
festivity." 


should  <-harge  the  borough  not  to  exceed  two  d> 
not  to  exceed  three  dollars  per  thoUrJand  feet  of  { 
went  farther,  being  superseded  by  tlie  Browusvil 


the  ctizens 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


In  1799  the  first  building  owned  by  the  lodge  was  [ 
erected  for  its  use..    On  the  6th  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 
Chalfant  sold  for  fifty  dollars  the  lot  of  ground  on 
the  southwest  side  of  Church  Street,  on  which  the  j 
present  Masonic  Hall  building  was  erected  in  1834.      | 

On  the  2d  of  February,   1829,  Andrew  Jackson,  1 
President-elect    of   the    United    States,   arrived    at 
Brownsville  by  stage  over  the  National  road  from  the 
West,  and  stopped  at  George  Gibson's  inn.     There 
he  was  waited  on  by  Henry  Pieffer,  Valentine  Giesey, 
Robert  Patterson,  John  Blythe,  and  N.  Isler,  who  ; 
had  been  appointed  a  committee  to  invite  him  to  , 
visit   the   lodge.     He   acceiited   the   invitation,   and  j 
was  introduced  by  Brother  John  Davis. 

Brownsville  Lodge,  No.  GO,  and  Pittsburgh,  No.  45, 
were  the  only  lodges  west  of  the  mountains  which 
did  not  surrender  their  charters  during  the  anti- 
Masonic  excitement  a  little  over  half  a  century  ago. 
From  the  Brownsville  Lodge  have  sprung  the  follow- 
ing-named lodges,  viz. :  Fayette  City,  Uniontown, 
California,  Greensborough,  Connellsville,  Carmichael, 
and  Clarksville. 

The  present  ofl5cers  of  the  Brownsville  Lodge,  No. 
60,  are:  W.  M.,  William  Chatland ;  S.  W.,  Matthew 
Story  ;  J.  W.,  Jesse  M.  Bowel ;  Sec,  Dr.  C.  C.  Rich- 
ard ;  Treas.,  Thomas  Duncan  ;  Tiler,  James  A.  Hill. 

BROWNSVILLE   CH.^PTER,   No.   164,  R.  A.  M. 

Chartered  in  June,  1849.  The  following  were  the 
first  officers:  M.  E.  H.  Priest.  W.  L.  Lafferty  ;  King, 
C.  P.  Guiiiinert ;  Srril.r,  Tiiomas  Duncan.  The  offi- 
cers for  issl  are:  M.  K.  H.  P.,  AVilliam  Chatland; 
King,  Michael  A.  Co.\;  Scribe,  Jesse  M.  Bowel; 
Treasurer,  Thomas  Duncan  ;  Secretary,  George  W. 
Lenhart.  The  present  number  of  members  is  thirty-  [ 
four. 

ST.  OMER'S   COMM.VNDERV,  No.  7,  K.  T. 

Application  was  made  June  10,  1862,  to  the  Grand  i 
Commandery  of  Pennsylvania  to  revive  St.  Omer's  | 
Cummandery,  which  had  been  organized  at  Union- 
town  in  1853,  and  suspended  work  in  the  following 
year.  The  application  was  granted.  E.  Sir  William 
Chatland  was  installed  E.  Commander,  and  has  held 
that  position  in  the  commandery  until  the  present 
time.  The  comniaiidery  was  ordered  removed  from 
Uniontown  to  Bn.wiisville,  where  the  first  meeting 
was  held  Oct.  22,  lSil2.  The  number  of  charter 
members  was  twelve.  The  present  membership  of 
the  coiniiunukry  is  twenty-two,  and  its  officers  are: 
Sir  William  Chatland,  E.  Commander;  Sir  M.  A. 
Co.x,  Generalissimo;  Sir  John  S.  Marsh,  Captain- 
General  ;  Sir  Thomas  Duncan,  Treasurer ;  Sir  George 
Campbell,  Recorder. 

WESTERN   ST.^B   LODGE,  No.  30,  F.  AXD    A.  M. 

Chartered  Dec.  27,  1860.  The  Fairfa.K  (Washing- 
ton),    Ecolite     (Uniontown),    and     Gulden     Rule 


(Waynesburg)  Lodges  were  taken  at  different  times 
from  this  lodge,  and  it  numbers  now  but  twenty 
members.  The  present  officers  are:  W.  M.,  John 
Peyton;  S.  W.,  Charles  Peyton;  J.  W.,  Jackson 
Cheek;  Sec,  John  Hilton;  Treas.,  Samuel  Robin- 
son ;  Tiler,  Alfred  Hamilton  ;  D.  D.  G.  M.,  J.  L. 
Bolden. 

BROWNSVILLE   LODGE,  No.  51,  I.  0.  OF   0.  F. 

Original  charter'  Aug.  20,  1832.  N.  G.,  William 
Corwin;  V.  G..  John  Garwood;  Sec,  Thomas  S. 
Wright;  A.  S.,  Daniel  Delaney,  Jr.;  Treas.,  Thomas 
Duncan.  The  present  officers  are:  N.  G.,  Henry 
Drake ;  V.  G.,  George  Herbertsou  ;  Sec,  Daniel  De- 
laney ;  Treas.,  Thomas  Duncan.  Meetings  are  held 
in  Templars'  Hall. 

BEDSTONE  OLD  FORT  ENCAMPMENT,  No.  TO,  I.  0.  0.  F. 

Original  charter  granted'^  Dec  29, 1847.  First  offi- 
cers :  John  J.  Rathmill,  C.  P. ;  Jacob  Grazier,  H.  P. ; 
James  Storer,  S.  W. ;  Thomas  Shuman,  J.  W. ;  Dan- 
iel Delaney,  Sec. ;  Thomas  Duncan,  Treas.  Present 
officers :  J.  W.  Byland,  C.  P. ;  Michael  Allen,  H.  P. ; 
Thom.as  Woods,  S.  W. ;  Harrison  Woods,  J.  W.; 
Daniel  Delaney,  Sec. ;  Thomas  Duncan,  Treas. 

Lodge  meets  in  Templars'  Hall.  Present  number 
of  members,  46. 

TniUMPH    LODGE,   No.  013,  I.  0.  O.  F. 

Chartered  Nov.  19,  1867.  First  officers:  U.  L. 
Clemmer,  N.  G. ;  Florence  Bernhart,  V.  G. ;  J.  R. 
Thornton,  Sec. ;  John  R.  McCune,  A.  S. ;  Charles  T. 
Hurd,  Treas.  Present  officers:  T.  S.  Wood,  N.  G. ; 
Charles  Gabler,  V.  G. ;  G.  B.  Clemmer,  Sec. ;  H.  H. 
Hawley,  Asst.  Sec.  ;  C.  T.  Hurd,  Treas. 

The  lodge  has  74  members.  Meetings  are  held  in 
Shupe's  Hall. 

NEMACOLIN   TRIBE,   No.    112,   IMPROVED   ORDER   OF   RED 
MEN. 

Twentieth  Sun  of  the  Buck  Moon,  G.  H.  D.  379. 
Charter  members :  J.  M.  Hutchinson,  D.  P.  Swearer, 
E.  N.  Coon,  James  B.  Vandyke,  A.  V.  Smith,  R.  I. 
Patton. 

This  organization  is  now  defunct. 

MONONGAIIELA    VALLEY   LODGE,  No.  l:in.->,  G.  U.  0.  OF  0.  F. 

Chartered  June,  1867,  with  twenty-five  charter 
members. 

The  lodge  at  present  contains  si.xty  members.  The 
present  officers  are  William  Florence,  N.  G. ;  David 
Freeman,  V.  G. ;  Isaac  Alexander,  Sec. ;  Thornton 
Baker,  Treas. ;  Samuel  Honesty,  P.  G.  M. 

The  lodge  meets  in  Shupe's  Hall. 

BROWNSVILLE   LODGE,   No.  357,  K.  OF  P. 

Chartered  May  28,  1872.  S.  B.  P.  Knox,  James 
M.  Hutchinson,  James  B.  Vandyke,  Thomas  Duncan, 

'  Ttie  oiigiiiul  ctiaiter  wm8  Jestwyed  hy  fire  in  Pittshurgh;  auoUnT 
w.is  tukeii  out  iiinl  destroyed  by  fire  iu  the  lodge  room.    It  wafl  re- 

-  Oiigiiial  uhiiiter  destroyed  by  fire  in  room,  and  regranted  Feb.  28, 


BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


455 


Nathan  Crawford,  Van  B.  Baker,  John  L.  Wise, 
Samuel  A.  Clear,  James  A.  Hill,  charter  members. 

Present  officers :  P.  C,  W.  K.  Gregg  ;  C.  C,  J.  W. 
Harrison  ;  V.  C,  George  S.  Herbcrtson  ;  P.,  James 
A.  Hill ;  M.  of  E.,  Thomas  Duncan  ;  M.  of  F.,  S.  A. 
Clear ;  K.  of  R.  and  S.,  J.  M.  Hutchinson  ;  M.  at  A., 
E.B.Wells;  I.  G.,  Seaburn  Crawford;  O.  G.,  J.  D. 
G.  Pringle. 

Present  membership,  62.  Lodge  meets  in  Templars' 
Hall. 

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.  Drum,  George  C.  Isherwood, 
Freeman  Wise,  D.  W.  C.  Harvey,  AVilliam  England, 
John  H.  Lindsey,  James  M.  Hutchinson,  Samuel 
Voorhis,  Charles  T.  Hurd,  James  Corwin,  Morris 
Moorehouse,  Thomas  B.  Murphy,  William  L.  FauU, 
A.  G.  Minehart,  Thomas  Craven,  Thomas  Danks. 

Present  officers  :  W.  C.  T.,  J.  E.  Adams  ;  W.  V.  T., 
Joseph  Mclntyre;  W.  Rec,  G.  W.  Wilkinson;  F. 
Rec,  J.  M.  Hutchinson  ;  W.  Usher,  J.  T.  Worcester. 
Present  membership,  24. 

Templars'  Hall  was  bought  by  the  Keystone  Temple 
of  Honor  in  1857,  and  destroyed  by  fire  in  186 1. 
Present  building  erected  the  same  season. 

KEYSTONE  TEMPLE  OF  nONOE,  No.  4,  UNION  SOCIAL  DEGEEE. 

Chartered  Dec.  13,  1850.  Charter  members  as  fol- 
lows :  C.  Harvey,  Emma  Minehart,  D.  Cromlow, 
Lydia  Voorhis,  John  S.  Pringle,  F.  Wise,  G.  C.  Isher- 
wood, Martin  H.  Kennedy,  R.  K.  Coulter,  J.  Corwin, 
M.  Moorehouse,  C.  Drum,  W.  L.  Faull,  J.  C.  Lind- 
sey, C.  F.  Hurd,  A.  G.  Minehart,  0.  C.  Cromlow. 

Present  officers:  Sister  Presiding,  Jenny  Hartranft; 
Brother  Presiding,  Joshua  Haddock  ;  Worthy  Vice, 
James  Mclntyre ;  Usher,  George  Gaskill ;  Guardian, 
Jesse  Fitzgerald.     Pre.sent  membership,  60. 

TEMPLE  OF  HONOK,  No.  4,  COUN'CIL. 

Original  charter  Dec.  15,  1851 ;  re-chartered  May 
19,  1853:  John  S.  Pringle,  Freeman  Wise,  G.  C. 
Isherwood,  John  H.  Lindsey. 

Present  officers:  Chief  of  Council,  George  W.  Wil- 
kinson ;  S.  C,  James  Mclntyre  ;  J.  C,  J.  E.  Adams ; 
R.  of  C,  J.  M.  Hutchinson  ;  M.,  Joshua  Haddock  ; 
W.,  Jesse  Fitzgerald.     Twenty-three  members. 

JOHN  E.  MICHENEK  POST,  No.  173,  PEPT.  OF  PA,  G.  A.  R. 

This  post  was  chartered  May  13,  1880,  with  the  fol- 
lowing-named charter  members :  B.  F.  Campbell, 
William  A.  Barnes,  N.  W.  Tru.xall,  AVilliam  McCoy, 
Samuel  B.  Blair,  Samuel  A.  Clear,  T.  V.  Dwyer, 
Daniel  Campbell,  Samuel  Wright,  William  H.  Shaffer, 
James  Smith,  George  W.  Jenkins,  John  G.  Jackson, 
Charles  E.  Eccles,  Thomas  Feuster,  N.  P.  Hermel, 
William  Wright,  Henry  Minks,  George  W.  Arrison, 
J.  W.  Mclntyre,  R.  N.  Chew,  Henry  Drake,  S.  Wil- 
liams, F.  T.  Chalfant,  Hugh  McGinty,  W.  A.  Haught, 


J.  H.  Gibson,  J.  T.  Wells,  J.  D.  S.  Pringle,  John  D. 
Hart,  Enoch  Calvert. 

The  post  now  numbers  54  members.  The  present 
officers  are:  Post  Commander,  Samuel  A.Clear;  Se- 
nior Vice-Commander,  N.  E.  Rice ;  Junior  Vice- 
Commander,  William  A.  Haught;  Adjutant,  J.  T. 
Welles;  Officer  of  the  Day,  T.  V.  Dwyer;  Officer  of 
the  Guard,  James  Smith  ;  Chaplain,  Rev.  William  A. 
Barnes.  Meetings  of  the  post  are  held  in  Templars' 
Hall. 

BROWNSVILLE    CIVIL    LIST. 
JUSTICES  OK   THE    PEACE-' 

Jacob  Cowman,  lSO:i-S. 

Isaac  Rogers,  IS03-S. 

James  Blaine,  1S06-I6. 

Michai.1  Sowers,  Brownsville  and  Redstone,  Feb.  16,  ISll.^ 

Thomas  McKibben,  Brownsville  and  Rr'dstone,  July  13,  1819 

N.  Isler,  Brownsville  and  Redstone,  M.ay  o,  1824. 

John  Freeman,  Brownsville  and  Redstone,  J.nn.  9,  1826. 

William  F.  Coplan,  Brownsville  and  Redstone,  Dec.  5,  182S 

Eli  Abrams,  Brownsville  and  Redstone,  March  5,  1830. 

George  McCormick,  Brownsville  and  Redstone,  March  28 
1831. 

William  Jackmnn,  Brownsville  and  Redstone,  Dec.  13.  1S31, 

Robert  Rogers,  Brownsville  and  Redstone,  June  la,  1835. 

Ephraim  Butcher,  Brownsville  and  Redstone,  March  30,  1836. 

James  Spicer,  Brownsville  and  Redstone,  May  14,  1839. 

Elei:ted. 

1840.— Ephraim  Butcher,  William  L.Wilkinson. 

1845.— William  L.  Wilkinson,  James  Martin,  Clark  Ely,  Wil- 
liam Sloan. 

1850.— William  L.  Wilkinson,  James  Martin,  Solomon  Burd. 

1851.— Isaac  Bailey. 

1855.- William  L.  Wilkinson,  George  Morrison,  James  Martin, 
John  Jackson,  Daniel  Brubaker. 

1856.- Jacob  Bedlow,  Ewing  Todd. 

1858. — Samuel  Smouse,  Madison  Daniels. 

1855.— Henry  J.  Rigden. 

I860.— William  L.  Wilkinson,  Peter  Griffin,  Solomon  Burd, 
George  W.  Frazer. 

1864.— Henry  J.  Rigden,  Robert  McKcan,  Joseph  Woods. 

1S65.— William  L.  Wilkinson,  Daniel  Brubaker,  William  Gas- 
kell. 

1806.- F.  C.  Gummert,  Is.-iae  Burd. 

1S07.— William  P.  Clifton. 

1S69.— Henry  J.  Rigden. 

1870.— William  L.  Wilkinson. 

1872.— Ewing  Todd,  William  P.  Clifton. 

1874.— A.  H.  Shaw,  Jacob  Graser,  S.  W.  Claybaugh. 

I S75.— William  L.  Wilkinson. 

1877.— Thomas  C.  Gummert. 

1878.- John  B.  Patterson. 

1879.- S.  W.  Clayb.augh. 

1880.- William  L.  Wilkinson,  AVilliam  Garwood,  Ch,arles 
Boucher. 

BOr.OUGB    OFFirEES. 

1815.— Chief  Burgess,  Thomas  JIoKibbcn  ;  Assistant  Burgess, 
Philip  Shaffner:  Town  Council,  William  Hogg,  Basil  Bra- 
shear,  John  S.  Dugan,  John  McCadden,  George  Hogg,  Jr., 

1  The  list  of  justices  of  the  peace  includes  those  of  both  the  borough 
and  the  township,  the  looseness  of  the  records  rendering  it  almost  im- 
possible to  give  separate  lists. 

-  Date  of  appoiiitaient. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENXSYLVANIA. 


Israel  Miller,   George  Dawson;  Town  Clerk,  John  McC.   1 

iiaziip.  ; 

ISIC— Chief  Burgess,  Michael  Sowers;  Assistant  Kurgess.  John 
Johnston;  Town  Council,  Henry  AVisc.i  Elisha  Hunt, 
Jnmes  Workman,  Ja.nes  lirea.iing,'  Nathan  Smith,  Wil- 
liam Stephenson,  Thouias  McKiljljen;  Town  Clerk,  Thomas 
McKibben. 

1S17.— Chief  Burgess,  Joseph  Thornton;  Assistant  Burgess, 
Thomas  McKibben:  Town  Couneil,  Jacob  Bowman.  Robert 
Clarke.  Elisha  Hunt.  James  Bhiine.  George  Dawson,  Val- 
entine Giesey,  John  Johnston  :  Town  Clerk,  llobert  Clarke. 

ISIS.— Chiof  Bnigcss.  Josc|.h  Thornton;  Assistant  Burgess, 
Thomas  McKibben  ;  Town  Council.  George  Dawson,  James 
Blaine,  Valentine  Giesey,  John  Johnston,  Jacob  Bowman, 
Elisha  Hunt,   Kobert   Clarke;  Town  Clerk,  Thomas  Mc- 

ISIO.— Cliief  Burgess,  Jacob  Bowman:  Assistant  Burgess, 
Henry  G.  Dales;  Town  Council,  Joseph  Thornton,  Henry 
Wise,"  Peter  H.imrickhouse,  William  Minnikin,  James  L. 
Bowman,  John  0.  Marsh,  George  Graff;  Town  Clerk,  D.  R. 
Baylis. 

1820.— Chief  Burgess,  Michael  Sowers:  Assistant  Burgess, 
Aflam  Jacobs;  Town  Council,  Basil  Brashear,  Matthew 
Coffin,  George  Hogg,  James  E.  Bnading,  Robert  Clarke, 
John  Johnston,  Thomas  Sloan;  Town  Clerk,  J.  McC.  Uaz- 

1S4I.2— Chief  Burge's,  Henry  Swcitzer:  Assistant  Burgess,  Wil- 
liam L.  Lafferly;  Town  Council,  Israel  Miller,  James  L. 
Bowman.  James  Martin.  Jesse  Cunningham,  John  John- 
ston: T..wn  Clerk.  William  L.  Wilkinson. 

1S42.— rliicf  Burgess.  Jnhn  S.K.wib.n,  .Ir.  :  Assistant  Bur-ess, 
John  Gere;  Town  Cuuni-il.  B-bert  Uo-crs.  William  Y. 
Kuberts.  William  Barkman,  E^lwanl  ihi-bis.  Jamis  C. 
Beckley;  Town  Clerk,  William  L.  Wilkinson. 

184.'!.— Chief  Burgess,  Thomas  G.  Evans:  Assistant  Burgess, 
J.ihn  Johnston;  Town  Council,  EUward  Hughes,  Robert 
Rogers,  Henry  J.  Rigden.  David  Anderson,  James  Martin  ; 
Town  Clerk,  Reuben  C.  Bailey. 

1841.  — Chief  Burgess,  George  Dirwson  ;  -Assistant  Burg'ss,  John 
T.Hogg:  Town  Council,  John  Johnston.  William  John- 
st<m.  David  Anderson,  Edward  Hughes,  Henry  J.  Rigden  ; 
To«n  Clerk.  J.  C.  Price. 

1845.— Chief  Burgess, ;  Town  Council,  David  Ander- 
son. E.lward  Hughes.  Thomas  Butcher,  H.  W.  Play  ford, 
Edward  Campbell;  Town  Clerk,  W.  L.  Wilkinson. 

1S40.  — Chief  Burgess,  George  Dawsi.n;  Ajsi>t:uit  Burgess, 
Christopher  Stitzel :  Town  Council,  Edward  Hughes,  David 
Anderson,  Thomas  Butcher,  Robert  W.  Play  ford,  Edward 


A  11.1 


oiowdon:  Assistant  Burgess,  Daniel 
1.  R.  W.  Playfor.l.  Thomas  liutrher, 
rd  Hughes,  Dorsey  Overturf ;  Town 


1S4S.— I'liief  Burg.'.-s.  Henry  J.  Rigden;  Assistant  Burgess, 
llriiry  H:irkiii:ni:  'fuwii  Couucil,  Johu  Snowden,  Jr.,  Ed- 
;>:,!  I  M  ,  ,■  I  ,  ,  l;.  W.  Playford,  Edward  Hughes,  Dor- 
.,,    ■  ,'      ,1,11    Barkiuan,  Daniel   Barnhart,  David 

An/i    .       ,.\\.  linst;  Town  Clerk,  N.  B.  Kigden. 

1840.— (:i,,u     Bui^u...-, ^ ;    Town    Council,    Edward 

Hughe.",  C.   P.    Guramert,  Adam  Jacobs,   James  Martin, 

1  Henry  Wise  and  James  Breading  having  declined  to  serve,  a  special 
election  was  called,  and  William  Ogle  and  George  Dawson  were  elected 
to  fill  the  vacancies. 

f  A  gap  in  the  borough  records  from  March  20, 1821,  to  Aug.  31, 1S40, 
renders  it  inilnai  ticablo  to  give  the  list  of  borough  ofHcers  elected  dur- 
ing that  period. 


Dorsey  Overturf,  William  Barkman.  Edward  Moorehouse, 
Dr.  K.  W.  Playford,  John  Snowdon  ;  Town  Clerk,  Simon 
Meredith. 

1850.— Chief  Burgess, ;  Town  Council,  C.  P.  Gum- 

mert,  Adam  Jacob?.  James  Martin.  Eli  Abrams,  Nelson 
Goslin,  John  Snowdon,  Wesley  Frost,  John  Johnston,  R. 
W.  Playford;  Town  Clerk,  S.  Meredith. 

1851.— Chief  Burgess, ;  Town  Council,  James  Mar- 
tin, Nelson  Goslin,  C.  P.  Gummert,  Adam  Jacobs,  James 
Todd,  George  Dawson,  Thomas  Butcher;  Town  Clerk,  S. 
Meredith. 

1852.— Town  Council,  Wesley  Frost,  Thomas  Butcher,  George 
Dawson,  Eli  Abrams,  James  Todd,  Osmond  M.  Johnston, 
Henry  Barkman,  Daniel  Rhodes ;  Town  Clerk,  \V.  L.  Wil- 
kinson. 

lS53.—Chief  Burgess,  Isa.ao  Bailey;  Assistant  Burgess,  Daniel 
K.  Mochabee;  Town  Council,  Henry  Barkman,  0.  M.  John- 
ston, Daniel  Rhodes,  James  Todd,  William  H.  Johnston, 
James  Martin,  John  K.  Button  ;  Town  Clerk,  William  L. 
Wilkinson. 

1854.— Chief  Burgess,  Isaac  Bailey;  Assistant  Burgess,  Robert 
Rogers;  Town  Council,  David  Anderson,  Samuel  Steele, 
Adam  J.acobs.  Peter  Swearer,  R.  W.  Playford  ;  Town  Clerk, 
William  L.  Wilkinson. 

lS55.—Chicf  Burgess,  Isaac  Bailey;  Assistant  Burgess,  AVilliam 
Barkman ;  Town  Council,  Robert  W.  Playford,  Peter 
Swearer,  Adam  Jacobs,  David  Anderson,  S.imuel  Steele; 
Town  Clerk,  William  L.  Wilkinson. 

ISoC— Chief  Burgess.  Robert  Rogers  ;  Assistant  Burge.ss,  Isaac 
Bailey  :  Town  Council,  G.  H.  Bowman,  J.  B.  Ivre|ips,  Ayres 
Lynch,  John  Billy.  Levi  Colvin.  William  Searight.  Henry 
Pa-ton.  Samuel  Snowdon.  Andrew  J.  Smith;  Town  Clerk, 
William  L.  Wilkinson. 

1857.— Chief  Burgess,  Seth  T.  Hurd  ;  Assistant  Burgess,  George 
Shum,an;  Town  Council.  S.imuel  S.  Snowdon.  William  B. 
Linsey,  William  Parkhill,  Levi  Colvin,  William  R.  Sea- 
right,  Ayres  Lynch,  J.  B.  Kropps;  Town  Clerk,  William 
L.  Wilkinson. 

1S5S.— Chief  Burgess,  J.  B.  Barclay  ;  Assistant  Burgess.  Ncl- 

I  son  Goslin;  Town  Council.  John  H.  Gummert,  William  T. 

Isler,  Isa.ae  Reed,  William  Parkhill.Ayres  Lynch,  William 

j  B.  Lindsey,  Samuel  S.  Snowdon  ;  Town  Clerk,  George  Jlor- 

1859.- Chief  Burgess,  Seth  T.  Hurd;  Assistant  Burgess,  Thos. 

B.  Murphy;  Town  Council,  William  Campbell,  William 
n.  Johnston,  G.  H.  Bowman,  William  T.  Isler,  Isa.ac  Reed, 

\  William  Parkhill,  William  B.  Lindsey  ;  Town  Clerk,  Wil- 

liam L.  Wilkinson. 
1S60.— Chief  Burgess,  Jason  Baker;  Assistant   Burgess,   Ed- 
ward L.  Moorehouse  ;  Town  Council,  Adam  Jacobs,  Thomas 

C.  Tiernan.  Edward  Toynbce,  Wm.  T.  Isler,  Isaac  Reed, 
Austin  Livingston,  G.  H.  Bowman.  William  H.  Johnston, 
William  Campbell ;  Town  Clerk,  William  L.  Wilkinson. 

1861.— Chief  Burgess,  Jason  Baker;    Assistant  Burgess,  Ed- 
ward L.  Moorhouse:  Town  Council,  William  T.  Isler,  S.  S. 
i  Snowden,  John  R.  Button.  William  H.  Johnston,  Edward 

j  Toynbee.Thomas  C.  Tiern:in.  G.  H.  Bowman,  Adam  Jacobs; 

Town  Clerk,  William  L.  Wilkinson. 
1S02.— Chief  Burgess,  N.  S.  Potts;  Assistant  Burgess,  E.  Reiser ; 
I  Town  Council,  Samuel  Steele,  William  11.  Jolinston.  0.  M. 

1  Johnston,  J.  W.  Jeffries,  Thomas  C.  Tiernan,  AVilliam  T. 

j  Isler,  Edward  Toynbee,  John  R.  Button,  S.  S.  Snowdon  ; 

Town  Clerk,  AVilliam  L.  Wilkinson. 
ISM.- Chief  Burgess,  John   Fear;    Assistant    Burgess,  Isaac 
Reed  ;  Town   Council,  John  R.  Button,  William  T.  Isler, 
0.  M.  Johnston,    Samuel    Steele,    William   H.  Johnston, 


'^y^/ 

^.'(2"^ ^  ^<^-^^- 


BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


Samuel  S.  Snowdon.  Peter  Swearer,  Peter  S.  Griffin  ;  Town 
Clerk,  William  L.  Wilkinson. 

1S64.— Cliicf  Burgess,  0.  P.  BaUlwin  ;  Assistant  Burgess,  Thos. 
B.  Murphy;  Town  CouncMl,  William  H.  Johnston,  Samuel 
Steele,  Peter  Swearer,  G.  H.  Bowman,  A.  J.  Smith,  0.  M. 
Johnston,  W.  B.  Skinner,  Wm.  T.  Isler  ;  Town  Clerk,  Wil- 
liuMi  L.  Wilkinson. 

lS6o.— Chief  Burgess,  Jason  Baker;  Assistant  Burgess,  A.  J. 
Isler;  Town  Council,  John  R.  Dutton,  William  T.  Isler,  E. 
Keiscr,  R.  J.  Patton,  P.  S.  Griffin,  Peier  Swearer,  William 
B.  Skinner,  6.  II.  Bowunin,  A.  J.  Smith  ;  Town  Clerk,  W. 
L.  AVilkinson. 

ISfiG.— Chief  Burgess,  Peter  S.  Griffin  ;  Assistant  Burgess,  Wil- 
liam Chathind;  Town  Council,  AVilliam  T.  Isler,  A.  J. 
Smith,  W.  B.  Skinner,  R.  J.  Patton,  Erasmus  Keiser, 
David  P.  Swearer,  B.  B.  Brashear,  G.  H.  Bowman,  J.  M. 
Abrams;  Town  Cierk,  W.  L.  Wilkinson. 

1S67.— Chief  Burgess,  Peter  S.  Griffin;  Assistant  Burgess, 
Jason  Baker;  Town  Council,  Erasmus  Keiser,  R.  J.  Pat- 
ton, B.  B.  Brashear,  Andrew  J.  Smith,  Isaac  Jackson, 
George  AV.  Wells,  D.  P.  Swearer,  J.  M.  Abrams;  Town 
Clerk,  W.  L.  Wilkinson. 

1S6S.— Chief  Burgess,  Peter  S.  Griffin;  Assistant  Burgess,  Wil- 
liam T.  Isler;  Town  Council,  Er.asmus  Keiser,  Robert  J. 
Patton,  Thomas  C.  Gumuiert,  Andrew  J.  Smith,  David  P. 
Swearer,  Isaac  Jackson,  B.  B.  Brashear,  James  M.  Abrams; 
Town  Clerk,  W.  L.  Wilkinson. 

1869.— Chief  Burgess,  Peter  S.  Griffin;  Assistant  Burgess, 
Puhi^ki  F.  Swearer  ;  Town  Council,  Francis  Lee,  Geo.  F, 
Dawson,  Samuel  11.  Smith,  Erasmus  Keiser,  Thom.as  C. 
Gummert,  A.  J,  Smith,  R.  J.  Patton,  Isaac  Jackson,  G.W. 
Wells  ;  Town  Clerk,  W,  L.  Wilkinson. 

1870.— Town  Council,  Erasmus  Keiser,  Samuel  H.  Smith,  Fran- 
cis Lee,  Osmond  M.  Johnston,  Hunter  S.  Beall,  John  G. 
Fear,  R.  J.  Patton,  George  F.  Dawson,  Thomas  C.  Gum- 
mert; Town  Clerk,  William  L.  Wilkinson. 

1871.— Chief  Burgess,  Francis  McKernan ;  Town  Council, 
Francis  Lee,  John  G.  Fear,  0.  M,  Johnston,  R.  J.  Patton, 
Thomas  C.  Gummert,  William  M.  Ledwith,  E.  D.  Abrams, 
Hunter  S.  Beall,  Samuel  II.  Smith;  Town  Clerk,  William 
L.  AVilkinson. 

1872.— Chief  Burgess,  William  L.  Wilkinson  ;  Assistant  Bur- 
gess, N.  S.  Potts;  Town  Council,  N.  S.  Potts,  A.  J.  Isler, 
John  S.  Cunningham,  Thomas  C.  Gummert,  Hunter  S. 
Beall,  William  M. Ledwith,  0.  M.Johnston,  E.  D.  Abrams; 
Town  Clerk,  William  L.  Wilkinson. 

1S7.3.— Chief  Burgess,  William  L,  AVilkinson  ;  Assistant  Bur- 
gess, Williiim  Burd  ;  Town  Council,  J,  D.  Armstrong,  Eli 
Hyatt,  John  Acklin,  E.  D.  Abrauis,  John  S.  Cunningham, 
N.  S.  Potts,  AV.  M.  Ledwith,  A.J.  Isler;  Town  Clerk,  Wil- 
liam L.  Wilkinson. 

lS7i.— Chief  Burgess,  Francis  McKernan  ;  Assistant  Burgess, 
Peter  M.  Hunt;  Town  Council,  John  K,  Dutton,  William 
U.  Johnston,  James  AV,  Jeffries,  John  Acklin,  N.  S.  Potts, 
A.  J.  Isler,  John  J.  Rothmill,  J.  D.  Armstrong,  Eli  Hyatt; 
Town  Clerk,  AVilliam  L.  AVilkinson. 

lS7o.— Chief  Burgess,  NimrodS.  Potts ;  Town  Council,  E.  Keiser, 
J.  D.  Armstrong,  John  Acklin,  AV,  H.  Johnston,  George 
Campbell,  John  Johnston,  Eli  D.  Abrams,  John  R.  Dutton  ; 
Secretary  of  Council,  AVilliam  L.  AVilkinson. 

1S76.— Town  Council,  John  R.  Dutton,  E.  D.  Abrams,  George 
Campbell,  John  Johnston,  AVilliam  H.  Johnston,  Adam 
Jacobs,  Jr.,  Robert  Johnston,  Kenney  J.  Shupe;  Seerefary 
of  Council,  AVilliam  L.  AVilkinson. 
1377,- Town  Council,  George  Campbell,  John  Johnston,  Robert 
Johnston,  Ki.nney  J.  Shupe,  E,  D,  .Abrams,  James  L,  Bow- 


man, AV,  H.  Johnston,  Adam  Jacobs,  Jr. ;  Secretary  of 
Council,  Austin  Livingston. 

1878.— Chief  Burgess,  AVilliam  L.  AVilkinson  ;  Town  Council, 
K,  J.  Shupe,  J.  L.  Bowman,  Robert  Johnston,  Dr.  Benja- 
min Shoemaker,  AVilliam  H.  Johnston,  Fred.  S.  Chalfant, 
George  Lenhart,  Samuel  Steele ;  Secretary  of  Council, 
Austin  Livingston. 

1879.— Chief  Burgess,  William  L,  Wilkinson;  Assistant  Bur- 
gess, Samuel  Honesty;  Town  Council,  B.  Shoemaker, 
Samuel  Steele,  J.  R.  Dutton,  E.  D.  Abrams,  H,  AV.  Robin- 
son, Moses  AV  right,  F.  S.  Chalfant,  William  H.  Johnston; 
Secretary  of  Council,  J.  B.  Patterson. 

ISSO.— Chief  Burgess,  AV.  L.  AVilkinson  ;  Assistant  Burgess, 
Samuel  Honesty;  Town  Council,  H.AV.  Robinson,  B.  Shoe- 
maker, F.  S.  Ch.alfant,  J.  R.  Dutton,  W.  H.  Johnston,  E. 

D.  Abrams,  John  Johnston,  Moses  AVright,  J.  AV.  Jeffries; 
Secretary  of  Council,  J.  B.  Patterson. 

ISSI.-Chicf  Burgess,  AV.  L.  AVilkinson;  Assistant  Burgess, 
Isaac  Alexander;  Town  Council,  John  K.  Dutton,  J.  AV. 
Je.Tiies,  John  Johnston,  Moses    AVright,  II.  AV.  Robinson, 

E.  D.  Abrams,  Samuel  Steele,  B.  Shoemaker,  F.  S.  Chal- 
fant; Secretary  of  Council,  J.  B.  Patterson. 


lOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


GOODLOE   HARPER    BOAVMAN. 

The  late  Mr.  Goodloe  H.  Bowman,  of  Brownsville, 
who  died  Jan.  80,  1876,  was  of  German  and  Scotch- 
Irish  e.xtraction.  His  father,  Jacob  Bowman,  was 
born  in  Washington  County,  tlieii  Frt'dLriek  County, 
Md.,  near  Hagerstown,  Juno,  17i;.'..  In  17.S7  he  mar- 
ried Isabella  Lowry,  who  was  of  Sccitch  descent,  and 
was  born  in  County  Donegal,  Ireland,  and  came  to 
America  when  seventeen  years  of  age.  Goodloe 
Harper  Bowman  was  the  seventh  child  and  third  son 
of  this  union,  and  was  born  April  20,  1803.  He 
was  reared  and  educated  in  Brownsville,  and  entered 
upon  active  business  life  as  a  merchant  at  about  the 
age  of  twenty  years,  and  continued  merchandis- 
ing, in  partnership  with  his  brothers,  until  1855, 
when  he  relinquishod  the  business,  and  gave  his  at- 
tention principally  to  the  affairs  of  the  Monongahela 
Bank  of  Brownsville,  of  which  bank  he  was  elected 
president  in  1857,  and  continued  such  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  immediately  succeeding  his  elder  brother, 
James  L.  Bowman,  in  the  presidency  thereof,  as  the 
latter  had  succeeded  his  father,  Jacob  Bowman,  who 
was  the  first  president  of  the  bank. 

Jan.  9,  1840,  Mr.  Bowman  married  Miss  Jane  Cor- 
rey  Smith,  of  Reading,  Berks  Co.,  Pa,,  by  whom  he 
had  five  children, — Isabella  Lowry,  James  Lowry, 
John  Howard,  Ann  Sweitzer,  and  William  Robert. 

Mr.  Bowman,  like  his  father,  was  an  active  member 
and  supporter  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, 
and  for  m^ny  years  senior  warden  of  Christ  Church, 
Brownsville.  He  was  in  politics  a  Whig  in  early  life, 
and  became  an  ardent  Republican,  and  contributed 
liberally  to  the  support  of  the  Union  cause  during 
the  late  Rebellion. 


458 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ADAM  JACOBS. 

Capt.  Adam  Jacobs,  of  Brownsville,  is  of  German 
extraction.  His  grandfather,  Adam  Jacobs,  emi- 
grated from  Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  at  an  early  day 
into  Allegheny  County,  and  there  carried  on  farming 
on  Turtle  Creek,  near  "  Braildock's  Field,"  eleven 
miles  east  of  Pittsburgh,  for  several  years,  and  then 
moved  to  Brownsville,  where  he  entered  into  mer- 
chandising, which  he  conducted  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1818. 

He  had  but  one  son  who  lived  to  maturity,  named 
after  himself,  Adam  Jacobs,  and  who  was  born  in 
Brownsville,  Dec.  3,  1794,  and  was  educated  at  the 
subscription  schools  and  at  Washington  College,  and 
became  a  merchant,  and  on  the  16th  of  January, 
1816,  married  Eliza  Reiley,  daughter  of  Martin  Eeiley, 
of  Bedford,  Bedford  Co.,  Pa.  He  died  June  29, 1822, 
leaving  two  children,  Adam  and  Ann  Elizabeth,  long 
since  deceased. 

Adam,  the  last  referred  to,  is  the  subject  of  our 
sketch,  and  was  born  Jan.  7,  1817.  He  received  his 
early  education  in  the  pay  schools,  and  at  about  six- 
teen years  of  age  was  apprenticed  to  G.  W.  Bowman 
to  learn  copper.smithing,  and  remained  with  him  four 
years.  He  then  went  into  the  business  for  himself, 
and  in  a  year  or  two  afterwards  took  to  steamboating 
on  the  Western  rivers,  and  continued  steamboating 
until  1847.  He  was  at  this  time,  and  had  been  for 
years  before,  engaged  also  in  building  steamboats, 
and  from  1847  forward  prosecuted  steamboat-building 
vigorously,  at  times  having  as  many  as  eight  boats  in 
a  year  under  contract.  He  built  over  a  hundred  and 
twenty  steamboats  before  practically  retiring  from  the 
business  about  1872,  since  which  time  he  has,  how- 
ever, built  about  five  boats  for  the  Pittsburgh,  Browns- 
ville and  Geneva  Packet  Company,  and  other  con- 
tracts. Capt.  Jacobs  was  also  engaged  in  merchan- 
dising, with  all  tjie  rest  of  his  active  business,  from 
1843  to  1865,  and  may  be  said  to  be  still  merchan- 
dising, for  he  has  a  store  at  East  Riverside. 

Since  about  1872  he  has  spent  his  time  mostly  in 
Brownsville  in  the  winters  and  at  his  country  resi- 
dence, "  East  Riverside,"  Luzerne  township,  on  the 
Monongahela  River,  during  the  summer  seasons. 

On  the  22d  of  February,  1838,  Mr.  Jacobs  married 
Miss  Ann  Snowdon  (born  in  England  in  1816),  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Smith  Snowdon,  who  came 
from  England  and  settled  in  Brownsville  in  1818, 
where  Mr.  Snowdon  soon  after  started  the  business  of 
engine-building,  and  carried  it  on  till  disabled  by  old 
age.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snowdon  both  died  in  advanced 
years,  and  were  buried  in  the  Brownsville  Cemetery, 
where  a  fine  monument  marks  the  place  of  their  re- 
pose. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jacobs  have  had  ten  children,  eight 
of  whom  are  living, — Mary,  wife  of  William  Park- 
liill ;  Adam,  Jr.,  married  to  Laura  Myers,  of  Canton, 
Ohio;  Catharine,  wife  of  S.  S.  Graham;   John  N., 


married  to  Sarah  Colvin  ;  Caroline  S.,  wife  of  John 
H.  Bowman  ;  Anna,  wife  of  Joseph  L.  McBirney,  of 
Chicago,  111.;  Martin  Reiley,  now  residing  in  Col- 
orado ;  and  George  D. 


GEORGE    HOGG. 

George  Hogg,  only  son  of  John  and  Mary  Crisp 
Hogg,  was  born  in  Cramlington,  in  the  county  of 
Northumberland,  England,  on  the  22d  day  of  June, 
1784.  When  about  twenty  years  of  age  he  came  to 
Brownsville,  in  1804,  where  he  established  his  home, 
and  as  a  merchant  created  a  very  large  and  lucrative 
business. 

On  March  7,  1811,  he  married  Mary  A.,  oldest 
daughter  of  Judge  Nathaniel  Breading,  of  Tower 
Hill  Farm,  Luzerne  township,  Fayette  Co.  Of  the 
marriage  were  born  the  following-named  children  : 
George  E.,  Nathaniel  B.,  John  T.,  Mary  A.  (who 
married  Felix  R.  Brunot) ;  Elizabeth  E.  (who  mar- 
ried William  S.  Bissell) ;  and  James  B.,  lost  on  the 
ocean. 

By  the  integrity  of  his  character  and  strict  atten- 
tion to  business,  George  Hogg  was  eminently  success- 
ful, and  secured  the  esteem  of  the  communities  in 
which  he  lived.  Though  a  great  lover  of  hi^ adopted 
country,  he  did  not  cease  to  be  an  Englishman,  and 
always  looked  back  with  pleasure  to  the  good  old 
laws  and  institutions  of  his  native  land. 

In  May,  1843,  he  removed  to  Allegheny  City,  and 
died  there  Dec.  5,  1849,  in  the  sixty-sixth  year  of  his 
age,  in  the  house  which  he  bought  in  an  unfinished 
state  on  removing  to  that  place,  and  which  he  com- 
pleted, and  wherein  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
years. 

During  his  business  career  he,  with  his  uncle,  Wil- 
liam Hogg,  established  large  business  houses  in  Pitts- 
burgh, Pa.,  and  about  fifteen  different  establishments 
of  merchandise  and  commission-houses  in  Ohio,  to- 
gether with  a  forwarding-house  at  Sandusky  City,  in 
that  State,  and  to  which  were  attached  a  number  of 
vessels  running  on  Lake  Erie,  and  a  line  of  boats  on 
the  Ohio  Canal. 

Mr.  Hogg,  with  the  co-operation  of  others,  built 
the  bridge  at  Brownsville  over  the  Monongahela 
River,  and  was  also  one  of  the  original  stockholders 
of  the  Monongahela  Navigation  Improvement  Com- 
pany, through  whose  enterprise  the  great  body  of  the 
coal  which  is  mined  along  the  Monongahela  River, 
and  exported,  finds  its  way  to  New  Orleans.  He  also 
erected,  in  1828,  the  Brownsville  Glass- Works,  and 
supervised  their  operations  till  1847,  when  he  dis- 
posed of  them. 

Mr.  Hogg  was  confirmed  in  his  youth  according  to 
the  usages  of  the  Established  Church  of  England, 
and  through  life  was  a  consistent,  devote<l,  and  liberal 
member  of  that  communion. 

A  monument  to  his  memory,  executed  jointly  by 
the  sculptor,  Henry  K.  Brown,  of  New  York,  and  the 


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BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND  TOWx\SIIIP. 


459 


sculptor  Piatti, — a  lofty  plinth  surmounted  by  a  life- 
size  figure  of  the  Angel  of  the  Resurrection, — was 
erected  in  Allegheny  Cemetery,  near  Pittsburgh,  Pa., 
in  1851,  and  located  near  an  elegant  cenotaph,  by 
Piatti,  memorial  of  James  B.  Hogg,  above  referred 
to,  the  son  of  Mr.  George  Hogg,  and  who  went  down 
with  the  ocean  steamer  "  Arctic,"  which  foundered  at 
sea  near  Cape  Race,  Sept.  27,  1854. 


WILLI.\M   IIO(i(T. 

William  Hogg  was  born  June  17,  1755,  in  the 
county  of  Northumberland,  England.  While  quite 
young  he  entered  the  marine  service,  from  which  he 
soon  retired,  and  was  soon  thereafter  drafted  into  the 
British  military  service,  but  deserted  at  Charleston, 
S.  C.  Working  his  way  to  Philadelphia,  he  found 
employment  for  about  a  year,  when  he  concluded  to 
seek  his  fortune  in  the  great  unknown  West.  In 
178G  he  first  visited  Brownsville,  at  that  time  the 
point  where  the  military  road  reached  the  first  navi- 
gable stream  of  the  West,  whereby  the  emigrants  of 
the  East  and  the  traders  could  by  boats  reach  the  far- 
distant  West.  Here  they  encamped  until  they  could 
build  their  boats  and  procure  supplies  of  ironware 
and  provisions  sufficient  to  start  them  in  their  West- 
ern homes.  Mr.  Hogg  was  pleased  with  the  prospects 
of  Brownsville  as  a  place  of  business.  He  returned 
to  Philadelphia  to  lay  in  a  small  stock  of  merchandise, 
which  was  the  beginning  of  his  eminently  successful 
career  as  a  merchant.  During  the  following  year  he 
again  visited  Brownsville,  intending  to  go  to  Ken- 
tucky, wliither  the  tide  of  eraigr.ation  was  moving. 
He  concluded,  however,  to  make  this  place  his  home, 
and  here,  during  the  eleven  years  he  was  in  business, 
he  acquired  what  was  then  thought  to  be  a  very  large 
fortune.  He  retired  from  active  business  in  1798,  and 
thereafter  in  partnership  with  George  Hogg,  who  came 
from  England  in  ISO-t,  planted  many  branches  of 
business  throughout  Ohio,  and  purchased  large  bodies  I 
of  government  lands. 

While  thus  fortunate  in  business  he  established  for 
himself  a  high  character  for  integrity  over  a  large 
region  of  country.  He  was  singularly  modest  and 
unobtrusive  in  all  his  ways,  so  much  so  that  he  at- 
tracted attention  rather  than  escaped  it  by  the  sim- 
plicity of  his  life  and  manners. 

Mr.  Hogg,  in  connection  with  others,  organized  the 
Monongahela  Bank  of  Brownsville,  as  early  as  1812,  ! 
under  articles  of  association,  wliich  in  1814  were  ex-  I 
changed   for   a   charter   under   the    Commonwealth. 
Under  the  State  charter  and  the  National  Banking 
laws  this  bank  still  has  a  vigorous  existence,  and  is 
probably  the  oldest  institution  west  of  the  Allegheny  [ 
Mountains,  and  was  for  very  many  years  the  only  in- 
stitution of  the   kind  over  a  very  large   region   of  ' 
country.  | 

Mr.  Hogg,  Mr.  Jacob  Bowman,  Dr.  Wheeler,  and  ' 
George  Hogg  were  equally  efficient  at  a  very  early  ' 


day  in  organizing  at  Brownsville  aft  Episcopal  Church 
and  erecting  a  large  and  substantial  building  for  its 
use. 

William  Hogg  took  great  interest  in  the  cause  of 
education  at  all  times,  but  an  incident  exemplifying 
this  fact,  and  of  historical  interest  as  well,  may  here 
be  cited.  Somewhere  about  1828  or  1830,  when  Ken- 
yon  College,  now  at  Gambler,  Knox  Co.,  Ohio,  had 
been  projected,  but  yet  lacked  a  site,  Hon.  Henry 
Clay,  of  Kentucky,  and  Bishop  Chase,  of  Ohio,  visited 
Brownsville  and  negotiated  with  Mr.  Hogg  for  eight 
thousand  acres  of  land  belonging  to  him,  and  which 
he,  in  consideration  that  an  institution  of  learning 
was  to  be  erected  thereon,  deeded  to  them  as  trustees 
for  $2.25  per  acre,  though  it  was  held  in  the  market 
at  a  much  higher  price,  and  then  presented  them  be- 
sides, for  use  of  the  college,  with  S6000  of  the  pur- 
chase-money. 

At  the  age  of  about  forty  he  married  Mary  Stevens, 
a  native  of  Bucks  County,  Pa.  They  both  died  in  the 
eighty-sixth  year  of  their  age,  she  on  Nov.  11,  1840, 
he  on  the  27th  of  January,  1841,  and  their  remains 
were  interred  in  the  cemetery  of  the  Episcopal 
Churcli.  Over  their  remains  their  nephew,  George 
Hogg,  erected  a  monument  of  native  sandstone,  a 
noble  structure  for  the  times. 


JUDGE    THOMAS    DUNCAN. 

Among  the  venerable  men  of  Bridgeport,  highly 
esteemed  by  all  who  know  him,  and  identified  with  the 
interests  of  that  borough  an<l  its  twin-sister,  Browns- 
ville, by  overhalfa  century'^  j(-iil(  lice  ;iimI  ;iriive busi- 
ness life  within  their  limits,  and  i>;irliriputing  in  the 
best  measures,  well  performing  tlie  duties  and  digni- 
fiedl}' bearing  the  responsibilities  of  good  citizenship 
therein,  watchful  ever  for  the  weal  and  social  good  or- 
der of  the  place  where  has  so  long  been  his  home,  is 
Judge  Thomas  Duncan.  He  is  of  Scotch-Irish  extrac- 
tion. His  f;\ther,  Arthur  Duncan,  emigrated  from 
County  Donegal,  Ireland,  about  1793,  to  America,  and 
found  his  way  into  Fayette  County  as  a  soldier  in  the 
service  of  the  United  States  among  the  troops  sent 
hither  by  the  government  to  suppress  the  Whiskey  In- 
surrection. After  the  troops  were  di.sbanded  he  settled 
in  Franklin  township,  near  Upper  Middletown  (thisn 
known  as  "  Plnmsuck"),  Menallen  township,  and  mar- 
riri]  So]iliiu  Wharton,  daughter  of  Arthur  Wharton,  of 
Franklin  township,  but  a  native  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  U|)per 
Middletown,  but  Mrs.  Duncan  died  about  1845,  in 
Pittsburgh,  to  which  place  the  family  had  removed, 
and  Mr.  Duncan,  about  1850,  in  Moundsville,  Va.,  at 
the  residence  of  one  of  his  daughters,  Mrs.  Nancy 
Rosell. 

Mr.    and    Mrs.  Duncan   were   the   parents  of  ten 


4C0 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


cliildren,  the  secrfnd  in  number  of  whom  is  Judge 
Thomas  Duncan,  who  was  born  in  Franklin  town- 
ship, Aug.  22,  1807.  He  received  his  early  education 
in  the  Thorn  Bottom  school-house,  in  those  days 
often  pompously  or  ironically  dubbed  "The  Thorn 
Bottom  Seminary,"  on  Buck  Run,  in  his  native  town- 
ship. During  his  boyhood  he  wrought  more  or  less 
in  the  Plumsock  Rolling-Mill,  and  at  eighteen  years 
of  age  was  apprenticed  to  a  cabinet-maker,  Thomas 
Hatfield,  an  expert  nii-chanie,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained three  years  as  im  api'iuiitice  and  three  more 
as  a  partner.  He  thou  romnveil  to  Bridgeport,  where 
he  has  ever  since  resided,  carrying  on  as  his  principal 
business  that  in  which  he  first  engaged. 

Judge  Duncan  has  always  taken  an  active  part  in 
public  affairs.  He  was  a  member  of  the  first  board 
of  school  directors  in  liridgeuort  chosen  under  the 
present  law  organizing  the  common  schools,  and 
•earnestly  advocated  the  enactment  of  the  law  long 
before  it  was  made.  He  has  frequently  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Common  Council,  and  several  times  burgess 
of  Bridgeport.  He  has  also  taken  a  prominent  part 
as  a  Democrat  in  the  politics  of  the  county,  was 
county  commissioner  from  1841  to  1843,  both  in- 
clusive, and  was  elected  in  1851  associate  judge  of 
Fayette  County  for  a  period  of  five  years,  and  re- 
elected in  the  fall  of  185lj  for  a  like  term,  and  fulfilled 
the  duties  of  his  oflice  throughout  both  terms. 

In  1837,  Judge  Duncan  joined  the  Masonic  order, 
uniting  with  Brownsville  Lodge,  No.  60,  and  has 
filled  all  the  offices  of  the  lodge,  and  is  a  member  of 
Brownsville  Chapter.  He  is  also  a  member  of  St. 
Outer's  Commandery,  No.  7,  of  Brownsville,  and  has 
been  a  member  of  Brownsville  Lodge,  No.  51,  of  the 
Order  of  Odd-Fellows,  since  1834.  Judge  Duncan 
has  also  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  since  the  last-named  year. 

In  May,  1829,  he  married  Priscilla  Stevens,  daughter 
of  Dr.  Benjamin  Stevens  (if  Fniontown,  whose  father, 
Benjamin  Stevens,  wh.i  iann.-  to  Fayette  County  from 
Jlaryland,  was  also  a  pliy:,ician.  Mrs.  Duncan  died 
in  February,  1873,  at  tlie  age  of  sixty-six  years. 

Judge  and  Mrs.  Duncan  became  the  parents  of  five 
children,  three  of  whom  are  living,— Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Wcjrrell,  Dr.  W.  S.  Duncan,  both  of  Bridgeport,  and 
Thomas  J.  Duncan,  a  lawyer  practicing  his  profession 
in  Washington,  Pa. 


Dr 
of  Ji 
biogi 
this 
and 


sketcl 
he  be 


WILLI.\M    STEVENS  DUNCAN,  M.B. 

W.  S.  Duncan,  of  Bridgeport,  is  the  son 
dge  Thomas  Duncan,  of  the  same  borough,  a 
iphical  sketch  of  whom  immediately  precedes 
ketch.  Dr.  Duncan  was  born  Jlay  24,  1834; 
icre  the  writer  may  quite  as   properly  as  any- 

else  note  the  fact  tliat  the  date  of  his  birth  is 
iilv  tail  or  item  of  the  following  biographical 
1  wliirh  the  doctor  has  indei)endently  furnished, 
ing  decidedly  averse,  as  he  expresses  it,  to  coun- 


tenancing any  "  representation  of  himself  in  such 
manner  as  shall  seem  to  have  been  suggested  in  whole 
or  in  part  by  myself"  (himself),  or  "  through  favor- 
able fiicts  which,  it  will  be  obvious,  were  furnished  by 
myself."  So  the  interviewer  was  advised  to  refer  to 
others,  and  if  there  are  found  any  errors  of  opinion 
or  statement  in  this  sketch  they  must  be  attributed  to 
the  w^riter's  sources  of  information. 

Dr.  Duncan  merits  more  emphatic  notice  in  a  work 
of  this  kind  than  is  usually  accorded  to  the  living  of 
any  profession  or  vocation,  for  he  occupies  a  place 
not  only  in  the  front  rank  of  the  physicians  of  Fay- 
ette County.  He  is  a  very  careful  and  comprehen- 
sive investigator,  and  a  progressive  man,  keeping 
pace  with  the  advance  in  medicine  and  its  allied 
sciences  by  the  only  means  feasible  and  practi- 
cable, 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  come  from  the  city,  where  the  best  pri- 
vate medical  libraries  exist,  is  surprised  at  the  ex- 
tent of  the  doctor's  library,  which  contains  the  most 
valuable  standard  medical  works  of  the  past,  and  is 
richly  supplied  with  the  most  approved  works  newly 
issued  in  this  country  and  Europe.  Probably  not  a 
score  of  physicians  in  such  cities  as  New  York  or 
Philadelphia  individually  possess  libraries  comparable 
in  value  to  that  of  Dr.  Duncan,  and  it  is  probable 
that  out  of  all  the  other  medical  libraries  in  Fayette 
County  not  one-half  as  many  separate  works,  or 
works  by  different  authors,  could  be  gleaned  as  are 
contained  in  his.  Medical  books  are  just  as  much  a 
positive  necessity  for  the  integral  understanding  and 
scientific  practice  of  medicine  as  are  good  sound 
"horse  sense,"  an  excellent  fundamental  education  in 
medical  science,  prudence,  etc.,  which  are  too  apt  to 
be  supposed  all  that  a  physician  needs.  He  must 
keep  up  with  the  advancement  of  medical  science 
if  he  would  be  truly  successful  and  great,  and  he 
should  be  unwilling  to  be  le.s.s.  Books  are  practically 
his  only  source  of  information.  No  one  physician's 
"experience,"  tliough  it  cover  a  half-century  of 
practice,  and  countless  cases  of  experiment  and  spec- 
ulation, can  afford  any  considerable  information  or 
"scientific  facts"  in  comparison  with  what  books 
supply,  made  up  as  they  are  out  of  the  experiences 
and  studies  of  armies  of  doctors  and  professors  of 
medical  science.  The  sick  everywhere  should  con- 
sider these  things,  and  the  phj'sician  of  large  practice, 
it  may  be,  but  who  is  too  indolent  to  read,  or  too 
penurious  to  provide  himself  with  books,  or  he  who 
is  too  poor,  it  may  be,  to  be  well  equipped  with  books, 
should  be  shunned  ;  the  former  as  a  dangerous,  spec- 
ulative empiric  who  indolently  "sets  himself  up" 
above  the  ripest  books  and  the  best  philosophers,  and 
so  deliberately  defrauds  his  patients  by  failing  to  fur- 
nish what  they  have  a  right  to  expect ;  the  latter  as 
a  subject  of  pity,  of  too  weak  parts  to  know  his  duty 
to  himself  and  the  public,  and  so  willing  to  trifle  with 


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BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


461 


human  life  and  subject  it  to  risks  rather  than  under- 
take 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  say  that  he  has  done  loyal  and  royal  honor 
to  the  profession  by  honoring  himseW' in  an  unstinted 
manner  with  the  proper  appointments  and  equipments 
for  practice,  and  the  universal  credit  which  is  accorded 
him  as  a  strong  man  in  his  profession  implies  the 
fact ;  for  such  a  man  as  he  is  ever  ready  to  acknowl- 
edge that  much  of  whatever  he  is  he  owes  to  his 
silent,  richly-endowed  friends,  able  books. 

For  what  follows  we  are  indebted  to  two  books  in 
which  professional  notice  of  Dr.  Duncan  is  made, 
one  of  which  is  entitled  "  Physicians  and  Surgeons 
of  the  United  States,"  edited  by  William  B.  Atkin- 
son, M.D.,  1878;  the  other  a  record  of  the  "Trans- 
actions of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Medical  Association," 
with  biographies  of  the  members,  by  J.  M.  Toner, 
M.D.,  a  leading  physician  of  Washington,  D.  C. 
(1877). 

Dr.  Duncan  was  liberally  educated  at  Mount  Union 
College,  Stark  Co.,  Ohio.  His  medical  studies  were 
commenced  in  1855  with  Dr.  M.  0.  Jones,  then  of 
Bridgeport.  Matriculating  in  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  he  took  full  courses  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  Presi- 
dent Garfield  in  his  last  illness),  in  the  special  study 
of  pathology,  anatomy,  and  microscopy.  In  June, 
1858,  he  formed  a  partnership  with  his  preceptor 
in  Bridgeport  and  commenced  practice.  The  part- 
nership continued  for  about  two  and  a  half  years, 
when  the  doctor  entered  upon  business  alone,  and  he 
has  since  remained  by  himself.  He  still  occupies  the 
office  in  which  he  wrote  his  first  prescription.  Dr. 
Duncan  served  as  a  volunteer  surgeon  at  Gettysburg, 
was  captured  by  the  Confederate  troops,  but  suc- 
ceeded in  escaping.  Latterly  his  labors  have  been 
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  engages 
in  general  practice,  including  surgery,  and  has  per- 
formed a  number  of  important  operations, — for  hernia 
nine  times,  and  tracheotomy  seven  times,  and  has  suc- 
cessfully performed  the  operation  of  excision  of  the 
head  of  the  humerus,  and  of  the  lower  part  of  the 
radius.  Dr.  Duncan  is  a  member  of  the  Fayette 
County  Medical  Society,  and  has  held  in  turn  all  its 
offices ;  also  a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania  State 
Medical  Society,  and  is  at  present  one  of  its  censors. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  American  Medical  Associa- 
tion, and  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Medical  Associa- 
tion, and  is  an  honorary  member  of  the  California 
State  Medical  Society. 

Dr.  Duncan  is  a  close  student,  and  has  contributed 


quite  extensively  to  medical  literature.  Among  his 
numerous  and  able  papers  those  entitled  as  follows 
merit  special  mention  :  "  Malformation  of  the  Genito- 
urinary Organs"  (American  Journal  of  Medical 
Science,  1859);  "Belladonna  as  an  Antidote  for  Opi- 
um-Poisoning" (JbicL,  1862)  ;  "  Medical  Delusions" 
(a  pamphlet  published  at  Pittsburgh,  1869);  "Re- 
ports of  Cases  to  Pennsylvania  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,  1861,  to  Miss 
Anuinda  Leonard,  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Mary 
Berry  Leonard,  of  Brownsville.  They  have  one 
child,  a  daughter. 


SAMUEL   STEELE. 

Mr.  Samuel  Steele,  of  Brownsville,  is  of  Scotch- 
Irish  extraction.  His  great-grandparents  came  to 
America  from  the  north  of  Ireland  about  1740,  and 
settled,  it  is  believed,  in  Eastern  Pennsylvania.  On 
the  passage  over  the  Atlantic  Mrs.  Steele  presented 
her  husband  with  a  son,  who  was  given  the  name 
William,  and  who  was  the  grandfather  of  Mr.  Sam- 
uel Steele.  William  grew  up  to  manhood  and  found 
his  way  into  Maryland,  where  he  married  and  resided 
for  a  period  of  time,  the  precise  record  of  which  is 
lost;  but  there  several  children  were  born  to  him, 
one  of  whom,  and  the  oldest  son,  was  John,  the 
father  of  Samuel  Steele.  About  1783  or  1784,  Wil- 
liam Steele  removed  from  Maryland  with  his  family 
to  Fayette  County,  to  a  point  on  the  "Old  Pack- 
horse  road"  about  six  miles  east  of  Brownsville,  where 
he  purchased  a  tract  of  land,  which  is  now  divided  into 
several  excellent  farms,  occupied  by  Thomas  Murphy, 
who  resides  upon  the  old  Steele  homestead  site,  and 
others.  William  Steele  eventually  removed  to  Ros- 
traver  township,  Westmoreland  Co.,  where  he  died  in 
1806. 

Some  years  prior  to  his  death  Mr.  William  Steele 
purchased  for  his  sons  John  and  William  a  tract  of 
land  in  what  is  now  Jefferson  township,  and  em- 
braced the  farms  now  owned  and  occupied  by  John 
Steele  and  Joseph  S.  Elliott.  John  Steele  (the  father 
of  Mr.  Samuel  S.)  eventually  married  Miss  Agnes 
(often  called  "Nancy")  Happer,  by  whom  he  had 
eight  children,  of  whom  Samuel  was  the  fourth  in 
number,  and  was  born  June  15,  1814.  Mr.  John 
Steele  died  June  6,  1856,  at  about  the  age  of  eighty- 
three. 

Mr.  Samuel  Steele  was  brought  up  on  the  farm, 
and  in  his  childhood  attended  the  subscrijition 
schools.  In  his  eighteenth  year  he  left  home  and 
entered  as  an  apprentice  to  the  tanning  and  currying 
trade  the  establishment  of  Jesse  Cunningham,  his 
brother-in-law,  a  noted  tanner  of  Brownsville,  where 
he  served  three  years  in  learning  the  business.  After 
the  expiration  of  his  apprenticeship  he  entered  upon 


4fi2 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


tlie  pursuit  of  various  businesses,  among  whicli  was 
flat-boating  agricultural  products,  apples,  etc.,  cider, 
and  provisions  of  various  kinds  down  the  Mononga- 
helato  the  Oliio,  and  on  to  Cincinnati  and  Loui.sville, 
where  he  usu.iUy  sold  his  merchandise,  but  sometimes 
made  trips  to  New  (Orleans.  He  followed  the  busi- 
ness in  spring-time  for  some  seven  years,  ending  about 
February,  1843,  when  occurred  the  death  of  Mr.  Jesse 
Cunningham.  Mr.  Steele  then  entered  into  partner- 
ship with  his  sister,  Mrs.  Cunningham,  under  the 
firm-name  Samuel  Steele  &  Co.,  and  carried  on  the 
business  at  the  old  place  till  18G0,  when  the  partner- 
ship was  amicably  dissolved,  and  Mr.  Steele  sank  a 
new  yard,  a  few  blocks  higher  up  the  hill,  wherein  he 
has  since  that  time  conducted  business.  In  1880  he 
took  into  partiier>lii|i  with  himself  his  son  William, 
under  the  firiii-n:iine  "f  "  Saiiincl  t^ti'ele  &  Son." 

Feb.  11,  18r)2,  Mr.  .'^tecle  married  Miss  Eliz.ibeth 
A.  Conwell,  of  Brownsville,  by  whom  he  has  had  four 
sons  and  four  daughters,  all  of  whom  are  living. 

In  politics  he  was  formerly  an  old-line  Whig,  and 
is  now  an  ardent  Republican.  In  religion  he  pre- 
serves the  faith  of  his  fathers,  being  a  Presbyterian. 
His  wile  and  daughters  are  members  of  the  Episco- 
pal Cliurch. 


JOHN  IIERBERTSON. 
John  Herbertson,  of  Bridgeport,  who  has  been  for 
over  fifty  years  one  of  the  most  active  business  men 
and  substantial  citizens  of  the  l)orough  in  which  he 
resides,  was  b.iiu  in  ( ihisgow,  Scotland,  Sept.  16,  1805. 
In  his  childhood  he  attended  the  common  schools, 
and  had  the  good  fortune  to  listen  to  many  of  the 
scientific  lectures  of  the  renowned  Ure.  At  seven- 
teen years  of  age  be  left  home  for  America.  Having 
spent  some  time  iu  learning  the  joiners'  and  cabinet- 
makers' trades,  and  the  law  at  that  time  forbidding 
mechanics  to  leave  the  realm,  young  Herbertson  got 
his  tools  siiiiiggleil  on  board  the  "  Commerce,"  the 
ship  on  which  he  took  passage,  and  which,  after  a 
voyage  of  five  weeks  and  two  days,  landed  him  in 
New  York,  in  July,  182.3.  He  soon  proceeded  to 
Marietta,  Ohio,  to  enter  upon  farming  under  the  mis- 
representations of  one  Nahum  Ward,  a  great  scamp, 
who  by  misreiiresentations  induced  many  people  of 
Glasgow  and  elsewhere  to  leave  their  homes  and 
settle  upon  liis  lands.  At  Marietta,  Mr.  Herbertson 
"acquired"  little  else  than  fever  and  ague,  and 
moved,  after  a  few  months,  to  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  where 
he  arrived  in  April,  1824.  He  lived  iu  Pittsburgh 
about  five  years,  meanwhile  learning  the  trade  of 
steam-engine  building.  In  1829  he  engaged  with 
John  Snowdon,  of  Brownsville,  as  foreman  in  his 
engine-shop.  He  remained  with  Mr.  Snowdon  about 
seven  years.    During  this  time  Mr.  Snowdon  took  the 


any  country.  For  this  bridge  Mr.  Herbertson  did  all 
the  head-work,  and,  in  fact,  all  the  mechanical  work. 
He  designed  the  bridge,  making  the  first  drawing, 
which  was  sent  on  to  West  Point,  and  there  accepted 
by  the  government  construction  engineers.  He  made 
the  patterns,  supervised  the  moulding,  and  also  the 
erection  of  the  bridge. 

After  the  expiration  of  his  engagement  with  Mr. 
Snowdon  he  went  into  the  business  of  engine-build- 
ing with  Thomas  Faull,  the  firm-name  being  Faull 
&  Herbertson.  This  was  in  1837  or  1838.  He  con- 
tinued business  with  Mr.  Faull  till  1842,  when  the 
latter  withdrew,  and  Mr.  Herbertson  has  ever  since 
then  carried  on  the  business  on  the  same  site.  He  has 
built  a  large  number  of  steamboat-  and  mill-engines. 
His  work  has  been  ordered  from  distant  parts  of  the 
United  States  and  from  Mexico.  As  a  skilled  me- 
chanic and  designer  of  mechanical  work,  but  few 
men,  if  any,  in  his  line  have  excelled  him.  At  the 
age  of  seventy-six  he  takes  active  interest  in  his  busi- 
ness, and  with  the  aid  of  his  sons,  all  thoroughly  in- 
structed in  the  business  and  competent  to  take  their 
father's  place  and  let  him  wholly  retire,  if  he  would, 
he  still  carries  on  an  extensive  work,  which,  however, 
has,  since  September,  1880,  been  conducted  by  him 
in  partnership  with  his  sons,  George  S.  and  William 
H.  Herbertson,  and  his  son-in-law,  William  H.  Am- 
nion, and  Mr.  A.  C.  Cock,  under  the  firm-name  of 
John  Herbertson  &  Co. 

In  politics  Mr.  Herbertson  is  a  Republican,  but  has 
never  taken  active  part  as  a  politician  ;  in  fact,  he  has 
had  no  time  to  waste  as  such.  No  man's  reputation 
for  integrity  and  the  other  virtues  which  go  to  make 
a  noble  and  honorable  man  stands  higher  in  his  com- 
munity than  that  of  Mr.  Herbertson. 

In  1830,  Mr.  Herbertson  married  Miss  Eliza  Ninion, 
daughter  of  Peter  and  Sarah  Potts  Nimon,  of  Pitts- 
burgh, Pa.  Mrs.  Herbertson  is  living,  and  at  the  age 
of  seventy  is  active  and  thoroughly  superintends  her 
domestic  affairs. 

They  have  been  the  parents  of  twelve  children,  five 
of  whom  are  living, — Surah,  first  married  to  J.  W. 
Kidney  (deceased),  and  now  the  wife  of  A.  J.  Davis, 
of  Pittsburgh  ;  John  P.,  who  married  Frances  Mar- 
cus, of  Bridgeport ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  William  H. 
Ammon  ;  George  S.,  married  to  Sarah  Bar,  of  Bridge- 
port ;  and  William  H.  Herbertson. 


contract  for  putting  up  the  : 


bridge 


-r  Dun 


Creek,  believed  to  be  the  first  iron  bridge  ever  built 
in  America,  as  it  is  the  first  of  its  kind  ever  built  in 


WILLI.^M    CH.\TLAND. 

Mr.  William  Chatland,  of  Brownsville,  was  born 
at  Stratford-ou-Avon,  Warwickshire,  England,  June 
9,  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  Priscilla  Green 
Chatland,  of  Brier  Hill,  StafPjrdshire. 

Mr.  William  Chatland,  Sr.,  died  in  London  about 
1819,  at  the  age  of  forty  years,  and  some  five  years 


^^^O/ 


^y-^l^^ 


I 


"-/^M. 


/cyl^^^i-jo^ 


WILLIAM    H.  MILLER. 


BROWNSVILLE   BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


subsequent  to  the  death  of  his  wife,  which  occurred 
in  1814.  Mr.  Chatland,  who  was  but  three  years  of 
age  at  the  death  of  his  motlier,  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 
uncle,  Joseph  Chatland,  a  prosperous  baker  of  Cov- 
entry, with  whom  he  resided  until  about  his  thir- 
teenth year,  and  was  then  apprenticed  to  Daniel 
Claridge,  a  famous  baker  of  Coventry  at  that  time, 
to  learn  the  art  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  returned 
to  Coventry,  established  himself  in  the  baker's  busi- 
ness, and  married  Miss  Elizabeth  JIanton,  the 
daughter  of  William  Manton,  a  farmer  of  Berkswell, 
Warwickshire.  He  conducted  business  in  Coventry 
for  some  six  years,  after  which,  and  selling  out,  he 
migrated  with  his  family — wife  and  three  daughters — 
to  the  United  States,  arriving  in  New  York  April  20, 
1844.  In  a  few  days  thereafter  he  took  the  old 
"  Bingham  Line"  for  Pittsburgh,  Pa.  Tarrying  there 
awhile  prospecting,  he  eventually  moved  to  the  county- 
seat  of  Washington  County,  where  he  resided,  carry- 
ing on  both  the  baking  and  confectionery  business, 
for  about  eight  years,  and  in  1852  organized  a  com- 
pany of  fifteen  persons  to  go  with  him  by  the  over- 
land route  to  California,  where,  at  Sacramento,  he 
bought  out  a  baking  business,  which  he  conducted 
with  great  success  until  he  was  seized  by  fever  and 
ague,  and  was  compelled  to  leave  the  country.  He 
returned  to  his  family,  who  had  remained  meanwhile 
at  Washington.  Failing  to  find  a  suitable  location 
for  business  in  that  town,  he  betook  himself  to 
Brownsville  in  1854,  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  husband  of  his  daughter 
Sarah.  Under  the  firm-name  of  Chatland  &  Len- 
hart they  do  an  extensive  business,  and  enjoy  the 
reputation  of  making  the  best  water-cracker  now  in 
use.  They  manufacture  products  of  every  depart- 
ment of  their  trade. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Chatland  died  at  Brownsville,  Jan. 
28,  1874,  in  the  sixty-first  year  of  her  age,  leaving 
three  daughters,  all  now  living.  Elizabeth,  the  eldest 
daughter,  married  Theodore  A.  Bosler,  a  son  of  Dr. 
Bosler,  of  Mechanicsburg,  Pa.,  and  now  residing  in 
Dayton,  Ohio.  Miss  Mary  Ann,  the  second  daughter, 
resides  with  her  father.  Sarah  Ann  Kate,  the  youngest 
daughter,  is  the  wife  of  Geo.  W.  Lenhart,  before  men- 
tioned. 

Mr.  Chatland  and  his  family  are  members  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  he  being  now  and  for  a 
long  time  having  been  a  vestryman  therein.  Since 
1848,  Mr.  Chatland  has  been  a  prominent   member 


of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  was  District  Deputy 
Grand  Master  for  Pennsylvania  for  the  space  of  fifteen 
years.  District  Deputy  High  Priest  for  sixteen  years  ; 
also  Eminent  Commander  of  St.  Omer's  Commandery, 
No.  7,  held  at  Brownsville,  for  the  period  of  about 
eighteen  years.  Mr.  Chatland  is  justly  proud  of  his 
record  as  a  Mason. 


WILLIAM  II.  MILLER. 
William  H.  Miller,  of  Bridgeport,  is  of  English 
Quaker  descent  on  his  paternal  side.  His  great- 
grandfather, Solomon  Miller,  who  was  a  miller  by 
trade,  was  born  in  England,  married  there,  and  emi- 
grated with  his  family  to  America  prior  to  1750,  and 
settled  in  York  County,  Pa.  Of  his  children  was 
Robert  Miller,  who  was  born  in  York  County,  Pa., 
and  in  early  manhood  removed  to  Frederick  County, 
near  Frederick  City,  Md.,  and  purchased  a  farm,  and 
soon  after  married  Miss  Cassandra  Wood,  a  Virginia 
lady,  who  lived  near  Winchester,  Va.  They  resided 
upon  the  farm  near  Frederick  City  till  1796,  when 
they  removed  to  Berkeley  County,  Yn.,  where  they 
remained  about  three  years,  and  then,  in  1799,  came 
into  Fayette  County  and  settled  in  Luzerne  township, 
on  a  farm  purchased  of  one  Joseph  Briggs,  and  now 
owned  by  Capt.  Isaac  Woodward.  Residing  there 
for  several  years,  his  wife  meanwhile  dying,  Robert 
Miller  eventually  moved  into  Brownsville,  and  took 
up  his  residence  on  Front  Street,  upon  property  now 
belonging  to  the  heirs  of  Thomas  Morehouse,  and 
there  died  about  1832.  He  was  the  father  of  four 
sons  and  four  daughters,  all  of  whom  grew  to  ma- 
turity. Of  these  was  William  Miller,  who  was  born 
Sept.  9,  1782,  in  Frederick  County,  Md.  At  the  age 
of  sixteen  he  became  a  clerk  in  a  dry-goods  store 
belonging  to  his  uncle,  William  Wood,  in  New  Mar- 
ket, Va.,  and  in  1799  came  with  his  father  into 
Fayette  County.  He  soon  after  took  up  the  avoca- 
tion of  school-teaching,  and  pursued  it  near  Perry- 
opolis,  in  the  old  Friends'  Church,  known  as  "Red- 
stone Church,"  in  Bridgeport,  on  what  was  formerly 
called  "Peace  Hill,"  and  elsewhere.  He  followed 
teaching  until  1810,  when  he  married  Miss  Rebecca 
Johnson,  daughter  of  Squire  Daniel  Johnson,  of 
Menallen,  and  at  once  settled  on  a  farm  in  that  town- 
ship, near  New  Salem,  and  lived  there  till  March, 
18.37.  He  then  removed  to  Brownsville  and  pur- 
chased a  woolen-factory  (no  longer  standing)  and  a 
flouring-mill;  then  standing  on  the  site  whereon  is 
located  the  present  flouring-mill  of  his  son,  W.  H. 
Miller.  He  pursued  milling  till  1855,  when  he  retired 
from  business  and  led  a  private  life  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  June  7,  1866.  Mrs.  Rebecca  Miller 
died  Nov.  14,  1833,  and  in  1834  Mr.  Miller  married 
Ann  Johnson,  his  first  wife's  half-sister,  who,  child- 
less herself,  made  a  good  mother  for  her  sister's  chil- 
dren. She  is  still  living,  nearly  eighty  years  of  age, 
cheerful  and  buoyant  in  spirits. 


4G-4 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVA:NIA. 


Mr.  William  and  Mrs.  Rebecca  Johnson  Miller  were 
the  parents  of  nine  children,  all  of  whom  grew  to 
maturity,  eight  still  living, — Warwick,  born  Dec.  11, 
1811 ;  Hiram,  born  Dec.  31, 1813  ;  Sarah,  born  Sept.  7, 
1816;  Mary,  born  Feb.  5, 1819;  Cassandra  dleceascd), 
born  March  3,  1821 ;  Lydia,  born  Jan.  14, 1823  ;  Jane, 
born  June  30,  1825 ;  William  H.,  born  March  6, 1829 ; 
and  Oliver,  born  Dec.  13,  1831. 

William  H.  Miller,  the  eighth  in  the  above  list, 
was  educated  in  the  cumiiinn.  ami  the  Friends' school, 
and  learned  the  milling  lnHinc-;';,  upnn  which  he  en- 
tered in  partnership  with  his  hrother  Oliver  in  1855 
in  the  mill  before  named,  and  which  he  and  his 
brother  inherited  from  their  father.  The  partnership 
continued  for  five  years,  when  Mr.  Miller  bought  out 
the  interest  of  his  brother,  who  removed  to  a  farm  in 
Luzerne  township.  In  January,  186G,  a  fire  destroyed 
both  the  flouring-niill  and  the  old  woolen-factory  be- 
fore referred  to.  The  buildings  being  uninsured  the 
loss  was  total.  Mr.  Miller  immediately  put  up  a  new 
and  better  building  on  the  old  site,  and  to  this  time 
conducts  business  therein.  As  is  noted  above,  Mr. 
Miller's  great-grandfather,  Solomon,  was  a  miller 
by  trade,  and  from  his  day  down  to  the  present  the 
trade   li!i-i  been   practically  and   continuously  repre- 

Mr.  Miller  has  held  several  town  and  borough 
offices,  and  was  for  eiglit  years  director  in  the  Deposit 
and  Discount  Bank  of  Brownsville,  which  two  years 
ago  gave  up  its  charter,  a  portion  of  its  stockliolders 
uniting  in  the  organization  of  the  National  Deposit 
Bank  of  Brownsville,  of  which  bank  Mr.  Wiliam 
H.  Miller  is  the  president,  the  National  Bank  doing 
Inisiness  in  the  same  house  formerly  occupied  by  the 
bank  the  place  of  which  it  took. 

May  16,  1855,  Mr.  Miller  married  Miss  Margaret  J. 
Gibson,  daughter  of  Alexander  and  Mary  Hibljs  Gib- 
son, of  Luzerne  township.  They  have  two  children, 
—A.  Gibson  Miller,  born  Feb.  7,  1861,  and  Sarah 
Helen  Miller. 

Mr.  Miller  was  brought  up  an  Orthodox  Friend, 
observing  the  faitli  of  his  fathers,  but  is  now  a  member, 
as  is  also  his  wife,  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
Church.     In  politics  he  is  a  Republican. 


HON.  JOHN  L.  DAWSON. 
John  L.  Dawson  was  born  in  Uniontown  on  the 
7th  of  February,  1818.  When  quite  young  he  re- 
moved with  his  latlicr's  finiily  to  Brownsville,  where 
he  grew  up  and  spent  the  greater  partof  his  life.  He 
was  educated  at  Washington  College,  read  law  in 
Uniontown  under  the  direction  of  his  uncle,  the  Hon. 
John  Dawson,  and  in  due  course  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  and  commenced  the  practice  of  his  iirofession. 
Entering  into  politics  at  an  early  age,  he  soon  took 
a  leading  part  on  the  Democratic  side  in  all  current 
questious  and    controversies.      In    1838   he   was  ap- 


pointed by  Governor  Porter  deputy  attorney-general 
I  for  Fayette  County,  and  discharged  the  duties  of  the 
office  with  fidelity  and  ability.  In  1845,  President 
Polk  appointed  him  United  States  district  attorney 
for  the  Western  District  of  Pennsylvania,  which  office 
he  held  during  the  whole  of  Polk's  administration, 
and  discharged  its  duties  with  signal  ability.  He 
was  a  delegate  to  the  Democratic  National  Conven- 
tions of  1844,  1848,  1856,  and  1860.  During  the 
Kansas  troubles  President  Pierce  tendered  him  the 
Governorship  of  that  Territory,  but  he  declined  to 
accept  it. 

In  1848,  Mr.  Dawson  was  the  candidate  of  the 
Democratic  party  for  member  of  Congress  in  the  dis- 
trict then  composed  of  Fayette,  Greene,  and  Somer- 
set Counties,  but  was  defeated  by  his  competitor,  the 
Hon.  A.  J.  Ogle,  of  Somerset.  He  was  renominated 
in  1850,  and  triumidiantly  elected,  the  first  and  only 
time  that  district  was  carried  by  the  Democrats.  In 
1852  he  was  again  nominated  for  member  of  Con- 
gress, and  was  elected,  the  district  then  being  com- 
posed of  Fayette,  Washington,  and  Greene  Counties. 
At  the  end  of  this  term  he  declined  to  re-enter  the 
congressional  arena,  and  remained  in  private  life 
until  1862,  when  he  was  again  elected  to  Congress, 
and  re-elected  in  1864,  both  these  elections  being 
for  the  district  composed  of  the  counties  of  Fay- 
ette, Westmoreland,  and  Indiana.  Soon  after  his 
entrance  into  Congress  he  introduced  the  Home- 
ste;\il  bill,  which  had  previously  been  defeated,  and 
with  the  addition  of  a  number  of  important  provis- 
ions, originated  liy  himself,  he  advocated  the  measure 
I  with  great  earnestness,  eloquence,  and  ability,  and 
j  continued  to  advocate  it  until  he  had  the  gratifica- 
!  tion  of  seeing  it  become  a  law.  In  the  Thirty-eighth 
Congress  he  was  a  member  of  the  Committee  on  For- 
eign Affairs.  At  the  close  of  his  term  in  the  Thirty- 
ninth  Congress,  Mr.  Dawson's  public  career  ended. 
!  He  had  previously  purchased  the  property  formerly 
owned  and  occupied  by  the  Hon.*  Albert  Gallatin,  in 
Springhill  township,  Fayette  Co.,  and  there  he  re- 
sided with  his  family  during  the  remainder  of  his 
life.  He  died  at  his  residence,  "Friendship  Hill," 
on  the  18th  of  Sejitember,  1870,  in  the  fifty-eighth 
year  of  his  age.  At  his  death  the  Cincinnati  En- 
quirer gave  the  following  deserved  tribute  to  his 
memory : 

"  He  belonged  to  a  school  of  great,  good,  and  useful 
men,  but  a  few  of  whom  linger  now  to  adorn  and  serve 
a  country  whose  name  their  genius  contributed  so 
much  to  make  glorious,  and  whose  prosperity  and 
happiness  their  wisdom  and  integrity  ever  sought  to 
promote.  Among  political  philosophers  and  practical 
statesmen,  he  was  one  of  our  profoundest  thinkers. 
As  an  orator,  whether  on  the  mission  of  persuasion  or 
conviction,  he  had  but  few  rivals ;  and  as  a  private 
citizen,  his  exalted  character  was  without  a  blemish. 
His  career  in  Congress  was  in  every  respect  brilliant. 
The  private  friendships  he  there  contracted,  even  in 


BRIDGEPORT  BOROUGH  AND  TOWNSHIP. 


4C5 


the  face  of  the  bitterest  prejudices,  the  hipse  of  years 
served  only  to  strengthen  and  brigliten,  and  the  pub- 
lic record  that  he  made  is  a  proud  heritage  for  his 
family,  and  a  shining  example  for  future  statesmen, 
and  must  grow  brighter  and  brighter  as  time  reveals 
— as  reveal  more  and  more  each  revolving  year  it 
surely  will — the  soundness  of  liis  judgment,  the 
breadth  of  his  comprehension,  the  clearness  of  his 
foresight,  and  the  truth  of  his  predictions.     Always 


dignified,  debonair,  and  dispassionate  in  debate,  no 
eruptions  of  temper  ever  ruffled  the  calm  surface  of 
his  vigorous  intellect.  Endowed  with  an  impressive 
and  imposing  presence,  and  those  rare  and  peculiar 
gifts  so  prominently  adapted  to  ad  captandum  discus- 
sion, he  was  not  more  honored  by  his  own  party  as  a 
leader  than  he  was  dreaded  by  the  opposition  as  an 
adversary.  The  loss  of  such  a  man  as  John  L.  Daw- 
son amounts  to  a  national  calamity." 


BRIDGEPORT    BOROUGH    AND    TOWNSHIP 


BKiDGEroRT— borough  and  township,  both  cover- 
ing the  same  area  and  lying  within  the  same  limits — 
is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Monongahela, 
extending  up  the  river  from  the  mouth  of  Dunlnp's 
Creek.  The  latter  stream  forms  its  eastern  and  the 
river  its  northwestern  boundary.  On  its  other  sides 
it  is  bounded  by  the  township  of  Luzerne,  from  Dun- 
lap's  Creek  to  the  river. 

For  a  period  of  more  than  half  a  century  prior  to 
the  time  whfen  travel  and  traffic  became  diverted  by 
the  opening  of  the  railway  lines  in  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania this  town  was  a  point  of  great  comparative  im- 
portance as  a  place  of  manufacturing  industries,  of 
flat-boat,  keel-boat,  and  steamboat  building,  and  as 
(practically)  the  head  of  steamboat  navigation  on  the 
river.  By  reason  of  the  lack  of  railway  facilities, 
for  many  years  Bridgeport  lost  much  of  its  relative 
importance,  but  it  is  still  one  of  the  principal  busi- 
ness-points on  the  Monongahela,  and  the  recent  open- 
ing (in  the  spring  of  1881)  of  the  Pittsburgh,  Virginia 
and  Charleston  Railroad  line  from  Pittsburgh  to  West 
Brownsville  cannot  fail  to  add  materially  to  its  pros- 
perity. Its  population  by  the  United  States  census 
of  1880  was  1134. 

EARLY  SETTLEMENTS  AND  INDUSTllIES. 
Within  the  territory  now  embraced  in  the  limits  of 
the  borough  and  township  of  Bridgeport  the  earliest 
landholder  of  whom  any  account  is  found  was  Capt. 
Lemuel  Barrett,  a  native  of  Maryland,  who,  in  1763, 
obtained  "a  military  permit  from  the  commandant 
at  Fort  Pitt,  for  the  purpose  of  cultivating  lands 
within  the  custom  limits  of  the  garrison  then  called 
Fort  Burd,"  the  military  work  which  had  been  built 
four  years  earlier  on  the  other  side  of  Dunlap's 
Creek.  Jhe  land  embraced  in  this  "military  per- 
mit" was  the  site  of  the  town  of  Bridgeport,  but  no 
patent  covering  it  w.as  ever  issued  to  Barrett,  nor  did 
he  ever  hold  any  title  to  it  under  Pennsylvania  war- 
rant or   Virginia    certificate,    his    being    merely   a 


"claim"  which  the  later  owner  of  the  land  thought  it 
expedient  to  purchase  in  order  to  secure  an  unques- 
tioned title.  In  fact,  there  were  other  claims,  result- 
ing from  the  same  class  of  military  permits,  which 
adjoined  and  to  some  extent  overlapped  and  con- 
flicted with  that  of  Barrett.  These  were  chiefly 
above  and  south  of  the  present  territory  of  Bridge- 
port borough,'  yet  there  was  one,  Angus  McDonald, 


ijU3taI)0Ve  Bridireport,  ( 


'  says  Judge  Veecli,  ' 


1763,  iHMl  ,,  -..IIP  ni.  1,1  ..,,  ,1.  In 
LukeC.jihNS,  .i.-wiilinig  llii-  liiii.l 
cllnle  the  field  cleared  t-y  im'  \v 
constructed  by  Cul.  Bnrd'ti  iiumi  \ 
mouth  of  Delap'8  [Dunlap's]  C 
Michael  Cresap,  on  the  l:ith  of  , 


Martin'3  land,"  recently 
K  repps.  Cresap's  execui 
Schooley,  an  old  Brown.'i 
lader.  The  adverse  cla 
County,  Md.]  and  Williai 

andl'h.i -  .-1...  ii      .Mil 

title  seems  |..l,,n..  1 n. 


They  sold  out  to  Kuherl 
d  the  oldest  permit  (in  17f 
I  otiicial 


"One  Rohert  Thurn  seems  also  to  have  been  a  claimant  of  part  .if  the 
land,  hut  Collins  bought  hiiu  nut.  This  protracted  controversy  involved 
many  curious  (juestiuiis,  and  called  up  many  ancient  recollecli.-us.  No 
doubt  the  visit  to  this  localily  of  Mr.  Deputy  Sheriff  Woods,  of  Bedfonl, 
in  1771,  was  parcel  of  this  controversy.  Jlany  of  these  early  claims  were 
lost  or  foi-feited  by  neglect  to  settle  tiie  land  according  to  law,  and  thus 

low  mark,  aud  often  sold  for  trifling  sums. 

"These  settlements  by  virtue  of  military  permits  began  about  this 
period— from  1700  to  1765— to  be  somewhat  uunierons  in  the  vicinity  of 
Forts  I'itt  aud  Burd,  and  along  the  army  roads  leading  thereto.    Th.y 

had  bought  out  the  Indian  title.     This  »as  a  .l..|.;,rtiu.,-  IV.. ni  tlLir    n;,. 


4(;6 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


who  asserted  his  ownership,  under  such  chiini,  of 
lands  embracing  a  considerable  part  of  the  laud  now 
embraced  in  Bridgeport. 

In  178.3,  Rces  Cadwallader  acquired  by  purchase 
the  claims  of  both  Angus  McDonald  (which  in  the 
mean  time  had  passed  through  several  intermediate 
hands)  and  of  Capt.  Lemuel  Barrett  to  the  lands 
now  embraced  in  the  borough  of  Bridgeport.  He 
had  already  taken  steps  to  obtain  a  title  under  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania,  and  received  a  warrant  of 
survey  which  secured  it,  but  the  patent  did  not  issue 
to  him  until  Oct.  1,  1787.  The  name  of  the  tract,  as 
mentioned  in  tlie  warrant  and  patent,  was  "  Peace," 
a  very  ap[iriipriate  designation  to  give  it  in  token 
of  the  final  settlement  of  the  conflict  of  claims  to  it 
and  contiguous  territory. 

Rees  Cadwalhxder  was  then  the  first  permanent 
settler  in  what  is  now  the  borough  of  Bridgeport. 
His  residence  was  on  the  bank  of  Dunlap's  Creek, 
and  farther  up  that  stream  he  built  a  mill,  where  the 
"Prospect  Mills"  of  William  H.  Miller  now  stand. 
The  race  started  from  the  creek,  at  a  log  dam  (lo- 
cated where  the  present  dam  is),  and  ran  round  the 
foot  of  the  hill  to  the  mill.  Amitlier  mill  was  built 
soon  afterwards  by  Jonaii  Cadwallader  at  the  point 
where  Harvey  Leonard's  saw-mill  now  stands,  on  the 
creek  at  the  borough  line. 

Isaac  Rogers  came  from  Chester  County,  Pa.,  to 
Bridgeport  about  1795,  and  erected  a  dwelling  where 
Jolin  Springer's  warehouse  now  stands.  He  was  a 
merchant,  and  opened  a  store  in  a  frame  building 
that  stood  on  the  lot  now  occupied  by  Joseph  Rogers. 
About  1804  he  went  into  business  with  Rees  Cadwal- 
lader, in  a  store  that  stood  on  a  lot  now  vacant,  oppo- 
site Dr.  Hubbs'  drug-store.  He  was  also  a  justice  of 
the  jieace  for  years.  He  had  five  children.  His  only 
son,  Thomas,  studied  law  in  Llniontown  with  John 
Lyon,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1822,  and  practiced 


in  that  town  I 
"  Jackson  Ar 
while  on  the 
troops  at  Pitt 
ond  daughter 
Page  (a  son  n 
came  to  Brid 
death  of  his  \ 


years.  He  was  captain  of  the 
'  and  was  accidentally  killed 
ku  part  in  an  encampment  of 

I  i-  -i-^ter.  Affinity  Rogers  (see- 
In  ,ame  the  wife  of  Samuel  B. 

II  I'ngc,  of  C(inncllsville),who 
lS2i;.     S'lnic   years  after  the 

irricd  .^larv,  another  daushter 


of  Isaac  Rogers.  He  (Page)  was  by  trade  a  shoe- 
maker, and  started  a  shoemaker's  shop  in  Bridgeport 
in  1827.  For  a  few  years  after  his  coming  to  Bridge- 
port he  worked  at  his  trade  and  also  kept  a  shoe- 
store.  In  1832  he  went  as  a  clerk  on  one  of  the  river 
steamboats.  He  afterwards  became  a  builder  and 
owner  of  steamboats,  which  ran  on  the  Monongahcla 
and  Ohio,  and  by  his  activity  and  entcrjirise  accumu- 
lated considerable  property.     In  1843  he  purchased 


The  Mo 


)iigahe]a  River 


David  Binns'  place  on  the  hill,  and  lived  there  until 
18151,  when  he  sold  to  Levi  Colvin.  In  18.56  he  was 
elected  member  of  Assembly.  He  died  in  July,  1878. 
His  widow  now  resides  in  Brownsville. 

The  town  of  Bridgeport  was  laid  out  by  Rees  Cad- 
wallader in  1794.  The  first  sales  of  lots  in  the  town 
were  made  by  him,  late  in  the  year  1795,  and  after 
that  they  were  sold  with  considerable  rapidity.  On 
the  3d  of  November,  in  the  year  mentioned,  he  con- 
veyed "to  the  Citizens  of  Bridgeport  a  plat  of  land 
for  a  public  ground,  commencing  at  the  North  West 
e.xtremity  of  Bank  Street,  and  running  along  said 
street  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  feet  to  Water  Street, 

and  up  Water  Street  to Street,  along  said  street 

one  hundred  and  forty-eight  feet  to  the  Monongahela 
River." 

In  June,  1796,  Rees  Cadwallader,  Jonas  Cattle 
[Cattell?],  and  Obed  Garwood,  of  Fayette  County, 
and  Amos  Hough,  of  Washington  County,  sold  to 
Samuel  Jackson,  John  Dixon,  and  William  Dixon, 
of  Fayette  County,  and  Ebenezer  Walker,  of  West- 
moreland County,  "  Trustees  in  behalf  of  the  People 
called  Quakers,"  eight  acres  of  land,  which  had  been 
patented  to  Andrew  Gudgel,  June  10,  1788,  and  by 
him  sold  on  the  18th  of  October  following  to  Rees 
Cadwallader  and  the  other  grantors  above  named. 

Feb.  29, 1799,  Rees  Cadwallader  sold  to  the  Friends' 
society  three  acres  of  land  in  Bridgeport,  comprising 
the  Quaker  grounds  on  the  hill,  on  a  part  of  which 
the  present  union  school-house  stands.  On  this  plat 
was  set  apart  the  earliest  burial-ground  of  Bridgeport. 

Rees  Cadwallader  died  a  few  years  after  the  com- 
mencement of  the  present  century,  and  a  large  num- 
ber of  town  lots  then  remaining  unsold  passed  to  the 
possession  of  his  heirs.  His  sons  emigrated  to  Zanes- 
ville,  Ohio,  some  years  afterwards,  and  none  of  his 
descendants  are  now  living  in  Bridgeport  or  vicinity. 

Robert  Rogers,  who  was  for  a  period  of  almost  sixty 
years  a  well-known  and  enterprising  citizen  of  Bridge- 
port and  ]'.r(iwn>ville,  was  a  nephew  of  Isaac  Rogers, 
whose  settlement  in  Bridgeport  about  1795  is  noticed 
above.  Robert  was  born  in  Queen  Anne  County, 
Md.,  Jan.  15,  1794,  and  after  the  death  of  his  father, 
in  1806,  lived  with  an  uncle  until  the  fall  of  1807. 
At  that  time  another  uncle  (Lambert  Boyer),  who 
had  settled  in  Washington  County,  Pa.,  visited  Mary- 
land, and  it  was  decided  that  Robert  Rogers  should 
return  with  him  to  the  West.  They  accordingly  set 
out  on  their  long  journey  across  the  mountains,  hav- 
ing only  one  horse  for  the  two  travelers.  This  "  ride- 
and-tie"  method  of  journeying  (in  which  doubtless 
the  boy  Robert  performed  most  of  the  pedestrian  part) 
was  a  slow  process,  but  they  finally  reached  that  im- 
portant i)ointin  the  western  bound  travel  of  that  day, 
—the  mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek.  This  for  Robert  was 
the  end  of  the  journey,  for  here  he  found  his  uncle, 
Isaac  Rogers,  with  whom  it  was  decided  he  should 


BRIDGEPORT   BOROUGH  AND   TOWNSHIP. 


4G7 


remain, — his  uncle  Boyer  proceeding  on  to  his  home 
west  of  the  Monongaliela. 

On  liis  arrival  at  Bridgeport  young  Robert  Rogers 
was  placed  in  the  store  of  his  uncle  Isaac,  and  also 
attended  school  during  the  small  portion  of  the  time 
in  which  schools  were  then  taught  at  this  place.  In 
the  fall  of  1809  he  was  apprenticed  in  Bridgeport  to 
Cephas  Gregg'  (who  had  himself  just  completed  his 
apprenticeship  with  Jacob  Webb)  to  learn  the  trade 
of  potter.  "I  continued  work"  [says  Mr.  Rogers'']  "at 
my  trade  as  apprentice  till  the  middle  of  January, 
1815,  when  I  was  twenty-one.  Then  I  left  Bridgeport 
on  a  flat-boat,  and  went  to  Pittsburgh  for  work."  The 
night  before  he  started  on  this  trip  from  Bridgeport 
there  was  a  deep  fall  of  snow.  The  river  was  so  low 
that  on  arriving,  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  at  Bald- 
win's mill-dam,  near  Cookstown  (Fayette  City),  and 
attempting  to  run  the  chute,  the  boat  struck  on  the 
rocks,  "and,  being  iron-loaded,  sunk  immediately 
and  we  had  to  climb  on  the  roof,  which  was  still  out 
of  water."  Some  of  Baldwin's  people  came  with  a 
boat  and  took  them  off,  and  they  stayed  at  the  house 
until  morning,  but  nearly  perished  of  cold.  This  was 
on  the  Fayette  County  side  of  the  river.  In  the  morn- 
ing Rogers  and  others  started  on  down  the  river  on 
foot,  and  after  a  most  fatiguing  day's  travel  reached 
Elizabethtown  in  the  evening.  The  next  day  he 
walked  to  Pittsburgh,  and  there  "  obtained  employ- 
ment in  a  queensware  factory  at  the  head  of  '  Hog 
Pond'  [between  Grant  and  Smithfield  Streets],  lately 
established  by  a  Scotchman  from  Edinboro'  named 
Trotter  [a  man  '  who  '  was  seven  feet  tall  in  his  boots, 
and  being  rather  slim  looked  even  taller'].  Queens- 
ware  was  scarce,  and  ours  sold  readily  and  high,  com- 
mon yellow  cups  and  saucers  at  one  dollar  per  set, 
and  heavy,  clumsy  ones  they  were."  The  diary 
continues:  "This  spring  [1815],  while  working  in 
Pittsburgh,  news  came  of  the  treaty  of  Ghent  and  the 
battle  of  New  Orleans,  in  consequence  the  town  was 
illuminated.  Soon  after  peace  foreign  ware  began  to 
come  in,  and  we  could  not  compete.  ...  I  returned 
to  Bridgeport  and  Trotter  to  Scotland.  ...  On  my 
arrival  at  Bridgeport  I  went  to  work  with  John  Riley 
(who  was  carrying  on  another  shop  from  the  one  I 
learned  my  trade  in),  and  continued  with  him  till  late 
in  the  fall  of  1815.  .  .  ."  Then  he  was  employed  on 
a  steamboat  on  the  river ;  visited  New  Orleans  in  the 
spring  of  1816;  in  the  following  fall  returned  to 
Bridgeport,  where  he  was  married  in  October  of  that 
year,  and  "  undertook  to  carry  on  the  shop  for  Cephas 
Gregg  on  shares."  In  the  spring  of  1818  he  again 
went  on  the  river,  but  soon  returned  to  Bridgeport, 

1  Cephas  Gregg's  pottery-works  were  located  where  the  new  brick 
house  of  Sealiuru  Crawfonl  now  staiuis.  They  were  afterwards  carried 
on  hy  Robert  Itogers,  witli  his  otlier  business,  for  about  tliirty  years. 

From  about  1814  Johu  Riley  liad  a  pottery  where  Herbertsou'a  nia- 
cliine-shops  now  are.  Riley's  pottery  was  in  operation  as  late  as  the 
year  1820,  and  probably  after  that  time. 

2  In  a  diary  of  tiis  which  is  still  in  existence,  and  from  which  these 
extracts  in  reference  to  him  are  made. 


and  during  the  almost  half-century  of  his  subsequent 
life  was  prominent  in  matters  of  business  enterprise, 
both  in  Bridgeport  and  Brownsville,  to  which  last- 
named  place  he  removed  his  residence  in  April,  1834. 
He  died  of  paralysis  on  the  27th  of  January,  1866, 
aged  seventy- two  years. 

The  journal  of  Robert  Rogers,  from  which  extracts 
have  been  given  above,  contains  the  following  re- 
marks, having  reference  to  the  business  of  Bridge- 
port from  the  time  of  his  arrival  there  in  1807,  viz. : 

"It  was  some  time  after  this  that  the  National 
road  was  built  from  Cumberland  west,  and  there  was 
great  einigratiom  from  the  Eastern  States  and  from 
Europe.  They  crossed  the  mountains  and  came  to 
Redstone  Old  Fort,  and  the  road  was  so  long  and 
rough  that  the  emigrants  would  be  so  tired  when  they 
got  here  that  they  seldom  went  beyond  this  by  land, 
but  mostly  in  flat-boats  called  arks,  floating  only  with 
the  current.  These  were  mostly  twenty  to  fifty  feet 
long,  and  twelve  to  sixteen  feet  wide,  put  together 
with  wooden  pins  (no  spikes  in  use),  generally  poplar 
gunwales,  roof  of  thin  boards,  doubled  and  bent,  and 
fastened  with  wooden  pins.  ...  It  was  big  business 
here  to  supply  emigrants  with  these  boats,  provisions, 
farming  implements,  and  housekeeping  articles  to 
take  with  them.  When  the  National  road  was  com- 
pleted to  the  Monongahela  River,  the  arrivals  of  emi- 
grants [meaning  those  who  stopped  here  to  construct 
or  purch.ise  boats]  was  very  great  for  several  years ; 
but  after  the  road  was  extended  then  emigration  was 
divided,  some  taking  that  route.  In  the  early  days 
tliere  were  considerable  quantities  of  flour  and  apples 
shipped  hence  to  New  Orleans  in  large  flats.  It  took 
a  long  time  to  make  this  trip,  as  the  river  was  not  then 
well  known,  and  they  could  not  run  at  night.  Country 
produce  was  then  very  low  here,  and  merchants  and 
mechanics  had  a  good  time,  as  living  was  very  cheap. 

"  About  1811,  Daniel  French  arrived  here  from 
Philadelphia  with  big  schemes  of  manufacturing, 
steamboat  building,  and  navigating  Western  waters. 
He  told  people  great  advantages  would  accrue,  and  in- 
duced many  prominent  citizens  to  subscribe  to  stock 
for  a  cotton  manufactory  and  two  steamboats,  all 
new  to  people  here  ;  but  they  were  wise  enough  to  se- 
cure charters  for  each  company,  viz.,  one  for  the  fac- 
tory and  one  for  steamboats,  and,  as  they  felt  a  deep 
interest  and  believed  French,  the  people  subscribed 
liberally  to  both.  Work  commenced,  but  the  enter- 
prise was  new  to  all,  and  it  was  a  long  time  before  it 
was  completed.  And  when  they  were  ready  there  was 
no  one  experienced  in  running  factories  or  steamboats, 
and  neither  enterprise  made  money,  but  run  in  debt, 
and  the  factory  was  sold  by  the  sheriff,  and  the  boats 
were  sold  by  the  company  after  they  had  run  thera 
as  long  as  there  seemed  any  hope  of  profit."  The 
building  and  operation  of  the  old  factory  and  the 
company's  two  steamboats  will  be  more  fully  men- 
tioned in  another  place  in  this  history. 


468 


inSTOEY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


IXC0I!rORATI0>f  OF  THE  BOItOUGII  AND  ERECTION 
OF    THE    TOWNSHIP    OF    BRIDGEPORT. 

The  incorporation  of  Bridgeport  as  a  borough  was 
effected  by  an  act  of  Assembly  approved  March  9, 
1814,  by  whicli  it  was  provided  and  dechired  "  That  the 
town  of  Bridgeport,  in  the  county  of  Fayette,  shall  be 
and  the  same  is  hereby  erected  into  a  linrouuli,  which 
shall  be  called  the  borough  of  Bridgeport,  which 
borough  shall  be  comprised  within  the  following 
boundaries,  to  wit:  Beginning  at  the  iiinuth  of  Dun- 
lap's  Creek;  thence  up  the  Mnnoiigulicla  River  with 
the  several  meanders  thereof  one  hundred  and  forty- 
eight  perches  ;  thence  leaving  tlie  river  .  .  .  [and 
proceeding  by  a  number  of  described  courses  and  dis- 
tances] ...  to  the  noith  abutment  of  Jonah  Cad- 
wallailer's  inill-daiii  :  tin  nee  down  the  meanders  of 
Dunlaj/s  Cn  i  k  to  tlir  phtee  of  beginning." 

The  second  Tuesday  in  May  next  following  was 
designated  in  the  act  as  the  day  for  holding  the  first 
borough  election.  The  meeting  was  held  accordingly, 
and  resulted  in  the  election  of  the  following-named 
persons  as  the  first  officers  of  the  borough  of  Bridge- 
port:  Burgess,  Samuel  Jones;  Councilmen,  John 
Cock,  Joseph  Truman,  Enos  Grave,  Morris  Truman, 
John  Bentley,  William  Cock.  The  reason  why  the 
full  number  of  (nine)  councilmen  was  not  elected 
does  not  appear. 

At  the  April  sessions  of  the  Fayette  County  court 
in  l>;io  a  petition  of  citizens  of  Bridgeport  borough 
was  |ircsentiMl,  pray  iiiL;  tliat  tlie  said  borough  be  erected 
into  a  townsliij).  Upon  this  petition  the  court  ap- 
pointed Charles  Porter,  Israel  Gregg,  and  William 
Ewing  commissioners  to  imjuire  into  and  report  on 
the  piropriety  of  granting  the  prayer  of  the  peti- 
tioners. At  the  August  sessii,ns  next  I'oUowing  the 
committee  submitted  a  favorable  ri]i(irt,  whicli  was 
approved,  and  at  the  Xovrnilier  term  in  the  same 
year  the  eoiii't  contiriiicd  the  jiroceedings  and  issued 
an  order  erecting  the  "townsliip  of  tlie  borough  of 
Bridgeport;"  its  boundaries  being  the  same  as  those 
of  Bridgeport  borough. 

LIST    OF    TOWNSHIP    AND    BOROUGH   OFFICERS. 

Following  is  a  list  of  the  officers  of  the  borough 
and  township  of  Bridgeport  from  their  organization 
to  the  present  time.  It  is  not,  however,  claimed  that 
it  is  entirely  accurate  or  complete,  but  this  is  wholly 
due  to  the  loose  and  careless  manner  in  which  the 
clerks  have  kept  the  records,  from  which  source  alone 
such  information  can  properly  be  obtained. 

BOROUGH  OFFICERS. 


1816.— Burgess,  Henry  Troth;  Council,  jMorris  Trumnn,  .Joseph 
Truman,  John  Morgan,  John  Bouvier,  William  Troth,' 
Enos  flrave,  As.i  Richards,  Robert  Patterson,  George  Car- 
ruthers;  Clerk,  John  Bouvier. 

1817. — Burgess,  George  Carruthers ;  Council,  James  Meek, 
■William  Cock,  Evan  Chalfont,  James  Hutchinson,  John 
Nelan.  Jesse  Ong,  Cephas  Gregg,  Andrew  Porter,  Israul 
Gic.-g:  Clerk,  James  Meek. 

isls.— I!ur-c-s.  Cephas  Gregg;  Council.  Henry  Troth,  John 
.M..r-nn,  J„scph  Truman,  Andrew  Porter.  Amos  Townsemi, 
M'illiam  Cuek,  Evan  Chalfant,  Levi  Burden,  Abraham 
Kimber:    Ck-rk.  John  Morgan. 

1819. -Burgess,  William  Cock;  Council,  James  Meek.  Levi 
Burden,  Amos  Townsend,  Abraham  Kimber,  Evan  Chal- 
fant, Henry  Willis,  John  Morgan,  Joseph  Truman,  Henry 
Troth  ;  Clerk,  John  Morgan. 

1820. — Burgess,  Solomon  G.  Krepps;  Council,  Amos  Townsend, 
Henry  "Willis,  Joseph  Truman,  John  Morgan,  Robert 
Rogers,  Robert  Bathe,  Morris  Truman,  AVashington  Hough, 
and  Levi  Burden  ;  Clerk,  John  Morgan. 

1821.— Burgess,  Solomon  G.  Krepps;  Council,  Robert  Rogers, 
John  Banning,  Robert  Patterson,  James  Toinlinson,  James 
Meek,  Moses  Dennall,  John  Nelan,  Adolph  Miuehart, 
Robert  Baldwin  :  Clerk,  Robert  Rogers. 

1822.— Burgess,  Solomon  G.  Krepps;  Couueil,  James  Reynolds, 
Adolph  Minehart,  Nicholas  Swearer,  Jr.,  Amos  Townsend. 
Thomas  Bang.  Moses  Di.rnal.  John  Smedley,^  John  Nelan, 
Daniel  Worley  :  Clerk.  Daniel  Worley. 

182:i.— Burgess,  James  Jleek  :  Council,  James  Reynolds,  Nich- 
olas Swearer,  Jr.,  Moses  Durnal,  John  Banning.  Amos 
Townsend,  John  Nelan,  John  Arnold,  Solomon  G.  Krejips, 
John  Gatcnby  ;  Clerk,  James  Truman. 

1823,  Septeuiber.— Burgess,  Joseph  Truman;  Council,  Joel 
0.\lcy,  James  Truman. 

1824.— Burgess,  Joseph  Truman;  Council,  James  Townsend, 
John  Nelan,  Amos  Townsend,  Thomas  L.  Rogers,  John 
Gatenby,  Robert  Rogers,  Washington  Hough,  Moses  Dur- 
nal, John  Banning;  Clerk,  James  Truman. 

1825. —  Burgess,  Joseph  Truman;  Council,  Benedict  Kimber, 
John  Troth.  Thomas  Burke,  Thom.as  Berry,  John  Ban- 
ning. Caleb  Hunt.  Solum.m  G.  Krepps,  James  Truman, 
Washingt.>n  Hough:  Clerk,  James  Truman. 

182fi.— Burgess.  Tlicimas  G.  Lamb;  Council,  John  Troth,  Bene- 
dict Kimber,  Hoi  ert  B""!!!,  James  Reynolds,  Amos  Town- 
send.  Joel   Painter,  S uion  G.  Krepps,  Caleb  Hunt,  John 

Nelan;  Clerk,  James  Truman. 

1827. —  Burgess,  Joshua  AVood:  Council,  Benedict  Kimber, 
James  Truman,  Robert  Kimber,  Rees  C.  Jones,  Robert 
Booth,  David  H.  Chalf.int,  Peter  Swearer,  John  Troth, 
John  A^anhook  ;  Clerk,  James  Truman. 

1828.— Burgess,  Benedict  Kimber;  Council,  Robert  Booth, 
Samuel  B.  Page,  Thomas  AcUlin,  Joshua  Vernon,  Joseph 
Reynolds,  Joseph  Manner,  Peter  Sweaier,  James  Reynolds, 
Jr.,  Robert  Kimber;  Clerk,  James  Reynolds,  Jr. 

1829.— Burgess,  James  Reynolds,  Sr. ;  Council,  David  H  Ch.al- 
fanl,  Amos  Townsend,  Robert  Kimber,  James  Reynolds, 
Jr.,  Samuel  B.  Page,  Joshua  Vernon,  Joshua  AVood,  Robeit 
Booth,  James  Moffat;  Clerk,  James  Reynolds. 

1830.— Burgess,  Joseph  Truman  ;=  Council,  Adolph  Minehart, 
Joel  Oxiey,  David  Binns,  Amos  Townsend,  Ebenezer  Shion, 


.-Burges 

,  Samuel  Jones;  Council,  John  Cock,  Joseph 
nr,.  Crave,  Morris  Trumau,  John  Bentley,  Wil- 

rirk.  Knos  Grave. 

Miri.  Truman;  Council,  James  Meek,  Enos 
lliam  Trnth,  Joseph  Truman,  John  Bouvier, 
gg:   Clerk,  Enos  Grave. 

Trniiian.  1 

liiiiii  r,,.k 

Elishu  Gre 

1  AVilliani  Troth  died 

filUlio  vacancy. 
-  George  SliieJley  elec 
'  Francis  Worcester  e 

Trumau. 

n  July,  ISIG  ;  Amos  Towusend  was  elected  to 

ed,  i-iec  John  Smedlev,  resigTied. 

eeted   burges.  IJlh  of  May,  1S20,  rice  Joseph 

BRIDGEPORT   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


Samuel  Jones,  Tilson  Fuller,  James  Reynolds,  Benedict 
Kiuiber;   Clerk,  Joel  Oxley. 

1831.— Burgess,  John  Banning;  Council,  Joel  Oxiey,  James 
Reynolds,  Adolpb  Minehart,  Moses  Durnell,  Samuel  B. 
Johnson,  Peter  Swearer,  Tilson  Fuller,  Isaac  Banks;  Clerk, 
Joel  Oxlcy. 

1S32.— Burgess,  John  Gatcnliy;  Council,  Washington  Hough, 
Dnvid  Binns,  Michael  Miller,  Andrew  Hopkins,  Joseph 
Reynolds,  Isaac  Bennett,  James  Moffitt,  Abel  Coffin,  Charles 
McFall;  Clerk,  Washington  Hough. 

1833.— Burgess,  Andrew  Hopkins ;  Council,  Tilson  Fuller,  James 
Reynolds,  Jr.,  Joshua  Armstrong.  John  Buffington,  John 
Riley,  Thomas  Acklin,  Joseph  Manner,  David  U.  Chalfant, 
Andrew  Porter;  Clerk,  James  Reynolds,  Jr. 

183-1.- Burgess,  Thomas  Duncan;  Council,  David  H.  Chalfant, 
Joshua  Armstrong,  John  Buffington,  Joseph  Manner, 
James  W.  Moffitt,  James  Reynolds,  Joel  Oxley,  Andrew 
Porter;  Clerk,  Joel  Oxley. 

1835— Burgess,  Benedict  Kimber:  Council,  Thomas  Duncan, 
D.  11.  Chalfant,  Moses  Durnall,  Joel  Oxley,  Joseph  Man- 
ner, Nicholas  Swearer,  John  Buffington,  Andrew  Porter; 
Clerk,  Joel  Oxley. 

1836.— Burgess,  James  Truman  ;  Council,  Joshua  Wood,  John 
Pringle,  Joel  Oxley,  Joseph  Reynolds,  Charles  McFall, 
Caleb  Woodward,  Benedict  Kimlier,  Joseph  T.  Rogers, 
I  Jen  V.  Ball ;  Clerk,  John  Morgan. 

1837— Burgess,  James  Truman;  Council,  Joel  Oxlcy,  Iden  V. 
Ball,  Charles  McFall,  Joshua  Armstrong,  Joseph  Reynolds, 
John  Pringle,  Benedict  Kimber,  Jonathan  Binns,  John 
Gntenby  ;  Clerk,  John  Morgan. 

1838.— Burges?,  James  Truman;  Council.  John  S.  Pringle,  Al- 
bert U.  Bathe,  Robert  Kimber,  William  Hoover,  Thomas 
Duncan,  Joshua  Armstrong,  Jon^ithi.n  Binns,  Thomas 
Craven,  Daniel  Councihmui  :   Clerk.  J^.hn  .Morgan. 

1839.— Burgess,  John  Herbertson ;  Counril.  I'ettr  Sivearcr, 
John  Riley,  Adolph  Minehart,  Charles  McFall,  Albert  G. 
Bathe,  Benedict  Kimber,  Henry  Bulger,  James  Berry; 
Clerk,  John  Morgan. 

1840.— Burgess,  James  Trum.an  ;  Council,  Noah  Worcester,  John 
Troth,  Aaron  Bronson,  James  Berry,  John  W.  Porter, 
Moses  Durnal,  Joseph  T.  Rogers,  William  Hoover,  Thomas 
Craven  ;  Clerk,  John  Morgan. 

1841.— Burgess,  James  Truman;  Council,  Jonathan  Binns, 
Thom.as  Gregg,  Thomas  Faull,  Milton  Woodward,  Thomas 
Craven,  Noah  Worcester,  William  Hoover,  William  C. 
Fishburn,  Joseph  T.  Rogers;  Clerk,  H.  Casson. 

1812— Burgess,  Thomas  Faull;  Council,  William  C, Fishburn, 
Thomas  Duncan,  James  Berry,  James  McDonwold,  Leon- 
ard Lainhart,  Robert  Mitchell,  Joseph  Reynolds,  Adolph 
Minehart,  James  Goe;  Clerk,  H.  Casson. 

1843.- Burgess,  John  Herbertson;  Council,  C.  C.  Sherwood, 
Aaron  Branson,  Noah  Worcester,  James  C.  Auld,  N.  G. 
Mason,  William  Hoover,  Calvin  Richey,  James  Berry, 
Thomas  Gregg;  Clerk,  H.  Casson. 

4.— Burges.s,  James  C.  Auld;  Council,  John  Herbertson, 
Henry  Bulger,  Benedict  Kimber,  James  Truman,  Milton 
AVoodward,  James  Goe,  Samuel  Worcester,  Henry  Troth, 
Robert  Mitchell;  Clerk,  Henry  Casson. 

1845. — Burgess,  Moses  Durnell;  Council,  James  Goe,  John 
Herbertson,  Zeph.  Carter,  James  C.  Auld,  Thomas  Craven, 
Aaron  Branson,  John  W.  Porter,  William  Wharf,  Thomas 
Gregg  ;  Clerk,  Henry  Casson. 

;.— Burgess,  Moses  Durnidl ;  Council,  Thomas  Duncan,  John 
Springer,  Thomas  Faull,  James  Truman,  George  Stein- 
metz,  Robert  Wilson,  William  Wharf,  Benedict  Kimber, 
Henry  Troth;  Clerk,  Henry  Casson. 


1847.— Burgess,  Samuel  B.  Page;  Council,  Thomas  Duncan, 
John  Buffington,  James  Goe.  John  O.  Gregg,  Aaron  Bran- 
son, John  Riley,  Joseph  John,  Isaac  Bennett,  John  Ban- 
ning ;  Clerk,  R.  K.  McLean.. 

1848.- Burgess,  Samuel  B.  Page;  Council,  Thomas  Duncan, 
William  H.  Bennett,  James  Goe,  James  C.  Auld,  Samuel 
I.  Cox,  John  Hei  bertson,  John  W.  Porter,  John  S.  Roberts, 
James  N.  Abrams ;  School  Directors,  Samuel  B.  Page, 
Joseph  T.  Rogers,  W.  H.  Bennett;  Clerk.  R.  K.  McLean. 

1849.— Burgess,  Henry  Bulger:  Council,  John  Springer,  George 
Stemmetz,  S.  J.  Cox,  Henry  Wilson,  Alexander  Scott, 
Samuel  B.  Page,  William  H.  Bennet,  James  M.  Abrams; 
Clerk,  R.  K.  McLean. 

1850. — Burgess,  Jacob  Shepherd;  Council,  John  Springer, 
William  Wolf,  William  Wharf,  C.  C.  Cromlow,  Henry  Tioth, 
John  Buffington,  Henry  Wilson,  A.  G.  Minehart;  Clerk, 
William  C.  Fishburn. 

1851.- Burgess,  John  Buffington;  Council,  S.  A.  Wood,  Ilcnry 
Cannon,  Alfred  Offord,  S.  J.  Cox,  Thomas  Faull,  Jr.,  John 
Anderson,  Henry  Springer,  William  Woodward,  John  W. 
Porter;  School  Directors,  Henry  Cannon,  Heury  Bulger; 
Clerk,  William  C.  Fishburn. 

1852.— Burgess,  Samuel  J.  Cox  ;  Council,  John  Anderson,  AVil- 
liam  H.  Bennett,  James  C.  Auld,  John  .<.  Roberts  William 
Hoover,  C.  T.  Hurd.  Aaron  Brunson,  Jam.s  M^  Carver, 
Thomas  Faull,  Jr.:  School  Directors,  Robeit  W.  Jones, 
Benjamin  Leonard;   Clerk,  Willi..m  C.  Fishburn. 

1853.— Burgess,  William  Hoover;  Council,  William  L.  Faull, 
Joshua  Murphy,  Henry  C.  Drum,  George  Stemmetz,  John 
S.  Wilgus,  James  Martin,  William  H.  Bennett.  R.  D.  Mar- 
cus, W.  H.  Crookham  ;  School  Directors,  James  M.  Carver, 
John  Herbertson;   Clerk,  William  C.  Fishburn. 


,  William  ] 


,  Bennett, 


John 


1854.- Burgess,  John  Buffington;  Coun 
James  M.  Carver,  Thomas  Duncan, 
W.  Jones,  Alexander  Moffit,  Willi: 
non,  John  Anderson;  School  Dirct 
S.  Wilgus;  Clerk,  W.  C.  Fishburn. 

1S55.— Burgess,  James  A.  Cromlow;  Council,  Alfred  Offord, 
William  Worrell,  Courtland  Durnell,  R.  D.  Marcey,  Th.uuas 
Duncan,  Joshua  Murphy,  James  M.  Carver,  Alexander 
Moffit;  School  Directors,  Elisha  Bennett,  James  C.  Auld; 
Clerk,  William  C.  Fishburn. 

1856.— Burgess,  A.  G.  Booth;  Council,  A.  B.  Gaskell,  William 
L.  Faull,  C.  M.  Goe,  A.  Offord,  T.  Duncan,  J.  M.  Carver, 
R.  D.  Marcey,  W.Worrell;  School  Directors,  B.  W.  Jones, 
S.  B.  Page,  G.  Stemmetz;  Clerk,  W.  C.  Fishburn.     ' 

1857.— Burgess,  A.  G.  Minehart;  Council,  Courtland  Durnell, 
William  L.  Faull,  Joshua  F.  Murphy,  C.  T.  Hurd,  William 
Worrell,  Alfred  Offord,  W.  C.  Drum,  A.  B.  Gaskell;  Clerk, 

A.  G.  Booth. 

1S5S.— Burgess,  A.  G.  Minehart;  Council,  John  S.  Roberts,  W. 
C.  Fishburn,  Thomas  G.  Aubrey,  William  H.  Banning, 
James  Stewart,  John  Mason;  School  Directors,  Klisha  Ben- 
nett, A.  G.  Minehart;  Clerk,  A.  G.  Booth. 

1859.— Burges.s,  A.  G.' Minehart;  Council,  J.  T.  R 
Hi.pkins,  Z.  Carter,  Thomas  Aubrey,  W.  H. 
James  Stewart ;  School  Directors,  Thomas  Dune 
Jones,  John  Herbertson;  Clerk,  A.  G.  Booth. 

ISBO.- Burgess,  James  Stewart;  Council,  J.  Murphy,  P.  Car- 
roll. M.  Woodward,  R.  D.  Marey,  J.  L.  Rogers,  John  S. 
Roberts;  School  Directors,  John  Mason,  Joseph  Wells; 
Clerk,  A.  G.  Booth. 

ISGL— Burgess,  James  St-wart;  Council,  Jesse  Bulger,  M. 
Moreiiouse,  M.  Woodward,  Z.  Carter,  J.  T.  Rogers,  Wil- 
liam  Woodward;    School   Directors,  John    Herbertson,   S. 

B.  Page;  Clerk,  A.  G.  Booth. 


A. 


M.  0. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1S02.— Burgess,  John  S.  Roberts  ;  Council,  John  Herhertson, 
John  Buffington,  James  Moffit,  John  Springer,  M.  Wood- 
ward, William  Woodward,  M.  Morehouse;  School  Direc- 
tors, Thomas  Duncan,  Levi  Colrin  ;  Clerk.  A.  G.  Booth. 

1SG3.— Burgess,  J.  S.  Roberts;  Council,  S.  B.  Piigc,  E.  II.  Bar, 
William  Leon.ard,  Joshua  Murphy,  John  Ileibertson,  J.  K. 
Bulger,  William  Woodward;  School  Directors,  William 
Hoover,  John  Mason  ;  Clerk,  A.  G.  Booth. 

1801.— Burgess.  W.  H.  Lanning:  Council,  A.  G.  Minehart,  E. 
N.  Coon,  W.  W.  Auld,  J.  Murphy,  E.  H.  Bar,  S.  B.  Page, 
John  llerbertson,  AVilliam  Leonard,  John  Buffington ; 
Clerk,  A.  G.  Booth. 

1S6j.— Burgess,  J.  S.  Roberts;  Council,  S.  B.  Page,  E.  H.  Bar, 
William  Leonard,  A.  G.  Minehart,  Edward  Toynbee,  E.  L. 
.Mooihouse,  J.  Armstrong;  Clerk,  A.  (i.  Booth. 

ISfiC— Burgess,  William  Hoover;  Council,  Ji>hn  Wilson, 
Thomas  Wiight,  John  W.  Porter,  J.  S.  Roberts,  A.  G. 
IMinchart,  Toomas  Wright.  W.  W.  Auld,  E.  Toynbee,  E.  L. 
Moorhouse,  E.  N.  Coon  ;  Clerk,  A.  G.  Bo.ith. 

ISflT.— Burgess.  0.  C.  Cromlow-  Council,  E.  Toynbee,  P.  S. 
M^right,  E.  N.  Coon,  John  Wilson,  John  Porter,  II.  B. 
Cock,  J.  S.  Roberts,  E.  Moorhouse,  Joseph  Walls;  Clerk, 
Edward  Brawley,  Sr. 

186S.— Burgess  John  S.  Roberts;  Council,  John  W.  Porter,  E. 
N.  Coon.  E.  Toynbee,  Thomas  I.  Wright,  Philo  Norton,  E. 
L.  M.iorhouse,  Joseph  Wells,  John  Wilson,  Henry  B. 
Cock;  Clerk,  E.  Brawley. 

1869.— Burgess,  0.  C.  Cromlow;  Council,  Thomas  S.  Wright, 
Isaac  Mason,  Daniel  Delaney,  E.  L.  Aloorhouse,  E.  P.  Coon, 
Philo  Norton,  Edward  Toynbee.  II.  B.  Cock.  Joseph  Wells: 
School  Directors,  Jesse  H.  Bulger,  J.  B.  Mason;  Clerk, 
Henry  Delaney. 

1S70.— Burgess,  Thomas  Shuman;  Council,  E.  Toynbee,  H.  B. 
Cock,  Daniel  Delaney.  Isaac  .Mnson,  J.  W.  Porter,  Nathan 
Crawford,  Thomas  S.  Wright,  Philo  Norton  ;  Clerk,  Henry 


1878.- Burgess,  Solomon  G.  Krepps;  Council,  T.  B.  Wilgus,  N. 

T.  Terrell,  Eilward  Hurd,  H.  B.  Cock,  M'illiam  Cock,  John 

Allison,  Robert  Mitchell,  J.  R.  Crawford,  James  Stewart; 

Clerk,  A.  G.  Booth. 
1879. — Burgess,  H.  B.  Leonard;  Council,  James  Martin,  James 

Blair,  J.  R.  Crawford,   John  Allison,  Edward   Hurd,  N. 

Terrell,  William  Cock,  John  A.  Hubbs,  R.  Mitchell;  Clerk, 

A.  G.  Booth. 
1880.- Eursess,  S.  S.  Fishburn  ;  Council,  R.  Crawford,  Eli  B. 

Cock,  Edward   Hurd,  James   Blair,  James   Martin,  J.  A. 

Scott,  J.  A.  Hubbs,   John  Allison,  William   Cock;  Clerk, 

A.  G.  Booth. 
1881.- Burgess,  II.  B.  Leonard;  Council.  J.  A.  Hubb.s  William 

Cock,  Joseph  A.  Scott.  Eli   B.  Cock.  William   llerbertson, 

James  Martin,  James  Blair,  Miles  Bulger,  John  Allison. 

JUSTICES  OF  THE  PEACE. 

j   Samuel  Jones,  Luzerne,  appointed  for  Bridgeport  township  and 
!  borough,  Feb.  17,  1SI7. 

i    Robert  Patterson,  Luzerne,  appointed  for  Bridgeport  township 
and  borough,  Sept.  7,  1819. 
Robert  Rogers.    Luzerne,   appointed  for  Bridgeport  township 


,  E.  L.  Moorhouse, 
c  .Mas.m,  N.  Craw- 
k,  Henry  Delaney. 


1871.— lUugess,  0.  C.  Cromlow;! 
John  W.  Porter.  Thomas  S.  Wri: 
ford,  Daniel  Delaney.  II.  B.  C. 

1872.  — Burgess.  Eli  Leonard;  Council.  John  Allison,  Thouias 
Shu.uan.  Daniel  Delaney.  0.  U.  Kniglit.  James  Reynolds, 
E.  L.  Jloorhouse,  N.  Crawford.  John  W.  Porter,  H.  B. 
Cock;  School  Directors,  Eli  Leonard,  Thomas  Shuuian ; 
Clerk,  A.  G.  Booth. 

1873.— Burgess.  S.  A.  Wood;  Council,  0.  R.  Knight,  D.  De- 
laney. Tliouins  Shuiuan,  E.  L.  Moorchouse,  James  Ri'y- 
nolds.  W.  I,.  Faull,  It.  Leonard,  Thom.as  Brawley;  Clerk, 

1874.— Lurgcs-.  .lohn  Buffington;  Council, John  Allison,  11.  B. 

Lcuiard,  1>.  Delaney,  G.  B.  Mason,  J.  R.  Crawford,  C.  F. 

Hur.l.   W.  T.   Faull,  Thomas  Brawley,  Thomas  Shuman; 

Clerk,  .'^.  S.  Fishburn. 
1870.- Burgess,   J.   Buffington;  Council,   C.    F.   Ilurd,    G.    B. 

Mason,  J.  R.  Cr.awford,  W.  H.   Miller,   C.   T.   Brawley,  W. 

L.  Faull,  Thomas    Aubrey,   N.    Ci-awford;    Clerk,   A.    (!. 

Booth. 
1876.— Burgess,  John  Buffingt..n  :  Council,  H.  B.  Cock,  Thomas 

Auloey.   G.   B.   Mason,    N.  Crawford,  W.  U.  Miller,  C.  T. 

Ilunl.  U.  Crawford:  Clerk.  A.  G.  Booth. 
1877.  — Burgess.  S.  S.  Fi-hiunu  ;   Council.  William  Cock,  John 

Allison,  W.  L.  Faull,   N.   Crawfo.,1,  T,   D.    Hoover,  H.  B. 

Cock,  R.  Mitchell,  H.  II.  Hormel,  W.  II.  Miller ;  Clerk,  A. 

G.  Booth. 


)  succeed  0.  C.  Cii 


rnd  I 


Feb. 


id  for  Bridi 


Joshua  ' 
and 

Hugh  6 
ami 

Joshua  I 

George  I 


Zcph 


ird   Potter,  Luzerne 

and  borough,  Dec.  8,  ISL':'.. 

ernon,    Luzerne,   appointed  for  Bridgeport  township 

linore,  Lu/.erne.  appointed  for  Bridgej^ort  township 
Mil.  l,M/.M,r.  appointed  for  Bridgeport  township  and 

.  ,-ii  \cMoi,  Lu/i'i-ne,  ajijiolnted  for  Bridgeport  town- 
I  Carii  r.  I.ii/.in.\  a)ii.<iiuted  for  Bridgeport  township 
ppointed  for  Bridgeport  township 


Elijah  Crawford,  Luzerne, 
and  borough,  Dec.  19, 


1840.  Albert  G.  Booth. 

Jauus  Truman. 
1,'^45.  William  C.  Fishb 

Albert  H.  Booth. 
1SJ5.  John  Wilgus. 


1856.  .lo 
1859.   \VI 


G2.  A.  G.  Booth. 

John  Buffington. 
67.  A.  G.  Booth. 

Edward  Brawley. 

William  Hoover. 

Henry  liclaney. 
72.   A.  G.  Booth. 

S.  A.  Wood. 
77.  Alfred  G.  Booth. 
79.  James  A.  Cromlov 
■^11.  Samuel  A.  Wood. 
5l.   David  JI.  Halt. 


ASSESSORS. 


1810.  James  Fitzsimmons. 
1S41.  Samuel  Johnson. 
1842.  William  Hoover. 
1813-44.  James  Fitzsimmo 
1845.  John  Buffington. 
ISJfi.  Thomas  Duncan. 
1847-48.  Thomas  Gregg. 
1849-55.  John  Buffington. 
1856-59.   Alfred  Offard. 
1860-02.  John  Buffington. 


1863.  N.  G.  Booth. 
1864-66.  John  Buffington. 
1S67.  AVilliam  G.  Bane. 
1868-69.  Joshua  Norcross. 
1870.  George  W.  Springer. 
Joshua  Norcross. 

1879.  T.  D.  Hoover. 

1880.  Samuels.  Fishburn. 

1881.  S.  S.  Fishburn. 


BRIDGEPORT   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


LIST   OF   TAXABLES   OF   BRIPGEPOKT   IN   181C. 

Ebenczer  Shiver. 

Samuel  Tolbcrt. 

Jiiincs  Allison. 

John  Haines. 

William  Saint. 

John  Tap. 

Snowilcn  Aiiohoss,  Sr. 

R<.b,Tt  [lurrey. 

James  St.  phens. 

Persifor  Vernon. 

Jolin  lientlcy. 

John  Harrison. 

Nathan  Smith. 

Samuel  Jones  and  William 

Bridgeport      Manufactur- 

Margaret Harland. 

AmosTownsend. 

B.  Irish. 

ing    Couiiuany,    cotton- 

Stacy  Hunt. 

Morris  Truman,  Sr. 

John  Williams. 

factory. 

Solomon  Hipsley. 

Joseph  Truman. 

Enoch  Watson. 

Robert  Booth. 

Samuel  Jones. 

Morris  Truman,  Jr. 

Thomas  Wraith. 

Robert  Barton. 

John  Jacobs. 

James  Truman. 

Barnet  Williams. 

Jacob  Bowman. 

Isaac  Jacobs. 

Jesse  Townsend. 

Daniel  Worley. 

John  Bouvier. 

Humphrey  Johnson. 

Robert  Townsend. 

Caleb  Woodward. 

Joshua  Burgen. 

Christopher  Irvin. 

John  Troth. 

Robert  White. 

Levi  Burden. 

John  Krepps. 

Henry  Troth. 

Timothy  Woods. 

William  Boyd. 

Abraham  Kimber. 

Joseph  Thurston. 

Hercules  Young. 

James  Breading. 

Solomon  6.  Krepps. 

James  Tomlinson. 

George  Yarnall's  heirs. 

Ezekiel  Baldwin. 

Thomas  King. 

Below  is  given  a  list  of 

persons  engaged  in  1816  in 

John  Barry. 

Timothy  Kirk. 

the  several  occupations  indicated,  being  taken  from 

Robert  Baldwin. 

John  Knight. 

the  assessment-roll  of  Bridgeport  for  that  year  : 

Parah  Briscoe. 

Richard  Ledwilh. 

Merchants. 

Potters. 

Samuel  Berry. 
Lydia  Berry. 
Goldsmith  Chandlee. 

Joseph  II.  Laning. 
John  Miller,  Sr. 
John  Miller,  Jr. 

Caleb  Hunt. 
Israel  Gregg. 

John  Riley. 
Robert  Rogers. 

Joseph  Crawford. 

J.TCob  iMalon. 

Cephas  Gregg. 

Blacksmiths. 

David  Cattel. 

Adolph  Merchant. 

Solomon  G.  Krepps. 

Asa  Richards. 

Jii.nes  Campbell. 

John  Morgan. 

Jesse     Pennell,       also 

Samuel  Hines. 

Hannah  Cridor. 

Larkin  Macklefresh. 

physician  and  brewer. 

Thomas  Grizzle. 

Enos  Coldren. 

Ebcnezer  Major. 

Mary  Rogers. 

Hercules  Young. 

Reuben  Chal  ant. 

Cooper  Marsh's  heirs. 

Jesse  Townsend. 

Hatters. 

Roes  Cadwallader. 
William  Chappin. 
Jonas  Cadwallader. 

JamLS  Meek. 
Joseph  Moore. 
Joseph  May. 

James  Tomlinson. 
Daniel  Worley. 

Robert  Boc.th. 
Luke  Enslow. 

James  Chalfant. 

John  Nclan. 

John  Krepps,  also  saw- 

Samuel Jones. 

George  Cui-ruthers. 

Joseph  Nelan. 

mill  and  ferry  (just 

Saddler. 

John  Cock. 

Mary  Nicholson's  heirs. 

commenced). 

James  Campbell. 

Robert  Clark. 

Henry  Nichols. 

Printer. 

Carpenter. 

William  Cock. 

John  Newburn. 

John  Bouvier. 

William  Boyd. 

Evan  Chalfant,  Sr. 

George  Newburn. 

Boat-builders. 

Moulder. 

Caleb  Carr. 
George  Dilhoufe. 

Joel  Oxley. 
Jesse  Ong. 

William  Chappin. 

John  W.  Fell. 

Francis  Dobbs. 

Vincent  Owens,  Sr. 

John  Cock. 

Brick-maker. 

Henry  G.  Dales. 

Vincent  Owens,  Jr. 

Cotton-factory. 

Robert  White. 

Van  Dunn. 

William  Ogle. 

Bridgeport  Mfg.  Co. 

Cooper. 

Peter  Drum. 

Jesse  Pennell. 

Steel-maker  and  factory. 

John  Morgan. 

Rohert  Dilliouse. 

Robert  Patterson. 

Morris  Truman. 

Shoemaker. 

AVilliam  Dodge. 

Andrew  Porter. 

Wire-weavers. 

Timothy  Woods. 

James  Dunbip. 

Thomas  Price. 

Morris  Truman,  Jr. 

Cabinet-maker. 

Arthur  Donaldson. 
Luke  Enslow. 

Alexander  Price. 
Mary  Pray. 
Eliza  Phelps. 

Joseph  Truman. 

Israel  Randolph. 

Benjamin  Fell. 

James  Truman. 

Seamstress. 

John  W.  Fell. 

AVilliam  Perry. 

Pipe-maker. 

Mary  Gorling. 

Rel.eeca  Fitzgerald. 

Joel  Painter. 

.Joshua  Burgen. 

Teachers. 

William  Foiguson. 

Samuel  Parks. 

Inn-keepers. 

Joseph  H.  Laning. 

Foundry  Con,pany. 

John  Riley. 

John  Nelan. 

Arthur  Donaldson. 

John  Fenny. 

John  Reynolds. 

Robert  Patterson. 

Saw-mill. 

Daniel  French. 

Mary  Rogers. 

Jonah  Cadwallader. 

Israel  Gregg. 
Cephas  Gregg. 

Asa  Richards. 
Israel  Randolph. 

The  following  description  of  Bridgeport  in  1821  is 

Mary  (Josling. 

Robert  Rogers. 

found    in   "The   Navigator,"   a   book    published   in 

Thomas  Grizzle. 

John  Rabe. 

Pittsburgh   in   that   year. 

containing    directions    to 

Daniel  Goodwin. 

James  Richards. 

pilots  on  the   Monongahela   and  other  rivers,  with 

Penncll  Garritt. 

Thomas  Stokely. 

references  to  the  towns  and  settlements  located  on 

Samuel  Gillespie. 

Philip  Shaffner. 

their  banks : 

Caleb  Hunt. 

Thomas  Stoekdale. 

William  Heifer. 

James  Springer. 

"  Dunlap's  Creek. 

Samuel  Harmon. 

Nicholas  Swearer. 

"  Here  h.as  been  a  fish- 

dam  ;  the  chute  is  near  the 

Samuel  Hines. 

William  Stevenson. 

middle  of  the  river.     Immediately  above  the  mouth 

472 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  this  creek  stands  Bridgeport,  a  small  village,  con- 
nected with  Brownsville  by  a  chain-bridge  over  the 
creek.  In  it  are  several  mercantile  stores,  an  earthen 
pottery,  tan-yard,  a  wire-weaver,  card-maker,  hatters, 
a  boat-yard,  and  a  market-house.  It  contains  fifty-si.x 
dwellings.  A  gliiss-works,  commenced  in  October, 
1811,  for  the  making  of  green  glass." 

MARKET-HOUSE. 

A  public  market-house  was  built  in  Bridgeport  a 
number  of  years  before  the  town  became  a  borough. 
Soon  after  the  incorporation,  on  the  8th  of  July,  1814, 
the  Council  directed  that  necessary  repairs  be  made  i 
on  the  market-house.     On  the  22d  of  the  same  month 
an  ordinance  was  j)assed  declaring  "that  from  and 
after  thu  iir-t  clay  of  the  ninth  month  nest  a  market  j 
shall  liu  u.tabli.-iieJ  and  held  in  the  Market-House  of 
this  Borough,  on  the  fourth  and  seventh  days  of  each  j 
week,  and  from  daylight  until  nine  o'clock  a.m.  on 
each  of  said   days  in  the  first,  second,  third,  tenth, 
eleventh,  and  twelfth  months,  and  from  daylight  until  ' 
eight  o'chick  A.Ji.  on  each  of  said  days  in  the  fourth, 
flftli,  si.xtli,  seventh,  eighth,  and  ninth  months."     The 
stalls  on  the  north  side  of  the  building  were  ordered 
rented  to  butchers,  at  a  yearly  rent  of  five  dollars,  i 
On  the  20th  of  September,  1814,  the  Council  ordered 
the  erection  of  an  addition  to  the  market-house  eight 
feet  in  width,  and  extending  the  whole  length  of  the 
building.     "  Twenty  feet  of  Rack,  for  the  convenience 
of  Market   people    to   hitch  their  horses,"  was  also 
ordered  to  be  built. 

The  old  market-house  was  sold  to  D.  H.  Chalfant, 
July  4,  1829,  for  ten  dollars,  twelve  and  a  half  cents. 
On  the  20th  of  October,  1831,  there  was  ]Uesenled  to 
the  Council  a  petition  signed  by  seventy  citizens, 
praying  for  the  erection  of  a  new  market-house.  On 
this  petition  a  committee  was  appointed  {October 
22(1)  to  <'xaiiiine  and  report  on  a  suitable  site,  also  on 


•r  >ize  and  i 
.  Thiscomn 
roper  place, 
feet  six  incl 


The  rei.ort  « 
appointed,  wl 
work  was  en: 
ported 


d  expense  of  such  mar- 
ported  the  public  ground 
ecommended  a  building 
lies  by  thirty  feet  in  dimensions, 
jted  and  a  building  committee 
ted  Xnv.  24,  ]s:;i,  that  the  stone- 


:\rn 


1  tract 


iber 


.,   lSf!2,  re- 
r.racken  & 


Eogers.  The  building  was  completed  ami  occupu'd 
in  the  fall  of  1832.  This  market-lmuse  is  still  i  Nu- 
vember,  1881)  standing,  the  main  part  of  the  build- 
ing being  used  as  a  town  hall  and  council-room. 

PUBLIC  WAREHOUSE  AND  WHARF. 
On  the  26th  of  April,  181.5,  the  Borough  Council 
granted  to  Israel  Gregg  for  the  term  of  ten  years  a 
part  of  the  public  ground,  on  wdiich  to  erect  a  frame 
building  for  a  warehouse  fifty  by  tuenty-fivc  feet  on 
the  ground,  and  one  and  a  half  stoi'ies  higli,  to  con- 
tain a  fireplace,  a  chimney  of  brick,  and  a  small 
counting  room,  the  building  to  become  the  property 


of  the  borough  at  the  end  of  ten  years.  It  did  so 
revert  at  the  end  of  that  time. 

In  1826  a  committee  was  appointed  by  the  Council 
to  repair  the  building  and  rent  it.  This  was  done, 
and  on  the  30th  of  December  in  that  year  it  was 
rented  to  Benedict  Kimber  at  $20  per  annum  from 
April  1,  1827.  On  the  1st  of  April,  1829,  it  was 
rented  for  one  year  to  Charles  McCollester.  In  May, 
1831,  it  was  rented  to  Joshua  Armstrong  for  one  year 
at  $20,  but  before  the  expiration  of  the  time  (in  Feb- 
ruary, 1832)  it  was  rented  to  Randolph  Dearth  for 
one  year  at  $50.  Jan.  16,  1837,  Thomas  Acklin  rented 
the  warehouse  for  two  years  at  $40  per  annum. 

In  1844  the  warehouse  was  sold,  to  be  removed  to 
give  room  for  the  building  of  a  wharf.  The  contract 
for  building  the  wharf  was  given  to  Henry  Marshall, 
and  it  was  erected  in  184.5,  at  a  cost  of  $963.54.  In 
August  of  that  year  the  Council  fixed  the  first  rates  of 
wdiarfage  for  steamboats,  viz. :  one  dollar  per  trip,  and 
fifty  cents  per  day  when  laying  over  in  a  navigable 
stage  of  the  river,  and  five  dollars  per  month  in  win- 
ter. Keel-boats,  twenty-five  cents  per  landing  or  per 
day. 

The  wharf  is  still  public  property,  under  control  of 
the  borough. 

FERRIES  AND  BRIDGE  OVER  THE  MONONGAHELA. 
The  first  ferry  across  the  Monongahela  River  within 
the  boundaries  of  Bridgeport  w^as  established  by  John 
Krepps  before  1794,  as  the  court  records  of  Fayette 
County  show  that  iu  that  year  a  petition  was  pre- 
sented for  "  a  road  from  Krepps'  Ferry  to  the  bridge 
at  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek."  The  ferry  landing 
on  the  Bridgeport  side  of  the  river  was  at  or  very 
near  the  foot  of  Spring  Street  (or  Alley),  northeast  of 
the  residence  of  Solomon  G.  Krepps.  This  ferry  re- 
mained in  operation  until  some  time  after  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Monongahela  bridge,  and  towards  the 
last  of  its  existence  a  ferry-boat  propelled  by  steam 

The  original  owner  of  this  ferry,  John  Krepps,  al- 
ways lived  on  the  west  side  of  the  Monongahela;  but 
his  sons,  Samuel  J.  and  Solomon  G.  Krepps,  settled  on 
the  east  side  of  the  river,  the  latter  being  a  resident 
of  Bridgeport  as  early  as  1813,  when  he  built  the 
brick  house  which  is  now  the  residence  of  his  nephew 
I  his  lirother  Samuel's  son),  Solomon  G.  Krepps.  He 
(Sdlniiion  G.  the  elder)  was  a  merchant  in  Bridge- 
piirt  in  1S16,  as  is  shown  by  the  assessment-roll  of 
that  year.  He  lived  in  Bridgeport  until  his  death, 
and  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  prominent  citizens 
of  the  place.  In  1832  he,  with  Zephaniah  Carter, 
built  the  "  Friendship  Paper-Mill"  in  Bridgeport, 
but  died  soon  after,  and  before  the  mill  was  in  full 
and  successful  operation.  He  served  one  term  in  the 
State  Legislature,  and  was  several  times  elected  bur- ; 
gess  of  Bridgeport;  also  served  as  a  member  of  the] 
Borough  Council.  His  brother,  Samuel  J.  Krepps, 
settled  in  Bridgeport  about  1823,  where  Eli  Leonard 


BKIDGEPORT   BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


473 


now  lives,  and  carried  on  the  saw-mill  at  the  Jonah 
Cadwallader  dam  on  Dunlap's  Creek,  also  operating 
the  coal-banks  on  that  property.  In  1832  he  built  a 
residence  in  Brownsville  (tlie  same  which  is  now  kept 
as  the  "  Monongahela  House"  by  the  widow  of  his  son, 
John  B.  Krepps),  and  removed  to  it.  In  1834  he  built 
the  "  Valley  Mills"  on  Dunlap's  Creek,  in  Bridgeport. 
He,  like  his  brother,  Solomon  G.  Krepps,  was  a  promi- 
nent and  public-spirited  citizen,  and  identified  with 
the  business  interests  of  both  boroughs  for  many 
years.  About  1846  he  removed  to  the  old  Krepps 
homestead,  west  of  the  Monongahela,  and  soon  after- 
wards to  the  Neal  Gillespie  farm,  where  he  died 
March  6,  1866.  '  In  1854  he  was  elected  to  the  Legis- 
lature from  Washington  County. 

The  other  children  of  the  old  ferry-owner,  John 
Krepps,  were  John,  who  lived  and  died  in  West 
Brownsville;  Christian,  who  went  West,  and  whose 
subsequent  history  is  unknown  ;  and  Helen,  who  be- 
came the  wife  of  Judge  Eli  Miller,  of  Mount  Vernon, 
Ohio. 

The  Gillespie  ferry,  which  was  first  established  to 
cross  the  river  from  Brownsville,  was  moved  up  from 
there  in  or  about  1820,  and  located  near  the  foot  of 
Bridge  Street  in  Bridgeport.    This  was  kept  in  opera- 
tion till  after  the  opening  of  the  Monongahela  bridge. 
On  the  22d  of  February,  1825,  application  was  made 
to  the  Council  of  Bridgeport  for  the  privilege  of  a 
ferry  landing  between  the  east  side  of  Bank  Street  [ 
jand  the  west  side  of  the  public  lot  for  the  term  of  five 
years,  and  on  the  3d  of  March  the  ground  was  rented  | 
for  that  period  at  five  dollars  per  year  to  Moses  Dur-  I 
nel,  concerning  whose  occupancy  no  further  informa- 
tion has  been  obtained.  i 

There  was  no  communication  by  bridge  across  the 
Monongahela  River  at  Bridgeport  until  the  year 
1833,  all  traflSc  and  travel  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 
iiouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek  was  agitated  by  some  of  the 
most  prominent  men  of  the  vicinity  on  both  sides  of 
;he  river.  In  1810  an  act  was  passed  (approved  March 
JOth  in  that  year)  "  to  authorize  the  Governor  to  in- 
iorporate  a  company  for  erecting  a  bridge  over  the  j 
VIonongahela  River  at  or  near  where  the  road  leading  j 
Tom  Brownsville  to  the  town  of  Washington  crosses 
he  same,"  thus  authorizing  the  location  of  the  bridge  ': 
it  Brownsville  or  Bridgeport  as  might  be  decided  on. 
The  act  designated  and  appointed  "  Neal  Gillespie, 
Tr.,  Parker  Campbell  and  Thomas  Acheson,  of  the 
lounty  of  Washington,  Jacob  Bowman,  Thomas 
lason,  Charles  Shaffner,  Samuel  Jackson,  David 
2wing,  and  Michael  Sowers,  of  the  county  of  Fay- 
tte,"  commissioners  to  receive  subscriptions  to  the 
tock  of  the  company  to  be  formed.  It  was  provided 
nd  required  by  the  act  that  the  bridge  should  be  so 


constructed  as  not  to  obstruct  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,  under  penalty  of  forfeiture  of  rights  and  fran- 
chises. References  to  the  probable  early  commence- 
ment and  completion  of  the  bridge  are  found  in  the 
newspapers  of  that  time,  but  no  work  was  ever  actu- 
ally done  on  it,  nor  does  it  appear  that  the  bridge 
site  was  definitely  determined  on,  or  the  necessary 
amount  of  stock  subscribed. 

On  the  16th  of  March,  1830,  the  Monongahela 
Bridge  Company  was  incorporated,  with  a  capital  of 
$44,000.  The  corporators  were  George  Hogg,  James 
L.  Bowman,  Valentine  Giesey,  and  Robert  Clarke,  of 
Fayette  County,  Daniel  Moore,  .Jesse  Kenworthy, 
Ephraim  L.  Blaine,  John  Kingland,  and  Thomas  Mc- 
Kennan,  of  Washington  County.  By  the  terms  of  the 
incorporation  William  Davidson,  George  Craft,  Isaac 
Meason,  and  Andrew  Oliphant,  of  Fayette  County, 
and  John  Park,  Jr.,  William  Berry,  and  John  Watson, 
of  Washington  County,  were  appointed  commissioners 
to  locate  the  site  of  the  bridge.  These  men,  taking 
into  consideration  the  great  amount  of  travel  and  traf- 
fic then  coming  to  the  river  over  the  National  road, 
fixed  the  location  at  the  point  where  that  road  strikes 
the  river  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  ob- 
tained. The  contract  for  building  was  awarded  to 
Messrs.  Le  Baron  &  De  Mond,  at  $32,000,  with  $5000 
additional  for  the  approaches.  They  commenced 
work  in  the  fall  of  1831,  and  on  the  23d  of  November 
received  the  first  payment  of  .'r'riOO  on  the  contract. 
Apparently  the  work  w-as  not  pushed  very  vigorously, 
for  the  bridge  was  not  completed  uutil  1833,  the  first 
tolls  being  received  on  the  14th  of  October  in  that 
year. 

The  bridge  is  a  covered  structure  of  wood,  six  hun- 
dred and  thirty  feet  in  length,  in  three  spans,  stand- 
ing on  two  piers  in  the  river  between  the  abutments. 
For  almost  half  a  century  it  has  stood  firm  against 
the  ice  and  the  numerous  great  floods  in  the  Monon- 
gahela, 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  palmy  days  of  the  National 
road,  before  the  railways  had  diverted  its  travel  and 
traffic  into  other  channels. 


^  Tliis  fact,  with  many  others  noted  in  tlrese  pages,  was  olitaineil  from 
tlie  diarj-  of  that  veteran  citizen  of  Biidgeport  and  Briiwnsville,  Robert 


474 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  first  officers  of  the  company  were  George  Hogg, 
president;  Thomas  McKennan,  secretary ;  James  L. 
Bowman,  treasurer.  Mr.  Hogg  was  succeeded  in  the 
presidency  by  James  L.  Bowman,  whose  successor  is 
George  E.  Hogg.  The  following-named  gentlemen  are 
the  present  (1881)  officers :  Managers,  George  E.  Hogg 
(president),  J.  W.  Jeffries,  Capt.  Adam  Jacobs,  Eli  J. 
Bailey,  N.  B.  Bowman,  Joseph  T.  Rogers,  George  W. 
Lenhart;  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  William  Ledwith. 

Tlie  several  bridges  built  across  Dunlap's  Creek, 
connecting  Bridgeport  and  Brownsville,  have  been  no- 
ticed in  the  history  of  the  last-named  borough. 

STE.\JIBOAT    AXD    KEEL-BOAT    BUILDIXG. 

In  the  extracts  given  in  preceding  pages  from  the 
journal  of  Robert  Rogers  it  is  narrated  that  about 
theyear  ISll  Daniel  French  came  from  Philadelphia 
to  Bridgeport,  "  with  big  schemes  of  manufacturing, 
steamboat  building,  and  navigating  Western  waters," 
and  that  some  of  the  most  influential  and  well-to-do 
citizens  of  liridgejiort,  Brownsville,  and  the  vicinity 
became  so  impressed  with  the  apparent  feasibility  of 
his  projects  that  they  subscribed  liberally  to  the  stock 
of  two  conijianies  which  were  formed,  one  for  manu- 
facturing, and  the  other  lor  the  building  and  running 
of  steamboats. 

The  latter  company  commenced  operations  without 
much  delay,  building  two  steamboats,  the  "Enter- 
under  the  ^U|irrinte.i.lrnre  of  l.rael  (iii-g,  Henry  SI. 
Shreve,'  and  Daniel  rrcuch,  on  the  bank  of  the  river, 
above  Dunlap's  Creek,  the  ground  on  which  Gregg 
built  in  the  next  year  the  warehouse  wdiich  afterwards 
came  into  [.nssession  of  the  borough.  The  "Dis- 
patch" was  built  on  the  spot  where  the  "  .Monument 
Mills"  of  Mason,  R..gers  cV  Co.  now  ^tand.  The  en- 
gines of  both  the  "  Ijnterprise"  and  "  Disjiatch"  wt-re 
built  by  Daniel  French.  The  career  of  the  former 
boat  is  thus  mentioned  in  the  journal  of  Mr.  Rogers: 

"  In  1814  the  largest  of  the  two  boats  (the  '  Enter- 
prise') was  sent  to  New  Orleans,  with  Henry  M. 
Shreve  as  captain.  She  arrived  there  when  Gen. 
Jackson's  army  was  there,  and  was  pressed  into  gov- 
ernment service  to  carry  troops  and  stores,  and  con- 
tinued to  do  so  till  the  close  of  the  war.  Then  Shreve 
started  with  her  for  Pittsburgh  with  considerable 
money,  but  on  the  way  up  the  boat  Was  robbed  (as 
he  saidi  of  all  her  money.  She  finally  arrived  at 
Pittsburgh,  and  the  company  got  possession  of  her 
again.  Then  they  employed  Israel  Gregg  as  captain. 
He  ran  her  for  a  time,  but  made  no  money,  though 
freight  and  passage  was  high.  The  company  then 
chartered  her  to  James  Tonilinson,  who  put  his  son- 

1  A  son  of  Col.  Israel  Shreve,  who  comDianfled  a  regiment  of  New 
Jei-sey  troops  in  the  Continental  line  in  the  war  of  the  Kevolutiou,  anfl 
whn,  after  the  close  of  the  war,  eniigrated  from  that  State  to  Fayette 
Comity,  Pa.,  locating  in  what  is  now  Uie  township  of  Terry,  on  lands 
puichiised  by  him  from  Geu.  Washingluu. 


in-law,  Daniel  Worley,  on   her   as  captain,  but  he 
made  no  money,  and  let  the  boat  sink  (a  short  dis- 
j  tance  below  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio),  so  the  company 
lost  both  the  money  and  charter."  The  "  Enterprise," 
j  of  Bridgeport,  was  the  first  steamer  that  ever  made 
I  the  trip  from  Pittsburgh  to  New  Orlearis  and  return. 
The  company's  other  boat,  the  "Dispatch,"  is  de- 
scribed 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,  con- 
densing 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  eighty  feet 
I  keel   and  eleven   feet   beam.     The  water-wheel  was 
I  only  eight  feet  in  diameter,  and  worked  inside  the 
boat,  the  rudders  being  aft  of  it.  ...  I  was  second 
I  engineer,  with  Israel  Gregg  as  captain."     The  boat 
I  started  on  her  trip  in  December,  1815.     Part  of  the 
■  load  was  taken  on  at  Bridgeport,  and   this  having 
been  done,  it  was  announced  that  she  would  take  her 
I  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 
I  sunk  and  filled  with  water,  so  that  several  days  more 
elapsed  before  she  could  be  raised  and  made  ready 
'  again.     This  was  finally  accomplished,  and  she  pro- 
[  ceeded  down  the  river  without  further  accident  to 
Pittsburgh,  wdiere  she  remained  a  few  daj's,  and  then 
I  went  on  down  the  Ohio. 

I  At  the  mouth  of  Big  Beaver  the  river  was  filled 
with  floating  ice,  and  a  furious  gale  sprung  up,  which 
obliged  Capt.  Gregg  to  fie  up  to  the  shore,  with  the 
intention  of  remaining  only  till  the  next  morning, 
but  as  the  river  fell  ra;iidly  during  the  night,  he  was 
rompelleil  I 


ly  there  for  about  two  weeks.  At  the 
end  of  that  time  the  ice  disappeared,  the  weather  be- 
came good,  and  the  "Dispatch"  proceeded  down  the 
river,  but  "struck  on  the  bar  at  Wheeling,  on  the 
island  side,  and  having  no  niggers  on  board"  [says 
Mr.  Rogers]  "we  were  compelled  to  jump  into  the 
river,  full  of  floating  ice  as  it  was,  and  pay  her  off 
with  rails."  From  there  no  accident  occurred  until 
the  boat  reached  Walker's  bar,  below  Cincinnati,  and 
there  she  stuck  fa-st  and  remained  for  two  weeks  be- 
fore the  river  rose  suflSciently  to  float  her  off.  Mr. 
Rogers  proceeds:  "At  Louisville  Capt.  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 

i  the  Ohio   into  the  Mississippi,  the  boat's  company 

i  frequently  saw  Indians,  who  came  down  to  the  river- 
bank  and  sold  them  venison.  For  fear  of  these  sav- 
ages they  dared  not  run  by  night,  but  laid  up,  and 
employed  the  hours  of  darkness  in  cutting  wood  for 
the  next  day's  fuel,  as  there  was  then  no  wood  for 

I  sale  along  the  river. 

I  Thus  the  entire  winter  was  passed  on  the  river,  and 
early  in  the  spring  of  1811)  the  "Dispatch"  arrived  at 

'  New  Orleans.     There  she  was  boarded  by   Edward 


BRIDGEPORT   BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP. 


475 


Livingston,  United  States  marslial  of  that  district, 
who  notified  the  engineer  in  charge  that  he  (Living- 
ston) and  Robert  Fulton  had  the  exclusive  right  to 
navigate  the  waters  of  Louisiana  with  steamboats, 
and  they  would  not  permit  that  right  to  be  infringed. 
But  the  master  of  the  "  Dispatch"  pleaded  igno- 
rance 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  would  appear  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  dis- 
charging they  started  on  the  return  trip  to  Pittsburgh. 
The  boat  was  small  and  weak,  and  so  made  slow  prog- 
ress against  the  current  of  the  Mississippi,  though 
some  advantage  was  gained  by  her  light  draft  of  water, 
on  which  account  she  "  could  run  close  in  shore  and 
around  the  willow  banks."  Arriving  at  the  Falls  of 
the  Ohio  the  water  was  found  to  be  low,  so  that  the 
boat  was  hauled  by  a  slow  and  laborious  process  up 
the  rapids  close  into  the  Kentucky  shore. 

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

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  dis- 
tance above  where  Mason  Rogers  &  Co.'s  flouring- 
mill  now  stands,  and  was  launched  on  Christmas- 
day  in  the  year  mentioned.  Upon  her  completion 
she  was  placed  under  command  of  Capt.  Abram 
Kimber,  and  ran  for  some  years  on  the  Ohio,  between 
Pittsburgh  and  Louisville,  Ky. 

About  1826,  Abel  Cofiin  and  Michael  Miller  com- 
menced the  building  of  keel-boats  in  Bridgeport  on 
an  extended  scale,  and  an  almost  incredible  number 
of  them  were  turned  out  by  these  builders.  John 
Cock  also  built  large  numbers  of  them,  and  he  as 
well  as  Coffin  and  Miller  built  some  steamboats.  In 
1827,  Mr.  Cock  built  for  James  May,  of  Pittsburgh, 
the  two  Ohio  River  steamers,  "  Erie"  and  "  Sham- 
rock." Coffin  and  Miller  built  the  "Reindeer"  (sec- 
ond of  that  name),  the  "  Mountaineer,"  the  "  Cham- 
pion" (Capt.  Thomas  Sloan),  and  many  others. 

John  S.  Pringle  (now  living  in  West  Brownsville 


at  the  age  of  about  seventy-five  years,  and  who  has 
been  the  builder  of  more  boats  than  any  other  person 
on  the  Monongahela  River)  came  to  this  place  from 
the  eastern  part  of  the  State  in  1826.  The  first  boat 
on  which  he  worked  here  was  the  "  Highlander," 
built  by  Robert  Rogers,  on  a  spot  opposite  the  saw- 
mill on  Water  Street.  John  Herbertson  also  worked 
on  the  same  vessel.  In  the  early  part  of  1828,  John 
S.  Pringle  built  for  Robert  Rogers  and  Samuel  Clarke 
a  flat-bottomed  boat  called  the  "  Visitor,"  which  ran 
the  following  summer  from  Pittsburgh  to  Louisville, 
and  made  a  remarkable  success,  earning  two  thousand 
dollars  more  than  her  entire  cost  during  that  one 
season,  and  was  then  sold  at  two  thousand  dollars 
advance  on  her  cost.  The  success  of  this  boat  caused 
the  building  of  others  of  similar  construction  by  Mr. 
Pringle.  He  established  a  boat-yard  where  Mrs. 
William  Cock  now  lives.  There  he  built  a  great 
number  of  steamers  and  other  river  craft,  continuing 
in  the  business  at  that  place  till  1843,  when  he  pur- 
chased from  Ephraim  Blaine  the  site  of  his  present 
yard  in  West  Brownsville.  It  is  stated  that  Mr.  Prin- 
gle has  built  at  his  yards  on  both  sides  of  the, river 
more  than  five  hundred  steamboats,  besides  a  great 
number  of  barges  and  other  small  craft.  He  has  not 
unfrequently  hud  three  or  four  steamer  hulls  on  the 
stocks  at  one  and  the  same  time.  The  largest  boat 
ever  built  by  him  was  the  "  Illinois,"  three  hundred 
and  eight  feet  long  and  seventy-two  feet  beam,  which 
was  floated  down  the  river  on  high  water  to  Pitts- 
burgh to  receive  her  engines.  Mr.  Pringle  built  the 
first  tow-boat  on  the  river,  the  "Coal  Hill,"  and 
afterwards  built  twenty-five  more  of  the  same  model 
and  construction. 

MANUFACTUIUXG    ESTABLISHMENTS. 
THE   OLD  "BRIDGEPORT  STEEL-WORKS." 

In  or  about  the  year  1810  Morris  Truman  with  his 
three  sons, — Morris,  Jr.,  Joseph,  and  James, — all 
Quakers,  came  from  Philadelphia  to  Bridgeport, 
where  they  erected  and  put  in  operation  works  for 
the  manufacture  of  steel,  where  James  j^ubrey  now 
lives.  They  afterwards  built  also  a  machine  and  en- 
gine-shop where  is  now  the  brick  house  of  Mr. 
Dougherty.  The  precise  date  of  the  starting  of  the 
steel-works  is  not  known,  but  that  they  were  in  oper- 
ation in  the  early  part  of  1811  is  shown  by  a  com- 
munication found  in  the  "Pittsburgh  Magazine 
Almanac"  of  that  year,  and  of  which  the  following 
is  a  copy  : 

"Cross  Cheek,  Jiilj-  1,  1811. 

"  Messrs.  Printers  : 

"  I  have  been  accustomed  to  makingvarious  kinds 
of  edge  tools  for  forty  years,  and  have  no  hesitation 
in  pronouncing  the  steel  made  by  Morris  Truman  & 
Co.  equal  to  any  imported  or  made  elsewhere. 

"J.  Marshall." 

In  the  same  Almanac  for  the  year  1S13  it  is  men- 
tioned that  "  the  steel  manufactory  of  Morris  Tru- 


476 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


man,  which  was  started  about  eighteen  months  since,  j 
is  doing  well,  and  is  capable  of  furnishing  seventy  , 
tons  of  good  steel  annually."     The  steel-works  were 
abandoned  about  the  year  182.5.     From  their  machine- 
shop  the  Messrs.  Truman  turned  out  the  engines  of 
the    "Keindeer,"    the     "Mountaineer,"    and    other! 
steamers,  and  did  an  extensive  business  in  that  line. 
They  were  men  of  education  and  of  great  mechanical  i 
ability.    Morris  (Jr.)  and  Joseph  Truman  were  bache- 
lors, James  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  some  years, 
and  all  of  the  three  brothers  were  at  times  members 
of  the  Borough  Council.     They  died  in  Bridgeport, 
where  niauy  years  of  their  lives  were  spent. 

THE   BRIDGEPORT   GL.\.SS-WORKS. 

The  old  glass-works  in  Bridgeport  were  built  and 
put  in  operation  in  1811'  by  a  joint-stock  company, 
composed  of  John  Troth,  Henry  Minehart,  Isaac 
Van  Hook,  and  their  associates.  The  works  embraced 
a  main  building  about  fifty-five  feet  square,  and  sev-  • 
eral  smaller  buildings  near  it,  all  located  on  the  lots 
afterwards  occupied  by  the  distillery  of  John  Hop- 
kins, and  still  later  owned  by  Edward  Toynbee. 

The  company  and  their  successors  continued  the 
manufacture  of  glass  with  varying  success  till  about 
1840.  The  works  were  rented  for  some  years  by 
Benedict  Kimber,  who  was  very  suecessi'ul,  accumu- 
lating a  small  fortune,  which,  however,  he  afterwards 
lost  in  the  building  of  boats.  After  his  failure  he 
again  ran  the  glass-works,  but  was  not  as  successful 
as  before,  and  finally  the  works  ceased  to  be  used  for 
their  original  purpose.  On  the  4th  of  May,  1847, 
8;iinucl  B.  Page  transferred  to  the  borough  "  the  four 
lots  formerly  held  by  the  Bridgeport  Glass- Works," 
for  which  he  was  released  from  all  borough  taxes  fi)r 
the  period  of  ten  years. 


The  formation  of  this  company  and  the  erection  of 
its  cotton-factory  in  Bridgeport  nearly  seventy  years 
ago  was  promoted  by  the  representations  of  Daniel 
French,  who  came  here  from  riiiladclphia  about  the 
year  1811,  and  advocated  his  industrial  schemes  with 
so  much  eiithusia-ni  that  the  ]icopli>  were  induced  to 
subscribe  lilicrally  to  eatrrprises  lor  manufacturing 
and  steamboating,  as  has  been  narrated  on  preced- 
ing pages  in  an  extract  from  the  journal  of  Robert 
Eogers. 

The  date  of  the  commencement  of  work  in  the  erec- 
tion of  the  cotton-factory  has  not  been  ascertained, 
but  that  it  was  before  1814  is  shown  by  the  following 
extract  from  the  "  rittsliinL;li  ^laLiazine  Almanac" 
for  that  year,  referring  to  r.riil.i;(  port,  viz. :  ".  .  .  There 
is  also  a  large  cotton-manufactory  Imilding,  in  which 


l.y  ttie  f 


they  intend  to  use  steam-power ;"  and  also  from  an 
advertisement  by  the  company's  manager,  dated 
"  Bridgeport,  August  15,  1814,"  and  found  in  a  news- 
paper of  that  time.  It  announces  to  the  public  that 
"  the  factory  is  nearly  ready  to  go  into  operation, 
which  will  be  drove  by  steam,  where  we  intend  keep- 
ing a  constant  supply  of  cotton  yarn  of  various  de- 
scriptions, 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,  from 
our  determined  intentions  to  do  our  work  with  neat- 
ness and  dispatch,  and  at  the  usual  prices,  to  merit  a 
share  of  the  public  patronage.  (Signed)  Enos  Grove, 
Manager  of  the  Company." 

The  factory  building  was  of  stone,  about  fifty  by 
one  hundred  feet  in  ground  dimensions,  and  four 
stories  high.  It  was  completed  at  about  the  time 
above  indicated,  but  for  some  reason  which  does  not 
appear  the  company  was  not  incorporated  until 
1816. 

An  act  of  the  Legislature,  approved  February  8tli 
in  that  year,  incorporates  ''  The  Bridgeport  Manu- 
facturing Company,  ...  for  the  purpose  of  manu- 
facturing cotton  and  woolen  goods,  and  who  have 
erected  an  establishment  for  that  purpose  in  the 
Borough  of  Bridgeport,  in  Fayette  County;"  the  cap- 
ital stock  not  to  exceed  $200,000,  in  shares  of  $500 
each.  The  corporators  were  John  Krepps,  James 
Tomlinson,  Elisha  D.  Hunt,  William  Griffith,  John 
McClure  Hezlip,  Morris  Truman,  and  Enos  Grave. 

The  factory  had  been  started  with  great  expecta- 
tions some  time  prior  to  the  incorporation  of  the 
company.  "And  when  they  were  ready,"  says  Mr. 
Rogers'  diary,  "  no  one  being  experienced  in  run- 
ning factory  or  steamboats,  neither  enterprise  made 
any  money,  but  ran  in  debt,  and  the  factory  was  sold 
by  the  sheriff."  After  being  operated  for  a  time  by 
Mr.  Grave  for  the  company,  it  was  run  successively 
by  James  Meek,  of  Greene  County,  James  Hutchin- 
son, Robert  Burke,  and  others.  After  years  of  un- 
profitable attempts  to  run  it  for  the  purpose  for  which 
it  was  built  it  was  abandoned  as  a  cotton-factory,  and 
then,  after  some  years  of  disuse,  it  was  occupied  as  a 
carriage-factory.  Finally  it  was  destroyed  by  fire, 
and  so  ended  the  cotton-factory  enterprise  of  Bridge- 
port. 

FRIENDSmr    PAPER-MILL. 

A  paper-mill,  named  as  above  by  its  proprietors, 
Zephaniah  Carter  and  Solomon  G.  Krepps,  was  built 
by  them  on  Water  Street,  Bridgeport,  and  put  in 
operation  in  1832.  Before  the  business  had  become 
firmly  established  Krepps  died,  and  his  interest  in  the 
mill  was  sold  to  Robert  Clarke,  whose  advertisement, 
announcing  the  purchase,  and  the  continuance  of 
the  business  under  the  new  proprietorship,  also  ex- 
pressing his  regret  that  an  enterprise  which  gave  such 
good  promise  of  success  should  have  been  checked  so 
soon  after  its  commencement  by  the  death  of  Mr. 


BRIDGEPOET   BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


477 


Krepps,  is  found  in  the  Washington  Examiner,  dated 
November,  1833.  The  paper-mill  continued  in  oper- 
ation for  a  number  of  years,  but  finally  the  business 
was  abandoned,  and  the  building  .sold,  in  1857,  to 
Mason  Rogers  &  Co.,  who  converted  it  intoaflouring- 
mill,  which  is  still  operated  by  them. 

FOUNDUIES   AND    MACIIINE-SIIOPS. 

The  first  machine-shop  of  Bridgeport  was  that  of 
Daniel  French,  who  (as  has  been  already  mentioned 
in  an  extract  given  from  the  journal  of  Robert  Rogers) 
came  from  Philadelphia  to  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's 
Creek  about  the  year  1811.  He  was  a  man  full  of 
mechanical  ideas,  and  a  practical  machinist.  Mr. 
James  L.  Bowman,  in  an  article  written  for  and  pub- 
lished in  the  American  Pioneer  in  1843,  said,  "  The 
facility  of  obtaining  iron  and  the  abundance  of  bitu- 
minous coal  for  working  it  caused  the  establishment 
of  various  manufactories  in  this  section.  Among 
them  we  may  name  that  of  a  steam-engine  shop,  under 
the  direction  of  Daniel  French,  in  Bridgeport,  from 
which  emanated  an  engine  which  was  put  on  board  the 
hull  of  the  steamer  '  Enterprise'  in  1814."  The  engine 
of  the  "  Dispatch,"  twin-boat  wiih  the  "  Enterprise," 
was  built  in  the  same  shop.  Mr.  French  was  the  in- 
ventor of  the  oscillating  cylinder  for  engines.  He 
left  Bridgeport  about  1820,  and  went  to  Jeftersonville, 
Ind.,  where  his  sons  became  extensive  boat-builders, 
and  where  he  was  still  living  in  1872. 

Between  1825  and  1830,  John  Krepps,  and  others 
associated  with  him,  started  a  foundry  where  now  is 
the  residence  of  Thomas  Cock.  While  run  by  them 
the  foundry  was  under  charge  of  William  Cock  as 
foreman.  Afterwards  he  ran  it  on  his  own  account ; 
then  it  was  rented  by  him  to  Culbertson  &  Rowe,  who 
carried  it  on  for  two  or  three  years,  and  in  1835  it  was 
rented  by  John  Snowdon,  who  had  taken  the  contract 
to  furnish  the  castings  for  the  iron  bridge  then  about 
to  be  built  across  Dunlap's  Creek.  The  metal  was 
furnished  by  the  government,  and  the  castings  were 
made  in  the  old  foundry  by  the  contractor,  Snowdon. 
This  was  the  last  casting  done  at  these  works. 

The  present  foundry  and  machine-shop  business  of  , 
Herbertson  &  Co.  was  started  in  1838  by  John  Her- 
bertson  and  Thomas  Faull,  the  former  having  been 
the  superintendent  of  Snowdon's  foundry  when  the 
castings  were  made  for  the  Dunlap's  Creek  bridge. 
The  mason-work  of  the  Faull  &  Herbertson  foundry 
was  done  by  Thomas  Butcher.  In  1842  the  partner- 
ship between  Herbertson  and  Faull  was  dissolved, 
the  former  continuing  the  business.  The  establish- 
ment was  at  first  but  a  small  one,  but  extensions  and 
improvements  have  been  made  from  time  to  time, 
and  the  manufacture  of  machinery  has  been  added  to 
the  original  foundry  business,  until  the  works  have 
been  brought  to  their  present  capacity.  A  specialty 
is  now  made  in  the  manufacture  of  marine  and  sta- 


tionary engines.  The  present  firm  of  Herbertson  & 
Co.  is  composed  of  John  Herbertson,  G.  S.  Herbert- 
son,  W.  H.  Herbertson  (the  latter  two  sons  of  John 
Herbertson),  W.  H.  Ammon,  and  A.  C.  Cock. 

FauH's  foundry,  located  between  Water  Street  and 
the  river,  and  above  the  Monument  Mills,  was  started 
by  Thomas  Faull  soon  after  he  retired  from  the  part- 
nership with  John  Herbertson.  His  son  now  carries 
on  the  business. 

THE    MONDMENT    MILLS. 

These  mills  are  situated  on  Water  Street,  Bridge- 
port, on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Monongahela  River. 
The  building  was  erected  in  the  year  1832  by  Zepha- 
niah  Carter  and  Solomon  G.  Krepps,  and  by  them 
and  others  operated  as  a  paper-mill  for  a  number  of 
years.  In  1857  it  was  purchased  by  Mason  Rogers 
&  Co.,  and  converted  into  a  merchant  flouring-  and 
grist-mill,  and  it  is  still  running  on  that  work.  The 
motive-i)c)wer  of  the  mill  is  a  forty  horse-power  steam- 
engine,  which  drives  three  run  of  stones.  The  mill 
has  a  capacity  of  about  forty  barrels  of  flour  per  d.ay. 

PROSPECT   MILLS. 

These  flouring-mills,  owned  and  operated  by  W. 
H.  Miller,  are  located  on  Dunlap's  Creek,  about 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  above  and  outside  of  the 
borough  limits,  yet  they  properly  belong  with  the 
manufacturing  industries  of  Bridgeport.  The  Pros- 
pect Mills  are  on  or  very  near  the  site  of  the  ancient 
grist-mill  built  by  Rees  Cadwallader  before  the  com- 
mencement of  the  present  century.  After  Cadwalla- 
der, the  property  passed  to  other  hands,  and  was  at 
one  time  owned  by  Rogers  &  Truman,  by  whom  it 
was  sold  to  William  Miller.  The  old  dam,  originally 
built  by  Cadwallader,  was  used  for  the  later  mills 
until  within  a  few  years,  when  a  new  one  was  built 
by  Mr.  Miller,  father  of  the  present  proprietor  of  the 
mills. 

VALLEY    MILLS. 

The  flouring-  and  grist-mills  known  by  the  above 
name  are  located  on  Dunlap's  Creek,  a  short  dis- 
tance below  and  within  the  borough  line,  and  were 
built  in  1834  by  Samuel  G.  Krepps,  who  operated  them 
for  many  years.  Subsequently  the  property  passed 
tlirough  several  hands,  and  in  1867  was  purchased  by 
Eli  Leonard,  who  ran  the  mills  for  about  ten  years. 
They  are  now  owned  and  o]>erated  by  Snyder  & 
Crispin. 

SAW-MILLS. 

The  saw-mill  of  Harvey  Leonard  is  on  Dunlap's 
Creek,  at  the  point  where  the  borough  line  strikes 
that  stream,  a  short  distance  above  the  Valley  Mills, 
and  at  or  very  near  the  spot  where  Jonah  Cadwalla- 
der's  saw-mill  stood  in  1814  (the  descriptions  of  the 
lines  of  the  boroughs  of  Bridgeport  and  Brownsville, 
erected  in  that  year,  making  "Jonah  Cadwallader's 
mill-dam"  a  point  of  departure  from  Dunlap's  Creek). 
The  water  which  is  used  to  propel  both  Leonard's 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


s.iw-mill  and  Valley  Mills,  below  it,  is  still  taken 
from  the  creek  at  tlie  place  where  Cadwallader 
erected  his  mill-dam  seventy  years  ago. 

The  saw-mill  and  planing-mill  of  Gibbons,  Wood 
&  Criimlow,  situated  on  AVater  Street  and  Cherry 
Alley,  is  one  (and  by  no  means  the  least  important) 
of  the  industrial  establishments  of  Bridgeport. 

THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION  IN  BRIDGEPORT.' 
Dr.  Jesse  Fennel  was  born  of  Quaker  parents  in 
Philadelphia,  Sept.  5,  1772.  He  received  a  liberal 
education,  afterwards  studying  medicine  and  attend- 
ing lectures  in  the  Medical  Department  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania.  A  certificate,  of  which  the 
following  is  a  correct  copy,  is  still  possessed  by  his 
daughter.  Miss  Susan  Pennel,  of  Pittsburgh: 

"  This  is  to  certify  that  Jesse  Pennel  h.ith  attended  a  course 
of  my  lectures  on  the  Institutes  of  Medicine,  and  on  Clinical 
Cases,  with  diligence  and  punctuality, 

'■BENJ^■.  Rush,  M.D., 
"  Pro/cKmr  of  tie  above  l.ranchex  of  Medkine  i„  the   I'uherdt'j 
of  Pnus,jh-r,n!n. 
"  PHiLADEi.pni.4,  24"'  Febiuaiy,  1792." 

Dr.  Pennel  was  married  to  Miss  Hannah  Grubb,  of 
Winchester,  Va.,  at  which  place  the  two  resided  for 
one  year,  when  they  moved  to  Bridgeport  in  1795, 
where  he  practiced  his  profession  the  remainder  of 
his  life.  On  the  .5th  of  February,  1819,  Dr.  Pennel 
died  of  typhus  fever,  which  at  the  time  was  epidemic 
in  the  county.  He  was  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Society  of  Friends  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  as 
was  also  his  wife.  Miss  Susan  Pennel,  his  daughter, 
and  Mrs.  John  A.  Murphy,  a  granddaughter,  both 
residents  of  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  are  his  only  surviving 
descendants. 

Dr.  Henry  William  Stoy  was  born  in  Lebanon, 
Pa.,  Sept.  7,  1784.  He  was  the  son  of  Dr.  Henry 
Wilhelm  Stoy,  a  native  of  Germany,  who  emigrated 
thence  to  Lebanon  County,  Pa.,  some  years  previous 
to  the  birth  of  his  son.  There  he  practiced  medicine 
and  officiated  as  minister  of  the  gospel  for  a  consid- 
erable time.  Dr.  Stoy  was  educated  in  Lancaster, 
Pa.,  and  studied  medicine  with  Prof  Baker,  of  Lan- 
caster. He  came  to  Bridgeport  in  1817,  where  he 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  remaining 
until  1822,  at  which  time  he  went  to  GreensbUrg, 
Westmoreland  Co.,  but  in  1832  returned  to  Bridge- 
port, where  he  continued  to  follow  his  profession 
until  1852,  when  he  removed  to  Shinston,  Harrison 
Co.,  Va.,  and  died  there  Feb.  2,  1858.  He  continued 
in  itctive  practice  up  to  within  three  months  of  his 
death.  Dr.  Stoy  was  twice  married, — in  1814  to 
Katharine  E.  Cook,  who  died  in  1824,  leaving  five 
children  ;  in  182G  he  was  married  to  Eleanor  M.  Watt, 
who  died  in  1852,  leaving  also  five  children.  While 
in  Bridgeport  he  enjoyed  the  esteem  and  confidence 
of  the  community,  and  maintained  an  extensive  prac- 

1  By  W  S.  Duncan,  M.D. 


tice.  In  politics  he  was  an  ardent  and  enthusiastic 
Democrat;  he  was  also  an  active  member  of  the 
order  of  Freemasons  for  fifty  years  preceding  his 
death.  His  surviving  descendants  are  Capt.  William 
H.  Stoy,  the  well-known  professor  of  music ;  Mrs. 
Dorothy  A.  Kimber,  of  Oil  City,  Pa.,  and  Mrs.  Char- 
lotte Reese,  of  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Dr.  Thomas  G.  Lamb  was  born  in  Connellsville, 
Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1796  ;  studied  medicine  with  Dr. 
Moore,  of  Connellsville,  and  in  the  Medical  Depart- 
ment of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  at  Philadel- 
phia. He  came  to  Bridgeport  and  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession  in  1820,  continuing  in  active 
business  until  1836,  in  which  year  his  death  occurred. 
He  was  married  Jan.  27,  1822,  to  Sarah  W.,  daughter 
of  Dr.  Jesse  Pennel.  He  was  a  man  of  active  habits 
I  and  dignified  presence.  In  religion  he  was  a  Quaker, 
,  having  a  birthright  in  the  Society  of  Friends. 

Dr.  Caleb  Bracken  was  born  in  1804  in  Wa.shington 
County,  Pa.,  about  three  miles  up  the  Monongahela 
River  from  Bridgeport.     In  1826  he  came  to  Bridge- 
port and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine,  remain- 
ing until  1836,  when  he  removed  to  Belmont  County, 
j  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  and 
died  in  1877.     Dr.  Bracken  was  a  consistent  member 
'  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  being  a  preacher  in  that 
i  religious  denomination.     While  practicing  medicine 
j  in  Bridgeport  he  was  also  the  proprietor  of  a  drug- 
,  store,  and  at  the  same  time  followed  the  business  of 
!  brewing  beer  on  the  premises  now  owned  by  James 
I  Miller,  Esq.     The  doctor  was  evidently  a  gentleman 
'  of  considerable  versatility  of  character. 

Dr.  Abraham  Stanley  was  born  in  the  neighbor- 
hood called  Cedar  Creek,  Hanover  Co.,  Va.,  Aug.  30, 
1804.  In  early  life  he  taught  school  in  Ohio,  then 
the  far  Northwest.  He  studied  medicine  in  the  office 
of  Dr.  Pettit,  of  Columbiana  County,  Ohio,  and  spent 
one  winter  at  the  Cincinnati  Sledical  College.  He 
;  came  to  Bridgeport  in  1836,  purchased  the  drug-store 
of  Dr.  Bracken,  and  at  the  same  time  began  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  The  drug  business  proving 
unremunerative  was  soon  abandoned,  and  the  re- 
mainder of  his  business  life  was  devoted  steadily  to 
his  professional  duties.  Soon  after  his  arrival  in 
Bridgeport  he  was  married  to  Lydia,  daughter  of  Eli 
Haines.  He  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Society 
of  Friends,  occupying  an  important  position  in  the 
councils  of  that  body  ;  he  was  also,  like  most  of  the 
Quakers  of  the  North,  a  strong  Abolitionist,  taking 
an  active  and  hearfelt  interest  in  all  that  pertained  to 
the  abolition  of  negro  slavery  in  the  United  States. 
He  was  a  number  of  times  importuned  by  his  friends 
and  influential  persons  in  the  community  to  permit 
[  his  name  to  be  used  as  a  candidate  for  Congress  on 
the  Anti-Slavery  ticket,  but  always  peremptorily  de- 
clined. He  was  appointed  by  the  State  authorities  a 
manager  of  the  House  of  Refuge  for  Western  Penn- 
sylvania, which  position  he  held  with  credit  for  sev- 
eral years.     In  private  life  he  was  kind  and  urbane, 


BRIDGEPORT  BOROUGH   AND  TOWNSHIP. 


479 


charitable  to  the  extent  of  his  means,  ami  universally- 
respected  wherever  known.  While  returning  from 
Harrisburg,  where  he  had  been  on  business  connected 
with  the  House  of  Refuge,  he  met  with  a  railroad 
accident,  from  the  effects  of  which  he  died  in  the 
summer  of  1856,  leaving  no  children.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Fayette  County  Medical  Society. 

Mathew  Oliver  Jones,  M.D.,  was  born  of  Quaker 
parents  in  Southampton  County,  Va.,  on  the  1st  day 
of  May,  1822.  In  early  childhood  he  emigrated  with 
his  parents  to  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  studied  medi- 
cine in  the  office  of  Dr.  Planner,  in  Mount  Pleasant, 
Jefferson  Co.,  Ohio,  attending  one  term  of  medical 
lectures  in  the  Medical  Department  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  during  the  winter  of  1841-42.  In 
December,  1843,  he  came  to  Bridgeport,  forming  a 
partnership  with  Dr.  A.  Stanley  in  the  practice  of 
medicine.  In  the  autumn  of  1849  he  returned  to  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania,  where  the  degree  of  M.D. 
was  conferred  upon  him  in  March,  1850.  He  remained 
in  Bridgeport,  devoting  his  entire  attention  to  the 
study  and  practice  of  his  profession,  until  the  spring 
of  1861,  when  he  removed  to  the  city  of  Pittsburgh, 
where  he  now  resides,  enjoying  a  large  practice  and 
an  honorable  position  in  his  profession.  On  the  29th 
of  April,  1851,  he  was  married  to  Margaret  C,  daughter 
of  Capt.  Elisha  Bennett,  of  Bridgeport,  by  whom  he 
had  two  children,  a  son  and  a  daughter.  The  son. 
Dr.  W.  W.  Jones,  is  now  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
medicine  in  Allegheny  City,  Pa.  The  daughter  re- 
mains with  her  father.  In  1844,  Dr.  Jones  assisted 
in  organizing  the  first  medical  society  in  Fayette 
County,  which,  however,  was  short-lived.  He  is  the 
author  of  a  paper  on  the  causes  and  treatment  of 
vomiting  during  pregnancy,  which  not  only  attracted 
much  attention  among  the  profession  in  this  country, 
but  was  extensively  published  in  the  medical  journals 
of  England  and  other  European  countries.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Allegheny  County  Medical  Society, 
also  of  the  Medical  Society  of  the  State  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  of  the  American  Medical  Association.  In 
politics  he  was  an  old-time  Abolitionist,  and  is  now  a 
Republican.  His  religion  is  that  of  the  Society  of 
Friends. 

Dr.  James  B.  Grooms  was  born  July  22,  1827,  at 
Carmichael's,  Greene  Co.,  Pa.  He  was  educated  at 
Greene  Academy,  in  Carmichael's;  studied  medicine 
in  the  office  of  Dr.  John  Whitsett,  at  Washington, 
Pa.,  attending  the  lectures  in  Cleveland  Medical 
College  in  the  winter  of  1852-53.  He  began  the 
practice  of  medicine  in  his  native  town  in  1853,  con- 
tinuing there  until  the  latter  part  of  1862,  when  he  i 
entered  the  army  as  a  member  of  the  Ringgold  Bat-  I 
talion,  which  was  afterward  a  part  of  the  Twenty- 
second  Pennsylvania  Cavalry.  He  served  in  the 
army  three  years,  part  of  the  time  as  assistant  sur- 
geon, and  located  in  Bridgeport  in'  1866,  where  he 
has  since  remained,  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession.     Dr.  Grooms  is  the  inventor  of  the  first 


repeating  rifle  that  was  ever  successfully  operated  in 
the  United  States,  and  for  which  he  obtained  a  pat- 
ent in  1855.  The  rifle  was  tested  satisfactorily,  in 
the  presence  of  officers  of  the  army  and  navy,  the 
same  year,  in  Washington  City.  Owing  to  unex- 
pected business  arrangements  the  invention  was  for 
some  time  neglected,  the  manufacture  of  the  rifle 
being  postponed  until  others,  profiting  by  the  doctor's 
invention,  brought  the  improvements  they  had  made 
thereon  before  the  public  and  the  government,  after 
which  no  further  attention  was  given  to  the  original 
invention.  In  1858  he  also  took  out  letters  patent 
for  a  rotary  steam-engine.  The  principle  involved 
in  this  invention  has  since  come  into  extensive  use  iu 
the  manufacture  of  steam  fire-engines  and  steam- 
pumps.  The  doctor,  although  the  first  to  apply  suc- 
cessfully the  valuable  principles  involved,  has,  like 
many  other  inventors,  failed  to  reap  any  pecuniary 
benefit  from  his  labors.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Fayette  County  Medical  Society ;  also  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church. 

William  Stevens  Duncan,  M.D.,  son  of  Thomas 
Duncan,  and  grandson  of  Dr.  Benjamin  Stevens,  one 
of  the  earliest  medical  practitioners  of  the  county, 
was  born  in  Bridgeport,  May  24,  1834,  and  educated  at 
Mount  Union  College,  Stark  Co.,  Ohio.  He  began 
his  medical  studies  in  1856,  in  the  office  of  Dr.  M.  O. 
Jones,  then  of  Bridgeport;  matriculated  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania,  and  received  the  degree  of 
M.D.  from  that  institution  in  JIarch,  1858.  The 
same  year  he  formed  with  his  preceptor  a  partnership 
in  the  practice  of  medicine,  which  was  terminated  iu 
about  two  years  and  a  half  by  the  removal  of  Dr. 
Jones  to  the  city  of  Pittsburgh.  He  has  been  ac- 
tively engaged  in  professional  pursuits  up  to  the 
I  present  time,  still  occupying  the  same  office  in  which 
his  first  prescription  was  written.  He  served  as  a 
volunteer  surgeon  at  Gettysburg,  and  was  captured  by 
the  Confederates,  but  managed  to  escape.  In  1869 
he  was  instrumental  in  securing  the  reorganization  of 
the  County  Medical  Society,  which  had  not  held  a 
meeting  for  twenty-five  years,  being  elected  its  presi- 
dent. In  1871  he  went  to  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  to 
attend  a  meeting  of  the  American  Medical  Associa- 
tion. Besides  various  articles  on  miscellaneous  sub- 
jects, published  in  newspapers  and  magazines,  he  is 
the  author  of  the  following  scientific  papers,  viz.  : 
"  Malformations  of  the  Genito-Urinary  Organs," 
"  Belladonna  as  an  Antidote  for  Opium-Poisoning," 
"Medical  Delusions,"  "Reports  of  Cases  to  State 
Medical  Society,"  1870-72,  "  Iliac  Aneurism  Cured  Ijy 
Electrolysis,"  1875,  "The  Physiology  of  Death,"  and 
various  reports  published  in  the  "Transactions  of  the 
State  Medical  Society."  He  is  a  member  of  the  Fay- 
ette County  Medical  Society,  the  Medical  Society  of 
the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  the  American  Medical 
Association,  the  Rocky  Mountain  Medical  Associa- 
tion, and  an  honorary  member  of  the  California  State 
Medical  Society. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUxNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


James  E.  Nelan,  M.D.,  was  born  in  Luzerne  town- 
ship, Fayette  Co.,  on  the  10th  of  Septemher,  1851; 
educated  at  Waynesburg  College,  Greene  Co.,  Pa; 
studied  medicine  under  the  tutorage  of  Dr.  Duncan, 
of  Bridgeport,  and  received  the  degree  of  M.D.  in  the 
Medical  Department  of  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania in  the  spring  of  1877,  the  .subject  of  bis  grad- 
uating thesis  being  "  Nervous  Influence."  In  the 
same  year  he  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in 
Bridgeport.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Fayette  County 
Medical  Society  and  the  Medical  Society  of  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania ;  has  served  several  years  faithfully 
as  a  director  of  tlie  public  schools,  and  is  an  active 
Democratic  politician. 

Dr.  Charles  Hubbs  was  born  in  New  .Tersey  in  17G7, 
pursued  his  medical  studies  under  the  direction  of 
Dr.  Benjamin  Rush,  of  Philadelphia,  and  practiced 
his  profession  in  Germantown,  Pa.,  and  Baltimore, 
Md.,  until  181(3,  when  he  removed  to  Mount  Pleasant, 
Westmoreland  Co.,  Pa. ;  came  to  Bridgeport  in  1820, 
remained  one  year,  returned  to  Mount  Pleasant,  and 
died  there  in  1847. 

Dr.  William  G.  Hubbs  (of  the  so-called  Physio- 
Medical  School),  son  of  Dr.  Charles  Hubbs,  was  born 
in  Baltimore,  Md.,  Feb.  21,  1811;  studied  medicine 
under  the  direction  of  his  father  and  brother.  Dr.  N. 
G.  Hulibs.  He  began  the  practice  of  medicine  in 
Cookstown  (now  Fayette  City),  Pa.,  in  1880,  remain- 
ing there  until  1861,  when  he  removed  to  Greenfield, 
Pa.,  and  from  there  in  June,  1867,  to  Bridgeport, 
where  he  continued  to  practice  his  profession  until 
within  a  few  weeks  of  his  death  from  typhoid  fever, 
April  6,  1881. 

John  Allen  Hubbs,  M.D.,  son  of  Dr.  W.  G.  Hubbs, 
was  born  in  Fayette  City,  Pa.,  Feb.  13,  1840.  He 
studied  medicine  under  his  father  and  Dr.  J.  R. 
Nickel;  attended  lectures  in  the  Physio-Medical  Col- 
lege at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  18.5.5-.56,  and  the  winter 
of  1856-57;  practiced  in  partnership  with  his  fether 
at  Fayette  City  until  he  attended  anotlier  course  of 
lectures  in  the  Physio-Medical  Institute  at  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  from  which  institution  he  received  the  degree 
of  M.D.  in  February.  1860,  when  only  twenty  years 
of  age.  He  practiced  his  profession  in  Fairview, 
Greene  Co.,  Pa.,  until  1867,  when  he  came  to  Bridge- 
port, where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  practice,  also 
in  the  drug  business.  He  takes  an  active  interest  in 
the  affairs  of  the  town,  and  has  served  several  years 
as  a  member  of  the  Borough  Council. 

PUBLIC-HOUSES. 
The  earliest  tavern  stand  in  Bridgeport  was  the  old 
red  house  that  stood  on  the  corner  of  Water  and 
Bridge  Streets.  In  that  house  Isaac  Kimber  opened 
a  tavern  in  the  year  1814.  After  Kimber,  its  land- 
lords were  Robert  Patterson  and  others.  Another 
early  tavern  was  opened  by  John  Nelan  .about  1818, 
at  the  place  where  now  is  the  residence  of  Burnet 
Mason.     lyittle  beyond  these  facts  has  been  learned 


in  regard  to  these  old  taverns.     Bridgeport  has  never 
had   many   public-houses,   the  greater   part  of   the 
1  business  of  the  vicinity  in  that  line  in  the  palmy  days 
of  the  National  road  and  of  Western  emigration  being 
done  on  the  other  side  of  the  creek  in  Brownsville. 
1  The  principal  hotel  of  Bridgeport  at  the  present  time 
j  is  the  "  Bar  House,"  kept  by  Matthew  Story  on  the 
site  where  Kimber  opened  the  first  tavern  of  the  place 
in  1814. 
I  FIRE    APPARATUS. 

\      On   the  29th   of  November,  1842,  the  Council  of 
Bridgeport,  in  accordance  "  with  the  will  of  the  people, 
expressed  at  a  town-meeting  called  for  the  purpose," 
subscribed  one  hundred  dollars  for  the  purchase  of  a 
fire-engine  for  the  use  of  the  borough.     Afterwards 
the  sum   of  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  was  sub- 
■  scribed   by  citizens,  when,  as   one  hundred    dollars 
j  more  was  necessary,  that  additional  amount  was  sub- 
scribed by  the  Council.     An  engine  was  then  built  for 
the  borough  by  Faull  &  Herbertson,  and  a  company 
was  raised  and  organized  to  take  charge  of  and  work 
I  it.    The  subsequent  history  of  Bridgeport  with  regard 
I  to  the  extinguishment  of  fires  has  been  the  same  as 
'  that  of  Brownsville.    Fire  companies  have  been  raised 
from  time  to  time,  and  have  as  often  gone  down  and 
disbanded,  and  at  the  present  time  Bridgeport,  like 
Brownsville,  is  without  a  fire  department  or  any  effec- 
tive   means   of   preventing    serious   disaster  to   the 
borough  from  the  ravages  of  fire. 

i  NATIONAL  DEPOSIT  BANK  OF  BROWNSVILLE. 
This  institution  (located  in  Bridgeport  notwith- 
standing its  name  and  style)  was  organized  in  1872  as 
a  State  bank,  named  the  Deposit  and  Discount  Bank 
of  Brownsville,  with  Dr.  W.  Cotton  as  president,  and 
O.  K.  Taylor,  cashier.  The  bank  commenced  busi- 
ness in  the  building  at  present  occupied  by  it  on  the 
1st  of  April  in  the  year  named.     In  1873  it  sustained 

1  severe  losses,  from  which  it  recovered  only  after  sev- 
eral years  of  successful  business.  In  April,  1880,  it 
was  reorganized  under  the  national  banking  system, 
with  its  present  name  and  a  capital  of  $50,000.  It  is 
now  in  a  prosperous  condition  and  has  the  confidence 
of  the  community.  The  present  (1881)  ofiicers  of  the 
institution  are:  Directors,  Dr.  W.  Cotton  (president), 
Joseph  S.  Elliott  (vice-president),  William  H.  Miller, 
Samuel  Thompson,  Joseph   Farquar,  O.  K.  Taylor 

'  (cashier),    E.   H.   Bar,   Dr.  S.  S.  Rogers,  Jeremiah 

I  Baird. 

j  SCHOOLS. 

I  For  some  years  after  small  schools  had  begun  to  be 
taught  at  irregular  intervals  in  Brownsville,  Bridge- 
port had  none,  and  consequently  during  that  period 
such  of  the  scholars  of  the  last-named  place  as  at- 
tended school  at  all  were  compelled  to  cross  Dunlap's 
I  Creek  to  do  so.  The  first  schools  of  Bridgeport  were 
!  opened  under  the  auspices  of  the  Friends  who  lived 
there,  and  the  earliest  teacher  of  whom  any  knowl- 
edge can  be  gained  at  the  present  day  was  Joseph 


BRIDGEPORT   BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSHIP, 


481 


Oxley,  a  Quaker,  and  a  man  of  no  little  fame  as  a 
mathematician,  who  taught  in  a  building  that  stood 
near  the  site  of  the  grist-mill  of  Mason  Rogers  &  Co. 
Another  very  early  teacher  was  Eli  Haynes. 

Joshua  Gibbons,  now  living  in  Bridgeport,  but  re- 
tired from  active  life,  has  been  a  resident  of  the 
county  for  seventy  years,  of  which  fully  sixty  years 
have  been  spent  by  him  in  educational  employment, 
teaching  every  year  except  when  serving  as  county 
superintendent  of  schools,  which  office  he  filled  for 
four  terms  of  three  years  each,  commencing  as  the  first 
superintendent  of  the  county,  under  the  school  law  of 
1850.  Two  of  his  sons,  James  W.  and  Henry,  are 
also  successful  teachers.  Another  son,  Rev.  H.  0. 
Gibbons,  is  pastor  of  a  Presbyterian  Church  in  Phila- 
delphia, and  a  daughter  married  the  Rev.  Robert 
Fulton,  of  Baltimore,  Md.  This  digression  is  thought 
to  be  excusable  in  making  honorable  mention  of  a 
man  who  has  labored  as  long  and  faithfully  in  the 
cause  of  education  as  has  the  veteran  teacher  and 
school  officer,  Joshua  Gibbons,  of  Bridgeport. 

Not  only  were  the  Quakers  of  Bridgeport  the  first 
to  open  a  school  in  the  town,  but  the  fact  is  also  to  be 
recorded  that  the  first  building  erected  here  especially 
as  a  school-house  was  built  by  members  of  the  So- 
ciety of  Friends,  on  their  grounds  on  Prospect  Street. 
One  of  the  teachers  in  this  old  stone  house  was  Eli 
Haynes,  above  mentioned. 

The  earliest  reference  to  a  school-house  found  in 
the  borough  records  of  Bridgeport  is  under  date  of 
Jan.  1,  1815,  being  a  mention  of  the  amount  to  be 
paid  "  to  Israel  Gregg  for  the  expense  of  purchasing 
a  lot  and  building  a  school-house  on  Second  Street, 
and  to  procure  a  Deed  and  have  it  executed  on  behalf 
of  the  Corporation."  The  school-house  here  referred 
to  was  on  the  29th  of  May,  1823,  rented  by  the  Council 
to  John  Stump  for  the  term  of  three  months,  to  be  used 
for  teaching  a  "subscription  school,"  and  on  the  8th 
of  September  in  the  same  year  the  borough  school- 
house  (without  doubt  the  same  building  referred  to 
above)  was  rented  to  Charles  Van  Hook  for  the  term 
of  six  months. 

March  25, 1824,  the  school-room  was  rented  to  James 
Reynolds  for  three  months ;  but  on  the  21st  of  April 
following  he  declined  using  it,  and  resigned  the  privi- 
lege which  had  been  granted  to  him.  Three  days 
later,  Joel  Oxley  "  requested  the  privilege  of  the  use 
of  the  School-House  as  a  school-room  for  two  years 
from  the  first  day  of  May  next,"  and  on  this  applica- 
tion "  the  Burgess  was  directed  to  lease  the  same  to 
Joel  Oxley  for  the  above  term,  reserving  the  cus- 
tomary privileges  of  the  Council,  and  to  the  Metho- 
dists as  a  Meeting-House." 

Oct.  8,  1828,  "  Major  King  and  James  Reynolds 
applied  for  the  use  of  School-House,"  and  the  privi- 
lege was  granted  to  Reynolds. 

Under  the  public  school  law  of  1834,  the  courts  of 
the  several  counties  in  the  State  appointed  school  di- 
rectors for  each   township  district.     At  the  January 


term  of  Fayette  County  Court,  in  1835,  Caleb  Bracken 
and  Joshua  Wood  were  appointed  as  such  ofiicers  for 
Bridgeport.  On  the  15th  of  June  following  the  Bor- 
ough Council  took  action,  ordering  a  tax  of  twenty- 
five  cents  on  the  $100,  to  be  levied  for  the  use  of 
common  i^chools,  in  addition  to  the  tax  levied  by  the 
county  commissioners  for  that  purpose.  Aug.  13, 
1835,  the  township  of  Bridgeport  complied  with  the 
requirements  of  the  law,  and  so  notified  the  county 
treasurer.  The  amount  of  money  received  from  the 
State  in  that  year  for  school  purposes  in  Bridgeport 
was  $39.78  ;  received  from  the  county  of  Fayette, 
$79.56. 

On  the  6th  of  May,  1837,  the  Council  took  into  con- 
sideration the  question  "  of  erecting  a  building  on 
the  west  end  of  the  Market-House,  to  answer  the 
double  purpose  of  a  Town  Hall  and  School-House  for 
the  Borough,"  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  act 
with  the  school  directors  in  the  matter,  the  Council 
agreeing  to  pay  $200  towards  the  erection  of  the 
building.  The  committee  contracted  (June  6,  1837) 
with  Joel  Armstrong  to  build  the  hall  and  school- 
house,  and  on  the  23d  of  April,  1838,  the  Council 
transferred  the  school-house  and  lot  to  the  school  di- 
rectors. 

In  this  old  building  the  schools  of  the  borough  were 
taught  until  they  were  transferred  to  the  present 
Union  school-house,  which  was  built  in  1852-53, 
on  a  lot  which  was  purchased  for  $400,  located  on 
Prospect  Street,  and  being  part  of  the  grounds  occu- 
pied by  the  old  Friends'  meeting-house.  The  cost 
of  the  Union  school-house  was  $2948.90,  and  of  the 
furniture  and  fixtures,  $11.50.85  ;  making,  with  the 
cost  of  the  lot,  a  total  of  $4499.75.  From  November, 
1854,  the  old  stone  school-house  was  used  for  the 
schooling  of  colored  pupils  until  1875,  when  it  was 
demolished  aud  a  new  brick  school-house  erected  on 
its  site. 

The  schools  of  the  borough  are  now  under  charge 
of  Thomas  S.  Wood,  principal,  who  is  assisted  by 
seven  teachers.  The  whole  number  of  scholars  is  two 
hundred  and  seventy-six.  Total  receipts  for  the  year 
for  school  purposes,  $2965.67  ;  expenditures,  $2631.77. 
Valuation  of  school  property,  $10,000. 

The  present  (1881)  board  of  school  directors  is  com- 
posed as  follows  :  W.  S.  Duncan,  president;  William 
H.  Miller,  William  Cock,  Daniel  Delaney,  James 
Reynolds,  and  Jesse  H.  Bulger. 

Following  is  a  list  of  persons  whose  names  appear 
on  the  records  as  having  been  elected  to  the  office  of 
school  director  in  Bridgeport  since  the  commence- 
ment of  the  operation  of  the  school  law  of  1834,  viz. : 
1835,  Caleb  Bracken,  Joshua  Wood,  "  reported  Aug. 
13,  1835;"  1836,  Tilson  Fuller,  Thomas  Duncan; 
1856,  R.  W.  Jones,  S.  B.  Page ;  1857,  Benjamin  Leon- 
ard, John  W.  Porter,  Dr.  M.  O.  Jones,  Thomas  Dun- 
can ;  1867,  O.  C.  Cromlow,  Thomas  Duncan;  1870, 
Edward  L.  Moorehouse,  Daniel  Delaney;  1S74,  Wil- 
liam H.  Miller,  C.  W.  Wanee ;  1875,  Daniel  Delaney, 


432 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


O.K.  Knight,  G.  W.  Springer;  187(5,  Jesse  H.  Bulger, 
John  S.  Wilgus;  1877,  William  Patterson,  William  j 
J.  Porter;  1878,  James  Reynolds,  William  S.  Dun-  | 
can;  1879,  Daniel   Delaney,  James   Blair,  William  1 
Cock;  1880,  J.  H.  Bulger,  W.  H.  Miller;  1881,  James 
Eeynolds,  W.  S.  Duncan.  | 

RELIGIOUS    HISTORY. 
FRIENDS'    MEETING. 

In  the  early  period,  before  1820,  the  members  of 
the  Society  of  Friends  in  Bridgeport  outmimbered 
those  of  all  other  denominations,  and  their  meetings 
for  divine  worship  were  held  here  many  years  before 
any  other  churches  were  organized  in  the  place,  be- 
ginning as  early  as  about  the  year  1790.  For  a  few- 
years  they  met  in  private  dwellings.  On  the  28th  of 
February,  1799,  a  lot  of  three  acres  of  land  was  pur- 
chased from  Rees  Cadwallader,  and  soon  afterwards 
a  meeting-house  was  built  upon  it.  It  was  a  stone 
building,  low,  but  nearly  or  quite  one  hundred  feet 
in  length.  Smne  years  afterwards,  when  the  Hicksites 
seceded  fmni  the  regular  congregation,  this  old  meet- 
ing-house was  partitioned  across  in  thi<  middle  so  as 
to  accommodate  bi.th  nieelings.  This  was  continued 
for  some  years,  l.iii  -i;elii:illy,  by  reason  of  removals 
and  the  death  of  lueiiilH-rs,  the  congregation  became 
reduced  in  numbers,  and  finally  religious  worship 
after  the  manner  of  the  Quakers  ceased  to  be  held  in 
Bridgeport. 

Besides  the  old  stone  meetjng-house  built  by  the 
Friends  on  the  lot  purchased  from  Rees  Cadwal- 
lader, they  also  built  on  it  a  stone  school-house  (the 
first  school-liousc  in  Bridgeport  .  and  -el  apart  a  por- 
tion of  the  ground  for  a  burial-phiee.  Upon  the  lot 
purchased  by  the  Friends  Ironi  Cadwallader  there 
now  stand  the  residences  of  William  Miller,  Eli  Cock, 
and  Richard  Swan,  and  the  Union  school-house  of 
the  borough. 

SECOND  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH  OF   BROWNSVILLE. 

This  church,  although   located  in  Bridgeport,  re- 
ceived and  has  retained  its  designation  as  "  of  Browns-  | 
ville"  from  tlie   fact  that  it  was  an  oftshoot  from  the  j 
church  of  Browjisville,  its   original  members  being 
from  the  membership  of  that  church.     The  date  of 
the  Bridgeport  organization  has  not  been  ascertained,  I 
but  it  is  certain  that  it  was  as  early  as  or  prior  to  the 
year   1833.     Before  that  time,   for  many   years,  the 
Bridgeport  members  of  the  Brownsville  Church  had  ! 
been  accustomed  to  hold  meetings  for  religious  wor-  J 
ship  in  the  stone  school-house  on  the  hill  in  Bridge-  \ 
port.     In  1833  they  purchased  from  Ruth  Jones  lot  j 
No.  54  of  the  Bridgeport  plat,  .situated  on  Second 
Street,  for  $230,  and  that  lot  was  accordingly  con- 
veyed by  the  grantor  to  Joseph   Reynolds,  Adolph  j 
Merchant.  Charh-s  MeKall,,  Tliomas  Gregg,  and  Ed- 
mund   |)r:i|ier.    ini-  ee-    l.ir   t)ie   Second   Methodist 
Episcopal    rhiin  h    of  liiowiisville.     On    this   lot  in 
1834  a  church  edifice  was  built,  thirtv-five  bv  fiftv-  • 


five  feet  in  dimensions,  and  costing  about  S2000. 
Its  location  was  opposite  the  site  of  the  present 
church. 

In  that  first  church  building  the  congregation  wor- 
shiped for  thirty  j'ears.  Before  the  end  of  that  time 
it  was  thought  necessary  to  build  a  new  edifice,  and 
arrangements  were  made  to  erect  one,  but  a  consider- 
ation of  the  high  prices  prevailing  during  the  war  of 
the  Rebellion  caused  it  to  be  delayed.  The  new 
house  was,  however,  completed  in  1866,  at  a  cost  of 
about  812,000,  and  was  dedicated  by  the  Rev.  William 
Pershing  of  Pittsburgh.  The  Rev.  Charles  W.  Smith 
was  at  that  time  pastor  of  the  church. 

Among  the  preachers  who  have  ministered  to  this 
church  during  the  past  twenty-two  years  have  been 
the  Revs.  Artemus  Ward  (1859),  J.  W.  Mclntyre, 
Charles  W.  Smith,  J.  J.  Hayes,  J.  R.  Mills,  S.  W. 
Horner,  C.  W.  Scott,  Homer  Smith,  John  C.  Castle, 
T.  N.  Eaton,  and  Charles  Cartwright,  the  present 
(1881)  pastor.  The  church  now  numbers  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy-five  members.  In  connection  with 
it  is  a  Sabbath -school,  having  an  attendance  of  about 
three  hundred,  under  the  superintendency  of  J.  Well 
Porter. 

METHODIST  PKOTEST.^NT  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  in  Bridgeport  in  1830 
by  the  Rev.  William  Collins,  who  was  its  first  preacher. 
In  the  following  year  a  stone  building  was  erected  as 
a  house  of  worship  on  lot  No.  46,  which  was  at  that 
time  bargained  to  tlie  trustees  of  this  church,  but  was 
not  transferred  by  deed  until  Oct.  16,  1849.  The 
location  was  on  the  side  of  the  hill,  where  the  resi- 
dence of  James  Kidnew  now  stands.  This  old  church 
edifice  was  used  by  the  society  until  1866,  when  the 
building  of  the  Wesleyan  Methodists  was  purchased. 
The  old  meeting-house  was  then  sold,  and  the  Wes- 
leyan building  has  since  that  time  been  used  as  the 
Methodist  Protestant  house  of  worship. 

The  Rev.  William  Collins,  above  mentioned  as  the 
organizer  of  this  church,  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 
John  Lucas,  since  whose  time  there  have  been  a  great 
number  of  preachers  serving  the  congregation,  among 
whom  are  recollected  John  Wilson,  George  Hughes, 
William  B.  Dunlevy,  and  Zachariah  Ragan  in  the 
old  church,  and  the  Revs.  Stillwagon,  Caruthers, 
Mark  Taylor,  J.  Simpson,  and  Henry  Lucas  since 
the  occupation  of  the  house  purchased  from  the  Wes- 
leyans.  The  Rev.  Henry  Lucas  is  the  present  preacher 
in  charge.     The  church  now  numbers  fifty  members. 

•WESLEYAN  METHODIST  CHURCH. 

The  date  of  the  organization  of  this  church  has  not 
been  definitely  ascertained,  but  it  is  known  that  it 
was  in  existence  some  years  prior  to  1848,  at  which 
time  it  had  a  membership  of  about  seventy-five,  and 
in  which  year  also  its  meeting-house  (the  same  which 
is  now  the  Methodist  Protestant  house  of  worship) 
was  erected.  During  its  existence  the  church  was 
served  by  the  Revs.  Smith,  John    P.  Bcdker, 


BRIDGEPORT   BOROUGH   AND   TOWNSIIIl'. 


433 


Lyell,  Laughead,  Tolgen,  Planet,  McBride,  and  A. 
D.  Carter,  who  was  the  last  of  its  preachers.  At 
about  the  close  of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  the  society 
disintegrated,  and  their  church  edifice  was  sold  to  the 
Protestant  Methodists  as  before  mentioned. 

Concerning  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  and 
the  African  Zion  Wesleyan  Methodist  Churches  of 
Bridgeport  little  information  has  been  obtained  be- 
yond the  fact  that  the  trustees  of  the  former  organi- 
zation purchased,  on  the  13th  of  June,  1840,  from 
Robert  Patterson,  for  the  consideration  of  forty  dol- 
lars, lot  No.  136,  on  Cadwallader  Street,  for  church 
purposes,  and  that  the  trustees  of  the  Wesleyan 
Church  (which  is  not  now  in  existence)  purchased 
lot  No.  130  from  Lucinda  Tucker  on  the  4th  of  March, 
1840.  More  extended  sketches  of  these  churches 
were  requested  from,  and  promised  by,  the  Rev.  Ben- 
jamin Wheeler,  but  they  have  not  been  received. 

CUMBERLAND  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.I 

In  February  or  March,  1832,  two  ministers  of  anew 
denomination,  known  as  the  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian, came  to  the  town  of  Brownsville.  The  names 
of  these  preachers  were  Alfred  M.  Bryan  and  Milton 
Bird.  Both  came  from  what  was  then  the  far  South- 
west. The  church  they  represented  had  been  organ- 
ized in  Tennessee  about  twenty  years  before,  and  had 
already  in  the  West  grown  into  a  denomination  of 
strength  and  influence.  About  the  beginning  of  the 
century  a  great  religious  revival  had  been  kindled  in 
many  of  the  Presbyterian  Churches  in  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee,  in  the  region  then  known  as  the  Cumber- 
land country.  This  revival  continued  for  ten  years, 
and  the  whole  aspect  of  society  in  that  region  was 
affected  by  it.  New  life  was  imparted  to  the  church, 
and  Christian  truth  acquired  new  power  over  the 
hearts  and  lives  of  many.  Growing  out  of  this  re- 
vival certain  questions  sprung  up  which  brought  dis- 
agreement, and  out  of  these  questions  grew  the  hope- 
less breach  which  caused  the  formation  of  a  new  and 
independent  Presbytery  in  February,  1810,  and  finally 
of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  denomination. 

In  the  spring  of  1831  this  new  church  held  its  Gen- 
eral Assembly  at  Princeton,  Ky.  A  communication 
was  laid  before  this  body  from  certain  ruling  elders 
of  a  Presbyterian  Church  in  Washington  County,  Pa., 
asking  information  about  Cumberland  Presbyterians, 
and  requesting  that  ministers  of  the  new  church 
should  be  sent  to  Western  Pennsylvania.  In  answer 
to  this  request  several  preachers  had  come  to  Wash- 
ington County  in  the  fall  of  1831.  Their  preaching 
everywhere  was  attended  with  surprising  results. 
Scores  of  anxious  inquirers  knelt  at  every  service. 
The  revival  influence  spread  rapidly.  Several  con- 
gregations of  the  new  denomination  were  organized  in 
Washington  and  Greene  Counties. 


I  Bj  Eev.  J.  M.  Iluwa 


The  two  preachers  named  above — Bryan  and  Bird 
— had  crossed  the  Monougahela,  and  were  holding  a 
meeting  at  an  old  Methodist  meeting-house  four 
miles  from  Brownsville,  known  as  Hopewell.  The 
usual  result  had  followed,  and  a  great  revival  was  in 
progress.  At  the  solicitation  of  friends  of  the  new 
movement,  these  two  ministers  came  to  Brownsville 
to  spend  two  days.  Mr.  Bird  preached  in  the  fore- 
noon of  the  first  day  at  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  Mr.  Bryan  preached  in  the  evening.  Crowds 
of  people  left  their  work  to  attend. the  services.  A 
large  number  of  "seekers  of  religion"  crowded  the 
altar.  Next  day  and  evening  the  services  were  held 
in  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  even  greater  results  fol- 
lowed than  on  the  day  before.  Many  of  the  leading 
people  in  the  town  professed  faith  in  Christ.  Some 
who  are  yet  living  and  who  still  occupy  prominent 
places  in  society  here  were  among  the  converts.  The 
meeting  ended  with  these  two  days,  and,  strange  to 
say,  no  effort  was  made  to  organize  a  church,  and  the 
fruits  of  the  two  days'  revival  was  gathered  by  the 
other  churches  of  the  town. 

The  Rev.  John  Morgan,  who  about  this  time  be- 
came pastor  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Cliurch 
at  Uniontown,  did  not  visit  Brownsville  till  a  good 
while  later,  but  he  and  others  still  preached  here  oc- 
casionally. Among  these  early  preachers  the  names 
of  Le  Roy  Woods,  S.  M.  Sparks,  I.  N.  Gary,  John 
Gary,  S.  E.  Hudson,  and  W.  E.  Post  are  mentioned. 
As  early  as  the  year  1840  the  last-mentioned  min- 
ister began  to  hold  meetings  once  or  twice  a  month 
in  an  old  stone  building  on  Front  Street,  Brownsville 
(formerly  the  Black  Horse  tavern),  standing  on  or 
near  the  lot  now  known  as  the  Sweitzer  property. 
Some  time  afterward  the  Baptists,  who  then  had  a 
flourishing  congregation  here,  finished  their  church, 
which  still  stands  on  Church  Struct,  and  moved  out 
of  Masonic  Hall,  where  they  had  worsliijied  hith- 
erto. The  Cumberland  Presbyterians  now  rented 
this  hall,  and  held  services  in  it  regularly  every  two 
weeks. 

We  are  told  that  considerable  success  attended 
tliese  efforts,  but  we  have  no  record  of  the  work  until 
the  spring  of  1844.  In  April  of  that  year  a  peti- 
tion signed  by  a  number  of  the  citizens  of  Browns- 
ville and  vicinity  was  presented  to  Union  Presby- 
tery, asking  that  body  to  organize  a  church  here. 
The  record  informs  us  that  after  Presbytery  duly  con- 
sidered the  propriety  of  the  petition  it  was  granted, 
and  the  Rev.  S.  E.  Hudson  was  appointed  to  assist 
Rev.  W.  E.  Post  in  said  organization.  For  some 
reason  this  action  was  not  carried  out  until  five 
months  later,  Sept.  10,  1844.  The  Rev.  J.  T.  A. 
Henderson  was  present  and  assisted  at  the  organi- 
zatit)n.  There  are  thirty  names  on  the  original  roll. 
Josiah  Waggoner  and  William  Robbins  were  elected 
and  ordained  ruling  elders. 

Mr.  Post  continued  his  labors  with  the  congregation 
thus  organized  until  October,  1840.     The  growth  of 


484 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  church  was  not  rapid,  the  roll  showing  less  than 
forty  names  at  that  date.  The  services  were  still  held 
in  Masonic  Hall.  From  October,  1846,  to  April, 
1847,  "the  congregation  was  furnished  with  preach- 
ing by  supplies."  Rev.  J.  T.  A.  Henderson,  Rev.  A. 
G.  Osborn,  Rev.  A.  M.  Blackford,  and  Rev.  Isaac 
Hague  visited  and  preached  for  the  congregation  in 
this  interval. 

In  April,  1847,  Rev.  Isaac  Hague,  now  of  Gales- 
burg,  111.,  took  charge  of  the  work,  continuing  his 
services  till  tlie  fall  of  1848.  In  the  mean  time  the 
place  of  meeting  had  been  changed  from  the  Masonic 
Hall,  Brownsville,  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
Bridgeport. 

Mr.  Hague's  efforts  were  quite  successful,  and  in 
one  revival  meeting  there  were  thirteen  additions  to 
the  church.  Removals  and  deaths,  however,  left  not 
more  than  si.xty  in  communion  when  he  closed  his 
labors.  Mr.  Hague  lived  in  the  country,  and  as  his 
visits  were  only  semi-monthly,  he  could  not  look  con- 
stantly after  the  work  as  he  might  have  done  with  a 
home  in  the  midst  of  the  people. 

On  June  23,  1847,  William  H.  Bennett  and  James 
M.  Abrann  were  elected  ruling  elders. 

The  Rev.  A.  B.  Brice  succeeded  Rev.  Isaac  Hague 
in  the  fall  of  1848.  He  preached  here  one-half  his 
time  till  the  fall  of  1849.  In  January,  1850,  he  took 
charge  of  the  congregation,  giving  his  entire  time  to 
the  work.  Mr.  Brice  remained  in  charge  of  the  work 
for  six  years,  and  during  his  stay  "  there  were  fre- 
quent outpourings  of  the  divine  spirit  and  many 
were  brought  into  the  church." 

About  the  year  1850,  Oliver  C.  Cromlow  was  elected 
ruling  elder.  Dr.  Brice  was  editor  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterinn,  the  organ  of  the  denomination  in  Penn- 
sylvania and  Ohio.  This  paper  was  for  several  years 
published  at  Brownsville,  having  been  moved  here 
from  Uniontown. 

About  the  close  of  Mr.  Hague's  labors  it  became 
necessary  to  change  the  place  of  holding  the  meet- 
ings, and  the  congregation  moved  to  the  old  town 
hall  in  West  Brownsville.  The  necessity  of  building 
a  church  began  to  be  reco:nized,  and  subscriptions 
for  the  purpose  were  started.  In  the  spring  of  1848 
a  lot  was  srriired  in  the  upper  part  of  Bridgeport,  and 
a  neat  briik  structure,  one  story  high,  forty  by  sixty 
feet,  was  erected.  The  plastering  was  finished  in 
December,  1848,  and  the  church  was  dedicated  in 
February,  1849,  Rev.  Hiram  Hunter,  then  pastor  at 
Uniontown,  preaching  the  dedicatory  sermon. 

The  Rev.  A.  B.  Brice,  D.D.,  continued  in  charge 
of  the  church  until  April,  1855.  His  successor  was 
the  Rev.  William  Campbell,  D.D.,  who  also  succeeded 
Dr.  Brice  as  editor  of  the  Cumberland  Presbijterian. 
He  continued  to  labor  as  pastor  and  editor  till  April, 
1857,  when  he  resigned  the  charge  of  the  church  and 
took  the  paper  to  Pittsburgh. 

The  Rev.  A.  J.  Swain  became  pastor  in  April, 
1857,  continuing  to  labor  in  that  capacity  four  years. 


till  April,  1861.  The  record  shows  about  forty  ac- 
cessions in  the  six  years  following  1855.  Rev.  N.  D. 
Porter  succeeded  Rev.  A.  J.  Swain.  Tjis  was  the 
memorable  year  which  marked  the  beginning  of  the 
great  Rebellion.  The  work  of  the  church  was  greatly 
retarded  at  the  time  by  the  prevailing  excitement, 
but  in  January  and  February,  1862,  there  was  an  ex- 
tensive revival,  with  one  hundred  and  fourteen  pro- 
fessions and  nearly  seventy  accessions  to  the  church. 
Mr.  Porter  was  assisted  in  this  meeting  by  the  Rev. 
Henry  S.  Bennett,  of  Brownsville,  and  Rev.  G.  F. 
Wright,  of  White  Hall,  N.  Y.  The  congregation 
afterwards  continued  to  enjoy  a  good  degree  of  pros- 
perity, though  there  was  no  other  extensive  revival 
under  Mr.  Porter's  ministry. 

Freeman  Wise  had  been  made  ruling  elder  in 
March,  1859,  and  that  office  was  conferred  on  J.  D. 
Arm.strong  in  March,  1862. 

Mr.  Porter  ceased  to  labor  with  this  church  in 
January,  1864.  The  congregation  was  without  a 
minister  until  the  July  following,  when  Rev.  G.  W. 
McWherter  was  called  as  a  supply,  and  continued  in 
that  capacity  until  April,  1865.  The  congregation 
was  again  without  a  pastor  until  July,  1865,  when 
"  Rev.  J.  T.  A.  Henderson  was  called  for  six  months," 
and  in  April,  1866,  "  he  was  called  to  supply  the 
church  for  an  indefinite  period."  Mr.  Henderson 
divided  his  time  between  Brownsville  and  Hopewell. 
There  had  been  very  few  additions  to  the  church 
since  the  revival  of  1862  until  February,  1866,  at 
which  time,  under  Mr.  Henderson's  ministry,  about 
thirty  were  added  to  the  church. 

At  some  time  during  the  spring  or  summer  of  1868 
(the  record  does  not  show  the  exact  date)  Rev.  J.  T. 
A.  Henderson  resigned,  and  the  congregation  was 
again  for  a  time  without  a  minister.  Rev.  L.  Axtell 
was  next  called  as  a  supply,  and  continued  for  some 
months  in  that  capacity. 

About  the  1st  of  November,  1870,  Rev.  J.  H.  Coulter 
took  charge  of  the  work.  During  the  time  of  these 
frequent  changes  the  church  made  little  progress. 
In  October,  1871,  Mr.  Coulter,  assisted  by  Rev.  A.  J. 
Baird,  D.D.,  of  Nashville,  Tenn.,  held  a  series  of 
meetings  of  the  most  succe.'ssful  character.  About 
forty  were  added  to  the  church,  and  the  work  for  a 
time  received  a  new  impetus.  About  the  middle  of 
June,  1872,  Rev.  J.  H.  Coulter  resigned,  and  the  con- 
gregation was  without  a  minister  until  December  of 
the  same  year,  when  Rev.  J.  M.  Howard,  the  present 
pastor,  was  called.  At  this  time  there  were  many 
things  to  dishearten  and  few  to  encourage  the  friends 
of  the  struggling  congregation.  During  the  first  two 
years  of  Mr.  Howard's  ministry  here  not  more  than  a 
dozen  joined  the  church,  and  this  gain  was  balanced 
by  losses  by  removals,  dismissions,  and  deaths. 

On  the  morning  of  the  8th  of  October,  1874,  the 
church  was  entirely  destroyed  by  fire,  and  there  being 
no  insurance  on  the  property  the  loss  seemed  fatal  to 
the  congregation.    Efforts  were,  however,  immediately 


BULLSKIN    TOWNSHIP. 


485 


set  on  foot  to  raise  funds  to  rebuild,  and  in  the  spring 
of  1875  work  was  begun  on  the  jiresent  building. 
The  congregation  secured  the  use  of  what  is  known  ' 
as  "Templars'  Hall,"  in  that  part  of  the  town  called 
"The  Neck,"  and  the  regular  services  were  continued 
there.  The  basement  of  the  new  building  was  ready 
to  occup)'  Feb.  20,  1876.  At  that  time  an  "opening 
service"  was  held,  Rev.  A.  B.  Miller,  D.D.,  president 
of  Waynesburg  College,  preaching  an  appropriate  ser- 
mon. Rev.  Henry  Melville,  then  pastor  of  the  Cum- 
berland Presbyterian  Church  in  Uniontown,  assisted 
in  the  services  and  preached  in  the  evening.  The 
new  building  and  lot  have  so  far  cost  about  $7000. 
The  congregation  still  worship  in  the  basement, 
but  the  audience-room  is  to  be  finished  this  year 
(1881).  The  building  committee  having  the  work  in 
charge  consists  of  J.  D.  Armstrong,  Seaburn  Craw- 
ford, and  George  L.  Moore. 

In  February  and  March  of  1876  an  extensive  re- 
vival of  religion  prevailed  in  this  church.  Mr.  How- 
ard, the  pastor,  was  assisted  by  Rev.  A.  J.  Swain. 
There  were,  growing  out  of  this  revival,  about  fifty 
accessions  to  the  church.  The  Sunday-school  had 
grown  from  about  forty  in   1872  to  more  than  two 


hundred,  being  at  this  time  the  banner  .school  in  the 
county. 

In  October,  1877,  there  was  another  extensive  re- 
vival. At  this  time  the  p.astor  was  assisted  by  Rev. 
W.  S.  Danley,  of  Carmichael's,  Greene  Co.  More 
than  sixty  members  were  added  to  the  church.  In 
the  spring  of  1877  the  "  Murphy  temperance  work" 
had  begun  in  this  church,  and  a  large  number  who 
had  been  reclaimed  from  intemperance  joined  the 
church  during  the  revival  in  October. 

In  February,  1881,  the  church  enjoyed  another  re- 
vival, which  resulted  in  about  one  hundred  professions 
and  about  fifty  accessions  to  the  church.  The  Rev. 
Samuel  McBride,  pastor  of  the  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian Church  of  McKeesport,  and  Rev.  A.  W.  White, 
pastor  of  Hopewell  Church,  assisted  the  pastor. 

In  September,  1874,  John  S.  Pringle,  John  Sjiringer, 
and  Geo.  L.  Moore  were  chosen  ruling  elders  ;  these, 
with  J.  D.  Armstrong,  constitute  the  present  board  of 
elders. 

The  number  now  on  the  church  roll  is  about  two 
hundred.  The  Sunday-school  has  about  two  hundred, 
with  an  average  attendance  of  one  hundred  and  thirty. 
The  present  pastor  has  been  here  nearly  nine  years. 


BULLSKIN    TOWNSHIP. 


This  township  is  on  the  northern  border  of  the 
county,  the  second  from  the  east.  Its  general  length 
from  north  to  south  is  about  nine  miles,  or  about 
double  its  width.  The  eastern  boundary  is  formed 
by  the  Chestnut  Ridge,  which  separates  it  from  the 
townships  of  Salt  Lick  and  Springfield  ;  on  the  south 
is  Connellsville  ;  on  the  west  are  Tyrone,  and  West- 
moreland County,  Jacob's  Creek  separating  the  latter 
from  Bullskin  ;  and  on  the  north  is  Westmoreland 
County.  The  area  embraced  within  these  bounds  is 
about  24,320  acres  of  land,  varying  from  rolling  to 
mountainous,  the  western  half,  in  general,  being  till- 
able. The  township  is  drained  south  and  west  by 
Mounts'  Creek  and  its  affluents.  White's,  Butler's, 
Spruce,  and  Yellow  vSprings  Runs,  Jacob's  Creek, 
and  Green  Lick  Run.  Most  of  these  are  constant 
streams,  and  afford  good  mill-seats.  Their  valleys 
vary  from  a  quarter  to  half  a  mile  in  width,  and  are 
fertile,  while  their  hillsides  are  usually  quite  produc- 
tive. The  celebrated  Connellsville  coal-beds  underlie 
the  western  part  of  Bullskin,  while  in  the  eastern 
part  iron  ore  of  excellent  quality  and  almost  unlim- 
ited quantity  abounds.  Fire-clay  also  is  found  in 
many  localities.     Much  of  the  mineral  wealth  of  the 


township  has  been  developed  with  rich  returns  to  the 
owners  of  the  lands,  whose  agricultural  value,  too, 
com])ares  not  unfavorably  with  other  lands  in  the 
county. 

The  attractive  appearance  of  many  parts  of  Bull- 
skin caused  many  claims  to  be  made  at  an  early  day, 
before  the  question  to  the  proprietorship  of  the  lands 
was  determined.  Hence  there  was  in  the  township 
a  patent  issued  by  Thomas  and  Richard  Penn,  in  the 
belief  that  they  had  a  right  to  the  soil.  It  was 
granted  to  William  Robertson,  Jan.  12,  1771,  and 
covered  the  valuable  lands  lying  on  both  sides  of 
Jacob's  Creek,  between  Lobengier's  and  Snyder's 
mills.  Ralph  Cherry  successfully  disputed  the  va- 
lidity of  this  patent,  and  the  litigation  which  arose 
therefrom  covers  many  pages  of  the  records  of  the 
courts.  Although  Robertson  failed  to  dispossess 
Cherry,  it  sppears  that  the  latter  did  not  perfect  his 
claim  until  many  years  after  his  settlement.  The 
survey  was  not  made  until  1787,  several  years  after 
the  warrant  was  issued.  Ten  surveys  in  the  township 
were  made  earlier. 

In  the  list  of  original  surveys  in  what  was  formerly 
Bulltkin  township  appear  the  following-named  per- 


4S6 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


sons  as  the  owners  of  tlie  number  of  acres  of  ' 
set  oi^posite  their  names  :' 


William  A,T 

..  391 

Casper  Etiing 

JUnry  Aiiauis 

..     21 

Joseiih  Eieher 

D.  B.  AJiVUis 

...     55 

Cliflord  Elder 

Christian  Ansm.in 

...  .366 

Eliza  Elder.... 

Margaret  Butler 

...     S3 

Thomas  Flemi 

FiTd  Bnnders 

...  357 

(ieorge  Frame. 

Convad  Bi.tes 

...     8!) 

Charles  Fo.-lei 

F.  BandiTs 

...   399 

John  Foreman 

Tllomas  Brown 

...     SS 

Jacob  Farrv... 

Joseph  Bnii.ks 

..251) 

Ahel  Faolk".,  . 

JcsfcBn.ckcn 

...'341 

Philip  Flack... 

Frederick   Birg 

...  3:5 

John  Frember 

Lavid  B.rg  ...! 

2S2 

Killiin  liuerii 

Oeorgc  Batchelor 

llo-h  Cucrin- 

I'eter  Bucher 

...    l.'i-l 

Kierliiirt   (loll 

AVilliiun  Bo.vd 

lleiniaii  IIcIiIk 

George  Burton 

...   .".li- 

\':ilei,iine  i;ie 

Samuel  Black 

AloMio  liMllen 

Charks  Brewer 

John  liallowaN 

Edmund  Brewer 

.^dain    llatfiele 

Philip  Bool 

42U 

llohc:!    Hood.. 

Alexander  Baile.v 

...     !■'' 

.!..:.,■  Il,ul..n.. 

Jesse  Bracken 

"  •  -   Il"-g. 

Ehenezer  Branham 

AVillinm  Bovlc 

...   :.i.i 

l;i.ii,u4    ll;ivi 

John  Brewer 

...      o7 

I.eor-.-  J.   llil 

David  Bh.om 

...    US 

John  Ih./.leloi 

Henry  E.  Brown 

...   119 

I'rice  Uig^ius 

Adam  Culler 

220 

Willi.nn    ilarb 

John   Cu.npton 

...  297 

J,ih„    II;,    lMn_ 

Ann  Connell 

...   307 

Alexander  Cummings.. 

...    150 

Adam   Cli].li>er 

...    til) 

1 1 ,  •  .    . .    !],■'. 

Zichariah   Connell 

...   CO" 

.l"-i'|.,i    [|..::  i,. 

Raehel  Clierrv 

.loll,,   11",  Ii..i4 

Ann  Cher, y 

...    |o.: 

-i'ii,,':v  lli^-ji 

Abraham   CoUadav 

Thomas  Cross '. 

...  :;u 

Kob.rl  l,uu;. 

Willi.an  Cvman 

Jo.,c|,h  J.nvi,- 

llalph  Cherrv 

Zachariah  Connell 

'.'.'.   403 

William  Joile-s 

...    147 

Hichar.l  John 

William   Craulord 

...    300 

John  KioL'.... 

Ilivam  Connell 

...   404 

Sohonon    K.o, 

John  R.  Connell 

...   414 

James  .McK,., 

James  Connell 

...  405 

K„.,..r  .M.Ke,- 

Thomas  Connell 

..   3Sfl 

Ji.lui  F.  Kn,il 

John  Ciirv 

...    1S7 

P.'ter  Ke-lar 

John  Cn-t 

...    Ills 

(.e,„-e   Ke.^la 

Isaac  Ce--  1 

...    21  9 

I'.M,,,-  K, ■•-'„, 

Alexand.rConnoin.'s.. 

...    MS 

.\n,lrew    Ke,-1 

Thoma-  Cr:,ubod 

...    4:12 

Pl,il,p    K:,!p.  . 

Wiirunn  r,,;,. 

...    117 

.I,,l,n   Kel.le  .. 

ll.nrv  CM,,M„,n_. 

...    I'.r.l 

.Marlii,    Klipi. 

JaMK'sCun.nno;.- 

Peter  HiUv 

'.'.'.   305 

John    k-.lhr,',V 

Edwanl 

>.,v 

Abrahan 

John  Da 

k... 

Williiim 

>;l. 

George  .T 

ll:i 

lienjamii 

1). 

John   ]., 

I,u, 

Israel  1), 

William 

James  D 

I";, 

Peter  Di 

k.. 

John  Du 

'an 

John  Do 

I'.'la 

Andrew 

Simon  D 

,ngi 

John  Meason 

John  Muir 

John  Miner 

David  Miller 

Isauc  Meason 

William  Norton,  Jr 

Robert  Neil 

James  Neigh 

William  Newbold.., 

William  Nob 

Ludwig  Nogle 

James  iXob 

John  Nob 

Job  Nob 

Samuel  Nob 

Jacob  Nob 

I^ampson  Nob 

Solomon  Nob 

David  Nob 

Frederick  Nob 

Joseph  Nob 

Joseph  Ogden 

William  Orr 

Richard  Phillips... 
Christian  Perkey... 

John  Purdon 

Eleazar  Perkins  ... 

William  Potter 

Samuel  Pritts 

William  Palmer.... 
William  Robertson 

Daniel  Kesler 

Thomas  li'iston 

<'l,M,-l,,tle  l:u-l„n... 
.M;i,v   l;„-t,.i,  


03 

Reuben  Skinner 

159 

02 

.Samuel  Skinner 

205 

25 

Richard  Skinner 

290 

47 

William  R.Solomon.. 

22s 

95 

D.avidS.  Spear 

7 

Ul 

John  Stephenson 

412 

99 

William  Stewart 

215 

37 

James  Stephen.von 

:m 

11 

Thomas  Shields 

832 

28 

Jacob  Swink 

14) 

08 

William  Smith 

:«9 

54 

John  Smith 

426 

.M,e 


456 

William  Smith.... 

403 

Nicholas  Smith.. 

360 

Jacob  .-trickier... 

412 

James  Sonell 

179 

George  Swink 

374 

Henry  Sheets 

391 

Jacob  Shce's 

406 

David  Turner 

245 

.John  Truby 

411 

Peter  Truby 

187 

Simon  Truby 

373 

James  Truby 

342 

Andrew  Trapp.... 

160 

Cxeorge  Trump.... 

191 

Peter  Tcderow.... 

153 

Jacob  Thorpe.... 

102 

AiolrewTrapp.... 

ins 

l;e,:l,.,i  Thorpe.. 
\i,  h,  «  T,app.... 

;M„.l.„el    TagginT 

41)11 

Andrew  Trapp.... 

400 

Henry  Ullrey 

4O0 

James  M.  Uljrey 

400 

Henry  M.  Ullrey 

437 

Daniel  Wilt 

394 

David  A.  Wilt... 

404 

Jacob  L.  Wilson. 

333 

William  Wood... 

100 

Benjamin  Wolfe. 

153 

Rice  Wolfe 

397 

William  Wolfe... 

100 

Abraham  Wortm 

107 

Isaac  White 

429 

An.l,ewWild 

254 

Adam  White 

224 

Henry  White 

41S 

James  Warren... 

105 

Jacob  Wyland... 

125 

Daniel  Young.... 

330 

George  Yoho 

200 


Of  the  foregoing  surveys  those  of  George  Batchelor 
and  Peter  Bucher,  both  in  Salt  Lick,  were  made  in 
1785.  William  Boyd's,  called  "  Spring  Hill,"  situ- 
ated on  Mounts'  Creek,  was  made  in  June,  1786,  and 
was  bounded  by  the  lauds  of  Edward  Doyle,  Robert 
Beall,  Lewis  Flemming,  William  Connell,  and  the 
Vance  heirs.  Doyle's  survey  was  made  in  January 
of  the  same  year,  and  extended  to  the  lands  of  Isaac 
Meason,  Ann  Stephens,  John  Stephenson,  and  the 
Vance  heirs.  Thomas  Flemming  had  his  survey 
made  in  December,  1785. 

The  survey  for  John  Cumpton  was  made  first  in 
1769,  by  Col.  Crawford,  for  Col.  Thompson.  The  re- 
survey  was  made  in  1788.  The  survey  made  for  Alex- 
ander Cummings,  April  2.3,  1788,  was  called  "Little 
Hopes,"  and  the  land  was  described  as  being  one 
mile  north  of  the  Turkey  Foot  road,  where  it  crosses 
Indian  Creek.     Both  of  the  last-named  surveys  are  in 


BULLSKIN   TOWNSHIP. 


Springfield.  Abraham  Dunibauld  had  a  survey  made 
for  four  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres,  Nov.  21,  1785, 
on  the  "Great  Salt  Creek,"  and  gave  the  name  of 
"Plum  Bottoms"  to  the  lands,  which  are,  in  part, 
now  the  property  of  Judge  D.  W.  C.  Dumbauld,  of 
Salt  Lick.  John  Martin's  survey,  in  the  same  town- 
ship, made  October,  1785,  was  called  "Additional 
Stones."  William  Norton's  survey  was  made  March 
12, 1782,  and  was  described  as  being  "on  the  road  to 
the  salt-works,  between  the  Cranberry  Glade  and  the 
falls  in  Bullskin,  north  of  the  land  of  James  Neigh." 

John  Stephenson's  survey,  for  four  hundred  and 
twelve  acres,  called  "Strict  Measure,"  was  situated 
on  the  south  side  of  Jacob's  Creek,  and  surveyed 
Dec.  16,  1785,  "  in  consequence  of  a  certificate  issued' 
by  the  commissioners  for  adjusting  the  claims  to  un- 
patented lands  in  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia,  in 
support  of  the  following  voucher  :  No.  106,  Virgina 
Survey,  Youghagania  County." 

The  survey  for  George  Hogg  was  made  Slarch  3, 
1837,  locating  a  warrant  of  April  4,  1794,  granted  to 
Isaac  Meason.  The  tract  was  located  on  the  waters 
of  Mounts'  Creek,  'land  had  on  it  a  furnace,  gone  to 
decay,  old  houses,  sixty  acres  cleared,  a  few  families 
residing  thereon,  and  appear  to  have  been  settled 
about  ferty  years  ago."-J7 

John  McLean's  survey,  called  "Fertility,"  was 
made  Jan.  8,  1787,  for  three  hundred  and  thirty-four 
acres,  on  Salt  Lick  Creek.  Christian  Perkey  had  a  sur- 
vey made  on  the  same  stream,  on  the  middle  road 
from  Cherry's  to  Jones'  mill,  and  situated  partly  in 
Westmoreland  County.     Survey  dated  1789. 

Many  of  these  land-owners  were  actual  settlers  at 
the  time  the  surveys  were  made,  and  not  a  few  of 
them  had  lived  in  the  original  township  of  Bullskin 
a  score  of  years  before  the  metes  and  bounds  of  their 
lands  were  officially  determined.  In  1788  the  follow- 
ing were  the  owners  of  property  : 


"Wm.  Kobenoy. 
Martha  Warien. 
James  Warren. 

Nathan  Miller. 
James  Mudole. 
Micliaol  Dougherty. 
Graft  Ghost. 
Samuel  Ilieks. 
John  Wright. 
Edward  Doyle. 
Wm.  Black. 
Samuel  JiUick. 
Thomas  Patton. 

Casper  Etling. 
Cornelius  Woodruff. 
William  Woodruff. 
Alexander  Cummings 
Casper  Seuff. 

Jonathan  Cooper. 
Andrew  Wild. 
Adam  Shaffer. 


Car 


Wui.  McCormick. 
Reason  Re.g.n. 
Nathan  Young. 
Zachariah  Connell 
John  Bakersheld. 
Mary  White. 
Adam  White. 


Charles  Bute. 
Lewis  Fleuimi 
Thomas  Davis 


TI;itfield. 


Hobert  Fleuimii 
lUnry  Ray. 


Isaac  SisFell. 
Robert  Allison. 
Edward  Ross. 
John  Finney. 
Philip  Jones. 
George  Bucher. 
LudwigShick. 
Philip  Brinker. 
John  Kilhcart. 
George  Rogers. 
John  Varnon. 
Robert  Threw. 
John  Meason. 
Elnathan  Cory. 
Henry  Evans. 
George  Trump. 
John  AVhite. 
Robert  Beall. 
Hugh  Messer. 
Ch.arles  Fahew. 
James  Ilempfield. 
Jo.'eph  Jarvis. 
Thomas  Shay. 


Adam  Bungard. 
Jacob  Lee. 
George  Batchelor. 
John  Colpcnny. 
James  Carnehan. 


He 


Bork. 


Jolm  Martin,  Jr. 
Josejih  D.mglas. 
Conrad  Vnntrim. 
Peter  Bucher,  Sr. 
Peter  Bucher,  Jr. 
John  Martin.  Sr. 
Abraham  Dumbauld. 
Peter  Dumbauld. 
John  McLean. 
John  Robison. 
Daniel  McKeredif. 


Shadrach  Davis. 
John  Christ. 
Joseph  Schlater. 
Wm.  Stewart. 
Stephen  Joser. 
Joseph  lluffbaus. 
Samuel  Lewis. 
George  Hoover. 
Michael  Houghnoy 
Elizabeth  Shannon 
Henry  Schlater. 
David  Smith. 
Anthony  Highland 
John  Smith. 
William  Mathews. 
Thomas  Mathews. 
Moses  Smith. 
John  Burton. 
John  Piper. 
Mary  Davis. 
Charles  Coper. 
Savy  Reagan. 
Christian  Perkey. 
Isaac  Meason. 
Henry  Cleary. 
Jacob  Snider. 
John  Hazelton. 
Wm.  Go..d. 
George  Truas. 
Providence  Mounts 
Wm.  McKee. 
Wm.  Boyd. 
Thomas  Mumford. 
William  Threw. 
George  Rogers. 
Ralph  Cherry. 
Chri.-tian  Lutzog. 
John  Van  Dering. 
Jonathan  Roland. 
Thomas  Coyle. 
Thomas  Phillips. 


lith. 


Of  these  the  Cherry,  Robertson,  Doyle, 
Davis,  McKee,  Stewart,  and  White  families  were  in 
the  township  as  early  as  1772.  Many  of  the  first  set- 
tlers reinoved  at  a  very  early  day  leaving  no  descend- 
ants, and  consequently  but  little  can  be  said  of  them. 
Ralph  Cherry  lived  on  Jacob's  Creek,  and  owned 
mills  which  are  yet  known  as  Lobengier's.  one  of  the 
owners  after  Cherry.  At  the  mouth  of  White's  Run, 
and  partly  in  the  present  township  of  Connellsville,  was 
the  tract  of  land  owned  by  Providence  Mounts,  and 
adjoining  him  on  the  west  was  Wm.  McKee.  The 
McCormick  place  was  below,  in  the  present  township 
of  Connellsville.  Providence  Mounts  was  probably 
the  earliest  of  these  settlers,  and  the  principal  stream 
of  the  township  took  its  name  from  him.  Just  be- 
low the  Bullskin  line  Mounts  had  a  mill  at  a  very 
early  day,  and  wool-carding  was  carried  on  at  the 
same  place.  Upon  the  removal  of  the  Mounts  family 
(who  emigrated  to  Kentucky)  the  farm  became  the 
property  of  Stewart  H.  Whitehill,  a  son-inlaw  of 
Wm.  Boyd,  but  in  1826,  Alexander  Johnstone,  a 
Scotch-Irishman,  became  the  owner,  and  later  his  son. 


488 


niSTOKY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


John  E.  Johnstone,  owned  both  mills  and  the  farm. 
It  is  said  that  the  burrs  in  the  original  mill  were 
l)rought  from  Virginia  by  a  man  named  Newcomer. 
The  present  mill  was  built  by  Mr.  Johnstone  in  185G. 
It  is  supplied  with  two  runs  of  stones,  and  both  it  and 
the  saw-mill  are  kept  in  successful  operation,  being 
now  the  property  of  the  heirs  of  J.  R.  Johnstone, 
who  died  in  December,  1877.  East  of  the  Mounts 
tract,  and  in  the  present  township  of  Bullskin,  were 
the  lands  belonging  to  the  White  family.  The  prin- 
cipal part  of  the  White  farm  has  been  owned  since 
1S48  by  Wm.  C.  Johnstone,  a  brother  of  the  forego- 
ing. The  stream  of  water  south  of  the  place  took  its 
name  from  Henry  White,  who  had  mills  on  its  waters. 
This  family  also  removed  to  Kentucky  about  the 
beginning  of  the  present  century. 

William  Robertson  was  by  birth  a  Scotchman,  and 
po-;sesjed  to  an  unusual  degree  the  tenaciousnes^s  of 
purpose  of  that  race.  He  removed  to  Bullskin  from 
the  eastern  part  of  the  State  about  1770,  settling  on 
Jacob's  Creek,  below  Cherry's,  and  with  that  fiimily 
liad  a  wearisome  litigation  respecting  certain  land 
titles,  which  were  ended  only  by  the  death  of  Robert- 
son many  years  ago.  His  family  then  removed  to  the 
West.  Andrew  Robertson,  a  brother  of  William,  set- 
tled first  in  Westmoreland  County,  but  some  time 
about  1800  located  at  the  foot  of  Chestnut  Ridge. 
He  was  married  to  Betsey  Smart  and  reared  a  family 
of  four  children, — John,  who  died  in  Scotland ;  Nancy, 
one  of  the  pioneer  teachers,  who  died  a  maiden ;  An- 
drew, who  settled  on  the  county  line,  where  his  family 
yet  resides  ;  and  Elizabeth,  who  yet  lives  near  Bridge- 
port, as  the  wife  of  Asher  Walker. 

South  of  William  Robertson  much  of  the  lands  were 
claimed  by  John  and  Isaac  Meason.  Tlie  latter  first 
lived  near  the  chain-bridge,  in  Tyrone  township, 
removing  to  Mount  Braddock  at  an  early  day.  He 
was  the  father  of  Isaac  and  George  Jleason,  and  a 
daughter,  who  married  Daniel  Rogers.  John  Meason 
lived  on  Green  Lick  Run,  on  the  farm  at  present 
owned  by  Jacoli  Sliank.  Upon  his  death  his  family 
removed  fiinii  the  township. 

Graft  <  !lin>t,  111-  Cost,  was  a  German,  who  served  as 
a  soldier  in  the  French  and  Indian  war  in  1755,  and 
later  was  with  the  garrison  at  Fort  Ligonier.  Having 
obtained  a  knowledge  of  this  country  from  his  ex- 
]ierience  in  the  army,  he  came  to  Westmoreland  as  a 
settler,  working  at  his  trade,— bell-making.  At  the 
instance  of  Col.  Meason  he  opened  a  shop  near  the 
latter's  residence,  where  he  iiiadi'  1m  11^  and  sharp- 
edged  tools  until  he  had  accmiuilatcd  sl'l'OO  in  Con- 
tinental money,  which  proved  wnrllilcss  just  about 
the  time  he  was  ready  to  invest  it  in  land.  This 
misfortune  obliged  him  to  begin  life  anew,  but  in 
time  he  secured  from  Meason  120  acres  of  land  in 
Bullskin,  and  lived  near  where  is  now  the  home  of 
George  Adams.  There  he  died  in  1808.  His  only 
child  became  the  wife  of  John  Highlands,  who  died 
on  the  Gost  homestead  in  182G,  leaving  five  daughters. 


These  married, — Christiana,  Jesse  Atkinson  ;  Mary, 
Robert  Fleming,  and  yet  resides  near  the  old  home ; 
Catharine  is  the  wife  of  Christian  Shank ;  Lavina,  of 
Washington  Kelley ;  and  Sarah  married  George 
Brown,  moving  to  Ohio. 

William  Boyd  came  from  Virginia  some  time  about 
the  close  of  the  Revolution,  making  the  journey  to 
his  new  home  on  the  west  border  of  Bullskin  on  pack- 
horses.  He  brought  with  him  several  slaves,  and  six 
negro  children  were  registered  as  being  born  to  these 
from  1795  to  1809,  namely,  Andrew,  Millie,  Ben, 
Prissie,  Samuel,  and  Alexander,  but  of  their  subse- 
quent history  nothing  can  be  here  said.  Wm.  Boyd 
was  a  man  of  considerable  education,  and  served  for 
a  number  of  years  as  a  justice  of  the  peace.  He  died 
in  1812,  and  was  interred  on  his  homestead.  His 
family  consisted  of  eight  children, — Thomas,  John, 
Robert,  James,  William,  Jeremiah,  and  daughter, 
who  married  Joseph  Barnett,  of  Connellsville,  and 
Stewart  H.  Whitehill,  who  resided  on  the  Mounts 
place  many  years.  After  1812,  Thomas  Boyd  lived 
on  the  homestead,  where  he  carried  on  the  distillation 
of  liquor  at  an  early  day.  He  was  a  popular  man 
among  his  fellow-citizens.  Two  of  his  sons,  Wil- 
liam and  Richard  Boyd,  are  yet  residents  of  Bull- 
skin. Other  sons — John,  Randolph,  Thomas,  and 
Rice — have  died  or  removed.  Thomas  Boyd,  Sr.,  died 
in  1855;  Jolin  Boyd,  the  second  son,  died  in  1857,  at 
Connellsville;  Robert  moved  to  Menallen  townshi]); 
James  died  in  Tyrone;  William  moved  to  Ohio; 
Jeremiah  became  a  physician,  and,  after  living  in 
Louisiana  a  number  of  years,  moved  to  Washington. 

Christian  Reist,  a  native  of  Lancaster  County,  set- 
tled in  the  Boyd  neighborhood  about  1800,  and  died 
in  1827.  He  had  three  daughters,  two  of  whom 
married  Thomas  Boyd  and  Simon  Roughcorn,  and 
the  third  remained  single,  all  of  them  long  since 
deceased. 

Presley  Carr  Lane  was  also  a  Virginian,  who  set- 
tled on  the  Henry  D.  Overhplt  place.  He  was  a  man 
of  culture  and  great  gentleness  of  manner,  and,  for 
those  times,  quite  wealthy.  He  served  in  the  Legis- 
lature with  creditable  distinction.  The  family  re- 
moved to  Kentucky  before  1830,  and  the  original 
homestead  has  been  much  divided. 

Henry  Freed,  a  native  of  Bucks  County,  Pa.,  after 
living  a  short  time  in  Virginia,  settled  on  Mounts' 
Creek  about  1785.  He  died  about  1863,  aged  eighty- 
four  years,  having  reared  four  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters. Jacob,  the  oldest,  married  Susan  Garver,  a 
daughter  of  Martin  Garver,  a  pioneer  of  Bullskin, 
and  settled  on  that  part  of  the  homestead  now  owned 
by  his  sftn  Joseph,  where  he  died  in  August,  1875. 
Other  sons  were  Henry,  Samuel,  and  Jonathan,  the 
former  two  living  on  Green  Lick  Run.  Peter,  the 
second  son  of  Henry  Freed,  lived  and  died  in  Tyrone ; 
John,  the  third,  moved  to  McLean  County,  111. ; 
Henry,  the  youngest,  lived  on  the  homestead  west  of 
the  creek  until    his   death,  caused   by  an  accident, 


BULLSKTN  TOWNSHIP. 


489 


about  ten  years  ago.  The  land  is  now  the  property 
of  the  Cleveland  Rolling-Mills.  One  of  the  daugh- 
ters married  Joseph  Beidler,  who  lived  on  a  farm  ad- 
joining the  homestead;  another  married  Jacob  Over- 
holt;  and  the  third,  Joseph  Johnston,  of  Union  town- 
ship. 

At  Pennsville,  and  north  of  the  village,  a  large 
tract  of  land  was  settled  early  by  Peter  Newmeyer. 
He  died  in  1836,  aged  seventy-five  years,  and  was  in- 
terred in  the  cemetery  at  the  Baptist  Church.  His 
sons  who  attained  manhood  were  named  Jacob, 
David,  Samuel,  and  Jonathan ;  and  his  daugliters 
married, — Betsey,  Henry  Strickler,  of  Tyrone;  Mary, 
Christian  Newcomer,  of  Tyrone ;  Ann,  David  Shal- 
lenbarger,  who  lived  on  the  Sherrick  place;  Rachel, 
Abraham  Shallenbarger,  who  lived  on  the  adjoining 
farm  ;  Susan,  Henry  Arnold,  of  Connellsville;  Hattie 
married  Edward  Riggs ;  Jacob  Newmeyer  married 
Ann  Shallenbarger,  and  died  in  Tyrone ;  David  moved 
to  Ohio  ;  Samuel  married  Elizabeth  Stauffer,  and  re- 
moved to  the  West ;  Jonathan  married  Mary  Strick- 
ler, and  lived  on  the  home-place  until  his  death,  May 
15,  1879,  at  the  age  of  eighty  years.  None  of  the 
family  remain  in  the  township. 

Abraham  and  David  Shallenbarger  lived  on  the 
fine  farms  west  of  Pennsville  until  their  death.  The 
former  had  sons  named  Jacob,  John,  Abraham,  and 
David,  all  deceased.  The  sons  of  David  Shallenbar- 
ger were  John,  Henry,  Abraham,  and  David.  The 
Shallenbarger  farm  is  now  well  known  as  the  home  of 
A.  H.  Sherrick,  whose  family  were  pioneers  in  West- 
moreland County. 

John  Shank,  a  German,  after  his  emigration  to 
America  settled  at  H.agerstown,  removing  thence  to 
BuUskin.  He  located  on  Mounts'  Creek,  building 
mills,  about  the  beginning  of  the  century,  which  oc- 
cupied the  site  of  Detweiler's  mills.  He  was  a  Men- 
nonite,  and  at  his  death  was  buried  in  the  Mennonite 
graveyard,  on  the  township  line  between  Tyrone. 
He  had  sons  named  John  and  Jacob  ;  and  the  daugh- 
ters married  John  Stauffer,  Martin  Myers,  who  lived 
near  the  Shank  place,  and  Christian  Seigfried,  of 
Westmoreland.  Jacob  Shank  married  Nancy  Stauf- 
fer, and  settled  a  mile  north  from  Pennsville,  where 
he  died  in  1845.  He  was  the  father  of  John  Shank, 
of  Ohio ;  Henry,  of  the  same  State ;  and  Christian  and 
Jacob  Shank,  yet  living  in  the  township.  The  latter 
was  for  many  years  a  journeyman  hatter,  having 
learned  that  trade  of  Herman  Gebhart,  of  Connells- 
ville. The  second  son,  John  Shank,  remained  single, 
and  died  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township.  The 
Shanks  have  always  been  sober,  steady  citizens. 

John  Stauffer  removed  to  Bullskin  from  Hagers- 
town,  Md.,  settling  on  a  farm  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  Baptist  Church,  on  which  he  died.  His  only  son, 
John,  lived  at  Mount  Pleasant.  A  grandson,  John  C. 
Stauffer,  resides  at  Pennsville.  Other  families  in  the 
township  bearing  this  name  had  a  different  origin  and 
made  a  settlement  at  a  later  date. 


Farther  northeast  two  brothers,  John  and  Joseph 
Rice,  made  pioneer  settlements.  John  Rice  lived 
east  of  the  Mount  Pleasant  road,  and  was  buried  on 
his  homestead.  He  was  the  father  of  Joseph,  John, 
Abraham,  Samuel,  Jacob,  and  David  Rice,  the  latter 
two  yet  living  in  the  locality.  His  daughters  married 
into  the  Kendig  family.  Joseph  Rice  lived  in  the 
same  locality,  and  after  his  death  the  family  removed. 

Henry  Lane,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  moved  from 
that  State  to  Bullskin  about  1796,  but  removed  to 
Tyrone,  where  he  died  in  1821.  His  sons,  James, 
Silas,  and  John,  removed  to  the  West,  while  William 
continues  a  resident  of  Bullskin.  Near  the  same  time, 
Asher  Walker,  also  from  New  Jersey,  settled  on 
Mounts"  Creek,  but  emigrated  to  Ohio,  where  he  died. 
One  of  his  sons,  John,  is  a  resident  of  Tyrone  ;  and 
Asher  lives  on  .Jacob's  Creek,  in  Bullskin. 

Alexander  Kelley  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1760,  but 
eighty  years  ago  settled  in  Westmoreland  County. 
Later  he  made  his  home  north  of  Pennsville,  where 
he  died  in  1850.  He  had  sons  named  Samuel,  George, 
John,  James,  Paul,  Washington,  and  Campbell,  the 
latter  two  yet  living  in  the  township. 

John  Troxel,  a  local  preacher  of  the  United  Breth- 
ren Church,  moved  from  Lebanon  County,  Pa.,  and 
settled  in  Westmoreland  County  about  a  mile  from 
Bridgeport.  He  was  the  father  of  Michael  and  John 
B.  Troxel,  and  of  daughters,  who  married  Abraham 
Pershing,  Isaac  Persburg,  Moses  Worman,  and  Martin 
Krider.  The  latter  also  came  from  Lebanon  County, 
and  settled  on  part  of  the  Troxel  lands  in  Bullskin, 
building  the  stone  house  and  barn  on  Green  Lick 
Run.  After  his  death  the  family  removed  and  the 
farm  became  the  property  of  John  B.  Troxel,  whose 
family  yet  reside  there. 

Northeast,  Daniel  Krider  improved  a  farm,  and 
lived  there  until  his  death;  thence  it  became  the 
property  of  Michael  Farmer,  and  is  now  owned  by 
his  son,  Robert  C.  They  were  pioneers  in  Tyrone 
township. 

On  the  north  of  Green  Lick  were  the  improvements 
made  by  Abraham  Pershing.  He  was  born  at  Derry, 
Westmoreland  Co.,  where  his  parents  were  among  the 
first  settlers.  Part  of  the  Pershing  lands  are  now  in- 
cluded in  Bridgeport,  and  were  first  claimed  by  Thomas 
Meason.  Abraham  Pershing  was  one  of  the  leading 
men  of  the  township,  serving  many  years  as  justice 
of  the  peace.  He  died  in  July.  1880,  aged  eighty-four 
years.  He  had  sons  named  John,  yet  living  on  the 
home  place ;  Daniel  H.,  living  on  a  form  next  east ; 
Isaac,  living  in  California;  and  his  only  daughter, 
Anna,  married  Jacob  Myers,  of  Ligonier. 

George  Brothers,  a  native  of  Maryland,  and  by 
trade  a  cooper,  settled  on  Jacob's  Creek  in  1805, 
purchasing  a  part  of  the  Wm.  Robertson  tract.  Of 
his  family,  John  died  on  the  homestead;  George  was 
killed  at  the  Belle  Vernon  Furnace;  Austin  died  in 
the  Rebellion  ;  Washington,  Andrew,  and  Lafayette 
yet  live  in  the  township,  the  latter  on  the  homestead. 


490 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


John  Shupe,  of  Bucks  County,  Pa.,  settled  on  Ja- 
cob's Creek,  on  the  Westmoreland  side,  in  1790  or 
earlier.  He  died  in  1832.  His  son  Jacob  moved  to 
the  Lake  Erie  country  in  Ohio;  John  settled  in  Bull- 
skin,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  bis  son,  Daniel  F., 
where  he  built  mills.  He  died  in  1862,  aged  eighty- 
two  years.  Two  other  sons  died  at  Mount  Pleasant, 
and  William  Shupe  yet  resides  at  Derry,  aged  ninety- 
two  years.  Their  sisters  married  the  Rev.  Daniel 
Worman  and  John  Shepard. 

Coming  a  little  later  than  some  of  the  foregoing 
was  Jacob  Eshelman,  a  native  of  the  eastern  part  of 
tlie  State.  He  built  oil-mills  and  other  important  in- 
dustries. Of  his  family,  a  son,  David,  yet  lives  north 
of  Shupe's.  Eastward,  on  the  Connellsville  road, 
John  Hoke  made  some  substantial  improvements  on 
tlie  farm  now  owned  by  his  son  James;  and  still  far- 
ther east,  near  the  Andrew  Robertson  place,  Samuel 
I-atta  was  a  pioneer.  On  Green  Lick,  where  now  re- 
sides Henry  Freed,  Christian  Gardner  was  an  early 
and  respected  settler.  He  died  there,  and  his  femily 
removed  from  the  township.  Peter  Stautfer  settled 
first  near  Mount  Pleasant,  about  1808.  One  of  his 
sons,  Jacob  J.,  located  on  the  Green  Lick,  where  he 
died  in  1877.  Of  his  family,  Peter  is  a  physician  at 
Connellsville,  Jonathan  resides  on  a  ])art  of  the  Kul- 
ler  place  in  Bullskin,  Henry  S.  is  a  minister  of  the 
Evangelical  Association,  and  William  B.  resides  on 
the  homestead.  The  daughters  married  Daniel  Wor- 
man, J.  W.  Kinear,  Simon  Martz,  and  Samuel  Eshel- 

John  Washabaugh  came  from  Somerset  County  to 
Bullskin  about  ISl-l,  srltliiiL'  :it  the  base  of  Chestnut 
Ridge.  He  had  sons  nniinMl  .!,,>.  |.h,  Henry,  Thomas, 
David,  William,  and  Wa-liiiigt.. II,  the  latter  yet  being 
a  resident  of  the  Green  Lick  Valley. 

In  the  southern  part  of  the  township  Thomas  At- 
kinson was  among  the  first  settlers.  He  had  sons 
named  Jesse  (who  died  on  the  Martin  Detweiler  place 
in  1840);  James,  Thomas,  Richaril,  Charles,  John, 
Robert,  and  Alexander,  all  of  whom  had  removed 
from  the  township  before  their  death.'  The  only  son 
of  Jesse,  George  Atkinson,  lived  east  of  Pennsville. 

Henry  Detweiler,  a  miller,  came  from  Bucks  County, 
settling  in  Fayette  in  1M20.  In  1826  he  became  the 
owner  of  tlie  Shunk  mills  on  Mounts'  Creek,  where 
he  died  in  1847.  His  widow  then  improved  the  farm 
above  the  Gault  school-house,  and  there  <li.'d  in  ISfxi. 
Their  children  were  Samuel ;  John  S. ;  .^Lirtiii,  living 
in  the  township;  Joseph,  who  died  in  1845;  Jacob, 
living  in  Ohio;  Mrs.  Henry  Fritts;  and  Mrs.  George 
Atkinson. 

Northeast  from  Detweiler's  Jacob  Gault  was  a  pio- 
neer, but  removed  to  Ohio  many  years  ago.  Farther 
down  Mounts'  Creek  among  the  early  settlers  were 
John  Smutz,  Martin  Garver,  and  westward  John 
Stockman,  the  latter  being  a  Dunkard  preacher  and 
a  very  estimable  man.  This  place  is  now  occupied 
bv  Jacob  J.  Stonacker.      Near  the  old  State  road 


Thomas  Herbert,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  settled 
some  time  after  1800,  but  died  at  Connellsville.  He 
had  sons  named  Richard  and  James.  The  latter 
moved  to  Ohio,  but  Richard  settled  in  the  southern 
part  of  Bullskin,  being  a  workman  at  the  Findley 
Furnace.  He  died  about  1850.  One  of  his  sons, 
Richard,  resides  in  the  Breakneck  district,  on  a  farm 
which  was  cleared  up  by  Walter  Duncan.  In  this 
locality  the  Huey  and  Long  families  were  among  the 
pioneers. 

Soon  after  the  settlement  of  the  townshi])  John 
Miner  located  east  of  Mounts'  Creek,  and  after  a 
number  of  years  of  residence  in  that  place  was  found 
dead  on  the  hills  near  his  farm,  where  he  had  gone 
for  chestnuts.  When  discovered  he  was  sitting  up- 
right against  a  tree.  His  only  child  was  John  Miner, 
born  Nov.  30,  1798,  and  who  lived  on  the  farm  until 
his  death.  May  14,  1877.  He  was  one  of  the  old-time 
justices  of  the  peace,  and  a  connecting  link  between 
the  past  and  the  present.  Farther  south  the  Kell 
farm  was  improved  by  Henry  Zimmerman,  from 
whom  it  passed  to  Gustavus  Kell.  Still  farther  south 
on  the  township  line  a  family  by  the  name  of  Butter- 
more  made  some  of  the  early  improvements,  some  of 
which  are  in  Connellsville  township,  but  none  of  that 
name  remain  in  that  locality.  Numerous  changes  in 
the  ownership  of  lands  have  taken  place,  and  many 
of  those  who  bore  the  brunt  of  opening  homes  in  the 
wilds  of  the  semi-mountainous  country  sought  new 
homes  in  the  great  West,  where  they  had  to  repeat 
the  experiences  of  their  pioneer  lives.  In  1823,  after 
the  final  division  of  the  township  (Connellsville 
having  been  set  off  the  year  before),  there  were  living 
in  Bullskin  the  following  property-owners,  with  occu- 
pations as  indicated  opposite  their  names : 


Patrick  Adair,  tailor. 
Thomas  Atliinson,  farmer, 
Jesse  Atkinson,  old  man. 
John  Allendcr,  stone-masi 
William  Austram,  blacksni 
William  Andrews,  farmer. 
Frederick  Bluclier,  " 
Jacob  Butler,  " 

Joseph  Brooks,  " 

Abraham  Baldwi 

saw-mill. 
George  Biddle,  gunsmith. 
Hugh  Bodle,  laborer. 
Israel  Bigelow,  " 
Thomas  Brooks,  farmer. 
Jacob  Butler,  Jr.,     " 
George  Banders,       " 
Joseph  Butler.  laborer. 
Israel  Bigelow,  Jr.,  laborer. 
Samuel  Banders,  " 

Williiim  Burnhara,       " 
Jacob  Barclay,  " 

Daniel  Bryan,  weaver. 
George  Brothers,  cooper. 
David  Bechtold,  laborer. 
William  Butler,         " 
Robert  Bash,  farmer. 


Tho 


yd,  coal-bank 


cnry 


cabinet- 


John  Cou^hcnour,  laborer. 

John  Culler,  faimer. 

Adam  Culler,  laborer, 
ner    of     John  Craig,  farmer. 

Thomas  Collins,  laborer, 
h.  Wm.  Cunningham,  " 

Robert  Cunningham,  laborer. 

John  Clair,  farmer. 

Wm.  Craig,  mason, 

Walter  Duncan,  agent. 

James  Dclpha,  carpenter, 

Adam  Dcnin,  blacksmith. 

John  B.  Droxel,  saw-mill. 

Henry  Etiing,  farmer. 

Abraham  Echard,  shoemaker. 

Casper  Etiing,  laborer. 

Jacob  Eshelman,  carding- ma- 


aill. 


Frank  Etiing,  labori 
Abraham  Freed,  far 
Henry  Freed, 


BULLSKIN   TOWNSHIP. 


491 


Thomns  Flemmins,  farmer. 

Peter  Newmeyer,  farmer. 

Jacob  Freed,                   " 

Abraham  Newmeyer,  farmer. 

John  Flack,  Sr., 

Martin  Newmeyer,  tailor. 

John  Fhvoli,  Jr.,  saw-mill. 

John  Peppitt,  Sr.,  farmer.          | 

John  Freed,  farmer. 

John  Peppitt,  Jr.,  wagoner. 

Feler  Freed,  saw-mill. 

Allen  Peppitt,  farmer. 

Jacob  Funk,  farmer. 

Robert  Reed,  laborer. 

Martin  Garver,  " 

Aaron  Reed, 

George  Garver,  shoemaker. 

Christian  Reist,  firmer. 

William  Gibbons,  teacher. 

Rufus  Ruffcoth,  laborer. 

AVilliam  Gault,  weaver. 

Daniel  Rogers, 

James  Gray,  laborer. 

James  Rogers,  ironmaster. 

John  Hue.v,  millwright. 

Edward  Reeder,  clerk. 

John  llarstone,  farmer. 

John  Reed,  carpenter. 

Abra'm  llarstone,  shoemaker. 

John  Rist,  farmer. 

John  Harstone,  Sr.,  old  man. 

Andrew  Robertson,  farmer. 

John  Hutchinson,  farmer. 

John  Robertson,             " 

J.  Highlands,  cabinet-maker. 

AVilliam  Robertson,        " 

H.  Havbaugh,  basket-maker. 

James  Robertson,           " 

Abram  Harbaugh,  laborer. 

John  Robison, 

Richard  Herbert,  farmer. 

Simon  Roughcorn,  laborer. 

John  Hargraves,  laborer. 

John  Rice,  farmer.                        j 

Charles  Hill,  blacksmith. 

Joseph  Rice,     " 

Robert  Huey,  constable. 

Reoj.  Shallenharger,  farmer. 

John  Huey,  farmer. 

David  Shallenharger,      " 

Robert  Huey,    " 

Abra'm  Shallenharger,    " 

James  Haney,  laborer. 

Henry  Shallenbarger,  cabinet- 

William Jarvis,  teacher. 

maker. 

Arthur  Jarvis,  miner. 

Jacob  Sh.allenbarger,  tan -yard 

David  Jenner,  collier. 

Martin     Stephenson,     gentle- 

David King,  wagon-maker. 

man. 

John  Kielwell,  collier. 

John  Shank,  farmer. 

Joseph  Kitheart,  grist-mill. 

John  Stauffer,     " 

AVilliam  Kerr,  laborer. 

Barbara  Sfautfer,  widow. 

Martin  Krider,  farmer. 

Nathan  Shaw,  sawyer. 

Joseph  Kenear,       " 

David     Shallenbarger,     gun- 

Joseph Long,  miller. 

smith. 

Jacob  Long,  former. 

Eleanor  Swink,  widow. 

John  Lane, 

David  Swink,  laborer. 

Daniel  Laughery,  laborer. 

Elias  Swink, 

Joseph  Laughery,       " 

John     Stonecker,     Sr.,     mill- 

William Laughery,     " 

wright. 

David  Lindsey,  teacher. 

John  Smutz,  farmer. 

John  Lobengier,  grist-mill. 

Jacob  Smutz,  gunsmith. 

Samuel  Latta,  farmer. 

Joseph  Smutz,  laborer. 

Abraham  Leatherman,  farmer. 

John  Sionecker,  Jr.,  miller. 

Presley  Carr  Lane,             " 

Adam    Stonecker,   grist-    and 

Richard  W.  Lane, 

saw-mill. 

Martin  Myers,                      " 

.Tacob  Swink,  farmer. 

John  Miner,  distillery. 

Jacob  Strickler,   ■' 

John  Miner,  Jr.,  blacksmith. 

George  Seehman,  saw-mill. 

Isaac    Meason,    furnace    and 

Jacob  Shank,  farmer. 

grist-mill. 

Peter  Shafer, 

William  L.  Miller,  iron-master. 

George  Swink,  shoemaker. 

Jacob  Miller,  carpenter. 

John  Shupo,  saw-mill. 

Cornelius  Miller,    " 

AVilliam  Sjiears,  farmer. 

John   McLencn,  wagoner. 

AVilliam  Sowers,       " 

John  Martin,  farmer. 

David  Sowers, 

Henry  Martin,  shoemaker. 

Joseph  Sterne, 

Thomas  Meason,  laborer. 

John  Stonecker,  potter. 

S.amucI  Mclntyre,     " 

John  Shallenbarger,  farmer. 

AVilliam  McKelvey,  " 

Jesse  Taylor,  stone-mason. 

John  McNalty, 

Andrew  Trapp,  farmer. 

Jonathan  Newmeyer,  farmer. 

Nathan  Thomas,      " 

David  Newmeyer,             " 

Alexander  Thomas,  farmer. 

Samuel  Newmeyer,            " 

Jacob  Tinsman,  grist  mill. 

John  Taylor,  farmer. 
Aaron  Thorpe,     ** 
George  Ullrcy,  blacksmith. 
John  A'an  Orden,  farmer. 
Benjam  n  AVhaley,       " 
Stewart  H.  AVhitehill,  farmer. 
Henry    AVhite,  Sr.,    saw-   and 

grist  mill. 
David  AVhite,  farmer. 
John  AVashington,  farmer. 
George  AA'ashington,     " 
Francis  AValker,  " 

Charles  AValker,  w.agoner. 


Jacob  AVieland,  farmer. 
Benjamin  AVieland,  wagoner, 
Thomas  AValker,  Etone-masoi 
Abraham  AVolfe,  laborer. 
James  AVoods,  farmer. 
Nathan  AVright,  fulling-mill 
Abher  AValker,  farmer. 
Abraham  AVhitmore,  farmer, 
Jacob  AVclchouse,  miller. 
John  Yates,  laborer. 
AVilliam  Yates,  " 
John  Yates,  Jr.,  laborer. 
Henry  Zimmerman,  farmer. 


In  1830  the  population  was  1231  ;  fifty  years  later, 
in  1880,  the  population  had  increased  to  2731. 

CIA'IL  ORGANIZATION. 
As  originally  organized  by  the  Court  of  Quarter 
Sessions  at  the  March  term,  1784,  Bullskin  embraced 
within  its  limits  the  present  townships  of  Salt  Lick, 
Connellsville,  Springfield,  and  a  part  of  Stewart.  The 
order  defining  its  bounds  was  as  follows  : 

"  A  township  beginning  at  the  Broad  Ford  on  the 
Youghiogheny  River;  thence  by  the  line  of  Tyrone 
township  to  the  crossing  of  Jacob's  Creek  ;  thence  up 
Jacob's  Creek  to  Cherry's  mill ;  thence  by  the  road 
to  Jones'  mill  to  the  line  of  Bedford  County  ;'  thence 
by  the  same  to  the  Youghiogheny  River ;  thence 
down  the  same  to  the  place  of  beginning.  To  be 
known  by  the  name  of  Bullskin  township." 

Until  this  time  the  territory  was,  for  civil  purposes, 
a  part  of  Donegal  township,  now  wholly  in  West- 
moreland County.  It  does  not  appear  that  a  good 
reason  e.xists  why  the  name  Bullskin  was  bestowed 
upon  the  new  townshii),  but  there  is  a  tradition  that 
some  of  the  early  settlers  from  Virginia  selected  it  to 
r  their  nativity  in  lliut  State. 
It  line  of  the  jiiiiiieers  north 
led  an  animal  of  the  bovine 
ze  that  its  skin,  he 


commeuKirate  tlie  piae<' 
Another  accMiUit  says  t 
of  the  Youghiogheny  k 
species  of  such  extraord 


claimed,  in  a  spirit  of  braggadocio,  would  have  cov- 
ered the  entire  country.  From  Ibis  eireunistance  the 
name  was  applied  to  that  neighborlii.o.l,  and  later  to 
the  new  township.  Attempts  have  been  made  to 
change  .the  appellation,  but  without  noteworthy  suc- 
cess, and  the  term,  though  not  greatly  in  favor  with 
the  people,  will  probably  ever  be  retained  to  designate 
this  divison  of  the  county. 

In  the  month  of  December,  1797,  all  that  part  of 
Bullskin  lying  east  of  the  crest  of  Chestnut  Ridge  was 
I  formed  into  the  township  of  Salt  Lick ;  and  in  October, 
1822,  the  southern  part  of  the  remaining  township 
was  carved  off  to  constitute  the  township  of  Connells- 
ville. A  motion  for  such  a  purpose  was  made  as  early 
as  August,  1816,  when  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions 
was  petitioned  to  form  such  a  township,  and  Joseph 
Torrance,  William  Hamilton,  and  James  Paull  were 
appointed  to  inquire  into  the  propriety  of  allowing 

•  Now  Somerset  County. 


492 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  request.  Had  it  been  granted  the  newly-made 
township  would  have  been  styled  the  "  Borongh  of 
Connellsville."  With  the  idea  of  division  in  mind 
the  court  was  again  petitioned  in  March,  1822,  when 
an  order  was  issued  to  Isaac  Meason,  Moses  Vance, 
and  Thomas  Boyd  to  act  as  commissioners  to  view  the 
proposed  township.  On  the  4th  of  June,  1822,  their 
report  was  made  and  approved  by  the  court,  although 
not  fully  confirmed  until  Oct.  31,  1822,  when  Con- 
nellsville township  was  erected. 

The  boundary  line  between  Tyrone  and  Bullskin 
being  in  dispute,  the  court  was  petitioned,  January, 
1831,  to  appoint  commissioners  to  define  the  same, 
and  their  report,  made  March  9,  1831,  was  approved 
and  confirmed  in  October  of  the  same  year.  This  re- 
]iort  sets  forth  that  "  William  Davidson,  John  Fuller, 
and  Andrew  Dempsey,  the  persons  appointed  by  an 
order  of  this  court  at  the  January  sessions  to  view  the 
township  line  between  Bullskin  and  Tyrone  town- 
ships, report  the  following  as  the  line  between  the 
points  aforesaid,  viz. :  Beginning  at  the  Mennonite 
meeting-house,  and  running  thence  by  the  several 
courses  and  distances  of  a  public  road,  located  from 
said  meeting-house  to  the  Connellsville  and  Pitts- 
burgh road,  until  it  intersects  the  Connellsville  town- 
ship line,  and  thence  along  said  line  to  the  Broad  Ford 
Run  aforesaid,  which  report  being  read  in  the  manner 
and  at  the  time  prescribed  by  law,  the  court  approves 
and  confirms  the  same." 

At  later  periods  slight  modifications  in  the  boundary 
lines  of  the  township  were  made,  yet  in  essential  fea- 
tures Bullskin  remains  the  same  as  when  the  township 
of  Connellsville  was  taken  ofl^,  containing  only  a  farm 
or  two  less  than  at  that  time. 

It  is  impossible  to  give  a  complete  list  of  the  officers 
of  the  original  township  of  Bullskin,  the  records  of 
that  period  being  very  meagrely  kept,  and  in  some 
instances  wholly  missing,  but  from  various  sources  it 
has  been  ascertained  that  William  Boyd,  John  Mea- 
son, and  George  Lamb  were  among  the  first  justices 
of  the  peace.  In  1803  the  township  was  embraced 
within  tlie  limits  of  Justice  District  No.  10,  "  Begin- 
ning at  the  mouth  of  Jacob's  Creek,  thence  up  said 
creek  to  Cherry's  mill,  by  the  Westmoreland  County 
line  to  the  top  of  Chestnut  Ridge,  thence  by  the  top 
of  said  ridge  to  Youghiogheny  River,  thence  down 
said  river  to  the  mouth  of  Jacob's  Creek,  the  place  of 
beginning,  containing  four  hundred  and  fifty-two 
taxables."  At  this  time  the  justices  were  "  William 
Boyd,  living  near  the  centre  of  the  township  ;  John 
Meason,  near  one  side ;  Matthew  Gault,  near  one  si('e ; 
and  George  Mathews,  near  one  side."  In  1814,  An- 
drew Robertson  was  a  justice,  and  later  the  township, 
in  connection  with  Tyrone  and  Connellsville,  consti- 
tuted District  No.  11,  and  the  justices  were  Abraham 
Pershing,  Henry  Gebhart,  Henry  W.  Lewis,  and 
Matthew  Wray.  After  1839  the  names  of  the  justices 
appear  in  the  list  below.  Among  other  early  officers 
of  Bullskin  were: 


1784.— Nathan  Young,  constable;   Henry  AVhite  and  Patrick 
Murphy,  supervisors  of  highways  ;    David  Lindsay   and 
Abraham  Gardner,  overseers  of  the  poor. 
1785.— John  White,  constable. 
1786.— William  McKee,  constable;   Henry  White  and  William 

Boyd,  road  supervisors. 
1787. — Lewis   Fleuiming,  constable ;    Providence   Mount   and 

Adam  ILitfield,  overseers  of  the  poor;  Cornelius  WoodruCr 
and  William  Robison,  supervisors  of  roads. 
17SS.— Isaac  White,  constable. 

1789. — Joseph  Jarvis,  constable;  Henry  While  and  Adam  Hat- 
field, overseers  of  the  poor  ;  Zachariah  CSnnell  and  Wil- 
liam Robison,  supervisors  of  roads. 
1790.— Edward  Doyle,  constable;  William  Robison  and  Henry 

White,  overseers  of  the  poor;  Adam  Hattield  and  George 

Batchelor,  supervisors  of  ro-ids. 
1791.— John  Calhcart  (or  Kithcart),  constable;  Craft  Gost  and 

Henry  White,  overseers  of  the  poor;  Andrew  Trapp  and 

John  Rist,  supervisors  of  roads. 
1792.— John   Cathcart,  constable;  Henry  White  and  Cornelius 

Woodruff,   overseers  of  the  poor;  George  Poe  and  Caleb 

Mount,  supervisors  of  roads. 
1793.— John  Cathcart,  constable:  Henry  White  and  Cornelius 

Woodruff,  overseers  of  the  poor;  David  Bloom  and  Jacob 

Shallenbarger,  supervisors  of  roads. 
1794. — David   .Shallenbarger,   const.tble ;    Henry   White    and 

Joseph  Rhodes,  overseers  of  the  poor;  Benjamin  Davis  and 

John  While,  supervisors  of  roads. 
1795.— William   Potter,  constable;    Henry  White  and  Joseph 

Robison,  overseers  of  thf  poor;  Peter  Newmyer  and  Joseph 

Gerron,  supervisors  of  highways. 
1796.— John  Clary,  constable  ;  Henry  White  and  John  Robison, 

overseers  of  the  poor;  John  Stouifer  and  Francis  Marietta, 

supervisors  of- highways. 
1797._John  Clary,  constable;  Henry  White  .and  Samuel  Trevor, 

overseers  of  the  poor;  John  Rice  and  George  Batchelor, 

supervisors  of  roads. 
1798.— Peter  David,  constable. 
1799-1800.— John  Latta,  constable;  Snmuel  Trevor  and  Henry 

White,  overseers  of  the  poor;  Jolin  Barnhart  and  Joseph 

Cathcart,  supervisors  of  roads. 
1801. — John   Gibson,  constable;    Benjamin   Wells    and   John 

Latta.  overseers  of  the  poor:  Samuel  Trevor  and  Adam 

Crossland,  supervisors  of  roads. 
1802.— William  MeCormiek, constable;  Abraham  Shallenbarger 

and  C:isper  Etling,  supervisors  of  roads;   Anthony   Ban- 
ning, Wm.  Mifford,  Caleb  Mount,  and  John  White,  auditors. 
1803-7.— Jacob    Shallenb.argcr,  Henry   Smith,    Jacob  Balsey, 

and  Mathew  Duncan,  constables;  James  Blackstone,  John 

Bernhart,  William  McCormick,  and  Stewart  H.  Whitehill, 

auditors. 
1808-12.— Robert  Huey,  Mathew  Duncan,  and  Jacob  Shank, 

constables.     From  1812  until   1840  no  satisfactory  list  of 

officers  has  been  obt.aioable.     Since  the  last-named  period 

the  officials  have  been  as  follows  : 
1840.— Ju^tices,  Abraham  Pershing,  Jonathan  Newmeyer;  Con- 
stable, John  F.  Shape;  Assessor,  Benjamin  Shallenbarger; 

Auditor,  David  Shallenbarger. 
1841. — Constable,  George  Adams;  Assessor,  Jeremiah  Abrams  ; 

Auditor,  David  Pollen. 
1842.— Constable,  Richard  Crossland:  Assessor,  Joseph  Beidler; 

Auditor,  Abraham  Pershing. 
1843.- Constable,  Washington  Kelley  ;  Assessor,  William  Boyd  ; 

Auditor,  Nathaniel  Hurst. 
1844.— Constable,    Washington    Kelley ;    Assessor,    John    B. 

TroxeU;  Auditor,  John  Miner. 


BULLSKIN   TOWNSHIP. 


493 


18J 5.— Justices,  Abraham   Pershing,  John  Miner;  Constable, 

lS77.-ConstabIe,  Thomas  HoUe;  Auditor,  11.  Iluebentliall. 

Paul  Kclley;  Assessor,  David  Rice;  Auditor,  John  Shupe. 

1878.— Justice,  James  Echard  ;  Constable,  Thomas  Ilolve;  As- 

1846.—Constable,  Joseph  A.  Marietta;  Assessor,  Francis  An- 

sessor, Andrew  Half  hill;  Auditor,  John  StillwaRon. 

drews ;  Auditor,  Henry  D.  Overholt. 

lS79.-Constable,  James  Caldwell ;  Assessor,  Solomon  Keffer; 

1847.— Constable,  Joseph  A.  Marietta;  Assessor,  Joseph  Stauf- 

Auditor,  Dnniel  H.  Pershing. 

fer;  Auditor,  John  Andrews. 

ISSO.— Constable,  James  Caldwell;  Assessor,  Lewis  Brothers; 

1848. — Constable,  Samuel  Johnston;  Assessor,  Jonathan  Car- 
ver; Auditor,  Wm.  Boyd. 

1849.— Constable,  Thomas  Hoke:  Assessor,  Christopher  R. 
Stonecker;  Audito-,  Samuel  D.  Detweiler. 

1850. — Justices,  John  Miner,  Abraham  Pershing;  Constable, 
Thomas  Hoke;  Assessor,  Martin  Bechtold;  Auditor,  John 
H.  Andrews. 

1851.— Constable,  Martin  Bechtold;  A.«sessor,  Thomas  Hoke; 
AuditJr,  John  H.  Stoner. 

1852.— Constiible,  Martin  Bechtold;  Assessor,  Conrad  Bowers; 
Auditor,  John  Miner. 

1853.— Constable,  Martin  Bechtold;  Assessor,  Joseph  A.  Ma- 
rietta: Auditor,  A.  P.  Lohr. 

1854._Constable,  Martin  Bechtold  ;  Assessor,  William  Moody  ; 
Auditor,  Rice  Boyd. 

1855.— Justice,  Christopher  R.  Stonecker  ;  Constable,  Jonathan 
Cable;  Assessor,  Rice  Boyd;  Auditor,  Jacob  Overholt. 

1856.- Constable,  John  S.  Buttermore:  Assessor,  John  W. 
Stoner;  Auditor,  Aaron  Coughenour. 

1857.— Constable,  Martin  Bechtold;  Assessor,  Abraham  Per- 
shing; Auditor,  Joseph  Andrews. 

1858.— Constable,  Melchor  Miller;  Assessor,  Jacob  H.  Echard ; 
Auditor,  Jacob  Mathias. 

1859. — Const.able,  Amzi  Stauffer;  Assessor,  Martin  Bechtold; 
Auditor,  Wm.  Boyd. 

1S60.— Constable,  John  W.  Stauffer;  Assessor,  Aaron  Coughe- 
nour; Auditor,  Horatio  L.  Sparks. 

1861.— Constable,  A.  B.  Halfhill;  Assessor,  Solomon  Kiefer; 
Auditor,  John  F.  Stoner. 

1862.— Constable,  A.  B.  Halfhill;  Assessor,  George  Etling; 
Auditor,  Jacob  Crnpp. 

1863.- Constable,  Andrew  S.  Halfhill ;  Assessor,  Melchor  Mil- 
ler; Auditor,  Thomas  Hoke. 

1864.— Constable,  Campbell  Kelley;  Assessor,  Rice  Boyd; 
Auditor,  Daniel  Pershing. 

1865. — Justices,  Abraham  Pershing  and  John  Miner;  Consta- 
ble, Andrew  Halfhill ;  Assessor,  Henry  Huebcnthal ;  Audi- 
tor, Jacob  J.  Shank. 

1866.— Justice,  David  B.  Gl.issburner;  Constable,  M.  B.  Caudy  ; 
Assessor,  Jonathan  Stauffer;  Auditor,  Daniel  F.  Shupe. 

1867.— Constable,  M.  B.  Caudy;  Assessor,  Thomas  S.  Butter- 
more  ;  Auditor,  A.  H.  Sherrick. 

1868. — Constable,  Washington  Brothers ;  Assessor,  David  Work- 
man ;  Auditor,  John  Pershing. 

1869.— Constable,  Elias  Swiuk  ;  Assessor,  Daniel  H.  Pershing; 
Auditor,  Abraham  H.  Hoke. 

1869,  October. — Justice,  John  Miner;  Constable,  Elias  Swink  ; 
Auditor,  David  F.  Stoner. 

1870.— Constable,  John  S.  Stillwagon  ;  Assessor,  David  Work- 
man ;  Auditor,  Daniel  H.  Pershing. 

1872. — Constable,  John  S.  Stillwagon;  Assessor,  Jacob  K. 
Shank;   Auditor,  Jacob  J.  Stonecker. 

1873.— Constable,  James  M.  Wilson;  Assessor,  H.  D.Rice; 
Auditor,  Richard  Boyd. 

1874.— Constable,  John  S.  Stillwagon  ;  Assessor,  Aaron  Coughe- 
nour :  Auditor,  A.  Reece. 

1875.— Justice,  John  .Miner;  Constable,  John  S.  Detweiler; 
Assessor,  Robert  Wilson;  Auditor,  John  F.  Stoner. 

1876.— Jusiiee,    Andrew    P.    Logan;  Constable,  John  S.  Det- 
weiler; Assessor,  Levi  Brothers;  Auditor,  Amzi  Miner. 
3:i 


Auditor,  Jacob  J.  Stonecker. 
1881.— Justice,  A.   P.  Logan;  Constiible,  John  Wright;    As- 
sessor, Jacob  Eohard;  Auditor,  James  Caldwell;  Road  Su- 
pervisors, P.  B.  Ragan,  J.  AViltrout,  M.  Bechtel,  and  W. 
P.  Kelley. 

In  1847  the  people  of  Bullskin  were  askeii  to  vote 
oil  the  liquor  question,  and  ninety-nine  voters  de- 
clared themselves  in  ftivor  of  permitting  its  sale  in 
the  township,  but  thirteen  voters  being  opposed.  But 
in  1873  a  contrary  sentiment  was  shown,  only  thirty- 
two  voting  in  favor  of  license,  while  one  hundred  and 
thirty  e.xpressed  themselves  opposed  to  the  sale  of 
liquor  in  any  form. 

The  celebrated  Braddock  road  runs  along  the 
southwestern  bounds  of  the  townshij),  and  in  early 
times  was  the  highway  to  the  Youghiogheny  and  the 
older  settlements  to  the  Northwest.  Soon  other  roads 
were  located,  and  in  1784  the  court  was  petitioned  for 
a  road  from  Cherry's  mill  to  Uniontown.  Joseph 
Torrance,  John  Mintor,  Providence  Mounts,  Adam 
Hatfield,  Samuel  McLean,  and  James  Rankin  were 
appointed  viewers.  The  following  year  the  road  from 
Col.  Cook's  landing  to  Cherry's  mill  was  ordered. 
The  road  from  James  Rankin's  to  Casper  Etling's 
was  reported  on  June,  1797,  the  width  to  be  thirty- 
three  feet.  The  road  from  Alexander  Long's  planta- 
tion to  White's  Mill  was  reported  on  the  same  court, 
the  width  to  be  eighteen  feet. 

In  March,  1786,  Zachariah  Connell  petitioned  for 
a  road  "  from  Uniontown  to  Jones'  road,  on  the 
Laurel  Hill,  between  Cherry's  and  Jones'  mills,  and 
Uriah  Springer,  Providence  Mounts,  Henry  Schlater, 
Samuel  Work,  Samuel  McClean,  and  William  McKee 
appointed  viewers."  The  June  sessions  decreed  that 
it  be  cut,  cleared,  and  bridged,  thirty  feet  wide. 

The  road  from  the  Bedford  County  line  to  the 
Westmoreland  line  was  ordered  in  September,  1789, 
to  be  opened,  thirty-three  feet  wide.  William  Rob- 
ertson, William  Kern,  Benjamin  Whaley,  Jacob 
Strickler,  and  Isaac  White  were  the  viewers. 

In  April,  1809,  the  road  from  Casper  Etling  by 
John  Pluck's  mill,  to  the  Mount  Vernon  Furnace  was 
ordered,  with  Casper  Etling,  James  Francis,  James 
Rogers,  Jonathan  Mayberry,  William  Boyd,  and 
Daniel  Rogers  as  viewers. 

The  road  from  Jacob  Thorpe's  to  the  road  from 
Lobengier's  Mill  to  Connellsville  was  ordered  in  De- 
cember, 1804,  with  Peter  Newmeyer,  John  Rice,  John 
Latta,  William  Robertson,  Joseph  Kithcart,  and  John 
Miner  as  viewers. 

Many  other  roads  were  located  about  this  period, 
but  no  further  account  of  them  can  here  be  given. 
In  general  the  highways  of  the  township  have  been 


494 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


well  ordered,  and  the  roads  are  usually  quite  passable, 
the  streams  being  well  bridged.    Since  1871  the  town-  I 
ship  has  had  railway  communication.     That  year  the  , 
Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railroad  was  built  through  [ 
its  territory,  opening  up  its  fine  coal-fields  and  giving 
speedy  access  to  Pittsljurgh  and  the  Eastern  cities. 
The  main  line  in  Bullskin  is  about  five  miles,  and 
sidings  and  flag-stations  have  been  provided  at  Penns- 
ville  and  Moyer's.     Eunning  up  the  Green  Lick  Val- 
ley is  a  narrow-gauge  railway  two  and  a  half  miles 
long,  running  from  Scottdale  to  the  ore  hills  along 
Chestnut  Kidge,  which  has  been  in  operation  several 

years. 

GEXER.4L    INDUSTRIES. 

The  streams  of  Bullskin  yielding  constant  power 
have  long  been  the  motors  for  numerous  mills,  fac- 
tories, and  shops.  Beginning  with  the  lower  power 
on  Jacob's  Creek,  David  Hough  built  a  mill  where  is 
now  Bridgeport  as  early  as  1804,  erecting  the  founda- 
tion on  which  now  stands  Snyder's  Mill.  Previously 
a  saw-mill  had  been  operated  several  hundred  yards 
below  by  a  man  named  Jarvis,  a  long  raceway  leading 
from  a  small  dam  to  the  mill.  Robert  McCall  was 
the  second  owner  of  the  power,  and  from  him  it  passed 
in  order  to  Jacob  Tinstman  and  Jacob  Welshouse, 
Isaac  Shupe  being  a  partner  of  the  latter  a  short 
time.  In  1836  the  grist-mill  was  repaired  by  D.  P. 
Patterson  for  the  latter  firm,  but  fourteen  years  later 
the  property  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  present 
owner,  William  Snyder,  who  put  up  the  mill  now  in 
operation  in  1864.  It  is  a  frame,  thirty-six  by  forty- 
eight  feet,  three  and  a  half  stories  high,  and  is  sup- 
plied with  a  hydraulic  water-engine  invented  by 
Williiuu  Snv'Kr,  wliirh  trroatlv  economizes  the  water 
supply,  wh  ' 
year.  The 
On  th,-  Wr 
saw-mill,  iv 
distillerie-; 
and  on  the 


irh  can  lie  relied  upon  eight  months  jier 
rrniuiiuU'i-  of  the  time  steam  is  the  motor. 
:-tiiH Ireland  side  below  the  same  dam  is  a 
peiateil  by  William  Snyder,  and  formerly 
were  here  carried  on  by  David  Hough, 
Bullskin  side  by  Jacob  Welshouse.  The 
latter  building  is  yet  standing  near  the  mill. 

Near  the  residence  of  Daniel  F.  Shupe,  John  and 
Jacob  Shupe  had  a  small  saw-mill  and  a  trip-ham- 
mer for  doing  small  forge-work  about  1810.  The 
power  was  abandoned,  and  in  1831  the  present  power 
was  improved  by  John  Shupe,  tlie  grist-mill  also 
being  erected  that  year.  It  had  originally  three  run 
of  stones,  but  at  present  has  but  two.  From  John 
Shupe  the  property  passed  into  the  hands  of  his  son 
George,  thence  to  the  latter's  son,  Albert,  who  sold  to 
the  present  owner,  David  G.  AmU  r^mi.  Here  is  also 
a  circular-saw  mill  of  good  eainuity,  :inil  Imth  mills 
can  be  operated  by  steam  in  ca^e  of  the  failure  of 
water. 

Several  miles  above  is  the  oldest  water-power  on 
Jacob's  Creek  within  Bullskin.  It  was  improved  by 
Ralph  Cherry  in  tlie  time  of  the  Revolution,  and  had 
a  wide  reputation,  although  but  a  rude  mill.  The 
Cherry  interests  became  tlie  projierty  of  John  Loben- 


gier,  about  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  and 
the  stone  mill  now  standing  in  Westmoreland  County 
was  built  by  him  about  eighty  years  ago,  Thomas 
Hoke  performing  the  mason-work.  Subsequently  the 
mill  was  owned  by  Jacob  Lobengier  and  his  son 
Jacob,  but  is  at  present  the  property  of  Peter  Keim's 
heirs.  Below  this  mill,  Jacob  Lobengier  has  a  saw- 
mill in  Bullskin,  and  a  tannery  on  the  Westmoreland 
County  side.  The  latter's  residence  was  formerly  in 
Bullskin,  but  a  resurvey  has  placed  it  out  of  the 
county. 

Near  the  mouth  of  Green  Lick  Run,  .Tohn  B.  Troxel 
had  a  saw-mill  sixty  years,  ago,  and  the  framework 
of  an  old  mill  yet  stands  there.  Farther  up  on  the 
same  stream,  on  the  present  Samuel  Freed  place, 
Jacob  Eshelman  had  a  small  grist-mill,  and  before 
182.3  an  oil-mill  and  carding  machinery.  Subse- 
quently George  Yoder  made  linseed  oil  at  this  place. 
Upon  the  removal  of  the  machinery  a  fulling-mill 
was  established  by  Levi  Haigh.  He  also  made 
cloths,  spinning  and  dyeing  his  wool  as  well  as  weav- 
ing it.  The  building  last  contained  machinery  for 
hulling  clover.  The  power  has  long  .since  been  aban- 
doned, but  a  part  of  the  old  race  remains  to  indicate 
the  spot  where  so  much  activity  was  displayed  years 
ago.  After  Haigh  left  this  building  he  established 
himself  on  the  upper  waters  of  Green  Lick,  where  he 
carried  on  a  woolen-factory,  but  that  interest  declin- 
ing, he  supplied  machinery  for  making  matched  shin- 
gles. Between  these  two  points  Nathan  Wright  had 
a  fulling-mill  before  1823,  but  the  place  has  long 
since  been  given  over  to  other  uses.  Still  farther 
down  the  stream  Jacob  Stauflfer  built  a  saw-mill, 
which  has  been  owned  and  operated  by  Henry  S. 
Stauflfer,  and  is  at  present  the  property  of  Jonathan 
Stauff^er.  Yet  lower  down  the  stream  a  saw-mill  has 
been  operated  the  past  fifty  years  by  the  Freed  family, 
but  is  at  this  time  (April,  1881)  the  property  of  W. 
Merritt.  In  the  same  neighborhood  is  a  tannery, 
which  was  established  more  than  a  score  of  years  ago 
by  H.  L.  Sparks,  and  which,  after  having  many 
owners,  is  now  operated  by  John  Gance.  The  pro- 
duct is  limited,  and  consists  of  unfinished  leather. 
Formerly  a  currier  was  employed,  and  splendid 
leather  produced. 

On  Spruce  Run  the  Fhick  family  had  mills  very 
early,  soon  after  1800,  and  afterwards  a  carding- 
machine  and  fulling-mill  was  operated  by  the  power. 
The  property  passed  into  the  hands  of  Jacob  Sweit- 
zer,  but  its  use  for  manufacturing  purposes  had  long 
since  been  discontinued,  although  the  building  yet 
remains. 

Near  the  head-waters  of  Mounts'  Creek,  D.  H. 
Pershing  has  in  successful  operation  a  good  saw-mill, 
which  has  cut  up  a  large  quantity  of  the  mountain 
timber  in  that  locality.  Down  the  same  stream, 
Joseph  Kithcart  built  saw-  and  grist-mills  about  1790, 
the  latter  being  a  log  structure.  The  present  mills 
were  built  by  Joseph  Andrews  about  1853.     It  is  a 


BULLSKIN   TOWNSHIP. 


495 


frame  of  good  proportions,  and  the  mills  have  both 
water  and  steam  as  motors.  Andrews  was  succeeded 
by  Emanuel  Mason;  thence  by  Isaiah  Coughenour; 
tlience  by  C.  A.  Ebersole,  and  since  October,  1880, 
the  mills  have  been  owned  and  operated  by  James 
Alexander  Long.  There  are  two  runs  of  stones,  and 
the  saw-mill  has  a  feir  capacity.  At  these  mills 
Solomon  E.  Swink  opened  a  general  store  in  Jan- 
uary, 1881.  John  Stonecker  had  a  pottery  here  about 
1820,  which  was  carried  on  about  a  dozen  years. 

More  than  a  mile  farther  down  the  stream  Adam 
Hatfield  made  a  claim  in  1780,  receiving  a  patent  for 
the  land  in  1795.  That  year  he  sold  it  to  John 
Shank,  who  built  mills  there,  which  were  operated 
by  him  until  1816,  when  Adam  Stonecker  became 
the  owner;  thence,  in  1824,  Samuel  Trevor;  thence, 
in  1826,  Henry  Detweiler;  and  since  1847  Samuel 
Detweiler  has  operated  the  mills.  The  second  mill 
on  the  site  was  put  up  by  Henry  Detweiler  in  1834, 
and  stood  until  it  was  consumed  by  fire,  Sept.  26, 
1864.  The  present  mill  was  gotten  in  operation  in 
November,  1865,  by  Samuel  Detweiler.  It  is  a  frame, 
40  by  50  feet,  four  stories  high,  and  the  motor  is  both 
water  and  steam,  the  combined  power  being  equal  to 
thirty  horses.  Steam  was  supplied  in  1851.  The 
mill  has  three  runs  of  .stones  and  modern  machinery, 
being  equal  in  its  appointments  to  any  mill  in  the 
county.     The  present  saw-mill  was  built  in  1855. 

On  the  John  Miner  place  was  formerly  a  distillery, 
carried  on  by  that  family,  and  lately  a  steam  saw- 
mill, which  has  been  removed. 

Where  is  now  Boyd's  saw-mill  Christian  Reist  had 
a  saw-mill  in  the  early  settlement  of  the  country,  and 
later  another  mill  was  operated  there  by  Thomas 
Boyd.  The  present  mill  is  owned  by  Wm.  Boyd, 
who  also  had  a  shingle-mill  before  1857.  The  race- 
way is  80  rods  long,  and  there  is  a  tradition  that  it 
was  dug  for  fifty  cents  per  rod,  much  of  the  excava- 
tion being  solid  rocks.  On  Butler  Eun,  George  Hat- 
field and  others  had  small  saw-mills,  which  have  been 
discontinued. 

On  White's  Run,  Henry  White  had  saw-  and  grist- 
mills soon  after  the  settlement  of  the  township,  small 
and  rude  at  first,  but  giving  place  to  better  mills  in 
time,  which  had  many  owners.  In  the  order  of  pos- 
session were  Boyd  &  Davidson,  Thomas  and  Joseph 
Boyd,  Thomas  E.  Davidson,  Dr.  James  C.  Cummings, 
and,  later,  the  heirs  of  T.  E.  Davidson.  For  the  past 
four  years  the  property  has  belonged  to  Nathan  Gil- 
more.  The  present  mill  was  built  about  thirty  years 
ago.  It  is  a  fine  building  and  has  good  machinery, 
but  the  location  is  unfavorable  for  a  successful  milling 
business.    The  saw-mill  is  more  successfully  operated. 

A  number  of  small  tanneries  have  been  carried  on 
in  Bullskin,  and  several  of  greater  proportions.  In 
1838,  Levi  Bradford  built  a  good  tannery  at  the  Yel- 
low Stone  Springs,  which  had  a  capacity  for  working 
up  three  thousand  hides  per  year.  After  a  few  years 
steam  was  supplied,  and  although  the  tannery   has 


been  discontinued  a  score  of  years,  the  boiler  was  not 
removed  until  recently.  Fayette  Tannery  was  oper- 
ated nineteen  years  by  Levi  Bradford,  and  several 
years  more  by  John  Taylor. 

At  Pennsville,  Benjamin  Shallenbarger  had  a  tan- 
nery about  1812,  the  yard  being  just  above  the  barn' 
of  Jacob  J.  Stonecker.  Samuel  Newmeyer  carried  on 
the  business  next.  Tanning  was  also  carried  on  by 
the  Shallenbargers  on  the  A.  H.  Sherrick  farm;  but 
some  time  about  1852  they  put  up  a  good  tannery  in 
the  western  part  of  Pennsville,  having  a  yard  under 
roof  which  contained  thirty  vats.  Steam-power  was 
used,  and  a  large  amount  of  business  was  done  by  the 
several  firms, — the  Shallenbarger  Brothers,  Levi  Brad- 
ford, Boyd  &  Overholt,  and  Boyd,  Myers  &  Co.  The 
latter  firm  owned  the  tannery  when  it  ceased  to 
operate,  about  1873,  Eli  McCleUan  being  the  man- 
ager. 

The  abundance  of  fire-clay  has  made  the  manufac- 
ture of  brick  a  profitable  industry  in  the  township, 
and  several  works  have  lately  been  established.  The 
"Southwest  Fire-Brick  Works"  were  built  at  Moyer 
Station  in  1871,  by  Sysson,  Kilpatrick  &  Co.,  and  are 
yet  operated  by  that  firm.  Employment  is  given  to 
seventeen  hands,  under  the  management  of  Anthony 
Sourd.  The  works  are  well  appointed,  embracing 
four  ovens,  having  a  capacity  of  eight  thousand  fire- 
brick (for  lining  coke-ovens)  per  day,  which  find  a 
ready  market  in  the  county. 

On  the  Narrow-Gauge  Eailroad  at  Green  Lick, 
John  W.  Kinnear  began  the  manufacture  of  fire- 
brick in  the  summer  of  1880,  and  after  a  successful 
season  the  works  were  destroyed  by  fire,  March  29, 
1881.  The  mouldiug-roora  was  thirty-five  by  eighty 
feet,  with  large  engine-house  attached.  Four  thou- 
sand brick  per  day  were  made.  It  is  the  purpose  of  the 
proprietor  to  rebuild  the  works. 

The  manufacture  of  iron  constituted  an  important 
industry  in  Bullskin  half  a  century  ago.  Along  the 
base  of  Chestnut  Eidge  an  excellent  quality  of  ore  is 
found,  which  is  easily  fluxed,  producing  a  metal  which 
is  highly  esteemed.  Near  one  of  these  mineral  de- 
posits, on  Mounts'  Creek,  north  of  the  centre  of  the 
township,  "the  Mount  Vernon  Furnace"  was  built 
about  1807  or  1808,  by  Isaac  Meason,  for  his  son  Isaac, 
who  operated  it  a  number  of  years.  It  had  but  a 
small  stack,  yet  was  so  well  managed  that  in  all  about 
sixty  men  were  employed.  Before  the  furnace  went 
out  of  blast,  in  1830,  the  second  growth  of  timber  was 
cut  over  for  the  purpose  of  making  the  charcoal  neces- 
sary to  carry  it  on.  Considerable  metal  was  cast  into 
kettles  and  other  moulded  work  at  the  furnace,  the 
products  being  carried  to  Connellsville  for  shipment. 
Among  the  managers  were  Jonathan  Mayberry  and 
a  young  man  named  Taylor.  The  furnace  was  last 
operated  by  David  B.  Long,  and  by  him  blown  out  of 
blast.  Nothing  but  the  stack,  a  solid  piece  of  ma- 
sonry, remains  to  show  the  location,  on  land  wliich 


496 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


is  now  the  property  of  George  Hogg.  Several  years 
after  the  furnace  was  abandoned,  John  Anderson 
worked  over  a  part  of  the  cinders,  having  a  small 
stamping-machine  for  this  purpose,  his  enterprise 
being  attended  with  considerable  profit.  In  the 
neighborhood  of  the  old  furnace  ore  is  now  mined  by 
the  Charlotte  Furnace  Company  of  Scottdale,  the 
products  of  the  mines  being  carried  away  by  their 
narrow-gauge  railway,  which  has  its  eastern  terminus 
in  these  hills.  Formerly  the  furnace-owners  had 
mills  to  cut  their  own  lumber  and  to  grind  the  feed 
for  their  animals,  but  the  powers  in  use  have  long 
since  been  abandoned.  In  the  southern  part  of  the 
township,  on  White's  Run,  the  "  Findley  Furnace" 
was  erected  in  1818.  It  was  more  widely  known  by 
the  name  of  Breakneck,  a  term  wliich  wu<  applied  to 
it  while  being  built  on  account  of  an  accident  which 
one  of  the  workmen  sustained,  falling  from  the  stack 
at  the  risk  of  bodily  injury,  which  caused  him  to  say 
"that  it  was  a  regular  breakneck  affair."  The  enter- 
prise was  begun  by  Col.  William  L.  Miller,  but  before 
the  furnace  was  completed  Messrs.  Rogers  and  Paull 
became  interested  parties,  although  Col.  Miller  was 
the  nominal  owner  and  manager.  Later  the  furnace 
was  carried  on  by  John  Boyd  and  William  Davidson 
as  lessees,  and  last  by  David  B.  Long,  who  blew  it  out 
of  blast  in  the  fall  of  1837.  The  furnace  had  a  capa- 
city of  one  hundred  tons  per  month,  but  the  product 
usually  did  not  exceed  seventy  tons.  The  water  sup- 
ply failing,  steam  was  supplied  several  years  before 
the  furnace  was  discontinued.  In  the  foundry  de- 
partment from  four  to  six  moulders  were  employed. 
Among  the  workmen  at  both  of  the  foregoing  fur- 
naces was  George  Adams,  now  one  of  the  most  aged 
citizens  of  Bullskin. 

The  mining  of  coal  and  manufacture  of  coke  at 
present  constitutes  the  chief  interest  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  minerals  in  Bullskin.  For  some  years 
the  "Pennsville  Mines"  property  has  been  the  most 
productive.  It  was  owned  by  A.  H.  Sherrick,  and  em- 
braces all  the  privileges  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-five 
acres  of  land.  Here  coal  was  mined  in  a  small  way 
fifty  years  ago  by  the  Shallenbargers  and  others,  but 
it  was  not  until  1872  that  the  product  of  the  mines 
was  converted  into  coke.  In  that  year  Mr.  Sherrick 
began  the  construction  of  his  coke-works,  grading  a 
yard  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  line  of  the 
Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  Seventy  ovens 
were  built,  and  most  of  them  lighted  in  the  summer 
of  1873.  Nearly  all  of  these  have  been  kept  in  fire 
since  that  time,  the  daily  product  being  from  seven 
to  nine  cars  of  forty-eight-hour  coke.  The  shaft  in 
the  mine  has  been  sunk  to  the  depth  of  one-third  of 
a  mile,  and  the  coal  is  taken  from  a  nine-foot  vein, 
which  is  underlaid  by  a  fine  stratum' of  limestone.  ] 
In  connection  with  the  mines  are  several  shops  and 
seven  dwellings.  The  hands  employed  number  fifty,  I 
and  are  under  the  personal  superintendence  of  A.  H. 


Sherrick.  L.  M.  Smith  is  the  yard  boss,  and  Alex- 
I  ander  Taylor  the  pit  boss.  These  works  now  embrace 
I  seventy  ovens,  and  are  owned  and  operated  by  A.  O. 

Tinstman  &  Co. 

The   Eldorado   Coke-Works   at   Moyer's   antedate 
;  those  at  Pennsville  by  about  one  year.     In  1871,  John 
I  Moyer,  of  Mount  Pleasant,  secured  the  coal  privilege 
of  a  tract  of  land  belonging  to  the  Beidler  farm,  and 
engaged  to  erect  forty  ovens  adjoining  the  railroad- 
track,  having  a  sub-lease  from   Brunot  &  Detweiler. 
After  the  coke-works  were  operated  several  years  they 
j  became  the  property  of  Brunot  &   Detweiler,   who 
leased  them  to  W.  F.  Zuck  and  Joseph  B.  Henry, 
who  were  the  operators  till  August,  1880,  when  the 
'  property  passed  into  possession  of  the  Cleveland  Roll- 
ing  Mill    Company.     To   the   original    forty   ovens 
I  forty  more  had  been  added  by  Zuck  &  Henry,  and 
one  hundred  and   forty-five   more   have  since  been 
I  added  by  W.  J.  Rainey  &  Co.,  the  present  owners. 
The  company  controls  the  coal  of  three  hundred  and 
four  acres,  owning  the  entire  privileges  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  acres  thereof,  and  having  a  large  capital 
at  command,  will  prosecute  the  work  till  the  enter- 
prise at  this  point  will  be  one  of  the  most  important 
in   the  county.     In   April,   1881,  one   hundred   and 
I  twenty-five  men  were  employed  under  the  superin- 
tendence of  Frank  R.  Bradford.     The  yard  boss  was 
.1.  W.  Brooks,  and  the  mines  were  carried  on  under 
I  the  direc  ion  of  J.  B.  Henry.     The  coal  is  superior 
I  for  coking,  and  lies  in  a  vein  nine  feet  in  thickness. 
On  the  1st  of  March,  1881,  a  new  shaft  was  sunk,  from 
which  will  be  drawn  the  future  supplies  of  the  works. 
In  addition  to  the  attendant  buildings  at  the  cokery, 
the  company  carries  on  a  store  and  owns  seventy-five 
neat  residences  which  are  occupied  by  the  workmen. 
At  Moyer's  is  a  flag-station  of  the  Southwest  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad,  and  a  post-office,  which  was  estab- 
lished Dec.  20,  1880,  with   John   H.  McAflee  post- 
master.    It  is  kept  in  the  store  of  David  Loutz,  and 
two  mails  per  day  are  provided.     The  mercantile  bus- 
iness at  that  point  was  established  in  the  spring  of 
1880  by  Zuck  &  Henry,  passing  from  them  to  Lontz 
in  the  fall  of  the  same  year. 

PENNSVILLE. 

This  hamlet,  the  oldest  in  Bullskin  township,  is  on 
the  Mount  Pleasant  road,  four  miles  from  Connells- 
ville,  and  about  a  mile  east  from  the  Tyrone  line. 
It  is  a  flag-station  on  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania 
Railroad,  contains  a  very  fine  school  edifice,  a  church, 
several  stores,  and  about  two  dozen  houses.  The 
lots  were  sold  off  from  the  Cochrane  and  Strickler 
farms  by  George  Newmeyer  and  W.  P.  Kelley,  among 
the  first  purchasers  being  Henry  Shallenbarger  and 
Bushrod  Washington,  both  putting  up  houses  about 
1848  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Disciples'  meeting-house. 
The  Pennsville  post-office  was  established  soon  after, 
and  was  first  kept  by  David  Shallenbarger.     Thence 


BULLSKIN   TOWNSHIP. 


497 


came,  as  other  postmasters,  John  J.  Hurst,  .1.  M. 
Kurtz,  Loyd  Shallenbarger.  Rice  Boyd,  I^  F.  Miller, 
for  one  and  a  half  years,  and  since  Jan.  1,  1880,  Dr. 
Wra.  Chalfant.  The  office  has  two  mails  per  day. 
The  first  store  at  Pennsville  was  kept  by  John  S. 
Strickler  in  the  long  building  opposite  the  present 
Miller  stand.  This  was  occupied  by  many  firms, 
among  others  by  Christopher  Stonecker,  David  Shal- 
lenbarger, John  J.  Hurst,  Franks  &  Overholt,  Loyd 
Shallenbarger,  John  McAdams,  Joseph  Newcomer, 
Rice  Boyd,  Boyd  &  Overholt,  Livingood  &  Miller, 
and  L.  F.  Miller.  In  1872  the  latter  occupied  his 
present  business  house,  where,  in  April,  1881,  he 
associated  with  A.  H.  Sherrick,  under  the  firm-name 
of  Miller  &  Sherrick.  Other  merchants  in  the  place 
have  been  Christian  Pool,  Hosack  &  Bougher,  Aus- 
tin and  John  Campbell,  and  George  Newmeyer,  the 
latter  in  the  small  brick  building  on  the  present  Stoner 
farm. 

In  former  days  Pennsville  had  several  large  me- 
chanic shops,  and  since  1852  Wm.  C.  Lyon  has  car- 
ried on  wagon-making  at  this  place.  From  1850  to 
1853  fanning-mills  were  here  made  by  David  Shallen- 
barger and  George  Newmeyer  &  Co.  From  four  to 
eight  men  were  employed  in  the  shops,  and  three  or 
four  men  were  kept  engaged  peddling  the  mills 
throughout  tlie  country. 

Alexander  Frazer  had  the  first  public-house,  keep- 
ing it  in  the  house  now  occupied  by  his  widow,  and 
serving  as  landlord  eight  years,  from  1850  till  1858. 
At  that  time  a  line  of  stages  ran  through  the  place, 
and  the  office  was  at  the  Frazer  tavern.  Near  the 
same  time  Stephen  Mclntyre  had  an  inn  where  is 
now  the  residence  of  Eli  McClellan,  and  when  he 
retired  the  house  was  kept  by  Samuel  and  John 
Eicher,  the  last  to  keep  a  tavern  at  Pennsville,  which 
has  not  had  a  public-house  for  a  score  of  years.  At  the 
last-named  place  a  stage-office  was  also  kept.  In  the 
period  of  the  great  Western  immigration,  from  1785 
to  1812,  many  taverns  were  kept  in  Bullskin,  but  as 
these  were  more  of  the  nature  of  traveler's  inns,  and 
the  doors  of  nearly  every  house  on  the  principal 
thoroughfares  were  open  to  accommodate  the  home- 
seekers,  no  account  of  them  is  taken  here. 

Country  stores  have  been  kept  at  various  points  in 
Bullskin.  At  Detweiler's  and  Long's  Mills,  north  of 
Pennsville,  a  store  was  opened  in  1865  by  John  T. 
Staufler  for  the  sale  of  dry-goods.  It  was  sold  to 
AVilliam  Lane,  who  changed  it  to  a  grocery-store, 
and  as  such  it  has  been  continued  the  past  fourteen 
years  by  Nancy  Stillwagon.  The  village  of  Bridge- 
.  port,  on  Jacob's  Creek,  is  partly  in  Bullskin,  but  all 
the  business  interests  are  in  Westmoreland  County. 

Dr.  Apollos  Lohr  was  probably  the  first  regular 
physician  to  locate  in  Bullskin.  He  opened  an  office 
at  Pennsville  in  1850,  and  had  as  a  contemporary  a 
short  time  his  brother.  Dr.  James  Lohr.  Both  re- 
moved to  Ohio.  Before  they  left  Dr.  John  Lutz 
came  as  a  practitioner,  and  continued  until  his  death, 


about  twenty  years  ago.  Ne.xt  came  Dr.  W.  D.  Riggs, 
who  was  succeeded,  in  April,  1867,  by  the  present 
physician.  Dr.  W.  B.  Chalfant,  who  came  to  Penns- 
ville from  Brownsville.  He  graduated  at  the  Cleve- 
land Medical  College  in  1859.  He  enjoys  the  repu- 
tation of  being  a  successful  practitioner. 

EDUCATIONAL    AND    RELIGIOUS. 

One  of  the  first  schools  in  the  township  was  taught 
in  a  building  near  the  Baptist  Church.  It  was  simply 
a  log  cabin,  but  the  school  was  well  attended,  and 
for  those  times  was  considered  very  good.  Pupils 
were  in  attendance  from  the  Stonecker,  Shank,  New- 
meyer, Stockman,  Latta,  Shallenbarger,  Highlands, 
Myers,  Smutz,  Garver,  and  other  families.  In  the 
northern  part  of  the  township  the  settlers  first  sent 
their  children  to  Westmoreland  County.  One  of  the 
first  schools  in  what  is  known  as  Mud  District  was 
taught  by  Samuel  Shupe,  and  later  by  George  A. 
Hollingsworth.  The  Lattas,  Freeds,  Shafers,  Robert- 
sons, and  others  were  among  the  first  attendants. 

In  what  is  known  as  the  Gault  District  was  one  of 
the  pioneer  school  buildings,  where  David  Lindsay 
taught  a  number  of  years.  He  was  a  teacher  the 
greater  part  of  his  life,  his  death  occurring  some  time 
about  1840.  Mrs.  Lindsay  yet  lives,  at  the  home  of 
her  daughter,  Mrs.  C.  Kelley,  at  the  age  of  eighty 
years.  Her  recollections  of  early  school-days  would 
not  encourage  many  to  engage  as  teachers.  The  sal- 
ary was  small,  and  much  of  the  pay  consisted  of  farm 
produce,  or  such  things  as  the  settlers  could  conve- 
niently spare,  at  the  rate  of  §1.50  per  scholar  for  a 
quarter's  instruction. 

Under  the  common-school  system  Bullskin  was 
divided  in  1836  into  districts,  and  the  families  re- 
siding therein  enumerated.  District  No.  1,  an.swering 
in  general  to  the  present  Breakneck  District,  had 
forty-seven  families;  District  No.  2,  or  the  southwest 
part  of  the  township,  contaim^il  forty  faniilies;  Dis- 
trict No.  3,  now  about  the  Gault  Di-li  id,  liml  lorty-one 
families;  District  No.  4,  the  northwest  part  of  the 
township,  had  thirty-nine  families.  The  First  Half- 
District —  the  Pennsville  settlement  —  had  twenty- 
one  families  ;  the  Second  Half  District — those  living 
at  what  is  now  Bridgeport — had  nineteen  families ; 
and  in  the  Mountain  District  lived  John  StaufTer, 
Jacob  Anderson,  Washington  Washabaugh,  Amos 
Butler,  Christopher  Butler,  David  Washabaugh,  John 
Hoffhans,  Samuel  Banders,  Samuel  White,  Abraham 
Co.x,  and  Samuel  Coffman. 

The  board  of  directors  was  composed  of  Wni.  An- 
drews, president;  D.  B.  Long,  secretary  ;  Henry  Det- 
weiler,  treasurer;  Thomas  Boyd,  George  Brothers, 
Richard  Gault,  and  Henry  Freed.  These  voted,  Aug. 
13,  1836,  to  open  schools  at  the  Findley  Furnace,  at 
Richard  Gault's,  and  at  Abraham  Pershing's.  James 
Pemberton  was  the  teacher  at  Findley  ;  David  Lind- 
sey  at  Gault's,  and  the  following  year  taught  at  Per- 
shing's.   In  1837  the  school-house  in  the  ICell  District 


498 


HISTORY    OF    FAYETTE   COUNTY^  PENNSYLVANIA. 


was  erected  by  Wm.  Boyd  for  S288.  The  same  year 
the  Mountain  District  was  allowed  to  build  a  school- 
house  at  the  expense  of  the  citizens  of  that  part  of 
the  township.  In  May  of  the  same  year  it  was  voted 
to  sign  a  contract  for  an  octagon  school-house  in  the 
First  Half-District.  This  house  was  on  the  Tyrone 
line,  west  of  Pennsville,  and  was  a  prominent  land- 
mark in  its  day.  The  teachers  in  1837  and  the  fiw 
years  following  were  G.  Buttermore,  George  W.  New- 
meyer,  Robert  Huey,  Ann  Parker,  Anna  C.  Pershing, 
John  Strickler,  Sarah  UUrey,  James  W.  Snow,  James 
A.  Black,  Randolj,!,  Boyd,  George  Friek,  Josiah  StiU- 
wugon,  Jtjse])li  D.  Long,  Wm.  Hixon,  Joseph  Sechrist, 
David  Linil^cy,  Jonathan  Garver,  John  Edgar,  Henry 
SnivL'ly,  Klijah  Yuiikin,  Henry  Ullrey,  Martha  Mc- 
Kown,  John  Harrold,  John  L.  Jleans,  James  Pem- 
bertoii,  Sarah  Kell,  Wm.  P.  Baker,  Nancy  Robertson, 
•John  JI.  Peoples,  Otho  Williams,  Francis  Andrews, 
James  Hunter,  Austin  Lane,  Davis  A.  Hannum,  Jacob 
Berg,  Jacob  Lobengier,  Andrew  Kesslar,  Sarah  Lind- 
sey,  Jonathan  Shallenliarger,  Joseph  Detweiler,  Jo-  \ 
seph  A.  :\Iarietta,  James  A.  Martin,  A.  Stauffer,  Wm. 
Tli.,mas  P..  Norris. 

i|i  ha-;  lii-iu  supplied  with  a  good  class 
\\"~i  in  -cveral  districts  being  commo- 
whal  i>  L'cnerally  found  in  the  country, 
ildingat  Pennsville  i>  a  twn-~t. TV  biirk, 
?n  furnished  throughout  with  iiiodrrn 
ipparatus.  The  buildrr  wa<  P.  C.  Crim, 
cfn-  s:i:;i.-.,  and   the  liou-e  was  turned 


L.  Mill 

r,  an. 

The  t 

,wnsl, 

dious  b. 

vond 

The  sch 

-)ol  bt 

which  1 

as  be 

furnitui 

e  and 

receivm 

g  thei 

over  to 

he  b. 

forming 

in  e 

contrac 

.    Th 

house  « 

hich  s 

ce-ssor  c 

f  the 

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nd.d 

who  we 

■e  un. 

•d  ..f 


N, 


particular  with  the  terms  of  the 
ise  took  the  place  of  a  small  brick 
on  its  site,  and  which  was  the  suc- 
T.n  lionsr.  The  Pennsville  school 
s"  by  44  male  and  38  female  pupils, 
r  in-trurtion  of  J.  M.  Moore.    The  \ 

average  daily  attendance  was  just  one-half  the  num- 
ber enrolled.     Other  teachers  of  the  sehoid  were,  in 

1871,  Lucy  Enfield;  1872,  H.  R.   Franas ;  187:!,  D. 

McClellan  ;  1874,  N.  B.  Tannehill ;  1875,  J.  S.  Spiegel 

and  Jacob  Auliley  ;  1870,  James  S.  Best ;  1877,  John 

H.  Weddle;  1878,  Lizzie  Leonard ;  1879,  Clark  Fra- 

zer  and  George  Sherrick. 

Since  the  records  of  the  annual  elections  have  been  ' 

preserved  the  following  have  been  school  directors : 

18J0.— Wm.  Boyd  and  John  B.  Troxell. 

1S41. — Joseph  Ueidlci-  and  Jacob  Kice. 

1SJ2.— George  Brolhurs  and  David  Polling. 

184:!.— John  Miner  and  Thomas  HoUe. 

]844.— Samuel  Johnson  and  S.imuel  Rice. 

1345. — Percival  Hamilton  and  Jacob  Freed. 

1846.— David  Shallenbarger  and  Bartholomew  Yost. 

1847.^Samuel  White  and  Jonathan  Newmeycr. 

1848.— Andrew  Walker  and  Joseph  Beidler. 

1849.— Bartholumew  Yost  and  Solomon  Eiling. 

]SJO.— Christopher  R.  Stoneckor  and  Appolos  Lohr. 

lS.il.— John  .Miner  and  George  Shupe. 

lS.i2.— John  M.  Coup  and  John  K.  Andrew?. 

1  So.'!.— Samuel  Detweiler  and  Christ"i.hcr  R.  Stonecker. 


1S54.— James  D.  Overholt  and  Thomas  McClean. 

1855. — George  Newmeyer  and  Isaac  Palmer. 

1856.- Christopher  R.  Stonecker  and  Joseph  Beiiller. 

1857.— William    Litherwood,   Christian   Shank,  and  John    F. 

1858.- Richard  Crossland,  Jacob  Reynolds,  and  Samuel  Det- 

185',).— Francis  Andrews  and  Nathaniel  Hurst. 

1  Mill, -Henry  Streak  and  Joseph  Andrews. 

ISfil,— Henry  Etiing  and  Daniel  F.  Shupe. 

I Sf,2.— Francis  Andrews  and  David  S.  Spe.tr. 

l.'^fi:;, —Horatio  L.  Sparks  and  Jacob  Echard. 

ISfil. — Jacob  J.  Stonecker  and  Jacob  E.  Brown. 

1865. — Tiiomas  Kefferand  James  Hoke. 

isfie.— Ileniy  F.  Bowman  and  Abraham  H.  Sherrick. 

]Sti7. — Jacob  J,  Stonecker  and  Jacob  Mathias. 

1S6S.— Daniel   A.   Pershing,  John  R.  Johnstone,  and  Samuel 

Detweiler. 
1S69,— Daniel  F.  Shupe,  Henry  Huebenthal,  J-acob  E.  Brown, 

John  R.  Johnstone,  and  Samuel  Detweiler. 
1869,    October.— Jacob    Mathias,    Jacob    Horner,   and    James 

Hurst. 
1870.— George  Huebenthal  and  Jacob  Rice. 
1872.- Daniel  F.  Shupe  and  James  Hurst. 
1873.- David  Eslieloian  and  Wm,  C.  Lyon. 
1871.- John  Ricliey  and  Nathaniel  Clair. 

1SS5.— Samuel  Detweiler,  John  R.  Johnstone,  and  J.  M.  Creigh. 
1876.- David  Eshelman  and  Jacob  J.  Longauecker. 
1877.— Nathaniel  Clair  and  Jacob  Ric;. 
187S.— Jacob  K.  Shank  and  Henry  S.  Stouffer. 
18711.— David  Eshehuan  and  Wm.  Leeper. 
1880.- George  Atkinson,  Nathan  Clair,  and  Wm.  Adams. 
1881. — Jacob  K.  Shank  and  David  Coffman. 

In  1880  the  gross  amount  of  tax  levied  for  school 
purposes  was  83250.96,  of  which  amount  $1910  was 
devoted  to  teachers'  salaries.  The  number  of  schools 
was  thirteen,  each  having  a  male  teacher.  Five 
months  of  school  were  maintained  at  an  average  sal- 
ary of  $29.38  per  month.  The  number  of  male  pupils 
enrolled  was  351 ;  of  females,  286.  The  average  per 
cent,  of  attendance  was  77.  The  estimated  value  of 
the  school  property  was  .S20,000.  A  small  portion  of 
Bullskin  is  embraced  within  the  Bridgeport  Indepen- 
dent District,  whose  territory  is  mainly  in  Westmore- 
land Comity,  'Die  district  lia'*  three  school  buildings, 
one  being  in  lUillskiu.  It  is  a  brick  house  of  fine  size, 
and  was  built  in  1875.  The  schools  of  this  district 
have  a  fine  reputation  for  scholarship  and  attendance. 

THE    PENNSVILLE   REGUL,\K   BAPTIST   CHURCH. 

Soon  after  1800  the  settlers  living  in  the  western  part 
of  Bullskin  and  in  the  eastern  part  of  Tyrone  united 
to  build  a  meeting-house,  wliich  should  be  conse- 
crated to  the  worship  of  God  by  any  and  all,  irrespec- 
tive of  denomination.  It  stood  on  land  leased  per-  . 
petually  from  the  John  Shank  farm,  a  portion  of 
the  lot  being  set  apart  for  cemetery  purpo.ses.  The 
house  was  of  logs,  with  seats  made  of  slabs,  having 
legs  of  saplings  inserted  in  auger-holes.  The  pulpit 
was  simply  a  board  nailed  on  two  upright  pieces 
of  lumber.  In  the  course  of  years  the  house  was 
weatherboarded,  provided  with  a  ceiling,  better  seats, 


BULLSKIN   TOWNSHIP. 


499 


and  a  pulpit  which  was  a  very  elaborate  affair.  It 
was  made  of  wild  cherry,  the  different  parts  being 
held  together  by  wooden  pins.  It  was  elevated  about 
six  feet  above  the  floor,  and  had  a  huge  sounding- 
board.  On  either  side  were  places  for  the  reading- 
and  singing-clerks.  The  building  was  commonly 
designated  as  the  "White  Meeting-House,"  and  was 
the  regular  place  of  service  of  the  Baptists  living 
along  Jacob's  Creek.  These  first  had  their  member- 
ship with  the  church  at  Connellsville,  and  after  1828 
with  the  Mount  Pleasant  Church.  Among  the  mem- 
bers of  that  period  were  Allen  and  John  Pippett  and 
their  wives,  Sarah  Walker,  Christiana  Highlands, 
Mary  Gault,  Catharine  Highlands,  Ann,  Rachel, 
David,  Jacob,  and  Jonathan  Newmeyer,  and  Abraham 
Shallenbarger,  who  was  a  deacon.  One  of  the  first 
ministers  was  the  Rev.  James  Estep,  who  may  properly 
be  termed  the  father  of  the  church  at  Pennsville. 
Other  ministers  of  the  Mount  Pleasant  Church  were 
as  follows:  Rev.  William  Shadrach,  from  1828  to 
1836;  Rev.  John  Rockefeller,  1836-38;  Rev.  Isaac 
Winn,  1839;  Rev.  Simeon  Seigfried,  1840-42;  Rev. 
Milton  Sutton,  1843;  Rev.  John  Parker,  1844r46 ; 
Rev.  Milton  Sutton,  1847-52  ;  Rev.  W.  A.  Caldwell, 
1854r-55;  Rev.  William  Shadrach,  1856.  The  in- 
crease of  members  at  Mount  Pleasant  induced  the 
church  to  demand  the  entire  ministerial  services  of 
their  pastor,  the  Rev.  B.  F.  Woodburn,  and  in  1868 
the  Jacob's  Creek  Church  became  a  separate  organi- 
zation. It  was  duly  constituted  August  10th,  when 
William  C.  Lyon  was  elected  clerk,  and  Conrad  Bow- 
ers treasurer.  Jonathan  Newmeyer  and  Conrad  Bow- 
ers, deacons  of  the  Mount  Pleasant  Church,  were  con- 
tinued, and  Jacob  Overholt  and  Daniel  Reese  were 
newly-elected  deacons.  The  Rev.  W.  W.  Hickman 
became  the  first  pastor,  and  on  the  19th  of  August, 
1868,  the  deacons  were  ordained  to  their  office  by  the 
Council  convened  at  that  time.  The  church  was  re- 
ceived into  the  Monongahela  Association  Sept.  1, 
1868,  having  at  that  time  90  members  on  its  rolls. 
The  aggregate  number  of  those  who  have  belonged 
was  139,  and  the  present  membership  is  56.  The 
present  deacons  are  William  C.  Lyon  and  Jacob  H. 
Echard.     The  former  is  also  the  church  clerk. 

In  March,  1871,  the  Rev.  David  Williams  was 
called  to  the  pastorate,  and  in  the  fall  of  1872  a  par- 
sonage was  built  on  a  lot  adjoining  the  church.  Four 
years  later  it  was  sold,  and  is  now  a  private  residence. 
In  November,  1873,  Jacob  H.  Echard  and  D.  P.  Pat- 
terson were  elected  deacons.  July  7,  1875,  Deacon 
Bowers,  one  of  the  chief  members  of  the  church,  died. 
The  Rev.  D.  Williams  served  as  pastor  until  Jan.  29, 
1876,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  W.  T. 
Hughes,  who  remained  one  year.  Then  the  pulpit 
was  supplied  a  short  time  by  Rev.  W.  S.  Wood,  but 
in  September,  1877,  the  Rev.  Joseph  M.  Collins  be- 
came the  pastor,  and  has  since  maintained  that  rela- 
tion, preaching  one-half  of  his  time  at  Scottdale. 

The  present  meeting-house  occupies  a  site  adjoining 


the  lot  where  the  old  house  stood,  and  was  built  in 
1852,  the  building  committee  being  Jonathan  New- 
meyer and  Conrad  Bowers.  It  is  a  brick  edifice,  forty- 
three  by  fifty-five  feet,  and  is  plainly  furnished.  The 
trustees  in  1881  were  Jacob  H.  Echard,  George  At- 
kinson, and  Jacob  Overholt.  In  this  house  is  main- 
tained a  good  Sabbath-school,  which  has  about  eighty 
members.  For  many  years  William  C.  Lyon  has 
been  its  superintendent. 

In  the  old  White  meeting-house,  services  were  oc- 
casionally held  by  the  adherents  of  Alexander  Camp- 
bell, that  minister  himself  preaching  there  several 
times.  Those  who  espoused  his  belief  were,  among 
others.  Christian  Shank,  David  Shallenbarger,  and 
their  wives,  Andrew  Rees  and  wife,  Mrs.  Arnold, 
Jacob  Lobengier,  Bushrod  Washington,  Hamilton 
Cunningham,  Jonas  Eilenbarger,  Elizabeth  EUen- 
barger,  Jacob  K.  Shank,  Michael  Myers,  Joseph,  Jon- 
athan, Susan,  Lydia,  Catherine,  and  Henry  Shallen- 
barger.    These  and  others  constituted 

THE    PENNSVILLE   DISCIPLES'    CIIUKCII. 

In  1853  a  lot  of  ground  was  purchased  in  the  ham- 
let of  Pennsville,  and  a  meeting-house  erected  thereon 
by  a  board  of  trustees,  composed  of  Christian  Shank, 
Jonathan  Shallenbarger,  and  Jacob  Lobengier,  which 
thereafter  constituted  the  place  of  worship.  For  a 
time  the  church  flourished  under  the  ministry  of  the 
Revs.  Dorsie,  Streator,  Piatt,  Parker,  and  Lobengier; 
but  the  removal  of  many  members  caused  the  interest 
to  decline,  and  finally  services  were  altogether  sus- 
pended, the  remaing  interest  being  absorbed  by  the 
Bethel  Church  of  Tyrone  township.  A  proposition 
to  sell  the  meeting-house  caused  some  members  liv- 
ing in  Bullskin  to  exert  themselves  to  raise  funds  to 
repair  the  building  and  again  make  it  an  inviting 
place  of  worship.  Active  in  this  movement  were 
Richard  Boyd  and  wife,  and  by  some  effort  the  pur- 
pose was  accomplished.  Thence,  in  connection  with 
the  church  at  Bethel,  semi-monthly  meetings  were  es- 
tablished, the  chief  speaker  being  L.  C.  McLain, 
and  at  present  about  tliirty  persons  in  the  township 
claim  fellowship  with  the  Disciples'  Cliurch  at  Penns- 
ville, which  is  yet  auxiliary  to  the  Bethel  Church. 

THE   FAIRVIEW   UNITED    BRETHREN   CHURCH. 

This  house  of  worship  is  in  the  Pershing  neighbor- 
hood, standing  on  a  lot  of  ground  which  was  donated 
for  this  purpose  and  for  a  burial-place  by  Abraham 
Pershing.  It  is  a  plain  frame,  and  was  built  in  the 
summer  of  1847.  Previously  the  meetings  of  the  de- 
nomination were  held  in  the  Pershing  school-house, 
in  the  same  neighborhood,  the  principal  members 
belonging  to  the  Troxel  and  Pershing  families.  The 
services  were  held  .at  long  intervals,  the  preacher 
coming  from  a  distance,  and  this  being  one  of  a  num- 
ber of  appointments.  When  the  house  was  built 
Rev.  John  R.  Sitm.an  was  the  preacher  in  charge. 
Since  that  time  among  the  ministers  h.ave  been  the 
following:  Revs.  Beichtel,  Holmes,  Harnden,  Ritter, 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Newman  ;  1852-53,  Rev.  William  Beiclitel ;  1854-55, 
Rev.  Jolin  L.  Baker;  1856,  Rev.  John  Riley;  1857, 
Rev.  William  K.  Shimp;  1858,  Rev.  Bonewell  ; 
1859-60,  Rev.  William  Beiclitel ;  1865-66,  Rev.  Jacob 
B.  Resler;  1868,  Revs.  E.  B.  Kephart  and  J.  Reyn- 
olds; 1869,  Rev.  D.  Speck;  1870-71,  Rev.  Robert 
Rankin  ;  1877-78,  Rev.  L.  W.  Stahl ;  1879,  Rev.  C. 
Wortman;  1880,  Rev.  J.  Medsgar;  1881,  Rev.  David 
Shearer. 

The  church  has  about  sixty  members,  and  William  1 
W.  Troxel  as  steward  ;  the  trustees  are  John  Pershing,  { 
Daniel  H.  Pershing,  and  Daniel  Troxel.  I 

On  the  12th  of  May,  1850,  a  Sunday-school  was 
organized  in  this  house,  with  Abraham  Pershing,  su-  I 
perintendent ;  J.  B.  Sherrick,  D.  Tinstman,  and  John  j 
Pershing,  managers ;  AVilliam  S.  Walker,  secretary  ;  I 
Jacob  Zundle,  Simon  Bitts,  Eli  Wilkins,  Isaac  Per- 
shing, Mary  A.  Heckathorn,  Nancy  Rice,  Caroline 
Welchouse,   and   Catherine   Sprankle,   teachers.     It 
was  the  first  Sabbath-school   in   Bullskin,   and   has 
been  kept  up  ever  since.    The  present  superintendent 
is  Henry  Huebenthall. 

In  the  minutes  of  the  Sund.ay-school  for  Aug.  4, 
1850,  appears  an  account  of  a  very  remarkable  solar 
phenomenon  :  "  To-day  an  extraordinary  phenom- 
enon appeared  about  the  sun,  and  was  seen  by  the 
whole  school.  It  consisted  of  two  large  circles  around 
the  sun,  which  seemed  to  join  or  run  into  each  other 
at  the  eastern  and  western  sides;  and  another  very 
large  circle  west  of  the  sun,  with  the  eastern  side  of 
the  ring  in  or  over  the  sun.  There  also  appeared  in 
the  eastern  horizon  an  arc,  resembling  a  rainbow  in  ! 
colors,  which  was  only  an  eighth  of  a  circle  large." 
This  remarkable  exhibition  occurred  between  the 
hours  of  ten  and  eleven  in  the  forenoon,  while  the  sky 
was  beautifully  clear  and  the  air  pleasant  and  warm. 
It  created  a  profound  impression  at  the  time,  and  as 
there  soon  after  occurred  a  virulent  epidemic,  which  \ 
caused  the  death  of  a  member  in  nearly  every  flimily, 
making  fearful  inroads  upon  the  membei-ship  of  the 
school,  it  was  looked  upon  as  a  sign  of  warning  and 
an  (iimri  .if  o\  il,  wliich  wrought  a  salutary  influence  I 
in  the  iiiin.l-  of  tin'  afflicted  people.  In  addition  to 
the  superintuiidents  already  named  there  have  served 
in  that  capacity  J.  B.  Sherrick,  J.  B.  Troxel,  D.  H. 
Pershing,  and  R.  C.  Farmer. 

THE    MOUNT  OLIVE   tINITED  BRETHREN   CHURCH. 

Tills  is  a  place  of  worship  of  a  class  of  that  denom- 
ination residing  east  of  the  central  part  of  the  town- 
ship. The  house  is  a  neat  frame  on  the  highway,  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  south  from  Detweiler's  Mills.     It 


was  built  in  1871  on  an  acre  of  ground  secured  from 
the  John  Miner  liirni,  a  part  of  which  is  devoted  to 
cemetery  purposes,  and  is  a  frame  thirty-three  by 
forty  feet.  It  cost  two  thousand  two  hundred  dollars, 
and  the  building  committee  was  composed  of  Samuel 
Detweiler,  Richard  Herbert,  and  J.  S.  Longanecker, 
who  were  also  the  first  trustees.  The  church  wiis  ap- 
propriately consecrated  in  November,  1871,  by  the 
Rev.  D.  Speck.  Prior  to  the  building  of  the  church 
the  society  worshiped  in  the  Gault  school-house. 
Among  the  early  members  were  the  Gault,  Stauffer, 
Fretts,  and  Detweiler  families.  At  present  there  are 
about  seventy  members,  having  J.  S.  Longanecker  as 
steward.  The  church  belongs  to  a  circuit  which  em- 
braces besides  the  churches  at  Connellsville  and  Fair- 
view,  and  has  had,  in  the  main,  the  same  ministerial 
supply  as  the  last-named  church. 

In  1872  a  Sunday-school  was  established  in  the 
church,  which  had  for  its  superintendent  J.  S.  Long- 
anecker. The  attendants  number  about  one  hundred 
in  the  summer  season,  the  school  seldom  being  con- 
tinued the  entire  year. 


This  small  but  inviting  place  of  worship  in  the 
Stauflfer  neighborhood,  in  the  Green  Lick  Valley,  was 
built  in  the  fall  of  1876  on  a  lot  of  land  given  for  that 
purpose  by  Jacob  J.  Stauffer.  The  trustees  in  charge 
were  Henry  S.  Stauffer,  David  Glassburner,  and  Peter 
Rhodes,  who  yet  constitute  the  board.  The  member- 
ship of  the  church  is  small,  numbering  but  fifteen, 
and  the  appointment  is  a  part  of  the  Mount  Pleasant 
Circuit,  the  Rev.  WoodhuU  being  the  preacher  in 
charge. 

In  the  northeastern  part  of  the  township,  a  small 
class  of  members  of  the  Evangelical  Association  was 
formed  about  1872,  which  has  flourished,  so  that  it 
now  has  its  own  house  of  worship  and  about  thirty 
members.  The  present  class-leader  is  David  L.  Miller, 
and  John  Mull  is  the  church  steward. 

THE   MOUNT    PISGAH    CHURCH 

is  the  s])iritual  home  of  the  above  class.  It  is  a  plain 
frame  house,  twenty -eight  by  thirty-eight  feet,  and  was 
consecrated  to  divine  worship  in  December,  1877,  by 
the  Rev.  W.  M.  Stanford,  of  Pittsburgh.  The  trustees 
in  1881  were  David  L.  Miller,  John  Mull,  and  David 
Coffman.  The  members  of  the  Mount  Pisgah  Church 
belong  to  the  Indian  Creek  Circuit,  and  have  had  the 
same  ministers  as  the  Evangelical  Churches  of  Salt 
Lick. 


DUNBAR   TOWNSHIP. 


J)UN"BAE,'  lying  on  tlie  Youghiogheny  River,  had 
in  June,  1880,  a  population  of  6327,  including  Dunbar 
village.  East  Liberty,  and  New  Haven  borough. 
It  has  the  Yougliiogheny  on  the  north,  separating  it 
from  Tyrone  township,  the  townships  of  Wharton  and 
Stewart  on  the  south,  the  Youghiogheny  on  the  east, 
separating  it  from  the  townships  of  Connellsville  and 
Springfield,  and  the  townships  of  Franklin  and  North 
Union  on  the  west. 

Dunbar  is  a  township  rich  in  not  only  agricultural 
but  mineral  resources,  and  it  has  become  a  proverb 
that  it  is  the  banner  tovvnship  in  Fayette  County. 
The  total  assessed  value  of  Dunbar  township  subject 
to  a  county  tax,  as  returned  upon  the  assessment- roll 
for  1881,  was  $1,735,749. 

The  surface  of  the  country  is  generally  uneven,  and 
on  the  southeast  it  is  wild  and  mountainous.  In  that 
section  iron  ore  is  found  in  abundance.  Numerous 
streams  traverse  the  township,  of  which  Dunbar 
Creek,  a  rapid  water-course,  is  the  most  important. 
Two  lines  of  railway,  the  Fayette  County  and  the 
Southwest  Pennsylvania,  connecting  Uniontown  and 
Connellsville,  run  in  parallel  courses  in  Dunbar, 
sometimes  scarcely  fifty  feet  apart.  The  first  is  under 
lease  to  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad.  The  second, 
completed  in  1876,  is  operated  by  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad.  Both  lines  enjoy  a  very  profitable  traffic  in 
the  transportation  of  vast  quantities  of  coke,  iron,  and 
coal.  The  coke-burning,  coal-mining,  and  iron-making 
interests  in  Dunbar  are  extensive  and  lucrative,  and 
give  at  this  present  time  employment  to  fully  two  thou- 
sand five  hundred  people  in  the  township.  Business 
enterprises  now  under  way  and  in  progress  will  soon 
materially  increase  that  number.  Coal  abounds 
everywhere  in  almost  exhaustless  quantities,  and  must 
for  years  to  come  prove  a  source  of  great  revenue,  as 
well  as  a  promoter  of  busy  industry  in  every  quarter,  i 
Dunbar  village,  the  centre  of  an  important  coke-  | 
making  region  and  iron-making  district,  is  a  thriving 
town,  whose  growth  has  been  steady,  sure,  and  still 
increasing  as  rich  business  interests  develop  about  it. 

EARLY    SETTLEJIEXT    OF    THE   TOWNSHIP. 

The    first    settlements   in   the  region   now   called 

Dunbar    township   were   made  upon   and   near  the 

locality  designated  as  Mount  Braddock.    Christopher 

1  So  nanieJ  fur  Col.  Thonms  Diinlnir,  conmianding  His  Majesty's  48tli 


Gist  was  the  first  to  lead  the  way  hither  in  1752.  Be- 
fore Gist  came  the  only  settlers  even  vaguely  supposed 
to  have  been  in  the  county  are  Said  to  have  been  the 
Browns.^  Gist  must  have  had  his  family  in  and  oc- 
cupied his  cabin  in  the  early  fall  of  1753,  for  Wash- 
ington recorded  in  the  narrative  of  his  embassy  to  the 
French  posts  that  in  November  of  that  year  he 
"passed  Mr.  Gist's  new  settlement."  Gist's  cabin 
was  on  that  part  of  the  Mount  Braddock  lands  later 
known  as  the  Jacob  Murphy  place.  The  farm  on 
which  he  located  belongs  now  to  William  Beeson. 
Gist  lived  in  North  Carolina  and  Virginia  previous 
to  1753,  and  in  1750  was  employed  by  the  old  Ohio 
Company  as  land  agent.  In  pursuance  of  his  duties 
he  frequently  visited  the  Ohio  Indians.  In  1751  he 
made  a  tour  among  the  Indian  tribes  on  the  Mus- 
kingum, Scioto,  and  Miami.  Upon  his  return  from 
his  explorations  in  the  Ohio  valley,  he  declared  of 
that  country  that  nothing  but  cultivation  was  needed 
to  make  it  a  delightful  region.  His  missions  were  all 
on  behalf  of  the  Ohio  Company,  to  conciliate  the 
Indians  and  keep  a  lookout  for  good  lands.  In  the 
latter  part  of  1753  he  accompanied  Washington  as 
his  guide  from  Wills'  Creek  (Cumberland)  to  the 
French  posts  on  the  Allegheny.  He  was  again  with 
him  in  his  military  expedition  of  1754,  and  with 
Braddock  in  1755.  His  expeditions  in  1754  included 
also  a  journey  with  Capt.  Trent  for  the  jnirpose  of 
assisting  in  what  proved  the  fruitless  effort  of  the 
Ohio  Company  to  build  a  fort  at  the  Forks  of  the 
Ohio.  It  has  been  asserted  by  authorities  that  "Gist 
induced  eleven  families  to  settle  around  him  on  lands 
presume  1  to  be  within  the  limits  of  the  Ohio  Com- 
pany's grant."  Although  nothing  but  this  vague 
tradition  appears  to  have  been  preserved  touching 
these  families,  there  seems  no  reason  for  disputing  the 
truth  of  the  statement  that  families  wire  settled  about 
Gist  as  early  as  1754  at  least.  In  test  iiieiriy  ti.  this  it 
may  be  cited  that  the  report  of  .Mnnsieur  de  Villiers, 
the  French  commander  of  the  expedition  against 
Washington  at  Fort  Necessity  in  1754,  set  forth  that 
upon  his  return  he  not  only  ordered  the  house  at  the 
intrenchraent  at  Gist's  to  be  burned  down,  but  "de- 
tached an  officer  to  burn  the  houses  round  about."  ^ 

2  A  doubtful  tradition  at  best. 

3  Wasliingtnn  In  his  journal  writes,  "  We  reached  Mr.  Gi<t's  new  set- 
tlement at  Monongahela  Jan.  2, 1754,  where  I  bouglit  a  lioi-se  and  sad- 
dle."    Wiisliington  was  at  Gist's  with  his  command  June  21),  1754,  and 

501 


502 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Crist,  by  the  very  nature  of  his  business  as  laud  agent 
and  land  explorer,  was  likely  to  note  the  most  desira- 
ble localities  for  settlements,  and  being  himself  evi- 
dently bent  upon  making  a  new  home  for  himself  and 
family  wherever  he  could  find  in  the  Monongahela 
country  a  place  that  suited  him,  he  was  naturally  on 
the  lookout  for  a.  more  than  usually  inviting  spot. 
Tiiisspot  he  found  at  Mount  Braddock,  as  is  evidenced 
by  the  fact  of  making  his  new  home  there.  The  Vir- 
ginia commissioners'  certificate  ibr  that  land,  issued 
to  Thomas  Gist  in  1780,  recited  that  Christopher  Gist 
settled  ui>on  it  in  17.5.3. 

Christopher  Gist's  agency  for  the  Ohio  Company 
appears  to  have  ended  in  17.55.  In  the  fall  of  that 
year  he  raised  a  company  of  scouts  on  the  Maryland 
and  Virginia  frontiers,  and  thereafter  was  known  as 
Capt.  Gist.  lu  175G  he  was  sent  Suuthwest  to  enlist 
a  body  of  Cherokee  Indians  into  the  English  service. 
In  17.57  he  was  appointed  Deputy  Indian  agent  in  the 
South.  Washington  indorsed  the  appointment  in  the 
remarks,  "  I  know  of  no  person  so  well  qualified  for 
the  ta:.k.  He  has  had  extensive  dealings  with  the  In- 
dians, is  in  great  esteem  among  them,  well  acquainted 
with  their  manners  and  customs,  indefatigable  and 
patient,  and  as  to  his  honesty,  capacity,  and  zeal  I 
dare  venture  to  engage." 

With  the  defeat  of  Braddock  in  17.5.5  ended  for  a 
time  at  least  the  efforts  of  English  settlers  to  find 
jjeruianent  homes  west  of  the  mountains,  and  Gist, 
like  others  who  had  hoped  to  stop  where  they  had 
gathered  their  families,  hastened  to  change  his  habita- 
tion to  more  peaceful  regions.  From  17.55  to  1758, 
wliile  the  French  held  possession  of  the  country  along 
the  Monongahela  and  Youghiogheny,  no  attcnqits  at 
settlements  were  nuule.  The  savages  and  wild  beasts 
were  the  only  inliabitants  of  the  territory  now  called 
Fayette  County.  After  the  cxjiulsion  of  the  French, 
in  1758,  many  of  the  old  settlers  returned,  and  among 
them  came  Gist.  Although  he  himself  came  in  1759 
and  resumed  actual  possession  of  his  lands  on  Mount 
Braddock,  he  did  not  effect  a  permanent  settlement  with 
his  family  until  17(55,  for  it  was  not  until  that  year 
that  Indian  troubles  in  this  section  were  even  tempo- 
rarily disposed  of.  For  sonic  reason,  however,  lie  de- 
cided to  end  his  days  in  hi-  oM  ^^i.uilicrn  Iiomic,  and 
soafterawhile,  transfcnin-lii-  .Mount  llrad.lo.k  lands 
to  his  .son  Thomas,  he  ivtnrncd  to  citli.r  Virginia  or 
North  Carolina  and  there  died.  Lcll  behind  in  Fay- 
ette was  Thomas  Gist  and  ^\'illiam  Cromwell,  the 
latter  a  son-in-law  of  Christopher  Gist.     This  Wil- 


liam Cromwell  subsequently  set  up  a  claim  under  the 
Ohio  Company  to  a  part  of  the  Gist  lands  "  in  the 
forks  of  the  roads  to  Fort  Pitt  and  Redstone,"  includ- 
ing Isaac  Wood's  farm,  asserting  a  gift  of  it  to  his 
wife  from  her  father,  and  a  settlement  thereof  in 
1753.  Cromwell  sold  his  land  claim  to  Samuel  Lyon, 
between  whom  and  Thomas  Gist  a  long  controversy 
was  waged  for  posse.ssion,  which  fell  ultimately  to 
Gist. 

Christopher  Gist  had  three  sons — Nathaniel,  Thomas, 
and  Richard — and  two  daughters.  Of  the  latter,  Anne 
never  married;  Violet  married  William  Campbell. 
All  the  sons  received  lands  on  Mount  Braddock  from 
their  father,  but  their  rights  were  eventually  united 
in  Thomas.  He  died  in  1786,  and  was  buried  on  his 
Mount  Braddock  farm.  Soon  after  his  death  the  Gists 
left  the  township  for  Kentucky,  after  disposing  of 
their  landed  interests  to  Col.  Isaac  Meason.  Thomas 
I  Gi.st  was  a  man  of  some  note,  and  is  said  to  have  once 
1  entertained  Washington  at  his  house. 

George  Paull,  a  Virginian,  became  a  resident  of 
I  the  Gist  neighborhood  in  '1768.     The  place  of  his  lo- 
cation was  known  as  Deer  Park.     His  son  James, 
j  known  as  Col.  Paull,  became  a  man  of  considerable 
i  note,  and  owned  large  landed  interests  in  various  por- 
I  tions  of  the  county.     At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  en- 
1  tered  upon  a  military  career  as  a  member  of  a  company 
guarding  Continental  stores  at  Fort  Burd  (Browns- 
'  ville).     This  was  in  August,  1778.     In  May,  1781,  he 
was  commissioned  first  lieutenant  by  Thomas  Jeffer- 
son, Governor  of  Virginia,  and  set  out  to  take  part  in  a 
proposed  campaign  against  Detroit.     In  April,  1782, 
he  was  drafted  for  a  month's  frontier  duty  near  Pitts- 
burgh, and  in  May,  1782,  he  joined  Crawford's  expe- 
dition to  Sandusky  as  a   private.     After  a  harrowing 
experience  he  escaped  from  the  troubles  of  that  cam- 
paign only  to  resume  his  warlike  experience  in  1784. 
In  1790  he  served  with  distinctiqn  as  a  major  of  the 
Pennsylvania  militia  in  Harmar's  campaign  against 
the  Indians.     Later  in  life  he  became  a  colonel  of 
militia.    After  1790  he  devoted  himself  to  the  peaceful 
pursuits  of  home  life,  and  for  a  time  was  engaged  as  an 
j  iron-manufacturer  at  Laurel  Furnace,  in  Dunbar  town- 
ship.    From  179.3  to  1796  he  was  sheriff  of  the  county, 
and  during  that  time  was  not  only  busy  with  opera- 
tions against  the  "  Whisky   Boys,"  but  was   called 
upon  to  hang  John   McFall,  who  was  sentenced  to 
death  for  the   murder  of  J(din  Chadwick,  Nov.  10, 
1794.     Col.   Paull's  sons  numbered   seven, — James, 
George  (a  colonel  in  the  war  of  1812),  John,  Archi- 
bald, Thomas,  William,  and  Joseph.     His  daughter 
Martha  married  William  Walker. 

Col.  Isaac  Meason  was  an  important  figure  in  the 
earl)'  historj'  of  Fayette  Countj-.  He  was  a  Virginian 
by  birth,  and  as  early  as  the  year  1770  came  to  South- 
west Pennsylvania.  He  bought  land  on  Jacob's  Creek, 
and  built  upon  it  tlie  Mount  Vernon  Furnace.  Not 
long  afterwardshebought  the  Gist  property  on  Mount 
Braddock,  in  Dunbar  township,  and  soon  acquiring 


DUNBAR  TOWNSHIP. 


additional  lands  took  rank  as  one  of  the  largest  land- 
holders in  that  neighborhood.  In  17!)9  he  owned 
upwards  of  six  thousand  acres.  In  1790  he  built  the 
Union  Furnace  on  Dunbar  Creek,  and  set  up  two 
forges  and  a  furnace  on  Dunbar  Creek  from  Union 
Furnace  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  creek.  At 
Union  Furnace  he  built  a  stone  grist-mill,  and  for 
years  conducted  extensive  business  enterprises  that 
made  him  widely  known.  He  owned,  also,  the  lands 
originally  possessed  by  Col.  William  Crawford,  and 
in  1796  laid  out  the  village  of  New  Haven,  on  the 
Youghiogheny  opposite  Connellsville.  He  died  in 
1819,  and  was  buried  on  the  Mount  Briiddock  estate. 
His  sons  were  Isaac,  George,  and  Thomas.  George 
lived  with  his  uncle,  Daniel  Rogers,  of  Connellsville. 
Thomas  became  a  resident  of  Uniontown.  Isaac, 
the  best  known  of  the  sons,  and  known  as  Col.  Mea- 
son,  after  his  father's  death  succeeded  to  his  father's 
business,  and  lived  for  many  years  at  New  Haven. 
His  children  were  nine  in  number,  of  whom  the  sons 
were  William,  Isaac,  Jr.,  and  Richard.  The  only  ones 
of  the  nine  children  now  living  are  three  daughters. 
Two  reside  in  Uniontown,  and  one  in  Kansas.  Col. 
Isaac  Meason,  the  younger,  was  educated  for  the  bar, 
and  practiced  in  Pittsburgh  before  making  his  home 
at  New  Haven.  His  mother  died  in  Uniontown  in 
1877,  aged  ninety-four. 

Thomas  Rogers  and  his  five  brothers  are  said  to 
have,  come  from  Maryland  to  Mount  Braddock,  ac- 
companied by  their  widowed  mother.  They  took  up 
lands  under  what  was  commonly  styled  ''tomahawk 
claims,"  but  becoming  dissatisfied  soon  disposed  of 
their  interests  to  Samuel  Work.  The  Rogers  families 
moved  to  Washington  County,  and  in  the  Indian  ag- 
gressions that  befell  that  region  three  of  the  brothers 
lost  their  lives.  Tlie  others  removed  then  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Beaver,  but  shortly  returned  to  Dunbar 
township,  and  located  in  what  is  now  known  as  the 
Cross  Keys  School  District.  One  of  the  brothers 
opened  a  blacksmith-shop  on  the  Uniontown  road, 
and  soon  built  a  tavern  near  by.  It  is  said  that  he 
set  a  pair  of  cross  keys  over  his  shop  as  a  token  that 
he  was  a  locksmith  as  well  as  blacksmith,  and  when  [ 
he  opened  his  house  he  conceived  the  notion  of  call- 
ing it  the  Cross  Keys  Tavern,  by  which  name  it  was 
long  known.  There  is  a  vague  tradition  that  the 
Rogers  brothers  founded  a  Masonic  lodge  in  that 
neighborhood,  and  that  for  a  while  the  mysterious 
meetings  of  the  brotherhood  in  the  Cross  Keys  school- 
house  periodically  excited  the  awe  and  wondering 
curiosity  of  the  people  of  that  vicinity,  who  were  ac- 
customed to  gather  regularly  on  lodge  nights  arid 
exert  themselves  to  a  painful  extent  in  their  fruitless 
efforts  to  penetrate  into  the  awful  secrets  and  amazing 
performances  which  they  were  convinced  were  hidden 
within  the  school-house. 

Daniel  Rogers,  whose  daughter  is  Mrs.  Banning,  of 
New  Haven,  was  born  in  the  Cross  Keys  District,  mar- 
ried a  daughter  of  Col.  Isaac  Meason,  and  for  many 


years  was  a  prominent  citizen  of  Connellsville  and 
New  Haven.  In  Connellsville  he  kept  a  store  as 
early  as  1798.  During  the  later  years  of  his  life  he 
resided  at  New  H.nven,  where  he  died  in  1873,  at  the 
age  of  ninety-five. 

Joseph  Torrance,  who  came  to  Fayette  County  with 
George  Paull,  married  one  of  PauU's  daughters,  and 
settled  upon  a  place  in  Dunbar  known  iis  "  Peace." 
The  tract  is  now  occupied  by  the  works  of  the  Con- 
nellsville Coke  and  Iron  Company. 

John  Christy  left  Ireland  about  the  year  1800  for 
America,  and  drifted  in  a  short  time  to  Fayette 
County,  and  worked  for  Col.  Meason.  He  entered 
the  United  States  service  in  the  war  of  1812,  and 
died  in  the  army.  At  the  time  of  his  enlistment  he 
was  living  in  a  sugar-bush  that  occupied  the  present 
site  of  the  Henderson  Coke- Works.  Among  others 
who  are  remembered  to  have  lived  near  Union  Fur- 
nace before  the  year  1800,  were  Daniel  Cole,  John 
Weaston,  Samuel  Downey,  and  Timothy  Grover.  The 
latter  is  said  to  have  been  one  hundred  and  two  years 
old  when  he  died.  Nearly  all  of  his  childien  and 
grandchildren  died  of  consumption. 

John  Hamilton,  who  married  Susanna  Allen,  of 
Franklin  township,  in  1792,  bought  of  a  Mr.  Ray  that 
year  about  four  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Dunbar 
township.  A  portion  of  the  land  is  now  occupied  by 
his  grandson,  J.  H.  Byers.  Ray  had  got  up  a  log 
cabin  and  cleared  a  few  acres  when  he  sold  out  to 
Hamilton.  The  cabin  Mr.  Hamilton  replaced  in 
1808  with  the  house  Mr.  Byers  now  lives  in.  About 
Mr.  Hamilton's  settlement  there  were  the  Rogers, 
Work,  Paull,  Lytle,  Barkelow,  Ross,  Strickler,  Curry^ 
Parkhill,  and  Graham  families.  One  of  tjie  Currys 
is  said  to  have  lived  to  be  over  a  hundred  years  old. 
There  was  a  distillery  near  the  Graham  place  about 
1790,  where  excellent  apple  whisky  was  made.  At 
least  such  was  the  testimony  of  D.  A.  C.  Sherrard, 
who  has  frequently  been  heard  to  say  that  he  was 
raised  on  apple  toddy  made  at  that  still,  and  that  the 
beverage  was  not  only  wholesome  but  delightful  to 
the  taste. 

The  first  school-house  in  the  Hamilton  or  Cross 
Keys  District  was  probably  a  log  afi\iir,  built  in  180G 
upon  the  ground  occupied  by  the  present  house,  the 
third  one  upon  that  site.  Before  1806  the  children 
of  that  neighborhood  attended  school  in  a  slab  shanty 
that  stood  near  the  present  site  of  Dunbar  village. 

There  were  but  few  people  in  Dunbar  when  Joshua 
Dickinson  became  a  settler  here.  Just  when  he  came 
hither  cannot  be  determined  with  certainty,  but  tra- 
dition places  the  time  at  not  far  from  177(t.  Certain 
it  is  that  when  he  traveled  westward  over  the  moun- 
tains, alone  and  on  foot,  looking  for  a  land  location, 
the  country  was  a  wilderness  and  swarming  with  wild 
beasts.  Upon  the  high  bluff  that  overlooks  the  Youg- 
hiogheny just  above  East  Liberty  he  made  his  camp 
under  an  oak-tree,  and  when  he  came  to  examine  at 
leisure  the  region  about  him  he  was  not  slow  to  de- 


504 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


terinine  that  he  had  found  the  location  he  had  been 
looking  for.  As  far  as  be  could  judge,  there  was  no 
white  settler  anywhere  near  bim,  and  if  he  had  taken 
the  trouble  or  time  to  reflect  upon  the  circumstance, 
it  would  have  doubtless  occurred  to  him  that  he  was 
in  not  only  a  lonesome  but  a  rather  dangerous  locality. 
He  had,  however,  no  inclination  to  dwell  on  such 
matters  at  first,  for  he  was  fired  with  an  ambition  to 
get  a  start  as  a  settler,  and  so  he,  working  early  and 
late  to  get  up  a  habitation  and  make  a  small  clearing, 
found  no  time  to  do  anything  else.  He  had  not  been 
long  on  the  ground,  so  the  story  goes,  when  he  real- 
ized very  forcibly  the  dangers  of  his  situation  at  all 
events.  Looking  from  the  river  bluff  one  day  he  saw 
the  spectacle  of  a  company  of  ugly-looking  savages 
wading  across  the  stream,  as  if  they  had  detected  the 
smoke  of  the  white  man's  camp-fire  and  were  bent  upon 
mischief  That  seems  at  least  to  have  been  the  view 
taken  of  the  case  by  Dickinson,  for,  understanding 
that  the  redskins  might  murder  him,  he  lost  no  time 
in  ]iacking  up  a  few  trifling  effects  and  striking  off 
for  the  far  East.  He  made  his  way  to  his  old  home, 
and  concluded  to  stay  there  until  there  should  be 
promise  of  a  peaceful  life  in  Southwestern  Pennsyl- 
vania. Within  about  a  year  he  thought  from  what  he 
heard  that  the  danger  of  Indians  was  past,  and  once 
more  he  set  out  for  the  Western  wilds,  this  time  taking 
with  him  his  wife  and  infant  son,  Tlionias,  lor.  to  use 
his  own  langu.age,  "he  proposed  to  >tay."  They 
came  to  the  s|]ot  he  first  occupied,  and  there  he  built 
a  cabin.  One  autliority  declares  that  another  man 
with  his  family  accompanied  the  Dickinsons  west- 
ward and  located  near  them.  Who  they  were  is  not 
ascertainable,  but  it  is  altogetlier  likely,  since  Dick- 
inson relumed  eastward  for  supplies  in  a  short  time, 
scarcely  likely  to  have  done  had  he 
lied  to  leave  his  wife  and  child  unpro- 
'  had  made  a  clearing  he  began  to 
1st  then  he  began  to  get  glimpses  of 
savaiii's  :ind  ti>  tear  much  for  his  safety.  He  was 
not  nioKstc^,  but  he  never  went  out  into  his  field 
withiiiit  takinii-  his  wilr  with  him,  who  while  he 
workcMl  would  stan.l  watch  with  gun  in  hand,  and 
after  a  time  would  take  the  hoe  while  he  did  sentinel 
duty.  Naturally  eiiongh  they  could  not  avoid  be- 
lieving that  the  Indians  were  likely  to  butcher  them 
at  any  time.  Eternal  vigilance  was  for  them  the  con- 
stant watchword.  Despite  their  fears  they  never 
came  to  any  harm  through  the  Indians.  Mr.  Dick- 
inson was  eminently  a  pioneer,  and  for  years  battled 
almo~t  singh-haiiiled  among  the  wilds  of  Fayette 
County,  apart  from  other  settlers,  and  met  at  every 
turn  snili  pii\  alioiis,  trials,  ami  toils  as  would  have 
checked  hi,  proLTrssaiHl  srnt  liiin  l.a.-k  to  the  haunts 
ofcivilizatL.n  had  hcn..t  poss,.sse.l  a  heart  of  oak  and 
a  courageous,  stout-souled  helpmeet,  who  bore  like  a 
heroine  her  full  share  of  the  burden. 

In  the  fall  Dickinson  made  a  trip  to  the  East  for  salt 


and  th 

t  he 

been  c< 

mpel 

tccted. 

Wlu 

till   the 

soil.: 

and  other  supplies,  and 


L'd  them  west 


horses.     Salt  was  one  of  the  greatest  and  scarcest  of 
luxuries,   as  well   as   a   necessity,  and   that   it   was 
carefully  husbanded  when  got  may  be  well  believed. 
Bullets  were  articles  of  value.     So  careful  was  Dick- 
inson of  his  small  hoard  that  when  he  shot  small 
game  he  made  sure  to  shoot  in  range  with  some  tree, 
so  that  if  he  missed  he  could  secure  the  bullets  for 
further  use.     Just  before  he  left  for  his   first  trip 
to  the  East  in  quest  of  provisions  he  found  himself 
the  possessor  of  just  two  bullets.     With  one  of  them 
he  killed  a  bear,  whose  carcass  supplied  his  family 
with  meat  while  he  was  absent;  and  with  the  other 
he  killed  game  for  his  own  sustenance  during  the 
journey  over  the  mountains.     Mr.  Dickinson   lived 
to  see  the  country  blossom  and  teem  with  civilized 
life.     He  became  a  large  landholder  in  Dunbar  upon 
the  river,  and  died  upon  the  homestead  farm  near 
East  Liberty,  Oct.  10, 1827,  in  his  eighty-eighth  year. 
j  He  built  a  grist-mill  upon  the  site  of  the  mill  now 
!  owned  by  Oglevee  Brothers  about  the  year  1780.    He 
j  had  six  sons,  named  Thomas,  William,  John,  Joshua, 
'  Levi,  and  Eli,  all  of  wdiom  removed  at  an  early  day 
to  Ohio.      Mr.  Dickinson  was  a  stanch  Methodist, 
and   for  some   years   maintained   preaching    at   his 
house,  where  a  class  was  organized  in  1820.     In  1823 
he  gave  material  assistance  in  the  erection  of  a  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  house  of  worship,  and  there  until 
1861  the  organization  flourished.     At  that  time  the 
question  of  politics  entered  in  some  shape  into  the 
chnrch,  and  proved  a  rock  upon  which  the  organiza- 
tion soon  became  a  wreck.     The  building  then  used 
as  a  church  is  now  the  residence  of  Mr.  Dunham. 
The  lot  for  the  church  and  churchyard  was  donated 
by  Mr.  Dickinson,  and  within  the  latter  still  lie  the 
mortal  remains  of  himself  and  his  wife. 
!       Tradition  says  that  upon  the  blufli"  overlooking  the 
Fort  Hill  Coke- Works  there  was  once  an  Indian  fort 
and  an  Indian  graveyard,  both  upon  the  A.  J.  Hill 
farm.     Mr.  Hill  relates  that  bones  and  various  imple- 
ments of  Indian  manufacture  have  frequently  been 
plowed  up  there,  and  that  one  of  his  men  unearthed 
some  time  ago  a  curious-looking  iron  instrument,  con- 
sisting of  an  iron  ring  about  the  size  of  a  man's  neck. 
From  that  ring  projected  short  chains,  at  the  end  of 
each  of  which  was  fastened  a  small  ring.     It  was  re- 
garded as  a  curious  relic,  and  by  some  it  was  deter- 
mined to  have  served  either  in  confining  criminals  or 
'  fastening  victims  to  the  stake.     These  theories  had, 
i  however,  but  a  vague  foundation  to  rest  upon,  while 
j  the  generally  accepted  theory  that  Indians  in  those 
days  used  no  iron  instruments  appears  to  render  it 
I  doubtful  whether  the  relic  was  of  Indian  origin  or 
use.      Whatever   it  had   been   or   was,    it   certainly 
j  awakened  much  curious  interest  among  antiquarians, 
and  eventually  found  its  way  to  the  cabinet  of  a  col- 
lector of  curiosities.     Since  that  time  it  has  not  been 
1  seen  or  heard  of  in  these  parts.    The  hill  upon  which 
;  the  Indian  fort  was  located  bears  to  this  day  the  name 
''  of  Fort  Hill. 


DUNBAR  TOWNSHIP. 


505 


Thomas  Jones  was  one  of  the  very  earliest  settlers 
in  Joshua  Dickinson's  neigliborhood.  His  home  was 
the  farm  now  owned  by  William  and  James  Collins, 
whose  father,  James,  came  to  Dunbar  from  Maryland 
in  1822  and  bought  out  Thomas  Jones,  who  thereupon 
moved  to  Ohio,  and  died  there  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
eight.  Jame-i  Collins  the  elder  died  in  1855,  aged 
seventy-seven. 

Jacob  Lcet  was  an  early  settler  near  Dickinson, 
upon  the  place  now  owned  by  Alexander  Work,  on 
which  his  grave  may  now  be  seen.  His  son  Christo- 
pher, now  an  old  man  of  ninety-four,  lives  in  Illinois. 
Mr.  Leetvvas  regarded  as  an  old-fashioned  but  rigidly 
honest  man,  and  a  most  excellent  neighbor.  When 
Christian  Stofer  returned  to  Dunbar  after  a  brief  ab- 
sence, and  found  Leet's  grave  instead  of  the  living 
Leet,  he  is  said  to  have  remarked  with  a  show  of  deep 
feeling,  "  There  lies  the  body  of  an  honest  Dutchman." 
Christian  Stofer  himself  came  from  Westmoreland 
County  to  Dunbar  in  1815,  but  returned  in  1819  to 
the  former  place.  In  1819,  Christian  Stoner,  his  son- 
in-law,  bought  Stofer's  Dunbar  farm,  and  occupied  it 
as  a  permanent  settler.  The  Morelands,  Galleys, 
Spratts,  and  Wilkies  were  residents  thereabout  at  an 
early  day.  James  Wilkie  was  a  famous  school-teacher, 
and  taught  in  those  parts  more  than  twenty  years. 
One  Clare  was  also  an  early  school-teacher  in  that 
vicinity.  William  McBurney  says  that  in  1814  he 
took  his  first  day's  schooling  under  pedagogue  Clare. 
Some  maliciously  disposed  lads  reported  young  Mc- 
Burney to  the  teacher  forswearing,  and  upon  the  com- 
plaint the  boy  was  compelled  to  get  down  upon  his 
knee  before  the  school  and  sue  for  pardon.  The  fol- 
lowing day  he  was  similarly  reported,  and  that  time 
most  unmercifully  whipped  by  Clare.  As  soon  as  he 
could,  the  bruised  victim  made  for  the  school-room 
door  and  ran  home.  There  he  told  his  mother  that 
he  was  afraid  to  go  to  school  again,  ibr  he  knew  old 
Clare  would  evcntuallj'  murder  him.  And  he  did  not 
venture  into  that  or  any  other  school  again  for  three 
years. 

An  old  woolen-factory,  now  standing  on  the  river's 
bank  at  the  Broad  Ford,  was  started  in  1824  by  White 
&  Sous,  and  carried  on  with  varying  fortunes  for 
some  years.  It  served  also  later  as  a  grist-mill,  but 
for  years  has  lain  idle. 

In  the  fall  of  1782,  David  Parkhill  (who  had  come 
from  Ireland  to  America  during  the  Revolution)  set- 
tled in  Dunbar,  upon  lands  that  joined  Joshua  Dick- 
inson's and  Joseph  Oglevee's.  Although  a  strong 
Covenanter,  his  blood  arose  in  resentment  at  the 
thought  of  the  troubles  worked  by  Indian  depreda- 
tions, and  at  the  head  of  a  company  of  his  neighbors 
sallied  out  one  Sunday  morning  to  hunt  and  punish 
the  savages.  The  enemy  had  taken  the  alarm,  and 
luckily  for  themselves  fled  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
determined  pioneers.  Mr.  Parkhill's  wife  lived  until 
she  had  rounded  out  a  century  of  existence.  She 
died  in  1842.     Stephen  Fairehild,  who  died  in  Dun- 


bar in  1837,  came  to  Pennsylvania  in  1810,  and  lo- 
cated in  Salt  Lick  township.  He  was  born  in  New 
York  State,  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen  enlisted  with  his 
six  brothers  for  service  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 
One  of  the  seven  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill.  Stephen  Fairchild's  widow  died  in  18U3,  aged 
eighty-four,  and  was  at  her  death  one  of  the  oldest 
persons  then  in  receipt  of  a  pension. 

In  the  spring  of  1880  one  of  the  "  characters"  of 
Dunbar  died  in  a  cave  near  Cow  Rock,  where  for  a 
period  of  sixty  years  or  more  he  had  led  the  life  of  a 
recluse.  This  singular  personage,  never  known  by  any 
other  designation  than  "  Captain  Cook,"  is  said  to 
have  come  to  Fayette  County  from  England  simply 
to  show  his  reverence  for  the  memory  of  Gen.  Brad- 
dock.  While  in  his  English  home  he  read  in  a  book 
the  story  of  Braddock's  fate,  and  straightway  felt  a 
very  strong  desire  to  visit  the  region  wherein  that  un- 
fortunate general  met  his  death.  He  came  to  Amer- 
ica, and  to  Fayette  County.  In  Dunbar  township, 
east  of  Union  Furnace,  and  near  the  river,  he  found 
a  cave  that  suited  him  for  a  home.  Of  it  he  took 
squatter  possession,  and  in  it  he  passed  the  remainder 
of  his  life,  which  was,  by  the  way,  a  life  conspicuously 
devoid  of  an  object,  except,  perhaps,  in  respect  to  his 
satisfaction  in  being  near  the  scenes  that  surrounded 
Braddock  when  he  died.  It  is  said  that  for  as  long 
as  six  months  at  a  time  he  would  keep  himself  utterly 
secluded  from  the  gaze  of  man.  Near  his  hut  was  a 
bank  of  fire-clay,  and  once  in  a  while  he  would  nuike 
a  few  fire-bricks,  and  descend  into  the  Furnace  settle- 
ment for  the  purpose  of  exchanging  the  bricks  for 
provisions.  His  mission  concluded,  he  would  return 
to  his  mountain  den,  and  emerge  no  more  for  months. 
Samuel  Work,  alluded  to  as  having  purchased  the 
Rogers  farm,  was  grandfather  to  Samuel  Work,  now 
of  Dunbar  township.  John  Work,  son  of  Samuel 
the  elder,  was  born  in  1787.  He  married  Nancy 
Rogers. 

Jacob  Lowry  was  a  man  of  considerable  note  in 
Dunbar  before  and  after  1800.  In  17S8  he  moved 
from  Northumberland  County  to  Jurol.'s  C'n  ek,  and 
entered  the  employment  of  his  bintlni-iii-hiu,  John 

I  Gerhart,  a  miller.  In  1794  he  went  over  lo  (  '(j1.  Isaac 
Meason's  Union  Furnace,  and  for  five  years  was  Col. 
Meason's  miller  at  the  Furnace  grist-mill.  In  1799  he 
built  a  framed  grist-mill  on  Dunbar  Creek  below  the 
Furnace,  and  carrying  it  on  until  1815,  built  in  that 
year  upon  the  same  site,  in  conjunction  with  John 
Strickler,  the  stone  grist-mill  now  owned  by  William 
Speers.  He  leased  the  grist-mill  to  Strickler,  who 
after  a  five  years'  experience  therein  failed  and  re- 
tired to  a  farm  near  New  Haven.  Lowry  had  mean- 
while been  living  on  a  farm  and  running  a  saw-mill 

'  on  Tucker's  Run,  but  upon  Strickler's  failure  resumed 
his  control  of  the  grist-mill  property.  Of  the  old 
framed   grist-mill   he  had   made  a  fulling-mill,  and 

j  about  1828  built  the  woolen-factory  now  owned  by 

'  Daniel  Harper.    After  his  death,  in  September,  1800, 


506 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


liis  son  Lewis  came  into  possession  of  tlie  grist-mill, 
and  liis  son  William  of  the  woolen-factory.  In  1S41, 
John  Speers  purchased  the  grist-mill. 

John  Sherrard  was  a  settler  in  Dunbar  in  1773. 
He  remained  in  his  new  settlement  but  a  year,  and 
then  moved  to  Kentucky.  In  1778  he  resumed  his 
habitation  in  Dunbar,  and  retained  ituntil  1805,  when 
he  concluded  to  push  farther  westw^ard  to  Ohio,  where 
he  died  in  1809.  He  was  in  the  Continental  service 
during  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  was  with  Col.  Wil- 
liam Crawford  in  the  expedition  to  Sandusky  in  1782. 
Although  but  a  ]irivate,  he  bore  a  somewhat  conspic- 
uous part  in  that  affair.  David  Alexander  Cathcart 
Sherrard,  born  in  Dunbar,  Sept.  2, 1786,  died  June  2, 
1880  (upon  the  farm  that  had  been  his  home  from  his 
birth),  in  the  ninety  fourth  year  of  his  age.  In  early 
life  he  was  conmctiil  with  the  Laurel  Hill  Presbyte- 
rian Church,  and  for  over  sixty  years  was  a  ruling 
elder  of  that  church.  In  182-5  he  was  appointed  a 
justice  of  the  peace,  and  held  the  office  fifteen  years. 
It  is  said  that  during  that  time  he  tried  eight  hundred 
and  eighty  civil  cases,  of  which  but  four  were  appealed, 
and  of  these  but  one  reversed. 

"  John  Travis  and  his  brother-in-law,  George  Thomp- 
son, emigrated  from  Ireland  shortly  after  the  Revolu- 
tion was  over;'  and  immediately  after  landing  off 
shipboard  they  crossed  the  mountains,  and  each  pur- 
chased a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  good 
land  of  my  father  [John  Sherrard],  which  they  im- 
proved, and  each  raised  up  a  large  family. 

"  Mr.  Travis  became  an  elder  in  the  Laurel  Hill 
congregation.  In  the  spring  of  1798  he  bought  a  farm 
one  mile  and  a  half  east  of  the  cross-roads,  on  some 
of  the  branches  of  Raccoon  Creek,  on  which  he  settled 
with  his  family.  Some  time  after  he  settled  in  the 
bounds  of  Laurel  Hill  eongregation,  from  some  cause, 
he  became  cumpletely  ira/y,  so  much  so  that  he  had 
to  be  confined  and  hamleulfed  and  guarded  by  two 

men  of  the  neighlHiili 1   to  keep  him   from   doing 

damage  to  liiiii>eir  or  others.  A  neighbor  by  the 
name  (if  Thomas  (Iraliam  was  one  of  the  two.  Many 
years  afterwards  be  inloniied  me  thatou  one  occasion 
it  was  neees-arv  lo  eliaii,i;e  his  linen,  and  to  make 
that  change  (irahaiii  ha<l  to  take  off  the  handcuffs, 
after  which,  while  he  was  in  the  act  of  turning  round 
and  reaching  for  a  shirt  that  was  airing  by  tlie  fire, 
Travis  took  advantage  of  the  attitude  Graham  was 
in  by  lifting  the  bolt  that  fastened  the  handcuff,  and 
threw  it  with  great  force  at  Graham's  head,  just  graz- 
ing it.  After  which  assault  Graham  was  careful  at 
such  times  to  leave  nothing  in  the  crazy  man's  way 
by  which  means  he  could  do  any  one  of  his  keepers 
or  himself  any  damage. 

"At  length  the  physician  recommended  that  they 
should  seek  out  a  waterfall  in  some  of  the  mountain 
rcaons   where  a  small  cold  stream  of  water  fell  over 


rocks  several  feet  with  some  weight  and  force.  The 
rill  having  been  sought  out,  the  neighbors  built  a 
small  house  close  to  the  waterfall,  and  divided  it  off 
with  a  partition  of  logs,  keeping  Mr.  Travis  confined 
in  one  end,  wdiile  the  other  served  as  a  place  of  lodg- 
ing and  shelter  for  those  who  waited  on  bim.  And  it 
was  made  the  duty  of  the  two  men  each  morning  to 
place  Mr.  Travis  under  the  waterfall,  in  such  a  posi- 
tion as  that  the  descending  stream  fell  on  his  bead, 
and  thus  once  a  day  he  was  treated  to  a  cold  bath, 
with  its  influence  direct  upon  the  head,  and  the  pro- 
cess was  continued  daily  until  unmistakable  signs  of 
returning  sanity  had  made  their  appearance,  and  was 
continued  daily  once  a  day  until  it  had  the  desired 
effect.  Mr.  Travis  was  thereby  restored  to  reason, 
and  remained  a  man  of  sound  mind  to  the  day  of  his 
death." 

Samuel  Martin  came  to  Col.  Meason's  Union  Fur- 
nace about  1793,  and  worked  there  as  a  teamster. 
His  son  John  was  a  founder,  while  his  sons  Alexander, 
James,  and  S.amuel,  Jr.,  were  also  employed  about 
the  furnace  in  various  capacities.  Alexander  Martin, 
of  Dunbar,  is  a  son  of  John  the  founder  above  men- 
tioned. William  J.  and  Samuel  Martin,  other  sons 
of  John,  live  in  Dunbar  township.  Mrs.  Nancy 
Ilanen,  living  near  Dunbar,  is  one  of  his  daughters. 
Cambridge,  a  son  of  James  Martin  (who  worked  at 
Union  Furnace  in  1794),  lives  now  at  Dunbar  Fur- 
nace. 

Alexander  Martin,  of  Dunbar,  says  there  used  to 
be  an  old  graveyard  at  Dunbar  Furnace,  and  that  the 
place  was  doubtless  used  for  tlie  burial  of  those  who 
died  in  Col.  Meason's  service.  Rude  headstones 
marked  many  graves  up  to  a  few  years  ago,  but  no 
stone  bore  an  inscription  or  date-mark.  Mr.  Martin 
says  he  recollects  hearing  of  the  burial  in  that  yard 
of  an  old  lady  named  Flood,  who  hung  herself  at  her 
home  at  the  Furnace  with  a  skein  of  yarn. 

William  Hardy  came  to  Fayette  County  in  1794 
with  the  Maryland  troops  to  assist  in  quelling  the 
Whiskey  Insurrection.  At  the  Meason  Furnace  they 
found  a  liberty  pole,  and  across  it  a  board  labeled 
"  Liberty  and  no  Excise."  After  that  bloodless  cam- 
]iaigii  was  ended  he  returned  to  Union  Furnace,  and 
worked  for  Col.  Meason  as  a  wood-chopper.  When  he 
was  twenty -six  years  old  he  bought  a  farm  on  the 
mountain-side,  and  lived  about  Dunbar  until  his 
death,  in  1870,  at  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  three. 
One  of  his  sons  lives  in  Michigan,  and  another  in 
Nebraska. 

About  1790,  John  Artis  and  his  brother  Isaac  came 
from  Delaware  to  Fayette  County.  John  located  at 
Mount  Braddock,  and  Isaac  on  the  place  now  the 
farm  of  John  Hanen.  John  Artis  was  killed  in  1811 
while  wood-chopping  on  Isaac  Meason's  lands.  He 
left  nine  children,  of  whom  none  are  now  living.  At 
the  time  of  his  death  his  home  was  where  Stoneroad 
Bodkin  now  lives,  back  of  Dunbar  village.  Isaac 
Artis,  his  brother,  died  in  Connellsville.     In  1796, 


DUNBAR   TOWNSHIP. 


507 


Isaac  Young  had  an  old  log  grist-mill  on  Young's 
mill-run.  How  long  before  that  he  had  been  oper- 
ating the  mill  is  not  known.  Tradition  says  that 
for  some  time  Young's  mill  was  the  only  one  for  a 
long  distance  around.  Isaac  Meason  built  a  stone 
grist-mill  at  Union  Furnace  probably  before  the  year 
1800.  Among  the  customers  at  that  mill  the  most 
famous  one  was  Betty  Knox,  who  lived  on  the  other 
side  of  the  mountain,  and  made  regular  trips  to 
Meason's  mill  mounted  on  an  ox.  The  mountain 
path  by  which  she  came  and  went  was  known  for 
years  as  Betty  Knox's  road. 

ORIGINAL   LANDHOLDERS    IN    DUNBAR. 
Original   surveys   made  of  lands   now  in  Dunbar 
township  show,  as  fiir  as  the  subject  can  be  pursued 
with  certainty,  the  original  landholders  to  have  been 
the  following : 

Isaac  Beeson 511     |  Isaac  Meason 22S2 

John  McLean 436i 

Alex.  MoLelland 96i 

Geo.  Meade 4.',6i 

Thos.  Mcat^on 3S5J 

Win.  McMullen 2S 

31  2i  '  Jacob  Murphy ]92i 

3I2i  I  Geo.  Niohol..' Ufi 

Thos.  Gist 2:'.09       Geo.  Paiill 165 

AVm.  Gun 444i     Geo.  Paull 32(li 

L.iwrence  Harrison 3II4J     Geo.  I'aull 317 

L.J.Harrison 32oi  '  Robert  Pollock 2S3i 

nj.  Harrison 214i  [  Wm.  Rogers 14* 

"""       Robert  Ross 41o| 

John  Sampson 349 

Edward  Ware 272 


John  Barron 

John  Ball 

AVm.  Cracraft , 

Moses  Dillon 

L.vi  Downer 

Ilczin  Gale 

Geo.  Gale 


3S8i 
239 
1195 


lOli 


Catharine  Harrison... 
Jas    lIi"cinson 

..     238 
155i 

R  .bert  Irwin 

.     39U 

Andrew  Jakle 

Sampson  John 

.       3Si 
.     349 

Job  John 

Robert  John 

David  John 

.     42:!i 
■■     ^."'1'"' 

Edward  Wj 
Samuel  Work.. 
Isaac  Young... 

Jas.  Paull 

Jas.   Paull 

Ale.x.  Pollock.. 
Thos.  Rogers.. 
Ja«.  Rogers 


PeterJohn 

Thos.  Leech 

Thos.  Moore.'.'.'.'.'.". 
Ale.\.  Moreland... 


8l!i 
3Hri 
325i 


Win.  Stfcdman 438 

Geo.  Thompson 223 

Geo.  Woods 209i 

.John  Wells 96 

Benj.  AVells 4304 

John  Crawford 375* 


TAX-PAYERS   IN    DUNBAR   TOWNSHIP    IN    1799. 

The  first  assessment-roll  made  for  the  township  of 
Dunbar,  bearing  date  1799,  presents  the  following 
names  as  tax-payers  in  that  year  : 

Horses.      Cattle.    Acres. 


Josiah  Allen,  merchant 

9 

1 

Benj.  Archibald,  Sr 

1 

o 

AVm.  Anderson.. 

.     2 

1 

Anthony  Able 

2 

2 



Jas.  Allen  (one  lot) 

Isaac  Artis 

1 

Benj.  Archibald,  Jr 

Robert  Archibald 

1 

1 

11)11 

J(ihn  Barkelow,  single 

Wm.  Barns 

3 

John  Barnhill 

1 

Thos.  Eurch 

1 

Jonathan  Black 

Leonard  Barns 

2 

5(1 

Isaac  Bvers 

2 

70 

David  Byers 

1 

2 

70 

Benjamin  Byers 

1 

1 

ino 

Daniel  Barkelow 

1 

90 

Conrad  Barkelow 

2 

5 

60 

Andrew  Byre=  (1  lot).... 

John  Boyd  (2  lots) 

Patrick  Barr 

;;;;;;;;;;;;:;;;::: 

Horses. 
..      2 
..     2 
..     1 

Cattle. 
2 

1 
3 

4 
1 
3 

1 

4 

2 

1 
4 

1 

1 
1 
3 

5 
1 

1 

5 

5 
G 

Acres. 
2 

Jos. 
Lev 

Bell  (1  lot) 

n  Rams 



Frar 

cis  Bryan,  merchan 
Bell 

Sa,n 

lel  Barr 



'.'.  "i 
...    1 

...    1 

1 

IS 
250 

'  51) 

Anthony  Banning 

Wm.  Bowers,  weaver.... 

Wm.  Boner,  single 

Thos.  Boyers 

Christopher  Cummins.... 
Wm.  Connell 

■;;;;;;;;;;;■;;•• 

Johr 
Johr 

Christy 

Carlisle 



Dan 
Tesh 

cl  Carlisle 

Clark 

]'.'.    1 

Jas. 
Wm 
Ale\ 

Cunningham  (1  lot) 
Craig 

.  Carson 

...    1 

Tho 

.  Orai" 

John 
AVhl 

Cannon  (2  slaves). 
5W  Canaan 

...     2 

220 

Wm 

Thn 

Th-o 

llav 

Han 
Joht 
Jam 
D.  C 
Johr 

Cuniberland 

lal,   c'raulord'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.' 

Clark 

es  Cunntngham 

■acraft.  chargeable 

Cnr,l_       

o"c'o'i."McaJo'i; 

;;  2 
..  1 

100 

200 

2 

80 

"I'ii'ii 

Adam  Cunningham 

John  Davis 

Sam 
Levi 

icl  Dunlap 

Diekerson 

andsaw-mill) 

140 

3^0 

I'nl, 

Ill,    „,,,|,|     ||. 

I'li 

ii"l  (1- 

::  I 

A.Im 

i;,'-  i>,.i,.,.nn,"bhicksii.'i'th!;";!!;:!! 

1  IM -kri.  i,i„-kceper(1  lot) 

'  90 

Hill 

.Into 
Jun: 
Ada 

"    Ml, lll:,'|, ..'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. .'.'.'. 

than    Davis 

1    Dun);.]. 

";;;;;;::;;;;:::; 

.'.     2 

150 

Tliui 

II,    I"l..r 

..      3 
..      1 
..      1 

3 

■I.    1 



HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


dler 

'.'.'.'.   "l 

.".'.'.  "i 
....    1 

.  ..     3 
....     1 
....     1 

'.'.'.'.   "2 

....     1 
....     1 

....     1 

'.'.'.'.      1 
....     i 

'.'.'.'.     1 

Cattle. 

"1 

1 
1 

1 

"?, 
2 

4 
6 

3 

i 

5 
5 

2 
4 

"i 

1 

6 
3 

5 

"2 

"i 

3 

4 

Acies. 

■"52 
100 

130 
109 

105 

300 

400 
375 

350 
6400 

"100 

300 
450 

250 

"?.i)0 
100 

130 

Hnrses. 

'.     2 
.     4 

.     5 
.     4 

;  "2 

Cattle. 
4 

3 
4 
6 
3 

"1 

2 

6 
5 

4 
3 

1 

3 
6 

"3 
3 

1 

"i 

3 

4 
1 

1 
5 

'i 

4 

t; 

2 
i 

"2 

2 

4 

.\cres. 

Isaac  Patterson 

Emanuel  Hoover, 
Thos.  Haggorty... 
William  Jlunt.th. 

blacksmith 

emaker 

or  

ilor 

blacksmith 

ackimith!"!;;;;!!^'^! 

Thomas  Parkinson  (grist 
Phincas  Porter,  tanner.. 
James  Paull  (2  slaves)... 
Samuel  Preston,  bliicksi 
Jesse  Passmore,  one  hou 

Samuel  Pa.xton 

Thomas  Pew 

Samuel  Phillips 

William   Patterson 

-and  saw-mill) 

280 
150 

David  Howard,,.. 

Daniel  Hare 

Alexander  Hui.te 
William  Henry,  t 
Nicholas    llMward 

J.acob  Hunt 

James  H.ndmaii. 
Christopher  Isuog 
Mordecai  .John,  b 
Thomas  Jones.... 
John  Hamilton... 
William  Johnston 
Isaac  Jobu^ton 

ith 

100 

e,  not  shingled. 

2 

:::::::;:;::::::::: 

150 

John  Plystone,  wagon-m 
Joshua  Porter,  schoolma 
Jonathan  Paul,  blacksm 

-ter 

Ih 

'.  1 

'.  5 
.  1 

'.  "i 

'.  "i 

'.    2 
.    5 

.'    1 

'.    1 

,    4 
.    4 

'.    3 
.    1 
.    1 

'.  "i 

.     4 

Thomas  Paiton,  sohoolm 

R.ibert  Patterson 

Hugh  Pattison 

Widow  Parkhill 

Jonathan  Phillips 

Mathew  Russell 

John  Reed  

John  Rogers,  Jr.,  inn-kc 

John  Rogers.  Sr  

Jesse  Rebecka 

Thomas  Rogers  1  1  slave 
William  Ramsev 

ister 

40 

Elijah  John>ton... 
Thomas  Kirkpatr 

ck;;:::::;:::::::::::::: 

100 
200 

rijilip  Kvl, aider. 

Jacob   Lnwry 

Andrew  J.uekey.. 

Thomas   l.itile 

Jacob  Le.ghl 

James  Lnngen 

■]io 

40 

"■i'm 
35 

JohnRvan 

John  Reed,  mason 

William  Ross 

Henry  Sairing 

Joseph  Sloan 

Isaac  Shallenbargcr 

Daniel  Smithson,  shocm: 
John  Shearer 

ker 

Benjamin  Lowry. 
Thomas  Lasher,  jo 
Will, am  Mnrehind 
Robert  -Mcl.aoghl 
Robert  .Mcl.nuu'hl 
Jolu,  MM,.Mu'blin 

\Vldow    M-l'et-IS 

n','jr'.V.^'"r'''.^'.^'.^'.' 
n.  Sr 

"■70 

"l'50 

1            M            '     Ir 

John  Shivers 

Daniel  Sickles 

Caleb  Squib 

Isaac  .Meason  (  1  fc 

mill.  2  saw.m 

Joseph  iMinture... 

Robert  McBurncy 

David  Mitz 

Samuel  McDowell 
Robert  McKnight, 

John  Meloy 

j|„„h  MeConnell 

rgiVVfaVn'acerV'gV 
lis) 

"blacksmith 

....     2 

....     1 

....      4 

'.'.'.'.  "i 
....    1 

'.'.'.'.  "i 

....     6 

...]     a 

....     1 
....     1 

Henry  Smith 

150 
"2110 

l-,li,ikini  >|..,,|,- 

Sa.ab  ,-ti.|ilie,,s  i  1  slave 

James  Swanv 

Edward  Stepiielis 

Benjamin  .-fpliens 

fieorge  Stewart 

Thomas  Tabnon 

Kbenezer  T.nley.  shnem; 
Joseph  Torrence  (  1  slave 

William  Thompson 

Samuel  Work  (I  slave).. 

ker... 

Samuel  Martio 

Andre.v  Me(\,ne.. 
AlcNaod.T  .M..rrisc 

Cliinlr^   Mm, IV    ,,, 

E::z:;:::::;::::: 

1,  ns.u   1   M    ■   .iidel 

,!.,in-    M    ilM    

.b.hn  M.n.-k 

,b',-,;,l,    Moieland'.' 
Willi, LUl    .M.ller,... 

John  Mib> 

Samuel  McCune 

:;::::::::::::;:::::;::::: 

300 
3S2 

James  Waugh 

Thomas  Wallace 

Jan.es  Wade 

Gillv  Wade 

Mat'lhew  Wilcv 

John  Wiley,...'. 

Asa  Wilson,  blaeksn.'ilh. 

J.amesW,lkins 

Henrv  AVillis 

Matthew  Wilkin 

Joseph  Work          

.■::::::::::;•;•;::: 

;;;;;; 

James  Met'une.... 
Jacob  Murphy  (I 

James  Miller 

J, .ho  M..n,.|h,nd. 

I>:'vidM;,|d.. 

Da.iielMrCraw... 

Jacob  .Maple 

John  Miller 

lave) 

'275 
100 

300 

40 
300 

Alex.ander    Moreland,    blacksmith    (s 

mill) 

Elijah  McLaughlin 

John  Moreland 

Allen  Morri.s.m 

Matthew  Ncely  

Joseph  Osborn 

John  Oldshaw 

....     6 

;'.'.'.  "2 

C.eorge  Wilhelm 

John  Winant 

Rhoda  Wade 

James  Worthington 

Joseph  Yeaglev 

Peter  Yeagley 

Ale.xander  Young 

Adam  Yeagley 

Jchiel  Service 

David  Wiihrow 

:::::::::::::::::::: 

George  Perry 

John  Pool,  liotter. 

DUNBAR   TOWNSHIP. 


509 


The  "single  freemen"  recorded  on  the  tax-roll 
were  Robert  Archibald,  James  Allis,  Michael  Benson, 
AVilliam  Boner,  Henry  Bruner,  Hugh  Barnhill,  James 
Barnhill,  Thomas  Byers,  Henry  Barkalow  (tailor), 
James  Bell,  Robert  Craig,  Robert  Cunningham,  Hugh 
Cunningham  (tailor),  Alexander  Crawford,  Thomas 
Cholkley,  Thomas  Corkins,  John  Corkins,  William 
Cook,  Bryan  Colly,  John  Carring,  William  Dunbar, 
Azariah  Davis  (blacksmith),  Joseph  Douglass,  Walter 
Francis,  James  Francis,  James  Hamilton  (merchant), 
Lewis  HoUingsworth,  William  Henner,  George  Lati- 
mer, John  McLaughlin,  Alexander  Moreland  (black- 
smith), Elijah  McLaughlin,  Samuel  McDowell, 
Thomas  Matson,  Anguish  McDonald,  Nathaniel 
Mann,  Dennis  MoGee,  William  McKelvey,  John 
Morrison,  William  Martin  (shoemaker),  Joseph 
Mason,  Michael  Mills,  Neil  McFadden,  Thomas 
Moore,  Elisha  Oldham  (joiner),  Elijah  Oldham 
(shoemaker),  James  Parkhill,  John  Points,  Daniel 
Reed,  Michael  Reed,  John  Stephens,  Francis  Scott, 
Michael  Sloan,  Jacob  Shallenberger,  Thomas  Swil't, 
John  Swift  (millwright),  James  Stewart,  Charles 
Stewart,  Matthew  Scott,  Henry  Strickler  (tanner), 
Thomas  Walters,  James  Wilson,  Andrew  Wade, 
Robert  Wisbey,  Benjamin  Archibald,  George  Chord, 
William  Cowell,  Samuel  Dunlap,  Isaac  Eggman, 
James  Henry,  Samuel  Lewis,  John  McLaughlin, 
Charles  McKerns,  Archibald  Quinney,  Jacob  Varnes, 
Robert  Work,  James  Wilkins,  William  Wilkins. 

The  assessment  of  Dunbar  in  1808  returned  the 
total  assessed  valuation  of  the  township  as  8228,040. 
The  quota  of  county  tax  was  §343.  The  acres  as- 
sessed numbered  22,500.  There  were  eleven  mills, 
five  forges  and  furnaces,  three  tan-yards,  six  distil- 
leries, nine  slaves,  "four  hundred  and  forty-seven 
horses,  and  four  hundred  and  forty-eight  cattle. 

EARLY  ROADS. 
At  the  September  session  of  court  in  1785  a  report 
was  made  by  Matthew  Wiley,  James  Rankin,  Wil- 
liam Huston,  Elisha  Pierce,  Samuel  Finley,  and 
Dennis  Springer  upon  a  petition  presented  at  the 
December  session  in  1784  for  a  road  from  Uniontown 
to  Joshua  Dickinson's  mill.  The  report  wa'S  con- 
firmed and  the  road  fixed  to  lead  from  Uniontown  to 
Dickinson's  mill,  thence  to  the  mouth  of  said  mill 
run,  thence  to  a  road  already  laid  out  from  Hannas- 
town  to  the  Broad  Ford,  intersecting  said  road  in  the 
county  of  Fayette.  At  the  September  sessions  of 
1792,  James  Paull,  Matthew  Gilchrist,  Samuel  Work, 
Jacob  Strickler,  Robert  McLaughlin,  and  Jacob  Mur- 
chey  reported  the  laying  of  a  road  from  near  the 
house  of  John  Rogers  to  the  Broad  Ford,  and  thence 
to  the  nearest  public  road  leading  to  Woodrough's, 
etc.  March,  1794,  report  of  u  road  from  Conwell's 
Ferry  by  Union  Furnace  to  the  Uniontown  road  at 
Gist's  old  place  was  made  by  Matthew  Neely,  Samuel 
Work,  Adam  Dunlap,  Jacob  Strickler,  William  Black, 
and  William  McCormick.   The  road  crossed  Dunbar's 


Run,  and  intersected  the  Uniontown  road  at  the  inter- 
section of  a  road  from  Col.  Cook's. 

June,  1795,  Andrew  Arnold,  Francis  Lewis,  .Sainurl 
Finley,  James  Byers,  James  Rankin,  and  .Vdain  Dun- 
lap reported  that  they  had  viewed  a  road  from 
Matthew  Wiley's  barn  to  Dunn's  cabin,  beginning 
at  the  end  of  Matthew  Wiley's  lane  on  the  road  from 
Uniontown  to  Joshua  Dickinson's  mill,  and  inter- 
secting the  road  leading  from  Gist's  to  Col.  Cook's 
(now  Fayette  City).  In  June,  1791,  a  road  was  laid 
out  from  Union  Furnace  to  Joshua  Dickinson's  mill. 
The  viewers  were  James  Blackston,  James  Torrence, 
William  Espy,  Valentine  Secrist,  John  Forsythe,  and 
Samuel  Glasgow. 

EARLY    IROX-AVORKERS— THE    UXIOX    FURXACE. 

Col.  Isaac  Meason,  Dunbar's  great  land-owner  in 
early  times,  and  the  town's  most  conspicuous  citizen, 
projected  and  completed  in  1791  the  then  important 
work  of  making  iron  in  a  blast-furnace.  He  built  a 
small  stack  on  Dunbar  Creek,  about  three  hundred 
yards  above  the  present  location  of  the  stacks  of  the 
Dunbar  Furnace  Company.  'I'ladilicin  says  that  the 
Union  Furnace  (by  wliii-h  liauit'  .Miason's  works  were 
known)  was  put  in  blast  in  .Manli,  1791.  It  was 
doubtless  a  small  ati'air,  but  what  its  caparity  was  is  not 
known.  In  179.3,  Col.  Meason  and  .Moses  Dillon  joined 
in  rebuilding  it  and  enlar-in-  rniuu  Furnace.  Their 
manufactures  included  stuvr-i  a>iin;:s,  pots,  dog-irons, 
and  salt-kettles.'  At  a  later  date  ( 'ol.  Meason  estab- 
lished, in  connection  with  his  furnace,  a  forge  on  what 
is  now  known  as  the  Thomas  Watt  place,  and  a  second 
one  at  the  mouth  of  Dunbar  Creek.  In  1816  he  built 
at  Plumsock,  on  the  Redstone,  the  first  rolling-mill 
west  of  the  Alleghenies,  and  about  that  time  built  a 
small  rolling-mill  on  Dunbar  Creek,  near  where  Reid 
&  Co.'s  coke-works  are.  Touching  the  manulacture 
of  iron  in  Dunbar  about  1800  it  Inis  been  written  : 
"  The  difficulties  under  which  the  ironmaster  labored 
in  those  days  were  curious  ones.  Not  only  was  he 
compelled  to  work  with  crude  machinery  and  imper- 
fect knowledge,  but  his  efforts  to  realize  on  his  labors 
were  herculean.  The  iron  was  run  into  numerous 
castings  suitable  for  frontier  life,  or  manufactured  at 
small  forges  into  the  merchant  iron  of  those  days. 
These  products  were  hauled  in  teams  from  fifteen  to 
thirty  miles  across  the  country  to  Brownsville,  on  the 
Monongahela  River,  and  there  loaded  into  flat-boats. 
These  floated  down  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi.  The 
iron  was  exchanged  for  corn,  pork,  whisky,  etc., 
which  were  carried  on  to  New  Orleans  and  traded  for 
sugar  and  molasses.  These  latter  commodities  were 
sent  around  by  sea  to  Baltimore,  and  in  turn  exchanged 
for  groceries,  dry-goods,  etc.,  which,  loaded  on  Cones- 
toga  wagons,  were  hauled  three  hundred  miles  over 
the  mountains  to  the  furnaces  whence  the  iron  had 


,  Col.  fileason  filled  the  first  order  for  siigar-l 
n  plHl.tel-s. 


510 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


started  many  months  before."  "An  old  furnaceman 
told  me,"  says  the  writer,  "  that  he  once  conducted 
business  continuously  for  three  years,  and  saw  during 
that  time  only  ten  dollars  in  money."  Another  curious 
phase  of  that  early  life  was  the  insertion  of  a  clause  in 
all  contracts  for  labor  that  a  certain  quantit}'  of  whisky 
was  to  be  allowed  each  day  in  addition  to  wages.  A 
stoppage  of  whisky  rations  was  about  the  only  cause 
in  those  days  that  would  prociiiitato  a  labor  strike. 

After  Col.  Meason's  death,  in  ISl'.l,  his  son  Isaac 
carried  on  the  business.  Upon  his  retirement  the 
furnace  lay  idle  some  time,  but  was  revived  by  Arthur 
Palmer  and  Israel  Miller  in  18.S2.  The  only  person 
then  living  on  the  furnace  property  was  Widow  Mattie 
Glenn.  Jones  &  Miller  succeeded  them,  and  in  1844 
the  last-named  firm  gave  place  to  J.  D.  Creigh,  who 
changed  the  name  of  the  furnace  from  "  Union" 
to  "  Dunbar."  In  1846,  A.  J.  Bryson  entered  Mr. 
Creigh's  employ,  and  since  that  time  Mr.  Bryson  has 
been  continuously  at  work  at  the  furnace  under  nine 
different  administrations.  Creigh  made  from  a  ton 
and  a  half  to  two  tons  of  iron  ]ier  day,  and  employed 
eight  men.  In  1S|S  he  failed,  and  a  Mr.  Shrayer 
succeeded  him.  8hrayer  died  in  1852,  when  the 
works  passed  to  the  possession  of  Watt  &  Larmer, 
who  put  in  the  first  steam-engine  and  the  first  hot- 
blast  stove  the  furnace  had  had.  Previous  to  their 
advent  Dunbar  Creek  furnished  the  motive-power. 
In  1854,  Baldwin  &  Cheney  became  the  proprietors, 
and  during  their  possession  of  five  years  introduced 
the  n>r  of  coke  at  tlif  fmiiace  instead  of  charcoal. 
They  pro,l,ir,Ml  about  t.n  tons  of  iron  daily.  Their 
stack  was  tliirty-two  tVet  high  and  six  feet  "  bosh."  In 
1858,  Wm.  Baldwin  bought  the  furnace  and  suflered  it 
to  lie  idle  three  years.  In  181)0  he  sold  it  to  the  Youg- 
hiogheny  Coal  and  Iron  Company,  of  which  Charles 
Hathaway  was  the  president.  The  company  changed 
the  location  of  the  furnace  in  18()5totlie  jiresent  site, 


becanir  tlic  proprietors,  rebuilt  the  stack,  and  made 
additions  ol'   blowing-engines  and  hot  blasts.     The 
company  sns|iendcil  in  August,  1873,  obtained  an  ex-  I 
tension,  and  in  July,  1874,  were  sold  out.     The  con- 
cern was  bought  by  the  first  mortgage  bondholders,  | 
represented  by  Samuel   Dickson.     They   leased  the  | 
works  for  fourteen  months  to  Wm.  Beeson,  and  in  ' 
March,  187(i,  the    Dunbar   Furuace   Company  pur- 
chased  the   creditors'    interests.     The   furnace  com- 
pany's operations  will  be  found  detailed  under  the 
head  of  "  Manufacturing  Industries." 

Laurel  Furnace,  commonly  called  "Old  Laurel," 
was  built  in  1794  by  Joshua  Gibson  and  Samuel 
Paxon,  on  Laurel  Run,  near  the  eastern  base  of 
Chestnut  Ridge.  In  1800,  Reuben  IMochabee  and 
Samuel  Wurtz  boujiht  the  pio|Mriy.  They  built  also 
on  Indian  Creek,  iu  Sprinuliold  township,  a  forge 
wliicli  thev  called  Ilanindeu  Forge.    Old  Laurel  Fur- 


nace was  abandoned  in  1812.  New  Laurel  Furnace 
was  built  by  Jas.  Paull  &  Sons  upon  Laurel  Run, 
about  one  mile  below  Old  Laurel,  and  kept  in  blast 
by  them  until  1834.  Then  the  property  passed  into 
the  hands  of  Daniel  Kaine,  who  carried  it  on  until 
1838.  Since  then  nothing  has  been  done  there.  In 
1815,  Col.  Isaac  Meason  and  his  sons  Isaac  and 
Thomas  erected  Dunbar  Furnace  on  Dunbar  Creek, 
near  the  line  between  Dunbar  and  Wharton.  It  was 
afterwards  known  as  Centre  Furnace.  The  furnace 
was  in  blast  until  1830,  and  under  the  control  of  Col. 
Meason's  sons  at  the  last.  In  1830  it  was  given  up. 
One  may  yet  see  the  ruins  of  the  old  building  there. 

The  old  forge  tract  at  Reed's,  where  Col.  Meason 
had  an  iron-works  called  LTnion  Forge,  was  occupied 
at  a  later  date,  about  1849,  by  Bowen,  Wheatley  & 
Witter,  who  carried  on  an  edge-tool  factory  there. 
They  gave  up  the  business  in  1856.  Touching  Hamp- 
den Forge,  already  mentioned,  it  is  pertinent  to  note 
that  in  May,  1800,  John  Ferrell,  manager  at  the  forge, 
advertised  for  sale  "  castings  light  and  tough  at  one 
hundred  dollars  a  ton,  also  bar  iron."  He  expected 
soon  to  have  "  some  rolled  iron  nail-rods  and  cut  nails, 
the  latter  at  eight  cents  a  pound." 

TOWNSHIP   ORGANIZATION   AND   CIVIL   LIST. 

Dunbar  township  was  erected  by  the  Court  of  Quar- 
ter Sessions  in  December,  1798.  The  record  referring 
to  the  matter  reads  as  follows: 

"  On  the  i.etition  of  a  number  of  the  inhabit.inis  of  Franklin 
to\vr!ilii|i.  ]>r:iving  for  a  division  of  the  said  township  by  tho 
following  boondarics,  to  wit:  Beginning  at  Bird's  old  road  at 
tlie  crossing  of  tlie  road  leading  from  Uniontown  to  Dickinson's 
mill;  tlicncc  by  the  s;iid  road  and  the  road  that  leads  to  Mathcw 
Willoy's.  leaving  his  house  to  tho  east  side ;  thence  by  a  straight 
line  to  Youghiogcni  Uivcr,  a  liltle  east  of  William  Hamilton's 
house,  it  is  considered  by  the  court  that  the  prayer  of  the  said 
petition  be  granted,  and  that  the  upi)er  or  cast  division  bewailed 
'Dunbar  township."' 

The  civil  list  of  the  township  from  1798  to  1881 
has  been  gathered  as  best  it  could  be  from  imper- 
fectly kept  records,  and  is  given  as  follows : 


John  Cannon. 
J^ohn  Ha 


ilton. 


1500.  John  Rogers. 
John  Dungan. 

1501.  David  Cathcart. 

1502.  David  Cathcart. 
Thomas  Little. 

1803.  William  Moreland. 


SUPERVISORS. 

18Ua.  Robert  McLaughlin. 

1504.  David  Byers. 
Robert  McLaughlin. 

1505.  John  Stricklcr. 
William  Elliott. 

1506.  Henry  Wile. 
James  Rogers. 

1807.  John  McDowell. 
John  Oldshoe. 


OVERSEERS    OF  THE   POOR, 
acob  Stricklcr.  ISO:!.  Williat 


Joshua  Dickinson. 
1800.  Josejih  Torrcnco. 

Thomas  Parkinson. 
ISOl.  Thomas  Little. 

Samuel  Work. 

1802.  Jacob  Murphy. 
William  Moreland. 

1803.  Phineas  Porter. 


1803.  William  Miller. 

1804.  John  Dougan. 
Samuel  Preston. 

1805.  Caleb  Squibb. 
Mathew  Willey. 

1806.  John  Fell. 
Mathew  Willey. 

laor.  James  Paull. 

William  Patterson 


DUNBAR  TOWNSHIP. 


511 


CONSTABLKS. 

1871.  II.  Hoardy. 

1877.  William  Brown. 

179!l.  Jncob  Murphy. 

1803.  John  McLaughlin. 

C.  Woodward. 

C.  S.  Beatty. 

ISnO.  Samuel  Preston. 

1804.  David  Cathcart. 

J.  W.  Hair. 

1878.  J.  Welshons. 

ISni.  S.amuel  Work. 

1805.  Benjamin  Byers. 

1872.  A.  S.  McDowell. 

J.  W.  Fairchilds. 

1SU2.  Isaiah  Mercian  J. 

1806-7.  Samuel  Patterson. 

L.  L.  C.llins. 

W.  Hartwick. 

AUDITORS. 

S.  Harper. 
1873.  Esquire  Edwards. 

1879.  George  McClary. 
Henry  Shafer. 

1841.  Joseph  Striekler. 

1865.  S.  Craig. 

Christy  Artis. 

W.  B.  Minor. 

1842.  Andrew  Byers. 

1866.  A.J.Allen. 

1874.  James  Humbert. 

1880.  James  Seaton. 

1343.  Richard  Brookens. 

1SC7.  G.  J.  Ashman. 

Alexander  Porter. 

Isaac  Hurst. 

1844.  JohnReece. 

1868.  J.  H.  Darby. 

1875.  William  Reynolds. 

Andrew  Bryson. 

1845.  D.ivid  Moreland. 

J.  R.  Barker. 

A.  Minerd. 

F.  E.  Oglevee. 

1881.  C.S.  Beatty. 

a.  R.  Griffith. 

1846.  John  McBurney. 

1869.  R.  J.  Allen. 

1876.  William  Hughes. 

1847.  Joseph  Striekler. 

■W.  R.  Patterson. 

C.  S.  Beatty. 
John  Hair. 

18J8.  John  V.  Reeoe. 

1870.  C.  S.  Beatty. 

R.  J.  Carter. 

1849.  David  Moreland. 

Thomas  Reiner. 

W.  F.  Holsing. 

S.  H.  Patterson. 

1850.  Martin  B.  Stauffer. 

1871.  J.  R.  Bunker. 

ASSEf.'JORS. 

1851.  A.  H.  Patterson. 

1872.  R.  J.  Allen. 

1840.  John  Clark. 

1859.  Daniel  Harper. 

1860.  Alfred  Cooper. 

1861.  Robert  Rankin. 

1S52.  John  H.  Leighty. 

1873.  R.  M.  Boyer. 

1841.  George  Graham. 

1853.  Joseph  Torrence. 

1874.  J.  R.  Bunker. 

1842.  John  W.  Co.\. 

1854.  David  Moreland. 

Ewing  Porter. 

1843.  John  Beattie. 

1862.  John  S.  Reece. 

1855.  James  Curry. 

1875.  Philip  Ogleve. 

1844.  George  Graham. 

1863.  John  Freeman. 

1856.  Joseph  Moreland. 

1876.  Samuel  Craig. 

1845.  Isaac  Shallc-nbergcr. 

1864.  J.  A.  McClelland. 

1857.  David  Moreland. 

Robert  Boyer. 

1846.  John  Clark. 

1865.  A.  Shallenlierger. 

1866.  W.  ILarper. 

1867.  M.  Porter. 

185K.  George  Ashman. 

R.  J.  Allen. 

John  V.  Reeee. 

Alexander  Patterson. 

1877.  R.  J.  Allen. 

1847.  Thomas  Leighty. 

1S59.  Hugh  Cameron. 

1878.  John  Murray. 

1848.  David  Walker." 

1868.  J.  W.  Hair. 

1800.  Malhew  Byers. 

1879.  A.  C.  Brown. 

1849.  William  H.  Brown. 

1869.  6.  R.  Griffith. 

1861.  William  Harper. 

1880.  J.  R.  Bunker. 

1850.  John  R.  Smith. 

1871.  R.  Rankin. 

1862.  John  A.  McClelland. 

J.  W.  Hair. 

1851.  John  V.  Reece. 

1872-74.  W.  H.  Harper. 
1875-76.  J.  R.  Bunker. 

1863.  Daniel  Harper. 

1881.  J.  L.  Keffer. 

1852.  John  Boyer. 

1S64.  G.  J.  Ashman. 

1853.  John  Junk. 

1877.  J.  H.  Co.'c. 

SCHOOL  D 

IRECTOItS. 

1854.  Stephen  Varnes. 

1S78.  James  Barnart. 

1840.  Joseph  Striekler. 

1856.  Isaac  Munson. 

1855.  George  W.  Cox. 

1879.  R.  M.  Boyer. 

Samuel  A.  Russell. 

Robert  Ilusted. 

1856.  Thomas  Sherwood. 

James  Barnart. 

1841.  Phineas  Porter. 

1857.  Moses  Porter. 

1857.  Samuel  Harper. 

1880.  Edward  G.  Lincoln. 

John  Moreland. 

George  AVhite. 

1858.  Isaac  Hurst. 

1881.  J.-R.  Dillon. 

1842.  Charles  McLaughlin". 

J.  A.  McDowell. 

JUSTICES  OF 

THE   PEACE. 

Aaron  Work. 

1858.  John  Freeman. 

1840.  Jesse  Bunker. 

1800.  Robert  Gaddis. 

1843.  John  Clark. 

Henry  Golley. 

Ephraim  Butcher. 

Joseph  Bute. 

"James  Burton. 

1859.  Jesse  Oglevee. 

1844.  J.ihn  Beatty. 

1863.  G.  R.  Bowers. 

1844.  Joseph  Striekler. 

Jacob  Humber. 

James  H.  White. 

1865.  G.  Ashman. 

Josejih  Paull. 

1860.  Nathan  Lewis. 

1847.  William  R.  Turner. 

1868.  G.  R.  Bowers. 

1845.  Joseph  Moreland. 

James  Allen. 

Daniel  Harper. 

R.  McDowell,  Sr. 

Andrew  C.  Byers. 

1S6I.  D.aniel  Harper. 

William  W.alker. 

1869.  J.  Speers. 

1846.  Jesse  Oglcvee. 

Samuel  Crossland. 

1848.  Robert  Norris. 

1870.  A.  H.  Patterson. 

William  Ball. 

1862.  David  Stull. 

1852.  Daniel  Harper. 

1871.  W.H.  Speers. 

1847.  Jesse  Miller. 

Nathaniel  G.  Hurst. 

William  R.  Turner. 

1872.  J.  R.  Bunker. 

James  R.  McDowell. 

1863.  James  Beattie. 

Joseph  P.  Blakeny. 

1873.  George  P.  Bowers. 

1848.  Joseph  Striekler. 

Joseph  Oglevee. 

1853.  George  R.  Bowers. 

1878.  Josiah  Allen. 

James  Blackstone. 

1S64.  J.  AVilley. 

1S57.  Adam  Kiffer. 

A.  J.  Fairchilds. 

1849.  Mathew  D.  Gilchrist. 

J.  H.  Moore. 

Sihvs  White. 

W.  C.  Cotton. 

William  H.  Harper. 

1865.  C.  Stauffer. 

1858.  George  R.  Boyer. 

1879.  George  W.  Porter. 

1850.  James  Curry. 

A.  Striekler. 

CLE 

RKS. 

John  Bolton. 

1866.  T.  G.  Sherwood. 

1840.  .John  Haslet. 

1866.  J.  Morehead. 

1851.  Thomas  Henderson. 

J.  Beattie. 

1844.  John  Clark. 

1867-68.  N.  G.  Hurst. 

John  Boyer. 

W.  Hughes. 

1845-47.  Robert  Rankin. 

1870.  W.  H.  Speers. 

1S52.  William  Harper. 

1867.  J.  Allen. 

1848.  Martin  B.  Stouffer. 

1871.  J.  M.  Work. 

Thomas  Rodgers. 

J.  Runer. 

1852.  David  Turner. 

1872.  J.  Junk. 

1853.  John  Bunker. 

1868.  C.  Woodward. 

1855-56.  James  C.  Guthrie. 

1875.  Josiah  Allen. 

Zachariah  Ball. 

W.  H.  Moreland. 

1858.  Joseph  Oglevee. 

1876.  S.  H.  Mulholland. 

1854.  A.  II.  Patterson. 

John  Speers. 

1859.  James  Taylor. 

1877.  William  Harper. 

M.  B.  Stauffer. 

1869.  R.  Boyer. 

1860.  Mordecai  McDonald. 

1878.  J.  D.  Craig. 

1855.  Stephen  Leighty. 

AV.  Hughes. 

1861.  John  Truman. 

1879.  J.  M.  Work. 

John  H.  Leighty. 

1870.  M.  Porter. 

1862.  John  Freeman. 

1880.  W.H.  Speers. 

1856.  Joseph  Paull. 

S.  Edwards. 

1863-65.  J.  R.  McDowell. 

1881.  R.  M.  Boyer. 

HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


VILLAUE  OF  EAST  LIBERTY. 
The  village  of  East  Liberty,  located  upon  a  high 
bluff  overlooking  the  Youghioghcny  River,  opposite 
the  village  of  Dawson,  and  about  four  miles  below 
Connellsville,  bears  the  impress  of  age  in  numerous 
abandoned  and  decaying  log  buildings,  whose  pres- 
ence bestows  upon  the  plare  a  shadow  of  neglect, 
though  there  is  considerable  animation  at  the  town's 
business  centre,  and  much  that  betokens  a  brisk  and 
lively  spirit.  The  village  history  reckons  backward 
to  at  least  1792,  in  which  year  Joshua  Dickinson 
caused  a  town  survey  to  be  made.  In  the  fall  of  that 
year  Andrew  Bryson  built  the  first  house.  One  of 
the  old  log  houses  still  there  bears  upon  its  chimney 
the  date  1796.  It  is  now  occupied'  by  Mrs.  Whittaker. 
Another  house  bearing  upon  its  chimney  the  date 
17'.i7  is  the  present  residence  of  Ann  Strickler.  Since 
1>;10,  it  is  said,  no  log  houses  have  been  built  in  East 
Lil'irty.  William  McBurney,  who  was  born  in  East 
Lil'  rty  in  1808,  and  has  lived  in  the  village  ever 
sUice,  says  that  his  father,  Robert  McRurney,  came 
from  Maryland  in  1798  to  visit  Robert  Boyd,  liis 
brother-in-law,  then  living  in  Dunbar  township,  al)(>ut 
one  mile  from  East  Liberty.  McBurney  was  a  black- 
smith, and  being  at  that  time  in  search  of  a  business 
location,  was  strongly  advised  by  Boyd  to  set  up  a 
shop  at  East  Liberty.  He  acted  upon  t!ie  sus-jestion, 
and  occni)ipd  without  delay  an  nbamloncd  black- 
smith's shop,  previously  occu|iii'd  by  some  person  now 
not  remembered.  There  was  at  that  time  a  small  col- 
lection of  houses  there,  incluiliiii;  that  of  Andrew 
liyers,  the  tavern-keeper,  and  Samuel  Brown,  a  liatter, 
who  was  then  living  in  the  house  now  occupied  by 
William  McBurney.  That  house  Mr.  McBurney  has 
alwaj-s  understood  to  have  been  the  first  building 
erected  in  East  Liberty.  The  village  was  laid  out,  as 
said,  by  Joshua  Dickinson,  who  directly  sold  the  en- 
tire plat  to  Allen,  Craig,  and  Byers. 

The  reasons  for  laying  out  n  villiiL'e  here  were  prob- 
ably because  of  the  comnuunling  and  healthful  site, 
and  because  the  mainly  traveled  liiLfhway  between 
Uniontown  and  Greenslnuir  j.a-^el  tlie  place.  Andrew 
Byers,  one  of  the  town  proprietor-,  lived  in  the  vil- 
lage and  kept  tavern,  and  as  Josiah  Allen  was  a  .store- 
keeper in  Dunbar  township  in  1799,  it  is  more  than 
likely  that  his  store  was  at  East  Liberty.  After  Byers 
the  tavern  was  kept  by  one  Arthur  Hurry  (previously 
a  tailor  in  East  Liberty),  -who  was  especially  famous  j 
for  having  a  scolding  wife,  whose  sole  delight  appeared 
to  exist  in  making  Hurry's  life  one  of  misery.  Before 
the  village  was  laid  out  Joshua  Dickinson  built  the  I 
grist-mill  now  occupied  as  the  mill  of  Oglevee  Broth-  I 
ers.  In  1814,  Matthew  Cannon  kept  a  store  as  well  as 
tavern  in  the  village,  and  following  him  as  a  village 
trader  came  William  McMullen.  A  more  pretentious 
store  than  had  before  been  opened  was  that  of  Robert 
McBurney,  who,  in  1823,  turned  his  smithy  over  to  I 

^  Since  deniolislied,  I 


one  of  his  sons  and  became  a  merchant.     It  may  be 
i  remarked  that  since  1798  a  McBurney  has  always 
been  a  blacksmith  at  Ea.st  Liberty,  William  McBur- 
ney, the  present  representative  of  the  name,  having 
[  been  in  the  bu.siness  there  since  1835  on  his  own  ac- 
f  count,  and  a  blacksmith  there  since  1828. 

The  first  resident  physician  was  probably  a  Dr. 
Johnson,  who  is  said  to  have  practiced  there  from 
'  1800  to  1807.     After  Dr.  Johnson's  departure  no  doc- 
tor located  there  until  1834,  when  Dr.  Wilson  came. 
He  remained  until  1840,  and  then  left  the  field  to  Dr. 
Samuel  Stahl,  whose  stay  covered  a  period  of  about 
;  twelve  years.     Dr.  Charles  Chalfant  came  about  1854, 
j  and  remained  until  his  death,  a  few  years  later.     Dr. 
I  McCoy  spent  but  a  short  time  in  the  village,  and  re- 
moved then    to  Springfield  township.      Dr.   Barnet 
entered  the  army  from  East  Liberty  for  service  during 
^  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,   and  died  in  the  service. 
i  Dr.  O.  P.  Brashear,  who  succeeded  Dr.  Barnet  in  vil- 
I  lage  practice,  left  in  1874,  and  lives  now  in  Browns- 
ville.    After  him  Dr.  Sidman  Stahl  located,  but  de- 
]iartcd  after  a   brief  sojcuu-n.      Since  his  time  East 
Lilierty  has  been  without  a  physician. 
I       East  Liberty's  first  postmaster  was  John  McBurney, 
who  served  from  182(5  to  his  death  in  1848,  one  year 
after  the  death  of  his  father,  Robert. 

William  Beatty  followed  hinr,  and  was  himself  suc- 
ceeded by  Samuel  F.  Randolph,  Robert  McBurney 
I  (the  younger),  Joseph  Oglevee,  Susan  Ransom,  Wil- 
liam McBurney,  John  Stoner,  and  Daniel  Reynolds. 
Upon  the  close  of  Reynolds' service,  in  1874,  a  strong 
effort  was  made  by  the  rival  village  of  Alexandria  to 
secure  the  post-oflice  for  that  place,  and  a  sharp  con- 
test setting  in  between  the  two  villages  upon  the 
question,  much  bitter  feeling  was  engendered.  Alex- 
andria won  the  day,  and  East  Liberty  post-office  was 
accordingly  given  over  to  that  town,  wdiere  it  still 
remains. 

East  Liberty  has  received  a  check  to  its  progress 
in  the  presence  of  the  village  of  Alexandria  less  than  a 
mile  away,  but  still  maintainsafairshareofthe  trade  of 
the  surroundiui;  country.  The  Oglevee  Brothers  have  a 
fine  store  there,  and  do  a  satisfactory  business.  Joseph 
Oglevee,  the  head  uf  the  firm,  has  been  a  merchant  at 
East  Liberty  since  1856.  There  is  also  at  the  village 
a  capacious  foundry  and  machine-shop,  where  plows 
and  other  agricultural  implements  are  manufactured. 
H.  B.  Snyder,  the  present  proprietor,  .succeeded  George 
Balsley  therein  in  1867,  and  in  that  year  materially 
enlarged  the  works. 

East  Liberty  has  long  been  a  temperance  town,  and 
consequently  a  well-behaved  one.  There  was  a  time, 
however,  when  that  could  not  have  been  truthfully 
said,  for  wliisky  once  flowed  like  water  there.  No 
less  than  three  taverns  thrived  in  the  village  simulta- 
neously, and  turmoils  were  so  frequent  that,  for  lack 
of  a  more  expressive  designation,  peacefully  inclined 
citizens  gave  to  East  Liberty  the  name  of  Flint  Mill. 
Matters  got  to  such  a  bad  state  that  the  better-disposed 


DUNBAR  TOWNSHIP. 


513 


members  of  the  community  arose  in  their  might  and 
dcchired  tlie  traffic  in  strong  drink  must  ce;uie.  So 
when  Kobert  Huey  opened  a  tavern,  a  company  of 
men  demolished  his  doors  and  windows  and  warned 
liim  to  leave.  Without  waiting  for  further  notice  he 
did  leave,  and  with  his  departure  ended  whisky-selling 
in  the  village. 

Evidence  of  East  Liberty  enterprise  was  seen  in 
the  erection  in  the  summer  of  1881  of  a  concert  hall, 
mainly  for  the  use  of  the  East  Liberty  Band.  The 
corner-stone  is  a  relic  of  the  past.  It  was  the  corner- 
stone of  a  building  erected  in  East  Liberty  in  1795, 
and  bears  this  inscription:  "a.d.  1795,  rebuilt  a.d. 
1881." 

THE    VILLAGE    OF    DUXBAR. 

Dunbar  village,  a  station  on  the  Southwestern 
Pennsylvania  as  well  as  on  the  Fayette  County  Rail- 
road, lies  about  six  miles  south  of  New  Haven.  The 
village  proper  contains  a  population  of  about  one 
thousand,  while  an  outlying  district,  reaching  to  the 
Dunbar  Furnace  and  neighboring  coke-burning  dis- 
tricts, contains  more  than  the  same  number.  The 
chief  interests  are  those  of  iron-making,  coal-mining, 
and  coke-burning,  in  which  industries  nearly  a  thou- 
sand persons  are  employed.  Railway  traffic  at  this 
point  is  especially  active.  About  fifty  trains  pass  the 
station  daily.  Of  these  twenty-one  are  passenger-trains, 
and  the  residue  freight  and  coke  trains.  Dunbar 
Creek,  a  rapid  mill-stream,  passes  through  the  village, 
and  drives  a  grist-mill  and  woolen-mill,  which  with 
a  planing-mill  are  the  only  manufacturing  industries 
at  the  village  aside  from  iron  and  coke  manufacture. 
To  about  the  latter  part  of  1859  there  was  no  settle- 
ment worthy  of  notice  at  the  place  now  called  Dunbar 
village,  though  there  had  been  a  settlement  at  the 
Furnace  for  seventy  years.  In  1850  the  only  house  on 
the  village  site  was  the  residence  of  Alexander  Martin, 
a  carpenter,  now  carrying  on  a  planing-mill  at  the 
village.  Mr.  Martin's  house  of  1850  is  now  the  resi- 
dence of  Mrs.  Cameron.  Mr.  Martin  sold  his  house 
to  Hugh  Cameron  in  1853,  at  which  time  Cameron 
opened  a  shoemaking  shop  in  it.  John  Speers  had 
been  carrying  on  since  1841  the  stone  grist-mill  now 
•the  property  of  his  son  William,  and  built  by  Jacob 
Lowry  and  John  Strickler  in  1815.  Farther  up  the 
stream  James  Hankins  operated  the  woolen-mill  now 
owned  by  Daniel  Harper.  Where  John  Bunker  now 
lives  he  and  his  father  had  a  wagon-shop.  There 
was  a  store  at  the  Furnace,  but  at  the  village  there 
was  none  until  after  the  completion  through  Dunbar 
of  the  Fayette  County  Railroad,  in  the  winter  of 
1859-60.  The  first  village  store  was  built  by  John 
Hardy,  and  stood  opposite  where  the  Southwestern 
passenger  depot  stands.     The  building  is  still  there. 

Although  the  opening  of  the  railway  was  thought 
likely  to  create  a  new  town  there  in  a  short  time, 
the  anticipation  was  slow  of  fulfillment.  To  1866 
Dunbar  was  but  a  flag-station,  with  a  shanty  depot 


at  Speers'  saw-mill.  A  post-office  was  established  in 
1860,  and  the  postmastership  given  to  Daniel  Hardy. 
Previous  to  that  there  was  a  post-office  in  Woodvale 
School  District,  called  Woodvale  Post-Office.  Of 
that  office  William  Walker  was  postmaster.  In  1865 
Daniel  Harper  resigned  the  Dunbar  postmastership, 
which  was  then  given  to  Sophia  Devan,  the  present 
incumbent.  In  1866,  when  the  Dunbar  Iron  Com- 
pany took  hold  of  the  furnace,  there  was  a  consider- 
able brightening  at  the  village,  and  matters  looked 
up  with  a  promise  of  vigorous  growth.  At  that  time 
two  stores  were  kept  there, — one  by  Mrs.  Mary  A. 
Bird,  and  one  by  Slocum  &  Walters.  In  1868  John 
Speers  opened  a  store  at  his  grist-mill.  The  first 
general  store,  and  the  first  one  with  claims  to  impor- 
tance, was  that  of  Watt,  Reid  &  Co  (opened  in  1871), 
now  owned  by  .1.  M.  Reid. 

The  first  public-house  at  the  village  was  built  by 
John  II:irdy,  and  o|iened  by  James  Patterson  in  1868. 
The  hdii^i'  is  now  closed.  Patrick  McFarlane,  its  last 
landlor.l,  vacated  it  in  February,  1881.  The  first 
drug-store  was  opened  near  the  mill  by  George  W. 
Speers,  and  the  first  undertaker's  shop  by  J.  R.  Beers. 
As  already  observed,  the  first  carpenter  was  Alexan- 
der Martin,  and  the  first  wagon-maker  Jesse  Bunker. 
The  village  progressed  steadily  in  strength,  and  when 
the  coke-making  interests  developed  the  village  grew 
rapidly.  The  first  survey  of  village  lots  was  made  in 
1867,  by  John  Speers,  and  the  second  in  1870,  by 
David  Turner,  both  surveys  being  made  upon  Thomas 
W.  Watt's  property,  now  the  village  site.  In  1876 
the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railroad  was  completed, 
and  by  that  time  Dunbar  had  taken  on  a  healthy 
growth,  which  since  that  period  has  continued  to 
keep  pace  with  the  profitable  progress  of  adjacent 
coal,  coke,  and  iron  interests. 

LTp  to  1871  there  was  no  resident  physician  at  Dun- 
bar, although  from  about  1842,  Dr.  J.  G.  Rogers,  liv- 
ing at  Joseph  Paull's,  near  the  village,  practiced  here, 
and  was  to  all  intents  a  village  physician.  Dr.  Rogers 
practiced  in  that  neighborhood  nearly  all  the  time 
from  1842  to  1876,  when  he  removed  to  Florida  and 
there  died.  The  physician  who  first  made  his  home 
in  Dunbar  was  Dr.  J.  T.  Shepler,  who  came  in  No- 
vember, 1871,  remained  until  1873,  was  absent  until 
1876,  and  then  returning  has  been  in  practice  at  the 
village  to  the  present  time  in  association  with  Dr.  R. 
W.  Clark,  who  came  to  Dunbar  in  August,  1873.  In 
the  spring  of  that  year  Dr.  W.  J.  Hamilton  opened 
an  office,  and  still  remains  one  of  the  village  physi- 
cians. Dr.  Thomas  P.  Walker  has  been  one  of  Dun- 
bar's physicians  since  1879,  and  Dr.  A.  C.  Conley  since 
Jan.  1,  1880. 

The  Fayette  County  Railroad  station,  alluded  to  as 
having  been  first  located  at  Speers'  mill,  was  changed 
to  its  present  location  in  1865.  William  H.  Speers  was 
the  first  agent,  and  served  until  1865,  when  Thomas 
W.  Watt  was  appointed.  His  successor  was  Martin 
B.  Pope,  and  then  followed  John  Herron.     Cyrus  S. 


51  t 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Yard,  who  succeeded  Mr.  Herron,  is  still  the  agent  of 
the  Southwest  Railroad.  W.  N.  Rodkev  has  been  the 
Dunbar  agent  since  1<S76. 

AV'hen  there  began  to  be  signs  of  a  village  in  ISoS, 
Albert  Cheney  and  John  Speers  told  old  Jesse  Bunker 
that  the  new  town  should  be  called  Dunbar  City, 
but  to  this  Mr.  Bunker  made  objection,  saying  that  if 
there  was  to  be  a  new  village  it  must  be  called  Frog- 
town,  after  the  little  settlement  that  once  clustered 
about  Bunker's  house.  Cheney  and  Speers  insisted, 
however,  for  Dunbar  City,  and  despite  the  old  man's 
warm  feeling  upon  the  subject  and  his  disgust  at  the 
eventual  change  in  name,  Dunbar  City  was  recog- 
nized as  the  designation  of  the  village  for  about  two 
years,  when  the  "  City"  was  dropped  as  rather  far- 
fetched. The  jilace  called  Frogtown  w^as  originally 
known  as  Unionville  as  early  as  the  year  1810.  At  [ 
that  time  there  was  a  store  there  (kept  by  John  Mc- 
Clelland), and  beyond  it  a  tavern,  opened  by  William 
Hoople  in  180.5,  and  of  which  the  landlord  in  1810  was 
Isaac  Bryson.  Near  by  were  Jacob  Lowry's  mill,  Isaac 
Bryson's  still-house,  and  Phineas  Porter's  tan-yard. 
Both  store  and  tavern  were  abandoned  by  1813.  The 
log  cabin  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Wilson  as  a  residence 
was  tlirn  Porter's  tannery.  In  1818,  Jesse  Bunker, 
who  in  l>;n,s  was  apprenticed  to  Joseph  Bell,  a  wagon- 
mnkerat  East  Lil.erty,  and  in  1813  worked  as  wagon- 
maker  for  Col.  l.-aac  Meason  at  Union  Furnace,  opened 
a  whcelwriglit-shop  at  Unionville,  where  he  had 
bought  of  Isaac  Meason  a  small  patch  of  land.  His 
house,  which  stood  ne.^t  to  McClelland's  store,  is  now 
the  residence  of  his  son,  John  Bunker,  who  owns  also 
the  building  used  by  McClelland  as  a  store-bouse. 
Unionville  lay  on  the  road  from  Union  Furnace  to 
the  Plunisock  rolling-mill,  and  was  at  one  time 
thought  to  promise  something  of  consequence  in  the 
matter  of  growth.  Frogtown  was  a  name  bestowed 
upon  it  in  derision  by  some  person,  and  as  it  hap- 
pened that  people  generally  about  there  thought 
Frogtown  was  more  appropriate  than  Unionville  the 
former  prevailed.  Frogtown  did  not,  however,  lul- 
fill  the  destiny  predictetl  for  it  by  its  enthusiastic 
citizens,  but  faded  out  within  a  few  years  of  its  birth. 
Jesse  Bunker  stuck  to  it  despite  its  ill  fortune,  and 
stuck  to  his  wagon-shop  until  his  death  in  1872,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-four  years. 

THE  VILLAGE  OF  ALEXANDRIA. 
In  1871  there  was  a  strong  promise  of  a  railway 
line  across  Dunbar,  to  touch  a  point  just  above  East 
Liberty,  and  Alexander  J.  Hill  concluded  that  as 
the  proposed  line  would  cross  his  farm  he  would  lay 
out  a  town  there.  He  therefore  surveyed  a  field  into 
village  lots,  named  the  site  Alexandria,  and  readil}' 
sold  the  lots,  for  the  prospect  of  a  railroad  seemed 
wellnigh  certain.  Although  the  railway  project  mis- 
c  irried  at  that  time,  much  to  the  grievous  disappoint- 
ment of  all  concerned  with  the  progress  of  Alexan- 
dria, the  outlook  at  this  present  time  is  exceedingly 


favorable  for  a  speedy  fulfillment  of  the  long-deferred 
scheme.  The  first  two  houses  built  in  Alexandria 
were  put  up  by  William  Clark  and  a  Mrs.  Hazen. 
A  store  was  soon  erected  by  William  Parkhill,  and 
thenceforward  improvements  progressed  steadily  if 
not  rapidly.  The  store,  having  passed  through  the 
hands  of  several  proprietors,  is  now  kept  by  Ewing 
Oglevee,  who  is  also  the  postmaster.  In  1874,  Alex- 
andria succeeded  in  obtaining  the  East  Liberty  post- 
office,  which  it  still  retains. 

Dr.  J.  D.  Haslett  became  the  village  physician  at 
Alexandria  in  1874,  and  still  remains.  The  only 
other  physician  known  to  local  history  was  Dr.  O.  D. 
Porter,  who  after  a  few  months'  trial  abandoned  the 
field.  The  village  contains  two  church  buildings, 
Presbyterian  and  Disciple,  a  school,  a  score  or  more 
of  dwellings,  and  various  minor  industries. 

CHURCHES. 
LAUREL   HILL   (PRESBYTERIAN)  CHURCH. 

This,  one  of  the  oldest  Presbyterian  Churches  in  Fay- 
ette County,  wa-  organized  by  Rev.  James  Power,  prob- 
ably ill  1771'.  although  the  loss  of  the  early  records  of 
the  chui-eh  I'reveiUs  a  positive  declaration  of  the  pre- 
cise date.  It  is  known  that  Jlr.  Power  was  licensed  to 
preach  in  the  spring  of  1773,  and  in  that  year  preached 
for  the  congregations  of  Laurel  Hill  and  Dunlap's 
Creek.  Mr.  Power,  whose  home  had  been  in  Chester 
County,  remained  a  while  in  the  missionary  field,  and 
then  concluding  to  make  his  permanent  home  in  tlie 
Dunlap's  Creek  valley,  returned  to  Chester  County,  and 
brought  out  his  family  in  1776.  Directly  upon  his 
return  he  is  supposed  to  have  organized  Laurel  Hill 
Church.  Unfortunately,  the  names  of  the  organizing 
member's  have  not  been  preserved.  Mr.  Power  en- 
joyed the  distinction  of  being  the  first  ordained  min- 
ister who  .settled  with  his  family  in  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania. It  may  also  be  observed  that  his  daughter 
Rebecca,  who  was  first  the  wife  of  Rev.  D.  Smith  and 
afterwards  of  Rev.  T.  Hunt,  was  the  first  child  born 
in  the  family  of  a  Presbyterian  minister  west  of  the 
Allegheny  Mountains.  She  was  born  December 
12,  1776,  within  the  bounds  of  the  Dunlap's  Creek 
congregation.  From  the  time  of  his  arrival,  in  the 
fall  of  1776,  until  1779,  Mr.  Power  devoted  his  time 
to  the  work  of  supplying  destitute  churches  generally, 
although  he  lived  at  Dunlap's  Creek,  and  regarded 
that  as  the  principal  point  of  his  labors.  In  the 
spring  of  1779  he  became  the  regular  pastor  of  the 
Mount  Pleasant  and  Sewickly  congregations.  To  that 
time  his  labors  were  given  aijiong  the  congregations 
of  Mount  Pleasant,  Sewickly,  Dunlap's  Creek,  Laurel 
Hill,  Tyrone,  and  Unity.  Early  in  1782  the  Laurel 
Hill  Church  engaged  Rev.  James  Dunlap  as  its  first 
pastor,  and  Oct.  15,  1782,  he  was  in.stalled  in  charge 
of  the  churches  at  Laurel  Hill  and  Dunlap's  Creek. 
He  dissolved  his  relation  with  Dunlai)'s  Creek  in 
1789,  but  remained  with  Laurel  Hill  until  1803,  when 
he  joined  the  Presbytery  of  Ohio,  and  in  that  year 


DUNBAll   TOWNSHIP. 


515 


was  chosen  president  of  Jefferson  College,  at  Canons- 
burg.  At  the  time  of  Mr.  Dunlap's  settlement  at 
Laurel  Hill  the  ruling  elders  were  John  Travis  and 
Samuel  Finley.  The  first  persons  ordained  ruling 
elders  after  his  settlement  were  James  McCIean, 
Samuel  McClean,  Daniel  McClean,  John  Allen, 
James  Wilkie,  and  John  Maxwell.  The  next  or- 
dained elders  during  the  same  pastorate  were  James 
Parker  and  James  Morrison. 

During  Mr.  Dunlap's  pastorate  there  arose  a  divis- 
ion in  the  congregation  because  of  the  introduction 
into  the  church  of  the  gospel  psalmody.  As  a  con- 
sequence about  one-third  of  the  members  withdrew 
and  organized  the  Laurel  Hill  United  Presbyterian 
(or  Seceders)  Church.  April  18,  1804,  Rev.  James 
Guthrie  was  called  to  be  the  pastor  of  Laurel  Hill, 
and  April  17,  1805,  was  installed.  The  ruling  elders 
at  that  time  were  Samuel  Finley,  Samuel  McClean, 
James  Halliday,  James  McCormick,  and  Joseph 
Morison.  The  first  ruling  elders  ordained  after  Mr. 
Guthrie's  coming  were  Joseph  Torrence,  James  Allen, 
and  Enoch  French.  The  second  addition  of  elders 
included  Patrick  Watson,  Andrew  Wiley,  and  John 
Clark.  In  1826,  D.  A.  C.  Sherrard  and  John  Larimer 
were  chosen  elders,  and  in  1833  Thomas  Greer,  John 
Morison,  S.  A.  Kussel,  A.  E.  Byers,  Robert  Davis,  and 
Mathew  Byers.  Mr.  Sherrard  served  as  ruling  elder 
from  1826  to  his  death  in  1880,  a  period  of  fitty-four 
years.  Mr.  Guthrie  labored  with  the  church  uninter- 
ruptedly for  the  space  of  fovty-five  years  or  until  his 
death,  which  took  place  Aug.  24, 1850.  A  marble  shaft 
in  Laurel  Hill  Cemetery  marks  his  last  resting-place, 
and  testifies  to  the  love  in  which  his  people  held  him. 
About  six  months  before  his  death  Jlr.  Guthrie  sug- 
gested that  as  the  infirmities  of  age  were  telling  sorely 
upon  him,  it  would  be  well  to  secure  some  minister  to 
be  co-pastor  with  him.  Tn  accordance  with  that  sug- 
gestion Rev.  Joel  Stoneroad  was  called  and  installed 
June  6,  1850.  Within  less  than  three  months  there- 
after, Mr.  Guthrie's  death  left  Laurel  Hill  to  the 
charge  of  Mr.  Stoneroad.  The  latter  preached  at 
Laurel  and  Tyrone  until  1861,  when  he  gave  his  entire 
time  to  Laurel  Hill.  In  1851  the  membership  of  the 
latter  was  one  hundred  and  thirty-six,  and  soon  rose 
to  one  hundred  and  fifty.  The  first  elders  chosen 
under  Mr.  Stoneroad's  pastorate  (in  1851)  were  James 
Stewart,  John  Clark,  W.  H.  Haslett,  and  James  Allen. 
The  next  additions  (in  1866)  were  William  Bryson, 
R.  H.  Smith,  James  Curry,  James  Henshaw,  Thomas 
G.  Sherrard,  and  Samuel  Watson.  The  last  two  de- 
clined to  serve.  After  a  pastorate  of  twenty-eight 
years,  Mr.  Stoneroad  was  compelled  in  1878  to  resign 
his  charge  by  reason  of  ill  health  and  bodily  infir- 
mities. He  lives  now  in  quiet  seclusion  not  far  from 
the  church.  After  depending  upon  supplies  about  a 
year  the  church  called  Rev.  R.  R.  Gailer,  now  in 
charge,  to  be  the  pastor,  and  Sept.  12,  1879,  he  was 
installed.  In  March,  1881,  the  membership  of  Laurel 
Hill  was  one  hundred  and  sixty.     Besides  the  house 


of  worship  at  Laurel  Hill,  there  is  also  Bethel  Chapel 
in  North  Union  township,  built  in  1877.  The  elders 
in  March,  1881,  were  James  Curry,  John  Wright,  E. 
H.  Smith,  Hervey  Smith,  George  Yeagley,  and  William 
Bryson.  The  trustees  were  Thomas  Phillips,  Ashbel 
Junk,  and  Caleb  Woodward.  The  Sunday-school, 
which  is  in  charge  of  the  pastor,  has  an  average  attend- 
ance of  eighty  teachers  and  pupils. 

The  following  account  of  the  church  edifices  of  old 
Laurel  Hill  Church  is  given  by  Robert  A.  Sherrard, 
whose  father  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  Dun- 
bar, and  a  prominent  member  of  this  congregation: 

''The  first  meeting-house  built  for  the  use  of  old 
Laurel  Hill  congregation  was  put  up  in  the  fall  of 
the  year  1778.  It  was  of  hewed  logs  and  shingled 
roof.  I  had  the  inforinatinn  iioui  William  Carson, 
whose  brother,  Alexandrr  ( 'msoii,  hewed  the  logs,  and 
after  the  house  was  raised  lie  shiiiL'led  it.  This  meet- 
ing-house did  not  stand  many  years,  as  it  was  a  mile 
from  the  centre  of  the  congregation,  and  as  the  great 
majority  of  the  congregation  [were]  farther  north  and 
west  by  three  or  four  miles.  In  the  course  of  a  few 
years  (1782)  a  new  site  was  selected,  a  vote  taken,  and 
by  a  very  large  majority  of  the  congregation  it  was 
agreed  to  build  upon  the  new  site.  Accordingly  a 
new  house  of  hewed  logs  was  built,  and  occupied  as 
a  meeting-house  for  said  Laurel  Hill  congregation 
until  the  year  1850,  at  which  time  they  erected  au 
elegant,  large,  and  spacious  brick  meeting-house." 

William  Carson  also  related  the  following  incident 
to  Mr.  Sherrard  : 

"  It  was  a  dense  forest  of  beautiful  white-oak  timber 
for  the  distance  of  a  mile  from  home  to  the  site  of  the 
meeting-house,  and  as  a  guide  his  brother  blazed  trees 
all  the  way  from  home  to  the  site ;  this  was  done  to 
mark  a  pathway  for  his  own  and  afterwards  for  the 
use  of  the  family  to  travel  along  on  Sabbath  days 
when  the  public  service  was  held  at  the  meeting- 
house." 

Mr.  Sherrard  says,  "  A  graveyard  had  been  formed 
for  some  three  or  four  years  before  the  first  meeting- 
house was  built.  And  there  old  Col.  PauU's  father, 
George  Paull,  was  buried  in  the  fall  of  1778.  And 
there  my  grandfather  was  buried  in  1780.  And  there 
his  daughter,  my  mother,  was  buried  in  1833." 

As  already  mentioned,  the  first  churchyard  was 
laid  out  in  1772,  at  the  old  church,  upon  the  present 
Joseph  Work  farm.  When  the  church  location  was 
changed  to  where  it  now  is  a  burial-place  was  set  apart 
there.  Among  the  oldest  headstone  inscriptions  to 
be  found  there  are  the  following:  Given  Scott,  1793; 
Andre  Scott,  1790 ;  John  Gilchrist,  1795 ;  Mary  Allen, 
1795;  Daniel  McClean,  1797;  James  Junk,  1799; 
Jane  Scott,  1797;  Mary  Work,  1800;  Joseph  Work, 
1800 ;  Johannah  Beatty,  1801  ;  Thomas  Preston,  1801 ; 
John  Allen,  1802 ;  Elizabeth  Gilchrist,  1804 ;  Agnes 
Work,  1810 ;  Martha  Guthrie,  1807  ;  Jaities  Paull,  Sr., 
1811  (aged  eighty-one) ;  John  A.  Scott,  1790 ;  Thomas 
Scott,  1811 ;  Sarah  Luckey,  1811  ;  Agnes  McDowell, 


516 


niSTORY   OF    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1801;  Wm.  Rogers,  1813;  Elizabeth  Peairs,  1814; 
Elisha  Peairs,  181G;  Jane  Rogers,  1815;  Susannah 
Hamilton,  1815 ;  George  Stewart,  1819 ;  Mary  Luckey, 
1821 ;  Thomas  Junk,  1821  ;  Margaret  Gilchrist,  1823 
(aged  ninety-three) ;  Joseph  Luckey,  1823. 

EAST   LIBERTY   CUMBERLAND   PRESBYTERIAN   CIIDRCH. 

The  first  member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
denomination  residing  in  Dunbar  township  was 
Henry  Leighty,  who  came  from  Harmony,  West- 
moreland Co.,  and  settled  at  East  Liberty.  Not  only 
was  he  the  first,  but  he  was  also  the  only  member  of 
that  denomination  in  the  vicinity  of  his  place  of  set- 
tlement for  some  years;  but  notwithstanding  this  fact, 
it  was  at  his  invitation  and  solicitation  that,  in  the 
year  1832,  the  Rev.  Isaac  Hague,  a  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterian preacher,  came  to  this  neighborhood  and  be- 
gan holding  religious  services.  His  preaching  was  so 
effective  that  in  a  short  time  he  had  gathered  a  con- 
gregation of  earnest  members.  When  compelled  to 
transfer  his  labors  to  some  other  portion  of  the  coun- 
try he  arranged  to  have  the  Rev.  A.  M.  Blackford  as- 
signed to  the  care  of  the  East  Liberty  congregation. 
The  result  of  Jlr.  Blackford's  ministrations  led  to  his 
organization  of  the  East  Liberty  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterian Church,  July  2, 1838.  The  organizing  mem- 
bers were  Henry  Leighty,  Catharine  Ash,  Susanna 
D.mgan,  Amy  Work,  Susan  Leighty,  Jane  Cooley, 
Nancy  Leighty,  Eliza  Leighty,  Mary  Little,  Char- 
lotte Leighty.  Henry  Leighty  w.as  chosen  ruling 
elder  in  the  spring  of  1839,  Rev.  Mr.  Blackford 
retired  from  the  charge  and  Elder  Leighty  removed 
from  the  bounds  of  the  congregation.  At  this  junc- 
ture several  of  the  members  concluded  to  make  their 
homes  in  other  parts,  and  thus  a  material  check  was 

set  upon  tl hmi-h's  progress.     During  the  summer 

of  l>;:;'.i  anil  1  >i  |o,  Ki'v.  A.  Shearer  supplied  occasional 
preacliiii;;,  and  :i-  the  few  remaining  members  of  the 
church  i\irii<(d  thiiii-clvi's  with  most  earnest  dili- 
gence t"  sustain  the  oriranization,  it  remained  intact, 
althouLrli  it  recpiircil  a  sharp  struggle  to  keep  it  so. 
From  April,  1841,  to  April,  1842,  there  was  scarcely 
any  preaching,  but  in  the  spring  of  1842,  Elder 
Leighty  returning,  he  reawakened  the  slumbering 
interest,  and  in  response  to  his  request  to  the  Union 
Presbytery  for  the  services  at  East  Liberty  of  some 
minister,  Jesse  Adams,  a  licentiate,  was  a.ssigned  to 
preach  there  a  portion  of  his  time.  His  labors  were 
attended  with  gratiiying  success,  and  during  the  year 
brought  fourteen  members  into  the  church.  These 
were  Joseph  Evans,  Joseph  Martin,  Mary  Martin, 
David  Leighty,  John  Ash,  Ann  Oglevee,  George 
Boyer,  Catluirine  Bover,  Francis  Lei-litv,  Ann  Se- 
crist,  Mary  Work,  Francis  Yarns,  ('oinn'l  Slii.kler, 
and  Elizabeth  Strickler.  During  lM->  a  h..us,.  of 
worship  was  erected,  and  there  was  a  substantial 
promise  of  much  permanent  prosperity.  June  17, 
1843,  Jesse  Oglevee  was  ordained  ruling  elder  by 
Kev.  S.  E.  Hudson.     Dec.  20,  1847,  John   Leighty, 


Abraham  Galley,  and  Joseph  Harper  were  chosen 
trustees.  The  succession  of  ministers,  beginning 
with  Rev.  Jesse  Adams'  time,  is  given  as  follows: 
Jesse  Adams,  April,  1842,  to  October,  1842;  A.  B. 
Brice,  October,  1842,  to  April,  1843;  William  Camp- 
bell, April,  1843,  to  April,  1846  ;  A.  G.  Osborn,  April, 
184(5,  to  April,  1848 ;  Messrs.  Osborn  and  Swain, 
April,  1848,  to  April,  1849:  A.  G.  Osborn,  April, 
1849,  to  April,  1856;   J.  S.  Gibson,  April,  1856,  to 

April,  1858;  J.  P.  Beard,  1858  to  fall  of  1859; 

Anderson,  from  that  time  to  1861  ;  J.  N.  Edmeston, 
1861  to  1864;  A.  J.  Swain,  1864  to  1871  ;  H.  S.  Dan- 
ley,  1871  to  1874 ;  E.  P.  Pharr,  1874  to  1877.  The 
pastor  now  in  charge  is  Rev.  K.  C.  Hayes. 

To  June  I,  1860,  the  number  of  persons  received 
into  membership  aggregated  three  hundred  and  ten. 
To  1881  the  members  received  numbered  six  hundred 
and  twenty-seven. 

The  membership  in  March,  1881,  was  about  three 
hundred.  The  greater  portion  thereof  worship  at  the 
East  Liberty  (or  Alexandria)  Church,  and  the  residue 
at  Summit  Chapel,  south  of  East  Liberty,  a  meeting- 
house provided  for  the  convenience  of  such  members 
of  the  congregation  as  live  in  that  vicinity.  Rev.  K. 
C.  Hayes,  called  in  1879  to  be  the  pastor,  preaches  at 
both  places.  In  1867  the  present  substantial  brick 
edifice  replaced  the  building  (likewise  brick)  setup 
in  1845.  Known  as  the  East  Liberty  Church,  it  is 
actually  located  at  Alexandria.  The  elders  in  March, 
1881,  were  Joseph  Cropp,  David  Snyder,  E.  B.  Porter, 
Farrington  Oglevee,  Joseph  Oglevee.  The  trustees 
were  J.  L.  Momyer,  L.  L.  Collins,  Watson  Dunn,  M. 
L.  Stoner,  Philip  Oglevee. 

BETHEL   CHAPEL. 

There  is  at  Alexandria  a  chapel,  in  which  mem- 
bers of  the  Bethel  Disciples'  Churcli  of  Tyrone  meet 
for  worship  once  a  fortnight.  The  chapel  was  built 
in  1875,  and  is  commodious  and  ne.it  but  tasteful  in 
design.    The  attendance  averages  fully  fifty  persons. 

METHODIST   PROTESTANT   CHURCH   OF   DUNBAR. 

About  the  year  1835  a  Methodist  Protestant  Church 
was  organized  in  Woodvale  School  District,  and  a 
stone  church  building  erected  upon  land  donated  by 
Joseph  Paull.  At  the  same  time  Mr.  Paull  made  a 
donation  of  land  for  a  burying-ground.  About  1866 
the  Woodvale  Church  was  abandoned,  and  in  1871 
was  demolished.  F>om  1866  to  1875  the  congrega- 
tion worshiped  in  the  village  school-house  at  Dun- 
bar. In  1875  the  present  house  of  worship  was 
erected.  The  present  enrollment  of  members  is  one 
hundred  and  fifty,  hut  the  membership  includes 
about  a  hundred.  The  pastor  is  Rev.  John  Hodgin- 
son,  the  preacher  on  the  Dunbar  charge,  which  in- 
cludes three  appointments.  Services  are  held  at 
Dunbar  once  in  two  weeks.  The  cla-ss-leader  at  Dun- 
bar is  Daniel  Cameron.  The  Sunday-school  super- 
intendent is  Lewis  McDowell. 


DUNBAR   TOWNSHIP. 


517 


ST.  ALOYSIUS'  CUUnCII  (ROMAS  CATHOLIC). 

Pievious  to  1873  the  Catholics  residing  at  Dunbar 
village  attended  church  at  Connellsville.  In  that 
year  Rev.  P.  Brady,  of  Myersdale,  in  Somerset  County, 
visited  Dunbar,  and  held  services  in  Maurice  Healy's 
house,  on  which  occasion  the  congregation  numbered 
about  a  hundred  persons.  In  1873  and  1874  he 
preached  at  Mr.  Healy's  house  once  a  month.  In 
1875  a  fine  house  of  worship  was  completed  at  Dun- 
bar and  dedicated  that  year.  It  was  built  of  brick, 
and  cost  eleven  thousand  dollars.  In  1875  Mr.  Brady 
became  the  resident  priest  at  Dunbar,  and  still  con- 
tinues in  charge.  The  congregation  includes  now 
(March,  1881)  from  three  hundred  to  three  hundred 
and  fifty  families.     Services  are  held  every  Sunday. 

DUNBAR  rRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Dunbar  was  organ- 
ized April  29,  1874,  by  the  Presbytery  of  Redstone. 
The  constituent  members  numbered  eighty-five,  of 
whom  the  greater  portion  had  been  members  of 
the  Connellsville  Presbyterian  Church.  Joseph 
Puull,  John  Taylor,  T.  W.  Watt,  and  James  L. 
PauU  were  chosen  ruling  elders.  In  1874  a  church 
was  built  at  a  cost  of  five  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars.  Nov.  9,  1874,  it  was  dedicated.  Services 
were  at  first  held  in  the  Harper  school-house  by 
Rev.  J.  M.  Barnett,  of  Connellsville,  who  supplied 
until  December,  1874,  when  Rev.  R.  T.  Price,  of  Alle- 
gheny City,  was  engaged,  and  Mr.  Price  is  still  the 
pastor.  Since  organization  two  hundred  and  eleven 
members  have  been  received.  Of  them  one  hundred 
and  fifty  remained  March  1,  1881.  The  Sunday- 
school,  in  charge  of  J.  L.  Paull  as  superintendent,  and 
James  Thompson  and  George  T.  Grifiin  as  assistants, 
has  an  average  attendance  of  one  hundred  and  fif- 
teen. The  church  elders  are  T.  W.  Watt,  J.  L.  Paull, 
Thomas  Reiner,  and  W.  H.  Barnes.  The  deacons  are 
A.  B.  Hosack,  James  Thompson,  W.  H.  Wilson,  and 
J.  W.  Guthrie. 

DUNBAU  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 

Dunbar  Methodist  Episcopal  class,  attached  to  Red- 
stone Circuit,  has  met  at  Dunbar  village  regularly 
every  fortnight  in  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion Building  since  the  beginning  of  1879.  The 
members  number  now  about  fifteen.  The  preacher  in 
charge  is  Rev.  Mr.  Husted.  The  class-leader  is  Wil- 
liam Rodkey.  A  house  of  worship  was  to  be  built 
during  the  summer  of  1881. 


A  Protestant  Episcopal  chapel  bearing  this  name 
occupies  a  site  near  the  Dunbar  Furnace.  It  was  j 
consecrated  March  8,  1881.  The  structure  cost  three 
thousand  dollars,  and  was  projected  and  completed 
mainly  through  the  efforts  of  Mrs.  A.  B.  De  Saulles. 
The  rector  at  New  Haven,  Rev.  Mr.  Stonax,  is  also 
rector  of  this  church. 


ST.   PAUL'S    CHURCH    (EPISCOPAL). 

About  the  year  1852,  St.  Paul's  Episcopal  Church 
was  organized,  and  a  house  of  worship  erected  in 
Woodvale  School  District,  on  land  owned  by  Mrs. 
Mary  Meason.  Among  the  fiimilies  prominent  in  the 
organization  were  the  Murphys,  Puseys,  Measons,  and 
Walkers.  The  congregation  was  snuill  at  the  outset, 
and  thus  remained  until  it  disbanded  about  ten  years 
later.  Pulpit  supplies  were  obtained  from  Connells- 
ville and  Uniontown,  but  at  no  time  were  church 
affairs  sufficiently  prosperous  to  warrant  the  engage- 
ment of  a  resident  rector.  In  a  little  while  the  re- 
moval from  the  township  of  leading  members  of  the 
church  began  to  weaken  the  organization,  and  in  18C2 
meetings  were  abandoned. 

SCHOOLS. 

Incidental  reference  to  some  of  the  early  private 
or  "subscription"  schools  taught  in  Dunbar  town- 
ship will  be  found  in  the  history  of  the  township's 
early  settlement.  The  remote  period  at  which  the 
settlement  of  Dunbar  began  makes  the  task  of  re- 
citing early  school  history  a  vague  and  unsatisfactory 
one  at  best.  Every  small  settlement  had  its  school 
as  soon  as  the  most  important  matter  of  settlement 
was  thoroughly  adjusted,  and  these  humble  school- 
houses  were  scattered  over  the  country,  and  mul- 
tiplied rapidly  as  the  country  was  peopled  and  de- 
veloped. One  of  the  most  important  schools  of  the 
early  era  in  Dunbar  appears  to  have  been  opened  by 
the  Rev.  James  Dunlap,  pastor  of  the  Laurel  Hill 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  William  Littell,  Esq.  An 
old  newspaper  advertisement  shows  that  the  school 
was  opened  in  1794,  and  that  the  preceptors  were 
ready  to  receive  pupils,  to  whom  would  be  taught 
"elocution  and  the  English  language  grammatically, 
together  with  the  Latin,  Greek,  and  Hebrew  lan- 
guages, geometry  and  trigonometry,  with  their  appli- 
cation to  mensuration,  surveying,  gauging,  etc.;  like- 
wise geography  and  civil  history,  natural  and  moral 
philosophy,  logic,  and  rhetoric."  They  set  forth, 
moreover,  that  "boarding,  washing,  etc.,  may  be  had 
at  reputable  houses  in  the  neighborhood,  at  the  low 
rate  often  pounds  per  annum."  The  school  building 
is  believed  to  have  been  located  on  the  old  Tanner 
farm,  formerly  owned  by  Col.  William  Swearingen, 
and  later  by  Charles  McLaughlin.  It  was  probably 
continued  by  Mr.  Dunlap  until  1803,  when  he  was 
called  to  the  presidency  of  Jefferson  College,  at  Can- 
onsburg,  Pa.  Littell  was  subsequently  well  known 
as  a  Kentucky  lawyer  and  author. 

The  public  school  system  was  inaugurated  in  18.35, 
and  May  22d  of  that  year  the  school  appropriation  ap- 
portioned to  Dunbar  was  $113.33]  from  the  State  and 
S226.66.>  from  the  county.  Dunbar's  first  report  under 
the  law  was  made  Oct.  16,  18.35. 

The  annual  report  for  the  school  year  ending  June 
7, 1880,  gives  details  touching  Dunbar's  public  schools 
as  follows : 


HISTORY   OF    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Whole  nuuibei-  of  school-i 

19 

"             female     "                                                   

6 

Average  salaries  of  males  jier  month 

??.4  28 
S:!!  (in 

S2-t 

Average  percentage  of  attendance 

Cost  per  month 

83 
SO  Ii7 

•'       "    buiUing     " 

Total  amount  of  tax  levied  fur  school  and  building 

'Jt-lle  'mnronriation 

101)7  2i 

Receipts  from  taxes  and  all  sources  except  State  ap- 

T.S'^e^i'pJl ■■'■■■■■■" 'zz ::::::::::":::::: 

5297.78 

Cost  of  school-houses— purchasing,  building,  renting 

634  01 

raid  fur  .,.„  !,.,.■  u:,.-... 

Paidl..rl:  .     :,,,       u     i.^.uccs,  IVos,.fc:jlloctMrs.  etc, 

and  :ill    '        ■    :  ■  :  •>  ■  

Total  c^|n  hlitiin- 

3810.00 

49'!.. i2 
49.".4.o3 

' 

SOCIETIE.S    AXD    ORDERS. 
KING   D.^VID    LODGE,   No.  S2C,   I.  0.  0.  F. 

This  lodge  of  I.  O.  O.  F.  was  organized  at  Dunbar, 
in  1873,  with  twenty-three  members.  John  Speer  was 
the  N.  G.;  A.  J.  Bryson,  V.  G. ;  and  Samuel  Wilson, 
Treas.  The  membership  now  reaches  one  hundred. 
The  officers  are  Edward  Potter,  N.  G. ;  William  Cal- 
houn, V.  G. ;  John  Staffiird,  Fin.  Sec. ;  A.J.  Bryson, 
Treas. ;  William  Mitchell,  Rec.  Sec. 

BRANCH   No.  3,   A.  0.  H., 

was  organized  at  Dunbar  in  1875,  with  ten  members. 
In  March,  1881,  the  membership  was  fifty.  The  offi- 
cers were  John  Cain,  President ;  Michael  Maylie, 
Sec. ;  Hugh  Hagan,  Treas. 

DUNB.^K   LODGE,   No.   410,   KNIGHTS   OF   PYTHIAS, 

was  organized  Oct.  10,  187.3,  with  twenty  members. 
Samuel  Wilson  was  chosen  C.  M. ;  C.  H.  Stetson,  V. 
C.  M. :  W.  II.  Speers,  K.  of  R.  and  S. ;  C.  S.  Beatty, 
M.  of  F.  Tlie  membership,  March,  1881,  was  one 
hundred  and  twenty.  Then  the  officers  were  Frank 
Victor,  C.  M.;  F.  G.  Sniitli,  V.  C.  M. ;  D.  M.  Moth- 
erwell, Prelate ;  Wesley  Dcvan.  K.  of  R.  and  S. ;  John 
Stafford,  M.  of  F. ;  Smith  Wortman,  M.  of  E. ;  J.  N. 
Anderson,  M.  at  A. 

DU.XC.VN   POST,    No.   105,   G.  .V.  H,, 

was  organized  in  the  spring  of  1880,  with  twenty-two 
members.  John  Stafford  was  chosen  the  first  com- 
mander. The  members  now  number  fifty.  The  offi- 
cers are  D.  A.  Byers,  Com.;  AV.  H.  Martin,  S.  V.  C; 
John  Waters,  j".  V.  C. ;  D.  K.  Cameron.  Chap.;  J. 
N.  Anderson,  Adjt. ;  James  Eraser,  O.  D. ;  John  Staf- 
ford, O.  G. ;  Henry  Bunting,  Q.M. 

DUNBAR  LODGE,   No.  1230,   I.  0.  G.  T., 

This  lodge  was  chartered  Aug.  3,  1877,  with  twenty 
members.  D.  K.  Cameron  was  chosen  W.  C.  T. ;  G. 
B.  Te.liM,  W.  V.  T. ;  James  Thompson,  Sec;  J.  C. 
Rosborough,  Treas.     The  officers  March,  1881,  were 


Andrew  Laughrey,  W.  C.  T. ;  Clara  McDowell,  W. 
V.  T. ;  Charles  Trew,  Fin.  Sec. ;  J.  N.  Anderson,  Rec. 
Sec. ;  Allie  Ambroue,  Treas. ;  W.  N.  Rodkey,  Chap- 
lain ;  Boyd  Lemon,  Marshal. 

DUNBAK   YOUNG  MEN'S   CHKISTI.^N   ASS0CI.\TION. 

The  Y.  M.  C.  A.  was  organized  in  1870,  and  in  that 
year  a  hall  costing  $1000  was  erected  upon  a  lot  do- 
nated by  W.  H.  Speer.  The  officers  are  A.  B.  Hosack, 
President ;  W.  H.  Wilson,  Sec. ;  D.  A.  Byers,  Treas. 

MAXUFACTUlilXG    IXDVSTRIES. 
THE  DCNBAK  FURNACE   CO.MPANY. 

The  Dunbar  Furnace  Company  was  organized  June 
1,  187G,  with  a  capital  of  §500,000,  of  which  §200,000 
was  in  preferred  stock.  April  29,  1880,  the  preferred 
was  increased  to  §300,000.  Charles  Parrish  was 
chosen  president ;  A.  B.  De  Saulles,  vice-president ; 
Theodore  P.  Farrell,  treasurer  and  secretary.  The  di- 
rectors were  Charles  Parrish,  A.  B.  De  Saulle.s,  Samuel 
Dickson,  Fisher  Hazard,  James  Cox,  and  Henry 
Brock.  The  company  became  possessed  of  the  Dun- 
bar Iron  Company's  works,  together  with  coal  and 
iron  lands  covering  about  eight  thousand  acres  in 
Dunbar  township.  Edmund  C.  Pechin,  superintend- 
ent for  the  Dunbar  Iron  Company,  was  in.stalled  in  the 
same  position  under  the  new  organization,  with  A.  B. 
De  Saulles  as  assistant  superintendent.  In  1877,  Mr. 
De  Saulles  was  appointed  to  succeed  Mr.  Pechin  as 
superintendent,  and  at  that  time  Mr.  William  Beeson 
was  chosen  general  manager.  Since  that  time  there 
has  been  no  change  in  either  the  directors  or  other 
officers  of  the  company.  The  furnace  company  found 
one  stone  stack  fifty-seven  feet  high  and  fifteen  feet 
"  bosh,"  with  a  daily  capacity  of  forty  tons.  The  stack 
was  at  once  relmilt  to  a  height  of  seventy-six  feet 
with  twenty  feet  "  bosh,"  capable  of  making  seventy 
tons  of  iron  daily.  The  number  of  employes  at  the 
furnace  and  mines  was  increased  from  two  hundred 
and  fifty  to  five  hundred.  Three  Whitwell  hot- 
blast  stoves  were  put  in  (eighteen  by  forty  each),  a 
new  blowing-engine  and  four  new  boilers  were  added, 
and  ninety-eight  coke-ovens  erected. 

In  December,  1879,  a  second  stack  similar  to  the 
first  was  built,  and  additions  made  of  two  hot-blast 
stoves,  two  new  blowing-engines,  and  four  new  boilers. 
In  February,  1880,  the  company  purchased  the  Fer- 
guson Coke- Works,  and  leased  three  hundred  acres 
of  adjacent  coal   lands.      This,   with  the  Hill  Farm 
Coke-Works,  bought  in  1870,  gave  the  company  one 
hundred  and  fifty-nine  coke-ovens,  and  control  of  six 
hundred  acres  of  coal  lands.     The  large  tract  of  land 
owned  and  controlled  by  the  company,  lying  chiefly 
in  the  mountainous  region  of  Dunbar,  east  and  south- 
I  east  from  Dunbar  village,  includes,  besides  coal,  large 
I  deposits  of  iron  ore  and  limestone.     Thus  almost  at 
I  the  very  doors  of  the  furnace,  they  find  all  the  ma- 
,  terials  necessary  to  the  manufacture  of  iron.    Immedi- 
i  ately  under  the  coal-beds  south  of  the  Hill  farm,  to 


DUNBAR   TOWNSHIP. 


519 


the  depth  of  from  eighteen  to  twenty-four  inches 
below  the  coal,  are  found  iron  ore  deposits. 

This  is  likewise  true  of  other  localities  in  the  town- 
ship. The  annual  mining  products  of  the  company 
include  9000  tons  of  coal,  15,000  tons  of  mountain 
ore,  20,000  tons  of  coal  ore,  and  35,000  tons  of  lime- 
stone. The  annual  field  of  manufactured  iron  reaches 
44,000  tons.  The  employes  engaged  at  the  furnace 
and  mines  number  between  six  hundred  and  seven 
hundred,  of  whom  one  hundred  and  seventy  labor  at 
the  furnace  foundry  and  repair-shop.  From  $10,000 
to  $18,000  per  month  is  paid  out  in  wages.  The  prin- 
cipal manufacture  is  "  open  gray  forge"  or  mill  iron. 
A  large  majority  of  the  company's  furnace  employes 
live  in  the  vicinity  in  tenement-houses  owned  or  con- 
trolled by  the  company,  and  make  at  the  furnace  a 
village  of  six  or  seven  hundred  people. 

The  company  owns  twenty  miles  of  single  track, 
four  locomotives,  and  upwards  of  one  hundred  cars. 
At  the  furnace  settlement  J.  M.  Hustead  has  a  finely- 
appointed  store,  at  which  the  furnace  employes  ob- 
tain their  supplies.  Tlie  yearly  business  done  by 
Mr.  Hustead  is  something  very  remarkable  in  amount 
for  a  country  store. 

COKE    MANUFACTUKE. 

The  first  coke-burning  in  Dunbar  in  ovens  is  said 
by  Mr.  A.  J.  Hill  to  have  been  by  William  Turner 
and  Richard  Bookcns,  who,  between  1840  and  1845, 
bought  coal  of  Thomas  Gregg,  who  had  a  piece  of 
fourteen  acres  of  coal  land  on  the  Youghiogheny 
River,  near  the  present  Fort  Hill  Coke -Works. 
Turner  &  Bookens  burned  the  coke  on  the  ground 
at  first,  but  afterwards  put  up  a  few  ovens,  about 
which  time  also  Col.  A.  M.  Hill  built  four  coke-ovens 
near  them.  These  four  Mr.  Hill  soon  increased  to 
twelve.  The  first  coke  made  by  Turner  &  Bookens 
was  boated  down  the  rivers  to  Cincinnati,  and  there 
for  some  days  Mr.  Turner  made  fruitless  efforts  to  sell 
it.  He  had  got  about  discouraged  when  a  foundry- 
man  agreed  to  experiment  with  it,  provided  Turner 
would  cart  it  to  the  foundry.  The  experiment  proved 
so  satisfactory  that  the  foundryman  bought  the  entire 
cargo,  and  thus  the  coke  trade  being  opened,  Turner 
found  no  future  difficulty  in  marketing  all  he  could 
make.  More  important  coke  operations  in  Dunbar 
were  commenced  in  1854  by  Watt  &  Larmer,  of  the 
Dunbar  Furnace,  who  bought  ten  acres  of  coal  lands  on 
the  present  site  of  the  Mahoning  Company's  works, 
and  burned  coke  on  the  ground  there  for  their  furnace. 
The  first  large  nest  of  coke-ovens  built  in  Dunbar 
were  sixty  of  those  now  used  by  Reid  Brothers.  They 
were  put  up  by  Watt,  Taylor  &  Co.  in  1869.  The 
second  lot  were  built  by  the  Connellsville  Gas  and 
Coke  Company,  the  third  by  Ferguson  &  Scandred 
in  1871,  the  fourth  by  Paull,  Brown  &  Co.  in  1872. 
There  are  at  present  in  operation  in  Dunbar  township 
upwards  of  fifteen  hundred  coke-ovens  (including  one 
hundred  and  fifty-nine  owned  by  the  Dunbar  Furnace 


Company).  There  are  in  process  of  construction  and 
in  contemplation  upwards  of  fourteen  hundred  more. 
Reference  to  the  firms  engaged  in  the  business,  to- 
gether with  details  of  their  operations,  will  be  found 
following : 

ANCHOR   COKE-WORKS. 

These  works,  located  near  Dunbar  village  (and 
known  until  very  recently  as  the  Henderson  Coke- 
Works),  are  now  carried  on  by  Morgan,  Layng  & 
Co.  In  June,  1878,  H.  C.  Frick  &  Co.  came  into  con- 
trol of  one  hundred  ovens,  built  here  in  1870  by  R. 
Henderson  &  Co.,  and  two  hundred  acres  of  adjacent 
coal  lands.  Frick  &  Co.  employed  in  their  Dunbar 
coke  business  about  one  hundred  men,  mined  six 
thousand  bushels  of  co.al  daily,  and  for  a  similar  pe- 
riod produced  one  hundred  and  fifty  tons  of  coke. 

The  main  slope  in  this  coal-mine  extends  fifteen 
hundred  feet.  The  investment  in  ovens  and  lands 
represents  over  $200,000.  Thomas  Lynch  has  been 
in  charge  of  the  works  since  June,  1878. 

MAnOSING   COKE   COMPANY  (LIMITED). 

In  1872,  Messrs.  Paull,  Brown  &  Co.  bought  the 
coal  right  to  one  hundred  acres  of  coal  lands,  and 
built  one  hundred  ovens  just  south  of  Dunbar  vil- 
lage. Their  total  investment  aggreg.ated  $8.3,000.  In 
1878  they  were  succeeded  in  the  proprietorship  by  the 
Mahoning  Coke  Company  (Limited).  The  chartered 
capital  was  $40,000.  Tliey  employ  an  average  of  sixty 
men,  mine  two  hundred  tons  of  coal,  and  produce 
one  hundred  and  thirty -seven  tons  of  coke  daily.  The 
main  slope  is  1700  feet  in  length,  and  is  at  an  angle 
of  about  twenty-three  degrees.  The  oflScers  of  the 
compiiny  are  Charles  L.  Rhodes,  chairman  ;  F.  H. 
Mathers,  secretary  and  treasurer;  N.  F.  Sanford, 
manager  and  agent.  Mr.  Sanford  has  been  in  charge 
of  the  works  since  1875. 

COLVIN   1  CO.'S  WORK.S. 

In  April,  1880,  Messrs.  S.  Colvin  &  Co.,  of  Pitts- 
burgh, acquired  control  of  eighty-four  acres  of  coal 
lands  (formerly  a  portion  of  the  R.  Henderson  &  Co. 
tract),  and  erected  eighty  ovens.  They  liave  but  one 
opening,  which  is  a  slope  twelve  hundred  feet  in  length. 
They  employ  sixty  men,  take  out  4500  bushels  of  coal, 
and  manufacture  120  tons  of  coke  daily.  Their  in- 
vestment is  about  $45,000.  W.  A.  BIythe  is  the  super- 
intendent. 

The  Dunbar  Furnace  Coke-  Works  are  noticed  else- 
where in  the  history  of  this  township,  in  connection 
with  the  account  of  the  operations  of  the  Dunbar 
Furnace  Company. 

UKIONDALE   COKE-WORKS. 

In  1869  Messrs.  Watt,  Taylor  &  Co.  bought  tjie 
coal  right  to  one  hundred  and  five  acres  of  coal  lands 
near  Dunbar  village,  and  built  upon  it  forty  coke- 
ovens.  Soon  afterwards  they  added  twenty  ovens, 
and  were  succeeded  by  ^Vatt,  Byers  &  Co.,  who  were 
followed    by   T.    W.    Watt   &   Co.      In    1878    Reid 


520 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUxNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Brothers  bought  the  interests  of  Watt  &  Co.,  and 
built  sixteen  additional  ovens,  making  the  present 
complement  seventy-six.  Their  main  slope  reaches 
twelve  hundred  feet  from  the  opening.  They  employ 
usually  seventy-five  men,  mine  five  thousand  bushels 
of  coal  daily,  and  produce  each  day  one  hundred  and 
twenty  tons  of  coke.  They  have  invested  in  the 
busijiess  about  $100,000. 

CAMBRIA   IRON   COMPANY'S   WORKS. 

In  1880  the  Cambria  Iron  Company,  of  Johnstown, 
Pa.,  leased  of  the  Connellsville  Gas-Coal  Company 
a  large  tract  of  coal  lands  near  New  Haven,  together 
with  one  hundred  (Dkc-ovcris  and  appurtenances,  pre- 
viously used  by  the  la^t-nuuK'd  company.  The  Cam- 
bria Com ])any  added  four  hundred  ovens  and  other 
appointments  for  meeting  their  immense  require- 
ments, at  a  total  cost  of  $228,000.  Their  le.ase  on  the 
property  runs  twenty  years.  They  have  two  mine 
openings,  take  out  from  nine  hundred  to  one  thou- 
sand tons  of  coal,  and  ship  about  seven  hundred  tons 
of  coke  daily.  Their  empluyi'-  number  about  five 
hundred.  These  live  near  the  works,  wiiere  the  com- 
pany has  provided  a  well-stockid  store  and  one 
hundred  and  fifty-six  tenement-houses  for  their  ac- 
commodation. The  office  of  the  company  is  at  No. 
218  South  Fourth  Street,  Philadelphia.  E.  Y.  Town- 
send  is  the  president ;  Charles  S.  Wurts,  vice-presi- 
dent; and  John  T.  Kille,  treasurer.  The  superin- 
tendent of  the  coke-works  is  John  McFadden.  The 
two  works  of  the  Cambria  Company  in  Dunbar  are 
known  as  the  "  MorreH"and  "Wheeler"  Coke-Works. 

rii.NN'KI,[.SVn,I,E   COKE    AND   IRON    COMPANY. 

This  conipany,  miw  ]Hishing  rapidly  forward  the 
greatest  sinjrlo  coal-mining  and  coke-manufacturing 
interest  in  Dunbar,  was  chartered  in  March,  1880, 
with  a  capital  of  11,000,000.  Hon.  John  Leisenring, 
of  Mauch  Chunk,  is  president;  W.  B.  Whitney,  of 
Philadelphia,  secretary  and  treasurer;  and  E.  K. 
Hynduiaii,  of  Cojinellsville,  general  manager.  The 
company  owns  eight  thousand  acres  of  coal  lauds, 
lying  in  the  t.. unships  of  Dunbar,  Franklin,  and 
North  rnii)!!,  the  giealest  portion  being  in  Dunbar. 
At  the  new  town  of  Leisenriuir,  three  miles  and  a 
half  southwest  from  Connellsville,  the  company  have 
two  huiiilred  coke-ovens  in  0])eration,  and  to  that 
numlier  they  are  now  adding  two  hundred  more, 
which  are  nearly  ready  to  be  put  in  operation.  In 
addition  to  tliese,  the.  building  of  three  hundred 
more  is  contemplated,  making  seven  hundred  in  all. 

At  this  place  a  shaft  has  been  sunk  three  hundred 
and  seventy-five  feet  deej).  The  Pennsylvania  Eail- 
road  Ciuiipuny  has  r(,nstructed  a  branch  road,  known 
as  the  "(»|M,s.Mini  Uuu  liraiich,"  from  New  Haven 
to  Leisenrini;-,  ami  as  the  ((jal  ciunpany  develop  their 
lands,  will  lengthen  it.  The  purpose  of  the  coal  com- 
pany is  to  sink  shafts  and  build  coke-ovens  at  the 
most  available  points,  and  to  use  the  utmost  energy 
in  utilizing  the  enormous  supply  of  coal  contained 


within  their  possessions.  They  now  mine  about 
seven  hundred  tons  of  coal  daily,  and  employ  up- 
wards of  four  hundred  people.  They  began  to  make, 
coke  for  the  first  time  in  April,  1881.  It  is  expected 
that  the  company  will  erect  extensive  furnaces  ou 
their  lands  in  the  near  future. 

THE   TROTTER  COKE-WORKS. 

These  coke-works,  located  within  the  township  of 
Dunbar,  are  owned  and  operated  by  the  Connells- 
ville Gas-Coal  Company,  which  w.as  organized  Aug. 
9,  1864,  under  act  of  April  21,  1854.  Letters  patent 
were  issued  Oct.  14,  1864.  The  capital  stock  of  the 
company  is  $500,000.  Their  property  consists  of  about 
three  thousand  one  hundred  acres  of  coal  right  and 
about  four  hundred  and  fifty  acres  in  fee,  situ.ated  in  the 
vicinity  of  Connellsville.  There  are  three  mining  vil- 
lages on  the  property,  viz.,  Wheeler,  Morrell,  and  Trot- 
ter, named  after  Charles  Wheeler,  vice-president  of  the 
Central  National  Bank  of  Philadelphia;  Hon.  Daniel 
J.  Morrell,  general  manager  of  the  Cambria  Iron 
Company,  Johnstown  ;  and  Charles  W.  Trotter,  Esq., 
of  Philadelphia,  respectively.  The  first  two  villages 
consist  of  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  tenement- 
houses,  a  large  store  building,  and  suitable  buildings 
for  coal-hoisting  machinery,  etc.,  all  under  the  man- 
agement of  the  Cambria  Iron  Company,  which  has 
leased  for  a  period  of  twenty  years  the  five  hundred 
coke-ovens  connected  with  the  same,  and  wliich  are 
now  in  full  blast. 

The  village  of  Trotter,  recently  laid  out  and  built 
under  the  management  and  direction  of  the  company's 
superintendent,  Henry  Wickham,  has  been  desci'ibed 
as  follows :  "  A  little  more  than  a  mile  out  the  Opos- 
sum Run  Branch  from  New  Haven  junction  is  the 
coke  village  of  Trotter,  where  are  located  the  exten- 
sive works  of  the  Connellsville  Gas-Coal  Company. 
The  town  consists  of  about  one  hundred  houses,  of 
which  the  company  own  eighty-four,  and  is  laid  out 
with  mathematical  accuracy.  The  houses  are  neat 
and  clean,  and  to  each  is  attached  sufficient  ground 
for  gardening  purposes;  the  streets  are  wide  and  well 
drained ;  water-plugs  are  stationed  along  the  streets 
at  convenient  distances,  and  through  these  the  village 
is  supplied  with  pure  Youghiogheny  River  water, 
furnished  by  a  pipe  line  to  that  stream,  over  two  miles 
distant.'  A  school-house  of  modern  design  adorns 
one  of  the  thoroughfares ;  a  large  store  supplies  the 
employes  with  food  and  clothing;  and,  upon  the  whole, 
Trotter  will  compare  favorably  with  any  mining  vil- 
lage in  the  region.  The  town  is  to  be  enlarged  to  the 
extent  of  forty  more  tenement-houses.  A  portion  of 
the  lumber  for  them  is  already  on  the  ground,  and 
the  contract  for  their  erection  has  been  made.  In 
addition  to  the  modern  improvements  mentioned 
above,  a  telephone  line  has  been  constructed  connect- 
ing the  works  with  those  of  the  Connellsville  Coke 


•iflngQs  of  Morrell  and 


lilllillillllRlilliil 


I'll 


^^liiiiill 


AlA  iitMivMttk^i' 


L     Liufc  ui_  \all 


ILSJgglWIflJira©,    PI^, 


C'HAS.  W.  TnoTTER,  Pre) 


SamL.  \V.  Weay,  Htcrelunj  uitd  Treasure,.  II.  WlCKUAM,  Manager. 


DUNBAR   TOWNSHIP. 


521 


and  Iron  Company  at  Leisenring,  and  with  the  resi- 
dence of  Manager  Wickham  in  Connellsville. 

"  Tlie  works  at  present  consist  of  two  hundred  com- 
pleted ovens,  which  are  in  active  operation,  turning 
out  eight  thousand  tons  of  first-class  coke  per  month. 
The  entire  plant  contemplates  four  hundred  ovens, 
and  already  seventy  more  are  under  contract.  The 
ronuiining  one  hundred  and  thirty  will  be  built  in  the 
near  future.  One  hundred  and  seventy-five  men  find 
employment  here,  and  from  the  bowels  of  the  shaft, 
three  hundred  and  fifteen  feet  from  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  are  hoisted  eleven  thousand  tons  of  raw  coal 
])er  month.  The  ovens  are  of  the  size  now  regarded 
as  the  standard  of  the  region,  and  known  as  the  twelve- 
foot  oven.  The  coke  turned  out  at  these  works  is 
of  a  superior  quality,  the  coal  of  this  company  lying 
near  the  centre  of  the  basin,  where  it  is  best  for  coking 
jnirposes."  The  coal  vein  found  in  the  Trotter  shaft 
averages  nine  feet  workable,  and  an  analysis  recently 
made  by  Prof.  Charles  P.  Williams,  of  Philadel- 
phia, shows  it  to  be  about  three  per  cent,  higher  in 
fixed  carbon  and  coke  yield,  and  about  two  per  cent, 
lower  in  sulphur  and  ash  than  any  coal  yet  found  in 
the  Connellsville  region,  thus  proving  the  generally 
accepted  theory  that  the  Connellsville  coking  coal  is 
purest  where  it  has  most  cover. 

The  works  of  the  company  embody  the  latest  im- 
provements. The  cages  are  hoisted  and  lowered  by  a 
one  hundred  and  twenty  horse-power  engine,  manu- 
factured by  Hayden,  of  Luzerne  County.  This  en- 
gine also  runs  a  fan,  which  supplies  the  mine  with  a 
constant  current  of  fresh  air.  The  main 'heading  is 
five  hundred  and  seventy  yards  in  length  and  nine 
feet  in  width.  The  works  are  supplied  with  a  black- 
smith- and  carpenter-shop  in  addition  to  the  other 
buildings.  The  whole  is  under  the  management  of 
Henry  Wickham,  well  known  as  a  coke  man  in  this 
region.  His  corps  of  assistants  comprises  the  follow- 
ing: John  I.  JIunson,  assistant  superintendent;  Elijah 
Parker,  pit  boss ;  George  Kelley,  yard  boss  ;  George 
Whetzell,  engineer  ;  Samuel  Dinsmore,  machinist  in 
charge  of  repair-shops.  The  store  is  in  charge  of 
James  C.  Munson,  senior  member  of  the  firm  by  whom 
it  is  owned,  Munson  &  Co.  The  mining  engineer  at 
present  in  charge  of  the  Trotter  shaft  is  Mr.  George  C. 
Hewitt,  recently  connected  with  the  Westmoreland 
Coal  Company  at  Irwin  Station. 

The  entire  plant  of  this  company,  exclusive  of  the 
coal,  cost,  in  round  numbers,  $225,000.  Their  coal 
lands  embrace  two  thousand  one  hundred  acres, 
e.xclusive  of  a  thousand  acres  leased  to  the  Cambria 
Iron  Company,  together  with  their  old  works  on  the 
Fayette  County  Branch.  The  latter,  both  works  and 
coal,  revert  to  the  Connellsville  Gas-Coal  Company 
in  twenty  years. 

FORT   HILL   COKE-WORKS. 

In  the  summer  of  1880,  W.  J.  Rainey,  prominently 
identified  with  the  Cleveland  RoUing-Mill  Company 


of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  purchased  of  A.  J.  Hill  the  coal 
right  in  a  farm  of  three  hundred  and  thirty-six  acre.t, 
located  upon  the  Youghioghcny  River  just  below  New 
Haven,  and  has  built  upon  it  eighty-eight  ovens, 
which  number  is  to  be  increased  to  three  hundred. 
The  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  Company  has 
spanned  the  river  with  a  fine  bridge  one  mile  below 
Connellsville,  and  constructed  a  branch  road  to  the 
Fort  Hill  Coke- Works.  It  is  the  intention  of  the 
railway  company  to  ultimately  push  their  extension  to 
Wheeling.  Mr.  Rainey  will  have  a  force  of  fully  five 
hundred  employe-*,  for  whom  he  will  erect  tenements 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  with  which  he  will 
establish  communication  by  means  of  a  substantial 
bridge.  When  his  enterprise  gets  fairly  in  operation 
he  will  have  at  the  Fort  Hill  works  and  surround- 
ings an  investment  of  about  §200,000.  Daily  ship- 
ments of  coke  are  expected  to  average  about  five  hun- 
dred tons.  Mr.  A.  J.  Hill  has  been  in  charge  of  the 
works  from  the  outset.  Backof  the  river,  in  Dunbar, 
Laughlin  &  8ehuhenberger  and  Graff,  Bennett  &  Co., 
two  Pittsburgh  firms,  have  about  fifteen  hundred 
acres  of  coal  lands  that  are  likely  to  be  developed 
within  the  near  future.  The  probabilities  as  well  as 
the  poss;hi  lilies  dlthe  e(>I<e  interests  in  Dunbar  point 
to  vast  liiisiiH-s  iiii,  lists  mid  a  steady  increase  over 
the  present  prndiictimi  ,,f  eoke. 

BLISS   &    MARSHALL'S   FIRE-DKICK  WORKS. 

About  a  half-mile  south  of  Dunbar  village,  Messrs. 
Bliss  &  Marshall  have,  since  1872,  been  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  fire-brick  for  coke-ovens.  This  was 
the  first  and  is  the  only  enterprise  of  a  similar  char- 
acter known  to  Dunbar  township.  About  five  acres 
of  land  are  occupied,  and  from  twenty-five  to  sixty 
men  employed  at  the  works.  There  are  four  kilns, 
that  produce  about  4,500,000  bricks  annually.  Messrs. 
Bliss  &  Marshall  have  about  $20,000  invested  in  the 
enterprise. 

HABPEU'S  WOOLEX-MILL. 

Daniel  Harper  has  on  Dunbar  Creek,  near  Dunbar, 
a  woolen-factory,  wherein  he  manufactures  blankets, 
flannels,  yarns,  etc.  It  was  built  .about  1821,  by 
Jacob  Lowry,  who  before  that  had  a  carding-machine 
and  fulling-mill  attachment  in  his  stone  gri.st-mill. 
His  son  William  succeeded  him  in  business  and  im- 
proved the  woolen-mill.  In  1840,  James  Hankins 
and  Thomas  Rankin  became  its  owners.  In  1850, 
Hankins  was  sole  owner,  and  in  1862  Daniel  Harper 
came  into  possession  of  the  property.  Since  then  he 
has  carried  on  the  mill. 

NEW  HAVEN  BOROUGH. 
The  borough  of  New  Haven  lies  in  a  bend  of  the 
Youghiogheny  River,  directly  opposite  the  borough 
of  Connellsville.  Its  population  in  July,  1880,  was 
four  hundred  and  forty-two.  Up  to  1873  the  town 
was  a  manufiicturing  point  of  considerable  conse- 
quence, but  since  then  it  has  been  devoid  of  special 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENXSYLVANU. 


interest  in  that  direction,  and  a  diminution  in   its  I 
prosperity  has  ensued.     The  near  proximity  to  Con-  1 
nellsville  checlvs  New  Haven's  progress.     As  an  evi- 
dence of  this  it  may  be  noted  that  although  New 
Haven  was  laid  out  as  a  village  in  1796,  uo  post-office  I 
was  established  there  until  1S78,  the  people  of  the  i 
place  being  obliged  to  go  to  Connellsville  for  their 
mails.     The  Southwest   Pennsylvania   Eailroad  tra- 
verses the  village,  and  crosses  the  river  at  that  point. 
Communication  with  Connellsville  is  likewise  main- 
tained  by  means  of  a  substantial   wire  suspension 
bridge,  built  and  opened  in  1862  by  the  Youghio- 
gheny  Bridge  Company.     Its  entire  cost  was  about 
twenty  thousand  dollars.     Previous  to  1862  the  river 
at  New  Haven  had  been  spanned  by  three  bridges. 
The  first  one  fell  in   1816,  the  second  was  washed 
away  in  1831,  and  the  third  in  1860. 

Upon  or  just  below  the  site  now  occupied  by  New 
Haven  a  scttlL'inent  was  commenced  by  Capt.  Wil- 
liam Crawliinl  in  176-3,  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  at  the 
point  where  (ien.  Braddock  forded  the  stream  on  his 
way  to  the  fatal  battle-field  of  the  Monongahela  in 
1755.  That  point  is  called  "  Braddock's  Ford"  to  this 
day.  Stewart's  Crossing,  sometimes  confounded  with 
Braddock's  Ford,  is  farther  up  the  river,  and  near  the 
suspension  bridge.  It  was  so  called  because,  in  1753, 
one  William  Stewart  lived  there  on  the  south  bank  of 
the  river.  The  Indian  troubles  of  that  period  drove 
him  away. 

Evidence  that  Cajit.  William  Crawford  commenced 
his  suttlriiniit  improvements  at  Braddock's  Ford  in 
1765  is  I'.iuinl  ill  his  own  affidavit,  taken  at  the  house 
of  John  Oniisby,  in  Pittsburgh,  before  the  Virginia 
commissioners,  in  the  year  1780,  which  is  given  on 
page  #1  of  this  volume.  In  that  affidavit  he  says 
he  began  liis  improvements  on  the  Youghiogheny  in 
the  fall  (if  17i;">,  und  moved  his  family  to  his  new 
home  in  17(ir,.  The  patent  for  his  land  was  not  issued 
until  17611.  For  some  reason  best  known  to  himself 
he  did  not  take  it  out  in  his  own  name,  but  caused  it 
to  be  issued  to  his  son  John.  The  original  survey 
was  mn.lc  in  176!1,  and  included  3761  acres.  This 
tract  ciiilnarid  nil  iil'  what  is  now  New  Haven  bor- 
ough, 'i'lic  (lescriptiiiii  of  the  lands  was  as  follows: 
"Situated  on  the  south  side  of  the  Youghiogheny 
Elver,  and  includes  what  is  generally  called  Stewart's 
Crossing,  in  Cumberland  County.  The  new  purchase, 
surveyed  tlio  twenty-second  day  of  September,  1769, 
by  order  of  survey  Nu.  2:!o'.i,  date  the  third  of  April, 
1760.     r.y  X.  Lane,  Deputy  Surveyor." 

Not  only  for  the  reason  that  Capt.  William  Craw- 
ford was  the  original  purchaser  of  the  land  now  the 
site  of  the  borough  of  New  Haven,  but  because  he 
was  in  his  time  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  influ- 
ential men  in  the  country  west  of  the  Alleghenies, 
and  still  more  because  his  fearful  death  by  Indian 
torture  has  made  his  name  historic,  a  somewhat  ex- 
tended sketch  of  his  lite  is  here  given  : 

Williuiii  Crawford  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  born 


of  Scotch-Irish  parentage  in  the  year  1732,  in  that 
part  of  the  county  of  Orange  which  afterwards  be- 
came Frederick,  and  is  now  Berkeley  County.  His 
father,  who  wa-s  a  farmer  of  respectability,  died  in 
1736,  leaving  two  sons,  William  and  Valentine,  of 
whom  the  first  named  was  the  elder.  Their  mother, 
Honora  Crawford,  was  a  woman  of  great  energy  of 
character  and  of  unusual  physical  vigor,  kind  and 
aflfectionate  in  disposition,  and  devoted  to  the  welfiire 
of  her  children.  Remaining  but  a  short  time  in  wid- 
owhood, she  married  for  her  second  husband  Richard 
Stephenson,  who  died  about  ten  years  afterwards, 
leaving  six  children  of  their  marriage,  viz.:  John, 
Hugh,  Richard,  James,  Marcus,  and  Elizabeth  Ste- 
phenson,— five  half-brothers  and  a  half-sister  of  Wil- 
liam and  Valentine  Crawford.  The  seven  sons  of 
Mrs.  Stepheusou  were  all  remarkable  for  their  size 
and  unusual  physical  strength,  and  they  were  all 
living  with  their  mother  when,  in  the  year  1749,  the 
young  surveyor,  George  Washington,  then  seventeen 
years  of  age,  came  to  the  neighborhood  and  took 
lodgings  at  Mrs.  Stephenson's  house  while  engaged 
in  running  lines  in  the  vicinity  for  Lord  Fairfax. 
Here  he  remained  for  a  considerable  time,  and  during 
his  stay  became  much  attached  to  the  sons  of  his 
hostess,  particularly  to  the  eldest,  William  Crawford, 
who  was  of  the  same  age  as  himself,  and  to  whom  he 
always  remained  a  steadfast  frieud  until  death  sev- 
ered the  tie,  after  an  acquaintance  of  thirty-two 
years. 

During  the  stay  of  Washington  young  William 
Crawford  became  his  assistant,  and  learned  the  busi- 
ness of  surveying,  which  he  afterwards  practiced  in 
connection  with  his  duties  as  manager  of  the  farm 
until  the  year  1755,  when  he  entered  the  military  ser- 
vice, receiving  from  the  Governor  of  Virginia  a  com- 
mission as  ensign,  which  had  been  procured  for  him 
by  the  intercession  of  his  young  surveyor  friend  of  six 
years  before,  who  was  now  called  C'ofo«e^  Washington. 
It  has  been  stated  in  some  biographical  account  of 
William  Crawford  that  he  marched  with  the  army  of 
Gen.  Braddock  on  the  ill-fated  expedition  for  the  re- 
duction of  Fort  du  Quesne,  taking  part  in  the  disas- 
trous battle  and  defeat  of  the  9th  of  July,  1755;  but 
that  such  was  not  the  case  is  shown  conclusively  by 
his  own  affidavit,  to  which  reference  has  already  been 
made,  and  in  which  he  distinctly  states  that  he  never 
saw  the  country  west  of  the  mountains  until  the  year 
1758.  Prior  to  that  time,  for  about  three  years,  he 
had  been  engaged  in  frontier  duty  along  the  line  of 
the  Potomac  and  at  Fort  Cumberland,  and  during 
that  time  had  been  advanced  to  a  lieutenancy.  In 
the  year  mentioned,  when  the  army  under  Gen.  Forbes 
was  preparing  to  march  westward  for  a  second  attempt 
against  Fort  du  Quesne,  he  received  promotion  to  a 
captaincy  on  the  recommendation  of  his  friend,  Col. 
Washington,  who  was  then  in  command  of  all  the 
Virginia  troops  destined  for  the  expedition.  On  re- 
ceiving his  commission  Capt.  Crawford  recruited  a 


DUNBAR  TOWNSHIP. 


523 


full  company  of  frontiersmen,'  and  at  their  head 
marched  with  Washington's  regiments  to  join  the 
forces  of  Gen.  Forbes. 

In  this  campaign,  which  resulted  in  the  occupation 
of  the  French  fortress  (Nov.  25,  1758),  Crawford  ac- 
quitted himself  with  gallantry  and  great  credit.  Three 
years  longer  he  continued  in  the  military  service,  and 
at  the  end  of  that  time  quitted  it  to  resume  his  voca- 
tions of  former  and  surveyor  in  the  Shenandoah  Val- 
ley. There  he  married  Hannah  Vance,  a  sister  of  John 
Vance,  who  settled  in  Tyrone  township,  Fayette  Co., 
and  remained  in  the  quiet  of  domestic  life  on  the  old 
Virginia  farm  until  the  summer  of  1765,  when  he 
mounted  his  horse  and  turned  his  fiice  westward  to 
cross  the  Alleghenies  and  select  a  location  for  the 
future  home  ot  his  fomily  beyond  the  mountains,  in 
the  new  country  w-hich  he  had  seen  and  admired 
while  on  his  march  with  the  army  of  Forbes. 


1  "The  rendezvousing  nf  Ciawfonra  company,  preparatory  to  niarcli- 
ing  liis  men  to  join  the  force  under  Wjishington,  disclosed  tlie  fact  that 
there  was  a  want  of  transportation.  Here  was  a  dilemma.  Fortunately, 
however,  there  happened  to  be  at  the  place  where  the  comi  any  was  eu- 
camprd  a  teamster  who  had  stopped  to  rest  and  feed  his  horses.  In 
such  an  emergency  Crawford  felt  no  hesitancy  in  pressing  the  wagoner 
into  his  service,  and  accordingly  announced  to  the  sti'aiiger  his  detcr- 
luiuation.  The  owner  of  the  team  was  in  no  humor  to  submit  to  what 
lie  considered  an  oppressive  act.  But  how  could  it  be  avoiiled  ?  He  was 
alone  in  the  midst  of  a  company  of  men  who  were  ready  and  strong 
enough  at  a  word  to  enforce  their  captain'^  orders.  Remaining  a  short 
time  silent,  looking  sullenly  at  the  armed  men,  as  if  measuring  their 
strength  with  his  own  weakness,  he  finally  observed  to  Crawford  that 
it  was  hard  to  be  forced  into  the  service  against  his  will;  that  every 
Dnin  ought  to  have  a  fair  chance,  and  that  he  was  taken  at  a  great  dis- 
advantage, inasmuch  as  the  odds  agaiust  him  were  so  great  as  to  deprive 
him  of  the  power  of  self-protection. 

"  He  thought  the  captain  was  taking  advantage  of  circumstances,  and 
he  would  now  make  a  proposition,  which  the  commander  was  certainly 
bound  in  honor  to  accede  to.  '  I  will  fight  you,'  said  he, '  or  any  man  in 
your  company.  If  I  am  whipped  I  will  go  with  you  cheerfully.  If  I 
conquer  you  must  let  nie  off.'  From  what  has  heen,said  of  Capt.  Craw- 
ford's personal  activity  and  strength  it  will  uot  be  a  matter  of  wonder  to 
learn  that  the  challenge  of  the  doughty  teamster  was  at  once  accepted. 
Both  began  to  strip;  the  men  prepared  to  forma  ring,  determined  to 
show  fair  play  and  to  see  the  fun.  At  this  moment  a  tall  jonng  man, 
who  had  lately  joined  the  company,  but  a  stranger  to  most  of  them,  and 
who  had  been  leaning  carelessly  against  a  tree,  e^'eing  the  scene  with 
Hiiparent  unconcern,  now  steppeil  forward  and  drew  Crawford  aside. 
'Capt:.iii,'  said  the  stranger,  'you  must  let  me  fight  that  fellow;  he  will 
wliip  J/o»,  and  it  will  never  do  to  have  the  company  whipped.'  A  few 
additional  words  of  like  import,  overheard  by  the  men,  with  the  cool, 
collected,  and  confident  manner  of  the  speaker,  induced  them  to  suggest 
to  Crawford  that  perhaps  it  itottld  be  prudent  to  let  the  stranger  try  his 
hand.  The  captain,  having  done  all  that  policy  required  in  accepting 
the  challenge,  suftered  hitnself  to  be  persuaded  by  his  men,  and  it  was 
agreed  that  the  youth  should  be  substituted  in  his  place. 

"By  this  time  the  wagoner  was  stripped  to  the  I'll  li  ml  f.iiv  i  i  iln; 

fight.    He  was  big,  muscular,  well  filled  out,  hank I'l 

an  adept  in  pugilistic  encounters.    His  air  wa.^  ,,    i    ,       ;  ;  i    !, 

his  mien. defiant  and  confident.    When  the  yoiithl;!  I  -     '       -i, 

therefore,  stepped  into  the  ring,  clad  iu  his  buM    i    .1,1;.  -  n,.! 

lookingslender  and  a  little  pale,  the  men  had  not  111       '  1  • 

in  his  success.  However,  there  was  fire  iu  his  eye,  lui  I  i- ir  i  .  .  ,,  ,  i.l,> 
his  garments  a  stalwart  frame  was  disclosed  of  eidpiMiuus  Liones  and 
muscle.    The  spirits  of  the  company  immediately  revived. 

"  I'reparations  bcijig  finished,  tlie  word  was  given.  The  youth  sprang 
upon  his  antagonist  with  the  agility  and  ferocity  of  a  tiger.  The  blood 
flowed  at  every  blow  of  llis  tremendous  fista.  The  contest  was  shot  t  and 
decisive.  The  teamster  was  completely  vanquished.  The  hero  of  this 
his  first  fight  for  his  country  was  afterwards  Blaj.-Gen.  Daniel  Morgan, 
ol  Kevolutiouary  lame."— Bii«tr/ieid'»  "  Ex^tdUion  agaimi  Samluikii." 


The  spot  which  he  selected  was  that  which  lias  al- 
ready been  described  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Youghio- 
gheny,  near  the  place  where  the  army  of  Gen.  Brad- 
dock  crossed  the  river,  on  its  way  to  Fort  du  Quesne, 
ten  years  before.  Here  he  built  a  log  cabin,  and 
began  clearing  land.  He  was  joined  in  the  same 
summer  by  his  half-brother,  Hugh  Stephenson,  who 
worked  here  with  William  Crawford  for  two  years, 
during  which  time  he  made  a  clearing  and  built  a 
cabin  for  himself,  and  in  the  year  17(59  brought  his 
family,  which  up  to  this  time  had  remained  at  the 
Virginia  home.  The  family  of  William  Crawford, 
when  he  came  to  the  Youghiogheny,  consisted  of  hia 
wife  and  four  children,— Sarah,  John,  Effie,  and  Ann, 
the  first  named  of  whom  became  the  wife  of  William 
Harrison  ;  Effle,  the  wife  of  William  McCormick  ; 
.and  Ann,  the  wife  of  Zachariah  Connell. 

In  the  year  1770,  Col.  George  Washington  visited 
Crawford's  home  on  the  Youghiogheny,  and  the  latter 
accompanied  him  in  an  extended  tour  down  the  Ohio 
to  the  Kanawha  for  the  selection  of  large  bodies  of 
land,  in  which  Washington  desired  to  make  invest- 
ment. In  the  same  year  Crawford  was  appointed  one 
of  the  justices  of  peace  for  the  county  of  Cumberland 
(which  then  emliruccd  tlic  iircsent  county  of  Fayette), 
and  on  the  11th  nf  .Mar.li,  1771,  Governor  Penn  ap- 
pointed him,witli  Anhiir  St.  Clair,  Dorsey  Pentecost, 
Robert  Hanna,  and  others,  justices  of  the  peace  of 
the  then  newly-erected  county  of  Bedford.  Upon 
the  erection  of  Westmoreland  County,  in  1773,  his 
commission  was  renewed  for  that  county,  and  he  was 
made  presiding  justice  in  its  courts. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  "  Dunmore's  war,"  in  1774, 
being  anxious  to  take  part  in  the  conflict,. Crawford 
was  indiscreet  enough  to  accept  a  captain's  commis- 
sion from  the  Governor  of  Virginia.  Up  to  this  time, 
through  the  dispute  which  had  existed  between  Penn- 
sylvania and  Virginia  (in  which  both  States  claimed 
jurisdiction  over  the  region  west  of  Laurel  Hill),  he 
had  remained  true  to  the  State  under  which  he  held 
commission  as  justice  of  the  peace,  but  now  that  his 
military  ardor  had  been  reawakened  he  allowed  it  to 
outweigh  his  loyalty  to  Pennsylvania,  and  to  induce 
him  to  recognize  the  claims  of  her  adversary  by 
taking  service  under  the  Virginia  Governor,  Dun- 
more.  He  raised  a  company  of  men,  and  in  June  of 
the  year  named  marched  them  to  "  Fort  Dunmore," 
as  the  Virginians  had  now  named  the  fortification  at 
the  present  site  of  Pittsburgh.  He  was  made  major 
by  Dunmore,  and  took  quite  a  part  in  the  "  war"  of 
that  year,  being  sent  in  command  of  a  detachment  to 
destroy  one  of  the  Mingo  towns,  and  performed  that 
duty  thoroughly,  taking  some  prisoners,  whom  he 
sent  to  Fort  Dunmore.  He  also  did  some  service 
with  his  command  at  Wheeling.  At  the  close  of  the 
Indian  hostilities  in  November  he  returned  from  that 
station  to  his  home  on  the  Youghiogheny. 

While  he  was  absent  on  the  campaign  Arthur  St. 
Clair  (afterwards  major-general   in  the  war  of  the 


524 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Revolution),  one  of  his  associate  justices  of  West- 
moreland County,  feeling  aggrieved  at  the  course 
which  Crawford  had  pursued  in  accepting  a  military 
office  under  Virginia  and  engaging  in  a  war  against 
the  Indians,  which  the  Pennsylvania  government 
disapproved  of,  wrote  to  Governor  Penn  on  the  22d 
of  July,  saying,  "  Capt.  Crawford,  the  president  of 
our  court,  seems  to  be  the  most  active  Virginia  otficer 
in  their  service.  -He  is  now  down  the  river  at  the 
head  of  a  number  of  men,  which  is  his  second  expe- 
dition. .  .  .  flow  is  it  possible  for  a  man  to  serve  two 
colonies  in  direct  antagonism  to  each  other  at  the 
same  time  ?"  He  proceeded  to  argue  that  as  Crawford 
had  "joined  with  the  government  of  Virginia  in  op- 
posing the  jurisdiction  of  Pennsylvania,"  he  should 
be  removed  Irojn  tin-  otVuos  which  he  held  by  appoint- 
ment ill  th  ■  I  .iiiiity  .it'  W'l  -tmoreland.  The  argument 
was  iiuM  to  lie  Mimil,  :ind  the  reasons  sufficient.  He 
was  accordingly  so  removed  on  the  2.5th  of  January, 
177.5,  and  never  again  held  office  under  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania. 

He  now  became  fully  identified  with  the  Virginia 
partisans  as  opposed  to  the  jurisdiction  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. Upon  the  erection  of  the  Virginia  county  of 
Yohogania,  Capt.  Crawford  was  a|ipointed  deputy 
surveyor  and  one  of  the  justices  for  that  county,  and 
occasionallv  sat  on  the  bench  as  one  of  the  justices 
of  its  courts  in  1777  and  1778.  He  continued  to  hold 
these  offices  during  the  existence  of  the  county,— 
that  is,  until  Virginia  surrendered  her  claim  to  juris- 
diction in  tlie  territory  between  Laurel  Hill  and  the 
present  western  boundary  of  Pennsylvania. 

During  the  first  part  of  his  career  as  deputy  sur- 
veyor tinder  Virginia,  when  his  surveys  caused  many 
persons  to  be  temporarily  dispossessed  and  some  im- 
prisoned, Crawford  became  exceedingly  unpopular 
among  the  people  of  his  section,  in  whose  favor  and 
estimation  he  had  previously  stood  high.  But  he  soon 
after  regained  his  popularity  by  the  patriotic  course 
which  he  took  in  the  Revolution,  sinking  all  his  par- 
tisanship in  an  ardent  zeal  for  the  cause  of  liberty. 
At  the  convention  which  met  at  Pittsburgh  on  the 
IGth  of  Jlay,  1775,  to  express  their  views  as  to  the 
aggressions  of  the  mother-country,  and  to  concert 
measures  for  the  general  good,  William  Crawford  took 
a  prominent  part  in  the  proceedings,  and  was  made 
a  member  of  the  "  Committee  of  Defense."  It  has 
been  said  that  about  this  time  he  offered  his  services 
in  a  military  capacity  to  the  Council  of  Safety,  then 
sitting  in  Philadelphia,  but  that,  "in  view  of  his 
conduct  in  setting  at  defiance  the  laws  of  Pennsylva- 
nia, and  the  bitter  feeling  engendered  on  account  of 
the  transactions  of  other  Virginians  with  whom  he 
had  associated,  his  patriotic  <'llir  ivns  r.  jcM'ted  ;"  but 
there  is  doubt  of  the  authentiiily  nf  tlii^  statement. 

In  the  fall  of  177-5  he  otfered  his  ^ervices  to  Vir- 
ginia to  raise  a  regiment  for  the  general  defense,  and 
the  offer  was  accepted.  He  then  at  once  commenced 
recruiting,  and  it  was  not  long  before  a  full  regiment 


j  was  raised  almost  entirely  by  his  own  exertions.  He, 
'  however,  did  not  then  obtain  the  colonelcy,  which  he 
expected  and  which  he  had  so  well  earned,  for  the 
reason  that  Congress  had  determined  to  receive  only 
six  Virginia  regiments  into  the  Continental  army, 
and  as  the  number  of  regiments  raised  in  Virginia 
exceeded  this  quota  all  the  expectant  officers  could 
not  be  provided  for.  On  the  12th  of  January,  177G, 
however,  Crawford  was  commissioned  lieutenant- 
colonel  of  the  Fifth  Virginia  Regiment,  and  on  the 
11th  of  October  received  from  Congress  the  appoint- 
ment of  colonel  of  the  Seventh  Virginia  Regiment 
in  the  Continental  service,  his  commission  dating  the 
14th  of  August  preceding. 

During  the  year  1776,  Col.  Crawford  served  with 
his  command  in  the  campaign  and  battle  of  Long 
Island,  and  in  the  later  operations  north  of  the  city 
of  New  York.  He  was  with  the  dispirited  army  of 
Washington  in  the'dreary  retreat  through  New  Jer- 
sey and  across  the  Delaware  River,  and  was  one 
of  the  heroes  who,  recrossing  thatstream  in  the  night 
of  the  25th  of  December,  fought  the  battle  and 
won  the  victory  at  Trenton  on  the  morning  of  the 
2Gth.  On  the  3d  of  January,  1777,  he  was  present 
at  the  battle  of  Princeton,  and  marched  from  that  field 
by  way  of  Pluckamin  to  the  winter-quarters  at  Morris- 
town.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he  took  part  in 
the  camjiaigns  of  the  Brandywine  and  Gerniantown. 
Col.  Crawford  having  represented  to  the  com- 
mander-in-chief that  there  was  serious  danger  of 
Indian  attacks  in  the  country  bordering  the  Monon- 
gahela,  Allegheny,  and  Ohio  Rivers,  his  views  were 
taken  into  consideration,  and  it  was  ordered  that  two 
regiments  of  men  be  raised — one  in  Virginia  and  one 
in  Pennsylvania — for  the  protection  of  their  frontiers  ; 
and  it  was  hy  Congress  "  Resolved,  That  General 
Washington  be  requested  to  send  Colonel  William 
Crawford  to  Pittsburgh  to  take  the  command,  under 
Brigadier-GeneralHand,  of  the  Continental  troops  and 
militia  in  the  Western  Department."  In  pursuance 
of  this  resolution  the  order  was  issued,  and  Col. 
Crawford  having  received  his  instructions  from  Con- 
gress at  York,  Pa.,  proceeded  to  Fort  Pitt  to  assume 
his  new  command.'     The  regiment  which   Virginia 


1  When  Col.  Cniwfoi-a  bade  farewell  tu  liis  regimi'nt— the  Seventh 
Virginia— preparatory  to  leaving  for  hin  new  commaml  iu  the  West,  he 
received  from  tlie  officers  of  the  Seventh  the  following  address,  which  is 
indicative  of  the  higli  esteem  iu  which  he  was  held  by  them  as  a  com- 
mander and  as  a  man  : 

"We  beg  leave  to  take  this  method  of  expressing  our  sense  of  the 
warmest  attachment  to  you,  and  at  the  same  time  our  sorrow  in  the  loss 
of  a  commander  who  has  always  been  influenced  l»y  motives  that  de- 
servedly ;;ain  the  unfeigned  esteem  and  respect  of  all  those  who  have 
tlie  honor  of  serving  under  liim.  Both  officei-s  and  soldiers  retain  tiie 
strongest  remembrance  of  the  regard  and  aflection  yon  have  over  dis- 
covered toward  them;  but  as  we  are  well  assured  that  yon  have  the 
best  interests  of  your  country  in  view,  we  should  not  regret,  however 
sensibly  we  may  feel  the  loss  of  you,  that  you  have  chos'-n  another 
field  forthc  displ.ny  of  yourmilitary  talents.  Permit  us,  therefue.  to  ex- 
press our  most  cordial  wi-h  that  yon  may  find  a  regiment  no  less  at- 
tached to  yuu  than  the  Seventh,  and  that  your  services  nin.v  ever  be 
niodnctive  of  benefit  to  your  country  and  honor  toyuursell." 


DUNBAR   TOWNSHIP. 


5:5 


had  been  required  to  furnish  had  been  raised  by  that 
State  to  the  maximum  ;  that  of  Pennsylvania  was 
considerably  deficient  in  numbers.  Both  reported  at 
Fort  Pitt  in  the  spring  of  1778. 

One  of  the  first  duties  assigned  to  Col.  Crawford  in  his 
new  command  was  the  erection  of  a  fort  at  a  fording- 
place  on  the  Allegheny,  sixteen  miles  above  Pitts- 
burgh, as  a  check  to  marauding  Indians  who  were  in 
the  habit  of  crossing  the  river  at  that  place.  This 
work  was  performed  successfully  and  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of  Gen.  Mcintosh,'  who  named  it  "  Fort 
Crawford,"  in  compliment  to  the  colonel  who  super- 
intended its  construction,  and  who  was  the  com- 
mandant of  its  garrison  a  considerable  part  of  the  time 
during  1778  and  the  following  year. 

In  the  fall  of  1778,  Col.  Crawford  (who  was  then  in 
command  of  a  brigade  formed  of  the  militia  of  Yoho- 
gania,  Monongalia,  and  Ohio  Counties,  Va.)  took 
part  in  the  expedition  under  Gen.  Mcintosh  for 
the  capture  of  the  British  post  of  Detroit.  Nothing 
came  of  it,  however,  except  the  erection  of  Forts  Lau- 
rens and  Mcintosh.  At  the  close  of  the  expedition 
Jie  returned  with  his  command  to  Fort  Pitt.  In  1779 
he  commanded  several  minor  expeditions  against  the 
Indians,  and  was  generally  successful.  In  1780  he 
appeared  before  Congress  to  urge  a  more  energetic 
defense  of  the  frontier  against  Indian  depredations, 
and  his  representations  caused  that  body  to  grant  aid 
in  money  and  munitions  of  war,  which  latter  were 
forwarded  to  Fort  Pitt  and  other  Western  posts.  In 
1781  he  gave  powerful  aid  to  the  unfortunate  Col. 
Lochry  in  raising  men  in  Westmoreland  County  for 
the  expedition  under  Gen.  Clarke,  in  which  Lochry 
and  his  men  all  lost  their  lives.  It  was  the  intention 
of  Crawford  to  accompany  this  expedition,  but  he  was 
prevented  by  the  necessity  of  his  presence  at  Fort  Pitt 
and  on  the  Allegheny  outposts. 

In  tlie  autumn  of  1781  he  was  retired  from  active 
military  duty,  but  without  resigning  his  commission. 
The  war  was  evidently  drawing  towards  a  close,  and 
he  resolved  to  pass  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  peace 
at  his  home  on  the  Youghiogheny.  For  a  time  it 
seemed  as  if  this  earnest  wish  miglit  be  gratified,  but 
it  was  not  to  be  so.  The  surrender  of  Cornwall  is  was 
clearly  the  end  of  the  conflict,  so  far  as  the  movements 
of  armies  were  concerned,  but  tlie  Indian  depreda- 
tions on  the  Western  frontier  were  not  only  continued, 
but  were  becoming  more  frequent  and  daring.  Fi- 
nally, in  the  spring  of  1782,  the  Sandusky  expedition 
was  proposed,  to  inflict  a  decisive  blow  on  tlie  savages 
by  the  destruction  of  their  town.  The  proposition 
met  with  favor,  the  campaign  was  decided  on,  and 
preparations  for  it  were  pushed  rapidly  forward.  Col. 
Crawford  approved  of  but  did  not  purpose  joining  it. 
"  His  advice  was  frequently  and  freely  given,  and  al-  I 
though  resolved  to  draw  the  sword  no  more,  yet  his 


martial  spirit  was  fully  aroused  as  reports  came  in  from 
the  frontiers  of  the  early  appearance  of  the  Indians, 
and  their  audacity  and  horrible  barbarity.  He  could 
hardly  restrain  himself  from  hurrying  away  with  his 
neighbors  in  pursuit  of  the  merciless  foe.  .  .  .  Many 
eyes  were  turned  upon  Crawford  as  the  proper  per- 
son to  lead  the  expedition,  but  he  refused.  His  pa- 
triotism, however,  pleaded  powerfully  against  his  set- 
tled determination,  as  he  saw  the  probability  of  a  vol- 
unteer force,  respectable  in  numbers,  being  raised  for 
the  enterprise.  To  add  to  the  plea  his  son  .John  and 
his  son-in-law,  William  Harrison,  determined  to  vol- 
unteer for  the  campaign.  Pentecost-  was  urgent  that 
he  should  once  more  take  command.  Irvine  himself 
thought  it  would  be  expedient  for  him  to  accept. 

"  Crawford  could  no  longer  refuse.  He  still  held 
his  commis-^ion  as  colonel  in  the  regular  army,  and 
the  commanding  oflicer  of  the  Western  Department 
desired  him  to  lead  the  expedition;  'hence,'  he  rea- 
soned, '  it  is  now  my  duty  to  go.  I  will  volunteer  with 
the  rest,  and  if  elected  to  commaml,  shall  do  all  in 
my  power  for  the  success  of  the  expedition.'  It  is 
the  testimony  of  a  grandson  of  Crawford  (Uriah 
Springer)  that  he  had  often  heard  his  gnindraother 
say  it  was  against  tlic  will  <>(  bis  urn  ml  lather  to  go 
out  on  the  Samlusky  ux|Mililinii  ;  Imt  as  ho  held  a 
commission  under  the  irovrrnnimt,  he  yielded  to  the 
wishes  of  the  volunteers."  ' 

Having  arrived  at  this  decision,  he  at  once  set  about 
making  arrangements  for  his  departure.  On  the  16th 
of  May  he  made  his  will,*  and  in  the  morning  of  the 
18th  he  took  leave  of  his  children,  relatives,  and 
friends,  and  departed.  His  wife  accompanied  him 
across  the  Youghiogheny  to  its  right  bank,  where, 
bathed  in  tears  and  weighed  down  with  the  darkest 
forebodings,  she  bade  him  a  sorrowful  and,  as  it 
proved,  a  final  farewell.  The  colonel  mounted  his 
horse"  and  rode  to  Fort  Pitt,  where  he  held  an  ex- 
tended conference  with  Gen.  Irvine  in  regard  to  the 
expedition.  On  the  20th  he  left  the  fort  and  pro- 
ceeded down  the  river  to  the  rendezvous  at  Mingo 
Bottom,  and  was  elected  to  the  command  of  the  forces. 
The  events  which  occurred  in  the  few  remaining  days 
of  his  life,  and  of  his  dreadful  death  at  the  stake  in 
the  afternoon  of  the  11th  of  .June,  1782,  have  already 
been  narrated  in  the  account  of  the  disastrous  San- 
dusky expedition. 

Crawford's  farm  and  primitive  residence  at  the  cross- 
ing of  the  Y''oughiogheny  was  called  by  him  "  Spring 
Garden,"   but  it  was   widely  known    by  nearly  all 


3  Dorsey  Pentecost,  of  Waeliington  County,  a  particular  fiiend  uf  Col. 
Cl  awford's 

•i  Buttc-i  field's  "  Expedition  against  Sandusky.'' 

■1  "  Hi-  1 1.1  I.  I  xi  I  I  ■  I  ri  verge  the  Indian  country  as  far  as  Sandusky 
witlioiii.ti  ,1,!  "li-tacles, and  perhapsfiylilingliard  battles 
so,  cah  iihii;t,„   I  i    I  >^,  tie  tliou^'lit  fit  to  pi'epare  for  the  worst, 


52G 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PEXNSYLYAXIA. 


travelers  to  and  from  the  Monongahela  country  as 
''  Crawford's  Place,"  and  it  was  made  a  halting-point 
by  great  numbers  of  those  (particularly  Virginians) 
who  came  to  or  through  this  region  on  land-seeking 
tours  or  other  business.  Crawford  was  a  man  of  re- 
markably open  and  generous  nature,  free-hearted, 
and  hospitable  to  a  degree  that  was  ruinous  to  his 
own  interest.  The  result  was  that  his  house  at  the 
Youghiogheny  crossing  became  a  noted  resort  for 
pioneers,  and  there  was  seldom  a  day  or  night  when 
his  roof  did  not  shelter  others  besides  the  mem- 
bers of  his  own  family.  Under  these  circumstances 
lie  found  that  to  escape  being  reduced  to  jidvcrty  he 
must  do  one  of  two  things, — leave  the  cnuntry  or 
open  a  tavern  at  his  house.  He  chose  the  latter,  and 
announced  his  determination  to  Col.  George  Wash- 
ington, in  a  letter  dated  "Spring  Garden,  Jan.  15, 
1774,"  in  wliicli  he  said  to  his  illustrious  friend,  "I 
intend  public  housekeeping,  and  I  am  prepared  for  it 
now,  as  I  can  live  no  longer  without  that  or  ruining 
myself,  such  numbers  constantly  travel  the  road,  and 
nobody  keeping  anything  for  horses  but  myself. 
Some  days,  now,  if  I  had  rum,  I  could  make  three 
pounds.  I  have  sent  for  some  by  Valentine  Craw- 
ford, and  can  supply  you  with  what  you  want  as 
cheap  as  you  can  bring  it  here  if  you  carry  it  your- 
self" This  last  part  of  the  extract  has  reference  to 
Washington's  supposed  need  of  rum  for  the  use  of  the 
men  he  had  employed  about  that  time  in  improve- 
ments on  his  lands  in  what  is  now  the  township  of 
Perry.  The  Valentine  Crawford  mentioned  in  the 
letter  was  William  Crawford's  brother,  who  came  to 
tliis  region  and  settled  on  Jacob's  Creek  not  Ion--  alter 
William  settled  on  the  Yougliiogheny.  i'.utli  the 
liriithers  were  to  some  extent  engaged  in  traile  with 
the  Indians  after  their  settlement  here,  and  both  at 
different  times  acted  as  Washington's  agent  for  the 
care  and  supervision  of  his  large  tracts  of  land  in 
Fayette  County  and  west  of  the  Monongahela. 

The  widow  of  Col.  Crawford  was  left  in  embarrass- 
ment as  to  property.  Crawford's  private  affairs  had 
come  to  be  in  a  very  unsettled  condition  on  account 
of  his  military  and  other  duties  having  called  him  so 
frequently  from  home,  his  absence  sometimes  being 
greatly  prolonged.  The  excitements  and  viei<-iliides 
of  the  later  years  of  his  life  had  called  his  attention 
from  them  necessarily.  The  result  was  that  his  es- 
tate was  swept  away,  most  of  it,  by  a  flood  of  claims, 
some  of  them  having,  doubtless,  no  just  foundation. 
For  losses  sustained  upon  the  Sandusky  expedition 
the  State  afterwards  reimbursed  his  estate.  Hannah 
Crawford  afterwards  drew  a  pension  from  the  State 
on  account  of  the  military  services  of  her  husli-uid. 
In  November,  1804,  a  jietition  to  Con-re^-  for  her 
relief  was  |iresented  to  Congress.  It  recited  tliat  her 
husband,  William  Ciawford,  wns  ;,i  ihe  time  ofhis 
death  on  the  ( 'nnliiiental  estal.li-lmn  nt  as  colonel  of 
the  Virginia  line;  that  in  the  spring  of  17Sl',  in  the 
hour  of  imminent  danger  and  the  defenseless  situation 


of  the  Western  frontier,  by  the  directions  and  under 
the  instructions  of  Gen.  William  Irvine,  who  then 
had  the  command  of  the  militia  and  Continental 
troops  in  the  Western  country,  he  took  the  command 
as  colonel  of  and  marched  with  a  detachment  of 
Western  militia  volunteers  and  some  Continental 
officers  against  the  savage  enemy,  the  Indians ;  and 
that  in  the  month  of  June  of  that  year  he  was  de- 
feated by  the  savages  and  fell  in  the  defense  of  his 
country.  The  prayer  of  the  petition  was,  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  the  petitioner  was  aged,  infirm,  and  indigent, 
that  "  your  honorable  body  will  grant  such  relief  and 
support  as  in  your  wisdom,  justice,  and  discretion  for 
the  services  and  loss  of  her  said  husband  your  peti- 
tioner may  be  justly  entitled  to."  Congress,  how- 
ever, refused  to  grant  the  relief  sought  for.  For 
thirty-five  years  after  her  husband's  tragic  death 
Jlrs.  Crawford  lived  upon  the  old  place  at  Braddock's 
Ford,  and  in  the  old  log  house  that  Col.  Crawford 
built  in  1765.  After  the  departure  of  her  son  John 
for  his  new  home  in  Kentucky,  slie  was  left  to  the 
care  of  an  old  slave  named  Daniel,  and  a  man  named 
Ladd,  who  had  long  been  one  of  the  Crawford  ser- 
vants. These  two,  as  well  as  all  of  the  old  Crawford 
servants,  she  outlived,  dying  in  New  Haven  in  1817, 
at  the  age  of  ninety-three  years  and  eleven  months. 

Mrs.  Crawford  was  described  as  a  remarkably  active 
woman  in  her  old  age.  Provance  McCormick,  Esq., 
of  Connellsville,  remembers  that  one  day,  about  1807, 
Mrs.  Crawford,  then  upwards  of  eighty  years  old, 
came  on  horseback  to  visit  the  McCormicks  in  Con- 
nellsville. She  rode  a  good-sized  mare,  and  when 
ready  to  return  home  after  her  visit  was  ended  went 
to  mount  her  favorite  "  Jenny."  "  Wait,  wait,"  called 
one  of  the  boys,  "wait  until  I  bring  your  horse  to 
the  block."  "  I  don't  want  a  horse-block,  my  boy,  to 
mount  upon  Jenny's  back,"  blithely  replied  the  old 
lady  ;  "  I'm  better  than  fifty  horse-blocks,"  and  so 
saying  she  moved  briskly  towards  Jenny,  placed  one 
hand  upon  the  horn  of  the  saddle,  the  other  upon 
Jenny's  back,  and  at  a  single  bound  was  firmly  seated 
in  her  place.  "There,"  cried  she,  "what  do  you 
suppose  I  want  of  horse-blocks?"  Whereat  every- 
body applauded  and  commended  her  performance, 
saying  but  few  women  could  equal  it. 

Of  course  the  death  of  Col.  Crawford  was  a  terrible 
blow  to  the  widow.  For  years  her  grief  was  over- 
whelming. Uriah  Springer'  says,  "When  I  was  a 
little  boy  (long  after  Col.  Crawford's  death)  my  grand- 
mother Crawford  took  me  up  behind  her  on  horse- 
back and  lode  across  the  Youghiogheny,  past  the 
John  Eeist  farm,  and  into  the  woods  at  the  left. 
When  we  alighted  we  stood  by  an  old  moss-covered 
white-oak  log.  "  Here,"  said  my  grandmother,  as  she 
sat  down  upon  the  log  and  cried  as  if  her  heart  would 
break,  "  here  I  parted  with  your  grandfather.". 

iSoii  of  Col.  Cr.iwforc]'s  daugliterSsii-.ili,  wliose  first  husband,  AVilliinu 
Hiirrison,  wmb  Uillwl  in  tlio  Cr.iwfurd  cxiwJitiou,  iiud  wlio  afti-nv«rJs 


DUNBAR  TOWNSHIP. 


527 


The  old  Crawford  house  contained  but  one  room, 
and  stood  upon  a  round  knoll,  about  fifty  yards  from 
the  Crawford  Spring,  now  on  Mrs.  Banning's  prop- 
erty, near  the  house  of  Washington  Johnson.  In  the 
stone  house  built  over  the  spring  is  said  to  be  a  stick 
of  timber  from  the  Crawford  house,  while  other 
timbers  therefrom  are  said  to  have  been  used  in  the 
construction  of  the  buildings  known  as  the  Locomo- 
tive-Works. When  the  house  was  demolished  a  few 
speculative  persons  made  walking-canes  of  some  of 
the  timber,  and  sold  them  at  liigh  prices  to  relic- 
seekers. 

Early  in  1770  an  occurrence  took  place  at  the  home 
of  William  Crawford  which  created  considerable  ex- 


cerned  in  the  murder  of  Indian  Stephen,"  which, 
from  the  best  information  the  Governor  could  obtain, 
was  committed  on  a  spot  of  ground  claimed  by  Penn- 
sylvania.' "  You  will  find  by  the  paper  I  have  in- 
closed," adds  Botetourt,  "  that  there  never  was  an  act 
of  villany  more  unprovoked  or  more  deliberately 
undertaken."  Crawford  took  every  pains  to  bring 
forward  the  proper  evidence  against  tiie  prisoner, 
but  the  latter  escaped  from  custody  and  was  never 
heard  of  afterwards. 

Contemporaneous  with  William  Crawford  as  settlers 
at  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  town  of  New  Haven 
were  Lawrence  Harrison  and  his  sons,  one  of  wlioni 
was  William  Harrison,  who  becann;  i:.e  l-.usband  of 


^1 


WILIIi'M    CRVWIOUUS  UOLSL,  BLIIT   17CG. 


citement  in  Western  Pennsylvania.  John  Ingham,  a 
young  man  in  his  employ,  who  had  been  indentured 
to  him  to  learn  the  art  of  surveying,  brutally  mur- 
dered (while  intoxicated)  an  Indian,  a  warm  friend 
of  the  Crawford  family.  After  committing  the  deed 
the  young  apprentice  fled  to  Virginia,  pursued,  liow- 
ever,  by  Crawford  and  a  few  neighbors,  who  succeeded 
in  capturing  him.  He  was  then  turned  over  to  the 
State  authorities  for  punishment.  Lord  Botetourt, 
the  Governor  of  Virginia,  alter  a  conference  with 
Crawford,  sent  Ingham,  under  guard,  to  Governor 
Penn,  of  Pennsylvania,  at  the  same  time  explaining 
to  the  latter,  by  a  letter  written  at  Williamsburg  on 
the  20th  of  March,  1770,  that  he  had  sent  "  the  body 
of  John  Ingham,  he  having  confessed  himself  as  con- 


Crawford's  daughter  Sarah,  who  was  said  to  have 
been  the  most  beautiful  girl  west  of  the  AUeghenies. 
The  Harrisons  were  settlers  here  in  the  spring  of 
1768,  when  the  Eev.  John  Steele  and  his  associates 
came  to  inspect  the  settlements  in  the  Youghiogheny 
and  Monongahela  Valleys.  The  Harrison  lands  (ad- 
joining those  of  Crawford)  were  entered  at  the  Land 
Office  in  that  year.  Those  lands  afterwards  passed  to 
Daniel  Rogers,  James  Blackstone,  and  others.  Law- 
rence Harrison's  daughter  Catharine  married  Col. 
Isaac  Meason.     There  are  no  Harrisons,  descendants 


this  prisoner  I.y  Lord  Bot.tourt  to  Pennsylvania  f,r 
iiKed  uigeJ  ivitli  g:eiit  force  by  Goverjior  Peun  agiiinst 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


(if  this  family,  now  remaining  at  or  in  the  vicinity  of 
New  Haven.  John  Harrison,  the  last  of  his  name  at 
New  Haven,  died  there  about  1850. 

Benjamin   Wells,   who    lived   near    the    William 
Crawford   place   in    1790,  or   before,  was  an  excise 
otiicer  during  the  Whiskey  Insurrection  of  1794,  and 
for   that    reason    was    especially    obnoxious    to   the 
\Vhiskey  Boys.    One  night  they  gathered  in  force  and  ] 
boldly  marching  to  Wells'  house  set  fire  to  it  to  show 
their  hatred  of  his  office.     Wells  and  his  family  were 
not   only    left   unharmed,  but   had   received  timely 
warning,  so  that  they  moved  out  before  the  torch  was  ' 
applied.     Considering  that  his  presence  was  not  wel-  | 
come  on  that  side  of  the  river,  he  moved  across  to 
Connellsville.     His  house  at  New  Haven  stood  very 
near  to  the  site  of  the  house  now  occupied  by  Wash- 
ington Johnson.  j 

John  Crawford,  son  of  Col.  William  Crawford,  came 
upon  his  fiither's  death  into  actual  possession  of  the 
l>roperty  now  including  the  site  of  New  Haven,  and 
Nov.  27,  1786,  sold  the  homestead  to  Edward  Cook. 
A  portion  of  it  included  Stewart's  Crossing.  Cook  i 
sold  to  Col.  Isaac  Meason.  John  Crawford  removed 
in  1786  to  Kentucky,  where  he  died.  There  is  still 
extant  a  story  that  tells  of  Col.  Meason's  acquiring  a 
portion  of  the  Crawford  tract  on  account  of  a  claim 
he  held  against  Col.  Crawford  for  the  horse  upon 
which  Col.  Crawford  rode  away  from  his  home  when 
he  set  out  upon  his  expedition  in  1782.  The  horse 
was  a  purchase  (so  runs  the  story)  from  Col.  Meason, 
and  was  to  be  paid  for  at  some  future  day.  Crawford  1 
did  not  return,  and  Meason  brought  an  action  against 
the  estate  to  recover  the  value  of  the  animal.  The 
result  was  a  protracted  litigation  on  a  sale  of  some  of 
the  Crawford  lauds  to  satisfy  Meason's  and  other 
claims.  Under  that  sale  Meason  bought  in  a  con-  . 
siderable  tract.  He  acquired  a  large  landed  estate 
in  Fayette  County  at  about  the  same  time,  and  be- 
came a  famous  iron  manufacturer.  His  son.  Col.  Isaac 
3Ieason,  who  was  associated  with  him  in  business,  1 
built  a  store  in  what  is  now  New  Haven  borough,  near 
.•Stewart's  Crossing.  In  1796  he  laid  out  New  Haven 
village.  It  is  likely  that  the  employes  of  the  iron- 
works had  their  homes  there,  and  that  he  opened  the 
store  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  them  with  neces- 
saries, for  from  all  accounts  there  was  not  much  else 
at  New  Haven  then  save  the  Meason  interests.  At 
best,  however,  not  much  is  known  of  the  history  of  ■ 
the  village  at  that  date,  beyond  what  has  been  related 
nlmve.  John  Rogers  kept  a  tavern  there  in  1797  and 
1798,  and  in  1800  Caleb  Squibb  was  landlord  of  the 
house, — the  same  afterwards  carried  on  by  Campbell. 
In  1815  New  Haven  had  come  into  the  dignity  of  a 
village,  though  with  but  two  streets  containing  dwell- 
ings and  perhaps  a  hundred  inhabitants.  The  year  i 
named  saw  the  arrival  at  Ciiiiiioll~\  illc  cf  John  A. 
McI lvalue,  a  tailor,  fonucrly  a  ii  ~ii|c nt  nf  Washington 
County.  He  lived  a  few  months  in  i  oiniellsville  in 
the  house  occupied  bv  Zachariah  Council. 


In  1815  he  moved  to  New  Haven,  and  opened  a  tailor- 
shop  in  a  house  now  the  residence  of  Leander  Dawson. 
He  had  five  children  when  he  located  in  the  town,  and 
had  three  born  to  him  afterwards.  The  only  one  of 
the  eight  now  living  in  New  Haven  is  Robert  A.  Mc- 
Ilvaine,  who  has  kindly  furnished  most  of  the  follow- 
ing facts  and  incidents  relating  to  the  early  history  of 
New  Haven.  His  residence  in  the  village  has 
covered  a  period  of  sixty-five  years,  during  which 
he  has  for  upwards  of  twenty-five  years  followed  the 
business  of  druggist.  Of  those  living  in  New  Haven 
when  he  came  to  the  village  in  1815  not  one  has  a 
home  there  now.  At  that  time  Col.  Isaac  Meason 
was  keeping  store  in  a  log  house,  and  lived  in  a  stone 
house  now  known  as  the  Giles  House.  In  1816, 
Samuel  G.  Wurts  was  also  a  store-keeper  in  New 
Haven.  James  H.  White  and  Samuel  Sly  had  small 
shops  in  which  they  made  nails  and  tacks  by  hand. 
Levi  Atkins,  the  shoemaker,  lived  just  below, 
where  Mathiott's  drug-store  is ;  Charles  King  was  the 
village  blacksmith,  and  Henry  Beason  the  wheel- 
wright. James  McCoy  and  his  sons  had  a  cooper's 
shop,  and  a  man  named.John  Campbell  was  landlord 
of  a  tavern  that  stood  on  the  ground  now  occupied 
by  Mathiott's  drug-store.  Maj.  James  Rogers,  an 
uncle  of  Daniel  Rogers,  kept  a  hotel  in  the  frame 
part  of  what  is  now  known  as  the  Giles  House. 
Little  is  known  of  him  save  that  he  left  a  large 
family.  In  the  frame  building  nearly  opposite  to  the 
mill  now  owned  by  Kaine  &  Long,  Adam  Victor 
was  landlord  in  1814.  He  was  the  son-in-law  of  the 
Rev.  John  Fell,  a  Methodist  minister.  Fell  was 
married  to  Betsey  Meason,  a  daughter  of  Col.  Isaac 
Meason,  Sr.  Victor's  successor  for  some  years  was 
William  Salters.  His  wife  was  Miss  Fanny  Meason, 
daughter  of  John  Meason,  a  brother  of  Col.  Isaac. 
Salters  appears  to  have  been  a  jovial  and  joke-loving 
man.  This  story  is  told  of  him  :  While  traveling  in 
the  West,  as  Ohio  was  then  called,  he  halted  for  the 
night  at  a  small  village  inn.  Hearing  that  some 
strange  preacher  was  to  do  missionary  service  in  the 
town  school-house,  to  while  away  the  time  he  con- 
cluded to  go  and  hear  the  preaching.  On  entering 
the  house,  great  was  his  surprise  to  see  in  the  preacher 
"Pete"  Stillwagon,  a  noted  character  of  Connells- 
ville. Though  equally  surprised  to  see  Salters, "  Pete" 
maintained  his  position  undauntedly,  and  spoke  quite 
energetically.  At  the  close  he  announced  that 
"  Brother  Salters"  would  now  take  his  hat  around 
for  their  offerings.  "  Brother  Salters"  did  as  he  was 
desired,  and  took  up  the  collection.  On  leaving  the 
house  "  Pete"  begged  Salters  not  to  betray  him,  which, 
of  course,  after  his  ])art  in  the  matter,  Salters  did 
not. 

"It  was  at  Salters'  house,"  says  R.  A.  Mcllvaine, 
"  at  an  early  period,  that  I  first  witnessed  the  still 
popular  performance  of '  Punch  and  Judy.'  Old  John 
Green  and  his  wife  were  the  managers.  At  that  time 
the  puppets  were  brought  out  on  the  floor  in  front  of 


DUNBAR  TOWNSHIP. 


529 


a  curtain  and  worked  by  wires.  One  of  tlie  opera- 
tors possessed  some  power  of  ventriloquism,  and 
delighted  the  audience  immensely." 

Saltcrs  (who  was  sheriff  of  Fayette  County  one  term) 
left  here  and  went  to  the  iron  regions  of  Ohio,  where 
he  became  wealthy,  and  lived  till  within  a  few  years. 
James  McKee,  his  successor,  died  in  the  house.  Of 
the  building  occupying  the  lot  on  the  corner  of  Front 
and  Ferry  Streets,  south  of  Ferry,  it  is  said  that  at  an 
early  day  of  the  village,  Adam  Dickey,  James  Myers, 
and  Richard  Weaver  were  its  landlords.  The  first  man 
of  whom  there  are  any  personal  recollections  was  John 
Campbell,  an  Irishman.  He  was  spoken  of  as  a  very 
passionate  man.  He  had  an  old  negro  servant,  called 
Pompey,  who  often  felt  the  effects  of  his  rage  in  kicks 
and  cuffs.  At  last  Pompey  suddenly  disappeared,  and 
some  believed  that  he  was  the  victim  of  his  master's 
violent  temper.  Some  years  subsequently  the  bones 
of  a  m  m  were  washed  out  from  the  sandy  shore  below 
the  town  that  were  supposed  to  be  his.  Campbell  was 
here  as  early  as  1817;  he  must  have  left  about  1821. 
For  a  proper  understanding  of  his  residence  here  and 
also  that  of  Andrew  Byers  it  must  be  stated  that  both 
occupied  not  only  this  house,  but  the  house  on  the 
opposite  corner,  where  the  post-office  is  now  kept. 

Andrew  Byers,  the  next  occupant  of  this  house  as 
landlord,  was  widely  known.  His  son  Andrew  mar- 
ried Miss  Phillips,  of  Uniontown.  She  was  the  sister 
of  John  W.  and  Howell  Phillips,  who  married  the 
two  daughters  (Margaret  and  Eliza)  of  Zachariah 
Council,  of  Connellsville.  His  daughter  Martha  was 
married  to  Joseph  Miller,  a  brother  of  Col.  Wm.  L. 
Miller,  at  one  time  a  prominent  business  man.  The 
next  occupant  of  the  house  was  David  Barnes,  who 
after  several  years'  residence  died  in  the  house.  He 
was  the  father  of  a  large  family,  most  of  whom  are  still 
living, — -Hamilton  (a  son  of  his)  represented  Somer- 
set County  in  the  State  Senate;  William  is  a  minis- 
ter in  the  Baptist  Church  ;  David  is  employed  in  the 
office  of  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  Con- 
nellsville; Ellis  is  in  business  in  Connellsville.  The 
last  in  this  line  in  this  public-house  was  John  Dou- 
gan.  He  was  married  to  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Gregg, 
one  of  the  earliest  business  men  of  the  county.  Dou- 
gan  occupied  the  house  in  1837.  On  the  opposite 
corner  of  Front  and  Ferry  Streets,  north  of  Ferry, 
Caleb  Squibb  was  an  early  landlord.  He  was  also  en- 
gaged in  manufacturing  salt  on  Sewickley  Creek, 
where  he  owned  property.  He  died  about  1820.  He 
had  a  large  family  of  children.  His  daughter  Ann 
married  Thomas  Walker;  Jane  and  Emily  married 
two  men  of  Westmoreland  County  named  Greenawalt ; 
Martha  married  S.  McCune,  of  Allegheny  County. 
One  was  married  to  a  Whaley,  another  to  John  Rogers, 
nephew  of  Daniel  Rogers.  His  sons  William  and 
Caleb  went  West.  Eliza  never  married.  Andrew 
Byers  and  John  Campbell,  already  spoken  of,  were 
his  early  successors  in  the  house.  The  next  and  last 
in  this  house  as  a  landlord  was  John  Rogers,  son-in- 


law  of  Caleb  Squibb.  He  wasin  the  business  not  more 
than  a  year.  His  daughter  Mary  married  her  cousin, 
Thomas  Rogers,  and  now  lives  in  Morgantown,  W.  Va. 
In  1830,  Joseph  Keepes  was  in  the  place  that  Maj. 
James  Rogers  once  occupied.  He  had  not  been  here 
more  than  one  year  when  he  died.  The  house  then 
became  a  private  dwelling  for  a  few  years.  After  this 
John  Dougan,  already  spoken  of,  occupied  the  stone 
part  as  landlord.  His  occupancy  here  was  about 
1837.  For  a  few  years  after  this,  the  building  was 
used  as  a  private  dwelling  by  Thomas  Foster,  propri- 
etor of  the  woolen-mill.  The  next  landlord  was  Wm. 
R.  Turner,  a  saddler  by  trade.  His  father  was  a  sol- 
dier of  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  in  his  later  years 
taught  school  in  Coiinellsville.  He  was  a  man  of  some 
culture  and  a  surveyor.  He  kept  his  compass  and 
chain,  and  made  plats  of  land  in  the  neighborhood. 
Wm.  R.  Turner  lived  here  about  1846.  It  is  not  easy 
to  fix  the  time  or  date  of  occupancy  of  several  per- 
sons who  come  in  as  his  successors, — Joseph  Cramer 
for  about  two  years  ;  David  L.  Walker,  subsequently 
elected  sheriff  of  Fayette  County  ;  George  Foust,  for 
many  years  in  the  same  line  in  Connellsville;  Silas 
White,  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  early  settlers  and 
artisans  of  the  town  ;  James  H.  ^Vhite,  brother  of 
Silas,  and  largely  connected  with  the  bridge  enterprises 
of  the  place.  D.  L.  Walker  came  in  for  a  second 
term,  then  Joseph  Loon,  a  son  of  Michael  Loon,  who 
lived  in  Connellsville.  For  the  last  twenty  years 
Thomas  Giles  has  owned  and  occupied  the  house  for 
the  same  purpose.  He  was  a  stone-mason  by  trade. 
Being  a  man  of  energy  and  determination,  and  hav- 
ing  a  large  family  to  supjiort,  he  was  never  at  a  loss 
when  one  enterprise  failed  to  pay  to  turn  to  some  other. 
He  has  at  different  periods  carried  on  shoemaking, 
harness-making,  chair-making,  and  painting.  In  the 
present  residence  of  G.  A.  Torrance,  D.  L.  Walker 
kept  a  hotel  here  at  the  time  he  was  elected  sheriff. 
His  brother,  Noah  Walker,  took  charge  of  the  house 
for  some  time  after  him. 

In  1816  there  was  an  abandoned  rolling-mill  on  the 
river-bank,  in  which  Thomas  Gregg  had  been  con- 
cerned. Gregg  lived-  in  New  Haven,  and  first  and 
last  was  a  man  of  some  note  and  many  enterprises,  al- 
though at  no  time  especially  fortunate  in  their  prose- 
cution. Gregg's  prevailing  weakness  was  an  ambition 
to  invent,  and  it  is  said  he  did  invent  a  good  many 
useful  and  valuable  things,  but  somehow  others  than 
himself  ultimately  reaped  the  benefits  of  his  inven- 
tions. Among  other  things  it  is  claimed  that  he  was 
the  first  to  fashion  a  model  upon  which  Ericsson  con- 
ceived the  monitors  used  in  the  United  States  navy 
during  the  war  of  1861-65,  and  that  he  actually  pat- 
ented his  invention.  If  so,  however,  he  made  no  at- 
tempt to  enforce  the  claim  thus  obtained.  It  is  said 
also  that  he  invented  the  hot-blast  stove  now  in  com- 
mon use  by  iron  furnaces,  but  this,  like  his  monitor 
invention,  never  accrued  to  his  benefit. 


5^0 


HISTOrtY   OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENXSYLVANIA. 


In  1823.  Col.  William  Miller  built  the  present  dam 
and  operated  a  grist-mill  on  the  river.  Shortly  after 
that  date  Thomas  Foster  put  up  a  woolen  factory  near 
Miller's  mill,  and  employed  as  many  as  thirty  people 
ill  tlie  manufacture  of  cassinettes,  jeans,  :inil  clolhs. 
In  1835  the  woolen-factory  and  i^rist-mill  wre  burned. 
Just  below  Foster's  woolen-mill,  Col.  Miller  built  a 
paper-mill.  He  made  writing-paper  by  the  exceed- 
ingly slow  proce.ss  of  moulding  one  sheet  at  a  time. 
He  had  sometimes  as  many  as  twenty-five  persons  in 
his  employ  making  paper.  Fire  destroyed  the  paper- 
mill  as  also  the  grist-mill.  The  ruins  of  the  former 
may  yet  be  seen.  A  steam  grist-mill  was  built  by 
Joseph  Strickler  in  1840,  but  that  is  now  abandoned. 
There  is  now  at  the  village  a  grist-mill  driven  by 
water-power;  Kaine  iV-  Long  are  the  owners. 

Ill  183(1,  Thomas  Foster  rei>laccd  his  burned  woolen- 
factory  with  a  much  larger  one,  equipped  it  with 
valuable  machinery,  gathered  a.  force  of  nearly  one 
hundred  work-people,  and  started  what  was  then  con- 
sidered an  exceedingly  important  business  enterprise. 
He  made  blankets,  woolen  clciths,  etc.,  and  for  a  time 
did  a  large  and  apparently  successful  business.  The 
success,  however,  was  but  temporary,  and  the  end  was 
disaster  for  Foster.  A  Mr.  Blucher,  who  succeeded 
him,  likewise  failed,  as  did  a  Mr.  Hill,  who  continued 
the  enterprise  after  Blucher's  failure.  During  the  i 
war  of  18(31-65,  Orth  Brothers  controlled  the  prop-  j 
erty,  and  with  a  force  of  fully  one  hundred  and  fifty 
hands  they  pushed  their  business  brisl:ly  night  and 
day  in  the  manufacture  of  army  cloths.  They  en- 
larged the  factory;  and  while  their  business  lasted  ' 
made  of  New  Haven  a  liright  and  bustling  village,  j 
Like  their  preJeccsscu's,  however,  they  were  doomed 
to  disaster.  The  close  of  the  war  found  them  with  an 
enormous  stock  of.maiuif'aclured  cloths  on  hand,  and 
under  the  depression  in  prices  they  went  down.  The  | 
pro|)erty  lay  idle  until  April,  1871,  when  J.  Y.Smith  : 
&  Co.  fitted  it  with  machinery  lor  the  manufiicture  of 
light  locomotives,  and  called  it  the  National  Locomo- 
tive-Works. For  a  time  they  were  full  of  business 
ami  worked  upwards  of  a  hunilred  men.  They  sold 
to  r.ailey  &  Dawson,  and  they  to  William  H.  Bailey. 
The  latter  I'ailed  to  make  the  venture  pay,  and  gave  it 
up  in  1878.  It  was  a  most  disastrous  ending  of  his  en- 
terprise. For  some  time  previous  to  his  failure  he 
apjieared  to  be  thriving  to  a  most  extraordinary  de- 
gree. Two  hundred  employes  were  constantly  at 
work  night  and  day,  and  the  prosperity  visited  upon 
the  business  interests  of  the  village  by  tliis  activity 
was  such  as  seemed  to  gratify  and  iMn-omagi'  every 
one.  Confidence  was  almost  unliinilcil.  WIumi  the 
crash  came,  and  disclose.  1  a  lailmc  to  thr  amount  of 
about  .■s-ioo.ooii,  the  vilhiLiv  wn^  -tag-rivd,  and  for  a  ' 
little  wliile  well-nigh  panily/rd,  lor  thousands  of  dol-  , 
lars  were  due  to  einploycs,  store-keepers,  mechanics, 
and  others.  In  short,  the  village  had  leaned  U|>on 
Bailey,  and  when  he  tidl  it  brought  a  general  ca- 
lamitv.     Since  then  the  works  have  been  idle.     Thev  ' 


are  quite  extensive,  having  a  frontage  of  fifty  feet,  and 
a  depth  of  two  hundred  and  forty.  The  property  is 
now  owned  by  the  National  Bank  of  Commerce  of 
Pittsburgh. 

New  Haven  as  it  appeared  sixty  years  ago  is  thus 
described  by  Mr.  Mcllvaine,  its  oldest  inhabitant. 
He  says.  Commencing  at  the  north  side  of  Bridge 
and  east  of  Front  Street,  all  was  an  open  common  on 
the  river-bank  except  the  lot  north  side  and  adjoining 
Trader's  Alley,  which  was  inclosed  by  a  high  tight 
fence,  and  was  occupied  by  the  residence  of  Adam 
Wilson.  Mr.  Wilson  was  very  fond  of  shrubbery, 
fruit,  and  flowers,  and  paid  great  attention  to  the 
cultivation  of  his  garden.  To  the  minds  of  the 
young  of  that  time  a  peep  through  the  fence  into  his 
inclosure  was  like  getting  a  glimpse  of  the  Garden  of 
Eden,  but  very  few  ever  entered  its  gate.  South  of 
the  bridge  and  east  of  Front  Street,  on  the  river- 
bank,  came  first  tjie  residence  of  Isaac  Meason. '  The 
frame  part  of  this  building  was  used  as  a  store-room. 
I  will  here  relate  a  little  circumstance  showing  the 
kindness  of  the  Meason  family.  A  cart-load  of  ripe 
peaches  was  hauled  down  from  Mount  Braddock  and 
emptied  out  on  a  spare  floor,  and  the  villagers  invited 
to  come  and  take  what  they  wanted,  which  they  gladly 
did.  The  next  building  south  of  this  was  a  frame 
building,  being  the  residence  of  Jacob  Weaver,  who 
was  married  to  a  sister  of  Daniel  Rogers.  The  cor- 
ner room  north  was  used  by  Mr,  Weaver  for  mer- 
chandising. This  house  was  subsequently  torn  down, 
and  the  present  building  erected  by  G.  J.  Ashmun  in 
its  place.  Above  this  and  near  the  bank  of  tlie  river 
was  an  air  furnace,  which  was  in  operation  when  my 
father  came  to  town,  and  possibly  a  few  years  later. 
The  ruins  of  the  rolling-mill  and  the  shore  part  of 
the  grist-mill  dam  built  by  Thomas  Gregg  were  a 
short  distance  above  and  near  the  place  wdiere  the 
present  mill  stands.  The  mill  stood  until  about  1815-  ' 
1(5.  The  large  iron  rollers,  wheels,  and  frame  of  the 
rolling-mill  were  there  till  removed  by  Col.  Miller 
when  about  to  rebuild  in  1823  or  1824.  Mr.  Gregg 
was  a  man  of  considerable  enterprise  as  well  as  of 
mechanical  ingenuity,  being  doubtless  the  original 
conceiver  of  the  idea  of  clothing  war  vessels  with 
iron  ;  a  model  of  this  kind  was  placed  in  the  Patent 
Oflice  at  an  early  day.  He  also  had  the  idea  of  the  hot 
blast  for  furnaces,  and  experimented  on  its  efficiency 
in  a  small  way.  He  had  a  stack  erected  west  of  town 
to  test  its  power,  as  al.so  a  copper-plate  engraving  of 
the  ]ilan  and  course  of  draft.  He  was  one  of  the  par- 
lics  engaged  in  the  Connellsville  Bank  enterprise. 

On  the  east  side  of  Front  Street,  above  this,  was  a 
rowof  frame  buihlings  ;  in  the  first  were  manufactured 
by  hand  small  headed  tacks  by  the  White  family, 
who  also  lived  in  this  row  ;  also  Samuel  Sly,  a  saddler, 
and  Thomas  Gregg.  The  last  house  was  occu])ied  by 
Col.  W.  L.  Miller,  who  was  married  to  a  daughter  of 
Col.  Torrance,  who  lived  about  three  miles  west  of 


DUNBAR  TOWNSHIP. 


531 


town.  Col.  Miller  was  a  man  of  great  business  enter- 
prise. He  built  the  present  dam  about  the  year  1824, 
also  <a  grist-mill,  saw-mill,  and  a  small  e.stablishment 
for  carding  and  preparing  wool  for  country  looms. 
These  were  all  burned  down  in  the  year  1836.  Mr. 
Miller  was  also  variously  engaged  in  the  iron  busi- 
ness. 

He  was  elected  from  Fayette  County  as  one  of  the 
delegates  to  amend  the  Constitution  in  1837-38.  In 
connection  with  this,  the  story  is  told  that  he  went  to 
the  negro  voters  and  asked  for  their  support,  and 
stating  that  it  would  be  the  last  time  he  would  solicit 
their  patronage  ;  being  elected,  he  favored  the  amend- 
ment that  deprived  them  of  a  vote.  This  wa-;  vouched 
f.ir  by  Enos  Mitchel,  who  afterwards  complained  of 
the  joke.  This  same  Mitchel  was  probably  the  last 
slave  who  obtained  his  freedom  in  New  Haven  ;  he 
belonged  to  Isaac  Meason,  and  was  freed  in  1824  on 
attaining  the  twenty-eighth  year  of  his  age;  he  died 
in  1866;  he  was  the  father  of  Baily  Mitchel,  the  well- 
known  and  enterprising  knight  of  the  razor. 

Crossing  to  the  west  side  of  Front  Street,  and 
nearly  opposite  to  the  present  mill  of  Kaine  &  Long, 
was  the  first  dwelling-house  on  the  southern  limits  of 
the  town,  on  the  west  side  of  Front  Street ;  this  was 
known  as  the  Salter  House.  The  next  house  north 
was  the  residence  of  Andrew  Dempy,  a  long  one-story 
structure;  the  upper  end  was  used  as  a  store-room, 
and  had  a  projecting  window  of  a  circular  form.  He 
at  several  different  periods  engaged  in  general  mer- 
chandising ;  at  one  time  he  occupied  in  this  way  the 
south  corner  (the  frame  part)  of  Mr.  Meason's  build- 
ing; his  house  was  at  the  point  where  Second  Street 
runs  into  Front  by  a  sharp  angle,  and  facing  Second 
Street  on  its  western  side,  near  the  late  residence  of 
George  Nickel.  From  that  house  there  was  no  build- 
ing on  the  west  side  until  the  corner  of  Ferry  and 
Second  Streets.  On  this  corner  was  a  two-story  log 
house,  by  whom  occupied  at  that  time  I  do  not  know. 
It  was  subsequently  used  as  a  blacksmith-  and  cooper- 
shop,  and  was  at  last  burnt  down.  Continuing  north 
and  across  Ferry  Street,  on  Ferry  near  the  eastern 
corner  of  Second  Street,  west  side,  was  a  story  and  a 
half  house,  lived  in  by  Henry  Beason,  a  wagon-maker, 
and  Matthew  McCoy,  a  cooper,  severally  about  this 
time.  Below  this,  on  the  eastern  corner,  west  of  Second 
Street  and  Trader's  Alley,  on  the  south  side,  was  the 
residence  of  Stephen  Fairchild,  already  spoken  of; 
across  from  this,  on  the  eastern  side  of  Second  Street, 
and  corner  of  Trader's  Alley,  north,  was  a  two-story 
frame  house,  lived  in  severally  by  James  Collins,  the 
father  of  Col.  John  Collins,  a  well-known  and  respec- 
ted citizen  of  Uniontown.  It  was  also  lived  in  about 
this  time  by  Capt.  David  Cummings,  a  soldier  of  the 
war  of  1812,  and  who  also  represented  Fayette  County 
in  the  Legislature  at  Harrisburg;  and,  strange  as  it 
may  appear  at  this  period  of  time,  and  the  popular 
estimation  of  our  common  school  law,  he  was  defeated 
at  a  second  election  on  account  of  his  advocacy  of  a 


public  school  system.  It  was  related  of  him  that 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death  in  1846  he  carried  a 
bullet  in  his  shoulder  received  in  the  service  of  his 
country.  He  was  the  father  of  a  large  family.  His 
son,  Dr.  James  Cummings,  was  a  successful  prac- 
titioner in  Connellsville  for  years  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death;  his  son  David  was  one  of  the  victims  of 
the  Mexican  massacre  at  the  Alamo ;  his  two  sons, 
.Jonathan  and  John  Andrew,  served  in  the  Texan 
war  of  independence.  John  Andrew  also  served  in 
the  war  between  the  United  States  and  Mexico.  Gen. 
Galoway,  of  Connellsville,  married  one  of  his  daugh- 
ters. 

Below  this  house,  on  Second  Street,  there  was  but 
one  more  house.  It  faced  Second  Street  east,  and  was 
occupied  by  John  Wining,  a  boat-builder  aijd  miller, 
and  also,  near  this  period,  by  Daniel  Butler.  The 
trestle-work  of  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
now  crosses  where  the  house  stood,  which  was  re- 
moved to  give  room  for  it.  All  below  this,  to  the 
river  and  Third  Street,  was  an  ojjen  common.  I 
should  have  mentioned  in  the-  |)ro|K_'r  |ilaco  that  west 
of  Second  Street,  on  Trader'-,  Alley,  iKulh  >ide,  there 
was  a  frame  house,  livcil  in  liy  ralrirk  Fox,  The 
house  is  now  owned  by  Blrs,  Eva  Johnston. 

Returning  to  Front  Street,  on  a  line  running  east 
with  the  last  hou.se  w.as  the  home  of  my  father,  a 
frame  house.  From  this  to  Trader's  Alley  was  open 
ground,  save  a  small  building  between  Front  and 
Second  Streets,  on  the  north  side  of  the  alley,  where 
Oliver  Sprowl  taught  school  a  few  years  later.  On 
the  northwest  corner  of  Front  Street  and  Trader's 
Alley,  facing  east,  lived  Henry  Nash.  On  the  ad- 
joining lot  south  lived  Dr.  R.  D.  Moore,  and  the  next 
lot  was  the  property  of  Caleb  Squibb,  the  corner 
building  being  used  as  a  hotel  by  Andrew  Byers. 
Crossing  Ferry  Street,  on  the  corner  of  Ferry  and 
Front  Streets,  was  also  a  hotel  and  silversmith-shop. 
The  shop  was  occupied  by  Matthew  Kilpatrick,  and 
the  hotel  by  John  Campbell.  Above  this  was  the 
store-room  of  Phineas  Rogers.  Another  small  house 
on  the  triangle  completed  the  town.  Below,  and  now 
outside  the  borough  limits,  was  a  tannery,  but  not  in 
operation.  The  tannery  was  operated  by  John  Fell, 
a  local  Methodist  preacher.  His  wife  was  the  sister 
of  Isaac  and  George  Meason.  This  open  common 
north  of  the  town  served  in  a  large  measure  to  pas- 
ture the  town  cows,  and  was  frequently  made  the 
.place  for  the  annual  training  of  the  organized  military 
companies  of  the  county,  as  well  as  the  militia  of  one- 
half  of  the  county.  These  annual  trainings  were  great 
gala  days  at  that  time,  the  country  people  for  miles 
all  around  attending,  men,  women,  and  children,  who 
were  not  slow  to  feast  on  the  gingerbread  and  small 
beer  that  was  .amply  supplied  at  the  various  stalls. 

I  will  conclude  by  some  observations  on  the  general 
business  relations  of  the  town.  At  this  period  the 
building  of  ilat-boats,  as  they  were  called,  was  an  im- 
portant item  in  the  business  of  the  place.     The  men 


532 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE    COUxNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


most  generally  engaged  in  this  enterprise  were  Col. 
William  L.  Miller,  Joseph  Miller,  his  brother,  John 
Wining,  who  was  married  to  Sallie  Morrison,  a  step- 
sister of  the  Miller-,  Uriah  Sprinn:er,  Jr.,  and  his 
brother,  Crawford,  Christo|dier  Taylor,  and  some  other 
casual  assistants.  The  mode  of  ]ireiiariiio-  the  "gun- 
nels" was  rather  primitive  as  well  as  lahoiicjus.  After 
the  fallen  tree  was  squared  by  hewing  with  a  Ijmad- 
axe,  it  was  hauled  to  the  bank  of  the  river  and  placed, 
near  one  end.  over  a  ]iit  clnrr  some  ei.Ldit  or  nine  feet 
deep,  then  with  a  \vliip-i:nv,  one  man  standing;  above 
on  the  gunnel,  and  ai/otlier  below  in  this  pit,  this 
gunnel  was  sawed  the  entire  len^nh  in  equal  halves, 
moving  tlie  he-  as  the  sawing  progressed.  After 
framing  and  jnitting  on  the  bottom  two  long  skids  or 
logs  of  Mjood  extended  from  the  bank  to  the  water's 
edge,  and  on  these  the  boat  was  launched  into  the 
river,  where  it  was  sided  up.  I  should  have  previ- 
ously stated  that  the  boat  was  turned  by  means  of 
upright  timbers,  with  holes  and  iron  pins  to  secure 
the  raising  advantage  by  moans  of  levers. 

These  boat- were  used  for  freighting  down  the  river 
large  |)ile^  ot'  iii^'-nielal  that  was  accumulated  on  the 
bank  during  the  low  sta-e  "f  the  river  ;  whisky.  Hour, 
and  hoilow  iron-ware  w.  le  >..metiiiies  sent  off  in  this 
way.  Sometimes  a  keel-Kuut  was  pushed,  by  means  of 
))ike-poles,  from  Pittsburgh  up,  laden  with  merchan- 
dise. 

Among  the  early  merchants  may  be  mentioned 
Phineas  Eogers,  Isaac  ^leason,  Andrew  Denipsey, 
Jacob  Weaver,  and  Samuel  G.  Wnrts.  At  a  period  suc- 
ceeding these  we  find  Robert  Wilkinson,  Robert 
Alexander,  and  John  P.  .It.m.  Smeeeding  the.-e  were 
Thomas  Ro.^iers. ',  ;e  ,rge  .1.  Aslniimi,  Tle.n.  i-  Foster. 
Anthony  11.11  .^  Co.,  I',luclier  .y  Co.,  It.  M-iiuesten, 
Overboil  ,v  ( 'o..  Me(  'alkim  &  Co.,  0.  A.  &,  T.  R.  Tor- 
rance. ( '.  Siiiiu/,  C.  A.  Torrance,  Mrs.  Whitely.  These 
all  dealt  niiire  or  less  in  general  merehandisi'.  ^lore 
especially  in  grains  we  have  had  John  Wri-  ev.  \o:di 
Walker,  John  Somers,  Silas  White,  and  S.  C.' Si, nil/,. 
In  the  drug  line  no  eft'ort  of  much  consequence  was 
made  until  1833,  when  I  entered  the  business,  and 
continued  for  nearly  twenty-five  years;  at  one  time  I 
associated  groceries  with  the  drugs.  I  sold  out  to 
Daniel  Chisholm,  who  was  succeeded  by  G.  H.  Ma- 
thiott,  the  present  proprietor  at  the  post-office  corner. 

The  |iaper-niill,  built  about  the  year  1S29,  at  one 
time  did  a  considerable  l.usiiu—  in  the  old  slow  pro- 
cess of  moulding  a  single  sheet  of  paper  by  hand  at  a' 
time.  The  building  was  subsequently  Used  as  a  I'ar- 
penter-sliop,  and  was  in  use  as  a  cooi>er--hop  at  tl.e 
time  it  was  burnt  down,  in  1874.  The  presisit  grist- 
mill was  built  in  1848,  the  steani-niill  on  Second 
Street  about  ten  years  previously,  and  which  was 
abandoned  on  completing  the  river  mill.  The  mill, 
woolen-factory,  etc.,  built  by  Col.  Miller  was  burnt 
down  in  May,  1836.  The  wooleii-inill,  subsequently 
converted  into  the  locomotive-works,  was  built  by 
Thomas  Foster  in  1836. 


NEW    HAVEN'S    PHYSICIAXS.i 
In  181.5,  Dr.  Robert  Wright  was  living  in  the  town, 
but  it  does  not  ai)pear  that  he  engaged  in  regular 
practice,  and  he  was  found  mentioned  as  a  school- 
master before  1820.     He  was  married  to  Elizabeth 
Byers,  a  daughter  of  Andrew  Byers,  one  of  the  early 
'  landlords.     Dr.   Wright  was   here   as   late  as   1833, 
when  he  left.    Contemporaneous  with  him  from  1815 
to  about  1828  was  Stephen  Fairchild,  who  claimed  to 
j  be  an  Indian  doctor.     He  made  the  cure  of  cancers  a 
'  specialty.    He  was  sometimes  absent  for  several  days, 
I  being  called  away  for  the  treatiuent  of  cancer.     He 
I  carried  on  the  business  of  shoemaking  at  the  same 
j  time.     He  lived  in  the  hou.se  now  remodeled  and  oc- 
j  cu]iicd  by  Hugh  Cameron  on  Second  Street. 
!      About  1818,  Dr.  Robert  D.  Moore  lived  on  Front 
Street,  across  from  the  machine-shop.     He  remained 
\  probably  not  more  than  one  year,  when  he  moved  to 
j  Connellsville,  on  Water  Street,  and  lived  in  a  house 
on  the  lot  now  occupied  by  the  Byerly  family.     He 
was  considered  a  good  physician,  and  was  social  in 
1  his  habits.     His  wife  belonged  to  the  Gibson  family. 
j  She  was  an  enthusiastic  Methodist  in  religion,  and 
sometimes  gave  vent  to  her  feelings  in  shouts  of  Di- 
j  vine  praise.     Dr.  Moore  died  in  1829. 

The  next  resident  physician  in  New  Haven  was  Dr. 
Joseph  Rogers,  in  the  year  1825.     He  was  the  son  of 
I  James  Rogers,  a  brother  of  Daniel  Rogers,  well  known 
j  to  many.     He  continued  here  for  about  three  years, 
when  he  married  Mi.ss  Betsey  Johnson,  a  daughter  of 
;  Alexander  Johnson,  of  Connellsville,  and  engaged  in 
the  iron  business  for  some  time.     He  finally  settled 
on  a  farm  in  Springfield  township,  -where  he  engaged 
in  other  enterprises  and  practiced  at  his  profession 
until  near  his  death.     He  was  very  ea.sy  and  mild  in 
his  address,  and  much  esteemed  as  a  physician.     His 
I  office  in  New  Haven  was  a  small  building  at  the 
'  north  end  of  the  larger  buildings  on  what  was  known 
a-  the  !;ii--oll  property,  now  owned  by  D.  Kaine,  Esq. 
lir.  .loM-ph  Trevor  started  in  practice  in  1829.     He 
I'llon-i  d  to  an  English  family  who  were  old  residents 
of  C.Miiii  lls\  ille.     He  lived  in  the  stone  part  of  what 
i-  now  the  <  ules  House.     About  this  time  he  also  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  woolen  goods  in  part- 
nership with  Thoinas  Foster.     He  married  a   Miss 
Breading,  of  Brownsville.     As  a  practitioner  he  was 
respectable  in   his  profession.     He  moved  to  Pitts- 
burgh, where  he  resided  for  some  years,  and   then 
migrated  to  New  York  City. 

In  18.35,  Dr.  Rufus  Davenport  came  to  New  Haven 
and  commenced  practice.  He  continued  here  some 
two  years,  bought  the  lot  of  ground  now  lived  on  by 
Baily  Mitchel,  dug  a  cellar  on  Front  Street,  walled  it 
up,  and  then  suspended  further  work.  He  was  con- 
I  sidered  a  good  and  reliable  jdiysician.  Dr.  Joshua 
Gibson  Rogers  commenced  practice  about  1839.  He 
wa.s  the  son  of  Joseph  Eogers,  a  brother  of  Daniel  and 

iByK.  .i.M.Ilvuiiie. 


DUNBAR   TOWNSHIP. 


533 


James,  already  referred  to.  He  continued  here  at 
intervals  up  to  1864.  He  was  considered  a  well- 
read,  intelligent,  and  successful  physician.  He  went 
from  here  to  Dunbar,  and  lived  in  the  family  of  Jo- 
seph Paull,  who  was  married  to  his  sister.  A  few 
years  after  this  he  went  to  Florida  to  engage  in  the 
raising  of  oranges,  where  he  soon  died.  He  was  social 
in  his  habits  and  lived  a  bachelor. 

In  1847,  Dr.  Henry  Goucher  located  here.  He  lived 
in  a  frame  building  on  Ferry  Street.  He  had  a  small 
room,  in  which  he  sold  a  few  articles  in  the  drug  line. 
He  did  not  stay  more  than  one  or  two  years.  After 
him,  in  1850,  Dr.  William  Stephenson  commenced 
practice.  He  was  a  brother  of  the  Rev.  Ross  Stephen- 
son, who  for  several  years  supplied  the  Presbyterian 
pulpit  of  Connellsville.  The  doctor  while  here  was 
married  to  Miss  Rachel  Wilson,  the  daughter  of  .John 
Wilson,  long  known  here  as  one  among  the  oldest 
and  most  upright  citizens  of  New  Haven.  The  doctor 
was  a  native  of  Ireland.  Dr.  Stephenson  went  from 
here  to  West  Virginia,  where  he  died. 

In  1855,  Dr.  James  K.  Rogers  came  to  New  Haven, 
and  soon  after  became  associated  with  J.  G.  Rogers 
in  the  practice  of  medicine.  In  1856  he  practiced 
alone.  In  1861  he  obtained  a  government  appoint- 
ment in  the  medical  department  of  the  army,  and 
served  in  diiferent  places  South  and  West,  cliieHy  as 
inspector  of  hospitals.  At  the  close  of  the  Rebellion 
he  returned  to  New  Haven.  He  was  the  son  of  Dr. 
Joseph  Rogers,  who  practiced  in  1825.  As  a  pliysician 
lie  was  considered  skillful  and  intelligent.  He  was  a 
bachelor,  and  died  in  1870. 

In  1861,  Dr.  Benjamin  F.  Connell  commenced  prac- 
tice, and  was  here  for  several  years  at  intervals.  He 
belonged  to  the  school  of  hom(T?opatliy.     This  was 


the  first  break  in  the  lineof  alloi.atliic  physicians  that 
preceded  him.  His  system  did  uot  attiiin  tin'  pujHi- 
larity  here  that  attended  it  in  other  plarcs.  In  Isc-J 
John  R.  Nickel  commenced  jjractice.  He  also  made 
a  new  departure  from  the  old  line.  He  was  of  the 
school  that  professedly  reject  all  mineral  remedies  in 
practice,  claiming  that  the  vegetable  kingdom  con- 
tains all  proper  remedies.  He  was  the  son  of  George 
Nickel,  an  old  resident  of  the  place.  With  some  he 
was  very  popular  here,  and  acquired  considerable  prac- 
tice.    He  removed  to  Connellsville,  where  he  died. 

In  1867,  Dr.  Ellis  Phillips  came  to  New  Haven  and 
entered  into  a  partnership  with  Dr.  J.  K.  Rogers, 
'  which  ended  in  1869.  He  subsequently  lived  and 
practiced  in  New  Haven  and  Connellsville  till  Jan- 
uary, 1874,  when  he  moved  into  his  new  residence, 
where  he  has  lived  ever  since.  He  married  Ada, 
daughter  of  R.  A.  Mcllvaine,  in  1872,  and  made  a  tour 
through  Europe,  spending  several  weeks  in  the  medi- 
cal hospitals  of  Ireland  and  England.  His  practice 
is  large,  extended,  and  remunerative.  He  is  of  Quaker 
parentage,  and  was  born  in  Fayette  County. 

Dr.  R.  T.  Graham  came  to  New  Haven  in  1873.    He 
is  an  English  Canadian  anl  a  successful  practitioner; 


he  spent  over  a  year  in  the  town,  and  then  removed 
to  Connellsville,  where  he  now  lives.  The  last  on  the 
list  of  New  Haven  phj'sicians  is  Daniel  Rogers  Tor- 
rance, the  son  of  George  A.  Torrance.  He  has  been 
in  practice  since  1879.  He  is  a  young  man  of  promise 
in  his  profession. 

JUSTICE.S  OF  TIIK  PEACE. 
The  following  sketches  of  New  Haven's  justices 
of  the  peace  from  the  year  1815  is  contributed  by 
R.  A.  Mcllvaine,  Esq. :  So  far  as  I  can  learn, 
Adam  Wilson,  the  same  ingenious  Scotchman  who 
cut  stone,  planned  bridges,  and  made  furniture  (a 
piece  of  which,  in  the  form  of  a  round  stand-table, 
made  in  L^21,  i-  still  in  the  possession  of  my  family), 
found  time  in  the  nllirial  capacity  of  '"squire"  to  sit 
in  judgment  in  the  civil,  as  well  as  in  the  more 
violent,  cases  of  litigation  that  were  settled  before 
him.  While  yet  but  a  small  boy,  I,  with  others,  had 
a  wholcoome  fear  and  awe  of  his  autliority.  After 
his  death,  in  1825,  William  S.  Cannon  and  Andrew 
Dempsey  were  the  next  law  ili^niilarics.  The  former 
subsequently  engaged  in  nierchamlising  in  Connells- 
ville ;  the  latter,  both  previously  and  subsequently, 
was  engaged  in  the  same  way.  Neither  was  in  office 
later  than  1830.  After  them  the  line  was  continued 
in  John  Bolton,  a  millwright,  and  Robert  Norris,  a 
cooper.  Mr.  Bolton  was  engaged  in  the  erection  of 
the  steam-mill  on  Third  Street.  Their  period  of  office 
ended  about  1840.  The  next  to  fill  the  office  was 
Adam  Byerly,  of  no  particular  avocation,  afterwards 
"bridge-keeper,"  or  collector  of  tolls.  After  him  for 
a  short  time  was  George  Meason,  "  gent.,"  brother  of 
Isaac  Meason.  Of  him  it  may  be  said  that  he  de- 
serves more  than  a  passing  notice.  He  held  a  lieu- 
tenant's commission  in  the  regular  army  of  1812.  A 
difficulty  arose  with  a  fellow-officer,  and  in  settling 
the  affair  an  appeal  was  made  to  the  code  of  honor. 
Lieut.  Meason  was  seriously  wounded  by  the  shot  of 
liis  antagonist  and  permanently  lamed.  He  was  a 
gentleman  remarkably  courteous  in  his  intercourse 
with  others,  though  sometimes  overcome  by  the  too 
frequent  weakness  of  convivial  enjoyment.  Yet  he 
never  forgot  the  obligations  of  a  gentleman,  or  the 
natural  urbanity  of  his  manners.  I  remember  being 
called  up  at  a  late  hour  of  the  night  to  get  some  drugs 
for  a  gentleman.  The  moon  was  shining  brightly. 
On  our  way  to  the  store  we  saw  Mr.  Meason  standing 
by  a  fence.  He  bade  us  good-evening  very  pleas- 
antly, and  remarked,  "  I  thought  the  old  bachelors 
had  all  the  trouble,  but  I  see  that  married  men  have 
theirs  too."  I  heard  him  relate  an  anecdote  illustrat- 
ing the  code  of  army  morals  at  the  time  of  his  military 
life.  The  chaplain  (a  very  liberal-minded  man  in  his 
way),  after  the  soldiers  were  formed  into  a  hollow 
square,  would  address  them  and  say,  "The  govern- 
ment does  not  expect  the  soldiers  to  pray  much,  and 
has  kindly  and  wisely  provided  a  chaplain  to  pray  for 
them.     All  that  is  expected  of  you  when  called  upon 


531 


IIISTOUr    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


iibly  bow  yi 
kind  and  s, 


leads  and 


rous  to  tlie 
Lioverned  i)y  a  high  sense 
ive  with  equals.  This  is 
ct  that  Isaac  Meason,  the 
'.■ali'd  tci  the  code,  once  so 
ain.iis  men  .it  llie  country. 
lit  was  al.out  a  lady.  A 
cket  saved  his  life  in  the 


to  go  into  battle  i.- 
say,  '  God  be  nierci 

The  Meason  laini 
poor,  yet  at  tlie  san 
of  honor  in  tlieir 
shown  by  the  addit 
brother  of  G.'ori;.', 
fasluonable  atiKiiin- 
The  story  runs  tha 
silver  dollar  in  his 
duel. 

George  J.  Ashmun  was  the  next  justice.  He  was 
a  good  magistrate,  and  his  decisions  were  generally 
acquiesced  in.  Formerly  he  was  a  merchant.  Be- 
coming disabled  from  rheumatism  and  unable  to 
walk,  he  was  elerteil  to  this  olBce,  and  served  up  to 
the  time  of  Ills  iKath  in  1872.  During  this  period  I 
was  elected  justice,  Init  for  private  reasons  declined 
to  serve.  The  next  in  order  are  the  present  incum- 
bents, J.  M.  Lyle  and  Thomas  R.  Torrance,  the 
former  a  carpenter  by  occupation  and  son-indaw  of 
Thomas  Gregg,  the  searcher  alter  inventions  and  me- 
chanical discoveries;  the  latter  was  atone  time  in 
nureautile  pursuits,  and  a  lieutenant  of  cavalry  in 
tlie  war  of  the  Rebellion. 

In  the  sueee-sive  ilistriliution  of  the  village  ermine 
the  hand  of  Fate  might  lie  charged  widi  nepotism,  as 

a  large  pni|".rti. f  tliose  who  filled  llic  ollir,.  were 

either  cl^-ely  a-x.ciated  with  or  related  to  the  Meason 
family.  Adam  Wil.son  was  the  intimate  and  trusted 
friend  of  Isaac  Meason.  Being  a  bacheloi-  he  was  re- 
ceived and  treated  as  a  member  of  his  family,  and 
closed  his  life  under  his  roof,  ministered  to  by  temler 
sympathy  ami  kind  attentions.  Amlrew  DiMiip-ev 
was  a  distant  connection  l.y  marriage.  George  .Mea- 
son was  a  brother  of  Isaac,  George  J.  .\shinnn  was  a 
nephew  by  liis  mother's  side,  and  Thomas  R.  Torrance 
is  a  grandnephew  of  Jlr.  Jleason's  by  his  sister,  Mrs. 
Daniel  Rogers.  In  giving  this  aeeount  of  the  .litl'er- 
entiiersnns  who  have  aeled  as  magistnites,  I  think  I 

tenlionally,  nor  must  any  one  suppose  the  sueeession 
was  continuous,  as  there  were  long  inter\als  of  time 
when  no  one  filled  this  office.  I  will  again  say  that 
all  these  relations  of  persons  are  chiefly  interesting  as 
local  matters,  and  will  ever  be  so  to  their  descendants 
for  generations  to  come. 

Having  now  gone  thrfiugh  the  history  of  this  office, 
ami  having  a  little  spare  time,  I  will  relate  a  perilous 
adventure  and  narrow  escape  of  T.  R.  Torrance,  one 
(jf  the  persons  named.  While  in  the  service  of  his 
country  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  he  was  sent 
out  on  a  seon ting  expedition  with  a  small  body  of  men 
in  th.'  vieinity  of  I  lager-town,  Md.  When  near  to 
the  town  he  suddenly  found  himself  surrounded  on 
all  sides  by  rebels.  The  finly  alternative  appeared  to 
be  submission  and  capture  or  a  bold  and  hazardous 
attempt  to  ride  through  the  enemy's  lines.  He  ello^e 
the  latter.     Single-handed,  he  made  a  furious  dash 


into  the  streets  of  Hagerstown,  and  was  soon  con- 
fronted by  a  line  of  the  enemy.  Not  to  be  deterred 
from  his  purpose,  he  spurred  his  horse  onward,  and 
seeing  an  officer,  whom  he  supposed  to  be  Gen.  Mc- 
Causland.  he  fired  at  him.  His  audacity  brought  a 
return  fire.  His  horse  fell,  and  he  was  shot  through 
near  his  left  shoulder,  and  slightly  wounded  in  sev- 
eral other  jdaees.  Instantly  extricating  himself  from 
his  horse,  witliout  knowing  the  extent  of  his  injuries, 
and  seeing  a  gate  that  led  past  a  house  into  a  garden, 
he  dashed  himself  against  the  gate,  forced  it  open, 
and  ran  past  the  Iiouse.  Seeing  some  ladies  on  a  back- 
porch,  who  fortunately  proved  to  be  Unionists,  he 
entered  the  house  and  found  concealment.  The  pur- 
suers were  not  long  in  following.  The  ladies  did  their 
best  to  mislead  them  in  the  search,  and  directed  them 
through  the  lot.  In  that  direction  they  saw  a  lad, 
wdio,  on  being  questioned  about  the  fugitive,  replied, 
boy-like,  so  .as  to  magnify  his  knowledge  and  import- 
ance at  the  expense  of  truth.  "  I  saw  a  Yank  running 
as  if  the  very  devil  was  after  him."  The  search  was 
given  up,  ( Jen.  :Me('ausland  renuirking  that  "  he  was 
too  good  a  soMier  to  be  killed."  After  night  the  family 
smuggled  a  loyal  doctor  into  the  house  and  had  his 
wounds  properly  dressed,  ami  the  enemy  soon  leaving 
the  town,  he  was  sent  Inune  on  lurlough  for  recovery. 

EOROUr.II  IXCOPa'ORATIOX  AND  LIST  OF  OFFI- 
CERS. 

At  the  :\Iarch  session  ul'  the  Court  of  Quarter  Ses- 
sions in  ls:;!i  a  iietilioii  w:is  ]  resented  praying  for 
the  ineur|ioi-ation  of  the  Uorougli  of  New  Haven,  and 
>igne<l  l.y  Thomas  Foster,  .lolin  McClellan,  Adam 
I'.vtrly,  .Inhn  Newc  em:in.ii\  ,lr.,  (ieorge  W.  Vance, 
.lames  Co-let,  Daniel  bezels,  T.  .M.  Rogers,  R.  P. 
Drown,  Al.el  Merrill,  .lame-  lIoNinsou,  Thomas  C. 
Gregg,  (ie.i-je  Mea-..n,  Matthew  Seeton,  Robert  Nor- 
ris,Kli-ha  Castle.  William  .MeFarland,  John  William- 
son, William  Kinnear,  Joseph  Torrance,  Thomas 
];vans,  (ieorge  Dyson,  Jacob  Weaver,  H.  L.  Page, 
George  .1,  .Vshniun,  John  Bolton,  D.  Forrey,  Isaac 
f^nyder,  .1,  ( '.  lleiliert,  John  Wilson,  H.Montgomery, 
.l.iliii  (u.iham,  .ro.-eph  f<triekler,  John  D-'twiler, 
Charles  (J.  liutton,  Moses  Fcu'ter,  James  L.  Shaffer, 
Joseph  Dillon,  Thomas  Githens,  Daniel  Freeman, 
William  Cal.lwell,  William  Lord,  Thomas  Rhodes, 
Leavans  Shumway,  ^'alelltim■  Conghanour. 

Upon  the  petition  the  -laiid  Juiy  reported  favor- 
ably, and  June  7,  ISo'J,  the  report  was  confirmed  by 
the  court.  There  was,  however,  considerable  opposi- 
tion at  New  Haven  to  the  adoption  of  the  charter, 
and  this- opposition,  taking  the  form  of  legal  action, 
deferred  the  charter's  operation  until  1842.  In  that 
year  the  lirst  borough  election  was  held  in  the  village 
school-house.  Of  the  ollieials  chosen,  no  names  are 
found  recorded,  ami  none  are  now  recollected  except 
William  .M.  .M(  Farland  as  the  burgess,  and  R.  A. 
Mellvaine  as  weighmaster.  Councilmen  were  elected, 
but  their  names  are  not  now  known.     Directly  upon 


DUNBAR  TOWNSHIP. 


535 


the  election,  and  before  tlie  Council  could  meet  for 
organization,  an  anonymous  letter  found  its  way  into 
the  hands  of  the  newly-elected  officials,  threatening 
that  in  case  any  attempt  was  made  to  organize  under 
the  charter  the  town  would  be  burned.  Who  wrote 
the  letter  was  not  positively  known,  but  it  evidently 
came  from  some  person  or  persons  who  proposed  to 
resent  the  prob.able  increase  of  taxes  likely  to  be 
brought  about  under  the  borough  organization.  At 
all  events  its  result  was  to  so  thoroughly  frighten  the 
newly-elected  officers  that  they  made  no  effort  what- 
ever to  effect  an  organization,  and  so  by  common 
consent  the  borough  organization  was  allowed  to  go 
by  default,  and  the  people  remained  as  before  citi- 
zens of  the  township.  R.  A.  Mcllvaine,  the  weigh- 
niaster,  did  make  an  attempt  to  e.xercise  the  functions 
of  his  office,  but  he  was  alone  in  his  official  en- 
deavors, and  soon  abandoned  the  task  in  disgust. 
After  a  lapse  of  twenty-eight  years  the  subject  of  bor- 
ough organization  was  revived,  and  in  response  to  a 
petition  the  court  issued  a  decree,  March  14,  1807, 
authorizing  tlie  organization  of  the  borough  under 
the  charter  of  1839,  and  appointed  W.  H.  Brown 
judge,  and  J.  V.  Rhodes  and  S.  G.  Smutz  inspectors, 
to  hold  ah  election  for  borough  officers  on  Friday, 
March  29,  1867. 

At  the  March  session  of  court  in  1867  the  following 
order  was  made  : 

"  .\ik1  now  to  wit,  JIareh  1 1.  1SH7  :  rctition  of  the  citizens 
of  the  Borough  of  New  Ihiven  fio-  the  appointment  of  officers 
to  hold  an  election,  etc.,  as  follows,  settin-  forth  that  the  said 
Borough  w.is  duly  incorpor.itfd  \,y  tlie  Court  of  Quarter  Ses- 
sions on  the  10th  d.iy  of  June,  1S39.  The  charter,  plat,  and 
proceedings  thereon  having  bctn  duly  recorded,  as  provided  by 
law.  in  the  Recorder's  office  of  I'ayette  County,  that  no  suf- 

tlierc  been  .^ny  organization  or  election   for  officers  for  many 

and  place  for  holding  an  electiou,  to  desiguate  some  person'  to 
give  notice  of  said  election,  and  to  appoint  a  judge  and  inspec- 
tors to  hold  said  election,  in  order  that  said  borough  may  be  or- 
ganizcil  according  to  law,  etc. 

"And  now  to  wit,  March  14.  1S67,  the  Court  appoint  the. 
20th  day  of  .March  inst.  fur  holding  the  election  at  the  school- 
house,  between  the  hours  of  one  o'clock  and  six  o'clock  r.M., 
and  the  Court  appoint  William  Brown  Judge.  B.  Rhoads 
and  Sanuiel  Smutj  as  Inspectors  of  said  election,  and  also  ap- 
point Hugh  Cameron  to  give  notice  of  said  election  according 
to  law. 

"Same  day  order  and  decree  of  court,  with  certificate,  issued 
to  J.  M.  Lytle. 

"  And  now  to  wit,  December  9.  ISfir,  petition  of  citizens  of 
said  Borough  setting  forth  that  the  great  distance  from  the 
place  of  election  and  the  inconvenience  of  attending  the  same 
on  the  part  of  petitioners  woulil  suggest  the  propriety  of  some 
action  of  the  court  for  their  relief,  and  therefore  praying  the 
Court  to  make  such  order  in  the  premises  as  will  erect  and  con- 
stitute them  aseparate  election  district.  And  now  to  wit,  Dec. 
9,  1S67,  the  Court  designated  the  school-house  as  the  place  for 
liolding  the  elections  for  all  purposes,  and  appoint  Josiah  V. 
Rhodes  as  Judge,  and  George  Nickel  and  John  M.  Lytle  as  In- 
spectors of  Election." 


From  1867  to  1881  the  principal  borou-li  officials 
chosen  by  elections  and  appointments  will  be  foiind 
named  in  the  following  list: 

1807.— Burgess.  S.  G.  Smutz:  Counoilmcn,  R.  A.  .'ilclhaino 
and  Geo.  Nickel  (two  years),  J.  V.  Rhodi  s,  J.  M.  Lytic 
and  Hugh  Cameron  (one  year) ;  Constable,  \V'..H.  Brown  ; 
Treasurer,  George  J.  A.«hnnin. 

1.S6S.— Burge-s,  S.  G.  Smutz;  Councilmen,  J.  V.  Rho.Ie.-"  and 
J.  M.  Lytic  (twoyears),  David  Carson  (oneyear) ;  Constable, 
John  Cunningham  ;  Treasurer,  Hugh  Cainenm. 

1  SCO. —Burgess,  S.  G.  Smutz;  Assessor,  J.  M.  Lytle  ;  Aui)itor.», 
Henry  Blaokstono,  Cliristian  Smutz,  and  Michael  Secrist ; 
Councilmen,  Henry  Blackstone,  George  Nickel.  S.  S.  Myers  ; 
Coiistab'e,  II.  L.  Shoppard;  Justice,  Weaver  Ileaton  ; 
School  Directors,  David  Carson,  Weaver  Ilcaton  ;  Treasure:-, 
George  Nickel. 

1870.— Burgess,  S.  G.  Smutz;  Justices  of  the  I'eacc,  Weaver 
Ileaton,  George  J.  A>hinun;  Auditcn-,  C.  H.  Wbitclyj 
School  Directors,  Geo  ge  A.  Torrcncc,  Gcrge  Nickel. 

Audit.!,-,  .1.  T.  H,-)l.crr  .  .<  I  Ihnrn  -,  ,-|,,-,-i,;in  Smut?., 

J.  M.  l;vcr-.  .1.  M.  L.vi:.-;  r.nin.; 11,. I.  S.  i'.,llins,  T.  R. 

Tiivreiiic,  I.  W.  livers  J.  .M.  Lytic,  an. I  .Michael  Secrist ; 
Con..^t,ible,  Levi  Sterner. 

1S72.— Bur^'cs-,  Weaver  Ileaton;  Assessor.  C.  H.  Whitely; 
Auditor,  T.  r.  For.-ythe:  School  Director--,  S.  G.  Smutz, 
R.  M.  Smitli;  Councilmen,  George  Nickel,  S.  G.  Smutz, 
I.  W,  Byers;   Const^ible,  Uiiah  Springer. 

1S7:'..— Burgess,  A.  E.  Clarcy ;  Assessor,  James  S,  Collins; 
Auditor,  AVeaver  Ileaton  ;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  S.  G. 
Smutz;  Councilmen,  John  Johnston,  John  Coulson,  George 
Daw.son;  Constable,  Smith  Dawson;  Treasurer,  George  A. 
Torrence. 

1874.— Burgess,  J.  M.  Lytle  ;  Assessor,  R.  A.  Mcllvaine;  Jus- 
tices of  the  Pease,  J.  M.  Lytle,  T.  R.  Torr.ncc  :  School 
Diiectois,  D.  Carson,  C.  Smutz;  Auditor,  A.  E.  Clarey; 
Councilmen,  L.  L.  Herbert,  George  Torrence,  John  McBeth, 
J.  E.  Giles,  S.  S.  Myers. 

1875.— Burges.s,S.G.  Smutz;  Assessor,  T.  R.  Torrence;  School 
Directors,  J.  S.  Collins,  Hugh  Cameron,  Robert  M.  Smith, 
S.  G.  Smutz;  Councilmen,  S.  S.  Myers,  L.  L.  Herbert,  D. 
Carson;  Treasurer,  G.  A.  Torrence. 

1876.— Burgess,  S.  G.  Smutz;  Assessor,  Thomas  II.  Boyd; 
School  Directors,  S.  G.  Smutz,  R.  R.  McQucstin  ;  Auditor, 
James  S.  Collins. 

1877. Burgess,  S.  G.  Smutz;  Asse.=sor,  Robert  A.  Mcllvaine; 

Auditor,  L.  L.  Herbert ;  School  Director,  Christian  Smutz  ; 
Councilmen,  R.  M.  Smith,  J.  R.  Torrence,  Hugh  Cameron  j 
Constable,  Smith  Dawson. 

1878.— Burgess,  T.  R.  Torrence;  Assessor,  Chri>ti!in  Smutz; 
Auditor,  William  H.  Cooper;  School  Directors,  L.  L.  Her- 
bert, J.  S.  Collins,  S.  S.  Myers;  Councilmen,  Kell  Long, 
George  H.  Mathiott,  R.  F.  Cooper;  Treasurer,  R.  A.  Mc- 
Ilv.aine. 

1870.— Burgess,  T.  R.  Torrence;  Justices,  Thomas  R.  Torrence, 
J.  .M.  Lytle;  Assessor,  R.  A.  .Mcllvaine ;  School  Director.s, 
George  H.  Mathiott,  L.  L.  Herbert;  Councilmen,  R.  M. 
Smith,  Hugh  Cameron,  S.  S.  Myers. 

IS80.— Burgess,  T.  R.  Torrence;  Assessor,  R.  A.  Mcllv.aine; 
Auditor,  A.  G.  Vance  ;  School  Directors,  Kell  Long,  S.  G. 
Smutz,  T.  R.  Torrence;  Councilmen,  Kell  Long,  George  H. 
Mathiott,  Hugh  Cameron. 

1881,— Burgess,  T.  R.  Torrence;  Assessor,  J.  S.  Collins;  Audi- 
tors, A.  G.  Vance,  G.  H.  Mathiott ;  School  Dircclors,  J.  F. 
Reed,  A.  B.  Pool. 


snc 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


SCHOOLS    IN    NEW    HAVEN. 

It  is  a  strange  fact  that  during  all  tlie  time  tlie 
l>orough  limits  were  connected  with  the  township 
public  school  district  the  sclmul  diicitni-  never  built 
a  school-house  in  the  town,  ll  i~  triu-  tli.il  about  the 
year  1848. they  erected  .-i  liam.'  -iilniuMioii-f  just  out- 
side the  town  in  a  very  nnlavorable  lucatiiin,  on 
ground  under  a  lease  for  twenty  years,  and  wliieh  was 
sold  by  them  just  before  the  cxiiiiatinn  ol'  the  lease. 
For  some  reason  the  diieitnrs  rilii^cd  to  puirliasr  a 
piece  of  ground  in  a  ceiiti-al  and  all'i^otlna-  rli-il.lr 
])Osition  for  a  school-hmis.'  lot-  the  i'oi]>id(rati(.u  of 
one  hundred  dollars,  but  built  on  a  ground-rent  of 
six  dollars  per  year,  with  the  result  before  stated. 
The  only  building  called  a  school-house  was  erected 
by  ]irivate  contribution  some  time  in  the  early  part 
of  the  decade  between  1830  and  1840,  and  enlarged 
by  an  addition  for  school  purposes  in  the  same  way 
by  the  eflbrts  of  the  Eev.  K.  J.  Stewart  in  1847. 
Since  Mr.  Stewart  left,  the  addition  has  been  used  as 
a  ]irivatc  dwelling. 

The  oldi.st  autlieutieated  reconl  of  a  school  relates 
to  that  kept  by  ]Mrs.  Sarah  Jlcllvaine  in  the  spring  of 
ISlo.  There  being  no  school-house,  ]irivate  a]>art- 
nirnts  had  to  serve  instead.  Accordingly  sho  t:iughl 
in  part  of  her  residence,  which  was  the  last  hou>e  at 

that  date  on  Front  Street  'th,  on  h.t  Xo.  113.     The 

ne.xt  school  was  t;iUL:ht  l>v  "  <  Hd  ?irr.  I'Jli-,"  as  he  was 


desi! 


lot  No, 
liouse. 
Street 


Lilt 


him  at 


llrtaULil.t    i 

S.iM.nd  S;r 
.r  -Ml-.  M.dl 


ousr  be  taught  in  was  the  last  ,.u  Second 
The  next  school  was  taught  by  Stephen 
Smith  in  1S]8.  He  also  lived  in  the  country,  and 
was  usually  engaged  by  James  Robinson  about  his 
mill  ai!d  distillery  on  Opossum  Run,  about  one-half 
mile  west  of  town.  He  taught  in  part  of  the  Squibb 
liou^e,  where  the  drug-store  now  stands,  on  lot  No. 

The  next  teacher  was  Dr.  Robert  Wright,  in  1819. 
He  also  taught  in  the  Squibb  house  just  referred  to. 
In  1820,  as  well  as  in  1822,  there  was  no  school  taught 
ill  New  Haven.  In  1821,  Jarvis  F.  Hanks  taught  in 
a  house  near  the  river  mill.  In  182.3,  Oliver  Sproul 
taught  ill  a  siuall  building  on  Trader's  Alley,  between 
Front  and  Srciuid  Streets.  He  was  an  Irishman,  and 
a  strict  di-rioliuarian. 

In  is:^;i.  Stewart  H.  Whitehill  taught  up-siaiis  in 
the  dwelling-house  of  Stephen  Kaiivhild,  on  ilir 
corner  of  Second  Street  and  Tradi  r's  All.y,  l.oing  lot 
No.  92.  He  was  connected  (by  inarria;:i'  to  a  Miss 
Boyd)  with  an  old  and  resjiei-labl.'  lamily  >till  nsi- 
dents  cf  the  neighborhood.  The  saiiu  year  ilsi".!;  a 
gentleman  by  the  name  of  Pearsol  taught  in  a  build- 
ing that  was  formerly  used  by  Adam  Wilson  as  a 
warero(Uii.  It  stood  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  on  the 
onlv  lot   then   inclosed    north  of  the  bridire  on  the 


river  tier,  being  lot  No.  15.  This  brings  the  schools 
down  to  1830.  After  this  period  the  school  privileges 
were  not  so  limited.  About  the  year  1838,  Flavius 
Josephus  Worrell  taught.  He  came  from  and  re- 
turned to  New  Jersey.  His  high-sounding  name 
gave  him  some  notoriety.  In  1839-40,  Marlin  D. 
Dimick  taught.  At  the  time  of  his  teaching  he  was 
reading  medicine.  In  184-5,  Mrs.  Robert  Dougan 
taught.  In  1841),  Daniel  Forry  was  teaching.  He 
joiiuMi  a  company  for  the  Mexican  war,  was  elected 
liciit.maut,  and  died  at  the  city  of  Vera  Cruz.  In 
1N47  the  Ibv.  Kenzie  John  Stewart,  an  Episcopal 
minister  IVom  Virginia,  built  an  addition  totheschool- 
house  on  Third  Street,  and  made  the  first  attempt  to 
raise  the  standard  of  schools  by  introducing  advanced 
studies,  and  by  inducing  scholars  from  a  distance  to 
come  here.  In  both  respects,  to  some  extent,  he  was 
successful.  He  employed  Mr.  Nathan  Merrill  and 
Miss  Hoadly,  a  gentleman  and  lady  from  Connec- 
ticut, for  assistant  teachers.  Scholars  were  in  attend- 
ance from  Brownsville,  rTrcensburg,  and  Bedford. 
About  the  year  ls4;i  a  Mr.  I'atrick  gave  more  char- 
acter to  the  school  bv  advaii'cil 


ipass. 


aii'cil  studies  and  practice 
For  several  terms,  includ- 
ing l>^ol ,  !  >avid  Barnes,  now  ticket  agent  in  Connells- 
ville  lor  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  was 
the  tea.-licr.  In  ls.-,2  and  after  :\Iiss  Mary  Bucking- 
ham was  traih.  r.  In  is.,:;.  Mi.s  Aunie  Hill  taught 
a  small  select  ,-i  lio.l.  Slic  was  the  daughter  of  Mr. 
Anthony  Hill,  who  had  been  at  the  head  of  the  New 
Haven  woolen-mill  enterprise.  In  18.34,  Mr.  John 
Bolton  was  teacher.  He  was  in  ability  above  the 
average  ol'  teachers  ot'  that  time.  He  went  from  here 
to  ()liio,  where  he  has  bci-n  advanced  to  important 
positions  in  dilferent  schools,  and  is  still  successfully 
engaged  there. 

In  18.'i7  the  Rev.  James  Black,  a  Presbyterian  min- 
ister, in  charge  of  the  church  in  Connellsville,  fitted 
up  the  hall  al.uvc  the  brick  drug-sl.jre,  and  made  an- 
other atiempt  to  elevate  the  school  standard.  He  was 
assisted  by  Mr.  C.  ( '.  r.auuli  and  :\liss  Maggie  Bell  as 


teachers.  He  wiiiked 
was  to  a  considerable  i 
Mr.  Black  is  ]ir..fess.,r  i 
Ohio.  In  IS.'iS  be  was 
Christopher  O.hiiuliii^  I 

BaUgh,   b.douged    t..   the 


til  eiieiL:y  and  ability,  and 
cut  -uccessful.  At  present 
111  institution  of  learning  in 
icceeded  in  New  Haven  by 
igh.  His  male  .assistant,  Mr. 
Ivaiieed  line  of  teachers  and 
liberally  patioiii/ed.  About  iMio,  Mis.  Margaret 
alsoau  assistant  of  .Mr.  lllack,  taught  in  the  same 
.She  was  assisted  by  a  Mi.ss  -Mills.  She  was  a 
High  and  successful  teacher.  Following  her,  in 
,  Jlr.  Pollard  Morgan  opened  a  school  in  the  hall. 
I  as  a  young  man  of  sidiolarly  attainments,  having 
idiieated  and  trained  for  the  Presbyterian  niin- 
,  and,  -t range  as  it  may  appear,  under  the  friend- 
aiid  iutlueiice,  as  was  supposed,  of  a  much-loved 
an  Catlndic  friend  and  companion  the  disciple 
ilvin  became  a  Papist.  Soiui  after  leaving  here 
ent  to  the  city  of  Rome  and  entered  the  R._imish 


DUxNBAR  T0T\-NSH1P. 


537 


communion,  and  ultimately  received  priest's  orders" 
Mr.  Morgan  was  from  Pittsburgh,  and  a  brother  of 
Sydney  Morgan,  an  extensive  coal  and  coke  dealer. 

In  1868,  Miss  Herring,  from  Dunbar,  taught  in  the 
hall.  The  Rev.  Timothy  O'Connell,  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  an  Irishman,  and  relative  of  the  great  Irish 
agitator  of  the  same  name,  opened  a  school  in  the 
hall  in  1875.  His  assistant  was  a  Miss  Jones,  from 
New  York,  whom  he  afterwards  married. 

The  names  of  teachers  and  the  date  of  their  teach- 
ing from  1868  to  1881  are  as  follows:  1868,  A.  S. 
Murphey;  1869-70,  A.  S.  Murphey  and  C.  B.  Scott; 
1870-71,  C.  B.  Allen  ;  1871-72,  Miss  Lizzie  Miller 
and  Miss  Mollis  Ritenour;  1873-74,  H.  E.  Faust; 
1874-78,  A.  S.Cameron;  1879-80,' Rev.  William  H. 
Cooper  and  Miss  Mary  Cooper;  1880-81,  N.  V.  Kill 
and  Miss  Susie  T.  Grifleth. 

The  New  Haven  school  district  was  organized  June 
1  1868,  the  year  following  the  reorganization  of  the 
borough.  The  directors  chosen  in  1868  were  S.  S. 
Myers,  Hugh  Cameron,  Geo.  Nickel,  I.  V.  Rhodes, 
S.  G.  Smutz,  and  J.  M.  Lytle.  8.  G.  Smutz  was 
chosen  president,  I.  V.  Rhodes  secretary,  and  S.  S. 
Myers  treasurer.  For  the  year  1888  the  appropria- 
tion for  teachers'  wages  was  {f320.  The  annual  report, 
dated  June,  1880,  was  as  follows : 

Number  of  schools 2 

Average  number  of  months  tiiught 7 

Teachers 2 

Average  s:ihiry  per  mi.nih S30.0U 

Number  of  male  scholars 7(1 

femiile     "        48 

Avernge  thiily  aitemlanee 97 

Amount  levied  for  SL-hool  purposes $588.27 

Amount  rec-eiveJ  from  the-  St:ite 102.85 

"      tiix  colloLtiims 4S6.7S 

Kxpenditures 492.48 

The  directors  for  1881  were  C.  Smutz,  T.  R.  Tor- 
rance, S.  S.  Myers,  Kell  Long,  J.  A.  Mestrezat,  and 
G.  A.  Mathiott.  C.  Smutz  is  president,  Kell  Long 
treasurer,  and  G.  A.  Mathiott  secretary. 

POST-OFFICE. 
New  Haven  tried  many  times  and  for  years  to 
obtain  a  post-office,  but  until  late  in  1878  fruitlessly. 
The  inconvenience  of  having  to  depend  upon  the 
Connellsville  post-office  for  mail  was  not  only  an 
aggravating  but  a  costly  one,  for  every  time  a  citizen 
of  New  Haven  desired  to  post  a  letter  or  get  his  mail, 
he  not  only  had  to  make  a  considerable  journey, 
but  pay  toll  to  cross  the  river.  Many  efforts  were 
made  to  remedy  the  evil,  but  as  often, as  New  Haven 
tried  for  a  post-office,  Connellsville  influence  was  suc- 
cessfully brought  to  bear  to  frustrate  the  project.  The 
purpose  in  such  opposition  lay,  it  is  said,  in  the  con- 
clusion that  as  long  as  New  Haven  lacked  a  post- 
office  Connellsville  would  reap  the  benefit  of  addi- 
tional trade  by  forcing  people  from  the  other  side  of 
the  river  to  come  to  "  town"  for  their  letters.     The 


New  Haven  effort  of  1878,  based  upon  former  futile 
experiences,  was,  however,  so  quietly  conducted  that 
before  Connellsville  was  aware  of  what  was  going  on 
the  New  Haven  post-office  was  established,  and  George 
A.  Mathiott  commissioned  postmaster  Jan.  1,  1879. 

RELIGIOU.-?. 
TRINITY  CHUKCn  (PllOTESTANT  EPLSCOPAL). 

It  would  appear  from  a  fragmentary  church  record 
that  as  early  as  1780  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
services  were  held  in  Dunbar  township  and  the 
neighborhood  by  the  Rev  Mr.  Mitchell,  and,  further, 
that  he  preached  in  the  vicinity  from  1780  to  1790  as 
an  Episcopalian  missionary.  Who  Mr.  Mitchell  was, 
where  he  came  from,  or  just  where  he  preached  are 
matters  upon  which  the  record  is  silent.  At  some 
time  lucviiius  to  the  Revolutionary  war,  Rev.  Daniel  • 
^leKeiincin,  an  Englishman  and  an  Episcopalian, 
preached  in  the  neighborhood  of  Connellsville.  Upon 
the  outbreak  of  hostilities  he  sailed  for  England,  and 
was  subsequently  reported  to  have  been  lost  at  sea. 
One  of  his  daughters  married  Thomas  Rogers,  one  of 
Dunbar's  early  settlers.  In  1780  the  Episcopalians 
living  near  what  is  now  New  Haven  were  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Thomas  Rogers,  Col.  Isaac  Meason  and  his  wife, 
Benjamin  Wells  and  wife,  Mrs.  William  Crawford 
and  her  daughter  Ophelia  (or  Effie). 
I  In  1S17  Trinity  Church  was  organized,  but  beyond 
the  bare  statement  not  much  can  be  added  touching 
I  the  event,  since  there  is  now  no  record  of  the  inci- 
I  dents  attendant,  or  showing  who  became  members  of 
1  the  organization  at  the  outset.  Among  the  members, 
however,  it  seems  pretty  certain  were  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
I  Thomas  Gibbs,  their  daughter  Anna,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Benjamin  Moore,  Abraham  Baldwin  and  wife,  Mrs. 
Ann  Norton  (sister  to  Mr.  Baldwin),  and  Elizabeth 
Fell. 
I  The  first  meetings  were  held  in  a  log  building  tliat 
stood  upon  the  site  now  occupied  by  the  ('i.MiiiHsville 
public  school.  Services  were  held  on  tliat  si.le  nltlie 
river  until  1832,  when  a  house  of  worship  was  l.uilt 
in  New  Haven.  That  house  is  still  used.  Mrs.  Daniel 
Rogers  donated  the  ground,  and,  beyond  that,  liberal 
aid  toward  the  building  enterprise  was  given  by 
Daniel  Rogers.  A  handsome  memorial  window  in 
the  church  commemorates  the  grateful  spirit  with 
which  the  kindly  deeds  of  Mrs.  Rogers  are  cherished. 
To  the  gifts  mentioned  James  Mcllvaine  added  later 
those  of  a  church-bell  and  a  parsonage.  The  first 
rector  of  Trinity  was  Rev.  Jehu  Clay,  and  the  second 
Rev.  Samuel  Johnson.  Succeeding  t.iem  followed 
Revs.  Jackson  Kemper,  Dean  Richmond,  John  P. 
Bausman,  Henry  Pfiffer,  Lyman  N.  Freeman,  and 
Silas  Freeman.  During  Rev.  Silas  Freeman's  term 
of  service,  from  1833  to  1835,  Trinity  Sunday-school 
was  established. 

After  the  Rev.  Silas  Freeman  came  Rev.  J.  J.  Kerr 
and  J.  J.  McElhinney  (now  Professor  of  Theology  in 
the  Seminary  of  Virginia).     The  latter  left  in  1840, 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


but  returned  in  1842.  The  interval  was  filled  by  the 
Eev.  William  Arnott.  Those  who  succeeded  Mr.  Mc- 
Elhinney  were  Revs.  Kinsey  J.  Stewart,  Edward 
Walker,  William  J.  Hilton,  N.  M.  Jones,  Samuel 
Cowell,  J.  G.  Furey,  H.  T.  Wilcoxon,  George  Hall, 
C.  N.  Quick,  Faber  Byllesley,  Richard  S.  Smith  (now 
of  Brownsville  Deanery),  G.  C.  Rafter,  J.  H.  Mc- 
Candless,  S.  S.  Chevera,  G.  W.  Easter,  Timothy 
O'Connell,  and  W.  G.  Stone.  Rev.  Mr.  Stone,  the 
present  rector,  began  his  labors  in  1877.  Rev.  J.  J. 
McElhinney  was  the  first  rector  of  Trinity  to  wear  a 
surplice.     Tliis  was  in  1846. 

Trinity  is  now  a  prosperous  parish,  and  owns  not 
only  a  house  of  worship  but  two  parsonages.  The 
cliurch  membership  is  fifty-five,  and  that  of  the 
Sunday-school  about  sixty.  The  wardens  are  Robert 
A.  Mcllvaine  and  George  A.  Torrance.  The  vestry- 
men are  E.  K.  Hyndman,  E.  Y.  Goodchild,  Thomas 
R.  Torrance,  Tliomas  Turner,  Charles  P.  Ford,  Henry 
Wickham,  a'ul  E.  A.  Jones.  The  Sunday-school  su- 
perintendent is  Cliarles  P.  Ford. 

Besiilr>  Trinity  L'lnirch  there  is  but  one  other  re- 
ligious (Jiiiani /.at  imi  in  Xew Haven,  the  Zion  Methodist 
Episco]i:il  Alrican  Church,  whose  house  of  worship 
was  built  in  tlie  summer  of  1880. 


llOGRAPIIICAL    SKETCHES. 


COL.  J.\MES    PAULL. 

James  Paiill,  who  lived  in  Fayette  County  from 
cliildhood  tn  uld  age,  and  was  one  of  its  ))roniiiient 
and  most  Inmorcd  citizens,  was  born  in  Frederick 
(now  Berkeley)  County,  Va.,  Sept.  17,  17(J0,  and  in 
1768  removed  to  the  West  with  the  family  of  his 
flither,  George  Paull,  who  then  settled  in  tluit  part  of 
Westmorehuid  County  which  afterwards  l)rcanie  Fay- 
ette; his  location  being  the  Gist  iici:jhlH.rlio..(l,  in  tlie 
present  townsliip  of  Dunbar,  whicli  was  the  home  of 
James  Paull  during  the  remainder  of  his  long  Hie. 
Judge  Veech  says  of  him  that  "early  in  life  he 
evinced  qualities  of  heart  and  soul  calculated  to  ren- 
der him  conspicuous,  added  to  which  was  a  physical 
constitution  of  the  hardiest  kind.  Throughout  his 
long  life  his  bravery  and  patriotism,  like  his  gener- 
osity, knew  no  limits.  He  loved  enterprise  and  ad- 
venture as  he  loved  his  friends,  and  shunned  no  ser- 
vice or  dangers  to  which  they  called  him.  He  came 
to  manhood  just  when  such  men  were  needed." 

In  the  early  part  of  his  life  James  Paull  was  much 
engaged  in  military  service,  and  in  it  his  record  was 
that  of  a  brave,  honorable,  and  efficient  soldier  and 
officer.  His  military  experience  began  in  1778,  when, 
as  a  boy  of  eighteen  years,  he  was  drafted  for  a  tour 
of  duty  in  the  guarding  of  Continental  stores  at  Fort 
Burd,  on  the  Monongahela,  under  Capt.  Robert  Mc- 
Glaughlin.     Three  years  later— in  1871— he  was  made 


a  first  lieutenant  by  Thomas  Jefferson,  Governor  of 
Virginia,  and  in  that  grade  served  with  a  company 
raised  largely  by  his  efTorts,  and  which  formed  a  part 
of  the  expedition  which  went  down  the  Ohio  under 
Gen.  George  Rogers  Clarke  on  a  projected  campaign 
against  Detroit,  as  is  mentioned  in  the  Revolutionary 
chapters  of  this  history.  Upon  the  fiiilure  of  that 
expedition  he  returned  on  foot  through  the  wilder- 
ness from  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio  (Louisville,  Ky.)  to 
Morgantown,  Va.,  and  thence  home,  being  accom- 
panied by  the  men  of  his  own  command  and  also  the 
officers  and  men  of  Maj.  Isaac  Craig's  artillery,  of 
Pittsburgh.  In  1782  he  served  a  short  tour  of  duty 
as  a  private  soldier  at  Turtle  Creek,  above  Pitts- 
burgh, and  at  its  close  joined  (still  as  a  private)  the 
expedition  of  Col.  William  Crawford  against  San- 
dusky. The  story  of  the  hardships  and  perils  which 
he  met  in  that  disastrous  campaign,  and  the  manner 
of  his  almost  miraculous  escape  from  the  savages,  has 
been  told  in  preceding  pages.  Again  in  1783  and 
1784  he  was  engaged  in  frontier  service  against  Indian 
incursions  along  the  southwest  border  of  the  State. 
In  1790  he  served  in  the  grade  of  major  and  lieuten- 
ant-colonel under  Gen.  Harmar  in  the  unsuccessful 
campaign  of  that  officer  against  the  Indians  in  the 
Mauniee  country,  and  in  this,  as  in  all  his  military 
service,  he  acquitted  himself  most  honorably.  This 
was  the  end  of  his  military  experience.  Having 
married,  he  settled  down  to  the  comforts  of  domestic 
life  and  the  pursuits  of  agriculture,  in  which  he  was 
eminently  successful.  He  reared  a  large  and  most 
respectable  family,  seven  sons — James,  George,  John, 
Archibald,  Thomas,  William,  and  Joseph — and  one 
daughter, — Martha,  who  became  the  wife  of  William 
Walker.  He  had  some  concern  in  iron  manufacture, 
and  was  occasionally  in  middle  life  a  down-river 
trader.  But  he  was  a  lover  of  home,  with  its  quiet 
cares  and  enjoyments.  He  was  never  ambitious  for 
office,  and  the  only  one  he  ever  held  was  that  of 
sherift'  of  Fayette  Cimnty  from  1793  to  1796.  Col. 
Paull  was'a  man  of  perfect  and  unquestioned  integrity 
and  truth,  and  of  the  most  generous  and  her'iic  im- 
pulses. He  died  in  Dunbar  township,  July  9,  1841, 
aged  nearly  eighty-one  years. 


ROBERT  ANDREW  McILVAIXE. 
The  Scotch-Irish  Mcllvaines  of  America  point  to 
Ayrshire,  Scotland,  as  the  home  of  their  ancestors, 
and  revert  to  a,  period  as  far  back  as  1315,  when  Ed- 
ward, brother  of  Robert  Bruce,  led  a  large  force  into 
Ireland  with  the  purpose  of  expelling  the  English 
troops  from  the  soil  of  Erin,  great  numbers  of  his 
soldiers  and  retainers  remaining  in  Ireland  and 
(bunding  what  is  known  as  the  Scotch-Irish  race, 
many  of  whom  migrated  to  America  in  colonial 
times,  and  among  whom  were  the  ancestors  of  Robert 
A.  Mcllvaine,  of  New  Haven,  Fayette  Co.,  whose 
father,  John  Mcllvaine,  was  a  native  of  Delaware, 


/^c2?^i'dlt 


UL    /  ^(^  J^iyl.-^^C^.-'^-Z.'^— 


:? 


DUNBAR   TOWNSHIP. 


539 


where  in  1796  he  married  Sarah  AVhite,  by  whom  he 
had  ten  cliildren,  six  born  in  Delaware.  In  1813  he 
with  liis  family  left  his  native  State,  in  the  latter  part 
of  June,  for  Washington  County,  Pa.,  arriving  there 
after  a  tedious  journey — a  great  undertaking  in  those 
days — in  the  early  part  of  August,  and  locating  on 
Pike  Run.  In  the  same  county  two  of  his  uncles, 
George  and  Grier  Mcllvaine,  were  then  living,  and 
also  two  of  his  brothers-in-law,  Fisher  and  James 
White. 

On  the  2.1th  of  August,  1814,  his  son,  Robert  An- 
drew, w.os  born,  and  in  October  of  the  same  year 
John  Mcllvaine  moved  to  Connellsvilie,  where  he 
lived  until  March,  1815,  when  he  moved  across  the 
river  into  New  Haven,  a  town  at  that  time  com- 
prising about  twenty  dwellings  and  a  few  shops. 
Here,  in  1815,  Mrs.  Mcllvaine  taught  a  small  school, 
and  counted  among  her  pupils  Margaret  and  Eliza 
Connell,  daughters  of  Zachariah  Connell,  the  founder 
of  Connellsvilie.  This  school  was  one  of  the  pioneer 
educational  enterprises  of  the  village.  While  living 
here  three  children  were  born  to  Mr.  Mcllvaine, — 
Sarah,  Isaac,  and  Eliza.  The  parents  instructed 
their  children  in  the  precepts  and  practices  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  endeavored  to  impress  them  with  a  sense 
of  the  importance  of  htibits  of  industry  and  frugality. 

John  Mcllvaine  died  in  1850,  in  his  seventy-ninth 
year,  Sarah,  his  wife,  having  gone  before  him  in  1835, 
in  her  fifty-second  year.  Of  their  ten  children  only 
four  survive, — Mary  Tarr,  the  oldest  survivor,  a  resi- 
dent of  Bethany,  Westmoreland  Co.,  Pa.,  in  her  sev- 
enty-sixth year;  James,  aged  seventy-three,  now  of 
AVashington  County,  a  gentleman  distinguished  for 
his  benevolence  as  well  as  great  business  ability; 
Isaac,  the  youngest  survivor,  residing  near  Pitts- 
burgh ;  and  Robert  A.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
who  is  sixty-seven  years  of  age,  and  lives  in  New 
Haven,  where  he  has  spent  the  greater  part  of  his 
life,  actively  identified  with  the  business  and  growth 
of  the  i>lace. 

In  the  early  part  of  1853,  Mr.  Mcllvaine,  after 
having  been  engaged,  with  the  ordinary  share  of  suc- 
cess, in  various  avocations  of  life,  entered  upon  the 
business  of  a  druggist,  earning  an  exceptional  repu- 
tation therein  for  scientific  accuracy  in  the  com- 
pounding of  medicines,  and  securing  the  confidence 
of  a  large  circle  of  customers  thereby,  as  well  as  aug- 
menting his  own  financial  resources.  From  this  busi- 
ness he  withdrew  in  1876,  and  though  keeping  a 
watchful  eye  over  his  affairs,  now  lives  in  compara- 
tive retirement,  unpretentious  in  his  habits,  and 
greatly  preferring  to  fields  of  public  duty  the  quiet 
enjoyments  of  home. 

In  May,  1841,  Mr.  Mcllvaine  married  Miss  Susan 
King,  an  estimable  young  lady  and  former  resident 
of  Westmoreland  County,  Pa.  Of  this  union  four 
children  were  born,  the  first  not  surviving  its  birth. 
The  others  — Josephine,  Gertrude,  and  Ada  — grew 
up  to  maturity,  and  were  in  proper  time  given  the 


best  educational  advantages  at  command.  Josejihine 
graduated  at  Beaver  Female  Seminary  and  Institute, 
Gertrude  at  the  Washington  Female  Semiiuiry,  and 
Ada  was  educated  in  the  Moravian  Seminary  at  Beth- 
lehem, Pa. 

In  1868  Gertrude  was  married  l.i  Thomns  1!,.  Tor- 
rence,  of  New  Haven.  In  1871  Mr.  Mcllvaine  lost 
his  daughter  Josephine,  who  died  only  four  months 
before  her  mother,  ^Trs.  Busan  K.  Mcllvaine,  who 
expired  in  the  fifty-second  year  of  her  age.  In  1872 
Ada  married  Dr.  Ellis  Phillips,  of  New  Haven.  Mr. 
Mcllvaine  and  all  his  children  are  members  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  the  office  of  senior  warden  having 
been  filled  by  him  since  1854.  He  has  five  living 
grandchildren, — Josephine,  Catharine,  and  Robert 
Mcllvaine  Torrence,  and  Ada  and  James  Mcllvaine 
Phillips,— two  having  died  in  infancy,— Thomas  Tor- 
rence and  Gertrude  Ellisa  Phillips. 


Vc 


KEV.  JOEL  STOXEROAD. 
le  not  only  for  his  ripe  old  age,  but  for  his 
well-spent  life,  as  also  by  reason  of  his  almost  classic, 
chastened  lace  and  fine  presence  and  port  as  a  gen- 
tlrniiui,  ami  for  those  acute  instincts  and  sensitivities 
wliicli  bi'ldiiL'  only  to  tlie  scholarly  man  of  thought,  is 
tlie  Rev.  .loel  Stoneroad,  who  has  been  identified  for 
over  half  a  century  with  Fayette  County,  doing  ex- 
cellent work  in  moulding  its  moral  character  and 
disciplining  its  intellectual  forces. 

This  gentleman  is  of  German  descent,  the  name 
Stoneroad  being  the  English  translation  of  the  German 
"Steinway,"  and  was  born  near  Lewistown,  Mifflin 
Co.,  Jan.  2, 1806,  the  son  of  Lewis  and  Sarah  Gardner 
Stoneroad,  both  natives  of  Lancaster  County,  the 
name  of  the  former's  father  (Mr.  Stoneroad's  grand- 
father) having  also  been  Lewis.  Mr.  Stoneroad  was 
educated  at  a  common  country  school  and  at  Lewis- 
town  Academy,  under  Rev.  Dr.  James  S.  Woods,  a 
son-in-law  of  the  famous  Rev.  Dr.  Witherspoon,  then 
president  of  Princeton  College,  N.  J.,  at  which  acad- 
emy he  remained  for  a  year  and  a  half,  there  apply- 
ing himself  to  study  with  such  remarkable  assiduity 
and  cleverness  in  acquirement  as  in  that  brief  period 
of  time  to  fit  himself  to  enter  the  junior  class  of  Jef- 
ferson College,  Washington,  Pa.,  as  he  did  in  the  fall 
of  1825,  graduating  from  that  institution  in  1827; 
whereafter  he  entered  the  Theological  Department  or 
Seminary  of  Princeton  College  (New  Jersey),  where 
he  remained  three  years,  taking  (what  was  then  not 
the  custom  to  do)  the  full  course,  and  receiving  a 
diploma.  Leaving  the  seminary  he  was  licensed  to 
preach,  and  returned  home  to  Mifflin  County,  whence, 
with  saddle,  bridle,  and  horse,  provided  him  by  his 
father,  he  set  out  upon  missionary  work,  under  the 
commission  of  the  Board  of  Home  Missions,  and  be- 
took himself  at  first  to  Hancock  County,  Md.,  where 
he  preached  his  first  sermon,  and  from  thence  to  Mor- 
gantown,  and  Kingwood,  Preston  Co.,  W.  Va.,  at  which 


540 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


place  he  continued  in  his  missionary  labors  for  about 
a  year,  when  he  accepted  the  call  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Uniontown,  Fayette  Co.,  in  18.31,  of  which 
church  he  w.as  pastor  for  about  eleven  years. 

An  iin]«)rt:int  incident  in  his  history  while  residing 
at  Uniontown  was  the  active  part  he  took  in  1836  in 
the  trial  of  the  celebrated  Rev.  Albert  Barnes  for 
doctrinal  heresy  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  he  was  a  member,  and 
then  in  session  in  Pittsburgh.  The  controversy  was 
at  its  height  when  Mr.  ^toneroad  made  a  most  telling 
speech,  wliicli  was  extensively  published  through  the 
Pittsburgh  and  Philadelphia  papers,  and  has  fre- 
quently been  quoted  from  since. 

Leaving  Uniontown  he  received  a  call  from  the 
church  of  Florence,  AVashington  Co.,  where  he  re- 
mained eight  years.  His  next  call  was  the  joint  or 
united  one  of  Laurel  Hill,  Franklin  township,  and 
Tyrone,  Fayette  Co.  After  holding  this  double 
charge  for  about  twelve  years,  he  relinquished  that  of 
Tyrone  and  devoted  himself  to  Laurel  Hill,  with 
Bethel  added,  for  about  sixteen  years,  when,  after 
having  been  in  the  active  ministry  nearly  fifty  years, 
he  resigned  this  charge,  his  health  having  failed  him, 
through  1(11.  great  devotion  to  his  pastoral  duties  and 
conse(iiienl  ex|.(i>uie  to  the  severities  of  an  inclement 
climate,  which  broke  down  in  good  part  a  constitu- 
tion wliieh  was  apparently,  and  otherwise  might  have 
rontintied  to  be  one  of  the  most  robust.  Since  that 
time  5Ir.  Stoneroad  has  taken  no  active  part  as  a 
clergyman.  He  now  resides  with  his  family,  in  their 
quiet,  romantically-located  farm-house  in  Woodvale. 
He  is  an  old-time  Calvinist  in  doctrine,  but  not  of 
that  very  bigoted  school  whose  cruel  austerities  are 
sometimes  pictured  by  ill-tempered  or  despairing 
mothers,  and  so  made  use  of  to  frighten  refractory 
children,  for  he  is  both  genial  and  benevolent. 

jMr.  Stoneniad  has  twice  married,  the  first  time  in 
Greene  County,  Sept.  11,  1  >:;i',  :\Ii^s  Rebecca  Veech, 
daughter  lit  1  i:i\i'l  \ei  .li,  1N.|.  i  and  sister  of  the  late 
Hon.  James  \'r.>cli,  I  lie  erlcl'iated  historian  of  West- 
ern lViinsvlvaiiia;,by  whiuii  lie  had  two  daughters,  the 
elder  luing  the  wile  of  Uev.  T,  P.  Speer,  of  "Wooster, 
Oliici  the  viiuiiLar,  Miss  Sarah  Louisa  Stoneroad, 
who  resides  with  her  sister.  Mr.  Stoneroad's  second 
marriage,  on  June  27,  1854,'was  with  Miss  Hannah 
PaiiU,  daughter  of  Col.  James  and  Mary  Cannon 
I'aiill,  of  Fayette  County,  and  who  is  still  living.  Of 
this  union  are  four  children, — James  Paull,  now 
residing  in  New  Mexico;  Thomas  L,  a  graduate  of 
Lafayette  College,  Easton,  Pa.,  in  business  near 
Philadelphia;  Mary  Belle,  who  having  taken  full 
course  of  studies  at  Hollidaysburg  Female  Seminary, 
is  spending  her  time  at  the  present  making  advanced 
studies  at  home;  and  Joel  T.  M.,  now  attending 
Wooster  University,  Ohio. 


JAMES  MADISOX  REID. 
They  who  have  won  notable  success  in  life  are  not 
all  old  men.  By  the  vigor  and  skill  of  men  ranging 
in  years  from  twenty-five  to  forty-five  most  of  the 
world's  weal  has  been  wrought  out.  In  the  battles  of 
business,  as  in  military  life,  they  who  win  the  rank  of 
leaders  do  so  in  early  age  or  then  give  earnest  of 
some  time  so  doing.  Notable  in  the  liistory  of  Fay- 
ette County,  as  much  so  perhaps  as  that  of  any  one 
in  the  county,  is  the  career  of  the  young  man  whose 
name  is  the  caption  of  this  sketch,  James  M.  Reid,  of 
Dunbar.  Toward  his  prosperity  "good  luck"  has 
perhaps  played  the  part  of  an  important  factor;  the 
envious  would  say  so.  But  "luck"  is  a  term  which 
admits  of  several  definitions,  and  though  "  there  is  a 
tide  in  the  affairs  of  men  which,  taken  at  the  flood, 
leads  on  to  fortune,"  the  number  of  those  who  by 
lack  of  sagacity  fail  to  discern  just  when  to  take  it 
and  move  not,  or,  launching  their  crafts  unwisely,  go 
backward  with  the  redux  and  are  submerged,  is,  com- 
paratively, .IS  ninety-nine,  to  the  one  who  rises  tri- 
umphant and  crowns  his  ambition  at  last  "  high  on 
the  hither  shore"  of  security  and  success. 

Together  with  his  abundant  abilities,  force  of  char- 
acter, etc.,  the  chief  characteristics  as  a  business  man 
which  mark  Mr.  Reid  would  seem  to  be  those  which 
are  as  likely  to  serve  him  and  achieve  for  him  con- 
tinued victories  in  the  I'litiin'  a-  they  have  served  him 
in  the  past,  namely,  a  niereiirial  teuiiierament  and  a 
peculiarly  well-balanced,  coutrulling  brain,  enabling 
him  to  form  opinions  or  judgmepts  rapidly  and  with 
accuracy.  While  other  men  ponder  and  "  calculate" 
by  slow  jirocesses,  he  decides  at  once,  and  either  se- 
cures new  accessions  to  his  worldly  goods,  or  escapes 
what  might  have  proven  a  misfortune.  But  this  may 
be  "  luck"  after  all,  but  it  is  a  kind  of  luck  which  is 
somehow  closely  allied  to  genius.  Mr.  Reid  has  a 
good  deal  of  the  same  character — and,  indeed,  per- 
sonal appearance — as  hael  the  late  Alexander  T.  Stew- 
I  art,  of  New  York,  and  comes  of  much  the  same  stock. 
I  He  is  on  both  sides  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  and  both 
his  ]Kiternal  and  maternal  ancestries  or  lineages  have 
frequently  adurned  the  pages  of  history  by  deeds  of 
military  prowess,  and  by  sagacity,  honor,  and  learn- 
I  ing  in  the  peaceful  walks  of  life.  In  short,  the  name 
of  Reid,  as  well  as  that  of  Henry,  and  also  that  of 
McAuley  (both  on  Mr.  Reid's  mother's  side),  have 
j  played  a  grand  part  in  tlie  old  world,  and  rank  high 
in  various  parts  ol'  .Vineriea.  Mr.  Reid  not  only  need 
feel  no  diffidence  in  pointing  to  his  ancestry  for  fear 
of  being  charged  with  unworthy  vanity,  but  may 
be  justly  proud  of  his  lineage,  >ince  it  has  been  as 
much  distinguished  for  high  honor  as  for  brave  deeds, 
and  "  blood  always  tells"  in  some  or  other  avocation 
or  position  in  life. 

Of  Mr.  Reid's  blood  relations  who  have  made  their 
mark  in  this  country,  we  may  name  among  others 
Capt.  Samuel  C.  Reid,  the  distinguished  naval  officer, 
"  who,  in   1S14,  when  in  command  of  the  privateer    j 


)>^7i'^^:^^j 


^.  i 


DUNBAR  TOWNSHIP. 


511 


'Gen.  Armstrong,'  fought  with  a  British  fleet  the 
most  brilliant  naval  engagement  to  be  found  on  re- 
cord." (We  quote  from  a  biographical  notice  of 
Capt.  Reid  in  the  Washington  Union  of  April  30, 
1858.)  It  was  Capt.  Reid  who,  in  1818,  at  the  com- 
plimentary request  of  a  committee  of  Congress,  de- 
signed our  present  national  flag.  The  first  brigadier- 
general  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution  was  a  Reid  of 
the  same  stock.  On  his  mother's  side  Mr.  Reid 
belongs  to  the  Henry  family,  who,  with  Patrick 
Henry,  the  illustrious  orator  of  Virginia,  and  the 
late  Prof.  Henry  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  and 
others,  have  added  lustre  to  the  American  name,  and 
were  sprung  from  the  same  common  source  with  Mrg. 
Reid  ;  and  that  ardent  patriot,  John  McAuley,  an 
officer  on  Gen.  Washington's  staff',  was  a  relative  of 
Mrs.  Reid  on  her  mother's  side,  a  great-uncle.  But 
we  need  not  enlarge  on  this  head,  for  nature  sets  her 
own  visible  seals  upon  those  whom  she  honors  with 
strength  and  skill  to  do  great  deeds  either  of  war, 
commerce,  art,  or  literature;  and,  after  all,  success  is 
the  mirror  which  reflects  them. 

A  gentleman  well  understanding  the  courtesies  of 
social  life,  and  which  he  dispenses  in  a  generous,  un- 
ostentatious manner;  and  enjoying  among  his  neigh- 
bors and  all  with  whom  he  has  business  dealings  an 
unblemished  reputation  for  integrity,  and  withal, 
and  quite  as  commendable,  for  free-handed,  liberal 
dealing,— for  he  is  neither  heartlessly  avaricious,  nor 
made  exacting  and  dominating  through  his  great  suc- 
cess,— Mr.  Reid  is  popular  in  the  best  sense,  and 
widely  respected  by  all  classes.  Of  his  parentage, 
boyliood,  and  remarkable  business  career,  it  only 
remains  for  us  to  tell  the  story  in  swift  detnil. 

Mr.  Reid  is  the  son  of  James  Dunhip  lieid,  who 
came  from  the  city  of  Belfast,  Ireland,  almut  1840, 
and  settled  in  Pennsylvania.  He  married  Jliss  Mary 
Henry  (whose  mother  was  a  McAuley ),  daughter  of 
Mr.  Edward  Henry.  James  M.,  bornApril  10,  1849, 
is  the  third  child  of  this  union,  and  was  raised  in 
Allegheny  County.  He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  only,  till  about  fourteen  years  of  age,  when  he 
entered  the  Allegheny  Institute,  and  continued  there 
about  two  years,  and  then  became  a  clerk  in  a  general 
store,  where  he  was  occupied  for  about  a  year ;  where- 
after he  removed  to  Broad  Ford,  Fayette  Co.,  and  was 
engaged  as  a  clerk  with  his  brother,  E.  H.  Reid,  for 
about  four  years,  and  from  that  place  went  into  the 
business  of  merchandising  in  partnership  with  others 
at  Dunbar,  where  he  now  resides.  He  continued 
partnership  merchandising,  with  various  changes  in 
copartners,  for  about  six  years.  Meanwhile  Mr.  Reid 
conducted,  alone  or  with  others,  more  or  less  other 
business,  particularly  the  mining  of  coal  and  manu- 
facture of  coke  on  lands  and  in  works  belonging  to 
himself  and  his  copartners,  but  all  of  which  he  now 
owns,  the  capacity  of  his  coke-works  being  at  present 
ten  car-loads  a  day. 

Aside  from  these  coke-works  and  coal  lands,  Mr. 
35 


Reid  is  largely  interested  in  coal-fields,  covering  in 
the  aggregate  over  six  thousand  acres,  tlie  major 
portion  of  or  controlling  interest  in  which  he  and 
his  brother,  E.  H.  Reid,  own  ;  and  in  February  last 
(1882)  he  organized  the  Connellsville  and  Ursina 
Coal  and  Coke  Company,  with  a  capital  of  4!400,000, 
of  which  company  he  is  president.  The  chief  pur- 
pose of  this  company  is  to  develop  the  iron  ore,  coal, 
and  limestone-beds  which  the  lands  above  referred 
to  contain.  He  also  holds  a  largo  interest  in  the 
business  of  Boyts,  Porter  &  Co.,  extensive  brass  and 
iron  founders  and  machinists  at  Connellsville. 

Mr.  Reid  is  a  Republican  who  takes  active  inter- 
est in  ])iiliti(s,  anil  was  appointed  a  delegate  for  the 
representative  di^irirt  of  Fayette  County  to  the  State 
Convention  of  1S81.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Republican  State  Central  Committee,  and  has  won 
the  gratulations  of  his  party  throughout  the  State 
for  the  efiicieut  and  judicious  work  done  in  his  dis- 
trict since  his  occupany  of  a  seat  in  the  comnuttee's 
councils. 


JOSEPH    OGLEVEE. 


Joseph  Oglevee,  Esq.,  a  remaik:ililv  Nii.i',.s-iful  mer- 
chant and  business  man  of  East  Liln  1 1\ ,  i-  ihr  grand- 
son of  Joseph  Oglevee,  who  migiatid  Inmi  Cecil 
County,  Md.,  in  the  spring  of  178'J,  and  settled  in 
Fayette  County,  on  the  farm  on  which  he  lived  till 
his  death,  which  occurred  Sept.  14,  183.5,  in  the  sev- 
enty-first year  of  his  age,  Ann  Barricklow,  his  wife, 
surviving  him.  She  died  Oct.  16, 1845,  in  her  seventy- 
eighth  year.  Their  son,  Jesse  Oglevee,  father  of  the 
present  Joseph,  died  Jan.  26,  1876,  in  the  seventy- 
third  year  of  his  age.  He  was  well  known  through- 
out the  county  as  one  of  its  most  upright  citizens,  and 
was  for  many  years  a  ruling  elder  in  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Church  of  East  Liberty,  and  of  which 
he  was  one  of  the  maiu  supporters.  Mr.  Oglevee's 
mother  (married  May  14,  1826)  was  Elizabeth  Galley 
(born  Oct.  3,  1807,  died  Aug.  14,  1858),  a  daughter  of 
Philip  Galley,  widely  and  favorably  known  in  the 
county.  Mr.  Oglevee  was  born  June  2,  1827,  on  the 
same  spot  where  his  father  was  born  and  lived  all  his 
lifetime,  the  family  residence  standing  on  both  sides 
of  the  line  (which  divides  the  house  about  equally) 
between  Dunbar  and  Franklin  townships,  and  brought 
up  by  his  parents  under  strictly  moral  and  religious 
rules,  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years  united  with 
the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  he 
has  ever  since  been  a  faithful  working  member, 
doing  at  least  as  much  as  any  other  one  of  the  con- 
gregation towards  defraying  expenses,  paying  the 
minister's  salary,  etc. 

Mr.  Oglevee's  early  education  was  gotten  by  the 
hardest,  he  being  till  he  had  nearly  reached  maidiooil 
the  only  son  of  his  parents,  and  his  father  being  a 
lame  man,  the  work  of  the  farm  devolved  upon  him, 
and  he  was  obliged  to  obtain  his  education  by  study- 


51'. 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ing  at  niglit.  By  that  means,  and  one  session  at 
Greene  Academy,  he  succeeded  in  providing  himself 
with  a  fair  English  education. 

Mr.  Ojlevee  is  a  man  of  great  energy  and  deter- 
niinatiiiii,  wliicli  together  with  large  native  inti'lU-tt- 
uality,  disciplined  tjy  acute  general  observation  and 
considerable  reading,  have  doubtless  been  tlie  main 
factors  of  his  success.  His  chief  ambition  or  de- 
sire in  active  life  seems  to  be  to  accomplish  whatever 
he  undertakes,  wlictlicr  it  relates  to  matters  of  the 
chureli  or  worldly  allairs.  As  evi.leiiee  of  the  per- 
sistent traits  cifliis  eharartcr  and  Iiis  untiring  energy,  i 
as  well  as  a  matter  of  local  lii>t'>ry,  it  ni.iy  be  added  i 
here  that  he  went  into  the  iiieiraniile  business  at 
East  Liberty  about  1854,  haviii"   iiothin--  as  caiiital 


.1  pra 

I-  tlh 


utterly 


iled. 


unilertaking  it  had  successively  anc 
Undautited  by  all  obstacles  he  gradually  wrouglit  out 
complete  success,  and  has  been  obliged,  in  order  to 
accommodate  his  business,  to  enlarge  the  capacity  of 
his  store  building  from  time  to  time,  and  it  is  still  too 
small  lor  the  extensive  business  he  carries  on.  The  ! 
profits  of  his  mercantile  and  other  business  Mr.  Ogle-  ; 
vee  applies  in  good  part  to  the  erection  of  houses  and 
the  improvement  of  the  town. 

Another  instance  of  his  great  energy  and  enter- 
prise, and  wliicii,  too,  may  be  cited  as  an  interesting 
nnitter  of  local  history,  was  his  laying  hold  of  the  old 
mill  property  of  Jacob  Leighty,  Sr.,  on  Dickerson 
Kiver,  Dunbar  township,  when  it  had  become  so  com- 
pletely wrecked  that  no  one  else  could  be  induced  to 
attenijit  to  revive  it  or  even  con-ider  it,  and  not  only 
rc|iairing  it  but  making  it  better  than  ever  bel'ore. 
]le  ]jut  into  it  a  new  engine,  ne\v  boilers,  new 
nuiehinery,  and  a  new  first-chiss  miller,  and  it  was 
not  long  before  custom  poured  in  so  fast  that  he  bad 
to  enlarge  the  mill,  which  lie  did  by  an  addition  , 
thereto  as  large  as  the  old  mill  itself,  and  he  is  now 
doing  there  an  extensive  business,  grinding  more 
wlieat  in  a  single  month  tlian  had  been  ground  for 
many  years  belbre. 

Oct.  25,  1850,  Mr.  Oglevee  married  Eebecca  Stoner, 
of  Dunbar  township.  They  have  had  seven  children^  I 
— Leroy  Woods,  born  Oct.  9, 1851,  died  Feb.  16, 1874 ;  j 
Kiiieline,  born  Sept.  18,  1853;  Anna  E.,  born  Feb.  5, 
is.'ii;;  Jesse  A.,  born  Feb.  25,  18G0 ;  Wm.  G.,  born 
Xov.  19,  ISlio;  Christophers.,  born  March  24,  1868; 
Stark  D.,  born  Dec.  15,  1873,  died  March  30,  1875. 


JIAURICE    lIE.iLV. 

A  short  biography  of  Maurice  Healy,  the  bold  and 

sliocking  murder  of  whom,  on  the  evening  of  June 

26,  ISSl,  was  a  tragic  episode  in  the  usually  peaceful 


life  of  Fayette  County,  merits  a  place  here,  not  only 
because  he  was  the  victim  of  murderous  hate,  but  be- 
cause he  ably  filled  posts  of  duty  in  his  sphere  of  life. 
The  brief  tale  of  his  murder,  with  the  alleged  animus 
thereof,  is  that,  on  the  evening  above  noted,  he  was 
first  suddenly  struck  down  by  a  "billy"  in  the  hands 
of  one  of  a  band  of  conspirators,  and  then  by  some 
one  fatally  shot,  the  murder  taking  ])lace  near  the  west 
end  of  the  side-cut  of  the  Furnace  Branch  of  the  Bal- 
timore and  Ohio  Railroad,  at  Dunbar.  The  motive  of 
the  murder  is  sn|)posed  to  be  found  in  the  fact  that 
Healy  had  with  great  earnestness  opposed  the  grant- 
ing by  the  authorities  of  a  license  to  sell  intoxicating 
liquors,  asked  tor  by  I'atriek  McFarlane,  of  Dunbar. 
Charged  witli  the  crime.  Patrick  Dolan,  James  Mc- 
Farlane, John  Kaine,  John  Collins,  James  Rogan, 
Michael  Dolan,  aiid  Bernard  Flood  were  arrested  in 
September,  ISSl,  and  indicted  as  Healy's  murderers. 
Patrick  Dolan  was  siilisei|uently  put  on  trial,  and  liy 
thi'  jury  louiiil  -iiilty  of  iiiin-der  in  the  second  degree. 
McFarlane  was  tried  before  another  jury,  and  under 
evidence  almost  identical  with  that  by  which  Dolan 
was  convicted  was  acquitted.  Of  the  remainder,  Johu 
Kaine  is  in  jail,  and  the  rest  are  released  under  $4')00 
bonds  eaeh  (now,  February,  lss2i,  their  trial  being 
set  down  lor  the  April  terin  of  eourt.' 

Mr.  Healy  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  came  to  .\ni( 
ica  wlien  quite  young.  Before  first  coming  to  Dti 
bar  he  worked  at  Jones  &  Langhlin's  furnace,  Pitts- 
burgh, for  some  time,  after  wdiich  he  was  engaged  as 
furnace-keeper  by  the  Dunbar  Furnace  Company,  in 
1868,  wdien  he  was  about  twenty-seven  years  of  age, 
it  is  thought.  After  a  short  time  he  left  the  company, 
and  returned  in  1871,  and  was  engaged  as  furnace- 
manager,  or  foundry-man,  having  charge  of  the  fur- 
nace, in  wdiich  capacity  he  continued  till  some  time 
in  1875,  wdien  he  left  Dunbar  and  went  to  Riverside 
Iron-Works,  West  Virginia,  being  occupied  there 
about  a  year  as  furnace-man.  Leaving  West  Vir- 
ginia he  was  next  engaged  in  like  capacity  at  Lemont 
Furnace,  remaining  there  till  Feb.  22,  1877,  when  he 
was  again  engaged  by  tlie  Dunbar  Furnace  Company, 
and  continued  with  it  till  the  time  of  his  murder. 

In  ]N7'.t  he,  witli  others,  purchased  a  sand-mill  near 
Dunbar  Furnace,  he  taking  charge  of  the  same.  The 
same  jiartics  also  bought,  about  the  same  time,  wdiat 
is  now  called  "The  Percy  Mine,"  at  Percy  Station. 
Both  purchases  proved  good  investments.  Just  prior 
to  his  death,  Mr.  Healy  took  considerable  .stock  in  the 
Fayette  Furnace  Company,  at  Oliphant's  Station. 
By  industry  and  economy  he  had  accumulated  a  com- 
petence. He  left  a  wife,  who  is  in  comfortable  cir- 
cumstances, but  had  no  children. 

Healy  is  described  by  those  who  knew  him  well  as, 
though  making  no  claim  to  education  in  baoks,  very 


At  tlie  .\iir 


e  cases,  wliich  ^ 


't^t^-<^a3^<^ 


S^C^^i^iL.^^ 


Jll^y    r(['7(yuL{ 


DUNBAR   TOWNSHIP. 


543 


intelligent,  genial,  and  straigbtfonvard,  a  warm  and 
faithful  friend,  a  man  of  great  force  of  character,  true  I 
to  the  important  business  trusts  which  were  confided 
to  bis  care,  and  a  good  citizen. 


COL.  ALEX.^NDER    M.    AND    COL.  ALEXANDER   J. 
HILL. 

Alexander  J.  Hill,  of  Dunbar,  a  portrait  of  whom 
appears  in  these  pages,  would  have  preferred  that  a 
picture  representing  his  late  father.  Col.  Alexander 
M.  Hill,  be  presented  in  its  stead.  But,  as  in  the  case 
of  not  a  few  people  of  character  and  note,  no  good 
likeness  of  the  latter  could  be  procured ;  but  with 
appreciative  filial  affection,  Mr.  A.  J.  Hill  desires 
biographical  space  herein  to  be  accorded  to  the  mem- 
ory of  his  father  rather  than  comment  upon  himself. 
We  therefore  currently  remark  only  that  Alexander 
J.  Hill  is  a  robust,  active  man,  who  was  reared  a 
farmer;  that  be  is  at  present  principally  occupied 
with  the  superintendency  of  the  wvjrks  of  the  Rainey 
Bank  Coal  and  Coke  Company,  at  Fort  Hill,  East 
Liberty,  Fayette  Co. ;  and  is  jiopularly  known  as 
"  Col."  A.  J.  Hill,  but  says  that  the  title  is  not  his  by 
right  of  any  military  commission.  Hut  he  has  been 
so  long  "baptized"  under  the  sobri(|uet  or  title  of 
"colonel"  by  the  popular  will  that  to  overlook  the 
title  would  be  little  else  than  overlooking  him. 

Col.  Alexander  McClelland  Hill  was  the  son  of 
Eev.  George  Hill,  who  was  pastor  of  the  I're.-byierian 
Church  in  Ligonier  Valley,  Westmoreland  Co.  He 
was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  In  the  ai>pendix  of 
Ellicott's  "  Life  of  Ma  ■iir  1>  "  it  i-  >:ated  that  George 
Hill  was  burn  in  V:.!-!;  r,;,:i  .,  I'.i.,  March  13, 
1764.  When  about  niiu-tc.  n  vlmi-  ..,  :;ge  l:e  removed 
with  his  father  and  family  to  i'":iyitie  C'l.uuty,  and 
settled  within  the  bimn.ls  of  tlir  roriuiv-ntion  of 
Georges  Creek.  Kuv.  George  Hills  uile  uas  Eliza- 
beth McClelland,  a  daughter  of  Alexander  McClel- 
land, of  I'ayette  County,  after  wlium  Col.  A.  M.  was 
named. 

Col.  A.  M.  Hill,  who  died  in  18G3,  at  the  age  of 
about  sixty  years,  was  a  very  remarkable  man,  re- 
garding whom  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  but  few  de- 
tails of  his  life  and  deeds  can  at  this  time  be  readily 
gathered.  He  was  in  early  life  a  tanner,  and  became 
an  extensive  farmer.  His  father  left  him  a  small 
farm  near  Laurel  Hill  Church,  but  by  his  energy  and 
tact  Col.  Hill  acquired  a  very  considerable  domain, 
and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  possessed  of  a  farm 
lying  in  Dunbar  township  of  about  three  hundred  and 
fifty  acres,  of  which  probably  six-sevenths  part  is 
underlaid  with  coking  coal ;  and  of  another  farm  of 
a  hundred  and  eighty-nine  acres,  all  coal  land ;  and 
of  another  (now  owned  by  the  Dunbar  Furnace  Com- 
pany) of  a  hundred  and  thirty  acres. 

Col.  A.  M.  Hill  is  represented  as  having  been  a  man 
of  high  integrity,  of  great  generosity,  an  obliging 
and  liberal  friend,  a  man  who  clung  to  his  friends, 


and  would  always  do  for  them  what  he  said  he  would. 
Of  course  he  had  warm  friends,  and,  as  is  not  .sur- 
prising in  the  case  of  a  po.sitive,  earnest  man  who 
fought  his  friends'  battles,  he  had,  it  is  said,  bitter 
enemies.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  common  sense, 
great  energy,  extreme  tact,  cautious  in  business,  but 
free-handed  in  the  use  of  money  when  necessary.  He 
was  one  of  the  earliest  advocates  of  the  extension  of  the 
Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  through  Fayette  County, 
and  labored  hard  to  effect  it,— a  recognized  leader 
of  the  railroad  party.  He  was  among  the  pioneers  of 
coke  manufacture  in  the  county,  making  it  in  pits  in 
the  ground  and  shipping  it  to  Pittsburgh  before  coke- 
ovens  were  erected  in  Fayette  County.  He  was  a 
man  of  fine  personal  appearance,  of  good  address, 
and  popular  manners.  As  a  politician  he  was  a  force. 
He  was  twice  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature, 
representing  the  district  of  Fayette  and  Westmoreland 
Counties  (18.51-52);  and  in  1854  was  the  regular 
Democratic  candidate  for  the  State  Senate  from  his 
district,  but  was  beaten  under  a  conspiracy  of  cir- 
cumstances u'lt  affecting  his  popularity  by  William 
E.  Frazer  (Native  American).  In  1860  he  was  again 
a  candidate  for  the  Senate,  but  ran  against  Dr.  Smith 
Fuller,  and  was  again  defeated.  .As  a  legislator.  Col. 
Hill  is  said  to  have  been  excellent. 


ELLIS    IMIILLIl'.'? 
Dr.    Ellis   Phillips,  of  New    Ilii 


reii. 


of  Welsh 


Quaker  ancestry.  Plis  grandfather,  Solomon  Phillips, 
was  born  in  the  State  of  Dt'laware,  where  he  married 
Martha  Nichols,  of  Wilmington.  .-Vbout  the  year 
1786  he  removed  to  Washington  Cuuoty,  Pa.,  locat- 
ing on  a  farm  on  the  banks  of  tlie  Monongahela 
River,  opposite  the  mouth  of  Redstone  Creek.  Here 
Ellis  Phillips,  the  father  of  Dr.  E.  Phillips,  w.as  born 
Nov.  12,  17'J8.  In  1824  he  married  Phebe,  daughter 
of  Thomas  Lilley,  of  Washington  County,  and  re- 
moved to  a  farm  in  North  Union  township,  Fayette 
Co.,  where  Dr.  Phillips  was  born  Aug.  31, 1843,  being 
the  youngest  son  of  his  parents,  who  had  eight  chil- 
dren, five  sons  and  three  daughters. 

Dr.  Phillips  remained  on  the  farm,  occasionally  at- 
tending the  public  schools,  till  about  sixteen  years  of 
age,  when  he  commeaced  a  course  of  preparatory 
studies  at  the  academy  at  Uniontown,  where  he  con- 
tinued for  two  years,  and  then  entered  Wa.shington 
(now  Washington  and  Jefferson)  College,  Pcnn.sy!- 
vania,  from  which  institution  he  graduated  in  1865. 
He  then  entered  the  otBce  of  Dr.  Smith  Fuller,  of 
Uniontown,  as  a  student  of  medicine.  Having  at- 
tended the  regular  courses  of  lectures  at  Jefferson 
Medical  College,  Philadelphia,  he  received  his  degree 
in  1867.  The  same  year  he  located  in  New  Haven  in 
partnership  with  Dr.  James  K.  Rogers,  a  surgeon  of 
more  than  ordinary  ability.  They  remained  partners 
for  about  three  years  until  Dr.  Rogers'  death.  Prior 
to  the  death  of  Dr.  Rogers,  Dr.  Phillips  returned  lo 


5U 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Pliiliidelphia,  where  lie  remained  several  months, 
taking  special  private  courses  of  study  in  his  profes- 
sion.    He  tlien  returned  to  his  old  location  and  to  the 

firm's  business,  where  he  li.is  ever  since  enjoyed  an 
extensive  and  hicrative  jiraetice.  On  May  16,  1872, 
he  married  .\da  A.  Mcllvuine,  daughter  of  Robert  A. 
Mcllvaine,  of  New  Haven.  They  immediately  sailed 
for  Euruije,  visiting  England,  Ireland,  Scotland,  and 
parts  cif  tlie  continent.  While  aljroad  he  took  advan- 
tage of  his  <)|.|H,iiuiiity  to  iin|a-i>vr  liimself  profes- 
sionally liy  vi-itiii-  llir  lin-pitals  uf  London  and 
Dublin,  taking  a  s;ir.'ial  (.oiii'-e  in  s,-vrral  of  them  as 
a  student.  Dr.  Phillips  has  two  children  living,  a 
daughter  and  a  son. 


M.\.I.    ARTHUR    B.   DE    S.-iULLE.?. 

Maj.  Arthur  B.  De  Saulles,  of  Dunbar,  the  vice- 
president  of  the  Dunbar  Iron  Company,  and  superin- 
tendent of  its  works,  is  the  son  of  an  Englisli  gentle- 
man, Louis  De  Saulles,  who  is  of  French  descent,  and 
Arniide  Longer  De  Saulles,  a  Louisianian  by  birth, 
and,  like  her  husband,  of  French  lineage.  Maj.  De 
Saulles  was  born  in  New  Orleans,  Jan.  8,  1840,  and 
was  instructed  at  home  by  a  jirivate  tutor  until  ten 
years  of  age,  when  he  was  placed  in  a  German  school 
at  West  Newton,  JIass.,  and  carefully  trained  in  the 
German  language,  as  well  as  other  studies,  for  two 
years.  This  period  of  educational  discipline  was  fol- 
lowed immediately  by  two  years  at  l!(]lmar's  French- 
English  Institute  at  Wot  ( 'h.stcr,  Pa.,  and  the  latter 
period  by  a  course  of  stn.ly  at  Caudiridge,  Mass.,  in 
preparation  for  an  advanced  course  of  scientific 
studies,  which  he  made  at  the  Rensselaer  Polytechnic 
School  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  from  which  institution  he 
graduated  in  !lnnc,  IS.V.I.  During  his  connection 
with  the  Polyt.--liiii.'  S,.|,u.,l  l,e  wa-  engaged  lor  five 
m.mths  as  as-i-tant  in  the  geoh.gical  survey  of  Ar- 
kansas. 

Alter  his  graduation  JIaj.  De  Saulles' fother  sent 
him  on  a  tour  of  inspection  through  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania  to  examine  mining  and  metallurgical 
operations  therein,  and  make  report  thereof  to  him, 
after  which  experience  and  report  he  sent  him  to 
Europe  in  December,  1859,  and  in  January,  1860,  De 
Saulles  entered  the  Ecole  des  Mines,  Paris,  where  he 
remained  till  September,  1861,  when  he  returned  to 
New  Orleans,  and  three  days  after  his  arrival  there 
entered  the  Confederate  service,  and  was  placed  on 
the  staff"  of  Maj.  Lovell  in  the  engineer  corps  and  was 
]>nt  in  charge  of  the  construction  of  lnr;ili(aiioii~  on 
Lake  Pontchartraiu  and  on  Plaine  ClialuM  tl.-.  ,-outli 
of  New  Orleans.  With  the  Confederate  forces  he 
remained  on  active  duty  (with  the  exception  of  a 
short  time  when  furloughed  on  account  of  a  wound 
received  in  a  skirmish)  until  the  surrender  of  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee  in  North  Carolina,  at  wliieh 
time  he  was  its  chief  engineer.     During  this  ]icriod 


tion  of  fortifications  at  various  points,  and  in  the 
building  of  pontoon  trains  for  the  Army  of  the  Ten- 
nessee, to  which  he  was  most  of  the  time  attached, 
and  wherein  he  acted  as  major  from  the  fall  of  1864 
till  the  time  of  its  surrender. 

I  Soon  after  the  war  he  went  to  Europe,  where  he  re- 
mained till  April,  1866,  when  he  returned  to  America 

I  and  took  the  position  of  engineer  of  the  New  York 
and  Schuylkill  Coal  Company's  works,  after  a  year 
being  placed  in  charge,  and  remaining  with  the  com- 
pany till  it  sold  out  to  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading 
Coal  and  Iron  Company,  in  October,  1871,  whereupon 
he  moved  to  New  York  City,  and  engaged  in  profes- 
sional pursuits  till  March,  1876,  when  he  became  con- 
nected with  the  Dunbar  Furnace  Works.    Aside  from 

'  his  connection  with  these  works  he  is  manager  of  the 
Percy  Mining  Company,  and  one  of  the  executive 
committee  of  the  Fayette  Coke  and  Furnace  Company 
at  Oliphant,  which  works  in  all  employ  about  a  thou- 
sand hands. 

j  He  was  one  of  the  seven  organizers  (1868)  of  the 
American  Institute  of  Mining,  which  now  embraces 

I  about  one  thousand  members  and  associates,  and  also 

j  one  of  the  original  me;nbers  of  the  American  Society 
of  Mechanical  Engineers,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
American  Meteorological  Society. 

I      In  politics  he  is  "a  good  old-fashioned  Democrat," 

I  and  in  religion  not  a  "communicant,"  but  takes  in- 

;  terest  in  the  little  Episcopal  Church  .wdiich  his  wife 
built  and  presented  to  the  parish  at  Dunbar  Furnace 
in  1880. 

'  Aug.  19,  1869,  he  married  Miss  Catharine  Heck- 
scher,  daughter  of  Charles  A.  Heckseher,  of  New 
York  City,  by  whom  he  had  three  sons  and  two 
d.iughters. 


JOSERII    TAYLOR    SHEPLER,  M.D. 

In  Fayette  County,  as  in  most  other  old  divisions  of 
States  throughout  the  Union,  there  are  enterprising  and 
talented  young  men,  who  have  already  taken  the  first 
steps  to  distinction  and  are  fast  "  making  history," 
and  destined  to  add  important  pages  to  that  already 
made  by  the  honored  dead  and  the  remarkable  aged 
living.  Of  these  is  notably  Dr.  Joseph  T.  Shepler,  of 
Dunbar,  who  is  on  his  paternal  side  of  German,  and 
on  his  maternal  of  Scotch,  descent.  His  ancestors 
were  among  the  earliest  settlere  of  Rostraver  town- 
ship, Westmoreland  Co.,  coming  there  some  time  be- 
fore Braddock's  defeat.  His  great-grandfather's  Chris- 
ti  in  name  was  Mathias,  that  of  his  grandfather,  Isaac. 
Dr.  Shepler's  father's  maternal  grandfather,  Joseph 
Hill,  was  a  colonial  soldier  in  the  French  and  Indian 
war,  and  also  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war; 
and  his  son,  Joseph  Hill,  Jr.,  served  as  a  soldier  in 
the  war  of  1812.  Dr.  Shepler's  great-grandlather's 
brother,  Joseph  Shepler,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war. 

Dr.  Shepler  is  the  fciurth  child  of  Samuel  and  Eve- 


te  ^^  fi 


.cJ^  '^  ^4.^^..^^^ 


^   tfT"^^ 


>^  ^/y/^ 


;/2, 


OAi/yiL/^ 


DUNBAR  TOWNSHIP. 


515 


lina  Steele  Shepler,  both  Presbyterians,  and  was  born 
near  Rehoboth  Church,  in  Rostraver  township,  March 
20,  1847,  and  was  brought  up  on  a  farm,  attending 
common  and  select  schools  in  winter  seasons,  and  a 
commercial  college  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  meanwhile 
gratifying  as  well  as  he  was  able  a  strong  desire  for 
general  reading,  until  he  became  about  nineteen  years 
of  age,  when  he  entered  as  clerk  a  store  for  general 
merchandising  in  Belle  Vernon,  Fayette  Co.,  where  he 
remained  somewhat  over  two  years ;  but  being  uneasy 
in  his  pursuit,  and  ambitious  to  excel  in  something 
beside  merchandising,  he  went  as  a  student  into  the 
offlce  of  Dr.  S.  A.  Conklin,  of  that  place,  with  whom 
he  remained  prosecuting  his  studies  with  closest  at- 
tention for  two  years,  and  then  attended  a  course  of 
lectures  at  the  Medical  Department  of  the  University 
of  Michigan.  In  the  autumn  of  1871  he  located  for 
the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Dunbar,  being  the 
first  physician  who  settled  at  that  place.  There  he 
continued,  securing  a  good  practice,  till  September, 
1873,  when  he  went  to  New  York  City,  and  attended 
a  course  of  lectures  at  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  Col- 
lege, wherefrom  he  graduated  in  March,  1874,  and 
after  a  period  of  practice  of  about  two  and  a  half 
years  at  Canton,  Ohio,  returned  to  Dunbar,  where  lie 
has  since  followed  his  profession,  enjoying  a  large  and 
lucrative  practice. 

In  connection  with  his  practice.  Dr.  Shepler,  in 
partnership  with  Dr.  R.  W.  Clark  (his  professional 
partner  also),  carrieson  the  drug  business.  He  has  also 
engaged  somewhat  in  the  purchase  and  sale  of  real 
estate  with  profitable  results,  and  from  1878  to  1880, 
both  inclusive,  he  was  coroner  of  Fayette  County,  and 
discharged  the  duties  thereof  honorably  and  credit- 
ably. He  is  the  surgeon  of  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road Company  for  its  Southwest  Branch,  extending 
from  Greensburg  to  Fairchance. 

On  the  18th  of  November,  1875,  Dr.  Shepler  mar- 
ried a  daughter  of  Jasper  M.  Thompson,  Esq.,  president 
of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Uniontown,  Miss  Ruth 
A.  Thompson,  by  whom  he  has  one  child,  a  daughter, 
Eva  Thompson.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Shepler  are  members 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 


JAMES  BLACKSTOXE. 
The  venerable  Mr.  James  Blackstone,  of  Dunbar 
township,  near  the  line  of  New  Haven,  is  of  English 
descent.  His  grandfather,  James  Blackstone,  came 
hither  from  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland  shortly 
after  Col.  William  Crawford  and  his  comrades  found 
their  way  into  Yohogania  County,  Va.,  as  the  region 
of  which  Fayette  County  is  a  part  was  then  called. 
Mr.  Blackstone  was  married  before  he  left  ^Maryland, 
and  brought  his  family  and  some  negroes  with  him, 
and  settled  in  what  is  now  Tyrone  township,  on  the 
i^rm  recently  owned  by  Ebenezer  Moore.  He  had 
four  daughters  and  one  son,  James,  Jr.  (the  father  of 


the  present  James),  who  was  born  June  4,  1780.  On 
the  13th  of  October,  1803,  James  (Jr.)  married  UUa 
Sarah  Rogers,  of  Dunbar  township,  and  going  to 
Connellsville  there  engaged  in  nierchandising,  and 
built  the  house  now  occupied  as  a  hotel  by  E.  Daan, 
on  Water  Street,  into  which  he  moved.  He  died  July 
16,  1809,  leaving  three  children,  the  youngest  of  whom 
(born  July  10,  1808)  is  the  chief  subject  of  these 
notes. 

Mr.  Blackstone  grew  up  under  the  care  of  his 
mother,  a  most  estimable  woman,  and  spent  his  youth 
in  the  village,  except  two  years  thereof  pa.ssed  at  col- 
lege in  New  Athens,  Ohio.  After  returning  from  col- 
lege, he  spent  some  time  as  clerk  in  the  store  of  David- 
son &  Bhickstime  (the  latter  of  whom  was  his  brother, 
Henry),  at  Connellsville,  and  some  time  as  clerk  at 
Breakneck  Furnace,  then  owned  by  Mr.  William 
Davidson  ;  but  fanning  was  always  more  to  his  taste 
than  merchandising. 

On  the  10th  of  June,  1834,  he  married  Nancy  C. 
Johnston,  of  Connellsville,  and  lived  there  till  1836, 
in  the  spring  of  which  year  he  bought  of  Col.  William 
L.  Miller  Roscommon  Farm,  moved  to  it  June  23d, 
and  has  there  lived  ever  since.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Black- 
stone have  nine  children — -four  sons  and  five  daughters 
— living. 

Mr.  Blackstone  was  an  old-line  Whig,  and  is  now  a 
Republican,  but  never  was  an  active  politician,  never 
holding  a  public  office  and  never  desiring  one.  He 
has  ever  led  a  quiet  life,  and  enjoyed  an  enviable 
reputation  for  integrity. 


COL.  ANTIIO.VY  ROGERS  BAXNING. 
Col.  A.  R.  Banning,  of  New  Haven,  is  the  grandson 
of  Rev.  Anthony  Mansfield  Banning,  one  of  the  sc- 
called  "  pioneer  preachers"  of  the  Methodist  Church 
west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains,  and  who  was  born 
on  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland  in  1768,  and  ran 
away  from  home  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  just  after 
having  experienced  religion  at  a  Methodist  camp- 
meeting,  and  at  once  commenced  a  career  of  evan- 
gelical exhortation.  He  betook  himself  to  Fayette 
County  about  1785-86,  and  before  he  reached  the  age 
of  twenty  married  Sarah  Murphy,  a  daughter  of  Jacob 
Murphy,  a  native  of  Maryland.  Mr.  Banning  settled 
on  lands  which  are  now  a  part  of  the  Mount  Brad- 
dock  farm,  and  became  the  father  of  eight  children, 
among  whom  was  James  S.  Banning,  born  Jan.  11, 
1800,  and  who  in  March,  1825,  married  Miss  Eliza 
A.  Blackstone,  only  daughter  of  James  Blackstone, 
of  Connellsville,  a  lady  of  rare  accomplishments, 
and  with  her  removed  at  once  to  Mount  Vernon, 
Ohio,  they  making  the  journey  through  the  wil- 
derness on  the  backs  of  two  ponies.  The  trip 
occupied  eight  days.  There  Mr.  Banning,  being  a 
tanner  by  trade,  established  a  tan-yard  and  conducted 
the  business  of  tanning,  together  with  merchandising, 
for  several  years,  but  eventually  removed  to  Banning's 


540 


IIISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


^lUh.  a  locality  upon  a  large  farm  which  he  owned, 
and  where  most  of  his  children  were  born,  and  all  of 
them  mainly  reared.  He  had  nine  children, — Sarah 
D.,  who  died  in  1881 ,  at  about  fifty-three  years  of  age ; 
Capt.  .James  B.  Banning,  one  of  the  bravest  soldiers 
whom  the  war  of  the  Reliellion  developed.  He  was 
attached  to  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-second 
Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry.  Anthony  R.  BanniiiL', 
born  in  August,  1831;  Priscilla,  wife  of  Hon.  .Tohii 
D.  Thompson,  of  Mount  Vernon,  Ohio;  Lieut.  Wil- 
liam Davidson  Banning,  like  his  brothers,  a  brave 
soldier  of  tlie  late  war;  Maj.-Gen.  Henry  Blackstone 
Banning,  born  in  183G;  Eliza,  wife  of  Gen.  William 
B.  Brown,  of  :\Iount  Vernon,  Ohio;  Thomas  D.  Ban- 
ning, adjutant  of  tlic  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-fifth 
Regiment  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry  during  the  late 
war;  Mary,  wife  of  Jlr.  Frank  Walkins,  of  Mount 
Vernon. 

Of  tliis  family  of  children,  all  worthy,  filling  their 
places  well  in  the  world,  and  sprung,  as  it  were,  from 
the  loins  of  Fayette  County,  since  their  parents  were 
both  natives  of  the  county,  perhaps  the  one  whose  life 
and  deeds  Iiave  reflected  more  honor  than  any  of  others  j 
upon  the  old  "home  of  his  fathers"  was  Gen.  H.  B.  ' 
Banning,  wliosc  liiography  is  a  part  of  the  history  of 
the  country,  and  is  s,,  widely  known  and  so  written  | 
down  for  immortality  in  various  extended  histories  of 
the  late  war  as  to  need  no  considerable  mention  here. 
Educated  at  Kenyon  College,  he  studied  law  and  had 
become  a  successful  practitioner  at  the  time  of  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war.     He  at  once  enlisted  (in 
April,  1801),  and  was  made  a  captain  of  Company  B 
of  the  Fourth   Regiment  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry, 
which    regim.ent   took   part   in   the   battles  of   Rich 
Mountain,  Romney,  Blue  Gap,  etc.     But  we  have  not 
space  to  reliearse  here  in  detail  the  history  of  Gen. 
Banning's   distinguished    military  career.     Sufhee  it 
that  lie  rose  through  various  grades  to  the  rank  of 
major-general,  being  breveted  as  such  after  the  battle 
of  Nashville  for  eminent  and  daring  service  therein. 
Durinir  a  jiortion  of  tlie  war  he  was  colonel  of  the 
One  Hun.lrr.l  and  Twenty-first  Ohio  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, lieloiiLiiiej  tci  (;iii.  Steedman's  division  of  the 
Army  of  the  Cuiiiherland,  which  regiment,  under  his 
command,  at  the  famous  battle  of  Chickamauga,  en- 
gaged the  Twenty-second  Alabama,  drove  them  and 
captured  their  colors,  the  only  rebel  colors  taken  in 
that  fearful  fight.     After  the  war  he  resumed  the  prac- 
tice of  the  law  at  Mount  Vernon,  and  was  several 
times  elected  from  his  district  a  member  of  the  Ohio 
Legislature.     He  removed  to  Cincinnati  in  1868.     In  I 
1872  the  Liberal  Republicans  nominated  him  for  Con-  ! 
gress  against  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  whom  he  defeated  ' 
by  an  overwdielming  majority  in  a  strongly  Repub-  , 
lican  district.     In  1874  he  was  re-elected  to  Congress.  ' 
In  1876  he  was  again  a  candidate,  and  on  that  occa- 
sion ran  against  Judge  Stanley  JIatthews,  whom  he  • 
defeated.     He  died  on  the  10th  of  December,  1881,  at 
the  age  of  forty-five  years.     The  Cincinnati  Enquirer  • 


of  Dec.  11,  1881,  in  a  lengthy  obituary  notice  of  Gen. 
Banning,  said  of  him,  "As  a  political  organizer  and 
manipulator,  Gen.  Banning  never  had  his  ecjual  in 
this  State." 

Col.  A.  R.  Banning  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  near  Banning's  Mills,  Ohio,  and  under  private 
tutors.  He  learned  farming,  milling,  and  merchan- 
dising, and  at  about  the  age  of  twenty-five  years  left 
Oliio  and  came  to  Fayette  County,  settling  at  New 
Haven  as  a  farmer,  and  lias  since  followed  farming  as 
liis  lirincijial  vocation,  but  has  been  much  engaged 
in  the  railroad  business  and  in  various  other  pursuits. 
In  the  buying,  combining,  and  sale  of  Connellsville 
coking  coal  lands.  Col.  Banning  has  been  one  of  the 
largest  operators.  In  all  his  pursuits  he  has  been  sig- 
nally successful.  Comprehensive  in  understanding, 
cautious  and  careful,  his  course  has  been  a  steady  and 
sure  one.  Col.  Banning  is  noted  for  his  probity  and 
business  honesty,  and  has  frequently  been  intrusted 
by  his  acquaintiuK  e~  wiih  large  sums  of  money  for 
investment,  no  seeiwity  luing  asked.  In  fact,  during 
his  whole  extensive  ojierations  for  others  he  has 
never  even  once  been  asked  to  give  other  security 
than  that  embraced  in  his  "  word,"  as  good  as  any 
man's  bond. 

His  po.ssessions  are  chiefly  in  coal  lands  and  town 
property.  Among  several  farms  owned  by  him  is  one 
upon  which  Banning  Station,  on  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio  Railroad,  named  after  him,  is  built.  This  is  per- 
haps the  best  site  for  the  upbuilding  of  a  manufactur- 
ing village  between  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsvile. 

Dec.  2,  1856,  Col.  Banning  married  Catharine  M., 
only  daughter.of  the  late  Daniel  and  Mary  Rogers,  of 
New  Haven. 


ALBERT  J.  CROSSLAXD. 
It  is  not  often  in  these  days  of  jealous  and  zealous 
competition  in  all  deiiartnieiits  of  life,  while  moneyed 
("i|>itiil  holds  almost  supreme  sway,  that  a  man  making 
his  way  liy  his  own  unaided  energy  and  native  intellect- 
uality achieves  notable  business  success,  and  erects  a 
monument  to  his  own  memory  in  the  aflisctions  of 
his  fellow-citizens,  and  goes  dow?i  to  death,  widely 
,  before  reaching  forty  years  of  age.  But  a 
■Neeptiori  to  tlie  general  rule  existed  in  the 
lie  late  All.ert  .T.  C'rosshind,  of  New  Haven, 
Co.,  who  was  born  Oct.  24,  1841,  and  died 
881. 

Mr.  Crossland  was  remotely  of  Quaker  stock,  and 
was  the  son  of  Mr.  Samuel  Crossland,  who  lived  at 
Connellsville  at  the  time  of  his  son's  birth.  Mr. 
Crossland  in  boyhood  attended  the  common  school  of 
his  native  village,  and  wdien  about  fifteen  years  of  age 
went  with  his  father  to  a  then  recently  purchased  farm 
in  Broad  Ford,  where  he  learned  of  his  father,  then 
a  carriage-maker  as  well  as  farmer,  the  trade  of  car- 
riage-making. Possessing  a  strong  desire  for  learning, 
Albert  pursued  private  studies,  and  at  length  entered 


mourne 
marked 
case  of 
Fayette 
Aug.  1, 


'CB^r-n^f     //c-r/i 


fJV 


(U^^i^$ 


lU-^i^-?'<-t:^ 


DLWBAll   TOWNSHIP. 


5-17 


Allegheny  College,  where  he  p.assed  a  year,  and  there- 
after taught  school  for  a  while  at  the  old  Eagle  school- 
house.  Remaining  mainly  on  the  farm  working  with 
his  father  till  about  18G3,  he  then  went  into  the  em- 
ploy of  Morgan  &  Co.,  of  Pittsburgh,  in  charge  of 
a  coke  siding  at  McKeesport,  where,  on  July  1 1, 1866, 
lie  married  Miss  Lottie  Long,  after  which  time  he 
was  transferred  to  the  company's  office  in  Pittsburgh 
for  a  while,  and  was  then  put  in  charge  of  the  com- 
pany's Union  Works  at  Broad  Ford,  where  he  oper- 
ated for  a  year  or  so,  and  became  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Morgan  &  Co.,  continuing  with  them,  super- 
intending the  Morgan  Mines,  constructing  col:e-ovens 
at  the  slope  in  West  Latrobe,  etc. ;  in  short,  being  tlie 
trusted  superintendent  and  business  man,  doing  the 
heavy  work  of  construction,  etc.,  wherever  needed, 
and  exercising  practical  guidance  in  a  vast  business 
until  near  his  death.  His  moneyed  interest  iu  the 
firm  of  Morgan  &  Co.  was  one-si.\teenth. 

Mr  Crossland  was  a  man  of  heroic  mould,  being 
over  si.x  feet  in  height  and  well  proportioned.  To 
his  energy  there  were  no  bounds.  He  was  noted  for 
strong  common  sense,  for  fine  humor  and  wit,  for 
general  geniality  and  affability  in  the  social  and  do- 
mestic circle.  His  family  never  heard  a  cross  or  irri- 
table word  from  his  lips.  He  seems  to  have  possessed 
all  the  virtues  which  go  to  make  up  a  really  noble 
character.  He  was  especially  generous  to  the  poor 
in  a  very  quiet  way,  and  celebrated  his  Thanksgivings 
not  by  luxurious  dinners  at  home,  but  by  privately 
sending  provisions  of  food  and  fuel  to  worthy  poor 
of  his  acquaintance. 

He  was  an  earnest  Freemason,  a  member  of  King 
Solomon  Lodge,  No.  346,  of  Connellsville,  and  other 
lodges  at  Greensburg  and  elsewhere,  and  had  passed 
the  degree  in  Gourgas  Grand  Lodge  of  Perfection,  it 
being  the  thirty-second  degree  in  Freemasonry.  He 
was  also  a  member  of  General  Worth  Lodge,  No.  386, 
I.  O.  of  0.  F.  Distinguished  members  of  both  fra- 
ternities from  different  parts  of  the  State,  united  with 
the  great  concourse  of  his  neighbors  and  fellow-citizens 
of  Fayette  County  in  doing  honor  to  his  memory  at 
his  funeral  obsequies.  Mr.  Crossland  w'as  the  father 
of  two  children  (sons),  both  of  whom,  with  their 
mother,  survive  him. 


SAMUEL  WORK. 
An  excellent  representative  of  the  best  class  of 
Fayette  County  agriculturists,  combining  the  in- 
stincts and  culture  of  the  gentleman  with  the  steady 
industry  and  the  muscle  of  the  prosperous  farmer,  is 
Mr.  Samuel  Work,  of  Dunbar,  who  was  born  Dec.  5, 
1817.  Mr.  Work's  paternal  ancestors  came  to  Amer- 
ica from  the  north  of  Ireland.  His  grandfather, 
Samuel,  whose  name  he  bears,  and  who  was  born 
July  17,  1749,  and  died  in  1833,  moved  from  Lancas- 
ter County  into  Fayette  County,  and  settled  in  Dun- 


bar township  about  1766,  where  Jolin,  the  father  of 
Mr.  Work,  was  born  in  1787,  and  marrieil,  in  1814, 
Nancy  Rogers,  daughter  of  John  Rogers,  of  Fayette 
County. 

Mr.  Work,  the  second  issue  of  this  union,  attended 
in  childhood  the  so-called  subscription  school  at  the 
old  "  Cross  Keys"  school-house  in  Dunbar  until  about 
seventeen  years  of  age,  and  after  that  the  academy  at 
Uniontown,  conducted  by  Rev.  Dr.  Wilson,  till  well 
advanced  in  his  twentieth  year,  and  then  commenced 
the  life  of  a  farmer  on  the  old  homestead  farm,  and 
subsequently  inherited  an  adjoining  farm,  which  he 
cultivated  with  skill  and  prolit,  raising  cattle,  among 
other  things,  tn-rilKi-  wiih  carrying  on  the  business 
of  a  dealer  in  raiil.'.  wlm  h  hf  often  sent  in  droves 
to  the  Eastern  iiiaikels  until  1876,  when  he  retired 
from  business,  having  previously  sold  the  Connells- 
ville coking  coal  which  underlies  a  large  portion  of 
the  farm  he  occupied,  the  surface  of  which  he  has 
since  disposed  nl,  ]ic  nmv  rcsi.liiiL:-  ill  Dunbar  village. 

Mr.  Work  is  a  -eiiilriiiaii  ni'  gi-iiial,  active  tem- 
perament, and  in  early  life  greatly  enjoyed  all  kinds 
of  athletic,  manly  sports,  particularly  that  of  fox- 
hunting with  horse  and  hounds,  and  was  noted  as  a 
finished  horseman  and  bold  rider;  but  being  ever 
temperate  and  attentive  to  business,  he  never  allowed 
his  love  of  the  chase  to  infringe  upon  important 
affairs.  He  belonged  to  tlie  Fayette  County  Cavalry, 
at  one  time  a  fiimous  organization,  and  took  great 
pride  in  military  matters.  In  politics  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican, and  was  formerly  an  old-line  Whig.  He  took 
great  interest  in  the  late  war  on  the  side  of  the  Union, 
and  contributed  liberally,  particularly  in  aid  of  the 
work  of  the  Sanitary  Commission.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  his  wife  is  also 
a  member,  and  to  which  he  has  belonged  for  about 
fifteen  years,  and  enjoys  an  unsullied  reputation  for 
general  integrity  and  honest  dealing  wherever  he  is 
known. 

On  the  23d  of  September,  1858,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Jane  W.  Watts  (born  in  1837),  a 
native  of  County  Donegal,  Ireland,  and  daughter  of 
George  and  Jane  Wilson  Watts,  both  of  Scotch  de- 
scent. When  about  fifteen  years  of  age,  Mrs.  Work, 
then  well  instructed  for  her  years,  came  to  America, 
and  here  continued  her  studies  until  the  time  of  her 
marriage.     They  have  no  children. 


DAVIS  WOODWARD. 
Davis  Woodward,  of  Dunbar  township,  was  born  in 
Menallen  township,  Fayette  Co.,  June  11,  1S06,  and 
was  of  English  descent.  He  received  his  education 
in  the  common  schools,  and  was  married  Nov.  2, 1828, 
to  Mary  Boyd,  of  Menallen  township.  They  had 
thirteen  children.  Twelve  grew  to  manhood  and 
womanhood,  and  were  all  married.  There  are  seven 
sons  and  four  daughters  living.  The  sons  are  all  far- 
mers, and  the  daughters  all  married  farmers.   Eight  of 


5-13 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  children  reside  in  Fayette  County  ;  the  other  three 
in  the  West.  Mr.  Woodward  had  sixty-five  grand- 
children and  thirteen  great-grandchildren.  He  was 
engaged  in  farming  and  stock-dealing  all  his  life. 
Mr.  Wondward  never  held  any  office.  He  said 
he  always  liad  e!ioiiii;li  to  do  to  attend  to  his  o\vn 
business,  llf  and  liis  wife  were  members  of  the  Laurel 
Hill  Proslivirriaii  ( 'liurch.  He  was  a  successful  busi- 
ness man,  a  r  ww  ion-,  skillful  dealer. 

His  fatlu'i-,  C'alrli  Woodward,  came  to  Fayette 
(?iiunty  from  Chester  County,  Pa.,  early  in  the  present 
crntury.  His  wife  was  Phebe  McCarty.  They  had 
six  children,  five  of  them  girls.  Davis  is  the  only 
son.  Caleb,  the  father,  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade. 
He  bought  a  farm  soon  after  coming  to  Jlenallen 
townsliip,  and  continued  blacksmithing  and  farming 
h,  the  end  of  his  life.  He  died  Oct.  IS,  ISod,  a-rd 
si'vriity-seven  years  eight  months  and  nineteen  days. 
His  wife  Phebe  <lied  Dec.  4,  1850,  aged  seventy-six 
years  nine  mouths  and  twenty-four  days. 

:\Ir.  Woodward  died  April  6,  1882.  He  was  an  ex- 
lallont  citizen,  rnj'iying  the  esteem  of  his  acquaint- 
am-'s,  ami  had  al'Undance  of  this  world's  goods.  He 
was  able  to  say,  as  he  did  say,  that  he  made  his 
money  by  telling  the  truth. 


JAMES    WII.KEY. 

James  Wilkey,  of  Dunbar  township,  born  Jan.  17, 
1803,  is  of  L-ish  extraction  in  both  lines.  His  pater- 
nal grandfi^ther,  John  Wilkey,  and  maternal  one, 
James  Wilkey,  both  came  to  America  from  the  north 
of  Ireland  about  the  same  time,  and  settled  in  the 
same  neighb'.rhood,  near  Laurel  Hill  Church,  Dun- 
bar township,  buth  bringing  families  with  them.  John 
liad  two  daughtci-s,  it  is  thought,  and  one  son,  James 
Wilkey,  born  in  Ireland  about  1771,  the  father  of  our 
.lame-;,  and  who  was  an  educated  gentleman,  and 
taught  subscription  schools  in  his  neighborhood  until 
he  became  an  old  man,  dying  about  1835.  Mr. 
AVilkey's  mother's  maiden  name  was  Elizabeth  Wil- 
key (daughter  of  James,  above  named).  She  died  in 
old  age,  outliving  her  Imshand  by  a  score  of  years. 
They  had  six  children,  of  whom  James  was  the  only 
son.     The  daughters  arc  all  dead. 

James  attended  in  childhood  the  schools  kept  by 
his  father,  often  going  five  miles  each  way  daily  to 

and  from  s,1 1,  siinnncrs  and  winters.     AtVour  years 

of  age  he  wa.  taULilit  t..  rra.l  the  Seriptures.  At'thir- 
teenhewent  to  barn  .saddle-making  of  James  Francis, 
at  Connellsville,  but  remained  with  him  only  six 
mouths,  when  Francis  moved  to  Rising  Sun,  Ind. 
He  then  hired  out  to  an  ironmaster,  S.  G.  Wurts,  to 
do  general  work,  at  ten  dollars  a  month,  and  "  stayial 
with  him  three  years,  eleven  months,  and  twenty-.~ix 
days,"  .as  he  distinctly  recollects,  'Mr.  Wilkey  kept 
n..  written  memoranda  of  aeeounts,  Wurts  diil,  ami 
tlea-e  wa- a  host  o|'  iiemi/.ations  in  that  long  time; 
but  Wilkey  thongbt,  when  about  to  leave,  that  Wurts 


owed  him  about  forty  dollars,  and  Wurts'  accounts 
showed  that  he  was  in  debt  to  Wilkey  about  forty-one 
dollars, — a  decided  "  head  for  accounts,"  Mr.  Wil- 
key's  memory  is  remarkable.  He  recalls  with  mi- 
nuteness many  incidents  which  occurred  when  he  was 
only  two  years  of  age.  Leaving  Wurts  he  went  to 
learn  the  tanner's  trade  of  Reason  Beeson,  at  Plum- 
sock,  as  an  apprentice,  and  remained  with  him  till 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  had  to  have,  according 
to  contract,  a  common  cloth  coat  when  his  time  should 
be  out,  but  did  not  get  it;  but  two  years  afterwards 
got  its  value  in  store  goods.  When  through  with 
Beeson  he  had  a  dollar  and  a  half  of  money  only. 
But  his  sister  kindly  gave  him  a  "levy"  (eleven 
pence),  worth  twelve  and  a  half  cents,  saying,  "  James, 
take  that;  it  may  help  you."  A\[ith  his  one  dollar 
and  sixty-two  and  a  half  cents  in  pocket  he  started 
out  in  search  of  work,  and  traveled  one  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  before  he  found  it,  at  a  point  eleven  miles 
below  Zanesville,  Ohio,  and  yet  had  a  part  of  the 
money  left !  The  young  men  of  these  days  may  not 
comprehend  such  economy,  but  the  secret  lay  in  Mr. 
Wilkey's  industry.  Leaving  home  on  April  1st,  he 
went  on  board  a  flat-boat  at  Connellsville,  and  worked 
his  passage  down  the  river  into  the  Ohio  and  on. 
Wherever  the  boat  stopped  he  went  on  shore  and 
hunted  for  work,  at  last  finding  it.  Through  the 
influence  of  an  uncle  living  near  the  place  before 
mentioned  he  got  a  job  of  boiling  water  at  a  salt- 
works, and  stayed  at  the  work  till  fall,  when  he  be- 
came sick  with  fever  and  ague  and  resolved  to  return 
home.  He  and  a  fellow-laborer  agreed  to  divide  the 
results  of  their  toil,  and  Wilkey's  share  was  a  quantity 
of  salt,  which  he  sold  to  a  stranger  living  a  few  miles 
from  the  works  for  twenty-two  dollars  and  fifty  cents, 
wdiich  he  got  two  years  afterwards.  Men  were  honest 
in  that  time,  and  he  had  no  fear  to  trust  any  stranger, — 
felt  safe,  was  safe.  Mr.  Wilkey  prays  for  the  return 
of  those  honest  days.  After  being  gone  about  a  year 
he  returned  to  Connellsville.  An  old  acquaintance 
seeing  him  on  the  street  went,  without  Wilkey's  knowl- 
edge, to  John  Fuller,  tanner  (father  of  Dr.  Smith 
Fuller),  and  advised  him  to  hire  Wilkey.  Fuller  sent 
for  him  and  gave  him  a  trial  of  two  weeks,  at  the  rate 
of  six  dollais  per  motith;  and  when  the  two  weeks 
were  pa<~eil  oH'ciim]  to  eniiiliiy  him  for  nine  months  at 
live  dollars  ]ier  month.  Wilkey  stood  out,  and  de- 
manded more  wages,  to  wit,  two  pairs  of  coarse  shoes 
into  the  bargain. 

Fidler  yielded,  with  the  cautious  condition  that  he 
should  get  the  shoes  only  in  the  last  month  of  the 
period.  Wilkey  consented  to  this,  and,  in  brief,  earned 
the  money  and  shoes,  and  Fuller's  perfect  confidence 
besides.  Near  the  time  the  nine  months  were  up, 
AN'ilkey  .dianecd  to  call  at  the  house  of  Dr,  Bela 
Smith,  Fuller's  father-in-law.  Wilkey  being  about 
to  lea\c,  Mrs,  Smith,  wdio  knew  his  reputation  as  a 
workman,  saiil,  "James,  I  wish  I  had  a  bill  of  sale  of 
you."     ••  What   lor?"  asked   Wilkey.     "  Why,    then 


1 


Ui- 


''■% 


FRANKLIN   TOWNSHIP. 


549 


I'd  have  a  tan-yard  sunk  at  Bela's  (her  son's),  and 
juit  yon  in  it."  This  led  to  Willcey's  going  with 
Bc'la  B.  Smith  (Jr.)  as  a  partner  into  the  tanning 
business  near  Perryopolis.  He  continued  in  the  busi- 
ness there  for  about  four  years,  near  the  end  of  which 
his  grandfather,  an  old  man  of  ninety-six  years,  died, 
and  left  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-two 
acres  in  Dunbar,  and  all  Wilkey's  relations  said, 
"  James,  you  ought  to  buy  the  farm."  It  was  much 
encumbered,  but  he  bought  it  and  moved  upon  it, 
soon  selling  a  part  of  it  to  Henry  Leighty.  He  occu- 
pied the  farm  for  seven  years,  and  selling  out,  had 
$1700,  a  horse,  and  nine  cows  left.  He  next  bought 
a  tan-yard  of  John  Fuller,  in  Connellsville,  for  $2500, 
$1000  down,  the  rest  in  $250  notes,  running  a  course 
of  years  without  interest.  Fuller  agreeing  to  take 
half-pay  for  the  notes  in  leather.  Wilkey  conducted 
the  business  for  about  ten  years,  when  he  sold  it  and 
bought  the  farm  whereon  he  has  ever  since  resided, 
leading  the  life  of  a  farmer.  He  added  to  the  farm 
till  it  contained  two  hundred  and  seven  acres,  a  part 
of  which  (coal  lands),  he  has  disposed  of.  He  has 
always  been  a  hard  worker,  but  has  enjoyed  the  best 
of  health,  and  has  been  very  prosperous. 


Mr.  Wilkey  has  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  for  over  forty  years,  most  of  the 
time  a  class-leader,  steward,  etc.  Since  he  first  joined 
the  church  he  has  always  liberally  contributed  to  its 
support,  and  has  also  done  much  work  in  collecting 
money  from  others.  Lately  the  church  in  Connells- 
ville has  taken  steps  (March  1,  1882)  toward  pulling 
down  its  old  edifice  and  the  erection  of  a  two-story 
church  on  its  site.  Mr.  Wilkey  refuses  to  contribute 
towards  the  new  edifice,  on  the  ground  that  its  audi- 
ence-room will  be  "  up-stairs,"  so  high  that  lame  old 
people  like  himself  and  his  wife  and  many  others 
cannot  get  into  it,  and  will  thus  be  practically  pre- 
vented attendance  upon  preaching.  He  would  give, 
he  says,  as  much  as  any  other  man  towards  a  now 
"  one-story  church."  It  seems  there  is  a  difference  of 
opinion  among  the  members  of  the  church,  some  de- 
siring to  have  the  proposed  edifice  a  "  one-story,"  and 
others  wishing  what  Mr.  Banning  calls  a  "two-story" 
church.    The  latter  he  says  shall  have  no  aid  from  him. 

March  24,  1831,  Wr.  Wilkey  married  Catharine 
Rodocker,  daughter  of  Pliilip  Rodocker,  of  Wash- 
ington township,  by  whom  he  has  had  six  childreu, 
three  of  whom  are  now  living. 


FRANKLIN    TOWNSHIP. 


Franklin,  one  of  the  original  townships  of  Fay- 
ette, is  purely  agricultural  iu  its  interests,  and  the 
census  of  June,  1880,  credited  it  with  a  population  of 
1373.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Youghio- 
gheny  River,  which  separates  it  from  Tyrone ;  on 
the  south  by  Menallen  and  North  Union  ;  on  the  east 
by  Dunbar,  and  west  by  Menallen,  Redstone,  and 
Jefferson.  The  township  valuation  subject  to  county 
tax  was  iu  1881  fixed  at  $639,870,  or  a  gain  over  1880 
of  $35.37. 

The  township  is  well  watered  by  numerous  small 
streams,  while  upon  the  Redstone  Creek  (which  sepa- 
rates it  from  Menallen  and  Redstone  townships)  and 
the  Youghiogheny  River  there  is  abundant  mill- 
power.  Franklin  contains  rich  and  extensive  de- 
posits of  coal,  that  to  the  present  time  have  remained 
undeveloped  because  of  the  lack  of  railway  transpor- 
tation near  at  hand.  Although  there  are  yet  no  rail- 
road facilities,  assurances  are  made  that  before  1883 
two  railway  lines  will  be  constructed  in  the  township, 
— one  between  Brownsville  and  Uniontown,  and  the 
line  between  New  Haven  aud  Brownsville.  The 
former  will  follow  the  course  of  the  Redstone,  and  the 
latter  that  of  Bute's  Run,  iu  the  town  hip.    The  road- 


beds are  already  graded,  and  by  the  autumn  of  1882 
both  railroads  are  likely  to  be  in  readiness  for  traffic. 
The  first  named  will  doubtless  be  opened  early  in 
the  jiresent  summer  (1882).  Franklin  has  no  village, 
but  possesses  two  post-offices,— Flatwood,  established 
in  1842,  and  Laurel  Hill,  in  1870. 

Amongthe  earliest  settlers  in  Franklin  may  be  reck- 
oned William  Rittenhouse,  a  Jcrseyman,  \yho  came 
in  as  early  certainly  as  1777,  with  his  wife  and  child, 
and  located  upon  a  tract  of  land  lying  upon  the  west- 
ern side  of  the  township.  As  to  the  record  of  his  ex- 
perience for  a  few  years  after  he  came,  not  much  can 
be  learned.  It  may  be  stated,  however,  that  in  1795 
he  was  living  on  the  place  now  owned  by  Matthew 
Arisen,  and  in  the  house  now  Mr.  Arison's  residence. 
He  kept  tavern  in  that  house,  which  was  in  its  day  a 
favorite  halting-place  for  travelers,  to  whom  landlord 
Rittenhouse  would,  when  in  the  mood,  relate  his  brief 
but  adventurous  experience  during  the  Revolution,  in 
which  he  served  as  a  fifer  for  the  space  of  a  year  from 
1776  to  1777.  Upon  the  site  of  his  farm  there  was,  at 
an  earlier  date,  an  Indian  village  and  graveyard,  and, 
tradition  adds,  in  the  village  resided  a  chief  of  some 


550 


HISTORY    OF    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


note,  who  more  than  once  held  important  councils 
there  with  other  dignitaries  of  his  race.  The  plow- 
share of  the  husbandman  has  in  recent  times  un- 
earthed many  an  Indian  relic,  such  as  arrow-heads, 
stone  hatchets,  and  the  like.  After  a  while  Ritten- 
house  bought  land  adjoining  his  tract  and  skirting 
what  is  called  the  Lazy  Hollow  road.  Of  that  land 
Isaac  Quick  was  an  owner  before  Rittenhouse,  and 
report  has  it  that  it  was  from  the  circumstance  of  Isaac 
Quick's  extranrdinary  indolence  that  the  hollow  men- 
tioned was  given  the  name  of  Lazy.  A  little  east  of 
Aaron  Lynn's  present  residence  Rittenhouse  built  a 
tavern,  and  leased  it  to  John  Freeman,  who  eame^ 
from  New  Jersey  and  settled  first  in  Franklin,  on 
what  is  now  the  Ra.lliiiirlKifer  place.  The  thorough- 
fare wa^  tin-  iiiuiiily  trav.'luil  road  between  Browns- 
ville and  (■onn.-lNv'illc,  and  Freeman's  was  probably 
a  busy  cciitrc  at  tinu--.  How  lua-  he  ki]it  the  place 
is  not  knouii,  hut  the  nhl  tav.-ni  -t.iii  1,  n-iw  in  ruins, 
still  marks  the  spot,  a  reniiudri-  of  tli./  days  when 
Boniface  welcomed  with  hearty  hospitality  the  weary 
wayfarer,  cheering  as  well  as  sustaining  him  with 
whatever  fat  that  part  of  the  land  produced.  Amos 
Em  mens  also  is  said  to  have  kept  tavern  on  the  Lazy 
Hollow  road,  but  just  where  is  not  known.  Mr.  Rit- 
tenhouse was  much  devoted  to  the  encouragement  of 
religious  as  well  as  secular  education,  and  at  an  early 
day  built  a  school-house  on  his  farm,  wherein  Samuel 
Blaney,  a  famous  teacher  in  his  day,  taught  the  chil- 
dren of  these  pioneers  their  early  stejjs  in  the  paths 
of  learning.  William  Rittenhouse  died  on  the  Arison 
form  in  ISlo.  Of  his  large  family  of  thirteen  cliil- 
den,  the  only  one  now  living  is  the  widow  of  Ayers 
Lynn,  an  old  lady  of  eighty-two  years. 

Robert  Smith  came  from  Westmoreland  County 
before  1790,  and  settled  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by 
his  son  Robert.  3Ir.  Smith  had  served  as  a  private 
in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  of  his  record  in  that 
struggle  has  left  the  following: 

"An  account  of  the  military  services  rendered  by 
me  during  the  Revolutionary  war  in  the  Pennsylva- 
nia militia  of  Berks  County.  I  was  drafted,  and 
served  two  months  in  1776,  during  September,  Octo- 
ber, and  N'ovember,  in  Col.  Burns'  reginnnt.  <ta!i(ined 
at  Bergen  and  Paulus  Hook,  in  New  Jn-i  y.  1  n  1777 
I  served  two  months  as  volunteer  in  the  I'.erks  ( 'i  unity 
militia,  during  September,  October,  and  November, 
tuir  officers'  names  I  do  not  recollect.  Our  general's 
name  was  Irven,  of  Philadelphia.  Our  encampment 
was  along  with  Gen.  Washington's  main  army  at 
sundry  places.  When  we  were  discharged  the  army 
was  encamped  at  White  Marsh,  about  fourteen  or  fif- 
teen miles  from  Philadelphia.  When  I  returned  home 
I  was  drafted,  and  .served  two  months  in  the  same  fall 
and  winter  with  Col.  Heister's  regiment  of  Berks 
County  militia.  We  were  stationed  at  PlymouthMeet- 
ing-house,  near  Barren  Hill  Church.  From  thence 
we  went  to  the  banks  of  the  Shammine,  near  the 
Crooked  Billet  tavern.  Robert  Smith." 


Mr.  Smith  set  up  a  blacksmith's  shop  on  the  Lazy 
Hollow  road  in  front  of  his  dwelling,  and  for  years 
plied  his  trade  in  the  service  of  the  people  who  came 
from  near  and  far.  He  died  in  1837,  at  the  age  of 
eighty.  Of  his  ten  children  only  one  is  left,  Robert 
Smith,  aged  eighty-two,  and  living  still  on  the  Smith 
homestead,  where  he  was  born.  Long  before  Robert 
Smith  the  elder  came  to  Franklin,  the  farm  he  bought 
there  had  been  occupied  by  David  Allen,  of  whose 
sons,  Josiah  and  George  M.,  Smith  purchased  it. 

The  farm  now  occupied  by  Jesse  Piersol  was  owned 
at  a  very  early  date  by  Hugh  Shotwell,  who  settled 
thereon  about  the  year  1780.  His  four  sons — John, 
Joseph,  William,  and  Arison — settled  in  Franklin, 
but  the  last  three  ultimately  moved  to  Ohio.  John 
died  in  Franklin  in  1869,  aged  eighty-five.  One  of 
his  daughters  is  now  the  wife  of  Robert  Smith,  above 
mentioned. 

The  fine  farm  in  Franklin  township  known  as  the 
Modisette  place  was  occupied  in  1790  by  Samuel 
Stevens.  But  little  is  known  about  him,  as  he  died  a 
few  years  after  his  settlement.  His  widow  died  in 
Uniontown,  aged  ninety-three.     His  only  child,  Pris- 


cill 


Mr 


Austin,  of  Uni. 


itowi 


and  i 


in  her 


Jos.'|ili  Ogluvee,  a  young  !Marylander,  found  a 
sjiarsely-settk-d  iiei^hbi.rliood  when  he  came  to 
Franklin  in  Kss.  llu  warranted  three  hundred  and 
thiriy-tliK  I-  ar.-  imw  (.wned  in  part  by  his  son 
Farriiiji  la  ,  pa'  ii;i  a  .a'iiii,  and  began  to  clear  his 
laud.  (_Miira  1  I'.aj  i  ickh  .'.v,  an  old  soldier,  who  had 
served  honorably  through  the  Revolutionary  war, 
moved  to  Franklin  in  1790.  Conrad  found  liimself 
at  the  end  of  his  campaigns  the  possessor  of  a  great 
lot  of  Continental  money,  and  with  it  he  proposed  to 
buy  a  farm  somewhere.  Unfortunately,  he  found  his 
Continental  money  worth  so  little  that  buying  a  farm 
was  out  of  the  question.  So  with  his  family  he  lived 
a  while  in  a  cabin  on  Joseph  Oglevee's  place,  and 
eventually  he  bought  a  small  farm  of  his  own.  In 
1790  Oglevee  married  one  of  Barricklow's  daughters. 
His  sons  were  three, — Jesse,  John,  and  Farrington. 
Of  these  only  Farrington  is  now  living,  and  he  re- 
mains on  the  old  homestead.  Jesse,  who  settled  on 
the  Dunbar  and  Franklin  line  so  literally  that  his 
family  ate  in  Dunbar  and  slept  in  Franklin,  had  eight 
children.  Three  of  his  sons,  Joseph,  John,  and  Philip, 
are  now  residents  of  Dunbar  township.  Conrad  Bar- 
ricklow  died  in  1802,  and  Joseph  Oglevee  in  1835.  In 
their  day  one  of  the  scarcest  articles  of  use  was  salt, 
and  to  get  it  there  was  no  way  save  by  a  trip  eastward 
over  the  mountains.  The  salt  wells  of  the  West  were 
then  undiscovered  treasures,  and  as  salt  must  be  had 
at  all  hazards,  tlie  juoneersat  intervals  made  long  and 
tiresome  journeys  for  supplies  of  the  needed  article. 
The  fiiU  of  the  year  was  customarily  the  season  when 
these  salt  trips  were  made,  and  according  to  previous 
understanding,  a  halfdozen  or  more  settlers  would 
set  out  together  on  horseback,  and  thus  sociably  and 


FRANKLIN   TOWNSHIP. 


551 


safely  get  to  market,  bringing  back  upon  their  horses 
not  only  salt  but  other  necessities  required  in  the  line 
of  jn-ovisions.  Joseph  Oglevee  built  a  saw-mill  on 
Dickinson's  Run  in  1792,  and  sold  it  to  Alexander 
Moreland,  who  set  up  a  nail-making  shop.  More- 
land  was  bought  out  by  Joseph  McCoy,  who,  upon 
the  same  site,  established  a  sickle-factory. 

James  and  Samuel  Rankin  were  among  the  first 
settlers  in  Franklin.  James  wished  to  buy  land  of 
Col.  Isaac  Meason,  and  at  an  appointed  time  met 
Col.  Meason  at  Mount  Braddock  for  the  purpose  of 
visiting  Franklin  on  a  tour  of  inspection.  While 
en  mute  Rankin  remarked  to  Col.  Meason  upon  his 
overcoat,  which  was  an  inordinately  shabby  one, 
"Colonel,  I  am  amazed  to  find  that  a  man  owning  as 
much  land  as  you  do  will  content  himself  with  such 
a  desperately  ragged  overcoat."  "  The  coat  is  well 
enough,"  returned  Col.  Meason, "  for,  although  ragged, 
it  keeps  out  the  rain  pretty  well,  while  fin-  its  looks 
I  care  nothing."  W'len  they  were  about  closing 
the  sale  of  the  land,  and  while  the  deed  was  awaiting 
Col.  Meason's  signature,  he  suddenly  halted,  and 
turning  to  Rankin,  said,  "  I  don't  know  about  signing 
tliis  deed  after  all.  I  believe  I  have  sold  you  the 
land  too  cheap,  and  upon  reflection  conclude  that  I 
will  sign  the  deed  only  upon  condition  that  you  give 
me  your  overcoat,  which  I  see  is  a  new  and  excellent 
one,  in  exchange  for  mine,  which,  as  you  rightly 
observed  yesterday,  is  old  and  ragged."  Rankin  saw 
he  was  caught,  but  he  was  eager  to  own  the  land,  and, 
what  was  more,  Meason  knew  that  too.  He  hated  to 
yield  in  the  matter,  his  inclination  prompting  him  to 
break  off  the  trade  then  and  there,  but  he  fancied 
the  property  vastly,  and  so,  with  rather  bad  grace, 
accepted  the  alternative,  remarking  as  he  did  so, 
"The  next  time  I  buy  land  of  a  man  in  a  ragged 
coat  I'll  keep  my  mouth  shut  until  I've  concluded 
the  bargain."  Meason  was  much  pleased  at  what  he 
declared  an  excellent  joke,  and  by  way  of  emphasiz- 
ing his  appreciation  remarked  to  Rankin  at  parting, 
"  J\ly  dear  friend,  I  wonder  that  a  man  with  as  much 
money  as  you  have  will  wear  such  a  ragged  coat." 
The  Rankins  lived  in  a  community  of  practical  jokers, 
and  were  themselves  keenly  alive  to  the  spirit  of 
harmless  fun.  So  general  was  this  mania  for  jjracti- 
cal  joking  that  no  opportunity  was  lost  by  any  of 
the  jokers  for  oft'ering  up  a  victim  to  ridicule. 

Among  them  all,  the  Rankins,  and  especially 
"Sammy"  Rankin,  were  considered  the  most  invet- 
erate jokers  of  the  period.  Many  a  good  story  is  still 
told  of  Sammy  and  the  manner  in  which  he  used  to 
sacrifice  his  neighbors,  who  as  often  sought  to  get 
even  with  him  by  returning  the  compliment,  although 
Sammy  was  termed  "smart  enough  to  hold  his  own 
and  more  too."  For  that  reason  it  was  exceedingly 
gratifying  to  his  many  friends  if  they  could  get  the 
laugh  on  him.  As  a  case  in  point  it  is  told  that 
Sammy,  while  iiroceeding  to  town  one  cold  morning, 
mot  Andrew  Wiley  trudging  along  on  foot,  carrying  ' 


in  his  hand  a  jug  that  looked  very  much  as  if  it 
held  whisky.  Whisky  in  jugs  was  then  as  common 
in  the  land  as  the  most  devoted  tippler  could  desire, 
and  it  was  most  natural  and  reasonable  on  Sammy's 
part  to  suppose  that  Wiley's  jug  contained  whisky. 
It  was  equally  natural  and  reasonable  for  him  to  con- 
clude that  a  drink  of  whisky  on  a  cold  morning  as 
the  one  in  question  would  be  proper  and  consoling. 
So  after  greeting  Wiley  cheerily,  and  receiving  the 
same  in  return,  Sammy  exclaimed,  "  Well,  Wiley, 
this  is  a  pretty  sharp  morning,  and  as  you've  got  a 
jug  of  whisky  I  will  be  glad  to  take  a  drink  with  you." 
Wiley  owed  Sammy  one  on  the  last  time  he  had 
been  made  a  victim,  and  to  that  moment  had  pined 
for  an  opportunity  to  repay  the  joker.  As  will  be 
seen,  his  chance  had  come.  Lifting  the  jug  to 
Sammy's  hand,  remarking  that  it  was  a  cold  morning, 
that  a  drink  was  a  good  thing  at  such  a  time,  and 
that  the  jug  held  as  good  whisky  as  was  ever  made, 
he  bade  Sam  drink  heartily.  Thus  invited  and  en- 
couraged Ijy  ^\'il(  y's  hospitality,  his  own  desire  as 
well,  S:i:iniiy  :'p|ili(Ml  his  mouth  to  that  of  the  jug 
and  drank.  Tin  ilrink  was,  however,  a  shortone,  and 
was  followed  Ijy  tiie  violent  dashing  of  the  jug  upon 
the  ground,  and  the  excited  exclamation  from  Sammy 
of  "Great  heavens,  AViley,  it's  soft  soap!"  Splut- 
tering and  coughing  to  free  his  mouth  of  the  nauseous 
mess,  he  was  inclined  to  be  angry  with  the  author  of 
the  mishap,  but  better  judgment  prevailed,  until,  like 
a  philosopher,  be  laughingly  declared  to  Wiley, 
"Well,  old  fellow,  you  got  me  that  time,  but  it's  a 
long  lane  that  has  no  turn :  I'll  pay  you  off  yet." 
Wiley  laughed  and  bade  good-by  to  Sammy  by  in- 
viting him  to  meet  him  again  some  day  for  another 
drink,  and  advising  him  to  look  sharp  if  he  desired 
to  pay  off  the  score.  Whether  Sammy  did  or  did  not 
pay  oflfthe  score  does  not  appear  among  the  uhroni- 
cles  of  the  time,  but  the  popular  conclusion  is  that  if 
he  attempted  it  he  succeeded. 

Thomas  Dunn  is  said  to  have  located  in  Franklin 
some  time  during  the  progress  of  the  Revolutionary 
war.  He  took  up  a  farm  coutaining  four  hundred  and 
thirty-two  acres,  of  which  original  tract  his  grandson 
Thomas  owns  three  hundred  and  thirty  acres.  Mr. 
Dunn  and  his  wife  were  hardy  pioneers  in  every 
sense  of  the  word,  and  without  waiting  to  build  a 
dwelling-house,  they  made  their  home  in  a  stable  for 
a  year  after  their  arrival.  Time  was  precious,  they 
were  ambitious  to  get  a  portion  of  their  land  cleared 
and  a  crop  in,  and  so  when  the  stable  was  up  they 
said,  "  We  will  defer  the  building  of  our  cabin,  since 
we  have  a  more  pressing  necessity  to  clear  and  culti- 
vate our  land,  and  until  we  can  spare  the  time  to 
erect  a  better  one  we  will  make  our  home  under  the 
same  roof  that  shelters  our  cattle."  When  Dunn  put 
up  his  cabin  the  following  year  he  built  also  a  wagon- 
shop,  as  he  was  by  trade  a  wheelwright,  continuing  the 
business  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1800. 
Four  years  before  his  death  he  replaced  the  log  cabin 


552 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


with  the  stone  house  now  occupied  by  his  grandson, 
Thomas  Dunn.  Of  his  twelve  children  seven  were  j 
sons,  and  of  these  all  but  two  removed  early  in  life  to 
Ohio,  pioneers  of  that  State.  John  and  Samuel,  the 
two  who  remained  upon  the  old  farm,  worked  it  to- 
gether for  several  years,  when  Samuel  got  the  Western 
fever,  and  selling  his  interest  in  the  homestead  to 
John,  he  too  emigrated  to  Ohio.  John  ended  his 
days  in  Franklin.  He  had  but  two  sons,  Robert  and 
Tliomas,  in  a  family  of  eight  ehilclren.  Robert  moved 
to  Kansas  and  there  died,  while  Thomas  still  lives 
upon  the  farm  that  his  grandfather  cleared  more  than 
a  hundred  years  ago.  He  says  he  was  left  upon  the 
place  to  keep  the  name  of  Dunn  alive,  and  adds,  "  I 
rather  guess  I  have  made  a  good  start  in  that  direc- 
tion, for  I  have  had  eleven  children  born  to  me." 
One  of  his  daughters,  Harriet,  was  accidentally  killed 
in  1S70.  Driving  to  church  with  her  brother  one 
Sunthiy  morning  a  halt  was  made  at  a  neighbor's,  and 
the  brotlier  alighted  for  a  moment  from  the  carriage. 
As  he  did  so  tlie  horse,  a  high-spirited  colt,  dashed 
madly  away,  the  young  lady  being  thrown  out  and 
almost  instantly  killed. 

The  JfrLeans  (two  brothers)  were  great  land-owners 
in  Franklin,  and  were  well  known  by  all  the  people. 
Land  was  cheap  in  those  days,  and  to  own  a  farm  of 
three  or  four  hundred  acres  did  not  call  for  an  espe- 
cially liberal  outlay  of  funds.  Stories  are  told  of 
farms  being  frequently  bartered  for  dogs,  guns,  or 
horses,  one  gun  sometimes  proving  enough  of  the 
]iurchase  price  to  secure  a  large  tract  of  land.  Robert 
McLean  had  plenty  of  land,  and  that  he  did  not  value 
it  very  highly  is  ^hown  by  the  following  story:  He 
met  a  man  traveling  through  Franklin,  and  noticing 
the  fellow's  dejected  appearance,  inquired  if  he  was 
in  trouble.  The  man  replied  that  he  had  been  unfor- 
tunate, was  poor,  and  did  not  know  how  he  could 
better  his  condition.  Promiited  by  a  sudden  and 
charitalib/  ni-itivc,  ^McLean  said  to  him,  "See  here, 
my  man.  I'll  (//'/ v  yon  a  farm  and  |iut  you  in  shape  to 
earn  a  living  if  you  will  mount  that  stump  and  cry 
as  hard  as  yon  can."  The  man  thought  of  course  that 
McLean  was  joking,  but  upon  being  assured  that  he 
was  truly  in  earnest,  and  that  the  farm  would  be  his 
if  he  com]ilied,  he  mounted  the  stump  and  rrii-l  like 
a  good  fellow.  In  return,  as  the  story  is  told,  he  was 
given  the  farm,  and  became  prosperous  and  successful 

One  of  the  early  mills  in  Franklin  was  Cullen's 
grist-mill  on  the  Redstone,  near  where  Bute's  Run 
fliws  into  the  former  stream.  Cullen  was  an  accom- 
mo  iating  miller,  as  the  following  will  show. 

Old  Mr.  Gilchrist  set  out  one  morning  for  Cullen's 
mill,  and  as  he  passed  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Ramsey  was 
hailed  by  the  latter  with  "Hold  on,  Gilchrist,  I'm 
going  to  mill  with  a  grist,  and  will  bear  you  coni- 
jiany."  Both  journeyed  along  upon  their  horses  until 
they  had  arrived  to  within  a  mile  or  so  of  the  mill, 
when  Ramsey  suddenly  clasped  his  hands  together  in 


despair  and  cried  out,  "  God  bless  me,  Gilchrist,  if  I 
haven't  forgotten  my  grist.  I  stayed  up  last  night  to 
shell  two  bushels  of  corn  for  the  mill-trip,  and  now 
I've  come  away  and  left  it  behind."  With  that  he 
fell  to  berating  himself  for  having  been  so  absent- 
minded.  Gilchrist  consoled  him  with  the  suggestion 
that  perhaps  he  could  borrow  at  the  mill  what  corn- 
meal  he  wanted,  and  take  the  corn  down  some  other 
time.  To  this  proposition  Ramsey  would  listen  only 
upon  the  condition  that  Gilchrist  should  say  nothing 
about  the  matter  to  Jimmy  Rankin,  "  for,"  added  he, 
"if  Jimmy  gets  hold  of  the  story  there'll  be  no  end 
of  the  fun  he'll  have  at  my  expense."  The  promise 
was  given,  the  corn-meal  was  obtained  as  suggested, 
and  the  matter  adjusted  satisfactorily  to  all  parties. 
The  following  Sunday,  at  church  services,  Ramsey 
and  Jimmy  Rankin  met  during  the  nooning  hour, 
and  Jimmy,  broaching  the  subject  of  dry  weather,  re- 
marked that  such  weather  was  very  bad  for  the  mills. 
"  Oh,  yes,"  continued  he,  as  Ramsey  began  to  grow 
unea.sy,  "where  do  you  get  your  milling  done  now'?'' 
Ramsey,  feeling  sure  that  Jimmy  had  heard  about  the 
corn,  determined  not  to  give  up  the  secret  himself, 
and  pretended  not  to  have  heard  the  inquiry,  but  at 
once  began  talking  of  the  probable  bad  effect  of  the 
dry  weather  upon  crops.  "  Yes,  yes,"'put  in  Jimmy, 
loud  enough  for  all  to  hear,  "they  tell  me  Cullen's 
mill  is  a  fine  mill,  and  that  Cullen  himself  is  a  fine 
man.  They  say  you  can  get  your  b.ag  filled  there 
whether  you  bring  any  grist  or  not."  With  "  Damn 
ye !  old  Gilchrist  has  been  blowing  on  me,"  Ramsey 
fled,  and  for  some  time  after  heard  the  story  at  every 
turn,  from  Jimmy  Rankin's  persevering  purpose  to 
"get  a  good  rig  on  Ramsey." 

Another  early  mill  was  the  one  built  by  Jonathan 
Hill,  about  17!ii),  on  Redstone  Creek,  on  the  site  now 
occupied  by  Samuel  Smock.  Mr.  Hill  sold  the  mill 
to  Jonathan  Sharpless  in  1810  and  moved  to  Virginia, 
where  he  died.  Mr.  Sharple-ss  was  conspicuous  in  the 
history  of  Fayette  County  for  having,  with  Samuel 
Jackson,  built  on  the  Redstone  the  first  paper-mill 
known  west  of  the  mountains.^  He  located  in  Frank- 
lin not  long  after  the  year  1800,  and  in  1810  was  driv- 
ing a  grist-mill,  saw-mill,  sickle-factory,  and  fulling- 
mill,  which  amount  of  business  was,  for  those  days, 
very  extensive.  There  he  lived  until  his  death,  about 
1860,  at  the  age  of  more  than  ninety  years.  Joseph 
Jordan  was  his  nearest  neighbor,  and  lived  upon  an 
adjoining  tract,  where  Samuel  Jobes  now  resides. 
Samuel  Jiibes  (whose  father,  John,  was  an  early  settler 
ill  Redstone  township)  came  to  Franklin  in  1840. 
John  Lewis,  a  Methodist  preacher  and  a  tanner, 
moved  from  Baltimore  to  Connellsville  in  1790,  and 
at  the  latter  place  established  a  tan-yard.  Having 
bad  luck  in  his  business  afl'airs  he  moved  to  a  farm  in 
Dunbar  town  hip,  afterwards  to  Franklin,  and  later 
to  Plumsock,  in  Menallen  township.     He  died  at  the 

1  Seo  liistory  of  JeCferson  township. 


FRANKLIN   TOWNS  [IIP. 


553 


age  of  ninety-three,  upon  the  farm  in  Franklin  now 
occupied  by  Joseph  Lewis,  and  then  by  "Squire"  Na- 
than Lewis.  Nathan  Lewis,  just  named,  was  a  son  of 
John  Lewis,  and  for  more  tlian  twenty  years  was  a 
justice  of  the  peace  at  Plumsock,  where  he  was  long 
a  figure  in  local  history.  He  died  on  his  Franklin 
farm  in  1875,  aged  eighty-four.  Two  of  his  brothers, 
John  and  Samuel,  moved  to  the  far  West.  James, 
another  brother,  built  a  pottery  in  Plumsock  in  1822, 
conducting  that  business  for  twelve  years,  after  which 
his  son  Nathan  succeeded  him  in  it  for  fifteen  years 
longer.  James  Lewis  died  in  1872,  aged  eighty-two. 
His  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Arthur  Wharton,  himself 
oneof  the  pioneers  of  Menallen,  as  well  as  an  early 
settler  upon  the  land  now  owned  and  occupied  by 
his  grandson,  Nathan  Lewis.  All  of  Wharton's  sons 
moved  to  Ohio.  Resin  Virgin,  Jacob  Wolf,  Elisha 
Pears,  the  Gillilands,  McVays,  Whetsels,  Cooks, 
Abrahams,  Pattersons,  Works,  Junks,  and  Rossels 
were  concerned  in  the  early  settlement  of  Franklin, 
but  the  majority  of  them  have  to-day  no  descendants 
of  their  names  in  the  township. 

Although  John  Bute  did  not  come  until  1813,  he 
was  very  active  in  pioneer  history.  He  bought  on 
Bute's  Run  a  farm  lying  upon  the  State  road.  The 
land  had  been  patented  in  1789  by  P^lisha  Pears, 
who  later  disposed  of  it  at  public  sale.  David 
Veach,  the  purchaser,  met  John  Bute  at  Plumsock 
while  en  route  from  the  place  of  sale,  and  Bute  being 
anxious  to  own  some  land  bought  the  Pears  place  of 
Veach  then  and  there.  Bute,  who  had  been  keeping 
tavern  at  Plumsock,  moved  to  Franklin  without  much 
delay  and  became  a  farmer.  In  1829  he  built  a  saw- 
mill and  grist-mill  on  Bute's  Run,  and  in  1857  died 
on  the  old  Pears  farm.  Ten  of  his  twelve  children 
were  sons,  and  all  became  settlers  in  Franklin.  Cy- 
rus, one  of  the  sons,  carried  on  the  mill,  and  had 
also  a  small  store  there.  The  last  owner  of  the  mill 
was  a  Mr.  Madison.  Eight  of  John  Bute's  sons  set- 
tled eventually  in  the  far  West.  The  ninth  died  in 
Franklin,  and  the  tenth,  Mr.  Joseph  Bute,  now  lives 
in  the  township,  upon  a  farm  that  was  occupied  before 
1800  by  Andrew  Arnold.  Mr.  Bute  located  upon  the 
place  in  1837.  It  was  warranted  April  .3,  17G9,  by 
Joseph  Snivelv,  and  by  him  conveyed  to  Resin  Vir- 
gin, July  3,  1771.  Jan.  24,  1786,  Virgin  deeded  it 
to  Andrew  Arnold.  Mr.  Bute's  first  education  was 
obtained  in  Thornbottom  District  in  1816,  at  the 
hands  of  James  Adair,  a  somewhat  famous  peda- 
gogue, who  taught  in  Thornbottom  District  fully  ten 
years.  He  made  a  bargain  to  teach  school  there  at 
ten  dollars  annually  for  each  scholar,  all  the  pay  to 
be  taken  in  produce,  and  bound  himself  to  have  at 
no  time  more  than  thirty  scholars,  aside  from  his  own 
children  and  "  poor  scholars." 

Thomas  Townsend,  a  Quaker,  settled  west  of  the 
Monongahela,  near  Geneva,  in  1770.  From  there  he 
wentona  trading  expedition  to  the  Territory  of  Ohio. 
Wliile  making  his  return  trip  he  and  his  companions. 


McKnight  and  Colson,  were  surprised  while  en- 
camped, by  Delaware  Indians  and  put  to  death.  Of 
his  sons,  Aaron  located  in  Franklin  township  in  1823, 
in  the  vicinity  of  what  is  now  known  as  Flatwoods 
post-office.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  and  fol- 
lowed his  trade  at  Flatwoods  for  many  years.  He 
died  at  the  age  of  eighty.  Aaron  Townsend's  son 
John  opened  a  store  at  Flatwoods  in  1846,  and  con- 
tinued in  the  business  until  1861,  when  he  sold  out 
to  Daniel  Binns.  In  1864,  Binns  disposed  of  his 
interests  to  P.  P.  Murphy  and  John  Townsend,  who 
have  been  the  traders  at  Flatwoods  since  that  time. 
Flatwoods  post-office  was  established  in  1842.  John 
Townsend  was  postmaster  until  1801,  Daniel  Binns 
from  1861  to  1864,  and  P.  P.  Jlurphy  from  1864  to 
1881.  Mail  is  received  three  times  a  week  from 
East  Liberty. 

William  Craig  settled  in  Franklin  at  an  early  day, 
near  the  Dunbar  line,  and  in  what  is  now  called  the 
Craig  neighborhood.  His  sons  were  John,  William, 
Samuel,  James,  Allen,  and  Thomas.  Those  now 
living  are  William,  who  lives  in  Illinois,  and  John, 
whose  home  is  in  Dunbar.  John  Craig  was  for  many 
years  a  blacksmith  at  Laurel  Hill,  having  bought  of 
Thomas  White  a  shop  that  White  had  set  up  years 
before  on  the  town  line  road.  Solomon  (Uirry  set- 
tled near  the  Craigs,  upon  land  he  purchased  of  John 
Wiley.  Mr.  Curry  died  in  1857,  at  the  advanced  age 
of  one  hundred  and  one.  His  three  children  were 
named  Mary  Ann,  James,  and  John.  John  was  ac- 
cidentally killed  in  a  saw-mill  in  1877.  James  and 
Mary  Ann  are  still  living.  John  Graham,  one  of  the 
early  comers  to  the  county,  arranged  a  lottery  draw- 
ing in  Franklin  township  in  1814,  but  what  the 
lottery  was  for,  or  why  it  was  instituted,  are  points 
upon  which  there  appears  to  he  no  light.  A  news- 
paper advertisement  in  1814  contains  the  following 
information  touching  the  subject:  "The  subscriber 
informs  the  public  that  the  drawing  of  his  lottery  is 
unavoidably  postponed  to  Tuesday,  the  27th  inst., 
on  which  day  it  will  positively  be  drawn  at  the  house 
of  William  Craig,  in  Franklin  township,  near  Laurel 
Hill  Jleeting-house,  under  the  direction  of  gentlemen 
of  unquestioned  character."  Signed  by  John  Gra- 
ham, and  dated  "  Union,  September  7,  1814." 

As  long  ago  as  the  year  ISOO  there  was  in  Franklin 
township,  on  the  Youghiogheny,  at  the  mouth  of 
Furnace  Run,  a  small  village  called  Little  Falls,  the 
village  being  made  up  of  a  furnace,  forge,  a  grist- 
mill, saw-mill,  store,  and  workmen's  dwellings.  The 
forge  known  as  the  Franklin  Iron-Works  was  built 
by  George  Lamb,  and  by  him  sold  to  Nathaniel  Gib- 
son, who  was  a  man  of  considerable  business  capacity 
and  liberal  enterprise.  He  built  a  furnace  at  Little 
Falls,  intending  to  make  iron  for  his  forge  from  the 
ore  in  that  neigliborhood,  but  a  few  experiments  con- 
vinced him  that  the  ore  would  not  make  such  iron  as 
he  wanted,  and  he  was  forced  to  abandon  the  project. 
Mr.  Gibson  built  for  his  residence  a  fine  stone  dwell- 


55i 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ing,  which  was  long  known  as  the  Mansion  House.  I 
He  ohtained  his  pig-metal  from  the  Connellsville 
Furnace,  and  shipped  his  bar  iron  down  the  river  in 
keel-boats.  About  1825,  Mr.  Gibson  dis|)osed  of  the 
works,  including  the  mills,  Mansion  House,  etc.,  to 
F.  H.  Oliphant.  Oliphant's  successors  were  Milten- 
berger  &  Brown,  who  carried  on  the  business  until 
1839,  when  they  closed  it  and  ended  thehistory  of  the 
village  of  Little  Falls,  for  the  villagers,  being  simply 
laborers  at  the  works,  moved  away,  the  store  was 
sold,  and  such  portions  of  the  works  as  could  not  be 
utilized  allowed  to  fall  into  decay.  The  stone  liouse 
built  liy  Nathaniel  Gibson  is  now  occupied  by  James 
Lvnch! 


The  ■ 
names 

Ricli; 
Jiinic 
M'illi 


5IXAL    LAXDIIOLDERS    IX    FRAXKLIX. 
i"iiial  surveys  of  lands  in  Franklin  give  tin 


■iginal  land-owners,  as  folh 


r.l  A,.,,lf 


Richard  Smith 

J.  C.  and  T.  Town 

end... 

MatthcM  ■\Viilly.. 

John  AVillev 

Samuel  Wo.k  



Daniel   Wetzel 

George  Wet-.d 

Jiunes  ratici.'on.. 

Jacob  SnivelT HM) 

Samuel  Stephens 59+ 

William  Sparks 346 

Jonathan  Sbarpless 35 

John  Sbotwell Ififi 

Robert  Smith 132 

William  Tinsley 4li0 

Joseph  Torrence.. 


,er  Wi 
ilkcy.. 


....    42(> 
n....  17S 


353 


Joseph  Wetzel.. 
John  Wilkin.... 
Daniel  Young... 


Following  ai 
Franklin  in  17 


FRAXKLIX    TAX-PAYERS    IX   17S5. 

veu  the  names  of  the  tax-payers  of 


Kli|,.hi;;utlet , 

Julin  Brand , 

Joseph  Barker  (1  slave 

Wm.  Barker 

SamuelBoden 


Robert  1 
A.  S.  li\ 
Richard 
Allen  B. 


John  r,;,rkei 
John  Bai  Kei 
James  l;^e. 


John  Crn 
Jona(h:u. 
John  liM 
Joshu:.  1 
Ruben  I 
Zachariii 
JobnD;n 
Jose].!.  1 
Thomns 
Joel  Ev:, 
John  Gi 
Henry  (i 
Thomas 
Andrew 
John  Ga 
Richard 
Jane  Gil 
David  Gi 
David  II 
John  Ho 


.Mar-nnt  Hall 4IH 

John    Hall -JI.S 

George  Hunter il2J 

Henry  George oil 

.■^lunuel  Ji.ekson 2j: 

Edward  Jordon lUS 

Josiah   King 145 

(;,.)r;;e  Kin;; 1(15 

,Ma,-;mt    LMimoiC I'.I'.I 

(ie.o-e  l.viich i:;:; 

]\..ir,,  \]:.,,. ' :v:.c, 

Wi!  •    .,,  M    :.  ■  ,1    1 aii7 

•l.u,  .  -    >;   '  ; loii 

l>,i      i  Ai 370i 

IM'      :i,  ^  .!    I  i.   MilU-r...  127 

•  I"!:     -;  .       .  150 

.1-:      M      ,        .      51 

M    i!        .'.I     V      |.     :,   ,i   I lOS 

(h.ii..  -  Ai,  l.,,>i_i.lio 96 

U.. i   ^-.!c 176 

.lai.»sXi,;|]ol 237 

.Alaihew  Xiely 12S 

JuhnOglevee 334 

H.  F.  Oliphant 370 

lioli.-rt  Pollock 2SS 

Isaac  Quick LSI 

P.olH-rt  Ross 325 

llenjamin  Ross 461 

John  Reed 31S 

John    hichey 170 

Alexander  Robeson l.'il 


lothy  Smith. 


.l.dlll 

Cherr 

Muse 

s  Cues 

el  Clel 

John 

Garsot 

Jose, 

h  Cooi 

Wm. 

Jo.e, 

h  Cui, 

Daniel  Cannoi 
James  Craig., 
John  Carmict 


Josiah  U.cVor.. 
James  Uiivis.... 
.Joshua  Dickiiis. 
JohnDuugheitN 
Benoni  Dowsi.n 
Robert  Dugan. 
Z.achari.ah  Davi 
Thomas  Dunn. 
Thomas  Dunn,  ^ 
Wm.  Danlap... 
Adam  Duulnp.; 
AVm.  Dickson... 
Staff..rd  Dieksoi 
John  Dunla,..  d 
Thos.  Espev 


FRANKLIN   TOWiXSIIIP. 


John  Ilainn.ui.. 
Kich'J  llMwk... 
•\Vm.  Il..lli,lav. 


John  Jlollis 

Rubt.  llu-liey 

Joscpli  Ilnll 

Jas.   Hunter 

AiTliibnl.l  .Iohns(.n.... 

Eclwiinl  .lordan 

John  John 

(Jeo.  Lynch 

Fnim-is  Lewi? 

Snml.  Lyon  (I  shi,»e). 

Patiiuk  l.ogiin 

John  Lowrv,  distiller. 

Jacob  Lvon 

Alex.  Mnrlin 

David  Mnrlin 

AVin.  Morlin 

Thos.  More  (2  slaves) 
Moses  M.-IIaffy,  di>ti: 

Jns.  Moo.lv 

John  Mcx'wlM 

Wm.  Miller 

Robl.  Mintcer 

Robt.  Murphy 

Franei-  Malhes 

Robt.  McLon-hlin,  di 

JohnJIcLou-hlin 

Chas.  May 

Jas.   Mitchell 

Alex.  McClcllan 

John  McClellan  ( 1  sla 
Jas.  McCnruiicI;,  mill 
Alex.  McWilliiuns...., 

Danl    McLean 

Geo.  MoCorn.ick 

.las.  Mcr;n<; 

Widow  McMillan 

Isaac  Mooncy 

Wm.  McCorniick 

Tllos.  Moore 

Jos.  Kilson 


1 IIU  3 


John  Robi-.. 
Alex.  Kobii 
Wm.  Robis, 


il.  Torrcnct 
Torrcncc. 
Thompson 


Matthew  Wile 
Thos.  Welch... 

I  Ja.-.  Wilkio.... 
l.anl.  Young.. 

I   J"^.  Vonns 


Jco.  Yi 

Thei 


freemen  in  the  township  in  ITSo  were: 


Jos.  I'crry. 
Renj.  I'iMve 
Jas.  Patton 
Jonathan  1' 
Elisha,  I'ier 
David  Park 
John  P;l^h 
AVm.  Viy.nr, 
David  P:.il 


Jas.  Allen... 

Frciinan  lia 

1   Johu  Arnulu 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Paml.  Diinlnp,  distiller lUO 

U^inl.  Estell 

AJL-x.  Fuumnei- 

Godfrey  Johnson 

Geo.  .Jolinson 

Jas.  McCuruiifli 

Will.  xMcMullen 

Dennis  MeCarly 

John  Dugnn 

Matthew  Uiehey »0 

Thus.  White,  distiller 

'Xhos.  MiCi.ge 

Josiah  Allen 

John  Lawson 2011 

John  Cummins 


Thos.  Guest  (Ish, 

In  1796  the 
cattle,  721 ;  si 
$228,31  s,  an.l  t 

In  l<n.  tin' 


numbered  34,577  ;  horses,  521 ; 
19.  The  total  valuation  was 
;  quota  t-3S0.52. 


.  1  :  distilleries 
i:l.  Tlie  total 
iliip's  ijuota  of 


in  Franklin  numbered 
21,077:  t^r-f-.  1  :  distilleries,  8;  mills,  7;  horses,  401; 
al  valuation  was  $160,518, 
of  county  tax,  $242. 

Licenses  were  issued  to  tavern-keepers  in  Franklin 
(between  1794  and  1808)  as  follows:  Jacob  Strickler, 
September,  1794;  William  Rittenbouse,  March,  1795;  | 
Arthur  Hurry,  September,  1795  ;  Peter  Kenny,  Sep-  i 
tember,  1796  ;  James  Cunningham,  December,  1796  ;  ! 
Adam  Dickey,  September,  1797;  John  Rogers,  Wil- 
liam Morehouse,  and  John  Fouzer,  September,  1797  ; 
Edmund  Freeman,  December,  1797  ;  John  Freeman, 
September,  1798.  1 

EARLY    KOADS.  I 

At  the  March  sessions  in  1795  report  was  made  by 
J<din  ^IcClelland,  Robert  Adams,  Jeremiah  Pears, 
Samuel  Stevens,  Joseph  Torrance,  and  James  Paiill, 
on  a  road  laid  from  Meason's  furnace  by  Pears'  forge 
to  the  Redstone  road.  The  road  was  described  as 
commencing  at  Isaac  Meason's  furnace,  leading  to 
the  forge  built  by  Jeremiah  and  James  Pears,  and 
thence  "  till  it  intersects  the  road  leading  from 
L'niontown  to  Brownsville."  September,  1794,  a  road 
was  viewed  from  Meason's  iron-works  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Big  Redstone  by  Robert  McLaughlin,  Daniel 
Cannon,  Matthew  Neely,  Jeremiah  Pears,  David 
:\Ioreland,  and  Matthew  Gilchrist.  Also,  in  Decem- 
ber, 1794,  a  road  was  viewed  from  Meason's  furnace  by 
Pears'  forge  to  the  road  from  Unioutown  to  Red- 
stone, the  viewers  being  Jeremiah  Pears,  Robert 
Adams,  James  Paull,  Col.  Joseph  Torrance,  Samuel 
Stevens,  and  John  McClelland. 

A  report  was  made  to  the  court  at  the  June  ses- 
sions in  1797  of  a  road  from  Thomas  Dunn's  planta- 
tion by  way  of  Samuel  Grier's  mills  to  Samuel  Gra- 
ble's.  The  viewers  were  Jolin  Dunlap,  Benjamin 
Stevens,  Joseph  Work,  Elisha  Pears,  William  Brown, 
and  William  McFarland. 

TOWXSIIIP    ORGANIZATION    AND    CIVIL    LIST. 

At  the  December  session  of  the  Court  of  General 

Quarter  Sessions  in  1783  the  county  was  divided  into 

U.wnsliips.      One  of  these  townships  was  Franklin, 


whose  creation  is  thus  recorded  :  "  A  township  to 
begin  at  the  mouth  of  Crab- Apple  Run  ;  thence  up 
the  same  to  the  mouth  of  Harvester's  Branch  ;  thence 
up  the  same  to  the  head  thereof;  thence  by  a  line  to 
be  drawn  to  the  head  of  the  South  Fork  of  Washing- 
ton Mill-Run ;  thence  down  the  same  to  the  river 
Youghiogeni ;  thence  up  the  Youghiogeui  to  the  foot 
of  the  Laurel  Hill ;  tlience  along  the  foot  of  Laurel 
Hill  to  Burd's  old  road,  leading  from  Gist's  to  the 
Old  Fort ;  thence  along  the  said  road  to  Redstone 
Creek  ;  thence  down  the  said  creek  to  the  place  of 
beginning,  to  be  hereafter  known  by  the  name  of 
Franklin  townsliij)."  At  the  December  term  of  court, 
1793,  it  was  (jrdered  that  "  that  part  of  Wharton  town- 
ship wliieh  lies  northward  of  a  line  lately  run  by  Alex- 
ander McClean  and  his  assistants  as  a  line  of  experi- 
luent  from  Berlin  to  the  west  side  of  the  Chestnut 
i  Ridge  or  Laurel  Hill,  crossing  the  Youghiogeni  River 
about  one  hundred  perches  above  the  mouth  of  Rocky 
Run,  and  thence  due  west  to  Braddock's  road,  be  an- 
nexed to  the  township  of  Franklin."  At  the  Decem- 
ber session  of  court  in  1798  a  portion  of  Franklin 
was  set  off  and  called  Dunbar  township.  At  the  March 
session  in  l^'i'J  the  township  of  Perry  was  created  from 
portions  oC  Fiaiikliii,  Tvione,  and  Washington.  At 
the  Sepieiiilier  .-r>-ioii.  1>  111,  a  petition  was  presented 
for  a  cliaii:;r  i.\'  liiir  l.ctween  the  townships  of  Perry 
and  Fiaiikliii.  rciiniiieaciiig  at  or  near  James  H. 
Patter-on'--  jteaiii  saw-mill,  and  terminating  on  the 
Red  Lion  road,  south  of  the  written  property  belong- 
ing to  David  Rittenbouse,  so  as  to  include  James  Pat- 
terson, Jr.,  now  of  Perry,  within  the  limits  of  Frank- 
lin township. 

Wm.  Colm,  John  Dunn,  and  Ephraim  Lynch  were 
appointed  comi:iissi(iners.  Order  was  issued,  report 
made  and  aiiprovod  Dec.  19,  1849,  and  confirmed 
March  8,  1851.  An  addition  from  Franklin  to  Perry 
was  made  in  JIarch,  1S52.  A  slight  change  of  line 
between  Franklin  and  Perry  was  made  in  1867,  and  in 
M;iich,  1 S72,  petition  was  made  by  Hugh  H.  Patterson, 
Josepli  Clark,  Alfredand  Freeman  Coojierto  "  attach" 
to  Franklin  townsliiji  as  more  convenient  for  election 
and  school  iJiirposes. 

The  records  of  elections  in  the  township  are  incom- 
plete, and  the  list  of  township  officials  following  will 
be  found  to  extend  only  from  1784  to  1808  and  from 
1840  to  1881. 

CONSTABLES. 


754.  J. din  Eraun,  Jr 
John  Dunhiii. 

755.  Jnmes  Nic.d. 


ira-t.  Enos  Thomas. 

1795.  Samuel  S.ephen 

1796.  Elisha  Peaice. 


1756.  Andrew  Arnold.  1797.  Thomas  Gibson. 

1757.  John  John.  179S.  Thomas  Dunn. 

1758.  JLtihew  Wiley.  1799.  William  Robeson. 
1789.  James  Knnldn.  ISdO.  William  Craig. 
1791).  John  Rud.  ISOI.  Hugh  Shotwell. 

1791.  James  Byers.  |  1802.  William  Kitlenho 

1792.  Robert  Dougan.  I  1S0:1.  Joseph  Oglcvoe. 
179:3.  Daniel  Cannon.  I 
179J.  George  Thompso 


IS1)4.  Robert  Palter 


FRANKLIN   TOWNSHIP. 


Daniel  Cannon. 

Daniel  McLean. 

Samuel  Stephens. 

Samuel  Rankin. 

Samuel  Rankin. 

Elisha  Pears. 

Samuel  Finley. 

Elijati  Barkley. 

Enoch  Barkley. 

Samuel  Finley. 
.  John  Patterson. 

Thomas  Rogers. 

Robert  McLaughlin. 

Thomas  Grier. 
.  Thomas  Rogers. 

William  Robinson. 
.  Mathew  Wiley. 

William  Rittenhouse. 
.  William  Scott. 

John  Patterson. 
.  John  Richey. 

David  Kithcart. 
.  Daniel  Young,  Sr. 


I  179 


rS-i.  John  McClella 


Robert  McLaughlin. 
William  Robeson. 
John  John. 
Thomas  Moore. 
William  Sparks. 
S  fmuel  Stejihens. 
John  John. 
Samuel  Work. 
Daniel  Cannon. 
William  Rittenhouse 
James  Rankin. 
William  Metier. 
John  Dunlap. 
John  Robinson. 
Joshua  Dickinson. 
Andrew  Arnold. 
Thomas  Dunn. 
Benjamin  Stephens. 
Samuel  Rankin. 
Jacob  Strickler. 
James  Bycrs. 
Duncan  McClean. 


1788. 
1789. 


18J0. 
1841. 
1842. 


1850. 
1851. 
1852. 


James  Fry,  Jr. 
James  Ghrist. 
Andrew  Oldham. 
Jesse  Arnold. 
Henry  Fetz. 
James  Allen. 
Jonathan  Ramag 
Frederick  Boyer. 
James  Arnold. 
Abraham  Hazen. 
Daniel  Harper. 
Henry  Galley. 
E.  H.  Abraham. 
Henry  Framer. 
36 


OF  THE   POOR. 
I  1795.  Thomas  Dunn. 
1796.  Mathew  Xcely. 
[  Robert  Scnith. 

'  1797.  James  AVilkin. 
James  Byers. 
1798.  Jolin  Patterson. 
I  Jnseph  Work. 

Hugh  Shotwell. 
Frank  Lewis. 

1800.  John  Byers. 
ew  Arnold. 

1801.  Elisha  Pears, 
■id  Arnold. 

1S02.  William  Hamilton. 
James  Allen. 

1803.  Wm.  Craig. 
John  Reed. 

1804.  Henry  Gillihind. 
Joseph  Esington. 

1805.  Henry  Fitz. 
Edward  Jordan. 

1806.  Richard  Arnold. 
Richard  Phillips. 

VISORS. 

1796.  Joseph  Work. 
Joseph  Oglevee. 

1797.  Richard  Phillips. 
Matthew  Neely. 

1798.  William  Scott. 
Conrad  Barricklow. 

1799.  Samuel  Bryson. 
Adam  Steel. 

1800.  Francis  Lewis. 
John  Paxton. 

1801.  James  Rankin. 
Samuel  Reed, 

1S02.  Henry  Jeiz. 

William  Craig. 

1803.  John  Bowman. 
Samuel  Reed. 

1804.  David  Parker. 
David  Smith. 

1805.  James  Byers. 
James  McCafferty. 

1806.  James  Allen. 
Matthew  Cannon. 

1S07.  J.  A.  Scott. 

Thomas  Grier. 


1854.  William  Hertwick. 

1855.  Henry  Fitts. 

1856.  William  Humbert. 
1S57.  James  Allen. 
1?5S.  William  Parkhilc. 

1859.  Jlilton  AV.  Patterson. 

1860.  Alfred  Cooper. 
1S6I.  George  AV.  Brown. 

1862.  AVatson  Murphy. 

1863.  S.  P.  Junk. 

1864.  C.  Uearford. 

1865.  G.  Hazen. 

1866.  AV.  F.  Bute. 

1867.  A\'.  Arison. 


1868. 

J.  Rankin. 

1070. 

Adah  AVinnet. 

1809. 

J.  Jobs. 

1877. 

John  Arnold. 

1S7I. 

J.  M.  Long. 

1878. 

Jacob  Mills. 

1872. 

A.  AA'innett. 

1879. 

Phineas  Rotruck 

1873. 

James  McCloy. 

1880. 

Thomas  Hazen. 

1875. 

H.  Sparks. 

1881. 

J.  Burton. 

AUDITORS. 

1S40. 

AA'ilIi.^m  H.  Harper. 

1861. 

John  Cooper. 

1841. 

Abraham  Hazen. 

18112. 

Henry  Cook. 

1842. 

David  Gibson. 

1863. 

D.  MoMillen. 

1843. 

Andrew  Oldham. 

1861. 

T.  A.  Humbert. 

1844. 

James  Frey. 

1865. 

D.  Snyder. 

1845. 

1866. 

AV.  Bradman. 

1846. 

Thomas  McMiUen. 

1867. 

J.  Frey. 

1847. 

Thomas  Craig. 

1868. 

L.  McCrary. 

1848 

John  Burton. 

1809 

J.  Rankin. 

1849 

Thomas  McMillen. 

1870 

D.  Snyder. 

1850 

AV.  G.  Bute. 

1871 

E.  Shearer. 

1851 

Jonathan  Ramage. 

1872 

J.  Long. 

1852 

Jesse  Arnold. 

1873 

James  Murphy. 

1853 

James  Long. 

1874 

Jonathan  Ranki 

1854 

Moses  Hazen. 

1875 

David  Junk. 

1855 

AVilliam  McVey. 

1876 

Job  Trasher. 

1856 

Henry  Barkalow. 

1S77 

David  Snyder. 

1857 

Joseph  Bute. 

1878 

Hiram  Jordan. 

1858 

Robert  Smith. 

j  1879 

Clark  Foster. 

1859 

James  Ghrist. 

1880 

David  Long. 

I860 

Mathew  Byers. 

!  1881 

H.  F.  Jordan. 

TOAVN 

CLERKS. 

1841-42.  James  II.  Patten 
1843-44.  Robert  Smith. 
1845-52.  Joseph  Bute. 
1853-54.  Robert  Smith. 

1855.  Jesse  Arnold. 

1856.  George  \V.  Foulker. 

1857.  AVashington  Bute. 

1858.  John  Cunningham. 

SCHX 

1840.  AVillinm  Abraham. 
Joel  Maxon. 

1841.  John  Shank. 
Benjamin  Byers. 

1842.  Joseph  Bute. 
Abraham  Hazen. 

1843-44.  Henry  Strong. 
Henry  Barkalow. 

1845.  Alfred  Cooper. 
George  AVolf. 

1846.  Henry  Snider. 
Jefferson  Lynn. 

1847.  James  Fry. 
Joseph  Bute. 

1848.  Jonathan  Riimage. 
Robert  Gaddis. 

1849.  James  Rankin. 
James  Frey. 

1850.  Samuel  Junk, 
AVilliam  Abr.aham. 

1851.  AVilliam  Humbert. 
George  AVolf. 

1852.  Alexander  Brown. 
Henry  Frazer. 

1853.  Joseph  Bute. 
Frederick  Boycr. 


1859.  James  Arnold. 
1S60-61.  Mordecai  McDonald. 
1862.  David  Arnold. 
1863-75.  J.  Bute. 

1876.  Jonathan  Burton. 
j  1877-78.  J.  Bute. 

1879.  Furrington  Oglevee. 
1  1880-81.  Joseph  Bute. 

DIRECTORS. 
!  1854.  Robert  McGinnia. 

Robert  Gaddis. 
I  1855.  Edword  Jordan. 

John  Cunningham. 

1856.  Thomas  Dunn. 
Morgan  Campbell. 

1857.  Samuel  P.  Junk. 
Abraham  Galley. 

1S58.  Edward  Eaglan. 
AVashington  Hess. 
!  1859.  Addison  Allep. 
I  George  Whctsel. 

1860.  Nathan  Lewis. 
j             James  Allen. 

j  1861.  Jacob  Strickler. 

Henry  Barkalow. 
I  1862.  James  Arnold, 
jrge  AA'olf, 
Murphy. 
F.  McKee. 
.  Addis. 
J.  Allen. 

1865.  J.  M.  Long. 
J.  Barton. 

1866.  AV.  Murphy. 
J.  M.  Lon--. 


1863. 


1864. 


niSTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PExXNSYLVANIA. 


1866.  J.  Murphy 

1867.  J.  Ranliiii. 


J.  W.  Byer. 

1S75.  William  Hormel 

1S6S.  C.  Hearford. 

Joseph  I-ong. 

11.  Cook. 

James  JIurpby. 

1SC9.  W.  T.  Bute. 

1870.  Conrad  ,<tric-klcr 

v.-.  BuyJ. 

William  llormell 

1870.  J.  I'ar'kl.ill. 

IS77.  George  Hazen. 

J.  Rco.l. 

Jonathan  llankir 

1871.   W.  Brndmnn. 

William  Ari.-OD. 

C.  Hearford. 

1S7S.  Job  Frasher. 

S.  Evans. 

David  Junk. 

1872.   W.  F.  Bute. 

1879.  Lewis  MeCrary. 

AV.  Ci.  Allen. 

Thomas  J.  Dunn 

J.  Froy. 

ISSO.  Jaeob  .^trirkler. 

1873.  James  Junk. 

Jesse  0-kvee. 

David  Snyder. 

ISSI.  P.  Rodoriek. 

1S7J.  dorse  ILucn. 

James  Junk. 

Jl'STICES 

OF   THE   1>E.\CE. 

1840.  William  Abraham 

1SG4.  Jl.  Arisen. 

Ji.fc|jb  Gluist. 

1865.  F.  Oglevee. 

1845.   llMbert  Smith. 

1869.  II.  Cook. 

Jaci.l,  Wuir. 

1870.  W.  Arisen. 

]Soo.  Matthew  Arisen. 

F.  Oglevee. 

ll..bert  Gaddis. 

1874.  W.  S.  Allen. 

ISo'J.    Henry  Co,.k. 

1875.  W.  F.  Bute. 

James  Patterson. 

Matthew  Arison. 

ISGO.  Hubert  Ga.ldis. 

ISSO.  W.S.Bute. 

Joseph  Bute. 

S 

CHOOLS. 

One  of  the  earliest 

scl 

ool-honscs  in  Franklin 

.shii)  was  a  loc  Imih 

illL 

that  stn.id  in    isoo  tip. 

L'niontown   ainl    Pit 

t-1 

nr-h    fna.l.   ahniit    fnrtx 

south  of  John  J^h..tu 

Ml 

s  ^\mii,.  nian.Mun.     It  w 

onlv  school-h(.ii-iMn 

]■] 

nl 

ln.it 


Sarali  Shanks,  Matthew  Patterson,  Arthur,  William, 
and  Tliomas  Kittenhouse. 

The  old  Franklin  school-house  was  built  in  1821 
upon    the  site  of  the   present   house.     It  was   con- 

\  structed  of  hewn  logs,  eighteen  by  twenty-four  feet 
in  size,  was  covered  with  a  shingle  roof,  and  was 
furnished  with  slab  benches.  Those  most  active  in 
building  the  house  were  Joseph  Ghrist,  David  Hazen, 
Samuel    Blaney,   Jonathan   Hill,   William   Condon, 

'  Robert  and  John  Patterson,  David  Rittenhouse, 
Ashfordly  AVintermute,  Robert  Smith,  John  Allen, 
Jacob  Wolf,  and  Johij  Shotwell.  William  Synims 
was  the  first  teacher,  and  he  was  succeeded  by  John 
Bre.keiiridge,  Samuel  Blaney,  Samuel  Peden,  Sarah 
ririffith,  William  Frazer,  William  McVey.     Among 

I  Mr.  Symnis'  ]iii;iils  were  James  Patterson,  D.  P.  Pat- 
terson, Flora,  S:nah,  John,  and  Clarissa  Patterson,  R. 
S.  Patterson,  William,  Isabella,  and  John  Burton, 
Williainan.l  I'm  v  (:',.n.L.n.  Hannah,  Catharine,  Mary, 

and  .1: I.  Wnli".  Tlinn,.,-  and  Sarah  Todd,  Emily  and 

Carolina  Slmturll,  (_'l;irissa  and  Sarah  Hazen,  Ben- 


\Vi 


jamin   :m 
James    <;lii-i>t,    I'nily 
William  West,  D.ivij  ;i 
and  Matilda  Kainage, 
Hill,   Hugh   Deyarmn, 
and  Sarah  Moni~,  Will 


rcli 


li-1 


tlin 


iidt  be  told.  Among  its  earliest  patrnii^  and  -iipj  ort- 
ei>  were  Hugh  Shotwell,  Pu-beri  Sniilli.  J.  hii  A'.leii, 
Jonathan  Sbarpless,  Anthony  Suayiie,  James  Mc- 
Cafferly,  William  Rittenhouse,  Joseph  Ghrist,  John 
Paxon,  Jacob  Baughman,  William  Burton,  Ja- 
cob Wolf,  William  Condon,  John  and  Robert  Patter- 
son, Amos  Emmens,  Catharine  Shanklin,  and  John 
Shotwell.  The  first  teacher  was  Samuel  Blaney,  a 
retired  sea-captain,  and  a  fine  scholar  for  that  day. 
Blaney  was  perhaps  the  most  famous  school-teacher 
Franklin  ever  had.  He  taught  in  and  about  Frank- 
lin for  upwards  of  thirty  years,  and  died  atFlatwoods 
at  a  ripe  old  age.  His  successor  in  the  old  log  school- 
house  was  William  Symms,  a  Yankee,  who  taught 
there  some  time.  Among  the  children  who  were 
numbered  as  the  earliest  pupils  in  that  school-house 
were  Catharine,  Susanna,  Rosetta,  and  Emily  Shot- 
well,  Harriet  Wolf,  Pruda  Rittenhouse,  Jonathan 
Ramagc,  Eliza  and  Charlotte  Wolf,  William  Mevey, 
John  Blaney,  Huston  and  Thomas  Todd,  Hugh  De- 
yarmon,  George,  Ruth,  and  Sarah  AVolf,  Catharine, 
Rachel,  Melinda,  and  Samuel  Condon,  Abraham, 
George,  Thomas,  and  Mary  Hazen,  Wilson  Hill. 
James   and    Xanev    JleCttffertv,    John,    James,    and 


:ermute,  Hiram,  Hannah,  and 
and  Betty  Beal,  George  and 
md  Wilson  Rittenhouse,  Sarah 
Hiram  Smith,  Sarah  and  Neri 
1,  Sanniel  Blair,  Samuel,  Levi, 
iam  anil  Ptdly  Shanks.  Frank- 
\va-  in  lili?ral  demand  by  variotis 
i:itinii~  who  worshiped  there  nearly 
V  I'nion  Sunday-school  was  estab- 
^:2il,  and  much  encouraged  by  the 
etll.its  ot  Jnhn  Sliotuell,  Gen.  James  H.  Patterson, 
David  Rittenhouse,  Samuel  Condon,  and  Jonathan 
Hill.  The  land  upon  which  the  old  log  school - 
house  stood  was  conveyed  by  Hugh  Shotwell  and 
wife  to  Edward  Jordan,  William  Oliphant,  and 
Tinintliy  Siiiitli,  .Ir.,  trustees  of  the  school-house,  the 
ciin-ideration  being  one  dollar.  The  deed  describes 
the  trtiet  as  "containing  fortj'-nine  square  perches, 
situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  road  leading  from 
Uniontown  to  Pittsbbirgh,  being  part  of  a  tract  of 
land  called  Hojie,  for  which  a  patent  was  granted  to 
'  John  Patterson,  Feb.  6,  1798,  and  by  him  conveyed 
J  to  Hugh  Shotwell.  :\ray  8,  1798." 

Foil. .wing  an'  pre-e;il..l  .letails  touching  the  pnb- 
I  lie  sell. 1..N  .)!  Tranklin,  as  ttiken  from  the  annual 
'  school  report  ending  Jutie  7,  1880: 

\   Whole  number  of  sehools 7 

,   Average  number  of  months  taught 5 


ied  for  school  purpos. 
'  building  pu 


and  buildin? 


FRANKLIN   TOWNSHIP. 


559 


From  tnxcs  and  all  other  source?,  except  State  a)>pro- 

prialion $1529.54 

Total  receipts 1S25.43 

Cost  of  sclioul-houscs,— purohii.'ing,  building,  renting, 

etc 3fi2.r6 

Paia  fur  iLarhnv'  wi,-,^ 1044.13 

Paid   fur  liu-i  ;in  1  runiin;;encies,  fees  of  collector.-*, 

etc ul  iill  uther  rxianses lo.'i.fio 

Total  expindilures 1560.54 

lU-sources 264. S9 

Liabilities 

CHURCHES. 
BIG  REDSTONE  B.\rTISr  CHURCH. 

An  entry  upon  the  records  of  the  Big  Bedstone 
Church  reads,  "The  church  at  Big  Redstone,  called 
Philadelpliia,  was  constituted  May  1,  1791,  by  Eev. 
David  Loofborrow."  Farther  on  one  reads  that 
"  the  following  are  the  names  of  the  members'  regu- 
larly baptized  and  joined  in  fellowship  and  commu- 
nion :  Henry  Frazer,  minister  and  pastor  of  the 
Philadelphia  Church  ;  William  Eittenhouse,  deacon 
and  recorder;  Thomas  Wells,  deacon  ;  William  Cal- 
vin, singing  clerk.  Joseph  Dougins,  Thomas  Wheat- 
ley,  Samuel  Cralle,  John  Stivers,  David  Brener, 
Henry  Fritz,  James  Winders,  Abraham  Laverd,  Ben- 
jamin Phillips,  Job  Rossel,  Josc])h  Jordan,  Richard 
Arnold,  Andrew  Yeagley,  Joseph  Combs,  Mathias 
Merril,  Job  Lecraw,  Joel  Rogers,  John  Olton,  Abra- 
ham Rogers,  John  Gibson,  Christopher  Warman, 
Robert  Rogers,  Brazilla  Rossel,  Jonathan  Addis, 
Isaac  Wlieatley,  Hugh  Shotwell,  Isaac  Ujidegraf, 
Joseph  Wlieatley,  Rachel  Mooney,  Rebecca  Ritten- 
house,  Abigail  Leverd,  Susannah  WelU,  Margaret 
Grable,  Alice  Brown,  Martha  Hamstide,  Martha  Sti- 
vers, Eiipliemia  Brewer,  Sarah  Phillips,  Patience  Wil- 
derman,  Jane  Fitz,  Francis  Bough  man,  Ann  D.iiiielson, 
Mary  Rossel,  Pha?be  Fraser,  Ann  Merril,  Ann  Arnold, 
Mary  Calvin,  Margaret  Fitz,  Priscilla  Arnold,  Nelly 
Arnold,  Elizabeth  Whitsol,  Sarah  Yeagley,  Eliza- 
beth Bell,  Mary  Fitz,  Sarah  Whitsell,  Prudence  Le- 
crau,  Sarah  Emmons,  Lydia  Sharp,  Elizabeth  Combs, 
Elizabeth  Hilands,  Mary  Rossel,  Millie  Rogers,  Chloe 
Logear,  Lavina  Rogers,  Delilah  Thompson,  Eliza- 
beth Rossel,  Tamsel  Spencer,  Polly  Rogers,  Hopey 
Rogers,  Rebecca  Abrahams,  Sarah  Wooley,  Sarah 
Dalauf,  Nelly  Oliphant,  Mary  UpdejrraF,  JIannah 
Wheatley."  As  an  evidence  of  "close  c(iiiiiiiuiiii>n" 
an  extract  is  made  from  the  ninth  artic-lr-  of  the  (Jun- 
fcssion  of  Faith,  as  follows:  "  Wv  do  pnnni-e  to  keep 
the  secrets  of  the  church,  and  noi  iUmiI-c  them  to 
any,  for  in  this  respect  we  are  a  ganUii  inclosed,  a 
fountain  sealed."  Feb.  19, 1801,  measures  were  taken 
to  "fence  the  graveyard."  Mr.  Frazer  appears  to 
have  been  the  church's  pastor  until  1802,  when,  in 
September  of  that  year.  Rev.  Benjamin  Stone  was 
called.  The  entry  upon  the  minutes  recites  thus: 
"  Called  Brother  Benjamin  Stone  to  take  the  pastoral 
care  of  this  church  so  long  as  it  suits  him  and  us. 
And  he  agrees  to  supply  us  once  a  month  until  next 


April;  after  that  twice  a  month."  Preaching  was 
doubtless  held  at  odd  places,  and  perhaps  chiefly  in  a 
log  school-house,  until  1800,  for  it  does  not  appear 
that  a  house  of  worship  was  erected  before  that  date, 
although  the  statement  may  be  a  mistaken  one,  as  the 
early  records  of  the  church  scarcely  refer  to  the  sub- 
ject of  a  meeting-house. 

A  stray  memorandum,  bearing  date  1800,  contains  a 
bill  of  items  in  connection  with  the  business  of  build- 
ing, and  testifies  that  it  is  "a  bill  for  work  done  at 
the  meeting-house,"  as  follows : 


"  Tow  doors  and  four  shutte 

To  making  sash .'... 

I.ayin-il..'  n^.tr  fl...>r 

RuTinm;  ':;,  -'         ■  „    ^    

M.-iliin-  .    i    ''-,,■<-  ,H    1  „r;i 


Cullected  from  the  cbiuell ll       4       li 

May  10,  1800,  settled  with  Joseph;  we  owed  hiui...     1       4     4'' 

This  church  was  a  log  building,  and  was  in  all  prob- 
ability erected  by  volunteer  labor  save  as  to  the  car- 
penter's work,  for  which  the  bill  was  presented  as  above 
narrated.  How  long  Rev.  Benjamin  Stone  remained 
the  pastor  is  not  of  record.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  James  Fry,  who  occupied  the  pulpit  steadily  for 
about  thirty  years,  and  died  in  the  jtastorate.  He  was 
followed  by  Revs.  Conrtland  Skinner,  Thomas  R(5sp, 
and  Adah  Winnet.  Mr.  Winnet's  pastorate  covered 
a  period  of  more  than  thirty  years.  He  was  suddenly 
attacked  with  palsy  while  preaching  at  Maple  Creek, 
in  January,  1881,  and  in  three  hours  was  a  corpse. 
The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  A.  Canfield.  Although 
the  church  jjrospered  greatly  for  many  years,  and  had 
at  one  time  a  membership  of  upwards  of  one  hundred, 
deaths,  organization  of  other  churches,  and  removals 
from  the  neighborhood  have  cut  the  members  down 
to  seventeen.  The  present  house  of  worship  was 
erected  in  1845.  Preaching  is  supplied  once  a  month. 
The  deacons  are  Samuel  Jobes  and  Robinson  Murphy. 
Complaints  were  not  infrequently  urged  before  the 
church  by  one  member  against  another,  and  the  reci- 
tals thereof  were  sometimes  framed  in  what  would 
strike  the  average  reader  of  to-day  as  an  amusing 
form.     One,  the  following,  is  transcribed  verbatim  ct 

:  literafim  : 

'  "Job  Roussel  complains  that  on  Wednesday  last 
he  and  his  son  had  taken  up  a  certain  Thomas  Brown 
then  they  sent  for  Jonathan  Addis  to  assist  them  in 

I  taking  him  before  the  authority  he  accordingly  came 
when  he  came  he  asked  Brown  where  he  had  got  that 
mare  he  denyed,  J.  Addis  took  hold  of  him  and  said 
git  up  you  dog,  he  then  gave  him  a  slap  with  his 
hand  and  damned  him,  Roussel  then  thought  that 

'  Addis  would  be  of  service  to  go  and  see  the  fences  that 


560 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


lie  had  left  down  they  went  to  see  and  saw  the  tracks  ■ 
of  the  mare  and  colt,  Addis  said  you  dog  you  ought 
to  be  at  the  work  house  long  ago  he  gave  him  a  push 
and  Kickt  him — they  then  came  to  the  house  a  little 
after  John  Addis  came  and  desired  his  father  not  to 
go,  and  that  he  w'ould  be  damned  if  he  should  go 
and  gave  Koussel  a  considerable  of  ill  language  at 
the  same  time  Roussel  said  he  would  bare  his  father 
Harmless  He  said  you  are  not  able  for  he  was  as  able 
as  he  was  and  that  he  (meaning  Roussel)  had  not 
given  his  daughter  anything  etc.  Koussel  answered 
him  to  be  gone  a  little  dirty  whelp,  then  they  proceed 
before  the  authority  and  Roussel  sent  a  subpenice 
for  Jonathan  Addis  and  had  him  brought  forward  as 
a  witness  then  Roussel  asked  his  son-in-law  what  he 
came  for  he  said  for  fun.  Roussel  said  I  have  fetched 
your  father  too  he  answered  Roussel  you  shall  pay 
him  for  that  then  Jonathan  Addis  steped  up  and 
said  his  son  had  acknowledged  enough  and  that  he 
would  kick  him  or  any  son  he  had,  the  magistrate 
commanded  the  |>eace  Roussel  then  went  out  at  the 
door  an.l  Addi-  full., wed  him  out  and  said  I  will  kick 
you  you  ..Id  dirty  i;a>kel,  Roussel  said  why  did  you 
call  me  dirty  have  you  a  clean  shirt  when  you  go 
home.  Then  James  Roussel  and  Addis  started  away 
James  R  began  to  moderate  him,  Aihlis  answered 
him  and  said  he  did  not  care  for  any  man  then  Rous- 
sel sent  his  wife  to  see  Addis  she  told  liiin  to  come 
and  see  him  and  nuike  it  up  in  love  lor  it  w<mld  be 
much  the  best,  he  seemed  to  Rave  much  she  tol.l  him 
if  he  did  he  wnuld  ■•.miplain  t..  tl,..  cluirrh  he  sai.l 
he'lisregardedthe  ('liurcli,  she  said  this  was  a  dread- 
ful thing  and  she  cryd  he  told  her  to  begone  with 
her  tears,  he  said  Roussel  had  used  his  son  ill  and 
that  he  was  a  dirty  old  Raskel  and  he  would  not 
see  his  son  imposed  upon  and  that  he  would  kick 
Roussel  and  that  he  could  slap  any  one  of  the  Rous- 
sels,  she  told  he  had  aggravated  Roussel  a  great  deal 
and  that  she  blamed  Rous.sel  for  anything  wrong  he 
done  the  next  day  he  came  into  the  field  James  Rous-  i 
sel  asked  him  what  he  thought  of  yesterdays  work 
he  said  he  had  not  felt  well  since  and  that  he  thought 
heought  to  be  kickt  James  said  he  heard  a  man  say  ' 
he  intended  to  return  him  for  swearing  he  asked  him 
who  he  was  he  said  I  am  the  man  he  went  off  slap-  ' 
ing  his  lists  together  and  swore  he  would  have  Re- 
venge before  Saturday  night." 

Attached  to  the  complaint  was  an  affidavit,  of  which 
the  following  is  a  copy  : 

•■FaVF.TTE    COINTV,  ss: 

••  liel'iire  me  the  subscribing  witness,  ,ns  justice  of  the  peace 
in  nn'l  f"r  said  county,  personally  came  James  Rossel  and 
ma.le  oath  that  on  the  17th  of  July,  ISOo,  he  heard  Jonathan  ' 
AJdis  svvare  oneprofanc  oath  and  the  day  fuUoningone  profane 
oath,  and  he  further  deposeth  and  sayth  that  un  tlie  irth  of 
July  at  the  dwelling  house  of  Job  Ross-cll  he  heard  John  Addis 
(;ivc  his  father-in-law  provoking  sassey  language  as  he  thought 

"Pworn  and  Fubsciiled  thc]"thdayof  Augusl,"lS05. 
-UoDEUT  SMnii.  "James   Uosell." 


L.^UREL  HILL  UNITED  PRESBTTERI.\N  CHIRCH. 

About  the  year  1790,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev. 
James  Dunlap,  the  elders  of  the  Laurel  Hill  Presby- 
terian Church  introduced  Watts'  "Hymns"  into  the 
form  of  worship,  despite  the  opposition  of  many  of  the 
members.  The  result  was  seen  in  the  withdrawal  of 
the  disaffected  ones,  aggregating  about  one-third  of 
the  congregation.  They  desired,  they  said,  to  remain 
faithful  to  the  forms  their  fathers  had  observed,  and 
cling  to  the  songs  their  fathers  had  sung.  They  were 
popularly  knr)wn  as  "the  Seceders."  Being  strong  in 
numbers  they  agitated  the  subject  of  organizing  a 
new  church,  and  in  1792  they  formed  the  Associated 
Reformed  Congregation  of  Laurel  Hill.  Application 
was  at  once  made  for  admission  into  the  Presbytery 
of  Monongahela.  Just  how  many  seceded  from  the 
original  church  cannot  be  told,  since  the  early  records 
are  lost,  but  that  the  number  was  considerable  would 
appear  from  the  fact  that  from  the  minutes  of  the  As- 
sociated Reformed  Synod  of  the  West  for  1806  Laurel 
Hill  Church  was  reported  as  having  a  congreg.ation  of 
one  hundred  and  ten  families,  and  a  membership  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty.  At  that  time  the  ruling  elders 
were  John  Hamilton,  James  Wilkie,  Joseph  Finley, 
William  Patterson,  Thomas  Dunn,  Sr.,  and  John  Stew- 
art. After  the  church  was  organized  Rev.  Mr.  War- 
wick i>reached  awhile,  and  then  went  to  a  charge  in 
Kontucky.  Su])plies  were  furnished  by  the  Presbytery 
until  17'.!'^,  when  Rev.  David  Proudfoot  was  called  to 
lie  the  |'!i~tiir.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  in  the 
t'liiti'd  rnsliyteriaii  ("hurcli.  He  came  with  his  par- 
ents from  Scdtlaiiil  in  17.'i4,  and  in  1788  entered  col- 
lege at  (  uttysliiiii:-,  studied  theology  under  Rev.  John 
Jamison,  and  in  17'.i(.i  was  licensed  to  preach.  He 
labored  at  Laurel  Hill,  East  Liberty,  and  Dtinlap's 
Creek  from  1798  to  the  spring  of  1824,  and  after 
twenty-six  years  of  continuous  service  was  released. 
He  moved  then  to  Ohio,  where  he  died  in  1830. 
During  his  pastorate  at  Laurel  Hill  the  ruling  elders 
ordained  were  James  Patterson,  Peter  Patterson,  Jolin 
Patterson,  Esq.,  W.  C.  -Patterson,  William  Patterson, 
Jeremiah  Patterson,  John  Patterson,  Robert  Long, 
and  John  Junk.  The  church  was  dependent  upon 
supplies  from  March,  1824,  to  the  spring  of  1836, 
when  Matthew  McKinstry  was  called  by  Laurel  Hill 
and  Bethesda,  and  installed  April  27,  1836.  He  re- 
mained until  1844  in  charge  of  both  congregations, 
when  he  gave  his  whole  time  to  Bethesda.  During 
his  pastorate  the  ruling  elders  ordained  were  James 
Gilchrist  (in  1837),  Edward  Gilchrist  (in  1840),  and 
Samuel  P.  Junk  (in  1840). 

After  :Mr.  McKinstry's  departure  the  pastorate  was 
vacant  until  August,  1849,  supplies  being  regularly 
furnished  iiieanwhile.  During  the  interregnutn,  An- 
drew Bryson,  Sr.,  M.  M.  Patterson,  and  John  Gilchrist 
were  chosen  ruling  elders.  Mr.  Bryson  still  lives,  and 
is  still  one  of  the  elders.  Rev.  D.  H.  Pollock,  the 
next  jiastor,  accepted  a  call  April  10,  1849,  and  was 
installed  the  following  .\ugust.    The  church  was  then 


FRANKLIN   TOWNSHIP. 


5G1 


in  a  flourishing  condition,  and  under  his  ministra- 
tions prospered  greatly.  His  labors  closed  Oct.  25, 
1853.  During  his  pastorate  James  R.  Patterson  and 
Alexander  H.  Patterson  were  ordained  ruling  elders. 
Supplies  were  again  in  order  until  the  spring  of  1856, 
when  Laurel  Hill  and  Mount  Pleasant  called  Rev. 
James  H.  Fife,  who  labored  in  the  pastorate  until  his 
death,  July  26,  1801.  There  was  after  that  no  regu- 
lar pastor  until  June  20,  1865,  when  Rev.  T.  F.  Boyd 
was  called  to  Laurel  Hill  to  devote  all  his  time  to 
that  church.  His  stay  extended  to  Sept.  3,  1867. 
AV^hen  he  took  charge  the  membership  was  ninety, 
and  when  he  retired  it  was  but  seventy-five.  After 
this  the  pastorate  was  vacant  two  years  and  seven 
months,  until  Jan.  10,  1870.  On  that  date  Rev.  T. 
P.  Patterson  was  called,  and  installed  June  21,  1870. 
He  was  released  Sept.  4,  1877.  J.  H.  Patterson  was 
chosen  ruling  elder  Oct.  14, 1870,  and  Oct.  5, 1871,  ad- 
ditions to  the  session  were  m.ade  in  William  S.  Gil- 
christ, Joseph  Humbert,  and  D.  P.  Patterson  Aug. 
13,  1878,  Rev.  S.  B.  McBride,  the  present  pastor,  was 
installed.     He  was  ordained  in  September,  1870. 

During  the  existence  of  the  church  but  two  houses 
of  worship  were  erected.  Soon  after  its  organization 
six  acres  of  land,  lying  on  the  township  line  between 
Franklin  and  Dunbar,  were  deeded  to  Jeremiah  Pears, 
William  McFarland,  and  John  McClelland,  "trus- 
tees of  the  Associated  Reformed  Congregation  of  Lau- 
rel Hill."  Upon  the  land  (in  Dunbar)  a  graveyard 
was  laid  out  and  a  stone  church  built,  measuring 
forty-four  by  fifty-five  feet,  and  sixteen  feet  high. 
During  Rev.  Mr.  Pollock's  pastorate  the  church  was 
repaired  and  remodeled,  and  the  pulpit  "  taken  down- 
stairs from  up-stairs."  From  1792  to  1874  the  same 
house  was  used.  In  the  latter  year  the  present  edi- 
fice, standing  in  Franklin,  was  erected.  During  the 
summer  of  1871  a  parsonage  costing  $2000  was  built. 
In  March,  1881,  the  membership  was  ninety-six,  and 
the  ruling  elders  at  that  time  were  Andrew  Bryson, 
Sr.,  J.  H.  Patterson,  Joseph  H.  Humbert,  and  D.  P. 
Patterson.  The  trustees  were  James  Junk,  John 
Dunn,  and  David  P.  Long.  In  the  Sunday-school, 
of  which  J.  H.  Humbert  is  superintendent,  there  was 
an  average  attendance  of  sixty-five.  In  the  church- 
yard the  older  headstones  are  defaced,  broken,  or  de- 
stroyed, so  that  the  earliest  .burials  cannot  be  noted 
here.  The  oldest  inscriptions  traceable  include  the 
following:  Catharine  Jackson,  1803;  Thomas  Dunn, 
1802;  William  Rankin,  1807  ;  Robert  Jackson,  1808; 
Flora  Patterson,  1811;  Samuel  Bryson,  1808;  John 
Richey,  1814;  Elizabeth  Rankin,  1818  (aged  ninety- 
one)  ;  John  Reed,  1815  (aged  one  hundred)  ;  and 
Samuel  Rankin,  1820  (aged  eighty-three).  Upon  the 
headstone  of  Alexander  Work — died  1813— it  is  re- 
corded : 


Widow  and  orpin 
Alas!  must  bci 


FL.\TW00DS  BAPTIST  CHUKCII. 

About  1833  Andrew  Arnold  engaged  Rev.  William 
Wood  to  hold  Baptist  services  in  the  Arnold  school- 
house,  one  and  one-fourth  miles  east  of  the  present 
church  building.  Mr.  Wood  held  services  there  and 
in  private  houses,  from  time  to  time,  and  on  the  fifth 
Sunday  in  June,  1834,  in  a  grove  near  the  school,  Jlr. 
Wood,  assisted  by  Revs.  John  Patton  and  Benoni  Al- 
len, organized  the  Flatwoods  Baptist  Church.  An- 
drew Arnold  and  John  Detwiler  were  chosen  deaconr^, 
Andrew  Arnold  the  singing  clerk,  and  twenty-two 
persons  were  received  as  constituent  members.  A  list 
of  members  received  into  the  church  up  to  1842,  gives 
the  names  of  Andrew  Arnold,  Hiram  Norris,  John 
Detwiler,  David  Rittenhouse,  James  Rittenhouse, 
William  Bell,  Henry  Stevenson,  Obadiah  Bowen,  Til- 
son  Fuller,  John  Goucher, Whitset,  Levi  Mor- 
ris, Lewis  Zimmerman,  Job  Ro.ssel,  Amos  Payne, 
James  Blayer,  Caleb  Rossel,  J.  H.  Patterson,  James 
Shanks,  James  Fry,  David  Loof berry,  Charles  Rossel, 
William  Abrahams,  William  Johnston,  Henry  Ret- 
inoyer,  Jonathan  Hoge,  E|)hraim  Lynch,  William 
Beal,  William  Wadsworth,  S:uiuu-1  Ros.-el,  Jo.seiili  Til- 
ton,  Benjamin  Wlialey,  Reulicn  Sutton.  In  Xovem 
ber,  1842,a  fourteen-days'  prutrariiil  inciting  was  hulil 

by  Revs.  Milton  Sutton  and  William  W 1,  and  as  a 

result  sixteen  members  were  added  to  the  church, — 
Jacob  and  Jane  Hazlet,  William  Martin,  John  Town- 
send,  Thomas  Truman,  James  Arnold,  Benjamin  Hig- 
bee,  Ausley  Blayer,  Andrew  Oldham,  Jesse  Arnold, 
Jr.,  Joseph  Kerr,  Joseph  Bute,  John  BeH,  Joel  Cooper, 
Jonathan  Shaffer,  and  Elizabeth  Shaffer.  An  extract 
from  the  records  touching  this  protracted  meeting 
reads  thus:  "Nov.  12,  1842,  a  protracted  meeting 
commenced  with  this  church  and  continued  fourteen 
days,  attended  by  ministering  brethren  Wood  and 
j  Sutton,  when  we  had  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  as  we 
trust,  in  granting  us  a  special  season  of  grace,  and  as 
the  meeting  progressed,  while  some  were  halting  and 
others  weeping  and  praying  over  the  condition  of  our 
Zion,  the  spirit  of  Almighty  God  was  evidently  work- 
ing in  our  midst,  and  he  attended  the  word  preachid 
with  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Sinners  were 
alarmed,  and  many  were  made  to  weep  under  a  sense 
of  their  sin  and  guilt  to  cry  for  mercy." 

Rev.  William  Wood  was  installed  as  pastor  of  the 
church  upon  the  day  following  its  organization,  Rev. 
Mr.  Estep  preaching  the  installation  sermon.  May 
23,  1835,  the  church  was  received  as  a  member  of  the 
Mouongahela  Association,  then  in  session  at  Peter's 
Creek.  In  1835,  William  Dunlap  donated  land  for  a 
church  and  churchyard,  and  that  year  a  framed  house, 
forty  by  thirty-six  feet  in  size,  wiis  erected  upon  the  site 
of  the  present  building.  To  the  graveyard  lot  addi- 
tional donations  of  land  were  made  by  John  Bowman, 
Andrew  Bowman,  and  John  Townsend.  Sept.  15, 1836, 
Abner  Rittenhouse,  Andrew  Arnold,  and  Hiram 
Norris  were  chosen  church  trustees.  In  1838  a  Bap- 
tist ministtT  living  east  of  the  mountains,  happening 


5C2 


HISTORY 


FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


to  be  at  Flatwoods  during  a  meeting  of  tlie  Monon- 
gahela  Association  there,  wrote  upon  his  return  home 
a  newspaper  slvetch  of  liis  experiences  in  the  West. 
Touching  Flatwoods  he  said,  "  We  met  at  a  place 
called  Flatwoods,  but  I  called  it  anything  but  flat. 
Some  people  came  twenty  and  twenty-five  miles.  I 
was  surprised  to  see  so  many  ladies  on  horseback, 
and  they  told  me  too  they  could  ride  just  as  fast  as 
the  horses  could  go." 

The  church  has  had  since  1834  an  almost  uninter- 
rupted pastorate  history.  Rev.  William  Wood,  the 
first  pastor,  preached  until  .Tanuary,  1842;  E.  T. 
Brown  tliun  Mippliri]  I'.n-  .in,-  yr-jr,  ;md  Milton  Sutton, 
being  iiistiilloil  in  Jniiii:iry,  1^1:;,  served  three  years 
longer.  April  1,  1S4G,  William  Wood  returned  for  a 
.second  term  and  remained  two  years.  Eev.  J.  W.  B. 
Tisdale  was  the  pastor  from  April,  1848,  to  April, 
1S52;  Milton  Sutton  fsocond  term),  from  April, 
1852,  to  .\;.ril,  is:.:;:  W.  W.  Hickman,  from  1853  to 
1860;  Julin  Scofr,  from  ISiiii  to  IsiU;  W.  B.  Skinner, 
from  18114  to  IsiM;  W.  W.  Hickman  (second  term), 
from  IS!).-,  to  iscs;  (_'.  \V.  Holdall,  from  1868  to 
1869;  N.  1!.  Crutchlield,  ISiiD  to  1870;  J.  R.  Brown, 
1870  to  1S72;  Daniel  Kolsey,  1872  to  1874;  W.  R. 
Patton,  1874  to  1880;  and  j.  A.  .1.  Lightburn,  from 
April  1,  1880,  to  the  present  time.  Following  is  given 
a  list  of  deacons  tlected  since  1S:!4:  Andrew  Arnold 
and  John  Detwilcr,  May,  1834:  .T..!.  Rossel  and  James 
Fry,  May  12,  1>;:;4:  II.  W.  Xonis,  June  14,  1846; 
James  l>i,.,sol.  .lames  AniuM,  and  Ephraim  Lynch, 
Jan.  11,  Is-.l  :  ,1,  A,  Piers  .1.  K,  H.  Abrahams,  Jarret 
Jordan,  Matli.'W  .\rison.  July  14,1860;  Joseph  Bute, 
April  20,  \sC,2-  .\aron  Townsend,  Joseph  Essington, 
John  Blair,  and  T,  P.  :\Iurphy,  Nov.  19, 1865.  Messrs. 
Arison,  Bute,  Townsend,  Essington,  and  Murphy  are 
still  elders.  The  first  church  clerk  was  Abner  Rit- 
tenliouse.  James  Fry,  the  second,  was  chosen  Jan. 
8,  1842  ;  Jesse  Arnold,  Feb.  7,  1852  ;  E.  H.  Abra- 
hams, March  19,  1859;  and  Joseph  Bute,  the  present 
clerk,  June  15,  1861.  In  1861,  Joseph  Bute,  Joel 
Cooper,  and  .John  Townsend  were  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  provide  a  new  meeting-house,  which  re- 
sulted in  the  present  brick  edifice,  that  was  dedicated 
April  20,  1862.  It  measures  fifty-five  by  forty-five, 
with  a  seventeen-feet  story,  and  costsl725.  Upwards 
of  five  hundred  memUeis  have  been  received  since 
1834,  about  one  hundred  and  ninety  of  these  remain- 
ing at  this  time.  The  church  trustees  are  P.  P.  Mur- 
pliy,  Freeman  Cooper,  and  James  Blair,  and  the  Sun- 
day-school superintendent  is  P.  P.  Murphy. 

EKDSTONE    DISCIPLES'    CHURCH, 

In  1834,  Rev.  Mr,  Wheeler  i.n-aelicl  occasionally 
in  William  Shank's  barn  to  Mich  of  the  members  of 
the  Disciples'  faith  as  lived  within  convenient  dis- 
tance. He  secured  the  attendance  of  a  good  many 
people,  who  propo.sed  to  ertect  an  organization.  Mr. 
^VheeIersuggested  that  it  would  be  as  well  to  join  Flat- 
woods  Church,  but  being  opposed  in  this  •measure  he 


withdrew,  as  did  a  few  others  of  his  opinion.  Those 
remaining  sent  for  Rev.  David  Newmeyer,  of  Ohio, 
who  came  and  organized  the  Redstone  Disciples' 
Church  in  a  school-house  that  stood  upon  Robert 
Smith's  farm.  The  constituent  members  numbered 
about  thirty.  Levi  Morris  and  John  Shotwell  were 
chosen  deacons;  Henry  Goe  and  John  Higbee,  elders. 
John  Shotwell  and  others  lost  no  time  in  pushing 
their  efforts  towards  the  building  of  a  house  of  worship, 
and  in  1838  the  church  now  in  use  was  erected.  The 
first  regular  pastor  was  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell, 
who  preached  for  the  church  uninterruptedly  until  his 
death  in  1864.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  John 
Satterfield,  who  holds  services  once  a  month.  The 
membership  is  now  ( 1881 )  about  thirty-five.  Emanuel 
Shearer  is  the  deacon  ;  William  Harper  and  Owen 
Blair,  elders. 


lOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


JOUN  BURTOX. 
.Tohn  Burton,  of  Franklin  township,  is  a  native  of 
England,  and  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  June  17,  1817. 
He  is  the  son  of  Thomas  Burton  and  Jane  Mason 
Burton,  of  Yorkshire,  England,  who  were  married 
March  7,  1810,  and  emigrated  to  America  in  1818, 
when  John  was  only  a  year  old.  They  first  located 
near  Winchester,  Va.,  but  in  1823  moved  into  Fayette 
County,  Pa.,  and  settled  upon  a  fiirm  which  is  now  a 
part  of  the  one  owned  by  their  son  John.  There  they 
lived  in  fact  the  rest  of  their  lives,  Thomas  Burton 
dying  July  16,  1844,  at  the  age  of  fifty-eight;  Mrs. 
Jane  M.  Burton,  who  survived  her  husband  thirty- 
one  years,  residing  during  this  period  wholly  with  her 
son  John,  died  Nov.  23,  1875,  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
five  years.  She  was  noted  for  her  piety,  and  was  a 
devoted  member  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church 
for  over  half  a  century.  They  had  four  children, — 
William,  married  to  Catharine  Wolf,  March  12,  1835; 
Isabel,  married  to  David  Deyarmon  Dec.  4,  1832; 
Thomas,  deceased ;  and  John. 

John  Burton  was  married  to  Tacy  Hogue,  daughter 
of  Jonathan  and  Anne  Hogue,  of  Redstone  township, 
Fayette  Co.,  Sept.  27,  1838.     By  this  marriage  there 

I  are  two   children, — Thomas    J.    and   Jonathan    H. 

!  The  former  married  Louisa  S.  Johnson,  and  has  one 
child  living,  Annie  Florence;  Thomas  J.  is  a  mer- 
chant, and  resides  in  West  Brownsville,  Washington 
Co.,  Pa.  Jonathan  H.  married  Mary  E.  Strong,  and 
has  one  child, — Erne.st  Col  well  Burton.  Jonathan  is 
a  farmer,  and  resides  upon  his  father's  farm. 

John  Burton  has  filled  important  township  oflSces, 

i  and  has  always  discharged  these  duties,  as  all  others 
devolving  upon  him,  with  fidelity.     He  and  his  wife 

I  have  long  been  members  of  the  Methodist  Protestant 
Church.  Mr.  Burton  has  held  all  the  ofllces  imposed 
upon  laymen  in  his  church.     He  is  recognized  by  all 


JOHN    BURTON. 


JACOB    SHEAKEl 


^i^t^'^'f'Z.ct.^     ^^y^ic.t.^»^j^zy^ 


FRANKLIN    TOWNSHIP. 


563 


who  know  him  as  a  Christian  gentleman.  He  has  been 
engaged  in  farming  all  his  life  upon  the  farm  which 
lie  now  owns  and  occupies.  His  possessions  are 
chiefly  lands,  coal,  etc.  Mr.  Burton  has  the  esteem 
of  everybody  for  his  honesty,  social,  neighborly  kind- 
nesses, and  upright,  straightforward  life. 


ROBERT    SMITH. 

Robert  Smith  was  born  Nov.  19,  1799,  in  Franklin 
township,  upon  the  farm  on  which  he  died,  Nov.  21, 
1881.  He  was  of  Scotch  stock.  His  education  was 
received  in  the  common  schools.  Mr.  Smith  was 
married  Jan.  4,  1827,  to  Rosetta,  daughter  of  John 
and  Sarah  Shotweli,  of  Franklin  township.  They 
had  twelve  children.  Ten  of  them  grew  to  manhood 
and  womanhood.     Nine  are  now  living. 

Mr.  Smith  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace 
for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  one  of  the  first  jus- 
tices after  the  office  was  made  elective  in  this  State. 
He  also  held  other  important  township  offices. 

As  a  man,  lie  was  modest  and  unassuming.  True 
to  his  convictions  as  a  citizen,  he  was  upright,  honest, 
and  enterprising;  as  a  husband,  he  was  faithful,  de- 
voted, affectionate;  as  a  father,  kind  and  indulgent; 
as  a  Christian,  he  was  consistent  and  exemplary. 

He  was  a  member  of  Laurel  Hill  Presbyterian 
Cliurch  more  than  forty  years. 

His  father,  Robert  Smith,  emigrated  to  America 
i'rom  Scotland  in  early  life,  and  settled  on  the  farm 
wliere  his  son  Robert  lived  and  died.  He  married 
Mary  Starret.  Robert  Smith,  Sr.,  died  in  1837,  aged 
seventy-nine  years  ten  months  and  eighteen  days. 
His  wife  Mary  died  in  her  seventy -second  year. 


JACOB    SHEARER. 

Mr.  Jacob  Shearer,  of  Franklin  township,  is  the 
son  of  Frederick  Shearer,  who  was  born  March  24, 
1770,  in  Eastern  Pennsylvania.  He  was  married 
March  23, 1793,  to  Rebecca  Markle,  of  Berks  County. 
They  had  eleven  children,  of  whom  Jacob  is  the 
eighth.  He  was  born  in  Franklin  County,  Pa.,  Jan. 
30,  1809,  and  removed  with  his  father  in  1815  to 
Jefferson  township,  Fayette  Co.  Mr.  Shearer  is  of 
German  stock.  He  received  his  early  education  in 
the  common  schools,  and  was  married  March  27, 
1838,  to  Emily  Shotweli,  daughter  of  John  Shotweli, 
long  a  prominent  man  of  Franklin  township.  They 
had  seven  children,  two  of  whom,  Emanuel  and  Sarah 
Catharine,  are  still  living.  Emanuel  married  Eliza- 
beth Cook,  and  has  five  children,— Esther  E.,  P'red 
Orville,  Harry  J.,  Jessie,  and  an  infant  boy  yet  un- 
named. Sarah  Catharine  married  Rufus  Flemming, 
of  Franklin,  and  has  three  children,— John  Freder- 
ick, Guy  Shearer,  and  Esther  Emma. 

Mr.  Jacob  Shearer  has  never  Jield  office,  never  as- 
piring to  public  place,  and  has  led  a  modest  and  in- 


dustrious life,  and  bears  an  excellent  reputation  for 
integrity.  He  and  his  family  are  all  members  of  the 
Christian  Church.  The  church  which  they  habitu- 
ally attend  stands  near  the  spot  where,  in  the  open 
air,  Alexander  Campbell,  the  founder  of  the  sect 
called  Disciples,  first  promulgated  his  distinctive  doc- 
trines after  the  severance  of  his  relations  with  the 
Baptist  Church. 

Mr.  Shearer  has  resided  in  his  present  home  since 
1843,  and  is  the  possessor  of  valuable  properties,  con- 
sisting of  coal  lands,  etc.  For  the  last  few  years  he 
has  been  a  considerable  sufferer  under  physical  ills, 
which  he  lias  patiently  borne. 


TIIO.MAS    DL'XN. 

Thomas  Dunn,  of  Franklin  township,  was  born 
April  7,  1824,  of  Scotch-Irish  stock,  and  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools.  He  was  married  Feb.  4, 
1844,  to  Eleanor  Scott,  of  German  township.  They 
have  ten  living  children,  and  have  lost  one.  Thomas 
Dunn  was  born  in  the  house  in  which  he  lives,  and 
which  was  built  by  his  grandfather  in  1796.  His 
entire  life  has  been  spent  upon  the  farm  on  which  he 
now  resides.  He,  his  wife,  and  nearly  all  of  his  chil- 
dren are  members  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church. 

The  ehil.hen  arc  John  A.,  marrie.rto  Mary  Junk; 
Agnes  R.,  iiiarric'ci  to  John  Junk;  Thomas  S.,  mar- 
ried to  Jenuie  Murphy  ;  .Alary  C,  iiiarried  to  Bryson 
Gilchrist;  Samuel  W.,  married  first  to  Ellen  Stoner, 
and  again  to  Clarissa  Hanshaw  ;  Annie  E.,  married 
to  Jacob  Cooper;  William  C,  married  to  Mary  E. 
McClure  ;  Harriet,  deceased,  unmarried  ;  Robert  C. ; 
Major  E.  ;  Harry  G. 

Thomas  Dunn's  father,  John  Dunn,  first  married 
Mary  Smith  in  1815.  She  died  June  5,  1835.  His 
second  wife  was  Mary  Oldham.  She  died  in  1843. 
In  1844  he  married  Catharine  Scott,  who  still  sur- 
vives him,  an  active  woman  of  eighty-two  years.  He 
was  a  farmer,  and  lived  upon  the  farm  now  occupied 
by  Thomas.  He  was  also  a  soldier  in  the  war  of 
1812.  They  had  eight  children ;  Thomas  was  the 
fourth.     John  Dunn  died  Oct.  21,  1861. 

Thomas  Dunn,  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this 
biography,  was  an  Irishman.  He  married  a  Scotch- 
woman, Mary  Caldwell.  They  came  to  Fayette 
County  about  1772.  Thomas  patented  the  farm 
upon  which  his  grandson  Thomas  now  lives.  He 
was  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  and  had  twelve  chil- 
dren, each  of  whom  raised  fiimilies.  They  are  scat- 
tered all  over  the  United  States.  Thomas,  Sr.,  died 
in  1799,  aged  fifty-five.  Mary  (Caldwell)  Dunn  was 
born  Jan.  20,  1746,  and  died  1824. 

Mr.  Thomas  Dunn  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  his 
neighbors, — an  honest,  genial  man  ;  and  it  may  prop- 
erly be  added  that  the  Dunn  family  are  noted  for 
their  frankness  and  general  good  nature  or  aftability. 
Mr.  Dunn  raised  his  large  family  in  a  commendable 
manner,  and,  like  himself,  they  are  good  citizens. 


GEORGES    township; 


Ix  1783,  when  Fnyette  Cnnnty  was  formed  from  a 
part  of  Westmoreland,  tliis  was  one  of  tlie  original 
townships,  and  was  bonnded  and  described  as  follows : 
"  Beginning  at  John  Main's,  on  Jacob's  Creek  ;  thence 
to  Jesse  Bayle's ;  thence  in  same  direction  to  the  line 
of  Wharton  township  ;  thence  by  the  same  until  oppo- 
site Charles  Brownfield's;  thence  by  Charles  Brown- 
field,  Thomas  Gaddis,  the  Widow  McClelland,  and  the 
residue  of  the  line  of  Union  township  to  the  head  of 
Jennings'  Run  ;  thence  by  the  lines  of  German  town- 
ship to  the  beginning,  to  include  the  three  first  above- 
mentioned  persons,  to  be  hereafter  known  by  the 
name  of  George-  township." 

This  township  seems  to  have  possessed  many  natu- 
ral attractions,  and  was  settled  at  a  very  early  date. 
The  fertile  valleys,  the  abundant  supply  of  excellent 
water,  the  superior  timber,  and  many  other  attractive 
features  of  this  township  ltd  to  its  rapid  settlement, 
and  soon  made  it  one  of  the  most  populous  and 
important  to\vnshi]is  of  the  county.  Before  West- 
moreland County  had  been  erected  this  region  had 
quite  a  number  of  settlers,  and  when  Fayette  was 
struck  off  from  Westmoreland,  after  the  burning  of 
Hannastown  by  t!ie  Indians,  this  was  quite  a  densely- 
peopled  section  of  tlie  new  county.  In  December, 
1845,  a  jiart  of  Georges  township  was  taken  to  form 
Nicholson. 

This  township  in  its  varied  and  picturesque  beauty 
is  excelled  by  few  in  the  United  States.  Here  we 
have  the  "  White  Rocks,"  famed  not  only  for  their 
great  natural  attractiveness,  but  aside  from  this  they 
are  noted  as  the  place  where  the  "  Polly  Williams 
murder"  occurred  in  August,  1810.  The  chasm  is 
some  fifty  feet  in  depth,  'and  the  huge  gray  stones 
stand  in  mute  grandeur  with  all  their  romantic  his- 
tory clustered  around  them.  In  ages  to  come,  when 
they  have  gathered  all  the  cncbantnieiit  wliich  time 
can  lend,  and  the  additional  charm  of  ancient  re- 
menibranrc  ^hall  have  caused  tlie  facts  to  be  thought 
of  as  tr;Mliti"n.iry,  then  will  the  traveler  come  for 
hundreds  of  miles  to  look  upon  the  place  where  the 
base  inhumanity  of  man  was  displayed,  and  examine 
the  great  gray  stones  where  the  crimson  heart-blood 
of  Polly  Williams  was  shed  by  the  hand  of  her  re- 
ducer. 

'  Dy  M.  M.  Hoimood. 

=  Tb.'  name  of  tliis  township,  originally  Reorjclias  Iwonie  t.y  gpiipriil 
usage  aeorgen,  and  the  la.ter  is  Iherefoio  adopteil  iu  this  history. 
564 


For  a  hundred  years  past  the  Delaney  Cave  has 
been  sought  as  a  place  worthy  of  the  sight-seer.    Lo- 

I  cated  as  it  is  near  the  summit  of  the  Laurel  Hill 
range,  and  commanding  thus  a  magnificent  view  of 
the  beautiful  lands  towards  the  setting  sun,  it  affords 

j  attractions  not  possessed  by  the  Mammoth  Cave  of 

i  Kentucky.  It  would  be  difficult  for  the  most  accu- 
rate observer  to  form  any  definite  conception  of  the 
vastness  of  space  here  presented  to  the  eye.  Miles  to- 
ward the  north  and  south,  the  fair  valley  at  the  base  of 
the  mountain  is  visible,  while  stretching  far  toward  the 
west  the  beautiful  landscape  is  shut  out  from  view  only 
when  the  horizon  limits  it,  far  away  over  the  Monon- 
gahela  in  Greene  County.  A  description  of  the  cave, 
from  the  pen  of  John  A.  Paxton,  of  Philadelphia, 
who  visited  it  in  1816,  is  given  in  the  general  history 
of  the  county.  The  manner  in  wdiich  this  cave  de- 
rived its  name  is  readily  traceable  to  the  fact  that  a 

'  Mr.  Thomas  Delaney  was  owner  of  the  lands  be- 
neath which  the  cave  is  located.  About  the  year 
1800  two  men,  Grain  and  Simmons,  from  Smithfield, 
went  to  the  cave  to  explore  it;  they  were  lost  in  it, 
and  remained  there  two  days  and  two  nights  before 
the  people  succeeded  in  finding  them.  When  found 
they  were  locked  in  each  other's  arms,  and  were  almost 
dead  for  want  of  water  and  food. 

This  township  is  very  rich  in  mineral  resources, 
and  on  this  account  the  early  settlers,  seeming  to  un- 
'  derstand  thoroughly  where  to  locate  in  order  that  they 


might  have  rich  possessions  in  mineral  lands,  came 
and  settled  near  the  base  of  the  mountain,  and  soon 
thereafter  the  ores  they  had  discovered  were  worked 
into  iron,  and  the  coal  was  dug  and  used  as  a  fuel, 
although  not  to  any  great  extent,  for  the  wood  was 
everywhere  abundiint  at  that  time.  As  early  as  1790 
coal  was  dug  by  George  Hertzog  in  this  county,  on 
the  Springhill  Furnace  property,  not  far  from  Hay- 
dentown.  It  was  the  Upper  Freeport  vein,  and  people 
came  many  miles  to  get  some  of  the  wonderful  fuel 
dug  from  the  earth.  In  addition  to  the  bountiful 
supply  .of  coal  and  iron  ore,  the  hand  of  Nature  has 
provided  the  very  best  fire-clay  in  the  country.  On 
the  property  of  Abraham  Low  there  is  a  silver-mine, 
which,  perhaps,  might  be  worked  in  paying  quanti- 
ties if  capital  was  brought  into  requisition.  It  is  said 
that  Mr.  Low  was  at  one  time  oflfered  five  thousand 
dollars  for  his  mine  by  an  experienced  mineralogist. 
The  silver-bearing  rock  is  of  a  dark  color,  and  when 


GEOllGES  TOWNSHIP. 


565 


broken  the  metallic  lustre  can  be  seen  on  every  face 
of  the  fracture.  It  is  stated  that  the  Indians  had  a 
lead-mine  in  this  township,  and  used  the  lead  in 
moulding  bullets.  Evidently  it  must  have  been  very 
pure  ore,  or  it  would  not  have  been  either  possible  or 
expedient  to  have  used  it  as  we  use  merchantable 
lead.  Upon  several  occasions  the  Browns  and  other 
very  early  settlers  attempted  to' find  out  the  locality 
of  this  mine,  for  lead  was  in  demand  on  the  frontier; 
but,  owing  to  the  fact  that  they  risked  their  lives  if 
found  watching  the  Indians,  they  never  succeeded  in 
finding  the  treasure  for  which  they  sought. 

The  earliest  settlement  of  which  any  positive  in- 
formation can  be  gathered  is  that  which  was  made 
upon  the  land  now  owned  by  Mr.  Joel  Leatherman. 
This  settlement  was  made  probably  as  early  as  1730, 
which  is  demonstrated  from  the  following  facts:  The 
grandfather  of  Basil  Brownfield  settled  in  this  county 
soon  after  Braddock's  defeat,  say  1760;  he  lived  to  be 
a  very  old  man,  and  Mr.  Basil  Brownfield  said  that 
when  he  was  a  little  boy  he  often  heard  his  grand- 
father and  father  mention  the  French  village  which 
had  once  stood  upon  the  Leatherman  farm.  At  some 
time,  early  in  the  eighteenth  century,  a  party  of 
Frenchmen  settled  there  and  built  a  village;  they 
were  on  good  terms  with  the  Indians,  and  to  some 
extent  intermarried  with  them.  They  were  a  pro- 
gressive and  intelligent  community,  and  immediately 
began  to  improve  their  new  home.  After  h.aving  re- 
sided there  a  number  of  years,  they  from  some  cause 
vacated  the  premises,  and  when  the  next  white  settlers 
came  upon  the  scene,  some  thirty  years  later,  the  vil- 
lage had  gone  to  wreck,  and  a  dense  thicket  had 
taken  its  place. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  century  Mr.  Joel  Leather- 
man's  father  purchased  the  tract  of  land  from  Richard 
Reed,  and  soon  thereafter  they  proceeded  to  grub  the 
thicket  of  hazel-bushes,  and  after  due  preparation  it 
was  sowed  in  grass.  Upon  plowing  it  they  found  the 
remains  of  the  houses,  one  of  which  had  a  solid  stone 
foundation  and  a  floor  of  stone.  Some  articles  of 
crockery-ware  were  also  found,  and  irons  of  peculiar 
device ;  the  remnant  of  what  had  been  a  well ;  also  a 
macadamized  road  running  through  the  farm  ;  and 
upon  opening  the  coal-bank  near  by  it  was  found  that 
it  had  been  mined  before  and  considerable  of  coal 
used.  To  make  all  of  these  improvements  would  re- 
quire a  good  many  years  of  labor  for  such  a  small 
colony,  and  the  land,  too,  was  densely  overgrown  with 
hazel-bushes  when  the  first  permanent  settlers  came 
into  Fayette  County.  In  order  to  have  erected  this 
village  and  added  all  the  improvements  it  would,  as 
we  have  stated,  have  required  no  brief  time ;  then 
after  it  had  been  abandoned  it  must  have  taken  a 
series  of  years  to  have  reduced  such  durable  build- 
ings to  ruins  so  that  a  thicket  might  spring  up  and 
occupy  the  place  where  the  buildings  had  been 
erected.     All  of  which  would  tend  to  impress  us  with 


the  fact  that  there  were  settlers  of  our  own  color  in 
this  county  long  before  the  coming  of  the  permanent 
settlers,  such  as  the  Browns,  Gists,  and  others.  What 
the  name  of  this  French  village  was  we  never  may 
know,  neither  can  we  expect  to  learn  of  the  particu- 
lars as  to  the  length  of  its  duration  or  the  causes 
which  led  to  its  abandonment;  yet  it  is  a  satisfaction 
to  know  that  there  were  white  people  who  had  a 
home  in  these  beautiful  valleys  a  century  and  a  half 
ago.  In  addition  to  this  fact,  Georges  township 
has  the  credit  of  one  of  the  earliest  permanent  set- 
tlers. As  early  as  1752  or  1753,  Wendall  Brown  and 
his  three  sons,  Maunus,  Thomas,  and  Adam,  settled 
in  Provance's  Bottom,  on  the  Monongahela  River, 
but  changed  very  soon  to  Georges  and  Union  town- 
ships, where  some  of  their  ili'srornhints  yet  live.  The 
change  from  the  ]ilac('  of  tluir  iniLiiiial  settlement 
w.as  brought  alinut  by  the  Indians,  wlio  assured  them 
that  their  new  home,  in  what  is  now  Georges  town- 
ship, would  be  better,  the  land  being,  as  they  said, 
much  richer.  When  Washington  surrendered  Fort 
Necessity  in  1754  the  Browns  accompanied  him  and 
his  troops  back  to  their  old  Virginia  home,  but  a  few 
years  thereafter  returned  to  their  former  frontier 
home,  after  Gen.  Forbes  had  reinst.ated  the  English 
dominion. 

In  17S7  the  number  of  property-owners  in  Georges 
township  had  increased  until  there  were  more  than 
two  hundred,  as  follows:  Jacob  Abraham,  Ichaljod 
Ashcraft,  Daniel  Ashcraft,  Richard  Ashcraft,  Riah 
Ashcraft,  Robert  Allison,  John  Archer,  William 
Archer,  Robert  Brownfield,  Charles  Brownfield,  Bazil 
Bowell,  Alexander  Buchanan,  Joseph  Boultinghouse, 
John  Boultinghouse,  John  Bell,  Humphrey  Bell,  Eze- 
kiel  Barnes,  Sylvanus  Barnes,  Jeremiah  Bock,  Cathe- 
rine Baviix,  Vrtcr  I'.xrnhardt,  Samuel  Bovey,Melchior 
Baker,  Jolni  Carr,  Moses  C'arr,  Thomas  Carr,  Elijah 
Carr,  Absalom  Carr,  Joseph  Coombs,  John  Coombs, 
William  Coombs,  Edward  Coombs,  Jr.,  George  Conn, 
William  Cubert,  William  Cross,  John  Chadwick,  John 
Coon,  James  Calvin,  Christley  Cofl^man,  Jr.,  Edward 
Coombs,  Sr.,  Owen  Davis,  James  Dale,  Roger  Dough- 
erty, William  Downard,  Jacob  Downard,  James 
Downard,  Benjamin  Davis,  John  Drake,  Samuel 
Drake,  James  Dummons,  Evan  Davis,  William  Davis, 
Lewis  Davis,  Sarah  Drake,  Thomas  Downard,  John 
D.  Duval,  Peter  Edwards,  Benjamin  Everett,  Henry 
Efford,  John  Fowler,  John  Finley,  Daniel  Ferrel, 
William  Forsythe,  Mark  Graham,  Daniel  Green, 
William  Green,  Uriah  Glover,  James  Graham,  Charles 
Glover,  Moses  Gard,  William  Graham,  John  Graham, 
Benjamin  Hardin,  John  Hutson,  John  Hustead,  Mat- 
thias Hawfield,  Peter  Hawfield,  Catherine  Hawfield, 
Elizabeth  Hawfield,  Thomas  Heddy,  Sr.,  Thomas 
Heddy,  Jr.,  James  Heddy,  John  Hayden,  John  Har- 
rison, John  Harnet,  James  Hay,  William  Hoagland, 
Isaac  Hoagland,  Robert  Hannah,  David  Johns,  John 
Jenkins,  Philip  Jenkins,  James  JamesOn,  "  Little" 


5u6 


IIISTOIIY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Daniel  Johnston,  James  John,  John  Jackson,  Henry 
Jcauiiigs,  Joseph  Kinuison,  James  Kinnison,  Sr., 
James  Kinnison,  Jr.,  James  Lupton,  Alexander  Mc- 
D  maid,  Isaac  McDonald,  David  McDonald,  Mary 
ilcDonald,  John  McDowell,  Arthur  McChristy,  Abra- 
ham McCafterty,  William  Mininirer,  Daniel  Minson, 
David  Meredith,  Dani.d  Mnxlnrd,  William  MitclieU, 
John  Moore,  Kaclirl  M.Dunald,  Adam  McCarty, 
James  McClcaii,  Si.,  .Iauir>  M.Cl,,aii.  .Tr.,  Alexander 
McPlierson,  J.:r.n,iah  M.  Ii  ,nald.  Julm  31.  Dow,  Ste- 
phen Mackey.C.iiuv  Main.  Williuni  Mx-.n,  Cliristo- 
pher  Noon,  Allen  l_)liver,  James  Orr,  John  Phillii.s, 
Isaac  Phillips,  Thomas  Phillips,  Jenkins  Pliillip.-, 
Benjamin  Philli]is,  Richar.l  Ponndstone,  John  Pat- 
terson, William  Patters,, n,  J,, Im  Pie-r-on,  John  (jiiar- 
den,  Adam  Quarden,  Pi.-luiid  P, -,1,  Thomas  Reed, 
Sanuiei  Reed,  Caleb  Rvr,\.  Andnw  Itecd,  Giles  Reed. 
Thomas  Reed.  Jr.,  R..l,:.it  Ititdiey,  .lames  i;o!,in,on. 
Joshua  i;.. bill-.,,,  Jleiiry  Kobin-on,  William  Rubin- 
son,  I'hilip  Ko^vix,  Sr.,  Philip  lio-ei-,  Jr.,  Henry 
Rogers,  AViliiam  Plioadr-.  .larul,  Uililo,  Nathaniel 
Beeves,  Jonathan  K  ■.-.  W.lliain  Salli4mrv.  John 
Shacklet,  Pfter  Smith,  1 'liailrs  Smith,  llenrv  Smith, 
Philip  smith.  Pln-lty  Smith,  George  Smith",  Coi  b.  t 
Smith,  \Villiani  Smith,  Andrew  Smith,  li.  SanuMun, 
Zadoc  Sprin-.T,  .b.hn  Street,  John  Shanks,  Puter 
Snider,  .b,-rpli  Stillwell,  Jacob  Southard,  .1. dm  Scott, 

Basil  Silhv 1,  Samuel  Steidiens,  Philip  Slick,  James 

Steel,  William  Sharon,  Obadiah  Truax,  Hendrick 
Taylor,  John  Taylor,  John  Tucker,  Jo-eph  Thomas, 
George  Tobin,  Levi  Thomas,  U.  Vandeveiiter,  James 
White,  John  White,  Sr.,  John  White.  .Ir.,  James 
White,  Jr.,  Levi  Welks,  Samuel  Woodbrid-c,  James 
Walker,  ^\■illiam  Welsh,  William  Wat,-on.  Je>,-e 
Worthin-ton,  Zachariah  Wheat,  Abr.diaiii  White, 
Isaac  White.  D.udel  Wood.D.ivid  Wn,,d,  Ruth  White, 
Ephraim  Woodruli;  Je^se  York,  .lereniiah  York. 

The  quota  of  tax  for  (ieorges  township  in  17'.iJ  was 
S272..J7.  In  1808  it  had  increased  to  y:;:17,  and  had 
nine  mills,  five  forges  ami  birnaces.  tinee  tan-yarls, 
seven  distilleries  and  breweries,  Inur  hundred  and 
ninety-two  horses,  five  hundred  and  eiulit  cattle;  the 
total  amount  of  the  assessment  beiii-  .--■:;,,;(;;).  The 
number  of  acres  of  land  taken  up  in  17'.m;  was  more 
than  tweuty-tliree  thousand.     In  Ispl  the  population 

census  was  tiikeu,  it  was  found  that  there  was  a  de- 
crease of  fifty-five  in  the  population.  At  the  next 
census  of  1830  the  population  was  two  thousand  four 
hundred  and  sixteen. 

OLD  RO.\DS. 
Georges  township  has  the  honor  of  the  first  road 
after  Fayette  County  was  organized.  An  old  trail, 
known  as  the  "Cherokee"  or  "Catawba  Trail,"  ran 
through  Georges  township,  i  iitcrin-  Fayette  County 
at  Grassy  Run,  in  Sprin-hill  township,  and  passing 
through  the  land  of  Cliarles  Grilhn  by  Lr.ng's  Mill", 
Ashcraft'sFdrt,  PhilipRogers'  I  now  Alfred  S:ewart's), 


William  James';  thence  through  the  remaining  por- 
tion of  Georges  township  almost  on  a  line  with  the 
present  Morgantown  road.  It  was  on  this  trail  that  the 
Grassy  Run  road  was  laid  out.  It  was  confirmed  and 
ordered  opened  up,  thirty-three  feet  wide,  at  March  ses- 
sions, 1784,  which  w'as  the  second  sessions  of  the  court. 

]  At  the  previous  sessions  the  view  had  been  prayed 
for,  and  Empson  Brownfield,  Henry  Beeson,  James 
Neal,  John  Swearingen,  and  Aaron  Moore  appointed 
viewers.  The  "  Sandy  Creek"  road  was  in  existence 
long  before  Fayette  County  came  into  being.  It  came 
from  the  Ten-Mile  settlement  in  Greene  County, 
cr.,-.iii-  the  Monongahela  River  at  Hyde's  Ferry,  and 
thence  p. i--ing  through  Haydentown  to  David  John's 
mill ;  thence  up  Laurel  Hill,  through  the  Sandy  Creek 

I  settlement,  to  Daniel  McPeck's  and  on  to  Virginia.  It 
wasby  this  road  that  Rev.  Joseph  Doddridge  traveled 
in  1774  when  he  made  his  tour  west  of  the  Allegheny 
Mouiitains,  at  wliich  time  he  preached  at  the  Mount 
Muiah  Presbyterian  Church,  in  Springhill  townshij), 
near  New  Geneva.  After  the  organization  of  the 
county  this  was  the  second  road  viewed  and  ordered 
o|ieiied  l>y  the  court.  This  was  opened  as  so  ordered 
Dec.  L's,  KS'i.  Tlie  viewers  were  Zadoc  Springer, 
Piiilip  .Icnkius,  John  Hill,  Owen  Davis,  and  W^il- 
liam  Hill. 

,  ASIICRAFT'S   TOUT. 

On  the  pro])erty  now  owned  by  Mrs.  Evans  Willson, 

,  in  this  township,  and  on  the  line  of  the  Cherokee 
trail,  stood  the  Ashcraft  fort.    To  this  place  of  refuge 

!  the  settlers  were  accustomed  to  flee  when  Indian  difii- 
culties  were  feared.  It  was  named  after  Ichabod 
Ashcralt,  who  took  up  this  property  (199J  acres, 
called  "  Bull'alo  Pasture"),  receiving  his  warrant  for 
it.  dated  May  2'.),  1770.  Here  they  built  their  fort 
near  a  bubbling  spring.  Long  since  the  fort  has 
disajipe.ired,  but  the  spring  gushes  forth  to  the 
sunlight  just  as  it  did  a  century  and  a  quarter  ago. 
The  fort  was  built  on  the  same  plan  as  other  early 
forts, — the  second  story  projected  out  about  one  foot 
over  the  lower,  so  that  in  case  the  Indians  should 

j  attempt  to  fire  the  fort  they  could  he  readily  shot  from 

[  the  loop-holes  above.  There  was  a  stockade  of  an 
acre  with  a  ditch  and  picket-line  for  the  purpose  of 
protecting  the  stock  from  the  depredations  of  the 
savages.  It  is  related  that  one  morning  Mrs.  Rachel 
Ashcraft  was  awakened  by  the  call  of  a  turkey  gob- 
bier.     She  told  her  husband  that  she  believed  she 

j  would  go  out  and  kill  it.  Her  husband  said  she  had 
better  not.  it  miLrht  be  an  Indian.  The  call  was  re- 
peated, and   Mrs.  Ashcraft  cautiously  opened  one  of 

j  the  port-holes  and  looked  out.  Presently  the  call  of 
the  turkey  gobbler  was  repeated,  and  then  out  came 
the  head  of  an  Indian  to  see  if  any  on©  was  stirring 
in  the  fort.  She  quietly  took  down  her  trusty  rifle, 
and  the  next  time  he  gave  the  call  and  protruded  his 
head  from  behind  the  tree  she  sent  a  bullet  through 
his  head,  striking  him  square  between  the  eyes.   Ash- 

'  craft's  fort  was  built  at  the  crossing  of  two  Indian 


GEORGES  TOWNSHIP. 


567 


trails.  At'  tliis  cross-roads  -suicides  were  buried,  in 
couforniity  with  an  old  English  custom.  It  is  said 
that  the  Indian  shot  by  Mrs.  Ashcraft  was  interred  at 
this  place.  It  is  also  related  (but  how  truly  is  not 
known)  that  he  was  skinned,  and  his  skin  tanned 
and  made  into  razor  strops,  which  were  distributed 
among  the  settlers  as  trophies. 

In  the  valley,  near  Fort  Gaddis,  Daniel  Boone  and 
liis  companions  encamped  when  on  their  way  to  the 
Western  wilds.  This  was  previous  to  the  year  1770. 
Mr.  Basil  Brownfield  said  that  an  old  man  who  died 
a  great  many  years  ago — in  fact,  soon  after  the  com- 
mencement of  this  century — informed  him  that  he 
saw  Daniel  Boone  when  he  was  camped  near  Gaddis' 
Fort. 

There  was  an  Indian  village  near  where  Abraham 
Brown  now  lives,  four  miles  west  from  Uniontown, 
and  there  was  an  Indian  burying-ground  near  the 
village.  In  this  graveyard  some  bones  of  immense 
size  have  been  found,  indicating  an  unusual  height 
for  the  person  when  alive. 

HAYDENTOWN. 

This  town  is  located  upon  a  tract  of  land  known  as 
Haydenberg,  which  was  patented  by  John  Hayden 
in  1787.  Haydentown  was  laid  out  soon  after  1790, 
and  at  first  bore  the  name  of  Georgetown.  By  deed 
for  one-fourth  of  an  acre  of  ground,  lying  in  George- 
town, from  Robert  and  Mary  Peoples,  dated  Nov.  20, 
1793,  we  learn  that  there  was  a  forge  there  then,  and 
one  of  the  boundaries  in  the  description  is  Forge 
Street.  Robert  Peoples  evidently  owned  much  of 
the  land,  and  may  have  laid  out  the  town.  The 
forge  spoken  of  is  evidently  the  same  one  which 
■was  sold  to  Hayden  and  Nicholson  in  the  previous 
spring. 

John  Hayden  was  the  son  of  William  Hayden, 
who  came  from  the  East  to  Georges  township  in 
1781.  His  mother  was  a  daughter  of  a  wealthy 
merchant  of  Philadelphia  by  the  name  of  Nichol- 
son. We  believe  that  it  was  Mr.  Nicholson's  son 
who  was  State  comptroller,  and  embarked  with  John 
Hayden  in  the  iron  manufacturing  business.  In  the 
town  named  in  honor  of  John  Hayden  there  was 
more  iron  made  in  1810  than  in  the  city  of  Pitts- 
burgh, the  iron  being  worked  into  hoes,  axes,  sickles, 
scythes,  log-chains,  trace-chains,  etc.  The  subject  of 
tills  brief  notice  was  a  good  soldier  in  the  war  of 
ITTii,  and  an  estimable  and  energetic  citizen  there- 
after, doing  much  to  promote  early  industries.  He 
raised  a  family  of  twenty-two  children. 

The  first  store  ever  kept  in  Haydentown  was  prob- 
ably that  of  Jesse  Evans,  who  had  one  there  about 
the  year  1800.  Since  then  Joseph  Kyle  and  James 
D.  Low  have  had  stores. 

In  1818,  Jehu  Shadrack  was  making  scythes  and 
edge-tools  in  Haydentown.  Samuel  Anderson  learned 
the  trade  under  him,  and  followed  it  successfully  at 
Haydentown  and  at  his  stand   on  the  Morgautowu 


road.  Mr.  Shadrack  also  carried  on  the  wagon- 
making  business. 

James  Miller  h.ad  a  powder-mill  here  in  l'<\U.  He 
pulverized  the  charcoal  by  hand  in  a  ninrtar,  and 
made  both  rifle  and  blasting  powder.  He  also  made 
grindstones,  and  he  was  the  man  who  took  a  stone 
such  as  he  used  for  grindstones  and  cut  the  inscrip- 
tion upon  it  and  put  it  up  at  his  own  expense  to  mark 
the  last  resting-place  of  the  murdered  Polly  Williams. 

The  Haydentown  flouring-mill  was  built  about 
1775.  It  was  afterwards  owned  by  Philip  Jenkins, 
who  received  it  from  his  father,  John  Jenkins.  In 
February,  1790,  it  was  sold  to  Jonathan  Reese.  March 
7,  1792,  Reese  disposed  of  it  to  Robert  Peoples,  who 
remained  in  possession  of  it  for  a  number  of  years. 
Afterwanls  it  was  owned  by  William  Ni.xon,  Abra- 
ham Stewart,  J.ilin  Oliphant,  Jehu  Shadrack,  An- 
drew McClelland,  Joseph  Davison,  Philip  Victor 
(who  remodeled  it),  and  the  present  owner,  William 
Swaney.  This  was  one  of  the  very  earliest  flouring- 
mills  west  of  the  mountains.  Previous  to  its  erection 
it  was  the  ni^toni  tn  -n  t(i  Cniiibcrland  for  flour. 

Publir-hnn-,<  wnv  k.^pt  by  William  Spear,  James 

Miller,  George  Ni.xuii,  Matthew  Doran, Davis, 

Joseph  Victor,  Otho  Rhoades,  Jacob  Kyle,  and  Joseph 
Kyle.  The  first  school  ever  taught  in  Haydentown 
was  taught  by  Andrew  Stewart,  before  1810. 

For  a  number  of  years,  commencing  about  182.5, 
Rev.  Peter  T.  Laishly  held  religious  service  in  the 
house  of  Philip  Victor,  and  organized  what  was  called 
the  "Bible  Christian,"  or  "New  Light  Church." 
Some  years  afterwards  he  left  the  New  Lights,  and 
connected  himself  with  the  Methodist  Protestant 
Church,  and  preached  for  that  denomination  for  a 
number  of  years.  About  fifteen  years  ago  the  ad- 
herents to  this  church  succeeded  in  building  a  house 
of  worship  in  Haydentown. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Haydentown  was  tlic  oM  Fair- 
view  Furnace,  previously  known  as  the  "  Jlary  Ann" 
Furnace,  with  considerable  settlement  clustered  about 
it.  At  this  place  Melchior  Baker  manufactured  guns 
about  the  year  1800.  Abraham  Stewart  made  knives, 
forks,  spades,  shovels,  stirrups,  bridle-bits,  trace- 
chains,  etc.  He  was  what  was  called  a  whitesmith. 
Col.  John  Morgan  and  the  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart  (son 
of  Abraham)  both  learned  the  trade  of  whitesmith  in 
Stewart's  factory.  Here  at  the  Mary  Ann  Furnace, 
which  ran  about  a  ton  and  a  half  of  metal  daily,  the 
pig-metal  was  converted  into  salt-kettles,  tea-kettles, 
etc.  These  were  usually  taken  to  New  Geneva, 
and  shipped  by  the  river  down  to  New  Orleans.  They 
were  also  sent  to  Canada.  At  that  time  there  were 
eight  or  ten  moulding-shops  there  in  full  operation. 
The  place  is  now  but  a  ruin  of  what  was  once  a  pros- 
perous and  thrifty  village. 

Not  far  from  Haydentown  is  the  Woods  tannery, 
which  was  built  by  George   Patterson   about   182.5. 


568 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


He  was  succeeded  by  Charles  Brownfield,  Zadoc  . 
Brownfield,  Henry  Stimple,  George  Woods,  and  , 
Smith  Fuller,  and  William  H.  Baily.  Dr.  Smith  [ 
Fuller  is  now  the  proprietor.  The  new  tannery  was  [ 
built  about  1857. 

Before  1800  Joseph  Page  had  a  carding-niachine 
above  whore  Smith  Brownfield  now  has  one.  The 
new  one  of  Rrownfiekl's  was  built  in  1868.  There  was 
one  other  before  ihat,  located  farther  up  the  Pine 
Grove  Run  ;  it  was  built  by  Alexander  Brownfield. 

IROX    INDUSTRIE.?. 

This  township  was  one  of  the  first  west  of  the  Alle-  ' 
gheny  Jlountains  to  introduce  the  manufacture  of 
iron.  Here,  about  the  year  1790,  Thomas  Lewis  built 
the  old  Pine  Grove  Forge,  which  was  located  on  the 
Pine  Grove  Run,  on  the  property  now  owned  by  Mr. 
Tiiomas  Farr.  The  first  mention  of  the  old  Pine  i 
Grove  Forge  is  in  tlie  minutes  of  the  Mount  Moriah 
Baptist  C'hurch,  in  Smithfield,  showing  that  Richard  ^ 
Reed  had  loaned  Thomas  Lewis  one  hundred  pounds 
of  Pennsylvania  money,  and  was  to  receive  in  pay- 
ment four  tons  of  iron  from  his  forge.  Previous  to 
this  lie  had  been  making  iron,  and  Mr.  Basil  Brown- 
field said  tliat  he  had  always  understood  from  old 
people  tliat  Pine  Grove  was  the  very  first  forge  west 
of  the  Allcghenies,  and  Mr.  Brownfield  was  raised  at 
Smithfield,  but  a  few  miles  from  the  location  of  this 
forge,  and  could  remember  back  as  far  as  1800.  Jacob  , 
Searing,  when  a  very  old  man,  informed  Joseph 
Hickle  that  he  dug  ore  for  Thomas  Lewis  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  before  he  failed,  and  the  failure  occurred 
in  1799.  The  earliest  mention  of  this  forge  which  we 
find  upon  the  county  records  is  in  a  mortgage  made 
by  Thomas  Lewis  to  Philip  Jenkins,  of  Georges  town- 
ship, in  1791),  which  embraced  "all  that  certain 
tract  of  land,  located  in  Georges  township  adjoining 
lands  of  Joseph  Stillwell,  John  Shacklet,  the  lieirs  of 
Augustus  Smith,  and  William  Davis,  witli  his  forge, 
houses,  and  all  manner  of  buildings."  All  of  this 
tract  of  land  was  held  by  warrant  and  improvement. 

At  this  forge,  by  the  use  of  charcoal,  they  worked 
the  raw  ore  into  bar  iron  of  unusual  toughness.  The 
ore  used  was  siieciallv  adapted  to  their  cnidc  iiruci's^, 


■kill' 


what  is  known  as  the  "  Re.l  Short  ;" 
the  vein  is  about  two  and  one-half  feet. 

The  forge  property  was  finally  sold  at  sherifl!''s  sale 
to  Isaac  Sutton,  for  one  hundred  and  forty-five  dol- 
lars. After  this  sale  by  the  sheriff  in  IS(H)  we  find  tli.it 
Thomas  Lewis  mortgaged  one-half  of  a  four-hundred- 
acre  tract,  upon  which  was  erected  a  forge,  dwelling- 
house,  etc.    This  tract  was  located  on  Georges  Creek. 

About  the  year  1789,  John  Hayden  dug  out  what 
he  supposed  was  limestone  from  the  creek-bed  of  a 
tributary  to  Georges  Creek,  in  Georges  township. 
The  location  is  said  to  have  been  on  the  line  which 
divided  the  properties  of  the  late  F.  H.  (_)lii)hant  and 
Rev.  Isaac  Wynn.     He  attempted   to   burn  his  sup- 


posed limestone,  but  found  it  would  not  work;  taking 
some  of  it  he  went  to  an  old  blacksmith-shop  which 
stood  at  the  corner  of  an  orchard  on  the  property  of 
Richard  Reed,  bought  by  the  Leathermans  in  1799, 
and  at  present  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Joel  Leather- 
man.  Here  he  soon  discovered  that  the  supposed 
limestone  was  iron  ore  of  the  best  quality.  After 
making  bis  discovery,  Mr.  Hayden  hurried  off  to 
Philadelphia  to  see  if  lie  could  there  interest  some 
wealthy  person  orjiersons  in  the  manufacture  of  iron. 
We  find  he  was  successful  in  his  eflfbrts,  for  in  1792, 
March  31st,  he  entered  into  partnership  with  John 
Nicholson,  State  comptroller,  under  articles  of  agree- 
ment, by  which  a  forge  and  a  furnace  were  to  be  built 
and  put  in  operation  on  land  which  had  been  pur- 
chased by  Hayden,  and  on  other  lands  in  Georges 
township  to  be  purchased  of  Joseph  Huston,  then 
sheriflf  of  Fayette  County.  The  result  of  this  agree- 
ment, the  completion  of  Hayilen's  forge,  but  failure 
to  finish  the  contemplated  furnace,  will  be  found 
more  fully  mentioned  in  another  part  of  this  work,  in 
the  account  of  iron  and  iron-works  in  the  county,  as 
will  also  be  found  separate  mention  of  the  old  "Fair- 
field," the  "Mary  Ann,"  the  "  Faircbance,"  and  Oli- 
phant's  Iron-Works,  which  were  erected  at  different 
periods  in  Georges  township. 

COKE   MANCFACTTRE. 

This  business  has  recently  taken  rapid,  progressive 
strides  in  this  township,  and  it  is  only  a  question  of  a 
few  years  until  there  will  be  a  continuous  line  of 
ovens  through  Georges  township,  along  the  line  of  the 
Southwest  Railway.  Already  the  Fairchance  Iron 
Company  have  ovens  manufacturing  coke,  wdiich 
they  consume  in  the  furnace.  The  "  Fayette  Coke 
and  Furnace  Company"  erected  extensive  coke-works 
in  1881  at  Oliphant's,  and  have  now  one  hundred 
and  thirty  ovens  in  successful  operation. 

The  "  Marie  Coke-Works,"  owned  and  operated  by 
Bliss  &  Marshall,  of  Uniontown,  are  located  on 
Georges  Creek,  about  half  a  mile  from  Fairchance, 
on  the  land  kniwn  as  the  Jacob  Kyle  farm,  which 
is  one  of  the  finest  mineral  farms  in  Fayette  County. 
Fifty  or  .ixty  acres  lie  on  water-level.  The  ores  are  of 
superior  ipiality, — Blue  Lump,  Big  Bottom,  and  Red 
Flag,— all  of  them  the  fine.st  of  blue  carbonates.  The 
coal  is  worked  from  crop.  The  land  on  which  this 
plant  is  located  is  admirably  adapted  in  every  respect 
for  furnaces  and  for  the  manufacture  of  coke,  being 
abundantly  sii])p!ied  with  pure  water  from  copious 
springs  and  from  tieorges  Creek,  which  runs  through 
the  larm.  The  present  number  of  ovens  at  these 
works  is  sixty,  which  will  be  increased  to  one  hun- 
dred, giving  employment  to  about  forty  men. 

MILL.S. 

One  of  tlie  earliest  industries  of  the  township  was 
the  erection  of  mills.  One  of  the  first  mills  west  of 
the  mountains  was  that  at  Georgetown,  now  Hayden- 


GEORGES  TOWNSHIP. 


569 


town.  Before  the  erection  of  lliis  mill,  and  Beeson's, 
at  Uniontown,  the  people  went  to  Fort  Cumberland 
for  their  flour.  This  mill  was  built,  it  is  said,  by 
Robert  Peoples  and  Jonathan  Reese,  two  of  the  most 
energetic  business  men  of  the  frontier  country.  It 
was  in  existence  at  the  opening  of  the  Revolutionary 
war,  and  was  owned  by  Philip  Jenkins  as  early  as 
1787.  Other  proprietors  have  been  AVilliam  Nixon, 
Andrew  Stewart,  John  Oliphant,  Jehu  Shadrack, 
who  was  succeeded  by  Andrew  McClelland.  Philip 
Victor,  when  he  came  into  possession  of  it,  remodeled 
it  and  sold  it  to  Jehu  Shadrack,  after  which  it  passed 
into  the  hands  of  William  Swaney,  who  operated  it 
a  number  of  years,  but  long  since  it  was  allowed  to 
pass  into  disuse,  and  is  now  but  a  remembrance  of 
what  it  was  in  past  years. 

Near  Smithfleld,  Jonathan  Reese  built  a  saw-mill 
before  1790,  aud  it  was  at  this  mill  that  the  timber 
was  sawed  for  the  Mount  Moriah  Baptist  Church  in 
1785.  At  first  horse-power  was  used ;  afterwards 
they  substituted  water-pow  er  for  its  propulsion. 

Nixon's  mill,  now  Abel's  mill,  was  built  before  the 
year  1800.  It  was  originally  constructed  by  Moses 
Nixon,  who  disposed  of  it  to  Jefferson  Nixon,  after 
which  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Pierce  Vernon  and 
John  Vernon,  then  J.  Mackeldowney,  who  sold  it  to 
Bryson  Abel,  and  it  still  remains  in  the  possession  of 
this  family.  This  was  an  excellent  flouring-mill  in 
its  time. 

The  Ruble  mill  was  originally  the  property  of  Me- 
shack  Davis  and  Jesse  Evans,  and  was  a  log  struc- 
ture. After  Davis  and  Evans  sold  it,  Lyons  and 
Thomas  Batt  came  into  possession,  and  they  sold  to 
Nathaniel  G.  Hurst.  In  1844,  Mr.  Hurst  had  the  new 
mill  built  upon  the  site  of  the  old  one,  the  millwright 
being  William  8.  Barnes.  The  contractors  upon  the 
framework  were  Robert  Britt  and  Robert  Britt,  Jr. 
The  mill  was  remodeled  by  Mr.  Mickey.  Mr.  Hurst 
traded  it  to  George  T.  Paull  for  a  farm  in  Dunbar 
township  about  the  year  1858.  Mr.  Paull  disposed  of 
it  to  William  Mock,  of  Westmoreland  County,  from 
whom  the  present  owner,  Mr.  Jacob  Ruble,  pur- 
chased it.  He  has  remodeled  it  recently.  It  has 
been  a  good  mill,  and  the  water  supply  is  sufficient  to 
run  it  all  the  year. 

Weaver's  mill  was  built  about  1806  by  Charles 
Erownfield,  who  eventually  disposed  of  it  to  James 
Downard.  Other  owners  have  been  William  and 
Henry  Brownfield,  William  and  John  Bitenour,  John 
Weaver,  and  the  present  proprietor,  Jacob  Weaver, 
who  has  constructed  in  recent  years  one  of  the  best 
grist-mills  in  this  section  of  the  county. 

About  1825,  George  Patterson  erected  what  was 
afterwards  known  as  Whistler's  mill ;  it  occupied  a 
site  near  where  Wood's  tannery  is  at  present  located. 

TAVERNS. 

For  the  accommodation  of  the  public  taverns  were 

established  at  a  very  early  date.     Soon  after  1800 


these  houses  of  entertainment  had  increased  until 
they  numbered  fifteen  or  twenty  in  Georges  township 
alone.  A  considerable  number  of  these  were  located 
on  the  Morgantown  road.  One  feature  of  the  hotels 
of  that  day  was  their  peculiar  signs  ;  for  example,  Pat- 
rick Gallaher  kept  the  tavern  where  he  had  as  a  sign 
the  "Jolly  Irishman;"  Daniel  Dimond,  the  "  Black 
Bear ;"  John  Emery,  "  The  Green  Tree  ;"  John  Chad- 
wick,  "The  White  Horse;"  Moses  Nixon,  "The  Fox 
and  Dogs;"  William  Spear,  in  Haydentown,  the 
"  Cross  Keys  ;"  James  Miller,  in  Haydentown,  "  The 
Black  Bull."  In  1791,  Hugh  Marshall  was  keeping 
tavern,  licensed  by  the  court  of  Fayette  County  ;  in 
1792,  Conrad  Mailer  was  added  to  the  list;  Caleb 
Hayes  in  1793;  John  Chadwick  in  1794;  Joshua 
Jamison,  1795;  Thomas  Jackson,  1795;  John  Mintun, 
1796;  Patrick  Gallaher,  1796;  John  Stark  in  1796; 
Barnet  Evertson  in  1797;  William  Spear,  1798;  and 
in  the  same  year  Paul  W.  Houston,  Isaac  Groover, 
Richard  Whealen,  Robert  Brownfield ;  and  from 
1800  down  to  the  present  time  the  following  per- 
sons have  kept  tavern,  some  for  a  brief  time,  others 
for  a  series  of  years:  Samuel  D.  Bowman,  Thomas 
Pugh,  Joel  Kendall,  Jacob  Hager,  David  Curry,  Wil- 
liam Moore,  Lott  \V.  Clawson,  Nathaniel  G.  Smith, 
Joseph  Lewis,  Samuel  Wiley,  Aaron  Joliff',  George 
Traer,  David  Trystler,  Nathan  Style,  Joseph  Victor, 
Moses  Nixon,  John  Thompson,  Joshua  Brown,  James 
Miller,  Daniel  Dimond,  David  Victor,  Joseph  Taylor, 
John  Emery,  Otho  Rhoades,  David  Hare,  Thomas 
Iliff",  James  Bryant,  Andrew  Collins,  George  Nixon, 
David  Parks,  James  Doran,  Zachariah  Wheat,  Jacob 
Johnston,  Matthew  Doran,  Nathan  Morgan,  David 
Fisher,  Jacob  Kyle,  Elias  Bailey,  Joseph  Kyle, 
Thomas  Gaddis,  John  Richards,  Peter  Goff",  William 
Campbell,  Andrew  McClelland,  Aaron  Stone,  Thomas 
I  Stentz,  John  Hall,  Henry  Kyle. 


DIPTILLERIE,'^. 

'       Both  previous  and  subsequent  to  the  Whiskey  In- 

'  surrection  whiskey  was  the  staple  commodity  of  the 
country  west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains.  The 
facilities  for  shipping  grain  were  poor  indeed,  and  the 
settlers  of  the  Redstone  country  soon  found  that  they 
could  distil  the  grain  into  whiskey,  and  thus  ship  it  in 
a  form  not  so  bulky  and  more  valuable.  Soon  dis- 
tilleries sprung  up  on  almost  every  farm  of  preten- 
sions, and  a  goodly  portion  of  these  establishments 
were  in  Georges  township.  Among  the  number  may 
be  mentioned  John  Vernon's,  near  Fairchance ; 
Thomas  Downard's,  near  Walnut  Hill,  in  the  Brown 

j  settlement.  Moses  Nixon  had  one  at  Fairchance  at 
the  time  of  the  Whiskey  Insurrection.  Richard  Reed 
had  one  at  the  same  time,  located  upon  the  farm  then 
owned  by  him,  now  in  possession  of  Joel  Leatherman. 

I  Col.  Zadoc  Springer  had  one  at  the  same  time. 
Squire  Ayres  had  one  at  an  early  date.     There  was 

!  also  one  in  Smithfield,  one  on  the  Smith  property 


EISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


near  the  Leatherman  place,  and  Charles  Browufield 
had  one  as  early  as  1790. 

MILITARY  MEMOIUS. 
Some  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  township  took  part 
in  the  i;evoliiti(iii.  Prominent  among  these  was 
Thomas  (iaddi-;,  who  lived  just  on  the  border  line 
between  Si  .uth  Union  and  Georges.  He  was  an  officer 
in  the  l!r\<)lutiiinary  army,  and  towards  the  close  of 
his  life  In'  ihiw  a  ]iension  from  the  government.  Col. 
John  .^IcCielland  was  also  in  the  Revolutionary  war 
as  an  offiour.  His  home  was  in  the  Hniwu  M.-ttleiiicnt. 
Zadoc  Springer  was  also  in  the  i;,\  uluiion,  and  held 

Others  were  Deimi-  Mrl'arty,  .1,,-,  ph 


a  commi>s 

Stillwell.  UuiMMt  Allisrui,  William  ('..Ivin.  .John  Pier- 
son,  Eobrrt  Jliist,  ad,  .T,,lin  P.invm,  Ihi-li  INIcL'lelland, 
Alexander  MeClellaiid,  John  Haydeii,  and  last,  but 
not  least,  Tom  Fossett,  who  was  a  soldier  tiu-  iiiany 
years.  He  served  under  Washington  in  the  Virginia 
Rangers,  and  was  with  Washington  at  his  tir,-t  battle 
at  Great  Meadows.  We  next  find  him  areoinp.uiying 
Braddoek  in  his  ill-fated  expedition  a-ain-t  F..rt  du 
Quesne,  and  finally  in  the  ranks  of  the  Contineiital 
army  in  the  Revolution.  Nearly  all  of  these  men 
served  through  the  Indian  wars.  Col.  Thomas  Gad- 
di>  was  with  the  ill-starred  expedition  of  Col.  Craw- 
ford ill  r,'s2,  and  returned  in  safety.  In  this  same 
eainpaigii  L'.ii)t.  John  JMcClelland  met  with  death  at 
the  baud-  of  the  Indians.  Thomas  Headdy  was  also 
killed  in  tjrawford's  campaign. 

There  were  two  companies  raised  in  this  community 
fur  tiie  war  of  1812;  one  was  commanded  by  Cai't. 
James  :\IcClelland,  of  this  township,  the  other  by 
Capt.  II.  Yeager,  who  belonged  to  that  part  of  Georges 
township  now  forming  the  southeastern  portion  of 
K icholson.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the  .sol- 
diers of  1812,  as  nearly  as  we  can  gather  them: 
P>asil  Bowel,  Stei)hen  Pollock,  Aaron  Ross,  Jeremiah 
Archer,  Uezin  Reed,  Jacob  Price,  James  Price,  Cato 
Hardin,  Joseph  Eaton,  Morris  Morgan,  Jacob  Green- 
lee, Thomas  Bowel,  Joseph  Thompson,  John  Getzen- 
diner,  Abraham  Croxen,  John  Thompson,  George 
Herod,  Thomas  Porter,  John  Trimble,  John  Gaddis, 
James  Mallaby,  James  Abraham,  Jacob  Akles, 
Edward  Coombs,  John  Coombs,  James  Hamilton, 
Thomas  Devan,  Caleb  Brown,  Melchoir  Hartman, 
Thomas  Reed,  Hugh  Tygart,  Thomas  Thompson, 
Jeremiah  Kendall,  William  Paruell,  Jonathan  Par- 
nell. 

The  s(ddiers  in  the  Mexican  war  wdio  were  from 
this  township  were  as  follows  :  Jacob  Earr,  Daniel 
Koontz,  William  Pixler,  Thomas  Braw  ley,  Davis  Vic- 
tor, Henry  Bryan,  John  Sutton,  Oliver  Jones,  and 
John  Stillwell." 

In  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  (1801-05)  there  was 
a  numerous  representation  from  Georges  township,  as 


follows:  Jacob  Farr,  Alfred  Swaney,  Ralph  Jones, 
Jesse  Jones,  Jesse  B.  Jones,  Robert  Brownfield,  James 
S.  Brownfield,  Zadoc  Brownfield,  Alexander  Brown- 

j  field,  Thomas  Brownfield,  Stephen  Brownfield,  Luther 
Brownfield,  James  Utt,  Allen  Mitchell,  William  Utt, 
Samuel  Conn,  Henry  W.  Moser,  John  Farr,  William 
Sessler,  Wesley  Sessler,  James  D.  Low,  James  Goodin, 
William  Balsinger,  John  Hartman,  Aaron  Hicklc, 
Lowry  Campbell,  George  Campbell,  Robert  Deyar- 

I  mon,  Ewing  Deyarmon,  John  Deyarmon,  Capt.  Ash- 

I  bel  F.  Duncan,  Lieut.  James  M.  Husted,  Lieut.  Al- 
bert G.  Hague,  Jcdin  C.  Pastories,  Washington  Pas- 
tories.  John  l>a-i..ries,  George  Cover,  Philip  Hugh, 
William  il.  Swaney,  Daniel  B.  Swaney,  John  Dan- 
iels, William  Saiitli,  William  Shumabarger,  Joseph 
Kinneson,  Geoige  Low,  William  S.  Bailey,  Benj.imin 
Marshall,  Benjamin  Showalter,  Joel  Reed,  Henry 
O'Xeil,  Joseph  A.  Rankin,  John  Humbert,  Benjamin 
Robinson,  Rees  Moser,  Samuel'McCarty,  George  Har- 
iliii,  Samuel  Artis,  George  Artis,  Frank  Abel,  Oliver 
Abel,    Benjamin   Wilson,    Jesse    Wilson,    Melchoir 

!  Hughes,  George  Fields,  Calvin  Burrier,  Robert  B. 
Cooley,  Asa  Cooley,  James  Pastories,  William  Yun- 
kin,  Henry  Abel.  Allis  Freeman,  Moses  H.  Freeman, 
Oliver  Stewart.  Lieut.  Etiielbert  Oliphant,  George 
Hiles,  J<iseph  Rhoades,  Frederick  Martin,  Samuel 
Davis,  Philip  Miller,  James  Victor,  Napoleon  B. 
Hardin,  Alexander  Swaney,  Andrew  J.  Hibbs,  Stur- 
geon Goodin,  Chaplain  Andrew  G.  Osborn,  Wilkins 
Osborn,  H.  M.  Osborn,  Isaac  B.  Osborn,  S.  F.  Osborn, 
Alexander  Osborn,  Joseph  Osborn,  John  Smith, 
David  Grove,  Peter  Hughey,  James  Hughey,  James 
Hiiglin,  ;\Ioses  Sangston,  Joseph  Sangston,  Henry 
Riese,  John  D.  Reese,  Albert  Woods,  Kern  Ward, 
Samuel  Higg,  William  Higg,  Andrew  Humbert,  Neil 
Hicks,  I'K.iijaniin  lllaek.  Harvey  Jlonteith,  George 
Smith,  John  Tliompson,  George  Hays,  Josiah  Mitch- 
ell, Ellis  Mitchell,  Albert  Ramage,  Duncan  Ramage, 
Washington  Ramage,  Jarrett  Tedrick,  John  Malone, 
Armstrong  Doyle,  Benjamin  Jordan,  Joseph  Bedin- 
gover,  Jackson  Smith,  Charles  Deyarmon,  Samuel 
Hague,  William  Hague,  Lucien  Leech. 

Capt.  James  M.  Hustead,  of  the  Fourteenth  Penn- 
sylvania Cavalry,  was  brought  up  in  this  township. 
In  INOi:  he  enlisuil  in  Capt.  Duncan's  company,  and 
was  eleetiil  to  ilu'  first  lieutenancy.  After  Capt.  Dun- 
can's dc  ath  Ir  was  jiromotcd  to  captain.  At  the  close 
of  the  111  1(1  lion  lie  entered  commercial  life,  and  has 
been  very  suircs-lul.  He  is  at  present  the  proprietor 
of  the  Dunbar  store,  and  he  and  Mr.  Isaac  Semaus 
have  a  store  at  Oliidiant's. 

The  McFall  Murder. — One  of  the  most  prominent 
features  of  the  history  of  this  township  is  her  crimi- 
nal annals.  Here  occurred  the  McFall  murder,  for 
which  he  was  tried,  convicted,  and  executed,  being 
the  first  one  who  suffered  the  death  penalty  in  the 
county.  The  statement  of  facts  here  given  is  from 
"  .Addison's  Reports,"  p.  255  : 


GEORGES  TOWNSHIP. 


571 


jcinipea  up  and 

said  ho  w 

JIcFiill  for  this 

McFall 

be  WHS  not  so  drunk  bu 

soon  went  away.     McFi 

le    would  hiive 

his   life 

nto  the  hou?o  a 

gain.    Ch 

"  Fayettk  Cor.NTV,  1 

"  Deciinbcr  Term,  1794.    )" 

Pennsylvania  i«.  John  JleFall. 
"  This  was  an  indictment  for  the  murder  of  .Tohn  Chndwick, 
on  10th  November,  1794.  In  the  morning  of  this  dny  McFall 
WHS  drunli,  came  to  the  house  of  Chadwiek,  who  kept  a  tavern, 
and  got  some  liquor  there.  One  Myers,  a  constable,  came  there. 
McFall  had  expressed  resenlment  against  Myers  for  having 
taken  him  on  a  warrant,  and  had  threatened  to  kill  or  cripple 
him  the  lirst  time  he  met  him.  When  McFall  saw  Myers  he 
uld  have  bis  life.  Chadwick  reproved 
ubbed  his  fists  a(  Chadwick,  and  said 
he  knew  what  he  was  doing.  Myers 
,  went  out  after  him,  and  again  said 
jMycrs  rode  off.  McFall  returned 
Chadwick  bade  him  go  home,  for  he  had 
abused  several  people  that  day,  and  had  got  liquor  enough. 
McFall  shook  hands  with  Chadwick  and  went  away.  Chad- 
wick shut  Ihe  door.  About  two  minutes  after  he  returned. 
Chadwick  rose  to  keep  the  door  shut ;  McFall  jerked  it  off  the 
hinges,  dragged  Chadwick  out,  and  struck  him  sever.al  times 
witli  a  club  on  the  head.  His  skull  was  fractured  by  the  blows, 
and  he  died  the  second  day  after.  .  .  ." 

McFiill  then  fled  to  Virginia,  where  he  was  tlint 
night  arrested  by  Robert  Brownfield  and  one  Jenlcins. 
He  would  not  admit  them  to  the  house  at  first,  but 
upon  their  stating  that  they  were  neighbors  and  there 
was  sickness  he  admitted  tlieni,  wliereupon  they  ar- 
rested liim  and  brotiglit  him  to  Uniontown  and  com- 
mitted him  to  jail. 

At  the  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  December 
term,  1794,  an  indictment  was  presented  against  John 
McFall  for  the  murder  of  John  Chadwick.  The 
jury  empaneled  in  the  case  were  Wm.  Taylor,  Adam 
Dunlap,  Jacob  Lyon,  Basil  Brashear,  James  McCune,  , 
Robert  McGlaughlin,  Elisha  Kerr,  Thomas  Rogers, 
John  Vv'ork,  Matthew  Neely,  Moses  Wells,  and  Za- 
doc  Springer.     James  Ross,  of  Pittsburirli,  appeared 

for  the  defendant,  and  Gulbruith  for  the  State. 

The  verdict  of  the  jury  is  as  loUows  :  The  jury  "do 
say  that  the  prisoner  is  guilty  of  murder  wherewith 
he  is  charged  in  the  first  degree."  After  convic- 
ti<in  he  escaped  from  the  jail,  and  was  apprehended 
at  Hagerstown.  He  w-as  e.xecuted  in  May,  1795, 
iHiwien  two  trees  that  stood  close  together  on  , 
liiiuirlas  Thicket,  or  Douglas  Bottom,  on  the  banks 
of  Redstone  Creek,  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
from  Uniontown,  immediately  north  of  the  Fair- 
Grounds.  Col.  James  Paull  was  sheriff',  and  employed 
one  Edward  Bell  as  executioner.  He  was  disguised, 
and  not  till  years  after  was  it  known  who  performed 
the  execution. 

The  Murdered  Peddler.— Sinn  after  1800  a  peddler 
stopped  at  a  tavern  stand  in  Smithfield,  intending  to 
stay  overnight.    John  Updyke  and  Ned  Cassidy  were  | 
there,  and  they  made  themselves  very  agreeable  to  the  ! 
peddler  upon  learning  that  he  carried  a  considerable  i 
sura  of  money  with  him.     They  drank  at  this  tavern 
and  at  the  White  Horse  tavern  until  the  convivial  j 
spirit  rose  to  its  highest  degree.    Proving  hail-fellows 
well  met,  they  persuaded  the  peddler  to  go  to  Harden-  I 


town  with  them.  At  a  late  hour  the  trio  were  seen 
starting  for  Updyke's,  but  were  never  seen  together 
again,  and  the  peddler  was  never  heard  of  again. 
There  was  a  field  of  Updyke's  near  his  house  whicii 
had  a  dense  thicket  in  it.  A  man  passing  by  there 
the  next  day  heard  cattle  lowing,  and  saw  them  tear- 
ing up  the  ground  and  nnich  disturbed;  he  went  in 
to  find  out  the  (mu-c,  il  ii  .  ould  be  ascertained,  and 
to  his  surprise  lir  >;lu  h.m  i  -  of  blood  and  other  indi- 
cations pointing  to  toul  play,  and  most  likely  a  mur- 
der committed  there.  The  place  where  a  horse  had 
been  tied  and  evidences  of  its  having  been  frightened 
were  apparent.  The  gentleman  secured  the  aid  of 
a  few  othirs,  and  they  tracked  the  horse  to  a  pair  of 
bars  wliich  hd  out  of  the  field,  and  there  they  found 
the  print  of  a  niiin's  bloody  hand  ujion  the  bars,  where 
he  had  taken  hold  of  them  to  let  them  down.  Up- 
dyke and  t'a^sidy  were  never  arrested.  Soon  after 
Updyke  was  taken  down  with  a  loathsome  disease, 
which  was  said  to  have  been  superinduced  by  poison 
given  him  by  Cassidy,  who  was  afraid  that  Updyke 
would  cli\ul;^i'  tluM  rime  or  turn  State's  evidence.  He 
soon  died  a  no.st  le-rrible  death.  Ned  Cassidy  went 
West  as  soon  as  Updyke  had  died.  He  there  com- 
mitted another  murder,  for  which  he  was  tried,  con- 
victed, and  before  being  executed  lie  made  a  confes- 
sion, in  which  he  stated  that  he  and  Updyke  had 
murdered  the  peddler,  and  after  securing  a  handsome 
sum  of  money  they  sunk  his  body  in  Brownfield's 
mill-dam.     William  Sturgis  has  the  confession. 

The  Fol/i/  Winhvns  3furder.~Thh  tragedy  occurred 
at  the  White  Rocks,  in  this  township,  May  12,  1810. 
Philip  Rogers,  the  perpetrator  of  this  crime,  lived  near 
New  Salem,  in  the  valley  east  of  the  town.  His  vic- 
tim lived  at  or  near  New  Salem.  Rogers  had  been 
paying  attentions  to  her  for  some  time.  Mr.  Wil- 
liams, Mary's  father,  was  going  to  Steubenville,  Ohio, 
to  live,  and  desired  his  daughter  to  accompany  him, 
but  Rogers  persuaded  her  to  remain  where  she  was, 
and,  she  being  engaged  to  him,  was  influenced  to  do  as 
he  wished.  The  father  of  Mary  Williams  had  had 
suspicions  of  Philip  Rogers  on  more  than  one  occa- 
sion. At  one  time  Rogers  tried  to  persuade  her  to 
accompany  him  to  the  river  after  he  had  seduced  her, 
intending  doubtless  to  drown  her,  but  she  would  not 
go.  One  day  he  told  her  they  would  go  to  Wood- 
bridgetown  and  get  married.  Accordingly  they  started 
afoot  for  Woodbridgetown  as  she  supposed.  Instead 
of  going  to  that  jilace  they  went  to  the  White  Rocks, 
a  secluded  place  on  the  summit  of  the  mountain. 
Here  the  terrible  tragedy  occurred  which  has  since 
marked  that  place,  and  will  for  years  to  come  dis- 
tinguish it  as  the  spot  wdiere  innocent  blood  was  shed. 
From  those  who  wei'e  there  when  her  lifeless  body 
was  found  we  learn  the  following  facts:  It  seems  that 
some  persons  were  gathering  huckleberries  near  by, 
and  upon  hearing  her  screams  they  ran  from  the 
mountain  thinking  it  the  screams  of  a  panther.  In  a 
few  days  after  there  were  some  other  persons  near  the 


57: 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


White  Rocks  gathering  huckleberries,  and  they  were 
attracted  by  the  barking  of  a  dog  they  had  with  them. 
Upon  going  to  the  place  where  the  dog  was,  they 
found  the  murdered  girl.  Mr.  Basil  Browufield'  was 
present,  and  says  that  there  were  signs  of  the  fearful 
struggle  on  the  verge  of  the  rocks,  as  though  she  had 
escaped  from  him  and  had  run  some  distance  into  the 
laurel-bushes,  where  she  had  been  overtaken  by  Rogers, 
and  the  place  where  the  struggle  took  place  was  torn 
up  for  several  yards  around.  She  was  a  strong  girl, 
and  he  could  not  drag  her  back  to  the  cliff  of  rocks. 
It  appears  as  if  the  struggle  inur^t  have  lasted  several 
minutes,  and  that,  fightiiiLT  fnr  her  life  as  she  was,  she 
could  not  be  overcome  until  tlie  vilhun  grasped  a  large 
stone  in  his  hand  and  striK-k  her  on  the  head  with  it 
until  she  was  insensible,  then  dragged  her  back  to 
the  precipice,  but  here  she  must  have  shown  signs  of 
recovering,  for  it  seemed  as  if  he  was  afraid  to  ap- 
])roach  the  summit  of  the  rock  and  throw  her  over  for 
fear  that  she  might  in  the  death-struggle  drag  him 
over  with  her.  There  is  a  passage-way  to  the  base  of 
the  rocks,  and  through  this  there  were  indications  of 
her  having  been  dragged.  He  then  went  to  the  sum- 
mit of  the  cliff  of  rocks  and  cast  bowlders  down  upon 
her.  One  of  these  stones  Jlr.  B.  Brownfield  has  in  his 
possession ;  when  he  picked  it  up  it  had  both  blood 
and  hair  upon  it.  In  the  laurel  thicket  where  the 
chief  struggle  occurred  was  found  the  bloody  stone 
w  ith  which  he  struck  her. 

The  news  of  the  tragedy  flew  as  though  on  electric 
wings,  and  soon  hundreds  gathered  at  the  base  of  the 
mountain,  where  the  poor  murdered  girl  had  been 
taken,  and  viewed  the  crushed  and  mangled  remains. 
She  was  buried  and  afterwards  disinterred,  and  the 
gentleman  from  New  Salem  with  whom  she  had 
lived  having  arrived,  he  recognized  her  as  Mary 
^Villiams.  Soon  after,  Pliil.  Rogers  was  arretted, 
and  the  following  mention  of  it  is  taken  from  the 
c'lurt  record:  "Commonwealth  against  Philip  Rogers. 
Murder,  a  true  bill.  In  custody,  Jacob  Moss"  [the 
man  with  whom  she  lived],  "for  himself  and  wife,  of 
German  township,  tent  in  §200 ;  Dennis  McCuker,  of 
German  township,  tent  in  §100;  Moses  Nixon,  of 
Georges  township,  tent  in  $100.  Conditioned  that 
they  shall  appear  at  the  next  Court  of  Oyer  and  Ter- 
miner to  testify.  August  22,  1810.  Indictment  for 
murder  found  at  August  sessions,  1810.  Noveiiilur 
22,  1810,  defendant  being  arraigned,  plead-  iK.t 
guilty.  Issue  and  rule  for  trial.  Same  day  triril 
and  verdict  not  guilty.  Same  day  prisoner  dis- 
charged."  Thus  terminated  a  farce  of  trial  by  jury, 
and  on  a  technicality  of  the  law,  together  with  the 
eli"iuence  of  Jennings,  of  Steubenville,  Ohio  (for- 
merly from  the  vicinity  of  New  Salem),  the  lawyer 
for  Rogers,  lie  was  acquitted.  Rogers  afterwards 
went  to  Greene  County,  where  he  married,  reared  a 

1  Wlifu  this  ncci.nnt  wus  wnlteii   (Juno.  18S1)  Mr,  Brownfiuld  was 


family  of  boys,  and  when  his  miserable  life  was 
ended  his  remains  were  refused  interment  in  any 
graveyard. 

SCHOOLS. 

One  of  the  first  school-houses  in  the  territory  west 
of  the  Allegheny  Mountains  was  the  old  log  school- 
house  located  between  Suiithfield  and  Haydentown. 
This  building  was  erected  before  1780,  and  one  of  the 
pupils  in  it  at  that  early  date  was  Robert  Browufield, 
father  of  Basil  Brownfield,  from  whom  much  interest- 
ing data  for  this  history  was  gathered.  A  Mr.  J.  Jame- 
son was  the  first  teacher.  Robert  Ritchey,  for  twenty 
years  justice  of  the  peace  for  Georges  township,  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  J.  Jameson  as  teacher  in  this  ancient 
school. 

About  1803,  when  the  Presbyterian  Church  built 
their  log  church  building,  they  also  took  into  consid- 
eration the  feasibility  of  erecting  a  .school-house,  so 
that  their  children  might  secure  a  rudimentary  knowl- 
edge of  the  English  language,  and  here  alongside  the 
church  they  built  a  riuk-  big  school-house,  and  in  1812, 
April  27th,  they  ail\erii-eil  in  the  Genius  of  Liberty 
for  a  teacher.  Tin.'  fallowing  is  the  advertisement  as 
it  appears  in  the  Genius  of  that  date:  "A  Teacher 
Wanted. — A  young  man  who  can  come  well  recom- 
mended as  a  teacher  of  an  English  school  will  meet 
with  good  encouragement  by  applying  to  the  sub- 
scribers, who  live  adjoining  the  meeting-house." 
Signed  by  Rev.  James  Adams,  John  Knight,  and 
Moses  Dunham,  trustees. 

Soon  after  1800  the  citizens  living  in  the  vicinity 
of  where  Leatherman's  school-house  now  stands  con- 
cluded to  erect  a  building  for  school  purposes.  In 
accordance  with  this  desire  a  sufficient  sum  was  soon 
collected  and  a  lug  building  was  erected,  which  served 
as  a  school-house  fur  many  years.  It  was  known  as 
Miller's  schuol-house,  and  was  located  on  the  prop- 
erty of  the  gentleman  for  whom  it  was  named. 

At  Woudbridgetown  there  was  a  log  school-house. 
John  Tedrick  was  the  schoolmaster,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  PIiiiK'as  G.  Sturgis. 

Pauir>  >rlpH,l  icitived  its  name  from  George  T. 
Paul),  wli.i  aided  till-  entcrjir^e  by  donating  the  lot  of 
ground  upon  whicli  the  building  was  erected.  After 
the  passage  of  the  common-school  law  at  the  session 
of  Assembly  in  183-1  the  educational  interests  took 
an  advaiirc  step.  At  January  sessions  of  court,  1835, 
s,|uiri'  Avirs  and  James  Robinson  were  appointed 
M  hnnl  diiicturs  for  Georges  township,  and  held  their 
pu^itiun  until  an  election  had  taken  place.  Under 
this  common-school  law  hiany  schools  have  sprung 
up  through  the  township,  and  one  of  these  is  Paull's. 
There  have  been  two  houses  devoted  to  common- 
school  education  at  Paull's.  The  first  was  a  brick 
structure,  and  remained  but  a  few  years  in  use,  until  it 
was  succeeded  by  the  present  school-house,  which  was 
erected  about  185.5.  The  teachers  who  have  taught 
here  have  been  William  Johnson,  Samuel  Rothar- 
mel,  James   Showaltcr,  Milton  Sutton,  James   IIol- 


GEORGES   TOWNSHIP. 


573 


bert,  Clayton  Richards,  Clay  Showalter,  Sallie  Ruble, 
James  Provance,  L.  Rhoades,  Lizzie  Abraham. 

The  Pleasant  Hill  school  came  into  existence  about 
1840,  the  first  building,  like  the  present  one,  having 
been  a  brick  structure.  In  this  school  Frederick 
Martin,  Nancy  Martin,  Rev.  William  R.  Patton  (be- 
fore entering  the  ministry),  Samuel  Rotharmel,  Clay- 
ton Richards,  and  Altha  Moser  taught.  In  1871  the 
new  building  was  completed,  and  since  then  the 
teachers  have  been  Dr.  James  F.  Holbert,  William 
A.  Richards,  James  Provance,  Oliver  P.  Moser,  Aaron 
C.  Holbert,  Maggie  Field,  and  I.  Sturgis  Stentz. 

The  Upper  Haydentown  school  building  is  of  stone. 
The  teachers  have  been  Henry  Mitchell,  Sallie  Ruble, 
J<ihn  Tamkin,  I.  S.  Stentz,  and  Hannah  Ruble. 

The  Lower  Haydentown  school  was  built  about  1870. 
It  is  a  brick  building.  The  teachers  have  been  Clay- 
ton Richards,  Martha  Robinson,  Snyder  Hague,  John 
C.  Jliller,  Sallie  Ruble,  and  Leah  Carothers. 

The  Three-Mile  Spring  school,  three  miles  above 
Haydentown,  was  erected  one  year  ago.  It  is  a  log 
school-house.  The  teacher  during  the  last  term  was 
James  Showalter. 

The  Leatherman  school-house  was  built  about  1 840. 
The  first  house,  like  the  present  one,  was  of  brick. 
The  teachers  in  the  old  building  were  Lucien  Leech, 
John  G.  Hertig,  Clark  Vance  (who  afterwards  became 
a  Baptist  preacher).  Rev.  John  S.  Gibson  (at  present 
a  Cumberland  Presbyterian  minister).  Rev.  James 
Power  Baird  (also  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian  cler- 
gyman), Samuel  J.  Acklin,  Hugh  Smith,  James  Henry 
Dougherty,  James  W.  French  (afterwards  a  Baptist 
minister),  James  W.  Showalter,  Albert  H.  Smith. 
In  1870  the  old  structure  was  torn  away,  and  a  com- 
modious new  brick  was  built  to  take  its  place.  The 
other  teachers  have  been  James  F.  Holbert  (at  pres- 
ent practicing  medicine),  J.  C.  Miller,  Isaac  Coldren, 
Annie  Oglevee,  James  Miller,  Michael  Franks,  and 
Lizzie  Black. 

The  Custer  school  was  opened  about  1S40.  The 
structure  was  of  brick.  In  the  old  building  the  fol- 
lowing persons  taught:  James  M.  Hustead,  James 
French,  William  Patton,  John  Anderson,  Amadee 
Trader,  Sarah  Conn,  Albert  Smith,  and  Lucien  Leech. 
In  1873  the  new  school-house  was  built,  and  since 
then  the  teachers  have  been  Isaac  Coldren,  James 
Presley  Smith,  William  Fouch,  and  Oliver  P.  Moser. 

The  Deyarmon  was  one  of  the  first  common  schools 
in  the  township  after  the  law  went  into  effect.  Some 
of  the  instructors  have  been  John  G.  Hertig,  Robert 
Allen,  James  W.  Showalter,  Milton  Sutton,  William 
Nixon  Canan,  Joseph  C.  Stacy,  Hervey  Smith,  Carrie 
Herbert,  Abraham  Humbert,  Albert  Hutchinson, 
Frances  Mackey.  This  building  has  been  twice  re- 
modeled. .  The  latter  alteration  was  done  by  the 
Uniontown  Planing  Mill  Company,  during  the  sum- 
mer of  1880. 

The  White  Rock  school  was  organized  in  1879.  The 
teachers  have  been  Hannah  Ruble  and  Mollic  Griffith. 


The  first  building  erected  for  the  common  schools 
was  at  Smithfield  as  early  as  183G.  The  frame  build- 
ing is  yet  standing,  but  is  no  longer  used  for  school 
purposes.  During  the  past  few  years  the  directors 
have  rented  the  academy  for  the  use  of  the  common 
school.  The  teachers  have  been  Gideon  G.  Clemmer, 
Nathaniel  Walker,  Eliza  Showalter,  Joseph  C.  Stacy, 
George  G.  Hertzog  (at  present  a  professor  in  the  Cal- 
ifornia Normal  College,  Wasliington  County),  George 

D.  Purinton,  James  W.  Showalter,  James  Provance, 
A.  C.  Gilbert,  Aaron  C.  Holbert,  William  Richards, 
John  C.  Miller,  Lizzie  Abraham,  Michael  Franks, 
Lizzie  A.  Black. 

The  Fairchance  school  was  commenced  in  1838  in 
a  frame  house.  The  new  building,  a  brick  one,  was 
constructed  in  1875.  Revs.  J.  Gibson  and  J.  P.  Baird 
both  taught  in  the  old  house,  and  since  the  new  one 
was  built  the  following  teachers  have  acted  as  in- 
structors: Leah  A.  Cardtlior-;,  James  W.  Showalter, 
Jennie  R.  Griffith,  Jnlm  ( '.  Mill.-r,  .M;ii-tlia  Robinson, 
James  P.  Smith,  Maggie  FirM,  Liz/.ic  Wilson. 

The  Walnut  Hill  school  was  originally  known  as 
Brown's  school.  The  pres'ent  house  is  the  second 
within  the  past  forty  years;  the  first  was  built  of 
logs,  the  present  of  brick.    Some  of  the  teachers  have 

been  J.  P.  Blair,  Ellas  Green, Frazer,  Carman 

Cover,  Noble  McCormick,  W.  Osborn  (now  a  prac- 
ticing physician  in  Kansas),  Albert  H.  Smith,  Abra- 
ham Humbert,  Mollie  Griffith,  Sallie  Dawson,  J. 
Newton  Lewis. 

GEORGES   CHEEK    .iCWDEMY. 

The  Baptist  Church  in  Smithfield  saw,  as  early  as 
1854,  the  necessity  of  an  academy  of  learning  in  the 
town.  The  subject  was  brought  up  at  the  monthly 
meeting.  The  Methodists  and  other  denominations 
were  willing  to  aid  the  enterprise,  and  thus  the 
project  took  definite  shape,  and  in  1856  the  court  at 
March  sessions  granted  a  cliarter  to  the  Georges 
Creek  Academy,  and  constituted  the  following  per- 
sons a  body  politic  to  carry  into  effect  the  object  for 
which  it  was  founded,  viz.,  "A  seminary  of  learn- 
ing." The  original  trustees  were  Enos  Sturgis,  Rev. 
Isreal  D.  King,  Hon.  John  Brownfield,  Dr.  H.  B. 
Mathiot,  Benjamin  F.  Brown,  William  Conn,  Isaac 
Franks,  John  Summers,  Gideon  G.  Clemmer,  A.  J. 
Patton,  Luther  W.  Burchinal,  William  P.  Griffin, 
James  Hess,  John  Downey,  Rev.  Caleb  Russel,  John 

E.  Taylor,  Aaron  W.  Ross.  In  1856  the  contract  was 
awarded  to  Luther  W.  Burchinal  &  Co.  to  build  the 
necessary,  school-house.  In  the  spring  of  1857  the 
academy  was  ready  for  occupancy.  Since  then  the 
Georges  Creek  Academy  has  been  one  of  the  sources 
of  knowledge  for  that  whole  community.  Sometimes 
during  its  most  prosperous  sessions  there  have  been 
more  than  one  hundred  students  attending.  The 
professors  who  have  had  charge  of  this  academy  are 
as  follows,  viz. :  C.  A.  Gilbert,  Mrs.  C.  A.  Gilbert, 
Aaron  Ross,  Joseph  Smith,  H.  H.  Blis^  J.  B.  Solo- 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


moil,  A.  L.  Puriuton,  Fannie  Gerard,  Miss  Bryce, 
Carrie  Mathiot. 

Gen.  Alexander  McClellan  had  built  an  academy 
upon  Ills  farm  long  previous  to  the  erection  of  the 
Georges  Creek  Academy.  He  used  it  for  school  pur- 
poses and  also  for  preaching,  but  we  will  not  refer  to 
it  here  at  length,  as  it  belongs  to  the  portion  of 
Georges  townshi])  which  was  given  to  Nicholson 
when  it  was  formed  in  184-5. 

After  the  passage  of  the  act  of  1834  establishing 
public  schools,  the  January  term  of  court  of  Fayette 
County  in  183-5  appointed  Squire  Avers  and  James 
Eobinson  school  directors.  The  amount  of  State  ap- 
propriation for  this  township  for  1835  was  8124.4(3',, 
and  county  appropriation  8248. 93^.  The  township 
reported  to  the  ci.uiity  1 1(  a-iirer  Jan.  5,  1836,  in  com- 
pliance with  the  n  iiiiiiLniciils  of  the  law. 

The  subsequent  school  directors  of  this  townshiii 
have  been  Stejihen  Eichards,  William  :\bis,..r,  Wil- 
liam Miller,  Henry  Bowell,  James  Franks.  Frfdi-rirk 
Roderick,  Daniel  Smith,  Nathaniel  (i.  Hui-t,  Jona- 
than Custer,  Henry  Brownfield,  Jaml,  llaMenian. 
Henry  Hayden,  Isaac  Harvey.  .la.-,, 1,  Kyi,-,  .T,,hn  L. 
Patton,  Saaniel  Vance,  James  Hii-li,  r;ru!;en  Hague, 
Teagle  TnuU-r,  William  MrC'l.-aiv,  J,,-ri.h  Swaney, 
Ethelbert  Sutton,  Jnhii  A.  Saiigstn,,,  J.>lin  A.  Patton, 
Humphrey  Humphries,  William  Vance,  Hugh  De- 
yariMon,  U.  L.  Clemmer,  Joseph  Moser,  John  N. 
Freeman,  Moses  Nixon.  Alexander  Swaney,  John 
First,  Win.  Sturi;i~,  (4roigc  D.  Moore,  Solomon 
Smith,  Pobert  liritt,  t^vv-v  T.  Paull,  Joel  Leather- 
man,  Henry  B.  .^Iathi..t,  William  Hague,  John  M. 
Clark,  Alexander  Deyarmon,  Peter  S.  Haldeman, 
Isaac  Franks,  Abraham  Hibbs,  John  Swaney,  Abra- 
ham Brown,  William  Custer,  William  Rhoades,  Jack- 
-11  Wilson,  William  D.  Nixon,  Warner  Hugh,  Otho 
Virtor,  S.  A.  Fouch,  William  Trader,  H.  J." Dough- 
erty, William  Shoof,  Henry  Kyle. 

CHURCHES. 

Cnc  of  the  earliest  churches  of  the  county  was  on 
the  Philip  Rogers  farm,  in  the  township,  the  property 
being  now  owned  by  the  Fairchance  Iron  Company. 
The  log  church  was  built  upon  the  summit  of  a  hill,  j 
near  the  Morgautown  road  and  the  old  Cherokee  ' 
trail.  The  site  commanded  a  view  of  the  country 
eastward  to  the  mountain,  and  westward  over  the 
valley  then  owned  by  the  Carrs,  now  in  the  posses- 
.sion  of  the  Colliers.  This  church  was  built  before 
the  Revolution.  It  was  a  German  Baptist  Church. 
Nothing  is  left  to  mark  the  location  but  a  very  an- 
cient graveyard.  When  the  Corbly  family  was  mur- 
dered by  the  Indians  in  Greene  County  a  messenger 
came  to  tliis  church  and  informed  them  of  that  ter- 
rible slaughter.  When  the  news  was  brouglit  they 
were  at  worship. 

Among  the  ministers  who  cared  for  this  frontier 
church  we  may  mention  John  Corbly,  the  father  of 
the  ill-fated  familv,  Thomas  Stone,  Mavberry,  David 


Lovebcrry.  It  was  the  custom  to  gather  in  tlie  morn- 
ing and  remain  nearly  all  day  at  the  church  ;  the 
people  invariably  carried  their  trusty  old  flint-lock 
rifles  with  them,  and  were  ever  on  the  alert  for  their 
red  foe.  This  building  was  eventually  destroyed  by 
fire,  which  originated  in  the  forest.  A  few  logs  were 
left  to  mark  the  site  of  the  ancient  temple  of  wor- 
ship. In  1820  these  logs  were  visible,  but  within  the 
space  inclosed  within  the  logs  were  walnut-trees  of 
thirty  years'  growth  apparently.  One  feature  of  the 
pioneers  of  this  section  evidently  was  their  religious 
zeal,  and  it  was  handed  down  to  their  descendants, 
thus  founding  the  Christian  religion,  and  lending  to 
this  community  all  the  prosperity  attendant  upon  the 
worshipers  of  God. 

Mount  Moriah  Baptist  Church  was  originally  a 
branch  of  Great  Bethel  Baptist  Church  of  Uiiior.- 
town.  On  the  30th  of  October,  1784,  it  was  consti- 
tuted an  independent  church,  with  twenty-seven 
members,  viz.:    William  We  Is,  Rebecca  Wells,  Jo- 

spidi  Th a<,  Jane  Jenkins,  Owen  Davis,  Hannah 

Davis,  Joseph  Brown,  Abigail  Brown,  David  Morgan, 

Robert  Hanna,  Ann  Griliin,  Jeremiah  Becks,  Dinah 

Becks,  Thomas  Bowell,  Ann  B.iwell,  Richard  Reed, 

Sarah   Reed,  Ann   Coombs,   Eliza  Carr,  Eliza  Ash- 

I  craft,    Sarah     Hardin,    Jonathan    Pane,    Balthazcr 

,  Drago,     Margaret     Wood,    Philip     Jenkins,     Jesse 

i  Coombs,  Abraham  Hardin. 

After  the  church  had  been  organized  the  first  pastor 
to  preside  over  the  congregation  and  minister  to  their 
spiritual  needs  was  James  Suttou,  a  brother  of  Isaac 
Sutt.in,  tluii  ]. reaching  lor  the  Great  Bethel  Church. 
The  im-MD-ers  to  the  Association,  Sept.  10,  1785, 
were  Philip  Pearce,  Thomas  Bowell,  and  Rev.  James 
Sntton.  At  a  lui-iii.-:-  in.cting  held  on  Sept.  9,  1786, 
the  following-naiiud  ]nT.-ons  were  appointed  to  meet 
at  the  house  of  William  Archer,  each  one  being  re- 
quested to  bring  a  horse,  in  order  to  draw  logs  to  the 
saw-mill  to  make  seats  for  the  meeting-house:  David 
.Morgan,  William  Wells,  Richard  Reed,  Jeremiah 
Beck,  Charles  Griffin,  Philip  Jenkins,  Joseph  Brown, 
and  John  Taylor. 

Rev.  James  Sutton  acted  as  pastor  until  May  12, 
1787,  at  which  time  he  was  dismissed  at  his  own  re- 
quest, to  accept  a  call  to  the  Mount  Pleasant  Church, 
Monongalia  County,  Va.  Rev.  Samuel  Woodbridge 
was  the  second  preacher  for  this  congregation,  ac- 
cepting a  call  as  early  as  March  1,  1786.  At  that 
time  it  seems  to  have  been  quite  common  for  the 
churches  to  have  two  or  more  preachers  at  the  same 
time.  One  would  preach  twice  in  each  month,  and 
the  other  minister  would  alternate  with  him.  On 
the  3d  of  November,  1788,  Rev.  George  Guthrie  was 
chosen  pastor.  At  this  meeting  it  was  decided  to 
meet  during  the  winter  at  the  house  of  John  Griffith  ; 
this  was  necessary  on  account  of  the  church  needing 
some  repairs.  Dec.  13,  1788,  Philip  Jenkins  was  ap- 
pointed to  assist  William  'Wells  in  settling  the  ac- 


GEORGES  TOWNSHIP. 


575 


count  for  repairing  the  church.  Rev.  John  Corbly 
was  the  next  minister,  liaving  received  his  call  Dee. 
13,  1788.  On  the  13th  of  June,  1789,  David  Love- 
borrow  was  called  and  accepted,  becoming  their  fifth 
preacher.  At  the  monthly  meeting  Oct.  10,  1789,  it 
was  decided  to  complete  the  carpenter-work  on  the 
meeting-house,  and  to  meet  the  ne.xt  Friday  to  plaster 
the  house.  Dec.  10, 1791,  Ovven  Davis  was  appointed 
to  lay  out  the  grounds  where  the  meeting-house  and 
graveyard  were,  so  that  the  graveyard  could  be  fenced. 
At  the  monthly  meeting,  Sept.  8,  1792,  Robert  Han- 
nah and  David  Morgan  were  appointed  "to  select 
men  to  put  in  joice  at  the  meeting-house."  At  this 
same  meeting  a  call  was  extended  to  Rev.  Benjamin 
Stone,  of  Hampshire  County,  Va.,  who  became  their 
next  minister.  Rev.  John  Patton  assumed  the  pas- 
torate in  1811,  and  continued  for  many  years  in  charge 
of  this  church. 

It  was  decided  Feb.  10, 1816,  that  "  the  congregation 
must  have  a  new  church."  The  old  church  had  served 
its  purpose  well,  and  now  the  movement  was  to  replace 
it  with  a  more  commodious  brick  church.  Accord- 
ingly Richard  Patton  and  Robert  Hannah,  Jr.,  were 
appointed  to  procure  a  lot  for  the  same.  Subsequently 
Michael  Franks  and  Robert  Britt  were  appointed  to 
receive  from  Charles  Brownfield  a  deed  for  the  buiy- 
ing-ground  and  lot  for  the  new  church.  The  new 
church  building  was  erected  by  Gideon  Way  as 
contractor  and  builder,  and  was  completed  in  1825. 
About  this  time  Rev.  James  Frey  was  called  to  the 
charge,  and  remained  pastor  until  1831,  al  which  time 
Rev.  George  J.  Miles,  of  Miles.burg,  Centre  Co.,  Pa., 
was  called  to  preach  for  this  people.  On  the  13th  of 
February,  1832,  Rev.  Benoni  Allen  succeeded  G.  J. 
Miles,  at  a  salary  of  SloO  per  year.  Jan.  12,  1832, 
Rev.  John  Thomas  was  chosen  to  preach  once  a  month. 
In  1833,  Eliel  Freeman  was  granted  permission  to 
hold  a  singing  school  in  the  church. 

Oct.  10,  1835,  Rev.  David  Thomas  was  called  to 
preach  once  a  month,  at  a  salary  of  $50  per  year.  In 
March,  183G,  a  Mr.  Gould  was  permitted  to  talk  upon 
the  subject,  "The  Abolition  of  Slavery,"  in  the 
church.  He  proceeded  to  lecture,  and  considerable 
controversy  springing  up,  it  was  thought  best  that  he 
should  not  speak  again  in  the  church.  When  he 
could  no  longer  secure  the  church  for  his  lecture 
against  slavery  he  procured  a  room  in  the  house  at 
present  occupied  by  William  Campbell  as  a  hotel, 
and  would  have  spoken  there  but  for  the  timely 
knowledge  received  from  a  friend  that  a  plan  had 
been  perfected  whereby  he  was  to  be  kidnapped  and 
handed  over  into  the  hands  of  the  Virginians,  who 
were  anxious  to  lay  hands  upon  him. 

In  1837  it  was  decided  that  the  members  of  the 
church  should  hand  in  their  valuation  of  property, 
and  support  the  preacher  accoriliiiL,'  tn  tluir  means. 
May  12,  1838,  Joseph  Grover,  ni;,i»  William  F.  Mis- 
sildine,  of  Medina  County,  Ohio,  wa>  call.d,  and  ac- 
cepted the  call  at  §150  per  year.     After  acting  as 


pastor  for  a  time  he  became  popular  and  married  into 
one  of  the  most  highly  respectable  families  in  the 
church.  Soon  there  came  a  report  injurious  to  his 
character;  upon  inquiry  it  was  found  to  be  true. 
Upon  finding  that  his  true  character  was  known  he 
left  the  country  and  never  returned.  The  succeed- 
ing preacher  was  Rev.  J.  W.  B.  Tisdale,  who  came 
Dec.  8,  1838,  at  a  salary  of  $200  per  year.  At  the 
meeting  of  Feb.  9,  1839,  an  Auxiliary  Mission  So- 
ciety was  organized  in  conjunction  with  the  "  Monon- 
gahela  Home  Missionary  Society."  In  this  society 
Squire  Ayers  was  made  president ;  Enos  Sturgis,  vice- 
president;  N.  R.  Walker,  secretary;  and  D.  Patton, 
treasurer.  In  1843,  Rev.  A.  J.  Penny  was  called  as 
pastor,  at  a  salary  of  $200  a  year.  The  next  minister 
was  Rev.  Caleb  Rossel,  who  was  called  March  7, 
1846.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Purinton, 
March  8,  1851.  At  the  monthly  meeting  Feb.  7, 
1852,  it  was  resolved  to  open  a  Sabbath-school  in  the 
church  April  1,  1852. 

On  the  13th  of  May,  1854,  Rev.  Israel  King  was 
chosen  pastor.  In  1855,  John  Sutton  was  appointed 
to  take  charge  of  the  singing.  April  12,  1856,  Rev. 
D.  B.  Purinton  was  called  to  minister  to  the  church, 
and  he  served  until  Sept.  12,  1857,  at  which  time 
he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  J.  Collins.  In  1858, 
John  E.  Patton  took  charge  of  the  choir.  In  1859 
the  church  purchased  a  house  from  William  Hannah 
for  four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  which  they  con- 
verted into  a  parsonage. 

For  a  number  of  years  the  church  building,  which 
had  been  completed  in  1825,  had  been  considered  un- 
safe; accordingly  the  ciiurch  concluded  to  erect  a 
new  house  of  worship.  Tlie  followijig  building  com- 
mittee was  appointed  :  Phineas  G.  Sturgis,  Jeremiah 
Burchinal,  Luther  AV.  Burchinal,  Samuel  Anderson, 
and  William  Conn.  In  1862-63  the  present  large 
brick  church  was  built  at  a  cost  of  about  four  thou- 
sand dollars,  one  hundred  thousand  brick  being  re- 
quired in  its  construction.  The  lot  upon  which  it  was 
built  was  bought  of  William  Parshall,  Esq.  The  new 
church  was  dedicated  in  January,  1864.  During  the 
two  years  required  for  the  erection  of  their  new  house 
of  worship  the  Methodists  kindly  gave  them  permis- 
sion to  hold  service  in  their  church. 

This  church  has  had  since  its  organization  in  1784 
the  following  ministers:  James  Sutton,  Samuel  Wood- 
bridge,  George  Guthrie,  John  Corbly,  David  Love- 
borrow,  Benjamin  Stone,  James  Estep,  John  Patton, 
James  Frey,  George  J.  Miles,  BenOni  Allen,  John 
Thomas,  David  Thomas,  Joseph  Grover,  J.  W.  B. 
Tisdale,  A.  J.  Penny,  Caleb  Rossel,  J.  M.  Purinton, 
Israel  King,  A.  J.  Collins,  D.  B.  Purinton,  J.  M. 
Hall,  Jonathan  Smith,  J.  Moffatt,  and  William  Wood. 
This  church  has  licen.sed  the  following  persons  to 
preach,  viz.:  James  Patton,  Nov.  12,  1809;  William 
French,  Sept.  13,  1823;  Jeremiah  Burchinal,  Sept. 
13,  1823;  William  Wood,  Sept.  30,  1830;  Levi  Grif- 
fith, Sept.  30,  1830;  David  Evans,  Sept.   30,  1830; 


57G 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


John  Eockafellow,  Aug.  24,  1832  ;  Abraham  Bow- 
man, June  8,  1833;  Garret  Patton,  Jan.  13,  1S39;  S. 
Kendall,  April  9,  1842;  W.  W.  Hickman,  Nov.  11, 
1843  ;  Lewis  Sammons,  Feb.  8,  1851  ;  Benjamin  F. 
Brown,  Aug.  12,  1854;  Phineas  G.  Sturgis,  Oct.  7, 
1854;  George  W.  Hertzog,  Jan.  13.  1855.  Some  of 
the  secretaries  have  been  Philip  Jenkins,  Jeremiah 
Sutton,  Richard  Patton,  Moses  .lellrics,  Pu.liert  Han- 
nah, Reuben  Sutton,  David  Evans,  W.  Miller,  Eu- 
gene Sturgis,  D.  P.  Smith,  Phineas  G.  Sturgis,  T.  J. 
Conn.  Some  of  tlie  treasurers  have  been  A.  J.  Sut- 
ton, T.  Biirchinal,  and  Gideon  G.  Clemmer.  The  fol- 
lowing were  among  the  early  deacons :  Owen  Davis, 
Feb.  12,  1785  ;  Robert  Hannah,  Sept.  8,  1792  ;  Jere- 
miah Kendall,  Jan.  13,  1798  ;  Michael  Franks,  Feb. 
9,  1822. 

TEXT  PRESrA'TERI.AX  CHURCH. 
This  church  was  organized  a  number  of  years  be- 
fore the  present  century.  As  early  as  Nov.  14,  1792, 
David  Smith  was  licensed  liy  the  Redstone  Presbytery 
to  preach,  and  at  once  settled  at  the  Tent  and  at 
Georges  Creek.  These  two  ap]iointments  he  contin- 
ued to  fill  until  shortly  before  his  death,  which  oc- 
cuiicd  Aug.  24,  1S03.  He  was  the  father  of  the  Rev. 
J(.-i|ili  Smith,  who  has  in  his  "Old  Redstone"  done 
Ml  much  to  embalm  the  history  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  At  the  time  when  Rev.  Smith  was  pastor 
over  this  congregation  it  is  most  likely  that  they 
worshiped  in  an  old  log  house;  but  previous  to  1792 
this  ilmrch  had  derived  its  name  from  the  fact,  it  is 
-aid.  that  tliey  w<.r>hiped  in  a  tent.  In  1805  the 
Union  Presbyterian  Church  of  Georges  township 
bought  from  Daniel  Dimond  a  lot  of  ground  u])on 
which  to  build  a  house  of  worship.  They  immedi- 
ately proceeded  to  erect  their  church  building,  which 
was  a  large  log  structure.  In  this  church  they  wor- 
shiped for  a  considerable  Icngtli  of  time.  About  this 
time  ElKtie/er  Jeniiiii-s  was  their  ]iast<ir.     Rev.  Jen- 

this  county,  ami  was  a  lirotlier  of  the  noted  attorney 
from  Steubenville,  Ohio,  who  defended  Philip  Rogers, 
and  was  successful  in  clearing  him  in  the  Polly 
Williams  murder  trial. 

John  Adams  was  preaching  for  the  Tent  Church 
during  the  war  of  1812.  Then  came  William 
Wiley,  who  was  pastor  about  1820.  Rev.  Ashbel 
Fairchild  took  charge  of  the  church  in  1827,  and  re- 
mained its  pastor  for  a  great  many  years,  during 
which  time  there  was  great  prosperity.  The  church 
had  decided  to  build  a  new  church.  In  tearing  down 
the  log  structure  a  melancholy  accident  occurred, 
which  resulted  in  the  death  of  Thomas  Heddy  and 
Henry  Dimond.  The  weather-hoarding  on  the  west- 
ern gable  had  not  been  taken  ofF,  and  the  rafters 
having  been  stripped  of  all  the  boards  a  pufF  of  wind 
struck  the  gable  and  blew  the  rafters  against  one  an- 
other, there  being  nothing  to  stay  them,  and  before 
they  had  warning  sufficient  to  save  themselves  they 
were  can 'lit  between  the  rafters  and  were  crushed  to 


death,  and  it  was  with  considerable  difficulty  that 
their  bodies  were  extricated.  Mr.  Dimond's  residence 
was  near  b}',  almost  opposite  the  present  residence  of 
William  James.  The  pulpit  taken  from  the  old  log 
church  is  at  present  used  by  a  Presbyterian  Church 
near  Elliot's  Mill,  in  Wharton  township. 

The  brick  building,  the  walls  of  which  are  yet 
standing,  took  the  place  of  the  former  rude  building, 
and  met  with  no  accident  until  April  14, 1878,  when,  as 
the  sexton  was  kindling  a  fire  for  the  morning  service, 
the  building  was  fired  from  a  defective  flue  and  was 
soon  destroyed.  The  members  of  the  church  imme- 
diately set  about  rebuilding,  and  the  contract  was 
soon  thereafter  let  to  Fuller,  Laughead  &  Co.,  of 
Uniontown,  who  soon  had  the  new  church  ready  for 
the  dedicatory  ceremonies,  which  occurred  Aug.  4, 

^  1878,  Rev.  S.  S.  Gilson,  of  Uniontown  Presbyterian 
Church,  preacbini:- the  sermon,  and  Rev.  S.  L.  Bergen 
l>eing  in-tallr.l  pa-tur.  In  addition  to  the  names  of 
the  mini^ti  rs  already  mentioned  the  following  have 
preached  for  this  church  :  Revs.  Rogers,  J.  C.  Hench, 
and  J.  B.  Dickey. 

The  Rev.  Ashbel  Green  Fairchild,  D.D.,  was  born 
at  Hanover,  N.  J.,  May  1,  1795,  and  graduated  at 
Princeton  College  in  the  class  of  1813.  He  was 
licensed  to  preach  by  the  Presbytery  of  New  Jersey 
in  April,  181G,  and  was  ordained  an  evangelist  by  the 
Redstone  Presbytery,  July  1,  1818.  He  commenced 
preaching  at  Georges  Creek  in  1822.  In  1827  he  re- 
signed from  that  charge,  which  was  connected  with 
Greensboro'  and  Morgantown,  and  was  installed  pas- 
tor of  the  Tent  Church.  Ho  was  the  author  of  the 
"  Great  Supper,"  "  Baptism,"  "  Unpopular  Doc- 
trines," and  "  What  Presbyterians  Believe."  He 
died  June  30,  1864,  after  a  long  and  useful  life,  and 
left  a  lasting  iiifluen<'e  for  God  and  the  right. 

I  The  Rev.  David  Smith,  tlie  first  pastor  of  the  Tent 
Prasbyterian  Church  of  whom  we  have  any  knowl- 
edge, was  born  in  1772,  and  after  graduating  at 
Hampden  Sydney  College  he  came  West,  and  was  li- 
censed by  the  Redstone  Presbytery  to  preach,  Nov. 
14,  1792,  and  settled  at  Georges  Creek  and  the  Tent 

'  Churches.  He  was  the  father  of  Rev.  Joseph  Smith, 
the  historian  of  "  Old  Redstone."  He  died  Aug.  24, 
1803. 

SJIITDFIELD   METHODIST   EPISCOPAL   CIIURCn. 

This  society  was  organized  about  1819,  by  Dennis 

Batty   and   a   Mr.   Stevenson.     Tlie    place   of   their 

I  meeting   was   at   Dr.   Sackett's   residence,  one   mile 

south  of  Smithfield.     James   Smith   applied  to  the 

'  preacher  on  the  Redstone  Circuit  to  organize  a  church, 

and  a  sufficient  number  of  members  having  been  se- 

i  cured  the  society  was  organized.     At  that  time  Red- 

!  stone  Circuit  included  all  of  Fayette  County.     The 

original  members  of  this   church   were  as  follows  : 

I  James  Smith,  Candacy  Smith,  Rachel  Smith,  Martha 

I  Smith,  Freeman  Smith,  Stephen  Smith,  Mary  Smith, 

Hannah   Smith,  Benoni    Freeman,  Mary   Freeman, 

Lydia  Dunliam,  Eve  Sackett,  Rebecca  Cooley,  Nancy 


GEORGES  TOWNSHIP. 


577 


Griffin,  Gen.  Alexander  McClellan,  and,  soon  after, 
Dr.  Sackett. 

Tlie  preaching  was  continued  at  the  house  of  Dr. 
Sacl:ett  for  two  or  three  years,  after  which  it  was 
changed  to  the  house  of  James  McCormick,  who  had 
iu  the  mean  time  connected  himself  with  the  church. 
At  sundry  times  they  had  service  at  Benoni  Free- 
man's and  James  Smitli's.  The  church  had  the  ser- 
vice of  a  minister  every  two  weeks.     Henry  B.  Bas- 

com,  Poole,  John  Watterman,  Simon   Lauck, 

and  Thornton  Fleming  were  some  of  the  eminent 
ministers  who  preached  for  this  church  in  its  infancy. 
Occasionally  the  presiding  elder  would  come  to 
Smithfield.  The  most  prominent  of  these  elders  was 
the  Rev.  Thomas  M.  Hudson.  He  was  considered 
the  most  eloquent  divine  that  ever  preached  in  this 
part  of  the  county.  When  it  was  announced  that 
Rev.  Hudson  would  preach  the  church  would  not 
hold  the  congregation,  and  hundreds  would  stand 
on  the  outside  and  listen  to  his  eloquence.  He  not 
only  possessed  remarkahle  power  and  magnetism  .as  a 
speaker,  hut  was  one  of  the  hest  singers  west  of  the 
Alleghenies. 

In  1833  a  camp-meeting  was  held  in  the  grove  on 
Gen.  Alexander  McClellan's  place,  on  the  hill  above 
where  Georges  Creek  Academy  now  stands.  Gen. 
McClellan  advertised  that  he  would  keep  all  of  the 
preachers  who  came  to  the  camp-meeting.  This 
proved  to  be  a  great  meeting,  and  thoroughly  built 
up  and  established  Methodism  in  the  vicinity  of 
Smithfield.  Among  the  ministers  who  were  present 
and  preached  were  Revs.  Drummond,  George  Holmes, 
W.  Stevens.  On  Sabbath  there  were  about  three 
thousand  people  present. 

Jan.  27,  1834,  the  trustees  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  bought  from  Thomas  Gaddis  a  lot  in 
Smithfield,  containing  nine  thousand  six  hundred 
square  feet,  the  consideration  having  been  fifty^dol- 
lars.  The  names  of  the  trustees  were  Benoni  Free- 
man, James  McCormick,  Stephen  Smith,  Thomas 
Batt,  and  Alexander  Brownfleld. 

The  preachers  in  this  church  have  been,  in  addition 
to  those  already  named,  as  follows,  viz. :  J.  K.  Miller, 
John  Martin,  John  J.  White,  David  L.  Dempsey,  David 
Hess,  William  Tipton,  Hamilton  Cree,  Warner  Long, 
Ebenezer  Hays,  Henry  Kerns,  Richard  Jordan,  Jolm 

L.  Irwin,  Samuel  Wakefield, Gorden,  M.  Ruter, 

McClaig,  John  S.  Lemon,  L.  A.  Beacom,  Joseph 

Horner,  Henry  Long,  William  K.  Foutch,  William 

C.  P.  Hamilton,  W.  K.  Brown,  H.  Snyder,  Isaac  P. 
Sadler,  John  Mclntire,  E.  B.  Griffin,  Thomas  H. 
Wilkinson,  A.  L.  Ch.apman,  J.  L.  Stifl'y,  Charles  Mc- 
Caslin,  J.  Momyer,  D.  J.  Davis,  Sylvanus  Lane,  M. 

D.  Lichliter,  R.  J.  White,  John  T.Stiffy,  and  W.  L. 
McGrew,  who  is  the  present  pastor.  Under  the  pas- 
torate of  John  T.  Stiffy,  in  1878,  a  substantial  brick 
parsonage  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  fifteen  hun- 
dred dollars. 

This   church   has   produced    the    following-named 


persons  for  the  local  ministry:  Henry  B.  Mathiot, 
James  H.  Green,  S.  E.  Feather,  and  W.  Richards. 

The  leaders  of  classes  have  been  William  McClcary, 
John  Downey,  R.  C.  Baily,  William  P.  Green,  Jolm 
L.  Whetstone,  and  Wesley  Laken.  At  an  early  date 
there  were  others. 

The  stewards  of  the  church  have  been  Henry  B. 
Mathiot,  Ignatius  Feather,  Thornton  F.  Farmer, 
William  E.  Reynolds,  James  McCormick,  Aaron 
Ross,  J.  H.  Stumm,  William  MeCleary,  and  P.  S. 
Haldeman. 

FAIRCHANCE    METHODIST   PROTEST.^NT   CHURCH. 

This  church  was  built  jointly  with  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Church,  about  the  year  1840.  About 
1855  the  Cumberland  Presbyterians  sold  their  interest 
in  the  house  of  worship  to  the  Methodists,  and  the 
latter  church  has  nntil  the  last  few  years  used  this 
church  building  for  their  meetings.  Recently  the 
building  has  become  so  thoroughly  unfit  for  meeting, 
on  account  of  want  of  repairs,  that  the  house  has 
been  abandoned.  The  congregation  thought  that  it 
was  not  worth  repairing,  and  have  now  collected 
sufficient  money  to  erect  a  commodious  house  of  wor- 
ship, which  has  been  already  let  to  the  enntractors, 
and  will  be  completed  in  the  present  se:isnri  ( ls,si  ,. 

Among  those  who  organized  this  cluiich  the  fol- 
lowing members  may  be  mentioned:  Elias  Mclntire, 
Theophilus  Ellsworth,  John  Means,  Jacob  Waid, 
John  Pugh,  Samuel  Colley,  Isaac  Harvey,  John 
Carr,  Abram  Hayden,  and  their  several  wives. 

The  ministers  who  have  preached  to  this  congre- 
gation are  as  follows:  Denton  Hughes,  Peter  T. 
Laishley,  Amos  Hutton,  William  Betts,  F.  H.  Davis, 
Isaac  Francis,  Henry  Palmer,  Jesse  Hull,  James 
Phipps,  John  Tygert,  John  Rutledge,  Milton  Still- 
well,  Peter  T.  Conaway,  Henry  Lucas,  George  G.  Con- 
way, William  Wallace,  and  Edward  A.  Brindley. 

F.\IRCHANCE   CUMBEKLAND   PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

This  society  was  organized  about  1840.  Among  the 
first  members  were  A.  J.  Osborn,  William  Campbell, 
Solomon  Smith,  Joel  Leatherman,  Mrs.  John  Hay- 
den, and  Adam  Canan.  As  early  as  1830  there  were 
some  members  of  this  branch  of  Presbyterianism  in 
Georges  township.  Prominent  among  them  were 
William  Nixon,  Isaac  Nixon,  and  Judge  Samuel 
Nixon. 

On  the  property  of  W^illiam  Nixon,  now  owned  by 
Col.  J.  Robinson,  there  was  a  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian camp-meeting  held  in  1833,  and  for  several 
years  subsequent.  There  wore  a  number  of  substan- 
tial tents  erected,  and  the  arrangements  were  com- 
plete for  camp-meeting.  The  Revs.  Donnell,  Bryan, 
Sparks,  Bird,  and  John  Morgan  were  i)rescnt  during 
the  exercises,  and  preached  to  the  large  concourse 
of  people  that  gathered  to  attend  something  new  in 
that  region.  The  church  was  much  strengthened  by 
the  additions  from  the  camp-meeting.  Afterwards 
the  members  succeeded  in  building  a  church  in  union 


573 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


with  the  Methodist  Protestants,  and  had  {^reaching 
for  some  fifteen  years.  During  the  time  while  the 
society  flourished  Eevs.  Andrew  J.  Osborn,  James 
I'ower  Baird,  William  Hannah,  and  J.  Henderson 
were  pastors  over  tlie  flock. 

WOODIiRIDGRToWX   SEVENTH-PAT    B.\PTIST   CHURCH. 

This  church  was  a  log  structure,  and  was  built  by 
the  Rev.  Samuel  Woodbridge,  somewhere  near  1790. 
Mr.  Woodbridge  acted  as  pastor  himself  for  many 
years.  Enoch  David  was  also  a  in-eacher  here;  he  j 
died  Nov.  28,  1798,  and  his  remains  were  interred  at 
the  graveyard  near  the  church.   Other  preachers  were 

John  Corbly, Stone, May  berry,  and  Thomas 

Hersey,  who  was  chaplain  of  a  regiment  in  the  war 
of  1812.  William  Brownfield  preached  there  some- 
times.    It  has  long  since  gone  to  ruin.  i 

GUoVK    GKCOIAN    liAl'TIST   CIIIRCH.  ! 

OnSept.  l.'i,  is:;;,  William  .^I.i>cr,i>f  Georges  town-  | 
ship,  sold    to  S.iinucl    AcIjo,   Ephraini   Walters,  and  j 
Daniel  Moscr,  trustees  for  the  Georges  German  Bap-  ; 
tist  Association,  fifteen  and  a  half  perches  of  land  in 
Georges    townshij),   for    the   purpose   of  erecting   a 
church.     In  1838  this  church  (a  log  building)  was 
built.     The  families  who  constituted  the  membership 
of  this  church  were  the  Bakers,  Gaus,  Leathermans, 
Mosers,  Aches,  Covers,  and  Longaneckers. 

Tbe  ministers  presiding  over  this  congregation  | 
have  l)een  Joseph  Leatherman,  Isaiah  Custer,  James 
Kelsd,  James  Fouch,  James  t^uintcr,  Jacob.  Mack, 
,losi'[>h  I.  Cover,  A.  J.  Sterling,  and  John  Johnson. 
The  two  last  miMitidiiid  arc  llir  present  pastors. 
About  IMII  tlic  old  lui;  >lniruiir  w  as  toru  dowH,  and 
the  site  uas  ii-rd  Inr  the  iieu  lV:iiiie  church  which  is 
now  li-cil  by  the  church.  About  IStiO  there  was  a 
Salilpatli-srlidiil  (>i-:;anized  in  connection  with  this 
church,  throu:;li  the  labors  and  under  the  superin- 
tendency  of  William  Moser.  It  remained  in  exist- 
ence some  three  or  four  years. 

WAI.NCT    niLt.   :\IETII0PIST   EPISCOrAL   CHURCH.  I 

There  was  a  society  at  Walnut  Hill  as  early  as  1815,  j 
and  shiirtly  altri-  tliat  liii  ISi^l  )  they  were  successful 
in  building  a  chuivl,,  whirl,  tluy  us,',l  f,,r  many  years 
and  then  convcrte.l  it  into  a  scIiik.I-Iihusc.    Tlieliuild- 
ing  stood  near  the  residence  of  Mr.  William  Trader. 
George  Watters  was  the  chief  mover  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  this  society.     Others  of  the  original  members 
were  George  Grifiith,  Jlichaol  Mink,  Noble  McCor- 
mick,  Jfrs.  Mieliael  Mink,  Harriet  McCormick,  Mary 
McCormick,  Catherine  »  wimth,  Sarah  Grifiith,  Elisha 
Griffith,  and   Mrs.  Elisha   (iriffith.     On   the   17th  of  I 
January,   1821,  a   deed  for  the  lot  of  ground  upon  ! 
which  the  church  was  to  be  built  was  made  by  Thomas 
Downard  and  Barbara,  his  wife,  to  George  Grifiith,  > 
Michael  Mink,  and  Noble  McCormick,  trustees  of  the 
church,  the  consideration  having  been  ten  dollars,  for 
a  certain  lot  from  the  tract  of  land  called  Thomas- 
town,  situate  in  Georges  township,  adjoining  of  James 


Fouch  and  Joseph  Hadden,  containing  fifty-eight 
perches.  When  this  building  had  become  so  much 
dilapidated  that  it  was  no  longer  fitted  for  the  pur- 
pose for  which  it  had  been  built,  the  society  held 
meetings  at  private  houses  and  the  school-house. 
About  the  year  1850  the  members  concluded  that  it 
was  best  to  have  a  new  house  of  worship.  A  sub- 
scription paper  was  started,  and  with  such  able  men 
as  John  A.  Sangston,  John  N.  Freeman,  Howard 
Griflith,  and  Andrew  McCIellan  to  aid  in  the  prog- 
ress of  the  work  it  soon  took  definite  shape,  and  the 
elegant  new  brick  church  building  in  which  the  con- 
gregation now  woisliips  was  built.  John  N.  Freeman, 
Jolm  .\.  Sangston,  Howard  Griffith,  and  Andrew 
McClelland  all  aided  with  both  means  and  influence 
to  the  project.  Since  that  time  this  church  has  been 
very  prosperous.  The  Sabbath-school,  which  was  or- 
ganized soon  after  1850,  has  been  kept  up  as  a  sum- 
mer school.  Mr.  John  N.  Freeman  bequeathed  to 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  five  hundred  dollars 
at  his  death.  He  was  for  a  great  many  years  actively 
identified  with  this  the  church  of  his  choice.  Some 
of  the  ministers  have  been  L.  R.  Beacom,  who  was 
pastor  in  charge  wlien  it  was  built;  Joseph  Hor- 
ner, Henry  Long,  William  K.  Fouch,  William  C.  P. 
Hamilton,  H.  Sny.lcr,  W.  K.  Brown,  Isaac  P.Sadler, 
John  McTntire,  E.  B.  Gritfin,  T.  H.  Wilkinson,  Rich- 
ard Jordan,  A.  R.  Chapman,  J.  L.  Stifly,  Charles 
McCaslin,  J.  Momyer,  D.  J.  Davis,  Sylvanus  Lane, 
M.  D.  Litchliter,  r'  J.  White,  John  T.  Stifly,  and  W. 
L.  McGrew,  the  present  p.astor.  It  has  belonged  to 
Fayette  Circuit,  and  has  been  allotted  the  same  pastors 
the  other  charges  have  had.  Sometimes  John  Water- 
man, H.  B.  Bascom,  John  Fielding,  Simon  Lauck, 
Thornton  Fleming,  and  other  prominent  ministers  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Clmrch  preached  to  this 
congregation.  Some  of  the  officers  in  more  recent 
years  have  been  :  Stewards,  John  N.  Freeman,  James 
Lewis,  \\  illiani  Trader,  James  Sessler,  and  Joseph 
Sangston;  Leader,  James  Lewis;  Trustees,  John  N. 
Freeman,  James  Lewis,  William  Trader,  James  Sess- 
ler, Joseph  Sangston. 

Squire  Hayden  has  been  a  local  preacher,  and  is 
connected  with  this  church.  In  1878,  under  the  pas- 
toral charge  of  Rev.  John  T.  Stiff'y,  this  church  was 
remodeled  and  p:iinted  and  papered  at  an  expense  of 
two  hundred  dollars. 

S.ABDATIl-SCHOOLS. 

Perhaps  the  very  first  Sabbath-school  in  the  town- 
ship, and  certainly  one  of  the  earliest  in  the  county, 
was  called  the  "Ore  Bank  Sabbath-school."  Eliel 
Freeman  was  the  superintendent  in  1825.  It  was  a 
Union  school. 

In  1842  a  Sabbath-school  was  organized  at  Leather- 
man's  school-house.  Solomon  Smith,  Esq.,  was  super- 
intendent. This  was  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
school.  For  the  past  twenty  years  there  has  been  a 
Union  school  at  the  Leatherman  school-house.     Dur- 


GEORGES   TOWNSHIP. 


ing  this  time  Solomon  Sniitli,  Reuben  Hague,  Hum- 
phrey Humphreys,  Esq.,  John  C.  Miller,  and  Lucien 
Leech  have  acted  as  superintendents.  This  school  is 
in  session  about  six  months  in  the  year. 

The  Tent  Church  Presbyterian  school  was  organ- 
ized about  1828,  Eliel  Freeman  having  been  the  first 
superintendent.  He  has  been  succeeded  by  the  fol- 
lowing gentlemen  :  J.  Kennedy  Duncan,  Alexander 
Deyarmon,  Alfred  Stewart,  William  Custead,  John 
Smith,  and  John  Oliphant.     It  is  a  summer  school. 

The  Fairchance  Presbyterian  school  was  opened  by 
tlie  eftbrts  of  Dr.  Ashbel  Fairchild,  J.  Kennedy  Dun- 
can, and  Fidelio  H.  Oliphant.  The  superintendents 
of  this  school  have  been  Fidelio  H.  Oliphant,  Wil- 
liam Pastories,  J.  Kennedy  Duncan,  Samuel  Duncan, 
Joshua  V.  Gibbons,  and  Esquire  Humphrey  Humph- 
reys. 

The  Mount  Moriah  Union  school  was  one  of  the 
first  in  the  field.  Previous  to  1820  Mr.  Basil  Brown- 
field  attended  Sabbath-school  in  the  old  "  Log  Meet- 
ing-house" at  Smithfield.  At  that  time  Phineas  Stur- 
gis  was  the  superintendent.  At  that  early  day  there 
was  some  dissension  as  to  the  propriety  of  having  the 
school  in  the  church;  subsequently  it  was  held  for  a 
number  of  years  at  private  residences.  In  1852  the 
Baptist  Church  organized  a  school,  and  held  the  ses- 
sions in  the  "Brick  Church."  In  1838  the  Mount 
Moriah  Church  held  Sabbath-school  services  in  the 
church  for  a  while.  Since  the  last  organization,  April 
1,  1852,  the  school  has  been  continued,  and  the  place 
of  meeting  has  been  the  church.  The  school  is  in 
session  twelve  months. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  school  was  organized  by 
William  McCleary  about  1850.  The  next  superin- 
tendent was  William  P.  Green,  and  since  that  time 
Dr.  Henry  B.  Mathiot  and  John  Downey  have  pre- 
sided over  the  school  in  the  capacity  of  superintend- 
ent. Under  the  superintendency  of  William  Mc- 
Cleary the  school  made  wonderful  progress.  He 
acted  as  its  presiding  oflScer  until  his  removal  from 
Smithfield.  In  1861  the  numerical  strength  of  this 
school  was  one  hundred  and  twenty-five.  The  num- 
ber on  the  roll  at  present  is  in  excess  of  one  hundred. 
The  school  is  in  session  all  of  the  year. 

The  Haydentown  Union  school  was  organized  as 
early  as  1838,  in  the  school-house,  by  F.  H.  Oliphant 
and  Thomas  Faw.  Since  then  the  school  has  had  for 
its  superintendents  Rev.  John  McCarty  and  James  D. 
Lowe. 

PauU's  Union  Sabbath-school  has  been  in  existence 
for  about  twenty  years  as  a  summer  school.  Mr.  George 
T.  Paull  was  instrumental  in  securing  its  organization. 
The  superintendents  have  been  Phineas  G.  Sturgis, 
John  E.  Patton,  Joseph  Hickle,  Andrew  J.  Stewart, 
George  Miller,  and  Charles  H.  Mathiot. 

For  a  number  of  years  a  Union  Sabbath-school  was 
in  existence  at  the  Fairchance  Methodist  Protest^mt 
Church. 

The  Walnut  Hill  Methodist  Episcopal   Sabbath- 


school  was  organized  about  1850.  The  superintend- 
ents have  been  I'enjamin  King,  John  ;\I.  Frccnuui, 
and  Lucien  Leech. 

WOODBRIDOKTOWN. 

This  was  originally  Mifflintown,  named,  we  believe, 

1  in  honor  of  Governor  Thomas  Mifflin.     It  was  then 

i  a  town  of  some  importance.    Here  John  Hall,  Joseph 

Taylor,  Aaron  Joliff,  and  David  Trystler  kept  tavern. 

Col.  Thomas  Brownfield   had   a  tannery  soon  after 

1800;  tliis  t:iiinrry  w.is  liiiill  iind  tni-  ;i  time  operated 

by  Josi-|>li  M(ni1(nli:ill.     iHiii.iiiiiii  I'aine  had  here  a 

carding-Jiuicliine    bcfiu'o    1M"|.      There  was   an    old 

school-house  here.    John  Tedrick  taught  here,  as  also 

Phineas  G.  Sturgis. 

FAIRCHANCE. 
This  place  has  grown  with  the  increased  prosperity 
of  the  furnace,  until  at  present  it  is  a  town  of  con- 
siderable importance.  In  this  town  there  are  two 
churches,  viz.,  Presbyterian  and  Methodist  Protestant, 
and  for  a  time  there  was  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian. 
The  history  of  these  churches  will  be  found  under 
their  respective  titles.  For  a  great  many  years  F.  H. 
Oliphant  and  others  who  were  engaged  in  the  furnace 
business  have  had  a  company  store  at  this  place.  In 
more  recent  years  the  Fairchance  Iron  Company's 
store  and  those  of  Robert  Goldsboro  and  James  Shay 
have  been  doing  the  mercantile  trade. 

SMITHFIELD. 

This  town  was  laid  out  by  Barnabas  Smith  on  the 
13th  day  of  June,  1799.  The  tract  upon  which  it  was 
laid  out  was  known  as  "Beautiful  Meadows,"  and 
was  originally  the  property  of  Jonathan  Reese,  who 
patented  it  Feb.  10,  1787.  Barnabas  Smith  married 
Elizabeth  Reese,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Reese,  and 
through  her  received  this  tract  of  land.  John  Fisher 
bought  a  lot  in  the  town,  which  was  then  known  as 
Smithfield;  his  purchase  was  made  on  May  13,  1801. 
Another  lot  was  bought  by  Samuel  D.  Bowman,  May 
30,  1801.  The  consideration  he  paid  was  fourteen 
dollars  for  No.  11  in  the  plan  of  Smithfield.  Other 
lot-buyers  were  Robert  Brownfield,  Benjamin  Wheeler, 
David  Hartmau,  Isaac  Groover,  and  Samuel  Ken- 
nedy. 

From  the  very  first  the  name  of  the  town  was  Smith- 
field.  The  Brownfields  owned  land  nearly  all  around 
the  town.  About  the  time  of  the  war  of  1812  it  was 
decided  by  the  governmental  authorities  to  open  a 
post-oflice  in  Smithfield," and  then  the  question  arose, 
What  should  the  office  be  named?  Some  were  in 
favor  of  Smithfield,  while  others  favored  Brownfield- 
town.  To  settle  the  matter  in  dispute  it  was  left  to 
the  voters  of  the  township  to  decide  what  the  name 
of  the  new  post-office  should  be.  Robert  Brownfield 
furnished  whisky  freely  to  one  of  the  tavern-keepers, 
and  Barnabas  Smith  gave  an  equal  quantity  to  an- 
other tavern-keeper,  and  these  gave  the  ardent  freely 
to  the  voters.     The  day  was  almost  gone,  and  no  vot- 


5S() 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ing  had  been  done  as  yet,  when  Col.  John  Olijihant 
]nit  in  an  appearance  on  the  scene,  and  seeing  that 
the  voters  were  too  driinlv  to  properly  exercise  their 
right  of  suffrage  he  mounted  a  store-box,  and  calling 
them  to  order  he  said,  "  We  have  met  for  the  laud- 
able purpose  of  giving  a  name  to  our  new  post-office, 
but  as  the  day  is  far  spent  and  I  see  no  chance  of  de- 
ciding by  ballot,  now  I  propose  to  decide  viva  voce.  I 
would  like  to  accommodate  both  of  the  gentlemen 
with  at  least  a  part  of  the  name.  Mr.  Smith's  first 
name  is  Barnabas,  but  we  all  call  him  'Barney;' 
Mr.  Brownfield's  given  name  is  Robert,  but  we  all 
call  him  'Bob.'  Now  I  move  you  that  the  name  of 
this  town  hereafter  be  '  Barney  Bobtown.' "  The  mo- 
tion received  a  second,  was  put,  and  unanimously 
adopted.  But  the  name  of  the  post-office  always  re- 
mained Smithfield.  The  first  postmaster  was  Andrew 
Collins,  who  kept  the  mail  in  his  store-room.  Tliis 
w.as  during  the  war  of  1812.  The  mail  was  received 
once  a  week.  David  Campbell  was  mail-carrier,  and 
made  the  weekly  trip  on  horseback.  After  Andrew 
Collins  James  Caldwell  was  postmaster,  and  the  office 
has  been  maintained  ever  since  its  organization,  a 
period  of  nearly  seventy  years. 

About  the  year  1800,  Henry  Whistler  had  an  oil- 
mill  wliere  W<iod's  tannery  now  stands. 

In  anil  before  1800,  Thomas  Wynn  had  an  oil-mill 
at  Fairchance,  and  made  flaxseed  oil. 

James  Martin  had  a  wagon-making  shop  on  the 
Morgantown  road  for  alwut  ten  or  fifteen  years.  He 
bought  from  Edward  Coombs,  who  erected  it  about 
18.30,  and  operated  it  many  years. 

Isaiah  Jones  made  powder  for  a  number  of  years  at 
the  works  built  by  Jones  &  Sammons,  about  1830, 
near  Woodbridgetown.  Some  of  their  powder  was 
used  by  tlie  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  Company 
for  blasting  purposes. 

An  old  blacksmith-shop  was  carried  on  at  the 
cross-roads  near  Deyarmon's,  on  the  Morgantown 
road,  for  many  years.  Henry  Smith  manufactured 
powder  on  York's  Run  before  1800.  Recently  Jacob 
Ruble  has  erected  a  blacksmith-shop  near  his  mill. 
It  is  in  charge  of  Mr.  Rhodes. 

Israel  and  John  Sheeler  built  a  foundry,  which 
was  afterwards  owned  and  operated  by  Stephen  Rich- 
ards, G.  G.  Clemmer,  John  E.  Patton,  and  John  Mc- 
<'ur(ly.  The  last  named  were  the  last  operators  as  a 
Ibundry,  after  which  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Isaac 
Franks,  who  converted  it  int;o  a  grist-mill.  He  asso- 
ciated Jacob  Ruble  with  him  in  the  business.  Some 
three  years  ago  the  mill  was  burned  and  never  re- 
built. 

John  Semmes,  Jere  Archer,  Lewis  Grimes,  John 
Getzendiner,  Elijah  Sutton,  William  Utt,  Samuel 
Reese,  Washington  Reed,  ,Iacoh  Fordyce,  Daniel 
Fordyce,  Johnston  Divilbess,  James  Huhn,  and  Squire 
Bradley  have  followed  the  trade  of  blacksmithing  in 
the  township. 


There  have  been  two  pottery  establishments  in  the 
town.  One  was  built  about  1800  by  Robert  Brown- 
field.  In  1803  he  sold  it  to  John  Fisher.  Another 
came  into  existence  afterwards.  These  were  carried 
on  by  Stephen  Richards,  Matthias  Allensworth, 
Charles  Brownfield,  Jr.,  and  Dunn  &  Clemmer.  Both 
of  them  ceased  operations  long  since. 

The  merchants  of  Smithfield  have  been  Phillips, 
George  Traer,  Richard  Patton,  Andrew  Collins,  John 
Hagan,  William  Stewartson,  Daniel  Thomas,  William 
Gans,  Joseph  Victor,  Hugh  H.  Gilmore,  Albert  West, 
James  Oliphant,  Thomas  Mitchell,  Israel  Painter, 
James  Caldwell,  Samuel  Sackett,  Stephen  Richards, 
John  Brownfield,  F.  H.  Oliphant,  Joseph  Kyle, 
Thomas  Ocheltree,  Robert  Jones,  Joseph  Hyde,  James 
Schroyer,  David  Patton,  William  Walker,  H.  S. 
Sparks,  William  McCleary,  James  Davenport,  John 
Worthington,  Ignatius  Feather,  E.  O.  Ewing,  Dunn 
&  Poundstone,  Stnrgis  &  Burchinal,  A.  J.  Stewart, 
Eugene  Brownfield,  Feather  &  Jaco,  Thomas  Conn, 
Mrs.  E.  T.  Brownfield,  Mrs.  I.  Feather,  and  Jacob 
High. 

Drug-stores:  D.  Patton  and  William  Brownfield, 
E.  A.  Hastings,  John  M.  Hustead,  John  Moore  &  Co. 

Saddlers:     Henry     Rockafeller,    Lockwood, 

William  Campbell,  Lewis  Clemmer,  Abraham  Rogers, 
Allen  Byers,  John  E.  Patton,  A.  B.  Crow. 

Tin-shops:  Eugene  T.  Brownfield,  W.  Woods. 

PHYSICIANS. 
Dr.  James  Todd  was  the  first  regular  practitioner 
of  medicine  to  settle  in  this  vicinity.  He  commenced 
the  practice  of  medicine  in  Smithfield  in  182'2.  Since 
then  tiiere  have  been  Emanuel  Showalter, Flem- 
ing, Henry  Matthews,  George  Gans,  Brown  Brown- 
field, Henry  B.  Mathiot,  U.  L.  Clemmer,  D.  Vowell, 
Samuel  Sacket,  Jr.,  Frederick  Patton,  James  T.  Bea- 
zell,  James  Holbert,  Clayton  Richards,  William  Long- 
aneckcr. 

DENTAL   SUROEONS. 
Drs.  T.  F.  Farmer  and  Mr.  Watson. 

CADINET-MAKERS. 
John  Jackson,  Thomas  Gaddis,  James  Ocheltree, 
and  Samuel  Sutton. 

COOPERS. 
Lewis  Sammons,  John  Downey. 

CARPENTERS    AND    BUILDERS. 
Henry   Huhn,  Mr.   Philli|)s,  James  Vance,  John 
Kramer,  Luther  W.  Burchinal. 

WAGON-MAKERS. 
George   Burris,   Samuel    Kendall,   Orlanzo   Lvtle, 
Simeon  Zearly,  William  Hannah. 

I.  0.  OF  0.  F. 
Gallatin  Lodge,  No.  517,  I.  O.  of  O.  F.,  was  organ- 
ized under  diarter  granted  by  Sovereign  Grand  L:)dge 
of  Pennsvlvania,  dated  June  26,  1855,  and  instituted 


GEORGES   TOWNSHIP. 


581 


under  D.  D.  G.  Master  David  L.  Walker,  of  Con- 
nellsville,  Pa.,  with  the  following  persona  as  charter 
members  :  Dr.  U.  L.  Clemmer,  H.  J.  Diuglierty,  Capt. 
J.  Hickman,  J.  E.  Patten,  J.  D.  Field,  W.  T.  Good- 
win, Capt.  James  Abraham,  Maj.  James  M.  Abraham, 
Enos  W.  Field,  Simeon  Zearly,  Gideon  G.  Clemmer, 
G.  R.  Miller,  W.  T.  Ellis,  T.  P.  Burchinal,  J.  L. 
Showalter,  H.  B.  Mallaby.  The  first  officers  were  as 
follows:  N.  G.,  Dr.  U.  L.  Clemmer;  V.  G.,  H.  J. 
Dougherty;  Treas.,  Gideon  G.  Clemmer;  Sec,  G.  R. 
Miller;  Trustees,  H.  J.  Dougherty,  L.  W.  Burchinal, 
James  Abraham. 

Past  Noble  Grands:  U.  L.  Clemmer,  H.  J.  Dough- 
erty, G.  G.  Clemmer,  G.  R.  Miller,  J.  L.  Showalter, 
L.  W.  Burchinal,  Enos  W.  Field,  James  Abraham, 
H.  B.  Mallaby,  James  M.  Abraham,  W.  R.  Griffin, 
B.  F.  Black,  Simeon  Zearly,  W.  T.  Goodwin,  J.  E. 
Patton,  J.  D.  Field,  W.  T.  Ellis,  T.  P.  Burchinal,  J. 
L.  Whetstone,  J.  M.  D.  Low,  J.  W.  McCarty,  W.  H. 
Heston,  W.  E.  Reynolds,  J.  W.  Hugh,  P.  T.  Sturgis, 
John  Downey,  John  Martin,  A.  J.  Miller,  B.  F.  Mar- 
tin, J.  C.  Miller,  P.  S.  Ilaldeman,  E.  S.  Hayden,  E. 
M.  Martin,  W.  E.  Moore,  Joseph  Ewlng,  James 
Vance. 

THE  GEORGES  CREEK  TRADING  COMPANY 
was  organized  in  1816,  to  do  a  general  banking  and 
trading  business  in  the  town  of  Smithfield.  The 
movers  in  this  enterprise  were  James  Brownfield,  B. 
Stevens,  A.  McMasters,  William  Abraham,  John  Show- 
alter,  James  Showalter,  Basil  Brownfield,  and  Richard 
Patton.  Of  these  James  Brownfield  was  made  the  first 
president.  The  clerk  elected  was  Richard  Patton,  and 
the  directors  or  board  of  managers  were  B.  Stevens, 
A.  McMasters,  William  Abraham,  John  Showalter, 
James  Showalter,  and  Basil  Brownfield. 

The  officers  of  the  company  were  to  consist  of  a  presi- 
dent, clerk,  and  board  of  managers.  Those  first  elec- 
ted to  these  offices  should  retain  their  positions  until 
the  last  Monday  in  March,  1817,  at  which  time  a  new 
election  was  to  be  held.  The  capital  stock  was  not  to 
exceed  fifty  thousand  dollars.  The  shares  were  to  be 
twenty  dollars  each,  payable  in  gold,  silver,  or  current 
bank-notes  equivalent  thereto. 

The  banking-room  was  in  the  brick  building  then 
owned  by  Mr.  Basil  Brownfield,  and  now  owned  and 
occupied  by  Mr.  William  Campbell  as  a  hotel  parlor. 
This  banking  institution  was  in  existence  in  1819, 
October  10th  (see  Mount  Moriah  Baptist  Church 
minutes,  volume  xi.  page  22).  In  1822,  by  action  of 
the  stockholders,  it  was  decided  to  dissolve  the  part- 
nership and  discontinue  the  buainess,  accordingly 
all  the  outstanding  paper  money  of  the  concern  was 
called  in,  redeemed  in  coin,  and  burned. 

JUSTICES    OF    THE    PEACE. 

The  township  was  well  represented  in  this  office  in 

the  days  when  the  justices   were  appointed  by   the 

Supreme  Executive  Council.     The  first  occupants  of 

the  office  after  the  organization  of  Fayette  County 


were  Philip  Rogers  and  Robert  Richey ;  the  latter 
gentleman  served  in  this  capacity  for  more  than 
twenty  years  under  appointment  from  the  Governor. 
Others  holding  this  office  have  been  Andrew  Oliphant, 
Enoch  Abraham,  Abraham  Stewart,  Richard  Patton, 
Daniel  Thomas,  Stephen  Richards,  Samuel  Nixon  (at 
one  time  associate  judge).  Squire  Ayers,  William 
Abraham,  James  Brownfield,  Solomon  Smith,  Joel  G. 
Leatherman,  George  Hertzog,  Thomas  Trader,  James 
Beeson,  Alexander  Brownfield,  Thomas  Williams, 
Humphrey  Humphreys,  Alfred  Core,  George  Meason, 
Jolm  R.  Means,  Henry  Hayden,  Reuben  Hague, 
Isaac  Peters,  William  Conn. 

Hon.  John  Brownfield,  son  of  James  Brownfield, 
was  born  near  Smithfield,  Dec.  28,  1808.  (Jn  the  10th 
of  .January,  1833,  he  married  Belinda,  daughter  of 
JohnHustead.  Both  are  living.  Mr.  Brownfield  has 
twice  had  the  honor  of  associate  judge  conferred  upon 
him,  serving  in  that  capacity  from  1852  to  1SG2. 

Dr.  Emanuel  Showalter  commenced  the  practice  of 
physic  in  Smithfield  some  forty  or  fifty  years  ago,  and 
afterwards  went  South,  where  he  became  eminent  in 
his  profession. 

Alexander  Clear  was  one  of  the  early  school-teach- 
ers of  Fayette  County,  and  a  very  excellent  one  he  is 
said  to  have  been.  About  the  time  of  the  war  of 
1812  he  was  engaged  in  his  calling  in  the  town  of 
Monroe.  He  afterwards  settled  in  Georges  township, 
and  taught  for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  a  Chris- 
tian gentleman,  and  was  noted  for  his  fine  accomplish- 
ments as  a  penman.  He  removed,  with  his  son 
Thomas,  to  Cumberland  about  1845. 

Dr.  William  Hampton  McCormick,  son  of  James 
McCormick,  was  born  near  Smithfield  in  1S2G.  After 
reading  medicine  with  Dr.  Smith  Fuller,  Uniontown, 
he  attended  Jefferson  Medical  College,  Philadelphia, 
where  he  graduated,  after  which  he  began  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  at  Donegal,  Westmoreland  Co., 
Pa.,  where  he  practiced  for  a  while,  and  then  changed 
his  location  to  Grantsville,  Md.,  and  from  there  he 
went  to  Cumberland,  where  he  has  been  practicing 
ever  since.  His  practice  has  been  a  remunerative 
one,  and  he  has  amassed  a  considerable  fortu)ie. 

Dr.  James  F.  McCormick,  son  of  James  McCor- 
mick, was  born  near  Smithfield,  July  6,  1839.  He 
received  an  academical  education  at  Carmichaelstown, 
Greene  Co.,  Pa.,  and  at  Georges  Creek  Academy, 
Smithfield,  after  which  he  read  medicine  under  his 
brother  Hampton  and  attended  Jefferson  Medical 
College.  After  completing  his  studies  he  located  at 
Petersburg,  Somerset  Co.,  Pa.,  but  afterwards  went 
West,  and  commenced  practicing  at  Quincy,  111.,  and 
from  there  he  went  to  Menden,  111.,  and  from  thence 
changed  to  Fowler,  where  he  built  upagood  practice, 
but  his  health  failed,  and  he  died  there  in  1874. 

Dr.  Alcynus  Young  McCormick,  son  of  James  Mc- 
Cormick, was  born  and  raised  near  Smithfield.  He 
attended    school   at   Carmlchael's,  Greene   Co.,  and 


5S2 


inSTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLYAXIA. 


Georges  Creek  Academy  with  bis  brotlier.  He  then 
read  medicine  under  his  brother  Hampton  in  Cum- 
berland, attended  Jefferson  Medical  College,  where 
he  completed  his  studies,  and  then  located  in  Fred- 
erick City,  Md.,  where  he  practiced  during  the  latter 


part  of  the  Rebellion.  AVhen  his  brother  James  be- 
came sick  he  located  at  Fowler,  111.,  on  the  Quincy 
and  Burlington  Railroad,  and  is  still  practicing  there. 

Rev.  Samuel  'Woodbridge  w.as  the  founder  of  the 
town  which  bears  his  name.  He  came  to  this  com- 
munity at  a  very  early  date.  He  was  the  pastor  of 
the  Mount  Moriah  Baptist  Church  as  early  as  1785. 
Almost  contemporaneous  with  the  erection  of  the 
church  ju-it  spoken  of  he  built  in  Woodbridgetown  a 
Seventh-Day  Baptist  Church. 

Dr.  James  Brownfield,  son  of  ex- Judge  John  Brown- 
fit-kl,  was  boru  and  reared  in  the  town  of  Smithfield, 
studied  medicine,  and  is  at  present  practicing  in  Fair- 
mount,  West  Va. 

Dr.  James  Holbert  was  born  in  Georges.   He  taught 
in   the  public   schools  for  a   nuniljer   of  yours,  after  i 
which  he  attcn.kM.l  lectures  at  Jcfll'ison  .Alc-dical  Col- 
lege, and  is  at  ]iresent  practicing  at  Faircliaoce.  , 

liev.  W.  W.  Hickmau  was  licensed  to  preach  by 
Mount  Moriah  Baptist  Church  Xov.  11,  1S4!,  since 
which  time  he  has  presided  over  the  Flatwoods, 
Uniontown,  and  Waynesburg  charge-i.  He  is  a  man 
eminently  fitted  for  the  ministry,  and  exceedingly 
popular  and  useful  in  his  sacred  calling. 

Rev.  George  W.  Hertzog  was  raised  in  this  town-  : 
ship.  In  January,  1855,  he  was  licensed  to  preach  at  i 
Mount  Moriah  Baptist  Church,  and  since  then  has  | 
been  actively  engaged  in  his  ministerial  duties.  [ 

Phineas  G.  Sturgis   was   licensed   by   the   Mount 
Moriah  Church  to  preach  Oct.  7,  1854.     For  a  num-  I 
ber  of  years  past  he  has  been  engaged  in  merchan- 
dising, and   is   at   present   following   that   business, 
having  as  a  partner  Mr.  Luther  W.  Burcliinal,  who 
has  been  for  many  years  one  ofthe  most  enterprising 
business  men  in  this  township.     His  occupation  orig- 
inally was  that  of  architect  and  builder.    He  had  the  ! 
contract  for  building  the  Georges  Creek  Academy  ^ 
and  the  Mount  Moriah  Baptist  Church. 

Gideon   G.  Clemraer  was   prominently  connected  ' 
with  the  Georges  Creek  Academy  and  the  organiza- 
tion of  Gallatin  Lodge  of  Odd-Fellows.     A  number 
of  years  since  he  went  West,  where  he  is  now  engaged 
in  the  banking  business. 

Dr.  U.  L.  Clemmer  was  raised  near  Smithfield, 
practiced  medicine  in  that  town  for  several  years, 
after  which  he  removed  to  Brownsville.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  he  was  editor  and  publisher  of  the 
Grreiibaet  Banner  and  Labor  Advocate.  • 

Dr.  Clayton  Richards  was  born  in  Smithfield,  edu-  j 
cated  at  Jefferson  Medical  College,  and  is  now  prac-  i 
ticing  in  West  Virginia.  , 

Mr.  A.  J.  Stewart  has  been  one  of  the  most  enter-  ' 
prising  and  successful  merchants  of  Smithfield  for  a  ^ 
numljor  of  years.  I 


Rev.  Joseph  Leatherman  came  to  Georges  township 
in  1799.  He  was  a  Dunkard  or  German  Baptist 
preacher,  and  wa.s  for  a  number  of  years  pastor  of 
the  Grove  German  Baptist  Church  in  this  township. 

Rev.  Isaac  Wynn,  a  Baptist  minister,  l)as  always 
been  a  resident  of  this  township,  and  preaches  very 
acceptably  to  the  people  through  this  and  adjoining 
townships,  usually  holding  his  meetings  in  the  school- 
houses.     He  resides  near  Oliphant. 

Rev.  Andrew  J.  Osborn,  a  Cumberland  Presbyte- 
rian minister,  was  raised  near  Fairchance.  During 
the  war  of  the  Reljcllion  he  acted  as  chaplain  of  the 
Fourteenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry.  He  had  six  sons 
in  the  service.  Four  of  his  sons  belonged  to  the 
same  company  he  enlisted  in,  viz..  Company  E. 
He  preached  for  the  Cumberland  Church  at  Fair- 
chance  for  a  number  of  years. 

Dr.  Frederick  Patton,  son  of  Alexander  Patton,  read 
medicine  under  Dr.  H.  B.  Mathiot,  and  after  attend- 
ing the  lectures  at  Jefferson  Aledical  College,  Phila- 
delphia, he  practiced  for  a  while  as  partner  of  Dr. 
Mathiot,  About  ten  years  ago  he  went  to  West  New- 
ton, Pa.,  and  located  there,  wIn-re  he  still  remains. 

It  has  been  per-i-teiitly  claimed  and  believed  by 
many  that  ( ieii,  ■'^.un  ll.u-toi,  I'r^'sident  ofthe  re- 
pulilic  ot'Te-'vis,  and  atterwarils  G  ivernor  and  United 
States  senator  from  that  State,  was  a  native  of  the 
township  of  Georges,  born  at  Woodbridgetown,  where 
Ids  father,  Paul  Houston,  was  a  tavern-keeper  about 
the  year  l>-iM\  and  that  the  young  Houston  wa.s  in  his 
youth  a  selioo'.niate  of  Basil  Brownfield,  in  Georges. 
It  is  no  doubt  correct  that  there  was  a  Samuel  Hous- 
ton of  which  all  this  was  true,  but  that  it  was  not 
Gen.  Houston,  of  Texas,  is  rendered  more  than  prob- 
able from  the  testimony  of  one  who  unquestionably 
knew  whereof  he  spoke.  That  one  was  no  less  a  per- 
sonage than  the  Hon.  Thomas  H.  Benton,  United 
States  senator  from  Missouri,  who,  in  his  "Thirty 
Years  in  the  United  States  Senate"  (vol.  i.  p.  676), 
sa.vs,  "  Gen.  Sam  Houston  was  born  in  the  State  of 
Virginia,  county  of  Rockbridge;  he  was  appointed 
an  ensign  in  the  army  of  the  United  States  during 
the  late  war  with  Great  Britain,  and  served  in  the 
Creek  campaign  under  tlie  banners  of  Jackson.  I 
was  the  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  regiment  to  which 
he  belonged,  and  the  first  field-officer  to  whom  he  re- 
ported." 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


iti 


F.  II.  OLIlMI.iXT.i 
men  .ts  in  soils,  where  souietiii 


goKl  wliich  the  owner  knows  not  of."— De.4.\-  Swift. 

Fideleo  Hughes  Oliphant  was  the  third  son  and 
fourth  in  theorder  of  birth  of  a  family  of  ten  children 


Iplate  engraving  accompanying  tliis  sketch  is  from  ad 
taken  wlion  he  was  between  fort.v-fiveand  fifty  years  of  ag 
xdlent  likeness  of  tlie  original  at  that  peiiod  of  hi=  life. 


^y^^^. 


7' 


GEORGES   TOWNSHIP. 


583 


— four  sons  and  six  daughters — of  John  and  Sarah 
Oliphaiit.  Hughes,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
born  on  the  4th  of  January,  1800,  at  Old  Fairfield 
Furnace,  on  Georges  Creek,  in  Georges  township,  Fay- 
ette Co.,  Pa.  Of  this  old  furnace,  the  rival  of  another 
on  Jacob's  Creek,  Westmoreland  County,  Pa.,  for  the 
distinction  of  being  the  first  at  which  pig  iron  was 
made  west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains,  in  which  both 
localities  have  zealous  advocates,  nothing  but  the 
cinder  pile  and  some  of  the  larger  stones  of  the  stack 
remain  to  mark  the  spot  where  its  proprietors, 
])iotieers  in  what  has  grown  to  be  the  great  industry 
of  Western  Pennsylvania,  saw  and  heard  their  first 
bantling  heave  and  sigh. 

His  father,  Col.  John  Olipliant,  was  born  in  Chester 
County,  Pa.,  and  his  mother,  Sarah  McGinnes,  born 
in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  was  the  only  child  of  a  sea-cap- 
tain, who  was  lost  in  shipwreck.  Lsft  an  orphan  at 
an  early  age,  she  was  adopted  by  her  uncle,  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Woodbridge,  of  the  Seventh-Day  Baptist 
persuasion,  with  whom  she  crossed  the  mountains  on 
horseback  in  1778. or  1779,  mounted  on  bales  of  goods 
strapped  upon  a  pack-saddle. 

Her  uncle  Woodbridge  settled  in  Springhill  town- 
ship, founded  the  village  which  Iiears  his  n;inic,  built 
a  church  in  which  he  preached  every  seventh  day, 
and  erected  a  dwelling-house,  which  in  its  day  and 
locality  was  considered  stylish  ami  ediunidilinus.  He 
preached  without  money  and  witlmut  |iiire  there  until 
his  lips  were  sealed  in  death.  His  remain^  re^t  in  the 
old  graveyard  adjoining  the  church,  and  Ijv  his  last  will 
and  testament  he  left  some  of  these  viUuj^e  lots  for  the 
perpetual  maintenance  of  the  church  and  graveyard 
in  good  order,  which  benevolent  intention  has  been 
sadly  neglected.  Squatters  and  trespa.ssers  profane 
the  sacred  soil  with  which  pious  faith  meant  to  cherish 
and  protect  "God's  half-acre."  Church  and  church- 
yard both  feel  the  cold  hand  of  time  heavy  upon 
them,  and  the  colder  charity  of  neglect  chills  every 
pilgrim  to  this  sacred  shrine. 

Tradition  says  that  Col.  Oliphant  and  Sarah  Wood- 
bridge  (she  took  her  uncle's  name)  "  made  a  remark- 
ably fine  couple"  when  they  stood  up  before  the 
venerable  uncle  of  the  bride  to  be  united  in  marriage, 
some  time  in  the  year  1790.  Their  remains  rest  in 
the  old  churchyard  at  Woodbridgetown. 

Andrew,  the  grandfather  of  Hughes  Oliphant,  had 
his  home  in  Chester  County,  Pa.,  previously  to  the 
war  of  the  Revolution.  He  was  a  trader,  and  trans- 
ported goods  over  the  mountains  on  pack-horses,  ex- 
changing them  with  the  Indians  and  settlers  for  furs 
and  land,  for  there  was  no  money  there  at  that  time. 
Gen.  Braddock,  in  his  campaign  against  Fort  Du 
Quesne  in  1755,  pressed  him  and  his  pack-horses 
into  his  service.  When  Braddock  fell,  mortally 
wounded,  at  the  battle  of  the  Monongahela,  on  July 
9, 1755,  he  was  carried  on  a  litter  swung  between  two 
of  these  horses,  under  the  direction  of  Andrew  Oli- 
phant, in  the  retreat  to  Dunbar's  camp,  the  rear- 


guard of  the  army,  where  he  died  on  the  fourth  day 
after  the  battle,  and  was  buried  in  the  road,  near  the 
site  of  Fort  Necessity,  where  Washington  fought  his 
first  battle,  on  the  3d  of  July,  1754.  Tradition  says 
Andrew  Oliphant  assisted  in  the  construction  and 
defense  of  Fort  Necessity. 

After  the  war  he  moved  out  to  Fayette  County, 
and  settled  on  land  near  to  Merrittstown.  His  re- 
mains rest  in  the  graveyard  of  the  Dunlap's  Creek 
Presbyterian  congregation. 

John  Oliphant  and  Andrew,  his  younger  brother, 
commenced  the  iron  business  at  Old  Fairfield  Fur- 
nace, and  soon  added  Fairchance,  on  the  same 
stream,  to  it.  Subsequently  to  this  they  built  "Syl- 
van Forges,"  on  the  lower  waters  of  Georges  Creek, 
near  the  village  of  New  Geneva.  They  made  pigs  at 
Fairchance,  and  converted  them  into  bar  iron  at 
Sylvan  Forges;  built  boats,  launched  them  on  the 
Monongahela  at  Geneva,  and  floated  their  iron  down 
the  river  to  Pittsburgh  and  points  below  on  the  Ohio 
to  market. 

They  continued  as  partners  in  business  until 
1816,  when  they  dissolved  and  divided  the  property. 
Fairchance  and  Sylvan  Forges  being  considered 
about  equal  in  value,  John  gave  his  younger  brother, 
Andrew,  the  first  choice.  He  took  Sylvan  Forges, 
and  the  property  was  partitioned  on  that  basis,  with- 
out invoking  the  aid  of  the  courts. 

F.  H.  Oliphant's  first  schooling  was  in  a  log  house, 
still  standing  in  the  back-yard  at  "Liberty  Hall," 
where  his  father  then  lived,  two  miles  from  Fairfield 
and  half  a  mile  from  Fairchance.  The  teacher  was 
Thomas,  father  of  Gen.  A.  G.  Porter,  lately  elected 
Governor  of  Indiana. 

His  next  experience  was  with  Alexander  Clear  at 
Morris  X-Roads  school-house,  where  Col.  Samuel 
Evans,  the  Morris,  Hardin.  Tobin,  Gans,  and  Griffin 
boys  and  others  were  among  his  schoolmates.  Here 
he  learned  to  "read,  write,  and  cipher  as  far  as  the 
single  rule  of  three,"  and  acquired  some  knowledge 
of  English  grammar,  geography,  history,  and  book- 
keeping. 

After  leaving  Mr.  Clear's  school  he  went  to  Browns- 
ville, in  the  same  county,  to  attend  a  school  of  Rev. 
James  Johnson,  and  while  there,  in  consideration  of 
boarding  and  lodging,  assisted  Mr.  James  Brading  in 
his  store  mornings  and  evenings.  He  then  secured 
the  life-long  friendship -and  confidence  of  Mr.  Brad- 
ing, and  by  his  industry  and  attention  to  the  duty 
before  him  attracted  the  notice  of  George  Hogg,  Ja- 
cob Bowman,  and  Joseph  Thornton,  leading  men  of 
that  part  of  the  county,  and  made  them  his  friends 
for  life. 

This,  with  one  session  of  five  months  at  Jefferson 
College,  where  his  older  brothers,  Woodbridge  and 
Orlando,  and  subsequently  his  younger  brother,  Ethel- 
bert,  graduated,  finished  the  course  of  his  e<Uicatiou 
before  he  was  seventeen  years  old. 

About  this  period  of  his  life,  financial  trouble,  the 


584 


HISTOllY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


result  of  too  much  lending  of  his  name,  falling  upon 
liis  father,  with  the  accumulation  of  years,  he  entered  , 
his  office  at  Fairchance,  and  at  eighteen  years  of  age  I 
the  entire  business  devolved  upon  him.     Repaid  just 
debts  and  resisted  the  payment  of  unjust  claims  until 
all  were  settled  and  the  property  relieved. 

(!)n  the  .^th  day  of  November,  1S21,  he  married  Jane 
C'reiiili,  the  oldest  diuisliter  of  Samuel  Duncan,  Esq., 
of  the  Fayette  County  bar,  from  which  came  a  family 
of  eleven  children, — John,  Duncan,  Orlando,  Henry, 
James  and  Ethelbert,  Elizabeth,  Mary  Louise,  Jane,  | 
Sallie  Ann,  and  Ellen.  On  the  8th  of  November, 
1871,  they  celelirateil  their  golden  weddin"-  at  the 
residence  of  the  .d.lest  dau-bter,  .Airs.  R.  P.  Nevin, 
Sewickley,  Pa.,  at  which  all  the  children  living  and 
many  grandchildren  were  present.  June  5,  1870, 
his  wife  Jane  died,  and  he  afterwards  married  her 
younger  sister,  Mary  E.  Duncan,  who  survives  him. 

^^1^20  or  l>;2riiepurcba<ed  iManklin  Forge,  at 
the  Little  Falls  of  the  YoughioglR.ny  River,  hauled 
pigs  from  Faire-hance,  hammered  them  into  bar  iron, 
and  with  the  fall  and  spring  freshets  floated  the  iron 
down  the  Youghiogheny  and  Monongahela  Rivers  to 
Pittsburgh,  and  sometimes  down  the  Ohio  to  Cincin- 
nati, selling  what  he  could  for  cash,  and  trading  the 
balance  for  store  goods  and  provisions  for  the  furnace 
and  forge. 

In  182.'-'>-21,  in  connection  with  two  other  gentlemen 
of  Pittsburgh,  he  built  the  Pennsylvania  (now  the 
AVayne)  RoUing-Mill,  and  not  agreeing  cordially  with 
his  partners,  he  sold  his  interest  to  Messrs.  Milten- 
burger  &  Brown,  returned  with  his  family  to  Franklin 
Forge,  and  conducted  the  business  there  in  connection 
with  Fairchance  for  a  number  of  years  without  a 
dtdlar  of  money.  It  was  all  barter  and  trade.  Frank- 
lin Forge  was  a  centre  of  business.  His  iron  was  the 
currency  of  the  country.  Farmers  brought  in  their 
produce  to  the  mills,  traded  it  for  iron,  taking  what 
they  wanted  for  present  use,  and  a  certificate  of  de- 
posit for  the  balance.  His  office  and  iron-house  be- 
came a  bank  of  deposit.  There  was  no  money  in  the 
country,  and  so  this  system  of  trade  went  on  for  years, 
the  iron  not  leaving  the  warehouse  only  at  the  semi- 
annual freshets,  when  all  on  hand  went  down  the 
river,  and  a  new  stock  would  accumulate  at  the  ware- 
house. The  wagons  that  brought  pigs  from  Fair- 
chance returned  loaded  with  flour  and  other  supplies 
accumulated  in  the  mill  at  the  forge.  He  has  oftSn 
declared  that  this  was  the  most  satisfactory  period  of 
hi-  busine-s  lite,  P.iit  lu-  !onk,.,l  bcvond  the  beautiful 
hills  aiul  wild,  romantic  >,,,,o, Hidings  of  the  "  Little 
Falls''  for  wilier  ficld-i  and  deeper  mines.  He  saw 
the  day  of  the  forge-fire  and  the  tilt-hammer  passing 
away,  and  in  1832  sold  Franklin  Forge  to  Messrs. 
Jliltenburger  &  Brown,  of  Pittsburgh. 

Leaving  his  family  in  Uniontown  he  started  for 
Tennessee,  with  a  view  of  entering  into  the  iron  busi- 
ness there  with  Messrs.  Yateman,  but  not  being 
pleased  with  the  situation,  he  returned  to  Cincinnati, 


purchased  a  steam-engine  and  the  option  of  a  lot  of - 
land  in  Covington,  rented  a  house  in  Cincinnati,  and 
made  other  arrangements  for  building  a  rolling-mill. 
Coming  home,  he  yielded  to  the  eloquent  pleadings 
of  the  gray  hairs  of  his  father  and  mother  and  the 
tears  of  his  sisters,  abandoned  the  Cincinnati  scheme, 
brought  the  engine  to  Fairchance,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1832  commenced  building  a  rolling-mill,  nail-factory, 
etc.,  alongside  the  furnace,  which  in  the  spring  and 
summer  of  1833  were  in  full  operation. 

He  made  a  superior  article  of  iron  and  nails.  They 
became  popular  as  soon  and  as  fiir  as  they  were  known, 
and  these  iron-works  went  on  through  good  times  and 
liai'd  without  a  strike  or  stop,  except  for  necessary  re- 
pairs, until  after  the  property  was  sold  to  a  New  York 
company  in  1870-71. 

In  hard  times  dicker  and  trade  was  resorted  to 
again,  as  in  previous  years  at  "  Little  Falls."  Wagons 
I  were  loaded  at  the  works,  started  on  the  old  National 
road,  selling  in  the  towns  through  wdiich  they  passed, 
and  the  balance  converted  into  store  goods  and  gro- 
ceries in  Baltimore.  These  in  turn  were  loaded  into 
the  wagons  to  "  plod  their  weary  way"  back  to  the 
I  works. 

He  had  coal  and  iron  ore  and  limestone  in  the 
ground,  and  timber  for  charcoal  in  the  mountains. 
He  had  only  labor  to  pay  for.  The  raw  material 
went  into  the  furnace,  and  came  out  bar  iron  and 
nails  at  the  other  end  of  the  same  building,  almost 
without  getting  cold  in  the  process.  When  times 
were  hard  and  iron  was  dull,  selling  for  cost,  or  less 
than  cost,  the  store  made  a  little  profit,  or  made  up 
the  loss. 

The  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  having  made  its 
way  out  to  Cumberland,  these  tactics  had  to  be  and 
i  were  changed  to  another  direction.     The  surplus  of 
^  iron  accumulated  at  the  works  was  shipped  on  steam- 
boats at  Brownsville,  and  bartered  and  traded  down 
the  river  for  anything  that  would  be  useful  at  the 
works,  or  for  wdiich  there  was  a  market  in  New  Or- 
leans.    There  the  balance  of  the  iron  and  such  other 
freights  as  had  been  collected  by  the  way  were  con- 
I  verted  into  sugar,  coffee,  tobacco,  etc.,  one  part  being 
'  shipped  up  the  river  by  steamboats  for  the  works, 
another  shipped  by  sea  to  Baltimore  and  sold  or  ex- 
changed for  dry-goods,  which  in  turn  found  their  way 
to  Fairchance. 

In  1848  he  purchased  "  Springhill  Furnace,"  and 

I  in  1870  sold  two-thirds  of  both  these  properties  to  a 

New  York  company,  and  subsequently  sold  the  other 

third  to  the  same  parties.     He  seemed  then  to  be 

'  entirely  out  of  active  business,  but  in  the  mean  time 

he  had  purchased  the  "  Sunnie  Brae"  property,  on  the 

Southwest  Branch,  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  from  the 

heirs  of  Moses  W.  Nixon,  and  the  site  being  eligible, 

and  the  building  of  the  railroad  secured,  visions  of 

another  furnace  soon  began  to  float  through  his  brain. 

In  the  summer  of  1875  he  commenced  jireparations, 

and  in  the  fall  and  winter  of  1875-70  built  "  Oliphant 


GEORGES  TOWNSHIP. 


585 


Furnace,"  on  the  Sunnie  Brae  property,  getting  into 
operation  early  in  tlie  summer  of  1876,  but  tliis  ven- 
ture did  not  prove  a  success.  The  times  were  too 
hard  to  make  money  on  pig  iron,  and  to  add  to  other 
drawbacks,  in  the  night  of  the  7th  of  November, 
1878,  tlie  furnace  buildings  took  fire  and  burned 
down,  and  on  the  11th  of  the  same  mouth  he  sold  the 
Sunnie  Brae  and  Oliphant  Furnace  property  to  his 
son  Duncan,  who  at  once  rebuilt  the  furnace,  put  it 
in  operation  again  in  the  early  spring,  added  numerous 
improvements  in  the  way  of  dwelling-houses  for 
hands,  new  hot-blast,  etc.  Under  this  management 
it  was  continued  in  blast  until  November,  1880,  when 
it  was  again  sold  to  the  Fayette  Coke  and  Coal  Com- 
pany, j 

While  operating  ''Franklin  Forge"  Mr.  Oliphant 
introduced  a  new  process  in  making  iron  between  the 
pig  and  the  forge  fire  or  puddling  oven,  which  he  : 
called  refining,  blowing  the  iron  in  an  open  coke  fire. 
It  was  a  very  simple  atid  inexpensive  addition,  was  an 
economy  in  the  end,  and  improved  the  quality  of 
the  iron. 

While  in  Tennessee  he  was  the  first  to  think  of  and 
suggest  placing  the  engine  boilers  at  the  top  of  the 
furnace  stack,  instead  of  consuming  and  wasting  large 
quantities  of  wood  or  other  fuel  under  them  on  the 
ground  below.  Among  other  improvements  he  adopted  : 
this  plan  when  he  came  into  possession  of  "  Springhill 
Furnace,"  where  the  stone  coal  was  not  of  a  very  i 
good  quality  or  very  plenty.  , 

In  1836-37  he  successfully  experimented,  and,  as  is 
claimed,  was  the  first  iron  man  in  the  United  States 
who  had  a  real  and  substantial  success  in  making  , 
iron  in  any  considerable  quantity  with  coke.  He  was 
not  well  prepared  for  this  experiment;  the  furnace 
stack  was  old,  built  for  cold  blast  and  charcoal,  and 
but  little  alteration  was  made  in  the  blast.  The  fur- 
nace ran  a  blast  of  about  five  months  on  coke,  mak- 
ing a  fair  quality  of  iron,  good  enough  for  nails,  but, 
although  he  rolled  and  piled  the  iron  and  then  rolled 
it  again,  it  was  not  •'  Oliphant's  iron."  Timber  was 
still  plenty  for  charcoal,  and  he  went  back  to  his  first  | 

In  the  spring  of  1837  he  deposited  in  "  Franklin 
Institute"  of  Philadelphia  specimens  of  the  ore,  coal,  ' 
and  limestone,  and  iron  and  nails  made  from  these 
raw  materials,  where  they  still  remained  at  last  ac- 
counts, and  although  the  managers  conceded  that  he 
had  substantially  earned  the  medal  offered  in  183.5  it  j 
was  not  awarded,  on  the  technicality  that  the  iron 
had  not  been  made  within  the  time  limited  in  the 
offer. 

The  superior  quality  of  Mr.  Oliphant's  iron  was 
indisputable.  L.  W.  Stockton,  president  of  the  "  Na-  ■ 
tional  Road  Stage  Company,"  u.sed  large  quantities 
of  it  at  their  "stage-yard"  in  Uniontown,  and  al- 
though they  were  not  on  friendly  terms,  he  often 
declared  emphatically  that  "  Oliphant  made  the  best 
iron   that  ever  went  into  a  stage-coach."     Through 


Mr.  Stockton  it  was  introduced  to  the  notice  of  the 
War  and  Navy  Departments,  where  it  more  than 
stood  every  test  to  which  it  was  subjected,  and  he 
sold  hundreds  of  tons  to  the  government  for  gun- 
barrels  and  chain-cables. 

In  this  connection  his  iron  came  under  the  obser- 
vation of  Asbury  Kimble,  a  very  ingenious  and  in- 
telligent man,  who  believed  from  its  quality  that  it 
would  make  good  steel.  He  visited  the  works,  and 
the  result  was  the  building  of  a  steel  furnace  at  Fair- 
chance  in  the  fall  of  1837,  in  which  a  good  quality  of 
steel  was  made  from  this  iron.  But  consumers  would 
not  believe  it  to  be  as  good  as  the  imported  ;  there 
was  little  or  no  sale  for  it.  The  enterprise  was  aban- 
doned, leaving  Mr.  Oliphant  with  a  stock  of  steel  on 
hand  of  his  own  make  large  enough  to  last  him  for 
the  rest  of  his  business  life  at  Fairchance.  He  used 
none  other, — the  best  proof  of  its  good  quality. 

"F.  H.  Oliphant  inherited  all  the  nobler  traits  of 
character  which  distinguished  his  father.  He  was 
particularly  noted  for  kindness  to  those  in  his  employ. 
In  their  temporal  welfare  he  manifested  a  deep  per- 
sonal interest.  He  built  comfortable  homes  for  them, 
planted  fruit-trees  in  their  yards,  and  in  every  way 
sought  to  assist  them  in  lightening  the  burdens  of  a 
toilsome  life.  He  has  made  tens  of  thousands  for 
others  where  he  has  made  hundreds  for  himself."  ' 

"  The  subject  of  this  notice  was  no  ordinary  man  ; 
he  was  a  remarkable  man,  and  his  entire  business 
career,  throughout  a  long  life  of  untiring  energy  and 
unselfish  and  unflinching  integrity  of  purpose,  has 
shown  it.  In  addition  to  his  regular  business  at  times 
he  took  hold  of  others,  such  as  plying  steamboats 
between  Pittsburgh  and  Western  and  Southern  ports. 
Before  the  railroads  pierced  the  Allegheny  Mountains 
he  owned  and  ran  a  fast  wagon  line  between  Cumber- 
land and  Wheeling.  This  line  carried  only  fast 
freight,  and  soldiers  during  the  Mexican  war.  His 
wagons  were  lighter  than  the  ordinary  regulars,  and 
were  drawn  by  mule  teams,  which  were  changed  at 
fixed  points  along  the  road.' 

"  Perhaps  there  was  no  wider  known,  or  more  gen- 
erally respected  gentleman  in  all  his  time  in  this 
county.  Of  active  habits,  he  did  much  to  develop 
the  mineral  wealth  of  this  section  of  the  State,  and 
its  people  are  largely  indebted  to  him  for  the  prom- 
inent part  he  has  all  the  time  taken  in  building  up 
its  interests  and  promoting  its  welfare."' 

On  the  16th  of  April,  1870,  "about  one  hundred 
of  his  employes,  men,  women,  and  children,  and  a 
sprinkling  of  neighbors  and  friends,  assembled  in  the 
rolling-mill,  and  sent  for  Mr.  Oliphant.  When  he 
walked  into  the  mill  he  was  naturally  veiy  much 
surprised,  and  inquired  what  it  all  meant.  This  in- 
quiry was  hastily  answered  by  the  Rev.  Peter  T. 
Lashley,  who  mounted  a  store  box,  and  after  making 
a  neat  and  appropriate  address,  presented  him,  for  the 

1  .lmcrii<iii  SUindird  uf  Fi;l>.  24,  1870,  nlij  Jlarcli  13,  ISTO. 


5S6 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


people  assembled,  with  a  valuable  gold-headed  cane. 
When  the. speaker  handed  the  old  captain  the  cane 
in  token  of  the  donors'  respect,  the  venerable  gentle- 
man of  iron  constitution,  as  well  as  manufacturer, 
read  the  inscription  carefully,  and  while  tears  trickled 
down  his  cheeks  he  said,  in  words  ever  to  be  remem- 
bered, 'My  friends,  I  have  not  words  to  express  my 
sincere  and  heartfelt  thanks  and  gratitudt-  for  tliis 
valuable  expression  of  your  regard.'  Tlie  b(jys  threw 
up  their  eaps  and  cheered,  while  the  old  men  and 
wcimeu  went  forward  and  grasped  his  honest  hand 
with  the  expression,  '  God  bless  you!'  trembling  on 
every  tungiie.  After  a  few  side  remarks,  they  passed 
out,  with  tears  of  sorrow  and  affection  flowing  pro- 
fusely down  their  cheeks.  There  were  but  few  dry 
eyes  in  the  crowd." ' 

In  his  private  life  and  in  his  family  he  was  kind 
and  affectionate,  consulting  more  the  convenience  and 
comfort  of  others  than  his  own.  Wiih  strangers  and 
those  who  did  not  understand  him  he  was  supposed 
to  be  harsh  and  severe  in  his  nature  ;  but  he  was  a 
man  of  deep  and  strong  feelings,  and  in  a  way  was 
very  sensitive,  though  a  proud  reserve  kept  the  secret 
of  this  quality  so  close  that  few  suspected  it  was 
there.  He  was  of  strong  physique,  and  of  extraor- 
dinary powers  of  endurance,  often  surpassing  those 
of  young  and  vigorous  men,  working  his  bi'ain  ami 
his  body  as  unsparingly  as  if  they  had  been  maeliin.  - 
made  of  his  own  iron,  insensible  to  the  plea.^iires  ur 


'  From  the  outbreak  to  the  close  of  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion  he  was  intensely  loyal  to  the  Union,  and 
nearly  depleted  his  iron-works  of  hands  to  put  men 
in  the  field;  nor  did  he  spare  his  own  family.  When 
taking  leave  of  his  son  Duncan,  starting  with  his 
company  into  service,  he  said,  "Go,  my  son,  and  do 
your  duty  ;  I  would  rather  see  you  in  an  honored 
grave  than  hear  that  you  had  faltered."  There  was 
no  tear  in  his  eye,  only  the  faintest  tremor  on  his 
lij) ;  then  added,  "  I  once  heard  your  grandfather  say 
!  '  No  one  of  the  name  ever  turned  his  back  on  a  friend 
or  an  enemy;'  you  will  not  be  the  first  to  break  the 
chain.     Farewell." 

One  of  the  instances  in  which  he  was  known  to 
I  have  been  unmanned  was  wheu  the  cane  was  pre- 
I  sented  to   him   on   retiring  from  business.     He  was 
quite  unnerved  with  emotion  :  sweet  and  sad  mem- 
ories seemed  to  crowd  up<iii  him,  and  the  strong  man, 
like  Jacob  of  old,  "lifted   up   his  voice  and  wept" 
tears  of  joy  and  grief     And  again  when  the  death  of 
[  his  youngest  son,  "  Bertie,"   at  Yorktown,  was  an- 
I  nounced   to  him,    his    head    sauk   upon    his   wife's 


shoulder 

together  . 

It  was 

(famous  ( 


les  bi 


isque 


necessity  of  rest.  His  manner  was 
and  more  decided  than  the  oeea-i'>n  seemed  lo  require. 
His  words  were  outspoken  franlaiess  when  he  had 
anything  to  say,  and  sometimes  gave  offense  when 
none  was  intended.  Always  ready  to  forgive  an  in- 
jury, he  was  a  firm  and  constant  friend,  and,  like  his 
father  before  him,  seriously  damaged  his  fortune  "by 
the  too  much  lending  of  his  name."  Of  great  moral 
and  physical  strength  and  courage,  he  "dared  do  all 
that  might  become  a  man,"  feeling,  with  the  great 
])oet  of  nature,  that  "he  who  dared  do  more  was 
none."  Strong  in  his  convictions,  he  was  hard  to 
move  iVoni  them.  Impressed  by  the  precepts  and 
the  examples  of  his  father  and  uncle,  he  naturally 
iell  into  iiolitical  ranks  adverse  to  the  Democratic 
party,  but  not  to  Democratic  ideas,  and  remained  so 
through  life.  Of  iron  nerve,  he  seldom  gave  outward 
signs  of  emotion,  and  those  who  knew  him  best  can 
recall  but  oue  or  two  instances  in  which  he  was  known 
to  have  been  unmanned.  In  his  younger  days  he  was 
iond  of  military  parades  and  displays,  loved  poetry, 
and  could  to  the  last  recite  long  passages  from  Scott 
and  Burns.  Especially  fond  of  the  old  Scotch  songs, 
when  he  was  well  stricken  in  years  and  had  an  even- 
ing at  home  his  daughters  charmed  the  hours  away 
with  the  music  and  words  of  the  same  airs  and  lines 
with  which  his  "  Bonnie  Jane"  chained  his  heart 
and  hand  "in  days  o'  auld  lang  syne." 


I  Vuhm 


and 

often  oeeniav.l  with  liini 
"  Little  Fulls"  an<l  Fail 
"  sleep  quite  refreshingly 
old  Marmion." 

About  the  vear  1820- 


led  their  tears  and  sobbed  aloud 
benjamin"  of  eleven  children. 
hioL;  Inr  him  to  mount  his  horse 
I,  alimi>t  as  well  known  through 
eri  in  the  evening  after  a  hard 
^'e,  ride  to  Pittsburgh,  thirty-five 
be  on  foot  all  day  long, 
>t  next  morning;  and  this 
his  business  between  the 
ance.     He  said  he  could 


dast 


good 


ipany  with  other 
id  and  organized 
e  was  elected  cap- 
ntil  he  moved  to 


tain;  comnianded  the  e.i)n]iaiiy 
Pittsburgh,  and  after  two  years'  alisenee,  returning 
to  Fayette,  he  was  again  elected  ea|itain,  and  contin- 
ued in  command  until  IS.'JtJ.  Xur  had  his  military 
proclivities  entirely  forsaken  him  when  the  war  broke 
out  in  the  spring  of  18G1.  He  raised  and  organized 
a  company  of  mounted  men  for  any  service  that 
might  fall  to  it  at  home  or  in  the  field,  in  which 
some  of  his  old  comrades  of  the  Fayette  cavalry 
joined  him. 

Hearing  that  the  "Black  Horse  Cavalry"  was 
plundering  Northwestern  Virginia  and  threatening 
Morgantown,  he  loaded  wagons  with  provisions,  mus- 
tered his  troop,  and  started  for  them.  "By  the  time 
they  reached  the  Cheat  River  the  command  had 
swelled  to  two  hundred.  This  advent  into  West  Vir- 
ginia was  greeted  with  the  greatest  enthusiasm.  The 
women  rushed  into  the  roads,  throwing  up  their 
hands,  and  shouting,  'The  Pennsylvanians  have 
come!  the  Pennsylvanians  have  come!'  When  he 
reached  Grafton  the  accession  to  his  force  liad  aug- 
mented  it   to    five    hundred.      There   was   but    little 


,1^  JdOjla/tf'a^^ 


GEORGES  TOWNSHIP. 


5S7 


military  discipline  among  the  men,  but  they  were  all  !  son  yourself  when  you  have  the  power,  and  Juliet  you 
well  armed  and  good  marksmen,  and  to  a  body  of  are  entirely  too  much  of  a  politician  for  a  woman." 
irregulars,  like  themselves,  would  have  proved  no  Growing  warm  in  a  discussion  during  the  war, 
insignificant  foe.  The  rebels  abandoned  Grafton  as  he  declared  a  wish  "  that  old  Jackson  was  back  to 
they  entered  it,  and  there  seeming  no  further  use  1  shoot  down  rebels  and  hang  up  traitors  to  the  Union." 
for  them  they  returned  liome."'  It  is  believed  this  i  "What!"  said  some  one  present,  "would  you  bring 
unauthorized  raid  saved  West  Virginia  to  the  Union.  '  old  Jackson  back?"     "  Yes,  to  save  the  Union,"  was 


the  answer.  "  Forgive  him  his  war  on  the  tariff  and 
the  Bank?"  "  Yes ;  and  the  salt-pans  too ;  anything 
to  punish  Rebellion  and  save  the  Union,"  was  his 
reply. 

Within  a  year  after  the  sale  of  the  "Oliphant  Fur- 
nace" property  he  began  to  fail  in  physical  health, 
and  the  decline  continued  until  his  lamp  of  life  went 
out  on  the  morning  of  the  10th  of  November,  1879, 
at  the  residence  of  his  oldest  son,  J(ilHi,  on  the  Sunnie 
Brae  farm,  within  two  miles  of  I';iiilirM.  w  la-re  he 
was  born,  within  two  miles  of  I''aiiil];iiir.,  where  he 
toiled,  and  witliin  the  si-lit  of  his  last  linii.ring  look 
upon  earth  he  e.,ul.l  see  over  the  intervening  woods 
and  vales  the  "old  Tent  Cliureh"  in  whi.h  he  and  his 
wife  together,  in  1825,  professed  the  faith  in  which 
they  lived  and  died,  and  in  which  he  became  a  ruling 
elder  in  1838. 

On  the  r.'lh  orXi.veniher,  IS?!!, 
the  Presl.vtei-ian  Chui-eh   in   I'm 


This  troop  maintained  its  organization  throughout 
the  war. 

There  were  four  things  he  disliked  with  a  cordial 
hatred, — whisky,  tobacco,  a  lawsuit,  and  Gen.  Jack- 
son. Once,  and  only  once,  a  candidate  before  the 
people  for  office,  he  ran  as  the  Whig  candidate  for 
Congress  in  1838  against  Enos  Hook,  Esq.,  a  lawyer 
of  Waynesburg,  Greene  Co.,  and,  as  he  expected,  was 
badly  beaten,  but  his  candidature  well  illustrates  one 
of  these  three  traits  of  his  character.  Being  accosted 
one  day  by  a  man  who  was  drunk,  he  said,  "  Go  'way. 
Jack,  you  are  drunk  ;  I  won't  shake  liands  with  you." 
A  friend  suggested  "  that  was  no  way  to  be  a  candi- 
date." He  answered,  "I  can't  help  it;  I  won't  be 
seen  shaking  hands  with  a  drunken  man,  and  if  I 
can't  be  elected  except  at  the  expense  of  my  self- 
respect  I  shall  stay  at  home.'" 

He  banished  whisky  from  the  furnace  and  works, 
so  far  as  he  could  control  it,  from  the  start.    Tobacco 

was  a  necessary  of  life  with  furnace  men,  almost  as  !  funeral  serviei  s  were  i-omlucte 
urgent  as  bread  itself,  and  he  had  to  endure  it.  His  |  Bergen  and  Isaac  -Wynn,  by  six 
dislike  of  lawsuits  resulted  in  part  from  the  fact  that  buried  in  Oak  Grove  Cemetery, 
they  would  not  always  go  his  way,  and  then  the  law, 

the  court,  the  jury,  and   the  lawyers  would  be  all  ""        — 

wrong,  and  he  never  could  get  it  throiigh  his  head, 
although  he  had  a  brother  and  a  son  at  the  bar,  that 
lawyers  half  earned  their  fees. 

^.  His  dislike  of  Gen.  Jackson  commenced  with  the  \ 
high  hand  with  which  he  carried  things  in  Florida,  ' 
— hanging  Arbuthnot  and  Anibruster,  and  imprison- 
ing the  Spanish  commissioner,  Callava,  in  Monroe's 
administration,  and  for  some  irregularity  or  failure 
of  memory  on  the  general's  part  in  regard  to  an 
order  for  a  number  <ir  lar^e  iron  salt-pans,  evapora- 
tors, which  he  ordered  while  stopping  over  night  in 
Uniontown,  on  liis  way  to  \Va-~hipLilon,  as  a  member 
of  Congress,  to  be  made  at  Fairelianee,  to  be  boated 
down  the  river  to  the  nioiith  of  the  Tennessee,  on  the 
Ohio.  He  also  disliked  him  later  on  account  of  liis 
war  on  the  tariff  and  the  I'.ank,  which  he  firmly  be- 
lieved would  ruin  tl:e  business  prosperity  of  the 
country. 

When  Jackson  was  a  candidate  for  President 
there  were  frequent  animated  tilts  between  him  and 
his  sister  Juliet,  who,  in  sympathy  with  her  hus- 
band, Capt.  James  A.  McClelland,  was  a  stalwart 
Jackson  man,  and  on  one  occasion,  when  words  were 
running  higher  between  them  than  she  liked,  their 
mother  laid  her  command  upon  them  to  stop,  and 


i  borne  from 
,  where  the 
Revs.  S.  8. 

mdsoiis,  and 


said,  "  Hughes,  you  are  a  good  deal  of  a  Gen.  Jack 


JIEXRY    BICRXAKD    MATHIOT,  JI.D. 

Dr.  Mathiot,  of  Smithfield,  was  born  at  Connclls- 
ville,  Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  Aug.  31,  1815.  He  is  of 
French  ancestry,  having  descended  from  a  French 
officer  who,  at  the  time  of  the  massacre  of  St.  Bar- 
tholomew, obeyed  the  voice  of  conscience  rather  than 
that  of  the  king  and  charged  on  the  priests  with  liis 
regiments,  for  which  he  was  compelled  to  fly  from 
France.  But  the  king,  winking  at  his  ofiicial  miscon- 
duct, furnished  him  a  letter  intended  to  serve  as  a 
warrant  of  immunity  from  civil  arrests,  and  he  re- 
turned to  France  seeking  to  regain  his  estates.  The 
family  still  found  France  dangerous  ground  on  ac- 
count of  the  priests,  and  Jean  Mathiot,  grandfather  of 
the  doctor,  emigrated  to  America  in  1754,  settling  iji 
Lancaster,  Pa.  He  had  the  previous  year  married 
Catharine  Margaret  Bernard,  daughter  of  Hon.  Jean 
James  Bernard,  mayor  of  Dampicrre,  France.  They 
had  three  sons, — Christian,  who  located  in  Baltimore, 
John,  who  remained  in  Lancaster,  and  George,  who 
was  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

George  Mathiot  was  born  Oct.  13,  1750,  and  raised 
in  Lancaster,  Pa.,  where  he  enlisted  in  the  i)atriot 
army  Nov.  18,  1776,  and  served  until  the  close  of 
the  war,  when  he  was  honorably  discharged.  He 
then  located  at  Elk  Ridge  Landing,  near  Ellicott's 
Mills,  Md.,  where  he  was  married  Oct.  31,  1787,  to 


583 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Ruth  Davies,  daughter  of  Joshua  Davies,  of  Aune 
Arundel  County,  Md.     This   hidy  was  a  Quakeress,  j 
a  perfect  type  of  the  gentle  but  strong  character  we 
are  accustomed  to  associate  with  the  sect  to  which  i 
she  belonged.     In  1790  they  moved  west  of  the  moun- 
tains and  located  in  Connullsville,  Fayette  Co.,  Pa., 
where  they  rosi.kd  until   liis  (k-ath,  which  occurred  , 
ApriU,  ls4n,at  the  advanrcl  age  of  eighty-cne.     He 
was  a  man  prominent  in  iiis  day  in  affairs  of  church  ' 
and  State.     He  was  commissioned  in  ISOO  justice  of  i 
the  peace  for  Bullskin  township  by  Governor  Thomas 
McKean,  to  serve  "  so  long  as  you  behave  yourself  i 
well,"  and  served  until   the  infirmities  of  age  com- 
lielU  il  liiiii  to  relinquish  the  office.     He  was  a  promi- 
nent   niciiibi  r   of  the    Methodist  Ef)iscopal   Church. 
HishiMi^i'  was  till'  liume  for  itinerant  ministers,  whom 
his  (.iiiakci-   Kil'r  cnnlially  and   kindly   entertained. 
George  Matliioi  was  tlie  fatlier  of  eleven  children,  viz. : 
Jacob  1>.,  Kli/a,('atliarine,  Mary,  Joshua  D.,  Cassan- 
dra, Jol.ii,  Sn-an,  Ann  >[.,(  k'nrge  F.,  and  Henry  B.    Of 
these  but  two  are  now  living,  luimely,  Ann  M.  Dorsey, 
widow  of  Cicorge  W.  Dorsey,  who  now  resides  with 
her  daughter,  Mrs.  Stephcnscm,  of  Parkersburg,  W. 
Va.,  and  Henry  B.,  tlic  >  .miigest  of  the  family.    Some 


of  them  were  prominent 
affairs,  and  all  lived  tn  r: 

Dr.  Jlatliint'soMr-tbn 
was  w.-ll  known  anion-  t 
Pennsylvania,  b.ing  r\ti 
ufacture  of  iron  at  Ross 


in  business  life  and  public 

tli.r,  Col.  Jacob  D.  Mathiot, 
ir  business  men  of  Western 
isively  engaged  in  the  man- 
Iron-Works,  Westmoreland 
County.  He  represented  this  county  in  the  State 
Legislature  in  the  session  of  1833-.34. 

Anolbrr  brother,  Joshua  D.  Mathiot,  l.ieated  while 
a  boy  in  Newark,  Ohio.  He  became  a  lawyer,  and 
represented  his  di^trict,  then  the  Thirteenth,  in  the 
United  States  Congress  in  1841-42,  refusing  a  re- 
election. A  daughter  of  this  gentleman  married  the 
di>tinguished  Dr.  Cuyler,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  The 
doctor's  eldest  sister,  Eliza  Mathiot,  married  Col. 
1  )avidson,  an  officer  of  the  war  of  1812.  Col.  David- 
son was  in  Hull's  command  at  the  time  of  the  sur- 
render of  Detroit,  and  nK>rrlied  out  the  forces  im- 
mediately under  his  coniinaiul  and  escaped. 

Dr.  Mathiot  had  only  the  advantages  of  a  common- 
school  education,  and  began  life  on  his  own  account 
wlien,  as  a  boy,  he  left  home  with  his  wardrobe  in  a 
cotton  handkerchief  and  fifty  cents  in  his  pocket, 
walking  forty  miles  in  a  deep  snow  to  accept  a  posi- 
tion as  clerk  in  the  office  of  his  brother  at  Ross  Iron- 
Works.  The  courage  and  self-reliance  lien^  .lisplayed 
in  the  youth  foiv-liadowrd  the  iiidomilalile  nirrgy 
that  has  unablcd  the  man  to  achieve  >u.,rr>s  against 
every  obstacle.  In  1837  lie  went  to  New: 
and  entered  the  office  of  Dr.  Anderton  P. 
medical  student.     He  returned  to  his  nati 


Ohio, 
1  as  a 


the  class  of  1852.  Nature  as  well  as  education  made 
him  a  physician,  and  his  success  was  assured  from 
the  beginning.  For  more  than  forty  years  he  has 
ranked  at  the  head  of  his  profession  in  his  commu- 
nity. With  cool  judgment  and  quick  perception  he 
unites  large  sympathy  and  an  exceeding  cheerful  dis- 
position. In  the  sick-room  he  at  once  commands  the 
respect  and  secures  the  confidence  of  his  patients. 
Perhaps  he  has  obtained  reputation  and  practice  as 
much  from  his  cheerful,  sympathetic  manner  with 
patients  as  his  superior  skill  in  administering  reme- 
dies. His  ])hysical  endurance  has  been  wonderful. 
For  twenty-five  years  his  professional  field  embraced 
an  extent  of  territory  that  made  his  average  day's 
riding  about  thirty  miles,  and  his  visiting-list  im- 
mense. This  was  done  in  the  saddle,  and  the  older 
inhabitants  well  remember  his  celebrated  horses 
"Bill"  and  "Charley,"  which  were  never  seen  with 
their  rider,  going  up-hill  or  down,  in  any  gait  but  a 
full  gallop.  He  is  one  of  the  very  kw  old-fashioned 
doctors  who  answer  all  calls,  night  or  day,  regardless 
of  weather  or  roads,  attending  rich  and  poor  alike. 

He  married  Rebecca  Ruth  Brownfield,  daughter  of 
Col.  Thomas  Brownfield,  of  Georges  township,  Fayette 
Co.,  j\Iarcli  19,  1844.  His  domestic  life  has  been  most 
fortunate  and  happy.  His  wife  has  been  a  lielpmeet 
in  the  grande>t  M-nse.  Her  husband's  comfort  and 
her  cliililriii'^  iiappincss  have  been  her  greatest  care, 
and  to  her  wikly  devotion  he  is  largely  indebted  for 
the  comforts  of  his  home,  the  hospitable  doors  of 
which  are  ever  open.  It  is  proverbial  that  no  house 
in  the  community  entertains  so  many  persons,  friends 
and  strangers,  a^Dr.  Mathiot's.  In  ]iolitics  the  doc- 
t.>r  ha-  been  a  .lecided  and  positive  Whig  and  Repub- 
lican, an  earnest  advocate  of  the  princijiles  and  meas- 
ures ol'  his  party.  He  has  twice  been  the  candidate 
of  his  party  for  the  State  Legislature,  but  as  the 
opposition  had  an  overwhelming  majority  in  the  dis- 
trict, he  was  on  both  occasions  defeated.  He  is  an 
earnest  and  persinisive  pulilic  speaker,  and  for  a  quar- 
ter of  a  century  his  voice  has  been  heard  in  advocacy 
of  every  moral,  temperance,  and  religious  movement 
that  has  agitated  the  conmiunity  in  which  he  lives. 
Since  ISol  he  has  been  an  active  and  consistent 
memlicr  of  the  :\Irthodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  has 
held  nio-t  of  iis  olli.ial  jio-itions.  He  was  ordained 
a  deacon  by  I'.i-liop  Monis  in  ls.".:i,  and  was  ordained 
an  eldci-  by  !;i^llop  Sinip<(in  in  1^72,  and  consequently 
occupies  the  respoii-ililr  po.-ition  of  a  minister  in  his 
rburcli.  Hi-  si  ivies  aic  much  sought,  especially  by 
till'  piH.i ,  to  .  llirlalc  at  funerals,  as  he  regards  it  one 
of  till'  Clowning  -loiii  s  of  the  Christian  dispensation 
tliat  tlic  gospel  -hall  be  jireached  to  the  poor. 

He  i-  pos-csscd  of  a  comfortable  home,  most  desir- 
ably located,  and  sufficient  means  to  render  his  old 
age  secure  from  want.  His  family  has  consisted  of 
ten  children,  five  of  whom  are  now  living:  Caroline, 
( ■barbs  II.,  Ida  F.,  Edward  B.,  and  Pcrie  A.  Several 
of  these  evince  excellent  mechanical  and  artistic  tal- 


■^^^^^^yU^ey^^V  ^^L.^^-t-t^^<^ 


'ia> 


'll'O'Onx^ 


S.-U^J^'-'-cZ-r 


GEORGES  TOWNSHIP. 


588 


ent,  in  which  the  doctor  takes  a  father's  pride.  The 
daughters  are  young  ladies  of  careful  mental  disci- 
pline; Charles  is  engaged  in  the  drug  business  in  his 
native  town  ;  Edward  is  just  graduated  (March  30, 
1882)  from  Jefferson  Medical  College,  Philadelphia, 
with  every  promise  of  success  in  his  profession.  Dr. 
Mathiot,  like  many  of  our  self-made  men,  has  been  an 
assiduous  reader  and  thoughtful  student  of  the  vari- 
ous subjects  touching  public  interest  and  general  cul- 
ture, thus  largely  supplying  the  lack  of  a  collegiate 
education.  But  few  vocations  in  life  furnish  so  many 
opportunities  for  usefulness  and  wide-spread  personal 
influence  as  that  open  to  an  intelligent.  Christian 
physician,  imbued  with  public  spirit  and  possessing 
a  mind  richly  stored  with  the  fruits  of  years  of  care^ 
All  research.  With  unremitting  energy  and  consci- 
entious zeal  the  doctor  has  endeavored  to  discharge 
the  manifold  duties  thus  open  to  him,  and  is  still,  at 
the  age  of  sixty-seven,  an  active  man,  earnestly  en- 
gaged in  the  various  occupations  of  his  busy  life. 


REUBEX  HAGUE. 
Eeuben  Hague,  of  Smithfield,  is  of  English  stock, 
and  was  born  April  16,  1809.  Of  his  ancestors  we 
have  no  special  account  save  that  they  were  Quakers  ; 
but  his  maternal  grandfather  was  a  farmer  of  some 
note,  of  whose  history  the  legend  has  been  preserved 
that  he  plowed  in  the  forenoon  the  field  of  Brandy- 
wine  whereon  the  famous  battle  took  place  in  the 
afternoon.  Mr.  Hague  has  resided  in  Fayette  County 
sixty-five  years.  He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools,  and  is  a  bricklayer  by  trade,  and  has  worked 
in  all  parts  of  Western  Pennsylvania.  When  he 
started  out  in  life  for  himself  at  eighteen  years  of 
age  he  had  only  a  "  quarter"  and  a  "  fippenny-bit" 
in  his  pocket,  in  all  thirty-one  cents.  He  helped  lay 
up  the  first  brick  dwelling  in  Allegheny  City.  He 
was  once  a  cavalry  oflicer  in  the  Virginia  militia,  and 
has  served  as  a  school  director  of  his  township  for 
nearly  twenty  years.  For  over  fifty  years  he  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  has  for  a  long  time  been  an  elder 
therein.  He  is  a  rigid  temperance  man,  and  has 
been  a  constant  worker  in  the  cause  of  temperance 
since  he  became  twenty  years  of  age.  He  never  spent 
but  three  cents  for  whisky  for  his  own  use.  He  can- 
not be  turned  from  his  course  by  the  taunts  and  jeers 
of  wine-bibbers.  Mr.  Hague  is  the  possessor  of  one 
of  the  best  fruit-orchards  in  Fayette  County.  His 
property  consists  mainly  of  real  estate.  Whatever 
criticisms  the  liquor-loving  portion  of  the  community 
may  indulge  in  over  his  extreme  but  consistent  ob- 
servance of  abstinence  from  intoxicating  beverages, 
his  neighbors  say  no  harmful  words  of  him. 

Feb.  14, 1836,  Mr.  Hague  married  Mary  Swan,  who 
died  July  1st  of  the  same  year.  Feb.  14,  1839,  he 
married  again,  being  united  to  Mary  Lemley.     Of 


this  marriage  there  are  six  living  children, — Samuel ; 
Rebecca  Ellen,  who  married  William  Booth  ;  Emily  ; 
Frances;  Jeffries;  and  Snyder.  Tiie  second  Mrs. 
Hague  having  died,  Mr.  Hague  married  a  third  time, 
Nov.  27,  1862,  his  wife's  maiden  name  having  been 
Jane  Abraham.  A  son,  James  A.,  is  the  issue  of  this 
marriage. 


AVILLIAM   II.  TRADER. 

William  H.  Trader,  of  Georges  township,  is  a  man 
of  mark,  distinctively  of  that  honorable  class  called 
"  self-made,"  having  fought  the  battle  of  life  to  finan- 
cial success  by  his  own  energy  and  skill.  He  was 
born  in  Maryland,  near  the  line  of  Virginia,  Jan.  15, 
1818.  When  he  was  two  years  of  age  his  father  left 
Virginia  and  sett  lid  in  <  Ji.n-ji^  in\vn<hip.  Mr.  Trader 
never  enjoyed  ii].|M,rtiiiiili.  >  ..f -.linnliiig.  What  he 
learned  he  pickrd  u[>  ;is  lie  nmlil.  His  summers  were 
employed  rultiviitiiiir  tlic  lioine  farm,  his  winters  in 
threshiiiL'-  with  a  flail,  until  lie  became  eighteen  years 
of  age,  when  he  lelt  his  rallicr,  or  "turned  out,"  with- 
out money  or  education,  lu  make  lii-  nu  n  way  in  life, 
first  working  for  a  farniur  n\'  lii^  lui^lilMirliiiiHl. 

In  1841  he  married  Charlotte  !■' ranks,  of  Nicholson 
township.  By  her  he  has  ten  children,  all  living,— 
three  sons  and  seven  daughters, — all  of  whom  but  one 
are  married.  Mr.  Trader  has  held  the  office  of  school 
director  and  other  important  township  offices.  Both 
himself  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Baptist 
Church.  He  is  a  modest,  unassuming  man,  and  en- 
joys an  excellent  business  and  general  reputation. 
He  has  lived  upon  Ids  present  farm  thirty-five  years, 
and  has  steadily  worked  on  to  fortune,  accomplishing 
the  purpose  of  his  early  life,  and  is  now  regarded 
wealthy,  his  estate  being  estimated  by  his  neighbors 
at  from  sixty  thousand  dollars  to  seventy-five  thou- 
sand dollars.  About  two  hundred  and  fifty-seven 
acres  of  Mr.  Trader's  homestead  farm  are  underlaid 
with  the  five-feet  vein  and  the  nine-feet  vein,  also,  of 
Connellsville  coking  coal. 


ROBERT  BRITT. 

Robert  Britt,  of  Smithfield,  is  of  Irish  descent,  and 
was  born  in  Chester  County,  Pa.,  June  4,  ISOo, 
and  removed  from  there  with  his  father  to  Springhill 
Furnace,  Fayette  Co.,  in  August,  1811.  He  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  common  schools.  Mr. 
Britt  is  by  occupation  a  carpenter.  He  spent  two 
years  working  at  his  trade  in  Kentucky,  and,  follow- 
ing his  vocation,  passed  eight  years  of  his  life  in 
Virginia ;  the  rest  has  been  spent  in  Fayette  County. 
He  has  resided  in  his  present  home  for  thirty-two 
years. 

Dec.  11, 1831,  he  married  Asenath  Greenlee,  a  lady 
of  Irish  stock,  whose  mother  was  three  years  old 
■only  when  brought  to  America.  Of  this  union  are 
three  children,— -Mary  Emily,  married  to  Benjamin 


590 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Franklin  Goodwin  ;  Frances  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Al- 
bert S.  Miller ;  and  Frank  P.,  who  was  educated  in 
the  common  schools  at  Washington  and  Jefferson 
College,  and  the  Allegheny  Theological  Seminary, 
and  is  now  pastor  of  the  Pisgah  Presbyterian  Church 
at  Corsica,  Jefferson  Co.,  Pa.  Mr.  Britt  and  his  wife 
have  been  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  for 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  In  December, 
1881,  they  celebrated  their  golden  wedding.  Mr. 
Britt  has  held  the  office  of  school  director,  and  other 
responsible  township  offices.  He  has  always  been  a 
Jefferson  Democrat,  and  never  swerved  from  his  party. 


JUSTUS  DUJ^TN. 


Justus  Dunn,  of  Georges  to^ynship,  is  a  prosperous 
farmer  and  stock-dealer,  and  was  born  in  Erie  City, 
June  8,  1817.  He  is  the  son  of  Simeon  Dunn,  of 
Irish  stock,  and  who  served  in  the  war  of  1812  as  a 
"dispatcher,"  carrying  orders  or  dispatches  from  Erie 
to  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  He  bore  the  first  news  of  Perry's 
victory  to  Bufialo. 

Mr.  Dunn  began  business  life  at  the  bottom  of  the 
financial  scale,  chopping  wood  at  twenty  cents  per 
cord  when  he  first  came  to  Fayette  County ;  but  he  is 
now  in  good  circumstances,  and  owns  a  valuable  tract 
of  land,  which  is  well  improved.  He  settled  in  his 
present  location  in  1844.  He  has  been  treasurer  of 
Fayette  County  for  two  years  and  eight  months.  On 
May  26,  1852,  he  married  Mary  A.  Zearly,  of  Nichol- 
son township,  by  whom  he  has  had  eleven  children, 
four  of  whom  are  married  and  have  left  the  homestead, 
seven  remaining  at  home.  The  Dunn  family  is  hardy 
and  long-lived.  Mr.  Dunn  has  an  uncle  wlio  is  ninety- 
eight  years  of  age,  and  was  married  for  the  second 
time  when  he  was  ninety- four.  An  aunt  of  his  died 
a  few  years  ago  aged  over  one  hundred  years. 

Mr.  Dunn  is  a  good  business  man,  and  commands 
the  respect  of  his  neighbors  and  all  others  with  whom 
he  deals. 


COL.  JAMES  ROBINSOX. 
Col.  James  Robinson,  of  Oliphant  Furnace,  repre- 
sents the  Scotch-Irish  Presbyterian  stock.  His  grand- 
father settled  in  1780,  in  what  was  then  Georges  town- 
ship, now  Nicholson,  upon  a  farm  which  remained  in 
the  Robinson  name  for  ninety-nine  years.  James  Rob- 
inson was  born  Nov.  27, 1806.  He  was  educated  in  the 
common  schools,  and  spent  over  twenty  years  of  his 
early  manhood  in  the  iron  business  with  F.  Hughes 
Oliphant,  at  Springhill  and  Fairchance  Furnaces.  The 
greater  part  of  this  time  he  was  superintendent,  as 
which  he  was  not  only  successful,  but  by  his  unassum- 
ing yet  potent  influence  obtained  and  held  the  respect 
and  good  will  of  all  in  his  employ.  In  all  business 
transactions  he  is  a  man  of  the  most  strict  integrity. 
He  obtained  his  military  title  by  election  to  the  posi- 
tion of  colonel  in  the  State  militia,  receiving  his  com- 
mission from  Governor  Wolf  during  the  latter's  first 
term  in  the  gubernatorial  chair.  Jan.  27,  1857,  he 
niuiricd  Mrs.  Catharine  Saams,  of  Allegheny  County, 
who  died  Sept.  9, 1863,  leaving  three  children, — Mar- 
garet Ann,  John  Taylor,  and  Emma  Caroline.  The 
colonel  was  again  married  Feb.  13,  1866,  to  Miss  La- 
vinia  P.  Caldwell,  of  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  and  has  no 
living  children  by  his  second  wife.  He  was  elected 
director  of  the  first  railroad  built  from  Connellsville 
to  Uniontown,now  owned  by  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
Railroad  Company  (and  in  which  he  is  yet  a  stock- 
holder). He  was  also  elected  a  director  of  the 
National  Bank  of  Fayette  County  at  its  organization, 
and  held  position  as  such  for  a  number  of  years,  and 
was  elected  director  of  the  People's  Bank  of  Fayette 
County,  which  position  he  still  holds.  Coal  lands, 
railroad  and  bank  stock,  and  United  States  bonds 
constitute  his  chief  possessions. 

Col.  Robinson  is  an  energetic  man,  of  few  words, 
pleasant  and  unobtrusive  in  manner,  of  a  kind,  be- 
nevolent spirit,  especially  to  the  worthy  poor,  greatly 
attached  to  homo  and  fireside,  and  walks  blameless 
before,  and  is  popular  with,  his  neighbors.  Withal, 
a  true  gentleman  of  the  old  school. 


GERMAN    TOWNSHIIV 


The  township  of  German  occupies  a  position  .wuth     it.     The  township  is  well  watered,  but  has  no  large 
of  a  line  drawn  east  and  west  through  the  centre  of     streams  except  the  Monongahela,  its  western  bound- 


the  county.  It  is  bounded  north  by  Luzerne  and 
Menallen,  east  by  South  Union  and  Georges,  south 
by  Nicholson,  west  by  the  Monongahela  River.  There 
are  no  mountains  nor  any  considerable  elevations  in 


'  By  .liinies  Ro 


ary.  Its  principal  creeks  are  Brown's,  Middle,  and 
Deep,  all  flowing  west  and  falling  into  the  river.  The 
controlling  topographical  feature  is  a  series  of  hills 
or  ridges  crossing  it  from  east  to  west.  When  viewed 
from  a  higher  elevation,  they  resemble  a  plain  covered 
with  a  multitude  of  cones,  some  large,  some  small. 


:^ 


2^/7^Z^^^       ^/  ^/^  Z^/  /a/  ^^2^ 


t:  : 


7  ^^ 


^  C'7 


GERMAN  TOWNSHIP. 


591 


In  the  northwest  of  the  township  a  considerable 
number  of  those  mounds  exist  which  have  so  long 
engaged  the  attention  of  travelers  and  philosophers, 
and  of  which  Mr.  Jefferson  speaks  in  his  "  Notes  on 
Virginia."  Their  shape  has  been  so  often  described 
that  a  repetition  seems  altogether  superfluous.  Many 
bits  of  pottery,  stone  implements  of  various  kinds, 
pipes,  and  remains  can  be  found  after  plowing  or 
hard  rains.  Along  the  Monongahela  are  rocks,  upon 
which  are  cut  strange  hieroglyphics.  Others  are  in- 
dented with  footprints  of  birds  and  animals,  said  to 
have  been  done  when  these  rocks  were  in  the  plastic 
state.  Just  south  of  Middle  Run  several  rocks  may 
be  seen  when  the  water  is  low,  upon  which  a  great 
many  figures  could  plainly  be  seen  until  recently. 
Of  the  indentations  the  rocks  below  Geneva  are  full 
and  perfectly  formed.  These  are  out  of  water  during 
most  of  the  year,  and  are  visited  by  many  lovers  of 
the  mysterious. 

German  is  one  of  the  nine  original  townships  into 
which  the  county  was  divided  by  the  first  court  held 
at  Uniontown,  Dec.  27,  1783.'  The  following  bound- 
aries were  ordered  by  the  court:  "  A  township  begin- 
ning at  Oliver  Crawford's  ferry  ;  tlience  up  tlie  Monon- 
gahela River  to  the  mouth  of  Jacob's  Creek  ;  thence  up 
said  creek  to  the  head  branch  thereof,  where  Michael 
Franks,  Sr.,  lives;  thence  to  John  Wait's;  from  thence 
to  Frederick  Waltzer's  ;  thence  to  pass  between  James 
Downer's  and  George  Watson's,  to  include  the  three 
first-mentioned  persons,  to  the  head  of  the  west  branch 
of  Jennings'  Run ;  thence  by  a  straight  line  to  the 
head  of  the  Burnt  Cabin  branch  of  Dunlap's  Creek  ; 
thence  down  the  same  and  the  creek  to  the  road  that 
leads  from  Uniontown  to  Oliver  Crawford's  ferry; 
thence  by  said  road  to  the  beginning." 

The  townsiiip  was  settled  largely  by  Germans, 
hence  the  name  given  to  it  on  its  erection  by  the 
court.  Althougli  at  first  a  part  of  Springhill,  its 
early  settlers  were  altogether  diflerent  in  customs  and 
language  from  those  of  the  former.  According  to 
Withers,  "  Several  families  had  settled  on  the  Monon- 
gahela, in  what  was  once  a  part  of  German,  as  early 
as  1767.  Among  these  were  John  W.  Provance, 
Joseph  G.  Provance,  and  John  Hardin," — a  name 
famous  in  Kentucky.  Frederick  Waltzer  is  said 
to  have  been  a  very  early  comer  also,  but  undoubt- 
edly not  so  early  as  1754,  at  which  time  he  was 
scarcely  three  years  old.  He  died  Dec.  21, 1834,  aged 
eighty-two  years  and  three  months.  The  oldest  land 
titles  are  those  of  Provance's,  Gilmore's,  and  Kabb's, 
viz. :  John  W.  Provance,  warrant  dated  Oct.  11,  1771 ; 
surveyed  March  10,  1772 ;  number  of  acres,  347.  Jo- 
seph Yard  Provance,  warrant  dated  Oct.  11,  1771 ; 
number  of  acres,  366 ;  surveyed  March  11, 1772.   An- 


'  Bj-  partition  the  townsiiip  is  nuich  I 


I  the  couuty,  in  addil 


I  organized. 


drew  Rabb,  warrant  dated  ;  number  of  acres, 

203 ;  surveyed  July  11, 1771.  Hugh  Gilmore,  warrant 
dated ;  surveyed  1770.  Tliomas  Moore,  war- 
rant dated  Sept.  13,  1769.  John  Mason,  date  of  war- 
rant and  survey  and  number  of  acres  unknown.  The 
names  of  property  holders  in  the  territory  then  em- 
braced in  the  township  are  indicated  in  the  follow- 
ing "Return  of  the  Names  of  the  Taxable  Inhabit- 
ants of  German  Township,  together  with  their  Taxable 
property.  Witness  my  hand  this  10th  day  of  August, 
1785."    Signed  by  the  assessor,  Jacob  Rich,  viz.  : 


Adir,  John. 
Artman,  John. 
Aryesinith,  Samuel. 
Alison,  John. 
Alexander,     the     S( 

Anilrew?,  John. 
Alton,  Mary. 
Barktiinn,  John. 
Bnickbill,  Jacob. 
Barkinnn,  Frederick 
Brown,  James. 
Burns,  Andrew. 
Beard,  John. 
Baxter,  William. 
Balsinger,  George. 
Boyers,  Philip. 
Baker,  Malachi. 
Branbury,  Conrad. 
Berry,  Thomas. 
Bowmnn,  Philip. 
Baker,  Philip. 
Catt,  John. 
Chrisly,  Michael. 
Coojior,  John. 
Cullens.  Henry. 
Collens.  John. 
Coon,  Philip. 
Cnrncs,  John. 
Calt,  George. 
Carnes,  Lewis. 
Caner,  Sebastin. 
Catt,  Michael. 
Core,  Henry. 
Dawson,  John. 
Dawson,  Charles. 
Davison,  Thomas. 
Dulap,  Robert. 
Delcnger,  George. 
Debolt,  George. 
Eberly,  Nicholas. 
Easier,  Jacob. 
Easter,  Jacob,  Jr. 
Eberly,  Leonard. 
Fleck,  William. 
Fcrst,  Jacob. 
Frame,  Thomas. 
Frame,  William, 
plough,  Casper. 
Franks,  Jacob. 
Franks,  Michael. 
Fast,  Nicholas. 
Gilmore,  James. 


Gilmorc,  Matthew. 
Gilleland.  John. 
Gilbert,  Margaret. 
Godhcrt,  William. 
Gilmore,  Hugh. 
Gordon,  Robert. 
Gilmore,  William. 
Galagher,  John. 
Hollingsworth,  Jesse. 
Hester,  Jacob,  Jr. 
Huston,  Andrew. 
Hoglebery,  George. 
Hester,  Jacob,  Sr. 
Uillicost,  George. 
Hainey,  AVilliain. 
Hillicost,  Conrad. 
Howard,  Gideon. 
Hibbs,  William. 
Huffman,  John. 
Hoover,  Jacob. 
Hester,  .Martin. 
Horber,  Thomas. 
Herman,  John. 
HilyarJ,  Thomas. 
Hchnick,  Nicholas. 
Harrison,  Robert. 
Harrison,  John. 
Heald,  William. 
Holly,  Samuel, 
Kindle,  Reuben. 
Kindle,  Jared. 

Leckey,  John. 
Lee,  Rnndle. 
Little,  Adonijah. 
Lee,  Alexander. 
Lawrence,  Jacob. 
Lesly,  Thomas. 
Lesly,  John. 
Myers,  Elizabeth. 
McClean,  Robert. 
Moss,  Joseph. 
Meets,  Henry. 
Mills,  James. 
McMulin,  John. 
M3-ers,  Adam. 
McWilliams,  .Samuel. 
McWilliams,  John. 
Messmore,  John. 
Meets,  Jacob. 
May,  George. 
Myers,  Frederick. 
Myers,  Henry. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Myers.  Andrew. 

Smith,  Godfrey. 

.Mitter,  llaviil. 

Sellers,  Christian. 

fleets.  Leonard. 

S^rote,  Joseph. 

Myeis.  Willi.im. 

Stockwell,  James. 

-Mason.  I'hilii,,  Jr. 

Stokely,  Thomas. 

JIve.s,  John. 

Shelby,  Joshua. 

Mason,  Marian. 

Shumaker,  John. 

-Mason,  ^ieorge. 

Shumaker,  Adam. 

JIason.  John. 

Sn.are,  Michael. 

Myens,  Hannah. 

Thompson,  James. 

Nicholas,  Hostaler. 

Teefilbough,  Conrad 

Kixon,  Jonathan. 

Shaley,  Adam. 

Owl,  David. 

Snodgrass,  Charles. 

Overfurf,  John. 

Yidman,  Christian. 

Overturf,  Martin. 

Vernor,  John. 

Oveitiirf.  Valeniine. 

Vert,  Jacob. 

Pitzar,  Chrisly. 

Vernor,  -Martin. 

Provance,  Sarah. 

Vernor,  Leonard. 

Peters,  Catharine. 

Vandeman,  Henry. 

Piluian,  Jonathan. 

Wilson,  David. 

Provance,  Joseph. 

AValser,  Frederick. 

Parker,  Samuel. 

Work,  John. 

Eiffle,  George. 

Wilson,  Alexander. 

Poss,  Josei-a,. 

Wilson,  James. 

Pemlcy,  Henry. 

Work,  Henry. 

Uioh,  Jacob. 

Whetiling,  George. 

Pubb,  Andrew. 

AVatson,  John. 

Kemly,  Hieronomus. 

Walser,  Peter. 

Robb,  Samuel. 

Walter,  Ephraim. 

Pobb,  William. 

Webb,  John. 

Koss,  Robert. 

W,df,  George. 

lludisii.  Michael. 

Wolf,  Adam. 

Pilllc,  Matthias. 

Weaver,  Henry. 

KiHle,  Jacob. 

Write,  Benjamin. 

.<hii.lar,  John. 

Isaac,  Newman. 

Frecmc. 

Joseph  Sproat. 

George  Wolf. 

John  Work. 

Adam  Wolf. 

Benjamin  Kindle. 

Joseph  Gween. 

(ieorge  Hoffman. 

Matthew  Gilmore. 

Godfrey  Smith. 

Black  Will. 

George  n..over. 

Samuel  Hutcheson. 

Jnhn  McAVilliams. 

Jeremiah  Brooks. 

J..hn  Gallagher. 

Austin  Moore. 

Frederick  Walser. 

Alexander,     the     Sc 

Henry  Franks. 

man. 

<;c..rge  Delenger. 

Nicholas  Hostaler. 

John  Corns. 

John  Lasly. 

Tavern-keepers  are  always  persons  of  importance 
in  new  settlements.  The  first  individual  recom- 
mended to  court  as  a  suit.able  person  to  cater  to  the 
wants  of  the  traveling  public  was  John  Boltenhouse, 
at  .Tune  sessions,  1787.  Licenses  were  subsequently 
issued  as  follows  :  Philip  Lawrence,  Elijah  Moore, 
Jeremiah  Davidson,  September  sessions,  1796  ;  Zach- 
ariah  Wheat,  June  sessions,  1797  ;  William  McClel- 
land, September  sessions,  1798 ;  David  Schroyer, 
September  sessions,  1804 ;  Henry  Balsinger,  Septem- 
ber sessions,  1812;  Aaron  Maple,  June  sessions, 
1805;  Michael  Kline,  September  sessions,  1805; 
Frederick  Struble,  September  sessions,  1806 ;  James 
Sangston,  August  sessions,  1807 ;  John  Grove, 
Au-itst  sessions,    1810;    Elias    Tarshall,   November 


sessions,  1810;  George  Balsinger,  April  sessions, 
1812 ;  David  Auld,  January  se.ssions,  1813. 

AVilliam  McClelland  kept  in  what  is  now  McClel- 
landtown  for  many  years,  as  did  also  Frederick  Struble. 
David  Schroyer,  Zachariah  Wheat,  Aaron  Maple, 
James  Sangston,  John  Grove  in  Germantown.  Sang- 
ston entertained  travelers  and  sold  whisky  for  the 
long  period  of  forty  years.  Messrs.  Balsingers  owned 
the  stand  near  where  now  stands  Balsinger's  school- 
house,  between  McClellandtown  and  Uniontown. 
David  Auld's  is  now  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Catharine 
Hoover,  on  the  Uniontown  and  Little  Whitely  Creek 
road,  south  of  Kabb's  mill. 

The  only  highways  known  to  the  primal  inhabit- 
ants were  the  cardinal  points  of  the  compass.  The 
geometrical  roads  were  unobstructed  by  anything  of 
which  they  knew,  and  the  traveler  pursued  the  course 
he  desired  to  without  asking.  The  earliest  road 
ordered  by  the  court  to  pass  through  German  was  the 
one  from  Uniontown  to  Rabb's  mill,  on  Brown's  Run  ; 
from  thence  to  the  Monongahela  River,  at  the  mouth 
of  said  run.  The  following  is  the  order,  dated  4th 
Tuesday  of  December,  1783 : 

"On  the  petition  of  divers  inhabitants  of  the  County  of 
Fayette,  representing  to  the  Court  the  great  inconveniences 
they  labor  under  for  want  of  a  road  from  Uniontown  to  .Andrew 
R.abb's  Mill  upon  Brown's  Run,  and  from  thence  to  the  Mo- 
nongahela River  at  the  mouth  of  said  Run,  and  praying  that 
the  Court  would  a]>point  six  suitable  men  to  view  the  ground 
over  which  the  said  road  is  desired  to  pass,  therefore  considered 
and  ordered  that  Robert  Harrison,  John  Huffman,  Andrew 
Rabh,  Esq.,  Jacob  Rich,  John  Messmore,  and  Daniel  Culp  do 
view  the  ground  over  which  the  said  road  is  desired  to  pass,  and 
if  they,  or  any  four  of  them,  sec  it  necessary,  that  they  lay  out 
a  road  the  nearest  and  best  way  the  ground  will  admit  of,  and 
make  report  of  their  proceedings  therein  by  course  and  dis- 
tance to  the  next  Court." 

At  the  same  court  an  order  was  issued  for  laying 
out  a  road  to  connect  with  Hyde's  Ferry  road.  Mr. 
Veech,  in  writing  of  this  road,  says,  "  It  came  from 
the  Ten-Mile  settlement  through  Greene  County, 
crossing  the  creek  at  Hyde's  Ferry  or  the  mouth  of 
Big  Whitely  Creek,  passing  by  the  south  side  of 
Masontown  through  Haydentown,  or  by  David  John's 
mill,  up  Laurel  Hill,  through  Sandy  Creek  settle- 
ment, to  Daniel  McPeak's  and  into  Virginia."  The 
road  from  John  Gilliland's  to  Rabb's  mill  was  ordered 
to  be  laid  out  at  September  sessions,  1788,  and  Abra- 
ham Stewart,  John  Allison,  John  Work,  Hugh  Gil- 
more,  Andrew  Rabb,  and  John  Gallaher  appointed 
viewers.  This  road  is  the  one  known  as  the  McClel- 
landtown road  at  this  day.  Mr.  Abraham  Stewart, 
appointed  one  of  the  viewers,  was  very  greatly  inter- 
ested in  this  road,  as  it  crossed  his  farm  from  east  to 
west,  he  residing  at  that  time  and  owning  the  farm 
now  in  possession  of  James  Parshall,  just  out  of 
McClellandtown  to  the  east.  The  road  from  Ger- 
mantown  to  the  mouth  of  Catt's  Run  was  also  or- 
dered, and  Andrew  Long,  James  Thompson,  William 
Rabb,  James  Wilson,  -\udrew  Work,  and  John  Leckey 


GERMAN   TOWNSHIP. 


593 


appointed  viewers.  There  are  now  ninety  miles  of 
road  in  the  township,  according  to  the  survey  of  the 
supervisors.  "The  Luzerne  Road  Law"  was  ex- 
tended by  the  State  Legislature  so  as  to  apply  to  Ger- 
man in  1871-72. 

There  are  no  macadamized  roads  nor  railroads  in 
the  township.  The  "  big  roads"  are  used  by  all  classes 
for  reaching  markets  or  traveling.  The  Baltimore 
and  Ohio  Railroad  had  a 'route  surveyed  by  Jonathan 
Knight  nearly  fifty  years  ago,  down  the  main  branch 
of  Brown's  Run  to  a  point  on  the  Monongahela  River 
opposite  the  mouth  of  Little  Whitely  Creek,  in 
Greene  County.  Short-sighted  people  and  politicians 
refused  the  right  of  way,  and  forced  the  road  through 
the  wilds  of  West  Virginia.  Upon  a  vote  taken  for 
and  against  granting  the  right  of  way  through  Fay- 
ette County  there  were  but  two  votes  in  favor  of  it 
cast  in  German  (cast  by  Jacob  Newcomer  and  John 
Haney).  Two  other  routes  have  been  surveyed  in 
the  past  few  years,  viz.,  the  Uniontown  and  Catt's 
Run,  and  Pittsburgh,  Virginia  and  Charleston  Rail- 
roads. 

The  Monongahela  has  been  the  great  natural  out- 
let for  the  Western  country  from  a  very  early  date, 
and  since  the  era  of  steamboats  and  slack-water  navi- 
gation has  become  still  more  important.  Three  ferries 
connect  German  with  Greene  County, — Brown's,  at 
Middle  Run  ;  McCann's,  at  or  near  Little  Whitely 
Creek  ;  and  McLain's,  west  of  Masontown. 

The  earliest  saw-  and  grist-mills  were  built  by 
Messrs.  Gilmore,  Work,  and  Rabb.  They  were  taxed 
on  this  class  of  property  as  early  as  1785,  but  had 
been  engaged  in  distilling  several  years  previous. 
Their  whisky,  "  Monongahela,  Pure  Rye,"  had  even 
then  gained  for  itself  lasting  fame.  The  flour  made 
at  their  mills  was  of  two  kinds,  wheat  and  rye.  The 
practice  of  eating  rye  bread  prevailed  until  within  the 
last  few  years,  and  does  even  yet  in  some  localities. 
There  was  no  home  market  for  flour,  and  to  reach  the 
New  Orleans  market  (the  only  paying  one)  caused 
Rabb  to  engage  in  keel-boat  building  in  connection 
with  others.  The  boats  were  annually  loaded  with  I 
whisky  and  flour  and  sent  down  the  Ohio  and  Mis- 
sissippi. The  early  mills  were  generally  upon  creeks, 
but  after  a  few  years  several  were  built  upon  the  river,  | 
and  to  distinguish  them  from  those  upon  the  creeks 
were  denominated  "  river  mills."  This  class  of  mills 
have  been  superseded  by  steam-mills,  except  far  up 
the  Monongahela  and  on  its  Virginia  tributaries. 

The  first  to  apply  steam  motive-power  to  mills  was 
the  venerable  John  Debolt,  who  still  lives  to  see  the 
wonderful  progress  of  the  age.  The  engine  cost  $900  in 
Brownsville,  and  was  bought  of  Cuthbertson  &  Roe, 
in  183.3.  Flour,  except  for  home  consumption,  is  no 
longer  made  by  the  country  mills.  For  the  purpose 
of  supplying  the  people  of  the  township  with  flour 
the  following-named  persons  have  mills  :  Jacob  John- 
son, on  Middle  Run,  steam-mill,  with  saw  attached; 


Joseph  Mack,  on  Brown's  Run,  steam-mill,  saw  at- 
tached;  Joseph  Galley,  on  Brown's  Run,  water-mill, 
saw  attached;  Gilmore  Brothers,  on  Brown's  Run, 
water-mill,  saw-mill  attached.  The  ruins  of  old  mills 
and  still-houses  are  found  in  many  localities.  Of  saw- 
mills there  are  in  the  township  those  of  John  D.  Rider, 
Brown's  Run,  water-power ;  Isaac  N.  Hague,  portable, 
Catt's  Run;  Ephraim  Sterling,  saw-  and  planing-mill 
on  Monongahela  River,  do  considerable  business.  On 
Catt's  Run  John  Mason  had  a  mill  built  at  an  early 
day.  He  sold  to  Simon  Yandes.  The  Yandeses  built  a 
still-house,  and  in  turn  sold  to  David  Johnson,  better 
known  as  "  Davy  Yawnse,  or  Yonts."  He  added  an 
oil-  and  carding-mill.  Nothing  remains  but  the 
crushers  of  the  oil-mill. 

A  Mr.  Grool  started  a  tannery  in  Germantown,  at 
or  near  the  beginning  of  the  present  century.  For 
many  years  an  excellent  quality  of  leather  was  man- 
ufactured. The  yard  passing  through  many  hands 
has  finally  become  the  property  of  Josiah  S.  Alle- 
baugh.  A  Mr.  John  McKean,  of  McClellandtown, 
also  manufactured  some  forty  years  ago.  The  only 
person  engaged  in  the  business  now  is  Mr.  Leonard 
Sapper,  and  he  only  in  a  small  way. 

John  Debolt  started  a  pottery  in  Masontown  in 
1823.  The  ware  made  was  of  an  inferior  quality  in 
comparison  with  that  made  now,  but  answered  every 
purpose  in  its  day.  Salt  was  made  by  the  "Silver 
Oil  Company"  at  their  works  east  of  Masontown  in 
1866-69,  but  bad  management  or  other  causes  ruined 
the  enterprise.  The  year  1881  has  found  German 
where  it  started  in  manufacturing  whisky  first.  Dun- 
levy,  Rabb's  distiller,  succeeded  in  getting  a  yield  of 
two  and  three-eighths  gallons  per  bushel,  and  refused 
to  impart  his  secret.  This  made  Rabb  a  fortune.  At 
one  time  twenty-seven  stills  were  running  in  Ger- 
man. The  mash  was  from  three  to  twenty-five  bush- 
els, or  according  to  the  capacity  of  the  still  or  wealth 
of  distiller.  Sylvanus  T.  Gray,  the  only  manufacturer 
in  German,  now  produces  daily  more  than  all  these 
old  distillers  combined.  His  works  are  on  Catt's  Run. 
In  conversation  with  the  proprietor,  in  presence  of 
United  States  officials,  he  said,  "  The  yearly  consump- 
tion of  grain  was  thirty  thousand  bushels  ;"  average 
yield  per  bushel,  three  and  one-half  gallons.  Ac- 
cording to  the  above  data,  there  are  produced  per  year 
105,000  gallons,  amounting  to  §141,750. 

A  new  enterprise  is  being  developed  in  German. 
Mr.  Enoch  F.  Brown  has  erected  the  necessary  works 
for  the  manufacture  of  cement  on  his  premises  near 
the  mouth  of  Brown's  Run.  The  first  kiln  burnt  was 
drawn  July  16,  1879,  and  the  enterprise  promises 
success. 

Many  years  back  in  the  history  of  Fayette  County 
a  Mr.  Baker  manufiictured  guns,  making  all  the  dif- 
ferent parts  from  the  raw  material.  His  shop  and 
premises  are  now  in  possession  of  Philip  Kefover's 
heirs  in  Nicholson  township,  formerly  German. 
Many  of  the  early  adventurers  who  crossed  the  Al- 


594 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


leghenies  in  1767,  '68,  '69,  and  '70  located  perma- 
nently in  what  was  afterwards  erected  into  the  town-  ! 
ship  of  German.  Among  the  number  were  the 
Provances,  Gil  mores,  McLains,  Fasts,  Yeagers,  and 
"Walters  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  township,  near 
the  Alonongahela  River,  and  north  of  Jacob's  Creek ; 
in  the  central  part,  Waltzers,  Messmores,  Rabbs,  and 
Antils,  on  the  waters  of  Brown's  Run  ;  in  the  ex- 
treme northwest  were  the  McKibbins,  Moores,  Craw- 
fords,  Sprotes,  and  a  few  families  of  less  note.  These 
pioneer  citizens  of  original  German  were  nearly  all 
included  in  the  portions  annexed  to  Luzerne  in  1820 
and  1821,  and  still  later  by  the  act  organizing  Nichol- 
son township  in  1845.  The  few  remaining  of  the  first 
settlers  were  the  Moores,  Rabbs,  and  Gilmores,  after 
the  partitions  mentioned.  The  tide  of  emigration 
was  almost  entirely  checked  by  the  Indian  troubles 
between  1774  and  1780,  and  it  was  not  until  1780  that 
it  again  set  in.  In  1783  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
eight  taxables  were  returned  by  the  assessor.  Of  this 
very  great  number  a  few  have  risen  to  a  prominence 
which  entitles  them  to  notice,  viz.:  the  Wilsons,  Hos- 
tellers, Kendalls,  Franks,  Messmores,  Riffles,  Sprotes, 
and  Eberlies  (now  written  Everly). 

The  Franks  (or  Frankes  now)  were  of  French  ori- 
gin. The  Frank  mentioned  (Jacob)  was  born  in  1743. 
He  came  to  Baltimore,  Md.,  when  eighteen  years  of 
age,  with  his  father,  Michael  Frank,  Sr.  After  serving 
his  apprenticeship  he  married  a  Miss  Barbara  Brande- 
berry,  emigrated  to  Western  Pennsylvania,  and  pur- 
chased a  large  tract  of  land  near  High  House  village, 
which  is  called  "  Frankston."  He  was  prominent  in 
organizing  the  "Old  Dutch  Church"  in  1785  and  1793. 
In  1802  lie  died,  leaving  a  large  family.  The  descend- 
ants are  scattered  over  the  Western  States,  and  a  large 
branch  in  West  Virginia.  The  most  prominent  rep- 
resentative of  the  family  in  Fayette  County  is  the 
present  honest  and  efficient  treasurer,  Michael  Franks, 
formerly  of  Nicholson  township,  but  now  of  Union- 
town.  In  Ohio  they  have  a  regular  family  convention 
or  reunion  annually  in  August. 

Of  the  early  life  of  Nicholas  Hostetler  little  is 
known  except  that  he  was  of  German  descent.  He 
and  his  descendants  were  and  are  hard-working  men 
and  women,  and  embrace  many  of  the  best  citizens 
of  German  township.  In  addition  to  their  love  of 
hard  labor,  their  fondness  for  music  is  characteristic. 
The  celebrated  Hostetler  blind  family  are  descendants 
of  Nicholas,  and  children  of  Daniel  Hostetler  and 
Mary  Giljbons,  who  were  married  nearly  sixty  years 
ago.  There  was  nothing  unusual  in  their  marriage, 
except  their  being  first  cousins.  Their  future  was  as 
yet  unraveled,  and  time  brought  them  eight  children, 
— five  girls  and  three  boys.  Of  these,  two  boys  and 
a  girl  were  born  absolutely  eyeless,  and  a  boy  and  a 
girl  with  but  one  eye  each.  Nature,  to  compensate 
for  her  parsimoniousness  in  withholding  sight,  gave 
great  musical  talents,  and  from  tender  infancy  these 
afflicted  ones  have  been  the  wonder  of  the  land.    Thev 


are  first-class  composers  as  well  as  excellent  perform- 
ers on  the  organ,  violin,  and  other  instruments.  Their 
names  are  John,  born  Jan.  25, 1829 ;  Catharine,  Feb. 
15,  1835;  Bartholomew,  April  21,  1845  (these  three 
were  born  eyeless) ;  Samuel,  born  Nov.  12,  1842,  was 
born  with  one  eye,  but  he  has  since  become  totally 
blind. 

James  Wilson  was  born  in  Lancaster  County,  Pa., 
1764,  and  came  to  Fayette  County  when  twelve  years 
of  age.  He  was  married  twice,  his  first  wife  being  a 
Miss  Mary  Babb.  born  1777 ;  the  second  Miss  Elizabeth 
Lowrie,  or  Lowry.  He  was  a  large  landholder,  living 
upon  his  estate  near  McClellandtown,  on  the  Morgan- 
town  and  Brownsville  road,  until  the  day  of  his  death. 
The  family  he  had  by  his  two  wives  are  many  of  them 
living,  some  in  their  native  township,  German,  some 
in  Indiana,  and  other  western  States.  James  Wilson 
was  one  of  the  early  justices  of  German,  succeeding 
his  father-in-law,  Andrew  Rabb.  He  served  from 
1807  till  near  1840,  when  he  became  paralyzed.  He 
was  unable  to  articulate  for  nearly  four  years  before 
his  death.  Several  of  his  first  wife's  children — Dr. 
William  Wilson,  Andrew  Wilson,  andSarah  Yandes — 
reside  in  Indiana.  John  Wilson,  Esq.,  of  German,  is 
a  son  by  the  second  marriage.  He  has  served  as  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  and  is  one  of  the  most  upright  and 
useful  citizens  of  the  township.  Mrs.  Eleazer  Robin- 
son, of  Uniontown,  is  also  a  daughter  of  James  Wil- 
son. Rev.  Alexander  Wilson  and  Dr.  William  L.  S. 
Wilson,  of  Washington  County,  are  grandsons. 

John  Messmore  was  a  Swiss  by  birth,  but  emigrated 
to  the  British  colonies  at  an  early  day.  During  the 
war  for  independence  he  was  a  teamster  in  the  Con- 
tinental army  under  Washington.  After  the  time  of 
his  service  had  expired  he  came  West,  not  with  the 
intention  of  remaining,  but  meeting  many  Germans 
here  he  was  induced  to  stay.  He  raised  a  large  family 
of  children,  many  of  whom  became  in  later  years  use- 
ful and  solid  citizens.  Squire  George  Messmore, 
born  in  1791,  was  an  honored  citizen  of  German  town- 
ship. He  served  one  term  as  justice  while  residing 
where  Joseph  Mack  now  does  on  Brown's  Run.  He 
then  sold  and  moved  to  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  located 
in  Wayne  County,  where  he  continued  to  reside  until 
his  death,  March  28,  1878.  His  son  is  now  sherirt"of 
the  county  in  which  his  father  died.  From  the  same 
forefather  is  ex-Sheriff  Isaac  Messmore,  of  Union- 
town.  He  was  elected  from  Luzerne,  but  was  born 
and  reared  in  German  township.  He  removed  to 
Luzerne  in  18.54.  Ex-Justice  of  the  Peace  John 
Messmore,  also  of  Uniontown,  is  his  brother.  While 
a  citizen  of  German  he  was  twice  elected  justice  of  the 
peace. 

Joseph  Sprote  was  an  old  Revolutionary  soldier, 
entering  the  service  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  as  he  said, 
"  without  much  reflection,  but  afterwards  repented  at 
leisure."  He  resided  southwest  of  New  Salem  until 
the  year  of  his  decease.  His  daughter  Ann  married 
Asbury  Struble,  Esq.,  of  German ;  Margaret  married 


GERMAN   TOWNSHIP. 


595 


a  Mr.  Thompson;  another  married  Mr.  John  Huston, 
of  Greene  County.  Joseph  S.  Struble  and  Mrs.  Sarah 
J.  Hellen,  of  Uniontown,  are  grandchildren  of  Joseph 
Sprote. 

Jacob  Eberly,  or  Everly,  was  an  honest  Dutchman, 
very  piously  inclined.  He  was  a  consistent  member 
of  the  "  Dutch  Church"  in  German  township,  the  pat- 
ent for  the  glebe  having  been  granted  to  him  and 
others. 

Jacob  Riffle  was  a  quiet,  peaceable  man.  His  tal- 
ents were  not  showy  but  solid.  His  house  was  the 
polling-place  where  three  townships  met  for  many 
years.  His  descendants  have  inherited  his  estate, 
with  much  of  his  character.  They  are  honest,  hard- 
working, and  economical,  and  several  of  them  have 
filled  township  offices  with  credit  to  themselves. 

Daniel  Yandes,  Jr.  was  a  son  of  Daniel  Yandes, 
who  owned  the  property  of  the  late  Nicholas  Johnson, 
and  called  by  John  Mason  "  East  Abington."  Daniel 
Yandes,  Jr.,  married  Sarah  Wilson,  a  daughter  of 
James  Wilson,  Esq.  He  sold  his  farm  to  David 
Johnson  (known  to  Fayette  County  people  as  "Davy 
Yawnse")  and  moved  to  Indiana,  near  Indianapolis, 
in  1823.  He  became  very  wealthy,  and  during  the 
Kansas-Nebraska  excitement  organized  a  company  in 
the  interest  of  the  Free  State  party.  The  Yandes  are 
now  prominent  citizens  of  Indiana. 

Jeremiah  Kendall,  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  German 
township,  was  a  son  of  William  Kendall,  who  emi- 
grated to  Fauquier  County,  Va.,  from  England. 
Young  Kendall  was  Washington's  secretary  during 
the  Revolutionary  war,  and  received  a  wound  at  tlie 
Brandywine  battle.  After  the  war  he  married  a  Miss 
Rhoda  Mclntyre  and  came  to  Fayette  County.  He 
moved  into  a  house  belonging  to  Hugh  Gilmore,  the 
elder,  north  of  Middle  Run.  After  a  short  time  had 
elapsed  he  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  on  Brown's 
Run,  southeast  of  where  McClellandtown  now  stands. 
He  engaged  in  agriculture  and  distilling,  in  which 
he  succeeded  financially.  He  left  a  large  family  of 
children  to  inherit  his  estate.  Jeremiah,  Jr.,  took 
the  home-place,  and  at  his  death  left  it  to  his  sons 
and  daughters.  Isaac  P.  and  John  C.  Kendall  own 
the  homestead,  and  are  the  only  descendants  of  the 
male  line  in  German.  Mrs.  Jane  Deffenbaugh,  Mrs. 
Rhoda  Reppert,  and  Mrs.  Jacob  Dawson  are  grand- 
daughters. The  oldest  son  of  Jeremiah  Kendall,  Sr., 
emigrated  to  Ohio  about  1820.  The  "  White  Sewing- 
Machine  Company,"  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  is  largely 
owned  by  members  of  this  branch  of  his  descendants. 
Hon.  David  Gilmore  was  born  near  the  Mononga- 
hela  River,  in  German  township,  in  1786.  He  was  a 
representative  in  the  State  Legislature  and  a  member 
of  the  convention  to  amend  the  State  Constitution  in  ; 
1838.  In  the  war  of  1812  he  was  a  member  of  Capt.  j 
James  A.  Abrams'  company,  and  saw  hard  service  in 
the  Northwest  under  Harrison.  His  brother  Hugh 
was  a  lieutenant  in  the  same  company.  He  died  [ 
April  30,  1847.  I 


The  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart  was  born  near  SlcClel- 
landtown,  in  German  township,  in  1791.  His  life  and 
public  services  are  of  national  fame.  He  died  near 
Uuiontown,  July  16,  1872. 

Hon.  Henry  Clay  Dean  was  born  in  McClelland- 
town, Oct.  27,  1822;  attended  Madison  College; 
clerked  for  George  Hogg,  Esq.,  of  Brownsville ; 
taught  school,  and  finally  entered  the  law-office  of 
Hon.  Andrew  Stewart ;  was  chaplain  of  the  United 
States  Senate  in  1855-56,  and  candidate  for  elector  on 
the  Stephen  A.  Douglas  ticket  in  1860.  He  refuses 
all  office,  and  says  he  "  considers  office-seekers  the 
most  detestable  spaniels  that  lick  the  dust  from  the 
feet  of  power."  He  lives  in  Missouri,  on  a  farm  of 
eighteen  hundred  acres  on  Chariton  River.  When 
not  engaged  in  the  courts  he  employs  his  time  in 
studying  philosophy,  history,  and  literature ;  admitted 
to  the  bar  of  Fayette  County  Sept.  11,  1863. 

Capt.  Cyrus  L.  Conner,  born  in  1825,  was  a  soldier 
of  the  Mexican  war.  He  was  captain  of  a  company 
in  the  Pennsylvania  Reserves  in  the  civil  war  of 
1861-65;  promoted  to  major  and  served  in  Georgia. 
Died  in  Masontown,  April  5,  1877. 

William  Parshail,  Esq.,  was  born  near  McClelland- 
town, Sept.  21,  1822;  studied  law  with  Hon.  Joshua 
B.  Howell ;  was  educated  at  Rector,  Va.,  and  Wash- 
ington, Pa. 

Seth  Ely  and  George  W.  Rutter,  noted  musicians 
and  composers,  were  both  of  German  township. 

Ashbel  Fairchild  Hill  was  born  near  Masontown, 
Oct.  23,  1842.  He  was  a  member  of  Capt.  Conner's 
company,  and  lost  a  limb  in  the  war.  During  his 
soldiering  he  wrote  "  Our  Boys."  This  was  followed 
by  "White  Rocks,"  "Secrets  of  the  Sanctum,"  and 
several  romances  for  literary  papers.  He  died  at  the 
close  of  the  Presidential  contest,  Nov.  7,  1876. 

Capt.  George  W.  Gilmore  was  born  June  9,  1832. 
He  was  a  prominent  actor  during  the  Kansas  troubles, 
— an  aide  to  Gen.  James  Lane.  He  raised  a  company 
in  Fayette  County,  and  was  mustered  into  the  Vir- 
ginia service  at  Clarksburg  in  July,  1861.  He  resides 
in  Dade  County,  Mo. 

Daniel  Yandes  was  born  and  raised  on  the  John 
Mason  "  East  Abington  tract,"  near  Masontown.  He 
emigrated  to  Indiana.  His  mother  was  a  Rider.  He 
married  a  half-sister  to  John  Wilson,  Esq.,  and  Mrs. 
Eleaser  Robinson,  of  Uniontown.  During  the  Kan- 
sas troubles  he  acted  a  conspicuous  part  on  the  Free 
State  side. 

In  the  Wliiskey  Insurrection,  after  the  people  had 
been  misled  by  their  leaders,  they  raised  "  liberty 
poles,"  and  proceeded  to  organize  companies  for  the 
purpose  of  forcing  the  general  government  to  repeal 
tlie  act  of  1791,  which  imposed  a  tax  on  whiskey.  The 
government  having  raised  an  army  of  fifteen  tliousand 
men,  sent  them  into  the  western  part  of  Pennsylvania, 
where  the  Whiskey  Boys  had  some  seven  thousand  ill- 
disciplined  men  to  oppose  them.  Before  this  show 
of  force  the  Whiskey  Boys  dispersed  without  firing  a 


536 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUx\TY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


gun.  Detachments  were  sent  out  to  arrest  prominent 
offenders,  but  generally  failed.  German  had  furnished 
a  company  of  one  hundred  men  under  the  command 
of  Capt.  Robert  Ross.  A  squad  of  cavalry  from  Union- 
town  attempted  to  capture  him,  but  were  not  suc- 
cessful. 

PHYSICIAXS. 
Tradition  furnishes  no  clue  by  which  the  historian 
can  discover  who  was  the  first  regular  physician  to 
practice  the  healing  art  in  this  section.  Indian  root 
and  herb  doctors  were  found  in  almost  every  family. 
In  1809,  Dr.  Joseph  Ross  was  a  regular  practitioner, 
having  located  in  Germantown  some  time  previous. 
His  brothers,  C.  J.  and  James,  were  also  physicians, 
having  considerable  practice  in  the  neighborhood  of 
McClellandtown.  Dr.  Lewis  Sweitzer  followed  them 
in  1822,  and  Dr.  David  Rhoads  in  1825  ;  he  had  a 
very  large  practice,  dysentery  and  putrid  sore  throat 
prevailing  for  a  number  of  years.  For  several  years 
Dr.  John  Wilson  was  in  partnership  with  him.  In 
1835,  Dr.  John  J.  Steel  located  in  Masontown,  and 
soon  after  Dr.  John  Fithian.  Dr.  — ^  Bloomino 
was  also  practicing  near  McClellandtown,  while  Drs. 
Merchant  and  Campbell,  of  Uuiontown,  were  called 
frequently  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township.  The 
famous  Dr.  Braddee  was  often  consulted  between  1833 
ami  1839.  About  1838-39,  Dr.  Rhoads  took  into 
I'artnership  Dr.  George  W.  Xeft"  of  Uniontown,  who 
Avas  highly  recommended  by  Dr.  Hugh  Campbell. 
NeH'  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  dentist  in  Fayette 
County,  having  practiced  in  Uniontown  nearly  fifty 
years  ago.  Dr.  Rhoads  dying  in  1841,  Neff  took  his 
practice,  which  lie  kept  as  long  as  his  health  re- 
mained. 

In  1843,  Dr.  Jesse  E.  Penny  settled  in  McClelland- 
town, wlicre  he  lesided  for  suveral  years.  Dr.  George 
Ringl.nnil  boii;^l,t  him  out.  and  in  turn  sold  to  Dr. 
Caspev  M.  MiU.r.  uliu,  i„  ]s7ii,  ^„i,l  bis  ,,rnperty  to 
Dr.  H,  W.  r.ra-lnar,  nml  in  Issii  was  sur.veded  by 
Dr.  Jaim-  P.  ,<anu-tn„.  win,  uiadiiated  in  ISGS  at  the 
Charity  Hosi.ital  .Aledical  College,  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
now  the  iledical  Department  of  the  University  of 
Woo-ter. 

In   Ma<..ntown,  in  1S48,  Dr.  N.  W.  Truxal  (now  of 
nl  a   large  practice.     Near  the  same 


Charles  Mv 


Finfrock   lived  and 


Brown, 
place  1 
practiced  in  IS-'iO. 

SCHOOLS. 
The  ruins  of  many  old  caljins  used  in  the  past  as 
school-hoTises  are  still  to  be  seen.  Among  these  were 
Mason's  school-lnin-e  in  Masonborough  ;  one  on  the 
Fast  or  Bullit  tract,  ikjw  iji  Nicholson;  later,  one  on 
Provance's  Flats ;  one  near  the  Seceders'  Church,  now 
near  the  line  of  Luzerne;  one  near  Rabb's  mill,  now 
Hoover's;  one  on  Middle  Run,  to  the  right  going 
towards  the  river  on  I'.iown'-  land:  one  near  High 
House;  one  on  the  (innian  l.ntluran  and  German 
Reformed  Lutheran  gklie;  one  near  the  cross-roads 
on  the  Newcomer  lands ;  one  on  the  farm  now  owned 


by  John  Riley,  near  cross-roads;  one  near  Dunlap's 
Creek,  and  one  or  two  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
town.ship.  In  these  huts  taught  John  Knox  McGee, 
Jacob  Ish,  Samuel  Taggart,  John  Hickenloper, 
Thomas  Green,  Fred  Frazer,  James  Anderson,  Joseph 
DefTenbaugh,  Amos  Gray,  James  T.  Redburn,  Moses 
A.  Ross,  John  Atkinson,  and  many  others;  in  the 
past  fifty  years,  Bridget  Hainey,  John  G.  Farmer, 
.lohn  G.  Hertig,  Henry  Jennings,  and  others.  The 
introduction  of  the  free  school  system  inaugurated  a 
new  era  in  the  schools. 

At  January  sessions,  1835,  tlie  court  appointed 
Jeremiah  Kendall,  Jr.,  and  Elisha  Laughead  school 
directors  of  German  township.  The  new  system  met 
with  great  opposition,  and  several  years  elapsed  before 
its  benefits  were  seen  or  appreciated. 

The  rich  opposed  being  taxed  for  the  purpose  of 
helping  to  school  the  children  of  the  poor.  The  real 
objection  was  their  objection  to  schools  in  general  at 
all.  By  statute  they  had  been  taxed  by  the  county 
for  the  same  purpose  before  the  passage  of  the  law  or 
act  complained  of.  The  township  was  districted  and 
suitable  school-houses  erected  prior  to  1837. 

Following  are  extracts  from  the  county  records  re- 
ferring to  schools  in  German  : 

Oi-der  of  John  Hi'kr-nlr.p.T.  nf  Opiman,  for  teaching 

poor  children. 'i   '    i    i  .       :    i-li',  ain't $U  25 

Sept.  24,  1813.  t.  -.  28.7^* 

June23,  1SI5,  tn  .  ,i: IB. 19 

Jan.  13,  1.S1.3,  tu  S  o,i  ,vl   T,i„„:iit  I'm'  same 4.64 

In  1838  the  system  had  made  considerable  progress, 
and  Nathaniel  Darrall,  John  Ross,  Jesse  Antram, 
David  Jennings,  Isaac  Core,  and  Richard  Poundstone 
were  the  directors,  and  all  advocates  of  the  system. 
Its  progress  from  year  to  year  has  been  good  since 
that  time. 

Present  number  of  districts  in  lown-^liip 11 

XumlxT  of  teachers U 

JMales 11 

NAMES   OF   DISTEICTS   AND   COST   OF   HOUSES. 

Win.lv  Hill S4.=)n      Bnlsin^er's Slino 

Mi.Mle  linn SiHl      Cure's 650 


NUMBER   OF   SCIIOLAKS  ON   THE   EOLLS   FOB  ISSO. 


les 217 

nalcs 244 

Total  receipts $311 6.36 

Total  cvpentiitures 3046.23 

School  property,  furniture,  etc 1200, IH) 

Cost  of  sehool-houses 8040.00 

Cost  of  land 500.00 

The  following  is  a  list  of  school  directors  of  Ger- 
man township  from  1840  to  the  present  time : 

1841.  Samuel  Winders,  John  Mosier. 

1842.  John  Poundstone,  Henry  Jennings. 
1S43.  Philip  Poundstone,  Ellis  Freeman. 

1844.  Samuel  Winders,  George  Vance. 

1845.  Thomas  Conner,  William  B.  Alton. 


GERMAN   TOWNSHIP. 


597 


Nicholas  Miller,  William  Jeffreys. 

John  P.  Williams,  Alexander  Black. 

Ellis  Coldren,  Joseph  Woodward. 

Jesse  Overlurf,  Uriah  Higinbntham,  William  Schroyer 

Joseph  DoflTenbaugh,  Jacob  F.  Longaneckcr. 

William  Jeffreys,  John  Ilaney. 

Siimuel  D.  Ham,  John  Brown. 

John  Moore,  Jacob  Mack. 

Vincent  Par.<hall,  Jesse  Overturf. 

Lewis  Campbell,  John  Ilaney. 

John  Sterling,  Allen  Q.  Darrall. 

Harvey  Grove,  George  Balsinger. 

James  C.  Higinbotham,  Isaac  Crow. 

Johnson  Dearth,  John  Emery. 

Thomas  AVilliams,  Alexander  Black. 

William  P.  Green,  Peter  Crago. 

Ilarvcy  Grove,  Jefferson  Sangston. 

John  J.  Riffle,  James  Newcomer. 

John  D.  Rider,  John  Sterling. 

Isaac  Crow,  John  Ferren. 

Michael  S.  Franks,  Levi  Antrara. 

James  M.  Howard,  Rezin  L.  Debolt. 

AVestly  W.  Altman, . 

Nathaniel  Gray,  leaae  N.  Ross. 

James  M.  Harvard,  John  trterling. 

Hugh  J.  Gilraore,  George  Porter,  John  D.  Rider. 

John  D.  Rider,  Jacob  Johnson. 

Joseph  Rockwell,  Nicholas  Johnson. 

John  H.  Newcomer,  George  Dearth. 

Jesse  V.  Hoover,  George  Porter. 

William  H.  Brashear,  Nicholas  JohnsoD. 

Samuel  Campbell,  Henry  D.  Core. 

John  Iluhn,  David  S.  Longaneeker. 

Joseph  Gadd,  Levi  Brown. 

Samuel  Real,  Henry  D.  Core. 

CHURCHES. 


THE  "DUTCH  CHURCH.' 


Ger- 


For  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  church 
man  township,  Michael  Franks  and  others  olitained  a 
warrant  for  a  tract  of  land  south  of  Brown's  Run, 
called  the  "Straight  Narrow  Way,"  Feb.  2,  1785. 
In  1785,  April  25th,  it  was  surveyed,  and  found  to 
contain  117f  acres  and  allowance.  This  they  re- 
ceived a  patent  for  from  Governor  Thomas  Mifflin, 
July  22,  1794.  Prior  to  the  year  1793  they  had  built 
a  log  meeting-house,  the  only  kind  in  the  county  at 
that  time.  It  had  a  gallery,  a  rude  pulpit  or  seat  for 
the  minister,  and  rough  seats  for  the  congregation. 
In  1792  the  Rev.  John  Stough  was  sent  out  as  a  cate- 
chist.  In  May,  1793,  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by 
the  Lutheran  Synod  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  In 
the  same  year  he  organized  the  church  known  since 
as  the  Dutch  Church,  because  the  sermons  were  de- 
livered in  that  language.  The  minutes  of  the  organ- 
ization contain  twenty-five  names,  among  which  are 
the  following:  John  Huhn,  Philip  Lawrence,  Fran- 
cis Fast,  William  Fast,  Michael  and  Jacob  Frank, 
Henry  Barricknian,  Daniel  Schmidt. 

The  patent  was  made  to  Michael  Frank,  Nicholas 

Pock,  John  M.ason,  John  Hartman, Everly,  and 

Joseph  Yeager.     In  184<3  the  old  log  house  was  re- 


placed by  a  brick  house,  the  one  in  use  at  present. 
The  congregation  are  about  remodeling  or  erecting  a 
new  house.  Upon  the  grounds  attached  Rev.  W.  0. 
Wilson  and  the  church  council  succeeded  in  having 
a  cemetery  chartered,  but  not  without  great  opposi- 
tion. During  the  time  in  which  the  minutes  of  this 
church  were  recorded  in  German  twelve  hundred 
baptisms  were  performed. 

Since  the  organization  in  1793  the  following  min- 
isters have  been  in  charge  :  From  1763  to  ISOlJ,  Rev. 
John  Stough  (born  in  York  County,  Pa.,  1762 ;  died 

in  Crawford  County,  Ohio,  July  25,  1845),  Rev. 

Redman,  Rev.  Ravenock,  Rev.  Henry  Weygandt,  Rev. 
Charles  Koebler,  Rev.  John  Brown,  Rev.  .Vbraham 
Weills;  from  1852  till  1865,  Rev.  Jacob  K.  Mel- 
horn  (now  of  Allegheny  County,  Pa.) ;  1866  to  April, 
1873,  Rev.  Henry  Aclier ;  April  25,  1873,  to  1881, 
Rev.  William  Orris  Wilson,  of  West  Chester,  Pa. 
He  was  educated  at  Ceylon  Grove  and  other  schools. 
The  present  membership  (1881)  of  this  church  is 
two  hundred  and  forty-five. 

METHODIST   EPISCOP.\L   CHURCH. 

From  the  most  authentic  sources  it  is  found  that  the 
following-named  individuals  were  the  founders  of  the 
Methodist  Church  in  German,  namely,  .Vndrew  Long, 
Caleb  Hanna,  and  Alexander  McDougle,  who,  in  the 
year  1819,  began  preparations  for  building  a  church. 
In  1820,  in  June,  the  house  was  nearly  completed, 
when,  on  the  night  of  the  llth,it  was  almost  entirely 
ruined  by  one  of  the  most  violent  storms  that  has  ever 
visited  this  section  of  the  county.  It  was,  however, 
finished  and  used  until  1833,  when,  the  walls  having 
crumbled,  the  congregation  took  measures  to  re- 
build it. 

In  1876,  when  the  court  erected  Masontown  a  bor- 
ough, this  house  was  included  in  the  town.  Being 
built  by  persons  of  every  shade  of  belief,  it  has  been 
the  bone  of  contention  in  many  a  strife.  The  most 
liberal  subscribers  to  the  building  fund  were  Epliraim 
Woodruff  and  his  wife  Frances,  Miss  Rainey  Cheno- 
with,  Solomon  Altman  and  his  mother.  A  host  of 
worthy  ministers  have  labored  here,  but  to  enumerate 
would  occupy  more  space  than  can  be  allotted  the 
subject.  The  first  to  preach  the  Wesleyan  doctrine 
in  this  new  field  was  Rev.  Wesley  Webster,  an  Eng- 
lishman, in  1818.  Then  came  Revs.  Batty  and  Pool. 
But  the  most  noted  was  the  eloquent  H.  B.  Bascom. 
There  was  connected  with  this  church  for  nearly  half 
a  century  an  individual  by  the  name  of  Solomon  Alt- 
man,  licensed  in  Pittsburgh  in  1825  as  a  local  preacher, 
who  was  eminent  for  his  industry  and  benevolence. 
He  died  near  Weston,  W.  Va.,  in  1846.  The  present 
(1881)  minister  in  charge  is  the  Rev.  H.  D.  McGrew. 
The  present  membership  is  forty-five,— males,  twenty- 
one  ;  females,  twenty-four. 

The  lot  on  which  the  Methodist  Church  stands,  as 
well  as  the  cemetery  attached,  was  purchased  from 
Caleb  Hanna. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUxXTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


REGULAR   BAPTIST   CHURCH. 

By  an  order  of  the  Redstone  Association  a  church 
was  organized  near  McClellandtown  in  1828.  The 
ministers  appointed  for  the  work  were  Revs.  William 
Brownfield  and  Francis  Downey.  The  church  officers 
were :  Deacons,  Elias  Parshall,  Sr.,  Erasmus  Alton  ; 
Clerk,  John  Grove.  Following  is  a  list  of  the  minis- 
ters in  charge  of  this  church  from  organization  till  the 
year  of  its  dissolution:  Revs.  William  Brownfield, 
Francis  Downey,  James  Seymore,  William  Woods, 
Sr.,  James  McCoboy  (not  certain).  Garret  Patton, 
Thomas  Rose,  in  1851,  when  the  congregation  dis- 
solved. The  church  grounds  were  donated  by  Elias 
Parshall,  who,  with  Erasmus  Alton,  contributed 
mainly  to  its  support  during  the  period  of  its  exist- 
ence. 

PRESBYTERIAN   CHUKCH. 

Presbyterianism  was  not  introduced  into  German 
until  after  the  Scotch-Irish  element  began  settling 
here.  The  members  who  resided  in  it  were  visited 
by  ministers  from  more  fortunate  regions  at  regular 
periods.  The  best  known  of  these  missionaries  were 
the  Rev.  Crittlebaugh  and  Rev.  George  Van  Enem. 
"  At  a  meeting  of  the  Redstone  Presbytery  an  order 
was  granted  for  the  organization  of  a  church  in  Ger- 
man township.  The  ministers  appointed  for  carrying 
the  order  into  effect  were  Me-srs.  William  Johnson, 
Ashbel  G.  Fairchild,  and  Samuel  Wilson.  On  the  23d 
day  of  November,  1839,  tiie  Rev.  committee  convened 
at  the  Baptist  Church  on  Church  Hill,  west  of  and 
near  to  McClellaudtown,  for  the  purpose  of  executing 
the  order  of  the  Presbytery.  After  a  sermon  by  the 
Rev.  Ashbel  G.  Fairchild,  Rev.  Samuel  Wilson  pre- 
siding, they  proceeded  to  organize  a  church.  Thomas 
Wilson,  Samuel  Gettys,  William  Grove,  Joseph  Def- 
fenbaugh,  and  Elisha  Langhead  were  ordained  el- 
ders." In  the  year  1843  they  erected  a  brick  church, 
which  has  been  their  reguhir  place  of  worship  since 
(except  when  being  remodeled  a  few  years  ago  on  ac- 
count of  its  having  been  damaged  by  fire). 

From  the  organization  of  the  church  to  the  present 
time  the  following-named  preachers  have  had  the 
congregation  in  charge,  viz. :  Rev.  Samuel  Wilson, 
Rev.  James  P.  Fulton,  Rev.  S.  S.  Bergen.  Member- 
ship in  1881,  fifty. 

CLMBERLAXD    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH. 

About  the  year  1839,  Revs.  Bird  and  Jlorgan  were 
sent  out  by  the  Cumberland  Presbytery  as  mission- 
aries to  [treach  the  new  faith.  Tiieir  success  at  Ma- 
sontown  induced  the  Presbytery  to  select  and  send 
"Revs.  Abraham  Shearer,  Isaac  Hague,  and  Daniel 
A.  Murdock  to  organize  a  church.  These  ministers 
began  their  labors  in  the  spring  of  1840.  Having 
gained  twenty-nine  members  in  a  very  short  time, 
they  founded  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Masontown,  July  23,  1840."  The  Methodists 
kindly  permitted  the  new  sect  to  occupy  their  build- 
ing until  they  should  feel  tliemselves  able  to  build 


one  of  their  own,  which  they  did  in  1852.  Their 
trustees — Samuel  Winders,  John  Henry  Bowman,  anil 
Jacob  Newcomer — purchased  a  piece  of  ground  ot 
John  Ross,  west  of  Masoutown,  upon  which  they 
erected  a  brick  church.  On  the  7th  day  of  May, 
1852,  they  received  the  deed  for  their  property. 

The  following-named  ministers  have  been  in  charge 
of  this  church  since  its  organization,  viz.  :  Rev.  An- 
drew G.  Osburn,  1842  to  1853 ;  Rev.  John  T.  A.  Hen- 
derson, 1853  to  1854;  Rev.  William  Hanna,  1854  to 
1858;  Rev.  Andrew  G.  Osburn,  1858  to  1863;  Rev. 
James  P.  Baird,  1863  to  1865;  Rev.  Jesse  Adams, 
1865  to  1867  ;  Rev.  Ellis  E.  Bailey,  1867  to  1871  ; 
Rev.  John  S.  Gibson,  1871  to  the  present  time.  The 
membership  Jan.  1,  1880,  as  given  by  Josiah  S.  AUe- 
baugh,  Esq.,  was  one  hundred  and  eighty-three, — 
males,  sixty-seven ;  females,  one  hundred  and  sixteen. 

MENNONITE  CHURCH. 

The  followers  of  the  teaching  of  Menno  Simon 
constituted  a  very  great  portion  of  the  early  inhabit- 
ants of  German,  but  they  were  without  any  churches 
for  many  j-ears  after  settling.  For  religious  exercises 
they  met  at  certain  of  the  brethren's  residences  till 
about  the  year  1790,  when  they  built  a  log  church 
near  the  road  leading  from  Uniontown  to  Masontown, 
via  High  House,  on  lands  now  owned  by  John  Riley. 
It  was  used  both  as  church  and  school-house  for  nuiny 
years.  In  it  preached  and  taught  Peter  Longanecker, 
one  of  the  great  lights  in  those  days.  The  Revs.  Jacob 
Newcomer  and  Joseph  Bixler  were  contemporary. 
The  first  house  having  gone  to  decay,  the  congrega- 
tion in  1838  built  another  on  lands  of  Nicholas  John- 
son, which  was  known  as  the  "  Dogwood  Church." 
In  1870  dissensions  in  the  church  caused  considei-able 
trouble,  and  ended  by  Nicholas  Johnson,  deceased, 
donating  ground  for  a  site  for  a  new  house  as  well  as 
furnishing  the  necessary  funds  for  building  it.  In 
1871  their  present  house  (brick)  was  dedicated.  It  is 
located  east  of  Masontown,  on  the  Smithfield  road. 

Ministers  in  charge :  Revs.  David  Johnson,  John 
Durr,  Christian  Defienbaugh.  Membership  in  1881, 
forty, — twenty  males  and  twenty  females. 

DISCIPLES'   CHURCH. 

The  pioneer  of  this  denomination  in  German  was 
Elder  J.  D.  Benedict,  who,  in  the  fall  of  1873,  held  a 
meeting  in  McClellandtown.  He  was  followed  by 
Elder  M.  L.  Streator  in  January,  1874,  and  in  May 
following  fifteen  persons  professed  religion.  On  the 
26th  day  of  July,  1874,  the  first  organization  of  this 
sect  took  place  by  the  election  and  confirmation  of 
the  following  persons  as  church  officers,  viz. :  James 
W.  French,  Sr.,  and  Clark  B.  Scott,  elders;  Melanc- 
thon  J.  Crow,  Elias  Parshall,  and  James  W.  French, 
Jr.,  deacons.  The  total  membership  at  that  time  was 
twenty-nine.  In  the  spring  of  1876  nearly  the  entire 
congregation  emigrated  West  and  South,  and  at  pres- 
ent not  more  than  five  or  six  members  remain. 


GERMAN  TOWNSHIP. 


BURIAL-GROUNDS. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  cemeteries  and  burial- 
places  in  German  township,  designating  them  by  the 
names  by  which  they  are  commonly  known,  and  in- 
dicating their  location  in  different  parts  of  the  town- 
ship, viz. : 

Lutheran  (chartered),  on  the  glebe  attached  to 
Lutheran  Church,  in  Southeast  German.  Dedicated 
Oct.  1,  1879. 

Leckey,  north  of  McClellandtown. 

Presbyterian,  Church  Hill. 

Methodist,  Masontown. 

Cumberland  Presbyterian,  Masontown. 

Mennonite,  on  Catt's  Run. 

There  are  numerous  family  and  private  burial- 
places  located  on  farms  in  different  parts  of  the  town- 
ship. These  are  chiefly  old  grounds,  many  of  them  in 
disuse.  Some  of  them  are  fenced,  and  others  lying 
common  with  the  lands  of  the  farms  on  which  they 
are  located.     Among  these  are  the  following : 

One  near  old  Mennonite  Church  and  school-house 
lot  on  John  Riley's  farm. 

Kendall,  on  Jonathan  Galley's  farm. 

Longanecker,  on  Lnuch's  farm. 

Harrison,  on  John  Sterling's  farm. 

Gilmore,  on  Ephraim  Sterling's  farm. 

Bowman's,  on  Jonathan  Sterling's  farm. 

Gilliland  (2),  on  John  Coffman's  farm. 

Messmore,  on  George  Haught's  farm. 

Newcomer,  on  Newcomer  heirs'  farm. 

Bixler,  on  David  Johnson's  farm. 

Ross,  on  Asbury  Struble's  farm. 

Col(}ren,  on  William  Schroyer's  farm. 

Hostetler,  on  John  Coffman's  farm. 

Unknown,  on  William  Coffman's  farm. 

Mason,  on  Mason  Borough  farm. 

Free  Blacks,  on  William  M.  Lardin's  farm. 

Fretz's,  on  James  H.  Hoover's  ftirm. 

,  on  George  Dearth's  farm. 

Gordon's,  on  Samuel  Brown's  farm. 

Brown's,  on  Levi  Brown's  farm. 

McClelland's,  on  John  S.  Mosier's  farm. 

Antrim's,  on  William  H.  Riffle's  farm. 

There  are  three  other  burial-grounds  on  lands  be- 
longing to  Poundstone  and  others,  not  well  cared  for. 

LIST  OF  TOWNSHIP  OFFICERS. 
JUSTICES,  1785  TO  18S1. 

Andrew  Rabb,  Jan.  24,  1785,  appointed  by  Governor  James 
Irvine;  poisoned  by  his  slave;  died  .it  White  Sulphur  Springs, 
Va.,  Sept.  5,  1804. 

Ephraim  AV alter,  by  Governor  Charles  Biddle,  Nov.  21,  1786  ; 
died  Dec.  8,  1835,  aged  91  years. 

Abraham  Stewart,  by  Governor  Thomas  Mifflin,  Aug.  18, 
1790. 

Jeremiah  Kendall,  by  Governor  Thomas  Mifflin,  July  22, 
1799  ;  died  Jan.  28,  1843,  aged  85  years. 

James  Wilson,  by  Governor  Thomas  MoKeanj  died  Feb.  19, 
1811,  aged  77  years. 


John  Auld,  by  Governor  William  Findlcy,  1819;  died  in 
Brownsville. 

Moses  A.  Rofs,  by  Andrew  Schulize,  March  17,1824;  died 
in  Alnmakce  County,  Iowa,  Nov.  22,  I8ii2,  aged  72  years. 

Jesse  Becson,  by  Governor  George  Wolf,  1832. 

John  P.  Williams  and  (ieorge  Messmore,  elected  March,  1840; 
Mcssmoredicd  in  Ohio.  March  20, 1878  ;  Williams  was  re-eUcted 
in  1845,  and  died  in  Greensboro",  (ireene  Co.,  Pa.,  1875,  aged  66 
years. 

James  C.  HigiTibotham,  elected  1845;  died  in  Luzerne  town- 
ship, Dec.  IS,  1870,  aged  66  years. 

John  Wilson,  elected  1849;  now  living. 

PljiHp  D.  Stentz,  elected  1850;  re-elected  1855;  died  in  Con- 
nellsville. 

David  Miller,  elected  1854;  living;  age  64. 

John  Messmore.  elected  1858;  re-elected  1863;  living  in 
Uniontown  ;  age  60  years. 

James  C.  Edington,  elected  1859  ;  re-elected  1864  ;  died  .^pril 
20,  1873,  aged  78  years. 

John  W.  Lynch,  elected  1863;  re-elected   1877;  living;  age 


Thomas  Willi-ims,  elected  1869; 
James  W.  French,  elected  1873  ; 


Col.  David  Gilmore,  elected  1874;  died  Aug.  9,  1876;  aged 
4  years. 
John  B.  Woodfill,  elected  1878;  living;  .age  59  years. 


ASSESSORS. 

1S41 

William  Grove. 

1861 

Solomon  G.  Riffle. 

1842 

John  AVeltner. 

1862 

Alexander  Leckey,  Jr. 

1843 

Harvey  Grove. 

1863 

Christian  T.  Rhoads. 

1844 

Isaac  Smith. 

1864 

Hugh  C.  Poundstone. 

1845 

John  Poundstone. 

1865 

William  Pound.'tone. 

1846 

Jesse  Antram. 

1866 

Daniel  F.  Hosteller. 

1847 

John  Brown. 

1867 

George  W.  Green. 

1848 

John  H.  Bowman. 

1868 

Reuben  Grove. 

1849 

Jacob  F.  Longanecker 

1869 

Isaac  W.  Coldren. 

1850 

Robert  Moss. 

1870- 

71.  Lewis  C.  Lewellen. 

1851. 

Isaac  Messmore. 

1872 

James  H.  Hoover. 

1852 

John  Riley. 

187.T 

James  A.  Weltner. 

1853. 

William  P.  Green. 

1874 

Michael  Crow. 

1854. 

John  A.  Walters. 

1875 

John  Sterling. 

1855. 

John  J.  Riffle. 

1876 

Henry  D.  Core. 

1856. 

S^imuel  Allebaugh. 

1877. 

John  H.  Crago. 

1857. 

Alfred  Core. 

1878. 

James  A.  McWilliams. 

1858. 

John  D.  Rider. 

1879. 

Henry  S.  Lynch. 

1859. 
1860. 

Clark  B.  Haney. 
Quincy  A.  Partridge. 

1880. 
1881. 

Thomas  A.  Jackson. 
AVilliam  L.  Moore. 

AUPITORS. 

1S41. 

William  McKean. 

1857. 

Joseph  Rockwell. 

1842. 

Stephen  Grove. 

1858. 

Hugh  J.  Gilmore. 

1843. 

Isaac  Co.e. 

1859. 

William  Parshall. 

1844. 

William  McKean. 

1860. 

Joseph  S.  Struble. 

1845. 

James  Wilson. 

1861. 

Allen  Q.  Darrall. 

1846. 

Isaac  Core. 

1862. 

John  Wilson. 

1847. 

Wm.  G.  Higinbotham. 

1863. 

Levi  Antram. 

1848- 

49.  Jesse  Antram. 

1864. 

Quincy  A.  Partridge. 

1850. 

Isaac  Core. 

1865. 

James  Lewis. 

1851. 

John  Wiltner. 

1866. 

Peter  H.  Franks. 

1852. 

William  P.  Green. 

1867. 

Thomas  D.  Bise. 

1853. 

Andrew  J.  Gilmore. 

1868. 

Isaac  P.  Kendall. 

1854. 

Cyrus  L.  Conner. 

1869. 

James  W.  French. 

1855. 

Isaac  P.  Kendall. 

1870- 

71.  Melanclhon  J.  Crow 

1856. 

William  Parshull. 

1872. 

David  Gilmore. 

coo 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1872.  James  H.  Campliell. 
John  H.  Pounilstone 
lS-3.  Thomas  A.  McKcan. 
1S74.  Joseph  Campbell. 
1875-76.  Jacob  Provance. 


1877.  Jesse  P.  Brown. 

1878.  Isaac  W.  Coldren. 

1879.  Cyrus  W.  Porter. 

1880.  Charles  .S.  Lnngley. 

1881.  Samuel  Campbell. 


MASONTOWN    BOROUGH. 

Masontown,  formerly  Germantown,  was  laid  out  by 
John  Mason  on  a  tract  of  land  called  East  Abing- 
ton.  By  deed  dated  the  29tli  of  May,  1798,  he  con- 
veyed to  the  inhabitants  the  streets  and  alleys,  with 
the  usual  privileges  and  franchises  conveyed  in  town 
charters. 

For  picturesqueness  of  location  that  of  Masontown 
is  unsurpassed.  It  is  just  far  enough  removed  from 
the  mountains  to  give  to  them  that  dark  steel  blue 
color  which  "  lends  enchantment  to  the  view." 
The  town,  although  built  upon  a  hill,  is  surrounded 
by  a  higher  chain  of  hills,  except  upon  the  west,  or 
side  next  to  the  Monongabela  River,  from  which  it 
is  distant  one  and  one-half  miles.  Tlie  distance  from 
the  county-seat  by  the  shortest  route  is  ten  miles. 
A  daily  mail  to  and  from  Uniontown  puts  the  town  in 
communication  with  more  important  places.  There 
are  some  seventy  dwellings  in  the  town,  many  of 
which  are  large  and  of  modern  architecture.  Popu- 
lation, four  hundred. 

The  following  branches  of  industry  are  to  be  found 
here:  three  chair-factories,  four  wagon- and  buggy- 
shops,  two  saddle-  and  harness-shops,  three  smith- 
shops,  tin-sliii[i,  tannery,  one  cabinet-maker,  a  large 
flouring-niill,  four  stores,  two  milliner-shops,  two 
eating-houses,  two  undertakers,  post-office,  large 
school  Iniilding,  two  churches ;  one  physician.  Dr. 
George  \V.  Xetf,  who  is  a  graduate  of  Philadelphia 
Medical  College,  March  12,  1870. 

At  March  sessions,  187G,  the  court  granted  the  town 
the  rights  and  privileges  of  a  borough.  The  execu- 
tive officers  from  that  period  to  the  present  are  and 
have  been  the  following-named  persons: 

BUKGESSES. 
lS7fi.  Hon.  .laoob  Provins.         I   1870.  S.  F.  Altraan. 
1877.  M.  F.  II.  Fanner.  1880.  Josiah  S.  Allebaugh. 

187S.  8.  F.  Altman.  I   1881.  Stephen  F.  Altman. 

COUNCIL. 
1870.— Alexander  Muck/Christian  C.  Sterling,  Rczin  L.  Dcbolt, 

James  Uwcllcn,  Allen  I),  Smiih,  Josi.ih  S.  Allebaugh. 
1877.— AbsaL.m  Longaneckcr,  James  Lewellen.  Isaac  N.  Hague, 

Josiah   A.  Bowman,   Alcxaniler  Mack,  Johu    M.  Deffen- 

baugh. 
1878.— James  Lewellen,  Myers  M.  Altman,  I.  X.  Hague,  James 

A.  Bowman,  Josiah  S.  Allebaugh,  Aaron  Walters. 
1879.— Adam  J.  Willyards,  James  Lewellon,  I.  N.  Hague,  Jo- 
siah S.  Allebaugh,  Richard  Webber,  Ejihraim  F.  Walters. 
SCHOOL   DIRECTORS. 
1876.— Abram  Mosier,  Ephraim  Sterling,  three  years;  James 

R.  A.  Ahman,  William  J.  Sangston,  two  years;  Sylvanus 

S.  Gray.  James  JI.  llowarJ,  one  year. 
1877.— WilliaTu   J.  Sangston,  J.  R.   A.  Altman,  three  years; 

Robert  M.  S.  Temple,  two  years. 


1S7S. — Josiah  S.  Allebaugh,  Josiah  A.  Bowman,  Absalom  Lc 

1879.— Andrew  J.  Sterling,  Isaac  X.  Hague. 
1880.— John  F.  Bowman,  James  R.  A.  Altman. 
ISSl. — James  Lewellen,  Josiah  >S.  Allebaugh. 

ASSESSORS. 

1876.  James  M.  Howard.  1  1879.  John  F.  Bowman. 

1877.  Christian  T.  Rhodes.  1880.  Benjamin  Herriugtc 

1878.  Andrew  J.  Sterling.  I  1881.  Thomas  J.  Walters. 


AL-DITORS, 
1876.— Theophilus  K.  Higinbolham 

Walters,  two  years;  Solomon  J.  Honsakt 
1S77.— John  C.  Lewellen. 
1878.— Lucius  M.  Speers. 
1879. — James  A.  Ferren. 
1880.— Miles  F.  H.  Farmer,  C.  N.  Franks. 
1881.— Lucius  M.  Speers,  three  years;  Willia 

years;  Hugh  J.  Gilmove,  one  year. 


years  ;  Thomas  J. 


JUSTICES. 

1881 

Stephen  F.  Altma 

Miles  F.  H.  Farm 

SOCIETIES   AXD    ORDERS. 

Colfax  Lodge,  M.  565,  Independent  Order  of  Odd- 
/'e«ows.— Organized  May  18,  1860. 

Valleij  Lodge,  A.  Y.  M.,  No.  459.— Organized  Dec. 
27,  1869.  Andrew  Long  was  the  first  Mason  known 
in  German  township. 

Grange  Society,  No.  41.3. — Organized  Dee.  15,  1874. 

In  1801,  John  Mason  and  Apalonia,  his  wife,  deeded 
to  the  citizens  of  Germantown  "  A  house  and  lot  on 
Water  iSlreet  for  school  purposes,"  enumerating  the 
objects  intended,  viz. :  "An  education — German  and 
English — in  the  Arts  and  Sciences,  Morality  and  Ee- 
ligion."  The  tru.stees  were  Lawrence  Rider,  Solo- 
mon Overturf.  This  is  the  first  provision  made  for 
the  purpose  of  establishing  a  system  of  public  in- 
struction in  Masontown. 

Some  historical  incidents  connected  with  the  his- 
tory of  Masontown  are  worthy  of  narration.  "  Fort 
Mason"  was  just  below  or  east  of  the  town,  to  the 
north  of  the  spring  in  the  field  now  belonging  to 
Messrs.  Gray.  It  was  built  by  John  Mason  near 
1780,  and  was  resorted  to  for  safety  by  the  early  set- 
tlers during  the  Indian  troubles.  It  was  threatened 
with  destruction  by  the  Tories  and  Indians,  but 
was  warned  by  Mr,  Carmichael,  founder  of  Carmi- 
chael's,  Greene  Co.,  in  time  to  prepare  for  the  enemy, 
which  when  they  perceived  they  passed  by  and  at- 
tempted to  capture  Fort  Burd.  In  1823  it  was  given 
by  Ephraim  Walter  to  Mr.  John  Debolt,  his  son- 
in-law,  who  had  it  removed  and  re-erected  on  the 
Main  Street,  where  it  still  remains,  the  dwelling- 
house  of  Isaac  N.  Hague,  Esq.  The  Whiskey  Boys  of 
'94  had  a  liberty  pole  here,  around  which  they  rallied 
during  the  days  of  the  insurrection.  Seth  Ely,  a 
famous  musician,  resided  here  for  many  years. 

The  population  of  Masontown  by  the  United  States 
census  of  1880  was  376. 


GERMAN   TOWNSHIP. 


601 


McCLELLAXDTOWX. 
McClellandtown  was  founded  by  a  family  of  that 
name,  who  lived  there  many  years  ago.  William 
McClelland,  the  founder,  died  here  July  12, 1815,  in 
the  eighty-second  year  of  his  age.  The  town  is  some 
eight  miles  southwest  of  Uniontown,  and  two  and 
one-half  miles  east  of  the  Monongahela  Kiver.  It  is 
pleasantly  situated  in  the  midst  of  a  moral  and  in- 
dustrious people,  and  in  a  rich  country.  It  has  pro- 
duced many  men  who  have  won  distinction  in  their 
spheres  of  life.  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart  and  Hon. 
Henry  Clay  Dean  were  born  and  raised  here.  The 
population  is  one  hundred.  It  contains  a  post-office, 
two  stores,  three  blacksmith-shops,  two  wagon-makers, 
two  saddlers,  a  buggy-shop,  and  several  shoemakers, 
carpenters,  and  millwrights.  Several  fine  residences 
have  been  erected  in  the  past  few  years,  and  several 
more  will  be  added  the  coming  year. 

HIGH  UOU.SE. 
High  House,  a  hamlet  of  six  or  seven  houses,  is  in 
the  extreme  east  of  the  township.  It  contains  a  post- 
office,  two  stores,  and  a  blacksmith-shop.  It  is  five 
miles  from  the  county-seat,  and  commands  a  full  view 
of  the  Laurel  Hill. 

MILITARY  RECORD  OF  GERMAN  TOWNSHIP. 
The  following-named  persons  were  soldiers  in  the 
war  for  independence,  and  at  the  time  of  their  death 
were  citizens  of  German :  Joseph  Sproat,  Ephraim 
Woodruii,  Nicholas  Helmick,  Robert  Ross,  Roger 
Lander.  In  the  Indian  war  of  1790-91 :  Nicholas 
Helmick,  Abram  Franks,  Robert  Ross.  These  fought 
under  "  Mad  Anthony  Wayne."  Following  is  the 
list  of  German  township  soldiers  in  the  war  of  1812- 
15,  viz.  : 

David  McCann,  Sr.  David  McCann,  Jr. 

Jacob  Riffle  (lieutenant;     Edin  Clary. 


resigned). 

William  Boise  (Rise). 

Solomon  Debolt. 

Reziu  Debolt. 

Solomon  Getty. 

James  Antil  (substitute). 

Simon  Yandes. 

Daniel  Yandes. 

Henry  Black. 

Hugh  Gilmore. 

David  Gilmore  (these  last 
two  in  Capt.  McClel- 
land's  cavalry). 

James  Sangston. 

Nathaniel  Parshall. 

William  Sangston. 

Joseph  McClain  (substi- 
tute). 

Benjamin  Provance. 

Thomas  Bise. 


Jacob  Harrison. 

Isaac  Harrison. 

Jacob  Owl. 

George  Haught. 

Robert  Ross,  Jr. 

William  Graves. 

Thomas  Ham. 

Thomas  McClain. 

Philip  Lawrence. 

Abraham  Franks. 

Hugh  McCann  (substi- 
tute for  E.  Walter). 

William  Hazel  (captain, 
P.  D.). 

Jeremiah  Hill. 

John  Jackson. 

Christopher  Balsinger. 
George  Martin. 


These  soldiers  mustered  in  two  places  on  the  day  of 
starting, — first  squad  at  McClellandtown  ;  second, 
from  the  old  school-house  near  the  Secedors'  Church, 
on  the  Brownsville  and  Morgantown  road. 

A  large  number  of  these  men  were  members  of 
Capt.  James  A.  McClelland's  company  (cavalry). 
They  served  in  the  Northwest  under  Gen.  Harrison, 
Just  before  the  campaign  against  the  Indians  on  the 
Missinnewa,  the  entire  company  deserted  except 
six,  including  the  captain.  Those  who  remained 
were  Hugh  and  David  Gilmore,  two  of  the  Aljrams, 
and  a  Mr.  Porter. 

The  soldiers  from  this  township  in  the  war  with 
Mexico  were  Cyrus  L.  Conner  (returned),  Jesse 
Smith  (died),  Josiah  Winders  (killed). 

In  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  the  following  men  of 
German  township  served  in  diffi;rent  regiments  and 
companies  in  the  LTuited  States  service. 

In  Capt.  Stacy's  company  : 


William  King. 

Ephraim  W.  Barber. 

David  Grove. 

Sebastian  Cragu. 

Jackson  McCann. 

AVilliam  Keener. 

Lewis  L.  Knotts. 

John  Guc. 

Jacob  RiJer. 

John  lloflctler. 

Samuel  Bise. 

Isiiac  Connor. 

James  A.  Bowman. 

Rczin  Whitchill. 

George  M.  Woolsey. 

Solomon  Riffle. 

Jefferson  Walters. 

Daniel  Ilostetler,  154 

Americus  L.  Ra.Ier. 

Tliom:is  Bhiik, 

George  Fr;inks. 

William  lJI:„-k,         '• 

Isaiah  Frost. 

Cliri.-loTilier  Core. 

James  A.  Weltner. 

David  llonsacker. 

Tliomas  A.  MeKean  ( 

•ol.). 

John  McCann. 

Emimuel  Turk  (vol.). 

Willi HannHny. 

AVilliam    Reed    (as   a 

substi 

-      Jacob  Whuolcry. 

tute). 

Janus  T.  Black. 

Harvey  Baleinger. 

Henry  Black. 

Braden  Christopher. 

Henry  Cunningham. 

Ewing  Christopher. 

Benjamin  J.  C.nley. 

Aaroj  Yowler. 

Jolin  W.  Conley. 

James  Barber  (vol.). 

John  Dean. 

Charley  Yawger  (vol.). 

Andrew  J.  Farrier  (sub.). 

Joseph  Rensh.aw  (vol.). 

Luther    L.    Linton    (capt.   of 

John  Cunningham  (voh). 

colored  company,  Florida). 

Capt.  A.  S.  Fuller's  company 

James  Porter.. 

James  S.  Darrall  (2d  lieut.). 

John  Wilson. 

Rezin  L.  Debolt  (0.  S.). 

Harrison  Ingraham. 

George  A.  Provance. 

James  Bodlcy,  Jr. 

Thos.  L.  W.  Miller. 

J.din  W.  Williams. 

David  Miller. 

David  Wilson. 

William  H.  Poundftone. 

WMliam  Funk. 

James  R.  A.  Altman. 

John  Core. 

John  P.  Altman. 

James  Rosscl. 

Andrew  J.  Todd. 

George  W.  Balsinger. 

James  E.  Alton. 

Jacob  Deflenbaugh. 

William  B.  Alton. 

Capt.  George  W.  Gilmore  enlisted  a  company  partly 
in  German,  and  mustered  into  the  service  of  West 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Virginia  in  July,  1861  (for  which  German  was  never 
credited),  as  follows: 


George  W.  Gilmore 

capt. 

Joseph  Brooks. 

Andrew  J.  Cunningham. 

Moses  Sangston. 

William  Ingraham. 

Thomas  N.  Weltner. 

Harvey  Grove. 

Thomas  B.  Phillips. 

Hamilton  Bixler. 

James  P.  Grove. 

George  R.  Walters. 

Menasseh  Sedgwick. 

James  Walters. 

In  Capt.  John  Harper's  company  of  cavalry  (Com- 
pany K,  1st  Regt.  P.  V.  C.)  from  Greene  County : 

Jesse  Hughs.  Baltzer  K.  Higinbotham. 

In  companies  and  regiments  unknown  : 


John   W.  E.lington  (1 

eut.  in 

David  Malone. 

an  Ohio  company). 

John  Keener  (vol.). 

John  McLaio. 

George  Cruse  (vol.). 

Robert    J.    Linton    (adjt.    in 

Joseph  Hostetler  (vol.). 

Virginia  7th). 

Andrew  B.  Watson. 

Lewis  Walters. 

Samuel  Rotharmel. 

Henry  Brooks. 

Clark  Dearth. 

Hiram  Shafer. 

Samuel  Newcomer. 

Thomas  Jackson. 

C.  W.  Porter  (vol.). 

Levi  Vantussne. 

James  Kline  (vol.  in  cavalry). 

Aaron  Hosteller. 

James  S.  Rhorer  (vol.,  Cupt. 

Joseph  Sese. 

C.    L.    Conner's     company 

James  Colvin. 

Penna.  Reserves). 

Joseph  King. 

Ashbel  F.  Hill  (vol.,  Capt.  C. 

James  Provance  (sub.) 

L.  Conner's  company  Penna. 

Jackson    Jluglis    (Sth 

Penna. 

Reserves). 

Reserves). 

Thomas    Grooms    (vol.,    Capt. 

David  Hughs  (Xth  Pen 

na.  Re- 

C.    L.     Conner's     company 
Penna.  Reserves). 

Hugh  TownsenJ  (sub.) 

John  Kendall. 

James  Cain  (sub.). 

Neil  Hostetler  fvol.). 

John  Strickler. 

Abraham  Listen  (vol.). 

James  iMalone. 

John  Sisler  (vol.). 

Aaron  Malone. 

William  Turner  (vol.). 

Thomas  W.  .Malone. 

Stewart  Christopher. 

According  to  the  report  of  the  United  States  en- 
rolling officer  there  were  in  German  in  the  year  1863 
one  hundred  and  ninety-nine  persons  between  the 
ages  of  eighteen  and  forty-five  liable  to  military 
duty.  At  an  examination  held  by  the  authority  of 
the  United  States  twenty-seven  were  declared  dis- 
qualified and  twenty-seven  drafted  for  nine  months. 
About  this  time  a  very  great  number  volunteered. 
The  Legislature  having  passed  an  act  authorizing 
school  directors  to  levy  a  tax,  the  German  township 
school  board  levied  the  requisite  amount  to  hire  an 
equal  number  of  substitutes  for  those  whom  the  gov- 
ernment had  drafted.  The  following  are  the  names 
of  the  t&s.  collectors  and  the  amount  of  their  dupli- 
cates: Isaac  Crow,  $10,190.75;  Jacob  Newcomer, 
$5428.47;  Jacob  Newcomer,  $7285.82;  Thomas  D. 
Bise,  $2094.25.  Amount  of  bounty  tax  levied, 
$24,999.29. 


VARIOUS   STATISTICS    OF    GERMAN    TOWNSHIP. 

Value  of  taxable  property  in  1784,  as  returned  by 

Jacob  Rich,  Aug.  10,  17S5 $54,495.00 

Valuation  per  property  roll  for  1881,  in  commis- 
sioner's office,  Unioutown 1,011,454.00 

Amount  of  State  and  county  tax  for  year  1881....  2,725.83 

Amount  levied  for  schools,  1881 2,025.76 

Amount  received  from  State,  1881 412.44 

From  JIasontoivn,  1S81 390.00 

Number  of  pupils  enrolled 490 

With  no  public  works  in  the  township,  German 
exhibits  her  resources.  In  her  limits  are  the  Waynes- 
burg  seam  of  coal,  tive  feet;  two  smaller  veins,  three 
feet  each  ;  and  the  nine-feet  vein.  These  may  be 
seen  cropping  out  of  the  creek  and  river  bluffs  in 
nearly  every  part  of  her  area.  The  Waynesburg 
seam  is  six  feet  in  thickness,  and  but  few,  even  of  coal 
men,  know  of  its  existence  in  German.  An  excellent 
quality  of  oil  was  obtained  at  a  depth  of  six  hundred 
feet  on  Catt's  Run,  on  Gray's  land. 

The  population  of  German  by  the  United  States 
census  of  1880  was  1834,  including  90  in  the  village 
of  McClellandtown. 

By  actual  canvass  the  following  were  found  to  be 
the  production  of  farms  and  live-stock  in  the  year 
1878  of  and  in  the  township  : 

Wheat  raised  and  thr.ashed .32,235  bushels. 

Corn         "         "     cribbed 89,099       " 

Oats  "         "     thrashed 45,451       " 

Rve  "         "  "         100       " 

Hay 2,023  tons. 

Maple  sugar 2,000  pounds. 

molasses 5U0  gallons. 

Sorghum     "       2,500       " 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


JOHN    STERLING. 

John  Sterling,  of  Masontown,  a  farmer  of  distinc- 
tion, was  born  on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives,  Aug. 
12, 1822.  He  is  of  English  descent.  His  father,  also 
.lohn  Sterling,  was  born  and  reared  in  Fayette  County, 
and  was  a  farmer,  and  resided  on  the  farm  which 
John,  Jr.,  now  occupies.  He  married  Catharine  Knife. 
They  had  three  sons  and  three  daughters.  Three  or 
their  children  are  still  living,  of  whom  our  subject  is 
one,  and  was  educated  in  the  common  scliools.  When 
starting  in  life  his  father  gave  him  a  small  farm,  but 
his  possessions,  which  are  large,  consisting  of  lands 
town  properties,  and  bank  stock,  are  mostly  the  accu- 
mulations of  his  own  industry  and  business  tact. 

Feb.  6, 1842,  he  married  Elizabeth  Debolt,  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Charity  Walters  Debolt,  of  Nichol- 
son township,  by  whom  he  has  had  eight  children, 
seven  of  whom  are  living:  Ephraim  Walters,  a  gen- 
eral busine-ss  man ;  Amy  J.,  wife  of  Hon.  Jacob  Pro- 
vins ;  A.  J.,  a  mini.ster  of  tlie  German  Baptist  Church  ; 
Charity  A.,  Mary  M.,  and  Rebecca  B.,  all  now  (Febru- 
ary, 1882)  attending  Monongahela  College ;  Jonathan 
(dead) ;  and  John  B.,  a  nurseryman.    Mr.  Sterling  has 


Y^^^^^L       ^^^U^t^^ 


JOSEPH    WUODWAKD. 


GERMAN  TOWNSHIP. 


603 


been  for  many  years  a  member  of  the  German  Baptist 
Church,  and  Mrs.  Sterling  is  a  zealous  church-mem- 
ber as  well  as  excellent  woman,  a  good  wife  and  kind 
friend.  Mr.  Sterling  has  held  important  local  offices, 
the  duties  of  which  he  always  performed  in  a  satis- 
factory manner.  He  and  nearly  all  his  male  relatives 
are  "sterling"  Democrats.  If  Mr.  Sterling's  life  has 
been  marked  by  one  peculiarity  more  striking  than 
another  it  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact  that  he  has  not 
labored  hard  merely  through  a  sense  of  duty,  but  be- 
cause he  likes  to  work, — cannot  be  idle  and  happy  too. 
Men  like  him  are  apt  to  thrive,  and  they  ought  to  be, 
like  him,  prosperous. 

Mr.  Sterling  and  his  son,  E.  W.,  are  the  owners  of 
a  large  saw-mill  and  planing-mills  located  on  the 
Monongahela  Eiver,  and  thoroughly  equipped  with 
all  machinery  necessary  for  carrying  on  the  manufac- 
turing of  "  worked"  lumber.  Mr.  Sterling  and  his 
son's  extensive  tracts  of  land  are  all  underlaid  with 
the  nine-feet  vein  of  the  Conuellsville  coking  coal, 
and  supplied  abundantly  with  iron  ore  and  limestone. 
In  fact,  Mr.  Sterling  claims  to  hold,  in  his  own  right 
and  that  of  his  sons,  one  of  the  best  tracts  of  coal  and 
ore  lands  in  Fayette  County.  He,  with  his  sons.  Rev. 
A.  J.  and  J.  B.,  own  a  large  nursery,  with  extensive 
green-houses,  adjoining  his  home-farm,  where  they 
raise  all  kinds  of  fruit  and  ornamental  stocks. 


JONATHAN  STERLING. 
The  late  Jonathan  Sterling,  of  German  township, 
was  born  March  29,  1820.  He  was  the  son  of  John 
Sterling,  deceased,  of  wJiom  we  have  made  notice  in 
the  accompanying  biography  of  John  Sterling  (Jr.). 
Mr.  Jonathan  Sterling  died  Aug.  8,  1881.  He  was 
all  his  active  business  life  a  farmer,  and  in  childhood 
attended  the  common  schools.  On  March  31,  1840, 
he  married  Mary  Ann  Hart,  of  Nicholson  township. 
They  had  ten  children,  of  whom  five  sons  and  three 
daughters  are  living.  Mr.  Sterling  was  a  prosperous 
man,  and  was  at  one  time  wealthy,  in  the  local  sense. 
He  gave  his  children  good  educational  advantages, 
and  left  them  in  prosperous  circumstances  at  his 
death.  John,  his  eldest  son,  residing  in  German 
township,  is  an  excellent  farmer,  and  through  his  in- 
dustry and  thrift  has  accumulated  a  large  estate  for 
a  young  man.  Christian  C,  the  second  son,  owns  the 
most  valuable  piece  of  real  estate  in  Masontown 
borough,  the  "  Sterling  House,"  and  is  also  the  owner 
of  a  very  valuable  farm  about  a  half-mile  from  the 
borough.  The  third  son,  Andrew  J.,  Jr.,  is  an  active 
lousiness  young  man,  alert  and  expert  of  calcula- 
tion. He  is  an  enthusiastic  politician  of  the  Demo- 
cratic school,  married  and  has  three  children,  and  re- 
sides in  German  township,  where  he  owns  a  farm  of 
a  hundred  acres,  besides  valuable  real  estate  in  Ma- 
sontown borough.  James  B.,  the  fourth  son,  is  an 
active  and  industrious  farmer,  and  has  gathered 
together  quite  a  property.     The  fifth  and  last  son 


living,  William  M.,  owns  a  valuable  farm  near  Mason- 
town,  and  is  noted  as  one  of  the  most  skillful  scribes 
region.     The  daughters  are  all  well  married 


of  the 

and  in  comfortable  circumstances.     Mr 


Sterl 


a  very  industrious  and  good  man.  He  never  held 
any  but  township  offices,  but  fulfilled  the  duties  of 
these  well.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
German  Baptist  Church.  He  was  a  Democrat,  and 
attended  the  polls  faithfully.  The  Sterlings  are  said 
not  to  be  fighting  men,  have  no  soldiers  in  the  family, 
but  are  good  voters.  The  principal  recreation  in 
which  Mr.  Jonathan  Sterling  allowed  himself  to  in- 
dulge was  voting  and  hurrahing  for  the  Democratic 
ticket.  To  his  family,  party,  and  God  he  was  ever 
faithful. 


JOSEPH  WOODWARD. 
Joseph  Woodward,  of  German  township,  a  farmer, 
is  derived  from  Irish  Quaker  stock.  His  father, 
Joseph  Woodward  (Sr.),  was  born  in  Chester  County, 
Pa.,  April  11,  176G,  and  some  time  after  coming  to 
Fayette  County  was  married  therein  to  Hope  Shot- 
well,  a  native  of  New  Jersey.  He  was  a  farmer. 
They  had  eight  children,  of  whom  Joseph,  Jr.,  was 
the  third,  and  was  born  Nov.  10,  1810,  in  Menallen 
township.  June  7, 1832,  Joseph  (Jr. )  married  Eleanor 
Buchanan,  of  German  township.  They  had  thirteen 
children,  of  whom  nine  are  living.  Mrs.  Woodward 
died  Feb.  9,  1853,  and  June  29, 1854,  Mr.  Woodward 
married  Sarah  Ann  Bunker,  who  died  Aug.  6,  1872. 
He  again  married  March  11,  1875,  his  third  wife's 
maiden  name  being  Sarah   Black.     Mr.  Woodward 


604 


HISTORY   OP   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


settled  in  his  present  home  early  in  life,  before  his 
first  marriage.  His  children  are  widely  scattered, 
some  living  iu  Illinois,  others  in  Kansas,  and  some  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  all  are  married  and  prosperous. 
Mr.  Woodward  has  been  a  member  of  the  Cumber- 
land Presbyterian  Church  for  nearly  half  a  cen- 
tury, and  an  elder  in  the  church  fur  many  years.  His 
property  consists  of  lands  principally.  He  enjoys 
the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  neighbors,  always 
having  been  noted  for  excellent  good  sense,  upright- 
ness, and  kindlv  deeds. 


DAVID  JOIIXSON". 
The  late  David  Johnson,  of  German  township,  was 
born  in  Rockingham  County,  Va.,  ilarch  5,  17SG,  and 
came  with  his  father,  Peter  Johnson,  and  the  family 
into  Fayette  County  when  David,  who  was  the  oldest 
son,  was  quite  young.  They  settled  in  German  town- 
ship. He  was  educated  in  the  subscription  schools 
of  the  times,  worked  on  his  father's  fiirm,  and  learned 
the  art  of  weaving,  and  remained  at  home  till  the 
time  of  his  marriage  to  Mary  Magdalena  Bixler,  of 
German  township,  June  27,  1809,  whereafter  he  took 
up  his  residence  with  his  father-in-law  for  one  year, 
and  then  purchased  a  farm,  still  in  the  hands  of  rela- 
tives of  his,  near  Uniontown,  wliereon  he  resided  for 
six  years,  and  selling  the  farm  to  his  brutlier  Jacnli, 
bought  the  "  Yanders  farm"  near  Masontowii,  upon 
whicli  lie  lived  the  rest  of  his  days.  He  was  the  father 
of  nine  cliildren,  eight  of  whom  were  living  at  the  time 
of  his  dcatli,  whirli  occurred  May  24,  1860.  All  the 
eight  children,  ^ix  l.uvs  an.l  two  uirls,  iv,. re  also  married 
at  the  tiiiir  of  till-  IlilliMr's  dratli.  Mrs.  .lohnson  ,lied 
some  thiee  years  luiore  her  husband,  and  Imth  were 
buried  in  the  private  burying-gronnd  on  tiie  New- 
comer farm,  adjoining  Mr.  Johnson's  original  farm, 
and  which  he  owned  at  the  time  of  his  deatli,  and 
Avhich  his  daughter  Frances,  Mrs.  John  Young,  now 

Mr,  Jcihnson  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Mennonite  Cliurch.  Mr.  Johnson  was  in  early  lile  a 
■\\'liig  in  ipolitics,  but  became  a  Repuliliean.     lie  was 

is  said  of  him  that  "If  Havid  Johnson  was  not  an 
honest  man  then  there  are  no  honest  men." 

Mr.  Johnson  ow)H-d  about  sixteen  hundred  acres  of 
land,  the  most  of  whi,-li  i,>  underlaid  with   the   iiine- 

cliildreu  a  farm  of  ab(/tit  two  hnn.heil  acres  of  land, 
with  house  and  outlniildings  thereon,  upon  which 
severally  the  surviving  children  are  still  living  in 
prosperous  circumstances. 

ilr.  Jacob  Johnson,  the  son  of  David,  and  the  next 
to  the  last  born  of  his  children,  and  who,  perhaps, 
more  es|ieeially  than  the  rest  supplies  the  place  of  his 
father  in  the  world,  left  the  old  homestead  tarni, 
whereon  for  a  long  number  of  years  he  had  wrought, 
just  prior  to  his  father's  death,  and  moved  U]ion  "the 


Middle  Eun  farm,"  in  the  same  township,  to  which 
I  he  has  made  many  additions  by  purchase  until  his 
I  present  landed  estate  covers  about  a  thousand  excel- 
lent acres.  He  married  in  1862  Elizabeth  Knotts,  a 
native  of  Virginia.  They  have  had  five  sons  and  two 
daughters.  Four  sons  and  two  daughters  are  now 
living  and  residing  with  their  father,  and  being  in- 
dustrious and  faithful  children  are  adding  to  the  worth 
of  the  already  valuable  homestead  farm.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Johnson  are  members  of  the  Mennonite  Church. 


CAPT.   ISAAC   PHILLIPS   KENDALL. 

Capt.  Isaac  Phillips  Kendall,  a  worthy  farmer  and 
citizen  of  Masontown,  and  a  gentleman  of  individ- 
ual characteristics  and  varied  talents,  was  born  in 
German  township,  April  7,  1822.  His  grandfather, 
Jeremiah  Kendall,  of  English  descent,  was  born  in 
Virginia,  and  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and  at 
one  time  private  secretary  of  Gen.  Washington.  He 
was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Brandywine.  He  mar- 
ried Ehoda  Mclntyre,  of  Virginia,  a  lady  of  Scotch 
lineage,  and,  nearly  a  hundred  years  ago,  settled  in 
Fayette  County,  and  had  "  jiatented"  to  him  at  that 
time  the  farm  ujion  which  ('apt.  Kendall's  father  and 
himself  were  born,  and  on  which  the  father  always 
lived,  and  the  ca|itain  has  resided  until  March,  1881. 
( 'apt.  Kendall's  father  was  Jeremiah.  He  was  a  sol- 
dier of  the  war  of  1S12.  His  wife  was  Sarah  Phillips, 
of  Nicholson  township.  Capt.  Kendall  received  his 
education  in  the  common  schools  and  at  Rector  Col- 
lege, Pruntytown,  Va.  Nov.  7, 1844,  he  married  Nancy 
J.  Allebaugh,  the  oldest  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Elizabeth  Allebaugh.  The  latter  (referred  to  in  the 
biography  of  Sanmel  Allebaugh)  resides  with  her  .son- 
in-law,  Capt.  Kendall.  Capt.  and  Mrs.  Kendall  have 
had  no  children. 

Capt.  Kendall  has  held  important  township  offices, 
but  is  no  seeker  after  official  positions.  He  derives 
his  military  title  from  his  election  to  the  post  of  cap- 
tain, commissioned  as  such  by  Governor  F.  R.  Shunk 
in  a  volunteer  company,  Nov.  7, 1846,  which  company 
tendered  their  services  for  the  war  with  Mexico,  but 
were  not  accepted.  He  was  afterwards  elected  major 
of  battalion  on  a  7th  of  November.  He  remembers 
the  date  of  his  military  election  and  re-election  be- 
cause it  is  the  same  (November  7th')  as  that  of  his 
nianiaiie.  Thus  peace  and  war  go  hand  in  hand 
together  with  him. 

Capt.  Kendall  is  a  successful  business  man,  and  is 
now  engaged  iu  farming  and  manufacturing  coke. 
He  has  always  been  a  farmer,  and  says  that  he  is  a 
poor  one ;  but  his  neighbors  do  not  think  so.  His 
considerable  posse.ssions  consist  of  agricultural  lands, 
coal  deposits,  bank  stocks,  etc.  He  is,  in  the  English 
sen.-e.  a  very  clever  gentleman.  Indeed,  he  may  be 
called  a  "  Lieuiiis"  withal,  possessing  excellent  powers 
(jf  nieehauical  invention.  He  is,  moreover,  a  man  of 
refined  sensitiveness,  sludential  habits,  and  strong  in- 


.^(^r..^^ 


r0«??>^^4:^  cA^^f^ 


'^^^'-7^^ 


SAMUEL    ALLEBAUGH. 


HENRY   CLAY   TOWNSHIP. 


dividual  traits.  In  1866,  at  the  age  of  forty-four,  a  time 
of  life  when  most  men,  especially  those  engaged  in 
active  business,  would  be  disinclined  to  commence  a 
new  study,  the  captain,  until  that  time  unable  to 
read  a  musical  note,  took  up  the  study  of  music,  as  a 
pastime  as  well  as  a  science,  pursuing  it  faithfully  for 
three  years  before  he  felt  competent  to  attempt  to  in- 
struct in  the  art.  He  is  now  well  equipped,  a  success- 
iiil  teacher,  and  instructs  pupils  in  Sunday-  and  com- 
mon schools.  Perhaps  he  is  more  noted  as  a  teacher 
of  music  than  in  any  other  capacity.  He  would  say 
so  of  himself;  but  he  is  as  well  noted  throughout  the 
region  he  inhabits  as  an  excellent  neighbor,  high- 
minded  jiublic  citizen,  and  warm-hearted  friend. 


SAMUEL  ALLEBAUGH. 
The  late  Samuel  Allebaugh,  of  Masontown,  was  of 
German  stock.  His  father.  Christian  Allebaugh.  lived 
in  Rockingham  County,  Va.,  where  he  married  Cath- 
arine ShowaJter,  of  the  same  county,  by  whom  he  had 
ten  children,  eight  sons  and  two  daughters.  Samuel 
was  their  fourth  child,  and  was  born  March  3,  1789, 
and  was  educated  in  the  country  schools  of  Rocking- 
ham County.  Growing  up  he  learned  the  trade  of 
blacksmithing,  and  finally  came  into  Fayette  County, 
locating  at  Masontown  in  1810.  He  married  Eliza- 
beth Weibel,  of  German  township  then,  now  Nich- 
olson. They  had  eight  children,  equally  divided  as 
to  sex  (six  of  whom  are  living), — Josiah  S.,  who  mar- 
ried Nancy  J.  Heath,  March  4, 1832;.  James  M.,  who 


married  Elizabeth  Guinn  ;  Andrew  J. ;  William  11., 
who  married  Mary  M.  Hill,  and  died  June  13,  1875; 
Nancy  J.,  married  Nov.  7,  1844,  to  Capt.  Isaac  P. 
Kendall  ;  Elizabeth  A.,  who  married  James  S. 
Rohrer,  Jan.  25,  184G ;  Rebecca  C,  who  married 
Adam  Poundstone,  Feb.  8,  1846,  and  died  Nov.  1, 
1852 ;  Elmira  J.,  who  married  Capt.  C.  L.  Conner, 
Sept.  21,  1843.  Capt.  Conner  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Mexican  war  and  in  that  of  the  Rebellion,  and  was 
engaged  in  each  from  the  beginning  to  its  close.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Cuirtberland  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  died  April  5,  1877. 

Samuel  Allebaugh  died  Sept.  16,  1867,  and  was  in- 
terred in  the  German  Baptist  burying-ground.  After 
leaving  Virginia  he  lived  wholly  in  Masontown,  except 
for  a  period  of  about  five  years  which  he  piissed  on  his 
farm  in  German  township,  on  the  waters  of  Brown's 
Run,  and  two  years  which  were  spent  in  Fairfield 
County,  Ohio,  on  a  farm  which  he  purchased  in 
1835,  upon  which  he  moved  in  1836,  and  which  he 
sold  in  1837,  returning  in  the  fall  of  that  year  to  his 
old  and  cherished  home  in  Masontown.  His  reputa- 
tion for  manly  virtues  was  excellent;  in  fact,  he  was 
noted  for  his  good  qualities  as  a  neighbor  and  citizen. 
According  to  his  means  he  generously  assisted  all  his 
children  to  a  start  in  life.  They  had  all  arrived  at 
maturity  before  his  death.  His  widow,  Elizabeth,  in 
her  ninety -second  year,  is  an  active,  intelligent,  and 
amiable  old  lady.  Mr.  Allebaugh  was  long  a  member 
of  tlie  German  Baptist  or  Dunkard  Church.  His 
children  are  Cumberland  Presbyterians. 


HENRY    CLAY   TOWXSIIIIV 


teries— Schools. 

In  1823,  at  the  January  session  of  court  for  Fay-  ^ 
ette  County,  there  was  presented  a  petition  of  the  I 
inhabitants  of  Wharton  townsliip  for  a  division  be-  I 
ginning  at  the  Great  Falls  on  Youghiogheny  River;  I 
thence  to  Carrol's  mill ;  thence  by  said  mill  to  the  | 
Virginia  (now  West  Virginia)  line.  An  order  was  | 
issued,  and  Morris  Morris,  Thomas  Collins,  and  Abel  j 
Campbell  appointed  viewers  to  inquire  into  the  pro- 
priety of  such  division.  In  obedience  to  the  order 
they  reported  that  with  the  assistance  of  a  competent 
surveyor  they  had  performed  the  duties  assigned  to 


Bj-Sa 


T.  Wiley. 


them  by  taking  into  consideration  the  territory  of  the 
township,  its  population,  etc.,  and  recommend  a  di- 
vision of  said  township  by  running  lines,  viz. :  Be- 
ginning at  the  Great  Falls  of  the  Youghiogheny 
River;  thence  south  180  perches,  south  371  degrees 
west,  646  perches  to  the  mouth  of  Laurel  Run  ;  thence 
south  30  degrees  east,  34  perches ;  thence  south  75 
degrees  west,  24  perches ;  thence  south  9  degrees 
east,  28  perches;  thence  south  4  degrees  east,  78 
perches;  thence  south  7}  degrees  east,  30  perches; 
thence  south  10  degrees  west,  3  perches ;  thence  south 
19J  degrees  east,  20  perches;  thence  south  81  degrees 
east,  152  perches;  thence  south  30  degrees  east,  60 
perches ;  thence  south  23  degrees  east,  40  perches  ; 
thence  south  300  perches ;  thence  south  43]  degrees 
west,  702  perches  to  the  United  States  turnpike ; 
thence  south  13  degrees  west,  295  perches  to  the  burnt 
cabin  at  the  intersection  of  the  road  leading  to  Car- 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


rol's  mill;  thence  with  said  road  to  the  Virginia 
(now  West  Virginia)  line. 

This  report  was  presented  to  the  court  on  the  9th 
day  of  June,  1824,  and  by  them  confirmed,  and  it  was 
directed  by  said  court  that  the  western  section  con- 
tinue to  be  called  "Wharton,"  and  the  eastern  sec- 
tion be  erected  into  the  township  of  "  Henry  Clay." 

Henry  Clay  township  is  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Stewart  township,  on  the  east  is  separated  by  the 
Youghiogheny  River  from  Somerset  County,  Pa.,  on 
the  south  is  divided  by  the  celebrated  Mason  and 
Dixon's  line  from  the  States  of  Maryland  and  West 
Virginia,  and  on  the  west  (bounded)  by  Wharton. 
It  lies  partly  in  the  Ligonier  Valley,  and  is  thesouth- 
eastern  of  the  five  mountain  or  highland  townships, 
and  is  also  the  southeastern  township  of  the  county. 
Its  greatest  length  from  north  to  south  is  eight  miles, 
and  from  east  to  west  is  seven  and  three-quarter  miles. 
Laurel  Hill  Ridge  runs  through  the  township  a  little 
west  of  the  centre,  with  an  average  width  of  three 
miles,  and  average  height  of  two  thousand  three 
hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ocean.  On  the 
west  of  Laurel  Hill  Ridge  high  hills,  rough  and 
broken,  extend  to  the  Wharton  line.  On  the  east 
high  hills  extend  to  the  river,  and  rise  from  six 
hundred  to  eight  hundred  feet  above  its  banks.  There 
are  here  no  valley  or  bottoms,  but  the  river  cuts 
its  way  through  rugged  hills.  These  hills,  east  of 
the  Ridge,  extend  as  far  south  as  the  National  road. 
From  the  National  road  south  to  Mason  and  Dixon's 
line  is  an  elevated  plain  (with  a  rolling  surface)  over 
two  thousand  two  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
ocean,  a  section  well  adapted  to  grazing.  It  was  for- 
merly called  the  "  Glades." 

Youghiogheny  and  Cheat  Rivers  drain  the  town- 
ship. Beaver  Creek,  west  of  Laurel  Hill,  Mill,  Hall, 
and  Tub-Mill  Runs,  east,  fall  into  the  Youghio- 
gheny, while  Cheat  receives  from  the  southwest  Lit- 
tle Sandy  and  Glade  Runs;  both  rise  in  the  edge  of 
the  township.  The  rapid  fall  in  the  Youghiogheny 
and  these  different  runs  oflfer  many  splendid  sites  for 
mills  or  factories.  The  soil  is  principally  a  clay  loam 
on  the  hills  and  a  sand  loam  along  the  streams  and  on 
the  chestnut  ridges  of  the  mountain.  Oak  is  the  main 
timber,  next  chestnut,  then  small  quantities  of  sugar, 
poplar,  wild-cherry,  dogwood,  sycamore,  and  walnut. 
Originally  it  was  a  very  heavy  timbered  region,  but 
much  of  it  has  been  cut,  yet  a  large  amount  remains. 
Coal  exists  throughout  the  township,  but  in  many 
places  tlie  veins  are  only  from  fifteen  to  eighteen 
inches  thick.  The  Upper  Freeport  coal-vein,  about 
four  feet  thick,  is  found  on  Hall's  Run,  Beaver  Creek, 
along  the  river,  and  near  Markleysburg.  Above  the 
river,  north  of  the  National  road,  the  Philson  coal- 
vein,  two  feet  thick,  is  found,  and  close  to  the  Horse- 
Shoe  Bend  the  lioilin  coal-vein,  two  feet  thick,  is 
found.  South  of  Somortickl,  and  on  land  of  H.  J. 
and  J.  J.  Easti^r  and  Susan  Lenhart,  are  found  veins 
of  bituminous  coal  six  feet  six  inches  in  thickness. 


The  coal  is  of  excellent  quality,  and  has  been  mined 
here  for  more  than  forty  years.     The  principal  supply 
of  coal  for  the  villages  of  Somerfield  and  Jockey  Val- 
ley, as  well  as  for  much  of  the  surrounding  country, 
comes  from  these  mines. 
I       On  the  same  lands  there  is  found  a  vein  of  excel- 
lent iron  ore,  which  is  utilized  to  some  extent,  and 
i  which  will  be   of  great  value   if  railroad  facilities 
!  should  be  extended  to  this  township. 

The  Mahoning  sandstone  is  found  in  many  places, 
and  from  twenty  to  fifty  feet  thick.  Traces  of  the 
!  Morgantown  sandstone  are  found,  and  other  good 
building  rock.  The  silicious  limestone  is  found  on 
!  Beaver  Creek,  well  exposed,  and  also  exists  in  the 
;  river  hills  in  veins  five  to  six  feet  thick,  in  bowlders 
I  or  chunks. 

I       Fruits,  especially  apples,  do  well  throughout  the 

whole  township.     Peaches  are  injured  by  the  borer, 

and  do  not  yield  a  regular  crop.     Pears,  plums,  and 

j  cherries  do  well,  and  grapes  are  a  never-failing  crop, 

^  Berries  are  an  abundant  crop. 

j       Wheat  yields  from  six  to  fourteen  bushels  per  acre. 

Forty  years  ago  it  was  supposed  it  could  not  be  grown, 

'  but  a  better  system  of  farming  than  what  prevailed 

then  shows  that  it  can  be  raised.     Rye,  corn,  buck- 

[  wheat,  and  oats  are  raised,  while  potatoes  are  the 

staple  crop.     The  soil,  improved  by  liming  and  well 

farmed,  would  give  better  results  than  have  yet  been 

I  attained;   but  the   high    elevation   of  the   township 

!  above  the  ocean,  with  its  length  of  winter  season,  will 

!  always  keep  most  of  its  productions  below  the  average 

'  of  lower  localities.     The  township  is  well  adapted  to 

'  grazing  and  dairying.     The  climate  is  very  healthy, 

from  the  high  elevation,  pure  air,  absence  of  swamps, 

I  and  the  best  of  water.     The  winter  season  commences 

!  with  early  frosts  about  two  weeks  sooner,  and  ends 

with  rough  weather  two  weeks  later  than  in  any  other 

'  part  of  the  county  outside  of  the  other  mountain 

I  townships. 

j  The  township  contains  two  vill.ages, — Jockey  Valley, 
j  on  the  National  road,  within  one  mile  of  the  river,  in 
j  the  southea.stern  part,  and  Markleysburg,  in  the  south- 
!  ern  part,  one  mile  and  a  half  southwest  of  the  Na- 
'  tional  road.  In  1870  the  population  was  951,  of 
'  which  15  were  foreign  born,  and  all  whites.  In  1880 
the  population  was  1232,  including  Markleysburg,  the 
population  of  which  was  77. 

The  Indian  path  known  as  Nemacolin's  trail  was 
the  route  of  the  old  Braddock  road  through  the  town- 
ship, and  where  it  crosses  the  river,  a  half-mile  up  the 
river  from  the  Smithfield  bridge,  on  a  high  hill  on 
lands  of  J.  J.  Easter,  were  several  Indian  graves.  At 
Sloan's  Ford  an  Indian  trail  crossed  the  river,  and  on 
land  of  Charles  Tissue,  on  a  beautiful  knoll,  was  a 
stone  pile  or  Indian  srave.  Mr.  Tissue  opened  it  and 
found  a  very  large  skull,  apparently  that  of  an  Indian. 
The  body  had  been  laid  down  on  the  ground  and  stones 
set  up  edgewise  along  each  side  of  the  body,  and  then 
flat  stones  laid  over  them,  and  then  about  a  wau'on- 


HENRY   CLAY  TOWNSHIP. 


607 


load  of  stones  gathered  and  laid  over  them.  The  In- 
dians only  used  this  region  as  a  hunting-ground,  and 
never  killed  any  settlers  in  the  township. 

Gen.  Braddock's  first  camp  in  Fayette  was  at  the 
Twelve  Springs,  near  Job  Clark's  tavern  stand.  Per- 
sons have  doubted  his  camping  here,  as  the  place  does 
not  suit  the  description  of  his  first  camp,  but  .John  E. 
Stone  took  the  description,  and  after  a  full  day's  ex- 
ploration found  the  place  to  agree  with  it  in  every 
particular. 

PIONEERS    AXD    EARLY   SETTLEMENTS. 

In  1768,  John  Penn  granted  to  Chew  &  Wilcox 
several  large  tracts  of  land  in  the  township.  These 
proprietary  (preferred)  grants  comprised  three  hun- 
dred and  thirty-two  acres  on  the  head-waters  of  Bea- 
ver Creek,  close  to  the  Glover  school-house,  called 
Beaver  Dam,  a  tract  on  Hall's  Run,  above  W.  Barnes, 
one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  near  the  river  at  Conflu- 
ence, three  hundred  and  thirty-seven  acres  back  of  J. 
J.  Easter's,  running  to  the  Maryland  line,  and  over 
two  thousand  acres  on  Glade  Run,  near  the  corner- 
stone in  the  boundary  line  of  Maryland  and  West 
Virginia. 

Enoch  Leonard  was  supposed  to  have  been  here 
about  1770.  He  lived  within  two  or  three  miles  of 
Sloan's  Ford.  His  wife  was  Lydia  Fish.  His  son 
Enoch  married  Henry  Abrani's  sister,  and  went  to 
Virginia.  His  daughter  Charity  married  Joshua 
Jones,  Elizabeth  married  a  man  by  the  name  of  Clay, 
and  Lydia  married  Job  Clark. 

Henry  Abrams  came  soon  after  Leonard.  Job  Clark 
came  about  1778.  He  left  home  on  account  of  his 
step-mother  and  enlisted  in  the  American  army,  and 
claimed  to  have  fought  at  Bunker  Hill.  He  was  a 
small  man,  with  black  h.air  and  blue  eyes ;  born  in 
Connecticut,  and  married  Lydia  Leonard  about  1779 
or  '80,  and  built  his  tavern  soon  after  at  the  Twelve 
Springs.  He  was  born  in  1758,  and  died  in  1842. 
The  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart  secured  a  pension  of  ninety- 
six  dollars  a  year  for  him.  His  son  Job  was  killed 
at  the  Inks  tavern,  in  Wharton,  by  his  team  running 
away.  Leonard  married  Hannah,  daughter  of  Ben- 
jamin Price,  Esq.,  and  went  West.  Isabella  married 
Andrew  Flanigan,  and  Sallie  married  John  Collier, 
who  kept  tavern  at  Mount  Augusta.  Moses  Hall  was 
supposed  to  have  come  here  about  1785.  He  occa- 
sionally preached  to  the  people  of  the  surrounding 
country,  though  it  does  not  appear  that  he  was  very 
much  gifted  in  that  direction.  On  one  occasion  he 
closed  one  of  his  sermons  in  this  way.  "  Suppose,"  he 
said,  "  that  all  the  men  in  the  world  were  put  into 
one  man,  all  the  rivers  into  one  river,  all  the  trees 
into  one  tree,  and  all  the  axes  into  one  axe ;  that  the 
one  man  should  take  the  one  axe  and  cut  down  the 
one  tree,  so  that  it  would  fall  into  the  one  river, 
what  a  splish,  splash,  and  splatter  dash  there  would 
be  :"    No  doubt  this  was  thought  (by  himself  if  by  no 


one  else)  a  very  convincing  argument.  Moses  Hall 
had  a  son  Ephraim,  and  his  son  Squire  kept  tavern 
after  him.  Joseph  Liston  and  Planeet  came  with 
Moses  Hall.  Andrew  Flanigan  from  near  Farming- 
ton,  where  his  father,  David  Flanigan,  lived.  He 
married  Isabella  Clark  about  1799.  He  was  olten  in 
Henry  Clay  township  when  a  mere  child.  He  was 
in  the  war  of  1812  under  Capt.  Andrew  Moore.  He 
kept  on  Braddock  and  National  roads,  in  the  same 
house.  Clark  Flanigan,  one  of  his  sons,  married 
Mary  Roberts  and  lives  above  Sloan's  Ford,  quite  an 
old  man,  possessed  of  a  good  memory  of  the  past. 

John  Sloan  was  the  ancestor  of  the  Sloans,  Sloan's 
Ford  being  named  after  him.  He  came  from  Ireland 
about  1787,  then  disposed  of  his  property  to  Sebastian 
Tissue,  and  removed  with  his  family  to  Maryland, 
where  he  died.  Of  his  family,  William,  David,  Mar- 
garet, and  Sarah  returned  to  Henry  Clay.  William 
had  two  sons,  Henry  and  James,  and  two  daughters, 
Eliza  and  Sarah.  The  latter  married  Jonathan  But- 
ler, and  is  now  living  near  the  ford. 

John  Potter  came  from  New  Jersey  to  Henry  Clay 
(then  Wharton)  in  January,  1787.  In  1797  he  married 
Elizabeth  Callaghan.  John  and  George,  their  oldest 
children,  went  to  Ohio,  and  died  there.  Elizabeth 
married  Capt.  J.  Wickline,  and  died  in  Illinois;  Ann 
married  a  Mr.  Hathinson ;  Samuel  married  Sarah 
Leonard,  and  lives  in  Stewart  township  ;  Amos,  the 
youngest,  lives  in  Wharton,  now  seventy-four  years 
of  age.  John  Potter  was  justice  of  the  peace  for 
many  j'ears,  and  lived  on  the  Braddock  road.  He 
was  a  wheelwright  in  New  Jersey,  and  the  British 
burned  his  shop.  He  built  the  first  bridge  near 
Somerfield,  which  was  burnt.  He  wiis  the  author  of 
a  work  of  two  hundred  pages  called  "  Potter's  In- 
quiry." He  was  said  to  have  been  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war.  He  was  born  in  1748,  and  died  in 
1826. 

John  Burnworth  came  in  1792  from  Lancaster 
County.  He  settled  near  Fairview  Church.  He  was 
born  in  1767,  and  died  in  1848.  His  wife  was  Han- 
nah Hinebaugh.  Their  children  were  John  R.  (whose 
son  is  Rev.  P.  Burnworth),  James  (who  married  a 
cousin  to  Judge  Shipley),  Mary,  Barbara,  George, 
Christopher,  Jonathan,  Ziba  (who  lives  near  Fair- 
view  Church),  Susan  (the  widow  of  Peter  Lenhart,  the 
tavern-keeper),  Keziah,  Rhoda  (who  married  Julius 
Kemp,  of  Somerfield),  and  Rheuma  (who  married 
Charles  Tissue,  near  Sloan's  Ford). 

In  1800,  Ephraim  Vansickle  came  to  where  A.  B. 
Bradley  now  lives,  close  to  Jockey  Valley.  His  wife 
was  Anna  Robison.  They  came  from  New  Jersey. 
Ephraim,  one  of  their  sons,  is  the  hotel-keeper  at  Som- 
erfield, and  previously  kept  at  Jockey  Valley. 

John  O'Hegarty  came  from  Lebanon,  Pa.  He 
bought  the  Mount  Augusta  farm,  which  was  formerly 
the  Daniel  Collin  stand  in  the  days  of  the  staging  on 
the  National  ro.ad.  There  were  stables  for  seventy-five 
horses  then.     This  property  is  the  highest  point  on 


608 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  road  in  this  county,  and  commands  a  magnificent 
view  of  the  Alleghenies. 

Before  1800  Charles  Shipley  came  from  Baltimore 
to  near  Fairview  Church.  His  sons  were  William, 
Charles,  and  James.  Sebastian  Tissue  married  Su- 
sannah Haines.  He  was  at  Sloan's  Ford  at  this 
time,  and  was  in  the  war  of  1812.  His  son  Charles 
still  lives  at  the  ford.  He  had  also  three  daugliters, — 
Ursula,  married  James  Lalon  ;  Rachel,  married  Amos 
Butler;  Nancy,  married  David  Thorp.  There  are 
many  descendants  of  Charles  Shipley  in  Henry  Clay 
and  other  parts  of  the  county,  among  whom  is  the 
Hon.  Samuel  Shipley,  of  Uniontown,  who  was  justice 
of  the  peace  for  ten  years,  county  commissioner  three 
years,  and  associate  judse  live  years. 

In  1807  Michael  Tliniii:i-  wa-  li\  iiiu:  near  Markleys- 
burg.    He  came  from  S  )!ii(isri ,  ami  married  Magda- 
lena   Maust.     One  of  lii>  ^(llls,  Michael,  lives  near 
the  home-place,  an  intelligent  old  gentleman.     Isaac  1 
Umbel,  the  ancestor  of  the  Umbels  in  the  township,  | 
came  about  this  time.     His  wife's  name  was  Nancy  j 
Campbell.     Andrew,  his  oldest  son,  lives  near  Mark- 
leysburg,   and   William,  another  son,   lives   on   the  I 
National  road.  '  j 

In  1815  James  Thorp  was  living  on  Beaver  Creek, 
and  in   1820  John  Hall,  Joseph   Hall,  John   Show,  | 
Thomas  and  James  Laland,  and  John  Lechner  were  I 
here.   Lechner  shot  his  son  one  evening  in  the  brush,  I 
taking  him  for  a  deer.     In  1832  Amos  Glover  and  his 
wife,  Eliza  Gilmore,  came  here  from  Virginia.     In 
1852  Andrew  Boyd   came  from  Stewart,  and  about 
1858  Jacob  Staup  came  from   Maryland.     In   1818 
William  Chidester  came  to  settle  where  W.  T.  Reck- 
ner  now  lives,  near  Fairview  Church.    John  Lenhart  I 
came   from    Jlaryland   ivnd   settled    in   Henry   Clay 
about  1820.  I 

John  Easter  came  from  Allegheny  County,  Md., 
about  1*20,  ami  settled  on  land  purchased  of  William 
Butler,  it  ))eiii,L;-  the  same  on  which,  his  son,  J.  J. 
Easter,  now  lives.  Jacob  Easter  came  from  Maryland 
or  Virginia  and  settled  in  Henry  Clay  about  1830. 

John  Griffin  married  Sarah  Knotts,  and  came  from 
Delaware  about  1823.  He  bought  the  old  Twelve 
Sprin-s  tavern.  ;.nd  Vwvl  in  it  till  be  built  his  stone 
tav.a-n.  Hi^  <laii-iit;T  Klizal.etli  imw  livs  in  it.  Her 
busbaml  wa^  .lacnlj  .'-itniii',  a  son  nt'  .'-^.luire  Stone,  of 
Greene  County.  John  Barnes  came  in  1840  to  near 
Jockey  Valley.  His  son,  J.  P.  Barnes,  is  a  leading 
citizen. 

Samuel  lUish  lived  in  Henry  Clay  township,  on 
what  i^  innv  the  Fhinigau  farm.  He  was  a  contractor 
on  the  National  road  in  1832  and  1833.  His  son, 
^[arker  Rush,  used  to  ride  as  a  postilion  ahead  of 
the  mail  from  Uniontown  east  in  the  days  of  the 
Naticmal  road. 

I-^rael  Parnell  came  to  Henry  Clay  in  1817;  settled 
on  the  property  now  occupied  by  his  son,  Israel  Par- 
nell. His  three  sons — Hiram,  Jackson,  and  Israel — 
are  now  living  in  Henry  Clay. 


As  late  as  1824  wolves,  panthers,  and  bears  re- 
mained in  the  township.  In  that  year  a  wolf  chased 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Stone,  then  a  small  girl,  with  her  sis- 
ter, into  the  old  Twelve  Springs  tavern,  then  kept 
round  the  house  till  it  heard  a  horseman  approaching. 
In  the  same  year  Michael  Thomas,  then  a  young 
man,  with  three  dogs  and  a  heavy  club,  killed  a  bear 
near  Markleysburg,  and  Richard  Hall  in  that  sum- 
mer shot  a  panther.  But  since  1828  no  wild  animals 
but  vvildcats  and  deer  have  been  known  in  the  town- 
ship. 

ROAD,=:. 

The  old  roads  in  the  township  were  :  1st,  Brad- 
dock's  ;  2d,  Turkey  Foot  road,  from  Confluence  by 
Sloan's  Ford,  past  Liberty  Church,  past  Potter's  Mill, 
to  Dunbar's  Camp;  3d,  Selbysport  road,  from  Whar- 
ton, passing  south  of  Markleysburg, — often  called 
Haydentown  road ;  4th,  the  National  road. 

Township  roads :  1st,  River  road,  from  Somerfield 
to  Liberty  Church,  connecting  the  National  and  Tur- 
key Foot  roads ;  2d,  Beaver  Creek  road,  from  GritBn's 
stand,  past  Beaver  Creek,  and  joining  Turkey  Foot 
road  near  Liberty  Church  ;  and  another  branch  from 
Beaver  Creek,  running  into  Stewart,  to  the  Falls.  And 
since  these  roads  many  minor  roads  have  been  laid 
out  in  different  parts  of  the  township. 

Braddock's  road  entered  the  township  about  one- 
half  mile  up  the  river  from  the  Widow  Lenhart's,  on 
lands  of  J.  J.  Easter.  It  passed  from  the  ford  down 
to  the  mouth  of  Hall's  Run,  or  Jockey  Valley,  passing 
up  Jockey  Valley  through  T.  Conaway's  place ;  thence 
through  lands  of  William  Umbel,  passing  within  one- 
half  mile  of  Markleysburg,  through  lands  of  Michael, 
and  past  the  residence  of  George  J.  Thomas;  thence 
through  lands  of  Jacob  Humberston  ;  thence  through 
lands  of  Squire  O'Hegarty,  the  old  Griffin  place,  and 
through  lands  of  Andrew  Moves  to  the  township  line. 

After  1790  wagons  were  put  on  the  road,  and 
regular  tavern  stands  were  established  along  the  road. 
The  first  wagon-stand  after  crossing  the  river  was  at 
Jockey  Valley,  kept  by  Audrew  Flanigan,  a  log 
building,  still  standing.  The  second  stand  was  about 
one-half  mile  farther  west,  a  log  building,  kept  by 
John  Conaway.  The  old  Jockey  Valley  school-house 
now  stands  on  its  site.  Conaway  moved  from  it  to 
the  National  road  when  the  latter  was  opened.  The 
next  stopping-point  was  Squire  John  Potter's,  who 
from  1790  kept  travelers  till  the  road  went  down,  but 
never  had  a  license  or  followed  it  as  a  business.  His 
house  was  of  logs  and  stood  about  seventy  yards  south 
of  William  L'mbel's  residence  on  the  National  road, 
and  during  the  time  of  the  "Whiskey  Insurrection" 
Potter  was  known  as  a  government  man,  although 
owning  a  small  still.  "Tom  the  Tinker"  sent  him 
one  or  two  threatening  notices,  but  he  gave  no  heed 
to  them,  and  tradition  has  it  that  the  party  who  ar- 
rested Col.  Gaddis  stopped  at  Potter's  with  him  and 
stayed  all  night.  When  the  road  went  down  Potter 
moved  to  the  house  now  occupied  by  William  Umbel. 


HENRY   CLAY  TOWNSHIP. 


G09 


The  third  wagon  stand  was  Moses  Hall's,  over  half 
a  mile  west  of  Squire  John  Potter's.  Moses  Hall 
kept  tavern  at  an  early  day.  His  son  Squire  kept  a 
short  time  before  the  road  "went  down.  The  house 
was  a  large  log  house,  which  stood  just  across  the 
road  from  George  J.  Thomas'  residence.  Thomas 
moved  in  it  in  1864,  and  the  next  spring  tore  it  down. 
Squire  Hall  built  a  brick  addition  of  two  rooms  to  it, 
but  never  put  a  roof  on  it. 

The  "  Standing  Rock"  is  nearly  a  mile  west  of  the 
Hall  stand,  on  Squire  John  O'Hegarty's  land.  It  is  a 
large  rock  fifteen  feet  high,  resting  on  a  bed  rock  six 
feet  square  in  the  ground.  The  Standing  Rock  com- 
mences small  at  the  bottom  (about  two  feet  in  diam- 
eter), widening  out  up  to  the  bulge,  and  then,  instead 
of  drawing  in,  gets  wider  for  three  or  four  feet  higher 
up,  and  presents  a  top  level  as  a  table  and  sixteen  feet 
square. 

On  the  road  nearly  one  mile  south  of  Squire 
O'Hegarty's,  where  the  Widow  Bird  lives,  and  over 
a  mile  west  of  the  Standing  Rock,  John  Bower- 
master  cleared  land  and  kept  and  pastured  pack- 
horses  before  there  were  wagons  used  on  the  road. 

The  fourth  wagon  stand  was  Job  Clark's,  or  ''  The 
Twelve  Springs,"  nearly  two  miles  west  of  Bower- 
master's,  a  large  log  house  and  log  barn,  a  stone 
spring-house,  and  stone  game-  and  meat-house,  and 
within  a  circle  of  three  hundred  yards  twelve 
strong-flowing  springs,  and  on  the  hillside  Clark 
planted  a  large  orchard. 

The  National  road  was  built  through  this  town- 
ship chiefly  in  1816-17.  In  September,  181.'5,  about 
six  and  a  half  miles  of  the  road  west  of  Smithfield 
was  let  by  contract.  It  reached  the  present  Wharton 
line.  The  contractoi-s  were  Hagan,  Doherty,  Mc- 
Glaughlin,  and  Nicholas  Bradley,  Aull,  and  Evans 
&  Ramsey,  and  they  sublet  many  parts.  Kincaid, 
Beck  &  Evans  built  the  Smithfield,  or  Somerfleld, 
bridge  in  1817-18  for  §40,000. 

The  bridge  is  1465  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ocean, 
and  513  feet  above  Uniontown.  Barren  Hill,  or  the 
crest  of  Laurel  Hill,  west  of  O'Hegarty's,  is  2450  feet 
above  the  ocean  and  1498  feet  above  Uniontown. 
Woodcock  Hill,  or  Briery  Mountain,  a  spur  or  hill 
just  west  of  Laurel  Hill  on  the  road,  is  2500  feet 
above  the  ocean  and  1548  feet  above  Uniontown. 

TAVERN-  STANDS. 

The  first  stand  west  of  the  bridge  in  the  township 
was  the  Lenhart  tavern  stand.  A  man  of  the  name  of 
Ebert  ran  a  tannery  and  had  a  small  log  house  here, 
and  John  Lenhart  bought  it  about  1830,  and  built  to 
it  and  kept  it.  He  rented  to  Jacob  Tabb  in  1839,  and 
William  Bruce  in  1840,  who  kept  it.  His  son,  Peter 
Lenhart,  kept  it  from  1841  to  1872,  repairing  and 
building  to  the  house.  It  is  a  long  two-story  (frame) 
building,  and  was  always  a  wagon  stand.  It  is  now 
occupied  by  Peter  Lenhart's  widow. 

The  second   stand  was   the  Flanigan,  or   Jockey 


Valley  stand,  built  by  Andrew  Flanigan  as  a  tavern 
on  the  Braddock  road,  and  when  the  National  road 
was  made  through  Jockey  Valley  he  repaired  his  log 
house,  and  opened  it  in  1817  as  a  wagon  stand.  He 
was  followed  by  Maj.  PauU  and  Clement,  who  was 
succeeded  by  Jacob  Probasco ;  then  John  Baker, 
Peter  Baker,  Jacob  Richards  (1841),  Charles  Kemp, 
and  James  Gooden  were  landlords.  Morris  Mauler, 
from  Frostburg,  kept  and  left,  and  followed  the  road 
into  Wharton,  renting  and  keeping  from  Frostburg, 
Md.,  to  Monroe,  Fayette  Co. 

Aaron  Wyatt  came  next  (in  1848)  as  landlord.  He 
afterwards  removed  to  Uniontown,  and  was  succeeded 
in  1857  by  John  Olivine,  who  was  followed  by  Lewis 
Hamill,  now  at  Chalk  Hill,  and  in  1871  by  Alexander 
Spear,  and  since  that  it  has  been  a  private  residence. 
It  is  a  long  two-story  building  of  log,  frame,  and  stone, 
and  owned  by  Marshall  Spurgeon. 

The  third  stand  was  a  two-story  frame  building,  a  few 
yards  west  of  the  Flanigan  stand,  and  was  leased  by 
Ephraim  Vansickle  and  his  son-in-law,  Daniel  Brad- 
ley, in  1851,  and  was  known  as  the  Vansickle  stand. 
It  burned  down  in  February,  1852,  and  Vansickle  & 
Bradley  built  a  log  bouse  and  weather-boarded  it,  and 
were  keeping  in  it  in  forty  days  after  the  fire.  They 
kept  till  1857.     It  was  a  wagon  stand. 

The  fourth  was  the  Conaway  wagon  stand.     John 
Conaway  left  the  Braddock  road  and  built  a  log  house 
on  the  National  road,  near  a  mile  west  of  Jockey  Val- 
ley.    It  was  kept  by  him  and  afterwards  by  his  sons. 
The  house  is  now  gone.     It  stood  close  to  Tliurman 
Conaway's  residence. 
I      The  fifth  stand  was  the  Brown  (wagon)  stand,  a  log 
,  house  kept  by  Thomas  Brown.     In  1826  a  man  by  the 
I  name  of  Fuller  furnished  the  material  and  built  a  large 
stone  two-story  house,  forty-five  feet  front  and  seventy 
feet  deep.     He  kept  it,  and  after  him  his  son  Jacob, 
who  went  West  and  died.    Jacob  Humberston  bought 
the  property  in  1857,  and  kept  it  in  1864  and  1865,  and 
still  owns  and  resides  in  the  house. 

The  sixth  stand  was  the  Mount  Augusta  stand,  over 
a  mile  west  of  the  Brown  stand.  John  Collier  first 
kept  here,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  east  of 
Mount  Augusta.  Daniel  Collier,  a  son  of  John,  then 
built  a  log  house  and  kept  it,  and  in  1824  built  a  large 
brick,  the  Mount  Augusta  proper.  McMillen  suc- 
ceeded Collier,  and  then  Thomas  Brownfield  bought 
and  changed  it  from  a  wagon  to  a  stage  stand.  He 
was  elected  county  commissioner  and  sheriff,  and  went 
to  Missouri.  John  O'Hegarty  bought  the  property  a 
few  years  ago,  and  the  house  burned  down  in  1872. 
It  stood  a  few  yards  from  O'Hegarty's  present  resi- 
dence. 

The  seventh  stand  was  the  Griflin  stand,  and  about 
one  and  a  half  miles  west  from  Mount  Augusta  a 
large  two-story  stone  building  was  built  by  John  Grif- 
fin in  1824,  who  occupied  it  as  a  stage  stand.     After 
j  his  death  it  was  changed  to  a  wagon  stand,  and  kept 
!  by  his  widow  and  his  son  William  in  1827,  after  whom 


610 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


came  Benjamin  Miller,  Charles  Kemp,  Isaac  Denny, 
William  Span,  and  William  Griffin  again.  It  is  now 
occupied  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Stone,  a  daughter  of  John 
Griffin. 

The  eighth  and  last  tavern  stand  in  the  township 
was  the  Marlowe  wagon  stand,  nearly  a  mile  west  of 
the  Griffin  stand.  It  was  a  large  two-story  brick  house. 
Benjamin  Miller,  an  old  wagoner,  built  and  kept  it  a 
short  time.  It  is  supposed  to  have  been  built  about 
1830.  James  Marlowe  came  from  Petersburg,  and 
kept  till  1856  ;  then  his  sons  Jeff  and  Upton  kept  it  a 
short  time.  Andrew  Moves,  from  Allegheny  County, 
bought  the  property  in  1876,  and  resides  upon  it  at 
the  present  time. 

The  mails  over  the  National  road  passed  from 
Farmington  to  Somerfleld,  and  to  those  points  the 
citizens  of  the  township  had  to  repair  for  their  mail. 
In  1862  the  Somerfield,  Pa.,  and  Bruceton,  W.  Va., 
route  was  established,  passing  through  Markleysburg, 
where  a  post-office  was  established,  and  Dr.  Benjamin 
Feichtner  appointed  postmaster.  Elias  Hicks  suc- 
ceeded him  in  charge  of  the  office  till  1865,  when 
Joseph  Reckner  came  in  as  postmaster;  following  him 
were  Marion  Arnett  in  1872,  H.  Griffith,  1874,  and 
the  present  incumbent,  H.  Umbel,  who  came  in 
possession  in  1879. 

Moses  Silbaugh,  of  Bruceton,  was  the  first  con- 
tractor for  carrying  the  mail  on  this  route.  He  was 
succeeded  by  George  Burke,  the  present  carrier,  whose 
successor,  J.  C.  Dehaven,  of  Jockey  Valley,  has  been 
appointed. 

The  first  bridge  built  over  the  Youghiogheny 
River  in  the  limits  of  the  township  was  a  long 
wooden  bridge  near  Braddock's  Crossing,  about  one- 
half  mile  above  the  National  road  bridge.  Squire 
John  Potter  built  it,  and  it  was  burned  by  a  barrel  of 
tar  being  poured  on  it  and  set  fire  to  in  the  night. 
The  second  bridge  was  a  long  wooden  structure,  built 
by  Philip  Smyth,  the  founder  of  Smythfield,  or 
Somerfield.  It  stood  about  one-half  mile  below  the 
present  bridge.  It  was  allowed  to  go  to  decay,  and 
after  it  became  impassable  the  ford  over  the  river  was 
used.  Smyth's  bridge  was  succeeded  by  the  present 
bridge,  a  good  stone  structure  of  three  arches,  built 
by  Kincaid,  Beck  &  Evans  in  1817-18.  The  longest 
span  of  this  bridge  is  ninety  feet,  the  next  in  length 
is  seventy-five  feet,  and  the  other  sixty-five  feet.  The 
height  is  forty  feet;  width,  thirty  feet;  length  of 
parapet  walk,  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet. 

The  first  mill  in  the  township  was  called  the  old 
Blougher,  or  Phicker's  mill,  about  a  mile  down  the 
river  from  the  Widow  Lenhart's,  near  to  the  mouth  of 
Tub-Mill  Run.  According  to  some  it  was  built  by  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Oswalt.  The  old  mill  was 
rented  for  many  years  after  Plucker  owned  it.  Sam- 
uel Dean  had  it  rented,  and  Levi  Rush,  father  of  Se- 
bastian Rush,  of  Farmington,  rented  it  about  1814. 


Jacob  Easter  bought  the  property  about  1850,  and 
built  a  new  mill  in  place  of  the  old  one,  and  sold  to 
Jacob  Beeghley,  who  sold  to  Harrison  Hinebaugh, 
who  sold  to  Jackson  Tissue,  the  present  owner. 

Years  ago  people  came  to  mill  here  for  many  miles 
around.  The  next  mill  was  the  old  Shipley  mill,  said 
to  have  been  built  by  William  Shipley,  a  small  log  mill, 
on  a  run  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  river,  about 
fifty  years  ago.  It  was  bought  by  John  K.  Tissue 
(father  of  Jackson  Tissue)  in  1872,  and  torn  down 
and  a  frame  mill  built  in  its  stead  which  is  running 
now.  The  next  and  last  flouring-mill  was  built  by 
Jacob  Probasco  at  Jockey  Valley  about  1826,  and  is 
now  owned  by  Marshall  Spurgeon.  It  is  a  steam- 
mill  ;  an  engine  was  attached  to  it  by  Aden  Clary. 
The  two  Tissue  mills  are  run  by  water-power. 

Distilleries. — About  1794,  John  Potter  had  a  small 
distillery  on  the  old  Braddock  road ;  about  1800, 
David  Woodmansee  had  a  distillery  close  to  Sloan's 
Ford,  and  John  Rush  had  one  on  the  river.  About 
1814,  Barnabas  Bond  had  one  close  to  Plucker's  mill, 
and  about  1820,  John  Kirkpatrick  had  a  distillery  on 
the  river,  and  Michael  Thomas  one  close  to  Markleys- 
burg ;  but  they  are  all  gone,  and  there  is  not  a  distil- 
lery to-day  in  the  township. 

TOWNSHIP  ORGANIZATION  AND  OFFICERS. 
Henry  Clay  township  was  organized  in  1824.  It 
was  taken  from  Wharton,  and  included  at  that  time 
the  territory  now  occupied  by  Henry  Clay,  a  portion 
of  Stewart,  and  a  small  portion  of  Wharton.  A  por- 
tion was  set  off  Nov.  17,  1855,  to  help  form  Stewart, 
and  a  small  portion — a  strip  less  than  one-quarter  of 
a  mile  broad — was  set  off  in  1872,  along  the  Whar- 
ton line,  to  Wharton.  John  O'Hegarty  and  Harvey 
Morris  were  appointed  commissioners  to  run  the  line 
setting  off  this  portion  to  Wharton,  and  they  em- 
ployed Martin  Dixon  as  surveyor.  The  cause  for  it 
was  the  complaint  of  Zar  Hart  and  others  asking  to 
be  set  off  to  Wharton,  as  Wharton  schools  were  near, 
and  Henry  Clay  schools  at  too  great  a  distance  from 
them.  Before  this  new  line  was  run,  in  1853,  a  peti- 
tion was  presented  for  a  view  of  Clay  and  Wharton 
line.  John  I.  Dorsey,  John  F.  Foster,  and  Robert 
McDowell  were  appointed  viewers.  The  report  was 
made,  renewed,  and  reissued,  and  report  made  and 
approved  March  27,  1854.  The  review  was  granted, 
and  J.  N.  H.  Patrick,  James  Robinson,  and  Hugh 
Graham  appointed  viewers.  Their  alteration  and 
changing  of  lines  was  approved  June,  1854,  and  con- 
firmed Oct.  30,  1854. 

No  township  records  can  be  found  prior  to  1842, 
and  those  found  afford  only  a  partial  record  of  town- 
ship officers,  as  follows: 
1824.— Constable,  Levi  Rush,  appointed. 

1825.— Constable,  Levi  Rush  .-  Overseer  of  the  Poor.  John  Grif- 
fin; Road  Supervisors,  John  Conawny  and  John  R.  Burn- 
worth. 
1826.— Constable,  Levi  Rush  ;  Auditors,  Jacob  Fike,  John  Grif- 
fin ;  Road  Supervisors,  John  Burnworth,  Charles  Kemp. 


HENRY   CLAY  TOWNSHIP. 


1827. — Constable,  Jolin  Connway;  Auditors,  Levi  Rush,  Daniel 
Show,  John  Bolen,  John  Burnworth ;  Road  Supervisor, 
A.  Thomas. 

1828.— Constable,  John  Connway;  John  Burnworth,  deputy. 

1829.— Constable,  George  Burnworth ;  Auditors,  S.  Tissue, 
James  Gooden  ;  Clerk,  Joseph  Adanson. 

1830.— Constable,  William  Tissue;  Auditors.  T.  Brow,  T.  Stnn- 
ton,  Charles  Rush,  P.  Rush;  Ro.id  Supervisors,  Charles 
Kemp,  Sebastian  Tissue;  Clerk,  Joseph  Adanson. 

18.31.- Constable,  Willi.am  Tissue;  Auditors,  J.  Hinebnugh, 
John  Burnworth;  Supervisor,  Jacob  Most;  Clerk,  Nicho- 
las Bradley. 

1832.— Constable,  William  Tissue  ;  Supervisor,  II.  Show  ;  Audi- 
tors, J.  Vansickle,  J.  Myers,  W.  Ebert,  Daniel  Conaway ; 
Clerk,  James  Gooden. 

1833.— Constable,  William  Tissue;  Auditors,  J.  Vansickle,  J. 
Burnworth,  John  Kemp,  Samuel  Rush ;  Supervisor,  S. 
Tissue;  Clerk,  Joseph  Adnnson. 

1834.— Constable,  William  Tissue;  Auditors,  W.  Ebert,  S.  Rush, 
James   Watson,    M.    Thomas ;    Supervisors,  P.    Rush,   J. 

McGlaughlin;    Clerk,  Adanson;   School    Inspectors, 

Daniel  Collier,  Thomas  J.  Miller. 

1835.— Constable,  W.  Tissue;  Auditors,  L.  Rush,  J.  Vansickle, 
John   Myers;  School  Inspectors,  J.  R.  Burnworth,  John 

1836.— Constable,  W.  Tissue;  Supervisor,  S.  Shipley;  Auditor, 
N.  Bradley;  Clerk,  H.  Show. 

1837.— Constable,  W.  Tissue;  Supervisors,  S.  Rush,  Stephen 
Stuck,  W.  Griffin,  Ephraira  Vansickle;  Auditors,  J.  Len- 
hart,  L.  Rush,  James  McGlaughlin,  Andrew  Umbel;  Clerk, 
II.  Show;  School  Inspectors,  Charles  Kemp,  John  Easter, 
James  Gooden. 

1S3S. — Constable,  AVilliam  Tissue;  Auditors,  John  Burnworth, 
H.  Show ;  Supervisors,  S.  Stuck,  S.  Tissue,  S.  Rush ; 
Clerk,  H.  Show;  School  Directors,  John  Baker,  John  Burn- 
worth, Andrew  Umbel,  Peter  Rush,  James  Gooden. 

1839.— Constables,  W.  Tissue,  John  Vansickle;  Auditors,  John 
Burnworth,  II.  Show ;  Supervisors,  Israel  Parnell,  A.  Glover, 
J.  Conaway;  School  Directors,  H.  Show,  J.  R.  Burnworth, 
J.  Umbel,  D.  Conaway  ;  Clerk,  H.  Show. 

1840.— Constable,  John  Vansickle;  Auditors,  John  Easter,  Sam- 
uel Rush,  Julius  Kemp,  John  R.  Burnworth  ;  School  Di- 
rectors, W.  Show,  G.  Morrison,  J.  R.  Burnworth  :  Justices 
of  the  Peace,  Samuel  Shipley,  William  Tissue. 

1841.— Constable,  John  Vansickle;  School  Directors,  John  \V. 
E.aster,  S.  Shipley,  R.  Brown;  Clerk,  John  W.  Easter; 
Auditor,  S.  Shipley. 

1842.— Auditors,  John  Easter,  Jr.,  S.  Rush,  S.  Shipley;  Clerk, 
John  Easter;  Supervisors,  Israel  Parnell,  Henry  Yother. 

1843  to  1856.— No  record. 

1856.— Auditors,  P.  Lenhart,  John  H.  Steele,  L.  Ilall. 

1857. — No  record. 

1858.— Auditors,  L.  Hall,  D.  Bradley.  W.  Show;  Clerk,  J.  W. 
Lancaster;  School  Directors,  John  W.  Lancaster,  presi- 
dent, J.  Vansickle,  secretary,  J.  J.  Easter,  Clark  Flanigan, 
J.  Reiber. 

1859.— Auditors,  same  as  1858;  School  Directors,  J.  Lancaster, 
John  Reiber,  John  Markley,  John  Easter,  Thomas  Brown- 
field,  C.  Flanigan. 

I860.— Auditors,  L.  Hall,  J.  W.  Easter,  J.  Vf.  Lancaster; 
School  Directors,  A.  Boyd,  J.  Reiber,  T.  Brownfleld,  J. 
Easter. 

1861.— Auditors,  same  as  1860;  school  directors,  same  as  1860, 
and  no  schools  taught. 

1862.— Auditors,  J.  Humbertson,  J.  Easter,  R.  Umbel;  Clerk, 
J.  W.  Lancaster;  School  Directors,  Daniel  Bradley,  presi- 


dent, J.  Lancaster,  secretary,  J.  Reiber,  treasurer,  C.  Glover, 
A.  Boyd. 

1863.— Auditors,  same  as  1862;  School  Directors,  Ziba  Bum- 
worth,  president,  J.  Lancaster,  secretary,  C.  Glover. 

1864.— Auditors,  M.  T.  Umbel,  P.  Clistcr,  D.  Bradley;  Clerk, 
S.  P.  Lancaster;  School  Directors,  Z.  Burnworth,  presi- 
dent, J.  Lancaster,  secretary,  Gabriel  Secse,  Charles  Glover, 

1865.— Auditors,  same  as  1864;  School  Directors,  John  BarncJ, 
president,  J.  Lancaster,  secretary,  Z.  Burnworth,  treasurer, 
G.  Seese,  Charles  Glover. 

1866.— Auditors,  M.  T.  Umbel,  A.  Umbel,  J.  B.arnes;  Clerk,  S. 
P.  Lancaster;  School  Directors,  G.  Seese,  J.  Lancaster,  M. 
Sumey,  W.  S.  Glover,  Daniel  Umbel,  John  Barnes. 

1867.— Auditors,  same  as  1866;  School  Directors,  W.  S.  Glover, 
Daniel  Umbel,  J.  Lancaster,  A.  J.  Umbel,  M.  Sumey. 

1868.^Auditors,  no  record;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  J.  W.  Lan- 
caster; School  Directors,  D.  Umbel,  president,  L.  L.  Clary, 
secretary,  A.  J.  Umbel,  treas.,  J.  O'Hegarty,  J.  J.  Eiister. 

1869. — Auditors,  Daniel  Bradley,  John  Barnes,  J.  J.  Easter; 
Clerk,  S.  P.  Lancaster;  School  Directors,  J.  J.  Easter, 
president.  Dr.  Switzer,  secretary,  A.  J.  Umbel,  treasurer, 
W.  Hinehaugh. 

1870.— Auditors,  same  as  1869  ;  School  Directors,  M.  C.  Thom.as, 
president.  Dr.  Switzer,  secretary,  .1.  J.  Easter,  J.  Shipley, 
J.  Easter,  A.  Glover. 

1871. — Auditors,  Andrew  Umbel,  Daniel  Bradley,  J.  J.  Easter, 
J.  Conaway,  clerk  ;  School  Directors,  G.  J.  Thomas,  presi- 
dent. Dr.  Switzer,  secretary,  J.  J.  Easter,  W.  Hincbaugh, 
M.  C.  Thomas. 

1872.— Auditors,  same  as  1869;  School  Directors,  G.J.  Thomas, 
president.  Dr.  Switzer,  secretary,  J.  J.  Easter,  John  Cona- 
way, M.  C.  Thomas,  W.  Hinehaugh. 

1373. — Auditors,  John  Barnes,  J.  P.  Barnes,  S.  P.  Lancaster, 
clerk;  School  Directors,  John  Conaway,  president,  J.  J. 
Easter,  secretary,  G.  J.  Thomas,  treasurer,  W.  Hinehaugh, 
A.  J.  Umbel. 

1874.— Auditors,  same  as  1873;  School  Directors,  W.  Hine- 
haugh, William  Umbel,  president,  John  Conaway,  secre- 
tary, Elisha  Leighty,  William  Reckner. 

1875.— Auditors,  no  record;  School  Directors,  W.  Umbel,  presi- 
dent, John  Conaway,  secretary,  Joseph  Reckner,  A.  J.  Um- 
bel, E.  Leighty. 

1876.— Auditors,  M.  R.  Thomas,  J.  P.  Barnes,  J.  J.  Easter;  S. 
P.  Lancaster,  clerk;  School  Directors,  John  O'Hegarty, 
president,  John  Conaway,  secretary,  W.  Glover,  treasurer, 
H.  Silbaugh,  W.  Umbel,  E.  Leighty. 

1877.— Auditors,  M.  R.  Thomas,  J.  P.  Barnes,  Lutellus  Davis  ; 
Clerk,  S.  D.  Collins  ;  School  Directors,  J.  O'Hegarty,  jiresi- 
dent,  J.. P.  Barnes,  secretary,  A.  Moser,  treasurer,  W.  Glo- 
ver, AV.  Hinehaugh,  John  Conaway. 

1878.— Auditors,  same  as  1877;  School  Directors,  John  O'Heg- 
arty. president,  J.  P.  Barnes,  socret.ary,  J.  Conaway,  M. 
R.  Thomas,  W.  Hinehaugh,  A.  Moser. 

1879.— Auditors,  A.  J.  Umbel,  J.  P.  Barnes,  L.  Davis;  School 
Directors,  John  O'Hegarty,  president,  J.  P.  Barnes,  secre- 
tary, Charles  Lytic,  M.  R.  Thomas. 

1880.- Auditors,  A.  J.  Umbel,  W.  J.  Barnes,  S.  W.  Hall ;  Clerk, 
Clark  N.  Flanigan ;  School  Directors,  John  O'Hegarty, 
president,  H.  Griffith,  secretary,  W.  Hincbaugh,  M.  R. 
Thomas,  Israel  Parnell,  M.  McClintock. 

1881.— Judge  of  Election,  John  Thomas;  Inspectors,  J.  M. 
Seese,  W^  Conaway;  Assessor,  I.  Seese;  Road  Supervisors, 
Samuel  Wilson,  Amos  Tissue,  constable;  Auditors,  H. 
Hincbaugh,  W.  J.  Barnes,  S.  W.  Hall;  Clerk,  A.  B.  Brad- 
ley; School  Directors,  Milton  Glover,  William  Barnes. 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  following  persons  have  served  as  justices  of  the 

pence: 

John  Potter,  John  Lenhnrt,  William  Tissue.  Jacob  Easter,  \V. 
W.  Show,  John  H.  Steele,  John  Vansickle,  John  Muikley, 
John  K.  Tissue,  George  Graff,  John  W.  Lancaster,  Thomas 
Erowufield,  and  John  JVIarkley  and  John  O'Uegarty, 
)) resent  justices. 

JOCKEY  VALLEY 
is  located  on  the  National  road,  about  a  mile  west  of 
the  river  (in  Hall's  Run  Valley),  and  consists  of  nine 
houses,  one  flouring-niill,  one  store,  and  one  black- 
smith-shop. A  tavern  stand  on  the  old  Braddock 
road,  kept  by  Flanigan,  was  the  first  house.  After 
the  National  road  was  made  nearly  on  the  Braddock 
road  other  houses  were  built,  and  Jacob  Probasco  in 
a  few  years  erected  a  rtonrinu-mill.  I'pon  the  decline 
of  the  National  road,  .li.rkey  Valley  suffered  from 
the  loss  of  travel,  and  has  gained  but  slowly  since. 
When  the  National  road  was  completed  there  was 
always  to  be  found  at  the  Flanigan  tavern  stand  one 
or  more  horse-jockeys  to  trade  or  run  races.  A  race- 
track was  also  laid  out  by  James  Piper,  a  merchant 
of  Somerfield,  and  from  these  circumstances  people 
got  to  speaking  of  the  place  as  "  Jockey  Valley,"  and 
the  name  remaineil  witli  the  village  when  it  was 
built.  The  residents  of  the  place  are  Daniel  Bradley, 
lumberman;  J.  C.  Dehaven.mail  contractor;  George 
Smith,  blacksmith;  H.  Hinebaugh,  miller;  John 
Conaway,  farmer;  and  John  A.  Patton,  clerk.  The 
taverns  were  the  Fhtnigan  and  Vansickle  stands, 
noticed  under  head  of  I'.raddock  and  National  road 
stands.  The  fiouriiig-mill  was  Imilt  by  Jacob  Pro- 
ba.sco,  some  time  lietwien  I'vi'o  aiid  IM'."..    Jolm  Raker 

succeeded  him,  tlim   Cai)t.  Tl las    ICndsley,  about 

1838,  who  ran  it  (or  seveial  y^ar-.  aii.l  was  succeeded 
by  Isaac  Vaiisi.kl,  ,  wlm  -u|,i  in  1^:.2  to  John  Rhoms- 
berg,  wli.i  sold  to  Aden  Clary,  a-i  iit  <>i  Lloyd  Lownes. 
Marshall  Spiirgeon  is  the  present  owner. 

Jacob  Prob.asco  kept  the  first  stock  of  goods  in  one 
room  of  the  Flanigan  tavern  stand.  John  Baker  next 
kept  in  the  same  room,  Aaron  Wyatt  succeeded  him, 
and  next  came  Aden  cl.iry,  ,\IUr  Clary,  in  1S71, 
Daniel  Bradley  occupied  the  n,„m  while  building  a 
store-room.  After  Bradley  came  O.  M.  Hatfield,  who 
kei>t  till  1879. 

When  Aaron  Wyatt  was  keeidng  store  Daniel 
Bradley  and  Ephraim  Vansickle  put  a  stock  of  goods 

in  a  house  now  torn  down,     X'an-ii-kle  > i   retired 

from  the  firm,  and  Bradley  kejil  from  ls.">7  to  1S71, 
when  he  moved  his  goods  and  kejit  in  the  Flanigan 
room  till  he  built  a  new  store-room,  into  which  he 
moved  and  kept  till  1878.  In  1880,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Dehaven 
opened  a  grocery  in  one  room  of  her  dwelling. 

The  Southern  Methodists  hold  services  regularly  in 
the  school-house  under  the  Rev.  Simons. 

MARKLEYSBURG. 

About  three  miles  southwest  of  Jockey  Valley,  in 

the  southern  part  of  the  township,  within  two  miles  of 


Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  is  situated  the  pleasant  little 
village  of  Markleysburg,  laid  out  by  Squire  John 
Markley  and  named  after  him.  The  first  house  was 
built  in  1860.  The  town  has  one  principal  street, 
named  Main  Street,  and  three  back  streets.  The 
present  residents  are  Hiram  Griffith,  merchant; 
Hiram  Umbel,  merchant  and  postmaster ;  S.  K. 
Thomas,  boarding-house  keeper;  Joseph  Reckner, 
cabinet-maker;  Dr.  S.  Switzer;  Jonas  W.  Seese,  car- 
penter ;  Rev.  John  Myers ;  Adam  S.  Sell,  lumberman  ; 
Mrs.  Julia  Markley ;  Mrs.  Little ;  James  Cassedy, 
tinner;  Mrs.  Brown;  F.  Thomas,  farmer;  Watson 
Guard,  shoemaker;  John  Howell,  blacksmith  ;  Squire 
John  Markley;  I.  D.  Seese,  laborer;  J.  W.  Seese, 
undertaker;  C.  Thomas,  farmer;  Moses  Chrise,  shoe- 
maker; Silas  Myers,  farmer;  John  Matthews,  teacher. 

The  only  post-office  ever  established  in  the  town- 
ship is  kept  here.  Situated  on  level  lands,  the  village 
has  room  to  build  up  into  a  large  town.  The  Shoe- 
maker Church  stands  in  the  village,  and  just  on  its 
edge  is  a  very  large  Dunkard  Church. 

The  first  store  was  kept  by  Philip  Myers  and 
Brown,  who  were  succeeded  by  George  Thomas,  when 
the  building  burnt.  A  new  building  was  put  up  on 
its  site,  and  Hicks  &  Markley  kept  in  it.  They  were 
succeeded  by  Joseph  Reckner.  Daniel  Umbel  then 
kept  in  it  a  while,  and  moved  to  the  building  now  used 
by  Reckner  as  a  cabinet-shop,  and  kept  one  year; 
they  dissolved  partnership,  and  Reckner  kept  six 
years  and  closed.  Sylvanus  Thomas,  while  Reckner 
was  keeping,  moved  into  the  room  vacated  by  Reck- 
ner &  Umbel,  and  kept  four  years.  Marion  Arnett 
opened  a  store  in  1872  in  the  house  now  occujjied  by 
I.  D.  Seese,  as  Reckner  &  Thomas  had  quit,  and  kept 
till  1874.  Then,  in  1874,  H.  Griffith  built  the  present 
store-house,  and  kept  until  1879,  when  he  w.as  suc- 
ceeded by  Hiram  Umbel,  the  present  occupant.     . 

PJiysicians. — In  1862,  Dr.  Benjamin  Feichtner  came 
from  West  Virginia  and  located  here.  He  served  in 
the  army,  and  returning  at  the  end  of  his  time  formed 
a  partnership  with  Dr.  S.  Switzer,  from  Maryland, 
who  had  just  returned  from  the  army.  Dr.  Feicht- 
ner soon  went  to  Confluence,  where  he  now  practices, 
and  Dr.  Switzer  remains,  the  only  physician  in  the 
township,  and  himself  and  Dr.  Feichtner  the  only 
physicians  ever  in  the  township. 

About  one  mile  and  three-quarters  from  Markleys- 
burg southwest,  on  the  State  line  and  Henry  Clay 
line,  stands  a  small  stone  pillar,  marking  the  spot 
where  Maryland  and  West  Virginia  join  the  Pennsyl- 


RELIGIOUS    DEXOMINATIOX.S. 
OLD   LIDERTV   CHURCH 

was  built  about  1812,  as  a  Union  church  for  all  de- 
nominations. It  was  a  log  building,  and  stood  near 
the  site  of  Fairview  Church.  It  was  also  used  as  a 
school    building.      Peter    T.    Laishley    and    Henry 


HENRY   CLAY   TOWNSHIP. 


613 


Clay  Dean  preached  here.  The  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  formed  a  class  here  about  1825.  John  Burn- 
worth,  Catherine  McNear,  and  Job  Clark  were  mem- 
bers. In  1830,  John  R.  Burnworth  and  wife  became 
members,  and  John  White  preached.  In  1852  the 
church  was  burned. 

FAIEVIEW   METHODIST  EPISCOPAL   CHURCH 

was  built  in  1853,  near  the  site  of  Old  Liberty  Church. 
Rev.  Patterson  Burnworth,  Charles,  William,  and 
John  K.  Tissue,  Ziba,  Lorenzo,  and  Christopher  Burn- 
worth, Mrs.  Isabella  Flanigan,  Mrs.  Sarah  Butler,  and 
Mrs.  Rhoda  Kemp  and  many  others  constituted  the 
class.  Ministers  in  charge  :  A.  J  Endsley,  two  years, 
Joseph  Ray,  Joseph  Horner,  Sawhilf,  J.  Mansel,  Ezra 
Hingely,  J.  Mclntyre,  M.  M.  Eaton,  Meachem  D. 
Jordan,  S.  T.  Mitchell,  D.  J.  Davis,  Napthali  Luc- 
cock,  J.  B.  Taylor,  and  J.  Murray,  present  minister. 

LUTHERAN   CHUKCH. 

The  Lutherans,  about  1845,  used  Old  Liberty  Church, 
and  in  1850  built  Mount  Zion  Church,  about  a  mile 
from  Old  Liberty  Church.  John  Reiber  and  wife,  J. 
W.  Lancaster  and  wife,  William  and  Jonathan  Close 
and  their  wives,  and  Charles  Troutman  and  others 
were  members  organizing  the  church.  It  burned  I 
down  in  1872.  They  immediately  rebuilt,  and  have 
a  small  frame  house.  It  belongs  to  Addison  charge. 
Ministers  in  charge,  Revs.  Failer,  who  preached  in  Old 
Liberty  Church,  and  then  in  Mount  Zion  when  fin- 
i.shed ;  M.  Snyder,  David  Trcssler,  Beaver,  P.  Geme,  I 
1870;  William  Triday,  1874;  Singler,  David  Crozer, 
A.  'SI.  Smith,  and  Andrew  Felton,  present  minister. 

GERMAN   BAPTIST, 

The  Thomases,  Myerses,  and  Fikes  constituted  the 
first  organization  of  the  church  at  Markleysburg  some 
thirty  years  ago.  In  1880  they  built  a  large  church 
at  Markleysburg,  seventy-six  by  forty  feet,  with  a 
seating  capacity  for  a  thousand  people.  Their  min- 
isters have  been  Hinebaugh,  S.  Hazlett,  Beeghley, 
and  John  Myers,  present  minister. 

THE   BRETHREN  IN   CHRIST, 

or  Shoemaker  Church,  built  a  house  of  worship  in 
Markleysburg  in  1868.  George  Shoemaker,  the 
founder  of  the  denomination,  and  his  son  Joshua, 
both,  from  Westmoreland  County,  preached  here,  fol- 
lowed by  Samuel  Smith,  but  at  present  the  church 


has  gone  down,  and  the  building  is  used  by  ministers 
of  other  denominations. 

THE  SOUTHERN   METHODIST   EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 

organized  a  branch  at  Jockey  Valley  several  years 
ago.     Ministers  :  Markwood,  Hazlett,  Wolf,  and  Si- 

BURIAL-GROUNDS. 

The  Leonard  graveyard,  on  the  river,  is  the  oldest 
burial-ground  in  the  township.  The  Sloan  graveyard 
is  supposed  to  be  next  in  order  of  age.  It  is  close  to 
Sloan's  Ford,  and  some  three  miles  down  the  river 
from  the  Leonard  graveyard.  The  early  Sloans  are 
buried  here,  while  the  old  Leonards  and  Job  Clark 
and  the  Flanigans  are  buried  at  the  Leonard  grave- 
yard. 

Old  Liberty  Cemetery  is  now  Fairview  Cemetery. 
It  is  about  sixty  years  old.  Zion  Cemetery  was  laid 
out  in  1850,  and  the  Markleysburg  cemetery  about 
ISUO,  being  formerly  an  old  graveyard.  There  is  also 
an  old  graveyard  near  the  Flanigan  tavern  and 
wagon  stand,  in  Jockey  Valley,  where  John  Cona- 
way,  his  wife,  and  others  are  buried. 

SCHOOLS. 

The  first  schools  in  the  township  were  what  was 
known  as  pay  schools,  taught  by  the  quarter,  and  the 
teacher  boarding  around  among  his  patrons.  The 
free  schools  succeeded  them,  and  have  been  well  sus- 
tained by  the  citizens,  they  taxing  themselves  from 
five  to  seven  mills  on  the  dollar  to  keep  their  schools 
running. 

The  condition  of  the  public  schools  of  Henry  Clay, 
as  shown  by  the  county  superintendent's  annual  re- 
port, made  June  7,  1880,  is  as  follows : 

Number  of  lUstii.-ts J 

'\',"     '  '      •,'•         ■'      '       ■■   'n    i  ''."1^".]^"'.  157 

Aw     -         I    .'■    >.'l.>na: 63 

r,,H    ;  ...    ■.    .1/         :.,,.,   -.  !,..l:ir SO.fU 

\uiii             1.    .            -Ik... I  liurposes 5 

T.,i  ,1   ,.,, !    -   I  t,ix 15976.58 

Si:. I.    ,|  ....  :.  .1    i: $230.yi 

Number  of  tcaL-hers  I  male  4,  female  3)...  7 

Amount  paid  teachers  (5  months) 8770.00 

The  following  persons  have  ranked  as  the  leading 
teachers  of  the  township  since  1840  :  Rev.  Patterson 
Burnworth,  Julius  Kemp,  William  Thomas,  John 
Harah,  and  J.  P.  Barnes.  R.  V.  Ritenhour  and  A.  C. 
Holbert,  candidates  for  the  county  super! ntendency 
in  1877,  taught  their  first  terms  in  Henry  Clay. 


JEFFERSON   TOWNSHIP. 


Jefferson",  one  of  the  richest  agricultural  town- 
ships in  Fayette  County,  lies  on  the  Monongahela 
Eiver,  which  flows  along  the  western  border  at  the 
base  of  an  abrupt  hilly  range,  whose  value  lies  in 
vast  deposits  of  coal,  found,  indeed,  not  only  along  the 
river  but  in  every  part  of  the  township,  except  per- 
haps under  a  small  area  in  the  southeast.  Jefl'erson 
had  in  June,  1881,  a  population  of  1613,  and  in  Janu- 
ary, 1881,  an  assessed  valuation  of  8745,903.  The  town- 
ship boundaries  are  Washington  township  on  the  north, 
Eedstone  Creek  on  the  south  (separating  Jefferson 
from  Redstone  and  Brownsville  townships).  Perry  and 
Franklin  on  the  east,  and  the  Monongahela  on  the 
west,  at  that  point  the  dividing  line  between  Fayette 
and  Washington  Counties.  Along  the  river  the  sur- 
face of  the  country  is  rough  and  precipitous,  but  gen- 
erally the  land  is  rolling  and  easy  of  cultivation. 
Handsome  and  well-kept  farms,  like  well-built  and 
tastefully  appointed  farm  homes,  are  common  sights 
in  Jefferson,  and  as  features  in  a  generally  attractive 
landscape  invite  the  pleased  attention  of  the  beholder. 
The  interests  of  Jefferson,  except  on  the  river,  where 
coal  is  mined  extensively,  are  at  present  purely  agri- 
cultural, although  the  interest  of  coal-mining  must 
one  day  become  a  general  one  when  railways  push 
their  way  into  the  township,  as  they  inevitably  must. 
The  Redstone  Extension  Railroad,  now  approach- 
ing completion,  follows  the  course  of  the  Redstone 
in  Jefferson,  and  will  straightway  open  the  rich 
coal  region  lying  upon  and  adjacent  to  its  course. 
Other  railway  lines  are  yet  to  come.  The  township 
is  watered  by  numerous  small  .streams,  of  which  the 
most  important  is  the  Little  Redstone  Creek,  that 
rises  in  Jefferson  and  empties  into  the  Monongahela 
near  Fayette  City. 

There  were,  doubtless,  in  the  territory  now  occupied 
by  Jefferson  township  settlements  along  and  near  the 
river- front  as  early  as  1761 ;  but  they  were  interrupted 
by  Indian  incursions  that  drove  thesettlers back,  and,  in 
a  majority  of  cases,  frightened  them  away  permanently. 
A  few  returned,  however,  to  their  lands,  and  among 
these  William  Jacobs  appears  to  be  about  the  only 
one  of  whom  there  is  present  knowledge.  His  land 
lay  at  the  mouth  of  the  Redstone  Creek,  but  that  he 
took  a  very  active  part  in  improving  the  country  is 
not  clear,  since  in  1769  he  sold  the  property  to  Prior 
Theob.ald  and  Lawrence  Harrison.  In  1777  the  same 
tract  came  into  the  possession  of  Samuel  Jackson,  and 
614 


was  his  home  until  his  death.  Just  when  Andrew 
Linn  came  to  the  creek  is  not  known,  but  it  was  not 
long  after  1761.  He  tomahawked  a  claim  to  lands  on 
both  sides  of  the  creek  near  the  mouth,  and  put  in 
a  patch  of  corn  on  the  Jefferson  side,  where  he  also 
put  up  a  cabin.  Presently  he  concluded  the  Indians 
were  getting  altogether  too  threatening,  and,  fearing 
harm  might  come  to  him  and  his  family,  he  hastily 
fled  to  the  country  east  of  the  Alleghenies.  He  came 
back  in  the  fall,  rightly  conjecturing  that  the  danger 
signs  were  past,  and  quite  luckily  found  his  corn 
crop  intact  and  ready  for  gathering.  In  April,  1769, 
he  applied  to  have  his  land  surveyed,  and  August  22d 
of  that  year  the  survey  was  made.  That  was  the  first 
survey  made  under  the  law  of  1769  within  the  pres- 
ent limits  of  Fayette  County.  Mr.  Linn  did  not  re- 
ceive the  patent  for  his  land  until  1787.  In  view  of 
the  fact  that  this  was  the  first  land  surveyed  in  the 
county,  a  copy  of  the  patent  is  given  as  follows : 

"The  Supreme  Executive  Council  of  the  Commonwealth  of 
Pennsylvania. 

"  To  all  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come,  greeting  :  Know 
ye  that  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  thirty-nine  pounds,  ten 
shillings  and  si.vpence  in  lawful  money  paid  by  Andrew  Linn 
into  the  Receiver  General's  office  of  this  Commonwealth,  there 
is  granted  by  this  Commonwealth  unto  the  said  Andrew  Linn  a 
certain  tract  of  land  called  Crab-tree  Bottom,  situated  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Monongahela  River,  on  the  Great  Redstone 
creek,  in  Fayette  County,  beginning  at  a  corner  sugar  tree  of 
Samuel  McCuUoch's  land;  thence  by  the  same  and  a  vacant 
hill  south  thirty-five  degrees,  east  sixty-eight  and  a  half  perches, 
crossing  said  creek  to  a  buttonwood  tree  ;  thence  by  said  creek 
south  eleven  degrees,  east  one  hundred  and  nine  perches  and 
eight-tenths  to  a  buttonwood,  south  fifty-five  degrees,  east 
twenty-nine  perches  to  a  small  buttonwood;  thence  across 
said  creek  and  by  vacant  hilly  land  south  eighty-seven  degrees, 
east  one  hundred  and  sixteen  perches  to  a  post;  thence  by  va- 
cant hilly  land  north  sixty-five  degrees,  east  sixty-six  perches 
to  a  sugar  tree  a  corner  of  Nathan  Linn's  land ;  thence  by  the 
same  north  one  degree,  west  47^q  perches,  and  north  48  de- 
grees, east  33-^^  perches  to  a  box-elder  tree;  thence  by  vacant 
land  north  53  degrees,  west  116  perches  to  an  elm;  north 
twelve  degrees,  west  twenty-four  perches  to  a  Spanish  oak; 
thence  by  vacant  land  or  land  of  William  Jacobs  north  seventy 
degrees,  west  IJfljT;  porches  to  a  box-elder  tree,  and  south  38} 
degrees,  west  70Jg  perches  to  the  place  of  beginning,  contain- 
ing 24-ti  acres  and  allowances  of  six  per  cent,  for  roads,  etc., 
with  appurtenances  (which  said  tract  was  surveyed  in  pur- 
suance of  an  application,  No.  2051,  entered  April  5,  1769,  by 
said  .■Indrew  Linn,  for  whom  a  warrant  of  acceptance  issued  on 
March  27th  last).     To  have  and  to  hold  the  said  tract  or  parcel 


JEFFERSON  TOWNSHIP. 


615 


of  land  with  the  appurtenances  unto  the  said  Andrew  Lynn 
and  his  heirs,  to  the  use  of  him  the  said  Andrew  Lynn,  his 
heirs  and  assigns  forever,  free  and  clear  of  all  restrictions  and 
reservations  as  to  mine  royalties,  quit-rents,  or  otherwise,  ex- 
cepting and  reserving  only  the  fifth  part  of  all  gold  and  silver 
ore  for  the  use  of  this  commonwealth,  to  be  delivered  at  the 
pit's  mouth  clear  of  all  charges.  In  witness  whereof  His  Ex- 
cellency Benjamin  Franklin,  Esq.,  President  of  the  Supreme 
Executive  Council,  hath  hereto  set  his  hand  and  caused  the  State 
Seal  to  be  hereto  affixed  in  Council,  June  16,  17S7,  and  of  the 
Commonwealth  the  eleventh. 

"  B.  Fn.lNKLIN. 

"Attest,  James  Trimble, 

"  For  J.  Armstrong,  Jr.,  Seer/." 

This  tract  has  been  in  the  possession  of  the  Linn 
family  since  it  was  surveyed  for  Andrew  Linn  in 
1769,  and  contains  to-day  valuable  deposits  of  coal 
and  iron  ores  that  add  to  it  a  wealth  of  which  An- 
drew Linn  never  dreamed. 

Andrew  Linn  entered  the  Continental  service  during 
the  Revolution  as  wagonmaster,  and  upon  the  close 
of  the  war  resumed  his  rural  life  on  the  Redstone. 
About  1790  he  moved  across  the  creek,  and  lived  near 
the  present  home  of  J.  M.  Linn  until  his  death  in 
1794.  After  his  death  his  widow  enlarged  the  Linn 
landei  possessions  by  the  purchase  of  adjacent  hilly 
tracts,  and  in  1796  built  upon  the  Redstone  a  grist- 
mill, where  Andrew  Linn  had  some  years  before 
erected  a  saw-mill.  The  Widow  Linn  would  doubt- 
less have  deferred  the  building  of  the  grist-mill,  but 
Basil  Brown,  with  an  eye  upon  the  property,  com- 
pelled the  erection  of  the  mill  under  the  law  provid- 
ing that  every  owner  of  a  mill-site  should  put  up  a 
mill  thereon  or  abandon  the  same  to  the  State.  Mrs. 
Linn's  son  Isaac  was  for  many  years  the  miller.  Be- 
sides Isaac,  the  sons  of  Andrew  Linn  were  Andrew, 
Jr.,  William,  Ayers,  and  John.  There  was  but  one 
daughter,  Mary.  She  married  John  Corbly,  a  Bap- 
tist minister  of  Greene  County,  who  while  on  his 
way  to  church  one  Sabbath  with  his  children  was  at- 
tacked by  Indians.  One  of  his  daughters  was  scalped 
and  killed,  while  he  and  his  other  children  made  good 
their  escape  by  flight.  John  Linn  went  out  to  the 
Ohio  frontier  to  fight  the  Indians  and  was  killed. 
Andrew,  Jr.,  moved  to  near  Fayette  City  (or  Cooks- 
town).  William,  Ayers,  and  Isaac  lived  and  died  in 
Redstone.  Isaac  occupied  the  old  homestead  and 
carried  on  the  mill.  He  went  out  as  captain  of  a 
company  of  Pennsylvania  militia  in  Col.  Rees  Hill's 
regiment  in  1813,  and  served  six  months.  J.  M. 
Linn,  son  of  Capt.  Isaac,  recollects  seeing  the  com- 
pany leave  Brownsville  for  the  field,  and  recalls  the 
circumstance  that  the  men  crossed  the  river  on  the 
mill-dam,  the  stream  being  then  quite  low.  The 
last  survivor  of  Capt.  Isaac  Linn's  company,  Sergt. 
John  Reed,  died  at  the  house  of  S.  W.  Reed,  in  Jef- 
ferson township,  in  the  summer  of  1880,  at  the  age  of 
ninety-four. 

In  1817,  Capt.  Isaac   Linn  built  the  brick  man- 


sion which  is  now  occupied  by  his  son,  J.  M.  Linn. 
Henry  Hutchinson,  one  of  the  hod-carriers  .at  the 
building  of  that  house,  died  in  Springhill  township 
in  1879,  at  a  great  age,  nearly  ninety.  He  came  of  a 
long-lived  family,  his  mother  dying  at  the  age  of  one 
hundred  and  six.  Isaac  Linn,  who  died  in  1835, 
upon  the  farm  where  he  first  saw  the  light,  had  nine 
children,  of  whom  the  sons  were  Andrew,  John,  Wil- 
liam, Jacob,  James  Madison,  Thomas,  and  Ayers. 
James  Madison  lives  on  the  old  farm,  Jacob  in  Arm- 
strong County,  Pa.,  Ayers  in  Jefferson  township,  and 
Thomas  in  Perry.  J.  M.  Linn  rebuilt  the  Linn  mill 
in  1844,  and  still  controls  it.  He  has  been  a  miller  on 
that  spot  since  1820. 

One  of  the  conspicuous  figures  in  Fayette  County's 
early  history  was  Samuel  Jackson,  a  sturdy  Quaker 
from  Chester  County,  and  a  business  man  of  large 
and  liberal  enterprise  that  made  him  quite  famous  in 
his  day.  Early  in  the  year  1777  he  settled  in  Fayette 
County,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Redstone  Creek,  and 
occupied  land  now  included  within  the  limits  of  Jef- 
ferson township.  The  deed  for  the  property,  now  in 
the  possession  of  E.  J.  Bailey,  of  Jefferson,  recites 
that  May  22,  1777,  Jesse  Martin,  of  Westmoreland 
County,  transferred  to  Samuel  Jackson,  of  London 
Grove,  Chester  Co.,  for  a  consideration  of  two  hun- 
dred pounds,  a  piece  of  land  with  improvements  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Redstone  Creek,  containing  three 


hundred  acres,  known  as  "Martin's  Folly,"  and 
bounded  by  the  lands  of  Thomas  Brown  and  Andrew 
Linn. 

This  land  was  originally  occupied  for  a  settlement 
by  William  Jacobs,  who  is  said  to  have  located 
upon  it  as  early  as  1761.  Driven  out  by  the  Indians, 
Jacobs  returned  after  a  while  and  applied  for  a  survey 
of  his  land,  April  24,  1769.  He  sold  it  to  Prior  Theo- 
bald and  Lawrence  Harrison,  to  whom  he  executed  a 
deed  bearing  date  June  2, 1769.  Harrison  transferred 
his  right  to  Theobald,  July  10,  1769,  and  April  5, 
1776,  Theobald  deeded  the  property  to  Jesse  Martin, 
who,  in  1777,  sold  to  Jackson.  Mr.  Jackson  selected 
a  site  for  his  home  near  the  place  now  called  Albany, 
and  built  thereon  a  log  cabin.  In  1785  he  erected  the 
commodious  stone  mansion  now  occupied  by  Eli  J. 
Bailey,  and  in  that  house  resided  until  his  death  in 
1817.  Although  nearly  a  hundred  years  old  the  house 
is  still  a  shapely,  solid  structure,  and  bids  fair  to  re- 
main so  for  years  to  come.  The  land  purchased  by 
Jackson  of  Jesse  Martin  was  not  patented  by  the 
former  until  Feb.  7,  1789.  Jackson  was  a  millwright, 
and  soon  after  making  a  location  put  up  at  the  mouth 
of  the  creek  a  saw-mill,  grist-mill,  and  oil-mill.  He 
engaged  likewise  to  a  considerable  extent  in  the 
building  of  flat-boats,  for  which  there  was  a  lively 
demand  from  emigrants  coming  over  Burd's  road  to 
the  river,  and  thence  desiring  to  journey  to  the  lower 
country.  The  craft  were  each  in  size  large  enough  to 
carry  a  family  and  effects,  and  while  his  customers 
waited  for  the  construction  of  a  vessel  Jackson  would 


616 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


furnish  tliein  with  entertainment  at  his  house  for  a 
week  or  so.' 

Samuel  Jackson  expanded  his  business  enterprises 
as  time  progressed,  and  grew  to  be  a  man  of  mark. 
His  establishment,  in  connection  with  Jonathan 
Sliarpless,  of  the  first  paper-mill  west  of  the  Alle- 
ghenies  is  spoken  of  elsewhere.  He  carried  on  a 
store  at  Brownsville,  in  company  with  Ellis  Nichols, 
embarked  in  the  manufacture  of  iron  outside  of  the 
county,  had  interests  in  varimH  (itln  r  enterprises,  and 
in  1817  founded  the  Albany  ( Mas^-Wdrks  on  the  Mo- 
nongahela,  of  which  more  anon.  Jackson  was  a  man 
of  peculiar  and  at  times  eccentric  disposition,  while 
not  infrequently  his  Quaker  blood  would  boil  witli 
unaccustomed  heat  and  stir  up  matters  rather  un- 
pleasantly to  the  objects  of  his  wrath.  When  so  dis- 
turbed he  would  walk  with  his  long  arms  crossed  be- 
hind him,  kicking  spitefully  at  sticks  and  stones  that 
lay  in  his  path.  When  bis  paper-mill  employes  saw 
him  coming  in  such  mood  it  was  understood  that 
trouble  was  ahea4  for  somelHMly,  On  oiii'  nccasi.in, 
whilerepairing  lii-inill-il:iin,  hr  kept  a  boat  fur  the  pur- 
pose of  conveyiiiLT  his  lianils  ari-d.^s  the  creek.  While 
he  and  his  men  were  at  liinn.  r  one  ihiy  a  traveler  saw 
the  boat,  and  knowini;-  no  other  way  to  cross  the 
stream  appropriated  the  eralt,  tiel  it  to  the  other 
shore,  and  proceeded  on  his  way.  When  Samuel 
came  from  dinner  and  found  his  boat  on  the  opposite 
bank  he  was  very  angry,  and  vowed  terrible  retalia- 
tion should  the  opportunity  offer.  The  opportunity 
did  ofler  that  very  day,  for  the  traveler  had  been  only 
to  Brownsville,  and  came  back  by  way  of  Jaekson's 
in  the  evening,  and  he  frankly  <-onli<>ed  to  ha\in- 
taken  the  boat.  Mr.  Jackson  beca-.ne  aiiLiiy,  ami  ex- 
citedly exclaimed,  "Friend,  1  wouldn't  strike  thee  or 
beat  thee,  but  I  have  a  mind  to  rub  thee  down,  and 
that  severely."  The  fellow  resented  the  implied 
threat,  whereupon  Jackson  cast  self-control  to  the 
winds,  and  with  his  fijt  did  rub  the  traveler's  face  so 
severely  as  to  draw  blood.  He  then  caught  up  his 
victim  hoilily  ami  east  him  headlong  into  the  creek, 
calline  ont  at  thi'  >anie  time,  "There,  I'll  teach  thee 
manners  anil  likiwise  force  thee  to  swim."  Frightened 
and  half-drowned  the  fellow  scrambled  out  of  the 
water,  and  hurried  away  as  fast  as  his  legs  could  carry 


houso  1 
]7.';4,  K 


him,  satisfied  doubtless  that  although  a  Quaker  might 
look  meek  enough  he  could  easily  show  some  of  the 
old  Adam  upon  provocation. 

"During  the  Whiskey  Insurrection  of  179-1,-  Mr. 

!  Jackson,  who,  as  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends, 

I  was  conscientiously  opposed  to  distillation,  favored  the 
acts  of  the  government  as  a  means  of  suppression. 
He  had  dubbed  one  of  the  insurgent  meetings  a 
'  scrub  congress.'  It  gave  umbrage  to  them,  and  at 
a  subsequent  meeting  it  was  proposed  that  a  file  of 
men  should  go  to  the  residence  of  Samuel,  about  a 
mile  distant,  and  bring  him  before  them  for  condemn- 
ation and  punishment.  Samuel  did  not  much  like 
the  visit  or  the  intent  of  his  visitors,  and  being  a 
large,  athletic  man  might  have  given  them  some 
trouble  had  he  laid  aside  his  Quaker  principles  ;  but 
being  a  man  of  peace,  he  submitted  without  resistance, 
and  accompanied  his  escort  with  his  peculiar  and 
accustomed  step,  his  long  arms  thrown  crosswise  be- 

!  hind,  and  with  as  much  thoughtfulness  in  his  manner 
as  if  he  were  going  to  one  of  his  own  First-Day 
meetings.  The  late  Judge  Brackenridge,  who  was 
of  the  assemblage,  was  personally  acquainted  with 
Samuel,  and  entertained  a  friendly  regard  for  him. 

I  He  mounted  the  stand  and  addressed  the  people,  ad- 
mitting that  Samuel  had  been  remiss   in  ajifilying 

I  opprobrious  epithets  to  so  august  and  legitimate  an 

'  assemblage,  but  that  he  attributed  it  more  to  a  want 
of  reflection  on  Samuel's  part  than  to  enmity  or 
design,  and  that  the  best  retaliation  would  be  in  stig- 
matizing him  as  a  'scrub  Quaker.'  It  had  the  in- 
tended effect.  The  insurgents  discharged  Samuel 
with  the  appellation  of  being  a  'scrub  Quaker.' 
Hail  it  not  been  for  this  ruse  of  Judge  Brackenridge 
Samuel  would  no  doubt  have  been  personally  injured, 

I  or,  as  others  had  been,  in  the  destruction  of  his  prop- 

j  erty." 

In  1817,  Samuel  Jackson  began  theerection  of  glass- 
works upon  his  property,  at  a  place  now  known  as 
Albany,  but  died  before  getting  the  works  in  opera- 
tion. His  sons,  Jesse  and  Samuel,  pushed  the  busi- 
ness after  their  fiither's  death,  and  made  of  Albany  a 
busy  place.  They  had  an  eight-pot  furnace,  employed 
about  fifty  men,  and  built  for  their  convenience  a  store 
and  a  score  or  more  of  tenement-houses.  The  works 
produced  common  window-glass,  and  obtained  sand 
from  the  neighborhood  of  Perryopolis,  whence  it  was 
hauled  in  wagons.     Glass  was  manufactured  at  that 

I  point  by  various  persons  until  186-5,  when  Ashbel 
Gabler  &  Co.  carried  on  the  works.     Since  186.5  noth- 

'  ing  has  been  done  there.  Bowman  &  Keppert  owned 
the  property  for  many  years  to  1881,  when  it  was  sold 
to  George  E.  Hogg,  whose  intention  is  to  develop  the 
valuable  coal  deposits  underlying  it.  Samuel  Jack- 
son's sons  were  Samuel,  Jr.,  John,  Josiah,  Jesse,  and 
Jpseph,  all  of  whom  ultimately  removed  to  the  West 

1  and  died  there.     Of  Mr.  Jackson's  three  daughters. 


JEFFERSON   TOWNSHIP. 


017 


Rebecca  was  noted  for  a  prodigious  strength,  touch- 
ing which  a  good  many  stories  fire  still  current.  One 
of  them  is  that  it  was  a  common  thing  to  see  her 
carry  a  barrel  of  flour  from  her  fiither's  mill  to  his 
house,  and  another  that  to  lift  a  barrel  of  whiskey 
clear  of  the  ground  was  one  of  her  pastimes.  She 
inherited  the  mill  property,  and  in  1820  built  a  new 
grist-mill  on  the  creek  to  replace  the  one  built 
by  her  father,  which  was  burned  with  the  oil-mill 
and  saw-mill  before  his  death.  The  mill  she  built 
was  enlarged  by  E.  J.  Bailey  in  1844,  and  carried  on 
by  him  until  1865,  when  the  dam  gave  way.  Since 
then  it  has  been  suifered  to  remain  idle.  For  her 
second  husband  Becky  married  Joseph  Bailey,  and 
then  removed  her  home  to  Greene  County. 

William  Elliott,  one  of  Jefferson's  early  settlers, 
and  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  local  prominence, 
made  a  location  upon  which  his  grandson  Robert 
now  lives.  In  a  family  of  eight  children  he  had  but 
two  sons,  who  were  named  Johnson  and  James. 
William  Elliott,  the  father,  was  killed  by  a  falling 
tree  a  few  years  after  occupying  his  Jefferson  home. 
His  son  Johnson  lost  his  life  in  a  similar  way  when 
but  nineteen  years  of  age.  James  had  a  family  of 
ten  children,  of  whom  James,  Robert,  and  Joseph 
live  in  Jefferson.  James  Elliott,  the  father  of  the 
tliree  last  named,  died  in  1842. 

Before  the  close  of  the  Revolution  four  brothers, 
named  Robert,  James,  William,  and  Peter  Patterson, 
moved  from  Dauphin  County  to  Fayette  County, 
where  they  proposed  to  found  new  homes.  Robert 
settled  in  Westmoreland  County  and  the  others  in 
Fayette,  Peter  and  William  in  Jefferson  township, 
and  James  in  Franklin.  The  brothers  came  westward 
in  company,  and  with  their  families  traveled  and  car- 
ried their  effects  on  the  backs  of  horses.  With  the 
journey  over  the  mountains  and  the  pack-saddle  mode 
of  ])rogress  William  became  especially  familiar,  for 
after  their  settlement  in  Fayette  he  made  several  trips 
to  the  East  for  salt  and  other  supjjlies.  Peter  Patter- 
son patented  the  land  now  owned  by  Emma  Cope, 
near  Redstone  post-office,  and  lived  there  until  his 
death  at  the  age  of  more  than  ninety.  He  had  a 
large  family,  but  of  the  sons  only  Thomas  made  his 
home  in  the  township  after  reaching  man's  estate. 
He  opened  the  "  Red  Lion  Tavern"  on  the  place  and 
in  the  house  now  occupied  by  David  Browneller,  but 
did  not  keep  it  a  great  while.  He  gave  it  up  before 
1809,  but  while  it  lasted  the  "Red  Lion"  was  a  stop- 
ping-place of  some  note  on  the  old  Pittsburgh  road 
leading  from  the  country  south  by  way  of  the  Sharp- 
less'  paper-mill.  William  Patterson  warranted,  in 
1786,  the  place  now  owned  by  William  6.  Patterson. 
He  is  said  to  have  been  born  on  shipboard  during  the 
emigration  of  his  parents  from  Ireland  to  America. 
His  children  numbered  nine,  of  whom  but  two  were 
sons,  named  James  and  William.  James,  who  lived 
and  died  in  Jeflerson,  was  a  captain  in  the  war  of 
1812  under  Gen.  Harrison.     Patterson  went  out  as  a 


member  of  Capt.  Reginald  Brashear's  company,  but 
Capt.  Brashear  falling  frojn  his  horse  and  sustaining 
severe  injury  resigned  his  command,  in  which  he  was 
succeeded  by  James  Patterson.  A  colored  man  named 
Harry  Goe,  born  in  slavery  upon  William  Goe's  farm, 
was  a  teamster  in  Capt.  Patterson's  company.  Some 
of  Goe's  descendants  still  live  in  Jefferson.  Capt.  Pat- 
terson followed  the  business  of  teaming  as  well  as 
farming,  and  hauled  goods  from  Baltimore  and  Phila- 
delphia to  Brownsville  until  1823.  In  that  year  his 
son,  William  G.  Patterson,  continued  the  business, 
and  freighted  from  Baltimore  to  Wheeling  until  the 
Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railway  reached  the  Ohio  River. 
Capt.  James  died  on  the  W.  G.  Patterson  farm  in  1827. 
William  Patterson,  brother  of  Capt.  James,  lived  on 
the  present  David  Wakefield's  fiirm.  He  had  eleven 
children,  of  whom  the  sons  were  David,  James,  Wil- 
liam, and  Jeremiah.  David  served  in  the  war  of 
1812  under  Capt.  Geisey.  Of  the  eleven  children  six 
are  living.  They  are  Nelly,  Martha,  James,  and 
Nancy  Patterson,  of  Jefferson  township;  Jeremiah 
Patterson,  of  Kansas,  and  Mrs.  Sarah  Ely  (mother  of 
Mrs.  Benjamin  Phillips),  of  Redstone  township. 

In  the  bend  of  the  river  John  Di.xon,  a  Quaker, 
was  the  first  permanent  settler.  He  came  from  East- 
ern Pennsylvania  in  1770,  and  bought  the  tomahawk 
claim  of  one  Wiseman  to  about  four  hundred  acres, 
upon  which  Wiseman  had  built  a  cabin  and  set  out  a 
few  apple-trees.  Mr.  Dixon's  home  was  on  the  pres- 
ent Bowman  place,  where  about  1800  he  built  the 
stone  house  still  standing  there.  In  1813  he  built 
a  woolen-factory  on  his  farm,  and  carried  it  on  two 
years,  when,  the  close  of  the  war  acting  disastrously 
upon  the  business,  he  gave  it  up.  Mr.  Dixon  had  a 
family  of  ten  children,  of  whom  four  were  sons. 
Nathan  lived  upon  the  homestead,  and  died  there  in 
1829.     John  Dixon,  his  father,  died  in  1840. 

About  1800,  Louis  Marchand,  a  physician,  located  in 
the  river  bend  upon  a  four-hundred-acre  tract,  and  en- 
gaged in  the  practice  of  his  profession.    Being  a  bach- 
elor he  took  Joshua  Wagoner  as  a  farm  tenant  and  lived 
with  the  Wagoner  family.     Dr.  Marchand  acquired 
considerable  fame  as  a  skillful  physician,  and  enjoyed 
'  a  large  and  profitable  practice.     As  the  compounder 
of  an  anti-hydrophobia  p;ll,  his  reputation  extended 
far  beyond  the  confines  of  Fayette  County,  and  from 
far-distant   points,    where  stories   of  the   marvelous 
j  cures  effected  had  penetrated,  came  candidates   for 
'  treatment  at  the  hands  of  Dr.  Marchand.     That  the 
doctor  did  produce  a  pill  of  wonderful  curative  powers 
is  verified  by  the  testimony  of  those  who  were  his 
1  neighbors,  and  from  whom  we  hear  to-day  of  his  un- 
j  bounded  success.    After  practicing  on  the  river  about 
twenty  years.  Dr.  Marchand  removed  to  Uniontown, 
I  where  he  remained  about  twenty  years,  and  during 
'  his  residence  there  married  Sally,  daughter  of  Sam- 
uel Sackett,  of  Smithfield.     From  Uniontown  he  re- 
turned to  his  Jefferson  farm,  where  he  ended  his  days, 
dying  in  1864. 


618 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  Brackenridge  tavern  stand  spoken  of  was  on 
the  road  between  Perryopelis  and  Brownsville,  near 
the  site  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Methodist  Church. 
Bryant  Taylor  was  perhaps  the  first  landlord  there, 
and  after  him  Samuel  Brackenridge  conducted  its 
hospitalities  for  some  years.  Brackenridge's  was  a 
favorite  resort,  and  merry  reunions  there  of  young 
folks  were  of  frequent  occurrence.  Old  Mr.  Bracken- 
ridge was  peculiar  in  being  easily  annoyed,  and  the 
mischievous  ones  of  the  neighborhood  never  lost  an 
opportunity  to  vex  and  harass  him.  There  was  much 
travel  over  the  road,  for  it  was  by  that  way  sand  and 
other  supplies  were  conveyed  from  Perryopolis  to  the 
Albany  Glass- Works.  Brackenridge  kept  the  tavern 
until  his  death  in  1840,  after  which  it  was  closed. 

William  Forsyth  purchased  in  1780  a  tomahawk 
right  to  four  hundred  acres  on  the  river,  and  gave  in 
exchange  two  cows,  a  bushel  of  salt,  and  a  gun.  Ad- 
joining Forsyth  one  Isaac  Hastings  had  already 
made  a  settlement,  but  he  soon  grew  tired  of  staying 
there  and  moved  away.  Eli,  son  of  William  For- 
syth, threw  a  cobblestone  dam  across  the  river,  and 
for  a  little  time  operated  a  grist-mill  on  the  Forsyth 
place. 

Not  far  from  Albany,  at  a  locality  known  as  Turtle- 
town,  old  Billy  Norcross  was  a  blacksmith  at  an  early 
day.  Billy  was  not  a  very  nice  man  to  look  at.  In- 
deed, he  was  so  objectionable  in  appearance  that 
horses  taken  to  him  to  be  shod  utterly  refused  to  go 
near  him  until  they  were  blindfolded.  At  least,  such 
is  the  story  told  of  him. 

William  Goe,  a  Marylander,  came  to  Fayette 
County  in  1780,  and  located  in  Jefferson,  on  the 
river  near  Troytown,  and  there  resided  until  his 
death.  He  lived  to  be  nearly  a  hundred  years  old, 
and  was  buried  in  a  coffin  that  he  had  kept  in  his 
house  for  years.  He  concluded  it  would  be  well  to 
have  his  coffin  about  him  during  life,  so  that  he  might 
get  used  to  it,  and  accordingly  ordered  Samuel  Brown 
to  make  one  for  him.  He  stored  it  in  his  garret, 
where  in  due  time  it  became  a  receptacle  for  dried 
fruit,  and  soon  served  as  a  lodging-place  for  rats. 
When  old  Mr.  Goe  discovered  the  base  uses  to  which 
the  coffin  had  come  he  declared  he  wouldn't  allow 
himself  to  be  buried  in  it,  and  gave  it  over  for  the 
last  home  of  one  of  his  slaves  just  deceased.  For 
himself  a  second  one  was  made  by  Samuel  Brown, 
and  in  that  one  Mr.  Goe  was  accustomed  to  lie  occa- 
sionally during  life,  to  make  sure,  perhaps,  that  he 
was  not  outgrowing  it.  William  Goe  was  eccentric 
f  nough  to  sow  his  grain  while  riding  horseback  through 
his  field,  but  just  why  he  followed  that  fashion  no  one 
appears  to  know. 

One  of  the  largest  distilleries  in  Fayette  was  built  by 
Bateman  Goo  (son  of  William  Goe),  on  Whiskey  Run, 
about  the  year  ISOQ.  Goe  had  a  still-house,  malt- 
house,  and  choiiping-house,  and  manufactured  great 
quantities  of  apple-jack.  In  180!t  a  severe  flood  came 
and  swoi't  still,  malt-liouso,  and  all  into  the  Redstone. 


A  hundred  barrels  of  manufactured  whiskey  stored 
in  the  still-house  were  carried  away  in  the  general 
■wreck,  and,  like  the  rest  of  the  property,  utterly  lost. 
Nearly  forty  years  afterwards  the  still  "  worm"  was 
found  buried  in  the  sand  on  the  creek  bottom.  Mr. 
Goe  rebuilt  the  distillery  and  carried  it  on  until  his 
death  in  1817.  After  that  his  son  Henry  conducted 
the  business  until  1830,  and  then  gave  it  up.  In  this 
connection  comes  a  recollection  of  a  story  about  W. 
G.  Patterson  and  John  Watson.  They  wanted  some 
whiskey  for  harvest-time,  and  undertook  to  make  it  at 
the  old  Goe  distillery,  then  abandoned.  The  whiskey 
was  scorched  a  little  and  turned  blue,  but  it  passed 
muster  after  a  fashion,  not,  however,  without  some 
misgivings  on  the  part  of  the  ferm  hands,  who  were 
at  first  suspicious  of  the  color.  Subsequently  they 
gave  it  the  name  of  blue  jay  whiskey,  and  as  the  manu- 
facturers of  the  "blue  jay"  brand,  Messrs.  Patterson 
and  Watson  became  famous  far  and  near. 

Philip,  another  of  William  Goe's  sous,  moved  to 
Kentucky,  and  married  a  daughter  of  Daniel  Boone. 
Bateman  Goe,  the  distiller,  was  grandfather  to  Robert 
S.  Goe,  Gen.  John  S.  Goe,  and  Mrs.  Robert  Elliott, 
of  JeflTerson.  Allusion  to  Bateman  Goe  and  his  dis- 
tillery suggests  the  remark  that  stills  were  in  the  early 
time  as  plentiful  almost  as  blackberries  in  June,  and 
that  every  large  farm  should  have  its  still-house  was 
expected  as  a  matter  of  course.     David  Porter,  living 

[  near  Merrittstown,  was  the  ganger  for  the  government 
about  1809,  and  as  he  embraced  within  his  jurisdic- 
tion a  large  stretch  of  country,  he  was  kept  as  busy 
as  a  bee. 

On  Sejjt.  5, 1784,  a  tract  of  land,  including  four  hun- 
dred and  twenty-three  acres,  and  called  '"  Tunis,"  was 
surveyed   to   Tunis  Wells,  and  in  1790  patented  to 

i  him  for  three  pounds,  ten  shillings,  and  sixpence. 
Mr.  Wells  made  his  settlement  about  1780,  and,  losing 
his  wife  by  death  soon  after  coming,  married  for  his 
second  wife  Margaret  Williams.  By  his  first  wife  he 
had  six  children,  of  whom  none  are  now  living.  By 
his  second  the  children  were  Mary,  Joseph,  Rachel, 
Elizabeth,  Margaret,  James,  Jacob,  and  Charlotte. 
The  only  one  living  is  Charlotte,  whose  home  is  in 
Iowa.  James  died  in  Jeffijrson,  Jacob  in  Ohio,  and 
Joseph  on  the  old  homestead   in   1877.     There  his 

I  widow  still  lives.     Tunis  Wells  himself  died  on  his 

i  Jeflerson  farm  in  1811,  and  was  buried  in  the  Dunlap 
Creek  churchyard.  His  widow  died  in  1845.  Jo- 
seph Wells'  widow,  now  residing  on  the  Tunis  Wells 
place,  came  with  her  father,  Issachar  Shaw,  to  Jefler- 
son in  1816. 

Near  the  Sharpless  paper-mill  site  William  Norris 
lived  on  land  that  he  warranted  in  1772,  Richard 
Noble  on  the  W.  C.  Johnson  place  that  he  patented 
in  1785,  and  John  Ray  on  land  now  occupied  by  Jo- 
seph and  E.  D.  Stewart,  and  patented  by  Ray  in 
1788.  Adam  Laughlin  lived  on  a  farm  adjoining  S. 
R.  Nutt's  place,  where  he  died  in  1811. 

Peter  Miller,  a  Qiuiker,  was  conspicuous  witli  Joiia- 


JEFFERSON  TOWNSHIP. 


619 


than  Sharpless  as  a  leading  member  of  the  Society  of 
Friends  worshiping  at  Centre  Meeting-house,  in  Red- 
stone. He  came  to  the  vicinty  of  Redstone  Creek 
from  New  Jersey  in  1791,  and  located  land  now  oc- 
cupied in  part  by  Thomas  Miller,  in  .Tefferson  town- 
ship. Peter  Miller  was  a  most  e.xcellent  gentleman, 
of  particular  methods,  and  famous  withal  as  a  model 
farmer.  In  illustration  of  his  rustic  ideas  and  non- 
familiarity  with  law,  it  is  told  that  upon  being  sum- 
moned to  court  as  a  witness,  and  being  asked  how  he 
would  swear,  insisted  upon  replying,  "  I  qualify." 
Much  to  his  and  the  court's  relief,  Jonathan  Sharp- 
less,  there  present,  came  to  the  rescue  with  "  he  af- 
firms." 

Mr.  Miller  and  his  family  were  constant  and  [ 
zealous  attendants  at  the  Quaker  meeting-house  in 
Redstone,  whither  the  young  ladies  frequently  pro- 
ceeded upon  their  father's  oxen.  At  the  junction  of 
Crab-Apple  Run  with  Redstone  Creek  may  be  seen 
a  rock  yet  known  as  Quaker  Rock,  so  called  from  the 
fact  that  from  the  rock  the  Quakers  had  thrown  a  tree 
across  the  creek,  and  thus  easily  constructed  a  bridge 
that  served  them  when  they  journeyed  to  church  each 
First  Day.  Peter  Miller  had  six  children.  The  sons 
were  named  David  and  Joseph.  David  moved  in 
1820  to  Ohio.  Peter,  the  father,  died  in  Jefferson  in 
1838,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five.  Joseph  died  in  1875, 
aged  ninety-two.  Of  the  latter's  sons,  Thomas  and 
J.  D.  are  residents  of  Jefferson  township. 

The  place  now  occupied  by  Jacob  Wolf  was  origi- 
nally settled  by  one  McGuire,  who  sold  it  to  Alex- 
ander Deyarmon,  a  moulder  at  Jackson  &  Sharpless' 
paper-mill.  Deyarmon  was  a  very  eccentric  man, 
and  indulged  in  such  queer  freaks  of  contorting  his 
body  and  communing  with  himself  while  walking  out 
that  strangers  often  thought  him  demented.  He 
was,  on  the  contrary,  a  person  of  exceedingly  sound 
mind  and  quite  shrewd  withal.  Once,  he  with  his 
wife,  attended  divine 'services  at  James  Patterson's 
house,  where  Rev.  Mr.  Johnston  had  been  preaching. 
After  service  the  members  of  the  company  gathered 
about  the  fireside  for  an  after-church  conversation. 
Presently  Mrs.  Deyarmon  asked  Mr.  Johnston  the 
question,  "  How  long  were  Adam  and  Eve  in  the 
Garden  of  Eden  before  they  fell  ?"  Mr.  Johnston 
replied,  "  Well,  madame,  I  have  frequently  discussed 
that  question  with  myself,  but  thus  far  I  have  not 
been  able  to  solve  it  satisfactorily."  At  this  Mr.  De- 
yarmon jumped  up  and  sharply  exclaimed,  "  I'll  tell 
you,  Mr.  Johnston,  how  long  Adam  remained  in  the 
Garden  of  Eden.  He  stayed  until  he  got  a  wife, 
then  he  had  to  quit." 

Of  Andrew  Hammell,  who  was  an  early  settler  on 
the  place  now  owned  by  James  Esington,  it  is  told 
that  being  a  strong  Covenanter  he  was  most  bitterly 
opposed  to  the  organization  of  Fairview  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  and  when  the  erection  of  a  church 
edifice  was  proposed  he  prophesied  most  dire  misfor- 
tune in  the  event  of  the  project  being  consummated. 


He  forbade  the  members  of  his  family  setting  foot 
within  the  building,  and  at  all  times,  when  occasion 
offered,  lifted  his  voice  in  condemnation  of  the  ad- 
herents of  Methodism.  One  day  he  and  a  lad  named 
James  Dumm  were  riding  homeward  from  mill,  and 
being  overtaken  by  a  violent  thunder-.storin  were 
both  with  their  horses  instantly  killed  by  a  lightning 
stroke  while  passing  Fairview  Church.  When  found 
their  bodies  were  carried  into  the  church,  and  people 
pondered  over  the  singular  circumstance  that  when 
dead  Hammell's  first  resting-place  should  be  the 
sanctuary  that  nothing  could  have  induced  him  to 
enter  while  living. 

Joshua  Clark  lived  on  the  Red  Lion  road  before 
1800,  upon  the  place  now  occupied  by  Archibald 
Boyd's  widow.  Clark's  son  Nathaniel  was  a  school- 
teacher, and  taught  in  Jefferson  some  years.  Joshua 
Clark  bought  an  original  tract  including  the  present 
Amos  Cope  and  James  Clark  farms,  paying  for  it  a 
horse  that  cost  him  forty  dollars. 

Two  of  Jeflerson's  early  blacksmiths  were  Reason 
Grimes  (on  the  Tunis  Wells  farm)  and  James  Coul- 
son,  on  the  Mrs.  D.  Coulson  place.  Mr.  Coulson  was 
noted  as  a  hunter,  fisherman,  and  botanist.  Of  his 
resolute  character  and  somewhat  eccentric  disposition 
many  stories  are  still  extant.  His  sons,  William, 
Martin,  and  Sanford,  are  now  among  the  best  known 
and  wealthiest  steamboatmen  on  the  upper  Missouri. 
Martin,  whose  home  is  in  Pittsburgh,  once  worked 
for  W.  G.  Patterson  for  fifteen  dollars  a  month. 

Henry  Murphy  lived  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by 
Samuel  Murphy.  Henry's  son  John  lived  to  be  up- 
wards of  ninety.  James,  another  son,  was  a  black- 
smith on  the  "  pike." 

The  Copes  settled  at  an  early  day  in  the  Red  Lion 
neighborhood.  They  were  exceedingly  numerous,  and 
ranked  among  the  best  known  and  most  highly  re- 
spected Quakers  of  Fayette  County.  The  greater 
portion  of  the  Copes  moved  from  Jefferson  to  Colum- 
biana County,  Ohio,  and  located  at  New  Salem. 

John  Lyons  settled  on  the  Christian  Swarlz  farm, 
and  George  Crawford  on  a  tract  that  includes  the 
farms  of  Eli  Forsyth  and  the  Messrs.  Byers.  In  the 
Red  Lion  neighborhood  some  of  the  early  comers 
were  the  families  of  Stewart,  Stephens,  Farquhar, 
Patterson,  Shearer,  Ford,  Negus,  and  Clark. 

In  1816,  Philip  Bortner  bought  of  William  Goe  the 
place  upon  which  John  Bortner  now  lives.  Philip  set 
up  a  wagon-shop  there  and  followed  the  business 
many  years.  In  his  eighty-fourth  year  he  made  a 
wheel,  and  it  was  pronounced  a  most  excellent  job. 
He  died  in  1847,  aged  ninety-one. 

David  Hough,  one  of  the  pioneer  millers  on  the 
Little  Redstone,  in  Washington  township,  moved  to 
Jefferson  at  an  early  day.  In  his  neighborhood  were 
also  Bcriel  Taylor  and  Samuel  Brown.  Samuel  Brown 
was  esteemed  a  mechanical  genius  of  more  than  ordi- 
nary capacity,  and  according  to  popular  opinion  wa.s 
able  to  make  anything  that  mechanical  skill  could 


620 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


produce.  For  a  long  time  be  had  a  workshop  on  his 
place,  and  manufactured  among  other  useful  things  a 
great  many  cider-press  screws,  and  cofBns.  Mr.  Brown 
died  in  1845,  aged  eighty-two. 

William  Parkhill  came  from  Dunbar  to  Jefferson 
about  1800,  and  bought  the  old  Martin  Schilling  mill 
property  on  the  Little  Redstone,  now  owned  by  D.  M. 
Shearer.  In  1776  the  Schilling  mill-site  was  occu- 
pied by  John  Carmichael,  a  member  of  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention  of  1776.  Below  that  point  Barzillai 
Newbold  carried  on  a  mill  before  ISOO  on  the  Krepps 
place. 

Christian  Tarr,  the  potter,  lived  on  the  present 
J.  S.  Elliott  place,  and  for  many  years  made  earthen- 
ware there.  He  was  elected  to  Congress  in  1817  and 
1819,  and  served,  it  is  said,  with  a  good  deal  of  credit. 
Mr.  Tarr  had  on  his  place  a  colored  man  named 
Charles  Smothers,  who  fought  with  Perry  on  Lake 
Erie,  and  for  whom  Mr.  Tarr  succeeded  in  obtaining 
from  Congress  an  allowance  of  prize  money  for  his 
share  in  the  capture  of  the  enemy.  After  Mr.  Tarr's 
death  his  family  removed  from  Jefferson  to  Ohio. 

The  only  post-office  Jefferson  has  ever  had  is  the 
Redstone  post-office,  in  the  Pleasant  Valley  school 
district.  Dennis  Smith,  who  had  for  some  time  be- 
fore that  been  keeping  a  store  at  that  point,  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster  when  the  office  was  established  in 
1856.  Successive  postmasters  and  store- keepers  were 
Joseph  Wilgus,  Hugh  Conley,  Edward  Stephens,  Gib- 
son Binns,  and  .James  Forsythe,  the  latter  being  the 
present  merchant  and  postmaster. 

The  people  of  Jefferson  remember  with  a  good  deal 
of  distinctness  the  great  wind  storm  of  1852,  which 
passed  through  the  tuwnship  over  a  belt  of  a  half 
mile  or  more  in  width  and  inflicted  a  great  amount 
of  damage.  Tlie  storm  set  in  after  nightfall  and  con- 
tinued about  two  hours.  It  blew  down  fences,  barns, 
and  houses,  killed  small  stock,  and  uprooted  great 
trees  as  if  they  were  twigs,  but  happily  no  human 
lives  were  lost.  Among  stories  of  the  freaks  of  the 
hurricane  one  tells  how  feathers  were  blown  from 
tliickensas  completely  as  if  picked  by  hand.  Another 
that  the  daughter  of  Rev.  Mr.  Rose,  lying  ill  in  her 
lather's  house,  was  carried,  bed  and  all,  a  distance  of 
tun  liiiu'lrcil  yarils  and  set  down  without  the  slightest 
iiijurv,  while  the  Imuse  in  which  she  had  been  lying 
was  utturly  demolished.  Still  another  relates  that  a 
lot  of  James  Gary's  papers  were  blown  from  his  house 
through  an  open  window,  and  one  of  the  documents 
carried  a  distance  of  four  miles,  to  just  east  of  Smith- 
licld,  whence  it  was  mailed  to  Mr.  Cary  the  next  day. 
\V.  G.  Patterson  lost  an  entire  field  of  wheat,  which, 
ready  sheaved,  was  swept  to  the  four  points  of  the 
compass,  leaving  not  a  straw  behind  to  mark  the  spot 
where  it  stood.  Similar  instances  were  common. 
Some  farmers  found  that  after  the  storm  they  had  no 
fences  left  standing.  The  aggregate  loss  was  very 
considerable,  and  the  general  spoliation  consequent 
upon  the  blow  gave  the  country  a  desolate  look. 


EARLY    ROADS. 

At  the  September  term  of  court  in  1784,  Andrew 
Linn,  Jr.,  Basil  Brown,  Samuel  Jackson,  William 
Forsythe,  William  Goe,  and  John  Stephens  were  ap- 
pointed viewers  upon  a  petition  for  a  road  from  Red- 
stone Old  Fort  to  Samuel  Jackson's  mill,  at  the  mouth 
of  Redstone  Creek,  and  thence  to  Edward  Cook's  mill. 
At  the  December  term  the  report  of  the  viewers  was 
confirmed.  The  length  of  the  road  was  eight  miles 
and  a  half  and  thirty-seven  perches.  At  the  March 
term  of  court  in  1788  a  road  was  petitioned  for  from 
Peter  Patterson's  to  Samuel  Jackson's  mill,  and  at 
the  September  session  the  report  of  the  viewers  was 
confirmed.  The  names  of  the  viewers  were  James 
Crawford,  William  Camjibell,  Josiah  Crawford,  Amos 
Hough,  Thomas  Gregg,  and  William  Sparks.  At  the 
December  sessions  in  1789,  John  Cooper,  Richard 
McGuire,  James  Patterson,  James  Finley,  and  Samuel 
Jackson  were  appointed  to  view  a  road  from  Browns- 
ville by  Sauiuel  Jackson's  mill  to  Moncraft's  Ferry 
on  the  Youghiogheny  River.  In  June,  1794,  John 
Fulton,  Charles  Chalfant,  Richard  McGuire,  Hugh 
Laughlin,  Jeremiah  Pears,  and  Jacob  Beeson  viewed 
a  road  from  Jackson's  new  mill  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Redstone.  In  March,  1797,  a  report  of  the 
review  of  a  part  of  the  road  from  Jackson's  mill 
to  Kyle's  mill  was  made  by  John  Patterson,  Edward 
Chambers,  Andrew  Brown,  Moses  Davidson,  George 
Crawford,  and  Joseph  Downer.  Aug.  15,  1792,  an 
order  was  issued  to  James  Patterson,  William  Patter- 
son, John  Robison,  Peter  Miller,  Andrew' Ai-nold,  and 
Samuel  Freeman  to  view  a  road  from  Andrew  Ar- 
nold's to  Samuel  Jackson's  new  mill.  In  June,  1793, 
a  petition  for  a  road  from  Samuel  Jackson's  new  mill 
to  the  mouth  of  Redstone  Creek  was  granted.  The 
viewers  were  John  Work,  Ebenezer  Finley,  Philip 
Galaday,  Samuel  Torra'uce,  James  Allison,  and  Hugh 
Jackson. 

The  first  paper-mill  west  of  the  Alleghenies  was 
built  upon  Redstone  Creek,  in  Jefferson  township, 
and  as  that  incident  was  a  matter  of  no  ordinary  im- 
portance in  the  history  of  Western  Pennsylvania, 
there  is  good  warrant  for  making  detailed  rel'erence 
to  it  here.  In  1791,  Jonathan  Sharpless,  a  black- 
smith and  general  mechanic,  living  in  Chester  County, 
Pa.,  made  a  western  trip  to  visit  his  brother-in- 
law,  Solomon  C.  Phillips,  then  living  in  Washing- 
ton County.  While  there,  Sharpless,  who  was  a 
stanch  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  made  the 
acquaintance  of  Samuel  Jackson  (also  a  Friend),  who 
owned  and  carried  on  a  grist-mill  just  across  the 
Monongahela  at  the  mouth  of  Redstone  Creek,  in 
what  is  now  Jefferson  township.  Sharpless  made 
frequent  journeys  over  to  Jackson's  mill,  and  in  some 
manner  they  came  to  discuss  the  subject  of  the  want 
of  a  paper-mill  west  of  the  mountains,  and  from  that 
to  speculate  upon  the  feasibility  of  themselves  supply- 
ing the  want.  The  result  of  their  discussions  was  an 
agreement  to  build  such  a  mill  upon  the  Redstone 


JEFFERSON  TOWNSHIP. 


(!21 


Creek,  on  some  land  owned  by  Jackson.  As  a  pre- 
cedent thereto  Sharpless  returned  home  to  provide 
the  sum  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  his  half  of  the 
capital  necessary  to  start  the  proposed  enterprise, 
also  to  further  investigate  the  business  of  paper- 
making  as  conducted  on  the  Brandywine,  that  the 
new  firm  might  have  some  practical  knowledge  of  the 
business  before  embarking  in  it,  for  neither  knew 
anything  of  the  details  of  paper  manufacture.  Sharp- 
less  found  the  work  of  raising  fifteen  hundred  dollars 
upon  the  fruits  of  his  smith-labor  a  slow  process,  but 
within  two  years  he  had  laid  by  the  amount,  and  in 
1793  he  set  out  with  his  family  for  the  West,  prepared 
to  set  the  paper-mill  in  motion.  In  1794  the  erection 
of  the  structure  was  begun  upon  the  Redstone  Creek, 
in  what  is  now  Jefferson  township,  and  on  what  is  the 
present  site  of  the  Parkhill  grist-mill,  at  the  mouth 
of  Washwater  Run.  There  was  then  upon  the  site 
an  abandoned  grist-mill,  containing  an  undershot 
wheel,  but  when  or  by  whom  that  mill  had  been  built 
is  not  known. 

The  paper-mill  building  was  made  capacious.  Its 
dimensions  were  seventy-five  by  forty,  and  three 
stories  high,  with  a  half-story  cellar  on  the  creek 
side.  The  understanding  between  the  partners  was 
that  Sharpless  should  have  the  sole  management  of 
the  business,  while  Jackson  should  simply  provide 
means,  and  so,  in  accordance  with  that  arrangement, 
Jackson  gave  his  time  to  his  grist-mill  business  at  the 
mouth  of  the  creek,  where  he  resided,  and  otlier  im- 
portant matters,  while  Sharpless  made  his  home  near 
the  paper-mill,  and  looked  closely  after  matters 
there.  The  house  in  which  he  lived  stood  just  across 
the  creek  in  Redstone  township.  It  hail  Ijctii  built 
but  a  few  years,  and  stands  in  part  yet  as  a  imrtiuu  of 
the  residence  of  Joseph  Gadd.  It  was  originally  sup- 
plied with  a  "stick"  chimney,  which  Mr.  Sharpless 
replaced  in  17i)9  with  the  stone  chimney  now  used. 
Joseph  Grist  agreed  to  build  the  new  chimney  for 
eleven  dollars,  but  he  was  twice  as  long  at  it  as  he 
expected  to  be.  Nevertheless  he  held  to  his  bargain, 
although  a  poor  one,  but  generous  old  Mr.  Sharpless 
determined  that,  bargain  or  no  bargain.  Grist  should 
have  a  fair  price  for  his  labor,  and  so  paid  him  just 
twice  the  sum  agreed  upon.  I'jion  his  place  Mr. 
Sharpless  had  put  up  a  lila.ksmiiirs  shop,  and  there, 
assisted  by  Nathan  Mitchill  and  .Inhu  Piersol,  worked 
the  iron  used  in  building  the  mill.  Their  most  im- 
portant work  was  the  manufacture  of  six  large  iron 
screws  intended  for  pressing  the  paper.  Each  screw 
was  five  inches  in  diameter  and  four  feet  six  inches 
in  length.  The  threads  were  cut  by  horse-power. 
Sharpless  was  noted,  during  his  residence  in  Chester 
County,  as  a  skillful  inventor,  and  among  other 
things  he  invented  a  powerful  pressing-screw  for  use 
in  the  United  States  Mint  in  Philadelphia.  The 
story  goes  that  when  the  Mint  was  in  its  infancy  a 
visitor  remarked  upon  the  poor  work  made  by  the 
coin-pressing  machines,  saying  he  knew  of  a  young 
40 


blacksmith  who  could  make  a  screw  infinitely  bcttir 
than  the  ones  there  in  use.  He  named  Jonathan 
Sharpless  as  the  man,  and  Sharpless  was  thereup  n 
engaged  to  make  a  screw.  It  proved  so  satislactory 
that  he  was  at  once  requested  to  I'urnish  more.  Hi-i 
contract  completed  he  was  asked  to  make  out  his  bil  , 
and  named  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  as  his  price 
although,  truth  to  tell,  he  feared  the  bill  would  be  re- 
jected as  too  high,  for  his  work  upon  the  whole  job 
had  not  covered  more  than  a  month's  time.  "  Still," 
said  he,  when  relating  the  story  afterwards,  '"  I 
thought  the  government  was  rich,  and  ought  to  pay 
me  a  big  price."  Not  only  was  the  bill  not  rejected, 
but  it  was  paid  cheerfully  and  quickly.  After  pay- 
ing it  the  Mint  superintendent  gleefully  remarked, 
"  Mr.  Sharpless,  those  screws  are  of  such  value  to  us 
that  had  you  asked  three  times  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  you  would  have  got  your  price."  "  That's  the 
time  they  bit  me,"  remarked  the  old  gentleman  while 
relating  the  incident  years  afterwards.'  As  to  Mr. 
Sharpless'  shop  in  Redstone,  it  may  be  related  in  pass- 
ing that  there  he  made  for  Capt.  Shreve  what  are 
said  to  have  been  the  first  steamboat  anchors  used  on 
the  Monongahela  River. 

Returning  to  the  subject  of  the  paper-mill,  the 
completion  of  the  mill  building,  tenement-houses  for 
mill-hands,  and  a  small  grist-mill  was  not  effected 


lich  vcar  the  mill  was  startec 


t!ie 


ade. 


first  papi 

The  following  editorial  is  taken  from  the  Wo.-^/u,,;/- 
ton  Tdec/rajjhe  of  Jan.  12,  179G,  published  at  '\\'a>li- 
ington,  Washington  Co.,  Pa.,  and  refers  to  lln.^  mill : 

"We  are  happy  in  being  able  to  announce  to  the 
public  with  a  considerable  degree  of  confidence  that 
a  paper-mill  will  shortly  be  erected  on  this  side  the 
mountains;  that  there  is  little  doubt  of  its  being  com- 
pleted by  the  ensuing  fall.  The  gentleman  who  un- 
dertakes it  is  of  an  enterprising  disposition,  and  capa- 
ble of  going  through  the  business  with  spirit.  The 
work,  for  which  several  preparations  are  already 
made,  will  be  erected  on  a  never-failing  stream,  in  a 
thick-settled  part  of  the  country,  and  close  to  navi- 
gation. The  advantages  accruing  to  our  community 
from  this  addition  to  its  manufactures  will  be  very 
great,  and  it  behooves  every  well-wisher  to  the  com- 
munity to  contribute  his  mite  toward  the  supporting 
it.  It  cannot  be  carried  on  without  a  supply  of  rags. 
Of  these  every  fiiniily  can  supply  more  or  less,  and 
there  will  be  stores  in  every  town  and  various  parts 
of  the  country  ready  to  receive  them.  Every  patri- 
otic family  then  will  doubtless  cause  all  their  rags  to 
be  preserved  and  forwarded  to  some  place  where  they 
are  collected,  not  so  much  for  the  pecuniary  advan- 
tage to  be  derived  from  them  as  for  the  pleasure  aris- 
ing from  having  deserved  well  of  their  country.  We 
shall  shortly  be  furnished  with  a  list  of  such  store- 


5Ir.  Sliarpless  ^ 


iais.    Tliese  hitttu: 


622 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


keepers  as  can  make  it  couvenient  to  receive  them, 
and  sliall  then  announce  their  names  to  the  public." 
The  Tehfjraphe  bearing  date  May  24,  1796,  contains 
the  Ibllowino;  advertisement: 


"Siuiuiel  Jackson  an.l  Co. 

"Inform  ll.e  ii.I.al.itniiti  ^ 

f  the  ■5V,  stern   Country  that  they 

aremnkins  cveiy  i.xei  tn.n  t 

f.rw.n-d   tlie  .-n,,.Irti.,n  of  their 

Pa])cr.Mill,   whirh   tht-y   ari^ 

eieeting  mi  lilg  U.dstone,  about 

four  miles  from  Browne  illu, 

n  Fayeue  County,  a  never-failing 

stream.     That   they  li^ivc   f. 

perienced   Wurkmen    engaged  to 

carry  on  the  work,  ;in(l  h.i|.e 

o  bo  able  Ijefore  ibe  e.xpirat  on  of 

tlie  present  year  to  fariiish 

beir  Fell.iw-Citizens  with  the  dif- 

ferent  kinds  of  paper  usuall. 

in  deninnd,  of  their  own  manu- 

factiire,  and  of  as  good  quaii 

y  a.-  jny  brought  from  below  the 

mountains.     Tbey    rer,u.st    t 

leir    fell.iiv-r,ti/,-ns    generally  to 

promote  tlieir  undertaking  1. 

•  enL-ou::i_--n.:  Ih-  .;ivin_'  and  eol- 

lectingof  rags,  and  inform  M 

l-ell.Uit-  :n,.l  >■..   r   l,r.-|„.r-  in  |,;ir- 

ticukar  tliat  lliey  will  give  t 

cm  a  gen. onus    piir,.    in    Ca<ll    lor 

such  clean  Linen  and  Cotton 

rags  as  they  may  collect. 

•' Redsto.ne,  May  19,  17aii. 

The  same  paper  of  June  20,  1797,  contains  the  fol- 
lowing noti.o:  ••The  paper  which  yen  n..w  road  was 
manula.nnvd  at  l;.d-t,.ne,  by  Mt-^r~.  .TarksMU  .V 
Sharplc-s  and  Ibrwanlcd  with  a  iv.piu^t  tn  publish 
thereon  a  number  of  tlir  7' /■./.■.//./(',  that  the  public 
might  judge  of  their  iMrlnnnanr.-." 

In  the  Pittsburgh  G<J:dtc  of  June  24, 1797,  appeared 
the  Ibllowing : 

"^    "  This  paper  is  made  in  the  "Western  country.     It  is 
with  great  plea-^urc  we  i)roscnt  to  the  iniblic  the  Pitts- 


bural]    On 


pap. 


:>rr>-rs. 


Jackson  &  Sharpie-.,  -11  lird-tm,,.  Creek,  in  Fayette 
County.  Writiiig-j.aper,  all  kinds  and  (lualities,  as 
well  as  printing-paper,  will  be  made  at  tlie  mill.  This 
is  of  great  importance  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  coun- 
try, not  only  because  it  will  be  cheaper  tluin  that 
which  is  brought  across  the  mountains,  but  it  will 
keep  a  large  sum  f)f  iiK)ney  in  the  country  which  is 
yearly  sent  out  for  ihe  article."  ''-' 

The  tinstsheci  of  pa]M  rwas  dipped  by  Polly  Given, 
a  young  woman  einoloyecl  in  Jonathan  Sharpless' 
family,  to  whom  .-lie  had  come  from  Brownsville. 
She  married  ("apt.  James  Patterson  in  1801.  When 
Sharpless  tound  that  U|nvards  of  §(5000  had  been  laid 
out  in  the  building  of  the  paper-mill  and  attachments, 
insteail  of  the  s:;iioo  reckoned  upon,  he  was  somewhat 
nervous  over  the  great  outlay  and  feared  a  profitless 
result,  especially  as  Jackson  hail  furnished  the  bulk 
of  Jhe  capital  and  hehl  everything  in  his  name,  al- 
though Sharpless  was  ostensibly  a  half-]iartner.  The 
situation  worried  Sharpies-,  f.r  not  only  all  of  his 
money  but  moniy  belonging  to  his  wife  had  been  put 
into  tile  all'air  without  any  writings  to  show  that  he 
had  any  claim  whatever.  Added  to  that  was  the  in- 
formation that  Mr.  Jackson  was  a  sharp  one  and 
likely  to  ignore  his  partner's  claims  entirely,  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  there  wa,s  no  written  evidence 
to  them.  But  Mr.  Jackson  was  the  soul  of  honor  in 
all  his  transactions  with  Sluirplcss,  and  iu  1798  gave 


him  a  clear  and  unquestionable  title  to  one-half  of  the 
business,  the  property,  and  the  profits.  The  earliest 
manufacture  of  the  mill  was  writing-paper,  which 
Sharpless  himself  carried  to  Pittsburgh  in  a  two-horse 
wagon,  and  there  sold  as  he  could  find  customers. 
To  find  them  was  not  difficult,  for  he  placed  his  goods 
far  below  the  prices  that  had  ruled  before  his  advent, 
and  at  his  prices  he  made  a  very  handsome  profit.  In 
his  record  of  the  profits  he  stated  that  he  paid  four 
cents  a  pound  for  rags,  and  sold  his  paper  for  one 
I  dollar  per  quire.  He  used  often  to  tell  that  wdien 
I  peddling  his  paper  in  Pittsburgh  he  would  find  his 
j  pockets  so  overloaded  witli  silver  that  he  would  have 
to  stop  his  sales  until  he  could  hurry  back  to  the 
I  tavern  and  deposit  his  coin  with  the  landlord.  Then, 
his  pockets  being  empty,  be  resumed  traffic.  In  1797 
the  mill  made  chiefly  printing-paper,  and  employed 
,  as  many  as  twenty  or  twenty-five  hands. 
j  Samuel  Jackson  and  Jonathan  Sharpless  carried  on 
the  paper-mill  together  with  much  profit  until  1810, 
when  Sharpless  concluded  to  retire  from  active  par- 
tii'ipatioii.  and  accordingly  leased  his  half-interest  to 
Samuel  Jaekson  for  twelve  hundred  dollars  per  annum. 
Jackson  thereupon  took  in  as  a  partner  his  son  Jesse, 
who  had  married  Jonathan  Sharpless'  daughter  Bet- 
sey. Jonathan  Sharpless  moved  to  Franklin  town- 
ship, on  Red.stone  Creek,  where  he  had  purchased 
the  mill  property  owned  by  Jonathan  Hill,  and  which 
I  is  now  owned  by  Samuel  Smock.  Mr.  Sharpless 
'  called  the  place  Salem  Mill,  built  there  also  a  sickle- 
factory,  fulling-mill,  blacksmith-shop,  etc.,  and  con- 
ducted for  many  years  an  extensive  business.  There 
he  died  Jan.  20,  1860,  at  the  age  of  ninety-two,  and 
was  buried  in  the  Quaker  Cemetery  in  Centre  school 
district,  Redstone  township.  Upon  taking  possession 
with  his  son  of  the  paper-mill  Samuel  Jackson  re- 
moved his  residence  from  the  mouth  of  the  creek  to 
the  paper-mill,  and  occupied  the  stone  mansion  built 
by  Jonathan  Sharpless,  near  the  mill,  and  yet  in  good 
preservation.  Upon  the  death  of  Samuel  Jackson 
in  1817,  Jesse  Jackson  became  the  sole  proprietor  of 
the  paper-mill  business,  and  shortly  associated  with 
him  Samuel,  son  of  Jonathan  Sharpless.  In  1822, 
Jesse  Jackson  removed  to  the  mouth  of  Redstone  to 
take  charge  of  the  mill  there,  leaving  the  paper-mill 
in  the  hands  of  Samuel  Sharpless,  William  Sharpless, 
and  Job  Harvey.  The  latter  firm  carried  it  on  three 
years.  A  time-book  kept  by  them  in  1823,  still  pre- 
served, shows  a  list  of  the  girls  employed  at  the  mill 
that  year.  They  were  named  Nellie  Shaw,  Nancy 
Castler,  Peggy  Cochran,  Eliza  Maxon, Matilda  Maxon, 
Eliza  Rose,  Ann  Shaw,  Eliza  Dunn,  Ann  Lyle,  Mary 
Reed,  Mary  BowHn,  Lucinda  Bowdin,  and  Sabia  Rob- 
inson. In  1825,  William  Sharpless  and  Jefferson 
Carter  succeeded  to  the  business,  and  in  18.32  Samuel 
Sharpless  and  his  father  Jonathan  became  the  pro- 
prietors, although  the  latter  took  no  part  in  the  active 
management.  The  next  succession  was  a  firm  com- 
posed of  Samuel  Sharjdess,  John  Wallace  (the  latter 


JEFFERSON  TOWNSHIP. 


for  many  years  previous  having  been  the  mill  fore- 
man), and  Richard  Huskins.  While  they  were  in 
possession  the  mill  burned,  Oct.  28,  1842.  The 
loss  was  considerable,  for  the  building  contained  a 
stock  of  manufactured  paper  valued  at  twenty  thou- 
sand dollars.  All  of  it  was  destroyed.  That  disaster 
brought  the  paper  business  at  that  point  to  a  close. 
In  1843-44,  Samuel  Sharpless  erected  upon  the  site 
the  Redstone  Flour-Mill,  and  carried  it  on  until  his 
death  in  1846.  After  that  the  successive  proprietors 
were  James  and  John  B.  Patterson,  Charles  Foulk, 
Sharpless,  Patterson  &  Baird,  Baird,  Davidson  e<t  Co., 
Sharpless  &  Patterson,  Linn  &  Parkhill,  and  J.  P. 
Parkhill.  Mr.  Parkhill  conducted  the  business  until 
1875,  since  which  time  the  property  has  lain  idle. 

TOWNSHIP  ORGANIZATION  AND  CIVIL  LIST. 
At  the  September  sessions  of  the  court  in  1830  a 
petition  for  the  division  of  the  township  of  Washing- 
ton was  presented.  George  Craft,  Dennis  Springer, 
and  Thomas  McMillen  were  appointed  commissioners 
to  investigate  and  report  upon  the  matter  of  dividing 
said  township.  Their  report,  made  at  the  June  ses- 
sion of  court  in  1840,  was  as  follows: 

"We  report  that  we  met  pursuant  to  previous  notice  at  the 
house  of  Abrahivui  Hough,  on  Monday,  the  11th  day  of  No- 
vember, 18.39  ;  th.it  we  then  proceeded  to  make  a  division  of 
said  township  of  Washington  as  nearly  agreeable  to  the  said 
order  as  practicable,  mnliing  natural  boundaries  the  lines  of  said 
new  town-hip  when  the  .same  would  arrive  at  the  points  men- 
tioned in  said  order,  commencing  at  a  eoal-hank  on  the  Mo- 
nongahela  Kiver  about  ten  perches  above  the  mouth  (jf  a  small 
run  called  Coal  Run,  on  the  lands  of  said  Abraham  Hough; 
then  eastwar.lly  through  the  lands  of  said  Hough  and  lands  of 
John  lil.vthe  to  a  point  on  the  north  branch  of  Little  Kcd.-tone, 
near  a  coal-bank  on  the  lands  of  John  lilyihe;  thence  by  the 
meanders  of  said  north  branch  of  the  Little  Redstone  up  to 
Evan  Cope's  sickle  shop;  thence  by  a  straight  line,  passing  near 
Hamilton's  blacksmith-shop,  to  a  point  in  the  line  between  said 
Stevens  and  Asa  Chambers;  thence  by  the  same  to  a  point  in 
Perry  township  line,  near  the  residence  of  said  Asa  Chambers; 
thence  by  Perry  township  line  to  the  line  between  Franklin 
and  Washington  townships,  now  proposed  to  be  called  Jeffer- 
son township;  thence  by  said  line  to  Redstone  Creek;  thence 
by  Redstone  Creek  to  its  mouth,  thence  by  the  Monongahela 
River  to  the  place  of  beginning.  The  undersigned  are  of 
opinion  that  from  what  is  now  called  Washington  township,  and 
the  number  of  voters  residing  therein,  that  the  foregoing  divis- 
ion is  necessary,  and  they  therefore  recommend  to  the  Honor- 
able Court  to  authorize  the  erection  of  a  new  township  to  be 
called  Jefferson." 

At  the  same  sessions  the  commissioners'  report,  as 
above  given,  was  confirmed  by  tiie  court. 

At  the  Juue  sessions  of  court,  1843,  a  petition  was 
presented  "  For  altering  a  line  between  Jefferson  and 
Perry  townships  so  as  to  include  Martin  Lutz  within 
Jefferson  township."  Commissioners  were  appointed, 
and  the  following  report  was  presented  and  ajjproved 
March  14,  1845: 

"  To  the  Honorable  the  Judges  above  named. 

"  We  the  persons  appointed  by  the  annexed  order  of  Court 


duly  sworn  and  affirmed  according 

placing  so  much  of  the  hind  of  Ma 

above  Plot  No.  2,  viz.,  that  the  1 

that 

Lutz 

16i,  < 


n  Lutz  as  indicated  in  the 
vnship  lino  bo  so  altereil 

land,  and  run  north  22J,  east  22  jierchcs,  theneo  north 
ast  76  perches,  thence  south  7(U,  west  40  perches,  to  the 
old  line,  and  that  iu  our  opinion  there  is  a  necessity  for  the 
same.  Given  under  our  hands  and  seals  this  ISth  day  of  Jun- 
uary,  a.d.  1S45.  James  Fuller,  AVilliam  Elliot,  Daniel  Sharp- 
less." 

The  court  record  continues  : 

"And  now  to  wit,  June  6th,  1845,  the  above  report  having 
been  read  in  the  Court  in  the  manner  and  at  the  tim.-s  pre- 
scribed by  law,  the  Court  approve  and  confirm  the  said  altera- 
tion." 


The  civil   list  of  Jefferson  from  1840  to  ISSl   is 
given  herewith  : 

JUSTICES  OF  THE  PEACE. 


for    the 


ag  township  lines, 


1840.  Alexander  Blair. 

1858 

John  S.  Goe. 

Richard  Huskins. 

1864 

F.  C.  Herron. 

1S45.  John  H.  Tarr. 

J.  N.  Dixon. 

1848.  William  G.  Patterson. 

1S68 

J.  N.  Dixon. 

1860.  John  Miner. 

F.  C.  Herron. 

Abraham  Pershing. 

1872 

Gibson  Binns. 

1852.  Ch.arles  McCracken. 

1874 

William  P.  Clifton. 

John  S.  Goe. 

1877 

Gibson  Binns. 

1853.  John  S.  Goe. 

Jacob  Wolf. 

Wm.  G.  Patterson. 

James  Essington. 

1858.  Wm.  J.  Stewart. 

.\SSF 

ssons. 

1840.  John  H.  Tarr. 

ISfil 

D.  W.  Blair. 

IS41.  William  (J.  Patterson. 

1862 

William  Johnston. 

1842.  Samuel  1'.    Chalfant. 

186:t 

John  A.  Corder. 

184:1.  Thomas  Miller. 

1S64 

Jonathan  Sharpless. 

1844.  John  Van   Sickle. 

1865 

Henry  Wileman. 

1845.  Steel  Samide. 

1S66 

Johnston  For.^yth. 

1846.  Peter  Miller. 

1867 

William  H.  Wolfe. 

1847.  David  L.  Brackenridgc. 

1868 

Robert  Boyd. 

1848.  Asa  Worley. 

1869 

B.  M.  Chalfant. 

1849.  Nathan  Morehead. 

1871 

Lewis  Cope. 

1850.  Martin  Rechtel. 

1872 

Joseph  AV.  Chalfant. 

1851.  James  L.  Craekenridge. 

187:i 

Taylor  Clark. 

1852.  Jesse  C.  Strawn. 

1874 

James  S.  Elliott. 

lS5a-54.  F.  C.  Ilerron. 

1875. 

David  Browneller. 

1855.  John  N.  Dickson. 

1876. 

E.  0.  Murphy. 

1856.  Abner  Donaldson. 

1877. 

James  Chalfant. 

1S5-.  J.  H.  Hutchiuson. 

1878. 

S.  S.  Patterson. 

is;.^.  S.  K.  Xiiii. 

1879. 

N.  E.  Murphy. 

1-,VI.    .I:,.,,.--    K-HllL'ton. 

ISSO. 

Harvey  Steele. 

ISiiii.  William  i:iliott. 

1881. 

H.  H.  Trump. 

.WDI 

TORS. 

1840.  Joseph  D.  Wilgus. 

1849. 

James  C.Elliott. 

James  Elliott. 

1850. 

John  H.  Andrew. 

George  Kirkpatrick. 

1851. 

David  Shearer. 

1841.  Samuel  Cpc. 

1852. 

William  Elliott. 

1842.  William  Sharpless. 

1853. 

William  G.  PattersoD 

1843.  John  W.  Chalfant. 

1854. 

William  Forsyth. 

1844.  Isaac  Umble. 

1855. 

Thomas  Miller. 

Jacob  Kemp. 

1856. 

Levi  B.  Stephens. 

1845.  William  G.  Patterson. 

1857. 

James  Coulson. 

1846.  John  Byers. 

1858. 

Andrew  Ford. 

1847.  Levi  Calvin. 

ArchibaM  Boyd. 

1S4S.  William  Forsyth. 

1859. 

John  N.  Dixon. 

HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ISliO 

Willinm  r.  Wells. 

is-0 

Eli  Forsvth. 

ISIil 

II.  B.  Goe. 

1S71 

Gibson  Burns. 

lSfi2 

Robert  Elliott. 

1872 

Stephen  R.  Nutt. 

lSli:i 

Thomas  Lilley. 

1873 

Eli  S.  Fors.vth. 

],sr,4 

William  Hall. 

1S74 

Thomas  Lilley. 

1SB3 

^^'illiam  Elliott. 

1S75 

Gibson  Burns. 

isfir, 

John  Simpson. 

1876 

J.  N.  Dixon. 

ISO? 

William  Hall. 

1877 

William  J.  Townsend. 

E.  X.  Stephens. 

1878 

W.  J.  Forsvth. 

1S6S 

Gibson  Burns. 

1879 

Hugh  Laughlin. 

Thomas  W.  Lilley. 

issn 

Emmor  Cope. 

Hugh  Laughlin. 

ISSl 

William  Stephens. 

1SI39 

William  Elliott. 

sen 

30LS. 

Early  school  history  in  Jefferson  is  soniewh.it  vngue, 
for  previous  to  1835  there  were  no  free  public  schools, 
and  consequently  no  school  records.  The  first  school 
now  recollected  as  having  been  taught  in  Laurel 
Dale  District  was  held  by  a  Mr.  O'Connor  in  180.5. 
In  AVashington  District  school  was  taught  in  a  log 
cabin  by  Nathaniel  Clark  about  the  same  time  Na- 
thaniel's father,  Joshua,  owned  the  land  upon  which 
the  school-house  stood.  The  place  is  now  included 
in  the  P.oyd  farm.  In  1817  school  was  held  in  one 
of  the  unfinished  Imil. lings  at  Albany,  intended  by 
Samu.l  Jark-oii  to  be  a  portion  of  the  Albany  Glass- 
AVorks.  John  SheMon.  an  Irishman,  taught  there 
and  in  the  ueigldjorhood  a  good  many  years.  He  was 
a  warm  admirer  of  England's  king,  and  kept  the 
king's  portrait  hung  in  his  room,  in  which, it  was 
often  his  jileasure  to  gather  a  company  and  dilate  in 
eloquent  manner  upon  the  veneration  witli  which  he  I 
regarded  the  royal  George.  .^heMon  died  in  Browns- 
ville, where  his  daughter,  Airs.  Joseph  Gratf,  now  re- 
sides. In  Laurel  Dale  District,  in  ISK',,  Monlecai 
Johns  taught  in  the  old  stone  school-house.  In  the 
same  year  a  log  school-house  stood  in  Washington 
District,  near  the  present  house,  and  in  it  that  year 
an  old  man  of  seventy,  known  as  Hickory  Quaker 
Aliller,  taught  the  youths  of  the  period.  In  1806  an 
old  Iri-^hman  taught  aii.l  thra.shed  in  Cedar  Hill  Dis- 
trict. He  was  accounted  a  severe  task-master,  and 
beat  the.  boys  right  and  left  until  they  were  black  and 
blue.  Roused  to  a  pitch  of  desperation,  the  pupils 
took  revenge  on  the  pedagogue  one  day  by  throwing 
red  pepper  upon  the  stove  and  then  clearing  out  and 
locking  him  in  the  school-room.  He  begged  and 
plead  and  sneezed  until  his  ln'.id  tlin-atencd  to  leave 
his  shoulders,  but  the  boys  rrlu^.d  lo  ixlease  him 
until  he  had  promised  to  behav..-  decently  to  them  in 
the  future.     Whether  the  promise  was  kept  or  not  is 

Following  is  a  list  of  school  directors  of  Jefferson 
town.ship  from  1841  to  the  present  time : 

1S4II.— .Josi.ah  King,  Joseph  Xutt,  William  Sharpless,  and  Job 

Mann. 
1S41.— .Abraham  .Alfrec,  Andrew  C.  Ford. 
1^4-:.— .Miraham  .•Vltree,  David  Puyarmon. 
ISl:;.  — Wi.liam  Foisyth,  Christian  Krcpps. 


1844.— William  Show,  Julias  Kemp. 

1845.— Abraham  Alfree,  David  Pcop'es,  Andrew  C.  Ford. 

1846.— William  Forsyth,  William  G.  Patterson. 

1847.— Francis  C.  Herron,  John  Patterson. 

1848.- David  Peoples,  Thomas  E.  AVarner. 

1S49.— Walter  B.  Chalfant,  Eli  J.  Bailey,  William  C.  Patterson. 

1S50.— ApoUos  Loar,  Christopher  R.  Stonecker,  Adam  Culler. 

1851.— Charles  McCracken,  Eli  J.  Baily,  David  Deyarmon. 

1852.- William  G.  Patter.'ion,  Walter  B.  Chalfant. 

1853.- W.  J.  Stewart,  F.  C.  Herron. 

1S54.— N.  C.  Ford,  H.  B.  Goe. 

1855.- William  G.  Patterson,  F.  C.  Herron. 

1856.- Peter  Miller,  William  J.  Wells. 

1857.- F.  C.  Herron,  H.  H.  Connelly,  William  Thistlethwaite, 

Samuel  Brown. 
185^8.- William  Elliott,  Thaddcus  Chalfant. 
185*9.— William  Forsyth,  David  Deyarmon,  A.  C.  Ford. 
I860.— Thomas  Miller,  F.  C.  Herron,  David  Deyarmon. 
1861.— F.  C.  Herron,  William  G.  Patterson. 
1862.— James  Essington,  William  I.  Wells. 
1863.— Samuel  Brown,  William  T.  Goe. 
1864.— John  S.  Goe,  S.  R.  Nutt. 
1865.- Levi  Naicroze,  J.  M.  Crouch. 
1866.- A.  C.  Ford,  James  D.  Miller. 
1867.— F.  C.  Herron,  David  Deyarmon,  John  S.  Elliott. 
1868.— James  M.  Crouch,  Joseph  S.  Elliot. 
1869.— E.  D.  Stewart,  D.  M.  Shearer. 
1870.- Robert  S.  Goe,  Francis  S.  Herron. 
1871.- David  Deyarmon,  Mark  Winnet. 
1872.— Charles  Stuckslager,  Andrew  C.  Ford,  Hugh  Laughlin, 

Israel  Cope. 
1873.— Robert  Boyd,  James  Hutchinson. 
1874.— Caleb  Campbell,  Jehu  Luce,  Mark  Winnet. 
1875.— David  Deyarmon,  A.  C.  Ford. 
1876.- Robert  Elliott,  Israel  Cope. 
1877.— James  Chalfant,  Lewis  Cope. 
1878.— Robert  S.  Goe,  Daniel  Bortner. 
I S7'.i.— Joseph  Swartz,  J.  T.  Elliott. 
issii.— J.  R.  Luce,  Frank  Hough. 
ISSl.-I.  0.  Miller,  J.  Wehage. 

The  annual  report  for  the  school  year  ending  June 
7,  1880,  gives  details  concerning  Jefferson's  public 
schools,  as  follows : 

Number  of  schools 8 

Average  number  of  months  taught 5 

Male  teachers 5 

Female     " 6 

Average  monthly  salaries  of  males .?3I) 

females 30 

Male  scholars 105 

Female    "       144 

Average  attendance 221 

Mills  levir.l  I,,,-  .,-1 1   purposes'.'.'.'.'.'.''.!!!'.!     ..'!..!!.. 

■•       •■     ImuM.ii.'     ••         01 

Amount  ■•      •■  •■         and  school  pur- 

li"S.s S9S3.60 

Si;,t.-  Mppinpnation 1B.'?.3.S7 

Total  receipts 1633.87 

Cost     of      school-houses,  —  purchasing, 

building,  renting,  etc 

Teachers'  wages S1200 

Paid   r..i    fuel   and  Lcaiiigencies,  fees  of 

lullv.'tois,  ;,nd  all  c.iher  expenses 159.82 

Tulal   e.xpenduurcs 1359.82 

Resources 489.94 

Liabilities 


JEFFERSON  TOWNSHIP. 


B25 


LITTLE  REDSTOKE   CIIURCIL 

Little  Redstone  Church  was  organized  by  Eev. 
Jacob  Jennings  in  a  log  cabin  that  stood  close  to 
where  the  town  hall  now  stands.  The  year  of  the 
organization  is  supposed  to  have  been  1797,  although 
the  loss  of  the  early  church  records  renders  positive 
evidence  upon  that  point  unobtainable.  For  the 
same  reason  the  names  of  the  constituent  members  of 
the  organization  cannot  be  given.  The  first  elders 
chosen  were  Joseph  Lyon,  John  Blylhe,  Sr.,  and 
John  Wells.  Among  those  who  served  as  elders  in 
the  early  history  of  the  church  may  also  be  men- 
tioned William  Steele,  John  Steele,  John  McKinnon, 
John  Hazlip,  Peter  Humrickhouse,  John  Gorraly, 
William  Forsyth,  Nicholas  Baker,  J.  H.  Duncan, 
Henry  Barkman,  David  Hough,  William  Hough,  Jo- 
seph Wells,  James  Cummings,  J.  V.  Gibbard,  and 
William  Parkhill.  Little  Redstone  Church  was  sup- 
plied with  preaching  by  the  pastors  of  Dunlap's 
Creek  Church,  and  when  Rev.  Mr.  Jennings  ended 
his  pastorate  Rev.  William  Johnston  took  charge. 
During  his  term  of  service  the  organization  at  Little 
Redstone  was  discontinued  and  its  members  trans- 
ferred to  the  Brownsville  Church.  In  1844  Little 
Redstone  was  reorganized  by  the  election  of  William 
Steele,  John  Steele,  John  Wells,  and  John  Blythe  as 
elders.  A  brick  church  was  built  in  1845,  about  a 
half-mile  north  of  the  old  location  (William  Elliott, 
William  Forsyth,  and  William  G.  Patterson  being 
the  building  committee),  and  a  churchyard  laid  out. 
Rev.  Thomas  Martin  assumed  the  pastorate  and  re- 
mained until  1848,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
Robert  M.  Wallace.  Mr.  Wallace  remained  until 
1860.  His  successors  to  the  present  time  have  been 
Revs.  Joseph  H.  Stevenson,  George  Scott,  R.  R. 
Gailey,  and  C.  C.  B.  Duncan.  The  latter  was  the 
pastor  in  April,  1881.  The  present  membership  is 
ninety.  The  trustees  in  April,  1881,  were  S.  R.  Nutt 
and  John  N.  Dixon. 

FAIRVIEW  (METHODIST   EPISCOPAL)   CHUKCn. 

Fairview  was  organized  in  1828,  with  something 
like  forty  or  fifty  members.  Among  those  who  took 
a  leading  part  in  effecting  the  organization  were 
Samuel  Goe,  Robert  Dunn,  Stacy  Hunt,  William  Ball, 
Jacob  Wolf,  and  William  Condon.  After  using  the 
stone  school-house  a  year  for  meetings  the  congrega- 
tion built  a  irame  church  in  1829,  and  in  1849  built 
the  present  brick  edifice.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev. 
J.  J.  Mitchell,  who  preaches  once  in  two  weeks.  The 
membership  is  now  about  sixty.  The  class-leader  is 
Johnson  Noble,  who  is  also  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday-school,  which  has  enjoyed  a  continuous  and 
prosperous  existence  since  Sept.  18, 1830.  The  church 
trustees  are  Playford  Cook,  George  Krepps,  Johnson 
A.  Noble,  Joseph  W.  Jliller,  J.  D.  Jliller,  Alexander 
W.  Jordan,  James  Essington,  John  Stephens,  and 
Charles  Stuckslagcr.     Some  of  the  early  pastors  of 


Fairview  were  Revs.  Thornton  Fleming,  Jacob  Young, 
James  Wilson,  William  Monroe,  Christopher  Frye, 
Joshua  Monroe,  Thomas  Jemison,  Asa  Shinn,  David 
Sharp,  John  Spencer,  Charles  Elliott,  Robert  Boyd, 

William  Stephens, Bascom,  J.  G.  Sanson,  Johu 

Erwin,  Warner  Long,  and  Samuel  Wakefield. 

BELLEVUE    (PPvOTESTAXT   METIIOniST)   CHURCH. 

Bellevue  Church  was  organized  in  1832,  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Dunlevy,  of  the  Brownsville  Circuit,  in  the  church 
building  of  the  Fairview  Methodist  Episcopal  con- 
gregation. Among  the  prominent  constituent  mem- 
bers were  Thomas  Burton  and  wife,  Robert  Islierwood 
and  family,  Alexander  Blair  and  wife,  and  Robert 
Dunn  and  wife.  The  major  portion  of  the  organizing 
members  had  been  connected  with  Fairview,  and  at 
Fairview  as  well  as  at  the  school-house  meetings  were 
held  until  1835,  when  Bellevue  Church  was  erected. 
The  first  trustees  were  H.  B.  Goe,  Thomas  Burton,  and 
Robert  Duun.  A  Sunday-school  was  not  organized 
until  1856.  Previous  to  that,  Fairview  had  a  Union 
Sunday-school.  Rev.  Mr.  Dunlevy  was  the  first  pas- 
tor at  Bellevue.  After  him  some  of  the  earliest  pas- 
tors were  Revs.  Cyrington,  Palmer,  Hull,  Valentine 
Lucas,  Henry  Lucas,  Taylor,  Colehour,  Crowther,  and 
Stillwagon.  Bellevue  had  at  one  time  a  membership 
of  seventy-five,  but  can  boast  now  of  but  about  forty 
communicants.  Among  the  early  class-leaders  were 
Alexander  Blair,  Robert  Dunn,  Thomas  Burton,  T. 
W.  Dunn,  and  Jacob  Wolf  The  present  pastor  is 
Henry  Lucas,  and  the  leader,  Thomas  W.  Duun.  The 
trustees  are  Jacob  Wolf,  S.  W.  Reed,  and  William 
Bradmau. 

MOUNT   VKRXON   CHURCH    (PROTESTANT   METHODIST). 

Mount  Vernon  was  at  one  time  a  prosperous  or- 
ganization, but  since  1S72  it  has  had  a  precarious  ex- 
istence, and  at  present  may  be  considered  as  virtually 
dissolved.  No  regular  preaching  has  been  enjoyed 
there  for  some  time.  A  church  building  was  erected 
in  1855.  In  1872,  Francis  Herron,  the  mainstay  of 
the  society,  removed  from  the  township,  and  being 
soon  followed  by  other  members,  the  speedy  decline 
of  the  church  followed.  There  was  an  organization 
of  Methodist  Episoopals  at  Mount  Vernon  in  1849. 
but  it  failed  in  a  few  years  for  want  of  support. 

On  the  Boyd  farm  in  Washington  School  District 
an  Episcopal  Church  stood  in  1805.  It  was  a  log  cabin, 
minus  doors  or  windows,  and  had  for  a  pulpit  a  rough 
desk,  under  which  the  rector's  surplice  was  usually 
kept.  This  looseness  in  hiding  the  priestly  robes  led 
to  their  being  abstracted  by  certain  mischievous  spirits, 
and  a  consequent  dismay  when  the  rector  next  came 
and  searched  for  his  garments  that  were  non  est.  Joshua 
Clark  donated  seven  acres  of  land  for  the  church  and 
churchyard.  The  property  was  for  many  years  as- 
sessed to  the  Church  of  England.  It  is  thought  the 
church  was  built  as  early  as  1800.  In  1806  the  Epis- 
copalians gave  up  their  meetings,  and  for  a  while 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


afterwards  the  German  Lutherans  used  the  house  for 
worshij). 

COAL    PRODUCTION. 

The  coal  deposits  beneath  the  soil  of  Jefferson 
t  iwnship  are  said  to  extend  beneath  tlie  entire  area 
of  territory,  except  a  small  portion  in  the  southeast. 
The  so-called  Pittsburgh  nine-foot  vein  prevails 
liere,  and  the  deposits  are  therefore  of  an  exceedingly 
valuable  nature.  Thus  far,  however,  developments  in 
the  way  of  important  mining  operations  for  shipment 
have  been  confined  to  the  river-front,  for  the  reason  that 
only  by  means  of  the  river  has  there  been  ready  trans- 
portation to  coal-consuming  centres.  The  contem- 
plated completion  of  the  Redstone  Extension  Rail- 
road along  the  course  of  the  Redstone  Creek  will 
offer  an  outlet  for  the  product  of  the  creek  coal  region, 
and  the  i}pening  (jf  the  railway  will  of  course  be  the 
signal  fur  (lie  opening  on  the  Redstone  in  Jefferson 
town-hiji  nl' ixi.'ii-ive  mining  enterprises.  Something 
like  foiir  thoiHanil  aires  of  coal  lands  lying  along  the 
creek  have  long  been  owned  by  the  Redstone  Coal 
Company,  which  has  been  waiting  simply  for  the 
march  of  railway  progress  to  bring  forth  its  hidden 
treasures. 

T'pon  the  river,  in  Jefferson,  coal-mining  has  been 
carried  on  to  a  greater  or  lesser  extent  since  1834,  and 
engag.-.  at  picsiiit  the  attcnthm  of  six  different  mi- 
ning CI  II II  pa  n  ii'^.  who -hi  [1  annually  millions  of  bushels, 
employ  hundreds  of  liamN,  ami  have  upon  investment 
Inindreds  of  thousands  of  dollars.  Li  the  olden  days 
mining  was  pursued  according  to  primitive  methods. 
The  coal  was  wheeled  from  the  pit  to  the  river  bottom 
and  there  dumped,  to  remain  until  such  a  time  as  the 
water  in  the  river  became  high.  Water  being  plenti- 
ful tlie  coal  was  dumped  into  flats  and  floated  down 
the  stri'aiii  to  I'ittsbnrgh  or  other  points.  Similarly 
coal  wa-  iiiinrd  along  the  Little  Redstone,  and  floated 
out  in  the  sanir  u  ay  upmi  the  coming  of  high  water. 
The  largi-l  o]Hratiii-.-  on  the  river  in  Jefferson  at 
present  are  'Piiriihull  iV  Hall,  wdio  have  been  mining 
there  since  187L  They  have  a  river-front  of  half  a 
mile  (or  from  the  Washington  line  to  Troytown), 
owned  from  the  commencement  from  six  hundred  to 
S3vcn  hundred  acres  of  coal,  and  of  that  quantity 
have  three  hundred  acres  still  to  be  mined.  They 
have  two  openings.  Both  reach  from  the  river  to 
Little  Redstone  Creek,  while  one  passes  under  the 
creek  and  so  on.  Turnbull  &  Hall  have  a  capacity 
f)r  mining  eighteen  thousand  bushels  of  lumii  coal 
daily,  and  employ  ordinarily  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  men.  They  own  a  steam  tow-boat  and  forty-three 
coal-boats,  possess  also  forty  tenements  in  which 
their  miners  live;  they  disburse  monthly  about 
twelve  thousand  dollars  in  wages,  carry  on  a  store  for 
the  convenience  of  their  hands,  and  have  upon  in- 
vestment in  their  business  about  one  hundred  thou- 


ing  Turnbull  &  Hall  on  the  west  is  a  miners' 


village,  known  for  years  as  Troytown,  from  one  James 
Troy,  who  about  1855  began  mining  operations  there 
and  erected  a  score  or  more  of  tenements.  The  landed 
interests  havebeen,  however,  owned  in  chief  for  many  . 
years  by  Adam  Jacobs,  of  Brownsville,  who  has  leased 
the  coal  privileges  to  various  parties  from  time  to 
time.  Among  the  mining  operators  at  that  point 
after  the  departure  of  James  Troy  were  Thornton 
Chalfant,  Mark  Winnet,  John  Bortner,  and  Daniel 
Bortner.  Armstrong  &  Jacobs  took  the  business  in 
September,  1880,  and  employ  at  present  twenty  hands. 
They  get  out  from  three  thousand  to  four  thousand 
bushels  daily.  Their  working  territory  includes  about 
one  hundred  acres.  Next  above  the  Troytown  Works 
is  the  Forsyth  mine,  operated  by  Harris  &  Brother, 
who  have  two  hundred  acres  under  lease  and  mine 
about  three  thousand  bushels  daily. 

Adjoining  the  Harris  place  is  the  White  Pine 
coal-mine,  which  has  been  abandoned  since  1876, 
when  John  Stofft  was  the  lessee.  The  Forsyth  tract 
has  been  leased  to  the  extent  of  two  hundred  acres 
by  the  Little  Alps  Company,  and  will  be  mined  in 
the  autumn  of  1881.  At  the  Marchand  mine,  in  the 
river  bend,  Eli  Leonard  now  takes  out  from  three 
thousand  to  four  thousand  bushels  of  coal  daily,  and 
employs  a  force  of  thirty-five  men.  At  the  Bud  Coal- 
Works  the  Little  Alps  Company  has  been  operating 
quite  extensively  since  1873,  but  that  tract,  like  the 
Marchaud  Mine,  shows  signs  of  exhaustion.  The 
Little  Alps  Company's  works  include  the  coal  under 
an  area  of  about  seventy  acres,  produce  at  the  rate  of 
six  huudred  thousand  bushels  annually,  and  give 
employment  to  fifty  men.  Next  to  the  Little  Alps 
Works,  going  up  the  river,  lie  the  works  of  Morgan  & 
Dixon,  who  have  been  at  work  since  1874.  They 
owned  originally  one  hundred  acres  of  coal,  of  which 
they  have  yet  about  fifty  to  be  mined.  Their  work- 
ing force  averages  from  forty  to  sixty  men,  and  their 
yield  is  about  twenty  thousand  bushels  weekly.  They 
own  a  steam  tow-boat  and  eighteen  coal-boats.  Be- 
tween Morgan  &  Dixon  and  the  mouth  of  the  Red- 
stone Creek  there  is  an  abundance  of  coal,  but  as  yet 
the  deposits  have  not  been  developed. 
The  Redstone  Coal  Company,  alluded  to  in  the  fore- 
!  going  as  owning  about  four  thousand  acres  of  coal 
I  lands  along  the  Redstone  Creek,  was  organized  in 
May,  1873,  by  Westmoreland  County  capitalists.  At 
the  head  was  A.  L.  McFarland,  and  associated  with 
him  were  Messrs.  H.  D.  Foster,  Edward  Cowan, 
1  William  Welsh,  George  Bennett,  F.  Z.  Shellenberg, 
Israel  Painter,  the  McClellans,  and  others.  They 
bought  coal  lands  on  Redstone  Creek,  reaching  from 
the  mouth  of  the  creek  to  Vance's  mill,  and  as  a  con- 
dition precedent  to  their  purchases  agreed  to  construct 
a  railway  through  their  territory.  The  railway  com- 
pany was  accordingly  formed,  with  J.  H.  Bowman  as 
president,  and  a  majority  of  the  directors  of  the  Red- 
'  stone  Coal  Company  as  directors  of  the  railway  com- 
I  pany.     Subscriptions  to  the  amount  of  one  hundred 


^^?^i^<^   ^Mz^^;4c^^^     ^^ 0 


JEFFERSOxN   TOWNSHIP. 


627 


thousand  dollars  were  received  from  people  living 
along  the  line,  and  work  upon  the  road  was  be.;un 
without  much  delay.  The  plan  was  to  grade  from 
Brownsville  to  Mount  Braddock,  where  connection 
was  to  be  made  with  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania 
Railroad.  Smith  and  Prindiville  took  the  contract 
for  grading.  Prindiville  completed  his  portion  of 
the  work,  but  Smith  retired  from  the  field  before  he 
had  fairly  begun.  His  part  of  the  unfinished  con- 
tract was  sold  to  Campbell  &  Co.,  of  Aitoona,  who 
upon  winding  up  their  affairs  with  the  railway  com- 
pany found  themselves  unable  to  get  much  satisfac- 
tion upon  their  unpaid  claim  of  about  twelve  thousand 
dollars.  They  entered  suit  and  obtained  judgment, 
whereupon,  in  1879,  the  road  was  sold  by  the  sheriff, 
and  bid  in  by  Mr.  Prindiville  for  seventeen  thousand 
dollars.  He  sold  out  to  Charles  Spear,  of  Pittsburgh, 
who  took  in  George  E.  Hogg  and  Adam  Jacobs,  of 
Brownsville,  and  they  in  turn  sold  their  interests  in 
the  fall  of  1880  to  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Com- 
pany. Meanwhile  nothing  was  done  upon  the  road 
after  the  bed  had  been  graded  to  Vance's  mill,  but 
upon  the  acquirement  of  possession  by  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad  Company  measures  were  set  on  foot  to 
pusli  the  work  to  completion  with  such  effect  that  the 
road  is  now  nearly  ready  for  the  running  of  trains 
from  Brownsville  to  Uniontown.  The  Redstone  Coal 
Company  remains  still  intact,  F.  Z.  Shellenberg  being 
the  president,  and  S.  S.  Graham  secretary  and  treas- 
urer, and  awaits  simply  the  completion  of  the  railway 
line  to  begin  the  development  of  the  coal-mines. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

DR.  LOUIS   MARCHAND. 

In  the  year  1770,  Dr.  David  Marchand,  the  ances- 
tor of  the  Marchands  now  residing  in  Western  Penn- 
sylvania, settled  on  Little  Sewickly  Creek,  about  six 
miles  southwest  of  Greensburg,  Westmoreland  Co., 
Pa.  He  was  born  in  the  canton  of  Berne,  Switzer- 
land, and  emigrated  at  an  early  age  with  his  father, 
David  Marchand,  to  the  British  colonies  in  America, 
and  settled  near  Hagerstown,  Md.  His  father  was  a 
Huguenot,  and  fled  his  country  on  account  of  religious 
persecution. 

Dr.  David  was  a  physician  of  rare  ability.  He 
practiced  in  W&stmoreland  and  adjoining  counties, 
and  so  great  was  the'number  of  patients  who  applied 
to  him  at  his  office  that  he  established  a  hospital  near 
his  home,  to  which  many  persons  resorted  for  medical 
treatment.  He  died  July  22, 1809,  in  the  sixty-fourth 
year  of  his  age,  and  his  remains  sleep  in  the  cemetery 
of  Brush  Creek  Church,  of  which  he  was  a  liberal 
supporter.  His  old  German  wooden-backed  Bible 
contains  this  entry  upon  the  first  page  : 

"  These  are  the  children  which  the  Lord  hath  given  \ 
me.     Will  the  Lord  keep  them  to  walk  in  His  way, 


that  in  their  conduct  in  life  and  in  death  they  may, 
in  Christ,  grow  in  patience  and  virtue  : 

"Catharine,  born  March  8,  1767. 

"  Elizabeth,  born  Xov.  '^,  1768. 

"  Susanna,  born  Oct.  13, 1770. 

"Judith,  born  Jan.  12,  1772. 

"Daniel,  born  Dec.  8,  1773. 

"  Esther,  born  Aug.  23,  1775. 

"David,  born  Dec.  10,  1776. 

"Louis,  born  June  23,  1782." 

The  daughters  all  married  and  settled  in  Westmore- 
land County,  Pa.  The  sons  all  became  physicians, 
and  all  eminent  in  theis  profession,  and  their  distin- 
guished ability,  and  that  of  their  father,  connected 
the  name  Marchand  in  the  most  prominent  manner 
with  the  medical  profession  in  that  early  day.  Dr. 
David,  Jr.,  located  in  Westmoreland  County.  He 
possessed  great  popularity  as  a  citizen  and  a  man,  and 
was  twice  elected  to  Congress,  and  returned  home  with 
a  pure  and  good  record.  He  was  the  father  of  nine 
children,  seven  sons,  nil  professional  men.  Dr.  Daniel 
settled  in  Unioutuun,  l',i\  itti-  Co. 

Dr.  Louis  Maiiliaml  ix'a.l  iiirdicine  with  his  father, 
and  graduated  from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania 
in  1809.  He  then  located  upon  the  Marchand  home- 
stead farm,  in  Jefferson  township,  Fayette  Co.,  five 
miles  below  Brownsvillr,  mi  the  Monougahela  River, 
where  he  practici'l  hi-  priilrssidnforafew years.  Upou 
the  death  of  his  1  rutliur  l>aniul  he  located  in  Union- 
town.  While  there  he  married  (about  1823)  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Dr.  Samuel  Sackett,  who  lived  on  Georges 
Creek,  one  mile  south  of  Smithfield.  He  continued 
to  practice  his  jirdfessidn  in  Uniontown  until  1843, 
when  he  retired  from  practice  and  removed  to  his 
farm  in  Jeli'crsun  tnwnship,  where  he  led  a  quiet  life 
until  his  death,  Jan.  11,  1857.  His  remains  rest  in 
the  family  graveyard  upon  the  farm  where  he  spent 
his  declining  years.  He  was  long  a  member  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  and  became  a 
member  at  the  time  of  its  organization  in  Uniontown. 
He  had  the  profoundest  reverence  for  God  and  sacred 
things,  and  had  implicit  faith  in  the  atonement  of 
Christ.  Many  remember  him  kindly  for  his  valuable 
services,  and  bless  his  memory  for  his  disinterested 
love.  He  practiced  medicine  from  love  for  his  pro- 
fession, and  from  a  desire  to  do  good  to  suffering 
humanity.  He  was  an  esteemed  citizen  and  true 
patriot.  "His  life  was  gentle,  and  the  elements  so 
mixed  in  him  that  Nature  might  stand  up  and  say  to 
all  the  world,  tins  is  a  man."  He  had  nine  children, 
seven  of  whom  grew  to  manhood  and  womanhood, — 
Elizabeth,  married  to  A.  I.  Miller;  Samuel  Sackett 
Marchand,  who  was  a  physician,  and  noted  for  ability 
and  skill  in  his  profession.  He  was  educated  at  Madi- 
son College,  Fayette  County,  and  Cleveland  Medical 
College.  He  practiced  in  Westmoreland  County,  Pa., 
and  entered  the  army  during  the  late  war  as  captain 
of  Company  H,  13Gth  Regiment  (Col.  Bayne's).  He 
was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  Dec.  13 


G28 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


18152,  and  died  in  Lihl.y  Ti-ison,  Fei).  2S,  1863.  His 
remains  were  intciri-d  at  ItirliiiKUiil.  Imt  liave  since 
been  removed  to  tlie  family  biirial-i; round  on  the 
farm  in  Jefferson  townsliij). 

The  third  ehiUl,  Rachel,  married  A.  I.  Miller  as 
his  secoml  wife.  Tlie  other  children  were  Mary 
L..iiisa,  wlio  marriiMl  Thomas  W.  Lilly;  Frances 
Ciroliue,  who  married  .John  W.  Ward;  Lnciiis  A., 
who  married  3Iiiirrva  Vandrutf,  and  resides  upon  the 
old  homestead;  and  Catharine  B.,  married  to  Ellis 

^y.  Lilly. 

WILLIAM    FORSYTH. 

"William  Forsyth  was  born  in  Jeftei-son  townsliip, 
Fayette  Co.,  Pa[,  Aug.  28,  1799  ;  died  July  20,  1878  ; 
Scotch-Irish  stock.  He  was  married,  Sept.  18,  1828, 
to  Jane  P.  Steele,  daughter  of  John  Steele,  of  Jeff'er- 
son  township.     Jane  died  Jan.  24,  1882. 

They  had  eight  children,— John,  born  July  2, 1829, 
died  Sept.  4,  18,32;  Eli  S..  married  to  Kate  E.  Wood  ; 
Kancy  J.,  married  to  Joseph  S.Elliott;  Willam 
Johnson,  married  to  Lizzie  R.  Baily ;  Elizabeth  D., 
married  Isaac  T.  Crouch;  Mary  A.,  married  to  Louis 
S.  Jliller;  James  S.,  married  to  Mary  E.  Morion ; 
Ruth  A.,  married  to  W.  Frank  Hough. 

Mr.  Forsyth  was  engaged  in  farming  all  his  life. 
He  was  also  a  coal  merchant,  and  was  successful  in 
all  his  business.  He  was  a  model  farmer.  He  and 
his  wife  were  members  of  the  rresbyterian  Church 
at  Brownsville,  where  he  held  the  ..Ith-e  of  elder. 
When  Little  Iledstone  Presbyleviaii  Chureli  was  or- 
ganized, about  1840,  he  was  chosen  a  ruling  elder  there, 
and  continued  in  that  position  until  his  .leith.  He 
was  an  exemplary  Christian,  resi.eete.l  and  beloved 
by  all  wh(j  knew  him.  He  was  nuiet,  unostentatious, 
and  benevolent. 

His  grandfather,  AVilliam,  settled  upon  the  For- 
•syth  homestead  in  1775.  Lie  came  from  the  Eastern 
Shore,  Md.  The  farm  was  known  as  "  W.dves'  Har- 
bor." He  had  eleven  children.  William's  father, 
Eli,  was  one  of  the  younger.  He  was  born  about 
1770.  He  married  Jane  McKee,  who  emigrated  from 
Ireland  when  about  seventeen.  They  had  eleven 
chihlren,  William  being  the  oldest. 


WILLIAM    ELLIOTT. 
Elliott  was  born   in  Jefferson  township, 
14,  and  died  Julv  21,  1878.     He  w.as  of 


Wil 
April  .        , 

Scot.-b-hish    sloek,    and   was    educated    in    nmon 

schools  and  Ceoi-j,.-  r,:,k  Aeadeniy.  He  was  mar- 
ried, .Vprii  12,  ls:;7,to  F,li/,a  .lane( 'oiiwell,  of  Lu/erno 
They  ha.l  eight  .■hildren. -.lames  Stokely, 
>  Jane  Wood:  Annie  :\[:iry,  married  to 
Abrams;  Ceorge  Craft,  deceased;  .Marga- 
retta  Davidson  ;  Matilda  Florence,  married  to  Wil- 
liam Craft;  Virginia  Bell,  married  to  William  P. 
Allen  ;  Sarah  Emma,  married  to  Frank  V.  Jeffries, 
and  is  dead;  and  Louisa  Searight,  unmarried. 


Mr.  Elliott  was  born  in  the  old  Elliott  homestead, 
about  a  mile  from  where  his  family  now  resides,  to 
which  place  he  moved  in  1837,  and  led  the  life  of  a 
former  the  re-st  of  his  years.  He  held  a  number  of 
township  offices,  and  was  collector  of  internal  revenue 
for  Fayette  County,  receiving  his  appointment  in 
1862.  He  and  his  wife  joined  the  Presbyterian 
Church  soon  after  their  marriage.  Mr.  Elliott  was 
a  successful  business  man.  He  was  honest,  and  en- 
.joyed  the  respect  of  his  neighbors.  He  left  his  fam- 
ily in  very  comfortable  circumstances.  He  had  but 
little,  if  any,  aid  when  starting  out  in  life,  and  gath- 
ered what  he  had  and  which  his  family  now  enjoy 
by  his  own  energy  and  good  management. 


townsliip. 
married 
Robert  R 


JOSEPH    S.  ELLIOTT. 

Joseph  S.  Elliott  is  the  son  of  James  Elliott,  whose 
father,  William,  came  into  Fayette  County  from 
Wi-tmorehind  (/ouuty  at  .iu  early  day,  and  had  what 
is  now  called  "the  old  Elliott  homestead,"  in  Jeff'er- 
son  township,  patented.  His  wife  was  Euth  Craw- 
ford. They  had  eleven  children.  James  was  the 
fifth  child  and  only  son  who  grew  to  manhood,  and 
was  born  in  Jefferson  township,  April  25,  1785,  and 
was  a  farmer.  June  3,  1X1 ;;,  he  married  Mary  Cun- 
ningham, of  Rostraver  township,  \Vestmoreland  Co. 
They  had  ten  children,— William,  .lames  C,  Edward 
J.,  Robert,  Ruth,  Mary  A.,  Joseph  S.,  Alexander, 
Sarah  R.,  and  Jlartha, — all  of  wdiom  grew  to  matur- 
ity. 

Joseph  S.  Elliott  was  born  at  the  old  Elliott  home- 
stead, Jeflti-son  township,  Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  April  18, 
1827.  His  school  education  was  limited.  His  busi- 
ness education,  gathered  from  observation  and  con- 
tact with  busini'ss  men.  is  excellent.  He  was  mar- 
ried Oct.  7,  is.-.ii.  t.i  Naney  J.  F..r.syth.  They  have 
six  children,— William  F.,  marrie.l  to  Laura  A.  Wells  ; 
Violette  H.,  married  to  .loseidi  A.  Cook;  Oliphant 
P.,  Ida  J.,  Eva  M.,  and  (bacie  F. 

Mr.  Elliott  s]>ent  his  eaily  life  upon  his  father's 
farm.  In  1850  he  began  work  ibr  himself  upon  the 
farm  where  he  now  resides,  and  has  ever  since  been 
engaged  in  farming  .and  stock-dealing.  He  is  a 
shrewd,  energetic,  successful  business  man,  one  of  the 
refli  business  men  of  the  county.  He  makes  money 
and  enjoys  it,  and  has  one  of  the  most  comfortable 
homes  in  the  county.  He  has  no  cliurch  record,  but 
is  a  liberal  supporter  of  all  causes  which  he  deems 
worthy.  His  bnsiniss  stains  among  those  who  know 
him  is  as  good  as  need  be.  He  has  held  the  usual 
township  offices  inliiisted  to  business  men  in  a  busi- 
ness township.  His  jH.ssessions  are  chiefly  stock  and 
huids.  He  owns  a  thous;ind  .acres  of  as  good  land  as 
tileries  in  Western  Pennsylvania,  and  all  underlaid 
with  bituminous  coal  except  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
two  acres.  He  has  made  his  own  fortune,  with  the 
assistance  of  a  most  excellent  wife.  Mrs.  Elliott  is  a 
lady  of  rare  general  intelligence,  and  has  a  wider 


'T?^  (Za 


^^/    ^/^:^/ 


_,jfii0mt^^^ 


CW^yt^SC^"^^ 


JEFFERSON  TOWNSHIP. 


knowledge  of  the  requirements  of  business  life  than 
liave  most  ladies,  and  has  always  eagerly  united  with 
her  husband  in  his  various  enterprises,  while  at  the 
same  time  paying  special  attention  to  domestic  affairs. 
A  lesson  for  the  young  men  of  Fayette  County 
may  be  gleaned  from  Mr.  Elliott's  career  in  the  fact 
that  he  began  with  but  little  means,  and,  contrary  to 
Horace  Greeley's  well-known  advice  to  young  men, 
refused  to  ''  Go  West,"  he  holding  that  a  dollar  earned 
here  in  a  settled  country  is  worth  two  wrought  out  in 
the  far  West.  So  he  settled  down  in  Jefferson  township, 
and  went  into  debt  in  the  purchase,  against  the  judg- 
ment of  his  neighbors  one  and  all,  of  the  "  Tark 
farm,"  feeling  that  if  he  could  not  make  a  great  sum 
of  money  on  it  he  could  at  least  so  manage  as  to 
make  of  it  a  good  practical  savings-bank,  which 
would  on  sale  render  up  whatever  deposits  he  might 
make  in  it;  and  by  extreme  industry,  by  tact  in  man- 
agement, and  by  possessing  himself  of  and  applying 
the  best  arts  of  agriculture,  under  a  system  of  mixed 
farming,  including  the  raising  of  sheep  for  their 
fleeces,  etc.,  demonstrate  that  Fayette  County  is  as 
good  a  land  as  any  in  the  West,  or  anywhere  else,  to 
stay  at  home  in  and  grow  up  to  fortune. 


HEXRY    BATEMAN    GOE. 

Jlr.  Henry  B.  Goe,  late  of  Jefferson  township,  but 
now  a  resident  of  Allegheny  City,  Pa.,  is  the  great- 
grandson  of  William  Goe,  a  native  of  Scotland,  who 
migrated  to  America  at  an  early  day  and  settled  in 
Prince  George's  County,  Md.,  near  what  is  now  known 
as  Upper  Marlboro',  a  suburb  of  Baltimore.  William 
Goe  was  there  married  to  Elizabeth  Turner,  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  Turner,  Jr.  He  was  a  planter  and  slave- 
holder, but  boasted  that  he  never  sold  a  slave.  He 
died  in  the  summer  of  1762,  leaving  a  widow  and 
two  children, — William,  Jr.,  and  Margaret. 

William  Goe,  Jr.,  was  born  Aug.  4,  1729,  and,  like 
his  father,  was  a  planter  and  slave-holder,  and  was 
married,  Nov.  28,  1754,  to  Dorcas  Turner,  a  daughter 
of  Philip  Turner,  and  who  was  born  May  4,  17.35. 
They  had  fourteen  children.  William,  Jr.,  with  his 
family,  migrated  from  Maryland  to  Fayette  County 
(then  Somerset  County,  Va.)  about  1773,  and  settled 
on  a  farm  on  the  east  side  of  the  Monongahela  River, 
between  it  and  Little  Redstone  Creek,  near  where 
the  creek  unites  with  the  river.  He  died  March  27, 
1824,  and  was  buried  in  a  vault  of  his  own  construc- 
tion on  the  farm.  Of  the  number  of  his  children  was 
one  named  Henry  Bateman  Goe  (the  fother  of  the 
present  H.  B.  Goe),  and  who  was  born  in  Upper 
Marlboro',  before  referred  to,  June  14,  1770,  and 
came  to  Fayette  County  with  his  father  when  three 
years  old.  After  reaching  maturity  he  went  to  Mary- 
land, and  there  made  the  acquaintance  of  Susan  Get- 
tings  (born  Oct.  2,  1763),  a  daughter  of  Philip  and 
Elizabeth  Gettings,  of  Prince  George  County,  and 
whom  he  married  Feb.  16,  1792.     She  died  June  30, 


1837,  and  w.as  buried  in  the  same  vault  with  licr 
father-in-law,  William  Goe,  Jr.,  and  her  Iiushaml, 
who  had  died  twenty  years  before  her. 

Henry  B.  Goe,  Sr.,  was  an  unusually  active  and 
prompt  business  man,  and  lived  on  a  farm  east  of 
Brownsville,  and  near  Great  Redstone  Creek.  Hisfiirm 
was  patented  in  the  name  of  "  Friendship,"  by  which 
it  is  known  to  this  day.  Besides  carrying  on  his  farm, 
he  ran  a  mill  and  distillery  located  on  the  Airm.  He 
also  traded  on  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Rivers,  going 
as  far  as  New  Orleans  by  flat-boats,  and  returning 
home  overland  by  bridle-path  through  the  wilderness. 
At  one  time,  in  1806,  failing  to  make  at  New  Orleans 
satisfactory  sale  of  a  cargo,  he  crossed  over  to  Cuba, 
and  .sold  out  in  Havana.  He  died  Oct.  28, 1817,  leaving 
a  widow  and  an  only  child,  Henry  Bateman  Goe,  Jr., 
whose  name  is  the  caption  of  this  sketch,  and  who 
was  born  on  Friendship  farm,  Dec.  29,  1803.  He  in- 
herited Friendship  farm  of  three  hundred  acres,  and 
the  adjoining  "Springfield  farm"  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty  aci-es,  together  with  a  smaller  farm  near  by 
these  and  a  section  of  land  below  Zanesville,  Ohio. 
His  father  dying  when  he  was  but  fourteen  years  old, 
his  mother,  a  woman  of  wonderful  energy,  assisted 
him  at  first  in  carrying  on  the  farms  and  the  distil- 
lery. He  was  married,  Jan.  20,  1824,  to  Catharine 
Shotwell,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Sarah  Shotwell,  of 
Fayette  County,  :iinl  (■..iitinucd  to  operate  the  farm  in 
'connection  witli  liis  nuithir  until  her  death,  when  he 
came  into  full  |M„-,.-inii  of  tlic  rstiite  of  his  father, 
and  comliiotoil  tlic  I'liin  niid  ili^tillri'v  us  his  principal 
active  lm<iiu>s  uniil  mIhuu  1s.;i',  wlnri  lie  abandoned 
the  distillery  and  entered  upon  tire  scientific  improve- 
ment of  his  farms  and  the  raising  of  improved  stock, 
and  soon  became  a  noted  breeder,  for  those  days,  of 
short-horned  cattle  and  merino  sheep.  He  about  that 
time  raised  an  excellent  flock  of  improved  merino 
sheep,  descended  from  the  Atwood  stock  and  that  of 
the  eariy  importers.  His  short-horns  were  better 
known  than  his  merinos,  and  perhaps  he  carried 
their  improvement  still  further  than  he  did  that  of 
his  sheep.  He  continued  actively  engaged  in  the 
stock-raising  business  until  the  fall  of  1866,  when  he 
relinquished  it  into  the  hands  of  his  son,  John  S. 
Goe,  who,  in  the  course  of  three  or  four  years,  closed 
it  out  for  him.  In  1866,  Mr.  Goe  sold  his  farm  to  his 
son,  Robert  S.  Goe,  and  moved  to  Allegheny  City, 
and  entered  into  the  oil  business  in  Pittsburgh  and 
Bradford,  Pa.,  and  is  still  interested  in  the  business. 

In  religion  he  is  a  Disciple,  or  Christian,  and  was 
baptized  by  immersion,  together  with  his  wife,  in 
December,  1836.  He  has  for  many  years  held  the 
office  of  elder  in  the  church,  and  has  been  a  liberal 
contributor  to  missionary  and  other  church  causes. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goe,  having  lost  one  child,  are  the 
parents  of  nine  living  children, — John  S.,  H.  Bate- 
man, Mrs.  Susan  Gettings  Newcomer,  Mrs.  Sarah 
Caroline  Elliott,  Robert  S.,  Mrs.  E.  S.  Ganse,  Joel 
S.,  Rose  S.,  and  Laura. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


JOHN    S.  GOE. 

John  S.  Goe,  the  oldest  son  of  Henry  Bateman  Goe, 
a  biograpliical  sketch  of  whom  precedes  this,  was 
born  on  Friendship  farm,  Jefferson  township,  Dec. 
13,  1S25.  Gen.  Goe  enjoys  to-day  a  world-wide  repu- 
tation as  the  breeder  of  the  finest  flocks  of  pure-bred 
merino  sheep  in  the  world,  and  as  one  of  the  breeders 
of  the  best  herds  of  thoroughbred,  short-horned 
cattle  to  be  found.  The  raising  of  pure-bred  domestic 
animals  and  the  improvement  of  his  farm  have  been 
the  special  aspirations,  aims  of  ambition,  and  labors 
of  his  life,  and,  as  is  conceded  by  his  most  envious 
competitors  even,  his  labors  have  been  crowned  with 
signal  success.  His  stock  is  sought  for  from  all  the 
States  and  Territories  of  the  Union,  from  Mexico  and 
Australia,  colonies  of  his  stock  having  been  sent  out 
from  his  form  to  all  the  States  and  the  countries 
above  named.  The  fame  of  his  stock,  thus  widely 
spread,  is  a  just  one,  for  his  short-horns  are  descend- 
ants from  special  selections  from  the  great  herds  of 
the  old  English  breeders,  the  Colliugs,  Whiticar,  Ste- 
venson, Ma.son,  Bates,  and  Booth.  In  his  herd  are 
descendants  of  one  of  the  most  famous  bulls  which 
ever  snutfed  the  air,  "The  Duke  of  Oneida,"  9927, 
and  his  dam,  "The  10th  Duchess  of  Geneva,"  said  to 
have  been  the  best  i)Ure  Duchess  in  America.  She 
was  sold  at  the  great  sale  of  short-horns  at  Xew  York 
Mills  in  1874  for  thirty-five  thousand  dollars  to  a 
foreign  purchaser,  who  took  her  to  England,  where' 
she  was  recognized  as  the  best  pure  Duchess  in  that 
country. 

Gen.  Goe's  experience  as  an  exporter  has  not  always 
been  a  smooth  one.  ■  He  has  had  many  obstacles  to 
surmount.      The  first  exportation   of    his  sheep   to 
Australia,  in  response  to  an  order  from  there,  com- 
prised a  struggle  of  three  years  or  more  with   the 
English    government.      Importation   into   Australia 
was  forbidden  by  an  old  and  obsolete  law,  under  pen- 
alty of  confi-cation  and  line,  and  perhaps  imprison- 
ment i\\<n.     The  Australian   purchaser  of  Gen.  Goe's 
sheep,  alter  having  forwanleil  a  draft  of  six  hundred 
pounds  sterling  and  an  unlimited  letter  of  credit  to 
pay  expenses,  f  juud  himself  foiled  by  the  captain  of  j 
the  steamer  "City  of  Xew  York"   and   by   envious 
Australian  breeders  who  took  ailvantage  nt'  the  law,   | 
and  finally  a  special  permit  was  prayed  for  from  Par-  ' 
liameut  to  land  the  sheep  in  Australia,  which  permit  ! 
was  granted  about  two  years  after  it  was  first  applied  ! 
for.  I 

Gen.  Goe,  having  previously  held  the  position  of 
major  ol'tlic  First  Indi|i.-nikiit  S>|uadron  of  Dragoons 
of  uniformed  militia  of  I'euiisylvania,  in  the  Secoud 
Brigade  of  the  Seventeenth   Division,  obtained  his 
title  of  brigadier-general  by  commission  issued   by 
Governor  William  Bigler  on  the  20th  day  of  June,   ' 
18.54,  giving  him  command  of  the  Second  Brigade  of  ^ 
the  Seventeenth  Division  of  the  forces  of  the  Com-   ! 
mon  wealth.  | 

Oct.  G,  1846,  Gen.  Goe  married  Miss  Catharine  E. 


Colvin,  then  residing  near  Freeport,  Harrison  Co., 
Ohio.  They  have  five  children, — Dorcas  C,  John 
S.,  Jr.,  Eva  C,  Emma  Virginia,  and  Irene. 


WILLIAM   G.    P.iTTERSOX. 

William  G.  Patterson,  of  Jefferson  township,  is  of 
Irish  descent.  He  thinks  that  his  great-grandfather 
was  born  on  the  ocean,  while  his  parents  were  on  the 
way  to  America.  His  grandfather,  William  Patter- 
son, came  with  three  brothers  into  Fayette  County 
from  Dauphin  County,  Pa.,  about  1780.  His  father, 
James  Patterson,  was  born  in  Dauphin  County  in 
1771,  and  about  1801  married  Mary  Given,  a  native 
of  Ireland.  They  had  ten  children  ;  William  G.  was 
the  fourth.  James  Patterson  was  a  captain  in  the  war 
of  1812.  His  business  was  farming,  distilling,  and 
teaming.  He  located  on  the  farm  where  his  son,  Wil- 
liam G.,  now  lives,  about  the  time  the  county  was  or- 
ganized. He  commanded  a  company  in  the  State 
militia  for  many  years. 

William  G.  Patterson  was  born  in  Jefferson  town- 
ship, upon  the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  Dec.  20, 
1809,  and  was  educated  in  the  common  schools.  He 
was  married  April  6,  1854,  to  Mrs.  Edith  Nichols 
Craft,  daughter  of  Samuel  Sharpless,  of  Jefferson 
township.  They  have  three  living  children, — Samuel 
S.,  Mary  E.,  Minerva  C.  Amanda,  another  child,  is 
dead.  Mr.  Patterson's  entire  life  has  been  passed  in 
Jefferson,  except  a  few  years  spent  in  California,  Pa., 
while  educating  his  children.  He  has  been  a  farmer 
and  general  business  man  all  his  life,  and  has  been 
successful.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  has  been  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  held 
other  important  town  offices.  Mr.  Patterson  is  a  use- 
ful and  honorable  citizen,  respected  by  his  neighbors 
and  all  who  have  known  him  in  life. 


CHRISTIAX  SAA'ARTZ. 
Christian  Swartz  was  born  in  Germany,  near  the 
lihine,  Jan.  6,  180C.  He  died  in  Jefferson  township, 
Fayette  Co.,  Feb.  25,  1875.  He  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  Germany,  and  emigrated  to 
America  in  1833,  landing  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  and 
then  went  to  Baltimore.  He  there  took  a  road-wagon 
and  traveled  to  Westmoreland  County,  Pa.,  near 
Mount  Pleasant,  where  he  rented  a  farm.  There  he 
married  Elizabeth  Seightlinger,  who  had  emigrated 
from  Germany  with  him.  They  remained  in  West- 
moreland County  eight  years.  Then  they  located  in 
Tyrone  township,  Fayette  Co.,  where  they  remained 
four  years.  They  settled  where  the  family  now  lives 
in  1846.  They  had  six  children,  five  of  whom  are 
living, — Susau,  married  to  Hugh  Laughlin ;  John, 
married  first  to  Maggie  Blair,  again  to  Mary  Krepps  ; 
Christian,  married  to  Mary  Jane  Clark,  who  is  dead ;' 
Lizzie,  unmarried  ;  Joseph,  unmarried  ;  James,  mar- 
ried first  to  Mary  S.  Lytic,  again  to  Catharine  Beck. 


JOHN    S.    UOE. 


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JEFFERSON  TOWNSHIP. 


631 


Cliristian  Swartz  was  a  farmer^  and  one  of  the  best 
in  the  county. 

Mr.  Swartz  and  his  wife  had  about  three  dollars 
when  he  married  and  settled  in  Westmoreland  County. 
By  industry  and  economy  he  accumulated  a  good 
deal  of  property,  leaving  his  children  lands,  bonds, 
etc.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
before  he  left  Germany.  He  united  with  Little  Red- 
stone Presbyterian  Church  soon  after  coming  to  Fay- 
ette County.  He  was  noted  for  his  piety,  and  was  a 
useful  citizen.  Mr.  Swartz  had  the  respect  of  all  who 
knew  him,  and  was  specially  known  and  esteemed  by 
his  neighbors  as  a  kind  father  to  his  family,  as  a 
faithful  friend  and  honest  citizen,  upright  in  all  his 
dealings  with  his  fellow-men.  Mrs.  Swartz,  now  sev- 
enty-two years  of  age  (1882),  survives  him,  together 
with  three  sons  and  two  daughters.  Another  son, 
Christian,  died  in  the  spring  of  1878. 


WILLIAM  HOUGH. 

Tlie  Hough  families  of  the  old  stock  in  this  country 
are  known  to  have  descended  from  a  William  Hough, 
who  emigrated  from  Cheshire  County,  England,  and 
located  first  near  Plymouth,  and  then  at  Gloucester, 
Mass.,  and  finally  at  New  London,  Conn.,  where  he 
died  Aug.  10, 1683,  or  from  Richard  and  John  Hough, 
who  also  came  from  Cheshire,  England,  in  the  ship.s 
"  Endeavor"  and  "  Friendship,"  in  the  year  1683,  and 
settled  in  Bucks  County,  Pa. 

David  Hough  was  the  first  of  the  name  to  settle  in 
Fayette  County.  He  emigrated  from  Eastern  Penn- 
sylvania at  an  early  day,  and  located  upon  a  farm 
still  occupied  by  his  descendants.  He  was  a  tiller  of 
the  soil,  and  lived  an  industrious,  useful  life.  He 
married  Barbara  Orally.  They  had  twelve  children. 
David  died  March  3,  1858,  a,ged  eighty-four  years. 
Barbara  died  Oct.  11,  1841,  aged  sixty-two  years. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  William  Hough,  was 
the  sixth  son  of  David  and  Barbara  Hough,  and  was 
born  in  Fayette  County  in  1812,  a  few  months  after 
the  declaration  of  war  against  Great  Britain.  He  re- 
ceived his  earl}'  education  in  the  district  schools,  and 
spent  most  of  his  life  upon  the  farm  of  his  parent- 
age, where  for  more  than  half  a  century  his  labor  and 
attention  were  given  to  agriculture.  His  first  vote 
was  cast  for  Gen.  Andrew  Jackson.  Becoming  dis- 
satisfied with  uhe  policy  of  the  Democratic  party,  he 
united  with  the  Whig  party,  and  continued  in  that 
faith  until  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party,  j 
when  he  joined  it,  and  continued  an  earnest  sup- 
porter of  its  principles  until  his  death. 

William  Hough  was  married  Nov.  7, 1S33,  to  Cath-  J 
arine  Fisher,  of  Rostraver  township,  Westmoreland 
Co.,  Pa.,  and  there  were  born  to  them  five  sons  and 
four  daughters,  of  whom  seven  are  still  living,  viz.  : 
Elvira,  married  to  Richard  Brown  ;  Abia  Allen,  mar- 
ried to  Mary  Atkinson  ;  George  F.,  married  to  Eliza- 
beth Weaver;  David  S.,  married  to  Elizabeth  Krepps ;  I 


Deraza,  married  to  Daniel  Bostner;  Williani  P.,  mar- 
ried to  Ruth  Forsyth;  Clara,  married  to  Kwing  ilc- 
Curdy. 

Mr.  Hough  held  a  number  of  township  ofliccs,  al- 
ways discharging  the  duties  satisfactorily.  He  was 
for  many  years  a  devoted  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Cliurch,  and  for  several  years  a  ruling  elder  in  Little 
Redstone  Church  of  that  communion.  During  his 
latter  years  he  was  much  afflicted  with  paralysis, 
which  terminated  his  life  Feb.  13,  1876. 

He  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  his  neighbors.  His 
Christian  life  challenged  the  respect  of  all  who  knew 
him.  His  life  was  one  of  industry,  and  he  left  his 
family  a  valuable  inheritance,  namely,  a  good  name, 
lands,  etc. 


ARCHIBALD    BOYD. 


The  late  Archibald  Boyd,  of  Jefferson  township, 
was  born  July  4,  1799,  in  North  Huntingdon  town- 
ship, Westmoreland  Co.,  Pa.  He  was  of  Scotch-Irish 
descent,  and  was  educated  in  the  common  schools, 
learned  the  business  of  farming,  and  worked  with  his 
father  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  then 
engaged  in  droving.  This  he  followed  until  his  mar- 
riage, Jan.  29,  1833,  to  Margaret  Hunter,  of  West- 
moreland County.  He  then  rented  a  farm,  and 
worked  it  for  six  years.  After  that  he  moved  to 
Stewartville,  and  kept  a  hotel  for  one  year.  He  ne.\t 
bought  a  farm  in  South  Huntingdon  township,  West- 
moreland Co.  Here  he  remained  for  twelve  years, 
when  he  bought  the  present  homestead  of  his  off- 
spring, and  here  he  lived  until  the  time  of  his  death, 
Oct.  9,  1879. 

He  had  three  children, — Robert,  married  to  Mar- 
garet A.  Gray,  and  who  is  a  former,  and  lives  upon 
tlie  Boyd  homestead.  His  children  are  Jennie  G., 
Maggie  V.,  Mary  E.,  Carrie  E.,  George  M.,  Maude  O. 

William,  who  was  born  March  13,  1836,  and  died 
April  13,  1881. 

Mary,  who  married  John  H.  Bryson.  They  reside 
in  North  Union,  Fayette  Co.  They  have  seven  living 
children,— Maggie  V.,  Susan  V.,  Andrew  O.,  Williani 
H.,  Melvin  H.,  Robert  E.,  Lulu  May. 

Archibald  Boyd  held  the  usual  township  offices. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Little  Redstone  Presbyterian 
Church.  His  pecuniary  start  in  the  world  was  small. 
By  industry  and  judicious  management  he  increased 
this  largely,  and  left  his  progeny  all  well  situated. 
He  was  a  first-class  farmer,  a  valuable  citizen,  a  good 
man. 

His  father,  Robert  Boyd,  was  a  native  of  xVdams 
County,  Pa.  He  married  Eliz.abeth  Larimer,  of 
Chester  County,  Pa.  They  moved  soon  after  mar- 
riage to  Westmoreland  County,  where  most  of  their 
children  were  born.  They  had  nine.  Archibald  was 
the  fourth. 


632 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


LOUIS  SOWEKS  MILLER. 
Louis  S.  Miller  is  the  grandson  of  Israel  Miller,  in 
Lis  day  a  leading  business  man  of  Brownsville,  Fay- 
ette Co.,  and  the  only  child  of  Augustus  I.  Miller,  a 
native  of  the  same  place.  Israel  Miller  was  born 
April  6, 17S3,  and  on  May  (5,  ISIO,  married  Anna  Maria 
Sowers,  daughter  of  Michael  and  Dorothy  Sowers, 
who  was  born  June  29,  1790.  Michael  Sowers  was 
one  of  the  earliest  business  men  of  this  region,  and 
was  born  Oct.  Hi,  17G2.  Israel  Miller  died  April  16, 
1871.  Mrs.  Anna  M.  Miller  died  May  5, 18.50,  in  her 
sixtieth  year.  Israel  and  Anna  Maria  Miller  were 
the  parents  of  eleven  children,  five  sons  and  sis 
daughters,  of  whom  was  Augustus  I.  Miller,  who  was 
born  Feb.  2,  1821,  the  third  in  number  of  the  sons. 
On  Nov.  1.3,  184.5,  he  mani.',!  Kliz;il,eth  K.  Marchand, 
daughter  of  Dr.  Louis  ami  Sarah  Sark(_-tt  Marchand, 
of  L'niontown,  Pa.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of 
the  Rebellion,  and  enlisted  among  the  three  months' 
troops  in  April,  1861,  joining  the  Twelfth  Eegiment 
Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  and  after  the  expiration  of 
that  period  of  enlistment  enlisted  in  November,  1861, 
for  the  term  of  three  years,  being  attaclied  to  Com- 
pany II,  Seventh  Eegiment  Pennsylvania  Cavalry, 
and  died  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  Aug.  19,  1863,  of  disease 
contracted  while  in  the  service. 

Louis  S.  Miller  was  born  in  Brownsville,  Fayette 
Co.,  Pa.,  :\Iarcli  Id,  1848.  His  early  education  was 
received  in  the  public  schools,  his  business  education 
in  Iron  City  Commercial  College  and  the  business 
world.  His  mother  dying  when  he  was  two  days  old, 
his  early  lil'e  was  spent  with  his  grandmother,  Mrs. 
Dr.  Louis  ^larchand.  He  was  married  Nov.  10,  1870, 
to  JIary  .V.  Forsythe.  They  have  live  children, — 
Laura,  Frank,  Oliver,  Jennie,  and  Lizzie.  He  has 
occupied  his  present  residence  three  years.  His  farm 
is  worked  by  tenants  under  his  direction.  He  devotes 
most  of  his  time  to  the  coal  business.  His  neighbors 
resard  him  as  a  good  business  man. 


JOSEPH   WELLS. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  refined  feelings,  the  do- 
mestic virtues,  and  true  nobility  of  character  adorn 
anil  brighten  the  obscurity  of  a  country  home,  and 
achieve  for  the  possessor  all  the  happiness  and  com- 
fort that  cultivated  society  and  enlightened  civiliza- 
tion can  -ive.  Instinctively  jn>t  and  upright  in  bis 
dealing-  with  bis  fclluw-nicn,  kiiul-heartcd  and  chari- 
table to  tlie  poor,  careful  and  attentive  to  his  busi- 
ness, thrifty  and  economical,  but  single-minded  and 
generous, — in  short,  a  good  illustration  of  the  domestic 
and  social  virtues, — such  a  man  was  Joseph  Wells, 
late  of  Jetlerson  township,  Fayette  Co.,  Pa. 

Joseph  Wells  was  of  Irish  descent,  and  was  born 
April  I'.i,  ISO;-;,  on  the  farm  where,  with  true  Irish  in- 
stinct, lie  lived  all  his  days.  He  received  such  educa- 
tion as  the  common  schools  of  the  Commonwealth 
aflbrdcd  in  his  youthful  days,  and  in  early  manhood 


became  a  "  pike  boy,"  driving  his  team  on  the  Na- 
tional road  from  Brownsville  to  Cumberland  and  return, 
a  business  he  followed  for  many  years.  On  Dec.  1, 
1824,  he  married  Anna  Shaw,  an  estimable  lady,  who 
is  still  living,  and  who  is  well  known  for  her  many 
social  and  Christian  virtues.  They  had  eight  chil- 
dren, one  of  whom  died  in  infancy  ;  two  others,  mar- 
ried daughters,  are  dead,  and  the  remaining  four 
daughters  and  one  son  are  all  married  and  living  in 
the  county,  the  son  occupying  the  homestead. 

Mr.  Wells  began  life  with  little  of  this  world's 
goods,  but  by  industry  and  careful  husbandry  he  ac- 
quired the  ownership  of  the  paternal  homestead,  and 
a  handsome  competence  besides,  enjoying  in  his  old 
age  the  comforts  and  even  the  luxuries  of  life.  While 
struggling  to  pay  for  his  farm  he  unluckily  lost  several 
hundred  dollars  by  indorsing  for  a  friend,  and  al- 
though he  recovered  from  this  financial  trouble,  his 
autograph  was  seldom,  if  ever,  afterwards  seen  on  the 
back  of  a  promissory  note. 

In  religion  he  was  a  Presbyterian,  having  been  a 
communicant  in  that  church  for  fifty  years.  He 
joined  the  Brownsville  Presbyterian  Church  under 
the  ministrations  of  Eev.  William  Johnston,  and  in 
1840  united  with  the  Little  Redstone  Church  at  its 
organization,  wdiere  for  many  years  he  was  a  ruling 
elder,  and  continued  a  member  until  the  time  of  his 
death.  Of  Mr.  Wells  one  who  knew  him  long  and  inti- 
mately, pertinently  says,  "  Unlike  many  Presbyterians 
we  meet  at  this  day,  he  believed  the  decrees  wdiich 
constitute  the  peculiar  tenets  of  his  church,  or  at  least 
he  came  as  near  believing  them  as  any  person  I  have 
ever  met,  with  a  single  exception."  Still  in  business 
he  was  human,  and  while  strictly  honest,  his  excellent 
judgment  often  gave  him  the  best  end  of  the  bargain 
in  buying  a  steer  or  selling  a  horse.  To  him  the 
sermon  on  the  mount  was  law,  but  in  practical  opera- 
tions he  had  acquisitiveness  and  secretiveness  enough 
to  enable  him  to  do  business  successfully,  and  add  a 
balance  to  the  profit  account  at  the  end  of  each  year. 
In  politics  he  was  a  Democrat  of  the  old  school,  and 
held  as  firmly  to  the  Jacksonian  and  Jetfersonian  De- 
mocracy as  he  did  to  the  everlasting  decrees. 

The  poor  of  his  neighborhood  knew  in  him  one  of 
their  most  charitable  friends,  and  he  gave  liberally 
to  the  benevolent  enterprises  of  the  church.  Having 
a  sound  and  vigorous  constitution,  and  being  temper- 
ate in  his  habits,  he  preserved  a  hale  and  healthful 
body  for  more  than  threescore  and  ten  years.  After 
one  or  two  premonitory  attacks  he  was  stricken  fatally 
with  paralysis,  and  died  May  28,  1877,  respected  by 
his  neighbors,  esteemed  by  his  friends,  and  sincerely 
loved  and  mourned  by  his  family.  To  the  last  mo- 
ment of  his  conscious  life  he  held  fast  to  his  integrity 
and  his  Christian  faith.  Not  a  single  doubt  clouded 
his  mind  or  cast  a  shadow  over  his  peaceful  soul. 
His  faith,  steadfast  to  the  end,  is  voiced  in  the  lines, — 
"  An  augel's  arm  can't  snatch  me  from  tlie  grave, 
Legions  of  angels  can't  confine  me  tliere." 


/ 


1*^^. 


y^y. 


LUZERNE   TOWNSHIP. 


633 


JOHN    STEELE. 

John  Steele,  one  of  the  most  worthy  men  and  lead- 
ing farmers  of  Jeflf'erson  township,  Fayette  Co.,  Pa., 
as  well  as  one  of  the  most  methodical,  solid  business 
men  of  the  county,  is  the  son  of  William  Steele,  who 
was  born  in  Westmoreland  County,  Pa.,  July  22, 1779, 
and  about  1806  married  Sarah  Elliott,  and  soon  after 
moved  to  a  farm  in  Jefferson  township,  w.hich  is  now 
owned  by  his  son  John.  Upon  this  farm  the  eleven 
children,  five  sons  aud  six  daughters,  of  William 
Steele  were  born.  John  was  the  eighth  in  number, 
and  is  the  only  son  now  living.  He  was  born  Aug. 
31,  1822. 

Mr.  Steele  received  his  education  in  the  common 


schools.     March  G,  1850,  he  married  Mary  Jackman, 
of  Washington  County,  Pa.     He  has  one  child  living, 
Janles  Harvey  Steele,  who  married  Ruth  Nutt. 
Mr.  Steele  has  all  his  active  business  life  been  en- 

1  gaged  in  farming.  He  owns  large  tracts  of  land,  two 
or  three  good  farms  of  the  best  quality  of  soil,  and 
manages  them  excellently.  Mr.  Steele's  father,  a 
justly  considerate  and  sensible  gentlenuin,  gave  him  a 
fair  start  in  life,  and  he  has  added  largely  to  his  patri- 
monial possessions.  About  twenty-five  years  ago  he 
built  his  present  commodious  residence  and  its  com- 
fortable  outbuildings. 
Mr.  Steele  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Little 

I  Redstone  Presbyterian  Church.     He  enjoys  the  con- 

'  fidence  and  esteem  of  his  neighbors. 


LUZERNE    TOWNSHIP. 


LuzEENE,  one  of  the  original  townships  of  Fay-  ' 
ette,  lies  on  the  Mouongahela  River,  which  along  the  I 
western  and  northern  lines  of  the  township  describes  i 
a  series  of  irregular  bends,  and  flows  for  the  most  part 
between  hilly  ranges  that  give  sweeping  views  of  the  | 
river's  course  and  a  long  stretch  of  country  beside. 
The  great  bend  on  the  west  curves  gracefully  from  Da-  ^ 
vidson's  Ferry  to  Millsboro',  aud  there  taking  a  sharp  ] 
turu  outward  makes  a  second  but  more  abrupt  curve 
to  where  William  G.  Crawford's  farm  fronts  the  stream. 
Across  by  land  from  Davidson's  Ferry  to  Crawford's 
the  distance  measures  less  than  three  miles  ;  between 
the  same  points  by  river  it  is  more  than  eleven  miles. 
The  river  separates  the  township  on  the  north  and 
west  from  Washington  and  Greene  Counties.  On  the 
south  the  boundary  is  German  township,  and  on  the  ] 
east  Redstone.  Steamboats  ascend  the  Monougahela  ^ 
as  far  as  New  Geneva.  Ferries  established  at  conven- 
ient distances  give  easy  access  to  the  opposite  shore. 
These  are  located  at  Jacobs',  Davidson's,  Rice's  Land- 
ing, Millsboro',  Fredericktown,  and  Crawford's.  On 
the  river-front,  as  already  noted,  the  land  lies  high  and 
forbids  much  profitable  agriculture.  Geuerally,  how- 
ever, the  surface  of  the  township  is  rolling  and  offers 
a  fine  field  for  f\irming.  Coal  is  plentiful,  but  mining 
•  is  chiefly  confined  to  production  for  local  demand. 
Merrittstown,  the  most  important  village  in  the  town- 
ship, is  located  upon  Dunlap's  Creek,  whose  mill- 
power  is  freely  utilized  at  that  and  other  points. 
Curious  features  in  the  landscape  are  found  in  so- 
called  carved  rocks,  of  which  the  most  striking  are 
on  "  the  river  hill"  ne.ar  Millsboro'.  They  are  two 
in  number,  flat  of  surface,  and  jutting  perhaps  a  foot 
above  the  ground.     The  larger  of  the  two  measures 


about  sixteen  feet  upon  either  side,  and  bears  numer- 
ous sunken  impressions  of  divers  figures  said  to  rep- 
resent wild  animals,  fishes,  turkey-tracks,  etc.  Le- 
gends make  the  Indians  the  carvers  of  these  strange 
and  in  some  cases  unfamiliar  figures,  while  specula- 
tive antiquarians  hold  to  the  prehistoric  theory. 
Whatever  the  basis  of  argument,  it  is  certain  that  the 
impressions  were  upon  the  rocks  when  the  first  white 
settlers  came  to  the  river  region. 

The  total  assessed  valuation  of  Luzerne  subject  to 
county  tax  in  1881  was  §1,050,092,  or  a  decline  from 
the  preceding  year  of  l?2061.  The  popul.-ition  of  the 
township  by  the  census  of  1880  was  fourteen  hundred 
and  forty-five,  including  the  village  of  Jlcrritistowu. 

The  opening  of  the  road  from  Laurel  Hill  to  the 
mouth  of  Dunlap's  Creek,  by  Col.  James  Burd,  in 
1759,  brought  settlers  to  the  vicinity  of  its  terminus 
at  an  earlier  date  than  settlements  were  made  in  mo.st 
of  the  other  parts  of  the  Monongahela  Valley.  Among 
the  early  comers  William  Colvin  was  the  first  who 
came  into  the  territory  which  is  now  Luzerne  with 
the  intention  of  making  a  home  here.  He  acquired 
a  settlement  right  in  1703,  and  afterwards  sold  that 
right  to  Thomas  Brown  (the  founder  of  Brownsville), 
who,  on  the  16th  of  December,  1779,  obtained  from 
the  commissioners  of  the  State  of  Virginia  a  certifi- 
cate for  four  hundred  and  fifty-seven  acres,  "  to  include 
the  settlement  purchased  of  William  Colvin,  near 
Redstone  Old  Fort,  made  in  the  year  1703."  This  is 
recited  in  the  certificate,  and  thus  the  date  of  Colvin's 
settlement  is  fixed.  What  became  of  Colvin  after  he 
sold  his  settlement  right  here  is  not  known.  The 
tract  which   he  sold,  and  which  was   certificated  to 


634 


HISTORV  of   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Brown  as  above  mentioned,  was  surveyed  to  the  latter 
in  March,  178o.  It  was  then  described  as  bounded 
on  the  north  by  land  of  John  and  Samuel  McCul- 
lough,"  northwest  by  land  of  Rees  Cadwallader  and 
Thomas  Gregg,  and  on  the  south  by  land  of  Basil 
Brown.  Thomas  Brown  soon  removed  to  the  north 
side  of  Dunlap's  Creek,  where  he  laid  out  the  town 
of  Brownsville,  as  before  mentioned. 

Basil  Brown,  Sr.,  brother  of  Thomas,  settled  on  the 
land  nientiiJiied  in  the  preceding  description  as  ad- 
joininji- tlic  C'lilvia  tract  in  the  year  1770.  It  was  a 
tract  of  four  hundred  and  forty-three  acres,  granted 
to  him  on  a  Virginia  certificate,  and  was  surveyed  to 
him  March  22,  I7S5.  The  certificate  on  which  it  was 
so  surveyed  recited  that  the  tract  granted  was  "  to 
include  his  settlement  made  in  the  3'ear  1770."  On 
this  homestead  tract  Basil  Brown  lived  and  died.  He 
left  two  sons,  Thomas  and  Basil,  Jr.,  and  a  daughter, 
Sally,  will)  was  a  cri|;iple.  Thomas  Brown  lived  in 
Luzerne,  "U  the  farm  now-  occupied  by  Lewis  Adams. 
He  married  Dorcas,  daughter  of  William  Goe,  and 
for  a  second  wife  the  widow  of  Philip  Worley.  His 
brother,  Basil  Brown,  Jr.,  was  a  bachelor,  who  re- 
mained for  some  years  in  Luzerne,  and  afterwards  re- 
moved to  llrnwnsville,  where  his  father  had  purchased 
a  nuuibi  r  ol  tnwn  lots  from  his  brother,  the  elder 
Thomas  Brown.  Basil  Brown,  Jr.,  and  his  sister 
Sally  lived  in  Brownsville,  on  Market  Street,  at  or 
near  the  corner  of  Morgan  Street,  where  he  died  at 
the  age  of  seventy-five  years.  Sally,  the  cripple,  died 
in  that  town  some  years  later. 

John  3IcKibben  was  a  very  early  settler  in  what 
is  now  Lu/.crue,  locating  on  tliree  hundred  and  eigh- 
teen acres  in  A|iril,  17(JG,  as  is  recited  in  a  deed  for 
the  same  tract,  made  by  David  Breading  to  Nathaniel 
Breadini;,  in  17^:1.  The  tract  is  located  about  one 
mile  sunlliui'strrly  from  Merrittstown,  and  was  for 
many  years  the  farm  and  lioine  of  Nathaniel  Bread- 
ing. It  is  now  owned  by  his  grandson,  George  E. 
Hogg,  of  Brownsville. 

Jehu  Conwell  and  his  brother,  Capt.  William  Con- 
well,  settled  within  the  limits  of  this  t<iwnship  in  June, 
1707.  One  James  Bredin  was  in  the  territory  before 
the  Conwells,  who  ujjon  their  arrival  found  Bredin 
living  in  a  log  cabin  upon  a  tomahawk  claim,  where 
he  had  girdled  a  few  trees,  he  having  come  in  the  pre- 
vious April.  For  a  small  consideration  the  Conwells 
purchased  Bredin's  claim  and  improvements,  and  he 
departed  for  other  scenes.  The  land  thus  taken  by 
the  Conwells  lies  now  in  the  Heistersburg  school  dis- 
trict, and  is  included  within  the  John  McMullen  farm. 
The  country  was  at  that  time  infested  by  savages  and 
wild  beasts,  but  with  neither  had  the  settlers  then  any 
trouble,  t'm-  llie  former  were  friendly,  and  tlie  latter 
not  so  much  inclined  to  pursue  man  as  afraid  of  being 
themselves   pursued.     By  and  by,  however,  the  In- 


dians began  to  show  .signs  of  hostility,  and  the  Con- 
j  wells  thought  it  advisable  to  withdraw  for  a  brief  sea- 
j  son  to  a  more  populous  locality.  In  August,  1772, 
Jehu  returned  to  his  old  home  in  Delaware,  in  Octo- 
ber was  married,  and  in  November  of  the  same  year 
set  out  with  his  young  bride  for  the  Luzerne  clearing. 
I  Existence  was  comparatively  quiet  and  uneventful 
until  1774,  when  Indian  aggressions  set  in  in  earnest. 
Jehu  Conwell  and  his  brother,  Capt.  William,  then 
bestirred  themselves  and  started  the  project  of  build- 
ing a  fort.  A  site  was  selected  upon  the  Coleman 
plantation,  on  the  west  side  of  Dunlap's  Creek,  not 
much  more  than  half  a  mile  below  Merrittstown,  on  a 
place  now  occupied  by  Harrison  Henshaw.  There  a 
block-house  was  hastily  constructed,  to  include  within 
its  inclosure  the  spring  near  the  present  Henshaw 
house.  Assisted  and  directed  by  the  Conwells,  the 
settlers  had  the  fort  completed  in  quick  time,  and  in 
May,  1794,  it  was  occupied.  There  appears  to  be  no 
evidence  that  the  fort  was  ever  attacked,  or  that  the 
people  living  in  that  portion  of  Luzerne  met  with 
:  serious  injury  at  the  hands  of  the  savages,  although 
j  they  were  for  a  time  in  great  terror  for  fear  of  In- 
dians. Several  children  are  said  to  have  been  born 
within  the  fort  during  1774.  The  names  of  only  two 
can  now  be  given.  One  was  Ruth,  daughter  of  Capt. 
William  Conwell.  She  married  Abram  Armstrong. 
Another  was  a  daughter  of  Jehu  Conwell.  She  mar- 
ried Judge  William  Ewing.  After  the  autumn  of 
1774,  the  clouds  of  alarm  clearing  away,  block-house 
life  was  abandoned,  and  the  peaceful  pursuits  of  the 
pioneer  were  pushed  forward  with  renewed  vigor. 

When  the  flag  of  national  independence  was  raised 
in  1770,  Jehu  and  William  Conwell  responded  to  the 
call,  and  fought  through  the  Revolution.  Happily 
surviving  the  struggle  they  resumed  their  rural  labors, 
and  in  good  time  ended  their  lives  upon  the  Luzerne 
lands  they  had  cleared  from  the  wilderness.  Jehu 
died  in  January,  1834,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six,  upon 
■  the  farm  that  had  been  his  home  for  sixty  years,  and 
from  which  lie  is  said  in  that  time  never  to  have  re- 
moved himself  a  distance  of  more  than  fifty  miles. 
He  was  married  more  than  sixty  years,  and  had  seven 
children.  His  sons  Shepard,  Yates  T.,  John,  and 
George  settled  and  died  in  Luzerne.  One  of  his 
daughters  married  Judge  William  Ewing,  another  An- 
'  drew  Porter,  and  the  third  John  Arnold.  With  his 
brother,  Capt.  William,  he  rests  now  in  the  old  Con- 
well burying-ground  upon  the  George  Conwell  farm, 
j  -where  lie  also  numerous  others  of  the  same  name. 
Jehu  Conwell  was  not  only  a  farmer,  but  a  nianu- 
fiicturer  and  miller.  He  built  a  log  grist-mill  upon 
Big  Run,  which  was  certainly  the  first  grist-mill  in 
the  township,  and,  according  to  some  authorities,  the 
first  in  the  county.^     A  half-bushel  measure,  made 

~  Clark  Breading,  of  Unioiitown,  siiys  Jehu  Conwell  fold  liiin  he  con- 
structed the  mill  the  year  after  he  came  to  the  township.  It  was  us  d 
simply  fur  pounding  corn.  A  flutter-wheel  was  the  niolive-power  fur  a 
great  sw.eii,  tj  wlii.'li  a  lijuiijer  was  attached      Tlic  luurtal  «u»  a  rock 


LUZERNE  TOWNSHIP. 


633 


of  mulberry  wood  and  used  in  the  mill  when  the 
latter  was  first  erected,  is  yet  in  the  possession  of 
George  W.  Conwell.  Jehu  built  also  a  distillery  at 
the  same  place,  and  as  the  business  transacted  there 
assumed  an  appearance  of  extraordinary  briskness, 
while  it  attracted  many  patrons,  the  locality  was 
given  the  name  of  Frogtown,  and  by  that  name  was 
known  for  many  years. 

About  the  time  of  the  coming  of  Jehu  and  William 
Conwell  there  came  also  to  Luzerne  Aaron  Hackney, 
grandfather  of  Aaron  Hackney,  now  of  Luzerne.  He 
settled  in  the  Conwell  neighborhood,  but,  like  the 
Conwells  and  other  early  settlers,  was  soon  compelled 
to  vacate  his  new  home  by  the  threatening  danger  of 
Indian  aggressions.  He  returned  to  his  former  home  ' 
in  Virginia,  but  came  again  to  Luzerne  after  an  ab- 
sence of  about  two  years,  and  remained  there  ever 
after  until  his  death  in  1807.  His  sons  were  George, 
Joseph,  John,  Jehu,  and  Aaron.  George,  Joseph, 
and  Jehu  died  in  Luzerne,  John  moved  to  Menallen, 
and  Aaron  to  Mercer  County. 

Richard  Aschraft,  a  Revolutionary  spy  and  scout, 
claimed  also  to  be  a  settler  and  land-owner  upon  the 
Monongahela,  just  above  Heaton's  mill,  nearly  oppo- 
site the  mouth  of  Ten-Mile  Creek.  He  was  liviiin' 
there  about,  and  perhaps  before,  17(57,  and  likely 
enough  was  simply  a  hunter,  scout,  and  trader,  with- 
out any  ambition  in  the  direction  of  a  husbandman's 
vocation  except  to  raise  what  little  he  needed  for 
home  consumption.  From  the  record  of  the  procee  1- 
ings  of  the  West  Virginia  Historical  Society  in  1871 
is  taken  the  following  copy  of  an  affidavit  made  by 
Richard  Ashcraft  and  Thomas  Carr  before  James 
Chew,  July  19,  1777  : 

"  Richard  Ashcraft  and  Thomas  Carr,  two  of  the 
spies,  came  before  James  Chew,  nnv  nf  tlir  ihiL'is- 
trates  for  Monongahalia  County,  ami  iiiadr  ciatli  lli;it 
on  Thursday  evening,  the  17th  inst.,  thc-y  di^nivireil 
on  the  head-waters  of  Buffiiloe  creek  (tracks)  which  to 
the  best  of  their  knowledge  appeared  to  be  them  of 
the  enemy,  and  that  from  the  sign  of  the  said  tracks 
their  number  might  be  seven  or  eight,  that  the  said 
tracks  were  making  toward  the  Mnnongalialia  river, 
and  appeared  to  be  gone  the  said  day." 

The  land  tract  on  the  river  known  as  "  The  Bone 
of  Contention"  is  thus  alluded  to  by  Veech  : 

Dbracing 


the 


"  The  land  just  above  Bridgeport, 
-some  three  or  four  hundred  iicres,  >yivs  in  early  time  the  subject 
of  long  and  angry  controversies— from  170!)  to  17S5— between 
adverse  cbiimants  under  military  permits.  It  was  well  nami.-d 
in  the  official  survey  (which  one  of  the  parties  procured  of  it 
under  a  Pennsylvania  location)  'Bone  of  Contention.'  One 
Angus  McDonald  claimed  it,  or  p:irt  of  it,  under  a  military 
permit  from  Col.  Bouquet,  dated  April  26.  1763,  and  a  settle- 
ment on  it.  In  March,  17711,  he  sold  his  cbim  to  Capt.  Luke 
Collins,  describing  the  land  as  •  at  a  place  called  Fort  Burd,  to 


include  the  field  cleared  by  me  where  the  saw-pit  was,  above 
the  mouth  of  Dcliip's  Creclt.'  Collins  convoyed  it  to  .Michael 
Cresap  (of  Logan  .speech  celebri(y)  on  the  l.'Uh  of  April,  1772, 
'at  half-past  nine  in  the  morning,'  describing  it  as  situate  be- 
tween '  Point  Lookout  and  John  Martin's  land,'  recently  owned, 
we  believe,  by  the  late  Mrs.  John  T.  Krepps.  Cresap's  execu- 
tors, in  June,  17S1,  conveyed  to  one  William  Schooly,  an  old 
Brownsville  mcrcliant,  who  conveyed  to  Kces  Cadwalladcr.  The 
adverse  claimants  were  Henry  Shryock  and  William  Shearer, 
assignees  of  George  Andrew.  Their  claim  readied  farther 
southward  towards  the  creek,  and  farther  up  the  river,  covering 
the  John  Martin  land.  They  fold  out  to  Robert  Adams  and 
Thomas  Shain.  Although  they  had  the  oldest  ;)crmp(  (in  1762), 
their  title  seems  to  have  been  overcome  by  the  settlement  and 
official  location  and  survey  of  their  adversary.  One  Robert  Thorn 
seems  also  to  have  been  a  claimant  of  part  of  the  land,  but 
Collins  bought  him  out.  This  protracted  controversy  involved 
many  curious  questions,  and  called  up  many  ancient  recollec- 
tions. No  doubt  the  visit  to  this  locality  of  Mr.  Deputy  Sheriff 
Woods  of  Ecilf.rd  in  1771  was  parcel  of  thi^  controversy.  Many 
of  tliescearlviliiiins  "(  r.'  I'.-t  or  forfeited  by  neglect  to «c/(/e  the 

land   acconlm-  t m.   iiii.l   thus  were  supplanted  by  other.«. 

They  wevc  v.^lu,-  I  l.v  iliri,-  owners  at  a  very  low  mark,  an  1  often 
sold  for  triilin,'  humi.." 


The  Crawford  settlemen 

1    ..llr    rr-|,ort.       It  Was  tl 


Lnz 


iportant 


MilU 


lords  I'.Tiv, -oath  of  lock  No.  .3.  The  heads  of  the 
('lawlonl  laiiiilies  were  James  and  Josiah,  who  came 
tni;,ih.i  In. Ill  Maryland  to  Fayette  County  in  1770 
or  1771,  and  Ixjiiglit  about  sixteen  hundred  acres  on 
the  Monoiigaliela,  in  Luzerne.  James  Crawford  built 
his  cabin  a  little  below  Fredericktown,  on  the  bank 
of  the  stream,  and  not  long  after  established  a  ferry 
there.  Before  that  ferry  was  established,  Josiah  Craw- 
ford, his  brother,  who  had  settled  near  the  river  upon 
the  place  now  occupied  by  Josepli  Crawford,  south  of 
lock  No.  5,  had  put  a  ferry  on  at  that  point.  That  was 
probably  the  pioneer  ferry  on  the  Monongahela  along 
the  Luzerne  line.  Illustrative  of  the  wild  character 
of  the  country  when  he  founded  his  settlement,  James 
Crawford  said  that  when  he  and  his  brother  Josiah 
came  out  on  tlieir  land-prospecting  tour,  they  found 
houses  so  scarce  they  had  to  sleep  in  the  woods  at 
night  with  the  snow  knee-deep  all  about  them,  and 
that  when  he  (James)  put  up  his  cabin  it  was  the 
only  house  between  the  river  at  that  point  and  Union- 
town.  The  log  house  that  James  Crawford  built  at 
the  river  is  still  standing,  and  is  said  to  be  in  good 
preservation  despite  the  fact  that  scarcely  any  repairs 
have  been  put  upon  it.  The  weather-boards  with 
which  he  inclosed  it  he  got  out  by  hand  upon  his 
place  with  the  aid  of  his  slaves,  of  whom  he  had  sev- 
eral. James  and  Josiah  Crawford  were  known  to  the 
Indians  as  Quakers  and  friends  to  William  Penn. 
For  this,  it  is  said,  the  savages  not  only  did  not  mo- 
lest them,  but  took  frequent  occasion  to  show  an  ex- 
ceedingly friendly  disposition.  Once  the  Indians 
gave  James  and  his  family  a  severe  fright.  A  party 
of  them  came  down  the  river  one  evening  and  put  up 


636 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENxVSYLVANIA. 


for  the  night  upon  James'  place.  In  the  morning  they 
said  to  the  old  gentleman  that  they  had  determined 
to  take  one  of  his  children  with  them,  and  to  empha- 
size their  remarks  with  an  apparent  threat  showed 
him  some  scalps.  The  old  man  pretended  that  he 
wasn't  much  frightened,  and  in  that  fiction  was  helped 
along  by  his  good  wife,  who  knew  as  well  as  did  her 
husband  the  value  of  a  strong  policy  of  conciliation 
toward  the  redskins,  and  thus  they  acquiesced  in  the 
taking  of  the  child,  while  in  response  to  the  Indian  de- 
mand that  he  (James)  too  should  accompany  them 
apparent  willing  resignation  was  yielded.  To  the  un- 
speakable relief  of  the  Craui'ords  the  Indians  in- 
formed them,  laughingly,  that  neither  child  nor  old 
man  should  be  taken,  and  that  the  project  was  simply 
put  forward  by  way  of  a  joke.  Joke  as  it  was,  the 
Crawfords  did  not  for  many  a  day  forget  the  terror  it 
had  brought  upon  them. 

In  the  course  of  time  James  Crawford  concluded  to 
go  still  farther  west,  and  dividing  the  bulk  of  his 
property  among  his  children,  moved  to  Ohio  and  set- 
tled upon  land  now  occupied  by  the  city  of  Chilli- 
cothe,  where  he  died.  His  sons  were  John,  Ejihraim, 
"William,  and  Joseph,  all  of  whom  died  in  Luzerne. 
John  and  William  lived  to  reach  the  age  of  ninety- 
six.  Josiah  (brother  of  James  Crawford),  who  died 
in  Luzerne  at  the  age  of  eighty,  had  seven  sons,  named 
James,  Josiah,  Jr.,  Benedict,  Elijah,  Levi,  Ephraim, 
and  Abel.  Benedict  was  killed  on  the  river  by  the 
Indians;  Elijah,  Ephraim,  and  Levi  died  in  Luzerne; 
the  rest  removed  out  of  the  township.  There  are 
still  among  the  residents  of  Luzerne  many  bearing 
the  name  of  Crawford.  Of  these  the  oldest  represen- 
tatives are  William,  aged  eighty-two;  Joseph,  eighty- 
three;  Ephraim,  seventy-five;  and  George,  seventy. 

The  ferries  established  by  James  and  Josiah  Craw- 
ford were  maintained  for  many  years  by  some  mem- 
ber of  the  family,  and  before  the  great  volume  of 
traffic  between  the  East  and  West  was  diverted  to  the 
National  road  they  were  kejit  busy  night  and  day 
transporting  passengers,  live-stock,  and  freight  that 
at  one  time  moved  throui;h  that  region.  There  was 
at  a  very  early  (hiy  a  Julm  Crawford  at  what  is  now 
known  as  Jaeolis'  Ferry,  wliere  he  had  a  ferry.  He 
was  not  of  the  other  < 'lawl'iir^l  f^miily,  but  belonged, 
it  is  believed,  to  the  Crawfurds  of  Greene  County. 
He  disappeared  from  Luzerne  history,  and  gave  place 
at  the  ferry  to  Jeremiah  Davidson,  wlio  came  from 
Mercer  County  before  IsOll,  and  continued  the  ferry 
established  by  John  Crawford.  Davidson  must  have 
been  in  the  rivrr  leuion  during  tlie  time  of  Indian 
troubles,  for  recollection- of  liini  and  his  time  men- 
tion the  circumstance  ollii;  ^w-i^iinu  ;il  tlie  organiza- 
tion of  a  party  of  settloi--  \i|iM  \\,.nl  oui  n|.on  an  ex- 
pedition that  had  foi-  it>  'il.jr.-t  iel:i!i:iiion  upon  a 
band  of  savage>  who  hjd  liron  comniitting  depreda- 
tions. D;ivid-onV  lir-t  lerry-ljoat  is  said  to  have  been 
a  dug-out,  whicli  he  soon 'reidaced  with  a  flat-boat. 
Besides  being  a  ferrvman  and  farmer,  he  was  also  a 


boat-builder,  and  constructed  barges  for  himself  as 
I  well  as  for  others.  Not  infrequently  he  would  jour- 
ney down  the  river  in  one  of  his  barges  on  trading 
expeditions,  and  thus  became  a  pretty  well  known 
character.  The  ferry  he  maintained  until  his  death, 
about  1850. 

The  old  Davidson  property  is  now  owned  by  Adam 
Jacobs,  of  Brownsville,  who  in  1862  bought  and 
j  took  possession  thereof.  His  land  embraces  two 
tracts,  patented  respectively  by  John  Crawford  and 
Samuel  Stokely.  The  Stokely  farm  was  called  "  The 
Cave,"  by  reason,  it  is  said,  of  the  fact  that  early 
explorations  noted  the  presence  thereon  of  a  cave, 
but  what  sort  of  a  cave,  what  its  dimensions,  or  even 
its' locality  are  to-day  unknown,  since  not  one  of  the 
many  later  searchers  has  been  able  to  locate  it.  Capt. 
Jacobs  has  about  one  thousand  acres  of  land  near 
the  river,  and  has  at  the  ferry  a  summer  residence, 
store,  grist-mill,  boat-yard,  etc.  At  his  boat-yard  he 
has  built  four  steamboats  and  numerous  'barges. 
:  During  1881  he  employed  a  large  force  of  men  -in  the 
boat-yard  upon  steamboats  and  barges  already  con- 
tracted for.  Upon  the  hill  overlooking  the  river 
Capt.  Jacobs  has  sunk  a  shaft  running  perpendicu- 
larly down  one  hundred  feet,  and  four  hundred  and 
sixty  feet  along  a  slope.  At  that  depth  he  lias  found 
the  "nine-foot  Pittsburgh  vein,"  and  intends  de- 
!  veloping  the  coal  interests  of  that  region.  A  branch 
j  wire  of  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Line  from 
Brownsville  to  Davidson's  Ferry  connects  the  latter 
place  with  Jacobs'  Ferry.  East  Kiverside  post-ofBce 
was  established  at  Jacobs'  Ferry  in  1864.  The  first 
postmaster  was  Adam  Jacobs,  Jr.  The  second  and 
lu-esent  one  is  John  N.  Jacobs. 

Another  early  ferry  was  the   one   established   by 
I  David  Davidson,  where  his  son  David  has  maintained 
1  a  ferry  for  many  years.     At  this  place  a  steam  ferry- 
boat was  once  put  on,  but  business  did  not  warrant 
!  its   retention.      There   was   another   ferry  at   Rice's 
Landing,  and  still  another  at  Millsboro',  which  latter 
j  was   owned   by   Henry   Heaton  and   Eezin   Virgin. 
Below  were  the  Crawford  ferries,  already  spoken  of. 

In  1772,  Andrew  Frazer  built  a  fine  log  house  on 
the  present  W.  S.  Craft  place,  and  placed  high  up  oi 
the  chimney  the  mark  "A  F  1772."  A  lock  weigh 
ing  eleven  and  a  half  pounds  secured  the  door,  and 
is  still  held  as  a  relic  by  his  descendants  in  Cincin- 
nati. Some  of  the  apple-trees  planted  by  Mr.  Frazer 
about  the  time  of  his  settlement  are  still  bearing. 
Mr.  Frazer  died  in  1800. 

Eobert  Baird,  Sr.,  was  the  eldest  son  of  Moses  Baird, 
Sr.,  of  New  Jersey,  and  was  born  in  the  year  17 
He  came  to  this  county  first  in  the  year  1777,  a  young 
man,  and  bought  the  lands  in  the  southeastern  part- 
of  what  is  now  Luzerne  township,  and  southwestern 
part  of  Redstone  township,  now  owned  by  Jei'emiahi 
Baird,  heirs  of  L^riah  Higinbotham,  Samuel  M.  Baird, 
and  others,  in  all  .six  hundred  acres  or  more.  He  re- 
turned  to   New  Jersey,   married   a   Miss   Elizabeth; 


J 


LUZERNE   TOWNSHIP. 


C37 


Keeves,  and  came  back  with  liis  young  bride,  bring- 
ing their  household  goods  on  horseback  over  three 
hundred  miles.  They  had  a  good  cabin  near  a  large 
spring,  amidst  the  almost  triickle.ss  wilderness  of  sugar, 
black  walnut,  oak,  etc.  He  was  an  energetic  man, 
and  soon  had  several  acres  cleared.  His  brothers  and 
sisters  came  after  a  few  years,  and  a  family  by  the 
name  of  Frame,  who  settled  on  the  next  farms  south. 
His  brothers,  John,  Moses,  and  James,  soon  married, 
and  moved  to  Ohio,  as  did  also  his  younger  sister. 
Moses  was  the  father  of  Mrs.  James  Ewing,  of  Union- 
town,  Pa.  His  sisters  Jane  and  Margaret  married 
Charles  and  John  Porter,  of  this  county.  The  former 
was  associate  judge  for  many  years. 

Robert  Baird,  Sr.,  and  his  wife  were  very  industrious 
and  frugal,  and  raised  a  family  of  four  sons  and  four 
daughters,  all  of  whom  married  and  raised  large  fam- 
ilies. He  was  a  man  of  true  Christian  merit,  and 
stood  among  the  best  of  men  in  his  day.  His  wife's 
brothers,  Manassah  and  Michael  Reeves,  came  to 
Western  Pennsylvania  soon  after,  and  settled  near 
to  where  Belle  Vernon,  Pa.,  now  stands.  Some  of 
their  descendants  are  in  that  section  yet. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Baird  died  in  1826,  and  Robert,  Sr., 
married  for  his  second  wife  Mrs.  Sarah  McClelland, 
of  Greene  County,  Pa.     He  lived  until  Oct.  5,  1835. 
His  oldest  son,  Alexander,  inherited  that  part  where 
the  widow  Uriah  Higinbotham  now  lives  and  where 
Samuel  M.  Baird  lives ;  his  second  son,  Aaron,  the 
part  where  Mr.  Grove  now  lives ;  and  his  son  Moses, 
where  Jeremiah  P.  Baird  now  lives.     His  youngest 
son.  Rev.  Rofcert  Baird,  D.D.,  was  educated  at  Jelier-  - 
son  College,  Pa.,  and  at  Princeton,  N.  J.,  where  he  j 
married  Miss  Fermine  O.  A.  DeBoisson.     Dr.  Baird  i 
was  for  a  long  time  corresponding  secretary  of  "  The 
Foreign  Christian  Alliance,"  diirins:  whicli  time  he 
crossed  the  ocean  fourteen  times  and  visiteil  eighteen 
different  crowned  heads.     He  cduld  converse  in  many  j 
languages,  and  was  the  author  of  several  works.    His  j 
"  Travels  in  Northern  Europe,"  "  Religion  in  Amer-  j 
ica"   (written  in  French  and  afterwards  translated  i 
into   English),  with  many  smaller  works,  live  after 
him.      He  died  iu  1861,  leaving  a  wife  (who  died  a 
year  afterwards)  and  four  sons, — Rev.  C.  W.  Baird, 
D.D.,  of  Rye,  N.  Y. ;  Rev.  H.  M.  Baird,  D.D.,  Pro- 
fessor of  Greek  in  the  New  York  University  ;  Judge 
E.  P.  Baird,  of  New  York  City;  and  William  W. 
Baird,  Esq.,  of  the  same  place.     Among  the  descend- 
ants of  Robert  Baird,  Sr.,  now  living  there  are  six 
ministers   of  the  gospel,   five  ruling   elders   of  the 
church,  and   many   that   are    useful  mechanics  and 
farmers. 

Shortly  after  Robert  Baird,  Sr.,  settled  iu  Fayette 
County,  Pa.,  a  family  by  the  name  of  Morgan  settled 
near  where  Morgantown,  W.  Va.,  now  stands.  The 
Indians  were  troublesome;  the  men  who  cleared  the 
lands  had  to  keep  their  guns  with  them  or  near  at 
hand  in  the  fields.  On  one  occasion  the  elder  son  of 
the  Morgans  went  away  on  business,  and  when   he 


returned  he  found  their  house  burned,  and  his  fatiier, 
mother,  one  brother  and  sister  mnrilered  by  the  In- 
dians. He  stood  terror-stricken.  Two  of  the  younger 
children,  a  boy  and  girl,  had  run  away  and  hidden 
themselves.  John  Morgan,  then  and  there,  took  an 
oath  that  he  would  kill  every  Indian  he  ever  set  eyes 
on.  Several  years  after  this,  during  which  time  he 
did  kill  many  a  redskin,  he  went  to  Baltimore  for 
salt  with  his  pack-horses.  In  the  city  one  day  he  saw 
a  small  crowd  of  men  and  boys  who  were  having 
fun  over  something;  as  he  looked  in  among  them 
he  saw  an  Indian  cutting  pranks.  Capt.  Jack  Mor- 
gan turned  pale  as  he  started  away,  and  remembering 
his  oath  he  turned,  went  back,  pushed  into  the  crowd, 
and  with  his  knife  stabbed  the  Indian  to  the  heart 
and  walked  away.  Of  course  he  was  remanded  to 
jail  for  trial  for  murder.  His  attorney  heard  his 
story,  his  oath,  etc.,  then  asked  if  he  had  no  friend 
that  could  testify  to  these  things.  He  said  Robert 
Baird,  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  could.  So  Baird  was 
sent  for,  and  when  he  heard  of  Capt.  Jack's  bad  luck 
went  to  him  in  time  to  give  testimony  before  the 
court  and  jury  that  tried  the  case.  After  the  hearing 
the  jury  returned  a  verdict  of  not  {juilli/.  Capt. 
Morgan  and  Mr.  Baird  came  home  together,  witli 
their  train  of  pack-horses  laden  with  salt,  etc.  They 
were  fast  friends. 

Mr.  Baird's  treatment  of  his  youngest  son,  Robert, 
Jr.,  showed  his  wisdom  and  judgment  in  planning 
the  future  of  his  boy.  The  parents  desired  very 
much  to  educate  their  youngest  son,  whom  they  had 
so  often  prayed  God  to  call  into  the  ministry,  so  they 
toiled  hard  to  get  means  and  clothing  (home-made  at 
that)  to  send  him  to  school.  There  w.as  a  grammar 
school  at  Uniontown,  Pa.  (twelve  miles  away),  taught 
by  a  Mr.  Gilbert.  When  the  spring  of  the  year  came 
they  took  Robert,  Jr.,  to  the  school,  arranged  for  his 
board  and  tuition  for  six  months,  by  which  time  he 
could  enter  college.  Robert  stayed  a  few  weeks,  when 
he  packed  up  and  walked  home.  It  wa-s  near  noon 
when  he  arrived.  His  mother  soon  learned  with 
sorrow  that  he  did  not  want  to  stay  at  school.  His 
father  came  in  from  work,  found  his  boy  there,  and 
learning  his  dislike  to  books,  etc.,  or  rather  staying 
from  home,  he  said,  "  Well,  Robert,  get  a  mattock, 
and  come  with  me  after  dinner  down  to  the  thicket 
and  help  grub."  Here  they  toiled  for  several  days 
beneath  a  hot  sun.  Robert's  hands  blistered, — the 
thorny  wild  plum  was  hard  to  grub, — but  still  his 
father  did  not  say  a  word  about  a  change  of  work. 
About  ten  o'clock,  the  fourth  or  fifth  day,  Robert, 
Jr.,  said,  "  Father,  I'll  go  to  school  and  stay."  "  Well, 
my  son,"  said  his  father,  "if  you  are  determined  to 
do  so  you  can  go,  otherwise  this  thicket  must  be 
cleared."  "  I'll  daij."  Young  Baird  went.  At  the 
end  of  six  months  he  entered  college,  and  graduated 
with  honors  and  became  one  of  the  great  men  of 
America. 

Robert  Baird,  Jr.,  w.is  greatlv  attached  to  the  cause 


638 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENXSYLVANIA. 


of  religion  and  education;  gave  a  great  deal  to  the 
support  of  the  church  and  schools  and  colleges.  He 
was  a  ruling  elder  in  the  Dunlap's  Creek  Presby- 
terian Church  more  than  forty  years. 

None  of  his  children  are  living  now.     When  his 
youngest  son,  Robert,  Jr.,  brought  home  his  wife,  a 
few  days  after  their  marriage,  according  to  the  cus- 
tom of  those   days,  there   must   be  a  gathering  of 
friends  and  a  dinner.     The  old  father  had  invited  all 
his  children  and  grandchildren  to  be  present  at  the 
old  mansion,  Oct.  14,  1824,  to  take  part  in  the  festive 
occasion.    They  were  nW  present :  his  three  sons  and  | 
four  daughters,  with  their  children,  making  in  all  [ 
forty-flve  persons,  besides  the  bride  and  groom  and  i 
the    family.      After  dinner   Rev.   Robert  Baird,  .Tr., 
made  a  short  address  to  the  vhuhl:  loll;-;.     And  the 
old  grandfather  handed  each  grandrhiM.  tliiily-eiLrht 
in  number,  a  copy  of  the  New  Testament,  bound  in  i 
calf,  saying,  "My  dear  grandchildren,  this  is  a  small  i 
gift,  but  a  very  precious  one.     Make  it  the  guide  of  ' 
your  lives."     Many  of  these  are  yet  in  the  families  of 
those  grandrliildn'n. 

In  Seiitciiiber.  1S70,  the  Bairds  held  a  centennial  ' 
gathering  at  the  old  home,  in  memory  of  the  first  set- 
tling of  old  grandfather  Robert  Baird,  Sr.,  on  these 
lands.  There  were  present  thirty-eight  representatives, 
a  singular  coincidence.    There  are  now  living  descend- 
ants in  Fayette  County  of  the  family  of  Alexander 
Baird,  one ;    of  Aaron   Baird,  six ;   of  Moses  Baird, 
two;  of  Elizabeth,  who  became  the  wife  of  Randolph  \ 
Dearth,  one.     The  rest   are  scattered  in  the  West  I 
and  South.  [ 

Lewis  and  .John  Deem  came  to  Luzerne  among  the 
earliest  settlers,  and  located  a  tract  of  four  hundred 
and  fitly  acTos,  wliicli  include  now  the  farms  of  James  j 
Cunnin-liani,  I.  X.  Craft,  and  John  Acklin.     Lewis  I 
built  a   In-  cabin   iqn.ii   the   present  Craft  place   in  l 
1777.     John   j.ut  up  his  cabin  on   the  Acklin   farm,  i 
The  portion  now  owned  by  James  Cunningham  was 
bought  of  the  Deems  by  Eber  Horaan.     A  part  of  the 
house  built  by  Hninan  in  17.'^0  still  serves  as  a  por- 
tion of  the  ic-i.lcnc  ol'  .laiMc^  ('unningliain,  and,  as 
far  as  appearance-  -..,  i-  yd  >tanch  and  tight.     Eber 
Homan  si't  u]>  a  Macksniith's  shop  on  the  Cunning- 
ham place,  and  employed  also  a  hand-mill  for  grind- 
ing corn,  not  (inly  for  himself,  but  for  many  of  his 
neighbors,   who   were   glad   of  even   that   primitive 
kind  of  a  mill.      Grated  corn  was  a  common  and  ! 
sometimes  exclusive  diet  with  some  people,  simply 
because  they   were  too  poor  to  buy  anything   else. 
Instances  are  given  of  how  farmers,  preliminary  to 
harvestin,g,  finding   themselves   unable  to  purchase 
bread,  would  cut  unripe  wheat,  dry  it  and  take  it  to 
mill,  so  that  bread  might  be  |irovided  to  feed  the  har- 
vesters at  their  comitig  to  gather  the  crop. 

In  the  list  of  Luzerne's  pioneers — a  list  of  some 
magnitude — may  be  recorded  the  names  of  James 
and  William  Dearth,  the  Vernons,  Acklins,  Ewings, 
Samuel    Durnell,   John   Patterson,   Joseph    Ritchie, 


John  Denny,  John  McConnell,  John  Wanee,  Swethen 
Chandler,  Charles  and  John  Stewart,  Job  Briggs,  and 
the  Thorntons.  Samuel  Durnell  was  a  Chester  County 
shoemaker,  and  about  the  year  1800  located  in  Lu- 
zerne upon  a  place  now  owned  by  AVilliam  Roberts, 
where  he  resumed  his  trade  of  shoemaking.  He 
bought  a  farm  later,  and  in  1819  he  sold  it,  intending 
to  remove  to  Ohio.  While  making  his  preparations 
for  the  journey  he  was  taken  ill  and  died. 

John  Wallace,  of  Chester  County,  migrated  to  Lu- 
zerne with  hjs  family,  and  settled  on  the  river  hill 
near  Jacobs'  Ferry.  Of  his  two  sons,  Robert  moved 
to  Washington  County;  William  settled  in  Ohio,  re- 
turned to  Luzerne,  and  died  in  the  township.  The 
only  member  of  John  Wallace's  family  living  is  the 
widow  of  Aaron  Baird,  now  residing  in  Merrittstown. 

Hugh  Gilmore,  a  settler  in  German  township  about 
1780,  built  a  grist-mill  and  saw-mill  on  Redstone 
Creek,  in  Redstone  township,  and  gave  the  charge 
thereof  to  his  sons,  James  and  Hugh  Jr.,  who  lived 
over  the  creek  in  Luzerne.  James  and  Hugh  Jr. 
died  in  Merrittstown.  Three  brothers  named  Dearth 
came  in  before  1780,  but  only  two,  James  and  Wil- 
liam, made  actual  settlements.  The  third  brother 
was  a  great  hunter,  and  devoted  himself  almost  con- 
stantly to  the  sports  of  the  chase.  As  civilization 
advanced  and  cleared  the  forests  he  kept  in  the  ad- 
vance, and  still  clinging  to  his  nomadic  life  among 
the  wilds,  pushed  on  westward  as  the  pioneer's  axe 
opened  the  way  for  the  march  of  progress,  and  so 
kept  on  toward  the  setting  sun  a  hunter  and  a  roamer 
to  the  last.     He  died  somewhere  in  the  far  West. 

William  Ewing,  who  married  one  of  Jehu  Con- 
well's  daughters,  lived  on  the  J.  W.  Conwell  place, 
and  operated  for  some  years  the  distillery  started  by 
Jehu  Conwell.  He  was  father  of  Nathaniel  Ewing, 
who  served  the  county  as  president  judge.  William 
Miller  was  on  the  present  William  Miller  place  (lo- 
cated by  Amos  Hough  in  1784)  in  1800,  where  he  died 
in  1822.  Samuel  Hurford,  one  of  his  farm-hands, 
married  his  daughter  Margaret,  and  died  in  the  town- 
ship in  1842.  David  Jamison,  from  Delaware,  and 
afterwards  of  Washington  County,  settled  in  1804, 
in  Luzerne,  near  the  river,  upon  land  now  occupied 
by  A.  G.  and  J.  R.  Jamison.  There  were  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-seven  acres  in  the  tract  that  had  been 
warranted  to  Jonathan  Arnold  in  October,  1785,  at 
which  time  also  his  son,  Jonathan,  Jr.,  located  an 
adjoining  tract.  In  July,  1785,  William  Hammond 
received  a  warrant  for  three  hundred  and  fifty-two 
acres  upon  which  is  now  the  Andrew  Porter  farm. 

In  1784,  Rezin  Virgin  located  the  lands  now  occu- 
pied by  Jacob  Jamison  and  William  Heller,  the  prop- 
erty being  known  as  "  Perkins'  Beauty."  The  Richard 
Covert  place  was  first  settled  by  Kinsie  Virgin,  and 
in  1792,  John  Lawrence  located  land  west  of  William 
Hammond.  The  Nelan  property  was  warranted  to 
Thomas  Gilpin,  and  called  "Gilpin's  Adventure;" 
the   William    Hurford   farm    (known   as   Ulster)   to 


LUZERNE   TOWNSHIP. 


639 


Thomas  Lingan  in  17S5.  Daniel  Goble  and  Tliomas 
Goodin  warranted  lands  in  1784  just  west  of  Cox 
Run,  and  Obed  Garwood  tracts  near  by  in  1789  and 
1792.  Michael  Cox  received  his  warrant  in  1786,  and 
James  Williams  his  on  June  30,  1796.  John  Covert, 
who  came  to  the  river  about  1800,  lived  there  until 
his  death.  William  Horner  and  Nicholas  Black 
ranked  among  the  old  settlers  on  the  river.  Black 
was  one  of  William  Hammond's  slaves,  received  his 
freedom  because  of  his  faithful  service,  turned  basket- 
maker,  and  in  time  earned  money  enough  to  buy  a 
fiirm,  upon  which  his  descendants  are  living  at  this 
day. 

A  deed  dated  Nov.  10,  1777,  recites  the  transfer 
from  John  Craig  to  Charles  Porter  of  three  hundred 
acres  (consideration  £600),  adjoining  lands  of  John 
McKibben,  Robert  Smith,  Lewis  Deem,  and  others. 
Feb.  7,  1798,  a  tract  called  "  Newery"  (adjoining 
Jonas  Kitts)  was  patented  by  Robert  Adams,  and  sold 
by  Adams  to  Alexander  Nelan,  July  8,  1799. 

Before  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution  James  Cun- 
ningham, of  Chester  County,  Pa.,  came  out  to  Wash- 
ington County,  and  tomahawked  a  claim  near  the 
present  site  of  Washington  borough,  where  there  was 
at  that  time  but  one  house,  and  that  a  log  cabin.  Mr. 
Cunningham  put  up  a  hut,  did  a  little  chopping,  and 
returned  to  Chester  County  to  make  ready  for  a  re- 
turn trip  to  his  proposed  new  settlement,  looking  to  a 
permanent  location  thereon.  He  did  come  back  that 
fall,  but  found  that  his  cabin  was  already  occupied, 
and  although  he  hated  to  be  beaten  away  from  what 
he  considered  his  own  by  right,  he  concluded  not  only 
to  leave  the  interloper  in  peaceliil  ]>iis>e>si(Pi],  Imt  tu 
abandon  utterly  the  projectofscliliiii;  in  llie  Wi^Kiu 
wilds,  being  urged  to  that  conclusion,  iiu  diml.t,  Ipv  iIr- 
conviction  that  the  country  looked  a  nille  wiidcr  and 
more  desolate  than  heat  first  thouL^lit  ii  diil.  I^ubaek 
he  went  to  Chester  County,  bought  a  liinii,  and  pur- 
sued a  quiet  and  uneventlul  existence  until  the  tocsin 
of  war  sounded,  and  then  with  four  of  his  brothers, 
living  also  in  Chester  County,  he  entered  the  service 
in  the  Continental  army.  His  brother  John  and  a 
William  Ramsej  were  captured  by  the  enemy  and 
confined  in  one  of  the  abominable  prison-ships  into 
which  the  English  thrust  many  of  their  captives. 
The  ship  in  which  Cunningham  and  Ramsey  were 
confined  was  dispatched  to  a  far-off  port,  and  en  mute 
the  unhappy  prisoners  in  the  dark  and  reeking  hold 
died  each  day  in  great  numbers,  of  actual  suffocation. 
Ramsey  and  Cunningham  were  lucky  enough  to  sus- 
tain life  at  a  small  aperture  through  which  refreshing 
air  came  to  them,  but  it  was  at  that  only  by  dint  of 
sticking  closely  and  constantly  to  the  opening  that 
they  did  manage  to  keep  breath  in  their  bodies.  Dur- 
ing their  subsequent  confinement  on  shore  they  had  a 
terrible  and  painful  experience.  As  a  portion  of  their 
daily  food  (it  is  said)  they  received  bread  mixed  with 
lime,  and  as  a  part  of  their  daily  exercise  they  found 
employment  in  separating  the  lime  from  the  bread  so 


that  eating  the  latter  seemed  possible.  They  passed 
safely  if  not  happily  through  their  cai>tivity,  to  be 
restored  at  last  to  home  and  friends. 

The  experiences  and  sufi'erings  they  had  endured  in 
common  made  them  fast  friends,  and  at  the  close  of 
the  war  they  resolved  to  seek  together  a  new  liome  in 
the  West.  Both  were  baclielors,  and  a  location  and 
settlement  in  the  wilderness  was  a  matter  of  speedy 
accomplishment.  They  bought  lands  in  Luzerne 
township,  Fayette  Co.,  and  erected  a  distillery  upon 
the  place  now  occupied  by  Armstrong  Porter.  The 
log  house  they  built  for  a  dwelling  they  used  in 
part  as  a  malt-kiln,  and  in  a  little  while  they  were 
doing  quite  a  business  in  the  manufacture  of  wliiskey. 
Ramsey  generally  carried  the  product  by  flat-boat  to 
New  Orleans,  and  in  making  the  return  trip  would 
sometimes  come  back  on  foot,  but  most  frequently 
proceeded  by  sea  to  Philadelphia,  and  tiience  by  horse- 
back over  the  mountains,  taking  occasion  also  to  bring 
a  lot  of  salt  with  him,  and  such  necessaries  as  the 
backwoods  ftviled  to  afford. 

Some  time  before  the  year  1800,  Mr.  Ramsey  con- 
cluded to  leave  Luzerne  for  Cincinnati,  where  he 
judged  there  was  a  wider  and  more  profitable  field  for 
the  excrcisr  <.i'  liis  rii,  rgies.  The  Luzerne  distillery 
had  brou,i;lit  niiul]  prulit  to  himself  and  his  partner, 
but  Cincinnati  |.in,„i>,.d  nioiv,  and  so  lie  dissolvd 
his  businc^>  i.arliiri-s!ii|,  uilli  lii-  oM  iri.-nd  Cunning- 
ham and  iiiovfil  111  tlir  liituri'  i.in.cn  City.  Not  rel- 
ishing the  idea  of  lieiii-  lelt  alone,  .lolin  (.'unningham 
wrote  to  his  brother  .laine>,  still  livin-  in  Chester 
County,  that   if  lie  would   eome   out   to   Luzerne  and 

linild  a  i; I   ^lon,-  \u.u-~r  he  might  have  in  exchange 

one-liali  ol  iho  .liMillrry  l.iiM.iess,  as  well  as  one-half 
oT  tin-  laiiil  eoiiiericd  1  lier. '.vith.  James  responded 
promptly  by  sellini;  liis  Cliester  County  farm  and 
moving  to  Luzenir  with  hi-  family.  The  house  that 
he  built  upon  his  airival,  aeionling  to  contract,  is  the 
one  now  occupied  by  Ann-lrouL'  Porter,  Set  in  the 
stone-work  is  a  wooden  taliK-t,  hearing'  the  inseriptiim, 
"  James  and  Mary  Cunningham,  ismi."  Of  William 
Ramsey  it  will  suffice  to  say  that  he  engaged  in  busi- 
ness in  Cincinnati,  grew  up  with  the  town,  and  became 
in  time  one  of  its  wealthiest  merchants.  John  and 
James  Cunuinghara  carried  on  the  distilling  business 
in  Luzerne  until  1820,  and  grew  rich.  The  distillery 
was  operated  by  others  until  183o,  William  Porter 
being  the  last  proprietor. 

John  Cunningham  died  in  the  old  stone  house  in 
1830,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven,  remaining  to  the  last 
a  bachelor,  and  bearing  wherever  he  was  known  the 
title  of  "  Uncle  John."  He  was  a  member  of  the 
State  Legislature  thirteen  successive  years.  For  the 
fourteenth  time  he  was  nominated,  but  was  defeated 
in  the  contest  by  Charles  Porter,  afterwards  county 
judge.  Uncle  John  took  his  defeat  sorely  to  heart, 
but  declared  he  would  stand  another  nomination,  just 
to  show  that  he  could  beat  Porter,  and,  in  fact,  both 
being  nominated  the  next  year,  he  did  beat  him.    His 


640 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ambition  fulfilled,  he  declined  to  appear  any  more  as 
a  candidate.  Upon  his  first  election  he  sent  to  Eng- 
land for  a  silver  watch,  that  he  might  properly  support 
the  dignity  of  his  exalted  station,  and  wore  it  ever  after 
with  much  pride.  It  is  now  in  the  possession  of  his 
brother's  grandson,  and  although  an  article  of  some 
consequence  in  Cunningham's  time,  does  not  now 
look  like  much  of  a  watch  as  compared  to  time-pieces 
of  modern  production. 

John  Cunningham's  brother  James  died  on  the 
home  farm  in  1832.  Of  his  two  sons,  William  be- 
came a  merchant  at  Merrittstown,  and  died  in  1819. 
John  boated  on  the  Monongahela  for  his  fatlier  and 
uncle,  and  died  at  an  early  age.  In  his  school  life  he 
was  a  famous  debater,  and  was,  witli  his  brother  Wil- 
liam, a  schoolmate  of  Andrew  Stewart,  who  enter- 
tained a  high  regard  for  John's  educational  abilities. 
James  Cunningham's  daughters  were  Arabella  and 
Jane.  The  former  married  David  Porter,  and  the 
latter  William  Gallaher. 

Armstrong  Porter  came  westward  in  1774,  and 
bought  seven  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Luzerne  town- 
ship, including  the  fmn  now  owned  and  occupied  by 
W.  J.  Stewart.  He  lived  in  a  two-story  log  house  on 
the  ]iresent  Stewart  place.  His  sons  numbered  six 
and  liis  daughters  two.  The  sons  were  named  An- 
drew, Jared,  William,  David,  John,  and  Armstrong, 
all  of  whom,  excejit  J'llin  (who  moved  to  Ohio),  set- 
tled and  died  in  the  township.  Their  mother  lived 
to  be  over  ninety,  and  each  of  them  to  an  advanced 
age.  Andrew  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  ;  Jared, 
at  eighty-one ;  William,  at  eighty ;  David,  at  ninety- 
one  ;  and  Armstrong  (in  1879),  at  ninety-six, — a  re- 
markable showing  of  long  life  in  so  many  members 
of  one  family. 

Early  settlements  were  made  along  Cox  Run,  near 
Dunlap's  Creek.  Among  them  a  conspicuous  figure 
was  Michael  Cox,  who  was  famous  as  a  great  Indian- 
fighter  and  an  ex-Revnlutiiniary  soldier.  The  Coxes 
were  at  one  time  quite  muaerdus  in  Luzerne,  but  now 
may  be  looked  for  in  vain.  A  story  about  Michael 
("iix  and  a  hog  stands  as  a  laughable  episode  in  the 
old  man's  experience.  He  had  been  so  much  troubled 
by  the  animal's  depredations  that  he  arose  one  day 
in  his  might  and  swore  he  would  jerk  the  hog  to  an 
unmentionable  place,  meaning  to  throw  him  over  a 
high  bluff  into  a  depth  known  locally  as  "hell." 
Accordingly  Cox  caught  the  hog  by  the  tail,  and 
dragging  him  toward  the  precipice  put  his  available 
strength  into  a  last  pull  that  was  to  land  the  porker 
in  perdition.  Unluckily  (\,s.  i«ulli'd  with  such  vigor 
that  he  fell  on  the  precipice  brink,  the  earth  gave 
way,  and  C<ix  promptly  relinquishing  his  hold  upon 
the  tail,  descended  into  the  place  where  he  had  hoped 
to  send  the  beast.  It  was  a  terrible  fall  and  well-nigh 
lilled  Cox,  who  lyiii'f  wlurr  he  fell  and  groaning  out 
his  misery  attracted  a  lad  nauRd  John  Covert  to  the 
scene,  and  the  boy  nuiiiiiig-  for  assistance  Cox  was 
got  home  and  to  bed.     His  injuries  were  serious  in- 


deed, but  he  recovered  after  a  long  confinement. 
John  Covert,  the  boy  above  named,  died  in  Luzerne 
in  1881  at  the  age  of  ninety-three.  Michael  Cox  died 
in  Luzerne,  and  was  buried  upon  the  present  C.  H. 
Swan  place.  Cox  had  a  large  family,  and  to  each  of 
his  sons  gave  a  farm.  One  of  these  sons  was  a  cap- 
tain in  the  militia,  and,  what  was  singular  for  a  militia 
captain,  invariably  appeared  upon  parade  in  his  bare 
feet.  One  day  at  parade  he  got  a  thorn  into  one  of 
his  feet,  and  halting  to  repair  damages  yelled  to  his 
men,  "Go  ahead,  boys,  and  march  to  yon  mullein 
stalk  while  I  pull  this  blasted  thorn  out  of  my  foot." 

Upon  the  farm  where  C.  H.  Swan  lives  a  man 
(whose  name  is  now  not  remembered)  put  up  a  fulling- 
mill  and  carding-niachine  as  early  as  1800.  He  dug 
at  the  expense  of  much  time  and  labor  a  race  through 
the  limestone,  and  tried  hard  to  make  the  venture  a 
paying  one.  It  proved  instead  a  failure,  and  was 
abandoned  by  the  projector  in  disgust.  After  lying 
idle  some  time  the  property  was  b'ought  by  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Johnston. 

James  Coleman  was  among  the  early  settlers  on 
the  run,  and  on  Oct.  24,  178.3,  deeded  a  tract  to  John 
Roiley,  of  Westmoreland,  who  for  a  consideration  of 
£■575  sold  it  to  Andrew  Oliphant,  of  Chester  County. 
The  land  is  described  in  the  deed  as  "  lying  and  being 
in  Menallen  township,  Westmoreland  County,  ad- 
joining the  lands  of  Andrew  Fraser,  William  Gray, 
Thomas  Gregg,  Michael  Cox,  Sr.,  Henry  Swindler, 
and  M.  Douglas."  The  Thomas  Gregg  mentioned  was 
a  Quaker,  but  was  charged,  nevertheless,  with  hold- 
ing his  house  open  as  a  Tory  rendezvous.  The  name 
of  Gregg  is  now  extinct  in  Luzerne.  A  grandson  of 
Thomas  has  been  recently  the  subject  of  some  public 
notoriety  in  one  Elihu  Gregg,  who  burned  the  jail  of 
Preston  County,  W.  Va.,  in  1869,  was  sentenced  to  be 
hanged,  escaped  the  day  before  the  date  fixed  for  his 
execution,  was  recaptured  in  Greene  County,  Pa.,  two 
years  afterwards,  tried  a  second  time,  and  a  second 
time  sentenced  to  death.  Governor  Matthews  com- 
muted his  sentence  to  a  life-imprisonment,  but  this 
commutation  the  prisoner  (then  seventy-seven  years 
old)  refused  to  receive,  s.aying  he  would  have  liberty 
or  death.  His  case  was  reviewed  a  year  later  by  Gov- 
ernor .lackson,  who,  in  April,  1881,  issued  an  uncon- 
ditional pardon. 

As  an  evidence  of  the  kindly  and  selfdenying 
humanity  that  characterized  some  of  Luzerne's  early 
settlers  stands  the  story  of  the  man  who,  coming  into 
the  township  from  Hagerstown  to  find  employment, 
accidentally  broke  his  leg  only  a  little  while  after  he 
came  in.  He  was  poor  and  unable  to  pay  for  such 
service  as  his  case  required,  but  eight  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  old  Luzerne  improvised  a  hammock,  laid  the 
wounded  man  thereon,  and  shouldering  the  burden 
marched  through  the  woods  and  over  hills  until  they 
i  reached  Hagerstown,  and  there  delivered  their  charge 
'  into  the  hands  of  a  surgeon,  wdiom  they  bade  attend 
him   at    their    expense.     Five   of   these    men    were 


LUZERNE   TOWNSHIP. 


en 


Thomas  Davidson,  John  Conwell,  Michael  Cox,  Eli 
Virgin,  and  William  Roberts. 

Passing  down  from  Cox  Run  towards  Brownsville, 
the  chronicler  of  history  comes  upon  an  early  Quaker 
settlement  south  of  Bridgeport.  Among  those  promi- 
nent among  the  "  Friends"  were  Stephen  Darlington, 
Jonas  Cattell,  Robert  Miller,  Obed  and  Jesse  Gar- 
wood, David  Cattell,  John  Haines,  Joshua  and  John 
Moore,  Jonah  and  Septimus  Cadwallader,  and  Thomas 
Gregg.  Septimus  Cadwallader  was  a  fuller,  and  set 
his  mill  on  Dunlap's  Creek,  where  Miller's  mill  now 
stands.  Jonas  Cattell  built  a  tannery  in  1808,  and 
hired  Samuel  Wheaton,  now  living  in  Redstone,  to  dig 
the  vats  for  him.  William  Dales  became  a  proprietor 
of  the  tannery,  and  carried  it  on  until  his  death  in 
1845.  William  Binns  had  also  a  tannery,  which  Joel 
Painter  subsequently  converted  into  a  malt-house. 
Capt.  I.  C.  Woodward,  who  was  raised  in  the  family 
of  David  Cattell,  and  began  his  service  on  the  river 
in  1834,  lives  now  in  the  same  neighborhood  that 
knew  him  in  his  boyhood's  days. 

The  Quakers  built  a  log  church  about  1800  in  the 
Charleston  District,  at  the  site  of  the  old  graveyard. 
This  church  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  when  a  new 
house  of  worship  was  built  the  location  was  changed 
to  Bridgeport.  Among  the  Dearths  known  as  early 
settlers  in  Luzerne,  John  Dearth  is  known  to  have 
been  here  in  about  1780,  for  in  August,  178.3,  he  quit- 
claimed to  Armstrong  Porter  a  tract  of  land  lying  on 
Dunlap's  Creek,  and  adjoining  lands  of  Rogers,  Robert 
and  Lewis  Deem. 

Henry  Heaton,  at  one  time  a  prominent  man  in 
Luzerne  history,  was  a  miller  on  the  river  at  Mills- 
boro',  and  carried  on  a  mill  upon  each  side  of  the 
stream.  He  was  a  representative  in  the  Legislature, 
but  far  from  a  handsome  man.  As  to  the  latter  ref- 
erence to  his  personal  appearance  a  good  story  is  still 
extant  to  the  effect  that  a  man  calling  at  his  niill  to 
see  him  was  told  that  Mr.  Heaton  was  attending  a 
Legislative  session  at  Harrisburg.  The  visitor  was 
exceedingly  anxious  to  see  him,  and  accordingly 
started  for  Harrisburg.  Although  a  stranger  to 
Heaton  he  knew  the  latter  as  soon  as  he  encountered 
him  at  the  capital,  and  at  once  accosting  him  pro- 
ceeded to  unfold  his  business.  Heaton  appeared  to 
be  impatient  while  the  man  told  his  story,  and  before 
the  latter  had  got  half  through  broke  in  with,  "See 
here,  my  friend,  I'm  mightily  curious  to  know  how 
you,  who  had  never  seen  me  before,  knew  me  the  in- 
stant you  saw  me.  I'm  so  curious  to  learn  that  your 
business  can  wait  until  I  find  out."  The  man  fidgeted 
some  and  said  he'd  rather  not  tell,  but  upon  being 
informed  that  he  must  tell  or  go  without  transacting 
his  business  replied,  "  Well,  Mr.  Heaton,  if  you  must 
know,  I  met  a  man  near  your  mill  of  whom  I  asked 
a  description  of  your  personal  appearance,  so  that  I 
could  pick  you  out  unaided.  He  told  me  it  would  be 
the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  for  me  to  know  you,  for 
I  had  but  to  look  about  me  until  I  saw  the  ugliest- 


looking  man  in  America  and  call  him  Heaton,  with 
a  positive  assurance  that  there  would  be  no  mistake." 
Heaton  was  philosopher  enough  to  laugh,  and  as  a 
proof  that  he  was  not  sensitive  about  it  used  himself 
to  tell  the  story  as  a  capital  joke.  Another  story 
about  Heaton  deals  with  him  as  a  miller.  He  set  out 
one  day  with  a  boat-load  of  stones  to  stop  a  hole  in 
his  mill-dam.  He  got  his  boat  around  in  what  he 
j  judged  tlie  proper  position,  and  caught  hold  of  a  great 
bowlder  which  he  proposed  to  push  into  the  opening. 
By  some  mischance  he  failed  in  his  intent,  so  that 
instead  of  pushing  the  bowlder  in  he  lost  his  balance 
and  himself  went  headlong  from  the  boat  into  and 
through  the  aperture.  He  shot  into  the  lower  depths 
with  considerable  velocity,  but  managed  to  scramble 
up  and  out  of  his  involuntary  bath  without  feeling 
seriously  damaged.  Indeed,  he  was  more  surprised 
than  hurt,  and  as  he  recovered  his  mental  balance  he 
exclaimed,  with  a  good  deal  of  emphasis,  "  By  Jovi', 
the  man  that  beats  that  performance  will  have  to  go 
through  the  other  way !"  He  said,  moreover,  that  it 
was  about  the  closest  shave  lie  had  ever  sustained,  for 
his  body  just  about  fitted  the  opening,  and  while  he 
was  going  through  even  he  feared  he  might  stick 
fast  and  be  drowned.  Mr.  Heaton  was  widely 
known  and  highly  respected,  and  in  business  as  well 
as  politics  bore  a  conspicuous  place.  Singular  to  re- 
late, four  of  his  children  were  born  mutes,  and  thus 
remained  all  their  lives. 

Nathaniel  Breading,  living  in  Cecil  County,  Md., 
found  himself  at  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war 
in  possession  of  considerable  Continental  money,  and 
not  knowing  what  better  to  do  with  it,  carried  it  away 
on  horseback  over  the  mountains  to  Southwestern 
Pennsylvania,  and  laid  it  out  in  about  seven  hundred 
acres  of  land  lying  upon  Dunlap's  Creek,  in  Luzerne 
townshiii,  aljout  one  mile  above  Merrittstown.  Having 
bought  lii>  lauil.  Mr.  Breading  proceeded  at  his  leis- 
ure to  luiiii;  hi^  1-uuily  out,  and  got  comfortably  located 
some  time  during  17S4.  Later  he  built  a  grist-mill 
and  saw-mill  down  the  creek,  and  hired  Samuel  Bunt- 
ing as  his  miller.  Mr.  Breading  always  appeared  in 
knee-breeches  and  silver  buckles,  and  wore  his  hair 
in  a  cue.  He  rose  to  the  distinction  of  member  of 
the  Supreme  Executive  Council  from  1790  to  the  close 
of  the  Council,  and  of  associate  judge  of  the  County 
Court,  serving  from  1790  until  his  death  in  1821.  He 
bore  otherwise  a  prominent  part  in  local  affairs.  The 
stone  house  which  he  built  in  1794,  and  in  which  he 
died  in  1822,  is  still  a  solid  structure,  and  serves  as 
the  occasional  residence  of  his  grandson,  George  E. 
j  Hogg,  of  Brownsville,  who  owns  the  old  Breading 
farm.  A  portion  of  the  land  purchases  of  Nathaniel 
Breading,  as  above  noticed,  appears  to  have  been  ac- 
quired by  him  from  David  Breading,  his  brother,  of 
i  Lancaster,  as  per  recorded  deed  bearing  date  May  8, 
1783,  the  consideration  being  £500.  The  land  is  men- 
tioned as  being  "a  certain  tract  lying  and  being  on 
Dunlap's  Creek,  in  the  township  of   Menallen,  in 


642 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


AV'estmoreland  County,  containing  three  hundred 
and  eighteen  acres,  adjoining  lands  late  of  Robert 
Evans,  Charles  Porter,  John  Ewing,  and  other  lands, 
it  being  the  tract  whereon  John  McKiljbeu,  of  the 
County  of  'Westmoreland  and  Commonwealth  afore- 
said, settled  on  the  24th  of  April,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  1766,  and  which  was  surveyed  and  located  to  the 
aforesaid  John  McKibben  by  Alexander  McLean,  but 
without  warrants."  McKibben  sold  to  David  Bread- 
ing, and  he  to  Nathaniel  Breading,  as  stated.  A  tract 
adjoining  this,  and  containing  two  hundred  and  twelve 
acres,  was  surveyed  under  two  warrants,  dated  respec- 
tively Nov.  6,  1771,  and  June  4,  1772.  Rev.  John 
McMillan,  a  pioneer  preacher  in  the  West,  recorded 
in  his  journal  under  date  of  "second  Sabbath  in  Au- 
gust, 1775,"  "  Preached  at  the  house  of  Jolin  McKib- 
ben, and  lodged  there  all  night."  David  Breading, 
who  with  his  brotlier  Natlianiel  served  through  the 
Revolutionary  war,  bouglit  land  in  Fayette  County 
while  still  living  in  Lancaster,  and  in  1786  followed 
Nathaniel  to  the  new  countr}'  as  a  settler.  He  lived  on 
the  fiirm  now  owned  by  Robert  Hogsett,  who  lives  in 
the  stone  house  erected  there  by  David  Breading  in 
1800.  Both  David  and  Nathaniel  Breading  died  in 
Luzerne.  None  of  Nathaniel's  children  are  now 
living.  David's  son,  Clark,  the  only  remaining 
member  of  the  family  bearing  the  name  of  Breading, 
resides  in  LTniontown. 

Tlie  hamlet  of  HeistersVuirg,  so  named  from  Gov- 
ernor Heister,  was  in  ].s2"i  the  location  of  a  roadside 
inn  that  Yates  S.  Conwell  opened  to  accommodate  the 
travel  that  passed  between  the  livcr  and  the  moun- 
tains over  the  State  road.  A  -'•■\-r  wa-  'i|Mn.'il  tliere 
in  1830  by  Robert  Brown,  who  ki  |.t  .'iKo  the  ('unwell 
tavern.  This  latt.T  liou-.-  lias  Iktu  a  ii.iii~r  (,f  enter- 
tainment since  l^■^~'.  aii^l  f.ir  a  Inn-  tiiiir  was  known 
as  "The  Exchaii-r."  Tli,.  Ia<t  landlnni  was  Samuel 
Kelly,  who  died  in  the  winter  uf  issiusl.  1„  Is-. 
Samuel  Kol.erts  built  a  l.ri.k  house  at  1  Iei-,ter.liur_'. 
and  in  a  little  while  aiterwards  William  Rice  hought 
it,  and  kept  store  in  one  portion  of  it.  In  1S37,  Zebu- 
lou  Ridge  rented  it  of  Rice  and  converted  it  into  a 
tavern  stand.  For  some  years  Heistershurg  boasted 
two  taverns,  each  of  which  wa~  taritly  nmlcrstood  to 
bearallying-priiiit  for  nioiubcrs  ofcach  political  party, 
and  report  has  it  that  Heistersburg  was  on  more  than 
one  occasion  a  very  animated  locality.  The  best 
known  of  the  respective  landlords  during  the  exciting 
political  ci:i^  woir  Zebulon  Ridge  and  John  S.  Con- 
well.  J  hoiiias  Acl;lin  is  remembered  as  among  the 
early  storc-kcc|icrs  at  Heistersburg,  but  he  failed  to 
make  much  of  a  mark  as  a  merchant.  The  present 
brick  store,  kept  l>y  John  Ridge,  was  built  by  John 
S.  Conwell,  and  kept  by  him  for  some  time.  The 
first  postmaster  at  Heistersburg  was  John  S.  Conwell. 
The  ofiice  wag  discontinued  after  he  resigned,  and 
remained  so  for  some  time.  Upon  its  revival  Neil 
Hosteller  was   ajipointed.     Succeeding  him  the  in- 


cumbents have  been  Taylor  Lynch  and  David  Con- 
well, the  latter  being  the  present  postmaster. 

From  1785  to  1800  licenses  to  tavern-keepers  in 
Luzerne  were  issued  as  follows :  William  Homan, 
March,  1785;  Abrain  Forker,  March,  1792;  Job 
Briggs,  December,  1792  ;  Samuel  Large,  June,  1796 ; 
Eber  Homan,  September,  1796  ;  James  McCoy,  Sep- 
tember, 1797  ;  John  Black,  September,  1797 ;  Elijah 
Crawford,  March,  1799 ;  Isaac  Kimber,  September, 
1799 ;  Adam  Blair,  June,  1800. 

In  the  records  of  the  September  sessions  in  1784 
appears  the  following  entry:  "William  Homan,  of 
Luzerne,  having  been  reported  to  the  court  by  the 
constable  of  that  township  for  keeping  a  tippling- 
house,  and  Thomas  Scott,  Esq.,  having  declared  upon 
his  oath  to  the  court  that  in  his  opinion  all  the  prop- 
erty of  said  William  Homan  would  be  insufficient  to 
pay  the  fine  and  costs  on  an  indictment,  and  that  he 
must  become  a  charge  on  the  township,  the  Court 
duly  considering  these  circumstances  do  recommend 
to  the  attorney  for  the  State  not  to  prefer  a  bill  of  in- 
dictinent  against  him." 

EARLY  RO.\DS. 
One  of  the  early  roads  laid  out  through  Luzerne 
was  the  one  extending  from  James  Crawford's  ferry 
to  Uniontown.  Upon  a  petition  for  the  road,  pre- 
sented at  the  June  sessions  of  court,  1784,  Roger 
Roberts,  Josiah  Crawford,  Aaron  Hackney,  Wil- 
liam Royl,  David  Jennings,  and  Nathaniel  McCarty 
were  appointed  viewers.  A  report  of  the  road  was 
made  at  the  September  sessions  of  the  same  year. 
The  course  of  the  road  lay  through  Luzerne,  Red- 
stone, and  Menallen  townships,  by  way  of  "Mr. 
Lawrence's,"  "  Mr.  Fenting's,"  and  "  Big  Meadow- 
Branch,"  and  so  to  Uniontown.  At  the  same  ses- 
sions the  court  confirmed  the  report  and  ordered  it 
ojjened,  cut,  cleared,  and  bridged,  thirty-three  feet 
wiile.  A  petition  for  a  road  from  Oliver  Crawford's 
Icrry  to  Uniontown  was  presented  at  the  June  ses- 
sions in  1784.  Samuel  Adams,  William  Ross,  Wil- 
liam Gray,  James  Hammond,  Andrew  Fraser,  and 
William  Haney  were  appointed  viewers.  The  road 
is  spoken  of  as  "  the  nearest  and  best  way  from  Oli- 
ver Crawford's  ferry  to  Uniontown,"  and  passed  by 
Thomas  Davidson's  house,  Absalom  Littel's,  Charles 
Porter's,  intersecting  the  road  leading  from  James 
Crawford's  ferry  to  Uniontown,  and  thence  by  the 
course  of  said  road  to  Uniontown.  A  road  twenty-five 
feet  wide  from  Josiah  Crawford's  ferry  to  Uniontown 
was  reported  at  the  December  sessions  of  1784  by  the 
viewers,  Messrs.  Armstrong  Porter,  Henry  Swindler, 
Amos  Hough,  Samuel  Douglas,  Josiah  Crawford,  and 
Thomas  Gregg,  and  accordingly  confirmed.  The 
route  was  from  the  ferry  by  way  of  Daniel  Gud- 
gel's,  Samuel  Douglas'  mill  (at  Merrittstown),  Amos 
Hough's  mill,  and  intersecting  the  road  from  James 
Crawford's  ferry  to  Uniontown,  the  course  of  which 
road  thereafter  being  followed. 


LUZEllNE  TOWNSHIP. 


643 


A  report  of  two  roads  from  Redstone  Old  Fort  was 
made  to  the  court  at  December  sessions  of  1788.  One 
of  the  roads  reached  from  the  ferry  of  Thomas  Mc- 
Gibbin,  just  below  the  Redstone  Old  Fort,  on  the 
Monongahela  River,  to  Septimus  Cadwallader's  grist- 
and  saw-mill,  and  from  thence  to  intersect  the  road 
from  the  Friends'  meeting-house  to  the  ferry  afore- 
said, near  the  mouth  of  Joseph  Grayble's  lane.  The 
second  road  was  the  road  from  the  Friend.s'  meeting- 
house to  the  ferry  aforesaid.  The  viewers  were  Sam- 
uel Jackson,  Josiah  Crawford,  James  Crawford,  Lewis 
Deem,  Samuel  McGiuley,  and  Robert  Baird.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1794,  Jehu  Conwell,  Charles  Porter,  Jr.,  Rob- 
ert Baird,  Michael  Cox,  Thomas  Gregg,  and  William 
Oliphant  laid  a  road  thirty-three  feet  wide  from  Kin- 
sey  Virgin's  ferry  towards  Brownsville,  a  distance  of 
six  miles  and  seventy-eight  perches,  intersecting  a 
road  leading  to  Brownsville.  June,  1795,  a  road  was 
laid  from  near  Robert  Adams'  to  James  Crawford's 
road.  The  viewers  were  Jeremiah  I'ears,  Robert 
Adams,  Samuel  Adams,  Thomas  Gregg,  Hugh  Laugh- 
lin,  and  Charles  Porter,  Jr. 

TOWNSHIP  ORGANIZATION  AND  LIST  OF  OFFICERS. 

At  the  December  session  of  the  Court  of  Quarter 
Sessions  for  1783  the  county  was  divided  into  town- 
ships, of  which  oue  was  Luzerne.  The  limits  were 
described  as  follows : 

"A  township  beginning  nt  the  mouth  of  Dunlap'a  Creek, 
thence  up  the  Monongahela  River  to  Oliver  Crawford's  Ferry, 
thence  along  the  road  leading  from  Oliver  Crawford's  Ferry  to 
Uniuntown  to  McKibbin's  Run,  thence  down  the  said  run  to 
Dtinlap's  Creek,  thence  down  Dunhip's  Creek  to  the  beginning, 
to  be  hereafter  known  by  the  name  of  Luzerne  township." 

At  the  December  sessions  of  1820  a  petition  of  a 
number  of  persons  living  near  the  dividing  line  be- 
tween the  townships  of  German  and  Luzerne  was 
presented,  setting  forth, — 

"That  the  said  line  being  declared  to  be  the  old  Muddy 
Creek  path,  which  is  now  obliterated,  its  precise  location  being 
known  to  few  or  none,  whereby  inconveniences   may  occur; 

Brownsville,  it  would  be  more  convenient  for  lliem  to  be  in- 
cluded in  Luzerne  township;  they  therefore  pray  the  court  to 
appoint  three  impartial  men  to  enquire  into  the  expediency  of 
so  altering  said  line  as  to  make  the  same  more  cei  tain  and  more 
convenient  to  your  petitioners  by  beginning  at  Seceders'  meet- 
ing-house, and  running  thence  by  a  straight  line  to  the  head- 
waters of  Patterson  Run,  and  down  said  run  to  the  Mononga- 
hela, or  by  such  other  course  as  they  may  think  proper  whereby 
the  greater  part  of  said  line  will  be  a  natural  boundary  not 
liable  to  mistake  or  dispute.  Viewers  a|>poiuted,  George  Craft, 
Charles  Porter,  and  Robert  Boyd.  Order  issued;  returned 
March  6,  1821;  confirmed  June  7,  1821." 

A  petition  was  presented  to  the  court  at  this  sessions 
of  June,  1845,  for  the  alteration  of  the  line  between 
German  and  Luzerne  township.  An  order  was  issued 
and  commissioners  were  appointed.  A  report  was 
made  and  approved  Sept.  4, 1845,  and  confirmed  Dec. 
12,  1845.    The  change  of  boundary  is  indicated  in  the 


report  of  the  comraissioncr.s,  as  follows,  viz. :  "  Com- 
mencing at  the  corner  between  German,  Luzerne,  and 
Redstone  townships,  thence  up  Lilly's  Run  to  Bixlcr's 
line,  thence  with  said  line  until  it  intersects  the 
present  township  line." 

A  list  of  the  principal  township  ollicers  chosen  in 
Luzerne  between  1784  and  1881,  as  gleaned  IVoin  the 
imperfectly  preserved  records,  is  here  given,  vi/. : 

JUSTICES   OF   THE    PEACE. 


1840 

P.  F.  Gibbons. 

1806 

Joseph  G.  Garwood 

James  Cunningham. 

Isaac  Covert. 

18.15 

James  Cunningham. 

ISG9. 

Isaac  Messinore. 

Lewis  Mobley. 

IS71 

W.  S.  Baker. 

1850. 

Jesse  B.  Ramsey. 

1872 

William  J.  Stewart. 

William  R.  Milligan. 

IS-.'i 

John  Conwell. 

1865. 

William  Dunaway. 

1S74 

Lewis  Mobley. 

James  Cunningham. 

1870 

William  S.  Baker. 

1860 

Isaac  Jlcssmore. 

1877 

Isaac  Covert. 

Moses  B.  Porter. 

Levi  Antrim. 

1861. 

Isaac  Covert. 

1878. 

James  C.  Acklin. 

Joshua  .Meredith. 

Jehu  Conwell. 

I8C5. 

Isaac  Mesfmore. 

ASSESSOIiS. 

1841 

Samuel  John. 

18ii2. 

John  Vernon. 

1842 

John  Bradman. 

Alexander  Gibson. 

1843. 

James  D.  Williams. 

1863. 

William  G.  AVoud. 

1S44. 

George  D.  Moore. 

IS04. 

Richard  Covert. 

1845. 

Lewis  Kuight. 

William  Dunaway. 

1846. 

Mark  R.  Moore. 

1805. 

Joseph  Scott. 

1847. 

James  F.  Baird. 

isr.6. 

Joseph  Hackney. 

IS4S. 

John  Bradman. 

1867. 

Albert  McMullin. 

isiy. 

J..hn  (J.  Ilaekney. 

1868. 

George  A.  Miller. 

1S5II. 

Saiiuicl  S.  Crawford. 

1869. 

John  A.  Messmoro. 

JMm  Aruistrong. 
William  P.  Crawfo 
John  U.  Hackney. 
John  A.  Nealon. 
George  G.  Johnson 
William  Heller. 
John  Conwell. 


James  Ewing. 
P.  F.  Gibbous. 
William  Dunaway. 
William  C.  .lohnston. 
William  R.  Milligan. 
James  Cunningham. 
Joseph  Crawford. 
William  Miller. 
James  Cunningham. 
Alexander  Gibson. 
James  Ewing. 
Cephas  Porter. 
James  Cunningham. 
George  A.  Nealon. 
Hamilton  H.  Cree. 
Johnston  McGinnis. 
James  Ewing. 


1871.  Joseph  T.  Hackney. 

1872.  Reason  Walters. 

1873.  George  W.  Crawford. 

1874.  John  Hackney. 

1875.  George  C.  Porter. 

1876.  James  Robinson. 

1877.  James  Dunaway. 
1378.  William  Porter. 
1879.  John  W.  Dearth. 
ISSO.  Oliver  Miller. 


1S58.  Samuel  Roberts. 
Mark  11.  Moore. 

1 859.  William  Cattcll. 
1800.  .lohn  D.  Scott. 

186 1.  Jesse  Coldren. 

1862.  G.  M.Nelan. 
Jesse  P.  Crawford. 

1803.  James  Cunningham. 

1864.  John  D.  Cree. 

1865.  John  Nelan. 

1860.  Joseph  Crawford. 

1867.  OtisG.  Harn. 

1868.  James  Ewing. 
William  P.  Craft. 

1R09.  John  0.  Stewart. 
1870.  Lewis  Knight. 
1S71.  David  Porter. 


HISTORY   OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1872.  John  N.  Jacobs. 

1573.  AVilliam  Dun.away. 

1574.  George  W.  Acklin. 
1875.  James  Eiying. 
1S70.   William  Moore. 


John  L.  Xelan. 
David  Porter. 
William  J.  Stewart. 
Jetlerson  liibbs. 
Jehu  Conwell. 


SCHOOLS. 

The  oldest  scliool  record  extant  in  Luzerne  is  an 

ancient  document   now  in   tlie   hands   of  John   M. 

Moore,  dated   1802,  and    inscribed    "  School-House 

Subscription."     The  document  reads  as  follows : 


shell. 


the  unJersigners,  do  promise  to  pa3'  such  sums  as 
aid  on  us  by  James  Thompson,  John  Work  and  David 
.  to  William  Moore  and  Ebenezer  Finley,  trustees  for 
)se  of  building  a  school  house  near  Thomas  Barnes,  at 
ection  of  the  Morgantown  and  James  Thompson  road, 
if  20  ft.  by  IS  do.  Such  suras  we  jiromise  to  pay  in 
following:  The  one  half  payable  in  wheat  at  9  p.  rye 

2-(i  p.  Du.  in  .James  Thompson  or  Ebenezer  Finley's 
on  demand,  as  witness  our  hands  and  seal  this  1st  day 
S02.     Further,  we  agree  that  the  above  witni-ss  shall 

a  seven-plate  stove  and  set  it  up  iu  the  house  when 


John  Moore So.-iO      .^bram  Ilanov S4.5n 

Ebenezer  Finlcv I  t.;.ii      ^^■illi mi  Hiiorv C.IKI 

Thns.  Frainr '.'.ml      S,,iini,i|    Ih.iii-v 2. nil 

AVilliaui  -Moi.ie -.oil      \\m.  I;i..un..; :-;  oO 

Roljt.  l;:ii"l II. .Ml      Jar. I.  .-Mn-- 2.110 

John   Xii-bolfnn l.OII     Koht.  Th<.inp^on :i.5l.) 

Christ,  liuuhanan 5.50  I  Jacob  Brown 2.(i0 

James   Fniiiic 6.50  :  .\aron  .Moore- :i.oO 

John  Frame 5.50  I  James  Hany 2.00 

"  We  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  foregoing  assessmeut  is 
ei^uitablc  according  to  the  above  article. 

[Signed]  "J.iMES  Thompson, 

"  JoH.v  AVonK, 
"David  Bre.idixg." 

The  school-house  they  built  still  stands,  and  is 
known  as  the  old  cross-roads  or  Morgantown  road 
school-house.  It  was  constructed  of  round  logs, 
chinked  and  daubed,  and  covered  with  slat-boards 
and  shingles;  chimney  made  of  split  sticks.  Slabs 
with  two  sticks  under  each  end  served  for  seats. 
Rough  boards  fastened  against  the  walls  were  writing- 
desks.  Two  square  holes  about  two  by  two  and  a 
half  feet,  one  on  each  side  of  the  house,  were  win- 
dows. There  was  one  door,  which  was  all  that  was 
necessary.  The  building  has  been  inhabited  for  a 
number  of  years  by  Aaron  Moore  and  John  AVhite, 
who  vacated  it  on  April  4,  1881. 

Merrittstown  was  a  little  more  fortunate  than  the 
surniunding  country  in  the  matter  of  educational  ad- 
vantage-;, I'nr  it  had  a  school  that  was  enough  better 
thantheonlinarvschncdofthetiinetowinthehonorof 
being  designat.M  a<  "the  cmIIc-oc."  Th.' school-house, 
which  stood  ii^.-ir  tlir  nM  I'.apti-t  gniv.'yard,  was  not 

any  different  fr thi'  Ing  caliin  scliuiil-hnuses  of  the 

period,  but  old  Anthony  Burns,  the  teacher,  must 
have  been  considered  a  superior  sort  of  pedagogue, 
since  in  that  respect  only  was  the  superiority  of  the 
]\Ierrittstown  school  discernible.    Schoolmaster  Burns 


must  have  been  a  teacher  in  great  favor,  for  he  taught 
in  Merrittstown  and  vicinity  about  fifty  years,  and 
gave  up  the  business  of  teaching  only  when,  at  eighty 
years  of  age,  he  found  himself  too  infirm  to  continue 
it.  Andrew  Stewart  (afterwards  known  to  fame  as 
"Tariff'  Andy")  took  his  first  lessons  in  that  school- 
house  under  a  teacher  named  Carr,  who  ruled  there 
before  1805,  or  before  the  advent  of  Burns,  and  who 
boasted  in  liis  school  a  Latin  class,  of  which  three 
members  were  Andrew  Stewart,  John  Cunningham, 
and  William  Cunningham.  Andrew  Stewart's  father 
was  a  blacksmith  at  Merrittstown  for  a  while,  and 
thus  Andrew  was  a  pupil  in  Daddy  Carr's  school. 
Later  the  Eev.  William  Johnston,  pastor  of  the 
Dunlap's  Creek  Presbyterian  Church,  opened  a 
Latin  school  at  Merrittstown,  and  conducted  it  suc- 
cessfully for  some  years.  Mention  may  likewise  be 
made  that  William  Darby,  afterwards  editor  of  The 
Gazetteer,  was  among  the  earliest  teachers  in  the  old 
Merrittstown  log  school-house,  which,  standing  until 
1836,  was  then  accidentally  burned.  In  180G  the 
school-house  in  the  present  Crawford  district  stood 
about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  distant  from  the  site 
of  the  house  now  in  use.  The  teacher  in  thaf  year' 
was  Joseph  Wanee,  son  of  John  Wanee,  then  living 
where  John  Wanee  now  lives.  School  children  were 
not  over  plentiful  there  even  in  1806,  and  by  dint 
even  of  strongest  effort  the  number  available  fell 
short  of  the  requirement ;  whereupon  Joseph  Craw- 
ford, exceedingly  anxious  for  a  school,  agreed  to  pay 
for  the  tuition  of  ten  children,  although  he  could 
send  only  three,  and  so  the  school  was  started.  In 
1813  the  house  in  the  Charleston  district  stood  near 
the  present  house.-  Murdock,  the  then  teacher,  was 
succeeded  by  Mr.  McCleary,  Anthony  Burns,  and 
others. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  school  districts  of 
Luzerne  as  formed  in  183-5  under  the  operation  of  the 
school  law  of  the  previous  year,  and  of  the  districts 
of  the  township  at  the  present  time  (1881),  viz. : 


In  1835.  In  1881. 

Merrittstown Jlerrittstown  (No.  1). 

Heistersbur- IKi.-terslun  g  (N'o.  2). 

Middle    Hi-llirt    .,;lK,h;oa    tn, II,     IM-'       X,,      "1. 

West  Ili-ivl W,  -1  l:,  M.|    \.,.  4). 

CrawlMi-r-  '       "I  ■  -i-     N  ..  5l. 

Cross-l;n:,.i-  ;,.l,:ni-.dt..   I  lii::.--,.,n     No.  0). 

Scrabbletown  (changed  to) Lu/.erne  Village  (No.  7). 

Davidson's  (changed  to) Sassafias  ^Xo.  8). 

Oak  Hill Oak  Hill  (No.  9). 

Colored  School  (No.  10). 


The  amount  expended  in  the  year  1835  for  school 
purposes  was  S611.36.  Teachers'  wages  then  were 
from  eleven  to  twenty-five  dollars  per  month.  The 
directors  in  1838  were  Joseph  Crawford,  Jr.,  John 
Moore,  David  Porter,  Jr.,  Clark  Breading,  P.  F.  Gib- 
bons, and  David  Craft.  Joseph  Crawford,  Jr.,  was 
president,  and  David  Craft  secretary.  The  list  of 
school  directors  of  Luzerne  elected  since  the  year 
1840  is  as  follows : 


LUZERNE  TOWNSHIP. 


645 


1S41 

Ephrnim  R.  Crawford. 

1863 

Isaac  Woodward. 

.Tohnston  McGinnis. 

Lewis  Knight. 

1842 

William  Dunnmon. 

1864 

John  Armstrong. 

Lebbeus  Clark. 

Jesse  B.  Glenwood. 

1S43 

Livrkin  S.  Dearth. 

1S65 

Samuel  MeGinnis. 

William  R.  Milligan. 

George  Vance. 

1S44 

Benjamin  Vernon. 

1866 

Samuel  S.  Meredith 

John  R.  .Tenhison. 

James  Cunningham 

1SJ5 

Wm.  G.  Crawford. 

Robert  Doully. 

David  H.  Wakefield. 

Jacob  S.  Jamison. 

1.S4G 

James  Ewing.         . 

186- 

Robert  Harn. 

Johnston  MeGinnis. 

Henry  Crawford. 

1S47 

John  R.  Jamison. 

1868 

AVilliam  Hatford. 

Cephas  Porter. 

John  J.  Cree. 

1S48 

Jesse  B.  Ramsey. 

William  Keller. 

Lewis  Mobley. 

1869 

I.  C.  Woo.lward. 

1S49 

David  Craft. 

J.  N.  Craft. 

James  P.  Baird. 

Andrew  Porter. 

1850 

AVm.  Y.  Roberts. 

Wm.  J.  Stewart. 

AVilliam  Cattle. 

1870 

I.  C.  Woodward. 

1851 

J.  R.  Jamison. 

R.  C.  Vernon. 

Jesse  Ileacock. 

Joseph  Crawford. 

1852 

James  D.  Williams. 

1871 

E.  T.  Gallaher. 

David  Porter. 

Aaron  Hackney. 

1853 

William  II.  Crawford. 

J.  L.  Nelan. 

Hamilton  Cree. 

1872 

John  Conwell. 

1854 

James  Ewing. 

John  S.  Pratt. 

Samuel  MeGinnis. 

1873 

Hiram  Calvert. 

1855 

William  HufTord. 

C.  D.  Krepps. 

John  Conwell. 

Caleb  B.  Doully. 

1856 

Robert  Williams. 

1874 

John  0.  Stewart. 

G.'orge  A.  Nelan. 

John  McEldowney. 

1857 

Clark  Breading. 

Thomas  L.  Wood. 

John  R.  Jamison. 

1875 

Levi  Antram. 

David  Porter. 

E.  T.  Gallaher. 

185S 

William  Cattell. 

1876 

William  S.  Cruft. 

Isaac  Covert. 

Caleb  Duvall. 

1859 

Ebenezer  T.  Gallnher. 

Adin  Horn. 

William  Dunaway. 

1877 

Adin  Horn. 

ISCO 

James  Ewing. 

Charles  Swan. 

Elisha  P.  Gibbons. 

David  Porter. 

18fi! 

William  Xlurford. 

1878 

L.  C.  McDougal. 

S.amuel  MeGinnis. 

Oliver  Miller. 

AVilliam  Cattell. 

1879 

John  L.  Nolan. 

Isaac  Messmore. 

William  S.  Cruft. 

1862 

Jacob  N.  Ridge. 

1880 

JohnW.  Dearth. 

Joshua  Meredith. 

Charles  Swan. 

The  school  board  of  1881  was  composed  of  Oliver 
Miller,  Charles  Swan,  John  W.  Dearth,  John  L.  Ne- 
lan, L.  C.  McDougal,  and  William  S.  Craft. 

CHURCHES. 
Although  Luzerne  contains  now  but  three  liouses 
of  worship, — a  Cumberland  Presbyterian,  a  Methodist 
Episcopal,  and  an  African  Church  (the  latter  at  Lu- 
zerne Village), — no  less  th!»u  four  other  churches  have 
been  known  to  the  township's  history,  although  of 
those  four  nothing  now  remains  save  the  recollec- 
tion that  they  once  flourished.  Each  church  had 
a  history  that  began  almost  as  soon  as  the  history  of 
the  township  itself,  and  each  has  for  so  many  years 
been  a  thing  of  the  past  that  but  little  save  a  refer- 
ence to  their  existence  can  be  here  presented,  since 


the  church  records  have  disappeared,  no  one  knows 
where.  One  of  the  oldest  of  the  four  was  the  Baptist 
Church  at  Merrittstown.  It  must  have  been  organ- 
ized as  early  as  1800,  for  the  present  recollection  is 
that  when  the  church  building  was  destroyed  by  fire 
in  1836  it  was  old  and  dilapidated.  The  church 
stood  near  the  school-house,  and  was  burned  with  the 
latter  structure.  Among  the  leading  members  of  this 
Baptist  organization  were  Abram  Vernon,  Josiah 
Richards,  David  Wilson,  the  Crafts,  Harfords,  Hibbs, 
and  others.  The  congregation  was  a  large  one  for 
many  years,  but  towards  the  last  it  became  weakened, 
and  was  virtually  dissolved  even  before  the  church 
was  burned,  so  that  there  was  not  strength  to  create 
a  revival  of  the  organization  or  the  building  of  a  new 
house  of  worship,  and  so  the  record  was  closed.  The 
last  pastor  the  church  had  was  the  Rev.  William 
Brownfield,  whose  home  was  near  Uniontown.  He 
was  a  very  eccentric  preacher,  and  seems  to  take 
great  comfort  in  doing  and  saying  things  widely  out 
of  the  common  way.  Mr.  James  Cunningham  re- 
members going  one  Sunday  with  James  Walker  to 
hear  Brownfield  preach,  and  that  the  parson  paused 
suddenly  in  the  midst  of  his  sermon  to  point  his  fin- 
ger sharply  and  apparently  at  Cunningham  and  his 
companion,  to  exclaim,  in  a  loud  voice,  "  Did  you  ever 
see  me  fly  ?"  Then,  keeping  his  eyes  intently  fixed 
upon  the  two  young  men,  who  blushed  and  looked 
much  confused,  he  said,  quite  as  loudly  but  more  de- 
liberately, "  No,  you  haven't,  and  what's  more  you 
never  will."  Having  thus  relieved  his  mind  of  a 
seeming  burden,  he  went  on  with  his  sermon.  He 
was  once  engaged  in  reading  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence at  a  Fourth  of  July  celebration,  when,  com- 
ing to  that  part  of  it  where  recital  is  made  of  the 
English  king's  oppressive  acts,  he  grew  quite  excited, 
and  with  flashing  eyes  commented  upon  the  passage 
with  the  single  exclamation,  "  The  villain  !"  delivered 
in  such  emphatic  and  fiery  manner  that  none  who 
saw  or  heard  him  could  doubt  for  a  moment  that  if 
Parson  Brownfield  could  get  at  King  George  at  that 
instant  he  would  make  short  work  of  him. 

nilPEWELL   METlIOniST   EPISCOPAL   CllUROII 

was  formed  not  long  after  the  year  1800,  and  near 
what  is  uow  known  as  Heistersburg,  where  its  house 
of  worship  stood  until  about  183.5.  Singing-schools 
are  said  to  have  flourished  there  with  considerable 
vigor,  but  the  church  organization  did  not  maintain 
a  very  long  lease  of  life.  It  may  be  well  to  say,  how- 
ever, that  the  dissolution  of  the  church  organization 
was  chargeable  as  much  as  to  anything  to  the  fact 
that  the  location  of  the  church  edifice  was  not  a  con- 
venient one.  This  statement  would  appear  to  be 
borne  out  in  the  declaration  that  when  West  Bend 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  formed,  about  183-i, 
many  of  Hopewell's  old  members  participated  in  or- 
ganizing the  new  church. 

In  the  southern   i>ortion   of  the  township  a  Seced- 


646 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ers',  or  United  Presbyterian  Cliurch  was  formed  so 
long  ago  tliat  no  one  now  living  remembers  anything 
as  to  the  details,  and  it  is  believed  that  none  of  the 
constituent  members  are  living.  For  more  than  fifty 
years  the  church  history  has  been  but  a  memory.  A 
strong  effort  was  made  some  years  ago  to  revive  the 
organization,  but  the  effort  resulted  in  failure. 

There  was  a  Quaker  Church  in  the  Charleston  dis- 
trict even  before  1800.  It  was  a  log  structure,  and 
stood  near  where  the  old  graveyard  in  that  district 
may  yet  be  seen.  It  was  burned  about  1820,  and  re- 
placed by  a  stone  church,  whose  location  was  fixed 
in  Bridgeport  borough.  The  land  for  the  church  lot 
in  the  borough  was  deeded  by  Jonah  Cadwallader 
"to  the  Society  of  Friends  and  citizens  of  Browns- 
viIIl-  and  Bridgeport,  for  the  purpose  of  building 
upi.n  it  a  house  of  worship."  The  church  is  no  more, 
and  Quaker  meetings  in  Luzerne  a  thing  of  the  past. 

IIOPKWELL    CUMBERLAND   TRESBYTERIAN   CIIUKCII. 

In  the  autumn  of  1S31,  Revs.  Alfred  M.  Bryan  and 
Milton  Bird,  acting  as  missionaries  under  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church, 
were  called  to  vi^it  the  neighborhood  of  Hopewell, 
and  as  their  iiiini-iialinn^  wure  met  with  an  interested 
awakening  of  rtli-imi^  Irivi.r,  it  was  thought  expe- 
dient to  form  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Society  at 
Hopewell.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Society  of 
Hopewell  tendered  the  use  of  their  house,  and  May 
14,  1832,  the  Cumberland  Society  was  formed  with  a 
membership  of  eighteen,  to  whom  the  Lord's  Supper 
was  administered  for  the  first  time  June  17,  1832,  by 
Eev.  A.  M.  Bryan,  assisted  by  Rev.  Samuel  M.  Aston. 
Tlienceforward  priiirhing:  was  supplied  by  Revs. 
Bryan,  Sparks,  and  Aston.  Liberal  accessions  were 
made  to  the  congregation,  and  on  Sept.  19,  1832,  the 
fornuil  organization  of  a  church  was  effected.  Sixty 
members  were  enrolled,  and  there  were,  in  addition 
to  these  in  the  congregation,  twenty-five  seekers  after 
religion.  The  constituent  members  were  Samuel 
Roberts,  Josephus  Bindsley,  James  Gibson,  John 
Davidson,  William  Downey,  Robert  Baird,  Enoch 
Baird,  William  Chambers,  Eleanor  Mehaffie,  Sarah 
DaviJson,  IJaclu'l  I!itenli.,ur,  Isal.ella  Millij;an,  Mary 
Gibson,  Knth  W.  Gibbons.  ( »r,,l,u  Mcl),.u-al,  Moses 
Baird,  Kacluiel  llainl,  Mary  I'orter,  Rachel  Downey, 
Mary  Longley,  Eliza  Abrams,  Mary  B.  Henderson, 
Eleanor  Gibbous,  Naomi  Hurford,  Sarah  Moss,  Ann 
Moss,  Ann  Hurford,  Jane  Louden,  Eliza  J.  Paul, 
Lydia  G.  Gibson,  Mary  Jamison,  Anu  V.  Gibbons, 
Eleanor  L-\vin,  LIrsula  Arnold,  Alexander  Wilson, 
Deborah  Wilson,  Andrew  P.irter,  Jr.,  Henry  Alex- 
ander, AVilliam  Kelly,  .Maria  Porter,  Mary  Hurford, 
Eliza  Rogers,  Edward  Rose,  Hugh  Kerns,  Melinda 
J.  Porter,  Esther  Pennrll,  A.-lisali  A.  Roberts,  Mary 
Lawrence,  Reb,r,u  Krinedy,  Hester  J.  Roberts, 
William  G.  Rol.ert-.  Carol, ne  Koherts,  Tirza  Rob- 
erts, Isaac  Covert,  Nancy  I'orter,  ilossill  Jamison, 
George  W.  Baumgartner,  Elislia  Pierce,  and  Mary 


Pierce.  Samuel  Roberts,  Josephus  Lindsley,  and 
James  Gibson,  Jr.,  were  chosen  and  ordained  ruling 
elders.  Lindsley  being  selected  to  represent  the 
church  in  Presbytery,  reported  that  Revs.  A.  M. 
Bryan  and  S.  M.  Sparks  had  been  assigned  to  preach 
at  Hopewell  during  the  ensuing  six  mouths.  Nov. 
3,  1839,  John  Davidson,  Samuel  Jennison,  and  Moses 
Barnes  were  chosen  trustees. 

In  the  spring  of  1835,  Rev.  Mr.  Wood  was  ordered 
to  the  charge  as  stated  pastor,  and  remained  until  the 
spring  of  1838.  In  April  of  that  year  Rev.  A.  M. 
Blackford  succeeded  to  the  pastorate.  In  April,  1840, 
came  Eev.  John  Gary,  and  remaining  one  year  was 
followed  in  April,  1841,  by  Eev.  Samuel  E.  Hudson, 
whose  term  of  service  endured  to  1846.  In  the  fall 
of  1846,  Fairview  and  Hopewell  Churches  united  in 
a  call  to  Eev.  J.  T.  A.  Henderson,  who  remained 
nearly  all  the  time  until  1856,  Eev.  Jesse  Adams 
preaching  also  occasionally  meanwhile.  Eev.  J.  H. 
Coulter  was  the  pastor  a  while  after  1856,  and  then 
Mr.  Henderson  returned,  to  give  way  again  to  Mr. 
Coulter.  Since  April,  1880,  Eev.  A.  W.  White  has 
been  in  charge. 

The  first  house  of  worship  was  built  in  1833-34. 
The  second  and  present  one  was  built  in  1872.  It  is 
a  handsome  brick  structure,  60  by  40  feet  in  dimen- 
sions, and  cost  six  thousand  dollars.  The  member- 
ship is  now  about  two  hundred  and  forty.  The  elders 
are  John  Vernon,  William  Heller,  A.  G.  Swan,  Sam- 
uel Baird,  and  Elijah  Craft.  The  trustees  are  William 
Acklin,  John  Vernon,  Oliver  Miller.  The  Sunday- 
school  superintendent  is  Jesse  P.  Crawford. 

WEST  BEND  METHODIST  EPISCOrAL  CHURCH. 

The  dissolution  of  the  Hopewell  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  about  1830,  led  to  the  formation  of  a 
Methodist  Episcopal  class  in  the  river  bend,  the 
members  being  John  Covert,  Patience  Lawrence, 
Eichard  Jamison  and  wife,  George  Lawrence  and 
wife,  and  William  Roberts,  formerly  of  Hopewell. 
John  Covert  was  chosen  leader,  and  for  many  years 
afterwards  was  one  of  the  ruling  spirits  in  the  church. 
Services  were  held  in  a  school-house  a  few  years,  and 
when  the  congregation  became  prosperous  enough  to 
warrant  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship  the  one 
now  used  was  built.  Increase  of  membership  has 
made  the  house  too  small,  and  within  a  short  time 
it  will  be  replaced  by  a  spacious  brick  edifice  to  cost 
about  six  thousand  dollars.  The  members  number 
now  about  one  hundred.  The  pastor  is  Eev.  J.  G. 
Gaugley.  The  trustees  are  Samuel  Jamison,  Benton 
Covert,  John  Covert,  William  Hurford,  Albert  Jami- 
son, John  Wanee,  and  Joshua  Strickler.  The  class- 
leader  is  Joshua  Strickler. 

A  Union  Church  near  Jacobs'  Ferry  is  a  monu- 
ment to  the  generosity  of  Mrs.  Adam  Jacobs,  of 
Brownsville.  Eesiding  during  the  summer  seasons  at 
the  Ferry,  she  caused  the  church  to  be  bnilt  for  the 
purpose  of  having  Episcopal  services  therein  regularly 


LUZERNE   TOWNSHIP. 


647 


during  her  suburban  staj',  and  then  caused  it  to  be 
declared  that  all  denominations  were  free  to  hold 
meetings  in  the  house  at  all  times  save  such  as  were 
chosen  for  the  meetings  of  the  Episcopalians. 

BURIAL-GROUNDS. 


Burial-places  are  numerous  in  Luzerne,  and  include 
among  private  and  public  graveyards  some  that  are 
old  and  neglected,  but  yet  dotted  with  weather- 
stained  headstones  that  record  the  deaths  and  virtues 
of  many  of  Luzerne's  pioneers.  There  is  the  old 
Quaker  burying-ground  in  the  Charleston  district 
(but  little  used  now),  one  at  Merrittstown,  where  the 
old  Baptist  Church  once  reared  its  modest  front,  one 
at  Hopewell  (or  Heistersburg),  one  on  the  John 
Horner  farm  near  the  river,  one  on  the  David  Porter 
farm,  another  at  the  site  of  the  United  Presby- 
terian Church,  another  on  J.  W.  Dearth's  farm,  and 
still  another  on  the  Joseph  Crawford  place.  All 
these  are  burial-places  dating  from  1800  or  near  that 
period.  There  is  a  neat  cemetery  at  the  Hopewell 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  and  one  at  the 
West  Bend  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  at  which 
latter  place  there  is  also  an  unused  graveyard,  orig- 
inally laid  out  for  the  family  of  Jonathan  Arnold, 
but  used  also  by  the  neighborhood. 

THE  VILLAGE    OF    MERRITTSTO^yN. 

Merrittstown,  lying  upon  Dunlap's  Creek,  and  on 
the  eastern  line  of  Luzerne  township,  ranks  among  the 
old  villages  of  the  county,  but  that  it  has  materially 
improved  with  age  cannot  be  truthfully  said.  It  con- 
tains to-day  as  its  representative  business  interests 
two  stores,  a  grist-mill,  tannery,  and  the  usual  minor 
village  industries,  and  a  population  of  sixty-two  in- 
habitants by  the  census  of  1880.  Seventy  years  ago 
it  was  a  livelier  place,  for  then  it  was  a  station  on  one 
of  the  traveled  routes  between  East  and  West,  and  a 
halting-place  for  stock-drivers,  freighters,  etc.  The 
opening  of  railway  communication  diverted  such 
traffic,  and  took  away  much  of  Merrittstown's  im- 
portance, but  now  the  probability  of  a  railway  to 
touch  at  this  point  has  awakened  hopes  of  renewed 
prosperity,  and  brightened  the  prospect  materially. 

Merrittstown  was  founded  and  laid  out  by  two 
brothers,  named  Caleb  and  Abram  Merritt,  of  whom 
Abram  was  a  man  of  considerable  energy.  Just 
when  the  Merritts  laid  out  the  village  cannot  be  as- 
certained, although  the  statement  is  made  that  the 
original  plat  of  the  town  is  in  the  hands  of  some 
person  living  in  the  far  West.  The  date  may,  how- 
ever, be  fixed  with  moderate  certainty  as  not  far 
from  1790.  It  is  known  that  Samuel  Douglas  had  a 
grist-mill  and  saw-mill  there  as  early  as  1785,  and 
sold  his  interests  to  the  Merritts,  who  conceived  the 
notion  of  building  a  village  around  the  nucleus  of  a 
mill.  The  place  was  at  first  called  New  Town,  but 
directly  after  Merrittstown.  Abram  Merritt's  house 
stood  opposite  the  present  shoe-shop  of  Lewis  Dur- 


nell.  Caleb  lived  on  the  lot  now  occupied  by  John 
Moore.  But  little  can  be  said  touching  the  history 
of  Merrittstown  up  to  1805,  but  it  would  appear  that 
at  or  before  that  time  people  journeying  across  the 
mountains  and  drovers  taking  stock  to  market  began 
to  make  a  point  of  stopping  there,  and  the  demand 
for  accommodation  naturally  led  to  the  opening  of  a 
public-house.  In  the  year  mentioned,  therefore,  wc 
find  that  Adam  Farquar  was  keeping  a  tavern  in  the 
old  Caleb  Merritt  house,  and  that  by  that  time  the 
Merritt  brothers  had  sold  their  property  and  nmved 
to  Ohio.  Simeon  Cary  was  then  making  nails  by 
hand  in  a  little  log  shop,  and  although  he  turned  out 
some  coarse  and  clumsy  work  in  the  shape  of  shingle- 
nails,  he  found  the  demand  quite  equal  to  the  supply, 
for,  as  luck  would  have  it  for  him  and  other  unskillful 
manufacturers,  the  pioneers  were  not  over-fastidious 
in  that  direction.  A  man  named  Richard  Bates  was 
the  miller  at  the  old  Douglas  mill,  and  it  is  said  that 
the  mill  proprietor  was  Encal  Dodd.  Bates  seems  to 
have  been  especially  conspicuous  for  the  generous 
way  in  which  he  treated  himself  to  strong  drink. 
Upon  the  old  account-books  kept  by  John  and  James 
Cunningham,  the  distillers,  it  may  be  observed  that 
charges  against  Richard  Bates  for  "one  gallon  of 
whiskey"  appear  with  remarkable  frequency.  Encal 
Dodd  was  esteemed  a  great  talker,  as  well  as  one  of 
the  most  rigidly  honest  men  in  the  country,  but 
slightly  given  to  absent-mindedness  withal.  It  is 
told  of  him  that  while  grinding  a  grist  for  James 
Cunningham  he  maintained  with  that  gentleman  an 
incessant  flow  of  argument,  and  as  he  talked  he 
helped  himself  quite  absent-mindedly  to  toll  so  fre- 
quently that  when  the  grist  was  ground  the  miller 
had  decidedly  more  of  it  than  his  customer.  Mr. 
Cunningham,  who  had  noted  with  much  amusement 
the  freak  of  his  friend,  laughingly  remarked,  "  Well, 
Mr.  Dodd,  suppose  I  take  the  toll  for  my  share  and 
you  take  what  I  have."  •i.t  this  Dodd  looked  and 
felt  much  ashamed  of  his  action,  and  then  turned 
not  only  the  toll  into  Cunningham's  bag,  but  added 
an  extra  allowance  from  the  mill  stock,  saying  he 
was  determined  to  punish  himself  for  being  so  absent- 
minded. 

In  1805,  Elijah  Coleman  carried  on  a  tannery 
where  E.  T.  Gallaher  now  pursues  the  same  busi- 
ness, and  from  best  accounts  obtainable  Coleman  had 
then  been  there  some  years.  Of  the  Colemans  none 
are  now  to  be  found  in  the  township.  Daniel  Bixler 
was  the  village  shoemaker,  and  upon  the  lot  now  oc- 
cupied by  W.  L.  Guiler,  George  Hogg  kept  a  store, 
the  pioneer  store  in  Merrittstown. 

A  post-office  was  established  in  Merrittstown  before 
1805,  with  Elijah  Coleman  as  the  first  postmaster. 
Old  Dennis  McCarty  was  the  mail-carrier  between 
Uniontown  and  Brownsville  via  Merrittstown,  and 
for  a  long  time  made  the  trip  on  foot  once  a  week. 
Although  his  mail-pouch  was  exceedingly  light,  he 
always  carried  a  bulky  batch  of  copies  of  T/ie  Genius 


6-iS 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


of   Liberty,  which   he   left   to   subscribers   en  route. 
Dennis  was  a  white-haired  old  man,  but  a  merry  one,  ' 
and  regularly  upon  his  approach  to  Merrittstown  was  I 
greeted  by  the  village  lads,  then  in  waiting  for  him, 
with  the  announcement, "  Here  comes  old  white  head !" 
Having  delivered  his  mail  Dennis  would  bestow  him-  ' 
self  in  the  bar-room  of  the  village  tavern,  and  sing 
rollicking  songs  as  long  as  the  landlord  would  pay  ' 
him  for  the  songs  in  cider.     Then  Denny  was  in  his 
glory,  and  the  gathered  villagers  in  a  state  of  delight. 
Denny  bore  about  with  him  a  pair  of  ears  of  which 
each   was   ornamented  with    a    slit.      Eather  proud 
than  otherwise  of  the  marks,  he  called  frequent  at- 
tention to  th*em,  and  boastingly  related  that  early  in 
life  he  had  been  taken  captive  by  the  Indians,  and 
thus  received  from  them  signs  of  their  kindly   at- 
tention. 

Elijah  Coleman  did  not  fancy  being  postmaster  be- 
cause of  tlie  troulile  it  always  gave  him  to  make  out 
his  quarterly  returns,  and  fiiiling  to  get  a  better  idea  | 
of  the  business  as  time  passed  he  resigned  in  utter  j 
disgust.    Adam  Farquar,  who  kept  the  village  tavern,  j 
is  said  also  to  have  had  a  bowling  alley  in  it,  and  be-  j 
tween  selling  whiskey,  furnishing  entertainment,  and 
running  the  nine-pin   alley  managed   to   make  life  j 
pleasant  and  lively  for  the  travelers  who  came  that 
way  in  considerable  force  and  halted  at  old  Farquar's 
for  tlie  night. 

In  180S,  John  McDougal  came  from  Maryland  to 
Jlerrittstown  and  set  up  a  cabinet-shop.  He  was 
also  a  builder,  and  with  John  Allander  to  assist  him 
did  a  good  deal  in  the  hou^e-carpentering  w.av.  In 
1810,  (k-nivr  IIm^-  liavin- -iveii  UM  I,u>ii.ess  as  a  vil- 
lage tra^Lr,  William  rnnin,ig,liai„,<nn(,!- James  Cun- 
ningham, the  distiller,  upened  a  little  ^tore  on  the  lot 
now  occupied  by  L.  C.  McDougal's  residence,  and 
built  also  the  house  known  as  the  Baird  residence  ad- 
joining :\IcDougars.  Mr.  Cunningham's  establish- 
ment was  known  as  the  Cantinental  store,  and  as  he 
had  other  business  interests  to  look  after,  he  employed 
John  Gallagher  and  Benjamin  Barton  as  his  store 
clerks.  He  bought  also  the  grist-mill  property,  iind 
employed  John  Dunlap  as  his  miller.  He  was  excise 
officer  f(u-  some  years,  and  altogether  had  his  hands 
full  of  industrial  enterprises.  He  removed  from  the 
village  to  the  Cunningham  farm  in  1S17,  and  there 
,  During  the  latti  r  portion  of  his  stay 
'\vn  he  operated  a  fuUing-inill  as  an  at- 
the  grist-mill.  .Merrittstnwn  had  in  1810 
;■,]  Joshua  Wilson,  wlio  Iiad  a  shop  across 
from  wlii'ic  Lewis  Durnell's  shoe-shop  is,  and  there 
made  heavy  fur  lials.  He  had  in  front  of  his  place  a 
great  sign,  upon  wliicli  lie  had  painted  the  picture  of 
a  hat,  a  fo.x,  and  other  fur-coated  animals.  Matthias 
Lancaster,  his  workman,  succeeded  him  in  the  busi- 
ness. Lancaster  afterwards  moved  to  Redstone.  Ca- 
leb and  Joshua  Harford  were  the  village  blacksmiths, 
and  Daniel  Wilson  the  wagon-maker.  The  black- 
smith's shop  stood   near  where   Mr.    Moore's  house 


died 
at  M 


aha 


now  stands.  In  that  shop  James  Cunningham,  now 
of  Luzerne,  worked  as  an  apprentice  under  George 
Brown,  beginning  in  1826.  Speaking  of  his  inr- 
pressions  of  Merrittstown's  early  history,  Mr.  Cun- 
ningham says  he  is  sure  that  Daniel  Wilson,  the 
wagon-maker,  was  in  the  village  in  1812,  for  Daniel 
Wilson's  wife  Hester  once  told  him  (Cunningham) 
that  she  carried  him,  then  a  babe,  to  the  window  one 
day  in  that  year  to  see  a  company  of  soldiers  march 
past  on  the  way  to  the  army.  George  Chandler  was 
then  the  village  tailor,  and  in  his  shop  he  had  as  ap- 
prentice Josephus  Lindsley,  who  afterwards  set  up  a 
shop  of  his  own  and  became  the  village  postmaster. 
Chandler  carried  on  tailoring  until  his  death,  when 
the  business  was  continued  by  his  son  Isaac,  who  not 
long  afterwards  removed  to  Ohio.  Noah  Lewis  suc- 
ceeded Adam  Farquar  as  the  village  tavern-keeper  in 
a  house  occupying  the  lot  that  adjoins  Gadd's  black- 
smith's shop. 

One  of  Merrittstown's  local  characters  about  1812 
was  Lott  Green,  a  Quaker  and  a  good  mechanic.  He 
was  a  noted  manufacturer  of  flax-hatchels  and  also  a 
skillful  repairer  of  firearms. 

The  year  1823  saw  considerable  activity  in  Merritts- 
town. John  McDougall,  the  carpenter  (who  was  said, 
by  the  way,  to  have  put  the  cabin  upon  the  first 
steamboat  built  at  Brownsville),  built  a  brick  tavern 
stand  upon  the  site  of  William  Cunningham's  Conti- 
nental store,  the  frame  of  which  latter  was  included 
within  the  new  structure.  Mr.  McDougal  kept  the 
brick  tavern  until  1845,  since  when  it  has  been  used 
as  a  family  residence,  it  now  being  the  home  of  Mr. 
L.  C.  McDougall.    John  McDougall  died  in  1856. 

In  1826  there  were  three  village  taverns  in  Mer- 
rittstown, namely,  McDougal's,  Hiram  Miller's  (in 
the  old  Noah  Lewis  stand),  and  Daniel  Marble's,  in 
the  building  now  occupied  by  Lewis  Durnell.  A 
new  grist-mill  had  replaced  in  1824  the  old  Douglas 
mill,  and  was  owned  by  Joseph  Thornton,  wdiose  mil- 
ler was  John  Grimes,  who  removed  at  a  later  date  to 
Ohio.  William  Ramsey  and  his  son  Jesse  were  for 
many  years  millers  at  the  Thornton  mill  and  the  Gil- 
more  mill,  a  «hort  distance  up  the  stream.  The 
Thornton  mill  is  now  carried  on  by  Lynch  &  Hanna. 
After  John  McDougal  closed  his  tavern  stand  no 
public-house  was  kept  in  Merrittstown  from  that  day 
to  this.  The  opening  of  the  National  road  had  turned 
traffic  from  the  route  through  Merrittstown,  and  of 
course  the  consequence  of  no  travel  was  no  tavern. 

After  William  Cunningham  closed  his  store,  in  1817, 
Merrittstown  was  without  a  local  trading-place  until 
1830,  when  John  Smith  opened  trade  in  a  store-house 
built  by  George  Brown,  the  blacksmith.  In  that  year 
Hugh  Gilmore  had  a  distillery  near  the  town,  and 
Elijah  Coleman  was  still  carrying  on  his  tannery. 
Coleman  was  no  less  famous  for  being  a  tanner  than 
he  was  for  being  the  father  of  nineteen  children. 
Hiram  Durnell  had  been  the  village  shoemaker  from 
1818.     George  Brown,   the  blacksmith,  had  opened 


LUZERNE   TOWNSHIP. 


649 


Iiis  shop  in  1822,  prospered,  and  went  to  store-keeping. 
He  traded  about  ten  years,  when  in  consequence  of 
business  misfortunes  he  became  deranged.  George 
Brown,  who  was  Merrittstowii's  fourth  store-keeper, 
was  the  successor  of  Robert  Brown,  and  the  prede- 
cessor of  Samuel  Henderson  and  John  Gallaher.  In 
1876  the  village  had  two  stores,  kept  by  Alfred  Cun- 
ningham and  Thomas  D.  Miller.  Cunningham's 
store  was  burned  in  1877  and  Miller's  in  1879,  at 
wliich  time  the  post-office  with  all' the  mail,  being  in 
Jliller's  store,  was  likewise  destroyed. 

In  1822  the  foot-bridge  across  Dunlap's  Creek  at 
Merrittstown  was  washed  away  by  a  flood,  and  from 
that  on  to  18.36  fording  or  ferrying  was  the  method  of 
crossing.  In  that  year  .lohn  Langley  and  Liberty 
Jliller  built  the  mason-work,  and  StofTel  Balsinger, 
with  his  son  Perry,  the  frame-work  of  a  new  bridge. 
The  mason-work  remains,  but  the  frame,  being  badly 
constructed,  fell  soon  after  it  was  put  up.  The  pres- 
ent frame  was  constructed  by  William  Antrim. 

In  the  post-office  the  successor  of  Elijah  Coleman 
was  William  Cunningham,  who  was  succeeded  in 
1817  by  Josephus  Lindsley,  the  tailor.  Lindsley  re- 
signed in  1832  and  left  the  town.  The  next  post- 
master was  George  Brown,  the  blacksmith,  who,  after 
holding  the  place  several  years,  was  followed  by  Hugh 
Gilmore.  Then  came  Margaret  Gilmore,  Alexander 
Brown,  John  Armstrong,  and  James  McDougal.  The 
succession  after  McDougal  was  Hiram  S.  Horner, 
1861-62;  Lewis  Durnell,  1862-68;  Mary  Messmore, 
1868-69  ;  Samuel  H.  Higinbotham,  1869-72  ;  E.  H. 
Baird,  1872-75  ;  T.  D.  Miller,  1875-79;  Harriet  A. 
Cook,  1879,  to  the  present  time.  For  a  small  place 
Merrittstown  appears  to  have  had  a  pretty  extensive 
supply  of  postmasters. 

The  first  resident  physician  at  the  village  now  re- 
membered was  Dr.  Morrill  Parker,  who  located  there 
in  1821  or  1822.  He  was  at  no  time  very  popular,  for 
he  appeared  to  esteem  himself  a  grade  above  his 
neighbors  in  the  social  scale,  and'  instead  of  culti- 
vating friendly  relations  with  them  he  had  visitors 
from  abroad  at  his  home  constantly,  and  rather  de- 
lighted in  showing  oft'  what  he  was  pleased  to  term  his 
aristocratic  company  before  the  villagers.  By  the 
latter  he  was  termed  a  high-flyer,  and  when  he  left 
the  town,  after  a  stay  of  a  few  years,  he  was  not  much 
regretted.  He  aspired  to  be  an  nutlinr,  and  wrote 
"The  Arcanum  of  Arts  and  S.i> nr..-,"  Imt  it  is  not 
known  that  it  created  a  very  .-umi  .nmiMntion  in  the 
world  of  letters.  After  Dr.  Parker's  ae|nirture  there 
•was  no  village  physician  for  some  time. 

Dr.  Meason  was  the  next  to  locate,  and  after  him 
Dr.  Wilcox,  but  neither  remained  more  than  a  year. 
In  1827  came  Dr.  Elliott  Finley  from  Westmoreland 
County,  who,  after  a  stay  of  a  few  years,  moved  to 


Greene  County,  where  he  was  killed  by  an  accidental 
fall  from  a  wagon.  After  another  interval  the  field 
was  occupied  by  Dr.  William  L.  Wilson,  who  left 
after  the  expiration  of  about  a  year.  In  1840  an 
office  was  opened  by  Dr.  J.  N.  Craft,  son  of  David 
Craft.  Dr.  Craft  practiced  in  Merrittstown  and  vicin- 
ity until  his  death  in  1846,  and  achieved  a  popularity 
that  causes  grateful  mention  of  his  name  to  this  day. 
His  successor  was  Dr.  H.  R.  Roberts,  who  had 
but  little  practice.  N.  L.  Hufty  followed  Roberts, 
and  in  1847  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Henry  East- 
j  man,  who  came  to  Merrittstown  in  June  of  that 
year.  Since  then  he  has  been  steadily  in  practice  in 
and  about  the  village,  and  rides  a  wide  circuit  in  a 
practice  that  has  been  extensive  and  profitable 
through  his  residence  of  thirty-four  years  and  made 
his  name  a  household  word  in  hundreds  of  families 
in  the  county. 

The  only  civic  society  in  Merrittstown  is  Merritts- 
town Lodge,  No.  772, 1.  O.'O.  F.,  which  was  organized 
Aug. 5, 1871,  with  charter  members  as  follows:  Isaac 
Messmore,  P.  G. ;  Samuel  H.  Higinbotham,  John  A. 
]  Messmore,  P.  G. ;  James  M.  Jackson,  William  Knight, 
Johnson  Miller,  James  H.  Rail,  Jesse  Coldren,  Wil- 
liam H.  Higinliolliuiii,  (;.oi;:r  \V.  (Ireen,  Jacob  N. 
I  Ridge,   Samuel    L.    .-^tuvaii,    Ja-.l.    Huber,   Casper 
'  Haynes,  George  Thompson,  William  S.  J.  Hatfield, 
^  F.  F.  Chalfant,   R.  Brashear,  John  Coldren,   J.  C. 
I  Wood. 

The  first  officers  were  J.  A.  Messmore,  N.  G. ;  Isaac 
Messmore,  V.  G. ;  S.  H.  Higinbotham,  Sec.;   James 
M.  Jackson,   P.  S. ;  Johnson   Miller,   Treas.      The 
i  Noble  Grands  have  been  J.  A.  Messmore,  Isaac  Mess- 
more, John  Allen,  James  Jackson,  Samuel  Higin- 
i  botham,  S.  J.  Gadd,  William  Gadd,  S.  L.  Stewart, 
]  George  Robert.^,  W.  S.  Craft,  Absalom  Hostetler,  J. 
1  N.  Ridge,  Johnson  Miller,  John  Williams,  and  New- 
ton Jackson.   The  members  are  now  twenty-tour,  and 
'  the  officers  as  follows  :  Newton  Jackson,  N.  ( i. ;  John 
I  Norman,  'V.  G. ;  Robinson  Savage,  Rec.  Sec. ;  Richard 
I  Miller,  P.  S. ;  Jo.seph  Woodward,  Treas. 

The  most  important  industry  in  Luzerne,  aside 
from  that  of  agriculture,  is  the  distillery  of  George 
W.  Jones,  on  the  river  near  Bridgeport.  The  business 
was  founded  there  and  a  distillery  built  in  1857  by 
John  Worthington  and  J.  S.  Krcpps.  Fire  destroyed 
the  establishment  in  1859,  and  in  1860  John  Worth- 
ington rebuilt  it.  He  carried  it  on  until  1866,  when 
'  he  sold  out  to  Britton  &  South,  who  were  succeeded 
in  1868  by  Britton  &  Moore,  and  they  in  1869  by 
Jones  &  South.  In  1876  George  W.  Jones  became 
the  sole  proprietor.  Mr.  Jones  has  recently  enlarged 
the  works.  They  have  at  present  a  capacity  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  bushels,  employ  fifteen  hands,  and 
produce  about  twelve  barrels  of  whiskey  daily. 


HISTORY   OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENiNSYLYANIA. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


Among  the  immigrants  into  Fayette  County  at  an 
early  day  was  Judge  Nathaniel  Breading,  a  man  of 
strong  character  and  of  peculiar  note  in  his  time*. 
His  grandfather,  David  I'.ivadin-,  was  ,,l' Sr,,tth  de- 
scent, and  was  born  inar  (/nirraiiie,  Londuiidurry 
Co.,  Ireland,  and  coming  to  America  settled  in 
Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  about  1728,  bringing  with  him 
his  family,  of  wdioni  was  his  son  James,  the  father  of 
Nathaniel  Breading. 

Nathaniel  Breading,  son  of  the  above-named  James 
and  Ann  Ewiug  Breading,  was  born  March,  1751,  in 
Little  Britain  township,  Lancaster  Co.,  Pa.  Being 
given  a  iine  classical  education,  he  took  charge  of  an 
academy  at  Newark,  Del.,  and  afterwards  taught 
school  in  Prince  Edward  County,  Va.  \ 

We  next  hear  of  him  serving  in  the  army  of  the 
Revolution  under  his  future  father-in-law,  Geu. 
Ewing,  commissary  of  the  Pennsylvania  line,  while 
the  army  was  encamped  at  Valley  Forge  during  the 
hard  and  gloomy  winter  of  1777.  Having  married 
Mary  Ewing,  he  removed  his  family  to  Tower  Hill 
farm,  Luzerne  township,  Fayette  Co.,  in  17S4.  Dur- 
ing 17S5  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  five  justices  of 
the  peace,  who  were  the  sole  judges  in  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas  for  some  years,  until  Judge  Addison 
was  appointed  president  judge,  on  which  event  Mr. 
Breading  was  appointed  associate,  and  continued 
such  until  his  death.  After  the  close  of  the  war  he  ^ 
was  chosen  as  one  of  the  Supreme  Executive  Council  [ 
of  Pennsylvania,  with  whom  was  lodged  all  the  ex- 
ecutive power  of  the  State.  This  office  he  held  about 
five  vears,  until  the  adoption  of  the  new  constitution 
of  17'J0  providing  i'or  the  election  of  a  Governor. 

At  an  early  day  Judge  Breading  did  much  to  de- 
velop the  infant  trade  between  the  western  counties 
of  the  State  and  New  Orleans  by  sending  annually 
to  that  market  a  flat-boat  laden  with  flour  and  whiskey, 
at  that  time  almost  the  only  articles  of  production 
and  export,  though  as  he  was  early  engaged  with 
John  and  Andrew  Oliphant  in  the  furnace  business,  , 
they  occasionally  included  salt-  and  sugar-kettles,  ' 
hoUow-warc,  etc.  , 

During  the  troublous  times  of  the  Whiskey  Insur-  , 
reclion  Judge  Breading,  as  a  law-abiding  citizen, 
used  all  his  influence  in  maintaining  the  laws 
taxing  whiskey,  notwithstanding  these  laws  were  de- 
structive tn  Li-  iiii'  re<t  and  so  obnoxious  as  to  create 
a  rebellion  whi.  h  could  be  suppressed  only  by  the 
strong  arm  of  military  force.     So  strong  indeed  was 


amounts  of  Judge  Breading's  property  were  burned 
by  the  insurgents.  He,  in  connection  with  Edward 
Cook  and  John  Oliphant,  was  a  delegate  from  Fay- 
ette County  to  a  convention  of  gentlemen  which  met 
at  Pittsburgh,  Sept.  7,  1791,  to  take  measures  in  re- 
gard to  suppressing  the  Whiskey  Insurrection. 

Judge  Breading  was  commissioned  by  the  State, 
March  5,  1785,  to  survey  all  the  lands  then  recently 
purchased  from  the  Indians  north  and  west  of  the 
Ohio  and  Allegheny  Rivers  to  Lake  Erie,  as  also  to 
assist  in  running  the  lines  between  Pennsylvania, 
Virginia,  and  Ohio. 

We  recur  here  to  the  days  of  Judge  Breading's 
early  manhood  to  note  that  he  purchased  the  Tower 
Hill  farm,  before  referred  to,  in  1783,  buying  at  that 
time  the  tomahawk  right  of  one  McKibben,  who  had 
taken  it  up  and  was  then  living  upon  it,  and  "  paid 
out  the  land"  to  the  State  in  1784,  and  immediately 
moved  upon  it,  and  in  1790  built  thereon  a  stone 
house,  which  is  in  perfect  preservation,  and  is  now  in 
the  possession  of  one  of  his  grandsons,  George  E. 
Hogg.  Judge  Breading  lived  continuously  in  this 
house  after  its  erection,  and  died  therein. 

Judge  Breading  was  very  enterprising,  and  aside 
from  various  other  important  operations  he,  in  com- 
pany with  others,  built  at  Brownsville,  in  1814,  a 
steamboat  named  the  "  Enterprise,"  which  was  the 
first  steamer  built  at  Brownsville,  and  which,  after 
making  a  number  of  trips  to  Pittsburgh,  was  sent 
down  the  river  to  New  Orleans  and  never  returned. 
In  1810  the  same  persons  built  a  second  steamer. 

Nathaniel  Breading  died  April  22,  1822,  his  wife, 
Mary  Ewing,  surviving  him,  and  dying  Aug.  31, 1845, 
aged  seventy-eight  years.  Their  children,  now  all 
deceased,  were  George ;  Mary  Ann,  intermarried  with 
George  Hogg;  James  E.,  who  married  Elizabeth 
Ewing ;  Sarah,  who  married  Dr.  James  Stevens,  of 
Washington,  Pa. ;  Harriet,*  who  was  the  wife  of  Dr. 
Joseph  Gazzam ;  Caroline  Margaret,  who  married 
Dr.  Joseph  Trevor,  of  Connellsville  and  Pittsburgh, 
Pa. ;  Elizabeth,  who  married  Rev.Wm.  B.  Mcllvaine ; 
William  E.,  a  lawyer,  who  died  in  the  twenty-fifth 
year  of  his  age ;  and  two  children  who  died  in  in- 
fancy. 

Nathaniel  Breading  and  his  wife  Mary,  as  also  his 
father,  James,  and  his  wife,  Ann  Ewing,  were  interred 
in  the  Laughliu  burying-ground,  two  and  a  half  miles 
east  of  Brownsville,  in  sight  of  the  National  road. 


mbli. 


op  I 


■ainst   the   excise   laws   that   large 


JAMES  E.  BRE.\DING. 
James  E.  Breading,  son  of  Judge  Nathaniel  and 
Mary  Ewing  Breading,  was  born  at  Tower  Hill  farm, 
Luzerne  township,  Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  Oct,  19,  1789. 
While  quite  young  he  entered  on  his  long  career  as 
a  merchant  at  New  Haven,  in  his  native  county,  then 
the  centre  of  the  largest  and  almost  the  only  iron  in- 
terest west  of  the  mountains.  Thence  he  removed  to 
Brownsville,  and  there  pursued  the  same  Hue  of  busi- 


J^^'^y^z 


2-^^,^*^^ 


//^   C'- 


Or  c^'-i-^^t 


LUZERNE  TOWNSHIP. 


651 


ness  until  the  death  of  his  father  made  it  necessary 
for  him  to  take  charge  of  Tower  Hill  farm  in  1822. 
He  removed  to  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  in  1829,  where,  in 
connection  with  his  brother-in-law,  George  Hogg, 
and  William  Hogg,  the  uncle  of  George,  both  of 
Brownsville,  he  embarked  very  largely  in  the  whole- 
sale trade  of  groceries  and  dry-goods.  Herein,  by  his 
recognized  character  for  honesty  and  integrity  and 
his  fine  business  capacities,  he  was  eminently  success- 
ful, and  secured  the  confidence  and  respect  of  a  large 
community  with  which  he  had  business  relations. 
He  retired,  however,  some  years  before  his  death  to 
enjoy  that  rest  in  the  evening  of  his  days  to  which 
his  long  life  of  activity  entitled  him. 

Mr.  Breading  was  connected  with  the  commissary 
department  during  Gen.  (afterwards  President)  Wil- 
liam H.  Harrison's  campaign  against  Tecumseh  and 
his  braves.  He  was  for  many  years  connected  with  a 
large  mercantile  establishment  in  St.  Louis  as  a  silent 
partner,  holding  the  most  responsible  position  in  the 
house. 

In  1821,  Mr.  Breading  married  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  William  and  Mary  Ewing,  and  died  without  issue 
in  Allegheny  City,  Nov.  19,  1868,  his  wife  surviving 
him.  His  remains  were  interred  in  Allegheny  Cem- 
etery. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Ewing  Breading,  his  widow,  now  in 
the  eighty-fourth  year  of  her  age,  resides  at  Emsworth, 
a  few  miles  west  of  Allegheny  City,  on  the  Fort 
AVayne  Railroad,  where  she  passes  her  venerable 
years  in  affluent  domestic  quiet,  her  life  being  now 
given,  as  her  earlier  d.iys  were  in  a  great  measure  ex- 
pended, in  literally  doing  good,  and  commanding  the 
afl'ection  of  all  who  know  her. 


David  Breading,  who  was  the  son  of  .Tamos  and 
Ann  Breading,  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  nl'  Fayette 
County,  moving  thereinto  in  1794  from  Lancaster 
County,  Pa.  He  entered  the  army  as  a  private  in 
1776,  and  passed  the  winter  at  Valley  Forge,  and  was 
afterwards  made  an  officer  of  the  commissary  depart- 
ment, wherein  he  continued  during  the  remainder  of 
the  war  of  the  Revolution,  except  for  a  short  time 
while  he  was  aide-de-camp  to  Gen.  Maxwell  in  the 
battle  of  Monmouth,  during  which  Mr.  Breading  was 
witness  of  a  notable  incident  in  the  military  career  of 
the  "  Father  of  his  Country."  While  the  battle  was 
progressing,  Gen.  Maxwell,  thinking  that  the  divis- 
ion general,  Lee,  was  not  conducting  his  forces  as 
he  should,  sent  Breading  to  Gen,  Washington,  then 
in  a  distant  part  of  the  field,  to  inform  him  of  the 
state  of  affairs.  Washington  on  receiving  the  dis- 
patch asked,  "  Young  man,  can  you  lead  me  to  Gen. 
Lee?"  Breading  replying,  "Yes,  general,"  Wash- 
ington promptly  said,  "  Well,  you  lead  and  I  will 
follow,"  and  soon  Breadin?  became  witness  of  the  se- 


vere reprimand  which,  as  is  well  known,  Washington 
bestowed  upon  Lee,  curses  and  all. 

In  1785,  Mr.  Breading  married  Elizabeth  Clark,  of 
Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  and  moved  to  Luzerne  town- 
ship, Fayette  Co.,  in  1794,  as  above  noted.  He  had  a 
large  number  of  children,  the  majority  of  .whom  died 
of  yellow  fever,  at  about  the  same  time,  in  Vincennes, 
Ind.  The  only  surviving  member  of  David  Bread- 
ing's  family  is  Maj.  Clark  Breading,  who  resides  at 
Uniontown,  and  at  whose  death,  he  having  no  male 
issue,  the  name  of  Breading  of  this  stock  will  become 
extinct.  Maj.  Breading  has  a  daughter,  Mrs.  Dr.  O. 
E.  Newton,  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 


WILLIAM  EWING. 
William  Ewing,  one  of  the  early  day  eminent  men 
of  Fayette  County,  was  liorn  May  19,  17(39,  in  Peach 
Bottoms,  York  Co.,  Pn.  He  was  the  son  of  George 
Ewing,  who  was  a  linitlicr  nl'  tlie  Rev.  Dr.  John 
Ewing,  of  Pliiladeliihia,  a  -ivat  scholar  and  an  able 
minister  of  that  ]ieriii(l,  and  lor  many  ycar^  profes- 
sionally connected   with   the    rnivcr>ity   of   I'rnn^yl- 

tainments,  ami  was  commissioned  to  run  the  southern 
line  of  Pennsylvania. 

William  Ewin-  who  for  some  time  n-idcd  with 
his  uncle,  Dr.  John,  and  under  hi-  direction  had  made 
considerable  prcjgrcss  in  stndic-.  inclnilin-  that  of 
medicine,  foUowinL!:  hi-  hrotlo  r  Nailianiil  afterwards 
of  Vincennes,  Ind.)  and  hi-  two  -i-ter-,  ulio  preceded 
him  by  about  two  years,  lelt  ^■ork  Connty.  and  came 
as  a  surveyor  into  Fayclle  ('onnty  ahont  !7',I0,  wdien 
he  was  about  twenty-one  yc.irs  of  a;je,  and  took  up  a 
tract  of  land  and  Imilt  thereon  a  lion,-c  in  which  he 
lived,  and  wdierein  lie  died  in  1.S27. 

He  married,  in  1791,  Mary  Conwell,  daughter  of 
Jehu  Conwell  and  Elizabetl'i  Stokelcy  (her  family 
l)erha|is  coming  from  New  Castle,  Del.),  a  woman  of 
ereat  s|iirit,  natural  talent,  and  energy.  She  became 
the  mother  of  a  large  family,  widely  scattered  and 
occupying  influential  positions  in  society.  Their 
children  were  Hon.  George  Ewing,  born  Feb.  27, 
1797  (afterwards  of  Houston,  Texas) ;  Judge  Nathan- 
iel Ewing,  born  July  18,  1794,  of  Uniontown ;  Hon. 
John  H.  Ewing,  born  Oct.  5,  1796,  of  Wa.shington, 
Pa. ;  James,  born  April  18,  1807,  of  Dunlap's, Creek, 
Pa.;  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Breading,  born  July  9,  1799, 
and  Mrs.  Maria  Veech,  born  Aug.  22,  1811,  of  Ems- 
worth  ;  Mrs.  Ellen  J.  E.  Wallace,  born  Jan.  2.3,  1819, 
of  Allegheny  City;  Mrs.  Louisa  Wilson,  born  March 
8,  1802,  of  L^niontown;  Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Mason,  born 
Feb.  24,  1816,  of  Muscatine,  Iowa;  and  Caroline,  born 
April  20,  1804,  and  who  died  in  infancy. 

William  Ewing  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the 
Dunlap's  Creek  district,  Fayette  Co.,  together  with 
other  of  the  now  "old  families"  who  came  from  York 
and  Lancaster  Counties, — the  Breadings,  Con  wells,  , 
Crafts,  Davidsons,  Finleys,  Hackneys,  Peterses,  Wil- 


652 


HISTOllY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


sons, — all  associate  names  well  known  among  the 
early  inhabitants,  and  in  these  times  also. 

William  Ewing  and  his  son,  John  H.,  of  Washing- 
ton, constructed  the  National  road  between  Hills- 
borough and  Brownsville.  He  was  appointed  by  the 
Governor  of  the  State  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  held 
that  ofBce  with  great  credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction 
to  the  public  until  the  constitution  of  the  State  made 
it  elective. 

He  was  a  man  of  strong  mind  and  excellent  judg- 
ment, together  with  great  physical  strength  ;  an  active 
and  enterprising  business  man,  who  kept  up  close  re- 
lationships with  the  prominent  characters  of  his  day. 
He  was  a  Federalist  in  politics,  and  often  took  an 
active  part,  especially  in  the  Eoss  and  Jlclvean  cam- 
paign of  1800. 

AVilliam  Ewing  died  Oct.  21, 1827,  of  what  perhaps 
would  now  be  called  tyjihoid  fever.  He  lies  buried 
in  the  Cunwcll  t'aiiiily  t;r;ivfyard,  on  the  old  homestead 
iarni  of  Jehu  C'lanvcU,  and  is  remembered  as  one  of 
those  substantial,  honorable,  public-spirited  men  of 
whom  the  community  was  justly  proud. 


j  to  Rebecca  J.  Haney.     Margaret  J.,  married  to  Wil- 

I  liam  H.  Miller;  Mary  A.,  married  to  Oliver  Miller. 

I  They  have  two  children,  Albert  G.  and  Emma  V. 

Albert  M.,  married  to  Alice  Frey.     They  have  one 

child,  Nellie. 

The  most  of  Alexander  Gibson's  active  business 
life  was  spent  in  farming  and  stock-dealing.  He  was 
industrious,  a  good  manager,  and  accumulated  enough 
property  to  give  each  of  his  children  a  fair  start  in 
life.  He  never  sought  political  preferment.  He  was 
prompt  to  perform  what  he  promised,  and  was  highly 
esteemed  by  his  neighbors.  He  was  eminently  a  man 
of  peace,  and  never  had  a  lawsuit  in  his  life.  He  was 
for  many  years  an  active  member  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  his  Christian  life  challenged 
the  respect  of  those  who  knew  him.  He  died  July 
12,  1875,  and  his  remains  rest  in  the  Hopewell  Ceme- 
tery.    His  wife,  Mary,  died  Jan.  25,  1876. 


BENJAMIN    COVERT. 


ALEXANDER  GIBSON. 
The  progenitor  of  the  Gibsons  of  Luzerne  town- 
ship was  one  James  Gibson,  who  migrated  from  Ire- 
land in  1770,  and  located  jn  Chester  County,  Pa.,  and 
engaged  in  farming.  He  followed  his  vocation  until 
1770,  when  he  entered  the  Continental  army  and 
served  until  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis.  After  the 
surrender  he  found  that  two  of  his  brothers  were 
soldiers  in  the  lUiti-^h  army,  bavin-  been  pressed  into 
the  service  \>y  the  mcther-euuntry.  At  the  clnse  of 
the  struggle  they  settled  in  ^'irgiuia,  and  their  de- 
scendants nearly  all  reside  there.  James  Gibson's 
home  continued  in  Chester  County  until  1790,  when 
he  emigrated  to  Southwestern  Pennsylvania,  and  set- 
tled upon  a  farm  in  Luzerne  t<.wn-hi|i,  wliei'e  Iii-  -on 

now  in  possession  of  Mr.  Oliver  ililler.  James  Gib- 
>oH  was  married  to  Margaret  Lackey  in  1792.  They 
liad  six  children,  of  whom  Alexander,  the  subject  of 
this -ketch,  was  the  third.  He  uasbmn  June  8,1797. 
His  early  life  was  spent  up(ju  hi-  lalher-  farm,  and 

received  liis  education  in  the  cuntiy  >,  I Is  of  that 

period.  He  began  work  for  liini-eli'  at  the  age  of 
twenty  years,  engaging  in  wagmiin,-  from  Wheeling  to  ' 
ISaltimore,  and  in  1>>2U  changed  his  r<mte  to  and  from 
Baltimore  to  Nashville,  Tenn.  Here  he,  in  company 
with  Levi  Crawford,  now  living  in  Luzerne  township, 
spent  two  years  trading  with  the  Cherokee  Indians. 
In  1823  he  returned  to  Pennsylvania,  sold  his  team, 
and  purchased  a  farm.  On  the  24th  of  June,  1824, 
he  was  married  to  Mary  Hibbs,  of  Redstone  township. 
To  them  were  horn  six  children,  four  of  whom  are 
living,  vi/. :  Jaiiu-  (i,,  married  tir-t  to  Mary  Lodgers. 
They  had  two  eliihhen,— John  A.  and  Mary  R.  Mary 
died  in  18ij:i.     He  was  married  again  June  25,  1867, 


The  progenitor  of  the  Coverts  in  the  United  States 
was  one  Abraham  Covert,  who  came  from  Holland 
to  the  colonies  about  1707.     Of  his  family  nothing  is 

j  now  known  except  that  he  had  a  sou  Abraham,  who 
raised  a  family  of  eight  children, — four  sons  and  four 
daughters.     The  sons  were  Abraham,  Isaac,  John, 

i  and  Morris.  These  four  sons  in  time  became  widely 
separated.  Abraham  remained  East,  while  the  others 
sought  their   fortunes   in   the  West.      John   settled 

I  north  of  Pittsburgh.  Morris  first  lived  in  New  Jersey, 
and  there  married  a  Miss  Mary  Mann.  After  his  mar- 
riage he  moved  to  Col.  Cresap's  estate  on  the  Potomac, 
in  the  State  of  Maryland,  where  he  resided  some  years. 
About  the  year  1780  he  moved  to  Fayette  County,  Pa., 

'  and  located  about  three  miles  west  of  Beesontown, 
now  Uniontown,  where  he  purchased  a  farm  of  three 
hundred  acres  for  eight  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  on 

!  the  old  Fort  road  leading  to  Redstone  Old  Fort. 
Here  he  lived  and  died,  and  raised  a  family  of  eleven 
children, — six  sons  and  five  daughters.  The  oldest 
son,  Joseph,  married  Nancy  Borer,  of  Harrison,  Ohio, 
where  he  lived  and  died.  The  second  son,  Abraham, 
married  C.ithariiie  Black,  and  they  removed  to  Har- 
rison County,  Ohio.  The  third  son,  John,  married 
Amy  Doney,  and  lived  on  the  Mouongahela  River,  in 
Luzerne  township,  Fayette  Co.,  and  died  in  his  ninety- 
third  year.  The  fourth  sou,  Morris,  was  an  itinerant 
Methodist  preacher.  He  married  Nancy  Purcell,  of 
Chesapeake  Bay,  and  died  near  Clarksburg,  W.  Va., 
aged  about  sixty  years.  Jesse,  the  youngest  son, 
married  Henrietta  Gibson ;  resided  principally  in 
Fayette  County,  Pa.,  and  died  at  tlie  age  of  fifty-five. 
Benjamin  Covert  was  born  July  10,  1799,  on  the 
old  homestead,  where  he  grew  to  manhood.  He 
married  Abigail  Randolph,  and  removing  to  Harrison 
County,  Ohio,  in  1820,  settled  on  the  Stillwater,  and 
there  resided  until  1830.  Two  of  his  children,  Rich- 
ard and  Marv,  were  born  there.     He  next  removed 


ALEXANDER    GIBSON. 


en^'^  fo  ^^'^■^ 


V 


^<^ 


MENALLEiV   TOWNSHIP. 


to  a  farm  ou  Short  Creek,  iu  the  same  county.  There 
he  remained  three  years,  and  there  his  youngest 
daughter,  Elizabeth,  was  born.  He  then  moved  to  a 
farm  in  Luzerne  township,  Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  which  he 
purchased  from  George  Custer.  It  contained  two 
liundred  and  fourteen  acres,  and  cost  him  two  thou- 
sand six  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  Here  he  has  re- 
sided for  forty-eight  years,  doing  good  as  the  Lord 
prospered  him,  "by  helping  to  build  churches  in 
the  Bend  and  at  the  Landing,  and  sustaining  the 
ministers  of  his  church,  as  well  as  contributing  to  the 
support  of  others."  He  has  been  an  ardent  Meth- 
odist 'for  sixtv-four  vears.     His  father  and  mother 


were  Methodists,  as  were  also  his  brothers  and  sisters. 
They  are  all  dead,  having  lived  and  died  meek  and 
humble  Christians.  He  alone  of  the  family  survives, 
in  his  eighty-third  year. 

His  children  are  Richard,  who  resides  on  the  old 
homestead;  Mary,  married  to  D.  H.  Wakefield,  of 
Jefferson  township,  Fayette  Co.,  Pa.;  and  Elizabeth, 
married  to  Joshua  Strickler,  of  Luzerne  township. 
With  but  little  intermission  he  has  held  an  office  in 
the  church  during  the  entire  time  of  his  membership. 
His  start  in  life  was  a  strong  constitution.  He  has 
always  been  noted  for  his  sobriety,  indomitable  energy, 
frugality,  and  rectitude  of  purpose. 


MENALLEN    TOWNSHIP 


Menallen,  one  of  the  most  prosperous  agricultu- 
ral townships  of  Fayette  County,  contained  in  June, 
1880,  a  population  of  1461.  The  assessment  for  1881 
gave  the  total  valuation  subject  to  county  tax  as 
$626,827,  a  decline  of  $25,0-14  as  compared  with  1880. 
The  township  is  bounded  by  Redstone  and  Franklin 
on  the  north,  Georges,  South  Union,  and  German  on 
the  south,  Franklin,  North  Union,  and  South  Union 
on  the  east,  and  German  and  Redstone  on  the  west. 
Menallen  has  as  yet  no  railway  line,  but  that  famed 
highway  known  as  the  National  road  crosses  it  from 
east  to  west,  and  is  a  great  convenience  to  the  people. 
There  are  three  small  post-villages  in  the  township, 
— Upper  Middletown  (or  Plumsock),  on  Redstone 
Creek;  New  Salem,  six  miles  westward  therefrom  ; 
and  Searight's,  on  the  National  road,  five  miles  west- 
ward from  Uniontown.  Mill  streams  are  abundant. 
Among  them  are  Redstone  Creek,  Dunlap's  Creek, 
Jennings'  Run,  and  Salt  Lick  Run.  The  surface  of 
the  township  is  uneven.  Coal  and  iron  ore  are  found 
in  great  quantities,  but  beyond  supplying  the  wants 
of  home  consumers  do  not  contribute  to  local  wealth, 
for  the  reason  that  lack  of  railway  transportational 
facilities  puts  out  of  the  question  the  matter  of  profit- 
able mining  operations.  The  valuable  coal  and  iron 
interests  of  Menallen,  however,  will  soon  be  devel- 
oped, as  a  result  of  the  opening  of  the  Redstone 
Branch  of  the  Pittsburgh,  Virginia  and  Charleston 
Railroad,  which  passes  along  the  northeast  border  of 
the  township,  and  is  now  near  completion. 

EARLY    SETTLEMENTS. 
Of  the  considerable  number  of  settlers  who  were 
found  located  in  the  Redstone  Valley  when  the  Rev. 
John  Steele  made  his  tour  of  observation  in  this  re- 
gion, in  the  spring  of  1768  (and  whose  names  were 


given  by  him  in  his  report  to  the  Governor  on  his 
return  east),  it  is  not  known  which  or  how  many  of 
tliem  were  settled  within  the  territory  that  now  forms 
Menallen  township,  though  there  is  no  doubt  that 
some  of  them  were  living  within  its  boundaries.  A 
very  early  settler,  and  not  improbably  the  first  within 
the  township  of  Menallen,  was  William  Brown,  who 
came  here  in  1765.  His  children  were  Sarah,  George, 
Mary,  James,  Alexander,  Alice,  and  John.  The  last 
named  (and  youngest)  is  now  living  in  Kansas,  at 
the  age  of  ninety-six  years.  Little  beyond  this  has 
been  ascertained  of  the  history  of  this  first  settler, 
William  Brown.  The  tract  ou  which  he  settled  is 
now  a  farm  owned  (but  not  occupied  in  person) 
by  his  great-grandson,  Richard  H.  Brown,  of  Frank- 
lin township.  As  early  as  the  year  1765  the  Rev. 
James  Finley,  then  living  upon  the  Eastern  Shore 
of  Maryland,  came  out  through  Southwestern  Penn- 
sylvania on  a  tour  of  exploration  iu  the  service  of  the 
church  with  which  he  labored,  his  missio-n  being  pre- 
sumably to  learn  how  the  people  of  that  region  were 
supplied  with  the  means  of  religious  worship.  He 
was  accompanied  on  his  journey  (made  on  horseback) 
by  a  Mr.  Philip  Tanner,  a  fuller  by  trade,  whose  ob- 
ject in  undertaking  the  excursion  was  the  looking  for 
a  favorable  land  location.  This  object  had  likewise 
something  to  do  with  Mr.  Finley's  journey,  for  he 
had  a  family  of  six  sons,  and  he  conceived  the  idea 
that  perhaps  he  might  find  for  his  boys  a  place  where 
they  might  grow  up  with  a  new  country  and  lead  a 
life  of  independence.  Mr.  Finley  is  supposed  to  have 
been  the  first  minister  of  the  gospel  to  penetrate  west- 
ward of  the  mountains  for  the  purpose  of  spreading 
the  influences  of  religion  among  the  inhabitants. 
Army  chaplains  had  been  there  before  him,  but  they 
could  scarcely  be  classed  in  the  same  categorv.     He 


C54 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


preached  wherever  he  found  a  place  and  opportunity, 
and  returning  to  the  same  country  subsequently  on 
similar  expeditions  in  1767,  1771,  and  1772  became 
well  known.  In  1771  he  selected  some  lands  lying 
in  Redstone  and'  Menallen  townships,  and  in  1772 
brought  out  his  son  Ebenezer,  a  lad  of  fourteen, 
whom  he  intended  to  be  trained  in  the  hardy  experi- 
ence of  a  pioneer.  With  his  son  he  brought  also  :i 
few  negro  slaves  and  Samuel  Fiiiley  (not  related  to 
the  Rev.  James),  to  the  latter  of  whom  he  gave  the 
charge  of  the  lands  and  the  guardianship  of  young 
Ebenezer. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Finley  himself  never  became  a  resident 
of  Fayette  County.   He  lived  in  Maryland  until  1783, 
when  he  accepted  a  call  to  preach  for  a  church  in 
Westmoreland  County,  Pa.     There  he  remained  in  ^ 
charge  of  the  congregation  until  his  death  in  1795.  : 
Ebenezer  Finley  grew  to  manhood  and  prospered.   He  ] 
became  an  owner  of  much  land  in  Redstone,  German,  1 
and  Menallen  townships,  but  had  his  home  in  Red-  ! 
stone.     A  more  extended  reference  to   him  will  ac- 
cordingly be  found  in  the  history  of  that  township, 
where  he  died  in  1849,  aged  eighty-eight  years.     In 
1826  his  son,  Ebenezer,  Jr.,  moved  into  Menallen, 
and  settled  upon  some  of  his  father's   land.     There 
he  still  resides,  hale  and  hearty,  although  nearing  his 
eightieth  year.     He  and  his  excellent  wife  celebrated  i 
in  1876  the  golden  anniversary  of  their  wedding,  and  ' 
on   that   occasion   gathered   within  their   hospitable 
mansion  friends,  relatives,  and  children  even  from  i 
distant  parts  of  the  country.     The  reunion  was  a  joy-  ' 
ous  and  memorable  one.     Another  son  of  Ebenezer 
Finley  the  elder,  living  in  Menallen  on  a  portion  of 
the  early  Finley  purchase,  is  Eli  H.,  whose  home  is  | 
near  the  village  of  New  Salem.    There  is  an  amusing 
story  told  of  the  appearance  of  Rev.  James  Finley 
and  Philip  Tanner  in  the  Dunlap's    Creek  Valley. 
It  recites  that  Messrs.  Finley  and  Tanner  rode  up  to 
the  house  of  Capt.  John  Moore,  of  German  township, 
and  upon  their  near  approach  were  espied  by  Capt. 
John's  youthful  son  Aaron,  who,  running  as  fast  as  : 
he  could  into  the  house,  cried  out  almost  breathlessly  j 
to  his  father,  "  Pap,  pap,  there  be  two  great  men  out  j 
there.     I  know  they're  great  men  'cause  they've  got 
boots  on."     Evidently   "  men  with  boots  on"   must  [ 
have  been  rare  objects  in  that  country  at  that  day. 

There  were  many  of  the  Society  of  Friends  among 
the  e;irly  settlers  dl' Menallen.  They  came  from  Vir- 
ginia Slum  alter  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war, 
and  in  considerable  numbers  located  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  New  Salem,  in  Menallen,  German,  and  South 
Union  townships.  Among  them  were  James  Sidwell, 
Joseph  Mendenhall,  William  Dickson,  John  Hack- 
ney, Caleb  Antram,  Abraham  Vail,  John  Woods,  the 
Campbells,  and  many  others.  At  Sandy  Hill,  on 
Jennings'  Run,  upon  the  road  between  New  Salem  j 
and  Uniontown,  tlie  (Quakers  built  at  an  early  day  I 
(as  early  as  17S4,  and  jiorhaps  before)  a  log  meeting- 
house, and  laid  out  a  graveyard.     The  meeting-house  ' 


stood  for  many  years,  and  was  long  a  place  where  the 
Friends  assembled  regularly  for  worship.  After 
a  while,  however,  the  members  of  that  sect,  lessening 
by  deaths  and  removals,  became  so  few  in  number  that 
meetings  were  discontinued,  and  by  and  by  the  meet- 
ing-house was  demolished.  The  graveyard,  thickly 
dotted  with  old  headstones,  is  still  used  for  its  orig- 
inal purpose. 

Joseph  Mendenhall  was  a  prominent  figure  in  Men- 
alien's  early  history,  and  although  he  was  known  as 
a  Quaker,  and  attended  at  the  Quaker  meeting-house, 
he  was  said  to  exhibit  at  times  a  boisterous  disposi- 
tion utterly  at  variance  with  the  peaceful  tenets  of 
the  Society  of  Friends,  and  is  indeed  reported  to  have 
gone  80  far  on  more  than  one  occasion  as  to  swear 
roundly.  Mr.  Mendenhall  came  from  Philadelphia 
directly  upon  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  and  settled 
in  what  became  the  Mendenhall  school  district,  on  a 
stream,  and  at  a  place  called  to  this  day  Mendenhall's 
dam,  where  he  built  a  saw-mill.  He  claimed  to  have 
been  a  captain  in  the  Revolution,  and  for  that  reason, 
more  perhaps  than  for  any  other,  he  was  known  as 
"  the  fighting  Quaker."  His  greatest  delight  was  to 
be  chosen  supervisor,  so  that  he  might  follow  the 
bent  of  his  inclinations,  or  hobby  more  properly, 
towards  the  working  of  the  township  roads.  He 
was  township  supervisor  many  successive  years,  and 
always  filled  the  office  with  the  highest  credit.  Al- 
though he  was  generally  chosen  without  much  oppo- 
sition, he  worked  hard  at  each  election,  and  invari- 
ably carried  to  the  polls  a  jug  of  whisky,  upon  the 
contents  of  which  he  and  his  adherents  would  make 
merry  over  the  result.  The  jug,  and  sometimes  more 
than  one,  bore  a  prominent  part  in  the  supervisors' 
highway  labors,  for  he  ever  made  it  a  point  to  pro- 
vide whisky  at  his  own  expense  for  the  refreshment 
of  those  whom  he  called  to  the  work  of  repairing  the 
roads.  Inasmuch  as  he  frequently  had  as  many  as 
fifty  or  sixty  men  laboring  at  that  business  at  a  time, 
his  expenditures  for  whisky  must  have  amounted  to 
a  considerable  sum.  Mr.  Mendenhall  lived  to  be 
ninety-four  years  old. 

James  Sidwell,  a  Quaker,  came  from  Martinsburg, 
Va.,  in  1790,  and  made  his  home  upon  a  tract  of  three 
hundred  acres  of  land  that  he  had  bought  of  Benja- 
min Whaley,  who  had  bought  the  land  of  the  pat- 
entees, Grant,  Pitt,  and  Buchanan,  to  whom  the  patent 
was  issued  April  24,  1788.  Upon  that  land  now  lives 
Hiram  H.  Hackney,  grandson  of  James  Sidwell. 
The  latter  had  but  two  children,  and  they  were 
daughters.  He  died  on  his  Menallen  farm  in  1815,  aged 
seventy-seven  years.  One  of  his  daughters  married 
James  Stevens,  and  moved  to  Indiana.  The  second 
became  the  wife  of  John  Hackney,  of  Luzerne,  who 
settled  on  the  Sidwell  homestead. 

Although  James  Sidwell  himself  took  no  part  in  the 
Revolutionary  struggle,  all  of  his  brothers — to  the 
number  of  three — fought  through  the  campaigns  with 
conspicuous  gallantry.     There  was  a  Q,uaker  named 


MENALLEN   TOWNSHIP. 


655 


William  Dickson  adjoining  BidwcU  on  the  west  when 
the  latter  settled,  and  near  him  a  number  of  Quakers. 
John  Hackney  died  in  1868,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five. 
He  had  seven  children,  of  whom  four  are  living.  Of 
these  Hiram  H.  and  John  are  residents  of  Menallen. 

In  1793  there  was  a  school-house  on  the  Sidwell 
farm,  at  which  John  Hackney's  wife  ( James  Sidwell's 
daughter)  took  her  first  lessons  in  education  from 
Daniel  Roundtree,  who  taught  a  long  while  there  and 
in  the  neighboring  school-houses. 

Caleb  Woodward  moved  from  Chester  County  at  an 
early  day,  and  set  up  a  blacksmith's  shop  in  Menallen, 
on  James  Sidwell's  farm.  He  was  a  somewhat  noted 
mechanic,  and  was  esteemed  especially  skillful  in  the 
manufacture  of  plows,  chains,  etc.  The  plows  of 
his  day  were  made  of  wood  and  plated  with  strips  of 
iron.  People  came  to  him  from  afar  off,  nine  miles 
and  more,  to  have  him  make  for  them  chains  and 
plows.  He  did  also  a  brisk  business  in  plating 
saddles.  He  settled  eventually  on  a  farm  now  occu- 
pied by  Joseph  Woodward,  and  died  in  New  Salem. 
Caleb's  brothers,  John,  Joshua,  and  Joseph,  located  in 
Menallen  about  the  same  time.  All  of  them  were 
farmers.  Joshua's  home  was  on  the  place  now  owned 
by  his  son  Ellis. 

William  Barton  came  also   from   Chester  County 
about  1775.     He  bought  of  a  man  named  Rayall  the 
land  now  occupied  by  J.  W.  Barton.     His  sons  were 
William,   Joseph,  Robert,   Thomas,  and   Benjamin. 
His  daughters  were  two  in  number.    All  the  children 
were  born  on  the  Menallen  place.     His  son  Thomas 
married  Priscilla  B.  Gaddis,  of  South  Union.     She 
died  in  Menallen,  aged,  it  is  said,  one  hundred  years.  | 
Her  father,  John  Gaddis,  saw  an  extended  period  of  I 
active  service  during  the  war  of  1812.     There  was  a 
school-house  near  the  Barton  place  in  1805,  to  which  | 
Barton's  children  went,  and  in  that  year  had  as  teacher 
a  Mr.  Thomas.  | 

The  Quaker  settlement  near  New  Salem  was  in- 
creased in  1795  by  the  arrival  of  Caleb  Antram,  him- 
self a  Quaker,  who  migrated  from  Virginia,  with  a 
family  consisting  of  a  wife  and  three  children.  He 
bought  one  hundred  and  fifteen  acres  of  land  of 
Henry  Vandement,  and  after  he  had  been  in  a  short  j 
time  bought  also  the  William  Dickson  farm.  Antram 
died  in  1840,  aged  eighty-seven  years.  Of  his  seven 
children  but  two  are  living,  Caleb  and  Joshua.  John  ' 
Butterfield  was  living  upon  the  site  of  New  Salem 
village  when  Antram  made  his  location,  and  there 
were  also  in  the  vicinity,  besides  those  already  men- 
tioned, the  Rodericks,  Campbells,  Millers,  Woods,  and 
Johnsons.  Daniel  Johnson  had  been  living  on  the 
present  Abram  Roderick  place  since  1783.  He  was  a 
cabinet-maker  by  trade. 

Robert  Jackson  settled  about  1790  on  the  John 
Dearth  farm.  His  son  Zadoc  married  a  daughter 
of  Caleb  Woodward.  Giles  McCormick,  a  native  of 
Ireland,  came  to  Fayette  County  in  1808,  and  bought 
of  Mr.  Watt  a  farm  in  Menallen,  upon  which  James 


Gaddis  now  lives.  There  Mr.  McCormick  died  in 
1835.  Samuel  Harris  and  Ralph  Higinbotham  were 
early  settlers  in  the  Mendenhall  neighborhood  ;  Jere- 
miah Piersol  (who  died  in  1881,  aged  ninety-five),  the 
Campbells,  the  Shaws,  the  Grables,  Colleys,  and  Keys, 
near  Searight's ;  and  the  Vails,  Gaddis,  McGinnis, 
Works,  Fullers,  Rutters,  Coopers,  Osborns,  Kellys, 

I  and  Radcliffs,  near  Plumsock. 

Redding  Bunting,  who  died  May  22, 1878,  was  born 
near  New  Salem,  and  was  one  of  the  noted  stage- 
drivers  on  the  National  road ;  was  stage  agent,  tavern- 
keeper,  mail  contractor,  and  generally  a  busy  man  in 
matters  appertaining  to  stage-coaching  in  its  palmy 
days. 

Immediately  after  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary 
war.  Col.  William  Roberts  migrated  from  Bucks 
County  to  Southwestern  Pennsylvania,  and  settled 
upon  a  three-hundred-acre  tract  of  land  that  included 
what  is  now  known  as  Searight's,  on  the  National  road. 
William  was  commissioned  colonel  of  the  Fourth 
Battalion  of  militia  in  Bucks  County,  May  6,  1777, 
and  after  serving  through  the  war,  was  at  its  close 
comissioned  major  of  the  Third  Battalion  of  Bucks 
County  militia,  Oct.  11, 1783.  Both  commissions  are 
now   in   the   possession  of  his  granddaughter,  Mrs. 

j  Zenas  Van  Kirk,  of  Redstone  township.  She  has 
also  a  certificate  of  the  marriage  of  William  Roberts 
and  Rachel  Grifiith,  dated  Aug.  7,  1760.  The  docu- 
ment is  signed  by  the  contracting  parties,  the  oflicia- 
ting  clergyman  (John  Thomas),  and  no  less  than 
fifteen  witnesses.  Col.  Roberts  lived  in  Menallen 
until  his  death.  All  of  his  sons  except  Benjamin 
moved  to  the  far  West.  He  lived  a  while  at  Plum- 
sock,  and  ended  his  days  at  the  house  of  Mrs. 
Zenas  Van  Kirk,  in  1845.  His  brother  John  had 
been  one  of  the  county  commissioners,  and  he 
himself  a  justice  of  the  peace  twenty-five  years.  His 
son,  William  B.,  of  Uniontown,  was  an  ofiicer  in  the 
Mexican  war,  and  died  in  the  city  of  Mexico. 

"  Searight's,"  on  the  National  road,  five  miles  west- 
ward from  Uniontown,  has  for  many  years  been  a 
well-known  locality  to  travelers  upon  that  thorough- 
fare, and  in  the  days  of  great  traffic  over  the  road  was 
a  somewhat  famous  stopping-place  for  stage-coaches 
and  freighters.  There  are  at  that  point  now  a  tavern, 
post-office,  store,  blacksmith-shop,  and  perhaps  a  half- 
dozen  houses,  but  the  bustling  activity  that  once 
marked  the  spot  when  the  National  road  was  in  its 
glory  has  given  place  to  a  dozing  quietude,  albeit  the 
tavern  still  greets  with  entertainment  occasional  way- 
farers. The  tavern  was  built  by  Josiah  Frost  in  1819, 
but  before  he  had  made  it  ready  for  business  he  sold 
it  and  adjacent  landed  property  to  William  Searight. 
William  Searight  was  by  trade  a  fuller,  and  in  1807 
had  a  mill  on  Dunlap's  Creek.  From  there  he  moved 
to  Cook's  Mills,  and  thence  to  Perryopolis,  where  he 
built  a  fulling-mill.  While  there  he  bought  the  tav- 
ern stand  property,  and  when  he  had  completed  the 
erection  of  the  buildings,  including  with  the  tavern  a 


656 


HISTOKY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


blacksmith's  and  wheelwright's  shop,  he  leased  them, 
but  to  whom  is  not  now  remembered.  In  a  little  while 
Mr.  Searight  sold  his  Perryopolis  mill,  and  removing 
to  his  new  possessions  on  the  National  road,  became 
himself  the  landlord  of  the  wayside  inn,  which  he 
soon  made  a  noted  and  popular  halting-place.  In 
that  day  there  was  a  great  volume  of  travel  over  the 
National  road,  and  as  the  tavern  was  maintained  in 
most  excellent  order,  "Searight's"  soon  became  well 
known  from  one  end  of  the  road  to  the  other  as  a  place 
where  good  cheer  for  man  and  beast  awaited  all  comers, 
and  where  great  numbers  of  people  and  teams  were 
constantly  entertained.  Four-horse  passenger-coaches 
rolled  over  the  road  in  rapid  succession,  and  as  Sea- 
right's  was  a  "  stage-house,"  there  was  always  plenty 
of  business,  bustle,  and  profit  at  the  "Corners." 

Before  .lames  K.  Polk  was  chosen  to  the  Presi- 
dency, and  while  he  was  a  congressman,  he  rode  with  , 
his  wife  by  stage-coach  over  the  National  road  en- 
route  to  Washington  to  attend  a  congressional  session.  | 
When  near  Searight's  the  stage-coach  broke  down, 
and  it  being  decided  that  the  journey  could  not  be 
resumed  before  the  following  morning,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Polk  walked  to  Searight's,  where  they  proposed  to 
pass  the  remainder  of  the  night,  it  being  then  well  on  , 
towards  morning.  They  found  the  landlord  up,  in 
anticipation  of  their  arrival,  and  they  i'ound,  too,  the 
floor  of  the  great  bar-room  thickly  -tic  un  with  sleep- 
ing wagonere,  who  had  halted  tlicrr  for  (lie  night.  In 
response  to  tlieir  ri'ipiest  fir  a  rn.mi  with  ;i  tiru  tlir 
landlord  made  ready  t..  exiM-iite  tlieir  mniniaiids,  but 
expressed  the  fear  that  th.y  might  lir  annoyed  over 
the  delay  in  the  makini;  oi  th.' aiiMrtiiimt  (■unifortably 
warm.  At  this  declaratinii  Mrs.  I'nlk,  lonking  earn- 
estly at  the  cheerful,  briglitly-lmining  fire  in  the  bar- 
room grate,  as  if  charmed  with  its  inviting  warmth, 
proposed  that  they  should  sleep  there.  A  "  shake- 
down" was  accordingly  made,  and  they  passed  the 
remainder  of  the  night  in  the  bar-room.  In  the  morn- 
ing they  breakfasted  and  went  forward  upon  their 
journey.  The  accidental  visit  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Polk 
to  Searight's  was  for  a  long  time  afterwards  a  toi)ic 
of  interesting  discussion  among  those  who  tarried  to 
enjoy  the  hospitality  of  the  tavern,  and  Searight's 
was  greatly  profited  by  the  incident,  in  fame  if  not  in 
exchequer. 

One  McDermott  was  a  landlord  at  Searight's  at  an 
early  day,  and  so  was  old  Johnny  Gray,  but  it  is 
likely  that  some  Boniface  had  possession  before  Mc- 
Dermott's  time.  Mr.  Searight  himself  did  not  take 
charge  of  the  tavern  until  1828,  or  two  years  after  his 
marriage.  He  presided  as  landlord  a  few  years,  and  * 
then  retired  to  his  adjacent  farm,  after  leasing  the 
tavern  stand  to  Joseph,  son  of  old  Johnny  Gray. 
Mr.  Searight  was  appointed  by  Governor  Porter  su- 
perintendent of  that  portion  of  the  National  road 
passing  through  Pennsylvania,  and  in  1852  he  re- 
ceived the  Democratic  nomination  for  the  office  of  i 
can.al   commissioner.     Before   the   election  he   died. 


August  12th.  Col.  William  Hopkins,  of  Washington 
County,  was  nominated  in  his  stead  and  elected. 
Mr.  Searight's  widow,  who  survives  him,  lives  in 
Fniontown,  where  also  live  his  sons,  Thomas  B.,  Wil- 
liam, and  J.  A.  Ewing,  another  son,  resides  upon 
the  old  tavern  property. 

In  1830,  Mr.  James  Allison  (who  had  worked  in 
Mr.  Searight's  fulling-mill  on  Dunlap's  Creek)  came 
to  Searight's,  and  at  the  Corners  he  has  lived  ever 
since.  He  found  Hugh  Keys  keeping  a  store  there. 
In  1833  a  post-office  was  established  at  Searight's,  and 
Thomas  Greer,  the  blacksmith,  appointed  postmaster. 
He  served  until  183-1,  when  the  office  was  discon- 
tinued. In  1849  it  was  revived  and  James  Allison 
appointed  postmaster.  He  was  the  incumbent  until 
18S0,  when  Elias  Hatfield,  the  present  postmaster, 
was  appointed. 

Hugh  Graham,  a  carpenter  and  architect,  landed 
in  Philadelphia  in  1822,  and  worked  two  years  for 
Stephen  Girard.  His  entire  possessions  upon  reach- 
ing Philadelphia  amounted  to  ten  guineas  and  a  chest 
of  carpi  ntii'>  tM.il<.  In  1824  he  journeyed  on  foot 
from  I'liiladi. l|ihi:i  t^j  Pittsburgh,  and  although  suf- 
fering from  an  injured  foot  (is  said  to  have)  made  the 
trip  of  three  hundred  miles  in  six  days, — most  excel- 
lent time  if  true.  En  route  he  passed  the  house  of 
Jacob  Black,  in  Menallen,  near  which,  at  a  spring,  he 
saw  Mr.  Black's  daughter  Margaret  washing  clothes. 
She  was  so  much  amused  at  the  appearance  of  Gra- 
ham's foot-gear,  consisting  of  a  big  boot  and  a  small 
sfme,  tliat  she  laughed  most  immoderately.  This  in- 
cident was  Graham's  introduction  to  Margaret  Black, 
and  as  he  happened  to  return  that  way  from  Pitts- 
burgh, after  a  sojourn  of  two  weeks  at  the  latter 
place,  he  stopped  for  rest  at  Jacob  Black's  house,  and 
renewed  his  acquaintance  with  the  young  lady.  The 
acquaintance  proved  to  be  so  satisfactory  upon  both 
sides  that  Miss  Jlargaret  eventually  became  Mrs.  Gra- 
ham. Mr.  Graham  became  a  builder  and  architect 
of  some  renown  at  Uniontown,  and  in  1835  he  retired 
to  a  farm  in  Meunllen  that  was  originally  taken  up 
by  Hugh  CrawloKJ.  In  is  in  lie  came  into  possession 
of  the  Jacol)  lilack  taiiii,  and  lived  there  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  May  19,  1878,  when  he  had 
reached  the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  His  father-in- 
law,  Jacob  Black,  was  a  German,  and  came  to  Men- 
alien  about  1790.  His  location  was  made  upon  the 
farm  now  occupied  by  his  grandson,  Thomas  B.  Gra- 
ham, and  there  he  died. 

William  Wheatley  enlisted  from  New  Jersey  for 
the  war  of  the  Revolution,  and  served  through  the 
conflict  as  captain  of  a  company  of  light  cavalry. 
After  the  Revolution  he  settled  in  Menallen  An  old 
account-book  kept  by  him  and  beginning  with  the 
date  June  15,  1785,  is  now  in  the  possession  of  his 
great-grandson,  John  S.  Marsh,  of  Cook's  Mills. 
Mr.  Marsh  has  also  a  full  set  of  silver  buttons  worn 
by  Capt.  Wheatley  upon  his  Revolutionary  uniform. 
Anthnnv  Cumniard,  an  earlv  settler  in  Franklin,  mar- 


MENALLEN  TOWNSHIP. 


ried  one  of  Capt.  Wheatley's  daughters.  She  used  to 
tell  how  during  the  battle  of  Trenton  she  sat  in  the 
Wheatley  mansion  when  a  cannon-ball  tore  its  way 
through  the  house.  Anthony  Cummard  himself 
fought  through  the  Revolution,  and  shared  in  the 
victory  of  Yorktown.  Thomas  Marsh,  grandson  of 
Capt.  Wheatley,  died  in  Indiana.  His  living  children 
are  Mrs.  Westcott,  of  Fayette  City,  Mrs.  Duval,  of 
Ohio,  and  John  S.  Marsh. 

In  1808,  Menallen's  taxable  property  was  assessed 
at  $117,950.  The  quota  of  county  tax  was  $177.  The 
taxable  acres  numbered  12,944.  There  were  seven 
mills,  one  forge,  one  rolling-mill,  two  tan-yards, 
eleven  distilleries,  one  slave,'  three  hundred  and 
sixty-five  houses,  and  three  hundred  and  twenty- 
eight  cattle. 

EARLY    RO.-iDS. 

At  the  March  term  of  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions 
in  1793  mention  of  an  early  road  was  made  in  the 
following  report:  "We,  the  undersigned  subscribers, 
being  by  Your  Honors  appointed  to  view  a  road  from 
Ebenezer  Finley's  saw-mill,'  to  intersect  the  road 
leading  from  Uniontown  to  the  old  fort  at  or  near 
the  Episcopal  church,^  according  to  order,  etc."  In 
September,  1785,  a  petition  was  granted  by  the  court 
to  Menallen  for  a  road  from  Jeremiah  Pears'  saw- 
mill^ door  (from  which  the  Uniontown  road  bore 
south  16°  45'  east),  past  Eobert  Gadds'  house,  on 
the  middle  of  Peters  Street  and  centre  of  Middle 
(Meadow)  Alley.  June,  1784,  a  petition  was  pre- 
sented for  a  road  "from  Robert  McGlaughlin's  to 
Jeremiah  Pears'  mill,  from  there  to  strike  the  road 
that  leads  from  Uniontown  to  Middle  Run  near  John 
Watson's."  December,  1794,  a  petition  was  pre- 
sented for  a  road  from  Meason's  furnace  (in  Dun- 
bar) to  Pears'  forge,*  to  intersect  a  road  from  Union- 
town  to  Redstone. 

EARLY  TAVERNS. 
At  the  March  term  of  court  in  1784,  John  McMar- 
tin  was  recommended  for  a  license  as  tavern-keeper 
in  Menallen,  but  he  did  not  at  that  time  obtain  it. 
At  the  December  term,  1784,  Reuben  Kemp  and 
Jacob  Hewitt  were  licensed ;  December,  1785,  Mat- 
thew Campbell ;  June,  1786,  Joseph  Price  and  John 
Heath ;  June,  1790,  Patrick  Tiernan  and  John  Far- 
quar;  December,  1791,  George  Kruman.  In  addition 
to  the  list  given,  Josiah  Tannehill  was  licensed  June, 
1788;  George  Mitchell,  March,  1789;  Zachariah 
Doty,  June,  1789;  Ephraim  Hewitt,  March,  1795; 
Robert  Willis,  John  Ayers,  and  William  Ayers, 
June,  1795;  George  Kinnear,  September,  1790;  Jon- 
athan Hickman,  Richard  Weaver,  Anthony  Swaine, 
John  Brown,  and  John  Grier,  September,  1795;  Wil- 
liam Cox,  December,  1795  ;  Amos  Wilson  and  Ben- 
jamin Bowman,  September,  1796  ;  John  Jones,  Fran- 

1  In  Redstone.  -  In  MenaUen,  on  the  Nation.il  pike. 


cis  Griffith,  and  Peter  Kinney,  September,  1797 ; 
James  Brown,  December,  1798,  and  Alexander  Wil- 
liamson, March,  1800. 

TOWNSHIP  ORGANIZATION  AND  LIST  OF  OFFICERS. 
Menallen  was  one  of  the  original  townships  created 
by  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  at  the  December 
term  in  1783.     The  court  decreed  as  follows : 

Redstone  Creek; 


"  A  township,  beginning 
thence  up  the  same  to  the  mouth  of  .Jennings'  Run;  thence  up 
the  same  to  the  head  of  the  ivest  fork  thereof;  thence  by  a 
straight  line  to  the  head  of  the  Burnt  Cabin  branch  of  Dunlap's 
Creek  ;  thence  down  said  branch  and  Dunlap's  Creek  to  the 
road  that  leads  to  Oliver  Crawford's  ferry  ;  thence  along  the 
said  road  to  McKibben's  Run  ;  thence  down  the  same  and  Dun- 
lap's Creek  to  the  river;  thence  down  the  same  to  the  begin- 
ning, to  be  hereafter  known  by  the  name  of  Menallen  township." 

In  March,  1797,  the  petition  of  sundry  inhabitants 
of  Menallen  township  prayed  for  a  division  of  the 
township.  In  response  thereto  the  court,  at  the  De- 
cember term  in  1797,  set  off  and  erected  Redstone 
township  from  the  west  and  northwest  part  of  Men- 
alien. 

The  records  containing  the  civil  list  of  the  town- 
ship are  imperfect.  From  1784  to  1808  the  elections 
of  township  officials  are  recorded  and  kept.  From^ 
1808  to  1840  nothing  of  consequence  has  been  pre- 
served. From  1840  to  1881  the  records  have  been 
kept,  and  from  them  the  lists  for  that  period  have 
been  taken,  as  given  below  : 


1S40.  Robert  Boyd. 

John  Cunningham. 

1542.  Adam  McCray. 

1543.  Wilson  Scott. 

1844.  Joseph  Gray. 

1845.  William  McGinnis. 

1846.  Robert  S.  Henderson. 

1847.  Ebenezer  Finley. 

1848.  Adam  McCray. 

1849.  Robert  S.  Henderson. 

1850.  William  McGinnis. 
Simon  Johnston. 

1851.  Thomas  Barton. 

1852.  William  Bolsinger. 
William  McGinnis. 

1853.  William  Johnston. 

1854.  William  McGinnis. 
Albert  G.  Hague. 

1855.  Hugh  Poundstone. 

1856.  Hugh  Keyes. 
Andrew  Lynn. 

1857.  John  McCray. 

1858.  Nathan  Holloway. 

1859.  William  I.  Johnson. 

1860.  William  JIcGinnis. 


1861.  James  McCormick. 

1862.  William  McCormick. 

1863.  L.  Colly. 

1864.  W.  McGinnis. 

1865.  6.  Colley. 

1866.  J.  Di.\on. 

1867.  AV.  McCormick. 

1868.  G.  McCrary. 

1869.  T.  Jeffries. 

1870.  W.  McCormick. 

1871.  J.  McCormick. 

1872.  James  Nickel. 

1873.  W.  J.  Johnston. 

1874.  James  McCormick. 

1875.  Abram  Osborn. 

1876.  Alfred  Frost. 
T.  B.  Graham. 

1877.  E.  Courtney. 
Charles  McCormick. 

1878.  EwingSearight. 

1879.  S.  W.  Colley. 
Ewing  Searight. 

1881.  Joshua  Woodward. 
Hiram  B.  Jackson. 


184(1.  Adam  McCray. 
1842-46.  John  Dixon 
1847-48.  Andrew  Spr 


I'NSHIP   CLERKS. 

1850.  Joseph  Smith. 
'    1851-52.  John  McCray. 
;er.  1853.  William  Krepps. 

1854.  John  Ferren. 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1855.  John  JleCray. 

1870.  N.  Holloway. 

1S56.  Joseph  I.  Smith. 

1871-72.  A.  Stewart. 

1857.  George  Friend. 

1873.  Joseph  McCray. 

1858-60.  Joseph  Smith. 

1874.  W.  Gunison. 

ISfil.  Franci.s  Marion. 

1875-79.  F.  M.  Smith. 

1S02-65.  F.  JI.  Smith. 

1880.  F.  M.  Smith. 

1866-69.  A.  Stewart. 

1881.  Amos  Fry. 

SCHOOL   DIRECTORS. 

istl.  Ebenezer  Finley. 

1862.  Taylor  Jeffries. 

William  McMillan. 

I.  I.  Harris. 

1842.  Hugh  Graham. 

1863.  J.  C.  Grable. 

James  Dunn. 

Peter  Colley. 

1843.  Warwick  Miller. 

1864.  I.  Cuwell. 

Thomas  Hazen. 

J.  Kelly. 

1S44.  Caleb  Antram. 

1865.  T.  Jeffries. 

James  Allison. 

I.  I.  Harris. 

1S45.  Thomas  Di.Non. 

1866.  P.  Colley. 

Daniel  Esf.ey. 

J.  C.  Grable. 

1S46.  Nathan  Lewis. 

1867.  J.  Kelly. 

Simon  Johnson. 

I.  Cowell. 

1847.  John  M.  Claybaugh. 

1868.' J.  Woodward. 

James  Campbell. 

William  McGinnis. 

184S.  Robert  Boden. 

E.  Searight. 

Taylor  Jeffries. 

1869.  E.  Campbell. 

IS40.  Mifflin  Jeffries. 

J.  Graham. 

William  MoGinnis. 

J.  Dixon. 

1S5IJ.  David  Poundstone. 

1870.  H.  McGinnis. 

Robert  Powell. 

E.  0.  Leonard. 

185 1.  Jesse  Johnston. 

1871.  J.  Woodward. 

Robert  Powell. 

M.  V.  Whetzel. 

1852.  Charles  S.  Sexton. 

E.  Searight. 

Thomas  Moxley. 

1872.  J.  Cromwell. 

1853.  Warwick  Miller. 

A.  Colley. 

James  H.  Lewis. 

1873.  J.  B.  Graham. 

1854.  Isaac  Cowell. 

M.  V.  Whetzel. 

David  Phillips. 

1874.  John  Dearth. 

1855.  Thomas  Moxley. 

Hiram  .Miller. 

S.  C.  Chalfant. 

1875.  Benjamin  Beall. 

1856.  C.  V.  Tracy. 

John  Williams. 

William  J.  Johuston. 

1876.  J.  B.  Graham. 

1857.  Samuel  Lynn. 

M.  V.  Whetzel. 

Robert  Finley. 

1877.  Joseph  Woodward. 

1S5S.  Warwick  Miller. 

Ethelbert  Courtney. 

Daniel  Binns. 

1878.  W.  B.  McCoy. 

Xicholas  Deffenbaugh. 

John  Shaw. 

1859.  Williani  Boyd. 

1879.  M.  V.  Whetzel. 

Taylor  Jeffries. 

Levi  Beall. 

1861).  Robert  Powell. 

1880.  Ethelbert  Courtney. 

Peter  Colley. 

Levi  Beall. 

1861.  Isaac  Coma. 

1881.  E.  Campbell. 

John  Kellcy. 

John  Shaw. 

JUSTICES   OF 

THE   PEACE. 

1S4II.  Simon  Johnson. 

ISen.  JIatthew  Arisen. 

William  Jlorrison. 

1862.  John  Kelly. 

1S45.  William  Balsinger. 

Lyman  S.  Herbert. 

James  Dixon. 

1867.  J.  Kelly. 

1848.  John  Kelly. 

R.  A.  Moss. 

Hiram  McCoy. 

1868.  T.  Di.xon. 

1850.  Hiram  Jackson. 

1869.  M.  Hess. 

1852.  William  Allison. 

1872.  W.  McGinnis. 

1853.  Joseph  W.  Miller. 

A.J.  Tait. 

1854.  John  Kelly. 

1877.  A.  J.  Tait. 

1857.  Hiram  H.  Kackney. 

M.  V.  Whetzel. 

1858.  Daniel  Binns. 

i  THE    TOWN   OF    NEW    SALEM. 

New  Salem,  also  known  as  "  Muttontown,"  is  a 
small  village  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty'  inhab- 
itants, lying  on  the  western  border  of  Menallen  town- 

I  ship.  It  contains  three  stores,  a  post-offlce,  an  Odd- 
Fellows'  hall,  three  churches,  and  a  fine  public  school, 
the  district  in  which  it  is  included  being  independ- 
ent in  school  matters  from  the  township.  The  vil- 
lage site  was  owned  by  John  Butterfield  in  1790,  and 
later  by  James  Vandement,  who  was  also  the  owner 
of  no  inconsiderable  land  tracts  in  that  locality  be- 
sides. David  Arnold  bought  the  village  property  in 
1799,  and  August  17th  of  that  year  laid  out  a  village 
which  he  named  New  Salem,  containing  sixty  lots. 
Why  he  called  it  New  Salem  no  one  knows.  From  a 
copy  of  tlie  original  plat  of  the  town  it  appears, 
however,  that  the  land  upon  which  he  laid  it  out  had 
been  called  "  StulHe's  Policy."  The  nucleus  of  the 
village  was  James  Thompson's  grist-mill,  a  rude  log 
structure,  built  some  time  before  Arnold  conceived 
the  idea  of  founding  a  town.     Others  than  himself 


Hi.kni 


the  same  tinu 

th 

as  the  village 

,,h^ 

from   Marvlai 

d  i 

f  till-  village  prospects,  for  one 
.pencd  a  tavern  there  in  1802,  at 
lis  father,  Dr.  Hickman,  located 
ian.  In  1803,  John  Funk  came 
pursuit  of  a  favorable  opening 
for  trade,  and  found  at  New  Salem  one  to  suit  him. 
He  put  a  few  goods  into  a  log  cabin  on  the  "  Odd- 
Fellows'  corner,"  and  traded  a  year,  until  1804,  when  he 
died.  There  was  John  Boner,  the  village  blacksmith, 
and  soon  afterwards  Alexander  Campbell,  who  thought 
the  field  so  promising  that  he  too  opened  a  smithy. 
Campbell  was,  moreover,  a  firm  believer  in  his  ability 
to  discover  the  secret  of  perpetual  motion,  and  be- 
stowed so  much  time  upon  his  eftbrts  in  that  direction 
that  he  did  not  s|.ai-,'  much  time  to  theblacksniithing 
business.  He  did  M)i]iitliing  in  the  wa}-  of  making 
]>ottery,  but  perpetual  motion  was  his  hobby,  and  of 
course  he  wore  himself  out  without  achieving  the 
object  of  his  ambition.  Dr.  Hickman  and  Alexander 
Campbell  lived  in  two  log  houses  that  stood  near  to- 
gether. Campbell's  house  has  been  demolished ;  Dr. 
Hickman's  still  stands,  and  is  now  the  home  of  Henry 
Funk,  son  of  John  Funk,  store-keeper  in  New  Salem 
in  1803,  at  which  time  Henry  was  two  years  old. 
After  that  he  lived  back  from  the  village  until  1835, 
when  he  resumed  his  habitation  at  New  Salem  and 
set  up  a  blacksmith-shop.  Since  1836  he  has  lived 
in  New  Salem,  although  long  since  retired  from  active 
business. 

For  some  reason  unexplainable  at  this  day  New 
Salem  soon  assumed  and  maintained  a  reputation  for 
immorality  and  disorder  that  made  its  name  a  by- 
word and  reproach  among  peaceful  and  law-abiding 
people.  What  especial  circumstance  led  to  this  is 
not  now  apparent,  nor  is  it  necessary  to  inquire.  But 
by  common  consent  New  Salem  was  mentioned  as  a 


MENALLEN   TOWNSHIP. 


place  conspicuous  for  dram-drinking,  horse-racing, 
drunkenness,  and  vicious  idleness.  Well-behaved 
people  shunned  it,  and  in  deri.sion  rechristened  it 
Multontown, — some  say  because  many  a  stolen  sheep 
was  traced  to  the  village.  Taverns,  so  called,  but 
really  whiskey-shops,  were  numerous  and  flourish- 
ing. 

In  1816  certain  keen-eyed  speculators  concluded  a 
bank  would  pay  at  New  Salem,  and  accordingly  built 
a  stone  banking-house  in  that  year  upon  the  lot  now 
occupied  by  J.  W.  Scott's  store,  and  without  delay 
began  to  issue  seductive-looking  bank-bills  of  all  de- 
nominations, ranging  from  sis  and  a  quarter  cents 
upwards.  The  bank  was  called  The  Farmers'  and 
Mechanics'  Bank  of  Fayette  County,  at  New  Salem. 
Aaron  Torrance  was  president,  and  Timothy  Smith 
cashier.  The  people  of  the  surrounding  country  failed 
to  exhibit  any  very  great  confidence  in  the  matter 
of  depositing  money  in  the  bank,  but  Messrs.  Tor- 
rance, Smith,  and  others  managed  to  keep  themselves 
moderately  busy  and  the  bank  in  a  state  of  temporary 
prosperity  by  an  industrious  issue  of  bills,  which  pene- 
trated not  only  into  remote  corners  of  Pennsylvania, 
but  into  Maryland,  Ohio,  and  other  States.  In  a  little 
while,  when  no  more  bills  could  be  issued,  the  col- 
lapse came,  for  of  course  a  collapse  was  inevitable. 
The  banking-house  was  closed.  Torrance,  Smith,  and 
their  associates  departed  for  other  scenes,  and  the 
unhappy  bill-holders,  whose  name  was  legion,  were 
left  to  bewail  an  overweening  confidence  in  promises 
to  pay.  This  New  Salem  bank  was  from  the  outset 
looked  upon  with  distrust  by  the  State  banking  au- 
thorities. It  appears  that  a  letter  of  inquiry  concern- 
ing the  bank  came  to  the  Union  Bank  at  Uniontown 
in  June,  1816.  To  that  letter  the  cashier  of  the  Union 
Bank  made  the  following  response  : 

"Union  Bank  or  Pennsylvania,  July  11, 181G. 
"Deai!  Sir,— Your  letter  of  the  27th  ult.  was  duly  received. 
As  I  could  not  answer  it  before  this  day  (when  our  Directors 
meet),  I  laid  your  letter  before  them  ;  they  say  from  informa- 
tiou  received  in  regard  to  the  Association  named  in  your  letter 
that  they  have  reason  to  believe  that  such  does  exist,  but  that 
the  persons  composing  it  are  not  of  sufficient  re.spectability  to 
render  it  reputable;  for  myself,  I  know  none  of  the  names  men- 
tioned, and  from  that  am  led  to  believe  they  are  not  men  of 
much  consequence.  The  village  where  the  bank  in  question  is 
to  be  established  contains  a  few  small  lug  houses,  as  I  am  in- 
formed ;  'tis  situated  about  six  miles  from  this  place,  and  five  or 
six  miles  from  Brownsville,  where  there  is  a  chartered  bank. 
"  I  am,  respectfully,  your  ob't  servant. 


,  CaM. 


P.  Ha 


Esq." 


There  is  still  in  preservation  one  of  the  plates  from 
which  were  printed  bills  of  the  New  Salem  Bank  of 
the  denominations  of  one,  three,  and  five  dollars. 
The  one  dollar  notes  bore  the  vignette  of  a  recumbent 
female  holding  a  sheaf  of  wheat.  Over  the  figure  is 
the  line  "  Instituted  in  1816."  Below  the  figure  ap- 
pears the  following : 


"  The  Farmers'  and  Mechanics'  Bank  of  Fayette  County 
promise  to  pay ,  or  bearer,  on  demand,  O.ne  dol- 
lar out  of  their  joint  funds  according  to  their  articles  of  asso- 


C««7i/. 


PrcHkh 


The  three  and  five  dollar  notes  were  essentially 
similar  to  the  one  described,  except  that  the  vignette 
of  the  three  is  a  soaring  eagle,  and  of  the  five  an 
eagle  perching  upon  the  back  of  a  lion. 

Of  this  bank  one  Peter  Black  was  one  of  the  di- 
rectors. An  advertisement  appearing  in  the  Genius 
nf  Liberfy  under  date  of  April  20,  1819,  thus  alludes 
to  Mr.  Black ; 

"$100  Reward,  and  all  necessary  expenses,  will  be  given  by 
the  subscriber  for  the  apprehension  and  delivery  of  Peter  Black 
in  any  jail  in  the  United  States.  Said  Black  is  charged  with 
the  murder  of  Crawford  Laughlin.  Peter  Black  is  a  man  six 
feet  high,  of  dark  complexion,  has  a  large  head  thickly  covered 
with  black  hair,  has  prominent  cheek  bones,  and  large  shoul- 
ders. He  is  a  man  of  about  thirty  years  of  age.  He  had  on 
when  he  went  away  a  blue  surtout,  pants,  and  vest,  and  it  is  sup- 
posed he  has  also  taken  with  him  a  quantity  of  gray  clothes.  IIo 
was  formerly  a  director  in  the  Muttontown,  or  New  Salem  Bank 
of  Fayette  County,  Pa.,  and  he  will  be  doubtless  recollected  in 
Ohio,  where  he  distributed  large  quantities  of  the  paper  of  that 
bank.  It  is  supposed  that  Black  has  gone  into  the  State  of  Ohio. 
The  circumstances  attending  this  horrid  deed  are  as  follows: 
On  the  20th  inst.,  while  the  deceased  was  at  the  house  of  Black, 
in  Fayette  County,  a  dispute  arose  between  the  deceased  and 
another  man.  Black  interfered  and  slabbed  deceased  in  the 
neck,  making  a  gash  about  one  and  a  half  inches  deep. 


"March  27,  1819.' 


'Hu 


1811 


the  Jonah 


Alexander  Wilson  had  a  store  i 
Dearth  place. 

Harmon  Ficke  came  here  in  1816,  announcing  that 
he  had  come  from  Baltimore  for  the  purpose  of  start- 
ing in  trade  at  New  Salem.  He  put  a  few  goods  into 
John  Funk's  old  store  building,  and  declared  himself 
ready  for  business.  Ficke  claimed  to  be  a  doctor  as 
well  as  trader,  but  his  medical  and  surgical  skill  were 
not  made  apparent.  He  kept  his  store  open  six  or 
eight  years,  and  departed  because  store-keeping  in 
New  Salem  was  overshadowed  in  importance  by 
whisky-selling  and  rendered  a  profitless  undertaking. 
There  was  no  store  at  New  Salem  for  many  years 
after  Harmon  Ficke  left,  but  taverns  abounded  and 
whisky  was  king.  Martin  Wolf  was  one  of  the  tav- 
ern-keepers at  this  time,  and  soon  after  him  came 
two  others,  named  Emmons  and  Mitchell.  At  one 
time  there  were  three  taverns  in  the  village.  Jacob 
Balsinger  was  one  of  the  later  and  most  widely 
known  of  New  Salem's  tavern-keepers,  but  during 
his  time  the  popular  voice  made  itself  heard  in  em- 
phatic protest  against  a  further  continuance  of  whisky 
traffic  at  the  village,  for  matters  had  been  going  from 
bad  to  worse,  and,  like  other  evils,  that  evil  had  got  to 
the  point  where  it  was  likely  to  cure  itself  .V  tem- 
perance society  wa.s  organized  in  183.5  at  the  village 


660 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


school-house,  and  at  that  meeting  speeches  were  made 
by  Gen  Joshua  B.  Howell  and  Dr.  Hugh  Campbell. 
The  temjterance  reformers  once  fairly  started,  kept 
the  ball  in  motion  and  worked  assiduously.  The 
whisky  men  fought  to  stop  it,  liut  to  no  purpose. 
Balsinger  finding  his  business  waning,  sold  his  tavern 
— the  only  one  then  in  the  village — to  James  Down- 
ard.  Downard  got  the  impression  that  the  temper- 
ance wave  would  exhaust  itself  and  eventually  leave 
him  master  of  the  field,  but  the  longer  he  waited  the 
more  certain  became  his  conviction  that  the  temper- 
ance crusade  had  come  to  stay.  All  the  village  dram- 
shops but  his  had  been  driven  out  of  existence,  and 
his  was  doomed.  One  day  he  received  a  note  of 
warning,  threatening  him  with  an  immersion  in  the 
horse-pond  if  he  failed  to  close  his  bar  within  a  week. 
Discretion  prevailed  with  him,  and  within  less  than 
a  week  his  house  was  closed  and  he  on  his  way  to 
other  parts.  That  was  in  the  year  1843,  and  fmin 
that  day  to  this  no  strong  drink  has  been  sold  in  Xcw 
Salem.  From  one  of  the  worst  and  most  disorderly 
it  was  changed  to  one  of  the  most  orderly  and  peace- 
ful villages  in  the  State.  Persistent  hard  work  by 
the  persevering  and  unfaltering  advocates  of  temper- 
ance worked  a  reform  for  which  that  section  of  the 
country  became  grateful  years  ago.  Ebenezer  Fin- 
ley,  who  took  a  leading  part  in  the  contest  against 
whisky  and  disorder,  was  chosen  the  first  president 
of  the  temperance  society,  and  has  been  its  president 
ever  since.  To  him  belongs  a  very  large  share  of  the 
credit  for  the  wholesome  results  that  followed  the 
warfare. 

About  1.840,  Joseph  Gadd  and  William  Boyd  were 
keeping  a  store  at  New  Salem  ;  Balsinger  had  a  tavern, 
and  in  it  the  post-office  was  kejjt,  his  son  being  post- 
master. There  was  no  village  physician  in  1840, 
although  there  had  been  previous  to  that  date.  In 
1844,  Dr.  Jacob  Post  made  New  Salem  his  home,  and 
lived  on  the  Joshua  Scott  property.  To  go  back  a 
little,  there  was  a  school-house  in  1812  upon  the  site 
of  the  present  school-house,  and  in  that  year  Thomas 
Campbell  was  the  teacher.  After  him  an  old  man 
named  Graj'  taught  school.  It  will  be  well  also  to 
mention  that  William  Allison,  a  gunsmith,  had  a 
shop  at  New  Salem  as  early  as  1820;  that  Neddy 
Hughes  was  that  year  the  village  shoemaker,  and 
that  in  1821  El.cnezer  Finley  organized  a  Sunday- 
school.  The  old  Ing  gri.-t-iiiill  pa^s,,!  lr,,iii  James 
Thompson  to  Ilnliert  I'.oyd,  and  trdiii  lldhcrt  Boyd  to 
his  son  Samuel,  who  built  a  new  null,  the  same  now 
owned  by  Jesse  Frost,  Sr. 

Dr.  Hickman  has  already  been  mentioned  as  being 
a  resident  ]>hysirian  in  New  Salem  in  isiii'.  He  re- 
mained (inly  a  couple  of  years,  ami  tlini  thrre  was  no 
resident  doctor  until  ISll.  In  tliat  y.ar  Dr.  Joseph 
Rose  and  his  brother  Erasmus  located  and  practiced 
in  conjunction  for  several  years.  After  their  de- 
parture there  was  a  lack  of  village  doctors  until 
1844,  when  Dr.  Jacob  Post  opened  an  office  and  re- 


mained a  village  fixture  for  some  years.  He  removed 
to  AVinona,  Minn.,  and  there  died.  While  Dr.  Post 
was  here  Dr.  Fitz  came  in,  but  stayed  only  a  short 
time.  Then  there  appeared  in  succession  Dr.  C.  D. 
Chalfant  in  1867,  and  Dr.  I.  C.  Hazlett  a  little  while 
thereafter.  The  only  village  physician  now  is  Dr. 
Samuel  E.  Johnston,  wdio  has  been  practicing  in 
New  Salem  and  vicinity  since  1870. 

New  Salem's  first  postmaster  was  Christopher  Bal- 
singer, who  was  appointed  in  1820  and  served  until 
about  1840.  He  was  succeeded  by  C.  S.  Seaton  and 
Mr.  Kline.  J.  W.  Scott  followed  Kline  in  1861,  and 
in  1808  was  succeeded  by  W.  D.  Swearingen,  who 
held  the  office  less  than  a  year.  C.  H.  Scott  was  the 
incumbent  from  1869  to  1877,  and  in  the  latter  year 
William  P.  Green,  the  present  postmaster,  received 
his  appointment. 

New  Salem  Lodge,  No.  559,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  or- 
ganized in  1858.  The  membership  is  now  twenty, 
an<l  the  officers  William  Jefi'ries,  N.  G. ;  J.  C.  Moore, 
V.  G.  ;  S.  E.  Johnson,  Sec. ;  Elijah  Tracey,  Treas. ; 
A.  J.  Tint,  Asst.  Sec. 

UPPER  MIDDLETOWN. 

Upper  Middletown  village,  better  known  as  Plum- 
sock,  is  a  small  hamlet  lying  upon  Redstone  Creek, 
on  the  eastern  side  of  the  township.  It  is  simply  a 
rural  town  without  special  industry,  beyond  the  main- 
tenance of  such  business  as  is  afforded  by  the  support 
of  the  adjacent  rural  population.  The  name  Plum- 
sock  has  clung  to  the  place  since  the  time  its  village 
existence  begun,  but  why  it  was  so  christened  is  not 
known.  Various  stories  are  told  to  account  for  the 
origin  of  the  name,  including  one  about  an  intoxi- 
cated individual,  who,  while  riding  through  the  place, 
fell  from  his  horse  into  the  mud,  and  remarked, 
"  Here  I  am,  plump  sock  !"  The  expression  is  said  to 
have  so  pleased  the  ears  of  those  within  hearing 
that  they  concluded  to  call  the  town  "  Plumsock"  to 
commemorate  the  incident.  How  true  the  story  is  it 
is  perhaps  not  important  to  inquire.  Another  story 
traces  the  origin  of  the  name  as  far  back  as  1794,  when 
a  company  of  "  Whiskey  Boys"  rendezvoused  on  the 
village  site.  'Tis  said  they  contracted  with  a  certain 
citizen  of  the  neighborhood  to  supply  them  with  sub- 
sistence during  their  stay,  and  that  when  the  citizen 
delivered  his  first  load  of  ]ir(ivisions  the  "  Boys"  en- 
deavored to  ca,jole  him  into  giving  them  credit  for  a 
few  days.  At  that  prop.  isitiDn  the  purveyor  is  said  to 
have  waxed  wroth,  ami  ixilaiming,  "No,  sirree,  my 
men;  if  you  w:iiit  mr  !.■  <u|iply  you  you  must  pay 
me  the  cash,  '  plumpsuck'  on  the  nail,"  was  about  to 
depart  in  displeasure,  when  they  came  forward  with 
the  cash,  and  agreed  unanimously  that  the  place 
ought  to  be  called  "  Plumpsock"  forever  afterward 
in  commemoration  of  the  man's  business  principle. 

Nov.  28, 1789,  Jeremiah  Pears  (or  Pearce,  or  Peairs) 
patented  a  piece  of  land  containing  one  hundred  and 
twelve  acres,  called  "Prophetic,"  and  Iving  in  Jlen- 


MENALLEN   TOWNSHIP. 


alien  and  Franklin  townships.  Edward  Hall  and 
Jeremiah  Pears  held  land  adjacent  to  this  tract,  and 
laid  out  lots  in  the  form  of  a  town,  which  they  called 
Middletown  (now  known  as  Upper  Middletown,  or 
Plumsock).  Hall  sold  to  Rev.  Robert  Warnocks.  The 
one  hundred  and  twelve  acres  mentioned  as  belong- 
ing to  Jeremiah  Pears  included  the  site  of  the  Mea- 
son  rolling-mill,  hereafter  to  be  mentioned,  and  for  a 
long  time  popularly  known  as  Forgetown.  On  that 
site  Pears  had  a  mill  as  early  as  1784,  and  perhaps 
before,  for  in  the  road  records  of  the  county,  under 
the  date  mentioned,  "  Jeremiah  Pears'  mill"  is  no- 
ticed. In  1794,  "  Jeremiah  Pears'  forge"  was  recorded 
as  being  then  at  the  same  point,  and  in  1804  he  had 
there  a  saw-mill,  grist-mill,  forge,  slitting-raill,  and 
rolling-inill, — quite  a  large  collection  of  industrial  en- 
terprises for  the  time.  Thomas  Cook,  then  of  Perry, 
and  afterwards  of  Cook's  Mills,  in  Redstone,  was  one 
of  the  builders  of  the  Pears'  forge,  which  was  proba- 
bly erected  in  1794.  Pears  carried  on  the  manufac- 
ture of  iron  at  Plumsock  until  about  1804,  when  he 
sold  out  to  George  Dorsey.  Dorsey  sold  in  1809  to 
Benjamin  Stevens,  he  to  Meason  &  Keller  in  1813, 
and  Keller  sold  his  interest  to  Col.  Isaac  Meason  in 
1815. 

In  a  recently  published  account  of  early  iron 
industries  in  Western  Pennsylvania  occurs  the  fol- 
lowing: "The  first  rolling-mill  erected  west  of  the 
Alleghenies  to  puddle  iron  and  roll  iron  bars  was 
built  in  1816  and  1817,  on  Redstone  Creek,  about 
midway  between  Connellsville  and  Brownsville,  at  a 
place  called  Upper  Middletown,  better  known  as 
Plumsock,  in  Fayette  County."  The  inceptor  of  the 
enterprise  was  Thomas  C.  Lewis,  and  it  was  carried 
into  effect  by  Col.  Isaac  Meason,  of  Union  Furnace, 
in  Dunbar.  The  chief  engineer  in  the  erection  of  the 
mill  was  Thomas  C.  Lewis,  whose  brother,  George 
Lewis, — both  Welshmen, — was  turner  and  roller.  The 
mill  was  built  "  for  making  bars  of  all  sizes  and  hoops 
for  cutting  into  nails."  "The  iron  was  refined  by 
blast,  and  then  puddled."  Active  operations  were 
carried  on  at  this  mill  until  1831,  Mr.  Arthur  Palmer 
being  in  possession  to  the  date  named.  By  a  flood 
in  the  Redstone  the  mill  was  partially  destroyed. 
Subsequently  the  mill  machinery  was  conveyed  to 
Brownsville.  Concerning  this  rolling-mill  Samuel 
C.  Lewis,  son  of  Thomas  C.  Lewis  above  mentioned, 
said  that  his  father  and  his  uncle,  George  Lewis,  not 
only  .superintended  the  erection  and  put  in  operation 
the  mill  of  which  notice  is  here  made,  but  that  he 
himself  as  a  boy  assisted  in  rolling  the  first  bar  of 
iron,  his  uncle  being  chief  roller.  Besides  the  two 
Lewis  brothers,  Thomas  and  George,  there  were  also 
Samuel  Lewis,  heater,  and  James  Lewis,  catcher, 
who  participated  in  starting  the  mill  and  in  the  roll- 
ing of  the  first  bar.  Henry  W.  Lewis,  another 
brother,  was  a  clerk  in  the  office.  Samuel  C.  Lewis 
was  then  a  boy  of  fifteen,  and  "heaved  up"  behind 
the   rolls.     There   were   in   the  mill   two  puddlins- 


furnaces,  one  refinery,  one  heating-furnace,  and  one 
tilt-hammer.  Raw  coal  was  used  in  the  puddling- 
and  heating-furnaces,  and  coke  (for  a  short  time)  in 
the  refinery.  James  Pratt  worked  the  refinery. 
David  Adams  was  the  puddler. 

The  State  report  on  iron-making  in  Pennsylvania, 
published  in  1878,  says,  "We  think  it  extremely 
probable  that  at  the  Plumsock  rolling-mill  was  done 
the  first  puddling,  and  that  here  was  rolled  the  first 
bar  of  iron  in  America."  Careful  inquiry  in  well-in- 
formed quarters  fails  to  discover  the  existence  in  the 
United  States  of  any  rolling-mill  to  roll  bar  iron  and 
puddle  pig  iron  prior  to  the  enterprise  at  Plumsock 
in  1816. 

Benjamin  Rutter,  who  lives  near  Plumsock,  worked 
for  Arthur  Palmer  at  the  Plumsock  rolling-mill,  as 
did  also  Francis  Duff,  whose  widow  now  lives  in  the 
village.  One  of  the  early  rolling-mill  proprietors 
was  J.  L.  Keller,  who  built  a  great  roomy  brick  man- 
sion near  the  mill.  Keller's  house  was  a  fine  build- 
ing for  that  day,  and  is  to-day  even  a  handsome- 
looking  residence.  Since  1858  it  has  been  the  prop- 
erty of  James  Nickel.  Mr.  Keller  died  after  a  few 
years'  occupancy  of  the  premises,  and  when  a  family 
of  strangers  undertook  to  occupy  the  red  brick  house 
their  stay  was  soon  brought  to  a  hurried  close  by  the 
idea  that  the  house  was  haunted.  They  averred  that 
old  Keller's  spirit  roamed  through  the  mansion  at 
will,  that  doors  were  opened  and  shut  by  unseen 
hands,  and  with  a  great  noise,  while  unearthly  and 
discordant  sounds  made  every  night  hideous  and  the 
lives  of  the  tenants  a  torture.  People  to  whom  they 
told  these  stories  laughed  at  them  and  scouted  the 
stories  as  the  result  of  excited  imaginations.  When, 
however,  another  family  moved  into  the  red  brick 
and  moved  quickly  out  again,  declaring  that  ghosts  and 
goblins  peopled  the  house,  public  belief  was  inclined 
to  think  that  there  might,  after  all,  be  a  haunting 
presence  in  the  mansion.  When  a  third  family  was 
precipitately  driven  forth  after  but  a  two  days'  occu- 
pancy opinion  generally  conceded  that  the  house  was 
indeed  haunted.  By  that  time  the  circumstances 
were  public  gossip,  and  while  the  curious  came  to 
look  with  awe  upon  the  mysterious  abode  of  alleged 
spirits,  no  one  cared  to  undertake  the  task  of  living 
in  it,  although  it  was  offered  for  rent  at  a  nominal 
price.  So  it  was  suffered  to  be  untenanted  for  some 
time,  when  a  matter-of-fact  family  took  possession, 
and  kept  possession  peaceably  too.  The  supposed 
spirits  seemed  to  have  taken  a  permanent  leave  of 
the  abode,  and  have  not  reappeared  to  this  day.  Al- 
though keen  investigations  were  set  afoot  in  pursu- 
ance of  a  desire  to  discover  the  source  of  the  disturb- 
ing elements  that  drove  people  out  of  the  house  after 
Keller's  death,  no  satisfactory  result  was  achieved. 

Time  dispelled  the  fears  of  the  timid,  but  to  this 
day  there  are  seemingly  intelligent  persons  who  insist 
that  old  Keller's  ghost  did  haunt  the  house.  The 
story  goes  that  Keller,  who  married  a  daughter  of 


662 


illSTOUV    UF    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Gen.  Douglass,  and  built  the  brick  house  in  1812, 
squandered  in  various  ways  money  that  had  come  to 
him  through  his  wife.  She  had  taken  great  pleasure  in 
the  embellishment  of  their  home,  and  when  Keller's 
failure  entailed  the  loss  of  that  home  she  felt  much 
embittered  against  him.  Declaring  that  she  could 
never  forgive  him  for  causing  the  loss  of  so  much  that 
she  had  endeared  to  herself,  she  vowed  that  she 
would  haunt  the  place  after  she  was  dead.  There- 
fore people  who  firmly  believe  that  the  house  was 
haunted  must  always  be  in  doubt  wliether  the  visi- 
tation was  by  the  spirit  of  Mrs.  Keller  or  by  that  of 
her  husband. 

Before  the  rolling-mill  enterprise  had  been  put  in 
operation,  Isaac  Meason  carried  on  at  Plumsock  a 
small  forge  that  .leremiah  Pears  had  built.  That 
forge  was  the  beginning  of  manufacture  at  that  point. 
There  was  a  pottery  there  in  1822,  that  was  started 
by  James  Lewis,  and  continued  by  hira  and  his  son 
Nathan  for  twenty -seven  years  afterwards.  James 
Lewis  worked  at  the  rolling-mills  before  he  was  mar- 
ried, and  it  was  during  his  time  there  that  a  nail-tac- 
tory  was  attached  to  the  works.  Thomas  Duncan, 
now  of  Brownsville,  was  also  one  of  the  rolling-mill 
hands.  Nathan  Lewis,  of  Franklin  township,  says 
that  when  he  was  a  lad  of  twelve  he  worked  at  Plum- 
sock  for  Arthur  Palmer,  the  iron-worker,  and  that  in 
1823  he  was  employed  to  wheel  coal  from  a  coal-bank 
to  a  coke-oven  that  Arthur  Duncan  (father  of  Judge 
Duncan,  of  Brownsville)  had  built  for  Palmer  and 
was  in  charge  of  Tliis  oven,  Mr.  Lewis  thinks,  was 
erected  Ijefore  1823.  and  in  it  Mr.  Palmer  burned 
coke  for  use  in  his  iron-works.  It  was  constructed 
entirely  of  stone,  and  held  about  forty-eight  bushels. 
Slack  or  fine  coal  only  was  burned.  Palmer  had  at 
his  works  a  rolling-mill,  a  puddling-furnace,  relinery, 
saw-mill,  and  grist-mill.  The  immediate  locality  of 
the  works  wms  known  as  F(,rgetown  until  the  depar- 
ture of  Mr.  I'aliDir  ami  the  abandonment  of  the  iron 

The  inauguration  of  tlie  rolling-mill  industry  at 
Plumsock  created  a  village  near  there,  and  of  course 
a  store  and  tavern  sprung  quickly  into  existence. 
Robert  Thompson  was  the  store-keeper  as  early  as 
1808.  and  Ilrni-y  Dick  tavern-keeper  in  180(1.  i,,bn 
Bate  Mirr,-,,d,.d  the  hitter  in  1809.  A  Mr.  Bodkin  was 
in  1813  ihe  tavern-keeper  (or,  more  strictly  speaking,  i 
the  whisky-seller,  for  a  village  tavern  then  meant 
'■whisky-shop"  more  than  it  meant  pulilic-house).  ' 
Bodkin's  tavern  was  simply  a  log  shanty,  an<l  ]ires- 
ently  Elijah  Gadd  opened  a  second  tavern  in  another 
shanty.  Of  Gadd  it  is  said  that  he  sold  his  whisky  to 
the  mill  hands,  and  took  his  pay  at  the  mill  once  a 
montli  in  bar  iron.  When  the  mill  stopped  Gadd 
had  on  hand  sufficient  bar  iron  to  pay  for  a  good  farm. 
Some  of  Gadd's  -urc,--or<  as  ta\  cni-kecpci's  at  Plum- 
sock wciv  William  Stevm-.  .lolin  Cad.l,  and   F.dward 

ness   that    IClijah    managed   to  achieve   is   extremelv 


]  doubtful.  There  was  a  small  log  grist-mill  close  by 
the  rolling-mill,  and  although  it  was  a  crude  and 
clumsy  concern,  it  was  one  of  the  prime  necessities  of 
the  locality.  It  was  built  by  Jeremiah  Pears,  and 
afterwards  continued  by  successive  mill-owners.  Kel- 
ler, the  proprietor  of  the  rolling-mill,  had  a  store,  and 
I  Palmer  probably  kept  a  stock  of  goods  on  hand  while 
I  he  carried  on  the  iron-works.  After  the  mill  interest 
ceased  Plumsock  fell  into  a  disheartening  quietude. 
There  was  no  store  there  or  very  much  call  for  one 
after  that  until  1831,  when  John  Morrison  built  the 
brick  residence  now  owned  by  James  Lewis  and 
stocked  one  corner  of  it  with  goods. 

About  1820,  Henry  Creighton  was  the  village  black- 
;  smith,  and  Reuben  Jones  the  village  carpenter.     The 
I  first  cabinet-maker  in  Plumsock  was  Daniel  Whetzel. 
]  In  1824  there  was  a  log  school-house  at  the  village,  in 
;  wdiich  JIaoklin  ]\Iayer  taught,  and  in  which  Joseph 
I  Garrett  and  Oliver  Sproul  were  his  immediate  suc- 
1  cessors.     A  post-office  was  established  at  Plumsock 
I  about  1825,  and  a  Methodist  Church  was  built  in  1829. 
There  was  probablv  no  resident  physician  until  1840 
or  later.     Robert  Muir  should  have  been  mentioned 
as  the  landlord  of  the  Cross-Keys  tavern  about  1820. 
He  kept  it  for  some  years,  and  rented  it  then  as  a 
dwelling.     In  1847,  Henry  Fuller  reopened  it  as  a 
tavern,  and  kept  it  twenty  years.     Since  1867,  Plum- 
sock has  been  without  a  licensed  tavern. 

In  1844,  Thomas  Hazen  was  keeping  store  in  the 
Lewis  brick,  and  David  and  John  Huston  one  at  the 
upper  end  of  the  town.  The  Hu.stons  sold  out  to 
Abram  Hornbeck,  who  was  for  a  time  both  store-keeper 
and  tavern-keeper.  In  the  Hornbeck  building  Ed- 
ward Roddy  afterwards  carried  on  trade  about  twelve 
years.  Then  came  William  Smith,  Gibson  &  Arri- 
son,  an<l  Gilison  &  Thompson,  who  moved  from  the 
old  i|uai-ters  into  the  building  now  occupied  by  Man- 
sell  .V  Thoiii|ison.  Danitd  Binns  &  Co.  occupied  the 
Lewis  lirirk  in  ls:.7,  and  in  1858  moved  to  the  Keller 
mansioii.  In  1  s(54.  Binns  retired,  leaving  his  part- 
ner, .lames  Nickel,  to  succeed  the  firm. 

The  post-office  succession  at  Plumsock  may  be  given 
as  follows:  Joseph  Gadd  was  appointed  about  1825, 
and  resigned  in  1828.  Henry  Creighton,  the  black- 
smith, .succeeded  him,  and  in  1840  William  Morrison 
became  the  incumbent.  Morrison  held  the  office 
until  1857,  when  Edward  Roddy  received  the  ap- 
pointment. To  him  succeeded  Daniel  Binns,  William 
Smith,  and  Daniel  Binns  (second  term).  James 
Nickel  served  from  1865  to  1869;  Samuel  Thompson, 
l>;(;'.i^7(i;  D.  T.  Gibson,  from  1870  to  1880;  and 
Hugh  Thoni]>son,  from  1880  to  the  present. 

The  first  physician  to  locate  at  Plumsock  was  a  Dr. 
Rogers.  Just  when  he  came  is  not  easy  to  say,  but 
tlie  time  w.as  not  far  from  1840.  Drs.  Brownfield  and 
Crane  were  in  village  practice  shortly  after  Rogers 
departed  for  the  West  in  1844,  but  their  stay  was 
brief.  There  was  no  resident  physician  afterwards 
until  1851,  when  Dr.  Samuel  B.  Chalfant  opened  an 


MENALLEN   TOWNSHIP. 


office  and  established  his  home  at  Plumsock.  He 
continued  steadily  in  practice  at  the  village  until  his 
death  in  1877.  Meanwhile,  Dr.  W.  W.  Osborn  came 
in  1870,  and  still  remains.  Dr.  John  Hankins  came 
in  1875,  and  removed  to  Uniontown  in  1878.  Besides 
Dr.  Osborn,  there  is  now  one  other  physician  in  the 
village,  William  H.  Hopwood,  who  located  in  1878. 

Redstone  Lodge,  No.  499, 1. 0. 0.  F.,  was  organized 
at  Plumsock  in  1852.  The  nieinbership  in  March, 
1881,  was  twenty-five,  and  the  officers  Nathan  Hollo- 
way,  N.  G;  M.  V.  Whetzel,  V.  G. ;  A.  N.  Osborn, 
Sec. ;  James  Lewis,  Treas. 

CHURCHES. 

GRACE   CHURCH   (PROTESTANT  EriSCOPAL). 

Grace  Church,  located  on  the  National  road,  near 
Searight's,  was  organized  before  1793,  in  which  year 
the  congregation  were  occupying  their  own  house  of 
worship.  There  are,  however,  no  records  from  which 
to  write  a  history  of  the  early  days  of  the  organization, 
and  as  human  recollection  is  of  course  unavailable  as 
a  matter  of  reference,  absolutely  nothing  can  be  said 
with  certainty  touching  the  events  that  attended  upon 
the  organization  of  the  church,  except  that  Robert 
Jackson  donated  some  land  for  a  church  and  church- 
yard. The  first  house  of  worship  was  a  homely  log 
structure,  but  it  did  excellent  service  for  nearly  fifty 
years.  In  1840  it  was  replaced  by  the  house  now  in 
use.  For  the  erection  of  the  latter  the  subscribers 
were  Hugh  Keys,  William  Searight,  Hiram  Jackson, 
Zadoc  Jackson,  William  Hogg,  George  Hogg,  Robert 
Clark,  John  Bowman,  John  Snowdon,  Eli  Abrams, 
Samuel  J.  Krepps,  Henry  Sweitzer,  Christopher  Bu- 
chanan, David  Jackson,  John  Moore,  Aaron  Moore, 
William  Moore,  John  Hibbs,  Johnston  Van  Kirk, 
Ebenezer  Finley,  Ebenezer  Finley,  Jr.,  Elizabeth  Fin- 
ley,  Joseph  Gadd,  E.  Balsinger,  Joseph  Wilson,  Joshua 
Antram,  Caleb  Antraui,  Jr.,  Richard  Beeson,  J.  C. 
Simmons,  Benjamin  Roberts,  Arwind  Mclttree,  John 
Gadd,  N.  P.  Bowman  &  Co.,  Jacob  Bowman,  Wesley 
Frost,  G.  W.  V.  Bowman,  G.  W.  Cass,  G.  W.  Curtis, 
William  Sloan,  John  Allison,  John  Dawson,  Rezin 
Moore,  D.  N.  Robinson,  Joshua  B.  Howell,  N.  Given, 
R.  P.  Flenniken,  A.  Stewart,  James  Fuller,  Isaac 
Beeson.  The  congregation,  at  no  time  large,  includes 
now  perhaps  twenty  families.  At  no  time  has  there 
been  a  resident  rector.  Rev.  R.  S.  Smith  supplied 
the  church  from  1868  to  1878.  The  present  rector  is 
Rev.  S.  D.  Day,  of  Brownsville.  The  wardens  are 
James  Allison  and  Ewing  Searight.  The  vestrymen 
are  James  Searight,  Ewing  Searight,  Thomas  Graham, 
Buchanan  Jeffries,  Andrew  Keys,  Hiram  Jackson, 
and  Levi  Beal.  The  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school  is  James  Allison.  The  graveyard  at  the  church, 
laid  out  some  time  before  the  year  1800,  has  within  it 
as  the  oldest  headstone  now  distinguishable  a  tablet 
erected  in  1799  to  the  memory  of  a  member  of  the 
Jackson  family. 


UPPER  MIDDI.ETOWN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

About  1825,  when  Arthur  Palmer  took  charge  of 
the  Plumsock  rolling-mill  and  established  his  home 
in  the  Keller  mansion,  he  began  to  hold  Methodist 
meetings  therein,  himself  being  the  preacher.  Mr. 
Palmer  was  a  very  energetic  worker  in  the  religious 
field,  and  preached  regularly  at  his  house  once  a  fort- 
night until  1829.  In  that  year  he  succeeded  in  effect- 
ing a  church  organization  and  in  causing  the  erection 
of  a  stone  church  known  as  Asbury  Chapel.  As  far 
as  can  now  be  remembered,  the  organizing  members 
of  the  first  class  included  Arthur  Palmer  and  wife, 
James  Hedden  and  wife,  John  Lewis  and  wife,  Wil- 
liam Bradley  and  wife.  In  1840  the  stone  church 
was  replaced  with  the  present  brick  structure.  The 
preacher  in  charge  is  Rev.  O.  E.  Husted,  of  the  Red- 
stone Circuit.  He  preaches  once  a  fortnight.  The 
class  numbers  now  about  forty.  The  leader  is  Wil- 
liam Hormel. 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH  OF   NEW  SALEM. 

Public  worship  by  Methodists  was  held  in  the  New 
Salem  school-house  in  1834,  and  in  that  year  a  class 
was  organized  with  twelve  members.  Among  these 
were  Booth  McCormick  and  wife,  Richard  Miller 
and  wife,  Mr.  Carpenter,  his  wife  and  wife's  sister, 
and  Nancy  Whitehill.  Booth  McCormick  was  the 
leader.  In  1840  a  spirited  revival  set  in  and  about 
forty  persons  joined  the  church.  In  1850  a  house  of 
worship  was  built,  and  in  1851  the  membership  was 
fully  one  hundred  and  twenty-five.  Prosperity  at- 
tended upon  the  progress  of  the  organization  for  a 
while,  but  afterwards  dissensions  were  created  by  a 
disaffected  member,  and  with  such  disastrous  results 
that  in  18G7  the  total  membership  had  been  reduced 
to  five  persons.  Dissolution  was  imminent,  but  the 
few  energetic  ones  worked  hard  for  a  reawakening  of 
interest  to  such  good  effect  that  the  membership 
steadily  increased,  and  the  church  rested  once  more 
upon  a  sure  foundation.  In  March,  1881,  there  were 
in  good  standing  about  thirty  active  members.  The 
leader  was  then  Johnston  Roderick,  and  the  preacher 
Rev.  Mr.  McGrew,  of  the  Smithfield  charge. 

PRESBYTERIAN  CHAPEL. 

A  Presbyterian  chapel  was  built  at  New  Salem  in 
1853  by  members  of  the  Dunlap's  Creek  Church,  and 
since  that  time  has  been  used  simply  as  an  adjunct  to 
the  last-named  organization,  whose  pastor  preaches 
also  at  New  Salem.  A  Presbyterian  Sunday-school 
was  organized  at  New  Salem  by  Ebenezer  Finley,  Sr., 
in  1825,  and  to  this  day  it  has  had  an  uninterrupted 
and  active  existence.  The  elder  Finley  was  the 
superintendent  from  1825  to  1849,  and  his  son  Eben- 
I  ezer  from  1853  to  1881. 

[    PLEASANT    VIEW    (CUMBERLAND   PRESBYTERIAN)    CHURCH. 

I  During  the  years  1832  and  1833  Revs.  Morgan 
[  Bird,  and  Bryan  were  preaching  in  Fayette  County 
'  as  the  advance  guard  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 


664 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ministers  just  tlien  being  sent  out  from  Tennessee  to 
Pennsylvania.  They  were  invited  to  preach  at  the 
Centre  school-house,  near  John  C.  McCormick,  and 
from  that  time  forward  there  was  more  or  less  preach- 
ing thei-L-  for  si-vcnil  years.  :\Ir.  .■\re('ormick  hiniM'lf 
becaiu.^  a  iii,-n]lK-r  of  the  Cuml.iTlana  I'r.-l.vK-riau 
Church  at  Iniontown,  where  he  wa.^  a  ruling  cWcr 
ten  years  or  more.  Afterwards  he  joined  Hopewell 
Church,  in  Luzerne  township,  where  he  remained  until 
the  organization  of  Pleasant  View  in  18')9.  During 
the  years  18.57  and  18.3'.l  Rev.  .Tohn  S.  (iil.son,  pastor 
of  the  East  Liberty  CuniLrrlaml  Pivshvt.rian  » 'luuvh. 
fre(|ueiitly  hehl  -c,-rvir,-  in  thr  MrC.niiirl;   n..iglil,or- 


gani/.ai  I'Hi 
John  McU. 


Minday-school  being  well  on 
its  way,  attention  was  turned  to  the  subject  of  a  church 
organization.  The  Union  Presbytery  being  appealed 
'  )sliorn 


to,  authorized  Eevs.  Jesse  Adams  and 


to  take  charge  of  the  business.  AccordioL'lv  they 
organized  Pleasant  View,  Oct.  1,  is.',!i,  in  a  sihool- 
house  that  stood  near  wlurc  the  clunoli  now -taml^. 
The  constituent  niembi.i-  nuiiibiir.l  twentv  four,  vi/.  : 
Emanuel  Campbell,  ilary  ( •anii.l.ollj  San'iu.-l  llrown, 
Louisa  Brown,  Henry  Hornbeck,Sr.,' Pvcbecca  Horn- 
beck,^  Henry  Hornbeck,  Jr.,  John  G.  Hornbeck, 
James  Ridlinghafer,  Catharine  Pidlinghafer,  Robert 
Hagerty,  John  Pall,  Jr.,'  ."Mary  11,--,  Eliza  P.  Powell, 
Margaret  Wheaton,  Sarah  .1.  Ari-..ii,  Mary  Mitchell,' 
Mahala  Hill,  Amy  Work,'  Auur  Stewart,  Ebenezer 
Hare,'  Rebecca  Hare,  John  C.  McCormick,'  Hannah 
McCormick.'  The  elders  chosen  were  John  C.  McCor- 
mick, Emanuel  Campbell,  and  Samuel  Brown.  In 
1860  a  house  of  worship  was  erected.  The  trustees 
were  Robert  Hagerty,  John  Ball,  Jr.,  and  James  Rid- 
linghafer. 

The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  Andrew  G.  Osborn,  who 
served    from   April   1,   1860,  to   April   1,   1862.      Eli 
E.  Bailey  was  pastor  from  April,  1862,  to  April,  1866  ; 
J.   Power   Baird  from  April,   1866,   to   April,   1880. 
Since  Mr.  Baird's  departure  Rev.  AVilliam  Hays  has 
been  the  .supply.     Several  gratifying  revival  seasons 
havemarlo-.l  tin  history  of  the  church.     In  1866  about  | 
twenty  poiMHrs  wer..'  received  as  members  under  the 
preaching  of  Rev.  E.  E.  Bailey;  and  in  1871,  1874, 
and   1875,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.   J.    Power 
Baird,  large  accessions,  to  the  number  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-eight,  increased  the  strength  of  the 
church.     There  are  at  present  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
two  members.     The  elders  are  Emanuel  Campbell, 
Samuel  Brown,  John  E.  Craft,  and  Thomas  H.  Hig- 
inbotham.     Martin  Hess  donated,  in  1860,  one  acre  [ 
of  land,  lying  two  and  a  quarter  miles  north  of  Sea-  I 
right's,  for  church  and  cemetery.     In  1878  two  acres  I 
were  added  by  purchase.  j 

1  Since  deceased.  I 


CUMBERL.^XD   PKESBYTERI.\N  CIURCH  OF  NEW  SALEM. 

Fairview  Church,  now  the  Cumberland  Presbyte- 
rian Church  of  New  Salem,  was  organized  by  Rev. 
Samuel  E.  Hudson.  Members  of  the  denomination 
living  in  the  vicinity  of  New  Salem,  who  attended  for 
pulilic  worship  at  Union'town  and  New  Hopewell, 
expressed  a  desire  for  a  church  organization,  and  in 
response  thereto  Rev.  Samuel  E.  Hudson,  then  sup- 
plying the  church  at  New  Hopewell,  began,  in  the 
spring  of  1842,  a  series  of  protracted  meetings  at  New 
Salem.  A  number  of  conversions  followed,  and  in 
June,  1842,  the  Lord's  Supper  was  commemorated  at 
the  New  Salem  school-house.  In  September  of  that 
\car  al)out  one  hundred  persons  joined  in  a  petition 
to  tlir  liiion  Presbytery  for  the  organization  of  a 
congregation  in  the  New  Salem  neighborhood.  In 
the  spriuL'  of  ls4:;  the  Presbytery  appointed  Revs. 
Samuel  E.  Iluilson  and  Carl  Moore,  with  Isaac 
Beeson  and  John  McCormick,  as  a  committee  to  at- 
tend New  Salem  for  the  purpose  of  eflecting  the  de- 
sired organization,  and  authorized  Rev.  Samuel  E. 
Hudson  to  supply  the  new  church  for  the  space  of  one 
year.  One  hundred  and  five  persons  were  received 
as  constituent  members.  Among  these  the  names  of 
the  following  only  have  been  preserved  upon  the  re- 
cord:  Caleb  Antram,  Samuel  Brown,  Eliza  Brown, 
Miranda  Luckey,  Hugh  Poundslow,  John  Hackney, 
Sr.,  John  Hackney,  Jr.,  Lydia  Hackney,  Amy  Hack- 
ney, Joseph  Rockwell,  Catharine  Rockwell,  Jacob 
Allamon,  Levi  Linn,  Joseph  Woodward,  Nancy  Wood- 
ward, William  Jefl'ries,  Jane  Jefi"ries,  Taylor  Jeffries, 
Sarah  Jeffries,  E.  F.  Moss,  Rebecca  Johnson,  Hannah 
Walters,  Lydia  .lackson,  Eliza  Hacock,  Hannah  Dun- 
lap,  Jane  Luckey,  Sarah  L.  McWilliams,  Louisa  Gil- 
more,  (.'atliarinr  McDougal,  Jane  Carey,  Henry  Funk, 
Zubina  Keener,  Lydia  Worley,  Keziah  Watson,  John 
Watson,  Mary  Jeffries,  John  Williams,  Sarah  A. 
Williams,  Elizabeth  Sickles,  and  Mary  A.  Pound- 
slow.  The  elders  chosen  were  Caleb  Antram,  Joseph 
Rockwell,  Abel  Campbell,  Jr.,  and  William  Thomp- 
son. Caleb  Antram  donated  land  for  a  church  and 
churchyard,  and  in  1844  a  brick  house  was  built  at  a 
cost  of  two  thousand  dollars.  In  April,  1856,  the 
church  had  so  prospered  that  the  membership  aggre- 
gated one  hundred  and  eighty-four.  The  pastors  of 
the  organization  have  been  Revs.  Samuel  E.  Hudson, 
A.  B.  Brice,  J.  T.  A.  Henderson,  Alexander  Black- 
ford, Jesse  Adams,  and  J.  S.  Gibson.  Mr.  Gibson 
has  been  the  pastor  since  1872.  The  membership  iu 
March,  1881,  was  one  hundred  and  eighty-one.  The 
Sunday-school  has  (ifteen  officers  and  teachers  and 
eighty-tiirr,  -clichirs.  The  superintendent  is  Chris- 
topher Woodward.  The  elders  of  the  church  are 
Joseph  Woodward,  Joseph  Rockwell,  H.  H.  Hack- 
ney, Lewis  Antram,  and  John  Funk.  The  deacons 
are  Christopher  Woodwnrd,  J.  W.  Hackney,  Taylor 
Jeffries,  Samuel  Newcomer,  and  A.  J.  Tuit. 


'^^i^^^ 


IMKN ALLEN   TOWNSHIP 


665 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


WILLIAM  SEARIGHT. 
William  Searight  was  bora  near  Carlisle,  Cumber-  j 
land  Co.,  Pa.,  on  the  oth  day  of  December,  1792.  His 
father  came  from  Londonderry,  Ireland,  in  the  year 
1760,  and  first  settled  in  Lancaster  County,  Pa.  His 
mother,  Anne  Hamilton,  removed  from  Belfast,  Ire- 
land, the  same  year  to  the  same  county.  His  mother 
was  an  aunt  of  James  Hamilton,  once  Governor  of 
South  Carolina,  was  a  sister  of  William  and  McHugh 
Hamilton,  wealthy  and  influential  citizens  of  Lan- 
caster County,  and  was  remotely  connected  with  Al- 
exander Hamilton.  Her  ancestry  were  of  Scotch 
descent.  A  granduncle  of  William  Searight  was  in 
the  "  siege  of  Derry."  He  lived  to  get  out  of  the  be- 
sieged city,  but  soon  afterwards  died  from  weakness 
and  exhaustion.  In  1780  the  parents  of  William 
Searight  removed  from  Lancaster  County  to  Cumber- 
land County,  Pa.,  settling  near  Carlisle.  The  names 
of  their  children  were  Samuel,  Alexander,  William, 
Mary,  John,  and  Hamilton.  About  the  beginning 
of  this  century  they  moved  into  Indiana  County,  Pa., 
where  they  remained  only  a  short  time,  and  came  over 
into  Westmoreland  County,  Pa.,  and  settled  perma- 
nently on  the  Loyalhanna  Kiver,  a  few  miles  above 
the  town  of  Ligonier,  where  they  lived  until  their 
death.  About  the  year  1810,  Samuel  Searight  settled 
in  Tippecanoe  County,  lud. ;  Alexander  Searight  set- 
tled in  Ohio  County,  Va.,  and  William  Searight  set- 
tled in  Fayette  County,  Pa.  The  remainder  of  the 
family  lived,  died,  and  were  buried  in  Ligonier  Val- 
ley without  issue.  William  Searight  received  only  a 
plain  English  education.  He  was  endued  with  the 
precepts  of  stern  integrity  and  honor,  the  elements  of 
his  future  success  in  business,  and  of  his  elevated 
character.  In  the  neighborhood  in  which  he  was 
reared  he  had  learned  the  business  of  fulling  cloth,  a 
knowledge  of  which,  his  native  energy  and  honorable 
character  being  his  only  stock  with  which  to  com- 
mence and  push  his  own  fortune.  He  arrived  in 
Fayette  County  at  about  the  age  of  twenty-one,  and 
commenced  business  at  an  old  fulling-mill  on  Duulap's 
Creek,  known  as  Hammond's  mill.  He  afterwards 
prosecuted  his  vocation  at  Cook's  mill,  on  Redstone 
Creek,  and  again  near  Perryopolis.  He  next  purchased 
a  farm  and  hotel  at  Searight's,  the  property  and  village 
deriving  its  name  from  him,  and  there  made  his  per- 
manent settlement.  In  1826  he  married  Rachel  Brown- 
field,  daughter  of  Thomas  Brownfield,  of  Uniontown, 
Pa.  Here  he  laid  the  foundation  of  a  large  fortune, 
and  his  integrity,  uiiitud  to  a  generous  and  benevolent 
heart,  gave  him  a  high  iiluce  in  the  esteem  and  affec- 
tion of  the  community  in  which  he  lived.  His  sound 
judgment  soon  impressed  itself  upon  his  own  county, 
and  he  became  one  of  her  most  influential  citizens. 
Mr.  Searight  was  a  prominent  and  zealous  old-time 


Deuiocratic  politician,  and  wielded  a  large  influence. 
On  one  occasion  he  rode  on  horseback  from  Searight's 
to  Harrisburg,  a  distance  of  over  two  hundred  miles, 
to  aid  in  preparing  to  nominate  Gen.  Jackson  for  the 
Presidency. 

In  the  early  history  of  Fayette  County  political 
conventions  of  both  parties  were  accustomed  to  meet 
at  Searight's  and  plan  campaigns.  A  memorable 
meeting,  of  which  Mr.  Searight  was  the  chief  insti- 
gator, was  held  there  in  1828,  known  as  the  "  Gray 
Meeting,"  from  the  name  of  the  then  keeper  of  the 
local  hotel,  John  Gray.  At  this  meeting  the  Jack- 
son and  Adams  men  met  to  measure  their  strength. 
They  turned  out  in  the  meadow  below  the  hotel, 
formed  in  rank,  and  "  counted  ofl'."  The  Jack- 
son men  outnumbered  their  opponents  decisively, 
and  it  was  regarded  as  a  great  Jackson  victory. 
In  the  political  campaign  of  1866  a  large  Demo- 
cratic meeting  was  held  in  Uniontown,  and  the  dele- 
gation from  Searight's  bore  a  banner  with  the  inscrip- 
tion, "Menallen,  the  battle-ground  of  the  'Gray' 
meeting."  Many  prominent  political  leaders  of  the 
olden  time  were  there.  Among  them,  on  the  Jackson 
side,  were  Gen.  Henry  W.  Beeson,  Col.  Ben  Brown- 
field,  Westley  Frost,  William  F.  C()i)laii,  Henry  J. 
Rigden,  James  C.  Beckley,  Benedict  Kimbcr,  Solo- 
mon G.  Krepps,  William  Searight,  Hugh  Keys,  Wil- 
liam Hatfield,  Col.  William  L.  Miller,  John"  Fuller, 
Provance  McCormick,  William  Davidson,  Alexander 
Johnson,  and  Thomas  Duncan.  On  the  Adams  side 
were  Andrew  Stewart,  John  M.  Austin,  F  H.  Oli- 
phant,  John  Kennedy,  John  Dawson,  Samuel  Evans, 
James  Bowman,  William  Hogg,  Stokely  Connell, 
William  P.  Wells,  Basil  Brownfield,  George  Mason, 
Kennedy  Duncan,  and  John  Lyon.  The  many  simi- 
lar political  meetings  with  which  William  Searight 
was  identified  go  to  show  the  esteem  in  which  he  was 
held  by  the  citizens  of  the  county  by  all  parties.  But 
Fayette  County,  although  the  first,  was  but  little  in 
advance  of  other  communities  to  learn  and  admire  his 
worth.  He  early  became  known  and  appreciated 
throughout  the  entire  State.  He  was  appointed  com- 
missioner of  the  Cumberland  (National)  road  by  Gov- 
ernor Porter,  in  the  most  prosperous  days  of  that  great 
thoroughfare,  a  iMKitiun  li.  held  for  many  years.  In 
1845  he  was  supri-nln!  I.\  ( 'dl.  William  Hopkins,  of 
Washington,  Pa.  .^iibsiMjiK  ntly  an  act  of  the  Legis- 
lature placed  the  road  in  the  hands  of  trustees  ap- 
pointed by  the  courts,  and  these  trustees  restored 
William  Searight  to  the  commissionership,  the  duties 
of  which  ofEce-he  continued  to  discharge  with  great 
fidelity  and  industry.  He  was  thoroughly  familiar 
with  all  the  hills  and  valleys  of  that  grand  old  thor- 
oughfare, once  so  stirring  and  active,  but  now  still 
and  grass-grown.  Previous  to  his  appointment  as 
commissioner  of  the  National  road  he  w:t.s  a  con- 
tractor on  the  same.  He  was  one  of  the  contractors 
who  built  the  iron  bridge  over  the  mouth  of  Dunlap's 
Creek,  between  Brownsville  and  Bridgeport.     He  was 


6fi6 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


also  a  contractor  on  the  Erie  extension  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania and  Ohio  Canal. 

j^t  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  the  candidate  of 
the  Democratic  party  for  one  of  the  most  dignified 
and  important  offices  of  the  State,  that  of  canal  com- 
missioner. To  this  office  he  would  have  undoubtedly 
been  elected  had  not  death  interposed  and  called  him 
from  the  active  duties  of  this  life  to  the  realities  of 
another  world,  as  after  his  death  William  Hopkins, 
of  Washington  County,  was  nominated  by  the  Demo- 
cratic party  for  the  same  office,  and  was  elected  by  a 
large  majority.  He  died  at  his  residence  in  Menallen 
township,  on  the  12th  of  August,  1852.  He  left  a 
wife  and  six  children, — Thomas,  Ewing,  Jane,  Wil- 
liam, James,  and  Elizabeth. 

William  Searight  was  a  man  of  the  most  generous 
and  humane  character,  ever  ready  to  lend  his  counsel, 
his  sympathies,  and  his  purse  to  the  aid  of  others. 
Though  a  strong  political  party  man,  yet  he  ever 
treated  his  opponents  with  courtesy.  In  religion  he 
was,  like  most  of  the  race  to  which  he  belonged,  im- 
bued with  Calvinism.  The  brightest  traits  of  his 
character  were  exemplified  at  the  last.  So  far  as 
human  judgment  may  decide,  he  died  a  Christian, 
in  peace.  Although  death  plucked  him  from  the  very 
threshold  of  earthly  honors,  yet  it  caused  him  no 
regrets.  The  scenes  upon  which  he  was  about  to 
enter  presented  higher  honors,  purer  enjoyments. 
To  him  they  offered 

"  No  midnight  shade,  no  clouded  sun. 
But  sacred,  high,  eternal  noon." 

A  more  emphatic  eulogy  than  is  in  the  power  of 
language  to  express  was  bestowed  upon  him  on  the 
day  of  his  funeral  by  the  assembling  around  his 
coffin  to  perform  the  last  sad  duty  of  friendship  of 
as  great  if  not  a  greater  number  of  citizens  than  ever 
attended  the  funeral  ceremonies  of  any  one  who  has 
died  within  the  limits  of  Fayette  County.  Among 
that  vast  assemblage  were  both  the  patriarchs  of  the 
county  and  the  rising  youth,  all  come  to  give  their 
testimony  to  the  lofty  worth  in  life  of  the  distin- 
guished dead.  A  few  days  after  his  death  a  large 
meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Fayette  County,  irrespec- 
tive of  party,  convened  at  the  court-house  for  the 
purpose  of  bearing  suitable  testimony  to  his  memory 
and  character. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  chosen  officers :  Hon. 
Nathaniel  Ewing,  president ;  Hon.  Daniel  Sturgeon 
(ex-United  States  senator)  and  Z.  Ludingtou,  vice- 
presidents;  John  B.  Krepps  and  R.  P.  Flenniken, 
secretaries.  On  motion  of  Hon.  James  Veech  (later 
author  of  "  Monongahela  of  Old")  a  committee 
on  resolutions  composed  of  leading  citizens  was 
appointed,  which  committee  presented  the  following 
preamble  and  resolutions,  which  were  unanimously 
adopted,  viz. : 

"  Wlien  a  valued  citizen  dies,  it  is  meet  thiit  the  community  of 


of  their  sorrow  at  such  an  event  is  dui 
grief  of  the  hereaved  family  and  friends, 
others  to  earn  for  their  death  the  same  ( 
cent  death  of  William  Searight,  Esq.,  this  community  has  lost 
such  a  citizen.  Such  an  event  has  called  this  public  meeting, 
into  which  enter  no  schemes  of  political  promotion,  no  partisan 
purposes  of  empty  eulogy.  Against  all  this  death  has  shut  the 
door.  While  yet  the  tear  hangs  on  the  cheek  of  his  stricken 
family,  and  the  tidings  of  death  are  unread  hy  many  of  his 
friends,  we,  his  fellow-citizens,  neighbors,  friends,  of  all  par- 
ties, have  assembled  to  speak  to  those  who  knew  and  loved  him 
best,  and  to  those  who  knew  him  not  the  words  of  sorrow  and 
truth  in  sincerity  and  soberness.  Therefore  as  the  sense  of  this 
meeting, — 

"  llexoJi-eil,  That  in  the  death  of  William  Searight  Fayette 
County  and  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania  have  lost  one 
of  their  best  and  most  useful  citizens.  The  people  at  large 
Tiiay  not  realize  their  loss,  but  the  community  in  which  he 
lived,  over  whose  comforts  and  interests  were  diffused  the  influ- 
ences of  his  liberality  and  enterprise,  feel  it,  while  his  friends 
of  all  classes,  parties,  and  professions,  to  whom  he  clung,  and 
who  clung  to  him,  mourn  it. 

"  Resolved,  That  while  we  would  withhold  our  steps  from  the 
sanctuary  of  domestic  grief,  we  may  be  allowed  to  express  to 
the  afllicted  widow  and  children  of  the  deceased  our  unfeigned 
sorrow  and  sympathy  in  their  great  bereavement,  and  to  tender 
to  them  our  assurance  th.at  while  in  their  hearts  the  memory  of 
the  husband  and  father  will  ever  be  cherished,  in  onm  will  be 
kept  the  liveliest  recollections  of  his  virtues  as  a  citizen  and  a 
friend. 

"  liemlred,  That  among  the  elements  which  must  enter  into 
every  truthful  estimate  of  the  character  of  William  Searight 
are  a  warm  amenity  of  manners,  combined  with  a  great  dignity 
of  deportment,  which  were  not  the  less  attractive  by  their  plain- 
ness and  want  of  ostentation,  elevated  feelings  more  pure  than 
passionless,  high  purposes,  with  untiring  energy  in  their  ac- 
complishment, an  ennobling  sense  of  honor,  and  individual  in- 
dependence, which  kept  him  always  true  to  himself  and  to  his 
engagements,  unfaltering  fidelity  to  his  friends,  a  liberality 
which  heeded  no  restraint,  but  means  and  merit,  great  prompt- 
ness and  fearlessness  in  the  discharge  of  what  he  believed  to  be 
a  duty,  private  or  public,  guided  by  a  rigid  integrity,  which 
stood  all  tests  and  withstood  all  temptations,  honesty  and  truth- 
fulness in  word  and  in  deed,  which  no  seductions  could  weaken 
nor  assaults  overthrow,  in  all  respects  the  architect  of  his  own 
fortune  and  fame.  These,  with  the  minor  virtues  in  full  pro- 
portion, are  some  of  the  outlines  of  character  which  stamped 
the  man  whose  death  we  mourn  as  one  much  above  the  ordi- 
nary level  of  his  race. 

"  Remhed,  That  while  we  have  here  nothing  to  do  or  say  as 
to  the  loss  sustained  by  the  political  party  to  which  he  belonged, 
and  whose  candidate  he  was  for  an  office  of  great  honor  and 
responsibility,  we  may  be  allowed  to  say  that  had  he  lived  and 
been  successful,  with  a  heart  so  rigidly  set  as  was  his,  with 
feelings  so  high  and  integrity  so  firm,  and  withal  an  amount  of 
practical  intelligence  so  ample  as  he  possessed,  his  election 
could  have  been  regretted  by  no  citizen  who  knew  him,  and 
who  placed  the  public  interests  beyond  selfish  ends  and  party 
success.  As  a  politician,  we  knew  him  to  hold  to  his  principles 
and  party  predilections  with  a  tenacious  grasp,  yet  he  was  ever 
courteous  and  liberal  in  his  deportment  and  views  towards  his 
political  opponents. 

"  Reaoleed,  That  in  the  life  and  character  of  William  Searight 
we  see  a  most  instructive  and  encouraging  example.  Starting 
in  the  struggle  of  life  with  an  humble  business,  poor  and  unbe- 
fricnded,  with  an  honest  mind  and  true  heart,  with  high  pur- 


^'^ 


lEKE.MIAH    PEIKSEL,   S 


MENALLEN   TOWNSHIP. 


poses  and  untiring  industry,  he  by  degrees  gained  friends  an  i 
means  which  never  forsook  him.  He  thus  won  for  himself  and 
his  family  ample  wealth,  and  attained  a  position  among  his 
fellow-men  which  those  who  have  had  the  best  advantages  our 
country  affords  might  well  envy.  That  wealth  and  that  posi- 
tion he  used  with  a  just  liberality  and  influence  for  the  benefit 
of  all  around  and  dependent  upon  him.  Though  dead,  he  yet 
speaketh  to  every  man  in  humble  business, — go  thou  and  do 
likewise,  and  such  shall  be  thy  reward  in  life  and  in  death. 

"  Renolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  be  furnished 
for  publication  in  all  the  papers  of  the  county,  and  a  copy 
thereof,  signed  by  the  officers,  be  presented  to  the  family  of  the 
deceased." 


JEREMIAH    PEIRSEL. 

Jeremiah  Peirsel  was  born  in  what  is  now  Perry 
township,  March  4,  1787,  and  died  in  Menallen 
township,  Nov.  20,  1880.  He  was  of  Welsh  descent, 
and  educated  in  the  common  schools.  He  was  mar- 
ried to  Mary  Beal,  of  Menallen  township,  in  1810. 
They  had  twelve  children,  seven  sons  and  five  daugh- 
ters. He  was  always  a  farmer,  and  located  upon  the 
farm  where  his  son  Samuel  now  resides  in  1824,  and 
remained  there  until  his  death.  He  was  an  exemplary 
member  of  the  old  Redstone  Baptist  Church  for  more 
than  sixty  years.  He  never  held  a  political  office  ; 
never  had  a  lawsuit;  never  had  any  difficulties  with 
his  neighbors.  His  long  life  was  due  in  a  measure, 
no  doubt,  to  his  amiable  disposition.  He  had  all  the 
good  qualities  that  usually  attend  a  lovable  disposi- 
tion. He  belonged  to  a  long-lived  family.  The  aver- 
age age  of  himself,  brothers,  and  sisters  is  eighty  years. 

His  father,  William  Peirsel,  came  to  Fayette  County 
from  Chester  County,  Pa.,  early  in  life.  He  married 
Grace  Cope.  They  had  eight  children.  Jeremiah 
was  the  third.  William  died  in  1848,  supposed  to  be 
over  one  hundred  years  old.  Grace  died  in  1854,  aged 
ninety-four. 

Seven  of  the  children  of  Mr.  Peirsel  are  living, — Eliz- 
abeth, married  to  James  McLaughlin;  Samuel,  mar- 
ried to  Maria  Radcliffe  ;  Jeremiah,  Jr.,  who  married 
Melvina  N.  Frasher,  and  has  one  living  son,  Isaac 
F.,  who  has  received  a  liberal  education,  is  a  farmer, 
and  is  married  to  Mary  Hormel,  and  has  one  cliild, 
Arthur  L.  Peirsel,  the  only  grandchild  of  Jeremiah, 
Jr.  The  other  four  children  are  Sarah,  married  to 
Henry  Frasher ;  Anne,  married  to  Jacob  Grant ; 
William,  married  to  Catharine  McKay ;  and  Uriah, 
married  to  Dettie  Swayne.  One  of  his  sous,  Levi, 
was  killed  in  the  late  war  at  the  battle  of  Petersburg. 

For  a  great  part  of  her  life  the  wife  of  Mr.  Peirsel 
was  seriously  afiiicted  by  mental  maladies,  and  he 
took  the  utmost  tender  care  of  her,  never  being  heard 
to  complain  of  his  unhappy  lot. 

Jeremiah  Peirsel,  Jr.,  well  maintains  the  goodly 
name  he  bears,  is  industrious  and  thrifty,  and  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  comfortable  home  and  a  competency, 
which  he  has  acquired  through  his  own  energy  and 
business  sagacity.     He,  like  his  father,  has  the  con- 


fidence of  his  neighbors,  and  if  not  so  gentle  and 
retiring  as  his  father  it  is  because  the  latter  was 
extremely  so. 

JAMES  ALLISON. 
James  Allison,  without  whose  biography  the  his- 
tory of  Menallen  township,  and  particularly  of  the 
village  of  Searight's,  would  be  incomplete,  was  born 
near  Laurel  Hill,  in  Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  Dec.  22,  1801. 
His  parents  lived  and  died  in  that  ueighborhood,  and 
their  remains  were  buried  in  the  Laurel  Hill  grave- 
yard. In  early  life  James  Allison  moved  from  the 
locality  of  Laurel  Hill,  and  settled  on  Redstone 
Creek,  Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  and  learned  to  be  a  fuller  of 
cloth  under  William  Searight,  in  whose  family  he 
ever  afterwards  made  his  home.  When  William  Sea- 
right  bought  the  homestead  on  which  is  the  village 
of  Searight's,  James  Allison  moved  with  him  to  it, 
where  he  lived  and  died.  He  was  born  to  no  other 
inheritance  than  that  of  a  noble  character  and  good 
name,  and  was  in  early  life  thrown  upon  these  his 
only  resources.  He  held  the  responsible  oflice  of 
commissioner  of  the  county  from  1837  to  1840,  and, 
as  was  the  case  in  all  his  business  transactions,  ac- 
quitted himself  creditably  and  honorably.  He  also 
held  the  oflice  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  many  years, 
and  was  postmaster  at  the  village  of  Searight's  from 
the  time  of  the  establishment  of  the  office  in  1845 
until  within  a  very  short  time  of  his  death,  having 
filled  the  longest  continuous  term  of  oflice  of  any 
postmaster  in  the  State,  and  perhaps  in  the  United 
States.  So  long  and  so  very  attentively  did  he  oc- 
cupy this  position  that  he  became  a  part  of  the  town, 
thought  to  be  entirely  indispensable.  He  was  a  con- 
scientious and  consistent  member  of  the  Episcopal 


(368 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Clmrcli,  and  was  for  very  many  years  senior  warden  of 
Grace  Clnirch,  Menallen.  He  was  married  in  early 
life,  and  his  wile  died  shortly  after  their  marriage. 
He  had  no  family.  The  life  of  James  Allison  is  well 
worthy  of  imitation.  It  was  straightforward,  unfal- 
tering, uiK-he(iuered,  and  uneventful.  His  habits 
were  extremely  plain,  simple,  sensible,  sober,  tem- 
perate, and  industrious.     His  manner  was  free,  oi^en, 


ROBERT   JACKSON. 

Eobert  Jackson  was  born  in  Menallen  township, 
upon  the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  Oct.  11,  1831. 
He  is  of  Irish  descent,  and  was  educated  *n  the  com- 
mon schools.  He  learned  the  business  of  farming, 
and  has  always  been  engaged  in  it.  He  was  married 
Nov.  7,  1867,  to  Catharine  Murdock,  of  Pittsburgh, 


friendly,  frank,  and  rourtcous.  His  character  was  a 
perfect  light-house  of  honesty,  truthfulness,  and  up- 
rightness. So  hi-lily  was  lie  e-liriiu-,!  for  tlu-e  (|Uul- 
ities,  it  liccamc  a  coiniiioii  savin-  in  tlir  surrouiidinu' 
community  of  which  he  \\ii~  :i  ]i:irt  tli:it  '■  if  .liimiiv 
Allison  says  it  is  so  it  iiiu>t  ho>,i:  '  .ir.  ■■  If  .limiiiv 
Allison  .li.l  s.,  it  iiui>i  1...  li-li!.'  Tli.-r  vivihl;-  Mill 
reverently  lin-cr  in  tli.'  ninn.M-i.'-,  of  Ins  ol,|  nci-hhoiv. 
He  died  Midilcnly  on  .Inly  4,  1881,  of  a  congestive 
spasm,  to  which  lie  u.is  sulijict.  His  remains  were  in- 
terred in  ( !rai-e  (.'hunli  burial-ground  on  July  5,  1881. 
The  Rev.  R.  S.  Smith,  rector  'of  St.  Peter's'  Church, 
I'niontown,  and  Grace  Church,  Menallen,  officiated 
at  liis  funeral,  and  in  the  course  of  his  remarks  said 
that  he  had  known  James  Allison  intimately  for 
twenty  years,  and  for  that  period  had  been  his  per- 
sonal friend,  and  he  knew  of  notliing  in  his  life  and 
character  that  he  would  have  blotted  t'roin  the  Imok 
of  remembrance.  Kotwidistandiiii;:  il  was  mid-har- 
vest, and  the  weather  was  e.\tremely  hot,  Grace 
Church  was  crowded  by  neighbors  and  friends  to 
witness  the  funeral  rites  of  James  Allison — an  honest 
man — "God's  noblest  work." 


Pa.  They  have  no  children.  He  has  never  held  any 
office,  and  never  sought  one,  and  is  not  a  church- 
member.  His  father  left  him  a  small  legacy,  to  which 
he  has  added  yearly  by  good  farming. 


His  fatl 


Za 


Jackson,  was  born  in  the  same 
townsliiii.  and  was  a  farmer.  He  married  Lydia 
Wocdwaid.  Tiiey  had  a  family  of  eight  children, 
i.nly  ihiiM'  iif  whom  grew  up.  Robert  is  the  eldest. 
/:idM,lc,  ilio  tather,  died  May  7,  18(51,  aged  fifty-six; 
Lydia,  lii-  widow,  is  still  living.  Mr.  Robert  Jackson 
is  a  modi^i.  una»iiniing  man.  He  has  a  good  farm, 
and  enjoys  the  respect  of  his  neighbors.  He  takes 
delight  in  his  business,  does  all  his  work  well,  and  is 
noted  for  his  hospitality,  charity,  and  industry.  Mr. 
Jackson  is  a  Republican  in  politics. 


Hr(;H    GR.\HAM. 


Hugh  (!iraham  died  at  his  liome  in  Menallen  town- 
ship, May  19,  1S79,  aged  eighty-three  years.  He  was 
born  in  the  northern  part  of  Ireland  in  1796,  and  was 
of  Scotch  extraction,  his  father  and  mother  having 
been  born  in  Scotland.     His  education  was  received 


NORTH   UNION   AND   SOUTH   UNION   TOWNSHIPS. 


in  the  "  pay  schools"  of  Ireland.  At  an  early  age  he 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade  in  all  its  branches. 
When  twenty-two  years  of  age  he  emigrated  to 
America.    .He  stopped  in    Philadelphia  for  a  short 


HUGH    GRAHAM. 

time,  and  was  there  in  the  employ  of  Stephen  Girard, 
for  whom  he  built  some  of  the  finest  houses  then  in 
Philadelphia.  He  then  moved  to  Pittsburgh,  thence  to 
Uniontown.  Here  he  remaine'd  and  worked  at  his 
trade  for  a  number  of  years,  builJingsomeof  the  finest 
houses  in  the  county,  among  which  are  the  Gallatin 
house  of  Springhill  township,  now  owned  by  Mrs. 
John  L.  Dawson  ;  the  residence  of  Col.  Samuel  Evans, 
of  North  Union,  the  dwelling  occupied  by  Judge  Will- 
son,  the  fine  house  on  Main  Street,  Uniontown,  for- 
merly owned  and  occupied  by  the  late  Judge  Na- 
thaniel Ewing,  etc.  In  1822  he  was  married  to 
Margaret  Black,  an  estimable  woman,  of  Menallen 
township.     They  lived  together  for  fifty-two  years. 


she  dying  about  five  years  before  her  husband.  They 
had  'eight  children, — Catharine  and  William  died 
young;  Jacob  married  Caroline  Gaddis,  and  is  a 
farmer ;  Albert  Gallatin  graduated  at  Jefferson  Col- 
lege, read  law,  and  practiced  in  Jonesboro',  Tenn. ; 
he  was  also  editor  of  the  Jonesboro'  Union,  and  is  now- 
dead.  Margaret  married  L.  B.  Bowie ;  Thomas  Baird, 
who  attended  Emory  and  Henry  College,  near  Ab- 
ingdon, Va.,  read  law  and  graduated  from  the  Leb- 
anon Law  School  of  Cumberland  University,  Lebanon, 
Tenn.,  and  practiced  in  Tennessee,  Missouri,  and  at 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  for  several  years.  He  is  now  en- 
gaged in  farming.  Hugh  died  when  eighteen  years 
of  age ;  Jennie  G.  married  William  Thorndell,  de- 
ceased. 

Mr.  Graham  held  several  important  township  offi- 
ces ;  was  also  director  of  the  Poor  Board.  In  all 
public  positions  he  discharged  his  duties  well.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
Church  for  a  number  of  years.  Although  his  early 
opportunities  for  education  were  limited,  he  by  care- 
ful study  during  his  spare  moments  stored  his  mind 
with  a  vast  fund  of  useful  knowledge.  He  possessed 
a  retentive  memory,  and  having  once  learned  a  fact 
he  was  able  to  repeat  and  detail  it  with  the  ease  and 
grace  of  the  true  gentleman.  He  was  a  great  admirer 
of  the  poet  Burns,  and  could  repeat  from  memory 
probably  more  of  his  poems,  in  their  Scotch  dialect, 
than  any  man  who  ever  lived  in  Fayette  County- 
He  was  ever  ready  with  the  Psalms  of  David  and 
sacred  lyrics  learned  at  his  mother's  knee.  He  was 
especially  noted  for  his  retentive  memory,  his  genial 
Irish  wit,  his  great  physical  ability,  honesty,  charity, 
and  industry.  Mr.  Graham  was  reticent  in  regard  to 
his  charities ;  in  other  words,  modest,  apparently  not 
letting  his  left  hand  know  what  his  right  hand  did. 
Like  all  generous,  really  strong  men,  he  was  never 
boastful,  and  was  quiet  in  demeanor.  Probably  no 
man  exceeded  him  in  a  due  sense  of  all  the  proprie- 
ties of  life  and  society.  He  suppressed  all  scandalous 
tongues  that  wagged  in  his  presence,  carrying  out 
practically  the  maxim,  "  Let  no  evil  be  spoken  of 
another." 


NORTH   UNION   AND  SOUTH   UNION   TOWNSHIPS. 


For  the  reason  that  during  the  ninety-eight  years 
which  have  elapsed  since  the  formation  of  the  origi- 
nal townships  of  Fayette  County  the  territory  (or 
nearly  all  of  it)  now  embraced  in  North  and  South 
Union  was  for  almost  seventy  years  included  together 
in  the  old  township  of  Union,  it  is  evident  that  much 
4:5 


of  the  history  of  the  two  present  townships  should  be 
written  together  as  that  of  old  Union,  and  accord- 
ingly that  method  has  been  adopted  in  the  narrative 
which  follows. 

In  December,  17S3,  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions 
of  Fayette  County  at  its  first  session — held  in  the 


HISTORY   OF    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


month  above  named — decreed  the  erection  of  "a  town- 
ship beginning  at  the  head  of  the  west  branch  of 
Jennings'  Run  ;  thence  down  the  same  to  the  mouth 
of  said  run  ;  thence  up  Redstone  Creek  to  Burd's  old 
road  ;  thence  along  the  same  to  the  foot  of  the  Laurel 
Hill;  thence  aloug  the  foot  of  Laurel  Hill  to  Charles 
Brownfield's ;  thence  by  a  line  or  lines  to  be  drawn 
by  Charles  Brownfield's,  Thomas  Gaddis',  and  the 
Widow  McClelland's,  including  the  same,  to  the  head 
of  the  west  branch  of  the  Jennings'  Run  aforesaid, 
to  be  hereafter  known  by  the  name  of  LTnion  town- 
ship."' 

At  the  first  election  in  the  township  James  Finley, 
Alexander  McClean,  Henry  Beeson,  Jonathan  Row- 
land, John  Gaddis,  and  Moses  Sutton  were  elected 
justices  of  the  peace.  In  reference  to  the  election  of 
these  officers.  Gen.  Ephraim  Douglas  wrote,  in  a 
letter  dated  Uniontown,  Feb.  6,  1784,  and  addressed 
to  John  Dickinson,  president  of  the  Supreme  Execu- 
tive Council  of  Pennsylvania,  as  follows: 

"  Want  of  an  earlier  conveyance  gives  me  the  opportunity  of 
enclosing  to  Council  the  return  of  an  election  held  here  this 
day  for  Justices  of  the  Peace  for  this  township  ;  and  I  trust  the 
importance  of  the  choice  of  officers  to  the  county  will  excuse  me 
to  that  honorable  body  for  offering  my  remarks  on  this  occasion. 
Col.  McClean,  though  not  the  first  on  the  return,  needs  no 
panegyric  of  mine;  he  has  the  honor  to  be  known  to  Council. 
James  Finley  is  a  man  of  a  good  understanding,  good  character, 
and  well  situate  to  acoomuiodate  that  part  of  the  township  most 
remote  from  the  town.  Henry  Beeson  is  the  proprietor  of  the 
town,  a  man  of  much  modesty,  good  sense,  and  great  benevo- 
lence of  heart,  and  one  whose  liberality  of  property  for  public 
uses  justly  entitles  him  to  particular  attention  from  the 
county,  however  far  it  may  be  a  consideration  with  Council. 
Jonathan  Rowland  is  also  a  good  man,  with  a  good  share  of 
understanding,  and  a  better  English  educatiou  than  either 
of  the  two  last  mentioiud,  but  unfortunately  of  a  profession 
rather  too  much  opposed  to  the  suppression  of  vice  and  im- 
morality,— he  keeps  a  tavern.  John  Gaddis  is  a  man  whom  I 
do  not  personally  know,  one  who  has  at  a  former  election  in 
the  then  township  of  Jlenallen  been  returned  to  Council,  but 
never  commissioned,  for  what  reason  I  know  not.  Ilis  popu- 
larity is  with  those  who  have  been  most  conspicuous  in  oppo- 

1  The  territory  of  Union  township  i 
of  the  l.oroush  of  Uniontown,  which 

ture  passed  April  4,  1790. 


sition  to  the  laws  of  this  Commonwealth.  Moses  Sutton  is  re- 
markable for  nothing  but  aspiring  obscurity,  and  a  great  facility 
at  chanting  a  psalm  or  stammering  a  prayer. 

"  Duty  thus  far  directs  me  to  give  Council  an  impartial  de- 
scription of  the  men  who  are  to  be  the  future  officers  of  this 
county,  but  both  duty  and  respect  forbid  my  saying  more  or 
presuming  to  express  a  wish  of  my  own  ;  for  I  have  no  predilec- 
tion in  favor  of,  or  personal  prejudice  against,  either  of  them. 
"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  etc., 

"  Ephraim  Douglas." 

But  evidently  Gen.  Douglas  afterwards  changed  his 
opinions  as  above  expressed,  as  is  shown  by  a  letter 
(found  in  the  Pennsylvania  Archives,  1773-86,  p. 
G96)  as  follows  : 

*'  E.  Dongla>i  to  Sec'i/  Armstrong,  1785. 

"  UsiONTOW.v,  2Tth  Jan'y,  1785. 
"Sir, — Unwilling  to  send  you  this  certificate  in  a  blank,  and 
desirous  of  saying  something  on  the  subject,  I  have  sat  with  my 
head  leaning  on  my  hand  these  ten  minutes  to  consider  what 
that  something  should  be,  and  after  all  have  considered  that 
whatever  I  could  sajr  upon  it  would  amount  to  nothing,  for  I 
have  knowledge  of  Gentlemen  foremost  on  it  to  justify  my  giv- 
ing a  character  of  him. 

"I  have  already  been  deceived  into  a  misrepresentation  to 
Council  on  a  former  one,  for  which  I  most  penitentially  beg  for- 
giveness, protesting  at  the  same  time  my  innocency  in  it,  for  the 
Constable  who  made  the  return,  and  several  others  of  the  town- 
ship of  Menallen,  assured  me  it  would  be  petitioned  against, 
but  I  find  they  have  not  done  it,  nor  are  they  attempting  it. 
I  can  offer  nothing  more  on  that  subject,  unless  it  be  that  the 
township  is  in  great  want  of  a  justice,  I  have  given  their 
characters  faithfully  as  I  received  them  from  the  general  voice 
of  the  inhabitants  hereabout.  Council  in  their  wisdom  will  do 
the  rest.  I  have  the  honor  to  be  with  high  esteem,  Sir, 
"  Your  most  humble  and 

"Obedient  servant, 

"EpHRAisf  Douglas." 

Of  those  elected  justices  of  the  peace,  as  before 
mentioned,  James  Finley,  John  Gaddis,  and  Moses 
Sutton  were  commissioned  as  such.  Following  is  a 
partial  list  of  justices  of  the  peace  elected  for  the  dis- 
trict embracing  the  township  of  Union  until  the  time 
of  its  division  into  North  and  South  Union,  viz. : 


Jonathan  Rowland. 

1826.  Thomas  Nesmith. 

Robert  Moore. 

Clement  Wood. 

Jonathan  Rowland. 

1827.  James  Piper. 

J  h 

1829.  James  Lindsey. 

e 

Moses  Hopwood. 

n              nd. 

Clement  Wood. 

i 

1833.  Samuel  Keeler. 

H 

lS-tO-45.  Thomas  Nesmith. 

r          n       n 

William  Bryson. 

A               I      a    ers. 

1860.  James  McClean. 

m 

William  Bryson. 

I  g    en  a  list,  made  up  from  election  returns, 
Be     of  Union  township  down  to  the  time 


Be  ow 
f  other  I 
f        d        on 

F    EEH       DERS   TO  SETTLE  ACCOUNTS. 
88  89  — H  n  y  B        n,  Jon.athan  Rowland,  James  Ranki) 


Jonathan  Rowland,  Ja 


NORTH    UNION    AND   SOUTH    UNION    TOWNSHIPS. 


1793.— Junatluin  Uuwiiiii.l,  Jiiiius  Itimkm. 

1794-95.— Henry    Beoson,   James    Rankin,   James  Gallagher, 

Lewis  Springer. 
1796. — Henry  Beeson,  Samuel  King,  Joniitlian  Downer,  Lewis 

1797. — Levi   Springer,    Henry   Beeson,   Samuel  King,   Robert 

Moore. 
18U0. — Levi  Springer,  James  Gregg,  James  Allen,  Isaac  Sutton. 

AUDITORS  OF  ACCOUNTS. 

1801.— Jacob  Beeson,  Morris  Morris,  John  McCoy,  William 
Crawford. 

1S03.— Jacob  Beoson,  Jr.,  Ellis  Bailey,  James  Gallagher,  Wil- 
liam Crawford. 

1805. — Jacob  Beeson,  Jr.,  Joseph  Taylor,  Reuben  Bailey, 
Thomas  Hibbon. 

1806.— Jacob  Beeson,  Jr.,  James  Lindsey,  Diiniel  Keller,  Rich- 
ard Weaver. 

1807.— Thomas  Moason,  John  Kennedy,  Thomas  Hibben,  Zadoc 
Springer. 

1821. — William  Swearingen,  Abel  Campbell,  John  Springer, 
Samuel  Cleavinger,  Samuel  Clark. 

1822. — Abel  Campbell,  John  Springer,  Samuel  Clark,  Samuel 
Cleavinger,  William  Swearingen. 

1823.— William  Swearingen,  Samuel  Cleavinger,  Abel  Campbell, 
John  Gallagher. 

1824.^Abel  Campbell,  Samuel  Smith,  Samuel  Cleavinger,  John 
Gallagher. 

1825.— S.amuel  Cleavinger,  William  Bryson,  John  McClean, 
Abel  Campbell. 

1826.— John  Gallagher,  John  McClean,  Abel  Campbell,  William 

1827.— Abel  Campbell,  John  McClean,  John  Gallagher,  William 

Bryson. 
1830.— William  Morris,  William  Bryson,  Jacob  Gaddis,  John 

Gallagher. 
1831-32.— Jacob  Gaddis,  J.  Gallagher,  William  Morris,  William 

Bryson. 
1833-34.— J.  Gallagher,  W.   Barton,    Uriah  Springer,  George 

Meason. 
1835.— William  Bryson,  William  Jones,  Isaac  Wiggins. 
1836.— Isaac  Wiggins. 

1837.— Isaac  P.  Minor,  John  Gaddis,  William  Bryson. 
1838.— William  Barton,  Jr. 
1839.— Charles  Brown. 
1840.— Thomiis  Rankin. 
1841. — Isaac  H.ague. 
1842-43.— John  Jones. 
1844.— Charles  Brown. 
1845.— Uriah  Springer. 
1846.— Richard  Swan. 
1847.— Charles  G.  Turner. 
1848.— Uriah  Springer. 
1849.— Benjamin  Hayden. 
1850.— E.  G.  Turner. 

SCHOOL  DIBECTORS.l 

1841.  John  Deford. 


1844.  William  Barton. 
Henry  Yeagley. 

1845.  Samuel  H.-vtfleld. 
William  Bryson. 

1846.  Isaac  Wiggins. 
Everard  Bierer. 

1847.  William  Barton. 


1847.  Henry  Yeagley. 

1848.  Charles  G.  Turne 
Dennis  Sutton. 

1849.  Samuel  Hatfield. 
James  Carter. 

1850.  Henry  Yeagley. 
Emanuel  Brown. 


1835.  Henry  W.  Beesot 
Samuel  Evans. 

1836.  James  Hopwood. 
Samuel  Evans. 

1838.  Thomas  Hopwood.  ,   1843.  Thomas 

Isaac  Hague.  Isaac  Wi 

1840.  Ellis  Phillips. 


William  Brownfield. 
1842.  John  Huston. 
Peter  Humbert. 


NORTH   UNION. 

EARLY  SETTLEMENTS. 
TLe  only  instance  of  a  direct  grant  of  land  having 
been  made  in  Fayette  County  prior  to  April  3,  1769, 
was  that  of  Hugh  Crawford,  who,  in  1767,  was  "  in- 
terpreter and  conductor  of  the  Indians'"  in  the  run- 
ning of  the  western  part  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line. 
The  grant  was  given  by  Governor  John  Penn,  dated 
Jan.  22,  1768,  and  was  a  conveyance  of  land,  called  a 
"  Grant  of  Preference,"  for  a  tract  of  five  hundred 
acres.  It  was,  besides,  save  the  Gist  tracts,  the  only 
instance  where  any  one  person  was  given  more  than 
four  hundred  acres.  In  consequence  of  this  unusual 
proceeding  the  tract  of  land  was  given  the  name  of 
"Injustice."  Previous  to  this,  however,  Peter  Red- 
stone, or  Indian  Peter,  who  was  the  acting  interpreter 
for  Hugh  Crawford  in  his  official  term  as  Indian 
agent,  claimed  to  have  owned  this  same  land.  In  a 
letter  to  His  Excellency  the  Governor,  Redstone 
stated  that  he  had  lived  peaceably  upon  the  land  given, 
him  by  Penn  until  one  Philip  Shute,  a  Dutchman, 
came  and  quarreled  with  him.  He  therefore  asked 
that  another  tract  be  given  him,  which  was  done,  and 
he  vacated  the  fir.st  one  to  occupy  the  second,  located 
near  Brownsville,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Monon- 
gahela  River.  Conflicting  titles  of  the  original  five 
hundred  acres  caused  numerous  lawsuits  between 
Crawford  and  Shute,  which  were  decided  in  favor  of 
Crawford,  and  he  became  the  owner  under  tiie  "  Grant 
of  Preference,"  as  stated.  The  order  of  survey  of  this 
land  was  made  July  4,  1770.  and  in  that  year  Craw- 
ford died.  Not  long  after  his  death  the  property  was 
sold  by  his  administrator,  William  Graham,  by  an 
order  of  the  Orphans'  Court  of  Cumberland  County, 
to  pay  his  debts,  Robert  Jackson  being  the  purchaser. 
The  records  of  early  transfers  of  property  show  that 
on  June  15,  1773,  Hugh  Crawford  (probably  a  son), 
in  consideration  of  £50,  purchased  of  Walter  Briscoe 
"a  plantation  containing  two  hundred  acres,  being 
upon  the  waters  of  Big  Redstone  Creek,  on  a  branch 
called  Lick  Run,  joining  line  with  John  Allen  and 
Elias  Newkirk,  it  being  a  tract  of  land  that  said  Bris- 
coe took  possession  of  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1768,  to 
have  and  to  hold."  Again,  March  10,  1783,  Walter 
Briscoe,  in  consideration  of  £300,  sold  to  Robert 
Jackson  three  hundred  acres  of  land  "  lying  on  the 
waters  of  the  Redstone,  adjoining  lands  now  held  by 
Benjamin  Phillips,  Hugh  Crawford,  and  the  said 
Jackson."  The  property  included  in  Hugh  Craw- 
ford's "  Grant  of  Preference"  is  now  within  the  limits 
of  the  farm  of  Col.  Samuel  Evans,  containing  fifteen 


672 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


hundred  acres,  and  formerly  owned  by  Judge  Ken- 
nedy. 

Philip  Shute,  after  the  decision  against  him  in  the 
Crawford  lawsuits,  settled  upon  a  tract  of  land  called 
Thorn  Bottom,  on  what  is  now  known  as  Shute's  Run, 
which  was  warranted  to  him  Sept.  9,  1769.  He  was 
one  of  the  first  persons  to  make  a  home  here,  and  his 
name  appears  upon  the  records  as  early  as  1768  among 
those  settlers  who  met  the  commissioners  at  Gist's 
place  on  March  23d  of  that  year.  On  May  9,  1788, 
tliere  was  surveyed  to  Philip  Shute  ninety-nine  and 
one-half  acres  of  land.  Elizabeth  Shute  had  received 
a  warrant  for  thirty-two  and  one-quarter  acres  as  far 
back  as  April  1,  1773,  but  the  tract  was  not  surveyed 
to  her  until  Nov.  11,  1815. 

The  tub-mill  which  Philip  Shute  built  on  "The 
Neck,"  now  a  portion  of  Col.  Evans'  large  farm,  is 
said  to  have  been  the  first  one  erected  in  the  county. 

William  Cromwell  was  a  son-in-law  of  Capt. 
Christojiher  Gist,  and  like  him  one  of  the  earliest 
settlers  in  the  county.  In  1786,  Cromwell  claimed  a 
piece  of  land  on  which  Philip  Shute  was  living  that 
year.  This  piece  of  land  was  called  "  Beaver  Dams," 
and  is  a  part  of  that  now  owned  by  Col.  Evans. 

Josiah  and  Nathan  Springer  were  members  of  the 
party  whose  applications  for  land  were  in  the  land- 
office  awaiting  the  first  issue  of  warrants.  The  one 
issued  to  Josiah  was  No.  819,  for  three  hundred  and 
sixteen  acres,  and  dated  April  3,  1769,  the  first  day 
warrants  were  ever  given  for  land  in  Fayette  County. 
This  tract  was  surveyed  under  the  name  of  "  Elk 
Lick,"  on  June  2,  1770.  Josiah  Springer  died  at  his 
home  in  1785,  and  his  descendants  all  removed  to  the 
West.  His  will  is  the  first  on  record  in  the  county. 
Nathan  Springer's  land  was  located  next  to  his 
brother's  on  the  southwest.  It  contained  three  hun- 
dred and  six  and  one-quarter  acres,  and  was  called 
"  Springer's  Lot."  The  warrant.  No.  1830,  was 
granted  the  same  day  as  that  of  Josiah,  and  the  sur- 
vey was  made  June  22d  of  the  same  year.  Nathan 
Springer  eventually  removed  with  his  family  to  the 
West.  Dennis  Springer,  another  brother,  in  pursu- 
ance of  a  warrant  bearing  date  Feb.  28,  1786,  located 
a  tract  of  three  hundred  and  twenty-seven  acres  just 
north  of  that  belonging  to  Josiah,  which  was  surveyed 
May  15,  1788.  The  names  of  Dennis  and  Nathan 
Springer  also  appear  as  purchasers  of  lots  upon  the 
original  plat  of  Uniontown  in  the  year  1776.  Dennis 
was  the  contractor  for  the  building  of  the  court-house 
erected  in  Uniontown  during  that  year,  and  the  bricks 
for  the  purpose  were  manufactured  on  his  farm.  His 
family  of  five  sons  and  three  daughters — Jacob,  Jolin, 
Dennis,  Uriah,  Josiah,  Anna,  Hannah,  and  Sally — 
all  reached  the  estate  of  men  and  women.  The  two 
oldest  sons  were  born  before  the  parents  crossed  to 
the  west  side  of  the  mountains.  All  the  sons,  except 
Dennis  (who  had  a  part  of  the  homestead),  settled  on 
farms  near  or  adjoining  tliat  of  their  fatlier, — John, 
where  Henrv  Smith  nnw  lives;  Jacob,  on  the  farm 


now  owned  by  Dr.  Walker;  and  Uriah,  upon  a  por- 
tion of  the  William  Hankins  farm.  The  daughters 
— Anna,  Hannah,  and  Sally — married,  respectively, 
Morris  Morris,  Grifiith  Morris,  and  William  Morris, 
— three  brothers.  They  are  all  buried  in  the  church- 
yard of  the  old  Baptist  Church  at  Uniontown.  Cal- 
vin Springer,  of  Uniontown,  is  a  grandson  of  Dennis, 
Sr.  As  a  result  of  Dennis  Springer's  becoming 
security  for  Daniel  P.  Lynch,  the  old  homestead  was 
brought  under  the  hammer  and  sold  at  sherift's  sale. 
It  is  now  the  property  of  Greenbury  Crossland.  Levi, 
a  fourth  son  of  the  Springer  family,  was  a  resident  in 
this  vicinity  as  early  as  1782,  as  on  May  12th  of  that 
year  he  answered  at  the  Court  of  Appeal  held  at  the 
house  of  John  Collins,  at  Uniontown,  and  sent  a  sub- 
stitute on  the  Crawford  expedition.  On  Sept.  3, 1796, 
he  purchased  of  Jacob  Beeson  a  piece  of  land  adjoin- 
ing the  plat  of  Uniontown,  lying  north  of  Peter  and 
west  of  Pittsburgh  Streets.  This  was  a  part  of  the 
"  Stone  Coal  Run"  tract,  afterwards  known  as  Mount 
Vernon,  and  was  originally  surveyed  to  Henry  Beeson. 
The  same  property  now  belongs  to  Levi,  a  grandson 
of  the  elder  Levi  Springer.  Dennis  Springer,  a  son 
of  Levi,  Sr.,  married  Sally,  a  sister  of  Ewing  Brown- 
lield.  She  is  now  a  widow,  eighty-two  years  of  age. 
Daniel  M.  Springer,  of  Uniontown,  is  her  grandson, 
and  Zadoc  Springer,  of  the  same  place,  is  a  great- 
grandson. 

James,  William,  and  Hugh  Rankin  were  early  in 
this  county,  and  each  became  the  owner  of  a  large 
farm  in  North  Union.  James  purchased  321  acres 
called  "  Siege,"  which  was  warranted  July  8,  1769, 
and  surveyed  May  18, 1770.  Tracts  of  land  in  Wash- 
ington, Franklin,  and  Tyrone  townships  also  came 
into  his  possession  afterwards,  as  did  338  acres  called 
"  Sugar  Bottom,"  on  Shute's  Mill  Run,  and  185  acres 
was  warranted  May  30,  1788,  to  William  Martin,  in- 
cluding his  improvement.  John  Walter  purchased 
300  acres  of  one  tract  and  sold  it  to  Andrew  Hoover, 
Sr.  Financial  troubles  overtaking  Mr.  Rankin,  he 
disposed  of  his  property  about  the  year  1800  and 
removed  to  the  West.  William  Rankin's  farm,  called 
"  Narrow  Bottom,"  comprising  355  acres,  was  war- 
ranted July  8,  1769,  and  surveyed  September  30th  of 
the  same  year.  His  whole  life  was  passed  upon  the 
place.  The  name  of  the  property  upon  which  Hugh 
Rankin  settled  was  "  Extent."  It  contained  225 
acres,  which  was  warranted  to  him  Feb.  27, 1770,  and 
surveyed  May  ISth  of  the  same  year.  In  1799  he 
sold  193  acres  of  this  land  to  Andrew  Bryson.  His 
family  numbered  four  children, — William,  Esther, 
Ann,  and  Thomas.  The  first  three  upon  reaching 
maturity  settled  in  the  West.  Thomas  remained 
upon  the  homestead  until  1851,  when  he  removed  to 
the  borough  of  Uniontown,  and  died  there  the  same 
year.  The  old  farm  has  become  tlie  property  of  Rob- 
ert Parkhill  and  others.  Thomas  Rankin  was  the 
father  of  eight  children,  but  only  three  are  now 
livina:,— Hugh  I>.  Rankin  and  Mrs.  Albert  G.  Bee- 


NOKTH    UNION   AND   SOUTH    UNION   TOWNSHIPS. 


673 


son,  of  Uniontown,  and  Mrs.  Anna  Smith,  of  Clarks- 
burg, W.  Va. 

Isaac  and  Jonathan  Pearce,  two  brothers,  came  to 
this  county  with  the  earliest  settlers,  and  each  took 
up  a  considerable  tract  of  land.  On  Sept.  14,  17G9,  a 
tract  of  820  acres  was  surveyed  to  Isaac,  which  was 
given  the  name  of  "Discord,"  and  upon  which  a 
patent  was  issued  March  10,  1786.  In  1785  the  busi- 
ness of  a  distillery  was  carried  on  here,  and  June  29, 
1791,  the  property  was  sold  to  Mordecai  Lincoln,  of  ! 
Derry  township,  Dauphin  Co.  While  yet  in  the 
possession  of  Isaac  Pearce  the  survey  of  "  Discord"  ' 
was  disputed  by  the  attorney  of  Thomas  Gaddis,  for 
William  Cromwell,  by  virtue  of  an  order  issued  from 
the  Ohio  Company.  The  property  located  by  Jona- 
than Pearce  was  called  "  Bowling  Green,"  a  body  of 
180  acres,  adjoining  that  of  Samuel  McClean  and 
Jonathan  Pearce.  A  survey  of  it  was  made  March 
20,  1787. 

Samuel  Lyon,  Sr.,  and  Samuel  Lyon,  Jr.,  came 
here  in  1769,  and  purchased  extensive  bodies  of  land 
north  of  that  located  by  Isaac  Pearce.     Samuel,  Sr.,  i 
had  three  hundred  and  fifteen  acres,  which  was  called 
"  Pretention  and  Contention,"  and  which  was  sur- 
veyed  June  13,  1769.     In  later  years  the  title  of  this 
property  was  disputed  by  the   attorney  of  Thomas 
Gist  for  William  Cromwell,  under  an  order  from  the  | 
Ohio  Company.     The  tract  of  Samuel  Lyon,  Jr.,  con-  j 
tained  two  hundred  and    seventy  acres,  which  was  j 
surveyed  to  him  June  12, 1769,  under  order  No.  3352,  ' 
and   named  "  White  Oak    Level."     This  land  was 
afterwards  found  to  have  been  granted  to  James  Fin- 
ley,  assignee  of  Henry   Boyle,   under  warrant  No. 
2107,  dated  April  3, 1769,  the  earliest  day  upon  which 
warrants  were  issued  for  lands  in  the  county.     James  , 
Finley  entered  a  caveat  against  the  acceptance  of  the 
Lyon  survey,  and  he  must  have  come  into  possession 
of  the  property,  as  he  lived    here  until  his  death, 
holding  prominent  oflices  the  entire  time.     In  August, 
1791,  he  was  appointed  associate  judge,  remaining  in 
the  position  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1828. 
He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Senate  of  Pennsylvania  j 
from  this  district,  succeeding  John  Smilie,  who  was 
elected  to  Congress  in  1792.     Mr.  Finley  was  the  in-  I 
ventor  of  the  first  chain  suspension  bridge  ever  put 
up  in  this  county,  which  was  built  in  1801  across 
Jacob's  Creek,  on  the  road  between  Mount  Pleasant 
and  Connellsville. 

Thomas  Junk  settled  in  Union  township  on  one 
hundred  and  eighty-six  and  three-quarters  acres  of 
land,  warranted  to  him  Feb.  1,  1796,  and  surveyed 
under  the  name  of  "  Consolation."  The  patent  of 
this  tract  to  him  dates  April  16,  1798.  Its  location  j 
was  on  a  branch  of  Redstone  Creek,  and  adjoining 
land  of  William  Craycraft.  Descendants  of  Thomas 
Junk  are  still  living  in  North  LTniou. 

A  part  of  the  property  in  this  county  upon  which 
Alexander  McClean  lived  for  many  years  is  tliat  now 
owned  and  occupied  by  the  Stewart  Iron  Company. 


On  June  11,  1769,  James  Stewart  made  application 
for  three  hundred  acres  of  land,  described  as  "  about 
one  mile  from  Laurel  Hill,  on  a  branch  of  Redstone 
Creek,  adjoining  the  lands  of  Phillip  Shute  and  John 
Davis,  including  his  improvement  made  that  year." 
On  this  application  warrant  No.  3465  was  issued  to 
James  Stewart,  June  14,  1769,  for  three  hundred  and 
thirty-nine  acres  and  one  hundred  and  forty  perches 
of  land,  which  was  surveyed  to  him.  On  Sept.  26, 
1769,  Stewart  assigned  and  delivered  to  Alexander 
McClean  all  right  and  title  to  this  property.  Upon 
it  McClean  built  a  log  house,  which  was  the  home  of 
himself  and  wife  on  their  coming  into  the  county. 
Upon  this  place  all  their  children  were  born,  and  here 
they  lived  for  many  years,  but  in  after-time  financial 
difficulties  necessitated  the  selling  of  a  part  of  the 
property.  In  1822  the  sherift'sold  a  portion  to  James 
Piper.  Later  the  greater  part  of  the  original  tract 
came  into  the  hands  of  Gen.  H.  W.  Beeson,  and  Nov. 
8,  1880,  the  Stewart  Iron  Company  purchased  one 
hundred  and  seventy-one  acres  of  Beeson's  heirs. 
Most  of  the  sons  of  Alexander  McClean  settled  in 
North  Union  township,  on  farms  their  father  bought 
for  them  in  his  prosperous  days.  James  McClean,  a 
brother  of  Alexander,  located  his  lands  in  North 
Union  township,  near  the  base  of  Laurel  Hill,  and 
near  the  site  of  the  present  village  of  Monroe.  John 
McClean,  another  brother,  located  one  hundred  and 
forty-six  acre,  of  land  upon  the  side  of  the  mountain, 
but  soon  disposed  of  it  and  removed  to  Washington 
County.  Samuel  McClean,  also  a  brother  of  Alex- 
ander, was  a  surveyor,  and  in  that  capacity  was  of 
great  assistance  for  many  years  to  Alexander  in  his 
profession.  Samuel  first  located  fifty-six  and  one-half 
acres  of  land  on  the  mountain,  and  afterwards  pur- 
chased six  hundred  acres  of  a  squatter,  who  had  cut 
off"  the  timber  from  about  three  acres,  paying  him 
forty  pounds  therefor.  Another  tract  of  sixty  acres, 
which  Samuel  McClean  had  located  some  years  pre- 
viously, was  takeu  possession  of  by  a  man  named 
Nealy,  who  built  a  cabin  upon  it  in  the  night,  and 
purchased  some  implements  for  working  the  land. 
This  caused  a  lawsuit,  which  was  tried  at  Hannas- 
town  and  decided  in  McClean's  favor.  That  tract  of 
land  is  still  called  "  Nealy's  Moonlight  Discovery." 

Samuel  McClean  had  two  sons,  William  and  John. 
William  removed  to  Butler  County,  Ohio,  in  1808, 
and  died  there  in  1824.  John  lived  for  some  years 
on  the  farm  which  the  Lemont  Furnace  now  occu- 
pies. In  the  war  of  1812  he  went  out  as  captain 
of  a  company  of  soldiers.  After  the  war  he  lived 
upon  the  farm  now  owned  by  George  McClean,  where 
he  died  in  1831.  All  the  daughters  of  Samuel 
McClean,  except  Nancy  and  Sarah,  removed  West. 
Nancy  became  the  wife  of  Stephen  McClean,  her 
cousin,  and  a  son  of  Alexander  McClean.  Sarah 
married  George  McRea,  and  lived  upon  the  home- 
stead until  her  death.  Mrs.  William  Hankins  is  a 
daughter  of  Stephen  and  Nancy  McClean. 


674 


HISTORY   OF    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Robert  and  John  Gaddis,  sons  of  William  Gaddis, 
came  from  "  Apple-Pie  Ridge,"  near  Winchester,  Va., 
to  North  Union  township  some  time  in  the  year  1785. 
At  this  time  John  was  forty-five  years  of  age.  He 
purchased  295]  acres  of  land,  with  an  allowance  of 
six  per  cent,  for  roads.  The  tract  joined  that  of  Rob- 
ert Gaddis  and  John  Patrick,  and  was  called  "  Gad- 
distown."  The  warrant  for  it  was  dated  Feb.  7,  1785, 
the  patent  being  granted  March  30,  178(i.  Adjoining 
this  "  Gaddistown"  tract  John  Gaddis,  in  1797,  pur- 
chased two  other  tracts, — one,  called  "  Oxford,"  con- 
taining 40J  acres,  and  the  other,  called  "  Cambridge," 
of  16 J  acres, — with  the  allowance  of  six  per  cent,  for 
roads,  as  before.  The  warrants  for  the  last  two  were 
dated  March  6,  1794.  During  his  life  John  Gaddis 
was  a  prominent  member  and  worker  in  the  Great 
Bethel  Baptist  Church  of  Uniontown.  He  died 
April  12,  1827,  aged  eighty-seven  years.  His  wife, 
Sarah  Gaddis,  died  a  quarter  of  a  century  before,  Jan. 
7,  1802.  Five  sons  and  six  daughters  made  up  the 
family  of  John  and  Sarah  Gaddis.  They  were 
Thomas,  Jonathan,  William,  Jacob,  John,  Mary, 
Anna,  Elizabeth,  Priscilla,  Sarah,  and  Ruth.  Jona- 
than died  in  1793,  and  Anna  in  1799,  six  years  later. 
William  and  Sarah  removed  to  the  West;  Mary  be- 
came Mrs.  Allen  and  lived  in  Franklin  township,  and 
Elizabeth  and  Ruth  married  and  moved  to  Wilming- 
ton, Del.,  and  died  there.  Priscilla  married  Thomas 
Barton  and  lived  in  Menallen  township,  where  she 
died  during  the  winter  of  1880-81,  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
five  years.  John  and  Jacob  each  took  a  part  of  the 
old  homestead.  John  married  a  daughter  of  his 
cousin,  John  Gaddis  (son  of  Robert),  and  she  is  now 
living  in  Uniontown  with  her  son  Eli,  her  husband 
having  died  in  1868.  Oliver  Gaddis,  son  of  Jacob, 
lives  on  the  property  formerly  owned  by  his  father. 

Robert  Gaddis  came  to  this  township  with  his 
brother  John  in  1785,  and  purchased  237  acres  of  land 
at  that  time  about  two  and  one-half  miles  northwest 
of  Uniontown,  on  the  National  road.  This  land 
adjoined  that  of  John  Gaddis,  and  was  surveyed  to 
Robert  April  19,  1788.  Of  his  large  family  of  chil- 
dren, all  of  the  daughters  and  the  sons  Benjamin, 
William,  and  Jesse  removed  West.  John  inherited  a 
part  of  the  homestead,  and  some  of  his  descendants 
still  live  upon  it.  His  wife  was  Rachel  Davis,  a 
daughter  of  James  Davis,  an  old  settler  of  Union 
township.  Henry  Gaddis,  a  brother  of  Robert  and 
John,  came  to  North  Union  soon  after  their  settle- 
ment here.  He  purchased  252  acres  of  land  (adjoin- 
ing John's  property),  which  was  surveyed  to  him 
March  15,  1788.  Henry  Gaddis,  who  now  lives  in 
this  to\vii-lii|i,  is  (iiic  of  his  descendants. 

John  I'atiiik  -ittlcd  here  in  1785.  He  received  a 
warrant  for  two  hundred  and  ninety-six  and  one- 
half  acres,  the  warrant  being  dated  Sept.  30,  1785. 
The  patent  was  issued  May  12th  of  the  following  year. 
This  tract  of  land  was  named  "Crooked  Path,"  situate 
on  Redstone  Creek  opposite  the  Buflalo  Lick,  and  ad- 


joining the  lands  of  Robert  Gaddis,  Nathan  Springer, 
!  Josiah  Springer,  and  Cornelius  Conner.    The  property 
has  now  passed  out  of  the  family. 

Dec.  27,  1785,  there  was  surveyed  to  Eleanor  Daw- 
son, wife  of  George  Dawson,  three  hundred  and  twelve 
acres  of  land  in  this  vicinity,  by  virtue  of  a  certifi- 
cate from  the  surveyor  of  Yohogania  County,  Va.,  of 
hich  the  following  is  an  exact  copy  : 

"ViRGixiA  Surveyors'  Office,  Yohogania  Cocxty. 
"  Eleanor  Dawson  produced  a  certificate  from  the  Corn's  for 
adjusting  Titles  and  settling  claims  to  lands  in  the  Counties  of 
Yohogania,  Monongahela,  and  Ohio  for  four  hundred  acres  of 
land  in  this  county  on  the  waters  of  Redstone  to  include  her 
'  settlement  made  in  the  year  1770  in  right  of  herself  during  her 
natural  life;  the  remainder  to  Nicholas  Dawson  e.x'r  of  George 
Dawson  Dec'd  to  be  distributed  according  to  the  will  of  s'd 
George. 

"  Jany.  21,  1780.  "  W.  Crawforh,  .S'.  Y.C. 

"  The  certf.  mentioned  in  the  within  was  granted  by  Francis 

l^eyton,  Phil.  Pendleton,  &  Joseph  Holms.  Gentlemen  Com'rs 

when    sitting  at  Redstone   Old    Fort   the  day   &  year  within 

i   mentioned,  of  which  the  within  appears  on  record  in  my  office. 

I   (iiven  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  18th  day  March,  1785. 

"B.Johnson,  S.r.C." 

A  similar  certificate  was  procured  by  Henry  Daw- 
son Jan.  21,  1780,  while  the  commissioners  were  in 
session  at  Cox's  Fort,  for  which  he  was  granted  two 
hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land  "  on  the  vjaters  of 
Redstone,  to  include  his  settlement  thereon  made  in 
the   year   1771."     This   certificate   and   entry   claim 

!  Henry  Dawson  assigned  to  Joseph  Little,  Feb.  23, 
1786,  and  on  March  23,  1811,  Little  sold  it  to  Samuel 
Musgrove  and  Robert  Davis.  The  land  in  question 
lies  adjoining  the  Eleanor  Dawson  tract  and  William 
Rankin's  farm  on  the  east,  and  joins  the  James  Finley 
jiroperty  on  the  west.  George  Dawson's  son  Nicholas 
removed  to  the  Virginia  Pan  Handle  and  died  there, 
leaving  two  sons,  John  and  George.  The  latter  lived 
at  Brownsville.     His  son,  John  L.  Dawson,  became 

i  very  prominent  at  the  bar  and  in  political  life.  His 
last  years  were  passed  on  "Friendship  Hill,"  where 
he  died.  John  Dawson,  the  other  son  of  Nicholas, 
was  quite  a  prominent  lawyer,  and  well  known  in 
public  life.  E.  Bailey  Dawson,  of  LTniontown,  is  his 
son.  Elizabeth  M.  Dawson,  daughter  of  George  and 
Eleanor  Dawson,  married  Col.  William  Swearingen. 
Their  great-grandson  now  lives  on  the  original  prop- 
erty in  North  Union. 

John  Hankins,  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  came 
with  his  wife  and  children  to  Beesontown  in  this 
county  in  1784.  On  June  11,  1786,  in  pursuance  of 
a  warrant  dated  June  2d,  there  was  surveyed  to  him 
a  tract  of  Jand  in  North  Union  township  containing 
one  hundred  and  twelve  acres,  the  same  upon  which 
his  grandson,  William  Hankins,  now  lives.  On  the 
north  side  of  his  land  was  that  of  Richard  Waller ; 
on  the  east,  that  of  Dennis  Springer;  south,  that  of 
James  Rankin  ;  and  west,  that  of  Uriah  and  William 
.Alartiii.     ilartin  was  then  in   [lossession  of  the  tract. 


XOIITH   UNION   AND   SOUTH   UNION    TOWNSHIPS. 


675 


and  had  built  a  cabin  upon  it,  besides  having  cleared 
a  part  of  the  land.  These  improvements  Mr.  Hanlcins 
bought  and  moved  into  the  cabin,  while  Martin  took 
up  one  hundred  and  eighty-three  acres  in  the  vicinity, 
for  which  he  received  a  warrant  May  30,  1788.  At 
the  same  time  Mr.  Hankins  purchased  the  one  hun- 
dred and  twelve  acres  mentioned  above  he  also  bought 
another  tract  of  one  hundred  acres.  This  he  after- 
wards sold  to  Matthew  Clark,  and  it  now  belongs  to 
Col.  Samuel  Evans.  The  sons  of  John  Hankins 
were  James,  William,  Samuel,  Eiehard,  and  Arthur. 
They  lived  in  this  section  until  they  reached  man- 
hood, when,  with  the  exception  of  James,  they  all 
removed  to  Tennessee. 

When   Mr.   Hankins   removed   his  family  to   this 
county  James  was  but  four  years  old.     He  remained 
upon  his  father's  farm  and  died  there,  leaving  two 
sons,  William  and  John.     William  still  lives  on  the  1 
homestead  where  he  was  born.     His  son.  Dr.  John  I 
Hankins,    is    practicing     medicine    in    Uniontown. 
John  Hankins,  the  brother  of  William,  and  second  | 
son  of  James,  lives  on  a  farm  that  his  father  bought 
of  Benjamin  Lincoln.  I 

Joseph  Huston  came  to  Union  township  in  1790,  and  [ 
in  the  same  year  was  elected  sheriff  of  the  county.   He  , 
had  previously  lived  with  his  father  in  Tyrone,  and  ! 
afterwards  with  Col.  James  Paull  in  Kentucky,  and 
for   many   years  he  led  a   roving   life.     On  Oct.  5,  i 
1791,  the  year  after  his  election  to  the  sheriffalty,  he 
bought  ninety-four  and  one-quarter  acres  of  land  on 
Redstone  Creek,   in  what  is  now  North   Union,   it 
being  a  part  of  the  tract  of  land  which  had  been  pat- 
ented to  Samuel  McCarty,  under  the  name  of  "  Union 
Grove."     On  Feb.  20,  1792,  he  purchased  of  Henry 
Beeson  lot  39,  in  Uniontown,  that  where  Mrs.  Dr. 
David  Porter  now  lives.    Subsequently  he  bought  the 
lot  and  built  the  brick  house  which  adjoins  the  resi- 
dence of  E.  Bailey  Dawson  upon  the  west,  and  which 
he  afterwards  sold  to  Jonathan  Rowland.   For  several 
years  Joseph  Huston  pursued  a  mercantile  business.  I 
Becoming  interested  in  the  manufacture  of  iron,  he, 
in  December,  1795,  purchased  of  Dennis  Springer  a  ' 
share  in  fifty-one  acres  of  land  in  North  Union,  ad-  j 
joining  that  of  John  Patrick  and  Ephraim  Douglass,  ! 
which  was  patented  to  Jacob  Knapp  in  May,  1788,  and 
a  part  of  it  sold  to  Dennis  Springer  in  the  same  year.  ! 
On  this  land  Huston  Springer  built  the  "  Huston  Old 
Forge."     In  1803,  Huston  bought  of  Jeremiah  Pears 
the  Redstone   Furnace,  in  the   present  township  of 
South   Union,  and  continued  the  business  at  these 
places  until  near  the  time  of  his  death.     His  wife  was 
Mary,  daughter  of  John  Smilie,  and  by  her  he  had 
two  daughters, — Jane,  who  married  Isaiah  H.  Mar- 
shall (at  one  time  manager  of  the  Fairfield  Furnace), 
and  Sarah,  who   became   Mrs.  Andrew   Bryson,  Jr. 
Mrs.  Huston  died  in  1709,  and  Mr.  Huston  in  1824, 
aged  sixty-one  years.     Of  Joseph  Huston's  brothers, 
William   and   John,   the    former    lived    in    Tyrone 
township  until  his  death   in   1S21,  and  his  son   Eli 


still  resides  there.  In  1783  John  lived  in  Union- 
town,  where  for  two  or  three  years  he  kept  a  tavern. 
He  purchased  lands  on  tax  titles  until  1792,  when  he 
went  to  Kentucky. 

Some  time  previous  to  1791,  Benjamin  Lincoln, 
son  of  Mordecai  Lincoln,  left  his  home  in  Perry 
township,  Dauphin  Co.,  and  emigrated  to  the  west 
side  of  the  mountains,  and  lived  for  a  time  on  the 
Rankin  farm  in  Union  township.  While  there  his 
father  visited  him,  and  was  so  well  pleased  with  the 
country  and  its  prospects  that  on  June  29,  1791,  he 
purchased  of  Isaac  Pearce  the  tract  of  land  called 
"  Discord,"  containing  three  hundred  and  twenty 
acres.  Mordecai  Lincoln  had  four  children, — Benja- 
min, John,  Ann,  and  Sarah.  A  few  years  later  Ben- 
jamin purchased  a  farm  on  Whitely  Creek,  in  Greene 
County.  Afterwards  he  became  the  owner  of  the 
farm  now  occupied  by  John  Hankins,  and  lived 
there  until  his  death.  John  and  Ann  Lincoln  went 
to  Virginia.  Sarah  was  married  before  coming  to 
North  Union  to  John  Jones,  a  Philadelphian  of 
Welsh  descent.  Jones  remained  upon  the  old  farm 
until  the  death  of  Mordecai  Lincoln,  when  he  became 
its  purchaser.  He  lived  there  until  1802,  when  he 
died,  and  was  buried  in  the  family  burying-ground 
where  his  father-in-law  and  other  members  of  the 
family  had  been  laid.  The  children  of  John  and 
Sarah  Jones  were  six  in  number,  of  whom  William, 
Ann,  and  John  remained  in  this  township,  and  the 
other  three  went  West.  William  li-ved  a  bachelor  on 
a  part  of  the  homestead,  and  died  in  1872,  aged 
eighty-three  years.  Ann  married  Daniel  Canon 
(brother  of  Col.  John  Canon,  of  Washington  County), 
and  resided  in  Uniontown.  John  is  still  living  on 
the  homestead  farm.  This  farm,  like  many  others 
in  this  section,  is  underlaid  with  a  vein  of  coal,  nine 
feet  in  thickness.  Tlic  Youngstown  Coke  Company 
have  purchased  the  right  to  mine  the  coal  under  this 
farm  and  some  others  adjoining.  On  this,  which  was 
the  Isaac  Pearce  tract,  was  one  of  the  early  "Set- 
tlers' Forts,"  built  for  protection  against  the  Indians. 

In  the  year  1796,  Jacob  Lewis,  accompanied  by  his 
sons  Freeman  and  John,  came  from  Basking  Ridge, 
N.  J.,  and  settled  in  the  vicinity  of  Uniontown  (near 
Hogsett's  Station),  at  Minor's  mill.  Jacob  came  as  a 
miller  for  John  Minor.  At  that  time  Freeman  Lewis 
was  sixteen  years  of  age.  He  studied  surveying  with 
Col.  McClean,  and  assisted  him  in  many  of  his  sur- 
veys. He  was  also  employed  with  Jonathan  Knight, 
when  surveying  the  route  of  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio 
Canal,  as  well  as  in  most  of  the  important  works  of 
surveying  in  the  western  part  of  the  State.  He  was 
appointed  county  surveyor  by  Governor  Wolf,  and 
held  the  oflice  until  the  incoming  of  Governor  Ritner. 
Freeman  Lewis  was  a  fine  musician,  and  published  a 
book  on  the  "  Beauties  of  Harmony."  In  December, 
1809,  he  married  Rebecca  Crafts,  daughter  of  David 
Crafts,  and  for  several  years  taught  school  at  Union- 
tmvn.     From  1814  to  1>^29  he  lived  in  Merrittstown, 


676 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


after  which  he  removed  to  Uniontown,  staying  there 
until  his  death,  Sept.  18,  1859.  The  map  of  Fayette 
County,  published  by  Freeman  Lewis  in  1832,  is  re- 
produced in  the  pages  of  this  history.  His  sons  were 
three, — Levi,  Thomas,  and  John.  The  first  two  live 
in  Uniontown,  and  John  is  a  civil  engineer  and  sur- 
veyor in  Ohio. 

John  Lewis,  the  other  son  of  Jacob  Lewis,  was  a 
saddler,  and  learned  his  trade  of  John  Campbell.  His 
home  was  in  Uniontown,  and  his  sons,  Samuel  and 
Marshall  Lewis,  are  still  living  there,  the  former 
having  filled  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  many 
years. 

Andrew  Bryson  emigrated  to  this  country  from  Ire- 
land, and  Oct.  29,  1799,  purchased  of  Hugh  Rankin 
one  hundred  and  seventy-three  acres  in  this  township. 
He  lived  and  died  upon  the  place,  and  his  son  An- 
drew is  still  living  tliere,  very  far  advanced  in  years. 
The  sons  of  Andrew  Bryson,  Jr., — John  H.,  Andrew, 
and  Robert, — are  also  residents  of  North  LTnion,  occu- 
pying the  homestead  and  other  lands  adjoining. 

Jesse  Evans  was  a  native  of  Wales,  who  having 
emigrated  to  America,  was  for  many  years  a  resident 
of  Springhill  township  in  this  county.  In  1831  he 
removed  from  there  to  "  Spring  Grove"  farm,  a  large 
tract  of  land  which  his  son  Samuel  had  purchased 
some  ten  years  previous.  His  active  business  life  was 
passed  in  the  supervision  of  Springhill  Furnace,  with 
which  he  was  connected  from  1797  to  1831.  He  was  I 
also  quite  extensively  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits,  j 
conducting  branch  stores  in  many  different  sections. 
His  official  career  as  justice  of  the  peace  extended 
over  many  years,  and  was  throughout  very  honorable. 
The  last  years  of  his  life  were  passed  upon  his  farm  \ 
and  in  Uniontown,  where  he  died  in  1842  at  an  ad-  \ 
vanced  age.  Samuel  Evans,  a  son  of  Jesse  Evans,  was  \ 
born  June  •>,  1800.  Hisearliest  education  was  acquired 
at  the  academy  at  Dunlap's  Creek,  and  in  1812  he  en-  1 
tered  the  academy  at  Uniontown,  then  in  charge  of 
Dr.  James  Dunlap.  When  eighteen  years  of  age  he 
entered  the  office  of  Judge  John  Kennedy  as  a  stu- 
dent of  law  ;  remained  there  three  years,  when  he 
went  to  Pliiladelphia  and  studied  witli  Jonathan  W. 
Condy,  a  prominent  lawyer  of  that  city.  Upon  his 
return  to  Uniontown  he  commenced  the  practice  of 
law,  which  he  continued  for  two  years,  and  then 
served  one  term  as  member  of  the  State  Assembly. 
In  1825,  Col.  Evans,  Thomas  Irwin,  John  Kennedy, 
and  James  Todd  were  appointed  a  committee  from 
Fayette  County  to  attend  a  convention  at  Harrisburg, 
the  object  of  which  was  the  consideration  of  plans  for 
the  development  of  public  improvements.  The  result 
was  the  adoption  of  a  comprehensive  system  which 
incluiled  the  roiistrnetion  of  the  ranals  of  the  State. 
Of  the  one  linndred  and  thirty  delei^ates  who  attended 
that  convention.  Col.  Evans  is  the  only  one  now  living. 
Soon  after  this  he  and  Judge  Irwin  made  a  trip  to 
Buffalo,  from  thence  to  Albany  and  New  York  City, 
for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  Erie  Canal  (then 


just  completed)  and  other  public  improvements.  The 
winters  of  Col.  Evans'  early  life,  after  1823,  were 
many  of  them  passed  by  him  at  Baltimore,  that  he 
might  have  opportunity  for  examining  the  old  docu- 
ments and  maps  pertaining  to  the  early  history  of  the 
country.  The  fruits  of  his  labors  in  this  direction 
were  many  and  valuable,  and  were  passed  over  to 
Mr.  Veech,  in  the  preparation  of  his  ''  Monongahela 
of  Old."  Among  the  old  maps  is  one  which  shows 
Redstone  Creek  under  the  French  name  "  La  Petite 
Riviere."  His  intimate  association  with  the  promi- 
nent men  of  the  country  in  its  early  daj's,  and  his 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  history  of  the  county, 
make  him  a  cyclopsdia  of  interesting  reminiscences 
and  information.  He  owns  and  lives  upon  a  tract  of 
land  of  1-500  acres  about  two  miles  from  Uniontown, 
in  which  is  included  Hugh  Crawford's  "  Grant  of 
Preference"  of  .500  acres.  This  part  is  in  the  bottom- 
lands below  Col.  Evans'  house,  wdiere  Philip  Shute 
built  the  tub-mill,  the  ruins  of  which  are  still  visible. 

William  Craig  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  who  emi- 
grated to  this  country  in  1785,  settling  at  East  Lib- 
erty, where  in  later  years  he  started  a  store.  In  the 
year  1798  he  married  Jane  Smilie,  a  daughter  of  John 
Smilie,  and  about  1811  removed  to  Union  township 
and  commenced  work  in  Huston's  old  forge,  where  he 
was  intrusted  in  the  manufacture  of  nails.  Mrs. 
Craig  died  in  1835,  and  Mr.  Craig  in  1838.  They  left 
one  son,  John  S.  Craig,  who  in  1817  commenced 
work  in  Huston's  old  forge,  and  soon  took  the  man- 
agement of  it.  Three  years  later  he  went  to  Dunbar 
Creek,  where  for  a  year  he  had  the  supervision  of  a 
rolling-mill,  also  the  property  of  Joseph  Huston.  As 
Mr.  Huston  sold  the  rolling-mill  to  Isaac  Meason, 
John  Craig  returned  to  the  old  forge,  and  remained 
until  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age.  He  then 
spent  two  years  at  Redstone  Furnace,  and  in  1827 
purchased  the  farm  where  Robert  Huston  now  lives. 
Leaving  that,  he  spent  a  few  years  in  Menallen  town- 
ship and  in  the  West,  after  which  he  returned  to 
Union  township,  and  in  1850  purchased  the  farm  on 
which  he  now  resides  in  North  Union. 

Ephraim  Douglass,  although  a  settler  in  Uniontown, 
purchased  forty-one  acres  of  land  known  as  Douglass 
Bottom,  lying  north  of  the  fair-grounds,  and  another 
tract  of  three  hundred  and  thirty-nine  acres.  In  his 
later  years  he  lived  in  what  is  now  North  Union  town- 
ship, and  died  there  in  July,  1833.  But  his  earlier 
life,  after  his  settlement  in  Fayette  County,  was 
passed  in  Uniontown,  in  the  history  of  which  bor- 
ough he  is  more  fully  mentioned.  His  son  Ephraim 
died  in  1839.  His  daughter  Sarah  was  the  wife  of 
Daniel  Keller,  a  well-known  iron-master  of  this 
county.  Another  daughter,  Eliza,  was  the  wife  of 
Allen  King,  of  Clark  County,  Ohio. 

•lames  Gallagher  purchased  and  became  a  settler 
upon  a  tract  of  land  on  the  north  bank  of  Redstone 
Creek,  adjoining  Uniontown,  now  in  North  Union 
township.     To  this  property  was  given  the  name  of 


NOKTH   UNION   AND   SOUTH   UNION   TOWNSHIPS. 


"  James'  Fancy."     Mr.  Gallagher's  grandson  still  oc- 
cupies a  part  of  this  farm. 

ERECTION    OF    THE    TOWNSHIP    AND    LIST    OF 
OFFICERS. 

The  partition  of  old  Union  township  into  the  pres- 
ent divisions  of  North  Union  and  South  Union  was 
effected  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania, 
approved  March  11,  1851,  which  provided  and  de- 
clared, "  That  hereafter  the  township  of  Union,  in  the 
county  of  Fayette,  shall  be,  and  is  hereby  divided  into 
two  separate  election  districts,  to  be  called  North  and 
South  Union  ;  and  that  the  Cumberland  road  be  the 
dividing  line  between  the  same ;  and  each  township 
shall  have  a  separate  window  to  vote  at,  in  the  court- 
house in  the  borough  of  Uniontown." 

The  township  of  North  Union  then,  under  this 
division,  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Franklin  and 
Dunbar  townships,  on  the  east  by  Dunbar  and  Whar- 
ton, on  the  south  and  southwest  by  the  borough  of 
Uniontown  and  the  township  of  South  Union  (against 
which  last  named  the  boundary  is  formed  by  the  old 
National  road),  and  on  the  west  by  the  township  of 
Menallen.  The  population  of  the  township  by  the 
census  of  1880  was  3170. 

The  list  of  township  officers'  of  North  Union  from 
its  formation  until  the  present  time  is  as  follows: 

JUSTICES  OF  THE  PEACE. 


1855 

Abraham  Hayden.      . 

1869. 

Asher  M.  Bailey. 

1857 

Jonathan  D.  Springer. 

1872. 

J.  D.  Springer. 

1860 

William  Wallace. 

1875. 

William  M.  Shipley. 

Abraham  Hayden. 

1877. 

Enoch  M.  Abraham. 

1862 

Elisha  D.  Emerson. 

1878. 

George  Gearing. 

George  Yeagley. 

1879. 

John  W.  McDowell. 

1S64 

Asher  M.  Bailey. 

1880. 

William  W.  Clark. 

1867 

Elisha  D.  Emerson. 

AUDI 

1881. 
TORS. 

Samuel  W.  Jones. 

1851 

James  H.  Springer. 

1867. 

Robert  Junk. 

1853 

Thomas  H.  Fenn. 

1868. 

William  W.  Clark. 

1854 

Dennis  Springer. 

1869. 

Samuel  Jones. 

1855 

Henry  Jeffries. 

Samuel  Beatty. 

ISSfi 

Thomas  H.  Fenn. 

1870. 

Thomas  Junk. 

1857 

William  Bryson. 

1874. 

Moses  Foster. 

1858 

Isaac  Jeffries. 

1875. 

William  W.  Clark. 

1859- 

60.  Thomas  H.  Fenn. 

Shermnn  Frazee. 

1861 

Andrew  Bryson. 

1876. 

John  Junk. 

1862 

William  W.  Clark. 

1877. 

John  B.  Hogsett. 

1863 

N.  B.  Jones. 

1878. 

B.  V.  Jones. 

1864 

William  Darlington. 

1879 

S.  W.  Jones. 

1865 

William  Swan. 

1880. 

John  H.  Bryson. 

1866 

John  C.  Johnston. 

1881. 

James  Hankins. 

1851- 

ASSE 
52.  John  S.  Craig. 

SORS. 
1861 

Wilson  Hutchinson. 

1853 

54.  James  T.  McClean. 

1862 

John  S.  Craig. 

1855 

Calvin  Springer. 

1863 

William  Darlington. 

1856 

John  (;.allagher. 

1864. 

John  S.  Craig. 

1857 

Emanuel  Brown. 

1865- 

67.  James  McClean. 

1858 

James  McCIean. 

1868. 

Stephen  Hawkins. 

1859 

James  McKean. 

1869. 

Mordecai  Lincoln. 

1869.  Abraham  Huslon. 

1870.  .lohn  S.  Craig. 
1873-74.  John  Foster. 
1875-76.  Emmanuel  Maust. 

Moses  A.  Foster. 


1879.  M.  A.  Foster. 
James  Hanan. 
i    1880.  Fuller  Carson. 
1881.  W.  S.  Jobes. 


SCHOOLS. 

One  of  the  earliest  schools  in  what  is  now  North 
Union  was  taught,  not  long  after  the  commencement 
of  the  present  century,  by  James  Todd,  afterwards 
attorney-general  of  the  State,  in  a  house  situated  near 
Mount  Braddock,  on  land  adjoining  the  Pearce  tract. 
There  are  few,  if  any,  surviving  of  the  scholars  who 
attended  that  school  e.xcept  Mr.  John  Jones,  now 
eighty  years  of  age,  who  has  still  a  vivid  recollection 
of  attending  there  under  the  teaching  of  "  School- 
master" Todd. 

In  1822  a  school  was  taught  in  a  log  building  stand- 
ing on  the  Widow  Murphy  place,  now  owned  by 
Kobert  Hogsett.  This  school  was  then  under  charge 
of  Hugh  Ellerton,  but  the  names  of  his  predecessors 
and  successors,  if  there  were  any,  have  not  been  as- 
certained. About  1826  the  people  of  the  vicinity 
united  to  build  a  large  log  school-house  on  the  site  of 
the  present  one  near  William  Hankins'.  In  that 
school-house  Daniel  Keller,  who  had  been  identified 
with  the  early  iron  interests  of  this  section,  taught 
from  the  time  of  its  erection  till  the  inauguration  of 
the  free-school  system  under  the  law  of  1834. 

In  1857  the  county  superintendent  reported  for  this 
township  nine  schools,  nine  teachers,  four  hundred 
and  sixty-four  scholars,  and  the  sum  of  $1430  levied 
for  school  purposes. 

The  township  is  now  (1881)  divided  into  seven 
school  districts.  The  report  for  the  last  year  gives 
five  hundred  and  sixty-three  pupils,  eleven  teachers ; 
total  expenditure,  $2014.25 ;  valuation  of  school  prop- 
erty in  the  township,  $10,000. 

Following  is  given  a  list  of  those  who  have  served 
as  school  directors  in  North  Union  from  the  division 
of  the  old  township  to  the  present  time: 
1851.— Charles  G.  Turner,  Abram  Hayden. 
1852.— Dennis  Sutton.  James  McClean. 
1853.— H.W.  Beeson,  Andrew  Bryson,  Henry  Yeagley. 
1854.- Andrew  Bryson,  J.  D.  Springer,  Elisha  D.  Emerson. 
1856.— William  Robinson. 
1857.— John  Clark,  J.  D.  Springer. 
1858.— Parker  C.  Pusey,  Adam  Cannon. 
1859.— Henry  Yeagley,  William  H.  Henshaw. 
1861. — Adam  Cannon,  James  Henshaw,  Moses  Farr. 
1862.— Lacey  Hibbs. 
1863.— William  Hawkins,  Henry  Foster. 
1864. — James  Henshaw,  Charles  Shriver,  Lewis  Stewart. 
1865.— William  Carson,  Upton  Spear,  William  Bryson,  George 

Faring. 
1866.— James  Henshaw,  William  Hawkins,  Jacob  M.  Lewellyn. 
1867.— Thomas  Junk,  Henry  Foster. 
1868.— John  Rankin,  William  Shipley. 
1809.- James  Henshaw,  James  Hannan. 
1870.— William  Shipley,  Samuel  Carter. 
1873.— Robert  Hogsett,  Thomas  Frost. 
1874.— William  Shipley.  Samuel  Carter,  William  Phillips. 


678 


HISTORV    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1875.— William  McShane,  John  Hankins. 
1876.— Andrew  Bryson,  Jr.,  Robert  Hogsett. 
1877.— Samuel  Carter. 
1S78.— William  Piiillips,  H.  McLaughlin. 
1879.— John  F.  Hogsett,  Andrew  Bryson,  Jr. 
1880.— Samuel  Carter,  Henry  Thomas. 
1881.— John  Hankins,  Ening  B.  Hare. 

SOLDIERS'   ORPHANS'    SCHOOL. 

The  following  sketch  of  the  Soldiers'  Orphans' 
School,  located  at  Dunbar's  Camp,  in  North  Union, 
is  taken  from  an  account  of  its  establishment  furnished 
by  James  Paull,  and  published  in  "Pennsylvania 
Soldiers'  Orphans'  Schools." 

On  the  7th  of  May,  1866,  the  Hon.  Thomas  H. 
Burrowes,  ex-superintendent  of  common  schools,  and 
to  whom  the  labor  and  responsibility  of  organizing  a 
system  of  soldiers' orphan  schools  had  been  intrusted, 
wrote  the  Rev.  A.  H.  Waters,  who  had  just  retired 
from  the  school  superintendency  of  ButlerCounty,  Pa., 
earnestly  requesting  him  to  look  out  a  suitable  loca- 
tion for  a  soldiers'  orphan  school  somewhere  in  the 
western  counties  of  the  State  not  already  furnished 
with  a  school.  After  considerable  inquiry  and  search 
without  success  the  efforts  were  about  to  be  abandoned, 
when  circumstances  rendered  it  necessary  for  him  to 
visit  this  county  in  the  discharge  of  another  duty. 
While  here  his  attention  was  called  to  the  Madison 
College  buildings,  then  used  only  for  a  small  day- 
school,  and  owned  by  the  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart. 
Having  found  Mr.  Stewart  very  desirous  to  have  the 
property  used  for  that  purpose,  and  Dr.  Burrowes 
warmly  approving  of  the  location,  the  buildings  were 
secured  and  arrangements  made  for  opening  tlie 
school.  On  the  19th  of  September,  1866,  the  first 
scholar  was  admitted,  and  in  a  few  days  large  acces- 
sions were  made  on  order  ami  liy  transfers  from  other 
schools.  The  first  year  nt  the  school's  history  was 
attended  with  many  diiraiiltics  and  discouragements. 
The  want  of  ada]itation  in  the  buildings,  and  the  great 
uncertainty  of  the  ccjntiuuance  of  the  system,  made 
it  hazardous  to  incur  any  great  expense  in  the  erec- 
tion of  additiiiiial  liuildings.  After  a  year  of  struggle 
the  system  was  made  permanent,  and  by  the  erection 
of  new  buildings  and  changes  in  the  old  the  school 
was  placed  upon  a  solid  footing,  and  started  on  a 
career  of  gratifying  prosperity.  Credit  was  due  to 
Mr.  Stewart  for  his  devotion  to  the  interests  of  the 
school,  which  was  shown  by  his  willingness  to  con- 
tribute to  the  necessary  changes,  and  his  generous 
contribution  of  six  hundred  dollars  annually — being 
one-half  of  the  annual  lease — as  rewards  to  merito- 
rious ])upils. 

After  nearly  eiglit  years  of  encouraging  success, 
and  wlicn  from  the  nature  of  the  case  this,  as  well  as 
all  the  other  schools,  must  sikju  begin  to  ilecline,  for 
various  reasons  itwas  lhiuiL:ht  advisalile  to  chaiiL'c  its 
location.  After  giviiii:  the  mailii-  due  enn^id.ial  ion, 
and  with  the  consent  of  the  Stat(  ~upeiiiiteiideiit,  it 
was  determined  to  move  to  Dunbar's  Camii,  four  miles 


and  a  half  east  of  Uniontown,  on  Laurel  Hill.  This 
point  was  selected  on  account  of  location,  command- 
ing one  of  the  finest  natural  scenes  to  be  found  in  the 
country ;  and,  also,  because  it  was  sufficiently  re- 
moved from  the  influence  of  a  large  town.  Accord- 
ingly, in  the  fall  of  1874  work  was  begun,  and  in 
April,  1875,  large  and  convenient  buildings  were  so 
far  completed  as  to  enable  the  school  to  move  into 
them.  The  8th  of  April  in  that  year  was  memorable 
in  its  history,  as  on  that  day  it  was  transferred  from 
the  old  home  in  Uniontown  to  the  new  one  at  Dun- 
bar's Camp. 

The  change  has  been  demonstrated  to  be  a  wise 
one.  The  children  are  healthier,  have  more  freedom, 
and  are  happier.  They  breathe  the  pure  air  of  an 
altitude  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  feet,  and  drink 
the  pure  mountain  water.  It  is  claimed  that  there  is 
no  finer  location  for  a  school  in  the  State,  and  it  is 
hoped  that  when  this  school  shall  have  finished  its 
noble  work  an  educational  institution  may  still  be 
continued  in  this  charming  spot. 

The  school  has  continued  in  a  very  prosperous  con- 
dition, containing  at  present  (July,  1881)  one  hundred 
and  eighty  pupils.  It  is  still  under  the  efficient  man- 
agement of  the  Rev.  A.  H.  Waters. 

RELIGIOUS  SOCIETIES. 
Tlie  Bethel  Presbyterian  Chapel  congregation  in 
North  Union  is  a  branch  of  the  Laurel  Hill  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Dunbar  township.  A  small  chapel 
was  built  for  its  use  near  the  Y'oungstown  Station  in 
1877. 

The  congregation  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Chapel 
in  this  township  is  a  branch  of  the  Uniontown  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church.  The  society  in  North  Union 
built  a  chapel  in  1877  near  the  Youngstown  Station 
and  adjoining  the  Presbyterian  Chapel. 

MANUFACTrRIXG    INDUSTRIES. 
LEMONT   FURNACE. 

In  pursuance  of  an  arrangement  made  early  in  the 
spring  of  1875  between  Ewiug,  Boyd  &  Co.  and  the 
Lcmont  Furnace  Company,  Lemont  Furnace  was 
begun  and  hastened  to  completion  as  rapidly  as  labor 
ami  material  could  secure  that  end.  It  was  started 
(III  the  1st  of  January,  1S;76,  and  has  been  in  blast 
continuously  ever  since,  except  a  few  months  during 
which  its  lining  -was  renewed  and  its  power  repaired. 
The  stack  is  sixty  feet  high,  with  a  maximum  diame- 
ter of  twenty-two  feet,  it  is  sixteen  feet  in  the  bosh, 
and  has  a  capacity  of  fifty  tons  per  day,  running 
mostly  on  native  ores.  It  has  two  hot-blasts,  two 
large  blowing-engines,  four  boilers  sixty  feet  long  by 
three  and  a  half  feet  in  diameter,  also  stock-  and 
casting-houses  of  adequate  capacity  to  meet  the  wants 
of  I  lie  furnace. 

The  tramways  to  the  mountain  and  coal  ore  mines, 
as  well  as  to  the  limestone-quarries,  and  switches  to 
the  coke-ovens,  furnish  every  facility  for  cheap   and 


I@L©U[E 


NOIITII    UNlUxN    AND   SOUTH    UNION   TOWNSHIPS. 


679 


expeditious  delivery  of  all  material  iu  the  stock- 
house.  As  both  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio,  and  South- 
west Pennsylvania  Railroads  pass  within  a  short  dis- 
tance on  either  side  of  the  furnace,  it  has  ample 
connections  to  secure  for  it  the  fullest  advantages  of 
competitive  freight  rates. 

The  furnace  property  consists  of  two  thousand 
acres,  all  underlaid  with  several  veins  of  ore  yielding 
from  thirty-five  to  forty-two  per  cent,  of  iron.  Its 
fine  limestone-quarries  and  large  coal-fields,  on  which 
one  hundred  and  fifty  coke-ovens  are  now  in  opera- 
tion, supplying  fuel  to  the  furnace,  together  with  its 
other  advantages,  assure  Lemont  Furnace  an  inde- 
pendence which  but  few  such  establishments  enjoy. 

The  present  owners  of  Lemont  Furnace  are  Roliert 
Hogsett  (one-half  interest),  James  P.  Hanna,  and 
Thomas  H.  Kabe. 

STEWART   IRON   COMPANY'S   COKE-WORKS. 

This  company,  who  have  iron  furnaces  at  Sharon, 
Mercer  Co.,  Pa.,  as  well  as  in  other  parts  of  the  country, 
began  the  manufacture  of  coke  in  North  Union  for 
the  purpose  only  of  supplying  those  furnaces.  On 
the  8th  of  November,  1880,  they  purchased  here  one 
hundred  and  seventy-one  acres  of  coal  land  of  the  heirs 
of  Gen.  H.  W.  Beeson,  and  commenced  work  in  the 
opening  of  the  slope  and  the  erection  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  ovens,  which  are  completed  and  now  in 
operation.  The  slope  has  been  extended  to  six  hun- 
dred feet,  with  two  flat  headings,  one  of  three  hundred 
and  one  of  five  hundred  feet. 

MOUNT   BRADDOCK   COKE-WORKS. 

A  company,  composed  of  Robert  Plogsett,  T.  W. 
Watt,  W.  H.  Bailey,  John  Taylor,  and  Hugh  L.  Ran- 
kin, commenced  these  works  in  1871  on  four  hundred 
acres  of  land  purchased  of  Robert  Hogsett.  One  hun- 
dred and  twenty-seven  ovens  were  built,  and  all  the 
coal  mined  manufactured  into  coke.  For  the  first 
two  years  their  coke  was  sold  to  Dewey,  Vance  &  Co., 
of  Wheeling,  West  Virginia,  but  afterwards  was  dis- 
posed of  in  open  market. 

In  the  spring  of  1881  the  works  were  sold  to  A.  O. 
Tinstman,  of  Pittsburgh.  The  product  of  the  ovens 
at  the  present  time  is  fifteen  car-loads  per  day.  The 
works  are  located  on  the  extreme  northeastern  border 
of  the  township,  on  the  line  of  the  Southwest  Penn- 
sylvania, and  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroads. 

THE    YOUNGSTOWN   COKE   COMPANY'S   WORKS. 

This  company  was  organized  Sept.  29,  1879,  the 
corporators  being  John  Stambaugh,  Henry  0.  Bon- 
nell,  Augustus  B.  Cornell,  and  Thomas  W.  Kennedy, 
who  constitute  the  board  of  managers.  Operations 
on  their  lands  in  North  Union  were  commenced  very 
soon  after  the  organization  of  the  company.  They 
now  own  five  hundred  and  four  acres  of  coal  and  one 
hundred  and  forty-eight  acres  of  surface,  their  coal- 
right  extending  under  lands  of  John  Jones,  B.  V. 
Jones,  Samuel   McClean,   George   Swearingen,   and 


Elizabeth  Canon.  They  have  now  in  operation  two 
hundred  and  forty  coke-ovens,  with  all  the  necessary 
machinery  and  appliances,  and  have  also  erected 
twenty-four  double  dwelling-houses  aud  a  large  store- 
house. The  main  slope  of  the  mine  is  12.50  feet,  with 
six  flat  headings  varying  from  300  to  500  feet.  The 
daily  production  of  coal  is  about  500  net  tons,  making 
about  380  tons  of  coke.  John  Shipley  is  the  mining 
engineer. 

John  Stambaugh  is  president  of  the  Briar  Hill 
Iron  and  Coal  Company;  Augustus  B.  Cornell,  man- 
ager of  the  Himrod  Furnace  Company  ;  and  Henry 
O.  Bonnell,  manager  of  the  Mahoning  Valley  Iron 
Company,  all  of  Youngstown,  Ohio.  Thomas  W. 
Kennedy  is  also  manager  of  an  iron  company's  works  . 
in  the  same  place.  And  it  was  for  the  purpose  of 
supplying  these  several  furnaces  and  iron-works  with 
fuel  that  the  Youngstown  Coke  Company  effected  its 
organization  and  established  its  works  in  this  town- 
ship. 

THE   PERCY   MINING   COMPANY'S   WORKS. 

In  the  spring  of  1879  this  company,  composed  of 
A.  W.  Bliss,  G.  C.  Marshall,  A.  B.  De  Saulles,  and 
Maurice  Healy  purchased  one  hundred  and  forty-two 
acres  of  coal-land  in  North  Union,  and  commenced 
the  mining  of  coal  and  ore,  and  the  manufacture  of 
coke.  They  have  now  sixty-nine  ovens  in  operation, 
and  from  thirty  to  fifty  tons  of  ore  is  mined  daily. 
Their  coal,  coke,  and  ore  are  shipped  by  rail  and  sold 
in  open  market. 

The  Lemont  Furnace  Company  have  one  hundred 
and  fifty  coke-ovens  in  blast,  as  is  mentioned  in  the 
account  of  their  iron-works. 

The  fire-brick  works  in  this  townshij)  are  under 
lease  to  Messrs.  Bliss  and  Marshall,  of  the  Percy 
Mining  Company.  These  works,  which  were  first 
put  in  operation  in  1874,  now  produce  daily  from  four 
thousand  to  ten  thousand  fire-bricks,  which  are  prin- 
cipally used  in  the  construction  of  coke-ovens  in  this 
part  of  the  county. 

SOUTH  UNION. 

EARLY   SETTLEMENTS. 
According   to   tradition  Wendell    Brown    aud    his 
sons'  were  the  earliest  settlers  in  South  Union  town- 

1  Veech  gives  the  foUowing  in  reference  to  the  Browns:  "  It  18  well 
known  that  while  the  Indians  held  undivided  sway  in  the  region  they 

they  guarded  with  inviolable  secrecy.  The  discovery  of  these  by  the 
Browns  would  have  been  an  invaluable  acquisition  to  their  venatorial 
pursuits.  Many  efforts  did  they  make  to  find  them,  and  many  sly  at- 
tempts to  follow  the  Indians  in  their  resorts  to  the  mines,  but  aU  in  vain. 
And  more  than  once  did  they  narrowly  escape  detection,  and  consequent 
death,  by  their  eagerness  to  share  the  forbidden  treasure.  Abraham 
Brown  [grandson  of  Wendell]  used  to  relate  of  liis  uncle  Thomas  that, 
having  offended  the  Indians  by  some  tricks  plajed  upon  them  (peihaps 
in  contrivances  to  discover  their  lead-mmes,  and  b>  rei  il  Ih  e  ir  ng 
from  them  when  taken  prisoner),  he  once  escaped  1  i  I  i  I  1  1  v 
the  timely  interposition  of  a  friendly  chief    but  11  i       I     il    v 

caught  him  when  no  such  intercessor  was  nigh,  in  I  k  I         .11  I  la 

teeth  witli  a  piece  of  iron  and  a  tomihawk  This  w  ih  sn  i„f  nieltv 
Now  fur  savage  honesty.     In  a  season  of  8Laii-it\  s  nie  Indians  Lame  to 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ship.  Judge  Veech,  in  his  "  Monongahela  of  Old," 
says,  "  When  Washington's  little  army  was  at  the  Great 
Meadows,  or  Fort  Necessity,  the  Browns  packed  pro- 
visions, corn,  and  beef  to  him ;  and  when  he  surren- 
dered to  the  French  and  Indians,  July  4,  1754,  they 
retired  with  the  retreating  colonial  troops  across  the 
mountains,  returning  to  their  lands  after  the  rein- 
statement of  the  English  dominion  by  Forbes'  army 
in  1758."  The  Browns  had  originally  located  on 
Provance's  Bottom,  on  the  Monongahela,  but  after 
their  return  settled  in  what  is  now  South  Union  and 
Georges  townshiiis.  Upon  finally  making  permanent 
settlement  here,  Adam  Brown  located  on  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty-seven  acres  of  land  which  was  war- 
ranted to  him  June  14,  1769.  Maunus  Brown  had 
three  hundred  and  .six  acres  warranted  to  him  the 
same  day.  Adam  Brown  was  in  his  earlier  life  a 
lieutenant  under  the  king,  and  served  with  the  Vir- 
ginia provincials  in  the  French  and  Indian  wars. 
He  induced  many  of  the  former  acquaintances  of  the 
family  to  come  to  this  section,  and  they  located  lands 
now  lying  in  both  Georges  and  South  Union  town- 
ships, as  is  shown  by  the  records,  which  give  tlie  titles 
of  the  tracts,  number  of  acres  contained  therein,  and 
the  date  upon  which  they  were  warranted.  Of  these 
settlers  one  was  William  Downard,  who  took  up  two 
hundred  and  ninety-three  acres  of  land  on  the  waters 
of  Brown's  Run,  adjoining  the  tracts  of  Adam  and 
Maunus  Brown.  This  property  was  warranted  to 
him  June  14,  1769,  under  the  name  of  "  Walnut  Hill." 
David  Jennings  came  to  this  section  in  1768,  se- 
lected a  desirable  tract  of  land,  and  then  returned  to 
his  home  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State  to  persuade 
others  to  come  here  and  settle  with  him.  John  and 
James  Henthorn,  two  brothers  of  his  wife,  came  back 
with  Mr.  Jennings,  and  all  three  of  the  men  entered 


the  Browns  for  provisions.     Tlie  old  man  sold  them  eiglit  roi 
nd  they  had  taken  just  eight  rows,  and  : 


"  Adam  Brown — '  old  Adam,'  as  he  was  called — boasted  of  having  been 
a  king's  lieutenant  in  his  early  days,  having  probably  served  with  the 
Virginia  provincials  in  tlie  French  and  Indian  wars.  For  his  services 
he  clainieil  tn  have  Iiad  a  royal  grant  of  hind  uf  nine  miles  square,  ex- 
tending from  iiiMr  M..nnt  Bra.hl...  k  along  the  faoeof  Laurel  Hill  south- 
ward, and  westward  as  far  us  New  Suleni  I  have  seen  a  large  stone, 
standing  a  little  southwest  of  tlie  residence  of  Daniel  (or  William) 
Moser,  in  George  township,  which  the  late  John  McClelland  said  was  a 
corner  of  .Vdam's  claim.  The  old  lieutenant,  it  was  said,  induced  many 
acquaintances  to  settle  around  him  on  his  grant,— the  Downards,  Greens, 
McDonalds,  McCartys,  Brownfields,  Henlliorus,  Kindells,  Scotts,  Jen- 
niogses,  Higginsons,  etc.,andout  of  abundant  caution  he  and  his  brother 
Maunus  and  tliey  entered  applications  for  ttieir  lands  in  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Land-Office  on  the  14th  of  June,  1769,  and  hail  th^ni  «nrvpve<l 
soon  after.  They  seem  to  have  been  quiescei 
versy.    But  it  was  said  that  early  in  1775,  Ad 


ve  ui.  theeffoi 


.;,:,■.:; 

ndu 

tim 

B  perfected 

some 

oth 

r  grounds 

nndi 

V   of 

bis  neigh- 
.-,  but   we 
.  .  .  The 

H.h 

ed  free  of 

lih'li 

good  citi- 

applications  at   the  land-office   for   tracts   they    had 
chosen.     David  Jennings'  tract,  named  "  Fear  Fax," 

I  contained  3081  acres.  It  was  given  him  by  warrant 
No.  3459,  dated  June  14,  1769,  and  surveyed  Septem- 
ber 26th  of  the  same  year.  He  lived  upon  this  prop- 
erty until  his  death,  March  29,  1824,  at  eighty-three 
years  of  age,  when  his  two  sons,  David  and  Benja- 
min, inherited  it.     David   Jennings,  Jr.,  who  died 

I  May  23,  1851,  aged  seventy-seven  years,  sold  his 
share  to  Samuel  Moxley,  who  again  disposed  of  it  to 
Jasper  M.  Thompson.  This  gentleman  also  became 
possessor  of  the  other  part  of  the  Jennings  farm 
through  Johnston  Van  Kirk,  to  whom  Benjamin 
had  sold  it.  The  stream  that  crosses  this  property  is 
called  Jennings'  Run. 

John  and  James  Henthorn  were  brothers-in-law  of 
David  Jennings,  and  settled  here  when  he  did.   John's 

I  land  was  a  body  of  363  acres  called  "  Choice  Tract," 

I  directly  east  of  "  Fear  Fax,"  which  he  took  up  under 
warrant  No.  3485,  dated  June  14,  1769,  and  which 
was  surveyed  Sept.  27,  1769.  The  property  east  of 
his  belonged  to  his  brother  James,  David  Jennings 
was  on  the  west  side,  Richard  Parr  on  the  north,  and 
the  farm  on  the  south  was  at  one  time  owned  by  Col. 

'  Thomas  Collins.  John  Henthorn  spent  his  life  upon 
this  farm,  and  died  in  April,  1784.  aged  forty-three 
years.  Another  John  Henthorn  died  in  1799,  aged 
sixty-six  years.  They,  with  David  Jennings  and  his 
son  David,  were  buried  in  a  family  cemetery  on  John 
Henthorn's  farm,  which  now  belongs  to  Jasper  M. 
Thompson.  James  Henthorn  had  346  acres  adjoin- 
ing the  farms  of  his  brother  and  Adam  McCartney, 
which  was  surveyed  Sept.  28,  1769.  At  a  later  day  it 
was  owned  by  James  Veech,  and  at  the  present  time 

'  belongs  to  William  E.  Caruthers  and  John  C.  Bread- 
ing- 

Thomas  Gaddis  was  one  of  those  pioneers  who  had 
applications  for  land  in  the  land-office  awaiting  the 
first  issue  of  warrants,  which  were  dated  April  3, 
1769.     The  warrant   issued  to  Mr.  Gaddis  was  No. 

i  1690,  which  shows  the  great  number  of  applications 
that  had  been  filed  before  that  date.  He  had  been  in 
this  section  several  times  in  previous  years,  but  was 

j  frightened  away  by  the  Indians,  and  did  not  make  a 

'  permanent  settlement  until  1769.  The  land  which 
he  located  was  described  as  being  in  the  "  Redstone 
Settlement,  Cumberland  County,  the  new  purchase," 
and  was  surveyed  Sept.  25,  1769,  under  the  name  of 
"  Hundred  Acre  Spring."  In  1789,  Mr.  Gaddis  was 
carrying  on  a  distillery  upon  his  place.  In  the  early 
days  a  Settler's  Fort  was  built  upon  the  tract,  and  the 
portion  of  it  still  standing  was  the  residence  of  the 
late  Basil  Brownfield.     The  farms  adjoining  the  one 

j  in  question  were  owned  in  the  pioneer  time  by  Isaac 

I  Sutton,  Edward  Brownfield,  and  James  Hamilton. 
From  his  first  appearance  in  this  vicinity  Thomas 
Gaddis  was  active  and  prominent  in  the  expeditions 
against  the  Indians,  and  in  all  civil  and  military 
county   affairs.     He   w.as   second    field-major   in    the 


NORTH    UNION   AND   SOUTH   UNION   TOWNSIIII'S. 


681 


Crawford  expedition,  and  was  a  prominent  leader  in 
the  Whiskey  Insurrection  of  1794.  In  1816  he  sold 
the  farm  upon  which  he  had  lived  for  nearly  half  a 
century  to  John  Miller  and  John  Kennedy,  and  emi- 
grated to  the  "  Miami  country,"  Ohio. 

Charles  Brownfield  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  who, 
with  his  brother  James,  emigrated  to  this  country  and 
lived  for  a  time  near  Winchester.  His  wife  was  Bet- 
sey, the  sister  of  Col.  James  Burd,  and  when  they 
came  to  this  township  they  located  a  tract  of  land 
containing  300  acres,  which,  in  a  deed  of  later  years, 
is  described  as  "  near  Laurel  Hill,  on  one  of  the 
head  branches  of  the  Redstone,  including  my  im- 
provement made  in  the  year  1769."  Warrant  No. 
3456,  dated  June  14,  1769,  was  given  for  this  land, 
and  the  survey  was  made  in  September  of  that  year. 
In  1783,  Mr.  Brownfield  sold  this  property  and  re- 
moved to  Kentucky.  Alexander  McClean  made  a 
second  survey  of  it  at  this  time,  and  one  entry  upon 
the  records  says,  "  Said  Brownfield  removed  to  the 
Kentucky  country,  having  sold  the  above  part  to 
Benjamin  Brownfield,  his  son,  and  the  residue  to 
Moses  Sutton  and  George  Troutman."  In  the  same 
connection  lie  further  says  of  this  survey,  that  he 
"  resurveyed  the  same  as  by  the  different  purchas- 

Charles  Brownfield  had  eight  sons,  —  Edward, 
Charles,  Robert,  Thomas,  Erapson,  Richard,  Wil- 
liam, and  Benjamin.  There  was  but  one  daughter, 
Sally,  who  married  Raphael  Naylor,  of  Philadel- 
phia, whither  she  went  to  reside,  and  where  she  died. 
Edward  Brownfield  settled  upon  a  tract  of  land  at 
the  same  time  his  father  did,  and  adjoining  that  of 
his  father,  which  contained  250  acres,  and  was  called 
"  Mount  Pleasant."  Several  years  later,  when  the 
general  exodus  from  this  section  to  Kentucky  took 
place,  he  removed  with  his  family  to  the  place  called 
"  Bear  Grass,"  where  John  Brownfield,  a  son  of  his 
brother  Benjamin,  now  lives.  Empson  Brownfield 
took  up  295  acres  of  land  on  the  waters  of  Georges 
Creek,  but  near  the  waters  of  Redstone  Creek,  partly 
on  the  dividing  ridge  and  on  the  road  leading  from 
the  gap  of  the  mountain  to  Cheat  River,  in  Georges 
township.  This  land  was  surveyed  Dec.  23,  1785, 
"  by  virtue  of  certificate  from  the  Commissioners  of 
Monongalia,  Yohogania,  and  Ohio  Counties  for  400 
acres  of  land  on  the  waters  of  Redstone  Creek,  to  in- 
clude his  settlement  made  in  1770." 

In  the  year  1776,  Emjison  Brownfield's  name  ap- 
pears in  the  list  of  purchasers  of  lots  in  Uniontown, 
or  Beesontown.  In  1784  he  purchased  a  lot  in  Union- 
town,  upon  which  he  later  built  and  kept  a  tavern. 
It  is  said  that  he  was  the  first  to  start  a  store  in 
Uniontown,  for  which  he  brought  the  goods  over  the 
mountains  on  pack-horses.  After  a  few  years  he,  too, 
removed  with  his  family  to  Kentucky.  Charles  and 
Robert  Brownfield  both  settled  at  Sniithfield.  The 
descendants  of  Charles  are  all  dead.  Robert  was 
with  Crawford's  expedition.      His  son  Basil   settled 


on  the  old  Gaddis  place  in  1820,  and  lived  there 
until  his  death,  Aug.  21,  1881.' 

Thomas  Brownfield  settled  uijon  a  farm  between 
Monroe  and  Uniontown,  and  his  grandson,  Isaac 
Brownfield,  now  occupies  the  place.  Richard  Brown- 
field lived  near  Morgantown  for  a  few  years,  and 
then  emigrated  to  Kentucky.  William  also  removed 
early  to  Kentucky.  Benjamin,  the  son  to  whom 
Charles  Brownfield  sold  his  pioneer  home  on  his  re- 
moval to  Kentucky  in  1783,  always  remained  upon 
the  farm  and  died  there.  His  son,  Col.  Benjamin 
Brownfield,  died  there  March  28, 1880,  at  the  remark- 
able old  age  of  one  hundred  and  one  years.  The 
property  is  now  owned  and  occupied  by  a  grandson, 
Marion  Brownfield. 

James  McCoy  settled  in  South  Union  in  1769, 
when,  with  many  others,  he  madje  application  for  a 
tract  of  land  in  the  valley  east  of  Uniontown.  He 
was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  when  about  fifteen  years 
of  age  ran  away  from  home  and  came  to  America. 
He  had  been  attending  the  races  with  his  father,  who 
had  entered  a  favorite  colt,  and  which,  at  the  close 
of  the  races,  James  had  been  sent  home  with.  On  the 
way  he  and  some  other  boys  ran  the  horses,  when  by 
some  mishap  the  colt  stumbled  and  fell,  breaking 
one  of  its  legs.  This  so  frightened  him  that  instead 
of  going  home  he  started  for  the  coast,  where  he 
shipped  on  board  a  vessel  and  worked  his  passage  to 
America.  He  remained  in  the  East  until  twenty- 
four  years  of  age,  when  he  came  to  this  county,  as 
stated.  The  warrant  for  Mr.  McCoy's  land  bears  date 
June  14,  1769,  and  the  order  of  survey  was  made  Sept. 
23,  1769.  The  property  was  named  "Flint  Hill," 
comprised  305  acres,  and  an  allowance  of  six  percent, 
was  made  for  roads.  This  tract  of  land  is  recorded  as 
adjoining  those  of  Thomas  Brownfield  and  Isaac 
Sutton.  Another  tract  of  221  acres  adjoining  was 
surveyed  to  him  the  same  date,  Sept.  23,  1769. 

Before  leaving  the  East,  Mr.  McCoy  had  married 
Ann  Bruce,  who  was  like  himself  born  in  Ireland, 
and  who  came  to  this  country  when  but  twelve  years 
old.  Upon  locating  here  he  built  a  log  cabin,  which 
was  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  Bailey  orchard.  Very 
soon,  however,  this  cabin  was  reconstructed  and  made 
into  "  McCoy  Fort,"  which  was  the  rendezvous  for 
all  the  immediate  neighbors  in  times  of  danger,  the 
"  Col.  Thomas  Gaddis  Fort"  being  two  miles  away  to 
the  southwest.  Mr.  McCoy  then  built  for  his  own 
residence  a  house  of  hewn  logs,  which  stood  upon  the 
site  of  the  brick  house  afterwards  built  by  Eli  Bailey. 


1  An  obituary  nQtice  of  Basil  Brownfield,  published  at  tlie  time  of  hia 
death,  contained  the  following:  "Mr.  BrownfieM  was  born  near  Smith- 
field,  this  county,  in  1795.  His  ancestors  came  here  from  Apple-pie 
Kiilge,  Shenandoah  Valley,  Va.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  will  and  ag- 
gressive disposition,  as  the  result  of  which  he  was  well  known,  and  had 
acquired  a  large  amount  of  valuable  estate.  His  connections  by  blood 
and  marriage  are  very  extensive.  He  leaves  four  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters living,  two  of  these  being  in  Texas,  one  of  the  latter  being  Mrs. 
William  Core.  Mr.  Brownfield's  wife  was  Sarah  Collins,  daughter  of 
Joseph  Collins,  one  of  the  original  settlers  of  Uniontown." 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  original  property,  which  was  quite  extensive,  has 
been  divided  and  sold  at  different  times,  until  but 
comparatively  little  of  it  remains  in  the  hands  of  Mr. 
McCoy's  descendants.  A  tract  of  nine  or  ten  acres 
was  leased  by  himself  to  Thomas  Brownfield  for 
ninety-nine  years  for  a  mill-site.  A  large  portion  of 
the  land  is  now  the  property  of  the  Chicago  Coke  and 
Coal  Company,  sold  to  them  by  Eli  Bailey,  who 
bought  it  of  the  heirs  of  McCoy  after  his  death.  His 
death  occurred  in  1803,  and  he  was  buried  in  the 
churchyard  of  the  South  Union  Baptist  Church,  of 
which  he  was  long  a  worthy  and  consistent  member. 
The  children  of  James  and  Ann  McCoy  were  Wil- 
liam, George,  Isaac,  John,  Rachel,  Ann,  Sarah,  and 
Mary.  John  married  and  lived  on  the  old  home- 
stead, dying  there  when  fifty-two  years  of  age.  His 
wife  was  a  daughter  of  Col.  Thomas  Gaddis.  Of  their 
several  children,  John,  the  eldest,  is  still  living  on  the 
old  place,  and  is  eighty-three  years  of  age.  George, 
who  never  married,  went  to  Ohio  to  live,  and  died 
there.  Isaac  married,  lived,  and  died  near  his  father's 
home,  and  left  a  family  of  five  children.  Rachel  and 
Ann  married  and  removed  from  the  State.  Sarah  be- 
came the  wife  of  Samuel  Sutton,  son  of  Moses  Sutton. 
They  lived  on  the  farm  one  mile  southwest  of  the 
Redstone  Coke- Works,  which  has  since  been  owned 
by  John  Hagan.  Mary  McCoy  married  Thomas 
Brownfield,  son  of  Charles  Brownfield.  The  farm  on 
which  they  lived  is  now  owned  by  their  son,  Isaac 
Brownfield.  William  McCoy  became  a  Baptist  min- 
ister. He  was  married  in  Uniontown,  and  in  1780 
removed  to  Kentucky.  His  son  Isaac,  born  in  this 
place  in  178.3,  became  a  noted  Indian  missionary. 
He  was  but  six  years  of  age  when,  with  his  parents, 
he  removed  to  Kentucky.  While  living  there  in 
1803  he  also  married,  and  very  soon  after  emigrated 
to  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  to  preach  and  labor  among  the 
Indians. 

On  Oct.  17,  1817,  he  received  from  the  United 
States  Baptist  Board  of  Missions  an  appointment  as 
a  missionary.  In  compliance  with  the  request  of  Dr. 
Turner,  the  Indian  agent,  Mr.  McCoy,  in  1820,  settled 
at  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  and  May  29th  of  that  year  opened 
a  school  numbering  twenty-five  scholars, — ten  Eng- 
lish, six  French,  eight  Indians,  and  one  negro.  March 
12th  of  the  next  year  the  number  had  increased  to 
thirty-nine  Indian  scholars.  Being  authorized  to 
select  a  site  to  establisli  a  mission,  after  nuu-h  thought 
and  many  examinations  Mr.  McCoy  cliose  a  tract  in 
Michigan,  one  mile  s(iuarr,  cm  the  suuth  side  of  the 
St.  Joseph  River.  On  Aug.  29,  1821,  a  treaty  was 
made  by  the  government  with  the  Indians  li.r  tlir 
transfer  of  this  land,  which  was  ratified  March  2'i, 
1822,  and  July  16th  of  the  same  year  Mr.  McCoy  re- 
ceived an  appointment  from  Gen.  Cass  to  take  charge 
of  this  Indian  mission.  On  October  9th  following  a 
company  of  twenty-two  persons  left  Fort  Wayne  for 
the  new  station  on  the  St.  Joseph  River,  where  they 
were  to  erect  buildings,  clear  the  land,  and  make 


other  improvements  for  the  growth  and  development 
of  the  "  Carey  Mission."  On  December  9th  of  the 
same  year  a  train  of  thirty-two  persons,  three  wagons 
drawn  by  oxen  and  one  drawn  by  horses,  and  having 
■with  them  five  cows  and  fifty  hogs,  left  the  old  school 
at  Fort  Wayne  for  the  new  home.  They  arrived  at 
their  destination  safely,  and  the  first  report  made  to 
the  government,  dated  July  1,  1823,  announced  sixty 
acres  of  land  cleared.  In  182.5  came  the  report  that 
two  hundred  acres  had  been  inclosed,  thirty  acres 
were  in  corn,  three  hundred  peach-trees  were  growing 
finely,  and  a  flouring-mill  was  in  operation.  With 
all  this  advancement  the  sale  of  whisky  by  the 
traders  to  the  Indians  outside  of  the  mission  tract 
caused  so  much  trouble  that  Mr.  McCoy  was  induced 
to  seek  another  place  for  the  mission.  He  studied 
thoroughly  the  Indian  question,  and  wrote  a  work 
entitled  "  Remarks  on  Indian  Reform."  The  prin- 
cipal design  of  this  work  was  to  show  the  practica- 
bility of  the  meditated  reform,  and  suggested  measures 
to  be  adopted  for  its  accomplishment.  He  says, 
"  We  discovered  that  our  Indians  could  not  possibly 
prosper  when  they  knew  they  had  no  settled  resi- 
dence, and  when  the  influx  of  the  white  population, 
and  with  it  the  introduction  of  floods  of  ardent 
spirits,  had  already  added  discouragements  to  their 
spiritless  minds."  On  Sept.  15,  1826,  a  treaty  was 
held  with  the  Pottawatamies  on  the  Wabash,  at  which 
there  was  granted  to  fifty-eight  Indians,  by  descent, 
"  scholars  in  the  Carey  Mission"  school  on  the  St. 
Joseph,  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Isaac  McCoy, 
one-quarter  section  of  land  to  be  located  by  the 
President  of  the  United  States. 

In  1827,  yir.  McCoy  left  the  station  to  visit  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  and  Washington  on  business 
connected  with  the  Indian  interests.  He  held  inter- 
views with  the  President  and  Commissioner  of  Indian 
Affairs  with  a  view  to  getting  a  territory  for  the  In- 
dians setofl^,  and  in  this  effort  he  was  successful.  The 
land  and  improvements  of  the  "Carey  Mission"  were 
appraised  and  sold,  and  the  school  gradually  declined. 
Mr.  McCoy  and  Mr.  Lykins,  his  son-in-law,  were  in- 
structed to  visit  the  region  west  of  Missouri  and  Ar- 
kansas to  inspect  and  report  upon  the  condition  of 
the  country  there,  and  select  a  suitable  location  for  a 
mission.  The  tract  of  land  on  which  the  "  Shawnee 
Mission"  house  in  the  Indian  Territory  is  located  was 
selected,  and  Aug.  11,  1833,  the  little  band  that  was 
left  of  the  "  Carey  Mission"  gathered  there  and  or- 
ganized a  church.  The  whole  of  Mr.  McCoy's  long 
lifi-  was  a  constant  endeavor  to  soften  and  civilize  the 

The  >^utton  family  of  five  brothers,  all  Baptist  min- 
isters, came  to  this  county  as  early  as  1770,  and  after 
that  date  all  located  land  here.  The  property  of 
Isaac  and  Moses  Sutton  was  south  of  the  present  vil- 
lage of  Monroe,  adjoining  that  of  John  Hopwood, 
Jeremiah  Cook,  and  James  McCoy.  Moses  Sutton 
was  one  of  the  i)urchasers  of  the  residence  of  Charles 


NORTH    UNION    AND   SOUTH    UNION    TOWNSHIPS. 


Brownfield,  and  in  1788  he  was  assessed  upon  a  dis- 
tillery as  his  property.  Isaac  Sutton  was  one  of  the 
early  ministers  of  Great  Bethel  Baptist  Church  at 
Uniontown.  James  Sutton  settled  in  Georges  town-  j 
ship,  but  afterwards  removed  to  Amwell  township, 
Washington  Co.,  Pa.,  where,  in  the  year  1774,  he  was 
pastor  of  the  Ten-Mile  Baptist  Church.  , 

Jeremiah  Gard  owned  a  tract  of  land  in  this  town- 
ship some  time  before  1780.  It  contained  two  hun- 
dred and  forty-eight  acres,  and  was  located  next  to 
the  farm  of  Thomas  Gaddis.  In  1791,  Mr.  Gard  built  ! 
a  mill  on  Redstone  Creek,  which  is  still  standing,  and 
is  known  as  the  Hutchinson  mill.  He  was  also  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  scythes,  and  served  as  a  j 
private  in  the  Crawford  expedition.  He  died  upon 
this  place,  and  left  three  sons, — Daniel,  Simeon,  and 
Jeremiah.  They  all  settled  near  their  father  and 
lived  here  for  many  years,  but  after  his  death  removed 
to  the  West. 

On  Nov.  29,  1783,  George  Troutman  purchased  of 
Charles  Brownfield  thirty-nine  acres  of  land,  a  por- 
tion of  the  property  Brownfield  sold  upon  his  removal 
to  Kentucky.     The  regular  survey  of  the  transfer- 
ranee  of  this  property  was  not  made  to  Mr.  Troutman  ' 
until  March  2,  1786,  at  which  time  there  was  also  I 
surveyed  to  him,  under  a  warrant  issued   from  the 
land-office  Feb.  23,  1786,  another  tract  of  land  con- 
taining one  hundred  and  twenty-three  acres.     Later 
he  purchased  still  more  land,  and  July  16,  1791,  he 
sold  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  acres  to  Jonathan  j 
Gray,  whose  descendants  still  occupy  the  property. 
In  the  year  1788,  George  Troutman  was  running  a 
distillery. 

The  name  of  Job  Littell  appeared  upon  the  assess- 
ment-roll of  Union  township  in  1785,  as  being  assessed  ' 
upon  a  tract  of  land  containing  fifty  acres.  From 
that  time  his  taxable  property  increased,  and  in  1788 
he  was  assessed  upon  a  saw-mill ;  in  1796  upon  a  saw- 
mill, grist-mill,  and  a  house;  and  in  1798  upon  six 
hundred  and  thirty-nine  acres  of  land.  On  Nov.  22, 
1802,  Job  Littell  purchased  of  the  commissioners  of 
Fayette  County,  for  the  unpaid  taxes  of  1799-1800, 
a  tract  of  land  of  three  hundred  acres,  "situate  on 
the  branch  of  Redstone  Creek  south  of  Uniontown." 
A  portion  of  Job  Littell's  property  was  given  the 
name  of  "Job's  Hollow."  In  this  is  still  visible  the 
ruins  of  an  old  mill,  with  a  half-filled  race,  the  old  ; 
mill-stones,  moss-covered  and  gray,  lying  in  the  debris  ' 
and  surrounded  by  a  thicket  of  underbrush,  while  the 
stone  house,  which  was  built  upon  an  adjacent  hill, 
has  also  crumbled  and  fallen  to  the  ground. 

Samuel  Littell  was  a  son  of  Job  and  Elizabeth  Lit- 
tell. His  son  Alonzo  is  now  a  resident  of  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  and  was  for  several  years  editor  of  The  Genius 
of  Libert;/,  of  Uniontown.  Elizabeth,  the  daughter 
of  Job  and  Elizabeth  Littell,  married  John  Custead, 
and  with  her  husband  lived  in  this  section.  In  May, 
1819,  John  Custead  advertised  that  he  had  "added 
to  his  trade  of  Cabinet-Making  that  of  Making  and  ^ 


Painting  Signs,"  his  place  of  business  being  three 
miles  south  of  the  borough  of  Uniontown,  near  Lit- 
tell's mill.  When  Job  Littell  purchased  his  property 
I  there  was  reserved  an  acre  of  ground  for  a  burial- 
place,  in  which  himself  and  wife  and  John  and  Eliz- 
abeth Custead  are  buried.  Mr.  Littell  died  in  1824, 
i  aged  eighty-one  years,  and  his  wife  in  1838,  aged 
eighty-eight  years.  Other  graves  are  found  in  this 
burying-ground,  but  none  are  marked  save  by  a  com- 
mon field-stone  at  the  head  and  foot. 

Samuel  Work  was  assessed  in  1785  on  a  tract  of 
200  acres  of  land.  In  the  names  of  property-holders 
in  1793  appears  that  of  Esther  Work,  undoubtedly 
the  widow  of  Samuel,  assessed  upon  188  acres.  Rob- 
ert, Andrew,  John,  and  Alexander  Work  were  as- 
sessed as  single  men.  Shortly  after  this,  however, 
Alexander  Work  was  assessed  upon  a  grist-mill  in 
Menallen  township.  About  the  year  1817  he  built  a 
mill  in  Union  township  (now  South  Union),  which 
is  still  standing,  and  is  known  as  the  Barton  mill. 

In  1785,  Jeremiah  Cook  was  assessed  upon  property 
consisting  of  sixty-three  acres  of  land,  a  saw-mill  and 
a  grist-mill.  In  1791  a  distillery  was  added  to  the 
above  amount  of  property,  and  all  of  it  was  assessed 
to  him  in  Union  township.  In  1793,  Richard  Stur- 
geon was  assessed  upon  one  hundred  and  fifty-nine 
acres  of  land,  a  grist-mill,  saw-mill,  and  a  fulling- 
mill,  also  in  Union.  From  what  can  be  learned 
both  of  these  men  seem  to  have  carried  on  consider- 
able business  here,  and  to  have  remained  here  several 
years,  but  no  information  can  be  gained  as  to  what 
section  of  the  township  of  Union  they  lived  in. 

In  February,  1788,  William  Campbell  came  to  this 
section  and  purchased  a  tract  of  land  of  one  hundred 
and  four  acres  of  Henry  Beeson,  upon  which  the  for- 
mer settled  in  1768.  In  1789,  Mr.  Campbell  took  out 
a  warrant  for  two  hundred  and  seventeen  acres  of 
land  in  Union,  in  the  survey  of  which  he  desired  to 
include  the  land  he  had  previously  purchased  of  Mr. 
Beeson.  It  was  all  surveyed  to  him  in  the  manner 
desired,  and  is  now  in  the  possession  of  E.  B.  Daw- 
son and  Nathaniel  Brownfield.  In  1788,  Mr.  Camp- 
bell was  proprietor  and  conductor  of  a  distillery, 
which  was  situated  on  the  tract  of  one  hundred  and 
four  acres  purchased  of  Henry  Beeson.  The  follow- 
ing is  a  verbatim  copy  of  a  marriage  certificate  given 
in  Mr.  Campbell's  family  in  1790.  The  original  cer- 
tificate is  written  on  parchment,  in  a  large,  bold,  and 
beautiful  style  of  penmanship.  The  copy  is  here 
given  as  of  interest  in  this  connection : 

"  ^yllerens  Abel  Campbell,  son  of  William  .and  Mary  Camp- 
bell, of  Union  Township,  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  and 
Susanna  Dixon,  daughter  of  William  and  Rebecca  Dixon,  of 
Menallen  township,  county  aforesaid,  having  declared  their  in- 
tentions of  marriage  with  each  other,  before  several  Monthly 
Meetings  of  the  People  called  Quakers  at  Westland,  according 
to  the  good  order  used  among  them;  and  having  Consent  of 
Parties  concerned,  their  said  proposals  were  allowed  of  by  the 
said  meetings.  Now  these  are  to  certify  whom  it  may  concern, 
that  for  the  full  accomplishing  of  their  said  Intentions,  this 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUiNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Sixth  Day  of  the  Tenth  Jlontb,  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord,  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety  ;  they,  the  said  Abel  Camp- 
bell and  Susanna  Dixon,  appeared  in  a  public  meeting  at  Red- 
stone, and  the  said  Abel  Campbell  taking  the  said  Susanna 
Dixon  by  the  Hand,  did  in  solemn  manner  openly  declare  that  he 
took  the  said  Susanna  Dixon  to  be  his  Wife ;  jiromisiiig  through 
Divine  Assistance  to  be  to  her  a  loving  and  faithful  Husband, 
until  Death  should  separate  them:  and  then  and  therein  the  same 
Assembly,  the  said  Susanna  Dixon  did  in  like  manner  declare  that 
she  took  the  said  Abel  Campbell  to  be  her  Husband ;  promising 
through  Divine  Assistance  to  be  to  him  a  loving  Faithful  Wife, 
until  Death  should  separate  them  ;  or  words  to  that  import. 
Moreover,  they  the  said  Abel  Campbell  and  Susanna  (she  ac- 
cording to  the  Custom  of  Marriage  Assuming  the  surname  of 
her  Husband)  as  a  further  confirmation  thereof,  did  then  and 
there  to  these  presents  set  their  Hands.  Signed,  Abel  Camp- 
bell, Susanna  Campbell.  And  we,  whose  names  are  hereunto 
subscribed,  being  present  at  the  solemnization  of  said  Marriage 
:ind  Subscription  have  as  Witnesses  thereto  set  our  Hands  the 
Day  and  Year  above  Written.  Sarah  Sanem.s,  Mary  Coope, 
Kebekah  Jackson,  John  Coope,  Ruth  Crawford,  Margaret  Craw- 
ford, Mary  Campbell,  Abel  Campbell,  Rachel  Hammond,  Jonas 
Cottell,  Orr  Garwood,  Joshua  Hunt,  Sarah  Cadwallader,  Eliza- 
heth  Cottell,  Esther  Cottell,  Mary  Walton,  Rachel  Cottell,  Mar- 
ing  Harleu,  Thomas  French,  Nimrod  Gregg,  Thou)as  Irain,  Jo- 
seph, Benjamin  Townscnd,  William  Wilson,  AVilliam  Silver- 
horn,  John  Cadwallader,  John  McCaddon,  John  Graves,  Jacob 
Downard,  Jesse  Beeson,  Thomas  Townsend,  George  llarleu, 
Benj.  Harleu,  Junr.,  Isaac  Johnson,  George  Hackney,  Samuel 
Gregg.  John  Mason,  Nathaniel  Sanems,  William  Dixon,  Re- 
bekah  Dixon,  Wm.  Campbell,  Jr.,  Mahy  Campbell,  Junr.,  James 
Campbell,  William  Dixon,  Junr.,  Charles  Gouse,  Ebcnezer 
Walker,  Rachel  Walker,  George  Walker,  William  Whiteside." 

In  the  year  1804  the  name  of  John  Barnes  is  given 
on  the  assessment-roll  as  a  coppersmith.  In  1807  a 
shop  was  built  on  the  Thomas  Gard  property  by  James 
Barnes  for  the  manufacture  of  sickles. 

It  was  frequently  related  by  Mr.  Basil  Brownfleld, 
who  died  in  South  Union  in  August,  1881,  at  tlie  age 
of  eighty-six  years,  that  about  twenty  years  ago  he 
was  told  by  Judge  Friend,  of  Garret  County,  Md., 
that  his  (Judge  Friend's)  grandfather  was  a  great 
hunter  and  an  acquaintance  and  friend  of  Daniel 
Boone,  the  pioneer  of  Kentucky,  and  tliat  upon  one 
occasion,  being  out  on  a  hunting  expedition  with 
Boone,  they  crossed  the  Laurel  Hill  in  what  is  now 
Fayette  County  and  bivouacked  for  the  night  by  a 
fine  spring  at  or  near  the  spot  where  Gaddis  Fort  was 
built  nearly  twenty-five  years  later.  Here  at  daylight 
the  next  morning  they  were  surprised  and  captured 
by  a  party  of  French  and  Indians,  by  whom  they 
were  disarmed,  robbed  of  everything  they  had  but 
their  clothes,  and  taken  to  the  summit  of  Laurel 
Hill,  where  they  were  dismissed  with  the  admonition 
never  to  be  again  found  west  of  the  mountain  on 
penalty  of  death  by  torture.  This,  Judge  Friend 
said,  was  told  to  him  by  his  grandfather,  who  placed 
the  date  of  the  adventure  at  about  1750. 

ERECTION,    BOUNDARIES,    AND    LIST    OF    OFFICERS. 

The  erection  of  South  Union  township  by  act  of 

General  Assembly,  March  11,  1851,  has  already  been 


noticed  in  connection  with  North  Union,  which  was 
erected  at  the  same  time  from  the  territory  of  old 

j  LTnion.  The  township  of  South  Union  lies  wholly  on 
the  southwest  side  of  the  old  National  road,  which 
forms  its  boundary  against  North  Union.  Its  other 
boundaries  are  Whartou  township  on  the  southeast, 
Georges  on  the  southwest,  and  Menallen  on  the  west 
and  northwest.  Its  population  by  the  last  census 
(1880)  was  eleven  hundred  and  seventy-seven,  includ- 
ing the  village  of  Monroe. 

The  list  (nearly  complete)  of  the  principal  town- 
ship officers  of  South  Union  from  its  formation  until 

I  the  present  time  is  given  below,  viz. : 

JUSTICES   or  THE   PE.U'E. 


1855.  Abram  Hayden. 
j   1856.  John  McCoy. 

James  Piper. 
'   1S61.  Hiram  Miller. 

Benjamin  F.  Ham. 
I   1862.  Thomas  Calhoun. 

1866.  Chauncey  B.  Hayden. 
Thomas  Seman. 

B.  F.  Hellen. 

1867.  Samuel  Shipley.         • 

j  ISil.  James  H.  Springe 
1  1S53.  Isaac  Brownfleld. 
j  Samuel  Hatfield. 

1856.  Thomas  H.  Fenn. 

1857.  Thomas  Seman. 

1858.  H.  C.  Jefifries. 

1859.  Jefifries  Hague. 
1861.  Abraham  Hayden 

j  lSfi2.  Henry  Sutton. 
ls6:i.  Calvin  Mosier. 
1 S64.  Ezra  Seman, 

1865.  Robert  Hagan. 

1866.  George  Yeagley, 


1868.  Robert  McDowell. 
Alexander  Black. 

1869.  Isaac  Marest. 

1872.  George  W.  Folke. 

1873.  John  S.  Dawson. 

1874.  Ellas  Freeman. 

1875.  Thomas  Seman. 
1878.  John  Custead. 

1880.  William  W.  Canan. 

1881.  Jesse  Reed. 


AUDITOliS. 

1867.  Henry  Sutton. 

1868.  Noah  Brown. 
1S69.  Henry  Sutton. 

Louis  S.  Williams. 
1870.  John  Brownfleld. 

1876.  William  Parshall. 
David  S.  Richie. 
Perry  G.  White. 

1877.  Isaac  Brownfleld. 
Joseph  Hopwood. 

1878.  Joseph  Hopwood. 
David  S.  Richie. 

1881.  Charles  L.  Smith. 


.  Calvin  Springer. 

,  John  Sackett. 

-54.  Isaac  Hutchinson. 

.  I.  A.  Hague. 

,  John  F.  Foster. 

,  Henry  Sutton. 

-61.  Wm.D.Nesmith. 

Thomas  Calhoun, 
,  Samuel  Hatfleld. 

Thomas  Calhoun. 
-66.  James  Hutchinson. 


1867-69.  Calvin  Mosier. 
1870.  James  Hutchinson. 

1873.  William  E.  Chick. 

1874.  Clark  E.  Ilutchins. 

1875.  Calvin  Mosier. 
1877-78.  William  E.  Chick. 

Calvin  Mosier. 
1879.  William  N.  Canan. 
1S80.  William  T.  Kennedy. 
1881.  Josiah  V.  Williams. 


SCHOOLS, 

The  first  school  in  the  township  of  South  Union 
was  taught  on  the  Hellen  Hill  farm,  adjoining  the 
Peter  Hook  farm ;  another  very  early  school  was 
taught  on  the  Benjamin  Brownfleld  farm.  Oliver 
Sproull  (who  was  a  sergeant  in  Col.  Hamtramck's 
regiment)  was  a  teacher  here  for  about  twenty  years 
in  the  early  days. 

In  1857  the  county  superintendent's  report  showed 
that  there  were  then  in  this  township  four  schools 
under  five  teachers  and  278  school  children.     The 


NORTH  UNION  AND  SOUTH   UNION  TOWNSHIPS. 


nmount  of  tax  levied  for  school  purjioses  was  $618. 
The  report  of  the  school  year  of  1880-81  shows  242 
pupils  and  five  teachers.  Total  expenditure  for  school 
purposes,  $1088.15 ;  valuation  of  school  property, 
$6000. 

The  township  is  divided  into  five  school  districts, 
called  Hatfield,  Monroe,  Hutchinson,  Hague,  and 
Poplar  Lane.  The  list  of  school  directors  from  the 
formation  of  the  township  to  the  present  time  is  as 
follows,  as  shown  by  the  election  returns,  viz. : 


SCHOOL   DIRECTORS. 

1851 

Charles  G.  Turner. 

1866 

Jefferson  A.  Hague. 

Abraham  Hayden. 

1867 

Thomas  Seman. 

IS62 

Samuel  Hutchinson. 

John  Snvder. 

Isaac  Wiggins. 

John  Ring. 

John  Hague. 

Isaac  Hutchinson. 

1853 

Charles  «.  Turner. 

1868 

Julius  Shipley. 

Henry  Sutton. 

John  Johnson. 

1S54 

Samuel  Hatfield. 

1869 

Porter  Craig. 

Emmanuel  Brown. 

Robert  Hagan. 

1855 

Isaac  Wiggins. 

Julius  Shipley. 

William  Custead. 

1870 

Julius  Shipley. 

1856 

Charles  G.  Turner. 

Noah  Brown. 

1857 

Evan  Moore. 

1873 

Charles  L.  Smith. 

Tobias  Sutton. 

Jesse  Reed. 

1858 

Thomas  Seuian. 

1874 

H.  C.  Jeffries. 

Charles  G.  Turner. 

Isaac  Hutchinson. 

1859 

Isaac  Wiggins. 

1875 

Francis  M.  Seman. 

Isaac  Hutchinson. 

Joseph  I.  Johnson. 

1861 

M.  Fell. 

1876 

John  Brownfield. 

Benjamin  F.  Hellen. 

James  Laughead. 

Basil  Brownfield. 

1877 

H.  C.  Jeffries. 

1862 

Robert  Bailey. 

Jacob  M.  Beeson. 

Christopher  Riffle. 

1878 

T.  P.  Eicher. 

1S6.3 

Alfred  Brown. 

John  Davis. 

Thomas  Seman. 

1879 

James  A.  Laughead 

1864 

John  Snyder. 

Isaac  A.  Brownfield 

Robert  Hagan. 

Robert  T.  Sutton. 

1865 

Mahlon  Fell. 

Alfred  Brown. 

Joseph  Johnson. 

1880 

Jacob  M.  Johnson. 

1866 

John  C.  Johnson. 

1881 

Elijah  Hutchinson. 

Samuel  Hatfield. 

Addison  C.  Brant. 

Calvin  Mosier. 

THE    REDSTONE    COKE-WORKS. 

Tlie.se  works,  owned  and  operated  by  J.  W.  Moore 
&  Co.,  are  situated  about  three  miles  south  of  Union- 
town,  near  the  railroad  leading  from  that  town  to 
Fairchance.  The  property  embraces  about  six  hun- 
dred acres  of  land,  with  a  frontage  of  nearly  two  miles 
along  the  line  of  the  railroad.  A  part  of  this  land 
was  purchased  in  1880,  and  the  construction  of  ovens 
then  commenced.  On  the  1st  of  May,  1881,  seventy- 
five  were  completed,  and  ninety-five  have  since  been 
added.  It  is  the  intention  of  the  owners  to  increase 
the  number  to  three  hundred. 

The  mine  is  entered  by  a  slope  or  "  dip-heading," 
with  a  grade  of  one  foot  in  twelve,  and  has  been  ex- 
tended to  six  hundred  feet.  Three  hundred  feet  from 
the  entrance  is  the  first  flat-heading,  which  extends 
southward,  and  from  this  another  runs  parallel  with 
the  slope-heading. 


Several  blocks  of  houses,  each  containing  eight 
rooms,  and  intended  for  use  of  the  miners,  have  been 
built  at  the  works.  A  large  brick  store  building  has 
also  been  erected.  Two  stone-quarries  have  been 
opened  on  the  property  near  the  oven-beds.  The 
location  of  the  works  is  near  the  head  of  a  mountain 
stream,  which  furnishes  an  abundant  supply  of  pure 
water.  The  coke  manufactured  here  is  contracted  for 
by  J.  D.  Spearman  Iron  Company,  in  Mercer  County, 
Pa. 

CHICAGO    AND    COXNELLSVILLE    COKE    COMPANY'S 
WORKS. 

The  land  on  which  the  works  of  this  company  are 
located  (being  a  part  of  the  McCoy  tract,  taken  up  in 
1769)  lies  on  the  line  of  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania 
Railroad,  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  south  of 
Uniontown.  About  four  hundred  acres  of  coal  right 
and  twenty-one  acres  of  surface  was  purchased  of 
Greenbury  Crossland  and  William  Hopwood  by  Jas- 
per M.  Thompson,  Alpheus  E.  Willson,  Dr.  Smith 
Fuller,  William  H.  Playford,  Daniel  Kaine,  John 
Snyder,  Charles  E.  Boyle,  and  Thomas  B.  Schnat- 
terly,  and  on  the  14th  of  February,  1880,  these  gen- 
tlemen sold  to  Robert  Montgomery,  of  Pittsburgh, 
the  twenty-one  acres  of  surface,  and  the  right  to  all 
coal  and  minerals  underlying  three  hundred  and 
twenty-six  acres  of  their  lands.  Thereupon  the  Chi- 
cago and  Connellsville  Coke  Company  was  formed, 
consisting  of  Robert  Montgomery,  Mr.  McN.air,  of 
St.  Louis,  and  Alexander  J.  Leith,  of  Chicago,  the 
last-named  gentleman  being  its  president.  In  the 
month  following  the  purchase  they  commenced  the 
sinking  of  the  shaft  and  the  construction  of  ovens,  of 
which  one  hundred  and  six  had  been  completed  by 
the  1st  of  May,  1881,  and  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
eight  have  been  added  since  that  time.  The  shaft 
has  been  sunk  two  hundred  and  seventy-eight  feet, 
and  a  derrick  one  hundred  feet  in  height  erected  over 
it.  From  the  base  of  the  shaft  six  entries  (including 
the  air-course)  radiate  in  difl'erent  directions.  The 
main  entry  of  flat-heading  was  in  July,  1881,  two 
hundred  and  twenty  feet  in  length,  and  the  one  of  the 
other  two  hundred  feet,  rising  towards  the  surface. 
The  company  have  erected  at  the  works  a  large  brick 
store  and  thirty  blocks  of  tenements  for  the  use  of 
the  miners  and  other  employes. 

The  coal  mined  by  this  company  is  all  manufac- 
tured into  coke,  and  the  product  of  the  ovens  is  sold 
under  contract  to  the  Joliet  Steel  Company,  of  Joliet, 
111.,  of  which  company  Jlr.  Leith  is  also  the  presi- 
dent. 

MONROE. 

This  town,  located  on  the  line  between  North  and 
South  Union,  was  laid  out  by  John  Hopwood,  Nov. 
8,  1791,  and  by  him  then  named  Woodstock.  The 
tract  of  land  upon  which  the  town  was  erected  was 
patented  by  John  Hopwood  from  Richard  Penn, 
Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  April  I,  1786.    The  patent 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


granted  four  hundred  and  Hhy  acres  lying  in  the 
valley  along  Redstone  Creek.  Prior  to  this,  viz., 
Nov.  23,  1785,  he  had  purchased  a  tract  of  land  from 
James  McClean,  brother  of  Alexander  McClean.  In 
addition  to  these  valuable  possessions,  John  Hop- 
wood  acquired  by  purchase  from  Moses  Sutton  two 
other  tracts  of  land  bounding  his  other  property  on 
the  West.  John  Hopwood  readily  discerned  that 
his  location  was  advantageous  in  many  respects,  being 
on  the  old  Braddock  road,  over  which  passed  the 
travelers  from  the  East  to  the  land  of  Boone,  and 
being  at  the  base  of  the  Laurel  Hill,  where  the  pro- 
fuse water-power  coming  from  the  hills  and  flowing 
through  his  possessions  might  be  readily  utilized  for 
driving  mills  and  factories.  The  traveling  traffic  had 
so  increased  that  it  became  imperative  to  afford  the 
new-comers  public-house  accommodations.  With  all 
these,  and  doubtless  many  additional  views,  John 
Hopwood  founded  the  town,  and  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  this  design  he  set  apart  two  hundred  acres  of 
the  land  lie  had  received  by  patent,  and  divided  these 
two  hundred  acres  into  four  hundred  lots. 

The  charter  of  the  town  guaranteed  the  following 
benefits  and  general  advantages,  viz. :  Each  purchaser 
of  a  lot  was  to  have  the  privilege  to  enter  upon  a  three- 
hundred-acre  tract  lying  contiguous  to  the  town,  and 
take  therefrom  any  stone  or  timber  necessary  for  the 
erection  of  their  buildings  free  of  charge,  also  any 
timber  for  the  purpose  of  improving  their  lots  in  said 
town,  for  the  period  of  ten  years  from  the  date  of  their 
respective  purchases.  The  terms  of  .sale  required 
the  purchaser  to  pay  an  annual  ground -rent  of  one- 
half  a  Spanish  milled  dollar  (ir  a  bushel  of  wheat. 
The  founder  of  the  town  further  stipulated  that  un- 
less the  purchasers  of  these  lots  or  their  heirs  or  as- 
signs should  improve  their  lots  by  building  thereon  a 
good  dwelling-house  at  least  twenty-four  feet  front 
and  sixteen  feet  in  depth,  with  siilticient  stone  or 
brick  chimney  thereto,  at  or  lirfort-  the  ixpirnlion  of 
five  years  from  the  date  of  the  piirclKWc,  tlan  tiie  >aid 
lot  or  lots  should  be  forfeited  to  the  grantor. 

John  Hopwood  was  a  thorough  scholar,  and  desir- 
ing that  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  might  have  fa- 
cilities for  acquiring  education,  he  set  apart  for  the 
building  and  furnisliing  of  an  "Academy  of  Learn- 
ing" all  ground-rent  which  sh<mld  become  due  and 
be  paid  on  the  lots  for  the  period  of  twenty  years  from 
the  date  of  the  charter,  together  with  all  the  moneys 
arising  from  the  sale  of  any  lot  or  hits  forfeited  as 
aforesaid  for  the  space  nt  twiiity  years.  als<i  one-fifth 
part  of  the  first  purcli:i-e  money  of  all  lot-  in  -aid 
town  for  the  same  |.eriod,  ami  to  further  the  oliject 
Alexander  McClean,  Dennis  Springer,  and  Joseph 
Huston,  Esqs.,  or  their  successors  in  oflSce,  were  to 
act  as  trustees,  to  collect,  receive,  and  hold  the  fund 
for  building  and  cmlowiiiL'  the  "Academy  of  Learn- 
ing" in  the  said  town,  to  be  built  whenever  a  ma- 
jority of  the  inhabitants  residing  in  and  holding  lots 
in  fee  simple  in  the  town,  and  proprietors  of  improved 


lots  although  non-residents,  should  think  the  said  fund 
sufficiently  large  to  warrant  the  undertaking  of  erect- 
ing such  buildings  as  would  be  proper  for  an  academy. 
As  a  suitable  location  for  the  academy,  he  deeded 
lots  Nos.  1  and  2  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  and 
their  heirs  and  assigns  forever,  to  be  used  for  this  and 
for  no  other  intent  or  purpose  whatever.  This  acad- 
emy was  afterwards  built,  and  in  the  minutes  of  the 
Great  Bethel  Baptist  Church  are  found  resolutions 
looking  to  their  patronizing  the  "  Union  Academy  of 
Woodstock"  as  a  denomination.  This  was  July  19, 
1794,  and  was  doubtless  one  of  the  first  academies  in 
this  part  of  the  State. 

In  the  general  plan  of  his  town,  lots  Nos.  80  and  81 
were  reserved  for  a  market-house,  and  "  for  the  erec- 
tion of  said  Academy  and  Market-House"  the  inhab- 
itants were  to  have  the  privilege  of  using  all  the  stone 
and  timber  from  the  aforementioned  three-hundred- 
acre  tract,  free.  The  proprietor  of  the  town  had 
granted  so  many  privileges  that  the  town  grew  rap- 
idly. Among  the  earliest  settlers  and  citizens  of  the 
town  were  Nicholas  Sperry,  Moses  Hunter,  John 
Haymaker,  Nathaniel  Wills,  Edward  Slater,  John 
Sockman,  Joseph  Chambers,  Philip  Koontz,  Adam 
Albert,  Frederick  Snyder,  Richard  Holliday,  Luke 
D.  Reddecoard,  John  Morrow,  John  Fessler,  Richard 
Bowen,  Peter  Lauch,  Caleb  Hall,  Patrick  Byrne,  Ann 
Barnholdt,  Simon  Lauck,  John  Formwalt,  William 
Tyler,  William  Thorn,  Jacob  Storm,  George  Tilley, 
Johnston  Smith,  John  Rhea,  John  Shietz,  Jacob 
Clowser,  John  Schley,,  Alexander  Smith,  Alexander 
Doyle,  Joseph  Semmes,  Henry  Walker,  William 
Deakins,  Jr.,  George  Gilpin,  Robert  Peters,  John 
Leese,  John  C.  Sneider,  John  Ritchie,  Josiah  Star- 
berry,  Isaac  Sutton,  Sr.,  Peter  Deast,  Sr.,  Zacheus 
Morgan,  Christian  Street,  Archibald  McClean,  Mar- 
garet Reynolds,  Isaac  Sutton,  Jr.,  Daniel  Roberdean, 
David  Russell,  William  M,  Lemmon,  William  Lem- 
mon,  Sr.,  Samuel  Sutton,  Christopher  Sowers,  and 
AVilliam  Lucas. 

In  1793  the  occupations  of  some  of  the  lot-owners 
and  residents  of  the  town  were  as  follows,  viz. :  Pat- 
rick Byrn,  merchant ;  George  Tilley,  merchant ;  Chris- 
tian Street,  minister ;  Isaac  Sutton,  Sr.,  minister ; 
John  C.  Sneider,  physician ;  Hanson  &  Bond,  prin- 
ters; Richard  Bowen,  printer;  Nathaniel  Willis, 
printer;  Simon  Lauck,  gunsmith  ;  John  Foornwalt, 
baker;  William  Tyler,  bookbinder;  John  Shietz, 
gunsmith;  John  Clowser,  blacksmith;  John  Schley, 
coppersmith  ;  John  Haymaker,  blacksmith  ;  Edward 
Slater,  cabinet-maker;  Adam  Albert,  blacksmith; 
John  Fessler,  clock-maker  ;  Joseph  Chambers,  black- 
smith* Peter  Lauck,  tavern-keeper;  Caleb  Hall,  cab- 
inet-maker; Philip  Koontz,  butcher. 

Thus  the  town  grew  and  prospered.  In  1802,  John 
Hopwood,  the  proprietor,  died.  In  1816,  Moses  Hop- 
wood,  the  only  son  of  the  founder,  who  by  will  had 
inherited  all  the  wealth  of  his  father,  decided  to  lay 
out  an  addition  to  the  town.     At  that  time  the  Na- 


NOKTH   UNION   AND   SOUTH   UNION  TOWNSHIPS. 


esT 


tional  road  was  rapidly  approacliiiig   Monroe,  and  as 
it  was  completed  from  point  to  point  supplanted  the  ^ 
old  "  Braddock  road."     During  the  Presidential  cam-  I 
paign  of  1816,  James  Monroe  came  through  here  on 
his  trip  westward,  and  was  the  guest  of  Moses  Hop-  , 
wood,  who  informed  the  Presidential  candidate  of  his 
intention  to  enlarge  and  rename  the  town,  and  asked  ■ 
Mr.  Monroe  what  he  should  call  it.     The  future  Presi- 
dent requested  that  it  be  named  for  him,  and  accord- 
ingly when  the  town  had  been  completed  in  plan  in 
May,  1818,  it  was  so  named, — Monroe.     Prior  to  this 
(in  1817)  he  had  christened  one  of  his  sons  for  the 
President.     Tlie  new  town  was  laid  out  so  as  to  con- 
form to  the  original  Woodstock  plat.     It  consisted  of 
eighty-eight  lots.     The  front  or  main  street  received  , 
the  name  of  Franklin,  and  afterwards  became  the 
National   road.      The   other    principal   streets   were 
Perry,  Findlay,  Washington,  Jefferson,  and  Madison. 

Among  the  iirst  lot-owners  may  be  mentioned  Wil- 
liam Hart,  Isaac  Beeson,  James  Watkins,  Jesse 
Barnes,  John  Farr,  John  Farr,  Jr.,  James  Barnes, 
Rachel  Bebout,  Robert  Cooper,  Reuben  Mockabee, 
Rebecca  Allen,  John  Custead,  William  Morris,  Julian 
Wood,  Hannah  M.  Wood,  Samuel  Hall,  Zachariah 
White,  Patrick  Bradley,  Thomas  Hopwood,  James 
Hopwood,  Gaddis  Hopwood,  Elisha  Hyatt,  James 
McLucas,  Jacob  Harbaugh,  Henry  Barber,  Hiram 
Miller,  David  Davis,  William  Hopwood,  Enoch  W. 
Clement,  Rice  G.  Hopwood,  William  Beattie,  and 
Joseph  Fisher. 

From  1818  until  the  opening  of  the  railway  system 
the  National  road  was  the  great  thoroughfare  of  travel 
between  the  East  and  West,  and  during  all  this  pe- 
riod of  more  than  thirty  years  this  town  enjoyed  a 
prosperity  that  few  towns  of  equal  size  participated 
in  to  such  an  extent.  To  illustrate  the  business  which 
was  done  in  the  town  during  its  prosperous  years,  it 
need  but  be  mentioned  that  acres  of  covered  wagons 
could  be  seen  every  night  in  the  week  in  Monroe,  and 
from  five  to  ten  thousand  head  of  hogs  and  cattle 
were  centred  at  this  point  every  evening,  so  that  the 
drovers  might  get  an  early  start  over  the  mountains 
before  daylight  in  the  morning.  Then,  in  addition  to 
these  caravans  and  trains  of  covered  wagons,  there 
were  numerous  gangs  of  slaves  on  their  way  from 
Virginia  to  Kentucky.  The  town  of  Monroe  was  the 
place  which  all  travelers  aimed  to  reach  at  night,  so 
that  they  might  be  fresh  for  the  task  of  passing  over 
the  mountains  in  the  early  morning.  As  further  in- 
dicative of  the  prominence  and  importance  of  the 
town,  the  proposition  to  change  the  county-seat  from 
Uniontown  to  Monroe  was  at  one  time  considered. 
Gaddis  Hopwood,  Esq.,  made  the  argument  in  favor 
of  the  change,  but  the  larger  town  continued  the 
county-seat. 

TAVERNS. 

One  of  tlie  first  requisites  in  a  town  is  accommoda- 
tion for  the  traveling  public ;  this  necessity  brings 
public-houses  into  existence.     Soon  after  the  found-  ■ 


ing  of  W^oodstock,  in  1791,  tavern-houses  were  opened 
there  by  John  De  Ford,  James  McLucas,  Jesse  Barnes, 
Lewis  Williams,  and  Benjamin  Minton.  At  that  time 
it  was  considered  a  good  day's  travel  to  drive  from 
Woodstock  to  John  Slack's,  only  four  miles  distant, 
but  that  was  prior  to  the  existence  of  the  National 
road,  when  the  old  Braddock  road  was  too  rough  for 
vehicles.  When  the  addition  had  been  made  other 
tavern  stands  sprung  up  in  rapid  succession  on  the 
new  Main  Street. 

The  John  De  Ford  tavern  was  the  first  in  the  new 
town.  His  stone  building  was  erected  in  1818.  The 
persons  who  did  the  stone-work  were  John  Sutton, 
Matthias  Chipps,  and  his  son,  David  Chipps;  the 
carpenter-work  was  done  by  Gabriel  Getzendiner, 
John  Farr,  and  Elias  Freeman.  Mr.  John  De  Ford 
kept  it  as  a  hotel  for  a  number  of  years,  and  then  re- 
moved to  CarroUton,  Ohio.  Matthias  Frey  succeeded 
him  in  the  business,  and  then  Henry  Fisher.  It  is 
now  used  as  "  residence. 

The  German  D.  Hair  tavern-house  was  built  in 
1818,  by  William  Morris.  He  sold  it  to  Thomas 
Brownfield,  March  13,  1822,  after  whicli  it  was  com- 
pleted, the  stone-work  being  done  by  Benjamin 
Goodin,  Robert  Cooper,  John  Sutton,  and  John  Har- 
vey, Sr.,  and  the  carpenter-work  by  Gabriel  Getzendi- 
ner and  Enos  West.  After  William  Morris  retired 
from  it,  Joseph  Noble,  Andrew  McMasters,  and  Ger- 
man D.  Hair  occupied  it  as  a  tavern. 

The  Morris  tavern  was  built  by  William  Morris  in 
1823,  on  an  elevated  site  west  of  the  town.  This 
building  was  of  brick.  The  mason-work  was  done 
by  Benjamin  Goodin  and  Matthias  Chipps,  and  the 
carpenter-work  by  Elias  Freeman,  Gabriel  Getzen- 
diner, and  John  Farr.  William  Morris  kept  this, 
his  second  public-house,  for  a  number  of  years,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Calvin  Morris  and  Matthias  Frey. 
May  22,  1846,  it  was  sold  to  Moses  Hopwood,  James 
Hopwood,  Gaddis  Hopwood,  and  John  N.  Freeman. 
Since  that  time  the  house  has  been  occupied  as  a  res- 
idence by  the  person  operating  the  coal  farm,  which 
was  sold  with  the  house. 

The  Andrew  McMiisters  tavern  was  built  in  1825. 
The  stone-work  was  done  by  Abraham  Beagle,  John 
Harvey,  and  William  Harvey.  The  carpenters  were 
James  Thirlwell,  Enos  West,  Gabriel  Getzendiner, 
and  Lawrence  Griffith.  The  following  persons  occu- 
pied it  as  a  public-house  :  Andrew  McMasters,  Lott 
Clawson,  Enos  W.  Clement,  Thomas  Acklin,  Matthias 
Frey,  James  Shaffer,  and  John  Worthington,  after 
which  it  passed  into  the  possession  of  Benjamin 
Haj'den,  and  has  since  been  used  as  a  residence. 

The  Clement  House,  since  known  as  the  Shipley 
Hotel,  was  erected  by  Enoch  Wilson  Clement  in 
1839.     John  Harvev,  Jr.,  did  the  stone-work.     Mr. 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Clement  kept  it  five  years,  at  the  expiration  of  which 
time  it  was  sold  to  Col.  Benjamin  Brownfield,  whose 
son,  Elijah  Brownfield,  kept  it  as  a  tavern  two  years. 
It  then  went  into  the  following  hands  successively: 
Benjamin  Brownfield,  Jr.,  Archibald  Skiles,  John 
Worthington,  John  Wallace,  Matthias  Frey.  Aaron 
Wyatt  then  bought  the  property,  and  after  keeping 
hotel  one  year  sold  it  in  1858  to  Samuel  Shipley, 
who  sold  it  to  his  son  Julius,  after  which  it  was 
rented  to  Ezra  Burke,  Eedding  Bunting,  and  Lindsay 
Messmore.  The  property  is  at  present  in  the  posses- 
sion of  A.  C.  Brant,  and  is  by  him  used  as  a  dwelling- 
house. 

The  Miller  Hotel,  a  large  stone  building,  was 
erected  by  Moses  Hopwood,  Jr.,  as  a  residence.  He 
disposed  of  it  to  Elisha  Hyatt,  who  in  a  few  years 
resold  it  to  Hiram  Miller.  The  latter  gentleman 
kept  a  public-house  for  some  twenty  years.  Since 
then  it  has  been  used  as  a  private  residence  by  Mrs. 
M.  M.  Beeson. 

The  Frame  Tavern  building  was  originally  in- 
tended as  a  dwelling-house  when  erected  by  William 
Ellis.  He  afterwards  disposed  of  it  to  Matthias 
Frey,  and  that  gentleman  enlarged  it  and  converted 
it  into  a  tavern.  He  was  succeeded  in  business  by 
James  Dennison  and  Thomas  Acklin. 
STORES. 

The  first  store  in  the  town  was  opened  by  Reuben 
Mockabee.  In  it  was  kept  a  general  assortment  of 
dry-goods  and  groceries.  He  kept  in  Woodstock, 
and  when  Monroe  was  laid  out  removed  to  Franklin 
Street,  and  built  a  store  and  residence  where  the 
dwelling  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hays  is  at  present.  Mr. 
Mockabee  afterwards  removed  to  Brownsville.  Ben- 
jamin Hayden  was  the  next  to  follow  the  mercantile 
business  in  the  town,  and  he  was  soon  followed  by 
Gaddis  Hopwood,  Thomas  ]1(.|.w<"hI,  James  Hop- 
wood,  and  Monroe  Hopwood.  TIm  -,  l.ioilni-  were  not 
in  partnership,  but  kei)t  the  stoii'  in  >ii(  ression.  The 
last  one,  Monroe  Hopwood,  carried  on  the  business 
for  twenty-five  years.  Coming  on  down  through  the 
history  of  the  town,  the  following  persons  are  found 
engaged  in  store-keeping,  viz. :  James  ( "aiiaii.  Joscjih 
Peach,  William  Shipley  (who  in  iscr,  !„,„oi,t  tiie 
store  of  Benjamin  Hayden),  Jacob  Llewellyu,  and 
A.  S.  Ingles,' who  in  1868  sold  out  to  Frank  M.  Se- 
mans,  but  in  1870  embarked  in  the  business  again. 
In  thirteen  years  Jlr.  Ingles  sold  one  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars'  worth  of  u.hhK  in  :\I.iMr..e.  F.  M.  Semaus 
has  carried  on  the  busimss  ^uroossfully  for  thirteen 
years  ]iast  in  the  old  >toie  occupied  by  the  Hopwood 
brothers  in  fiiriiirr  ilays,  <  Itlier  jnerchants  have  been 
James  E.  Cdli;  N.  Jl.  Hhuk,  W.  H.  Cottom,  Morgan 
Canan,  A.  Shipley,  and  Benjamin  Kissinger. 

MANUFACTORIES. 

As  early  as  1810,  David  Wilcox  made  shoes,  boots, 

and  moccasins  in  this  towji,  and  Ilezekiah  Reiiiier 


and  Thomas  Barnes  tanned  and  dressed  deerskins 
for  leather  breeches,  which  were  at  that  time  consid- 
ered necessary  to  an  aristocratic  dress. 

Among  the  earliest  industries  of  the  town  was  that 
of  wagon-making.  The  needs  of  the  times  when  all 
the  travel  was  overland  brought  these  shops  into  ex- 
istence. John  Farr  and  John  Hannah  were  the  first 
wagon-makers  in  the  town.  They  carried  on  the  busi- 
ness for  a  number  of  years,  and  were  succeeded  in  1830 
by  Lott  Clawson,  who  has  carried  on  the  business 
for  fifty  years.  In  the  mean  time  others  have  estab- 
lished themselves  here,  among  whom  were  Horatio 
Griffith,  who  carried  on  the  business  some  ten  years, 
and  then  John  Custead,  who  is  yet  engaged  in  it. 

The  first  to  engage  in  blacksmithing  in  the  town 
were  Dennis  Bryan  and  Lewis  Williams.  These  were 
followed  by  Zachariah  AVhite,  John  Johnson,  Philip 
Horner,  Fogg  Jenkins,  William  Amos,  Jonas  Pratt, 
Joseph  and  David  Fisher,  William  Wallace,  Bryson 
Devan,  Samuel  Hickle,  and  O.  Devan. 

At  one  time  there  was  an  extensive  comb  manu- 
factory in  jNIonroe,  the  business  being  carried  on  by 
Thomas  Nesmith.  From  1828  until  1855  he  con- 
ducted the  business,  and  most  of  the  time  had  ped- 
dlers on  the  road  selling  the  product  of  his  horn-comb 
manufactory. 

About  1840,  William  Graham  opened  a  chair-  and 
wheelwright-factory,  and  this  remained  in  operation 
until  1847,  at  which  time  the  works  were  removed  to 
Waynesburg,  Pa. 

In  1832-33,  Thomas  Hopwood,  now  of  Oregon,  had 
built  the  Monroe  Flouring-Mill,  which  has  been  suc- 
cessfully carried  on  ever  since,  Jacob  Dutton  was 
the  contractor  and  millwright. 

For  the  past  twenty  years  John  Ingles  has  been 
carrying  on  the  business  of  broom-making  in  the 
town. 

Isaac  Barkley  has  followed  the  harness-  and  saddle- 
making  business  a  great  number  of  years,  and  thou- 
sands of  specimens  oi'  his  workmanship  are  in  the 
country. 

A  carding-machine  was  put  in  operation  here  about 
1820  by  George  Gregg  and  William  Stumph.  They 
carried  on  the  business  for  a  number  of  years. 

TRIP-HAMMER  FORGE. 
Soon  after  1800  there  was  a  trip-hammer  forge 
constructed  in  the  town  of  Monroe  (then  Woodstock) 
by  the  Hopwoods.  This  was  called  Vulcan  Forge, 
and  in  1800  John  Hopwood  had  all  of  the  materials 
in  readiness  for  its  construction.  Soon  after  (in 
1802)  he  died,  and  his  son  Moses  completed  the 
work.  This  forge  and  trip-hammer  was  in  operation 
some  fifteen  years.  It  is  said  that  Nathaniel  Mitch- 
ell had  charge  of  it  for  a  time,  and  in  1815  Lewis 
Williams  bought  it  from  Moses  Hopwood,  and  the 
consideration  was  payable  in  a  good  assortment  of 
hoes,  axes,  mattocks,  plow-irons,  and  shovels  be- 
fore April   1,   1818.     The   cupola   and   trij)-haniraer 


NORTH   UNION   AND  SOUTH   UNION   TOWNSHIPS. 


were  operated  by  the  stream  of  water  wliich  flows 
through  "  Lick  Hollow." 

DISTILLERY. 
There  was  a  distillery  in  the  southern  limits  of 
Monroe.  It  was  owned  by  Joseph  Frazier,  and  then 
by  James  Calhoun.  Long  since  it  was  removed  from 
the  stream  of  water  where  it  was  located,  and  a  resi- 
dence was  made  of  it  on  the  front  street  in  Monroe. 

THE  PROFESSIONS. 
These  have  been  well  represented  from  Monroe. 
Among  the  lawyers  of  the  place  we  have  Rice  G. 
Hopwood,  for  many  years  one  of  the  foremost  mem- 
bers of  the  Fayette  County  bar,  and  Albert  Hayden, 
an  active  practitioner  at  Fairmount,  W.  Va. 

Among  the  physicians  of  Monroe  may  be  men- 
tioned Jordan  Morris,  son  of  William  Morris,  who 
is  now  practicing  in  the  West;  Thomas  Hudson  Hop- 
wood,  son  of  William  Hopwood,  Esq.,  who  was  a 
promising  young  physician  at  the  breaking  out  of 
the  Rebellion,  and  allowing  his  patriotism  to  over- 
come his  other  desires,  he  enlisted,  passed  through 
the  war,  and  came  home  in  1867  a  major  in  the 
United  States  army,  to  die  from  injuries  and  wounds 
received  on  the  battle-field. 

Moses  Hopwood,  son  of  Rev.  James  Hopwood,  re- 
moved to  Iowa,  where  he  practiced  medicine  a 
number  of  years,  and  finally  yielded  to  that  fell  de- 
stroyer consumption. 

Dr.  Alonzo  Hopwood,  now  of  Vinton,  Iowa,  was 
born  in  this  town,  and  removed  to  his  new  home  in 
1861. 

Dr.  William  H.  Hopwood,  son  of  William  Hop- 
wood,  Esq.,  now  located  at  Upper  Middletown,  Fay- 
ette Co.,  is  a  graduate  of  Jefferson  Medical  College, 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  class  of  1876. 

Among  the  clergymen  who  have  labored  in  Monroe 
may  be  mentioned  the  following: 

James  Hopwood,  son  of  Moses  Hopwood,  !^r.,  be- 
gan his  ministerial  career  in  1827,  and  was  for  many 
years  an  efficient  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Church. 
He  died  March  4,  1881,  at  his  home  in  Vinton,  Iowa. 

William  Ellis  commenced  preaching  at  the  same 
time  James  Hopwood  did.  Subsequently  he  united 
with  the  Baptist  Church,  but  has  now  ceased  labor  on 
account  of  age. 

James  Brown,  pastor  of  the  Baptist  CJuirch  at  Con- 
fluence, Pa.,  commenced  his  ministry  in  the  Monroe 
Methodist  Protestant  Church. 

William  Wallace  was  formerly  a  blacksmith  in  the 
town.  Having  been  converted,  he  left  the  forge  and 
anvil  to  preach  the  glad  tidings  to  the  world  of  sinners. 
He  is  now  a  successful  preacher  in  the  Pittsburgh 
Conference,  Methodist  Protestant  Church. 

Moses  Hopwood,  Sr.,  Gaddis  Hapwood,  and  Thomas 
Nesmith  were  all  useful  as  local  ministers. 


CHURCHES. 

The  earliest  church  organization  in  the  town  was 
the  Methodist  Episcopal.  This  society  was  formed  as 
early  as  1825,  at  which  time,  and  for  several  subse- 
quent years,  they  had  preaching  at  the  residence  of 
Moses  Hopwood,  Sr.,  when  such  eloquent  divines  as 
John  H.  Fielding,  Charles  Elliot,  Henry  B.  Bascom, 
John  A.  Waterman,  James  G.  Sansom,  and  Thomas 
M.  Hudson  preached  to  this  society.  In  1830  the 
Methodist  Protestant  Church  was  organized,  and 
many  seceded  from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
and  united  with  the  new  organization.  The  early 
members  of  the  church  prior  to  the  formation  of  the 
new  society  were  Joseph  Frazier,  Stephen  Brown, 
Hannah  Hopwood,  Moses  Hopwood,  Gaddis  Hop- 
wood,  Thomas  Farr,  Lucy  Farr,  Mrs.  Brown,  John 
De  Ford,  Lydia  De  Ford,  James  Hopwood,  William 
Hopwood,  Thomas  J.  Nesmith,  and  William  Ellis. 

In  18.33  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  under 
the  pastorate  of  Rev.  J.  K.  Miller,  built  the  stone 
church  in  which  they  still  worship.  The  succeeding 
ministers  who  have  cared  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of 
this  society  and  congregation  are  as  follows,  viz. 
Revs.  John  White,  David  L.  Dempsey,  David  Hess 
William  Tipton,  Hamilton  Cree,  Warner  Long,  Eben 
ezer  Hays,  Henry  Kerns,  Richard  Jordan,  John  L 
Irwin,  Samuel  Wakefield,  R.  Gordon,  Martin  Stew 

art, Ruter,  McClaig,  John  S.  Lemon,   L 

R.  Beacom,  Joseph  Horner,  Henry  Long,  William  K 
Foutch,  William  C.  P.  Hamilton,  Walter  K.  Brown 
H.  Snyder,  S.  Show,  Isaac  P.  Sadler,  John  Mclntire 
E.  B.  Griffin,  T.  H.  Wilkinson,  Homer  J.  Smith,  W 
D.  Stevens,  H.  L.  Chapman,  J.  L.  Stiffy,  Charles  Mc- 
Caslin,  J.  Momeyer,  D.  J.  Davis,  Sylvanus  Lane,  M 
D.  Lichliter,  R.  J.  White,  John  T.  Stiffy,  and  the 
present  pastor.  Rev.  W.  L.  McGrew. 

When  this  circuit  was  first  organized  the  charge 
was  in  the  Uniontown  Circuit,  afterwards  changed 
to  Fayette  Circuit.  It  has  since  received  the  name 
of  Smithfield  Circuit.  Since  its  organization  this 
society  has  had  the  following  persons  as  class-leaders, 
viz.  :  Moses  Hopwood,  Gaddis  Hopwood,  Jesse  Sacket 
Perry  G.  White,  Monroe  Hopwood,  George  Hopwood, 
Jesse  Reed. 

In  1828  and  1829,  under  Charles  Elliot,  there  was  a 
great  revival,  which  lasted  through  the  summer  and 
winter,  and  there  were  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
accessions  to  the  church.  This  revival,  under  the 
same  preacher,  swept  all  Uniontown  and  Madison 
College,  and  hundreds  were  there  converted.  This  is 
said  to  have  been  the  most  remarkable  revival  of  re- 
ligion ever  known  in  this  part  of  the  country. 

THE  METHODIST  PROTESTANT  CHURCH. 

As  has  been  previously  stated,  there  was  a  division 
in  the  church  in  1829.  In  1833,  soon  after  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  had  succeeded  in  building  a 
house  of  worship,  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church 
also  erected  a  church  edifice.     Their  first  class  con- 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


sisted  of  the  following  persons,  viz.  :  Joseph  Frazier, 
John  De  Ford,  Sr.  (who  afterwards  removed  to  Ohio 
and  died  there,  aged  one  hundred  and  four  years), 
Samuel  Littell,  Stephen  Brown,  Sr.,  James  Hopwood, 
Louisa  Hopwood,  Thomas  Hopwood,  Elizabeth  Hop- 
wood,  Thomas  Brownfield,  Obadiah  Ellis,  Thomas 
Nesmith,  Lydia  De  Ford,  Harriet  De  Ford,  William 
De  Ford,  Elizabeth  De  Ford,  Hannah  Brownfield, 
Margaret  Eankin,  Margaret  Frazier,  William  Ellis, 
Margaret  Devan,  and  Moses  Farr.  James  Hopwood 
was  the  first  class-leader.  His  successors  in  that 
office  were  Thomas  J.  Nesmith,  William  De  Ford, 
Moses  Farr,  Stephen  K.  Brown,  John  Bennington,  Sr. 

The  first  preacher  for  this  church  was  Moses  Scott, 
who  was  followed  by  the  following-named  ministers  : 
Thomas  Stynchicum  (who  afterwards  intermarried 
with  the  family  of  "Stonewall"  Jackson),  John  Hunts- 
man, James  Robinson,  John  Burrs,  William  College, 
Porter,  Piper,  D.  B.  Dorsey,  James  Hop- 
wood,  John  Scott  (now  editor  of  the  MefhodM  Re- 
rorder),   John   Woodruff,   Valentine  Lucas,   Joseph 

Burns, Boss,  John  Stillion,  Denton  Hughes,  P. 

T.  Laishley,   Amos   Hutton,   William   Betts,  F.  H. 

Davis,  Isaac  Francis,  Boulton,  Henry  Palmer, 

Joel  Woods,  Jesse  Hull,  James  Phipps,  John  Tygert, 
John  Patton,  John  Rutledge,  M.  Stillwell,  P.  T.  Con- 
away,  Henry  Lucas,  Geo.  G.  Conaway,  William  Wal- 
lace, and  E.  A.  Brindley. 

Prior  to  1833  this  church  held  their  services  in  an 
old  log  house  which  had  been  fitted  up  as  a  school- 
house. 

SABBATH-SCHOOLS. 

For  a  great  many  years  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
aud  Methodist  Protestant  congregations  have  had 
Sabbath-schools  here  in  connection  with  the  churches. 
The  Methodist  Episcopal  Sabbath-school  has  been 
very  prosperous  during  the  term  of  its  existence.  The 
present  superintendent  is  Mr.  George  Hopwood,  under 
whose  management  it  has  taken  front  rank  among  the 
live  schools  of  the  county  ;  and  from  the  report  made 
at  the  late  county  convention  of  Sabbath-school 
workers  we  glean  the  fact  that  there  were  sixty  con- 
versions in  this  school  during  the  year  1880.  At 
present  the  number  of  officers,  teachers,  and  scholars 
on  the  roll  is  about  two  hundred  and  ninety.  Other 
superintendents  and  prominent  workers  have  been 
John  Custead,  N.  H.  Black,  John  S.  Dawson,  James 
Reed,  O.  Devan,  J.  E.  Goff,  Monroe  Hopwood,  Simon 
Matson,  James  Williams,  A.  Hayden,  A.  Shipley, 
Daniel  Crawford,  M.  Silbaugh. 

THE  METHODIST  PROTESTAXT  SABBATH-SCHOOL 

is  at  present  in  excellent  condition,  and  in  the  past 
it  has  done  good  work.  Among  the  superintendents 
may  be  mentioned  William  Barnes,  Thoraiis  G.  Barnes, 
Jacob  D.  Moore,  and  Abram  Hayden.  Prominent 
among  the  workers  have  been  Moses  Farr,  Rhinaldo 
Farr,   Mrs.  L.  W.  Clawson,  Mrs.  W.  N.  Canan,  and 


Mrs.  Priscilla  White.  This  school  has  the  names  of 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  teachers,  officers,  and 
scholars  upon  its  roll. 

SCHOOLS. 

After  the  death  of  John  Hopwood  his  academy 
was  discontinued,  yet  the  desire  for  knowledge  had 
received  such  an  impetus  that  it  never  cea.sed  to  exist, 
and  to  the  teachers  and  the  schools  the  town  owes' 
much  of  its  prosperity.  One  of  the  earliest  teachers 
was  Alexander  Clear,  a  lame  man,  who  had  some 
thirty  pupils,  and  boarded  at  the  home  of  Moses 
Hopwood,  Sr.  Following  him  were  William  Downer, 
J.  Muckadoo,  Samuel  Lathropi  Mr.  Rolin,  William 
Hart  (a  surveyor  and  teacher),  Mr.  Sproul,  Mr. 
Canby,  John  I.  Dorsey,  Benjamin  Hayden,  William 
Ellis,  Calvin  Watson,  Abram  Hayden,  Messrs.  Van- 

dingburg,  and   •   Morton.      After   this   time   the 

common  school  law  of  Pennsylvania  came  into  effect, 
and  a  stone  school-house  was  built  on  the  site  of  the 
present  frame  building.  AVilliam  Ellis  was  the  first 
teacher  after  the  enactment  of  the  new  school  law. 
At  that  time  Col.  Samuel  Evans  and  William  Bryson 
were  directors  in  Union  township. 

In  1851  the  township  was  divided  for  school  pur- 
poses, and  the  old  brick  school-house  was  erected  in 
South  Union.  The  first  teacher  in  this  school  was  J. 
P.  Blair.  The  school-house  was  torn  down  a  few 
years  since,  and  a  new  brick  building  erected  in  its 
place. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


LEVI   SPRINGER.i 

Levi  Springer,  a  notable  and  characterful  man  of 
bis  times,  was  born  in  North  Uniontowu,  Aug.  14, 
1777,  anil  died  Feb.  15,  1862.  His  ancestors  came  to 
America  fr(jm  Sweden,  but  his  stock  was  remotely 
(lerman.  The  name  "Springer"  was  given,  in  sport, 
by  an  emperor  of  Germany,  in  the  eleventh  century, 
to  a  relation  of  his,  in  consequence  of  an  adventurous 
leap  by  the  latter  into  the  river  Saale  from  the  castle 
of  Geiliichenstein,  where  he  had  been  imprisoned  for 
an  alleged  crime.  This  original  Springer  was  par- 
doned by  the  emperor,  and  his  estates  and  powers 
also  increased. 

Dennis  Springer,  the  grandfather  of  Levi  Springer, 
lived  in  early  life  in  New  Jersey,  where  he  married 
at  Burlington,  in  1736,  Ann  Prickett,  where,  it  is  said 
to  be  without  doubt,  Josiah,  Levi,  Sr.,  and  other 
children  were  born  to  him.  Levi,  born  1744,  married, 
about  1768,  Annie  Gaddis,  by  whom  he  had  seven 
children, — Drusilla,  Abner,  Ruth,  Annie,   William, 

1  For  the  "etymology"  of  the  name  Springer,  and  above-mentioned 
facts  concerning  Dennis  Springer,  tlie  writer  is  indebted  to  the  "  Gene- 
alogical T.ible  and  History  of  the  Springer  Family,  by  M.C.  Springer,  of 


J/\l  //IL-U.0 


^>///r/// 


f.^Mz 


NORTH   UNION   AND  SOUTH  UNION  TOWNSHIPS. 


691 


Zadoc,  and  Levi,  Jr.  His  wife  died  in  1778,  and  in  | 
1780  he  married  the  widow  Sarah  Duke  (whose 
maiden  name  was  Shephard),  by  whom  he  had  eight 
children, — Sarah,  Hannah,  Elizabeth,  Lydia,  Rachel, 
David,  Dennis,  and  Job.  Levi,  Sr.,  died  March  26, 
1823,  and  his  second  wife,  Sarah,  Oct.  25, 1832.  Den- 
nis eventually  moved  to  Virginia,  and  purchased 
and  settled  upon  land  surveyed  to  him  on  Apple-Pie 
Ridge  by  George  Washington.  It  was  obtained  from 
Fairfax,  who  resided  in  the  neighborhood.  Levi 
Springer,  Sr.,  lived  for  a  time  with  his  father,  Dennis, 
in  Virginia,  where  he  married,  and  where  were  born 
two  of  his  children,  with  whom  and  their  mother  he 
removed  into  Fayette  County  about  1773,  and  here 
the  younger  Levi,  as  noted  above,  was  born,  and  here 
raised,  being  instructed  in  childhood,  according  to  the 
manner  of  the  times,  in  domestic  private  schools. 
Early  in  life  he  engaged  in  boating  from  Brownsville 
to  New  Orleans,  La.,  and  frequently  made  return 
trips  home  from  that  far-off  point  on  horseback 
through  the  wilderness,  though  sometimes  coming 
back  by  vessel  as  far  as  New  York.  His  active  life- 
time home  was  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  his  birth- 
place, which  is  now  in  possession  of  the  family  of 
Dennis  Springer  (deceased),  having  never  been  sold 
since  first  taken  possession  of  by  the  elder  Levi  under 
the  law  of  "tomahawk  improvement." 

Mr.  Springer  after  his  boating  days  led  the  life  of  a 
farmer  mainly,  but  occasionally  dealt  in  real  estate, 
and  withal  became  a  man  of  wealth.  His  judgment 
of  the  value  of  lands  and  other  property  was  excel- 
lent, and  leading  operators  in  his  vicinity  were  wont 
to  consult  him  when  proposing  to  invest  their  money. 
He  bore  an  unsullied  character  for  integrity,  was  a 
man  of  large  stature,  very  energetic,  of  strong  will, 
and,  it  is  said,  never  failed  to  accomplish  what  he 
undertook.  He  was  an  old-line  Whig,  and  afterwards 
a  Republican,  taking  earnest  interest  in  politics. 

Ill  the  spring  of  1828  he  married  Catharine  Todd, 
a  widow  (whose  maiden  name  was  Condon),  and  who 
had  one  child,  John  O.  Todd,  who  resides  in  North 
Union  township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Si>riiiger  (who  died  in 
March,  1859)  were  the  parents  of  three  daughters, — 
Ruth  Ann,  who  married  Henry  W.  Gaddis ;  Kate, 
married  to  John  Fuller;  and  Priscilla  G.,  wife  of 
D.  O.  Cunningham,  of  Pittsburgh. 


JOHN  JONES. 
Mr.  John  Jones  is  the  grandson  of  one  of  the  first 
settlers  of  Hunimeltown,  near  Reading,  Pa.,  and  the 
son  of  John  Jones  (Sr.),  who  migrated,  with  his  wife, 
from  Berks  County  to  Fayette  County,  and  settled  in 
LTnion  township  in  1792.  His  mother  was  Sarah 
Lincoln,  of  Quaker  ancestry,  the  daughter  ^f  Mor- 
decai  Lincoln,  born  in  the  neighborhood  of  Hummel- 
town,  and  of  the  same  stock  as  Abraham  Lincoln,  the 
martyred  President.     Mr.  Jnncs  was  born  near  where 


he  now  lives,  Oct.  8,  1802,  the  youngest  child,  of  his 
parents,  who  had  two  sons  and  three  daughters.  In 
childhood  Mr.  Jones  went  to  the  common  schools, 
and  enjoyed  the  instructions  of  a  gentleman  who 
afterwards  became  the  distinguished  Judge  James 
Todd,  and  at  sixteen  years  of  age  attended  a  select 
school  for  a  while.  In  1819  he  was  apprenticed  to 
learn  the  trade  of  cabinet-making,  at  which,  as  ap- 
prentice and  journeyman,  he  continued  for  five  years, 
during  which  he  took  a  course  of  book-keeping. 
Thereafter  for  two  summers  he  was  occupied  with  the 
civil  engineers  who  made  the  United  States  surveys 
for  the  then  contemplated  extension  of  the  Chesa- 
peake and  Ohio  Canal  westward  from  Cumberland, 
under  Capt.  Shriver.  He  next  engaged  for  a  while 
in  stock-driving,  wherein  he  obtained  an  experience 
which  has  since  in  life  availed  him  profitably  as  a 
stock-raiser  and  dealer.  In  lS2fi  he  betook  himself 
to  the  life  of  a  farmer,  stock-ruiscr,  rU-.,  which  he  has 
since  pursued.  In  183.')  he  lioujrht  a  farm,  which  he 
now  occupies,  and  to  which  lu'  has  added  until  it  now 
covers  about  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  excellent 
land,  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  which  are  un- 
derlaid with  the  celebrated  nine  feet  stratum  of  Con- 
nellsville  coking  coal.  On  July  26,  1851,  he  suffered 
a  notable  disaster  in  the  destruction  of  his  house  and 
farm  buildings,  near  midnight,  through  a  violent  tor- 
nado, being  then  obliged  to  retreat  from  his  house 
with  a  family  of  thirteen  persons.  He  rebuilt  the 
house  and  barns  in  the  same  year. 

Mr.  Jones  is  a  life-long  Democrat,  but  not  a  poli- 
tician, always  averring  that  he  would  not  accept 
political  office  on  any  condition.  He  is,  and  has  been 
for  forty-seven  years,  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  having  been  steward  nearly  all 
that  time.  During  his  long  life  of  eighty  years  he 
has  borne  himself  with  unquestioned  fidelity  to  duty, 
and  enjoys  among  his  neighbors  a  high  character  for 
probity  and  honorable  business  dealing. 

He  was  in  June,  1826,  united  in  marriage  with 
Jane  Van  Horn,  of  Fayette  County,  who  died  Feb. 
10,  1879,  in  her  seventy-seventh  year,  and  by  whom 
he  had  five  sons  and  six  daughters,  all  of  whom 
reached  majority,  and  eight  of  whom  are  now  living. 


SAMUEL  M.  CLEMENT. 
Mr.  Samuel  M.  Clement,  of  English  descent  and 
Quaker  stock,  was  born  at  Camden,  N.  J.,  Aug.  8, 
1798,  and  emigrated  thence  with  his  father  and  family 
to  Fayette  County  at  the  age  of  twelve  years.  He 
was  educated  at  the  schools  of  Uniontown,  and  re- 
sided on  a  farm  in  North  Union  township  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  About  1834  he  kept  a  hotel  in  the 
mountains  at  the  old  Inks  stand,  half  a  mile  east  of 
Farmington ;  and  about  1835  he  and  a  partner  took 
and  prosecuted  a  valuable  contract  for  macadamizing 
on  the  National  road,  a  few  miles  east  of  Wheeling, 


692 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


W.  Va.  Leaving  the  mountains  he  removed  to  his  farm 
in  North  LTnion  township,  where  he  conducted  for 
several  years,  and  very  successfully,  a  woolen-mill, 
which  he  subsequently  converted  into  a  ^rist-mill 
that  is  still  in  operation.  Mr.  Clement  died  Jan.  8, 
1876. 

He  was  a  gentleman  of  genial  temperament,  jovial, 
possessed  of  much  humor,  and  of  course  was  very 
social.  Honest  in  all  his  business  transactions,  he 
was  held  in  high  esteem  by  his  neighbors.  He  was 
especially  remarkable  for  the  purity  of  his  life,  and 
despised  all  such  vices  as  profanity.  Although  not 
a  communicant,  he  attended  and  aided  in  the  support 
of  the  Baptist  Church.  In  politics  he  was  an  earnest 
Republican,  and  the  very  last  time  he  left  his  house 
it  was  for  the  purpose  of  going  to  the  polls,  as  a  mat- 
ter of  duty  to  his  country  as  he  regarded  it.  During 
the  war  of  the  Rebellion  he  was,  though  too  old  to 
go  into  the  field,  one  of  the  most  ardent  of  patriots, 
giving  all  his  moral  influence  and  much  of  his  time 
and  money  to  the  furtherance  of  the  cause  of  the 
Union. 

In  1.S23,  Mr.  Clement  married  Miss  Rebecca 
Springer,  daughter  of  Jacob  Springer,  of  L'uion- 
town.  His  wife  died  only  a  few  months  before  him, 
on  the  20th  of  September,  1875.  They  had  nine  chil- 
dren, only  one  of  whom  is  now  living.  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Clement,  who  resides  on  the  old  homestead  and 
skillfully  manages  the  farm. 


IS.\AC   BROWN. 


Among  the  active,  practical  men  who  have  con- 
tributed to  the  prosperity  of  Fayette  County  is  the 
now  venerable  Isaac  Brown,  of  South  Union  town- 
ship, who  was  born  Jan.  4, 1802,  in  Georges  township, 
less  than  a  mile  from  his  present  home.  Mr.  Brown's 
grandfather,  Emanuel  Brown,  came  from  Germany, 
and  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Fayette  County, 
whose  son  Abraham,  the  father  of  Isaac,  settled  upon 
a  tract  of  land  lying  near  Uniontown,on  which  Isaac 
Brown  now  lives,  and  one  of  the  most  valuable  tracts 
of  the  region.  Abraham,  the  father,  was  born  on  the 
same  spot  on  which  Isaac  first  saw  the  light.  Isaac 
was  married  first  to  Sarah  Hutchinson,  Aug.  2.3, 1829. 
Sarah  died  July  30,  1834.  By  this  marriage  there 
were  three  children, — Mary  A.,  who  died  in  infancy; 
Sarah,  who  died  April  6,  187C ;  and  Phebe  A.,  who 
married  Robert  Brownfield.  They  have  one  living 
child,  Robert.  Isaac  was  married  again  Jan.  6, 
1839,  to  Mrs.  Mary  Jane  Grier.  To  them  were  born 
four  children, — Caroline,  Clarissa,  Elizabeth,  and 
Isaac  Skiles  Brown,  who  married  Helen  Moore,  and 
resides  upon  his  father's  farm.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren,— Carrie  May  and  Isaac.  Mary  Jane  died  Sept. 
19,  1875. 

The  rule  of  Mr.  Brown's  life  has  been,  "  Owe  no 
man    :invtlung."     He   is  an   acute   business  man,  is 


hospitable,  and  respected  by  his  neighbors  for  his 
honesty  and  charity.  He  has  always  been  an  ardent 
Democrat,  casting  his  first  Presidential  vote  for  An- 
drew Jackson.  His  memory  is  retentive,  and  he  de- 
lights in  relating  incidents  in  the  early  history  of  the 
j  county.  His  race  is  nearly  run.  and  he  realizes  the 
truth  of  the  proverbial  saying,  "Once  a  man  twice  a 
child." 

BASIL  BROWNFIELD. 
Basil  Brownfield,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men 
,  who  ever  lived  in  Fayette  County,  or  any  other  part 
I  of  the  world,  died  at  his  residence  in  South  Union 
'  township,  Aug.  21,  1881,  in  the  eighty-sixth  year  of 
his  age.  It  is  a  matter  of  but  little  importance  from 
what  stock  was  descended,  or  where  was  born  and 
reared,  or  what  special  business  in  life  was  followed 
by  such  a  man  as  he  ;  for  nature  gave  him  stature  and 
intellect  of  such  large  proportions  as  to  derelate  or 
distinguish  him  from  almost  any  special  race  of  men, 
— made  him  a  giant,  a  symmetrical  anomaly,  who 
might  properly  look  with  contempt  down  upon  what- 
ever ancestral  line  led  up  to  him,  as  well  as  upon  his 
fellow-beings  generally.  But  since  Mr.  Brownfield 
left  a  brief  record  of  what  he  was  pleased  to  declare 
his  lineage,  it  is  well  enough  to  say  here  that  accord- 
ing to  that  record  he  was  of  Brito-Scotch-Irish  stock, 
and  was  the  great-grandson  of  Charles  Brownfield, 
■who  emigrated  to  America  from  Ireland  before  the 
Revolutionary  war,  but  whose  parents  were  Scotch 
Presbyterians,  who  left  their  native  land  and  settled 
in  Ireland,  and  who  traced  their  line  back  to  one 
'  George  Brownfield,  a  native  Briton,  who  belonged 
to  Cromwell's  horse,  and  went  over  to  Scotland  with 
the  great  Protector  and  his  army. 

Charles,  with  other  members  of  his  family,  settled 
j  near  Winchester,  Va.,  and  finally  came  into  Fayette 
I  County  through  the  persuasion  of  the  husband  of  a 
j  sister  of  his.  Col.  Burd,  the  builder  of  Redstone  Old 
Fort,  at  the  mouth  of  Redstone  Creek.     Charles  re- 
j  mained  in  the  region  now  known  as  Fayette  County, 
built  a  cabin  near  where  stands  the  present  Brown- 
field Station,   on  the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
j  road  ;  was  several  times  dislodged  and  driven  away 
!  by  the  Indians,  but  at  last  succeeded  in  fixing  his 
abode.     The  first  fee  simple  deed  on  the  records  of 
Fayette  County  is  that  of  Charles  Brownfield,  granted 
to  George  Troutman,  and  dated  Nov.  29,  1783. 

Charles  married  and  became  the  father  of  Robert 
I  Brownfield,  who  in  his  turn  had  a  son,  Robert  Brown- 
!  field,   Jr.,  and  this   latter  Robert  was  the  father  of 
'  Basil  Brownfield,  our  hero,  who  was  born  March  2, 
j  1796,  on  the  Brownfield  homestead  farm,  near  Smith- 
field,  Georges  township.     At  the  age  of  twenty-four, 
!  March  2,  1820,  he  married  Sarah  Collins,  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Margaret  Collins,  of  Union    township. 
She  died  Oct.  1,  1870,  aged  sixty-eight  years.     They 
had  eleven  children, — Joseph  C,  Robert,  Margaret 
C,  who  married  Jehu,  son  of  Col.  Benjamin  Brown- 


^  c^  C^'(L     ^  ^  ^  z^  ^. 


yj^hJ.     /ako-uAy^^^ 


NOKTH   UNION   AND  SOUTH   UNION   TOWNSHIPS. 


field  ;  Mary,  who  married  Isaac  Hutchinson,  a  son  of 
Isaac  H.,  of  Union  township,  but  a  native  of  Trenton, 
N.  J.,  and  died  Feb.  3,  1857 ;  Eliza,  who  died  un- 
married July  20,  1853,  in  the  twenty-fourth  year  of 
her  age  ;  Sarah  N.,  who  married  Wni.  F.  Core  ;  Ruth, 
who  married  Joseph  Barton,  son  of  the  late  William 
Barton,  Esq. ;  William  N.,  who  for  his  first  wife  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  James,  and  after  her  death  married 
Elizabeth  Sackett ;  Isaac  Allen,  who  married  Sarah 
Burchfield,  of  Pittsburgh  ;  Lydia  C,  wife  of  Thomas 
McClelland  ;  and  Harriet  Helen,  who  died  March  22, 
1870,  in  her  twenty-fourth  year. 

Basil  Brownfield  enjoyed  some,  but  little,  opportu- 
nities of  early  education  in  the  subscription  schools, 
and  though  quite  generally  understood  by  his  ac- 
quaintances throughout  life  to  be,  as  they  expressed 
it,  "  unlettered,"  in  the  sense  of  ignorant  of  books, 
investigation  discovers  that  he  read  books  extensively, 
was  particularly  well  versed  in  ancient  history  and 
in  the  history  of  his  country,  and  read  the  Bible  so 
carefully  and  appreciatively  as  to  be  able  to  quote  it 
fluently  and  pertinently  upon  occasion  of  warm  dis- 
cussion. 

Mr.  Brownfield  commenced  his  active  business 
life  (dating  from  about  twenty  years  of  age)  equipped 
with  little  "  book-learning,"  but  with  extraordinary 
native  intellect,  a  marvelously  retentive  memory,  and 
an  herculean  body.  By  industry,  rare  tact,  with 
which  from  the  beginning  he  was  gifted,  and  by 
economy,  he  made  his  way  steadily  on  to  fortune,  so 
that  at  the  age  of  about  thirty-five  he  was  accounted 
wealthy  in  the  local  sense.  But  at  about  forty  or 
forty-five  years  of  age,  burdened  through  unfortu- 
nate free-hand  indorsements  and  universal  bail-giv- 
ing for  others,  prompted  by  his  great  benevolence,  he 
became  financially  embarrassed,  and  mortgaged  much 
of  his  real  estate,  but  finally  managed  to  lift  his  bur- 
dens. But  during  this  period  of  financial  difficulty 
his  business  complications  became  numerous  and  vex- 
atious, and  a  career  of  litigation  in  his  history  was 
inaugurated  which  won  for  him  a  remarkable  distinc- 
tion in  the  courts,  and  which  continued  till  the  day 
of  his  death, — a  career  in  which  he  was  for  the  most 
part  the  victor,  by  one  means  and  another.  Litiga- 
tion became  a  recreation  to  him,  obviously  a  necessity 
to  his  happiness.  Strong-willed,  aggressive,  evi- 
dently feeling  that  great  intellect,  massive  muscles, 
and  tireless  endurance  are  "  gifts  of  God"  to  men  with 
which  to  fight  the  battles  of  life,  and  the  assertion  of 
a  powerful  manhood  a  very  duty,  Mr.  Brownfield 
made  of  course  hosts  of  enemies  to  himself,  but  he 
had  an  army  of  friends ;  and  there  was  another  body 
of  people,  neither  friends  nor  foes,  who  stood  aloof, 
admired  the  prowess  and  diplomacy  of  the  man,  how- 
ever much  they  might  have  questioned  the  propriety 
of  some  of  the  weapons  with  which  he  fought.  These 
were  wont  to  descant  about  what  a  throne  this  provin- 
cial demi-god  might  have  occupied  in  the  world  if  his 
education  in  literature  and  the  sciences  had  only  been 


fitting  to  his  superb  natural  gifts.  He  was  doubtless 
much  misunderstood  by  even  those  who  thought  they 
knew  him  best;  for  underlings  and  the  common- 
ality possess  no  means  of  measuring  the  mental  ca- 
pacity or  weighing  the  moral  worth,  or,  for  this  mat- 
ter, touching  the  bottom  of  the  ingenious  diabolism, 
it  may  be,  of  the  giants  about  the  outskirts  of  whose 
being  they  hang. 

But  want  of  space  forbids  our  enlarging  on  this  head. 
Many  legends  and  stories  of  more  or  less  truth  and 
some  fancy  are  current  regarding  Mr.  Brownfiold's 
peculiarities,   his   methods   of  operation,  his   eccen- 

I  tricities,  his  heroic  struggles  against  his  foes,  his  vic- 
tories, his  sagacious  demeanor  under  defeat,  turning 
it  often  into  victory,  etc.  ; — such  tales,  as  everywhere, 
cluster  about  the  memory  of  extraordinary  men;  but 
they  mostly  lack  verity  in  details,  and  can  hardly  be 
crystallized  into  permanent  history. 

I  Mr.  Brownfield's  great  experience  as  a  litigant  made 
him  conversant  with  the  arts  of  the  practice  of  the 
law,  and  gave  him  very  considerable  knowledge  of 

I  common  law  principles  and  of  the  statutes  of  the 
State,  and  his  fine  intellect  was  not  slow  to  take  the 
measure  of  the  attorneys  who  swarmed  about  the 
Fayette  County  courts.  He  held  the  most  of  them 
in  royal  contempt.  To  his  mind  they  were  pigmies, 
and  he  was  wont  to  say,  among  other  things,  of  those 
attorneys  and  pettifoggers  that  they  were  "  not  fit  to 
feed  stock,"  a  declaration  which  had  its  great  weight 
with  his  acquaintances,  and  probably  its  effect  upon 
the  career  of  the  luckless  attorneys,  for  such  men  as 
Brownfield  make  "  public  opinion,"  and,  it  may  be 
said,  the  law  too.  And  here  a  well-authenticated  tale 
regarding  him,  a  peculiar  fact  in  his  history,  such  as 
possibly  never  had  place  in  the  history  of  any  other 
man,  may  be  pertinently  narrated.  The  gist  of  it  is 
this,  that  Brownfield,  in  his  large-hearted  good  nature 
and  consummate  adroitness,  as  well  as  dominating 
wisdom,  was  accustomed  to  freely  feed  and  shelter  in 
his  own  house  his  most  active,  belligerent  foe.s,  har- 
boring and  nursing  them  while  they  were  bitterly 
"  lawing"  him  (to  use  the  provincialism  of  the  county) 
in  the  courts.  These  men  were  mostly  "  savages," 
too,  from  the  mountains,  who  not  only  accepted  his 
courtesies  when  extended,  but,  knowing  his  good  na- 
ture, often  quartered  themselves  unceremoniously 
upon  him,  turning  their  horses  into  his  pastures,  and 
betaking  themselves  to  his  table  and  fireside,  when 
they  came  down  to  town  to  wage  legal  war  upon  him. 
He  at  one  time  owned  many  thousands  of  acres  of 
land  in  the  mountains,  and  here  and  there  made 
clearings  therein,  put  up  cabins,  and  got  tenants  to 
occupy  them.  Almost  invariably  these  fellows  quar- 
reled with  him,  launched  suits  at  law  for  one  cause  or 
other  against  him,  and  in  the  midst  of  their  bitterest 
legal  fights  camped  at  his  fireside,  as  above  related. 

The  reader  who  admires  the  tender  Christian  kind- 
ness, the  forbearance,  the  benevolence,  and  other  vir- 
tues which  Mr.  Brownfield  surely  evinced  under  .such 


694 


HISTORY    Ob'    FAYETTE    COUiNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


extraordinary  circumstances  must  not  suspect  him  of 
having  indulged  in  childlike  simplicity  and  imbecility 
in  all  this.  He  knew  not  onlj'  how,  with  the  Chris- 
tian graces,  to  draw  the  temper  and  dull  the  edge  of 
his  adversary's  sword  or  turn  the  point  of  his  stiletto, 
but  how  as  well  to  catch  him  at  fault,  put  him  in  re- 
pose, and  woo  from  him  the  di'tails  (if  his  ]il(it  and 
circumvent  him.  He  understn.Ml.  in  sin, it,  tliat  it  is 
better  to  have  a  legal  foe  at  your  lii-fside  and  quii'tly 
study  his  weapons  than  to  keep  him  at  bay  and  be 
unconscious  all  the  while  whether  or  not  he  carries  ■ 
dynamite  torpedoes  in  the  shape  of  "  testimony"  of 
peculiar  coinage,  etc.,  which  he  may  cast  and  explode 
under  your  feet  at  any  time.  Mr.  Brou-nfield's  great 
benevolence  was  not  of  tlie  crude,  uinlisripliiied,  iin- 
discriminating  kind,  tlniui;li  it  wa>  'il'tiMi  spoiitaiienus 
and  hearty;  but  his  grrat  brain  was  ever  supreme, 
and  probably  even  his  occasional  religious  zeal  was 
never  so  hot-tempered  as  to  set  his  good  sense  agog. 

If  Jlr.  Browntield  at  times  forgot  liis  great  virtues 
of  benevolence,  great  social  virtues,  and  ri^iid  sense 
of  justice  and  stooped  to  the  use  of  'pe-iinnaMe  arts 
in  his  life  warfare,  it  must  be  said  in  his  defense  tbat 
he  was  surrounded  by  a  corrupt  set  of  men,  some  of 
them,  too,  men  of  comparatively  good  education,  able 
jurists,  for  example,  who  when  off  the  bench  kept  the 
ermine  spotless  by  hanging  it  away  out  of  sight  while 
they  systematically  wallowed  in  the  mire  of  business 
hypocrisies,  and  attempted  to,  and  sometimes  did, 
plunder  Browntield  himself, — in  short,  surrounded  by 
pious  knaves  of  all  kinds,  and  of  a  high  degree  of 
"respectability,"  and  who,  like  Basil  himself,  be- 
longed to  churches  which  were  for  the  most  part  ! 
cages  for  unclean  Ijirds;  and  Brownfield  was,  in  a  I 
sense,  compelled  to  figlit  these  wretches  with  their 
own  weapons,  and  learned  of  them  what  may  have 
been  bad  in  his  life  and  ways.  It  is  safe  to  say  that 
with  his  large  nature  he  was  always  better  than  his 
surroundings. 

That  the  poor,  who  through  his  whole  life  enjoyed 
his  largesses,  sorely  felt  his  loss  and  temlerly  mourned 
himdead,  sj.eak- vohinirsini-tliemaii.  And  it  should 
be  added  regardin-  him  that  he  s.,  profited  by  the  in- 
i(iuities  whieh  hr  di-eovered  hidden  und.  r  the  .-h.aks 
of  lii^  I'dlow  ehureh-members  and  members  of  eom- 
munions  other  than  his  as  to  be  aroused  to  strong 
suspicion  that  church  membership  is  not  necessarily 
a  sure  road  to  "glory."  Indeed,  he  was  bitter  in  de- 
nunciation of  some  church-members,  and  as  he  had 
jcloubts  at  last  about  the  existence  of  an  orthodox 
"hell,"  he  seemed  to  think  that  there  could  be  no 
suitable  home  for  them  in  the  future. 

But  even  Ttasil  Browntiehl,  who  potently  "lives 
after  he  is  dead,"  the  favorite  public  sobriquet  of 
whom,  "  Black  Hawk,"  a  name  which  when  associated 
with  his  will  and  brawn  bore  terror  to  evil-do,  i>, 
living  and  to  live  on  forever  in  history,  even  this 
"Black  Hawk"  Basil  must  not  be  allowed  too  nuich 
space  in  this  history,  though  eventful  and  wonderful 


was  his  life, and  this  sketch  must  come  to  aclose.  Per- 
haps nothing  more  fitting  in  its  ending  could  be  added 
than  the  following  extract  from  an  obituary  notice  of 
him,  published  editorially  in  the  Genius  of  Liberty  of 
Uniontown,  Aug.  25, 1881,  four  days  after  Mr.  Brown- 
field's  de.ath  : 

"  His  neighbors  bear  testimony  that  he  was  a  man 
cd"  good  impulses,  and  was  always  ready  to  forgive  an 
injury  when  he  was  approached  in  a  proper  way. 

"  His  physiognomy  had  the  impress  of  greatness 
strongly  marked  in  every  lineament,  and  we  venture 
to  say  that  no  man  ever  lived  and  died  in  Fayette 
County  with  a  stronger  east  of  expres.sion.  Mr. 
Brownfield  was  a  pleasant  and  agreeable  gentleman, 
and  his  home  was  always  open  for  the  reception  of 
his  friends  and  neighbors,  and  whilst  he  was  always 
able  to  impart  correct  knowdedge  of  the  secular  things 
that  had  transpired  around  and  about  him  for  more 
than  threescore  and  ten  years,  he  was  notable  as  a 
good  listener,  which  is  a  sure  indication  of  a  well- 
lialaiieed  mind." 

This  w.as  written  of  the  wonderful  man  when  near 
the  close  of  a  life  of  eighty-six  years,  in  far-length- 
ened old  age,  when  most  men  of  like  years  would  be 
passing  through  second  childhood  into  the  nursed 
infancy  of  drivelling  dotage.  Brownfield  had  no 
]ieer  in  his  domain,  and  nature's  monarchs,  unclassi- 
fied, spring  from  and  found  no  races.  Their  histories, 
like  their  lives,  are  grandly  individuate,  and  other 
men  record  but  cannot  imitate  them. 


J.   W.   MOORE. 
Mr.  J.  W.  Moore,  a  portrait  of  whom  appears  in 

this  work,  is  a  resident  of  Greensburg,  Westmoreland 
County,  in  which  county  he  owns  extensive  tracts  of 
eoal  lands,  and  has  other  possessions,  but  he  is  also 
largely  interested  in  the  manufacture  of  coke  in  Fay- 
ette County,  especially  at  the  coke-works  of  J.  W. 
Moore  &  Co.,  in  South  Union  township. 


WILLIAM    BAKTOX. 

William  Barton,  who  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  Sept. 
i:l,  1795,  of  Quaker  stock,  and  of  English  ancestry, 
i-.mie  into  Fayecte  County  with  his  parents  at  about 
twelve  years  of  age.  He  enjoyed  good  advantages  of 
education  for  the  times,  and  in  early  life  was  occupied 
for  some  years  as  clerk  and  manager  of  a  furnace  in 
Uniontown. 

On  X'.v.  L'^.  ]^-Ii,  he  married  Mrs.  Hannah  Collins 
Foster  bom  i  let.  l's.  1795),  widow  of  John  Foster,  a 
captain  in  tin  re;;ular  army  in  the  war  of  1812,  and 
daughter  o|  I'leniia-  Collins,  of  Uniontown,  who  was 
a  eolonel  in  the  -anie  war,  and  at  one  time  sheriff  of 
Fayette  Couiuy,  a  num  of  great  business  capacity. 
Soon  after  marriage  Mr.  Barton  settled  with  his  wife 


:i^/ J 


vUn£, 


^ff^^ 


WILLIAM    BARTON. 


NICHOLSON    TOWNSHIP. 


on  the  old  Collins  farm,  which  eventually  became  by 
inheritance  the  property  of  Mrs.  Barton,  in  South 
Union  township,  where  he  prosecuted  farming  all  his 
life,  adding  to  the  farm  by  the  purchase  in  1830  of  an 
adjoining  tract  equal  to  it  in  size.  Mr.  Barton  became 
a  considerable  stock-raiser  withal,  and  for  twenty 
years  or  more  ran  a  distillery,  the  products  of  which 
had  a  great  reputation  all  along  the  line  of  the  Na- 
tional road  when  that  thoroughfare  was  at  the  height 
of  its  glory. 

He  was  an  old-line  Whig,  afterwards  a  Republi- 
can, and  took  great  interest  in  national  politics  par- 
ticularly, and  though  confined  to  his  house  mainly 
for  the  last  eighteen  years  of  his  life,  he  always  caused 
liimself  to  be  carried  into  town  to  deposit  his  vote. 
He  died  Nov.  6,  1865,  while  the  war  of  the  Eebellion 
can  be  said  to  have  been  hardly  settled,  and  during 
that  struggle  watched  its  course  with  intense  anxiety, 
but  with  full  confidence  from  the  first  in  the  ultimate 
success  of  the  cause  of  the  Union.     He  was  a  genial 


man  and  noted  for  his  thorough  integrity  in  business, 
his  word  being  all  the  "  bond"  his  neighbors  needed 
of  him.  He  took  great  interest  in  the  public  schools, 
and  was  a  director  for  a  number  of  years.  Mr.  Barton 
was  a  great  reader  and  an  independent  thinker,  and 
was  never  attached  to  any  religious  organizations  ;  in 
ftict,  was  distrustful  of  if  not  opposed  to  such  organi- 
zations. 

Mr.  Barton  died  leaving  four  children,  one  daugh- 
ter and  three  sons,  all  now  dead  save  one  son,  Mr. 
Joseph  Barton,  who  served  as  a  private  in  the  First 
West  Virginia  Cavalry  during  the  war  of  the  Rebel- 
lion, and  who  owns  the  old  homestead,  in  which  with 
his  family  resides  his  aged  mother,  an  intelligent 
woman,  still  hearty  and  active,  occasionally  walking 
to  town  even  in  coldest  weather,  a  distance  of  two 
miles,  over  a  road  too  rough  at  times  for  horses  to 
travel  with  safety  to  limb,  and  one  of  the  wretchedly 
bad  roads  too  common  in  the  county  and  a  disgrace 
to  the  people  of  Uniontown. 


NICHOLSON  township; 


Nicholson  lies  south  of  German  and  north  of 
Springhill  township.  Its  area  is  over  twenty  square 
miles,  and  its  topography  is  similar  to  that  of  all 
the  western  portion  of  the  county.  Along  the  river, 
from  the  mouth  of  Georges  Creek  to  that  of  Jacob's 
Creek,  the  river-bluffs  crowd  close  upon  the  river,  in 
many  places  leaving  scarcely  enough  space  to  fornl  a 
road.  From  Jacob's  Creek  down  to  Catt's  Run  are 
tlie  broad  flats  known  as  "  Provance's  Bottoms."  The 
principal  stream,  next  to  the  river,  is  Jacob's  Creek, 
near  the  centre.  Georges  Creek  receives  several  con- 
siderable affluents  on  the  south,  and  Catt's  Run 
several  small  ones  on  the  north.  The  soil  is  generally 
very  fertile,  being  for  the  most  part  heavy  limestone. 
Wheat,  corn,  oats,  and  other  grains  are  produced  in 
great  abundance. 

Nicholson  township  was  formed  of  territory  taken 
from  the  old  townships  of  Springhill,  German,  and 
Georges.  The  first  movement  (unsuccessful)  towards 
forming  a  new  township  from  parts  of  these  town- 
ships was  made  a  little  more  than  forty  years  ago, 
as  follows : 

At  the  Seiitember  term  of  court,  1841,  a  petition 
was  presented  "  of  divers  inliabitants  of  Springhill, 
Georges,  and  German  townships  for  a  new  township, 
to  be  composed  of  parts  of  the  aforesaid  townships, 
to  be  called  '  Gallatin.'  "     Thomas  Boyd,  of  Bullskin, 


George  Craft,  of  Redstone,  and  George  Dawson,  of 
Brownsville,  were  appointed  commissioners.  A  favor- 
able report  was  made,  and  approved  Dec.  11,  1841. 
On  the  11th  of  June,  1842,  objections  were  filed, 
which  were  confirmed  by  the  court  on  the  2d  of  Jan- 
uary, 1843,  and  thus  the  proceedings  of  Dec.  11,  1841, 
were  rendered  void  and  of  no  effect. 

The  effort  was  renewed  with  success  in  184.3.  At 
the  June  session  of  the  court  in  that  year,  "  On  the 
petition  of  divers  inhabitants  of  Springhill,  George, 
and  German  for  a  new  township,  to  be  composed  of 
parts  of  the  aforesaid  townships,  to  be  called  'Nich- 
olson,' James  Paull,  James  H.  Patterson,  and  Jacob 
Murphy  were  appointed  commissioners.  ...  to  lay 
out  a  new  township  to  be  called  Nicholson  out  of 
parts  of  Springhill,  George,  and  German  townships." 
On  the  19th  of  August,  184.'),  these  commissioners  re- 
ported,— 

"  That  a  new  township  should  be  made  within  the  following 
boundaries,  to  wit :  Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Georges  Creek  : 
thence  up  the  same  to  Robert  Long's  fulling-mill;  thence  along 
the  Morgantown  road  to  a  point  at  or  near  Rev.  A.  G.  Fair- 
child'.s;  thence  by  a  road  as  far  as  Bonaparte  Hardin's:  thence 
by  a  straight  lino  to  the  northwest  branch  of  "i'ork's  Run  to  a 
stone-pile  ne.ar  a  white-oak  ;  thence  [by  various  courses  and  dis- 
tances] to  a  stone  in  Catt's  Run,  westwardly  of  .Jacob  Emley'.«, 
and  on  land  of  George  Dcfenbaugh,  about  three  perches  from  a 
spring-house;  thence  down  Catt's  Run  to  the  land  or  farm  of 
John  Poundstone,  where  the  road  crosses  said  run;  thence  by 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


said  road,  runuing  north  of  said  Puundstone':?  bouse,  nearly 
due  west  to  the  Monongahela  River;  thence  up  said  river  to  the 
place  of  beginning." 

On  the  19th  of  December,  1845,  this  report  was  ap- 
proved and  confirmed  by  the  court,  and  by  this  ac- 
tion Nicholson  was  erected  a  township  with  the  above- 
described  boundaries. 

In  the  December  session  of  court,  1846,  a  petition 
was  presented  "  to  change  part  of  the  boundary  line 
between  George  and  Nicholson  townships."  An 
order  was  issued  and  viewers  appointed,  viz.:  John 
Eobinson,  Isaac  Core,  and  Jeremiah  Kendall,  who 
made  a  report  on  the  2iith  of  February,  1847,  favora- 
ble to  a  change  in  the  line  between  Nicholson  and 
Georges  townshi|)s,  the  effect  of  which  was  to  include 
the  petitioners,  John  Harris,  James  Abram,  and 
Henry  Bowell,  in  the  township  of  Nicholson.  The 
report  was  approved  and  confirmed  by  the  court 
June  12,  1847,  making  the  change  of  boundary  as 
prayed  for  by  the  petitioners. 

The  name  Nicholson  was  given  to  the  township  in 
honor  of  James  Witter  Nicholson,  a  noted  citizen 
of  New  Geneva.  He  was  the  second  son  of  Commo- 
dore James  Nicholson,  U.S.N.,  who  became  senior 
oflicer  in  the  navy  October,  1776,  and  who  died  in 
New  York,  Sept.  2,  1><04.  His  mother  was  Frances 
Witter,  a  native  of  Maryland,  as  was  also  her  husband. 
James  W.  Nicholson  was  born  Ajjril  20,  1773,  his 
parents  residing  on  Nichohuii  manor,  near  Nicholson 
Gap,  Md.  His  wil'r  «a^  Ann  GritBn.  He  was  em- 
ployed by  Alliirl  Gallatin  to  manage  the  financial 
affairs  of  his  glass-factory  on  Georges  Creek,  one  mile 
east  of  New  Geneva,  which  he  established  in  1794. 
Nicholson  died  at  his  residence,  Oct.  6,  1851,  aged 
seventy-eight  years.  His  property  was  known  in  the 
early  land  titles  as  "  Elk  Hill ;"  title  dated  June  26, 
1770.  He  was  a  brother  of  Albert  Gallatin's  second 
wife.     Charles  N.  Nicholson  is  his  grandson. 

One  of  the  earliest  settlers  within  the  territory  now 
Nicholson  township  was  George  Wilson,  who  came 
to  this  section  about  the  year  1765,  and  settled  on 
Georges  Creek.  From  the  time  of  his  first  settlement 
here  he  appears  to  have  been  a  notable  man  among 
the  pioneers  of  the  Monongahela  Valley,  and  he,  with 
Thomas  Scott,  of  Dunlap's  Creek,  were  marked  by 
Lord  Dunmore,  and  arrested  by  his  order,  in  1774,  as 
chief  among  the  Pennsylvania  adherents  in  the  terri- 
torial controversy  between  this  State  and  Virginia, 
which  was  then  at  its  height.  It  was  at  the  house  of 
George  Wilson  that  the  Rev.  John  McMillen  stopped 
when  he  first  preached  to  the  Mount  Moriah  congrega- 
tion in  1775.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolution 
Wilson  entered  the  Revolutionary  army  in  the  Eighth 
Pennsylvania  Regiment,  and  became  its  lieutenant- 
colonel.  Referring  to  him,  and  to  his  honorable 
career.  Judge  Veech  says, — 

"  Col.  George  Wilson  is  a  historic  character.  He  was 
a  Virginian,  from  Augusta  County,  where  he  had  been 


an  officer  in  the  French  and  Indian  war  of  1755-62. 
He  came  to  the  West  about  1768-69  [Mr.  Veech  has  the 
date  about  three  years  too  late] ,  and  settled  on  the  land 
where  New  Geneva  now  is,  owning  the  land  on  the  river 
on  both  sides  of  Georges  Creek,  to  which  it  is  believed 
he  gave  the  name,  and  being  from  a  locality  in  Au- 
gusta called  Spring  Hill,  he  caused  that  name  to  be 
given  to  the  township  in  which  he  resided.'  He  was 
a  Pennsylvania  justice  of  the  peace  there  while  it  was 
a  part  of  Bedford  County,  and  his  commission  was 
renewed  for  Westmoreland.  Pennsylvania  had  no 
more  resolute  officer  than  he  was  in  all  the  boundary 
troubles.  .  .  .  He  died  in  the  service  of  his  country  as 
lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania  Regi- 
ment, Col.  Enos  McKay,  at  Quibbletown,  N.  J.,  in 
April,  1777." 

His  family  received  the  first  intelligence  of  his 
death  from  his  black  servant,  who  returned  from  New 
Jersey  with  the  colonel's  horse.  Of  the  children  of 
Col.  George  Wilson  little  is  known  with  certainty, 
except  that  William  George,  John,  and  Jane  were 
three  of  them.  Jane  married,  for  her  first  husband,  a 
man  named  Bullitt,  who  proved  a  spendthrift  and 
ran  through  his  wife's  patrimony.  She  was  at  one 
time  the  owner  of  the  farms  now  owned  by  Jason 
Woolsey  and  Daniel  Sharpnack,  as  also  of  many  acres 
of  other  lands.  After  Bullitt's  death  she  married  Mr. 
Hawkins,  an  excellent  man  of  the  Friends'  Society. 
By  him  she  had  children,  among  whom  the  most 
widely  known  was  the  Hon.  William  George  Haw- 
kins, of  Pittsburgh.  After  a  few  years  Mr.  Hawkins 
died,  and  his  widow  married,  for  her  third  husband, 
Gen.  John  Minor,  of  Greene  County,  by  whom  she 
had  two  children, — Lawrence  L.  Minor,  Esq.,  of 
Greensboro',  Greene  Co.,  and  Minerva,  who  married 
John  Crawford,  of  Greensboro',  and  who  died  in  1864, 
aged  about  fifty -six  years.  Her  son,  Lieut.  John 
Minor  Crawford,  served  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion 
in  the  Eighty-fifth  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  and  is 
now  a  resident  of  Greensboro',  Greene  Co.,  Pa. 

When  the  Rev.  John  Steele  and  other  commis- 
sioners were  sent  to  the  Monongahela  country,  in 
1768,  to  ascertain  what  settlements  had  been  made 
here,  they  reported  to  the  Governor  the  names  of 
those  found  settled  in  this  region,  and  among  them 
were  mentioned  as  living  "near  Redstone,"  "John 
Wiseman,  Henry  Prisser,  William  Linn,  William  Col- 
vin,  John  Vervalson,  Abraham  Teagard,  Thomas 
Brown,  Richard  Rodgers,  Henry  Swatz,  James  Mc- 
Clean,  Jesse  Martin,  Adam  Hatton,  John  Verval,  Jr., 
James  Waller,  Thomas  Donter,  Capt.  Coburn,  John 
Delong,  Gabriel  Conn,  George  Martin,  Thomas  Down, 
Andrew  Gudgeon,  Philip  Sute,  James  Crawford,  John 
Peters,  Michael  Hooter,  Daniel  McCay,  Josiah  Craw- 
ford, one  Provence."  Of  these,  several  can  be  lo- 
cated. Gabriel  Conn  was  an  early  settler  in  the  Mo- 
nongahela Valley,  where  many  of  the  descendants  are 


1  The  f,l; 


iVDship  until  the 


NICHOLSON   TOWNSHIP 


697 


found  to-day.  The  Crawfords  were  located  in  what 
is  now  Southwestern  Luzerne ;  Abraham  Teagard,  on 
Big  Whiteley  Creek,  in  Greene  County,  where  the 
name  is  common,  several  residing  in  Jefferson  and 
other  places  in  the  same  county.  The  "One  Pro- 
vence" evidently  means  John  W.  Provance,  who  re- 
sided on  the  river  bottom  between  Jacob's  Creek  and 
Catt's  Run,  in  Nicholson  township,  and  who  settled 
there  in  1767. 

William  Yard  Provance  was  also  one  of  the  very 
early  settlers  on  the  Monongahela  in  the  same  section. 
In  the  early  years  of  their  residence  here  an  old  In- 
dian chief  named  Bald  Eagle  lived  in  or  frequented 
the  valley  of  the  Monongahela.  He  was  on  the  most 
friendly  terms  with  the  white  settlers,  and  in  passing 
up  and  down  the  river  on  his  hunting  and  fishing  ex- 
peditions never  failed  to  stop  to  visit  the  Provances. 
Finally,  while  hunting  at  some  point  up  the  river 
(supposed  to  be  near  the  mouth  of  Cheat),  he  was 
murdered  in  cold  blood  by  three  white  men  named 
Jacob  Scott,  William  Hacker,  and  Elijah  Runer, 
who  after  doing  the  deed  thrust  a  piece  of  corn- 
bread  into  the  mouth  of  the  dead  chief,  and  placed 
the  lifeless  body  in  an  upright  position  in  the  canoe, 
which  was  then  sent  adrift  on  the  river.  It  floated 
slowly  down  the  stream,  and  finally  came  close  iu 
shore  opposite  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Provance, 
who  saw  it,  and  wondered  that  the  Bald  Eagle  main- 
tained his  motionless  position  in  the  canoe,  making 
no  movement  to  land.  Going  down  to  the  bank  she 
made  a  closer  observation  and  learned  the  truth,  that 
he  was  dead.  She  procured  assistance,  had  the  body 
brought  ashore,  and  buried  in  a  Christian  way.  The 
Indians  were  greatly  enraged  when  they  learned  of 
the  unprovoked  murder,  but  they  were  as  deeply 
grateful  to  Mrs.  Provance  and  her  family  for  the  re- 
spect they  had  shown  to  the  remains  of  the  murdered 
chief.  The  bones  of  Bald  Eagle  still  rest  in  an  un- 
marked and  unknown  grave  by  the  Monongahela, 
near  the  place  where  the  old  Provance  house  stood 
more  than  a  century  ago.  The  Provances  were  noted 
for  their  size  and  muscular  powers  as  well  as  for  their 
love  of  all  athletic  sports.  Many  of  the  descendants 
of  the  family  still  reside  in  Fayette  County.  By  some 
of  them  the  name  has  been  changed  to  Provins,  one 
of  them  being  Jacob  Provins,  of  Masontown,  who  is 
a  representative  in  the  State  Legislature  from  Fayette 
County. 

The  brothers  John  Hardin  and  Martin  Hardin 
have  already  been  mentioned  as  among  the  first  set- 
tlers in  the  Monongahela  Valley.  All  of  Martin 
Hardin's  family  afterwards  removed  to  Kentucky,  and 
became  prominent  citizens  of  that  State.  They  are 
mentioned  in  Marshall's  "  History  of  Kentucky,"  in 
which  it  is  stated  that  Martin  Hardin,  who  was  the 
father  of  the  somewhat  famous  Col.  Jnlm  Ilanliii,  of 
Kentucky,  emigrated  from  Fauquier  ( 'miiity,  \':i..  to 
Georges  Creek,  in  Fayette  County,  Pa.,  within  what 
is  now  Nicholson  township,  when  his  son  John  was 


twelve  years  old.  That  was  in  1765.  Not  long  after 
their  arrival  on  Georges  Creek  there  came  Indian 
troubles,  and  the  situation  of  the  settlers  became  pre- 
carious and  alarming,  but  they  held  their  position 
and  did  not  abandon  their  possessions,  as  was  the 
case  with  many  other  settlers. 

The  location  of  John  Hardin,  Sr.,  was  upon  a  tract 
of  land  which  he  called  "Choice,"  containing  three 
hundred  and  nineteen  and  a  quarter  acres  and  allow- 
ance. The  warrant  for  this  tract  was  dated  April  17, 
1769.  It  was  surveyed  May  22d  of  the  same  year. 
On  this  tract  he  made  his  residence,  and  lived  on  it 
until  his  death.  Martin  Hardin  located  a  tract  named 
"  Harbout,"  of  three  hundred  and  seventeen  and  a 
quarter  acres  and  allowance,  warranted  April  17, 
1769,  and  surveyed  on  the  22d  of  May,  1770.  He 
emigrated  to  Kentucky  in  or  soon  after  the  year  1780. 
His  son  John  (afterwards  Col.  John  Hardin)  went  to 
Kentucky  in  that  year,  and  took  up  lands  for  himself 
and  friends  in  Nelson  County,  afterwards  Washing- 
ton County,  in  that  State,  luit  returned  to  Fayette 
County,  and  remained  here  six  years  longer  before  he 
finally  removed  to  Kentucky.  In  Dunmore's  war  of 
1774  he  (John  Hardin,  Jr.)  served  with  a  militia 
company  as  an  ensign.  In  the  Revolution,  in  the 
year  1776,  he  joined  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania  Regi- 
ment, and  became  a  lieutenant  in  one  of  the  compa- 
nies. In  December,  1779,  he  resigned,  and  returned 
home  to  Georges  Creek,  declining  the  proffered  pro- 
motion to  the  rank  of  major  in  a  new  regiment.  In 
1784  he  received  the  nomination  for  sheriff'  of  Fay- 
ette County,  and  was  returned  to  the  Executive  Coun- 
cil as  one  of  the  two  candidates  receiving  the  highest 
number  of  votes.  ( )ii  that  occasion  and  under  those 
circumstances  ( len.  .ramcs  Wilkinson  asked  the  Coun- 
cil to  commission  Hardin  as  sheriff  in  a  letter  ad- 
dressed to  President  Dickinson,  of  the  Council,'  dated" 
November,  1784,  and  running  as  follows: 

"...  On  the  present  return  of  the  Election  for  Fayette 
County,  Major  John  Harden  stands  second  for  the  Sheriff's 
Office ;  permit  me  brieBy  to  state  to  your  Excellency  this  man's 
merit  without  detracting  from  that  of  his  competitor.  Mr. 
Harden  served  in  the  alert  of  the  Army  under  Generals  (then 
Colonels)  Morgan  &  Butler,  in  the  Northern  Campaign  1777. 
His  rank  was  that  of  a  Lieutenant,  and  I  can,  as  the  Adjutant 
General  of  the  Army  of  Gates,  assert  that  he  was  exposed  to  more 
danger,  encountered  greater  Fatigue,  and  performed  more  real 
service  than  any  other  officer  of  his  Station.  With  Parties  never 
e-xceeding  20  men,  he  in  the  Course  of  the  Campaign  made  up- 
wards of  sixty  Prisoners,  and  at  a  Personal  Rencounter  in  the 
rear  of  the  Enemie's  position,  he  killed  a  Mohawk  express,  & 
brought  in  the  dispatche.s  which  he  was  conveying  from  Genl. 
Burgoyne  to  the  Commanding  Officer  at  Ticonderoga  with  the 
loss  only  (indeed)  of  a  Lock  of  Hair,  which  the  Indian's  Fire 
carried  away.  It  is  sufficient  for  me  .Sir  to  testify  his  merits; 
the  Justice  which  characterizes  your  administration  will  do  the 

In  1786  he  removed  his  family  to  the  new  settle- 
ment in  Kentucky,  where  his  father  and  brothers  had 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


him.  In  the  same  year  he  yolunteered 
under  George  Rogers  Clarke  for  the  expedition  against 
the  Indians  on  the  Wabash,  and  was  ajspointed  quar- 
termaster. He  was  afterwards  engaged  in  the  suc- 
ceeding Indian  campaigns  in  Ohio  and  Indiana,  and 
rose  to  the  rank  of  colonel.  He  was  killed  in  the  cam- 
paign against  the  Miami  vill;iL'c~  in  the  fall  of  1702. 
A  son  of  his  was  killed  Feb.  S.;.  1>4:.  ;it  iIk-  battle  i)f 
Buena  Vista,  under  Gen.  Taylor,  in  Mexico. 

Miss  Martha  Hardin,  a  granddaughter  of  .lohii 
Hardin,  Sr.,  now  living  in  ><^icholson  township  in 
her  eighty-sixth  year,  gives  the  following  account  of 
the  family  of  which  she  is  a  member:  The  Hardins, 
she  says,  came  originally  from  France.  John  Hardin, 
Sr.,  Martin  Hardin,  and  Lydia  Hardin  (who  became 
Mrs.  Tobin)  were  brothei-s  and  sister.  John  Hardin, 
Sr.,  married  Isabella  Shubranch,  by  whom  he  had 
eleven  children,  viz. :  John,  Absalom,  Henry,  N'estor, 
George,  Cato,  Hector,  Mary  Ann,  Miriam,  Matilda, 
and  Alice.  He  died  in  Fayette  County,  and  his  wife 
survived  him  many  years.  Martin  Hardin  married 
Elizabeth  Hoagland,  liy  whom  he  had  seven  children 
liesides  Col.  John.  He  i  Martin  i  emigrated  from  Fay- 
ette County,  as  before  mentioned,  to  Kentucky,  and 
lived  in  the  latter  State  until  his  death,  though  he 
revisited  his  old  home  in  (then)  Springhill  town- 
ship, and  the  narrator  recollects  that  when  she  was  a 
little  girl  she  saw  him  here  on  one  of  those  visits. 
All  the  Hardins  of  Kentucky,  she  says,  are  his  de- 
scendants. 

Lydia  Hardin,  sister  of  John  and  Martin,  married 
Thomas  Tobin,  from  which  marriage  came  the  family 
of  Tobins  of  Fayette  County. 

Robert  McLain  was  a  Scotchman  who  settled  in 
Nicholson  township,  south  of  the  mouth  of  Catt's 
Run,  on  the  bank  of  the  Monongahela  River.  He 
■was  an  elder  of  the  Mount  Moriah  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Springhill,  which  was  organized  by  the 
Rev.  James  Power  in  1774.  Among  the  early  set- 
tlers he  was  highly  esteemed  and  respected.  He  was 
so  unfortunate  as  to  be  compelled  to  kill  a  fellow- 
being  to  save  himself  and  family  from  being  burned 
to  death.  The  region  along  the  Monongahela  was 
infe.sted  by  a  band  of  robbers,  called  "  Bainbridge's 
Gang,"  with  headquarters  at  a  high  bluff  of  the  river, 
now  owned  by  Jesse  E.  McWilliams,  and  known  as 
the  Robbers'  Den.  McLain  was  the  owner  of  a  very 
valuable  stallion,  which  they  resolved  to  take.  Mc- 
Lain having  been  notiiied  of  their  intention,  stabled 
his  horse  in  the  kitchen  of  his  house.  When  they 
arrived  they  soon  discovered  the  whereabouts  of  the 
horse,  and  commanded  McLain  to  bring  him  out. 
Receiving  no  reply,  they  warned  him  that  unless  he 
did  as  they  bade  him  his  house  would  be  fired.  Still 
receiving  no  answer,  Bainbridge  commanded  some  of 
his  men  to  get  straw,  and  he  would  .show  the  d — d 
Scotchman  wliether  his  commands  were  to  be  disre- 
garded. Seizing  the  straw  and  advancing  to  execute 
his  threat,  McLain  fired,  killing  him  instantly.     He 


was  then  carried  off  by  some  of  the  gang,  who 
wrapped  the  body  in  a  bed  coverlet,  with  stones,  and 
sunk  it  in  the  Monongahela.  Mr.  McLain,  in  the 
later  years  of  his  life,  was  greatly  troubled  in  mind 
by  the  recollection  of  this  justifiable  homicide.  Mr. 
[  John  Bowman  (deceased),  grandfather  of  Morgan  H. 
Bowman,  Esq.,  of  L'niontown,  told  the  writer  that 
Robert  McLain  frequently  visited  his  father's  house, 
and  that  he  had  often  heard  him  express  his  deep  re- 
gret for  having  killed  the  desperado  Bainbridge.  The 
date  of  Mr.  McLain's  death  has  not  been  ascertained. 
His  remains  lie  in  the  McLain  burial-ground,  in 
Nicholson. 

Isaac  Griffin  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers,  as 
well  as  one  of  the  most  prominent  men  in  public  and 
private  life  for  many  years  in  what  is  now  Nicholson 
township,  owning  a  large  amount  of  land  here,  a  part 
I  if  which  is  known  as  the  Morris  farm.  He  was  a 
native  of  Delaware,  Vicing  born  and  reared  in  Kent 
L'nunty  ill  that  State.  Although  wild  and  reckless 
while  young,  he  won  the  heart  of  a  young  Quakeress, 
named  Mary  Morris,  whose  family  were  strict  Friends. 
She  was  locked  in  a  room  up-stairs  to  prevent  her 
union  with  the  young  worldling.  He  found  out  the 
situation,  obtained  a  ladder,  put  it  to  the  window,  and 
she  climbed  down  and  eloped  with  him.  This  bit  of 
romance  has  been  handed  down  in  that  neighborhood 
to  this  day.  A  meeting  of  the  Friends  was  called, 
when  she  was  notified  that  "  If  thee  will  say  thee  is 
sorry  that  thee  married  Isaac,  thee  can  stay  in."  But 
as  she  would  not  say  it  she  was  expelled  from  their 
membership. 

Isaac  Griflin  was  a  captain  in  the  war  of  the  Rev- 
olution, and  had  a  great  deal  of  trouble  with  the 
Tories,  who  were  very  numerous  in  Delaware.  He 
was  mainly  instrumental  in  capturing  their  leader, 
Chany  Clow,  who  was  executed.  When  Clow  came 
home  from  the  Tory  camp,  Capt.  Griffin  with  his 
company,  and  accompanied  by  Maj.  Moore,  sur- 
rounded the  house.  It  was  dark,  and  in  attempting 
to  reach  the  door  Griffin  stumbled  and  fell.  Maj. 
Moore  got  ahead  of  him  and  was  shot  dead  by  Clow, 
who  said  he  was  sorry  it  was  not  Griffin.  The  adher- 
ents of  Clow  hated  Griffin  intensely,  and  after  the 
close  of  the  war  his  personal  safety  was  endangered. 
This  in  part  caused  him  to  change  his  residence. 
He  bought  his  first  lands  in  Springhill  (now  Nichol- 
son) township,  Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  of  the  Hardins,  but 
the  Indians  lingering  near,  his  wife  feared  to  move 
there.  He  then  traded  his  Western  lands  to  his  rel- 
)  ative,  Charles  Griffin,  for  a  farm  in  Delaware,  where 
j  the  town  of  Clayton  now  stands.  His  wife  having 
lost  her  health,  and  his  enemies  constantly  harassing 
I  him,  she  finally  consented  to  go  to  Western  Pennsyl- 
]  vania.  He  again  visited  the  West  and  bought  land 
of  the  Evans'.  He  afterwards  bought  several  farms, 
and  became  one  of  the  most  successful  stock-raisers 
on  the  Monongahela. 

Mr.  Griftin  owned  a  few  negro  slaves  that  he  brought 


NICHOLSON   TOWNSHIP. 


with  him  to  Fayette  County.  Soon  after  he  became 
a  citizen  of  Pennsylvania  the  Governor  appointed  him 
justice  of  the  peace,  in  1794,  in  which  capacity  he 
served  several  years.  In  1807  he  was  elected  to  the 
Legislature,  and  re-elected  until  he  served  four  suc- 
cessive terms.  In  1809  there  were  six  candidates  for 
the  office,  but  Mr.  Griffin  ran  far  ahead  of  all  the 
others,  receiving  the  entire  vote  of  Fayette  County 
with  the  exception  of  about  two  hundred  votes.  Al- 
though living  in  the  opposite  end  of  Fayette  County 
from  Mr.  John  Smilie,  Mr.  Griffin  was  appointed  by 
that  gentleman  one  of  the  executors  of  his  will,  and 
at  his  death  in  1812  Mr.  Griffin  was  elected  to  Con- 
gress as  Mr.  Smilie's  successor.  It  is  related  of  him 
that  upon  being  notified  of  his  election  he  brought 
cloth  of  home  manufacture  to  Thomas  Williams,  Esq., 
of  New  Geneva,  for  the  purpose  of  having  him  make 
him  a  suit  of  clothes.  He  informed  the  persons  pres- 
ent that  "  he  raised  the  sheep,  carded,  spun,  dyed,  and 
wove  the  cloth  on  his  own  premises."  At  a  mass- 
meeting  in  Uniontown  he  was  nominated  for  Congress 
by  acclamation.  At  the  election  his  competitor  was 
Gen.  Thomas  Meason,  a  prominent  member  of  the 
Fayette  County  bar.  He  defeated  Gen.  Meason  by 
a  large  majority,  and  was  once  re-elected  without  op- 
position. He  served  in  the  Thirteenth  and  Fourteenth 
Congresses.  In  1812  a  gloom  was  cast  over  him  by 
the  death  of  his  favorite  son,  James  Morris  Griffin, 
who  was  killed  in  battle  in  the  war  with  England. 

Mr.  Griffin  voted  to  sustain  Mr.  Madison  in  all  his 
war  measures,  and  ever  enjoyed  his  confidence,  as 
well  as  that  of  his  constituents.  For  no  vote  that  he 
gave  during  the  ten  years  that  he  was  in  public  life 
was  he  censured,  but  for  a  vote  that  he  did  not  give 
he  was  blamed.  It  was  said  that  when  the  vote  was 
taken  to  increase  the  pay  of  members  of  Congress  he 
was  not  in  the  house.  He  felt  stung  by  the  comments 
of  a  writer  in  his  home  paper,  and  would  not  allow  his 
name  used  as  a  candidate  for  re-election. 

In  1824,  Mr.  Griffin  was  the  Crawford  electoral  can- 
didate for  the  Fayette  district,  but  was  of  course  de- 
feated, as  the  State  went  largely  for  Jackson.  Mr. 
Griffin  could  never  be  induced  to  make  a  publ 
speech,  but  his  conversational  powers  were  of  a  high 
order,  and  these  made  him  a  general  favorite.  The 
ablest  men  of  the  nation  would  with  pleasure  listen 
to  hear  him  talk.  His  personal  dislike  to  Gen.  Jackson 
was  caused  by  the  hanging  of  Alexander  Arbuthnot 
and  Robert  C.  Ambrister  in  Florida  after  they  were 
cleared  by  court-martial.  This  opposition  to  Gen. 
Jackson  caused  Mr.  Griffin  to  lose  his  great  popularity 
among  his  neighbors,  where  Jackson  was  a  great 
favorite. 

Mr.  Griffin  had  features  of  the  Roman  type,  with 
black  hair  and  deep-blue  eyes.  In  height  he  was  six 
feet  two  inches,  and  had  a  powerful  physical  organi- 
zation. Although  he  was  modest  and  retiring  he 
possessed  a  chivalric  nature,  and  he  was  not  slow  to 
resent  an  insult.     While  in  Congress  he  had  a  diffi- 


ic  i 


culty  with  a  member  from  South  Carolina,  which 
would  have  been  a  serious  affair  bul^  for  the  timely 
interference  of  other  members.  At  a  public  dinner 
in  Uniontown  an  Englishman,  who  was  an  officer  of 
the  old  Uniontown  Bank,  spoke  of  Mrs.  Madison  in 
the  most  disgraceful  terms,  and  for  this  act  of  ill- 
breeding  Mr.  Griffin  knocked  him  down  at  the  table, 
an  act  for  which  he  was  greatly  applauded  at  the 
time. 

Soon  after  he  settled  in  his  new  home  in  Fayette 
County  his  wife  joined  Father  Woodbridge's  Seventh- 
Day  Baptist  Church,  and  remained  a  consistent  mem- 
ber until  her  death,  which  occurred  in  her  eightieth 
yeaf,  although  she  had  been  an  invalid  for  fifty  years. 
Her  husband,  although  not  a  member,  gave  his  sup- 
port to  the  regular  Baptist  Church.  This  caused  them 
to  have  a  Sabbath  and  a  Sunday  in  their  house  for 
about  forty  years,  but  this  occasioned  no  jar,  for 
everything  moved  on  smoothly,  and  they  traveled 
life's  pathway  harmoniously,  although  differing 
widely  in  most  things.  After  Mr.  Griffin  retired 
from  public  life  he  remained  on  his  farm  until  his 
death,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years,  occasioned  by  a 
fall  from  a  loaded  wagon.  The  Rev.  John  Patton,  of 
the  Baptist  Church,  who  performed  the  funeral  ser- 
vice, said,  "Mr.  Griffin  did  not  attach  himself  to  the 
church  for  reasons  best  known  to  himself,  but  he  was 
an  Israelite  indeed  in  whom  there  was  no  guile.'' 
His  wife  survived  him  several  years.  They  had  ten 
children,  four  sons  and  six  daughters,  all  of  whom 
survived  their  father  except  the  sons  James  M.  and 
Isaac.  One  of  the  daughters,  Ann,  married  James 
W.  Nicholson.  She  resided  during  her  life  near  New 
Geneva.  Charles  Nicholson  is  the  only  representa- 
tive of  this  branch  of  the  family  remaining.  Mary 
Griffin  married  Andrew  Oliphant.  Joseph  E.  Griffin 
was  formerly  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature  from 
Fayette  County,  and  is  now  living  in  Texas.  Wil- 
liam P.  Griffin  is  of  the  original  stock,  a  descendant 
of  Isaac  and  Mary  Griffin. 

Robert  Ross  was  an  early  settler.  It  does  not  ap- 
pear that  in  the  early  part  of  the  Revolutionary  war 
he  was  reckoned  among  the  adherents  of  the  patriot 
cause,  but  in  June,  1779,  he  took  the  oath  of  allegi- 
ance to  Pennsylvania,  and  afterwards  served  to  the 
end  of  the  war  under  Gen.  Anthony  Wayne.  At  the 
close  of  the  struggle  he,  like  thousands  of  others, 
was  paid  the  arrears  due  him  for  services  in  Conti- 
nental money,  which  was  depreciated  to  one-fortieth 
of  its  face  value.  He  afterwards  served  in  the  vari- 
ous Indian  campaigns  in  Ohio  and  Indiana,  rising  to 
the  rank  of  captain.  In  the  Whiskey  Insurrection  of 
1794,  Capt.  Ross  was  on  the  side  of  the  insurgents, 
and  commanded  a  company  of  about  one  hundred 
men  of  the  western  and  southwestern  parts  of  the 
county,  a  part  of  the  (supposed)  available  force  of 
the  insurrectionists  to  be  used  in  opposition  to  the 
government.  At  the  head  of  this  company  Capt.  Ross 
marched  to  Uniontown  in  August,  1794,  to  raise  the 


700 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUiNTY,  PENxNSYLVANlA. 


"  liberty  poles"  in  the  town,  and  two  miles  south  of 
it  at  Gaddis'  place.  When  Gen.  Lee  came  in  with 
his  army  to  suppress  the  insurrection,  a  squadron  of 
cavalry  was  sent  towards  the  Monongahela  for  the 
capture  of  Robert  Ross  as  insurgent  leader,  but  the 
expedition  was  unsuccessful.  The  powder-horn  and 
other  Revolutiiiiiarv  arcnutrements  of  Capt.  Ross  are 
in  the  posses>i(iii  (if  liis  -randsons  in  Iowa.  Another 
of  his  grandsons  is  the  lion.  Moses  A.  Ross,  of  Som- 
erset County,  Pa. 

In  Nicholson,  on  the  road  leading  from  JIasontown 
to  New  Geneva,  riri  the  "Goose  Neck,"  is  a  tract  of 
land  on  whicli  was  the  settlement  of  a  Mr.  Graham, 
who  came  there  from  Washington  County,  Pa.  On 
this  he  erected  a  mill  and  distillery,  some  vestiges 
of  which  are  still  in  existence,  located  on  Jacob's 
Creek.  Graham  having  become  heavily  indebted  to 
Jesse  Evans  (father  of  Col.  Samuel  Evans,  now  living 
near  Uniontown),  sold  this  property  to  one  Haught. 
Tlie  buildings  were  destroyed  by  fire  soon  afterwards. 
Graham  emigrated  to  ( 'inciiinati,  01ii<i,  where  he  be- 
came engaged  in  tlic  manufacture  of  jiaper.  It  has 
been  said  of  him  that  he  was  a  lirothcr-in-law  of 
President  William  II.  Harrison,  Init  this  is  not 
known  to  have  been  a  fact. 


Th. 


hrst 


it..-  men  who  visited  the  place  where 
village  of  New  Geneva  were  William 


J,.h 


ingle.  Samuel  Pt 


Joseph 
of  F..rt 


Child. 
Lin.l-. 

Pitt,  wh,.  .I.^-.tI.mI  tV..ni  th.'  |iuM  in  th,-  year  17(11, 
and  Iravek-d  ii|)  the  .M.monguhchi  to  this  place,  at 
the  month  of  Georges  Creek,  but  before  the  stream 
liad  ever  been  known  by  that  name.  They  remained 
here  but  a  short  time,  liowever,  and  not  liking  the 
location  moved  eastwar.l  t.i  th.-  up|.ur  waters  ..l'  th.- 
Youghiogheny,  where  they  li\.-.l  in  tli.-  '■  (Hades"  re- 
gion for  about  a  year,  and  then  move.l  s.iutliward 
into  Virginia,  and  lived  for  some  years  on  the  waters 
of  Buckbannon  River. 

These  men,  however,  e.udd  n.it  in  any  sense  be  re- 
ganl.-.l  a>e\en  t.-nipniai-y  .v. ///.  ,n  .>n  the  M.mongahela, 
the  tir^t  |i(r-.in  uh.i  a.tually  .■^etllell  at  .ir  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  site  of  New  Geneva  lieing  CI.  ( ieorge  Wil- 
son, who,  as  has  already  been  mention. --I,  eame  there 
about  17(35,  and  gave  to  the  creek  his  own  name, — 
Georges, — and  thus  to  the  township,  when  it  was 
formed  (embracing  the  south  part  of  what  is  now 
Nicholson),  the  name  of  Springhill,  from  his  former 
home  in  Virginia.  His  resi.len.-.- .ni  ( Jeorges  Creek, 
however,  was  not  directly  at  th.-  ni.iuth,  but  a  short 
distance  above  it,  and  his  first  purehust-  .if  land  here 
did  not  include  to  the  bank  of  the  Monongahela, 
where  Geneva  village  stands.  This  was  warranted  to 
Col.  Wilson's  sons,  Sept.  15,  1785,  eight  years  after 
their  father's  death.  Tlie  title  afterwards  passed  to' 
Albert  (iallatin. 

The  first  actual  and  iiermanent  settler  within  the 
town  limits  was  Thomas  Williams,  a  native  of  Dela- 


ware, and  a  tailor  by  trade.  The  precise  date  of  his 
settlement  here  is  not  known,  but  it  was  not  far  from 
the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  On  the  19th  of 
February,  1793,  he  married  Joanna  Phillips,  daughter 
of  Theophilus  Phillips,  who  was  one  of  the  earliest 
settlers  in  this  section,  but  on  the  south  side  of 
Georges  Creek.  Thomas  Williams  became  a  some- 
what prominent  man,  and  was  one  of  the  most  highly 
respected  citizens  of  the  township.  He  received  the 
appointment  of  justice  of  the  peace  in  or  about  1797. 
and  served  in  that  oflice  satisfactorily  to  the  people 
and  creditably  to  himself  until  his  death  in  1837,  a 
period  of  forty  years.  His  son,  Joseph  G.  Williams, 
also  filled  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  in  Nichol- 
son for  thirty-five  years. 

From  the  time  when  Thomas  Williams  settled  here 
a  few  other  settlers  gathered  round  him  from  time  to 
time,  until  a  number  of  straggling  dwellings  had  clus- 
tered on  the  river-bank  and  on  the  blufl'  above  it, 
and  in  the  early  days,  before  the  present  name  had 
lieen  given  to  the  village,  these  little  groups  of  houses 
had  received  the  names  of  "  Wilson  Port"  and 
"  (George  Town,"  applied  respectively  to  the  settle- 
ment on  the  river  margin  and  to  that  on  the  bluff, 
the  two  embracing  the  two  names  of  the  early  pro- 
prietor of  the  neighboring  lands,  George  Wilson. 

The  title  to  lands  embracing  the  site  on  the  river 
being  purchased  by  Mr.  Gallatin,  as  before  mentioned, 
he  laid  out  upon  it  the  town  of  New  Geneva,  so  named 
by  liim  from  Geneva,  in  his  native  Switzerland.  The 
"eharter"  was  acknowledged  by  Mr.  Gallatin  before 
Justice  Isaac  Griffin,  Oct.  31, 1797,  the  town  plat  bear- 
ing date  the  28th  of  the  same  month. 

The  building  of  the  old  glass-works  in  the  vicinity 
by  ("4allatin  and  his  partners,  and  the  establishment 
..I'the  gun-factory,  together  with  the  residence  of  Mr. 
( lallatin  and  some  other  persons  of  note  in  the  vicinity, 
gave  to  New  Geneva  (as  the  post-town  of  the  sur- 
rounding country)  a  considerable  growth  and  much 
prospective  importance,  which  latter,  however,  has 
proved  to  a  great  extent  delusive.  In  1797  the  im- 
pending danger  of  a  foreign  war  and  the  passage  of 
an  act  to  procure  twenty  thousand  stand  of  arms 
for  the  State,  as  also  similar  action  in  other  States  and 
by  the  general  government,  led  to  the  establishment 
of  gun-tiictories  in  various  parts  of  the  country,  and 
among  these  was  the  one  established  by  Albert  Gal- 
latin and  Melchoir  Baker  near  New  Geneva  in  1799, 
for  the  manufacture  of  muskets,  broadswords,  and 
other  arms.  It  was  located  in  that  part  of  Springhill 
township  which  is  now  Nicholson,  on  land  now  or 
recently  owned  by  Philip  Keefover.  The  establish- 
ment employed  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  men.  In 
1800  the  State  contracted  with  this  establishment  for 
two  thousand  muskets,  and  about  the  same  time  the 
firm  received  an  order  from  the  general  government 
for  a  large  number  of  arms.  In  1801,  when  Mr.  Gal- 
latin was  about  being  called  to  the  head  of  the  Treas- 
ury Department,  he  came  from  Washington  to  New 


NICHOLSON   TOWNSHIP. 


701 


Geneva,  and  closed  out  his  interest  in  the  factory  of 
his  partner,  Mr.  Baker,  because  his  prospective  posi- 
tion as  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  would  render  it  im- 
proper for  him  to  be  privately  concerned  in  contracts 
to  which  he  would  of  necessity  be  a  party  on  behalf 
of  the  government.  Mr.  Baker  continued  the  busi- 
ness for  several  years  and  with  some  success  until  the 
government  armories  at  Harper's  Ferry  and  Spring- 
field, Mass.,  were  established,  when  he  abandoned  the 
gun-works  in  Fayette  County  and  removed  to  Clarks- 
burg, Va. 

A  memorable  event  in  the  history  of  New  Geneva 
was  the  visit,  in  1825,  of  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette 
to  Albert  Gallatin,  at  the  residence  of  the  latter,  at 
"  Friendship  Hill,"  on  the  south  side  of  Georges 
Creek,  in  Springhill  township.  To  reach  that  place 
he  would  pass  through  the  town  of  New  Geneva,  and 
the  time  of  his  arrival  had  been  announced  a  suffi- 
cient time  in  advance  to  give  an  opportunity  to  make 
preparations  for  a  fitting  reception. 

"  The  streets  were  swept  perfectly  clean,  the  dwell- 
ings decorated,  and  the  inhabitants,  dressed  in  their 
best,  patiently  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  distinguished 
foreigner.  For  the  purpose  of  escorting  the  General 
to  Gallatin's  they  had  raised  a  company  of  men,  who 
were  commanded  by  Captain  Joseph  Wood,  with 
James  W.  Nicholson  as  first  lieutenant.  These  men 
escorted  the  General  and  his  suite  through  the  town, 
he  the  while  standing  uncovered  in  his  carriage,  re- 
sponding to  the  salutations  of  the  citizens.  Having 
arrived,  he  was  conducted  to  Gallatin's  house,  where 
the  speeches  of  welcome  and  reply  were  made. 
Lunch  was  .served  to  all  upon  the  ample  grounds. 
After  the  speech-making  and  dining,  several  sur- 
vivors of  the  Revolution  were  called  for  by  the  Mar- 
quis. Frederick  Eberhart,  who  assisted  in  bearing 
the  wounded  General  from  the  disastrous  field  of 
Brandywine,  was  there.  The  meeting  between  these 
old  comrades  was  most  affecting ;  they  embraced  and 
wept  like  children."  After  the  ceremonies  and  fes- 
tivities were  concluded,  Lafayette  and  suite,  ac- 
companied by  Mr.  Gallatin,  returned  to  Uniontown, 
from  whence  the  Marquis  proceeded  on  his  way  to 
Pittsburgh. 

Manufacturing  has  always  been  carried  on  to  some 
extent  in  New  Geneva,  though  the  high  hopes  that 
were  indulged  in  that  direction  on  the  establishment 
of  the  old  glass-works  and  gun-factory,  more  than 
eighty  years  ago,  are  long  since  dead  and  almost  for- 
gotten. In  1837,  Andrew  Kramer,  Baltzer  Kramer, 
Theophilus  P.  Kramer,  and  Philip  Eeitz  established 
a  glass-factory  here.  The  style  of  the  firm  was  An- 
drew Kramer  &  Co.  The  brand  was  the  same  as  that 
of  Albert  Gallatin  and  the  Kramers,  who  established 
the  first  factory  on  Georges  Creek  in  1794,  viz.,  "  New 
Geneva  Glass."  The  last  glass  made  in  this  factory 
was  by  John  C.  Gabler  and  Charles  Kramer,  in  1857. 
The  sheritT  had  sold  the  works.  Alexander  Crow  be- 
4-3 


came  the  owner,  and  sold  to  William  H.  Sheldon,  and 
he  to  Isaac  P.  Eberhart.  Mr.  Eberhart  has  demol- 
ished the  factory,  and  the  lot  is  cultivated  for  garden 
produce,  which  pays  better  than  a  glass-factory  so  far 
from  the  needful  material. 

In  1840,  William  James  established  a  foundry  here. 
After  running  it  for  a  season,  Shealor  &  Merryman 

!  bimght  it  and  began  making  the  celebrated  cook-stoves 
known  as  "  Drum  Stoves."     The  patent  was  granted 

j  to  J.  J.  Anderson,  Aug.  17,  1843.     These  stoves  had 

I  a  large  sale_and  were  considered  perfect.  The  foundry 
has  not  run  since  the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  Just  on 
the  river-side  of  town  stood  the  "  Old  River  Mill,"  of 
whose  erection  none  can  tell.     It  belonged  to  a  class 

!  of  mills  now  only  found  far  up  the  head-waters  of  the 
Monongahela.    Duringdry  seasons  it  did  all  the  grind- 

I  ing  for  miles  around.  Daniel  Hough  has  the  only  mill 
now.  The  French  Mills  were  located  on  Georges 
Creek.     They  now  belong  to  Warwick  Ross'  heirs. 

The  town  of  New  Geneva  is  located  in  the  extreme 
southwest    corner    of   Nicholson    township,   having 

>  Georges  Creek  on  the  south,  and  the  Monongahela 
River  as  its  west  line.  Its  site  embraces  the  river 
bottom,  the  bluff  above,  and  intermediate  levels. 
The  streets,  except  along  the  river  and  creek,  are  in 
most  parts  steep  and  difficult.  There  are  few  preten- 
tious buildings  here,  either  business  structures  or 
residences.  The  town  is  antiquated,  and  has  little  of 
the  modern  look,  yet  a  considerable  amount  of  busi- 
ness is  done  from  this  point,  chiefly  on  the  river, 
this  being  practically  the  head  of  slack-water  navi- 
gation on  the  Monongahela.  The  fine  steamers 
"Geneva,"  "  Germania,"  and  "James  G.  Blaine," 
belonging  to  the  Pittsburgh,  Brownsville  and  New 
Geneva  Packet  Company,  make  daih*  trips  from  this 
town  to  Pittsburgh,  compensating  in  a  great  degree 
for  the  lack  of  railroad  facilities. 

Among  the  buildings,  institutions,  and  business  of 
the  town  are  included  a  post-office  (established  before 
the  year  1800),  signal  service  station,  two  school  build- 
ings, six  stores,  a  grocery,  warehouse  and  commission 
business,  three  eating-houses,  wagon-shop,  blacksmith- 
shop,  a  merchant  tailor's  establishment,  two  physi- 
cians, two  pottery-works,  a  saw-mill  and  grist-mill 
(built  by  A.  B.  &  M.  Eberhart  in  1837),  three  religious 
organizations, — Presbyterian,  Baptist,  and  Methodist, 
— and  two  hundred  and  eighty-six  inhabitants,  ac- 
cording to  the  United  States  census  of  1880. 

The  only  places  in  Nicholson  township  besides  New 
Geneva  which  can  claim  any  approach  to  town  or 
village  importance  are  Anderson  and  Woodward's 
Cross-Roads.  The  former  has  a  post-office,  two  stores, 
and  a  blacksmith-shop,  and  is  the  polling-place  for 
the  township.  Woodward's  Cross-Roads  has  a  store 
and  several  dwellings. 

The  township  contains  a  number  of  saw-mills  and 
grist-mills.  Among  these  are  the  Gray  grist-  and 
saw-mills,  Poundstone  grist-  and  saw-mill,  and  Hon- 
sacker's  saw-mill.     Many  years  ago  Peter  Johnson 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


carried  on  a  foundry  on  Jacob's  Creek,  which  is  now 
abandoned. 

LIST    OF    TOWNSHIP   OFFICERS. 
The  names  of  the  persons  elected  to  the  principal 
township  offices  in  Nicholson  from  the  time  of  its 
erection  to  1881  is  given  below,  viz. : 

JUSTICES   OF    THE   PEACE, 


1S45 

.Joseph  G.  Williams.i 

1863 

James  Woolsey. 

Jubn  Schnatterly. 

1864 

John  Hague. 

1846 

John  Schnatterly. 

1865 

. 

Joseph  G.  Williams. 

1866 

Joseph  G.  Williams. 

1851 

Joseph  G.  Williams. 

1867 

David  R.  Gans. 

George  Beatty. 

1868 

George  Beatty. 

1856 

Joseph  G.  Williams. 

1869 

. 

John  Weltner. 

1870 

Joseph  G.  Williams. 

1857. 

Francis  Fast. 

1871 

. 

1858. 

Jacob  Cover. 

1872 

. 

185i). 

Jacob  Bowers. 

1873. 

George  Beatty. 

1S60. 

Ephraim  Walters. 

1876. 

Jos.  Gordon  Williams. 

1861. 

Joseph  G.  Williams. 

1878. 

George  Beatty. 

1862. 

John  F.  Gans. 

ISSI. 

John  C.  Schnatterly. 

.\SSE 

SORS. 

1846- 

47.  M'illiam  P.  Griffin. 

1864. 

J.  B.  Johnson. 

1848. 

John  Poundstone. 

1866. 

William  P.  Bowers. 

1849. 

Andrew  Davis. 

1866. 

Ephraim  Walters. 

1850. 

Philip  Gans. 

1867. 

Joseph  Longanecker. 

1861. 

Samuel  Franks. 

1868. 

Jacob  Easter. 

1852. 

John  Gans. 

1869. 

IVilliam  Deffenbaugh. 

1863. 

Henry  B.  Maleby. 

1870. 

Henry  L.  Shank. 

1864. 

Andrew  J.  Walters. 

1872. 

Peter  Johnson. 

1865. 

James  Vanderslice. 

1873. 

James  R.  Dils. 

1866. 

Francis  Fast. 

1874. 

Joseph  Meredith. 

.1857. 

John  T.  Blackford. 

1875. 

Jacob  Bowers. 

1858. 

Michael  Schnatterly. 

1876. 

Andrew  J.  Walters. 

1859. 

Joseph  Longanecker. 

1877. 

Alfred  O'Neil. 

1860. 

Samuel  Franks. 

1878. 

Jiimes  L.  Crow. 

1861. 

John  Jaoo. 

1879. 

George  W.  Hager. 

1862. 

James  Woolsey. 

1880 

Joseph  Heath. 

1863. 

Andrew  J.  Walters. 

AUDI 

1881. 
TOES. 

John  A.  Walters. 

1846 

Thomas  W.  Nicholson. 

1866 

John  F.  Gans. 

1847 

James  Davenport. 

1867 

Jacob  Cover. 

1848 

John  Moore. 

1868 

Michael  W.  Franks. 

1849 

Isiiae  Franks. 

1869 

William  Parshall. 

1850. 

Squire  Green. 

1870 

David  R.  Gans. 

1851 

James  Davenport. 

1871. 

. 

1862 

John  Cunningham. 

1872. 

L.  W.  Schnatterly. 

1853 

Peter  Johnson. 

1873. 

A.  B.  Johnson. 

1854 

Samuel  Robinson. 

1874 

Michael  Baker. 

1855 

John  Weltner. 

Henry  L.  Shank. 

1856 

Michael  Franks. 

Harvey  F.  Jaco. 

1857 

Isaac  R.  Franks. 

1875 

Henry  L.  Shank. 

1858 

Henry  L.  Shank. 

A.  B.  Crow. 

1859- 

60.  Meredith  Mallory. 

1876 

Jacob  Cover. 

1861 

Harvey  Jaco. 

1S77 

Peter  H.  Franks. 

1862 

Andrew  J.  Walters. 

1878 

Samuel  Johnson. 

1863 

John  F.  Gans. 

1879 

John  F.  Gans. 

1864 

Jacob  Cover. 

1881) 

D.  R.  Anderson. 

1865 

Michael  Schnatterly. 

1881. 

Lorenzo  D.  Ramsey. 

1  Joseph  G.  Williams,  a  grandso 

a  of  Col.  Theophilus  Phillips,  who 

served  tliiity-flve  years  as  a  justic 

B  of  the 

peace.    He  is  a  resident  of 

SCHOOLS. 
Before  the  passage  of  the  common-school  law  of 
Pennsylvania,  schools  in  this  section,  as  elsewhere, 
were  supported  by  subscription,  but  they  were  few 
and  of  low  grade,  and  were  generally  taught  but  a 
few  weeks  in  the  year.  In  1811  a  school  was  taught 
here  by  the  Rev.  James  Dunlap,  a  Presbyterian  cler- 
gyman, who  had  among  his  scholars  at  that  time 
James  Nicholson,  Thomas  Nicholson,  Jr.,  David 
Bradford,  Jr.,  and  Samuel  Evans,  who  is  now  living, 
an  octogenarian,  on  his  fine  estate  near  Uniontown. 
Under  the  free-school  system,  inaugurated  by  the  law 
of  1834,  the  following-named  school-houses  have  been 
built,  viz.,  two  in  New  Geneva,  and  one  in  each  of 
the  following-named  districts  :  "  Woolsey's,"  "  Grif- 
fin's," "Robinson's,"  "Dogwood,"  "Pleasant  Hill," 
and  "  Valley."  Following  is  a  list  of  school  directors 
elected  in  Nicholson  from  the  erection  of  the  town- 
ship to  1881  : 
1846.— John  Robinson,  William  P.  Griffin,  John  Moore,  Rev. 

James  Quinter,  James  Hamilton,  Samuel  Ache. 
1847. — Peter  Johnson,  Bonaparte  Hardin. 
1848. — Samuel  Ache,  Alexander  Crow. 
1849. — Joseph  Baker,  Jacob  Bowers. 
1850.— Peter  Johnson,  Thomas  Campbell. 
1861.— John  Poundstone,  Alexander  Crow. 
1862.— Samuel  Robinson,  William  Watkins. 
1863.— David  Sutton,  Francis  Fast. 
1864.— John  Ache,  John  F.  Gans. 
1865. — Thomas  Campbell,  John  Summers. 
1856. — Jacob  Bowers,  Benjamin  Dils,  Michael  Schnatterly. 
1857.— George  M.  Woolsey,  Lot  Coleman. 
1858.— Mich.ael  Franks,  William  Zerly,  Eph.  Walters,  Nicholas 

Johnson. 
1859.— Henry  B.  Maleby,  J.  Harvey  Green. 
I860.— Joseph  Longanecker,  Henry  Franks. 
1861.— William  Zerly,  John  F.  Gans,  John  J.  Cover. 
1862.— Nicholas  B.  Johnson,  Michael  Baker. 
1863.— Alfred  B.  Eberhart,  Joseph  High. 
1864.— William  Zerly,  Ephraim  Walters. 
1865.— John  Hayne,  Phineas  West,  Harvey  Jaco. 
1866.— A.  B.  Eberhart,  James  Hamilton,  Jacob  Fast. 
1867.— Henry  Dils,  J.  B.  Johnson. 
1868.- John  Poundstone,  Henry  Franks. 
1869.— Joseph  David.  Samuel  Dillinger,  Jacob  Bowers. 
1870.— Henry  Franks,  John  Henry. 
1872.— John  P..uiidjt..nc,  Ephraim  Walters. 
1873.— G.  W.  lln.n  r,  .l.iseph  Longanecker. 
1874.— Mi.Iiat-l  W.  Franks,  Andrew  J.  Allebaugh. 
1875.— John  Z.  Wbctslone,  Isaac  P.  Eberhart. 
1876.— William  L.  Miller,  Jacob  J.  Johnson. 
1877. — .Samuel  Robinson,  Silas  R.  Provance. 
1878. — Amadee  M.  Franks,  James  Richey. 
1879.— Ross  Anderson,  D.  R.  Gans,  Michael  Baker. 


Hartle 


1881.- Amade 


Iks,  Ja 


Riche 


CHURCHES. 
MOUNT   MORIAH   CHURCH. 

The  records  of  Fayette  County  show  that  a  Pres- 
byterian Church  was  building  in  Springhill  township 
as  early  as  1773.     The  land  upon  which  the  church 


NICHOLSON   TOWNSHIP. 


703 


purchased  of  Jo- 
taken   from   the 


was  erected  (about  four  acres)  \\: 
seph  Caldwell.'  The  following 
records  of  the  church : 

"  The  congregation  was  organized  as  a  church  b)' 
Rev.  James  Power,  of  New  Castle  Presbytery,  in 
1774.  The  elders  were  Robert  McLain,  Jame.s  Pol- 
lock, Theophilus  Phillips,  Thomas  Ramsey,  William 
Hill,  Abram  Crow.  Rev.  James  Power  in  1776  set- 
tled with  his  family  on  Georges  Creek,  where  he 
continued  to  reside  for  some  years.  In  1778,  Rev. 
James  Dunlap  preached  for  the  congregation.  Many 
important  changes  took  place  about  this  time,  the 
most  notable  being  the  organization  of  the  Red- 
stone Presbytery.  The  Georges  Creek  or  Mount 
Moriah  Church  divided  in  1781,  the  members  north 
of  Georges  Creek  organizing  the  '  Old  Frame,'  thus 
becoming  the  principal  church  and  assuming  control 
of  the  mother  or  Mount  Moriah  Church,  the  whole 
congregation  being  known  as  the  '  Mount  Moriah 
Church.'  Rev.  James  Findley  preached  the  regular 
sermon,  and  Henry  Robinson,  Joseph  Caldwell,  Rob- 
ert Richey,  Robert  McLain,  David  Frame,  and  Wil- 
liam Hill  were  ordained  elders.  This  was  in  1788.  The 
church  was  without  a  regular  pastor.  The  supplies 
were  Revs.  Thaddeus  Dod,  James  Hughes.  Joseph 
Patton,  James  Dunlap,  Samuel  Porter,  and  others. 
In  1789  they  purchased  of  Richard  Brown  a  log 
house  twenty  by  twenty,  which  answered  their  pur- 
pose. It  was  used  as  a  church  in  winter,  but  during 
the  summer  the  congregation  worshiped  in  an  adjoin- 
ing grove.  Robert  Findley  preached  as  supply  in 
1790-91,  the  church  adding  to  their  ground  by  a  pur- 
chase made  of  Isaac  Phillips,  Esq.  By  alterations 
the  house  (now  a  frame)  was  enlarged  to  forty-eight 
by  thirty-six,  and  to  Robert  Findley  were  added  as 
supplies  Revs.  William  Swan,  George  Hill,  George 
Mercer  (president  judge  of  Washington  County,  Pa.), 
Jacob  Jennings,  and  David  Smith.  In  1793  the 
church  united  with  Union  or  Tent,  and  in  September, 
1794,  Rev.  David  Smith  was  regularly  installed  pas- 
tor (the  first  of  this  congregation).  He  continued 
in  charge  a  little  over  three  years. 

1  The  following,  having  reference  to  the  purchase  of  the  church  land 
from  Joseph  Caldwell  and  the  erection  of  the  church  building  upon  it, 
is  found.in  the  recorder's  office  at  Uniontowu  : 

"  Know  all  men  by  these  presents  that  whereas  the  members  of  the 
Congregation  of  TVIount  Moriah  have  fi.\ed  with  my  free  will  &  consent 
on  a  spot  of  the  land  I  claim  to  erect  a  prisbaterian  church  upon  that 
I  do  hereby  bind  myself  my  Hairs  E.vt.  &  Adm.  &  every  of  them  firmly 
by  these  presents  to  John  Swearingen  &  George  Wilson  Trustees  &  to 
their  successors  for  ye  standing  use  of  that  congregation  to  give  grant 
and  bequeath  &  a  good  legal  title  to  make  to4  acres  of  land  A  the  benefit 
of  ye  spring  joyning  the  same  where  ye  meeting  house  is  now  a  building 
for  ever  as  soon  as  it  shall  Be  in  my  power  to  make  it  To  the  just  per- 
formance Here  of  For  and  in  consideration  of  One  Shilling  to  me  in 
hand  paid  by  ye  said  Trustees  for  ye  Congregation  the  Receipt  Whereof 
I  hereby  acknowledge  I  bind  me  my  Heirs  Ex.  Adm.  &  every  of  us  and 
them  in  the  just  sum  of  one  hundred  pounds  as  Witness  my  hand  &  Seal 
July  ye  Ist  1773.  "Joseph  Caldwell. 

&  in  Presence  of 


FORSHE 


In  1798,  Georges  Creek,  Muddy  Creek,  and  Union 
or  Tent  united,  with  the  Rev.  James  Adams  in  charge, 
he  being  the  second  regularly  installed,  Oct.  16,  1799. 
He  resigned  in  1808.  The  members  having  nearly  all 
emigrated  West,  the  church  was  suffered  to  fall  into 
decay.  An  occasional  sermon  was  preached  by  the 
Rev.  James  Dunlap  to  the  remnant.  He  was  at 
this  time  teaching  school  in  New  Geneva.  This  state 
of  things  continued  for  some  years.  In  1816  the 
house  was  thoroughly  repaired,  and  in  the  follow- 
ing year  Ashbel  Green  Fairchild,  a  licentiate  of 
New  Jersey,  preached  for  the  members.  This  he 
continued  to  do  in  1818,  and  in  July,  1819,  was  or- 
dained and  installed  as  pastor.  The  membership  at 
this  time  was  ten,  with  Henry  Jennings  as  elder.  In 
a  few  months  the  membership  was  increased  to  ninety 
persons.  In  1822  he  was  in  charge  of  Georges  Creek, 
Morgantown,  and  Greensboro',  Greene  Co.,  Pa.,  con- 
gregations, with  a  salary  of  $333.  In  April,  1827,  he 
resigned  the  charge  of  Morgantown  and  Greensboro' 
congregations  and  took  Union  or  Tent  Church.  The 
Old  Frame  was  under  his  care  until  1854,  a  period  of 
thirty-six  years.  This  justly  celebrated  divine  con- 
tinued in  charge  of  the  Tent  Church  until  his  death, 
June  30,  1864. 

The  great  addition  to  membership  was  made  from 
1829  to  1832,  when  it  reached  one  hundred  and  eighty. 
Eighty  joined  during  the  year  1829. 

In  July,  1854,  the  "  Mount  Moriah  Church"  called 
H.  O.  Rosborough,  who  on  June  5, 1855,  was  ordained 
and  installed  the  fourth  regular  pastor  of  this  church. 
His  salary  has  been  increased  several  times.  Georges' 
Church  agreed  to  pay  him  S600  alone  in  September, 
1872,  the  remaining  portion  of  his  time,  one-third, 
being  in  the  service  of  Mount  Washington,  twenty- 
four  miles  distant.  The  property  of  Ashbel  G.  Fair- 
child  was  purchased  of  L.  8.  Hough,  executor  of  his 
estate,  March  31,  1866,  for  the  sum  of  $2188,  con- 
sisting of  seventeen  acres  and  buildings.  This  is 
now  attached  to  Mount  Moriah,  Old  Frame,  or 
Georges  Creek  Church,  as  a  parsonage.  Rev.  H.  O. 
Rosborough,  the  minister  in  charge,  resides  here,  a 
short  distance  south  of  Smithfield. 

The  parsonage  property  was  paid  for  and  freed  of 
incumbrance  in  less  than  two  years. 

The  ministers  in  charge  since  the  organization  by 
Rev.  James  Power  in  1774  have  been  the  following : 
Rev.  James  Power,  1776 ;  Rev.  David  Smith,  August, 
1794  ;  Rev.  James  Adams,  16th  October,  1799  ;  Rev. 
Ashbel  G.  Fairchild,  called  1817,  regular  from  July, 
1819,  to  April,  1854  ;  Rev.  H.  O.  Rosborough,  called 
July,  1854,  and  remained  from  18.55  to  the  present 
time  (1881). 

Membership  of  the  church  in  1788,  50.  Member- 
ship in  1819,  10  ;  in  1832,  180  ;  in  1881,  160. 

GERMAN    BAPTIST   (FAIRVIEW)   CHURCH. 

The  German  Baptists  in  this  section  worshiped  in 
J  school-houses  and    barns  in  early  times.     The  first 


704 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


church  edifice  built  by  this  denomination  in  this  part 
of  Fayette  County  was  "  Fair  View,"  in  the  year 
1835.  Ephraim  Walters  donated  the  lot  upon  which 
the  church  stands.  John  Debolt  sawed  the  lumber, 
and  Joseph  Mosier  was  one  of  the  contractors  to  build 
the  house.  The  trustees  of  the  church  were  Ephraim 
"Walters,  Samuel  Aughey  (now  written  Ache).  The 
ministers  or  bishops  were  Eev.  James  Kelso,  James 
Fouch,  Letherraan  Sphon,  Rev.  James  Quinter,  Jacob 
Mack,  succeeded  by  Elder  Joseph  I.  Cover,  the  bishop 
having  it  in  charge  at  present.  Its  membership  at 
present  is  .ibout  two  hundred. 

The  Baptist  Congregation  in  Geneva  is  a  branch  of 
the  Greensboro'  Church,  and  cannot  be  considered  as 
belonging  to  Nicholson. 

METHODIST   CHDRCH   AT   NEW    GENEVA. 

The  history  of  Methodist  worship  at  this  place  and 
vicinity  prior  to  1852,  and  the  various  eftbrts  for  the 
establishment  of  a  church  of  this  denomination,  be- 
long to  the  rcligi'His  history  of  Springhill  township. 
In  the  year  n.iiii.  a  a  ..m^it-ation  was  gathered  here, 
and  a  frame  buiMiiii;  >  r.cicd  as  a  house  of  worship, 
mainly  through  tlir  iUnn^  ..f  the  Rev.  I.  C.  Pershing. 
The  church  buiKliiiL'  -taiid-  on  huid  formerly  belong- 
ing to  the  estuU'  "f  .MiUtr  Denny,  and  sold  by  his 
executor,  Jonathan  .Alouroe,  Esq.,  to  the  church. 
Trustees,  Isaac  Crow,  Frederick  Eberharl,  David 
Franks,  Alexander  Conrad,  and  Joseph  Provance. 

The  present  membership  of  the  church  is  thirty- 
live.     Pastor,  Rev.  S.  W.  McCurdy. 

BURIAL-r.ROTXDS. 

There  are  in  Nichnl,.-oii  thr  lull,, wing-named  burial- 
grounds,  most  of  them  l),iiig  the  last  resting-places  of 
old  settlers  in  the  township,  viz. :  One  at  the  stone 
school-house.  New  Geneva ;  one  at  McLain's,  Pro- 
vance Bottoms ;  one  at  Provance's,  Provance  Bottoms  ; 
one  at  Fair  View  (German  Baptist) ;  one  at  Young's; 
the  Debolt  ground  at  Rise's  ;  the  Cover  and  Aughey 
ground  at  Woolsey  and  Cover's ;  and  the  old  Frame 
Church  burial-ground.  The  last  name,!,  as  als,,  the 
Fair  View  and  the  burial-place  at  Y,,ini-'-,  ar,'  \scl\ 
kept  and  cared  for.  The  same  can  hanlly  he  ~ai,l  ,)f 
the  others. 

NICHOLSON  SOLDIERS. 

In  the  Mexican  war  of  1846-48  a  number  of  men 
from  Nicholson  entered  the  United  States  service, 
among  whom  were  Albert  G.  Nicholson  and  William 
Fairchild  Nicholson,  the  latter  of  whom  died  of 
cholera  on  his  way  home  from  Mexico. 

In  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  1861-65,  Capt.  William 
West  enlisted  many  men  in  this  part  of  Fayette 
County,  and  had  them  mustered  into  the  service  as 
West  Virginia  troops.  Capts.  Thompson  and  Leas- 
ure,  of  Morgantown,  also  did  the  same.  The  length 
of  time  elapsed  since  the  war  has  caused  the  names  of 
many  to  be  forgotten.  The  following  persons  were 
among  the  number  who  enlisted  in  Virginia  regi- 


i  ments :  Joseph  G.  Provance,  Jesse  Poundstone,  Har- 
[  rison  Mack,  John  Knife,  Martin  Stoneking,  James 
I  Wood.  In  Capt.  George  W.  Gilmore's  company, 
which  was  mustered  to  the  credit  of  West  Virginia, 
were  the  following-named  men  from  Nicholson : 
Joseph  Provance,  John  Debolt,  John  Gilmore,  James 
W.  Nicholson,  Albert  G.  Sandusky,  Johnson  J.  Mal- 
lory,  Abijah  Farmer.  Following  is  a  partial  list  of 
Nicholson  men  who  served  in  Pennsylvania  regiments 
in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  : 

In  the  85th  Eegt.,  Capt.  I.  M.  Abrams,  John  Mc- 
Donald, William  Pratt,  Ashbel  Pratt,  Isaac  Pratt, 
James  Gray,  Alfred  O'Neil,  Hugh  O'Neil,  Henry 
O'Neil,  James  H.  Core,  James  Sturgis. 

In  the  168th  Regt.,  Capt.  Joseph  Stacy,  Henry 
Miller,  William  Harrison,  Peter  Bricker,  Robert 
Armstrong,  John  Hill. 

In  the  112th  Regt.,  Capt.  Amzi  S.  Fuller,  A.  Turner 
Dougherty,  David  L.  Provance,  Harmar  Denny, 
Hugh  T.  Davenport,  Nicholas  Honsaker,  Warwick 
H.  Ross,  John  Campbell,  sub. 

In  the  14th  Cavalry,  Capt.  Duncan,  William  Conn, 
John  Wesley  Poundstone,  Joseph  E.  Dilliner,  John 
Beatty,  William  Abram. 

In  the  16th  Cavalry,  Gapt.  Fisher,  John  Dugan, 
sub.,  Adolph  A.  Eberhart,  Isaac  P.  Eberhart,  Henry 
Blair,  Andrew  J.  Dunham,  Albert  G.  Dougherty, 
Abraham  Dunham. 

Other  regiments  which  cannot  now  be  designated 
contained  the  following-named  soldiers  from  Nichol- 
son : 

Martin  L.  Blackford,  Josiah  Honsaker,  Calvin 
Malaby,  John  Ross  Summers,  John  Jaco,  William 
Jaco,  Henry  K.  Atchison,  Samuel  Davis,  John  Davis, 
John  Whetstone,  Asa  O.  Cooley,  William  Eberhart, 
Henry  Huhn,  Doc  Arnold,  William  Patterson,  John 
Mallory,  Miller  Dunaway,  William  Franks,  Wesley 
O'Neil,  Benjamin  F.  Huhn,  Isaac  P.  Huhn,  William 
A.  Stewart,  Charles  Nicholson,  James  Mallory,  Mor- 
gan Kelbver. 

MANUFACTURING  INTERESTS. 
The  Catt's  Run  Coke- Works  are  located  on  Pro- 
vance Bottoms,  nearly  two  miles  south  of  Catt's  Run. 
They  were  built  by  a  company  of  Uniontown  capital- 
ists in  1877,  the  first  coke  being  made  in  October  of 
that  year.  The  style  of  the  company  was  Ewing, 
Kendall  &  Co.  Having  erected  si.xty  ovens,  the 
works  were  leased  to  a  Pittsburgh  firm,  Messrs. 
Charles  H.  Armstrong  &  Son.  At  these  works  the 
coal  is  crushed  and  thoroughly  washed  before  being 
placed  in  the  ovens.  The  entire  product  of  these 
works  is  sold  to  the  Ironton  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, of  Ironton,  Ohio,  at  three  dollars  per  ton. 

The  minerals  of  Nicholson  township  are  the  same 

that  are  found  generally  in  Fayette  County.     Iron 

ore  has  '.been  mined  and  shipped  to  Wheeling  from 

I  Fred's  Run  (a  tributary  of  Catt's  Run),  but  the  cost 


^:^^^}^^^c.^-[^tj^^^^^ 


I 


t.^^ 


r^T^^^y 


'€€ 


^.  Vz-^^^^^ 


NICHOLSON  TOWNSHIP. 


705 


of  transportation  is  found  too  great  for  tlie  profitable 
working  of  the  mines.  Petroleum  has  been  obtained 
at  a  depth  of  five  hundred  feet  on  Jacob's  Creek  in 
this  township. 

The  manufacture  of  stone-ware  from  clay  found  in 
Springhill  township  has  become  the  most  important 
industry  of  New  Geneva.  The  manufacture  cont-ists  of 
milk-pans,  jars,  jugs,  fruit-jars  or '"  jugoos,"  also  chem- 
ical pots  and  piping.  Two  firms  are  now  carrying  on 
this  business,  viz. :  Isaac  P.  Eberhart  &  Co.  and 
Alexander  Conrad,  each  producing  about  forty-eight 
thousand  gallons  of  ware  per  year. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

JOHN   POUNDSTONE. 

John  Poundstone,  of  Nicholson,  is  of  German  de- 
scent. His  grandfather,  Philip  Poundstone,  came 
from  Germany  and  settled  in  Nicholson  township 
at  an  early  day.  Nicholas  Poundstone,  father  of 
John,  was  born  in  Fayette  County,  and  spent  his  life 
here  as  a  farmer.  He  married  Elizabeth  Everly,  and 
they  had  eight  children.  Their  son  John  was  born 
in  Nicholson  township,  Aug.  30,  1S04,  and  was  edu- 
cated at  the  public  schools,  and  growing  up  learned 
the  trade  of  cabinet-making,  and  followed  it  for  about 
four  years  in  Masontown.  In  1830  he  moved  to  where 
he  now  lives,  and  has  ever  since  "  farmed  it." 

Aug.  12,  1827,  he  married  Susanna  Rider,  of  Ger- 
man township,  who  died  in  June,  1869.  They  had  ten 
children,  seven  of  whom  are  now  living.  June  4, 
1871,  Mr.  Poundstone  took  to  himself  another  wife  in 
the  person  of  Barbara  A.  Hunsaker.  Of  his  children, 
one,  a  son,  is  living  in  California,  another  son  is  a 
hotel-keeper,  and  the  others  are  farmers.  He  has 
but  one  daughter  living,  Louisa,  who  married  a 
farmer  by  the  name  of Law. 

Mr.  Poundstone  has  held  important  township  offices, 
that  of  school  director,  etc.,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Lutheran  Church,  in  which  he  has  held  the  office  of 
elder  for  many  years.  His  possessions  consist  chiefly 
of  lauds.  Mr.  Poundstone  is  a  gentleman  of  unas- 
suming modest  manners.  His  neighbors  speak  highly 
of  him  as  an  honest,  honorable  man,  whose  life  is 
gentle,  and  whose  good  deeds,  quietly  done,  are  nu- 
merous. 


MICHAEL  W.  FRANKS. 
Michael  W.  Franks,  of  Nicholson  township,  the 
late  popular  treasurer  of  Fayette  County,  is  of  Ger- 
man lineage.  His  father,  Michael  Franks,  was  born 
and  raised  in  Fayette  County,  upon  the  farm  whereon 
he,  Mr.  Franks,  our  subject,  now  resides.  He  was  a 
farmer,  and  married  Charity  Kendall,  of  Nicholson 
township,  by  whom  he  had  seven  children.  Michael 
W.  (the  third,  for  his  grandfather  as  well  as  fiither 
bore   the   same    Christian    name)    was    born     A|iril 


1  29,  1832,  and  was  educated  in  the  common  and  select 

I  schools,  learned  the  business  of  farming,  and  since 

his  marriage,  in  1864,  has  resided  where  he  now  lives, 

except  for  three  years,  during  which  time  he  held 

j  public  ofiice  and  resided  at  Uniontown. 

I       He  was  elected  treasui-er  of  Fayette  County  by  a  very 

[  large  majority  in  November,  1878,  and  performed  the 

{  duties  of  his  ofiBce  from  Jan.  1,  1879,  to  Jan.  1,  1882, 

1  giving  universal  satisfaction.     It  may  be  added  here 

that  he  was  nominated  by  his  party  for  that  ofiice 

over  more  good  men,  probably,  than  were  ever  before 

,  beaten  as  aspirants  for  the  same  office  at  the  same 

'  time  in  Fayette  County. 

i  It  is  generally  conceded  by  his  political  opponents 
that  Fayette  County  never  had  a  better  treasurer 
than  Mr.  Franks,  and  there  are  gentlemen  of  stand- 
ing in  the  county  who  declare  it  never  had  so  good 
;  an  one  as  he.  He  is  popular  in  all  parts  of  the  county, 
generous,  and  gentlemanly. 

Mr.  Franks  and  the  family  of  Franks  are  distinc- 
tively Democratic  in  politics. 

May  17,  1864,  Mr.  Franks  married  Martha  J.  Bell, 
of  Greene  County,  and  has  three  children, — Emma  B., 
Charles  O.  B.,  and  Estella  R. 


DR.  WILSON    GREENE. 

Dr.  Wilson  Greene,  of  New  Geneva,  Nicholson 
township,  was  born  in  Greene  County,  Dec.  1,  1829, 
and  is  of  Puritan  descent  on  his  paternal  side,  but  on 
his  maternal  of  German  extraction. 

His  grandfather,  William  Greene,  was  born  in  New 
England.  He  migrated  to  Greene  County,  Pa.,  at  an 
early  day,  and  settled  on  Whitely  Creek,  near  "  Wil- 
low Tree."  He  married  Rebecca  La  Rue,  and  their 
issue  were  five  sons  and  three  daughters. 

Henry  Sycks,  his  maternal  grandfather,  was  a  native 
of  Virginia,  but  while  quite  young  removed  with  his 
father  to  Greene  County,  Pa.,  and  settled  on  the  waters 
of  Dunkard  Creek,  in  Monongahela  township.  They 
were  among  the  pioneers  that  first  permanently  located 
west  of  the  Monongahela  River.  Young  Henry  par- 
ticipated in  the  Indian  wars  of  the  period,  and  endured 
the  privations  and  hardships  incident  to  border  life. 
He  was  united  in  matrimony  with  Barbary  Selser,  a 
daughter  of  a  contemporary  settler,  and  ten  children 
were  the  fruits  of  their  marriage. 

Matthew  Greene  and  Rachel  Sycks,  the  parents  of 
Dr.  Greene,  were  married  in  1828,  and  reared  four 
children,  of  whom  the  subject  of  this  notice  was  the 
only  son,  born  on  the  farm  his  great-grandfather 
located,  where  his  mother  was  born,  and  where  she 
died,  and  where  his  father  still  resides. 

Dr.  Greene  is  eminently  a  self-made  man.  His 
advantages  for  acquiring  an  education  were  very  lim- 
ited. Supplementing  his  scant  public  school  oppor- 
tunities by  several  terms  of  select  school,  which  he 
was  enabled  to  attend  through  the  summer  by  teach- 
ing district  school  through  the  winter,  ho  succeeded 


706 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


in  obtaining  a  very  liberal  and  thorough  English 
eilucation.  In  like  manner  he  earned  the  means  that 
supported  him  at  Cleveland  Medical  College,  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  where  he  completed  his  professional  studies. 

March  23, 18.59,  he  formed  a  propitious  matrimonial 
alliance  with  Pleasant  M.,  second  daughter  of  Evan 
Evans,  who  owned  an  adjoining  farm.  He  was  of 
pure  Welsh  lineage,  both  parents  having  been  born 
in  Wales.  Mrs.  Greene's  mother,  Nancy  Myers,  was 
a  granddaughter  of  the  historic  Rev.  John  Corbly, 
whose  wife  and  several  children  were  massacred  while 
on  their  way  to  church,  Sunday  moi"ning.  May  10, 
1782,  by  the  Indians,  near  Garard's  Fort. 

They  began  their  married  life  at  Bristol,  Perry  Co., 
Ohio,  where  he  soon  acquired  a  lucrative  practice. 
Having  pursued  his  ]irofession  here  for  five  years,  he 
returned  to  Pennsylvania  and  located  in  New  Geneva, 
wliere  he  now  resides.  Here,  too,  he  soon  attained  to 
an  extensive  piaetice,  whiih  he  ^till  retains.  Person- 
ally he  is  eminently  poptilar,  having  merited  the 
esteem  of  his  fellows  by  being  in.stant  in  good  words 
and  works.  Professionally  he  has  been  signally  suc- 
cessful, and  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  the  medical 
fraternity.  At  present  he  is  vice-president  of  the 
Fayette  County  Medical  Association,  and  holds  the 
appointment  as  delegate  to  the  National  Medical  Con- 
vention, to  be  held  in  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  in  July  next. 

Dr.  Greene  is  the  father  of  two  children, — Isa  D. 
and  Willie  W.  Isa  is  an  accomplished  young  lady, 
educated  at  Monongahela  College,  and  a  graduate  of 
Dana's Musicallnstitute,  Warren, Ohio.  She  possesses 
a  rare  talent  for  instrumental  music  and  enjoys  a  sweet 
and  delicately-cultured  voice.  Willie  is  at  present 
pursuing  a  course  of  study  at  Monongahela  College. 

Tlie  doctor  has  for  a  luimber  of  years  been  a  promi- 
nent and  influential  member  of  one  of  the  leading 
Evangelical  Churches,  of  which  also  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren are  all  communicants. 

Though  not  luxuriating  in  unbounded  aflluence,  he 
lias  accumulated  much  valuable  property,  which  con- 
sists of  houses  and  lands  and  moneys  at  interest,  etc. 
He  is  one  of  the  solid  and  useful  citizens  of  the  county. 


WILLIAM  P.  GRIFFIN. 
Mr.  William  P.  Griffin,  of  Nicholson  township,  is 
of  Welsh  stock.  He  is  the  son  of  William  and  Rhoda 
Griflin,  who,  coming  to  Fayette  County,  settled  on 
Georges  Creek,  in  Springhill  township.  He  was  a 
miller.  They  had  a  family  of  eight  children,  of  whom 
William  P.  was  the  seventh,  and  is  the  only  one  liv- 
ing, and  was  born  Sept.  2,  ISO',1.     He  was  educated  in 


the  common  and  select  schools,  and  has  been  engaged 
in  farming  all  his  business  life.  He  has  resided  upon 
the  farm  which  he  now  occupies  for  fifty  years. 

In  August,  1837,  Mr.  Griffin  married  Ann  Gans,  of 
Springhill  township,  by  whom  he  has  had  thirteen 
children,  eleven  of  whom  are  living.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Griffin  were  for  many  years  members  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  but  about  1868  they  united  with  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  of  which  they  are  honored  and  useful 
members,  Mr.  Griffin  being  an  elder  thereof  He 
was  once  a  lieutenant  in  the  State  militia,  and  two 
of  his  sons,  William  L.  and  Charles  A.,  served  in  the 
war  of  the  Rebellion,  the  former  of  whom  is  a  physi- 
cian, the  latter  a  general  trader.  Mr.  Griffin's  third 
son,  Newton,  is  a  farmer ;  the  fourth  son  is  a  grocer ; 
and  all  the  sons  have  left  the  old  homestead  and  the 
county,  living  in  various  parts  of  the  Union. 

Mr.  Griffin  is  a  substantial,  excellent  farmer,  an 
honest,  hard-working  man  ;  and  Mrs.  Griffin  has  con- 
tributed to  their  success  in  life  her  full  share  of  man- 
agement and  hard  work.  They  command  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  their  neighbors.  Mr.  Griffin  has  held 
important  township  offices. 


HENRY    DILS. 

Henry  Dils,  of  Nicholson  township,  who  was  born 
July  3,  1816,  in  what  was  then  Springhill  township, 
is  descended  from  good  old  Dutch  stock,  it  is  believed. 
His  father,  Philip  Dils,  married  in  Springhill  town- 
ship Mary  Hager,  and  located  in  the  same  township 
about  1807.  They  had  five  children,  of  whom  Henry 
was  the  third.  Three  are  yet  living, — Henry,  Peter, 
and  Mary  Core.  Mr.  Dils'  father  passed  most  of  his 
life  as  a  farmer,  and  was  successful,  leaving  each  of 
his  children  a  good  farm. 

Mr.  Dils  received  a  limited  education  in  the  com- 
mon schools,  but  is  a  man  of  observation  and  intelli- 
gence, and  has  held  the  position  of  school  director 
and  other  offices.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Old 
Frame  Presbyterian  Church  for  many  years,  and  has 
for  several  years  been  an  elder  in  that  church.  He 
was  fir.st  married  Dec.  28,  1843,  to  Martha  Vander- 
vort,  of  Nicholson  township.  They  had  eleven  chil- 
dren, eight  of  whom  are  living.  His  wife  being  de- 
ceased, he  married  again  Nov.  10,  1870.  Six  children 
were  the  issue  of  this  latter  marriage,  four  now  living. 
Mr.  Dils  has  resided  in  his  present  home  thirty-eight 
years.  Here  his  children  have  been  reared,  and  he 
has  assisted  his  grown-up  children  to  a  start  in  life. 
His  sons  are  all  farmers.  Mr.  Dils  is  a  gentleman  of 
excellent  moral  character,  without  reproach  as  a  busi- 
ness man.     His  possessions  are  chiefly  lands. 


PERRY    TOWNSHIP 


Perry  is  one  of  the  nortliernmost  townships  of 
Fayette  County,  its  northern  line  being  a  part  of  the 
bonndary  between  this  county  and  Westmoreland. 
On  the  east  the  township  is  bounded  by  Lower  Ty- 
rone and  Franklin,  on  the  south  by  Franklin,  and  on 
the  west  by  Jefferson  and  Washington.  Perry  lies 
on  both  sides  of  the  Youghiogheny  River,  which 
flows  through  the  township  in  a  general  northwest- 
erly course.  Its  other  principal  streams  are  Jacob's 
Creek,  Washington  Run,  and  Virgin  Run.  The  last 
named  enters  the  Youghiogheny  from  the  south,  and 
marks  the  southeastern  boundary  of  Perry  against 
the  township  of  Franklin.  Washington  Run  flows 
northeastwardly  through  the  central  part  of  Perry, 
past  its  principal  town  (Perryopolis),  and  falls  into 
the  Youghiogheny.  Jacob's  Creek  enters  the  Youg- 
hiogheny from  the  eastward,  and  marks  the  northeast- 
ern boundary  of  Perry  against  Westmoreland  County. 

That  part  of  the  township  which  lies  east  of  the 
Youghiogheny,  and  between  it  and  Jacob's  Creek,  is 
mountainous,  rising  in  some  parts  quite  precipitously 
from  both  streams,  and  having  but  little  bottom-land. 
In  that  part  of  the  township  which  lies  on  the  south- 
west side  of  the  river  the  land  rises  to  a  considerable 
height  from  the  Youghiogheny,  then  slopes  back  to 
what  are  called  Washington  Bottoms,  which  are 
drained  by  Washington  Run.  Where  the  village  of 
Perryopolis  is  located  is  a  moderate  elevation  of  land, 
which  from  there  has  a  gradual  descent  in  all  direc- 
tions. This  section  is  excellently  adapted  for  the 
production  of  grain  and  grass,  and  nearly  the  whole 
township,  particularly  that  part  southwest  of  the 
river,  embraces  very  fine  lands  for  purposes  of  agri- 
culture. The  Pittsburgh  and  Conncllr<vilk- Railroad 
— now  generally  known  as  the  Baltiin.ir,'  ami  i  ihid, 
because  leased  by  that  company — traverse^  ihr  tnwn- 
ship  along  the  right  bank  of  the  Youghiogheny 
River,  and  has  within  the  boundaries  of  Perry  two 
stations, — Layton  and  Banning's.  The  population 
of  the  township  by  the  census  of  1880  was  fourteen 
hundred  and  seventy-six. 

NAMES   OF   ORIGINAL     PURCH.\SERS    OF    LANDS    IN    PERRY 

TOWNSHIP. 
William  Athel,  Z3\\U  acres,  Sj.ring  Rum  warranted  April  .■), 

1769;  surveyed  Oct.  27,  1769. 
Ge«>rge  Washington.  329  acres,  Meadows;    warranted  April  ?,, 

1769;  surveyed  Oct.  25.  1769. 
Tliumas  Jones,  332  acres.  Deer  Range;  warranted  April  3. 1760; 

surveyed  Oct.  26,  1769. 


John  Paty,  330  acres,  Crab-Tree  Run  ;  warranted  April  3.  1769; 
surveyed  Oct.  27,  1769. 

John  Bishop,  319  acres,  Flatt ;  warranted  April  3,  1769;   sur- 
veyed Oct.  28,  1769. 
Note. — Tlie  five  tracts  above  were  surveyed  to  the  original  warrant- 
holders,  Oct.  26  and  27, 1769,  but  were  all  patented  to  George  Washing- 
ton, Feb.  28,  1782. 

George  Brown,  326  acres;  warranted  April  3,  1769. 

James  Hunter,  276j  acres;  warranted  April  19,  1769. 

Eleanor  Hunter,  326  acres;  warranted  April  19.  1769. 

Hopewell  Jewell,  S2J  acres;  warranted  April  17,  1794:  sur- 
veyed Aug.  25,  1795. 

John  Jones,  224  acres. 

J.  Augustine  Washington,  320i  acres.  Fork  ;  warranted  April 
3,  1769  ;  surveyed  October  2S. 

Laurence  Washington.  3203  acres.  Bear  Hill  ;   warranted  April 
3,  1769;  surveyed  October  28. 

William  Wilson,  205J  acres. 

Christopher  Bealer,  2981  acres;  warranted  Dec.  16.  1788;  sur- 
veyed March  11,  1789. 

Mary  Iliggs,  Springfield;  patented  April  6,  1791. 

John  G.  Zizing,  681  X  158  acres;  warranted  March  in.  1819, 
and  Feb.  25.  1S22. 

Willi.am  Espey,  149  acres;  warranted  May  27,  17S5  :  surveyed 
Oct.  31,  1811. 

Hugh  Espey,  113i  acres,  June  27,  1809. 

Robert  Espey,  66  acres,  1815. 

William  Turnbull,  301  acres,  Rocksbury  ;  patented   July   13, 


ibull,  219 


Spr 


July  1.3, 


Jacob  Lawrie,  223  acres,  Luton;  patented  Jan.  9,  1789. 
Valentine  Secrist,  108J  acres;  warranted  Sept.  29,  1791  ;  sur- 
veyed Oct.  2fith. 

EARLY    LAND    PURCHASES    AND    SETTLEMENTS. 

The  earliest  as  well  as  the  most  extensive  pur- 
chaser of  lands  in  what  is  now  Perry  township  was 
Gen.  (then  Col.)  George  Washington,  who  received 
a  warrant  for  lands  here  on  the  first  day  of  the  land- 
office  of  the  proprietaries  for  the  sale  of  tracts  west 
of  the  mountains,  April  3,  1769.  Nearly  two  years 
prior  to  this,  however,  Washington  had  begun  to  en- 
tertain the  idea  of  purchasing  large  tracts  in  this 
region,  as  is  shown  by  the  tenor  of  a  letter  written  by 
him  to  Capt.  William  Crawford,  of  Stewart's  Cross- 
ings (now  New  Haven),  as  follows  : 

"  Mot-NT  Vebxox,  Sept.  21,  1767. 

"  De.1I!  Sir, — From  a  sudden  hint  of  your  brother's  1  I  wrote 
to  you  a  few  days  ago  in  a  hurry.     Having  since  had  more 

1  The  brother  of  William  Crawford  here  referred  as  having  given 
Washington  his  first  hint  concerning  the  obtaining  of  a  tract  of  land 


708 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


time  for  reflection,  I  now  write  deliberately  and  witli  greater 
precision  on  tlie  subject  of  my  last  letter.  I  then  desired  the 
favor  of  you  (as  I  understood  rights  might  now  be  had  for  the 
lands  which  have  fallen  within  the  Pennsylvania  line)i  to  look 
me  out  a  tract  of  about  fifteen  hundred,  two  thousand,  or  more 
a«re8  somewhere  in  your  neighborhood,  meaning  only  by  this 
that  it  may  be  as  contiguous  to  your  own  settlement  as  such  a 
body  of  good  land  can  be  found.  It  will  be  easy  for  you  to 
conceive  that  ordinary  or  even  middling  lands  would  never 
answer  my  purpose  or  e.\peotiition.  so  far  from  navigation  and 

son  can  be  a  better  judge  than  yourself)  and,  if  possible,  level. 
Could  such  a  piece  of  land  be  found  you  would  do  me  a  singular 
favor  in  falling  upon  some  method  of  securing  it  immediately 
from  the  attempts  of  others,  as  nothing  is  more  certain  than 
that  the  lands  cannot  remain  long  ungranted  when  once  it  is 
known  that  rights  are  to  be  had. 

"...  It  is  possible,  but  I  do  not  know  that  it  really  is  the 
case,  that  the  custom  in  Pennsylvania  will  not  admit  so  large  a 
quantity  of  bind  as  I  require  to  be  entered  together;  if  so,  this 
may  perhaps  be  arranged  by  making  several  entries  to  the  same 
amount,  if  the  c-ipenses  of  doing  it  is  not  too  heavy.  If  the 
land  can  only  be  secured  from  others  it  is  allj  want  at  present. 
The  surveying  I  would  choose  to  postpone,  at  least  till  the 
spring,  when,  if  you  can  give  me  any  satisfactory  account  of 
this  matter,  ;ind  of  what  I  am  next  going  to  propose,  I  expect 
to  pay  you  a  visit  about  the  last  of  April." 

No  information  is  found  as  to  the  preliminary  steps 
taken  by  Capt.  Crawford  to  select  and  secure  these 
lands  on  behalf  of  Washington,  but  it  is  certain 
that  on  the  opening  of  the  land-office  at  the  time 
above  mentioned  warrants  were  issued  for  lands  in 
the  present  township  of  Perry,  amounting  to  more 
than  sixteen  hundred  acres,  all  of  which  came  into 
possession  of  the  general.  The  only  tract  in  this 
township  warranted  to  George  Washington  was  one 
named  "  Meadows."  The  warrant  bore  date  April 
3,  17(59,  and  the  survey  October  27th  of  the  same 
year.  There  was,  however,  at  the  same  time  one 
tract  called  "  I'urk^,''  wairaiited  to  John  Augusta 
[Augustine?!  Washiiigoii ;  one  called  "  Bear  Hills," 
to  Lawrence  \Va.sliingtuii  ;  one  called  "Spring  Run," 
to  William  Athel ;  one  called  "  Flatts,"  to  John 
Bishop  ;  one  called  "  Grab-Tree  Run,"  to  John  Paty  ; 
and  one  called  "'  Deer  Range,"  to  Thomas  Jones.  The 
surveys,  made  with  large  allowance,  gave  the  area  of 
these  several  tracts  as  follows:  "Meadows,"  329 
acres ;  "  Forks,"  320  acres ;  "  Bear  Hills,"  320  acres  ; 
"  Spring  Run,"  331  acres ;  "  Flatts,"  319  acres  ;  "  Crab- 
Tree  Run,"  330  acres ;  and  "  Deer  Range,"  332  acres. 
There  is  nothing  found  tending  to  show  that  either 
John  A.  Washington's  "  Forks"  or  Laurence  Wash- 
ington's "  Bear  Hills"  tract  ever  caine  into  the  hands 
of  George  Washington  ;   but  that  he   did  purchase 

under  Pennsylvania  "  rights"  in  the  trans-Allegheny  country  was  Val- 
entine Crawford,  who  located  upon  Jacob's  Creek,  Westmoreland  Co,, 
Pa. 

'  By  the  Pennsylvania  line  Washington  meant  the  boundary  line  be. 
tween  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  which  at  that  date  was  being  nm 
beyond  the  AUet^lieny  Mountains.     His  undei-standing  as  to  rights  was 


or  otherwise  acquire  all  the  other  tracts  above  emiz 
merated,  amounting  in  the  aggregate  to  1641  acres, 
and  that  they  were  patented  to  him  Feb.  28,  1782,  is  y 
made  certain  by  a  recital  to  that  effect  in  deeds  given 
in  the  year  1802  by  his  executors.  None  of  the  names 
of  the  warrantees  of  the  tracts  above  named  as  having 
been  patented  to  Gen.  Washington  are  found  in  con- 
nection with  any  later  settlement  or  transfer,  and 
therefore  it  is  probable  that  they  took  up  the  lands 
in  his  interest;  and  it  is  certain  that  the  warrants 
taken  by  them  passed  to  him  before  the  issuance  of 
the  patents. 

Capt.  Crawford,  who  selected  these  lands  for  Wash- 
ington, acted  also  as  his  agent  in  locating  many  other 
tracts  in  what  is  now  Washington  County,  Pa.,  in 
Ohio,  and  along  the  Ohio  River  Valley  in  Virginia. 
In  1770,  the  year  next  following  the  location  and 
survey  of  these  lands,  Washington  made  a  tour 
through  this  section,  and  down  the  Ohio  to  the  Great 
Kanawha,  and  kept  a  journal  of  the  trip.  A  part  of 
that  journal  is  given  below,  commencing  on  the  date 
of  his  departure  from  Mount  Vernon,  viz. : 

"  October  5th. — Began  a  journey  to  the  Ohio  in  company  with 
Dr.  Craik,  his  servant  and  two  of  mine,  with  a  led  horse  and 
baggage.  Dined  at  Towlston's,  and  lodged  at  Leesburg,  distant 
from  Mount  Vernon  about  forty-five  miles.  Here  my  port- 
manteau horse  failed.  [Here  follows  the  journal  of  six  days' 
journey  by  Wiiy  of  Old  Town,  Md.,  and  Fort  Cumberland  to 
'  Killman's,'  east  of  Castleman's  River.] 

"  12th.— We  left  Killman's  early  in  the  morning,  breakfasted 
at  the  Little  Meadows,  ten  miles  off,  and  lodged  at  the  Great 
Crossing  (of  the  Youghiogheny  at  Somerfield),  twenty  miles  far- 
ther, which  we  found  a  tolerably  good  day's  work.  .  .  . 

"13th. — Set  out  about  sunrise,  breakfasted  at  the  Ureat 
Meadows  [Fayette  Co.],  thirteen  miles,  and  reached  Captain 
Crawford's  about  five  o'clock.  The  land  from  Gist's  [Mount 
Braddock]  to  Crawford's  is  very  broken,  though  not  mountain- 
ous, in  spots  exceedingly  rich,  and  in  general  free  from  stone: 
Crawford's  is  very  fine  land,  lying  on  the  Youghiogheny,  at  a 
place  commonly  called  Stfwarl's  Crossing. 

"  14th.— At  Captain  Cr.awford's  all  day.  Went  to  see  a  coal- 
mine not  far  from  his  house  on  the  banks  of  the  river.  The 
coal  seemed  of  the  very  best  kind,  burning  freely,  and  abun- 
dance of  it. 

"  15th. — Went  to  view  some  land  which  Captain  Crawford 
located  for  me  near  the  Youghiogheny,^  distant  about  twelve 
miles.  This  tract,  which  contains  about  one  thousand  six  hun- 
dred iicres,  includes  some  as  fine  land  as  I  ever  saw,  and  a  great 
deal  of  rich  meadow  ;  it  is  well  watered  and  has  a  valuable  mill- 
seat,  except  that  the  stream  is  rather  too  slight,  and,  it  is  said, 
not  constant  more  than  seven  or  eight  months  in  the  year;  but, 
on  account  ot  the  fall  and  other  conveniences,  no  place  can  ex- 
ceed it.  In  going  to  this  land  I  passed  through  two  other 
tracts  which  Captain  Crawford  had  taken  up  for  my  brothers 
Samuel  and  John.  I  intended  to  have  visited  the  land  which 
Crawford  hadprocured  for  Lund  3  Washington  this  day  also,  but, 
time  falling  short,  I  was  obliged  to  postpone  it.  Night  caine 
on  before  I  got  back  to  Crawford's,  where  I  found  Colonel  Stc- 

-  Referring  to  the  tracts  above  mentioned,  lying  in  the  present  towu- 
Bhip  of  Perry. 

3  Meaning  Laurence  Washington,  who  was  not  a  relative,  or  if  he  was, 
a  very  distant  one,  and  who  is  mentioned  in  the  general's  will  as  an 
"acquaintance  and  friend  of  my  juvenile  years.'' 


PERKY  TOWNSHIP. 


709 


phen.  The  lands  which  I  passed  over  to-day  were  generally 
hilly,  and  the  growth  chiefly  white  oak,  but  very  good  notwith- 
standing ;  and,  what  is  extraordinary  and  contrary  to  (he  prop- 
erty of  all  other  lands  I  ever  saw  before,  the  hills  are  the  richest 
land,  the  soil  upon  the  sides  and  summits  of  them  being  as 
blaok  ns  coal,  and  the  growth  walnut  and  cherry.  The  flats 
are  not  so  rich,  and  a  good  deal  more  mixed  with  stone. 

"  Ifith.  At  Captain  Crawford's  till  evening,  when  I  went  to 
Mr.  John  Stephenson's,  on  my  way  to  Pittsburg.  .  .  .  17th. 
Dr.  Craik  and  myself,  with  Capt.  Crawford  and  others,  arrived 
at  Fort  Pitt;  distance  from  the  Crossing  forty-three  and  a  half 

On  the  20th,  Washington,  with  Dr.  Craik,  Capt. 
Crawford,  William  Harrison,  Robert  Beall,  and  others, 
with  some  Indians,  proceeded  down  the  Ohio  in  a 
large  canoe,  having  sent  their  servants  back  to  Craw- 
ford's with  orders  to  meet  the  party  there  on  the  14th 
of  November,  but  they  did  not  reach  there  until  ten 
days  after  the  time  appointed.  The  journal  then 
proceeds, — 

'■  Nov.  24th.  When  we  came  to  Stewart's  Crossing  at  Craw- 
ford's the  river  was  too  high  to  ford,  and  his  canoe  gone  adrift. 
However,  after  waiting  there  two  or  three  hours,  a  canoe  was 
got,  in  which  we  crossed,  and  swum  our  horses.  The  remain- 
der of  this  day  I  spent  at  Capt.  Crawford's,  it  either  raining 
or  snowing  hard  all  day. 

"25th.  I  set  out  early,  in  order  to  see  Lund  Washington's 
land ;  but  the  ground  and  trees  being  covered  with  snow,  I  was 
able  to  form  but  an  indistinct  opinion  of  it,  though  upon  the 
whole  it  appeared  to  be  a  good  tract  of  land.  From  this  I  went 
to  Mr.  Thomas  Gist's  and  dined,  and  then  proceeded  to  the 
Great  Crossings  at  Hogland's,  where  I  arrived  about  eight 
o'clock." 

From  there  he  journeyed  back  to  Mount  Vernon 
by  tlie  route  over  which  he  came. 

Except  by  the  parties  above  mentioned  as  receiving 
warrants  April  3,  1769,  the  only  purchases  made  in 
the  present  township  of  Perry  during  that  year  were 
those  of  Eleanor  and  James  Hunter,  of  Philadelphia, 
the  tract  of  the  former  being  316  acres,  and  that  of 
the  latter  276iJ  acres.  They  were  located  on  the 
waters  of  Virgin  Run,  and  warranted  April  19,  1769. 
1  Of  all  these  purchasers  of  lands  in  the  present  town- 
ship of  Perry  in  the  year  1769,  none  ever  became 
settlers  on  them.  And  from  that  year  until  1784  no 
other  purchases  of  land  were  made  within  the  present 
bounds  of  the  township. 

It  is  evident  from  the  language  of  Washington's 
journal,  above  quoted,  that  the  tracts  of  his  brothers, 
Samuel  and  John  A.  AVashington,  were  on  the  route 
from  Capt.  Crawford's  (New  Haven)  to  his  own  land, 
at  and  near  the  site  of  the  present  town  of  Perryop- 
olis,  but  that  Lund  (Laurence)  Washington's  land  lay 
some  distance  away  from  the  direct  route.  It  has  not 
been  ascertained  to  whom  the  title  of  these  lands 
passed,  nor  their  exact  location. 

In  the  extracts  above  given  from  Washington's  jour- 
nal of  1770  it  will  be  noticed  that  he  makes  reference 


to  a  mill-seat  on  the  small  stream  (since  named  Wash- 
ington Run)  which  flowed  through  his  tract.  It  was 
his  purpose  to  build  a  mill  at  this  place,  and  prepa- 
rations were  soon  after  commenced  for  it  by  Gilbert 
Simpson,  whom  Washington  sent  out  as  manager 
of  his  property  here.  His  first  business,  however, 
was  to  erect  a  log  house,  which  stood  adjoining  the 
present  residence  of  John  Rice.  This  was  the  farm- 
house which  was  the  headquarters  of  the  operations 
carried  on  by  Simpson  for  the  proprietor.  The  mill 
was  built  on  the  run,  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
present  village  of  Perryopolis.  From  the  time  of  its 
completion  until  the  present  (with  the  exception  of  a 
few  years  prior  to  1790)  a  mill  has  been  in  constant 
operation  on  this  site. 

Between  1770  and  1774,  Valentine  Crawford  (who 
had  settled  on  Jacob's  Creek)  succeeded  his  brother, 
Capt.  William  Crawford,  as  Washington's  financial 
agent  in  this  region,  Simpson  being  merely  the  man- 
ager of  his  farming  and  other  operations  on  his  lands 
in  the  present  township  of  Perry.  Below  are  given 
some  extracts  from  letters  written  in  the  year  last 
named  by  Valentine  Crawford  to  Col.  Washington, 
having  reference  to  the  improvements  then  being  made 
under  the  direction  of  Simpson  on  the  Washington 
tract,  viz. : 

"  Jacob's  Creek,  A|)nl  27, 1774. 
"  I  went  to  Gilbert  Simpson's  as  soon  as  I  got  out  and  gave 


your  Bottom  unti 
fear  they  would  i 


and  the  bill  of  his  arti- 
at  he  might  take  them  to 
work  ;  but  he  refused  for 


"As  to  the  goods,  I  have  stored  them;  and  I  went  to  Mr. 
Simpson  as  soon  as  I  came  up,  and  offered  him  some  of  the  car- 
penters and  all  the  servants ;  but  he  refused  taking  them, — the 
latter  for  fear  they  would  run  away  ;  he  has,  however,  now 
agreed  to  take  some  of  both,  thecarpenters  to  do  the  framing  for 
the  mill,  and  the  servants  to  dig  the  race.  Stephens  has  agreed 
to  quit,  provided  the  Indians  make  peace,  and  it  would  be  out  of 
his  power  to  get  them  back  again,  as  he  has  no  means  of  con- 
veyance. I  am  afraid  I  shall  be  obliged  to  build  a  fort  until 
this  eruption  is  over,  which  I  am  in  hopes  will  not  last  long.  I 
trust  you  write  me  full  instructions  as  to  what  I  must  do.  Mr. 
Simpson  yesterday  seemed  very  much  scared;  but  I  cheered 
him  up  all  I  could.  He  and  his  laborers  seemed  to  conclude  to 
build  a  fort  if  time?  grew  any  worse." 

"  Gist's,  May  I?.,  1774. 
ite  to  let  you  know  that  all  your  servants 
c  of  them  have  run  away.  Mr.  Simpson 
has  as  many  of  the  carpenters  as  he  can  find  work  for,  and  has 
got  some  of  the  servants  assisting  about  the  seat  for  the  mill 
until  this  storm  of  the  Indians  blows  over." 

"Jacob's  Creek,  May  2.5,  1774. 
"From  nil  accounts  Capt.  Connolly  caught  from  the  Indian 
towns  they  are  determined  for  war.  ...  I  have,  with  the  as- 
sistance of  some  of  your  carpenters  and  servants,  built  a  very 
strong  block-house ;  and  the  neighbors,  what  few  of  them  have 
not  run  away,  have  joined  \vith  me,  and  we  are  building  a 
stockade  fort  at  my  house.  Mr.  Simpson,  also,  and  his  neigh- 
bors have  begun  to  build  a  fort  at  your  Bottom  :  and  we  live  in 


"Dear  Sin,- 
are  well,  and  th 


IllSTOllY    01'    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


hopes  we  can  stand  our  ground  till  we  can  get  some  assistance 
from  bcluw." 

A  letter  from  Crawfurd,  dated  June  8th,  informed 
Washington  tliat  Simpson  had  completed  the  fort  at 
the  Bottoms : 

"Jacob's  Creek,  July  27, 1774. 

"  My  wagon  ari.l  l-ani  li;i  i ,'  1 n  at  work  at  your  mill  f.u-  sumo 

time,  hauling  tinil..  I ,  -I .ana   liiuc  and  ,-an<l  I'nr  it.      1  went 


the 


stop. 


workmen,  and  I  have  brought  home  my  team.  I  consider  it  a 
pity  that  the  mill  was  erer  begun  in  these  times.  It  apia  ar,= 
to  me  sometimes  that  it  will  be  a  very  e.xpensive  job  ti>  you 
before  it  is  done.  All  the  carpenters  I  brought  out  for  you 
stopped  work  on  the  sixth  of  May,  except  some  who  were  at 
work  on  your  mill.  These  I  pay  myself.  I  shall  observe  your 
orders  in  regard  to  settling  with  the  carpenters." 

But  it  seems  that  the  work  on  construction  of  the 
mill  was  delayed  for  some  cause  (doubtless  the  open- 
ing of  the  war  of  the  Revohiti.mi.  so  tliat  two  years 
had  elapsed  from  the  time  of  its  i-omiiiciiL'ement  be- 
fore it  was  completed  and  put  in  (i]>eration,  as  is 
shown  by  a  letter,'  dated  Sejit.  2i),  1771!,  written  by 
Valentine  Crawford  to  Gen.  Washiugtun  when  the 
latter  was  engaged  in  the  operations  of  his  army 
around  the  city  of  New  York  after  the  battle  of 
Long  Island.  The  following  extract  from  that  letter 
has  reference  to  the  building  of  the  mill,  and  tells  the 
time  when  it  was  first  started,  viz. : 

"  I  this  spring,  before  I  came  over  the  mountain, 
called  at  Simpson's  to  see  your  mill  go  for  the  first 
time  of  its  running,  and  can  assure  you  I  think  it  the 
best  mill  I  ever  saw  anywhere,  although  I  think  one 
of  a  less  value  would  have  done  as  well.  If  you  re- 
member, you.stnv  some  rocks  at  the  mill-seat.  These 
are  as  fine  millstone  grit  as  any  in  America.  The 
millwright  told  me  the  stones  he  got  for  your  mill 
there  are  equal  to  English  burr." 

From  this  time  until  17S.i  little  is  known  as  to  what 
was  done  with  Washin,i;lniiV  mill,  or  i.ii  his  lauds  in 
this  vicinity.  On  the  :i:M  of  Siptnulirr  in  that  year 
he  wrote  to  Thomas  Freeman  (who  had  succeeded 
Valentine  Crawford  as  his  agent)  as  follows  : 

••  [f  you  should  not  have  offers  in  a  short  time  for  the  hire 
of  my  mill  alone,  or  for  the  mill  with  one  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  of  land  adjoining,  I  think  it  advisable,  in  that  case,  to 
let  it  on  shares,  to  build  a  good  and  substantial  dam  of  stone 
where  the  old  one  stood,  and  to  ereet  a  pn-iMr  t~uie-lia\  in  i.lare 
of  the  trunk  which  now  conducts  tlic  natrr  i.,  ilic-  «h.r!.  and, 

driven  to  this  for  want  of  a  tenant,  let  public  notice  thereof  be 
given,  and  the  work  let  to  the  lowest  bidder,  the  undertaker 
finding  himself  and  giving  bond  and  security  for  the  perform- 
ance of  his  contract.  The  charges  of  these  things  mu.^l  be  paid 
out  of  the  first  moneys  you  receive  for  rent  or  olherwis.-.  1 1  1 
could  get  fifteen  hundred  pounds  for  the  mill  ami  .un-  hun  Ind 
acres  of  laml  most  convenient   thereto  I  would  b-t  it  l'"  lor  that 

"  G.  WASHI.SIiTOX." 

•  This,  as  well  as  the  extr.icls  before  given,  is  from  the  "  Waildngton- 
Crawford  Letters." 


Gen.  Washington,  however,  did  not  succeed  in  sell- 
ing or  otherwise  disposing  of  his  lands  until  the  fall 
of  1789,  when  they  were  leased  for  a  term  of  five 
years  to  Col.  Israel  Shreve,-  who  afterwards  became 
their  purchaser.  He  (Col.  Shreve)  emigrated  to 
Western  Pennsylvania  in  1788  from  New  Jersey, 
leaving  his  old  home  in  Hunterdon  County  in  that 
State  on  the  7th  of  July.  With  him  came  others, 
firming  a  party  of  thirty  persons  in  all,  viz.  :  Israel 
Shreve  and  Mary,  his  wife,  with  their  children, — Ke- 
ziah,  Hester,  Israel,  George,  Greene,  Rebecca,  and 
Henry,  with  John  Fox  and  James  Starkey  ;  William 
Shreve  and  Rhoda,  his  wife,  with  their  children, — 
Anna  and  Richard  (the  preceding  named  traveling  in 
three  two-horse  wagons  and  driving  three  cows) ;  Jo- 
seph Beck  and  Sarah,  his  wife,  with  their  children, — 
Benjamin,  Rebecca,  Elizabeth,  Henry,  Joseph,  and 
Ann  (in  one  three-horse  wagon)  ;  Daniel  Hervey,  his 
wile,  Sarah,  their  son  Job,  a  mulatto  boy,  Thomas,  Jo- 
seph, and  Ann  Wheatley,and  John  Shellow,  the  last- 
named  seven  traveling  with  one  three-horse  wagon, 
one  two-horse  wagon,  and  one  cow. 

They  came  over  the  mountains  to  Westmoreland 
County,  Pa.  Without  pausing  to  follow  the  fortunes 
of  other  members  of  the  party,  it  is  sufficient  to  say 
that  Col.  Shreve  stopped  with  his  family  in  Rostraver 
township,  occupying  the  house  of  Joseph  Lenman 
for  something  more  than  a  year,  until  he  rented  the 
Washington  lands,  as  before  mentioned.  Soon  after 
concluding  the  bargain,  he  wrote  to  his  brother,  Caleb 
Slircvc,  iif  .Mansfield,  N.  J.,  a  letter  which  shows  what 
w.is  the  cnndition  of  the  Washington  lands  at  that 
time,  as  also  the  ftict  that  the  mill  built  by  Gilbert 
Simpson  was  then  in  disuse,  and  too  much  out  of  re- 
jiair  to  be  again  started  without  considerable  expense. 
The  letter'  referred  to  is  here  given,  as  follows: 


•  Dic.iR  Bro 


"  F.iRKS  OF  YouOH,  Dec.  2G,  1789. 
!R, — Having  an  opportunity  to  Philadelphia, 
— ition  my  situation  -- ' "'-''  —      '=''  — 


itended  one 


1  h  i>  c  been  here,  have  worked  to  get  Washington  Bottom,  and 
ba\e  at  last  c»btained  the  whol 


!  to  the 


id  the  whole  tract  on  rent  for  five  years, 
(ieneral  by  his  Agent  in  this  county.  Col 


-  Israel  Shreve  was  born  Dec.  24, 1739,  at  the  Shrove  homestead,  Mount 

i't.  i^atit,  AlaTi-iifl.l,  liiiilinu'tnu  Co.,  N.  J.,  but  at  a  later  period  removed 
ti.  Ilnnn-i.i.n  r-uiiii  ill  111  ■  Mime  State,  where  he  was  living  at  the  out- 
li  ikl  n  l;  .  :,'i  II  Wh.-n  the  first  two  battailous  were  raised  in 
Ni'^v  .liiv.v  I  r  I  ■  III  111  i'  arnn.  Ill'  1- :t-- ayi]'ninted  by  the  Congress 
iM    JN    r,         am     ,,    >-     III]      •    111.    \\.    Ilia   nattalion,   William 

tile  regular  t'untiiiental  eervice  in  tlie  falluwing  Deceniber,and  marched 
to  tlie  vicinity  of  the  city  of  New  York,  wliich  was  then  occupied  by  the 
British. 

()ii  till'  reor;;ranizatioii  of  the  New  Jersey  line  he  was  made  colonel 

lit  111"  Si  .    II  I   l;  .11 1,  111,1  remained  in  that  command  to  the  close 

Ml  I  111!  \\,ii ,  .IV  :  II  M  wM  ll's  brigade,  and  taking  part  in  many  of 
\\.i-liiN-i  II      lull   battles,  iucluding  that   of  Monmouth. 

Ill- I'liili   I  all  Mm- First  New  Jersey  Regiment,  «nd  another 

liriither  ^Samuelj  liLaitenaut-colonel  of  the  First  Battalion  of  New  Jersey 
in  the  Continental  line. 

^  This  letter,  as  also  the  account  of  the  party  with  which  Col.  Shreve 
eniigraled  from  New  Jersey  tu  Western  Pennsylvania,  was  published  in 
the  Ammcui  Mngadne  of  HiMoni  in  184>. 


PEKllY   TOWN'SHU' 


711 


Canon,  who  a  few  weeks  ago  returned  from  New  York  ;  the 
General  was  pleased  to  order  Col.  Canon  to  let  me  have  the 
whole  of  the  Bottoms  so  called  at  my  offer.  The  old  fiirm  con- 
tains about  80  acres  of  improved  upland  and  about  40  of  the 
best  kind  of  meadows,  a  bearing  orchard  of  120  apple  and  100 
peach  trees,  the  buildings  as  good  ns  most  in  this  county, 
pretty  well  situated,  and  five  other  improved  farms  that  at 
this  time  rent  for  £43  10«.  I  am  accountable  for  the  whole 
rent,  which  altogether  is  £fiO,  so  that  I  shall  have  the  old  place 
for  £16  lOs.,  to  be  paid  either  in  money  or  wheat  at  3«.  per 
b^^hel. 

"  I  considered  that  the  land  at  the  Miami  settlement  was 
rising  fast,  and  that  I  had  better  pay  this  low  rent  for  a  well- 
improved  farm  than  barter  away  my  land  at  a  low  rate  for  land 
here.  Land  docs  not  rise  much  in  this  place  owing  to  the  great 
emigration  down  the  river.  It  seems  as  if  people  were  crazy  to 
get  afloaton  theOhio.  Many  leave  very  good  livings,  setoutfor 
Iliey  know  not  where,  but  too  often  find  their  mistake.  I  believe 
I  his  as  good  as  any  of  the  settlements  down  the  river  for  the 
present.  The  Mississippi  trade  is  open  at  this  time,  and  all  the 
wheat,  whisky,  bacon,  etc.,  buying  up  by  those  concerned  in  it. 
The  highest  price  for  wheat  is  four  shillings  in  trade,  or  three 
shillings  nine  pence  cash,   whisky  three  shillings  cash,  and 


:  pence  per  pound  cash. 


the  far 


fhere  I  i 


vhole 


going  is  as  good  a  chance  for  a  grist-mill  as  any 
forks,  and  a  mill  that  can  be  set  going  for  I  believe  fifty  pounds, 
'  and  a  number  of  years  given  for  the  repairs.  I  am  in  hopes  of 
being  able  to  set  it  going,  as  it  will  produce  more  grain  than  all 
the  six  farms  t>n  the  tract.  I  am  to  have  possession  the  first  of 
April  next,  and  flatter  myself  I  have  as  good  a  chance  as  any 
person  in  my  circumstances  could  expect.  I  shall  have  nothing 
to  attend  t^  but  my  own  private  concerns.  I  think  this  way  of 
life  far  preferable  to  any  other.  Ricoard  Shrieve  is  to  have  one 
of  the  small  farms.  They  contain  of  improved  land  as  follows  : 
One  forty  acres  upland  and  five  good  meadows;  one  thirty-five 
acres  upland  and  six  good  meadows;  the  other  two  twenty-five 
acres  upland  and  five  or  six  good  meadows;  the  whole  in  fences, 
they  beingtheyear  before  last  rented  for  repairs.  Peggy  .Shrieve 
has  a  daughter.  She  and  her  husband  have  been  very  sickly 
this  last  fall,  but  have  recovered.  I  am  grandfather  to  another 
son.  John  and  his  wife  are  pretty  well,  as  is  our  family  at 
present,  but  except  the  measles,  as  it  is  in  the  school  where  our 
boys  go.     I  hope  you  are  well  also. 

"  I  am.  with  great  respect  and  love, 

"Your  Brother,  Israel 'Shrieve." 

On  the  31st  of  July,  1795,  Gen.  Washington,  by 
his  attorney,  James  Ross,  of  Pittsburgh,  entered  into 
articles  of  agreement  to  sell  and  convey  in  fee  simple 
to  Israel  Shreve,  for  the  consideration  of  four  thou- 
sand pounds,  sixteen  hundred  and  forty-four  and  a 
quarter  acres  of  land  with  allowance,  consisting  of 
the  five  surveys  before  mentioned,  viz. :  "  Meadows," 
"Deer  Range,"  "Crab-Tree  Run,"  "  Flatt,"  and 
"Spring  Run,"  for  which  patents  had  been  issued 
Washington  Feb.  28,  1782.  Gen.  Washington  died 
in  1799,  never  having  conveyed  the  tracts  under  the 
articles  of  agreement  to  Col.  Shreve,'  who  also  died 
in  the  same  year. 

1  At  one  time,  not  long  before  the  death  of  Washington  and  Shreve, 
the  former,  notwithstanding  his  great  wealth,  having  becooie  somewhat 
straitened  for  money,  pressed  Shreve  hanl  fur  payment  on  the  lands,  and 
caused  an  execution  to  be  issued  against  luni,  at  the  same  time  writiug 
him  a  severe  letter  in  reference  to  his  delin.iuency ;  hut  at  its  close  he 
relented,  and  Siud  to  his  old  comrade  of  Trenton  and  Monmcmtli,  "Not- 


Nearly  two  years  after  Gen.  Washington's  death 
his  executors,  George  Steptoe  Washington  and  Sam- 
uel Lewis,  constituted  James  Ross,  of  Pittsburgh,  their 
lawful  attorney,  to  convey  the  five  tracts  in  pursuance 
of  the  agreement  of  July,  1795 ;  and  accordingly,  on 
the  17th  of  June,  1802,  Ross  did  so  convey  the  prop- 
erty to  the  heirs  of  Israel  Shreve. 

Col.  Shreve  had  four  sons, — Henry,  John,  Samuel, 
and  Israel,  Jr.  Henry  was  a  civil  engineer,  and  was 
employed  by  the  government  to  clear  the  channel  of 
the  Red  River  in  Louisiana.  He  finally  settled  on 
that  river  at  the  present  town  of  Shreveport,  which 
was  named  in  his  honor.  John  Shreve  lived  in  what 
is  now  the  township  of  Perry,  and  represented  the 
district  in  the  Assembly  with  John  St.  Clair  and  Col. 
Henry  Heaton.  Samuel  Shreve  settled  in  Perry,  and 
was  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  Perryopolis. 
Israel  Shreve,  Jr.,  also  lived  and  died  in  Perry. 

The  heirs  of  Col.  Shri'vr  ^oM  tln'  ,i;:reater  part  of 
the  property  piircliuscl  from  (im.  Washington  to 
Isaac  Meason.  In  the  division  ol'  tlu-  property  after 
his  death  the  Shreve  homesteail,  r..iitaiiiiiiLr  <me  hun- 
dred and  sixty-one  acres,  was  set  oil  to  Mr-.  Williams, 
of  Greensburg,  by  whom  it  was  sold  to  Caleb  An- 
trim, a  Quaker.  He  left  it  by  will  to  his  daughter 
Mary,  Mrs.  William  Campbell,  whose  heirs  sold  it  to 
the  present  owner,  John  Rice. 

A  tract  of  two  hundred  and  thirty-six  acres  of  the 
Washington  lands  was  set  off  in  the  partition  of  the 
Meason  estate  to  Alfred  Meason.  He  sold  to  Benja- 
min Martin,  who  in  turn  sold  in  1838  to  Pierson 
Cope,  who  still  occupies  it.  His  father  was  one  of 
the  early  settlers  in  Jefferson  township,  and  he  is 
himself  one  of  the  oldest  living  settlers  of  Perry. 

Other  purchasers  of  lands  belonging  to  the  original 
tracts  of  Gen.  Washington  were  Isaac  S])arks,  one 
hundred  and  eighty-five  acres ;  Ruel  Sears,  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  acres;  and  John  Lloyd,  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres.  Of  the  latter,  the  heirs  of  Alexan- 
der Thorn  now  own  fifty  acres.  The  tract  of  Isaac 
Sparks  was  purchased  by  James  Fuller  and  John  F. 
Martin,  Jan.  19,  1831.  Jatnes  Fuller,  of  Dnnlap's 
Creek,  came  to  this  township  in  1817,  and  purchased 
two  hundred  acres  of  the  Washington  lands  of  the 
widow  of  Isaac  Meason,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  of  Conrad  Shultz,  a  merchant  of  Baltimore. 
He  also  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
Thomas  Burns,  it  being  a  part  of  the  Burns  tract, 
which  extended  to  the  Youghiogheny  River,  and  on 
which  the  Burns  Ford  was  situated.  David  ai>d  John 
Fuller  were  two  of  the  si-x  sons  of  James  Fuller. 


withstanding  wliat  lias  been  done,  and  in  consideration  of  our  ancient 
friendship,  I  give  yon  further  iudulgence.  Take  this  letter  to  Col. 
Thomas  Collins,  sheriff  of  Fayette  County,  and  it  will  operate  as  a  stay 
of  execution."  Col.  Shreve  took  the  letter  to  the  sheriff  as  directed  ; 
further  time  was  given,  the  rayments  were  met  (though  with  great  dif- 
ficulty) by  Shreve,  but  both  he  and  his  great  creditor  passed  from  earth 
leaving  the  transaction  uncompleted  and  the  lands  still  unconveyed. 
The  letter  referred  to  reniai 


■  possession  of  Sheriff  Collii 


fori 


712 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


A  tract  lying  directly  south  of  the  town  plat  of 
Perryopolis,  and  containing  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
two  acres  of  the  Washington  lands,  was  sold  June 
13,  1802,  to  Joseph  Sayre.  Of  this,  fifty-one  acres 
was  sold  in  180G  to  John  Baldus,  who  sold  in  1810  to 
John  Kubbs.  On  the  11th  of  May,  1815,  it  was  con- 
veyed to  Saiiiupl  Slireve,  and  on  this  was  surveyed  and 
laid  out  tin-  outer  till-  of  lots  that  was  added  to  the 
town  I'lal  in  isl'i.  'I'lic  land  comprising  the  original 
plat  of  the  town  was  purchased  before  1814  of  George 
Meason  by  Samuel  Shreve,  Dr.  Thomas  Hersey,  and 
Nathan  Hersey. 

The  Washington  Mill  property  passed  to  Powell 
Hough,  and  from  him  to  John  Strickler  and  Jacob 
Strawn.  Strawn's  heirs  sold  it  to  George  Anderson, 
who  repaired  it  in  1859,  and  later  sold  to  Samuel 
Smith,  in  whose  possession  it  still  is.  The  site  has 
been  occupied  by  a  mill  in  active  operation  for  a 
period  of  one  hundred  and  five  years  without  inter- 
mission, except  for  a  few  years  prior  to  1790,  during 
which  it  was  out  of  repair  and  in  disuse. 

James  Hunter  and  his  wife,  Eleanor,  were  among 
the  owners  of  original  tracts  in  this  township,  two 
hundred  and  seventy-six  acres  on  Virgin  Run  being 
warranted  to  him,  and  three  hundred  and  twenty-six 
acres  to  her,  on  the  19th  of  April,  1769.  They  were 
residents  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  he  a  land 
speculator.  It  was  said  of  hiin  that  he  could  ride 
from  Philadelphia  to  Lake  Erie  and  sleep  every  night 
on  his  own  land.  He  and  his  wife  were  in  the  habit 
of  riding  through  the  country  together  to  visit  his 
lands.  Pierson  Cope  says  he  remembers  that  when 
he  was  a  boy  James  Hunter  and  wife  came  together 
to  the  house  of  his  father  (who  was  Hunter's  agent) 
in  a  private  carriage,  with  a  white  man  for  a  driver. 
This  driver  had  heard  of  sugar-trees,  and  asked  young 
Cope  to  show  him  one.  This  he  did,  but  the  man 
after  examining  the  tree  remarked  that  he  saw  no 
signs  of  sugar  upon  it,  whereupou  the  lad  explained 
at  length  (and  much  to  the  driver's  surprise)  the 
process  by  which  it  was  manufactured  from  the  sap. 
Both  the  two  tracts  above  mentioned  became  Mr. 
Hunter's  property.  He  lived  to  a  very  advanced  age, 
and  in  a  codicil  to  his  will  (made  Dec.  14,  1819)  de- 
vised his  lands  in  Perry  township  to  his  niece,  Mrs. 
Eleanor  H.  Curwin.  Afterwards  the  greater  part  of 
these  lands  were  sold  by  Pierson  Cope,  as  agent,  to 
Obadiah  Bowne,  Sr.,  and  John  H.  Blaney. 

The  Bowne  tract  was  sold  by  order  of  court  after 
the  death  of  Mr.  Bowne,  Sr.  The  widow  of  Obadiah 
Bowne,  Jr.,  h.ad  an  interest  of  8500  in  the  property 
by  will  if  she  married,  and  the  whole  of  it  if  she  re- 
mained single.  She  preferred  matrimony,  and  in  the 
course  of  time  married  James  Blair,  ,Ir.,  her  manager. 
They  bought  in  the  farm,  she  paying  one-half  of  the 
purchase-money  and  he  the  other  half.  Mrs.  ;]!hiir 
by  this  last  act  helped  to  pay  for  tlie  farm  tliree  times, 
—first,  in  assisting  her  husband  in  helping  his  fatlicr 


pay  for  tl:e  place  originally  ;    second,  in  paying  off 
legacies  under  the  will  of  Obadiah  Bowne,  Sr. ;  and 
third,  in  the  half-payment  at  the  time  of  purchase  by 
Mr.  Blair. 
The  remainder  of  the  Hunter  tract  was  purchased 

i  by  John  H.  Blaney,  James  Blair,  Sr.,  John  B.  Blair, 
James  Piersol,  John  Carr,  John  Hamilton,  Samuel 
Johnson,  and  Ephraim  Lynch.  A  brother  of  Eph- 
raim,  Robert  Lynch,  was  a  blacksmith  and  an  axe- 
maker.  For  a  time  he  had  a  shop  on  the  Israel  Shreve 
farm,  afterwards  built  on  what  is  now  the  King  farm. 
The  coal  to  supply  his  forge  was  brought  from  Little 
Redstone.  A  few  years  later  a  vein  of  coal  was  found 
within  a  short  distance  of  the  forge. 
The  tract  of  land  situated  north  of  the  Hunter  tract, 

[  and  running  to  the  Youghiogheny  River,  contained 

I  over  three  hundred  acres.     Charles  March  became  the 

'  possessor  of  the  tract  from  the  warrantee  about  1790. 
It  pa.ssed  from  him  to  his  sons,  John  M.  and  James. 

j  The  widow  of  the  latter  is  now  living  on  the  place. 

I       Christian  Patterson  became  the  owner  of  over  one 

!  hundred  acres  of  land  before  1800.     He  sold  to  Ben- 
jamin Martin,  who  later  conveyed  it  to  Thomas  Price, 
by  whom  the  present  brick  house  on  the  farm  was  _ 
built.     The  property  now  belongs  to  Mrs.  Sutton. 
The  place  where  Aaron  Townsend  now  lives  was 

i  owned  fifty  years  ago  by  his  father,  Aaron  Townsend, 
Sr.,  who  purchased  of  Joseph  Radcliff.  Freeman 
Cooper  resides  on  a  farm  purchased  by  liis  father, 
Joel  Cooper,  of  John  Patterson. 

Hugh  Patterson  is  a  son  of  James  H.  Patterson,  of 

!  Franklin  township.  The  latter  purchased  many 
years  ago. 

North  of  the  Joseph  Radcliff  tract  is  land  that  for- 

'  merly  belonged  to  Patrick  Robinson,  who  left  it  by 
will  to  his  wife.  She  conveyed  it  to  Robinson  Mur- 
phy and  Samuel  Watson,  who  both  live  on  the  place. 
Adjoining  this  last  tract  on  the  northwest  is  four 
hundred  acres  of  land  now  owned  by  James  Piersol, 
which  was  purchased  by  his  father,  William  Piersol, 
before  the  commencement  of  the  present  century. 
Samuel,  a  brother  of  James,  owned  land  adjoining, 

I  also  a  part  of  the  land  of  his  father.  His  son  Levi 
now  owns  this,  and  has  added  considerably  to  it. 

Benjamin,  Sarah,  and  Elizabeth  Powers,  all   ad- 
vanced in  years,  are  old  settlers,  and  live  on  an  eld 

j  homestead. 

j  Thomas  Cook,  a  native  of  Chester  County,  Pa., 
came  to  this  township  about  1800,  and  purchased  over 

'  three  hundred  acres  of  land  south  of  the  Washington 

I  tract.  He  was  a  weaver  and  wheelwright,  and  forsook 
farming  after  a  time  and  bought  the  John  Follies 
mill  on  Big  Redstone  Creek,  and  resided  there  till  his 
death.  He  had  a  number  of  children.  John,  a  son, 
settled  on  Big  Redstone  Creek,  and  now  owns  the  mill 
his  father  purchased  years  before.  Rebecca,  the 
daughter  of  Thomas  Cook,  married  James  D.  Cope,' 
the  father  of  Eli  and  Pierson  Cope.  The  farm  of 
Thomas  Cook  was  purchased  by  George  Stickle,  Pat- 


PEKIIY    TOWNSmi* 


rick  Watson,  Josiuli  Kiiii;-,  iuid  D^iviti  Jcmos.  .Idsiali 
King,  in  addition  to  liis  original  purcliiise,  now  owns 
part  of  the  George  Stickle  farm. 

A  property  lies  in  this  section  of  the  township  for- 
merly owned  by  William  Wallace,  and  now  by  John 
H.  Patterson,  that  contains  a  fine  vein  of  coal,  which 
is  the  eastern  outcrop  of  the  Pittsburgh  or  Mononga- 
hela  basin. 

West  of  the  Cook  farm,  adjoining  the  Jefferson 
township  line,  is  a  farm  formerly  owned  by  Samuel 
Brewer,  whose  son  Henry  now  owns  it.  Adjoining 
this  tract  north  lies  a  tract  that  many  years  ago  was 
owned  by  John  Negis.  Later  it  was  owned  by  Wil- 
liam Binns,  by  whom  it  was  conveyed  to  William 
Price,  who  now  owns  it. 

Jonathan  Hewitt,  a  native  of  Ireland,  came  to  this 
country  in  1770,  and  in  1786  to  this  section.  No  ac- 
count is  shown  of  purchase  until  Sept.  15, 1807,  when 
he  purchased  of  Thomas  Barns  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land,  part  of  the  tract  which  was  patented 
Oct.  26,  1795.  The  children  of  Jonathan  were  Abel, 
Joseph,  John,  Elizabeth,  Mary,  and  others  who  moved 
West.  Abel  lived  on  Washington  Eun,  near  the 
mouth,  where  he  erected  a  saw-mill  and  carding-ma- 
chine.  He  died  tliere,  leaving  a  widow  and  large 
family,  now  scattered  in  the  West.  John  Bradley 
now  owns  the  Abel  Hewitt  property.  In  1870,  Brad- 
ley started  the  manufacture  of  fire-brick  in  the  run, 
and  later  removed  above  Layton's  Station,  where  he 
is  still  manufacturing. 

Joseph  Hewitt  lived  on  part  of  the  old  farm.  His 
.son  Milton  now  owns  it,  and  is  devoting  it  to  fruit 
culture.  In  1877  he  started  a  fruit-house  for  preserv- 
ing apples  late  in  the  spring.  He  studded  and 
sheathed  an  old  house  with  eighteen  inches  space, 
which  was  filled  with  saw-dust.  The  first  year  he 
keiit  successfully  five  hundred  barrels,  which  were 
sold  in  March  for  four  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents 
per  barrel.  In  1879  five  hundred  barrels  were  also 
kept,  and  in  1880  twelve  hundred  barrels  were  put  up, 
which  were  finely  preserved.  An  additional  house 
was  built  in  1878,  which  was  intended  to  keep  them 
still  later. 

John  A.,  son  of  Jonathan  Hewitt,  settled  on  part 
of  the  homestead  where  his  daughter,  Mrs.  George 
Jackson,  now  lives.  Elizabeth  married  James  Binns 
and  went  West.  Mary  married  Asa  Chambers ;  they 
lived  and  died  in  the  township.  A  son,  Asa,  now  lives 
on  part  of  the  farm  left  to  his  mother. 

Jacob  Harris  purchased  five  hundred  acres  of  land 
of  the  warrantee.  It  lay  west  and  northwest  from 
Washington  Bottoms.  He  had  four  sons — Benjamin, 
James,  Isaac,  and  Jacob — and  sis  daughters, — Amy 
(Mrs.  Andrew  Work),  Annie  (Mrs.  Thomas  Patton), 
Kachel  and  Sally,  who  married  brothers  by  the  name 
of  Stenim  ;  Jemima  (Mrs.  John  Coder),  and  Eliza 
(Mrs.  Harvey  Henderson).  Jacob  in  his  will  devised 
his  real  estate  to  his  sons  and  grandsons.  The  hun- 
dred acres  were  owned  by  Benjamin  H.,  one  hundred 


by  James  Harris. 

Henry  Stow,  Samuel  and  David  Luce  now  own  land 
long  known  as  the  Powers  farm,  a  tract  of  over  four 
hundred  acres.  From  Powers  it  passed  to  Hurst,  who 
sold  it  to  John  H.  Martin,  by  whom  at  different  times 
it  has  been  conveyed  to  its'  present  owners. 

Joseph  McGara  many  years  ago  owned  a  tract  of 
two  hundred  acres.  He  died.  His  family  sold  out  and 
removed  West.  The  farm  is  now  owned  by  Philip 
Luce,  Elliot  Porter,  William  Wiggle,  and  others. 

The  section  of  the  township  known  as  the  Brow- 
neller  settlement  was  formerly  owned  by  Thomas  and 
j  William  Bleakley.  Frederick  Browneller  came  from 
j  Franklin  County,  Pa.,  and  purchased  the  Thomas 
Bleakley  tract,  and  Jacob  Snyder  that  of  his  brother, 
William  Bleakley.  The  heirs  of  Jacob  Snyder  still 
own  the  property.  On  the  Snyder  f\irm  was  built  the 
old  log  church  belonging  to  the  Cumberland  Presby- 
terians, and  known  by  the  name  of  "  Harmony." 
The  present  church  stands  nearly  on  the  same  site. 

Frederick  Browneller  built  a  saw-mill  on  a  small 
stream  near  his  place,  which  was  discontinued  a  few 
years  ago.  He  had  four  sons,— William,  Samuel, 
Frederick,  and  George.  The  two  former  remained  on 
the  farm,  and  the  other  removed  West.  A  steam  saw- 
mill at  the  mouth  of  Van  Meter's  Run  is  owned  by 
Peter  Van  Meter,  of  Rostraver  township.  He  mar- 
ried a  daughter  of  Peter  Marmie,  who  was  for  many 
years  connected  with  the  Jacob's  Creek  Iron-Works. 
The  land  now  owned  by  Oliver  Porter  and  John 
Bryan  was  owned  many  years  ago  by  one  Peter  Reed. 
Joseph  Whitsett  took  up  a  warrant  for  one  hundred 
and  forty-four  acres  of  land  in  the  section.  The  land 
where  Ralph  C.  Whitsett  now  lives,  on  the  Youghio- 
gheny  River  east  of  Van  Meter's  Run,  was  formerly 
owned  by  a  Mr.  Thompson,  who  sold  to  Robert  Wil- 
kinson. The  Martin  Elwell  farm  was  formerly  owned 
by  Henry  Stone,  Sr.  A  Mr.  Rhodobacker  purchased 
of  the  warrantee  the  farm  now  owned  by  the  heirs  of 
David  Carson.  Job  Strawn,  from  Berks  County, 
Pa.,  prior  to  1800  purchased  a  tract  of  three  hundred 
acres.  When  the  excitement  of  magnificent  enter- 
prises broke  out  at  Perryopolis,  he  became  interested 
I  in  the  glass-works  and  the  bank  at  that  place,  and 
i  when  the  crash  came,  his  property  was  swept  away  by 
the  disastrous  management  of  the  former.  The  farm 
was  sold  at  sheriff's  sale  and  purchased  by  his  son  Ja- 
cob, who  lived  there  until  his  death  in  December,  1855, 
!  by  an  accident  on  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad 
I  near  Layton  Station.  His  son  is  now  a  merchant  at 
Perryopolis.  Job  Strawn,  after  the  sale  of  his  prop- 
erty, removed  to  the  West. 

Thomas  Carson  many  years  ago  purchased  a  tract 
of  land  known  as  the  "  Round  Bottom."  It  passed 
from  him  to  his  sons  John  and  James,  and  recently 
the  homestead  was  sold  to  Albert  Marlin.  Joel,  a 
grandson  of  Thomas,  owns  a  part  of  the  farm  for- 
1  merly  owned  by  his  grandfather. 


714 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Samuel  Burns  bought  of  the  warrantee  a  tract  of 
land,  which  was  patented  to  him  Dec.  28,  1809,  and 
known  as  "Liberty  Hill."  He  devised  the  property 
to  his  son,  Thomas  E.  Burns,  who  sold  it  on  the  8th 
of  November,  1823,  to  Robert  Bleakley.  On  the  31st 
of  January,  1848,  it  came  into  possession  of  James 
Fuller,  and  is  now  owned  by  his  son,  David  Fuller. 
Of  the  other  sons  of  James  Fuller,  John  resides  in 
the  borough  of  Perryopolis  ;  James,  William,  and 
Alfred  are  residents  of  Philadelphia.  The  last  two 
are  engaged  in  shipping  beef  to  London,  and  are  also 
very  extensive  manufacturers  of  oleomargarine.  Wil- 
liam acts  as  managing  partner  in  London. 

The  settlements  before  mentioned  were  all  south  of 
the  Youghiogheny  River.  In  that  part  of  the  present 
township  north  of  the  river,  and  thence  to  the  county 
line  on  Jacob's  Creek,  the  largest  purchaser  was  Wil- 
liam TurnbuU,  of  the  firm  of  Turnbull,  Marmie  & 
Co.,  merchants  of  Philadelphia,  who  became  inter- 
ested in  iron  ore  wliich  was  found  in  these  lands. 
This  firm,  in  the  spring  of  1789,  began  the  erection 
here  of  the  first  furnace  built  west  of  the  Allegheny 
Mountains.  At  what  time  the  warrants  were  taken 
out  is  not  known.  The  tract  on  which* the  furnace 
was  built  was  named  "  Rocksbury,"  and  contained 
three  hundred  and  one  acres.  The  patent  was  issued 
on  the  13th  of  July,  1789.  At  this  time  the  furnace 
was  so  far  completed  as  to  be  mentioned  in  a  petition 
to  the  court  of  Fayette  County,  at  the  June  session, 
for  a  road  "from  the  furnace  on  Jacob's  Creek  to 
Thomas  Kyle's  mill." 

A  tract  of  three  hundred  and  one  acres,  named 
"  Frankford,"  and  another  adjoining  of  two  hundred 
and  nineteen  acres,  named  "  Springsbury,"  were 
patented  to  Mr.  Turnbull  at  the  same  time.  A  tract 
of  two  hundred  and  twenty-three  acres  adjoining, 
named  "  Luton,"  was  patented  to  Jacob  Lowrie,  Jan. 
9,  1789.  This  was  purchased  by  Turnbull  &  Mar- 
mie on  the  9th  of  October,  1791.  In  addition  to  the 
ten  hundred  and  forty-four  acres  owned  by  Mr.  Turn- 
bull  in  Fayette  County,  there  was  obtained  by  patent 
and  by  purchase  thirteen  hundred  and  eighty-one 
acres  of  land  across  Jacob's  Creek,  in  Westmoreland 
County,  as  follows:  "Rural  Felicity,"  262  acres, 
patented  Nov.  1,  1787;  "Bannockburn,"  308  acres, 
patented  July  11, 1789  ;  "  Darby,"  312  acres,  patented 
July  13,  1789;  "  Abington,"  200  acres,  patented 
April  17,  1790;  and  a  tract  of  299  acres,  named 
"  Spriiigliclil,"  which  was  jiatented  to  John  CJebhart, 
March  10,  17.s,^),  and  sold  to  Turnbull,  Marmie  &  Co., 
Oct.  9,  1791.  These  tracts  of  land,  by  reason  of  the 
financial  difficulties  of  Mr.  Turnbull,  were  trans- 
ferred to  Col.  John  Holker  (one  of  the  firm)  on  the 
10th  of  February,  1797.  But  little  was  done  at  the 
furnace  after  1793,  although  it  continued  in  operation 
till  1802,  when  its  fires  went  out  forever.  Col.  Hol- 
ker, on  the  2iith  of  .lanuary,  1S17,  entered  into  an 
agreement  with  Henry  ."-^wcit/rr  for  these  lands.  In 
accordance  with  this  agreement,  Col.  Holker,  on  the 


27th  of  June,  1821,  conveyed  all  the  lands  mentioned 
to  Paca  Smith,  in  trust  to  convey  to  Henry  Sweitzer, 
and  on  the  27th  of  July,  1822,  he  conveyed  the  prop- 
erty by  deed  to  Henry  Sweitzer  and  Jacob  Bowman 
as  tenants  in  common.  The  greater  portion  of  the 
lands  were  afterwards  sold  to  the  Jacob's  Creek  Oil 
Company,  by  whom  they  are  still  owned. 

The  ruins  of  the  old  furnace-stack,  charcoal-house, 
and  other  structures  are  still  visible.  The  two  first 
mentioned  are  in  Fayette  County.  The  abutment  of 
the  bridge  which  crossed  the  creek  at  this  place  is  still 
standing,  a  pile  of  stones  without  form.  The  ruins  of 
the  forge  are  on  the  north  side  of  the  creek,  in  AVest- 
moreland  County.  The  ruins  are  approached  from 
Burns'  Ford  north  to  the  school-house,  thence  west- 
erly by  an  old  road  to  the  woods,  and  winding  down 
the  hill  into  the  deep  valley  of  Jacob's  Creek.  As  the 
approach  is  made  to  the  creek  the  stack  is  visible  be- 
low, and  upon  the  upper  side  of  the  road,  directly  in 
rear  of  it,  are  the  ruins  of  the  charcoal-house,  a  solid 
wall  of  masonry,  sixty  feet  in  length,  twenty  feet  in 
height,  and  two  and  a  half  feet  thick,  the  end  walls 
extending  back  to  the  hill,  about  twenty  feet,  the  rear 
wall  being  formed  by  the  natural  rock.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  the  east  end  and  the  top  of  this  wall,  it  is 
as  solid  and  as  true  as  when  first  laid.  After  passing 
the  ruin  the  road  extends  several  rods  westerly,  still 
descending  to  the  creek,  where  it  is  met  by  another 
road  coming  up  from  the  mouth  of  the  creek.  From 
this  junction  the  road  runs  up  the  stream  on  the  low 
level  a  few  rods  to  where  the  furnace  is  located,  and 
at  which  place  the  road  crosses  the  creek  into  West- 
moreland County.  The  stack  is  about  twenty-five 
feet  square,  with  two  arches,  now  partly  broken  away, 
one  on  the  north  side  and  one  on  the  west.  A  part  of 
a  low  wall  is  standing  that  extends  from  the  south 
side  of  the  stack  towards  the  hill.  The  northeast 
corner  is  still  true  for  a  height  of  eight  or  ten  feet, 
except  the  lower  stones,  which  have  fallen  away. 
The  others  are  crumbled.  Shrubs,  mosses,  and  climb- 
ing vines  partially  hide  the  ravages  of  time,  and  trees 
are  growing  from  the  upper  part  of  the  stack,  one  of 
which  is  five  inches  in  diameter.  A  view  of  the  ruins 
will  be  found  with  the  article  on  furnaces  in  the  gen- 
eral history  of  this  county. 

On  the  extreme  northwest  corner  of  the  township, 
at  the  junction  of  Jacob's  Creek  and  the  Youghio- 
gheny River,  Chistopher  Beeler  took  out  a  warrant 
for  298.V  acres  of  land,  Dec.  16,  1788,  and  received  a 
patent  therefor  March  11,  1789.  He  came  from  Vir- 
ginia, and  lived  in  this  section  before  he  took  out  his 
warrant,  as  he  was  with  Col.  Crawford  in  his  cam- 
paign of  1782.  He  sold  this  tract  to  Col.  Isaac  Meason, 
who  gave  it  to  his  daughter  Mary,  who  married  Dan- 
iel Rogers.  They  lived  in  Connellsville,  and  the  farm 
was  rented  many  years.  It  was  finally  purchased  by 
A.  K.  Banning,  and  when,  about  1859,  the  Pittsburgh 
and  Connellsville  (now  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio)  Rail- 
road was  completed,  a  station  was  opened  at  that  place 


PERRY   TOWNSHIP. 


715 


called  Bauning's  Station.  The  land  is  still  owned 
by  Mr.  Banning.  About  1870,  Daniel  Hohenschell 
started  a  store,  which  was  kept  for  a  year  or  two.  In 
1879,  M.  L.  Wright  built  a  store  at  the  station,  which 
is  still  there.  A  brick  manufactory  is  in  process  of 
construction  by  Smith  &  Hough. 

Gen.  J.  B.  Sweitzer  owns  240  acres  of  land  adjoin- 
ing the  Beeler  tract,  east  on  Jacob's  Creek.  This  was 
part  of  the  TurnbuU  lands.  ! 

Thomas  Forsyth  took  out  a  patent  for  171  acres  of  ' 
land  in  this  part  of  the  township.  He  had  sons, —  [ 
Ezekiel,  David,  and  Thomas.  Ezekiel  settled  on  the 
homestead.  His  son  Thomas  now  lives  on  the  farm 
adjoining.  Henry  and  John,  sons  of  Ezekiel,  both 
live  near.  David,  son  of  Thomas,  lived  in  Westmore- 
land County. 

Valentine  Secrist  took  up  a  tract  of  one  hundred 
and  eight  and  three-quarter  acres  on  a  warrant  dated 
Sept.  29,  1791,  for  which  he  received  a  patent  dated 
October  26th  the  same  year.     He  also  received  a  war- 
rant for  two  hundred  and  forty-five  acres  the  same  date, 
which  was  surveyed  November  2d  of  the  same  year, 
and  another  of  one  hundred  and  ninety-eight  acres,  I 
warranted  Oct.  5,  1790,  surveyed  Feb.  11, 1791.   These  ! 
last  two  tracts  were  in  what  is  now  Tyrone  township,  I 
adjoining  the  Turnbull  lands.     A  part  of  these  lands 
are  now  occupied  by  descendants  of  the  family.     Da- 
vid Secrist  lives  on  the  tract  in  Perry  township.  i 

John  Zizing  came  to  this  region  of  country  as  a  cow- 
boy with  Peter  Galley.  He  learned  the  trade  of  a 
cabinet-maker,  and  for  many  years  worked  among 
the  farmers  before  purchasing  any  land.  On  the  10th 
of  March,  1819,  he  took  out  a  warrant  for  sixty-eight 
and  one-quarter  acres,  and  on  the  25th  of  February, 
1822,  a  warrant  for  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  acres. 
These  tracts  were  patented  to  him  June  23, 1822.  He 
had  three  sons,  John,  Gottlieb,  and  Solomon,  who  live 
on  the  lands  a  short  distance  from  Layton's  Station. 

Henry  Stemmel  purchased  a  tract  of  land  which  | 
was  a  part  of  the  Turnbull  lands,  now  owned  by  Mrs.  [ 
David  Morrow.  Samuel  and  John  Stemmel,  sons  of  [ 
Henry,  live  in  the  township. 

The  land  on  which  Layton  Station  is  situated  was  ! 
a  tract  called  "Springfield,"  and  was  patented  April 
6,  1791,  to  Mary  Higgs  (a  daughter  of  John  Shreve), 
and  contained  two  hundred  and  seventeen  acres.     It 
was  deeded  by  her  June  3, 1795,  to  Francis  Bryson,  and 
was  sold  by  hira  Aug.  2,  1797,  to  George  Johnston, 
who  conveyed  it  on  the  2d  of  April,  1806,  to  William 
Espy.     It  was  devised  in  his  will  to  his  sons,  Hugh 
and  Robert,  in  December,  1813.     On  the  25th  of  Oc- 
tober, 1821,  they  conveyed  the  greater  portion  of  it  to 
Abraham  Layton  for  $2352.    Upon  his  death  the  land  i 
passed  to  his  sons,  Michael  and  Abraham,  who  for  a  | 
long  time  built  keel -boats  on  the  river  to  ship  sand 
and  glass  down  the  river.     The  land  was  sold  by  the  , 
Laytons  to  Daniel  R.  Davidson,  and  in  1864  was  con- 
veyed  to   Joseph   Wilgus.      Michael   Layton,   after 
the  death  of  his  father  and  sale  of  the  lands  at  Lay- 


ton's  Station,  purchased  a  tract  south  of  the  river, 

said  to  have  been  formerly  owned  by Lloyd,  and 

now  owned  by  Jacob  Henderson.  It  is  a  tradition 
that  before  the  warrant  was  obtained  for  this  land 
Michael  Sowers  lived  in  an  old  cabin  and  ferried 
people  across  the  river.  After  his  death  one  Dunn 
lived  in  the  cabin.  He  was  drowned  a  few  years 
later,  and  the  place  was  long  known  as  "  Dunn's 
Deep  Hole."  There  is  an  old  burial-place  in  the 
rear  of  where  the  cabin  stood,  where  seventy  or  sev- 
enty-five years  ago  hundreds  of  graves  were  to  be 
seen.  In  1812,  Aaron  Jones  lived  there,  and  his  wife 
was  drowned  in  the  river  while  crossing  in  a  canoe. 
The  name  was  changed  from  Dunn's  to  Layton's  after 
the  purchase  by  Abraham  Layton  in  1821. 

A  tract  of  three  hundred  acres  was  located  next  east 
of  the  Turnbull  lands  on  Jacob's  Creek.  It  was  pat- 
ented by  Andrew  Robinson,  and  owned  by  him  as 
late  as  1859.  He  sold  the  farm  to  Plummer  and 
Stiner.     It  now  belongs  to  Pierson  Cope. 

Many  years  since  a  grist  and  saw-mill  were  erected 
on  this  tract  at  the  falls,  which  are  at  this  point 
twenty-five  feet  high.  Two  dams  have  rotted  down. 
No  improvements  are  on  the  place  at  present. 

ERECTION  OF  TOWNSHIP  AND  LIST  OF  OFFICERS. 
A  petition  of  inhabitants  praying  for  a  township 
to  be  formed  out  of  parts  of  Washington  and  Tyrone 
townships  was  presented  to  the  January  terra  of 
court,  1839.  William  Davidson,  Thomas  Boyd,  and 
Joseph  Torrance  were  appointed  commissioners. 
They  made  a  report  at  the  June  session  of  court  the 
same  year,  from  which  the  following  is  extracted,  viz.  : 

'•That  in  pursuance  of  said  order  they  met  at  McDonald's 
Mill,  on  Virgin  Run,  in  Franklin  township,  being  the  most 
convenient  point  of  meeting  for  said  viewers,  and  after  view- 
ing the  ground  proposed  to  be  formed  into  a  new  township, 
and  being  .accompanied  all  the  time  by  a  number  of  intelli- 
gent, respectable  citizens  interested  in  the  new  township,  and 
finding  great  unanimity  of  sentiment  so  far  as  heard  ex- 
pressed by  all  included  therein, they  unhesitatingly  recommend 
to  the  court  the  formation  of  a  new  township  out  of  parts  of  the 
townships  of  Washington,  Franklin,  and  Tyrone,  with  the  fol- 
lowing boundaries,  viz.:  Beginning  at  Robinson's  Mill  on 
Jacob's  Creek,  on  the  line  between  Fayette  and  VTestmoreland 
Counties,  in  Tyrone  township  ;  thence  a  straight  line  to  Robert 
Hutchinson's  barn,  in  Tyrone  township  aforesaid,*  thence  a 
straight  line  to  the  foot  of  Grassy  Island,  in  the  Youghiogheny 
River,  at  the  head  of  the  round  bottom;  thence  np  the  said 
river  to  the  mouth  of  Virgin  Run;  thence  up  the  said  run  to 
McDonald's  Mill ;  thence  by  a  new  road  recently  located  from 
said  mill  to  the  old  road  leading  from  Union  Town  to  Pitts- 
burgh near  Robert  Patterson's;  thence  with  the  said  Pittsburgh 
road  to  the  top  of  the  hill  near  Martin  Lutz'  house;  thence  by 
a  straight  line  to  the  Perryopolis  and  Cookstown  road,  near 
where  a  ravine  crosses  said  road  on  Thomas  Patton's  land; 
thence  by  a  straight  line  to  a  white-oak  tree  on  the  Westmore- 
land County  line,  on  the  land  of  J.acob  Snyder;  thence  by  the 
county  line  aforesaid  to  the  place  of  beginning." 

June   7,  1839,   the   report   was   confirmed   by  the 


■re 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


court  and  a  township  erected  "  according  to  the  lines 
of  the  plot  returned,  to  be  called  Perry  township." ' 
The  following  is  a  list  of  township  officers  of  Perry 
from  the  time  of  its  erection  to  the  present: 


JUSTICES  OF 

THE 

'EACE. 

I  Sill. 

James  Fuller. 

1863. 

George  W.  Ander 

Ellis  Simpkins. 

J.  A.  Murphy. 

1S45. 

Jub  Eossell. 

1S05. 

John  R.  McDonal 

Reuben  Sutton. 

Josiah  King. 

ISdO 

Pierson  Cope. 

1870. 

Robert  Bleakley. 

Robert  Bleakley. 

James  Blair. 

1855 

Thomas  Shepherd. 

1873 

T.  L.  Newell. 

Robert  Bleakley. 

1S7I 

.TiUin-=  l>.  I'ope. 

1858. 

.James  Bl.air,  Jr. 

1S7^ 

T.  .1.  -Ilttlr, 

Robert  Bleakley. 

lN7:i. 

1  h.j.nu,-  \V.,t5on. 

1860 

Robert  Bleakley. 
John  K.  McDonald. 

ISbu. 

Thom^is  C.  .-^traw 

AUDI 

TORS. 

1 8411 

Amos  Hewitt. 

1858 

Pierson  Cope. 

•Samuel  Hubbs. 

1859. 

Martin  Hewitt. 

James  Patterson. 

1860 

Charles  Lutz. 

1841 

John  A.  Murphy. 

1861. 

George  W.  Marti 

1842 

James  Fuller. 

1862 

Eli  McClelland. 

1843 

John  L.  Morton. 

1863. 

David  Fuller. 

Samuel  Porter. 

1864. 

Robe.t  Bleakley. 

Robert  Bleakley. 

1865. 

John  Yard. 

1814 

William  Campbell. 

1866. 

Pierson  Cope. 

1845 

Pierson  Cope. 

1S67. 

Emlin  Pierce. 

1816. 

W.  T.  McCormick. 

1868. 

Daniel  Fuller. 

1847 

Andrew  Stone. 

1869. 

David  P.  Hagertj 

1848 

Thomas  Shepherd. 

1870 

Joseph  Piersol. 

lS4a 

John  K.  McDonald. 

1874 

David  Luee. 

1S5II 

William  Martin. 

1875 

A.  llr.xenbaugh. 

1851 

John  Hewitt. 

1876 

Joseph  Pier.s.d. 

1852 

John  K.  McDontild. 

1877 

David  l.UL-c. 

1853 

Samuel  Watson. 

1878 

Samuel  Luee. 

1854 

L.  R.  King. 

1S7U 

Willuun  Snyder. 

1855 

David  Luce. 

ISSO 

Leslie  Harris. 

1856 

James  E.  Strickler. 

William  W.  Patte 

1857 

Henry  Mherling. 

ISSl 

Elliot  Porter. 

ASSESSORS. 

1840.  James  Blair.  1843.  Robert  B.  Patters 

1841.  Martin  EUvell.  I    1844.  John  Blaney. 

1842.  Alexander  Armstrong.     I   1845.  John  M.  March. 


1846.  Ross  M.  Murphy. 

1847.  James  Patterson,  Jr 

1848.  James  Pearsoll. 

1849.  William. Martin. 

1850.  Joseph  Luce. 

1851.  Martin  Ellwell. 

1852.  Lynch  R.  King. 

1853.  Aaron  Townsend. 

1854.  Milton  Hewitt. 

1855.  Job  Strawn. 

1856.  John  Hewitt. 

1857.  Gottlieb  Zizing. 

1858.  Henry  Stuokstager. 

1859.  John  A.  Murphy. 

1860.  Patrick  Watson. 

1861.  Jacob  Strickler. 

1862.  George  M.  Jackson. 

1863.  James  P.  Cope. 


1864.  Noah  Armstrong. 
1S65.  Samuel  Strickler. 

1866.  Benjamin  F.  Harris 

1867.  James  Bell. 

1868.  Asa  Chambers. 

1869.  Martin  Thompson. 

1870.  Thomas  C.  Strawn. 

1873.  C.  B.  Campbell. 
Elliot  Porter. 

1874.  Samuel  Luce. 
1S75.  John  Townsend. 
1876.  William  Blaney. 

1878.  Henry  Stone. 

1879.  George  W.  Jackson 

1880.  Philip  Luce. 

1881.  Job  Strawn. 
E.  K.  Chalfant. 


OPOLIS. 


I  At  the  Sejjteniber  term  of  court,  1842,  a  petition  was  presented  "of 
sundry  inhabitants  of  Perry  township  for  an  alteration  of  the  line  be- 
twei-u  said  tuwuship  and  the  township  of  Tyrone,  as  per  draft  annexed 
tu  petition.''  Order  was  issued  and  Tiewera  appointed.  On  .the  2d  of 
Decendier,  1844,  the  order  was  renewed  to  March  sessions,  1845,  at  which 
time  the  report  was  approved  (March  14th),  and  confirmed  by  the  court 
Juue  Gtli  in  the  same  year.  .\t  the  same  time  a  change  was  made  in  the 
line  between  Perry  and  Jeffei-son  (see  JeiTerson  and  Tyrone  township 
histories). 

At  the  Decemlier  term  of  court,  1851,  a  petition  wjis  presented  for''  .i 
view  to  change  the  line  between  Franklin  and  Perry  townships,  so  as  tu 
embrace  Aaron  Townsend,  Jr.,  Laban  Blaney,  John  U.  Blaney,  and  Joel 
Cooper  (now  of  Franklin  township)  in  the  township  of  Perry,  by  start- 
ing at  the  township  line  at  or  near  said  Townsend's  new  house;  thence 
along  tlie  Greeufield  and  Counellsville  m.ul  to  Joel  Cooper's  farm  or 
bridge  that  crosses  the  head-watei-s  of  \  1 '  _      l;i,[;.  m  I  th.ricedown  the 

same  to  Malcolm  McDonald's  Mill.^.'      i.  .    mi^  appointed 

were  Josiah  King,  Daniel  Essingtoii,  :iii  I  i  <,[;:'.tli      Order  was 

issued  Jan.  24, 1852.  Eeport  approv,  1  n  r.  >l  ,;  I,  -  -i..ns  of  court, 
1852,  and  confirmed  at  the  Juue  term  foUou  ii,... 


Before  the  year  1814,  Dr.  Thomas  Hersey,  Nathan 
Hersey,  and  Samuel  Shreve  had  bought  of  George 
Meason  a  part  of  the  Washington  tract,  with  the  in- 
tention of  laying  out  a  village  or  town  upon  their 
purchase.  Thomas  E.  Burns  owned  land  on  the 
northetist  of  them,  and  became  interested  with  them 
in  the  platting  of  the  town.  On  the  18th  of  March, 
in  the  year  named  above,  these  four  proprietors  exe- 
cuted the  "  charter"  of  the  town  of  Perryopolis,  as 
follows : 

'•  Tu  all  to  whom  these  prenenls  shall  come,  Greethuj  :  Whereas 
we,  the  undersigned,  Nathan  Hersey,  Thomas  Hersey,  Thomas 
i   E.  Burns,  and  Samuel  Shreve,  of  Fayette  County,  .t  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  for  divers  good  causes  and  considerations  there- 
unto moving,  have  caused  to  be  laid  off  on  the  contiguous  parts 
I   of  our  lands  in  Washington  Township,  County,  .t  State  afore- 
[  said  a  number  of  lots  interspersed  with  Streets  and  Alleys,  in 
j  order  to  promote  the  erection  of  a  Town,  to  be  known  by  the 
I  name  of  Perryopolis.     Now  know  ye  that  in  order  to  promote 
■   tlic  prosperity  and  encourage  the  improvement  of  said  Town, 
I   and  secure  to  the  purchasers  of  lots  therein  the  privileges  and 
,   immunities  necessary  for  the  common  interest,  we,  the  under- 
I  signed  Proprietors  of  Perryopolis  aforesaid,  feel  it  our  pleas- 
urable duty  to  give  forth  this  our  Charter,  to  wit:  'Washing- 
ton's  Diamond,'  in  the  centre  of  s.aid  Town,  is  laid  off  one 
hundred    and    sixty    feet  square.     The  two  principal  Streets, 
*  Liberty'  and  '  Independence,*  crossing    each    other   at  right 
angles  in  said  Diamond,   are   laid  off  eighty  feet  wide.     The 
alleys  proceeding  from   each  of  the  four  corners  of  said  Dia- 
mond are  laid  off  twenty  feet  wide.      All   the  other  streets  are 
laid  out  and  intended  to  be  sixty  feet  wide,  and  all  other  alleys 
are  laid  off  and  intended  to  be  fifteen  feet  wide,  as  by  the  gen- 
eral plan  hereunto  annexed  will  appear.     All  which  said  Dia- 
mond,  Streets,  and  Alleys  shall   be  and  remain  of  the  aboye 
.ri|Hii:itod  width  and  dimensions  severally,  any  excess  or  defi- 
<  o  iiry    ii]    the  measure  of  any  lot  or  lots  notwithstanding,  and 
they  are  hereby  declared  to  be  public  highways,  and  appropri- 
ated solely  to  that  purpose.     To  have  and  to  hold  the  free  and 
undisturbed  use  of  the  ground  of  the  above-described  Diamond, 
Streets,  and  Alleys  for  the  above  purposes  to  the  Purchasers, 
Inhabitants,  and  Citizens  of  the  aforesaid  Town  of  Perryopolis, 
its  vicinity,  and  all  other  persons  whatsoever  demeaning  them- 
selves  peaceably  and  as  liege  citizens  of  the  United  States,  in 
common  with  ourselves,  our  heirs,  and  assigns  forever,  reserv- 


PERRY   TOWNSHIP. 


717 


nder  our  hands  and  seals  a 
1  the  year  of  our  Lord  1S14. 


Perryopolip,  the  ISth  of  March, 

"Thomas  Heiisev. 
"Thomas  E.  Birns. 
"Samuel  Shiieve. 
"Nathan  Hersey." 


In  the  laying  out  of  the  alleys  eight  triangles  were 
formed,  which  were  set  apart  for  public  uses  as  fol- 
lows :  No.  66,  religious ;  67,  female  school ;  68,  acad- 
emy ;  69,  male  school ;  70,  religious ;  71,  Masonic, 
medical,  mechanic ;  72,  library  ;  73,  "  paupery."  The 
charter  and  plat  were  filed  May  3,  1837. 

At  the  time  of  the  laying  out  of  Perryopolis  there 
were  but  two  or  three  straggling  dwellings  on  its  site. 
One  of  these  was  the  house  or  cabin  of  John  Wilgus, 
who  as  early  as  1806  came  from  his  native  State, 
New  Jersey,  and  settled  on  the  Washington  Bottoms, 
then  in  the  township  of  Washington.  He  became  a 
justice  of  the  peace,  and  filled  that  office  for  many 
years.  He  is  still  remembered  by  the  older  citizens 
of  Perry  township.  His  son  Joseph  was  born  in 
1807,  where  Perryopolis  now  is,  and  he  is  now  living 
at  Layton's  Station.  Edward  Wilgus,  a  brother  of 
John,  came  here  at  about  the  same  time.  He  was  a 
shoemaker,  worked  at  his  trade  here,  and  ended  his 
days  here.  Some  of  his  family  are  still  residents  of 
Perryopolis. 

The  platting  of  the  new  town  had  the  effect  to  at- 
tract considerable  attention  to  the  place,  and  the  dis- 
covery of  sand  suitable  for  the  manufacture  of  glass 
induced  the  organization  of  a  company  for  that  pur- 
pose. The  project  being  pushed  with  energy,  and 
recommended  to  the  people  in  glowing  terms,  the  far- 
mers and  other  well-to-do  inhabitants  of  this  section 
of  country  subscribed  liberally  to  this  enterprise,  as 
also  to  the  stock  of  a  banking  concern  which  was 
.started  about  the  same  time.  A  flint-glass  factory 
was  erected  where  the  Methodist  Church  and  ceme- 
tery now  are.  From  bad  management  or  other  causes 
none  of  these  projects  proved  profitable  to  the  original 
stockholders  or  of  permanent  advantage  to  the  town. 
Their  failure  brought  disaster  to  many  public-spirited 
people  who  aided  them  by  subscriptions,  and  Perry- 
opolis never  realized  the  prosperity  and  importance 
which  at  one  time  seemed  assured  by  the  establish- 
ment of  these  enterprises. 

The  Perryopolis  Glass- Works  is  a  name  well  known 
in  this  region,  but  very  little  definite  information  can 
now  be  obtained  concerning  their  starting  and  subse- 
quent operation.  They  were  carried  on  by  Thomas 
Bleakley,  whose  management  resulted  in  disastrous 
failure  and  the  sale  by  the  sheriff  of  about  twenty  of 
the  best  farms  in  this  section,  their  owners  having 
sunk  their  property  in  subscriptions  to  the  stock  of 
the  glass  company.  After  1830  the  glass-works  prop- 
erty came  into  the  possession  of  John  F.  Martin  and 
Jonathan  Baker,  and  under  their  management  be- 
came more  successful.  Later  it  came  into  tlie  hands 
40 


of  Henry  B.  Goucher,  under  whom  the  business  lan- 
guished, and  was  finally  discontinued.  The  property 
now  belongs  to  the  heirs  of  the  late  Andrew  Stewart. 
The  Youghiogheny  Banking  Company  was  organ- 
ized in  1814  by  Eastern  men,  who  succeeded  in  in- 
ducing the  farmers  through  this  section  to  subscribe 
largely  to  its  stock.  The  only  definite  knowledge  ob- 
tained of  any  of  the  affairs  of  this  bank  is  the  follow- 
ing advertisement,  found  in  the  columns  of  the  Genius 
of  Liberty  of  the  year  indicated,  viz. : 

"YOUGHIOGHENY   BANKING   COMPANY. 

"  Stockholders  to  attend  at  the  house  of  Caleb  B. 
Potter,  in  Perryopolis,  on  Monday,  Nov.  18,  1816,  in 
order  to  elect  a  Cashier,  and  for  other  purposes. 
"  Joseph  Bennett, 
"  Cashier  pro  fem. 

"  Pf.revopolis,  Oct.  19, 1816." 

The  affairs  of  the  bank  were  wound  up  gradually, 
and  the  management  finally  came  into  the  hands  of 
Robert  Lynch  and  Jesse  Arnold,  and  every  dollar  of 
its  notes  (presented  for  payment)  was  redeemed. 
So  that  the  public  lost  nothing,  though  the  original 
stockholders  lost  all.  The  old  stone  banking-house, 
on  Liberty  Street,  was  purchased  by  John  F.  Martin, 
who  afterwards  kept  a  store  in  it.  It  is  now  occupied 
by  the  Perryopolis  post-office. 

David  Barnes  and  Joseph  Barnet  came  here  from 
Connellsville  soon  after  the  opening  of  the  glass- 
works, and  sunk  a  well  near  Washington's  Run  to  the 
depth  of  nearly  three  hundred  feet  in  the  hope  of 
finding  salt  water.  Their  expectations  were  realized 
to  the  extent  that  they  struck  a  vein  of  strong  salt 
water,  from  which  they  were  enabled  to  produce  about 
two  hundred  bushels  of  salt,  and  they  began  to  en- 
tertain high  hopes  of  brilliant  success,  when,  at  the 
end  of  about  a  week,  the  flow  suddenly  and  entirely 
ceased,  and  the  manufacture  of  salt  in  Perryopolis 
was  terminated,  probably  forever. 

A  newspaper  was  started  in  Perryopolis  (soon  after 
the  laying  out  of  the  town)  by  William  Campbell,  a 
brother  of  Dr.  Hugh  Campbell,  of  Uniontown.  He 
(William)  had  been  the  editor  of  the  Fai/ette  and 
Greene  Spectator,  in  Uniontown,  for  one  year  from  its 
first  publication  in  1811.  The  name  of  the  paper  he 
published  in  Perryopolis  has  not  been  ascertained. 
The  office  where  it  was  published  was  on  a  lot  oppo- 
site the  residence  of  John  Fuller.  Campbell,  the 
editor  and  publisher,  had  moved  from  Uniontown  in 
1812  to  Washington  township,  where,  in  January, 
1813,  he  married  Priscilla,  daughter  of  John  Porter. 
The  paper  which  he  started  in  Perryopolis  was  short- 
lived, and  after  its  discontinuance  he  removed  to  New 
Lisbon,  Ohio,  where  he  soon  after  commenced  the 
publication  of  another  journal. 

The  first  tavern  in  Perryopolis  was  opened  in  1815, 
by  Caleb  Porter,  on  the  corner  where  Davidson's 
Hall  now  stands.     In  this  house  all  the  public  meet- 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ings  of  that  time  were  held.  Gen.  Lafayette  dined 
there  in  1825,  when  on  his  way  from  Uniontown  to 
Cookstown  (Fayette  City)  and  Pittsburgh.  Among 
the  landlords  of  the  place  from  time  to  time  were 
John  Waldron,  George  Hazen,  and  Moses  Jeffries, 
the  latter  of  whom  lived  at  the  lower  end  of  the  town, 
where  James  Shepard  now  lives. 

Among  the  early  blacksmiths  of  Perryopolis  were 
Daniel  Fields,  whose  shop  was  on  the  school-house 
lot;  Thomas  Van  Hook,  on  the  McDonald  lot;  and  - 
William  Kyle,  where  Adam  Hixenbaugh  now  has  a 
shop.  In  1830,  Mr.  Hixenbaugh  took  the  shop,  and 
has  been  in  the  business  continuously  till  the  present 
time. 

Samuel  Porter  came  from  Greene  County,  Pa.,  to 
Perryopolis  in  1819.  He  was  connected  with  the 
glass-works  till  about  1851,  when  he  bought  a  part 
of  the  Turnbull  tract,  north  of  the  Youghiogheuy 
Eiver,  where  his  son  James  now  lives,— a  part  of  the 
old  Secrist  tract.  On  this  land  he,  with  his  son  John, 
quarried  stone  for  furnace  use  until  18G0.  About  that 
time  stone  of  the  same  quality  was  discovered  in  the 
mountains  above  Connellsville,  where  John  and 
James  Porter  are  now  engaged  in  the  quarrying  of  it. 

The  first  resident  physician  in  Perryopolis  was  Dr. 
Thomas  Hersey,  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of 
the  town.  He  afterwards  removed  to  the  West. 
Among  those  who  succeeded  him  in  practice  here 
were  the  following-named  physicians :  Dr.  William 
Morris  practiced  and  died  here.  Dr.  McSherry  came 
from  Brownsville,  practiced  here  for  a  time,  and  after- 
wards removed  to  Mineral  Point,  Wis.  These  were 
followed  in  practice  by  Dr.  Mitchell ;  Dr.  James  E. 
Estep  (died  here  in  1836);  Drs.  Patterson,  Way, 
Crawford,Gordon,  Johnson,  F.Shugart,  James  Storer, 
Robinson,  Abrams,  H.  B.  Arnold,  Grader,  and  McKos- 
key.  The  present  physicians  of  the  town  are  Drs.  O. 
P.McKay  and  J.  11.  Davidson. 

Dr.  McKay  studied  medicine  at  Washington,  Pa., 
with  Dr.  J.  W.  Blatchley  ;  attended  lectures  at  the 
Ohio  Medical  College,  Cincinnati;  came  to  Perryop- 
olis Feb.  12,  1866,  and  has  since  been  in  practice  in 
the  town  to  the  present  time. 

Dr.  Davidson  is  a  native  of  Redstone  township. 
He  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  S.  W.  Chalfant,  at 
Upper  Middletown  ;  attended  lectures  at  the  Western 
Reservi-  Medical  Cnllege,  Cleveland,  Ohio;  has  been 
■tirv  in  rcnyoimlis  since  Dec.  12,  1872.  He  is 
ber  of  the  Fayette  County  Medical  Society. 


in  pr 
a  me 


The  postmasters  of  Perryville  from  the  establish- 
ment of  the  office  to  the  present  time  have  been  (as 
nearly  as  can  be  ascertained)  as  follows:  Caleb  Trevor, 
Moses  Jeffries,  William  McCray,  Adam  Hixenbaugh, 
John  Ebbert,  Allen  Murphy,  John  Voorhees,  James 
Murphy,  William  Grist,  John  McCullough,  Mary 
Campbell,  and  Lucy  Martin,  the  present  incumbent. 


In    1838   a   pottery 


in    operation    where 


Aaron  Higbee  now  lives  in  Perryopolis.  It  continued 
to  be  worked  by  him  for  about  fifteen  years,  then  it 
was  sold  to  John  Ebbert,  who  ran  it  for  one  year.  He 
sold  to  Thomas  Suttle,  who  carried  it  on  for  about 
twenty  years,  after  which  it  was  discontinued.  The 
kiln  is  still  standing. 

David  Anderson,  of  Pittsburgh,  built  a  pottery  below 
the  glass-works  and  near  Washington  Run  in  1859. 
Three  years  later  it  was  sold  to  John  A.  Murphy.  It 
was  kept  in  operation  till  1868. 

John  Porter  &  Brothers  started  a  pottery  in  1859 
in  the  rear  of  the  Methodist  Church.  It  was  in  oper- 
ation only  about  three  years,  and  then  discontinued. 

The  sand  and  clay  of  Perryopolis  and  vicinity  were 
found  to  be  admirably  adapted  to  the  manufacture  of 
glass  and  pottery-ware.  Large  quantities  of  sand 
were  shipped  about  1825  ironi  this  place  to  Pitts- 
burgh, Monongahela  City,  Brownsville,  Cookstown^ 
and  Elizabethtown.  A  vein  of  clay  sixteen  feet  in 
thickness  was  used  largely,  both  for  the  pottery-works 
here  and  for  shipment  to  other  markets. 

In  the  year  1853,  when  stone  blocks  were  being 
contributed  from  all  the  States  of  the  Union  for  the 
erection  of  the  Washington  Monument,  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  a  block  for  that  purpose  was  quarried  by 
Pierson  Cope,  owner  of  a  part  of  the  Washington 
Bottoms,  from  which  it  was  taken.  Its  removal  from 
the  quarry  to  the  "  Diamond"  in  Perryopolis  was 
made  the  occasion  of  a  Fourth  of  .July  (1853)  cele- 
bration, of  which  Gen.  Joseph  Markle  was  the  presi- 
dent; William  Campbell  (who  lived  on  the  site  of  the 
old  Washington  house).  Dr.  David  Porter,  and  others, 
vice-presidents ;  and  Col.  William  Y.  Roberts,  orator 
of  the  day.  The  procession  which  escorted  the  block 
from  the  quarry  to  the"  Diamond"  was  large,  and  ac- 
companied by  a  band  of  music.  The  stone  (five  feet 
in  length  and  eighteen  inches  square)  was  loaded  oi» 
a  wagon  drawn  by  four  fine  horses,  trimmed  and  dec- 
orated with  flowers  and  evergreens.  Sitting  on  the 
block,  and  dressed  in  "  regimentals,"  was  an  old  negro 
called  "Funty  Munty,"  or  Simon  Washington,  who 
had  been  a  slave,  and  owned  by  Gen.  Washington. 
This  old  man,  with  a  stone  hammer  in  his  hand,  occa- 
sionally pecked  the  stone,  so  that  it  might  truthfully 
be  said  not  only  that  the  block  was  taken  from  land 
once  owned  Ijy  Gen.  Washington,  but  that  it  was 
worked  by  one  of  his  former  slaves.  The  celebration 
was  attended  by  nearly  three  hundred  people,  and 
great  enthusiasm  was  manifested  on  the  occasion. 

Schools  were  taught  at  different  times  in  an  early 
day  in  several  of  the  dwelling-houses  of  Perryopolis. 
Mrs.  John  F.  Martin  remembers  attending  school 
about  1820  in  the  bank  building,  where  she  now  lives. 
The  school  was  taught  by  a  man  named  Tower,  and 

afterwards  by  Isaac  C.  Murphy  and Ayres.     In 

1828  a  school-house  was  erected  on  lot  No.  69,  which 
had  been  designated  and  set  apart  in  the  original  plat 


PERKY   TOWNSHIP. 


719 


and  cliarter  for  the  innpo-ie  of  a  male  school.  Under 
the  school  law  of  the  State,  this  school-house  came 
under  charge  of  the  school  directors.  It  was  used  for 
schools  for  some  years,  and  then  abandoned.  The 
present  school-house  was  built  in  1852,  on  lot  No. 
79,  which  was  donated  by  the  proprietors  in  the  char- 
ter of  the  town  for  "  Paupery."  The  schools  of  Perry- 
opolis  are  at  present  under  charge  of  Noah  Patton  as 
principal. 

A  lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Good  Tem- 
plars was  chartered  in  Perryopolis  in  May,  1879,  with 
John  A.  Ebbert  as  W.  C.  Templar,  and  Miss  Lucy  A. 
Martin  as  Vice-Templar.  It  now  contains  about 
thirty-five  members.  The  present  (1881)  officers  are: 
Noah  Patton,  W.  C.  T. ;  Mollie  Strawn,  V.  T. ;  Walter 
Hixenbaugh,  Sec. ;  Lewis  Berwick,  Treas.  Meetings 
are  held  in  Davidson's  Hall. 

Fayette  Lodge,  No.  172,  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen,  was  chartered  March  23,  1880,  with  six- 
teen members.  It  now  (June,  1881)  contains  twenty- 
seven.  The  present  officers  of  the  lodge  are  as  named 
below:  P.  M.  W.,  E.  K.  Chalfant;  M.  W.,  William 
C.  Drumm  ;  Foreman,  Joseph  Newcomer ;  Overseer, 
T.  G.  Herwick;  Recorder,  N.  O.  Stinger;  Financier, 
J.  H.  Davidson ;  Receiver,  J.  Baker,  Jr. 

The  population  of  Perryopolis  by  the  census  of 
1880  was  three  hundred  and  twenty-one. 

LAYTON    STATION. 

This  railway  station,  which  has  given  its  name  to 
the  small  village  clustered  about  it,  is  located  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  Youghiogheny  River,  in  the  east 
part  of  Perry  township,  on  the  line  of  the  Pittsburgh 
and  Connellsville  Railroad,  and  was  established  at 
the  time  of  the  opening  of  that  line.  The  first  store 
was  opened  there  by  Henry  H.  BroUier,  who  was  also 
a  telegraph  operator.  He  became  successful  in  trade, 
and  afterwards  left  the  place  and  removed  West. 
His  successor  in  the  store  was  James  Stickle,  who 
kept  it  two  or  three  years,  and  sold  to  Baugh  & 
Drumm,  who  are  the  present  proprietors.  Another 
store  was  opened  by  P.  M.  Hunt  in  1876,  and  one  has 
recently  been  built  for  Carson  &  Carr.  The  first 
postmaster  at  Layton  Station  was  Henry  H.  Brollier, 
who  was  succeeded  by  James  Carson,  the  present 
incumbent. 

About  1868  the  rock  on  the  farm  of  Joseph  Wilgus, 
at  Layton,  was  found  to  contain  a  large  percentage 
of  pure  silex,  rendering  it  valuable  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  glass.  Samples  were  sent  to  Pittsburgh, 
where  its  quality  was  pronounced  excellent,  and  from 
that  time  to  the  present  large  quantities  of  it  have 
been  shipped  to  that  city  for  use  in  the  glass-works. 
Mr.  Wilgus  has  sold  a  part  of  his  land  (about  four 
acres)  containing  the  rock  to  Noah  Spear,  who  is  con- 
stantly employed  in  supplying  it  for  the  glass-works 
in  Pittsburgh.  The  amount  now  shipped  daily  to 
that  place  averages  forty  tons. 


A  bed  of  fire-clay,  lying  above  the  sand-rock,  ia 
found  admirably  adapted  for  union  with  German  clay 
for  fire-pots,  and  also  unites  well  with  the  Missouri 
clay.  This  fire-clay  is  taken  out  and  shipped  by  Mr. 
Wilgus  at  eight  dollars  per  ton.  In  the  past  twelve 
years  he  has  sold  it  to  the  amount  of  thirty  thousand 
dollars,  mostly  for  shipment  to  Pittsburgh.  There  is 
also  found  on  his  tract  a  Bond  clay,  which  is  used  for 
the  manufacture  of  fire-brick.  In  the  year  1871  "  The 
Diamond  Fire-Brick  Company"  commenced  work  at 
this  place,  and  in  1879  sold  out  to  Davidson  &  Drumm, 
who  have  manufactured  about  two  million  bricks  the 
past  year.  About  an  equal  number  are  manufactured 
by  the  Keystone  Fire-Brick  Company,  who  com- 
menced operations  in  the  spring  of  1880.  These 
bricks  are  chiefly  used  in  the  construction  of  furnaces 
and  coke-ovens. 

Land  on  the  bottoms  along  the  Youghiogheny 
River  was,  in  the  early  years,  considered  as  of  little 
value,  and  the  locality  was  known  as  "  Poverty  Neck," 
but  it  has  since  proved  amine  of  wealth  to  its  posses- 
sors by  reason  of  the  development  of  its  sand-rock  and 
fire-clay  resources. 

"  Big  Falls"  in  the  Youghiogheny,  near  Layton 
Station,  is  a  place  noted  for  the  many  drownings  and 
other  accidents  which  have  occurred  in  its  swift  cur- 
rent. In  1805  a  man  named  Moorhead  was  drowned 
there  by  the  swamping  of  a  flat-boat.  In  1807  an- 
other accident  of  the  same  kind  occurred  at  this  place, 
resulting  in  the  death  of  one  man.  In  1810  a  Mr. 
Dougherty,  when  in  liquor  (as  was  said),  attempted  to 
ford  the  river  here  and  was  drowned.  In  1814  a  flat- 
boat,  loaded  with  pig-metal,  was  sunk  here  and  one 
man  drowned.  In  the  same  year  George  Ebbert  and 
Martin  Kennedy,  both  of  Perryopolis,  were  drowned 
here  from  a  raft  of  logs.  In  1822  a  man,  while  at- 
tempting to  land  an  iron-loaded  flat-boat,  after  pass- 
ing through  the  dangers  of  the  falls,  jumped  for  the 
shore,  but  fell  into  the  river  and  was  drowned.  In 
1834  a  coal-boat  coming  down  the  river  at  a  high 
stage  of  water  was  wrecked  at  this  place,  drowning 
four  men, — Andrew  Burtt,  John  Franklin,  Andrew 
Knight,  and  Wesley  Johns.  In  1836,  Andrew  Bobb 
was  killed  while  assisting  in  turning  a  flat-boat.  In 
1839,  Uriah  Strickler  was  drowned  while  attempting 
to  take  a  boat  through  the  falls.  The  accident  oc- 
curred in  March,  but  the  body  of  the  drowned  man 
was  not  found  till  the  following  May.  In  1850  a  man 
was  lost  from  a  log  raft  above  Connellsville,  and  his 
body  was  found  a  month  later  at  these  fells. 

SCHOOLS    OF    THE    TOWNSHIP. 

Under  the  operation  of  the  public  school  law  of 
1834,  school  districts  were  organized  in  the  territory 
now  Perry  township,  then  included  in  Washington 
and  Tyrone.  After  the  erection  of  Perry  as  a  separate 
township  it  was  redistricted  as  it  is  at  the  present 
time  into  seven  school  districts,  as  follows  : 

Summer  Hill   District  is  in  the  north  part  of  the 


720 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


township,  bordering  on  the  line  of  Westmoreland 
County,  and  west  of  the  Youghiogheny  River.  The 
school-house  is  nearly  in  the  territorial  centre  of  the 
district. 

West  Point  District  embraces  all  the  territory  of 
the  township  lying  between  the  Youghiogheny  and 
Jacob's  Creek. 

Poplar  Hill  District  lies  west  of  Perryopolis,  and 
extends  to  the  west  line  of  the  township.  The  school- 
house  is  located  near  the  line. 

Perry  District  embraces  the  greater  part  of  the  vil- 
lage of  Perryopolis,  and  extends  northwardly  to  the 
Youghiogheny. 

Herschel  District  includes  part  of  the  village  of 
Perryopolis,  and  extends  eastward  along  the  Youghio- 
gheny. The  school-house  is  about  a  mile  southeast  of 
the  village. 

Stickle  District  lies  in  the  southwest  part  of  the 
township.  The  school-house  is  near  the  centre  of  the 
district,  on  the  main  road  running  southwest  from 
Perryopolis. 

Jackson  District  is  in  the  southeast  part  of  the 
township.  Its  school-house  is  near  the  residence  of 
J.  B.  Blair. 

The  number  of  pupils  attending  the  several  schools 
of  the  township  in  1880-81  was  four  hundred  and 
forty-four.  Number  of  teachers,  nine;  valuation  of 
school  property,  S8U00 ;  total  expenditure  for  educa- 
tional purposes  during  the  school  year,  $1632.50. 

Following  is  a  list  of  persons  who  have  been  elected 
school  directors  in  Perry  from  the  organization  of  the 
township  to  1881,  viz. : 


1S40. 

Henry  Stimcl. 

1852. 

Henry  Stone. 

Joseph  Luce. 

John  Patterson. 

John  Hewitt. 

Josiah  King. 

Robert  Bleakley. 

1853. 

Josiah  King. 

1S41. 

Pierson  Cope. 

John  A.  Murphy. 

1S42. 

Joseph  Bute. 

1854. 

Samuel  Watson. 

1843. 

Alexander  Armstrong. 

John  Porter. 

David  Potter. 

1855. 

Joel  Cooper. 

1844 

Presley  St.  Clair. 

Peter  Darr. 

John  Dewilter. 

1856 

Josiah  King. 

Edward  Stickle. 

Eli  McLean. 

1845 

John  H.  Blaney.      - 

1857. 

Henry  Hardesty. 

James  Piersall. 

James  Porter. 

Jacob  Strickler. 

1858 

James  Cope. 

1846 

Ralph  Whilsett. 

J.ames  Blair. 

Lewis  Eberhart. 

1859 

Charles  Rossell. 

Josiah  King. 

George  Anderson. 

1847 

Amos  C.  Strawn. 

David  Fuller. 

Job  Rossell, 

1860 

Harvey  Leeper. 

1848 

James  Patterson. 

Samuel  Hoggest. 

William  Price. 

Noah  Armstrong. 

Henry  Stimel. 

1861 

Samuel  Uncksterte 

1849 

Henry  Stimel. 

John  Puroell. 

Jamt^  Gwinn. 

1862 

Aaron  Townsend. 

1850 

James  Blair. 

Henry  Foster. 

Joel  Strawn. 

William  L.  Grist. 

Job  Rossell. 

1863 

Adam  Higinbaugh 

1851 

Adam  Higinbaugh. 

William  Hopkins. 

William  Campbell. 

Gottlieb  Zizing. 

James  Blair. 

1864 

Joseph  Luce. 

1864 

Robinson  Murphy. 

1870 

J.  D.  Cope. 

1865 

William  Hopkins. 

1873 

Joseph  D.  Wilgus. 

J.  K.  McDonald. 

B.  C.  Slocum. 

Samuel  Smith. 

David  Morrow. 

Henry  Stine. 

Andrew  Patterson. 

John  Gwinn. 

1874 

J.  R.  Hough. 

1866 

William  Luce. 

John  Blackburn. 

Paul  Hough. 

1875 

Joel  Strawn. 

John  K    Marsh. 

Hugh  Patterson. 

Samuel  Albertson. 

1876 

John  H.  Davidson. 

1S67 

Joseph  A.  Ebbert. 

Philip  Luce. 

James  Porter. 

1877 

Nathaniel  Stephens. 

Michael  Layton. 

Asa  Chambers. 

John  Blackman. 

1878 

W.  C.  Drumm. 

1868 

Thomas  Little. 

P.  F.  Harris. 

David  Luce. 

1879 

Joseph  Newcomer. 

William  Gibson. 

1880 

Nathaniel  Stephens. 

1869 

William  Patterson. 

Asa  Chambers. 

William  RosselL 

1881 

W.  C.  Drumm. 

George  W.  Jackson. 

Gouchen  Hixenbaugh. 

1870 

Josiah  King. 

RELIGIOUS   WORSHIP— BURIAL-GROUNDS. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Perryopolis 
was  organized  within  a  few  years  after  the  laying  out 
of  the  town,  and  was  from  the  first  embraced  on  a 
circuit  with  other  appointments.  For  many  years 
their  services  were  held  in  the  school-house  and  in 
the  bank  building.  About  1832  they  erected  a  church 
edifice,  which  has  been  used  as  a  house  of  worship 
until  the  present  time,  it  having  been  repaired  and 
remodeled  in  1872.  Among  the  preachers  who  have 
served  this  church  may  be  named  the  Revs.  Robert 

Boyd,  Sawhill,  John   Coyle,  James   Larscom, 

Samuel  Wakefield,  John  Wakefield,  J.  C.  Pershing, 
Patterson,  Sheets,  Davis,  Cartie,  and  others.  The 
church  has  now  no  regular  pastor,  but  has  a  mem- 
bership of  about  seventy-five.  It  belongs  to  the 
Redstone  Circuit,  being  one  of  four  appointments, 
viz. :  Perry,  Upper  Middletown,  Jones',  and  Dunbar. 

Other  denominations  hold  occasional  services  in 
the  village  of  Perryopolis. 

The  Harmony  Church  (Cumberland  Presbyterian) 
congregation,  in  Perry  township,  first  used  as  a  house 
of  worship  a  log  building  which  was'  erected  for  the 
purpose  on  land  owned  by  William  Bleakley,  where 
there  had  previously  been  a  distillery.  The  present 
church  edifice  (a  frame  structure)  was  built  in  the  fall 
of  1859. 

Among  the  pastors  who  have  labored  with  this  con- 
gregation have  been  the  Revs.  John  Gibson,  H.  J. 
I  Anderson,  A.  J.  Swaim,  James  Beard,  Luther  Ax- 
'  tell,  S.  E.  Hudson,  and  W.  M.  Hayes,  the  present 
pastor. 

On  the  road  leading  from  Perryopolis  to  the  Red 
Lion,  and  near  the  township  line  between  Perry  and 
Jefferson,  stands  the  old  Quaker  meeting-house,  or 
rather  the  ruins  of  it,  for  the  roof  has  fallen  in,  leav- 
ing only  the  ancient  walls  standing.  This  was  built 
by  the  Friends  of  this  vicinity  so  many  years  ago  that 


<%^ 


7.    ^^OX/zd^^:^^"^ 


PERKY  TOWNSHIP. 


721 


none  now  living  remember  its  erection.  Adjoining 
tlie  site  of  this  old  meeting-house,  and  also  adjoining 
lands  of  S.  Strickler,  T.  Shepard,  and  heirs  of  Benja- 
min Brown,  is  the  old  Quaker  burial-ground,  sur- 
rounded by  a  substantial  iron  fence,  and  kept  in  good 
condition  by  a  small  fund  donated  by  some  one  of  the 
Quaker  sect  for  the  purpose.  In  this  old  cemetery- 
ground  lie  interred  the  remains  of  many  of  the  early 
Friends  and  other  settlers  of  the  vicinity, — Jonathan 
Hewitt,  John  Shreve,  Joseph  Shreve,  Samuel  Cope, 
Joshua  Cope,  Isaac  Cope,  John  Negus,  Joseph  Negus, 
Joseph  Shepard,  William  Nutt,  Jesse  Couldron,  Wil- 
liam Griffith,  and  many  others.  With  the  exception 
of  this  old  ground  the  places  of  interment  of  those 
who  died  in  Perry  township  in  early  years  were  upon 
the  farms. 

In  Perryopolis  a  burial-ground  was  established  on 
the  land  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  but 
burials  are  now  chiefly  made  in  the  Mount  Washing- 
ton Cemetery,  which  was  laid  out  on  land  takeu  for 
the  purpose  from  the  farm  of  Cyrus  Martin,  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  south  of  the  town. 

There  is  also  a  cemetery  in  use  at  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  Browneller  settlement. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


JOHN    H.  DAVIDSON,  M.D. 

Although  a  young  man.  Dr.  John  H.  Davidson,  of 
Perryopolis,  is  one  of  the  prominent  physicians  of 
Fayette  County.  He  was  born  Nov.  15, 1845,  in  Red- 
stone township,  Fayette  Co.,  at  the  old  Brownfield 
tavern  stand,  two  miles  east  of  Brownsville,  on  the 
National  pike.  His  early  life  was  passed  upon  his 
father's  farm  in  much  the  same  manner  that  farmers' 
boys  usually  spend  their  time.  He  was  educated  in 
the  common  schools  and  Dunlap's  Creek  Academy, 
and  read  medicine  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Samuel  B. 
Chalfant,  of  Upper  Middletown,  Fayette  Co.,  and 
attended  lectures  at  and  graduated  from  the  Medical 
Department  of  the  Western  Reserve  University,  of 
Cleveland,  Ohio.  He  began  his  course  in  this  college 
in  1868,  and  graduated  in  1870.  He  was  married  Dec. 
26, 1871,  to  Chilnissae  J.  Chalfant,  daughter  of  Dr.  S.  B. 
and  Elizabeth  Chalfant.  Mrs.  Davidson  died  June  27, 
1877.  They  had  one  child,  Clayton  Torrance  David- 
son, now  a  bright  boy  of  eight  years.  The  doctor 
was  married  again  Jan.  10,  1881,  to  Mary  E.,  the 
sister  of  his  former  wife. 

Dr.  Davidson  is  of  English  stock.  His  father, 
Jacob  Davidson,  was  born  in  Westmoreland  County, 
Pa.,  and  married  Hannah  Kelley,  of  the  same 
county.  Soon  after  his  marriage  he  located  upon  the 
farm  where  the  doctor  was  born.  He  died  in  1858. 
Mr.  Davidson's  occupation  was  farming.     He  was  a 


prominent  member  of  the  United  Brethren  Church, 
and  was  noted  for  his  piety,  and  was  a  local  preacher. 

The  doctor's  grandfather,  Jacob  Davidson,  was 
born  in  England.  When  quite  young  his  father,  who 
was  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  emigrated  to  America, 
and  located  in  Philadelphia.  Jacob,  the  doctor's 
grandfather,  married  Mary  Young,  of  Franklin 
County,  Pa.  They  came  to  Fayette  County  in  1837, 
and  settled  on  the  Basil  Brown  tract  of  land,  near 
Brownsville.  He  died  April  15,  1856,  aged  seventy- 
four  years.  He  was  a  miller  by  trade,  owned  a  large 
amount  of  land,  and  was  long  a  director  in  the  Mo- 
nongahela  Bank,  of  Brownsville. 

After  graduating  Dr.  Davidson  first  i)racticed  his 
profession  in  company  with  his  preceptor  and  father- 
in-law,  Dr.  Chalfant.  He  located  in  Perryopolis  in 
December,  1872.  From  the  beginning  his  practice 
there  has  been  large  and  lucrative.  He  is  recognized 
as  a  skillful  physician.  His  judgment  is  excellent ; 
his  knowledge  of  men  and  general  business  acute. 
He  has  held  the  office  of  school  director  in  Perry 
township,  and,  according  to  a  late  county  superin- 
tendent of  schools,  was  one  of  the  very  best  directors 
in  Fayette  County.  His  possessions  are  houses,  lands, 
bank  stock,  brick-works,  book  accounts,  energy, 
good  health,  good  sense  or  brai7is. 

The  doctor's  maternal  grandfather,  Jacob  Kelley, 
was  born  in  England,  came  to  America  when  young, 
and  settled  in  Westmorefand  County,  Pa. 

Dr.  Davidson's  parents,  Jacob  and  Mary  Davidson, 
were  married  June  2,  1835,  and  had  ten  children, 
nine  of  whom  are  living, — Mary,  married  to  John 
Rice,  Nov.  2,  1855;  Elizabeth,  married  March  12, 
1862,  to  Otho  Brashear;  Kate,  married  Jan.  23, 
1867,  to  Benton  Bennett ;  Lou,  married  Jan.  3, 
1871,  to  James  F.  Grable ;  Haddie,  married  July 
24,  1873,  to  Jesse  Coldren ;  Anna,  married  Nov.  12, 
1874,  to  Luther  Noble ;  Amos  W.,  married  May  29, 
1878,  to  Maggie  Vernon  ;  and  Ada,  who  is  single. 


JAMES  PEIRSOL. 
Among  the  old  families  of  Perry  township  we  find 
the  name  of  Peirsol.  The  first  of  the  family  to  settle 
in  Fayette  County  was  William  Peirsol,  who  bought 
of  Thomas  Estel,  in  1784,  the  farm  now  owned  in 
part  by  James  and  Lewis  Peirsol.  He  was  married 
to  Miss  Grace  Cope,  and  was  born,  according  to  the 
Cope  genealogical  history,  about  the  year  1748.  For 
a  time  Mr.  Peirsol  lived  in  a  rudely  built  cabin,  which 
in  time  gave  way  to  a  log  house,  which  at  that  time 
was  considered  a  model  of  elegance  and  comfort,  and 
which  >till  -tands  on  the  farm  of  James  Peirsol.  In 
thi-  lie  resided  till  his  death  at  a  ripe  old  age.  His 
children  were  John,  born  in  1782;  Sarah,  1785  ;  Jere- 
miah, 1787;  Samuel,  1789;  Mary,  1792;  Elizabeth, 
1794;  William,  1797  ;  and  James,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  May  29,  1799.  All  of  the  children  grew  to 
man's  and  woman's  estate.     On  the  29th  day  of  June, 


722 


HISTORY  OF    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1823,  James  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Gue,  who  was 
born  Oct.  2,  1806.  To  them  have  been  born  John, 
June  10,  1825  ;  Mary  Jane,  Dec.  2,  1827  ;  James  A., 
Feb.  5,  1830  ;  Sarah,  Feb.  6,  1832  ;  Joseph,  July  4, 
18.34;  Emeline,  Feb.  2,  1837  ;  Edith,  March  17, 1839; 
Nancy  V.,  May  6,  1842  ;  and  Jacob  L.,  Nov.  28, 1851. 
After  his  marriage  he  went  to  Ohio  and  settled  on  a 
tract  of  wild  land  owned  by  his  father.  Here  he  re- 
mained four  years,  clearing  away  the  forests  and  im- 
jiriiving  the  farm  when  not  engaged  in  his  favorite 
jiiirsuit  of  hunting,  of  which  he  was  passionately 
fond,  and  at  which  he  became  an  expert.  Not  liking 
his  new  home,  he  returned  at  the  expiration  of  the 
four  years, -his  place  being  filled  by  an  older  brother. 
On  the  death  of  his  father  the  old  homestead  fell  to 
him,  on  which  he  still  resides  and  to  which  he  has 
added,  until  it  now  comprises  300  acres  of  valuable 
land.  For  more  than  thirty  years  Mr.  Feirsol  has 
been  a  consistent  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  and 
through  a  long  life  has  been  an  honored  and  respected 


JOSIAH    KING. 


In  the  year  181(5,  George  King,  with  his  wife  and 
children,  moved  into  Fayette  County,  and  in  the  town- 
ship of  Perry  bought  the  fulling-mills  which  are  now 
known  as  the  Strickler  mill  property.  It  was  a  part 
of  the  General  Washington  tract.  George  was  the  son 
of  Michael  King,  who  was  of  German  descent,  and 
was  born  in  York  County,  Pa.  After  his  marriage  to 
Susan  Husbands  he  moved  to  Somerset  County,  where 
he  bought  a  farm,  on  which  he  passed  the  remainder 
of  his  days.  He  was  a  local  Methodist  preacher,  and 
his  descendants  have  nearly  all  been  of  the  same  re- 
ligious faith. 

George  was  born  July  4, 1774,  on  the  home-farm  in 
Somerset  County,  and,  as  set  forth  above,  emigrated  to 
Fayette  County  in  1816.  He  was  a  carpenter,  and  at 
intervals  followed  that  calling  for  many  years,  quitting 
it  finally  for  the  farm.  In  1794  he  was  joined  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Catherine  Stickle.  The  result  of  this 
union  was  nine  children,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy ; 
the  others  were  Susan,  Josiah,  Enos,  Caroline,  Rachel, 
Mary,  and  William.  He  operated  the  fulling-mills  a 
few  years,  then  sold  out  and  bought  the  farm  now 


owned  by  James  Carson.  In  1840  he  built  a  house 
near  Perryopolis,  in  which  he  resided  till  his  death, 
Nov.  7, 1844 ;  his  wife  died  July  24, 1838.  Both  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Josiah  King,  of  whom  this  brief  sketch  is  written, 
was  born  Dec.  18,  1801,  on  Laurel  Hill,  in  Somerset 
Co.,  Pa.  His  chances  for  an  education  were  limited 
to  a  few  months'  attendance  at  a  country  school,  and 
completed  in  the  school  of  life  by  observation  and  re- 
membering what  he  saw,  making  his  judgment  on  any 
subject  desirable.  From  the  age  of  sixteen  to  nineteen 
years  he  served  as  an  apprentice  as  a  cloth-dresser  with 
Myers  &  McClay.  He  was  then  for  three  years  a 
partner  of  William  Searight  in  woolen  cloth  dressing, 
when  the  building  of  woolen-factories  made  their 
business  unprofitable.  We  now  for  a  few  years  find 
him  building  boats  on  the  Youghiogheny  River,  and 
shipping  sand  and  stone  to  Cincinnati  and  other 
points.  This  business  proved  remunerative,  and  he 
obtained  a  start  in  life.  In  1835  he  went  on  the  farm 
he  with  others  had  bought  in  1828  in  Jefferson  town- 
ship. There  he  remained  until  1845,  when  he  rented 
of  Robert  Lynch  the  farm  which  he  now  owns  (bought 
in  1848),  and  where  he  intends  to  pass  the  remainder 
of  his  long  and  upright  life.     The  farm  now  consists 

'  of  180  acres  of  well-improved  land,  the  result  of  in- 
dustry and  good  management.  On  the  3d  day  of  July, 
1823,  he  was  married  to  Nancy  Lynch,  daughter  of 
Robert  and  Mercilla  (Martin)  Lynch.  She  was  born 
May  27,  1804,  on  the  farm  where  they  now  reside. 
Their  children  are  L.  R.,  born  Aug.  11, 1824,  married 
to  Rebecca  Shepherd.  He  emigrated  to  Winona 
County,  of  which  he  was  three  terms  sheriff;  died 
Nov.  8,  1868.  Elizabeth,  born  March  5,  1826,  mar- 
ried Dec.  25, 1845,  to  S.  B.  Chalfant.  Catherine,  born 
Jan.  28,  1828,  married  Michael  C.  Cramer;  died  May 
21,  1855.  E.  L.  King,  born  Feb.  17,  1830,  married 
March  21,  1854,  to  Miss  Mary  M.  Sanborn.  He  is  a 
physician  of  Ashtabula,  Ohio,  of  which  place  he  is 
now  mayor.  Enos  King,  born  June  12,  1834,  mar- 
ried June  12,  1856,  to  Polly  C.  Stephens.  Mary  Jane, 
born  March  19,  1836,  married  to  Rev.  John  Mclntyre, 
March  15,  1860.     Mercilla  Ann,  born  Aug.  17,  1838, 

[  married  Aug.  18,  1864,  to  John  H.  Martin.  She 
died  May  6, 1870.   And  George  F.,  born  Feb.  11, 1841, 

I  died  May  17,  1851. 


-^^^^x'^^'C^ 


C/fc^ 


REDSTONE    TOWNSHIP. 


Redstone,  one  of  the  western  townships  of  Fay- 
ette, has  for  its  boundaries  Jefferson  on  the  north, 
Menallen  and  German  on  the  south,  Franklin  and 
Menallen  on  the  east,  and  Brownsville  and  Luzerne 
on  the  west.  The  total  valuation  of  Redstone  sub- 
ject to  county  tax  in  1881  was  $660,948,  or  a  decrease 
from  1880  of  $8895.  Its  population  June,  1880,  was 
1065. 

Redstone  contains  valuable  coal  deposits,  but  these 
lie  deep  in  the  earth  in  most  localities.  Upon  the 
land  of  Robert  Tate  and  in  the  contiguous  region  the 
coal  vein  is  rich  and  easy  of  development.  The  great 
highway  through  Redstone  is  now  the  old  National 
road  (so  called),  but  a  line  of  railway  (the  Redstone 
extension  of  the  Pittsburgh,  Virginia  and  Charleston 
Road)  running  along  the  northeastern  border  of  the 
township  is  now  nearly  completed  and  will  prove  of 
great  benefit  to  the  people  of  Redstone. 

Innumerable  water-courses  traverse  the  township, 
but  Redstone  and  Dunlap's  Creeks  are  the  most  notice- 
able and  about  the  only  ones  having  mill-power.  The 
surface  of  the  country  is  uneven  and  in  many  places 
quite  hilly.  There  are  many  valuable  farms  and 
some  rough  ones,  but  generally  considered  the  agri- 
cultural resources  aj-e  quite  up  to  the  average.  Oil 
deposits  have  been  found  on  Redstone  Creek  and  in 
other  places.  Oil-wells  were  sunk  in  1870  by  a  com- 
pany styled  the  Farmers'  and  Mechanics'  Oil  Com- 
pany, and  in  some  cases  to  the  depth  of  a  thousand 
feet,  but  operations  were  not  satisfactorily  pursued, 
although  indications  of  more  than  ordinary  promise 
were  apparent.  It  is  thought  by  many  that  profitable 
oil-wells  will  yet  be  sunk  and  operated  in  this  town- 
ship. 

The  township  received  its  name  from  that  of  the 
creek  which  forms  its  northeastern  boundary.  The 
reason  why  the  name  was  originally  given  to  the 
creek  is  told  in  the  "American  Pioneer"  (vol.  ii.  p. 
55),  as  follows: 

'■  The  hills  around  abounded  with  bituminous  coiil,  and  along 
the  water-courses,  where  the  earth  had  been  washed  off,  the  coal 
was  left  exposed.  The  inflammability  of  that  mineral  must 
have  been  known  to  the  inhabitants  at  that  early  period,  for 
where  those  exposures  happened  fire  h.ad  been  communicated, 
and  an  ignition  of  the  coal  taken  place,  and  probably  continued 
to  burn  until  the  com]iactncss  and  solidity  of  the  body  and  want 
of  air  caused  its  extinguishment.  These  tires  in  their  course 
came  in  contact  with  the  surrounding  earth  and  stone  and  gave 
them    a  red   appearance:    indeed,  so   completely  burned  were 


thev  thatwhe 


thev 


ing,  for  Spanish  brown.  Many  of  the  red  banks  are  now  visi- 
ble; the  most  prominent  one,  ]>erhaps.  is  that  near  the  junction 
of  a  creek  with  the  Monongahela  River,  a  short  distance  below 
the  fortification,  and  which  bears  the  name  of  Bedstone,  doubt- 
less from  the  red  appearance  of  the  bank  near  its  mouth." 

But  the  State  geologist,  in  the  third  annual  report 
on  the  geological  survey  of  the  State  of  Pennsylva- 
nia, gives  a  different  account  of  the  origin  of  the 
ignition  of  the  coal-banks,  viz. :  "  In  many  places  the 
coal  of  the  roofs  has  been  precipitated  by  a  slipping 
of  the  hillside  upon  the  lower  part  of  the  seam,  in 
which  case  the  latter  has  often  taken  fire  from  the 
heat  evolved  by  the  chemical  decomposition.  This 
has  occurred  particularly  at  the  mouth  of  Redstone 
Creek,  in  Fayette  County,  where  the  overlaying  slate 
has  been  reddened  by  the  combustion." 

The  earliest  settlements  in  what  is  now  known  as 
the  township  of  Redstone  were  made  west  and  south 
of  the  centre,  although  there  was  but  little  difference 
in  point  of  time  between  settlements  in  that  section 
and  in  the  country  along  the  Redstone  Creek.  In- 
deed, some  authorities  give  the  creek  region  the  pre- 
cedence, but  the  advantage  upon  either  side  was  too 
slight  to  call  for  special  investigation.  Among  the 
first  who  came  into  Redstone  to  stay,  if  not  indeed 
the  very  first,  was  George  Kroft,  the  ancestor  in  this 
county  of  the  now  numerous  Crafts,  who  through  the 
changes  of  time  have  Anglicized  the  spelling  and 
pronunciation  of  the  name  from  Kroft  to  Craft.  Mr. 
Kroft  came  from  Germany  to  America  as  a  "  redemp- 
tioner," — that  is,  he  sold  himself  to  pay  his  passage. 
Upon  arriving  in  America  he  was  indentured  to  Samuel 
Grable,  a  farmer  living  on  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Mary- 
land. In  1771,  Kroft  found  himself  in  the  possession 
of  a  family,  some  means,  and  an  ambition  to  better 
his  fortunes  in  a  new  country.  Such  a  country  he  dis- 
covered in  Southwestern  Pennsylvania,  and  in  Fayette 
County  in  the  same  year  of  1771  he  tomahawked  a 
claim  of  eight  hundred  acres  in  the  present  township 
of  Redstone.  The  land  lay  near  and  north  of  the 
site  of  the  Dunlap's  Creek  Church,  and  near  that  site, 
not  far  from  Dunlap's  Creek,  he  put  up  his  cabin. 
In  testimony  of  the  wild  and  lonesome  condition  of 
the  region  in  which  he  located,  he  used  to  relate  that 
his  nearest  neighbor  wiis  nine  miles  distant  in  Ger- 
man township,  at  a  place  called  High  House,  and  his 
next  nearest  at  Beesontown  (now  Uniontown).  It 
would  appear  from  these  declarations  made  by  Mr. 


r24 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Kroft  that  he  must  have  been  at  the  time  of  his  loca- 
tion the  only  settler  in  what  is  now  Redstone  town-  j 
ship.  In  1772,  Mr.  Kroft  made  a  trip  to  Eastern 
Maryland  for  a  supply  of  salt  and  other  commodities, 
and  upon  his  return  brought  a  half-dozen  young 
apple-trees  and  set  them  out  near  his  house.  One  of 
the  six  apple-trees  brought  in  by  Mr.  Kroft  in  1772 
still  bears  fruit,  and,  beyond  that  distinction  even,  is 
claimed  to  be  the  largest  apple-tree  in  Fayette 
County.  Six  inches  from  the  ground  it  measures 
two  feet  six  inches  in  diameter,  and  it  is  said  to  have 
borne  oue  season  seventy-five  bushels  of  apples. 
This  tree  stands  on  George  M.  Craft's  farm. 

Mr.  Kroft  (dying  in  1806)  had  four  sons,  named 
Samuel,  Benjamin,  David,  and  John.  Benjamin 
lived  and  died  on  a  portion  of  the  old  farm,  Samuel 
died  in  Luzerne,  John  in  Greene  County,  and  David 
on  the  old  farm  in  1837.  David,  who  was  the  father 
of  Mr.  Elijah  Craft,  of  Redstone,  used  to  tell  his  son 
about  the  trials  and  privations  that  waited  on  pioneer 
life  in  Redstone,  and  among  other  things  told  how  be 
and  one  of  his  brothers  once  rode  twenty-five  miles 
to  a  mill  on  the  Youghiogheny  to  get  a  grist  ground. 
For  subsistence  while  they  were  gone  they  carried  a 
mess  of  boiled  corn,  and  when  they  got  to  the  mill 
they  found  so  many  customers  before  them  that  by 
the  time  their  turn  came  they  had  eaten  all  their 
boiled  corn  and  spent  a  couple  of  days  and  nights  in 
waiting,  so  that  when  they  started  for  home  it  was 
upon  empty  stomachs  that  landed  them  at  the  parental 
roof-tree  in  a  condition  bordering  upon  starvation. 
David  Croft,  herein  referred  to,  became  the  father  of  i 
thirteen  children,  and  when  his  wife  died  the  young-  | 
est  of  the  children  was  but  three  weeks  old.  David 
bestowed  watchful  care  upon  them  all,  small  as  they  I 
were,  despite  the  exhaustive  field  of  labor  incident  to 
his  farming  pursuits,  and  gave  to  each  a  good  educa- 
tion. Of  the  thirteen  children  six  were  boys.  Of  the 
six  boys,  Elijah  Craft,  of  Redstone,  is  the  only  one 
now  living.  His  brother  George,  who  died  in  Ohio 
in  1877  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight,  rode  when  a  boy 
with  his  father  to  Brownsville  in  the  winter  of  1799- 
1800  to  view  the  funeral  ceremonies  of  Washington 
there  displayed. 

One  of  the  daughters  of  old  George  Kroft  married 
Peter  Colley,  one  of  Redstone's  noted  pioneers  and  a 
popular  landlord  uf  his  day.  George  Kroft  died  in 
1806,  but  how  nl,l  hv  was  he  did  not  know  himself, 
for  he  was  a  man  Imt  little  given  to  either  learning, 
reflection,  .ir  uli-civation.  George  B.  Craft,  one  of 
his  graiiiUiiii-,  'li..!  in  Redstone  in  1878,  aged  ninety- 
three.  AiiiiIIh'i-  oI'  his  grandsons,  George,  was  at  one 
time  sheriff  of  Fayette  County. 

During  the  early  period  of  George  Kroft's  residence 
in  Redstone  settlers  felt  much  apprehension  concern- 
ing Indian  ravages,  and  although  no  very  serious 
trouble  came  to  them  from  that  source,  they  were  in 
constant  dread  for  a  time.  Tliere  was  at  Merrittstown 
a  fort,  whither  at  the  first  alarm  <if  the  near  presence 


of  Indians  neighboring  inhabitants  would  flee,  to 
remain  until  the  signs  of  danger  were  past.  A  story 
told  of  a  Mr.  Wade,  who  lived  on  the  present  Fought 
place,  is  to  the  effect  that  each  night  he  used  to  send 
his  wife  and  little  ones  to  the  fort  at  Brownsville, 
while  he  himself  would  crawl  into  a  hollowed  log, 
and  thus  rest  securely  if  not  comfortably  until  morn- 
ing, consoled  with  the  reflection  that  if  the  savages 
should  happen  along  there  they  would  never  dream 
that  an  innocent-looking  log  contained  human  prey. 

Isaiah  Ratclift'e,  a  Quaker,  was  one  of  Redstone's 
pioneer  blacksmiths.  He  set  up  his  shop  near  Dun- 
lap's  Creek  Church,  but  did  not  tarry  long.  He  died 
before  1800.  He  had  made  the  journey  from  the  East 
with  Alexander  Nelan,  who  made  his  settlement  in 
Luzerne  on  the  river.  A  son  of  Isaiah  Ratcliffe 
now  lives  in  Brownsville  in  his  eighty-sixth  year. 

William  Colvin,  mentioned  in  early  accounts  as 
having  been  in  the  territory  now  called  Redstone 
township  as  early  as  1768,  was  doubtless  a  settler 
two  years  before  that,  or  in  1766.  He  tomahawked 
a  claim  to  a  large  tract  of  land,  and  put  up  a  log 
cabin  near  what  is  now  known  as  the  Dunham  place, 
not  far  from  the  Bath  Hotel  property.  An  old  ac- 
count-book kept  by  William  Colvin,  and  now  in  the 
possession  of  Samuel  Colvin,  of  Redstone,  discloses 
the  fact  that  William  Colvin  traded  in  a  small  way 
at  his  home  near  Brownsville  as  early  as  1766.  Un- 
der that  date  he  charged  John  Sarvil,  John  Wise- 
man, Mr.  Hamer,  David  Cook,  Jonathan  Himer 
with  such  articles  as  fine  combs,  rum,  broadcloth, 
whisky,  tobacco,  egg-punch,  egg-nog,  vinegar,  etc. 
In  1767  charges  appear  against  John  Davis,  Cajit. 
Colren,  Andrew  Grigen,  James  Brown,  Jacob  Dri- 
nens,  Richard  Ashcraft,  George  Goran,  George  Moran, 
George  Martin,  Morris  Brady,  Moses  Henry,  Charles 
Ferguson,  Aaron  Richardson,  Moses  HoUaday,  John 
Jones,  Alexander  Bowlin,  John  Henderson,  and 
John  Martin. 

Under  date  of  1768  appear  upon  Mr.  Colviu's  ac- 
count-book the  names  of  Isham  Barnett,  Levi  Col- 
vin, John  Radcliff,  Moses  Holladay,  Thomas  Wig- 
gins, Joel  White,  John  Peters,  Jeremiah  McNew, 
and  William  Lanfitt.  Subsequently  occur  the  names 
of  Thomas  Bandfield,  Zachariah  Brashears,  Basil 
Brown,  Robert  Chalfant,  James  Crawford,  William 
Butler,  Alexander  Armstrong,  Isaac  Stout,  Jeremiah 
Downs,  Joseph  Brashears,  William  Brashears,  John 
Craig,  William  Smith,  Nathaniel  Brown,  Aaron 
Richardson,  Evan  Williams,  Moses  Davison,  John 
Matthews,  Thomas  Downs,  Lucas  Ives,  Zela  Rude, 
Samuel  Jackson,  James  Stephens,  Christopher  Perky, 
Henry  Tillen,  Nathaniel  Fleming,  Francis  Pursley, 
Robert  Shannon,  John  McGrew,  John  Dean,  Rich- 
ard McGuire,  John  McCormickle,  Anthony  Tills, 
Thomas  Best,  Adolph  Her,  John  Miller,  Godfrey 
Johnson,  John  Cummins,  James  Winders,  William 
Beard,  Benjamin  Caulk,  John  Cherry,  Reuben  Sti- 
vers, John  Scantlin,  Robert  Chalfant,  Edward  Elliot, 


REDSTONE   TOWNSHIP. 


Jonathan  Chambers,  Patrick  Lynch,  John  Casler, 
James  Richey,  Thomas  Barker,  Edward  Jordan, 
John  McConnell,  John  Bright,  John  Lynch,  Muael 
Hess,  John  Laughlin,  Richard  J.  Waters,  Edward 
Brashears,  Philip  Fout,  Charles  Hickman,  George 
Bruner,  John  Matson,  John  Restine,  Michael  Lynch, 
James  Lynch,  Ezekiel  Painter,  Reuben  Kemp,  John 
Detrich,  Joseph  Price,  Hugh  Laughlin,  Caleb  Gas- 
kill,  Robert  Adams,  John  Jackson,  John  Cartnell, 
Robert  Martin,  William  Granon,  John  Fulton,  John 
Rosemon,  Henry  Lancaster,  and  Aaron  Dennis. 

William  Colvin  lived  in  a  log  cabin,  as  mentioned, 
and  as  can  best  be  gathered  from  the  records  he  left, 
must  have  kept  a  trading-place  and  tavern  as  well  as 
a  distillery.  How  long  he  remained  after  his  first 
location  cannot  be  told,  but  it  is  probable  that  he 
withdrew  from  that  region  about  1771,  frightened 
away,  doubtless,  by  fears  of  Indian  aggressions,  since 
it  seems  pretty  well  authenticated  that  when  George 
Kroft  settled  on  Dunlap's  Creek  in  1771  his  nearest 
neighbor  was  nine  miles  away.  Accepting  that  state- 
ment as  true,  the  conclusion  follows  that  Colvin  was 
not  in  the  vicinity  at  that  time.  That  his  absence 
was  not  prolonged  to  any  great  extent  is  tolerably 
certain.  It  is  said  that  the  floor  of  his  cabin  was 
composed  of  a  single  flat  rock,  which  was  at  a  late 
date  broken  up  and  used  for  house  foundations  in 
Brownsville.  William  Colvin,  grandson  of  the  Wil- 
liam Colvin  first  named,  was  a  surveyor  of  some  note. 
He  died  in  1870  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  his  son 
Samuel,  the  only  son  of  William  Colvin  in  the  town- 
ship. Of  eight  sons  six  are,  however,  still  living. 
William  Colvin's  widow,  aged  seventy-six,  still  resides 
on  the  old  homestead  with  her  son  Samuel. 

The  settlement  of  the  Finleys  in  Redstone  was  one 
of  the  conspicuous  features  of  early  local  history,  al- 
though, as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Fiuley  settlement  proper 
was  effected  by  a  person  who,  although  named  Fin- 
ley,  was  not  akin  to  the  actual  owner  of  the  land  on 
which  he  settled.  To  trace  the  thread  of  the  story 
from  the  source,  the  declaration  is  made  that  in  or 
about  1765,  Rev.  James  Finley,  then  a  Presbyterian 
minister  living  in  Cecil  County,  upon  the  Eastern 
Shore  of  Maryland,  came  into  Southwestern  Pennsyl- 
vania on  a  tour  of  observation,  which  included  not 
only  a  religious  mission  looking  to  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  to  such  settlers  as  he  might  find,  but  looking 
for  land  locations  where  he  might  after  a  while  make 
homes  for  his  sons.  Accompanying  Mr.  Finley  was 
a  Chester  County  farmer  and  fuller,  by  name  Philip 
Tanner,  who  was  similarly  in  search  of  lands.  Tan- 
ner and  Finley  made  a  wide  circuit  of  the  then  almost 
unbroken  wilderness  of  country,  and  tarried  perhaps 
a  month,  Finley  preaching  here  and  there  as  he 
found  opportunity.  He  is  said  to  have  been  the  first 
minister  of  the  gospel  (except  army  chaplains)  who 
ever  penetrated  into  Western  Pennsylvania.  Finley 
came  into  the  country  again  in  1767,  and  again  in 
1771,  each  time  on  a  preaching  tour,  and  each  time 


encountering  an  experience  that  must  have  made  him 
not  only  familiar  and  warmly  welcome  to  the  people, 
but  an  experience  that  taught  him  valuable  lessons  in 
the  school  of  pioneering,  and  toughened  his  own 
nature  to  endure  the  rigors  of  the  wilderness.  .  What 
had  seemed  a  predilection  in  favor  of  the  country  in 
1765  was  confirmed  as  he  became  acquainted  with  it, 
and  in  1771,  considering  that  the  population  had 
then  become  numerous  enough  to  warrant  an  eflfort 
to  make  such  a  land  settlement  as  he  had  long  looked 
for,  he  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  upon  Dunlap's 
Creek,  within  the  present  limits  of  the  townships  of 
German,  Redstone,  and  Menallen.  To  this  land  then 
he  returned  the  following  year  with  his  fourteen-year- 
old  son  Ebenezer,  a  farm  hand  named  Samuel  Finley 
(not  related  to  the  Rev.  James),  and  a  number  of 
negro  slaves.  Philip  Tanner,  who  bore  Rev.  James 
Finley  company  to  Western  Pennsylvania  in  1765, 
located  lands  adjoining  Finley's  tract  in  1770,  and 
doubtless  made  a  settlement  about  1772 ;  but  details 
touching  his  residence  in  this  county  are  so  meagre 
that  nothing  can,  with  any  degree  of  certainty,  be 
told  concerning  him  except  that  he  died  on  his  Red- 
stone farm  in  1801.  In  1802  his  executors  sold  the 
farm  to  John  Moore.  As  to  Rev.  James  Finley,  he 
was  at  no  time  himself  an  actual  resident  of  Fayette 
County,  although  his  son  lived  and  died  in  the  county, 
and  left  within  it  many  descendants  who  have  to  this 
day  worthily  maintained  the  name.  Rev.  James  was 
settled  in  1783  over  Rehoboth  Church,  in  Westmore- 
land County,  and  died  in  1795.  With  this  statement 
his  history  may  be  considered  closed  as  concerns  this 
record  of  Fayette  County,  save  the  remark  that  from 
the  time  of  his  coming  in  1765  to  1783,  thirty-four 
families,  connected  mainly  with  his  congregation  in 
Cecil  County,  removed  to  Western  Pennsylvania. 
These  families,  it  is  said,  intended  to  make  their  Penn- 
sylvania settlements  near  each  other,  but  coming  out 
in  straggling  detachments  as  circumstances  allowed 
they  found  themselves  unable  to  secure  lands  as  they 
desired,  and  thus  they  became  scattered,  although 
only  so  far  that  the  area  that  included  their  homes 
measured  less  than  forty  miles  between  extreme 
points.  There  was  nevertheless  a  Providence  in  this 
scattering  of  the  families,  for  it  was  the  instrument 
through  which  Presbyterian  Churches  were  estab- 
j  lished  at  least  at  five  points,  to  wit:  Chartiers,  Cross 
Creek,  Rehoboth,  Laurel  Hill,  and  Dunlap's  Creek. 
Of  the  thirty-four  fiimilies  named,  twenty-two  of  the 
heads  thereof  became  ruling  elders  of  the  churches 
named  at  their  organization. 
'  Ebenezer  Finley  played  a  conspicuous  part  in  a 
i  perilous  adventure  with  Indians  near  Fort  Wallace 
j  in  1776.  "  Finley'  had  gone  from  Dunlap's  Creek  on 
a  short  tour  of  militia  duty  to  the  frontier  as  a  substi- 
j  tute  for  Samuel  Finley,  then  in  charge  of  the  Finley 
I  farm.     While  Finley  was  at  Fort  Wallace  tidings 


I  From  "  OM  Reilstoue 


726 


HISTORY    OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


were  brought  by  a  man  on  horseback  in  breathless 
haste  that  Indians  had  made  their  appearance  at  a 
little  distance ;  that  he  had  left  two  men  and  a  woman 
on  foot  trying  to  make  their  way  to  the  fort ;  and  that 
unless  immediately  protected  or  rescued  they  would 
be  lost.  Some  eighteen  or  twenty  men,  among  whom 
was  young  Finley,  started  immediately  for  their  re.s- 
cue.  About  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  fort  they 
came  unexpectedly  upon  a  considerable  force  of  sav- 
ages. They  were  for  a  while  in  the  midst  of  them. 
A  sharp  fire  began  immediately,  and  a  zig-zag  run- 
ning fight  took  place.  Our  people  making  their  way 
back  toward  the  fort,  numbers  of  them  were  shot 
down  or  tomahawked. 

"  Finley's  gun  would  not  go  off.  He  stopped  for  a 
moment  to  pick  his  flint  and  fell  behind.  An  Indian 
was  seen  leveling  his  gun  at  him,  but  was  fortunately 
shot  down  just  at  the  moment.  Being  fleet  of  foot, 
Finley  was  soon  abreast  of  his  companions,  and  in 
passing  around  the  root  of  a  tree,  by  a  quick  motion 
of  his  elbow  against  his  companion's  shoulder,  suc- 
ceeded in  passing  him,  when,  the  next  moment,  this 
comrade  sunk  beneath  the  stroke  of  a  tomahawk.  A 
Mr.  Moore,  seeing  Finley's  imminent  danger  from  a 
bridge  upon  which  he  stood,  stopped,  and  by  his  well- 
directed  fire  again  protected  him  and  enabled  him  to 
pass  the  bridge.  ,  At  last,  after  several  doublings  and 
turnings,  the  Indians  being  sometimes  both  in  the  rear 
and  ahead  of  him,  he  reached  the  fort  in  safety.  But  the 
most  remarkable  part  of  the  matter  remains  to  be  told. 
Mr.  Finley,  the  father,  then  at  home  east  of  the  moun- 
tains, three  hundred  miles  otf,  had,  as  he  thought,  one 
day  a  strange,  undefinable  impression  that  his  son  was 
in  imminent  danger  of  some  kind,  but  he  could  form 
no  distinct  conception  of  its  nature  or  cause.  He 
betook  himself  to  intense  and  agonizing  prayer  for 
his  son,  continued  in  this  exercise  for  some  time,  felt 
at  length  relieved  and  comforted,  as  though  the  dan- 
ger was  past.  It  was  altogether  to  himself  an  extra- 
ordinary thing,  such  as  he  had  never  before  experi- 
enced. He  made  a  note  of  the  time.  A  few  weeks 
afterwards  he  received  from  his  son  an  account  of  his 
narrow  escape  from  death.  The  time  corresponded 
exactly  with  the  time  of  Mr.  Finley's  strange  experi- 
ence. This  is  the  sulistance  of  the  statement  we  have 
received.  Its  accuracy,  in  its  most  essential  features, 
may  be  relied  on.  \Vhat  shall  we  say  of  it?  Mr. 
Fiidey  was  a  man  of  most  scrupulous  veracity.  We 
leave  the  simple  statement  of  the  case  to  the  reflec- 
tions of  the  reader." 

Ebeuezer  Finley  grew  to  manhood  in  his  adopted 
home,  and  rose  to  importance  in  the  community. 
His  home  was  in  Redstone,  on  Dunlap's  Creek, 
where  at  an  early  day  he  erected  a  grist-mill  and 
.saw-mill.  The  foundations  of  the  saw-mill  may  still 
be  seen,  as  may  also  the  miller's  house.  Mr.  Finley 
was  married  four  times,  and  with  his  four  wives  rests 
now  in  Dunlap's  Creek  churchyard.  He  died  in  1849 
at  the  age  ofeiglity-eight.     Three  of  his  sons,  Eben- 


ezer,  Elliott,  and  Eli  H.,  live  now  in  Menallen,  on 
portions  of  the  land  located  by  their  grandfather. 
Rev.  James  Finley,  in  1772.  Robert,  another  son, 
died  in  Redstone  in  1874.  Of  Ebenezer  Finley  the 
elder  it  is  stated  that  he  was  upon  one  occasion 
plunged  into  great  distress  consequent  upon  his  having 
hauled  a  liberty  pole  over  to  New  Salem  during  the 
days  of  the  Whiskey  Insurrection.  He  did  not  happen 
to  learn  until  after  he  had  hauled  the  pole  to  its  des- 
tination that  it  was  intended  to  take  part  in  a  defiant 
demonstration  on  the  part  of  the  Whiskey  Boys,  and 
with  that  knowledge  came  the  apprehension  that  the 
authorities  might  consider  him  equally  culpable  with 
the  Whiskey  Boys  in  defying  the  law.  He  was  not  a 
partisan,  and  he  felt  sure  the  Whiskey  Boys  and  their 
abettors  would  be  ultimately  overthrown  and  pun- 
ished, and  knowing  that  circumstances  pointed 
strongly  toward  him  as  an  abettor  as  far  as  concerned 
the  liberty  pole  business,  he  was  in  great  fear  lest  he 
should  meet  with  punishment.  Happily  for  him  no 
serious  results  attended  his  action. 

John  Laughlin,  a  conspicuous  character  in  Red- 
stone's early  history,  tomahawked  a  four-hundred- 
acre  claim  that  included  the  present  Benjamin  Phil- 
lips and  Colvin  places.  Laughlin  was  a  bachelor,  a 
farmer  of  some  enterprise,  and  employed  slave  labor 
almost  exclusively.  He  must  have  occupied  his  land 
as  early  as  1780,  if  not  before.  He  was  esteemed  a 
man  of  considerable  wealth,  and  was  noted  for  keep- 
ing a  large  amount  of  it,  in  the  form  of  gold  and 
silver,  tied  up  in  a  pair  of  buckskin  breeches.  Once 
when  he  lay  quite  ill  he  sent  for  his  neighbors,  Wil- 
liam Colvin,  Thomas  Wells,  and  Samuel  Grable, 
whom  he  requested  to  count  in  his  and  each  other's 
presence  the  gold  and  silver  that  was  within  the 
buckskin  breeches.  That  task  they  performed,  and 
left  him  satisfied,  and  his  mind  relieved.  Contrary  to 
his  expectations,  however,  he  did  not  die  that  time, 
but  he  did  die  about  six  months  later;  and  then, 
strange  to  relate,  not  a  v&stige  of  either  his  buckskin 
breeches  or  the  wealth  they  contained  could  be  found. 
There  were  many  conjectures  as  to  what  had  become 
of  the  money,  and  many  faithful  searches  in  every 
place  of  supposable  concealment,  but  every  search 
was  fruitless,  and  the  disappearance  remained  as 
much  a  mystery  as  ever  in  the  end.  People  whose 
cupidity  outran  their  judgment  dug  upon  the  present 
Benjamin  Phillips  farm  in  various  places  and  under 
cover  of  night,  hoping  to  unearth  the  treasure  which 
then  was  and  to-day  is  confidently  believed  by  some 
persons  to  be  hidden  in  the  earth,  placed  there  they 
say  by  the  hands  of  old  John  Laughlin  himself;  but 
as  the  case  stands  at  present,  they  are  not  likely  to 
learn  whether  their  theories  are  or  are  not  correct. 
Mr.  Laughlin's  death  occurred  shortly  after  the  year 
ISOO,  and  although  his  silver  and  gold  were  not  found, 
he  left  behind  him  a  bountiful  supply  of  this  world's 
goods  for  those  who  came  after  him.  He  had  been 
an  excellent  master  to  his  slaves,  and  in  his  will  left 


IIEDSTONE   TOWNSHIP. 


727 


to  each  one  ii  substantial  reminder  of  his  thoughtful  ; 
care  for  them.     Laughlin  was  not  only  a  kindly-dis- 
posed and  gentle  master  to  his  servants,  but  he  was  an  j 
earnest  and  faithful  worshiper  at  the  Dunlap's  Creek  ^ 
Church,  despite  the  fact  that  he  was  not  a  member  ' 
thereof.     For  a  long  time,  however,  it  was  the  gener-  | 
ally-accepted  belief  that  he  was  a  member,  and  in-  | 
deed  the  church-members   themselves  were   so  con-  j 
vinced  that  he  was  one  of  them  that  they  chose  him 
a  ruling  elder.     When  they   learned  from  his  own 
lips  that  he  had  never  been  in  membership  they  were 
surprised  and  disappointed.     That  one  so  devout  and  } 
regular  in  attendance  upon  church  meetings  could  be 
without  the  circle  did  not  once  occur  to  them. 

John  Laughlin  was  as  precise  in  his  dress  as  in  his 
manners,  and  as  famous  almost  for  his  knee-breeches, 
slippers,  silver  buckles,  and  perique  as  he  was  for  his  ' 
simple  and  correct  methods  of  speech  and  honorable 
dealings  with  his  fellow-men.     He  followed  the  busi- 
ness of  distilling  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  kept 
his  neighbors  as  well  as  his  own  farm-hands  well  sup-  I 
plied  with  thejuice  of  the  grain.     An  old  manuscript  I 
in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Benjamin  Phillips  purports  to 
be  an  order  from  some   person    (signature  missing) 
upon  John  Laughlin  for  the  delivery  to  John  Miller 
of  two  gallons  of  whisky  "the  day  he  begins  to  reap, 
and  not  before."  I 

John  Fulton,  who  located  upon  the  present  Samuel 
Coivin  farm  about  1800,  died  there  in  1818.     One  of 
the  daughters  of  his  .son,  John   L.  Fulton,  is  Mrs.  i 
Benjamin  Pliillips. 

The  first  survey  of  lands  in  Fayette  County  under 
the  law  of  1769  appears  to  have  been  made  to  An- 
drew Linn,  Aug.  22,  1769.  It  lies  in  what  are  now 
Redstone  and  Jefferson  townships,  upon  the  Redstone 
Creek.  The  tract,  including  two  hundred  and  forty- 
four  and  one-half  acres,  was  called  Crab-Tree  Bottom, 
and  is  said  to  have  had  at  one  corner  of  the  survey  a 
plum-tree  that  was  spoken  of  for  a  long  time  after- 
wards as  a  noted  tree  because  it  marked  the  beginning 
of  the  pioneer  land  survey.  It  stood  upon  a  bank  of 
the  creek,  into  which  it  was  washed  many  years  ago. 
The  tract  named  is  now  owned  by  J.  M.  Linn.  At 
the  point  now  occupied  by  J.  M.  Linn's  mill  a  grist- 
mill was  built  by  Andrew  Linn's  widow  in  1796.' 

Additional  surveys  to  the  Linns  in  1769  are  quoted 
as  follows : 

"To  William  Lynn  two  hundred  and  ninety-three 
acres  called  '  Whiskey  Mount,'  situated  on  the  east  ' 
side  of  the  Monongahela  River,  in  the  new  purchase, 
Bedford  County,  and  surveyed  Aug.  25,  1769,  by  order  , 
of  survey  No.  2847,  dated  April  .5,  1769."  I 

"To   Andrew  Lynn,  in   right   of  Nathan    Lynn,  \ 
292i  acres,  called  'Contention,'  situated  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Monongahela  River,  in  the  new  purchase, 
Bedford  County,  and  surveyed  Aug.  25,  1769,  by  order 
of  survey  492,  dated  April  3,  1769." 


1  See  history  of  Jeffen 


"To  Andrew  Lynn,  in  right  of  Thomas  Pearce, 
130^  acres,  called  '  Purchase,'  situated  on  the  east  side 
of  the  Monongahela  River,  in  the  new  purchase, 
Bedford  County,  and  surveyed  Aug.  26, 1769,  by  order 
of  survey  1768,  dated  April  3, 1769."  The  first-named 
survey  was  made  by  Archibald  McClean,  deputy  sur- 
veyor, the  last  two  by  A.  Lane,  deputy  surveyor. 

Some  time  before  the  year  1800,  Benjamin  Phillips 
(an  ex-Revolutionary  soldier)  came  with  his  wife 
from  New  Jersey,  in  company  with  Jonathan  Hill, 
for  whom  he  had  agreed  to  drive  a  team  across  the 
mountains.  Among  Hill's  effects  was  a  chest  that 
contained — so  relates  Mr.  Benjamin  Phillips,  of  Red- 
stone—fully three  bushels  of  silver  and  gold.  The 
chest  was  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Benjamin  Phillips, 
of  Redstone,  until  within  a  few  years,  but  where 
it  is  now  is  not  known.  Jonathan  Hill  located  in 
Franklin,  and  built  a  mill  upon  the  present  Samuel 
Smock  place.  When  he  sold  his  property  to  Jonathan 
Sharpless,  in  1810,  he  moved  to  Virginia,  and  there 
died  in  a  lunatic  asylum.  Benjamin  Phillips  rented 
a  small  place  in  Jefferson  township  of  Bateman  Goe, 
and  worked  for  the  neighbors  whenever  he  got  the 
chance,  for  he  was  poor,  and  strove  to  get  something 
laid  by  so  that  he  could  buy  land  for  himself.  He 
worked  so  hard  that  his  health  failed,  and  he  spent  a 
season  in  bed.  His  wife  was,  however,  just  the  sort 
of  a  wife  a  man  like  him  needed,  for  while  her  hus- 
band lay  ill,  and  it  was  for  some  time,  she  not  only 
attended  to  her  domestic  duties,  but  worked  their 
small  farm,  and  did  it  all,  too,  without  calling  for 
assistance  from  the  neighbors.  After  tarrying  a  few 
years  in  the  present  township  of  Jefferson,  Benjamin 
Phillips  moved  to  Redstone  township,  and  located 
upon  the  old  State  road,  near  the  Menallen  line, 
where  he  opened  a  tavern.  Ultimately  he  changed 
his  habitation  to  the  farm  whereon  the  widow  of 
David  Pliillips  now  lives,  and  there  he  died  in  1831, 
a-etl  upwards  of  eighty-five.  The  only  ones  of  his 
children  now  living  are  Mrs.  Edward  West,  of  Iowa; 
Elijah  Pliillips,  of  Iowa,  aged  eighty-three  ;  and  Ben- 
jamin Phillips,  of  Redstone.  Daniel  C.  Phillips  died 
in  1878,  aged  seventy-five,  and  David  Phillips  in  1881, 
aged  eighty-five. 

Mr.  Benjamin  Phillips  remembers  a  story  told  to 
him  by  his  mother  of  her  trip  with  )ier  husband  to 
New  Jersey  upon  horseback  on  a  visit  to  her  parents, 
only  a  few  years  after  they  (the  Phillipses)  had  come 
to  Southwestern  Pennsylvania.  Mrs.  Phillips  carried 
her  babe  before  her  upon  her  horse,  while  Mr.  Phillips 
had  likewise  a  load,  and  thus  on  horseback  they  jour- 
neyed across  the  mountains  by  way  of  a  road  that  for 
a  great  part  of  the  distance  was  no  better  than  a  mere 
path  through  forests.  Her  experience  had  the  effect 
of  urging  her  to  forswear  forever  any  more  journeys 
from  Pennsylvania  to  New  Jersey,  and  so  she  per- 
suaded her  parents  to  remove  westward,  which  they 
shortly  did,  much  to  their  daughter's  gratification. 

In  1780,  Thom;ts  Gallagher  came  from  east  of  the 


728 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


mountains  with  a  wife  and  two  cliildren,  and  witli 
tliem  first  found  a  home  in  the  West  in  the  loft  of  a 
spring-bouse  on  Ebenezer  Finley's  farm,  in  Redstone 
township.  Mr.  Gallagher  had  bought  the  land  known 
as  the  James  Black  tract,  but  the  tenant  upon  the 
place  was  not  prepared  to  move  out  of  the  farm-house, 
and  so  until  the  following  spring  Mr.  Gallagher  and 
his  famil_v  had  to  get  along  as  best  they  could.  Thomas 
Gallagher  was  commissioned,  Oct.  18,  181.3,  as  adju- 
tant of  the  Ninety-first  Regiment.  He  was  taken 
ill  in  service  and  came  home  to  die.  Gallagher  oc- 
cupied a  portion  of  a  tract  of  si.x  hundred  acres  taken 
up  by  Robert  Evans.  Nov.  25,  1771,  the  proprietors 
of  Pennsylvania  patented  to  Robert  Evans  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  acres  in  the  forks  of  Dunlap's  Creek 
and  Four-Mile  Run,  joining  lands  of  John  McKib- 
bin's,  and  including  a  stony  spring  to  the  eastward  of 
Thomas  Scott's  cornfield,  in  the  county  of  Bradford. 
Of  Thomas  Gallagher's  grandsons  now  living,  J.  M. 
and  W.  K.  are  citizens  of  Redstone,  and  E.  T.  a  resi- 
dent of  Luzerne.  J.  M.  Gallagher,  now  a  farmer  near 
Merrittstown,  was  a  merchant  in  the  last-named  place 
from  1845  to  1856.  His  wife  is  a  granddaughter  of 
Sam  Brady,  famous  in  the  olden  time  as  a  scout  and 
Indian-fighter. 

Capt.  John  Moore,  a  famous  figure  in  Redstone's 
early  history,  wi^s  a  settler  as  early  as  1770  in  the 
southern  portion  of  the  present  township,  upon  a  farm  j 
until  recently  owned  by  John  and  William  Moore. 
Capt.  Moore  came  out  to  prospect,  and  lived  six  weeks  | 
in  a  hut.  During  that  time  he  devoted  himself  to 
hunting  and  land-looking,  and  saw  no  human  being 
until  one  day  at  the  end  of  six  weeks  he  encountered 
old  Billy  Davis,  who  was  living  in  German  township, 
and  who,  like  Moore,  was  living  in  a  hut  alone  while 
considering  the  matter  of  making  a  new  home  in  the 
wilderness.  Capt.  Moore  had  a  large  family  of  chil- 
dren. Their  names  were  George,  John,  Aaron,  Rezin, 
Ezekiel,  Rachel,  Hannah,  and  William.  Rezin  and 
William  settled  in  Redstone.  William  was  never 
married.  Rezin  had  ten  children.  Of  them  living 
now  are  John  M.,  Mrs.  Samuel  Herron,  and  William 
R.  Capt.  Moore  served  in  the  war  of  1776,  and  won 
a  record  for  more  than  common  bravery.  Upon  the 
old  Moore  place  in  1778  he  planted  an  apple-tree  that 
still  bears  largely  of  fruit.  He  brought  it  over  the 
mountains  along  with  a  half-dozen  others  in  his  sad- 
dle-bags. Capt.  Moore  died  in  Redstone,  and  was 
buried  on  the  old  Moore  farm. 

Abraham  Landers,  a  settler  about  1790  in  the 
southern  portion  of  Redstone,  was  one  of  the  early 
sawyers  at  Ebenezer  Finley's  saw-mill.  His  children 
numbered  four.  They  were  named  Polly,  Sallie, 
Abraham,  and  Jacob.  Polly  was  the  mother  of  Mrs. 
W.  R.  Moore.  James  Frost,  to  whom  a  place  called 
"  Lapland"  was  surveyed  Feb.  5,  1784,  was  a  promi- 
nent pioneer  in  Redstone.  When  but  seven  years  of 
age  he  came  to  the  township  with  his  step-father, 
William  Rose,  who  located  on  what  is  now  known  as 


the  David  Fnller  place.  Mr.  Frost  was  grandfather  of 
Mrs.  W.  R.  Moore.  He  was  married  three  times,  and 
died  in  1834  upon  W.  R.  Moore's  farm.  His  son,  J. 
L.,  who  died  in  Redstone  in  1869,  had  ten  children. 
Eight  are  now  living,  and  of  the  eight  all  save  one 
live  in  Fayette  County.  Jacob  Hibbs  is  supposed  to 
have  come  from  Loudon  County,  Va.,  to  Redstone  as 
early  as  1780.  Lacey,  the  only  one  of  his  sons  to 
make  Redstone  a  permanent  home,  married  Sallie, 
daughter  of  George  Kroft,  and  lived  at  first  on  the 
farm  now  owned  by  Aaron  J.  Hibbs.  He  died  in 
1819.  He  had  five  sons  and  three  daughters.  The 
only  son  now  living  is  Samuel  C.  Hibbs,  of  Redstone. 
William  Ball,  one  of  Redstone's  pioneer  blacksmiths, 
had  a  shop  in  1809  near  Redstone  Creek.  He  died 
in  1865.     His  widow  still  lives  in  Redstone. 

Philip  Fought,  a  German,  emigrated  to  America  to 
escape  the  turmoil  incident  to  a  religious  commotion 
in  Germany,  and  settled  in  Chester  County,  Pa. 
About  1780  he  moved  to  Fayette  County,  and  made 
a  settlement  in  Redstone  township  upon  a  seven-huu- 
dred-acre  tract  of  land,  now  comprising  the  four  farms 
that  are  owned  by  James  Fought,  Daniel  Craft, 
Mathias  Hess,  and  John  L.  Reisbeck.  James  Fought's 
place  in  Redstone,  always  owned  by  a  Fought,  is  now 
in  the  third  generation  of  succession  in  the  name. 
Mr.  Philip  Fought,  who  was  singular  in  his  dress,  and 
appeared  invariably  in  attire  fashioned  in  a  peculiar 
style  of  his  own,  established  a  wagon-shop,  blacksmith- 
shop,  and  plow-shop  upon  his  farm,  and  carried  on  the 
business  with  perseverance  until  old  age  ended  his  la- 
bors. Of  the  elder  Fought's  family  of  six  children  there 
were  four  sons, — James,  William,  George,  and  Philip. 
George  was  a  soldier  under  Mad  Anthony  Wayne  at 
Stony  Point,  where  he  was  wounded  in  the  left  arm, 
rendering  it  useless.  Some  time  later  he  took  a  boat- 
load of  supplies  down  to  New  Orleans,  where  he  died 
of  yellow  fever.  James  and  William  died  in  Virginia. 
Philip  died  on  the  old  farm  in  Redstone  in  1860,  aged 
eighty-two. 

Joseph  Gadd  located  in  1800  upon  the  S.  C.  Hagerty 
farm,  a  half-mile  west  from  Tuckertown.  He  died  in 
Redstone  in  1852,  aged  seventy-nine.  One  of  his 
daughters  married  William  Hatfield.  Isaiah  Ste- 
phens was  an  early  comer  to  the  place  now  owned  by 
Joseph  Gadd,  who  married  one  of  Stephens'  daugh- 
ters. Thomas  Hatfield,  grandfather  of  Joseph  Gadd, 
fought  under  Jackson  at  New  Orleans.  The  wife  of 
the  elder  Joseph  Gadd  (first  named  above)  died 
on  the  present  Joseph  Gadd  place  in  1875,  aged 
ninety-six  years.  Isaiah  Stephens  died  on  the  same 
farm  in  1814. 

The  McCormicks  were  among  Redstone's  early 
settlers,  and  among  the  most  esteemed.  James  Mc- 
Cormick  settled  in  Jefferson  in  1780,  and  died  there 
in  1847,  aged  eighty-five.  John  C.  McCormick,  one 
of  his  sons,  was  born  on  Dunlap's  Creek,  where  his 
father  was  at  one  time  a  settler.  John  C.  was  a 
himse-carpenter  as  well  as  farmer.     His  farm,  south 


REDSTONE   TOWNSHIP 


729 


of  Cook's  Mills,  was  during  his  possessiuii  thereof 
regarded  as  a  model.  He  was  an  ardent  Presbyterian, 
and  with  others  founded  the  Central  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Menallen.  He  died  in  1876.  Of  James 
McCormick's  seventeen  children  the  living  are  seveu 
in  number. 

Griffith  Roberts,  of  Chester  County,  with  a  family 
of  four  children,  traveled  westward  over  the  moun- 
tains in  company  with  William  Jeffries  and  family 
about  the  year  1800.  Roberts  made  his  home  in 
Redstone  township,  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by 
John  Hibbs,  in  Pleasant  Valley  District,  and  bought 
by  Roberts  of  Anthony  Sills.  Jeffries  settled  in 
Union  township.  Mr.  Roberts  was  a  stone-mason 
and  plasterer  by  trade,  and  upon  his  settlement  in 
Redstone  pursued  that  occupation  with  great  indus- 
try. George  Chalfant,  a  lad  whom  Roberts  had 
brought  west  with  him,  worked  and  lived  with  the 
latter,  and  became  a  skillful  mason.  George  Chal- 
fant bought  a  farm  in  1809  of  Cavalier  Wheaton. 
There  he  died  in  1858,  aged  seventy-six,  and  there 
his  son  Finley  now  lives.  Mr.  Roberts  himself  did 
not  live  in  a  very  magnificent  house,  for  it  was,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  simply  a  log  cabin  with  a  clapboard 
roof;  but  he  constructed  good  houses  for  other  peo- 
ple, and  is  said  to  have  done  his  work  exceedingly 
well.  He  plastered  a  house  in  Bridgeport  about 
seventy  years  ago,  and  the  plaster  is  as  firm  and 
smooth  now  as  it  was  when  put  on.  Mr.  Roberts 
died  in  1825,  aged  eighty  years.  His  only  son,  Grif- 
fith, married  a  daughter  of  Edward  Morris,  who  lived 
in  the  Finley  settlement. 

Edward  Morris  was  especially  noted  for  being  a 
large  man.  His  weight  was  three  hundred  and  thirty 
pounds,  and  that  of  his  daughter,  who  married  Grif- 
fith Roberts,  Jr.,  three  hundred  and  twenty.  Morris 
moved  from  Redstone  to  the  State  of  Ohio.  Griffith 
Roberts  died  in  1819.  His  son.  Judge  Griffith  Rob- 
erts, lives  now  in  Bunker  Hill  District,  Redstone 
township. 

There  was  a  pretty  numerous  settlement  of  Quakers 
along  Redstone  Creek  where  the  stream  separates 
Redstone  township  from  Jefl'erson  and  Franklin,  and 
the  members  of  this  settlement,  coming  in  about  the 
year  1800,  were  located  in  each  of  the  three  town- 
ships named.  Among  these  people  the  most  promi- 
nent personage  was  Jonathan  Sharpless,  who  lived 
first  in  Redstone,  afterwards  in  Jefferson,  and  lastly 
in  Franklin,  where  he  died.  He  was  a  quaint,  blunt- 
spoken  Quaker,  who  always  said  what  he  meant,  and 
for  whom  his  brother  Quakers  felt  a  very  high  esteem. 
The  first  of  the  family  who  emigrated  to  this  country 
were  John  Sharpless  and  two  brothers  from  Wales, 
who  came  with  William  Penn.  They  took  up  a  thou- 
sand acres  of  land  in  Chester  County,  about  twenty 
miles  from  Philadelphia.  John  had  a  sou  Joseph. 
He  also  had  a  son  Joseph,  who  was  the  father  of 
Jonathan,  who  emigrated  to  Fayette  County.  His 
first  wife  was  Edith  Niccolls,  of  Wilmington,  Del., 


in  which  place  they  lived  until  their  two  children, 
Samuel  and  Elizabeth,  were  born.  Jonathan  was  a 
blacksmith  by  trade,  having  served  an  apprentice- 
ship of  seven  years.  He  settled  on  Big  Redstone  in 
1796,  in  which  year  the  firm  of  Sharpless  &  Jackson 
erected  the  famous  Redstone  paper-mill,  it  being  the 
first  paper-mill  west  of  the  mountains,  and  first  lived 
on  the  Gillespie  farm,  where  West  Brownsville  now 
stands,  but  Jackson  in  a  short  time  converted  an  old 
stable  into  a  house  on  the  paper-mill  grounds.  His 
second  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Peter  Miller,  of  Red- 
stone. He  died  Jan.  20, 1860,  at  the  Redstone  home- 
stead, in  the  ninety-third  year  of  his  age,  his  first  wife 
having  died  in  May,  1823,  and  of  the  death  of  his 
second  wife  we  have  no  date.  He  left  eleven  chil- 
dren. Those  who  were  living  in  1870  were  William, 
Sabina,  Edith  (Mrs.  Piersol),  of  Mehaska  County, 
Iowa,  and  Priscilla  (Mrs.  Morgan  Campbell),  of 
Scottdale,  Westmoreland  Co.,  Pa. 

William  Sharpless  was  born  on  the  Redstone  paper- 
mill  farm,  Feb.  7,  1797.  He  was  married  to  Mary 
Colvin,  Oct.  23,  1823,  who  was  born  Jan.  30,  1802, 
and  died  Aug.  12,  1870.  He  had  no  children,  and 
was  in  the  paper  business  most  of  his  life.  The  pro- 
duct of  his  mill  was  widely  known  as  the  standard 
paper  of  the  country.  The  old  paper-mill  was 
burned  many  years  ago,  and  on  the  ground  now 
stands  what  is  known  as  the  Parkhill  flouring-mill. 
He  was  long  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  and 
the  present  edifice,  well  known  as  the  Redstone  Bap- 
tist Church,  was  erected  chiefly  through  his  individ- 
ual effort  and  means.  He  died  Nov.  22,  1881,  at  the 
residence  of  Capt.  S.  C.  Speers,  Allen  township, 
Washington  County. 

Among  other  prominent  members  of  the  sect  in 
that  locality  may  be  named  Theodore  Hoge,  Peter 
Miller,  James  Veech,  Samuel  Vail,  Joseph  Wood- 
mansee,  and  Micajah  Smith.  These  were  instrumen- 
tal in  erecting  a  log  meeting-house  in  what  is  now 
known  as  Centre  School  District,  and  there  the  Friends 
regularly  assembled  for  many  years.  By  and  by  the 
ranks  began  to  grow  thin,  and  the  number  of  Friends 
had  dwindled  away  in  1856  to  less  than  half  a  score. 
In  that  year  the  meetings  were  discontinued,  and 
with  the  death  of  Jonathan  Sharpless,  in  1860,  passed 
away  about  the  only  remaining  evidence  of  the  ex- 
istence in  the  neighborhood  of  a  community  of 
Friends.  A  graveyard  laid  out  by  the  Quakers  at 
the  church  is  still  used  occasionally,  though  it  is  a 
neglected  spot,  where  broken  and  crumbling  head- 
stones and  rankly  growing  weeds  contribute  to  the 
appearance  of  desolation.  But  few  of  the  head- 
stones bear  any  inscriptions,  but  simply  initials  rudely 
cut.  Two  stones  record  the  burials  of  "  Mr.  Sharp- 
less" and  "Joseph  Sharpless."  Others  are  marked 
W.  P. ;  P.  C,  Esq. ;  C.  M. ;  J.  P. ;  D.  C. ;  C.  P. ; 
E.  S.  F. ;  and  H. 

In  1780,  Samuel  Grable  came  from  the  Eastern 
Shore  of  Maryland  and  located  a  tract  of  about  six 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


hundred  acres  in  the  present  township  of  Bedstone. 
'Mr.  Grable's  property  was  known  as  the  "  Maiden's 
Bower,"  and  was  patented  to  him  in  1785.  He  lived 
on  what  is  called  the  Beal  place,  and  died  there  in 
1811.  His  children  numbered  nine.  His  sons  were 
David,  Samuel,  and  Philip.  David  removed  at  an  \ 
early  day  to  Kentucky.  Samuel,  Jr.,  and  Philip  re- 
mained on  the  old  farm  and  died  in  the  township. 
Philip  married  a  daughter  of  Jeremiah  Downs,  who 
in  1787  patented  land  lying  in  Bedstone,  upon  the 
creek  where  William  ]S?oreross  now  lives.  In  1795 
Philip  bought  of  Peter  Bothwell  the  place  on  which 
Earhart  Grable  now  lives,  Bothwell  himself  living 
then  where  Thomas  Canfleld  now  resides.  The  Ear- 
hart  Grable  place  Bothwell  had  got  from  Zelah  Eude. 
who  was  living  on  it  in  1789.  Two  daughters  of 
Philip  Grable,  aged  respectively  eighty-one  and 
eighty-two,  are  at  present  living  with  their  brother, 
Earhart  Grable. 

Mentioning  as  among  the  early  settlers  of  Bed-  ' 
stone  the  names  of  Samuel  Wheaton  (now  living  in  j 
the  township  at  the  age  of  ninety-three),  Barig  Bra-  i 
shears,  John  Tate  (who  died  in  1799),  James  Winders, 
Stephen  Bandolph,  Timothy  Smith,  James  Frost,  the 
Hibbs  families,  and  Christopher  Perkey,  we  come  to 
Samuel  West,  who  established  a  wagon-shop  near  the 
river  in  Luzerne  township  before  1800,  and  after  gain- 
ing much  fame  and  profit  in  the  business  moved  over  ' 
into  Bedstone,  and  located  as  a  farmer  near  the  place 
now  occupied  by  his  son  James.     The  last  named  has 
been  constantly  engaged  since  1831  in  the  manufac- 
ture at  his  farm  of  wagons  and  carriages,  in  whicli 
business  he  is  still  largely  employed. 

In  1809,  Johnson  Van  Kirk  (whose  father,  William, 
was  a  Bevolutionary  soldier)  rented  a  piece  of  land 
near  Merrittstown,  and  farmed  it  until  1816,  when  he 
moved  into  the  Finley  settlement  in  Bedstone,  where  \ 
he  had  ]jurcliased  two  hundred  and  thirty  acres  of  j 
land  of  .luhii  Moore's  heirs.  This  John  Moore  was 
a  man  ol  r.in^idirahle  note  among  the  pioneers,  and 
W!us  especially  famous  as  a  skillful  manufacturer 
of  spinning-wheels.  Johnson  Van  Kirk  lived  in  the 
Finley  settlement  until  his  death  in  1870,  at  the  age 
of  eighty-three  years.  Three  of  his  sons  now  reside 
in  Bedstone.  They  are  named  Zenas,  Theodore,  and 
Elijah.  Zenas  lives  on  a  place  patented  by  Bobert 
Evans  in  1775,  and  sold  by  Evans  to  Thomas  Gallaher 
in  1799.  George  Gallaher  carried  on  at  that  place 
at  one  time  a  distillery  of  considerable  importance. 
Leonard  Lenhart,  living  now  on  the  pike  in  Bed- 
stone, settled  on  the  place  in  1860.  His  father,  Michael 
Lenhart,  came  over  the  mountains  about  1800,  and 
locating  first  on  the  Yough,  removed  soon  after  to 
Cookstown,  where  he  set  up  as  a  wagon-maker. 
Michael  was  drafted  in  181-1  into  the  military  service, 
but  the  war  closed  before  he  was  called  upon  to  go. 
Upon  one  of  his  periodical  trading  trips  down  the 
Ohio  he  was  taken  ill  and  died  near  Cincinnati. 
He  liad  twelve  children  ;  five  were  sons,  and  of  them 


two  are  living, — Leonard  in  Fayette,  and  Philip  in 
Westmoreland  County.  J.  A.  Noble,  living  now  in 
Bedstone,  located  in  1863  upon  his  present  farm, 
which  was  patented  in  1796  by  Thomas  Jones.  Mr. 
Noble  worked  as  a  glass-cutter  at  the  Albany  Glass- 
Works,  on  the  Monongahela,  in  1832. 

On  the  28th  of  February,  1785,  Alexander  McClean, 
deputy  surveyor,  surveyed  a  tract  of  land  to  Elizabeth 
Briscoe,  in  trust,  containing  297  acres.  McClean  de- 
scribed the  land  as  "  situated  on  the  north  side  of 
Burd's  road,  and  on  the  new  road  leading  to  Pearce's 
mill  on  the  Bedstone  Creek,  in  Menallen  township, 
Fayette  County."  He  adds  this  note  to  John  Lukens, 
Esq.,  surveyor-general:  "This  survey  was  made  in 
order  to  give  a  proper  representation  of  a  controversy 
between  Thomas  Mcllroy  and  Elizabeth  Briscoe,  in 
trust  for  her  children.  Mcllroy  had  obtained  a  war- 
rant, which  I  had  executed  previous  to  this  coming  to 
hand,  and  which  is  caveated  by  her  attorney,  viz., 
Jacob  Beeson.  It  appears  that  all  of  Mcllroy's  pre- 
tensions to  a  right  previous  to  the  warrant  was  a  pen 
raised  three  logs  high  and  his  name  marked  on  a 
tree.  Edward  Todd  also  caveats  the  acceptance  of 
this  survey  as  well  as  that  of  Mcllroy's,  alleging  some 
kind  of  equitable  right  to  a  part  of  it." 

William  Price  came  to  Fayette  County  from  Wash- 
ington County,  Pa.,  in  1797,  having  received  a  patent 
for  his  land  June  27,  1796.  Of  his  eight  children  the 
sons  were  Joel,  William,  Harmon,  David,  Isaac, 
and  Henry.  Joel  Price  had  six  children.  He  died 
in  Bedstone,  Nov.  4,  1864.  His  three  sons— W.  D., 
T.  B.,  and  H.  W.— are  still  living. 

One  of  the  early  grist-mills  of  Bedstone  stood  upon 
the  Bedstone  Creek,  just  north  of  where  the  Baptist 
Church  stands,  and  upon  land  patented  in  1794  by 
John  Gary,  who  was  the  mill  proprietor.  The  mill- 
site  was  occupied  in  1836  by  Levi  Colvin,  Morris 
Truman,  Joseph  Truman,  and  William  Sharpless 
with  a  paper-mill.  When  the  floors  were  laid  the 
mill  was  dedicated  by  religious  services  by  Eev.  Mr. 
Speer,  in  the  presence  of  a  large  company  of  guests. 
Sharpless  &  Co.  continued  the  business  until  1845, 
when  John  Taylor  bought  out  the  Trumans,  and  as 
then  formed  the  partnership  of  Taylor,  Sharpless  & 
Colvin  endured  until  1850.  William  Sharpless  then 
retired  from  the  firm,  but  in  1860  purchased  the  en- 
tire interest  in  the  mill  and  became  its  sole  proprie- 
tor. He  experimented  in  the  manufacture  of  straw 
paper,  but  his  venture  was  not  successful,  and  after 
a  brief  experience  he  abandoned  the  mill,  which 
stood  idle  from  that  time. 

The  following  tavern-keepers  were  licensed  in  Bed- 
stone between  1798  and  1800 :  John  Bartlett,  Amos 
Wilson,  Jonathan  Hickman,  Francis  Griffith,  Peter 
Kinney,  in  September,  1798  ;  Elias  Bayliss,  Decem- 
ber, 1798  ;  George  Kinnear,  September,  1799 ;  Tobias 
Butler  and  Samuel  Salter,  September,  1799;  James 
Brown,  December,  1799;  John  Bichards  and  Herman 
Stidger,  in  June,  1800. 


BEDSTONE  TOWNSHIP. 


731 


The  National  road  traverses  Redstone  township, 
and  in  the  days  of  its  liveliest  travel  imparted  much 
animation  to  that  portion  of  the  township  lying  along 
its  course.  Previous  to  the  days  of  the  National  road, 
however,  there  was  a  State  road,  over  which  a  great 
deal  of  traffic  passed,  and  upon  which  there  were  in 
Redstone  several  taverns  This  road  entered  the 
township  near  the  site  of  the  Menallen  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  passing  towards  the  west 
along  by  the  place  known  as  the  old  Colley  tavern 
stand,  traversed  thence  to  Brownsville,  about  the 
course  now  pursued  by  the  National  road.  One  of 
the  earliest  taverns  on  that  highway  in  Redstone  was 
a  house  kept  by  Benjamin  Phillips  before  the  year 
1800.  Morris  Mahler  kept  a  tavern  a  little  south  of 
Phillips'  place,  where  a  man  named  Green,  and  suc- 
ceeding him  John  Piersol  and  Robert  Johnson,  kept 
the  Green  Tree  inn  in  a  log  house  that  stood  upon 
the  farm  now  occupied  by  Nathan  Phillips.  There 
was  also  old  Peter  Colley's  tavern  farther  along  on  the 
State  road,  and  still  westward  the  Red  House  tavern, 
on  the  present  G.  H.  Bowman  place,  where  Matthias 
Hess  lives.  Cuthbert  Wiggins  (known  for  short  as 
"  Cuddy")  was  the  landlord  of  the  Red  House  as  far 
back  as  1810.  That  house  is  now  and  has  been  for 
as  long  as  any  one  can  remember  the  voting-place  for 
Redstone  township.  The  stone  house  in  which  Elijah 
Craft  lives  was  built  in  1817  by  Wilkes  Brown  for  a 
tavern,  and  a  stanch,  compact  house  it  is  even  at  this 
day.  It  stands  a  little  back  of  the  pike  now,  but 
when,  built  was  upon  the  old  State  road.  Wilkes 
Brown,  Thomas  Brown,  and  Basil  Brown  were  early 
comers  to  Fayette  County,  and  in  Brownsville  and 
vicinity,  reaching  into  Redstone,  owned  a  great 
deal  of  land.  Taverns  were  also  kept  on  the  old 
road  by  William  Hastings  (where  Leonard  Lenhart 
lives),  and  by  some  person  on  the  Higinbotham  place, 
east  of  the  Red  House.  There  were  indeed  taverns  in 
great  abundance,  such  as  they  were,  but  they  were  at 
best  nothing  to  boast  of.  Business  was,  however,  brisk, 
for  travel  was  lively,  and  besides  freight  traffic  there 
were  stages  too,  but  the  stage-houses  were  elsewhere 
than  in  Redstone.  Tradition  repeats  tales  of  robbery 
and  even  murder  when  speaking  of  the  old  State  road, 
and  refers  especially  to  one  old  dreary  wayside  inn 
where  travelers  were  often  despoiled,  and  where  a 
peddler  was  once  robbed  and  murdered ;  but  such 
stories  ofttimes  attach  to  the  past  of  hi.storic  hign- 
ways,  and  there  is  doubtless  in  them,  as  in  this  case, 
a  liberal  amount  of  fiction. 

When  the  National  road  came  into  existence  in 
1818-20  the  tide  of  travel,  largely  increased  in  vol- 
ume, was  turned  from  the  old  State  road  into  a  new  i 
and  broader  channel,  and  as  a  consequence  there  ' 
came  a  demand  for  better  taverns.  The  best  of  its 
class  in  Redstone  was  the  stone  house  now  occupied 
by  William  Hatfield,  at  a  place  called  Tuckertown, 
so  named,  it  is  said,  by  Col.  Thomas  B.  Searight  in  a 
spirit  of  sport,  for  there  is  not  at  the  spot,  nor  ever 


was  there,  a  sign  of  a  village.  Johnson  (who  had, 
by  the  way,  been  landlord  of  the  Green  Tree  tavern 
on  the  State  road,  and  some  years  before  that  a  hand 
in  Jackson  &  Sharpless'  paper-mill  on  the  Redstone) 
built  the  stone  tavern  about  1816  or  1817.  In  1814 
there  was  nothing  at  Tuckertown  but  the  black- 
smith's shop  and  residence  of  George  Wintermute. 
In  that  year  a  twelve-year-old  orphan  lad  named 
William  Hatfield  (born  near  Plumsock)  tramped 
into  Wintermute's  shop  and  asked  to  be  taken  as  an 
apprentice.  Wintermute  rather  fancied  the  lad,  and 
not  only  agreed  to  take  him  as  an  apprentice  but 
soon  adopted  him  as  his  son.  Hatfield  worked  faith- 
fully with  Wintermute  until  1826,  and  upon  the  lat- 
ter's  removal  to  Ohio  purchased  his  shop  and  busi- 
ness at  Tuckertown  (or  Johnson's,  as  it  was  then 
called).  Hatfield  carried  on  a  good  business  as  bhick- 
smith  and  farmer  until  1840,  having  in  1836  pro- 
vided the  State  with  all  the  iron  toll-gates  erected  on 
the  pike  within  Fayette  County.  In  1842,  Mr.  Hat- 
field bought  of  Robert  Johnson  the  stone  tavern  stand 
which,  as  before  observed,  had  been  built  (by  Ran- 
dolph Dearth)  for  Johnson  in  1817.  After  the  sale 
of  his  Redstone  tavern  stand  Johnson  moved  to 
Franklin  township,  where  he  died. 

By  1842  Johnson's  tavern  had  become  a  famous 
place,  and  was  well  known  the  whole  length  of  the 
road.  It  was  not  only  a  stage-house,  where  the  stages 
of  the  Good  Intent  Line  changed  horses  and  dined 
passengers,  but  where  throngs  of  travelers  put  up 
every  night.  The  great  tavern-yard  was  always 
crowded  with  wagons  and  teams,  and  the  roomy  bar- 
room with  troops  of  drivers  and  travelers,  among 
whom  the  spirit  of  sociability  made  friends  and  boon 
companions  of  all  hands.  As  an  evidence  of  the 
amount  of  travel  passing  over  this  portion  of  the 
National  road  in  the  early  days,  Mr.  Johnson  Van 
Kirk  says  that  once,  while  journeying  from  Johnson's 
to  Uniontown,  he  counted  no  less  than  eighty  great 
freight-wagons,  hauled  by  teams  of  six  horses  or  more, 
besides  stages  and  a  miscellaneous  assortment  of  four- 
wheeled  vehicles.  Arthur  Wallace  rented  Johnson's 
of  Hatfield  from  1842  to  1843,  and  in  1844  Charles 
Guttery  was  the  landlord.  In  1845,  when  James  K. 
Polk,  President-elect,  passed  over  the  pike  to  his 
inauguration,  he  traveled  by  the  Good  Intent  Stage 
Line  and  dined  at  Johnson's.  His  progress  had  been 
a  sensation  that  drew  in  his  train  many  curious  sight- 
seers, and  when  he  stopped  at  Johnson's  for  dinner 
there  was  a  numerous  crowd  in  attendance  to  get  a 
good  look  at  the  man  who  had  been  chosen  to  be  the 
people's  ruler.  Au^lrew  Jackson  stopped  at  Johnson's 
while  making  a  trip  over  the  road,  and  it  is  said  also 
that  Henry  Clay  tarried  there  briefly  one  day.  Land- 
lord Guttery  reigned  over  the  fortunes  of  Johnson's 
six  years,  :iiid  was  followed  by  John  Foster  (1849  to 
ls:,l  I,  and  Ilinim  Holmes  (from  1851  to  1852).  In 
]s->-2.  William  Hatfield  took  charge  of  the  tavern,  and 
kept  it  open  'until  1855,  when  the  opening  of  railways 


732 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


diverted  traffic  from  the  pike,  closed  the  doors  of  the 
famous  roadside  taverns,  and  hushed  the  stir  and  an- 
imation that  had  for  years  made  the  old  National 
road  a  panorama  of  busy  life.  William  Hatfield,  who 
had  become  by  that  time  a  man  of  means  and  a  large 
land-owner,  lived  at  Tuckertown  until  his  death.  He 
served  in  Redstone  township  as  justice  of  the  peace 
for  the  space  of  ten  years,  and  associate  judge  of  the 
Court  of  Quarter  Sessions.  There  were  besides 
.Johnson's  the  taverns  of  Peter  Colley  and  others  on 
the  pike  within  the  limits  of  Redstone  township,  but 
they  were  of  no  especial  consequence,  and  came  in 
for  only  irregular  and  uncertain  patronage. 

Richard  Mills,  an  old  man  of  more  than  ninety, 
still  living  in  Minnesota,  was  in  his  day  a  famous 
character  in  Redstone,  and  indeed  a  famous  man  from 
one  end  of  the  National  road  to  the  other.  He  lived 
on  a  portion  of  the  Hatfield  place,  and  was  known 
far  and  near  as  a  slave-trader.  When  the  season  per- 
mitted it  he  traveled  the  road  between  Virginia  points 
and  the  Monongahela  in  charge  of  gangs  of  slaves, 
imrchased  in  the  Old  Dominion.  The  sight  of  Dick 
Mills  marching  a  company  of  chained  slaves  was  a 
common  one  in  the  olden  time. 

Timothy  Canfield,  who  emigrated  from  Ireland  to 
America  in  1809,  came  to  Fayette  County  in  1813, 
and  in  1820  took  a  contract  to  do  a  large  amount  of 
work  on  the  National  road.  In  1834  he  bought  a 
farm  in  Redstone  originally  occupied  by  Joseph 
Woodmansee.  There  he  settled  and  lived  until  his 
death  in  1874,  aged  ninety  years.  Three  of  his  sons 
are  still  living, — Thomas  on  the  old  farm,  John  in 
Iowa,  and  Daniel  in  Kansas. 

Cook's  Mills,  so  called  from  the  establishment  at 
that  point  by  Thomas  Cook  in  1812  of  a  saw-mill  and 
grist-mill,  is  a  small  hamlet  lying  on  the  Redstone  in 
the  northeastern  corner  of  the  township.  The  settle- 
ment at  Cook's  Mills  was  founded  by  John  and  Rich- 
ard Fallis,  who  about  the  year  1800  built  there  a 
grist-mill  and  fulling-mill.  They  pursued  the  busi- 
ness until  1812,  when  they  sold  out  their  interests  to 
Thomas  Cook,  previously  living  near  Perryopolis, 
where  he  located  in  17'.11,  and  carried  on  until  1812 
the  business  of  general  mechanic.  With  the  mill 
property  on  the  Redstone  Cook  acquired  from  the 
Fallis  brothers  about  seventy-five  acres  of  land,  and 
building  there  a  shop  for  the  manufacture  of  plows, 
etc.,  he  set  himself  to  the  pursuit  of  that  industry,  while 
he  gave  to  his  son  John  charge  of  the  grist-mill,  and 
leased  the  fulling-mill  to  William  Searight.  The 
elder  Cook  was  a  skillful  workman  in  iron,  and  in  the 
manufacture  of  plows  was  so  famous  that  people  came 
from  afar  to  give  him  orders.  He  was,  moreover,  a 
millwright  and  carpenter,  and  until  a  fewye.irs  before 
his  death  in  1842,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven,  was  in- 
dustriously employed  in  mechanical  pursuits  at  Cook's 
jMills  and  the  vicinity. 

John  Cook,  whom  his  father  placed  in  charge  of  the 
grist-mill,  knew   scarcely   anything   about   practical 


milling,  and  protested  to  his  father  that  he  would 
make  a  sorry  mess  of  it,  but  the  old  gentleman  in- 
sisted, and  John  determined  then  to  do  what  he  could 
to  promptly  master  the  situation.  The  first  grist  he 
ground  was  a  three  bushel  lot  of  wheat  for  Joseph 
Woodmansee,  and  out  of  it  he  got  one  hundred  and 
twenty  pounds  of  flour.  John  knew  the  quantity  was 
up  to  the  standard,  but  he  was  not  quite  sure  as  to  the 
quality,  and  with  much  solicitude  he  begged  Mr. 
Woodmansee  to  report  upon  the  flour  after  the  family 
test  had  been  made.  Accordingly  Mr.  Woodmansee 
happened  at  the  mill  three  days  afterwards,  and, 
much  to  Cook's  gratification,  reported  that  the 
flour  was  the  best  the  Woodmansee  family  had  ever 
had  in  the  house.  Cook  was  delighted,  and  to  this 
day  refers  with  pleasure  to  the  excellent  luck  he  had 
with  his  maiden  grist.  He  got  to  be  a  successful  and 
even  famous  miller,  and  did  such  a  brisk  business  that 
he  ground  day  and  night  on  custom  and  merchant 
work.  Sixteen  barrels  of  flour  was  his  average  yield 
for  twenty-four  hours.  He  bought  wheat  all  over  the 
country  from  Uniontown  to  Belle  Vernon,  and  shipped 
flour  to  Philadelphia,  as  well  as  to  many  customers 
along  the  line  of  the  National  road  in  Fayette  County. 
For  fifty-five  years,  or  from  1812  to  1867,  John  Cook 
stuck  faithfully  to  his  post  as  the  miller  of  Cook's 
Mills,  and  during  that  extended  term  of  service  he 
never  lost  a  day  while  he  had  health  and  strength. 
He  is  still  living  at  Cook's  Mills  in  his  ninety-third 
year,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  moderately  good  phys- 
ical health  and  mental  vigor.  In  1832  he  built  a 
new  grist-mill,  the  one  now  carried  on  by  his  son 
Henry.  From  1812  to  1881  the  mill  property  has  al- 
ways been  in  the  hands  and  possession  of  a  Cook. 
The  old  log  fulling-mill  that  had  been  operated  by 
the  Fallis  brothers  upon  the  present  site  of  the  Cook 
Brothers'  woolen-factory  was  leased  by  Thomas  Cook 
to  William  Searight,  who  made  the  business  so  suc- 
cessful that  he  had  in  a  few  years  saved  five  thousand 
dollars  from  it.  He  fulled  as  high  as  two  hundred 
pieces  of  cloth  in  a  year. 

In  1829-30,  Thomas  Cook,  Jr.,  built  the  present 
woolen-factory,  stocked  it  with  valuable  machinery, 
and  leased  it  to  Ephraim  Pilling,  James  Pilling,  and 
James  Hamer,  who  were  the  first  to  manufacture 
woolen  cloths  at  Cook's  Mills.  Thomas  Cook,  Jr., 
took  possession  of  the  factory  business  after  a  while, 
and  carried  it  on  until  his  death  in  1873.  His  sons, 
Thomas  and  Playford  Cook,  are  the  present  proprie- 
tors of  the  business,  in  which  they  manufacture  blan- 
kets, flannels,  satinettes,  cassimeres,  jeans,  and  all 
kinds  of  yarn.  They  use  both  steam-  and  water- 
power,  and  employ  usually  a  force  of  six  hands. 
John  Smith  is  believed  to  have  opened  the  first  store 
at  Cook's  Mills,  but  when  he  opened  it  or  how  much 
of  a  store  he  had  are  now  not  to  be  ascertained. 
Likewise  Shadrach  Negus  did  a  small  tanning  busi- 
ness on  the  creek  at  Cook's  Mills,  but  recollection  of 
him  as  well  as  of  Smith  is  vague  and  uncertain.    The 


REDSTONE   TOWNSHIP. 


733 


first    store   of   any   consequence   was   first   kept   by 
Thomas  Cook,  Jr. 

The  store  now  at  Cook's  Mills  was  established  there 
by  John  S.  Marsh  in  April,  1881.     He  was  a  store- 
keeper at  the  place  twenty  years  or  more  before  that 
date,  but  in  1862  transferred  his  store  just  over  the 
creek  into  Jefferson  township,  in  which  year  he  was 
appointed  postmaster  of  Tippecanoe  post-office.    The  j 
Tippecanoe  post-office  was  established  about  1856,  at 
which  time  there  was  a  sharp  contest  between  the  | 
residents  of  the  respective  localities  of  Cook's  Mills  | 
and  the  Sharpless  paper-mill  for  a  post-office.     Mr.  J 
William  Colvin,  of  Jeifersou,  acted  on  behalf  of  the 
paper-mill  location,  and  not  only  suggested  the  name  j 
as  not  borne  by  any  other  office  in  the  State,  but  was 
mainly  instrumental  in  securing  the  office  location  at 
tlie  mill.     W.  C.  Johnson  claims  that  he  and  Post- 
master Sloan,  of  Brownsville,  fixed  upon  the  name  of 
Tippecanoe,  in  remembrance  of  the  old-time  election 
songs  of  the  Harrison  campaign.     John  B.  Patterson, 
then  keeping  a  store  at  the  paper-mill,  was  appointed 
the  first  postmaster,  and  was  succeeded  by  William 
W.  Strebig.     In  1862,  John  S.  Marsh  was  appointed,  i 
moved  the  office  to  Cook's  Mills,  and  since  that  date  i 
has  been  the  postmaster.  [ 

Cook's   Mills'   first  resident   physicians   were  Dr.  I 
Washington  Barras   and   his  brother  William,  who 
practiced  in  partnership  from  1862  until  a  short  time 
afterwards.     Both  are  now  dead,  William  being  said 
to  have  been  blown  up  on  a  Southern   steamboat.  ^ 
The  next  physician  was  Dr.  Houston  Finley,  who  re-  | 
mained  about  three  years.     He  resides  now  in  Strea- 
tor,  111.     Dr.  John  Davidson,  who  came  after  him,  | 
stopped  but  two  years.     He  is  now  in  Perryopolis. 
Andrew  Guiler,  the  present  village  physician,  located 
here  in  1879.     A  Dr.  Baltz  built  a  water-cure  estab- 
lishment in  Redstone  in  1846,  and  conducted   it  to 
1850,  when,  discouraged  with   his   poor   success,  he  ! 
abandoned  the  enterprise. 

William  Thornton,  one  of  Redstone's  early  settlers, 
was  killed  in  1853  by  one  Peter  Kelly.  They  met  on 
the  National  road,  and  in  the  heat  of  a  controversy 
that  was  but  a  renewal  of  an  old  feud  Thornton  was 
killed.  Kelly  was  sentenced  to  a  term  of  twelve  years' 
imprisonment  and  served  his  full  time. 

TOWNSHIP    ORGANIZATION    AND    CIVIL    LIST. 
In  March,  1797,  certain  citizens  of  Menallen  town- 
ship  petitioned   for   the   division   of  the    township, 
whereupon  the  court  ordered  at  the  December  tirm 
in  1797  as  follows:  "On  the  petition  of  sundry  in- 
habitants of  Menallen  township  praying  a  division  (if 
the  same  township,  beginning  at  the  corner  of  Ger- 
man township ;  thence  with  Dunlap's  Creek  to  Eb- 
enezer  Linsley's  saw-mill ;  thence  with  the  great  road 
to  John  Townsend's  mill ;  thence  with  the  new  road  ' 
leading  to  Brownsville  to  a  draught  or  run  at  Thomas 
Fitz  Randolph's ;  thence  with  the  said  draught  or  [ 
run  past  Conrad  Muller's  to  the  forks  of  the  same  at 


David  Brewer's;  thence  in  a  direction  to  intersect 
the  Broad  Ford  road  at  the  house  of  Andrew  McKin- 
ney,  the  property  of  John  Tate;  and  thence  with  the 
said  road  to  Redstone  Creek,  it  is  considered  by  the 
court  that  the  said  township  be  divided  according  to 
the  prayer  of  the  petitioners,  and  that  the  lower  or 
we.stern  division  thereof  be  called  '  Redstone'  town- 
ship, and  that  the  upper  or  eastern  part  retain  the  old 
name."  In  November,  1817,  Brownsville  township 
was  erected  from  a  portion  of  Redstone. 

The  records  of  the  elections  in  Redstone  have  not 
been  well  kept,  and  it  is  therefore  impossible  to  ob- 
tain a  complete  civil  list  of  the  township  from  the 
time  of  its  erection.  A  list  of  the  principal  officers  of 
the  township  from  1840  to  the  present  time  is  given 
below,  viz: 

JUSTICES   OF   THE   PEACE. 


1840 

William  HiitBeld. 

1859 

James  J.  Hastings. 

John  Brown. 

1860 

James  Craft. 

1845 

William  K.  Gallaher. 

1864 

W.  P.  Clifton. 

William  Hatfield. 

1865 

R.  Hagerty. 

1850 

William  C.  .lohnston. 

F.  Chalfant. 

John  Cunningham. 

1869 

J.  Armstrong. 

1854 

Griffith  Roberts. 

J.  Craft. 

Uriah  Higinbotham. 

1877 

Jacob  G.allaher. 

1855 

James  Craft. 

1880 

George  Krepps. 

1859 

William  G.  Patterson. 

1881 

T.  H.  Higinbotham. 

ASSESSORS. 

1840 

Daniel  C.  Phillips. 

1861 

Samuel  W.  Rammage. 

1841 

Washington  Brashear. 

1862 

Reason  A.  Moore. 

1842 

Griffith  Roberts. 

1863 

J.  W.  Linn. 

1843 

William  Hastings. 

1864 

J.  Radcliff. 

1844 

Jacob  Shackleton. 

1865 

A.  Real. 

1845 

Samuel  Arison. 

1.866 

W.  Waggoner. 

1846 

AVilliam  Colvin. 

1867 

J.  W.  Linn. 

1847 

John  C.  McCormick. 

1868. 

AV.  T.  Gribble. 

1S4S 

William  S.  Hatfield. 

1869. 

0.  Brasher. 

1849 

Solomon  Colley. 

1871. 

R.  Tate. 

1850 

George  Wagoner. 

1872. 

R.  A.  Frost. 

1851 

James  Colvin. 

1873. 

H.  Y.  Roteruck. 

1852 

James  J.  Hastings. 

1874. 

.S.  P.  Chalfant. 

1853 

Alfred  Dearth. 

1875. 

R.  S.  Smith. 

1854 

George  N.  Crable. 

1876. 

R.  P.  Brashear. 

1855 

William  Waggoner. 

1877. 

J.  D.  Simpson. 

1856 

Elliott  Hibbs. 

1878. 

J.  A.  Beal. 

1857 

William  C.  Johnston. 

1879. 

J.  A.  Woodward. 

1858 

Nelson  Randolph. 

1880. 

J.  R.  Van  Kirk. 

1859 

James  Cr.aft. 

1881. 

J.  E.  Frost. 

1860. 

John  Irons. 

AUD 

TOKS. 

1840. 

Samuel  P.  Chalfant. 

1853. 

Lorenzo  D.  McCormick 

1841. 

George  Colley. 

1854. 

Finley  Chalfant. 

is4i;. 

Samuel  P.  Chalfant. 

1855. 

Benjamin  Phillips. 

im:;. 

Eli  Abrams. 

1856. 

John  RadcliflT. 

IS  14. 

William  K.  Gallaher. 

1857. 

Andrew  Linn. 

1845. 

James  Watson. 

1858. 

George  Craft. 

1846. 

James  Craft. 

1859. 

Oliver  P.  Randolph. 

1847. 

Earliart  (Arabic. 

1860. 

Thornton  Randolph. 

1848. 

Daniel  C.  Phillips. 

1861. 

Elijah  Van  Kirk. 

1849. 

Ale-tander  Baird. 

1862. 

Abraham  Garwood. 

1850. 

Abraham  Garwood. 

1863. 

Samuel  Baird. 

1851. 

William  B.  Craft. 

1864. 

W.  Colvin. 

1852. 

William  K.  Gallaher. 

1865. 

E.  Grable. 

HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


1866.  \V.  Colvin,  Sv. 

1S67.  E.  Craft. 

1868.  G.  Roberts. 

1869.  W.  Sharpless. 

1870.  A.  Rush. 

1871.  S.  Colvin. 

1872.  C.  N.  Hatford. 

1873.  James  Craft. 
1S74.  Finlcy  Chalfant. 


1875.  John  Armstrong. 
George  N.  Gallahe 

1876.  James  Craft. 

1877.  Alpheus  Craft. 

1878.  Anderson  Craft. 

1879.  J.  F.  Grable. 

1880.  L.  D.  Craft. 
John  Gallagher. 

18S1.  J.  Palmer. 


Brief  mention  only  may  be  made  of  Redstone's 
early  schools  before  the  organization  of  districts  in 
18.35,  and  less  even  about  the  schools  at  the  last- 
mentioned  date,  since  the  school  records  beginning 
then  have  disappeared.  In  1807  a  log  school-house 
stood  in  the  Centre  school  district  near  the  Quaker 
Church,  and  in  itthe  teacher  that  year  was  old  Saminy 
Lappan.  In  1810,  John  Simpson  taught  school  in  a 
log  house  that  still  stands  in  the  Eedstone  District 
and  is  the  residence  of  Aaron  Hess.  In  1812,  John 
Hankinson  taught  in  a  house  near  the  Green  Tree 
tavern,  and  in  1813  there  was  a  school-house  in  the 
Bunker  Hill  District  near  Gallaher's,  but  who  was 
the  first  teacher  is  not  known.  In  the  Colvin  neigh- 
borhood a  school  was  taught  by  a  Mr.  Walbridge  in 
1803.  Of  course  schools  were  taught  in  Redstone 
some  time  before  the  earliest  of  the  dates  above  given, 
but  the  oldest  inhabitants  do  not  recollect  any  earlier 
particulars  than  those  mentioned. 

In  1828  a  hewn-log  school-house  was  built  upon 
land  donated  by  Robert  Baird  near  the  Luzerne  line, 
in  Oak  Hill  District.  It  measured  twenty-four  by 
eighteen  feet,  having  windows  on  three  sides.  Each 
window  was  nine  feet  long  and  two  feet  and  a  half 
high.  JIany  years  afterwards  the  fourth  side  was 
pierced  for  a  window.  Desks  were  fastened  along 
the  wall  below  the  windows,  and  upon  slab  benches 
the  children  sat  and  pursued  their  studies.  Those 
concerned  in  the  building  of  the  house  were  Hon. 
Charles  Porter,  Robert  Baird,  Sr.,  Johnson  Van  Kirk, 
Aaron  Baird,  Maxwell  Dearth,  Alexander  Baird, 
James  E.  Breading,  and  others.  The  carpenter  was 
Joseph  Mahatt'ey.  School  was  opened  the  second  week 
of  May,  1828.  Sarah  Henderson,  the  first  teacher, 
taught  there  four  years.  Then  she  removed  to  Ohio, 
wherr  sIk'  di.-d  in  1S.34. 

Thr  rolls  c)t  tliL'  pupils  of  this  school  for  the  years 
1828  ;uiil  1S2!!  hud  upon  them  the  names  of  Aaron 
Langley,  Alexander  J.  Baird,  Jr.,  Allen  Bird,  Caleb 
Hibbs,  Daniel  McKnight,  Enoch  F.  Baird,  George  (t. 
Baird,  Harrison  Johnston,  Hugh  Laughlin,  Jacob 
J.  Porter,  John  Porter,  James  P.  Baird,  John  Dearth, 
Johnston  V.  Dearth,  Jonah  Dearth,  Jacob  Meredith, 
John  Coulter,  C.  W.  B.  Henderson,  Josepli  H.  Coul- 
ter, John  Smith,  Levi  Bunting,  R.  J.  Baird,  R.  McC. 
Porter,  Robert  A.  Baird,  Samuel  Allamon,  Samuel 
M.  Baird,  Samuel  N.  Haird,  Theodore  Van  Kirk, 
Thomas   \V.   Porter,  William    F.   Baird,   William  J. 


Baird,  William  Riley,  William  Hanna,  Eliza  Jane 
Van  Kirk,  Elizabeth  J.  Porter,  Ellen  and  Mary 
Ewing,  Hannah  and  Phcebe  Porter,  Lsabella  and 
Rebecca  Laughlin,  Martha  J.  Johnston,  Martha  Mc- 
Knight, Mary  JIcKnight,  Susan  Hadley,  Amanda 
Offord,  Anna  Dearth,  Erie,  Eliza,  Harriet,  and  Jane 
Baird,  Harriet  and  Hannah  Riley,  Virlinda  J.  Riley, 
Harriet  and  Mary  Ann  Meredith,  Jane  Dunlap,  Mar- 
garet Moulton,  Mary  J.  Coulton,  Miranda  Van  Kirk, 
Sarah  J.  Hibbs.  The  books  used  were  the  United 
States  Speller,  New  Testament,  English  Reader,  Mur- 
ray's English  Grammar,  Smiley's  Arithmetic  and 
Western  Calculator,  Goodrich's  Geography. 

Following  is  a  list  of  school  directors  elected  in 
Redstone  during  the  last  forty  years : 


1840 

George  Craft. 

1862 

John  McCormick. 

Robert  Finley. 

Parker  McDonald. 

1841 

Samuel  Linn. 

1863 

A.  F.  Dearth. 

Jacob  Shackleton. 

W.  B.  Downs. 

William  K.  Gallaher. 

1864 

A.  F.  Dearth. 

1842 

John  Roderick. 

A.  Garwood. 

John  Craft. 

1865 

S.  Ramage. 

1843 

William  HatBeld. 

D.  Hibbs. 

Washington  Brashear. 

S.  McCormick. 

1844 

William  Hastings. 

1866 

T.  Simpson. 

William  B.  Randolph. 

J.  Linn. 

1845 

Griffith  Roberts. 

1867 

J.  Cook. 

John  McCormick. 

S.  B.  Page. 

1846 

William  Hatfield. 

S.  Cammarine. 

Samuel  Linn. 

S.  M.  Baird. 

William  B.  Craft. 

1868 

J.  Thornton. 

1847 

John  Hibbs. 

A.  Beal. 

Huston  Todd. 

F.  Chalfant. 

1848 

William  K.  Gallaher. 

1869 

J.  Higinbotham. 

Washington  Shriver. 

J.  Armstrong. 

1849 

Henry  Cook. 

1870 

W.  Norcross. 

Eli  Cope. 

Alexander  Van  Kirk 

1850 

Samuel  Lion. 

1871 

S.  M.  Baird. 

Alexander  Baird. 

J.  Palmer. 

1851 

Joel  Vernon. 

1872 

J.  C.  Thornton. 

Amos  Woodward. 

W.G.  Higinbotham. 

1852 

William  Hastings. 

A.  Dearth. 

John  Roderick. 

1873 

John  Reisbaok. 

1853 

W.  S.  J.  Hatfield. 

Leonard  Thompson. 

Daniel  C.  Phillips. 

Aaron  Beal. 

1854 

David  Hibbs. 

1874 

Paul  Hough. 

Washington  Shriver. 

Elliott  Hibbs. 

1855 

Isaac  Linn. 

1875 

James  Jackson. 

James  Dunn. 

W.  G.  Higinbotham. 

H.  J.  Ritcnhour. 

1876 

John  Moore. 

1856 

Eli  Cope. 

W.  g.  Clemmer. 

Wilson  Hill. 

1877 

1857 

Samuel  Linn. 

Isaac  Lyons. 

Robert  Finley. 

Solomon  Cummins. 

1858 

William  Corbin. 

1878 

W.  S.  Hatfield. 

AVilliam  Hopkins. 

W.  I.  Grable. 

Uriah  Higinbotham. 

1879 

John  Simpson. 

1859 

John  Kadcliff. 

John  Moore. 

William  Hastings. 

1880 

J.  B.  Stephens. 

1860 

John  Kelly. 

T.  C.  Linn. 

William  Hopkins. 

1881 

T.  W.  Finley. 

1861 

Robert  Finley. 

W.  Kefover, 

Nelson  Randolph. 

Th..,niis  Coffman. 

KEDSTONE   TOWNSHIP. 


735 


DUNLAP'S  CREEK  PKESBYTERIAN  CHIRCH. 

Presbyterian  preaching,  and  perhaps  preaching  of 
any  Ifind,  was  first  heard  in  Dunlap's  Creek  Valley 
in  1765,  in  which  year  Rev.  James  Finley,  living  on 
the  Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland,  made  an  expedition 
through  that  region.  He  preached  wherever  oppor- 
tunity offered,  in  tents,  groves,  school-houses,  and 
barns.  He  made  similar  tours  in  1767,  1771,  and 
1772.  In  the  summer  of  1774,  Philip  Tanner,  a  com- 
panion with  Rev.  Mr.  Finley  in  1765,  and  a  settler  in 
Redstone  soon  afterwards,  agitated  the  subject  of  the 
organization  of  a  church  in  his  neighborhood,  and 
invited  Rev.  James  Power,  his  son-in-law,  to  come 
out  from  Chester  County  for  the  purpose.  Mr.  Power 
responded  promptly,  and  in  September,  1774,  he  or- 
ganized the  Dunlap's  Creek  Church  at  a  meeting 
held  in  a  sugar-grove  on  Mr.  Tanner's  farm.  There 
were  sixty-one  constituent  members,  of  whom  the 
ruling  elders  chosen  were  Charles  McClean,  Andrew 
Frazer,  Robert  Baird,  John  Parker,  Samuel  Torrance, 
Daniel  Reeder,  Ebenezer Finley,  and  William  Frame. 
The  large  number  of  constituent  members  would 
seem  to  indicate  that  nearly  all,  if  not  quite  all,  the  ' 
church-going  people  in  that  region  were  Presbyterians. 
The  region  tributary  to  the  church  organization  soon 
embraced  not  only  Dunlap's  Creek  Valley,  but  Union- 
town,  Brownsville,  and  the  country  known  as  the  Red- 
stone settlement.  Mr.  Power  preached  two  years, 
and  then  being  requested  to  settle  permanently  among 
the  people  as  pastor  returned  to  Chester  County  for 
his  family,  and  with  them  came  over  the  mountains 
in  the  fall  of  1776  by  way  of  Braddock's  road.  He 
rode  upon  one  horse,  his  wife  and  one  child  upon  an- 
other, and  his  two  other  children  upon  a  third  in 
baskets  slung  across  the  animal's  back.  Shortly  after 
Mr.  Power  organized  the  church  a  log  meeting-house 
was  built  upon  Mr.  Tanner's  farm,  and  in  that  house 
— and  occasionally  in  teuts  in  the  woods — the  Dun- 
lap's Creek  congregation  worshiped  until  1814,  when 
a  new  edifice  was  erected.  Mr.  Power  was  comfort- 
ably settled  with  his  family,  and  was  promised  a  yearly 
salary  of  £120  ($320).  He  remained,  however,  but 
three  years,  when  he  accepted  a  call  to  be  the  pastor 
at  Mount  Pleasant,  where  he  afterwards  preached  for 
thirty  years.  Rev.  James  Dunlap  was  secured  to 
succeed  Mr.  Power  at  Dunlap's  Creek.  Mr.  Dunlap 
was  the  first  installed  pastor,  for  it  was  not  until  1781 
that  the  Redstone  Presbytery  was  organized.  The 
Presbytery  intended  to  take  action  that  year  upon 
the  call  to  Mr.  Dunlap  to  be  pastor  at  Dunlap's  Creek 
and  Laurel  Hill,  but  the  members  did  not  assemble 
because  of  prevailing  Indian  troubles,  and  so  it  was 
not  until  Oct.  15, 1782,  that  he  was  installed,  although 
he  had  been  officiating  as  pastor  from  1780.  The  Pres- 
bytery consisted  that  year  of  the  Revs.  James  Powers, 
of  Sewickley  and  Mount  Pleasant ;  Thaddeus  Dodd, 
of  Ten-Mile;  John  McMillan,  of  Pigeon  Creek  and 


Chartiers  (who  preached  at  Dunlap's  in  1774  and  1775 
in  conjunction  with  Rev.  Mr.  Power) ;  and  Joseph 
Smith,  of  Buffalo  and  Cross  Creek. 

Mr.  Dunlap  continued  to  be  the  pastor  until  1789. 
In  1787  the  church  had  a  session  of  eight  elders  and 
eighty-three  members.  The  elders  were  Charles  Mc- 
Clean, Robert  Baird,  Ebenezer  Finley,  Samuel  Tor- 
rance, Andrew  Frazer,  John  Parker,  William  Frame, 
and  Daniel  Reeder.  The  members  included  the  fore- 
going-named elders  and  their  wives,  together  with 
William  Lynn,  John  and  Jane  Moore,  Margaret 
Smith,  William  and  Anne  Norris,  John  Jones,  Linn 
Oliphant,  Linn  Gilillen,  John  and  Sarah  Miller, 
Widow  McKinn,  James  and  Margaret  Adams, 
Thomas  and  Ann  Gallaher,  Samuel  and  Agnes 
McKinley,  Samuel  Adams  and  wife,  Jacob  and 
Eleanor  Reeder,  George  Hill,  William  and  Mary 
Grey,  Stephen  Reeder,  Susanna  Adams,  James  Brown, 
David  and  Mary  Reeder,  Eliza  and  Jemima  Reeder, 
Mary  Hubbell,  William  Rose  and  wife,  Elizabeth 
Adams,  James  and  Susanna  Frame,  Richard  and 
Elsie  AVatts,  James  Adams,  Jr.,  Benjamin  Adams, 
George  Smith,  Sarah  Wilson,  Samuel  and  Elizabeth 
Sprout,  Mary  Alton,  Mary  Wilson,  John  Baird,  Wil- 
liam Powell  and  wife,  Eleanor  McClain,  Absalom 
Little  and  wife,  William  Conwell  and  wife,  Lewis 
Davidson  and  wife,  Joseph  Moss,  Reuben  Winget, 
James  and  Agnes  McLaughlin,  James  and  Rebecca 
Veech,  Samuel  Adams,  Jr.,  and  wife,  Martha  Work, 
and  George  Lee. 

Between  the  date  of  the  departure  of  Mr.  Dunlap 
and  1792  the  church  depended  upon  supplies.  In  the 
year  last  named  Rev.  Jacob  Jennings  was  installed  as 
pastor,  and  remained  in  the  pastorate  until  1811,  when 
he  resigned  because  of  age  and  infirmities.  He  con- 
tinued his  residence  at  Dunlap's  Creek,  and  occupied 
the  pulpit  occasionally  until  his  death  in  February, 
1813.  Mr.  Jennings  was  a  physician  as  well  as  min- 
ister, and  during  his  entire  pastorate  pursued  the 
practice  of  his  medical  profession. 

In  September,  1812,  it  was  determined  to  secure  the 
services  as  pastor  of  Rev.  William  Johnston.  The 
pledge  for  support  was  signed  by  ninety  persons,  and 
read  as  follows :  "  We  whose  names  are  hereunto  sub- 
scribed, desirous  of  having  the  means  of  grace  statedly 
administered  at  Dunlap's  Creek  meeting-house,  and 
having  a  prospect  of  obtaining,  in  connection  with 
Brownsville,  the  ministerial  labors  of  Mr.  William 
Johnston,  at  present  a  licentiate  of  the  Ohio  Presby- 
tery, do  engage  to  pay  for  his  support,  and  as  an  ac- 
knowledgment for  one-half  of  his  labors  in  the  Dun- 
lap's Creek  congregation,  the  sums  set  opposite  our 
names  per  annum  in  half-yearly  payments."  The 
paper  was  dated  Sept.  — ,  1812,  and  signed  by  Eben- 
ezer Finley,  George  Gallaher,  John  McClean,  Robert 
Baird,  John  Moss,  Enoch  French,  James  McCormick, 
James  Adams,  John  Wallace,  Jacob  Walter,  F.  Lewis, 
Aaron  Baird,  Eucal  Dod,  John  McCormick,  Alexander 
Baird,  John  Cunningham,  Jr.*William  Ewing,  Com- 


736 


HISTORY    OF    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


fort  Arnold,  Thomas  Davidson,  Jeremiah  Davidson, 
Jolm  Cunningham,  Armstrong  Porter,  David  Porter, 
AVilliam  Porter,  Joshua  Corey,  Nathaniel  Breading, 
William  Hazel,  Alexaiuk-r  Wilson,  Samuel  Hancy, 
Jesse  Brown,  Joseph  Sprutt,  Saimu-l  TuLi^art,  Vinlrt 
Hays,GeorgeChalftuit,  John  M.inre,. Maxwell  ll.anh, 
Henry  Conkling,  John  Saladay,  Joseph  Willey,  Easter 
Landers,  Jacob  Moss,  Robert  Boyd,  James  Finley, 
John  McDougal,  Charles  Porter,  William  Linn, 
Ephraim  Dilly,  Joseph  Green,  Benjamin  Eoss, 
Thomas  Gallaher,  John  Coulter,  James  Cunning-  \ 
ham,  AVilliani  Cunningham,  Joseph  Dilly,  L.  B.  Dod, 
John  Fulton,  Noah  Lewis,  Elijah  Coleman,  Johnston 
Van  Kirk,  Samuel  Stanberry,  John  Luckey,  Aaron 
Torrence,  Elizabeth  Ross,  Nancy  Crawford,  Elizabeth 
Mills,  James  Corbitt,  David  Jackson,  James  Laug- 
head  and  sons,  Peter  Hammon,  William  Ramsey, 
John  Torrence,  Jesse  Ross,  James  Kelly,  Andrew 
Clark,  Hugh  Laughlin,  James  Gilmore,  Prettyman 
Conwell,  James  Gibson,  Margaret  Porter,  Barbara 
Porter,  A.  Littell,  William  Mustard,  Polly  Englehart,  ■ 
John  Gallaher,  Benjamin  Barton,  Thomas  Scott.  Of 
the  foregoing  not  one  is  now  living.  The  last  who 
died  was  Armstrong  Porter,  who  lived  until  1879,  and 
reached  his  ninety-sixth  year. 

In  March,  1813,  Rev.  Mr.  Johnston  entered  the  pas- 
torate, and  continued  therein  until  December,  1839. 
Soon  after  the  commencement  of  his  pastorate  (in 
1814)  the  handsome  stone  church  now  in  use  was 
built.  Mr.  Johnston's  .successor  was  the  Rev.  Sam- 
uel Wilson,  who  was  called  Jan.  1, 1840,  and  installed 
November  17th  of  that  year.  His  pastorate  lasted 
until  May  1,  1869,  after  which  he  moved  to  Illinois. 
AVhen  he  began  his  labors  at  Dunlap's  Creek  the 
church  membership  was  eighty-two;  when  he  closed 
them  it  was  one  hundred  and  eighty-three.  Rev.  J. 
P.  Fulto.n,  his  successor,  was  the  pastor  from  1870  to 
1879,  when  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  W.  G.  Nevin, 
began  his  labors. 

In  1S')3,  to  accommodate  the  large  number  of  mem- 
bers living  in  the  neighborhood  of  New  Salem,  the 
society  built  at  New  Salem  a  substantial  brick  chapel, 
w'here  services  are  regularly  held  by  the  pastor  of 
Dunlap's  Creek.  There  is  also  at  New  Salem  a 
flourishing  Sunday-school  in  connection  with  the 
church.  Of  that  school  Ebenezer  Finley  has  been 
the  superintendent  twenty-eight  years.  He  is,  more-  ■ 
over,  the  oldest  member  of  Dunlap's  Creek  Church, 
his  period  of  connection  therewith  embracing  fifty- 
three  years.  For  forty-seven  years  he  has  been  a 
ruling  eider.  Dunlap's  Creek  Church  enjoys  much 
prosperity.  The  membership  in  March,  1881,  was 
about  two  hundred  and  seventy-five.  The  church  j 
property  consists  of  two  houses  of  worship,  a  parson-  • 
age,  and  twenty-six  shares  of  bank  stock,  bequeathed 
by  Mary  Ann  Gilmore,  widow  of  Hugh  Campbell, 
of  Merrittstown.  The  elders  are  Finley  Chalfant, 
Johnson  Van  Kirk,  E.  T.  Gallaher,  Hayden  Baird, 
Ebenezer  Finley.      The  trustees  are  Theodore  Van  ! 


Kirk,  W.  S.  Craft,  Joseph  Woodward,  and  Albert 
McMullen.  Johnson  Van  Kirk  is  superintendent  of 
the  Dunlap's  Creek  Sunday-school. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Samuel  Wilson  the 
Dunlap's  Creek  Presbyterial  Academy  was  founded 
in  1849,  partly  by  the  churches  of  the  Presbytery,  but 
chiefly  by  members  of  Dunlap's  Creek  Church.  Rev. 
Samuel  Wilson  was  the  first  principal,  and  John  S. 
Craig  the  first  tutor.  The  principals  succeeding  Rev. 
Mr.  Wilson  were  James  Black,  Joseph  Power,  Simon 
B.  Mercer,  Caleb  B.  Downs,  George  W.  Chalfant,  S. 
J.  Craighead,  T.  D.  Ewing,  D.  H.  Sloan,  R.  B.  Porter, 
W.  J.  Burchinal,  and  William  Fulton.  The  academy 
was  a  very  popular  school  in  its  day,  and  frequently 
had  upwards  of  one  hundred  students  on  the  rolls.  In 
1875  it  ceased  to  exist,  because  the  support  extended 
to  it  had  become  inadequate  for  its  continuance. 

The  Dunlap's  Creek  graveyard,  in  the  centre  of 
which  stood  the  old  Dunlap's  Creek  log  church,  con- 
tains within  its  weather-beaten  and  time-worn  old 
stone-wall  inclosure  many  reminders  of  the  past  and 
of  those  who  were  foremost  among  the  pioneers. 
There  are  to  be  found  in  it  many  handsome  monu- 
ments, as  well  as  neglected  graves  and  broken  tablets, 
which  tell  how  apt  the  living  are  to  forget  the  dead. 
Many  old  tombstone  inscriptions  are  defaced  and 
illegible,  others  are  still  easily  read.  Among  the 
latter  are  those  erected  to  the  memories  of  Jane  Moore, 
who  died  Dec.  6,  1787  ;  Jane  Findley,  June  5,  1793  ; 
Lewis  Davidson,  Nov.  16,  1793  ;  "  Elizabeth,  ye  wief 
of  Lewis  Davidson,"  April  24,  1794 ;  John  Mackey, 
May  19,  1794 ;  Samuel  Torrance,  1797 ;  Jacob  Jen- 
nings, 1796;  Mary  Hany,  Jan.  10,  1802;  Violet  Find- 
ley,  1804;  Jane  Torrance,  1808;  John  Porter,  1812; 
Ann  Porter,  1813  ;  Margaret,  consort  of  David  Craft, 
1812;  William  Wallace,  1804;  Thomas  Gallaher, 
1806;  Mary  Cunningham,  Oct.  23,  1822;  John  Ful- 
ton, 1825  ;  John  Gallaher,  1820 ;  and  David  Bread- 
ing, who  died  (aged  85)  in  1844.  Upon  the  tombstone 
of  Elizabeth  Baird,  who  died  in  1826,  is  written, 
"  N.B.  The  deceased  was  consort  of  Robert  Baird." 

Two  of  the  pastors  of  Dunlap's  Creek  Church  were 
laid  to  rest  in  the  old  churchyard.  They  were  the 
Revs.  Jacob  Jennings  and  William  Johnston.  The 
tablet  over  Mr.  Jennings'  grave  has  the  following: 

•'  In  memory  of  the  Kov.  Dr.  .Jacob  Jennings,  who  for  twenty 

h)wer  as  well  as  ^i  r,iitl,lnl  imnincr  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
was  testified  by  Iji-  Ivn,'-.  iiitiftued  works  and  labor  of  love  in 
two  arduous  professions  combined.*  He  died  in  the  faith  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  and  in  the  hope  of  that  life  and  immortality 
which  are  thereby  brought  to  light,  Feb.  7,  ISi;^,  aged  sixty- 
nine.  *And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  me, 
Write,  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord.  Yea,  saith  the 
Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors,  and  their  works  do 
follow  them."  " 

A  handsome  shaft  perpetuates  the  memory  of  Rev. 
William  Johnston,  and  bears  this  inscription  : 


if?  /^.^^ 


BEDSTONE   TOWNSHIP. 


737 


"  In  memory  of  Rev.  Willi. im  Johnston,  who  departed  this 
life  Deo.  31,  1841,  in  the.  fifry-eighth  year  of  his  age  and  thir- 
tieth of  his  ministry.  In  him  talents,  intelligence,  and  those 
Christian  virtues  which  adorn  the  relations  of  life  were  happily 
united  and  blended.  'They  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the 
brightness  of  the  firmament,  and  they  that  turn  many  to  right- 
eousness as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever.'  " 

Beneath  the  same  stone  lies  Martha,  his  wife,  who 
(lied  June  9,  1860.  In  the  old  churcliyard  lies  also 
Ebenezer  Finley,  one  of  the  fathers  of  Redstone,  and 
by  his  side  lie  the  four  worthy  women  who  were  his 
wives. 

REDSTONE    BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

Baptist  worship  was  held  in  Redstone  before  1847, 
but  until  that  time  there  was  in  the  township  neither 
church  organization  nor  meeting-house  connected 
with  the  Baptist  denomination.  Brownsville  was  the 
point  to  which  the  Redstone  Baptists  journeyed  to 
church,  although  public  services  were  sometimes  held 
in  private  houses  and  school-houses  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  creek.  In  1847  a  meeting  was  held  at 
the  house  of  William  Colvin  to  discuss  the  subject  of 
building  a  church  ;  and  a  lot  being  offered  for  the 
purpose  as  a  donation  from  Levi  and  D.  C.  Colvin, 
prompt  action  was  taken  by  the  appointment  of  Wil- 
liam Sharpless,  William  Colvin,  and  Elias  Hutchin- 
son as  a  building  committee  to  take  charge  of  the 
matter  of  erecting  a  house  of  worship.  Assistance 
being  readily  forthcoming,  the  house  was  built  that 
year  near  the  junction  of  Colvin's  Run  and  Redstone 
Creek.  An  inscription  upon  the  front  of  the  structure 
testifies  that  it  is  the  "  Regular  Baptist  Meeting- 
House."  At  the  dedication  Rev.  James  Estep 
preached  the  sermon. 

Rev.  E.  M.  Miles  and  William  Penny  were  engaged 
to  supply  the  preaching,  but  no  church  organization 
was  effected  until  Mr.  Penny  came,  when  he  and  the 
Rev.  William  Wood  formed  the  church,  with  a  con- 
stituent membership  of  upwards  of  forty-five.  Among 
the  pastors  who  served  the  church  after  the  organiza- 
tion may  be  named  Revs.  John  Scott,  William  Hick- 
man, Daniel  Kelsey,  and Smith.  The  last  pas- 
tor was  Rev.  O.  O'Brien  Strayer,  who  relinquished  the 
charge  in  November,  1880.  April,  1881,  the  mem- 
bership was  thirty-eight.  The  deacons  were  D.  E. 
Whetzel  and  Earhart  Grable ;  the  trustees,  Benja- 
min Phillips,  Estep  Colvin,  and  Alfred  Cooper. 

CHURCH  OF  CHRIST. 
Feb.  I,  1874,  Alanson  Wilcox,  an  evangelist  of  the 
Church  of  Christ,  met  with  a  company  of  persons  at 
the  Redstone  school-house,  and  by  the  advice  and 
consent  of  Elder  Wesley  Lorimer,  of  Cookstown, 
formed  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Redstone.  The  or- 
ganizing members  were  Robert  S.  Goe,  Hittie  Goe, 
Catharine  Goe,  Dora  Goe,  Lizzie  A.  Higinbotham, 
Louisa  Higinbotham,  Stephen  Phillips,  Caroline 
Phillips,  D.  R.  Hazen,  C.  R.  Hess,  Emily  R.  Hess, 
Otho   Brasliears,  Lizzie  Brashears,   Lucy    Brashears, 


I  Anna  Brashears,  Emanuel  Stewart,  Rebecca  Stewart, 
Hester  Hess,  Maggie  Simpson, Shook,  W.  G. 

1  Hubbs,  John  Johnson,  Levi  Colley,  Caroline  Colley. 
Those  baptized  at  the  first  meeting  were  George  Hig- 
inbotham, Emma  Higinbotham,  Rachel  Higin- 
botham, Louise  Higinbotham,  Dilworth  Craft,  Mary 
F.  Craft,  Hattie  E.  Craft,  William  Matthews,  Mary  A. 
Matthews,  Aaron  Hess,  Lizzie  McHenry,  Rockey  Mc- 
Cune,  Mary  E.  Eagle,  David  Shook,  John  Wilgus, 
Mrs.  B.  E.  Wilgus.  One  hundred  and  twenty  per- 
sons have  been  received  as  members  of  the  organiza- 
tion to  the  present  time  (April,  1881),  and  of  these 
about  sixty  remain. 

In  1875  the  present  house  of'worship  (called  the 
Christian  Chapel)  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $3500. 
The  successive  pastors  have  been  Revs.  S.  F.  Fowler, 

J.   W.   Kemp,   D.   L.  Kincaid,  and Satterfield. 

The  pastorate  is  at  present  vacant.  The  elders  are 
Clark  Hess  and  Solomon  Crumrine.  The  deacons 
are  Robert  Goe,  John  Colley,  Otho  Brashears,  and 
Levi  Collev. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

ROBERT    FINLEY. 
I       Robert  Finley  was  born  April  4,  1809,  in  Redstone 
township,  and  there  died  Oct.  7,  1874.     He  was  of 
'  Scotch-Irish  descent.     His  education  was  received  in 
the  common  schools,  and  was  supplemented  by  exten- 
sive reading.     He   was  a  man  of  keen  observation, 
*  and  was  noted  for  the  wonderful  powers  of  his  mem- 
j  ory.     He   was   married   to   Catharine   Caruthers,   of 
I  Sewickley,  Jan.  23,  1833.     There  were  six  children. 
j  Four  died  in  infancy.     Mary  M.  married  Jeremiah 
Baird  ;  Samuel  E.  Finley  married  Sarah  Burchinal ; 
;  Catharine  died  June  9,  1842. 

1       Robert  was  married  again  May  13,  1845,  to  Anne 
I  Hurford,  of  Luzerne  township.     They  had  five  chil- 
dren, two  of  whom  are  dead.     The  three  living  are 
Thomas  W.,  John  E.,  married  to  Josephine  Hazlett ; 
Margaret  A.,  married  to  James  G.  Wilson. 

One  who  had  known  Mr.  Robert  Finley  long  and 
j  intimately  thus  wrote  of  him,  "  Seldom  are  we  called 
upon  to  record  a  death  which  makes  so  sensible  a  breach 
i  in  the  church  and  community  as  that  of  Mr.  Robert 
!  Finley.     For  forty-five  years  he  was  a  member,  and 
I  for  thirty-five  an  active  and  efiicient  trustee,  of  the 
Presbyterian   Church  of  Dunlap's   Creek.     He   was 
the  youngest  son  of  Ebenezer  Finley,  Sr.,  deceased 
who  had  been  a  ruling  elder  for  some  seventy  years ;  a 
grandson  of  Rev.  James  Finley,  one  of  the  first  min- 
I  isters  of  the  gospel  who  crossed  the  Allegheny  Moun- 
I  tains,  and  founder  of  Rehoboth,  in  the  Presbytery  of 
Redstone,   who  was  a  brother  to  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel 
Finley,  president  of  Nassau  Hall,  New  Jersey,   an 
ancestry  in   covenant  with    God.     Mr.    Finley   pos- 
sessed great  vigor  of  constitution  and  energy  of  char- 


738 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


acter,  and  marked  success  in  business.  He  was  a 
judicious  counselor,  a  genial  friend  and  companion. 
He  enjoyed  life  in  the  best  sense,  and  loved  to  see 
others  enjoy  it  in  like  manner.  His  example  of  strict 
temperance,  of  industry,  prudent  economy,  and  gen- 
erous hospitality  and  wise  counsel  was  of  great  value 
to  young  men.  His  benevolent  spirit  found  pleasure 
in  seeing  all  embrace  the  gospel,  and  be  temperate, 
honest,  industrious,  peaceful,  prosperous,  and  happy, 
but  had  little  patience  with  laggards,  tipplers,  and 
spendthrifts.  His  charity  was  genuine  and  expan- 
sive, embracing  all  classes  and  denominations ;  a 
lover  of  good  men,  whose  society  he  greatly  enjoyed, 
being  in  cordial  sympathy  with  them  in  the  love  of 
Christ  and  his  cause. 

"  He  left  a  large  circle  of  friends  to  lament  his  loss. 
His  place  will  not  soon  be  filled.  The  church  has 
lost  one  of  its  pillars,  the  community  one  of  its  most 
earnest,  upright,  and  exemplary  business  men." 

"  Help,  Lord,  for  the  godly  man  ceaseth  !" 


HON.  GRIFFITH  ROBERTS. 
Hon.  Griffith  Koberts  was  born  in  Redstone  town 
sliip,  Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  where  he  now  resides,  March  ! 
7,  1807.  He  is  of  Welsh  stock,  and  was  educated  in 
the  common  schools.  His  early  life  was  spent  upon 
his  father's  farm.  He  was  married  Dec.  14,  1826,  to 
Nancy  Fought,  of  Redstone.  He  remained  upon  his 
father's  farm  one  year  after  marriage,  and  then  moved  to 
a  farm  adjoining  the  one  upon  which  he  now  lives,  and 
remained  there  twenty-five  years,  and  then  moved  to 
his  present  place  of  abode.  He  has  had  four  children, 
— Hannah,  married  to  James  M.  Cook  ;  George,  mar- 
ried to  Eliza  Franks;  Philip  (now  dead),  married  to 
Eliza  A.  Balsinger ;  Elizabeth,  unmarried.  The  first 
ofHci-'  Mr.  Roberts  ever  held  was  that  of  captain  nf  a 

all  thr  (ilHces  of  the  township,  except  tliat  of  constable. 
He  was  nominated  and  elected  associate  judge  of  Fay- 
ette County  in  1876  by  a  flattering  vote.  He  held  the 
office  until  it  was  abolished  in  1881,  discharging  the 
duties  in  a  manner  creditable  to  himself  and  satisfac- 
tory to  his  constituents.  He  held  the  office  of  county 
commissioner  for  three  years,  1866,  1867,  1868.  His 
wife,  Nancy,  died  Dec.  25,  1858. 

His  father,  Abniham  Roberts,  was  born  in  Chester 
County,  Pa.;  came  to  Fayette  County  when  a  young 
man,  and  married  Elizabeth  Morris,  of  this  county. 
Tliey  had  eight  children, — -four  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters. Griffith  was  the  second,  and  is  the  only  one  re- 
siding in  Fayette  County.  The  others  who  are  living 
reside  in  the  West.  Aljraham  died  in  1819;  Eliza- 
beth died  in  1845. 

'Sir.  Roberts'  grandfatlier,  Griffith  Roberts,  came 
from  Wales  when  a  young  man  and  settled  in  Ches- 
ter County,  Pa.,  where  lie  married  Rachel  Jeflries. 
Thev  had  but  one  son,  Aliraham,  and  came  to  Fav- 


I  ette  County  with  him.    They  were  all  Quakers.    Grif- 
fith, Sr.,  died  in  1823,  his  wife  a  few  years  afterwards. 
Hon.  Griffith  Roberts  has  no  membership  in  any 
church,  but  has  always  been  a  liberal  contributor  to 


g  ^m^' 


the  various  denominations.  He  rather  leans  to  the 
belief  of  his  father.  His  morality  is  unquestioned. 
He  is  well  and  favorably  known  in  the  county.  He 
is  worthy  of  the  confidence  his  friends  have  in  him, 
and  is  a  genial  gentleman  of  the  old  school. 


■TAMES    JIAUISOX 


INN. 


The  grandfather  of  James  Madison  Linn,  Andrew 
Linn,  settled  in  Fayette  County  at  a  very  early  date. 
He  had  his  farm  patented.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Revolutionary  war,  and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers 
west  ottlie  AlleL'hi'iiies.     They  were  driven  back  east 


veral  times  by  Indians. 
,  Capt.  Isaac  Linn,  was  born  upon 
son  now  resides  in  1774.    He  was 
1796,  to  Jemima  Voorhes.     They 
James  M.  was  the  fifth.  Isaac  Linn 


of  the  lunnntnin- 

Jamr~.M.--l;illM 
the  farm  wlinv  hi 
married  on  i  lit.  L'l 
had  eiglit  cliildren. 
was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  was  captain  of 
an  infantry  company,  and  served  during  the  war, 
going  during  his  period  of  service  into  Canada. 

James  Madison  Linn  was  born  July  20,  1808,  upon 
the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  and  was  educated  in 
the  common  school,  and  studied  the  classics  under  a 
private  tutor.    He  was  married  May  1.3,  1841,  to  Mary 


JAMES    M.    LINN. 


■s^' 


Q^^ 


^2>^^1^<VC^ 


-"^ 


ilKDSTONE   TOWNSHIP. 


739 


Linn,  of  Redstone  township.  They  had  eight  chil- 
dren,— William  Voorhes,  now  dead;  Isaac,  married 
to  Emma  Stewart  ;  Ayers,  deceased  ;  Jemima  A., 
married  to  John  C.  Hanna ;  Samuel  S.  B.,  married  to 
Florence  A.  Holmes ;  Charlotte  L.,  married  to  S.  A. 
Phillips;  Alcinda  C,  not  married;  Mary  E.,  married 
to  0.  D.  Porter. 

In  the  early  portion  of  his  life  Mr.  Linn  was  occu- 
pied as  a  clerk,  and  afterwards  engaged  in  distilling. 
For  many  years  past  he  has  followed  farming  and 
milling,  and  has  held  important  township  offices.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Old  Redstone  Baptist  Church,  as  is 
also  his  wife.  He  started  in  life  with  nothing,  and 
gradually  accumulated  his  considerable  property, 
which  consists  mostly  of  lands,  but  he  has  a  good 
share  of  money  also. 


DAVID  HIBBS. 
The  late  David  Hibbs,  who  died  May  18,  1868,  was 
born  in  Redstone  township,  July  1.5,  1809.  He  was 
of  English  descent,  and  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools.  He  was  m.arried  April  18,  18.S9,  to  Hannah 
Walters,  daughter  of  Ephraim  Walters,  of  Nicholson 


SzJ'^/.^/TCl 


township,  and  sister  of  E|i!iraiiii  Walters,  nf  Mason-  | 
town,  German    township,    :in-l    of   Dr.  .IrtlVrson    A.  \ 
Walters,  now  living  in  Daytun,  <Jhio,  a  gentleman  of  ■ 
prominence,  and  a  considerable  and  careful  contribu- 
tor to  genealogical  literature.     They  have  had  nine 
children.     Two  died  in  infancy.     The  seven  living 
are  Jefferson  W.,  who  married  Ellen  Van  Kirk  ;  Mary 


Frances,  who  married  Joseph  Antram ;  Elizabeth, 
married  to  Dr.  J.  P.  Sangston  ;  Harriet  A.,  married 
to  John  F.  Hess ;  Lucetta,  George  L.,  and  John  G., 
unmarried. 

Mr.  Hibbs  held  the  usual  township  otBces  intrusted 
to  a  careful  business  man,  and  was  for  three  years  a 
member  of  the  almshouse  board.  In  all  these  posi- 
tions he  conducted  the  public  business  in  a  satis- 
factory manner.  For  many  years  he  was  a  member 
of  the  German  Baptist  Church,  and  held  the  office  of 
elder  for  a  number  of  years.  His  pecuniary  start  was 
.small.  By  industry  and  careful  business  management 
he  was  able  to  leave  his  family  in  comfortable  circum- 
stances. His  success  was  due  to  his  integrity,  his  in- 
dustry, his  devotion,  his  unselfishness,  and  charity. 
These  made  his  character  great, — "the  virtues  are 
the  forces  and  powers  in  life."  He  was  a  quiet  man, 
made  but  little  show,  and  did  his  duty  as  nearly  as 
he  was  able,  and  was  content.  The  best  legacy  he 
left  his  family  was  a  good  name. 


S.\MUEL  C.  HIBBS. 
Samuel  C.  Hibbs  was  born  in  Redstone  township, 
Feb.  14,  1802.  He  is  of  English  stock,  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools,  and  learned  the  busine.ss  of 
farming,  and  has  been  engaged  in  it  all  of  his  life. 
He  was  married  in  January,  1833,  to  Elizabeth  Beal,  of 
Menallen  township.     They  had  six  children, — Ma- 

nda,  married  first  to  James  Niccolls,  again  to  Dr. 
King,  of  Bloomington,  111. ;  John,  married  to  Hannah 
Lackey;  Aaron,  married  to  Margaret  Weltner;  Ben- 
jamin, who  was  a  soldier  in  the  late  war,  was  wounded 
at  City  Point  and  died  there.  His  remains  are  buried 
in  the  Presbyterian  Cemetery  at  New  Salem.  Robert, 
m.u  lied  Anna  Davidson ;  Elizabeth,  married  to  James 
Fiiiley.     The  sons  are  all  farmers.     Mr.  Hibbs  has 

iig  been  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
His  wife,  Elizabeth,  died  in  1874.  He  had  a  small 
start  in  the  world  in  a  pecuniary  way.  The  fine 
taims  which  he  owns,  or  rather  which  he  has  given 
his  children,  thus  sensibly  starting  them  well  in  life, 
he  made  by  his  own  industry.  He  is  active  for  one 
of  his  age,  and  is  evidently  contented  and  happy. 
His  moral  status  is  excellent.  Those  who  know  him 
respect  him  as  a  citizen  and  a  man.  His  father.  Lacy 
Hibbs,  was  born  east  of  the  Alleghenies,  and  came  to 
Fajctte  County  early  in  life  and  settled  upon  the 
farm  where  his  grandson,  Aaron,  now  resides.  He 
married  Sarah  Craft,  of  Fayette  County.  They  had 
eight  children.  Samuel  was  the  sixth,  and  is  the  only 
one  living.     His  ancestors  were  Quakers. 


THOMAS   CAUFIELD. 
Thomas   Caufield  is  of  Irish   stock.     His   father, 
Timothy  Caufield,  was  born  in  County  Galway,  Ire- 
land,  in  1784,  and   migrated   to   America   in   1810, 
locating    in     Belmont    County,    Ohio.     He    married 


740 


HISTOEY   OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Nancy  Hynes,  of  that  county,  in  ISi'C.  Jlrs.  Cau- 
field  died"  in  1831,  leaving  three  cliildren,  John, 
Thomas,  and  Daniel.  John  resides  in  Ohirke  County, 
Iowa.  Daniel  was  merchandising  in  Kansas  during 
the  struggle  for  supremacy  there  between  the  North- 
ern and  Southern  political  forces,  and  has  not  since 
been  heard  of  by  his  friends  in  Pennsylvania. 

Timothy  Can  field  moved  from  Belmont  County, 
Ohio,  into  Fayette  County,  Pa.,  in  1834.  He  was  a 
contractor  on  the  National  pike,  and  spent  much  of 
his  life  in  operating  upon  public  works,  Iniilding 
roads,  etc.  He  was  married  a  second  time  in  1836. 
The  maiden  name  of  his  second  wife  w.as  Elizabeth 
Detson,  who  died  in  1872.  Mr.  Caufield  died  Dec. 
30,  1873. 

Thomas  Caufield  was  born  April  24,  1829,  in  Bel- 
mont County,  Ohio,  and  removed  with  his  father  to 
Fayette  County,  Pa.,  in  1834.  He  was  educated  in 
the  common  schools,  and  has  spent  nearly  all  his  life 
upon  the  farm  where  he  now  resides.  He  was  mar- 
ried July  1.5,  1874,  to  Maggie  L.  Lynn,  of  Millsboro', 
Washington  Co.,  Pa.  Her  great-grandfather,  Wil- 
liam Lynn,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Fayette 
County,  settling  in  Redstone  township,  on  a  farm  ad- 
joining her  husband's,  about  the  time  the  county  was 
organized.  The  farm  remained  in  the  name  for  three 
generations.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Caufield  have  had  four 
children,  three  of  whom  are  living, — John  Gibson, 
Carrie  Lynn,  and  Mary  Edna. 

Jlr.  Thomas  Caufield  has  never  held  or  sought  po- 
litical office.  He  is  a  well-informed  gentleman,  hav- 
ing read  much,  particularly  of  history,  remembering 
well  what  he  reads,  and  applying  the  results  of  his 
study  to  practical  pur]ioses,  much  more  than  it  is  cus- 
tomary for  farmers  to  do.  His  neighbors  esteem  him 
for  his  honesty  and  fair  dealing. 


JAME.S    W.    CRAFT. 

James  W.  Craft's  grandfivther,  George  Craft,  came 
from  Germany,  and  lived  in  Maryland,  near  where 
the  battle  of  Antietam  was  fought,  until  the  year 
1771,  when  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Western 
Pennsylvania,  and  settled  on  the  farm  on  which  his 
descendants  have  ever  since  resided.  David  Craft, 
the  father  of  James  W.  Craft,  was  born  in  1763,  and 
married,  in  1788,  Margaret  Woodrow,  who  died  in 
1812,  leaving  him  a  family  of  thirteen  children,  only 
two  of  whom  are  now  living,— Elijah  Craft,  of  this 
county  ;  and  Elizabeth  Sproat,  of  Guernsey  County, 
Ohio." 

David  Craft  approved  of  the  cuHivntion  i,f  tlie 
minds  of  his  children.  He  with  some  nl'  his  neii^h- 
bors  engaged  a  graduate  of  the  University  ol'  ( )xlnrd 
to  teach  a  select  school,  in  whicli  he  placed  his  sons. 

The  old  Craft  homestead  is  one  mile  east  of  Mer- 
rittstown,  Fayette  Co..  Pa. 

The  late  .Tames   W.  Cratt.  of  Ke.lstone  township, 


was  born  Feb.  13,  1807,  and  died  Feb.  20,  1880.  He 
was  of  German  stock,  and  was  married  in  1847  to 
his  cousin,  Caroline  E.  Craft,  of  Redstone  township. 
There  were  born  to  them  nine  children,  seven  of 
whom  are  living,  five  daughters  and  two  sons, — 
Ellen  L.,  married  to  Samuel  Colvin  ;  Loretta,  mar- 
ried to  Joseph  O.  Miller;  Hester  B.,  married  to  Dr. 
H.  W.  Brashear;  Richard  N.,  married  to  Rebecca 
Nutt;  Hayden  R.,  married  to  Laura  Bell  Colley ; 
Annie  M.,  married  to  John  R.  Carothers  ;  Jessie  Ben- 
ton, single. 

Mr.  Craft  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  his  native 
township  for  about  thirty  years,  and  was  not  only  a 
justice  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  but  was  eminently 
a  man  of  peace,  never  failing,  contrary  to  his  own 
pecuniary  interest,  to  urge  upon  litigants  a  peaceful 
settlement  of  their  difficulties.  As  nearly  as  possible 
he  followed  the  golden  rule.  Under  the  preaching 
of  the  pioneers  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
Church, — Morgan,  Bryan,  Sparks,  and  others, — he 
became  a  member  of  the  Hopewell  branch  of  that 
communion.  AVhen  the  final  hour  came  he  expressed 
himself  as  ready  and  willing  to  die,  "having  full  as- 
surance of  a  blessed  immortality." 

Mr.  Craft  was  educated  in  common  and  select 
schools.  He  cultivated  a  taste  for  the  higher  grades 
of  literature,  and  had  great  admiration  and  love  for 
the  English  classics,  a  high  appreciation  for  Camp- 
bell, Gray,  and  others  of  the  British  poets,  and  was 
able  to  quote  many  of  their  finest  productions. 

In  early  years  he  showed  a  proficiency  in  music. 
While  quite  a  boy  he  became  the  leader  of  the  cele- 
brated military  band  which  discoursed  music  for  Capt. 
Geisey's  company  of  Brownsville,  and  Capts.  Trevor 
and  Beeson's  companies  of  Uniontown.  This  band 
made  the  music  at  the  reception  of  Marquis  de  La- 
fayette in  Uniontown  in  182.5,  and  was  urged  by  him 
and  the  celebrated  Albert  Gallatin  to  accompany 
them  to  the  home  of  the  latter  on  the  Monongahela 
above  New  Geneva,  and  partake  of  the  festivities  of 
his  visit  there,  but  were  obliged  to  decline  the  flatter- 
ing compliment. 

This  band,  under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Craft,  fur- 
nished music  for  all  the  Masonic  and  military  parades 
of  Uniontown,  Washington,  Brownsville,  and  many 
other  places  from  1824  to  about  1835.  So  good  was 
its  music  that  Gen.  Jackson  said  it  surpassed  any 
martial  music  he  had  ever  heard.  So  great  was  Mr. 
Craft's  fondness  for  music  that  he  continued  to  play 
on  his  two  fiivorite  instruments,  the  flute  and  the 
clarionet,  up  to  the  hour  of  his  last  sickness.  So 
noble  and  gentle  was  Mr.  Craft  during  his  whole  life 
that  it  is  safe  to  .say  that  no  man  in  the  wide  region 
throughout  which  he  was  known  was  ever  more 
mi.ssed  after  death  than  he,  or  his  loss  more  sincerely 
felt. 


y^      A/?a^  yf^^:^^^ 


<^:::=^^W<!C^ -t^  ,^,^.  _ 


^L^^ma<^  X^^/i^^^^ 


SALT   LICK   TOWNSHIP. 


741 


LEONARD    LENHART. 

Leonard  Lenhart  is  of  German  descent.  His  father, 
Micliael  Lenhart,  was  a  native  of  Carlisle,  Pa.  He 
married  Martha  Kline,  and  soon  after  his  marriage 
located  in  Fayette  City,  Fayette  Co.  He  was  a  wagon- 
malcer  by  trade,  and  followed  his  vocation  for  some 
time  in  Fayette  City,  and  then  removed  to  a  farm  in 
Washington  County,  Pa.,  near  Greenfield.  He  died 
in  1823.  His  wife,  ikartha,  died  in  1860,  aged  eighty- 
three.  They  had  twelve  children.  There  are  four  of 
them  low  living, — Philip,  in  his  eighty-second  year; 
Mary  Ferry,  Sarah  Kendall,  and  Leonard. 

Leonard  Lenhart  was  born  in  January,  1809,  in 
Fayette  City,  Fayette  Co.,  and  was  educated  in  the 
common  schools.  He  was  married  April  23,  1828,  to 
Hannah  Baldwin,  of  Fayette  City.  They  had  eleven 
children, —  Michael,  married  to  Maggie  Dodson  ; 
Martha,  married  to  George  W.  Clarke;  James  S.,  un- 
married ;  George,  married  to  Sarah  Chatland ;  Laura 
J.,  married  to  William  Guiker,  Esq.,  who  are  living ; 
William  B.,  Maria,  John  E.,  Mary  F.,  who  was  mar- 
ried to  William  S.  Hatfield;  Catharine,  and  Philip, 
are  all  dead. 

Mrs.  Hannah  Lenhart  died  Aug.  2,  1858,  and  on 
July  24,  1860,  Mr.  Lenhart  married  Mrs.  Elma  Nic- 
colls,  a  daughter  of  William  Eberhart,  Esq.,  of  Red- 
stone township,  who  died  Feb.  23, 1882,  in  the  eighty- 
second  year  of  his  age. 

And  here  a  few  words  concerning  Mr.  Eberhart 
will  not  be  out  of  place.    He  spent  the  last  few  years 


of  his  life  in  the  family  of  Mr.  Lenhart,  his  son-in- 
law.  Mr.  Eberhart  was  a  man  of  great  energy  and 
of  enterprise  as  a  business  man  ;  was  at  one  time  an 
extensive  manufacturer  of  glass.  In  the  days  of  his 
thrift  he  was  open  and  liberal  with  his  means,  ready 
to  assist  others.  But  a  reverse  came  to  his  good  for- 
tunes at  last  in  tlie  destruction  by  a  devastating  fire 
at  Cincinnati  of  several  thousand  boxes  of  glass  which 
belonged  to  him.  From  this  misfortune  he  never 
recovered,  but  his  assistance  was  sought  by  other 
manufacturers,  and  he  was  engaged  actively  in  manu- 
facturing until  old  age  pushed  him  into  retirement. 
He  was  kind  in  spirit,  jwssessed  fine  colloquial  powers, 
was  very  social,  and,  above  all,  honest  in  purpose. 

Of  his  latter  marriage  Mr.  Lenhart  has  three 
children, — Lizzie  Bell,  Charles  E.,  and  Leonard  H. 
Mr.  Lenhart  began  life  as  a  boat-builder  in  Fayette 
City.  In  1831  he  worked  in  John  S.  Pringle's  yard 
in  Brownsville.  Several  years  after  he  went  there  he 
was  made  foreman  of  the  yard.  In  1846  he  engaged 
as  a  partner  in  the  business  with  Mr.  John  Cock,  and 
continued  with  him  until  1859.  In  1860  he  moved  to 
the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  and  has  been  engaged 
in  farming  ever  since. 

He  had  no  pecuniary  start.  He  has  made  all  he 
has  by  his  own  labor.  He  has  held  a  number  of  im- 
portant township  ofiices.  He  enjoys  the  respect  of 
his  neighbors,  has  a  pleasant  home,  and  is  surrounded 
by  more  comforts  than  farmers  are  usually  supplied 
with. 


SALT    LICK    TOWNSHIP. 


Occupying  the  extreme  northeast  portion  of  the 
county  is  the  township  of  Salt  Lick,  which  has  for  its 
northern  boundary  Westmoreland  County,  for  its 
eastern  Somerset  County,  from  which  it  is  separated 
by  Laurel  Hill.  On  the  south  is  the  township  of 
Springfield,  and  on  the  west  is  the  Chestnut  Ridge, 
which  cuts  it  off  from  Bullskin.  The  surface  is 
mountainous.  Rising  above  the  general  level  are 
high  hills  which  constitute  a  plateau  in  the  western 
part.  Along  the  streams  are  deep  valleys,  in  some 
localities  possessing  considerable  width  and  noted  for 
fertility.  In  other  parts  of  the  township  the  soil  is 
thin  and  only  fairly  productive.  Limestone  is  abun- 
dant, and  coal  of  a  good  quality  crops  out  along  the 
streams.  Iron  ore  and  other  minerals  abound,  but 
have  not  yet  been  developed.  Centrally,  flowing 
through  the  township  from  northeast  to  southwest,  is 
the  chief  stream,  Indian  Creek,  which  was  known 
in  early  times  as  the  Great  Salt  Lick  Creek.     Being 


fed  by  numerous  springs  it  has  considerable  volume, 
whose  constancy,  although  affected  by  the  summer 
heat,  bears  favorable  comparison  with  other  water- 
courses of  like  size  in  the  western  part  of  the  State. 
The  larger  tributaries  are  Back,  Poplar,  and  Cham- 
pion Runs,  each  having  affluent  brooks.  The  former 
heads  in  the  Laurel  Hill  range,  and  after  flowing 
southwest  unites  with  Indian  Creek  a  mile  above  the 
Springfield  line.  Champion  Run  rises  in  the  Chest- 
nut Ridge,  near  the  northwest  corner,  thence  flowing 
southeast  till  it  loses  its  waters  in  the  Indian  Creek 
north  of  the  centre  of  the  township.  Poplar  Run 
also  rises  in  the  Chestnut  Ridge,  near  the  southwest 
corner,  which  it  drains,  then  flows  out  of  the  town- 
ship into  Springfield.  On  these  streams  are  a  number 
of  good  water-powers,  which  have  been  utilized  from 
the  first  settlement  of  the  country.  Salt  Lick  was 
originally  heavily  timbered,  and  many  parts  are  yet 
covered  with  fine  forests,  free  of  undergrowth,  adapt- 


742 


llIrfTOKY    OF    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ing  them  for  grazing.  In  other  sections  the  ground 
is  covered  with  fine  trees  of  a  second  growth,  which 
will  be  a  source  of  wealth  in  years  to  come.  The 
township  having  been  a  part  of  BuUskin  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  the  original  surveys  and  list  of  taxables 
in  1788,  given  in  the  history  of  that  township,  em- 
brace also  what  pertains  to  Salt  Lick,  and  omitted 
here  to  avoid  useless  repetition. 

The  pioneer  settlers  came  from  the  eastern  part  of 
the  State  and  from  Maryland  about  the  period  of  the 
Kevolution,  a  few  possibly  cnniiiiL'  earlier.  Concern- 
ing some  of  the  pioneiT>  Uut  littlc^  .an  lie  said.  Tliey 
removed  from  the  township  iiioir  than  half  a  century 
ago,  and  the  bare  record  of  their  having  lived  in  Salt 
Lick  alone  remains.  To  that  class  belonged  Christian 
Perkey.  He  made  early  and  noteworthy  improve- 
ments on  Indian  Creek,  near  the  north  line  of  the 
township,  his  lands  beiiii;-  partly  in  AVestmoreland 
County.  Near  his  forimr  nsi.Wnee  are  imw  the  mills 
of  Wiiliaiii  Xuwell  .>i  Son.  Perkey  had  sons  named 
Daniel  and  ('liri-tiaii,  and  a  few  other  children,  but 
none  of  their  liesci-ndants  are  left  in  the  county. 
Several  miles  south,  on  Back  Run,  were  Peter  and 
George  Bucher,  both  of  whom  had  sons  bearing  their 
names.  George  Bucher  was  the  owner  of  a  slave, 
commonly  called  Black  Ben,  who,  whatever  virtues  he 
may  have  had,  was  possessed  of  a  weakness  for  strong 
drink,  a  liking  which  did  not  much  promote  his  per- 
sonal welfare.  Peter  Bucher  died  at  his  home  near 
the  Berg  Mills  about  1807,  but  the  others  bearing  that 
name  removed  in  the  course  of  a  dozen  years.  John 
Martin  liv.d  ,.n  a  tia.t  of  land  east  of  the  Buchers, 
where  lie  did  l.efoiv  Isln,  l,tit  his  tamily  remained  a 
score  ot  years  longer,  wlien  they  left  for  the  West. 

Benjamin  Davis  was  the  |.iiineer  on  the  present 
Joseph  W.  tiallentine  place,  where  he  kept  a  licensed 
tavern  as  early  as  ITHo,  while  northeast,  on  the  same 
road,  George  Batchelor  kejit  a  ]iul.)lic-liouse  the  same 
year.  But  both  families  renioveil  fioni  the  township 
more  than  seventy  years  :,m,,.  (  ieen|,ying  a  fine  tract 
of  land  at  an  int.-i  in.  dia',.-  poini  I.eiween  the  above 
was  Andrew  Trapji,  the  first  jiisiie.'  of  the  peace.  He 
was  by  birth  a  Pennsylvania  Dutelmiaii,  but  possessed 
shrewd,  sound  sense,  and  was,  in  his  day,  a  [lerson  of 
so  much  importance  in  the  community  that  liis  place 
was  the  centre  of  business,  notwithstanding  the  early 
elections  were  held  at  the  house  of  Benjamin  Davis. 
He  had  sons  named  Philip,  Andrew,  David,  and  John, 
and  six  daughters.  He  died  in  1824,  and  was  Imried 
in  the  cemetery  at  the  Lutheran  Church.  Thereafter 
his  business  was  carried  on  by  his  son  Andrew  a  few 
years,  when  all  of  the  family  removed.  The  original 
Trapp  larm  is  now  the  property  of  H.  L.  Sparks. 

In  the  southern  part  of  the  township  George  Poe 
was  one  of  the  first  settlers.  He  was  a  native  of 
Maryland,  and  a  brother  of  Adam  and  Andrew  Poe, 
the  celebrated  frontiersmen,  who  sometimes  came  from 
their  home,  near  the  Ohio  Kiver.  to  visit  their  brother. 


The  latter  had  a  son  named  George,  and  another 
named  Andrew.  His  daughters  married  Henry 
Adams,  Levi  Adams,  and  Christopher  White,  all  of 
whom  lived  in  Salt  Lick.  About  1810  the  Poes  emi- 
grated to  the  Ohio  country.  There  is  much  of  interest 
connected  with  the  name  of  Poe  on  account  of  the 
e.xploita  of  George  Poe's  brothers,  Adam  and  Andrew 
Poe,  who  lived  in  the  western  part  of  Washington 
County.  One  adventure  in  particular,  occurring  on 
the  Ohio  River  in  1781,  in  which  Adam  Poe  killed 
the  famous  Wyandot  chief  "  Big  Foot,"  after  a  long 
and  dubious  hand-to-hand  struggle  with  the  savage, 
is  related  at  length  in  several  histories  of  early  border 
warfare,  and  is  familiar  to  a  majority  of  readers. 

The  Poes  were  all  muscular  men,  none  of  them 
being  less  than  six  feet  in  height,  and  although  noted 
for  their  heroic  achievements,  were  peaceable,  kind- 
hearted,  and  greatly  esteemed  by  their  neighbors. 
Henry  and  Levi  Adams,  sons-in-law  of  George  Poe, 
were  also  natives  of  Maryland.  They  came  to  Salt 
Lick  some  time  about  1790,  and  Levi,  after  liv- 
ing a  time  there,  went  to  the  West  to  join  the  Poe 
family.  Henry  Adams  settled  on  Back  Run,  dying 
on  the  farm  now  owned  by  David  Adams  about 
twenty  years  ago,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years. 
He  had  sons  named  John,  Henry,  and  George,  the 
latter  still  living  in  Bullskin  at  the  age  of  eighty 
years.  His  sisters  were  married  to  Jacob  Pritts, 
Abraham  Dumbauld,  and  Daniel  Witt,  all  of  Salt 
Lick. 

The  Dumbauld  family  was  the  first  to  make  a  per- 
manent settlement  and  retain  it  to  the  pre.sent  time. 
The  progenitor  of  the  family  was  Abraham  Dumbauld 
(formerly  Duimb.auld),  a  native  of  the  canton  of 
Berne,  Switzerland,  who  emigrated  to  America  when 
he  was  nineteen  yeai-s  of  age.  He  settled  at  Hagers- 
town,  where  in  time  he  married  a  daughter  of  the 
founder  of  that  town,  and  subsequently  came  with  a 
number  of  other  immigrants  to  the  Ligonier  Valley. 
He  laid  claim  by  tomahawk  right  to  large  tracts  of 
land  on  Four-Mile  Run,  west  of  the  Chestnut  Ridge, 
and  on  Champion  and  Indian  Creeks,  in  Salt  Lick. 
This  was  before  the  Indian  troubles  were  settled,  and 
after  being  in  the  country  a  short  time,  the  Dum- 
baulds  with  others  sought  safety  by  going  back  to 
Hagerstown.  About  1769  they  returned  to  the  Li- 
gonier Valley  and  erected  a  block-house  on  Four- 
Mile  Run,  to  which  they  might  flee  in  case  of  Indian 
incursions  or  when  they  apprehended  an  attack  by 
the  savages.  Abraham  Dumbauld  had  two  sons  and 
several  daughters ;  the  former  were  named  Peter  and 
Abraham.  The  latter  left  the  home  of  his  father  and 
brother,  in  Westmoreland  County,  and  about  1777 
settled  on  the  Dumbauld  claim  on  Indian  Creek, 
near  where  .fudge  Dumbauld  now  lives.  Even  at 
tiiat  time  they  did  not  live  secure  from  the  Indians, 
and  on  several  occasions  Abraham  Dumbauld  took 
his  family  from  Salt  Lick  to  the  block-house  on  the 
Henrv  farm  in  the  Liffonier  Vallev,  burving  such  of 


SALT   LICK   TOWNSHIP. 


743 


their  valuables  as  they  could  not  carry  with  them. 
On  one  occasion  a  lot  of  dishes  were  thus  hidden  in 
the  hurry  of  their  departure,  and  when  they  re- 
turned the  most  diligent  search  failed  to  reveal  the 
spot,  the  dishes  being  finally  given  up  as  lost.  A 
sister  of  Abraham  Dumbauld,  who  came  with  him  to 
Salt  Lick,  was  the  first  person  to  die  in  the  township. 
Her  coffin  was  a  trough-shaped  box,  hewed  out  of  a 
chestnut  log,  and  the  place  of  burial  was  on  the  Dum- 
bauld tract,  where  they  made  a  family  graveyard. 
This  tract  of  land  embraced  three  hundred  and  sixty- 
seven  acres,  the  warrant  therefor  being  dated  1785, 
and  extended  on  both  sides  of  the  Indian  Creek 
north  of  Champion  Run.  Abraham  Dumbauld  died 
about  1828,  upwards  of  seventy  years  of  age,  and  his 
wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Catharine  Boyer,  sur- 
vived him,  dying  at  the  age  of  eighty  years.  Their 
children  were  all  born  in  Salt  Lick,  as  follows  ;  Fred- 
erick, Feb.  6,  1778;  Mary,  July  6,  1780;  Philip, 
June  10,  1783;  David,  June  18,  1785;  Peter,  Dec. 
20,  1787;  Christiana,  March  3,  1790;  Barbara,  Sept. 
16,  1792;  Dolly,  March  24,  1795;  Elizabeth,  Sept.  8, 
1797. 

Frederick  Dumbauld  was  the  first  white  child  born 
in  the  township.  He  lived  on  the  homestead  until 
about  1832,  when  he  moved  to  Ohio.  Philip,  the 
second  son,  lived  on  an  adjoining  farm,  and  after  his 
death,  some  time  about  1830,  the  family  also  emi- 
grated to  Ohio.  David  settled  on  Back  Run,  where 
he  died  after  1860.  He  was  the  father  of  Hugh  and  ' 
Samuel  Dumbauld,  who  removed  to  Indiana.  Peter 
married  Sally  Cable,  and  lived  on  the  homestead  until 
his  death  in  April,  1875.  For  many  years  he  was  a 
justice  of  the  peace.  He  was  the  father  of  Abraham  ' 
C.  Dumbauld,  living  in  the  western  part  of  the  town- 
.ship;  Jonathan,  living  in  Somerset  County;  Samuel, 
living  in  Illinois;  Peter  and  Solomon,  who  removed 
to  Indiana;  and  David  W.  C,  the  youngest  son,  yet 
living  on  the  homestead,  which  has  been  occupied  by 
the  family  more  than  a  century.  He  has  held  many 
offices  of  public  trust,  and  is  better  known  as  Judge 
Dumbauld.  The  only  daughter,  Elizabeth,  became 
the  wife  of  Samuel  Pile,  of  Licking  County,  Ohio. 
The  daughters  of  Abraham  Dumbauld  married: 
Mary,  John  Lohr,  and  died  on  the  homestead  ;  Chris- 
tiana, Samuel  Fulton,  of  Somerset  County  ;  Barbara 
and  Dolly,  Joshua  Davis  and  Jacob  Miller,  both  of 
Salt  Lick;  and  Elizabeth,  Henry  Phillips,  of  Somer- 
set County. 

Shadrach  Davis,  by  birth  an  Englishman,  came  to 
Salt  Lick  about  the  same  time  as  the  Dumbaulds. 
He  was  the  father  of  Abraham  and  Joshua  Davis, 
who  were  prominent  in  the  history  of  the  township. 
The  former  first  lived  on  Champion  Run,  on  the  farm 
now  owned  by  Amos  Miller,  but  died  at  the  hamlet 
of  Davistown,  where  he  owned  and  operated  mills. 
He  reared  sons  named  Samuel,  who  moved  to  Spring-  j 
field  in  1830,  settling  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  his  ; 
son  Solomon,  where  he  died  in  1873  ;  Jacob,  yet  living 


j  in  Westmoreland ;  Benjamin  and  William,  who  re- 
moved  to   Defiance,  Ohio;    John,  Jehu,  and   Solo- 

'  mon  died  in  Salt  Lick.  The  daughters  of  Abra- 
ham "Davis  married  William   Stull,  Samuel   Eicher, 

j  David  Stull,  Jacob  Snyder,  Eli  Gallentine,  and  Dan- 
iel Bruner.  Joshua  Davis  lived  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  the  township  until  his  removal  to  Jefferson 

I  County,  about  1838. 

j  Adam  Bungard,  a  German,  settled  on  the  tract  of 
land  which  is  yet   in  part   owned   by  the  Bungard 

j  family,  where  he  died  in  1833  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
seven  years.  He  reared  sons  named  Adam,  George, 
John,  Christian,  Daniel,  Jacob,  and  Michael.     His 

:  daughters  married  Jacob  Miller,  Samuel  Berg,  and 
Samuel  Hahn.     Of  the  sons,  Jacob  and  Michael  yet 

I  live  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township.    On  "  Plen- 

'  tiful  Hill"  John  Grindle  was  a  pioneer.     He  was  the 

father  of  John,  David,  and  Christian  Grindle,  who 

after  living  in  Salt  Lick  a  number  of  years  moved  to 

the  West. 

The  Schlater  fiimily  were  among  the  first  settlers 

j  in  the  Ligonier  Valley,  where  they  had  many  ad- 
ventures with  the  Indians.  One  of  the  Schlater 
daughters  was  scalped  and  left  for  dead,  but  re- 
covered and  became  the  mother  of  a  large  family.  In 
the  possession  of  Isaac  Schlater  is  the  door  of  one  of 
the  pioneer  cabins  in  which  the  family  lived,  which 
shows  numerous  bullet-marks  and  gashes  made  by  the 
tomahawks  of  the  Indians  in  one  of  their  attacks. 
Some  of  the  family  lived  near  the  Salt  Lick  line,  and 
Isaac  Schlater  was  for  a  number  of  years  the  owner 
of  the  Mount  Hope  Furnace  in  that  locality.  Henry 
Schlater  for  a  number  of  years  livcMl  in  Salt  Lick,  re- 
moving from  the  townsliip  to  i  ihin.  In  the  extreme 
northwest  of  Salt  Lick  HmW  the  Kc-slar  family,  some 
of  the  MK'inl.rrs  n-i.iiii-  in  W.  -Inioivland.  AVilliam 
Kesslar  iiii|irnvi'il  tli^  iMrm  wav  owimmI  by  James  Coff- 
man,  ami  (ic-uigt-  K.-lai-  tin-  Martin  Wrinkler  place. 
Ludwig  Miller  was  born  in  Somerset  County,  but 
in  1800  moved  to  the  present  Christner  farm,  in  the 
southern  part  of  Salt  Lick,  where  he  died  in  1845. 
His  son,  Jacob  H.,  was  just  a  year  old  when  his 
parents  settled  in  the  township.  He  yet  resides  in 
the  eastern  part  of  Salt  Lick,  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  hale  men  in  the  county.  For  twenty-five  years 
he  was  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  in  that  period  of 
time  joined  two  hundred  and  forty  couples  in  matri- 
mony,— a  very  large  number  considering  the  sparsely- 
settled  condition  of  the  country.  The  other  sons  of 
Ludwig  Miller  were  Ludwig  H.,  who  moved  to  Ohio ; 
George  H.,  who  died  near  Sparks'  Mill;  Henry  H., 
whose  death  was  caused  by  falling  from  a  horse ; 
Abraham  H.,  who  died  in  Springfield ;  Frederick  H., 
who  fell  from  a  cherrj'-tree  and  was  killed ;  John  H., 
removed  to  Ohio;  and  Isaac  H.,  the  youngest,  died 
in  the  township.  The  daughters  married  Christian 
Bungard,  Ludwig  Hart,  Jacob  Bungard,  George  Sleas- 
man,  and  Henry  Cassell.  There  were  thirteen  chil- 
dren in  all.  and  when   Mrs.  Ludwis  Miller  died,  at 


744 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  age  of  eighty-six  years,  she  liad  one  hundred  and 
fifty  grandchildren  and  two  hundred  great-grandchil- 
dren, some  of  her  children  being  parent  to  eighteen 
and  twenty  children.  Nearly  all  the  Mill.r~  in  Salt 
Lick  originated  from  this  family,  and  liav.-  .li-].|,i\ .  il 
remarkable  unanimity  in  their  political  pinlikitinii-. 
At  the  late  Presidential  election  the  fiunily  cast  twenty 
.votes  for  Gen.  Hancock.  John  Harbaugh,  who  re- 
sided for  many  years  on  the  head- waters  of  Poplar 
Run,  was  the  grandson  of  tiie  Millers.  He  received 
from  Gen.  .Jackson  a  hickory  cane,  which  passed  from 
him  to  the  Millers,  and  is  cherished  by  them  as  a 
memorial  of  the  stern  old  hero  of  New  Orleans. 

At  the  head  of  Laurel  Pain,  Charles  Worrick,  a  Revo-  ' 
lutionary  soldier,  was  a  pioneer  wlio  came  in  about  i 
the  close  of  the  war.  He  died  in  Springfield  town- 
ship at  an  advanced  age.  Of  his  sons,  William  died 
at  Connellsville,  and  John  was  burned  to  death  while 
attempting  to  rescue  his  family  from  his  burning 
house.     This  sad  event  occurred  about  IS-'i^. 

On  Champion  Run,  John  Robison  was  one  of  the 
first  settlers.  The  land  passed  from  his  to  the  hands 
of  his  son  John,  and  from  him  to  his  son  Jacob.  The 
farm  at  present  belongs  to  the  latter's  son,  Wm.  L. 
Robison,  a  member  of  the  fourth  generation.  The 
present  Lyons  farm  was  first  settled  and  improved  by 
John  Crist,  and  sold  by  him  to  Henry  Yedeson  about 
1812,  when  Crist  removed  to  the  West.  He  was  the  i 
father  of  Frederick  Crist.  On  the  Peterson  place  Wni. 
Hess  was  a  pioneer,  and  after  the  death  of  Hess  the 
farm  was  occupied  by  his  son-in-law,  Samuel  Lohr. 

George  Sleasman,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  came 
about  1800  and  settled  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the 
township,  near  Worrick's  and  Anthony  Miller's,  the 
latter  living  on  the  present  Yinkey  place.  He  died 
in  1812,  and  his  son  Peter  was  then  bound  out  to 
Andrew  Trapp.  He  is  still  a  resident  of  the  town- 
ship at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  George  Sleas- 
man last  lived  on  the  George  Batchelor  farm  after  the 
latter  had  removed.  David  Berg,  a  native  of  Lancas- 
ter County,  became  a  settler  of  Salt  Lick  a  little  later, 
locating  on  the  farm  which  is  now  occupied  by  Elijah 
Cramer.  Of  his  sons,  Benjamin,  David,  and  Joseph 
are  yet  residents  of  the  township.  Other  sons  were 
John,  Frederick,  Samuel,  Jacob,  George,  and  Eman- 
uel. John  Yinkel  was  one  of  the  pioneers  on  Laurel 
Hill,  where  he  lived  until  the  death  of  his  wife,  when 
he  removed  to  Ohio,  but  returning  to  Salt  Lick  after 
many  years,  died  at  thehouseof  his  son-in-law,  David 
Berg,  at  the  age  of  ninety-eight  years.  In  the  western 
part  of  the  township,  Christian  Echard,  the  father  of 
John,  David,  Jacob  H.,  George,  Christian,  Peter,  and 
Levi  Eichard,  settled  some  time  after  1800,  and  some 
of  the  above  yet  remain  in  the  township. 

TOWNSHIP  OIKJANIZ.'i.TrON  AND  LIST  OF  OFFICERS. 

The  township  was  created  at  the  December,  1797, 

term  of  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions,  "on  the  petition  of 

sundry  inhabitants  of  the  Salt  Lick  settlement,  in  the 


township  of  BuUskin,  praying  for  a  division  of  said 
township,  and  that  the  top  of  Chestnut  Ridge  may  be 
the  line  of  separation.  It  is  considered  by  the  court 
that  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners  be  granted,  and 
that  the  eastern  division  be  called  Salt  Lick  township." 
Although  thus  officially  named,  it  was  for  several 
years  known  by  the  name  of  Young  township,  not 
only  locally  but  in  official  transactions.  In  the  sec- 
ond volume  of  "  Com.  Records,"  page  38,  under  date 
of  Jan.  1.3, 1798,  the  name  of  Reuben  Skinner  appears 
as  the  assessor  of  Young  township.  Again,  March  1, 
1798,  "  the  house  of  Benjamin  Davis,  of  Young  town- 
ship," is  designated  as  the  place  where  appeals  from 
assessments  might  be  heard.  The  name  of  John  Rob- 
ison appears  as  the  collector  of  taxes,  July  7,  1798, 
for  the  township  of  Young,  and  the  tax-roll  for  that 
township  is  closed  Feb.  16,  1799,  over  the  signatures 
of  John  Robison  and  George  Batchelor,  his  assistant. 
Other  accounts  were  opened  about  this  time  with 
Young  township,  and  continued  later  as  the  accounts 
with  Salt  Lick  ;  but  there  is  nothing  on  record  to  show 
that  the  name  of  Young  was  ever  authorized.  It  was 
probably  unwittingly  used  in  a  local  sense,  and  thus 
received  semi-official  sanction  until  the  error  was 
corrected.  The  term  Salt  Lick  was  derived  from  the 
licks  of  salt  along  Indian  Creek,  the  principal  .stream 
in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  county,  and  the  name 
was  for  many  years  applied  to  all  that  part  of  the 
country  lying  east  of  the  Chestnut  Ridge  and  north 
of  the  Youghiogheny  River.  A  petition  for  the  di- 
vision of  this  large  township  was  presented  to  the 
court  at  its  June  session  in  1831,  and  William  David- 
son, William  Andrews,  and  Samuel  Rogers  were  ap- 
pointed viewers,  with  orders  bearing  date  Nov.  1, 
1831,  continued  Jan.  13,  1832,  and  March  8th  of 
the  same  year.  At  the  following  session  of  court, 
June,  1832,  they  reported  that  they  had  "met  to  view 
the  contemplated  division  line  as  set  forth  by  the 
order,  and  are  of  the  opinion  that  it  is  inexpedient 
to  grant  the  prayers  of  the  petitioners."  The  court 
approved  the  report,  and  for  several  years  the  subject 
was  allowed  to  rest.  But  at  the  June  session  in  1839 
the  court  was  again  petitioned  for  a  division,  and 
commissioners  were  appointed,  who  reported  unfavor- 
ably Sept.  5,  1839,  their  report  being  approved  by 
the  court.  After  the  lapse  of  eight  years  a  petition 
again  went  to  the  court  praying  for  a  division  of 
the  township  of  Salt  Lick,  and  Thomas  R.  Davidson, 
Alexander  M.  Hill,  and  Joseph  Torrance  were  ap- 
jjointed  viewers.  These  reported  Sept.  18,  1847,  and 
on  the  11th  of  December  of  the  same  year  their  re- 
port was  confirmed  as  follows:  "The  court  approve 
the  divi-inii  (if  said  township  by  the  clay  turnpike ; 
the  south  -iilc  of  said  road  to  be  the  line  from  the  Con- 
nellsvilli-  and  BuUskiii  township  line  to  Indian  Creek, 
ancl  from  thence  to  the  Somerset  line,  the  northern 
side  of  .-.aid  road  to  be  the  line.  The  northern  town- 
ship to  retain  the  name  of  Salt  Lick,  and  the  southern 
township  to  be  called  Youghioglieny  township." 


SALT   LICK   TOWNSHIP. 


It  appears  that  llie  above  division  did  not  prove 
satisfactory  to  the  citizens  of  the  newly-constituted  i 
township,  and  at  the  September  term  of  court,  1848,  j 
that  body  was  petitioned  for  a  new  township,  to  em-  | 
brace  parts  of  both   Salt  Lick   and  Youghiogheny.  | 
Abraham   Pershing,   Levi    Bradford,   and    Provance  I 
McCormick  were  appointed  commissioners  to  inves-  j 
tigate  the  matter,  and  a  report  was  made  by  them 
Dec.  4,  1848,  and  ordered  filed  in  favor  of  a  new 
township.     This  report  was  confirmed  on  the  10th  of 
March,   1849,   as    follows:    "The   new   township   is 
established  according  to  the  within  report,  and  the 
court  direct  that  the  said  township  shall  be  called 
'  Springfield.'  "     By  this  order  Salt  Lick  was  limited  1 
to  its  present  bounds,  and  those  of  Springfield  were 
enlarged  in  November,  1855,  by  the  addition  of  that 
part  of  Youghiogheny  township  which  had  not  been 
absorbed  by  the  formation  of  Stewart  township. 

Before  Salt  Lick  was  erected  Andrew  Trapp  held 
a  commission  as  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the 
township  of  Bullskin,  his  name  appearing  in  that 
connection  as  early  as  1796.  He  was  also  the  first 
justice  of  Salt  Lick.  He  served  as  a  justice  a  number 
of  years,  but  in  1810  appears  the  name  of  Richard 
Skinner  as  a  justice,  and  later,  and  before  1837, 
Frederick  Dumbauld,  William  Kessler,  Peter  Dum-  l 
bauld,  and  Peter  Kooser. 

Among  other  early  officers  of  Salt  Lick  were  the 
following  :  1798,  John  Cleary  and  George  Poe,  con- 
stables; Abraham  Dumbauld  and  William  Kern,  su- 
pervisors of  highways ;  Christian  Perkey  and  William 
Smith,  overseers  of  the  poor.  1798,  John  Schlater 
and  Alexander  Cummings,  supervisors  of  highways;  | 
Henry  Rush  and  Christian  Senff,  overseers  of  the 
poor.  1800,  Richard  Truax  and  Jacob  Norrix,  over- 
seers of  the  poor.  1801,  Richard  Truax  and  Conrad 
Bates,  supervisors  of  highways ;  Alexander  Cum-  ' 
mings  and  William    Spear,   overseers  of  the   poor.  I 

1802,  Michael  Beasinger  and  George  Bungard,  super- 
visors of  roads ;    William  Kern,  Nathaniel  Skinner,  I 
John   Robinson,   and   Joseph    Hoffhance,   auditors,  j 

1803,  John  Robinson  and  Richard  Truax,  supervisors  i 
of  highways ;  William  Kern  and  Abraham  Dum- 
bauld, auditors.  1804,  John  Robison  and  Smith 
Godwin,  supervisors  of  highways.  1805,  Benjamin 
Truax  and  George  Wolf,  supervisors  of  highways. 
1806,  John  Murray  and  George  Batchelor,  auditors. 

Since  1839  the  principal  oflicers  of  Salt  Lick  have 

been  the  following : 

1840.— Justices,  Peter  DumbaulJ,  Jacob  H.  Miller:  Assessor, 
Gabriel  Christner;  Auditor,  Fred  Begg. 

1S41.— Assessor,  David  Barnett;  Auditor,  William  Kern. 

1842. — Assessor,  George  Dull;  Auditor,  John  Senff. 

1843.— Assessor,  John  Robison;  Auditor,  Abraham  (lallentine. 

1844.— Assessor,  John  M.  Murray;  Auditor,  Abraham  C.  Dum- 
bauld. 

1845.— Justices,  Jacob  H.  Miller  and  James  Schriehfield  ;  As- 
sessor, Daniel  Kessler  ;  Auditor,  John  Senff. 

1846.— Assessor,  Daniel  Senff;  Auditor,  Abraham  Gallentino. 

1847.— Assessor.  Jonathan  Lvon  ;  Auditor.  Jacob  11.  Miller. 


IStS.-As-essur,  Jacob  Pritts;  Audilor,  Peter  Dumbauld. 

1849. — Justice,  Pelor  Dumbauld;  Assessor,  Samuel  Kessler; 
Auditor,  Abraham  Gallentine. 

1850.— Justice,  Philip  Fleck;  Assessor,  Jacob  W.  Robison; 
Auditor,  John  Schultz. 

1851.— Assessor,  Henry  Snyder;  Auditor,  D.  W.  C.  Dumbauld. 

1852.— Assessor,  William  Muney  ;  Auditor,  Samuel  Kessler. 

185.3.- Assessor,  Jo.-eph  Gallentine;  Auditor,  AVilliam  Fleger. 

1854.— Justice,  D.  W.  C.  Dumbauld;  Assessor,  William  Steel; 
Auditor,  Peter  Dumbauld. 

1855.— Justice,  Philip  Fleck  ;  Assessor,  John  Shultz  ;  Auditor, 
John  R.  Lohr. 

1856.— Justice,  Daniel  Witt;  Assessor,  A.  C.  Dumbauld;  Audi- 
tor, Samuel  Kessler. 

1857.- Assessor,  Jacob  H.  Miller;  Auditor,  A.  C.  Dumbauld. 

1858.— Assessor,  John  Shultz;  Auditor,  Jeremiah  C.  Lohr. 

1859. — Assessor,  Jacob  Yothers;  Auditor,  Daniel  Witt. 

I860.— Justice,  Philip  Fleck;  Assessor,  Samuel  Lohr. 

1861.— Justice,  Jacob  H.  Miller;  Assessor,  John  Davis;  Audi- 
tor, D.  W.  S.  Cavenaugh. 

1862.- Assessor,  Peter  H.  Eehard;  Auditor,  Emanuel  Barley. 

1863.— Assessor,  John  F.  Murray;  Auditor,  William  H.  Miller. 

1864.- Assessor,  D.  A.  C.  Hosteller;  Auditor,  Jacob  H.  Miller. 

1865.- Justice,  D.  W.  C.  Dumbauld;  Assessor,  Frederick  Mur- 
ray; Auditor,  George  A.  Dumbauld. 

1866.- Justice,Jacob  H.Miller;  Assessor.  J.  C.  Lohr  ;  Auditor, 
Philip  Fleck. 

1867.— Assessor,  George  W.  Kern  ;  Auditor,  Jacob  H.  Miller. 

1868. — Assessor,  David  Cramer  ;  Auditor,  George  A.  Dumbauld. 

1869.- Assessor,  Aaron  Brooks;  Auditor,  Jeremiah  M.  Miller. 

1869.- Justice,  D.  W.  C.  Dumbauld;  Auditor,  Nathan  Wilson. 

1870.- Justice,  Jacob  H.  Miller;  Assessor,  D.  W.  C.  Dum- 
bauld; Auditor,  George  A.  Pritts. 

1872.— Justice,  David  A.  Witt;  Assessor,  William  H.  Miller; 
Auditor,  Jeremiah  M.  Miller. 

1873.— Assessor,  John  N.  Kalp :  Auditor,  David  A.  Witt. 

1874.— Assessor,  A.  C.  Dumbauld;  Auditor,  George  A.  Dum- 

1875. — Assessor,  David  Ayres;  Auditor,  Emanuel  Barclay. 

1876.— Justice,  George  A.  Dumbauld;  Assessor,  Simon  Fulton; 
Auditor,  David  Witt. 

1877.— Justice,  Isaac  W.  White;  Assessor,  S.  M.  Miller;  Audi- 
tor, Heman  Stall. 

1878.— Assessor,  Samuel  Christner;  Auditor,  George  AV.  Gaus. 

lS79.-^Assessor,  Cyrus  White;  Auditor,  David  A.  Witt. 

1880.- Assessor,  David  Foust ;  Auditor,  Henry  Witt. 

1881.— Justice,  George  A.  Dumbauld;  Assessor,  A.  H.  Miller: 
Auditor,  J.  B.  Adams;  Supervisors  of  Roads,  E.  Barkley, 
A.  Reece,  and  J.  H,  Miller. 

ROADS. 
One  of  the  oldest  roads  of  the  township  of  which 
any  record  appears  was  petitioned  for  December,  1784, 
praying  that  it  be  located  from  the  Broad  Ford  to  Chris- 
tian Perkey's  mill,  and  from  thence  to  the  Redstone 
Old  Fort.  At  the  March  term  of  the  court,  1786, 
Robert  Beal,  Edward  Doyle,  Andrew  Arnold,  Wil- 
liam Miller,  and  Joshua  Dickerson,  as  viewers,  re- 
ported "  that  the  road  was  of  great  use  and  very 
necessary,  as  well  for  the  county  adjacent  as  for  the 
inhabitants  to  said  road  in  general,  and  we  do  presume 
it  to  be  necessary  to  be  of  the  width  of  thirty  feet." 
"Thereupon,  after  due  consideration,  the  court  do 
confirm  the  same,  and  order  that  the  said  road  be 


746 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


opened,  cut,  cleared,  and  bridged,  twenty-five  feet 
wide."  The  road  was  run  with  the  assistance  of 
Alexander  Moreland,  and  has  always  been  one  of 
the  chief  highways  of  the  township,  whose  import- 
ance has  only  been  exceeded  by  the  State  road  across 
the  mountains,  which  was  also  opened  about  this 
time.  In  December,  1800,  the  CMurt  was  petitiiuied 
for  a  bridge  across  Salt  Lick  (Iii.liaiH  » 'n-ik  at  the 
crossing  of  the  State  road.  The  (iraud  .Iiiiy  recdiii- 
mended  that  the  bridge  be  built,  and  the  court  at  the 
March  session  in  1801  directed  the  commissioners  to 
have  it  built  in  accordance  with  the  plans  presented. 
The  road  from  Andrew  Trapp's  to  the  west  of  tlie 
Laurel  Hills  was  ordered  in  April,  1806,  while  the 
road  from  Trapp's  to  Perkey's  and  thence  to  Loben- 
gier's  was  ordered  in  April,  isos,  Aliraluuu  Kiimear, 
Henry  Adams,  Abraham  Dumliauld,  .luhii  (Jriiidle, 
George  Batchelor,  and  James  I'atten  being  the  view- 
ers. The  road  from  John  Grindle's  to  the  bridge  on 
Indian  Creek  was  ordered  by  the  same  court,  and  was 
viewed  by  Andrew  Trapp,  Abraham  Kern,  John 
Robinson,  Peter  Dumbauld,  Daniel  Perkey,  and  John 
Muir.  The  township  is  well  provided  with  highways, 
which  are  usually  kept  in  a  passable  condition. 

6ENEK.4L    INDUSTRIES. 

Although  agriculture  has  always  been  the  leading 
pursuit  of  the  people  of  Salt  Lick,  considerable  im- 
portance has  always  been  attached  to  its  manufactur- 
ing interests.  The  first  was  ]irobably  the  mill  built 
by  Christian  Perkey,  on  the  waters  of  Indian  Creek, 
near  the  nortli  line  of  the  township.  It  was  put  in 
operation  some  time  about  1780,  and  was  at  first  a 
very  small  affair.  Later  a  better  mill  was  built  of 
logs  on  a  good  stone  foundation,  which  was  allowed 
to  remain  wlien  James  Muir  took  down  the  old  mill 
and  built  in  its  jilaee  a  one-story  frame  mill,  with 
im|iroved  gearing  and  a  pair  of  French  burrs  in  ])lace 
of  the  ordinary  mountain  stone  which  previously  did 
service.  That  mill  in  turn  gave  place  to  the  present 
structure,  which  was  erected  in  1878  by  William  Ne- 
will,  under  the  direction  of  James  Leeper  as  mill- 
wright. It  is  a  three-story  frame  of  large  size,  lias 
three  runs  of  stones  and  modern  niaehinery,  being 
in  all  its  appointments  one  of  the  best  mills  in  the 
county.  The  motive-power  is  Inrnished  by  a  Leffel  j 
turbine-wheel,  and  the  mill  is  rated  at  $10,000.  The  i 
present  owners  are  William  Newill  and  his  son,  A.  M.  | 
Newill,  the  latter  operating  the  mills.  The  property  I 
has  had  many  owners,  passing  from  Christian  Perkey 
to  his  son  Daniel ;  thence  to  Frederick  Fleck,  who 
had  the  grist-,  saw-,  and  an  oil-mill  in  operation  in 
1823,  the  latter  being  continued  about  ten  years  ; 
thence  to  William  Murray,  thence  to  James  Muir, 
and  from  him  to  James  Muir,  Jr.,  who  owned  it  until 
his  death,  when  Mr.  Newill  became  the  proprietor  of 
both  the  grist-  and  the  saw-mill,  continuinL;  Uotli,  a> 
above  stated.  The  oil-mill  was  long  since  disron- 
tiiuied. 


Passing  down  Indian  Creek  to  a  point  above  Cham- 
pion Run,  the  next  power  was  improved,  about  1820, 
by  Peter  Dumbauld  to  operate  a  saw-mill,  which 
after  a  number  of  3'ears  became  the  property  of 
George  Bitner.  On  the  same  place  was  a  fruit  and 
grain  distillery,  which  was  discontinued  about  1836. 

On  Champion  Run  are  several  water-powers,  one 
of  which  was  improved  by  William  W.  Robinson 
about  18.52,  and  made  to  operate  a  saw-mill,  which  is 
at  present  the  property  of  Jacob  Bruner.  Farther  up 
the  stream,  John  Spear  had  a  linseed-oil  mill  about 
1846,  which  had  also  as  owners  John  Piper  and 
Henry  J.  Ritner,  but  has  not  been  operated  the  past 
twenty  years.  On  the  south  branch  of  the  run  a 
saw-mill  was  put  in  operation  about  1840  by  Wil- 
liam Kessler,  which  passed  into  the  hands  of  John 
W.  Kinnear,  and  thence  to  others,  a  new  mill  being 
erected  on  the  site  by  James  Coffman,  which  is  yet 
profitably  operated. 

On  the  main  branch  of  Indian  Creek,  at  the  ham- 
let of  Davistown,  Abraham  Davis  built  a  saw-mill 
about  1830,  and  not  long  after,  a  carding-machine 
and  fulling-mill.  Ten  years  later  he  built  a  small 
grist-mill,  which  was  displaced  by  the  present  mill 
in  1872,  which  was  built  by  John  Davis.  After  his 
death  in  1873  the  mill  became  the  property  of  Lem- 
uel Mathews.  The  mill-house  is  three  stories  high, 
and  contains  three  runs  of  stones.  A  new  saw-mill 
has  also  recently  been  built  at  this  point,  and  while 
the  carding-machine  is  still  kept  in  operation,  the 
fulling-mill  has  long  since  been  discontinued. 

On  Back  Run,  a  mile  above  its  mouth,  the  power 
was  first  improved  about  1790  by  Peter  Bucher,  to  op- 
erate a  saw-mill,  which  was  a  great  convenience  to  the 
settlers  of  this  part  of  the  township.  A  saw-mill  is 
yet  maintained  at  that  point  by  Joseph  Berg.  A 
short  distance  above,  Henry  White,  a  resident  of 
Bullskin,  built  a  log-mill  about  1796,  which  is  yet  in 
use,  and  is  in  a  well-preserved  condition.  The  stone 
basement  appears  perfect,  and  there  is  little  to  show 
the  age  of  the  mill,  as  the  internal  arrangements 
have  been  changed  from  time  to  time.  At  present 
there  are  two  runs  of  stones,  which  are  run  by  the 
power  of  an  overshot  water-wheel,  fed  by  a  long  race. 
Among  the  early  operators  of  the  mill  were  Daniel 
Perkey,  George  Huey,  and  Adam  Leppert.  The  mill 
was  sold  by  White  to  the  Berg  family,  and  still  re- 
mains in  their  possession,  the  present  owner  being 
David  Berg.  The  saw  mill  at  this  point  has  become 
practically  useless,  although  the  mill  still  remains. 
A  short  distance  above,  Daniel  Witt  has  had  a  saw- 
mill in  successful  operation  the  past  fourteen  years. 
Yet  farther  up  the  stream  David  Dumbauld  built  a 
saw-mill  about  1840,  which  passed  from  him  to  Dan- 
iel Eisenian,  thence  to  Jonathan  Ash,  and  to  David 
t^aylor,  the  present  owner.  Another  mill  was  oper- 
ated on  r.ack  Run,  above  the  latter,  by  James  H. 
Miller,  l>iit  the  power  has  been  abandoned,  the  water 
supjily  being   too   small   to  be   advantageously  em- 


SALT   LICK   TOWNSHIP. 


747 


ployed.  On  Poplar  Ruu  a  small  saw-mill  is  owned 
and  operated  by  Manasseh  Burkholder. 

At  the  mouth  of  Back  Run,  Andrew  Trapp  built  a 
saw-mill  about  1800,  obtaining  power  by  means  of  a 
long  raceway  from  the  run  to  a  point  near  the  Indian 
Creek.  Trapp  operated  the  mill  a  number  of  years, 
and  was  thereafter  succeeded  by  his  son  Andrew.  The 
subsequent  owners  of  this  power  have  been  John  and 
Gabriel  Christner,  Daniel  and  John  Senff,  Abraham 
Gallentine,  Alfred  Cooper,  and  the  present,  H.  L. 
Sparks.  Alfred  Cooper  established  the  tannery  busi- 
ness at  this  point  in  1855.  His  yard  contained  thirty- 
eight  vats,  and  the  building  was  a  story  and  a  half 
high.  In  1863,  Mr.  Sparks  became  the  owner  of  the 
property,  and  after  ten  years  he  remodeled  the  tan- 
nery and  the  mill.  The  power  was  increased  by  the 
substitution  of  water-wheels  of  the  Leffel  pattern, 
whose  capacity  aggregates  thirty-nine  horse-power. 
The  old  tannery  was  displaced  by  the  present  build- 
ing, which  is  50  x  80  feet,  two  and  a  half  stories  high. 
Although  supplied  with  a  boiler,  steam  has  not  yet 
been  used,  the  proprietor  preferring  to  finish  his  work 
in  cold  water,  thus  securing  for  his  products  a  most 
enviable  reputation  in  Eastern  markets.  From  two 
thousand  to  three  thousand  hides  per  year  are  tanned 
into  harness-  and  skirting-leather,  about  one-third  of 
which  is  finished  at  the  currying  establishment  of  th-e 
firm  at  Connellsville.  The  saw-mill  was  rebuilt  in 
the  fall  of  1879,  the  capacity  being  increased  to  fifteen 
hundred  feet  per  day.  In  the  spring  of  1881  a  plauing- 
mill  was  attached  to  the  same  power,  and  the  manu- 
facture of  builders'  materials  of  all  kinds  begun.  The 
products  of  the  mill  are  mainly  oak,  chestnut,  and 
poplar,  chiefly  the  latter  two,  the  woods  yet  abound- 
ing with  trees  from  which  first-class  lumber  may  be 
cut.  In  1875,  H.  L.  Sparks  associated  with  him  his 
son  S.  H.,and  the  firm  has  since  been  known  as  H.  L. 
Sparks  &  Son. 

In  former  times  there  were  a  number  of  small  dis- 
tilleries in  the  township,  which  were  employed  to  a 
large  extent  in  working  up  the  fruit  which  grew  so 
abundantly  on  many  farms.  Among  the  principal 
distillers  were  John  Dull  and  David  Berg  on  Back 
Hun,  and  the  Dumbaulds  and  Andrew  Trapp  on 
Indian  Creek ;  but  all  of  them  have  been  discontinued 
more  than  thirty  years  since.  George  Rees  made  hats 
in  a  small  shop  on  the  old  State  road,  and  had  the 
reputation  of  being  a  very  skillful  workman.  Powder 
was  made  in  a  small  way  at  Davistown  by  Joshua 
Davis ;  and  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  township, 
J.  Yoder  had  in  operation,  after  1826,  a  loom  of  ingeni- 
ous construction  for  weaving  woolen,  cotton,  and 
linen  goods.  He  wove  linen  sheets  of  such  fineness 
and  texture  that  they  were  in  great  demand  and  highly 
prized  by  the  housekeepers  of  Eastern  Fayette. 

A  good  quality  of  mountain  coal  abounds  on  nearly 
every  farm,  and  has  been  developed  in  many  localities 
to  supply  the  home  demand,  there  being  yet  no  facil- 
ities  for   shipping   to   outside  markets.     At  Sparks' 


Mill  appear  two  layers  of  coal,  in  veins  four  feet 
thick  and  about  one  hundred  feet  apart,  and  in  many 
other  localities  similar  strata  manifest  themselves, 
some  of  the  chief  mines  being  on  the  old  Henry 
Adams  place,  and  on  the  Brooks,  Lohr,  Robison,  and 

'  Berg  farms. 

Within  the  past  twenty  years  limestone  of  a  supe- 

I  rior  quality  has  been  found  in  many  accessible  places, 
and  has  been  quarried  to  a  considerable  extent  for 
fertilizing  purposes,  to  the   manifest  benefit  of  the 

j  lands  to  which  it  has  been  applied.  One  of  the  finest 
strata  thus  far  discovered  is  on  the  old  George  Poe 

'■  place,  now  owned  by  Henry  Bungard.     It  is  nearly 

I  sixty  feet  in  thickness  and  very  easily  developed.  In 
the  northern  part  of  the  township  iron  ore  was  for- 
merly mined  to  supply  the  Mount  Hope  Furnace, 
which  was  in  that  locality,  in  Westmoreland  County. 
But  since  it  has  gone  out  of  blast  no  further  develop- 
ment of  that  mineral  has  been  made.  Mount  Hope 
Furnace  was  built  in  1808,  and  blew  out  about  1820. 

MERCANTILE    AND    OTHER    INTERESTS. 
Before  the  clay  pike  was  opened  through  Spring- 

I  field,   in    1810,   the   old    State    road   was   the  great 

'  thoroughfare  from  Somerset  County  to  Connellsville, 

i  and  many  taverns  consequently  were  kept  on  that 
route  to  accommodate  the  numerous  teams  toiling  up 
and  down  its  course.  Three  of  these  were  licensed 
as  early  as  1795,  viz. :  George  Batchelor,  on  the  pres- 
ent Peter  Sleasman  place  ;  Benjamin  Davis,  on  the 
Joseph  Gallentine  place ;  and  Melchior  Entling,  the 

I  latter  being  in  the  present  township  of  Springfield. 

!  These  were  continued  a  number  of  years,  and  at  the 

i  Davis  stand  was  afterwards  Peter  Feike.  Eastward 
were  the  taverns  of  Andrew  Trapp,  David  Berg, 
George  Batchelor,  George  Rees,  and  Frederick  Mur- 
ray, the  latter  being  at  the  foot  of  Laurel  Hill. 
Nearly  half  a  century  has  elapsed  since  Salt  Lick  has 
had  a  licensed  tavern. 

j  It  is  probable  that  Andrew  Trapp  was  the  first  to 
engage  in  mercantile  pursuits,  having  a  small  store 

i  near  the  site  of  Sparks'  tannery  as  early  as  1799.  His 
original  account-book,  to  which  the  writer  has  had 
access,  contains  the  names  of  nearly  all  the  pioneers, 
and  shows  that  he  must  have  carried  on  quite  a  flour- 
ishing business.  The  chief  articles  of  traflic  were 
liquor,  lumber,  flour,  tallow,  and  salt.     In  addition, 

I  Trapp  was  the  keeper  of  a  public-house  and  justice 
of  the  peace,  making  his  transactions  numerous  and 
multiform.     In  1800,  Adam  Bungard  was  debited  to 

;  "one  bushel  of  salt,  for  which  he  promised  to  deliver 
me  eight  bushels  of  corn."  December,  1800,  George 
and  Andrew  Poe  were  made  debtor  to  writing  "  Two 
Bonds  of  Performance  and  other  writings,  at  Is.  6d. 
per  paper."  Christian  Senff,  1801,  was  credited  by 
one  heifer,  £3,  and  charged  with  ten  bushels  of  wheat, 
at  6s.  per  bushel ;  one  gallon  of  whisky,  os. ;  three 
gallons  of  apple  brandy,  at  48.  per  gallon.  Abraham 
Workman,  1804,  "  Dr.  by  wife  to  five  quarts  of  whisky, 


748 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


for  which  she  promised  two  bushels  of  rye,  to  be  de- 
livered in  two  weeks."     The  grain  was  delivered  at 
the  proper  time,  as  is  indicated  by  a  credit  to  that 
efl'ect.     "Black  Benjamin,"   owned  by  the   Bucher 
family,  had  many  debits  for  whisky,  which  were  paid 
by  working  on  the  mill-race.     In  1802,  George  Poe, 
Jr.,  was  made  debtor  "  By  balance  on  the  digging  of 
twenty  rods  of  my  '  dale'  race,  £1  li3s.  llrf."    In  1802, 
George  Burkholder  was  debited  "  To  cash  lent  to  pay 
the  lawer,  15s.,"  and  in  1804, "  for  marrying  his  son  Wil-  ■ 
liara,  15.S."     John  Woodruff,  in  1802,  "  To  horse  feed  ' 
and  victuals,  3s.  (3(/.'    For  solemnizing  him  with  the  ^ 
bonds  of  matrimony  to  his  present  wife,  7s.  6d.     To 
my  trouble  in  going  thither,  7s.  6rf."     David  Barnes, 
1802.  "To  one  pint  of  salt,  od."     Frederick   Dum- 
li;tuia.  ism.  '•  By  fifteen  pounds  of 'Hetzeled  Flax.'"  , 
Mflchor  Entling,  1807,  "By  balance  he  overpaid  on  | 
■A  letter,  2.<.  Sd."     "  To  one  barrel  of  boiled  cider,  £1 
10s."     Benjamin  Harris,  1802,  "To  one  order  for  a 
wolf's   head.   Is.   6rf."      John    Wibel,   the    teacher, 
July,  1807,  "  By  two  days'  raking  hay  by  wife  and  ' 
Betsey,  3s."     George  Wolf  is  mentioned  in  1805  as 
the  shoemaker,  Jacob  Earned  as  the  blacksmith,  and 
John  Holliday  as  the  wagon-maker. 

Upon  tln'  (lialli  of  .\ndrewTrapp,  in  1824,  the  busi- 
ness passcil  intu  tlir  hands  of  his  son  Andrew,  who 
carried  it  'in  liuht  or  ten  years  longer,  when  Gabriel 
and  John  I'hristnrr  nigaged  in  the  mercantile  trade 
at  that  stand  a  lew  years  longer.  About  1827,  Robert 
Moorehead  had  a  store  in  the  same  neighborhood, 
but  at  a  different  stand.  Thenceforth  a  store  was 
kept  at  Davistown  by  the  Davis  family,  which  was 
discontinued  in  1873. 

For  ten  or  twelve  years  prior  to  1868  a  store  was 
carried  on  in  the  Gallentine  House,  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  township.  The  first  in  trade  were  John 
Gallentine  and  John  F.  Murray, and  after  a  few  years 
the  latter  conducted  the  store  until  it  was  discontinued, 
when  H.  L.  Sparks  opened  his  store  at  the  tannery, 
and  where  he  has  been  engaged  in  merchandising  the 
last  twelve  years. 

In  1871,  John  Miller  opened  a  store  at  his  residence, 
a  mile  east  of  Sparks',  and  later  a  business  house 
was  erected  for  their  increasing  trade  near  by,  where 
J.  H.  and  P.  H.  Miller  were  profitably  engaged  in 
business  until  April,  1881,  when  the  latter  retired,  his 
place  in  the  firm  being  taken  by  James  Worrick. 

The  third  of  the  business  places  at  present  contin- 
ued was  established  in  1873,  on  the  farm  of  D.  W.  C. 
Dum'oauld,  by  H.  L.  Sparks,  and  two  years  later  be- 
came the  property  of  Judge  Dumbauld,  who  is  carry- 
ing on  a  general  store,  stocked  with  a  full  line  of 
goods.  At  this  place  is  kept  the  Champion  post- 
ofiice,  which  was  established  in  September,  1875, 
D.  W.  C.  Dumbauld  as  postmaster.  He  held  that  ' 
position  until  February,  1877,  when  Mary  E.  Dum- 
bauld was  appointed  postmaster,  and  still  has  charge 
of  the  office.  It  is  on  the  Jones'  Mill  route,  and  has 
two  mails  per  day.  ' 


At  Sparks'  store  is  kept  the  Indian  Head  post-office, 
the  oldest  office  in  the  township.  It  was  established 
with  the  name  of  Dawson,  but  later  took  the  name 
of  Indian  Greek,  and  in  October,  1875,  was  given  its 
present  appellation,  the  other  names  causing  confu- 
sion on  account  of  titles  nearly  similar  which  are 
borne  by  other  offices  in  the  State.  In  1873  the  office 
was  removed  from  Davistown  to  the  present  place, 
H.  L.  Sparks  being  appointed  postmaster  vice  John 
Davis,  decea,sed.  He  has  since  continued  to  serve  in 
that  capacity.  The  office  has  two  mails  per  day,  the 
service  being  by  the  route  from  Stewarton  Station,  in 
Springfield,  to  Jones'  Mill,  in  Westmoreland  County. 

There  is  properly  no  hamlet  in  Salt  Lick,  the  only 
approach  to  one  being  Davistown,  where  are  a  few 
houses  and  a  church  clustered  around  the  mills  at 
that  point.  Whatever  other  interests  were  here  have 
been  diverted  to  the  places  named  above  as  being 
more  suitable  trading  points. 

RELIGIOUS  AST)  EDUCATIONAL. 
The  first  denominational  services  in  the  township 
were  maintained  by  the  Lutheran  and  German  Re- 
formed settlers,  who  belonged  to  those  churches  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  State.  These  meetings,  held 
first  at  the  house  of  Peter  Bucher  and  otiier  places, 
resulted  in  a  purpose  to  have  a  house  of  worship 
where  both  sects  might  hold  their  meetings,  and  the 
increasing  congregations  might  be  better  accommo- 
dated than  in  the  limited  rooms  theretofore  available. 
To  this  end  Peter  Bucher  and  Andrew  Trapp  deeded 
a  tract  of  land  on  a  gentle  hill-slope  near  the  west 
bank  of  Back  Run,  where  the  present 

GDTE   HOFFNUNG    KIRCHE 

was  erected  about  1800.  It  is  of  logs,  but  has  been 
weather-boarded,  and  in  general  appearance  resembles 
a  frame  house.  Originally  it  was  provided  with  side 
and  end  galleries  and  a  high  pulpit;  but  these  have 
been  removed  and  the  internal  arrangements  made  to 
conform  to  modern  architecture.  The  house  was  re- 
modeled in  the  summer  of  1851,  and  on  the  29th  of 
November  of  that  year  the  "  Lutheran  Congregation 
of  Good  Hope"  was  organized.  At  this  time  there 
were  ninety-one  members,  and  the  church  council  • 
was  composed  of  Rev.  J.  R.  Focht,  pastor ;  John 
Snyder  and  Peter  Snyder,  elders ;  A.  C.  Dumbauld 
and  Frederick  Miller,  deacons. 

The  time  when  the  congregation  was  first  organized 
is  involved  in  obscurity.  In  the  first  church-book 
appear  the  names  of  children  baptized  as  early  as 
1788;  but  it  is  possible  that  some  of  them  may  have 
been  transcribed  from  the  record  of  other  churches, 
since  no  other  idea  but  that  of  baptism  is  conveyed. 
The  first  date  of  any  authentic  moment  is  Aug.  23, 
1795,  when  a  list  of  communicants  is  given,  which 
embraces  the  names  of  Mathias  Kern,  Peter  Bucher, 
Sr.,  Frederick  Herman,  Ludwig  Banse,  Anna  Maria 
Banse,  Catherine  Senflf,  Christopher  Loser,  Christian 
Senff',    Frederick   Meator,   Peter  Strayer,    Catherine 


SALT   LICK   TOWNSHIP. 


749 


Strayer,  Abraham  Craft,  Jacob  Staucli,  Catherine 
Stauch,  George  Rees,  Jacob  Morrix,  George  Wolf, 
Anna  Maria  Wolf,  Conrad  Eoeshenberger,  Anna  Ma- 
ria Roeshenberger,  Dorothea  Shaefer,  Catherine  Her- 
man, Philip  Brickman,  Elizabeth  Brickman,  Cather- 
ine Rees,  Christian  Ausman,  Abraham  Hay,  Christi- 
ana Dumbauld,  Simon  Schneider,  Ludwig  Hay, 
Jacob  Hentz,  Eva  Elizabeth  Lo-ser,  Sally  Ehrenfried, 
Anna  Barbara  Loser,  Elizabeth  Hay,  Anna  Margaret 
Ehrenfried,  Barbara  Herman,  Susanna  SenfF,  G.  Van 
Cassell,  John  Crist,  Barbara  Harbaugh,  Henry  Har- 
baugh,  and  Conrad  Lutz. 

In  February,  1796,  the  names  of  the  Reformed 
members  of  the  "  Good  Hope"  are  given  as  follows  : 
Frederick  Smith,  George  HofFhance,  Andrew  Weil, 
Adam  Shafer,  John  Robison,  Christian  Perkey,  Henry 
Schlater,  Barabara  Schneider,  Elizabeth  Weil,  Bar- 
bara Robison,  Catherine  Meator,  Elizabeth  Macken- 
dorfer,  Frederick  Dumbauld,  Adam  Hoff  hance,  Wil- 
liam Smith,  Frederick  Crist,  James  Mitchel,  Anna 
Maria  Dumbauld,  Betsey  Robison,  Elizabeth  Crist, 
Catherine  Crist,  Elizabeth  Smith,  Elizabeth  Weil, 
Elizabeth  Hoffhance,  and  Julia  Ann  Meator. 

The  members  of  the  two  congregations  were  first 
under  the  ministerial  care  of  the  Revs.  Long  and 
All,  but  some  time  prior  to  1822  the  Lutherans  had 
as  their  pastor  the  Rey.  Smucker,  and  the  German 
Reformed  minister  was  Rev.  KiefFer.  The  latter  was 
succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Voigt,  whose  connection  with 
the  congregation  was  not  terminated  until  1856.  He 
appear.s  to  have  been  the  last  regular  minister,  for  the 
congregation  became  too  feeble  to  maintain  its  or- 
ganization, which  was  suffered  to  go  down  about  that 
period. 

In  1827  the  Rev.  Jonas  Mackling  succeeded  the 
Rev.  Smucker  as  the  pastor  of  the  Lutheran  congre- 
gation, and  ministered  to  them  in  holy  things  until 
1849,  when  the  Rev.  J.  J.  Suttre  entered  upon  a  short 
pastorate.  In  1851  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  J. 
R.  Focht,  who  was  the  spiritual  teacher  until  1856, 
when  the  Rev.  J.  Gaumer  entered  upon  a  pastorate 
which  was  terminated  in  1868.  In  connection  with 
the  Donegal  and  Franklin  congregations,  the  Rev. 
John  Welfley  assumed  the  pastoral  relation  in  1869, 
which  continued  until  1875.  The  following  year  the 
Rev.  D.  Erhard  became  the  pastor,  and  yet  fills  that 
office. 

The  congregation  had  in  1880  about  fifty  commu- 
nicants, and  the  following  church  officers  :  Elder,  A. 
C.  Dumbauld;  Deacon,  Ludwig  C.  Miller;  Trustees, 
Jacob  Styer,  Henry  Bungard,  and  John  H.  Snyder. 
Among  the  elders  and  deacons  since  the  organization 
of  the  church  have  been  Frederick  Miller,  John 
Snyder,  Peter  Snyder,  Ludwig  Hort,  Henry  Kemp, 
Jacob  Imel,  Ludwig  C.  Miller,  and  Abraham  C.  Dum- 
bauld. The  latter  was  for  many  years  at  the  head  of 
a  Sunday-school  which  was  maintained  in  tlie  church, 
but  which  has  not  been  kept  up  the  past  ten  years. 

On  the  13th  of  December,  1879,  the  Lutheran  con- 
48 


gregation  of  Good  Hope  appointed  Ludwig  C.  Miller, 
Jacob  Imel,  and  George  A.  Dumbauld  a  building 
committee  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  new  church 
'  edifice,  but  no  material  progress  to  this  end  has  yet 
been  made.  In  connection  with  the  old  church  is  a 
graveyard,  where  lie  interred  many  of  the  old  citizens 
of  Salt  Lick  and  the  surrounding  country  who  were 
formerly  members  of  either  the  Lutheran  or  Reformed 
congregations  worshiping  in  the  modest  old  build- 
!  ing,  which  is  now  one  of  the   oldest   landmarks  in 

Northeastern  Fayette. 
1       The  Evangelical  Association  was  the  next  denomi- 
j  nation  to  maintain  regular  preaching.     Their  mis- 
sionaries, entering  the  township  fifty  years  ago,  found 
willing  hearers  and  hearts  that  quickly  responded  to 
the  gospel  call  as  proclaimed  by  these  plain  but  earn- 
est men.     Among  those  who  accepted  their  doctrines 
j  were  Jacob  Earned  and  his  son-in-law,  Abraham  Davis, 
!  whose  homes  thereafter  became  the  places  of  worship 
[  until  a  church  building  could  be  provided.     Barned 
died  in  the  faith,  while  attending  a  pioneer  camp- 
meeting,  many  years   ago,  but  he   had   lived   long 
enough  to  see  the  church  of  his  adoption  flourish 
and  become  firmly  established  in  Salt  Lick.     Others 
who  .shared  the  burdens  of  pioneer  membership  were 
the  younger  Davises,  several  persons  by  the  name  of 
j  Resler,  Kesslar,  and  the  Senff  family. 

In  1846  the  membership  had  become  strong  enough 
to  assume  the  building  of  a  church  edifice,  and  that 
1  year  was  erected  at  Davistown  the  Bethlehem  Evan- 
gelical Church,  which  is  yet  used  as  a  place  of  wor- 
ship.    It  is  a  frame  of  modest  proportions,  but  the 
society  whose  spiritual  home  it  is  has  been  parent  to 
!  a  number  of  other  flourishing  classes  in  Salt  Lick  and 
I  Bullskin.     The  trustees  in  1881  were  William  Moody, 
Samuel  Eicher,  and  George  W.  Kern,  and  the  twenty 
members  constituting  the  class  here  were  under  the 
leadership  of  George  W.  Kern.     Jacob  M.  Davis  is 
I  the   superintendent   of  a  Sunday-school   which   has 
j  about  forty  attendants. 

The  Mount  Olivet  Evangelical  Church  edifice  was 
built  in  1872,  in  the  iKirtlierii  part  of  the  township,  on 
land  donated  fur  cliiirrh  and  cemetery  purposes  by 
Elijah  Lyons.  The  Imildiiig  committee  was  composed 
of  Jacob  Davis  and  George  W.  Gloss,  and  the  church 
was  consecrated  in  the  early  part  of  the  winter  of 
j  1872  by  the  Rev.  William  Houpt.  The  house  is  a 
1  plain  but  neatly  painted  frame,  thirty  by  forty  feet, 
1  and  in  1881  was  under  the  trusteeship  of  Jacob  Davis, 
George  W.  Gloss,  and  D.  W.  C.  Dumbauld.  The 
class  which  has  this  house  as  its  place  of  worship 
sprung  from  the  Bethlehem  Church,  and  numbers  at 
present  about  seventy  members,  who  are  under  the 
leadership  of  D.  W.  C.  Dumbauld.  The  Sunday- 
school,  which  is  maintained  here  in  the  summer  sea- 
son, has  :in  eiHipIliiient  of  seventy-five  members,  and 
William  lluiidurl'  tor  superintendent. 

Both  the  Idi-.^iiing  churches  belong  to  the  Indian 
Creek  Circuit  of  the  Somerset  District  of  the  Pitta- 


750 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


burgh  Conference  of   the   Evangelical   Association. 
The  circuit  embraces  also,  as  other  appointments,  the  : 
McClellan school-house  class;  Poplar  Run,  in  Spring-  | 
field  ;  Mount  Pisgah  and  StaufFer,  in  Bullskin,  the  \ 
stewards  of  the  several  appointments  being  Jacob  M.  j 
Davis,  George  W.  Gloss,  John  Mull,  Daniel  Staufler, 
and  Levi  M.  White.     The  preacher  in  charge  in  1881 
was   the    Eev.   George    W.    White;    Eev.    William 
Moodey  was  a  local  preacher. 

It  is  impossible  to  give  a  complete  list  of  the  min- 
isters who  served  what  is  now  Indian  Creek  Circuit, 
as  no  records  of  such  appointments,  made  very  often 
as  frequently  as  once  a  year,  have  been  preserved. 
But  among  others  who  were  itinerants  in  Salt  Lick  ' 
were  the  Revs.  Abraham  Dreisbach,  Henry  Niebel, 
John  De  Hoft",  Moses  De  Hoflf, Walter, Rid- 
dle,   Wilt, Barber, Starabaugh,  George 

Brickley,  Daniel  Brickley,  Samuel  Mottinger,  Henry 
Rohlaud,  Henry  Bucks,  Thomas  Buck,  Abraham 
Baker,  M.  J.  Carothers,  J.  M.  W.  Seibert,  George 
Kopp,  John  Lutz,   A.  Frey,   Uriah  Everhart,  Levi 

Everhart,  S.  W.  McKesson, Craig, Einsel, 

Daniel   Long,   Samuel   Kring,   Conrad   Kring,  , 

Anstein,  Hempie,   Miller,   Strayer, 

Poling,  Boyer,  Ross,  James  Dunlap, 

L.  H.  Hettriok,  D.  K.  Levan,  William  Reininger,  and 
G.  W.  White.  In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  the  now 
eminent  Chicago  divine.  Dr.  Thomas,  began  his  min- 
isterial career  as  a  youthful  preacher  in  the  Evan-  j 
gelical  Association,  serving  as  an  itinerant  in  Salt  Lick. 
Some  of  the  older  members  recollect  that  he  even 
then  was  remarkable  for  his  profound  discourses, — a 
bent  of  mind  which  has  given  him  a  national  repu- 
tation as  a  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church. 

The  Hopewell  Methodist  Protestant  Church  is  a  < 
small  frame  house  of  worship  northwest  of  Davis- 
town,  which  was  built  about  the  same  time  as  the 
Bethlehem  Church.  One  of  the  chief  promoters  of 
the  enterprise  was  Abraham  Gallentine,  who  was  also 
one  of  the  first  members.  Others  associated  with  him 
were  William  Moodey,  Joseph  Gallentine,  Harriet 
Kesslar,  Mary  Bundorf,  and  a  few  others.  For  a 
time  the  church  flourished  under  the  preaching  of 
the  Revs.  Francis,  Betts,  Bolton,  Stillings,  and  Scott; 
but  the  removal  of  some  of  the  members  so  weakened 
the  liody  that  after  a  time  no  regular  services  were 
maintained,  and  the  remaining  members  connected 
themselves  with  other  religious  bodies.  The  last 
preacher  was  a  man  named  Colclough.  The  Baptists 
and  other  denominations  sometimes  preached  in  the 
old  Hopewell  Church,  but  as  far  as  has  been  ascer- 
tained no  organization  was  attempted.  The  house 
has  been  little  used  lately  for  religious  meetings,  and 
is  in  a  somewhat  dilapidated  condition. 

In  the  northeastern  part  of  the  township  is  a  small 
church,  in  which  Winebrenuarian  meetings  were 
formerly  held,  but  which  is  now  seldom  used  for  any 
purpose.     The  house  was  built  largely  through   tlie 


efforts  of  John  Foust,  one  of  the  leading  Winebren- 
narians.  Others  of  that  faith  in  that  neighborhood 
were  David  A.  C.  S.  Hostetler,  Gideon  Hostetler,  and 
their  families. 

The  Union  Church  house  of  worship  is  in  the 
Miller  neighborhood,  in  the  southeast  part  of  the 
township.  It  is  a  log  building  of  fair  size,  erected  by 
the  united  efforts  of  the  community  soon  after  1850. 
The  lot  on  which  it  stands  was  set  aside  for  church 
and  cemetery  purposes  by  Jacob  H.  and  Peter  H.  Mil- 
ler. The  graveyard  is  one  of  the  finest  in  Salt  Lick,  and 
is  the  general  placeof  interment  for  the  people  of  south- 
east Salt  Lick  and  northeast  Springfield.  The  title  to 
the  property  has  been  vested  in  the  Church  of  God,  the 
present  local  controlling  committeemen  being  Jacob 
H.  Miller,  Jr.,  and  James  H.  Miller.  Although  open 
for  the  use  of  other  denominations,  the  Church  of 
God  (Winebrenuarian)  has  been  the  principal  body 
to  occupy  the  building  with  any  regularity  for  the 
purposes  of  stated  worship,  and  at  present  their  or- 
ganization numbers  about  fifty  members.  Among  the 
early  Winebrenuarian  members  were  the  Pritts,  Wor- 
rick,  Gallentine,  Ridenour,  and  a  few  other  families, 
the  first  meetings  being  held  at  the  house  of  the  for- 
mer by  the  Rev.  John  Dobson.  Other  ministers  were 
the  Revs.  Hickernell,  Plowman,  Wurtz,  Stevens, 
Bloyd,  Lucas,  Gallentine,  and  the  present,  George  A. 
Barklebaugh. 

The  Dunkard  meeting-house,  in  the  northern  part 
of  Salt  Lick,  near  the  Westmoreland  County  line,  was 
built  in  1852,  on  a  lot  of  land  donated  for  this  purpose 
by  John  Fleck.  It  is  a  large  and  substantial  frame, 
built  after  the  manner  of  the  plain  people  who  wor- 
ship in  it,  and  has  accommodations  for  about  six 
hundred  people.  The  Fleck  and  Hess  families  were 
among  the  first  Dunkards  in  Salt  Lick  ;  but  the  present 
large  membership  is  almost  entirely  from  Westmore- 
land County,  and  the  history  of  the  church  conse- 
quently has  but  little  interest  for  the  people  of  Fay- 
ette County. 

Schools  were  taught  in  the  township  as  early  as 
1803,  John  Wibel,  a  German,  being  the  teacher.  It 
is  probable  that  most  of  the  instruction  was  in  the 
German  language,  although  it  is  said  that  Wibel  was 
also  an  English  teacher.  In  the  winter  of  1802-3  he 
taught  a  three-months'  term  near  Trapp's  Mill,  his 
charges  for  instruction  being  ten  shillings  per  pupil. 
As  teachers  became  more  numerous  the  rate  of  in- 
struction was  reduced  to  nine  shillings  per  quarter. 
Wibel  removed  from  the  township  some  time  about 
1808.  Some  of  his  schools  were  taught  in  a  log  build- 
ing erected  for  school  purposes  in  the  spring  of  1804 
by  the  Lutheran  and  German  Reformed  congrega- 
tions, and  which  stood  near  their  meeting-house. 
Andrew  Trapp  seems  to  have  had  the  building  in 
charge,  furnishing  what  lumber  and  nails  were  used, 
the  latter  being  brought  from  Connellsville  by  Peter 
Strayer.    George  Poe  laid  the  floor,  and  Jacob  Grindle 


SPKINGFIELD  TOWNSHIP. 


751 


made  the  door,  tlio  Iiiiifrcs  siiul  bolt  for  tlie  suiiie 
having  been  made  by  Jacob  Earned.  These  also  sent 
their  children  to  the  school,  while  other  pupils  came 
from  the  Bruner,  Wolf,  Norrix,  Bungard,  and  Dum- 
bauld  ftimilies. 

At  this  period  Christian  Mensersmith  and  Henry 
Kush  were  also  teachers  in  the  township,  their  schools 
being  taught  in  houses  occupied  in  part  by  ftimilies. 
About  1807  another  school-house  was  built  on  the  old 
Ludwig  Miller  farm,  where  Peter  Frick  taught  the 
first  school.  Later  William  Arthur  and  James  Mc- 
Cloy  taught  in  that  house.  The  latter  was  an  Irish- 
man, a  good  teacher,  but  thoroughly  detested  the  cus- 
tom of  barring  out  at  Christmas,  a  custom  to  which 
the  German  teachers  graciously  conformed.  This 
school-house  and  the  one  near  the  "  Good  Hope" 
Church  were  abandoned  about  the  same  time,  but 
when  cannot  be  positively  determined.  On  the  Jacob 
Lohr  farm  George  Bucher,  Jr.,  taught  an  early  school, 
which  was  attended  by  Abraham  C.  Dumbauld,  John 
and  Adam  Kalp,  Mary  Tederow,  and  the  Sehlaters, 
of  Mount  Hope  Furnace. 

In  due  time  the  township  accepted  the  provisions 
of  the  common  school  law,  but  the  records  pertaining 
to  the  organization  of  the  schools,  as  well  as  the  records 
for  many  subsequent  years,  have  not  been  preserved, 
so  that  no  authentic  account  of  them  can  be  given. 

In  1881  the  township  was  divided  into  districts,  which 
bore  the  names  of  Kesslar,  Washington,  Black  Creek, 
Trout  Run,  Longwood,  Franklin,  McClellan,  Centre, 
Clinton,  and  Buchanan,  in  most  of  which  good 
schools  were  maintained. 

The  school  directors  of  Salt  Lick  since  1840  have 
been  as  named  below : 

1S4II.— Dnniel  White,  Peter  Duinbuuld,  William  Kesslar. 
1841.— Jacob  H.  .Miller,  Robert  Workman. 


1842.— Jacob  Kern,  Robert  Bignin,  John  Brooks. 

184.3.— Sylvester  Skinner,  Daniel  Livingood. 

1844.— Samuel  Sorichfield,  Samuel  Murray,  Jacob  H.  Miller. 

1845.— G.abriel  Christner,  Josiah  C.  Moore,  Adam  Deitz. 

1846.— Jacob  H.  Miller,  David  Rugg,  Peter  Meater. 

1847. — Peter  Meater,  Samuel  Murray. 

1848.— John  B.  Miller,  Frederick  Miller,  Jacob  Robison. 

1849.— William  Stoll,  James  White,  Jacob   11.  Miller,  Gideon 

Hosteller. 
1850. — John  Echard,  Abraham  Gallentine. 
1851.- D.  W.  C.  Dumbaukl,  John  Shultz. 
1852. — Jacob  H.  Miller,  Joseph  Gallentine. 
1853  — Abram  G.alleutine,  Peter  Dumbauld. 
1854.— John  Shultz,  A.  C.  Dumbauld. 
1855.— John  Lohr,  William  Robison. 
1856.— A.  Gallentine,  Frederick  Miller. 
1857. — Jacob  L.  Snyder,  John  Foust. 
1858.- Henry  I.  Bitner,  William  Senff. 
1859.- Jacob  H.  Miller,  Daniel  Kesslar. 
I860.— Jacob  Bungard,  D.  W.  S.  C.avenaugh. 
1861.- D.  W.  C.  Dumbauld,  D.  M.  Foust. 
1862.— Jacob  H.  Miller,  George  Kalji. 
1S63 — D.aniel  Kramer,  John  Davis. 

1864.— Philip  Fleck,  Jesse  L.  Beal,  D.  W.  C.  Dumbauld. 
1865.— H.  L.  Sparks,  G.  W.  Kern. 
1866.— Jacob  H.  Miller,  James  AVhite. 

1867.— D.W.  C.  Dumbauld,  Solomon  Kennell,  Jeremiah  Miller. 
1868.— Henry  Adams,  Samuel  Kesslar. 
1869.— Fred.  H.  Mcdler,   George  L.  Snyder,   Henry  Pletcher, 

John  Echard,  Jacob  Lohr. 
1870.— David  Ayres,  A.  C.  Dumbauld. 
1872.— David  K.  Cramer,  William  L.  Beal. 
1873.— John  B.  Lyons,  Adam  M.  Bungard. 
1874.— Isaac  White,  D.  A.  C.  Hosteller. 
1876.— John  B.  Lyons,  George  M.  Yothers,  William  Newill. 
1877.— Jacob  Kennell,  G.  M.  Yothers. 
1878.— David  Ay  res,  Isaac  White. 
1879.- E.  Matthews.  William  Nickel,  Joseph  Berg. 
1880.— Jacob  Kennell,  George  M.  Yothers,  Daniel  Pletchir. 
1881.- P.  H.  Miller,  M.  Berger. 


SPRINGFIELD    TOWNSHIP. 


Aloxg  the  Somerset  County  line, between  the  town- 
ships of  Salt  Lick  on  the  north  and  Stewart  on  tlic 
south,  is  Springfield  township.  From  the  former  it 
was  set  off  in  1847,  and  to  constitute  the  latter  it  con- 
tributed of  its  territory  in  1855.  The  Youghiogheny 
River  forms  the  southwestern  bounds,  and  on  the 
west  are  the  townships  of  Connellsville  and  Bullskin. 
Springfield  is  traversed  by  the  Chestnut  Ridge  and 
the  Laurel  Hills,  which  give  its  surface  an  elevated 
and  mountainous  appearance,  and  cause  a  large  por- 
tion of  it  to  be  unfit  for  cultivation. 

In  many  places  along  the  streams  the  hills  are 
almost  precipitous,  while  in  other  localities  they  slope 


•rently  to  the  water's  side.  Originally  they  were 
covered  with  fine  forest  growths,  of  the  hard  woods 
cliicfiy.  On  the  tops  of  the  sinaller  hills  the  lands 
appear  level,  and  have  generally  been  reduced  to  cul- 
tivation. The  hills  themselves  are  the  depositories 
of  great  mineral  wealth,  coal  and  iron  being  most 
abundant,  although  fire-clay  and  limestone  have  been 
profitably  developed  in  several  localities.  The  drain- 
age of  the  township  is  good,  there  being  numerous 
springs,  brooks,  and  creeks.  Indian  Creek,  the  prin- 
cipal stream,  flows  almost  centrally  through  the  town- 
ship from  the  northeast,  emptying  into  the  Youghio- 
gheny about  a  mile  above  the  Connellsville  line.     Its 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


northern  and  western  affluents  are  Poplar,  Stony,  and 
Resler's  Runs.  The  opposite  tributaries  are  the  North 
Fork,  Buck  and  Mill  Runs,  the  latter  in  point  of  size 
being  the  second  stream  in  the  township.  It  is  some- 
times called  Skinner's  Mill  Run,  after  one  of  the 
early  settlers  on  its  waters.  Above  its  mouth,  along 
the  Indian  Creek,  were  natural  meadows  of  consider- 
able size,  where  were  the  celebrated  "  Bullock  Pens," 
which  have  caused  a  historical  interest  to  attach  to 
that  locality. 

These  pens  were  used  by  Capt.  Harris  to  confine  a 
herd  of  cattle  which  were  destined  for  the  troops 
under  Gen.  Forbes.  It  is  said  that  Cajit.  Harris  with 
a  small  detachment  of  men  left  Fort  Cumberland 
with  a  herd  of  cattle  in  1758,  intending  to  reach  the 
line  of  march  of  Gen.  Forbes  by  Braddock's  road. 
At  Turkey  Foot  he  was  met  by  Oliver  Drake  and 
other  frontiersmon,  wlin  warned  him  of  the  Indians 
lying  in  anil.n-h  .m  ilir  Laiirrl  Hills,  and  offered  to 
conduct  him  t>>  a  phur  ,,\'  safety  until  he  could  com- 
municate witli  tlie  comiijancliiig  olEcer  of  the  British 
forces.  Their  services  being  accepted,  Drake  and 
Rush  led  the  way  over  tlie  Laurel  Hills,  east  of  the 
Youghio.-ihuiiy,  dmvii  tin-  wat.r.  of  Mill  Run  to  the 
above  iiicailows,  wbiTc  tin-  caillr  might  be  pastured 
and  the  soMins  ciiidv  Ihr  dc^ijLMl  seclusion.  In  the 
daytime  the  i-,at\r  wiro  allowed  to  graze,  but  at  night 
they  well.'  coufnie'l  in  pens  made  of  rails,  which  re- 
mained until  the  township  was  settled,  when  the 
pioneers  applied  the  name  of  "  Bullock  Pens"  to  the 
locality,  and  when  the  land  was  surveyed  the  name 
was  employed  to  designate  that  tract,  thus  perpetu- 
ating it.  After  remaining  at  the  "  Pens"  about  a 
month,  Capt.  Harris  was  ordered  to  drive  the  cattle 
up  Indian  Creek  to  Fort  Ligonier,  where  Geu.  Forbes- 
forces  were  stationed. 

On  their  march  up  the  stream  they  passed  throuLili 
a  deserted  Indian  village,  and  saw  so  many  evidences 
to  indicate  tliat  the  red  iiu'ii  lVci|Ucnted  the  waters  of 
this  strram  lor  tlir  piujiorie  of  hunting  and  fishing 
that  they  called  it  ihu  Indians'  Creek,  from  which 
the  name  was  derived.  In  early  times  tlic  prrsence  of 
many  salt  licks  was  noted  along  this  stream,  wliicli 
led  to  operations  for  discovering  the  .source  of  tliese 

In  IS.'iC,  Christian  Painter  began  boring  for  salt 
near  Rogers'  Mills,  and  after  attaining  a  depth  of 
three  hundred  feet  the  drill  stuck  fast,  causing  the 
abandonment  of  the  -enterprise.  But  while  there 
was  a  failure  to  find  a  stream  of  salt  water,  he  struck 
a  heavy  vein  of  water  strongly  charged  with  sulphur, 
which  overflowed  the  well  and  rose  several  feet  aliove 
the  surface,  forming  a  large  and  supurior  siil|iliur 
spring.  An  analysis  of  the  water  shows  ihr  |ii,  -.  nc, 
of  many  medicinal  qualities, which  \>\:>rr  ilns  spiin^ 
upon  the  same  plane  as  some  of  tli.'  most  noted  sul- 
phur springs  of  the  country.  Mineral  springs  are 
found  in  other  parts  of  Springlleld.  making  the  selec- 
tion of  that  name  for  the  township  very  appropriate. 


Since  Springfield  has  been  so  recently  organized, 
its  pioneer  history  is  to  a  large  extent  inseparable 
from  the  histories  of  Bullskin  and  Salt  Lick,  in 
which  lists  of  surveys  and  settlements  covering  what 
is  now  Springfield  are  given.  In  a  general  sense  this 
township  was  not  settled  near  as  early  as  other  parts 
of  Fayette  County,  very  probably  not  until  the  close 
of  the  Revolution,  although  a  few  may  have  lived 
here  prior  to  that  event;  but  as  they  removed  so 
many  years  ago,  the  traditionary  accounts  pertaining 
thereto  are  vague  and  conflicting. 

Reuben  Skinner,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  after 
living  in  the  Turkey  Foot  settlement  a  few  years, 
located  on  Mill  Run,  on  the  Elijah  Kooser  place, 
where  he  built  mills  and  made  other  substantial  im- 
jirovements.  After  his  death,  about  1821,  his  family 
emigrated  farther  west,  the  mills  becoming  the  prop- 
erty of  Jacob  Ketchum,  and  subsequently  of  the 
Kooser  family.  It  was  from  Reuben  Skinner  that 
Mill  Run  took  its  additional  name. 

Several  other  Skinners  were  pioneers  in  Springfield. 
James  B.  Leonard's  place  was  the  former  home  of 
James  Skinner,  a  Baptist  clergyman,  who  removed  to 
Perry  County,  Ohio.  Willits  Skinner  came  at  a  later 
day  and  remained  until  his  death,  living  on  the  farm 
now  occupied  by  his  son,  A.  Skinner.  The  latter, 
now  an  aged  man,  has  resided  there  since  he  was  six 
years  of  age.  The  farm  was  first  occupied  by  men 
named  Packer,  Williams,  and  Rush,  although  the 
land  was  warranted  to  Isaac  Meason.  Richard  Skin- 
ner, of  another  family,  settled  on  the  Silas  Prinkey 
farm,  where  he  reared  a  large  family,  which  removed 
from  the  township  half  a  century  ago.  Moses  Collins 
was  the  pioneer  on  the  Jacob  Saylor  place.  After  his 
death  his  son  Henry  owned  the  farm,  and  after- 
wanls  the  latter's  son  Henry,  who  was  the  last  re- 
maining member  of  the  family,  which  has  become  ex- 
tinct in  Springfield. 

Another  well-known  pioneer  was  Alexander  Cum- 
mings,  a  Scotchman,  who  lived  on  the  George  Kern 
farm,  on  the  old  Turkey  Foot  road.  His  settlement 
was  one  of  the  first  in  the  township.  Cummiugs  was 
a  man  of  considerable  ability,  and  possessed  many 
fine  traits  of  character,  which  gave  him  prominence 
among  the  early  settlers.  He  died  about  1842,  and 
was  interred  on  his  old  farm.  The  Collins  family 
also  were  all  interred  in  a  burial-plat  on  their  old 
farm.  Another  of  that  class  of  settlers  was  the 
McCune  family.  James  McCune  (in  early  times 
McKeown),  the  grandfather  of  the  James  McCune 
yet  a  resident  of  the  township,  was  the  flrst  of  that 
name  in  Springfield.  He  was  the  father  of  Samuel 
Mel  'inir,  wlio  lost  his  life  in  a  coal-bank  about  thirty- 

Maj.  Alirahum  Workman  came  to  the  township 
about  the  same  period.  He  rendered  military  service 
under  Col.  Morgan,  who  owned  several  tracts  of  land 
in  the  township,  three  hundred  acres  of  which  became 
the  [iroperty  of  Maj.  Workman.     This  he  improved, 


SPRINGFIELD   TOWNSHIP. 


753 


and  lived  upon  the  farm  until  his  death,  about  1836. 
His  wife  and  son  Smith  moved  to  Perry  County, 
Ohio,  several  years  later,  the  former  dying  in  that 
county  at  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  two  years.  The 
homestead  passed  into  the  hands  of  Kobert  Workman, 
who  was  born  on  it  in  1799,  and  lived  there  until  his 
death  in  1878,  since  when  his  son,  Robert  W.,  is  the 
occupant  of  the  farm,  which  is  on  the  river  hills  in 
the  southwestern  part  of  the  township. 

Henry  Trump  came  from  Germany  and  settled  in 
what  is  now  Springfield  township,  on  Indian  Creek, 
near  its  mouth,  about  1780.  He  patented  a  tract  of 
about  four  hundred  acres,  now  owned  by  the  heirs  of 
Henry  Walters.  He  erected  a  saw-mill  some  distance 
up  the  creek,  and  the  lumber  sawed  in  it  he,  with  the 
aid  of  his  sons,  John  and  Michael,  floated  down  the 
Youghiogheny  to  the  Pittsburgh  market.  The  saw- 
mill was  said  to  be  the  first  erected  in  that  part  of 
the  county.  He  had  also  a  small  grist-mill  on  the 
creek,  propelled  by  a  "  tub"  water-wheel.  Henry 
Trump,  howevei;,  was  less  famous  as  a  sawyer  and 
mill-owner  than  as  a  hunter.  For  many  years  his 
chief  employment  was  hunting  deer  and  bears,  and 
he  derived  considerable  profit  from  the  sale  of  the 
skins  of  these  animals  and  bear's  oil.  At  his  home 
on  Indian  Creek  he  had  several  deer  and  bears  which 
he  tamed  and  kept  as  pets.  He  lived  to  a  great  age, 
said  to  be  over  one  hundred  years.  His  son  John 
settled  in  what  is  now  Connellsville  township,  near 
the  line  of  Springfield.  Michael  Trump,  son  of 
Henry,  settled  in  Connellsville  borough. 

Daniel  Resler,  a  native  of  Berks  County,  Pa.,  set- 
tled on  the  stream  of  water  which  bears  his  name 
about  1787,  and  died  in  that  locality  before  1817. 
He  had  three  sons  and  three  daughters,  the  latter 
becoming  the  wives  of  Solomon  Kern,  Christian 
Senff,  and  John  Murphy.  Daniel  and  David  Resler, 
two  of  the  sons,  moved  to  Ohio  many  years  ago. 
John,  the  other  son,  married  a  daughter  of  Peter 
Bruner,  and  lived  on  Resler's  Run  until  his  death  in 
1856.  His  widow  yet  lives  in  the  township  at  the  age 
of  eighty-four  years.  She  was  born  in  Stewart,  but 
since  she  has  been  three  years  of  age  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  Springfield.  The  children  of  John  Resler 
were  Daniel,  deceased ;  David  and  Jacob,  removed  to 
the  West;  Mary,  the  wife  of  David  Earned;  Eliza- 
beth, of  John  Brooks  ;  and  Susan,  of  Samuel  Scott. 

Peter  Bruner  settled  in  what  is  now  Stewart  town- 
ship some  time  during  the  Revolution,  but  in  1798 
settled  on  the  Rogers  farm,  on  Indian  Creek.  His 
son  Daniel  moved  from  the  township.  At  that  time 
Indians  yet  roved  along  the  stream,  but  did  not  dis-  j 
turb  the  family.  ' 

Conrad  Senff,  a  German,  was  one  of  the  earliest  j 
settlers  in  Eastern  Fayette,  living  in  what  is  now  the  j 
township  of  Salt  Lick,  on  the  Shaeffer  farm.  After  ! 
the  marriage  of  his  son  Christian  the  latter  became  I 
a  resident  of  Springfield.  He  lived  on  the  old  Resler 
farm  a  number  of  years,  then  moved  to  Ohio.     One  I 


of  his  sons,  eighty-one  years  of  age,  yet  resides  in  the 
eastern  part  of  Springfield.  He  was  the  only  son 
who  remained  in  the  county.  His  sons  are  Jacob, 
yet  living  in  Springfield  ;  Henry,  in  Westmoreland 
County ;  Wesley  and  Daniel,  in  Illinois. 

Melchior  Entling  was  a  pioneer  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  the  township,  on  the  old  State  road,  where  he 
kept  a  public-house  as  early  as  1796.  The  farm  at 
present  belongs  to  John  Ifurt.  Joseph  Brooks  was 
a  member  of  Entling's  family,  coming  with  them 
from  the  East.  After  attaining  manhood  he  married 
a  daughter  of  Michael  Beasinger,  a  pioneer  on  the 
present  Daniel  Brooks  farm.  All  the  members  of  the 
Beasinger  family  moved  to  the  West,  except  Jacob, 
who  died  in  Springfield  about  1865.  Joseph  Brooks 
died  about  1863.  He  had  reared  a  large  family,  his 
sons  being  John,  Henry,  Jacob,  William,  George, 
Erwin,  and  Daniel,  whose  descendants  are  very  nu- 
merous in  Springfield. 

On  the  Fulton  farm  Jacob  Minerd  settled  about 
1791.  He  was  a  native  of  Washington  County,  Md. 
Twenty  years  after  his  settlement  he  died,  and  was 
buried  in  what  is  now  the  Baptist  graveyard  at  Mill 
Run.  Of  his  twefve  children,  nearly  all  removed 
from  the  township,  Jacob  settling  in  Somerset 
County,  and  Henry  in  Dunbar  township.  One  of  the 
daughters  married  Leonard  Harbaugh,  father  of  the 
Leonard  Harbaugh  at  present  living  in  Springfield. 
The  former  became  a  resident  of  the  township  about 
1825,  but  before  his  death  returned  to  Somerset 
County.  Another  of  Minerd's  daughters  married 
John  Ream,  the  founder  of  Ursina  village,  in  the 
latter  county.  Among  Minerd's  early  neighbors  were 
William  Jones,  living  on  the  Dickey  farm,  and  a 
man  named  Clipliner,  on  the  Imcl  farm.  Where 
Henry  Imel  now  lives,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years, 
first  lived  his  father,  Henry.  The  former  is  yet  hale 
and  able  to  do  manual  labor  on  the  farm.  In  the 
harvest  of  1880  he  and  his  son  John,  a  man  sixty- 
four  years  of  age,  cradled,  bound,  and  shocked  up 
forty  dozen  bundles  of  heavy  rye  in  a  single  day, 
working  from  sunrise  to  sunset,  a  heavy  job  even  for 
men  in  the  prime  of  life. 

On  the  Elm  farm,  now  the  site  of  Springfield  vil- 
lage, Daniel  Eicher,  a  native  of  Lancaster  County, 
settled  about  1790.  Joseph  Eicher,  his  last  remaining 
son,  died  Aug.  4,  1876,  aged  ninety-two  years.  Other 
sons  were  Peter,  Henry,  and  Daniel.  His  daughters 
married  Jacob  Long,  John  Harbaugh,  and  John 
Rowan.  The  sons  of  Joseph  Eicher  were  Samuel, 
William,  John,  Daniel,  Joseph,  Plenry,  Abraham,  and 
Isaac.  His  daughters  married  Thomas  McCloy,  Wil- 
liam Justice,  and  Leonard  Harbaugh.  The  descend- 
ants of  this  family  have  become  very  numerous  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  county. 

The  Krin  f:iiiiily  emigrated  from  Holland  to  Eastern 
Penns\lvaiii;i  :il.oiit  1700.  From  thence  some  of  the 
fiimily  mnviil  u<  W'r-tmoreland  County,  settling  in  the 
neighborhood    of  Jones'   Mills.      There   one   of   the 


754 


HISTORY   OP   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


family  was  killed  by  the  Indians,  while  returning 
home  from  a  visit  to  a  neighbor,  several  of  those  who 
had  accompanied  him  escaping.  Among  the  sons  of 
the  above  family  were  Micliaul,  William,  George,  and 
Peter.  The  latter  di<'d  in  \\'rstiHoreIand  County, 
George  becoming  a  resident  of  Washington  County. 
William  Kern  served  in  the  Revolution,  and  after  the 
war  married  Catherine  Hoover.  He  moved  to  Spring- 
field, buying  out  the  claim  of  a  man  who  held  a  toma- 
hawk right  to  a  tract  of  land  in  the  present  Murray 
district.  On  this  land  he  died  about  18.37,  at  the  age 
of  ninety-one  years.  He  reared  sons  named  Solomon, 
Abraham,  William,  Jacob,  Jonathan,  and  Joshua,  and 
daughters  who  married  Joseph  Eicher  and  George 
Nicholson. 

Solomon  Kern  was  born  in  the  township,  and  died 
in  1862,  at  the  age  of  eighty-one  years,  his  father 
being  prolialily  one  of  the  very  first  settlers,  and  he 
one  of  till'  fust  Ih.iii  in  Sprini^lield.  Soloinon  Kern 
was  a  ear]ieiiter  l>y  trade,  and  made  many  nf  the  early 
carding-]iiaeliiiies.  He  also  had  in  operation  wood- 
carding  niarjiincix  in  ditferent  parts  of  the  State.  For 
a  time  lie  was  eniiaueil  in  the  Baldwin  machine-shops 
a;  Connellsville,  but  finally  settled  on  a  farm  west  of 
Springfield  village,  which  is  at  present  the  home  of 
his  son.  Judge  John  Kern.  Other  sons  were  Josiah, 
Solomon,  and  Simon.  His  daughters  married  Samuel 
Davis,  Henry  Gebhart,  Henry  GriflSn,  and  Aaron 
Hart. 

Abraham,  the  second  son  of  William  Kern,  re- 
moved to  Ohio;  William,  the  third  son,  married 
Nancy  White,  and  lived  and  died  on  the  Kooser 
place.  Jacob  lived  a  little  south  of  Springfield  vil- 
lage, where  he  died  about  twenty-eight  years  ago. 
He  was  the  father  of  (ieorge  Keni  and  William  Kern, 
Uotholtlie  towi.,liip.  His  sons,  Abraham  and  David, 
died  in  the  lleliellion.  Jonathan,  the  fifth  son  of 
William  K'ern,  lieeame  a  resident  of  Greene  County, 
and  Joslina,  tin-  yoiin-est  and  tli ilv  survivor,  livi's 

has  sons  named  William  M.  and  George  yet  living  in 
the  township  ;  and  John  and  James  died  in  tfie  war 
for  the  Union.  The  Kerns  have  become  one  of  the 
largest  and  best-known  families  in  Springfield. 

Abraham  Gallentine,  a  German,  who  had  served  in 
the  Revolution,  came  from  Cliamhersburg  in  ISdl, 
settling  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township,  near  the 
Salt  Lick  line,  but  subsequently  live.l  at  tlie  Fayette 
Furnace.  He  was  by  trade  a  eo(, per,  and  died  about 
1830,  ujiwards  oi'  eighty  years  of  age.  He  had  sons 
named  Daniel,  Jacob,  Abraham,  and  Joseph.  The 
former  was  married  to  a  daughter  of  Christian  Senff'. 
and  ilied  in  Salt  Lick.  Jacob  removed  to  McKces- 
port.  Abraham  lived  near  the  central  part  of  Salt 
l.iek.  He  served  in  the  Legislature,  and  subsequently 
removed  to  Ohio.  Joseph  married  Sophia  Worrick,' 
and  also  lived  in  Salt  Lick,  where  he  died  in  1875,  at 
the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  He  was  the  father  of 
Joseph  W.  Gallentine,  living  on  the  old  Benjamin 


Davis  farm,  in  Salt  Lick,  and  of  otlier  sons  living  at 
Scottdale. 

John  Bailey,  a  native  of  Bedford  County,  Pa.,  set- 
tled on  the  present  Bailey  farm,  south  of  Mill  Run, 
some  time  after  1800,  and  died  there  in  1828.  He 
reared  sons  named  William,  Reiley,  and  Michael, 
and  four  daughters,  who  married  Henry  Hess,  James 
Imel,  Henry  Friend,  and  William  M.  Kern. 

Jacob  Murray  moved  from  the  eastern  country  in 
1816,  and  settled  on  the  old  Elder  farm,  but  later 
made  a  home  on  Mill  Run,  where  he  died  many  years 
ago.  He  had  a  number  of  sons,  viz. :  John  M.,  de- 
ceased a  few  years  ago;  Samuel,  also  deceased  in  the 
township;  and  .Jacob,  yet  living  on  Mill  Run.  Three 
of  his  daughters  married  Peter  UUrey,  Henry 
Fletcher,  and  Reuben  Eicher. 

Robert  Bigam  was  another  of  the  early  settlers  on 
lower  Mill  Run,  although  his  permanent  settlement 
was  not  made  until  1828.  He  cleared  up  a  great  deal 
of  the  flats,  and  still,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven 
years,  resides  on  one  of  the  farms  he  opened.  He  is 
the  father  of  David  and  John  Bigam,  residing  on 
parts  of  the  homestead  at  Mill  Run,  and  of  George 
M.  Bigam,  a  teacher  of  note  at  Mount-  Pleasant, 
Westmoreland  Co.  The  Bigams  moved  from  the 
Jersey  settlement  in  Somerset  County,  where  their 
ancestors  were  among  the  earliest  settlers. 

Peter  Kooser  moved  from  the  same  county  in  1832, 
buying  the  Ketchum  mills,  which  had  been  built  by 
Reuben  Skinner,  on  Mill  Run.  Afterwards  he  lived 
on  the  Henry  Phillippi  farm,  where  he  died  June  25, 
1866,  aged  seventy-two  years.  He  reared  sons  named 
Elijah,  Samuel,  John,  William,  and  Alexander,  the 
latter  dying  in  the  United  States'  service  in  the  Re- 
bellion. In  1838,  George  Dull  moved  from  Somerset 
County  and  settled  on  the  John  Harbaugh  place  at 
Mill  Run.  He  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  served 
many  years  as  a  justice  of  the  peace.  He  died  Nov. 
1,  1880,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  His  sons 
living  in  Springfield  are  Daniel  "W.,  Uriah,  Jacob, 
William,  and  John.  Romanus  died  in  the  army  while 
a  prisoner  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  and  four  of  the  above 
also  served  their  country  in  the  Rebellion.  The 
daughters  of  George  Dull  married  David  L.  Colburn, 
Solomon  Davis,  Hiram  C.  Sipe,  and  Alexander 
Brooke.  The  Daniel  W.  Dull  farm  was  improved  by 
Martin  Williams,  who  afterwards  occupied  the  Abra- 
ham Williams  farm,  where  he  died.  The  William 
Dull  place  was  long  known  as  the  Peter  Sipe  farm, 
but  was  first  improved  by  John  McCune.  Sipe  re- 
moved to  Indiana  a  few  years  ago,  where  he  died. 
A  portion  of  the  old  Sipe  place  is  now  occupied  by 
Cyrus  B.  Sipe,  a  grandson  of  Peter,  and  son  of  Jacob, 
who  moved  to  Somerset  County.  The  Sipes  made 
some  of  the  finest  farm  improvements  in  the  town- 
ship. 

The  Elder  family  was  in  early  times  largely  inter- 
ested in  real  estate  in  iSpringfield,  owning  about  two 
thousand   acres  of  land,   a  portion  of  which  yet  re- 


SFRIiNGFIELD  TOWNSHIP. 


mains  in  their  possession.  Clifford  Elder,  the  head 
of  the  family,  resided  in  Somerset  County.  William 
O.,  the  eldest  son,  was  a  well-known  citizen  of  Wash- 
ington. Other  sons  were  Clifford,  Henderson,  Sam- 
tiel,  and  Robinson.  The  latter  was  the  only  one  to 
reside  permanently  in  the  township.  He  was  a  man 
of  fine  ability,  and  became  celebrated  as  a  lecturer  on 
temperance.  He  died  in  the  service  of  the  Union  in 
the  late  civil  war.  One  of  the  daughters  of  Clifford 
Elder  was  the  wife  of  Dr.  Phythian,  the  first  practi- 
tioner in  the  township,  and  a  maiden  lady,  Eliza,  was 
a  resident  of  Springfield  until  1873. 

In  the  early  history  of  the  county  three  brothers, 
Thomas,  John,  and  James  Rogers,  came  from  Fred- 
erick, Md.,  and  settled  at  New  Haven.  Their  sister 
was  married  to  Col.  James  Paull,  at  that  time  one  of 
the  leading  men  of  Fayette.  Thomas  and  John 
Rogers  remained  citizens  of  Dunbar,  but  Maj.  James 
Rogers,  after  living  some  time  at  the  Findley  Fur- 
nace, settled  on  Indian  Creek,  in  Springfield,  about 
1828,  and  resided  there  until  his  death,  about  1842. 
He  superintended  the  building  of  the  Fayette  Fur- 
nace for  the  mining  company,  which  also  controlled 
about  three  thousand  acres  of  land,  which  Maj.  Rogers 
sold  to  the  settlers.  He  had  nine  sons, — John,  Wil- 
liam, Phineas,  Joseph,  James,  Thomas,  George,  Dan- 
iel, and  Erwin.  Of  these  William  served  in  the  war 
of  1812,  and  died  of  disease  contracted  in  the  service ; 
George  is  yet  living  atlronton,  Ohio  ;  and  Dr.  Joseph 
Rogers,  after  living  in  Springfield  more  than  two- 
score  years,  actively  engaged  as  a  practitioner  and 
a  manufacturer,  died  March  20,  1876,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-nine  years.  In  1831  he  was  married  to  Eliz- 
abeth Johnston,  of  Connellsville,  who  yet  resides  in 
that  city.  They  reared  sons, — Dr.  James  K.,  who 
died  after  the  late  war;  Dr.  Alexander,  residing  at 
Scottdale;  John, at  the  same  place;  and  William  D., 
yet  residing  on  the  homestead. 

George  Campbell,  a  Scotch-Irishman,  settled  in 
Dunbar  some  time  about  1800.  His  only  son,  James, 
after  living  in  that  township  a  number  of  years,  be- 
came a  citizen  of  Springfield,  and  yet  resides  there 
at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  In  1841  he  was  associated 
with  the  Messrs.  McCormick,  Taylor,  and  Turner  in 
manufacturing  the  first  coke  by  the  improved  system 
of  burning.  At  that  time  two  ovens  were  built  on 
the  site  of  the  old  salt-works  on  the  Youghiogheny, 
in  which  coke  was  successfully  burned,  and  shipped 
to  Cincinnati  by  means  of  flat-boats.  The  enterprise 
proved  a  failure,  so  far  as  these  parties  were  con- 
cerned, but  was  afterwards  prosecuted  with  partial 
success  by  the  Cochrans,  of  Tyrone. 

The  Pritts  family  has  lived  in  the  township  the  past 
fifty  years,  and  one  of  its  members,  Samuel,  is  up- 
wards of  eighty-six  years  of  age.  Another  of  the  old 
citizens  of  Springfield  is  Jacob  Lichleiter,  who  came 
from  Somerset  County  about  thirty  years  ago.  He 
lias  attained  the  unusual  age  of  ninety-three  years. 
The  population  of  tlie  township  in  ISSO  was  1714. 


TOAVNSHIP  ORGANIZATION  AND  LIST  OF  OFFICERS. 

Springfield  was  organized  as  a  separate  township 
by  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  in  December,  1848, 
but  was  not  constituted  with  its  present  bounds  until 
November,  1855,  when  it  absorbed  what  remained  of 
Youghiogheny  township  after  Stewart  was  erected. 
The  orders  of  the  court  by  which  this  was  effected 
appear  in  the  history  of  the  latter  township,  and  in 
the  history  of  Salt  Lick,  of  which  Springfield  was 
originally  a  part,  the  same  being  here  omitted  to  avoid 
repetition. 

The  list  of  township  officers,  including  those  of 
Youghiogheny  from  1848  till  1855,  is  as  follows : 

1848.— Ju: 
Sltinn 


ices,  John  Williams,  John  Harbnugh,  and  Sylve.ste 
■;  Assessor,  Samuel  Murray  ;  Auditor,  Johii  B.  Tede 


1849.— Justice,  Robert  Wortninn  ;  Assessor,  Absalom  Stryers  ; 
Auditors,  Samuel  Listun,  James  Leonard. 

1851). — Assessor,  Josephus  Woodmansee ;  Auditor,  William 
Stull. 

1851. — Assessor,  Josephus  Woodmansee;  Auditor,  James  Kemp. 

1852. — Assessor,  George  Harbaugh;  Auditor,  Jacob  Tutton. 

185:i.— Justice,  Sylvester  Skinner;  Assessor,  Abraham  Skin- 
ner; Auditor,  J.  S.  Woodmansee. 

1S54. — Asse.-sor,  David  Ogg:  Auditor,  James  Morrison. 

1855. — Assessor,  Robert  Wortman. 

1851!. — Justices,  John  Brooks,  Daniel  Dull;  Assessor,  Simon 
M.  Kern  ;  Auditor,  John  Senff. 

ISo?.— Assessor,  John  M.  Murray;  Auditor,  William  H.  Mur- 

piiy- 

1858. — Justice,  John  W.  Sherbondy ;  Assessor,  Leonard  Har- 
baugh ;  Auditor,  Joseph  Colestock. 

1359. — Assessor,  Joseph  W.  Ritenour;  Auditor,  R.  Elder. 

1800. — Justice,  John  Clark;  Assessor,  Daniel  W.  Dull;  Audi- 
tor, James  B.  Morris. 

1861.- Assessor,  Robert  Wortman;  Auditor,  Reason  Imer. 

18H2. — Assessor,  Henry  King;  Auditor,  Emanuel  Hensil. 

1863.- Justice,  John  W.  Sherbondy;  Assessor,  J.  H.  Miller; 
Auditor,  J,ames  F.  Imel. 

lS5t. — Assessor,  George  K.  Murray;  Auditor,  John  Brooks. 

ISCiD.— Justice,  J.  W.  C.  Brooks;  Assessor,  Solomon  Davis: 
Auditor,  J.  A.  C.  Murray. 

1866.— Assessor,  David  B.  Morris;  Auditor,  J.  W.  Morris. 

ISC)?. — .Iiisti.'f,  Christopher  Smultz;  Assessor,  A.  S.  Skinner; 
Audii.ir,  11,-nry  ( 'liohlicld. 

1868.— JusticL-,  .lusiah  II.  Miller;  Assessor,  J.  C.  Gorlet;  Au- 
ditor, A.  H.  McCoy. 

1869.— Assessor,  Daniel  W.  Dull;  Auditor,  John  Kern. 

1869,  October.— Justice,  George  Dull :  Auditor,  Jacob  M.  Mur- 

1S7II. — Assessor,  Jacob  M.  Murray:  Auditor,  J.  B.  Morris. 

1S72. — Assessor,  J.  B.  Morris;  Auditor,  John  Kern. 

1873. — Justice,  Josiah  H.  Miller;  Assessor,  M.  H.  King;  Au- 
ditor, Jacob  M.  Murray.  "^ 

1874.— Assessor,  J.  W.  K.  Solomon;  Auditor,  .'^.  W.  Bailey. 

1875.— Justice,  Lewis  Hunter;  Assessor,  Martin  Hope. 

1876. — Assessor,  H.  H.  Livingston;  Auditor,  B.  A.  Lanehill. 

1877. — Assessor,  Abraham  Friend;  Auditor,  Jacob  M.  Murray. 

1878.— Justice,  Henry  Crichfield ;  Assessor,  John  Imel;  Audi- 
tor, J.  B.  Morris. 

1879. — Assessor,  Emanuel  Hensil;  Auditor,  John  Kern. 

I^sn. — Justice,  George  Deed;  Assessor,  Emanuel  Hensil;  Au- 
ditor, J.  n.  Miller. 


■756 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ROADS. 
I  )ne  of  the  oldest  roads  in  Springfield  is  popularly 
known  as  the  "  Turkey  Foot"  road,  from  the  fact  that 
it  led  through  that  important  settlement  in  Somerset 
County  on  its  route  to  Pittsburgh.     It  is  also  known 
as  Smith's  road,  from  one  of  the  commissioners  who 
located  it.     The  road  followed  in  a  general  way  the 
blazed  path  of  Oliver  Drake  and  William  Rush,  along 
which  Capt.  Harris  drove  his  cattle  to  the  mouth  of 
Mill  Run,  thence  across  the  hills  to  the  clay  pike, 
near  Springfield  village,  from  which  it  bore  to  the 
northwest  across  Chestnut  Ridge  to  Mounts'  Creek, 
which  was  crossed  at  Andrews'  (now  Long's)  Mill  ; 
then  northwest  across  Bullskin  to  Jacob's- Creek,  in 
Tyrone,  intersecting  Braddock's   road   near  the  old 
chain  bridge.    It  was  several  miles  shorter  than  Brad- 
dock's  road,  and  was  by  some  preferred  on  that  ac- 
count when  the  other  road  was  rough,  not  naturally 
being  as  good  a  road  as  the  former.     After  the  Na- 
tional road  was  located  it  was  of  little  importance, 
and  much  of  its  ooursi^  h.is  long  since  been  effaced, 
retaining  only  I'miii  >[ill   Kun  northward  much  sem- 
blance of  its  ori-inal   ruui>e~.     The  most  important 
highway  in  the  township  is  tlie  "  clay  pike,"  so  called 
because  it  has  been   graded  but  never  piked  with 
stones.     Its  course  through  Springfield  is  nearly  east 
and  west  north  of  the  centre  of  the  township,  varying 
only  to  get  an  easier  ascent  of  Laurel  Hill.     It  was 
surveyed  in  1810,  but  was  not  completed  until  about 
1820.     The  survey  divided  the  road  into  quarter-mile 
sections,  a  post  being  set  up  at  such  intervals.     These 
sections  were  in  charge  of  different  contractors,  among 
the  builders  being  Dr.  Joseph  Rogers,  Solomon  Kern, 
and   Jolin  Williams.     The  road    became   the   great 
thoroughfare  for  the  passage  of  live-stock  from  Ohio 
and  Kentucky  to  the  East,  and   immense  droves  of 
horses,  mules,  cattle,  sheep,  and  hogs  were  almost  i 
constantly  trudging  along  its  course,  often  more  than 
a   hundred   per   week    passing   through   Springfield.  , 
Consequently  many  stock-taverns   sprung  up  along  [ 
the  road,  some  of  them  having  large  barns,  having 
stabling  capacity  for  fifty  horses,  at  which  the  farmers 
found  a  ready  market  for  their  products.     Among  the 
chief  drovers'  inns  were  those  kept  by  John  Resler, 
Peter  Eicher,  Solomon  Kern,  Samuel  Long,  Charles 
King,  Mary  Taylor,  James  Crichfield,  Henry  Garlets, 
John   Prinkey,  Thaddeus   Aughenbach,  and   Adam 
Dietz.     After  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  was   com- 
pleted the  droves  diminished  in  number,  but  the  road 
was  considerably  used  for  this  purpose  until  the  Balti- 
more and  Ohio  Railroad  was  built  along  the  Youghio- 
gheny  in  1871.    This  railway  has  stations  at  Stewarton 
and  Hampton,  in  Springfield  township. 

GENERAL    IXDf.-^TRIES. 
It  is  stated  on  good  authority  that  Reuben  Skinner 
was  the  first  person  in  the  township  to  employ  water- 
power  to  operate   machinery  for   milling   purposes. 
Some  time  after  tlio  RevohitioM  he  built  a  small  irrist- 


mill  on  Mill  Run,  on  the  present  Elijah  Kooser  place, 
which  had  one  run  of  stones  and  rude  machinery.  A 
saw-mill  was  put  in  operation  at  a  later  day.  From 
Skinner  the  mill  passed  to  Jacob  Ketchum,  thence  to 
Peter  Kooser,  thence  to  L.  D.  Wilgus,  and  from  him 
to  Elijah  Kooser.  The  reconstructed  grist-mill  had 
two  runs  of  stones  and  a  fair  grinding  capacity,  and 
although  the  mill  remains,  it  has  not  been  running 
the  past  few  years.  The  saw-mill  is  yet  kejjt  in  mo- 
tion. 

The  second  mill  in  the  township  was  built  by  a 
man  named  Van  Trice,  on  Resler's  Run,  and  was  a 
very  small  affair,  the  capacity  being  only  seven 
bushels  per  day.  Daniel  Resler  subsequently  owned 
the  mill,  and  at  later  periods  the  waters  of  that  stream 
operated  saw-mills  for  John  Resler,  Josiah  Miller,  and 
Maxwell  Clark. 

On  Mill  Run,  below  the  old  Skinner  mill,  John 
Harbaugh  built  a  saw-mill  thirty  years  ago,  which  is- 
at  present  owned  and  operated  by  James  Russell. 
Yet  farther  below,  George  Dull  put  in  operation  a. 
saw-mill  in  1841,  which  has  had  as  subsequent  owners 
Daniel  Shearer,  John  A.  McBeth  and  Daniel  Dear- 
born, Bradford  &  Co.,  and  the  present  Dr.  Gallagher. 
The  capacity  is  small.  Near  the  mouth  of  this  stream 
Wm.  R.  Turner  had  a  saw-mill  some  time  about  1830,. 
to  which  was  added  a  run  of  stones  for  grinding  pur- 
poses. The  latter  were  soon  removed,  but  the  saw- 
mill was  kept  in  operation  a  number  of  years  longer,, 
when  it  was  allowed  to  go  down.  Turner  also  had  a 
saw-mill  on  Indian  Creek,  near  the  site  of  Hampden 
Forge,  which  was  discontinued  after  that  enterprise 
was  abandoned.  Several  miles  from  the  mouth  of 
Mill  Run,  John  and  Elijah  Kooser  erected  a  grist- 
mill in  1851,  which  is  yet  operated  by  John  Kooser. 
The  mill-house  is  a  four-story  frame,  thirty-six  by 
forty-eight  feet,  and  is  supplied  with  three  runs  of 
stones.  The  power  was  secured  by  digging  a  race 
sixty  rods  long,  whereby  a  fall  of  twenty-five  feet  w:is 
secured.  The  motor  is  an  eighteen-foot  overshot  wheeL 
The  mill  has  a  large  patronage. 

In  the  northern  part  of  the  township,  on  Indian 
Creek,  the  Rogers  family  has  had  in  operation  a  small 
grist-mill  since  1832,  which  has  been  repaired  several 
times  and  is  now  accounted  a  good  mill.  The  saw- 
mill at  this  place  was  built  about  1866  by  Wm.  D.. 
Rogers,  and  is  yet  carried  on  by  him.  It  has  a  good 
cutting  capacity. 

On  Stony  Run  a  water-power  was  improved  about 
1820  to  operate  a  carding-machine  for  Solomon  Kern. 
It  was  continued  about  ten  years,  when  the  machinery 
was  removed,  but  the  saw-mill  which  had  been  built 
here  meantime  was  operated  a  few  years  longer.  In 
1S37,  James  Campbell  built  another  saw-mill  on  that 
site,  which  he  carried  on  about  five  years,  when,  after 
having  many  owners,  it  was  allowed  to  go  down. 
Near  the  same  time  the  Brooks  family  had  a  mill  on 
the  same  stream,  three-quarters  of  a  mile  above,, 
which  was  carried  on  about  ten  vears.     Other  mills 


SPRINGFIELD  TOWNSHIP. 


757 


have  been  operated  on  Poplar  Run  and  on  the  Mid- 
dle Fork,  all  of  them  having  a  limited  capacity ; 
while  a  number  of  portable  steam  saw-mills  have 
been  operated  for  short  periods  in  various  localities, 
of  which  no  account  is  made  here.  The  shipment  of 
native  lumber  has  been  carried  on  quite  extensively 
the  past  few  years  by  John  J.  McFarland,  much  of 
the  timber  shipped  being  destined  for  European  mar- 
kets for  use  in  ship-building  and  fine  cooper-work. 
Locust  and  oak  constitute  the  bulk  of  the  shipments 
from  the  several  stations  on  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
Railroad  in  Springfield. 

The  mountain  forests  furnish  a  good  supply  of 
bark  for  tanning  purposes,  and  that  industry  has  for 
many  years  held  a  leading  place  in  the  township. 
At  Springfield  village,  John  Crossland  began  tanning 
leather  in  a  small  way,  having  half  a  dozen  vats, 
about  1839,  and  carrying  on  the  business  seven  or 
eight  years.  He  was  followed  by  Alexander  John- 
ston, who  enlarged  the  taijnery  and  made  other 
changes.  About  1850,  Alfred  Cooper  became  the 
owner  of  the  property,  and  while  belonging  to  him 
the  tannery  was  rebuilt,  the  number  of  vats  being 
increased  to  thirty.  He  sold  it  to  Schallenbarger  & 
McBeth,  and  subsequently  it  was  owned  by  John  A. 
McBeth  alone.  He  still  further  enlarged  the  tannery, 
and  was  the  last  to  operate  it,  about  1875.  It  is  a 
large  and  well-appointed  building,  with  an  engine- 
room  attached,  and  spacious  bark  shed  adjacent.  The 
capacity  was  3000  hides  per  year,  tanned  into  sole 
and  harness  leather,  which  had  a  most  excellent 
reputation  in  the  markets  of  the  East. 

When  the  tannery  was  first  carried  on  horse-power 
was  employed,  but  under  the  ownership  of  John  A. 
McBeth  steam  was  supplied,  the  boiler  having  a 
very  much  larger  capacity  than  the  engine.  In 
1863  an  explosion  occurred  which  wrecked  the  build- 
ing, and  which  would  undoubtedly  have  resulted  dis- 
astrously to  the  lives  of  the  workmen  but  for  the 
fortunate  fact  that  they  had  left  the  tannery  to  eat 
their  dinners  just  a  short  time  before.  The  ends  of 
the  boiler  were  blown  through  the  smoke-stack,  carry- 
ing with  them  heavy  timbers  in  their  course.  The 
engine  was  taken  up  bodily  and  hurled  more  than 
one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  its  bed,  half  bury- 
ing itself  in  the  earth  in  a  semi-upright  position  in  a 
garden  near  the  tannery.  The  shock  was  felt  in  the 
entire  neighborhood,  and  the  accident  was  the  theme 
of  conversation  for  many  days. 

At  Mill  Run  a  tannery  was  built  in  1861  by  Daniel 
Shearer,  which  is  yet  in  successful  operation  under 
the  management  of  Lewis  Marietta,  as  lessee  for  the 
proprietor.  Dr.  Gallagher.  There  are  about  thirty 
vats, .capacitating  the  tannery  to  handle  two  thousand 
five  hundred  hides  per  year.  The  product  is  harness- 
and  belting-leather,  tanned  with  rock  and  chestnut- 
oak  bark.  About  ten  years  ago  steam  was  introduced, 
and  is  used  in  connection  with  water-power.  Em- 
ployment is  given  to  from  six  to  ten  men.     The  saw- 


I  mill  at  this  point  belongs  to  the  tannery  property, 
and  both  have  had  the  same  ownership. 

The  distillation  of  liquor  was  engaged  in  by  many 
persons   in   the   early  days  of  the  township,  among 

I  the  chief  distilleries  being  those  carried  on  by  Willits 
Skinner,  John  Prinkey,  and  on  the  Nutt  farm  by  a 

!  man  named  Davi.s.  But  the  manufacture  of  iron  was 
a  pioneer  interest,  compared  with  which  all  others 

1  were  of  secondary  importance.     The  ores  of  Spring- 

1  field  are  very  rich,  yielding  a  large  percentage  of  ex- 
cellent iron,  with  sufficient  limestone  therein  to  flux 
the  metal.  They  are  usually  found  in  beds  of  shale, 
holding  the  place  of  the  upper  Kittanning  limestone 
of  the  Johnstown  cement-beds.  The  metal  has  been 
found  superior  for  foundry  purposes,  and  only  the  in- 
accessibility of  the  mines  has  prevented  the  general 
development  of  this  great  mineral  wealth.  Years 
ago,  when  the  Youghiogheny  River  was  regarded  as 
a  possible  channel  for  the  shipment  of  the  products, 
a  forge  was  built  on  Indian  Creek  about  half  a  mile 
above  its  mouth,  the  watys  of  that  stream  being  used 
to  operate  it.  It  was  generally  known  as  Hampden 
Forge,  and  the  owners,  when  it  was  first  operated, 
about  1810,  were  Reuben  Mockabee  and  Samuel 
Wurtz.  The  latter  subsequently  was  the  sole  owner. 
It  was  kept  in  operation  until  some  time  after  1830. 
Considerable  bar  and  other  iron  was  wrought,  which 
wa.s  carried  down  the  river  by  means  of  flat-boats. 
The  raw  material  was  brought  from  the  Laurel  Fur- 
nace, in  Dunbar,  and  the  St.  John  Furnace,  on  In- 
dian Creek,  several  miles  above  the  forge.  The  latter 
was  built  on  the  eastern  base  of  the  Chestnut  Ridge, 
and  apparently  in  au  almost  inaccessible  ]>lace.  But 
the  ore  could  be  easily  procured,  and  it  was  believed 
that  flat-boats  might  descend  Indian  Creek  many 
months  of  the  year,  a  calculation  which  was  soon 
demonstrated  to  be  erroneous,  and  which  ultimately 
caused  the  enterprise  to  be   abandoned.      St.  John 

j  Furnace  was  built  about  1807,  by  Jackson  &  Gibson, 

[  but  in  a  few  years  became  the  property  of  Col.  James 
Paull.  It  was  operated  by  different  parties  as  lessees, 
the  last  by  Dougherty  &  Steele,  who  blew  it  out  of 
blast  in  1828.   While  it  was  in  operation  that  locality 

'  was  the  scene  of  bustling  activity,  a  large  number  of 

!  men  being  employed,  and  a  public-house  was  main- 
tained by  the  McCune  family.  The  masonry  of  St. 
John  Furnace  was  done  by  Jesse  Taylor,  and  was 
so  substantial  that  it  remained  long  after  everything 
else  had  passed  away. 

i  A  number  of  miles  above,  on  the  same  stream,  a 
mining  company,  composed  of  Freeman,  Miller,  and 
Linton,  secured  a  large  tract  of  mineral  lands,  which 
were  placed  in  charge  of  Maj.  James  Rogers,  under 
whose  direction  as  superintendent  the  Fayette  Fur- 
nace was  erected  in  1827-28.  In  1831,  Joseph  and 
George  Rogers  became  the  owners  of  the  furnace,  and 
several  years  later  Dr.  Joseph  Rogers  alone,  who 
kept  it  in  blast  until  1841.  Its  capacity  was  from  two 
to  three  tons  per  day,  and  much  of  the  metal  was  cast 


758 


HLSTORV    OF    FAVKTTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


into  kettles,  conking  utensils,  etc.,  which  were  sold  at 
the  furnace,  or  conveyed  to  Counellsville  on  wagons 
and  sleds,  and  thence  shipped  to  Pittsburgh.  When 
the  furnace  was  carried  on  at  its  best  many  men  were 
employed,  who  lived  in  small  houses  in  that  locality, 
forming  a  hamlet,  which  contained  twenty-six  build- 
ings, most  of  which  have  been  removed. 

Almost  the  entire  Indian  Creek  Valley,  with  its 
adjacent  hills,  is  underlaid  with  fine  coal  possessing 
many  of  the  qualities  of  the  celebrated  Connellsville 
coal.  It  is  found  in  three  distinct  veins,  at  difl'erent 
elevations  from  the  bed  of  the  creek,  varying  from 
three  to  six  feet  in  thickness.  Coal  was  first  used  in 
the  township  for  blacksmithing  purposes  about  1835, 
being  taken  from  a  bank  on  the  clay  pike,  east  of 
Springfield  village,  in  such  small  quantities  that  it 
was  carried  away  in  a  bag.  Soon  its  value  for  fuel 
was  found  out,  and  raining  at  that  place  and  other 
points  was  begun,  and  has  been  continued  to  the  pres- 
ent. In  1881  the  following  mines  were  in  working 
condition :  Jacob  Minor's,  east  of  the  village  of 
Springfield,  the  place  where  coal  was  first  mined  ; 
David  Sliank's,  south  of  the  village  ;  the  old  Solomon 
Kernliunk:  .John  k-hultz's  and  James  Gallentine's,  on 
Stony  Klin;  .Tar<ili  Murry's,  near  Poplar  Kuu ;  Jack- 
son Rose's,  on  Indian  Creek  ;  George  Showman's,  on 
the  lower  part  of  that  stream,  the  bank  being  three 
hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  creek,  and  the 
coal  appearing  in  a  five-foot  vein  ;  Garrett  Hall's;  the 
Eicher  and  Solomon  Davis'  banks,  farther  up  on  the 
same  stream  ;  the  John  Miller  bank,  on  the  old  Shu- 
max  farm,  has  a  six-foot  vein  ;  and  the  John  F. 
Campbell  bank  has  been  opened  to  the  extent  of  fifty 
yards  ;  the  Rogers  mine,  on  Buck  Run  and  Middle 
Fork,  has  a  working  passage  the  distance  of  one  hnn- 
dred  yards,  and  the  coal  appears  in  a  vein  six  feet  in 
thickness.  South  of  Indian  Creek,  on  Mill  Run  and 
aflluent  streams,  are  coal-banks  owned  by  Jolm 
Bigani,  Kli  Crall,  John  Dull,  George  Dull,'  R.  AV. 
Win-knian,  ^<aniucl  Xickerson,  Abraham  'Williams, 
and  others,  wliich  serve  only  to  supply  the  demand 
for  home  use. 

VILLAGES    AND    BUSINES.S    INTERESTS. 

After  the  completion  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
Railroad,  in  1871,  a  station  was  located  at  the  mouth 
of  Indian  Creek,  which  bears  the  name  of  the  stream, 
and  a  post-office  established  with  the  name  of  Hamp- 
ton. The  station  is  a  store,  and  the  post-office  was 
kept  by  W.  F.  'Walter,  but  tlie  wild  nature  of  the 
country  in  that  locality  made  it  advisable  to  continue 
the  latter  two  but  a  short  time.  The  railroad  com- 
pany still  maintains  a  llag-station  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  the  farmers  of  that  neighborhood.  The 
history  of  the  post-office  at  Stewarton  Station  is  given 
in  the  township  of  Stewart,  from  which  the  office  was 
removed  but  a  short  time  ago. 

The  hamlet  of  Mill  Run  is  along  the  old  Turkey 
Foot  road,  where  it  crosses  that  stream,  and  consists 


of  a  tannery,  mills,  several  stores,  and  a  dozen  houses, 
built  without  thought  of  forming  a  village  and  on 
unplatted  ground.  The  first  improvement  was  the 
Kooser  grist-mill,  built  in  1851,  although  the  old 
Bigam  meeting-house  had  before  directed  attention  to 
this  locality  as  a  central  point  for  the  people  of  Spring- 
field south  of  Indian  Creek.  In  1851  was  also  opened 
the  store  of  Weller  &  Dull,  in  a  building  erected  for 
that  purpose,  and  which  yet  remains.  Daniel  W. 
Dull  became  the  sole  owner  of  the  store  in  a  few  years, 
and  sold  out  to  John  W.  Sherbondy,  who  removed 
the  stock  of  goods  to  Springfield.  For  a  time  the 
place  was  without  a  store,  but  in  1863  Jonathan  and 
Hiram  C.  Sipe  engaged  in  a  trade  which  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  latter,  and  was  continued  by  him 
until  his  death  in  1878.  He  was  a  very  successful 
merchant,  and  in  the  later  years  of  his  career  also  here 
carried  on  a  banking  business,  a  small  house  being 
erected  for  this  purpose  especially.  It  was  supplied 
with  a  large  safe,  which  a  party  of  burglars  vainly 
attempted  to  move,  in  an  attempt  to  despoil  Mr.  Sipe 
of  his  wealth,  having  been  led  to  believe,  doubtlessly, 
that  if  the  bank  were  small  the  safe  must  necessarily 
be  diminutive.  The  morning  following  the  futile  at- 
tempt revealed  the  work  of  the  miscreants,  who  in 
their  disgust  had  left  their  tools  and  tackle  behind 
them,  scattered  on  the  floor  of  the  bank.  The  goods 
of  the  Sipe  store  were  sold  to  Augustus  Stickle,  who 
had  opened  a  store  near  the  tannery  in  1877.  This 
was  destroyed  by  fire  in  June,  1880,  but  a  new  build- 
ing was  erected  in  its  place,  where  Mr.  Stickle  carries 
on  a  growing  trade.  Meantime,  Evans  Bigam  opened 
a  store  near  the  mill,  which  he  yet  carries  on,  and 
lately  the  old  Sipe  stand  has  been  filled  with  a  stock 
of  goods  by  C.  K.  Brooks  and  Martin  H.  King. 

The  Mill  Run  post-office  was  established  in  1866, 
with  Hiram  C.  Sipe  as  postmaster.  He  was  suc- 
I'ci'dud  by  Levi  Bradford,  and  he  in  turn,  in  1876,  by 
John  A.  Kooser,  who  keeps  the  office  at  his  mill.  The 
mail  service  is  daily  from  Stewarton  to  Jones'  Mill. 
Prior  to  1871  it  was  from  Farmington  to  the  latter 
place,  several  times  per  week. 

Springfield,  a  hamlet  approximating  a  village  in 
size,  is  on  the  clay  pike,  northwest  of  the  centre  of 
the  township.  Originally  the  land  belonged  to  the 
Eicher  family,  and  later  to  Samuel  Long,  who  sold 
three  hundred  acres  to  Jonathan  Miller,  of  Somerset 
County.  On  the  lower  part  of  this  tract  Levi  and  J. 
H.  Miller  erected  a  large  brick  house  in  1847,  which 
is  the  oldest  house  in  that  part  of  the  hamlet.  This 
house  and  a  number  of  acres  of  land  became  the 
l)roperty  of  Charles  King,  who  in  1852  laid  out  thirty- 
six  quarter-acre  lots  for  village  purposes,  which  con- 
stitutes the  plat  of  the  lower  part  of  Springfield.  In 
1,S5.'^  King  erected  his  present  residence  on  one  of  the 
lots,  and  the  same  year  James  Gallentine  built  a  house 
iip]iosite  the  Campbell  store,  which  is  yet  standing. 
Passing  over  an  unoccupied  space  one-fourth  of  a 
mile  westward,  the  upper  end  of  the  hamlet  contains 


SPlllNGFIELD   TOWiNSHIP. 


759 


a  house  which  was  built  about  1835,  by  Joseph  Scott, 
and  around  which  a  dozen  more  buildings  were  erected 
in  subsequent  years.  Some  of  these  are  rather  dilap- 
idated, and  the  hamlet  throughout,  after  the  import- 
ance of  the  clay  pike  declined,  gave  little  promise  of 
continued  or  future  prosperity.  The  population 
diminished  until  the  number  maintaining  their  per- 
manent homes  in  1880  was  only  about  one-half  of 
what  it  was  several  decades  earlier.  Lately,  however, 
there  have  been  signs  of  renewed  life,  and  the  former 
activity  may  again  be  restored.  Springfield  contains 
two  churches,  a  school-house,  a  large  tannery  (not  in 
operation),  two  good  stores,  a  number  of  mechanic- 
shops,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  inhabitants. 

The  first  goods  were  sold  by  Joseph  Scott,  about 
1836,  his  trade  being  continued  a  few  years.  Henry 
and  John  Brooks  opened  the  next  store  in  the  build- 
ing now  occupied  by  Capt.  James  B.  Morris,  merchan- 
dising from  1839  to  1847.  Next  came  Levi  and  J.  H. 
Miller,  who,  in  1853,  established  their  place  of  busi- 
ness in  the  lower  part  of  the  village,  where  they  con- 
tinued until  1861.  The  present  Campbell  store  room 
was  occupied  in  1873  by  J.  F.  Campbell;  but  the 
business  is  at  present  carried  on  by  George  W.  Camp- 
bell, who  has  a  large  room  well  stocked  with  assorted 
goods  for  a  general  trade.  On  the  opposite  corner  a 
new  store  has  just  been  opened  by  Benton  L.  Miller. 
Among  other  merchants  in  the  hamlet  have  been 
Lohr  &  Detweiler,  John  Brooks,  J.  W.  Sherbondy, 
Rogers  &  Campbell,  John  F.  Murray,  McBeth  & 
Morris,  Reisinger  &  Cole,  and  William  Aughen- 
baugh. 

Samuel  Long  was  the  first  to  open  a  public-house 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  village.  This  house  has  been 
used  for  the  entertainment  of  the  public  almost  ever 
since,  among  the  keepers  of  the  inn  being  Moses 
Coughenour,  Eli  Gallentine,  Samuel  Kooser,  Martin 
Kring,  and  William  H.  Brooks.  At  the  upper  end  of 
the  village  J.  W.  C.  Brooks  kept  an  inn  from  1871-72, 
which  was  known  as  the  "  Utah  House."  J.  H.  Mil- 
ler also  entertained  the  public,  and  lately  Benton  L. 
Miller  has  accommodated  the  traveling  public,  the 
Brooks  house  also  being  continued. 

A  post-office  was  here  established  about  1851,  with 
the  name  of  Springfield,  Alfred  Cooper  being  the 
postmaster.  In  1853  the  name  of  the  office  was 
changed  to  "  Elm,"  which  it  yet  bears,  and  J.  H. 
Miller  appointed  postmaster.  In  1862  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Nathan  B..  Long,  and  he  in  turn  by  John 
W.  Sherbondy,  J.  T.  Coughenour,  William  Brooks,  J. 
F.  Campbell,  and  since  the  spring  of  1881  the  present, 
George  W.  Campbell.  Two  mails  per  day  are  sup- 
plied by  the  route  from  Stewarton  to  Jones'  Mill, 
John  Brooks,  of  Springfield,  being  the  carrier.  The 
first  mail  service  was  from  Ccinnellsville  to  Berlin,  in 
Somerset  County,  once  a  week  ;  thereafter  from  Farm- 
ington,  on  the  National  road,  three  times  a  week. 

The  first  physician  in  the  township  was  Dr.  J.  B. 
Phvthian,  a  son-in-law  of  Clift'c.rd  Elder.     He  was  a 


native  of  Gloucestershire,  England,  but  became  a 
resident  of  Pittsburgh  in  1825.  Several  years  later 
he  settled  in  Springfield,  and  remained  until  his  death, 
not  many  years  thereafter.  His  remains  were  taken 
to  Somerset  County.  The  next  physician  was  Dr. 
Joseph  Rogers,  son  of  Maj.  James  Rogers,  the  builder 
of  the  mills,  where  Dr.  Rogers  had  his  home,  and 
where  he  died,  March  20,  1876,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
nine  years.  After  graduating  at  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  he  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine at  Ligonier.  In  1828  he  became  interested  in 
the  Fayette  Furnace,  but  did  not  wholly  relinquish 
his  practice.  In  1841  he  settled  permanently  in 
Springfield,  and  was  for  many  years  the  sole  physi- 
cian of  the  township,  practicing  the  healing  art  until 
within  a  year  of  his  death.  His  son,  James  K.,  after 
graduating  at  Jefferson  College,  studied  medicine, 
and  served  in  the  Rebellion  as  a  surgeon.  For  some 
years  he  was  connected  with  the  hospital  at  St.  Louis, 
and  contracted  a  disease  which  proved  fatal  to  his  life 
a  few  years  after  the  war.  Another  son,  Alexander, 
graduated  from  the  same  institution,  and  is  now  a 
physician  at  Scottdale,  Westmoreland  Co. 

The  resident  physicians  of  the  township  are  Dr.  A. 
G.  Grubb,  at  Mill  Run,  since  1877,  and  Dr.  A.  H. 
McCoy,  at  Springfield,  since  1861.  The  latter  is  a 
well-known  practitioner,  liaving  a  ride  which  extends 
many  miles  arouml,  when'  lie  enjoys  the  reputation 
of  being  a  succes.-<lul  pliysieian. 

There  have  been  a  few  others  as  physicians  in  the 
township,  whose  residence  did  not  have  sufficient 
duration  to  secure  them  a  practice. 

EDUCATIONAL    AND    RELIGIOUS. 

Among  the  early  schools  in  Springfield  was  one 
taught  in  a  small  house  which  stood  where  is  now  the 
principal  place  of  business  in  the  hamlet  of  Spring- 
field. It  was  kept  up  a  few  years,  probably  from  1810 
to  1813.  As  this  was  an  English  school,  many  of  the 
children  of  the  early  settlers  continued  to  attend  the 
schools  in  Salt  Lick,  where  instruction  was  given  in 
the  German  language  also.  On  the  present  McMillan 
farm  was  a  pioneer  school-house,  in  which  Daniel 
Turner,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  taught  several  years 
more  than  half  a  century  ago.  While  a  good  teacher, 
his  age  caused  him  to  be  petulant  and  hard  to  please. 
Other  early  teachers  there  were  George  Gregg,  David 
Barnes,  Eli  Smith,  and  Frederick  Berg.  The  house 
was  destroyed  by  fire  while  occupied  as  a  residence 
by  Jacob  Ritenour. 

On  the  old  Sipe  place  wius  a  very  primitive  school 
building,  in  which  Jacob  H.  Rush  taught  one  of  the 
early  schools.  Another  pioneer  school-house  stood 
on  the  Silas  Prinkey  farm.  And  near  the  Collins' 
graveyard  was  what  was  called  the  Temperance 
School-house,  in  which  Martha  McCune  taught  fifty 
years  ago.  Later  John  Dixon,  A.  J.  Mitchell,  and 
George  M.  Bigam  were  teachers  there.  The  old  Bigam 
or  Presbyterian  meeting-house  was  also  used  for  school 


rt!0 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


purposes,  Peter  Lohr  being  oue  of  the  first  teachers. 
Other  pioneer  teachers  were  Jacob  aud  Henry  Ullrey, 
Clark  'I'ubbs,  Leonard  Harbaugh,  Elizabeth  Murray, 
Catharine  Ullrey,  Sarah  Bigam,  Mary  and  David 
Rowan. 

Since  the  organization  of  the  township  the  directors 
of  the  public  schools  have  been  as  follows  : 

1^48.— James  Morrison,  John  Hall,  Jacob  Kern. 

1S40.— Robert  Workman,  James  Morris,  Sylvester  Skinner. 

ISoO. — Abraham  Skinner,  Jnoob  Sipe,  Jonathan  Sipe,  and  Syl- 
vester Skinner. 

1851. — James  Morrison,  George  Harbaugh,  Everhart  Liston, 
and  David  Ogg. 

1852. — Tames  Biird,  Henry  Collins. 

1853.— Robert  Workman,  Abraham  Skinner. 

1S54.— Jiimes  Morrison,  David  Ogg. 

lS56.^I"lin  :ilcBeth,  Heory  Grim,  Coulson  Coughenour, 

1857.— John  Kern,  John  Sherbondy,  Aaron  Hart. 

1858.— John  Kern,  Henry  Grim. 

1859.— William  Collins,  J.  A.  H.  Miller. 

I860.— John  R.  Elder,  John  W,  Sherbondy. 

1861,— Robert  Workman,  James  Smear. 

1862.— William  Collins,  J.  A.  McBeth. 

1863.— J.  W.  Sherbondy,  H.  J.  Coughenour. 

1864.- Daniel  Shearer,  Henry  King,  Robert  Workman. 

1865.— A.  Doll,  Samuel  Murray,  Abraham  Gallentine, 

1866.— Jolui  A.  Mci;.th,  Josiah  H.  Miller,  James  B.  Morris. 

1867.- Henry  Bungard,  L,  E,  Miller,  J.  W.  C.  Brooks. 

1868.- D.  Kesslar,  D.  W.  Dull,  G.  A.  Yonkin. 

1869.— Solomon  Davis,  Frederick  C.  Miller,  Joseph  K.  Eicher, 
William  Rogers. 

1870.- S.  B.  Toderow,  J.  F.  Caiupbell. 

1872.— A.  H.  M.-Cuy.  Willi;un  Ott,  J.  G.  Phillipiii. 

1873.— C.  B,  Sipe,  .Messmore  Carmer. 

1874.— R.  W.  Workman,  A.  J.  Case. 

1875.— Joseph  L,  Baker,  T.  J.  Burchinal. 

1876.— Henry  Bungard,  Eli  K.  Harbaugh. 

1877.— R.  W.  Workman,  J.  W,  Lichleiter,  E.  S.  Harbaugh. 

1878.— S.  P.  Eicher,  John  Davis,  George  Yonkin. 

1879.- J.  W.  Lichleiter,  Ross  Marietta. 

18S0.— George  Kern,  Ross  xMarietta. 

In  1880  the  number  of  schools  maintained  in  the 
township  was  twelve,  nine  of  which  had  male  teach- 
ers and  three  Icmali-  teachers.  The  average  wages  of 
the  former  wiTr  sj4.".n  pn-  munth,  and  of  the  latter 
S22  per  month,  llu' total  aiinuiiit  raised  for  school 
purposes  was  81669.21 ;  and  the  value  of  the  school 
buildings  aggregated  only  $8000. 

SPRINGFIELD   METHODIST   EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 

As  early  as  1825  the  Rev.  James  G.  Sansom  occa- 
sionally preached  at  the  house  of  Solomon  Kern, 
while  on  his  way  from  Bedford  to  Connellsville  ;  and 
other  Metliodist  ministers  in  the  years  that  followed 
preached  to  those  who  gave  their  adherence  to  that 
church,  among  the  number  being  Michael  B.  Lohr, 
David  Resler,  and  the  Elder  ftimily.  After  a  space 
of  time  a  class  was  formed  and  regular  worship  main- 
tained, the  preaching  services  iM'in;:  hi'lil  in  school- 
houses.  About  1844  the  members  formed  themselves 
int(.  a  society  to  build  a  house  of  worsliiii.  This  was 
built   near  the   home  of  M.  B.  Lohr,  the  first  class- 


leader,  on  a  lot  of  land  deeded  for  this  purpose  by 
Eliza  Elder;  and  there  the  meetings  were  statedly  held 
until  the  fall  of  1863,  when  it  was  consumed  by  a  fire 
lit  by  the  hands  of  an  incendiary,  who  thought  in  this 
way  he  miglit  reek  his  spite  against  the  church  which 
refused  to  longer  extend  him  the  hand  of  fellowship, 
owing  to  his  failure  to  observe  its  ordinances.  From 
this  blow  the  church  slowly  recovered,  again  being 
dependent  ujion  the  school-houses  for  a  place  of  wor- 
ship, where,  and  in  the  United  Brethren  Church,  the 
meetings  continued  to  be  held  until  the  summer  of 
1881,  when  the  new  church  edifice  at  Springfield  was 
completed.  It  has  an  eligible  location  on  half  an 
acre  of  ground  donated  by  Abraham  Miller,  and  is  a 
Gothic  frame,  thirty-two  by  forty-two  feet,  surmounted 
by  a  neat  belfry.  The  movement  to  build  tliis  house 
was  begun  in  the  spring  of  1879,  when  the  Rev.  Zenas 
M.  Sillbaugh  was  the  preacher  in  charge  of  the  cir- 
cuit of  which  Springfield  is  a  part.  A  building  com- 
mittee was  appointed,  composed  of  Solomon  Davis, 
George  Kern,  N.  B.  Tannehill,  George  W,  Campbell, 
and  Benton  L.  Miller,  who,  in  spite  of  many  difficul- 
ties, carried  the  work  to  successful  completion.  The 
church  presents  a  fine  appearance,  and  is  a  credit  to 
the  society  and  the  community.  The  Methodists 
worshiping  here  form  a  class  of  forty-five  members, 
who  have  as  a  leader  N.  B.  Tannehill.  In  1876  the 
society  organized  a  Sabbath-school  which  had  as  its 
superintendent  John  Kern,  and  which  is  continued 
under  the  superintendency  of  Solomon  Davis.  It 
has  from  forty  to  seventy  members.  Methodism  in 
Springfield  towiiship  embraces  a  small  class  at  Mill 
Run,  whose  preaching  services  are  held  at  the  school- 
house  ;  and  both  the  above  appointments  are  a  part  of 
Springfield  Circuit,  of  the  McKeesport  District  of 
the  Pittsburgh  Conference.  The  preacher  in  charge 
in  1881  was  Rev.  John  J.  Davis,  and  among  the  clergy- 
inen  preceding  him  were  the  Revs.  Z.  M.  Sillbaugh, 
M.  D.  Lichleiter,  Sylvanus  Lane,  James  E.  Williams, 
George  A.  Sheetz,"j.  R.  Mills,  E.  H.  Baird,  J.  AV. 
Kesslar,  James  Hollingshead,  and  J.  F.  Hill. 

UNITKD   BRETHREN   CHURCH. 

Half  a  century  ago  this  denomination  maintained 
preaching  at  the  homes  of  its  adherents  in  the  town- 
ship, among  them  being  Daniel  Resler,  Solomon  Kern 
Christian  Senff,  Joseph  Gallentine,  and  George  Dull 
The  pioneer  preachers  were  the  Revs.  Worman,  Stake. 
Pershing,  Troxel,  Berger,  Butsfield,  and  others.  After 
a  lapse  of  time  the  membership  became  so  large  that 
a  larger  place  for  worship  was  demanded,  and  in  1849 
the  brick  meeting-house  at  Springfield  was  erected  to 
meet  this  want.  It  stands  on  a  fine  lot,  used  for 
church  and  cemetery  purposes,  which  was  donated 
by  Solomon  Kern,  and  although  bearing  the  marks 
of  age,  is  yet  a  comfortable  place  for  religious  assem- 
blage. When  the  house  was  consecrated  it  was  stip- 
ulated that  the  use  of  it  might  be  enjoyed  by  other 
bodies  under  pro|ier  restrictions;  or  in  the  words  of 


SPRINGFIELD  TOWNSHIP. 


761 


the  compact,  "The  power  is  in  the  trustees  to  grant 
liberty  to  other  societies  to  preach  in  the  church,  if 
not  occupied  by  the  society."  In  compliance  with 
these  terms  various  denominations  have  used  the 
brick  meeting-house  as  their  place  of  worsliip.  In 
1881  the  trustees  were  John  Brooks,  J.  W.  C.  Lich- 
leiter,  and  Samuel  Scott. 

The  members  of  the  United  Brethren  Church  num- 
ber at  present  about  sixty,  forming  a  class,  of  which 
John  B.  Tederovv  is  the  leader.     The  Sunday-school  ; 
here  maintained  was  organized  about  thirty  years  ago,  ' 
and  has  for  its  present  superintendent  Winfield  Tan-  i 
nehill.    Others  who  have  served  in  that  capacity  were 
John  B.  Tederow  and  J.  W.  Lichleiter.     The  school  ' 
was  attended  in  1880  by  about  one  hundred  persons. 

At  Mill  Run  a  class  of  those  giving  their  adherence 
to  the  United  Brethren  was  formed  in  1840,  George  i 
Dull  being  the  leader  and  serving  until  his  death  in  ] 
1880.     Among  those  who  belonged  at  that  early  pe- 
riod were  Robert  Bigam,  Nicholas  Romesburgh,  Dan- 
iel  Harbaugh,  David  Bigam,  John    Bigam,  George 
Bigam,  and  in  most  instances  their  wives.     The  class 
has  at  present  twenty-five  members,  and  John  Dull 
is  the  leader.     Their  regular  meetings  are  held  in  the 
Mill  Run  school-house.     In  that  building  a  Union 
Sabbath-school  has  been  maintained  the  past  fifteen  ' 
years,  George  Dull  being   long  the  superintendent, 
but  Dr.  A.  G.  Grubbs  serving  at'  present  in  that  ca- 
pacity.    There  are  fifty-four  members. 

The  minister  in  charge  of  the  above  classes  in  1881 
was  the  Rev.  John  Buel,  and  others  who  have  minis- 
tered to  them  in  holy  things  were  the  Revs.  William  , 
Beichtel,  William  K.  Shimp,  William  Dick,  Martin 
Spangler,  William  Ragg,  Jacob  Resler,  Benjamin 
Noon,  J.  Medsgar,  H.  O.  Lane,  John  Briggs,  John  L. 
B.iker,  and  John  Wert. 

INDIAN   CREEK    BAPTIST   CHUTtCH. 

This  body  was  ccinstituted  June  24,  1843,  in  a  log 
building  used  for  general  meeting  purposes,  which 
stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  church  edifice,  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  from  Mill  Run  post-ofllce.  The  Coun- 
cil called  for  recognizing  the  church  was  composed  of 
Revs.  Milton  Sutton,  R.  E.  F.  Browning,  B.  Gault, 
Hiram  Hartzell,  and  John  Patton.  The  members 
consisted  of  John  Williams,  Sylvester  C.  Skinner, 
Huldah  Skinner,  John  Harbaugh,  Rebecca  Har- 
baugh, Henry  Collins,  Elizabeth  Collins,  J.  R.  Bai- 
ley, Mary  Bailey,  Martin  Williams,  Michael  Bailey, 
Frances  Bailey,  Mary  Bailey,  Margaret  Bailejs,  Sarah 
Spangler,  Martha  Rowan,  Thankful  StuU,  Rebecca  ! 
Hess,  Keziab  Eicher,  andMary  J.  Williams, — twenty- 
one  in  all.  The  church  has  had  an  aggregate  mem- 
bership of  162,  and  the  present  enrollment  numbers 
116.  John  Harbaugh  was  chosen  church  clerk,  and 
John  Williams  and  Sylvester  C.  Skinner  deacons, 
the  latter  being  ordained  the  following  day,  June  25, 
1843. 

For  a  time  the  meetings  were  held  in  the  log  house, 


but  in  1844  a  stone  building  took  its  place  and  served 
for  many  years  as  the  place  of  worship,  being  in  turn 
displaced  by  the  present  frame  building,  which  stands 
on  the  same  foundations.  It  was  erected  in  1871,  and 
consecrated  April  28,  1872,  the  sermon  of  consecra- 
tion being  preached  by  the  Rev.  William  S.  Wood, 
his  remarks  being  based  on  the  third  verse  of  the 
twelfth  chapter  of  Isaiah.  He  was  assisted  by  the 
Revs.  Z.  C.  Rush,  B.  F.  Woodburn,  J.  R.  Brown,  and 
N.  B.  Crichfield.  The  house  has  a  seating  capacity 
for  three  hundred  and  fifty  persons,  and  stands  on  a 
very  fine  lot,  a  portion  of  which  is  used  for  cemetery 
purposes.  Here  are  the  graves  of  some  of  the  oldest 
settlers  of  the  township.  The  lot  was  set  aside  for 
its  present  uses  by  Willits  Skinner.  Tlie  church  edi- 
fice is  thirty-six  by  forty-six  feet,  and  cost  $2500. 
The  work  was  done  under  the  direction  of  William 
M.  Kern,  who,  witii  J.  R.  Bailey  and  John  Har- 
baugh, now  deceased,  has  been  one  of  the  most  active 
members;  but  the  church  has  had  many  who  were 
faithful  to  its  ordinances. 

Among  those  who  have  ministered  to  the  church, 
either  as  pastors  or  supplies,  have  been  the  Revs. 
Levi  Grifiith,  Caleb  Rosvvell,  John  Rockefeller,  Mil- 
ton Sutton  (minister  when  the  church  was  formed), 
W.  W.  Hockman,  in  1846;  J.  A.  Pool,  in  1851 ;  G. 
Lanham,  in  1853  ;  John  Williams,  in  1855  ;  Courtland 
Skinner,  in  1860;  S.  C.  Skinner,  in  1861;  J.  R. 
Brown,  in  1867;  N.  B.  Crichfield,  F.  M.  Cunning- 
ham, Z.  C.  Rush,  J.  E.  Walter,  and  since  June  19, 
1877,  the  Rev.  J.  R.  Brown. 

Of  the  deacons  of  the  church,  John  Williams  and 
S.  C.  Skinner  were  both  ordained  to  the  pastoral 
office,  Jolm  Harbaugh  died  while  filling  that  posi- 
tion, and  William  R.  Mountain,  William  M.  Kern, 
and  E.  S.  Jackson  yet  hold  the  office  of  deacon.  The 
church  clerkjs  have  been  John  Harbaugh,  Abraham 
Skinner,  Samuel  W.  Bailey,  Allen  E.  Harbaugh,  Wil- 
liam M.  Kern,  and  George  W.  Bailey. 

The  Sabbath-school  had  its  beginning  nearly  as 
long  ago  as  the  church,  having  since  been  kept  up 
with  varying  interest.  It  usually  has  seventy-five 
members,  and  its  last  superintendent  was  E.  S.  Jack- 
son, John  Harbaugh  being  one  of  the  first. 

INDIAN    CHEEK   I'liESBYTEIMAN    CHURCH. 

At  Mill  Run,  in  what  was  known  as  the  Bigam 
meeting-house,  a  small  log  building  near  the  house 
of  Robert  Bigam,  erected  for  the  use  of  those  who 
chose  to  occupy  it,  the  Rev.  John  Hawkins,  of  the 
Connellsville  Presbyterian  Church,  preached  as  early 
as  1833.  These  services  were  held  once  a  month  for 
the  space  of  a  few  years  by  the  Revs.  Hawkins,  Gray, 
Stevenson,  and  others,  sent  to  Springfield  under  the 
direction  of  the  Presbytery.  These  meetings  were 
not  held  in  vain.  About  1846  a  congregation  was 
formed,  which  had  as  its  ruling  elder  Dr.  Joseph 
Rogers,  and  among  its  members  persons  belonging  to 
the   Cummings,   McCune,   Crichfield.  Kern,  Brooks, 


762 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


and  other  families.  Others  were  added  in  the  course 
of  years,  but  Presbyterianism  was  never  warmly  ac- 
cepted by  the  people  of  the  township,  and  a  few  years 
ago  the  congregation,  which  never  had  its  own  house 
of  worship,  became  disorganized.  The  Rev.  Joseph 
McKee  preached  for  the  members  about  twenty  years, 
and  the  last  to  hold  meetings  was  the  Rev.  William 
Bergen,  of  the  Somerset  Church,  who  preached  in 
1877.  Dr.  Rogers  served  as  elder  many  years,  and 
for  about  six  years  Levi  Bradford  filled  the  same 
position. 

In  the  southwestern  part  of  the  township  was 
formerly  a  Dunkard  Church,  which  has  been  sold  and 
is  now  used  as  a  school-house,  having  been  purchased 
for  that  purpose  in  1872.  Its  use  as  a  place  of  wor- 
ship by  the  Dunkards  was  discontinued  three  or  four 
years  earlier.  The  house  was  built  more  than  twent\  - 
five  years  ago,  mainly  by  the  Sipe  family,  who  con- 
stituted the  chief  membership  of  the  Dunkards  in  tlie 
township.  At  the  house  of  Peter  Sipe,  Sr.,  the  first 
meetings  were  held,  and  the  church  occupied  a  coriicr 
of  his  former  farm.  Among  those  who  occasionally 
preached  there  were  Jacob  Murry,  James  (Juinki, 
and  Martin  Meyers.  Many  persons  from  Somerset 
County  attended  the  meetings,  which  were  discon- 
tinued after  the  death  or  removal  of  the  Sipe  and 
Smith  families. 


became  a  proficient  book-keeper  and  developed  a  fine 
business  character,  continuing  a  clerk  until  1876, 
when  he  became  a  partner  with  his  brother,  remain- 
ing such  till  1880,  and  then  bought  out  his  brother's 
interest,  and  has  since  carried  on  the  business  very 
successfully. 


lOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH. 


iEOKOE    W.  CAMPBELL. 


GEORGE  W.  CAMPBELL. 
George  AV.  Campbell,  of  Springfield,  is  the  son  of 
James  Campbell,  of  the  same  place,  and  Rebecca  Kil- 
patrick,  daughter  of  Esfjuire  Thomas  Kilpatrick,  who 
were  married  in  1840.  George  W.,  our  subject,  the 
sixth  son  of  James,  was  born  May  18,  1853.  His 
grandparents  on  his  paternal  side  came  to  America 
from  near  Belfast,  Ireland.  Mr.  Campbell  attended 
the  comiiKJii  scIkxiIs  of  his  village  until  fourteen  I 
years  of  ai;c,  wImh  he  entered  as  clerk  the  general 
merchandise  ^Un\-  of  his  brother,  John  F.,  where  he 


He  became  assistant  postmaster  of  Elm,  in  the 
township  of  Springfield  in  September,  1869,  and 
acted  as  such  till  March  21,  1881,  when  he  was  com- 
missioned postmaster  by  Postmaster-General  James. 
He  is  a  stalwart  Republican,  and  has  been  frequently 
sent  by  his  party  as  a  delegate  to  county  conventions. 
On  the  1st  of  January,  1882,  Mr.  Campbell  established 
a  small  monthly  paper  called  The  Mountaineer,  he 
being  editor  thereof  as  well  as  proprietor,  and  which 
has  attained  a  profitable  circulation. 

On  the  11th  of  August,  1880,  Mr.  Campbell  married 
Miss  Ida  May  Sparks,  daughter  of  Horatio  L.  Sparks. 


8PRINGHILL    TOWNSHIIV 


This  is  the  extreme  southwest  township  of  the 
county.  It  has  Nicholson  on  the  north,  Georges 
and  Wharton  east  and  northeast,  West  Virginia  on 
the  south,  and  the  Monongahela  River  on  the  west. 
The  surface  is  greatly  diversified.  In  the  east  Lau- 
rel Hill,  with  all  the  characteristics  of  a  mountain. 
From  the  foot  of  the  mountain  westward,  as  far  as 
Morris  Cross-Roads,  the  land  rises,  attaining  its 
greatest  height  just  before  reaching  the  Uniontown 
and  Morgantown  road ;  thence  still  westward  there 
is  a  general  decline  in  elevation  until  the  river 
bluffs  are  reached.  The  river  hills  are  of  consider- 
able height,  and  in  general  crowd  close  upon  the 
stream.  Some  very  fertile  bottom  land  is  found  both 
along  the  Cheat  and  Monongahela  Rivers,  but  in  gen- 
eral they  are  narrow.  The  most  important  stream 
next  to  the  Monongahela  is  Cheat  River,  which  flows 
through  the  southwest  corner  of  the  township  for  a 
distance  of  six  or  seven  miles,  entirely  severing  a 
part  of  the  township  several  miles  in  length  at  its 
base,  and  two  or  more  from  base  to  apex.  This  is 
called  the  "  Forks  of  Cheat,"  or  the  "  Neck."  The 
other  streams  are  Grassy  Run,  Hardin's  Run,  Mc- 
Collick's  Run,  McFarland's  Run.  These  with  their 
tributaries  reach  almost  every  part  of  the  township. 

The  soil"  is  not  remarkably  fertile  except  in  a  very 
few  localities,  and  is  better  adapted  to  grazing  than 
to  tillage.  Fruits  of  all  kinds  flourish,  but  grapes 
especially.  Large  vineyards  are  planted  from  the 
cross-roads  towards  the  river.  Iron  and  coal  are 
the  chief  minerals.  Potters'  clay  and  glass-sand 
abound. 

Springhill  is  one  of  the  original  townships  of  Fay- 
ette County,  having  been  erected  as  such  by  the  Court 
of  Quarter  Sessions  of  the  county  at  the  first  term, 
held  in  December,  1783.  The  name  "  Springhill" 
was  given  by  Col.  George  Wilson,  the  earliest  settler 
on  Georges  Creek  (at  its  mouth,  in  what  is  now  Nichol- 
son township),  who  had  come  here  from  Springhill,  in 
Augusta,  Va.,  and  had  given  that  name  to  the  new 
region  in  which  he  settled.  That  was  while  all  the 
Monongahela  country  was  included  in  Cumberland 
County  ;  and  the  old  Springhill  township  of  that 
county  embraced  an  immense  territory,  covering  all 
the  southern  part  of  what  is  now  Fayette,  all  of 
Greene,  and  the  south  part  of  the  present  county  of 


Washington.  The  township  as  erected  by  the  Fay- 
ette County  Court,  in  December,  1783,  was  embraced 
in  the  following  description  of  boundaries,  viz. : 

"  A  township  beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Jacob's 
Creek  ;  thence  up  the  Monongahela  River  to  Mason 
and  Dixon's  line;  thence  by  the  same  to  the  line  of 
Wharton  township  on  the  top  of  Laurel  Hill;  thence 
by  the  same  to  the  line  of  Georges  township  ;  thence 
by  the  same  to  the  place  of  beginning.  To  be  here- 
after known  by  the  name  of  Springhill  township." 

The  surveyor  has  never  yet  (in  accordance  with 
this  description)  reached  "the  place  of  beginning;" 
and  Springhill  is  really  only  bounded  on  three  sides 
j  and  a,  part  of  the  fourth,  according  to  the  act  of  the 
I  court.  Sixty-two  years  after  the  erection  into  a  town- 
ship, Springhill  lost  the  Egypt  of  her  territory  by  the 
formation  of  Nicholson  township,  losing  all  that  rich 
farming  land  lying  between  Jacob's  Creek  on  the 
north  and  Georges  Creek  on  the  south,  including  New 
Geneva  with  all  its  historical  associations.  In  New 
Geneva  was  one  of  the  four  post-oflices  of  Fayette 
County  in  1805,  the  other  three  being  Uniontown, 
Brownsville,  and  Connellsville. 

Prominent  among  the  early  settlers  of  Springhill 
township  was  Col.  Theophilus  Phillips.  In  May, 
j  1767,  he,  in  company  with  his  brother-in-law,  the 
,  Rev.  James  Dunlap,  emigrated  to  Fayette  County 
from  New  Jersey,  and  settled,  or  rather  squatted,  on 
a  stream  which  has  been  called  Dunlap's  Creek  fir 
more  than  a  century.  After  clearing  a  piece  of  land 
and  farming  it  jointly  for  a  time,  they  dissolved  part- 
nership and  cast  lots  for  the  land,  which  fell  to  Dun- 
lap.  Phillips  then  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  in 
Springhill  township,  called  "  Phillips'  Choice,"  con- 
taining 453 1  acres  and  allowance.  The  patent  is  dated 
Dec.  12,  "1786.  Mr.  Phillips  enjoyed  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  all  who  knew  him,  and  was  often  called 
to  fill  public  positions.  It  was  near  his  residence  that 
the  courts  of  Monongalia  County,  Va.,  were  held  in 
the  last  half  of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  build- 
ings have  long  been  demolished,  and  nothing  but  the 
foundations  of  them  remain  to  mark  the  site.  To 
the  left  of  the  New  Geneva  and  Springhill  Furnace 
roads,  via  Morris'  Cro.ss-Roads,  and  about  two  hun- 
dred yards  from  the  same,  on  a  long  knoll,  with  a  di- 
rection northeast,  stood  the  Phillips  residence,  with 
many  outbuildings,  including  shop,  negro  quarters, 
still-house,  and  stables.  Among  his  grandchildren 
763 


HISTOKY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


are  Theophihis  P.  Kramer,  Theophilus  Williams,  and 
Adolph  Eberhart,  whose  ages  are  eighty-one,  seventy- 
eiirht,  and  sixty-four  years  respectively.  They  recol- 
lect hearing  their  parents  say  that  the  Monongalia 
court  was  held  in  the  shop  which  stood  near  the  old 
Phillips  dwelling-house. 

Col.  Phillii.s  was  ordained  an  elder  of  the  -Mount 
Moriah  Church,  in  Springhill  town-lii|i.  in  1774.  He 
was  among  the  first  to  ship  Hour  and  \vlii<ky  to  New 
Orleans  from  Wilson  Port,  as  the  mouth  of  Georges 
Creek  was  then  called.  In  1789  he  was  elected  to  the 
State  Legislature,  wdiicli  at  that  time  met  in  the  city 
of  Philadelphia.  His  boats  were  ready  laden  for  New 
Orleans,  and  he  resolved  to  go  with  them,  and  instead 
of  crossing  the  mountains,  sail  round  by  the  Gulf 
and  the  Atlantic  to  Philadelphia.  Before  starting 
he  willed  his  estate,  giving  to  each  of  his  children 
their  portion,  in  case  he  should  never  return.  This 
proved  to  have  been  the  act  of  a  seusible  man,  for  not 
long  after  leaving  the  port  of  New  Orleans,  en  route  [ 
for  Philadelphia,  he  fell  a  victim  to  shiji-fever,  and  | 
was  buried  at  sea.  He  left  a  numerous  family.  Capt.  i 
John  Phillips,  of  the  war  of  lsi:2,  was  liis  son.  He  I 
.lied  of  elioleru  near  f'ineinnati,  Ohio,  in  1832.  Of 
ilic'  William-  laiiiily,  many  olwhoni  have  been  elected 
|ii>ii,-e>,ar,".loliii  {'./I'liomas  .lo.seph  (  K,  and  Thomas, 
Jr.,  grandsons,  and  Liirai  i;iands()n  of  Col.  Theophilus. 
Dr.  William  WiUn,,.  ol  Indiana,  brother  of  Mrs.  Eli- 
ezer  Robinson,  o I  I  iiiontown,  married  a  granddaugh- 
ter. Miss  Elizabeth  Kramer.  Theophilus  Phillips 
married  a  Miss  Joanna  Prater.  It  is  said  that  on 
several  occasions  Washington  visited  the  Monongalia 
court-house,  near  Col.  Phillips'  place.  It  is,  however, 
doubtful  whether  he  was  ever  in  that  vicinity  more 
than  once, — in  the  year  1784. 

Though  Theophilus  Phillips  was  among  the  earliest, 
if  not  the  very  first,  of  the  actual  settlers  within  the 
territory  now  Sprin-liill  township  (Col.  George  Wil- 
Miii,  liowever,  being  eonsideralily  earlier  on  the  other 
side  of  (4eorges  Creekj,  yet  tliere  were  a  considerable 
number  of  warrants  taken  by  others  for  lands  in 
Springhill  antedating  the  warrant  to  Phillips  of  the 
tract,  "  Phillips'  Choice,"  on  which  he  settled.  Among 
these  early  locations  of  lands  in  Springhill  were  the 
following,  viz. :  Andrew  Contral,  a  tract  containing 
347  acres  and  allowance,  warrant  dated  July  3,  1769, 
surveyed  2d  of  July,  1770 ;  Joseph  Cox,  302  acres,  war- 
ranted July  3,  1769,  surveyed  Nov.  17,  1770 ;  Hugh  | 
Evans,  181  acres,  surveyed  1785,  warrant  dated  IMareh 
23,  1785;  Thomas  Ashby,  307  acres,  warrant  .l.ated 
July  3, 1769.  There  were  a  great  many  others  whose 
warrants  and  patents  are  one  hundred  years  old  and 
upwards.  Settlements  increased  very  slowly  for  some 
years,  but  much  more  rapidly  after  the  close  of  the 
Revolution,  so  that  in  the  year  1785  the  number  of 
taxable  persons,  including  "  single  men,"  in  Spring- 
bill  vtiia  over  two  hundred,  and  the  total  assessed 
valuation  of  property  1112,532  5-v.  (Irf.    This,  however. 


included  in  addition  to  the  territory  that  is  now 
Springhill  a  considerable  additional  territory  that 
is  now  in  the  township  of  Nicholson. 

John  Swearingen  and  Van  Swearingen,  father  and 
son,  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  in  Springhill, 
being  here  as  early  as  1770,  and  po,ssibly  in  1769,  Van 
Swearingen  being  in  the  latter  year  twenty-six  years 
of  aiif.  Thomas  Swearingen,  Sr.,  and  his  son  Thomas 
came  to  Western  Pennsylvania  about  the  same  time, 
and  settled  west  of  the  Monongahela.  The  ancestors 
of  all  the  Swearingens  in  this  region  were  Garrett 
Van  Swearingen  and  Barbara  De  Barrette,  his  wife, 
who  came  from  Holland  to  America,  settled  in  Mary- 
land, and  were,  with  their  children,  Garrett  and  Bar- 
bara, naturalized  in  that  province  in  April,  1669,  as 
is  shown  by  the  records  in  Baltimore.  Two  other 
children  of  theirs,  Elizabeth  and  Zachariah,  were 
born  in  the  Delaware  counties,  and  so  needed  no 
naturalization.  The  prefix  "  Van"  was  afterwards 
dropped  from  the  surname  of  the  family,  but  was 
used,  as  we  see,  as  the  Christian  name  of  the  son  of 
John  Swearingen. 

Of  this  John  Swearingen  who  settled  in  Springhill 
township  very  little  is  known  beyond  the  fact  of  his 
settlement  here,  and  that  he  was  a  resident  of  the 
township  in  1785.  His  son.  Van  Swearingen,  did  not 
remain  long  in  Springhill,'  but  removed  to  a  new 
location  on  the  east  side  of  the  Monongahela,  near 
the  mouth  of  Redstone,  but  retaining  the  ownership 
of  his  lands  in  Springhill  at  least  until  1785.  Before 
that  time,  however,  he  had  left  his  second  location 
near  Redstone  and  removed  to  Washington  County, 
of  which  he  was  elected  sheriff  upon  its  organization 
in  1781.  After  a  few  years  spent  by  him  in  Wash- 
ington County  he  removed  to  laud  which  he  had 
located  as  early  as  1772  in  Ohio  County,"  Va.,  and 
died  there  Dec.  2, 1793.  During  all  the  period  of  his 
residence  west  of  the  Alleghenies  he  was  a  prominent 
man  both  in  civil  and  military  life. 

The  Crow  family  were  very  early  settlers  of  this 
section  of  country.  Michael  Crow  was  born  in  Mary- 
land, near  Williamsport,  and  was  the  first  of  the 
name  to  settle  in  Springhill.  After  a  short  residence 
in  his  new  home  he  married  Hannah  Huhn.  (The 
Huhns  owned  the  property  where  Crow's  mill  now 
stands,  but  the  number  of  acres  is  not  known.)  At 
the  death  of  Huhn,  the  father  of  his  wife,  Michael 
Crow,  inherited  the  farm.  Here  he  continued  to  re- 
side until  his  death  in  1858,  at  the  age  of  ninety-eight 
years.  His  descendants  are  perhaps  more  numerous 
ihan  those  of  any  of  the  first  settlers  of  this  region. 
Several  of  them  have  filled  important  county  offices. 
Jacob  Crow  was  at   one  time   treasurer  of  Fayette 


1  Van  Sweariugt-n  and  foui'  other  persons  were  tlie  Imilders  of  the 
old  lug  fort  built  as  a  place  of  refuge  during  the  Indian  troubles  of  1774, 
near  Morris  Cross-Roads,  on  lands  now  owned  by  Mr.  Crow.  The  lu- 
ilians  captured  a  son  of  his  named  I>uUe,  whom  they  never  restored. 
Cato  Hardin,  a  soldier  "f  the  war  of  1812,  after  his  return  from  service 
told  several  that  he  believed  he  saw  Duke  Swearingen  among  the  In- 
dians during  his  stay  in  Ohio,  near  Siindusky. 


SPRINGHILL  TOWNSHIP. 


765 


County.  Hon.  Alexander  Crow,  of  New  Geneva,  was 
associate  judge.  The  family  is  noted  for  its  firm  ad- 
herence to  the  principles  of  the  Democratic  party. 
•  Mary  Duvall's  name  should  not  be  omitted  from 
the  list  of  early  settlers  of  Springhill,  though  it  does 
not  appear  that  she  ever  reflected  much  credit  on  the 
township.  Free  from  fear,  she  came  from  the  East 
with  the  first  settlers  more  than  one  hundred  years 
ago,  and  located  on  a  small  stream,  a  tributary  of 
Grassy  Run,  in  an  unbroken  forest,  inhabited  only  by 
Indians  and  wild  animals.  But  the  Indians  had  no 
terrors  for  her.  "  Logan  was  the  friend  of  the  white 
man,"  and  it  does  not  appear  that  he  regarded  this 
■white  woman  as  an  enemy.  When  the  Indians  visited 
Springhill  they  always  encamped  at  lier  spring  and 
enjoyed  her  hospitality.  If  the  community  feared  an 
Indian  raid,  and  fled  to  the  fort  for  protection,  Mary 
Duvall  remained  at  home  in  quiet  and  peace.  Sev- 
eral years  before  her  death  she  told  many  of  her 
friends  that  the  Indians  knew  of  lead-mines  not  far 
away  from  her  liouse,  because  they  were  never  gone 
long  when  they  needed  a  supply  of  lead,  and  that 
they  always  ran  their  bullets  at  her  house.  She  was, 
it  was  said,  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  hated  most  de- 
voutly all  Protestants,  particularly  the  Methodists. 
For  them,  in  particular,  her  hatred  was  sleepless  and 
untiring.  She  left  a  family,  mostly  boys,  who  were 
said  to  have  exhibited  strong  Indian  peculiarities, 
both  physical  and  mental.  They  were  very  quarrel- 
some, and  exceedingly  expert  in  the  use  of  the  rifle. 
Daniel  married  in  Springhill,  and  emigrated  to  Ken- 
tucky, selling  his  land  here  to  George  Hardin.  Lewis 
also  emigrated  with  his  brother  Daniel.  All  traces  of 
the  other  members  of  the  family  are  lost. 

Jacob  Gans  was  an  early  settler  of  Springhill,  emi- 
grating hither  from  Virginia  with  a  large  number  of 
other  hardy  adventurers  more  than  a  century  ago. 
Little  is  to  be  said  of  him  except  that  he  lived  and 
died  in  Springhill,  and  left  an  untarnished  character, 
as  well  as  a  numerous  progeny  in  this  part  of  Fayette 
County.  To  sketch  all  of  his  descendants  would  be 
to  write  the  biography  of  a  large  portion  of  the  citi- 
zens of  the  township.  Ann  Gans,  a  granddaughter 
of  his,  married  a  Mr.  Arnold,  and  lives  or  did  live  on 
Ten-Mile  Creek,  in  Greene  County.  Susanna,  another 
granddaughter,  married  Jeremiah  Burchinal,  one  of 
the  most  respected  citizens  of  Springhill,  and  is  now 
living,  at  a  very  advanced  age,  on  Grassy  Run,  west 
of  the  old  Springhill  Furnace  property. 

John  McFarland  was  one  of  the  early  adventurers 
who  dared  the  dangers  of  the  Indian  country  west  of 
the  mountains.  His  settlement  was  made  in  Spring- 
hill, near  Cheat  River,  where  he  had  also  a  mill  and 
.still-house.  He  left  several  children,  among  the  num- 
ber being  John  McFarland,  who  married  Nelly  Mor- 
ris, daughter  of  Absalom  Morris,  after  whom  Morris 
Cross-Roads  was  named.  Morris  was  the  tavern- 
keeper  who  resided  between  the  cross-roads  and 
Geneva.      From    the  McFarland  and  Morris  union 


have  sprung  many  prominent  families  of  Springhill. 
The  Weltners  of  Cheat  Forks  are  also  connections  of 
the  family. 

Robert  Jones  and  Benjamin  Jones,  brothers  and 
natives  of  Wales,  came  to  Fayette  County  in  1792, 
and  located  in  Springhill  township.  In  1793,  Robert 
Jones  entered  a  large  tract  of  land  in  this  township, 
and  on  that  tract  he,  with  his  brother  Benjamin, 
erected  in  1794  the  Springhill  Furnace,'  and  com- 
ilienced  the  manufacture  of  iron,  Robert  being  the 
principal  man  in  the  concern.  After  a  few  years  the 
furnace  was  leased  (and  afterwards  sold)  to  Jesse 
Evans  (a  son-in-law  of  Robert  Jones),  who  carried  it 
on  with  success.  Benjamin  Jones  was  little  of  a 
business  man,  but  of  fine  scholarly  attainments  and 
an  ardent  promoter  of  education.  While  living  with 
his  brother  Robert,  and  to  some  extent  concerned  with 
him  in  the  furnace,  Benjamin  Jones  opened  a  select 
school  in  Smithfield — sometimes  called  Brownfield — 
town.  How  long  he  taught  this  school  is  not  known, 
but  it  is  certain  that  by  his  example  and  eftbrts  the 
people  of  the  township  became  greatly  favorable  to 
select  schools,  and  the  establishment  of  the  Springhill 
Academy  was  the  result.  Benjamin  Jones  was  an 
ardent  Baptist,  and  a  substantial  supporter  of  the 
worship  of  that  denomination  in  his  vicinity.  From 
Springhill  township  he  removed  to  Greene  County, 
where  he  died,  and  was  buried  in  the  ground  of  the 
Baptist  Church  near  Garrard's  Fort,  on  Big  Whitely 
Creek. 

Robert  Jones  was  born  in  Wales,  March  20,  1743, 
and  died  April  16,  1809.  His  executors  were  his 
brother  Benjamin  and  his  only  son,  John,  but  before 
the  estate  was  settled  John  died  at  his  residence  on 
Whitely  Creek,  Greene  Co.  The  furnace  and  other 
property  of  Robert  Jones  passed  to  his  daughter 
Mary,  the  wife  of  Jesse  Evans,  who  had  leased  the  old 
furnace  in  1797.  A  son  of  Jesse  and  Mary  Evans  is 
Col.  Samuel  Evans,  who  is  now  living,  at  more  than 
eighty  years  of  age,  in  North  Union  township,  about 
two  miles  from  Uniontown.  He  has  filled  many 
offices  of  honor  and  trust,  and  has  for  more  than  half 
a  century  enjoyed  the  esteem  and  friendship  of  many 
of  the  most  notable  men  of  the  State  and  nation.  His 
sister  Eliza — daughter  of  Jesse  Evans — married  Mr. 
Wilson,  of  Morgantown,  Va.,  who  lost  his  life  by 
drowning  in  the  Monongahela  River  below  Browns- 
ville. They  were  the  parents  of  the  Hon.  Alpheus 
E.  Willson,  now  president  judge  of  the  courts  of 
Fayette  and  Greene  Counties.  His  sister  is  the  wife 
of  the  Hon.  J.  K.  Ewing,  of  Uniontown.  Rachel 
Jones  married  Lewis  Evans.  They  resided  and  died 
in  Greene  County.  Lieut.  Lewis  K.  Evans,  of 
Waynesburg,  is  their  son. 

John  Jones  left  a  large  family  of  sons  and  daugh- 
ters. The  eldest,  Robert,  married  Ann  Eberhart  and 
emigrated   to   Cincinnati,   Ohio.      His   son,  Adolph 


t  of  til  is  oM  fur 


io  tbe  gcunral  chapter 


766 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Jones,  A.M.,  M.D.,  is  a  prominent  politician  as  well 
as  physician.  A  younger  son,  Frederick,  was  killed 
Dec.  .31,  1862,  at  Stone  River,  Teun.  The  celebrated 
Robert  Jones  Burdette  is  a  son  of  Frederick  Burdette 
and  Sophia  Jones.  He  was  born  in  Greensboro', 
Greene  Co.,  in  1838. 

The  brothers  John  and  Andrew  Oliphant  were 
among  the  most  enterprising  men  of  South  Fayette, 
living  on  or  near  Georges  Creek.  Andrew  Oliphant 
was  commissioned  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  Spring- 
hill  township  Jan.  2,  1804.  He  married  Mary  Grif- 
fin, a  daughter  of  Hon.  Isaac  Griffin;  only  two  of 
their  children  lived  to  maturity,  Mary  Ann  and 
James  M.  Mary  A.  Oliphant  married  Edgar  C. 
Wilson,  of  Morgantown,  Va.,  but  died  not  long  after 
her  marriage.  Mr.  Wilson  married  as  his  second 
wife  her  cousin,  a  daughter  of  John  Oliphant.  She 
is  still  living  at  Morgantown,  W.  Va.  James  M. 
Oliphant,  son  of  Andrew,  was  married  three  times, 
but  left  only  two  heirs.  The  property  once  owned  by 
the  Oliphants  is  now  in  the  possession  of  Samuel  H. 
Hunter,  Esq.  Just  above  the  residence  was  "  Sylvan 
Forge,"  established  by  John  and  Andrew  Oliphant  in 
1808. 

Hon.  Joseph  Eneix  was  born  June  16,  1788.     He 
married  Hester  Oliphant,  Sept.  20, 1807.     His  educa- 
tion was  much  neglected,  and  he  began  life  but  half- 
armed,  yet  by  industry  and  application  he  became  a  i 
prominent  man.     By  trade  he  was  a  blacksmith  and 
scythe-maker.   About  1823  he  was  elected  to  the  State 
Legislature  from   his   native  county,  Fayette.      His  ! 
course  in  the  Legislature  meeting  the  approbation  of  ! 
his  constituents,  he  was  returned,  serving  in  all  three  i 
terms   down   to   183.5.     During  President  Jackson's  ' 
second  term,  in  1834,  he  received  the  appointment  of 
receiver  of   public   moneys  at   Mineral   Point,  Wis. 
In  1839  he  resigned  on  account  of  ill  health.     He 
gradually  tailed  in  health,  and  died  in  18.58.    He  was 
a  large  land-owner  at  one  time,  but  died  comparatively 
poor.     Jarae?  Eneix  is  a  son  of  Joseph.     A  daughter 
married  Samuel  Dilliner,  Esq.,  of  New  Geneva. 

Nicholas  Blake,  an  Englishman,  was  once  the  owner 
of  ••  Friendship  Hill,"  which  he  sold  to  Albert  Gal- 
latin, and  which  became  the  statesman's  residence.  I 
Blake,  before  his  death,  became  almost  penniless. 
He  left  a  son,  James,  who  followed  butchering.  In 
disposition  he  was  very  peaceable  and  of  few  words; 
he  managed  to  make  a  living  by  hard  work  and  liL'id 
economy.  Thus  he  passed  his  life  until  about  thirty 
years  of  age.  The  surprise  of  the  Springhill  people 
was  very  great  when,  in  1808,  an  attorney  from  Eng- 
land arrived  at  New  Geneva  and  made  inquiry  for 
Nicholas  Blake  or  his  heirs.  James  Blake  was  the 
heir  he  found.  A  large  landed  estate  in  England 
had  fallen  to  him  by  the  death  of  a  relative.  The 
law  of  England  prohibits  the  sale  of  certain  estates, 
and  this  entailed  fortune  of  Blake  must  remain,  and 
to  enjoy  his  good  luck  he  must  become  a  British  sub- 
ject or  lose  it.     Without  money  he  was  unable  to 


take  possession.  In  this  extremity  he  applied  to  Jas. 
W.  Nicholson,  Esq.,  who  generously  furnished  the 
necessary  amount  of  funds.  His  correspondence  with 
Nicholson  is  lost,  and  with  it  all  trace  of  the  sul>- 
sequent  career  of  James  Blake  in  his  father's  native 
land. 

The  celebrated  estate  called  "  Friendship  Hill," 
once  the  home  of  Albert  Gallatin,  is  situated  south- 
east of  New  Geneva,  in  Springhill  township.  It  con- 
sisted originally  of  three  hundred  and  seventy  acres 
and  allowance,  and  belonged  to  Nicholas  Blake,  as 
already  noticed.  Gallatin,  after  purchasing  Blake's 
warrant  for  the  tract,  had  it  patented  in  his  own 
name  Jan.  26,  1788.  By  later  purchases  the  number 
of  acres  was  raised  to  five  hundred.  In  1823  the 
main  building  of  Gallatin's  residence  was  built,  dur- 
ing his  absence  in  Europe.  His  son  James  had  the 
management  of  affairs  during  this  period,  but  spent 
most  of  his  time  in  New  Geneva  at  his  uncle  Nichol- 
son's. He,  however,  found  leisure  to  change  his 
father's  plan  of  the  building,  changing  the  front  from 
east  to  south,  and  thereby  greatly  injuring  it  and  ne- 
cessitating the  later  addition  of  a  wing  and  verandas 
to  cover  the  defects.  The  elder  Gallatin  was  greatly 
out  of  humor  when  he  saw  it  on  his  return,  and  did 
not  fail  to  express  himself  in  forcible  language  to  that 
effect. 

It  was  in  this  house  that  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette 
visited  Gallatin  when  he  passed  through  this  section 
in  1825. 

Gallatin  sold  the  estate  to  Albin  Mellier,  May  26, 
1832,  nearly  fifty  years  after  having  purchased  it  of 
Blake.  Mellier  was  a  kinsman  of  Gallatin,  but  lacked 
essential  financial  abilities.  He  had  "  too  many  irons 
in  the  fire,"  and  so  divided  his  forces  that  he  became 
the  prey  of  his  creditors.  To  escape  their  importuni- 
ties he  built  two  steamboats,  in  one  of  which  be  went 
down  the  Mississippi,  where  he  died  between  1839 
and  1843.  The  principal  creditors  were  Charles  and 
Frederick  Tennig.  Upon  their  claims  Sheriff  Morris 
sold  the  estate,  the  creditors  becoming  purchasers. 
For  many  years  the  property  was  without  proper 
care.  In  1858  it  was  sold  to  the  Hon.  John  L.  Daw- 
son, who  greatly  improved  it.  For  several  years  he 
resided  here,  enjoying  the  quiet  of  domestic  life. 
Many  visitors  have  expressed  their  surprise  upon 
visiting  this  historic  mansion,  wondering  how  it  ever 
came  that  Gallatin  or  Dawson  should  choose  a  place 
so  isolated  for  a  residence.  Among  these  visitors  was 
Mrs.  Henry  Adams,  who  accompanied  her  husband 
when  visiting  the  place  in  1879,  just  before  completing 
his  life  of  Gallatin.  Of  the  historical  interest  which 
clings  to  this  venerable  mansion  of  "  Friendship 
Hill,"  the  greater  part  is  due  to  the  fact  that  it  was 
for  many  years  the  estate  and  home  of  Albert  Galla- 
tin, the  great  financier  and  Secretary  of  the  Treasury; 
but  only  second  to  this  is  the  fact  that  in  after-years 
it  was  the  favorite  seat  of  the  Hon.  John  L.  Dawson, 
who  here  ended  his  brilliant  and  useful  life. 


SPRTNGHILL   TOWNSHIP. 


It  has  already  been  mentioned  that  Gallatin's  son 
James  superintended  the  erection  of  the  "  Friend- 
ship Hill"  mansion,  during  his  father's  absence  in 
Europe  in  1822-23,  and  that  the  elder  Gallatin,  re- 
turning in  1823,  was  disappointed,  if  not  disgusted, 
at  the  changes  which  had  been  made  in  the  original 
plan  of  the  building.  On  his  return  from  Paris,  in 
May  of  that  year,  he  remained  for  some  time  in 
Washington,  then  went  to  New  Geneva  to  inspect  his 
new  house,  and  (presumably)  with  every  hope  of 
finding  a  commodious  mansion  suited  to  his  taste. 
Unquestionably  he  was  disappointed.  Meeting  his 
son  at  New  Geneva,  they,  in  company  with  Ed 
Brawley,  drove  out  to  see  the  house.  On  coming 
within  sight  of  it  he  turned  to  his  son  and  made  the 
inquiry,  "Which  is  the  front?"  He  was  told  it 
fronted  south — nearly  opposite  the  direction  from 
which  it  was  approached !  Upon  this  (as  is  narrated) 
he  used  language  as  forcible  and  nearly  as  reprehen- 
sible as  that  which  Washington  used  at  the  battle  of 
Monmouth  when  he  met  Lee  in  full  retreat  over  the 
causeway.  But  it  was  an  accomplished  fact,  and  vig- 
orous language  could  not  change  it.  He  recovered 
his  equanimity,  made  the  best  of  what  was  then  past 
help,  inspected  the  mansion,  liked  it  as  well  as  he 
could,  and  two  or  three  months  later  wrote  to  his 
daughter  a  letter  somewhat  humorous,  giving  his 
ideas  with  regard  to  the  Monongahela  country  and 
the  new  mansion  on  "Friendship  Hill,"  as  follows: ' 

"  New  Geneva,  ITth  Sejiteinber,  1823. 
"  Notwithstanding  all  my  exertions  you   will   find  it  hard 
enough  when  you  come  next  spring  to  accommodate  yourself 
to  the  privations  and  wildness  of  the  country.     Our  house  has 
been  built  by  a  new  Irish  carpenter,  who  was  always  head  over 
heels,  and  added  much  to  the  disorder  inseparable  from  build- 
ing.    Being  unacquainted  with  the  Grecian  architecture,  he 
adopted  an  Hiberno-Teutonic  style,  so  that  the  outside  of  the 
house,  with  its  port-hole-looking  windows,  has  the  appearance 
of  Irish  barracks,  whilst  the  inside  ornaments  are  similar  to 
those  of  a  Dutch  tavern,  and  I  must  acknowledge  that  these 
form  asingular  contrast  with  the  French  marble  chimney-pieces, 
paper,  and  mirrors.     On  one  side  of  that  mass  of  stones  which 
Lucien  calls  'Le  Chateau,'  and  in  full  view  as  you  approach 
it,  is  a  wing,  consisting  of  the  gable  end  of  a  log  house,  with 
its  chimney  in  front,  and  I  could  not  pull  it  down,  as  it  is  the 
kitchen  and  dining-room,  where  are  daily  fed  twcj  masons  and 
plasterers,  two  attendants,  two  stone  quarriers,  two  painters,  a 
carpenter,  Lucien,  Albert's  black  Peter,  and  M'.,  Mad^,  Mesd""*, 
et  les  petits  Buffle.     The  grounds  are  overgrown  with  elders,   i 
iron-weeds,  stinking-weeds,  laurel,  several  varieties  of  briers.   ' 
impenetrable  thickets  of  brush,  vines,  and  underwood,  amongst 
which  are  discovered  vestiges  of  old  asparagus-beds  and  new   , 
artichoke-beds,  and  now  and  then  a  spontaneous  apple-  or  peach-   ; 
tree.     As  to  Albert,  he  has  four  guns,  a  pointer,  three  boats,   ; 
two  riding-horses,  and  a  pet  colt,  smaller  than  a  jackass,  who 
feeds  on  the  fragments  of  my  old  lilacs  and  althcu  frutex.     His 
own  clothes  adorn  our  parlor  and  only  sitting-room  in  the  old 
brick  house,  for  the  frame  house  is  partly  occupied  by  the  Buffle 
family,  and  partly  encumbered  by  various  boxes  and  Albert's 
billiard-table,  the  pockets  of  which  are  made  with  his  stock-  j 
ings."  I 

1  Adams'  Life  of  Gallatin,  page  589. 


[  MEDICAL    MEN. 

I      The  first  physician  in  Springhill  township  was  Dr. 
Jacob  Green.     Nothing,  however,  is  known  of  him, 
j  except  that  his  name  appears  on  the  assessment-roll 
of  the  township  in  the  year  1786.     Of  those  who  fol- 
lowed  him   in   practice   in   this  township  were  Dr. 
!  Samuel    Sacket,   Dr.  Seely,  of  Greene  County,  Dr. 
j  Todd,  Dr.  James  C.  Ramsey,  and  several  others.    But 
j  a  great  portion  of  Nicholson  originally  belonged  to 
I  Springhill,  including  the  town  of  New  Geneva,  where 
i  the  greater  number  of  physicians  resided. 

EARLY    ROADS. 

The  first  road  laid  out  by  the  Fayette  County  Court 

to  pass  through  this  township  was  one  petitioned  for 

at  the  December  session  of  1783,  viz. :  "  A  public  road 

I  from   Uniontown  to  the  southern  boundary  of  this 

county,  or  Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  to  meet  a  road  that 

is  laid  out  and  cleared  by  order  of  the  court  of  Mo- 

j  nongalia  County,  Va.,  to  the  said  line  near  John  Mc- 

I  Farland's  ford  on  Cheat  River."    This  road  is  the  one 

[  now  passing  through  Morris'  Cross-Roads,  and  is  the 

direct  Uniontown  and  Morgantown  road.     Another 

]  road  ordered  by  the  court  at  the  same  session  was  "  a 

road  from  Miller's  ferry,  on  the  Monongahela  River, 

!  across  the  Laurel  Hill,  by  the  way  of  George  Wil- 

;  Hams',  Jr.,  thence  to  the  Widow  Moore's,  on  Sandy 

Creek,  to  join  the  Pennsylvania  or  Maryland  road." 

This  road  connected  with  the  Washington,  Ten-Mile, 

and  Muddy  Creek  road  at  the  Monongahela  River,  or 

Miller's  ferry,  now  the  New  Geneva  and  Greensboro' 

j  ferry.    The  map  of  Pennsylvania  published  in  London 

August,  1792,  has  this  road  marked  upon  it.     Starting 

j  at  Washington,  it  has  a  course  southeast,  passing  near 

or  through  Carmichael's,  Greene  Co. ;  from  thence  to 

Minor's  Mill,  now  Mapletown,  Greene  Co. ;  thence 

east-southeast  to  Greensboro',  same  county  ;  then  by 

the  route  prayed  for  as  above  to  the  Widow  Mo(;re's, 

on  Sandy  Creek,  and  thence  across  Laurel  Hill. 

Many  of  the  so-called  roads  were  nothing  more 
than  paths  through  the  woods,  for  at  this  ])fiiod 
Western  Pennsylvania  was  almost  an  unbroken  lnrjst, 
no  fencing  having  as  yet  been  introduced  to  bar  the 
traveler's  way,  which  was  generally  a  direct  cmirse. 
A  century  has  wrought  many  changes  in  Springhill 
in  regard  to  highways.  From  one  or  two,  aggreg:iiing 
some  twenty  miles  in  length,  many  cross  her  terri- 
tory in  all  directions,  affording  easy  access  to  and 
from  every  part  of  the  township. 

EARLY  MANUFACTURES. 
Quite  a  number  of  individuals  had  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  flour  and  whisky  as  early  as  1786  in 
Springhill  township.  At  that  period  John  Hardin, 
Sr.,  had  a  grist-mill  assessed  at  £100,  located  near 
Lewis  Hunter's  present  residence ;  Richard  Robins  a 
grist-mill  taxed  at  £120,  and  James  Gray  a  grist- 
mill assessed  at  £150  ;  one  saw-mill  on  tieorges  Creek, 
owned  by  John   Hune   (or    Hoon),  valued   at   £50. 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Three  years  later  (1789)  two  saw-mills  were  returned 
by  the  assessor,  owned  by  John  Hune  and  George 
and  John  Wilson.  The  saw-mill  belonging  to  Hune 
stood  near  the  site  of  Crow's  mill.  George  and  John 
Wilson's  was  fivrther  down  Georges  Creek.  John 
Hardin's  mill,  in  this  assessment,  passed  to  Heury 
Hardin.  The  Willson  grist-mill  was  on  Georges 
Creek,  upon  a  tract  of  land  called  "Appendix,"  now 
the  property  of  Robert  H.  Ross.  The  James  Gray 
mill  was  the  "River  Mill,"  the  remains  of  which 
may  still  be  seen  on  the  Monongahela  River,  in  New 
Geneva.  In  17S6  eighteen  stills  were  assessed,  and 
three  years  afterwards  twenty-two.  The  distillers 
were  Joseph  Caldwell,  Nicholas  Crowshore,  Richard 
Evans,  Hugh  Evans,  David  Frame,  Charles  Griffin, 
Jacob  Gaunts,  Albert  Gallatin,  Ezekiel  Moore,  Hugh 
Marshal,  John  McFarland,  Paul  Larsh,  John  Linch, 
Philip  Pierce,  Theophilus  Phillips,  Nicholas  Pock, 
James  Robinson,  Thomas  Tobin,  William  Wells. 
These  were  all  returned  as  distillers  in  1789. 

The  distillers  were  divided  into  three  classes,  and 
each  class  taxed  at  a  different  rate  per  gallon  made. 
The  tax  rate  on  first  class  was  -js.  per  gallon  ;  second 
class,  3.?.  9d.  per  gallon  ;  third  class,  2s.  6d.  per  gallon. 
Those  rated  as  first  class  were  Thomas  Ramsey,  100 
gallons;  Jacob  Ghance,  70  gallons;  Robert  Hardin, 
66  gallons;  John  Linch,  70  gallons;  Abraham  Har- 
din, 74  gallons  ;  Joseph  Caldwell,  75  gallons  ;  David 
Frame,  35  gallons;  John  McFarland,  66  gallons; 
Charles  Grifiin,  105  gallons;  and  his  partner,  James 
Neally,  49  gallons;  Philip  Pierce,  96  gallons;  and 
his  partner,  John  Wade,  49  gallons.  Second  class  : 
Ezekiel  Moore,  50  gallons;  James  Gray,  65  gallons; 
John  Hoon,  32  gallons.  Third  class:  Dennis  Nevil, 
80  gallons;  Nicholas  Pock,  40  gallons;  William 
Wells,  80  gallons.  Aggregating  a  daily  yield  of  one 
thousand  two  hundred  and  two  gallons.  To  transport 
this  large  amount  of  whisky  to  market  induced  sev- 
eral enterprising  individuals  to  engage  in  boat-build- 
ing at  the  mouth  of  Georges  Creek,  which  had  re- 
ceived the  name  of  Wilson  Port,  in  honor  of  Col. 
George  Wilson,  whose  sons,  William,  George,  and 
John,  were  citizens  of  Springfield  for  many  years  after 
his  death.  The  Port,  as  it  was  called,  soon  became 
a  noted  shipping-point,  not  only  of  merchandise, 
but  also  of  emigrants  for  Kentucky  and  Ohio.  The 
boats  were  called  keel-boats,  flat-boats,  and  Kentucky 
boats.  This  industry  flourished  until  the  advent  of 
steamboats,  and  for  many  years  afterwards  upon  a 
smaller  scale.  In  addition  to  flour  and  whisky,  iron 
and  glass  were  added  in  1795  to  the  list.  Hon.  An- 
drew Stewart,  in  his  early  life,  shipped  from  this  port. 
The  whisky  business  was  the  most  general  business 
until  after  1800.  The  next  class  of  boats  built  at 
Wilson  Port  were  steamboats  by  Albin  Mellier,  in 
1837.  Of  these  there  were  two  named  "  Albert  Gal- 
latin" and  "Napoleon  Bonaparte." 

In  1794  glass  and  iron  w^re  manufactured,  the  first 
by  Albert  Gallatin  &  Co..  the  hitter  by  Robert  Jones. 


The  establishment  of  the  glass-factory,  near  w^here 
New  Geneva  was  soon  after  built,  was  due  to  Albert 
Gallatin.  Two  stories  are  related  concerning  its  es- 
tablishment, one  by  grandchildren  of  the  founders, 
the  other  by  neighbors.  The  first,  being  the  most 
credible,  is  as  follows :  Christian  Kramer,  Adolph 
Eberhart,  Lewis  Reitz,  John  George  Reppert,  Balt- 
zer  Kramer,  and  John  Christian  Gabler,  German 
glass-blowers  from  Frederick  Town,  Frederick  Co., 
Md.,  had  left  their  home  for  the  purpose  of  establish- 
ing a  glass-factory  in  Kentucky,  near  where  Louis- 
ville now  stands.  Having  reached  the  Ohio  River, 
they  embarked  in  a  canoe,  and  had  arrived  near 
Wheeling,  when,  stopping  for  the  night,  they  were 
joined  by  a  stranger,  who,  speaking  their  language, 
was  soon  on  the  best  of  terms  with  them.  The  stran- 
ger was  Albert  Gallatin.  Having  been  informed  of 
their  journey  and  its  object,  he  succeeded  in  persuad- 
ing them  to  return  to  his  farm  on  Georges  Creek, 
where  the  necessary  facilities  for  manufacturing  glass- 
ware were  to  be  had  almost  for  nothing.  After  some 
little  talk  he  finally  agreed  to  furnish  everything  and 
they  do  the  blowing.  The  terms  were  accepted,  and 
in  1794  the  company  began  the  manufacture  of  glass. 
The  other  account  is  that  the  same  Germans  were 
crossing  the  mountains  in  wagons,  having  their  pro- 
visions with  them,  and  that  they  would  stop  at  some 
public-house  and  borrow  cooking  utensils  to  cook 
their  food.  Having  reached  Tomlinson's  stand, 
they  put  up  for  the  night.  After  supper  they  amused 
themselves  with  music,  several  being  excellent  per- 
formers. Being  a  great  lover  of  music,  Mr.  Gallatin 
(who  was  there)  inquired  of  the  landlord  who  they 
were.  Being  informed,  he  introduced  himself,  and 
the  whole  company  spent  the  evening  in  drink  and 
music.  Having  discussed  the  g!a.ss  question  in  all  its 
phases,  he  gave  them  a  letter  to  his  manager  at  Friend- 
ship Hill,  urging  him  to  ofter  better  terms  than  he 
himself  had  to  induce  them  to  stay.  Three  accepted 
at  once,  but  the  others  continued  their  journey .  Upon 
their  arrival  at  Louisville  they  found  the  location 
unfit,  and  returned  and  joined  their  companions. 

The  building  erected  for  the  glass-works  was  a 
frame,  forty  by  forty  feet  dimensions,  three  sides  frame 
and  one  stone.  This  interesting  establishment  was 
situated  a  little  over  a  mile  above  New  Geneva,  on 
the  south  bank  of  Georges  Creek,  on  land  purchased 
by  Albert  Gallatin  of  John  Calhoun.  It  was  an  eight- 
pot  factory,  used  wood  for  melting,  and  ashes  instead 
of  soda.  The  potash  was  manufactured  by  Patrick 
Brawley.  The  clerk  of  the  works  was  Andrew  Hoo- 
ver ;  book-keeper,  James  W.  Nicholson.  There  was 
a  difference  of  opinion  in  regard  to  the  price  at  which 
the  glass  was  to  be  sold,  Gallatin  advocating  a  fair 
price,  fearing  that  a  high  one  would  bring  a  great 
competition.  The  price  agreed  upon  was  fourteen 
dollars  per  box.  The  style  of  the  company  was  Gal- 
latin &  Co.  In  a  few  years  it  was  changed  to  "New 
Geneva  Glass- Works."     In  1807  the  company  erected 


SPRINGHTLL  TOWNSHIP. 


new  and  more  commodious  works  in  Greene  County, 
where  success  continued  to  reward  their  efTorts.     They  '' 
still  retained  the  name  "New  Geneva  Glass."     In  . 
1858,  Christian  Kramer  died,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  | 
years.     He  was  the  last  survivor  of  the  original  mem- 
bers of  the  glass-works  company,  and  was  the  father 
of  Allen  Kramer,  banker,  of  Pittsburgh. 

The  old  glass-factory  in  Springhill  has  been  de- 
molished, but  all  the  houses  built  by  the  company  as 
dwellings  are  still  standing. 

Not  long  after  having  established  the  glass-factory, 
Albert  Gallatin  offered  inducements  to  any  one  who 
would  engage  in  carding,  spinning,  and  weaving. 
The  saw-mill  he  had  built  a  short  distance  from  the 
glass-factory  was  fitted  up  in  a  suitable  manner  for 
the  intended  industry,  and  the  necessary  machinery 
bought.  When  all  was  completed  a  Mr.  Collins  was 
employed,  who  for  many  years  continued  the  business. 
Several  years  afterwards,  Ellis  Stephenson  erected 
works  higher  up  Georges  Creek,  and  carried  on  the 
manufacture  of  wool  in  all  its  branches,  but  the  ' 
business  finally  languished  and  was  abandoned.  i 

The  old  Springhill  Furnace  was  built  by  Kobert  t 
Jones,  who  became  a  settler  in  Springhill  in  1792,  as  i 
already  mentioned.  In  1794  he  and  his  brother  Ben- 
jamin commenced  iron-making  at  this  furnace.  It  was 
afterwards  sold  to  Jesse  Evans  (father  of  Col.  Samuel 
Evans,  of  North  Union  township),  who  ran  it  for  more 
than  thirty  years.  This  old  furnace  has  been  men- 
tioned at  length  in  the  article  on  iron-works  in  the 
general  history  of  the  county.  The  location  is  at  the 
foot  of  the  mountain,  some  four  miles  eastward  from 
the  cross-roads.  Besides  the  furnace  buildings,  there 
is  a  Presbyterian  Church,  post-office,  and  store. 

Northwest    of   the    Springhill    Furnace    site,    on 
Georges  Creek,  was   the  "  Sylvan   Forge,"  built   in  ■• 
1796'  by  John  and  Andrew  Oliphant.     In  connec-  , 
tion  with  their  iron-works,  they  built  a  large  stone 
grist-mill,  now  the  property  of  Samuel  Hunter,  Esq. 

The  only  manufacturing  done  in  Springhill  outside  ; 
of  the  iron  business  is  the  making  of  stoneware.     Mr. 
James   Eneix   has   a  small   establishment   south  of 
Friendship  Hill,  where  a  good  article  is  made,  but 
little  capital  is  invested.     All  the  turning  is  done 
by  himself.     The  number  of  kilns  burnt  is  eight  an- 
nually, yielding  twelve  thousand  gallons  of  ware. 
SPRIXOHILL    CIVIL    LIST. 
JUSTICES   OF   THE   PEACE. 
1794.  Isaac  Griffin.  1S07.  Jesse  Evans. 

1802.  James  Robinson.  Thomas  Williams.' 

1804.  Andrew  Oliphant.  .  1823.  Peter  Stenlz. 

1  In  the  September  term  of  court  of  Fayette  County,  1797,  a  commit- 
tee which  had  been  appointed  in  June  previous  made  tliis  report,  that 
"the  committee  met  on  Tuesday,  tlie  12th  inst.,  and  having  viewed  the 
ground  from  Springhill  Furnace,  by  way  of  Sylvan  Forge,  to  the  Frame 
meeting-house,  are  of  opinion  that  a  public  road  is  necessary,"  etc., 
which  shows  that  Ihe  Sylvan  Forge  was  then  in  cxisteuce. 

2  It  is  stated  that  Thomas  Williams,  Esq.,  held  the  office  of  justice  of 
the  peace  from  1797  to  the  time  of  his  death  in  1837,  a  period  of  forty 
years. 


1825 

Thoma,s  Beatty. 

1859. 

Jonathan  Monroe. 

1837 

James  C.  Ramsey. 

James  Mustard. 

Henry  W.  Core. 

1860. 

Lewis  Hunter. 

Philip  Reitz. 

1864. 

William  McCleary. 

1840 

41.3  George  Poundstone. 

1865. 

Thomas  Morris. 

1842 

Meredith  Mallory. 

1809. 

Jonathan  Monroe. 

1845 

Thomas  Morris. 

1874. 

Jonathan  Monroe. 

James  Mustard. 

Lewis  F.  Stentz. 

1850 

James  Mustard. 

1875. 

Lewis  Hunter. 

John  Holmes. 

Samuel  H.  Hunter. 

1854 

Jonathan  Monroe. 

1879. 

Jacob  Conn. 

Lewis  Hunter. 

Andrew  Hertzog. 

1855 

Jeremiah  Burohinal. 
John  Stentz. 

1880. 

Jacob  Conn. 

AUDITORS. 

1841 

William  Newman. 

I860 

George  G.  Hertzog. 

1842 

John  Holms. 

186 1 

Jasper  N.  Gans. 

1S43 



1862 

John  S.  Baker. 

1844 

Richard  Poundstone. 

1863 

B.  F.  Morgan. 

William  F.  Nicholson. 

1864 

James  Mustard. 

1843 

. 

1865 

George  Baker. 

1846 

Thomas  Morris. 

1866 

C.  S.  Emery. 

John  Keiser. 

1867 

Jacob  Bowers. 

Jacob  Gans. 

1868 

James  Brooks. 

184" 

Abraham  B.  Hall. 

George  Baker. 

1848 

Thomas  Morris. 

1869 

A.  D.  Frankiiibery. 

1849 

George  W.  Litman. 

1870 

Michael  D.  Baker. 

1850 

Abraham  B.  Hall. 

1871 

. 

1851 

William  Hardin. 

1873 

G.  D.  Bowers. 

1852 

George  W.  Litman. 

1874 

Joseph  Burchinal. 

1853 

John  L.  Gans. 

1875 

John  A.  Clark. 

1854 

James  Brooks. 

1876 

G.  D.  Bowers. 

1855 

David  Evans. 

1877 

.Sylvester  Hertzog. 

1856 

James  Mustard. 

1878 

John  A.  Clark. 

1S57 

Thomas  Morris. 

1879. 

D.  M.  Baker. 

1858 

David  Evans. 

1880 

A.  J.  Gans. 

1S59 

Lawrence  L.  Crawford. 

1881 

Joseph  L.  Baker. 

1841.  George  Neal. 

1842.  Thomas  Board. 

1843.  John  Keyser. 

1844.  Warwick  Ross. 

1845.  Richard  Poundstone. 

1846.  James  Brooks. 

1847.  John  Sergent. 

1848.  William  Scott. 

1849.  John  Keiser. 
1860.   Lewis  Hunter. 

1851.  Samuel  Frankinberry. 

1852.  Conrad  S.  Emery. 

1853.  Samuel  M.  Cagey. 

1854.  Michael  Crow,  Jr. 

1855.  Allen  Neal. 
1S56.  Joseph  Neal. 

1857.  Henry  O'Neil. 

1858.  Samuel  Frankinberry. 

1859.  Conrad  S.  Emery. 

1860.  James  McCloy. 


1861.  John  A.  Lyons. 

1862.  William  Baker. 

1863.  James  Mustard. 

1864.  James  Brooks. 

1865.  Daniel  0.  Mustard. 

1866.  David  Bowers. 

1867.  Thomas  Batton. 

1868.  David  Morgan. 

1869.  David  Rutrick. 

1870.  Thomas  C.  Dunham. 

1871.  Constitution  changed. 
1873.  George  Board. 
1S74.  John  T.  Stewart. 

1875.  George  J.  Bowers. 

1876.  A.  J.  Giins. 

1877.  A.  J.  Emery. 

1878.  G.  W.  Ross. 

1879.  George  Campbell. 

1880.  L.  B.  Clemmer. 

1881.  William  P.  Stewart. 


Springhill  has  no  towns  or  villages,  Point  Marion, 
Morris'  Cross-Koads,  and  Springhill  Furnace  are  the 
chief  centres.    Point  Marion  (named  in  honor  of  Gen. 

3  Prior  to  this  date  the  office  had  been  held  by  appointment ;  after 
1840  the  justices  were  elected  by  the  people. 


770 


IIISTUIIY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENxXSYLVANIA. 


Francis  Mai'ion)  is  located  in  the  "  Forks  of  Cheat," 
—that  is,  on  the  south  side  of  that  stream,  at  its  junc- 
tion with  the  Monongahela  River.  It  dates  back  to 
February,  1843.  It  contains  forty -three  dwellings,  a 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  (a  branch  of  the  Greens- 
boro', Greene  Co.,  Methodist  Church),  with  a  consid- 
erable membership  ;  a  town  hall,  school-house,  two 
stores,  shoe-shop,  two  blacksmith-shops,  cabinet-shop, 
post-olHce,  two  planing-mills,  two  saw-mills,  two  sash 
and  building-furnishing  firms.  The  first  manufac- 
turing company,  Frankinlierry  &  Co.,  wa.s  organized 
in  1867.  The  most  important  now  is  Kei-er,  Frank- 
inberry  &  Co.,  organized  1880;  capital,  twelve  thou- 
sand dollars. 

The  other  company  is  John  A.  Clark  and  Ira  N. 
Burchinal,  established  July  31,  1875,  planing-  and 
saw-mill,  and  sash  aud  door  manufacturers. 

Morris'  Cross-Roads  was  named  for  Absalom  Morris, 
who  was  an  inn-keeper  here  for  many  years.  It  is 
located  where  the  New  Geneva  and  Springhill  Fur- 
nace road  intersects  the  Uniontown  and  Morgantown 
roads.  It  is  the  polling-place  of  the  township,  and 
has  been  since  the  year  1816.  Prior  to  that  time 
Springhill,  Georges,  and  German  voted  at  the  house 
of  Nicholas  Riffle,  but  the  inconvenience  was  so  great 
that  the  polling-places  were  changed.  The  last  joint 
election  was  at  the  time  of  the  first  election  of  James 
Monroe  as  President,  in  the  year  named.  Morris' 
Cross-Roads  contains  a  post-office,  store,  public-house, 
and  blacksmith-shop. 


The  first  house  built  for  school  purposes  in  Spring- 
hill was  the  one  near  Morris'  Cross-Roads,  erected  near 
the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  Mount 
Moriah  church  building,  built  in  1773,  was  also  used 
for  school  purposes.  There  were  also  school-houses 
at  Bear  Wallow  and  Forks  of  Cheat.  Another,  near 
the  "  old  glass-works"  on  Georges  Creek,  was  built  at 
a  very  early  day.  To  give  the  names  of  alj  the  teachers 
who  taught  in  these  old  houses  is  now  impossible. 
Only  a  few  have  been  ascertained,  viz. :  Alexander 
Clare,  Thomas  Clare,  Jeptha  Curtis,  John   Lynch, 

Samuel  Kinkaid, McCarty,  Salva  Crosby,  Esther 

Gans,  John  Knox  McGee,  Thomas  Couser,  Henry 
O'Neal, Coburn,  and  Singleton. 

Since  the  introduction  of  the  free  school  system  the 
following  school  buildings  have  been  erected,  num- 
bered and  named  in  the  following  order:  Ross',  Fal- 
len Timber,  Forks  of  Cheat,  Lutheran,  Sheets',  Mor- 
gan's, Bunker  Hill,  and  Mountain.  The  school  prop- 
erty (houses,  furniture,  and  sites)  is  valued  at  eight 
thousand  dollars.  Following  are  the  sclm,.]  statistics 
of  Springhill  for  the  school  year  endiii-  Jiiiu-.  l^s|, 
viz.:  Number  of  children  on  school-roll.  :;71;  daily 
attendance,  237;  tax  levied  in  l^so,  s]  i:is,i)(j ;  State 
appropriation,  i!369.60;  balance  IVom  ix;;),  .■<>;. §3. 

On  the  2d  of  .January,  183.',,  the  court  of  Fayette 
County    appointed    Robert    Brown    and    James   ^V. 


Nicholson  school   directors.     On  the  7th  of  June, 

1837,  they  reported  to  the  county  treasurer  as  being 

ready  to  comply  with  the  requirements  of  the  free 

j  school   law  of  1834.     May  22,   1835,  they  received 

;  S123.65,  and  from  the  county  $276.10,  the  first  sum 

being  the  State  appropriation.     From  this  period  the 

I  free  school  system  has  had  but  little  opposition  in 

Springhill.     Following  is  a  list  of  school  directors 

elected  in  Springhill  from  the  time  when  the  school 

law  went  into  full  operation  in  the  township  until  the 

present  time,  viz. : 

1841. — S.Tmucl  Roderick,  Jonathan  Monroe,  Adam  .Stum. 

1842.— James  Brooks,  Jacob  Gans,  William  P.  Griffin. 
[   1843.— James  Tiiompson,  George  Beatty. 

1844.— Jolin  Schnatterly,  Vincent  Gray. 

1845.- Lewis  Hunter,  John  D.  .■^cott. 

1846.— John  Sergent,  Jasper  Clemmer. 

1847. — John  Sowers,  R.  D.  Merryman. 
;   1848.- Samuel  Hall,  James  Mustard,  John  Stentz. 

1849.— John  Stentz,  John  Morris,  Thomas  Morris,  Allen  Dun- 
ham, Luther  Burchinal. 

ISSn.— John  Kciser,  Jacob  Gans. 

ISol. — Lewis  Hun'er.  James  Reynolds,  John  Lyons. 

1852.- Adam  Stum.  John  Morris,  John  Baker. 

1853.— Lee  Tat",  John  Baker,  Adam  Stumm,  John  Morgan, 
1  Washington    Brown,    Michael    Crow,    Meredith     Mallory, 

I  Hiram  Jones. 

'   1854.— John  A.  Lyons,  Henry  Rutriok,  J.  M.  Oliphant,  Mere- 
i  dith  Mallory. 

,   1855.— David  Morgan,  Samuel  Hall,  David  Bowan. 

1856. — John  Cagey,  John  Hertzog. 

1857.- Henry  Brownlield,  Samuel  Frankinberry. 

1858.— John  J.  Morris,  James  M.  Oliphant. 

1859.— John  Conn,  Altha  Gans. 

1S60.— C.  S.  Emery,  S.  W.  Cagy,  Jesse  E.  Stentz. 

ISiil — Ale.isander  Ross,  Conrad  S.  Emery. 

1862.- Lewis  Hunter,  Joseph  Bowers,  Thomas  W.  Lyons. 
I    186:^.— Joseph  Gans,  Jr.,  M.  D.  Baker. 
I    1864.— Lewis  Hunter,  Adolph  Eberhart. 
I   1865.— Alexander  Ross,  Jesse  B.  Dunham,  William  McCleary. 

1866. — Joseph  Gans,  Joseph  Bowers. 

1867.— William   L.  Morgan,  George  Bierer,  Samuel  Frankin- 
berry, John  A.  Lyons. 

1 868.— David  Bowers,  Michael  Conn. 
j   1869.— John  H.  Gans,  M.  D.  Baker. 

1870.— .Jonathan  Monroe,  W.  B.  Scott,  George  Baker. 

1873.— John  A.  Lyons,  Phineas  West. 

1874.- J.  L.  Baker,  George  Hertzog,  Ira  Reiser. 

1875.- John  L.  Baker,  Thomas  J.  Burchinal. 

1S76.— William  L.  Morris,  William  B.  Scott. 

1877. — Joseph  Lyons,  John  Davis,  Ira  Keiser. 

1878.— Michael  D.  Baker,  A.  6.  Hall. 

1879. — Joseph  Bowers,  Joseph  Burchinal. 

1S8I).— Calvin  Hussart,  Noah  Darbey. 

1881.-0.  J.  Stewart,  Elmer  Casey. 

CHURCHES. 
The  Mount  Moriah  church  edifice  in  Springhill 
belongs  to  the  Presbyterians,  who  purchased  four  acres 
of  ground  upon  which  it  stands  of  Joseph  Caldwell. 
According  to  the  court  records  it  was  in  process  of 
erection  in  July,  1793.  The  church  was  dedicated  by 
Rev.  James  Power,  of  New  Castle  Presbytery,  in  1774. 


c^— 


/ 


SFRTNGHlfiL   TOWNSHIP. 


771 


In  1776  he  brought  his  family  and  lived  upon  Georges 
€reek  for  two  years.  The  elders  were  McLain,  Pol- 
lock, Frame,  Abram.s,  Hill,  Crow,  Dils,  Phillips,  and 
Riuii-ioy.  In  1778  James  Dunlap  preached  for  this 
church. 

This  continued  to  he  the  chief  Presbyterian  Church 
until  the  organization  of  the  "  Old  Frame,"  as  it  is 
generally  called,  in  1788.  Its  history  from  that  time 
is  so  completely  blended  with  that  of  the  younger 
church  that  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  history  of  the 
churches  in  Nicholson  township. 

The  St.  John's  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  lo- 
cated near  Morris'  Cross-Roads,  is  a  branch  of  the 
"  Old  Dutch  Church"  of  German  township,  organ- 
ized by  the  Rev.  John  Stough,  a  Reformed  Lutheran, 
in  the  latter  part  of  1793.  The  mother-church  made 
arrangements  in  1854-55  to  provide  a  house  of  wor- 
ship nearer  the  residences  of  certain  members  in 
Springhill.  The  building  was  ready  to  be  occupied 
Jan.  4,  1856,  and  was  then  dedicated.  Rev.  J.  K. 
Melhorn  was  in  charge  of  these  congregations  for 
several  years  (before  and  after  the  building  of  the 
new  house),  and  to  his  efforts  Springhill  is  largely  in- 
debted for  the  continuance  and  prosperity  of  this 
church.  The  elders  are  Conrad  Emery  and  Michael 
Baker. 

In  the  Forks  of  Cheat  the  Methodists  have  a  neat 
frame  church.  Tlie  congregation  is  under  the  charge 
of  Rev.  McCurdy,  of  the  Greensboro',  Greene  Co., 
Methodist  Church,  of  which  it  is  a  branch. 

The  old  "  Free  Church,"  near  where  the  Church  of 
the  Disciples  now  stands,  was  built  about  the  year 
1825  by  a  union  of  professed  Christians.  Freeman 
Lewis,  on  his  (1832)  map  of  Fayette  County,  has  it 
named  the  "  New  Lights'  Church."  The  history  of 
this  church  has  been  given  by  A.  W.  Scott,  from 
■which  the  following  is  taken.  In  1820  a  stranger  reg- 
istered himself  at  a  tavern  in  Uniontown  as  Peter  T. 
Lashley,  Christian  minister.  As  soon  as  it  was  dis- 
covered that  he  was  a  preacher  he  was  invited  to 
preach  in  the  court-house,  which  he  did  to  the  great 
edification  of  the  people.  He  next  preached  in  Smith- 
field,  where  his  sermons  created  considerable  excite- 
ment. His  doctrine  took  hold,  and  members  from 
nearly  all  denominations  professed  it.  The  Ganses, 
who  were  Duukards,  with  many  others,  joined  and 
built  the  Free  Church.  The  elders  were  AVilliam 
Gans,  William  Saddler,  and  Joseph  Bovvers.  The 
house  burnt  down  in  1853.  Near  it  the  Disciples 
have  erected  a  frame  house  of  worship.  The  only 
surviving  elder  is  A.  W.  Gans.  The  church  was 
erected  in  1861. 

SPUIXGHILL    SOLDIEBS. 
In  the  war  of  1812-15,  Springhill  sent  a  consider- 
able number  of  soldiers  to  the  army.     Among  these 


were  men  who  enlisted  in  Capt.  John  Phillips'  com- 
pany, which  numbered  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
men  when  he  marched  them  across  the  Monongahela 
River  on  their  way  to  Pittsburgh.  Capt.  Peter  Hert- 
zog  was  from  Springhill.  His  company  was  styled  a 
"  rifle  company,"  and  served  in  the  Northwest  under 
Gen.  Harrison.  The  names  of  the  men  who  went  from 
Springhill  in  these  companies  have  not  been  found. 

In  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  a  great  number  of  men 
from  Springhill  entered  the  army  of  the  United 
States,  serving  in  various  regiments  of  Pennsylvania 
and  West  Virginia.  Among  them  were  those  named 
below,  viz. :  Ashbel  G.  Duncan,  in  Capt.  George  W. 
Gilmore's  company,  mustered  into  the  service  of  West 
Virginia ;  afterwards  raised  a  company,  and  became 
its  captain,  in  a  cavalry  regiment.  Fourteenth  Penn- 
sylvania. In  the  Eighty-fifth  Pennsylvania  Regi- 
ment, Robert  H.  Ross,  Martin  Eberhart,  William 
Eberhart,  Charles  B.  Eneix,  David  R.  Sturgis, 
Phineas  Sturgis,  George  A.  Burchinal,  Thomas  Moser, 
Jesse  Jones.  In  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixty-first 
Pennsylvania  Regiment,  Richard  Stephenson,  Samuel 
Le  Clare,  Jackson  Dougherty.  In  the  One  Hundred 
and  Sixty-eighth  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  John 
Thompson.  In  regiments  not  known,  Michael  Clem- 
mer,  George  Ganoe,  John  Ganoe,  Alexander  Dough- 
erty, Ephraim  Provance,  Adolph  Provance,  Abner 
McLain,  Alfred  Swearingin,  Charles  O'Neil,  Calvin 
Ruble,  Willey  Burchinal,  James  T.  Dougherty,  Allen 
Frankinberry. 

Capt.  George  W.  Gilmore's  cavalry  company  was 
raised  in  Fayette  County.  The  company  was  ac 
cepted  in  July,  1861.  They  were  denominated  the 
"  Pennsylvania  Dragoons,"  and  attached  to  the  First 
Virginia  Cavalry.  Capt.  Gilmore  is  a  son  of  Hon. 
David  Gilmore,  and  well  known  in  Fayette  County. 
He  was  born  June  7,  1832,  near  McClellandtown. 
He  at  present  resides  in  Dade  County,  Mo. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 

HON.  ALBERT  GALLATIN. 
Alliert  Gallatin,  who  was  nominally  a  resident  of 
Fayette  County  for  fully  forty  years  in  the  last  part 
of  the  eighteenth  and  the  first  quarter  of  the  nine- 
teenth century,  and  who  actually  lived  here  during 
a  considerable  portion  of  that  period,  might,  perhaps, 
in  view  of  the  high  offices  he  held  and  the  distin- 
guished public  services  he  performed,  be  regarded  as 
the  most  illustrious  citizen  of  Fayette  during  the 
almost  century  of  its  existence  as  a  county.  He  was 
a  native  of  Switzerland,  born  at  Geneva,  Jan.  20, 1761. 
His  ancestor,  John  Gallatin,  secretary  to  the  Duke  of 
Savoy,  emigrated  to  Geneva  early  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  and,  having  embraced  the  Reformation,  was 
one  of  the  city  magistrates  wlipn  Switzerland  became 


772 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


a  republic.  The  family  was  one  of  no  little  note, 
emhracing  among  those  allied  to  it  the  celebrated 
JIadamedeStaPl  and  her  distinguished  father,  Necker, 
the  famous  French  minister  of  finance. 

Albert  Gallatin  graduated  at  Geneva  in  1779,  and 
in  1780,  when  in  his  twentieth  year,  he  emigrated  to 
America,  being  attracted  here  by  the  great  struggle 
for  liberty  that  was  then  in  progress.  Landing  at 
Boston,  one  of  his  first  acts  after  his  arrival  was  to 
ofl'er  his  services  to  the  American  Congress,  which 
were  accepted,  and  he  was  assigned  to  duty  in  the 
defense  of  Passamaquoddy,  where,  as  well  as  at  Ma- 
chias,  he  served  under  Col.  John  Allen.  He  did  not, 
however,  long  remain  in  the  military  servicr.  In 
1782  he  came  into  possession  of  a  moderate  patrimony 
in  Switzerland,  and  immediately  after  the  close  of  the 
Revolution  he  was  located  in  Richmond,  Va.,  as  the  | 
agent  of  a  European  commercial  house.  While  there  I 
he  became  acquainted  with  a  number  of  prominent 
men,  and  among  these  was  Patrick  Henry,  Governor  of 
the  State ;  and  it  was  in  accordance  with  the  advice  of 
Governor  Henry  that  he  purchased  lands  in  the  West, 
in  the  valleys  of  the  Ohio  and  Monongahela,  which  1 
resulted  in  his  becoming  a  resident  in  the  south  part 
of  Fayette  County.  While  in  Richmond  he  became  ( 
acquainted  with  an  Italian  lady,  Madame  Allegre, 
and  her  daughter  Sophia,  who  was  the  acknowledged 
belle  of  the  city.  The  young  people  became  mutually 
attached  to  each  other,  and  this  resulted  (May  14, 
1789)  in  the  marriage  of  Gallatin  to  Sophia  Allegre, 
though  it  was  done  against  the  violent  and  deter- 
mined opposition  of  her  mother.  The  young  couple 
removed  to  the  valley  of  the  Monongahela,  and  occu- 
pied a  log  house  in  Springhill  township.  Three  weeks 
later  the  liride  died,  and  her  remains  were  interred  at 
"  Fricnd-liip  Hill,"  where  they  still  repose,  in  a  grave 
unmarkrd  l>y  any  nicTnorial  stone  (in  accordance  with 
her  dying  requc.-t  to  (iallatin),  but  which  in  later 
years  was  inclosed  l:iy  a  neat  fence,  by  direction  of  the 
then  proprietor  of  the  estate,  tlie  Hon.  John  L.  Daw- 
son. On  the  nth  of  November,  1793,  Gallatin  mar- 
ried Hannah  Nicholson,  daughter  of  Commodore 
James  Ni.li,,l>,,n,  I'.S.N. 

prior  to  hisfirM  niiUTJ:,-,.  lir  IkkI  visited 
ni-li:.-'  1-,  an^l  in    17^7  In-  nun.r  ao- 


Fiv 
theW 
pears 


.IISOIS,, 


coming 
being  a 
at  Mor- 


hill  towii-lii],,  he  being  assc-scl  un  the  '■  I'licndshi 
Hill"  lands,  purchased  from  Nii  Imhi-  j'.lakr  in  tl 
previous  year.  For  a  few  years  aftn  his  fns 
here  his  residence  was  somewhat  migratory 
part  of  the  time  in  Springhill,  and  sometimes 
gantown,  Va.  Upon  his  marriage  he  made  his  home 
(intended  to  be  permanent)  at  "  Friendshi])  Hill." 
In  October,  1789,  he  was  chosen  a  ihlr-atr,  with 
John  Smilie,  of  Fayette,  to  the  convcnlion  which 
framed  the  constitution  of  1790.  It  was  in  that 
body  that  he  was  first  brought  to  public  notice  as  a 
talented  debater,  though  then  but  twenty-nine  years 
of  age.     In  1790  he  was  elected,  with  Judge  James 


Finley,   to   the   Pennsylvania   Assembly,   where   he 
served  in  1791,  '92,  and  '93.     The  high  qualities  he 
there  displayed  caused  his  election  by  the  Legisla- 
ture, at  the  session  of  1792-93,  to  the  Senate  of  the 
I  United   States,  though  a  majority  of  the  members 
i  were  opposed  to  him  in  politics,  he  being  a  member  of 
I  the  Republican — soon  afterwards  known  as  the  Dem- 
ocratic— party.    He  took  his  seat  in  the  Senate  in  De- 
i  cember,  1793,  but  a  question  was  raised  as  to  his  eligi- 
I  bility  to  the  office,  as  he  had  not  been  for  a  sufiicient 
length  of  time  a  citizen  of  the  United  States.     The- 
question  was  referred  to  a  committee,  wdio  reported  ad- 
versely, and  in  February,  1794,  he  was  unseated  by  a 
strict  party  vote  of  fourteen  to  twelve.    It  was  during 
this  visit  to  the  East  in  his  senatorial  capacity  that  he 
was  married  to  Hannah  Nicholson,  as  before  men- 
I  tioned.    In  May,  1794,  he  returned  to  Springhill,  and 
I  purchased  from  John  and  William  George  Wilson 
the  site  of  the  village  of  New  Geneva,  and  started 
the  enterprise  of  the  old  glass-works,  as  elsewhere 
noticed.      It  was  also  at  this  time  that  he  became 
unfortunately  identified  with  the  insurgent  party  in 
I  the    "  Whiskey    Insurrection,"    but    he    afterwards 
deeply  regretted  the  course  he  had  at  first   taken,, 
and  did  all  in  his  power  to  quench  the  flame  he  had 
to  some  extent  been  instrumental  in  kindling. 

At  the  close  of  the  Whiskey  In.surrection  (in  Octo- 
ber, 1794),  Mr.  Gallatin  was  again  elected  to  the  As- 
sembly of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  also  at  the  same 
time  elected  a  member  of  Congress.  The  Congress 
to  which  he  was  thus  elected  did  not  meet  til!  De- 
cember, 1795,  and  he  served  through  that  session,  and 
was  re-elected  in  1796,  1798,  and  1800  from  the  same 
district,  composed  of  the  counties  of  Allegheny, 
Washington,  and  Greene,  the  latter  county  having- 
been  erected  in  1796.  His  service  in  Congress  era- 
braced  the  last  two  years  of  Washington's  adminis- 
tration and  the  whole  of  the  administration  of  Presi- 
dent John  Adams.  It  was  during  this  period  that 
Mr.  Gallatin,  with  others,  established  the  old  gun- 
factory  near  New  Geneva. 

When  Thomas  Jefferson  became  President,  in 
March,  1801,  he  indicated  to  Mr.  Gallatin  his  wish 
to  appoint  him  Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  There 
existed,  however,  an  obstacle  in  Mr.  Gallatin's  con- 
nection with  the  Fayette  gun-factory,  which  held 
contracts  to  furnish  arms  to  the  government.  Mr. 
( iallatin  thereupon  returned  to  New  Geneva,  sold  out 
all  his  interest  in  the  factory  and  the  contracts  to  Mr.. 
Baker,  and  was  appointed  to  the  Secretaryship  May 
14,  1801.  He  remained  at  the  head  of  the  Treasury 
Department  through  both  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  Presi- 
dential terms,  through  Mr.  Madison's  first,  and  in  his- 
second  term  until  February,  1814,  though  in  the  mean> 
time  (April,  1813)  the  President  had  appointed  hini 
a  plenipotentiary,  jointly  with  John  Quincy  Adams,, 
of  Massachusetts,  and  James  A.  Bayard,  of  Delaware,. 
to  sign  a  treaty  of  peace  with  Great  Britain,  which 
it  was   then   hoped   would    be  effected  through    the 


7/    /     /     //^-'7 
y  ^^  M^i-t^--  (,''/''  ''-^^^" 


i 


/cl     r^^a. 


Otyyi^ 


SPRINGHILL   TOWNSHIP. 


773 


friendly  mediation  offered  by  the  Emperor  of  Russia,  j 
On  this  mission  the  President  had  sent  bim  to  Europe, 
but  without  allowing  him  to  relinquish  the  Secreta- 
ryship of  the  Treasury.     The  Senate  refused  to  con-  1 
firm  his  appointment,  on  the  ground  that  the  two  i 
otfices  of  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  and  peace  com-  I 
missioner   or  minister  were  incompatible.     He  was 
not,  however,  recalled.     England  rejected  the  czar's  i 
mediation,  but  offered  to  treat  untrammeled.     There-  ' 
upon  Mr.  Gallatin,  having  been  relieved  of  the  Sec- 
retaryship, was  appointed,  Feb.  9,  1814,  one  of   the 
commissioners  in  the  treaty  negotiations,  which  re-  j 
suited  in  the  conclusion  of  a  treaty  of  peace,  signed 
at  Ghent,  in  Belgium,  Dec.  24,  1814.     In  1815,  Mr.  , 
Gallatin  was  appointed  minister  to  France,  where  he 
remained  from  1816  to  1823,  during  which  time  he 
was  intrusted  with  special  and  important  missions  to 
England  and  to  the  Netherlands.     On  his  return  to  I 
the  United  States,  in  1824,  he  declined  a  seat  in  the 
Cabinet,  also  the  candidacy  of  his  party  for   Vice- 
President.    The  new  mansion  at  Friendship  Hill  had 
been  provided  for  his  reception,  and  there  he  took  up 
his   abode  soon  after  his  return   from   Europe,  and 
there  in  1825  he  received  the  memorable  visit  of  his 
illustrious   friend,  the   Marquis   de  Lafayette,   "  the 
like  of  which  old  Springhill  had  never  seen,  may 
never  see  again." 

In  1826,  Mr.  Gallatin  was  sent  as  minister  plenipo- 
tentiary to  the  court  of  St.  James,  where  he  remained 
over  a  year,  and  successfully  accomplished  all  the  | 
objects  of  his  mission.  He  returned  to  the  United 
States  in  December,  1827,  but  never  again  resided  in 
Fayette  County.  He  lived  a  short  time  in  Baltimore 
(which  was  the  place  of  residence  of  two  of  Mrs. 
Gallatin's  sisters),  but  soon  removed  to  the  city  of 
New  York,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  long 
and  brilliant  life,  devoting  himself  chiefly  to  litera- 
ture, science,  historical  and  ethnological  researches. 

He  was  mainly  instrumental  in  founding  and  be- 
came the  first  president  of  the  Ethnological  Society, 
and  he  was  from  1843  until  his  death  president  of  the 
New  York  Historical  Society.  He  was  perhaps  the 
best  talker  of  the  century,  at  home  on  all  topics,  with 
a  wonderful  memory  for  facts  and  dates.  He  died  at 
the  residence  of  his  son-in-law,  at  Astoria,  L.  I.,  on  i 
Sunday,  Aug.  12, 1849,  in  the  eighty-ninth  year  of  his 
age.  I 

COL.  JOHN    MORGAN. 
The  late  Col.  John  Morgan,  of  Springhill,  was  of  , 
Welsh  parentage.    His  father  and  mother  married  in 
Wales,  and  had  two  or  three  children  before  they  mi-  : 
grated  to  America,  and  here  they  had  more,  to  the  ■ 
number  of  ten  in  all,  of  whom  Col.  John,  born  in  ! 
Springhill  township,  Aug.  8,  1790,  was  the  seventh.  I 
Col.  Morgan's  father,  David  Morgan,  was  one  of  the 
first   settlers   of  the   southwestern   part  of   Fayette  | 
County.     At  the  time  of  his  arrival  in  the  county  it  ; 
was  inhabited  by  the  Indians,  with  whom  he  had  many  ! 


encounters.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  Mount 
Moriah  Baptist  Church  at  Smithfield,  and  was  noted 
for  his  piety.     He  died  in  1798,  aged  fifty-four  years. 

When  a  young  man  Col.  Morgan  learned  black- 
smithing,  and  was  an  apprentice  in  the  .same  shop 
with  the  late  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart.  He  worked  at 
his  trade  for  a  few  years,  and  then  engaged  in  flat- 
boating  down  the  Monongahela  and  Ohio  Rivers, 
which  he  followed  for  three  years  or  more,  and  then 
settled  upon  the  old  homestead,  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  long  life,  except  while  occupied  with 
public  business.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812, 
but  obtained  the  title  of  colonel  in  the  State  militia, 
being  commissioned  as  such  by  Governor  Simon  Sny- 
der. He  was  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature  for 
Fayette  County  in  1843,  and  was  re-elected  in  1844 
and  1845.  Col.  Morgan  was  an  earnest  advocate  of 
the  public  school  system  of  the  State,  and  was  one  of 
the  first  school  directors  of  his  township,  and  held 
other  township  offices.     He  died  Jan.  5,  1880. 

March  12,  1817,  Cot.  Morgan  married  Elizabeth 
Lyons,  of  Springhill  township,  and  by  her  had  seven 
children, — four  sons  and  three  daughters.  The  sons 
all  became  farmers,  and  the  daughters  married 
farmers.  At  the  time  of  his  death  Col.  Morgan's 
possessions  consisted  chiefly  in  lands.  He  was  strong 
of  body,  possessing  wonderful  powers  of  endurance, 
and  had  an  abundance  of  good  hard  sense.  He  was 
not  a  church-member.  He  was  always  a  sound  Demo- 
crat, and  was  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him. 
In  short,  his  was  a  rare  character,  and  he  filled  up  the 
measure  of  his  years  ably  and  honorably. 


LEBBEUS  BIGLOW  GANS. 
Lebbeus  Biglow  Gans  was  born  in  Springhill  town- 
ship, Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  March  31,  1825.  He  is  the  fifth 
son  of  William  and  Magdalene  Gans,  whose  parents 
were  .among  the  early  settlers  of  Southern  Fayette 
County.  AVilliam  Gans'  parents  emigrated  tioiii  ( ;cr- 
many  on  account  of  religious  persecution,  and  settled 
near  Antietam,  Md.,  and  in  the  year  1785  came  to 
Springhill  township  and  pre-empted  the  beautiful 
tract  of  land  near  Morris'  Cross-Roads  on  which  they 
lived  and  died,  and  now  owned  by  L.  B.  Gans.  Mag- 
dalene, wife  of  William  Gans,  was  the  daughter  of 
George  Custer,  who  was  a  first  cousin  of  Gen.  George 
Washington,  they  being  sisters'  children.  He  was 
the  fourth  son  of  Paul  Custer,  and  his  mother  was 
Sarah  Ball,  the  daughter  of  Col.  Ball,  of  Lancaster 
County,  Pa.  Her  sister,  Mary  Ball,  was  married  to 
Mr.  Augustine  Washington,  by  whom  she  had  six 
children,  the  eldest  being  the  renowned  commander- 
in-chief  of  the  Revolutionary  army  and  the  first  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States.  George  Custer  was  born 
in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Dec.  3,  1774,  and  died  on  his 
farm  in  Georges  township,  Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  in  1829, 
aged  eighty-five  years  and  two  days.  He  was  a  large, 
healthv  man,  with    abundant   means,    and  was   the 


IlISTOKY    OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


father  of  fifteen  children.  L.  B.  Gans  received  a 
common-school  education,  and  is  a  farmer  by  profes- 
sion. He  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife, 
Elizabeth  J.  Ramsay,  was  the  daughter  of  James  C. 
Ramsay,  Esq.,  whom  he  married  Jan.  6,  1848,  and  by 
whom  he  had  three  children, — one  son,  who  died  in 
infancy  ;  and  two  daughters,  both  living.  The  elder, 
Dorcas  Anna,  is  married  to  T  F.  Protzman,  a  mer- 
chant at  Morris'  Cross- Roads,  Pa.  The  younger,  Eliza- 
beth J.,  is  married  to  W.  Morgan  Smith,  of  Mount 
Pleasant,  Westmoreland  Co.,  Pa.  His  first  wife,  Eliza- 
beth J.,  died  March  25,  1857.  He  married  his  second 
wife,  Emily  S.  Goe,  daughter  of  Henry  B.  Goe,  of 
Allegheny  City,  Oct.  15,  18(58,  by  whom  he  has  three 
sons  and  one  daughter.  Mr.  Gans  is  an  active,  thrifty 
business  man.  In  addition  to  the  homestead,  which 
has  always  been  considered  the  standard  in  making 
real  estate  assessments  in  the  township,  he  owns  one 
hundred  and  thirty-four  acres  immediately  adjoining 
it  on  the  east,  making  in  all  three  hundred  acres, 
which  is  the  best  farm  in  Southern  Fayette  County. 
The  farm  is  well  improved  and  in  an  excellent  state 
of  cultivation.  This  farm  is  noted  for  its  extensive 
maple-sugar  orchard,  containing  about  two  thousand 
trees,  which  yields  an  average  annual  income  of  eight 
hundred  dollars.  In  late  years  Mr.  Gans  has  not 
made  a  specialty  of  agriculture,  but  is  engaged  in 
grazing  stock.  Mr.  Gans  is  a  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  and  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  his 
neighbors  and  fellow-citizens.  In  all  his  business  re- 
lations he  is  remarkable  for  candor  and  integrity. 
His  domestic  and  social  relations  are  of  the  most 
pleasant  .and  agreeable  character.  He  lives  in  good 
style,  enjoys  life,  the  society  of  home  and  friends,  and 
the  fellowship  of  the  community. 


ALPHEUS  WILLSON  SCOTT. 
Alpheus  W.  Scott,  of  Springhill  township,  is  of 
Scotch-Irish  and  Welsh  descent,  and  was  born  at 
Morris'  Cross-Roads,  Sept.  30, 1822.  Having  received 
a  good  common-school  education  he  commenced 
teaching  in  1843,  and  continued  in  the  profession  the 
greater  part  of  the  time  until  1867.  On  the  6th  of 
March,  1846,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Martha  E.  Gans. 
In  1861  he  entered  the  military  service  of  the  United 
States  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  and  was  commis- 
sioned captain  of  Company  I,  Seventy-seventh  Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers,  March  3,  1562,  and  stationed  at 
Chambersburg,  Pa.,  in  the  recruiting  service.  He  re- 
signed Oct.  1,  1862,  but  was  afterwards  in  the  service 
in  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixty-eighth  Pennsylvania 
Regiment,  where  he  held  the  yank  of  quartermaster- 
sergeant,  but  performed  all  the  duties  of  quarter- 
master, on  account  of  the  sickness  of  that  officer, 
during  his  nine  months'  term  of  service.  On  the 
12th  of  March,  1864,  he  re-enlisted  at  Greensburg, 
Westmoreland  Co.,  and  was  assigned  to  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Twenty-first  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Vol- 
unteers, yet  he  never  did  any  duty  with  the  regiment. 
In  the  fall  of  1864,  at  City  Point,  Va.,  he  was,  by 
special  order  from  army  headquarters,  assigned  to  duty 
on  the  commission  of  exchange  of  prisoners  under 
Gen.  John  E.  Mulford.  On  the  occupation  of  Rich- 
mond by  the  Union  forces  in  April,  1865,  he  went  to 
thiit  city,  and  remained  there  in  the  office  of  Gen. 
Mulford  until  the  following  August,  when  he  was 
hdiiorably  discharged  and  mustered  out  of  the  service. 
For  the  past  fifteen  years  he  has  been  chiefly  em- 
ployed as  a  newspaper  correspondent,  in  which  voca- 
tion he  display's  marked  .ability. 


STEAV  ART    TOWNSHIP. 


This  township  is  on  the  eastern  liorder  of  the 
county,  the  second  froni  til.' sciiitli  lin.,  :in.l  ..n  li.ith 
sides  of  the  Youghio-hmy  Kivcr.  On  tlir  n.ulh  :ire 
the  townships  of  Duiil.ar  ;ni<l  Si.riiiytieM  ;  cast  is 
Somerset  County ;  south  is  Henry  Clay  ;  and  south 
and  west  is  Wharton.  The  township  has  within  its 
limits  the  Laurel  Hills  and  Chestnut  Ridge,  and  its 
general  surface  presents  a  mountainous  aspect.  In 
the  soutlieastern  part  is  Sugar-I-oaf  Mountain,  with 
an  altitude  several  liundre<l  feet  greater  than  the  sur- 
rounding hills;  and  in  ..tlicr  localities  are  well-de- 
fined peaks.  The  sides  (.lilic  hills  are  usually  broken 
and  covered  with  large  roeks,  but  the  summits  are 
mainly  level,  somewhat  of  the  nature  of  a  i)lateau. 


and  containing  some  fine  farming  lands.  The  soil  is 
good  but  not  strong  or  enduring,  and  but  a  small  pro- 
portion has  been  brought  to  cultivation,  the  greater 
part  of  the  country  being  yet  covered  with  timber. 

The  Youghiogheny  River  has  a  tortuous  course 
through  the  township,  and  is  a  rapid,  turbulent  stream, 
atibrding  a  magnificent  water-power  at  Falls  City, 
where  are  a  series  of  falls  or  rapids,  aggregating  about 
thirty-six  feet  of  descent.  It  includes  a  distinct  fall 
of  sixteen  feet,  to  which  the  name  of  "  Ohio  Pile"  has 
been  given.'     The  valley  of  the  river  is  narrow,  and 


No  satisfactory  reason  can  be  given  wliy  tliis  term 
e  most  plausible  appears  to  be  tliat  it  is  an  Indian 
?  "  I.enntifnl  falls." 


n  selected, 
signifying 


STKWAKT   TOWiNSlJII 


V' 


is  closely  environed  by  high  hills.  Its  affluents  from 
the  north  are  Drake's,  Sherman's,  Bear,  and  Laurel 
Euna,  all  small  but  unfailing  streams,  heading  in  the 
mountains.  On  the  opposite  side  the  tributaries  are 
Jonathan's  Run,  Great  Meadow  Eun,  with  its  branches, 
Laurel  and  Beaver  Runs,  and  Cucumber  Run.  The 
latter  makes  a  precipitous  fall  near  its  mouth,  form- 
ing a  beautiful  cascade  nearly  forty  feet  high.  These 
streams  yield  limited  water-power,  which  has  been 
utilized.  Most  of  them  have  deep,  narrow  valleys, 
but  the  lower  hillsides  are  usually  quite  fertile.  Along 
these  streams  are  many  signs  of  prehistoric  occupa- 
tion, a  line  of  earthworks  being  traceable  all  through 
the  townsliip.  One  of  the  largest  of  these  forts  was 
on  Bear  Eun,  several  miles  below  the  Ohio  Pile  Falls. 
It  was  circular  in  form,  inclosed  about  ten  acres,  and 
was  surrounded  by  a  trench.  In  it,  many  years  ago, 
was  found,  under  a  heap  of  stones,  a  neatly-con- 
structed grave.  It  was  nearly  square,  and  about  four 
feet  in  depth.  The  sides  and  bottom  were  lined  with 
flag-stones,  forming  a  box-like  cavity;  a  large  skull 
was  found  inclosed,  and  other  evidences  indicated 
that  it  was  the  sepulchre  of  some  mighty  man  among 
this  little-known  people.  On  Harris'  Hill  was  another 
fort  of  large  proportions,  and  along  Meadow  Run 
were,  in  the  early  settlement  of  the  township,  a  series 
of  earthworks  so  arranged  that  communication  by 
signals  was  possible  among  them,  plainly  indicating 
that  among  these  rough  hills  once  dwelt  a  people  of 
greater  intelligence  than  that  of  the  American  Indian. 
But  little  of  the  large  area  of  Stewart  was  purchased 
for  actual  settlement  when  other  parts  of  the  county 
became  the  homes  of  the  hardy  pioneers.  The  lands 
in  many  instances  were  warranted,  but  were  held  by 
non-residents.  These  afterwards  passed  into  other 
hands,  a  very  large  proportion  of  them  becoming 
the  property  of  the  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart,  who  at 
one  time  owned  more  than  half  the  township,  and 
whose  family  yet  maintains  possession  of  many  thou- 
sands of  acres.  These  circumstances  and  the  unin- 
viting appearance  of  the  country  deterred  a  general 
settlement  at  an  early  period,  and  many  of  the  begin- 
nings in  the  township  have  a  recent  origin. 

PIONEER  SETTLERS. 
It  is  hard  to  determine  who  was  the  first  permanent 
settler.  John  Stewart,  a  Scotch-Irisliman,  lived  on 
the  Elijah  Mitchell  place  as  early  as  1772,  and  set  out 
an  orchard  which  bore  signs  of  age  in  1800.  He  was 
buried  on  his  farm,  and  his  family  removed,  leaving 
no  descendants  in  the  township.  He  had  sons  named 
James,  Andrew,  John,  and  Thomas.  It  was  at  the 
house  of  the  latter  that  the  old  soldier,  Tom  Fossitt 
(who  was  said  by  some  to  have  killed  Gen.  Braddock), 
died,  and  was  buried  on  the  present  Jacob  H.  Rush 
farm,  which  was  settled  by  a  man  named  Taylor. 
Many  years  after  Fossitt's  death  a  rude  headstone  was 
erected  to  his  memory  reciting  the  time  of  his  death 
and  age. 


In  the  same  locality  Paul  StuU  and  Peter  Bruner 
settled  soon  after  the  Revolution.  The  latter  moved 
to  Springfield  township,  where  he  is  more  fully  noted. 

In  the  southern  part  of  the  township,  on  the  pres- 
ent Harvey  Morris  farm,  David  Askins  settled  after 
the  close  of  the  Revolution.  There  is  a  tradition  that 
he  came  from  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  and  was 
on  his  way  to  the  Kentucky  country,  which  was  at 
that  time  regarded  as  the  land  of  promise,  when  he 
was  persuaded  to  cast  his  lot  among  the  pioneers  of 
Fayette  County.  He  made  a  tomahawk  claim  of  ten 
square  miles  of  land,  and  jestingly  said  that  it  was 
his  "  Little  Kentucky."  This,  it  is  said,  was  the  ori- 
gin of  the  term  as  used  in  the  township  and  applied  to 
churches  and  schools.  Askins  finally  limited  his  land 
claims  to  the  Morris,  Thorpe,  and  Mitchell  farms, 
and  on  the  former  farm  he  was  buried  at  his  death. 
He  had  sons  named  Thomas,  David,  and  Samuel, 
all  of  whom  removed  to  the  West  soon  after  1800. 

Reuben  Thorpe  purchased  one  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  of  the  Askins  tract  for  £100.  He  was  born  in 
New  Jersey  in  1755,  and  became  a  weaver  by  trade. 
In  the  Revolution  he  served  under  the  immediate 
command  of  Washington,  and  in  1792  came  to  Fay- 
ette County.  He  had  seven  sons  and  two  daughters, 
namely,  David,  Reuben,  Job,  Wallace,  who  moved 
to  Perry  County,  Ohio ;  James,  who  opened  a  farm  on 
the  north  side  of  the  Youghio^heny,  where  he  yet  re- 
sides at  an  advanced  age ;  Asa,  lived  on  the  William 
Taylor  farm,  and  was  the  father  of  Andrew  Thorpe, 
yet  living  in  the  township.  Several  of  his  sons  died 
in  the  Rebellion.  William,  the  youngest  of  Reuben 
Thorpe's  sons,  lived  on  the  homestead  until  his  death. 
The  farm  is  now  owned  by  his  son,  Thomas  Thorpe, 
Esq.,  of  Falls  City.  Other  sons  are  Reuben,  living 
west  of  Falls  City ;  David,  in  Dakota ;  W.  Brown,  the 
cashier  of  the  Butler  County  (Nebraska)  Bank;  and 
Elisha,  who  died  in  the  army  in  1863.  On  the  old 
Thorpe  farm  was  an  orchard  of  early  bearing,  which 
was  almost  wholly  destroyed  by  a  storm  in  July,  1851. 
Some  of  the  trees  were  taken  up  and  carried  a  dis- 
tance of  half  a  mile,  and  nearly  everything  in  the 
line  of  the  storm  was  destroyed.  Reuben  Thorpe 
formerly  had  a  public-house,  and  carried  on  a  distil- 
lery in  the  days  when  the  old  Turkey  Foot  road  was 
one  of  the  lines  of  travel  from  Somerset  to  Union- 
town. 

The  Mitchells  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of 
Stewart.  James  Mitchell  lived  in  the  Kentucky  dis- 
trict, on  the  farm  which  is  now  occupied  by  his  grand- 
son, Elijah  M.  His  sons  were  Benjamin,  James  J., 
Abner,  John  A.,  and  Ralph,  the  youngest,  who  left 
no  family  at  his  death.  The  first  three  named  opened 
farms  near  the  homestead,  and  the  two  first  died 
there.  Abner  moved  to  Wisconsin  about  1846.  He 
wa.s  a  Baptist  minister;  and  James  J.  also  served  in 
that  calling.  John  A.,  the  other  son,  made  his  home 
in  Somerset  County.  Thomas  Mitchell,  a  brother  of 
James,  purchased  a  part  of  the  Askins  tract,  which 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


had  been  owned  before  by  Moses  Mercer.  He  liad 
served  in  the  Revolution,  and  was  under  Daniel 
Boone  in  Kentucky.  He  died  about  1824.  His  sons 
were  Josiah,  who  lost  his  life  at  the  old  Laurel  Fur- 
nace while  attempting  to  rescue  a  furnace-man  who 
was  overcome  by  the  fire  in  the  stack;  Thomas,  who 
removi'd  to  Illinois;  John,  who  lived  in  Greene 
County,  l':i.,  :inil  who  was  one  of  the  greatest  ath- 
letes ill  that  part  cjf  the  State;  Lewis,  who  removed 
to  IlliiKiis;  .lames  II.,  horn  in  1798,  and  yet  a  citizen 
of  till-  town^liip;  Klijali  and  Elisha,  removed  to  Illi- 
nois. Some  of  these  were  great  hunters,  and  had 
many  stirring  adventures  with  wild  animals.  The 
three  daughters  of  Thomas  Mitchell  married  James 
Spencer,  William  Thorpe,  and  Isaac  Haney.  The 
latter  removed  to  the  West;  he  was  an  early  settler. 

Xot  long  after  the  Revolution,  in  which  he  served, 
John  Potter,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  moved  to  Henry 
Clay  township,  where  he  lived  until  his  death  in  the 
fall  of  182(3.  Eleven  of  his  children  grew  to  mature 
years,  but  all  of  his  sons  except  Amos  and  Samuel 
removed  to  the  West.  The  former  resides  in  Wharton, 
and  the  latter  is  a  well-known  citizen  of  Stewart,  and 
is  the  father  of  John  B.,  George  B.,  Charles,  Amos, 
and  Thomas  T.  Potter,  all  but  Amos  residing  in  the 
township.  Samuel  Potter  was  born  in  1805,  and  as  a 
young  man  was  active  in  building  mills  and  making 
other  improvements,  some  of  which  are  yet  owned  by 
the  family. 

Benjamin  Leonard  was  reared  in  the  family  of 
Reuben  Thorpe,  and  after  attaining  manhood  made 
an  improvement  on  the  bottoms  below  the  mill  owned 
by  Potter.  He  afterwards  cleared  up  the  farm  which 
is  now  owned  by  his  youngest  son,  Robert.  Other 
sons  were  Eli,  Amos  P.  (a  minister  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church),  Reuben,  Christmas,  and  Robert. 
Nearly  all  of  these  continue  to  reside  in  the  town- 
ship. 

On  what  is  well  known  as  the  Joseph  Price  place, 
Peter  Briner,  a  (4ernian,  settled  about  1800,  and 
reared  a  tamily,  but  removed  to  the  West  more  than 
fifty  years  ago.  Among  his  sons  was  Andrew,  who 
also  cleared  a  farm  on  Cucumber  Run,  and  lived  there 
until  his  death  in  18131.  One  of  his  sons,  Samuel, 
yet  resides  near  Falls  City.  Joshua  Briner,  the  old- 
est of  Andrew's  sons,  resided  at  L^niontowu  at  the 
age  of  eighty  years.  John  Briner,  another  -on,  it- 
sides  in  Dunbar.  The  deep  place  in  the  V-ou-hio- 
gheny  River  near  Cucumber  Run,  noted  as  aljoumling 
with  fisli,  took  its  name  from  this  family. 

William  Williams  came  from  Bedford  County  to 
Connellsville  in  1803,  but  in  1830  settled  in  Stewart, 
locating  on  Meadow  Run,  where  he  died  in  1848.  He 
reared  sons  named  John,  Isaac,  James,  Samuel,  Wil- 
liam D.,  and  Joseph,  the  latter  two  being  the  only 
ones  living  in  the  township,  Joseph  for  the  past 
twenty-four  years  being  a  merchant  in  Stewart.  Wil- 
liam Williams  was  one  of  the  parties  who  had  a  con- 
tract to  open  tlie  clay  pike  in  181 0. 


In  the  Sugar-Loaf  District  among  the  early  settlers 
were  the  Shipley  family,  Henry  McClatchey,  and 
Henry  Gilmore,  all  of  whom  removed  early.  Guyson 
Morrison  came  at  a  later  day  and  settled  on  the  Hall 
farm  on  the  Turkey  Foot  road,  and  a  mile  south  Wil- 
liam Morrison  made  some  improvements  about  1830. 
David  Woodmansee  has  lived  in  that  locality  since 
IS.'iO,  and  is  now  one  of  the  oldest  settlers  there. 
Garrett  Hall  was  a  settler  earlier  on  the  place  yet 
occupied  by  his  family.  Abram  Tumbly  lived  on  the 
Thomas  Mitchell  place  as  early  as  1790.  He  removed 
to  Confluence. 

North  of  the  Yough,  David  Thorpe  improved  the 
James  Thorpe  farm  as  early  as  1805.  Tlie  Peter 
Tissue  farm  was  commenced  by  Jacob  Streight,  and 
farther  east  were  James  Fulton,  the  Marietta,  Zarley, 
and  Minor  families  as  pioneers. 

CIVIL   ORGANIZATION. 

At  the  October  term  of  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions 
in  1854  a  petition  for  a  new  township  was  presented, 
to  be  composed  of  parts  of  Wharton,  Henry  Clay, 
and  Youghiogheny  townships,  with  bounds  as  set 
forth  in  the  petition.  The  court  appointed  Thomas 
R.  Davidson,  Alexander  McClean,  and  Daniel  Dow- 
ner viewei-s,  the  order  for  their  appointment  bearing 
date  Nov.  10,  1854.  The  order  was  renewed  at  the 
June  session  in  1855,  and  continued  in  August  of  the 
same  year.  At  the  September  court  in  1855  the 
commissioners  reported : 

"  Th.at  having  gone  upon  the  premi.=es  and  made  an  e.Kaini- 
nation  of  the  same,  according  to  law,  we  are  of  the  opinion  that 
a  new  township  should  be  made  within  the  following  described 
boundaries,  viz. :  Beginning  at  a  point  where  the  Somerset 
County  line  strikes  the  Youghiogheny  River,  thence  to  Garrett 
Hall's,  at  the  Cold  Glade  Ridge  ;  thence  to  Z.  Luddington's  tan- 
yard,  by  Henry  Morris'  to  Joseph  Bodkin's;  thence  to  the  Dun- 
bar line,  near  Centre  Furnace;  thence  by  the  said  Dunbar  line 
to  the  Youghiogheny  River  ;  thence  to  the  Sjiringfield  lino,  near 
the  stone  meeting-house,  and  thence  by  the  Springfield  line  to 
the  Somerset  line,  and  thence  by  the  said  line  to  the  Youghio- 
gheny River,  the  place  of  beginning.  And  that  the  lower  end 
of  Youghiogheny  struck  off  be  added  to  Springfield  township." 

Nov.  17,  1855,  the  view  and  report  were  confirmed, 
and  the  new  township  ordered  to  be  called  Stewart, 
the  name  being  given  it  in  compliment  to  the  Hon. 
Andrew  Stewart.  The  first  election  after  the  organi- 
z.ation  of  Stewart  as  a  separate  township  was  held  at 
the  house  of  Theophilus  Keller,  March  21,  1856,  and 
the  following  officers  elected:  Justice  of  the  Pe;ice, 
Thomas  Burgess ;  Constable,  James  Leonard  ;  Asses- 
sor, James  Morrison  ;  Auditor,  John  B.  Potter.  The 
ofiicers  elected  in  succeeding  years  are  named  below, 
viz. : 
1857, 
1858, 


Essor,  Th.. 


as  Thorpe;  Auditor,  .John  Holland. 
Peace,  Elijah   S,  Harbaugh;   Assessor, 
Sylvester  C.  Skinner;  Auditor,  Harvey  Morris. 
1859.— Assessor,  Samuel  C.  Price;  Auditor,  Eli.iah  Harbaugh. 
I860.— Assessor,  David  Ogg  ;  Auditor,  Samuel  Potter. 
ISOl  —Justice  of  the  Peace,  James  M.  Dixon;  Assessor,  John 
\V.  Holland. 


STEWART  TOWNSHIP. 


m 


1862. — Assessor,  George  llarbaugh  ;  Auditor,  Elijali  llaibaugh. 
ISfiS.— Justice  of  the   Peace,  Elijah   S.   Harhaugh ;   Assessor, 

Henry  C.  Price  :  Auditor,  James  H.  Mitchell. 
18fi4.— Assessor,  David  Fulton:  Auditor,  James  M.  Di.\on. 
1  St>5. — Justice  of  the  Peace,  Joseph  Williams ;  Assessor,  Thomas 

Thorpe  ;  Auditor,  Samuel  Potter. 
ISfiB.— Assessor,  Sylvester  C.  Skinner  ;  Auditor,  Emanuel  Bis- 

sell. 
ISH7.— Justice  of  the   Peace.  Sylvester  C.  Skinner  :   Assessor, 

Joseph  Williams:  Auditor,  R.  J.  Sprowl. 
ISfiS.— Justice  of  the  Peace,  Sylvester  C.  Skinner;  Assessor, 

Robert  Turney  ;  Auditor,  Samuel  Potter. 
1869.— Assessor,  Jesse  Shaw;  Auditor,  Robert  Turney. 
1869.— Auditor,  Sylvester  Skinner. 
1870.— Justice  of  the  Peace,  John  Ferrin ;   Assessor,  Francis 

Morrison ;  Auditor,  Henry  Morris. 
IS72.  March.— Justice  of  the  Peace,  George  W.  Folke :  Asses- 
sor, Isaac  Hutchinson. 
1873.— Assessor,  William  Griffith;  Auditor,  R.  J.  Sprowl. 
1874. — Assessor,  George  Harbaugh  ;  Auditor,  Joseph  Leonard. 
1875.— Justice  of  the  Peace,  Thomas  Thorpe;  Assessor,  Joseph 

Kinnear;  Auditor,  S.  C.  Price. 
1876.— Assessor,  Thomas  L.  Butler;  .\uditor,  Hugh  Nicolay. 
1S77.— Justice  of  the   Peace,  Francis  D.  Morrison:   Auditor, 

John  B.  Potter. 
1.'<7S.— Assessor,  F.  M.  Cunningham  ;  Auditor,  R.  V.  Ritenour. 
1879.- Assessor,  J.  V.  Rush  ;  Auditor,  Samuel  Potter. 
1880.— Justice  of  the  Peace,  Thomas  Thorpe;  Assessor,  F.  M. 

Cunningham  ;  Auditor,  J.  T.  Lamba. 
18S1.— Justice  of  the  Peace,  Robert  S.  McCrum ;  Assessor,  F. 

M.  Cunningham;  Auditor,  G.  W.  Moon;   Supervisors  of 

Roads,  Thomas  Thorpe,  George  Harbaugh,  David  Wood- 

mansee.  and  S.  D,  Hall. 

The  Turkey  Foot  road,  the  oldest  thoroughfare  in 
the  township,  was  opened  about  1803  as  a  highway 
between  Uniontown  and  Somerset.  All  the  other 
roads  have  a  recent  origin.  The  Stewarton  post-office 
was  established  in  August,  1871,  with  John  W.  Moon 
as  postmaster.  He  was  succeeded  in  the  fall  of  1873 
by  Andrew  Stewart,  Jr.,  and  the  office  was  kept  in  a 
store  which  Moon  had  opened,  and  which  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  in  1874.  It  was  removed  about  this 
time  to  a  station  farther  down  the  road  in  Springfield 
township,  known  before  that  time  as  Yough,  retain- 
ing the  name  it  bore  when  established.  Peter  B. 
Half  hill  was  appointed  postmaster,  and  his  successors 
have  been  E.  A.  Harbaugh  and  tlie  present,  Joseph 
Herwick.  The  office  has  daily  mails,  and  is  the  ter- 
minus of  the  Springfield  mail-route.  The  former 
station  of  Stewarton  received  the  name  of  Yough, 
but  since  the  removal  of  the  saw-mill  and  the  de- 
struction of  the  store  the  place  has  been  forsaken, 
and  the  station  has  passed  into  disuse. 

FALLS  CITY. 
This  is  the  only  village  in  Stewart,  and  is  situated 
near  the  centre  of  the  township,  on  both  sides  of  the 
Youghiogheny,  and  at  the  noted  Ohio  Pile  Falls.  It 
is  a  station  on  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  mid- 
way between  Pittsburgh  and  Cumberland,  being  about 
seventy-five  miles  from  either  city.   There  are  several 


hundred  inhabitants,  four  liotels,  stores,  etc.,  as  de- 
tailed in  the  following  pages. 

Although  Falls  City  has  a  pleasant  location,  and 
the  romantic  surroundings  have  given  it  a  favorable 
reputation  among  pleasure-seekers  as  a  summer  re- 
sort, its  chief  claim  to  distinction  lies  in  its  possession 
of  the  Ohio  Pile  Falls,  a  water-power  of  the  first 
rank.  Concerning  these  falls  a  commission  of  mili- 
tary engineers,  consisting  of  Col.  W.  McKee,  Col. 
Roswell  Lee,  and  Maj.  George  Talcott,  who  were  ap- 
pointed in  1825  to  select  a  "  site  for  a  national  armory 
on  the  Western  waters,"  reported  : 

"The  Youghiogheny  River  at  this  place  makes  a  circuit  of 
nejirly  two  miles  around  a  neck  or  tongue  of  land  about  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  in  length  that  projects  from  the  foot  of  a 
mountain  in  its  rear.  At  the  upper  side  of  this  tongue,  and 
near  the  extreme  point  of  the  mountain,  is  the  commencement 
of  the  Ohio  Pile  rapids  and  falls,  which  terminate  at  the  lower 
side  opposite  the  point  at  which  they  begin,  and  six  hundred 
yards  distant  from  it  in  a  straight  line.  The  whole  descent  is 
eighty-seven  and  a  half  feet.  The  ground  on  the  lower  side, 
ne.xt  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  is  advantageously  disposed  in  steps 
or  benches  of  sufficient  width  and  at  convenient  distances  below 
each  other  for  the  erection  of  buildings,  and  the  successive  ap- 
plication of  the  water  to  machinery  in  any  manner  that  may 
be  desired.  Forty  feet  of  the  whole  fall  may  thus  be  employed 
at  a  trifling  expense.  The  bank  then  becomes  steep  and  per- 
pendicular, and  the  remaining  part  of  the  fall  could  not  be 
conveniently  used  without  extensive  rock  excavation.  To  con- 
vey the  water  to  this  site  from  above  the  falls  will  require  a 
canal  of  seven  hundred  feet  in  length.  The  first  four  hundred 
feet  will  pass  through  a  strip  of  river  bottom.  The  deepest  cut- 
ting along  the  whole  route  is  thirty  feet,  and  occurs  in  passing 
a  narrow  ridge  near  the  middle  of  the  neck,  consisting  prin- 
cipally, as  is  supposed,  of  rock.  A  dam  four  feet  high  across 
the  river  will  be  necessary  to  procure  a  depth  of  water  at  the 
hcud  of  the  canal  sufficient  to  prevent  it  from  being  choked 
with  ice,  or  obstructed  by  drift  of  any  kind.  The  quantity  of 
water  which  the  river  furnishes  at  this  place  during  an  extreme 
dry  season  perhaps  exceeded  one  hundred  cubic  feet  per  second 
during  the  uncommon  drought  of  1823. 

"  If  we  regard  the  site  of  these  falls,  in  reference  to  the  secu- 
rity of  the  works  that  might  he  erected  upon  it,  from  freshets, 
the  perfect  command  of  its  water-power,  and  the  cheapness 
with  which  it  may  be  employed,  it  surpasses  any  that  has  ever 
come  under  our  observation.  An  additional  excavation  of  ten 
thousand  five  hundred  cubic  feet  of  earth  and  nine  hundred  feet 
of  rook  would  enlarge  the  canal  sufficiently  to  convey  the  whole 
volume  of  the  river  to  the  works  at  low  water,  which  would  fur- 
nish three  times  the  power  requisite  for  the  armory,  and  still 
leave  unemployed  a  fall  of  more  than  forty  feet.  This  estiuiate 
is  for  three  breast  and  two  overshot  wheels. 

"  To  these  advantages  is  opposed  its  want  of  convenient  com- 
munication, surrounded  on  all  sides  by  mountains,  the  adjacent 
country  but  sparsely  settled,  and,  with  the  exception  of  fuel, 
including  stone-coal,  few  or  no  resources  for  an  armory;  it  is 
without  the  means  of  water  conveyance,  and,  as  yet,  without 
roads.  How  far  the  wciglit  of  this  objection  ought  to  be  les- 
sened by  the  probability  of  any  future  canal  across  the  moun- 
tains, passing  down  the  valley  of  the  Y'oughiogheny  River,  is 
a  consideration  that  does  not  properly  come  within  the  province 
assigned  us." 

The  objection  to  the  inaccessibility  to  the  falls  has 
been   removed   by   the   opening   of  the   Pittsburgh, 


HISTORY   OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Washington  and  Baltimore  Railroad,  which  has  here 
established  an  important  station,  with  extensive 
sidings  ;  while  the  idea  of  water  communication  lias 
not  been  wholly  abandoned,  an  appropriation  for  the 
survey  of  a  canal  route  having  recently  been  made. 
The  power  of  the  Ohio  Pile  Falls  has  been  utilized  to 
a  limited  extent.  A  further  improvement  for  manu- 
facturing purposes  will  probably  be  made  at  an  early 
day.  The  falls  and  nearly  all  the  adjacent  lands  are 
the  property  of  the  heirs  of  the  Hon.  Andrev.'  Stew- 
art, and  Falls  City  was  laid  out  for  the  Stewart  es- 
tate in  1868  by  Albert  Stewart.  The  plat  embraces 
about  two  hundred  acres  of  land,  a  considerable  por- 
tion of  which  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  Youghio- 
gheny,  connection  being  made  with  the  northern  part 
by  means  of  a  substantial  wooden  bridge.  In  the 
latter  part  much  of  the  village  survey  is  included 
within  the  peninsula  formed  by  the  river,  which  is 
about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  in  length  and  elevated 
a  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  stream.  It  is 
bordered  by  cliffs,  on  which  grow  ferns  in  the  greatest 
profusion,  and  this  beautiful  tract  of  land  has  not 
been  inappropriately  named  Fern  Cliff  Park.  Occu- 
pying a  commanding  position  in  the  park  is  the  fine 
hotel  which  was  erected  by  the  Stewart  estate  in  the 
summer  of  1879,  and  which  was  opened  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  summer  visitors  in  May,  1880,  under 
the  management  of  M.  W.  Lambert.  Fern  Cliff  Park 
Hotel  is  a  stately-looking  frame,  thirty-three  by  one 
hundred  and  one  feet,  four  stories  high,  and  sur- 
mounted by  a  mansard  roof.  There  are  fifty  rooms  for 
guests,  supplied  with  gas,  water,  and  electric  annun- 
ciators, and  the  hotel  throughout  contains  the  most 
approved  modern  appliances.  In  the  grounds  are 
shady  rambles,  pleasant  walks,  and  several  fountains, 
which  are  fed  by  a  reservoir  on  a  hill  eighty  feet 
above  the  hotel.  This  is  filled  from  the  Y'oughio- 
gheny  by  means  of  a  large  water-power  force-pump. 
The  encouraging  patronage  given  the  hotel  has  in- 
duced the  proprietors  to  entertain  a  proposition  to 
enlarge  the  house  to  thrice  its  present  capacity, 
making  it  one  of  the  foremost  summer  resorts  in  the 
western  part  of  the  State. 

The  first  i>ublic-house  in  the  place  was  kept  op- 
posite the  jrri>t-iiiill,  in  the  south  part  of  the  vil- 
lage, by  Elij;i!i  ^litchell,  about  1858.  Subsequent 
landlords  were  Theophilus  Keller,  J.  H.  Mitchell, 
Moses  Ferrin,  Nathan  Jolifte,  Jesse  Hardin,  and 
Redmond  Bunton,  during  whose  occupancy  the  house 
was  destroyed  by  fire. 

The  completion  of  the  railroad  in  1871,  and  the 
urgent  demand  for  hotel  accommodations,  caused 
Andrew  Stewart  to  transform  a  large  farm  building 
into  a  public-house.  It  received  the  name  of  the 
"  Ohio  Pile  House,"  and  was  opened  by  W.  Brown 
and  John  Shepard.  It  is  at  present  kept  by  Kimmel 
Hardin.  Daniel  Coughenour  has  been  the  keeper  of 
a  public-house  for  the  past  four  years,  and  others 


have  entertained  tlie  i>ul 


ter  pt 


■iods 


The  first  goods  at  Falls  City  were  sold  by  Thomas 
Jackson,  for  Andrew  Stewart,  in  the  old  hotel  build- 
ing some  time  about  1856.  A.  E.  Meason  &  Co.  next 
liad  a  store  at  the  tannery,  where  they  were  succeeded 
by  Samuel  Price,  Moses  Freeman,  Potter  &  Browning. 
In  1871,  F.  T.  Browning  built  his  present  store-house, 
which  he  has  since  occupied  for  mercantile  purposes. 
Tlie  same  year  Joseph  Williams  began  trading  at  the  ■ 
Falls,  moving  here  from  Meadow  Run,  where  he  had 
kept  a  store  for  fifteen  years,  being  the  first  in  the 
township.  Since  1878  he  has  occupied  his  present 
building.  George  D.  Livingston  has  also  been  in 
trade  since  1872,  and  George  W.  Anderson  since  1875, 
each  having  a  respectable  trade. 

The  railroad  station  at  Falls  City,  called  Ohio  Pile, 
was  opened  in  March,  1871,  by  Samuel  Potter,  Jr.,  as 
agent,  with  Thomas  Armstrong  as  telegrapher.  The 
hitter  was  appointed  to  both  offices  in  1872,  and  was 
relieved  in  1873  by  Lewis  Johnson.  In  April,  1875, 
B.  R.  Field  became  the  agent,  but  was  relieved  July, 
1877,  by  E.  A.  Jordan.  He  served  until  June  22, 
1879,  when  the  present  agent,  C.  L.  Harrington,  was 
appointed.  Soon  after  the  railroad  was  opened  the 
Adams  Express  Company  established  an  office  at 
Ohio  Pile,  with  Thomas  Thorpe  as  agent.  Since  1875 
the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  has  carried  on  the 
express  business  in  connection  with  its  railroad  in- 
terests. The  shipments  at  Ohio  Pile  are  chiefly  lum- 
ber and  other  wood  exports.  The  entire  business 
aggregates  fifteen  hundred  dollars  per  month. 

For  many  years  the  settlers  of  Stewart  received 
their  mail  matter  from  Bryant's,  on  the  National 
road,  and  later  from  Farmington,  on  the  same  road. 
The  post-office  at  Falls  City  was  established  about 
1856,  with  the  name  of  Pile  Falls,  and  Samuel  Price 
as  postmaster,  who  kept  it  at  the  store  of  Meason  & 
Co.  He  was  succeeded  by  Samuel  Potter,  Jr.,  who  in 
1871  removed  the  office  to  the  railroad  station.  About 
this  time  the  name  of  the  office  was  changed  to  Falls 
City.  Potter  was  succeeded,  in  May,  1878,  by  the 
present  postmaster,  Thomas  Thorpe.  The  mail  ser- 
vice is  by  railroad  twice  per  day.  Previously  the 
mails  were  carried  on  horseback  from  Parmington  to 
Donegal  several  times  per  week. 

The  first  physician  regularly  located  in  Stewart  was 
Dr.  H.  Y.  Brady,  who  came  to  Falls  City  in  the  fall 
of  1869,  and  has  since  been  a  practitioner  there.  He 
graduated  at  the  Jefl'erson  Medical  College  in  1865, 
and  practiced,  previous  to  locating  here,  at  Young.s- 
town  and  Latrobe.  For  two  years  from  1874,  Dr. 
Hugh  Nicolay  was  in  practice  at  the  Falls,  and  for  a 
few  months  in  1879,  Dr.  D.  O.  Bassett.  For  the  past 
year  Dr.  S.  D.  Woods  has  practiced  dentistry  at  Falls 
City. 

VARIOUS  INDUSTRIES  OF  THE  TOWNSHIP. 

Agriculture  and  lumbering  are  the  chief  pursuits 

of  the  people  of  Stewart,  many  of  the  citizens  being 

engaged  in  carrying  on  both.     The  mountain  streams 


STEWAKT   TOWNSHIP. 


779 


afford  many  water-powers,  wliich  were  early  sought  out 
and  improved  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  pioneers. 
Nearly  every  neighborhood  had  its  saw-  and  grist-,  or 
rather  corn-mills,  which  have  gone  to  decay  so  long 
since  that  in  many  instances  no  authentic  account  o( 
them  can  be  given.  The  latter  were  generally  "  tub" 
mills,  a  simple  arrangement  whereby  the  stone  was 
caused  to  revolve  as  often  as  the  wheel,  ?ind  the  grind- 
ing capacity  was  consequently  small.  To  this  class 
belonged  the  mills  of  Aman  Shipley,  on  Laurel  Run  ; 
David  Askins,  on  Meadow  Run  ;  and  the  McGrew 
mill,  on  Jonathan's  Run,  all  built  some  time  about 
1790.  With  the  increase  of  population  came  better 
facilities,  and  soon  good  mills  were  built  on  the  sites 
of  the  old  ones,  or  on  other  seats  on  the  same  streams. 
On  Laurel  Run  were  the  mills  of  Henry  Gilmore  and 
Isaac  Hutchinson,  both  of  small  capacity.  In  1832 
Samuel  Potter  built  a  grist-mill  on  Meadow  Run, 
which  was  supplied  with  two  sets  of  stones,  and  was 
in  every  respect  an  improvement  on  the  mills  pre- 
viously in  the  township.  A  saw-mill  was  also  built 
by  Potter,  and  both  were  operated  by  him  until  1852, 
when  they  became  the  property  of  John  B.  Potter, 
his  son,  who  yet  carries  them  on,  although  both  mills 
have  been  much  improved,  the  former  having  now 
three  runs  of  stones,  and  being  reputed  a  first-class 
mill. 

On  the  same  stream  the  manufacture  of  splint 
chairs  is  carried  on  by  George  P.  Potter.  The  fiic- 
tory  has  been  in  successful  operation  since  1860,  and 
several  hundred  fine  chairs  are  made  annually.  Be- 
low that  point,  also  on  Meadow  Run,  Reuben  and 
Christmas  Leonard  carry  on  a  splint-chair  factory ; 
and  more  than  sixty  years  ago  their  father,  Benjamin 
Leonard,  carried  on  this  industry  in  the  township, 
some  of  the  chairs  he  then  made  being  yet  in  use. 

On  Beaver  Run,  a  branch  of  Meadow,  James  Dean 
had  a  saw-mill  at  an  early  day,  to  which  Samuel  Pot- 
ter ingeniously  added  a  grist-mill  about  1828,  the 
stones  being  taken  from  a  neighboring  hillside. 

On  Cucumber  Run,  Andrew  Briner  had  saw-  and 
grist-mills  of  small  capacity  forty  years  ago,  which 
have  not  been  operated  for  the  past  twenty-five  years. 
At  the  forks  of  the  same  stream  Joseph  Price  had  a 
mill,  which  has  not  been  used  for  a  score  of  years ; 
and  above  the  Andrew  Briner  mill  Joshua  Briner 
had  a  saw-mill,  which  was  discontinued  about  1865. 

On  Jonathan's  Run,  among  the  mills  of  a  later 
period,  were  those  of  B.  Rush,  built  about  1868,  and 
which  are  now  operated  by  Patton  Rush.  On  the 
upper  waters  of  that  stream  are  the  mills  of  Matthew 
McMillan. 

A  number  of  portable  steam  saw-mills  have  been 
erected  at  various  points  in  Stewart,  and  have  been 
very  useful  in  working  up  the  heavy  timber  in  the 
localities  where  they  were  located.  Several  of  these 
were  at  the  "  low  place"  on  Meadow  Run.  In  1874, 
for  a  few  years,  Samuel  Halderbrant  had  a  good  mill 
in  operation  there,  when  he  removed  it  to  Bear  Run, 


where  it  was  operated  a  few  years  longer.  The 
Browning  mill  was  at  the  "  low  place"  next,  and  was 
removed  from  there  to  Falls  City.  Its  cutting  ca- 
pacity was  five  thousand  feet  per  day.  A  year  later 
John  Wesley  Moon  erected  the  third  mill  at  the 
"  low  place"  and  engaged  largely  in  the  manufacture 
of  all  kinds  of  lumber,  staves,  and  headings.  He 
constructed  a  tramway  to  the  "  long  hollow,"  two  and 
a  half  miles  distant,  for  the  purpose  of  conveying 
logs  to  his  mill,  and  cut  up  an  immense  amount  of 
timber.  The  tramway  yet  remains,  but  the  mill  has 
been  removed  to  Somerset  County.  At  Stewarton, 
four  miles  below  Falls  City,  Andrew  Stewart,  Jr., 
had  a  large  and  well  appointed  saw-mill  in  operation 
several  years  after  1871,  the  logs  being  conveyed 
thither  by  a  long  tramway;  but  the  mill  has  been 
removed  and  the  interest  there  abandoned. 

Henry  Fry  attempted  the  first  improvement  of  the 
water-power  at  the  Ohio  Pile  Falls  on  the  Youghio- 
gheny,  now  the  site  of  Falls  City.  Forty  years  ago 
he  built  a  hewed-log  dam  nearly  across  the  stream  a 
short  distance  above  the  falls  and  put  up  the  frame  of 
a  saw-mill,  but  before  he  got  it  in  operation  a  freshet 
swept  away  his  dam,  causing  him  to  abandon  his 
project.  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart  made  the  next  improve- 
ment, putting  up  saw-  and  grist-mills.  A  dam  was 
built  four  hundred  feet  above  the  falls,  and  a  wooden 
trunk  laid  to  convey  the  water  to  the  mills,  which 
were  destroyed  by  fire  before  being  set  in  motion. 
The  buildings  were  immediately  restored,  and  the 
grist-mill  yet  remains,  the  saw-mill  above  it  having 
been  removed.  The  former  had  first  an  overshot  and 
the  latter  a  flutter  wheel,  but  in  1865  Albert  Stewart 
supplied  their  places  with  three  Rainey  turbine- 
wheels,  increasing  the  power  to  one  hundred  and 
thirty  horses.  The  grist-mill  was  also  supplied  with 
more  machinery,  and  is  now  adapted  to  the  new 
process  of  grinding.  It  is  operated  by  Albert  Stew- 
art, and  the  planing-mill,  which  he  built  in  1865,  has 
also  since  been  kept  in  operation  by  him.  The  latter 
is  supplied  with  good  machinery,  but  has  a  limited 
capacity.     Both  mills  are  well  patronized. 

The  Falls  City  Pulp-Mill  was  put  in  operation  in 
Sejjtember,   1879,  by  the   present   proprietor  of  the 
works,  Wilson  W.  Hartzell.   Having  secured  a  lease  of 
a  large  water-power  from  the  Stewart  estate,  on  the 
site  of  an  old  saw-mill  above  the  falls,  he  increased  the 
already  large  power  by  building  a  dam  across  the 
I  river  four  hundred  feet  in  length.     A  building  thirty 
by  eighty  feet  was  erected   and   supplied  with  two 
American   turbine-wheels   of  three   hundred   horse- 
power to  operate  machinery  to  reduce   spruce  and 
poplar  wood  to  pulp  for  paper-making  by  the  Otter- 
son  &  Taylor  process.     From  three  to  four  cords  of 
I  wood  are  consumed  each  day,  and   the  capacity  of 
I  the  works  enable  the  production  of  three  car-loads  of 
j  pulp  per  week,  aggregating   about  ninety  thousand 
j  pounds.     Employment  is  given  to  twelve  men  when 
the  works  are  run  day  and  night,  and  a  good  market 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


is  afforded  for  an  abundance  of  wood  which  was  here- 
tofore comparatively  worthless.  The  raw  material  is 
brought  to  the  works  in  cord-wood  size,  freed  from 
bark,  the  heart,  and  black  knots,  and  is  then  reduced 
to  two-foot  lengths.  It  is  next  sawed  into  blocks 
half  an  inch  in  thickness,  when  it  is  ready  for  the 
crusher.  Alter  crushing,  the  material  is  by  succes- 
sive processes  reduced  to  a  smooth  pulp,  so  finely 
worked  as  to  be  almost  impalpable.  ,  From  the  last 
of  these  processes  it  comes  out  in  even  sheets  like 
thick  paper  and  of  a  whitish  color.  These  sheets  are 
put  up  in  sixty-pound  bales  and  shipped  to  market. 
The  pulp  is  used  in  the  manufacture  of  paper,  by 
mixing  with  other  materials,  as  straw  and  rag  pulp, 
producing  a  good  quality  of  printing-paper  at  a 
smaller  cost  than  paper  made  wholly  of  rags  or  straw. 
The  superintendent  of  the  works  is  William  V.  G. 
White. 

The  Falls  City  Shock-Factory  is  owned  and  carried 
ou  by  M.  Weakland,  of  Confluence.  At  the  latter 
place  the  manufacture  of  shocks  for  the  West  India 
trade  was  begun  about  ten  years  ago,  and  has  since 
been  carried  on  at  other  points  at  Falls  City  since 
1875.  That  year  Matthias  Smith  opened  a  shop  in 
which  five  men  were  employed,  and  which,  after  a 
few  years'  operation,  became  the  property  of  M.  Weak- 
laud.  Shocks  have  also  been  made  on  Jonathan's 
Eun  by  Matthias  Smith  and  Beniah  Guptell,  and  the 
yearly  product  in  the  towuship  has  been  about  2000 
shocks,  made  chiefly  out  of  the  best  oak.  It  may  here 
be  explained  that  the  term  "shook"  is  applied  to  an 
unfinished  or  skeleton  barrel  or  hogshead.  The  staves, 
after  being  riven  from  the  log,  about  thirty-six  inches 
long,  and  duly  seasoned,  are  shaved  into  the  desired 
size,  then  bent  into  shape  and  regularly  set  up,  as  for 
a  barrel ;  but  instead  of  being  lieaded  up  they  are 
knocked  down,  the  staves,  being  numbered,  are  baled 
together,  the  bundle  forming  a  "  shook,"  which,  with 
the  addition  of  heads  and  hoops,  are  quickly  trans- 
formed into  barrels  or  hogsheads  in  a  country  where 
stave  materials  do  not  abound.  In  other  words,  the 
skeleton  barrel  is  shipped  to  the  West  Indies  from 
the  United  States,  and  is  returned  filled  with  rum  or 
molasses. 

The  Falls  City  Spoke-  and  Hub-Works,  Brison 
Rush  and  John  Meeks  proprietors,  occupy  a  build- 
ing thirty  by  thirty-six  feet  and  two  stories  high. 
The  factory  was  erected  in  the  summer  of  1875,  work 
being  commenced  August  8th  of  that  year.  Sixteen 
days  lat.T  llir  rstalilisluuent  was  bunifil't,,  ll„.  upiund, 
but  was  rrlHiilt  sn  that  w.irk  was  ,v<m,i,.l  iii  (  >ri„]„-v. 
1875,  and  the  lactory  has  siii.-r  Imti,  siKT,->,|ully  .ar- 
ried  on.  The  building  is  supplied  with  a  sixteen 
horse-power  engine,  which  operates  a  spoke-lathe, 
hub-machine,  mortising-machines,  etc.,  which  eiialile 
the  production  of  225  sets  of  spokes  and  200  sets  of 
hubs  per  month.  The  firm  also  manufactures  in- 
cline rollers  for  coal  reads,  and  gives  employment  to 
five  men. 


The  Fayette  Tannery,  at  Falls  City,  was  built  in 
1853  by  the  firm  of  Fuller,  Breading  &  Meason,  the 
latter  being  the  only  resident  partner.     The  buildings 

I  were  put  up  by  Samuel  Potter,  and  the  tannery  placed 

I  in  charge  of  Aaron  Walter,  as  foreman  of  the  twelve 
or  fifteen  hands  employed.  In  time  Alfred  Meason 
bought  Breading's  interest,  and  the  business  was  car- 

[  ried  on  by  him,  with  Charles  Stcne  as  foreman.    Next 

j  came  the  firm  of  Meason,  Wade  &  Co.,  who  carried 
on  the  tannery  until  1873,  Harlan  Hickland  being  the 

I  foreman.  For  a  period  the  tannery  was  idle,  but  in 
April,  1877,  the  firm  of  James  Callary  &  Co.  suc- 
ceeded to  the  business,  but  were  followed,  in  June, 
1879,  by  the  present  manufacturer,  Owen  Sheekley, 
as  lessee  from  the  Wade  estate.  Originally  the  tan- 
nery was  operated  by  the  waters  of  Meadow  Run,  but 
its  diminishing  volume  caused  the  substitution  of 
steam  in  1869,  and  the  motive-power  is  at  present  fur- 
nished by  a  sixteen  horse-power  engine.  The  build- 
ing remains  much  the  same  as  when  erected,  the 
tannery  proper  being  one  hundred  feet  square  and 
three  stories  high.  The  bark-house  is  fifty  by  one 
hundred  feet.  In  all  there  are  seventy  vats  for  tan- 
ning belting-,  hose-,  and  sole-leather  with  oak  bark 

i  one  hundred  heavy  hides  per  week  being  tanned.  In 
connection  with  the  tannery  is  a  convenient  ofiice 

i  half  a  dozen  dwellings,  and  a  business  house,  in  which 
the  proprietors  of  the  tannery  had  stores  years  ago 
when  this  place  was  the  centre  of  business  at  the  Falls, 
Potter's  coal-mine,  opened  in  1877,  and  operated 
by  Thomas  Potter,  is  about  one  mile  southwest  from 
Falls  City,  and  on  the  mountain-side,  four  hundred 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  Youghiogheny.     The  vein 

!  is  about  five  feet  in  thickness,  and  the  main  entry  has 
been  driven  to  the  length  of  five  hundred  feet.  The 
mine  has  ten  sideways,  each  about  one  hundred  feet 
long,  and  the  yearly  product  is  about  thirty  thousand 
bushels  of  good  mountain  coal,  fi-ee  from  sulphur  and 
burning  freely.  The  mine  is  underlaid  with  a  stratum 
of  fine  limestone,  which  is  rarely  found  in  the  town- 
ship, and  the  presence  of  fire-clay  and  iron  is  also 
noted.  Although  the  Potter  mine  is  the  only  one  in 
Stewart  which  has  been  developed  to  any  extent,  coal 
is  found  in  many  localities,  and  small  hanks  have 
been  opened  on  the  south  and  the  west  of  the  Y'oug- 
hiogheny  by  Martin  Mitchell,  Reuben  Thorpe,  Hugh 
Corriston,  Summers  McCrumb,  John  Potter,  George 
B.  Potter,  and  others.  On  the  north  side  of  the  riv«r, 
Harrison  Weaver,  Emanuel  Bisel,  and  others  have 
coal-banks,  but  in  most  instances  the  demand  for  their 
l)ri>ducts  is  very  limited. 

Within  the  past  few  years  considerable  attention 
lias  lieen  directed  to  fruit  culture,  and  orcharding 
premises  to  become  an  important  industry.  The  or- 
ehaid  of  Francis  M.  Cunningham,  two  miles  south- 
west from  Falls  City,  is  the  largest  in  the  township. 
He  began  fruit  culture  in  1874  with  an  orchard  of 
twenty  apple-trees,  to  which  he  has  added  from  year 
to  year  until  his  orchard  at  present  embraces  1200 


STEWART  TOWNSHIP. 


781 


apple-,  650  quince-,  350  pear-,  and  200  ])each-trees,  all 
thrifty  and  vigorous.  These  orchards  will  be  enlarged 
to  double  the  present  size,  and  will  then  be  one  of  the 
largest  interests  of  this  nature  in  the  county.  The 
cultivation  of  the  small  fruits  is  also  here  carried  on, 
and  a  vineyard  containing  .3000  vines  of  the  Concord 
variety  has  been  planted. 

The  manufacture  of  salt  was  an  industry  which 
once  held  an  important  place  in  the  township  more 
than  half  a  century  ago.  On  the  north  side  of  the 
Youghiogheny,  three  miles  above  the  falls,  were  sev- 
eral acres  of  low  ground,  called  by  the  pioneers  "  the 
meadows,"  where  were  salt  licks,  which  were  much 
frequented  by  wild  animals.  When  the  water  was 
low  the  incrustations  of  salt  on  the  flat  stones  along 
the  river's  edge  were  so  marked  that  the  place  pre- 
sented a  whitish  appearance.  Before  1800  some  of 
the  settlers  gathered  up  the  waters  which  oozed  forth 
and  made  small  quantities  of  salt,  and  later  a  man 
by  the  name  of  Rhodes  dug  a  well  some  twenty  feet 
deep,  which  gave  him  a  greater  supply  of  water,  and 
enabled  him  to  make  salt  in  a  small  way.  When  he 
suspended  work  he  allowed  his  kettles  to  remain,  and 
some  of  the  pioneers  would  occasionally  go  there  to 
make  a  little  salt  for  their  own  use.  As  the  place  was 
rather  inaccessible  from  the  east,  on  account  of  the 
steep  hills,  the  river  was  usually  forded  by  the  people 
living  on  the  south  and  the  west  at  a  point  near  the 
springs.  This  was  always  attended  by  danger,  as  the 
current  is  swift  and  strong,  and  when  increased  by 
heavy  rains  is  especially  treacherous.  On  one  occa- 
sion, while  a  man  named  James  Downard  attempted 
to  cross  to  make  some  salt,  he  was  swept  away  and 
his  lifeless  body  carried  below  the  falls  to  the  "  Briner 
fishing-hole,"  four  miles  from  where  he  met  his  sudden 
death.'  Thence  but  little  was  done  at  the  salt  springs 
until  about  1812,  when  Thomas  Meason  conceived  the 
idea  of  here  making  salt  on  a  large  scale.  He  secured 
a  tax  title  for  the  land,  which  had  been  forfeited  by 
Wilcox  and  Chew,  of  Philadelphia,  and  began  opera- 
tions on  his  works.  The  news  coming  to  the  ears  of 
Mr.  Wilcox,  he  came  on  from  Philadelphia  to  redeem 
the  land ;  but  instead  of  doing  so  entered  into  a  co- 
partnership with  Meason  to  carry  on  the  salt-works. 
Later  he  sold  his  interests  to  William  Pennock,  of 
Uniontown,  and  by  him  and  Meason  the  works  were 
operated  until  their  discontinuance,  about  1819. 
They  caused  a  well  to  be  sunk  several  hundred  feet 
deep,  by  means  of  a  spring-pole  operated  by  several 
men,  which  aftbrded  them  an  abundant  supply  of 
water,  yielding  ten  pounds  of  salt  to  the  barrel. 
This  was  pumped  to  the  surface  by  means  of  horse- 
power, and  carried  to  the  works,  half  a  mile  below, 

1  At  "  Briuer's  fishinR-hole"  Abraham  Stewart,  of  Wharton,  and  James 
Biinner  were  drowned  in  Angust,  1841,  while  here  engaged  with  a  large 
party  in  fishing.  Their  bodies  were  found  at  the  bottom  of  the  hole  by 
Samuel  Hough  Botli  were  well-knowu  citizeus,  and  the  event  cast  a 
gloom  over  the  entire  country. 
.50 


through  wooden  pipes,  where  it  was  evaporated  in 
sixty-two  kettles,  arranged  in  pairs.  These  kettles 
were  of  heavy  iron  and  w^ere  cast  at  the  Dunbar  Fur- 
nace, each  holding  about  fifty  gallons.  Their  trans- 
portation to  the  works,  owing  to  the  roughness  of  the 
country,  was  regarded  as  a  hazardous  undertaking, 
and  was  accomplished  with  great  difficulty.  Some 
three  thousand  bushels  of  salt  were  made,  which 
sold  readily  at  three  dollars  per  bushel.  When  the 
price  was  reduced  it  was  not  found  profitable  to  carry 
on  the  works,  and  they  were  abandoned  at  the  time 
named.  The  kettles  were  sold  to  the  farmers  around 
the  "  works,"  and  some  of  them  are  yet  in  use  for 
boiling  maple-sugar.  The  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Rail- 
road built  its  track  over  the  furnace  of  the  works,  ob- 
literating what  few  traces  of  it  remained.  But  few 
people  can  be  found  who  have  even  a  recollection  of 
the  enterprise.  James  Thorpe  and  J.  H.  Mitchell, 
both  among  the  oldest  men  of  the  township,  were  en- 
gaged at  the  works,  and  from  them  the  writer  gleaned 
the  above  account. 

RELIGIOUS    AND    EDUCATIONAL. 
THE  LITTLE  KENTUCKY  BAl'TIST  CHURCH. 

The  first  regular  religious  organization  effected  in 
Stewart  township  was  that  of  the  Baptists,  the  pre- 
liminary meetings  which  led  to  the  formation  of  the 
society  being  held  chiefly  by  the  Rev.  John  Thomas, 
at  the  houses  of  some  of  the  early  members  or  in  the 
rude  school-houses,  mainly  in  the  Kentucky  Dis- 
trict. From  this  circumstance  the  .society  took  its 
name.  It  was  organized  May  22,  1834,  by  the  Revs. 
Benoni  Allen,  William  Hall,  and  John  Rockafeller, 
with  the  following  members :  James  J.  Mitchell^ 
Abner  Mitchell,  Elijah  Mitchell,  Abel  Hillborn, 
Jesse  Mitchell,  Hannah  Mitchell,  Maria  Hillborn, 
Hannah  Stull,  Cynthia  Mitchell,  Reuben  Thorpe, 
James  Dean,  Sarah  Briner,  Emeline  Price,  Nancy 
Mitchell,  Charlotte  Mitchell,  Andrew  Briner,  Wil- 
liam Thorpe,  Sarah  Mitchell,  John  Harbaugh, 
Huldah  Thorpe,  Fanny  Bailey,  James  Thorpe, 
James  K.  Bailey,  Jacob  H.  Rush,  Benjamin  Listor, 
Franklin  Mitchell,  Mary  Briner,  Margaret  Birch, 
Mary  Pearce,  Sabina  Mitchell,  John  Hyatt,  Mary 
Hyatt,  David  Mitchell,  and  Reuben  Rush.  James 
J.  Mitchell  and  James  Thorpe  were  ordained  as 
the  first  deacons,  and  Abner  Mitchell  was  the  first 
clerk.  In  1881  the  clerk  of  the  church  was  Patton 
Rush,  and  the  deacons  were  Jesse  Rush  and  Jacob  H. 
Rush.  Other  ordained  deacons  of  the  church  were 
James  R.  Mitchell,  Salathiel  Mitchell,  Benjamin 
Mitchell,  and  Joshua  Briner. 

The  Rev.  John  Thomas  became  the  first  j)astor  of 
the  church,  his  connection  dating  from  May  16,  1835. 
About  a  year  afterwards  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 
James  J.  Mitchell,  one  of  the  first  deacons  of  the 
church,  wlio  served  until  July  18,  1840,  when  the 
Rev.  Isaac  Wynn  became  the  pastor.  The  Rev.  John 
Williams    succeeded    Mr.    Wynn,    his    appointment 


HISTORY  OF  FAYETTE  COUNTY.  PENNSYLVANIA. 


dating  March  31,  1860.  Next  in  the  pastoral  oflSce 
was  the  Rev.  William  P.  Fortney,  who  assumed  that 
relation  March  19,  1876,  and  was  succeeded,  April  8, 
1877,  by  the  Rev.  John  Williams,  who  was  the  pastor 
for  upwards  of  tliree  years.  The  present  pastor,  the 
Rev.  James  K.  Brown,  has  served  since  July  17, 1880. 
The  church  has  a  membership  of  nearly  one  hun- 
dred, and  notwithstanding  the  many  removals  is  in  a 
fairly  flourishing  condition.  It  has  contributed  some 
useful  members  to  the  ministry,  and  has  within  its 
bounds  the  Revs.  Francis  M.  Cunningham  and  Juliii 
Williams,  pastors  of  neighboring  churches.  The 
house  of  worship  is  at  Falls  City,  and  was  built  in  ; 
1837,  through  the  efforts  of  Abner  Mitchell,  David  i 
Briner,  and  David  Mitchell  as  a  committee.  It  is  a 
plain  frame,  and  having  recently  been  repaired,  well  , 
serves  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  erected. 

MOUNT   HOPE  CUMBERL.\ND   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH. 

Upwards  of  thirty  years  ago  meetings  of  this  re- 
ligious sect  were  held  at  the  stone  school-house  in  the 
Kentucky  District  by  the  Rev.  A.  G.  Osborne  and 
others,  and  from  a  series  of  services  held  there  by 
the  former  sprang  the  congregation  which  now  bears 
the  name  of  Mount  Hope.  The  early  membership 
embraced  the  names  of  Joseph  Price,  Cuthbert  Wig- 
gins, Greenbury  Bosley,  Harvey  Morris,  and  most  of 
the  members  of  their  families.  Later  the  number 
was  augmented  bynhe  addition  of  William  Stull  and  j 
wife,  William  D.  Williams,  his  wife  and  several  I 
children,  J.  H.  Wiggins  and  family,  the  total  mem- 
bership being  about  twenty.  For  a  number  of  years 
meetings  were  held  inschool-houses,  under  the  minis- 
terial direction  of  the  Revs.  A.  J.  Swayne,  J.  S.  Gib- 
son, J.  P.  Beard,  and  other  clergymen,  sent  hither  by 
the  Presbytery,  who  served  this  field  in  connection 
with  other  appointments,  and  for  the  past  four  years 
the  pulpit  has  been  supplied  by  the  Revs.  Coulter, 
Gibson,  Bailey,  Howard,  Melville,  and  at  present  by 
Rev.  James  P.  Beard.  The  growth  of  the  village  of 
Falls  City  caused  the  congregation  to  look  to  that 
place  as  the  point  where  should  be  erected  their  house 
of  worship.  Accordingly,  about  1873,  meetings  were 
held  in  the  Baptist  Church  of  that  pluct-.  and  sdoii 
thereafter  a  board  of  trustees  was  selected,  coniiKwcd 
of  C.  W.  Saylor,  Morris  Morris,  and  I).  W.  Williams, 
who  purchased  a  fine  lot  near  the  centre  of  the  vil- 
lage, on  which  the  building  was  to  be  erected.  In 
about  a  year  more  the  house  was  completed,  and  was 
formally  dedicated  by  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Coulter,  of 
Brownsville.  It  is  a  frame  building  of  respectable 
proportions,  and  has  an  inviting  appearance.  The 
congregation  has  not  lai-u(dy  increased  in  member- 
ship, but  has  generally  inaintainiMl  regular  services. 
The  ruling  elders  of  the  cliiin-li  have  been  Harvey 
Morris,  Jonathan  Bisel,  and  C.  W.  Saylor.  In  the 
summer  a  Sabbath-school,  supported  by  the  commu- 
nity at  large,  is  maintained  in  this  house,  and  had 
for  its  last  siijicrintendent  George  W.  Moon. 


MEADOW  RUN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

Soon  after  1800  the  Methodist  itinerants  sought  to 
establish  a  church  in  the  township,  holding  meetings 
at  the  house  of  Moses  Mercer,  and  at  other  hospita- 
ble mountain  homes,  and  these  efforts  were  rewarded 
by  the  accession  of  a  few  members  to  the  faith,  al- 
though not  of  sufiScient  number  to  form  a  class. 
Hence  but  occasional  services  were  held  until  about 
1830,  when  Mr.  Elizabeth  Potter,  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  moved  to  the  Belle  Grove  neigh- 
borhood, and  at  her  house  preaching  was  again  es- 
tablished. The  class  formed  about  this  time  had 
among  its  members  Mrs.  Potter  and  daughters,  Wes- 
tell Holland,  and  a  few  others,  who  soon  Joined  as 
the  fruits  of  a  revival,  among  them  being  Reuben 
Leonard  and  wife.  After  1840  the  meetings  were 
held  at  school-houses  about  once  every  three  weeks, 
and  generally  on  week-days.  Among  the  preachers 
of  this  period  were  the  Revs.  McGowan,  Sharp,  Swa- 
zie,  Tipton,  White,  and  many  others  whose  names 
have  passed  out  of  the  recollection  of  the  present  gen- 
eration, and  DO  church  records  are  accessible. 

In  1860,  while  the  Rev.  Joseph  Hill  was  the 
preacher  in  charge,  the  Meadow  Run  meeting-house 
was  erected,  largely  through  the  efforts  of  Joseph 
Williams,  at  that  time  a  resident  of  this  locality,  three 
miles  south  from  Falls  City,  and  in  1880  it  was  under 
the  trusteeship  of  George  Potter.  The  members  of 
the  church  are  about  twenty  in  number.  The  church 
at  present  belongs  to  the  Springfield  Circuit,  of  which 
the  Rev.  J.  J.  Davis  is  the  preacher  in  charge,  and 
which  embraces  also  the  churches  at  Springfield, 
Mill  Run,  Sansom  Chapel,  Sandy  Creek,  and  Tinker's 
Ridge.  It  previously  belonged  to  Smithfield,  Addi- 
son, Uniontown,  and  other  circuits.  The  Rev.  A.  P. 
Leonard,  of  the  Pittsburgh  Conference  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  originated  from  this  society, 
which,  though  weak  in  numbers,  has  some  active, 
faithful  workers.  Benjamin  Leonard  was  for  many 
years  the  superintendent  of  a  Sunday-school  which  is 
at  present  in  charge  of  Arthur  Potter,  and  which  is 
usually  attended  by  about  sixty  scholars. 

THE  SUGAR-LOAF   CHRISTIAN   CHURCH. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  present  century  this  de- 
nomination (New  Lights)  held  meetings  in  the  town- 
ship at  the  house  of  Thomas  Mitchell,  who  was  one 
of  their  chief  members  ;  but  after  his  removal  to  the 
West  the  feeble  interest  manifested  in  maintaining 
these  meetings  was  allowed  wholly  to  decline,  and 
years  elapsed  before  meetings  were  again  held.  Some 
time  about  1850  this  faith  was  again  proclaimed  in 
the  southeastern  part  of  the  township  with  so  much 
success  that  a  promising  congregation  was  formed 
under  the  preaching  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Four.  It  em- 
braced members  from  the  Gilmore,  Morrison,  Jones, 
Lytle,  and  Hall  families,  with  others,  to  the  number 
of  tliirty  or  more.  A  house  of  worship  being  now 
needed,  the  citizens  of  that  part  of  Stewart  united  to 


TYRONE— TIPPER   AND   LOWER   TOWNSHIPS. 


build  one,  which  was  completed  in  the  fall  of  1855. 
Although  occupied  by  this  and  other  denominations 
for  religious  purposes  it  has  never  been  fully  finished, 
and  at  present  is  somewhat  out  of  repair.  The 
preachers  of  this  church  who  followed  the  Rev.  Four 
were  the  Revs.  Barney,  Jennings,  Kibler,  Swaynse, 
and  several  others,  but  lately  the  denomination  has 
not  maintained  regular  services,  and  consequently 
the  work  has  much  declined.  Noting  this  condition, 
the  Church  of  God  (Winebrennarians)  began  preach- 
ing here,  and  have  succeeded  in  gathering  a  con- 
siderable membership.  Among  their  ministers  were 
the  Revs.  Long,  Craft,  and  Bardlebaugh.  The  mem- 
bers at  present  adhering  number  fourteen. 

Lately  the  Rev.  C.  E.  Simmons,  of  the  Methodist 
Church  South,  began  preaching  at  this  place  and  or- 
ganized a  small  class,  while  ministers  of  other  de- 
nominations also  occasionally  hold  services  here,  but 
without  gaining  a  numerous  following. 

SCHOOLS. 
The  recent  formation  of  the  township  precludes  the 
giving  of  any  early  statistics  pertaining  to  the  public 
schools,  and  the  mountainous  condition  of  the  coun- 
try has  somewhat  retarded  the  cause  of  education. 
Since  the  organization  of  Stewart  the  following-named 
persons  have  been  elected  school  directors  of  the 
township  : 

1857.— David  Fulton,  A.  E.  Mason. 
1858.— Samuel  Potter,  James  M.  Dixon. 

1859.— Edward  Liston,  James  H.  Mitchell,  Stephen  K.  Brown. 
I860.— David  Woodmansee,  Robert  Cunningham. 
1861.- Reuben  Thorpe,  David  Fultun. 
1862.— S.  C.  Skinner,  Eli  Tannchill. 
1863.— H.  M.  Corriston,  Cyrus  Edmuudson,  David  Woodman- 


1864. — James  Morrison,  Elijah  Harbaugh,  John  Wiggins. 

1865. — Samuel  C.  Price,  Joseph  Leonard,  A.  R.  Boyd. 

1866.- Oliver  Sprowl,  David  F.  Piokard,  William  D.  Williams. 

1867.— David  Morrison,  Cyrus  Edmundson,  W.  H.  Carroltou. 

1868.— William  S.  Griffith,  Ross  Morrison,  Leonard  Shipley. 

1869.-  George  P.  Potter,  Paul  Stull,  Thomas  Dalzell,  Charles 
Miner,  Leonard  Shipley. 

1870.— Milton  Shaw,  Elisha  Taylor,  Emanuel  Bisel. 

1872.— Robert  Hagan,  Porter  Craig,  Basil  Brownlield,  Christo- 
pher Riffle. 

187.'j.— F.  M.  Morrison,  F.  M.  Cunningham. 

187i.— D.  K.  Wade,  Fatten  Rush. 

1875.— Joseph  Williams,  George  Smith,  Henry  Collins. 

1876.- Isaiah  Collins,  Harrison  H.  Hall. 

1877.- Reuben  H.  Leonard,  G.  N.  Anderson,  F.  T.  Browning. 

1878.— Paul  Stull,  E.  D.  Shipley. 

1879.— Jehu  Bowen,  D.  Morrison,  T.  L.  Butler. 

1880.— J.  H.  Shaefer,  C.  W.  Saylor,  «.  D.  Livingston. 

1881.— D.  B.  Brady,  Francis  Morrison,  David  Woodmansee. 

In  1881  the  township  embraced  the  districts 
locally  named  Whig  Corner,  Mountain,  Egypt,  Sugar- 
Loaf,  Belle  Grove,  Briner's,  Kentucky,  Green  Brier, 
and  Falls  City.  Some  of  them  were  provided  with 
comfortable  school-houses  years  ago,  while  others  will 
doubtless  soon  be  supplied  in  this  respect.  One  of 
the  oldest  and  best  schools  was  taught  in  the  Belle 
Grove  District  soon  after  the  passage  of  the  common 
school  law.  The  first  house  was  near  the  present 
building,  and  was  of  logs,  rather  rudely  finished. 
Amos  Potter  was  an  early  teacher  in  a  cabin  below 
Potter's  mill.  In  the  regular  school  building,  Oliver 
Sprowl  was  one  of  the  first  teachers.  The  school  has 
produced  a  number  of  teachers,  among  whom  are  re- 
membered Oliver  Gunnells,  Browne  Hayden,  Thomas 
Hart,  and  Samuel  Price.  The  next  good  school  was 
opened  in  the  Kentucky  District,  which  had  one  of 
the  best  school  buildings  of  that  period. 


TYRONE-UPPER   AND   LOWER  TOWNSHIPS. 


As  Upper  and  Lower  Tyrone  have  existed  as  sepa- 
rate townships  for  less  than  five  years,  while  the  ter- 
ritory composing  both  had  previously  remained  undi- 
vided in  old  Tyrone  for  considerably  more  than  a 
century,'  it  is  evidently  the  most  proper,  as  well  as 
the  most  convenient,  way  to  write  the  history  of  the 
two  as  that  of  Tyrone  township — with  reference  to 
early  settlements  and  some  other  matters— down  to 
the  time  of  their  separate  organization.  This  course 
will  therefore  be  pursued  in  the  following  pages. 


1  Before  the  erection  of  Fayette  County,  Tyrone  was  one  of  the  I 
ships  of  Westmoreland,  and  prior  to  the  erection  of  that  county  : 
isted  under  the  same  name  as  one  of  the  townships  of  Bedford. 


Tyrone  township  at  the  time  of  its  division  (in  1877) 
was  bounded  on  the  north  by  Jacob's  Creek,  sepa- 
rating it  from  Westmoreland  County ;  on  the  east  by 
Bullskin  and  Connellsville  townships  ;  on  the  south 
by  the  Youghiogheny  River,  and  on  the  west  by  that 
river  and  the  township  of  Perry.  The  eastern  part 
of  the  old  township  is  now  Upper  Tyrone,  and  the 
western  part  Lower  Tyrone.  The  division  line  be- 
tween the  two  new  townships  starts  from  the  Youg- 
hiogheny River,  a  short  distance  below  Broad  Ford, 
and  runs  in  a  northwardly  direction,  with  one  angle, 
to  Jacob's  Creek.  This  line  will  be  found  more  fully 
described  in  the  order  of  court  (hereafter  quoted) 
erecting  the  two  towriship.s. 


rS4 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


The  principal  streams  are  the  Youghiogheny  River 
and  Jacob's  Creek,  forming  respectively  the  southern 
and  northern  boundaries  of  the  townships ;  Broad 
Ford  Run,  which  flows  in  a  southerly  direction  through 
Upper  Tyrone,  and  enters  the  Youghiogheny  at  Broad 
Ford ;  and  Hickman's  Run,  which  ilows  nearly  in  the 
same  direction  through  Lower  Tyrone,  and  enters  the 
river  a  short  distance  above  Dawson  village.  Several 
smaller  streams  enter  the  river  at  points  below  in 
Lower  Tyrone.  Along  the  margins  of  the  river  and 
Jacob's  Creek  are  narrow  bottoms,  from  which  the 
land  rises  in  both  directions  to  a  high  ridge  which 
extends  in  an  eastward  and  westward  direction 
through  the  central  portions  of  both  townships. 

LTpper  Tyrone  is  entirely  underlaid  with  coal,  which 
is  mined  in  immense  quantities,  and  largely  used  in 
the  manufacture  of  coke,  as  will  be  noticed  hereafter. 
The  same  is  the  case  in  the  eastern  part  of  Lower 
Tyrone,  but  the  greater  portion  of  that  township  lies 
upon  the  "barren  measures,"  the  outcrop  ceasing  at 
the  mouth  of  Hickman's  Run,  and  only  reappearing 
several  miles  farther  down  the  river,  and  beyond  the 
limits  of  the  township.  Both  townships  have  excel- 
lent railway  facilities,  as  will  be  noticed  elsewhere. 
By  the  census  of  1880  the  population  of  Upper  Ty- 
rone was  3306  (largely  made  up  of  miners),  and  of 
Lower  Tyrone  1976,  including  Jimtown. 

EARLY    SETTLEMENTS. 

In  the  surveys  of  land  located  in  1769  in  the  terri- 
tory now  known  a-s  Tyrone  township  there  are  but 
four  entries.  One  of  the  first  was  made  by  x\lexander 
Vance,  who  took  up  three  hundred  acres,  upon  which 
a  warrant  was  issued  April  3,  1769,  but  which  was 
not  surveyed  until  April  11, 1788,  nearly  twenty  years 
later. 

John  Vance,  the  father  of  Moses  Vance,  settled 
upon  a  tract  of  land  here  in  1766,  still  his  name  does 
not  appear  among  these  first  surveys,  and  the  land 
which  he  then  occupied  was  first  warranted  Sept.  4, 
1790,  to  Benjamin  Whalley,  and  surveyed  November 
18th  of  the  same  year.  At  that  time  the  property  was 
named  "  Federal  Hill."  John  Vance,  whose  ances- 
tors came  from  Scotland  and  Ireland,  was  himself  a 
native  of  Virginia,  from  whence  he  came  in  the  year 
mentioned  in  company  with  Col.  William  Crawford, 
his  sister's  husband.  His  wife  was  Margaret  White, 
whom  he  married  in  Virginia,  and  with  whom  he 
lived  until  1772,  when  he  died,  and  was  buried  in  the 
Vance  cemetery. 

The  family  of  John  and  Margaret  Vance  numbered 
six  children — David,  William,  Moses,  Jane,  Eliza- 
beth, and  Maria.  After  her  husband's  death,  Mar- 
garet Vance  kept  the  original  property  for  many 
years,  in  the  mean  time  caring  for  and  bringing  up 
her  family  of  little  children.  Among  the  records  of 
property  is  one  where,  under  date  of  Jan.  10,  1781, 
Margaret  Vance,  widow  of  John  Vance,  reported  the 
list  of  her  registered  slaves, — "  one   female,  named 


Priscilla,  aged  twenty-seven  years,  and  two  males, 
Harry  and  Daniel,  aged  respectively  seven  and  three 
years."  Priscilla  and  Harry  afterwards  became  the 
property  of  the  daughter,  Jane  Vance,  who  was  mar- 
ried to  Benjamin  Whalley.  The  son  David  settled  in 
Kentucky,  and  William  remained  on  the  old  place 
until  middle  life,  when  he  died,  never  having  mar- 
ried. Moses  Vance  also  stayed  upon  the  homestead, 
and  when,  in  1790,  the  land  upon  which  his  father's 
family  had  lived  so  long  was  warranted  to  Benjamin 
Whalley,  two  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  it  was  trans- 
ferred to  him,  arkd  upon  that  he  resided  until  his 
death. 

Moses  Vance's  wife  was  Elizabeth,  a  daughter  of 
Jacob  Strickler,  and  they  reared  a  family  of  seven 
sons  and  two  daughters, — John,  Jacob,  Samuel, 
Francis,  William,  Crawford,  George,  Margaret,  and 
Eliza.  John  still  lives  on  the  old  Gamer  place, 
Jacob  is  in  Lower  Tyrone,  and  William's  home  is  in 
Connellsville.  Before  leaving  his  native  town,  Ty- 
rone, William  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace 
for  some  years.  George  Vance  removed  to  Illinois, 
and  Samuel,  Francis,  Crawford,  and  Margaret  are 
dead. 

April  3,  1769,  Absalom  Kent  took  up,  by  warrant 
No.  1179,  a  piece  of  land  in  this  section  comprising 
791  acres,  which  was  surveyed  April  11, 1788.  In  the 
year  1800  he  owned  the  John  Stewart  tract,  called 
"  Pleasant  Garden."  The  township  records  show  Mr. 
Kent  to  have  been  auditor  during  the  years  1793-96 
and  1800.  He  and  his  descendants  have  now  all 
passed  away,  and  the  family  has  become  extinct  in 
this  section. 

Benjamin  Whalley,  who  warranted  the  tract  of 
land  called  "  Federal  Hill,"  settled  in  this  section  at 
a  very  early  date,  and  was  among  the  number  that 
owned  slaves.  He  was  an  ofiicer  in  the  Revolution- 
ary war.  His  son,  Capt.  James  Whalley,  one  of  his 
large  family  of  six  sons  and  six  daughters,  was  born 
at  "  Federal  Hill,"  March  20,  1788.  In  the  war  of 
1812,  Capt.  James  Whalley  took  out  a  company  of 
soldiers  from  Connellsville  in  Col.  Robert  Patterson's 
regiment,  and  later  went  out  in  the  Northwestern  ex- 
pedition on  the  Indian  frontier.  After  his  return 
home  he  removed  to  LTniontown,  living  there  until 
his  death,  May  22,  1869. 

In  1770,  Moses  Smith  warranted  two  tracts  of 
land,  containing  respectively  178  and  164  acres,  in 
Tyrone.  It  was  about  this  time  that  the  Cunningham, 
Torrance,  and  other  families  came  here,  and  the 
Smiths  were  classed  with  the  settlers  of  that  day. 
They  continued  to  live  upon  the  farms  they  had 
located,  and  in  1774  became  connected  with  the  Ty- 
rone Church,  which  was  situated  very  near  their  prop- 
erty. In  1800,  William  Smith  was  chosen  one  of  the 
,  trustees  of  the  church.  At  the  present  time  none  of 
the  family  remain  in  the  township,  and  the  land  has 
passed  into  other  hands. 

Like  very  many  other  of  the  pioneers  of  this  town- 


TYRONE— UPPER  AND  LOWER  TOWNSHIPS. 


785 


ship,  Barnett  Cunningham  came  here  and  settled  on 
land  by  tomahawk  improvement.  His  advent  was  in 
1770,  and  he  held  his  land  for  the  first  seventeen 
years  of  his  residence  under  that  right.  A  part  of 
the  land  is  now  in  the  possession  of  his  descendants. 
In  1787  he  took  a  warrant  for  three  hundred  and 
sixteen  acres,  with  allowance,  paying  for  it  twelve 
pounds  six  shillings,  and  received  a  patent  therefor 
in  1795.  In  1794,  Mr.  Cunningham  was  superintend- 
ent of  highways,  and  in  1808  he  died,  in  the  seventy- 
third  year  of  his  age.  His  children  and  grandchil- 
dren all  settled  near  his  early  home.  April  18,  1829, 
Barnett  Cunningham's  daughter  Mary  received  a 
warrant  for  one  hundred  and  eighty-three  and  three- 
quarters  acres  of  land,  and  Feb.  1,  1831,  his  .son  Jo- 
seph received  a  warrant  for  one  hundred  and  fifty 
and  three-quarters  acres,  both  tracts  being  surveyed 
March  22,  18.31.  Joseph's  wife  was  Agnes  Huston. 
His  land  was  at  the  head-Avaters  of  Smilie's  Run,  and 
there  he  spent  his  life,  leaving  two  sons,  Joseph  and 
William.  Joseph,  Jr.,  settled  upon  his  father's  farm, 
and  married  a  daughter  of  Matthew  Gaut.  He  (Jo- 
seph Cunningham)  was  justice  of  the  peace  for  many 
years,  and  also  county  commissioner.  His  children 
were  two  sons  also,  Matthew  and  William,  the  former 
succeeding  his  father  upon  the  old  farm.  Matthew 
Cunningham's  children  are  Ezekiel,  Sample,  and 
Jennings,  and  a  daughter  who  married  James  War- 
den. William  Cunningham,  son  of  Joseph,  and 
grandson  of  Barnett  Cunningham,  sold  his  portion 
of  the  old  farm,  and  entered  business  at  Connells- 
ville.  Afterwards  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Tyrone 
and  died  here,  leaving  a  large  family,  most  of  them 
still  residing  in  Fayette  County. 

James  Torrance  was  a  half-brother  of  Barnett 
Cunningham.  They  were  both  natives  of  Ireland, 
emigrating  from  that  country  to  Peach  Bottom  Val- 
ley, on  the  Susquehanna  Eiver,  and  from  there  to 
Tyrone  township.  Torrance  came  about  1772,  mak- 
ing a  tomahawk  improvement,  as  did  Cunningham, 
for  which  he  received  a  patent  in  1795.  During  the 
years  of  1789-97  and  1800,  James  Torrance  offici- 
ated as  township  auditor,  and  his  name  appears  upon 
the  books  as  late  as  1808.  His  family  was  quite 
large,  and  when  he  died,  in  182ti,  he  was  eighty-three 
years  old.  Of  his  children,  Hugh,  the  eldest,  settled 
on  a  part  of  the  old  farm  ;  Cunningham,  a  half- 
brother  of  Hugh,  took  another  portion ;  and  Joseph 
Huston  Torrance,  another  half-brother,  took  the  re- 
mainder of  the  homestead,  and  the  part  upon  which 
stood  the  old  log  house.  This  he  soon  replaced  with 
a  handsome  frame  building.  Hugh  Torrance  married 
a  Miss  McKee,  of  McKeesport,  and  together  they 
reared  a  family  of  twelve  children.  Of  these,  Hugh, 
Jr.,  lived  in  his  native  town  until  he  reached  man- 
hood, when  he  removed  West.  Robert  engaged  in 
mercantile  business  at  Connellsville,  and  David  set- 
tled on  bis  father's  farm.  He  is  the  only  son  left  in 
the   township.     Cunningham   Torrance's   femily  all 


emigrated  to  the  West,  settling  in  Iowa,  and  his  land, 
which  was  first  sold  to  William  Homer,  has  passed 
to  strangers.  The  children  of  Joseph  Huston  Tor- 
rance were  twelve,  but  only  four  are  left, — Joshua, 
Samuel,  Carrie,  and  James.  They  all  live  within  or 
near  Tyrone,  Joshua  occupying  the  homestead. 

John  Stephenson  and  Mary  Stephenson  came  to 
Tyrone  about  the  time  the  families  of  Vance,  Cun- 
ningham, and  Torrance  did,  and  settled  on  land  very 
near  theirs,  John  receiving  a  warrant  for  seventy- 
six  and  one-quarter  acres,  and  Mary  for  three  hundred 
acres. 

One  of  the  earliest  of  the  pioneers  of  this  section 
was  Valentine  Crawford,  a  brother  of  Col.  William 
Crawford.  He  was  in  correspondence  with  Gen. 
Washington  during  the  time  from  1773  to  1776  in 
reference  to  the  Washington  Bottom  lands.  As  nearly 
all  his  letters  were  dated  at  Jacob's  Creek,  they 
show  his  residence  to  have  been  in  this  county  at  that 
time,  still  it  is  known  that  for  a  while  at  least  he 
lived  on  the  Westmoreland  County  side. 

Near  the  year  1772,  Capt.  Joseph  Huston,  with  his 
family,  came  from  Peach  Bottom,  Va.,  to  this  vicinity, 
and  settled  upon  a  tract  of  land  containing  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy-seven  acres,  for  which  he  took  out  a 
warrant  in  1786.     His  wife  was  Margery  Cunning- 
ham, the  eldest  sister  of  Barnett  Cunningham,  who 
I  followed  them  thither  within  a  year  or  two.     Upon 
the  land  which  he  located  Capt.  Huston  built  a  cabin 
for  his  family,  wherein    they  lived   prosperous  and 
contented.      In    1782   the   father   accompanied   Col. 
Crawford  upon  his  expedition  which  proved  so  dis- 
j  astrous.     Before  leaving  home  he  gave  to  the  town- 
I  ship  a  piece  of  land  which  has  always  been  known  as 
'  the  Cochran  graveyard.     Soon  after  returning  from 
the  Crawford  expedition  Capt.  Huston  died,  and  his 
'  remains  were  the  first  to  be  carried  to  the  cemetery 
j  for  which  he  had  made  provision,  and  where  so  many 
of  those  ancient  families  now  lie. 

William   Huston,  the  oldest  son  of  Capt.  Joseph 

Huston,  was  born  east  of  the  mountains  in  1754.   He 

I  was  but  a  boy  of  eighteen  when  his  father  crossed  the 

range  to  make  his  home  upon  the  western  side.   April 

14, 1791,  he  warranted  twenty-seven  acres  of  land  ad- 

I  joining  that  of  his  father,  the  survey  being  made 

j  April  30th  of  the  same  year.     William  Huston  had 

two  sons,  William,  Jr.,  and  Joseph,  who  both  lived 

,  and  jdied  upon  the  old  place.     William  Huston,  Jr., 

'  h.ad  three  sons, — Lewis,  Eli,  and  Boyd.   The  first  two 

are  still  living  in  Tyrone  township.     Joseph  Huston, 

the  second  son  of  William,  Sr.,  had  a  daughter  Kersey, 

who  became  the  wife  of  James  Cochran,  usually  called 

"  Little  Jim,"  and  their  home  is  upon  the  old  Huston 

homestead.     John  Huston,  a  son  of  old  Capt.  Joseph, 

was  born  in  1757,  while  the  family  still  lived  upon  the 

east  side  of  the  mountains.     He  was  at  one  time  a 

resident  of  Dunbar  township,  afterwards  he  kept  a 

tavern  in   Uniontown,  and  later  went  to  Kentucky, 

where  he  died.    His  son,  John,  Jr.,  or  Judge  Huston, 


786 


ISTUUV    OF    FAYETTE   COUNTi',  PENNSYLVANIA. 


was  born  in  Dunbar,  anrl  went  to  Kentucky  with  his  ' 
father.  When  nineteen  years  old  he  returned  to  Ty- 
rone, his  father's  home,  and  entered  the  employ  of 
Jiis  uncle  Joseph,  as  clerk  in  the  Huston  Forge  and 
Old  Redstone  Furnace.  He  afterwards  became  pes-  [ 
sessor  of  the  property,  and  conducted  it  until  his  death. 
Agnes,  a  daughter  of  Capt.  Huston,  was  born  in  1760, 
and  was  the  wife  of  Joseph  Cunningham.  They  lived 
and  died  in  the  town  of  Tyrone,  leaving  many  de- 
scendants. Sarah,  another  daughter,  married  Mr.  i 
Nesbitt,  and  with  him  removed  to  Kentucky.  Joseph  I 
Huston,  son  of  Capt.  Joseph  Huston,  was  born  in 
1763.  During  his  younger  years  he  led  a  roving  life, 
but  after  reaching  maturity  settled  in  Uniontown, 
where  he  built  the  first  brick  house  the  place  boasted, 
and  where  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  Fayette  County 
in  17-90.  Later  he  purchased  land  on  Redstone  Creek, 
in  North  Union,  and  built  a  forge.  In  1804  he  be- 
came proprietor  of  the  Redstone  Furnace,  which  he 
operated  until  his  death  in  1824.  His  wife  was  a 
daughter  of  John  Smilie. 

William  Chain  was  an  early  resident  in  Tyrone, 
settling  here  at  the  time  the  families  of  Vance,  Cun- 
ningham, and  Torrance  did,  and  living  two  miles 
west  of  them.  He  had  three  sons, — Robert,  John^ 
and  William.  Robert  lived  on  the  homestead,  John 
very  near  him,  and  William  went  into  Westmoreland 
County.  Hugh  Chain,  a  son  of  one  of  these  brothers, 
built  the  Chain  mills,  situated  on  Jacob's  Creek. 
AVilliam  Chain,  Sr.,  was  auditor  in  Tyrone  in  1789, 
'94,  '96,  '98. 

The  land  on  which  John  Torrance  located  in  1780 
was  a  tract  of  193  acres,  which  is  now  the  farm  of 
David  Galley.  The  warrant  for  it  was  made  Feb.  11, 
1790,  and  the  survey  but  thirteen  days  later.  John 
Torrance's  sons  were  James,  Barnett,  and  Joseph, 
the  last  named  having  served  three  years  (1787,  '88, 
and  '89)  as  sheriff  of  Fayette  County. 

James  Blackstone  was  a  native  of  Maryland,  and 
must  have  located  in  Fayette  County  prior  to  1784, 
as  in  that  year  he  is  recorded  as  "  appraiser  of  dam- 
ages." He  located  upon  the  land  called  "  The  Sum- 
mit," in  Tyrone  township,  which  now  belongs  to 
William  and  Presley  Moore.  April  18,  1798,  James 
Blackstone  was  appointed  a  justice  of  the  peace.  His 
fomily  consisted  of  one  son  and  three  daughters.  Two 
of  the  daughters  married  James  and  Thomas  Hurst, 
leaving  near  Mount  Pleasant,  and  the  other  became 
the  wife  of  Judge  Boyd  Mercer,  of  Washington 
County.  The  son,  James,  Jr.,  removed  to  Connells- 
ville  in  the  year  1803,  building  for  his  home  a  brick 
house  on  Water  Street,  which  is  now  known  as  the 
Dean  House.  He  also  carried  on  a  general  store  in 
this  building.  Of  his  two  children,  both  sons, 
Henry,  the  oldest,  is  a  civil  engineer,  now  in  the  em- 
ploy of  the  government.  James,  the  younger,  has 
lived  upon  a  farm  near  Connellsville  for  the  last  forty 
years.  The  land  which  was  originally  taken  up  by 
the  elder  Blackstone,  spoken  of  as  the  property  of 


William  and  Presley  Moore,  came  to  these  gentle- 
men through  their  grandmother,  Mrs.  James  Hurst, 
the  daughter  to  whom  Blackstone  gave  it  by  will. 
The  208  acres  of  land  adjoining  the  Blackstone  prop- 
erty was  taken  up  by  Joseph  Copper  before  1786.  He 
afterwards  sold  the  property  and  emigrated  West. 

The  Stewart  family  are  found  by  the  records  to 
have  been  connected  with  the  history  of  the  Tyrone 
Church  some  ten  years  prior  to  the  date  of  their  land 
patents.  A  deed  is  upon  record  reciting  that  on  Nov. 
19,  178.5,  Edward  Rice,  of  Tyrone,  sold  to  Jacob 
Stewart,  of  the  county  of  Y'ork,  Pa.,  three  hundred 
and  fifty-three  acres  of  land, — consideration  five  hun- 
dred pounds.  On  May  12,  1787,  Jacob  Stewart  re- 
ceived a  patent  for  three  hundred  and  ninety-four 
acres.  The  tract  of  three  hundred  and  fifty-three 
acres  was  purchased  by  Edward  Rice  of  John  Ste- 
phens, April  23,  1773,  and  Dec.  22, 1791,  Jacob  Stew- 
art sold  the  entire  three  hundred  and  ninety-four 
acres  to  Jacob  Strickler.  Jacob  Stewart  was  a  brother 
of  Abraham  Stewart,  the  father  of  Andrew  Stewart, 
who  was  generally  known  as  "Tariff  Andy." 

The  ancestors  of  the  Stewarts  of  Fayette  County 
lived  among  the  Grampian  Hills  of  Scotland,  whence 
the  grandfather  of  Jacob  and  Abraham  Stewart  emi- 
grated to  America,  and  settled  first  in  New  Jersey, 
removing  afterwards  to  Y'ork  County,  Pa.  In  that 
county  the  father  of  Jacob  Stewart  married  a  Ger- 
man woman  named  Snyder.  They  had  four  sons — 
Jacob,  John,  Abraham,  and  David — and  three  daugh- 
ters. They  were  all  educated  in  German  schools. 
All  settled  in  Fayette  County  except  John,  who  set- 
tled on  the  Muskingum,  in  Ohio,  and  Barbara,  who 
married  William  Morris,  and  remained  at  York,  Pa. 

In  1791,  when  Judge  Nathaniel  Breading  con- 
tracted with  the  government  to  survey  the  "  depre- 
ciated lands"  up  the  Alleghany  River,  he  employed 
Jacob  and  Abraham  Stewart  to  make  the  survey. 
They  were  occupied  on  the  work  all  the  summer  of 
that  year,  and  in  the  following  winter  Jacob  com- 
pleted the  calculations  and  plans.  In  1797  he,  with 
a  man  named  Mowry,  established  the  first  newspaper 
in  Fayette  County,  the  Fayette  Gazette  and  Union  Ad- 
vertiser, published  at  Uniontown.  Jacob  Stewart  was 
never  married.  He  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  for 
many  years,  being  first  appointed  to  that  office  March 
31,  1787.  The  people  of  Tyrone  township  and  the 
vicinity  considered  him  an  excellent  adviser,  and 
many  disputes  which  would  otherwise  have  gone  into 
the  courts  were  adjusted  amicably  through  his  in- 
fluence and  arbitration.  David  Stewart,  brother  of 
Jacob  and  Abraham,  also  lived  for  some  years  in  Ty- 
rone, but  removed  to  Connellsville,  where  he  followed 
the  trade  of  cabinet-maker,  and  where  he  resided 
until  the  time  of  his  death.  He  left  two  sons,  Abra- 
ham and  Hamilton.  Two  of  the  sisters  of  David  and 
Jacob  Stewart  married  John  and  Jacob  Strickler. 
They  both  lived  in  Tyrone  and  reared  large  families. 

Philip  Meason  received  (Oct.  3, 1785)  a  warrant  for 


TYRONE— UPPER   AND   LOWER   TOWNSHIPS. 


787 


two  hundred  and  seventy-two  acres  of  land  lying  in 
Tyrone  township.     It  was  surveyed  Jan.  14,  1786,  by  ' 
the  name  of  "  Union,"  and  a  patent  granted  upon  it 
March  17,  1786.     Mr.  Meason  disposed  of  this  prop-  1 
erty  Oct.  14,  1797,  to  Abraham  Newcomer  and  An-  j 
drew  Schallenberger.    May  4, 1799,  these  men  divided 
the  tract,  and  Schallenberger  conveyed  one  hundred  \ 
and  a  half  acres  to  Philip  Galley.  j 

John  Smilie  took  up,  by  warrant  dated  in  1786,  a 
tract  of  land,  which  was  surveyed  to  him  in  the  same 
year  under  the  name  of  "  Prospect."  This  tract  con- 
tained three  hundred  and  sixty-eight  acres,  and  in- 
cluded the  site  of  the  present  borough  of  Dawson. 
This  land,  which  he  left  by  will  to  his  son,  was  sold  in  j 
December,  1852,  by  Robert  P.  Smilie,  trustee  of  John 
Smilie.  It  was  divided  into  three  parcels,  of  which 
one  was  purchased  by  Stewart  Strickler,  and  the 
others  by  George  Dawson,  of  Brownsville,  father  of  j 
the  Hon.  John  L.  Dawson.  Through  this  tract  the 
route  of  the  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville  Railroad 
was  located,  and  on  it  was  established  "  Dawson's  [ 
Station,"  around  which  there  grew  up  a  village,  which 
was  afterwards  incorporated  as  the  borough  of  Daw- 
son, an  account  of  which  will  be  found  farther  on  in 
this  history  of  the  township. 

The  dwelling  of  John  Smilie  was  on  the  hill  liack 
■of  the  site  of  the  present  town.  One  of  his  daughters 
became  the  wife  of  Joseph  Huston,  a  well-known 
ironmaster.  Another  married  Mr.  Bryson,  and,  as 
his  widow,  was  again  married,  becoming  the  wife  of 
George  Dawson.  John  Smilie  was  one  of  the  most  j 
prominent  men  of  Fayette  County  in  public  life,  and 
a  more  extended  sketch  of  his  career  will  be  found 
on  another  page  of  this  work. 

Abraham  Strickler  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  in 
Tyrone,  taking  up  by  warrant  2041  acres  of  land. 
On  the  22d  of  December,  1791,  Jacob  Strickler  bought 
of  Jacob  Stewart,  his  brother-in-law,  a  tract  of  land 
containing  394  acres,  whereon  he  lived  and  brought 
up  his  large  family  of  children.  His  daughter  Eliza- 
Iieth  married  Moses  Vance,  and  his  daughter  Mary 
became  the  wife  of  Alexander  Long.  Jacob,  his  son, 
after  his  marriage  settled  on  Redstone  Creek,  near 
the  Sharpless  paper-mills,  but  afterwards  came  to  ' 
Tyrone,  and  settled  upon  the  farm  now  owned  by  the  | 
Hickman  Coke-Works.  His  son  Stewart  lived  upon 
the  place  many  years  after  his  father's  death,  and 
first  established  the  coke-works  there.  Stewart  Strick- 
ler married  a  daughter  of  John  Newcomer,  Sr.,  and 
is  now  in  Tennessee,  where  he  removed  some  twelve 
years  ago.  David  Strickler,  another  son  of  Jacob, 
was  a  cabinet-maker. 

Valentine  Secrist,  Oct.  5, 1790,  took  up  by  warrant 
198  acres  of  land,  which  was  surveyed  to  him  Feb.  11, 
1791.  This  tract  was  in  what  is  now  Lower  Tyrone, 
and  is  situated  on  Jacob's  Creek,  adjoining  the  Perry 
line.  About  the  same  time  he  took  up  other  lands  in 
Perry  township.  He  had  lived  upon  them  for  years, 
and  they  are  still  in  possession  of  his  descendants. 


Matthew  Gaut  must  have  located  near  Jacob's 
Creek,  in  what  is  now  Lower  Tyrone,  some  time  be- 
fore 179§,  as  we  find  him  mentioned  as  auditor  of 
accounts  in  that  year.  His  sons  were  James,  John, 
Matthew,  Joseph,  and  Samuel.  The  daughters  after 
marriage  were  Mrs.  Love,  Mrs.  Espey,  and  Mrs.  Cun- 
ningham. All  the  sons  save'  Joseph  early  emigrated 
to  the  West.  Joseph  remained  all  his  life  upon  the 
homestead,  and  died  there.  He  had  a  family  of  seven 
children,  viz. :  Matthew,  a  physician  in  New  York  ; 
Robert,  a  physician  in  Westmoreland  County ;  and 
William,  who  kept  the  home-farm.  The  daughters, 
four  in  number,  married  George  and  Henry  New- 
meyer,  John  Gallatin,  and  David  Sherbondy.  They 
all  lived  in  Tyrone  township,  where  their  children 
and  grandchildren  now  reside. 

John  W.,  Christopher,  and  Martin  Stauffer  were 
natives  of  Tyrone,  their  father  having  settled  here 
early  in  life.  John  W.  owned  for  a  time  a  grist-mill 
at  Scottdale,  on  the  Westmoreland  side  of  Jacob's 
Creek,  but  returned  again  to  this  township.  Christo- 
pher lived  in  Upper  Tyrone,  between  Jacob's  Creek 
and  BuUskin.  Martin  also  settled  in  Tyrone,  near 
the  Valley  Works,  where  he  passed  his  whole  life. 
Martin  Stauffer's  sons  were  John  G.,  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant, and  Abraham,  who  settled  near  his  father,  about 
a  mile  below  the  iron  bridge,  where  he  lived  and  died, 
and  where  his  son  Joseph  now  lives.  John  W.  Stauf- 
fer's daughter  married  Solomon  Keister,  who  owns  a 
grist-mill  on  Jacob's  Creek,  and  is  also  interested 
with  James  Cochran  in  the  coke-works. 

James  Sterrit  was  early  in  the  township,  and  in 
1797  was  township  auditor,  still  the  name  of  Ster- 
rit does  not  appear  upon  the  books  after  1801.  He 
lived  upon  the  land  now  ownecj  by  the  heirs  of  Alex- 
ander Boyd.  The  daughter  of  James  Sterrit  became 
the  wife  of  James  Power,  of  the  family  of  Rev.  James 
Power. 

Oct.  14,  1797,  Abraham  Newcomer  and  Andrew 
Schallenberger  together  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in 
this  section.  Newcomer,  who  was  a  native  of  Ger- 
many, lived  and  died  upon  his  portion  of  the  farm, 
as  did  his  son  Uriah,  and  their  descendants  still  own 
it.  John,  another  son  of  Abraham,  purchiv.sed  the 
property  known  as  the  Smith  place,  but  later  sold  it 
to  Mr.  OverhoU  and  moved  West. 

Christian  and  John  Newcomer  came  to  Tyrone  be- 
fore 1800  with  their  father,  who  was  also  born  in 
Germany.  Christian  bought  the  property  formerly 
known  as  "  Poverty  Neck,"  which  was  the  bottom- 
land on  the  north  bank  of  Youghiogheny  River. 
Christian's  son  Jonathan  now  lives  at  Connellsville, 
and  his  daughter  lives  in  the  West.  David  New- 
comer, Christian's  son  by  a  second  marriage,  lives  on 
a  part  of  the  Jacob  Newcomer  tract.  John  New- 
comer, the  brother  of  Christian,  purchased  a  farm  of 
200  acres  near  Hickman's  Run,  and  quite  near  the 
Tyrone  Church.  This  tract  was  originally  patented 
by  John  Stewart,  Oct.  3,   1787,   under   the  title  of 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


"  Pleasant  Garden,"  and  in  1800  was  the  property  of 
Absalom  Kent.  John  Newcomer's  children  were 
nine, — four  boys  and  five  girls.  Jacob,  th,e  oldest, 
lived  until  his  death  upon  the  homestead,  which  was 
then  sold,  and  is  now  owned  by  E.  H.  Reid.  Dr. 
George  Newcomer,  of  Connellsville,  is  a  son  of  Jacob 
Newcomer.  Of  the  other  sons  of  John  Newcomer, 
John,  Jr.,  also  lives  at  Connellsville ;  Joseph  is  a 
resident  of  Dayton,  Ohio ;  and  Samuel  is  in  West- 
morelaml  County.  Polly,  one  of  the  daughters, 
marriril  Stewari  Strickler,  and  lives  in  Tennessee; 
Barbara  iiuuricd  Joseph  Strickler,  and  resides  in 
South  Union;  Catharine,  who  was  the  wife  of  John 
Newcomer,  and  Sarah,  who  married  Thomas  Boyd, 
are  both  dead. 

Philip  Galley  was  a  native  of  Lancaster  County, 
Pa.,  and  went  from  there  to  Frederick  County,  Md. 
In  1799  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  a  half  acres 
of  land  of  Andrew  Sehallenberger,  in  this  township, 
a  portion  of  the  original  Meason  warrant,  and  imme- 
diately after  his  marriage  in  Lancaster  County  came 
here  to  reside.  His  family  of  eight  sons  and  three 
daughters  all  reached  maturity,  married,  and  reared 
families  of  their  own  in  and  near  Tyrone.  The 
daughters  were  Catherine,  who  married  Jacob  Smith, 
of  Connellsville  ;  Elizabeth,  who  became  Mrs.  Jesse 
Oglevee ;  and  Barbara,  the  youngest,  who  married 
Henry  Snyder,  of  Westmoreland  County.  Philip 
Galley  first  lived  on  the  land  now  belonging  to 
the  Morgan  Coal-  and  Coke- Works.  He  was  the 
first  fruit-raiser  in  this  region,  and  continued  to  be 
largely  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  fruit-trees  until 
1S.35.  In  1820  he  sold  his  farm  to  his  eldest  son, 
Peter,  and  purcliased  that  of  Joseph  Huston,  in  the 
township  of  Franklig,  living  there  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1852.  This  farm,  lying  on  the 
river,  and  on  the  line  between  the  townshijis  of  Frank- 
lin and  Dunbar,  is  now  owned  by  his  son  Henry. 
John  Galley,  another  son  of  Philip,  lives  on  Dickin- 
son Run,  in  Dunbar  township,  his  property  joining 
that  of  his  brother  Henry.  Peter  lived  and  died  upon 
a  part  of  the  old  homestead  in  Tyrone.  Jac9b,  a 
fourth  son,  had  the  other  portion,  upon  which  he 
lived  and  followed  the  business  of  a  weaver.  Below 
is  a  notice  of  that  business,  which  appeared  in  the 
Oenin.«  of  Libert II  Oct.  9,  1827,  which  is  of  interest  in 
this  connection  : 

"  Jacoli  Galley  informs  his  friends  that  he  has  com- 
menced the  business  of  coverlet-weaving  at  his  resi- 
dence in  Tyrone  township,  one  mile  tiom  the  Youghio- 
gheny  River,  near  the  road  lea.lin-  Inmi  the  Broad 
Ford  to  Hurst's  mill  on  Jacob's  tVci-k,  wliere  he  is 
]irepared  to  weave  all  kinds  of_ coverlets,  carpeting, 
and  table  linen,  according  to  the  most  fashionable 
patterns." 

In  1.S29,  Jacob  Galley  was  killed  at  Broad  Ford  by 
the  overturning  of  a  boat.  Of  his  family,  his  daughter 
married  Henry  Newcomer,  of  Tyrone  township,  and 
moved  to  Jlissouri,  where  she  now  lives  ;   David  lived 


and  died  upon  a  portion  of  the  old  Matthew  Gaut 

I  tract,  in  Lower  Tyrone;'  Samuel  settled  near  Union- 
town,  where  he  lived  for  twenty  years,  and  then  went 
West  and  now  resides  in  Nebraska ;  Jonathan  lives 
in  German    township,  in   this  county ;    Abram,  the 

\  youngest  of  the  family,  lives  on  a  farm  adjoining 
Henry  Galley,  in  Franklin  township. 

Alexander  Long  and  his  wife,  as  early  as  1800, 
lived  on  the  land  first  patented  by  the  Stevensons, 
and  now  owned  by  the  Tinstmans.  Of  their  large 
family  of  children  only  one,  the  daughter  Mary,  is 
living  at  this  time.  She  married  James  B.  Hurst, 
and  after  his  death  became  the  wife  of  James  Cun- 
ningham, a  grandson  of  Barnett  Cunningham.  Ja- 
cob, one  of  the  sons,  lived  on  Redstone  Creek,  near 
Brownsville,  but  afterwards  returned  to  his  father's 
place.  David,  another  son,  went  to  Clarion  County 
and  died  there. 

Samuel  Cochran  was  born  in  Chester  County,  Pa., 

j  and  lived  until  manhood  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
State.  His  profession  was  that  of  a  surveyor,  and  he 
served  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  At  the  close  of 
the  war  he  removed  to  Chanibersburg,  Pa.,  where  he 
married  Esther,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  Johns.'    When 

j  Samuel  Cochran  came  to  this  section  he  lived  for  a 
time  on  the  Washington  Bottoms,  in  Perry  township. 
After  a  while  he  purchased  in  Tyrone  township,  of 
Capt.  Joseph  Huston,  three  hundred  acres  of  land, 
on  which  he  built  a  log  cabin,  the  usual  style  of  a 
home  at  that  day.     In  1811  he  built  the  large  stone 

j  house  still  standing  upon  the  old  place,  where  he 
dwelt  the  remainder  of  his  days.    By  will  the  property 

'  of  Samuel  Cochran  passed  to  two  of  his  sons,  Mordecai 
and  James,  the  homestead  part  falling  to  Mordecai. 
Upon  it  he  built  a  large  brick  house,  and  was  one  of 
the  first  to  engage  in  the  manufacture  of  coke,  which 
business  has  since  increased  to  such  magnitude.  He 
died  Dec.  29,  1880,  aged  eighty-three  years.  The 
other  children  of  Samuel  Cochran  were  James, 
Samuel,  Jr.,  John,  Thomas,  Isaac,  and  a  daughter, 
Esther,  who  married  John  Strickler.  James  was  a 
bachelor,  who  lived  in  Tyrone  all  his  life,  dying  ia 
August,  187o,  at  the  great  age  of  ninety-four  years. 
Samuel,  Jr.,  went  to  Beaver  County,  in  this  State, 

:  where  his  family  are  now  numerous.     John  settled 

j  on  Jacob's  Creek,  in  Westmoreland  County,  at  Chain's 
Mills,  and  many  of  his  family  are  still  there.  Thomas- 
married  and  remained  in  Tyrone,  dying  when  about 
forty  years  old.  His  immediate  family  have  all 
moved  West.  Isaac  was  a  farmer  in  Tyrone,  and  his 
sons  were  Samuel,  Isaac,  Jr.,  Sample,  James,  and 
John  M. 

Mordecai  Cochran,  Jr.,  a  son  of  Mordecai,  Sr.,  and 
grandson  of  old  Samuel  Cochran,  is  a  lawyer  in 
Uniontown.  James  W.,  called  "  Big  Jim,"  is  an- 
other son,  who  lives  in  Tyrone  and  is  quite  exten- 


TYKONE— UPPER   AND  LOWEK  TOWNSHIPS. 


789 


sively  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  brick.  James 
Cochran,  a  son  of  Isaac,  and  familiarly  termed  "  Little 
Jim,"  married  Kersey,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  Huston. 
He  owns  eleven  hundred  acres  of  valuable  coal  lands 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Youghiogheny  River,  and  for 
seventeen  years  has  been  largely  engaged  in  the  de- 
velopment of  the  coal  and  coke  interests  of  this  vi- 
cinity. John  M.,  his  brother,  made  his  home  in 
Mount  Pleasant,  where  he  died  in  May,  1880,  leaving 
a  valuable  coke  property.  i 

Joseph  Martin,  now  eighty-four  years  old,  lives  in  j 
Tyrone,  about  half  a  mile  from  the  mouth  of  Laurel 
Run.  He  came  to  this  county  when  a  young  man, 
locating  for  a  time  near  East  Liberty,  and  at  that 
time  worked  with  Joseph  McCoy  in  a  sickle-factory. 
In  1840  he  purchased  a  farm  in  this  town,  where  he 
has  since  lived,  and  his  family  of  children  have  all 
settled  near  him. 

Daniel  McDonald  was  not  one  of  the  earliest  settlers 
in  this  township.     His  land  was  located  on  Smilie  I 
Run,  adjoining  the  farm  of  Squire  Joseph  Cunning- 
ham  on  the  south.     His  children  were  Daniel,  Mar-  \ 
garet,  and  James.     Tlie  latter  lived  upon  the  farm  of  | 
his  father,  and  held  the  oiHce  of  justice  of  the  peace  I 
for  twenty-five  years.     In  1873  he  was  elected  county 
treasurer,  but  died  during  the  first  year  of  his  incum- 
bency.    Daniel  died  young,   and  Margaret  became 
the  wife  of  A.  J.  McGill,  who  owns  a  farm  adjoining 
the   homestead.     Malcolm   McDonald,   of   Franklin 
township,  is   a  brother   of  Daniel   McDonald,  and 
Mordecai  and  John  K.  McDonald,   of  Dawson,  are 
sons  of  Malcolm.     In  1869,  and  again  in  1872,  John 
K.  McDonald  was  elected  prothonotary  of  Fayette 
County,  serving  both  terms  with  credit  and  satisfac-  ^ 
tion  to  the  people. 


The  following  list,  taken  from  the  assessment-rolls 
of  Tyrone  for  several  years, — from  1787  to  179'.),  in- 
clusive,— gives  some  idea  of  the  business  enterprises 
of  the  township  in  that  period,  viz. : 
1T87. — J.   Eager,  grist-mill;  Rebekah  Hutchinson,  distillery  ; 

William   Huston,  disiillery;    Thomas  Mounts,  distillery; 

Alexander  McClintocU,  grist-  and  saw-mill;  J.  Strickler, 

I7SS.— Willliam  Chain,  Samuel  Breden,  Jasper  Bredkour, 
.John  Eager,  David  Mitchell,  and  .T.  Strickler  were  all 
assessed  on  distilleries. 

n89.--.T.  Eager,  distillery,  grist-  and  saw-mill ;  James  White- 
sides,  William  Gaut,  James  B.  Co.xton,  distilleries. 

1791.— Jacob  Snider  and  David  Mitchell,  distilleries ;  Robert 
Smith,  grist-  and  saw-mill. 

1799.— John  Holker,  furnace;  Andrew  Fernier,  mill;  Oliver 
Montgomery,  two  mills;  George  Ruse,  mill;  Jacob  Bow- 
man, two  mills;  Jacob  Strickler,  mill  (now  Keister  mill). 

ERECTION    OF    TYRONE    AS    A    TOWNSHIP    OF    FAY- 
ETTE   COUNTY,  CHANGES    OF    TERRITORY,    AND 
LIST    OF   OFFICERS. 
Immediately    after    the    annexation    of   territory 
northeast  of  the  Youghiogheny  to  Fayette  County, 
in  1784,  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  at  the  March 


term  of  that  year  took  the  following  action  in  refer- 
ence to  the  erection  of  Tyrone  as  a  township  of  Fay- 
ette, viz. : 

"  In  consequence  of  the  late  addition  to  this  County 
the  Court  divide  the  Township  of  Tyrone  and  part 
of  the  Township  of  Donegal,  annexed  by'  that  ad- 
dition, into  two  Townships,  as  follows  :  A  Township 
to  begin  at  the  Broad  ford  on  Youghiogeni  river,  and 
by  the  new  road  from  thence  to  Hannastown,  to  the 
crossing  of  Jacob's  Creek  ;  thence  by  the  said  Creek 
to  the  mouth  thereof;  thence  by  the  River  Youghio- 
geni to  the  beginning.  To  be  hereafter  known  by 
the  name  of  Tyrone  Township." 

In  1839  a  part  of  the  territory  of  Tyrone  was  taken 
oflfand  given  to  Perry  in  the  formation  of  the  latter 
township  (see  particulars  in  history  of  Perry).  Sub- 
sequently (in  1845)  a  change  was  made  in  the  boun- 
dary line  between  Tyrone  and  Perry.  At  the  Sep- 
tember term  of  court  in  1842  there  was  presented  "  a 
petition  of  sundry  inhabitants  of  Perry  township  for 
an  alteration  of  the  line  between  said  township  and 
the  township  of  Tyrone."  On  this  petition  an  order 
was  issued  appointing  "  viewers,"  who  made  their 
final  report  to  the  court  at  the  June  terra  in  1845. 
The  cause  of  so  long  a  delay  does  not  appear  on  the 
record,  but  the  report  is  as  follows : 

"We,  the  undersigned  viewers, 
above  order,  met  on  the  8th  day 
being  duly  qualified  according  t^ 
line  proposed 


the 


;ownships  of  Perry  and  T, 
mbrace  the  whole  of  the 
-e  order,  viz. :  Begiuning  i 
rods  above  Tumbull's  old 


ted  according  to  the 
nary,  1845,  and  after 
rcK:ceded  to  view  the 
the  above-named  line  between 
)ne  as  near  as  possible  so  as 
hool  district  specified  in  the 
I  point  in  Jacob's  Creek,  about 
11,  on  the  land  of  Henry  Sweit- 


zer,  running  thence  south  five  degrees  east  one  hundred  and 
ninety  perches  to  a  point  where  the  road  from  Robinson's  old 
mill  intersects  the  road  from  Perryopolis  to  Connoll-ville  :  thence 
south  twenty-five  degrees  west  three  liiindr.d  and  twenty 
perches  to  the  margin  of  the  Youghiogheny  River  at  the  Great 
Falls  of  said  river,  near  the  foot  of  said  falls,  on  the  land  of 
Abraham  Layton  ;  thence  up  the  said  river  to  the  mouth  of 
Virgin's  Run,  said  run  being  the  present  dividing  line  between 
the  townships  of  Perry  and  Franklin.  In  testimony  whereof 
we  have  hereunto  set  our  hands  the  date  above  written. 

'■  William  Davidson. 


"J..HN    H.  Ta 

The  record  shows  the  following  as  the  action  of 
upon  the  report;  "And  now.  to  wit,  June  6,  1S4.3. 
report  having  been  read  at  the  times  and  in  the  mi 
scribed  by  law,  the  court  approve  and  confirm  the 
order  it  to  be  entered  of  record." 


the  above 
inner  pre- 


The  list  of  township  officers  of  Tyrone  for  17^4  em- 
braces the  following :  John  Stewart,  constable  ;  Ber- 
nard Cunningham  and  Moses  Smith,  supervisors  of 
highways ;  Samuel  Glasgow  and  William  Huston, 
overseers  of  the  poor. 

The  list  of  1785  shows  the  following  officers  for 
Tyrone  and  Bullskin,  viz.:  John  White,  constable; 
Zachariah  Connell  and  James  Torrance,  overseers  of 


790 


HISTORY    OF    FAYKTTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  poor;  Henry  White  and  David  Lindsey,  super- 
visors of  roads  ;  Benjamin  Wells  and  James  Black- 
stone,  appraisers  of  damages. 

For  several  years  after  178.5  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
justices  of  the  peace  was  Tyrone  and  Bullskin.  The 
earliest  justices  for  Tyrone  of  whom  any  record  is 
found  were  Jacob  Stewart  (term  commenced  March 
.■31,  1787)  and  James  Blackstone,  April  18,  1798. 
After  Blackstone's,  the  following  names  of  justices 
having  jurisdiction  in  Tyrone  prior  to  1840  are  gath- 
ered from  records  in  the  recorder's  office,  viz. : 

Stewart  H.  Whitehill,  Bullskin  and  Tyrone,  Aug. 
12,  1823  ;  Hugh  Torrance,  Bullskin,  Tyrone,  and  Con- 
nellsville,  March  17,  1824;  Herman  Gebhart,  Bull- 
skin, Tyrone,  and  Connellsville,  April  20,  1829; 
Henry  W.  Lewis,  Bullskin,  Tyrone,  and  Connells- 
ville, Aug.  1(5, 1831 ;  Matthew  Wray,  Bullskin, Tyrone, 
and  Connellsville,  May  4,  1837. 

From  the  year  1840  the  list  is  much  more  nearly 
complete,  but  by  no  means  entirely  so,  on  account  of 
the  obscurity  of  records  and  election  returns.  It  is 
as  follows: 


JUSTICES  OF  THE  PEACE. 


18-10.  Matthew  Wray. 

Hugh  Chain. 
1845.  Matthew  Wray. 

Joseph  Cunninghai: 
ISoO.  James  McDonald. 

Matthew  Wray. 

1855.  James  McDonald. 
John  F.  Hum. 

1856.  John  X.  Striokier. 

1857.  William  Vance. 
18fil.  Isaac  Covert. 

Joshua  .Meredith. 
lSf.2.  A.  T.  Hardy. 


Cunningham  Torranc 
John  .Strickler. 
James  X.  McDonald. 
Hugh  Torrance. 
Ashford  T.  Hardy. 
W.  W.  Beam. 
Samuel  Heath. 
Silas  6.  White. 
Elias  Applehaugh. 


David  (iolley. 
Robert  P.  Smiley. 
Joseph  Strickler. 
Peter  Xewmyer. 
Ezekiel  Sempler. 
John  H.  Wade. 
Arha  Shiillenberger. 
Samuel  tiallatin. 
Samuel  Porter. 
John  Bassler. 
Matthew  Cooley. 
William  Vance. 
Robert  F.  Gaut. 
G.  W.  Sherrick. 
Walker  Laughey. 


1865.  James  N.  McDonald. 

1866.  George  S.  Griscom. 

1867.  John  N.  Stillwagon. 
1872.  W.  H.  Cotton. 
1874.  F.  H.  Miller. 

1877.  District    Xo.     1,    James 

Wiley. 
District  No.  2,  Lentellus 
Cochran. 

1878.  District    Xo.  1,    Milton 

Vance. 
District  Xo.  2,  Thomas 
H.  Squibb. 

80RS. 

1865.  H-.  H.  Cotton. 

1866.  William  Huston. 

1867.  William  Jones. 

1868.  Jacob  McChain. 

1869.  Thomas  Knight. 

1870.  Peter  Newmyer. 
1S73.  Irwin  Cotton. 

1874.  P.  F.  Hough. 

1875.  District  Xo.  1,  William 

District     No.     2,     John 
Laughey. 

1876.  District   No.    1,   G.    W. 

Strickler. 
District  No.    2.   Samuel 
Torrence. 

1877.  District    Xo.    1,   George 

W.  Strickler. 
District   No.    2,   George 
W.  Strickler. 

1878.  District  No.  1,  John   C. 

Brownfield. 
District   No.    2,  Lyman 
Strickler. 


FREEHOLDEBS  TO  SETTLE  rUBLIC  ACCOUNTS.l 

1789.— Benjamin  Wells,  Benjamin  Whaley,  James  Torrance, 
William  Chain. 

1792.— Samuel  Glasgow,  Absalom  Kent,  William  Husion,  Wil- 
liam Espy. 

1793. — Abs.^lom  Kent,  Samuel  Glasgow,  Matthew  Gaut.  Joseph 
Trimble. 

1794.— Matthew  Gaut,  Philip  Lucas,  AVilliam  Chain,  James 
Torrance. 

1795.— Matthew  Gaut,  James  L.  Trimlde,  Basil  Bowell,  Thomas 
Bowell. 

1796.— William  Chain,  Samuel  Cochran,  Absalom  Kent,  James 
Torrance. 

1797.— Samuel  Glasgow,  James  Torrance,  James  Sterrit,  Wil- 
liam Huston. 

1798.— James  L.  Trimble,  William  Chain,  James  Sterrit,  Henry 
Strickler. 

1800.— James  L.  Trimble,  Absalom  Kent,  James  Torrance, 
James  Blackstone. 


Al'DITORS. 

I  SO  1 .  James  Torrance. 

1823 

H.  Torrance. 

James  Sterrit. 

1832 

Matthew  Wray. 

James  Gondie. 

Samuel  Hubbs. 

Jacob  Strickler. 

H.  Torrance. 

1802.  Robert  Key  burn. 

J.  Newcomer. 

Matthew  Gaut. 

1835 

James  B.  Hurst. 

Alexiinder  Long. 

John  Newcomer. 

Jacob  Strickler. 

H.  Torrance. 

KS03-4.  Moses  Vance. 

1840 

Peter  Galley. 

James  Torrance. 

Joseph  Cunningham. 

.Matthew  Gaut. 

Hugh  Torrance. 

Samuel  GLasgow. 

Abraham  D.  Stauffer. 

Henry  Strickler. 

1841 

James  B.  Hurst. 

James  Torr.ance. 

1842 

Jacob  Newmeyer,  Sr. 

1805    James  Cunningham. 

1843 

Martin  Sherrick. 

Oliver  Montgomery. 

1844 

John  F.  Hurst. 

John  Reist. 

1845 

James  Wade. 

William  Espy. 

1846 

Ira  Hutchinson. 

1806.  James  Torrance. 

1847 

William  Vance. 

John  Reist. 

1848 

Moses  Porter. 

William  Espy. 

1S49 

Jacob  Vance. 

Joseph  Cunningham. 

1850 

John  Newcomer. 

1807.  James  Torr.ance. 

1851 

Moses  Porter. 

James  Cunningham. 

1852 

Hugh  Chain. 

William  Espy. 

1863 

Joseph  Gaut. 

Thomas  Young. 

1854 

A.  T.  Hardy. 

Moses  Vance. 

1S55. 

Jacob  Vance. 

1821.  John  Newcomer. 

1856 

Alexander  Boyd. 

Matthew  Gaut. 

1857. 

E.  Moore. 

Henry  Strickler. 

1858. 

John  Reist. 

Thomas  Young. 

1859. 

S.  P.  L.  Franks. 

Jacob  Newmeyer. 

1860. 

Joseph  Cunningham. 

1822.  Matthew  Gaut. 

1861. 

John  Reist. 

.Matlhew  Wray. 

1862. 

Samuel  Smead. 

Moses  Vance. 

1 863. 

Samuel  Smouse. 

Henry  Strickler. 

1864. 

John  Reist. 

1823.  Matthew  Gaut. 

1865. 

J.  W.  Stellwagon. 

Matthew  Wray. 

J.  C.  Stauffer. 

J.  Newmeyer. 

1866. 

G.  W.  An.lerson. 

The  duties  of  these  officers  were  identical  with  those  of  the  ■*  Audi- 
i  of  Accuiirits."  which  were  elected  after  1800.  Until  that  time  they 
■d  jointly  for  Tyrone  and  Biillekin.  This  list,  which  has  been  gath- 
I  from  the  elt^ction  returns  in  the  prothonotJiry'a  office  and  from  the 
rt  records,  is  much  neiirer  complete  for  the  early  years  than  those 
he  c.tlior  township  officei-s. 


TYllONE— UPPKll  AND   LOWEK  TOWNSHIPS. 


67.  Joseph  C.  Stuuffer. 
68-69.  J.  N.  McDonald. 
70.  Matthew  Wray. 


1873.  Noah  M.  Anderson. 
1S74.  Alexander  Morehead. 


District  No.  2.- 


Rice  G.  Strickler. 

James  Wiley. 

P.  G.  Cochran. 

Robert  W.  McGregor,   Eu^t! 

inson. 
Harrison   Co.\,  Lavain  Asj.i 

Ham.  Ellis. 
Rice  G.  Strickler. 
David  P.  Husband. 
P.  G.  Cochran. 
Albert  Emerson. 


ERECTION    OF    UPPER    AND    LOWER    TYRONE. 

The  division  of  old  Tyrone  into  the  townships  of 
Upper  and  Lower  Tyrone  was  effected  in  1877  in  the 
manner  detailed  below. 

At  the  September  term  of  the  court  of  Quarter 
Sessions  in  1876  the  following  petition  was  presented 
to  the  court,  viz. : 

"  The  inhabitants  of  Tyrone  township  plead  to  have 
the  said  township  of  Tyrone  divided  by  a  line  com- 
mencing at  a  point  on  the  Youghiogheny  Eiver  at 
the  mouth  of  a  small  stream  at  the  upper  end  of  Brown 
&  Cochran's  coke-ovens;  thence  north  1}°  west  718 
perches  to  a  point  on  the  top  of  a  hill  in  Joseph 
Strickler's  field,  northwest  of  his  house;  thence  north 
13°  west  194  perches  to  a  point  on  Jacob's  Creek. 
And  therefore  praying  the  court  to  appoint  proper 
persons  to  view  the  same,  etc." 

On  the  16th  of  September*  1876,  tiie  court  appointed 
A.  G.  Gilmorp,  Blair  Francis,  and  Thomas  J.  Butter- 
more  commissioners  to  inquire  into  the  propriety  of 
granting  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners.  An  order  was 
issued  to  the  commissioners  Nov.  14, 1876,  and  returned 
December  16th  the  same  year  with  their  report  and 
plat  attached  marking  the  proposed  division  of  the 
township  as  prayed  for.  On  the  13th  of  March,  1877, 
remonstrances  were  filed  and  continued  until  June 
session  of  court  1877.  At  this  session  the  commis- 
sioners made  a  return  of  their  proceedings  to  Decem- 
ber session,  1876,  at  which  time  they  were  continued 
to  March  session,  1877,  and  again  continued  to  June 
session,  1877.  The  return  was  favorable  to  the  divi- 
sion of  the  township  of  Tyrone,  and  the  commis- 
sioners reported  that  in  their  opinion  it  would  be  an 
advantage  and  convenience  to  the  inhabitants  of  the 
township  to  divide  it  by  the  following  lines,  viz. : 

"Beginning  at  a  point  on  the  Youghiogheny  River  at  the 
mouth  of  a  small  stream  at  the  upper  end  of  Brown  A  Coi-h- 
ran's  coke-works  ;  thence  north  U°  west  7.32  perches  to  a  locust- 
tree  on  the  top  of  a  hill  in  Joseph  Strickler's  field,  north  of  his 
house;  thence  north  1.3°  west  205  perches  to  a  point  on  Jacob's 
Creek,  the  last  line  running  north  13»  west,  if  continued  into 
Westmoreland  County  would  run  into  a  frame  house  owned  and 
occupied  by  John  Cottem.  The  court  orders  a  vote  <.f  the 
qualified  electors  of  said  Tyrone  township  on  the  question  of 
the  division  of  said  township  according  to  said  line;  and  the 
court  further  orders  that  the  election  officers  of  said  township 


shall  hold  an  election  for  that  purpose  at  the  place  fixed  by  law 
for  holding  township  elections  in  said  township  on  the  17th  day 
of  August,  1877,  between  the  hours  of  7  o'clock  a.m.  and  7 
o'clock  P.M.,  and  make  return  of  said  election  according  to  law." 

In  accordance  with  this  order  of  the  court  an  elec- 
tion was  held  with  the  following  result,  viz. :  For  a 
division  of  the  township,  two  hundred  and  eighty-one 
votes;  against  a  division  thereof,  one  hundred  and 
seventy-eight  votes.  Thereupon,  on  the  5th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1877,  the  court  ordered  and  decreed  that  said 
township  be  divided  agreeably  to  the  line  marked 
and  returned  by  the  commissioners,  and,  further,  "  that 
the  name  of  the  township  lying  in  the  east  of  said 
division  line  shall  be  Upper  Tyrone,  and  that  the 
name  of  the  township  lying  in  the  west  of  said  divis- 
ion line  shall  be  Lower  Tyrone." 

The  following-named  persons  were  and  have  been 
elected  to  the  offices  indicated  in  the  two  townships 
from  their  organization  to  the  present  time: 

Upper  Ti/roiie.—lS7Q.  Assessor,  Jesse  Herbert; 
Auditor,  J.  S.  Newcomer.  1880.  Assessor,  Samuel 
Eicher ;  Auditor,  J.  C.  Brownfield.  1881.  Justice, 
John  W.  Stillwagon;  Judge,  J.  C.  Marshall;  In- 
spectors, H.  R.  Francis,  C.  Keift'er  ;  School  Directors, 
J.  D.  Porter,  D.  L.  Sherrick ;  Assessor,  A.  S.  Eite- 
nour ;  Supervisors,  J.  King,  R.  Wilson  ;  Constable, 
E.  M.  Hadsworth  ;  Auditor,  P.  G.  Cochran  ;  Town- 
ship Clerk,  Scott  Hill. 

Loiver  Ti/roiie.—lS7d.  Assessor,  Peter  Newmyer; 
Auditor,  Hiram  Cottoni.  1880.  Assessor,  M.  Cun- 
ningham; Auditor,  W.  H.  Morrow.  1881.  Justice, 
Hugh  Best;  Judge,  N.  A.  Rist ;  Inspectors,  H.  Cot- 
torn,  T.  J.  Cunningham ;  Constable,  James  Moody ; 
School  Directors,  P.  Hough,  W.  Galley,  A.  Shallen- 
berger ;  Supervisors,  I.  Cottom,  T.  Sprout,  H.  Cun- 
ningham ;  Assessor,  M.  G.  Cunningham  ;  Auditor,  J. 
H.  Wurtz  ;  Town  Clerk,  John  Burns. 

RELIGIOUS    WORSHIP. 
TYKONE  PRESBYTERIAN   CllURClI.l 

Among  the  early  settlers  in  this  part  of  Western 
Pennsylvania  were  many  of  the  Scotch-Irish,  a  brave, 
hardy,  industrious,  thrifty,  independent  people,  with 

'  strong  Presbyterian  attachments.  When  Rev.  James 
Power  first  visited  this  region  on  his  missionary  tour 
in  1774  he  found  the  Smiths,  the  Vances,the  Chains, 
the  Stewarts,  and  others.     Among  them  were  three 

I  sons  and  two  daughters  of  one  godly  woman  who  was 
married  twice  in  Cumberland  County,  Pa.,  where  she 
died.  Her  oldest  son,  Barnett  Cunningham,  came 
from  Peach  Bottom  Valley,  a.d.  1770,  with  his  wife, 
Anna  Wilson,  to  whom  he  had  then  been  married 
ten  years.     He  had  been  preceded  a  short  time  by  his 

I  eldest  sister,  Margery,  wife  of  Col.  Joseph  Huston, 

j  and  the  mother  of  a  numerous  family.  About  1770 
to  1772  their  half-brother,  James  Torrance,  followed 

iThis  history  of  the  Tyrone  Presbyterian  Church  is  taken  mainly 
I  from  a  hi-torical  sermon  delivered  by  its  pastor,  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Steven- 
'   son,  Sept.  S,  1876. 


792 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


with  his  wife  and  one  small  child.  Of  the  family, 
William  Cunningham  and  Ann,  wife  of  Robert 
Clark,  probably  came  about  the  same  time.  The 
tarms  of  a  number  of  these  were  contiguous  to  each 
other,  and  near  where  the  church  now  stands,  and 
perhaps  this  fact,  as  much  as  any  other,  determined 
the  site  of  the  first  house  of  worship,  if  not  the  very 
existence  of  Tyrone  Church. 

That  Dr.  Power  jireached  here  on  his  missionary 
tour  there  is  little  duuht,  but  the  statement  published 
in  the  Pre»l,ii)n-;<i„  .{,ln„;,tfm  October,  1854,  that  he 
"then  organized  Tyrone  Church,  baptized  Barnett 
Cunningham's  child,  and  ordained  him  and  his  half- 
brother,  James  Torrance,  elders,"  must  be  incorrect, 
for  Dr.  Power  himself  was  not  ordained  until  August, 

When  Dr.  Power  removed  his  family  "  to  the 
western  part  of  the  province,"  '  in  October,  1776,  he 
fixed  his  residence  tor  some  time  at  Dunlai)'s  Creek. 
He  occupied  himself  chiefly  in  missionary  labors 
among  the  sparse  settlements,  organizing  a  number 
of  churches,  to  all  of  which  he  was  "  a  sort  of  mis- 
sionary pastor."  -  Among  these  were  Dunlap's  Creek, 
Laurel  Hill,  Mount  Pleasant,  Unity,  Sewickly,  and 
Tyrone.  "  The  extent  and  variety  of  his  labors  may 
be  inferred  from  one  incident  connected  with  the 
Cross  Creek  Church,  in  the  northwestern  part  of 
Washington  County,  Pa.  On  his  first  visit  there,  on 
the  14th  of  November,  1778,  Dr.  Power  preached  the 
first  gospel  sermon  ever  heard  there  under  an  oak- 
tree,  just  outside  the  gate  at  Vance's  Fort,  in  the 
presence  of  a  military  comjKiny  about  to  go  forth  on 
an  expedition  nj^ainst  the  Indians.  After  the  sermon 
he  baptized  tweuty-nne  children,  among  whom  was 
Sarah,  eldest  daugliter  of  Mr.  Thomas  Marquis,  who 
was  afterwards  called  to  a  ministry  of  holy  baptism 
in  the  same  place.  This  child  lived  to  become  the 
wife  of  Rev.  .Tospph  Stevenson,  and  mother  of  Rev. 
John  McMillan  Stevenson,  D.D.,  now  senior  secre- 
tary of  the  American  Tract  Society,"  and  grand- 
mother of  the  [iresent  pastor  of  Tyrone  Church. 

This  incident,  related  by  Dr.  Brownson  in  his  ad- 
dress at  the  Mount  Pleasant  centennial  reunion, 
gives  a  key  to  the  origin  c,f  a  number  of  the  oldest 
Presbyterian  ( 'Inirelie^  in  Western  Pennsylvania.  Dr. 
Power  was  aeeustouied  during  the  three  years  he 
lived  and  preached  at  Dunlap's  Creek  to  visit  fre- 
quently the  "settlements,"  preaching,  "catechising," 
baptizing  the  children  of  such  as  were  church-mem- 
bers in  the  East,  and  (we  may  well  suppose)  admin- 
istering the  Lord's  Supper  to  his  people  in  the  wil- 
derness, admitting  many  to  sealing  ordinances  upon 
their  profession  of  their  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  and 
ordaining  elders  in  many  places. 

As  Tyrone  lies  directly  on  the  road  from  Dunlap's 
Creek  by  Laurel  Hill  to  Mount  Pleasant  and  Se- 
wickly, where  it  is  known  he  was  at  this  time  estab- 


lishing congregations,  it  is  believed  that  he  preached 
here  often,  visiting  and  catechising  as  was  his  man- 
ner, and  thus  gathered  and  established  his  congrega- 
tion. 

It  is  not  probable  that  this  church  was  ever  formally 
organized  according  to  the  present  mode  of  proceed- 
ing. Indeed  it  was  not  possible  that  it  should  be,  for, 
like  "  many  of  the  oldest  churches,  it  enjoyed  the 
pastoral  labors  and  care  of  a  minister  years  before 
the  erection  of  the  mother  Presbytery." 

Tyrone  was  the  first  of  all  the  churches  to  be 
recognized  iu  Presbytery  under  the  dignity  of  a 
"  congregation."  In  the  records  of  the  second  meet- 
ing of  the  Presbytery  of  Redstone,  at  "  Delap's 
Creek,"  Oct.  23,  1782,  is  the  following  minute:  "A 
supplication  for  supplies  from  Tyrone  congregation 
was  brought  in  and  read.  Request  was  granted,  and 
Mr.  Power  was  appointed  to  supply  the  second  Sab- 
bath in  December,  and  Mr.  Dunlap  the  third  Sabbath 
in  March." 

In  February,  1784,  according  to  the  statement  of  a 
woman  in  the  congregration   who  was  then  married 

-  by  him,  Mr.  Power  was  preaching  one-fourth  of  his 

I  time  at  Tyrone.  How  long  this  continued  cannot 
now  be  ascertained,  but  in  October,  1798,  Tyrone  ap- 
pears again  in  Presbytery  asking  for  supplies.  A 
Rev.  Moore  and  Rev.  Samuel  Porter  were  each  ap- 
pointed one  Sabbath.  During  the  next  eleven  years 
Tyrone  appears  in  Presbytery,  not  regularly,  but 
frequently. 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  Synod  of  Pittsburgh, 
in  the  year  1802,  Tyrone 'was  reported  in  the  list  of 

j  churches  "  vacant  and  unable  to  support  a  pastor.'" 
The  only  additional  evidence  found  of  stated  ser- 

[  vices  in  Tyrone  at  any  time  during  eighteen  years 
preceding  the  above  date  was  in  a  paper  until  very 
recently  in  the  possession  of  the  family  of  Elder 
James  Torrance.     It  contained  a  subscription  for  the 

I  purpose  of  securing  a  portion  of  the  services  of  Dr. 

I  Dunlap,  who  was  for  twenty  years  previous  to  1803 
pastor  of  Laurel  Hill  Church.     Neither  the  date  of 

I  that  paper,  the  portion  of  service  it  secured,  nor  the 
time  the  arrangement  continued  is  now  known,  but 
it  must  have  been  near  the  close  of  his  pastorate  at 

I  Laurel  Hill,  for  Mr.  J.  Huston  Torrance  (son  of 
James),  born  iu  the  year  1795,  distinctly  remembers 

,  hearing  Dr.  Dunlap  at  the  "  tent"  under  that  large 

'  hickory-tree  on  the  spot  where  tradition  says  the 
church  was  organized. 

Without  doubt  Dr.  Power  in  the  year  1774  preached 
the  first  sermon  ever  heard  here,  and  there  is  no  evi- 
dence that  any  but  he  preached  here  during  the  eight 
years  that  intervened  before  the  first  meeting  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Redstone,  when  Tyrone  was  recognized 

I  as  an  established  "congregation."  Nor  can  there  be 
any  doubt  that  to  his  abundant  labors  more  than  of 
all  others  is  Tyrone  indebted  for  whatever  pastoral 


TYIJONE— UPPER   AND   LOWER   TOWNSHIPS. 


care  it  enjoyed  during  tlie  twenty-eiglit  or  thirty 
years  it  had  no  pastor.  In  the  grateful  acknowledg- 
ments of  these  years  of  unchronicled  privations  and 
hardships  and  perils,  next  to  Dr.  Power,  comes  Dr. 
Dunlap.  Before  reviewing  the  unbroken  pastorate 
of  fifty-seven  years  which  followed  it  is  proper  to 
mention  the  successive  houses  in  which  this  congre- 
gation has  worshiped. 

Tyrone  congregation  has  erected  four  churches  on 
the  parcel  of  ground  now  occupied  by  the  church  and 
graveyard.  The  lot,  containing  two  acres,  is  part  of 
a  tract  for  which  John  Stewart  took  out  a  patent, 
dated  Oct.  3,  1787,  under  the  significant  title  of 
"  Pleasant  Garden."  This  interesting  and  suggestive 
document  is  now  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  E.  H.  Reid, 
to  whom  that  portion  of  the  original  tract  which  sur- 
rounds the  church  ground  now  belongs.  The  title 
by  which  the  congregation  held  this  lot  having  been 
lost  through  the  vicissitudes  incident  to  frontier  life, 
in  1800,  Abraham  Kent  and  Tabitha,  his  wife,  then 
possessed  of  the  original  tract,  executed  a  new  deed, 
securing  to  "  Matthew  Gaut,  William  Chain,  and 
William  Smith,  trustees,  and  to  their  successors  in 
office  forever,  said  lot  for  the  use  of  Tyrone  Church." ' 
■  The  first  house  built  by  Tyrone  congregation^  was 
a  fair  specimen  of  the  primitive  "  meeting-houses"  in 
Western  Pennsylvania,  and  corresponded  with  the 
cabins  of  the  pioneers.  "  It  was  simply  a  cabin  of  a 
larger  size."  Dr.  Eaton's  description  of  "  an  early 
church"'  is  probably  almost  literally  true  of  the  first 
meeting-house  at  Tyrone.  "  Trees  were  felled  of  the 
proper  size,  cut  to  the  desired  length,  notched  at  the 
corners,  and  laid  up,  log  upon  log,  to  the  desired 
height.  For  the  gable  ends  the  ends  of  the  logs  were 
chopped  off  to  give  the  proper  inclination  to  the  roof, 
and  logs  placed  across  to  receive  the  clapboards. 
These  clapboards  were  split  out  of  straight  oak, 
placed  in  order  on  these  logs,  and  kept  in  place  by 
weight-poles.  The  doors  and  windows  were  then  cut 
out,  the  floor  was  laid  with  puncheons  split  from 
straight  logs,  the  door  made  from  the  same,  with  pins 
and  wooden  hinges,  and  the  windows  filled  with  oiled 
linen  or  paper.  In  some  cases  neither  nail  nor  bit  of 
sawed  lumber  were  employed.  Instances  are  recorded 
where  churches  were  built  in  a  single  day,  and  with- 
out the  outlay  of  a  single  dollar." 

This  house  had  no  floor  but  the  earth.  "  The  seats 
were  logs  split  and  elevated  on  wooden  logs."  The 
pulpit  was  arranged  with  two  upright  puncheons,  and 
a  third  across  to  hold  the  books.    Another  puncheon, 

1  Kecorded  Oct.  11,  1800,  in  Book  C,  page  339,  in  recorder's  office, 
Fayette  County. 

2  It  is  stated  in  the  "  History  of  Centre  Cburcli  fOIiinl,  With  an  Tntrn- 
duction,  Giving  the  Rise  of  Other  Churches,  by  Robert  A.  sluir.ml,  1^>J^" 
tliat  the  Tyrone  Presbyterian  Church  Mas  organized  in  1TT4  i  ,v  i!i.>  Kfv. 
James  Power ;  that  its  first  meeting-house  was  built  in  177s,  :uia  uas 
used  by  the  congregation  for  about  seventy  years.  It  is  evidcmt  that 
the  last  part  of  Mr.  Sherrard's  statement  is  incorrect,  and  that  he  in- 
cludes in  his  period  of  seventy  years  the  time  that  the  first  two  houses 


3  Centenary  Memorial,  p.  225. 


supported  by  two  stout  pins  in  the  wall,  served  for  the 
minister's  seat.  Thirteen  years  ago  the  remains  of 
this  first  house,  which  stood  on  the  highest  spot  be- 
tween the  present  church  building  and  the  burial- 
ground,  were  little  more  than  a  heap  of  rul)bish, 
which  gradually  disappeared. 

The  second  house  of  worship  was  built  between 
1800  and  1806,  probably  about  the  time  when  Rev. 
James  Guthrie  became  pastor.  It  stood  just  between 
the  present  house  and  the  lower  corner  of  the  lot, 
with  a  gable  towards  the  spring.  It  was  of  hewn  logs, 
with  a  clapboard  roof,  and  about  thirty  feet  square 
at  first.  The  pulpit  was  in  the  lower  side  of  the 
house.  Two  aisles,  terminating  in  a  door  at  either 
end,  save  where  the  pulpit  stood,  crossed  each  other 
at  right  angles  near  the  middle  of  the  house.  The 
seats  (there  were  no  pews)  in  the  half  of  the  house 
ill  which  the  pulpit  was  located  were  placed  parallel 
with  the  one  aisle,  so  that  those  sitting  to  the  right 
and  left  of  the  pulpit  faced  each  other  and  the  min- 
ister ;  while  in  the  other  half  of  the  house  the  seats 
ran  parallel  with  the  cross  aisle.  At  length  the 
house  was  enlarged  by  a  "  lean-to"  addition  at  the 
side  opposite  to  the  pulpit,  and  the  roof,  which  was 
extended  with  diminished  pitch,  shed-like,  to  cover  it, 
came  down  almost  to  the  lintel  of  the  door  that 
opened  under  its  eaves,  giving  to  the  structure  a  pe- 
culiar and  very  unchurchlike  appearance. 

After  serving  for  more  than  half  a  century  this 
house  was  superseded  by  one  built  of  brick  upon  the 
same  site.  The  first  sermon  in  this,  the  third  house 
of  worship,  was  preached  by  Rev.  Ross  Stevenson  on 
Friday,  June  4,  1852.  After  a  while  the  foundation 
gave  way,  and  the  wall  scracked,  so  that  it  became 
necessary  to  repair  or  rebuild.  A  meeting  of  the 
congregation  was  called.  Rev.  John  McMillan,  D.D., 
preached  from  Neh.  ii.  17  :  "Then  said  I  unto  them. 
Ye  see  the  distress  that  we  are  in,  how  Jerusalem  lieth 
waste,  and  the  gates  thereof  are  burned  with  fire : 
come,  and  let  us  build  up  the  wall  of  Jerusalem,  that 
we  be  no  more  a  reproach."  Thus  exhorted  they  re- 
solved to  build.  A  subscription  was  begun  at  once, 
and  after  four  months  the  contract  for  building  the 
fourth  church  edifice  was  awarded  to  Mr.  J.  L.  White 
for  .$3500  and  the  old  house,  valued  at  §500.  Then 
the  first  brick  house,  after  only  nineteen  years'  ser- 
vice, was  demolished. 

During  the  next  eighteen  months  the  homeless 
congregation  worshiped  in  school-houses,  occasionally 
accepting  the  kindly  proffered  hospitality  of  their 
Methodist  Episcopal  neighbors,  and  holding  com- 
munion services  in  their  churches  until  they  occu- 
pied their  present  sanctuary,  which  is  a  model  of 
rural  simplicity  and  taste,  and  which  fully  maintains 
the  ratio  of  excellence  by  which  each  of  the  former 
ones  surpassed  its  predecessor.  On  Sabbath,  May  4, 
1873,  under  these  grand  old  oaks,  in  whose  shade  the 
fathers,  generation  aftergeneration,  for  a  hundred  years 
had  worshiped   Jehovah,  this   beautiful    house   was 


79-t 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


solemnly  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  the  true  and 
living  God. 

Turning  to  the  pastors  and  stated  supplies  who  have 
served  this  church,  we  find  for  the  first  thirty  years 
no  pastor,  and  but  two  who  for  any  time  administered 
statedly  the  ordinances,  namely,  Drs.  Power  and 
Dunlap.  A  history  of  Tyrone  Church  would  be  in- 
complete without  at  least  a  brief  sketch  of  Rev. 
.James  Power,  D.D.  He  was  born  in  Chester  County, 
Pa.,  educated  at  Princeton,  and  licensed  by  the  Pres- 
bytery of  New  Castle  in  the  year  1772.  The  follow- 
ing year  he  received  a  call  from  the  united  congrega- 
lions  of  Highbridge,  Cambridge,  and  Oxford,  in 
Botetourt  County,  Va.  Perhaps  the  fact  that  many 
of  Mrs.  Power's  acquaintances  and  friends  (among 
them  her  father,  Philip  Tanner,  one  of  Rev.  James 
Finley's  elders)  had  recently  emigrated  west  of  the 
mountains  determined  Mr.  Power  to  decline  that  call 
and  visit  the  new  settlements.  Accordingly,  in  the 
summer  of  1774,  he  crossed  the  Allegheny  Mountains, 
and  spent  three  months  in  itinerant  labors  "  in  what 
are  now  Westmoreland,  Allegheny,  Washington,  and 
Fayette  Counties,  Pa."  Late  in  the  fall  of  1776  he 
again  crossed  the  mountains,  this  time  bringing  his 
family  with  him.  consisting  of  his  wife  and  four 
daughters.  "  They  were  mounted  on  horses,  his  wife 
on  one,  he  on  another,  his  oldest  daughter  behind 
him,  his  youngest,  almost  a  babe,  seated  on  a  pillow 
in  front  of  him,  the  other  two  comfortably  and  cozily 
seated  in  a  sort  of  hamper-baskets,  one  on  each  side 
of  a  led  horse.'"  An  explanation  of  his  fixing  his 
first  residence  on  Dunlap's  Creek  is  found  in  the  fact 
that  there  Mrs.  Power  would  be  among  friends  and 
near  her  father  during  the  frequent  and  long  absences 
of  her  husband. 

After  three  years  of  a  "  sort  of  missionary  pastorate" 
throughout  the  settlements,  Dr.  Power  removed  his 
family  to  Mount  Pleasant,  in  1779,  and  became  pastor 
of  Mount  Pleasant  and  Sewickly  Churches,  and  for  a 
wliile  Unity  and  Tyrone  shared  in  his  regular  labors. 
Although  never  regularly  installed,  he  fulfilled  with 
marked  fidelity  the  office  of  pastor  in  Sewickly  until 
1777,  and  in  ^Mount  Pleasant  thirty  years  longer,  when 
age  and  infirmity  cniii|.clliii  liiiii  to  cease.  "Thirteen 
years  more  he  linL:i'i-.d.  pnituiiihUy  revered  by  his 
descendants  and  tlu-  |kii].Ic  ul  his  cliarge,  until  Aug. 
•">,  1S30,  when,  in  the  eighty-fifth  year  of  his  age,  his 
released  spirit  joined  the  redeemed  company  of  his 
fellow-laborers,  and  his  body  was  laid  quietly  down 
ill  a  hallowed  grave  to  await  the  resurrection  of  the 

The  Rev.  James  Dunlap,  D.D.,  was  born  in  Chester 
County,  Pa.,  in  1774.  He  was  graduated  at  Prince- 
ton, studied  theology  with  Rev.  James  Finley,  was 
licensed  by  the  Presbytery  of  Donegal,  1770  to  1781. 
He  was  ordained  "sine  titulo"  by  the  Presbytery  of 
New  Castle,  and  came  West  with  his  theological  pre- 


ceptor the  same  year.  In  October,  1782,  he  received 
the  first  call  which  passed  through  the  hands  of  Red- 
stone Presbytery.  This  call,  which  was  from  the 
churches  of  "  Delap's  Creek"  and  Laurel  Hill,  he  ac- 
cepted, but  was  never  installed,  this  formality  being  of 
more  recent  date.  Dr.  Dunlap  remained  pastor  of  both 
churches  for  seven  years,  and  of  Laurel  Hill  for  four- 
teen yeai-s  more,  and  near  the  close  of  this  period  was 
stated  supply  at  Tyrone  for  some  part  of  his  time. 
From  180.3  till  1811  he  was  president  of  Jefi'erson 
College,  and  died  in  Abingdon,  Pa.,  Nov.  11,  1818,  in 
the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his  age. 

He  was  no  doubt  the  finest  scholar  in  the  Presby- 
tery. It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  the  two  men  who 
nursed  this  little  church  in  the  wilderness  were  the 
first  of  the  pioneer  ministers  whose  talents  and  schol- 
arship were  recognized  by  academic  honors.  In  1807 
Mr.  Dunlap  received  from  Jeflferson  College  its  first 
honorary  degree  of  "  Divinitatis  Doctor,"  and  the 
next  year  Mr.  Power's  name  was  placed  second  on 
the  list  now  grown  so  long. 

The  Rev.  James  Guthrie,  the  first  pastor  of  Tyrone 
congregation,  was  born  in  Westmoreland  County,  Pa. 
He  was  a  child  of  the  covenant,  and  his  Scotch-Irish 
parents  carefully  instructed  him  in  the  duties  and 
doctrines  of  religion.  Their  faithfulness  was  rewarded 
by  the  early  conversion  of  their  son,  whose  mind  was 
soou  turned  to  the  gospel  ministry.  With  this  in 
view  he  entered  Dickinson  College.  Upon  his  grad- 
uation he  commenced  the  study  of  theology  with  one 
of  the  pastors  of  the  Presbytery.  In  October,  1801, 
he  appears  in  Presbytery,  and  the  following  minute 
was  made  in  the  record  :  "  Mr.  James  Guthrie  offered 
himself  to  be  taken  on  trial  as  a  candidate  for  the 
gospel  ministry.  Presbytery  having  received  testi- 
monials of  his  good  moral  character,  of  his  being  in 
full  communion  of  the  church,  and  having  taken  a 
regular  course  of  literature,  proceeded  to  converse 
with  him  on  his  experimental  acquaintance  with  re- 
ligion and  the  motives  which  induced  him  to  desire 
the  ofiice,  and,  having  received  satisfaction,  agreed  to 
take  him  on  further  trial,  and  assigned  him  an  exer- 
cise on  the  following  theme  :  '  Quomodo  miraculai  pro- 
bant  Scripturas  Sacras  esse  Divinas,'  and  an  homily 
on  1  John  iv.  9:  'In  this  was  manifested  the  love  of 
God  towards  us,  because  that  God  sent  his  only  begot- 
ten Son  into  the  world  that  we  might  live  through 
him.'  Both  to  be  delivered  at  the  next  meeting  of 
Presbytery." 

These  duties  were  satisfactorily  performed,  as  were 
all  others  that  were  assigned,  until,  "  having  passed 
through  all  the  parts  of  trial  required  by  the  book, 
Mr.  Guthrie  was,  on  the  19th  of  March,  1803,  at  Lau- 
rel Hill,  licensed  iu  regular  form  as  a  probationer  for 
the  gospel  ministry,"  and  opportunity  was  given  him 
to  make  full  proof  of  his  ministry  in  the  following 
list  of  appointments :  "  The  first  Sabbath  in  May,  at 
Pitt  township  [Beulah]  ;  the  second,  Salem;  third,  at 
Wheatfie'id  ;    fourth,  (juciualKining ;  fifth,  Somerset. 


TYRONE— UPPER   AND   LOWER   TOWNSHIPS. 


705 


First  Sabbath  in  June,  Turkey  Foot  [Confluence]. 
First  Sabbath  in  July,  Uniontown  ;  second,  Morgan- 
town,  Va. ;  third,  Middletown,  Va. ;  fourth,  Clarks- 
burg, Va.  First  Sabbath  in  August,  Tygart's  Val- 
ley, Va. ;  second,  Morgantown  ;  third,  Monongahela 
Glades,  Va.;  fourth,  Sandy  Creek,  Pa.;  fifth,  Turkey 
Foot.  First  Sabbath  in  September,  Turkey  Foot; 
second,  Quemahoning ;  third,  Wheatfield ;  fourth,  [ 
Salem  ;  and  first  Sabbath  in  October,  Pitt  township."  j 

This  formidable  list  of  appointments  kept  the 
young  licentiate  the  greater  part  of  the  summer  in 
the  saddle.  For  weeks  together  zigzaging  in  and  out 
among  the  mountains,  climbing  perilous  steeps,  ford- 
ing unbridged  rivers,  often  threading  his  way  through 
dense  forests  along  lonely  bridle-paths,  we  have  dis-  j 
played  some  of  those  elements  of  character  which 
marked  and  made  successful  the  long  pastorate  of 
Mr.  Guthrie.  At  the  "  fall  meeting"  of  Presbytery 
he  was  appointed  to  supply  as  missionary  for  the 
space  of  two  months  in  the  southern  departments  of 
Presbytery, — in  January,  1804,  at  discretion  ;  at  Laurel 
Hill  the  second  Sabbath  in  February,  and  at  Tyrone 
the  third.  This  was  Mr.  Guthrie's  first  Sabbath  at  ' 
Tyrone.  These  appointments,  like  the  former  ones, 
were  all  fulfilled,  and  Presbytery  recorded  their  ap- 
probation of  his  fidelity  and  ability,  and  judged  "his  j 
mission  very  successful." 

In  April,   1804,  a  call  from  the  congregations  of  ' 
Laurel  Hill  and  Tyrone  was  presented  to  Mr.  Guthrie.  I 
He  requested  "  permission  to  hold  the  call  under  con-  j 
sideration,  and  leave  to  itinerate  without  the  bounds  [ 
of  Presbytery  for  three  months."     In  October,  1804,  j 
Mr.  Guthrie  signified  his  acceptance  of  the  call,  and  | 
arrangements  were  made  for  his  installation  the  next  I 
April.     As  no  more  appointments  were  made  for  him 
than  for  the  pastors  in  the  Presbytery,  it  is  probable  j 
that  Mr.  Guthrie  at  once  entered  upon  his  labors  here.  | 
According  to  the  above  arrangement.  Presbytery  met 
at  Laurel  Hill,  April  17,  1805;  proceeded  to  ordain 
Mr.  Guthrie,  "and  did,  by  prayer  and  the  imposition 
of  hands,  solemnly  set  him  apart  to  the  holy  oiBce  of 
the  gospel  ministry,  and  install  him  in  the  united  con- 
gregations of  Laurel  Hill  and  Tyrone,"  and  for  the 
first  time  in  its  history  this  church  had  a  pastor.    On 
this  interesting  occasion  the  Eev.  George  Hill,  father, 
or  perhaps  grandfather,  of  Rev.  George  Hill,  D.D., 
preached  "the  ordination  sermon,"  and  the  Rev.  Jo- 
seph Henderson  presided.     There  is  no  record  of  any 
charge  to  pastor  or  people,  and  the  installation  was  ; 
not  repeated  here. 

This  relation  continued  almost  forty-six  years,  until 
the   death   of  Mr.  Guthrie,  Aug.    24,   1850,   in   the  i 
seventy-fourth  year  of  his  age.     The  oldest  members 
of  this   congregation    remember   and   venerate   Mr.  j 
Guthrie  as  a  father.     He  baptized  them  in  their  in- 
fancy, catechised  them  in  their  youth,  received  them  j 
into  the  church  in  maturer  years,  married  them,  bap-  I 
tized  their  children,  and  buried  their  parents.     He  is  ' 
remembered  as  a  small  man  of  ruddy  complexion  and 


nervous  temperament;  kind,  genial,  benevolent;  a 
devoted  pastor  and  a  warm  friend.  The  Rev.  Joel 
Stoneroad,  his  colleague  and  successor,  says,  "  The 
general  traits  of  the  Scotch-Irish  marked  the  char- 
acter of  Mr.  Guthrie."  He  was  four  times  married. 
His  first  wife  was  the  daughter  of  Joseph  Torrance, 
Esq.,  a  member  of  Laurel  Hill  Session.  His  second 
wife  was  Miss  Gallaher,  of  Dunlap's  Creek.  His 
third  wife  was  a  Widow  Hunter,  daughter  of  William 
Smith,  an  elder  at  Tyrone.  His  fourth  wife  was  Mrs. 
Beeson,  of  Uniontown,  who,  after  the  death  of  Mr. 
Guthrie,  married  Mr.  Johnston  Van  Kirk,  of  Dunlap's 
Creek.  All  Mr.  Guthrie's  wives  had  the  reputation 
of  being  truly  excellent  women,  being  well  suited  to 
their  place  and  station. 

"  Mr.  Guthrie's  mental  character,  though  not  extra- 
ordinary, was  quite  respectable.  His  talents  partook 
chiefly  of  the  practical  rather  than  the  speculative, 
which  made  him  all  the  more  useful  as  a  preacher 
and  pastor.  As  to  his  ministerial  character,  it  was 
perfectly  stainless  through  his  long  pastorate  of  forty- 
six  years.  The  integrity  of  his  religious  character 
was  never  questioned,  even  by  his  enemies.  He  was 
truly  a  whole-souled  man,  generous  to  a  fault.  Fre- 
quently when  his  people  had  fallen  into  arrears  he 
would  canceL  his  claim  rather  than  report  them  in 
Presbytery  as  delinquents,  and  this  when  his  salary 
from  both  congregations  never  exceeded  four  hundred 
dollars." 

The  Rev.  Joel  Stoneroad,  the  second  pastor  of  Ty- 
rone, was  born  in  Mifliin  County,  Pa.,  in  the  year 
1806 ;  graduated  at  Jefferson  College  in  1827,  and  at 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary  in  1830.  He  labored 
one  year  as  a  domestic  missionary  at  Morgantown, 
Va.,  and  vicinity ;  was  pastor  of  Uniontown  Presby- 
terian Church  from  1832  to  1842,  then  pastor  of  Cross- 
Roads  Church,  Presbytery  of  Washington,  for  eight 
years.  In  the  spring  of  1850  he  removed  to  Laurel 
Hill,  and  on  the  5th  of  June  was  installed  collegiate 
pastor  with  Rev.  James  Guthrie  in  the  united  congre- 
gations of  Laurel  Hill  and  Tyrone.  Under  the  able 
and  energetic  labors  of  the  junior  pastor,  who  brought 
to  the  field  the  rich  experience  of  nineteen  years  in 
the  work  of  the  ministry,  the  congregation  prospered. 
Two  elders  were  added  to  the  session  the  first  year. 
Just  two  years,  lacking  a  day,  from  the  installation 
of  the  second  pastor  the  congregation  entered  their 
first  brick  house  of  worship,  and  the  regular  additions 
to  its  membership  witnessed  a  healthy  spiritual  life. 
In  April,  1861,  Laurel  Hill  asked  and  obtained  the 
whole  of  Mr.  Stoneroad's  time,  and  Tyrone  became 
vacant  for  the  first  time  in  fifty-seven  years. 

Father  Stoneroad  still  lives  at  Laurel  Hill,  where, 
abundant  in  labors,  he  has  proclaimed  the  gospel  of 
salvation  for  twenty-six  years,  though  not  now  so 
much  a  "  Boanerges"  as  a  "  Barnabas."  The  oldest 
of  her  living  pastors,  Tyrone  affectionately  greets  him 
to-day,  and  thanks  God  for  his  presence. 

A  vacancy  occurs  from  April,  1S61,  to  1864,  during 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  greater  part  of  which  time  the  pulpit  was  irregu- 
larly supplied.  The  principal  exception  was  in  the 
summer  of  1862,  when  the  talented,  consecrated,  but 
now  lamented  George  Paul,  then  a  licentiate,  under 
appointment  as  a  foreign  missionary,  labored  here 
for  some  months,  and  his  name  is  still  "  as  ointment 
poured  forth."  In  April,  1864,  a  call  for  part  of  the 
pastoral  services  of  Rev.  William  Logan  Boyd,  then 
pastor  of  Sewickly  Church,  promising  two  hundred 
dollars  a  year  for  one-third  of  his  time,  was  presented 
in  Presbytery.  The  call  was  accepted,  and  on  the 
first  Monday  in  June  following  the  first  iustallation 
services  ever  witnessed  in  Tyrone  were  performed.  The 
Rev.  Joel  Stoneroad  preached  the  sermon,  the  Eev. 
W.  F.  Hamilton,  D.D.,  presided,  proposed  the  consti- 
tutional questions,  and  charged  the  pastor,  and  Rev. 
N.  H.  G.  Fife  delivered  the  charge  to  the  people. 

This  pastorate  lasted  just  three  years,  and  was 
marked  by  a  healthy  growth  in  the  church,  although 
the  distance  at  which  Mr.  Boyd  resided  in  Sewickly 
greatly  increased  his  labors,  and  at  the  same  time  di- 
minished their  apparent  results,  and  perhaps  largely 
influenced  him  to  seek  a  release.  Then  occurred  an- 
other vacancy,  extending  from  1867  to  1871.  For  the 
first  eighteen  months  the  pulpit  was  supplied  occa- 
sionally by  different  ministers.  In  Navember,  1868, 
Eev.  Morehead  Edgar  was  elected  "  stated  supply  till 
the  ensuing  spring,"  at  which  time  he  was  again 
elected  stated  supply  for  two-thirds  of  bis  time.  Early 
in  the  summer,  however,  he  ceased  to  serve. 

Another  season  of  occasional  supplies  followed  until 
December,  1870,  when  the  Rev.  Thomas  S.  Parke 
preached  as  a  candidate.  He  continued  to  supply 
most  of  the  time  until  April  2,  1871,  when  he  was 
elected  pastor.  This  call,  which  was  presented  in 
Presbytery  at  its  spring  meeting,  was  accepted,  and  on 
the  27th  of  July  following  he  was  installed  at  Tyrone 
jiastor  of  the  united  churches  of  Tyrone  and  Harmony. 
The  Rev.  Joel  Stoneroad  again  preached  the  sermon. 
On  this  occasion  he  also  presided  and  proposed  the 
"  constitutional  questions."  Rev.  Henry  Fulton 
charged  the  pastor,  and  A.  Bronson,  D.D.,  the  people. 

Mr.  Parke  married,  built  a  house  in  Dawson,  and 
fixed  his  residence  there.  Then,  ./or  the  first  time  in 
ninety-four  //(w/-.-,-,  Tyrcjrie  congregation  had  their 
pastor  and  his  laiiiily  liviiii;  among  them. 

DurioL'  this  pastorate  Iwn  additiunal  elders  were  or- 
dained and  iiistalleil.  the  present  beautiful  house  of 
worship  was  Imilt  and  diMlieated,  and  forty-one  mem- 
bers were  received  and  thirty-one  dismissed  to  form  the 
church  at  Dawson.  This  relation  continued  with 
Harmony  for  two  years,  a<nd  with  Tyrone  about  four, 
terminating  May  28,  1875. 

The  old  church,  weakened  by  the  organization  at 
Dawson,  now  entered  into  an  alliance  with  Sewickly, 
each  agreeing  to  pay  half  the  salary  of  a  minister. 
On  the  17th  of  the  ensuing  October  the  Rev.  J.  H. 
Stevenson,  by  invitation  of  the  session,  preached  his 
first  sermon  here,  and  afterwards  regularly  served  the 


church,  dividing  the  time  equally  between  Tyrone 
and  Sewickly.  In  October  of  the  following  year 
Tyrone  and  Scottdale  were  formed  into  a  pastoral 
charge  and  placed  under  him,  and  he  has  remained 
in  charge  as  pastor  to  the  present  time  (1881). 

Of  the  elders  of  the  old  Tyrone  Church,  the  first 
bench  consisted  of  Barnett  Cunningham,  born  June 
29,  1736,  and  his  half-brother,  James  Torrance,  born 
Feb.  15,  1744.'  They  emigrated  from  Peach  Bottom 
Valley,  on  the  Susquehanna,  the  former  in  the  spring 
of  1770,  the  latter  within  two  years  of  that  date.  They 
secured  for  seventeen  years,  by  what  was  known  as  a 
"  tomahawk  right,"  and  then  for  eight  years  more  by 
a  surveyor's  warrant,  and  afterwards,  in  1795,  by 
patent,  lands,  part  of  which  have  been  in  possession 
of  their  families  ever  since.  The  price  paid  by  Mr. 
Cunningham  for  three  hundred  and  sixteen  acres, 
with  "  an  allowance  of  one-sixteenth  for  roads,"  was 
twelve  pounds  six  shillings, — nearly  seventeen  cents 
per  acre.  "  They  left  the  old  settlements  for  the  new," 
says  one  who  wrote  of  it  twenty  years  ago,  "  in  full 
membership  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  but  had  no 
opportunity  of  hearing  the  gospel  preached  or  its  or- 
dinances dispensed  until  Dr.  Power  visited  them  in 
1774." 

Tlie  same  author,  the  late  Robert  A.  Sherrard,  of 
Steubeuville,  Ohio,  fixed  this  as  the  date  of  their 
ordination,  but  unless  Dr.  Power,  while  yet  a  licen- 
tiate, exercised  all  the  functions  of  an  ordained  min- 
ister, this  could  not  be.  It  is  probable  that  on  his 
first  visit  here  after  his  ordination,  say  in  the  fall  o'f 
1776,  he  ordained  these  noble  men  to  their  holy  office. 
I  Of  their  eflbrts  to  gather  a  congregation,  and  secure 
I  the  services  of  a  minister,  though  it  might  be  but  for 
I  a  single  sermon,  and  that  on  a  week-day  or  evening, 
in  some  cabin,  or  oftener  in  the  woods,  of  the  re- 
ligious meetings  they  themselves  held,  of  their  trials 
I  and  discouragements,  their  self-denial  and  sacrifices 
to  secure  a  house  of  worship,  their  "  faith  and  pa- 
tience," the  only  record  is  on  high.  For  more  than 
thirty  years  these  noble  brothers,  to  whom  perhaps 
this  church  owes  its  existence,  carried  the  responsi- 
bilities their  office  involved  without  any  addition  to 
the  session,  without  a  pastor,  and  for  the  greater  part 
of  the  time  without  even  a  stated  supply  to  assist 
them.  But  they  both  lived  to  see  the  old  cabin 
church,  with  its  earthen  floor,  split-log  benches,  and 
unglazed  windows,  give  way  to  the  comparatively 
comfortable  "meeting-house,"  with  floor  and  glass 
windows  and  a  pulpit,  and  at  length  even  the  luxury 
of  a  fire.  Each  of  them  was  permitted  to  see  his  sons 
sitting  in  the  seat  of  the  elders,  and  the  flock  they  had 
tended  so  long  and  .so  anxiously  fed  and  cared  for  by 
a  faithful  under-shepherd. 

Barnett  Cunningham  departed  this  life  Sept.  13, 

1808,  in  the  seventy-third  year  of  his  age.     Four  of 

I  his  sons  and  three  of  his  grandsons  have  been  called 

to  the  same  oflice,  and  the  session  has  never  been 

without  one  or  more  of  his  family  on  their  roll. 


TYRONE— UPPER  AND   LOWER  TOWNSHIPS. 


797 


James  Torrance  died  May  12,  1826,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-three  years,  haviug  served  this  church  as  an 
elder  fifty  years.  Three  of  his  sons  and  three  of  his 
grandsons  have  been  ordained  to  the  office,  and  the 
husband  of  a  great-granddaughter  is  now  in  the 
.session.  Of  Robert  Smith,  James  Goudy,  John  Cum- 
niings,  and  John  Cooly  little  is  known,  save  that, 
having  served  in  the  office  of  ruling  elder  for  a 
longer  or  shorter  period,  they  all  removed  out  of  the 
church  bounds,  and  that  Mr.  Smith  has  also  this 
enviable  distinction,  that  he  and  William  Smith  edu- 
cated each  a  son  for  the  ministry. 

William  Huston,  eldest  son  of  Margery  Cunning- 
ham, and  nephew  of  the  two  senior  elders,  was  born 
east  of  the  mountains,  a.d.  1751,  and  died  Sept.  6, 
1827,  aged  seventy-six  years.  He  came  to  the  West 
before  he  was  sixteen  years  old,  and  with  his  rifle  by 
his  side  for  protection  against  the  Indians,  cultivated 
the  hills  around  what  is  now  known  as  "Cochran's 
graveyard."  His  father,  Capt.  Joseph  Huston,  gave 
the  land  for  it  just  before  starting  with  Col.  Crawford 
on  his  disastrous  expedition  against  the  Indians. 
Capt.  Huston  soon  returned  to  die,  and  was  the  first 
to  claim  a  resting-place  within  its  sacred  ground. 

Frank  Vance  was  born  in  Ireland  about  1766,  and 
died  aged  about  eighty  years. 

William  Smith  (Rev.  James  Guthrie's  third  father- 
in-law)  died  Feb.  2,  1832,  in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of 
his  age. 

Joseph  Huston  Cunningham,  son  of  Barnett,  was 
ordained  in  Tyrone  in  1818.  He  served  in  Connells- 
ville  for  a  few  years  prior  to  1851,  when  he  returned 
to  .Tyrone,  and  was  the  same  day  unanimously  re- 
elected and  reinstalled.  Having  borne  the  oflice  for 
forty  years,  on  the  18th  of  April,  18.58,  "he  slept  with 
his  fathers,"  and  Barnett,  his  son,  ruled  in  his  stead. 

Hugh  Torrance,  eldest  son  of  James,  was  born  in 
Cumberland  County,  Pa.,  June  29,  1770,  and  carried 
over  the  mountains  on  horseback  while  an  infant. 
He  was  the  father  of  Robert,  who  was  ordained  an 
elder  at  Connellsville,  and  of  David,  who  served  the 
church  of  Altona,  111.,  in  the  same  oflice.  Having 
attained  the  age  of  seventy-three  years,  he  died  Sept. 
7,  1843. 

Alexander  Johnston  came  from  Ireland  about  1807. 
His  first  connection  with  the  church  was  at  Cross 
Creek,  Pa.,  under  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Thomas  Mar- 
quis. He  came  to  Connellsville  about  the  year  1811, 
and  became  a  member  of  Tyrone  Church,  which  then 
included  Connellsville  in  its  bounds.  How  long  he 
was  an  elder  here  prior  to  1831  there  is  no  record  to 
show,  but  at  that  time  he  was  "  set  oft""  to  the  new 
organization.  Of  this  he  was  the  only  elder  for  one 
year,  and  continued  a  "  pillar"  in  the  church  until 
age  and  infirmity  laid  him  aside.  He  died  Sept.  8, 
1864,  aged  about  eighty-three  years. 

Cunningham  Torrance,  also  son  of  James,  was  born 
June  7,  1789,  ordained  in  Tyrone,  1833,  removed  to 
Missouri,  1847,  and  died  soon  after. 
51 


Nathaniel  Hurst  was  a  nephew  of  Dr.  Power's  son- 
in-law,  and  elder  of  that  name,  whose  piety,  intelli- 
gence, and  practical  wisdom  adorned  the  office  he  so 
ably  filled  at  Mount  Pleasant.  Mr.  Hurst  was  or- 
dained in  Tyrone  in  1833,  and  served  until  Feb.  29, 
1860,  when,  having  lived  upon  earth  fifty-nine  years, 
he  was  transferred  from  the  church  militant  to  the 

j  church  triumphant. 

John  Staufler  was  "  selected"  from  the  original 
members  of  Harmony  Church  by  the  committee  of 
Presbytery  appointed  to  complete  that  organization, 
and  on  the  27th  day  of  June,  1849,  was  ordained  and 
installed  the  only  elder  in  that  church.     Two  years 

I  later  he  removed  to  Tyrone,  where  he  was  elected 
and  installed,  and  where  he  continued  an  elder  until 
he  departed  this  life,  May  7, 1857,  in  the  forty-seventh 
year  of  his  age. 

j       Joseph  Gaut  was  ordained  with  Cunningham  Tor- 

i  ranee  and  Nathaniel  Hurst,  in  1833,  by  the  first 
pastor  of  this  church.    For  forty-three  years  he  ruled 

I  in  Tyrone  without  reproach,  by  the  purity  of  hi.s  life 

i  commanding  the  respect  of  all,  by  the  gentleness  of 
his  spirit  securing  the  atlection  of  his  brethren,  and 
most  loved  by  those  who  knew  him  best.  He  was 
permitted  to  see  two  of  his  sons  ordained  and  in.stalled 
elders  in  this  congregation.  He  died  July  17,  1877, 
aged  seventy-five  years. 

Barnett  Cunningham,  son  of  Joseph  H.,  and  grand- 
son of  Barnett,  was  ordained  in  1843,  and  served  the 
church  with  fidelity  and  acceptance  until  a  few  years 
since,  when,  in  the  providence  of  God,  through  bodily 
and  mental  affliction,  he  became  unable  to  fulfill  the 
duties  of  his  office.  He  died  July  3,  1877,  in  his  sev- 
enty-second year. 

Joseph  Cunningham,  descended  by  both  father  and 
mother  from  the  old  pioneer  Cunningham-Torrance 
family,  was  a  nephew  of  William  Huston  the  elder. 
He  was  ordained  with  his  cousin  Barnett  in  1843, 
and,  like  him,  served  in  the  church  faithfully  and 
long.     He  died  April  8,  1877,  in  his  seventy-seventh 

1  year. 

William  V.  Hurst  (nephew  of  Nathaniel)  and  Rob- 
ert F.  Gaut  (son  of  Joseph)  were  ordained  and  in- 
stalled Dec.  6,  1871.  Mr.  Gaut  soon  removed  of  this 
congregation  without  serving  in  the  office. 

Henry  C.  Boyd,  Jonathan  Merritt,  and  William 
Gaut  were  elected  Dec.  4,  1875,  and  on  the  19th  of 
the  same  month  Mr.  Boyd  and  Mr.  Gaut  were  or- 
dained, and,  with  Mr.  Merritt,  who  had  been  ordained 
in  the  Dawson  Presbyterian  Church  at  its  organiza- 
tion in  1874,  were  installed  ruling  elders  in  Tyrone 
congregation.  * 

T.  Robb  Deyarmon  was  elected  elder,  and  installed 
in  June,  1881.  The  present  (1881 J  session  is  com- 
posed of  William  V.  Hurst,  Jonathan  Merritt,  Wil- 
liam F.  Gaut,  and  T.  Robb  Deyarmon. 


The  original  territory  of  Tyrone  congregation  was 
■  large.    Extending  to  Laurel  Hill,  Rehoboth,Sewicklv, 


798 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


and  Mount  Pleasant,  it  embraced  Connellsville  and  the 
"  regions  beyond,"  and  at  one  time  included  several 
families  on  Indian  Creek,  fifteen  miles  away.  Its  first 
hous^e  of  worsliip  was  for  a  long  time  the  only  meeting- 
house of  any  denomination  within  its  wide  bounds, 
where  now  stand  nineteen  Protestant  Churches,  not 
counting  those  in  Connellsville  or  across  the  Youghio- 
gheny  River.  Notwithstanding  its  wide  territory, 
the  menibershi|]  of  the  church  in  its  early  years  was 
not  lari;e.  liiit  when  we  know  that  the  pioneers  had 
no  c:nriai;i-,  iiliihjst  no  wagons,  and  very  few  horses^ 
that  thu  young  people  of  many  families,  male  and 
female,  habitually  walked  four,  five,  even  six  miles, 
generally  barefoot  in  the  summer,  carrying  their  shoes 
and  stockings  in  their  hands  till  they  came  near  the 
church,  that  Jacob's  Creek  had  no  bridges,  and  that 
pedestrians  from  the  neighborhood  of  Ragantown 
were  accustomed  to  come  together  to  the  creek  and 
wait  for  those  who  rode  to  "  ferry"  them  over ;  when 
we  know  that  some  of  the  families  lived  so  remote 
that  they  could  attend  the  few  meetings  at  the  church 
but  irregularly,  that  the  Cummings,  the  McCunes, 
and  others  on  Indian  Creek  often  started  (as  has  been 
related  by  old  Ur.  Fleming,  who  remembers  seeing 
them)  before  daylight  in  order  to  reach  the  church  in 
time  for  the  service,  and  remendjer  that  for  so  many 
years  they  had  nci  pasti.r.  and  when  they  had  a  stated 
supply  it  was  (,iily  lor  a  brief  ].eriocl,  and  he  always 
resided  at  a  distance,  it  is  a  wonder  that  at  tlie  first 
call  of  the  Presbytery  of  Redstone  for  statistics  in 
1808,  Tyrone  reported  ninety  members,  and  three 
years  later  one  hundred  and  eight, — below  very  few 
churches  in  the  Presbytery. 

From  this  time  no  record  is  found  of  the  member- 
ship, but  the  growth  seems  to  have  been  steady.  The 
pastor  preached  at  Connellsville  occasionally  until 
the  year  1831,  when,  at  the  request  of  the  members 
residing  in  the  village  and  vicinity,  the  Presln-tcry  of 
Redstone  authorized  the  organization  ot  the  Couinlls- 
ville  Church,  and  Alexander  .Johnston  >  elder),  3Iar- 
garet  and  N.  C.  Johnston,  William  and  Mary  Little 
(or  Lytle),  Isaac  and  Mary  Taylor,  Sarah  Turner,  1 
Joseph  and  Elizabeth  Rogers,  Mary  and  Louisa  Nor-  ( 
ton,  Margaret  Francis,  Harriet  Fuller,  Mary  Barnett, 
Samuel  and  Mary  Finlcy,  witli  Samuel  and  Elizabeth 
McCormick,  were  dismissed  lor  that  purjjose. 

After  Mr.  Johnson  had  served  alone  one  year,  Isaac 
Taylor,  Joseph  Rogers,  and  William  Lytle,  formerly 
members  at  Tyrone,  with  Joseph  Paull  and  Samuel 
Russell,  members  at  Laurel  Hill,  were  added  to  the 
session.  Thus  Tyrone  furnished  nineteen  of  the 
twenty-two  original  meiabers  of  the  church  at  Con- 
nellsville, and  four  of  the  six  elders  who  composed 
its  first  se.ssion.  The  vigor  of  this  ofl^shot  from  Tyrone 
may  be  inferred  from  its  subsequent  history.  After  ; 
only  fourteen  years,  in  184.5,  Indian  Creek  Church  was 
organized,  embracing  some  of  the  original  members  [ 
of  the  Connellsville  Church,  who  came  from  Tyrone. 
Dr.  Joseph  Rogers  was  long  its  principal,  perhaps  its  ' 


only,  elder.  Nineteen  years  later,  in  1874,  eighty-six 
members  of  Connellsville  Church  were  included  in  a 
new  organization  at  Dunbar.  In  its  first  session  we 
find  Tyrone  represented  by  Isaac  Taylor's  eldest  sou. 
Indian  Creek  reports  fifteen  members,  Dunbar  one 
hundred  and  fifty,  and  Connellsville  three  hundred 
and  sixty-three. 

Perhaps  the  parent  organization  has  never  entirely 
overcome  the  withdrawal  of  so  important  a  part  of 
her  life  and  strength,  and  the  cession  of  so  much  of 
her  most  populous  territory  ;  but  her  order  and  vigor 
are  manifested  in  the  significant  fact  that  in  the  last 
seventy-two  years  she  has  been  only  six  without  a 
pastor  or  stated  supply. 

In  the  year  1849,  Tyrone  furnished  just  one-half 
of  the  original  members  of  Harmony  Church,  namely, 
Nathan,  Marjory,  Henry,  and  Margaret  Smith,  Eli 
and  Susan  Hendricks,  and  John  Stauffer,  who  was 
for  some  time  the  only  elder. 

The  youngest  offspring  of  the  parent  congregation 
of  Tyrone  was  the  church  at  Dawson,  which  was  or- 
ganized in  1874,  embracing  in  its  membership  twenty- 
four  persons  who  had  received  certificates  from  Tyrone 
for  the  purpose.  After  about  three  years,  however, 
the  congregation  disintegrated,  and  the  members  re- 
turned to  the  mother-church  of  Tyrone,  which  now 
(1881)  numbers  one  hundred  and  sixty  members. 

THE  GEKM.\N  BAPTIST   OR  DUNKAKD  CHURCH    OF  TYRONE. 

About  the  year  1799,  Martin  Stuckman  and  Lud- 
wick  Snyder  came  from  Hagerstown,  Md.,  to  Fayette 
County,  Pa.,  and  settled  in  what  was  then,  and  is  now, 
the  township  of  Bullskin,  where  for  more  than  Jen 
years  they  held  meetings  for  religious  worship  in  pri- 
vate dwellings.  About  the  year  1812  they  removed 
to  a  new  location  in  the  present  township  of  Lower 
Tyrone.  There  they  held  religious  meetings  in  pri- 
vate houses  for  about  five  years ;  but  after  1817  they 
were  held  in  a  stone  school-house  which  was  built  in 
that  year  on  land  of  Philip  Lucas,  the  people  living 
in  that  vicinity  being  principally  of  the  German  Bap- 
tist or  Dunkard  denomination.  A  church  was  soon 
after  organized  with  Martin  Stuckman  as  chief  bishop, 
Ludwick  Snyder  as  under-bishop.  The  first  elder 
of  the  congregation  was  Frederick  Blocher,  whose 
son  Samuel,  and  also  his  son-in-law,  Isaac  Shoemaker, 
were  also  elected  elders.  George  Shoemaker,'  a  brother 
of  Isaac,  was  also  a  bishop  or  preacher.  Following  is 
a  list  of  the  elders  of  this  church  (all  elders  being 
also  preachers)  from  that  time  to  the  present,  viz.; 
Michael  Myers,  Jacob  Murray,  Eli  Horner,  Martin 
Coder,  John  Nicholson,  John  Murray,  David  Ober, 
Jacob  Freed,  Samuel  Gallatin,  Joseph  Freed,  Jacob 


1  George  Slioemaker,  after  preaching  a  number  of  years,  became  dis- 
satisfied with  the  manner  of  worship  in  the  Dunkard  Church,  and 
thereupon  broke  off  liis  connection  and  started  a  new  sect,  which  (for 
lack  of  a  better  name)  were  called  "  Shoemakerites."  He  had  a  sou 
named  Jacob,  who  became  quite  distinguished  as  an  elocutionist.  He 
lived  in  Philadelpliia,  and  died  there  in  ltl79. 


TYRONE— UPPER   AND   LOWER   TOWNSHIPS. 


799 


Snyder,  and  John  Gallatin.  The  present  preacher 
to  this  congregation  is  Frederick  Winner. 

About  the  year  1840  the  edifice  known  as  the  Ger- 
man Baptist  meeting-house  (a  stone  structure,  plas- 
tered outside  as  well  as  inside)  was  built,  and  from 
that  time  became  the  house  of  worship  of  the  Dun- 
kard  congregation,  which  had  previously  met  in  the 
stone  school-house  on  the.  farm  of  Philip  Lucas. 

The  congregation  at  one  time  numbered  over  one 
hundred  members,  but  on  account  of  divisions,  deaths, 
and  removals  the  number  has  become  reduced  to  a 
total  of  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  members. 

BETHEL   CONGREGATION   OF   THE   DISCIPLES. 

This  was  organized  in  May,  1845,  with  thirty  mem- 
bers. Jacob  Newmyer,  Peter  Galley,  and  John  Tay- 
lor were  elected  elders,  and  Nathan  Reece  and  Jacob 
Newcomer  deacons.  A  lot  was  donated  by  Jacob 
Newmyer  from  his  farm,  and  on  this  lot  the  congre- 
gation erected  a  church  edifice  of  stone,  thirty  by 
forty-five  feet  in  dimensions.  This  was  replaced  in 
August,  1880,  by  a  frame  church,  thirty -sis  by  fifty 
feet,  built  on  the  same  site,  but  an  addition  was  made 
to  the  grounds  for  church  and  cemetery  purposes. 

Among  those  who  have  ministered  to  this  congre- 
gation may  be  mentioned  the  Revs.  James  Dorsey, 

A.  S.  Hale,  L.  M.  Streeter,  H.  B.  Carleton,  M.  L. 
Streeter,  J.  D.  Benedict,  J.  W.  Kemp,  Charles  C. 
Berry,  J.  Grigsby,  and  L.  C.  McClane,  the  present 
pastor.  The  congregation  now  numbers  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty.  A  Sabbath-school  in  connection 
with  it  contains  thirty-five  scholars,  under  William 

B.  Chain  as  superintendent. 

BRYAN    METHODIST   EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  in  1856  with  about 
eighty  members.  A  house  of  worship  was  erected,  at 
a  cost  of  about  nine  hundred  dollars,  on  the  property 
of  James  Bryan.  The  first  pastor  was  the  Rev.  Syl- 
vester Burt.     Among  his  successors  in  the  pulpit  of 

this  church  there  have  been  the  Revs. McAlier, 

W.  A.  Steward, Moffatt, Appleton,  J.  Man- 
sell,  — — •  Taylor, Eaton,  and  S.  Lane,  the  present 

pastor.  The  church  is  now  in  a  flourishing  condition, 
with  about  forty  members.  It  is  out  of  debt,  and  its 
house  of  worship  is  in  good  repair.  It  has  a  Sabbath- 
school  of  seventy-five  scholars,  with  Irvin  Cottom  as 
superintendent. 

SCHOOLS. 

It  is  not  known  precisely  when  or  where  the  first 
school  was  taught  in  Tyrone.  One  of  the  earliest 
school-houses  was  a  log  building  erected  more  than 
seventy-five  years  ago  in  the  present  township  of 
Lower  Tyrone,  on  a  site  embraced  in  the  farm  of 
Samuel  Cochran.  Among  those  who  attended  the 
schools  in  that  house  were  the  children  of  the  fami- 
lies of  Cunningham,  Torrance,  Newcomer,  Cochran, 
Ross,  Galley,  Lyttle,  Gallatin,  and  McDonald.  The 
first  teacher  was  an  Irishman  named  Craig.     His  or- 


dinary modes  of  punishment  were  by  the  "dunce- 
block,"  fool's  cap,  and  leather  spectacles,  but  in  many 

j  cases  he  used  the  heavy  ruler  with  great  severity,  if 
not  brutality.  So  say  some  of  his  yet  surviving  pu- 
pils.    Besides  this  school  there  were  others  taught 

I  near  Jacob's  Creek,  at  Overholt's,  and  on  the  Quay- 
farm,  near  the  bottoms  on  the  Youghiogheny.  Mr. 
Henry  Galley  recollects  that  the  stone  school-house 

j  on  land  of  Philip  Lucas  was  built  in  or  about  1817. 
Under  the  operation  of  the  public  school  law  ot 
1834,  the  first  school  directors  (appointed  by  the 
court  in  January,  1835)  for  Tyrone  were  Jacob  New- 
myer and  William  Espey.  The  township  was  re- 
ported to  the  county  treasurer  as  having  accepted  the 
provisions  of  the  law  Jan.  3,  1838.  The  first  appor- 
tionment of  money  to  the  township  under  that  law 
was  from  the  State,  $64.72.] ;  from  the  county,  $129.67. 
Prior  to  the  division  of  old  Tyrone,  the  township 
contained  nine  districts  (which  have  been  very  little 
changed  since),  as  follows  : 

In  the  extreme  western  end,  the  Quay  District  ex- 
tends entirely  across  the  township  from  the  Youghio- 
gheny to  Jacob's  Creek.  The  school-house  is  near 
the  centre  of  it. 

East  of  and  adjoining  the  Quay  District  are  the 
Cunningham  and  Gaut  Districts,  which  join  near  the 
centre  of  the  township.  The  former  lies  on  the 
Youghiogheny  River,  and  extends  up  that  stream 
nearly  to  the  borough  of  Dawson.  The  Gaut  District 
lies  on  Jacob's  Creek. 

The  Cochran  Di.strict  borders  on  the  river  for  a 
short  distance,  embracing  the  borough  of  Dawson, 
and  extends  northeasterly  to  include  a  part  of  Hick- 
man's Run.  Its  northern  boundary  is  nearly  all  on 
the  Gaut  District. 

The  Taylor  District  lies  in  the  bend  of  the  river 
above  the  Cochran  District,  and  embraces  the  mouth 
of  Hickman's  Run.  All  the  districts  above  named 
lie  wholly  in  the  present  township  of  Lower  Tyriine, 

,  as  do  also  a  part  of  each  of  the  three  next  men- 
tioned. 

The  Strickler  District  lies  on  the  river  next  ab  )ve 
the  Taylor  District,  and  extends  eastward  to  the  east 
line  of  Upper  Tyrone. 

I  The  Ridge  District  lies  north  of  the  Strickler,  and 
extends  from  the  east  line  of  Upper  Tyrone  westward 
to  the  Cochran  District. 

The  Washington  District  lies  along  Jacob's  Creek, 
and  extends  south  to  the  Ridge  District,  east  to  the 

I  east  line  of  Upper  Tyrone,  and  west  to  the  Gaut  Dis- 

j  trict. 

The  Walnut  Hill  District  embraces  the  north- 
eastern corner  of  Upiier  Tyrone,  extending  from  the 
township  line  on  the  east  to  Jacob's  Creek  on  the 
northwest,  and  joining  Washington  District  on  the 
south. 

j  The  report  for  the  school  year  of  1880-81  shows 
in  Upper  Tyrone  seven  hundred  and  sixty  pupils 
and  seven  teachers.     Total  expenditure  for  schools, 


800 


HISTORY  OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


$2452.99 ;  valuation  of  school  property,  S6000.  The 
same  report  gives  for  Lower  Tyrone  four  hundred 
and  ten  pupils  and  seven  teachers.  Total  expendi- 
ture for  school  purposes,  81425.44;  valuation  of 
school  property,  $9000. 

The  following  is  a  list  (as  nearly  complete  and 
accurate  as  can  be  obtained  from  the  defective  rec- 
ords) of  school  directors  elected  from  1840  to  the 
present  time : 

ISJO.— James  Wade,  Joseph  Cunningham. 
1841. — Jacob  Newcomer. 
1842.— David  Galley. 

1843.— Joseph  Cunningham,  John  Smilie,  Hugh  Torrance. 
1S44.— Joseph  H.  Torrance,  William  Vance,  John  Taylor. 
1845.— Martin  Sherricli. 
1846.— William  Huston,  James  Darsie. 
1847.— Peter  Galley,  John  T.  Stauffer. 
1848. — Jacob  Newmyer,  Robert  Laughrie. 
1840. — Joseph  Cunningham,  Joseph  Gaut. 
1850.— Joseph  Gwinn,  Stew.xrt  Strickler. 
1851.— J.acob  Newmyer,  Alexander  Boyd,  John  T.  Stauffer. 
1852.— Samuel  Gallatin,  Eli  Homer,  Hugh  Chain. 
1853. — Tilghman  H.  Strickler,  Joseph  Gwinn,  Ebenezer  Moore. 
1854. — Samuel  Heath,  Solomon  Keister,  Ebenezer  Moore. 
1855.— Hugh  Chain,  George  Strickler. 
1856.— David  M.  Frame. 
1857.- Solomon  Keister,  Jacob  Sherrick. 
1858. — William  Washington,  Joseph  Newmyer. 
l'S59.— Joseph  Cunningham,  David  Galley. 
1860.— Solomon  Keister.  Jacob  Sherrick,  Moses  Porter. 
1861.— Jacob  Newmyer,  John  Keith,  Wesley  Collins. 
1862. — Alexander  Boyd,  John  L.  Hutchinson. 
1863.- Jiicob  Sherrick,  Samuel  Gaddis,  William  Strickler,  Amos 

Miller. 
1864.- Samuel  Smouse,  George  Strickler,  J.  R.  Stauffer,  Gesrge 

Youns. 
1865.- Joseph  Newmyer,  Daniel  Strickler,  C.  S.  Sherrick. 
1866. — James  Cochran,  J.acob  Sherrick,  Solomon  Hunter,  Jacob 

Newmyer. 
1867.— George  W.  Anderson,  Wesley  H.  Cottom,  William  L. 

Yard. 
1868. — Solomon  Keister,  S.  Cottom. 
1869.— J.  W.  Stillwagon,  Isaac  Cochran. 

1870.— George  W.  Anderson,  Jacob  Sherrick,  J.  M.  Cochran. 
1873.— J.  D.  Porter,  William  Landenberger,  J.  W.  Sherbondy. 
1S74.— N.  M.  Anderson,  Jacob  Sherrick,  H.  J.  Molliston. 
1375.- J.  W.  Stillwiigon,    J.  G.  White,  W.   B.  Chain,    John 

1876. — W.  Landenberger,  Jacob  Sherrick,  Joseph  Strickler. 

1877.- James  W.  Cochran,  J.  D.  Porter. 

187S.— W.  T.  Kinney,  Samuel  Barnum. 

1879.— Upper  Tyrone,  J.   R.  Stauffer;    Lower  Tyrone,  Hugh 

Ryan,  W.  M.  Anderson. 
1880. — Upper  Tyrone,  Bcnj.  Newcomer,  John  Beatty;  Lower 

Tyrone,  P.  Snyder,  B.  F.  Oglevee,  D.  M.  Newcomer. 
1  SSI. —Upper  Tyrone,  James  D.  Porter,  David  L.  Sherrick; 

Lower  Tyrone.  Paul  Hough,  Wesley  Galley,  A.  Shallen- 

D.\WSON  BOROUGH. 
The  land  forming  the  site  of  the  borough  of  Daw- 
son was  included  in  the  original  tract,  called  "  Pros- 
pect," which  was  warranted  to  John  Smilie  in  1786, 
but  for  eighty  year.s  after  tluit  time  no  attempt  was 


made  to  centralize  business  and  settlements  at  this 
place  other  than  the  erection  of  a  steam  saw-mill  by 
two  sons  of  John  Smilie,  Eobert  and  John,  who 
did  something  of  a  business  there  in  sawing  lumber 
for  the  construction  of  keel-  and  flat-boats  for  the 
transportation  of  iron,  coal,  and  sand. 

The  Smilie  farm,  except  the  river  bottom,  was  sold 
to  Stewart  Strickler.  The  bottom  land  was  sold  to 
George  Dawson,  who  used  it  for  purposes  of  cultiva- 
tion. The  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville  Railroad 
was  located  through  the  tract,  and  upon  the  opening 
of  the  line  Dawson's  Station  was  established  at  this 
point.    A  post-office  was  established  at  the  same  time. 

The  property  passed,  in  the  division  of  the  Daw- 
son estate,  to  Mrs.  Alfred  Howell,  and  in  1866  a  town 
plat  was  laid  out  and  surveyed  by  Martin  Dickson 
for  Mr.  Howell.  The  brick  building  now  known  as 
the  Ebbert  House  was  built  by  Henry  H.  Galley  in 
1868.     The  first  store  was  opened  by  Samuel  Smouse. 

For  some  reason  the  new  town  received  the  name 
of  "  Bloomington,"  and  held  it,  without  entirely  su- 
perseding the  railroad  designation  of  Dawson's  Sta- 
tion, until  the  incorporation  of  the  borough,  which 
was  effected  in  1872,  upon  a  petition  of  certain  free- 
holders presented  to  the  court  of  Fayette  County  at 
the  March  term  of  that  year.  The  court  ordered  the 
petition  to  be  laid  before  the  grand  jury,  which  body 
reported  the  ne.\t  day  (March  7th)  that  after  a  full 
inve.stigation  of  the  case  a  majority  of  the  said  jury 
"  do  find  that  the  conditions  prescribed  by  the  acts 
of  the  Assembly  relating  thereto  have  been  complied 
with,  and  believe  that  it  is  expedient  to  grant  the 
prayer  of  the  petitioners." 

The  report  of  the  grand  jury  was  confirmed  on  the 
8th  of  June,  1872,  and  the  court  decreed  "  that  the 
said  town  at  Dawson's  Station  be  incorporated  into  a 
borough  in  conformity  with  the  prayer  of  the  peti- 
tioners; that  the  corporate  style  and  title  thereof 
shall  be  the  borough  of  Dawson,"  giving  the  bounda- 
ries in  detail.  It  was  further  provided  that  the  first 
election  should  be  held  at  the  school-house  in  the 
said  borough  on  the  31st  day  of  August,  1872.  At 
the  time  designated  the  following-named  ofiicers  were 
elected,  viz. :  Justices  of  the  Peace,  William  Lent, 
M.  McDonald;  Burgess,  Alexander  B.  Luce;  Asses- 
sor, W.  W.  Luce  ;  School  Directors,  Joseph  New- 
myer, James  Mosser,  William  Luce,  Jacob  Oglevee, 
Frank  Snyder,  Henry  Newmyer;  Council,  Joseph 
Newmyer,  Frank  Snyder,  Daniel  Wurtz,  James 
Fairchild.  John  McGill,  Isaac  Cochran ;  Auditor, 
John  Orbin. 

The  list  of  succeeding  borough  ofiicers  to  the  year 
1881  is  as  follows : 

1873. — Justice  of  the  Peace,  A.  J.  Anderson;  Assessor,  Henry 
Newmyer;  Auditor,  J.  F.  Oglevee. 

1874.— Justice  of  the  Peace,  T.  Robb  Deyarmon ;  School  Direc- 
tors. William  Lent,  William  Ebbert;  Auditor,  George  New- 
myer; .\ssessor,  David  Forsyth. 

1S75.— Justice  of  the  Peace,  John  W.  Sherbondy;    Assessor, 


TYRONE— UPPER  AND  LOWER  TOWNSHIPS. 


801 


Eli  Galley;  Auditor,  John  Arnold:  Scliool  Directors,  J.  C. 
Henry,  James  Fairohild. 

1876. — Justice  of  the  Peace,  Mordecai  McDonald;  Burgesp, 
John  H.  Sherbondy  ;  Council,  John  Corder,  James  Stauf- 
fer;  Assessor,  J.  R.  Laughrey;  Auditor,  A.  C.  McCune. 

1877. — Burgess,  James  Newmyer  ;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  James 
Newmyer;  Council,  W.  B.  Frier,  George  Newmyer ;  School 
Directors,  Isaac  Cochran,  J.  R.  Laughrey,  John  Orbin  ; 
Auditor,  E.  Galley. 

187S.— Burgess,  Joseph  Newmyer;  Council,  Eli  Galley,  William 
H.  Rush  :  School  Directors,  William  Johns,  William  Fair- 
child ;  Assessor,  Edward  Loverns;  Auditor,  Henry  New- 
myer. 

1S79.— Burgess,  Joseph  Newmyer;  Assessor,  W.  H.  Rush; 
Auditor,  J.  R.  Laughrey  ;  School  Directors,  S.  S.  Stahl, 
M.  B.  Fryer. 

ISSO.— Justice  of  the  Peace,  J.  K.  McDonald:  Auditor,  Eli 
Galley ;  Assessor,  Jackson  Anderson :  School  Directors, 
William  Lint,  John  Coder. 

1881.— School  Directors,  Eli  Huston,  David  Forsythe  ;  Assessor, 
Eli  Galley;  Auditor,  J.  A.  Kittell. 

CHURCHES. 
THE    METHODIST   EPISCOPAL   CHURCH   AT   DAWSON. 

The  organizatiou  of  this  church  was  effected  about 
1870,  and  in  1872  the  present  church  edifice  of  the 
congregation  was  erected  and  dedicated,  the  dedi- 
cation sermon  being  preached  by  the  Rev.  Charles 
Smith. 

From  the  organization  of  the  church  to  tlie  pres- 
ent time  it  lias  been  served  by  the  following-named 
preachers,  viz. :  the  Revs.  Garrett  Wakefield,  Mitch- 
ell, Stewart,  Taylor,  Emerson,  Reynolds,  Appleton, 
Moftatt,  Eaton,  Staiford,  Storr,  and  S.  Lane,  the  pres- 
ent pastor. 

The  church  has  now  (1881)  a  membership  of  sixty- 
five,  and  is  one  of  four  charges  under  the  pastor. 
Bryan  Church  is  in  the  connection,  and  Pleasant 
Grove,  near  Layton  Station,  which  has  a  membership 
of  thirty,  is  also  within  this  charge. 

PEESBVTERIAN   CHURCH    AT   D.VWSOX. 

In  1874  a  Presbyterian  Church  was  formed  and  or- 
ganized in  the  borough  of  Dawson,  with  forty-two 
members,  among  whom  were  the  following-named 
persons,  who  joined  on  certificates  from  the  old  Ty- 
rone Church,  viz.:  Solomon  Baker,  M.  E.  Baker, 
Lewis  Huston,  Rebecca  Huston,  Rachel  Suverin, 
Milton  Jenkins,  Susan  Jenkins,  Margaret  Newmyer, 
Kate  Newmyer,  Mary  Stauffer,  Jonathan  Merritt, 
Mary  M.  Merritt,  William  Lint,  Mary  J.  Lint,  An- 
drew McElhaney,  Anna  McElhaney,  Emma  McEI- 
haney,  Mary  Shoffer,  A.  C.  McCune,  Nora  McCune, 
Mordecai  McDonald,  Jane  McDonald,  Parthenia  Pat- 
terson, and  Ellen  Kepple.  Jonathan  Merrit,  William 
Lint,  and  Solomon  Baker  were  elected  ruling  elders. 
The  Rev.  Thomas  S.  Park  became  their  pastor,  and 
remained  as  long  as  the  church  was  continued.  No 
church  edifice  was  erected,  and  after  about  three 
years  the  church  organization  was  dissolved,  and  the 
congregation  returned  to  the  mother-church  of  Ty- 


rone, under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Ste- 
venson. 

THE   BAPTIST   CHURCH    AT   DAWSON, 

This  church  was  organized  in  1874,  under  charge  of 
the  Rev.  William  Ellis.  Services  were  at  first  held 
in  the  school-house.  A  church  edifice  was  com- 
menced in  June  of  the  same  year,  but  was  not  com- 
pleted till  November,  1878.  At  the  dedication,  dele- 
gates were  i)resent  from  the  Baptist  Churches  of 
Flatwood,  Connellsville,  Peunsville,  Scottdale,  and 
Uniontown.  The  dedication  sermon  was  preached 
by  the  Rev.  R.  C.  Morgan. 

Prior  to  the  dedication  of  the  church  the  pulpit  was 
supplied,  in  1875,  by  the  Rev.  W.  R.  Patton,  and  in 
1876  by  the  Rev.  Robert  Miller.  The  Rev.  0.  B. 
Stanger  was  called  to  the  pastorate  for  one  year, 
beginning  Oct.  13,  1878,  but  resigned  April  6,  1879. 
From  that  time  the  pulpit  was  occasionally  supplied 
by  the  Rev.  R.  C.  Morgan  and  others  for  about  two 
years,  until  May,  1881,  when  the  Rev.  Amos  Hutton 
was  called  to  the  pastoral  charge.  The  church  now 
contains  about  fifty  members,  and  has  in  counecton 
with  it  a  Sabbath-school  of  seventy  pupils. 

SOCIETIES    AND    ORDERS. 

Bloomington  Lodge,  No.  728,  I.  O.  of  0.  F.,  was 
chartered  Sept.  3,  1870,  with  John  Coder  as  N.  G.-; 
H.  E.  Koser,  V.  G. ;  J.  F.  McGill,  Sec. ;  W.  H.  Cot- 
torn,  Asst.  Sec. ;  and  J.  C.  Knight,  Treas. 

It  has  at  present  sixty-five  members.  The  otScers 
for  1881  are  as  follows  :  T.  Robb  Deyarmon,  P.  G. ; 
Henry  Newmyer,  N.  G. ;  Henry  Thrasher,  V.  G. ; 
Henry  Molliston,  Sec. ;  John  Coder,  Treas. 

Tyrone  Lodge,  No.  310,  K.  of  P.,  was  chartered 
Aug.  10, 1871,  with  George  Strickler,  Charles  Cherrey, 
M.  L.  Moore,  R.  Strickler,  J.  Coder,  N.  C.  Cochran, 
L.  Cochran,  John  M.  Burney,  and  John  McCracken 
charter  members.  The  present  membership  is  sixty- 
five,  and  the  oflicers  for  1881  are  H.  E.  Momyer,  C.  C. ; 
Isaac  Colbert,  V.  C. ;  C.  O.  Schroyer,  P. ;  Solomon 
Baker,  K.  R.  S. ;  Charles  Cherrey,  M.  F. ;  H.  J.  Mol- 
liston, M.  E. ;  Isaac  Shepard,  M.  A. ;  Jackson  An- 
derson, P.  C. 

Hodenausonee  Tribe,  No.  164, 1.  O.  of  R.  M.,  was  or- 
ganized in  the  17th  Sun  of  the  Cold  Moon,  G.  S.  I).  381, 
to  bear  date  29th  Sun  of  the  Hunting  Moon,  G.  D., 
380.  The  charter  members  of  this  tribe  were  John 
Coder,  Solomon  Baker,  John  C.  Knight,  John  R. 
Dunham,  Jesse  A.  Oglevee,  Charles  Cherrey,  William 
Harberger,  Frank  Snyder,  Alexander  Davenport, 
William  Randolph,  Jasper  N.  Colbert,  George  Mc- 
Burney,  David  Randolph,  Isaac  Colbert,  Daniel  Wirt, 
John  Hartwick,  Lutellus  Cochran,  AVilliam  W.  Luce, 
and  Edward  E.  Strickler.  Meetings  are  held  in  <!)dd- 
Fellows'  Hall. 

"  Brotherhood  of  the  Union,  encircled  in  the  H.  F.," 
No.  90,  was  chartered  Aug.  2,  1876.  The  charter 
members  were  William  L.  Shaw,  John  McCracken, 
Frank   Richie,   Martin   Johnson,    Daniel   Jones,   P. 


802 


IlISTOllV    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Mulligan,  Harry  Johnson,  William  Highberger,  F. 
C.  Reed,  and  Martin  Layton. 

Star  of  Hope  Lodge,  No.  196,  I.  0.  of  G.  T.,  was 
organized  in  1878,  the  charter  being  without  date. 
The  following-named  persons  were  the  charter  mem- 
bers :  Franklin  Snyder,  John  W.  Sherbondy,  Daniel 
P.  Whitsett,  John  H.  Stranck,  Nelson  Newmyer, 
Jonathan  Hewitt,  William  Herbert,  Lewis  L.  Huston, 
J.  K.  McDonald,  Jr.,  David  Orbin,  Thomas  B.  Mure, 
L.  H.  Eaton,  William  Lint,  Mrs.  C.  L.  Whitsett, 
Mrs.  Clara  Eaton,  Miss  C.  Sherbondy,  Miss  Gertie 
Sherbondy,  Miss  Barbara  Orbin,  Miss  Hannah  Mure, 
Miss  Mary  Orbin,  Miss  Dora  Martin,  Miss  Flora 
Stickle,  Miss  Lizzie  Smith.  The  lodge  has  at  present 
seventy-eight  members. 

The  public  hall  in  Dawson  was  erected  by  the  Odd- 
Fellows.  In  this  hall  the  meetings  of  the  several 
societies  are  held. 

The  borough  now  contains  two  churches  (Methodist 
and  Baptist),  a  post-office,  railroad  depot,  express- 
and  telegraph-offices,  school-house,  Odd-Fellows' 
Hall,  steam  grist-mill,  spoke-factory,  saddler-shop, 
shoe-shop,  tin-shop,  a  silversmith-shop,  three  hotels, 
five  stores,  a  drug-store,  and  three  physicians,  viz. :  Dr. 
J.  C.  Henry,  Dr.  G.  M.  Campbell,  and  Dr.  H.  Dravo. 
The  population  of  the  borough  by  the  United  States 
census  of  1880  was  four  hundred  and  fifty-three. 


This  mining  settlement  has  grown  up  from  the  very 
extensive  coke-works  in  the  vicinity,  and  is  en- 
tirely made  up  of  the  homes  of  miners.  It  is  reported 
in  the  census  of  1880  as  having  a  population  of  six 
hundred  and  fifty-three. 

COKE    MANUFACTURE. 

From  Broad  Ford  north  to  the  county  line  is  an 
almost  continuous  succession  of  coke-works,  extend- 
ing along  the  Mount  Pleasant  Branch  Railroad,  half 
of  which  in  number  (and  more  than  half  in  number 
of  ovens)  are  owned  by  the  H.  C.  Frick  Coke  Com- 
pany. The  Henry  Clay  Works,  at  Broad  Ford,  were 
commenced  by  the  H.  C.  Frick  Company  about  1872, 
and  have  been  in  operation  since  that  time.  At  this 
place  the  company  has  one  hundred  ovens  in  blast, 
and  eighteen  new  tenements  have  been  recently 
erected  for  occupation  by  the  laborers  employed 
about  the  works.  The  coal  taken  from  this  mine  is 
hauled  up  a  slope ;  all  the  others  farther  up  the  road 
are  worked  in  drifts.  The  H.  C.  Frick  mines  are 
ne.xt  north  from  the  Henry  Clay.  They  were  started 
about  1870,  and  have  now  one  hundred  andfsix  ovens, 
employing  eighty-five  men. 

The  Morgan  Coke-Works  were  commenced  about 
1866  by  Sidney  and  James  Morgan  and  A.  J.  Cross- 
land,  and  about  1878  were  sold  to  the  H.  C.  Frick 
Coke  Company,  who  now  have  in  use  at  this  place 
one  hundred  and  sixty-four  ovens  and  employ  one 
hundred  and  twenty  men.    They  liave  here  ten  blocks 


of  tenement-houses  and  shops,  in  which  they  build 
all  the  cars,  wagons,  and  wheelbarrows  used  in  the 
extensive  operations  carried  on  along  this  line  of  rail- 
way. 

The  "  White"  mines,  late  the  "  Hutchinson  Globe," 
were  started  by  A.  C.  Hutchinson  &  Brother,  and 
came  into  possession  of  the  H.  C.  Frick  Coke  Com- 
pany in  January,  1881.  They  have  one  hundred  and 
forty-eight  ovens  now  in  operation  at  this  place. 

The  Foundry  Mines  and  Coke- Works  were  put  in 
operation  about  1869  by  Strickler  &  Lane,  com- 
mencing with  a  few  ovens  and  gradually  increasing 
the  number.  They  now  comprise  seventy-four  ovens, 
owned  and  operated  by  the  H.  C.  Frick  Coke  Com- 
pany, who  employ  here  a  force  of  fifty  men. 

The  Eagle  Mines  were  put  in  operation  by  Markle, 

,  Sherrick  &  Co.,  about  1868.     A  few  years  later  they 

sold  to  the  H.  C.  Frick  Coke  Company,  who  have 

now  in  operation  eighty  ovens  and  employ  fifty-five 

men. 

The  Summit  Mines  were  opened  by  Cochran  & 
Keister,  in  1873.  In  February,  1880,  they  were  sold 
to  the  H.  C.  Frick  Coke  Company.  There  are  now 
here  in  operation  one  hundred  and  forty-two  ovens, 
and  ninety  men  are  employed.  Forty-four  tenements 
are  near  the  mines.  The  company  own  one  thousand 
acres  of  land  on  the  south  side  of  the  Mount  Pleasant 
Branch,  and  four  hundred  acres  on  the  north  side. 

The  Franklin  Mines,  owned  by  B.  F.  Keister  &  Co., 
are  next  above  the  "Summit."  Here  are  in  operation 
one  hundred  and  thirty  ovens. 

The  Tip-Top  Coke- Works  were  started  by  Charles 
Armstrong  about  eight  years  ago.  In  1879  they  were 
sold  to  the  H.  C.  Frick  Coke  Company,  the  present 
owners.  Fifty-six  ovens  are  in  operation  at  the  Tip- 
Top. 

The  Clinton  Mines  are  next  above  the  Tip-Top,  and 
are  owned  by  James  Cochran  &  Co.  Forty-four  ovens 
are  in  active  operation  at  these  mines,  and  five  cars 
are  daily  loaded  with  coke  from  them. 

The  Valley  Mines  were  started  by  Wilson,  Boyle  & 
Playford,  about  1870.  At  the  time  of  sale  to  the  H. 
C.  Frick  Coke  Company,  in  April,  1880,  they  had  one 
hundred  ovens  in  operation.  They  have  since  been 
increased  to  one  hundred  and  fifty-two,  the  number  in 
operation  at  the  present  time. 

The  Hope  Mines  and  Coke- Works,  called  until  re- 
cently the  Sherrick  Mines,  are  situated  about  half  a 
mile  east  of  Everson  Station,  and  also  east  of  both 
the  Southwest  Pennsylvania  and  Mount  Pleasant 
Branch  Railroads.  They  were  put  in  operation  about 
ten  years  ago  by  Jacob  Sherrick,  and  were  sold  by 
him  in  March,  1881,  to  the  present  proprietor,  Joseph 
R.  Stauffer,  for  about  eighteen  thousand  dollars.  The 
])roperty  embraces  about  thirty-one  and  a  half  acres 
of  coal  as  yet  untouched  (as  shown  by  a  survey  made 
in  the  spring  of  1881).  The  proprietor  has  in  opera- 
tion at  this  place  twenty  ovens,  with  a  daily  capacity 
of  thirty  tons  of  coke.     He  has  here  all  the  neces-sary 


i 


iliil!llllillllliililliilii|;iMBiilli|HI 


TYllONE— UPPER   AND   LOWER   TOWNSHIPS. 


buililings  and  appliances  for  the  business, — tank,  of- 
fice, and  dwellings  for  the  employfe.  The  works  are 
so  favorably  situated  with  regard  to  drainage  that  no 
pumping  is  required.  The  number  of  persons  em- 
ployed by  the  works  is  fifteen. 

The  Charlotte  Furnace  Company's  Coke-Works 
embrace  sixty  ovens,  located  on  the  Fayette  County 
side  of  Jacob's  Creek,  directly  opposite  their  furnace 
and  rolling-mill  at  Scottdale,  Westmoreland  County. 

The  Keifer  Coke-Works  were  started  by  W.  A. 
Keifer,  who  built  five  ovens  here  in  1871,  and  shipped 
the  first  coke  over  the  Mount  Pleasant  Branch  Rail- 
road. He  subsequently  built  a  large  number  of  ovens 
additional  to  the  first  "  plant,"  but  all  of  them  were 
afterwards  demolished  and  about  forty  new  ones 
erected,  which  are  now  in  operation,  producing  coke 
for  the  use  of  the  Charlotte  Furnace  Company,  and 
operated  by  W.  A.  Keifer.  The  coal  is  mined  by 
drift,  and  about  sixty  tons  of  coke  produced  per  day. 
The  works  give  employment  to  thirty  men.  They  are 
located  on  a  line  with  those  of  the  Charlotte  Furnace 
Company,  and  are  in  fact  a  part  of  those  works. 

The  Fountain  Coke-Works  are  located  next  above 
the  Keifer  Works.  They  have  fifty  ovens,  producing 
about  seventy  tons  of  coke  per  day,  and  are  owned 
and  operated  by  J.  D.  Boyle. 

The  Dexter  Mines  and  Coke- Works,  owned  and 
operated  by  J.  R.  Stauffer  &  Co.,  are  located  on  the 
Stauffer  farm,  and  are  the  next  coke-works  above 
the  "  Fountain,"  on  the  Mount  Pleasant  Railroad. 

The  property  connected  with  the  works  embraces 
one  hundred  acres,  of  which  about  thirty  acres  has 
been  exhausted,  leaving  about  seventy  acres  of  coal 
untouched.  The  works  were  built  in  1873  by  the 
brothers  Staufler.  The  coal  is  taken  out  by  drifting. 
Forty  ovens  are  in  operation  here,  producing  sixty- 
five  tons  of  coke  daily.  They  are  well  equipped, 
having  a  store-house  twenty  by  thirty-six  feet  in 
dimensions,  two  tanks,  the  necessary  sidings,  and 
eight  dwelling-houses  for  operatives.  The  works 
have  $25,000  invested  in  them,  exclusive  of  the  land, 
for  which  no  outlay  was  required,  as  it  belonged  to 
the  Stauffer  homestead  property.  A  view  of  the 
Dexter  Coke- Works,  as  also  of  the  flouring-mills  of 
J.  R.  &  A.  Stauffer,  is  given  herewith. 

The  Painter  Coke-Works  are  next  above  the  Dexter, 
on  the  Mount  Pleasant  Railroad.  These  works  were 
put  in  operation  in  1873  by  Col.  Israel  Painter,  the 
location  being  upon  land  which  he  had  owned  for 
some  time  previously.  Col.  Painter  built  seventy 
ovens,  and  carried  on  the  works  till  1878,  when  he 
sold  the  work  to  McClure  &  Co.,  of  Pittsburgh,  the 
present  proprietors,  who  added  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
eight  ovens,  making  a  total  of  two  hundred  and 
twenty-eight,  the  number  now  in  operation  at  these 
works.  The  coal  is  mined  by  drift,  and  is  of  excellent 
<|Uality  for  coking. 

The  Diamond  Coke- Works,  the  most  northerly  of 
the  works  in  Fayette  County,  on  the  line  of  the  Mount 


Pleasant  Railroad,  were  started  in  1874  by  Lomison 
&  Stauft,  who  then  erected  twenty-five  ovens,  and 

I  manufactured  coke  here  until  1879,  when  they  sold 
the  works  to  the  Diamond  Coke  Company.  That 
company  built  twenty  additional  ovens,  and  carried 
on  the  works  until  1880,  when  they  sold  the  property 
to  McClure  &  Co.,  who  built  additional  ovens,  bring- 
ing the  whole  number  to  sixty-six,  as  at  present. 
About  eight  car-loads  of  coke  are  produced  here 
daily.  Both  the  "  Diamond"  and  the  "  Painter's" 
Works  (owned  by  the  same  proprietors)  are  under  the 

j  superintendence  of  J.  H.  Culler. 

The  mines  and  coke-works  above  mentioned  are  all 
located  in  Upper  Tyrone  township,  except  the  "  Henry 
Clay"  Mines,  which  are  in  Connellsville. 
The  H.  C.  Frick  Coke  Company  own  eleven  miles 

I  of  railroad  and  twenty-nine  miles  of  pit-track,  and 
keep   in  operation  two  hundred  and  nineteen  cars, 

I  owned  by  themselves.     The  company  have  in  their 

[  possession  about  twelve  square  miles  of  coal  lands 
and  surface  in  this  section,  and  operate  several  hun- 
dred more,  besides  buying  the  coke  produced  by  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  other  ovens.  They  have  stores 
for  supplying  their  miners  at  Broad  Ford,  Morgan, 

'  and  the  Summit,  and  blocks  of  tenement-houses  for 

[  miners'  occupancy  at  all  their  mines.  They  are  now 
(June,  1881)  laying  water-pipes  for  the  purpose  of 

j  furnishing  their  works  with  an  unlimited  supply  of 

I  water. 

j  '    The  Spurgeon  (formerly  Spring  Grove)  Mines  and 

I  coke-ovens  in  connection,  are  located  on  Hickman 
Run,  near  its  mouth.  They  were  commenced  in  1864 
by  Cochran  &  Keister,  their  present  owners,  who 
have  one  hundred  ovens  in  operation,  and  ship  ten 

j  car-loads  of  coke  daily.     They  have  a  store  and  tene- 

]  ments  for  their  workmen  and  laborers  at  the  mines. 

!  The  Jimtown  Coke- Works  (next  above  the  Spur- 
geon) are  owned  by  J.  M.  Schoonmaker.  Three 
hundred  and  three  ovens  are  now  in  operation  here, 
and  thirty  car-loads  of  coke  are  shipped  daily.  A 
store  and  tenement-houses  for  the  operatives  are  owned 
by  the  proprietors  of  these  works.  J.  R.  Laughrey 
is  superintendent  of  these,  as  well  as  of  the  Sterling 

'■  Mines  and  Coke- Works,  located  on  the  Youghiogheny 
River. 

Next  above  Jimtown  are  the  "  Cora  Coke-Works," 
erected  in  1880  by  Jacob  Newmyer  &  Sons,  compris- 
ing forty-two  ovens  in  active  operation. 

For  the  accommodation  of  the  above-mentioned 
works  on  Hickman  Run  there  has  been  built  a  rail- 
road, called  the  Hickman  Run  Branch,  connecting 
with  the  main  track  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Rail- 
road near  the  mouth  of  the  run. 

Along  the  Youghiogheny  River  above  Dawson,  on 
the  line  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  are  a 
number  of  mines  and  coke-works.  The  first  of  these 
(passing  from  Dawson  towards  Broad  Ford)  is  the 
Favette  Coke-AVorks,  now  owned  by  James  Cochran, 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Graff,  Bennett  &  Co.,  and  the  Manchester  Iron  and 
Steel  Company.  A  few  ovens  were  built  and  put  in 
operation  here  as  early  as  1842  by  Campbell  &  Mc- 
Cormick.  The  present  works  were  commenced  in 
1866.  They  now  number  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  ovens,  and  are  under  the  superintendency  of 
James  Cochran,  a  principal  owner. 

The  Jackson  Mines  are  situated  on  the  main  line  • 
of  the  railroad  east  of  the  Fayette  Works.  They 
are  owned  by  J.  K.  Ewing,  James  Cochran,  Sample 
Cochran,  and  J.  T.  Cochran,  under  style  of  "  Jack-  j 
son  Mines  Company."  Sixty-four  ovens  are  in  oper-  i 
ation,  producing  an  average  of  seven  car-loads  of  i 
coke  daily. 

Next  east  are  the  Sterling  Mines,  owned  by  J.  M. 
Schoonmaker,  and  under  the  superintendency  of  J. 
E.  Laughrey.  One  hundred  and  fifty-nine  ovens  are 
in  operation  here,  producing  seventeen  car-loads  of 
coke  daily.  [ 

The  Tyrone  Coke-Works  of  Laughlin  &  Co.,  next 
east  of  the  Sterling  Mines,  have  one  hundred  and 
thirty  ovens.  Next  above  these  are  the  Washington 
Mines,  the  last  of  those  located  between  Dawson  and 
Broad  Ford.  They  are  owned  by  Sample  Cochran 
&  Co.  The  number  of  ovens  now  in  operation  is 
thirty-two. 

The  manufacture  of  fire-brick  in  Fayette  County 
was  begun  as  early  as  the  year  1830  by  Jacob  Ander- 
son, who  is  now  living  at  Rochester,  Pa.  He  com-- 
menced  the  business  about  one  mile  from  Connells- 
ville.  The  brick  he  made  were  loaded  upon  flat-boats 
and  floated  down  the  Youghiogheny  River  to  Pitts- 
burgh ;  there  they  were  used  in  furnaces,  mills,  etc. 
The  business  was  continued  for  many  years  by  differ- 
ent persons,  among  whom  were  Thomas  Ewing,  Clem- 
ent Smith,  Henry  Wather,  William  Graham,  John 
Kilpatrick,  John  T.  Hurst,  Jackson  Spri-s,  and 
several  others.  But  it  was  not  until  thi-  l,ii-iii,>-  of 
coke  manufacture  became  the  leading  liu>iin—  ui  tlif 
county  that  the  real  value  of  the  fire-brick  made  here 
was  recognized.  When  the  fact  became  known  by 
practical  tests  that  as  the  Connellsville  coal  makes  i 
the  best  coke  now  known  in  this  country,  so  the  nearer  j 
to  the  town  of  Connellsville  the  fire-brick  are  made  ; 
tiie  better  they  are  adapted  to  the  use  of  coke-ovens,  ■ 
and  the  interest  has  been  carried  to  such  a  degree  of  i 
perfection  by  some  of  the  operators  that  they  make 
as  many  as  six  different  compositions  in  making  the 
brick  for  one  oven.  There  are  two  different  kinds  of 
fire-clay  used  in  these  brick,— plastic  or  soft  clay,  and 
flinty  or  quartz  clay.  These  are  put  in  in  such  quan- 
tities, as  experiment  has  demonstrated  in  their  use  in 
the  brick,  as  are  best  suited  to  the  place  the  brick  are 
to  occupy  in  the  oven.  The  flint  clay  is  about  as  hard 
as  limestone,  and  is  of  close,  fine  grain,  taking  a  pol- 
ish like  marble.  It  is  placed  in  a  large  metal  pan,  a 
stream  of  water  is  turned  upon  it,  and  two  large  rol- 
lers revolve  around  in  the  luiri,  causiiiL'-  tlie  clnv  tni'i-nn 


the  size  required,  when  the  proper  quantity  of  plas- 
tic clay  is  added,  making  the  whole  mass  into  a  pasty 
substance.  It  is  taken  out  of  the  pan  and  moulded 
and  dried  on  a  hot  floor  made  for  that  purpose,  then 
the  brick  are  set  in  kilns  and  burned  about  five  days 
and  nights.  They  are  then  ready  for  the  market.  It 
is  also  necessary  in  making  some  of  these  brick  to 
calcine  a  part  of  the  clay  before  using  it.  The  busi- 
ness is  carried  on  extensively  by  Joseph  Soisson  and 
Worth  Kilpatrick,  a  view  of  whose  works  is  shown 
in  this  book.  They  are  located  about  two  miles  from 
Connellsville,  at  Moyer  Station,  on  the  Southwest- 
ern Pennsylvania  Railroad.  These  gentlemen  are 
thoroughly  posted  in  their  business,  and  have  been 
obliged  to  increase  the  capacity  of  their  works  sev- 
eral times  during  the  last  three  years.  They  send 
some  of  their  bricks  six  and  seven  hundred  miles 
from  the  place  of  manufacture,  which  is  an  indication 
that  they  are  becoming  widely  known  as  thorough, 
progressive,  and  responsible  business  men. 

The  fire-brick  works  of  J.  M.  &  L.  Cochran  are  on 
the  line  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  between 
Dawson  and  Layton  Station.  They  have  a  capacity 
for  manufacturing  ten  thousand  bricks  per  day.  They 
are  used  chiefly  in  the  construction  of  coke-ovens. 

RAILROADS. 
The  main  line  of  the  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville 
Railroad  (now under  lease  to  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
Railroad  Company)  runs  the  entire  length  of  the 
south  boundary  line  of  the  two  townships  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  Youghiogheny  River.  It  has  stations  at 
Broad  Ford,  Dawson,  Laurel  Run,  and  Miltenberger. 
Branches  connect  with  this  main  line ;  one,  the  Hick- 
man Run,  connects  at  a  short  distance  above  Dawson, 
and  is  entirely  used  for  the  transportation  of  coke  from 
the  coke-works  in  that  region.  The  other  is  the 
Mount  Pleasant  Branch,  which  connects  at  Broad 
Ford  and  extends  to  Mount  Pleasant.  This  branch 
is  used  largely  for  coke,  but  also  has  a  heavy  passen- 
ger traffic.  Along  the  entire  line  of  this  road  are 
located  coke-ovens,  and  the  amount  of  coke  shipped 
daily  is  immense.  The  stations  in  Upper  Tyrone  are 
Broad  Ford,  Morgan,  Tinstman's,  Fountain,  Overton, 
and  Everson,  at  the  iron  bridge. 


IOGRAPHIC.\L    SKETCHES. 


JAMES  COCHRAN. 
James  Cochran,  of  Dawson  Station,  is  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  of  the  self-made  men  of  Fayette 
County,  a  man  of  clear  understanding,  of  great  en- 
ergy and  indomitable  will,  but  of  a  generous  nature, 
tender-hearted  withal,  and,  in  short,  a  flue  example  of 
robust,  hearty  manhood.  He  is  in  both  lines  of 
Scotch-Irish  extraction.  Both  his  paternal  grand- 
father, Samuel  Coclirau,  and  his  maternal  one,  Eze- 


■■/?'/ 7-^- <s.:/  M^(>rl 


/  ^IZ:^Z^: 


TYRONE— UPPER  AND  LOWER  TOWNSHIPS. 


805 


kiel  Sample,  came  to  America  from  the  north  of  Ire- 
land. The  latter  settled  in  Westmoreland  County, 
and  died  there.  The  former  settled  near  Lancaster, 
Pa.,  and  moved  into  Fayette  County  when  Isaac,  the 
father  of  our  James,  was  quite  young.  About  1815 
Isaac  Cochran  married,  in  Westmoreland  County,  Ro- 
sanna,  daughter  of  Ezekiel  Sample,  before  named, 
and  took  her  to  his  home  in  Tyrone  township,  where 
he  led  the  life  of  a  farmer,  and  where  his  family  of 
five  sons,  of  whom  James  was  the  fourth  in  number, 
and  four  daughters  were  all  boru,  James  being  born 
Jan.  15,  1823. 

James  attended  in  childhood  the  subscription 
schools  till  he  was  about  thirteen  years  of  age,  when 
his  mother  died,  and  he  then  left  home  and  went  out 
to  shift  for  himself,  to  try  "  the  battle  of  life"  in  the 
school  of  experience,  which  Mr.  Cochran  emphatic- 
ally declares  to  be  "  the  best  school  that  anybody  ever 
attended."  At  the  outset  he  engaged  himself  to  a 
farmer  to  help  him  "  put  in  seeding," — that  is,  to  sow 
his  fields  ;  and  for  pay  the  farmer  gave  him  "  an  old, 
worn-out,  long-tailed  blue  coat,"  which  the  boy's 
pride  would  not  allow  him  to  wear.  So  he  went 
home  across  the  fields  in  shame  and  anger.  He 
would  work  for  that  farmer  no  more.  He  next 
bought,  on  credit,  some  red  flannel  for  a  "  wa'mus," — 
i.e.,  a  sort  of  buttoniess  wrapper, — and  got,  also  on 
credit,  from  Sample  Cochran,  his  brother,  lumber  for 
a  flat-bottomed  boat  large  enough  to  carry  a  hundred 
tons  of  sand,  built  the  boat,  and  sold  one-half  of  it 
to  Sample  to  pay  the  lumber  bill,  and  then  went  into 
partnership  with  him  in  washing  sand  at  their  uncle's 
bank  near  the  present  village  of  Dawson,  prepara- 
tory to  carrying  it  to  the  glass-makers  at  Pittsburgh. 
For  this  load  they  got  two  dollars  a  ton  ;  and  they 
sold  the  boat,  and  had  as  the  result  about  a  hundred 
dollars  apiece  in  pocket,  which  sum,  Mr.  Cochran 
says,  was  more  of  a  fortune  in  his  young  mind  then 
than  are  now  to  him  all  his  present  possessions. 
They  continued  boating,  carrying  sand,  glass-stone, 
cinders,  etc.,  mostly  to  Pittsburgh,  for  several  years. 
Thereafter  he  and  his  brother  and  uncle,  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1842,  feeling  quite  rich,  leased  two  coke- 
ovens  at  what  is  now  styled  Fayette  Works,  and 
made  two  boat-loads  of  twenty-four-hour  coke,  having 
themselves  previously  made  two  boats,  which  they 
loaded.  A  boat  held  6000  bushels  With  their 
loaded  craft  they  left  for  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  April  1, 
1843,  without  money,  and  with  no  shelter  over  their 
heads,  and  with  no  place  to  lie  for  rest  except  on  the 
coke.  At  Pittsburgh  they  bought,  on  credit,  pro- 
visions, for  which  they  paid  on  their  return.  Below 
Pittsburgh  the  coke  got  on  fire  (from  a  fire  built  for 
cooking  purposes  upon  a  quantity  of  sand  laid  over 
the  coke),  and  they  fouud  that  the  more  water  they 
poured  upon  it  the  lower  the  fire  went,  and  they 
were  obliged  to  dig  down  and  get  out  the  embers.  At 
this  period  little  was  known  about  the  "  character" 
of  coke  and  how  best  to  handle  it.   Having  gathered 


lumber  along  down  the  river,  when  they  arrived  at 
Wheeling  they  made  a  shanty  over  the  coke  and  so 
secured  shelter.  Arrived  at  Cincinnati,  they  were 
obliged  to  lie  there  for  several  days  before  they  could 
dispose  of  the  coke,  and  allow  Miles  Greenwood,  a 
foundryman,  to  try  it.  He  used  the  same  quantity 
which  he  had  before  used  of  the  Monongahela  coke, 
and  finding  theirs  much  better  than  the  latter  kind, 
bought  both  loads,  paying  seven  cents  a  bushel,  half 
down,  and  giving  for  the  other  half  his  notes,  which 
he  paid  before  maturity.  This  was  the  first  of  the 
Connellsville  coke  ever  sold  for  money. 

Mr.  Cochran  has  ever  since  been  engaged  in  man- 
ufacturing coke.  He  is  the  principal  of  the  firm  of 
Cochran  &  Keister,  owning  the  Spring  Grove  Works, 
of  one  hundred  ovens,  on  the  old  Huston  farm,  at 
Dawson.  He  is  also  owner  of  a  large  interest  in  the 
Fayette  Works  (one  hundred  ovens),  which  he  has 
conducted  since  1866,  and  is  interested  in  the  Jack- 
son Mines,  in  Tyrone  township,  his  son,  John  T., 
being  in  charge  of  the  same.  He  is  concerned  in  two 
works  in  Upper  Tyrone,  the  Franklin  Mines  and  the 
Clinton  Mines,  both  of  coking  coal.  In  company 
with  John  H.  and  George  E.  Shoenberger,  Solomon 
Keister,  N.  A.  Rist,  and  his  three  sons,  John,  Philip 
G.,  and  H.  T.  Cochran,  he  owns  in  Dunbar  township 
over  twelve  hundred  acres  of  bituminous  coal  lands, 
lying  mainly  on  the  line  of  the  new  Pittsburgh  and 
Lake  Erie  Railroad,  now  in  process  of  building. 

As  an  item  of  interest  in  the  history  of  navigation 
on  the  Youghiogheny  River,  it  should  not  be  over- 
looked that  during  a  portion  of  his  life,  extending 
from  about  1846  forward  for  twenty-five  years  or  so,  or 
as  long  as  boating  was  done  on  that  stream,  Mr. 
Cochran  safely  piloted  boats  down  its  dangerous 
channel,  on  occasion,  three  or  four  times  a  year. 
This  was  a  work  which  but  very  few  men  had  sufli- 
cient  skill  to  do. 

Feb.  24,  1848,  Mr.  Cochran  married  Miss  Clarissa 
Huston,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Mary  Ann  Hazen 
Huston,  of  Tyrone  township,  by  whom  he  has  had 
eleven  children,  seven  of  whom,  six  sous  and  one 
daughter,  are  living. 


STEWART  STRICKLER. 
Stewart  Strickler,  the  only  son  of  Jacob  Strickler, 
a  farmer  of  Fayette  County,  was  born  at  New  Salem, 
near  Uniontown,  Feb.  17,  1812,  and  received  a  com- 
mon-school education.  When  he  was  sixteen  years 
old  his  mother  died,  and  his  father  breaking  up  house- 
keeping, Stewart  and  his  eight  sisters,  all  younger 
than  himself,  were  scattered  among  their  relatives. 
In  the  spring  of  1830,  Stewart  hired  out  to  John 
Smiley,  a  farmer,  at  six  dollars  per  month,  and  stayed 
with  him  till  Christmas,  after  which  he  began  ped- 
dling chickens  and  eggs,  which  he  carried  down 
along  the  Youghiogheny  River  in  a  very  simply-con- 
structed boat  made  by  himself  of  boards,  giving  away 


806 


HISTORY    OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PEiNNSYLVANIA. 


the  boat  when  he  had  sold  his  merchandise,  and 
walking  hack,  making  such  a  trip  every  few  weeks 
during  the  year  1831.  Early  in  1832  he  began  work- 
ing about  for  different  persons  at  making  railg  and 
washing  sand  (which  was  taken  to  Pittsburgh  to  the 
glass-makers). 

In  the  latter  part  of  1832  Mr.  Jacob  Strickler  got 
his  children  together  again,  Stewart  with  the  rest 
joining  him  on  the  old  place,  known  as  the  Jimtown 
farm,  where  he  (Stewart)  remained  till  1835,  when 
he  married  Mary  Newcomer,  of  Tyrone  township,  and 
bought  a  piece  of  land  from  his  father  at  Jimtown, 
and  built  thereon  a  house  and  barn  and  commenced 
farming.  In  1837  the  great  financial  panic  came,  and 
found  Stewart  badly  in  debt  for  his  farm  (he  says 
times  were  then  so  hard  that  he  had  to  pay  fifty  cents 
in  "shinplasters"  to  see  a  quarter  in  silver).  He 
struggled  on  till  about  1840,  when  times  began  to 
improve,  but  farming  being  poor  business,  he  found 
it  necessary  to  exercise  his  brain-power,  and  began  to 
conjure  up  ways  to  enable  him  to  pull  through  and  get 
out  of  debt.  Here  let  us  remark  that  in  an  early  day 
there  had  been  an  iron  furnace  at  the  mouth  of 
Jacobs'  Creek,  known  as  Turnbull  Furnace,  but  then 
long  abandoned  and  in  ruin.  Near  it  was  a  huge 
pile  of  cinders,  containing  a  great  amount  of  iron 
unextracted  from  the  ore.  Mr.  Strickler  conceived 
the  notion  of  taking  the  cinder  to  iron-works  in 
Pittsburgh,  bought  it  for  fifty  cents  a  ton,  built  a 
large  flat-boat,  on  which  he  carried  the  cinder  to  the 
city,  and  there  sold  it  for  four  dollars  and  a  half  a 
ton,  and  afterwards  sold  his  boat,  making  something 
on  it.  This  enterprise  stimulated  him  to  plot  and 
plan  still  further,  and  early  in  1842  he  bought  ten 
acres  of  coal  land  on  the  Youghiogheny  Kiver,  at  the 
point  now  called  Sterling  Coal-Works,  built  six  ovens, 
and  began  making  coke,  which  he  shipped  by  flat- 
boats  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  He  carried  on  this  busi- 
ness successfully  for  several  years.  About  the  same 
time  there  were  others  engaged  in  the  business,  but 
they  were  not  successful,  and  became  discouraued 
and  gave  it  up.  About  1855  Mr.  Strickler  iFiuiLilit 
eighty  acres  of  coal  land,  known  as  the  John  Taylor 
farm,  and  began  improving  it  with  the  intent  to  carry 
on  the  coal  business  as  before,  but  on  a  larger  scale. 


In  1857  the  Pittsburgh  and  Connellsville  Railroad 
was  completed,  and  Mr.  Strickler  put  into  operation 
on  his  place  eighty  coke-ovens.  At  this  time  he  built 
a  side-track  from  his  works  to  the  main  line  of  the 
railroad,  for  the  purpose  of  shipping  coke  and  coal  to 
Graft;  Bennett  &  Co.,  of  Pittsburgh,  keeping  their 
furnace  going  from  1860  to  1864,  with  two  thousand 
bushels  per  day.  He  then  sold  a  third-interest  in 
his  business  to  the  above-named  firm  for  $35,000,  a 
few  months  afterwards  selling  the  balance  to  Shoen- 
berger  &  Co.  for  $45,000. 

Somewhere  between  1835  and  1840  Mr.  Strickler 
bought  all  of  his  father's  old  farm,  paying  $30  per 
acre.  In  the  spring  of  1864  he  sold  it  to  J.  K.  Ewing 
for  .§200  per  acre,  the  latter  afterwards  selling  it  for 
over  $400  an  acre. 

In  1867,  Mr.  Strickler  removed  with  a -portion  of 
his  family  to  Middle  Tennessee,  near  the  Cumberland 
Mountains.  He  is  the  father  of  eight  children,  two 
sons  and  six  daughters,  the  eldest  of  whom,  Mrs. 
Caroline  Hill,  died  in  March,  1879.  His  wife  and  the 
rest  of  his  children  are  living.  Three  of  the  daugh- 
ters reside  in  Tennessee.  Two  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters live  on  the  farm  formerly  owned  by  John  Smiley, 
for  whom  and  where  Mr.  Strickler  worked  in  1830, 
as  above  related.  The  children  living  in  Fayette 
County  are  Mrs.  Maria  Boyd,  Lyman,  Dempsey,  and 
Mrs.  Martha  Herbert.  Those  in  Tennessee  are  Mrs. 
Harriet  Ramsey,  Mrs.  Kate  Thompson,  whose  hus- 
band is  a  physician,  and  Miss  Deccie  F.  Strickler,  the 
laltiT  residing  with  her  parents. 

Mr.  Strickler  is  now  over  seventy  years  of  age,  and 
notwithstanding  his  serious  labors  in  life  and  many 
dangers  encountered,  from  some  of  which  he  barely 
escaped  with  his  life,  he  is  in  good  health  and  in  full 
possession  of  intellectual  vigor.  He  is  respected  by 
his  wide  circle  of  acquaintances  as  a  man  of  strict 
integrity  and  of  nobility  of  heart.  Not  only  can  he 
look  back  upon  a  life  well  spent,  triumphant  over 
early  and  great  difiiculties,  but  he  is  also  entitled  to 
enjoy  the  reflection  that  through  his  excellent  judg- 
iiierit,  advice,  and  influence  not  a  few  persons  in  the 
iiLiion  where  he  spent  his  most  active  days  are  also 
successful,  enjoying,  many  of  them,  the  blessings  of 
wealth. 


WASHINGTON    TOWNSHIP. 


Washington,  occuin'ing  the  northwestern  corner 
of  the  county,  is,  with  regard  to  territorial  area,  one 
of  the  smallest  of  Fayette's  townships ;  but  it  is  one 
of  the  largest  with  regard  to  population,  if  we  include 
with  it  the  boroughs  of  Belle  Vernon  and  Fayette 
City,  both  of  which  lie  within  its  boundaries.  The 
population  of  the  township  proper,  however,  was  but 
twelve  hundred  and  fifty-seven  by  the  census  of  1880, 
while  that  of  the  two  boroughs  was  by  the  same  census 
two  thousand  and  thirty-one.  Belle  Vernon  having 
eleven  hundred  and  sixty-four,  and  Fayette  City  eight 
hundred  and  sixty-seven  inhabitants. 

The  boundaries  of  Washington  township  are  the 
Westmoreland  County  line  on  the  north,  Jefferson 
township  on  the  south,  Jeft'erson  and  Perry  on  the 
east,  and  the  Monongahela  River  on  the  west.  The 
assessed  valuation  of  the  township  in  1881  was  .'i;41.S,- 
460,  or  a  gain  of  $15,000  over  the  valuation  of  1880. 
Rich  in  agriculture,  Washington  has  also  valuable 
coal  deposits,  that  await  only  the  creation  of  railway 
transportation  within  the  township  borders  to  be  made 
available.  At  present  coal-mining  is  confined  to  the 
river  district,  where  the  mining  and  shipment  of  coal 
has  been  a  profitable  business  for  upwards  of  forty 
years.  The  only  noticeable  mill-stream  in  Washing- 
ton is  the  Little  Redstone,  which  empties  into  the 
Monongahela  just  above  Fayette  City. 

Important  by  reason  of  his  connection  with  the  his- 
tory of  Washington  township  and  Fayette  County, 
and  also  with  that  of  the  nation.  Col.  Edward  Cook 
deserves  first  mention  in  the  chronicle  of  Washing- 
ton's early  settlement.  He  was  born  in  Chambers- 
burg  in  1741,  and  in  1770  made  his  first  journey  west 
of  the  mountains  in  search  of  lands,  for  he  was  at  that 
time  the  possessor  of  considerable  means.  He  brought 
with  him  also  a  stock  of  goods.  When  he  made  his 
location,  near  the  present  line  between  Fayette  and 
Westmoreland  Counties,  he  built  a  log  cabin  near  the 
present  home  of  his  grandson,  John  Cook,  and  in 
one  corner  of  it  opened  a  small  store.  The  country 
was  new  then  and  stores  were  not  easy  to  reach,  so 
that  when  the  opening  of  Cook's  store  became  known 
among  settlers  within  a  radius  of  many  miles  they 
gladly  gave  to  him  their  patronage.  Cook  kept  also 
a  house  of  entertainment,  where  such  few  travelers  as 
happened  that  way  might  find  rest  and  refreshment. 
Under  the  law  he  charged  six  and  a  half  cents  for  a 
horse's  feed,  and  twelve  and  a  half  cents  for  feeding 


a  man.  In  1772  he  began  the  erection  of  a  preten- 
tious mansion,  constructing  it  entirely  of  the  lime- 
stone that  was  found  in  abundance  on  his  land.  In 
1776  he  moved  his  family  into  it,  and  there  it  still 
stands  a  sub.stantial  edifice.  After  Col.  Cook's  death,  i. 
his  son  James  occupied  the  mansion  as  his  home,  and 
now  James'  son,  William  E.,  lives  in  it. 

Edward  Cook  was  one  of  the  most  extensive  of 
land-owners  in  Southwestern  Pennsylvania.  He 
had  altngptlier  about  three  thousand  acres,  located 
in  Washiiiiituii,  \\'i-stmoreland,  and  Fayette  Coun- 
ties, and  (Miiipiiil  ridw  in  part  by  the  farms  of  Joseph 
Brown,  John  I!.  Cook,  William  E.  Cook,  Mrs.  John 
Brown,  Mr.  Montgomery,  the  site  of  Fayette  City, 
and  numerous  other  tracts.  The  patent  for  the  tract 
called  "  Mansion"  was  issued  to  Col.  Cook,  and  de- 
scribed the  tract  as  four  hundred  and  two  acres,  situ- 
ated in  Fayette  and  Westmoreland  Counties,  surveyed 
in  pursuance  of  a  warrant  issued  to  Col.  Cook,  Dec. 
17,  1784.  A  patent  for  "  Mill  Silr,"  on  the  forks  of 
William  Lynn's  run,  wa..  issiird  irj  1796.  Col.  Cook 
was  a  resident  of  the  county  from  1771  until  his  death, 
in  1812,  and  during  that  time  achieved  considerable 
public  distinction.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Pro- 
vincial Congress  convened  in  CuriMiilci's  IIuU,  Phila- 
delphia, June  18,  1776,  that  dniflr.l  tlir  liiM  declara- 
tion of  independence  presented  ht  ( 'uTiLni-s,  .lune  25, 
1776  (see  "Journal  of  Congress,"  vol.  ii.  p.  2.30);  was 
a  member  of  the  State  Constitutional  Convention  that 
convened  Sept.  28,  1776 ;  was  the  first  commissioner 
of  exchange,  and  appointed  sub-lieutenant  of  West- 
moreland County  March  21,  1777.  He  was  one  of 
the  founders  of  Rehoboth  Church,  a  member  of  its 
first  session,  its  first  representative  to  the  Redstone 
Presbytery,  and  the  Presbytery's  first  representative 
to  the  General  Assembly.  Jan.  5,  1782,  he  was  ap- 
pointed lieutenant^  of  Westmoreland  County,  to  suc- 
ceed Col.  Archibald  Lochry  (who  had  been  captured 
and  killed  while  on  an  Indian  expedition).  It  was 
from  this  appointment  that  Col.  Cook  received  his 
military  title.  He  aided  in  fixing  the  boundaries  of 
Fayette  County,  and  was  a  member  of  the  commission 
that  located  the  county-seat.  Nov.  21,  1786,  he  was 
appointed  justice  of  the  peace,  with  a  jurisdiction  that 
reached  into  Washington  County.     April  8,  1780,  he 


1  Thia  uffice  gave 


HISTORY    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


was   appointed   president  of  the  Court  of  C( 
Pleas  and  Quarter  Sessions  ;  was  associate  judge  of  ! 
Fayette  County  in  1791,  and  from  1796  to  1798  treas- 
urer of  Westmoreland  County. 

It  will  be  seen  that  Col.  Cook's  public  record  was  a 
remarkable  one  for  that  or  any  day,  and  in  its  brief 
chronicle  tells  in  nnmistakalile  terms  that  he  must 
have  l>een  vi-ry  hii;li  indeed  in  public  esteem  to  have 
won  surh  di>tini;tiijn.     He  was  one  of  the  foremost 
men  of  his  time  in  Southwestern  Pennsylvania.     His 
landed  and  other  interests  were  extensive,  and  these 
he  looked  after  closely  despite  the  pressure  upon  his 
time  by  his  official  cares.     He  built  a  saw-mill  and  i 
grist-mill  on  Cook's  Run,  laid  out  Freeport  (after- 
wards Cookstown,  and  now  Fayette  City),  and  was 
largely  engaged  at  his  home-farm  in  distilling.     He 
•was  conspicuous  in  the  Whiskey  Insurrection,  and  j 
having  been   prominent  in  some  of  the  meetings  of 
the   insurgents,  his  arrest  was   ordered,   Imt   in    the 
mean  time,  before  any  action  eonld  lie  taken,  he  ap-  i 
peared  (Xov.  0,  1794)  before  Thomas  McKean,  chief  ' 
justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania,  and  ' 
in    presence    of   William    Bradford,    Attorney-Gen-  j 
eral  of  the  United  States,  voluntarily  entered  into  | 
recognizance  to  the  United  States  for  his  appearance 
before   the  justices   of   the   Supreme   Court   of  the 
United  States  at  the  next  special  session  of  the  Cir-  , 
cuit  Court  held  for  the  district  of  Pennsylvania,  "  then  1 
and  there  to  answer  to  such  charges  of  treasonable  and 
seditious  practices  and  such  other  matters  of  misde- 
meanor as  shall  be  alleged  against  him  in  behalf  of 
the  United  States,  and  that  he  will  not  depart  that 
court  without  license."     Having  taken  this  bold  and 
honorable  course,  he  quietly  awaited  the  result,  wdiich  j 
was  simply  that  nothing  was  found  against  him,  and  ' 
he  was  not  molested  in  person,  but  some  cavalrymen  ' 
belonging  to  the  army  that  came  out  to  quell  the  in- 
surrection  visited  his    home,  and   did   considerable 
damage,  nearly  demolishing  his  distillery,  knocking 
in  the  heads  of  the  liquor  casks,  and  spilling  a  vast 
amount  of  whisky. 

Col.  Cook  was  one  among  Gen.  Washington's  per-  ' 
sonal  friends,  and  on  two  occasions  at  least  entertained  1 
Washington  in  the  old  stone  mansion  now  the  home 
of  William  E.  Cook.  On  one  of  the  occasions  named 
Washington  was  journeying  that  way  to  visit  his  lands 
in  Washington  County,  and  stopped  at  Col.  Cook's 
lor  a  brief  rest.  Cook  was  at  that  time  engaged  in 
reviewing  a  body  of  militia  near  by,  and  knew  nothing 
of  the  arrival  of  his  distinguished  guest.  Word  of 
the  arrival  was  whispered  to  the  men  before  it  reached 
the  colonel,  and  when  he,  observing  the  commotion, 
learned  what  was  in  the  wind,  he  relaxed  all  discipline 
and  set  off  unceremoniously  for  the  house.  The 
militiamen  followed  at  the  double-quick,  and  hurrah- 
ing enthusiastically  for  Gen.  Washinjion,  liron^lit 
him  to  the  porch,  and  evoked  from  him  in  icply  a-ood- 
natnred,  fatherly  speech,  which  the  soldiers  cheered  to 
the  echo. 


Col.  Cook  had  but  one  son,  James,  who  married 
Mary  Bell.  The  colonel's  yearning  ambition  was  to 
become  a  grandfather,  and  when  the  news  came  to 
him  that  he  had  a  grandson  his  joy  knew  no  bounds. 
In  the  exuberance  of  his  delight  he  waited  upon  his 
old  friend,  Joseph  Downer,  and  insisted  upon  his 
drafting  a  will,  in  wdiich  all  the  Cook  estate  should  be 
left  to  the  grandson  Edward,  and  it  was  only  by  per- 
sistent elTort  that  Downer  persuaded  him  from  the 
project,  and  convinced  him  that  as  there  might  be 
more  grandchildren  such  an  act  would  be  one  of  in- 
justice. 

Col.  Cook  died  in  the  old  stone  mansion,  Nov.  6, 
1812,  and  his  remains  rest  in  Eehoboth  churchyard. 
His  widow  survived  him  twenty-five  years.  She  died 
in  1837,  aged  upwards  of  ninety.  Col.  Cook's  son 
James  had  a  family  of  six  sons  and  one  daughter. 
The  daughter,  Martha,  lives  now  in  West  Newton. 
Of  the  sons,  Edward,  James,  Joseph,  and  Michael  are 
dead.  John  B.  and  William  E.  occupy  portions  ot 
the  homestead  farm. 

One  of  Col.  Cook's  early  friends  and  neighbors  was 
Andrew  Lynn,  who  made  his  first  settlement  in  South- 
western Pennsylvania,  on  the  Redstone,  about  1761. 
He  was  driven  away  by  the  Indians,  but  returned  not 
long  afterwards  to  remain  permanently.  He  bought 
land  not  only  on  the  Redstone,  but  a  tract  below 
there,  in  wdiat  is  now  Washington  township,  and  lived 
a  while  upon  the  last-mentioned  tract.  The  Wash- 
ington land,  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Denton 
Lynn,  was  sold  to  old  Andrew  by  Thomas  Pearce, 
and  conveyed  to  him  by  deed  dated  Aug.  20,  1769. 
Thomas  Pearce  entered  an  application  for  the  tract 
April  3,  1769.  A  warrant  was  issued  to  Pearce.  An 
order  of  survey  was  issued  to  Andrew  Lynn  June  3, 
1788,  and  a  patent  for  one  hundred  and  thirty  acres 
granted  March  1,  1790.  The  tract  was  called  Sedgy 
Fort,  from  an  Indian  or  prehistoric  fort  that  sto,od 
on  it. 

This  fort  was  located  upon  an  elevation  close  to  the 
present  site  of  Denton  Lynn's  barn.  There  was  a 
large  space  inclosed,  having  within  it  a  spring  and 
some  Indian  graves.  Near  at  hand  was  a  fine  sugar- 
bush,  whose  near  presence  may  have  accounted  for 
the  location  of  the  fort  upon  that  site.  The  field  was 
called,  and  is  yet  called,  "  Old  Fort  Field."  Indian 
relics  and  skeletons  have  been  frequently  turned  up 
from  that  field  by  Mr.  Denton  Lynn.  In  1859  he 
came  upon  several  skeletons,  and  upon  investigation 
concluded  that  the  bodies  must  have  been  buried  two 
diep.  Each  body  appeared  to  have  been  surrounded 
with  earthenware  dishes,  composed  of  baked  mussel- 
.shells  and  clay.  One  of  the  skeletons  proved  to  be 
that  of  a  man  fully  eight  feet  in  height.  Some  of  the 
skeletons  were  so  placed  as  to  give  the  impression 
tliat  tlic  Ijodies  had  been  interred  in  a  sitting  position. 
Wlicn  Andrew  Lynn  came  to  the  place  (in  1774)  the 
line  of  the  old  fort  was  marked  by  a  growth  of  thick 
buslies  and   straggling  stone  heaps.     Andrew  Lynn, 


WASHINGTON   TOWNSHIl' 


809 


Jr.,  son  of  the  Aiidivw  Lyuii  lir*t  ii:iiiilhI,  InluM-itcd 
the  lands  to  which  he  came  witli  his  father  in  his 
eighth  year,  or  in  1774.  He  told  the  present  Denton 
Lynn,  his  grandson,  there  was  then  no  clearing  on 
the  tract.  Being  out  in  a  field  with  Denton  one  day, 
Andrew,  Jr.,  said  to  him,  "  Denton,  in  this  field  was 
built  the  first  cabin  put  up  on  the  Lynn  farm."  Den- 
ton replied,  "  Well,  grandfather,  it  seems  queer  to  me 
that,  whoever  the  man  was,  he  should  have  put  up 
his  house  here  upon  low  ground,  while  lie  could  have 
chosen  a  dozen  higher  and  better  spots."  "  The  rea- 
son was,"  remarked  old  Andrew,  "  that  the  man  had 
only  his  wife  to  assist  him  in  putting  up  the  cabin, 
and  his  chief  desire,  therefore,  was  to  get  where  trees 
were  handy.  That's  why  he  selected  a  low  spot." 
The  first  Andrew  Lynn  increased  his  original  lands 
by  the  purchase  of  an  adjoining  tract  that  had  been 
tomahawked  byAVilliam  Lynn, — not  related  to  An- 
drew. The  entire  farm  of  four  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  came  into  the  possession  of  Andrew  Lynn,  Jr., 
who  lived  upon  it  from  1774  until  his  death  in  1855, 
at  the  age  of  eighty-nine.  Three  hundred  and  twenty 
of  the  four  hundred  and  fifty  acres  are  now  owned 
by  Denton  Lynn. 

Andrew  Lynn,  Jr.,  was  a  man  of  local  note,  and 
among  other  things  was  distinguished  for  having 
served  as  justice  of  the  peace  forty  years.  He  built 
in  1790  a  stone  mansion,  fashioned  after  the  one 
built  by  Col.  Edward  Cook  in  1772,  but  it  did  not 
turn  out  to  be  as  durable  an  edifice  as  Cook's.  The 
latter  stands  yet  and  serves  its  original  purpose,  while 
Lynn's,  abandoned  as  a  human  habitation  in  186(i,  is 
fast  falling  to  ruin.  Near  the  Lynn  mansion  stands 
a  famous  locust-tree,  under  whose  wide-spreading 
branches  Gen.  Washington,  Andrew  Lynn,  and  Col. 
Edward  Cook  are  said  to  have  met  and  tarried  for 
some  time  in  social  intercourse.  The  tree  is  reck- 
oned to  be  at  least  one  hundred  and  sixty  years  old. 
Its  circumference  near  the  ground  is  nearly  twenty 
feet.  Its  lower  branches,  blown  down  some  years 
ago,  measured  fully  one  hundred  feet  from  tip  to  tip. 

About  1783,  Joseph  Downer,  a  resident  of  Boston, 
Mass.,  moved  westward  in  searcli  of  a  location  for 
trade,  and  finding  it  oh  the  Monongahela  River  at 
Elizabethtown,  opened  a  store  there  and  sold  goods 
until  1794,  when  he  came  to  Washington  town- 
ship and  bought  a  tract  of  land  of  Col.  Edward 
Cook,  situated  on  a  fork  of  the  stream  now  called 
Downer's  Run.  Here  he  set  up  a  store  near  Col. 
Cook's.  In  1799  he  built  a  mill  and  began  to  make 
flour  on  the  present  Cooper  mill-site,  about  a  mile 
below  the  Col.  Cook  mansion.  When  the  mill  was 
fairly  in  operation  he  gave  up  his  store  business  and 
devoted  himself  exclusively  to  milling.  He  had  not 
been  on  the  spot  long  before  he  concluded  to  move 
farther  down  the  stream  to  Col.  Cook's  newly  laid- 
out  village  of  Freeport,  and  on  the  present  Hamer 
mill-site  erected  a  second  grist-mill,  and  still  below 
there  put  up  a  saw-mill,  of  which  the  ruins  may  yet 


bo  seen.     The  gii.>t-niill   he   eiiuipped  with  the  ma- 
I  chinery  of  the  first  mill,  and  moved  his  family  into  a 
j  house  that  he  Ijuilt  in  Freeport,  on  the  site  now  occu- 
1  pied  by  the  Roscoe  Thirkield  mansion.     About  1820, 
Downer  sold  the  abandoned  mill  on  the  Cooper  place 
:  to  John  Roe,  an  Englishman,  who  agreed  to  fit  it  up 
j  as  a  cotton-factory,  and  upon  his  part  Downer  agreed 
to  take  an  interest  in  the  enterprise  through  his  son. 
j  Samuel  Roe  made  the  start  as  agreed,  but  failing  to 
make   the   payments  to   Downer  as  contracted  was 
obliged   to    relinquish    the    property   to   the   latter. 
Samuel   Downer  thereupon  conducted  the  business 
for  his  father,  but  the  work  proving  unprofitable  was 
given   up  after  a   few  years.     Mr.  Downer  died  in 
Cookstown  in  1838.     Further  notice  of  Mr.  Downer 
I  will  be  found  in  the  history  of  Fayette  City  borough. 
j       Mention  of  the  Downer  organ  is  called  for,  how- 
I  ever,  here.     Mr.  Downer  possessed  all  his  life  a  strong 
musical    taste,  as   well  as   much  mechanical  genius. 
When  he  lelt   I'lu-luii  for  the  West  he  carried  with 
him  a  ciiiile  iiiipi-ession  of  tlie  mechanism  of  a  jjipe 
organ,  intending  when  he  reached  his  new  home  to 
construct  one    for  his  own   use.      Upon  settling  at 
Elizabethtown  he  selected  a  lot  of  black  walnut  tim- 
ber and  seasoned  it  thoroughly.     During  such  odd 
hours  as  he  could  snatch  from  his  business  duties  he 
spent  his  time  in  the  construction  of  the  organ,  and 
at  the  end  of  about  a  year  finished  it.     It  measured 
ten  feet  in   height   and   five   feet   across   each   side. 
Every  part  of  it  was  composed  of  black  walnut,  even 
to  the  keys  and  pipes,  of  which  latter  there  were 
three   hundred  and  sixty-five.     The  face  of  it  was 
handsomely  ornamented  with  scroll-work,  the  which 
he  fashioned  with  a  pocket-knife.    To  all  the  country 
round  about  it  was  an  object  of  curious  interest,  and 
from  far  and  near  people  frequently  came  to  see  it 
and  to  hear  Mr.  Downer  play  upon  it.     It  possessed 
an  excellent  tone  and  volume,  and  to  play  it  was  one 
of  Downer's  greatest  delights. 

The  organ  is  still  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Downer's 
daughter,  Mrs.  Thompson,  of  Fayette  City,  and  al- 
though nearly  a  hundred  years  old  is  not  only  an 
ornament,  but  yet  makes  very  good  music.  Mr. 
Downer  constructed  also  for  Col.  Cook  a  small  pipe- 
organ  containing  a  chime  of  bells,  now  in  the  pos- 
session of  Eliphalet  Downer,  of  Monongahela  City. 
His  art  ran  also  to  painting,  and  as  achievements  in 
that  direction  he  painted  his  own  portrait  from  a 
looking-glass  reflection,  and  executed  also  what  were 
called  most  excellent  portraits  of  Col.  Cook  and  his 
wife. 

Adjoining  Andrew  Lynn,  Jr.,  on  the  river  lived  a 
colored  man  known  as  London  Derry,  who  in  com- 
I  pany  with  Andrew  Lynn  and  about  sixty  others  went 
on  a  land-looking  expedition  to  Marshall  County, 
Va.  They  were  attacked  en  route  by  a  body  of  In- 
dians, and  compelled  to  seek  safety  in  a  flight  which 
included  the  swimming  of  the  Ohio.  Lynn's  escape 
1  was  so  narrow  that  he  lost  a  portion  of  his  scalp. 


810 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


while  Derry  saved  himself  by  burrowing  beneath  the 
roots  of  a  tree. 

Michael  Springer,  likewise  one  of  Andrew  Lynn's 
near  neighbors,  was  a  German.  He  bought  his  land 
from  the  man  who  had  tomahawked  it,  and  gave  in 
exchange  a  shot-gun  and  a  hog. 

Levi  Stephens,  of  Bucks  County,  was  a  govern- 
ment surveyor,  who  in  1769  assisted  in  surveying;- 
Southwestern  Pennsylvania.  He  was  so  well  pleasccl 
with  the  land  lying  along  the  southern  border  of  what 
is  now  Washington  township  that  he  made  a  purchase 
there  of  a  large  land  tract,  and  there  concluded  to 
make  his  home.  Although  after  that  busily  engaged 
on  his  land,  he  found  opportunities  to  do  considerable 
surveying  from  time  to  time  as  his  services  were 
called  for.  The  compass  used  by  Mr.  Stephens  is 
still  in  the  possession  of  his  descendants.  His  sons 
were  four  in  number,  and  named  Nathaniel,  John, 
Levi,  Jr.,  and  Thomas.  Of  Nathaniel's  sons  Nathan- 
iel, Jr.,  Levi,  and  Joshua  are  living.  Of  Levi,  Jr.'s, 
sons  the  living  are  Jehu,  Israel,  Johnson,  and  James. 
David  is  the  only  living  son  of  Thomas.  The  widow 
of  Levi  Stephens,  Jr.,  now  resides  in  Washington 
township,  aged  eighty-five  years.  Nathaniel,  the 
eldest  son  of  Levi  Stephens,  the  surveyor,  was  a  noted 
river  trader.  The  Stephens  were  long-lived.  Levi, 
the  surveyor,  died  in  1808,  aged  sixty-four,  two  years 
after  the  death  of  his  father,  John,  who  lived  to  be 
ninety-one ;  Levi  Stephens,  Jr.,  was  eighty -seven  at 
his  death  in  1878  ;  and  Nathaniel  eighty-seven  when 
he  died  in  1869.  All  those  named  were  buried  in  the 
cemetery  at  Little  Redstone  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church. 

Contemporaneous  with  Levi  Stephens  in  Washing- 
ton was  John  Reeves,  who  served  as  a  colonel  in  the 
Revolution,  as  did  also  his  father.  John  lived  on  the 
farm  now  occupied  by  Jehu  Stevens,  upon  which 
once  stood  a  famous  red  oak  that  measured  eleven 
feet  in  diameter. 

John  Brightwell,  a  Marylander,  lived  where  J.  B. 
Stephens  now  resides.  Briirlitwell's  wife  wa<  a  linive- 
hearted  woman,  and  altli'.ii^li  iiiiirt\ -ninr  yi-:iis  ,,1.1 
at  her  death  was  active  a  IP  I  In  an\  t^  ihu  last.  During 
her  early  life  in  Washington  she  not  only  crossed  tlie 
mountains  once  or  twice  to  visit  Eastern  friends,  but 
made  a  memorable  horsebaek-tripto  Cincinnati  alone, 
anil  brouglit  her  niece  witli  Iier  on  tlie  return  journey. 
Such  an  undertaking,  involving  a  ride  of  aix)Ut  si.x 
luiiidred  miles  tlin.ugh  a  wild  and  unsettled  country 
for  a  great  part  of  the  way,  was  no  trifling  task.  Its 
accomplishment  was  something  unusual  for  even  a 
pioneer's  wife.  Along  with  tlie  Stewarts,  the  early 
settlers  in  the  Stephens  neigliburliooil  imludtil  the 
Piersols  (one  of  whom  capture<l  the  last  l.eai-  -ei  n  in 
this  section),  William  Nutt,  Tlmmas  t'.nui,  Thoiiias 
Taggart,  the  Jeffries,  Parkers,  Peter  Marstou,  and 
Jacob  Harris.  Robert  Galloway,  one  of  the  early 
settlers  on  Dunlap's  Creek,  was  also  an  early  comer 
to  Washinaton.      He  boUL'ht  tlie  niill-.-ite  oritrinallv 


owned  by  Col.  Cook,  and  later  by  Mr.  Kyle  and  An- 
drew Brown,  and  for  years  was  known  as  the  pro- 
prietor of  Galloway's  Mills.  The  Houseman  place, 
adjoining  Galloway's,  was  the  home  of  John  Patterson 
some  little  time  before  1800.  Just  when  he  became  a 
resident  is  not  known,  but  it  is  remembered  that  Pat- 
terson was  fond  of  telling  how  there  was  not,  when 
he  came,  a  clearing  "  big  enough  to  lay  the  broad  of 
his  back  on."  Patterson  built  the  stone  house  now 
on  the  Joseph  Houseman  place,  and  inscribed  over 
the  door  "  J.  P.  1800,"  yet  to  be  seen.  He  was  a 
blacksmith  by  trade,  and  had  a  shop  on  his  farm. 
For  strength,  endurance,  and  rapid  work  in  the  har- 
vest-field he  was  noted.  He  worked  hard  and  saved 
his  money  until  he  was  looked  upon  as  a  wealthy 
man.  In  an  evil  hour  he  joined  others  in  the  glass- 
manufacturing  business  at  Perryopolis,  and  lost  all 
he  had.  In  his  old  age  he  was  very'  poor.  Not  only 
he  but  other  well-to-do  farmers  in  Washington  were 
ruined  by  the  disastrous  results  attendant  upon  the 
Perryopolis  glass-works  enterprise.  William  Nichols 
lived  near  Patterson,  but  nothing  has  been  preserved 
to  show  who  he  was  or  what  he  did. 

Joseph  Patton  was  the  owner  of  a  large  land  tract 
over  towards  the  Perry  line,  where  his  grandchildren 

j  now  live.     In  1780  Andrew  Brown  bought  of  Col. 

I  Edward  Cook  the  place  upon  which  his  grandson, 
Andrew  Brown,  now  lives.  Brown  bought  also  the 
adjoining  mill-site,  and  carried  on  the  mill  some  years, 
as  well  as  a  distillery  near  by.  Mr.  Brown's  children 
were  seven  daughters  and  three  sons.  Of  the  latter 
only  John  lived  to  grow  to  manhood.  He  died  on 
the  old  farm  April  15,  1872,  and  there  his  widow  still 
lives  with  her  son  Andrew. 

In  1771,  John  Willson  landed  in  Virginia  from 
Ireland,  and  from  Virginia  in  1788  he  removed  to 
Washington  township,  Fayette  Co.,  to  occupy  a  two- 
hundred-acre  tract  bought  for  him  by  his  sons  Hugh 
and  John,  living  respectively  in  Allegheny  County 
and  Perry  township,  where  they  had  then  been  re- 
siding some  time.  The  two  hundred  acres,  lying  on 
the  line  between  Westmoreland  and  Fayette  Counties, 
were  bought  for  Willson  from  one  Jones,  and  into  the 
house  Jones  had  put  up  Wills'on  moved  with  his  fam- 
ily. In  1804,  Mr.  Willson  replaced  the  Jones  cabin 
with  the  log  house  now  standing  on  the  place.  Three 
sons  came  with  him  in  1788.  They  were  James, 
Robert,  and  David.  James  died  in  Washington  in 
1827,  Robert  moved  to  Ohio,  and  David,  inheriting 
the  homestead,  died  there  in  1863,  at  the  age  of  ninety 
years,  after  a  residence  of  seventy-five  years  on  the 
farm.  John,  the  father,  died  in  1807,  aged  eighty- 
two  years.  It  is  wortliy  of  mention  that  three  of  his 
sons — Hugh,  John,  and  Robert — saw  service  in  the 
Revolution.  Of  the  children  of  David,  the  living 
ones  are  John  R.,  Mary  J.,  and  James  M. 


Allen  Farquhar  (a  Quaker)  came  from  Maryland 
about  1790,  and  located  upon  a  farm  of  which  his 
grandson,    Roljert    Farciuliar,    now  owns   a   portion. 


WASHINGTON   TOWNSHIP. 


811 


With  Allen  Farquhar  came  his  three  married  sons, 
Robert,   William,  and  Samuel.      Allen,  the  father, 
bought  two   hundred   and   nineteen    acres   of   Levi 
Stephens,  and   divided  the  tract  between  his  three 
sons.     Robert,  the  only  one  to  remain  permanently 
in  Washington,  died  in  1823.     His  brothers  William  | 
and  Samuel  moved  to  Ohio,  and  died  there.     Robert 
had  nine  children,  of  whom  three  were  sons, — Joseph, 
Robert,  and  William.      Joseph  died  in  his   youth, 
Robert  and  William  settled  and  died  in  Washington. 
David  Hough,  one  of  the  early  millers  in  Fayette 
County,  built  a   mill  on   the   Little   Redstone,  but 
moved,  after   a  brief  time,  to   Jefferson,  where  he 
died.     In  1801,  John   Hough   bought  one  hundred  ; 
and  eight  acres  of  Hieronimus  Eckraan  for  £220  18s.  | 
dd.     Two  years  before  that  Eckman  bought  the  land  | 
for  $100.     The  patent  for  the  tract  was  granted  in 
1788  by  the  State  to  Josiah  Kerr,  who  had  previously 
built  a  saw-mill  upon  it  and  called  it  "  Miuoria."  ' 
Martin  Lutz  settled  about  1800  on  Lutz's  Run,  near 
the  Westmoreland  County  line.    There  he  died.    His 
six  sons  were  named  George,  Martin,  David,  Henry, 
Barnet,  and  William.     All  but  George  and  William 
are  still  living.     John  McKee,  traveling  westward  in  . 
1809,  stopped  on  one  of  Col.  Cook's  farms,  and  re-  ^ 
mained  there  as  a  renter.    McKee  was  an  ex-Revolu- 
tionary soldier,  and  boasted  an  honorable  record  of 
service.     His  son  John,  aged  nearly  ninety,  is  still  a 
resident  of  Washington  township.     On  the  place  oc- 
cupied by  J.  B.  Gould,  near  Belle  Vernon,  the  Wiley 
family  lived  as  early  as  1800,  and  after  them  George 
Haselbaker,  who  lived  in  a  log  house  on  the  bank  of  the 
river.   Farther  up  was  his  brother  Jacob,  a  shoemaker,  | 
and  beyond  Jacob  was  John  Dinsmore.    J.  B.  Gould,  ; 
who  was  teaching  school  at  Cookstown  in  1828,  bought 
the  Wiley  place  that  year,  and  since  then  has  made  it  : 
his  home.    Mr.  Gould  is  now  in  his  eighty-sixth  year. 
In  1810  he  came  to  Fayette  County  with  his  father, 
who  settled  then  near  the  Red   Lion,  in  Jefferson 
township,  a  noted  tavern  in  its  day,  the  fame  of  which 
penetrated  even  into  far-off  New  England.  I 

TOWNSHIP   ORGANIZATION    AND    CIVIL    LIST. 
Upon  the  division  of  the  county  into  townships,  at 
the  December  session  of  the  Court  of  Quarter  Ses-  ] 
sions  in  1783,  the  court  ordered  the  laying  out  of  "  A 
township  beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Spear's  Run ;  j 
thence  by  the  line  dividing  the  counties  of  Westmore- 
land and  Fayette  to  the  mouth  of  Jacob's  Creek  ; 
thence  by  the   river   Youghiogini  to  the    mouth  of 
Washington  Mill  Run;  thence  up  the  same  to  the 
head  of  the  south  fork;  thence  by  a  line  to  be  drawn 
to  the  head  of  a  small  branch  of  Crab-Apple  Bun,  ' 
known  by  the  name  of  Hardistus   branch;   thence  ' 
down  the  same  to   Crab-Apple  Run;   thence  down 
Crab-Apple  Run  to  Redstone  Creek;    thence  down 
said  creek  and  Monongahela  River  to  the  place  of 
beginning;    to  be  known  hereafter  by  the  name  of 
Washington    township."      March,    1839,    the    court  ' 


created  the  township  of  Perry  from  portions  of  Ty- 
rone, Franklin,  and  Washington.  In  June,  1840, 
Jefferson  township  and  Cookstown  borough  were 
erected  from  Washington,  and  Belle  "Vernon  in  1863, 
leaving  to  Washington  the  territory  it  now  contains. 
Imperfect  records  forbid  the  presentation  of  a  com- 
plete civil  list  for  Washington.  Such  as  could  be  ob- 
tained are  here  given,  viz.  : 

JUSTICES   OF   THE   PEACE. 


Harvey  Barker. 
.James  Cunningham, 
Harvey  Barker. 
John  B.  Gould. 
Samuel  Griffith. 
John  B.  Gould. 
Samuel  C.  Griffith. 
James  Springer. 
John  B.  Gould. 
Samuel  C.  Griffith. 
James  M.  Springer. 
Samuel  C.  Griffith. 


1840.  John  B.  Gould. 
1S41.  Robert  Baldwin. 

1842.  Samuel  Galloway. 

1843.  William  B.  Nutt. 

1844.  James  C.  Cook. 

1845.  John  Thompson. 

1846.  Thompson  Turner. 

1847.  John  R.  WiUson. 

1848.  John  B.  Cook. 

1849.  George  Lutz. 

1850.  Levi  Stephens. 

1851.  John  B.  Gould. 

1852.  Samuel  C.  Griffith. 

1853.  Joseph  Galloway. 

1854.  John  B.Gould. 

1855.  Joseph  A.  Ebert. 

1856.  Johnson  R.  Stephens 

1857.  Robert  Farquhar. 
1868.  Jacob  Houseman. 

1859.  Joshua  N.  Stephens. 

1860.  E.  C.  Griffith. 


1865.  John  R.  Willson. 

1867.  Samuel  C.  Griffith. 

1868.  Samuel  C.  Griffith. 
John  R.  Willson. 

1869.  J.  N.  Dixon. 
F.  C.  Herron. 

1873.  .John  R.  Willson. 
Levi  J.  Jeffries. 

1874.  J.  S.  Moss. 
1878.  James  Galloway. 

Joseph  Brown. 


1861.  Samuel  C.  Griffith 

1862.  John  B.  Gould. 

1863.  Thomas  Patton. 

1864.  Samuel  Galloway. 

1865.  John  B.  Gould. 

1866.  John  McClain. 

1867.  John  Brown. 

1868.  John  B.  Gould. 

1869.  B.  M.  Chalfant. 

1871.  Joseph  Galloway. 

1872.  William  Patton. 

1873.  Euclid  S.  Griffith. 

1874.  C.  P.  Powers. 

1875.  Levi  J.  Jeffries. 

1876.  J.  B.  Houseman. 
John  Stephens. 

1877.  Robert  G.  Patton. 

1879.  Samuel  Galloway. 

1880.  Alexander  Luce. 

1881.  J.  Whetzel. 


1843. 
1844. 


Levi  Stephens. 

1S59 

John  Lutz. 

Samuel  C.  Griffith. 

1860 

Robert  Boyle. 

Joseph  Krepps. 

1861 

James  M.  Springer. 

Abram  P.  Fry. 

1862. 

John  R.  Willson. 

William  D.  Mullin. 

1863 

John  B.  Gould. 

Joseph  Houseman. 

1864 

Levi  J.  Jeffries. 

William  E.  Frazer. 

1865. 

William  G.  Huggins. 

John  B.  Cook. 

1866. 

.John  B.  Gould. 

Brazilla  Newbold. 

3867. 

John  MeClain. 

Roger  Jordan. 

1868. 

William  G.  Huggins. 

George  Lutz. 

1869. 

William  Elliott. 

Levi  Stephen,-- 

1870. 

Hiram  Patton. 

Roger  Jordan. 

1871. 

William  Patton. 

George  Lutz. 

1872. 

John  R.  Willson. 

Joseph  Houseman. 

Samuel  Galloway. 

Solomon  Specrs. 

1873. 

John  R.  Willson. 

John  R.  Willson. 

Samuel  Galloway. 

Thomas  Stephens. 

Niithan  B.  BrightwelL 

John  B.Gould. 

1874. 

Levi  J.  Jeffries. 

HISTOKY    OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


187o.  Johnson  Dinsinc 

1876.  .John  R.  Willson 
John  Q.  Adams. 

1877.  L.  P.  Stephens. 

1878.  Taylor  Taggart. 


1878.  John  Whetzel. 

1879.  Jasper  Coldren 
18S0.  J.  Q.  Adams. 
1881.  J.  Shook. 


SCHOOL   DIEECTORS. 


1841.  William  Everhart. 
William  Krepps. 

1842.  Joseph  Houseman. 
Samuel  Larimore. 

1841).  Edward  Mansfield. 
Philip  Lenhart. 

1844.  John  V.  Layton. 
Isaac  Banks. 

1845.  Harvey  Barker. 
James  Hamer. 

1841!.  William  D.  Mullin. 

David  Shearer. 
1S47.   Thomas  Stephens. 

John  B.  Cook. 
1848.  Thomas  Patton. 

Johnson  Cunningham. 
1819.  John  B.  Gould. 

Robert  Farquhar. 
185(1.  Joseph  Houseman. 

Johnson  Dinsmore. 

1851.  Jesse  Coldren. 
John  R.  Willson. 

1852.  Joshua  G.  Newbold. 
Robert  Patterson. 

1853.  Johnson  R.  Stephens. 
Roger  Jordan. 

1854.  Samuel  C.  Griffith. 
John  S.  Van  Voorhis. 

1855.  James  Davidson. 
Jacob  Houseman. 

1856.  Philip  Linhart. 
Daniel  Forney. 

1857.  Levi  Stephens. 
William  B.  Nutt. 

185S.  Thonuas  Patton. 

James  Davidson. 

John  Reeves. 
1859.  Thomas  Stephens. 

John  Dinsmore. 
1800.  Joshua  N.  Stephens. 

James  Davidson. 

Abraham  Hough. 

1861.  John  R.  Willson. 
James  Davidson. 
Joshua  N.  Stephens. 

1862.  Levi  J.  Jeffries. 


1863.  John  R.  Willson. 
i  Samuel  L.  Smock. 

I    1864.  David  P.  Stephens. 
John  Coldren. 

1865.  Levi  J.  Jeffries. 
A.  B.  Brightwell. 
J.  K.  Willson. 

1866.  William  G.  Huggins. 
I              John  R.  Willson. 

!    1867.  John  Coldren. 

James  McCrory. 

1868.  JohnAnnell. 
Johnson  Dinsmore. 
Denton  Lynn. 

1869.  E.  D.  Stewart. 

D.  M.  Shearer. 

1870.  Jehu  Stephens. 
John  Kennedy. 

1871.  Levi  J.  Jeffries. 
William  Huggins. 
James  Montgomery. 
Samuel  Galloway. 

1872.  Israel  Stephens. 
William  E.  Cook. 
Nathaniel  S.  Housema 

187.3.  John  A.  Bevans. 
Johnson  S.  .Mo.=s. 
William  .M.  Lenhart. 

1874.  Joseph  Brown. 

1875.  Jasper  Coldren. 
X.  S.  Houseman. 

1S7B.  David  Jones. 

John  P.  Blythe. 

1877.  James  Montgomery. 
Frank  Fields. 

1878.  Denton  Lynn. 
L.  P.  Stephens. 
Frank  Fields. 
JohnArmell. 

1879.  Andrew  Brown. 

E.  C.  Griffith. 
L.  C.  Dinsmore. 

1880.  William  Leonard. 
William  Cook. 

1881.  M.  Miller. 
Joseph  McKee. 


EARLY  ROADS. 
At  the  September  sessions  in  1785  a  petition  for 


road  from  Col.  Cook's  mill  to  hi: 
road  to  Cherr)''s  Mills,  was  grnii 
tion  for  a  road  from  Col.  Cook's 
A  report  of  a  road  from  the  mmii 


iding,  and  to  the 
:i>  was  the  peti- 
'hoiiia-  Fossett's. 
f  l.iitlr  Kedstone 


to  James  Rankin's  farm  was  made  at  the  September 
sessions  in  1795  by  Thomas  Patterson,  James  Finney, 
Francis  Lewis,  Chads  Chalfant,  and  Samuel  Davis. 
The  road  began  at  the  Monongahela  River,  a  little 


below  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Redstone  Creek,  crossed 
the  road  leading  from  Col.  Cook's  to  Uniontown  and 
the  road  from  Col.  Cook's  to  Fossett's,  and  at  James 
Rankin's  intersected  the  road  from  Brownsville  to  the 
Broad  Ford.  September,  1796,  a  road  from  Barzillai 
Newbold's  to  the  forks  of  the  Little  Redstone  was  re- 
ported as  viewed  by  William  Goe,  George  E_spy,  Wil- 
liam Elliott,  Michael  Shilling,  and  Moses  Davison. 
In  June,  1797,  a  road  from  the  mouth  of  the  Little 
Redstone  to  the  mouth  of  Spear's  Run  was  viewed  by 
William  Cunningham,  George  Espy,  Samuel  Becket, 
Mich.iel  Shilling,  John  Seward,  and  Andrew  Brown. 
The  distance  was  reckoned  at  three  miles  and  one 
quarter  and  sixty-nine  perches. 

LITTLE    REDSTONE    METHODIST    EPISCOPAL 
CHURCH. 

The  only  house  of  public  worship  in  Washington 
township  is  the  Little  Redstone  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  located  at  the  forks  of  the  road,  just  west  of 
Jehu  Stevens'  residence.  The  neat  and  substantial 
brick  edifice  rears  its  modest  front  within  a  small  but 
well-kept  churchyard,  where  many  of  Washington's 
.pioneers  have  slept  for  many  years.  The  Baptists 
built  a  log  church  at  that  point  forty  years  or  more 
ago,  and  maintained  an  organization  and  periodical 
worship  for  some  time.  The  Methodists  held  occa- 
sional meetings  in  the  Baptist  meeting-house,  as  well 
as  at  the  neighboring  school-house  and  houses  of 
members.  The  first  Methodist  meetings  were  held 
at  the  houses  of  Nathaniel  Stephens,  Robert  Ste- 
phens, and  Hugh  Ford.  The  brick  church  was  built 
in  1857.  and  dedicated  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Sanson,  pre- 
siding elder  of  the  Redstone  Circuit.  At  that  time 
the  preachers  in  charge  were  Revs.  Grifiin  and  Mcln- 
tyre.  Some  of  the  earliest  preachers  after  1857  were 
Revs.  Wakefield,  Mansell,  Johnson,  Kendall,  and 
Stewart.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  Josiah  Mansell, 
who  preaches  at  Little  Redstone  every  Sunday.  The 
membership  is  now  (May,  1881)  sixty-five.  The  class- 
leader  is  Albert  Gaddis.  The  trustees  are  David 
Stephens,  Jehu  Luce,  John  Smith,  and  John  Taggart. 
The  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school  is  Jehu 
Luce. 

COAL    AND    COAL-MINING. 

The  coal  deposits  in  Washington  are  extensive  and 
valuable,  but  lack  of  railway  facilities  forbids  the  de- 
velopment of  the  interest  except  along  the  river- front, 
where  mining  has  been  going  forward  for  upwards  of 
forty  years. 

In  1840,  John  Garr  and  Richard  Knight  opened  a 
mine  on  the  London  Derry  tract,  above  the  Fremont 
Works,  owned  by  the  Clarks.  The  Clarks  (Samuel 
being  the  first)  began  to  mine  at  the  latter  place  as 
early  as  1847,  and  have  mined  there  more  or  less  ever 
since,  although  just  now  the  works  are  idle. 

Frazer  &  Frye,  the  largest  operators  on  the  river 
in  Washington,  have  been  engaged  in  mining  at  their 
present  location  since  1873,  where  coal  was  taken  out 


BELLE  VERNON   BOROUGH. 


813 


for  shipment  down  the  river  in  flat-boats  as  early  as 
1834.  Frazer  &  Frye  bought,  in  1873,  a  tract  of  two 
hundred  and  twenty-three  acres  of  coal,  of  which 
there  are  yet  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
undeveloped.  They  employ  eighty-five  men,  pay 
out  seven  thousand  dollars  monthly  for  wages,  etc., 
and  take  out  seven  thousand  five  hundred  bushels 
of  coal  daily.  They  have  on  the  river  a  front  of  one- 
third  of  a  mile,  running  up  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Little  Redstone  Creek.  On  their  property  they  have 
a  store  and  fourteen  tenements. 

J.  H.  Rutherford  has  been  mining  on  the  river 
since  1866.  He  is  now  operating  in  Washington 
township  near  Fayette  City.  He  has  forty  acres  of 
coal  and  a  river-front  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards. 
Twenty-five  to  thirty  men  are  employed,  and  three 
thousand  bushels  of  coal  mined  daily. 

The  Connecticut  Coal-Works,  adjoining  Ruther- 
ford's mines,  have  been  idle  since  1871.  There  are 
there  about  two  hundred  acres  of  coal,  belonging  to 
the  Wheeler  &  Wilson  Sewing-Machine  Company. 
They  came  into  possession  in  1870,  and  after  working 
there  about  a  year  abandoned  the  mines,  and  have 
sufl'ered  them  to  lie  idle  ever  since.  The  property  is 
as  valuable  as  ever,  but  the  company  seems  but  little 
concerned  about  it. 

BELLE    VERNON   BOROUGH. 

On  the  east  bank  of  the  Monongahela,  about  forty 
miles  above  Pittsburgh,  lies  Belle  Vernon  borough, 
of  which  the  population  in  June,  1881,  was  eleven 
hundred  and  sixty-four,  its  chief  claim  to  distinction 
being  the  presence  within  its  limits  of  the  largest 
window-glass  manufactory  in  America.  The  borough 
proper  reaches  to  the  Westmoreland  County  line, 
where  it  is  joined  by  the  borough  of  North  Belle 
Vernon,  located  in  the  county  last  named,  and  pos- 
sessing lumber-manufacturing  and  boat-building 
interests  that  contribute  materially  to  the  business 
prosperity  of  Belle  Vernon.  The  business  part  of 
the  town  lies  along  the  river  bottom,  at  the  foot  of  a 
stretch  of  hilly  country,  upon  which  many  of  the 
townspeople  dwell,  and  from  which  may  be  obtained 
a  fine  prospect  of  river,  hills,  and  plains.  River 
packets  plying  between  Pittsburgh  and  Geneva  touch 
at  Belle  Vernon  four  times  daily,  and  there  is,  more- 
over, railway  communication  with  all  point.s  ria  the 
Pittsburgh,  Virginia  and  Charleston  Railroad  passing 
along  the  western  shore  of  the  Monongahela.  The 
town  is  an  active  business  centre  aside  from  its  man- 
ufacturing enterprises,  and  maintains  a  private  bank- 
ing institution,  founded  by  its  present  owners,  S.  F. 
Jones  &  Co.,  in  1872. 

Belle  Vernon  was  laid  out  by  Noah  Speer  in  1813 
upon  a  portion  of  a  tract  of  land  located  by  his  father, 
Henry,  in  1772,  who  with  his  wife  came  to  the  Mo- 
nongahela in  that  year  and  bought  considerable  land, 
of  which  the  greater  portion,  and  his  own  home,  were 


in  what  is  now  Westmoreland  County.  Henry  Speer 
was  killed  by  the  kick  of  a  horse  in  1774.  As  origi- 
nally platted  the  town  contained  three  hundred  and 
sixty  lots,  and  covered  a  considerable  area  in  West- 
moreland County.  The  streets  were  Water,  Main, 
Solomon,  Wood,  Market,  First,  Second,  Third,  and 
Fourth.  The  alleys  were  Long,  Pleasant,  Locust, 
Strawberry,  and  Flint. 

The  following  advertisement  appeared  in  the  col- 
umns of  the  Reporter,  published  at  Washington,  Pa.> 
of  July  12,  1812: 

"TOWN   LOTS. 

"  For  Sale  in  the  Town  of  Bellevernon.— They  are  laid  out 
in  Fayette  and  Westmoreland  Counties ;  eauh  lot  is  75  feet  in 
front  and  100  feet  back.  The  street.s  are  2300  feet  in  length 
and  -10  in  breadth,  cross  streets  40  and  one  50  feet  in  breidth. 
Bellevernon  is  situated  on  that  beautiful  river  bottom  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Monongahela  River,  two  miles  below  Freeport. 
The  bank  is  high,  and  water  sufficiently  deep  for  loaded  boats  at 
low-water  mark.  Outlets  on  a  level  soil  will  shortly  be  pre- 
piired  for  sale.  Ground  will  be  given  gratis  for  a  school-house ; 
also  it  is  nearly  centrable  to  the  four  counties,  and  the  most 
agreeable  situation  near  the  centre.  If  a  new  county  should 
be  struck  off  and  laid  thereon,  ground  will  be  given  gratis  for 
a  court-  and  market-house,  and  the  sum  of  2000  dollars  for  the 
purpose  of  erecting  public  buildings,  besides  a  generous  sub- 
scription is  expected  from  the  neighboring  citizens.  There  is 
also  for  sale  100,000  elegant  brick  of  the  best  quality.  ...  It 
is  e.\|jected  a  steam-mill  will  be  built  on  one  of  said  lots,  and 
the  foundation  to  be  raised  this  fall  above  common  high-water 
murk,  so  that  the  work  may  go  on  early  next  spring.  Those 
who  wish  to  have  a  share  in  said  mill  are  desired  to  meet  at 
James  Hazlip's,  in  Freeport,  on  Saturday,  the  25th  of  July. 
"  NoAii  Speers. 

"June  22,  1812." 

The  first  sale  of  lots  was  held  April  18,  1814,  and  a 
premium  of  ten  dollars  was  offered  to  the  purchaser 
who  should  build  the  first  house.  Thomas  Ward,  a 
carpenter,  of  Westmoreland  County,  claimed  the 
prize,  having  put  up  his  house  at  the  corner  of  Main 
and  Second  Streets.  That,  the  first  house  erected  in 
Belle  Vernon,  is  now  occupied  by  James  Lewis.  The 
second  house  was  built  by  William  Hornbeck  at  the 
corner  of  Main  Street  and  Cherry  Alley,  and  opened 
by  him  as  a  tavern.  In  the  spring  of  1816,  Morris 
Corwin,  a  cooper,  came  from  Westmoreland  County, 
and  built  upon  Main  Street  the  third  house  in  Belle 
Vernon.  He  constructed  it  of  the  lumber  contained 
in  the  house  that  had  been  his  home  in  Westmoreland 
County.  Corwin  set  up  a  cooper's  shop  in  a  part  of 
the  house,  and  worked  at  his  trade  more  or  less  until 
his  death  in  1835.  His  widow,  hearty  and  active  at 
the  age  of  ninety-one,  still  lives  in  the  old  home. 

When  the  Corwins  became  residents  of  Belle  Ver- 
non, the  present  business  portion  of  the  town  was  a 
fine  sugar-camp.  The  village  grew  slowly,  and  during 
1816  there  were  added  but  three  families, — those  of 
Nathaniel  Everson,  a  cooper.  Bud  Gaskill,  a  gunsmith, 
and  Joseph  Billeter,  a  boat-builder.  Before  the  year 
1816,  Billeter  was  living  along  the  river  below  the 
town  and  building  flat-boats.     In  1816,  Noah  Speer 


814 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


built  the  present  Brightwell  House,  and  started  his 
son  Solomon  there  as  a  store-keeper.  Solomon  was 
the  village  trader  for  many  years,  until  his  removal 
to  the  far  West.  Belle  Vernon  was  for  a  long  time  a 
dreary  village,  and  did  not  rise  above  the  dignity  of 
a  backwoods  settlement.  The  sugar-camp  was  not 
cleared  until  some  time  after  1813,  and  then  in  its 
place  Noah  Speer  planted  the  town  to  corn,  so  that 
Main  Street  was  that  season  nothing  but  a  path 
through  a  corn-field,  with  other  thoroughfares  equally 
primeval  and  contracted.  The  next  season  rye  and 
timothy  covered  the  town-site,  and  made  the  place 
look  like  a  farm  with  a  half-dozen  or  more  houses 
dotting  it  hero  and  there.  The  inhabitants  told  Noah 
Speer  that  it  was  all  very  well  for  him  to  make  a 
grain-field  of  the  village,  but  they  must  have  a  few 
streets,  and  threatened  to  throw  down  fences  so  that 
there  might  be  free  communication  at  least  from  one 
part  of  the  town  to  another.  Speer  heeded  not  their 
complaints,  but  when  he  found  his  fences  pulled  down 
again  and  again,  he  made  up- his  mind  that  it  would 
be  perhaps  well  enough  to  open  a  few  streets. 

Mr.  Hornbeck,  who  kept  a  poor  sort  of  tavern  and 
dealt  largely  in  whisky,  set  up  a  carding-machine, 
but  gave  it  up  after  a  brief  experiment.  Thomas 
Ward,  the  pioneer  settler  in  Belle  Vernon,  moved  to 
the  far  AVest  eventually.  Rebecca  Lenhart,  his 
daughter,  living  now  in  the  village,  is  Belle  Vernon's 
oldest  inhabitant,— that  is,  she  has  lived  longest  of 
any  in  the  place.  Next  comes  the  widow  of  Morris 
Corwin,  whose  residence  in  the  town  covers  a  period 
of  sixty-five  years,  or  two  years  less  than  that  of  Mrs. 
Lenhart. 

There  was  no  store  but  Solomon  Speer's  for  a  long 
time.  The  second  store  was  opened  on  Water  Street 
by  William  Reeves.  In  1816  the  shoemaker  for  the 
village  was  Jacob  Hazelbaker,  who  lived  near  J.  B. 
Gould's  present  residence.  His  brother  George,  the 
hatter,  lived  in  the  house,  now  the  home  of  Rebecca 
Lenhart.  William  Rees  established  in  1830  the  only 
tannery  Belle  Vernon  ever  had.  It  was  owned  suc- 
cessively by  Alexander  and  John  Bingham,  John 
Nichols,  J.  P.  Fry,  J.  W.  Wright,  and  W.  C.  Drum. 
Mr.  Drum  sold  it  to  George  Lang,  who  uses  it  now  as 
a  storage-house. 

In  1833,  Solomon  Speer  and  Morgan  Gaskill  built 
the  first  steamboat  constructed  at  Belle  Vernon. 
They  were  sub-contractors  under  Capt.  Samuel 
Walker,  of  Elizabeth,  who  received  the  contract 
from  Capt.  James  May.  Gen.  Isaac  Hammet  drafted 
the  plan  of  the  boat  at  Elizabeth,  and"  laid  it  down" 
on  the  floor  of  a  stable  in  Belle  Vernon,  in  the  rear 
of  where  Alexander  Brown  now  lives. 

A  ferry  was  established  by  Henry  Speer  at  the 
Belle  Vernon  crossing  as  early  as  1772.  The  first 
ferryman  of  whom  there  is  any  knowledge  was  An- 
drew Bryce,  the  shoemaker.  The  first  ferryman 
after  the  town  was  laid  out  was  Joseph  Billeter.  The 
first  hurse-boat  was  built  at  Fredericktown  and  named 


the  "  Swan."  The  second  horse-boat  was  called  the 
"  Belle  Vernon,"  and  received  its  motive-power  from 
the  chestnut  horse  Barney  and  the  mouse-colored 
Davey.  They  grew  old  in  the  service,  and  became 
well-known  animals  in  that  part  of  the  country. 
The  "  Belle  Vernon"  was  succeeded  by  the  steam 
ferry-boat  "  Polly  South,"  built  and  run  by  Capt. 
James  French,  now  a  resident  of  Belle  Vernon.  The 
traffic  was  too  small  to  make  a  steam  ferry  profitable, 
and  as  a  consequence  the  present  rope-ferry  was  put 
on.  The  ferry  privilege  at  Belle  Vernon  has  always 
been  owned  by  a  Speer,  and  is  now  in  the  hands  of 
Noah  Speer. 

Belle  Vernon  languished  until  the  founding  of  the 
glas9»manufacturing  industry  in  the  village  by  William 
Eberhard  in  1836.  At  that  time  Solomon  Speer  and 
William  Reeves  were  the  village  store-keepers,  and 
John  Wright  the  tavern-keeper.  Solomon  Speer  was 
the  first  postmaster  at  Belle  Vernon,  but  when  the  ofiice 
w'as  established  cannot  now  be  told,  probably  not 
before  1830.  In  1836,  Speer  was  succeeded  by  Uriah 
Ward ;  to  him  succeeded  William  Eberhard,  Robert 
Boyle,  L.  R.  Boyle,  and  James  Davidson,  the  present 
incumbent,  who  was  commissioned  in  1869.  Since 
1875  Belle  Vernon  has  been  a  money-order  office. 
Three  mails  are  received  and  the  same  number  des- 
patched daily. 

The  town  enjoyed  the  luxury  of  a  village  news- 
paper for  a  brief  season  from  April,  1874,  to  the 
spring  of  1878,  but  the  enterprise  was  at  no  time  a 
profitable  one.  E.  A.  Hastings,  who  started  the 
Belle  Vernon  Patriot  in  April,  1874,  published  it  as 
an  independent  journal  two  years,  and  then  gave  up 
the  undertaking  as  a  losing  one.  J.  T.  McAlpin, 
thinking  there  might  be  profit  in  a  local  newspaper 
notwithstanding  Hastings'  experience,  started  the 
Belle  Vernon  Courier.  Its  fate  was  about  the  same 
as  that  of  the  Patriot,  and  when  it  terminated  its 
career,  in  1878,  then  terminated  also  the  newspaper 
history  of  Belle  Vernon. 

Belle  Vernon's  first  resident  physician  was  Dr. 
Horner,  the  date  of  whose  coming  cannot  be  fixed. 
Succeeding  him  as  village  physicians  were  Drs.  Kirk, 
Hubbs,  Johnson,  Eagan,  and  Roberts.  Dr.  John  S. 
Van  Voorhis  came  to  the  town  to  practice  in  1847, 
and  found  here  Dr.  James  Eagan  and  Dr.  H.  F. 
Roberts.  After  1847  the  list  of  physicians  in  Belle 
Vernon  included  W.  L.  Creigh,  Charles  B.  Chalfant, 
David  Fetz,  H.  B.  Rupp,  S.  A.  Conklin,  J.  A.  Hazlitt, 
and  J.  B.  Enos.  With  the  exception  of  a  three-years' 
absence.  Dr.  Van  Voorhis  has  been  in  the  constant 
practice  of  his  profession  at  Belle  Vernon  from  1847 
to  the  present  time  (1881).  Besides  him  the  borough 
physicians  are  J.  A.  Hazlitt  and  J.  B.  Enos. 

The  oldest  merchant  in  Belle  Vernon  is  Amon 
Bronson.  Among  other  prominent  village  traders 
may  be  mentioned  Schmertz  &  Co.,  J.  L.  Courtney, 
C.  Reppert  &.  Sons,  J.  B.  Zeh,  W.  H.  Brightwell,  W. 
C.  Kittle,  J.  C.   Cunningham,  C.  A.  Patterson,   H. 


■HKLLK   VEBNON   BOROUGH. 


Husher,  A.  Graham,  L.  M.  Kyle,  J.  A.  Piersol,  J.  B. 
Fournfer,  O.  E.  Springer,  E.  W.  Kyle,  S.  JI.  Graham, 
L.  Z.  Birmingham,  and  J.  A.  Hazlitt. 

BOROUGH  IXCORPORATIOX  AND  LIST  OF  OFFICERS. 

Belle  Vernon  was  incorporated  a  borough  by  an 
act  of  Assembly  approved  April  15,  1863,  which  after 
reciting  in  its  preamble  that,  "  Whereas  the  borough 
hereby  incorporated  i.s  situated  partly  within  the 
county  of  Fayette  and  partly  within  the  county  of 
Westmoreland,  and  therefore  the  courts  of  said  coun- 
ties have  not  the  power  to  incorporate  the  same,  there- 
fore" proceeds  to  enact  "  that  the  town  of  Belle  Ver- 
non, partly  in  Fayette  and  partly  in  Westmoreland 
County,  shall  be  and  the  same  is  hereby  erected  into 
a  borough,  which  shall  be  called  the  borough  of  Belle 
Vernon,  bounded  and  limited  as  follows:  Beginning 
at  a  low-water  mark  on  the  Monongahela  River  at  the 
mouth  of  Speer's  Run  ;  thence  up  said  run  to  the  stone 
bridge;  thence  in  a  direct  line  to  the  north  corner  of 
the  public  school-house  lot;  thence  along  the  east  line 
of  said  lot  to  the  alley;  thence  along  said  alley  to 
Gould's  Run ;  thence  down  said  run  to  the  Mononga- 
hela River,  and  down  said  river  at  low-water  mark  to 
the  place  of  beginning,  and  shall  enjoy  all  the  priv- 
ileges and  be  subject  to  the  limitations  and  restric- 
tions of  the  general  laws  of  this  commonwealth  rela- 
ting to  boroughs." 

Following  is  a  list  of  the  principal  borough  officers 
of  Belle  Vernon  from  its  erection  to  the  present  time. 


1863.— Burges-s  Amon  Bronson ;  Council,  Brazil  Brightwell, 
■William  Sutton,  Samuel  Smook,  Edward  Martin,  John  R. 
Powell ;  School  Directors,  John  S.  Van  Voorhis,  James  Da- 
vidson, James  French,  John  W.  Wright,  Robert  Boyle, 
Noah  Q.  Speer ;  Justices  of  the  Peace,  John  Watson,  Robert 
Patterson,  John  R.  Powell ;  Auditors,  Robert  Boyle,  James 
M.  Springer,  0.  D.  Johnston;  Assessor,  John  W.  Lindsey. 

1S64.— Burgess,  Amon  Bronson  ;  Council,  Allison  Piersol,  Ed- 
ward .Jordan,  Jasper  Haught.  William  Mackey,  Curtis 
Reppert;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Amon  Bronson;  School 
Directors,  Noah  Q.  Speer,  James  M.  Springer;  Auditor, 
James  Corwin,  Jr. 

lS65.^Burgess,  John  Watson;  Council,  David  Springer,  John 
R.  Powell,  John  Reeves,  Thomas  Lowry,  John  S.  V.an 
Voorhis ;  School  Directors,  Robert  Boyle,  James  A.  Piersol ; 
Auditor,  Harvey  B.  Fry;  Assessor,  John  W.  Lindsey. 

1S66.— Burgess,  John  W.  Liudsey  ;  Council,  James  French, 
Robert  Patterson,  John  Hixenbaugh,  Peter  Leyhew,  W.  F. 
Speer;  Assessor,  James  N.  McDivitt ;  School  Directors, 
John  S.  Van  Voorhis,  John  AVatson,  James  Davidson, 
Curtis  Rephart ;  Auditor,  Robert  Patterson  ;  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  John  W.  Lindsey. 

1867. — Burgess,  John  W.  Lindsey  ;  Council,  J.  S.  Van  Voorhis, 
W.  H.  Jones,  Peter  Leyhew,  J.  A.  Singley,  James  French, 
and  C.  Rephart;  Assessor,  George  Amalong  ;  School  Direc- 
tors, James  M.  Springer,  0.  D.  Johnson,  John  S.  Van 
Voorhis;  Auditor,  Alexander  Brown. 

1868.— Burgess,  John  W.  Lindsey;  Council,  James  Corwin, 
William  Bronson;  Assessor,  George  Amalong:  Auditor,  J. 
W.  Corwin  :  School  Directors,  John  Power.  Jesse  P.  Sill. 


Joseph  Reeves,  J. 
es;  School  Directors, 
.  M.  Springer,  John 

V.  F.  Speer,  Amon 
,  W.  F. 


1869.— Burgess,  Arthur  P.  Lewis;  Council,  John  W.  Dean, 
Henry  Ilaler;  Assessor,  Andrew  Johnston  ;  School  Direc- 
tors, James  A.  Pearsol,  James  French  ;  Auditor,  William 
Kyle. 

1S70. — Burgess,  James  French;  Council,  William  P.  Mackey, 
W.  H.  Jones ;  Auditor,  Anson  Bronson ;  School  Directors, 
John  Reeves,  Henry  Haler,  William  F.  Speer;  Justice  of 
the  Peace,  J.  F.  Roley. 

1871. — Burgess,  John  Reeves:  Council,  Peter  Leyhew,  Lewis 
Krepps,  Robert  Patterson;  School  Directors,  Noah  Q. 
Speer,  Daniel  Springer;  Auditor,  J.  S.  Van  Voorhis ;  As- 
sessor, George  Amalong. 

1872.— Burgess,  J.  W.  Lindsey;    Counci 
A.  Singley;  Assessor,  William  H.  Jont 
Alexander  Brown,  Amon  Bronson,  J. 
W.  Corwin  ;  Auditor,  J.  B.  Foulke. 

1873. — Burgess  (not  recorded);    Council,' 

Bronson  ;  Assessor,  W.  H.  Jones  ;  School  Dii 
Speer,  S.  F.  Jones;  Auditor,  A.  S.  Woodrow. 

1874.— Burgess  (not  recorded);  Council,  A.P.Lewis,  A.  A. 
Taggart;  Assessor,  J.  S.  Clegg;  Auditor,  J.  C.Cunning- 
ham ;  School  Directors,  Alexander  Brown,  C.  T.  Porter, 
R.  J.  Linton;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  0.  D.  Johnson. 

lS".i. — Burgess  (not  recorded);  Council,  John  Call,  J.  H.  Rob- 
bins;  Treasurer,  S.  F.Jones;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Charles 
M.  Call;  School  Directors,  James  Davidson,  Amon  Bron- 
son, John  S.  Van  Voorhis,  Noah  Q.  Speer  ;  Auditor,  Wil- 
liam J.  Anderson. 

1876.— Burgess,  A.  L.  Brown;  Council,  W.  J.  Anderson,  A.  S. 
Woodrow;  Treasurer,  A.  A.  Taggart;  Assessor,  J.  S. 
Clegg  ;  School  Directors,  A.  P.  Lewis,  W.  H.  Hoil ;  Auditor, 

A.  S.  Woodrow. 

1377. — Burgess,  L.  Z.  Birmingham;  Council,  J.  W.  Krepps, 
Jacob  Hasson  ;  School  Directors,  A.  A.  Taggart,  Jas.  M. 
Springer,  Amos  Bronson,  James  Davidson  ;  Assessor,  W. 

B.  Roley  ;  Treasurer,  J.  C.  Cunningham  ;  Auditor,  William 
Kettle. 

1878.— Burgess,  J.  T.  Roley;  Council,  William  Houseman,  J.  B. 
Courtney,  J.  C.  Cunningham  ;  Treasurer,  J.  S.  Van  Voor- 
his; School  Directors,  Wm.  E.  McCrory,  J.  S.  Van  Voor- 
his; Assessor,  W.  B.  Roley;  Auditor,  W.  J.  Anderson. 

1879.— Burgess,  William  Leyhew  ;  Council,  J.  M.  Bowell,  .laco'b 
Singley;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Jacob  Hassan;  School  Di- 
rectors, W.  P.  Mackey,  E.  W.  Martin,  S.  F.  Jones,  I,.  Z. 
Birmingham;    Assessor,  Wm.  B.  Roley;  Auditor,   (.   W. 


Brown. 
1880. — Burgess,  Amon  Bronson;  Council,  Wm.  Leyhew,."^.  F. 

Jones;  Assessor,   George   Patton;  School  Directors,  II.  J. 

Linton,    Jas.    Donnason,    L.    Z.    Birmingham;    Auditor, 

Matthew  Arters. 
1881.— Burgess,  J.  S.  Van  Voorhis;  Council,  John  H.  Rohhins, 

J.  B.  Courtney;  Auditor,  W.  H.  Beazill;  School  Directors, 

J.   B.  Enos.   Samuel   Graham,   Ephraim   Lewis;   Ass.  .-sor, 

George  W.  Patton. 

SCHOOL,?. 

For  some  time  after  Belle  Vernon  received  its  first 
inhabitants  the  village  children  were  obliged  to  go  a 
long  distance  to  attend  school.  Morris  Corwin  thought 
something  should  be  done  to  establish  a  school  in  the 
village,  and  announced  that  his  wife  would  give  up 
her  kitchen  to  school  uses  if  a  teacher  were  provided. 
The  proposition  met  with  general  favor,  and  in  Mrs. 
Corwin's  kitchen  Belle  Vernon's  first  school  was 
started.   The  teacher  was  John  Haselbaker,  of  Wash- 


816 


HISTOKY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


ington  County.  While  teaching  in  Belle  Vernon  he 
lived  in  the  village  with  his  brother  George  (a  hatter), 
whose  house  was  the  one  now  occupied  by  the  Widow 
Lenhart.  School  was  taught  in  the  Corwin  kitchen 
about  three  months.  The  nest  school  was  kept  in  a 
house  on  Main  Street,  built  by  Joseph  Springer,  and 
now  occupied  by  William  Mackey.  The  first  teacher 
of  that  school  was  J.  B.  Gould,  still  living  near  Belle 
Vernon. 

The  first  house  built  for  school  purposes  was  erected 
upon  the  lot  adjoining  Peter  Leyhew's  present  resi- 
dence. It  was  built  of  brick  taken  from  old  Rehoboth 
Church,  that  had  been  standing  since  1803.  Some  of 
the  brick  are  now  in  the  sidewalk  in  front  of  William 
P.  Mackey's  residence.  Solomon  Speer  and  A.  P. 
Fry  raised  the  money  for  building  by  subscription. 
The  second  village  school-house  was  the  building  now 
occupied  as  a  residence  by  J.  B.  Gould,  Jr.  The 
brick  in  it  came  from  the  old  Firuey  mill.  In  1857 
a  third  village  school-house  was  built  on  a  lot  now 
occupied  by  R.  J.  Linton,  at  the  corner  of  Speer 
Avenue  and  Short  Street.  It  was  a  two-story  brick, 
with  two  rooms  on  the  first  floor  and  one  large  room 
on  the  second.  The  building  committee  was  com- 
posed of  Revs.  J.  M.  Springer  and  James  Davidson. 
The  brick-work  was  done  by  Solon  Meredith,  and  the 
carpenter-work  by  Peter  Snyder.  The  building  was 
first  occupied  January,  1858,  and  cost,  completed,  six- 
teen hundred  and  twenty-seven  dollars  and  eighteen 
cents.  The  first  teachers  were  John  Wright  and  Miss 
Tower.  Upon  the  incorporation  of  the  borough  the 
school  directors  chosen  were  James  Davidson,  Robert 
Boyle,  J.  W.  Wright,  James  French,  N.  Q.  Speer, 
J.  S.  Van  Voorhis.  The  first  teachers  in  the  borough 
were  C.  C.  Douglass,  Miss  Hess,  and  Miss  Allie  D. 
Main. 

.  The  present  school  building  was  completed  in  1873, 
and  opened  Jan.  12,  1874.  The  cost  of  the  edifice 
was  thirty  thousand  dollars.  Coulter  &  Taggart  were 
the  contractors.  It  has  two  stories,  with  four  rooms 
in  the  first  and  three  in  the  second.  In  January, 
1874,  Professor  J.  W.  Gibbons  was  the  principal,  and 
H.  F.  Bailey,  Theodore  J.  Allen,  and  Miss  Hattie 
Davidson,  assistants.  In  April,  1881,  Thomas  S. 
Lackey  was  the  principal,  and  C.  E.  Peck,  Miss  Sallie 
Williams,  and  Miss  Kate  Veech  assistants. 

The  annual  report  for  the  school  year  ending  June 
7,  1880,  furnishes  details  as  follows  touching  the 
Belle  Vernon  schools : 

Whole  number  of  schools 4 

Number  of  male  teachers 2 

*'             female     "       2 

Average  salaries  of  males  per  month $45.00 

'■             females         ■'        $30.00 

Number  of  male  scholars l:U 

female     "        13S 

Average  number  iittorMliriL'  ■   ':     '     , 214 

Total  tax  levied  f.u-  l.uihlin  ■    h,  .  -    ;     ■  i,,  1 1.,,.,.> SR119.64 

State  approiiriatiun 468.10 

Receipts  from  taxes  and  all  ulL>  ,  ..>nu,e.~  LXcej.t  State 

appropriation 5864.34 

Total  receipts 6332.44 


Cost  of  school-houses — purchasing,  building,  renting, 

Paid  for  teachers*  wages $750.00 

Paid  for  fuel  and  contingencies,  fees  of  collectors,  etc., 

and  all  other  expenses 5311.00 

Total  expenditures 6061.00 

CHURCHES. 
BELLE   VERNON   METHODIST   EPISCOPAL   CHUBCH. 

Although  it  is  not  known  who  preached  the  first 
j  Methodist  sermon  in  Belle  Vernon,  it  is  known  that 
in  1830  Rev.  J.  G.  Sanson,  attached  to  the  Redstone 
Methodist  Episcopal  Circuit,  held  church  services  in 
the  village  in  the  house  now  owned  by  W.  P.  Mackey, 
on  Main  Street.     In  1834,  on  the  15th  of  October, 
Rev.  J.  H.  Ebert,  of  the  Redstone  Circuit,  organized 
a  Methodist  class  in  a  house  on  Main  Street,  then  be- 
longing to  Samuel  Reeves,  and  now  owned  by  James 
Davidson.     The  Redstone  Circuit  extended  then  from 
Elizabeth  to  Upper  Middletown.     Rev.  Robert  Hop- 
kins (now  of  Pittsburgh)  was  the  presiding  elder,  and 
'  Revs.  J.  H.  Ebert,  Warner  Long,  and  Isaac  N.  Mac- 
cabee  the  preachers  in  charge.     The  organizing  mem- 
bers of  the  first  class  were  Barnet  Corwin,  John  Cor- 
win, Eleanor  Corwin,  Sabina  Gaskill,  Morgan  Gas- 
kill,  Catharine  Ward,  Jane  Corwin,  Rebecca  Jacobs, 
and  Grace  McFall.     The  first  and   last  named  are 
still   living   in  the  vicinity  of  Belle  Vernon.    Rev. 
j  Mr.    Ebert   was   the   leader   at  first,  and   after  him 
:  Robert  Demain.     Nov.  14,  1834,  William  Hutchin- 
son joined  the  class  and  brought  the  aggregate  mem- 
bership up  to  ten.     For  the  first  Conference  year  the 
j  missionary  contributions  of  the   class   amounted  to 
;  seventy-three  cents.     In  a  little  while  the  Belle  Ver- 
'  non  class  was  joined  by  a  class  from  the  country,  and 
both  met  in  the  village  school-house.     Jesse  Fell  was 
the  leader  for  many  years. 

In  1841  a  brick  church  was  built  at  the  lower  end 
of  Main  Street,  but  the  building  proving  short  of  the 
requirements   as   stipulated   in   the   contract  for  its 
j  erection,  the  congregation  gave  it  up  to  the  contrac- 
,  tor  after  nieeting  in  it  but  a  few  times.     In  1843  pur- 
i  chase  was  made  of  William  Eberhard's  warehouse  on 
i  Water  Street,  and  in  that  building,  remodeled,  wor- 
ship was  held  until  1850,  when  a  framed  edifice  was 
built  on  Water  Street,  above  the  old  site,  at  a  cost  of 
S1050.     The  church  built  in  1850  is  now  occupied  by 
the  Disciples. 

In  1866,  the  congregation  having  grown  in  strength 
and  wealth,  measures  were  inaugurated  looking  to  the 
erection  of  a  costlier  and  more  commodious  house  of 
1  worship.     The  result  was  the  erection  of  the  fine  brick 
j  edifice  now  occupied.     It  cost  .$15,000,  and  will  seat 
five  hundred  people.     June  10, 1867,  the  corner-stone 
was  laid  in  the  presence  of  a  numerous  assemblage  by 
Mrs.  Emma  Weaver  and  the  Misses  Maggie,  Emma, 
I  and  Lydia  Davidson.     In  that  year  the  church  society 
was  first  incorporated.     The  church  property  includes 
j  the  church  building  and  a  parsonage.     The  entire  in- 
debtedness is  but  $1200.     In  1850,  Belle  Vernon  and 
I  Cookstown  were  made  a  separate  circuit.     In  1870, 


BELLE   VERNON   BOROUGH. 


817 


Belle  Vernon  was  constituted  a  charge  by  itself. 
From  1850  to  1860  the  preachers  in  charge  were  Revs. 
J.  F.  Nesley,  P.  F.  Jones,  J.  Burbidge,  D.  H.  Rhodes, 
John  Williams,  J.  Horner,  J.  C.  Brown,  George  Crook. 
Belle  Vernon  Church  has  now  a  membership  of  two 
hundred  and  forty,  and  four  cla.sses.  The  leaders  are 
James  Davidson,  Amon  Bronson  (two  classes),  and 
C.  Reppert.  The  pastor  is  Rev.  A.  P.  Leonard,  and 
the  Sunday-school  superintendent  J.  B.  Zeh.  The 
trustees  are  William  Jones,  James  Davidson,  Amon 
Bronson,  N.  Q.  Speers,  W.  H.  Brightwell,  J.  B.  Zeh, 
John  Reeves,  D.  P.  Houseman,  and  Samuel  Sutton. 


is  said  to  have  been  an  eloquent  man  in  the  pulpit, 
but  in  ordinary  life  and  conversation  a  far  from  im- 
pressive person.  Asking  a  lady  once  what  she  thought 
of  him,  he  received  as  a  reply,  "Well,  when  you  are 
in  the  pulpit  I  often  think  you  ought  never  to  leave 
it,  but  when  you  are  out  I  feel  sure  you  ought  never 
to  enter  it."  There  has  been  no  regular  preacher 
since  1876,  the  la.st  one  being  Lyman  Streator.  The 
membership  is  now  about  forty.  J.  B.  Gould,  James 
Morgan,  and  Andrew  Graham  are  the  elders,  and 
Charles  Corwin,  Thomas  Fawcett,  and  James  Hag- 
erty  the  deacons. 


FREE-WILL    BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

April  22,  1843,  a  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  was 
organized  in  the  village  school-house  by  Elders 
Josliua  Newbold,  S.  G.  Smutz,  and  David  Smutz. 
The  organizing  members  were  Roger  Jordan  and 
wife,  Isaac  Free  and  wife,  Mrs.  Hannah  Jordan, 
Eliza  Baldwin,  Daniel  Springer,  Rachel  Springer, 
William  Jacobs  and  wife,  Lydia  Springer,  and  Eliza 
Jordan.  The  first  deacons  were  Isaac  Free  and  Dan- 
iel Springer,  and  Daniel  Springer  the  first  superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunday-school.  In  September,  1844, 
a  house  of  worship  was  built,  and  was  dedicated  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Newbold.  It  was  used  until  1872,  and  is 
now  the  residence  of  Mr.  Morrison.  In  1872  the 
house  now  in  use  was  completed,  and  in  April  of  that 
year  was  dedicated  by  Rev.  James  Coulter.  Its  cost 
was  about  $5000.  Rev.  Joshua  Newbold,  the  first 
pastor,  has  had  as  successors  in  the  pastorate  Revs. 
Edward  Jordan,  David  Smutz,  Mr.  Winton,  J.  W. 
Planet,  Patrick  Reardon,  Henry  Cook,  Mr.  Blakely, 
James  Springer,  J.  C.  Nye,  Wellington  Joy,  John 
Rogers,  and  B.  H.  Fish.  Mr.  Fish,  the  present  pas- 
tor, returned  in  October,  1880,  for  his  second  term  of 
service.  The  church  membership  was  seventy  in 
May,  1881.  The  deacons  are  John  Hixenbaugh,  J. 
W.  Corwin,  Christopher  Amalong,  James  McCoy. 
The  trustees  are  J.  W.  Corwin,  Denton  Lynn,  and 
John  Fell. 

CHURCH   OF   CHRIST. 

The  Disciples  at  Belle  Vernon  met  occasionally  for 
worship  as  early  as  1840,  and  engaging  a  preacher  in 
conjunction  with  the  brethren  of  Cookstown,  had  ser- 
vices once  a  fortnight.  Of  both  churches  the  promi- 
nent members  were  J.  B.  Gould,  of  Belle  Vernon,  and 
James  Hamer,  of  Cookstown.  Hamer  was  about  the 
only  one  who  came  regularly  every  other  Sunday 
from  Cookstown  to  church  at  Belle  Vernon,  and 
Gould  the  only  one  who  attended  regularly  from  the 
latter  at  the  former  place.  In  1844  the  Belle  Vernon 
Disciples  built  a  church,  and  in  1869  exchanged  it  to 
R.  C.  Schmertz  &  Co.  for  the  old  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  building  on  Water  Street,  then  owned  by 
Schmertz  &  Co.  The  church  built  by  the  Discipies 
is  now  used  by  Schmertz  &  Co.  as  an  ofiice.  Mr. 
Pool  was  the  first  preacher,  and  J.  B.  Gould,  .lames 
Hamer,  and  James  Ferry  the  first  elders.     Mr.  Pool 


BELLE  VERNON  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

About  1836,  or  before,  Rehoboth  Church  appointed 
Michael  Finley  and  William  Bigham  to  visit  Belle 
Vernon  and  inquire  into  the  propriety  of  erecting  a 
church  in  that  village.  They  reported  adversely,  but 
recommended  occasional  preaching  in  the  town  and 
neighborhood.  Rev.  Robert  Johnson  preached  at 
long  intervals  at  the  house  of  Abner  Reeves,  whose 
wife  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
Later,  Rev.  N.  H.  Gillett  held  occasional  services  in 
the  old  Eberhard  warehouse  on  Water  Street. 

For  some  years  the  only  member  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian Church  in  Belle  Vernon  was  William  Hasson. 
In  April,  1848,  Dr.  Van  Voorhis  and  wife  were  re- 
ceived into  the  church,  and  then  Belle  Vernon  held 
three  members  of  that  faith.  Revs.  James  R. 
Hughes  and  L.  Y.  Graham  preached  successively  in 
the  house  now  used  by  the  Disciples  and  then  by  the 
Methodists,  but  no  further  effort  was  made  to  organ- 
ize a  church  until  the  summer  of  1868,  when  Reho- 
both appointed  J.  B.  Cook,  E.  F.  Houseman,  and  L. 
M.  Speer  to  "  go  on  and  inquire  into  the  expediency 
of  building  a  house  in  Belle  Vernon."  The  commit- 
tee made  a  report  favoring  the  project,  but  to  this 
day  no  action  has  been  taken  by  Rehoboth  upon  the 
report,  nor  has  the  committee  yet  been  discharged. 
In  1869  membei's  of  Rehoboth  living  in  Belle  Vernon 
and  vicinity  took  steps  towards  building  a  church, 
and  August  7th  of  that  year  laid  the  first  stone  upon 
a  lot  donated  by  L.  M.  Speer,  who  gave  also  liber- 
ally toward  the  work  of  building,  and  himself  pro- 
vided for  the  completion  of  the  spire.  Dec.  19, 1869, 
the  church  was  dedicated  free  of  debt.  Jan.  2,  1870, 
a  Sabbath-school  was  organized  with  Dr.  J.  S.  Van 
Voorhis  as  superintendent.  It  was  not,  however, 
until  1873  that  a  church  organization  was  formed. 
In  December  of  that  year  the  Redstone  Presbytery 
appointed  Revs.  G.  M.  Hair  and  Galley  and  Elder 
Rankin  to  act  as  a  committee  to  organize  a  church 
at  Belle  Vernon.  The  organization  was  accordingly 
effected  December  11th,  when  the  following  were  re- 
ceived on  certificates  from  Rehoboth,  to  wit :  D.  B. 
Johnson,  Sarah  Johnson,  James  French  and  wife, 
Dr.  J.  S.  Van  Voorhis,  E.  S.  Van  Voorhis,  L.  M. 
Speer,  F.  L.  Speer,  C.  G.  Speer,  S.  F.  Jones,  S.  E. 
Jones,  R.  J.  Linton,   C.  S.  Linton,   Nancy   Smock, 


818 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENxXSYLVANlA. 


Ellen  McFall,  Margaret  Garrison,  Plarriet  Patterson, 
L.  V.  Cunningham,  J.  C.  Hazlett,  Samuel  Clark, 
Anna  Clark,  Maria  E.  Hughes,  Jennie  French,  W. 
F.  .Speer,  M.  T.  Speer,  W.  P.  Mackey,  Samuel  Mc- 
Kean,  S.  McKean,  Aggie  McAlpine,  Mary  Smock, 
Elizabeth  Lucas,  Nancy  Sheats,  Maggie  McFall, 
Jane  Hopkins,  Alvira  M.  Furnier,  Mary  E.  Cook, 
Susan  C.  Wise,  James  McAlpin,  Mrs.  McAlpin,  John 
McAlpin,  W.  B.  McAlpin,  Jennie  Jones,  Sarah 
Barkman,  Philip  Smock,  Olive  Barkman,  Laurena 
Smock,  William  McFall,  Robert  McFall,  and  Char- 
lotte Hammett.  From  other  churches,  William  F. 
Morgan  and  wife  and  Mary  C.  Alter.  S.  F.  Jones, 
Samuel  McKean,  J.  C.  Hazlett,  and  R.  J.  Trinton 
were  chosen  elders,  of  whom  Samuel  McKean  de- 
clined to  serve.  Rev.  G.  M.  Hair,  of  Rehoboth, 
preached  at  Belle  Vernon  until  April,  1874.  In 
July,  1874,  Rev.  A.  B.  Lowes  entered  upon  the  pas- 
torate, and  still  remains.  The  membership  in  1881 
was  eighty-three.  The  elders  first  chosen  are  still  in 
office.  The  trustees  are  William  P.  Mackey,  Joseph 
Nutt,  and  W.  F.  Morgan.  S.  F.  Jones  is  superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunday-school. 


BELLE    VERNON    GLASS-FACTORY. 

The  interest  of  glass-manufacture  is  a  very  impor- 
tant one  at  Belle  Vernon.  It  was  founded  in  1834, 
and  has  continued  since  1836  to  be  a  conspicuous 
element  in  the  industries  of  the  town.  R.  C.  Schmertz 
&  Co.  have  been  the  manufacturers  at  this  point  since 
1865,  and  have  there  to-day  the  largest  window-glass 
manufactory  in  the  world.  In  1834,  George  Kendall, 
of  Cookstown,  and  Thomas  Patton,  of  Perryopolis, 
began  the  erection  of  gla><-works  upon  the  site  of 
Schmertz  &  Co.'s  factory,  l.iit  IhI.uv  they  reached  the 
point  of  manufiicture  faili'l  ami  abandoned  the  en- 
terprise. The  liiiil.llngs  remained  in  an  unfinished 
conditi.Hi  mitil  !<;(;,  when  William  Ebeihanl  eaine 
into  piisM'-siiiii  ul  liie  property,  and' pr(]iii]itly  0(1111- 
pletiiig  an  eight-pot  furnace  engaged  at  once  in  the 
|iio(hietion  of  glass.  At  the  first  the  largest  rollers 
!"■  made  would  flatten  out  a  sheet  measuring  twenty- 
■iiie  by  twenty-five.  He  made  ninety-five  rollers  to  a 
bl'.wer.  His  first  glass-cutter  was  Griffith  Wells, 
now  residing  at  Fayette  City.  During  Mr.  Eber- 
hard's  possession  he  brought  the  works  up  to  a  ca- 
pacity of  sixteen  pots.  He  appeared  to  be  driving  a 
flourishing  business,  and  did  doubtless  for  some 
years,  but  while  pu.shing  matters  at  wliat  seemed  a 
remarkably  brisk  rate,  in  185;!,  he  suddenly  failed,  tn 
the  great  consternation  of  the  community,  and  the 
loss  of  many  who  had  looked  upon  the  glass-works 
as  upon  a  secure  foundation.  The  failure  was  most 
disastrous,  and  from  its  effects  the  town  was  slow  to 
recover.  The  property  was  not,  however,  snllered  to 
remain  idle  very  long.  George  A.  Berry  ^  Co.  soon 
became  the  owners  and  speedily  revived  the  old-timi' 
activity.     In  1860  Berry  bought  out  his  partner,  and 


I  having  an  immense  stock  of  glass  on  hand  at  the  out- 
break of  the  rebellion,  made  his  fortune. 

In  1865,  Berry  disposed  of  his  interests  to  the 
present  owners,  R.  C.  Schmertz  &  Co.,  who  remodeled 

I  the  works  and  added  a  ten-pot  furnace.  Their  factory 
covers  now  about  two  acres,  and  has  in  connection 
with  it  a  fine  store  and  thirty-six  tenements.  Lime 
and  sand  were  formerly  obtained  at  Belle  Vernon, 

'  but  these  materials  are  now  brought  from  Layton 
and  Mapleton.  Coke  is  burned  near  the  works.  Two 
hundred  and  thirty  hands  are  ordinarily  employed, 
and  upwards  of  $15,000  paid  out  monthly  as  wages. 
They  have  an  aggregate  of  twenty-six  pots,  consume 
annually  300,000  bushels  of  coal,  80,000  bushels  of 
coke,  2200  tons  of  sand,  650  tons  of  lime,  850  tons  of 
soda,  and  500  tons  of  other  materials.  One  million 
feet  of  lumber  are  used  yearly  for  the  manufacture 

:  of  boxes.     Their   freight  tonnage   each  year  is  1200 

I  tons.  The  annual  production  of  glass  reaches  about 
80,000  boxes.  Mr.  Schmertz,  the  senior  member  of 
the  firm,  resides  at  Pittsburgh,  but  exercises  a  general 

I  supervision  over  the  works  at  Belle  Vernon,  as  well 
as  over  the  firm's  works  at  Columbus,  Ohio.  The 
managing  and  resident  partner  at  Belle  Vernon  is 
Mr.  R.  J.  Linton,  who  entered  Mr.  Scbmertz's  em- 
ploy in  1855,  and  in  a  few  years  was  admitted  as  a 

'  partner. 

j   BELLE    VERNON   SAW-    AND     PLANING-MILL    COM- 
I  PANY    (LIMITED). 

Just  over  the  borough  line  in  Westmoreland  County 
this  company  represents  a  valuable  industry.  The 
oflicers  are  Amon  Bronson,  president;  William  Jones, 
vice-president;  A.  A.  Taggart,  manager  ;  S.  F.  Jones, 
treasurer  ;  J.  S.  Jones,  secretary.  The  main  building 
is  one  hundred  by  forty  feet.  It  contains  a  66-inch 
circular  saw,  capable  of  sawing  30,000  feet  of  lumber 
in  ten  hours.  Adjoining  the  mill  is  the  boat-yard  of 
William  McFall,  who  turns  out  yearly  a  good  many 
river  craft  of  various  kinds. 

SOCIETIES    AND    ORDERS. 

Belle  Vernon  Lodge,  No.  656, 1. 0.  O.  F.  This  lodge 
was  organized  March  26,  1869,  with  seventeen  mem- 
bers. The  charter  officers  were  John  Wilkinson, 
N.  G. ;  Noah  Speer,  V.  G. ;  S.  McKean,  See. ;  John 
H.  Weaver,  Asst.  Sec;  A.  P.  Lewis,  Treas.  Other 
charter  members  were  R.  C.  Byers,  J.  8.  Van  Voor- 
his,  J.  M.  Springer,  J.  B.  Thompson,  Michael  Alters, 
G.  V.  Abel,  John  Caull,  T.  F.  Lewis,  and  J.  H. 
Lewis.  In  May,  1881,  the  membership  was  one 
hundred  and  three.  The  officers  were  William 
Vaughn,  N.  G. ;  L.  R.  Boyle,  V.  G. ;  S.  McKean, 
Sec. ;  James  Frost,  Asst.  Sec. ;  John  Hackett,  Treas. 

Maple  Grove  Encampment,  No.  243,  I.  O.  O.  F., 
was  chartered  Feb.  13,  1875.  The  first  officers  were 
John  Wilkinson,  C.  P. ;  Samuel  McKean,  H.  P.  ; 
John  B.  Thompson,  S.  W. ;  George  Treasure,  J.  W. ; 
A.  P.  Lewis,  Sec. ;   J.  H.  Weaver,  Treas. ;  John  S. 


FAYETTE   CITY   BOROUGH. 


819 


Clegg,  I.  S. ;  J.  C.  Hixenbaugh,  0.  S.  The  members 
numbered  thirty-five  in  May,  1881.  The  officers  were 
W.  A.  McKean,  C.  P.  ;  Ephraim  Lewis,  H.  P. ;  G. 
Amalong,  S.  W. ;  W.  H.  Neil,  J.  W. ;  Samuel  Mc- 
Kean, S. ;  John  Hackett,  Treas. 

Accomac  Tribe,  No.  142. 1.  O.  R..  M.,  was  organized 
on  the  17th  Cold  Moon,  380.  The  charter  members 
were  J.  F.  Hixenbaugh,  John  Hutchinson,  Dennis 
Riley,  W.  PI.  Hailor,  Charles  Dean,  Abel  Fewster, 
John  Stewart,  Thomas  Hardwick,  J.  H.  Robbins,  H. 
M.  Clegg,  W.  G.  Kittle,  Samuel  Hilton,  John  Friser, 
Matthew  Clegg,  and  W.  H.  Jones.  The  membership 
in  May,  1881,  was  100.  The  officers  were  John 
Evans,  S. ;  William  Fleming,  S.  8. ;  P.  Rider,  J.  S. ; 
William  Wise,  Sec. ;  A.  Rupert,  K.  of  W. ;  J.  Still- 
wagon,  P. 

Bayard  Post,  No.  178,  G.  A.  R.,  was  organized 
June  24,  1880,  with  twenty-six  members.  The  mem- 
bership is  now  thirty-one.  Meetings  are  held  twice 
each  month  in  Odd-Fellows'  Hall.  The  officers  are 
W.  S.  Harvey,  P.  C. ;  L.  R.  Boyle,  S.  V.  P.  C. ;  Wil- 
liam Booth,  J.  V.  P.  C. ;  William  Noble,  Q.  M. ;  J. 
W.  Morgan,  Adjt. ;  Rev.  A.  B.  Lowes,  C. ;  John 
Thompson,  O.  of  D. ;  Joseph  Bell,  O.  of  G. ;  John 
Reeves,  S. 

Belle  Vernon  Council,  No.  531,  Royal  Arcauum, 
was  organized  in  October,  1880.  The  officers  in  May, 
1880,  were  John  Haskett,  R. ;  W.  P.  Mackey,  V.  R. ; 
T.  L.  Daly,  P.  R. ;  J.  E.  Nutt,  Sec. ;  J.  S.  Jones,  Col. ; 
J.  L.  Courtney,  Treas. ;  James  McAlpin,  C. ;  W.  B. 
McAlpin,  G. ;  James  Huttenover,  W. ;  E.  F.  Springer, 
S.     The  members  number  nineteen. 

FAYETTE  CITY  BOROUGH. 

Fayette  City,  a  thriving  borough  of  about  nine  hun- 
dred inhabitants,  located  upon  the  Monongahela, 
twelve  miles  below  Brownsville,  ranks  among  the  old 
towns  of  Fayette  County.  Founded  about  1800  by 
Col.  Edward  Cook  as  Frgeport,  it  was  known  as 
Cobkstown  from  1825  to  1854,  when  its  name  was 
changed  by  legislative  act  to  Fayette  City.  It  is  a 
point  of  considerable  shipment,  via  the  Mononga- 
hela River,  of  apples,  wool,  grain,  etc.,  and  derives  a 
brisk  mercantile  trade  from  the  surrounding  agricul- 
tural community  and  adjoining  coal-mini  ml;-  districts. 
Manufacturers  are  confined  to  the  product  ..f  wimlow- 
glass  and  woolen  goods.  There  is  cujuiiuuiication 
with  all  points  via  river  packets  that  touch  at  the 
wharf  four  times  daily,  and  by  railway  on  the  Wash- 
ington side  of  the  river. 

The  bottom  lands  upon  which  the  chief  portion  of 
Fayette  City  lies  were  once  the  site  of  an  Indian  vil- 
lage. Col.  Edward  Cook,  who  in  1768  came  to  the 
neighborhood  and  bought  a  large  tract  of  about  three 
thousand  acres,  lying  now  in  Washington,  Westmore- 
land, and  Fayette  Counties,  then  became  the  owner 
of  the  site  of  Fayette  City  and  the  country  about  it 
for  some  distance.  The  first  improvement  of  conse- 
quence  upon  the  present  site  of  Fayette   City  was 


made  by  Joseph  Downer,  shortly  after  1800.  Mr. 
Downer,  who  had  from  1794  been  living  near  Col. 
Cook's,  in  Washington  township,  moved  first  to  the 
present  Cooper  mill-aite,  and  later  to  where  James 
Hamer's  woolen-factory  now  stands.  At  the  latter 
point  he  built  a  flouring-mill,  and  lower  down  on  the 
run  a  saw-mill,  of  which  the  ruins  may  still  be  seen. 
At  the  saw-mill  he  built  a  framed  dwelling-house,  on 
the  site  of  the  Thirkield  mansion.  The  grist-mill 
Mr.  Downer  himself  managed,  while  the  saw-mill 
interest  was  in  charge  of  his  father-in-law,  Stephen 
Hall. 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  Downer's  location  upon  the  vil- 
lage site,  about  1806,  there  was  upon  the  tract  but  one 
house,  which  stood  on  the  river-bank,  the  log  cabin 
of  one  Pankus,  a  boat-builder,  who  soon  afterwards 
went  to  New  Orleans,  and  was  never  heard  of  Pre- 
vious to  1807,  Col.  Cook  had  laid  out  a  town  where 
Fayette  City  now  is  and  named  it  Freeport.  Tradi- 
tion has  it  that  he  and  Mr.  Downer  surveyed  the 
streets  and  marked  off  the  lots  with  a  clothes-line. 
The  original  plat  of  the  town  shows  that  fifty-one 
lots  were  set  oft",  that  the  streets  were  named  Fording, 
Market,  Cook,  Union,  Front,  Second,  Third,  and 
Fourth,  and  that  the  triangular  piece  of  land  upon 
which  the  school-house  now  stands  was  donated  for 
public  use.     Upon  the  plat  is  written  the  following: 

j  "  Plan  of  the  town  of  Freeport,'  on  the  Mononga- 
hela River,  in  Washington  township,  Fayette  County, 
State  of  Pennsylvania.     Laid  out  by  Edward  Cook, 

i  Esq."  The  lots  were  made  sixty  feet  by  one  hundred 
and  twenty,  but  in  order  to  prevent  disputes  in  the 

I  measurement  six  inches  were  allowed  by  Mr.  Cook  in 
each  line  on  the  ground,  so  that  the  lots  were  actually 

•  sixty-six  feet  six  inches  by  one  hundred  and  twenty 
feet  six  inches.  Market  Street  is  forty-five  feet  wide  ; 
tic-  other  streets  thirty  feet  wide.  The  first  trader  at 
Freeport  was  Andrew  Hunter,  who,  not  far  from 
1805,  came  to  the  place  with  his  daughters,  Jane  and 
Margaret,  and  erected  at  the  corner  of  Market  and 
Front  Streets  a  framed  building,  in  which  he  opened 
a  small  store  and  made  his  residence.  His  daughter 
Jane  was  a  woman  of  great  force  of  character  and 
good  business  talent.  She  soon  became  the  owner  of 
the  store,  and,  with  her  sister  Margaret,  carried  it  on 
for  many  years.  Before  the  advent  of  the  Hunters, 
William  D.  MuUin  (who  in  1786,  at  the  age  of  four 
years,  had  come  with  his  adopted  father,  William 
Patterson,  to  Washington  township)  located  in  Free- 
port  upon  his  marriage,  in  1806,  and  set  up  a  hatter's 
shop  (his  trade  he  had  learned  with  Jones,  of  Bridge- 
port) on  a  lot  he  had  bought  of  Morris  Dunlevy. 
The  deed  for  the  property,  now  in  the  possession  of 
R.  G.  MuUin,  recites  that  for  the  consideration  of 
twenty  dollars  Edward  and  Martha  Cook  conveyed  to 
Morris  Dunlevy  lot  No.  4  in  Freeport,  situated  in  the 
tract  known  as  Whisky  Mount,  patented  to  Edward 

1  Name  of  tlie  town  .lianged  to  Uool<stowi]  aLuiit  ls25. 


820 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Cook  by  the  State  in  1796.  The  deed  bears  date  Nov. 
12,  1802.  William  D.  Mullin  carried  on  the  hat- 
making  business  until  1857.  He  died  in  Fayette  City 
in  1876,  aged  ninety-one  years.  The  house  he  lived 
in  is  now  the  residence  of  John  Kennedy.  The  hat- 
shop  that  stood  close  to  it  long  since  disappeared. 

In  1806,  Alexander  Crane  kept  on  Water  Street  the 
principal  store  in  Freeport.  Aaron  Bugher,  who  went 
to  the  Legislature  afterwards,  was  a  boat-builder, 
and  in  his  yard  built  quite  a  lot  of  flat-  and  keel-boats. 
The  first  steamboat  built  at  Freeport  was  launched 
about  1820  by  James  Woods.  After  an  extended 
business  career  at  Freeport,  Bugher  removed  to  Cin- 
cinnati, where  he  died.  William  Larimer,  who  suc- 
ceeded him  as  a  boat-builder  at  Cookstown,  remained 
until  about  1860.  Since  his  departure  but  little  in 
the  way  of  boat-building  has  been  done  at  this  place. 

Thomas  Beard  (an  Irish  refugee),  one  of  the  pio- 
neer traders,  kept  a  dry-goods  store  on  Second  Street 
near  Union  (where  J.  C.  King's  furniture-shop  is), 
and  Daniel  Ferry  kept  a  general  store  on  Second 
Street.  At  the  corner  of  Market  and  Second,  James 
P.  Stewart  was  an  early  trader,  as  was  Job  Kitts  at 
the  corner  of  Union  and  Water.  U.  C.  Ford  had  a 
tannery  at  the  corner  of  Market  and  Main  Streets,  on 
the  site  of  McEwan's  drug-store.  About  1820,  John 
Baldwin,  a  miller  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river, 
put  on  a  ferry,  much  to  the  convenience  of  the  people, 
for  fording  had  previous  to  that  been  the  common 
means  of  crossing.  One  Romans  was  Freeport's  pio- 
neer blacksmith.  His  shop  was  on  Main  near  Mar- 
ket Street.  James  McCrory  was  one  of  the  village 
blacksmiths  about  that  time,  and  since  then  a  Mc- 
Crory has  always  been  one  of  the  blacksmiths  of  the 
place.  Adam  Weamer  (with  whom  Samuel  Lari- 
mer was  an  apprentice)  was  a  cabinet-maker  in  a 
shop  on  the  present  Baldwin  House  lot.  James 
Enos,  living  on  the  hill,  was  the  first  wheelwright  as 
well  as  the  first  postmaster.  William  McBain  was 
a  shoemaker  on  Second  Street,  between  LTnion  and 
Market.  James  Hezlip  kept  the  first  tavern  near  the 
corner  of  Market  and  Second  Streets.^  The  second 
tavern  was  0])ened  by  Henry  Calver  on  Second 
Street.  He  was  succeeded  in  that  establishment  by 
a  Mr.  McNab,  Beriel  Taylor,  and  Thomas  McCrory. 
McCrory  was  its  last  landlord,  and  kept  it  for  some 
years  as  McCrory's  Inn,  by  which  name  it  was  widely 
and  favorably  known.  In  1845,  William  Evans  built 
the  tavern  now  known  as  the  Baldwin  House.  Justus 
Blaney  had  a  pottery  in  the  upper  portion  of  the  vil- 
lage now  called  Sisleytown.  He  made  common 
ware  and  shipped  it  down  the  river  to  market.  John 
Britson,  another  ancient  worker  in  clay,  made  clay 
pipes  in  Cookstown  as  early  as  1821. 

In  1827,  William  E.  Frazer  (chosen  to  the  State 
Senate  in  1855  and  canal  commissioner  in  1859)  came 
to  Cookstown  from  Luzerne  township  for  the  purpose 


of  following  his  trade  as  turner  and  wheelwright. 
Mr.  Frazer  .says  Cookstown  had  in  1827  three  stores, 
of  which  the  principal  one  was  kept  by  Thomas 
Beard,  near  the  corner  of  Second  and  Union  Streets. 
Alexander  Crane  had  a  store  on  Water  (or  Front) 
Street,  and  the  Hunters  had  one  at  the  corner  of 
Market  and  Water  Streets.  Daniel  Ferry  was  a 
wagon-  and  plow-maker,  and  William  Baldwin  was 
the  village  tailor.  Mr.  Frazer  opened  a  wheelwright's 
shop  near  to  where  he  now  lives,  and  remained  seven 
years.  He  retired  for  a  while  to  a  farm,  but  soon 
returned,  and  still  resides  in  Fayette  City,  a  highly 
honored  and  worthy  citizen. 

R.  G.  Mullin,  now  the  oldest  of  Fayette  City's 
merchants,  embarked  in  trade  in  1837  upon  the  lot 
where  he  was  born  and  where  he  has  continued  to 
live  to  this  day.  Next  in  rank  as  to  date  of  estab- 
lishment in  the  village  comes  William  Troth,  who 
came  to  Cookstown  in  June,  1847,  and  opened  a  sad- 
dler's shop.  In  1849  he  purchased  William  E.  Fra- 
zer's  hardware  business,  and  in  that  trade  has  contin- 
ued uninterruptedly  ever  since.  The  third  oldest 
merchant,  John  Mullin,  has  sold  goods  in  this  town 
continuously  since  1852. 

Cookstown's  first  resident  physician  was  Dr. 
David  Porter,  who  lived  when  a  lad  with  the  family 
of  Capt.  Woolsey,  of  Westmoreland  County.  Dr. 
Porter  practiced  for  a  year  or  two  in  Freeport  about 
1815,  and  then  retiring  to  the  country,  did  not  return 
until  about  1836,  when  he  opened  an  office  on  Water 
Street.  After  a  stay  of  a  few  years  he  retired  once 
more  to  a  farm,  and  removing  subsequently  to  Union- 
town,  remained  there  until  his  death  in  1875.  Dr. 
Joseph  Thoburn,  who  succeeded  Dr.  Porter  at  Free- 
port,  moved  eventually  to  Wheeling.  Dr.  Nathan 
Hubbs  was  a  practitioner  in  Freeport  in  1822,  and 
after  a  service  of  twenty-six  years,  died  in  the  village 
in  1848.  During  Dr.  Hubbs'  time  Dr.  Thornton 
Fleming  was  one  of  the  village  doctors.  He  is  espec- 
ially remembered  because  of  his  sudden  departure 
from  the  place.  He  is  supposed  to  be  living  now  at 
Galesburg,  111.  Dr.  James  Eagan  came  to  the  town 
in  1830,  and  in  1847  appeared  Drs.  Charles  Conley 
and  0.  D.  Todd.  Dr.  Todd,  who  lived  opposite 
Cookstown,  in  Washington  County,  had  an  office  in 
the  village  from  1847  until  his  death  in  1880.  Dr.  J. 
M.  H.  Gordon,  who  located  in  Cookstown  in  1849, 
has  been  in  village  practice  continuously  ever  since. 
Dr.  H.  F.  Roberts  came  as  early  as  1847,  and  prac- 
ticed at  irregular  periods  as  a  local  physician  until 
1876.  He  lives  now  in  Uniontown.  Dr.  F.  M.  Yost 
was  in  the  field  from  1852  to  1854.  Drs.  Reisinger 
and  Penny  were  but  briefly  village  practitioners.  Dr. 
Conkling  came  in  1870,  and  died  here  in  1873.  Be- 
sides Dr.  J.  M.  H.  Gordon,  the  borough  physicians 
are  John  W.  Gordon  (here  since  1S77)  and  J.  V. 
Porter  (since  1880). 

A  post-office  appears  to  liave  been  established  at 
Freeport  as  early  as  1812.     The  first  postmaster  was 


FAYETTE   CITY  BOROUGH. 


James  Enos,  the  wheelwright,  who  lived  on  the  hill. 
In  1820  he  was  succeeded  by  William  D.  Mullin,  and 
Mullin  by  Samuel  Larimer  in  1829.     Larimer  served 
until  1840,  when  Job  Kitts  was  appointed,  and  in  1840 
gave  place  to  Edward  Martin.     Following  Martin,  to  I 
1860,  the  incumbents  were  K.  G.  Mullin,  William  R.  | 
Campbell,  and  John  Stofft.     Hugh  Connelly  had  the  [ 
office  from  1800  to  1870,  and  Lewis  K.  Hamilton  from  I 
1870  to  1880.     S.B.Hamilton,  the  present  incumbent,  1 
was  commissioned  in  1880,  although  he  has  been  the  ' 
acting  postmaster  since  1 870.     Fayette  City  post-office  i 
was  made  a  money-order  office  in  July,  1875.     Four 
mails  are  received  and  four  forwarded  daily.  ' 

Joseph  Downer,  already  noticed  as  Freeport's  first 
inhabitant,  was  a  man  of  great  business  enterprise 
and  much  respected.  Reference  to  his  early  settle- 
ment in  Fayette  County,  and  to  some  of  his  manu- 
facturing enterprises  on  Downer's  Run,  will  be  found 
elsewhere  in  the  history  of  Washington  township,  as 
also  a  notice  of  the  somewhat  famous  Downer  organ. 
After  his  removal  to  Freeport  he  lived  on  the  lot  now 
occupied  by  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Roscoe  Thirkield, 
his  granddaughter.  There  he  lived  until  his  death, 
Feb.  14,  1838.  His  children  numbered  thirteen,  of 
whom  six  were  sons.  The  last  of  the  sons  was  James 
C.  Downer,  who  died  in  Louisiana.  Three  of  the 
daughters  are  yet  living.  They  are  Louisa  Roberts, 
in  Michigan  ;  Mrs.  Thompson  and  Mrs.  Thirkield, 
in  Fayette  City.  Samuel  Lariniore,  known  promi- 
nently in  connection  with  Cookstown's  history,  was  an 
apprentice  to  Adam  Weamer,  the  cabinet-maker,  and 
all  his  life  afterwards  a  carpenter  in  the  town.  He 
died  in  1878,  aged  eighty  year.s.  His  father,  James, 
was  one  of  Freeport's  early  boat-builders,  and  accord- 
ing to  an  old  record  still  in  the  possession  of  Samuel 
Larimer's  widow,  was,  on  the  25th  of  July,  1798,  "  a 
member  of  the  eighth  class  of  the  fifth  company  of 
Col.  Thomas  Johnson's  battalion." 

The  manufacture  of  glass  has  been  an  important 
feature  of  Fayette  City's  industries  since  1831.  There 
were  at  one  period  no  less  than  three  glass-works 
within  the  limits  of  the  town,  but  for  many  years  the 
manufacture  of  glass  at  this  point  has  been  confined 
to  one  establishment.  The  business  was  founded  here 
in  1831  by  John  Martin  and  John  Baker,  who  in  that 
year  erected  what  were  long  known  as  the  "  upper 
works,"  containing  an  eight-pot  furnace.  Moderate 
success  attended  the  enterprise  from  the  first,  but  a 
change  in  proprietorship  brought  a  change  in  fortune, 
and  through  various  proprietary  changes  there  were 
several  failures  until  1846,  when  the  works  were 
abandoned  permanently.  The  buildings  lay  idle  for 
years,  until  they  were  demolished  to  make  room  for 
the  erection  of  dwelling-houses  upon  the  site.  In 
1833  George  Whiting  built  an  eight-pot  furnace  on 
the  "  Point,"  and  with  William  Eberhart,  Sr.,  con- 
ducted the  business  for  a  short  time.     They  were, 


however,  compelled  by  financial  reverses  to  abandon 
the  works  to  others.  In  1850,  Whiting  again  obtained 
control,  and,  in  company  with  John  Emery,  carried 
on  the  business  until  1850,  when  they  failed.  Wil- 
liam Eberhard,  Jr.,  succeeded  them  and  continued 
until  1857,  when  he  too  failed.  After  that  no  one 
ventured  to  take  hold  of  the  enterprise,  and  its  his- 
tory ended  with  the  close  of  the  year  last  named. 

The  glass-works  now  owned  and  operated  by  George 
Wanhoff'  &  Co.,  of  Pittsburgh,  were  built  by  John 
Bezill  and  Samuel  Kyle  in  1844,  the  building  contractor 
being  Edward  Mansfield.  The  furnace  wa.s  supplied 
with  eight  pots,  and,  all  told,  about  fifty  hands  were 
employed.  Bezill  sold  his  interest  to  Kyle,  who  in 
turn  disposed  of  the  works  to  William  Eberhard,  Jr. 
William  Eberhard,  Sr.,  succeeded  in  1852,  and  con- 
tinued until  1857.  Adam  Blair,  previously  an  em- 
ploye at  the  works,  became  proprietor,  and  after  a 
three  years'  experience  failed  in  1860.  After  lying 
idle  a  time  the  factory  was  bought  and  revived  by  D. 
Harmany  &  Co.,  of  Brownsville.  In  1866  they  were 
succeeded  by  Zimmerman  &  Co.,  who  in  1872  sold  out 
to  Joseph  Torrance  &  Co.  In  1872,  Torrance  &  Co. 
suspended  work.  ,John  King  &  Co.  were  their  suc- 
cessors, but  stopped  work  in  1873.  The  Iron  City 
Company  were  the  next  in  possession,  and  in  1877 
the  present  proprietors  took  the  property.  In  1879 
they  revived  the  works,  and  since  that  time  have 
operated  them  with  profitable  success.  Their  em- 
ployes number  about  sixty.  Their  weekly  product 
of  manufactured  glass  aggregates  three  hundred  and 
fifty  boxes,  or  nearly  twenty  thousand  boxes  annually. 
Their  sand  is  obtained  from  Belle  Vernon,  and  their 

I  lime  from  Tyrone.  The  annual  consumption  of  ma- 
terials in  the  manufacture  is  about  one  hundred  thou- 
sand bushels  of  coal,  twenty-five  thousand  bushels  of 
coke,  seven  hundred  tons  of  sand,  two  hundred  tons 

'  of  lime,  two  hundred  and  sixty  tons  of  soda. 

BOROUGH    ORciANIZATION    AND    OFFICERS. 

j  A  petition  for  the  erection  of  Cookstown  into  a 
borough  was  presented  Dec.  5,  1839,  and  laid  over 
until  the  March  session  of  court.  The  report  was 
then  made  by  the  grand  jury  favorable  to  the  erec- 
tion of  the  borough,  and  at  the  term  lield  in  March, 
1840,  the  court  confirmed  the  report  of  the  grand  jury 
and  decreed  that  Cookstown  should  be  erected  into  a 
borough  or  body  corporate  by  the  name  and  style  of 
the  borough  of  Cookstown,  agreeably  to  the  boundaries 
and  draft  annexed  to  the  petition.  September,  1847, 
a  petition  was  presented  to  the  court  for  an  extension 

'  of  the  line  of  the  said  borough  agreeably  to  certain 
designated  courses  and  distances,  and  to  change  the 
day  for  the  election  of  borough  officers  to  the  day  pre- 

;  scribed   by  law  for   choosing   township   officers.     A 

j  favorable  report  being  made  upon  the  petition  the 
court  confirmed  the  report,  December,  1847. 

Although  the  borough  was  organized  in  1840,  no 

I  mention   can  be  found  in   either  county  or  borough 


HISTOKV    OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


records  of  the  names  of  borough  officials  elected  prior 
to  1847.  From  that  period  to  1854,  when  an  act  of 
Legislature  changed  the  name  of  the  borough  from 
Cookstown  to  Fayette  City,  the  following  named  have 
been  chosen  among  the  borough  officials,  the  incom-  , 
plete  records  giving,  however,  no  mention  of  either 
burgess  or  councilmen  except  in  1848 : 


ag;  Judge 


IS47.— Justice  of  the  Peace,  William  D.  Mullin : 
Williiun  Valentine  ;  Constable,  Alexander  Fleml 
of  Election,  Aaron  Bugher. 

ISiS,— Burgess,  Milton  G.  Ebert :  Council,  Alexander  Flem- 
ing, Philip  .S,  Kuhns,  Bazil  Brightwell,  John  S.  Wilgus, 
Ziba  Whiting  ;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Justus  L.  Blaney  ;  Au- 
ditor, Samuel  Larimer  :  .School  Directors,  William  Krepps, 
Isaac  Banks,  Michael  Slotterbeck  ;  Assessor,  J.  V.  Layton. 

lS49._School  Directors,  John  Cunnard,  Philip  .S.  Kuhns,  Wil- 
liam McFee;  Assessor,  Samuel  Larimer  :  Constable, -Alex- 
ander Fleming  ;  Judge,  John  Tiernan. 

IS50.— Justice  of  the  Peace,  Isaac  Banks,  William  T.  Bealle ; 
School  Directors,  John  Tiernan,  Francis  McKee;  Assessor, 


John  (i.  Tho 


ipson 


Judge,  Willi! 


E.  Fri 


s,  John  V.  Layton,  Noah  Jewell,  John 
Long  ;  Assessor,  John  V.  Layton  ;  Constable,  Henry  Hard- 
esty  ;  Judge,  John  Thirkiel. 

1S52.— School  Directors,  John  Cunnard,  Philip  S,  Kuhns;  As- 
sessor, John  G,  Thompson;  Constable,  John  Wright; 
Judge,  David  P.  Lutz. 

1853.— Justices  of  the  Peace,  William  R.  Campbell,  Fr.ancis 
McKee;  School  Directors,  Samuel  Larimer,  Michael  Slot- 
terbeck; Auditor,  Harvey  Barker,  Seneca  McCrory ;  As- 
sessor, George  Whiting  ;  Judge,  John  V.  Layton. 

ISJf.— School  Directors,  John  Long,  John  V.  Layton;  Assessor, 
John  Cunnard;  Judge,  John  Tiernan  ;  Constable.  Samuel 
B.  Hamilton. 

-\n  act  approved  April  11,  1854,  and  entitled  "  An 
Act  to  change  the  name  of  the  borough  of  Cookstown, 
in  Fayette  County,  etc.,"  provides  that  "  the  borough 
of  Cookstown,  in  the  county  of  Fayette,  shall  be 
hereafter  known  by  the  name  of  Fayette  City,  and 
under  that  name  shall  have  all  the  rights  and  privi- 
leges to  which  said  borough  is  now  entitled  by  law,  and 
shall  be  subject  to  all  the  restrictions  and  liabilities 
to  which  said  borough  is  now  by  law  subjected  to." 

The  civil  list  for  Fayette  City  from  1855  to  1881  is 
given  below  : 


llaniilt..],. 
l^iS.— llurgiss,  William  R.  Campbell ,  ^^^^.,.^^„,  „„„  ^...-, 

Ziba  Whiting,  Samuel  Mansfield,  William  Krepps,  Robert 

G.    .Mullin:  School  Dire 

Larimer  ;  A--s,->ni,  i;,.,,igo  \\\ 
ISoT.-IJui-c-.    K.   (j.    :\lullii,:   C, 

Jai.io  llultoM,  James  .lacol.s.  Mu-\i:,rl  Alter,  Samuel  Ma 

Held;  .■^cho.d  Directors,  Jiiinc-   Dougherty,   Michael  Slot 

terbcck  :   Ass.-ssur,  (Icon;.-  Wliilim;. 
185S.— Burgess,  (Jriffilh  Wells:   Council,  Williiim   Haney,  Wil 

liam  Athey,  W.  E.  Frascr,  Jr..  P.  McPhclin,  Wesley  Lari 

mer:  Justice  of  the  Peace,   George  AVhiting;  School   Di 


en,  Job  Ki 
krepps.  Rot 
Ediv;ird   Mansfield,   Samuel 

Krepps,    Sr 


ird ;  Assessors,  Sam- 


rectors,  Wesley  Larimer,  -Jo 

uel  B.  Hamilton,  James  Daugherty. 

IS.i!). — Burgess.  James  Johnson  ;  Council,  Wesley  Larimer,  Ziba 
Whiting,  W.  E.  Fraser,  Jr.,  David  McBain,  George  P.Ful- 
ton ;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Robert  G.  Mullin  ;  School  Direc- 
tors, John  Long,  Harvey  Barker ;  Assessor,  John  V.  Layton. 

I860.— Burgess,  John  Cunnard;  Council,  William  Krepps,  Ed- 
ward Mansfield,  William  Troth,  G.  B.  Cook,  George  P. 
Fulton  ;  School  Directors,  William  Krepps,  James  H.  Gor- 
don, R.  G.  Mullin  ;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  John  Branthaffer ; 
Assessor,  William  Evans. 

ISSl.— Burgess,  John  P.  Tiernan ;  Council,  William  Krepps, 
William  Troth,  Lewis  Krepps,  Joseph  0.  King,  George  P. 
Fulton  ;  School  Directors,  Henry  F.  Roberts,  Lewis  Krepps ; 
Assessor,  L.  Baldwin. 

18fi2.— Burgess,  Harvey  B.  Fleming;  Council,  William  E.  Mc- 
Crory, James  Button,  Edward  Mansfield,  John  Stofft,J.  C. 
King;  Justices  of  the  Peace,  Robert  L.  Baldwin,  Samuel 
B.  Hamilton;  Assessor.  Ziba  Whiting;  School  Directors, 
Samuel  Mansfield,  Wesley  Larimer,  Harvey  Barker. 

1SC,3. — Burgess,  John  Cunnard;  Council,  James  Johnston,  B. 
G.  Mullin,  James  Houseman,  L.  L.  Whiting,  Joseph  A. 
McKee;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Wesley  Larimer;  School 
Directors,  Van  Buren  Barker,  George  M.  Geho  ;  Assessor, 
Samuel  Larimer. 

IStit.— Burgess,  P.  McPhelin ;  Council,  J.  H.  Bugher,  Ed- 
ward Mansfield,  John  Pfieghardt.  William  E.  McCrory,  R. 
G.  Mullin;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  William  Eberhart;  School 
Directors,  Joseph  King,  R.  G.  Mullin  ;  Assessor,  Daniel 
McDonald. 

1865.— Burgess,  George  Whiting;  Council,  H.  B.  Fleming, 
Samuel  Campbell,  John  Pfleghardt,  Thomas  Maude,  Ziba 
Whiting;  School  Directors,  James  H.  Gordon,  William 
Campbell.  Wesley  Larimer,  Charles  Wilson  ;  Asses.sor,  Wil- 
liam Eberhart;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  George  W.  Geho. 

iseo. — Burgess,  Thomas  Jacobs;  Council,  John  Pfleghardt,  J.  C. 
King,  William  Haney,  Van  B.  Barker,  Lewis  Krepps; 
School  Directors,  John  Stofft,  Lewis  Krepps,  Van  B,  Barker; 
Assessor,  William  Eberhart ;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  George 
AVhiting, 

180)7. —Burgess,  William  E.  McCrory;  Council,  James  H.  Gor 
don,  .Samuel  Campbell,  William  Williams,  George  Markle, 
James  Reese;  School  Directors,  William  Campbell,  R,  G. 
Mullin,  Joseph  A.  McKee,  Michael  Alter;  Assessor,  Daniel 
.McDon;ild;  Auditors.  Samuel  Mansfield.  William  Camp- 
bell, Calvin  Mansfield. 

ISfig.—Burgess,  William  McFee;  Council,  John  Pfleghardt, 
William  Lenhart,  Thornton  F.  Baldwin,  Isaac  Sickman, 
Daniel  Harmany,  Ziba  Whiting;  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
.Samuel  B.  Hamilton  ;  Assessor,  R.  L.  Baldwin ;  School  Di- 
rectors, AVilliam  E.  Fraser,  Willi.am  E.  McCrory  ;  Auditors, 
James  Todd.  Peter  MoFeeland,  M.  Slotterbeck. 

ISfiS.— Burgess.  Joseph  A.  McKee;  Council,  L.  L.  AVhiting,  F. 
F.  Baldwin,  Otho   Furlong,  Chas.  AVilson ;  School   Direc- 
tors, James  M.  Gordon,  James  Measters,  William  Troth; 
Assessor,  Samuel  Larimer:  Auditor,  R.  L.  Baldwin. 
1870 —Burgess,  Louis  Krepps;  Council,  Michael   Slotterbeck, 
J.  C.  King,  Joseph  L,  Cooper,  George  Geho,  Robert  Wil- 
son:  School  Directors,  R.  G.  Mullin,  Michael  Alter ;  Audi- 
tor, S;vmuel  Mansfield,  John  B.  Quay. 
1871.— Burges.s   R.  B.   Brown;  Council,   Otho  Furlong,  Chas. 
AVilson,  Samuel  Means,  John  Mullin,  S,  B.  Hamilton  ;  As- 
sessor, H.  P.  Fleming  ;  Justice  of  the  Peace.  AVilliam  Camp- 
bell ;    School  Directors,   AV.  E.  Fraser,  AVm.  E.   McClory  ; 
Auditor.  Thomas  Brown. 
1872.- Burgess.  Joseph  A.  McKee;  Council,  R.  AV.  AVilson,  AV. 


FAYETTE    CITi"    BUKOUGII. 


C.  Athey,  John  PBeghardt,  J.  P.  Kiepps,  Allen  Mansfield; 
School  Directors,  John  Baldwin,  I.  Y.  Sloan,  H.  B.  Frye, 
L.  L.  Whiting;  As5ess(jr,  William  Troth;  Auditor,  Wil- 
liam Troth. 

1873.— Griffith  Wells;  Council,  R.  G.  Mullin,  W.  A.  McCune, 
J.  I.  MclCenna,  A.  D.  Bruce,  J.  C.  King;  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  Samuel  B.  Hamilton  ;  Assessor,  H.  H.  Connelly. 

1S74.— Burgess,  J.C.King;  Council,  H.  B.  Frye,  James  I. 
McKenna,  J.  L.  Cooper,  Edward  Mansfield,  William  Troth, 
and  Wesley  Mullin;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Joseph  A. 
McKee;  School  Directors,  H.  B.  Fry,  Allen  S.  Mansfield; 
Assessor,  Samuel  Larimer. 

1S75.— Burgess,  William  Beatty  ;  Council,  H.  B.  Frye,  James 
Hamer,  John  Pfleghardt,  Samuel  Mansfield,  A.  D.  Barker, 
J.  M.  H.  Gordon  ;  School  Directors,  Joseph  C.  King,  Isaac 
N.  Cooper,  Henry  Barker,  G.  R.  Thirkield  ;  Auditor,  Wil- 
liam McKee;  Assessor,  Samuel  B.  Hamilton. 

1S76.— Burgess,  William  Reeves;  Council,  John  Pfleghardt, 
James  Krepps,  Thomas  Maude,  Charles  Wilson,  George  W. 
Patton,  William  Barker;  Justice  of  the  Peace.  Harvey 
Barker;  School  Directors,  James  Campbell,  A.  D.  Barker, 
R.  G.  Mullin  ;  Assessor,  R.  W.  Wilson  :   Auditor,  R.  Lin- 

1S77.— Burgess,  John  H.  Baldwin  ;  Council,  James  MeCrory, 
Leroy  Fleming,  Jos.  L.  Cooper,  William  Troth,  H.  B.  Frye, 
I.  N.  Mullin;  School  Directors,  H.  B.  Fleming,  Daniel 
Pfleghardt,  John  Barker,  L.  L.  Whiting  ;  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  Joseph  A.  McKee;   Auditor,  S.  B.  Hamilton. 

1 878.— Burgess,  Charles  Wilson  ;  Council,  J.  Q.  McKenna;  W. 
W.  Whitsptt,  Thomas  Maude,  Lewis  Billeter,  William 
Beeves,  Jacob  Showerman  ;  School  Directors,  J.  L.  Cooper, 
I.  N.  Mullin,  John  D.  Carr,  J,  N.  Cooper;  Assessor,  R.  W. 
Wilson;  Auditors,  George  Masters,  George  R.  Wilson: 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  S.  B.  Hamilton. 

1879.— Burgess,  J.L.Cooper;  Council,  J.W.Gordon,  Chas. 
Wilson,  John  Mullin,  Samuel  Mansfield,  John  H.  Baldwin, 
James  Q.  McKenna;  School  Directors,  John  N.  Barker, 
Thomas  Maude;  Assessor,  L.  L.  Whiting;  Auditor,  L.  K. 
Hamilton  ;  Justices,  G.  M.  Geho,  L.  J.  Jeffries. 

1880.— Burgess,  J.  L.  Cooper;  Council,  R.  G.  Mullin,  John 
Pfleghardt,  N.  B.  Brightwell,  W.  H.  Patton,  E.  W.  White, 
James  Leonard  ;  School  Directors,  S.  Mansfield,  J.  M.  II. 
Gordon,  A.  D.  Barker,  H.  B.  Frye  ;  Assessor,  A.  S.  Mans- 
field; Auditor,  A.  D.  Geho. 

1881.- Burgess,  Chas.  Wilson;  Council,  W.  H.  Binns,  L.  L. 
Whiting,  Daniel  Pfleghardt,  Isaac  N.  Cooper,  Wm.  Geho, 
J.  C.  King;  Justice  of  the  Peace,  T.  Mansfield;  Assessor, 
(i.  W.  Geho;  Auditor,  J.  M.  Briner ;  School  Directors,  H. 
B.  Frye,  J.  D.  Carr,  Thomas  Maude,  J.  M.  H.  Gordon. 

SCHOOLS. 
The  children  of  Cookstown  were  taught  in  1812, 
and  before,  in  a  stone  school-house  that  occupied  a 
spot  upon  the  present  site  of  Mount  Auburn  Ceme- 
tery, where  at  that  time  there  was  a  graveyard.  Three 
teachers  now  remembered  to  have  presided  there  were 
De  Wolf,  Hazlip,  and  Bosely.  In  1816  a  school  was 
established  in  the  village  in  a  building  on  Water 
Street  near  Union.  The  structure  is  now  the  residence 
of  Mr.  Ziba  Whiting.  Among  those  who  taught 
there  were  Isaiah  Alden,  a  Presbyterian  preacher, 
and  Maria  Dinsmore.  In  1818  the  people  of  the 
town  built  upon  the. site  of  the  present  school-house  a 
framed  edifice,  to  be  free  for  the  holding  of  a  school  and 


for  the  use  of  all  religious  denominations  choosing  to 
worship  therein.    Jacob  Woods  was  the  builder;  Wil- 
liam D.  Mullin  and  U.  C.  Ford  were  the  trustees.  Some 
of  the  earliest  teachers  in  that  building  were  Mr. 
McCormick,  Mr.  Bosely,  Thomas  Tomlinson,  Samuel 
Griffith,  Francis  McKee,  John  Wilson,  and  John  B. 
Gould.     Mr.  Gould  gave  up  teaching  there  in  1828, 
j  and  removed  to  Belle  Vernon,  where  he  still  lives  at 
the  age  of  eighty-si.\  ye;irs.     The  house  was  used  for 
I  school  purposes  until  1839,  when  a  brick  building  was 
I  put  up  and  used  chiefly  for  a  public  school.     The 
basement  was  used  as  a  public  hall.    School  was  held 
in  the  brick  house  until  1870,  when  the  present  fine 
building  was  completed.     It  was  commenced  in  1869, 
and  first  occupied  in  the  fall  of  1870.     Wesley  Lari- 
I  mer  was  the  contractor  for  the  mason-work.     The 
edifice  is  two  stories  in  height,  measures  fifty  by  sixty 
feet,  and  is  surmounted  with  a  substantial  bell-tower, 
whose  top  is  seventy-four  feet  from  the  ground.     The 
entire  cost  of  the  building  was  fifteen  thousand  dol- 
lars.    There  are  six  rooms  and  four  school  depart- 
I  ments.     In  charge  of  these  are  Elisha  Porter  (prin- 
1  cipal).  Miss  Maria  Larimer,  Miss  Mary  Malone,  and 
1  Miss  Hattie  Harmany.    The  school  directors  for  1881 
1  are  J.  D.  Carr,  H.  B.'  Frye,  Samuel  Mansfield,  A.  T). 
Barker,  Thomas  Maude,  J.  M.  H.  Gordon. 

CHURCHES. 

Cookstown    had    no   regularly  a])pointed   place  of 

worship  until  1818,  when  the  citizens  built  a  framed 

[  house  and  set  it  apart  to  the  free  use  of  schools  and 

I  churches,  or  members  of  any  religious  denomination 

desirous  of  having  public  devotional  exercises. 

THE    METHODIST   EPISCOP.VL   CHUliCH 

was  doubtless  the  first  religious  organization  effected 
in  the  town.  A  class  was  formed  as  early  as  1815 
and  attached  to  the  Redstone  Circuit,  and  until  1820 
meetings  were  held  in  the  stone  school-house  on  the 
hill,  in  Crane's  old  store-house  on  the  river's  bank, 

j  and  in  the  houses  of  members.  Among  the  most 
prominent  of  the  latter  were  W.  B.  Mullin  and  wife, 
Adam  Weamer,  U.  C.  Ford,  and  Margaret  and  Jane 

'  Hunter.  Mr.  Mullin  was  one  of  the  first  class-lead- 
ers, and  probably  the  first.     In  that  capacity  he  offi- 

i  elated  at  times  until  his  death.  In  1820  the  Union 
church  building  was  occupied  by  the  Methodists  in 
common  with  other  denominations,  and  until  1842  it 
was  the  place  of  meeting.  In  that  year  a  brick 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  built.     Its  dimen- 

I  sions  are  forty  by  sixty  feet,  and  its  seating  capacity 
about  six  hundred.  Among  the  early  pastors  of  the 
church  maybe  named  Revs.  James  Sansom,  Fleming, 
Slicer,  and  Brockcooner.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev. 
Mr.  Mansell ;  the  class-leader,  John  Mullin ;  the 
Sunday-school  superintendent,  J.  D.  Carr ;  and  the 
trustees,  R.  G.  JIullin,  John  Mullin,  J.  D.  Carr,  Sam- 
uel Brown,  and  William  Beatty.  The  membership 
is  sixtv-five. 


824 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENiNSYLVANIA. 


FREE-WILI,   BAPTIST  CHURl.'H. 

About  1820,  Elder  John  Williams,  who  had  before 
that  been  preaching  to  the  Free-Will  Baptists  of 
Cookstown,  organized  them  into  a  church,  and  after 
that  preached  to  them  in  the  Union  church  building. 
Under  Elder  Williams'  ministrations  the  organiza- 
tion flourished  apace,  and  in  1845  had  grown  so  strong 
that  upwards  of  a  hundred  people  were  regularly 
present  in  the  congregation  each  Sabbath.  In  that 
year  a  house  of  worship  was  built,  and  matters  went 
on  prosperously.  By  and  by  Elder  Williams  found 
some  disfavor  among  his  people,  who  considered  lie 
was  growing  somewhat  dictatorial  and  aggressive  in 
some  respects.  Construing  their  expressions  into 
signs  of  unwarranted  interference  with  him  and  his 
methods,  he  exhibited  a  decided  independence  that 
eventually  led  to  his  retirement  from  the  charge.  In 
1853  he  resigned,  after  a  service  of  upwards  of  thirty 
years.  That  Elder  Williams  was  the  mainstay  of  the 
organization  after  all,  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  after 
his  departure  the  church  slowly  but  surely  saw  its 
strength  and  influence  waning.  Dissensions  and 
differences  multiplied,  and  as  a  result  a  final  dissolu- 
tion took  place  in  1860.  The  meeting-house  was  sold 
to  the  Presbyterians,  and  the  Free-Will  Baptist 
Church  of  this  place  became  extinct. 

THE   CHURCH    OF  CHRIST 

was  organized  Oct.  9,  1836,  by  Rev.  James  Dorsey,  in 
the  village  school-house.  Who  the  organizing  mem- 
bers were  cannot  now  be  told,  but  among  the  names 
appearing  earliest  upon  the  records  may  be  given 
those  of  Ralph  Whitsett,  Abbia  Allen,  William 
Sowers,  Daniel  Torry,  Nathan  G.  Hubbs,  Edmund 
and  Samuel  Hubbs,  Daniel  Springer,  Robert  Stog- 
dall,  Sarah  Sowers,  Mary  Hubbs,  Sarah  Stam,  Polly 
Allen,  Deborah  Stogdall,  Sister  Whitsett,  Sarah 
Springer,  Rachel  Hubbs,  James  Dorsey,  William 
Munnell,  Charlotte  Allen,  Maria  Allen,  Barbara 
Allen,  and  Elizabeth  Hubbs.  The  records  of  the 
church  history  are  vague  and  imperfect,  and  afliird 
but  little  information.  It  is  known  that  the  Union 
church  building  was  used  as  a  meeting-house  to  1869, 
and  thill  in  that  year  the  present  church  edifice  on 
Second  Street  was  erected.  The  membership  now 
aggregates  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five. 
The  elders  are  Wesley  I/arimer,  Edward  W.  White, 
Thomas  Maude,  Sanuul  Mansfield,  and  James  Ha- 
mer  ;  the  deacons,  (u-nr-c  Wliiting,  John  Coldren, 
James  L.  Krepps,  and  William  W.  Whitsett.  Sam- 
uel Mansfield  is  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school. 

FAYETTE   CITY   PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Fayette  City  was  organ- 
ized about  1870  by  members  of  Rehoboth  Church,  and 
purchase  made  of  the  house  of  worship  built  by  the 
Free-Will  Baptists  and  :il MM. Inn,  ,1  l.y  themaboutl860. 
Rev.  Mr.  Galley  was  til.  lii-i  iv-nlar  jiastor.  Thcsub- 
.scribers  to  the  fund  fur  tlif  sujjpi.rt  of  the  pastor  in 
1872  are  nanu'<l  herewith,  and  in  that  list,  it  is  fair  to 


a.ssume,  appear  the  names  of  all  or  nearly  all  of  the 
church-member.s  at  that  period.  They  were  William 
Bank,  Nancy  J.  Sisley,  Mafy  Conrad,  Mrs.  Sisley 
Dit  Church,  Dr.  Stone,  J.  C.  King,  Celia  McKee,  M 
Slotterbeck,  Mrs.  McKee,  D.  H.  Hough,  W.  A.  Mc- 
Cune,  Daniel  Pfleghardt,  Mrs.  Fulton,  Mrs.  Stone,  Dr. 
Conklin,  Samuel  Galloway,  Samuel  Clark,  J.  R.  Wil 
son,  George  Clark,  Nancy  Wilson,  Mr.  Dunlevy,  John 
Brown,  A.  Dunlevy,  H.  F.  Blythe,  H.  Patton,  Sarah 
Patton,  S.  Downs,  K.  B.  Brown,  Mrs.  Torrence,  Mrs. 
M.  A.  Kuntz,  J.  L.  McFeter,  Sallie  Hunter,  Eli  Allen, 
L.  J.  Jeff'ries,  R.  C.  Santee,  William  McCrory,  R.  G. 
Mullin,  William  Lenhart,  Mrs.  Mullin,  J.  Dinsmore, 
Cyrus  Hough,  W.  McCrory,  Hugh  McKee,  Joseph 
Brown,  Mr.  Powers,  J.  Wykoff.  The  pastor  now  in 
charge  is  Rev.  A.  B.  Lowes,  also  in  charge  of  the 
church  at  Belle  Vernon.  The  elders  are  M.  Slotter- 
beck and  J.  C.  King.  J.  C.  King  is  superintendent 
of  the  Sabbath-school.  The  church  membership  is 
thirty-two. 

FAYETTE  CITY  WOOLEX-FACTORY. 
This  manufacturing  enterprise,  located  on  Downer's 
Run,  near  the  borough  limits,  was  founded  in  1840  by 
its  present  owner,  James  Hamer.  In  1830,  Mr.  Hamer 
and  James  Pilling  manufactured  woolen  goods  at 
Cook's  Mills,  and  in  1835,  the  firm  dissolving,  Hamer 
moved  to  the  Little  Redstone,  and  in  1840  to  Cooks- 
town.  His  manufactured  product  embraces  chiefly 
woolen  goods  and  yarns  for  local  supply  and  country 
trade.  The  factory  is  supplied  with  three  carding- 
machines,  one  spinning-jack,  and  one  hundred  and 
fifty  spindles.     Five  hands  are  usually  employed. 


The  only  banking-house  ever  possessed  by  Fayette 
City  was  founded  by  Binns,  Cope  &  Brown  in  1875, 
who  are  still  the  owners  of  the  institution.  It  is  a 
private  enterprise,  but  transacts  a  general  banking 
business  upon  an  ample  capital. 

SOCIETIES    AND    ORDERS. 

GuMERT  Lodge,  No.  252,  F.  A.  M..  was  char- 
tered Dec.  27,  1850,  to  Charles  H.  Conle.v,  W.  M.; 
Adam  Shunk,  S.  W. ;  John  Swearet,  J.  W.  In  1856 
the  officers  were  George  Whiting,  W.  M. ;  J.  T.  C. 
Ford,  S.  W. ;  Ziba  Whiting,  J.  W. ;  Louis  Krepps, 
S.  D. ;  H.  Westcott,  J.  D. ;  William  Troth,  Treas. ; 
John  Mullin,  Sec. ;  M.  Slotterbeck,  M.  C. ;  William 
Gaskill,  Tiler.  The  membership  May  1,  1881,  was 
forty-four,  when  the  officers  were  A.  B.  Troth,  W.  M.; 
J.  D.  Barnum,  S.  W. ;  George  Treasure,  J.  W. ;  L.  J. 
Jeff'ries,  Treas. ;  Louis  Krepps,  Sec. ;  William  Fur- 
long, S.  D. ;  M.  Alter,  J.  D. ;  Henry  Pendleton,  Tiler  ; 
John  Pfleghardt,  M.  C. ;  A.  S.  Blair,  H. 

Fayette  City  Lodge,  No.  511,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was 
chartered  Nov.  20,  1854.  The  first  officers  were 
Michael  Alter,  N.  G. ;  James  Houseman,  V.  G. ;  F. 
M.  Yost,  Sec;  E.  D.  McClellan,  A.  S. ;  John  G. 
:Miirtin,  Treas.     Although  the  lodge  h.is  contributed 


**a^^fe 


'pi^fc^^^^; 


y^ 


^rrC^-    ifS     €.^^ 


WASHINGTON   TOWNSIllI' 


825 


materially  to  tlie  oigaiiizatioii  of  lodges  at  Greenfield 
and  Belle  Vernon,  it  has  still  (May  1,  1881)  a  mem- 
bership of  ninety-six.  It  is  remarkably  j^rosperous 
in  every  way,  and  boasts  a  fund  of  about  six  thousand 
dollars,  represented  by  real  estate  and  bonded  invest- 
ments. The  officers  now  are  Allen  Byles,  N.  G. ; 
Euclid  C.  Griffith,  V.  G. ;  William  Beatty,  Sec. ;  J. 
C.  King,  Treas. 

JOPPA  LoDciE,  No.  3ii6,  K.  OF  P.,  was  chartered 
March  25,  1873,  to  John  A.  Biviiis,  George  Treasure, 
Albert  Downer,  M.  Alters,  S.  R.  Walters,  T.  F.  Bald- 
win, William  Vaughn,  R.  Jones,  and  T.  V.  Vaughn. 
The  members  numbered  fifty  in  May,  1881.  Then 
the  officers  were  William  Lindey,  C. ;  Frank  Bell, 
V.  C. ;  Charles  H.  Mott,  P. ;  John  Pfleghardt,  M.  of 
E. ;  George  Krepps,  K.  of  R.  and  S. ;  W.  P.  Vaughn, 
M.  of  F. ;  John  Pascoe,  M.  at  A. 

Agapa  Lodge,  No.  63,  A.  O.  U.  W.,  was  organized 
in  1873.  In  May,  1881,  the  membership  was  twenty. 
The  officers  were  then  as  follows :  Ralph  Gray,  M.  W. ; 
Lewis  Kendall,  P.  M.  W. ;  Charles  Farquhar,  Fore- 
man; Frank  Rutherford,  O.;  F.  T.  Baldwin,  R. ; 
J.  T.  Brightwell,  Financier;  H.  B.  Fleming,  Guide; 
Henry  Belter,  0.  W. 

MOUXT    AUBURN    CEMETERY. 

This  handsomely  adorned  home  of  the  dead,  located 
upon  a  commanding  eminence  that  overlooks  the 
town,  is  owned  by  Samuel  Mansfield.  It  fronts  the 
State  road,  and  contains  four  acres,  apportioned  into 
three  hundred  and  thirty-five  burial-lots  in  the  form 
of  a  parallelogram.  The  entrance  is  through  an 
arched  gateway  surmounted  with  the  figure  of  Hope. 
There  are  neatly-kept  paths,  bright-looking  lawns, 
and  many  tasteful  monuments. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


JOHN    BELI,    COOK. 
John  Bell  Cook,  of  Washington  township,  is  of  the 
third  generation  of  that  name  in  this  locality.     He  j 
was  born  Aug.  26,  1808,  upon  the  old  Cook  liome- 
stead  in  that  township.     His  early  education  was  re- 
ceived in  the  common  schools.     He  learned  the  busi-  ' 
ness  of  farming,  and  resided  with  his  father  until  his  ] 
marriage  with  Matilda  Cunningham,  of  Washington  j 
township,  Fayette  Co.,  Oct.  18,  1837,  and  then  moved  I 
to  a  farm  on  the  Monongahela  River  near  Fayette  | 
City,  where   he   resided  sixteen  years.     Here  all  of 
his  children,  below  named,  were   born:   James  was  | 
born  May  14,  1840,  and  followed  farming  until  Sep-  | 
tember,  1862,  when  he  entered  the  army.    He  died  at  { 
City  Point,  Aug.  16,  1864,  from  injuries  received  in  ' 
the  service.    His  remains  were  removed  in  November 
of  that  year  to   Rehoboth    Presbyterian   Cemetery. 
Sarah  A.  was  born  Aug.  23,  1842.     She  was  educated  1 


the 


1  schools  and  Blairsville  Female  Semi- 
nary, married  Andrew  M.  Fulton,  Esq.,  of  Greensburg, 
Jan.  14,  1874,  and  died  December  12th  of  the  same 
year.  William  Johnson,  the  third  child,  was  born 
July  4,  1844,  and  died  in  infancy.  Joseph  A.  was 
born  Dec.  11,  1846.  He  is  a  farmer,  and  resides  with 
his  father.  He  married  Violette  H.  Elliott,  of  Jef- 
ferson township,  Sept.  20,  1876;  they  have  two  chil- 
dren, Ada  and  Sallie.  The  youngest  child,  Robert 
Johnson,  was  born  March  21,  1849.  He  received  his 
early  education  in  the  common  schools,  entered  Yale 
College  in  1872,  and  graduated  in  1876.  He  began 
the  study  of  law  in  Greensburg  with  A.  M.  Fulton, 
Esq.,  in  1877,  and  completed  his  course  in  the  office 
of  Hon.  John  H.  Baily,  of  Pittsburgh.  He  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1878,  and  was  married  April  26, 
1881,  to  Annie  Wells,  of  Pittsburgh,  and  sailed  for 
Europe.  He  is  now  in  Leipsic,  Germany,  studying. 
They  have  one  child,  born  in  Germany.  He  was  cap- 
tain of  the  Yale  boat  crew  from  1873  until  1876.  He 
was  sent  by  Yale  to  England  in  1873  to  learn  the 
English  stroke. 

Mr.  Cook  has  never  held  a  political  ofiice  outside 
of  the  township,  and  never  sought  one.  He  has  been 
a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  for  many  years. 
His  father,  James  Cook,  was  born  Aug.  13,  1772, 
upon  the  Cook  homestead,  and  was  a  farmer.  May 
6,  1806,  he  married  Mary  Bell,  who  was  born  in  Ire- 
land, and  emigrated  to  this  country  when  eleven 
years  old.  They  had  six  children, — five  sons  and  one 
daughter.  John  was  the  second.  The  sons  were  all 
farmers.  The  daughter  married  a  farmer.  Only 
three  of  the  children  are  living, — John  B.,  William 
E.,  and  Martha  Hough. 

Mr.  Cook's  grandfather,  Col.  Edward  Cook,  was  the  "*- 
pioneer  of  civilization  in  this  region.  He  moved 
here  in  1770  from  Conococheague,  Franklin  Co., 
where  he  married  Martha  Crawford.  They  had  but 
one  child,  James  Cook.  To  his  character  the  legends 
of  the  times  say  that  the  inscription  upon  his  tomb- 
stone (composed  by  the  Rev.  William  Wylie,  pastor 
of  the  Rehoboth  Church  of  Rostraver  township, 
Westmoreland  Co.,  from  1803  to  1815),  is  a  fitting 
tribute.  It  is,  "  In  memory  of  Col.  Edward  Cook. 
He  died  on  the  27th  of  November,  1808,  in  the  sev- 
enty year  of  his  age.  Few  men  have  deserved  and 
possessed  more  eminently  than  Col.  Cook  the  con- 
sideration and  esteem  of  the  people  in  the  Western 
country.  In  public  spirit,  disinterestedness,  and  zeal 
for  the  general  welfare  he  was  excelled  by  none.  In 
private  life,  his  unsullied  integrity,  liis  liberality,  and 
the  amiable  benevolence  of  his  temper  endeared  him 
to  his  friends,  and  marked  him  as  a  sanctuary  to 
which  the  poor  might  confidently  resort  for  relief. 
Through  a  long  life  of  piety  and  active  exertion  to 
promote  the  interests  of  the  Christian  religion  he  had 
learned  to  set  his  heart  upon  a  nobler  inheritance 
than  that  of  this  world.  He  therefore  received  the 
approach  of  his  dissolution  with  resignation  and  com- 


826 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUxXTV,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


COL.    KDWARD    COOK. 


e,  under  a  lively  hope  that  the  end  of  life  here 
would  be  to  him  but  the  beginning  of  infinite  hap- 
piness." 

Col.  Edward's  wife  was  born  Dec.  25,  1743,  and 
died  April  20,  1837. 

John  B.  Cook  possesses  many  of  the  virtues  of  Lis 
grandsire. 


S.AiMUEL  C.  GRIFFITH. 
Samuel  C.  Griffith  was  born  in  Westmoreland 
County,  Pa.,  Nov.  28,  171)5.  When  young  his  father 
moved  to  Washington  township,  Fayette  Co.,  and 
located  upon  the  farm  wliirh  his  son  afterwards 
owned,  and  ui)on  which  his  widow  now  resides.  Mr. 
Griftith's  (Mi-ly  y('ai->  wrir  -|mmiI  in  larm-work,  factory- 

vrntrcii  yi:n>  nl'  :i;ji   lie  engaged  in  school- 

For  forty  years  he  continued  in  this  work 

Tter  season,  only  missing  one  winter. 


work,  ;,i 
Whvu 
teaching 
during  the 

He  was  one  of  the  best  and  most  widely-known  sur- 
veyors in  the  county,  ami  s|n.'nt  Miucli  of  his  time,  when 
not  engaged  in  teachinii-,  in  surveying.  His  father, 
William  Griffith,  becoming  involved  by  indorsing  for 
some  of  his  neighbors,  the  iarm  was  sold  by  the 
sheriff,  and  Samuel  bought  it ;  that  was  in  1822.  He 
was  married  March  27,  182:?,  to  Esther  Far(|uhar,  of 


Wasli 

ingt.m 

.. unship,    F:iN 

ctte  Co.,   Pa.     They   had 

seven 

cliihlrc 

1,  six  nf   Nvhol 

1  arc  liviiig,-~Marv,  mar- 

ried  t 

!.  Stephens; 

•;iniii-a,  married  to  David 

P.St. 

,.hc„s; 

Knilcn   i;.,i,i:. 

lied  to  Margaret  A.  Guf- 

fey.  a 

to  Flizal.cth 

Croucli  ;   Euclid  C,  mar- 

ried  t 

.  Marth 

1  Stephens  :   f- 

irah,  married  to  Thomas 

AVats 

,n  ;  and 

Esther  P.,  ma. 

•icd  to  Thomas  C.Griffith. 

Mr.  Griffith  was  a  member  of  the  Quaker  meeting 
till  the  time  of  his  marriage.  He  was  turned  out  for 
marrying  out  of  the  Society. 

He  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  many  years,  and 
was  a  general  business  man,  wrote  and  acknowledged 
j  many  deeds,  married  people,  wrote  articles  of  agree- 
ment, etc. 

His  widow  thinks  his  father's  people  came  from 
Wales.  His  moral  status,  like  that  of  all  Quakers, 
was  good.  He  was  a  jovial  man,  and  a  valuable  and 
respected  citizen.  He  was  industrious,  always  en- 
gaged in  some  useful  work.  He  was  much  above  the 
average  in  intelligence,  a  great  student  of  mathe- 
matics and  history.  He  was  a  careful  workman.  His 
penmanship  was  elegant.  All  of  his  work  was  done 
well.  He  died  July  11,  1873,  mourned  by  the  entire 
community.  His  remains  rest  in  Little  Redstone 
Methodist  Cemetery. 


LEVI  B.  STEPHENS. 
Levi  B.  Stephens  was  born  Oct.  28,  1821,  on  the  old 
Stephens  homestead,  in  Washington  township,  Fay- 
ette Co.,  Pa.,  where  he  grew  to  manhood.  His  edu- 
cation was  limited  to  the  district  schools  of  his  native 
township,  where  he  laid  the  foundations  for  an  active 
and  successful  business  life.  On  the  10th  day  of 
April,  1845,  he  was  joined  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary 
Griffith,  daughter  of  Samuel  C.  and  Esther  (Far- 
quhar)  Griffith.  She  was  born  in  Washington  town- 
ship, Fayette  Co.,  Pa.,  Jan.  25,  1824.  Their  union 
has  been  blessed  with  three  children,  as  follows : 
Elmira,  born  Jan.  26,  1846,  married  Jehu  Luce, 
Oct.  19,  1865  ;  Esther  J.,  born  Oct.  1,  1848,  married 
June  29,  1870,  to  John  W.  Smith  (Esther  died  Sept. 
17,  1878) ;  and  Adeline,  born  March  14, 1851,  married 
Dec.  6,  1877,  to  James  H.  McKnight.  Arrived  at 
man's  estate,  Mr.  Stephens  first  bought  the  farm  now 
owned  by  John  Patterson,  in  Perry  township.  This 
he  sold,  and  in  1850  moved  upon  the  farm  in  Wash- 
ington township,  still  belonging  to  his  estate.  He 
afterwards  purchased  another  farm,  which  he  owned 
at  his  death,  which  occurred  Dec.  29,  1874.  He  is 
spoken  of  by  his  neighbors  as  a  man  of  sterling  qual- 
ities, one  whose  word  was  as  good  as  a  bond,  and  one 
who,  in  his  dealing  with  his  fellow-men,  always  remem- 
bered the  golden  rule,  "  Do  unto  others  as  you  would 
have  them  do  unto  you."  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stephens 
were  for  many  years  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church. 

LEVI  STEPHENS. 
The  Stephens  family  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  largest 
in  Fayette  County.  The  first  of  whom  the  family 
here  have  any  account  was  one  John  Stephens,  who 
emigrated  from  Wales  when  seventeen  years  of  age, 
and  settled  in  Eastern  Pennsylvania,  probably  in 
Bucks  County.  He  had  a  son  Levi,  who  came  to 
Fayette  County  when  about  eighteen  years  of  age, 


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DENTON    LYNN. 


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WASHINGTON   TOWNSHIP. 


827 


as  a  government  surveyor.  He  took  land  for  his 
Bervices,  and  owned  all  the  lands  novt'  in  posses- 
sion of  his  progeny.  He  married  Elizabeth  Brown, 
of  Chester  County,  Pa.  They  had  seven  children, — 
Nathaniel,  Sarah,  John,  Levi,  Nancy,  Elizabeth,  and 
Thomas, — who  grew  to  manhood  and  womanhood  and 
married.     Two  of  their  children  died  in  infancy. 

Levi,  the  last  surviving  member  of  this  family, 
was  born  Sept.  10,  1790.  He  spent  his  early  life 
tilling  his  father's  farm  and  attending  the  district 
school  of  the  neighborhood.  lu  181.3  he  was  married 
to  Mary  Farquhar,  of  Washington  township,  Fay- 
ette Co.  They  located  upon  the  farm  where  his 
widow  now  resides,  and  his  entire  life  was  spent  here 
as  a  farmer.  He  died  Jan.  13,  1878.  His  widow 
survives  him,  aged  eighty-six.  They  have  had  nine 
children.  Six  are  now  living.  Robert,  Esther,  and 
Aaron  are  dead.  Jehu,  Israel,  Johnson,  Rachel, 
James,  and  Mary  are  living,  married,  and  have 
families. 

Levi  Stephens  never  had  time  to  hold  an  office. 
He  was  a  busy  farmer,  and  gave  all  his  children  a  pe- 
cuniary start  in  life.  He  was  an  amiable,  benevolent 
gentleman.  He  was  not  a  member  of  the  church,  but 
his  moral  standing  was  excellent,  according  to  the 
testimony  of  his  discreetest  neighbors. 


JOHN    BROWN. 


The  first  of  the  fiimily  of  the  late  Mr.  John  Brown, 
of  Washington  township,  and  who  died  April  15, 1872,  j 
of  whom  there  is  any  special  record  at  hand  was  An-  j 
drew  Brown,  who  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1759.     He  ; 
emigrated  to  America  in   1779,  and  settled  on  West  j 
Conococheague  Creek,  in  Franklin  County,  Pa.     His 
wealth  at  that  time  consisted  of  one  shilling.     He 
remained  there  just  long  enough  to  make  the  money 
to  bring  him  to  Fayette  County.   When  he  came  here  i 
he  settled  on  Mill  Run,  one  and  a  half  miles  east  of  ] 
Fayette  City,  where  he  bought  a  farm  from  Col.  Ed-  I 
ward  Cook.     He  engaged  in  farming,  and  continued 
in  that  occupation  all  his  life.     April   24,  1788,  he 
married  Jane  Bigham,  of  Westmoreland  County,  Pa. 
They  had  seven  daughters  and  three  sons.     Of  the 
children,  Hester  and  Andrew  died  young  ;  Elizabeth 
married   Hugh  C.  Ford;  Nancy  died  single;  Polly 
married  Capt.  Duncan  Campbell ;  Jane  married  John 
Moore;    Martha   C.  died  single;    Margaret  married 
James  Torrance. 

John  was  the  seventh  child,  and  the  only  one  of  the 
sons  who  grew  to  manhood.  He  was  born  April  1, 
1805.  His  early  life  was  passed  upon  his  father's  farm. 
His  opportunities  for  early  education  were  limited, 
being  confined  to  the  common  schools.  The  little 
learning  he  gathered  there  was  supplemented  by  ex- 
tensive reading  in  after-years.  His  father  died  in 
1823,  and  the  management  of  the  farm  devolved  upon  ' 


him.  He  proved  himself  a  successful  manager,  and 
although  a  liberal  giver  to  all  benevolent  causes,  he 
added  largely  to  what  he  inherited  from  his  lather. 
He  was  married  Dec.  12,  1844,  to  Sarah  H.  Power,  of 
Allegheny  County,  Pa.  They  had  five  children.  Ada 
and  Anna  died  at  two  years  of  age ;  Nannie  J.  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty  ;  Mary  Emma,  married  to  M.  M. 
Willson,  of  Westmoreland  County.  They  have  one 
child  living,  Andrew  Brown  Willson. 

Andrew  Brown,  the  only  son,  re.'iidcs  with  his  mother 
upon  the  old  homestead.  John  Brown  held  the  office 
of  justice  of  the  peace  for  a  number  of  years.  He 
was  a  man  of  peace.  He  rarely  charged  anything  for 
his  services,  and  always  counseled  an  amicable  settle- 
ment of  difficulties  between  neighbors.  He  was  for 
many  years  an  active  member  and  liberal  supporter 
of  the  Rehoboth  Presbyterian  Church.  His  family 
are  all  members  of  the  same  communion,  lie  left 
his  family  valuable  possessions,  a  good  name,  lands, 
etc. 

His  family  and  friends  bless  his  memory,  and  love 
to  tell  of  his  charities,  gentleness,  lowliness  of  heart, 
and  many  other  Christian  graces.  His  virtues  were 
many. 

Andrew  Brown,  Sr.,  was  for  fifty  years  an  elder  in 
the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Rehoboth.  He  died 
March  27,  1823.  Jane,  his  wife,  departed  this  life 
April  7,  1833,  aged  sixty-nine  years. 


DENTON    LYNN. 

Denton  Lynn,  of  Washington  township,  is  of  Irish 
descent,  and  was  born  upon  the  farm  where  he  now  re- 
sides fifty-one  years  ago.  His  education  was  received 
in  the  common  schools.  He  early  learned  the  business 
of  farming,  and  has  been  engaged  in  it  ever  since. 
He  was  married  Feb.  8, 1857,  to  Margaret  A.  Corwin, 
of  Belle  Vernon.  She  died  May  22,  1881.  There 
were  born  to  them  eleven  children,  all  of  whom  are 
living, — Sylvania,  married  to  Johnson  Hough,  Jo- 
anna, Olive  R.,  John  C,  Charles  Sumner,  Joseph 
Denton,  Robert  Finley,  Martha  D.,  George  E., 
Nellie,  and  Mary  Emma. 

Mr.  Lynn  has  held  the  usual  township  offices.  His 
father  was  John  Lynn,  who  was  born  in  1794,  and 
lived  and  died  upon  this  farm.  He  married  Drusilla 
Curry,  of  Fayette  City.  They  liad  eight  children. 
Denton  is  the  youngest.  His  grand fatiier's  name  was 
Andrew  Lynn.  He  was  born  on  Town  Creek,  Alle- 
gany Co.,  Md.,  Sept.  23,  17()6.  When  very  young 
his  father,  whose  name  was  Andrew,  settled  upon 
Big  Redstone,  in  Redstone  township,  upon  tlie  farm 
which  James  M.  Lynn  now  owns.  Soon  after  settling 
there  Andrew  (1st)  purchased  the  land  owned  now 
by  Denton  Lynn  from  the  Indians.  He  added  to  his 
first  purchase  a  farm  of  130  acres,  owned  by  one 
Pearce.  The  deed  was  made  in  1790,  and  bears  the 
name  of  Thomas  Mifflin,  first  Governor  of  Pennsvl- 


HISTORY   OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


vania.  Upon  this  tract  are  some  of  the  largest  locust- 
trees  in  the  State,  one,  measuring  twenty  feet  in  cir- 
cumference, and  known  to  be  nearly  two  centuries 
old,  is  probably  the  progenitor  of  all  the  living  locusts 
of  this  region.  It  also  contains  the  remains  of  "  Fort 
Sedgy."  The  tract  was  known  by  that  name.  The  fort 
consisted  of  a  strong  stone  wall  about  four  feet  high, 
built  in  the  shape  of  a  horseshoe.  Many  relics  have 
been  found  here,  such  as  tomahawks,  skeletons,  etc. 


One  human  skeleton  here  found  measured  eight  feet 
in  length. 

Mr.  Lynn's  possessions  are  chiefly  lands,  and  he 
has  added  considerably  to  what  he  inherited.  He  is 
a  prudent  business  man,  and  has  a  comfortable  home. 
He  is  noted  for  his  sobriety,  industry,  and  honesty. 

Mr.  Lynn's  great-grandfather,  Andrew  Lynn,  was 
a  colonel  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  served  during 
the  entire  struggle. 


WHAETON    TOWNSHIP. 


Bouiiduries  and  General  Description— Indian  Trails  and  Graves— Battle- 
Grounds  of  1754— Roads- The  Old  BradJock  Road— The  National 
Road— Braddock'8  Grave— Fayette  Springs— Pioneers  and  Settlement 
—Township  Organization  and  Officers— Tillages— Cemeteries-Mail 
Service— Wharton  yiirnace— Religious  Denominations— Schools. 

AVharton  is  one  of  the  nine  townships  into  which 
Fayette  County  was  originally  divided  by  the  first 
court  for  the  county,  at  December  sessions,  1783.  After 
naming  eight  of  the  townships  the  record  mentions 
Wharton,  the  ninth,  in  the  following  language :  "  The 
residue  of  the  county,  being  chiefly  mountainous,  is 
included  in  one  township,  known  as  Wharton  town- 
ship." Wharton,  in  order  of  size,  is  first ;  in  order 
of  age  is  the  fifth,  and  in  order  of  designation  is  the 
ninth  of  the  twenty-three  townships  into  which  the 
county  is  now  divided.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Dunbar,  on  the  east  by  Stewart  and  Henry  Clay, 
on  the  south  by  Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  on  the 
west  by  Springhill,  Georges,  South  L" nion,  and  North 
Union.  It  is  the  southwestern  of  the  five  mountain 
townships  of  the  county.  Its  greatest  length  from 
north  to  south  is  eleven  and  one-half  miles,  and  its 
greatest  width  from  east  to  west  is  thirteen  and  one- 
quarter  miles. 

Wharton  lies  in  the  southern  part  of  the  Ligonier 
Valley,  between  two  ranges  of  the  Allegheny  Moun- 
tains, but  in  reality  presents  very  little  appearance 
of  a  valley.  Its  surface  is  broken,  and  high  hills 
with  abrupt  slopes  extend  through  the  centre.  On 
the  west  the  deep  cut  made  by  the  waters  of  Big 
Sandy  only  preveuts  Laurel  Hill  Ridge  from  uniting 
with  the  high  hills  of  the  centre.  In  the  southeast  a 
small  portion  of  the  township  is  an  elevated  plain 
known  as  the  Glades.  Wharton  is  from  1800  to  2000 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

The  township  at  the  time  of  its  settlement  was 
heavily  timbered,  lacking  the  heavy  undergrowth 
now  so  abundant, — on  the  hills,  oak;  on  the  mountain 
ridges,  oak  and  chestnut ;  on  the  creek  bottoms,  oak. 


By  Samuel  T.  Wiley. 


pine,  poplar,  sugar,  and  cherry.  The  timber  has  been 
greatly,  and  in  many  cases  needlessly,  cut  off  to  sup- 
ply furnaces  and  tanneries,  yet  the  township  is  well 
timbered  to-day. 

The  soil  is  clay  loam  on  the  hills,  and  sand  loam 
on  the  chestnut  ridges,  streams,  and  glades,  'and  the 
surface  in  some  places  rough  and  rocky.  The  town- 
ship is  admirably  adapted  to  stock-  and  sheep-raising, 
the  only  bar  to  agriculture  being  the  length  of  the 
winter  season.  Over  2000  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea,  the  climate  is  healthy,  with  pure  air  and  excellent 
water,  with  short  summer  and  long  winter  seasons. 

In  1840  coal  was  hardly  known  here ;  now  ten 
different  coal-beds  have  been  opened,  varying  from 
one  and  a  half  to  nine  feet  in  thickness,  on  Big 
Sandy,  Little  Sandy,  Stony  Fork,  and  Great  Meadow 
Run. 

Limestone  was  thought  twenty-five  years  ago  only 
to  exist  in'  mountain  ridges,  but  now  has  been  dis- 
covered in  many  places  in  the  township.  On  Big 
Sandy  Creek  a  vein  of  ten  feet  has  been  found,  and  a 
vein  twenty  feet  thick  one  mile  from  Wharton  Fur- 
nace. The  Morgantown  sandstone  shows  twenty  feet 
thick  near  Wharton  Furnace,  and  is  a  splendid  build- 
ing stone.  It  weathers  dull  gray,  splits  well,  and  is 
abundant.  Fire-clay  exists  in  several  places,  but 
contains  lump  iron  ore. 

Iron  ore  is  abundant  and  of  excellent  quality. 
There  are  many  legends  of  zinc,  lead,  and  silver- 
mines,  and  traces  of  these  metals  have  actually  been 
found,  but  upon  examination  proved  not  to  be  in 
paying  quantities, — lead  above  Elliottsville,  silver  in 
Little  Sandy,  near  Gibbons'  Glade,  zinc  on  Mill  Run, 
near  Victor's  old  mill.  Water-power  is  abundant. 
Big  Sandy  and  its  branches.  Little  Sandy,  and  Great 
Meadow  Run  afford  many  locations  for  saw-mills, 
flouring-mills,  and  factories.  Mineral  springs  of  re- 
ported curative  properties  exist  in  several  places, 
— a  large  red  sulphur  spring  at  Baumgardner's, 
near  Gibbons'  Glade,  chalybeate  springs  at  William 


WHARTON   TOWNSHIP. 


829 


Smith's,  on  the  turnpike,  a  very  strong  sulphur  spring 
near  Farmington,  and  the  celebrated  Fayette  Springs, 
near  Chalk  Hill,  on  tlie  National  road,  where  some 
summer  seasons  from  two  hundred  to  three  hundred 
persons  have  been  boarders  to  try  its  virtues. 

In  July,  1783,  Wharton  was  erected  a  township  of 
Westmoreland  County,  comprising  all  of  Springhill 
township   east   of   the  top   of  Laurel    Hill   to   the 
Youghiogheny  River.    It  included  all  of  what  is  now 
Henry  Clay,  and  all  of  that  part  of  Stewart  weot  of 
the  Youghiogheny  River,  with  all  of  Dunbar  south 
of  Laurel  Hill.     The  first  court  of  Fayette  Count\ 
December  sessions,  1783,  laid  it  out  as  a  township  of    |' 
Fayette.     In    1793   that   part  of  Dunbar  south   of  j 
Liurel  Hill  was  taken  from  Wharton  and  added  to 
Franklin.    In  January,  1823,  Henry  Clay  was  erected 
from  Wharton.     In  November,  1855,  Stewart,  west  of 
the  Youghiogheny,  was  erected,  including  that  part 
of  Wharton.     Afterwards  a  small  portion  of  Henry 
Clay  was  added  to  Wharton  on  the  east  side. 

The  township  contains  three  villages, — Farming 
ton,  Gibbons'  Glade,  and  Elliottsville.  Farmington  is 
in  the  northeastern  part  on  the  National  road.  Gib 
bons'  Glade,  six  miles  from  Farmington,  is  in  the  I' 
southern  part  on  Little  Sandy,  and  on  a  weekly  imil 
route  from  Farmington  to  Brandonville,  W.  Va.  Elh 
<3ttsville  is  in  the  western  part  on  Big  Sandy,  at  the 
junction  of  the  Haydentown  and  Uniontowu  roads 
and  is  four  miles  northwest  of  Gibbons'  Glade,  and 
five  miles  southwest  of  Farmington. 

In  1796  Wharton  contained  34,319  acres ;  its  valua 
tion  was  $41,567.  In  1870  its  population  was  1478 
In  1880,  as  shown  by  the  census  of  that  year  its 
population  was  1704,  with  over  400  farms. 

The  Indians,  it  seems,  never  had  any  villages  in 
Wharton,  and  only  came  into  the  township  to  hunt 
At  Dennis  Holland's,  on  the  Old  Braddock  road  in  i 
deep  hollow  head,  some  years  ago  the  marks  of  nig 
warns  were  to  be  seen  near  a  spring.  It  was  supposed 
to  have  been  a  hunting-camp.  Some  stone  piles  on 
Sandy  and  back  of  Sebastian  Rush's  on  the  pike,  mark 
Indian  graves,  while  flint  arrow-heads  and  spear-points 
are  found  all  over  the  township.  Nemacolin's  path  or 
trail,  running  east  and  west,  passed  through  Wharton, 
leading  from  the  "Forks  of  the  Ohio"  (Pittsburgh) 
to  Wills'  Creek  (Cumberland).  Its  route  afterwards 
became  the  Braddock  road.  Another  Indian  trail 
(running  north  and  south)  came  past  Delaney's  Cave 
and  down  Big  Sandy  into  West  Virginia.  Just  beyond 
the  Wharton  line  (below  Mason  and  Dixon's  line  ceme- 
tery) was  a  camp,  and  a  short  distance  west  of  the 
trail,  where  the  Tuttle  school-house  stands,  was  sup- 
posed to  be  an  Indian  burying-place.  The  remainder 
of  the  township  was  used  only  for  hunting  purposes, 
and  no  trails  were  made  through  any  portion  of  it. 


Old  Braddock  road.  One-quarter  of  a  mile  south  of 
Dunbar's  Camp  is  Dunbar's  Spring,  and  nearly  one- 
quarter  of  a  mile  down  the  run  from  the  spring,  about 
ten  feet  from  the  right  bank,  is  the  spot  supposed  to 
be  Jumonville's  grave;  then  west  about  twenty  yards 


HISTORIC    SPOTS. 


Jumonville's  c 
Dunbar's  Camp. 


is  nearly  half  a  mile  south  of 
five  hundred  vards  east  of  the 


in  a  straight  line  is  the  camp  half  wa^  along  and  di 
rectlj  under  i  ledge  of  rotks  tnentj  feet  high  and 
covered  with  laurel,  extending  in  the  shape  of  a  half- 
moon  half  a  mile  in  length  in  the  hill  and  sinking 
as  it  approaches,  and  dipping  into  the  earth  just  be- 
fore it  reaches  Dunbar's  Spring.  Thus  situated  in  the 
head  of  a  deep  hollow,  the  camp  was  almost  entirely 
concealed  from  observation.  Here  in  the  dawn  of 
morning  light  Washington  fired  the  first  gun  of  a 
great  war  that  swept  New  France  from  the  map  of 
the  New  World  and  established  the  supremacy  of  the 
English-speaking  race  in  North  America. 

Fort  Necessity. — Authorities  differ  on  the  shape  of 
the  fort.  Col.  Burd  says  in  his  journal  in  1759  the 
fort  was  round,  with  a  house  in  it.  In  1816,  Freeman 
Lewis  made  a  survey  of  it,  and  says  the  embankments 
were  then  near  three  feet  high,  and  the  shape  and 
dimensions  as  follows:  An  obtuse-angled  triangle  of 
105  degrees,  base  on  the  run  eleven  perches  long. 
About  the  middle  of  the  base  it  was  broken,  and  two 
perches    thrown    across   the    run.      One  line   of  the 


8:^0 


HISTORY  OP    FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


angle  was  six  and  the  other  seven  perches  long,  em- 
bracing near  one-third  of  an  acre.     Outside  the  fort 
the  trenches  were  filled  up  ;  inside  ditches  about  two 
feet  deep   still   remained.      Sparks,  who   saw   it  in 
1830,  malves  the  fort  to  have  been  a  diamond  shape. 
At  the  present  time  it  presents  the  shape  of  a  right- 
angled  triangle.     It  was  a  stockade  fort  or  inclosure, 
hastily  constructed  under  Washington's  direction  by 
Capt.  Stobo,  engineer.     The  French  demolished  it, 
and  five  years   elapsed  before  Col.  Burd  visited  it, 
and  some  of  its  outlines  may  have  been  indistinct  by 
that  time,  and  seeing  ruins  on  both  sides  of  the  run, 
may  have  concluded  the  fort  was  round.    Mr.  Facen- 
baker,  the  present  occupant,  came  to  the  property  in 
1856,  and  cut  a  ditch,  straightening  the  windings  of 
the   run,  and   consequently  destroying  the  outline. 
The  ditch  is  outside  the  base-line,  through  the  out- 
thrown  two  perches.    A  lane  runs  through  the  south- 
east  angle.      The   ruins   of  the   fort   or   emb  inked 
stockade,  which  it  really  was,  is  three  hundred  \aid-. 
south  of  Facenbaker's  residence,  or  the  Mount  \\  a>-h 
ington    stand,   in   a   meadow,    on   waters   of    Greit 
Meadow  Run,  a  tributary  of  the  Youghioghen\      On 
the   north,  200   yards   distant   from   the   work,   w  i^ 
wooded  upland  ;  on  the  northwest  a  regular  slope  t  > 
high  ground  about  400  yards  away,  now  cleared  then 
woods;   on   the  south,  about  250  yards  to  the   top 
of  a  hill,   now   cleared,  then  woods,  divided   b\    i 
small  spring  run  breaking  from  a  hill  on  the  south 
east  80  yards  away,  then  heavily,  and  still  parti  ilh 
wooded.     A  cherry-tree  stands  on  one  line  and  two 
crab-apples  on  the  other.     The  base  is  scarcely  \i>-i 
ble,  with  all  trace  gone  of  line  across  the  run      Mr 
GeoflTrey   Facenbaker   says   he  cleared   up  a  locu-t 
thicket  here,  and  left  a  few  trees  standing,  and  th  it 
it   was   the   richest  spot  on   his   farm.     About  400 
yards  below,  in  a  thicket  close  to  his  lower   barn, 
several  ridges  of  stone  were  thrown  up,  and  here  he 
thinks  the  Indians  buried  their  dead..  He  found  in 
the  lane  in  ditching  logs  five  feet  under  ground  in 
good  preservation. 

In  1854,  W.  H.  N.  Patrick,  editor  of  the  Democratic 
Sentinel,  urged  a  celebration  on  tlie  4th  of  July,  1854, 
and  a  monument  at  the  site  of  the  old  stockade.  A 
celebration  was  held  by  Fayette  Lodge,  No.  228, 
A.  Y.  M.,  of  Uuiontown,  and  citizens.  Col.  D.  S. 
Stewart  laid  the  corner-stone  of  a  monument,  but 
nothing  more  has  ever  been  done  since  towards  its 
erection.  Mr.  Facenbaker  says  no  plow  shall  ever 
turn  a  sod  on  the  site  of  the  old  stockade  while  he 
owns  the  land,  and  he  would  give  an  acre  of  land  and 
the  right  of  way  to  it  if  any  parties  would  erect  the 
monument  and  fence  the  ground. 

Braddock's  Grave. — A  lew  yards  west  of  the  Brad- 
dock  Run  stand,  on  the  north  side  of  the  road,  is  the 
grave  of  Gen.  Braddock.  When  the  road  was  being 
repaired  in  1812  human  bones  were  dug  up  a  few 
yards  from  the  road  on  Braddock's  Run  ;  some  mili- 
tary tra|)|iings  found  with  them  indicated  an  officer 


of  rank,  and  as  Gen.  Braddock  was  known  to  have 
been  buried  on  this  run,  the  bones  were  supposed  to 
be  his.  Some  of  them  were  sent  to  Peale's  Museum 
in  Phihiik'lphia.     Abraham  Strwart  gathered  them 


up  a-s  well  as  he  could  secure  thorn,  and  placed  them 
under  a  tree,  and  a  board  with  "Braddock's  Grave" 
marked  on  it.  In  1872,  J.  King,  editor  of  the  Pitts- 
burgh Gazette,  came  out  to  Chalk  Hill,  cut  down  the 
old  tree,  inclosed  the  spot  with  the  neat  fence  now 
standing,  and  planted  the  pine-trees  now  standing 
round  the  grave.  He  procured  from  Murdock's  nur- 
sery a  willow,  whose  parent  stem  drooped  over  the 
grave  of  Napoleon  at  St.  Helena,  and  planted  it  over 
the  supposed  remains  of  Braddock,  but  it  withered 
and  died  over  the  grave  of  England's  brave  but  ill- 
fated  general. 

PIOXEERS  AND  EARLY  SETTLEMEXTS. 
In  September  and  November,  1766,  the  Penns 
granted  patents  for  tracts  of  lands  in  what  is  now 
Wharton  township  to  B.  Chew  and  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Wilcocks.  These  tracts  were  north  of  Brad- 
dock's road,  and  along  the  Henry  Clay  line,  now 
owned  by  Joseph  Stark  and  others.  In  1767,  Gen. 
Washington  acquired  a  claim  to  a  tract  of  two  hun- 
dred and  thirty-four  acres  called  "  Mount  Washing- 
ton," and   situated   on  Big  Meadow  Run,  including 


1  ^  J 


>' .,  \-i.  ''*S*^,('  ^v^.' 


GIfPLVr  MEADOWS 

Jii/v.!'/  n.u 


WHARTON  TOWNSHIP. 


831 


Fort  Necessity.  It  was  confirmed  to  him  by  Penn- 
sylvania, and  surveyed  on  warrant  No.  3383  for  Law- 
rence Harrison,  in  right  of  William  Brooks,  and  was 
patented  to  Gen.  Washington,  and  devised  by  his 
will  to  be  sold  by  his  executors,  who  sold  it  to  An- 
drew Parks,  of  Baltimore,  who  sold  it  to  Gen.  Thomas 
Meason,  whose  administrators  sold  it  to  Joseph  Hu- 
ston in  1816.  Col.  Samuel  Evans  bought  it  for  taxes 
in  1823,  and  in  1824  Judge  N.  Ewing  bought  it  at 
sheriff's  sale  as  Huston's  property,  and  sold  it  to 
James  Sampey,  whose  heirs  sold  it  to  Geoffrey  Facen- 
baker  in  1856.  In  1769, "  Prosperity,"  a  tract  of  land, 
was  taken  up,  running  from  the  Old  Braddock  road  to 
the  pike.     G.  W.  Hansel  owns  and  resides  on  it. 

About  1778,  Jacob  Downer  and  his  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Elizabeth  Starner,  or  Stiner,  was 
moving  from  Lancaster  County  to  Kentucky,  and 
winter  coming  on,  they  stopped  near  the  Old  Orchard 
and  near  Braddock's  Run,  and  occupied  a  log  cabin 
by  a  spring.  They  came  from  Germany  to  Lancaster 
County.  They  stayed  here  about  two  years  and  raised 
grain.  Elizabeth,  their  oldest  daughter,  had  married 
a  man  by  name  of  Brubaker  in  Philadelphia,  and 
they  had  their  other  five  children  with  them, — Katy, 
Susan,  Daniel,  John,  and  Jonathan.  Jacob  Downer 
left  his  family  here  and  went  on  a  flat-boat  to  Ken- 
tucky to  look  out  a  place,  but  he  was  never  again  heard 
from.  His  wife  and  children  then  moved  to  Union- 
town.  Elizabeth  Downer  lived  to  be  one  hundred 
and  five  years  old.  Of  her  children,  Katy  married 
Cornelius  Lynch  ;  Susan  married  one  Harbaugh,  and 
after  his  death  married  Squire  Jonathan  Rowland  ; 
Daniel  was  drowned  in  trying  to  cross  the  Yough  at 
the  Ohio  Pile  Falls;  John  was  a  surveyor.  He  pur- 
chased land  in  Uniontown  in  1780,  on  which  he  built 
a  tannery.  He  went  to  Morgantown,  W.  Va.,  and 
finally  to  Kentucky.  Jonathan  married  Drusilla 
Springer,  and  lived  in  Uniontown  from  1785  till  1813, 
and  came  back  and  built  his  tavern  stand.  He  kept 
on  the  Old  Braddock,  and  afterwards  moved  to  the 
National  road  and  built  the  Chalk  Hill  stand.  He 
was  born  in  1754  and  died  at  seventy-nine  years  of 
age,  a  highly-respected  citizen.  His  wife  died  in 
1843.  They  had  thirteen  children,— Levi,  William, 
Ann  (who  married  H.  N.  Beeson),  Jacob  (who  was 
in  the  war  of  1812),  Elizabeth  (who  married  Jonathan 
Allen,  and  is  still  living),  Daniel,  David,  Drusilla 
(who  married  Jonathan  West),  Hiram  (who  was  in 
the  Mexican  war  and  died  on  the  Ohio  River  on  his 
way  home),  Sarah,  Rachel,  Springer,  and  Ruth,  who 
is  still  living  at  Chalk  Hill,  an  amiable,  pleasant, 
and  intelligent  old  lady. 

The  Revolutionary  war  stopped  settlements.  At 
its  close  emigration  pushed  westward,  and  the  Old 
Braddock  road  was  naturally  one  of  its  great  routes 
across  the  mountains,  and  men  adventurous  and  dar- 
ing located  along  the  road  in  the  wilderness.  Thomas 
Inks  came  out  and  built  a  tavern-house  where  Eli 
Leonard  now  lives  about  1780.     He  came  from  Eng- 


land.   His  wife's  name  was  Nancy  Leasure.    They 
raised  a  large  family.     Thomas,  one  of  his  sons,  born 
in  1784,  here  lived  ninety-two  years,  married  Susan 
Flannegan,  from  Bedford,  raised  a  family,  and  lived  on 
the  old  road  as  a  tavern-keeper.     George,  another  son, 
married  Elizabeth  Jonas,  and  followed  tavern-keeping 
on  the  old  road  and  on  the  pike.     John,  another  son, 
was  in   the  war  of  1812.     He  had  five  daughters, — 
!  Rachel,  who  married  Samuel  Span,  and  mother  of 
I  Thomas  Span,  near  Farmington;  Elizabeth,  who  mar- 
ried John  Carrol  and  went  West;  Nancy,  who  mar- 
!  ried  James  Hayhurst,  a  son  of  Hayhurst,  the  old 
i  tavern-keeper,  and  went  Weft;  Mary,  who  married 
I  James   Wares    and   went  West;    and   Rachel,  who 
married  Peter  Hager. 

In  1780,  Daniel  McPeck  was  living  near  Gibbons' 
Glades.  In  1783  Tom  Fossit  was  on  the  old  road  at 
the  junction  of  Dunlap's  road  and  Braddock's,  close 
I  to  the  Great  Rock,  a  few  feet  west  of  Fred  Hamerer's 
house.  He  kept  a  house  for  travel.  He  was  a  tall, 
large,  grim,  savage-looking  man.  He  died  in  1818,  at 
one  hundred  and  six  years  of  age.  He  came  from 
the  South  Branch,  in  Hardy  County,  W.  Va.  Next 
came  Isaac  Cushman,  and  kept  the  Cushman  stand, 
one  mile  south  of  Fossit's.  On  the  14th  of  No- 
vember, 1787,  we  find  him  near  Gibbons'  Glade,  tak- 
ing out  a  patent  for  four  hundred  and  twenty-three 
acres,  where  George  H.  Thomas  now  lives.  He  was 
a  great  hunter,  and  one  winter  when  a  hard  crust 
froze  on  the  snow  and  the  deer  broke  through  and 
could  not  run,  Cushman  and  others  killed  them 
nearly  all  off.  Cushman  had  two  sons,  Thomas  and 
Isaac. 
About  1783  the  Moores  came  from  Ireland  and  set- 
I  tied  west  of  McPeck's.  Robert  was  at  Jacob  Prin- 
key's,  and  patented  land  in  1786.  Thomas  Moore,  an- 
other brother,  was  on  Sandy  Creek,  on  the  State  line, 
at  the  old  James  place,  now  owned  by  D.  Thor.iton. 
John,  another  brother,  was  where  Squire  Isaac  Arm- 
strong resides.  He  had  five  sons, — Col.  Anilrew, 
Robert,  Archibald,  Thomas,  and  William,  who  went 
West;  and  one  daughter,  Sarah,  who  died  in  the 
township. 

John  Moore  built  a  one  and  a  half  story  log  house 
near  where  the  log  tenant  house  of  I.  Armstrong 
stands,  and  there  kept  tavern.  He  died  and  his 
widow  kept  it  a  while,  but  went  West  in  1812.  Col. 
Andrew  Moore  served  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  kept 
tavern  and  a  small  stock  of  goods  in  one  room  of  the 
house.  He  married  Nancy  Williams,  and  the  late 
Samuel  Moore  was  one  of  their  sons. 

In  January,  1786,  John  Cross  patentejl  three  hun- 
dred acres  on  Mill  Run  near  R.  Kingham's,  and  after- 
wards built  a  tub-mill  near  it.  In  1787,  Henry  Fern 
patented  land  by  name  of  Cherry  Valley,  where  Alex- 
ander Rush  now  lives. 

In  1788,  John  Inks  received  a  patent  f«)r  a  tract  of 
land  where  J.  H.  Wiggins  lives,  and  sold  it  to  a 
man   bv    name   of    Newbern.      David    Young   came 


832 


HISTOKY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


about  this  time,  and  built  two  cabins  and  a  house  a 
mile  or  so  back  from  William  Smith.  The  two  cabins 
were  burned.  Also  about  this  time  came  Alexander 
McDowell  into  Wharton  near  Tom  Fossit's ;  he  was 
an  old  Indian-hunter,  and  was  captured  once  after 
being  shot  through,  and  sold  to  British  traders  for  a 
gallon  of  rum  and  a  silver  half-dollar.  He  got  well 
and  came  to  Wharton,  where  he  was  a  great  hunter. 
He  came  from  Ireland,  and  was  the  ancestor  of  the 
McDowells  in  Wharton;  he  was  a  large,  muscular, 
fearless  man,  kind  and  generous.  His  sons  used  to 
get  out  millstones  near  Meadow  Run  and  take  them 
to  Brownsville,  where  they  were  shipped  to  Ken- 
tucky. 

Capt.  Levi  Griffith  came  to  this  county  soon  after 
the  Revolution,  took  up  a  tract  of  mountain  land  of 
about  four  hundred  acres  in  Wharton  township,  where 
he  lived  till  his  death.  He  was  a  lieutenant  in  Wayne's 
Indian  expedition,  but  acted  as  captain.  He  was  the 
only  man  in  this  county  who  was  a  member  of  the 
Society  of  the  Cincinnati,'  a  society  of  Revolutionary 
officers.  He  held  the  badge  and  star.  He  received 
a  pension  from  the  government,  and  every  six  months 
went  to  Uniontown  for  his  pension.  Then  he  would 
invite  his  old  friends  to  dinner,  generally  at  Dr. 
McClure's  tavern;  among  these  were  Col.  James 
Paull,  Maj.  Uriah  Springer,  Col.  Thomas  Collins,  and 
William  McClelland. 

About  1788  the  Deans  came  to  Wharton.  Thomas 
Dean  started,  but  died  on  the  way  with  smallpox.  He 
was  from  Germany,  and  had  served  through  the  Revo- 
lutionary war.  Samuel,  his  son,  had  served  two  years 
in  that  war.  He  and  his  mother  kept  on  into  Whar- 
ton, settling  close  to  William  Smith's.  Samuel  F. 
married  a  New  Jersey  lady  of  the  name  of  Camp, 
and  raised  a  large  family.  Thomas  and  Edward,  his 
sons,  were  on  the  pike.  Thomas  is  still  living,  nearly 
eighty  years  old,  and  a  lively,  pleasant  old  gentle- 
man, with  a  good  recollection  of  events  of  sixty  years 
ago.  Samuel's  mother  went  to  Ohio,  and  died  there 
at  over  one  hundred  years  of  age.  Charles,  another 
son,  lives  near  Elliottsville.  Samuel  died  at  an  old 
age.  He  was  the  ancestor  of  the  Deans  in  Wharton. 
About  1789,  James  Hayhurst  was  at  Braddock's 
Run  keeping  tavern.  Abraham  Stewart  was  in 
Wharton  in  1790,  and  kept  tavern  afterwards.  He 
raised  Peter  Hagar,  who  married  Rachel  Inks  and 
settled  the  Hagar  farms,  now  owned  by  his  descend- 
ants. 

In  1790,  Daniel  and  William  Carrol  came  from 
Ireland.  William  settled  on  Old  Braddock  road,  on 
the  bank  of  Braddock's  Run,  and  kept  tavern.  Daniel 
Carrol,  when  twenty-five  years  old,  settled  the  glade 
named   after   him.     He   married   a  widow,   Barbara 


-  "A  little  while  before  the  disbanding  of  the  Continental  army  the 
officers  formed  an  association  formutual  friendship  and  assistance  which 
they  called  the  'Society  of  the  Cincinnati.'  They  adopted  an  order  or 
badge  of  gold  and  enamel,  which  with  membership 
the  nearest  male  representative  for  all  time." — Lossin',, 


descend 


Cogswell,  and  by  her  had  four  sons  and  one  daughter, 
— Daniel,  who  married  a  sister  of  James  Sampey  and 
went  West ;  James,  who  went  West ;  William,  who 
married  a  Miss  Conaway  and  went  West ;  Joseph, 
who  married  Nancy  Scott,  and  remains,  an  old  and 
intelligent  man,  in  possession  of  the  glade;  and  Mar- 
garet, who  married  a  man  named  Casteel  and  went 
West. 

In  1797,  James  Hayhurst  came  from  Braddock's 
road  and  settled  near  Potter's  school-house,  and 
bought  from  William  McClelland,  who  had  patented 
under  name  of  "Bellevue"  and  "Land  of  Cakes." 

In  1800,  David  Flaugh  settled  near  Elliottsville,  and 
Enos  and  Eber  West,  half-brothers,  came  from  Mary- 
land and  settled  near  the  junction  of  Mill  Run  and 
Sandy  Creek,  on  the  Rowland  tract,  patented  in  1785. 
Eber  West  kept  a  tavern  on  the  Moore  road  for 
many  years  near  the  mouth  of  Mill  Run,  and  then 
moved  up  the  hill  and  built  a  tavern  stand  where  A. 
Crutchman  now  lives.  He  raised  a  large  family,  and 
they  all  went  to  Ohio. 

Enos  West,  half-brother  of  Eber,  settled  where 
Jacob  Sumey  lives.  His  wife  was  the  Widow  Black, 
previously  a  Rowland.  He  raised  a  large  family. 
One  daughter,  Mrs.  Rachel  Fields,  is  still  living 
near  Smithfleld.  Jonathan,  one  of  his  sons,  went 
to  Uniontown,  and  his  son,  Enos  West,  came  back  to 
Wharton  in  1835,  and  built  a  saw-mill  near  Whar- 
ton Furnace,  where  he  now  lives.  Old  Enos  West 
emigrated  to  the  Western  country,  came  back  on  a 
visit  and  died,  and  was  buried  at  Smithfleld.  His 
wife  had  one  daughter,  Sarah  Black,  who  married 
the  Rev.  William  Brownfield. 

About  1800,  John  Slack  was  on  the  Braddock  road, 
and  in  1810,  Benjamin  Elliott,  from  Greene  County, 
bought  out  David  Flaugh,  who  lived  near  Brown's 
Church.  He  raised  a  family  of  four  daughters  and 
two  sons, — Solomon,  who  emigrated,  and  S.  D.  Elli- 
ott, the  present  owner  of  his  farm.  He  built  a  saw- 
mill and  the  flouring-mill  at  Elliottsville  in  1817  and 
1818.  Benjamin  Elliott  was  born  in  1781,  and  died 
in  1863. 

In  1814,  John  Tuttle  came  from  German  township 
to  Wharton,  where  his  son,  Eli  Tuttle,  now  lives. 
Squire  Benjamin  Price  and  James  Snyder  came 
about  1815.  After  the  pike  was  built  James  Mc- 
Cartney, from  Maryland,  lived  in  a  log  house  just 
back  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Farmington. 
He  married  John  Marker's  widow,  whose  daughter, 
Sarah  Marker,  married  Charles  Rush.  James  Mc- 
Cartney's son  Nicholas  was  well  known  as  a  tavern- 
keeper,  a  good  talker,  and  a  leading  Democrat.  His 
daughter  Mary  Ann  married  Squire  Burke ;  another 
daughter  was  Mrs.  Ellen  Brown  ;  and  Diana,  an- 
other daughter,  married  Atwell  Holland,  who  was 
killed  by  a  negro.  She  is  now  Mrs.  Thomas,  living 
in  Greene  County. 

Col.  John  McCuUough  came  shortly  after  McCart- 
'  nev.     His  sons  Nicholas  and  James  are  well  known 


WHARTON   TOWNSHIP. 


along  the  road.  Squire  James  Bryant,  or,  as  some 
called  him,  Bryan,  also  Sebastian,  John,  Charles,  and 
Levi  Rush,  Jr.,  sons  of  Levi  Rush,  of  Henry  Clay, 
came  and  located  in  Wharton.  John,  Charles,  Sam- 
uel, and  Sebastian  Rush  (called  "  Boss"  Rush)  were 
on  the  road  as  tavern-keepers.  Charles  Rush  was  on 
the  pike  at  Searight's  in  1856.  Samuel  Rush  keeps  , 
the  Rush  House,  opposite  the  Union  Depot,  Pitts- 
burgh. Sebastian  Rush  married  Margaret,  a  daughter  \ 
of  James  Beard.  Thomas,  one  of  his  sons,  is  a  mer- 
chant at  Farmington,  and  C.  H.  Rush,  another,  is  a 
merchant  at  Uniontown.  Sebastian  Rush  for  years 
was  the  leading  Republican  of  Wharton  township, 
while  Col.  John  McCuUough  and  Nick  McCartney 
were  the  leading  Democrats. 

In  1822  Col.  Cuthbert  Wiggins  came  to  Wharton  I 
from  Uniontown.     His  son,  Joseph  H.  Wiggins,  has 
the  finest  house  in  Wharton,  one-half  mile  from  Chalk 
Hill,  and  it  is  called  by  sportsmen  the  "  fox-hunter's 
paradise." 

The  Moyers  about  1820  were  clearing  farms  in  the 
western  part  of  the  township.  Their  ancestors,  Sara-  : 
ueland  Jacob,  came  from  Hagerstown.  Philip  Moyer,  ; 
who  lives  near  Elliottsville,  and  Barbara,  widow  of 
Samuel  Moore,  are  children  of  Jacob  Moyer,  whose  \ 
wife  was  Catherine  Maust.  Nancy,  one  of  his  daugh-  ! 
ters,  married  Samuel  Morton,  of  West  Virginia,  who 
built  a  saw-mill  at  Gibbons'  Glade. 

Peter  Kime  came  to  Potter's  place  in  Wharton  i 
.about  1825.  In  18.33  G.  W.  Hansel  came  from  Mary- 
land, and  the  Crutchmans  came  to  West  place.  In 
1836  Jacob  Workman  and  his  brother  came  from 
Maryland  and  settled  near  Peter  Hager.  In  1840 
Amos  Potter  came  from  Henry  Clay,  and  bought  the 
Kime  property,  and  still  resides  on  it.  He  is  over 
seventy  years  old, a  kind,  affable,  intelligent  old  man, 
who  has  held  many  offices  in  the  township,  and  for 
years  has  been  one  of  its  leading  and  most  useful 
citizens. 

About  1840,  Isaac  Armstrong  came  from  West  Vir- 
ginia, and  bought  the  old  Moore  property,  on  which 
he  now  resides.  He  has  been  justice  of  the  peace 
heretofore,  and  holds  this  office  at  the  present  time. 
In  the  western  part  of  the  township  we  find,  about 
1850.  Jonas  Haines  and  John  Wirsing,  from  Somer- 
set County,  Pa.,  and  John  Myers,  from  West  Vir- 
ginia. 

ROADS    AND    TAVERNS. 
The  Braddock  road  is  the  oldest  road  in  the  town- 
ship.   The  Sandy  Creek  road  is  the  next,  and 


the 
second  or  third  road  laid  out  in  Fayette  County,  in 
1783,  running  from  Ten-Mile  Creek  past  Haydentown 
to  Sandy  Creek  settlement,  past  Daniel  McPeck's, 
who  lived  near  Gibbons'  Glade.  It  is  not  known 
whether  it  came  by  Gibbons'  Glade  from  Haydentown, 
or  by  the  Bear  Wallow  to  Brucetown,  W.  Va. ;  it  is 
supposed  to  have  come  by  Three-Mile  Spring  from 
Haydentown  past  to  Gibbons'  Glade.  The  next  road 
was  from  Selbysport  to  the  Moore  settlement,   and 


branching  to  Braddock's  road.  The  next  was  the  Tur- 
key Foot  road,  coming  p.ist  where  Robert  Dalzell 
(the  fiither  of  Private  Dalzell,  of  political  Atme)  lives, 
and  intersecting  Braddock's  road  at  Dunbar's  Camp. 
Next  was  the  National  road.  Next,  in  1823,  was  a 
road  from  Downer's  tavern  (Chalk  Hill)  to  Jonathan's 
Run  (near  Stewart),  and  Samuel  Little,  Col.  Andrew 
Moore,  John  Griffin,  and  Jacob  Downard,  viewers- 
Next  was  a  road  from  Snyder's,  on  the  pike,  past  El- 
liott's Mill  to  West  Virginia,  and  then  a  road  from 
Farmington  to  Falls  City.  The  Sandy  Creek  road 
was  afterwards  known  as  the  Moore  or  Cumberland 
road. 

The  Old  Braddock  road  entered  Wharton  from 
Henry  Clay,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  McCaribn, 
then  by  Eli  Leonard's  to  the  Widow  Dean's,  back  of 
Farmington,  then  to  Dennis  Holland's,  then  by  Fort 
Necessity  through  the  Facenbaker  farm,  crossing 
the  National  road  at  Braddock's  Run,  near  the  house 
of  James  Dickson's  heirs,  then  along  a  ridge  back  of 
Chalk  Hill,  through  the  Johnson  farm  to  tlie  top  of 
the  mountain,  to  Frederick  Hamerer's  place,  then  by 
Washington's  Spring  through  the  Kenedy  farm,  and 
two  miles  beyond  crossing  the  township  line  to  Dun- 
bar's Camp.  On  this  old  road  there  were  a  number 
of  tavern  stands  within  the  boundaries  of  Wharton 
township,  and  a  brief  mention  is  here  made  of  them. 
The  Burnt  Cabin  stand,  just  west  of  the  Henry 
Clay  line,  was  a  cabin,  where  about  1790  a  man  by 
name  of  Clark  lived.  The  cabin  was  afterward 
burnt,  hence  the  name.  David  Young  kept  tavern  in 
it  in  1796.  A  few  old  apple-trees  mark  its  site  on 
McCarion's  farm. 

The  old  Inks  tavern  was  about  one  mile  west  of 
the  Burnt  Cabin,  where  Eli  Leonard  now  lives. 
Thomas  Inks  built  the  first  part  of  the  house  now- 
standing,  and  in  1783  kept  tavern  in  it.  George 
Inks,  his  son,  followed  him  in  keeping  the  house  till 
the  road  was  shut  up.  Near  is  Dead  Man's  Run,  so 
named  from  two  brothers-in-law  quarreling  at  Inks', 
and  having  left  together,  young  Thomas  Inks  soon 
after  started  to  mill,  and  driving  across  the  run 
found  one  of  them  lying  dead  in  the  run. 

Old  Graveyard  tavern,  a  large  log  house,  stood  two 
miles  west  of  Inks',  on  the  Widow  Dean's  place,  just 
b.ick  of  Farmington.  It  was  supposed  to  have  been 
built  about  1783  for  a  tavern.  Afterward  Henry 
Beall  and  Plummer  kept  it,  then  Abraham  Stewart, 
father  of  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart,  next  Clemmens.  It 
'  was  so  called  from  a  graveyard  but  a  few  yards  away. 
The  house  has  long  been  gone.  The  old  trees  and 
graveyard  remain. 

The  Rue  England  tavern  was  about  one  mile  we-t 
of  the  Old  Graveyard  tavern,  where  Dennis  Holland 
now  lives,  on  land  owned  by  G.  W.  Hansel.  It 
was  a  log  house,  supposed  to  have  been  built  about 
1796,  and  was  kept  awhile  by  young  Thomas  Inks. 
The  Freeman  tavern  stood  a  short  distance  west  of 


834 


HISTORY   OF    FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  Rue  England.  It  was  a  log  tavern,  built  about 
1800,  and  kept  by  Benjamin  Freeland  and  young 
Thomas  Inks.  Jackson  Facenbaker  lives  at  the  place. 
Benjamin  Freeland  had  five  children, — Mahala, 
Phffibe,  John,  Isaac,  and  Mary.  The  father  died  in 
Uniontown.  John  and  Phcebe  went  to  New  Orleans, 
where  she  taught  school,  married,  and  died. 

The  Old  Orchard  tavern,  near  where  the  Braddock's 
road  crosses  the  National  road,  was  a  log  house  kept 
by  Hayhurst  in  the  Old  Orchard.  It  was  supposed 
to  have  been  built  about  1786,  and  was  kept  by  Wil- 
liam Carrol  after  1790. 

The  Downer  tavern  was  about  one  mile  back  of 
Chalk  Hill,  and  was  kept  by  Jonathan  Downer,  who 
came  to  it  in  1813.  Thomas  Inks,  Jr.,  kept  here  at 
one  time. 

The    Cushman    tavern   stood    one   mile    north   of  j 
Downer's.     It  was  a  log  tavern,  kept  about  1784  by  [ 
Cushman.     About  1787,  Tom  Fossit  (the  old  soldier 
who,  as  some  said,  killed  Gen.  Braddock)  kept  here. 
The  house  has  long  been  gone.     The  Johnsons  now 
own  the  property. 

About  half  a  mile  north  from  Cushman's  is  a  ledge 
of  rocks  where  a  peddler  was  said  to  have  been  killed 
in  early  days  for  his  money  and  wagon-load  of  goods. 
The  place  is  called  "  Peddler's  Rocks." 

Slack's  tavern  was  one  mile  north  of  Cushman's. 
Tom  Fossit  built  a  log  house  and  kept  tavern  in 
1783  on  the  top  of  the  mountain  at  the  Great  Rock, 
close  to  the  junction  of  the  Burd  and  Braddock  roads. 
Fossit  soon  left,  and  John  Slack  built  a  large  log  house ; 
it  was  called  Slack's  tavern.  The  old  Slack  tavern  is 
gone,  but  about  ten  feet  from  it  stands  the  house  of 
Fred  Hamerer,  who  owns  the  place.  The  Great  Rock 
is  about  twenty-five  feet  from  his  house,  but  a  quarry 
being  worked  in  it  some  years  ago  has  greatly  changed 
its  appearance.  About  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
from  it,  just  below  the  Old  Braddock  road,  on  the 
Kennedy  farm,  where  Allen  Humphreys  lives,  is 
Washington's  Spring,  at  which  he  once  made  his  i 
night  camp.  North  of  the  Great  Rock  fifty  rods  is  a 
high,  projecting  point  on  a  hillside  where  the  Half-  | 
King  had  his  camp.  1 

About  a  mile  and  a  half  east  of  the  Great  Rock  are 
the  Three  Springs,  within  a  circle  of  two  hundred 
yards,  on  Trout  Run,  a  head  of  Great  Meadow  Run. 
On  the  right  of  the  run  is  the  Sand  Spring,  twenty- 
five  feet  in  diameter,  water  boiling  up  from  clear 
white  sand.  A  rail  twelve  feet  long  has  been  pushed 
down  and  no  bottom  reached.  Next,  a  few  yards 
lower  on  the  same  side,  is  Blue  Spring,  about  twenty- 
five  feet  in  diameter  and  ten  feet  deep,  with  a  beauti- 
ful rock  bottom.  Then  on  the  left,  higher  up,  and 
reiilly  the  head  of  the  run,  is  Trout  Spring,  about 
twenty-five  feet  in  diameter  and  about  four  feet  deep, 
the  water  clear  and  cold  and  containing  trout. 

The  National  road  was  built  through  Wharton 
township  in  1817-18.  In  February,  1817,  the  part  of 
the  road   from   the   Henrv  Clay  line  to  Braddock's 


grave  was  included  in  a  contract  from  David  Shriver, 
superintendent  of  the  eastern  division,  to  Ramsey  & 
McGravey,  one  section  ;  John  Boyle,  one  section ; 
Daniel  McGravey  and  Bradley,  one  section;  and 
Charles  McKinney,  one  section ;  and  in  May  of  the 
same  year  it  was  let  to  the  Wharton  line,  and  from 
Braddock's  grave  to  Uniontown.  Hagan  &  McCann 
and  Mordecai  Cochran  were  contractors  on  the  road 
to  the  summit  of  Laurel  Hill,  the  township  line. 
They  had  many  sub-contractors  under  them.  From 
Chalk  Hill  the  road  was  to  follow  the  Old  Braddock 
road  to  the  top  of  Laurel  Hill  and  then  to  Union- 
town,  but  the  superintendent  changed  it  to  the  pres- 
ent route. 

The  first  tavern  stand  on  the  National  road  was 
near  Fielding  Montague's.  This  stand  is  a  matter 
of  dispute.  Old  Thomas  Dean  has  no  recollection  of 
Leonard  Clark  having  three  cabins  here  that  were 
burnt,  and  thinks,  as  Leonard  Clark  kept  at  the  Burnt 
Cabin,  on  the  old  Braddock  road,  and  David  Young 
had  two  cabins  burnt  back  of  William  Smith's,  on  the 
road,  hence  this  mistake  of  making  them  Clark's,  and 
locating  them  on  the  road  as  the  Bush  tavern.  All 
old  people  agree  in  making  this  first  stand  to  have 
been  the  Noe's  Glade  stand,  a  story  and  a  half  log 
house,  west  of  Fielding  Montague's  some  three  hun- 
dred yards,  kept  by  Flannigan  and  John  Collier  and 
George  Bryant.  Some  of  these  parties  were  not  li- 
censed. James  Beard  afterwards  bought  the  house 
and  lived  in  it  a  while,  and  it  was  then  torn  down. 

McCuUough  stand,  a  two-story  stone  building  and 

a  stage-house,  was  built  and   kept  by  Bryant, 

somewhere  about  1823,  and  Bryant's  post-office  was 
kept  here  about  1824.  Next  Henry  Vanpelt,  a  son- 
in-law  of  Bryant,  kept  the  house.  After  him  came 
John  Risler,  James  Sampey,  Adam  Yeast,  William 
Shaw,  Alexander  Holmes,  and  Nicholas  McCartney 
in  1845,  then  Col.  John  McCullough  bought  the 
property  and  kept  till  his  death  in  185.5.  His  widow 
then  kept  a  while  and  married  Squire  I.  N.  Burk,  who 
now  occupies  the  property.  Col.  John  McCullough 
was  a  stock-drover  from  Ohio,  and  liking  the  country 
as  a  business  place,  settled  here.  He  was  a  man  of  stal- 
wart proportions,  a  good  talker,  and  a  great  champion 
of  Democracy.  At  this  house,  when  Nick  McCartney 
kept,  Atwell  Holland  was  killed  on  the  4th  of  July, 
1845,  by  a  negro  escaping  from  slavery.  The  negro 
passing  over  the  road  was  stopped  by  McCartney  as 
a  runaway  at  the  suggestion  of  some  wagoners.  Mc- 
Cartney took  the  negro  to  the  house,  gave  him  some- 
thing to  eat,  and  leaving  the  house  for  a  time  left  the 
negro  under  the  care  of  Atwell  Holland,  who  had 
married  his  sister  Diana  a  month  previously.  The 
negro  watching  a  favorable  opportunity,  sprang  out 
the  open  door  and  ran.  Several  of  the  wagoners  and 
Holland,  against  the  entreaties  of  his  wife,  pursued 
him.  The  negro  soon  distanced  them  all,  but  Holland, 
who  was  a  very  fleet  runner,  overtook  him.  The  ne- 
gro turned  and  stabbed  him  three  times  and  then  con- 


WllAKTON    TOWNSHIP 


tinued  his  flight.  The  knife  was  a  long  dirk.  Hol- 
land fell,  and  his  companions  came  up  and  bore  him 
back  to  the  house.  The  impulsive  and  eccentric 
Lewis  Mitchel,  a  preacher,  knelt  by  his  side,  and 
while  stanching  his  wounds  with  grape-leaves  offered 
a  prayer  for  the  dying  man.  He  expired  in  a  few 
moments  in  the  arms  of  his  young  wife.  It  was  said 
that  when  Holland  breathed  his  last  a  party  formed, 
went  to  the  Turkey's  Nest,  and  laying  in  wait  that 
night,  intercepted  the  negro  on  his  way  to  Union- 
town  and  shot  him  and  concealed  the  body. 

The  third  stand  on  the  road  was  a  two-story  frame 
house,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  east  of  McCullough's, 
and  built  by  Bryant,  who  lived  in  it  after  keeping  at 
McCullough's.  Col.  John  McCullough  built  an  addi- 
tion to  it,  and  kept  it.  He  was  succeeded  by  Morris 
Mauler,  William  Shaw,  and  Adam  Yeast.  A  few 
years  ago  Nicholas  McCullough  repaired  the  build- 
ings, and  kept  a  year.  The  property  is  now  occupied 
by  a  Mr.  Glover. 

The  Rush  stand  was  a  large  two-story  frame  house, 

built    by   Bryant   for  his   son.     Charles  Rush 

bought  it  in  1838,  and  building  to  it,  opened  a  house 
for  the  traveling  public.  He  kept  till  his  death  in 
1846.  He  was  a  genial  and  generous  landlord,  be- 
stowing many  a  free  meal  on  hungry  and  penniless 
applicants.  His  widow  kept  for  a  time,  and  after- 
wards married  William  '  Smith.  Mr.  Smith  kept 
Adams  &  Green's  express  line  wagons  and  other 
travel  until  the  road  went  down,  and  he  still  occupies 
the  property. 

The  "  Bull's  Head"  was  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  west 
of  the  Rush  stand,  a  frame  building  built  by  Thomas 
Dean  in  1824.  Selling  liquor  and  feed  to  drovers 
was  its  principal  business,  and  at  night  from  the  old 
stands  near  a  jolly  crowd  would  gather  to  pass  an 
hour  or  so  with  song  and  drink  and  the  music  of  the 
violin.  Stephen  Dean  continued  a  while  after  Thomas. 
The  house  has  been  enlarged  and  improved  into  a  fine 
residence,  and  is  now  occupied  by  John  Stark. 

The  "  Sheep's  Ear,"  next  west,  is  a  frame  building, 
which  was  kept  by  Edward  Dean  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  the  "  Bull's  Head."  It  was  built  about  1824 
by  Samuel  Dean  for  a  shop,  and  enlarged  by  his  son 
Edward  for  the  accommodation  of  the  public  with 
liquor  and  feed,  and  was  resorted  to  for  amusement 
as  the  "  Bull's  Head."  It  was  kept  by  Dean  &  Bogle. 
F.  H.  Oliphant,  the  great  ironmaster,  put  a  line  of 
teams  on  the  road,  and  they  made  a  stopping-point  at 
Edward  Dean's.  There  is  no  account  of  how  or  why 
these  two  Dean  houses  received  their  peculiar  names. 
The  property  is  now  occupied  by  Akerman. 

The  Old  Inks  stand  was  next  west  from  the  Sheep's 
Ear,  and  within  one  mile  of  Farmington.  It  was  a 
frame  two-story  building,  built  by  George  Inks  about 
1820,  if  not  earlier,  and  kept  by  George  Inks,  Heckrote, 
John  Risler,  Samuel  Clemmens,  and  Nick  McCartney. 
The  property  is  now  occupied  by  the  Widow  McCart- 
ney. 


The  Farmington  stand  was  a  log  house,  built  here 
by  Squire  James  Bryant.     It  was  kept  by  Bryant, 

!  Connor,  Tantlinger,  and  his  widow  until  1H37,  when 
Judge  Nathaniel  Ewing  bought  the  property  and 
built  the  present  large  and  commodious  stone  and 
brick  structure.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Amos  first 
kept  it,  and  then  Sebastian  Rush,  Sr.,  bought  and 
kept  it  until  the  time  of  his  death,  in  1878.  The 
j)roperty  is  now  occupied  by  his  widow.     The  old  log 

(  tavern  stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  building,  and 
was  supposed  to  have  been  built  about  1818.  The 
present  building  was  a  stage  stand,  and  was  the  stop- 
ping-place of  the  Stockton  mail  line  when  kept  by 

I  "  Boss  Rush."  Mr.  Rush  once  pointed  out  to  the 
writer,  when  stopping  with  him,  a  room  in  which 

I  Gens.  Jackson,  Harrison,  Taylor,  and  Scott  had  slept, 
and  told  him  that  Sam  Hou.ston,  Henry  Clay,  Tom 
Corwin,  and  Jenny  Lind  had  lodged  under  his  roof. 

The  Frazer  stand  was  west  of  Farmington  one- 
quarter  of  a  mile.  It  was  a  two-story  frame  building, 
supposed  to  have  been  built  by  Samuel  Spau,  kept  by 

I  his  widow,  and  then  by  Samuel  Frazer.     It  was   a 

j  wagon  stand.     The  property  is  now  owned  and  occu- 

!  pied  by  G.  W.  Hansel,  who  came  from  Maryland  to  it 

I  in  1833. 

I      The  John  Rush  stand  is  a  two-story  frame  building, 

j  about  one-quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  the  Frazer  stand, 
built  by  John  Rush  in  1845,  when  the  pike  was  be- 
ginning to  decline;  kept  by  John  Rush  and  H.  Clay 
Rush.  He  sold  the  property  to  his  brother,  "Boss 
Rush,"  whose  son,  Sebastian  Rush,  Jr.,  now  occu- 
pies it. 

The  first  building  of  the  Mount  Washington  stand 
was  an  old  log  house,  kept  by  Edward  Jones  and 
Mitchel.  The  present  large  brick  house  was  built  by 
Judge  Ewing  about  1825,  who  sold  the  property  to 
Henry  Sampey.  Kept  by  Henry  Sampey,  and  after 
his  death  by  his  widow,  then  by  his  sons-in-law,  Fos- 
ter and  Moore.  It  was  a  stage  stand.  The  Good 
Intent  stage  line  stopped  here.  The  property  is  now 
owned  and  occupied  by  Geoffrey  Faceubaker,  who 

I  came  to  it  in  1856.  It  is  about  half  a  mile  west  of  the 
John  Rush  stand. 

The  toll-house,    next   west,   is   an   angular   stone 

I  structure,  built  in  1829.  Hiram  Seaton  was  the  first 
keeper.  He  was  elected  county  treasurer  twice,  and 
died  in  Missouri.  One  of  his  sons,  Charles  S.  Seaton, 
was  elected  to  the  Legislature,  and  resides  in  Union- 
town,  a  prominent  merchant.  Robert  McDowell  was 
the  ne.\:t.  He  was  commonly  called  "  Gate  Bob,"  as 
there  were  several  Robert  McDowells.  Although 
crippled  by  rheumatism,  he  was  considered  a  rough 
customer  in  a  fight;  tall,  angular,  and  severe  in  ap- 
pearance. He  ran  for  county  commissioner  in  1854, 
but  was  defeated.  The  old  toll-house  has  a  keeper 
no  more,  and  no  tolls  to  collect.  The  jiroperty  is 
owned  by  Dr.  K.  M.  Hill,  and  is  occupied  by  a  family 
as  a  residence. 

I      The  Monroe  Spring  stand  is  next  west  of  the  toll- 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


house,  aud  was  built  by  W.  S.  Gaither  for  McKinney, 
a  contractor  on  the  road,  in  1821.  It  is  a  two-story  log 
house,  weather-boarded,  kept  by  W.  S.  Gaither,  James 
Frost,  Samuel  Frazer,  Germain  D.  Hair,  John  Shuff, 
John  Longanecker,  Sebastian  Rush  (who  went  from 
here  to  Chalk  Hill),  William  McClean,  John  Rush, 
Morris  Mauler,  John  Dillon,  P.  Ogg,  Peter  Turney, 
and  John  Foster.  The  old  house  still  stands,  but  has 
gone  to  wreck  The  property  is  now  owned  by  Dr. 
R.  M.  Hill.  At  the  spring  close  to  the  house  John 
Hagan,  a  contractor  on  the  road,  gave  President 
Monroe  a  dinner.  The  President,  throwing  wine  in 
the  water,  christened  it  Monroe  Spring,  from  which 
the  house  soon  built  derived  its  name.  W.  S.  Gaither, 
who  built  the  house,  had  a  contract  on  the  road.  He 
came  from  Baltimore. 

The  Braddock  Run  stand  is  next  west  of  Monroe 
Spring  House.  A  two-story  stone  house,  built  about 
1820  by  Charles  McKinney,  a  contractor  on  the  road, 
who  afterwards  went  to  Ohio.  It  was  a  wagon  stand, 
and  derived  its  name  from  being  near  Braddock's 
Run.     It  was    kept    by  Charles    McKinney,  James 

Sarapey,  Samuel  Frazer,  John  Risler, Springer, 

William  Shaw,  and  Noble  McCormick.  Squire  James 
Dixon  bought  the  property  of  Henry  Gaddis,  a  son- 
in-law  of  Springer,  and  Dixon's  heirs  now  occupy 
the  property. 

Fayette  Springs  Hotel  is  next  west  of  Braddock  Run 
stand.  It  is  a  large  two-story  stone  house,  which  was 
built  under  direction  of  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart  for  a 
fashionable  summer  resort,  and  not  for  a  regular 
stand.  Col.  Cuthbert  Wiggins  built  the  hotel  in  1822. 
It  was  kept  by  Col.  Wiggins  (who  came  from  Union- 
town),  William  McMillen,  John  McMullen,  John 
Risler,  John  Rush,  Earl  Johnson,  Brown  Snyder, 
Samuel  Lewis,  Darlington  Shaw,  J.  H.  Wiggins  (son 
of  Col.  Wiggins),  Redding  Bunting,  C.  W.  Downard, 
and  Capt.  John  Messmore,  and  is  now  occupied  and 
kept  by  A.  G.  Messmore. 

The  Chalk  Hill  stand  is  a  large  two-story  frame 
building,  with  commodious  stabling  attached,  be- 
speaking ample  comfort  to  man  and  beast.  It  is  next 
west  of  Fayette  Springs  Hotel.  The  oldest  part  of 
the  building  was  erected  by  Jonathan  Downer  in 
1818,  when  he  moved  from  his  stand  on  the  Old 
Braddock  road.  It  was  a  wagon  stand,  and  was  kept 
by  Jonathan  Downer,  Springer  Downard,  William 
Neal,  Sebastian  Rush  (1840),  Judge  Samuel  Shipley 
(who  went  to  Monroe  in  1847J,  William  Shipley,  and 
Milford  Shipley.  John  Olwine  bought  the  property 
in  1869,  and  kept  until  1875.  Marion  Arnett  kept  in 
1875,  and  from  1876  until  the  present  William  J. 
Olwine,  son  of  John  Olwine,  has  had  charge  and  ac- 
commodated the  traveling  public.  When  the  road 
was  built  the  workmen  shoveled  up  here  a  white-look- 
ing earth  and  called  it  chalk  :  hence  the  name  of 
Chalk  Hill.  Gen.  Jackson  and  his  nieces  stopped 
here  overnight,  and  the  general  returning  home  from 
his  second  term,  stopped  to  see  David  Downard,  who 


was  sick.  Gen.  Harrison  stopped  here,  also  Black 
Hawk  when  going  to  Washington.  Two  of  Chalk 
Hill's  landlords  ran  for  associate  judge, — Samuel 
Shipley  on  the  Democratic,  aud  Sebastian  Rush  on. 
the  Republican,  ticket.  The  county  being  Democratic, 
Shipley  was  elected. 

Snyder's  stand  is  next  west  of  Chalk  Hill,  at  the 

'  eastern  foot  of  Laurel  Hill.  It  is  a  two-story  frame 
building,  the  first  part  of  which  was  built  by  David 
Jones  in  1820,  who  kept  and  rented  to  James  Snyder. 
Jones  had  taken  up  the  land  as  vacant  on  which  the 

!  buildings  stood,  but  a  man  by  name  of  McGrath  in 
Philadelphia  and  Snyder  bought  from  him  and  built 
an  addition  and  kept  it.  He  rented  it  two  years, 
then  taking  charge  himself  again.  He  is  the  last  of 
the  pike  landlords  in  Wharton.  He  is  now  over 
ninety  years  of  age,  and  the  oldest  man  in  the  town- 
ship. He  was  elected  county  commissioner  almost 
without  opposition,  and  was  a  surveyor  for  many 
years,  and  has  been  a  very  prominent  citizen  of 
Wharton.  He  came  from  Brown's  Run,  in  Georges 
township,  near  Uniontown,  where  he  married  Mary 
Brown,  his  wife.     They  had  four  children, — Simon, 

j  Stephen,  Lewis,  and  Margaret. 

Squire  Benjamin  Price's  cake-  and  beer-shop  was 
next  west  of  Snyder's  stand,  on  the  side  of  Laurel 
Hill.  Price  built  a  stone  and  frame  house,  its  chim- 
neys being  but  little  above  the  bed  of  the  pike;  on 
the  hillside  below  the  pike  he  planted  an  orchard,  and 
kept  cakes  for  sale.  The  house  has  gone  to  ruin. 
The  squire  was  a  tall,  heavy-set,  broad-faced  man, 
light  complexioned,  with  blue  eyes  and  light  hair. 
As  justice  of  the  peace,  he  fined  the  wagoners  and 
drovers  when  they  swore  in  passing  his  place,  and 
they  in  return  annoyed  him  by  throwing  clubs  and 

■  stones  on  his  roof,  and,  it  is  said,  once  on  a  time  a 
couple  of  drovers  threw  a  crippled  swine  down  his 
chimney,  for  which  they  received  a  sound  beating  at 
the  squire's  hands. 

The  Summit  House  is  at  the  summit  of  Laurel  Hill, 
almost  on  the  western  boundary  of  Wharton.  Col. 
Samuel  Evans  built  a  two-story  frame  building  and 
several  outbuildings,  intended  for  a  summer  resort. 
It  was  kept  by  Ephraim  McClean,  who  went  to  Illi- 
nois, by  Henry  Clay  Rush  in  1855,  Brown  Hadden,  S. 
W.  Snyder,  John  Snyder,  William  Boyd,  and  Nich- 
olas McCullough,  the  present  occupant.  Mollie  Cal- 
houn's cake-shop  stood  close  to  the  Summit  House. 
It  was  a  rude  cabin  or  shanty,  in  which  the  old 
woman  sold  cakes  and  beer.  When  the  Summit 
House  was  built  Old  Mollie  was  dispossessed  of  her 

i  cabin,  which  was  then  torn  down,  and  she  disap- 
peared from  the  great  thoroughfare. 

Fayette  Springs. — About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  south 
of  Chalk  Hill  is  the  celebrated  Fayette  Springs, 
whose  chalybeate  waters  have  cured  many  sick  and 
afflicted.  Dr.  Daniel  Marchant,  of  Uniontown,  came 
up  to  Dftwnard's  about  1814.  examined  the  spring, 
and   repnrti'(l   it    valuable.      A    man  of  the  name  of 


WHARTON    TOWNSHIP. 


837 


Marsh  built  a  log  house  to  accoiiiniodatc  visitors. 
The  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart  built  a  large  building  here, 
which  burned  down  a  few  years  ago.  Brown  Hiidden 
at  present  is  keeping  a  summer  resort  in  the  house  that 
was  built  in  place  of  the  building  burned  down. 

VILLAGES— MAIL    SERVICE— BUSIXESS    ENTER- 
PRISES. 

Farmingtoii. — A  log  tavern  was  the  first  house  here, 
and  Mr.  Connor  kept  a  few  goods  in  it.  A.  L  Crane 
kept  store  next,  and  two  houses  were  built.  Peter 
T.  Laishley  kept  goods,  and  Mrs.  Andrew  L.  Crane ; 
then  Mr.  Sterling  kept  a  store,  and  the  place  was 
called  Sterling's  Cross- Roads.  Morgan  Jones  came 
next,  and  the  village  was  given  its  present  name. 
Sebastian  Rush  came  in  charge  of  the  Farmington 
stand  and  built  up  the  place.  In  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness Daniel  Witherow  .succeeded  Jones,  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  S.  Rush,  James  Dixon,  C.  H.  Rush,  Hat- 
field, and  Thomas  Rush.  Farmington  consists  often 
houses,— T.  Crutchman,  farmer;  Dr.  S.  W.  Newman; 
John  Taylor,  farmer;  Alfred  Fisher,  laborer;  Thomas 
Rush,  merchant;  Mrs.  S.  Rush,  hotel;  J.  Turney, 
laborer;  Adam  Span,  farmer;  G.  Cunningham,  black- 
smith ;  and  James  McCartney,  farmer.  A  new  store 
is  being  fitted  up  by  Camp  &  McCann.  From  Farm- 
ington Morgan  A.  Jones  removed  to  Philadelphia, 
where  he  became  a  broker.  His  brother  David  re- 
moved to  Wisconsin,  and  became  Lieutenant-Gov- 
ernor of  that  State ;  S.  E.  Jones  went  to  Colorado, 
where  he  was  elected  probate  judge;  John  Jones  re- 
moved hence  to  Kentucky,  where  he  became  an  ex- 
tensive ironmaster.  Thomas  Rush,  the  postmaster, 
served  creditably  in  the  war  of  1861-65. 

The  village  of  Farmington  is  located  at  the  inter- 
section of  the  old  National  road  and  the  Falls  City 
road.  It  is  surrounded  by  a  good  farming  country, 
and  is  regarded  as  a  pleasant  summer  resort. 

Gibbons'  Glade. — At  this  place  about  1847,  Samuel 
Morton,  from  Virginia,  built  a  saw-mill  and  log  house. 
Christian  Harader  bought  of  him,  and  in  1849  built 
the  flouring-mill  and  three  dwelling-houses.  A  man 
named  Sanborn  lived  here,  and  people  called  the 
place  Sanborntown,  and  from  that  nicknamed  it 
"  Shinbone,"  and  the  post-oflice  was  at  first  so  called. 
On  the  waters  of  Gibbons'  Run,  the  post-ofiice  was 
changed  to  Gibbons'  Glade  in  1875,  and  the  village 
■was  named  the  same.  Its  location  is  at  the  junction 
of  two  roads,  and  on  the  run.  It  has  five  dwellings,— 
S.  Thomas,  mill-owner;  J.  Fike,  farmer;  John  Cool- 
ing, blacksmith;  Daniel  Johnson,  distiller;  Joseph 
Guiler,  clerk.  The  mill  was  built  by  C.  Harader, 
and  sold  to  Jacob  Fike,  by  him  to  John  Harader, 
by  him  to  Abraham  Thomas  in  1855,  by  him  to  John 
Umble  in  1860,  by  him  to  Thomas  Frederick,  and 
by  him  to  Sylvanus  and  William  Thomas  in  1869. 

The  store  was  first  kept  by  Jacob  Zimmerman ;  he 
was  succeeded  by  S.  Griffith,  P.  McClellan,  H.  Har- 
net  (who  built  present  store-house),  Carrol  &  Hara- 


der, John  W.  Carrol,  J.  Hardin,  J.  Campbell,  Inks 
&  Umble,  Inks,  Inks  &  Prinkey,  Chidester,  Daniel 
Johnson,  and  John  O'Neil. 

£'«iOi!/TOi'&.— Benjamin  Elliott  in  1817-18  built  the 
saw-  and  tlouring-mill  here.  His  son,  S.  D.  Elliott, 
succeeded  him  and  made  improvements.  In  1845  he 
opened  a  stock  of  goods.  He  was  succeeded  by  Mey- 
ers &  Kennedy,  Hagar  &  Dice,  J.  E.  Patton,  S.  D. 
Elliott,  Benjamin  Elliott  (who  built  the  present  store- 
house), S.  D.  Richey,  and  Dr.  R.  M.  Hill,  at  present, 
with  a  stock  of  dry-goods  and  drugs.  Situated  at  the 
junction  of  two  roads,  the  village  has  two  streets, 
Water  and  Farmington,  with  nine  dwellings.     It  is 

!  favorably  located  for  a  business  place,  and  is  the  cen- 
tre and  voting-place  of  the  Wharton  Independent 
School  District,  formed  by  decree  of  court  Dec.  9, 
1864,  on  report  of  Adam  Canan,  Robert  McDowell, 
Jr.,  and  John  Snyder. 

Dr.  R.  M.  Hill,  of  Elliottsville,  was  born  in  Wash- 
ington County,  Pa.,  in  1842  ;  attended  Hoge's  and 
Georges  Creek  Academies  ;  entered  the  service  in  the 
war  of  the  Rebellion  under  Col.  M.  S.  Quay,  Co.  C, 
134th  Penn.  Vols. ;  fought  at  Second  Bull  Run,  South 
Mountain,  and  Shepherdstown,  and  was  wounded  in 
the  left  side  and  right  arm  at  Chancellorsville.     After 

'  the  war  he  read  medicine  with  Dr.  Chalfant.  He 
attended  the  Western  Reserve  Medical  College,  and 
received  his   diploma   from   Jefferson    College.     He 

'  located  at  Farmington  with  a  good  practice,  and  at 

I  present  is  located  at  Elliottsville.  In  1876  he  was 
elected  to  the  Legislature  by  a  large  majority,  run- 
ning in  advance  of  his  ticket,  and  serving  meritori- 
ously in  the  Legislature  of  1877-78. 

S.  D.  Elliott,  the  founder  of  the  village  (born  in 
1809),  has  long  been  identified  with  the  interests  of 
Wharton,  holding  at  different  times  nearly  every 
elective  ofiice  in  the  township. 

Mail  Service. — At  the  opening  of  the  National  road, 
in  1818,  Bryant  post-office  was  established,  with  James 
Bryant  as  postmaster.  Bryant  moved  to  Squire  Burk's, 
and  removed  the  office  with  him.  It  was  moved  back 
to  Farmington,  and  in  1838  Morgan  Jones  named  the 
place  Farmington,  and  the  post-office  was  changed 
from  Bryant  to  Farmington.  The  successors  in  the 
post-office  have  been  Andrew  L.  Crane,  Joseph  Ster- 
ling, Morgan  Jones,  Daniel  Witherow,  Hair,  S.  Rush, 
C.  H.  Rush,  James  Nixon,  and  the  present  postmaster, 
Thomas  Rush,  and  until  1860  it  was  the  only  office 
in  the  township.  In  1860,  Chalk  Hill  post-office  was 
established,  William  McMillen,  postmaster.  After 
him  were  John  McMillen,  John  Rishler.  Robert 
Sproul,  William  Sproul,  and  Margaret  Downer.  It 
was  changed  to  Fayette  Springs  post-office,  and 
moved  to  Fayette  Springs  Hotel ;  postmasters,  Alice 
Bunting,  C.  W.  Downer,  Capt.  John  Messmore,  and 
A.  G.  Messmore,  present  postmaster.  In  1870,  Shin- 
bone  post-office  was  established  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  Hon.  John  Covode,  and  Sylvanus 
Thomas   was   appointed    postm;ister.      In    I87.5   the 


838 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE    COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


name  of  the  office  was  changed  to  Gibbons'.  In 
1881,  Thomas  resigned,  and  Joseph  Guiler  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster. 

Mail  Routes. — The  Farmington  route  from  Union- 
town  to  Farmington  was  established  after  the  pilce 
went  down,  instead  of  the  old  through  route  from 
Wheeling  to  Wa-shington.  S.  Eush  for  many  years 
was  contractor,  then  McCullough  a  year,  and  Calvin 
Dean  at  present  is  contractor. 

Farmington  and  Brandonville  (W.  Va.)  route, 
No.  8615,  was  established  1870,  with  Fielding  Mon- 
tague contractor,  who  has  had  the  route  ever  since. 

Distilleries.— In  early  days  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Miller  had  a  distillery  in  Wharton.  There  was  no 
market  for  grain,  and  people  took  grain  to  this  di.s- 
tillery,  and  got  their  whisky  in  kegs,  and  carried  it  on 
pack-horses  east,  and  traded  for  iron,  salt,  and  store- 
goods. 

After  Miller's  still-house  went  down  Jacob  Sailor 
built  one  near  it.  John  Rutter  passed  it  on  his  way 
to  the  McCollum  place  in  West  Virginia,  lost  his 
way  in  a  snow-storm,  and  was  frozen  to  death.  In 
1861,  Zar  Hart  built  a  distillery,  then  in  Henry  Clay, 
but  now  in  Wharton.  In  1872,  Daniel  Carnes  came 
in  possession,  and  ran  it  until  1876,  with  C.  W.  Dow- 
ner ganger,  and  John  Farmer,  of  Nicholson,  store- 
keeper. From  1876  to  1878,  Capt.  John  Bierer  ran  it, 
with  Robert  McCracken  ganger  and  store-keeper. 
From  1878  to  1881,  Philip  Dennis  ran  it,  with  Mc- 
Cracken as  ganger  and  store-keeper.  Daniel  Johnson 
has  bought  the  machinery,  and  will  move  it  to  Gib- 
bons' Glade,  to  be  placed  in  a  distillery  to  be  erected 
there. 

Millx. — A  Mr.  Cross  had  a  tub-mill  near  Kingham's, 
on  Mill  Run,  in  an  early  day,  about  1790.  Jacob 
Beeson  built  a  tub-mill  for  Richard  Cheney  (near 
Simon  Hager's  place)  about  1795.  But  the  oldest 
mill  in  the  town.ship  seems  to  be  Cross'  tub-mill, 
near  the  Stewart  line,  on  Bissel's  place,  formerly 
owned  by  Harvey  Morris.  Thomas  Dean  recollects 
it  in  1814,  and  it  then  was  called  "  the  old  mill,"  and 
was  the  great  mill  for  corn,  while  they  went  for  wheat 
to  Selbyspor;.  The  Carrol  mill  was  an  old  mill. 
Benjamin  Elliott  built  his  mill  on  Sandy  in  1818, 
and  Joseph  Victor  built  a  mill  in  1830  on  Mill  Run, 
which  burned  down.  The  mill  was  built  with  the 
intention  of  starting  a  furnace.  The  property  is 
now  owned  by  Beeson  &  Snyder. 

The  Gibbons'  Glade  mill  was  built  in  1849  by  C. 
Harader,  this  and  Elliott's  being  the  only  two  mills 
(now)  in  the  township.  Peter  Kime  had  a  mill  and 
uarding-machine  where  Asbury  Carrol  lives,  but  it 
went  down  about  1830. 

Tanneries. — There  was  a  small  tannery  at  John 
Moore's  about  1800.  The  next  tannery  was  Beaver 
Creek  tannery,  started  in  1840  by  Z.  Ludington,  next 
run  by  Kane  &  Cope,  then  William  Armstrong,  and 
now  by  Levi  Byerly.  It  is  in  Tinker  Ridge  settle- 
ment, close  to  the   Stewart    line.      SyUr's  tannery. 


on  Mill  Run,  was  started  about  I860,  and  is  still 
running. 

Wharton  Furnace.— li\  1839,  Hon.  Andrew  Stewart 
completed  Wharton  Furnace,  and  put  it  into  blast 
and  ran  it  several  years ;  he  then  rented  to  John  D. 
Crea,  of  Brownsville,  then  to  Kenedy  Duncan,  who 
employed  Alexander  Clair  as  his  manager.  Col.  D.  S. 
Stewart  then  ran  a  short  time.  After  him  came  a 
succession  of  proprietors,  by  whom  it  was  run  till 
about  1873,  when  it  was  finally  abandoned.  Hon. 
Andrew  Stewart's  heirs  still  own  the  property.  Ore 
and  coal  are  plenty,  but  the  distance,  over  bad  roads, 
to  haul  the  metal  is  the  great  trouble  in  running  the 
Wharton  Furnace. 

Stores. — John  More  kept  a  few  goods  near  Squire 
Isaac  Armstrong's,  and  this  was  the  first  store  in  the 
township.  Andrew  L.  Crane  kept  goods  at  Mount 
Washington  about  1820,  and  moved  his  store  next 
Washington  Hansel's  house,  where  a  thief  came  down 
the  chimney  and  robbed  him.  About  the  same  time 
one  Conner  kept  a  few  goods  at  Farmington,  in  the 
old  log  tavern.  Crane  next  kept  at  Farmington,  about 
1835.  Squire  S.  D.  Elliott  opened  out  a  stock  of 
goods  at  his  mill  in  1845,  and  Jacob  Zimmerman, 
about  1856,  put  a  stock  of  goods  at  Gibbons'  Glade. 

Physicians. — Dr.  Hasson  was  at  the  Inks  stand 
about  1860,  and  Dr.  Dunham  at  Gibbons'  Glade  about 
the  same  time.  Dr.  Lewis  came  next  to  Farmington, 
followed  by  Dr.  R.  M.  Hill,  and  Dr.  S.  W.  Newman 
in  1880,  while  Dr.  L.  W.  Pool  was  at  Elliottsville 
from  1874  to  1876,  and  then  removed  to  Grant  County, 
W.  Va. 


There  is  no  account  of  who  taught  the  first  schools 
in  Wharton,  which  were  private,  or  pay-schools  by 
the  quarter.  An  old  log  school-house  stood  on  the 
pike  near  Farmington,  and  another  on  the  Lake  farm 
beyond  Elliottsville.  Aug.  19, 1837,  is  the  first  record 
of  a  school  board  under  the  free  school  system.  A 
meeting  was  then  held  to  locate  school-houses. 
They  located  ten  school  districts,  and  ordered  that 
Miss  M.  A.  Reynolds  teach  at  Elliott's,  Joseph  Con- 
ner at  Moore's,  James  McCartney  at  Dean's,  and 
Benjamin  Payton  at  Carrol's.  The  sum  of  $110  was 
appropriated  to  build  one  school-house,  and  $116  to 
build  another.  Teachers'  wages  were,  for  females, 
$10;  males,  S15  per  month  ;  and  three  months'  terms 
were  taught.  In  1841  the  school  tax  was  $293.  From 
1840  to  1860  the  leading  teachers  of  the  township  were 

William  Smith,  Amos  Potter,  Stuller,  George 

Matthews,  and  John  E.  Patton.  The  school-tax  is 
heavier  than  in  most  townships  of  the  county,  show- 
ing a  deep  interest  by  the  citizens  in  their  schools. 
During  the  winter  of  1875-76  the  teachers  of  the 
township  met  at  Farmington  and  organized  a  literary 
society,  whose  debates  of  more  than  ordinary  interest 
drew  crowded  houses.  A.  C.  Holbert  and  J.  M.  Har- 
baujrh,  on  tin-  pnrt  of  the  ti'acliers,  and  Dr.  J.  T.  Bea- 


WHARTON  TOWNSHIP. 


839 


zel  and  Dr.  E.  M.  Hill  were  the  leading  spirits,  whose 
ingenious  arguments  will  long  be  remembered. 

The  following  statistics  are  from  the  school  report 
made  in  1880 : 

Number  of  districts  (running,  12;  vacant,  2;  ind.,  1)..  15 

Number  of  school-houses,  frame 15 

Number  of  teachers  employed 1.3 

Amount  paid  teachers,  $1538,  Wharton  ind.,  SI 5(1. 

The  teachers  for  1880  were  Miss  Jennie  Sproul, 
John  Eush,  J.  C.  W.  McCann,  John  Hansel,  C.  L. 
Smith,  John  Carrol,  E.  Carrol,  J.  C.  Berg,  C.  Woodfil, 
P.  C.  Brooks,  L.  Workman,  E.  Augustine,  and  E.  Mc- 
Clellan. 

Following  is  a  list,  nearly  perfect,  of  those  who 
have  been  elected  school  directors  in  Wharton  from 
the  time  the  township  conformed  to  the  requirements 
of  the  public  school  law  (in  1837)  to  1881,  viz. : 

1837. — Joseph   Price,  Joseph   Henry,  James  Sampey,  Daniel 

Carrol,  Charles  Griffin,  Alex.  Harvey. 
1838.— James  Sampey,  Samuel  Potter,  J.  iM.  Sterling,  Charles 

Griffin,  Alex.  Harvey. 
1839.— S.  Potter,  M.  A.  Jones,  Charles  Griffin,  Ale.\.  Harvey, 

W.  Hollaud,  James  Harvey. 
1840.— S.  Potter,   Morgan   A.  Jones,   Hiram  Seaton,  William 

Gaddis,  AV.  Holland,  Ale.x.  Harvey. 
1841. — Simon  P.  Snyder,  Morgan  A.  Jones,  John  J.  Hair,  Hi- 
ram Seaton,  W.  Gaddis. 
1842.— S.  P.  Snyder,  J.  J.  Hair,  W.  Kobinson,  W.  Thorp,  James 

Snyder. 
1843.— S.  P.  Snyder,  J.  J.  Hair,  E.  Mitchel,  James  Snyder. 
1844. — A.  Harvey,  Samuel  Potter. 
1845.— E.  Mitchel,  S.  Potter,  James  Goodwin,  Robert  Sproul, 

J.  Bryner,  William  Richards. 


1846.— No  r 

ecord. 

1847.— Jam 

es  Goodwin,  W.  Thorp,  Amos  Potter. 

1848.- Amo 

s  Potter,  G.  Hair,  Robert  McDowell,  H 

1848  to  1868.— No  school  record. 

1868.— C.  W.  Downer,  A.  Hayden,  Joseph  Stark,  Jacob  Prinkey, 

W.  A.  Carrol,  George  M.  Thomas,  S.  Rush. 
1869.— G.  W.  Griffith,  A.  Hayden,  N.  McCartney,  W.  A.  Carrol, 

S.Rush. 
1870.— G.  W.  Griffith,  A.  Hayden,  L.  W.  Fike,  N.  McCartney. 
1871.— G.  W.  Griffith,  A.  Hayden,  L.  W.  Fike,  John  Wirsing, 

J.  M.  Dixon,  W.  A.  Carrol,  S.  Rush. 
1872.— J.  M.  Dixon,  A.  Potter,  A.  W.  Carrol,  John  Wirsing, 

C.  McQuiUen,  L.  W.  Fike,  S.  Rush. 
1873.— G.  W.  Hansel,  Amos  Potter,  W.  A.  Carrol,  John  Wir- 
sing, N.  McCartney,  C.  McQuiUen,  S.  Rush. 
1874.— No  record. 
1875.-James  M.  Dixon,  A.  Potter,  L.  W.  Fike,  John  Wirsing, 

6.  W.  Hansel,  N.  McCartney. 
1876.— G.  W.  Hansel,  A.  Potter,  L.  W.  Fike,  N.  McCartney, 

S.  Thomas,  J.  N.  Wiggins. 
1877.— R.  P.  McClelland,  A.  Porter,  Samuel  Hager,  J.  Prinkey, 

J.  N.  Wiggins,  John  Wirsing. 
1878.— E.  L.  Facenbaker,  S.  Hager.   R.  P.  McClelland,  John 

McCullough,  J.  Prinkey,  Thomas  McCartney. 
1879.— E.  L.  Facenbaker,  S.  Hager,  John  Dice,  John  Hersh- 

berger,  Thomas  McCartney,  J.acob  Prinkey. 
1880. — E.  L.  Facenbaker,  S.  Hager,  John  Dice,  John   Hersh- 

berger,  Thomas  McCarty,  John  Wirsing. 
18S1.— S.  Hager,  John  Dice,  John    Hershberger,    John   Wir- 

sini.    Alex.  Rush,  Robert  Dalzell. 


RELIGIOUS   DENOMINATIONS. 
For  years  after  the  settlement  of  the  township  re- 
ligious services  were  conducted  at  private  houses  by 
ministers  of  different  denominations. 

Prmbyterian. — The  first  denomination  to  effect  an 
organization  was  the  Presbyterian.  The  Presbytery 
of  Eedstone,  on  March  24, 1842,  organized  the  church 
of  Mount  Washington,  electing  Seth  Hyatt  and  Si- 
mon Snyder  ruling  elders.  The  following  thirty-two 
persons  constituted  the  organization :  Benjamin  El- 
liott, Solomon  Elliott,  S.  D.  Elliott,  Mrs.  Mary  Elliott, 
Miss  Mary  Elliott,  Eunice  Elliott,  John  Eobison  and 
wife,  Seth  Hyatt  and  wife,  Mrs.  Susan  Crutchman, 
Miss  Ester  Conaway,  Mrs.  Lizzie  Long,  Mrs.  Sophia 
Tuttle,  Mrs.  Shafer,  Mrs.  Eeynolds,  Miss  Belinda 
Eeynolds,  Mrs.  James  McCarty,  Mrs.  James  Matthews, 
Mrs.  John  Eisler,  Mrs.  W.  A.  Gaither,  Miss  Elizabeth 
Gaither,  William  Gaither,  Mrs.  Hill,  Christina,  Jane, 
Nancy,  Eobert,  and  John  Hill,  Simon  Snyder,  Miss 
Sarah  Stewart,  and  Morgan  H.  Jones. 

In  May,  1842,  the  first  fifteen  named  persons  or- 
ganized Brown's  Church  near  EUiottsville.  Both 
churches  were  log  buildings,  but  in  18.57  at  Mount 
Washington  a  neat  frame  church  was  erected.  Rev. 
J.  Stoneroad  was  instrumental  in  founding  the 
churches  and  was  their  minister,  succeeded  by  Eev. 
Eosborough  and  other  occasional  supplies  until  1850  ; 

,  from  1850  to  1870,  Eev.  J.  Stoneroad  ;  from  1876  to 
1878,  Eev.  E.  T.  Price ;  from  1878  to  1881,  Eev.  S.  S. 

I  Bergen.     Elders :  in  1846,  S.  D.  Elliot*  was  elected  ; 

j  1861,  John  Snyder;  1866,  G.  W.  Hansel,  Eobert  O. 

j  Jones,  and  James  McCann.     Brown's  Church  is  now 

i  unfit  for  holding  services  in,  and  the  members  attend 

j  when  practicable  at  Mount  Washington. 

Methodist  Episcopal. — In   1841,  Amos  Potter,  Mr. 

I  and  Mrs.  Harned,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hair,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Carl  formed  a  class  at  Potter's  school-house.     Eev. 

!  David  Hess  was  one  of  the  first  ministers.  Services 
were  held  at  several  places  in  the  township,  and  in 
fall  of  1855,  Eev.  Eaton,  from  Petersburg,  held  a 
meeting  near  William  Smith's,  on  the  National 
road,  and  formed  a  ela-ss.  Nicholas  McCartney, 
Mary  A.  McCullough,  John,  Thomas,  Samuel,  Ste- 
phen, Jane,  Sally,  and  Catherine  Dean,  John,  Jo- 
seph, Sarah,  and  Lavina  Stark,  and  twenty-seven 
others  (forty  in  all)  formed  this  class.  It  organized 
itself  as  the  Sansom  Chapel  (Methodist  Episcopal) 
Church,  and  built  in  18.57  the  Sansom  chapel  building 

j  on  the  National  road.  Tinker's  Eidge  class  was  organ- 
ized in  1860  (with  Stephen  Dean  class-leader)  ;  Chalk 
Hill  in  September,  1859,  but  went  down  ;  Fairview 
class  at  Haines'  school-house  in  1863,  with  John  Wir- 
sing as  class-leader,  members  from  West  Virginia 
belonging,  but  they  withdrawing  in  1873  the  class 
went  down.  Eev.  Cooper  was  the  first  minister  after 
Sansom  Chapel  was  built,  followed  by  Rev.  James 
Hill,  Thomas  Storer,  James  Hollingshead,  John 
Eobinson,  Z.  Silbaugh,  P.  Burnworth,  and  others. 
The  Rev.  Daniel  J.  Davis  is  at  present  in  charge. 


840 


HISTORY   OF   FAYETTE   COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


Bap(isf.—Oa  Dec.  3, 1846,  at  Potter's  school-house, 
Nathaniel  West,  Eli  Tuttle,  John  Detwiler,  James 
Williams,  M.  Fry,  Gabriel  Cook  and  wife,  and  others 
organized  Bellevue  ( Baptist)  Church  ;  they  removed  to 
near  EUiottsville,  and  held  services  in  Brown's  Church 
and  the  school-house.  John  Detwiler  and  Nathan- 
iel West  were  elected  deacons.  Rev.  Lewis  Sammons 
was  their  pastor  from  June  21,  1851,  to  April,  1854  ; 
Rev.  John  Williams  from  1854  to  1865.  In  1858  they  j 
built  a  small  neat  church  near  EUiottsville,  which  ' 
was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1874.  The  Rev.  W.  P. 
Fortney  was  pastor  in  1874  and  1875.  j 

German    Baptist,   or    Brethren.— Ahont    1850    the  j 
Brethren  held  services  at  Canan  school-house,  near 
Gibbons'  Glade,  and  at  Workman  school-house,  under  j 
Elder  Jacob  Thomas.     In  1871,  Solomon  Workman, 
one  of  the  members,  objected  to  using  the  (Work-  | 
man)  school-house  as  a  place  of  worship  because  the 
polling-place  had  been  removed  from  Sickles'  to  the  ' 
school-house,  and  though  not  a  wealthy  man,  rather 
than  violate  his  conscience  by  worshiping  in  a  house 
where  elections  were  held  he  built  out  of  his  own 
means  a  neat  frame  church  near  the  school-house  and 
called  it  Bethel,  though  some  of  the  young  men  called 
it  Solomon's   Temple.     The   arched    ceiling   of  the 
building  renders  it  the  best  building  in  the  township 
for   public   speaking.      The   Revs.  Jacob  Beeghley, 
James  A.  Ridenhour,  and  J.  C.  Meyers  have  since 
held  services,  and  at  this  time  (1881)  Elder  Solomon 
Bucklew  has  charge  of  Bethel  and  Canan.     Canan 
still  uses  the  school-house  at  Gibbons'  Glade,  and 
both  are  in  Sandy  Creek  District. 

Cumberland  Presbyterian.— In  1845  the  Rev.  An- 
drew Osborn  formed  a  branch  of  this  church  at  Pot- 
ter's, Mrs.  Amos  Potter,  Daniel  Carrol  and  wife, 
Mr.  Sampey,  John  Patterson,  and  others  constituting 
the  organization.  Rev.  Osborn  held  services  till  1860, 
Rev.  J.  P.  Baird  afterwards  for  a  few  years,  and  he 
then  removing  to  a  distance,  the  organization  being 
feeble  and  without  a  pastor  became  scattered. 

Catholic. — For  many  years  members  of  this  church 
have  been  residents  of  the  township,  and  the  Rev. 
Fathers  Develin,  Gallagher,  and  Duftee  have  held 
services  at  different  points  in  the  township,  and  the 
members  at  one  time  prepared  to  erect  a  church  on 
the  National  road. 

Evangelical  Association,  or  Albright  Methodist. — In 
1850  this  denomination  organized  at  Potter's  school- 
house,  the  Cupps  and  Hangers  being  among  the  first 
members.  Revs.  Doll,  Rishman,  and  Hyde  were  the 
early  ministers.  They  hold  service  at  the  Armstrong 
and  Independent  school-houses.  The  preacher  from 
1878  to  1880  was  the  Rev.  Joseph  White  ;  ISSl,  the  , 
Rev.  Dalzell. 

Methodist  Protestant.— Dr.  Rutledge  and  Rev.  J.  G. 
McCarty  held  services  at  Wharton  Furnace,  but  there 
is  no  organization.  Rev.  D.  H.  Myers,  of  this  church, 
resides  in  the  western  part  of  the  township. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


SEBASTIAN  RUSH. 
The  late  Sebastian  Rush,  known  far  and  wide  as 
"  Boss"  Rush,  and  also  popularly  designated  as  the 
"King  of  the  Mountains,"  filled  a  large  place  in  his 
locality,  Farmington,  Wharton  township,  as  farmer, 
business  man,  and  friendly  adviser  of  a  wide  circle  of 
acquaintances  who  sought  his  counsel,  and  particu- 
larly as  the  genial  host  of  "  Boss  Rush's  hotel"  on 
the  line  of  the  National  pike,  and  over  which  he  pre- 
sided from  1840,  when  he  bought  the  hotel,  until  he 
died,  Feb.  9,  1878.  This  hotel  was  a  favorite  stopping- 
place  of  many  of  the  great  men  of  other  days. 
Henry  Clay,  Tom  Ewing,  President  Polk,  etc.,  when 
journeying  over  the  National  road,  and  Jenny  Lind, 
in  her  famous  tour  through  the  country  with  the 
great  showman,  Barnum,  tarried  overnight  at  "  Bo.ss's 
hotel,"  and  Mr.  Rush  while  living,  as  does  Mrs. 
Rush,  who  now  conducts  the  house,  made  his  more 
distinguished  guests  "twice  happy"  by  honoring 
them  with  lodgings  in  Jenny  Lind's  room  (a  species 
of  sagacity  as  well  as  gallantry  worthy  of  imitation 
by  publicans  in  general). 

Mr.  Rush  was  an  ardent  politician,  early  in  life  an 
old-line  Whig,  afterwards  a  Republican,  and  wielded  a 
great  influence  in  his  region,  putting  into  local  oflice 
whom  he  would  when  his  party  was  in  power,  and 
was  a  Presbyterian  in  religion,  which  fact  doubtless 
added  to  his  success  as  a  politician.  He  amassed  a 
large  property,  owning  at  the  time  of  his  death  about 
twelve  hundred  acres  of  good  land  adjacent  to  his 
house,  as  well  as  several  outlying  farms  of  consider- 
able size,  besides  the  country  "  store"  opposite  the 
hotel,  and  which  he  for  a  long  time  conducted  in 
connection  with  his  other  business  and  other  prop- 
erty. He  was  also  an  extensive  stock-raiser.  Though 
noted  for  his  unusually  good  sense  and  "  clear  head" 
in  mature  life,  Mr.  Rush  enjoyed  but  meagre  advan- 
tages of  study  in  his  childhood,  but  in  after-life  was 
notable  as  a  reader. 

He  was  a  man  of  great  physical  strength,  and 
during  the  latter  portion  of  his  life  of  ponderous 
size,  weighing  sometimes  two  hundred  and  fifty 
pounds.  When  'ne  arrived  at  about  twenty-two 
years  of  age  he  was  made  a  constable,  and  for  years 
filled  his  oflice  with  more  than  usual  ability,  but  for 
the  first  year  or  so  he  was  obliged  to  execute  its  duties 
on  foot,  lacking  a  horse  to  ride  through  pecuniary 
inability  to  buy  qne.  From  such  a  beginning  his 
great  energy  and  sound  sense  built  up  for  him  the 
fortune  he  afterwards  enjoyed. 

He  was  the  son  of  Levi  Rush  (born  1783),  who 
came  to  Fayette  County  from  Somerset  County  late 
in  the  eighteenth  century.  His  mother  was  Mary 
Kemp,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  but  living  in  Henry 
Clay  township  when  she  married.  "  Boss"  Rush  was 
born  in  the  same  township,  Nov.  20,  1808,  and  in  No- 


'm  ^    ^ 


SEBASTIAN     RUSH. 


GEORGE    W.    HANSEL 


WHARTON  TOWNSHIP. 


841 


vember,  1829,  married  Margaret  Baird,  a  girl  of  fif- 
teen years  of  age  (born  1814),  a  daughter  of  James 
Baird,  a  native  of  County  Derry,  Ireland.  This  was 
a  "runaway  match,"  and  though  it  proved  a  happy 
one,  Mrs.  Rush,  a  vigorous  and  intelligent  lady,  now 
conducting  the  hotel,  as  she  and  her  husband  so  long 
and  successfully  carried  on  the  business,  is  emphatic 
in  pronouncing  against  "  runaway  matches,"  among 
children  especially.  Mr.  Rush  died  leaving  seven 
children,  four  sons  and  three  daughters,  three  other 
children  having  died  before  him,  two  in  childhood. 


GEORGE  \f.  HANSEL,  ESQ. 
George  W.  Hansel,  a  prosperous  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser,  and  since  1877  the  principal  trying  justice  of 
the  peace  in  this  section  of  Fayette  County,  is  a 
highly-esteemed  citizen  of  Farmington,  Wharton 
township,  where  he  resides.  He  was  born  in  Alle- 
gany County,  Md.,  of  German  stock.  His  father, 
George,   came   with   his   family,  among  whom    was 


George  W.,  in  1833  to  Farmington,  when  the  latter 
was  about  seven  years  old,  he  having  been  born  .Tuly 
4, 1826.  George  Hansel,  the  father,  died  in  1844,  at 
the  age  of  forty-two,  leaving  six  children,  and  was 
buried  on  the  old  farm,  where  George  W.  has  resided 
since  his  father's  death,  and  which  about  1850  he 
bought, — a  valuable  farm  of  about  four  hundred  acres, 
lying  along  the  line  of  the  old  National  road.  Mr. 
Hansel  has  since  made  considerable  additions  to  the 
old  homestead. 

Mr.  Hansel  is  in  religion  a  Presbyterian,  an  elder 
of  Mount  Washington  Presbyterian  Church  of  Farm- 
ington, and  though  not  ardent  in  politics,  belongs  to 
the  Republican  party,  and  was  formerly  an  old-line 
Whig.  He  has  always  taken  deep  and  intelligent 
interest  in  the  common  schools  of  his  town,  having 
belonged  to  the  board  of  school  directors  since  he 
arrived  at  his  majority. 

Mr.  Hansel  married  in  1852  Miss  Mary  Romes- 
burgh,  daughter  of  Mr.  John  Romesburgh,  of  Farm- 
ington, by  whom  he  has  had  thirteen  children,  all 
living, — eight  boys  and  five  girls. 


cF